Ocean Girl 4 Episode Guide
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Episode 1
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Jason and Brett are out with the boat to test a new type of diving suit. Jason
believes he can dive down even more further as the last time so he goes down
once again. Deep below the surface Jason is blinded by a suddenly appearing,
glaring light. Back up Jason reacts scared and tells Brett to push off fast.

They go on to Neri’s Island where Neri welcomes them warmly. Jason built a
house for Neri and as the rain starts to fall they go in. Dianne calls Bretts
video communicator and tells them that some news turn on. Brett answers that
they will stay for the night and come back tomorrow. Dianne and Winston say
hello to Neri via radio contact.

Winston tells Dianne that he puzzles about a sector close to ORCA from which
he can’t receive an image. Dianne also wonders about that.

Jason tells Neri about the light in the abyss but Neri knows nothing about it.
She just says that something out there feels different. The house is a little
leaking so Jason becomes wet.

Next morning on ORCA, Dianne tells Jason and Brett that she will apply for the
command post of ORCA. Dianne believes that when they plan to give a scientist
the job, the focus of ORCA could swing back to its original purpose,
scientific research. She also tells them that the plans to build ORCA City
have been complete canceled.

In the lab Winston, with help of Cass, turns out that the sector he wasn’t
able to scan could be protected with a defense shield against radar waves.
Winston does some modifications on the radio band and so gets a clearer
reading. He receives an echo of a perfect square in this sector and knows that
this couldn’t be a natural phenomenon. Jason turns up and as he sees its
location on the monitor he’s convinced that this is exactly the place where he
saw the light.

We meet agent Shelby who’s working for PRAXIS, an organisation which searches
for extraterrestrial life. PRAXIS satelites have intercepted radio waves which
are definately originating from outer space. They’re targeting to Egypt and
since the last three weeks someone or something there is responding. Angent
Shelby is instructed to investigate in this case, it’s top secret, codename
‘sphinx’.

Jason and Winston are out with the boat again to risk a deeper look at the
abnormality. As they drop a sonar device to scan it, the light appears again
and sends out shock waves which create a feedback that destroys Winstons
equipment on the boat.

Neri saw the light underwater and wants to go down again. Jason doesn’t like
the idea but agrees, if he goes with her.

Agent Hauser, also a PRAXIS agent, is introduced. Hauser is Shelbys partner on
the Egypt mission. It seems that Shelby and Hauser had their little
disagreements in the past. Shelby explains that he has located the point where
the signals are received in the area around Alexandria. Hauser corrects him
and believes that the reception point must be close to Cairo, strictly
speaking in The Valley Of The Kings.

At a river in Egypt an older man waits for a woman to come up from diving, her
name is Shersheba. They’re searching for something, we don’t know what, but
the older man says that it has already been waiting for them since 5000 years…

On ORCA Brett and Cass take a look at the Commanders quaters ‘cause Brett
believes that when his mom gets the job, they will soon live there. They meet
a boy called Louis who seems to be jealous of Brett ‘cause he wants his dad to
get the Commanders job. Brett and Cass kick him out.

Jason and Winston meet Louis father who calls Jason officer Bates. They enter
a little submarine which looks more like some kind of spacecraft. (Like the
Kilrah’ “Dralthi” fighters in “Wing Commander”, if someone knows them.) Jason
starts the engines and they go on to the abyss while Brett and Cass monitor
them from the lab. As they reach the Mako Abyss the bright light appears
again. The craft is shaked a little but as the light stops Neri signals them
to move on. It seems that she doesn’t classes it as dangerous. As they move
further into the mysterious sector they discover a giant underwater pyramid
down on the ocean floor!

Episode 2
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Neri, Jason and Winston have discovered an underwater pyramid on the ocean
floor. Winston speaks about one of the most greatest discoveries in human
history. Jason records all data from inside the Minifin (name of the little
submarine). As Neri leaves the Minifin alone for a moment, the light appears
again and Jason loses control of the craft. As Neri comes back closer, the
light stops. Jason believes that there must be a force field around the
pyramid which reacts to Neri’s presence.

Louis turns up in the lab and finds out that the Minifin is down in the abyss.
He goes to report his father about that ‘cause Jason told Danton that he just
wanted to take it for a routine check-up.

Back on ORCA, Danton (Louis father) is already waiting for Jason and Winston.
He takes the Minifin’s black box disc away from them which Winston tryed to
conceal.

Meanwhile Shelby and Hauser have arrived in Egypt. Hauser has limited the
reception point of the radio signals to a three mile radius. She tries to
locate its exact position but something is jaming her equipment.

Jason, Brett, Winston and Cass worry that Danton could find out everything
about Neri and the pyramid ‘cause he has the black box disc from the Minifin
now. Danton orders Jason and Winston to the bridge and wants to know why
they’ve tryed to conceal information. He also tells them that the disc has
been erased and wants to know why. Jason and Winston feel very happy about
that, of course they don’t tell that to Danton.

On Neri’s Island, Neri asks Jason questions about the pyramids. Neri believes
that the pyramid tries to keep her secret (erased disc) and that she feels
great power from it. She wants to ask HELEN to learn more about the ancient
pyramids.

Dianne has gone to the mainland headquaters ‘cause of her application for the
command post of ORCA. She’s received by Paul Bates, her ex-husband, Jason’s
and Brett’s father and Commander of ORCA Pacific. Dianne is surprised to see
him there. Paul says that Dianne could have the job if she wants ‘cause she’s
the best around.

On ORCA Neri discovers a picture of an ancient statue in HELEN’s database and
says that she saw her before in her dreams and that she is very important.

In Egypt the older man begs Shersheba for keep on searching for an underwater
passage into a local pyramid. It seems that Shersheba is not very interested
in doing that. She voices her doubts about the correctness of his information.
The older man says something about their quest and can convince her to
continue.

Then he spots Shelby and Hauser who have just arrived. Hauser shows Shelby a
pyramid she’s especially interested in. Shelby doesn’t appear to be the
scientist of the duo and prefers to continue to track the radio signal.

On ORCA Jason and Brett have a discussion with Hartley (from season three)
about using the Minifin. Hartley doesn’t want to let them take it without
permission from above. Jason simply lies and says that Danton allowed him to
take it. As Hartley goes to request confirmation Jason and Brett enter the
submarine and go on to the underwater pyramid where they plan to meet Neri.

Danton turned out that Jace and Brett took the Minifin without permission. He
orders them to return, Jason cuts of the transmission.

Neri opens a portal into the pyramid, Jason and Brett follow her. They emerge
within a little pool inside of the construction (I will call it “moonpool”
‘cause it shines in the colors of the moon). As they look around they can feel
the energy that surrounds the place. They discover the statue we saw before
in HELEN’s database, she holds an Ank in her hand.

As Neri touches it the statue turns into the holo of a woman, about two times
larger as they are, surrounded by some kind of magical light. She tells Neri
not to be afraid, that she stands at the beginning of her quest and that this
is her last chance to turn back. Neri decides to go on. “Follow your heart
Neri, and the path ahead will be clear to you.” Then she turns back into
stone.

A ray of light appears and highlights a triangle on the opposite wall. Neri
touches it, the wall opens and some kind of teleporter appears. As Neri, Jason
and Brett stand in front of the teleporter, their bodies turn into energy and
then are pulled into it.

At the other end of the tunnel they must turn out that some things have
changed. The surroundings looks familiar but a few things are different. The
statue is gone, as well as the Minifin has disappeard from the moonpool. Neri
swims down to take a look. As she returns she wants Jason and Brett to follow
her. They come up inside of a well and can see the sky above. They climb up
the walls and find themself in the desert of ancient Egypt!

Episode 3
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The Minifin floats up from inside the pyramid back to the surface. Hartley
tries to contact Jason and Brett but they can’t respond. Meanwhile Neri, Jason
and Brett set foot on the desert of Egypt and wonder which mighty force
brought them there.

Dianne has been promoted, she’s ORCAs new Commander now. The ORCA crew has
found the Minifin, it was desolated.

Meanwhile at the other side of a river in Egypt, Brett tries to build a
connection to ORCA but they must be to far away, his vidphone receives
nothing. A little bit further behind a dune they discover some kind of camp. A
dig seems to be in progress, there is flurry of activity. They decide to take
a look at it.

No one seems to be interested in them as they come closer but as Brett touches
one the archeological finds lying around he’s suddenly grabed from behind by a
huge guy who shouts something in Egyptian. Then he takes his communicator and
reports “visitors”.

On ORCA, Winston and Cass inform Dianne about the underwater pyramid. She can
hardly believe it. Winston tries to locate the comm signal Brett’s vidphone is
still sending to determine their rough position.

Horris, the big guy, escorts Neri, Jason and Brett to the tent of the older
man we already know. He introduces hisself as Professor Malakat and wants to
know to whom he has the pleasure. Jason tells him their names and says that
they’re visitors from Australia who have lost their tour group. Malakats
questions about Neri’s “musical name” and her “interesting outfit” Brett
shrugs off by answering that Neri doesn’t like to talk very much and that she
has always been a bit of a Hippy (because of the cloth).

Malakat suggests them to stay for the night and offers them refreshments. He
must have turned out that something’s wrong with them, he is exaggerated
friendly. Shersheba walks into the tent, Malakat introduces her as his
assistant. They introduce theirself to each other, Shersheba seems to have an
eye on Jason. Neri, who hasn’t any water for quite long, takes a receptacle
from the table and pours the inside water over her face. Malakat and Shersheba
wonder about her unusual behavior. Jason and Brett try to make the best out of
the situation.

Shersheba suggests to get something dry on and wants Neri to follow her. Neri
goes with her. Neri has changed and now wears something Shersheba gave her.
She looks really beautiful. Shersheba starts to brush her hair and to make her
compliments. She asks Neri questions about her and Jason, if they’re good
friends. There’s no doubt about that Neri feels unwell in her presence.

It has gone late so Horris leads Neri, Jason and Brett to their tents. As
Horris has disappeared, Neri sneaks into Jason’s and Brett’s tent and tells
them that she doesn’t like the place. Jason and Brett agree. Neri believes
that Shersheba isn’t the friend she pretends to be.

On ORCA Winston receives a phantom signal from the Middle East but can hardly
believe that it is from Brett.

At night, Jason and Brett sneak into the main tent to make a call to ORCA from
a mobil phone. Jason contacts Cass in the lab and tells her that they’re in
Egypt. Before he’s able to explain it Brett warns him that someone’s coming.
Jason drops the line.

Shersheba comes into the tent so Jason tells that they were just hungry and
wanted to take some food. Shersheba invites Jason to take a look at the desert
skys. Jason “convinces” Brett to leave them alone, then he goes with her.
Shersheba asks Jason questions about Neri and wants to know what it is about
her he’s hiding. It seems that Jason doesn’t want to tell her about Neri so he
says that he has to go to sleep now.

At the other side of the world, Dianne and Winston took the Minifin ‘cause
Dianne wants to take a look at the underwater pyramid for herself. As they
come closer the force field doesn’t let them pass.

Malakat has analysed Neri’s cloth and found out that the material it is made
of is definitely not from Earth. He asks Shersheba if she realizes who Neri
could be…

Next morning Neri and Jason are up early so Neri can go for a swim in the
close river to gain back her powers. As they return to the camp they can see
Shelby and Hauser arriving. It seems that Malakat has already expected them.
Neri and Jason shake Brett awake and then go to Malakat’s tent to eavesdrop on
them. As they’ve heard enough and are just planing to push off they’re
intercepted by Horris. Malakat tells Shelby that he hasn’t believed their
story from the beginning, also Shersheba doesn’t appear to be a friend any
longer.

