Co-Stars: Thea Andrews (Reporter/Dana Saunderes); Paul Wu (TV Technician)

Originally Aired: 25-Feb-2002; Written by: Leonard Dick; Script by: Jeffrey Cohen; Directed by: Robert Ginty

When an eight year old boy with a debilitating degenerative disease is suddenly transformed into a healthy child prodigy, it’s heralded as a miracle and a gift from God. That’s the only explanation ... Or is it?

Robby Swenson’s miraculous story is headline news and it attracts the attention of three very interested parties: Daggon, who suspects Robby may be one of his fugitives and wants to bring him to justice; Zin, who lost track of Robby once he left the train, but knows that Robby’s body is host to one of the fugitives and he wants to use the boy’s spreading fame for his own nefarious purposes; and Father John Campbell, a priest with flagging faith who sees the boy’s recovery as a sign from above. In fact, Robby was on the train, enroute to see a specialist in Chicago, and is now the Human host to a brilliant but non-violent Vardian who is enjoying the limelight.

When Father Campbell arrives at the Swenson house he overhears Zin speaking to the child, urging him to come with him and "join the others." He assumes that Zin’s intentions are evil, which they are, and comes to believe that Zin is the personification of Satan on Earth. The Father confronts Zin, and the alien warns Campbell to stay out of this, it’s not a matter of divine intervention. Eventually, the Father kidnaps Robby to protect him from Zin’s clutches. Daggon Tracks them down to a remote farm house and wants to extract the Vardian’s lifeforce from the boy but, after speaking to Father Campbell, he comes to understand the gift of hope that Robby represents to the people of Earth. Daggon finds himself working with Father Campbell to protect Robby from Zin’s hit men who’ve come to the farm house to take the boy away. In a scene reminiscent of Straw Dogs, except with a distinct alien twist, Daggon and a shotgun wielding Father are able to protect the boy. In the end, Daggon learns about religion and the Father learns that things are not always as they seem.

Synopsis: It was interesting meeting another Cirronian, especially one whom Daggon is close to and who ‘helped bring his eyes back to life’ after he lost his wife and daughter, knowing that together they added warmth to the coldness of Sar-Top. More is learned of Daggon’s past and more about Cirronians. They’re honest, they keep their promises, and they live up to their responsibilities. They will sacrifice themselves for the sake of others. What a great culture, truly enlightened beings.

It’s a gripping and well-done episode. Cole gets to express more emotion than just his usual compassion, which he clearly felt as well. He shows gratitude (at the end) to Lontoria for saving his life at nearly the cost of her own; anguish at the need to take her lifeforce; empathy for her dilemma in having her work used in such an unforeseen way by the Vardians, especially Zin; sensitivity in trying to explain his relationship with Lontoria to Mel; and appreciation (or is it lack thereof?) for Nestov’s ‘sacrifice’ in going all out to get info on Zin "no matter what it took."

———————————————————————

Mel, seated at the bar, laughing: "Whoop! Why did I make you watch that movie?"

Cole: "It was very informative."

Mel: "Looks like you’ve learned..." Cole is pouring through a bar strainer and getting a lot of it on the bar in front of her instead of in the glass. "... a bit."

Cole, laughing: "I hope this one is better than the last..." Mel starts to pick up the drink. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" He drops in a cherry.

Mel: "Thank you, bartender."

Cole: "My pleasure."

She takes a sip, smiles and nods: "Not bad for a rookie, Cole."

Cole broadly grins and spins around: "Yeeesss!"

[Cole’s enjoyment in perfecting that drink was very cute, so thrilled that he did it right!].

Mel, thoughtfully: "Could use a little more vodka, though."

Cole, reaching for the bottle: "Vodka..."

Mel: "Not ... now. It’s ten o’clock in the morning ... Let’s keep going. Try a Lust Rocket on the Rocks." Cole starts leafing through the bartender’s blue book guide. "Same page as Sex on the Beach."

Cole: "What is with this lust and sex thing?"

Mel: "They’re themes. They’re like subliminal messages. People order these drinks thinking that they’re going to get lucky."

Cole: "Do they?"

Mel: "That depends on how many drinks they order."

Just then someone comes in, a ‘woman’ in a short, tight skirt who is having extreme difficulty walking in heels.

Mel, calling out: "Sorry! We’re not open yet!"

Cole, incredulous, recognizes ‘her’: "Nestov?"

Nestov, pulling himself up to sit atop the bar: "I hate men! Hate them!"

[What a riot! Richard Yearwood didn’t make a half-bad looking woman, just a little on the homely side. Wonder if his facial hair was shaved or waxed off? But those heels. And that walk!].

Mel, staring: "Why ... are you ... dressed like that!?"

Nestov: "Ask Cole!"

Cole, as Mel turns to stare at him: "I don’t know what he’s talking about."

Nestov: "Did you or did you not ask me to get information about Zin no matter what it took!?"

Cole: "Well, I didn’t ask you to dress like a woman."

Nestov: "It’s called going undercover, man! It’s called doing my job, paying you back for letting me go free! Although ... right now I’m not so sure I didn’t get the short end of the stick!"

Cole, snickering: "Do they really find you attractive dressed like that?"

Nestov, seeing how Cole is near to cracking up: "Yes! ... Funny man. Real funny ... I do all the grub work while you just sit back, take lifeforces, and make funny jokes!"

Cole, grinning: "Thank you."

Nestov: "I’ve spent four hours at a singles club because of a tip! A lame tip, man, that some of Zin’s guys were going to be there! Four hours of guys grope..." Cole is busy with Lust Rocket on the Rocks mixology "Hello! Up here!" Cole looks up. "Four hours of guys groping me, pinching my ... (he almost says ‘ass’) ... my caboose."

Cole: "Hmmm."

Nestov, sympathetically, to Mel: "I don’t know how you do it."

Cole, handing him the drink he’s just made: "Well, try this. You never know. You might get lucky."

