SO YOU ABANDONED SHIP?
YES, SIR. IT'S IN THE REPORT.
I'VE READ THE REPORT.
IT'S QUITE A TALE.
I'VE ALSO READ THE INVESTIGATION REPORT
PROVIDED BY THE JUDGE ADVOCATE'S OFFICE
AND THEIR RECOMMENDATIONS.
I'M AFRAID IT ISN'T GOOD NEWS, BILL.
THE AGENCY CAN'T IGNORE
THE EVIDENCE OF WHAT YOU DID.
WHAT I DID?
THEY SAY YOU DELIBERATELY STAYED UP THERE TOO LONG.
BUT, SIR, I WAS PERFECTLY FINE.
THEY THINK YOU LOST YOUR MIND UP THERE.
AND BY YOUR INSISTENCE ON PROLONGING YOUR ASSIGNMENT,
YOU ALLOWED YOURSELF TO BECOME PSYCHOLOGICALLY UNHINGED...
AND THAT YOU KILLED YOUR OWN PEOPLE.
WHAT?
THEY'RE WRONG.
I DIDN'T KILL ANYONE.
YOU HAVE TO CONVINCE THE HEARING OF THAT.
HEARING, SIR?
CAPTAIN WILLIAM CLARK,
BY ORDER OF THE CHAIRMAN'S OFFICE,
I'M DIRECTED TO PLACE YOU UNDER ARREST
FOR VIOLATION OF YOUR DUTIES
AS AN OFFICER OF THE FLEET,
AND FOR THE MURDER OF THREE OF YOUR CREW.
VIDEO LOG SCIENCE MODULE ONE.
MESCADRINE STUDY 254-J CONTINUES.
CRYSTAL FORMATION HAS REMAINED CONSTANT
OVER THE LAST 12-HOUR PERIOD.
AS EXPECTED, ZERO-GRAVITY ENVIRONMENT
HAS ACCELERATED CRYSTAL GROWTH.
PRESSURE VALVE ON CRYSTAL
SEEMS NORMAL.
0.6%.
HE'LL SAYS HE'LL TAKE ANOTHER YEAR
TO PERFECT AN ANTIDOTE FOR SPACE PSYCHOSIS.
WHICH WILL PUT OFF ANY LONGTERM SPACE ASSIGNMENTS.
BILL, YOU'VE ALREADY BEEN UP
FOR A YEAR AND A HALF.
YOU'LL HAVE TO GO BACK.
YEAH... TO WHAT?
TO YOUR LIFE.
A LIFE OUTSIDE THIS SHOEBOX.
FRANKLY, I DON'T UNDERSTAND
YOUR OBSESSION WITH STAYING HERE.
EVEN OUR ENGINEER'S SHOWING SIGNS
HE'S BEEN ON BOARD TOO LONG.
THE PROBLEM WITH YOU, DOC, IS YOU CAN'T TELL THE DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN SPACE SICKNESS AND A HANGOVER.
EITHER IS ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU UNDER OBSERVATION.
HEY,
GORDON'S BEEN UNDER OBSERVATION FOR OVER A WEEK NOW.
I'M SHORT ON CREW.
THAT SPACE DEBRIS THAT HIT US LEFT A HELL OF A MESS.
SORRY, BUT HE STAYS ON LIGHT DUTIES.
I DON'T MIND, HONEST.
ALL RIGHT, WHAT ABOUT REPAIRING
AN AIR DUCT IN THE SERVICE MODULE?
THAT LIGHT ENOUGH, DOC?
I SUPPOSE IT COULD BE.
GORDON.
SIR?
OFF TO AIR DUCT LAND, PLEASE.
HAVE FUN.
DAD?
DAD.
YOU PROMISED ME
WE'D PLAY SOME BALL.
BILLY?
BILLY, IS THAT YOU?
DAD!
COME ON, LET'S PLAY SOME BALL.
COME ON, YOU PROMISED.
HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN THE AIRLOCK?
COME ON, DADDY.
BILLY, COME HERE.
YOU SHOULDN'T BE IN HERE.
COME ON, BILLY!
FIVE SECONDS TO AIRLOCK CLOSURE.
FOUR, THREE, TWO, ONE.
NO!
COMMENCING DEPRESSURIZATION.
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.
THE SEARCH FOR TRUTH IS A UNIQUELY HUMAN PROCESS,
A QUEST GUIDED BY OUR PERCEPTION OF AN EVENT.
BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO THE TRUTH
WHEN WHAT WE SEE AND WHAT WE THINK WE SEE
ARE TWO VERY DIFFERENT THINGS?
HOW DID IT HAPPEN?
I DON'T KNOW. I WAS IN THE HABITATION MODULE.
HE DEFINITELY USED HIS PASSWORD.
ACCESS AT 1623.
BUT WHY?
I THOUGHT HE WAS FIXING AN AIR DUCT.
THAT'S WHAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO BE DOING.
CONDUCT A MODULE DIAGNOSTIC.
I'LL CONTACT EARTH COMMAND.
CAPTAIN.
HE WAS YOUR BEST FRIEND.
IF YOU PREFER, ONE OF US CAN TELL THEM.
REALLY, CAPTAIN, I'VE GOT IMPORTANT WORK TO COMPLETE.