Shelby calls Dianne at ORCA to request confirmation about Jason’s and Brett’s
identity. He uses some kind of polygraph software and as he asks Dianne about
the girl, Neri, the software signals him that Dianne lied on this point.
Shelby is friendly to Dianne tells her that he will book a flight back to
Australia for Neri, Jason and Brett right away but we know that this is a lie.

Hauser informs Jason and Brett that they can return to Australia as soon as
possible, it seems that no one is interested in them any longer. But Hauser
says that there’s “a delay in verifying Neris immigration status” so she will
have to stay. Neri reacts very scared about that and Jason mades quite clear
that they will not leave without her. Shelby says that they will not get a
choice. Shelby escorts Neri, Jason and Brett to his Jeep and leaves them alone
for a moment.

Brett believes that it’s time to push off, so as the others do. Jason jumps at
the driver’s seat and starts the engine. As he drives backwards a few meters
he hits some barrels of gas so one of them falls over and the gas begins to
run out. Then Neri, Jace and Brett head away. Malakat orders Horris to run
after them. Horris throws away his cigar, the gas reaches the cigar during it
still glows and so catches fire. A few seconds later the barrels explode
within a fireball. Shelby has already called the police to chase after the
Jeep. Jason can shake them off but the Jeep gets stucked in the sand. Just in
time Brett discovers a tourist party and their tour bus.

Hauser has isolated one of Neri’s hairs from Shersheba’s brush she used on
Neri. She wants to analyse it to find out more about her.

Neri, Jason and Brett have joined the tour group. As the bus moves on they
slowly leave their pursuers behind them. Neri is in safety, at least for the
moment.

Episode 4
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Neri, Jason and Brett have lost their bearings and can’t find the pyramid
again they need to return home. All Jason and Brett can do is to trust in
Neri’s sense of direction so they follow her as she believes to know in which
direction the pyramid is located.

Shersheba tries once again to find an underwater passage into the pyramid but
finds nothing. She tells Malakat that will not search for it any longer, it
seems to be impossible. Malakat believes that the girl, Neri, could show them
the way in.

PRAXIS has isolated DNA from Neri’s hair and turned out that it is definitily
extraterrestrial. PRAXIS’s chairman upgrades operation “sphinx”, the pursuit
of Neri has now absolute priority.

Neri, Jason and Brett wander around the desert, it seems that Neri’s feelings
have deceived her about the direction. They’re totally lost. Just in time two
guys in an old Volkswagen bus are passing by. They’re a little strange, but
friendly as it seems. As Neri and Jason ask them about the pyramid of mystery,
they offer them to give them a ride there. Neri, Jace and Brett have mixed
feelings about it but agree.

Meanwhile Shelby and Hauser continue their search for the kids, they’ve
informed the police and military to look out for them. Shelby doesn’t
understand that no one has recognized three lost kids in such a special
outfit. As chance would have it, the bus with Neri, Jason and Brett in passes
Shelby’s and Hauser’s outpost. As Shelby asks the two guys about the kids,
they deny to know anything about them. Meanwhile Neri, Jason and Brett hide
themself among a blanket at the backseat. Then Shelby orders them to buzz
off. Brett says thanks to the two guys.

While Neri, Jason and Brett are on the run, Dianne still believes that they’re
already on their way back to Australia by plane.

The bus has arrives in a camp where the two guys seem to be at home. As they
get out of the bus a lot of people approach to have a look at the strangers.
As Jason says that he can’t see any pyramids and suggest that they will better
go now, one of the guys wants them to wait. Meanwhile Neri plays with a little
girl who seems to like her. One of the guys talks to a man who seems to be the
leader of the group. Neri, Jason and Brett fear that the group could work for
Malakat.

The little girl’s ball falls into a well and as she goes to fetch it back, she
drops off sharply. Neri has seen it and jumps into the well to rescue her. As
she brings her back up, she becomes a heroine for the people. The group
welcomes Neri, Jason and Brett with open arms and tells them that they will be
safe from their enemies as long as they stay.

The group throws a party in honor of Neri. While they eat, the leader tells
them an ancient legend about the pyramid of mystery. “Long time ago, a hundret
generations, story says pyramid of mystery is road to heaven… A light come
down from the sky… is a star, but not a star… inside is people, but it’s not
people… they take one scared Egyptian fellow, put him in the star, and fly
away… gone, many long time… big skyship come back… Egyptian fellow now very
much older, white hair… he say to people ‘I live a very long time with sky
people… live like… fish.’” At this moment at the latest he got Neri, Jason and
Brett’s attention. The guy jokes that Neri is probably also like sky people.

In the meantime Paul Bates comfirms that Neri, Jason and Brett were not on the
plane. Paul called PRAXIS but they suddenly deny to know anything about
anything.

The Beduine leader has led Neri, Jason and Brett back to the pyramid of
mystery. Before he leaves them, he tells them the end of the ancient legend.
It says that one day the pyramid of mystery will decide the fate of the whole
world.

Neri, Jason and Brett return to the well which leads into the pyramid. They
don’t know that they’re observed by Shersheba and Malakat as they return
inside. Malakat wants Shersheba to follow them. As she returns she tells
Malakat that the well is the way in. Malakat informes PRAXIS about Neri’s
position and then climbs down the well to deal with Neri for hisself.

Meanwhile on ORCA, Dianne tells Paul the truth about Neri’s origin.

Neri, Jason and Brett discover an image of the statue from the underwater
pyramid in Australia which is carved in the wall. As Neri touches the
stone-carved Ank she holds in her hand it starts to glow brightly and then
splits off from the stone so Neri can take it. As Neri holds the golden Ank in
her hands, Malakat appears and demands his property. Jason entreats Neri not
to give it to him.

Shelby and Hauser have arrived. They follow Shersheba who leads them into the
pyramid. Malakat wants the Ank and tells Neri that it has powers beyond her
imagination and that it needs to be guarded by someone who understands. Neri
holds onto it, then she, Jason and Brett run further into the pyramid. Malakat
starts to lose his patience and now orders Neri to hand over the Ank. Neri,
Jason and Brett have maneuvered into a dead end, there’s no way to run through
anymore. They’re traped. Neri reacts fast and touches a triangle on the wall
so another teleporter opens. Neri, Jason and Brett are pulled into it.
Malakat tries to follow them but the gate already closes again, he was to slow.
As Shelby and Hauser arrive, they’re already gone.

Neri, Jason and Brett awake in a cave, no signs of ancient structures this
time. As they step outside they turn out that they’re back home, somewhere in
the Australian Outback.

Episode 5
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The teleporter has thrown out Neri, Jason and Brett in a cave somewhere in the
Australian Outback. They have no idea where they are. There’s a little water
hole in the cave where Neri sits in to stay wet. It is salt water, they can’t
drink it. It seems to Jason that Neri is the only one who can activate the
water gate. Brett mentions that the network appears unreliable ‘cause they
came out here in the cave instead of in the underwater pyramid where they
started. Neri believes that it is their destiny to be here, that they’ve
something to do here.

PRAXIS believes that the kids have escaped through a tunnel system that leads
out into the desert. They don’t know that the water gate exists. And Malakat
and Shersheba don’t plan to tell them. Malakat feels safe ‘cause he believes
that Neri has no idea how powerful the Golden Ank is. Malakat and Shersheba
plan to follow Neri, Jason and Brett to Australia soon.

On ORCA, Dianne, Winston and Cass tell Paul Bates about Neri and that her
safety has major priority for all of them. Neri, Jason and Brett search for an
alternative way out of the cave but the way through the desert seems to be the
only one. They need food and water, someone has to seek for help. Neri wants
to go but Jason reminds her that she has no chance in the desert for a longer
time, so he goes.

Meanwhile Winston tries to locate Brett’s comm signal but receives nothing.

Back in the PRAXIS headquaters Shelby and Hauser report that the kids have
escaped. PRAXIS chairman hands over some reports of people who have seen UFOs
in the area around ORCA. He orders Shelby and Hauser to go to ORCA to find out
what Commander Bates knows. He makes quite clear that he will not tolerate any
more setbacks.

The sun’s scorching hot, Jason started to walk in circles. As he breaks down,
a man suddenly appears from nowhere. He seems to be some kind of local guard,
an Aborigine ranger. The man gives Jason a ride back to the cave. He says that
he will give them food and water, but also that he can’t get them out (for
some reason he does not tell). In the cave, the man introduces hisself as
Jakamarra. Neri and he seem to know each other – somehow.

As Jason wants to know why he can’t get them out, he starts to tell them an
ancient legend. He tells them about “the whale woman” who came to this cave a
long time ago, fleeing from her enemies. Jakamarra’s people hide her in this
place, outside she would have been killed by her enemies. Brett wants to know
what it all has to do with them, Neri signals him to remain silent. Jason and
Brett don’t understand Jakamarra’s words, Neri does. The man leaves them
alone again, he says he will be back soon. Neri says that they have to stay,
they’re not finished here.

Winston and Cass have located Brett’s comm signal in the Australian Outback.
They can’t build an audio connection, HELEN identifies a crystalline
interference that jams the signal.

Shelby arrives on ORCA. He gets unlimited access to every ORCA installation,
PRAXIS seems to be a powerful organisation. As Dianne asks for the purpose of
his visit, Shelby tells her that she be told when he decides that it is
necessary.

As Shelby inspects the base he meets Louis. Louis is impressed of the PRAXIS
organisation and Shelby seems to be a hero for him. Shelby asks Louis
questions about Jason’s and Brett’s friend, the girl, Neri. If he knows her.
Louis tells Shelby that he doesn’t like the Bates very much. Shelby believes
Louis could be a useful spy.

Brett questions if their new friend will return as he said. Neri believes he
will. Brett suggests to find a way through the desert as long as they have
some supplies left. Jason reminds him that Neri will wet down in the desert
fast. Jason notices that the vidphone has power again, something in the cave
must recharge it. He begins to fix it to send a message to ORCA. While Neri,
Jason and Brett work on the device they don’t notice the sunbeam that is
reflected in the water hole and highlights a stone-carved Ank in the wall
above them.

In Egypt, Malakat and Shersheba make plans to take the Ank from Neri when
PRAXIS has caught her.

Hauser has arrived on ORCA also. She turned out that HELEN is sending out a
radio signal which is aimed at the Outback. She and Shelby take a plane to go
there. Winston receives a clear signal from the Outback now and can determine
its point of origin with help of HELEN.

Shelby and Hauser have arrived in the desert but their plane is out of action.
Just in time Jakamarra appears. He asks if they’re looking for someone so
Shelby asks him about the kids. Jakamarra tells them about some backpackers he
saw a while ago and offers PRAXIS to take them there – for the right
price.

Jason still tries to contact ORCA. He turns out that the power sourche that
recharged the vidphone (the crystals in the cave) must jam their transmission.
He leaves the cave to try it from outside.

Jakamarra, Shelby and Hauser are heading for the cave. Hauser receives Jason’s
transmission on her laptop. A few minutes later they spot Jason who’s standing
on a rock. Jason sees the car coming closer and runs back into the cave to
warn the others. He tells them that Jakamarra is accompanied by other people.
Neri can’t believe that he’s a traitor. They decide to squeeze up for the
moment.

In the meantime Dianne informs Paul Bates about Neri, Jason and Brett’s
position and wants him to pick them up.

Jakamarra leads the PRAXIS agents up to the rocks but then he claims that he
can’t remember the location of the cave. Shelby loses his nerves and goes to
search for it off his own bat, Hauser follows him. Jakamarra is satisfied as
he gets rid of them. It seems that Neri was right.

