- The Alphans encounter an eccentric and intelligent robot who is known as Brian the Brain. Brian's creator Captain Michael and his crew have all died in mysterious circumstances and Brian asks for the help of Koenig and his crew. However, it soon becomes very apparent that Brian is anything but harmless and was in fact responsible for the deaths of Captain Michael and his colleagues. And he is ready to do the same to the Alphans unless they supply him with enough nuclear fuel to sustain him "forever".—don @ minifie-1
- Alpha's computer registers a sudden change in the moon's course, but an extensive scanner search of their sector of space reveals nothing that could be pulling them. Their computer is acting unusually sluggish, but something undefined is finally detected, causing the Alphans to suspect a collision course with a black dwarf star. Commander Koenig orders evacuation procedures.
As the Eagles lift off one by one, Maya identifies the unknown body on the scanners as a small planet with no more gravity pull than the moon. Suddenly, a spaceship is also detected, so Koenig orders two of their spaceborne Eagles to intercept it. Bill Fraser in Eagle One achieves contact with the approaching ship, receiving a friendly greeting which informs them that their ship is a Swift, also from Earth; part of a star mission launched in 1996. Maya checks with computer, confirming the star mission in question, consisting of four Swifts and a mother ship under command of Captain Michael - fate unknown.
The Swift is given permission to land, and as Maya checks to see if their change of course could've resulted in a fault in their computer, security has been ordered to prepare a missile launch if it turns out that their new arrival isn't as friendly as they sound.
After the Swift lands, a boarding party cautiously enters the ship; Commander Koenig, Dr. Russell, and two well-armed security personnel. The ship appears empty until a box-shaped computer console on wheels emerges from a wall of banks. Come to find out, the pilot they've been conversing with is a robot; a "brain" on wheels. The Brain welcomes them, sounding personable, even displaying a sense of humor. It explains that the star mission's entire crew had descended to the planet - that they had named Planet D - and they all died. The Brain has been orbiting the planet ever since, waiting for another Earth mission to turn up.
On their way to Command Center, the Brain explains that the several feet of cable dragging behind him is his "antenna", which allows him to retain communication with the Swift's computer. The Alphans express their need to address him by a name, so the robot explains how its first spoken word had been "Brain", but he got it wrong, pronouncing it "Brian". He suggests they use that as his name.
As soon as Brian greets everyone in Command Center, he observes that he and Alpha's computer are compatible. Maya watches with consternation as Brian says "hello" to it, using a series of bleeps. Brian then invites Helena to join him back on the Swift to hopefully unravel the cause of the death of his former crew. She accepts the invitation, then the Commander invites himself along as well.
After the three of them head back to the Swift, Maya informs Tony that she has a "bad feeling" about that machine. At her behest, the pair does some investigating, discovering that the memory banks of Alpha's main computer have been mysteriously wiped clean. Maya suspects that Brian did more than just "say hello" to their computer. Several of their systems are now failing to function, including communications, scanners, and alert systems. They're blind.
It turns out that Brian had abducted the Commander and Helena and has managed to disarm them on their way to Planet D. The computers within the Eagles are still functioning, so Tony and Maya have joined Bill Fraser in Eagle One and are leading a squadron of Eagles toward the Swift.
As Eagle One and a back-up Eagle close in on the Swift, Brian orders Koenig to send them back to Alpha or he'll remotely wipe their computers clean, leaving them stranded in space. Koenig relents. However, while moving away, Tony decides for Eagle One to sneak off to Planet D instead, intending to beat the Swift to it.
As the Swift heads for Planet D, the pair of captives ask Brian what the planet's like. He explains that it's like the moon except that it has air, although the whole atmosphere is filled with a kind of mist which could be poisonous. Brian abruptly changes the subject, oddly asking the pair if they love each other. Out of cautiousness, they both answer "no". Brian then informs them that it's necessary for him to test whether or not they're telling the truth.
There are two airlocks side-by-side within the ship's passenger section. Brian orders that both Alphans get into them, shining a ray of ultraviolet light into their faces, which will cause blindness, if they don't cooperate. Reluctantly, Helena enters the one on the left and Koenig into the right one. Brian asks Koenig whether he loves Helena and he denies it. He then asks Helena whether she loves Koenig and she denies it. Brian explains to the pair that they'll both be sealed in the airlocks, then he'll slowly let the air out of them. At any time, they'll both have the option of hitting a button on the wall, which will channel their remaining air into the other airlock, essentially committing suicide in order to save the other. As the process begins, the Alphans are also informed that they'll be unable to communicate with one another. Eventually, as they're breathing their last breaths, they simultaneously hit their buttons, each attempting to save the other, indicating they love one another. This causes Brian to "jump for joy". He then releases them, now knowing he'll be able to hold one of them hostage while the other does his bidding.
