( hatch closing )
OH, MAN,
DO YOU EVER GET TIRED OF LOOKING AT IT?
FRANKLY, YES,
YOU'RE 10 MINUTES EARLY,
YOU TRYING TO MAKE THE REST OF US LOOK BAD?
SO SUE ME,
I STILL GET OFF ON IT,
THERE WAS A TIME THAT YOU DID, TOO,
HEY, IT GETS OLD, GETS REAL OLD,
NO FLUCTUATIONS IN OUR FIELD STRENGTH,
ALL VECTORS NORMAL,
YOU WANT COFFEE? THANKS,
SO WHAT IS IT YOU WANT?
MILITARY PILOT?
ONE OF THOSE BIG NAVAL SHIPS?
NOTHING WRONG WITH COMMERCIAL TRANSPORT,
I'D JUST LIKE TO SIT IN A DIFFERENT SEAT,
YOU MEAN COMMAND?
YEAH, SURE, WHY NOT?
I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU'D BE INTERESTED
THIS LATE IN YOUR CAREER,
YOU KNOW, MAN, I'M ONLY 37,
I'M NOT SOME DODDERING OLD, ,,
DAMN! WHAT THE HELL DID WE HIT?
I DON'T KNOW,
THE ENGINES ARE GOING OFF LINE,
DAMN!
WE'RE DROPPING OUT OF HYPERSPACE!
I CAN HANDLE THIS,
I'LL PULL US BACK,
WHAT'S GOING ON?
THE ENGINES ARE OFF LINE,
THERE'S NO PARTICLE EMISSIONS TO THE HYPERDRIVE,
IS SOMETHING ON THE HULL BLOCKING THE VIEW SCREEN ARRAY?
NO, IT'S ALL CLEAR,
THEN WHERE THE HELL DID THE STARS GO?
THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH YOUR TELEVISION,
DO NOT ATTEMPT TO ADJUST THE PICTURE,
WE ARE NOW CONTROLLING THE TRANSMISSION,
WE CONTROL THE HORIZONTAL,
AND THE VERTICAL,
WE CAN DELUGE YOU WITH A THOUSAND CHANNELS
OR EXPAND ONE SINGLE IMAGE TO CRYSTAL CLARITY, ,,
AND BEYOND,
WE CAN SHAPE YOUR VISION
TO ANYTHING OUR IMAGINATION CAN CONCEIVE,
FOR THE NEXT HOUR,
WE WILL CONTROL ALL THAT YOU SEE AND HEAR,
YOU ARE ABOUT TO EXPERIENCE THE AWE AND MYSTERY
WHICH REACHES FROM THE DEEPEST INNER MIND
TO THE OUTER LIMITS,
FOR THE CREW OF THE TRANSPORT VESSEL NESTOR,
THEIR MOMENT HAS COME,
THE ETERNAL NIGHT OF SPACE
HAS VANISHED, AND THE NIGHT TO COME
WILL BE LONGER AND DARKER
THAN THEY CAN POSSIBLY IMAGINE,
THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH THE EQUIPMENT,
DID YOU TRY A CROSS-CHECK?
I'VE RUN FIVE ALREADY, WHY DON'T YOU TRY IT?
WELL, I'M THINKING,
THAT'S ENOUGH,
IS IT SOME KIND OF DAMPING FIELD?
THE PLASMA'S JUST GONE INERT,
BUT WE STILL HAVE INTERNAL POWER?
IT COULD BE THAT ONLY RADIOACTIVE SOURCES ARE AFFECTED,
OUR SUB-LIGHT DRIVE IS CHEMICAL,
THAT STILL WORKS, WE CAN MANEUVER,
MANEUVER WHERE? WHERE ARE WE?
WELL, DAMNED IF I KNOW!
THERE'S NO STELLAR RADIATION IN ANY DIRECTION,
OUR DISTRESS SIGNALS JUST BOUNCE AROUND,
THERE ARE NO PLANETS OUT THERE?
THERE'S SOMETHING OUT THERE,
I'M PICKING UP READINGS OF OVER 2 BILLION EARTH MASSES,
BUT I CAN'T ISOLATE THE LOCATION,
CAN'T YOU TRIANGULATE USING THE HYPERSPACE DISTORTION?
WE'RE NOT A SCIENCE VESSEL,
WE'RE A CARGO SHIP,
WE DON'T HAVE THAT INSTRUMENTATION,
( Paul ) THIS HAS GOT TO BE A DISTORTION OF SPACE/TIME,
ITS DAMPING FIELD CAUSED US TO DROP IN FROM HYPERSPACE,
IT'S A KIND OF A COSMIC SPEED BUMP,
WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT THE PARAMETERS OF THIS DISTORTION,
YOU'VE ALREADY GOT
ALL THE INFORMATION MY SYSTEM CAN PROVIDE,
I KNOW NONE OF US
HAS HAD ANY EXPERIENCE IN SITUATIONS LIKE THIS,
BUT IF WE'RE GOING TO GET OUT OF THIS,
WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO WORK WITH EACH OTHER,
OR WE MAY NOT GET OUT AT ALL,
UNDERSTOOD?
