[overlapping radio and television transmissions]
[different transmissions fade in and out]
[crash test dummies' God shuffled his feet plays]
[Mister Mister's broken wings plays]
Challenger mission control: It's obviously a major malfunction.
[flock of seagulls' I ran plays]
[theme from Dallas playing]
(music) the stars are... (music)
(music) funky town! (music)
(music) I've been in love... (music)
(music) boogie-oogie-oogie till you... (music)
(music) sometimes you feel like a nut (music)
(music) fire! (music)
[transmissions rapidly overlapping]
Richard Nixon: ...President's a crook. Well, I'm not a crook.
Neil Armstrong: One small step for man. One giant leap--
Newscaster: Robert Kennedy was shot
In that ballroom.
Martin Luther King Jr.: Thank God almighty, we are free at last.
[theme from the twilight zone playing]
A sniper has fired at President Kennedy.
John F. Kennedy: Ask not what your country can do for you.
Ask what...
Dean Martin: (music) Volare (music)
Joseph McCarthy: ...Communist party?
Or have you ever been a member of the communist party?
Perry Como: (music) catch a falling star and put it in your pocket (music)
Lone Ranger: Hi-yo, Silver!
[transmissions grow fainter]
Announcer: ...Something never before experienced...
Franklin D. Roosevelt: ...1941--a date which will live...
[Adolf Hitler giving speech in German]
And we continue this evening's final edition
Of our Maxwell House good news of 1939.
Walter Winchell. Good evening, Mr. And Mrs. North America and all the ships at sea.
Let's go to press!
[we're in the money playing]
Franklin D. Roosevelt: The only thing we have to fear
Is fear itself.
[silence]
Girl: CQ, this is w-9 GFO.
CQ, this is w-9 GFO here.
Come back?
CQ, CQ,
This w-9 GFO here.
Come back?
[knock on door]
CQ, CQ, this is w-9 GFO.
Is anybody out there?
[static]
I'm not getting anything.
Small moves, Ellie.
Small moves.
CQ, this is w-9 GFO here.
Come back?
Man: Copy, w-9 GFO.
K-4 WLD here.
[click]
What do I say?
Just be yourself.
Where are you, K-4 WLD? Come back?
Pensacola. Over.
Pensacola. Where's Pensacola?
I'll give you a hint.
Orange juice.
Copy that, K-4 WLD. How's the weather down there in Florida?
Pensacola, Florida.
I have to tell you, sparks...
1,116 Miles.
Pretty good.
That's the farthest yet.
Ellie: Could we hear all the way to New York?
Sure.
Could we hear all the way to California?
I don't see why not.
Could we hear all the way to Alaska?
Yeah. On a really clear day.
Could we hear all the way to China?
On a really, really clear day.
[giggles]
Could we talk to the Moon?
Well, if it's a big enough radio, I don't see why not.
Could we talk to Jupiter?
Or--or what's the one after that?
Uh, don't tell me. Um...
Neptune, Mars...
I'll give you a hint. Hula-hoops.
Saturn. Could we talk to Saturn?
Mm-hmm.
Dad, could we talk to mom?
I don't think even the biggest radio could reach that far.
All right, no more stalling.
Ok.
Pensacola.
Aw, Ellie,
That's a beauty.
Now get some sleep.
Hey, dad.
Yeah?
Do you think there's people on other planets?
I don't know, sparks.
But I guess I'd say,
If it is just us,
It seems like an awful waste of space.
[crickets chirping]
[static]
CQ, CQ.
CQ, this is w-9 GFO.
Repeat--this is w-9 GFO. Come back?
CQ, this is w-9 GFO. Come back.
I'm gonna need a bigger antenna.
[birds chirping]
Man: What do you think, Doc Arroway?
Isn't she a beauty?
It'll do.
The village is 5 Miles away.
There's a general store in the cantina.
They can pretty much order anything you need from San Juan.
When can I get some dish time?
Dr. Clark said you wouldn't be able to wait.
Your first shift is up tonight.
All right!
[taps twice on a keyboard]
[taps twice]
[monitored noises fluctuating]
Go back.
Huh?
Try back a little bit. You had something there.
There.
Right there?
Yeah. You hear it?
Yup.
Right there. There, that's it.
All right, 1221.46.
That's well within the L-band.
Check off-axis.
Uh-huh. On it. Uh...
It's, uh, not in the neighborhood.
Ahh.
There it is. "j1741 plus 2748.
"catalogued: November 4, 1982.
Pulsar."
Well, I don't know.
It must have been a-- the glitch in the timing's what threw me, uh...
It must have been a star quake.
I think it's great that you listen.
Most people don't do that anymore.
It's just an old habit. It makes it feel more real.
Ellie.
Kent. Kent Clark.
Hey.
They said you'd been up at Owens Valley working under drumlin.
How'd you like him?
That much? And about what I'd expect
After what he had to say about you.
Oh, and what was that?
That you are brilliant, driven...
A major pain in the ass,
And obsessed with a field of study
That he considers tantamount to professional suicide.
Anything else?
Those were the highlights.
Davio, Dr. Vernon. Dr. Arroway.
Hey. Hey. Hi there.
How you doing? Good.
And I believe you've already met
Our tireless research assistant-- Mr. Fisher...
Here. I need you to sign there.
As well as his cologne.
Rick's looking at the black hole at the center of m-87.
Eli's studying Markarian 541--
A major gamma ray source.
And Dr. Arroway here will be spending
Her precious telescope time listening for, um...
Listening for, um...
Little green men.
One down...
A couple of billion to go.
Gracias.
Elena, Una cerveza, también, por favor.
Arecibo, right?
Does it show?
Yeah.
Cracker Jack?
No. No, thanks.
Mind if I sit down?
Sure.
I hear the, um...
The locals, they call it el radar--
Convinced it has some dark military purpose.
I think we're pretty harmless.
Palmer Joss.
Ellie Arroway.
Nice to meet you, Ellie.
What, um...
What are you studying up there?
The usual--
You know, nebulae,
Quasars, pulsars, stuff like that.
What are you-- what are you writing?
The usual--
Nouns, adverbs,
Adjective here and there.
I work on a project called SETI.
Search for extraterrestrial intelligence?
Wow.
Man, that is out there.
Wait, are you a student or something?
Mm-mmm.
I'm a writer. I'm writing a book.
I'm down here doing research--
Just about how technology affects third world cultures.
I'm also looking for this guy David Drumlin.
He's the new head honcho of the national science foundation.
I'm trying to get an interview with him.
[chuckles]
I take it you know him.
Mm-hmm.
You could say that.
Huh.
SETI, man--
That's fringe.
I've crossed paths with this guy before.
I mean, something like that must really chap his ass, huh?
Compass.
That's for you, el.
You better keep this.
It might save your life someday.
Will you have dinner with me tonight?
I...
I don't make a very good research subject.
I'm just not very quotable.
No quotes. No quotes.
Scout's honor.
Just a good meal, good company.
I got to go.
Uh, but, uh...
But...
Drumlin's coming in this Tuesday.
Now I remember why I took that desk job.
Dr. Drumlin, how are you?
Fine, thank you.
Glad you could make it, David.
If I'd known I was going to take 3 planes, I might've reconsidered.
How is that new office?
Oh, I'm still settling in.
Of course, they already want to take half my budget
And give it to the pentagon.
Ellie. Still waiting for E.T. To call?
Well, I understand we're having a little reception.
Good to see you, too.
Asshole.
Uh-oh. Looks like it's going to be a long night.
Science must first and foremost
Be accountable to the people who are paying for it,
The taxpayers.
We need to stop wasting money
On pie-in-the-Sky abstractions
And start spending it on practical, measurable ways
To improve the lives of the people
Who are, after all, footing the Bill.
Not unlike my l-band globular clusters work.
Wait. You're saying you want to do away with all pure research now?
What's wrong with science being practical?
Even profitable?
Nothing, as long as your motive is the search for truth,
Which is exactly what the pursuit of science is.
Well, that's a rather interesting position
Coming from a man on a crusade
Against the evils of technology,
Father joss.
I'm not against technology, doctor.
I'm against the men who deify it at the expense of human truth.
Kent, I've been meaning to have a word with you.
Over here, please.
Kent: Yeah, I'll just...
I think that hurt my chances with that interview.
What do you think?
You're a priest?
No, not really.
I, uh...
Got my masters in divinity,
Then I dropped out of seminary
And went off and did some secular humanitarian work,
Coordinating the efforts of third world churches.
I couldn't live with the whole celibacy thing.
You could, um...
You could call me a man of the cloth...
Without the cloth.
Want to get out of here?
All right, you see that sort of large
W-shaped constellation right there?
That's Cassiopeia.
And Cassiopeia "a" gives off
A whole lot of radio signals.
I--I actually listen to them a lot.
It's a remnant of a supernova.
When did you know you wanted to be an astronomer?
Well, when I was about 8 years old,
I, uh, I was watching the sunset,
And I asked my dad,
"what's that bright star over there?"
And he said...
He said that it wasn't really a star at all.
It was actually...
