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Into the Labyrinth - Episode #209 (spoilers below!) (Click here for review)

At a Drift (a space habitat with multiple modules) the Andromeda hosts Charter signatory's delegates to discuss a Interim Mutual Defense Pact. Satrina Leander introduces herself as an FTA archivist (here by Commonwealth freedom of information laws) and Dylan is unhappy to see her. She wears a skimpy outfit and has a data port which attracts Harper's attention who she says she wants to interview.

Dylan receives a hail from a Nietzschean transport. It contains Sabra-Jaguar Archduke Charlemagne Bolivar (see "The Honey Offering") who says he wants to sign up with the Commonwealth.

Harper's self-exam of his Magog larvae is interrupted by Satrina kisses him, but is pushed away when Harper warns of the larvae. He agrees when asked if he'd do anything to remove them and she reaches inside him, pulls out and crushes one. She wants the archive from the All Systems University and will then remove the rest. Harper connects her with Jegar (see "Harper 2.0') who worked for the "Spirit of the Abyss" (SotA). Later on the Maru, Trance is curious why he wants the archive (he can't remember where he put it) and refuses to help.

Meanwhile, Bolivar lists why the Sabra-Jaguar shouldn't be allowed in (including being at war with the Drago-Katzo) and why they should (including the same reasons and that they have the third largest fleet in known space). He also mentions Elsbett is pregnant and that "He checked, the child is his" (which has Rommie wondering).

Harper evades questions from Dylan (who is giving a tour) but is cornered by Hohne, a Perseid scientist, who thanks him for the help last year researching a Singularity. The conversation gets Harper thinking and he runs off to jack into the AI network where he finds an interactive Harper holo program that throws him out. Meanwhile, Satrina thanks Dylan for the tour but is rebuffed when she tries kissing him and later phases out to speak to four aliens. She instructs them to watch Dylan, Bolivar and Hohne and later to kill them.

Tyr jogs and meets up with Bolivar who says he is tired just watching Tyr. He wonders why the Kodiak bred so much for physical attributes (instead of focusing on guile and treachery), but they both agree they want "100 grandchildren, domination of known space and enemies killed". He offers Tyr a possible match with one of his sisters, but Tyr is wary since the Jaguar did not help the Kodiak against the Drago-Katzo. He also refuses to comment about Boliavr's comments on rumors of the remains of Drago-Museveni being missing.

Harper jacks in and his holo program says he will figure out the archive's location if it is really important. He finds Hohne (spying on him?) and at gun point gets him to admit to being a librarian of a secretly maintained All Systems University. He had sent an agent with the archive to the Andromeda and wants it back. Following another visit by Satrina Harper scans her. He asks Rommie about phase density shifting and she explains about tesseracts (an area of space warped across dimensions) which can be used to move about.

Trance is upset at Harper but he remembers hiding the archive in a sun (in its "standing wave"). He takes the Maru (recording a message that he's looking for parts) but Trance stows away and threatens to squeal to Dylan if he turns around. He retrieves the data but adds a virus to broadcast what is accessed and then destroy the whole archive.

Beka tells Dylan the Castalians are against the Sabra-Jaguar admission, but Scheherezade and Winnipeg are eager for trade. Rommie tells Dylan about Satrina disappearing from sensors and Harper's inquiries. Dylan wants her to keep monitoring but is concerned about Bolivar who he likens to Stalin (who killed his own people) who Churchill successfully allied with in WWII. Later in Bolivar's quarters Beka warns him that while Dylan might not take a double-cross personally she would. They understand and appreciate each other's "style".

Satrina removes 6 larvae from Harper and asks for the data, but when she gets it she phases out without removing the rest. Aboard her ship (on the hull but phased out) she views the archive while Harper and Trance observe but later the virus destroys it. Trance asks what he remembers and he recalls an ancient temple where a naked purple goddess was worshiped and remembers a hymn he sang to her previously. Trance reminds him he is her best friend, but appears deadly serious about never looking into the archive to learn about her!

Harper is alone when Satrina reappears wanting a clean archive copy but also giving an offer from the SotA to work for him. When she tries to leave Harper traps her in a gravity field and removes her tesseract generator, sliding into his own data port. He tries to remove his larvae, but fails since he cannot phase shift only part of his body.

When Satrina awakes she sends out her agents who kill delegates and get into multiple firefights. Hohne tries to distract one agent until Bolivar begins to fire on it (which slows down but doesn't stop it). Tyr later surprises the agent (removes its tesseract generator?) and kills it but another appears in its place.

Harper phases out and sees the battle as he moves about while being tempted by the SotA's whispers to him. He overcomes the temptation and takes Satrina to her ship where he rigs the power supply to overload. Returning to the Andromeda he discards the tesseract generator before the explosion that allows Dylan to easily kill the remaining agents. Satrina however still phases out, as do the bodies.

Later Harper gives the archive to Trance and says he's going to take charge of his own destiny and find a way to remove the larvae while Trance asks when "they can start". Meanwhile, Bolivar signs the Charter and Dylan wonders what will happen after they deal with the Magog, the Drago-Katzo and whatever just attacked them…

Synopsis 12/05/01 by Larry Kramer

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