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"Harper 2.0" - Episode #114
(spoilers below!) (Click here for review)
En route to the Andromeda with replacement parts, the Eureka Maru collides with a small object which ends up lodged in their airlock. Detecting an occupant Harper and Beka cut it open to find a dying Perseid inside. The Perseid notices Harper's cerebral (data) port and attacks him, 'breathing' green energy into the port, and then dies.
Back on the Andromeda they Trance and Tyr find multiple wounds on the corpse, which is soon claimed by a bounty hunter named Jeger (Ralf Moeller) who had a warrant for the Perseid's arrest. Just before the body is removed, Dylan notices a symbol on him, which Rommie uses to identify him as a librarian and senior researcher for the Special Collections Division of the All-Systems University. That night Harper has nightmares with images from 20th century wars and more recent conflicts.
Unable to sleep, Harper busies himself with multiple projects to enhance the ship. He is found by a concerned Rommie who is surprised to find him fluent in several old human languages. Meanwhile, Jeger examines the body, and finding something missing tells an energy being with him that he will find it.
On the Andromeda, Harper continues his projects while singing in several languages. He is soon upset by and threatens to attack Rev Bem. Examined by Trance and Beka his brain appears to be overloaded, possibly the result of the Perseid downloading information into him. Enjoying new creativity and knowledge Harper ignores Rommie's arguments (by android and hologram), and continues to work, including building a X-1 (first earth to space craft).
Soon, Jeger who had previously searched the Maru, walks through the unopened door to attack Harper and attempt to remove his head. Tyr rushes to his aid and attacks Jeger who only stops when Dylan blasts him with his force lance. Apparently unhurt, Jeger disappears through the hanger floor by means of phase density shifting (per Harper).
Later the ship is breached by a PSP (projectile singularity projector) fired by Jeger. When Rev Bem tries to help with the damage Harper attacks him and calls him a murderer and rapist. Speaking in his language Harper manages to enrage Rev, who is only stopped when Dylan reminds him to focus on "The Way".
In bad shape in the medical bay, Harper tells Trance to download the information (to a neurochemical file?) which is partially complete when electrical processes in his cerebellum are disrupted, and he begins to have a seizure. Dylan, Beka and Rev review this and see images which they recognize as Magog attacks at Brandenburg (the beginning of the end for the Commonwealth where billions were killed in a few days).
In restraints in the medical bay, Harper apologizes to Rev who attempts to comfort him. Rev tells him that he needs wisdom and help from "the Divine" and that he can deal with his pain by giving it to the Divine. When Harper says it does not work, Rev reveals how he gives to the Divine the pain from constant hunger to consume his friends.
When Jeger attacks Harper convinces Rev to release him and he goes to the Maru to lure Jeger away. Modifying the Maru, Harper warps the Slipstream into a wall that Jeger gets past, but the Andromeda does not.
Meanwhile, Trance finds a way to enhance the Brandenburg images. Viewing this they see an (" Jeger's ") energy being in the form of a man directing the Magog attack and realize this information may be what Jeger seeks.
They follow the trail of Jeger's PSP, which exerts a large gravitational force. Jeger captures Harper and is going to forcibly extract the data when Beka rescues him, while Dylan and Tyr attack Jeger. He escapes but his ship is hit by missiles as he says "fools" and dematerializes. Later Jeger is "absorbed" by the energy being when he admits failure.
In the Andromeda's medical bay Trance and the others prepare to erase the download from Harper. Harper says something to Trance (apparently in her language) which makes her ask the information be destroyed, but Dylan insists it all be saved, with a copy of the Brandenburg file given to him.
Synopsis 02/21/01 by Larry Kramer
© 2001 Larry Kramer (See Copyright Disclaimer)