It is 2052. The space ship Star Runner is two years into a 90-year journey to a planet in the Silver Sun solar system. With a crew of 13 - seven teenage space cadets, four adults and two kids - the ship's mission is to safely deliver a cargo of cyronically suspended New Settlers to populate the New World, paving the way for future generations of mankind.
The emergency that PANCHA detected turns out to be a potential meltdown of all the frozen cryons. MARA and TANE repair the damage just in time. PANCHA finds being permanently connected to the computer is draining in unexpected ways. SHENG comes up with the solution with some electronic blockers. But they work too well at blocking things. To determine that they have saved the New Settlers, the crew decide to reanimate one to run tests. The crew select Dr Flickadello, but PANCHA sees DEGENHARDT purposely change the computer selection to another cryon.
Ryan Corr
Sheng Zammett
Now playing Season 1, Episode 3 — Meltdown
July 5, 2004
1
40
6.7
Roger Simpson
N/A
Season 1 • 40 episodes
The year is 2050 and the Star Runner is two years into its 90 year voyage; a voyage that will take them to the Silver Sun. Frozen in the hold is the precious cargo of 550 frozen New Settlers, waiting to colonise the new planet. After encountering a solar fog, the sensors on the Star Runner pick up a non human entity. Is it an alien? A search is organised before the life form is discovered; Squirt the Cat, smuggled aboard by TYCHO the youngest member of the crew. Alls well that ends well until a major computer glitch threatens the entire mission.
The glitch caused by the solar fog is to be solved with a down load from Earth. But leadership tension between TANE and DEGENHARDT can not be solved so easily. Via the holophone, LEONELLA learns a lesson in change from Earth. TYCHO and CINNAMON want more responsibility. PANCHA strange illness is discovered to be from her developing an empathetic link to the ships computer. Although unexplainable, it proves invaluable when she detects an imminent system failure and sounds the alarm.
The emergency that PANCHA detected turns out to be a potential meltdown of all the frozen cryons. MARA and TANE repair the damage just in time. PANCHA finds being permanently connected to the computer is draining in unexpected ways. SHENG comes up with the solution with some electronic blockers. But they work too well at blocking things. To determine that they have saved the New Settlers, the crew decide to reanimate one to run tests. The crew select Dr Flickadello, but PANCHA sees DEGENHARDT purposely change the computer selection to another cryon.
The crew bring the pod containing the New Settler to be reanimated, out of the hold. But when opened, it's not the old Dr Flickadello but instead the young ZANDIE BROKOW. What has gone wrong? CYRIAX questions DEGENHARDT to try and work out what happened. PANCHA stays quiet about what she knows of DEGENHARDT's swapping of the pods. LEONELLA splices together the genes from lavender with a daffodil and creates a blue daffodil. But who wants a blue daffodil? ZANDIE decides to stick around for a bit after she bonds with DEGENHARDT
ZANDIE and DEGENHARDT continue to bond after ZANDIE decides to stay on board. Not everyone is happy with this decision least of all TANE who sees ZANDIE's presence as a destabilising influence on the Star Runner. When the greenhouse plants dies, TANE is the first to accuse ZANDIE and demands that she be re-suspended.
When the truth comes out that DEGENHARDT is responsible for reanimating ZANDIE, he is hauled over the coals. But his punishment will be his to decide. Unimpressed that DEGENHARDT interfered with her life ZANDIE tries to settle into her new life by moving into the girls dorm.
Everyone tries as best as they can to stop Degenhardt from being suspended. They all organise a party for him. Because of Degenhardt being suspended in Zandie's place, Zandie thinks Cyriax is tricking her into reanimation. When Tycho and Cinnamon are set to find Degenhardt, they discover he's missing. Cyriax decides to stop Degenhardt from being suspended in frozen animation, and they all have a party. Later that day, the crew are getting too close to the orbit of a new planet.
