Sync and corrections by btsix www.addic7ed.com
I'll take this opportunity
to pledge my loyalty to the State.
I stand before you humbled by the military traditions
of our great planet, Terra.
I dedicate this award to my men,
two of whom gave their lives on Rexor IV.
I accept this in their honor.
Thank you.
- Congratulations, Colonel. - Thank you, General.
Vera, you must be proud.
I am, naturally.
Silas is all the things we aspire to be,
a courageous and unwavering leader.
You're quite right,
but as they say, behind every successful man
is a great woman... in this case, a formidable one.
Your quick thinking as director of this mission
saved us many, many casualties.
If you ask me,
this honor belongs to you both.
Thank you, General.
I always knew he was jealous.
So despicable.
Had to diminish me in front of everyone.
I seriously doubt he meant to diminish you.
Tonight of all nights,
when I received the honor of a lifetime.
I thought he was being kind.
Kind?
Yes, Silas. To me.
Anyway, I'm exhausted. I'm going to bed.
Do your ears ring at night?
I'm sorry?
When you lie down to sleep,
do you see your comrades' lives
extinguished before your very eyes?
- Of course not. - Hmm, of course not.
Did you go out looking for your last two soldiers
and half carry, half drag them back to the ship?
- No, but that's hardly... - What, the point?
- I was going to say fair. - Fair.
Because to those families, that is exactly the point.
- Silas... - No.
Was that you who piloted the ship back to Terra, hmm?
- Of course not. - Of course not.
No. Right.
Because I would have remembered you being there.
Wouldn't I?
You're up early.
What is it?
General Olin's calling an emergency meeting.
With our current atmospheric levels,
we have a little less than five months of air reserves.
We need to return to Rexor IV.
We should be looking to tap the resources
of a planet without inhabitants.
The Rexorian people will naturally try
- and defend their planet. - Damn it, they're not people, Vera.
They're a vicious species.
- They're cool and uncompromising. - They are protective of HYDRAN,
which indicates they're intelligent beings.
If we strip their planet, we doom them
to the same fate we're facing now.
Terra is dying.
- We strike now while we still can. - This will plunge us into war.
You of all people should know that.
I have already come to terms with that.
If my services should end on Rexor IV,
then I know I will have given everything to the State.
To Terra.
See you at the debrief.
We just recovered this satellite transmission
of our last mission to Rexor IV.
We all know how it ends.
May they rest in peace.
Based on this morning's report, I'm moving up the timeline.
We need to get back to Rexor IV.
There's got to be a better way.
We should be negotiating,
finding ways we can share the resources.
This is insanity.
Without HYDRAN, we cannot decontaminate our air.
They have what we need.
We secure it now before they can mobilize.
Agreed. Rexor IV is unstable,
but they have more HYDRAN
than the half dozen planets we've mined so far.
In an attempt to avoid detection,
I will authorize only
the MUSK OV-209 piloted by Colonel Herrick
on a covert mission. You leave tomorrow.
Yes, sir.
Headed to the commissary?
I'd like to finish this report.
- Grab my usual? - Course.
I don't envy you,
having dinner with your husband tonight.
Like it could get any worse.
He never misses an opportunity to undermine me.
I'm so sorry.
Yaro.
Thanks for having my back.
Going down.
Port level 92.
- Next. - Silas?
Deposit to manifest. Yes?
Can I come in?
I'm downloading.
Deposit to manifest.
Next.
Going down.
Deploying breathing apparatus.
Maze level. Ground floor.
You were out late.
The spacecraft is on standby.
I'm leaving.
Already?
11A.
Level 116.
Going up.
Message Silas.
Silas, it's me.
I'll be overseeing the launch.
Be careful out there.
Silas, it's me.
I'll be overseeing the launch.
- How long has this been going on? - 20 minutes, best we can tell.
We're completely surrounded.
We're running out of options.
Restricted to defensive positioning only.
Request permission...
Have you secured the HYDRAN?
Ship's at full capacity.
The warhead's in position.
But will the ship withstand the blast?
If we switch to autopilot
and launch prior to the detonation,
the ship might make it back. And the crew?
We're running out of time!
We must get the HYDRAN out.
Activate the warhead.
Do you copy?
Do it now!
Detonation in ten seconds.
Nine, eight,
seven, six,
five, four,
three, two,
one, detonation.
We weren't expecting you.
I'm so used to my life revolving around his.
I feel...
untethered.
And guilty, honestly.
You were against the mission from the start.
You can't blame yourself.
I should have fought harder.
