In his quarters, Rip watches a video message that his wife and son sent him. Miranda says that London is in chaos and wants to know if Rip is all right, wherever and whenever he is. Martin comes in and Rip quickly shuts off the message. The Time Master says that Vandal's trail has gone cold, and angrily insists that he's been looking. Rip immediately apologizes and admits that he's failing his family, and explains that Gideon's CPU hasn't been updated since he went rogue. Martin warns that Rip has been holed up for a week and their teammates are getting antsy.
In the hold, Mick complains that he's locked up in a spaceship with nothing burn. When he starts to go, Len asks where he's going and Mick asks him if he's going to clock him over the head again if he doesn't listen. Once they're alone, Sara asks Len if everything is okay and Len says that it's peachy.
Gideon tells Rip that it has intercepted a deep-space transmission from the Acheron, the flagship of the Time Fleet. In the message, Captain Eve Baxter reports that she's stranded and requires immediate assistance. Rip tells the crew and explains that the Acheron's computer will contain the current intel on Vandal's whereabouts. They head for deep space and Len and Sara both suggest it might be a trap. Mick immediately agrees to help, pointing out that the sooner they end Vandal, the sooner he'll be back on Earth.
Gideon takes Waverider to Acheron and Rip invites Martin and Jax to join the boarding party. Len asks Mick if he thinks there's something worth stealing on Acheron, and Mick sarcastically says that he's just looking for a change of scenery. Rip leaves Waverider under Ray's command, and leaves Ray under Kendra's command. The boarding party--Rip, Mick, Jax, and Martin--then take a jump ship over to Acheron. As they go, Martin talks about he's dreamed of being an astronaut since he was ten. Gideon is unable to contact the Acheron computer and Rip tells Martin to stay with the jump ship while he and the others check it out.
Rip remembers serving with Miranda in the past, and holding off a group of pirates aboard their timeship. As the pirates reach the bridge, Miranda has Rip open the bulkhead door and ejects the pirates into space. Their commander, Declan, ends the simulation and tells Rip that he could learn a thing or two from Miranda's innovative thinking. Afterward, Rip and Miranda kiss until Declan finds them. He warns that Rip will soon have a disciplinary hearing. Once he leaves, Miranda reminds Rip that they knew from the beginning that their relationship was forbidden, and says that she needs some time to think.
Rip, Jax, and Mick board Acheron and finds signs of blaster fire on the walls. Pirates suddenly attack them and subdue Jax and Rip. Mick puts up a fight until the pirate commander, John Valor, holds a gun to his head. Mick finally yields and Rip tells Jax that they're dealing with time pirates. Valor introduces himself and says that Eve was on her way back to the Vanishing Point when they escaped. Eve destroyed her time drive per protocol, and Valor figured that another Time Master would rescue her. Rip claims that he isn't a Time Master, but Valor knows who he is from his reputation. The Time Master says that Vandal will destroy the world unless he returns to Waverider, but Valor doesn't buy it and orders a boarding party. Rip warns that he ordered his crew to open fire on any boarding ship. Valor doesn't believe it, but Rip warns that his crew is hardened warriors.
On Waverider's bridge, Ray is making captain's logs and arguing Star Trek with Kendra. Len is irritated with them, and Sara figures that Mick's problem is with Len because knocked him out. the criminal figures that Mick will get back to normal eventually, but Sara doesn't believe it. Valor calls and asks for Ray, and warns him that he has the boarding party captive. He punches Rip and tells Ray that he has ten seconds to surrender or he'll start killing his prisoners. Rip mentions the Imperiex onslaught, and Gideon activates certain protocols. It advises the crew to strap themselves in and fires a warning shot on Acheron.
Martin queries Gideon on what's happening, and the AI explains.The professor is unable to make contact with Acheron, and figures that it's up to him.
Valor orders his men to set a pursuit course and return fire. He explains that he's targeting the ship's life support systems.
Martin boards Acheron and looks for the weapon targeting system.
Gideon takes evasive action but loses the telemetry control to a hull breach. Ray takes manual control, and Sara and Len go to deal with the breach.
Martin finds the system and disables it just as Valor prepares to take out Waverider's thrusters. The pirate realizes that there's a saboteur aboard the ship and sends his men to find him. Meanwhile, they continue following Waverider, figuring that they'll soon run out of air.
Len starts sealing the hole with his cold gun.
Valor tells Rip to order his crew to surrender. Mick agrees with the pirate, but Rip refuses to surrender his ship. He slips in another code word, and Waverider slips away using a hologrammatic decoy. Valor realizes what Rip is doing and has him and the others locked up in the brig.
Len's cold gun runs out of charge and Gideon seals the bulkhead doors, trapping them inside as the AI warns that the breach is only partially contained. Ray and Kendra come down and Gideon warnsthat the door will remain sealed as long as the breach is a threat.
The pirates throw Rip, Jax, and Mick into the brig with Eve. She says that she's already tried disabling the force field without success, and promises that if they do escape then she'll take him to the Vanishing Point to stand trial. Eve tells Rip that she doesn't want help from a man who broke his oath and stole a timeship for selfish reasons.
At the hearing, Declan confirms that Rip and Miranda use false names to avoid anyone from tracking down their ancestors and wiping out their pasts. Rip recites the Time Master policy against fraternization, and Declan asks for a one-hour recess to let them consider their response.
