Promises, Promises

[rewind_tv]

Promises, Promises

Alonzo narrates as the group travels.

On the dream plane, Terrians run from Gaal. He catches up with one and puts an electric collar on it.

Alonzo wakes to find Julia talking to him. She didn't notice him sleeping - in fact, there were talking the whole time. Alonzo muses that the dream was worse for the Terrian - for him, it was real.

Do Terrians have genders? Everyone seems to call them 'him' without exception. Granted they look more male than female, but...

Morgan comments to Danziger that it feels good to get some distance between them and Gaal. Danziger agrees, adding that he hopes whatever's ahead isn't worse. This is not comforting to Morgan. The entire group is on alert, almost everyone carrying a weapon or scanner.

Alonzo muses about the differences between piloting and their current cross-country trek. Pilots are unchanged by their experiences. Here, everything changes them.

Do you suppose Heroes got the idea of long, semi-philosophical voiceovers from E2? Not that I'm complaining, I like them, but...

His thoughts are cut short when rain starts to fall. Danziger orders everyone in under the Transrover, hastily extending the sides for form shelter, concerned the rain may be toxic. Julia tests it and pronounces it safe. True leads several of the others out to play in the rain. Uly is refused permission to join them as he's been coughing all day.

Poor kid.

Alonzo is still worried.

As Uly sleeps that evening Devon fiddles with some electrical equipment.

Neatly stored directly under a drip in the tent...

True comes by and is disappointed that Uly is already asleep. She's come to apologise for losing his horse. Devon reminds her she must be very careful of strangers.

Danziger comes by looking for True - she's supposed to be sleeping in the Transrover.

Which can't be the most comfortable place to sleep...

Devon steps in on True's behalf. Danziger backs down and sends True to bed.

Alonzo is dreaming. He sees Uly in his bio suit. A Terrian wearing one of Gaal’s collars appears behind him, and they take turns to free each other.

I like this dream - it's actually understandable!

Back in the real world Julia and Devon are putting Uly back into his suit, over his protests. Julia can't explain his backsliding.

Danziger gets Devon's attention and takes her to talk to Alonzo. He thinks the Terrian have been captured; they want Eden Advance's help. They're in a mountain ranger completely out of EA's path.

Alonzo reminds Devon of her promise.

Danziger doesn't listen too good - he asks what promise, Alonzo repeats it word for word and he immediately asks what promise again!

On another note, it's nice that he's calling her Devon and not Adair.

Morgan is all for ignoring the promise and continuing on their way. Danziger wants to know what happens if they don't help. Alonzo isn't sure, but he knows what happens if they do; Uly will never need his suit again. Devon doesn't like the sound of that - did they make him ill again? Alonzo thinks not. Yale and Danziger advise ignoring and/or avoiding the Terrians as much as possible.

Devon doesn’t agree. This is their home now and they should stay on good terms with the neighbours.

Uly collapses. The group gathers to hear Julia's diagnosis - Uly is very sick once again.

Danziger calls for everyone to pack up and head for the mountains.

Alonzo finds the place he saw in his dream. Morgan doesn't believe him - it's exactly like every other place they've seen. Alonzo is sure, though. Bess begins setting up camp and Danziger agrees that the vehicles need charging so they'll have to wait.

Aren't the vehicles solar powered? That's a very dull sky...

Devon thanks everyone for coming with her, considering it an act of friendship.

Uly is not doing well. He finds it much harder now, since he knows now what not being sick feels like. Devon keeps vigil over him, finally falling asleep beside him.

By the next morning Uly is not recovering, but he's not getting worse quite as fast. Devon insists that means he's better. Julia reluctantly agrees.

Outside Devon creeps around behind a tent

though not, by any means, out of sight

to have a quiet breakdown. True sees her and is obviously upset.

True slips out of camp, blowing the whistle Gaal gave her.

Phew! Nearly twenty minutes in - I was starting to think he wouldn't show up at all!

Gaal arrives, prudently checking first to make sure Danziger isn't waiting to grab him. True promises he’s busy at camp. Gaal wonders why Danziger doesn’t like him? Because he did something bad on the Stations, but True doesn’t care, because there’s no good or evil on this planet. She’s also very grateful that Gaal used his magic to make it rain, so that the group would have to stop. Gaal clearly has no idea what she means, but plays along.

True asks him to help Uly, then maybe he can rejoin the group. Gaal promises to try, but she must keep it secret. She agrees, heading back to camp. When she’s gone Gaal moves away, joining a collared Terrian. This is not, as Gaal thought, the last of his tribe; one has gotten away to signal to Eden Advance. Gaal uses the collar to punish the Terrian for his tribe-mate’s call for help, although it pleases him; now maybe he can get a vehicle. He orders the Terrian to follow him.

That night Danziger joins Julia and Devon at Uly’s side. There’s no change. Danziger asks if he can travel. He was prepared to try Alonzo’s plan, but nothing’s happened and they can’t afford to stay here – there’s nothing edible in the area.

It’s moot, though, as Julia tells them Uly has deteriorated so far he now can’t be moved.

An explosion outside interrupts the argument. A single Terrian has arrived. Devon approaches, over Danziger’s objections

oh, he’s back to calling her Adair.

but the Terrian fires in her general direction before she can get too close. Devon backs off.

Julia urges Alonzo to talk to it, but he’s not sure how to do that awake. Danziger edges towards a weapon; the Terrian fires again, knocking him off his feet. He angrily protests that there are children in the camp.

Although True isn’t visible, and Uly’s in the tent, so...

Alonzo wills himself onto the Dreamplane, trying to reassure a highly agitated Terrian that they’re here to help.

In the real world the Terrian relaxes. Alonzo moves closer, putting himself between the Terrian and the group, before trying again.