That's not a star. That's a planet.
A whole planet called Venus.
That's the planet Venus.
Which should be...
Over there soon.
He said, "you know why they called it Venus?
"because they thought it was so beautiful and glowing.
"but what they didn't know
Is that it's filled with..."
"deadly gases and sulfuric acid rain."
"wow," I thought,
"this is it. I'm hooked."
You know, there are 400 billion stars out there,
Just in our galaxy alone.
If only one out of a million of those had planets...
All right? If just one out of a million of those had life,
And if just one out of a million of those
Had intelligent life,
There would be literally millions of civilizations out there.
Well, if there wasn't,
It'd be an awful waste of space.
Amen.
[distant thunder]
Joss: So I was lying there
Just looking at the Sky...
And then I felt something.
I don't know. I...
All I know is that I wasn't alone.
And for the first time in my life,
I wasn't scared of nothin'--
I mean, not even dying.
It was God.
And there's no Chance that...
You had this experience
Because some part of you needed to have it?
No. I mean, I'm a reasonably intelligent guy,
But this...
No, this...
My intellect, it couldn't even touch this.
No.
I've been to Sunday school a few times.
Uh-huh. And?
Well, I just--
I kept asking all these really annoying questions
Like, uh...
"all right, then, where did Mrs. Cain come from?"
And, uh...
Pretty soon, they called my dad,
And they asked him if he wouldn't mind
Just keeping me home from now on.
Your dad--
Is it this guy?
Yeah.
You're close to him, aren't you?
Yeah, I was. He died when I was 9 years old.
I never got to know my mother.
I'm sorry.
That's got to be tough.
Yeah.
Being alone.
What do you say we pack a picnic tomorrow morning
And hike up to old Mount Arecibo?
I don't think I can. I got to work.
All right, how about dinner, then?
Tomorrow night. I know a great dive.
No, I don't think so.
Ellie, did I miss something?
Huh?
No.
Shit, I'm late.
I--I told Kent that I'd be there at 10:30.
You know, I'm not trying to push you.
No. No, no, no, don't be silly.
I've been wanting to look at this sector for weeks.
Here. Just hang out and sleep in,
And there's a bunch of food in the fridge.
Ok?
How can I reach you?
Uh, just leave your number.
I'll call you.
Young Ellie: Dad!
Dad, it's starting! You're going to miss it!
Dad, there's another one! Hurry up!
Ted: In a minute, sparks! Almost done.
Oh, there's another one. Come on, hurry up, dad!
[object breaks]
Dad?
Daddy?
Oh, dad!
Dad?
I'll get the medicine.
Ellie...
I know it's hard to understand this now,
But we aren't always meant to know the reasons
Why things happen the way they do.
Sometimes, we just have to accept it
As God's will.
I should've kept some medicine in the downstairs bathroom,
Then I could've gotten to it sooner.
Ellie: CQ...
This is w-9 GFO.
Do you copy?
[crying]
Dad, this is Ellie. Come back.
This is Eleanor Arroway
Transmitting on 14.2 megahertz.
Dad...
Are you there?
Come back.
Dad...
Are you there?
Dad, this is Ellie.
[door opens]
Ellie?
Hey, Kent. What are you doing up so early, huh?
I was thinking--
We'd make a pretty good team.
What?
We could put together a kick-ass ad hoc SETI program.
What are you talking about?
You know the very large array in new Mexico?
It would be a dynamite place
To do some serious SETI work.
What are you talking about, Kent?
Drumlin pulled the plug.
We're homeless.
Man: Hey, watch out!
Is it true? Huh? Did you pull the plug?
I know you can't see it now, but I'm doing you a favor.
You're far too promising a scientist
To be wasting your gifts on this nonsense.
Look, I don't consider what could potentially be the most important discovery
Of the human race nonsense, ok?
There's 400 billion stars out there--
And only 2 probabilities--
One--there is intelligent life out there,
But it's so far away you'll never contact it in your lifetime,
And 2--
2!
There's nothing out there but noble gases
And carbon compounds,
And you're wasting your time.
In the meantime, you won't be published,
You won't be taken seriously,
And your career will be over before it's begun.
So what?
It's my life!
Hey, Kent,
You were right.
Screw drumlin, all right?
We're going to raise the money ourselves.
We're going to new Mexico.
Chicago's all set, but you'll call me and let me know how it goes.
Oh, and I've got some more corporate stops
Set up on the east coast for you.
Hey, fish! Did that private investor from Houston
Ever get back to us?
I'm going to hit him up on my way to L.A.!
Hey, try begging for some of that Hollywood money!
Why not? They've been making money off of aliens for years, right?
They say begging is good for the soul.
We'll see about that. Here you go.
Just do me a favor.
Yeah?
Try not to be too confrontational.
Huh? Confrontational? Me? What do you mean?
I'm just going to see if I left anything.
Ellie: This is a unique time in our history,
In the history of any civilization.
It's the moment of the acquisition of technology.
That's the moment where contact becomes possible.
The very large array in new Mexico
Is the key to our chances for success.
With its 27 linked radio telescopes,
We can search more accurately
Than at any other conventional facility.
Now, we've already gotten the preliminary approval
To buy the telescope time from the government.
Now all we really need is the money.
A nice presentation, doctor...
But while our foundation arm
Has a mandate to support experimental programs,
We must confess that your proposal
Seems less like science
And more like science fiction.
Science fiction.
You're right. It's...
It's crazy.
In fact, it's even worse than that--
Nuts.
Want to hear something really nutty?
I heard of a couple guys--
They want to build something called an airplane.
You know, you get people to go in it, and they fly around like birds.
It's ridiculous, right?
Or what about--what about breaking the sound barrier
Or rockets to the Moon
Or atomic energy or a mission to Mars?
Science fiction, right?
Look.
All I'm asking is-- is for you to just have
The tiniest bit of vision--
You know, to step back for one minute and look at the big picture,
To take a Chance on something that just might end up being
The most profoundly impactful moment for humanity.
For the history...
Of history.
I'm sorry, I just...
I just spent the last 13 months
Coming into rooms like this and talking to people like you.
And, uh...
The truth is, you're my last Chance,
So...
I'm sorry I wasted your time.
Doctor?
Yes, sir.
You have your money.
Thank you.
[radio telescopes move]
Whoa! Perfect cast!
Come on, fishy.
Ah, Frank, look at the size of that son of a bitch.
Ha ha!
Welcome back, Dr. C.
How'd it go?
How was the trip?
I've had better.
Drumlin.
What is this? Is this a personal vendetta now?
It's not just drumlin.
There's been enormous pressure
From other scientists as well.
It doesn't matter anyway,
Because Hadden's funding us for another 2 years.
Uh, these are government-owned telescopes.
They can lease them to whomever they want,
And they don't want the high priestess of the desert
Using them anymore.
What?
Staring at static on TV for hours at a time,
Listening to washing machines--
Did you really think these stories wouldn't get out?
I was looking for patterns in the chaos. Come on.
It doesn't matter anymore. We're a joke to them.
They want us out.
We've got 3 months until the paperwork goes through.
Fine.
I'll just start looking for other funding.
I'll just start writing--
Could you face reality, please?
Just this once, Ellie?
We lost. It's over.
Fine.
I'm not stopping.
If I have to go it alone, I'll go it alone.
I've done it before.
My guest tonight is author and theologian palmer joss.
He's become a spiritual counselor of sorts
And a recent fixture at the white house.
"God's diplomat," according to the new York times.
His latest book, losing Faith, is currently number one
On that publication's bestseller list.
Thanks for being with us, palmer.
You have had quite a ride this last couple of years.
I sure have, Larry.
You know, fish, I was thinking.
Who would make the best astronomers?
I mean, think about it.
Who has the perfect synthesis of career and lifestyle?
I give.
Vampires!
King: Are you anti-technology? Are you anti-science?
Palmer: No. Not at all.
The question that I'm asking is this...
Are we happier as a human race,
Is the world fundamentally a better place
Because of science and technology?
We shop at home, we surf the web...
At the same time we feel emptier, lonelier,
And more cut off from each other
Than at any other time in human history.
We're becoming a synthesized society
In a great big hurry to get to the next...
[noise pulsing]
Palmer: I think it's because we're looking for the meaning.
Well, what is the meaning?
We have mindless jobs. We take frantic vacations.
Deficit finance trips to the mall to buy more things
That we think are going to fill these holes in our lives.
I mean, is it any wonder that we lost our sense of direction?
[static crackling]
[noise pulsing]
[noise continues louder]
Holy shit.
[engine starts]
Right ascension!
18 hours, 36 minutes, 56.2 seconds!
Declination plus 36 degrees, 46 minutes,
56.2 seconds!
Ellie: Confirm!
Right ascension, 18 hours, 36 minutes, 56.2 seconds!
Hey, is anybody awake in there? I'm moving the array!
Confirm!
Boss has a bogey!
Right ascension, 18 hours, 36 minutes, 56.2 seconds!
Fish! We're on it!
Declination plus 36 hours, 47 minutes and 1 second!