PAUL, AREN'T WE CARRYING A COUPLE OF MINING PROBES?
YUP, TWO GAMMA-CLASS
ASTEROID MINING PROBES, CHEMICAL ENGINES,
CAN YOU JURY-RIG ONE,
FEED ITS TELEMETRY INTO THE NAV CONSOLE?
I THINK SO,
DO IT, ROB, GO WITH HER,
CHECK THE REST OF THE CARGO,
WHY WAS ROB AT THE HELM?
UM, ,,
WELL, HE SAID HE COULD HANDLE IT,
WHAT HE SAID HE COULD DO IS IRRELEVANT,
YOU HAVE 12 YEARS MORE EXPERIENCE,
YOU SHOULD HAVE BEEN AT THE HELM,
HOW DO YOU KNOW I COULD HAVE DONE ANY BETTER?
WE'LL NEVER KNOW, WILL WE?
EVERYTHING ALL RIGHT, GUYS?
HEY, BIG FELLA, ,,
GIRL,
YIKES,
ROB HERE, ZOO SPECIMENS CHECK OUT,
CARGO BAY SECURE,
I'LL BE DAMNED, IT WORKED!
RIG THE OTHER PROBE, TOO, WE MIGHT NEED IT,
O, K, , SWING IT AROUND TO STANDARD PATTERN,
STILL GETTING NOTHING VISUALLY,
MASS READINGS ARE STILL INTENSE,
IT'S GOT AN ON-BOARD LIGHT SOURCE, DOESN'T IT?
TURN IT ON,
THERE!
BRING THE PROBE AROUND,
IT'S A SHIP,
IT LOOKS LIKE A MILITARY VESSEL,
700 KILOMETERS FROM US,
I'LL MAGNIFY,
MY GOD!
THE SLAYTON?
WHAT ABOUT IT?
THE SLAYTON WAS, UH, ,,LOST WITH ALL HANDS ABOARD,
10 YEARS AGO,
IT WAS NEVER RECOVERED,
PAUL'S BROTHER WAS, ,, WHAT, JUNIOR COM OFFICER?
HE WAS JUST PROMOTED TO SECOND LIEUTENANT,
I'M SO SORRY,
ANY POWER READINGS?
JUST SOME RANDOM PARTICLE EMISSIONS
FROM THEIR CHEM ROCKETS,
THAT'S IT,
CAN WE SEND THE PROBE ON BOARD?
GUIDE IT IN THROUGH ONE OF THE ENGINE TUBES,
HAVE IT TAP INTO
THE SLAYTON'S COMPUTERS, GET US THEIR DATA LOGS,
THE SLAYTON?
ISN'T THAT, ,,
IT'S HOOKED INTO THE ACCESS PANEL,
IT'S READING "VACUUM" ON THE OTHER SIDE,
NO LIFE SUPPORT,
( Lydia ) OPEN ACCESS PANEL,
ENTERING THEIR ENGINE ROOM,
HOLD IT! BACK UP,
BACK UP!
MAGNIFY,
KEVIN!
I'M SORRY, PAUL,
IF THEIR HYPERDRIVE WAS DOWN,
WHY COULDN'T THEY USE THEIR SUB-LIGHT TO GET HOME?
WHY DON'T YOU TAKE AN HOUR,
MAYBE GET SOMETHING TO EAT?
ROB, YOU TOO,
YOU'VE BEEN AWAKE LONGER THAN WE HAVE,
GO,
( sigh )
( Paul ) EVEN THOUGH YOU KNOW BETTER,
A PART OF YOU CAN'T HELP THINKING
MAYBE THEY MADE LANDFALL SOMEWHERE,
MAYBE SOMEWHERE, SOMEHOW, HE'S STILL, ,,
I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT ANYBODY SAYS,
KNOWING IS A DAMN SIGHT WORSE THAN NOT KNOWING,
PAUL, ,,
OH, THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO
IS SOUND LIKE A CHOIRBOY,
BUT DO YOU HAVE ANY SPIRITUAL BELIEFS?
I HAVEN'T BEEN TO TEMPLE IN 30 YEARS,
THAT WASN'T WHAT I WAS ASKING, EXACTLY,
WELL, YOU MEAN DO I BELIEVE
IN GOD, HEAVEN, ETERNAL REWARDS?
SORRY, NO,
NEVER SEEN ANY EVIDENCE ONE WAY OR THE OTHER,
WELL, I'M NOT TRYING TO CONVERT ANYONE,
I WAS JUST WONDERING,
WELL, YOU'RE A CHRISTIAN?
