Rocket to the Future, Part 2: Mission to Pluto

While Cadet Billy suffers in the engine room cleaning greasy components, Lt. Linley awakens from his electro-coma in a wheelie cart, and Sparky persuades Ensign Zinn to get Eugene 2000 to zap open the door to Sickbay so that she can interview Dr. Dankmeme about this "spy" business.

Lt. Fawna tricks Cadet Billy into leaving the space brig, and Ensign Zinn fails to ingratiate himself with his new cabin mate, embedded space journalist Sparky McClean.

This terrifying episode takes us back in time to the genesis of the Earth Space Force's mission to Pluto. Yes, this really happened!

Lt. Schicklegruber makes his way through the ship's ventilation system, Gretchen Munch tosses Sparky McClean's fragrant space blouses and space toiletries into the corridor for Ensign Zinn to collect, and Dr. Dankmeme puts herself on an anxiety-reducing drug trial.

The corridors are narrow and winding on the Rocketship Vanguard, so there are a lot of opportunities for space secrets to be inadvertently shared. Meanwhile, embedded space journalist Sparky McClean has been expelled from her cabin, and Lt. Schicklegruber remains trapped in the ventilation tube.

Cadet Neddy pours so much space coffee into Senior Chief Advisor's cup that there's no room for space cream, and Dr. Dankmeme confesses to something that shocks her to learn!

Commander Train summons Dr. Dankmeme to her quarters for a mysterious conference, while Senior Chief Senior Advisor Casey tries to find a subordinate so she, Senior Chief Senior Advisor Casey, doesn't have to be the one to pour the space coffee.

While Gretchen Munch struggles to persuade Lt. Commander Chesterfield to expel Sparky McClean from their shared cabin, Lt. Fawna and Cadet Neddy malinger in the engine room, deliberating about whether or not to release Lt. Schicklegruber from a ventilation tube.

The description for episode 9 is actually the description for this episode! We made a mistake! Read last week's description for this week's episode! You'll be glad you did...

The android, Eugene 2000, treats Lt. Linley's abdominal wound with an electro-laser blast, and Commander Train and former Acting Captain Casey become ominous...

Eugene 2000, enjoying his freedom from ethical pressures, toys with Captain Major in the latter's quest for more space gin.

Eugene 2000, the rocket ship Vanguard's unconvincing android, explains the ethical framework behind "the four suggestions of robotics" while Cadet Billy frets about the future of humanity at the mercy of these "suggestions," and also whether he has enough cathode ray tubes.

Dr. Springbok again withholds medical care, this time from Lt. Linley, who has endured an accidental abdominal wound from Cadet Billy's horns. Meanwhile, embedded space reporter Sparky McClean entices Lt. Commander Chesterfield into her cabin to get extra points for their next Couple's Therapy session

Cadet Cindy and Lt. Commander Chesterfield have an uncomfortable encounter in the corridor, and then she barely escapes being pulled into Couple's therapy with Chesterfield and Sparky McClean. Meanwhile, Dr. Springbok refuses to treat Cadet Neddy for his back injury because, she says, he has aged out of eligibility for space medical care.

The combined crews on the rocket ship Vanguard are having further difficulty sharing quarters, especially Drs. Dankmeme and Springbok, and even more especially, Sparky McClean and Gretchen Munch, ambitious space journalists. Also fretful are those made uneasy by the new chain of command...

Cadet Neddy injures himself moving Dr. Dankmeme's belongings into Dr. Springbok's cabin, and Lt. Commander Fawna receives some very disappointing news from Commander Train!

Because of the mysterious scuttling of the Knausgaard, Commander Train summons both crews to a meeting on the Vanguard, where she offends the two crews—deeply—by ordering them to share quarters. Outrageous!

After the scuttling of the rocket ship Knausgaard, fraudulent Martian Ambassador to Earth faces the space media to explain that none of it was his fault, but soon the Moon Guards show up to collect him for "Round up Aliens Day"!

When Lt. Chesterfield discovers Cadet Cindy in the Knausgaard's engine room after the explosion, she has to flee and come up with rationalizations for pinning it on him. Meanwhile, fraudulent Martian Ambssador to Earth, Sammy Kahlua, prepares to face the space media...

As Lt. Commander Fawna slaps Caddy Neddy Nemesis even more awake by the abandoned space warehouse, Lt. Chesterfield finds there are no space cookies in the Vanguard's sickbay!

As embedded Space journalist Sparky McClean tries to figure out a way to beat Lt. Chesterfield at couple's therapy, Eugene 2000 pushes Lt. Commander Fawna through the space-continuum portal, and Commander Train and Cadet Cindy complete the scuttling of the Knausgaard!

As Lt. Chesterfield and interim Captain Casey wait in the Vanguard's Sickbay for the release of an oxygen tank to keep Casey from, well, dying, Sparky McClean comes by to berate Chesterfield for his getting an advantage on her for their next couple's therapy.

Commander Train, Cadet Cindy, and fraudulent Martian ambassador Sammy Kahlua gather to make their final sabotage plans, and Sammy has an extraordinary insight!

After rescuing interim Captain Casey, Lt. Chesterfield blocked from boarding the rocket ship Vanguard by Dr. Springbok, who points out that neither Chesterfield nor Casey appears on the Vanguard's manifest.

Cadet Neddy Nemesis is left behind near the abandoned warehouse on the outskirts of Luna Base 3, and no one seems to want to take him back to the space dock!