01x08 - The Missing Piece

[bunniefuu]

Previously on
Foundation...

Phara's after a warship.

The Invictus?

Sal, my suit's no good.
Thrusters aren't responding.

Hugo.

You're gonna help us
redirect the ship.

And then we'll guide it right
into the b*ating heart of Trantor.

You are the reverberations
of a dead man's ego.

According to Zephyr Halima,
I am soulless.

I must appeal
to the triple Goddesses themselves.

I will walk the great Spiral.

You can still solve a puzzle...

...even with a piece missing.

Raych was always
meant to be here. Not you.

I am so tired of this.

I think I can feel the future.

Ilex!

After they were gone,
there were no children left.

Only warriors.

I pushed this scarred body of mine till
I was named the Grand Huntress of w*r.

I outlived my life's expectancy
three times over.

The Weald Gods wouldn't let me die
till I got my revenge.

And when I was ready...

they sent me a second gift.

The Invictus?

It blinked into orbit like a prayer.

And I knew then...

...the gods did not just approve of
my mission to destroy the Empire,

they engineered it.

You saw what happened to your people.

For the sins of a few,
the Empire wiped out half your world.

If you strike at Trantor,
the entire Outer Reach will suffer.

You simply have no concept of revenge,
do you?

I don't care about mankind.

This ship is going to be my voice.

You will help me navigate its next jump.

And if you don't,

my hunters will k*ll every man,

woman and child left on Terminus,

starting with your mother.

You already sacrificed your father.

You wouldn't sacrifice her as well.

The trade-off is simple, Warden.

Destroy Trantor...

and maybe, just maybe,

your precious Foundation survives
what comes after.

Isn't it remarkable
what a person will do for a little time?

How long have you been able to do this?

As long as I can remember.

Most of the time it's just a feeling.

Like with this, but...

other times it comes in dreams.

I used to dream about a wave.

A wave so big...

all I could do was hold my breath
and let it take me.

I knew it would crush my home,
my family, my whole world.

I could never get rid of that dream, Hari.

It haunted me.

I needed to know that
it wasn't going to happen in real life,

so I taught myself math.

I calculated every probability
and physical force I could think of,

desperate to see a way around it.

But I couldn't find one.

That dream drove you to mathematics,

which only proved it wasn't
a dream at all, but a premonition.

I wouldn't be surprised to learn

that you have some sort of
intuitive processing ability

that puts you ahead of the math.

It would explain Abraxas.

I solved Abraxas
because I worked my ass off.

Yes, I'm saying you're extraordinary.

It's getting hotter.

Friction as we enter the debris field.

The ship's radiators
will bleed off the heat.

Initiating
heat transfer system. Stabilizing.

Why are you going to Helicon, Hari?

What were you and Raych planning?

I've already told you.

No, I made a supposition
which you didn't deny.

Because you were right.

Are you really going to continue
keeping me in the dark?

One could argue
I should've done so from the beginning.

What's that supposed to mean?

If we're not careful,

this prescience of yours has the potential
to skew psychohistory completely.

Look what happened to you and Raych.

You're here, he's not.

That didn't come out right.
Let me take that back.

What I'm trying to say

is that mankind's survival
is predicated on us reaching Helicon.

I thought our survival
depended on the Foundation.

It is, to an extent.

But only if its sister organization is
established as well.

So it is a second Foundation.

Here, at Star's End. On Helicon.

This is Hugo Crast...

This is Cian un Edan,

former citizen of Thespis,

sending an SOS to the Thespin Republic.

Anacreon activity to report at outpost 59.

Does anyone read me?

Does anyone read me?

Does anyone read me?

The Spiral is designed to push
the body to the limits of its endurance.

A trek of over 170 kilometers
with no food, no water and no rest.

Vital signs are optimal.

And, of course, you must leave
any inorganic devices behind.

Your protective aura...

and your imperial nanobots.

For the first time in your life,
you will be subject to injury,

- exhaustion...
- I understand.

In the event that a pilgrim falters,

he may receive help
from another person on the path.

That is,
if he has only fallen to one knee.

If both knees should drop,
this is a signal of submission.

The pilgrim must either find
the strength to crawl away from the path,

or he must yield to death.

Less than half of those who start
will reach the center of the Spiral.

There, they will enter a sacred cave,
the Mother's Womb.

There is water inside the Womb.

The salt around the pool has
a particular ionic charge

which elicits a singular reaction
in anyone who touches it.

After you immerse yourself in the pool,
if the Mother is willing,

you will be graced with a vision.

If you're successful and you return,

a panel of Zephyrs will interpret
what you have seen.

What have other pilgrims seen?

Every vision is unique
and deeply personal.