Nestov, taking the drink: "Oh, that’s funny ... Funny again." He takes a sip. Surprised, "Good!"

Cole, with a grin and a bow: "Thank you!"

The convenient plot-point televised news story then comes on telling of Jamie Swenson, a 17-year old girl from the suburban town of Saginaw Falls who miraculously recovered from cancer and subsequently returned an electrocuted teen by the name of Kevin Forrester to life after he hadn’t been breathing for several minutes just by touching his body. The doctors at Dorset Hospital nearby say that there aren’t any medical explanations.

This catches Cole’s attention and he raptly watches and listens.

Mel, to Nestov: "I heard about that on the radio this morning when I woke up. Have you ever noticed that the weirdest things happen in small towns where they..."

Mel then sees Cole abruptly heads upstairs without a word.

Nestov: "Honey ... I feel your pain. I feel it!"

———————————————————————

Mel, shortly following Cole into his War Room: "Cole?"

She sees that he’s going through on-line archived articles of the Saginaw Falls Bugle and comes to read an on-screen headline aloud over his shoulder.

Cole: "Take a look at this one."

Mel, reading aloud: "Good news for the Swenson family of New Mount Road in Saginaw Falls. Stunned doctors at Chicago Children’s Hospital pronounced 17-year old Jamie Swenson in full remission from the tumors thought to be terminal ... Wow! ... Okay, same girl. So?"

Cole: "The article is dated the twenty-fourth. The doctors pronounced her fully cured on the twenty-third."

Mel: "Yeah?"

Cole: "That was the date when the fugitives came to Earth."

[Note: From "The Beast" the date of alien arrival is assumed to be June 12th].

———————————————————————

At 70 New Mount Road in Saginaw Falls, Father Nicholas Creighton looks out the living room window at all the news crews and media people camped out on the Swenson’s front lawn.

Father Creighton, walking into the kitchen: "Those media people are jackals."

Abby Swenson, pouring coffee: "Yes, but those jackals are offering thousands of dollars for an exclusive interview with Jamie."

Father Creighton: "Are you sure about this, Abby?"

Abby Swenson: "Yes. I want Jamie’s miracle to be shared with the world."

Father Creighton: "All right. Hold off. I’m not calling it a miracle just yet."

Abby Swenson, chiding: "Yes, but Father ... surely you of all people would have to agree. I mean, you came all this way."

Father Creighton, uneasy: "I just came to investigate all this ... What happened to Jamie is...

Abby Swenson: "... A miracle."

Father Creighton: "I don’t know, Abby ... Miracles seem to be out of fashion since Christ’s time."

Abby Swenson: "Then why did the Archbishop send you here?"

Father Creighton, abashed: "The Archbishop didn’t send me ... I came on my own."

Abby Swenson: "I ... I don’t understand."

Father Creighton: "To be honest, I wanted to see for myself if I could understand what’s happened to Jamie ... If this situation really has deeper implications or not."

Abby Swenson: "Yes, but ... She recovered and ... and that Kevin boy ... He was brought back to life."

Father Creighton: "But can these really be miracles? Why, remission from a tumor is not uncommon. And as for Kevin Forrester, the electrocution could have just been temporary."

Abby Swenson: "Not miracles? Then how do you explain that?" She points out her daughter playing the piano in the living room. "She has never had a lesson in her life! ... Now, we have to go ... We don’t want to keep Mr. Raven waiting."

Abby Swenson, calling out to Jamie: "Honey. Get ready."

Jamie turns, smiles and nods, getting up from the piano.

Abby Swenson, assuring: "Father, don’t worry. Sheriff Dawson checked him out for me. Mr. Raven is a respected producer."

Father Creighton: "I know it’s a lot of money ... But sometimes getting involved in these things ... Well, it changes people ... Not always for the better."

Abby Swenson: "Yes, but I ... I want a better future for Jamie. I ... I want her to have a good education. Not the life that I had."

Father Creighton: "I understand ... Do you mind if I tag along?"

Abby Swenson, joking: "As a moral guide?"

They both laugh.

Father Creighton: "Something like that."

Jamie appears with her coat on, ready to go.

———————————————————————

Cole: "I like your new car, Mel. But I’m not used to it yet. It makes a lot of different noises."

Mel: "Yeah, well, I’m getting used to it real quick. It’s a pleasure driving this thing."

Cole: "Is it very expensive?"

Cole laughs and starts to get out of the car.

Mel: "Wait! There’s a lot of reporters here." She hands him a pair of sunglasses. "We don’t need your face all over the news."

Cole, putting on the sunglasses: "I can go incognito."

[Said a la Troy Montana. In fact, they are Montana’s sunglasses! Or they look just like them. And Cole was in jail and on trial for murder just a few weeks ago. The reporters would still remember that case].

They both laugh and get out of the car.

Jamie and Abby Swenson and Father Creighton come out of the house and are immediately besieged by the waiting reporters ("Miss Swenson, do you consider yourself a miracle worker?" "Have you ever healed anybody before?").

Just then, a TV Technician atop the Channel 6 Eyewitness News van loses his balance and starts to fall. Both Jamie and Cole launch themselves into hyperspeed to go to the rescue, meeting face to face by the side of the van. They obviously recognize each other at least as Cirronian, if not as individuals.

Jamie has been taken over by an escapee from Sar-Top by the name of Lontoria. Together, Cole and Lontoria lower the man to the ground, then they each step back.

Cole turns away and heads back to Mel, Lontoria staring after him as real time commences again.

Abby Swenson and the Father hurry to her side and the three of them head for Father Creighton’s car.

Mel, as she and Cole head back to her SUV: "What just happened?"

Cole: "She’s Cirronian."

Mel, not understanding: "Wait a minute! She’s from your planet and she was in prison? I thought you guys were the law-abiding peaceful ones!"

Cole: "Most Cirronians on Sar-Top are convicted of political crimes, not violent ones."

