Got it?
Yes, I got it.
Do you realize how hard it is to get cash these days?
Be glad you're my friend, Harry.
Otherwise a rush job like this would have cost you a Warhol.
So was I right?
Yep, you were right.
This is the branching quadratic.
Now that's the threshold.
You crank the energy of the interdimensional field above that,
and chrono cohesion breaks down.
Time won't be the same in all 16 dimensions.
Which would create latency.
The field could be closed in our 3 dimensions, and still be open in others.
Exactly. Sort of like a crevice covered by snow, in theory.
So, practically speaking, if you created such an instability,
how would you reverse it?
Practically speaking, you wouldn't have to.
No one, no one is going to build an ID field anywhere
near strong enough to generate these anomalies.
They've already been built.
- You said that this was pure research! - Augur, I didn't have a choice!
Conversation over, Harry.
What was that?
The proof that your theory's right.
The ID fields are unstable.
There was an accident,
an anomaly shuttered and I absorbed a shard.
You have a piece of ID space inside you?
I know, it should have killed me outright,
but I was standing near a dampening field.
I rigged up this portable generator.
But the latency keeps shifting.
Ah, the frequency oscillation. It's fractal, Harry.
If I could just find out where you are on the curve...
It's not just the frequency that's increasing.
The density,
it's cascading, I can feel it coming.
Hold on!
I can help, I just... I just need...
Hold on!
Augur...
I never meant to lie to you.
Who are you? Where's Harry?
He's gone.
Harry works for me.
Are you his friend? The one that does equations?
Do you have new calculations?
I might.
14th and K Streets. 8 o'clock.
I'll make it worth your while.
Subtitled by Axarion
They are the Companions.
Aliens come to Earth on a mission of peace.
Their true mission,
the secrets they hide, forever alter humanity.
Caught in the struggle between these Taelon Companions
and the Human Resistance is Liam Kincaid.
A man who is more than human.
The mysteries of his past hold the key to Earth's future
and the fate of mankind.
On Earth Final Conflict.
Computer,
Liam and Lili aren't responding to my calls. Why?
They are currently on the mother ship.
They're forwarding all incoming calls to email.
Okay, override that routing, I need to talk to them right away.
They've manually broken contact.
I assume they're on high level meeting. Would you like me to continue?
Yes, I need backup right away. Try Julia.
- Hey, have you seen my video glasses? - On the bar.
Right.
Computer...
- Something's wrong? - Wrong? No, why?
I don't know, it's just you look different.
Give me a full view.
Julia's global not responding. Would you like me to override?
Full view, please.
Oh, I know, I look fat and puffy.
You're not angry, are you?
No, no, no. You look lovely! Beautiful!
It's just... Why?
My biological clock is ticking!
You're a cybernetic organism! You don't have a biological clock!
That's all you think of me?
Oh, I knew I would be angry!
- I knew it. - Wait, wait.
I'm happy, I am. I'm just... just surprised.
Really?
Okay, alright, then.
I need you to monitor the video input. Could you do that for me?
Of course. Transmission's strength is optimal.
Good. If I get into trouble, call it in.
When Liam arrives, show him what you've recorded.
And, Computer, when I get back, we need to have a long talk.
Am I coming in loud and clear?
Very. This is fun, going out like we used to!
What are they doing?
We'll talk later. Start recording. This is what I've been waiting for.
- Hi! Are you Harry's friend? - I'm Augur.
Augur?
May I offer you a drink?
Augur?
Augur!
You ever know Augur to be careless with money?
I've never even seen him pick up a check.
Oh, Computer.
I'll be right there.
- The place is clear. - Oh, hi! I was on the Net.
- Augur left you something. - Run it.
Scan forward.
Hold that. Who's she?
Her visual image and voice print are not on any known databases.
Ooh, an unlisted face.
So, she's rich and powerful. Probably tied to the Taelons.
Continue scan.
What happened?
