Broken (episode)


*The following article is written from an Out of Universe perspective.*

Broken was the third episode of Season 1 of The Elysium. It was written by Jane Espenson, with a story by herself and Jim Kohlberg, directed by Nick Hurran and it featured Mina Anwar, Esai Morales, Suzanne Packer, Pallance Dladla and Sinead Keenan.

Synopsis

Having established relations with the Cizzaurans, Meithekk is due to have his first official meeting with President Ajacos. As the state banquet rushes ahead, questions must be answered internally within the fleet, especially considered Ajacos' latest controversial executive order.

Plot

In a television studio, a panel consisting of Calem, Lea, Administrator Lieonotis and the Captain of the Valkyrie, Hurati, are discussing and debating some of Ajacos’ latest decisions. Eddie is stood in front of all of them, hosting the show: Callista’s Questions. Before long, Lea finishes speaking, whereby she defends Ajacos’ decision to ally the Scallatti with the Cizzaurans. Eddie then moves onto ask Calem, who is directly representing Ajacos’ administration, about the fact that the survivors of the Barrac, which was once just only a small starliner, full of civilians, and the Valkyrie, are to be sent into the mines, because of the fact that the fleet apparently doesn’t have any source of a power, a fact that has been kept secret from the public for 5 years and has been denied as recently as last week when asked, and they are to mine this ‘magical’ ore that the Cizzaurans are claiming will solve everything. Calem stays silent for a moment, thinking about her response, before telling Eddie, and the audience, that it was kept under wraps to stop a potential outburst of panic, and they were hoping to find a solution long before they reached Taoter III, but now they finally have found a solution, and they need miners, and besides half of them are already miners. Captain Hurati responds back angrily, telling Calem that the people on his ship were promised a new start, a way out of that life… Everyone, not just on the Valkyrie, but throughout the fleet was promised a new life when they reached the destination, and all they’ve got is hostility from the ‘neighbours’. Calem responds back, turning the debate into a deep and rooted argument with Hurati. One of the cameramen says to another one that this is certainly great entertainment, it’ll keep the figures high.

Meanwhile, in the refugee camp, Julie, Jan and many of the other survivors watch the commotion on a screen, all reacting strongly to what they are seeing. In the background, many of the survivors are coughing, loudly and abruptly.

Finally, Eddie wades into the argument and says that the programme is going to a break, and will be back shortly when they will be discussing the Cizzaurans more in-depth and the upcoming state dinner with Meithekk.

Calem walks out of the Callista, as rain begins pouring down onto the planet. Calem screams, never before had she experienced such a thing… She, of course, knew what it was, as they had been prepped for their arrival on Taoter III, but this is the first time she’d experienced it. As she walks towards the Flagship, Syd finds her, coming from another ship in the fleet. She applauds her for her performance on Callista’s Questions, but Calem just sulks saying that she doesn’t believe a word of what she said… the only thing she did was answer the question, but not with her words – not really. Syd just smiles, before saying that that’s where she went wrong – rule #1 of politics is don’t answer the question. Calem stands silent for an awkward moment before bursting into laughter, and Syd does the same.

Lieonotis walks into the refugee camp, having just finished his appearance on television. He tells everyone that they’re moving out tomorrow, so they better get ready. Everyone mutters and murmurs in displeasure, while the coughing fits continue in the background. Julie looks to Jan and tells him that this shouldn’t be happening… Roddy promised her that this wouldn’t happy, the Vice President of the fleet who only a few days ago saved his life with her, just lied to her face. Jan asks if it’s really his fault and Julie says that yes, it is, he’s the second most powerful person and he’s condemned them to a lifetime of unpaid, badly treated 20-hour days down those mines – again.

The school bell rings, and Richard walks into the staff room of the Ramanujan High School, a little stressed and over-worked. He spots a woman on the other side of the room who he doesn’t recognise. He walks over to her and introduces himself, asking who she is. She tells him that her name is Tena Willem Poul and she is the new Business teacher. Richard enquires about which school she used to work at, and Tena tells him that she in fact used to be the principal of a high school… on the Barrac. Richard realises what she means and says that he’s sorry about everything she’s gone through these past few months, but she just smiles and says that at least everything’s okay now, and besides the Ramanujan High School is much more prestigious than the Barrac Comprehensive, even if she is just a standard teacher.

