Life Lessons

An Earth 2 Episode Summary
By Ariadne [June 26, 1995]

CONTENTS:

• Previously
• Teaser
• Act I
• Act II
• Act III
• Act IV

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Screenplay by: Jennifer Flackett
Directed by: Daniel Sackheim

Previously

The group finds Gaal; Adair asks him to come with them; the Grendlers attack O'Neill as Gaal tells him his friends are in peril; Gaal blames O'Neill's death on the Terrians.

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The Teaser

Night. Walman is asleep on guard duty. Gaal enters the transrover. He tries to get it moving but is unable to find the correct voice commands. True sees him and asks what he's doing. He calls her poppet and says he's playing with their toys while waiting for everyone to rise and shine. He's not used to all these people around; he wants what she wants - to fly away home.

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Act I

The group sets up camp. True, in narration, says she and her father crashed on this planet two weeks ago, and now, here they are, trapped. Everything here is hard; they have to walk so far everyday. He father says they have to hurry to some place called New Pacifica. She doesn't care about New Pacifica. All she knows is that it's hot and no one lets her do anything. The days just crawl by, and everyone here is a stranger.

Yale gives the kids a history lesson. True, in narration, says it's not the planet that's so bad; it's the rules. There are even more rules here than on the space stations. She's like a prisoner here because she has to wear a wristlock. They monitor her every move so everyone can panic if she wanders two little steps from camp.

True is unable to answer Yale's question. She doesn't see why she should have to learn all those names and places - they don't live on the space stations anymore, and they never lived on Earth. Yale is Uly's teacher; her father didn't bring him for her.

Walman says Alonzo's giving him the creeps, circling camp all morning long in the ATV. Danziger finds that the solar convertor on the dune rail is shattered; it's not going anywhere.

Yale watches Gaal, who's found two crates that morning. Danziger tells him his boss is too friendly for his taste. Adair joins them and says the containers are from their cargo pod. One's clothing, the contents of the other are unknown; Gaal thinks it was the Grendlers. Danziger tells her about the missing crystal fuse - he might be able to retrofit something, but it'll be at least two days. He warns her they don't know anything about Gaal and he doesn't trust him. She says she likes to know the people she doesn't trust.

Julia opens the container; it contains frozen canisters. One of Adair's botanists developed a biosphere that would allow seedlings to grow without sunlight or water. Uly hopes the vials contain trees, but Julia wants fresh produce. She starts the maturation process; Uly stays to watch the canister.

Gaal asks Danziger if he can be of assistance. Danziger, working on the dune rail, says he works solo. Gaal says he sees the Grendlers have been up to their usual mischief. Danziger thinks it's amazing how those Grendlers knew just what to hit. Gaal casually leaves.

True asks Danziger if she can help him; they'll be plenty of time for school later. He reminds her how much he wants her to get a real education. She asks if the wrist alarm could be taken off. He says enough! - he's working. True kicks a crate. Gaal, watching from a distance, smiles.

Night. Julia joins Alonzo and tells him no more moping around; she's made him a leg brace to get him walking again. He's not interested in walking to New Pacifica. She says she's not going to carry him.

Uly calls everyone to see what the canister has produced. Something is moving in a large sack; it's a foal. Morgan says it's impossible - horses doesn't grow up in an hour. Uly calls the horse Pegasus and tells True it's too fragile for her to touch. She asks if there's another. Morgan says the last thing they need is two horses they don't know how to care for. True storms out; Danziger, annoyed at her, follows.

Gaal hands the dune rail part to a Grendler. He says in days he'll have won them over.

True enters the med tent, opens the container, and removes a canister. She starts it as Julia enters. Julia is upset; True says she wanted her own horse.

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Act II

The next morning, True searches for her horse. Julia tells her it didn't make it; she'll make sure Uly shares the other horse.

Outside, Uly rides the horse, which is full-grown. Adair says the horse's growth rate is unreal. Julia is worried about it; its genetic growth breaking mechanism is not kicking in, and at this rate, it'll be dead in 48 hours.

Gaal, walking away from camp, finds True crying in a tree. He asks if someone did her harm. She says her horse died. Gaal agrees Uly won't share his - he's a spoiled, avaricious brat, incapable of generosity. She says it's unfair - she wants her horse. Gaal quotes: A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse. He shows her a magic trick; he covers a bud with his hands and when he opens them, it has become an open flower. She asks how he did that. He starts to tell her, then asks how he knows he can trust her; trust is forged by mutual fire. If she tells him some secret, he will divulge his; she could tell him about those wheeled beasts of burden, the vehicles. True's wrist lock shocks her because she's gone too far from camp. Gaal says any lock can be unlocked, poppet. Yale comes hurrying up, saying they've been looking for her for almost an hour. Gaal bows down to her on one knee and says it's been his pleasure.

Morgan says he can't take two years of this - horses magically popping out of cans, no real food, no decent toilets. When Bess says she doesn't mind it, he asks if she says things like that to drive him crazy. He thought she loved her life back home, their unit, her appliances, all the perks that go along with being a government liaison's wife. Bess did, and she likes it here just as well. She's been inventorying the food supply and finds they're missing two boxes. Morgan says they have 16 mouths to feed, 17 including Gaal, and are just eeking by as it is. He leaves to report the theft to Adair.

Uly, brushing Pegasus, finds a growth on it. Julia tells him the horse is aging far too quickly; she's going to need to alter its pituitary gland so it ages normally.

Adair tells Yale about the missing food - they're going to have to start rationing. Yale supposes Gaal would say the Grendlers took it. She says Gaal's a human being - they can't just leave him here. Yale says no, not without a substantive reason.