No, now's the time to fight.
Terra needs you more than ever.
We need an aggressive plan of action.
I know.
Silas would have wanted me to get it together.
Right. Then do it for him.
Yes?
The MUSK OV-209 was detected
reentering our atmosphere on autopilot.
What?
- How? - I know.
We can hardly believe it.
Carrying reserves of HYDRAN.
Was it unmanned?
Sensors detect life on board.
Two lives, actually.
Silas is one of them.
But we don't know what condition he's in.
May I just say, your husband is one remarkable man.
- Where is he now? - He's in the hospital.
He's just completing a thorough exam.
Though I have to say, he's relatively uninjured.
He even managed a few words.
What did he say?
He wants to come home.
I'll call the doctor.
No, no, no.
Please. Please.
Everything's going to be fine.
His breathing's much easier,
but he's still got heavy fevers.
Thanks, Doctor.
- General. - Go gently.
He's been through one hell of an ordeal.
Did the Rexorians attempt to force their way on board?
Well, they...
they tried, but the ship was secure.
Anything else you recall?
No, I-I do remember
pulling one of my men on board with me.
Matthews. You saved his life.
Do you remember the specifics of your journey home?
I don't... I don't know.
I must have
blacked out or...
That's enough for one day.
My husband needs his rest.
Silas, you're positive combat occurred
entirely outside the craft?
Yes. We kept them out.
- Be well. - Thank you.
Hmm.
I haven't seen you wear your hair down
like that in a long time.
It's really nice.
You're so beautiful.
Well, it's no surprise how bad the food is on Terra,
but imagine a dehydrated version of that.
Hey.
Looks like our patient's feeling better.
Let me look at you.
Hmm.
You know where to find me.
Thank you, Doctor.
Have breakfast with me.
I'd love to,
but we're reviewing your ship's Titan Box footage today.
Oh, I-I thought it was destroyed.
Well, some of it was salvageable.
This is where Colonel Herrick finds himself in trouble.
He's dragging Matthews.
He's pursued to the open hatch.
He makes it inside...
just before...
Colonel Herrick assured us
no part of the battle occurred on board.
Yes, he did.
Silas was in shock. Most of his men died.
Perhaps he doesn't accurately recall this part of the battle.
Perhaps.
We know two Rexorians made it on board that ship.
What happened next
is what we need to find out.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry. I...
- I didn't hear you come in. - Yeah, I...
I heard a noise and then I...
saw you like that and it scared me.
Are you sure you're okay?
I'm sorry.
Silas.
What happened out there?
I saw the footage.
It was terrifying.
You must have feared the worst.
And I was one of the lucky ones.
- What's all this? - Well...
- You made breakfast. - I did indeed.
I don't remember the last time you...
Where did you find them?
Mm, nondescript place in the Maze.
Try it.
I know.
It's incredible, huh?
Oh, your tea's ready.
Hope you like it.
Here you go.
I know you don't want to talk about it, but...
you are entitled to a Level One psychologist.
It can't hurt.
Yeah, no, I...
I think you're right.
Okay.
Homemade jam.
You know, I just realized
I have an early-morning debrief, so I...
- I should head in. - Wait, wait, wait, wait,
wait, wait, wait. Humor me.
Just try one bite.
It's really good.
Out of curiosity,
has Silas been talking about coming back to work?
Yes. Just this morning.
Good.
That'll be a relief, right?
You haven't noticed anything unusual since his return?
Nothing I'd complain about.
What does that mean?
He's just...
different.
Different how?
I don't know. It's...
hard to explain, really.
Scares me a little.
You think the Rexorians got to him?
- Of course not. - Vera, listen to me.
These Rexorians are extremely dangerous.
You need to keep your guard up.
Be vigilant.
Hi.
Your dinner's cold.
I thought you would
let me know if you were gonna be late.
I got held up at the office. You had to assume...
No, I... it's not important.
You must be starving.
I'll warm up your plate.
Thank you.
I'll, uh...
go and change out of these clothes.
Do you want me?
Yes.
What's that look?
I can't remember you ever touching me like that.
Stop!
Stop! I'll shoot!
Stop!
- Leave my wife... - Don't move!
My husband's a Level One Colonel.
Colonel Herrick, you're under arrest.
All powers granted by the State are suspended
until further notice.
What the hell is going on?
Bursting into my home like that.
General Olin's orders.
- Where is he? - In the conference room.
Prepare yourself. There's been a development.
Private Matthews,
you've been talking in your sleep.