Neri, Jason and Brett take a look at Jakamarra’s car and find PRAXIS files.
Their new friend played double-cross, so they believe. Then a helicopter comes
rushing up. They just wanted to run off as they realize that it is ORCA.
Jakamarra returns and tells them that he lead the PRAXIS agents astray for
the moment. Jason apologizes to him, he was wrong. Neri is surprised as she
realizes that Jason’s and Brett’s father is here, he’s the pilot. Brett is
glad to see him, Jason is not. Not much. Neri hands the Golden Ank over to
Jakamarra. She believes that it is safer with him for the moment. “The spirit
is one.”, Neri says. Jakamarra takes it. “Until you claim it back.” Neri
smiles. On board of the helicopter, Brett introduces Neri to his father.
“You’re the father?” – “Ever been in a helicopter before?” – “Not fly,
swim.” The chopper lifts off and leaves Jakamarra and the Ank behind. Neri is
safe, for now.

Episode 6
---------

Paul gives Jason and Brett a lecture because of the trouble they caused. Brett
asks his father what else they could do. Jason wants to know why he rescued
them at all. Brett says he’s sorry. Jason is not. There’s no doubt that Jason
doesn’t want to forgive his dad that fast.

Dianne tells Neri that she is not safe on ORCA, even if she’s Commander now.
PRAXIS has powers beyond that. Neri says that she will always trust her, no
matter what will happen.

PRAXIS chairman is upset ‘cause Shelby and Hauser let the kids escape once
again. He knows that Paul Bates brought Jason and Brett back to ORCA and
believes that Neri is there also. He wants Shelby and Hauser to go there to
get the girl. He wants them to give them no warning, to use the element of
surprise. He wants to see results – fast.

Winston and Cass see the PRAXIS agents coming on board so Cass goes to warn
Neri. Shelby and Hauser are already on the way to the Bates quaters. Winston
plays for time and tries to involve them in conversations. Neri, Jason and
Brett just want to push off as Shelby and Hauser appear in the corridor.
There’s no chance to get out of the quaters unseen. Jason and Brett try to
intercept the PRAXIS agents to give Neri a chance to escape. They counter
their questions with evasive answers.

Neri and Cass run back into the quaters ‘cause they see no chance to escape
through the corridor. Louis turns up and sees them disappear in the rooms. He
asks Jason and Brett about the new girl. Jason and Brett try to play it down
but Shelby and Hauser don’t fall for it. As they enter the quaters there’s no
sign of Neri. She and Cass have escaped through the supply network but Shelby
and Hauser havn’t noticed it.

PRAXIS has full access to all ORCA command codes so Hauser orders HELEN to
seal the base. HELEN seals all levels and sectors, Neri is traped. Shelby and
Hauser are at the bridge, Dianne accuses them of sealing the base. They start
to work out a plan to search the base sector by sector. Dianne asks Jason if
Neri was able to escape in time, Jason believes not. Discreetly, Dianne
orders a bridge officer to enter a command code that initiates the evacuation
process. HELEN executes the command and starts with the procedure.

Hauser wants to know what’s going on so Dianne tells her that sealing the base
is normaly followed by evacuation. The computer just did the next logical
step. The doors open and Neri escapes through ORCA’s underwater entrace.
Shelby believes that Dianne is sabotaging him. Shelby decides to interrogate
Jason and Brett, he wants answers.

Neri returns to the underwater pyramid. She goes to the central chamber to
turn to the hologram again. She needs help. As Neri touches the Ank, the
hologram appears. The woman tells Neri her name, Shalamorn. Shalamorn calls
Neri her daughter, she was Neri’s mother. She tells Neri that she has a great
task to do, a hard and lonely road to travel. And that she will be here to
advise her. Shalamorn tells her that she was born to serve her people, that it
is her destiny. As the hologram disappears, Neri runs away.

Malakat talks to the holo of a man, Garron, who tells him that the rebellion
here hangs in the balance. The people who followed their call become restless,
Malakat should have something to show soon. Malakat tells him that they’re
proceeding according to plan. They will shortly locate the underwater pyramid
of the ancients. Garron says that it will be of no use without the Golden Ank.
Malakat believes that Neri will soon be in their hands. And the Golden Ank
will be as well. Garron says that he fears that the “chosen one” could
discover the powers of the Ank, then he’s interrupted by Shersheba. She asks
Garron if he’s questioning their strategy. “Of course not, princess.”, then
he cuts off the transmission.

Malakat mentions that Garron could be right about Neri. Shersheba asks Malakat
if he can imagine that Neri could be a match for her. “Not for a moment,
highness.” Malakat and Shersheba will leave Egypt tonight.

On ORCA, Shelby and Hauser have installed the polygraph software on the HELEN
3000 to interrogate Jason and Brett. They want to find out what they know
about Neri. Hauser is talking about some interference so Shelby takes Jason’s
watch.

Meanwhile Winston and Cass try to influence the software from HELEN’s main
computer core.

As the test begins, Paul comes in and wants PRAXIS to stop. Shelby shows him
their full authorization, Paul can do nothing. Jason and Brett give ambiguous
answers. Shelby is sick of it and tells them that he will take them to the
PRAXIS headquaters to continue there if they do not cooperate. He asks them
where the girl called “Neri” lives, he expects clear answers this time. Brett
answers that they don’t know and the software signals that he’s telling the
truth. Winston was successful. PRAXIS has to let them go but they know that
Jason and Brett are lying. They’re not safe, neither is Neri.

Jason visits Neri on her island. He tells her that his dad wants them to move
to a place on the mainland where they’re safe. He will come to pick her up
shortly. Neri seems to be sad, Jason asks her what’s up. “Your father is back.
We’re not all so lucky.”

On ORCA, Shelby and Hauser are tracking Paul’s helicopter on its way to the
mainland. They installed a bug on board so they know their exact point of
destination.

The helicopter lands on a farm on the mainland, Paul bought it a while ago.
Neri likes the place very much. Paul shows Jason and Brett their rooms. Paul
will be called back to work shortly, he has to leave tomorrow. “Sick of
playing father already?”, Jason asks. Paul answers that he brought them here
for their protection. Brett is annoyed with his brother, Neri doesn’t
understand Jason’s remark.

At night, Jason sits on a fence and stares at the stars. Neri comes closer so
she and Jason stand close together. Jason says that he’s sorry if he upsets
her, the relationship with his dad is complicated. He knows that she can’t
understand it, it’s hard to explain. “No, I don’t understand.”, Neri says. She
tells Jason that she went back to the pyramid. That the hologram, the woman,
was her mother. As Neri tells Jason about Shalamorn, she begins to cry. Jason
hugs her.

Next morning Paul’s helicopter lifts off. It seems that Paul wanted to say
something conciliatory to Jason but somehow he found no words. Neri, Jason and
Brett don’t know that they’re in very real danger. Shelby and Hauser followed
the helicopter to the farm and observe the kids from their hideout. They’re
ready to strike, their task team is also.

Episode 7
---------

Neri, Jason and Brett stroke the horses at Paul’s farm. Neri loves them,
everything seems very peaceful. Jason is concerned, it is because of his dad.
Jason tells Neri that he can’t work out what he wants. Neri answers that he
maybe just wants to get to know him. A little late Jason retorts.

Shelby and Hauser observe Neri, Jason and Brett from their hideout, they’re
ready to strike. Shelby orders two teams on motorcycles to proceed to target.

As Neri, Jason and Brett see them come rushing up Neri dives into the close
river to escape. Brett escapes on a waverunner, he only just mades it. Jason
tries to follow him but doesn’t get it done in time, the task team gets him.
Neri tries to escape through the river but a third team is waiting underwater
and bars the way with a net. As Neri comes up, Brett picks her up with the
waverunner and they ride away. Brett is inattentive for a moment so he doesn’t
notices a log that floats in the water. Neri warns him but it is too late,
Neri and Brett crash into it. Brett is dazed and floats in the water. Neri
pulls him ashore where PRAXIS is already waiting for them – they got her.

PRAXIS has released Jason and Brett, they’re back on ORCA. Shelby and Hauser
brought Neri on a boat somewhere at the open sea. They’re waiting for a sea
plane to transfer her to the mainland headquaters. Hauser tries to start a
conversation with Neri. She asks if she feels pain, if she can feel pain, if
she has a name but Neri doesn’t answer any of her questions. Hauser says that
they don’t want to harm her, that they can learn from each other. She says
that she will not let them hurt her, she promises it. As it seems Neri feels a
trace of humanity in agent Hauser for a moment. As Hauser touches her hand,
Neri rejects. Hauser wants to get Neri’s confidence so she cuts her ropes.

Winston picked up the transmission between the PRAXIS boat and the headquaters
and informs the others about Neri’s position. He fears that she will soon be
out of their reach. Louis comes in and claims that Jason caused Neri’s
capture. Louis gets Jason going, he nearly kills him. Jason wants to know what
he meaned with this. Louis answers that it is a secret between agent Shelby
and him. Brett believes he’s bluffing, that he knows nothing. Winston entreats
Louis to get lost. Jason worries about what Louis said, that he caused the
capture.

On the boat, Shelby continues the “conversation” with Neri. He wants to know
where she’s from, he wants her to talk. He suggests to cooperate ‘cause there
are other methods to get her to talk when they reach the headquaters. Hauser
thinks that he just scares her, that she will not talk when she’s afraid. Jali
is coming closer to the boat. Neri does not listen to Shelby any longer,
she’s calling Jali. Then Jali rams the boat. Before Shelby and Hauser are able
to realize what happened he does it again, harder this time. It seems that
Neri was waiting for this moment all the time. Because of the impact Shelby
and Hauser fall to the ground. Neri runs back on deck, Hauser follows her.
Hauser casts Neri a final glance, then Neri dives overboard. After swimming
with Jali she returns to her island.

On ORCA, Jason, Brett, Winston and Cass listen to Shelby’s transmission to the
headquaters. Shelby informs his boss that the subject has escaped once again.

By chance Jason notices that his watch stopped. He doesn’t pay much attention
to it but Cass wants to take a look at it. Cass finds a bug in Jason’s watch,
PRAXIS placed it there during the lie detector test. So they could locate
their position and follow them to the mainland.

Malakat and Shersheba have arrived in Australia. They have started their
search for the underwater pyramid. Shersheba mentions that what Jason sees in
Neri is really a total mystery to her.

Jason and Brett visit Neri on her island. She thought she would never see them
again. Jason and Brett warn Neri that PRAXIS is looking out for her, they
could find her even here on her island. Neri is aware of that but wants to
return to the underwater pyramid nevertheless. She tells that she must know
her mother’s wishes. Brett has already an idea how to trick the PRAXIS
agents.

Shelby and Hauser return to ORCA. Dianne is surprised as Hauser tells her that
they’re not finished here yet. They know that Dianne is hiding something. As
they start the tracking program (the bug in Jason’s watch), Hauser notices
that Jason is way out to sea. Shelby imagines that he could plan a rendezvous
with the girl. They chase after him immediately. Neri is out at the open sea
and sticks the buggy watch on Jali’s flukes. Jason and Brett take the Minifin
to meet Neri at the underwater pyramid. Meanwhile Jali leads the PRAXIS agents
astray.

Jason and Brett follow Neri into the pyramid. Jason asks Neri if she’s sure
she wants to know what this place is all about. “Mother wanted me to know.”
Neri activates the hologram in the central chamber. Shalamorn tells her that
she has passed and will not longer be able to be with her. The hologram was
recorded as Neri was a child. As a precaution if she and Neri’s father past
before she’s old enough to hear her heritage from their own lips. Shalamorn
wants Neri to listen carefully.

In the meantime PRAXIS realizes that the kids have fooled them once again.

