Pilot (Space: Above and Beyond episode)

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The episode opens with the settling of the Vesta colony in 2063. Shortly after the arrival of the settlers, an unknown alien force attacks and destroys the colony.

Back on Earth, in Texas, we are introduced to Nathan West and Kylen Celina; a young couple preparing to leave for the settlement of the Tellus colony. In Philadelphia, we meet Cooper Hawkes as he is running from his fellow construction workers. They discover that he is an InVitro and attempt to hang him, but he breaks free and fights back. Stopped by the police, he is placed under arrest for assaulting the naturally born humans. In San Diego, Shane Vansen visits an abandoned Navy base and enters her old house. We see through flashbacks that AI Silicates murdered her parents while she hid in the attic with her two younger sisters.

Hours before the Tellus launch, Nathan and Kylen are told that one of them must remain behind due to the passing of an affirmative action measure that places a quota of In Vitroes amongst the colonists. Under contract with the corporation AeroTech, they are forced to comply and decide which one of them will remain behind. It is revealed to them that the possibility exists that the United States Marine Corps Space Aviator Cavalry may be assigned to the Tellus sector as colonial sentries. Kylen enters the launch shuttle as an official colonist, while Nathan attempts to stow away on another level. AeroTech monitoring catches a carbon dioxide imbalance and removes him from the shuttle at the last moment. Nathan hands Kylen a written note, and Kylen records a voice note in a plastic photo locket.

On a bus to Loxley, Alabama, a group of Marine recruits meet. Among them are Nathan and Shane, as well as Mike "Pags" Pagodin, Vanessa Damphousse and Paul Wang. Pulling up to the base, the recruits see the 127th Air Wing (AKA the Angry Angels), an elite group of Marines. Shane reveals that they are "the best there is, and the best there ever will be" and that her dream is to one day join them. Cooper joins the group under the escort of USMC MPs, and it is disclosed that he has been sentenced to duty in the Marines instead of serving jail time. Pags seems singularly interested in when the recruits will receive their planes, Vanessa appears to suffer from a lack of direction in her life, and Paul seems timid and not quite ready for life as a Marine.

Under the training of senior drill instructor Sgt. Mjr. Bougus, we see the young recruits struggle to come together as a cohesive unit. At the center of this is Cooper's lack of concern for the rest of the group. In simulator sessions, Cooper deliberately crashes his jet into those of the rest of the squadron. We see that at a local bar, Cooper sits alone at the bar while the rest of his squadron socializes as a group. When the Angry Angels show up at the bar, Shane attempts to compliment them but the Angels belittle her and a fight breaks out. We see that one of the Angry Angels remains sitting alone at the bar along with Cooper.

As Kylen reads Nathan's note, the Tellus colony ship is attacked by alien fighter jets and crashes to the surface of the planet.

While the Marines are fighting, the television blares a special announcement from United Nations Secretary General Spencer Chartwell that describes the attacks on the Vesta and Tellus colonies. The entire world has come together to go to war against an unknown alien race.

While Nathan battles his inner demons over Kylen's fate, the group readies itself to be sent into space to provide support for the war efforts. Sent on a training mission to Mars, the group is asked to repair a malfunctioning tracking drone and is expected to function without the presence of a commanding officer. All of them struggle with the idea of being thrust into wartime status against an unknown enemy and question their own courage and fortitude. Once again, Cooper's continuing struggle between his need to establish his individuality and his desire to fit in with "normal" humans brings out issues amongst the group members - Nathan's resentment of Cooper (and his representation of the In Vitroes that were placed on the Tellus mission) and Shane's resistance to inhabiting the position of authority that the others all see her in. In a conversation with Cooper, Shane describes how raising her two younger sisters caused her to join the Marines so that she would have her own life and she wouldn't have to take care of others anymore. When Cooper and Nathan later come to blows, Pags is the only one who offers a hand to Cooper.

When the group encounters the tracking drone, they find what is most likely a Cosmic Call message. The disc plays Blitzkrieg Bop by The Ramones which Pags incorrectly identifies as "The Pink Floyds". An unidentified object is seen in the sky, and Cooper takes the disc as they leave. They travel to investigate the object, find an alien fighter plane and fall under sniper fire. Pags is fatally wounded, but the group eventually captures the alien pilot. While Nathan appears to want payback for what happened to Kylen and Pags, the others seem to be more receptive to the being. At signals from the alien, Vanessa eventually decides to give it some water, but it suffers a fatal reaction and a green substance oozes out of its body.

Returning with the alien technology, the group attends Pags' funeral, is assigned their SA-43 endo/exo-atmospheric attack jets (AKA Hammerheads) and is then given 48 hours leave. Cooper encounters the other Angry Angel from the bar, and we find out that he is Tyrus Cassius McQueen, another InVitro. While Cooper talks about his lack of desire to be involved in the war, McQueen asks him "what would you die for?" Cooper then leaves to visit Pags' grave and in a display of emotion confesses that Pags was "the only guy that was ever okay to [him]" and that he wishes that he knew "if anything is worth it".

Shane and Nathan leave to visit his family (his parents and two younger brothers - Johnny and Neil). While there, they see on the television that a new assault is to be launched by the Angry Angels. Nathan's parents express concern over the war, but Shane optimistically states that the Angry Angels will "knock the enemy into Andromeda". Later, we see that Earthfleet forces and the Angels have suffered a terrible defeat and Shane and Nathan are paged back to base for immediate active duty.

Back on base, we see that the group has been assigned to the 58th squadron. Nathan paints his Hammerhead with an "Above and Beyond" logo while Cooper paints his with a red handprint and the text "Pag's Payback". The 58th hears rumors that they are to be deployed straight to the front line, but their excitement is tempered when they see the wounded and dead Angels being brought back.

When being briefed, the 58th finds out that in the wreckage of the jet that they recovered was an encoded transmission of enemy battle objectives. Having waited to ensure that the enemy continued to execute these objectives, the Earthfleet forces decide to act upon this information to launch a surprise attack. The 58th discovers they will operate in a support capacity - rear left flank. Disappointed and expressing skepticism about the ease of the surprise attack, the 58th head for the carrier Saratoga. A chance encounter with an enemy jet reveals that the enemy forces are amassing in a completely different location from those in the recovered battle objectives.

The 58th meet their new squadron commander, McQueen (now permanently grounded due to his injuries), who tells them that they will now hide in an asteroid belt and stall the enemy while the main Earthfleet force returns. While hiding in the asteroid belt, the enemy forces change their course to head away from the asteroid belt. While waiting for new orders, Cooper decides to take matters into his own hands. He plays Blitzkrieg Bop and heads out as bait to bring the enemy forces back towards the asteroid belt. Unlike their simulation runs, the 58th are able to pull together and deal considerable losses to the enemy forcing them to retreat.

On their return to Earth, the 58th graduate and are recognized for their efforts in the battle. The group celebrates and gives a toast to Pags and to still being alive. The episode closes on Nathan hurling his medal into the night air with the latter half of his poem in voice over.