45. Bill – January 2165 – Epsilon Eridani

Riker fields post-UN-meeting calls and learns about a radical group called VEHEMENT threatening violence in the name of human extinction. Minister Cranston then surprises him by introducing Julia Hendricks, who reveals herself to be a direct descendant of Riker's sister Andrea, presenting an emotional connection that Cranston clearly intends to leverage for political influence.

Riker disconnects from a contentious UN session where the announcement of a third ship for Spitsbergen provoked expected hostility, noting that most delegates see no benefit to the decision since it won't help non-colony groups. He decides to call Colonel Butterworth to inquire about VEHEMENT, a new extremist group whose acronym stands for "Voluntary Extinction of Human Existence Means Earth's Natural Transformation." Butterworth explains that VEHEMENT advocates for humans to voluntarily stop breeding or face guerilla tactics, representing a fringe movement that has escalated its rhetoric since Riker's arrival altered their expectations of success. Riker remarks on the irony that extremist groups have survived humanity's near-extinction. After disconnecting from Butterworth, Riker reluctantly calls Minister Cranston, who immediately reveals that he has someone Riker would want to meet. The camera shifts to show Julia Hendricks, a young woman who nervously introduces herself as Andrea Johansson's three-times-great-granddaughter. Riker is emotionally stunned by the resemblance to his sister. Julia explains she only recently learned of her relation to him and appears nervous, likely under instructions from Cranston. Riker warmly reassures her and learns she is aware of more than twenty living collateral descendants. Cranston makes a show of leaving the call, allowing them privacy (though monitoring remains possible), and Riker and Julia proceed to talk for three hours, experiencing an immediate sense of connection despite the manipulative circumstances of their introduction.