Len and Sara try to stay warm as the ice patch slowly cracks. He asks Sara what it's like, dying, and she says that she was lonely. Sara says that at least she's not dying alone, and Len says that he almost died the day he met Mick in juvie. Some of the older kids jumped Len, and Mick stepped in. he's been standing up for Len ever since.
On Acheron, Martin lures a pirate into a room and knocks him out. He then takes the man's uniform
Ray dons his Atom suit and prepares to head to Acheron. He puts Kendra in command she wishes him luck.
Jax is unable to jerry-rig the door open. Mick says that it's Rip's fault, and blames Rip for filling Len's head with stories of saving the world. Irritated, Rip asks Mick what he would do. Mick doesn't have an answer, and Rip says that he only brought Mick along because he came with Len. He then apologizes for his comment, and Mick says that he has a way out. He yells for the pirates, demanding to speak to Valor about handing over Waverider. When Rip tries to stop him, Mick grabs him and says that he knows how to cut a deal. The pirates let him out and take him to Valor.
On the Acheron bridge, Mick offers Waverider in return for a trip home. Valor beats him to make his "escape" convincing.
Atom flies to the breach from the outside and welds it short. He's running short on oxygen, and figures that he will need two more minutes to finish the job.
Len wishes that he could take a few things back, like taking Mick away from 2046. Sara warns that Len is still going to have a problem with Mick if they survive, and they huddle together for warmth.
In the brig, Rip points out that Mick made the best possible choice for himself given that the others are probably dead. He tells Eve that long ago he made a more important oath than to the Time Masters. He failed to save his family, and to save his family he did something that he'll never forgive himself for.
When Rip returns to the Tribunal hall, he finds no one there. Declan tells him that the hearing was cancelled because Miranda assumed full responsibility for the affair. They dismissed the charges in return for Miranda's resignation, and Declan tells Rip that he must prove to all of them that he's the man that Miranda believes is worth resigning for.
The brig force field shuts down and Martin steps forward and invites them to join him in his escape.
Atom starts to doze off from lack of oxygen, and Kendra tells him to stay focused on his wife. She tells him to keep talking about whatever comes to mind. However, he finally drifts away from Waverider. He flies for the airlock and Kendra runs to help him. She finds him passed out on the floor, and Gideon warns that Atom has gone into cardiac arrest. Kendra pulls off Atom's chest plate and administers CPR. He finally revives and thanks Kendra. Len comes in and asks if they need a moment. Gideon reports that Mick has sent a message that he escaped captured and is heading back to Waverider. He enters Waverider from the jump ship... and pirates come in behind him.
Mick says that he's getting them home and asks Len if he's in. Len draws his gun and says that it's time for him to choose a side... and takes out a pirate. Mick returns fire and the pirates attack while Mick goes for the time drive.
Aboard Acheron, Rip tells Eve to get off in the jump ship while he goes after Valor. Eve refuses to leave her ship, and Martin and Jax refuses to abandon their captain. Rip says that they're outnumbered and they'll need an unconventional plan.
Mick goes to the engine room. A pirate shoots Len, and Kendra, Atom, and Sara attack the boarders.
Rip reaches the bridge and shoots Valor, who returns fire.
Mick reaches the time drive and Sara tells him to step away. The criminal attacks her.
Rip and Valor fight.
Kendra and Ray take out the remaining pirates.
Mick tosses Sara across the chamber and gets his gun. As he prepares to shoot Sara, Len arrives and shoots him.
As the remaining pirates surround Martin and the others, Martin calls rip and warns that they've run out of time. Rip breaks free and knocks out Valor, and then tells Acheron's AI Gilbert to open the exterior door. The pirates are swept out into space, while Jax, Martin, and Eve hang on. Once the pirates are clear of the ship, Rip has the AI close the door and hail Waverider.
Kendra and Atom reach the engine room, and Mick asks Len what he's going to do.
Later, Eve admits that it wouldn't be fair of her to arrest Rip after his help, and admits that he's still a Time Master. She gives him the CPU update and Gilbert reports that Vandal is in Harmony Springs, Colorado, in March 1958. Eve wonders why Rip has gone rogue, and Rip says that he's doing it for love.
Miranda finds Rip and asks him not to be mad hat her. He says that he was going to resign, and Miranda says that she knew and didn't want him to give up his dream. Rip wonders how she can give it up, and Miranda says that she found love with him. She's realized that love is beautiful and powerful, and changes everything. Miranda insists that the world needs the Time Masters, and the Time Masters need Rip. She asks Rip to think of her when she realizes why she's doing what she's doing, and they kiss.
Kendra finds Ray and confirms that he's okay. He remembers Kendra saying that she needs him, and Ray says that she doesn't need anyone. After a moment, Kendra kisses him.
Later, the crew gathers and discusses what to do with Mick. Rip warns that the brig isn't suitable for long-term incarceration, and Len says that he'll handle it. Waverider lands and Len drags Mick out and kicks him away. He admits that Mick was right and wishes that there was another way. When he says that Mick is a liability to the team, Mick reminds his former partner that they used to be a team and wonders what happened to him. Len says that people change, and Mick says that deep down he's still the same punk kid that he saved in juvie. He tells Len to kill him if he can because only one of them is walking out alive. Len agrees and shoots him.
Written by Gadfly on Mar 11, 2016