Shalamorn tells that already 5000 years ago, their people discovered that
their planet was at risk. They might have to leave it, even in spite of their
advanced technology. The ancients paved the way for by building structures on
Earth, the ancient pyramids. Humans later copied these structures for their
own use. Then, another thousands of years later, the time for migration was
close. The crisis felt in Shalamorn’s reign, as queen of the Ocean People.
Neri’s father was sent to Earth, with the Synchronium, to prepare the planet
for their arrival. And Neri, as the chosen one, accompanied him.

At a house on the mainland Malakat tells Shersheba not to fear. He believes
that they will soon locate the underwater pyramid; And the Golden Ank. And
when they do, Shersheba will be the queen.

Shalamorn reveals Neri that she’s a princess. Hope of her own people *and* the
Earth people. She tells Neri that a long and arduous journey lies ahead of
her, but also not to doubt that there will be a way. Shalamorn tells that her
destiny as leader of her people will come to pass, that it is her calling, her
fate. Then the hologram changes back into the statue. “Amazing! You’re a
princess?!”, Jason says. But somehow he has known it all the time.

Episode 8
---------

Jason and Brett are on Neri’s island. Brett makes jokes about Neri’s royal
descent and starts to treat her like a princess. Jason wants him to give her a
break, he says that nothing between Neri and them has changed; Neri is not so
sure. “No Jason, Brett is right. Everything changed.” Neri fears that she
couldn’t be strong enough to complete her task – to lead the migration of the
Ocean People to Earth. She doesn’t know how to do it. Jason believes that
Shalamorn will advise her. Neri fears what happens if she fails. “How can
you? You got Jali, you got the gift, and you got us – can’t lose. Right?”,
Brett says. But Neri has doubts.

Shersheba complains about Earth ocean’s water. She asks Malakat why he hasn’t
found the pyramid yet, she is sick of the house she has to live in. She wants
her palace, her pyramid. Shersheba is in a bad mood. She fears that the
legends of the ancients could be just stories, fairytales, nothing more.
Malakat assures her that the pyramid exists, they will find it. Shersheba
suggests to work together with the PRAXIS people, Malakat doesn’t like the
idea. Earth people are inferior beings. Shersheba orders Malakat to monitor
their communications. “As you wish, highness.”

On ORCA Louis is killing Cassandra’s nerves. He tells her that he wishes he
would understand all this tech stuff she studies, so like she does. He
mentions that he hasn’t seen Brett for a while, that he and Jason left ORCA
hours ago. He wonders where they are. “Fishing.”, Cassandra answers. Louis
questions this because of the storm outside.

PRAXIS’ chairman (Richter) wants to know how their tracking device could end
up on a whale’s tail. Shelby corrects him by saying that whales have flukes,
not tails. However, Richter believes that there could be a connection between
the alien girl and the whale. He asks Shelby if he hasn’t noticed the two
incidents featuring whales before; in both cases the girl was able to escape.

Shersheba and Malakat monitor the PRAXIS conversation from their beach house.
Shersheba concedes that Malakat was right, Earth people are fools. She doesn’t
believe in a connection between Neri and the whale. As she wants to terminate
the connection, Malakat holds her back.

Hauser asks Richter if he’s suggesting that it is *the same* whale. Richter
praises Hauser’s shrewdness. Shelby says that he has already considered this
possibility, Richter can read it in his report. Richter believes that this
mission is beyond Shelby’s capability, he should prove the opposite to him
soon. Then Richter terminates the transmission. Hauser believes that there
could be something in it, some whales seem to be as intelligent as some
humans. Shelby doesn’t think much of it.

“Of course, that’s it!”, Malakat says with determination. He tells Shersheba
that communication with sea creatures is one of the chosen one’s gifts. He
believes that the chosen one can lead them straight to the Golden Ank – and
to the pyramid. And now they know how to find her, the whale is the key.

Neri swims with Jali and removes the bug from his fluke. Jason and Brett are
waiting for her to come up. Neri hands the watch over to Brett who throws it
overboard. Neri believes that PRAXIS will not stop, they will try to catch her
again. Jason promises that they can handle it, whatever PRAXIS does next. Neri
smiles.

Jason and Brett return to ORCA. As they arrive in the lobby, they’re welcomed
by Louis. He asks where they have been; checking buys Jason replies. Louis
returns that Cass said they went fishing so he wants to see the catch. Jason
and Brett retort that they had to throw them all back, too small. Louis
doesn’t believe a word. HELEN requests Officer Jason Bates to report to the
bridge, so Jason goes.

At the bridge, Dianne tells him that he has a visitor. It is Shersheba. Jason
is anything but happy to see her, he asks her what she’s doing here, what she
wants. He doesn’t believe that she come all the way from Egypt just to see
the facilities on ORCA. Shersheba says that she knows Jason is cross with her
and says that she’s sorry. She explains that she had nothing to do with the
things happened in Egypt, it was all Professor Malakat’s fault, she doesn’t
like him even. Jason wants to know why she hasn’t leave then. Shersheba
answers that they had a contract, now she’s sick of Egypt. She came to
Australia to study Aborigine cultures now. Shersheba says that she thought it
would be good to see Jason again, that she wishes long to see the Great
Barrier Reef but that she should have known that Jason is finished with her
now. Shersheba is a real tearjerker. Jason is complaisant and says that it is
alright. Shersheba mentions that Jason’s girlfriend must be a very lucky
person. Jason answers that he doesn’t have a girlfriend, no time for. “I
thought… that pretty girl in Egypt, Neri, is she around?” Jason answers no to
that and explains that she doesn’t work on ORCA, she goes to college on the
mainland – and she’s not his girlfriend. Shersheba seems to be glad to hear
that.

Neri’s island is covered in peaceful silence. Neri sits in front of her house
and stares at the glowing fire. It seems she’s reflecting upon the things
happened recently, it seems that she feels isolated, alone.

Jason took Shersheba to their quaters, Brett asks him what she’s doing here.
Jason tells him that their mom wanted him to take her on a tour. Brett has
become “chef of the family”, he’s cooking Chilli Con Carne. “You’re not
staying, are you?”, Brett asks. Jason says that she’s just waiting for the
shuttle. As Shersheba mentions Neri, Brett says that she’s not here. “Of
course, she goes to college on the mainland.”, Shersheba confirms. After some
hesitation Brett relents. As Shersheba wants to know which college it is,
Jason and Brett are saved by HELEN who requests all passengers to the pontoon
for the final mainland shuttle. Brett can’t wait to get rid of her. As
Shersheba leaves, she reminds Jason that she’s looking forward to their trip
to the reef. “Trip to the reef?”, Brett asks while giving an incredulous look.
Jason retorts that she suggested that. As Shersheba has left the quaters,
HELEN announces the final boarding call for the mainland shuttle. But
Shersheba, in defiance of her intentions, decides to stay a little bit
longer.

Louis decides to talk to Winston. He asks him questions about the magnetic
anomaly he mentioned. He knows that he found something in the ocean and that
Jason and Brett are going there. He wants to know what it is. Winston doesn’t
know what to answer, Louis nailed him down. Louis says that his dad knows
he’s hiding something, that this will cost him his job. Cass appears in the
right moment to help Winston out. She requests Danton’s account file that
shows some computer games paid with Danton’s credit card. Cass asks Louis if
she shall advise his dad to check the items before he pays his next bill.
Louis slinks off.

In the corridor he meets Shersheba who heard him talking about Jason and
Brett, she asks Louis if he’s interested in them.

The Bates are having dinner. Dianne tastes Brett’s Chilli which seems to be
pretty hot. As Brett mentions Shersheba, Dianne says that she appears to be
charming. “Oh yeah, real *charming*.”, Brett says while giving his brother an
ironic look. Jason tells Brett to shut up.

As luck will have it, Shersheba turns up in their quaters. She’s so sorry, she
missed the last shuttle. Dianne offers her to stay for the night, there’s a
visitors room near by. Shersheba answers that she doesn’t want to cause so
much trouble, Dianne says she doesn’t and hands her a dish of Brett’s Chilli.
“Lovely.” Shersheba asks for a glas of water. The next shuttle will not be
back until tomorrow afternoon so Shersheba asks if it is possible to see the
reef tomorrow. Jason has day off so Dianne suggests him to take her. Dianne is
very obliging to Shersheba, it seems that she likes her.

Next morning Jason and Shersheba are out to the reef with the speed boat. “The
ocean… I love the ocean.”, Shersheba says. She hopes to see some whales, just
one. She’s really nice to Jason. Jali has come closer to the boat and is
fooling around. Jason introduces him to Shersheba, he tells that they already
know him for a while. “How wonderful.” Shersheba claims that this is the best
day she ever had, she’s more than just nice to Jason.

Meanwhile Neri has returned to the underwater pyramid.

Shersheba is snorkeling in the reef. Suddenly she calls for help, it seems
that she’s drowning. Jason dives overboard to rescue her. Shersheba lies on
the bottom of the reef and it seems that she’s convulsed with pains. Jason
tries to get her up but fails. He comes up to tank up some air. Jali has
noticed what happened and sends out a call to Neri. Neri just wanted to touch
the Ank again, then Jali’s call reaches her. She rushes back to the moonpool
to come to Shersheba’s aid.

Jason dives again several times but can’t find Shersheba anymore. While Jason
tries to locate her, Shersheba is hiding underwater behind a coral structure.
She feels just fine. Jason abandoned all hope ;) to find Shersheba alive. As
Neri arrives, Jason tells that he couldn’t get her up, she must find her –
somehow. Jason is despairing. Neri finds Shersheba on the bottom of the reef
motionless. She brings her back up on the boat, still motionless. Jason asks
Neri if Shersheba is alright.

Suddenly they hear footsteps behind them. As they turn around, they see
Malakat standing on the bow of the little boat. “Well done, your highness!”
Without warning Shersheba opens her eyes and attacks Neri. Jason rushes to the
controls, shifts into reverse gear and accelerates. Malakat begins to sway
and falls overboard. Neri and Shersheba are still fighting, Jason shifts back
into first gear and gases. Shersheba joins Malakat and falls overboard as
well. The boat speeds away, leaving them behind. “They are Ocean People! They
are from my planet. What do they want?!” Neri is confused.

Shersheba and Malakat have returned to their beach house. Malakat asks
Shersheba what she has discovered on ORCA. She says that there is something;
she tells Malakat about the magnetic anomaly Dr. Seth has discovered on the
ocean floor. She mentions that Louis told her; rather appealing, but terribly
young. According to the new information, Malakat does some modifications on
his equipment and so finally locates the underwater pyramid of the ancients.
“Your pyramid of power! With this at our disposal, you will rule the world.”

“Ocean People.” Neri is unsure. Jason says that she will beat them, she’s
still the chosen one. Shalamorn said that she would face great danger, but
Neri hasn’t expected that it would be from her own people. “Why are they here
Jason? I’m afraid.”

Episode 9
---------

A thunderstorm rages through the Barrier Reef. Neri is sitting in front of her
house and stares into space. Her cloth is soaked by the rain. Neri smiles as
she sees a little animal trotting along, searching for shelter. She picks it
up and gets it into safety.

Malakat talks to Garron via, well, whatever. He says that they have located
the underwater pyramid of the ancients and that they will take the power as
soon as the moon of this planet is full. According to the traditions of the
ancient ones, Garron confirms. Malakat says they will leave nothing to chance.
Garron says that he awaits his command so the preparations for the invasion of
Earth can begin. Then Malakat terminates the transmission.

