Unalii (episode)


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

Unalii was the second episode of Season 1 of The Elysium. It was written by Toni Graphia, directed by Nick Hurran and it featured Mina Anwar, Esai Morales, Suzanne Packer, Pallance Dladla and Sinead Keenan.

Synopsis

As the President is forced to make another cut to reserve the fleet's energy, the Valkyrie is badly affected, leaving Jan in mortal danger. Meanwhile, Calem and Joh find themselves imprisoned by the war-like Rhaighrs all the while Lea meets their polar opposites.

Plot

Jan walks through a crowded corridor on the Valkyrie. The lighting flickers, as people huddle around. The conveyor belts which once were the centre of the ships are now discarded relics of the past, becoming seats and beds for many of the former workers. Jan continues walking down the corridor, looking around, confused. He can’t find his mother. And then: the lights flicker again, scarring Jan, and again until: they go dead. All the noise and the traffic aboard the ship stops, for a silent second, as the goes dark. It doesn’t last for long, as soon people begin panicking, dangerously running around. Jan falls to the floor, almost trampled. A loud rumble is heard ahead, and the ceiling to the corridor, Jan is in, comes crashing down, exposed wires falling, killing three people standing beneath. Julie sits at the other side of the ship, all alone, and terrified. In complete darkness, she starts shouting Jan’s name, not knowing what’s happened to her son.

Calem and Joh are sat in a hut with their hands secured in stocks. They discuss their situation, and the fact there seems to be life on this planet, other than themselves. Calem tells Joh to stay strong and keep her wits. Khrrasssrr enters and says something (in his language), with menace. Calem shouts, asking why they have locked them away, but Khrrasssrr fails to understand her meaning and slaps her in a face with his wing. He grabs hold of Joh and pulls her out of the hut, as she screams, leaving Calem alone. Once dispensed of Joh, Khrrasssrr pins Calem to the wall with his claws, growls, then steps back and spreads his wings, with a smile. He takes her chin between two claws and then speaks simply “Rhaighr”. Calem is confused as to what he means by Rhaighr, but she works out Rhaighr is the name of his people.

In the Vice President’s office, Roddy stands tall looking out of the window at the Valkyrie. Syd stands behind him, telling him of the accident that’s happened as of a result of them turning off the power onboard. Roddy says that he was against that decision and knew it could’ve had disastrous consequences. Syd argues that the President made it in good consciousness, and it’s vital they conserve the little power they have. Roddy argues with him saying that cutting it off from the ‘less-well-off’ ships is not the way to go about it.

Richard is sat in a clean, bright interview room. In front of him, sits Officer Nyletca, who is interviewing him about the hours leading up to the disappearance of his sister. Richard explains that they went outside together, onto the surface, and then he went back to teach a class, and she stayed there taking it in. He says that she was more than capable of looking after herself, and there were hundreds of people out there, just like her, it wasn’t exactly ‘empty’. Richard reiterates that he’s more just worried for her and hopes she hasn’t been taken by one of the creatures that took Calem and Joh.

Lea sits in the middle of Kalagisah’s village. It’s sunny and bright and she’s talking to Kalagisah, having picked already picked up parts of their language. As Kalagisah speaks more, Lea returns to her void, as the words spin around her, and she deciphers their meaning. Kalagisah explains that their people are called the Cizzaurans, and they have lived on this planet, which she calls Kanonhsa. A middle-aged Cizzauran walks over to Lea and Kalagisah with a big smile. He introduces himself as Begass and remarks how pretty Lea’s necklace is. Lea says it was the only thing she has from her real mother, so it is more valuable to her than anything else in the universe. Begass smiles and tells Lea that he’s something of a jeweller himself and that her necklace is one brilliant piece of craftsmanship.

Roddy explains to the President that Jeriah and his men are being sent down to the Valkyrie to search for survivors, and he clarifies that they don’t think many made it. Ajacos breathes deeply, as he realises that it’s all his fault, as he chose to cut off the power. Roddy tells Ajacos that it was Claude’s fault, being one of ‘his’ suggestions, and within minutes of it being put into effect, it all went horribly wrong. Ajacos asks Roddy if he’ll go down to the ship, with Jeriah, and represent the administration there, as its only right they show their faces, especially at such a crucial time. Roddy agrees and then leaves. Ajacos looks out of the window hesitantly, seeing the Valkyrie, and knowing that they chose to do the wrong thing.

