Episode 10 - Hard Choices

The scene begins with a steady shot down and empty corridor. Hard line shines and sharp, uniform footsteps echo past with soft shuffling scuffs underneath. Four men move into the frame. Two guards with Colonial Federation insignias and mag-rifles flank a tall man. Behind them come Dr. Ori Ackerman, hands bound behind his back but a wide smile on his face. The smile quickly fades. After giving up the location of Anastajia on Ghusun, Ori learns that the crew of the Wonderful Friendship may be neither wonderful nor friendly. With the exception of Tad, all members are wanted terrorists. On top of this, Ori finds that Jan is not the caring father he imagined, showing no interest in his daughters well-being. Ori convinces Jan that the crew has value beyond Anastajia's location, but Ori himself unsure if they can be redeemed.

Meanwhile in Nexus City, Braugh and Val have spent the last three days relaxing in the luxury state house of Braugh's mom, Braugh's bloodline is considered upper class within Prote society and they enjoy a higher state of living then most within Nexus city, which is elevated far beyond most of Protean society. While enjoying enjoying a dip in the pool, there is a knock on the door; Val and Braugh are surprised to see Colonial Federation Security. There presence is requested by Jan Nimas and they agree to travel to meet him.

Ori, Thaymus, Tad, Uta, Bersi, Braugh and Val are lead into a round wooden state room, hand bound behind their backs. Jan monologues his pleasure at having had the wanted terrorists turn themselves in. Despite blowing up any security footage at the space port, Jan knows of each crew members involvement and it seems likely that he has had a mole in the Protean Rebel's. Though overlooked at the time, it is likely that Braugh's home was being watched for any signs on contact with Braugh and that Val and Braugh would have been caught without Ori's intervention. Jan gives the crew a choice, the death of Sparky, leader of the rebels, or the death of Thaymus and imprisonment of the crew.

Val is angry at having been caught and shows no remorse for his previous actions; Braugh extols the virtues of his strength, also without remorse; Bersi is looking for a chance to escape; Uta is looking to Ori for guidance; Tad is non-pulsed and is looking for an angle to get paid; Thaymus is seething; Ori is still in shock at the crew's history and at losing his business partnership with Jan. When released, Ori sprints ahead of the crew, grabs with equipment from the ship and heads to Tin-Town on the Orimus-prime, partially to escape the crew's wrath, but also to get a head start on treating the diseases in Tin-Town. Tad contacts Ori, trying to turn him around and come back to the ship. Without assurances of non-death from Valentine, Ori refuses to go back and tells the crew to find him on Tin-Town.

The crew, sans-Ori, meets Sparky and the rebel group at the drop off location. They manage to convince Sparky that his life is in danger from a esteemed and handsome doctor specializing in infectious diseases who is helping suffering children in Tin-town. Sparky and his rebel bodyguard join the crew on-board the wonderful friendship. Val is jumping the ship around planet, while the crew discuss how to proceed. While treating a sick orphans, Ori contacts the ship and asks on that status of the medical supplies and Sparky. The crew lies to Ori and say that they will contact him soon.

Ori finishes his night in Tin-Town by winning a grav-bike race, with a prize of a junker-bike. Ori sells the bike to an enterprising man who was looking after his bike, because Ori couldn't drive both bikes back to Nexus city. We also find out that Ori has been romancing Uta, and that she is currently staying in Ori's quarters while he is off ship. Ori writes a letter to Anastajia explaining what has happened and telling her to run.

Valentine and Braugh agree that turning in Sparky is the best course of action. They lock the doors to the extended crew quarters and land in Nexus city. The Colonial Federation guards board the ship, killing Sparky's body guard and taking Sparky alive. Ori arrives back in Nexus city and boards the ship. Thaymus is called before Jan Nimas, who brings him before the still alive Sparky. Jan hands Thaymus a mag-pistol and demands he earn his live by taking Sparky's. Moments before he pulls the trigger, Thaymus glimpses Sparky's last thought; the warm embrace of a women wearing the uniform of the Viridian Union, a woman Thaymus recognizes as Melissa Potik

The crew leaves the planet together. In orbit, the crew has a confrontation inside Ori's Labori (see Wonderful Friendship for more details). Given the choice between hunting Mr Soto on Prote and going on a diplomatic mission to the Viridian Union, the crew chooses to run to Kokkinos and finish the job of delivering Bersi to find the location of their long lost engineer, Chuck.

Upon reaching the port city of Montigo on Kokkinos, Bersi immediately runs from the ship. Ori chases him down on the Orimus-prime and stops in front of him. Bersi tries to jump past the grav-bike in his way, but fails. Ori manuvrers the bike to pin Bersi down, but Bersi moves unexpectedly and his back is broken. Ori is arrested and Bersi is taken to the hospital. The crew goes to visit Bersi, who is charging 500,000 credits for Chuck's location and 1mil to drop charges. No one goes to visit Ori, who weighs his options of bribery, lawyering up, or making bail and running.