I'M A CATHOLIC,
WELL, I'M JEWISH,
SO AT LEAST WE HAVE GUILT IN COMMON,
AND JUST SO I FEEL LESS THE HYPOCRITE, MY BROTHER
COULD BE A REAL JERK SOMETIMES,
MOST OF THE TIME, ACTUALLY,
IN FACT, THE LAST THING
I THINK I SAID TO HIM WAS "SCREW YOU,"
WELL, HE KNEW YOU DIDN'T MEAN IT,
NO, THAT'S JUST IT,
HE KNEW I DID,
( Lydia ) PAUL, ROB, GET UP HERE FAST!
( Paul ) IT'S NOT AN EARTH SHIP,
( Lydia ) WHAT DO YOU MEAN?
THAT'S NOT AN EARTH SHIP, IT'S ALIEN,
I DON'T RECOGNIZE THE CONFIGURATION,
WHY COULDN'T A MILITARY SHIP HAVE FOUND THIS?
WELL, ONE DID, THE SLAYTON,
WHAT IF THIS ALIEN SHIP IS RESPONSIBLE
FOR WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SLAYTON?
HELL, WE DON'T EVEN KNOW IF THE ALIENS ARE STILL ALIVE,
MAYBE THEY RAN OUT OF AIR, TOO,
SEND THE PROBE IN FOR ANOTHER LOOK,
LET'S GET OUT OF HERE, ERIN, FIRE CHEMICAL ENGINES,
PAUL, BRING US 180 DEGREES AROUND AND KEEP GOING,
SOMETHING'S STRAIGHT AHEAD, IT'S A SHIP,
THAT'S ANOTHER ONE,
NO, NO, IT'S THE SAME ONE,
WHAT?
( Lydia ) FULL STOP,
DAMN! WE'RE RIGHT BACK WHERE WE STARTED,
SOMETHING HERE IS DISTORTING SPACE,
IT'S LIKE IT CURVES IN ON ITSELF,
WELL, MAYBE NOTHING CAN GET IN
UNLESS IT, ,,DROPS IN FROM HYPERSPACE,
BUT THEN, NOTHING COULD GET BACK OUT,
ERIN,
READY THE OTHER PROBE FOR LAUNCH,
( Paul ) ACCORDING TO THE SLAYTON'S LOGS,
THE ALIENS WERE ALREADY HERE
WHEN THEY ARRIVED,
THE ALIENS TRIED TO TRANSMIT SOMETHING TO THE SLAYTON,
BUT THE METHODS OF DATA ENCRYPTION WERE SO ALIEN
THAT THE SLAYTON COULDN'T EVEN FIGURE OUT
HOW TO REASSEMBLE THE SIGNALS INTO DATA,
MUCH LESS DECIPHER THE LANGUAGE,
THEN, SUDDENLY, THE ALIENS TURNED HOSTILE,
TRIED TO RAM THE SLAYTON,
WHICH MOVED AWAY AND STAYED AWAY,
WERE THE ALIENS STILL ALIVE
WHEN THE LOG ENDED?
UH, THERE'S STILL GIGA-BYTES OF DATA
I HAVE TO PAGE THROUGH,
WHATEVER ZAPPED OUR PROBE COULD HAVE BEEN TRIGGERED
BY SOME AUTOMATED DEFENCE SYSTEM,
THERE'S NO GASEOUS EMISSIONS COMING FROM THE SHIP,
AND ANY LIFE SUPPORT SYSTEM
HAS SOME WASTE PRODUCT,
NONE OF THEM ARE COMPLETELY CLOSED,
THEY COULD ALL BE DEAD OVER THERE,
OR THEY COULD BE VERY, VERY GOOD AT RECYCLING,
( growling )
WHAT THE HELL'S GOTTEN INTO YOU GUYS?
HEY! LISTEN, EVERYTHING'S ALL RIGHT,
JUST RELAX,
GET AWAY FROM ME!
IT WAS ONE OF THE ALIENS,
THIS IS CRAZY,
HAS THEIR SHIP CHANGED POSITION AT ALL?
NOT A CENTIMETER,
HOW COULD THEY GET OVER HERE?
PAUL, THERE'S A TIME FOR SPECULATION,
AND A TIME TO JUST GET IN THERE AND SEE,
ERIN, FIRE UP THE SECURITY SCANNERS IN THE CARGO BAY,
ROB, CAN YOU SHOW US WHERE THEY WERE?
( gasp )
WHATEVER THEY WERE, THEY'RE NOT HERE ANY MORE,
YEAH, THEY COULD BE USING
SOME KIND OF SHORT DISTANCE DIRAC JUMP
FOR BOARDING OTHER VESSELS,
MAYBE,
WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM?