Zandie and Degenhardt believe that Cyriax is the ONLY person controlling the ship, and no one else gets a say. The ship are saved from the gravitational pull of the planet they discover. The crew discover that the planet is habitable, and Pancha chooses to call it Blue-Two. To see if Blue-Two is habitable, they decide to send a probe down to investigate. It doesn't return, and when Squirt, the cat, is missing, Tycho & Cinnamon believe it's on the probe.
Mara is given the chance to be in an interview that will be broadcast all over Earth, and she is worried that she might muck up the interview, and humiliate herself in front of the whole of Earth. Tane is angry because Mara gets chosen to be in the interview, and not himself. Meanwhile, Leonella is continually frustrated with her mother as she believes she is meddling in her and Tane's relationship. But she's offered help, by the most unlikely person.
Zandie is angry that she is told what to do and when to do it. Leonella & Tane become too close, and Lillian tells them to break it off. Degenhardt, Zandie and Leonella lock themselves in a room until their demands are met that everyone should have a fair share on the ship. Pancha and Sheng begin to work together more often and is startled when the computer tells them they are a perfect match! But is the computer right?
Everyone discovers that Zandie is a "Hard Target", a person that is frozen in suspended animation because she can fight if there are any living creatures on the Silver Sun. Leonella gets worried about being locked in the room. Mara & Tane have a fight, and Mara tries to get Zandie, Degenhardt & Leonella out of the locked room. The Star Runner ship is about to go through a wormhole, a space-time singularity. If they go through the wormhole, they will go into a different dimension, and may not get out alive. They discover Leonella knows a little bit about wormholes, and they need Degenhardt's help. So they send a code-red report to get Leonella and Degenhardt out of the room. They stay in because of their demands. When Tycho and Cinnamon go and try to tell them that it isn't a drill, Degenhardt & Leonella go to the bridge. The two of them help out, and the ship makes it through the wormhole. Only problem is, how do they get out?
Being in a different dimension means that Star Runner has lost all contact with Earth, and the only computer access they have is through Pancha's connection with the computer. Degenhardt, Zandie and Leonella are put on probation because of their lockdown decisions. Mara, Sheng and Cinnamon try to find the wormhole. Cinnamon discovers a planet and names it after herself. She also finds an asteroid and names it after Tycho. Pancha, Mara, Leonella and Sheng discover they can use the energy force from the asteroid's orbit of the planet to get back through the wormhole, and back on track to the Silver Sun. The plan is successful. Meanwhile, Cyriax lets Degenhardt, Zandie and Leonella go back into the locked room. Leanella refuses, as does Degenhardt, and Zandie gets angry. Later on, Tycho discovers a green blob, and the episode ends.
The crew believe Tycho is joking about the green blob he spotted, but it appears at the hull of the ship again, and gets annoyed when no one believes for the second time around. Mara is impressed with Degenhardt's ability to work on the ship by himself, and Leonella suspects a little romance arising. Mara gets angry at Zandie, and tells her off. Pancha & Sheng discover something is stuffing up the ship's scanners, so Cyriax goes into space, out of the ship, to investigate. He finds out that a piece of hot metal from a satellite dish caused the problem, and returns on board the ship. The episode ends with Cyriax being attacked by the green blob, that somehow made its way into the astronaut outfit.
Cyriax begins to feel pain, and a holographic alien of himself appears, which can't be seen by Tycho, who is watching him. He gets worse, and begins to tell Sheng off for no reason, which makes Sheng feel sad, but Pancha comforts him. Zandie takes Leonella's bed again, and gets angry at her. Mara tells Leonella to fight Zandie, but Leanella takes it too seriously, and decides to have a martial arts fight, that Zandie accepts. Everyone worries about Leonella fighting with Zandie, and when the time comes, they all cheer on Leonella. Zandie wins, and everyone treats her awfully, and Zandie begins to feel left out. A voice begins to talk to Cyriax, who is seen getting stronger at the end of the episode.