He sees Father Creighton’s car carrying Lontoria and Jamie’s mother driving away.

Cole: "Come on!"

As they both hurry and get into the SUV to give chase, Mel hears a police siren behind her and looks into her rearview mirror. The Sheriff’s car is pulling up behind her, lights flashing.

Cole: "Go! Go!"

Mel, to her rearview: "Oh, you’re kidding me! I haven’t even turned the car on yet!"

Cole: "Drive away!"

Mel: "I can’t drive away, Cole!"

Cole: "Why not?"

Mel: "Because a cop is pulling me over."

Cole: "Well ... maybe I can talk to him."

Mel: "Don’t worry about it. I’ll deal with it."

Sheriff Dawson, wearing very dark sunglasses, comes up to the driver’s side of the SUV. Cole quickly turns his head away, averting his face by looking out his side window. The Sheriff apparently takes no notice of him.

Sheriff Dawson, politely: "Your license and registration, please."

Mel, digging in her purse: "Um ... What did I do?"

Sheriff Dawson: "Nothing ... I want you to lay off the Swensons." He glances down as Mel hands him her license and registration. "... They’re good people ... Miss Porter ... They just want their privacy. So please stay away."

Mel, smiling up at him: "Yes, sir."

Sheriff Dawson: "I thought you’d understand." Mel reaches to take back her license and registration, but he pulls them away from her. "I’ll just ... hang onto this while I run it through for a minute."

He goes back to his car.

Mel, turning to Cole: "I’m screwed!"

Cole: "Yes. Maybe more than we know ... He’s one of the fugitives."

Mel, looking at Dawson in her rearview: "Are you sure?"

Cole: "Yes. But his lifeforce readings are very low. Maybe it’s begun to assimilate with the Human body."

[Would this mean the aliens become increasingly Human as time goes by until maybe they can no longer leave Earth? Was the host body masking the alien lifeforce? And is Cole able to sense the others faster/from farther away than they can him? Or are they unable to sense him at all? Was the reason he’d turned away because he was afraid that the Sheriff would know he was Daggon just by seeing his face and he didn’t want to endanger Mel?].

Mel: "Well, it’s not as if you can just take his lifeforce in front of all these people! ... Although I really wish you could." Cole looks at her in surprise. "There’s this little issue of a few ... unpaid parking tickets ... Okay ... A couple dozen unpaid parking tickets."

Cole: "Drive away, Mel. Maybe we can catch her."

Mel: "I can’t drive away! The man has my license, Cole!"

Mel: "Yes, it does. As long as he has it – and hopefully he’ll give it back – I’m not going anywhere."

———————————————————————

In a modern hi-rise office building, Abby Swenson, Jamie/Lontoria and Father Creighton are keeping an appointment with a big shot producer. Rachel Skarsten was excellent in her role as a Cirronian adult having to play the part of a Human teenager. Here she sneers at Zin and resists him in a very adult fashion.

Abby Swenson, nervously making the introductions: "Mr. Raven ... I’m Abby Swenson. And this is a family friend, Father Creighton ... and ... that, of course ... is my daughter ... Jamie."

Raven shakes hands with each of them then, when he gets to Jamie, she recognizes him immediately.

Jamie/Lontoria, low voiced: "Zin."

Zin, turning on the charm: "It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Swenson ... Father Creighton ... Of course, it’s a real pleasure to meet you, Jamie." He gloats while she tries to behave as if nothing is wrong. "A real pleasure."

They all sit down, Zin behind his desk, Father Creighton between Jamie and her mother seated in front.

Abby Swenson: "So ... How do you like Chicago?"

Zin: "Chicago ... Very nice. Very nice.

Father Creighton: "Not exactly Hollywood, huh?"

Zin: "Actually, Father, I’m from New York ... We get our smog three hours earlier."

They all smile and politely laugh.

Abby Swenson: "Um ... So how do we go about doing this?"

Zin, handing her a contract: "It’s very simple. For a twenty-five thousand dollar fee ... you allow me to include Jamie in a documentary that I am making on ... extraordinary people."

Abby Swenson, looking at the contract, stunned: "Twenty-five thousand dollars..."

Jamie, leaning across Father Creighton, low-voiced: "Mom ... Don’t..."

Abby Swenson: "Oh, it will be fine, honey." She turns to Zin. "It sounds wonderful!"

Zin, smug: "For me, too ... You know, I’m really looking forward to working with Jamie ... It’s clear that she’s ... very unique."

Father Creighton, taking in the unspoken by-play between Zin and Jamie and realizing that something is very wrong: "Mr. Raven ... Would you excuse us for a moment?"

Zin, gesturing magnanimously: "Please..."

Father Creighton: "Abby..."

Abby Swenson, looking up from reading the contract: "Hmm?"

Father Creighton gestures off to the side and they both get up to talk privately while Zin leisurely strolls around his desk to speak with Jamie.

———————————————————————

Father Creighton: "Don’t sign just yet. Take a few days, think it over."

Abby Swenson: "But, Father. It’s twenty-five thousand dollars. The media exposure could open up a whole world of opportunities for her."

Father Creighton: "I can understand your excitement ... But this producer’s only concern is his project, not Jamie’s well-being..."

———————————————————————

Zin: "I really recommend that you go along with this plan ... Jamie."

Jamie/Lontoria: "I don’t think so."

Zin: "Maybe you forget who broke you out of Sar-Top and brought you down here ... You are in my debt!"

Jamie/Lontoria, sneering: "I’m not one of your Enixian thugs!"

———————————————————————

Abby Swenson: "Father, it’s not like I’m not going to be there."

Father Creighton: "I just think..."

Abby Swenson: "Father, I know what I’m doing ... This money will give her a whole new future..."

Father Creighton looks over toward Zin and Jamie. For a brief moment, Zin’s eyes seem to glow blazing red.

Abby Swenson: "... I didn’t have when I was ... Father? ... Father, are you okay?"