The door to the President’s office opens again, and Claude walks through it, with almost a smirk on his face. Ajacos sharply turns to him and begins berating him for his decision to cut off the power to the Valkyrie and several other of the mining ships. Claude shouts back saying that it was the President’s final decision, but Ajacos maintains that Claude gave him horrible advice, saying it is estimated over 700 people have been killed on that ship, as the conditions are just awful. Claude laughs this off saying that the number probably isn’t that high at all, and Roddy has just been talking socialist nonsense to him. Ajacos just tells Claude to restore power to the other mining ships and get out of his sight.

The night begins to grow dark, as Calem sits alone in her hut in the Rhaighr village, her wrists still in stocks. She leans over to peek out of the entrance and sees about from a couple of guards around the perimeter, most of the village seems to have gone to sleep. However, Calem begins to notice a faint high-pitched sound, a whistle, in a pattern… a code. Calem tries to decipher it, writing with her finger in the sand, trying to remember her code-training. Eventually, she makes the code out to say, ‘You take the South Entrance; I’ll take the North, and then we’ll break for it”. Calem smiles, and then gets up, sneaking out of the hut. Across the village, from a similar hut, Calem sees Joh also stepping out, silently. Joh signals to Calem with her hand, pointing towards the South Entrance. Calem moves off in that direction, as Joh does the opposite. Calem walks up behind two large Rhaighr guards and whacks them over the head with her, still shackled, hands. The Rhaighrs turn around, and point two pikes at her, Calem gulps and continues to try and punch the guards, eventually grabbing one of the pikes. Calem then manages to break free of her constraints and begins full-on fighting with the two Rhaighrs. As she does so, Calem looks over to Joh who is doing the same. Eventually, Calem manages to stab one of the Rhaighrs through the heart, killing them. The other Rhaighr drops to his knees, stunned, and bows down before Calem. Right at this moment, Khrrasssrr appears out of his hut and in a blink of an eye assess the situation. He shouts, in his language, that if Calem dares to question his supremacy, he'll prove it and challenges her to The Trial of Might. He then chants, loudly, the Rhaighr tournament call. Calem, alarmed at the sound, runs for it, as the howl wakes up the entire village. Joh soon runs after her as they quickly try and break for it. But the village awakens, and Khrrasssrr begins chasing after them, along with the might of the whole village, willing to witness the showdown, all chanting the Rhaighr tournament call. However, as they get to the border of the forest, they slow down, tired. Seeing this, Khrrasssrr orders the Rhaighrs to stop, letting Calem and Joh go. Khrrasssrr says to the Rhaighrs that they won’t find them in the woods with so little light, and it’s not worth the effort – refusal to tournament call and escape prove beyond any doubt their cowardice and lack of might. His troops nod. As they fly back to the village, the Rhaighr guard, who wasn’t killed, tells Khrrasssrr that he still pretty much allowed the prisoners to escape and ‘she’ will want his head for this, to which Khrrasssrr replies simply, “I know”.

Lea is sat around a fire with the people of the Cizzauran village. She is now speaking their language fluently, after having deciphered it fully. She is sat next to Begass, who is telling the village of Lea’s most beautiful jewel, as Lea smiles along, showing it. They all look in awe at its beauty, unlike anything they have on Kanonhsa. The conversation moves on as Lea begins explaining about their fleet, and their history (only going as far back as the Invitation of Destination). She goes onto tell them about their power issues, to which the Cizzaurans start looking quite sheepish about. After a moment, a lone Cizzauran speaks up, Ghavett, who tells Lea that there is a way of generating power on this planet. Ghavett tells Lea of Kheqren, a special ore, buried in the kanonhsa, which provides them everything as a species. He tells Lea that their lives, culture, whole world is based upon the Kheqren. Lea thanks Ghavett for letting her know and asks if her people could use the Kheqren too.

Outside the Valkyrie, Roddy arrives alongside a group of mercenaries, led by Jeriah. Jeriah tells Roddy to stay outside, while he and his men rescue the survivors, but Roddy argues his way on, to help out. Jeriah’s men knock the door to the Valkyrie through and enter. People are huddled around the entrance, waiting there for hours and hours. Rubble and wreckage await everywhere, blocking off every doorway, every corridor. Roddy says that turning off the power must’ve tripped something somewhere, bringing everything down… He says that the Valkyrie hasn’t been renovated in hundreds of years. Roddy, however, is heckled by Julie, as he walks through the ship. Julie tells him that her 3-year old son has gone missing, and she needs to find him. Roddy says that he will try and help but then wanders off, leaving Julie there – an emotional wreck.

In the fleet’s clearing, two figures approach the fleet, from the woods. Claude looks on, from just outside the flagship, as he makes out their faces – Calem and Joh. Claude sounds an alarm, calling troops down. They escort Calem and Joh up into the flagship.

