The Orville

Isaac!

Isaac...?

Hey, Isaac. Am I interrupting your work?

Yes.

Okay, let me rephrase.

We want to run a ship-wide systems check for the refit.

Means a temporary shutdown.

Do you have a durational estimate?

Half hour? Sorry to kick you outta your lab.

This facility is here for the use

of all science and engineering personnel.

No, I know.

We just all feel like you sort of look at this as like your quarters.

Anyway, I'll try to make it quick.

Why don't you get a drink or something?

I do not drink.

It was a joke.

What?

Is that not the correct response to a joke?

No. No, not really.

I will leave you to your work.

May I join you?

Sure.

Hey.

Sorry, that was a little harsh.

I have noticed the tendency of crew members in the mess hall

to relocate when I approach.

Yeah. I think they're all just still getting used to the idea

that you're staying on board.

A reasonable assessment.

Pancakes?

I do not consume food.

Oh, right. Of course.

Me, I can't get enough of these things. Favorite food since I was a kid.

I'd eat 'em every meal if I could. Just butter, though.

No syrup, no fruit.

People think that's kinda weird.

Does it... feel bad at all

when people avoid you?

The behavioral pattern is fascinating to observe,

but the emotional response is beyond my capability.

That's a shame.

Indeed. It would be most informative.

You were deactivated during the battle, weren't you?

Yes.

I'm sure people have told you about it.

I have processed all available information from the ship's database,

including a strategic timeline of the event.

"The event"?

I'll tell you a story anyway.

I was on the USS Quimby.

The Quimby was destroyed.

Yeah.

I was with our junior astrometrics officer at the time.

She was helping me with an emergency reset of the navigational computer.

She was an amazing woman.

Really great at her job.

And she also happened to be my best friend.

Her name was Amanda.

When we got the order to abandon ship,

we made for the nearest escape pod.

We strapped in, but when we initiated the launch, nothing happened.

- What's wrong? - I don't know.

The sequencing mechanism is jammed.

We knew one of us was gonna have to launch manually.

- I'll go. - No, Charly, I will do it!

- No, I wanna go! - I will do it, Charly!

Listen to me! Goddamn it, Charly, listen to me!

It's okay!

It's okay.

The look in her eyes.

There was no argument.

One second she was there...

and the next, she was gone.

Along with 300 other people.

Because of you.

So you see,

it really is a shame that you can't feel anything.

Because you deserve to feel all the pain in the universe.

And if I were you, I'd stay the hell out of the mess hall.

It makes people sick to look at you.

Have they recalibrated the forward navigational scanners?

No, but Commander Lamarr said that's next on the list.

I hope he's taken at least one night off in the last three weeks.

Gordon, why don't you take him out tonight, get him wasted?

- Is that an order, sir? - It is.

I enjoy this job, sir.

Keyali to Captain.

Go ahead.

Can you and Commander Grayson come to the astrophysics lab?

There's... something you need to see.

We're on our way.

- Who did this? - We don't know.

Whoever it was did a DNA scrub.

Usually the case in these kinds of incidents.

Who's been in here in the past few hours?

To my knowledge, only Commander Lamarr.

I think we can rule that one out. Anyone else?

Everything was shut down while John was running his systems check.

So there's no way to tell.

What about the paint?

We checked the logs.

Whoever replicated it used a mid-level systems access code,

but there's no ID.

We think it was stolen.

- Talla, how the hell... - I have no idea how,

but I've reissued all-new access codes to everyone with clearance,

and I'm investigating the source of the leak.

I'm sorry, sir, this is on me.

- Just get it fixed, okay? - I will.

But, sir, there's something else I think I should tell you.

What?

I was in the mess hall earlier and...

there was an incident.

What do you mean?

Isaac came in, sat down,

and every crewman at the table got up and left.

The only one who stayed was Ensign Burke.

And she said some pretty rough things to him.

- Like what? - Like he deserved to feel pain.

And he should stay out of the mess hall.

Isaac, is this true?

Yes, Commander.

It is a frequent occurrence during my interactions

with other crew members.

Frequent? For how long?

Ever since I was reinstated.

You've been getting harassed by the crew and you haven't said anything?

I would remind you, Commander,

that I am incapable of being hurt by such hostile interactions.

In fact, it has provided me with an opportunity

to observe an intriguing facet of human comportment

I have not previously encountered.

Hatred. Correct, sir.

The behavioral data has been quite plentiful.

Ensign Burke. Please report to my office.

Captain, I understand how this looks,

but I swear to you on my honor, I did not write that.

Do you have any idea who did?

No. I haven't been in the lab since the refit began.

You have to believe me.

Well, you're a Union officer who's given us your word.

I believe you.

But I'm very concerned about what I heard from Talla.

Look, the subject of Isaac is obviously complex.

But what she described needs to be addressed.

Permission to speak freely, sir?

Granted.

You have a big problem.

Go on.

A whole lot of people aboard this ship are still angry that you reinstated Isaac.

And I mean angry.

I'm aware of that.

And just about every member of this crew

knows at least one person who died in the battle with the Kaylon.

And the number's usually higher.

Friends, colleagues, family...

And the fact that he just sits on that bridge every single day

as if nothing happened is a kick in the teeth to every single one of them.

You don't think he should've been reactivated?

No. I don't.

Even though he was also the one who saved us.

Too little, too late.

And on top of that, how do you know he isn't carrying some sleeper program

just waiting to fire up and take over the ship?

People are scared, Captain.

Your crew is scared.

It's heresy for a captain to admit something like this,

but I don't know that you're wrong.

I made this decision, and I'm still not sure it was the right one.

But regardless of the ethical question,

there's a more pragmatic reason that Isaac is still on board.

We barely fought off the Kaylon without losing our entire fleet.

Next time, we might not be so lucky.

Isaac is the only person who might be able to help us devise

a potent enough defense that we can all feel secure again.

And we'll have him to thank for that security?

Will it be worth it?

Dismissed.

I think I better start working up a plan to improve morale.

- How? - No clue.

I'll organize a talent show if I have to, but we gotta nip this in the bud.

All right, let's get started. Don't leave nothin' but the bones.

What about the deflector synch manifold?

Yup, all of it.

Sir, it's brand-new.

It was brand-new a year ago.

The upgrade makes it look like a lawnmower.

Whatever you say.

All right, guys, let's rip it out.

Oh, that's great, you're ahead of schedule.

Hey, you know, everybody's asking when we get to see the new Pterodon?

Gordon's gonna be bringing it in any minute.

Malloy to Orville, request permission to dock.

Permission granted.

Much obliged.

Man, would you look at that?

Definitely worth the wait.

Wow! Look at this gorgeous girl.

- I'm in love. - Wait'll you see how she handles.