Your partner caught some of it the other night.
- How bizarre. - Not really.
It's a plea to bring your comrades back from the dead.
In Rexorian.
You're lying. You...
He's a Metamorph.
Inhabiting one of our men.
We've never seen a Metamorph from Rexor.
We very clearly saw two Rexorians
infiltrate the MUSK.
It explains how they survived the blast.
This being is not your husband.
I'm going to ask you one more time.
What is your name and rank?
Silas Herrick.
- Level One Army Colonel. - No.
Your Rexorian name and rank.
You're fishing.
Trying to induce a confession.
- It's ridiculous. - You must be tired.
Tell me the truth and I will let you rest comfortably.
What's your name?
Silas Herrick.
How did you meet your wife?
We were paired by the State
after the procreation mandate went into effect.
She walked into our...
arranged meeting room with such confidence.
But there was such...
tenderness behind her eyes.
That's what I remember. The tenderness.
Impressive recall.
But it won't save you.
Because your fellow soldier gave you up.
What?
Because he's a Level One,
we can't terminate without a trial.
We will be counting on your testimony.
Of course.
My loyalty is to the State.
Won't you begin, Counsel?
Certainly.
This is not Colonel Silas Herrick
but in fact a Metamorph from the planet Rexor IV.
The State calls General Olin.
What do you know about Metamorphs?
They're ruthless,
conniving beings with no empathy or moral code.
As we have witnessed with the infecting of Private Matthews,
they have no remorse for the lives they've taken.
We can only imagine what they intend here on Terra.
A Metamorph inhabits a human being completely,
melding with their DNA.
They acquire their host's mind and memories.
In your esteemed professional opinion,
does Silas Herrick sit before us?
No.
Director Herrick, please take the stand.
According to a colleague,
you had doubts about your husband's behavior
after his return from Rexor. Why is that?
He was...
tense before he left.
Disconnected.
His demeanor changed when he came back.
Did it ever occur to you he could be a Rexorian?
- No. - Were you then shocked
- when he was arrested? - Very.
But...
in retrospect,
I can understand it.
Terra is in a state of emergency.
And many of us have difficulties
keeping our fears in check.
Do you now believe that the man sitting right over there
is your husband?
Yes, I do.
Any further questions, Counselor?
Uh, no.
You may step down.
Your Honor, I'd like a moment
to confer with the State official.
The State calls Yaro Peterson.
How long have you known Director Vera Herrick?
We've worked together for over a decade.
I consider her a friend.
How did she seem
after the Colonel's return from Rexor IV?
Distracted.
Troubled, I'd say.
During this period of time,
did Vera ever tell you she had suspicions?
Yes.
She confided he was a different man.
Different how?
She was evasive.
It seemed she was protecting him.
You're suggesting
that Vera Herrick knew all along
that the defendant is a Metamorph.
Yes.
I believe she has knowingly and willingly
been harboring a Metamorph from Rexor
since the day he returned.
Miss Peterson, what you're saying
is tantamount to treason.
Your Honor...
I would like to testify.
These are...
challenging times.
But I am not your enemy.
I am Colonel Silas Herrick.
And yes,
perhaps I am different now.
Clearly, the State has something else in mind.
You have formed your own conclusions,
and in your rush to judgment,
you're willing to ensnare and endanger the lives
of innocent people. Mine...
and my wife.
If it's a confession that you need, you'll have it.
But on one condition.
Vera Herrick is exonerated
from any and all wrongdoing.
If you agree to those conditions, then...
then I am a Rexorian.
I have nothing further to say.
Silas Herrick is not human.
We urge the State to accept the defendant's terms.
We do.
Take him away.
Your Honor, permission to address the court.
Permission granted.
General Olin clearly stated
Rexorians lack a moral code.
They show no empathy.
Does the court agree that both these statements
made under oath are true?
Yes.
Then, Your Honor,
the defendant cannot be a Rexorian.
A Metamorph would never choose his own demise over another's.
And yet...
you have all just witnessed him
forfeit his life for mine.
He has willingly given up
his hard-won legacy,
allowing all of you to think the worst of him,
even sentence him to death,
rather than see harm come to me.
Is he human?
If sacrifice,
kindness,
and love
is not the ultimate test of what makes someone human...
then what is?
Vera?
Are you all right?
Don't you think it's time you told me your real name?
I'm afraid you wouldn't be able to pronounce it.
The sounds can't be formed.
In that case...
I'd still like to call you Silas...
if you don't mind.
Sync and corrections by btsix www.addic7ed.com