Jason and Brett inform Dianne about Shersheba and Malakat, about the things
happened recently, that they’re from Neri’s planet. Dianne is sorry for giving
Shersheba such a warm welcome. She doesn’t understand why they are so hostile
to Neri. If they really are Neri’s people, why do they want to harm her?

Neri is dreaming. A bad dream. She has visions of Malakat and Shersheba,
negative feelings. Suddenly she wakes up with a start. “Mother!” Neri is
frightened.

Brett is training his cooking skills one more time. Dianne says that it is
good, she loves turkey. Unfortunately it is fish soup. Paul comes in via
ORCA’s video comm. system. He hopes not to interrupt dinner. Actually he does,
Jason says. Paul wants Jason to do him a favour.

Next morning on Neri’s island, Neri has catched some fish and is returning to
her house. Jason is already waiting there. They hug each other, Neri is happy
to see Jason. Jason asks if she’s alright. “Fine.”, Neri says. Jason didn’t
feel very good about her being on the island by herself last night, he
believes she should be careful after their recent confrontation with Shersheba
and Malakat. Neri says that they do not know about her island, Jason fears
that they could find out. Neri just smiles. “Neri, you shouldn’t be alone.” –
“I’m used to be alone.” Jason tells Neri about the favour his dad asked for.
Paul wants him to keep an eye on some goats on his farm. Neri asks when he
goes. He will not go, Jason says. If anything happens, he wants to be around
to help her. “Then I go too. I would like to see these… ‘goats’.”, Neri says
and smiles. “I was hoping you say that.”

Hauser found out that the radio signals from outer space, targeted to Egypt,
are now being responded from an area off-shore near the Great Barrier Reef in
Australia. Shelby mentions that this is on the same latitude as ORCA is.
Richter asks if he’s saying that ORCA is a cover for an alien lifeform. Shelby
says that they know Commander Bates is covering up something. Hauser suggests to
search the colony again; the DNA tests have proved that this girl is alien,
they’ve never been this close before. They can’t let this chance slip through
their fingers. Richter mentions that they seem to be good at that.

Neri and Jason try to gain control over the goats on Paul’s farm but it seems
to be impossible. ;) They seem to have a lot of fun. Neri picks up one of the
young animals and smiles. Neri feels happy. Jason says he feels like an idiot
‘cause he falled for Shersheba and for putting her in danger, he’s sorry. “Do
not be sorry.”, Neri says. Jason has been thinking. He wonders what Shersheba
and Malakat are doing on Earth if they’re really from Neri’s people. Neri says
that her mother said there will be an Ocean People migration, maybe they lead
the way. Jason says that it makes no sense. If Neri’s the chosen one, like
Shalamorn said, then why are they hostile to her? They should support her
instead. “Only mother will know the answer. We must return to the underwater
pyramid tomorrow.” Jason agrees.

The night is clear, the full moon is shining bright. Shersheba and Malakat
look up to the sky. They’re prepared to take the power tomorrow.

On ORCA, Brett believes that PRAXIS will come back to the colony sooner or
later to look for Neri. Cass says that they will not find her here. Unless
they search HELEN’s databanks Brett fears. They could find out about the faked
ID card, the modified personal files or could scan the data recorded by ORCA
security cameras. Dianne is history if they would find all this. Cass asks if
it is possible to delete these files, unfortunately she hasn’t noticed Louis
who’s standing behind her back and is listening. Louis asks if they’re talking
about the girl PRAXIS is looking for. Brett and Cass try to play it down. They
make fun of Louis ‘cause of the alien thing he’s always talking about. Cass
jokes that Louis is probably the alien leader. As Shelby and Hauser step out
of the turbolift, Louis retorts that we will see who’s laughing.

Brett and Cass have asked Winston to help. They’re in HELEN’s nerve center to
remove all security entries for casual day employee No. 2004, that’s Neri.
Winston doesn’t like the idea, it’s against all ORCA regulations to remove
historical data. HELEN starts the search, estimated search time 12 to 18
hours.

Shelby and Hauser are installing their equipment on ORCA to locate where the
radio signals being received, and where the responses coming from. Louis
walkes in and is impressed by the equipment. Shelby kicks him out using a
pretty mean trick. Shelby bets that the responses are coming right here from
ORCA, Hauser says that it must be at least near by.

Neri and Jason have returned to Neri’s island. Jason has taken along one of
the new deep water diving suits he has already tested. It allows him to dive
as deep as the pyramid and back up, without getting physical damage. Jason
mentions that Neri is lucky ‘cause her body does that naturally, she doesn’t
need such stuff. As he puts the helmet on Neri mentions that now Jason looks
like the alien.

Brett, Winston and Cass are waiting for HELEN to complete the compilation of
Neri’s data. A few hours have already passed, they’re tired. Then HELEN
confirms that all Alpha level memory files requested have been deleted.
Winston continues with the Beta level files. Brett hopes that HELEN will made
it in time before PRAXIS comes snooping around.

Louis is hiding in an air pipe close to HELEN’s main computer core. He has
followed their conversation, then he goes to tell PRAXIS. Louis goes to
PRAXIS’ quaters and informs Shelby and Hauser what Brett Bates and his friends
are doing right now. Shelby and Hauser take off immediately. On the bridge,
Shelby wants complete access to all functions currently being undertaken by
the HELEN3000. Dianne says that this is impossible, they’re running a life
support systems check. Shelby says that it is a matter of international
security. Dianne has no choice, that’s beyond her power of command.

Meanwhile Brett, Winston and Cass find out that someone’s watching them –
PRAXIS. HELEN denies PRAXIS’ override from the bridge, priority is assigned to
the main computer core. Brett and Winston believe that they’re finished,
there’s no way to delete all data in time. Cass has an idea, she request a
graphic input. Commander Bates and the PRAXIS agents are on their way to the
main computer core. Shelby says that Dianne is finished if he finds out that
she has covered the alien girl. Cass has covered all human faces from HELEN’s
security camera records with an alien mask. As PRAXIS arrives, that’s all they
find. Cass jokes that PRAXIS is right, ORCA *is* full of aliens. Shelby
murmurs something and slinks off, Hauser follows him.

Neri has activated her mother’s hologram in the pyramid’s central chamber.
Shalamorn says that, as queen of the Ocean People, it was her wish that their
migration to the Earth planet should be a mission of peace. “Your mother is so
beautiful Neri.” – “Yes.” It was Shalamorn’s greatest hope that both people
could live side by side, in harmony; that coexistence would be possible. Many
Ocean People wanted peaceful migration, but there was a powerful minority who
held a dangerous, alternative view. Neri considers that Shalamorn speaks of
Shersheba and Malakat. The rebel faction believed that they might not be
welcomed, that humans would destroy outsiders. As monarch, Shalamorn believed
that their migration would be blessed if they came in peace; but the rebel
faction was growing stronger with each new day. Shalamorn warns Neri to watch
out for these people now.

Shersheba and Malakat come up in the moonpool, they’re finally there. Malakat
is overwhelmed by the complexity of the construction. “It’s magnificent.”,
Shersheba says. Then she discovers Jason’s diving suit. “We have company.
This way.”, Malakat says.

Shalamorn tells that the faction opposed to peaceful migration argued that
their expedition would not be safe unless the human race was weakened. Their
strategies would make Earth people incapable of hurting their new arrivals.
Jason wonders what “weakened” could mean.

“It’s really quite simple!”, Malakat interrupts. “It is a power sourche to
this pyramid. And activated by the Golden Ank, it is capable of melting the
polar icecaps. More than half the landmass of the Earth planet will be
submerged. *Including*: A major concentrations of government…” – “And
population.”, Shersheba completes his expositions. “The Earth people would
drown!”, Neri says. “That’s right.”, Shersheba replys cold-hearted. “Earth
will become like the Planet Of The Oceans, human society will be decimated.”
Neri says that this was not her mother’s wish. “The queen has left us,
Neri.”, Malakat says and remarks that she has discharged the care of her
duties to one who’s so unprepared. Malakat is sure that she’s at least clever
enough to know that she’s not capable of carry out her plans. Jason tells Neri
not to listen to him.

Malakat suggests that if Neri surrenders the Golden Ank into his possession,
he will guarantee her and her human friend’s safety. Shersheba reminds him
that men cannot decide about mercy, only a female of the royal bloodline –
such as herself – can make such promises. “Of course. Forgive me,
highness.” Malakat wants the Ank now. Neri says that her mother, the queen,
did not wish this. She will do only as she has willed.

“Your mother has gone!”, Malakat shouts. “You cannot stand in the way of
princess Shersheba!” Jason advises Neri to be careful, these people are
dangerous. “I must honor the power entrusted to my mother by the Ocean
People.”, Neri says with deepest conviction. Malakat returns that against him,
her queen was powerless. She was powerless to stop the crash of the spaceship
that carried her and her father on their mission to Earth… “One of Malakat’s
greater navigational reassignments.”, Shersheba remarks. Shersheba and Malakat
sneer. “You caused the crash?”, Neri asks in disbelief. Neri reminds them that
there were other people on that craft, many have passed. “That’s right.”
Malakat feels no remorse. He let Neri know to better do what he wants, she’s
not invulnerable. “I will never part with the Golden Ank. I have a duty to
ensure the safety of my people *and* all humans.”, Neri replys quickly.
Shersheba doesn’t seem to be glad to hear that. She fires an energy weapon at
Neri but Jason covers her body and intercepts the blast. The energy blast hits
his arm, it hurts. Shersheba says that this is just a taste of what Neri can
expect if she doesn’t hand over the Ank. “As you wish it.”

Neri turns around and signals Jason to stand by, then she slowly heads to the
opposite wall. Suddenly Neri rushes forward and touches the triangle on the
wall so the teleporter opens. “Jason!” Jason rushes at the platform so they
stand in front of the energy field. Shersheba wants to fire the blaster again
but Malakat holds her back, they need Neri alive. Neri and Jason are pulled
into energy field. Malakat tries to follow them but the gate already closes
again, it is too late. They’re gone.

At the other end of the tunnel, Neri and Jason find themself back in the cave
in the Australian Outback where Jakamarra already awaits them.

Episode 10
----------

Shersheba touches the triangle in the underwater pyramid several times but the
gate Neri and Jason have escaped through does not open for her. She asks
Malakat if he has located the Golden Ank. Malakat answers that it is not here,
Neri must still have it in her possession. Shersheba wants him to get it back
from her. Malakat says that that is exactly his intention. He reminds
Shersheba that their enterprise is the greatest anyone from the Ocean Planet
has ever undertaken. If they are successful – and they will be – they will
gain control over the very Earth itself; but only if they remain united.
Shersheba must always be aware of that. If they remain *united*. Malakat says
that finding Neri will not be difficult. The answer lies in the study of
their ancient laws…

Jakamarra tells that PRAXIS agents have been all over the place while Neri and
Jason have being away, but they found nothing. Neri asks him if the Ank is
safe. Jakamarra says that it is a long way off. He asks if they come back for
it. “Yes.” – “Then, this is the time?” – “This is the time.”, Neri answers.
Jakamarra informs them that the Ank is more than a day off, they better be
prepared for a bit of a journey. Jason tells him that Neri will need lots of
water. Jakamarra answers that water is pretty hard to find in the Outback,
unless you know where to look. ;)

In the meantime, Malakat makes some calculations based on the position of the
underwater pyramid’s watergate and the one in Egypt and is so able to locate
the missing destination of the watergate network. It is located in the far
northern desert of Australia, the Outback. This is where they will find Neri
and the Ank.

Meanwhile Jakamarra, Neri and Jason are already on the way through the
desert.

On ORCA, Dianne suggests to try to patch HELEN into PRAXIS, maybe there’s some
communication between them and Shersheba and Malakat. There’s nothing else
they could do from here, maybe this will show some new information about the
current situation.