Yale searches his database for information on Gaal. His search includes the E2 scar on Gaal's neck. He is denied access to all files.

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Act III

Night, around the campfire. Morgan says they don't have enough rations for themselves - why are they subsidizing a dying horse? If they made a meal of it, throw it on the fire, at least it would be good for something. Danziger says that's the spirit, keep up those happy thoughts, guys; he moves to sit by Adair, asking her if this is the first class section. She's been thinking about how everybody seems to be falling apart at the seams; she thought morale hit bottom when they crashed. She wonders is they're cursed what with the crash, the loss of their supplies, O'Neill's death, and the recent disasters. Danziger tends to think bad things happen for a reason.

True tells Gaal Uly can't even ride and she can. She wishes Uly hadn't gotten better so she would have the horse all to herself; she worries that that was a bad thought. Gaal tells her that there is no such animal as right or wrong on this planet; here, you must take what is yours. He shows her his E2 scar, the emblem of true genius, which only a secret few have. She could perhaps wear it if she passed the test and tell him what knowledge is hidden in that golden head.

True shows Gaal how to work the transrover, but it doesn't respond to her commands. Gaal is annoyed, then angry; he beats on the vehicle. Danziger comes up and tells True it's time for bed.

True awakens, removes her wristlock, and slips it in her father's vest. She rides the horse to a prearranged spot to meet Gaal. He tells her she's a keen student; he wishes she were his very own daughter. He strokes her hair and says he'd be a good father.

The next morning, Yale wakes up Morgan and asks to have a word with him in his official capacity as Deputy Secretary, high up in space station hierarchy. He needs information about a possible government program going by the acronym E2. Morgan asks if he means the sanitation system. Yale says no, it was possibly something involving interstellar growth, a program that jettisoned astronauts outward. Morgan reallydoesn't know - he wasn't that high up. As Yale is about to leave, he turns and asks Morgan why he said sanitation system.

Danziger is working on the dune rail. Gaal comes up and apologizes for his unseemly behavior yesterday; he's still so unused to conducting himself around humans. Danziger suggests he consider spending more time alone; he doesn't think his vehicles could take the abuse, what with all these Grendlers wandering around. Gaal thought they were Ms. Adair's vehicles. Danziger says these vehicles are his responsibility and no one touches them but him. Gaal apologizes and guesses they both better watch their step around here. Danziger warns him to stay away from him and what's his, and, by the way, he's locked that transrover onto his voiceprint only.

The horse is lying on the ground, quite sick. Julia tells a worried Uly that she hopes she can help it by altering its DNA.

True wanders away from camp.

Gaal tells two Grendlers that Mr. Danziger has disappointed him for the last time - they'll kill him soon. Luckily, he's taken something from Danziger more precious than life - his little girl. True wanders close enough to hear. Gaal says True knows enough about the vehicles that she'll be able to crack any code her father has locked on them. He tells the Grendlers to assume the beggar's position and be rewarded. He cuts his hand, drips his blood onto leaves, and hands them to the Grendlers, who drink greedily.

Gaal spots True and says my poppet, what big eyes you have. She's shocked by what she saw; her father was right - all Gaal wants is their stuff. Gaal says so much anger, so much fear, so much venom - let go. He's the wronged party; her father has banished him because he doesn't want him around her. He wants her to be obedient and pliant; he wants to kill her sparkle. Why else would he manacle her with that wrist bracelet? Gaal only wanted to follow her - that was his only motivation for a vehicle. He and she are kindred spirits. He gives her a whistle; if she whistles, he will come for her. When she says she doesn't think her father would like her whistling for him, Gaal tells her to whistle for herself.

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Act IV

Julia brings the healed horse to Uly; she lifts him on it for a ride. Uly asks True to join him; she says no, thanks.

Alonzo asks Yale if he's alright. Yale is scanning his database for information about E2.

True takes the horse and rides it; she calls Gaal with the whistle.

Danziger is loading the transrover. Yale runs up and asks if he's seen Gaal. The E2 tattoo refers to a refuse disposal program; their government has been using this planet as a judicial dumping ground, a penal colony for prisoners, murderers, political enemies, and heretics. They have found some way to jettison them here. Danziger calls for True. Julia comes up, asking if they've seen the horse. Danziger grabs a magpro and asks to see the tracks.

True waits with the horse. Gaal joins her; she's brought him the horse so he can follow them. She says she got it so he could follow them. Gaal says he had thought a wheeled vehicle - if he wanted a horse, he would have asked for one. He asks if anyone saw her leave; he taken a deep breath and tells her she has true valor. When he says let's ride the wind together, she says she has to be back at camp.

Danziger drives out on the dune rail.

As Gaal offers his hand to True to pull her onto the horse, they hear Danziger calling for her. Gaal roughly pulls her up, and as they ride off, she falls onto the ground. Danziger drives up and tells her to get in. True begs him not to hurt Gaal; it was all her fault. They drive off after Gaal. Danziger jumps from the rail to the horse, dragging Gaal off. He grabs his magpro and aims it at Gaal. Gaal asks if he would kill him in cold blood in front of his daughter. True babbles. Danziger says he knows what Gaal is and he can only guess what he's capable of. If he comes with 100 miles of them, he _will_ shoot him in cold blood in front of his daughter. Gaal says he understands; he's sorry, poppet, he won't be able to follow her after all. True cries. She and Danziger drive off in the rail.

In narration, True says he's the man who called her poppet; she never even got to find out what poppet means. Her dad just stole her back to her old boring life of school and rules by the million. But she wasn't sad. She knew they'd meet again, somewhere, somehow. 'Cause just like Gaal said; this is the land where magic happens.

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