Father Creighton, both frightened and nonplussed, uncertain of what he saw: "Yeah ... I just want ... to protect Jamie."

———————————————————————

Jamie/Lontoria: "I don’t understand why you need me, anyway."

Zin, really miffed: "Well, these Humans revere you. With the combination of your stature and your Cirronian powers, you could easily become their new Messiah ... If you let me guide you."

Jamie/Lontoria: "Yeah. And be your puppet? Forget it!"

Zin: "Let me be blunt. If you refuse to join me..."

Jamie/Lontoria: "You’ll what? Kill me?"

Zin: "Not you, Jamie ..." He looks meaningfully over at Jamie’s mother and Lontoria quickly gets the message. "Oh, I’ll do it. You know I will."

Zin laughs, knowing he has her.

Abby Swenson, walking over to Jamie and Zin: "Everything all right?"

Zin, laughing and smiling: "Oh, God, yes!"

Jamie/Lontoria, forcing a smile: "Yes, everything’s fine ... Um, Mr ... Raven was just telling me about the project." She looks up at ‘her’ mother. "Sounds like fun."

Abby Swenson: "Good, then! I guess we have ourselves a deal." She steps forward to shake Zin’s hand. "Thank you, Mr. Raven."

Zin: "It’s a pleasure!"

Jamie/Lontoria looks very worried, as does Father Creighton.

———————————————————————

Meanwhile, Mel has driven Cole back to the Swenson house.

Mel: "So, why did you want to come back here?"

Cole: "We have to get into that house."

Mel: "That’s not a good idea, Cole."

Cole: "The Swensons are gone."

Mel: "You already know she’s Cirronian."

Cole: "I have to find out which one she is."

Mel: "They’re all convicted criminals, Cole. What difference does it make?"

Cole: "Don’t you find something strange here? The Sheriff is one of the fugitives. Don’t you think Zin won’t be far behind?"

[It isn’t exactly clear how Cole comes to this conclusion. The Sheriff being a fugitive could be a coincidence but even if it isn’t (as here), such a thing does not necessarily have to mean that Zin is lurking in the wings. And Cole is already aware that there’s only three Cirronians on Earth, including himself – and the other is a male named Rigna (ref. "What Lies Beneath"). Thus, he’s probably well aware of who she is. So, does this have to do with something unresolved from the past involving him, Zin and Lontoria, perhaps? Or is it just an excuse for something else?].

Mel, intuitively knowing it’s more than that: "Cole ... What aren’t you telling me?"

Cole, evasive: "They’ll be back soon, Mel. I won’t be long."

———————————————————————

As Mel waits outside in the car nervously nibbling the thumb of her glove, Cole walks around to the back of the house and lets himself in through the sliding glass doors leading onto the deck.

———————————————————————

The Swensons then return home with Father Creighton and Mel calls Cole to warn him.

Cole, answering his cell phone: "Hello?"

Mel: "They’re back."

Cole, checking out the window: "It’s all right. I found what I need."

———————————————————————

Downstairs as the Swensons and the Father come in...

Abby Swenson: "Can I get you anything, Father?"

Father Creighton: "No, thank you."

———————————————————————

Outside, Mel is still on the phone with Cole when she sees Zin’s car drive up. She scoots down lower in her seat.

Mel: "Oh my God!"

Cole: "What is it?"

Mel: "You were right! It’s Zin! ... He’s heading around the back of the house. You’ve got to get out of there!"

Cole, looking out another window: "No ... I have to find out what he’s up to."

Mel: "Please be careful!"

———————————————————————

In the house...

Abby Swenson: "I really liked Mr. Raven! Didn’t you, honey?"

Jamie/Lontoria: "Uh, yeah ... He was great ... Um, would you mind if I go to my room for a bit?"

Abby Swenson: "Sure."

Jamie/Lontoria: "Okay."

Father Creighton, after Jamie has left the room: "She looks upset about something."

Abby Swenson, not seeing it: "Oh, she’s just a little tired. She’s not used to all the excitement, being the center of attention."

While they’re speaking, Jamie/Lontoria is sneaking out the sliding glass doors.

Father Creighton, choosing his words: "Have you talked to Jamie about how she feels about all of this?"

Abby Swenson: "Well, she said that she liked the project, that she liked Mr. Raven."

Father Creighton, laughing to himself: "Abby ... Don’t take this the wrong way. I would never ... impose on how you raise Jamie ... But sometimes kids just go along with things because they think that’s what’s expected."

———————————————————————

Jamie/Lontoria is pulling on her gloves as she hurries down the deck steps, and there she runs into Zin.

Zin, smug: "Oh, running away would be such bad form, don’t you think, Jamie? After all, Cirronians are known for keeping their word."

Jamie/Lontoria, tightly: "Get out of my way!"

Zin: "Oh, I don’t think so..."

———————————————————————

Abby Swenson: "Oh, I ... I’m not planning on spending a penny on myself."

Father Creighton: "I know ... But money isn’t free. There’s a price for everything. You’ve seen already how much your life has changed. This is going to have an impact on Jamie."

———————————————————————

Zin seizes Lontoria by the back of her head with a red force glow from his hand. It seems to be affecting her nervous system because she can’t move. Cole cautiously approaches and Zin sees him.

Zin: "This might surprise you, Daggon ... but the one regret I have about all of this is you! I truly ... truly value your friendship."

Zin: "Unfortunately, yes."

Cole/Daggon: "Why Earth? And why here?"

Zin: "You know, you probably won’t believe this but, actually, it was the money I saved by using 1-800-COLLECT. You have no idea how convenient it really is."

———————————————————————

Abby Swenson: "Well, maybe, um ... with all the craziness that’s been going on ... I ... I should sit down and talk to her."

Father Creighton: "Would you mind if I spoke to her?"

Abby Swenson: "Sure."

———————————————————————

Zin: "It’s amazing what you can gain with it in this place."

Cole/Daggon: "It’s something you’ve been trying to gain since you’ve been here. Why?"

