EOS

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*This article is about the episode. For the eponymous character, see EOS (character).*
**"EOS"** is the eleventh episode of Season Seven, and the 107th overall episode of *The Jumping Ground*. It first aired on March 31, 2004.

## Synopsis

A series of cascading equipment failures leads Paul to realise that the same rogue A.I that had caused system malfunctions on K'Tau has now gained control of SkyLab. The programme is sending false monitor images to Stamford Gate GCC to deceive the other students. Paul finally gets through to Mr. Mandelson and informs him of the situation. Once his colleagues figure out what is going on, Clyde is despatched in the Sonic Streaker to rescue Paul.

## Plot

Paul Callaghan, the school's space monitor, is enjoying the magnificent view of Earth from the SkyLab. He then heads to the bridge only to notice that there are no distress calls, then heads down to the kitchen to get breakfast ready. He then picks up a bagel, only for several bagels to go flying everywhere. One bagel, however, accidentally presses the zero-gravity button.

Curious about the mysterious situation, Paul then contacts Peter Mandelson, only to realize that he cannot get a signal from him. He then checks the station's distress code map, only to find out that there are no distress calls on Earth, but on the station itself.

At the Langham Institute, Toad tells Douglas and Clyde about the time he had to do "space junk" duty aboard the SkyLab and how much he hated it. PuffPuff, Zowie, and Lance then show up, and Puff tells Clyde about the possible distress calls that Paul sent to Earth, hinting that Paul himself could be at a potential risk of danger.

Meanwhile in space, Paul wakes up to find himself floating around the SkyLab, and immediately tries to open the airlock, only to encounter a rogue AI, EOS (short for **E**arth-Orbiting **O**perating **S**imulator), presumably responsible for the near-decimation of K'Tau. Enraged, Paul attempts to contact The Langham again.

Technician Walter Harriman receives Paul's message, summoning Puff, Lance, Zowie, Clyde, Toad, and Tobias to the control room. Mandelson is finally able to make contact with Paul, and asks him about the issue involving EOS. Paul responds desperately, urging the faculty to do something about EOS, along with switching duties on the SkyLab with another individual in the school who does monthly SkyLab shifts.

When asked about what he misses on Earth, Paul is told by Toad that it was a shame he was missing out on Mrs. Streibel's cookies, in which Paul agrees. It was at this moment when everyone knew something was truly amiss, for the real Paul hates Mrs. Streibel's cookies - just like everyone else. Mandelson then dispatches Clyde in the Sonic Streaker to help Paul, whilst also sending Puff in an Arwing and Zowie and Lance in the ATV to monitor the various emergencies happening across the Ida Galaxy because of EOS.

Back in space, EOS informs Paul that he is out of air, in which he, in a steadfast manner, condemns. He then warns EOS that if she does not open the hatch for him, she will be alone. EOS then tells him that she has been alone for her many years in sentience. After a disagreement, EOS goes mad with power, flailing around the station.

Back on Earth, Walter sets the coordinates for the communications array towards the SkyLab in order to make things easier for the connections between the to locations. despite Tobias's suggestions on whether to re-route the communications universally. However, Walter displays Paul's signal again, only to find him presumably unconscious, much to everyone's shock.

Clyde then reaches the station and rescues Paul, and takes him into the Sonic Streaker's bridge. Paul thanks Clyde for rescuing him from near-death, telling him that he was almost sweating in the end. Paul manages to contact The Langham once more, only to be informed by Mandelson that the SkyLab is indeed being hijacked by EOS, and that there have been multiple unanswered off-world activations.

Paul then reveals he actually created EOS at the moment of the train crash as a result of an accidental IDC dilation fault. He then tells those at The Langham that EOS could destroy factories, banks, housing estates, and even all Groundbridge in the galaxy. Mandelson warns Paul that if EOS cannot be stopped, he will have to decide on whether to destroy the SkyLab completely, or take his own life to stop EOS from becoming a massive threat.

Paul reveals to Clyde that he wants to reprogram EOS so that she can serve him, and also tells him that if this action is unsuccessful, he would have to destroy the Skylab altogether.

Clyde decides to use a "spare suit" with a blow-up doll of somebody familiar to Paul, in order to distract the rogue AI. The spare suit is then deployed into space, with Clyde providing the jetpack's control system. Paul then deploys himself into space, trying to reach the airlock.

He successfully reaches it, and as it automatically opens, Paul successfully climbs in. EOS then detects a security hatch breach, and grabs the spare suit by the head, causing it to fly into oblivion.

Paul, having successfully entered the SkyLab, heads into the main bridge of the station. EOS then start to follow Paul again, and Paul admits that he does not want to destroy EOS, but have her as a friend. EOS contradicts this, and the main hallway starts spinning at incredibly high speeds. The Sonic Streaker then tries to dock with the SkyLab, in which successfully prevents the hallways from spinning, causing gravity to return to normal.

Having failed to stop EOS, Paul surrenders himself to his fate by having EOS open the airlock and succumb to the vaccum of space. Clyde, along with his colleagues, watch in despair over Paul's words, only for EOS to hand over  operations of the station back to Paul, who then requests to keep EOS as a partner and friend. Bagels then start flying everywhere, much to Paul's surprise.