Transmission was interrupted when he entered the car.
I suspect it's heavily shielded.
This is not like my Augur. He always calls home.
You know, I've been wanting to meet you for some time.
Harry told you about me, did he?
He didn't have to.
Harry was a brilliant bench man,
but he didn't have a quirky mind for 16D quantum dynamics.
Obviously you do.
So, what's it going to take to get you into bed with us?
Corporately speaking.
Well, name any two modern masterpieces,
and you can secure my services for 6 months.
I don't really know modern art.
I do know what I like.
I'll give 100,000 shares of QWI, plus an option on another 300.
Ooh, that's a lot of money, not that I'm not worthy or anything, you understand.
I'm just not greedy.
Make it...
10,000 shares.
- Voting preferred. - 50,000 preferred, non-voting.
Sorry! I'm maybe looking for a partner, but I don't need a job.
- Driver, can you stop the car, please? - That's not necessary, Jesse.
Alright. 10,000 voting.
But you sign a three-year proxy over to me.
If you're gonna stab me in the back,
we should know each other better first, don't you think?
I'm looking forward to it.
One thing. QWI's in weapons trade.
We work for the Taelons. Is that a problem?
No. I work for the highest bidder.
But...
If you're going to run my DNA past Taelon security,
it might attract attention. Is that a problem?
It might even be a recommendation.
Why don't I show you what we're working on.
We have a test scheduled in just a few minutes.
What, it's near here?
Everywhere is.
Your own personal portal in a limo!
You're about to become a very rich man, Augur.
The private portal's been activated, Ms. Wu has arrived.
The first time takes a little getting used to.
Yeah, so I've noticed.
Where are we?
- 10 miles from Antarctic axis. - The South Pole!
The Taelons are behind this?
Don't worry, you won't hate yourself in the morning.
Ladies, gentlemen.
You know how to make an entrance, you got it pretty close, aren't you?
Time is money, why waste it around here?
Jerry, Augur. Augur's a new math maker.
Jerry Hanlon, launch master.
Any problems?
Running smooth. You want the full countdown?
Surprise us.
Launch condition is green. All checks clear unless countermanded. Go in 30.
The launch site is 10 miles away, your best view's from the monitors.
In 5, 4, 3, 2, 1.
Launch.
What is it?
A message has arrived.
The fleet is in retreat.
It appears the policy of aggressive engagement with the Jaridians is failing.
There is nothing wrong with the policy.
Had we committed sufficient troops in our last engagement...
Nothing would have changed.
The further slaughter of innocents would not have held that planet.
Their function was never to hold the planet,
but merely to lure the Jaridians to it.
Then I congratulate your generals.
Our enemies must be consumed with overconfidence.
The Jaridian fleet is still massed around the planet, and vulnerable.
Our fleet has withdrawn,
but there is another weapon at our disposal.
If you are referring to the Forge Project,
that is purely a defensive weapon.
The Jaridians are 78 light years away.
This is well within its range.
With their forces concentrated so tightly around the planet,
a bombardment from interdimensional space
would completely annihilate them.
Theoretically.
But Forge...
has never been fully tested.
Its use was merely contemplated as a last resort.
This may be our last chance to deliver such a blow to the Jaridians.
Humanity will not readily agree to their planet being used as a base of attack.
Then I suggest you keep it from them.
As of now the Forge Project is under my control.
Is this really necessary?
Hey, you have to look your best, dad. Network News is here.
Now, they're gonna be set up on your left side,
so, I want you to deliver your strong lines that way.
Oh, before I forget, this district is heavily Italian.
So, that young black man and the lawsuit story,
he has an Italian grandmother, Mrs. Rosetti. Her name is legal.
Fine.
Thanks, Ann.
Marquette and Protector Kincaid. What brings you two here?
Kincaid, you know my son Joshua,
he's the one who got me into this, just might get me elected.
Da'an sent us. He's concerned your father's anti-Taelon rhetoric may lead to violence.