MED TELEMETRY INDICATES HEART ATTACK,
THERE'S ALSO EVIDENCE OF CONTACT
WITH SOMETHING VERY COLD,
ALMOST ABSOLUTE ZERO,
ONE OF THOSE THINGS MUST HAVE TOUCHED IT,
RUN A FULL DIAGNOSTIC ON IT,
THEN FREEZE IT,
WE MAY NEED ALL THE FOOD SOURCES WE CAN GET,
PAUL,
YOU KNOW, YOUR HUNCH WAS RIGHT,
THE ALIENS BOARDED THE SLAYTON, TOO,
THEY FIRST APPEARED IN ENGINEERING,
REACHED OUT TO TOUCH A JUNIOR OFFICER
AND SHE DIED INSTANTLY... HEART ATTACK,
AUTOPSY SHOWED A FINGERTIP-SIZED POINT OF ABSOLUTE ZERO,
AND CELLULAR DISRUPTION,
DID THEY TRY TO TAKE OVER THE SHIP?
THEY MIGHT NOT HAVE HAD TIME,
THE SLAYTON MOVED AWAY FROM THE ALIEN VESSEL,
AND THE BOARDINGS STOPPED,
POSSIBLY OUT OF RANGE OF THEIR JUMP TECHNOLOGY,
WE'RE GOING TO TAKE THEIR LEAD,
HOW DO YOU STAY SO CALM?
YOU PROCESS ALL THIS INFORMATION
COMING FROM 12 DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS AT ONCE
AND YOU'RE STILL SO, ,, SO BALANCED,
MY FIRST DAY IN COMMAND, I WAS OVERWHELMED...
ALL THESE PEOPLE ASKING ME WHAT TO DO, DECISIONS TO MAKE,
I MAKE THE DECISIONS, I TELL THEM,
AND I GO TO THE HEAD AND THROW UP FOR 10 MINUTES,
I TALKED TO AN OLD FRIEND, A FREIGHTER CAPTAIN,
I TOLD HIM HOW TERRIFIED I'D BEEN,
HE SAID, "DID YOU MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS?"
I SAID I THOUGHT SO,
HE SAID, "DID THE CREW KNOW HOW FRIGHTENED YOU WERE?"
I SAID, "NO, OF COURSE NOT,"
HE SAID, "CONGRATULATIONS, YOU'RE A COMMANDER,"
I JUST DON'T KNOW IF I WANT IT FOR THE RIGHT REASONS, YOU KNOW?
MY BROTHER KEVIN,
HE WAS FLYING LIGHT PLANES BEFORE HE WAS 20,
GRADUATED TOP OF HIS CLASS,
FIRST POSTED ON THE U, N, S, GAGARIN,
WE ALL KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO HER,
HE HELPED RESCUE THREE MEN
WHEN THE MAGNETIC CONTAINMENT FIELDS COLLAPSED,
MEDALS OF HONOR, CITATIONS FOR BRAVERY,
PROMOTED TO SECOND LIEUTENANT
WITHIN THE FIRST YEAR,
PRETTY IMPRESSIVE, YOU MUST HAVE HATED HIM,
WELL, NO, NO,
I WAS USED TO IT BY THEN,
IN HIGH SCHOOL, HE WAS A TRACK STAR,
IN COLLEGE, IT WAS FOOTBALL,
GOLDEN BOY OF THE FAMILY,
I WAS THE ONLY ONE WHO KNEW THE REAL, ,,
IT'S ALL PAST,
LONG PAST,
YOU LOOK EXHAUSTED,
GET A FEW HOURS SLEEP,
WE'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE FOR A WHILE,
GOOD NIGHT,
( Jason ) GIVE ME A BREAK!
YOU DIDN'T DO SQUAT TO MELANIE,
( Kevin ) HEY, ASK HER YOURSELF,
STEIN, YOU'RE SUCH A JERK,
YOU KNOW HOW TO SPELL JERK? V-I-R-G-I-N,
TAKE THAT BACK, YOU LITTLE TURD,
METHINKS THOU DOST PROTEST TOO MUCH!
METHINKS YOU'RE A SCUMBAG, SCUMBAG!
DON'T LISTEN TO HIM, BEANPOLE,
HE'S FULL OF IT,
BESIDES, A LITTLE PISHER LIKE YOU
SHOULDN'T BE HEARING THIS KIND OF CRAP,
I'M NOT A PISHER!
BEANPOLE!
THIS IS THE SOURCE OF THE DISTORTION?
NOT MUCH TO LOOK AT, IS IT?
HERE, I'LL HAVE THE PROBE FIRE AN ION FLARE,
FREEZE IT,
IT'S A, ,,
NON-LUMINOUS, PLANETARY-SIZED CHUNK OF MATTER
THAT'S INCREDIBLY MASSIVE,
( Rob ) SO MASSIVE THAT, THEORETICALLY,
IT COULD WARP TIME AND SPACE,
WHY AREN'T WE BEING CRUSHED BY THE GRAVITY?