Zin: "Have you been watching too much TV, Daggon? It’s the friendly atmosphere, the weak species. Simple as that."

Cole/Daggon: "Then why Lontoria?"

Zin: "She’s magic! ... When your family was killed by Rhee and you were posted to Sar-Top, your eyes were dead for a very, very long time ... Until you met Lontoria ... Do you remember that?"

[Daggon apparently began to emotionally heal from losing his family through the tender friendship he developed with Lontoria after she’d been imprisoned on Sar-Top. It’s interesting how angry and disgusted Zin is about that. Did he plan on suckering Daggon and/or Lontoria into his schemes, then was thwarted by the relationship that the two Cirronians had between them? Is he planning on using her for leverage against Daggon now?].

Zin and Daggon glare at each other.

Just then, Father Creighton sees them and comes rushing out of the house, alarmed: "Jamie! ... Jamie!"

Zin roughly shoves Jamie/Lontoria away, telekinetically flings a shovel at Cole/Daggon’s chest, knocking him down, and escapes. Father Creighton grabs Jamie and runs in the opposite direction and Cole gets out of there as Jamie’s mother comes to the door, calling for her daughter.

———————————————————————

Later in the War Room, Cole is listening to Sheriff Dawson on the police broadband and trying to follow his search for Jamie/Lontoria’s and Father Creighton’s location on his upright map board, when Mel comes in.

Cole: "Her name is Lontoria. She’s serving a life sentence for treason."

Cole, annoyed by her flippant, almost snide, attitude: "She’s a scientist. She developed a theory concerning the Pentathonic Scale and how it relates to what Earth scientists call a String Theory."

Mel, out of her depth: "Fine ... My specialties in school were cutting class and picking up my teachers."

Cole, patiently but still slightly annoyed, explaining further: "She found a way to reconfigure particles of energy. But her fellow scientists on Cirron thought her work to be ludicrous and the government snubbed her. So ... she sold her findings to the Scientific Consortium on Vardia..." He then notices her pensive look. "What?"

Cole, uneasily: "She’s a well-known Cirronian."

He abruptly heads for the kitchen.

Mel, following: "Oh."

Cole: "Everyone knew her. Her discoveries ... could lead to new methods of ... space travel."

Mel, standing in the doorway as he pours himself a drink of water from the refrigerator: "Wow..." Then trying to delicately phrase it, "Were you and Lontoria involved?"

Cole, uncomfortable and evasive, can’t meet her eyes: "I felt compassion for Lontoria." He goes into the living room, keeping his back toward Mel. "Nothing else."

Mel, knowingly: "You and Lontoria were involved."

[Her catching Cole out as he tries to evade the issue, but doing so without seeming even a little jealous here, was sweet and well handled].

Cole, reluctantly admitting it: "Not as you know it here on Earth." He sits down heavily. "But, yes."

Mel, smiling: "Cole..." She sits down as well: "Okay."

Mel, reasonably: "As long as she’s with that priest, she can be Tracked... I mean, she’s going to have to keep her cover, right? So she’s going to have to keep playing a 17-year old girl and ... let that priest call the shots."

Cole: "Right."

Mel, suddenly uncomfortable: "How old is she ... exactly?"

Cole, momentarily confused, then amused understanding: "Much older."

Mel, obviously relieved: "Good."

Cole, standing up: "So we Track the priest."

Mel: "Exactly."

They start to head back towards the War Room.

Mel: "Cole ... What about taking her lifeforce?"

Cole, pained but trying to hide it: "It’s okay, Mel ... It’s my job."

———————————————————————

An aerial sweep of fall foliage, the same shot as was used in "Native Son," and Father Creighton has taken Jamie to an old deserted/abandoned church, Saint Clemens outside of Minden for refuge. Jamie/Lontoria looks around at the art, statues, symbols and icons of this alien god while Father Creighton checks that the place is secure.

Father Creighton: "We’ll be safe here."

Father Creighton: "Do you, Jamie?"

Father Creighton: "I used to believe, but then it became too hard. I even took time off to try and find Him again, but I never really did ... But now I’m thinking ... He might have sent you to enlighten me."

———————————————————————

Mel, paraphrasing her reading: "Nicholas Frances Creighton. Born in Akron; graduated Notre Dame in ‘86; ordained a Jesuit priest in ‘92 and assigned a parish in Saginaw Falls. In ‘97 he left Saginaw Falls ... Was assigned to a parish in South Chicago in ‘98 and has been there ever since."

Cole, coming to look over her shoulder: "Where was he between ‘97 and ‘98?"

Mel: "Pull up that Jesuit web page again."

He pulls up The Jesuit Directory, then a subpage.

Mel: "Okay. This could be it. A lot of priests are required to perform a hermitage."

Cole: "A hermitage?"

Mel: "Live in seclusion." She starts punching in a number on her cell phone. "Kind of a focus on their spiritualism ... My Sunday School education might actually pay off!" Into the phone, "Yes! My name is Melanie Creighton and I’m a Jesuit parishioner." Cole looks at her, both startled and impressed as she goes on. "A while back my cousin, Father Nicholas Creighton, spent a year or so in solitary prayer and ... well, I was ... hoping to make a ... pilgrimage to where he was ... Ah ha! ... Ah hmm..."

[This sub-plot of a priest in a crisis of faith should have been very touching. The actor is good but the sloppy writing and the resultant plot holes were very distracting and could’ve been fixed with one call to the local Catholic Church. For example, a priest would never, without the knowledge and consent of his superiors, go off to investigate a "miracle." Moreover, not too many Catholics would just accept his presence without checking with the local parish, although in this case it’s somewhat covered because he’s a family friend.