AREN'T YOU COMING BACK TO BED?
THIS IS IMPOSSIBLE!
EVERYTHING IS POSSIBLE,
MY LOVE.
TOUCH ME.
FIND OUT FOR YOURSELF.
DON'T STOP THERE.
MY GOD, I'VE MISSED YOU.
I BROUGHT YOU SOME WINE.
SECURITY ALERT.
KEEP THE DIAGNOSTICS RUNNING.
I'LL CHECK IT OUT.
ATTENTION: SECURITY ALERT.
SOMERSET!
CAPTAIN?
LAURA.
YOU ALWAYS WERE SO PREDICTABLE.
YOU CAN'T BE REAL.
I PUT YOU IN THE PRISON MYSELF.
LAURA.
DID YOU REALLY THINK THEY COULD KEEP ME IN THERE?
KEEP ME FROM COMING AFTER YOU?
YOU BASTARD!
WHERE'S LAURA?
SHE'S IN THE LAB.
IT'S KILLED HER.
IT'LL KILL US TOO UNLESS WE LEAVE THE STATION.
WHAT ABOUT SOMERSET?
HE'S DEAD.
WE'VE GOT TO ESCAPE WHILE WE STILL CAN.
DOCTOR, THAT'S AN ORDER.
TELL ME WHAT'S HAPPENING.
DOCTOR, THAT'S AN ORDER. GO!
DEFENSE COUNSEL.
IT'S ALMOST TIME.
HOW'S THE PANEL LOOK?
FAIR.
ADMIRAL JONES WILL BE ACTING AS CHAIR.
THE RUSSIANS HAVE APPOINTED ADMIRAL YOROV,
AND THE BRITS HAVE SENT ADMIRAL BIRCH.
BIRCH?
WHY DON'T THEY JUST SHOOT ME NOW?
THEY'RE ALL OBLIGATED TO GIVE YOU
THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT.
I'VE BEEN IN THIS GAME LONG ENOUGH TO KNOW ONE THING.
THEIR ONLY OBLIGATION IS TO FIND A SCAPEGOAT.
WE SHOULD GET IN THERE.
ROBIN, I WANT YOU TO KNOW SOMETHING.
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS IN THERE,
I'M GRATEFUL FOR YOUR HELP.
IT'S NOTHING.
WITH ALL WE'VE BEEN THROUGH,
I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW IF YOU WOULD.
I HAD TO THINK ABOUT IT.
WHAT MADE YOU DECIDE?
BY NOW I PROBABLY KNOW YOU
BETTER THAN ANYONE ELSE.
I KNOW YOUR STRENGTHS AND YOUR FAULTS
AND I KNOW THAT YOU COULDN'T HAVE BEEN RESPONSIBLE
FOR WHAT HAPPENED UP THERE.
SO NOW HERE I AM
DEFENDING THE VERY THING THAT TORE US APART,
THE ONE THING THAT I HATED MORE THAN ANYTHING ELSE...
YOUR JOB.
GUARD.
COURT MARTIAL NUMBER 99658
IN RELATION TO THE INTERNATIONAL SPACE AGENCY'S
ORBITING PLATFORM MERIDIAN SHALL COMMENCE
IN CAMERA UNDER THE JURISDICTION CONFERRED UPON THIS PANEL
BY THE SPACE EXPLORATION ACT OF 2025.
RECORDING AND BACKUP CONFIRMED.
YOU MAY PROCEED.
COLONEL BELL, YOU'RE APPEARING FOR THE JUDGE ADVOCATE'S
PROSECUTION BRANCH?
I AM, SIR.
CAPTAIN CLARK, I UNDERSTAND
YOU'VE RETAINED YOUR OWN COUNSEL.
ROBIN DYSART, ADMIRAL.
I'LL BE REPRESENTING THE CAPTAIN.
HIGHLY UNUSUAL TO HIRE YOUR EX-WIFE.
AREN'T YOU CONCERNED ABOUT THE POTENTIAL CONFLICT?
NOT AT ALL, SIR.
I HAVE EVERY CONFIDENCE IN HER PROFESSIONALISM.
SHE'S THE BEST IN HER FIELD, SIR.
EVEN SO, YOU'RE A LONG WAY
FROM YOUR NORMAL PRACTICE, MS. DYSART.
YOU REALIZE THE RULES ARE DIFFERENT HERE,
THAT PROTOCOL IS LESS FORMAL THAN IN
NORMAL CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGS?
I'M WELL AWARE OF THAT, ADMIRAL,
BUT I UNDERSTAND THE OBJECTIVE REMAINS THE SAME.
A FULL AND IMPARTIAL HEARING FOR MY CLIENT.
PRESENT YOUR FIRST WITNESS, COLONEL BELL.
I WOULD ASK THE COMMANDER OF THE RESCUE SHUTTLE,
LOUIS BIDWELL TO TAKE THE STAND.
COMMANDER BIDWELL.
DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED.
WE WERE ON A ROUTINE SATELLITE REPAIR MISSION
WHEN THE DISTRESS SIGNAL FROM THE POD CAME IN.
TWO SURVIVORS...
DR. HELENE DUFOUR AND CAPTAIN WILLIAM CLARK.