Jakamarra, Neri and Jason have a rest. Jason soaks Neri’s body in water from a
can to keep her wet. He asks Jakamarra why he has never asked who they are or
where they came from. Jakamarra answers that sometimes, when people appear in
the landscape, you just have to read the signs. “What signs?”, Jason asks.
“Signs that say that they’re part of the landscape. That they… belong.” Neri
smiles.

Shelby and Hauser meet Shersheba and Malakat in their house at the shore.
Malakat serves some drinks. He tells them that the girl they let escape is
important for them too. She took with her an object of extreme archeological
value. Hauser wants to know what kind of object it is. “A Golden Ank, a
symbol of immortality in the great civilisations of ancient Egypt.”, Malakat
explains. Shelby asks him if he really buys that stuff. Malakat likes to keep
an open mind. He says that they all seek the girl for their own reasons, he
suggests to cooperate. Hauser fears that the agency has strict rules about the
cooperation with outsiders. Malakat asks them if they believe their sourches
are superior to their ones. “I know it.”, Shelby answers. Malakat is sure that
he will also know then that their quarry is in the Australian Outback right
now. Shelby and Hauser are surprised.

Then Shelby receives a call on his mobil phone. He gets up from the table and
walks a few meters away so the others cannot listen. Brett is at the other end
of the line and gives him an anonymous tip-off that Malakat and his assistant
are aliens themselves. Shelby seems to be interested in that.

Whilst heading forward in Jakamarra’s car, Jason asks Jakamarra what makes so
sure Neri belongs here. Jakamarra tells that it was told to him in a
dreamtime story. Stories about the creation of the world, very old and
spiritual. Jason asks if Neri is in them. “Sort of, in one of them.”,
Jakamarra says. Maybe he tells them sometime.

Shelby tells Hauser about the tip-off, that Malakat and Shersheba are also
aliens. “You don’t believe that?”, Hauser asks. Shelby took Malakat’s glas,
they will check it in the HQ. Malakat’s information that the girl is currently
in the Outback as well.

Shersheba asks Malakat if it is wise to put those agents on to Neri. Malakat
answers that PRAXIS can lead them to her and to the Ank. Then *they* can take
care of her. Malakat says that as ruler of their people, Shersheba must not
have her blood on her hands. It was no chance that it was so easy for Shelby
to steal the glas, Malakat wanted him to do that. He wants PRAXIS to check his
fingerprints. Shersheba doesn’t understand, it will show that they’re not from
Earth. But Malakat has made some preparations, he removes some kind of latex
skin from his hands. Shersheba and Malakat sneer.

Brett, Cass and Winston try to log into PRAXIS’ comm. system with help of
HELEN but their network is far beyond HELEN’s capability, she fails. Brett and
Cass decide to sneak into PRAXIS’ quaters through an air pipe to do it from
there.

Jakamarra, Neri and Jason have built their camp for the night. Neri wets
herself down on a nearby waterhole. Suddenly Jakamarra notices something.
Jason asks what’s up. Jakamarra doesn’t know. Something is out there; too far
to see, but out there. It’s better to stay for the night and to move on
tomorrow morning, Jakamarra says.

Meanwhile, Brett and Cass arrived in PRAXIS’ quaters and try to hack into
their comm. system.

Shelby and Hauser have returned to the cave in the Outback but there’s no
trace of the girl. Whilst Hauser works with her infrared reader, Shelby finds
some tire tracks close to the cave.

While sitting around the fire at night, Jakamarra continues the legend about
the whale woman. It says that the whale woman brought a rock with her, an
amazing rock that glowed in the dark. The old people thought it was magical, a
rock that turned night into day. So they made the whale woman their leader.
She lived with them for many years until one day a huge light came out of the
sky, picked up the whale woman and flew away… That’s the dreamtime story of
how Jakamarra’s people got the gift of light. “You not gonna fly away and
leave us, are you Neri?”, Jason asks seriously. Neri looks up to the stars.

Meanwhile, Dianne and Winston also find their way into PRAXIS’ quaters by
breaking through the front door. Cass was able to break PRAXIS’ code, they
have access to their comm. system now.

Next morning, Shelby and Hauser arrive at the waterhole (place for the night)
and find Jakamarra’s car desolated. They’re sure their targets must be still
somewhere around. Shelby calls on them to come out. Jakamarra, Neri and Jason
watch them from the distance, they’re forced to leave their car behind and
continue their journey on foot.

Brett, Cass, Dianne and Winston skip through the PRAXIS frequencies to find
something of interest. Winston has something. It’s a communication between
Richter and Shelby. Richter says that Shelby was wrong about Malakat. The
fingerprint check of the glas identified him as a Professor Miles Malakat, a
master of antiquities from Lissabon and now a Swiss citizen. He’s perfectly
normal, human. Richter wants Shelby and Hauser to continue the search for the
girl. Meanwhile Cass tries to track down Shelby’s comm. signal.

Jason notices that Shelby and Hauser are not following them. Jakamarra says
that they don’t know this country. Bad things happen to those who do not
respect the desert. Hauser tries to pick up the girl’s trail with help of her
imager again but the area is rich in Uranium deposits, a highly radioactive
substance that is blocking the signal.

Jakamarra, Neri and Jason have reached another waterhole where Jakamarra has
hidden the Ank in. As Neri comes up from diving, she holds the Golden Ank in
her hands.

Richter wonders how far their targets can have got on foot, he thought Shelby
and Hauser were close behind. Hauser informs Richter about the Uranium
deposits, that they have lost the signal. Brett, Cass, Dianne, Winston and
Paul – who just walked in – monitor their transmission. These Uranium deposits
could help to locate PRAXIS’ position.

Whilst Hauser works on the imager to get a clearer reading, Shersheba and
Malakat suddenly appear from nowhere and offer their assistance. Malakat
suspects that they’re here at the same mission. He asks them if they have
realized that the girl needs constant water. So they must simply check all the
waterholes between here and the cavern, the cavern to which the girl will
surely be returning. Shelby asks how they can find any waterholes, their
equipment is jammed. “In maps don’t depend on microchips.”, Hauser replys.
Malakat suggests that they can perhaps locate the girl together now. As
Shelby and Hauser are a few miles off the Uranium ground, their imager starts
working again.

This time Winston was able to locate their comm. signal as they contacted HQ.
Dianne transmits the coordinates to Paul.

At another waterhole, Neri soaks her face in water as suddenly a car appears
on the horizon – Malakat and Shersheba. They decide to move on fast. As the
distance to their car becomes larger, PRAXIS’ car appears from the opposite
direction and blocks the way. They’re traped. Jakamarra wants Neri and Jason
to follow him so they climb up a nearby rockface. Shelby and Hauser follow
them. Shelby takes the long way round, Hauser goes after them by climbing up
the rockface too. Close to the top, Hauser loses foothold and threatens to
fall. Neri turns back, lies the Ank to the ground, grabs Hauser’s arm and
pulls her up. Hauser nearly died, Neri saved her life. “Thanks.”, Hauser says
while looking into Neri’s eyes. Neri smiles for a moment. Meanwhile Shelby
reaches the group also. Shersheba as well, she picks up the Golden Ank from
the ground. Shelby and Hauser take Neri prisoner and escort her to their car.
The Golden Ank is in Shersheba’s possession now.

Suddenly Paul’s helicopter comes rushing up. Shelby wants everyone to cool
down and listen as the chopper touches down. Paul orders PRAXIS to release the
girl. “No way, Commander.”, Shelby replys. He reminds Paul that he is out of
his area of command. Jason asks why they just take Neri, Shersheba and Malakat
are aliens too. Hauser says that Jason’s wrong, their people have checked them
out. “Then your people are wrong.”, Paul says. “Our people are never wrong.”,
Shelby retorts. Malakat says that everyone will excuse them now, they have to
leave.

While the others are talking, Jakamarra has sneaked up on Shersheba unnoticed.
As Shersheba is inattentive for a moment, he’s able to snatch the Ank from her
and throws it over to Jason. “Go Jason, go! Go Jason, they must not have the
Ank!”, Neri shouts. “Quick! Stop them!”, Malakat says as Jason and Paul enter
the helicopter and lift off. “No!” Shersheba runs after them but it is too
late, they’re already in the air. Jason casts a last glance over the ground
while holding the Golden Ank in his hands. He sees how the distance between
Neri and him becomes larger as the chopper gains altitude. The Ank is safe,
but he was forced to leave helpless Neri behind. Now PRAXIS finally got her.

Episode 11
----------

PRAXIS Headquaters. Security personnel escorts Neri to an elevator shaft on
the first floor. The group is accompanied by Shelby and Richter. While
crossing the corridors, Neri appears composed and strong. At least she tries
to be. As they reach the lift, two large characters on its door, “L 1”, let us
know about where we are. As the door opens, Neri, Shelby and two security
officers enter the lift. Richter stays above the ground. As the door begins to
close, he gives Neri a final, complacent look. To let her know that PRAXIS
always gets what it wants, she’s not an exception. Then the lift rushes
downwards.

“L 29”. They have reached the basements level. Neri is escorted to some kind
of medical lab where a cold-hearted, unscrupulous female doctor already awaits
her. As Neri enters the little isolation chamber in the lab, the doctor
suddenly locks the door behind her. Neri begins to realize her situation.
She’s traped. Deep, deep below the ground.

On ORCA, Paul talks to Richter via video conference. He wants him to release
the girl. Richter denies everything, he hasn’t heard of any “Neri”. Paul tells
him that she was picked up yesterday by two of his agents, he was there. What
PRAXIS’ agents do is in any case strictly classified, Richter says. He
recommends Paul to better stick to oceanographic research. Then he terminates
the transmission.

“Liar.”, Brett says. He, Jason and Dianne have followed their conversation.
Jason says that PRAXIS has to deny it, they have no legal right to hold her.
The situation seems hopeless. “She won’t give up, that’s for sure. Not Neri.”,
Brett says. Jason says that there’s at least one thing he can do for her.

He goes to hide the Golden Ank, somewhere Malakat and Shersheba can never find
it. Jason has sticked a radio beacon onto the Ank, then he leaves ORCA through
its dive chamber hatch out to the ocean. As he reaches the Mako Abyss, the
location of the underwater pyramid, he activates the radio beacon and lets the
Ank fall down into the depth.

The doctor tells Neri that they must communicate but Neri remains silent.
“Whatever it takes.”, the doctor says, leaves her alone and locks her room
again. Neri seems to analize her enemies, to find a weak point, a chance to
escape, to weigh up her options. It seems that she realizes that she has to
fend for herself. And that there’s no way to escape on her own. Time has come
to be afraid…

Agent Shelby and the doctor are watching Neri through the window of her room,
she’s sitting with her back towards them. Shelby suggests to inject her a
truth serum. The doctor believes that this wouldn’t be advisable. She’s not
sure what effect a truth serum would have on the alien creature. “There’s no
harm in trying”, Shelby replys. The doctor informs Shelby that it could
produce a paradoxical reaction; Psychosis, or mania. But Shelby does not
really care about it.

Jali is restless, anxious. Jason and Brett came looking for him. “He knows
she’s in trouble. And he wants us to do something.”, Jason says.