Strong possible pulse chain on sub array 4!
I'm moving the rest of them now,
And I need you to confirm the coordinates!
Check the status of the array.
She's doing all the dishes.
All systems nominal.
Hello.
I need a full systems check!
Coordinates confirmed. Willie's checking the system now.
Ellie: Stay on top of the systems diagnostics!
Check the reference pointing offsets,
And I want you off-axis on 27 the second we get there!
And tell Willie to break out the big boy!
Copy that. Willie--
[radio squawks]
Uh, go--go, Ellie.
'cause I can hear it on the headphones
So we gotta be sure about this!
Give me another array status!
Her 4 are on-line. The rest are tracking in.
Your 4 are on-line. The rest are tracking in.
But there's a bad drive on 16.
Your 4 are on-line, the rest are tracking in,
But there's a bad drive on 16. Copy that?
What to you want me to do about the source queue?
Look, forget about it and hold the queue.
Go get ready to set the target frequency to manual
The second we're aligned.
Did you copy?
I want you to go off-axis on 27 the second we're there!
And leave the I.O. Frequency where it is!
Stay on it, fish! Don't let it get away!
If you lose it, just scan the band!
Run every frequency you can think of!
How you doin'?
Talk to me, guys.
Partially polarized set of moving pulses, amplitude modulated.
We're locked. Systems check out, signal across the board.
What's the frequency?
4.4623 gigahertz.
Hydrogen times pi. Told you.
Strong sucker, too.
I got it! I got it! I got it! I'm patched in!
All right. Let me hear it.
[static]
[pulsing noise]
Listen to that.
Make me a liar, fish.
Could be AWACS out of Kirkland jamming us,
But I'm doubting it.
All right, let's see if F.U.D.D.'s reading it, too.
Willie, patch it back and give me the off-axis.
Are we recording? Never stopped.
Thank you, Elmer.
AWACS status is negative.
What about white sands?
On this frequency? No.
I'm gonna punch up the darks.
How's the spying tonight, guys? Come on.
All right.
NORADs not tracking any snoops in this vector.
Shuttle Endeavour’s in sleep mode.
Ok, point source confirmed!
Whatever it is, it ain't local.
Position?
I checked interferometry. Somewhere in Lyra, I think.
Vega?
Can't be. It's only 26 light years away.
Hey, what's the peak intensity?
Comin' up.
Vega. Vega.
I scanned it a bunch of times at arecibo.
It was negative results always.
Got it! Reading over a hundred janskies.
Jesus! I can pick it up on my--
[static]
No.
[pulsing noise]
Come on.
All right, it's restarting.
Wait a minute. Those are numbers.
That was a 3. The one before it was a 2.
Base 10 numbers. Just start counting now
And see how far we can get.
1...
Fisher: 7! Ellie: 7!
Those are primes.
2, 3, 5, 7. Those are all prime numbers.
There's no way that's a natural phenomenon.
Holy shit.
Just calm down and pull up the star file on Vega.
Fisher: It doesn't make any sense. The system is too young...
Willie: Zero main sequence dwarf, estimate 400 million...
Let alone life, let alone a technological civilization.
Maybe they didn't grow up there.
Maybe they're just visiting.
Spacecraft? No, this system is full of debris.
It would get clobbered.
Not if they used their laser blasters
And photon torpedoes.
That's not funny, Willie.
Willie: How else are we going to explain it?
Willie's right. If we go public with this and we're wrong,
That's it. It's over.
We're cooked.
God... I wish Kent was here.
Whatever the signal is, we'd better do something soon.
Vega's gonna set.
That position is confirmed.
We've got 4.4623 gigahertz. Confirmed.
We've got 112 janskies.
All right, do you have a source location yet?
[pulsing noise]
We put it right smack in the middle.
Vega.
Ok, thanks, Ian. Just keep tracking, and we'll get back to you.
Yeah. Right-o.
[static]
Ok. 101. The pulse sequenced
Through every prime number between 2 and 101.
Who are we gonna call now?
Everybody.
Reporter: The rumors are flying, the implications extraordinary.
This morning's detection of an unidentified radio source from deep space
Can neither be confirmed nor denied,
But the military presence arriving behind me...
Second reporter: Sources close to the VLA
Report that the planet earth has indeed been contacted
By some form of intelligent being living outside our solar system.
Again, there is no confirmation of that whatsoever.
Reporter: An official you communiqué was sent from this government facility...
I want all these people out of here.
Where's the girl?
22 stations worldwide are now confirming the signal.
Vega is currently below our horizon, so what you're hearing
Is the signal from the Ratan array in Russia.
Let's get decryption people in here now.
Lunacharsky's visiting at cal tech.
Explain this to me.
If the source of this signal is so sophisticated,
Why the remedial math?
Exactly. Why don't they speak English?
Maybe because 70% of the planet speaks other languages.
Mathematics is the only truly universal language, senator.
It's no coincidence they're using primes.
I don't get it.
Prime numbers. That would be integers
That are only divisible by themselves and one.
We think that this may be a beacon.
Some kind of announcement to get our attention.
Well, if it's attention you want, I think you got that.
One thing. Vega.
People have been looking at Vega for years.
No results... And now yesterday
They start broadcasting primes. Why?
Well, it's hardly yesterday,
Because the signal has been transmitting for 26 years.
Dr. Arroway.
Excuse me, who are you?
Ellie, Michael Kitz, national security advisor.
Doctor, first, let me say your reputation--
Actually, first, could you ask the gentlemen with the firearms
To wait outside?
This is supposed to be a civilian facility.
Doctor, with all due respect to your scientific knowledge--
Excuse me. Hey, hey, hey!
Hi. I'm so glad you're back.
Come on. I got something for you to hear.
Isn't this great?
Who are all these people?
I have no idea.
Sit down, and we could use some help with the spectrum analysis, ok?
Listen to that. I'll get right on it.
I'll get you the headsets.
So, I'll just come to the point, shall I?
Your having sent this announcement all over the world
May well constitute a breach of national security.
This isn't a person-to-person call.
You can't possibly think a civilization sending this kind of message
Would intend it just for Americans.
I'm saying you might have consulted us.
Obviously, the contents of this message could be--
You want to classify prime numbers now?
Mike, because of the earth's rotation
We're only in line with Vega so many hours a day.
The only way to completely monitor the signal
Is to get the cooperation of other stations.
If Dr. Arroway hadn't acted quickly,
We could have lost key elements.
Ok, fine, they've got the primes,
But if you're right about there being
A more significant transmission still to come--
We'll also need the network's help to receive and decode.
Do you understand that my job--
Shh!
Listen.
I can hear it.
Hear what?
Harmonic?
Bingo.
I had Willie ask Ratan to re-tune to 8.9247 gigahertz.
There's a lot more here, folks.
Right. Fish, get on the negative sideband.
Already on it.
Kitz: What is going on?
A second signal at double the frequency.
It looks like...
Somebody get a TV monitor.
All right, patch the recording into the image processor.
Fisher: You want the new data?
The new frequency. The one we just recorded.
All right.
David, would you explain this to me, please?
Along with the prime, there's another signal.
Looks like a TV transmission.
Willie: We're hot.
Do me a favor. Go get the blinds.
There's a lot of glare.
You're patched in.
All right. It's definitely an image.
Let's try and stabilize it.
What do you make of that, fish?
It's almost like they're 2 different interlaced frames.
I'm framing one.
Nah, it's just noise.
Trying frame 2.
I've got an offset carrier here.
I think it's audio.
Plug it in. Plug it in.
Oh, man...
Center that segment.
Fisher: Centering.
Can you clean it up any more than that, fish?
I'm working on it.
What the hell?
Try zooming out.
All right, freeze.
Reverse values.
Try zooming out again.
Rotate 90 degrees counter clock...
Drumlin: My God.
[speaking German]
Ok.
Kent: What's going on?
You're not gonna believe this.
Does anybody speak German?
Uh, "I declare the games in Berlin...
"at the celebration of the first Olympics...
Of the new era as opened."
Crowd: Sieg heil! Sieg heil!
Get me the white house.
20 million people died defeating that son of a bitch,
And he's our first ambassador to outer space?
Actually, the Hitler broadcast--
From the '36 Olympics was the first television transmission
Of any power that went into space.
That they recorded it and sent it back
Is simply a way of saying, "hello. We heard you."
Or "sieg heil, you're our kind of people."
I don't think so.
Hitler and his politics have nothing to do with this.
It's highly unlikely that they would understand what they were looking at,
And people need to understand the scien--
The people are in very good hands, Dr. Arroway.
We'll take it from here.
TV: The white house has just released a statement
Confirming that a message of unknown origin
Emanating from deep space
Has been received by American scientists.
Claire shipman is at the white house.
Donna, we've just been told
That the president will have only a few brief remarks
About today's extraordinary announcement
And that he won't be taking any questions from the press.
[cameras clicking]
Good afternoon.
I'm glad to be joined by my science and technology advisor.
This is the product of years of exploration
By some of the world's most distinguished scientists.