AND THEIR CONDITION?
PHYSICALLY THEY BOTH SEEMED FINE.
THE DOCTOR WAS MAYBE A BIT FRIGHTENED.
AND THE CAPTAIN?
HE...
HE SEEMED TO BE UNDER A BIT OF STRAIN.
YOU CAN'T GO BACK OUT THERE.
I HAVE MY ORDERS.
COMMAND DOESN'T UNDERSTAND THE SITUATION.
YOU'D BE ENDANGERING EVERYBODY.
BUT THERE MAY BE OTHER SURVIVORS.
IT'S POSSIBLE.
THERE ARE NO OTHER SURVIVORS!
YOU MIND TELLING ME WHAT...
I DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, LOUIS!
BUT IT'S UP THERE, AND I GUARANTEE
IT WILL KILL US ONE BY ONE.
YOU CAN'T GO BACK UP THERE.
YOU ARE OUT OF LINE, CAPTAIN!
THIS IS MY SHIP!
YOU CANNOT GO BACK UP THERE!
SORRY, CAPTAIN.
SO DESPITE THE CAPTAIN'S OBJECTIONS,
YOU DOCKED WITH THE MERIDIAN.
YES, WE SEARCHED THE STATION
FOR OTHER SURVIVORS.
THE LAB MODULE HAD BEEN GUTTED BY FLAMES,
BUT OTHERWISE EVERYTHING SEEMED RELATIVELY NORMAL.
AND WERE THERE ANY OTHER SURVIVORS?
NO, SIR.
THE OTHER THREE WERE DEAD JUST LIKE CAPTAIN CLARK SAID.
ADMIRAL, THIS IS A BLAST ANALYSIS
PREPARED BY THE AGENCY'S INVESTIGATIVE BRANCH.
IT SEEMS THE LAB EXPLOSION
LIKELY RESULTED FROM
DETONATION OF CYROXIN GAS.
YOU'LL NOTE THAT A POSSIBLE CAUSE
IS THE FIRING OF A STANDARD ISSUE
N-39 HAND WEAPON
WHICH STRUCK ONE OF THE CANISTERS,
CAUSING AN EXPLOSION
SUFFICIENT TO DESTROY THE LAB AND ANYONE IN IT.
BUT NOT STRONG ENOUGH TO OPEN THE COMPARTMENT TO SPACE.
WOULDN'T IT HAVE ENGULFED THE SHOOTER?
NOT IF HE WAS STANDING JUST OUTSIDE THE HATCH.
A DIFFICULT ANGLE,
BUT CERTAINLY POSSIBLE
FOR A MARKSMAN OF CAPTAIN CLARK'S ABILITY.
I OBJECT TO THE IMPLICATION.
I'LL WITHDRAW THE COMMENT.
WHEN CAPTAIN CLARK WAS SEDATED,
YOU WERE ABLE TO SEIZE HIS WEAPON...
AN N-39, CORRECT?
THAT'S RIGHT.
HAD IT BEEN FIRED?
YES.
THANK YOU, COMMANDER.
THOSE ARE ALL MY QUESTIONS.
YOUR WITNESS, MS. DYSART.
COMMANDER, YOU'RE AWARE OF STANDARD PROCEDURES
ABOARD THE MERIDIAN.
WHO ELSE WOULD HAVE CARRIED A SIDEARM?
THE SECURITY OFFICER.
WHOSE BODY WAS IDENTIFIED
AS THE ONE IN THE LAB.
KNOWING THAT CAPTAIN CLARK HAD JUST LOST THREE OF HIS CREW,
INCLUDING HIS BEST FRIEND, DOES IT SURPRISE YOU
THAT HE MAY HAVE BEEN DISTRAUGHT?
I GUESS NOT.
AND WOULDN'T YOU AGREE THAT IT'S POSSIBLE
HIS DETERMINATION NOT TO RETURN TO THE MERIDIAN
WAS BASED ON THE LEGITIMATE FEAR
FOR THE SAFETY OF THE SHUTTLE?
IT'S POSSIBLE.
ANYTHING'S POSSIBLE, MS. DYSART.
BUT THIS PANEL IS ONLY INTERESTED IN WHAT IS PROBABLE.
UNLIKE A NORMAL CRIMINAL TRIAL, WE DO NOT HAVE TIME
FOR ENDLESS SPECULATION BY DEFENSE COUNSEL.
SO UNLESS YOU HAVE SOMETHING MORE COGENT TO ASK,
I SUGGEST WE MOVE ON.
I THINK WE'VE MADE OUR POINT.
NO FURTHER QUESTIONS.
IT PERFORMS VIRTUALLY THE SAME FUNCTION
AS A BLACK BOX DOES ON AN AIRPLANE.
ONE OF THESE RECORDERS WAS BUILT INTO
EACH OF THE MODULES IN THE MERIDIAN,
MAINTAINING A CONTINUOUS AUDIO LOG
OF THE EVENTS ON BOARD.
SOME OF THE MORE SENSITIVE DEPARTMENTS...
ENGINEERING AND THE LAB MODULE, FOR EXAMPLE...
ALSO RAN VISUAL AS A PRECAUTION.