But the "hermitage" thing Mel was going on about here was ridiculous and there could have been a little better research done to accomplish her phone call. First off, many people choose to go on retreats when they’re getting ready to make difficult decisions, but while they might go ‘to’ a hermitage, they don’t ‘perform’ or ‘make’ a hermitage. Second, the extra year the Jesuits sometimes spend in prayer is called a ‘tertianship’, not a ‘hermitage’. Yet all in all this was a beautiful and compassionate portrayal of a priest and the faith and religion he’s trying so hard to regain].

———————————————————————

While Jamie/Lontoria busies herself lighting votive candles, Father Creighton places a call to Sheriff Dawson.

Father Creighton: "Please. I need your help. I thought I could handle this on my own, but I can’t."

Sheriff Dawson: "Where are you? Do you have Jamie with you?"

Father Creighton: "Yes, and I promise you she’s fine. But you’ve got to listen to me! Her life is in danger! They’re after her!"

Sheriff Dawson: "What are you talking about?"

Father Creighton: "Two men. One posing as a TV producer named Raven. The other I ... I don’t know who or what he is! But they’re after Jamie!"

[He’s apparently forgotten that Abby Swenson had Dawson check out Raven].

Sheriff Dawson: "All right, Father. Calm down. Take it easy. Now, if you need help, tell me where you are ... and I’ll come out myself."

Father Creighton: "Thank you. The old Saint Clemens Church, just outside Minden."

Sheriff Dawson: "I’ll be there in an hour."

Father Creighton disconnects and turns to assure Jamie: "The Sheriff’s coming to help us."

Meanwhile, Sheriff Dawson places a call to another: "It’s Dawson ..."

———————————————————————

With Mel’s help, Cole has Tracked them down and he goes to Collect Lontoria. He walks up the path to the Church and calls out: "Father Creighton!"

[Throughout, Cole’s interactions with Lontoria are great when they could have been major league creepy (she’s a teenager, for crying out loud!) and the entire thing about the possible extent of their past relationship was quite well handled].

Father Creighton looks out the window and panics, turning to Jamie: "Stay here!"

Jamie/Lontoria, assuring him: "No, Father. It’s okay."

Cole enters the vestibule of the Church and he and Lontoria exchange looks. They both know why he’s there.

Father Creighton, shouting: "Leave her alone!"

Jamie/Lontoria, gently: "It’s all right. I know this man."

Father Creighton, not understanding: "Jamie! What are you doing!?"

Jamie/Lontoria: "I need to talk to him. Alone."

Father Creighton: "This isn’t a game!"

Jamie/Lontoria: "You said that you didn’t believe anymore. But now you can."

Cole turns and walks out of the Church, Jamie following after him. She looks back a moment at the Father before going out the door.

Father Creighton, worried, calling after her: "Be careful."

Cole/Daggon, as Lontoria walks up to him: "You know why I’m here."

Jamie/Lontoria, trying to dissuade him: "Look. I made a mistake. I was hurt and angry."

Cole/Daggon: "That was your decision. There’s always a price for the choices we make. Remember that? That’s what we Cirronians live by. It’s our law. If we fail that, we fail ourselves and those that we try to help."

Cole/Daggon: "It’s not my decision to make. I have a job to do. You illegally sold your research to the Scientific Consortium on Varda."

Jamie/Lontoria: "I thought they’d use it for new energy sources. Not military weapons."

Cole/Daggon, all but pleading: "Lontoria ... I’m asking you ... Give up your lifeforce willingly."

Jamie/Lontoria: "It’s your duty ... But have you thought of the consequences of your actions? Jamie Swenson was dying of an incurable disease. I gave her life. Take away my lifeforce and you will kill her."

Cole/Daggon: "Jamie Swenson died the minute you inhabited her body."

Jamie/Lontoria: "Tell that to her mother ... To her, Jamie is alive ... I give her love ... And hope."

[Lontoria took the body of a dying girl and gave it – and her mother – new life and a renewal of hope. This must be an enormously hard adjustment for her to have become the teenage daughter of a woman who would’ve been grieving big time. Very impressive in terms of Cirronian morality].

Cole/Daggon, still pleading: "Don’t make this any harder than it already is."

Jamie/Lontoria, caressing his chest: "You’re a man of ... great integrity ... You’ve always looked out for me ... Zin may have freed me ... but he’ll never have hold of me ... Never ... forget ... that I am a Cirronian."

Lontoria faces him, bravely and with acceptance as he takes out his Collector. He places his hand on her shoulder to steady her (and himself) and seems about to say something when Zin and Dawson (who’s really an Enixian named Dreakos), drive up in the Sheriff’s car.

Jamie/Lontoria, accessing the situation: "We can fight him together."

Cole, alarmed and wary: "No, inside.

He quickly hustles her back inside the church, guarding her back.

[Note: The name of Dreakos isn’t given in the episode, but it’s listed as being such in the guest cast].

———————————————————————

Zin and Dawson/Dreakos get out of the car. With his sensitive Enixian hearing, Dawson/Dreakos is able to overhear Cole saying in the church, "Lontoria, there’s no way out of here" and her answering, "I know."

Dawson/Dreakos, to Zin: "The Tracker’s with them!"

Zin: "We’d better hurry, then. Before he takes her lifeforce."

Dawson takes a hi-powered rifle out of the trunk and notices the small weapon Zin has taken out of his coat pocket, looking at it questioningly.

Zin: "It’s a Vardian weapon. Interestingly enough, based on technology developed by Lontoria herself."

Dawson/Dreakos: "The Humans have a word for that."

Zin: "Hmm." He nods and gives a crooked smile. "Irony ... Let’s put it to use."

———————————————————————

Inside the Church, Cole is following after Jamie/Lontoria over to where Father Creighton is waiting, saying: "There’s no place you can hide!"

Father Creighton: "There’s a Sacristy in the back ... What’s going on?"

Cole: "I think you have to get out of sight immediately!"

Father Creighton, scoffing: "You don’t back down working up on the South Side of Chicago!"

He grabs a wickedly pointed, stake-like Crucifix and makes like to go do battle.