Zandie feels a bit left out, and Cinnamon, wanting to be Zandie's friend, steals some champagne from Steve & Karen and gives it to Zandie. She decides to drink it, and becomes really sick. Meanwhile, Cyriax begins to get stronger, and Tane and Degenhardt begin to suspect something's up when he goes off at them. When Cyriax and Tane play basketball, Cyriax pushes Tane against the wall and hurts him. Degenhardt tries to show the difference with Cyriax to Mara, but he shows no signs of difference. Cyriax gets stronger, and tries to hurt Degenhardt because he's a threat. Pancha wants to look different, and feels sad about her implant, so she creates a different look of herself, and tricks Sheng into thinking it's Amber Leigh, a girl from Earth.
Zandie receives credits to talk to relatives or friends back on Earth. She receives a million credits, and when she has no one to talk to, she gives some of her credits to Mara so she can talk to her sick gran, who might die. Meanwhile, Sheng uses his credits to talk to the "supposed" Amber Leigh, who is just Pancha with an English accent. Pancha reveals this to Sheng shortly after, and they both reveal their feelings toward eachother. Also, Cyriax has a feeling something is wrong with the engine of the ship, and orders everyone around angrily. The episode ends with Cyriax ordering everyone to turn the ship around immediately, and head back to Earth!
Cyriax orders Mara to spy on everyone, and tell him when someone is doing something wrong. She reports the meeting that Degenhardt is calling about Cyriax's behaviour. Pancha & Sheng feel difference between eachother, so Pancha creates a timetable for when she can see Sheng and when she can see her computer. Cyriax points out that there is a germ that is sabotaging the whole ship. He yells out that Mara is a disgrace to the ship, and she should be crushed. Mara's grandma takes a turn for the worst, and Mara feels lost. She decides to resign from the mission. And, as the episode concludes, Cyriax takes a turn for the worse.
The crew turn the ship around, back toward the Silver Sun when Cyriax falls victim to the green germ. Sheng & Leanella try to find a way to kill the germ. They find a chemical, but if they feed it to Cyriax, he will die. The crew search the whole ship for any other traces of the germ. Meanwhile, Squirt is lost, and Tane & Degenhardt find him in a room, but they get locked in, and the chemical that could kill them is released into the room. Squirt gets saved, and Degenhardt and Tane make it out alive, using their suits and oxygen. Pancha blames herself and feels guilty for Tane and Degenhardt almost dying, and she breaks up with Sheng, because he's a distraction.
Lillian reckons they should freeze Cyriax in suspended animation, and unfreeze him when they reach the Silver Sun. That way, he could get help. They discover the only way to save Cyriax is to send him back to Earth on an escape pod. Two people have to pilot the pod. Steve chooses Tane and Mara, but Mara doesn't want to go back to Earth, so Leonella decides to take her place, fighting many difficulties along the way. Sheng feels annoyed when he is not selected to pilot the escape pod, and stops communicating with Pancha for good.
Degenhardt hears Cyriax say something about BACKUP 397, so he, Pancha and Mara hold a search using the computers to find out about BACKUP 397, disobeying Steve's orders. Leonella & Tane are chosen to take Cyriax back to Earth. Cyriax is loaded on to the escape pod, and Tycho asks for Squirt to be sent back to Earth too. Meanwhile, Degenhardt and Mara check the final 397 thing they can think of, and try the cryon pods. They discover pod 397 supposedly has no one inside, but when they open it, Cyriax is revealed in there. But isn't Cyriax on the escape pod to Earth?
Degenhardt and Mara show everyone about Cyriax's clone, and they must use it to save Cyriax. Zandie gets angry that they are going to reanimate the clone, and tries to make it come to life, wake up and begin to dream. Tane & Leonella are to be rewarded for their courage, as is Lillian, while Degenhardt & Mara get charged for their actions.
Sheng & Mara discover that Zandie simulated C2's brain when the clone begins to dream. It wakes up, and creeps up on Pancha, who takes it to the deck, where Cyriax sees his own clone. Degenhardt & Mara kiss, and Mara gives him a new look. Just at the moment C2 is about to be reanimated, it speaks out saying that he doesn't want to be reanimated, and wants to stay onboard the ship.