Like all discoveries,
This one will and should continue to be
Reviewed, examined, and scrutinized.
It must be confirmed by other scientists.
But, clearly, the fact that something of this magnitude is being explored...
Fish, what is the story over here?
I thought Ellie was supposed to be on.
I don't know.
Uh, uh, guys? Guys?
You know those interlace frames we thought were noise?
This has structure. I'm hearing structure.
If this discovery is confirmed,
It will surely be one of the most stunning insights into our universe
That science has ever uncovered.
Its implications are as far-reaching
And awe-inspiring as can be imagined.
Even as it promises answers to some of our oldest questions,
It poses still others even more fundamental.
We will continue to listen closely to what it has to say
As we continue the search for answers
And for knowledge that is as old as humanity itself,
But essential to our people's future.
Thank you.
Sir! Mr. President!
Sir! Sir!
We'll answer your questions at the end,
But first a few corrections.
The message was received Friday morning 6:31 A.M., mountain standard time.
It was largely mathematical,
And in spite of the reports you may have seen to the contrary,
Appears to be completely benign in nature.
Let me say that again.
The message is completely benign.
The president has been in touch with heads of state from around the world,
And every possible security measure is being taken.
To better explain to you the events of the last 48 hours,
I'm turning you over to the leader of the scientific team
That made this remarkable discovery...
Dr. David drumlin, special science advisor to the president.
Thank you, Rachel.
Hello.
In 1936, a very faint television signal
Transmitted the opening ceremonies of the Olympic games
As a show of German superior technology.
That signal left earth at the speed of light...
[pager beeping]
And 26 years later, arrived in the vicinity of the star we call Vega.
That signal has been sent back to us hugely amplified.
An unmistakable sign of intelligence.
Ellie: You're on-line, Kent. Go ahead.
Kent: The Adolf transmission used 25 frames per second,
But we're receiving 50 frames per second
So we canned the other 25 through a series of search algorithms
To see if there was anything else.
We found a series of markers on the top of each frame. Are you ready?
Yeah. Go ahead.
Send it, Willie.
Ok, here it comes.
Kent: It's digital.
Massive amounts of data,
Which extend right to the higher harmonics.
Jackpot.
Ellie: All right, as you'll see,
Interlaced with the frames of the original Hitler image,
We found these sections.
We thought they were just noise, but they're actually data,
Huge amounts of it, now, when we combine this
With the data from the amplification of the original signal,
We get these encrypted pages of text.
Now, no 2 are alike, and we've uncovered over 10,000 already.
What does it mean, doctor?
Well, we have no idea. It could be anything.
It could be the first volume
Of an encyclopedia Galactica.
Instructions to acquaint us with their colonization procedures.
Moses with a few billion new commandments.
How long will it take to decode it?
It could take forever. We really need a primer.
We need to get the best decryption people we have.
I intend to use the VLA as my command post.
In the meantime, my office has made out a preliminary budget.
Wait a minute.
This is a privately-funded operation.
We're only leasing dish time from the government.
If there's a more clear-cut case of eminent domain, I've never seen it.
I'm going to recommend to the president
That we militarize this project immediately.
What?!
This is my project!
Nobody knows more about these scenarios than I do.
David, tell them how many years I've been working--
Excuse me, could we calm down here?
Now, I'm going to recommend that Dr. Drumlin
Administer and coordinate the decryption effort.
However, in light of Dr. Arroway's long experience in these matters,
For the time being, she will continue to direct operations at the VLA.
With the express understanding that any future discoveries
Will be kept in the strictest of confidence
Until such time as the president can decide
The most suitable course of action.
Understood?
Yes.
This is CNN breaking news.
The president made a brief statement
Calling the message from Vega
One of the most stunning insights--
Attendance at religious services
Has risen a dramatic 39% in recent days.
...As police and 3 German armed divisions
Clashed with neo-Nazi protesters.
So, it turns out there's life on other planets.
Boy, this is really gonna change
The miss universe contest, don't you think?
Health officials from around the world are concerned
That the message from Vega might trigger a rash of mass suicides
Not unlike the recent cult deaths near san Diego--
Even a scientist has to admit
There are some pretty serious religious overtones to all this.
Let's here from someone whose organization
Has been accused of conducting its own inquisition in recent days.
Richard rank, head of the conservative coalition.
Thank you.
This is yet another example
Of science intruding into matters of Faith.
Now they will have us set a place--
Leno: This means they have been reacting to TV signals
They got from us in the 1930s.
Imagine how disappointed they're going to be
If they're cubs fans?
We now take you to Jeremy Roth
Who is reporting on events at the very large array
Near Socorro, new Mexico.
Like a bolt from the blue it came.
What is being called "the message from Vega"
Has caused thousands of believers and non-believers
To descend upon the VLA facility
Here in the remote desert of new Mexico.
Many have come to protest, many to pray,
But most have come to participate
In what has become the best show in town.
[rock music plays]
(music) well, I saw a thing comin' out of the Sky (music)
(music) it had one long horn and one big eye (music)
(music) I commenced a-shakin' and said oo-wee! (music)
(music) looks like a purple people-eater to me (music)
(music) it was a one-eyed, one-horned, flyin' purple people-eater (music)
(music) one-eyed, one-horned, flyin', purple people-eater (music)
[chanting in native language]
(music) 1, 2, 3... (music)
(music) I wanted to be a spaceman (music)
(music) is what I wanted to be (music)
[shouting]
(music) lay me down to die (music)
(music) goin' up to the spirit in the Sky (music)
Man: That's right!
I'll be there on Vega. Thank you very much.
(music) hail to Vega (music)
(music) hail to Vega, hail to Vega (music)
(music) hail to Vega (music)
Now, the scientists have had their Chance!
But they have failed!
It's the same people who again and again
Have brought us to the brink of destruction!
Who polluted our air! Who poisoned our water!
Now, these scientists...
Have had their Chance.
Are these the kind of people
That you want talking to your God for you?
[shouting]
Roth: Efforts continue around the clock,
But for now, almost 2 full weeks after the message's arrival,
Scientists here at the VLA still have no answers,
Only more questions.
Jeremy Roth, CNN, Socorro, new Mexico.
Kathleen Kennedy: More on the quest for the message's meaning after this.
They gotta line up somehow.
Yeah. Well, this one doesn't fit, either.
Lunacharsky: We've tried over a million permutations.
Always, I can only get 3 corners to fit.
I don't understand the significance.
What the...
Somebody broke in.
[telephone rings]
Hello?
Listen, I don't know who you are,
But you broke into the database, and I'm--
What, now?
Where?
[clicking]
I'll be there.
Man: You should feel fortunate.
He hardly lands for anyone.
Man: Dr. Arroway...
I presume?
Mr. Hadden.
I've had my eye on you a long time, doctor.
I consider you one of my most valuable long-term investments.
And when it comes to my investments...
I always do my homework.
Eleanor Ann Arroway...
Born 25th of August, 1964,
De Pere, Wisconsin.
Mother, Joanna,
Died from complications during childbirth.
Early testing indicated high predisposition
Towards science and mathematics.
Father, Theodore, advised to provide
Enrichment activities along these lines
Did so conscientiously until his death
From myocardial infarction
November 10, 1974.
You graduated from high school in 1979,
Almost 2 full years early.
Awarded full scholarship M.I.T.
Graduated magna cum laude.
Doctoral work, cal tech,
Where you did breakthrough work
On the lanthanide-doped Ruby maser,
Dramatically increasing the sensitivity of radio telescopes.
Subsequently offered a teaching position at Harvard university,
Which you turned down to pursue SETI work
At the arecibo observatory in Puerto Rico.
Changes in N.S.F. Policy
Gave rise to certain funding problems.
At which point...
You came to my attention.
You compromised our security codes.
Once upon a time...
I was a hell of an engineer.
Please, sit, doctor.
I have guests so rarely
It's important to me that they feel welcome in my home.
You live here?
I find it convenient to keep my interests...
Mobile.
Anyway, I've had my fill of life on the ground.
Well, I guess I should...
I guess I should thank you for having bailed me out all that time.
I know a good bet when I see one.
Earl grey. No sugar, no milk, I believe.
I...
What am I doing here?
[chuckles]
The powers that be have been very busy lately,
Falling over each other to position themselves
For the game of the millennium.
Maybe I can help deal you back in.
I didn't realize that I was out.
Oh, maybe not out...
But certainly being handed your hat.
I've had a long time to make enemies, doctor,
And...
There are many governments...
Business interests...
Even religious leaders that would like to see me depart this earth,
And I'll Grant them their wish soon enough.
But before I do, I wish to make a small contribution,
A final gesture of goodwill
To the people of this little planet that have given--
From whom I have taken so much.
You found the primer.
Clever girl.
Lights.
Pages and pages of data...
Over 63,000 in all.
And on the perimeter of each...
Alignment symbols, registration marks,
But they don't line up.
They do...If you think like a vegan.
An alien intelligence is going to be more advanced,
And that means efficiency functioning on multiple levels
And in multiple dimensions.
Oh, yes! Of course!
Where's the primer?
You'll see.