Eddie sits in the Callista offices, lounging about, as Dani reads out the figures for the previous night’s Callista’s Questions, with a big smile on her face. She tells Eddie that for once, he’s really impressed her. She says that the argument between Calem and Hurati made for some fantastic viewing. Eddie suggests to her, since she’s in a good mood, that when Meithekk arrives for the state banquet, he interviews him, at some point during the visit. Dani looks at him with a scowl, saying that she doesn’t think he’d agree to that, let alone would they even be able to get the government’s permission. Eddie leans back on his chair and asks if he can at least try.

Syd rushes into Calem’s cupboard-like office, as she passes her a list of all the things she needs to prepare for Meithekk’s visit. Calem frantically starts putting stuff together as they both rush around, very stressed. Syd says that they’ve only got a few hours for everything to be perfect and that they can’t mess this up, it could determine the future of their entire species.

In a conference room aboard the flagship, Lea is chairing a meeting of the think-tank. Both Dien and Joh are also present. She tells them that they are far from done with their work. She says that while they now have a source of energy for the fleet, they need to conduct many tests on the Kheqren, to make sure it does exactly what the Cizzaurans are claiming, as well as dealing with any additional teething issues that might arise. Lea tells them that from what she’s seen of the Kheqren, it’s unlike any other resource that they have ever seen before, so she tells them to be prepared for anything. She then tells that that they will be making their way over to the Cizzauran Horretz village, to conduct some tests, for the purposes she’s just wonderfully outlined.

In the camp, things are getting worse. Julie and Jan wander around, as more and more people are getting ill. Julie approaches Administrator Lieonotis, asking him whether there’s any way she, and the rest of the crew of the Valkyrie, can appeal the decision to put them in the mines. Lieonotis just sips his coffee, telling her that this decision was as a result of an executive order directly from the President himself and that there is nothing she can do, at all to stop it. He tells her that it helps him as the camp is far too crowded and the sooner they get them out of here the better. He says to Julie that it’s for their own good especially as more and more people are dying of disease, and if they are kept here any longer, they will all be dead before long and then the actual important people in the fleet will have to become miners, and that’s the last thing the president wants. He says that he’s very sorry but there is nothing practical anyone can do. Julie just looks in disgust as Lieonotis as he speaks, not believing what she’s hearing and how awful it sounds. She picks Jan up and says that they’re going, and as she walks away, Lieonotis just takes another sip of his coffee, not particularly phased.

A coffee machine whirrs, before Richard, take his and Tena’s drinks out of it. He passes her a mug, and they sit down in the staff room. Richard begins to open up about his life, and the difficulties of having a little sister so impressive. He says that from the day his family adopted her, she was the brightest spark, and he always felt slightly underappreciated as a result. Tena says that what he needs to focus on though, is what he can do, as every day as teachers they are both moulding the futures of hundreds of young people, developing their minds and making a real difference. She tells him that while Lea’s job is important, his is just as much, in the long-term. Richard agrees and then asks Tena more about herself.

Arriving at the Horretz village, Lea and the rest of the think-tank are welcomed in by Meithekk. Lea explains tells the think tank members to activate their translators, that she’s developed, which should automatically translate the Cizzauran language for them, and vice versa. Kalagisah sees Lea and runs across the village to him, giving her a massive hug. Lea smiles, seeing the sheer joy in Kalagisah’s eyes and tells her that it’s nice to see her once again. Lea asks Meithekk if they can inspect their stock of Kheqren, just to check it will be alright to use within their fleet. Meithekk says yes and leads them over to a pit at the edge of the village. He tells them that this is where they get their Kheqren from, and Lea thanks him.