The Terrian was frightened, he tells the group. He’s only known humans to be killers. The Terrian grounds his staff, letting the energy in it die away.

The next morning Alonzo scans the Terrian for Julia’s benefit. Everyone is giving it a wide berth, partly out of fear, partly to avoid scaring it. The scan makes no sense to Julia, and the only thing Alonzo can tell her is that all Terrians are male.

Oh. Scratch my earlier question, then.

The Terrian ‘speaks’. Alonzo can only grasp the feelings, but he’s certain the Terrians aren’t intentionally hurting Uly. The promise bonded them and if EA can’t help the Terrians, Uly will suffer. The Terrian isn’t sure how they can help, though.

Gaal is watching from above.

Danziger joins True under the ‘Rover. He thinks she’s hiding from the Terrian.

That is a tall vehicle. True can sit right up under it!

Danziger promises to protect her from the Terrian. It has to stay to help Uly, though.

True protests that it won’t help, parroting Gaal. Danziger guesses her source but assumes Gaal told her before his banishment. True is adamant that Gaal did not lie to her. She adds that there’s no good or bad on this planet. Danziger gently asks if that’s true, why is she so afraid of the Terrian? True considers.

The Terrian wants a few of the group to follow him. Morgan thinks it’s a crazy plan; for all they know, more Terrians are ready to pounce. Devon thinks if they were going to attack they would have by now.

Yale calls Julia and Devon. Uly’s worse. He’s having trouble breathing. Julia hurries to help.

The Terrian comes to the tent, studying them for a moment before taking a handful of dirt. Alonzo advises them to let him help. The Terrian offers the dirt to Devon, miming for her to put it on Uly’s head. When she does the fit eases. Julia’s scans pick up only dirt.

Outside Alonzo asks Danziger to follow the Terrian. He tries to talk Morgan into going along for backup, but Devon takes his place. Alonzo watches them go, frustrated at having to wait.

Danziger and Devon catch up with the Terrian. He’s waiting alone some distance below them. Devon thinks he sounds lonely. Danziger reminds her that the Terrian is withholding treatment from Uly, which is the only reason he’s even on this mission.

A small group of Terrians walk towards the lone one, surrounding him. Devon and Danziger watch as they all start to leave but are stopped by their collars. They reluctantly head in the other direction. Devon and Danziger follow in time to see ‘their’ Terrian being collared by Gaal.

At camp they examine the weapons situation. It’s not good. Danziger offers one to Yale, who refuses on the basis of his weapons-aversion programme. Danziger tells him the plan is not to use the weapons anyway. They want to surprise Gaal.

That is a Big Honking Gun. I’m thinking you could take out a small mountain with that...

Gaal talks through his plan. He’s going to slaughter Eden Advance but is undecided whether to kill True or adopt her. Finally he decides to leave it up to fate.

He is creepy. With a capital C.

Devon confronts Danziger. She wants in on the fight. Danziger says no. Neither realise that True, under the ‘Rover, can hear everything they’re saying. She blurts that Gaal is only trying to help them at her request. Danziger is too angry at her for sneaking off to listen. He orders her into the ‘Rover’s cab. Unfortunately the other door is open and she sneaks away.

Far from camp Gaal almost fires on her, changing his mind at the last minute. Unaware of this, True suggests the two of them running away together. Gaal is thrilled, taking her to meet ‘his’ Terrians. He shows her how he controls them, using his collars and a necklace he’s made of Terrian bones. Terrians won’t harm each other.

And apparently they can’t tell the difference between a whole Terrian and a little piece of bone...

He demonstrates by hurting the Terrians and using the bones as a shield.

True intervenes to keep him from killing a Terrian. Gaal doesn’t see the problem; if the Terrian dies, they can make True a necklace. She offers him a vehicle to distract him; she can remote pilot it to them, promising no one will notice as it’s parked well away from camp. Gaal accepts, but he doesn’t believe her.

Danziger and his team jump on the ‘Rover as it leaves camp.

Gaal takes True to a cliff to wait. He references the Trojan Horse as the ‘Rover comes into view. He saw True with the Terrians and knows she doesn’t believe him anymore. He aims at the ‘Rover.

Why does True not do something instead of just screaming? Push him over!

Just before he fires a shot clips his foot. Danziger and Yale are above them.

True sees the control for the collars and goes for it, yelling every variation on ‘unlock’ she can think of and incidentally letting Gaal grab her, Unseen, Alonzo hurries in among the Terrians.

Danziger can’t bring himself to shoot for fear of hitting True. Yale grabs the gun, successfully vaporising the weapon Gaal was going for. True snatches his bone necklace and runs as Alonzo frees the Terrians. They vanish into the ground.

Danziger meets True. They look back in time to see Gaal being pulled underground by his former slaves. Danziger turns True’s face away.

On his way back to the others Alonzo finds a dead Terrian, the one True had tried to protect. He reaches for the Dreamplane, trying to figure out how to help, but he can’t find any trace of the Terrian there. Narrating, he says that a month ago he never would have believed he’d cry over a dead alien, but this planet changes everything.

High above the camp, a group of Terrians watch as Danziger and Alonzo lay out the body of their dead companion. The body vanishes back into the earth.

Alonzo muses that, biologically speaking, humans have more in common with mosquitoes than with Terrians.

Again with the random insect mentions. Did they bring all these things to the Stations? On the other hand, Yale was teaching the kids Earth history, so...

Alonzo thinks they have far more in common than that.

Danziger finds True sitting alone. He praises her for calling the ‘Rover and apologises for bringing her on the job at all. True disagrees. She wouldn’t want to go anywhere without him.

Quietly and almost reluctantly, she asks if Gaal was lying the whole time. About the Magic? Danziger thinks there really is Magic here.

They go to rejoin the group.