Which of course I would disavow.
Well, whether you take responsibility or not,
our agents have picked up on some nasty rumors.
Perhaps, you should leave me to deal with this.
Right, I'll wait for you inside then.
It was... It was really good seeing you again, Lili.
You know, that offer of dinner is still open.
Wouldn't that be consorting with the enemy?
I'll try and stall them. Mr. Kincaid.
Why did you really come here?
We need your help.
Oh, it's nice to see you recognize that.
- Do you know this person? - Beverly Wu.
Trained as a physicist, brilliant, rich, and completely ruthless.
Sounds like she should be working for you.
I couldn't afford her. She was the brains behind Portal Space Inc.
Now she's working on something bigger for the Taelons, code name Forge.
That's all I can find out about it, which means it's really big.
Why?
Augur's disappeared. We think he's with her.
Well, Augur never really was on the team. He was in it for the money.
In 3 weeks, I could be president,
but not if Augur tells all he knows about me.
If Augur is playing both sides,
a lot of people are going to take that very personally.
Dangerous people.
Now...
if you'll excuse me,
I have an election to win.
- Okay, try it. - Here we go.
Is that tied in? This should've triggered an anomaly.
Maybe it did, but it temporarily inversed.
You mean it's happening yesterday?
And we just haven't got near to see it?
Sorry to bring up reality. You didn't have this plugged in all the way.
You MIT chip-heads never have good hands.
And you Cal Berkeley plasma junkies have the golden touch.
Lawrence Livermore, please.
- Livermore? - Girl has her standards.
Is that how you got into weapons?
I was born into them. My father was an arms broker.
Knocked off AK-47s, cut-rate cruise missiles.
Name me poison, daddy dealt it.
You two were you close?
He gave me everything, but breathing room.
Well, you're lucky. At least he was around.
- Yours wasn't? - No.
My dad was too busy trying to save the world and...
Well, I wasn't important enough for him to get his attention.
But you know what? He bought me a computer instead.
And you become a geek.
Wow, does this still show?
No.
Not at all.
Okay. Let's run it again, okay?
I'm going to increase the top quark spin by 3 halves.
Right.
Here we go.
Okay, I'm going to 4.
We did it!
A stable anomaly!
- Well, we don't know how stable. - It's here, we're looking at it.
We still getting measurements? Quick, quick!
You were right about the F-axis.
Time isn't the same there.
It almost doesn't exist!
You know, if we could use the F-axis as a gateway, pure bandwidth!
Faster than light data transfer. Not even the Taelons have that!
- Do you realize what that means? - Yes, we just won the Nobel Prize!
We just get the patent on every payphone in the universe!
Well, you know, assuming that we can stabilize it, isolate it,
tame it, and assuming it doesn't blow us all to bits!
You have any doubt that you and I working together can do it?
You and I? None at all!
Shutting down.
Okay, I think we should run it again.
Hey, where are you going?
I have to go encode the new parameters. I'll be right back.
Okay, you better hurry up.
Agent Sandoval.
Don't tell me it's time for another security sweep?
Zo'or is impressed with the tests.
He wants the project fully operational.
- When? - Immediately.
The contract has another 6 months before the full power test.
But we see no reason not to accelerate the schedule.
He has authorized appreciable bonus.
I'll schedule a full test immediately.
Good. This man...
You've run him through security?
Augur? Not yet. He's a new acquisition.
Have one of your security staff meet me at his lab,
I'm taking him to the mother ship for questioning.
Impossible.
You want me to meet this new schedule, I need Augur.
I know him. He's a criminal, and a security risk.
Fine. But you'll have to explain to Zo'or why our work will be delayed.
And when you're finished with your work?
Then I'll be finished with him too.
Da'an, I need your help.
What do you know about a project, probably one of Zo'or's,
code named Forge?
What would this Forge project be doing?
I don't know. I hoped you would.
I am sorry. I am afraid I cannot help you with that matter.