Every three-dimensional page
Contains a piece of the primer.
There it was all the time staring you in the face,
Buried within the message itself...
Ellie: ...Is the key to decoding it.
Within the layering of the matrix,
We have these basic equations.
So, with this very elementary foundation,
They have given us a kind of general scientific vocabulary.
We now have the symbols for true and false.
This was the key, to put it simply,
That allowed us to decipher their language
For physics, geometry, chemistry.
Next frame, Ellie.
Yes, and when we apply this to the rest of the message,
We find this.
Those look like engineering schematics. Almost like blueprints.
Yeah.
Yes. It is our belief that the message
Contains instructions for building something.
Some...Kind of machine.
A machine? That does what, doctor?
Well, we don't know.
It might be some type of advanced communication device,
Or it could be a teaching machine of some kind
Or...It might...
Turn out to be some kind of transport.
Transport?
There's no proof of that.
Kitz: The fact is, you don't know what it does.
It could be anything.
It could be a Trojan horse.
We build it and out pours the entire vegan army.
Why even bother risking the personnel?
It could be a weapon.
Right. Some kind of a doomsday machine.
Exactly. Every time they detect a new civilization,
They fax down these construction documents from outer space.
We poor saps build whatever this thing is
And blow ourselves to kingdom come.
There's no reason to believe their intentions are hostile.
Why is it the default position of the egghead set
That aliens would always be benign?
Why is that, doctor?
We pose no threat to them.
It would be like us going out of our way
To destroy a few microbes on some anthill in Africa.
Drumlin: Interesting analogy.
And how guilty would we feel if we destroyed
A few microbes on an anthill in Africa?
I hope you're right, doctor. I really do.
But right now, my job is to protect American lives from any plausible threat,
And in that regard I am obligated to assume the worst.
Well, yes, and I am forced to agree with you.
My problem is this...
The content of that message is morally ambiguous at best.
Now, our internal numbers show support for this is incredibly soft.
So, if the president wishes to stay this course,
I can guarantee you you're gonna find his numbers
Going south like a duck in winter.
This is nuts.
Excuse me...Miss.
We know nothing of these creatures' values.
The fact of the matter is,
We don't even know whether they believe in God.
This doesn't make any sense. If you were to ask--
Constantine: Excuse me, Dr. Arroway.
We won't be suppressing any opinions here today.
No, of course not. I understand.
What I meant to say...
Is that the message was written in the language of science.
Now, if it had been religious in nature,
It should have taken on the form of a burning bush
Or a big booming voice from the Sky.
But a voice from the Sky...
Is exactly what you found, Dr. Arroway.
I'm sorry, I'm late, ma'am.
Now, I agree with Mr. Rank
That there are unavoidable religious implications at stake here,
But that doesn't justify taking an alarmist position.
My hope here is that we can find a common ground,
Break through any obstacles that may have kept us apart.
Rank: Yes, and I need to make one thing very clear.
Our organization will not be mollified or placated
With flowery new age rhetoric from--
Mr. President!
The president met with his top advisors today
Regarding the latest efforts to decode the message.
While there have been reports of some progress,
The official line remains a cautious one.
If you're asking me when we'll find out
What the purpose of that machine is,
Maybe tomorrow, maybe next year, maybe never.
There he is.
The man with his finger on the spiritual pulse of the nation, huh?
So good to see you, Ellie.
You, too.
Your discovery, all of this...
It must be a real vindication.
I'm really happy for you.
Are you?
Mr. Joss, the president's waiting.
Ok.
The president's waiting.
Yeah.
Ellie? See you at the reception tonight?
Oh, yeah. I wouldn't miss it.
All right. Great.
Excuse me, Miss Constantine, may I speak to you?
Oh, certainly.
Um...
I have a big problem.
Yes?
Um...
Do you know where I can find a really great dress?
[protesters shouting]
Woman: Science is the devil's work!
God created man in the form of himself,
Not in the form of monkeys!
Protesters: Praise God. Praise God.
Get a job! Don't waste my tax dollar!
Do you hear me?
[quartet playing chamber music]
Wow.
You look beautiful, Ellie.
So do you.
No, you really do.
I read your book.
Here we go.
Would you like me to quote you?
"ironically, the thing that people are most hungry for...
"meaning... Is the one thing
That science hasn't been able to give them."
Yeah. Yeah.
Come on.
It's like you're saying that science killed God.
Now, what if-- what if science has simply revealed
That he never existed in the first place?
I think we're going to need to get some air.
What?
And a few more of these.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Ooh, a little chilly out here.
Yeah, this is nice.
I got one for you. What have you got?
Occam's razor. Have you ever heard of it?
Hoccam's razor. Sounds like some slasher movie.
No. Occam's razor. It's a basic scientific principle,
And it says all things being equal,
The simplest explanation tends to be the right one.
Makes sense to me.
All right. So what's more likely?
Thank you.
An all-powerful, mysterious God created the universe
And then decided not to give any proof of his existence?
Or...
That he simply doesn't exist at all and that we created him
So we wouldn't have to feel so small and alone?
I don't know.
I couldn't imagine living in a world where God didn't exist.
I wouldn't want to.
How do you know you aren't deluding yourself?
I mean, for me, I'd need proof.
Proof.
Did you love your father?
What?
Your dad, did you love him?
Yes. Very much.
Prove it.
[pager beeps]
Kent.
The white house.
Man: Mr. Joss.
I don't want excuses.
Whoever's responsible, I want their head on a platter.
Ellie.
What happened?
You were right all along.
The decryption team here at the VLA
Has been working around the clock,
And all the hard work has finally paid off.
This key section, uncovered tonight
And obtained exclusively by CNN,
Shows an illustration of what is unmistakably
A human figure inside a geometric structure of some kind.
This and other contextual clues
Now lead scientists to believe
That the message is, in fact...
The president has called an emergency meeting.
Yeah, I imagine he would.
Designed to take a single human occupant into space--
Presumably, to the star Vega.
I missed my mother's birthday party.
Could you call her in the morning
And tell her I wish her a happy birthday?
Ellie: Tell me.
They're going to build it.
Who gets to go?
The president's just gone international
To spread the risk and the construction cost on this thing.
Who gets to go, though?
Well, it's complicated, Ellie.
What?
They have formed a group of international candidates.
Oh.
Now, it's your discovery.
They understand that.
You're at the top of a very short list.
But they're also putting together a formal selection committee.
It's made up of scholars, theologians,
Scientists, philosophers--
You're on it.
I've been asked, yes.
I guess that means that...
You're a selector, and I'm a selectee,
And that we can't...
Yeah.
But what you don't understand, Ellie, is--
Oh, I understand.
Ellie...
I want you to know, whatever happens,
As far as I'm concerned,
Well...
Good luck.
Well, whatever you do, just make sure
He doesn't monopolize the committee, all right?
He's not on the committee, Ellie.
What?
He just resigned as science advisor.
He wants to be the one to go.
The president is already beginning to feel the financial pinch.
Consortium sources say the cost of the project
Is spiraling to more than a third of a trillion dollars,
Making this what may be the most expensive single project
In all of human history.
Bobbi Battista: Meanwhile, months of debate
Finally reached a conclusion of sorts last week,
As 10 international candidates
Were selected by the I.M.C.
Representing a cross section of political, philosophical,
And religious views.
Many of these scientists are the same experts
Who have been consulting on the machine's design and function.
As such, they will actively participating on-site
During the construction process.
But the choice of these 10 candidates
Has not been without controversy.
Fully 1/3 of the candidates are American,
And many international observers are asking why.
The U.S. Is shouldering an enormous percentage
Of the financial burden.
But isn't it true that a lot of the large contractors
Like Hadden industries
Are actually making those contributions
In exchange for technology rights?
Different nations are being compensated in different ways.
For example--
Japan made headlines last month
When it announced it would forego candidate representation
In exchange for the lucrative systems integration subcontract.
On what basis do you choose a human being
To represent humanity?
Good question, Larry.
Yes, well, if nothing else,
It should be somebody who's fluent
In the language that the message was given in--
Science, in this case.
Dr. Arroway, despite your obvious enthusiasm,
There's been a lot of criticism of late
That this whole endeavor is simply too dangerous--
Some of that criticism from scientists.
One Nobel prize winner recently noted-- his words--
"there is every indication
"that this is simply beyond our capabilities,
"that this endeavor will fail,
"and that the machine's occupant
Will pay for that failure with their life."
How do you respond to something like that?
Well, this message is from a civilization
That may be anywhere from hundreds
To millions and millions of years ahead of us.
I have to believe that an intelligence that advanced
Knows what they're doing.
Now, all it requires on our part is...
Faith?
I was going to say a sense of adventure.
And in breaking news, major John Russell,
A former astronaut considered to be
The leading American candidate for the machine seat,
Has unexpectedly dropped out of the running.
Russell met with reporters this afternoon at his Houston home.
I told my dad that I...
Didn't want him to go.
Daddy, don't go.
Nothing would give me more pride
Than to represent my country,
But what can I say to this?
