| Answers Given to Questions Never Asked | |
|---|---|
| |
| Production | |
| Episode |
4.01 |
| Production # |
401 |
| Original air date |
September 29, 2003 |
| Written by | |
| Directed by | |
| Developed by | |
| Producer | |
| Executive Producer |
Allan Eastman |
| Production Designer | |
| Cast | |
| Guest stars |
Carmen Moore as Tri-Jema |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | |
| Followed by | |
Down where the spirits feasted on carrion.
Down. Down. Down.
It was there, yes, the High Hatted ones
forever screamed, "Eureka.""
- Youn's Narrows of Decline,
CY 1015
"Answers Given to Questions Never Asked" is episode 1 of Season 4.
Synopsis[]
In the conference room, the crew discusses the fate of the Commonwealth fleet. It appears they are farthest from the planet Tarazed, where the seat of power of the Commonwealth lies. Andromeda reports five Ogami ships chasing a small courier ship. Dylan instructs Rommie to fire, destroying three Ogami ships and chasing the other two away. The courier ship hails the Andromeda.
Courier Pilot Luck arrives on the Andromeda with a message for Dylan. He pulls a Flexi from his vest, and when Dylan grabs for it a hologram of a man named Paroo appears, stating, “The Commonwealth is history.” Paroo tells them he is holding Tri-Jema, a Triumvir captive, saying that she will die with him and Dylan is to blame for the end of the Triumvirate. His demeanor is odd, menacing one minute, as if he is taking directions from another entity, then sincere and almost kind. Dylan has no other choice but to set out to rescue the Triumvir. The crew has no word from the Systems Commonwealth on Tarazed or from Xinti to verify Paroo’s story, but Dylan is compelled to try.
Dylan replays the message from Paroo taking notice of the sound of something falling apart. As Andromeda enhances the sound, screams of agony and torture are heard. Andromeda reports the locket on Paroo's uniform is that of a Collector, a group formed in secret to locate and preserve the knowledge of the old Commonwealth after the Fall. However, they have been using that knowledge to gain political power. Dylan instructs the Andromeda to track the route of the courier ship. It appears the ship began at the All Forces Nullification Point before traveling through the Slipstream and being dropped into the Andromeda Galaxy.
Dylan and Trance listen to Luck as he explains that his journey began at the Route of Ages where the universe falls apart. He pleads with Dylan to save the Commonwealth and then dies. Dylan instructs Beka to steer the ship to the site of the Nietzschean attack in the Triangulum Galaxy. As they search for Commonwealth ships a cruiser emerges and hails them. Commander Rodrigo Cross of Xinti explains he was with the destroyed Commonwealth fleet and was ordered to engage by Paroo, Head of Commonwealth Security. He requests Dylan’s permission to follow the Andromeda. Dylan replies that he will not like the destination.
Dylan instructs Rommie to run the Paroo communiqués she has come across. In the first, Paroo is ordering an unknown Commonwealth member to ignore the attacks on the Triumvirate on Tarazed. In the next, Paroo is ordering everyone to engage claiming the Andromeda Ascendant is firing on the Commonwealth fleet. In the final sequence he reports the Andromeda has abandoned him and his crew.
More surviving Commonwealth ships begin to arrive. They find Tyr Anasazi's Slipfighter. The crew is ready to track down Paroo but they need more information on where he is hiding. Per Dylan’s request, the Andromeda hologram draws their attention to a small vase sitting behind Paroo as they take another look at Paroo’s message. The vase bursts into pieces revealing his location at the All Forces Nullification Point. Beka and Harper state that the Point is a death trap.
When the Andromeda arrives at the All Forces Nullification Point, Trance notices a small planet in the middle that is rapidly falling apart. To ensure their safety, Dylan instructs the remaining Commonwealth members to pull back and wait for his orders while the Andromeda heads toward the planet. He and Beka take a Slipfighter down to the planet, finding a very unstable surface. Paroo appears and mocks their efforts, telling them they will all die then he disappears into a cave. Dylan and Beka decide to split up to look for Tri-Jema.
Dylan finds Paroo in his cave and beats Tri-Jema's location out of him. He finds Beka and orders her to watch him. Rommie has located the Triumvir and Dylan tracks her down. Tri-Jema is holding a force lance and does not trust Dylan for his supposed betrayal of the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, Beka is listening to Paroo explain his actions when he sees a break and makes a run for it.
Dylan and Tri-Jema are in a standoff while holes burst open around them. Dylan is trying to convince Tri-Jema to leave the planet but she doesn’t trust him, still believing he destroyed the Commonwealth fleet. Paroo appears, telling Tri-Jema that she will be safe staying on the planet. As all 3 of them have their force lances drawn, Dylan strikes down Paroo and he morphs into a puddle of dark goo with a point of light at the center, reminiscent of the Spirit of the Abyss. Tri-Jema sees this, finally realizing it was the Abyss controlling him. Beka appears and they race for the slipfighter.
Harper has the Andromeda powered up as it sits in the center of the All Forces Nullification Point. Dylan instructs Beka to form a Slipstream portal around them and to make sure the other ships follow them in. Space is bent backwards as they escape the All Forces Nullification Point, flying through Slipstream faster than ever before. As this happens, the crew of the Andromeda suddenly notices that the Spirit of the Abyss is standing in the center of the bridge. They regard it with fear as time slows down. Then, suddenly, all the ships jump out of slipstream and all is calm and clear. The Andromeda travels to the planet Tarazed and Dylan and Tri-Jema exit to find the two other Triumvirs who appear to be safe. Upon their arrival, members of Congress and of other planets are waiting for them. They salute Dylan as a hero of the Commonwealth.
Trivia[]
- The title is a variation of the phrase "an answer without a question".
Memorable Quotes[]
Harper: If I were to line up all my mistakes back-to-back – including the ones she made that I got blamed for – well, there still wouldn't be very many, but there would be one through-line. If it weren't for you, I'd be dead, many times over.
Trance: The fate of the universe is in your hands, Captain.
Dylan: Thank you for sugar-coating that, Trance.