The Risk-All Point

A new Commonwealth battleship, the first to be constructed in three hundred years, is about to be launched but things don't go as planned. Having learnt of an approaching Nietzschean battle group Dylan, Beka, and Tyr rush to the new ship to warn them. They get to the new ship but almost immediately afterwards something goes wrong causing it to explode. Dylan and his crew set about rescuing those who made it to the life-pods. Almost as soon as the survivors are aboard augments start with Nietzschean crewmembers being accused of sabotage. Particular suspicion falls on the ship's second in command; one of the few who could have accessed the area of the ship where the disaster began. Unfortunately if any of them are to survive they will ultimately have to trust her.

This episode turned out to be more interesting than I expected; the opening scenes made me expect it would be another episode battling a Nietzschean pride but in reality it was all about trust and how fragile it is. The captain of the doomed ship stated that he trusts all of his people but after the explosion and ensuing rescue they quickly turn on each other. Even our protagonists aren't immune; Dylan initially trusts second in command Errin Shohashi but it doesn't take much to make him start doubting her; even after she risks her own life to save everybody. These doubts lead to a constant sense of tension and quite a few enjoyable fight scenes. The subplot involving a rescued senator who wants to save her own skin by abandoning other survivors might be considered a distraction by some but I thought it showed another example of human failings under pressure. The cast was on fine form; especially guest star Jayne Heitmeyer who really impressed as Shohashi. The ending managed to provide a couple of nice twists although I won't spoil them here. Overall a really fine episode.