In the interview room, Calem and Joh sit, as Ajacos and Claude ask them what happened. They tell them of the Rhaighrs, a fierce warrior race, who are the natives of this planet. Claude says that they need to deal with them if they are as dangerous as Calem and Joh are making them out to be, but Calem says that they are more dangerous, and it’s in the fleets best interest to strike before they attack them.

Eddie runs frantically around the news offices, as he prepares a new report about the Rhaighrs, however, Dani enters and tells Eddie to stop immediately, as this is a matter for the government to control. Eddie responds that must be joking and asks who will look at government's hands if not them. Dani says that they must respect the government in turbulent times like this, and not be trying to bring it down, that’s for once they’ve settled in. Eddie smiles insincerely and says he understand, but it’s just a bit annoying. Dani assures Eddie that as soon as the President officially announces it, he can report on it. Eddie grumbles to himself that then he might as well report about Callista Daily being the laughing stock of the industry and leaves the offices, shutting the door.

Back on the Valkyrie, Jeriah has most of the rubble shifted, and most of the survivors, they can get to, evacuated. But, Julie is refusing to go. Jeriah tells her that she must leave, it is the word of the President, but Julie is having none of it. Roddy tells Jeriah to leave it, and he’ll talk to her. Roddy asks Julie why she won’t leave, and Julie tells him that her son, Jan, is still on board somewhere and she will not leave the ship until she’s with him. Roddy tells her that for her own safety, she has got to go, and then the professionals, led by Jeriah, will find him.

Outside the Valkyrie, Syd approaches Jeriah, with all of the survivors. Jeriah asks what they are going to do with them, and Syd tells him that they’re going to have to put them with the survivors of the Barrac. Jeriah nods, as Syd leads them away from the Valkyrie.

Meanwhile, Roddy and Julie continue arguing, and Roddy then tries to take Julie by force, but Julie fights back, pushing him into the wall. However, the force, causes the ceiling to come crashing down, next to the entrance to the ship, trapping them there.

In the Cizzauran village, Lea speaks to Meithekk, the village leader, alone. He tells her that his people have chosen to allow her to use the Kheqren, on the condition that they do not use it for harm, but instead for the good of her people. He’s going to inform other tribes about this decision as soon as possible. Lea is surprised that there are other tribes and Meithekk says that the Cizzaurans divide into five tribes – Sennekh, Plinnae, Tehaddah, Gallane and Horretz, him being the chief of the last one, but they all are a peaceful people, and they are happy to share the planet with them. Lea smiles and thanks Meithekk for all he’s done and tells him that she will be returning to her people now. As Lea leaves, she says goodbye to Kalagisah, Begass and Ghavett, hugging them and telling them she will miss them. Ghavett encourages Lea to pay him a visit in his home in Sennekh village, as he was here only as a guest and whispers something to her ear.

Eddie sneaks down a corridor, on board the flagship, as he follows Joh. He checks his bag, which has a microphone inside, switched on. He approaches Joh and asks him about the Rhaighrs, but Joh says that he’s not allowed to talk about it to anyone, especially not journalists. Eddie says that it’s off the record, between the two of them, he is just curious. Joh takes Eddie around a corner, to a quieter corridor, and tells him about the Rhaighrs, all the while, Eddie secretly records everything he is saying.

Syd arrives in the refugee camp, jam-packed full of people, from the Barrac, as she brings in over 60 new people, survivors from the Valkyrie. Administrator Lieonotis approaches them, horrified by the intake, saying they can’t manage with another 60 people, but Syd tells him that it’s the President’s orders, so he better manage.

In the Valkyrie, Julie tells Roddy that they’re not getting out until they find Jan. Roddy reluctantly agrees as Julies begin to walk deep into the ship, shifting rubble as she does so.

As Richard teaches a class, he begins to notice something out of the window of the classroom. He thinks he’s going mad at first, but he sees Lea walking up to the fleet. In a sudden moment, he runs out of the classroom, leaving the students there, confused as hell. After a moment of silent confusion, they begin talking and messing around. Richard runs through the corridors of the ship, quickly making his way to the surface. On the surface, he sees Lea, whose face lights up, as she sees Richard run towards her. They reunited hugging each other, as Richard tells her just how worried he was. Behind them, from the mothership, Ajacos, Claude and Syd exit, watching on. Claude asks where she was, and Lea tells them that perhaps they should go somewhere a bit more private to discuss.