WITH YOUR PERMISSION,
WE'LL PLAY ONLY THOSE PORTIONS WHICH ARE IMMEDIATELY RELEVANT.
PROCEED.
RUN MERIDIAN... AUDIO,
MODULE 5, MARKER 50.
BILLY.
BILLY, IS THAT YOU?
HOW THE HELL DID YOU GET IN THE AIRLOCK?
NO!
MAY I REMIND THE TRIBUNAL
THAT THE ONLY BILL OR BILLY PRESENT
ON THE STATION AT THE TIME
WAS CAPTAIN WILLIAM CLARK.
THEN WHY DON'T WE HEAR HIS VOICE?
THEY WERE COLLEAGUES AND BEST FRIENDS.
WHY DON'T WE HEAR HIM?
IN FACT, HOW DO WE KNOW THERE WAS ANYONE ELSE PRESENT?
YOU ANALYZED THE LOG.
CAN YOU SAY FOR CERTAIN THAT SOMEONE ELSE WAS THERE?
NO, NOT FOR CERTAIN,
BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THAT THE SOUND OF SOMEONE ELSE
WAS OBSCURED BY THE AMBIENT NOISE.
THE RECORDING FROM THE LAB MODULE
IS A BIT MORE CLEAR.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT IS INCOMPLETE.
THE CHEMICALS THAT DR. SOMERSET WAS USING
HAD A CORROSIVE EFFECT
ON BOTH AUDIO AND VIDEO.
SURELY THE JAG OFFICE
ISN'T INTENDING ON INTRODUCING A PARTIAL RECORD.
HOW CAN THAT DO ANYTHING BUT PREJUDICE MY CLIENT?
I OBJECT.
BUT ALL THE RELEVANT PORTIONS ARE INTACT
AND WILL PROVE CONCLUSIVELY
WHO WAS IN THE LAB WITH DR. SOMERSET
AT THE TIME OF HIS DEATH.
THEN I SEE NO REASON WHY WE SHOULDN'T VIEW IT.
OBJECTION OVERRULED.
AS I WAS ABOUT TO SAY,
WE'VE COMBINED THE BEST OF THE VIDEO AND AUDIO LOGS
THAT WERE SALVAGED.
RUN MERIDIAN AUDIO-VIDEO MERGE, MODULE 11.
YOU'LL NOTE FROM THE LOG THAT THIS IS MOMENTS BEFORE DR. SOMERSET DIED.
REALLY, CAPTAIN, I'VE GOT IMPORTANT WORK TO COMPLETE.
STOP... BACK IT UP, PLEASE.
FREEZE.
THE CAPTAIN'S STRIPE IS CLEARLY VISIBLE
ON THE SLEEVE OF THE UNIFORM.
THE EXPLOSION THAT KILLED COMMANDER NABOKOV
OCCURRED APPROXIMATELY 10 MINUTES LATER.
AND THE WHEREABOUTS OF CAPTAIN CLARK?
THERE'S NO RECORD
UNTIL HE RETURNED TO THE SERVICE MODULE.
I'M CONFUSED.
COLONEL BELL DID SAY THAT THIS
WOULD SHOW US CONCLUSIVELY
WHO WAS WITH DR. THOMAS SOMERSET,
BUT THIS IS A PICTURE OF A UNIFORM.
OBVIOUSLY THERE'S SOMEONE IN IT.
THE CAPTAIN'S RANK IS CLEARLY VISIBLE
ON THE SHOULDER PATCH.
IGNORING THAT FOR THE MOMENT,
HOW TALL MIGHT THIS PERSON BE?
I COULDN'T SAY.
THAT ANGLE DOESN'T GIVE US ANY INDICATION OF HEIGHT.
AND THE PERSON PROBABLY WEIGHS
LESS THAN IT MIGHT APPEAR ON CAMERA.
IT DOES TEND TO ADD A FEW POUNDS.
THEN WITHOUT KNOWING THE HEIGHT, WEIGHT, OR FACIAL FEATURES,
CAN YOU REALLY SAY WHO IT IS?
WELL... THERE IS THE UNIFORM.
THE UNIFORM...
ONE OF MANY WHICH MIGHT HAVE BEEN IN STORAGE.
ANYONE COULD BE WEARING THAT UNIFORM.
IT COULD BE A WOMAN, FOR ALL YOU KNOW.
I GUESS IT COULD.
MS. DYSART.
IT'S NOT JUST WHAT THE PERSON WAS WEARING.
WE ALL HEARD SOMERSET ON AUDIO ADDRESS HIM AS CAPTAIN.
BEFORE HE TURNED AROUND.
HE DIDN'T KNOW WHO IT WAS.
HE MADE THE SAME ASSUMPTION YOU HAVE.
DR. DUFOUR,
YOU WERE THE MERIDIAN'S MEDICAL OFFICER.
THAT'S RIGHT.
I WAS APPOINTED SIX MONTHS AGO,
WHEN DR. SOMERSET BEGAN
THE SECOND PHASE OF HIS MESCADRINE STUDIES.
I'D BEEN ASKED TO ASSIST HIM WITH HIS WORK IF NECESSARY.
WHY WAS THAT?
I'D HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE WITH SPACE PSYCHOSIS,
AN AILMENT RELATED TO LONGTERM SPACE ASSIGNMENTS,
WHICH WE HOPED MESCADRINE WOULD CURE.