Is it of importance?
It's personal. A friend may have gotten involved.
Then I wish you luck.
So, do you know about the Forge project or not?
You still haven't answered my question.
Really?
I am quite sure that I did.
I had a visitor today.
He said you were a criminal.
You knew that.
I didn't know half of it.
Data fence, identity broker, corporate scorched-earth raids.
How have you stayed out of jail?
I moved around a lot.
- Maybe it's time for you to settle down. - Where, here? At the South Pole?
- Wherever, I'm not choosy. - I bet you.
Okay. Maybe I am.
I've been looking for a long time for a man like you, Augur.
There's a whole galaxy out there for us to play.
Right, so we can go around buying and selling planets, right?
Why not?
Well...
Taelons might have something to say about that.
So we'll listen to their offer.
Come on. It's time I showed you everything.
- There's something I haven't seen? - Yes, a full power test.
Well, you could've told me about this yesterday.
You don't like surprises?
You seemed to like the one last night.
That wasn't surprise, that was fate.
Jerry, anything I should know?
We're free, the mother ship is on station to observe.
Power up.
All systems online.
Count: 1 minute on my mark.
Mark.
Beverly,
What exactly am I looking at here?
A cannon. The largest ever conceived,
capable of launching up to a cubic mile of molten magma,
up to a 100 light years away, with accuracy.
Forge is Earth's first and final line of defense.
Go in 3, 2, 1.
Wait, wait, we have a tear! Ribbon anomaly! Look out!
Quick, set up a damping field, it's her only chance!
And these power levels, they're accurate?
Conservative.
Ah, then you have to shut the project down.
I mean, the more power you apply to F-axis,
the weaker space-time becomes, and it tears.
Our work yesterday suggests there's a way to control that.
In the lab, maybe, but in the real world, if an anomaly
were to go down to the Earth's core, it could become self-sustaining,
and then you'd have a black hole.
I can't shut the project down now.
The Taelons would cut our funding.
You're talking about destroying the Earth, and you're worried about funding!
That's insane!
Of course it's insane!
It's war, and it's not even ours.
But it's coming, so we might as well make a profit.
This is our ticket, Augur.
We finish this job, we move up and out.
Who knows how far we could go.
Maybe we could buy and sell planets.
I have to recheck the repairs.
We're operational in 4 hours.
- Any luck finding Augur? - No.
Is there anything at all on this Forge project?
Well, the ship's sensors have been targeting the South Pole,
so that's gotta mean something.
What's supposed to be down there?
There's a weather station down there.
It's been sending a lot of data traffic, most of it encrypted.
Where's Augur when you need him?
- Any data that isn't encrypted? - Yeah, the weather's in real time.
Well, let's take a look.
Do you really think that it's 555 below zero down there?
Wait a second, 555-0115.
That data is repeating Augur's global number!
I have to get down there.
Liam Kincaid, Companion Protector.
Welcome to Forge, sir.
Agent Sandoval is down doing security sweep before we go operational.
- I'll let him know you're here. - He already knows.
We're keeping my presence low profile. Where's weather telemetry?
Corridor B, lab 16.
Liam.
Over here.
You alright?
What's going on?
Well, if I'm following this right,
Earth is about to declare war on the Jaridian empire.
Well...
Would've been nice if the Taelons had asked us
- What we thought about that first. - Yeah, technicalities.
When the Jaridians come for payback, it won't be technical.
Well, chances are there won't be much of the Earth left to counterattack.
How big a chance?
Don't quote me, but don't roll the dice. Here's the data.
I can go to Da'an and tell him what Zo'or is planning.
If he intervenes with the Synod...
It's not Zo'or's project. It's Da'an's.
If he can't, or won't help,
we'll have to put together a strike team and stop it ourselves.
How are we going to do that? I can't even get
a global signal in or out. We're heavily shielded.
- There's a portal. - Yes, but it's heavily guarded.