Leonella and Mara organise a ball for them, Tane and Degenhardt. Karen teaches the four of them ballroom dancing. Sheng and Tycho have an idea to use Pancha's computer technology to make C2 really smart. But C2 almost has a brain overload, and he gradually begins to get smarter. Degenhardt and Mara try to keep their relationship secret from Zandie, but Zandie sees them kissing.
C2 tries to help everyone on board Star Runner, and hooks the ship up to a fuel barge where it cannot be unhooked. Meanwhile, the young couples have their formal, but it's Zandie who surprises everyone with her excellent dancing talent.
Help from Earth will take two years to arrive at Star Runner, so Tane has a brilliant idea, but it fails. Tycho, Cinnamon, Zandie & Sheng throw a party for C2, who creates a name for himself - Will Power. Will decides he wants to go back to Earth and before he leaves he uses Tane's idea yet again to unhook the barge from the ship, which creates a huge explosion. Luckily, everyone gets out safe. The episode ends when the ship heads toward the Andromida Line, a point of no return. If they face any troubles after this line, there's no going back!
Everyone is at eachother's throats on the ship, so Lillian decides to throw a party for crossing the Andromida Line. Sheng creates a chocolate bar, which is highly addictive and can make anyone who eats it go absolutely psycho. Nearly everyone eats the chocolate at the party except for Pancha, Degenhardt, Zandie, Sheng, Tycho & Leonella, and when the ship starts to swerve, the group have to do something because the people that ate the chocolate don't care about what's going on. The only cure - super-strong lemon juice! The episode ends when Tane sees Lillian and Cyriax sharing a kiss!
The ship enters a place where dark matter occurs, and when Zandie, Degenhardt & Tycho tell a scary story to Cinnamon, she gets scared half way through the night, and runs away into the ship. Tane tells Leonella about Lillian & Cyriax having a relationship, but she doesn't believe him, until she sees it for herself. Leonella goes off at Lillian, but Lillian & Cyriax tell Leonella & Tane that they are not having a relationship. The next day, Cinnamon has gone missing, and she's been missing since the night before. Zandie, Degenhardt & Tycho begin searching for her, but can't find her. Mara finally does find her in the lift, but Cinnamon proclaims that when Degenhardt & Zandie searched the lift they couldn't see her. But when Mara & Cinnamon get out of the lift, no one can see, feel or hear them. Pancha does a scan on the computer, and there's no trace of the two girls. The crew think that they are not on the ship, even though they are!
Sheng & Pancha discover that the lift made Mara & Cinnamon disappear, and with Sheng's new idea, they are released from the shadow dimension, as the ship leaves the dark matter. Mara hints to Zandie that she saw her talking to Degenhardt about getting together, and tells her that she, and only she is Degenhardt's boyfriend.
Cyriax reveals that two people will get the chance to space walk. Leonella & Tane are chosen, and Mara is angry that she didn't make it, but gets to command the walk. But, Mara, still upset she didn't get to do the space walk, starts to get in over her head with commanding the walk, by commanding everyone else. While in space, Leonella catches a glowing rock. Meanwhile, Tycho & Cinnamon wash the clothes, but it builds static electricity when someone comes in contact with another.
Zandie advises Degenhardt to break up with Mara because of their relationship, but he can't do it, and Zandie walks in on Mara & Degenhardt hugging. Asteroids begin appearing out of nowhere, and the ship is only barely missing them, but Mara discovers the glowing rock is intefering with the navigation system and making the ship not realise about the asteroids. Tycho throws the rock away without telling anyone, and he doesn't know whether it was for better or for worse!
Zandie wants to be resuspended because Mara & Degenhardt are still together. But decides against it Degenhardt breaks up with Mara, and chooses Zandie. Sheng & Tane accidentally finish Cyriax's fishing game, and have to restart the game, and start from scratch. There is a star that is about to explode up ahead, and they can't dodge it, because they are too close to it!