As the Swift descends through the planet's misty atmosphere in a landing procedure, Brian anxiously has Commander Koenig don a space suit, explaining that he can't maneuver out on the surface himself, so he needs Koenig to do it for him. Brian's plan is for Koenig to enter the Swift's mothership, which lies close to their landing site, and retrieve the ship's fuel stores. Brian wants to "live" forever. He warns Koenig not to do anything stupid if he wants Helena to remain unharmed.
As Commander Koenig exits the Swift, he observes that Planet D's similarities with the moon include its gravity pull; long-dead trees scattered about and the misty atmosphere are obvious differences. Also scattered across the planet's surface are the long-dead bodies of the mother ship's crew.
In the meantime, aboard the Swift, Helena asks Brian about his origins. He explains that his space mission's leader - Captain Michael - had made him and had grown quite fond of him. He presents a slide-show of Captain Michael on the ship's screen.
When Koenig enters the mothership, he finds its interior in disarray, also discovering to his surprise that it's occupied. Tony and Maya had beat the Swift here and activated the ship's life-support functions after coming aboard. Maya informs the Commander that she'd tested the planet's atmosphere, learning that it's toxic. There's a dead body occupying the ship's command seat Maya has identified as Captain Michael. So in addition to the ship's crew exiting the ship without spacesuits, the airlock had been opened, letting in the toxic air. Maya then tests the ship's computer and finds it in the same state as Alpha's computer - blinded. They wonder why Brian had blinded the computer on its own mothership, which caused the crew to be unaware of the air being deadly. Koenig explains why he's here, so they locate the ship's fuel store. Next, they discuss how Brian could be defeated, which wouldn't be easy; not only is Helena being held hostage, but Brian must remain intact in order to restore Alpha's computer. Koenig comes up with the solution of somehow breaking its mind. The fact that Brian murdered its own creator provides a good starting point. Maya informs the Commander that she got a good look at Captain Michael. As Koenig grasps her implication, he observes the machinery on a workbench, realizing what had been in the process of being assembled, and it ties in with his plans. Koenig must get back to Helena, so Maya transforms into a mouse so Koenig can smuggle her aboard the Swift.
Brian is elated when the Commander returns to the Swift with a large nuclear fuel cylinder. As he installs it into the ship's fuel housing, located as part of the pilot section's wall of consoles, Koenig begins to taunt Brian about finding Captain Michael dead in his command chair as well as the bodies of the crew scattered across the planet's surface. When Brian reacts disturbed, Koenig tries to find various ways to confuse him, as does Helena, following the Commander's lead. It begins to affect him until the incredible power surge from the fresh fuel supply sends Brian into a celebratory frenzy. He launches the Swift off the planet.
Eagle One containing Tony, Maya, and Bill Fraser is now in the planet's orbit waiting to see what Brian's next move will be. When they observe the Swift also entering orbit, Tony decides to follow it at a safe distance.
As Koenig steps out of his spacesuit, he discreetly removes the mouse from his pocket, allowing Helena to see it. He places Maya on the ship's floor, and Brian reacts when she starts biting his antenna. Brian orders the mouse removed from the ship and when he asks where it came from, Koenig answers "Planet D". Brian's confused, stating it's impossible. Koenig announces that it has a message from Captain Michael. Brian insists that's also impossible because the Captain's dead. Brian suspects they're playing games, threatening to blow them out into space. Koenig informs Brian that he knows he had murdered his creator, his own "father". Brian frantically denies it, but Koenig insists he'd killed Captain Michael and the crew by blinding their computer. Brian maintains his denial, but Koenig claims to know why they died - because Captain Michael was working on an improved "Brain" to replace him. Brian becomes increasingly unhinged as Koenig informs him that Captain Michael had told him all of this. As the argument continues, Maya transforms into Captain Michael, who angrily confronts Brian about murdering him. Brian starts blowing fuses, backing away from him into an open airlock in which they seal and send him into space. However, the exterior airlock door closes on Brian's antenna, leaving him attached to the ship. Still linked with the Swift's computer, he listens to the conversation inside, with Koenig ordering Eagle One to dock, then planning to remove Brian's memory core to try and restore Alpha's computer. Brian speaks over the ship's comm system, threatening to wipe his memory core clean if they approach him. Koenig threatens to cut Brian's antenna and he'll be alone in space forever. Brian starts sobbing, pleading with them not to do that. Koenig bargains with him; they'll allow him to live if he hands over his memory core undamaged. Brian ends up relenting, giving up his memory core, explaining that all he ever wanted was life - and friends. He then begins to cry.
After Alpha's computer is restored and fully functioning, the Alphans mull over what to do with Brian, who's still in space, attached to the Swift. Maya and Tony suggest they could reprogram Brian's memory, making it self-destruct if it harbors any more evil thoughts. Koenig gives them permission to reinstall Brian's memory after he's been reprogrammed.
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