...while Priya takes out her frustrations by destroying some tech while bitching about Tony, and Echo shows that we've got something in common when she asks what the hell Priya's problem is, and then proceeds to freak out on her in order to take out her frustration at having pushed Ballard away so many times, and surprisingly, given how often yelly speeches like this tend to go into ham-handed territory, it's quite well-acted, and has an extra bit of resonance given how much of a personal stake Echo always had in Tony and Priya's relationhip. Echo breaks down, sobbing that she never told Ballard she loved him, and now she's along. "I'm always alone!" If I were one of the thirty-seven other personalities in her head, I might feel a little insulted.

When we return, Topher has dug up a video lecture featuring the dearly departed Bennett, and when she talks about something that seems like the key to what he's trying to do, he freezes the action, plants a kiss on her image's lips, and thanks her. Aw. Alpha, his assistant in this procedure, finishes up, and Topher confirms that they're done and says they need to set off the device as high as possible. Adelle asks if her old office is up enough, and he tells her it is indeed. When he mentions that an explosion will be a necessary precursor to the chain reaction they seek, however, Adelle recalls that he said the device could only be operated manually, and at his guilty silence, she chokes, "You're not coming back." He refuses to meet her gaze as he bravely says it's a small price to pay, but when she caresses his face, he whispers that he didn't want to cause any more pain. Once again: Topher Brink, bringing us to tears. The best-developed character and the most satisfying arc in one. Adelle emotionally holds him until Alpha pipes up, "Is now a bad time to ask for a favor?" Considering the other two are too choked up to voice a denial, it seems perfect!

Out in the atrium, Victor's sitting glumly in front of a little Bonfire of the Technologies when Priya comes out to join him -- with their son. She introduces the boy to his father, and Tony tries to hold it together as he shakes his hand and parrots his introduction to Priya as he says his name's Anthony, but he can call him Tony. The boy pipes up that that's his name too (he'd been referred to as "T" up until now) and asks if he can help Tony burn stuff. Priya smiles through her tears, and as overwritten as their last scene was, this one is nice and spare on the dialogue, which actually gives us time and space to feel what the characters are feeling. Did the same person write them both?