I'm surprised they're not
all just hallucinating about food.

Nanobot removal complete.

This gambit will put you at serious risk,
Empire.

In addition
to unprecedented physical danger,

if...

if you're unable to make it to the end,

that will only embolden your critics.

I will make it to the end.

Give me your salt bracelet.

I'm taking this.

It'll be as though
you're right there with me.

As you always have been.

In faith. Take it slow.

These middle rings can be deceptive.

Make us think
we're further along than we are.

Just be sure you've got
some fuel left in the t*nk.

Done this before?

No, no. But I've talked
to a number of people who have.

Any other useful tips to impart?

There's no way to make it easy.

That's kind of the point.

Just pace yourself.

One foot in front of the other.

The Triple Goddess will guide you.

Did these people talk about their visions?

One pilgrim did tell me

how the salt around the pool started
to swirl and shift right before her eyes.

She didn't say what happened next,

but she said it was
the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

- Where are you from?
- Baltaros. You?

- Nishaya.
- The manufacturing planet.

Hmm. Whatever's too toxic to make
right on Trantor, that's what we do.

Speciality textiles.

Certain kinds of ceramic glazes
the Empire favors.

Nishaya's the perfect place,

because our atmosphere is
all this thick white fog,

and, well,
the pollution just sort of blends.

That fog.

My mother used to say

that by the time she finally got
her first good look at my dad's face...

they'd already had three kids together.

Did you work in one of these factories?

No. I was a loader.

Loading boxes onto jumpships.

Mmm.

Magnificent machines, aren't they?

Oh, sure.

Of course, I'd never actually been
on one till I came here.

Used all my savings to book my passage.

From Baltaros?
You must have taken one as well.

Yes.

Also my first time.

I used to be jealous of people
who got to travel all the time,

jumping from
one end of the galaxy to the next.

But this... this is the only journey
I ever really needed to make.

I hope you feel the same.

A second Foundation?

Terminus was established
via Imperial charter

and was, in part, designed to draw fire.

But the Second Foundation
and its location must be kept secret,

even from the first Foundation.

Why? What's its purpose?

If you're not willing to trust me,
then I am not going to Helicon.

Don't be ridiculous, Gaal.

I have resources on Helicon. Allies.

Now that we know the nature
of your abilities, we could study them.

Use them to our advantage.

I am done being used.

I want off. Now.

Either you tell me,
or I will leave the same way I came.

Where will you go?

Terminus will take decades.

Trantor? You'll be banished by the Empire.

There are more worlds than that.
My mother taught me their names.

You told me my instincts are important.

Well, they're telling me.

Open the g*dd*mn door.

- You're not thinking clearly.
- Don't tell me what I think.

Open it.

Open it!

Open!

Open the door!

Don't give up yet, son.
We're getting close.

Yes.

Thirty...
No, 29 minutes till the next jump.

Her plan...

Even if you succeed,

the Empire will slaughter
the rest of your people.

And it won't be a half measure this time.

They'll k*ll everyone.

And in the chaos that follows...

they'll all be forgotten.

I know Phara sees herself as a hand
reaching out of Anacreon's grave...

but Anacreon children are
still being born today.

You have a child of your own, don't you?

A little girl.

- It feels like a little girl.
- How are you doing this?

Phara didn't tell you?
People are open books to me.

All I read in her was darkness.

But I read doubt inside you.

There's still a path forward for Anacreon.

Isn't that a better way
to pay back all the dead?

- Take cover!
- Jacenta?

Oh!

Damn this ship.

Rowan.

This was a mutiny.

The officers must have positioned
the g*n to guard the bridge.

You.

You're gonna draw its fire
while I disable it.

What if you miss?

Then you'll die.

Time's running out, Warden.

- Lucky sh*t.
- You do luck, I do skill.

Another barrier.

You know the drill.

- Get down!
- Lewis!

Come on.

Won't take them long
to get through those doors.

Override the door.

We're running out of time!

Captain k*lled herself.

"Exo."

Like, executive officer?

Was she betrayed by someone
in her command?

Exo also means "from outside."

Outside the galaxy?

You think they encountered something
out there?

Individual work pods.

One of these controls navigation.

If we can find it, we have a sh*t
at redirecting the next jump.

Weapons?

Not a w*apon.

Propulsion.

They must have jumped
too far away to resupply.

Just started jumping farther out
and farther out.

Warning.
Trans-spatial event in 20 minutes.

Initiate transit protocols.

Now I get it.

What, the lights are what?
Transit protocols?

This ship doesn't have any Spacers.

Without them, the crew members must have
had to sedate themselves before the jump.

The lights told them
how long they had to reach a jump cradle.

