Andromeda Main Page | Episode Guide | Links

Una Salas Victus - Episode #207 (spoilers below!) (Click here for review)

Note: The below is slightly rearranged to make summarizing multiple stories a bit easier. Plot remains the same.

The Andromeda, commanded by Beka, escorts a convoy of Wayist relief ships to Rodina. Their information from Rev Bem is that the vaccine will save the lives of about 31 million people there. However, the path leads through Drago-Kazov space, so Tyr and Dylan have headed there to take out a long range missile battery located on Acheron.

Tyr has killed two patrollers, but Dylan says he screwed up their plan to take radio codes from them. Tyr sees no way into the heavily guarded mountain fortress. Dylan quotes an old Argosy special operations motto ("Una Salus Victus" which refers to facing doom for victory?) and uses his force lance to fire a line across the valley.

Beka has realized a needed convoy ship is missing. She leaves a hesitant Harper in command and takes the Maru to find the ship. Succeeding, she has to battle Nietzschean fighters, destroying all but the last. The convoy ship escapes as the remaining fighter and the Maru are disabled by proximity mines Beka fires. Later as Beka attempts repairs she is contacted by the fighter's pilot (Parvati Quechua) who asks Beka to surrender and who in turn is asked to surrender.

At the fortress Dylan uses an old holographic map to chart the defensive systems. Tyr has deciphered the radio codes and they see a Nietzschean calling an alert. Rather than retreat Dylan blasts open a vent and they enter, facing heavy fire from automated defenses as they descend. As they approach missile control Dylan recognizes a trap and they wipe out a squad of Nietzscheans as they approach. Dylan is contacted by Nietzschean fleet admiral Cuchulain who says he has no argument with him or the ship (he is even willing to discuss the Commonwealth). He admits to setting up the situation by letting loose the plague on Rodina and says he just wants Tyr and to have his property returned.

On the Andromeda Harper is worried about Beka, knowing what the Drago-Katzo (who dominated Earth) are capable of. Convinced by Rommie of the mission's importance he (along with Trance) continues on.

Dylan holds Tyr at force lance point and demands the truth, finding Tyr took Drago-Museveni's remains which had been the trust of the Kodiak pride and are now on the Andromeda. Nietzscheans believe Museveni will be genetically reincarnated to lead the Prides and Tyr alone will be able to authenticate him. Dylan is angry but Tyr accuses him of his own agenda saying that arriving 300 years in the future he decided to rebuild the Commonwealth to reshape the universe to fit his will. Dylan does not disagree but holds him for Cuchulain.

The Andromeda arrives at Acheron and finds 10 Nietzschean ships and their fighters ambushing them. The battle goes poorly and Rommie and Trance convince Harper to cover the convoy, saying this will be a victory even they die. At the Maru Parvati chats and reveals she fights to vindicate her family's genes since she can not bear children. She also tries to send computer viruses over to disable the Maru without having to kill Beka who she has come to admire.

On Acheron Cuchulain has come for Tyr who breaks loose and attacks the Nietzscheans supported by Dylan. As his prisoners escape Cuchulain recognizes he was set up and wants Dylan dead. When Dylan and Tyr meet they are surprised since their communications were jammed, but they work together anyway.

On Andromeda the crew protected the convoy, but before being destroyed watch as the Nietzscheans are destroyed around them by the missile battery Dylan has turned against them. Meanwhile Parvati asks Beka for any message to relay to her friends. Beka, who has also finished repairs, only says "she's sorry" and destroys Parvati's ship. Later when she returns to the Andromeda she congratulates Harper but does not want to talk about what happened.

Surrounded by Cuchulain and his forces Dylan uses a wrist controller to call down nuclear missile strikes on the mountain. Knowing five or six would destroy the facility Cuchulain relents after four strikes, but says that Dylan and the Andromeda are now themselves targets, apart from Tyr.

Later Tyr is upset upon finding his access revoked to the bay containing Museveni's remains, but agrees to let Dylan protect them. He believes Dylan's actions were insane and left them vulnerable. Dylan says he may one day give the remains to Tyr and says that "Una Salus Victus" is not about being vulnerable, but being prepared for anything.

Synopsis 11/20/01 by Larry Kramer

Andromeda Main Page | Episode Guide | Links

© 2001 Larry Kramer (See Copyright Disclaimer)