They all be slaughtered before they fully arrive.
Come on, you're the genius here, give me some options.
I may have an idea.
If you can secure an ID portal for sending,
use these coordinates.
You lied to me.
You let me think you didn't know about the Forge Project,
when it was your project all along.
I am not responsible for what you think, only for what I say.
Oh, word games! Did you know that this cannon of yours might destroy the Earth?
My data indicates that is impossible, as long as the cannon is not misused.
There's new data. The possibility does exist.
So does the Jaridian fleet.
There was a Resistance raid on an off planet portal station, not long ago.
Were you involved?
- I don't have to answer that. - Exactly so.
Which is why I need not answer your questions either.
Friendship, like anything of value,
requires delicacy in its use.
As some of you know,
a few weeks ago a Taelon force,
including many brave Earth volunteers,
gave their lives in the defense of a planet in the Regulus System.
Thanks to the work of both Taelons and humans,
we now have a weapon
which will ensure that their sacrifice was not in vain.
Are you ready, Doctor Wu?
Yes, we're prepared to lay down a sustained bombardment.
We estimate damage to the Jaridian fleet will be in the neighborhood of 90%.
Good. Proceed.
Standby to open fire.
This is not a test.
- Julia. - I'm ready, boss.
You have to stop that cannon now!
- We're on our way. - Fire.
Go, go, go! Move it, move it!
Okay, go, go. We only have 30 seconds to take the portals.
- Hurry up! Take the stairs! - Let's go! Come on!
Go!
Come on, move, move, move!
Charlie, you've got our back.
Julia.
Is everybody okay?
Well, we got here. Where's the control room?
- Corridor D. Come on, I know the way. - Okay, let's go.
Okay, all clear. Let's go.
Recharge in 30 seconds.
- I'm getting latency reading. - How long?
It was nanoseconds after the first shot, now it's up to seconds.
Dr. Wu, we are getting disturbing readings.
It appears the interdimensional gateway is staying open longer with each shot.
There's a small slippage, we're compensating.
You can maintain this rate of fire?
Yes.
That is all I require.
Beverly, I'm not sure we can maintain it.
We're in combat conditions. When we finish this series, then we evaluate.
Fire.
Down there, to the right.
Warning, intruder alert.
- What's happening? - Nothing that concerns you, Doctor.
You, hold the entrance. The rest, come with me.
- The ID gateway's not fully closed. - But it is closing?
It's decreasing, but it won't be closed by the next launch.
Beverly, this wasn't predicted in any of our models,
we have no idea what punching a permanent hole in space-time will do.
Right now it's just decreasing our accuracy.
Keep on the count.
- There's been a security breach. - Use whatever force is necessary.
I'm already am.
If the ID tunnel is increasingly unstable, it would be wiser to proceed with caution.
When victory is ours to be embraced?
We will continue firing.
- How are the targeting fields? - Holding, barely.
He's been hit.
I'm feeling much better now.
You, outta the chair.
- You're not gonna get away with this. - Do as she says, Bev.
Beverly, what have you done?
It's anomalous, but it isn't in contact with the Earth.
So, instead of creating a black hole,
you create a wormhole connecting us to Jaridian space!?
Augur, we're in the middle of the launch sequence!
If you try to shut it down now...
I'm not shutting it down, I am setting up a feedback loop.
Whatever they're paying you, I'll double it!
Augur, please! Don't destroy all of this.
It can be used as a research tool.
You never wanted that!
What I want doesn't matter.
What matters is what we have. You and I.
You're just doing what your father did.
He left you to save the world, and now you're doing the same to me!
I need the launch access code.
It's T17-Hack-Hack.
He's right, we need to go.
He's not shutting it down, he's destroying it!
Go back, we'll flank them!
- Augur! - I'm almost done!
I would have given the world for you, Augur.
I really would have.
It's not yours to give.
Three.
Two.
One.
Done!
Why is it staying open?