SPACE PSYCHOSIS?
IT CAUSES ILLUSIONAL STATES
SIMILAR TO THOSE ASSOCIATED WITH CABIN FEVER.
RUN MEDICAL SATURN 57-A.
THE PATIENT HERE WAS PART OF OUR LAST ATTEMPT
TO REACH THE OUTER PLANETS.
FOR MOST OF THE TIME HE DISPLAYS BEHAVIOR
WHICH IS WELL WITHIN THE NORMAL PARAMETERS.
HE'S INTELLIGENT, COHERENT, SHOWS REMORSE.
REMORSE?
HE KILLED ONE OF HIS CREW
IN THE MIDST OF A PARANOID DELUSION.
THE PSYCHOTIC INCIDENT CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME,
WITHOUT WARNING,
RESULTING IN VIOLENT ACTS AGAINST SELF OR OTHERS.
EARLY SYMPTOMS ARE
NOTORIOUSLY DIFFICULT TO RECOGNIZE.
PERSISTENT HEADACHES,
SUCH AS THOSE COMMANDER GORDON WAS EXPERIENCING,
CAN BE A GOOD INDICATOR.
AND CAPTAIN CLARK.
I'D HAVE TO SAY THAT PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT,
THE CAPTAIN'S BEHAVIOR WAS WELL WITHIN THE NORM.
EXHIBITED ALL THE QUALITIES OF A FIRST-RATE OFFICER.
THERE WERE NO MARKED DEVIATIONS
UNTIL AFTER HE'D FORCED ME INTO THE LIFEPOD.
WE HAVE TO FIND A WAY TO DESTROY THIS THING.
PLEASE CALM DOWN, CAPTAIN.
IT LOOKS LIKE US.
IT TRIED TO FOOL ME.
I FIGURED OUT WHAT IT WAS, BUT I COULDN'T KILL IT.
YOU SAID IT LOOKED LIKE US?
I'M GOING TO HAVE TO DESTROY THE WHOLE STATION.
IT'S THE ONLY WAY TO BE SURE THAT THAT THING IS DEAD.
DOCTOR, HOW WOULD YOU CHARACTERIZE
THE BEHAVIOR YOU'VE JUST DESCRIBED?
I'D SAY IT WAS UNUSUAL FOR THE CAPTAIN.
WOULD YOU DESCRIBE IT AS PSYCHOTIC?
WELL, THAT'S DIFFICULT TO SAY.
THEN LET ME PUT IT THIS WAY...
GIVEN YOUR EXPERTISE IN THE FIELD,
WAS CAPTAIN CLARK EXHIBITING SYMPTOMS
CONSISTENT WITH SPACE PSYCHOSIS?
IN SOME RESPECTS, PERHAPS.
COULD THIS HAVE BEEN
RELATED TO HIS LENGTH OF STAY ON BOARD THE MERIDIAN?
THE CORRELATION BETWEEN THE DISEASE
AND TIME LOGGED ON SPACE ASSIGNMENTS IS VERY HIGH.
AND DOES THAT MEAN
THAT THE LONGER THAT THE CAPTAIN WAS IN SPACE
THE GREATER HIS RISK IN CONTRACTING THE ILLNESS?
BASICALLY.
AND BASED ON YOUR STUDIES,
WAS HIS STAY LONGER OR SHORTER THAN THE MAJORITY OF PATIENTS
DIAGNOSED WITH SPACE PSYCHOSIS?
MAYBE A BIT LONGER.
AS A MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE FLEET,
YOU WOULD HAVE BEEN OBLIGATED TO WARN HIM OF THIS DANGER.
CORRECT?
THAT'S CORRECT.
AND DID YOU?
DID YOU, DOCTOR?
YES.
JUST ONE MORE QUESTION.
DURING YOUR TIME
ON BOARD THE MERIDIAN,
DID YOU OBSERVE ANYTHING WHICH, IN YOUR MEDICAL OPINION,
WOULD JUSTIFY SHUTTING DOWN THE STATION?
NO, I DIDN'T.
THANK YOU.
DOCTOR, LET'S TALK ABOUT MESCADRINE.
10 YEARS AGO, YOU WORKED WITH
DR. RACHEL McDONALD'S NEUROPSYCHOLOGY TEAM AT HARVARD.
IN A VERY JUNIOR CAPACITY.
I ASSISTED IN HER SCHIZOPHRENIA STUDIES.
THAT'S WHERE YOU MET DR. THOMAS SOMERSET.
THAT'S RIGHT.
BECAUSE HE WAS USING THAT RESEARCH
TO DEVELOP NEW DRUG THERAPIES
FOR THE TREATMENT OF MENTAL ILLNESS.
ISN'T THAT THE GENESIS OF MESCADRINE?
POSSIBLY ONE OF THEM.
IN THE HALIFAX JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY,
DR. McDONALD CITED A STUDENT PAPER YOU WROTE
IN WHICH YOU POSITED THE USE OF MESCADRINE-LIKE SUBSTANCES
AS A CURE FOR ISOLATION-RELATED MENTAL DISORDERS.