Consortium officials had no comment,
But sources within the American delegation [knock on door]
Have disclosed that Dr. Arroway
Appears to now be the front-runner for the machine seat.
"meet me at noon. Must talk."
I sure didn't expect to be getting a message like this from you.
Thanks for coming.
So is this kosher, fraternizing with the enemy?
Selectors and selectees mingling around?
Can we talk about Einstein?
Yeah, sure. Ok.
Special relativity.
Yeah.
This machine--
Now, if it works,
And you travel to Vega at even close to the speed of light,
When you come back--
If you come back.
If you come back,
You'll only be 4 years older,
But over 50 years would have passed here on earth.
Basically, yeah.
And everybody that you care about
Will be gone, dead, and buried.
If you came back, if you survived at all, which...
Look, palmer, nobody's saying this isn't dangerous, all right?
I--the rest of the candidates and myself,
We fully understand the implications,
The risks that we're taking.
Why?
Because it's a historic opportunity,
Because the world needs--
You, Ellie, you.
You personally.
By doing this, you're willing to give your life.
You're willing to die for it.
Why?
You know, for as long as I can remember,
I've been searching for something,
Some reason why we're here.
What are we doing here? Who are we?
If this is a Chance to find out
Even just a little part of that answer,
I don't know, I think it's worth a human life.
Don't you?
You're an incredibly brave woman, Ellie.
Or incredibly nuts.
Palmer...
I'm really confused.
So am I.
[French accent] I think I speak for us all
When I thank you for your Patience.
Myself, I have one final question, Dr. Arroway.
If you should meet these vegans
And were permitted only one question to ask of them,
What would it be?
Well, I suppose it would be,
"how did you do it?
"how did you evolve?
"how did you survive this technological adolescence
Without destroying yourself?"
That, more than any other question,
Is the one that I personally would like to have answered.
Not too bad, Mike.
Well...
[Indian accent] I join Dr. Bergeron in expressing thanks
For your Patience, Dr. Arroway.
We've all been most impressed with your candor
And your stamina.
I believe we are ready to move on to your final statement.
Madam chairman, I have one more question.
Yes, Mr. Joss.
Palmer: Dr. Arroway...
Would you consider yourself
A spiritual person?
Uh...
I don't really understand the point of the question.
Uh, I consider myself a moral person.
Patel: I'm sure we all agree that is the case,
But I think what Mr. Joss is, in fact, asking--
Do you believe in God,
Dr. Arroway?
As a scientist, I rely on empirical evidence,
And in this matter,
I don't believe that there is data either way.
Patel: So your answer would, in fact, be
That you don't believe in God.
I just--I don't understand the relevance of the question.
[English accent] Dr. Arroway,
95% of the world's population
Believes in a supreme being in one form or another.
I believe that makes the question more than relevant.
Patel: Dr. Arroway?
I believe, um...
I believe I've already answered that question.
I'm proud of what we've achieved as a species
And as a civilization.
I would hate to see everything we stand for,
All that we have fought for for a thousand generations,
All that God has blessed us with...
Betrayed
In the final hour
Because we chose to send a representative
Who did not put our most cherished beliefs first.
Thank you.
[knock on door]
Why'd you do it?
Our job was to select someone to speak for everybody.
And I just couldn't, in good conscience,
Vote for a person who doesn't believe in God.
Someone who...
Honestly thinks the other 95% of us
Suffer from some form of mass delusion.
I told the truth up there,
And drumlin told you
Exactly what you wanted to hear.
With full humility and utmost gratitude,
I accept this great honor.
And I promise I will do my best
To represent my nation, my planet,
And my God on this historic Journey.
I thank you from the bottom of my heart.
[helicopter]
There's a carnival atmosphere
Here at Cape Canaveral
As the international machine consortium
Hosts as much a media event
As a systems test.
David drumlin is supervising
The on-site portion of the test.
We spoke with him earlier today.
We'll be able to monitor the stresses and effects
Using the robot passenger,
Who we lovingly call Elmer.
Woman on P.A.: We are coming up on "t" minus 2 hours and counting.
All machine systems are go.
Dr. Arroway, the press would like to ask you a few questions...
Ok.
As soon as they're done with Dr. Drumlin.
Now, at the moment that we release the pod,
There will be a substantial amount of energy generated at the core.
We'll be able to monitor the stresses and effects
Using our robot passenger
Who we lovingly call Elmer.
[chuckles]
Thank you.
You're welcome.
P.A.: Range safety reports the test area is clear and go.
Sir, they're ready for you out at the site.
Uh, yeah. Just a minute.
P.A.: The test director has issued a go
To enter the final countdown phase.
Ellie.
Congratulations, David.
Glad you could come.
Didn't, uh, expect to see you here.
Well, I'm still, uh...
You know, crew ops at the control center,
As I suppose the fact
That I discovered the message
Means that I have some per. Value.
Of course.
Ellie, I know you must think this is all very unfair.
Maybe that's an understatement.
What you don't know is I agree.
I wish the world was a place
Where fair was the bottom line,
Where the kind of idealism you showed at the hearing was rewarded,
Not taken advantage of.
Unfortunately, we don't live in that world.
Funny, I...
Always believed
That the world is what we make of it.
Excuse me!
Dr. Drumlin, sir?
Good luck on the test.
Thank you.
P.A.: The pad leader has issued the order
To clear the pad of all non-essential personnel.
Test director, everything looks good up here.
We're ready to go.
All right, people, I want things double and triple-checked here.
We only get one shot at this.
Let's get it right.
Ladies and gentlemen, we are ready to start up.
All controllers,
I need a go/no-go for test initiation.
Mechanical? Go.
Electrical?
Dynamics? Go.
Communications?
Pod systems? Go.
Safety? Go.
Crew ops, verify all pretest procedures are complete?
Yes, verified. I'm go.
Pad leader, we are looking good here. Is everything ok with you?
Roger.
The pad is a go.
Director: Test initiation on my Mark.
5...
4...
3...
2...
1.
Mark.
Mechanical controller: Test start.
Safety controller: Rings are unlocked.
Power levels indicate a good start.
Woman on P.A.: And we have begun the full-scale test
Of earth's first system
Built by the sharing of knowledge
With a neighbor in our universe.
Electrical controller: All power sources on core induction bus.
Pod systems controller: I.P.V. Power transfer.
Dynamics controller: Ring motion detect: Alpha, bravo, Charlie.
Director: Gerry, how we looking?
Dynamics controller: Looks good. We're underway.
Drumlin: Looks like we have a normal startup.
Director: Roger, David. It's looking good here.
Woman on P.A.: We are moments away
From the initiation of the drop sequence.
All systems are go.
Director: Mechanical, you still happy?
Mechanical controller: Roger that.
I tell you,
This is very exciting from up here.
Dynamics controller: We've got 4%.
Drumlin: We're confirming 4%.
Frequency niner-point-85.
Harmonics in the green.
G-level, 1.1.
5%.
Confirmed. We are at 5%.
David, how's it looking to you?
Drumlin: Ok.
I'm gonna take a look, show you what we've got.
Pod technician: All test subject instrumentation looks good.
Confirmed. We have a good picture
From Dr. Drumlin's P.R.D.
Hope you guys are seeing what I'm seeing.
Pad leader: All systems are go.
Drumlin: This is really something.
For the purposes of this test,
Dr. Drumlin will be on top of the gantry crane
That's over the machine.
We've got some, uh, some video animation
To show you just how this machine-- it is thought--will work.
The passenger pod will be released.
It'll come down through the center of the rings
And into the machine's core.
The big question everyone here is asking
Is, of course, what happens then?
Some believe that the rings function
As some sort of an accelerator
Or something,
Sending its energy into this passenger pod
Making it rocket away at near the speed of light.
Other people believe
It might open up a doorway to some other dimension.
Who's right?
Well, that's what today's test is all about.
Dynamics controller: 35%.
Mechanical controller: Subsystems, are you ready?
40%. Normal acceleration.
Pad leader: Confirmed. 40%.
All controllers stand by to initiate drop sequence
On my Mark.
Pad leader: All systems ready for drop sequence.
Dynamics controller: 45%.
Drumlin: We're in 45%.
Can you verify closure?
Dynamics controller: 46.
Director: All controllers standby to initiate I.P.V. Drop sequence
On my Mark.
Dynamics controller: 48%.
Test director, I'm feeling a very strange vibration.
Are you feeling it down there?
Director: Gerry, can you confirm any vibration out of limits.
Dynamics controller: Negative. Everything looks good here.
Crew ops?
Nothing wrong with Elmer.
David, we're not seeing anything abnormal down here.
No good. Hold the sequence.
I'm gonna take a direct reading.
What the hell's he talking about?
Can anyone say grandstanding?
He sure knows he's on TV.
Back home, that's what we call an overcooked ham.
I'm reading 10 kilohertz.
What your reading on the first and second order g-levels?
G-levels are right on.
Dynamics controller: We confirm drumlin's readings, and they're all normal.
We're at go.
Director: Copy that, dynamics.
I think we're ok, but we'll let him finish.
Director: Mechanical, you still ok?