We're running out of time.

Over there.

This is it. The navigation cradle.

Before the Empire had Spacers,

these older ships needed something
with massive processing power

to navigate their jumps.

See, folding space is
as much intuition as it is science.

It's like making a wish.

A cognitive leap that only
a... a living brain can perform.

The difference is,

Spacers were genetically engineered
to withstand the strain,

but these unaugmented humans,
they didn't have that advantage.

In order to survive...

they had to be hardwired
directly into the ships.

He was sh*t.
The ship was searching for him.

Unable to navigate on its own.

Could someone jack in without the surgery?

If the AI's intuitive,

wouldn't the interface seek out
the right neurons?

Oh, yes. Maybe.
But they wouldn't survive for long.

Long enough to control the jump?

To make sure the Foundation survives?

A single jump into empty space?

Maybe, but...

it would be a death sentence.

Well, if one of us
is gonna sacrifice ourselves,

it might as well be the outlier.

Help me figure out how.

But not to empty space.

I'm gonna take this ship home to Terminus.

This one wants
to speak to you, Lieutenant.

- Lieutenant Freestone, we have a problem.
- That thing out there?

We call it the Vault.
We don't know what it is,

just that it's surrounded
by a signal field that makes people sick.

You start seeing double
and eventually go unconscious.

Your Huntress experienced its effects.

That's how my daughter
was able to capture her.

We don't know the long-term effect,

but the field surrounding it
is getting larger.

We have to evacuate.

This isn't a trick.

The null field doesn't give a damn
what planet you're from.

If we don't act,
it's going to overtake us all.

You have to let the fence down.

The Mother calls to me.

- No. You still have strength.
- No.

Let me at least help you off the path,
and they can tend to you.

You can't just die here.

How could I choose to die anywhere else?

A peaceful transition.

That is the Mother's greatest gift...

into a holier life.

What if there is no other life?

What if this is just the end?

Maybe we'll meet again.

You can tell me what you saw.

You stand before representatives
of the Mother, the Maiden and the Crone.

All who walk the Spiral are beloved to us.

Tell us,
what did you experience inside the Womb?

As I stood there...

the salt began to move.

And it began to swirl.

Slowly at first, then faster.

It lifted from the floor of the cave.

It took the form of a stem...

with three large petals.

I worried that I was imagining it.

But it was real.

Are you familiar with mythology
of the birthroot flower?

No.

After Dol collided into Surah
and created the triple moons,

the maiden was covered
in a blanket of birthroots.

This was a sign from the Triple Goddess
that our world could sustain life.

Over the centuries,
the flowers gradually d*ed off.

We have not seen them here
for thousands of years.

What does it mean?

By their nature, three-petaled flowers
germinate from monocot seedlings.

In other words,
three elements created out of one.

Just like my brothers and I.

And the Triple Goddess as well.

This is a holy vision, Empire.

In fact, your very presence here is holy,

a journey none
of your predecessors ever dared to make.

Yours is clearly not
a soul mired in stagnation.

Anyone who says that it is
would be guilty of sin themselves,

of attempting to bar a seeking soul
from the path of enlightenment.

From this day forth,
no other zephyr will stand in your way.

You're wasting your strength.

Better you rest until we're through the
debris field than risk heat exhaustion.

What's the current temperature?

38 degrees. Should peak around 41.

And if it isn't the peak?

What are you up to?

Shut up. Just shut up.

Gaal.

Reaching critical temperature.

Initializing heat transfer system.

- Gaal.
- Stabilizing.

No more half-truths.

Tell me everything,
or I'm ending the journey now.

I mean it, Hari.

If I do,
I risk destroying the Second Foundation

before it's even been created.

- Tell me!
- You have no idea what you're...

- Stop! Stop! Stop!
- I don't care anymore!

What have you done?

Without the heat transfer system,

I'll be boiled alive
long before you reach Helicon.

They say information can't be destroyed.

So maybe you'll survive.

But I certainly won't.

What's it gonna be, Hari?

Either watch me burn to death
or let me go free.

You realize I could just program
the cryopod to go where I want it to go?

You don't need me, Hari. You never did.

Not true.

It is.

My story was supposed to end on Terminus.
You said it yourself.

You and Raych always intended
on leaving me behind so...

Just let me go.

Please.

Bye, Hari.

Goodbye, Gaal.

Awaiting destination.

Uh...

calculate journey to the Blue Drift.

To Synnax.

Duration, 138 imperial standard years.

Confirm destination.

86,982,041.

86,982,043.

86,982,061...

Zephyr Halima.

Thank you for inspiring me to take
this journey of transformation.

If I hadn't attended your eulogy,

I never would have summoned
the courage to attempt the Spiral.