WHAT POSSIBLE RELEVANCE DOES
DR. DUFOUR'S TERM PAPER HAVE TO THESE PROCEEDINGS?
I FAIL TO SEE ANY.
I BEG THE PANEL'S INDULGENCE.
PROCEED. THANK YOU.
AS I WAS SAYING, DOCTOR, IN YOUR PAPER,
YOU SAW THE POTENTIAL FOR MESCADRINE,
BUT YOU ALSO SAW A HUGE DRAWBACK
IN THE CRYSTALLIZATION PROCESS.
THE COST WAS PROHIBITIVE.
I'M REFERRING TO THE USE OF CYROXIN.
THE DRUG SOMERSET HAD BEEN DEVELOPING
HAD CYROXIN GAS AS A COMPONENT.
THE CREATION OF MESCADRINE
REQUIRES MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF THAT CHEMICAL.
EVEN SMALL AMOUNTS OF CYROXIN CAN INDUCE
IMMEDIATE THOUGH NOT PERMANENT
PSYCHOTIC BREAKDOWNS IN HUMANS.
ARE YOU SUGGESTING THERE WAS A LEAK?
I AM.
THEN WHY WASN'T BIDWELL AFFECTED?
IT HAS A SHORT LIFE WHEN COMBINED WITH OXYGEN.
I AM WILLING TO BET THAT NEITHER DR. DUFOUR
NOR DR. SOMERSET WARNED ANYONE OF THE POTENTIAL DANGER.
THERE WAS NO DANGER.
IT WAS STORED IN SEALED CONTAINERS.
EVERY PRECAUTION WAS TAKEN.
BUT IF THERE WAS
A LEAK, EVEN INFINITESIMAL,
IN AN ENCLOSED SPACE LIKE THE MERIDIAN,
IT WOULD DRIVE EVERY ONE OF YOU INSANE.
COMMANDER GORDON, DR. SOMERSET,
COMMANDER NABOKOV, THE CAPTAIN, AND YOU.
ISN'T IT POSSIBLE THAT A GAS LEAK
CAUSED AN OUTBREAK OF MASS HYSTERIA
AND THAT IN THE GRIP OF PARANOID DELUSION
THEY KILLED THEMSELVES.
WELL, I CAN'T SAY FOR SURE.
ISN'T IT POSSIBLE?
YES, IT'S POSSIBLE.
DEFENSE COUNSEL.
EVEN BELL AGREES, THE MESCADRINE ISSUE
BLOWS THE WHOLE THING WIDE OPEN.
THEY'RE GOING TO CHECK IT OUT
AND FIGURE OUT THERE WAS NO DAMN GAS LEAK.
THERE'S NOT ENOUGH OF IT LEFT TO PROVE ANYTHING.
AS I EXPLAINED, ANY CYROXIN WHICH ENTERED THE AIR SUPPLY
HAS LONG SINCE BECOME INERT.
SO THEY JUST THINK WE ALL WENT CRAZY.
POLITICALLY IT WORKS.
A SIMPLE SPACE ACCIDENT.
IT'S NO ONE'S FAULT.
BUSINESS AS USUAL.
WELL, THEY'LL PROBABLY ISSUE SOME GUIDELINES
ABOUT HAZARDOUS MATERIALS,
BUT THE MESCADRINE STUDIES WON'T STOP.
THEY'RE TOO IMPORTANT.
WHAT ABOUT ME?
WELL, WITHOUT DEFINITE PROOF OF CULPABILITY,
YOU'LL BE CLEARED.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO GO BACK.
IT'S EVERYTHING YOU COULD ASK FOR.
YOU WERE GOOD OUT THERE.
PROBABLY BETTER THAN I DESERVE,
CONSIDERING.
FORGOT HOW GOOD YOU WERE.
HOW GOOD WE WERE.
ROBIN, THIS ISN'T OVER.
I WAS UP THERE.
I KNOW THERE WAS NO DAMN GAS LEAK.
I SAW WHAT I SAW.
I GOT TO TELL THEM. TELL THEM WHAT?
TELL THEM THE TRUTH.
BILL, THEY ARE NOT LOOKING FOR THE TRUTH.
THEY ARE LOOKING FOR AN OUT,
AND THE CYROXIN GAS LEAK
GIVES THEM THAT OUT.
THAT'S NOT HOW IT HAPPENED.
RIGHT NOW IT IS THE MOST LIKELY, MOST PALATABLE SCENARIO.
WHEN THE MERIDIAN REOPENS FOR BUSINESS
AND OTHERS GO UP THERE AND DIE,
AND I KNEW ALL ALONG
AND I DIDN'T SAY ANYTHING, WHAT HAPPENS THEN?
IF YOU TAKE THE STAND,
YOU COULD END UP LIVING IN A PRISON CELL.
YOU WOULD BE RISKING EVERYTHING.
GUARD.
CAPTAIN,
IN THE INTERESTS OF TIME IT MIGHT BE BEST
IF YOU LIMIT YOUR TESTIMONY TO THOSE EVENTS
THAT HAPPENED AFTER COMMANDER GORDON'S DEATH.
YES, SIR.
AS YOU ALREADY HEARD, I WENT TO THE LAB MODULE
TO TELL DR. SOMERSET ABOUT THE ACCIDENT,
AND IT WAS THERE
THAT I SAW WHAT HAPPENED TO HIM AND WHAT KILLED THE OTHERS.