BECAUSE IT'S NOT NORMAL MATTER,
THE SCANNERS CAN'T MAKE SENSE OF IT,
ITS ATOMIC STRUCTURE IS DAMN NEAR IMPENETRABLE
TO OUR SCIENCE,
AMAZING, ,,DARK MATTER,
THERE MUST BE SOME WAY TO ANALYZE IT,
LYDIA, I'M GETTING
UNUSUAL ENERGY READINGS ON DECK 2, SECTION 4,
I THOUGHT WE WERE OUT OF RANGE
OF THE ALIEN SHIP,
I CAN TAKE US FURTHER OUT,
NO, LET'S SEE WHAT WE'RE UP AGAINST,
PAUL, ERIN, WITH ME,
ROB, TAKE THE HELM,
PREPARE TO BUG OUT ON MY COMMAND,
IF I WANTED THIS MUCH EXCITEMENT,
I'D HAVE JOINED THE DAMN ARMY,
( Paul ) WAIT, STOP, STOP!
THIS IS SAYING THAT
THEY'RE WITHIN 10 METERS,
BUT IT WON'T PINPOINT THE DIRECTION,
I THOUGHT YOU SAID 10 METERS,
THEY'RE HERE,
PAUL, ERIN, TAKE THE LEFT,
I'LL TAKE THE RIGHT,
THERE!
DROP TO THE DECK!
FORGET IT, RETREAT!
GO!
ROB, GET US OUT OF HERE!
YOU CAN'T KILL THESE THINGS,
LASERS GO RIGHT THROUGH THEM,
( Kevin ) OF COURSE NOT, DUMMY,
THEY'RE ALREADY DEAD,
WE ALL ARE,
KEVIN,
LET'S GO!
THERE WERE NO LIFE READINGS, AT LEAST NOTHING
THAT I CAN RECOGNIZE AS LIFE,
THOSE SAME WEIRD ENERGY TRACES,
IT COULD BE RESIDUE FROM THEIR DIRAC JUMPS,
( Rob ) THEY WEREN'T DIRAC JUMPS,
WE ALL KNOW IT,
WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING,
I DON'T BELIEVE IN GHOSTS,
WHAT DO YOU CALL IT?
EVERYONE ON THE SLAYTON WAS DEAD,
WHAT IS IT YOU THINK HAPPENED DOWN THERE?
DAMN IT, ROB,
THROW AWAY THE ROSARY BEADS AND THINK RATIONALLY,
IT COULD HAVE BEEN A HOLOGRAM OR AN ILLUSION,
PAUL, WAS THAT IMAGE ANYTHING LIKE YOUR BROTHER,
ITS VOICE, ITS MANNER OF SPEAKING?
WAS IT AT ALL LIKE HIM?
WELL, TELEPATHY,
THEY COULD HAVE TAKEN ALL THAT FROM YOUR MIND,
ERIN'S RIGHT! IT COULD BE TELEPATHY,
PAUL'S BROTHER COULD BE AN ILLUSION, BUT WHY?
THEY CAN APPEAR AT WILL ANYWHERE,
THEY CAN KILL WITH A TOUCH,
THEY COULD TAKE CONTROL OF THIS SHIP IN FIVE MINUTES,
WHY CREATE FAKE GHOSTS? WHAT'S THE POINT?
WHATEVER THESE APPARITIONS,
THE CLOSER WE GET TO THE ALIEN SHIP,
THE MORE THEY APPEAR TO US,
LET'S SEE WHAT HAPPENS
WHEN WE GET THAT CLOSE TO THE SLAYTON,
( Lydia ) O, K, , KEEP US AS CLOSE AS YOU CAN,
NO FARTHER THAN 100 METERS,
GETTING THOSE WEIRD ENERGY READINGS AGAIN...
OUTSIDE THE SHIP THIS TIME,
FULL STOP,
MAINTAIN THIS POSITION AS LONG AS YOU CAN,
COMMANDER LYDIA MANNING,
YOU ARE ABOARD
THE MERCHANT TRANSPORT VESSEL NESTOR,
CAPTAIN JOHN OWENS, ,,
U, N, S, SLAYTON,
WELCOME TO HELL, COMMANDER,
I WOULD TRY TO SHAKE YOUR HAND,
BUT WE SEEM TO EXIST
IN A DIFFERENT QUANTUM STATE FROM YOU,
IT'S NOT, ,,CONGENIAL
TO THE HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEM,
CAPTAIN OWENS, WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR SHIP?
WE RAN OUT OF POWER...