In Ajacos’ office, Lea tells them that she came across the indigenous race of this planet. Claude says that they’ve had dealings with them already, as Calem and Joh were kidnapped by them, and they are ready to mount an attack. Lea tells Claude there must be a misunderstanding as the Cizzaurans were totally peaceful and welcoming to her, they’re 'Unalii'. Being met with confused faces, she explains that Unalii means 'friend' in Cizzauran. Claude says that he doesn’t know about any Cizzaurans, and Calem and Joh encountered some people called the Rhaighrs. Lea says this is all very interesting and hypothesises that Taoter III has, in fact, two indigenous species. She asks if they can convene the Think Tank, as she has to news she’d like to share with everyone.

On the Valkyrie, Julie and Roddy continue through the ship, covered in dead bodies, as they begin talking. Julie explains a bit about her life, speaking about the fact she’s worked on board this ship since she was 6, and after her mother died, she had to fend for herself. Jan is so important to her as, her first daughter, Collie, died of pneumonia 7 years ago. She swore when Jan was bored that she would protect him with her life, and that’s what she is doing now. Roddy tries to comfort her, but Julie moves away, as she says their priority is finding Jan.

In the central hall of the flagship, Lea stands, as 10 people sit around, joined by Ajacos, Claude and Syd. Ajacos asks Syd where Roddy is, and Syd tells him that he’s trapped on board the Valkyrie, and Jeriah’s men are currently doing their best to try and get him out. Ajacos rises rapidly from his chair and tries to leave the conference, asking Syd what’s her excuse for not informing him that second most important person on the fleet is in danger and declaring that this situation requires his immediate action. Syd holds him, explaining that professionals are taking care of an issue and his presence there would have been of no use, unlike here, where several major affairs are going to be discussed and presidential take on them is necessary. She repeats that Roddy will be rescued and joins them eventually, and Ajacos reluctantly sits down. Lea begins to speak to the think-tank, telling them of the Cizzaurans, she encountered before moving onto the power problems. She then smiles as she tells them of Kheqren ore, and how it will solve all their problems, and that the Cizzaurans have given them permission to mine it. The think-tank applauds as Lea has solved all their problems. Claude looks weary, despite clapping along, not entirely trusting off this information.

Julie and Roddy fight through some more rubble, eventually finding Jan, alone in a corridor, surrounded by the dead. Jan is in tears, traumatised by his experience, but Julie takes him into her arms, just glad he’s alive. Roddy looks on, genuinely touched by the reunion. A voice is heard from outside, saying that they are about to breakthrough, and they should have him out in no time. Roddy thanks them, as a saw begins to cut through the outer-hull.

Roddy arrives at the refugee camp, with Julie and Jan, telling them that this is only temporary, but this is where they’ll have to live for now. Lieonotis sees them and tells Roddy that this better be the last, as they are literally at breaking point. He tells him that they need to get these people moved fast, as disease is rampant. Julie looks worried, and Roddy looks right at her, mouthing ‘I’m sorry’ as he walks away.

Walking into the President’s office, Roddy joins Ajacos and Claude. Seeing Roddy alive and well, Ajacos hugs him and claims that it’s good to see him, much to his embarrassment and Claude’s amusement. They discuss the new-found information about the Kheqren, and how they’ll have to start a whole mining operation here, which will take significant manpower, how, ever Roddy begins to talk about the appalling situation with the refugees, changing the subject. But Claude says that Roddy is onto something, as he gets an idea. He suggests to Ajacos that the refugees from the Barrac and the Valkyrie can be used for another purpose, their intended purpose – to mine the Kheqren. Roddy tells Claude that they can’t as these people were promised a brighter future, and it would be monstrous to put them back in the mines, but Ajacos sighs deeply and tells Claude that they’ll have to go ahead, for the good of the fleet.

Cast

Starring

Co-Starring

Jan Danvoid Yannis - Hussain Akhtar
Joh - Sarah Niles
Khrrasssrr - Ben Kerfoot
Jelena Galante Roddy - Laurie Davidson
Sydecyah Skendelle Codail - Priyanga Burford
Officer Nyletca - Micah Balfour
Kalagisah - Hannah Moncur
Begass - Hugo Speer
Frayons Prix Ajacos - David Morrissey
Janos Aladar Claude - John Hannah
Rhaighr Guards - Sean Delaney, Rory Fleck Byrne
Ghavett - Ryan Gage
Jeriah - Brian Pettier
Dani Dionis Kiriakidis - Linda Henry
Meithekk - Michael Smiley
Dien - David Bamber

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

Memorable Quotes

To be added.

Background Information

Production History

To be added

Development

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Production

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Post-Production

To be added

Reaction

To be added

Story Notes

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Continuity

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Home Video Releases

To be added.