When the star explodes, everything in the ship begins to get hotter, even the crion pods, and if they melt and reanimate, the people inside could have mental and physical problems for the rest of their lives! As everyone gets hotter, Zandie leaves her room, and tries to use the elevator, but it has broken down, and she faints inside! Meanwhile, Sheng seems to have developed a crush on Leonella!
It's exam time, and everyone is feeling pressure. Pancha becomes strangely exhausted, as Sheng develops a crush on Leonella. Tycho & Cinnamon have a go at the simulation game, but it gets too real when the module is released from Star Runner with them on it. Everyone sits through the exams except Zandie, and everyone passes except Sheng, who was too caught up with his relationship with Leonella. Pancha faints.
Leonella spots a pulsar, a star that has died thousands of years ago. With her new implant battery, Pancha is still strangely exhausted, and faints again. Sheng discovers that the pulsar is reacting with Pancha's brainwaves, and the only way to save her is to destroy the pulsar, which they do with Zandie's brilliant thinking skills. Pancha comes back to life, and chooses never to use the computer ever again!
Pancha holds an oboe recital, but no one has the guts to tell her that she's bad at playing. Zandie takes over from Pancha as computer manager, and hears a voice speaking over the radiowaves, and when Tane is alone on the bridge when he hears it, he answers the call.
The crew discover that the ship is going in the wrong direction, and has been for a while, and Pancha, who has been reinstated as computer manager, realises a virus has been planted in the computer system. Zandie's pod goes missing, and when Pancha finds it, she discovers that it has the code for the virus on it. Zandie gets arrested, and faces a jury, but she is found not guilty when Pancha discovers a way that Zandie couldn't have done it. But now Steve, Lillian & Cyriax find out that there are ten other suspects for the crime. The episode ends when Star Runner encounters an identical ship, exactly like itself. Meanwhile, Sheng and Tycho play with Matter Transference, much to the annoyance of everyone else.
Steve, Tane, Mara & Degenhardt explore the ship Infinity, and they discover someone is roaming around the ship when Degenhardt & Mara open a pod and no one's inside! All of the crew of the Infinity had been put into suspended animation, and before doing so, the commander of the ship filmed a message to other ships heading towards the Silver Sun, but it is all fuzzed up, and no one can understand what Commander Darius is saying. The episode ends as a shadow figure appears in front of the screen as soon as Mara & Tane leave the room.
Someone known as Julian Strega falls unconscious when he falls down from an upper level on the Infinity. He wakes up shortly after, and Leonella suspects that he and Tane known eachother, and listens to a recording of Tane on the bridge, talking to Strega who was in big trouble on the Infinity!
Tane reveals to Leonella how he and Strega were friends, and how he saved his life. Karen discovers someone plotted the asteroid and the Infinity on a collision course. Commander Darius's pod has been booby-trapped, as have the other crion pods that have the crew in them. Sheng's decrypting program is being deleted by Strega, and Sheng must battle him in a computer war. Tane is stood down to await the court marshall when Leonella tells Cyriax about Tane & Strega's friendship. Sheng & Pancha decrypt the log, and everyone sees what Commander Darius had to say. But as the episode ends, someone is asked to stand down and someone is arrested!
Degenhardt pushes a button to bring out a crionic pod, but the code he put in was booby-trapped, and in one hour, all of the people in suspended animation on the Infinity would reanimate. The only person that can save them is Strega! Strega goes to the Infinity with Tane, and the countdown stops, but Strega begins to move the ship towards the Sargasso disc, which is almost suicide for everyone on board, including Tane, Degenhardt, Mara & Zandie!!! Cyriax tries to stop Strega, but its no use, when the Infinity goes through the disc.
Beyond Simpson Le Mesurier
AU
Angus McLaren
Degenhardt Bell
Eloise Mignon
Mara Lomax
Yesse Spence
Karen Everson
Jeremy Stanford
Commander Aaron Cyriax
Thomas Blackburne
Tane Wilson
Karli Dinardo
Cinnamon Everson
Cherise Donovan
Leonella Reiss
Oprheus Pleger
Tycho Everson
Sarah Walker
Pancha McCaskill
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