Neri lies on a stretcher in the middle of her room motionless and stares at
the ceiling. Her strenght begins to seep away. Agent Hauser enters the room.
She instructs the security that she will keep an eye on her so they leave them
alone. Hauser comes closer. Neri looks deep into her eyes, “Help – me.”
Hauser seems to be torn. “Help you do what? Escape?” Neri just looks at her,
it seems she’s on the verge of tears. “I’m afraid that’s out of question.”,
Hauser says. It seems that Agent Hauser has an inner conflict between her
ethical standards and the loyalty for her organisation. She explains Neri that
she’s monitored by cameras at all times, that there’s no way out of this
place. They’re 200 meters below ground and this installation was initially
planed as a nuclear bunker. Hauser says that she came for thank her for saving
her life; but that is it, she’s afraid. “Wa–ter.”, Neri asks with her last
ounce of strenght while looking into Hauser’s eyes. “Yeah… I’m sure we can
manage that.”, Hauser answers. Neri turns her eyes away from her and looks at
the ceiling again. Hauser pauses for a moment, then she leaves the room.
There’s no doubt that she has an emotional connection with “the subject”.

Shelby, the doctor and Richter have watched Neri and Hauser through the cell
window. Shelby asks Hauser if she got anything out of her. “No.” – “Very
disappointing doctor.”, Richter says. The doctor believes that verbal language
is less important than the physiological data they need to compile; The
subjects highly economical use of oxygen for example, or her ability to
communicate with whales… “That’s all very well, from a medical point of
view.”, Shelby retorts. He prefers to question the subject, they need names,
dates, facts. The doctor argues that their primary object must be to
concentrate upon the biological and commercial possibilities inherited in the
specimen. “Commercial possibilities?”, Richter asks. The doctor explains that
they may be able to isolate DNA strings of the specimen to combine them with
DNA of human lifeforms. If PRAXIS would have exclusive rights to such a
process… Richter is very enthusiastic about the idea. “Neri is *not* a
specimen, doctor. She’s a living, compassionate being.”, Hauser points out.
Richter fears that Hauser is becoming personally involved in the
investigation. Hauser explains that she just wants them to treat her with some
dignity and respect.

“They’re such incompetent fools.” – “Yes. Breaking into their security system
was laughably easy.” Malakat and Shersheba have build a video connection into
the PRAXIS medical lab. They have monitored the discussion from their house at
the shore.

Meanwhile on ORCA, Paul suggests to search PRAXIS’ quaters to find something
that could help. Jason, Brett and Winston go to do so immediately.

Neri’s skin begins to dry up. Hauser has organized some water she gives her to
drink. Shelby enters the room and asks Hauser what she thinks she’s doing. She
answers that Neri needs water or she will die. Shelby informs her that Richter
is watching her from now on because of her actions this morning, and him too.
“I said what I felt.” – “Intelligence agents do not say what they feel.”,
Shelby replys. And besides that she needs clearance for the water, Shelby
reminds her. He entreats Hauser to stop her single-handed efforts from now on.

Jason, Brett, Winston and Cass search PRAXIS’ quaters. Winston finds a code
that allows them to access classified information on PRAXIS installations
worldwide. Then HELEN informs Jason that he’s receiving a personal call, a Ms.
Shersheba. Jason goes to take it in the Commanders’ quaters. “Keep trying.
We’ve got to find out where they’re hiding her.” Jason leaves.

In the Commanders’ quaters, he takes Shersheba’s call. Shersheba makes Jason
an offer. Neri’s freedom in exchange for the Golden Ank. Jason answers that
Neri’s being held by PRAXIS. Shersheba shows Jason a video transmission of
Neri in the PRAXIS med lab. She says that PRAXIS no longer has Neri, that they
rescued her. But she’s very sick, perhaps even dying. So if he does not hand
over the Ank, she can’t guarantee her future. Shersheba wants Jason to come to
a beach on the mainland, in four hours, with the Ank. Otherwise he may never
see her alive again. Then she terminates the transmission. “Good.”, Malakat
says. “Now we wait.”

Neri is dreaming. Her sleep is fitful, her movements are restless. She has bad
dreams, visions of her mother, negative feelings.

Jason tells the others about his conversation with Shersheba. Cass does not
like the idea, Winston asks Jason if he’s sure that they really have her. “I
saw her, didn’t I?”, Jason says. “I don’t like it, man.”, Cass replys. Jason
fears that they will let her die if he doesn’t give them what they want.
Winston reminds him that Neri wanted them to protect the Ank under all
circumstances. If there’s the choice between Neri’s life and just some…
“thing”, Jason says, there’s no choice at all.

Jason and Winston take the Minifin destination Mako Abyss. As they enter the
submarine, Louis watches them secretly. Jason navigates the Minifin into the
Mako Abyss, the Golden Ank is still there. They can see it quite clearly.
While monitoring it from inside the submarine, Winston remarks that this will
be anything but easy. We can just speculate what they’re talking about but
Jason says that there’re just two hours left…

Neri can hardly keep her eyes open, her skin is covered with purple-blue
marks. “You’re still losing your strenght?”, Hauser asks while dribbling water
over her face. She believes that it’s not just water Neri needs. “What is
happening to me?”, Neri asks her exhausted. “You need sunlight. We’ve gotta
get you some fresh air.”

“A reasonable likeness.”, Malakat says. Shersheba put on a wig and a dress
that let her look like Neri from the distance. All in all she looks pretty
funny. Shersheba mentions that it was anything but easy to dress up like that,
she has a much finer bone structure than Neri after all. And also her skin…
She claims to be far more beautiful than Neri would ever hope to be. “Of
course, highness.”, Malakat confirms. Well, what else can he say?

The doctor examines Neri’s body with some kind of bio scanner and treats her
like an accumulation of dead cellular tissue. The doctor takes into account
that the subject could really need some daylight. But it’s strictly against
director Richter’s orders to let her out of this room, she points out. Hauser
asks her if she, as a doctor, really prefers to stand by and do nothing, maybe
let her even die? “I’m telling you, *as a doctor*, that I’m commited to my
duty to PRAXIS. The subject will not be leaving this bunker until we know
everything there is to know about her. Then she’ll be paraded before the media
of the world as *a PRAXIS triumph*!” The doctor is mad. Hauser retorts that
she cannot be paraded if she’s dead. The doctor casts a quick glance at
Hauser, it seems that she has a point.

Jason and Brett approaching the meeting place at the shore. Jason warns Brett
to be ready for anything. “Company.”, Jason says. Malakat and Shersheba,
who’s disguised as Neri, appear at the beach. Jason wades through the
knee-high water and lays the Golden Ank down to the sand. Then he returns to
the boat to stand by. Shersheba begins to move. Slowly, then faster. As she’s
close enough, she suddenly rushes forward. She picks up the Ank and looks
towards the boat. Now Jason can see her face. “You!” – “I knew it! I *knew*
it!”, Brett shouts. Shersheba runs back to the hills. Malakat already awaits
her. Malakat and Shersheba are satisfied.

With the Ank, they return to their house which is just a few meters further
above. Malakat can’t wait to hold the Golden Ank in his own hands, Shersheba
hands it over. Malakat is fascinated but it does not take too long until he
detects that the Ank is a fake. His face turns to stone. “What!?”, Shersheba
asks. Malakat begins to rage, he throws the faked Ank to the ground so it
breaks into pieces. Shersheba can’t believe what he did, she asks Malakat if
he has gone mad. “The Ank is a fake!”, Malakat shouts seething with hatred.
Shersheba can hardly believe it. “It’s a fake, we’ve been tricked!”, he
repeats. Shersheba begins to realize that it’s true, she drops the broken
pieces she picked up from the ground. “These children are clever.”, Malakat
says. To make such an amazing replica, they must have used the real Ank for a
model, he believes. He concludes that perhaps the real Ank is being held on
ORCA. Now Shersheba seems to have a plan.

On ORCA, Brett congratulates Winston on the great job he did faking the Ank.
But Winston does not understand. Why they dressed up Shersheba if they have
Neri? “Because maybe they don’t have the real Neri at all.”, Jason speculates.
Brett reminds him that he saw her on screen. Jason considers that they could
have hacked into PRAXIS, picked up images of Neri from where they’re holding
her. “Yes! Yes, yes, yes!”, Winston says and rushes to a HELEN data terminal.
If Malakat and Shersheba can do that, they can do it too, Cass believes.
Winston uses the code he found in PRAXIS’ quaters to access their medical
files. He finds a new entry, just a few hours old. Her physical
characteristics identify her clearly, it’s Neri. “Yeah, Neri. But where
Winston!”, Jason asks. “I’m working on it, I’m working on it…”, Winston says
while browsing through the files.

Agent Hauser takes Neri out of the darkened PRAXIS building. They step on a
little park which is surrounded by a meter-high wire netting. Neri is dazzled
as the sunlight hits her eyes. They walk about ten meters over to a park bench
where they sit down. “Better?”, Hauser asks. “Yes. Thank you for helping
me.”, Neri answers while taking a deep breath. “That’s Ok.”, Hauser says. Two
security officers leave the building and head for Neri and Hauser. Hauser
leaves Neri alone for a moment to talk to them. Neri looks across to the
fence, she seems to know that this will be her last chance. Then she starts
running. The security reacts immediately and goes after her. Neri is too weak.
She has hardly reached the fence as the security personnel catches up with
her. Shelby walkes out of the building while Neri is escorted back to basement
level. His facial expression speaks for itself. Something like “I told you.”
“The subject almost got away. Happy? You’re in a lot of trouble, kiddo. From
now on, no more special treatment, eh.”

Louis lies in his bed and is sleeping peacefully. Suddenly someone wakes him
up rudely, it’s Shersheba. She came looking for the Ank. Louis takes her to
the dive chamber and tells that Jason and Winston took off in the Minifin, but
he don’t know where. Shersheba says that she needs to know. Louis opens the
hatches and they enter the submarine. He shows Shersheba the video log file of
their last trip. Shersheba watches the video record of the Golden Ank lying on
the bottom of the sea, down in the Mako Abyss. She finally finds out where
Jason hid the Golden Ank.

Neri lies on the stretcher in her room motionless, surrounded by dozens of
machines monitoring her bio functions. “I’ll have to give her medication
before she reaches the point of no return.”, the doctor says. “But if she
dies?”, Richter asks. “We have being compiling large amounts of data…” –
“That’s not enough.”, Shelby cuts her short. “If the subject dies, she will
still have made a significant contribution to medical science.”, the doctor
explains complacent. Richter agrees without saying a word. “Mother.”, Neri
says softly, choked with tears.

Meanwhile Shersheba is on her way to the Mako Abyss. Suddenly the tracking
monitor on ORCA indicates that the Golden Ank is moving, moving fast. Jason
knows that somebody is taking it. Shersheba destroys the radio beacon sticked
onto the Ank so it stops to send. On ORCA, the tracking monitor turns black.
The signal is gone. Shersheba returns to their house on the shore. Malakat
watches her from the roof terrace and seems to be satisfied. As Shersheba
walks up the hills, she’s holding the Golden Ank high over her head. At last.

Episode 12
----------

Neri lies on her stretcher, the little room is bathed in pulsating, red light.
A shrill alarm signal sounds loud and clear. Probably to indicate that her bio
functions are breaking down. Neri is dreaming, her motions are restless, her
sleep is fitful. She has bad dreams, visions of Malakat and Shersheba.
Suddenly Neri wakes up, her eyes are wide open. “Jason!”

On ORCA, Brett wants to know why they’re sitting around like stupid frogs
doing nothing. Jason replys that Winston might come up with Neri’s location at
any moments. “Yeah, or maybe he won’t…”, Brett says. “Don’t say that!”, Jason
replys. He turns round to face his brother to let him know that he don’t want
him to talk that way. We’ve never seen Jason in a condition like that before.
A mixture of rage and fear to the same extend. Rage ‘cause of his
helplessness, and fear to lose Neri. “He’s been working on HELEN all night,
and still nothing.” Brett seems to know that he must choose his words wisely
in that situation.