THEN LIFE SUPPORT,
TRAPPED HERE FOR TWO YEARS,
WEAPONS USELESS
BECAUSE OF THE DAMPING FIELD,
SCANNERS UNABLE TO ANALYZE
THAT DAMN PIECE OF ROCK OUT THERE,
SOME OF US TOOK
THANOS PILLS BEFORE THE AIR RAN OUT,
I STAYED WITH THE SHIP TILL THE END,
AND AS I LAY THERE,
GASPING FOR ONE LAST BREATH OF AIR,
I THOUGHT, AT LEAST IT'S OVER,
AT LEAST WE WON'T HAVE TO STARE INTO THAT DARKNESS,
KNOWING WE'LL NEVER SEE HOME AGAIN,
NEVER SEE OUR FAMILIES AGAIN,
THANK GOD, AT LEAST
IT'S OVER,
BUT IT WASN'T,
WHEN I OPENED MY EYES, I KNEW
I WAS NO LONGER ALIVE,
AND I KNEW WE WERE GOING TO BE DENIED
EVEN THE PEACE OF THE GRAVE,
BUT HOW, WHY?
THAT THING OUT THERE,
SO HEAVY, SO MASSIVE,
IT'S TURNED SPACE BACK IN ON ITSELF,
NOTHING CAN ESCAPE...
NOT EVEN THE SOULS OF THOSE WHO DIED INSIDE OF IT,
WHEREVER WE ARE SUPPOSED TO GO,
WE'LL NEVER GET THERE,
HEAVEN, HELL, OBLIVION... WE'LL NEVER SEE IT,
AND NEITHER WILL YOU,
I'M SORRY,
HEY, BEANPOLE!
IT'S O, K, , IT'S O, K,
IT'S JUST ME, KIDDO, IT'S KEVIN,
IS IT?
I'VE BEEN WAITING 10 YEARS
TO TELL YOU SOMETHING,
SCREW YOU, TOO,
WOW,
IT IS, ISN'T IT?
KEVIN,
WOW, THIS IS WEIRD,
YOU SHOULDN'T TRY TO TOUCH ME,
WHAT DOES IT FEEL LIKE, KEV?
BEING DEAD?
MAYBE I'M NOT DEAD,
MAYBE THIS IS JUST SOME BIOLOGICAL ENERGY TRACE
THAT SHOULD HAVE DIED WHEN I DID,
WOULDN'T THAT BE A KICK?
MAYBE THIS IS JUST A MEMORY OF ME,
THE ALIENS ARE MEMORIES OF THEMSELVES,
CAN YOU TALK TO THE ALIENS?
WHY WOULD WE WANT TO TALK TO THE ALIENS?
THEY TRIED TO RAM US,
FIRST, THEY TRIED TO SNARE US WITH A MAGNETIC GRAPPLE,
THEN THEY TRIED TO SLAM OUR PORT SIDE,
I CAME BECAUSE I KNOW A WAY TO GET OUT OF HERE,
YOU DO? HOW?
FORCED PLASMA INJECTION IN THE HYPERDRIVE,
USE YOUR CHEMICAL ROCKETS TO IGNITE THE PLASMA,
JUMP START YOUR ENGINES,
WE CAN'T, ,, THIS ISN'T THE SLAYTON,
WE DON'T HAVE THE TECH SUPPORT,
USE THE EQUIPMENT FROM THE SLAYTON,
NO, BESIDES, FORCED PLASMA INJECTIONS ARE OBSOLETE,
STOP ARGUING, BEANPOLE, GO TELL YOUR CAPTAIN,
GOD DAMN IT, KEVIN, I'M NOT 9 YEARS OLD ANY MORE,
LISTEN TO ME, I'M 37,
I'M YOUR OLDER BROTHER NOW, YOU'RE DEAD,
THIS'LL WORK, PAULIE,
NO, IT WON'T WORK,
IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE,
LIKE ALMOST EVERYTHING YOU EVER DID,
THIS IS NOT ABOUT JASON,
THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT,
FINE, GO AHEAD, DIE,
GO TO HELL,
SEE IF I CARE,
KEVIN!
( sigh )
( groaning )
STEIN, YOU'RE SO FULL OF IT!
WHATEVER I'M FULL OF,
YOU WISH YOU HAD SOME, PAL,
KEV,
I'M NOT SUPPOSED TO GO THIS FAR,
YOU WOULD HAVE TOLD THAT TO LEWIS AND CLARK,
GO HOME IF YOU'RE AFRAID,
GO,
( shouting, clattering )
( Erin ) ROB, STOP IT!
( Rob shouting )
( Erin ) SOMEBODY HELP ME!
( yelling )
NO!
ROB! ROB!
WHAT THE HELL'S THE MATTER WITH HIM?
WE WERE JUST TALKING AND HE WENT BERSERK,
COOL DOWN, MAN! IT'S ME, PAUL!
( Rob ) OH, GOD!
LET GO! YOU CAN'T UNDERSTAND!
WHAT DID YOU SAY TO HIM?