[Has anyone ever seen a Crucifix like that with a stake on the bottom of it outside of a vampire movie?].

Cole, stopping him and taking the Crucifix away: "No, Father. That won’t do you any good." He tosses it aside and goes to look out the window, now very worried.

Father Creighton comes over to look out the window beside him and smiles with relief: "Oh! It’s only the Sheriff!"

Cole, sternly: "He might not be the man you think he is!"

Father Creighton, taking Jamie’s arm: "Jamie, come with me!"

Jamie/Lontoria: "Father, there are things here you don’t understand!"

Father Creighton: "I’ve had enough of this! I’ll go talk to the Sheriff. I’m sure he can straighten everything out." Unaware of the danger, Father Creighton goes rushing outside.

Jamie/Lontoria: "Father! No!"

She chases after him, Cole at her heels.

Jamie/Lontoria: "Father! Get back inside!"

Dawson fires a shot at Father Creighton within moments of him exiting the Church and he crumples as Jamie/Lontoria screams.

Cole, urgently: "Help me get him back inside!"

As they start helping him back in, Zin shoots at Cole, hitting his right hand and crippling it.

[Note the look on Zin’s face here. It’s as if he’s not only amazed that he’s actually capable of blasting his former friend, but that he’s enjoying doing it!].

———————————————————————

Together, Jamie and Cole muscle the wounded Father into the Church.

Cole: "Easy, easy..."

He hands the Father off to Jamie’s arms as he bolts the front door and wedges a chair in front of it.

Cole, kneeling down to inspect the Father’s leg: "Let me see." To Jamie, "The bullet’s lodged in his flesh."

Jamie/Lontoria, to Cole: "Are you all right?"

Cole: "It barely hit me but it’s very powerful. He’s using some sort of energy weapon."

[It seems to have disrupted or dissipated part of Daggon’s lifeforce or energy flows. It looks like it’s an electrical discharge or stun gun type of thing].

Jamie/Lontoria, horrified: "I know." Cole looks at her, realizing as she confirms, "It’s my technology."

Father Creighton: "We have to go!"

Cole, trying to decide what to do: "Wait!"

Father Creighton: "We have to protect Jamie! We can lock ourselves in the Sacristy. Let’s go."

Jamie/Lontoria looks to Cole for guidance.

Cole: "Go with him, Jamie."

Jamie/Lontoria: "All right." She puts an arm around Father Creighton. "Come on."

She half carries the Father to the Sacristy while Cole prepares to take a stand in the Church.

———————————————————————

Jamie helps the Father to the Bishop’s Chair in the Sacristy and starts to bind up his leg wound with the convenient strips of cloth that just happened to be lying all by themselves on a shelf.

Father Creighton: "Jamie ... Jamie, how did you know what his name was?"

Jamie/Lontoria: "Um, he’s ... He’s just a friend ... from a long time ago."

———————————————————————

While checking out the interior of the Church, Cole hears scrabbling sounds on the roof above him.

From outside, Zin begins taunting him in order to offer a distraction while Dawson/Dreakos begins sneaking in through the upper gallery.

Zin: "How’s your hand, Tracker? ... It’s a nice little weapon I’ve developed ... With the help of Lontoria’s research work ... Her work has served us Vardians well ... You may have your Collector ... But the problem is, you’re going to have to get close enough to use it. Not likely while I have this ... So ... I have a deal to propose ... Turn Lontoria over to me ... I will spare your life ... As well as the priest’s ..."

Inside, Cole finally pinpoints exactly where the sound is coming from and where it’s likely to emerge and hides himself behind the pews.

Zin: "Tracker?"

Since there’s been no response, he starts walking toward the entryway of the church.

Dawson/Dreakos leaps down from the upper gallery with his rifle and, in a brief game of cat and mouse with Cole zipping from one side to the other, tries to locate where Cole is hiding. Cole springs on him from behind, knocking him down. Just as they begin skirmishing, Zin comes in, aiming and firing his weapon.

Cole has just kicked Dawson/Dreakos’ rifle arm, spinning him directly into Zin’s line of fire as his rifle discharges. Zin is hit by a bullet in the shoulder; Dawson/Dreakos is blasted in the chest by the energy weapon, killing (?) him, the impact throwing his body against Cole and knocking him to the floor.

Cole scrambles to his feet and grimly goes for Zin, but Zin, looking somewhat panicked fires again. The energy blast takes Cole dead center in the chest, mortally wounding him and hurling him backward like a rag doll to fall, dying, at the base of the altar.

Zin stalks over for the final killing blast, but his energy gun has jammed. Or is out of energy. Angrily, he flings it aside and grabs the discarded stake-like Crucifix.

Zin, snarling with keen satisfaction as Cole lays there gasping, barely conscious: "You’re suffering, so why not let me indulge in a little mercy killing!"

He kneels down and raises the Crucifix to put the Tracker out of his misery.

[One has to wonder if Daggon’s ability to "regenerate small amounts of tissue" could ever be enough to repair the damage of a stake through the heart!].

Jamie/Lontoria, from the doorway, with Dawson’s rifle trained on him: "Get away from him!"

Zin, straightening up and sneering: "I suppose it was foolish of me ... to expect that you and I would ever work in tandem!" He flings the Crucifix aside in angry disgust.

Father Creighton, rushing in: "Jamie!"

Distracted, she whirls. By the time she turns back, Zin is going out the door, having telekinetically pushed the pews out of his way.

Jamie/Lontoria, dropping the rifle: "Cole!"

Horrified, she rushes over and kneels down beside him.

Jamie/Lontoria: "He’s dying!" She begins to sob. "... And all because of my arrogance ... Trying to save Humankind as my penance ... It’s a crime worse than treason!"

Father Creighton is chanting and she looks at him as if he’s out of his mind.

Jamie/Lontoria: "What are you doing?"

Father Creighton: "Administering Last Rites ... So he may join God in Heaven."

Father Creighton: "But we all have meaning to Him."