I was assured this would be a temporary phenomenon!
Obviously not temporary enough.
We're getting sensor readings that indicate a large mass
has entered the wormhole from the other end.
How larger?
I would say it is the mass of a Jaridian Sokara cruiser.
In your rush to destroy the Jaridians,
you have opened the gateway for them to come here.
Notify all Taelons to return to the ship. Preparing to leave the system.
You're just running?
We cannot allow this ship to fall into Jaridian hands.
At least let the world know what's coming.
Give them a chance to fight.
This was Da'an's project.
Perhaps, he would like to make that address.
He is better with the pleasing phrase that I.
I believe something more substantive is required.
Prepare my shuttle.
- Where are we going? - To make a futile heroic gesture.
It is appropriate,
but I will pilot the shuttle myself. The cannon is my responsibility.
Your protection is mine.
Beverly? Beverly! Lift, lift, lift!
Beverly!
- Just leave it! - No, we have to get you out! Lift!
We had a chance, you know?
We had our chance to get out of here.
We still do.
You know...
All my life...
I thought I was tough.
My father's girl.
Not a soft spot on me.
I end up...
Dying for a daydream.
It's more than that.
We didn't have much time, but it is real.
You and I were never real.
I thought I found a man.
You're just a little boy playing soldier.
Everything I loved about you is a lie.
What you felt was true.
I felt it, too.
Closer.
I hate you...
for what you've done.
For who you are!
I hate you!
- No. - Augur!
Come on!
Augur, we have to go!
Come on!
It would be wise to hurry.
So, what is it we're gonna be facing?
A Sokara cruiser is a planet destroyer.
- Not if we destroy it first. - That, I am afraid, is most unlikely.
We don't actually have to destroy it to win.
We only need to make it pause long enough
to allow the wormhole to close naturally.
- We're like Horatio at the bridge. - Horatio?
A Roman hero.
An enemy army was attacking, so he stood on a bridge
and forced the enemy to fight him one at a time.
And that way he saved the city.
We also have that legend. Quon'ni between the cliffs.
So, you're beginning to think we actually have a chance?
I know their weaknesses.
You are a skilled pilot Liam and we are well armed...
But no.
No chance at all.
However, it will make a good story
and if told often enough, and believed enough,
a good story is a powerful weapon of war.
Look out!
It's getting rough.
The Jaridians' mass is affecting the wormhole stability.
There!
There it is!
I think there's no problem hitting it.
It's most vulnerable along its trailing edge, the engine ports.
I'm targeting them now.
- Is this gonna work, Augur? - If I can get enough power.
It's now or never.
Stay tight, everybody.
The field is marginal.
- I need more power for thrusters. - I am afraid that is not possible.
If we can't stop this cruiser, we'll have to shut the tunnel down ourselves.
A large enough shock should break the tunnel's super-symmetry.
- In theory. - So, we've got no other choice.
I'm ejecting the fusion matrix.
In which case we will not be able to return to Earth...
but then, we never thought we would, did we?
Power up the weapons.
Without the matrix, there is insufficient energy to fire.
I don't need them to fire, I just need the Jaridians to think I'm about to.
That might be possible.
Hang on tight.
You are using the wormhole's collapsing edge as a propulsion source.
That and a prayer.
Transfer all our power to the steering thrusters.
Now.
Okay, it starts! Let's go! Everybody out, hurry!
Go. Go, hurry up.
Hurry up!
You're gonna be alright?
No.
Not for a long time.
Liam, are you alright? We're getting a faint reading.
We're fine.
But all our systems are fried. We could use a tow.
No problem, I'll have the two of you home in a jiff.
There's a lot of people here wanna shake your hands.
You captured the one responsible?
No, but I know of him. He'll not be difficult to find.
This has given me the case I need before the Synod.
The Resistance will be crushed, once and for all.
I'm already collecting names.
Good.
And if some of them lead back to Da'an,
so much the better.
Subtitled by Axarion