I JUST SAID HE WAS RIGHT,
MAYBE SOMETHING OF US DOES SURVIVE AFTER DEATH,
YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE, EITHER OF YOU,
I MEAN, YOU GROW UP YOUR WHOLE LIFE
BELIEVING THAT GOD IS ALL-SEEING, ALL-KNOWING,
THAT HE'S JUST AND KIND AND LOVING,
AND THAT IF YOU LOVE HIM,
AND IF YOU LIVE A DECENT LIFE,
THAT YOU'LL BE REWARDED,
YOU'LL JOIN HIM IN HEAVEN,
BUT THOSE POOR BASTARDS ON THE SLAYTON,
THEY'RE NOT GOING ANYWHERE,
I MEAN, THEY DON'T DESERVE WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM,
SO THEREFORE,
GOD IS EITHER PUNISHING THE INNOCENT,
OR HE DOESN'T KNOW,
( sobbing )
HE DOESN'T KNOW!
COME ON, MAN,
ROB'S ASLEEP,
THE SEDATIVE FINALLY TOOK EFFECT,
YOU HANDLED HIM VERY WELL,
IT COULD HAVE BEEN ANY ONE OF US,
GIVEN TIME,
I SMUGGLED THIS IN
FROM RYDER'S WORLD,
I THINK WE'RE DUE,
THANKS,
CHEERS,
WHOA,
MY BROTHER VISITED ME AGAIN,
YEAH, WE GOT ALONG ABOUT AS WELL
AS WE DID WHEN HE WAS ALIVE,
AFTER HE LEFT, I FOUND MYSELF THINKING,
IS THIS WHAT'S IN STORE FOR ME...
SIBLING RIVALRY FOR ALL ETERNITY?
THANK GOD MY MOTHER'S NOT ON THAT SHIP!
THEN I REMEMBERED SOMETHING
THAT HE TOLD ME
ABOUT THE ALIENS RAMMING THE SLAYTON,
SO I WORKED OUT SOME SIMULATIONS
BASED ON WHAT HE SAID,
HERE, TAKE A LOOK,
FIRST,
THE ALIENS TRIED TO SNARE THE SLAYTON
USING MAGNETIC GRAPPLES,
WELL, THAT'S BAD TACTICS,
THAT LIMITS YOUR OWN MANEUVERABILITY,
THEN, EVEN STRANGER,
THE ALIEN SHIP IS APPROACHING PARALLEL TO THE SLAYTON,
IF YOU'RE GOING TO RAM A SHIP, YOU USE YOUR BOW,
NOT YOUR BELLY OR YOUR FLANK,
SO THE SLAYTON MANEUVERED AWAY,
BUT, ,,WHAT IF THE SLAYTON HADN'T MANEUVERED AWAY?
STAYED THERE?
SO, ,,I FACTORED IN
THE LOCATIONS OF BOTH SHIPS WITHIN THIS DISTORTION AND, ,,
THE DARK MATTER,
WITH THE ENGINES OF BOTH SHIPS
POINTED STRAIGHT AT IT,
THE ALIENS WEREN'T TRYING TO RAM THE SLAYTON,
THEY WERE TRYING TO DOCK WITH IT, I THINK,
MAYBE THEY HAD A PLAN TO DESTROY THE DARK MATTER,
COULDN'T COMMUNICATE IT WITH THE SLAYTON,
IF WE KNEW WHAT THEY KNEW,
MAYBE WE COULD CARRY OUT THEIR PLAN,
IF WE HAD HAM, WE COULD MAKE HAM AND EGGS, IF WE HAD EGGS,
NOT NECESSARILY,
WE KNOW WHAT THE DARK MATTER COULD BE MADE OF,
THE VARIOUS THEORIES?
YEAH, HUNDREDS OF THEM, SO?
SO WE CREATE SCHEMATICS
OF THE VARIOUS THEORIES,
SCHEMATICS SO CLEAR THAT EVEN AN ALIEN CAN READ THEM,
NO! ABSOLUTELY NOT!
THEIR TOUCH IS DEADLY,
I CAN GET THE SHIP OUT OF RANGE
AT THE LEAST HINT OF DANGER,
BUT IF WE CAN GET THE ALIENS
TO TELL US WHAT THIS DARK MATTER IS MADE OF,
MAYBE WE CAN THINK OF A PLAN TO DESTROY IT,
LYDIA, I DON'T OFTEN TRUST MYSELF,
AND I KNOW YOU DON'T QUITE TRUST ME, EITHER,
BUT THIS, I KNOW, CAN WORK,
THIS IS SOMETHING I UNDERSTAND,
SOMETHING I CAN DO,
PLEASE, ,,
PLEASE, LET ME TRY IT,
FOR ALL OUR SAKES,
500 KILOMETERS,
KEEP US OUTSIDE THE RANGE OF THEIR AUTOMATED DEFENSES,
SIMULATIONS READY?
THEY'RE READY, ,,I'M NOT,
RUN SIMULATIONS, ALL MONITORS, NOW!
