"Gentlemen, I have survived only for the purpose of destroying the Star Force. This I pledge to you and to the Comet Empire." -- Desslok
The year is 2201, one year after the Star Force returned to Earth with the CosmoDNA which removed the Gamilon radioactive pollution that was threatening all life on the planet. The Comet Empire prepares to begin its assault on unsuspecting Earth. We learn that Desslok of Gamilon is still alive, and in league with the Comet Empire.
Most of the Star Force crew members are now on Earth. The Argo (with Wildstar and Homer) is returning from remote patrol duty in the solar system. On the way back to Earth, the Argo receives an encoded message amidst a huge electromagnetic power surge. It is not yet known whether the surge was used to send the message, or to jam it, or for some other purpose.
During the surge, the Argo is attacked by an unidentified squadron of fighter planes. With its radar damaged, the Argo has a near collision with the new Earth Defense flagship, Andromeda, which refuses to give up its flight path for the incoming Argo. The two ships scape by each other, and the Argo lands on Earth.
Perhaps it was nothing more than a necessary plot device, but it seems highly improbable that Captain Gideon, of the Andromeda, would have given so much pride to a brand-new, untested ship, over respect for the ship (and captain) which everybody knows saved everybody only a year prior.
Here, we see for the first time other Earth robots, most notably, Nova's nurse assistant -- a more humaniform model than IQ-9, one which inspires both his synthetic jealousies and libido.
Earth Defense Force Flagship, Andromeda
"I'm an engineer, and I believe in technical improvments.
But, men still have to make the decisions. Machines can't think."
-- Sandor
Sandor and Wildstar visit the new shipyards, and discuss many of the new tech improvements going into Earth's new fleet. The Andromeda and other ships have skeleton crews, with most of the central systems controlled by computer. Sandor laments this since he believes that "we must keep control of the machines we create. If we don't, we're doomed." (see episode 1-18).
There are improvements for the Argo too: New shock cannons that
have an increased range (150% of the original); and, a time radar that
is capable to detecting past events in space. Sandor demonstrates it
for Wildstar by showing Chief Engineer Orion urinating against
a ship-yard wall. Must be getting old, that one.
But, all the improvements are not welcome. Sandor reveals to Wildstar that Earth Defense Committee wants the Argo to be adapted to the same kind of computer control system a la Andromeda. Derek flies into a rage and storms off to the Commander's office in protest. He urges, "The Argo's heart and blood is the Star Force. It's people, not machinery!"
While pleading his case to the Commander, as if in symmetry to the recent power surge, there is a power blackout over most of Earth, which is an attempt by the new enemy to soften up Earth defenses. During the outage, Wildstar spots an alien spy plane (a horseshoe crab-shaped bomber) flying over the darkened city.
Sandor notices a huge comet in the distant sky heading towards Earth. He and Wildstar analyse the radio message received during the power surge but can only determine that it must be "in some unknown language."
It is interesting that Sandor believes machines cannot think. Perhaps, more accurately, he believes they should not think, or at least should not be making critical decisions. IQ-9 certainly represents artificial intellegence (and artificial humour as well!) Sandor's desire to keep man's technology controllable probably stems from his childhood accident with the rocket car (again, see episode 1-18, Magnetron Wave).
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