Episode 13, The Bicameral Mind                      writer – David Slack

 

-         At Quark’s SubAtomic Research Facility, $12 million has been spent by Donovan on the latest project, which scientists are now revealing.

Donovan: Bring on the showstoppers, sweetie.

Scientist: Right this way, sir – ma’am (to Jenny)

Donovan and Jenny are suitably impressed by the results of the project – some ant-neutrinos.

Donovan: Yeah, they glimmer like glimmery things.

Meanwhile, at Legion headquarters, the Machina are developing a project of their own, Project Nova – the AI-X-23, which is only in the blueprint stages.  #4, who his working on it, is still a bit distracted from his task due to the previous episode’s events.

            And at Dr. Slate’s lab in Quark, Rusty is busy playing the 12th level of Magitech Warriors

Rusty: Fireball – duck! (signal goes off) But I’m so close…

The Quark team meeting this time is a plan to do some proactive reconnasaince on the Legion, but they need a decoy.

Jenny: You wouldn’t harm a little monkey would you? (menacing robot approaches)  I will remember this – you will pay (to Donovan)

BG : Thirsty, eh?  Well try some punch! (hits Legion robot).

 And thus begins project Brain Drain, where Rusty try to interface with the Legion technology in real time.

Slate: (to Rusty via remote) Locate the acess hatch.  Now runa T-5 dataport; grab anything you can. (Rusty begins downloading)

Back at the Intelligence network, the operation is noticed.

Legion Member #4: He’s downloading schematics (begins to fight back)

Legion Member: #4 , it was quite a chore reinstalling your software from cyberspace.

Rusty: A multi-player game, cool!

#4: Don’t trifle with me, Rusty – you don’t have the bandwidth.

Legion Member: Be prudent, #4.  You’re heading for a power surge.

But before anything too serious can happen between Rusty and #4, BG yanks the connector cord on Rusty’s side.

BG: This call’s been disconnected.  You all right, son?

Rusty: (cheerful) No brain pain receptors!

-         Back at Quark headquarters, Rusty has abandoned the video game to draw.  He goes to show Dr. Slate.

Rusty: Dr. Slate, wanna come see what I drew?

Slate: Not now, Rusty, I’m very busy.

Rusty: (examines drawing) I think I’ll call it…

#4: (at Legion Headquarters) Reconstruction with Project Nova will proceed … momentarily (plays Magitech Warriors)

-         Back at Quark again, Rusty is again trying to show off his work to Dr. Slate.

Rusty: I’m making something.  Wanna see?

Slate: Not right now, Rusty.

Rusty: Voltmeter (pockets it).  I understand. (in Machina-type voice) We must all remain on schedule.

Slate: (affectionately) Kids.

Rusty: (walking, examining blueprint)  Hmm, don’t have any of those lying around. (wanders off to Sector 5)  These anti-neutrinos should do the trick.

Later, BG is investigating a robbery of antineutrinos from Quark.

      Dwayne: No giant robot prints, but there is a resonance trail.

      BG: (notices Rusty hasn’t shown up yet) Guess I’m big solo guy today.

-         Meanwhile, back at Legion headquarters….

Legion Member: #4, how is progress going?

#4: Most satisfactory – I am finally going to stomp the evil Frog Commander! (to game)  Dragor the Loathsome! Oh, how I hate that dragon!

Dr. Slate finally glances at Rusty’s blueprints and is shocked at what she sees.

Slate: Rusty, where’s this project of yours?

Rusty: Yeah! Wanna see it now?

Slate: (determined) Very much so.

BG is also cottoning to the mystery of the missing anti-neutrinos.

Dwayne: Trail leads right to Quark.

The Legion has also realized something is up, and is now examining #4. They decide that the earlier battle of wits with Rusty has transferred some of each one’s traits to the other.

#4:  Now that we’ve determined the nature of my malady, (whining) may we please get back to my game?

-         At a formerly empty Quark hangar, Dr. Slate is shocked to discover a massive robot.  Rusty still wants to hook up some Brown relays.

Rusty: I’m not finished!

Slate: Oh yes you are!

Rusty: But the schedule – launch is at 1300 hours!

Slate: Ooh, wait’ll your father gets here.

And it’s not a long wait, as BG has followed the resonance trail right to the hangar.  The Legion are then shocked that they are receiving telemetry from a robot they haven’t built themselves.

BG: Son, I’m not gonna ask you again. Why did you take those anti-neutrinos

Rusty: But Big Guy, look what I made!

BG: OK, why?

Rusty: I’m not sure, but isn’t it cool?

Suddenly, the robot begins moving, flying out of the hangar to go on a rampage on the Legions’ orders.

Rusty: Why did I build a bad guy, Big Guy?

BG: Until we can solve that mystery, you’re grounded. (flies off)

Rusty: Big Guy! Don’t blow it up (Dr. Slate glares)…without me. Heh.

The Legion meanwhile is quite impressed with the automaton Rusty created, particularly the anti-neutrino cannons

#4: No fair! He copied my brain!

Legion Member: The boy robot’s quite the little engineer.

-         Somewhere in New Tronic City, BG corners the robot.

BG: Time to serve up two scoops of candy-coated kaboom! (fires missles at robot, damaging one of its legs)  The knees are always the first to go.

            BG continues fighting the robot, taking out its cannon in the process.

            Rusty: (watching scene on TV)  Big Guy’s going to trash my masterpiece! (sees glares) Er, hehe, go Big Guy… (unenthusiastic)

The Legion tries to dissuade #4 from going to Project Nova, but he takes off anyway.  Rsuty feels compelled to help the robot, too.

            #4: (to Legion) Shut your pie hole! (to self) If I repair the cannon, perhaps they’ll finally allow me to stomp the evil Frog Commander!

            Legion Member: #4, report to base.

            Legion Member: Unsound judgement.

#4 arrives in time to watch BG knock the giant robot around.

            #4: (awed) The Clop Chopper! A Big Guy classic!

            BG: Didn’t know he has a fan of my work.

Unfortunately, Rusty shows up, distracting BG enough for the Nova-bot to knock him down.

BG: A little close to the bone.

Rusty: Bad Nova! Big Guy, I am soo sorry!

I think at this point #4 is able to appropriate enough of what’s left of Novato knock out Rusty as well.  The Legion is semi-impressed.

Legion Member: While you’re at it, download the boy robot’s AI.

#4: (links up to Rusty like earlier in the episode) Game over, Rusty.

Rusty: Wrong! Bonus round!

The two struggle with the link, knocking each other out.  #4 finally rises.

Legion Member: Welcome back, #4… What is he doing?

Rusty (in #4’s body): (dispatches Nova-bot) A classic move the Big Guy calls the Monster Masher!

BG (to Rusty’s body): Kid?

#4 (in Rusty’s body): (aims nucleoproton blast at BG) A wolf in sheep’s clothing. Good bye, BGY.

He deactivates suddenly though when the real Rusty deactivates him by removing his power core.

Dwayne: Doc, I think we got that Legion specimen you’ve been looking for.

-         At Quark headquarters, Slate notices that Rusty, back in his original body, has abandoned drawing and is back to playing video games.

Slate: That’s the Rusty I know and built.