Beacon 23

Aster!

Aster!

- They're not coming in. - They're forcing the doors open.

Beacon 23, this is the Crest.

We're entering your sector.

Beacon 23, this is the Crest.

We're entering your sector.

Beacon 23, do you copy?

- This can't be right. - Beacon 23,

we've got eight passengers on board.

We're pulling five years of supplies for the Eshu colonies.

What the hell is going on here?

We'll be crossing your space soon.

Crest, this is Beacon 23. You are not cleared.

There's too much dark matter. Do you copy?

Reroute, Crest, it isn't safe.

Beacon 23?

It would've been nice to have heard your voice, but all good.

- I see we are clear. - Damn it!

Crest, do you hear me? You are not clear.

Shit!

I don't understand.

Beacon 23, are we clear for passage?

Got it. Thanks, B23, we are headed your way.

Maybe we'll stop in for a beer in nine months...

No...

How much time do they have?

Retrieval time?

Hey. Hey, it's okay.

It's okay.

You're okay.

You understand me?

Here.

Don't worry, that'll stop.

You just got out of the bubble too quick.

It crosses the wires.

I'm gonna give you something.

Derma-patch.

It's a strong one, all right?

That's a good soldier.

Hey, easy. Careful.

Your ship just crashed.

The Crest?

I'm sorry, all hands lost.

Did you have any family aboard or...?

No.

I... I was alone.

There's a voice.

Welcome back.

What happened?

Beacon malfunctioned.

Map said stop, GWB said go.

The Gravity Wave Broadcaster.

I mean, I rebooted it. I... I tried manual reset.

I don't know. I think I'm being hacked.

You hungry?

Yeah.

Mm!

Mm, thank you.

Tastes like shit but it does the job.

I'll let the chef know.

I can get you another one if you'd like.

No. No, I'm good.

I'm gonna regret that later.

But I do feel...

good.

Oddly great, even.

Mm. Yeah, that's the derma.

It'll wear off, sorry to say.

We're out there, huh?

It's a pretty sweet view to wake up to.

Yeah.

I've never been this side of Orion before.

- Feels familiar. - Yeah, that'll happen.

Coming out the bubble sideways, it gives you déjà vu.

Is that all from the Crest?

Yeah, those data haulers, they really know how to pack 'em.

Especially out here, this side of the galaxy.

It's the only way they get any updates.

Two hundred years ago,

we beamed everything at the speed of light.

And now we're back to...

...stuffing shit in boxes.

Yeah, I guess so.

No way.

Is that a beta series?

I love these guys.

Come here, you little bugger.

Yeah, he does that. Don't take it personally.

Huh!

By the way, I'm Solomon.

Yeah. I know.

I said that?

Hm.

Okay.

Anyway, you're on a beacon.

Yeah, I know that too.

Right.

Look, I don't know where you were going,

but if you need help getting back...

This... this is where I was going. Beacon 23.

But they sent the thing months ago,

I can't believe no one told you I was coming.

No.

Who are you?

Aster.

What are you doing here?

Okay, let's start again, all right?

- Uh, the reports you sent... - What reports?

The reports.

Mineral deposits, unknown isotopes,

nothing ever seen before.

Those reports, they don't sound familiar?

Yeah... um...

- Yeah. Of course, I... - Yeah, those reports.

That's why I'm here. It's what I do.

Right, I just...

I didn't expect anyone to...

Well, it's been, what, a year?

I don't blame you, but folks in Mission Control,

they're interested, so...

...here I am. Barely, I guess.

I just need the samples and access to any data...

No.

- No? - Yeah, you can't access it...

AI is malfunctioning, I said that already.

Well, what's malfunctioning?

The AI, the whole beacon?

No! Okay? I just said no!

Didn't you hear me?

Yeah.

Loud and clear.

Goddamn...

It's just...

...it's been so long since I've even...

...and I gotta deal with the crash, and the reports.

- I got a lot of work to do. - Yeah, we all do.

Yeah, and first thing's first, I gotta figure out the protocol.

- Right. Protocol. - Yeah, okay?

I gotta figure out what happened with the GWB,

and then we can talk about the reports.

Why don't you...

...why don't you just have a rest, hm?

Yeah, you should get some rest. Just go back down to the dock.

We'll talk in the morning, okay?

Um, can I take my bag?

Or is that against protocol?

Harmony, wake.

Hello, Aster.

I'm afraid I'm not myself.

How long?

I don't have the processing power yet to answer that.

Great.

What about the data? Can you access the data?

Um, not yet, unfortunately.

- Aster. - Yeah?

Is something wrong?

Solomon, Beacon Keeper, he's, um...

antisocial.

Uncooperative.

- More than expected? - More hostile, I guess.

You let me know when you're up and running.

I'm sure I'll be fine. Don't worry about me.

- You be careful. - I will.

You knew about this, didn't you?

So, what, they sent you a message,

and you just decided not to tell me?

If she goes poking around too much,

you know whose fault that is?

If I gotta get rid of her, that's on you.

It's impressive. Is it true?

Sorry, my beep bop's a bit rusty.

What happened to Solomon?

I don't get ya.

Where is he now?

Do you know where the samples are?

Show me.

These the only samples?

Can you show me files on the reports?

Show me files related to the minerals.

Hey, wait!

Hm.

Someone's been breaking the rules.

Play three.

- Enlarge that. - Oh, Bart.

Be a dear. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

and print a couple sheets of ginger, yes?

- And... - Freeze there.

Identify.

What are you doing?

I'm sorry. I was just, um...

I said, what are you doing?

My job, really.

Did I say you could come up here?

In fact, um,

I'm pretty sure I told you not to.

Well, they're expecting a report from me...

- That's not my problem. - It's mine.

Look, I'm just gonna head downstairs...

No, stop!