Jamie/Lontoria: "Father ... Please ... I have to try and save him."

Father Creighton finishes the last words of the Rite and moves away as she holds one hand over Cole’s chest, the other over his head, and does this energy transfer thing.

Father Creighton turns, then looks on in wonder as Cole comes to, gasping.

Drained, Jamie/Lontoria then collapses on top of him, exhausted.

Father Creighton, awed: "Jamie ... I thought you were an Angel sent by God ... But I don’t think even an Angel can do what I just saw ... What are you?"

Cole, cradling her against his chest and tenderly stroking her hair: "What does it matter what she is? ... She helps people ... Isn’t that what your religion is all about?"

———————————————————————

In the tag, Father Creighton and Cole bring Jamie home to her worried mother. The Father has apparently gotten medical help for his bullet wound (or Cole took care of it) and their cover story is in place.

Abby Swenson and Jamie rush to embrace.

Abby Swenson: "Jamie! Oh! I thought I’d lost you! ... Are you all right? Are you okay?"

Jamie/Lontoria: "I’m okay ... Father Creighton saved me."

Abby Swenson: "He what!?"

Jamie/Lontoria: "Mr. Raven wanted to hurt me but ..." She looks fondly back at the Father. "Father Creighton saved my life."

Abby Swenson: "Father, I had no idea! I ... I thought..."

Father Creighton: "I’m sorry if we gave you a scare."

Cole silently observes all this, then turns and walks out to the vestibule.

Abby Swenson, just noticing Cole: "Honey ... Who’s that man?"

Jamie/Lontoria: "Oh, uh, just a friend."

Father Creighton, confirming: "He helped us."

Jamie/Lontoria: "Yeah, he did." She squeezes ‘her’ mother’s hands reassuringly. "I’ll be right back, okay?"

She turns and follows Cole out to the vestibule.

Abby Swenson: "Father ... Thank you."

Father Creighton: "No, thank you. Jamie has helped me in ways I can’t even describe."

———————————————————————

Jamie joins Cole in the vestibule to say their good-byes. This final scene between Cole and Lontoria is just beautiful. One can see the strong feelings between the two as they talk, then finally touch each other’s chests.

[Minor annoyance: One would have thought that Lontoria would be calling Daggon by his real name rather than by his Earthly name of Cole in their last conversation].

Cole/Daggon: "I see Mrs. Swenson really loves her daughter."

Jamie/Lontoria: "Yeah. Yeah, she does... You know, I ... feel like I felt when I first came to Sar-Top ... I’d never been more scared in my entire life."

Cole/Daggon, reminiscing: "Well, you never were the typical prisoner ... You know I never thought that you should be there."

Jamie/Lontoria: "I committed the crime..." They fondly gaze at each other a few moments. "Cole ... I ... ah ... I sometimes wonder if..."

Cole/Daggon: "We were friends ... As few of us would be, Lontoria ... Sar-Top was a cold place ... We were able to make it a little warmer." He sighs. "You were taken in by Zin, weren’t you?"

Jamie/Lontoria: "Yeah."

Cole/Daggon: "Well, don’t be ... ashamed. I never suspected his true nature until he got here."

Jamie/Lontoria: "I knew it was illegal to sell my research."

Cole/Daggon: "Yeah, but you took responsibility for it. You ... were willing to pay the price."

Jamie/Lontoria: "I know someday ... you’re going to come back for me ... and ... I just want you to know that I will come willingly."

Cole/Daggon, coming to a decision: "I believe there’s a small margin of error allowed in my accounting for all the escaped prisoners ..." He nods to himself, then in a tone of amazement he goes on, "You sacrificed all your lifeforce so I could live..." He sighs again. "You’re more Jamie Swenson now than you are Lontoria."

[Their history as friends, his honest opinion that Lontoria didn’t deserve Sar-Top, her determination to do penance and his dedication to his duty all played a part in this decision to not Collect her. But would he be in trouble if Sar-Top finds out that he’s been making ‘judgement calls’ on who should be Collected and who doesn't ‘deserve’ to be? And just how much of a ‘margin’ is he allowed?].

Jamie/Lontoria: "But if Zin comes..."

She nods her understanding and they walk outside.

Cole/Daggon: "What’s the matter?"

Jamie/Lontoria: "It’s just that you’re all alone here. I mean, who’s going to look out for you?"

Cole/Daggon: "I have a friend. A Human ... She’s the only one who knows who I really am."

Jamie/Lontoria: "Can you trust her?"

Cole/Daggon: "Yes. Very much."

Jamie/Lontoria: "I’m going to miss you."

Cole/Daggon: "Hey, don’t worry. I’ll be around. After all ... you saved my life."

Jamie/Lontoria: "Yeah!"

They both laugh, then affectionately touch each other’s chests, hands over each other’s heart. Cole then turns and walks off down the street, leaving Lontoria to her new life.

• What happened to Sheriff Dawson/Dreakos? Did he flee with Zin? Or was he dead?

• There is decided confusion and inconsistency in the series on the question of exactly when the aliens arrived, the only agreement being the month.

In the Pilot it was a warm enough day for Mel to be using the car air conditioner and she was wearing a sleeveless summer-styled dress, so one can safely assume that it was a summer month. This is further verified by the color and the stage of growth of the vegetation seen, especially that of the field of corn, all clearly indicating early summer.

In this episode Cole says that the aliens arrived on the 23rd.

In "Children of the Night" Jordan is reported to have been missing since July 15th. Since Mrs. Baylor also says that Jordan had been taken to see Dr Portman for presumed asthma and that he’d begun hanging out with the wrong people, it can be assumed that Sirez didn’t leave his host’s home right away but stayed on for a few weeks.

Going by all this, then one would say that the most likely date for alien arrival is probably June 23rd. Yet in "The Beast" the kennel owner specifically says that Benny, the seeing-eye dog (that had been taken over by Mederan), was shipped to Stan Robert on June 12th...