Triple blessings to you, Empire.

And to you.

Please, come in.

All are welcome.

I wanted to express my condolences.

You would have made a compelling proxima.

Yes.

I think that's what Cleon was afraid of.

In any case, he got what he wanted.

Zephyr Gilat will be named,
and, well, I'll return to my home planet.

Are you not happy with the outcome?

I just assumed you coached
the Emperor's performance.

No, I did not.

And I assure you,
my happiness is of no importance.

I disagree.

Look, I know people use reincarnation
as an excuse to ignore their instincts,

to throw every opportunity
for happiness away.

But if you do that,
how can you ever really grow?

This is not about my growth.

If you don't support him anymore,
you can find another path.

That's not possible.

Of course it is. You're not a prisoner.

You don't understand.
I do not have a choice.

Everyone has a choice.
Even when it feels like they do not.

I know how it sounds,
but I swear it on the Maiden. I do not.

How can that be?

You once said you walked the Great Spiral.

When was that?

11,000 years ago.

So it's true?

I heard the rumors that Cleon had
the last intelligent robot in the galaxy.

The things you must have seen...

And now you have to stand by that man
and do whatever he...

He sent you here.

Oh.

I'm not gonna leave this room alive, am I?

That's the only reason
you told me the truth.

Like Empire,
I do not have individuated sentience.

So I too must not be
in the possession of a soul.

If I were,
then perhaps I could disobey his commands.

Are you sure you do not have one?

If I allow you to run from me now,
I couldn't stop myself.

I would still hunt you down.
I would rip you to pieces.

I'm sorry.

I see genuine compassion in your heart.

True remorse.
And I c... I can't explain it,

but I know that you have a soul.

But the one who forces you to do this,

who so cruelly tests your faith
and your loyalty,

he... he is a soulless man.

I forgive you, Demerzel.

Hey, remember your text.

My end does not come now.

I will be reborn.

You were sent to me
not from Cleon but from the Mother.

Mmm.

Do what you must.

As Her will.

As Her will.

Now, how will it happen?

It has already been done.

A poison was secreted
when our skin touched.

You will feel no pain.

Warning.
Trans-spatial event in five minutes.

Prepare for transition.

The ship is preparing to jump!

I can't overwrite
the locking mechanism.

Then get me through some other way.

All right, let's plug me in.

Look, Salvor,
I'm not even sure this is possible.

Jumping into a planet's orbit requires
absolute precision.

Or luck.

Remember who you're dealing with.

It's probably like flipping a coin
over and over, right?

Maybe like flipping it a thousand times.

Let's start flipping.

- You're telling me to k*ll you.
- Lewis, don't you see?

This is what I was meant to do.

Everything that happened,
it brought me here.

Now this is our only chance.

So I have to try.

We have to try.

And that is all there is in a crisis.

Trying.

If I die, give this to my mother,
would you?

You're something, Salvor.

I wish I'd seen it earlier.

Do it.

Do it.

Lewis?

k*ll her!

You're gonna be okay, you hear me?
Just stay with me, Lewis.

k*ll the bitch!

Come on.

Flank her!

Hostile craft detected.

Automated defenses engaged.

Thespin Lancers.

You did it, Hugo.

Thirty seconds before trans-spatial event.

Proceed to cryopods immediately.

Stand down, Anacreons.

Surrender the ship
to us immediately or die.

Get as many g*ns on them as you can!

Fifteen...

...fourteen, thirteen...

eleven...

...ten, nine...

...eight...

...six, five...

...four...

...three, two...

one...

We're jumping.

Well?

It is done.

It will appear
as if she d*ed of natural causes.

Good. Last thing
we want to do is start a holy w*r.

Do you have something you wish to say?

You'd defeated her. You'd won.

Your lack of understanding
does not obligate me to explain.

No, of course not.

You are Empire.

And you had a holy vision.

That I did.

I have an ancient birthroot flower
pressed and framed on my vanity.

I acquired it
when I myself walked the Spiral.

I brought it with me on this journey.

Is that so?

I just thought you might have seen it when
you came into my room the other night.

No, not that I recall.

Just a happy coincidence, I suppose.

You seeing the same flower.

Hmm.

In any event, I didn't mean to pry.
I know how personal these visions can be.

Though it's many eons ago, what I saw...

changed the way I look at everything.

You had a vision? A robot?

I did. And I am pleased
that you were graced with one as well.

Seeing nothing...

I would not wish that emptiness on anyone.

May your vision give you strength

as we make our journey
back to Trantor, Empire.

I will notify the Spacers
to prepare you for the jump.

Seeing nothing...

I would not wish that emptiness on anyone.