He tries to explain his brother that Malakat and Shersheba could use the Ank
while they’re talking, that they must go after them. “She could be dying.” –
“You don’t have to tell me that.”, Brett says. But ‘cause they have the Ank
now they could activate the pyramid, he points out. “Yeah Jace. You’ve got to
ask what Neri would want.”, Cass, who followed their conversation, remarks.
“She wouldn’t be thinking about herself Jace. She want us to stop them using
the Ank, we’ve got to move!”, Brett explains with an extraordinary serious
expression. Jason pauses for a moment. “Okay… Okay!”

Jason and Brett just want to enter the Minifin as Officer Danton, accompanied
by Louis, comes up to ask where they’re planning to go. “What is the meaning
of this? Well?!”, Danton wants to know. Brett says that they’re going
nowhere. Jason left his ID card in the cabin yesterday, and they’re here to
find it. “Well, I just wait here until you come back up.”, Danton says. Jason
just wants to go as Brett asks Danton if he has heard of the French ambassador
coming to ORCA today. “French ambassador?”, Danton answers confused. Brett
continues that his mom’s in real panic, she was just informed… As Danton wants
to know where their mother is now, Jason answers up on the pontoon, waiting
for the chopper. “I was not told… come on Louis!” Before he leaves, Danton
points out that the Minifin is out of bounds. “Come on…”, Jason wispers as
he’s out of sight. The Minifin with Jason and Brett on board leaves ORCA
towards Mako Abyss.

Inside the Underwater Pyramid, Malakat and Shersheba surfacing in the
moonpool. Shersheba throws the Ank on solid ground, then she climbs out of the
pool. “It’s time to grasp your destiny. Now… unleash the power of the Ank.”,
Malakat calls on Shersheba as they enter the central chamber. Shersheba holds
the Golden Ank in both hands, her eyes are closed. She informs Malakat that
she first “must feel” the “right moment”. “Time is of the essence, highness.”,
Malakat remarks impatient. “Be silent! As a princess of the royal blood I am
communing with the Ancient Ones, as is layed out… in the old laws. *You* are
to show reverence.”, Shersheba reprimants Malakat.

The Minifin has reached the Underwater Pyramid. Jason notices the open
entrace. “They’re here.”, Brett says. They enter.

Shersheba still tries to reach the Ancients, Malakat’s patience is running out.
“The Ancient Ones have spoken. The moment is here.”, Shersheba finally claims.
They proceed to an altar right opposite the stone statue. It’s decorated with
a small stone pyramid of about 20" in diameter which seems to be a controlling
unit. Shersheba just wants to insert the Ank into a slot in front of it as
Jason and Brett appear on the scene. Jason orders Shersheba to stop, she
doesn’t know what she’s doing. Shersheba claims to be glad to have Jason here
to see it. “No!!”, Jason shouts. Shersheba reminds Jason that she has the
power to destroy them both. Malakat remarks that they will be her slaves
within minutes anyway. “That could be amusing.”, Shersheba agrees.

Shersheba inserts the Golden Ank into the slot in front of the altar. The
stone statue turns into the holo of Shalamorn and begins to speak: “Neri, my
daughter. If this is your hand, then you have failed to prepare the Ank. You
must go back and find the missing step. If this is the hand of another, then
return the Ank to its rightful possessor – great is the danger that may befall
the wrongfull user.” Brett urges them to give the Ank back – or they’re all
history. Shersheba does not understand. As princess of the blood she cannot
be a wrongfull user, Shersheba believes.

As she turns round to complete the start-up process, Malakat tries to hold her
back. He seems to be unnerved because of Queen Shalamorn’s words. “It’s only a
hologram Malakat! She’s not real… she’s *dead*!” Lightning begins to rush down
from the walls of the central chamber as Shersheba turns the Ank ‘round 90
degrees inside of its docking device. A kind of quake begins to shake the
whole pyramid. Jason and Brett run back to the Minifin to get out quickly.
Shersheba pulls the Ank out of its anchoring, then they run out, too.

Richter, Shelby and the doctor enter Neri’s room, Neri lies there motionless.
Her bio functions have almost collapsed, the doctor’s afraid that conventional
medicine has failed. Richter asks if they have any options left. The doctor
answers that “the northern zone” has been testing some revolutionary, new,
life-prolonging drugs – with limited success. “Do we have access to them?”,
Richter wants to know. The doctor answers yes to that but informs that they’re
experimental compounds, very controversial. “Clonozide” was never tested on
alien metabolism before, the doctor has now idea what would happen.
Cold-hearted Richter tips with his finger on Neri’s forehead, no reaction.
Shelby kneels down to speak to Neri: “If you somehow faking that, now would be
a really good time to start cooperating. Like… crunch time.” – Richter wants
the drugs to be here immediately.

On ORCA, Jason believes that their recent actions have lead into nothing.
Also, ther’re no news from Winston so far. Paul found out that there’s an old
nuclear bunker under PRAXIS’ headquaters, the perfect place to keep someone in
high security. Jason fears that getting in there would be like storming the
Pentagon. “This might help.” Paul hands over a disc that contains blueprints
of the installation. They decide to have a look at it.

Shersheba can’t believe that they failed, they were so close. She asks Malakat
why he didn’t know that the Ank needed to be prepared, whatever that means. “I
have no idea. Not yet.”, Malakat answers. He’s working on a small, mobile
console that produces a hologram of the Ank, like a blueprint of it. Malakat
seems to analize the Ank. He admits that he has not expected that, even after
her dead, the queen would still be that powerful. Shersheba wants to know what
to do next. Suddenly the holo-blueprint of the Ank turns orange-red. “Yes! As
I expected.”, Malakat says. “The molecular structure of the Ank has been
changed. It has to be reenergized before it will work.” – “Can you do it
here?” – “Unfortunately it requires a technology beyond my reach on this
planet.”, Malakat says. “Then what you suggest?”, Shersheba replys. Malakat
believes that Shalamorn must have installed something on Earth that can
reenergize the Ank. The question is: What – And where.

The doctor prepares to inject Neri the drug cocktail. She points out that she
will not be responsible for the outcome of the procedure. Hauser enters the
room and asks if there’s any improvement. Shelby informs her that they’re
well into the next phase… It takes not long for her to find out that he’s
talking about the new “Clonozides”. Hauser reminds the doctor that she’s not
here to experiment, Neri could die. “She’s gonna die anyway.”, Shelby replys.
As Hauser wants to go out to talk to Richter, Shelby blocks the way out and
says that she get emotionally involved with the subject. As he informs her
that Richter has already given the “go ahead”, Hauser just says that she
didn’t wanted this to happen and runs out of the room.

At their house on the shore, Malakat recalls Shalamorn’s words about “the
missing step”. After some moments of reassessing facts, it leads him to the
location of the carvern in the Australian Outback. He’s sure that he found the
place where they will reenergize the Ank.

On ORCA they study the blueprints of PRAXIS’ HQ Paul organized. Winston
explains that a water reservoir close to the HQ supplies the installation with
water if it should become necessary, an aqueduct transports the water inside.
Winston believes that he could reprogram the pumping system to flood the
bunker by increasing the water supply. They could get in, Neri could swim out.
Dianne believes it could work, Jason believes they will make it work. He wants
Paul to take them there so he and Brett can go in and bring Neri out. Dianne
tells Paul that Neri is like her own daughter, together they convince Paul to
join. “She could die in there, dad. *This* is our only chance! Be with us, or
not.”, Jason says.

PRAXIS HQ. “I warned you. The subject is fading away from us.”, the doctor
diagnoses. She explains that the specimen’s mind may soon be beyond their
reach, but she can continue her basic functions for some time… to keep her
body alive for some more hours. Hauser condemns PRAXIS’ actions as brutal,
cold-blooded and inhumane. Shelby remarks that they’re not dealing with a
human… Hauser suggests to take her somewhere she can swim, back into her
natural environment. Shelby believes she would just try to escape again.
Richter points out that keeping the subject alive is sufficient for their
purposes at this time. He asks Hauser if she got that. “Agent?!” – “Yes,
sir!”, is the short answer. Hauser encourages Neri to keep fighting. A single
tear comes out of Neri’s closed eyes and runs down her face.

Paul is driving a blue van carrying him, Jason and Brett towards their
destination. “Neri means a lot to you, doesn’t she? She’s… like family.”, Paul
asks Jason. “Yeah.” – “And you… care very specially for her, don’t you?” –
“Yes.”, Jason answer seriously. Paul seems to understand.

On ORCA Dianne overrides HELEN’s security protocols by order of Commander so
they gain access to PRAXIS’ network.

Meanwhile the van is on the way. “Neri… I’m sorry, I’m so sorry…”, Agent
Hauser says knowing that there’s nothing more she could do. She’s fading
away…

The van arrives at the water reservoir unseen, Dianne tells Paul to stand by.
HELEN is counting… “Zero minus five seconds to valve release… Valve released.”
Water begins to flood the aqueduct. “Operation on the way. *go*!”, Paul
shouts. Jason and Brett dive down.

“Attention all personnel! Evacuate immediately! Flooding of basement level!”
The HQ is being evacuated. Richter rushes to his info terminal and sees the
water rising… Hauser, still down in Level 29, tries to get Neri out before
everything’s flooded. Shelby, aware of the danger, rushes into the room and
orders Hauser to leave immediately. She ignores him. “Hauser!”, Shelby shouts.
Nothing – so Shelby leaves without her.

Jason and Brett proceed through the aqueduct to the basement level.

“Repeat: This *is* an emergency! All lower areas of the building are flooding!
Evacuate immediately!” Hauser hurries to free Neri from all the medical
devices connected to her body. She wants to get her out, whatever it takes.
“Neri, the place is filling with water! *Water*, Neri! *Water*!” – “Wa–ter…”
Neri has opened her eyes but seems to be very weak. Hauser pushes the
stretcher with Neri on it through the corridors till they reach an elevator
shaft. Suddenly the constant alarm signal stops and the emergency lightning
turns on, probably the water has reached a main power relay. The controls are
not working, so Hauser takes a crowbar to open the elevator door. As Hauser
opens the door, the elevator shaft is already filled with water. She takes
dazed Neri from the stretcher, then – having Neri’s arm lying around her neck
– Hauser jumps down into the water-filled elevator shaft. Hauser constantly
holds Neri in her arms, otherwise she would drown. She’s too weak to swim or
to keep herself over the surface.

Lights come up from the bottom of the shaft, Jason and Brett are surfacing.
“Give her to us!”, Jason shouts. Hauser claims that she can’t. “Let us help
her or she will die.”, Jason repeats. “Alright.” Agent Hauser relents. She
releases Neri, who seems to be far, far away, into Jason and Brett’s arms.
Then they dive the flooding shaft back down to the other end of the aqueduct.
As their silhouettes disappear in the deep, Hauser climbs the shaft back up to
get herself out of danger.

As the brothers come up from the reservoir with Neri, Paul reports Dianne that
they’ve got her. Paul takes Neri on his arms and rushes to the van, Jason and
Brett follow him. As they’re in safety, Paul reports “Operation successful.”
Winston, Cass and Dianne are relieved.

Back on the road, Jason sits on the backseat having dying Neri lying in his
arms. “You gonna be alright Neri. I promise.”, Jason says with tremulous voice
while stroking her face. Concerned, he tells Paul that he has to get her back
fast. “Yes son, I know.”, Paul answers while giving Brett a worried look.
Jason keeps stroking Neri’s face: “Please Neri, please… You’ve gotta make it…”
Jason is crying. Perhaps he has just realized that there’s nothing more he
can do for her… Neri has gone. She’s dead, forever.