SUPER STRING PARTICLES?
THAT MAKES SENSE,
HIGH FREQUENCY SUPER STRING PARTICLES
ARE IMMENSELY HEAVY,
BUT IF YOU ADD ENERGY TO THEM, THEIR FREQUENCY LOWERS,
SO THEIR MASS DECREASES,
ENOUGH MAYBE THAT THIS ENTIRE
SPACE BUBBLE MIGHT JUST POP RIGHT OUT OF EXISTENCE?
THANK YOU,
YOU'LL HAVE YOUR PEACE,
I PROMISE YOU,
TAKE US OUT,
ERIN, START ACCESSING THE SLAYTON'S COMPUTERS,
WE HAVE OUR WORK CUT OUT FOR US,
LIGHTS,
COMPUTER ON,
OPEN FILE,
FILE NAME, "KEVIN,"
WHAT DID YOU DO TO MELANIE? DID YOU FEEL HER UP?
SHUT UP, JASON,
DID YOU TOUCH THEM?
I SAID SHUT UP,
DID YOU USE YOUR MOUTH OR YOUR HANDS?
YOU'VE GOT SUCH A BIG MOUTH, ,,
GO TO HELL!
AHH!
NO!
JASON! NO!
WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?
WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE
30 YEARS AGO, ,,
TELL THE TRUTH,
TO WHO?
MAYBE NOBODY,
MAYBE WE'LL NEVER GET HOME,
BUT AT LEAST I'LL KNOW I'VE DONE IT,
I DIDN'T MEAN TO DO IT,
IT'S NOT ABOUT THAT,
IT'S ABOUT TAKING RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS,
YOU TOLD THEM HE TRIPPED, AND YOU GOT ME TO GO ALONG,
YOU THREATENED, CAJOLED AND GOT ME TO LIE,
AND I'VE NEVER TRUSTED ANY DECISION I'VE MADE SINCE,
WHAT IF YOU GET OUT OF HERE? WHAT THEN?
I AM A HERO, DAMN IT!
I SAVED THREE MEN OFF THE GAGARIN,
AND YOU MADE A MISTAKE
A LONG TIME AGO,
WE BOTH DID,
THAT DOESN'T DIMINISH WHAT YOU DID LATER,
YOU'RE JUST NOT PERFECT, THAT'S ALL,
I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS TO ME,
YOU CAN'T STOP ME, KEV,
YOU SON OF A, ,,
I'M SORRY,
YOU CRIED THAT DAY, TOO,
I'M SCARED, PAULIE,
WHAT IF I CAN'T GET OUT OF HERE?
HMM?
WHAT IF THIS IS JUST AN ENERGY TRACE?
WHAT HAPPENS TO ME?
I DON'T KNOW, KEV,
ALL I KNOW IS THAT WE ALL FACE THAT QUESTION EVENTUALLY,
YOU FACED IT ON THE GAGARIN,
YOU'LL DO IT AGAIN,
YOU'RE A HERO,
YEAH,
BEANPOLE,
TELL MOM AND DAD, ,,
TELL MOM AND DAD I'M SORRY,
( Paul ) BOTH ENGINES ARE ALIGNED,
ASSUMING CONTROL OF THE SLAYTON'S HELM,
DIVERTING NON-ESSENTIAL POWER TO HELM AND NAVIGATION,
( Lydia ) FULL STOP,
BRING US AROUND,
HELM COMPUTERS ARE OVERLOADED,
WE MAY LOSE THE SLAYTON AFTER THIS,
FIRE ENGINES!
WE NEED AT LEAST 30 SECONDS,
WE MAY NOT LAST MORE THAN 20,
26, 27,, ,
28,, ,
29,, ,30 SECONDS,
DISENGAGE!
YES!
GOOD WORK, PAUL,
REALLY GOOD!
SHE'S RIGHT, BEANPOLE,
NOT MUCH TIME, PAULIE,
I'M GOING SOMEWHERE,
I DON'T KNOW WHERE, BUT THAT'S WHY I WENT INTO SPACE
IN THE FIRST PLACE, RIGHT?
IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT, PAULIE,
I BULLIED YOU INTO IT,
YOU WERE JUST A KID, BUT I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN BETTER,
ANYWAY, JUST DON'T LET ME RUN YOUR LIFE
ANY MORE THAN I ALREADY HAVE,
KEV, I, ,,
IT'S O, K,
IT'S ALL O, K,
GOODBYE, BEANPOLE,
HAVE A GOOD LIFE,
COMPUTER ON,
FILE NAME, "KEVIN,"
WITHIN THE HUMAN SOUL RESIDE MYSTERIES DARK AND DEEP
ABOUT OUR FRAILTIES, OUR FEARS, OUR SHAME,
TODAY, OR A HUNDRED YEARS FROM NOW
THE DARKEST MATTER WILL STILL LIE