Mechanical controller: Roger, T.D. Right on the money.
We've got a security problem here!
Ellie, are you sure?
Yeah. This guy.
He shouldn't be there. I know him.
Gerry, execute the rapid shutdown sequence.
Security, move the emergency response team into position one.
Get me drumlin on a secure loop, please.
You got him.
David, can you hear me?
Yes, I hear.
We've got a security breach here.
Right behind you.
The tall guy.
The technician.
See him?
Mechanical controller: Ring drive power is off.
He's not supposed to be there.
David, he's got something in his hand.
Him! Take him!
Security breach!
A bomb. He's got a bomb.
He's got a bomb!
Director: I want that emergency response team up on the gantry now!
Security, stage one alert.
Fire com, move all fire rescue personnel
To position one!
Aah!
[viewers gasping]
Wait a minute. Something's going wrong. Something's wrong.
[screaming]
Man: Get down!
All right, all right! Back to your stations!
I need you to be professional, people!
Settle down!
Pad leader. Pad leader, do you copy?
Com one, do we have contact with pad?
Communications controller: Negative.
[voices fade beneath sound of Ellie breathing]
[trumpet playing taps]
The scene earlier today
When David drumlin, advisor to 2 presidents
And winner of the national academy of sciences
Lifetime award of excellence,
Was laid to rest
At Arlington national cemetery.
In a related story, last night's deadly raid...
Can I help you?
Oh, you're--
I've got some mail for you.
Newscaster: ...Of this amateur video,
The apparent suicide note
Of the leader of a terrorist group
Now believed responsible
For the explosion in Florida this week.
What we do,
We do for the goodness of all mankind.
This won't be understood. Not now.
But the apocalypse to come
Will vindicate our Faith.
[turns up volume on vegan signal]
Welcome home.
[turns sound off]
[thunder]
[cosmonaut speaking Russian]
[speaking Russian]
Oh, uh, comrade Arroway.
He has been expecting your call.
Uh, one moment, please.
Mr. Hadden?
Doctor.
How kind of you to call.
Mr. Hadden, where are you?
The Russian government was kind enough
To give me accommodations on MIR.
You're living on a space station?
It's quite simple, really.
The low oxygen, zero-gravity environment
Is the only thing keeping the cancer
From eating me alive.
Actually, I quite like it up here.
My little room has one hell of a view.
I wanna show you something.
[keystrokes]
Hokkaido island.
The systems integration site.
Look closer.
First rule in government spending:
Why build one,
When you can have 2 at twice the price?
Only this one can be kept secret.
Controlled by Americans,
Built by Japanese subcontractors,
Who also happen to be...
Recently acquired,
Wholly owned subsidiaries...
Of Hadden industries.
They still want an American to go, doctor.
Wanna take a ride?
And augmenting our restraint
And communications console subsystem,
We have your personal recording unit.
Normal, infrared,
And ultraviolet lenses.
Digital microchip
Good for thousands of hours of recording.
Ok, look, I--I understand
The reason for recording
And documenting the mission.
But I just--I wanna go on record one more time.
The transmitted specs
Never said anything about any chair
Or a restraining harness
Or survival gear.
You know, why can't we just trust the original--
Doctor, both the I.M.C. Board and the S.I. Team
Carefully reviewed the matter
And concluded the design impact is negligible.
Bottom line is...
We're not putting anybody aboard this machine
Unless there is some sort of minimal protection.
Minimal protection.
End of story.
Ok.
Ellie...
We've been giving these to the astronauts
Since the beginning of the space program.
It's never been made public, of course.
It's fast, and it's painless.
I'm going to travel 26 light years to commit suicide?
Something may go wrong.
There may be an unforeseen mechanical failure.
You could be marooned,
Unable to return.
There are a thousand reasons we can think of
For you to have this with you,
But mostly it's for the reasons we can't think of.
[knock on door]
Come in.
Dr. Arroway, time to get ready.
Ellie: Thank you.
I know you don't have much time.
As soon as I found out about the machine, I called the president.
I came with Kitz.
[door shuts]
I had to see you one more time.
Oh, God, I'm sorry.
It's ok. No, I-- I'm glad you came.
Listen, there's something I gotta say to you.
The reason I didn't vote for you to go, Ellie, was a good reason,
But it wasn't the real one.
I didn't vote for you to go...
Because I don't want to lose you.
You find your way home, all right?
23 hours ago,
The world was stunned by the announcement
Of the existence of a second machine
And its passenger, Eleanor Ann Arroway.
Now the question that's on everyone's mind:
Will history repeat itself?
With a piece of engineering this complex,
With so many unknowns,
Could the unthinkable occur?
The security in Hokkaido has been incredibly tight.
No reporters whatsoever
Have been allowed near the site.
[machine humming]
[gas hissing]
[click]
Thanks.
Magnetic restraint is secure.
All life support functions are normal.
Roger that.
Ellie, this is control.
Do you copy?
Ellie to control. Reading you 5 by 5.
Com one, give me Ellie's P.R.D.
Video unit recording and transmitting.
Woman: Mechanical. Mech support.
Man: Go ahead mech support.
Are you reading me?
That's affirmative. Video looks good.
Female technician: All preps are complete for go.
Copy that, control.
Ok.
Ellie, we're gonna proceed to button you up.
Roger, control.
I'm ready.
I can confirm the walkway retraction.
Director: Communications?
Go.
Life support?
Woman: Go.
Ellie, we are go for closure.
I'm go...Here.
Director: Mechanical, initiate I.P.V. Closure sequence.
Mechanical controller: Wilco.
Hold on. Let me get you a chair.
[sniffs]
Ellie: I'm go here.
Nice to smell you again, Mr. Kitz.
You, too.
Wouldn't peg him as a polo man.
I got a visual on the door.
Life support controller: I.P.V. Escape system is armed.
Mechanical controller: Door is looking good.
Door alignment looks good.
[hiss]
[clank]
Ellie, we are showing green across the board.
Copy that, control.
I.P.V. Is secure.
Dynamics controller: We are at 30%.
Copy that. 30%.
How you doing in there, el?
Kent?
Is that you?
That's a big affirmative.
Well, who let you in there, huh?
A higher power intervened.
Well, I'm glad you came.
Dynamics controller: 35%
Copy that. 35%.
Mechanical? We're good.
40%.
[rumbling]
I'm picking up a moderate vibration here.
Dynamics, can you confirm vibration?
Everything looks good here.
She's feeling the same thing they felt at the cape this point.
Ellie, the vibration is normal.
Dynamics controller: We are at 50%. All systems nominal.
Copy that. 50%.
Vibrations getting a little stronger now.
We're picking up some low-frequency noise.
Mechanical, can you confirm?
It looks fine to me.
Roger. Gerry, what do you think?
I'm still go.
People, we are still go.
Wha--uh, something's happening.
I--I--I--I'm...
There's...
There's a light. Do you see that?
I'm seeing some, uh--
[static]
Something. Some kind of--
I can't tell whether it's daylight or not.
It's--there it is again.
It's coming from the bottom.
Uh, here. Let me show it to you. Do you see that?
Negative. Ellie, you're breaking up.
Com one, can we boost her signal?
Already at maximum.
Dynamics controller: 65%.
The material is changing.
It's bordering on translucence.
But the system's intact.
[static]
It's got to be some kind of--
Some kind of electromagnetic field.
Are you reading this?
Negative.
We're seeing only interference.
It's becoming completely translucent.
I can't describe it.
I can't even explain it.
70%.
People, we have intermittent com, but we are still go.
Initiate secondary drive systems.
Dynamics controller: Initiating auxiliary booster sequence.
Second dynamics controller: We're go for ignition.
We have auxiliary booster ignition.
Life support, how's she doing?
We still have data.
Heart and respiration are high, but within limits.
She's ok.
Ellie, do you copy?
If you can hear me, I am ok to go.
If you can hear me...
80%.
All vibration and g-levels are in the green.
[voice shaking] control, if you're reading me,
I am ok to go.
Ok to go!
85%.
Mechanical controller: All bearing tips are on the profile.
90%.
We're detecting some structural instability.
Man: Confirmed.
Is she holding?
We're within limits... Barely.
I'm ok to go!
My God.
Dynamics controller: 95%.
Ok to go!
I'm ok!
100% target velocity.
Steve, picking up tremendous E.M.I. Levels
Around the machine.
All field measurements are pegged off-scale high.
Steve, we're approaching our abort limits.
Ok to go.
I hear her. I hear her.
Barely, but she's there.
Ok to go.
She says she's ok to go.
Steve, we're real close.
Electrical, what's your reading in the core?
The internal environment looks normal.
Inside the core, the weather's beautiful.
I'm ok to go.
Ok to go.
I'm ok to go.
Director: Initiate drop sequence.
On my Mark.
10...
9...
Electrical controller: Power transfer.
8...
7...
6...
5...
4...
3...
2...
I'm ok to go.
Oh, God!
Aah!
Uhh!
Ellie to control.
Do you read me?
Ellie to control.
Do you read me?