Walking down a school corridor, Richard and Tena discuss the difficulties of being a history teacher in a society without any history. Tena laughs at him and tells him that when she was in school there was plenty of history lessons she had to sit through about hundreds of boring events during the past 500 years, so it’s hardly like there’s no history. Richard takes slight offence, as he claims that none of that’s boring and defends how interesting everything that happened is, to which Tena tells him, exactly! – that’s the point, as Richard does find it interesting and that he loves teaching about the last 500 years, so he should focus on that, instead of a time he’ll never find out about. Richard chuckles and says she does have a point, and then he adds that personally he never found business that interesting, to which Tena laughs and jokingly hits him.

In the refugee camp, Julie watches on as a man collapses to the floor in pain. Along with a rush of others, she runs over to him to check if he’s alright, but someone else tells everyone that it’s no good, he’s dead. Jan walks up behind Julie and asks if that’s going to happen to them, and Julie menacingly says it will if they’re lucky. But then, the person who touched him, telling them all that he was dead, begins a coughing fit, collapsing. Julie looks on, just sad at what she’s seeing.

In a workshop, in the Horretz village, Lea sits by a desk as she inspects a piece of Kheqren through her microscope. Dien is sat with her, writing down the results onto a clipboard. The two of them talk about just how remarkable Kheqren is and how the properties are just like nothing they’ve ever seen before. Dien jokingly says it’s only twenty-fifth time she mentions that but admits that this really could be a silver bullet for their civilisation – as long as they find out how to distribute that energy all around the colony, as in all its wonderfulness Kheqren won't serve for making wires. At that point, Meithekk walks into the workshop and asks to speak to Lea. He tells her that he’s leaving now for the Scallatti fleet to meet with President Ajacos officially and that it’s time for him to now pass overrule of the village, which they do with a ceremony, and everyone must be present. Lea says she’s happy to be there. They walk out into the centre of the village where a woman stands, right in the middle, Seganseh. Meithekk speaks loudly telling everyone that Seganseh, the Clan Caretaker, will be the Chief of the Horretz in his absence and she should be fully and completely obeyed. She then smiles as Meithekk holds out his arms and she holds them in his hands as she first bows to him and then he bows to her. Meithekk then speaks loudly that he shall return shortly.

In the Grand Hall of the Flagship, Calem rushes around a huge dining table, placing name cards, in a hurry, getting very stressed. Syd walks in and asks how she is doing, but Calem doesn’t respond well, telling her that she’s having a meltdown trying to work out where to put Roddy and Claude, as putting them near each other would be a disaster. She says normally they’d go at either side of the President, but that’s where Meithekk has to go, so putting Roddy at the other side of Meithekk shuns him and putting Claude at the other side of Meithekk invites a full out war. Syd just laughs and says that it’s simple and Calem is just overthinking it. She grabs Roddy’s name card and puts it at the opposite end of the table, directly opposite Ajacos, the other head of the table. Then she puts Meithekk’s name card next to Ajacos’ and Claude’s on the other side of Ajacos. Calem, embarrassed, smiles at her and says that she supposes that will work.

In the refugee camp, the situation is getting critical as more and more people are falling to their deaths. Lieonotis walks over to Julie and says that it looks like the mines are calling out for them, as if they stay here any longer, they’re just asking to die. Julie distains at him as she hugs Jan very tightly, saying that she’d rather be treated with more dignity and not just essentially a slave. At that moment, someone sitting behind Julie gets up and makes a run for it, in horror, and despite security trying to stop him, he’s just quick enough to elude them.

Meithekk walks into the clearing and approaches the Flagship as a brass band plays out the anthem of the Scallatti, as Ajacos walks up to meet Meithekk and shakes his hand. At that moment, hundreds of photographs are taken, as the flashes grow intense, angering Meithekk. Eddie is reporting on the whole thing to a camera, providing a voice-over to the events conspiring. He says that they will have an hour’s meeting in the President’s office before the state banquet begins, with all the members of Ajacos’ cabinet as well as the staff of the civil service.

Sometime later, outside of Ajacos’ office, Calem, Syd, Claude and Roddy all stand, trying to listen in on the conversation on the other side of the door. They all discuss what might be being said inside, and an argument breaks out between Claude and Roddy, which Syd quickly hushes over.

