Bones | Season Two | Episode Nineteen
Episode 19: “Spaceman in the Crater”
Agent Booth and Dr. Brennan are called out to the desert to investigate a strange crater. They find the remains of a human that must have fallen from a considerable height. The only thing they found in tact is a pair of brown men’s loafers.
Back at the Jeffersonian lab the Bones and squints take some careful looks at the pile of clothed flesh and venture a few ideas as to the cause of death all the while skewering Hodgins about all his conspiracy theories. Dr. Brennan makes a final observation noting a significant amount of bone density loss congruent with someone 130 years old. Zach and Hodgins take a closer look at the evidence and conclude that lack of bone density is characteristic of an astronaut who spent a significant time in space. This is just enough info for Booth to get moving. He does a cursory investigation that lands on Colonel Cal Howard, who happens to match Angela’s initial skull reconstruction. Since astronauts are evidently difficult to get a hold of, as they are potential terror targets, Booth tracks down Howard’s wife for an interview.
Booth and Bones go to talk to Mrs. Howard. They learn Colonel Howard just left the previous day on a self-piloted flight and has yet return as scheduled. The Colonel was evidently training another astronaut to do his job since he was being decommissioned for medical reasons.