HI, BILL.
SINCE YOU WOULDN'T COME TO ME...
YOU'RE NOT HERE.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT HERE.
OF COURSE I AM.
I'M AS REAL AS YOU ARE.
TOUCH ME.
DON'T YOU WANT TO TOUCH ME?
WHAT ARE YOU?
SO I WENT BACK TO THE SERVICE MODULE
TO WARN DR. DUFOUR AND COMMANDER NABOKOV.
UNFORTUNATELY, IT WAS TOO LATE FOR THE COMMANDER.
LET ME GET THIS STRAIGHT.
YOU'RE TELLING THIS HEARING
THAT YOU SAW AN ALIEN ON BOARD THE MERIDIAN.
THAT'S CORRECT.
CAPTAIN, YOU'LL HAVE TO ADMIT IT IS A BIT FAR-FETCHED.
WELL, NO MORE THAN
THE LIFE FORMS WE DISCOVERED ON MARS, SIR.
TERRESTRIAL SINGLE-CELLED ORGANISMS
ARE HARDLY A COMPARISON.
I'M NOT EVEN SURE WHAT YOU'RE COMPARING THEM TO.
IS IT PSYCHIC,
IS IT A SHAPE-SHIFTER?
REALLY, CAPTAIN.
I HAD NO IDEA THE PSYCHO-GENIC EFFECTS
OF CYROXIN COULD LAST THIS LONG.
IT WAS NO GAS LEAK.
I DID AN AIR-QUALITY CHECK MYSELF.
IT WAS CLEAR ON ALL LEVELS.
MAYBE IT AFFECTED YOU AND YOU WEREN'T AWARE OF IT.
BUT I KNOW WHAT I SAW!
I'M SORRY, SIR.
PLEASE JUST HEAR ME OUT.
THERE ARE REEF FISH IN OUR OWN SEAS
THAT DO HAVE THE ABILITY TO CHANGE THEIR APPEARANCE.
THERE ARE AQUATIC MAMMALS THAT WE NOW BELIEVE
MAY HAVE SOME RUDIMENTARY PSYCHIC ABILITY.
WHAT IF THERE'S SIMILAR CREATURES IN THE OCEAN
THAT THE MERIDIAN SAILS THROUGH?
ONE OF THEM COULD HAVE COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE SHIP
WHEN THE SPACE DEBRIS HIT US.
IT MUST HAVE FOUND COMMANDER GORDON FIRST
AND REACHED INTO HIS PSYCHE AND SEIZED THE IMAGE OF HIS SON
AND THEN BECAME THAT PERSON THE SAME WAY IT DID WITH ME.
WE ALL HEARD ON THE AUDIO.
GORDON SAID, "BILLY, IS THAT YOU?"
BUT GORDON ONLY REFERRED TO ME AS "BILL."
HE WAS REFERRING TO HIS CHILD WHO HE NAMED AFTER ME.
SOMEHOW WHEN IT LINKED UP WITH GORDON
IT MUST HAVE ABSORBED EVERYTHING HE KNEW...
HIS MEMORIES, HIS KNOWLEDGE OF THE SHIP,
OF THE STATION, OF THE CREW.
AFTER THAT, IT MUST HAVE BEEN EASY FOR IT
TO BECOME A FAMILIAR IMAGE TO DR. SOMERSET OR NABOKOV,
EACH TIME USING THIS EMOTIONAL CONNECTION TO LURE
THE CREW TO THEIR DEATHS LIKE SOME SORT OF SIREN.
THEN HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN YOUR ABILITY TO RESIST
ITS INFLUENCE?
I DON'T KNOW.
MAYBE BECAUSE IT SHOWS THE IMAGE
OF SOMEONE THAT I HAVE CONFLICTED FEELINGS ABOUT.
AND THERE WAS THE WAY THAT IT DID NOT REACT TO THE ACID.
BUT WHY DIDN'T IT KILL YOU IN THE PASSAGEWAY?
I DON'T KNOW, SIR.
MAYBE IT COULDN'T.
YET IT EASILY KILLED THE OTHERS.
AND FOR WHAT PURPOSE?
MARK NEW TERRITORY, PROTECTION OF YOUNG,
SOME PREDATORY INSTINCT.
I AM NOT SURE WHAT PURPOSE.
ALL I SAW WAS THE END RESULT.
WHERE IS IT NOW, CAPTAIN?
IT'S GOT TO BE UP THERE.
IT MUST BE.
AND THAT'S WHY YOU HAVE TO DESTROY THAT STATION.
AND THROW AWAY A PROJECT
THAT HAS FUNDAMENTAL IMPORTANCE
TO THE FUTURE OF OUR PLANET?
COMMANDER BIDWELL SEARCHED THE STATION
AND HE DIDN'T FIND
ANY ALIENS ON BOARD.
COLONEL BELL IS RIGHT.
GENTLEMEN, THIS THING CAN ASSUME ANY SHAPE IT WANTS TO.
THERE ARE A THOUSAND DIFFERENT PLACES IT COULD HIDE.
BIDWELL DID NOT HAVE THE TIME TO DO A PROPER SEARCH.