I'm gonna try and keep recording.
I'm going through some kind of a tunnel.
There's a light source ahead.
Brilliant
And blue-white.
Residual radiation?
It's a star.
I must have...
Gone through a wormhole.
It's Vega.
I'm in another wormhole now.
A series of them.
They're alive.
It's like some...
Some kind of a transit system.
A subway.
Oh, God!
Uhh!
Ok.
Ok, I gotta keep talking.
It's a triple--
No, quadruple system.
Oh, it's beautiful.
They're alive.
Another wormhole.
This one's much more violent.
Some...
Celestial event.
No.
No words...
To describe it.
Poetry.
They should have sent... A poet.
It's so beautiful.
Beautiful.
So beautiful.
I had no idea.
Hi, sparks.
Dad?
I missed you.
Aren't you--
Oh, I'm sorry I couldn't be there for you, sweetheart.
You're not real.
None of this is real.
That's my scientist.
When I was unconscious,
You downloaded my thoughts, my memories,
Even...
Pensacola.
We thought this might make things easier for you.
Why did you contact us?
You contacted us.
We were just listening.
And there are others?
Many others.
They all travel here
Through that transit system that you built?
We didn't build it.
We don't know who did.
No, they were gone long before we ever got here.
Maybe someday they'll come back.
All the other civilizations that you find, they come here?
Not all.
Is this some test?
No, no tests.
You have your mother's hands.
You're an interesting species.
An interesting mix.
You're capable of such beautiful dreams
And such horrible nightmares.
You feel so lost,
So cut off,
So alone.
Only you're not.
See, in all our searching,
The only thing we found that makes the emptiness bearable
Is each other.
What happens now?
Now...
You go home.
Home?
But I have so many questions.
Do we get to come back?
This was just a first step.
In time, you'll take another.
But other people need to see what I've seen.
They need to see--
This is the way it's been done for billions of years.
But--
Small moves, Ellie.
Small moves.
Got video on Ellie 5 by 5.
She's through. She is in the net.
She's alive. Give me the white house.
Give me the president on the phone right now.
What's going on, Steve? How is she?
How is she?
Ellie, this is control. Do you copy?
What's going on?
I don't know. Hang on.
Put her on the P.A.
Ellie, just hold on tight.
We're still trying to determine the nature of the malfunction,
But the important thing is you're ok.
What?
It's all right, Ellie.
The important thing is that you're safe.
What malfunction?
What?
What happened?
What day is this?
I'm sorry, Ellie.
Did you say, "what day"?
How long was I gone?
Ellie, the I.P.V. Dropped straight through the machine.
You didn't go anywhere.
But I did.
I did go.
That's what I've been trying to tell everyone.
But the headset didn't record a single image?
Just this.
Static.
Thank you.
Now, doctor,
Let me show you what we saw.
43 separate remote cameras show exactly the same event.
The I.P.V. Dropped straight through.
Everyone who watched saw exactly the same thing.
Nothing happened.
How do you explain this, doctor?
I can't.
I would encourage you
Not to inflame this situation beyond the facts.
Let us deal with this on the facts.
We are monitoring what has actually happened.
We are taking what we believe
Is factually appropriate steps.
Amid a flurry of accusations and counter-accusations
By the nations representing the machine consortium,
The president has ordered a special executive inquiry.
However, the appointment to the committee of Michael Kitz,
Who has recently resigned as national security advisor,
Has raised a number of eyebrows on capitol hill.
I have made no decision to run for congress,
I have announced no candidacy,
And the fact that I resigned as national security advisor
Has nothing to do with anything
Other than I want to devote all of my energy to this inquiry.
The people of the world have a right to know
What really happened.
And yet every scientific instrument confirms
The I.P.V. Was out of contact for only a fraction of a second.
Isn't that correct, doctor?
A fraction of a second, earth time, yes.
Earth time?
Ellie: Senator, I believe that the machine opened up a wormhole--
A tunnel through the fabric of space-time,
Also known as an Einstein-Rossen bridge.
Now, because of the effects of general relativity,
What I experienced as approximately 18 hours
Passed instantaneously.
Now, isn't it true that these wormholes you speak of
Are merely theoretical predictions?
There is no evidence they actually exist, is there?
There is no direct evidence, no.
Kitz: Tell me something, doctor.
Why do you think these aliens
Would go to all this trouble?
Bring you tens of thousands of light years
And then just send you home
Without a single shred of proof?
He said that's how it's been done for billions of years.
Kitz: That's very neat, doctor.
You have no proof because they didn't want you to have any.
A phenomenon known in psychiatric circles, I believe,
As a self-reinforcing delusion.
Is that what you think, that I was delusional?
Well, I do think you may have suffered some kind of an episode.
Yeah, I do.
Doctor, I'd like to propose an alternate hypothesis if I may,
And I'd like you to bring
Your considerable scientific expertise to bear on it.
To fake a signal from Vega,
What would you need?
You would need a satellite to transmit the signal,
But it would be impossible to simulate--
You'd need a satellite,
And you'd need launch capabilities
To put the satellite into orbit,
And, of course, the message itself.
To put something like this together,
So complex, drawing on so many disciplines--
Would be impossible.
Impossible?
Is there anyone who might have been up to the challenge?
Someone with extraordinary technical expertise,
Enormous financial resources.
Someone perverse enough, eccentric enough
To have come up with the idea in the first place?
Hadden?
S.R. Hadden.
You're implying that this was all some kind of a hoax?
That he engineered this--
S.R. Hadden,
A legendary power broker and manipulator,
In perhaps his final bid for immortality.
Maybe he wanted to explore
And exploit experimental technologies
And get the governments of the world to pick up the tab.
Perhaps this was his final altruistic gesture
To unite the world in some common goal.
Maybe all of the above.
S.R. Hadden, a brilliant, complicated man.
Doctor, are you familiar with the scientific precept
Known as coca’s razor?
Yes.
It means that all things being equal,
The simplest explanation tends to be the right one.
Kitz: Exactly. Now, you tell me,
What is more likely here?
That a message from aliens
Results in a magical machine
That whisks you away to the center of the galaxy
To go windsurfing with dear old dad,
And then a split second later returns you home
Without a single shred of proof,
Or that your experience is the result
Of being the unwitting star in the farewell performance
Of one S.R. Hadden,
A man with the means, the motive, and the opportunity
To play you, and indeed the rest of us, as pawns
In the biggest, the most elaborate,
The most expensive hoax of all time?
Dr. Arroway.
You come to us with no evidence,
No record,
No artifacts.
Only a story that, to put it mildly,
Strains credibility.
Over half a trillion dollars were spent.
Dozens of lives were lost.
Are you really gonna sit there and tell us
We should just take this all
On Faith?
Kitz: Please answer the question, doctor.
Is it possible that it didn't happen?
Yes.
As a scientist, I must concede that.
I must volunteer that.
Wait a minute. Let me get this straight.
You admit that you have absolutely no physical evidence
To back up your story?
Yes.
You admit that you very well
May have hallucinated this whole thing. Yes.
You admit that if you were in our position,
You would respond with exactly the same degree
Of incredulity and skepticism?
Yes.
Then why don't you simply withdraw your testimony
And concede that this Journey
To the center of the galaxy, in fact,
Never took place?
Because I can't.
I had an experience.
I can't prove it.
I can't even explain it,
But everything that I know as a human being,
Everything that I am tells me that it was real.
I was given something wonderful,
Something that changed me forever.
A vision of the universe
That tells us undeniably
How tiny and insignificant,
And how rare and Precious we all are.
A vision that tells us that we belong to something
That is greater than ourselves--
That we are not-- that none of us are alone.
I wish I could share that.
I wish...
That everyone, if even for one moment,
Could feel that awe and humility and hope,
But...
That continues to be my wish.
Reporter: Dr. Arroway, can we please get a photo over here?
Woman: Here comes Ellie.
Reporter: Reverend joss!
Reverend joss, what do you believe?
What do you believe?
As a person of Faith,
I'm bound by a different covenant than Dr. Arroway,
But our goal is one and the same:
The pursuit of truth.
I, for one, believe her.
So what happens now?
We give her a medal?
I say at least a healthy Grant.
I assume you read the confidential findings report
From the investigating committee.
I flipped through it.
I was especially interested in the section
On Arroway's video unit.
The one that recorded the static.
Continue.
The fact that it recorded static
Isn't what interests me.
Continue.
What interests me
Is that it recorded approximately 18 hours of it.
That is interesting, isn't it?
You can see over there
We're building 45 brand-new dishes,
And that means that when you put them together
With all the different radio telescopes all over the world,
Then we get to hear farther into space
Than anybody's ever heard before.
Yeah.
Are there other people out there in the universe?
That's a good question.
What do you think, huh?
I don't know.
That's a good answer.
A skeptic, huh?
The most important thing
Is that you all keep searching for your own answers.
I'll tell you one thing about the universe, though.
The universe is a pretty big place.
It's bigger than anything anyone has ever dreamed of before,
So if it's just us,
It seems like an awful waste of space.
Right?
{{{ the end }}}