Kenneth and Eugene ask the question, can writers wrap a conspiracy within a conspiracy within a conspiracy so deep that the whole thing vanishes up its own butt?

Spoiler: Yes, they can.

Episode Synopsis

The Saratoga is putting in to Earth for some much needed R&R, but it is not to be.  The Secretary General of the Commonwealth of Earth is assassinated by an in-vitro, and everything goes into security lockdown.

The 58th gets some much-needed replacements for their depleted squadron, in the form of Lts. Pisarek, Stone, and Swirko.  Swirko is just exactly the kind of egotistical, biggoted asshat you’d expect in the Space Jarheads and he wastes no time getting into a fight with Tank, which is broken up by the Colonel.

On Earth, with the death of the Secretary General, Under-Secretary Chaput of France is currently in charge.  Chaput, like France, is ultra-right wing.  He has a controversial position on the escalation of the Chig War, and has vocally opposed in-vitro affirmative action programs.  There will be an election for the new Secretary General soon and Chaput is a top contender.

His primary opponent is Diane Hayden, of the United States. She also holds controversial positions on the Chi War, in that she wants to open a dialog with the enemy, and she has been a long-standing supporter of in-vitro rights.  She also was formerly on the board of governors for Aerotech, which raises questions in West’s tiny little mind.

Swirko, true to expected form, likes the cut of Chaput’s gib.

The election of the new Secretary General will take place aboard the Saratoga, and the Ambassadors gather for the conference and election.  There’s one complication, due to the paranoia on the planet below, all in-vitros must undergo loyalty tests, including the two on the Saratoga, Colonel McQueen and Cooper Hawkes.  Commodore Ross warns McQueen and tries to send him and the 58th on a mission to get them out of sight for a while.  The tactic fails and McQueen and Tank are taken for questioning under a truth verifier.

The 58th proceed with the mission, heading to the moon to pick up some cargo.  On the way, Swirko tries to spread more doubt about the in-vitros which seems to find fertile ground in West’s tiny little mind.  Their cargo turns out to be Diane Hayden, being shuttled to the Saratoga in secret.

Not so big of a secret, though, as there is a bomb aboard the shuttle, but some quick thinking on Swirko’s part saves the shuttle and their VIP.

Back on the Saratoga, McQueen refuses to proceed with the loyalty test when they ask him if he has ever betrayed his country.  They place him in detention and begin interrogating Tank.  Tank’s answers seem a little dodgy, but things get weirder when the machine surreptitiously administers and injection to Tank.

Hayden and the 58th arrive on the Saratoga, but Hayden refuses bodyguards, and then proceeds to visit McQueen in detention.  She explains that she thinks this loyalty test is barbaric, but that she has to go along with it until she’s elected.  You have to stand up to to your opposition at the right time, and then you can’t let them know you’re doing it.  Pragmatic.  I believe that’s the charitable term for that form of politician.

Chaput haș called for West to see him.  He likes the cut of West’s gib and so he decides to let him know a little secret.  Aerotech knew the aliens were out there and proceeded with the colonization program, anyway.  I’ll fight them, says Chaput, what about you?

Chaput leaves and his aide asks for a favor for his boss.  Tonight, after the meeting, while you’re on watch, leave the doors unlocked so that Chaput and Hayden can have a private, off-the-books meeting.

Tank visits the Colonel and begins babbling in the same way Fox Mulder used to, just without the intelligence behind his words.  McQueen, knowing something is wrong, demands to take the loyalty test.

That night, West does leave the doors open, but he at least has the sense to sneak around to see what happens.  There is no meeting between Chaput and Hayden, but an armed Swirko shows up and tries to kill Chaput.  West thwarts the assassination attempt and Swirko is killed in his escape attempt.

Having failed, Hayden’s agent activate their backup assassin, Tank.

Chaput’s aide is getting Chaput off the carrier, and puts him on a shuttle, then leaves to go get some papers.  Inside the shuttle, Tank confronts Chaput, but a newly-released McQueen intercedes.  Recognizing that Tank is programmed to kill when he see’s Chaput’s tastefully French-styled Nazi badge, McQueen uses one to distract Tank long enough to disarm him and save Chaput’s life.

Chaput’s aide is arrested, but before he is taken out, he chastises West, comparing Chaput to Hitler.  He should have stopped him before he seizes power.

It seems that all of Hayden’s machinations have failed, as Chaput still lives, and will no doubt have more sympathy for having been an assassin’s target.

Or Not.  It turns out all Hayden machinations were for nothing, because she wins the election and now governs Earth.

During an award ceremony for West, he breaks protocol and refuses the medal, asking instead for the truth — did Aerotech know about the aliens beforehand?  Hayden walks away.