Eddie enters the Callista Daily studio, with a camera crew, arriving back from the Flagship. He asks Dani how long he has until he’s back on the air, and Dani says that he has three hours, to which Eddie thanks her and says that he wants to get in a short nap. He leaves the studio walking through a corridor towards his residence, when the worker from the refugee camp walks up to him and begs Eddie to go to the camp, with a camera, before collapsing of exhaustion. Eddie leaves him, walking back into the studio and asking Dani if he can just borrow a camera, for some “b-roll”, he also tells her to call a doctor as there’s an unconscious man outside, to which Dani raises an eyebrow.

Lea and the rest of the think-tank finish up in the village and they all discuss whether Kheqren is viable for their fleet and they unanimously agree to suggest it’s full and proper implementation to the office of the President. They move to leave, as they say, goodbye to everyone they have met in the village thus far. Seganseh bids Lea goodbye and Lea thanks her for her hospitality before Seganseh slyly says that no, she thanks her for coming. Lea takes her at the side and asks where she can find Sennekh village because she wants to visit her friend there in the near future.

The state banquet takes place, as everyone talks and mutter with each other as they eat. Meithekk is intrigued to learn about Scallatti culture and is especially interesting in their food, finding it absolutely delicious. Ajacos’ laughs and jokes with him as he explains what everything is. Roddy speaks to Calem and tells her that he guesses the meeting went well, and Calem laughs saying that it seems so. Syd walks over to Claude and whispers something in his ear, to which Claude just nods and says to her that she has the go-ahead.

In the studio, Dani oversees the transmission and reporting on the banquet from the gallery. She asks if anyone knows where Eddie is, to which they shake their heads. Dani says that Jo will just have to fill in.

In the refugee camp, dozens of guards come in and grab the refugees taking them out of the ship and loading them onto a smaller cargo ship, leaving dozens of dead bodies behind in the hall. Julie and Jan are overwhelmed by the chaos but are swept up in it, eventually finding themselves on the cargo ship. From afar, we see Eddie, with a camera, broadcasting live, telling viewers that while the rich each and feast, horrors are going on here. As this happens, Dani looks on from the gallery as the feed is hijacked by Eddie and she’s furious.

Meanwhile, Richard and Tena are sat in a bar aboard the Ramanujan watching the news report with shock and horror. The cargo ship takes off and flies out of view. Eddie says that it’s going to the other side of the planet, far away from here, out of sight and out of mind. The news then switches over to another feed as Ajacos stands up at the banquet to make a speech. He declares loudly the allied and peaceful nature of the two races of the Scallatti and the Cizzaurans and how they will work together, equally to ensure peace on Taoter III, or as the Cizzaurans call it, Kanonhsa, and together they will defeat the Rhaighrs.

The cargo ship arrives in a wasteland, and all the refugees are herded off, into what will soon become their homes for the rest of their lives, another set of mines. Julie looks horrified as she sees Jan down below and knows that this will be the rest of his life, condemned to this fate.

Meithekk makes a speech at the banquet, saying many of the same things as Ajacos, to which he gets loud applause, and a slightly less enthusiastic one from Claude.

Julie and Jan just stand there, dead in the wasteland, with hundreds of other people – completely hopeless and broken.

Cast

Starring

Co-Starring

Crew

Based upon "Doctor Who" Created by Sydney Newman, Donald Wilson and C.E. Webber
Created by Ronald D. Moore and Jane Espenson

Executive Producers - Jane Espenson, Ronald D. Moore and Toni Graphia
Co-Executive Producers - Matthew B. Roberts, Andy Harries, Jim Kohlberg and Anne Kenney

Writer - Jane Espenson
- Story by Jane Espenson and Jim Kohlberg
Producer - David Brown
Director - Nick Hurran

Memorable Quotes

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Background Information

Production History

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Development

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Production

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Post-Production

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Reaction

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Story Notes

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Continuity

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Home Video Releases

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