WHAT CAN I DO TO CONVINCE YOU?
YOU HAVE CONVINCED US OF THE DANGERS
ASSOCIATED WITH OUR MESCADRINE STUDIES.
SIR, THIS HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH MESCADRINE OR CYROXIN
OR ANY OTHER SUBSTANCE.
THIS IS A CREATURE THAT IS INTELLIGENT, THAT CAN HUNT.
A CREATURE THAT KILLED THREE OF MY CREW
AND WILL KILL AGAIN.
YOU'RE A VERY SICK MAN CAUGHT UP IN A DELUSION
THAT CAN ONLY BE LINKED TO TOXIC EXPOSURE
AND THE LONG DURATION
OF YOUR SPACE ASSIGNMENT.
I AM NOT CRAZY.
I THINK WE'VE HEARD ENOUGH TO RENDER A DECISION.
PLEASE, GENTLEMEN, LISTEN TO ME.
IT IS STILL UP THERE.
THIS THING WILL KILL AGAIN.
GENTLEMEN, THERE WAS NO GAS LEAK.
I KNOW WHAT I SAW.
THE PANEL HAS CONSIDERED ALL THE EVIDENCE PRESENTED TO IT
AND IS NOW PREPARED TO RENDER A DECISION.
WE WERE UNANIMOUS IN CONCLUDING
THAT THE DEATHS RESULTED FROM A MASS OUTBREAK
OF TEMPORARY PSYCHOSIS CAUSED BY A LEAK OF CYROXIN GAS.
AND THAT THEY WERE, IN FACT, SUICIDES.
ENOUGH OF A DOUBT HAS BEEN RAISED
TO ACQUIT CAPTAIN CLARK
OF ALL RESPONSIBILITY.
HOWEVER, THE PERSISTENCE OF THE CAPTAIN'S DELUSION
GREATLY CONCERNS US.
IT'S CLEAR THAT THE LENGTH OF HIS ASSIGNMENT
COMBINED WITH THE EXPOSURE TO CYROXIN
HAS HAD A DETRIMENTAL EFFECT ON HIS HEALTH.
THEREFORE HE WILL BE RELIEVED OF HIS COMMAND
OF THE MERIDIAN AND TRANSFERRED
TO THE AGENCY'S MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC FOR TREATMENT
PENDING MEDICAL DISCHARGE
FROM THE FLEET.
ADMIRAL, PLEASE DON'T DO THIS.
I'M NOT CRAZY, I'M NOT SICK.
WHAT I SAW UP THERE WAS AS REAL AS YOU OR I.
THOUGH IT MAY SEEM LIKE IT, THIS IS NOT A PUNISHMENT.
YOU'VE SAILED THROUGH SPACE
LONGER THAN MOST MEN,
AND LIKE ALL MARINERS,
YOU'VE FELT THE SOLITUDE OF YOUR VOYAGE.
A SOLITUDE THAT BREEDS LIFE INTO LEGEND.
MERMAIDS, SIRENS, SEA MONSTERS.
THESE ARE CREATURES OF THE MIND, CAPTAIN,
AND THEY'RE A SIGN THAT IT'S TIME TO REST.
THIS MATTER IS NOW CONCLUDED.
THERE'S GOT TO BE A WAY TO FIGHT THIS.
I'M NOT SO SURE.
WE COULD APPEAL, BUT I DOUBT WE'D HAVE MUCH SUCCESS.
YOU'RE LUCKY THE PANEL
DIDN'T FIND YOU CRIMINALLY NEGLIGENT.
OTHERWISE YOU'D BE GOING TO A JAIL, NOT A HOSPITAL.
I COULD GO PUBLIC.
I COULD TELL THE PRESS.
THEY WOULDN'T BELIEVE YOUR STORY ANY MORE THAN THE PANEL DID.
LEGITIMATE PAPERS, THEY'LL IGNORE IT.
AND THE TABLOIDS, THEY'LL MAKE A FOOL OUT OF YOU.
ACCEPT THEIR DECISION.
I GAVE THEM EVERYTHING.
I KNOW.
BETTER THAN ANYONE I KNOW.
BUT EVEN ULYSSES WENT HOME...
EVENTUALLY.
COULD I SPEAK TO THE CAPTAIN, PLEASE?
I'LL GO CHECK ON YOUR TRANSFER PAPERS.
GUARD.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT TURNED OUT THIS WAY.
IT WASN'T YOUR FAULT.
YOU DID WHAT YOU HAD TO DO.
WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME ABOUT THAT CYROXIN?
SOMERSET WOULDN'T LET ME.
DO YOU NOW BELIEVE IT WAS RESPONSIBLE?
I DON'T KNOW.
I USED TO THINK I KNEW WHAT HAPPENED,
BUT I'M NOT SO SURE ANYMORE.
I BELIEVE YOU.
YOU DO?
WHY WOULDN'T YOU SAY ANYTHING?
BECAUSE THEN THEY MIGHT HAVE DESTROYED THE MERIDIAN,
AND I HAD TO MAKE SURE THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN.
I STILL HAVE A LOT OF WORK TO DO UP THERE.
WHAT WORK?
THERE ARE SUCH THINGS AS SEA MONSTERS, CAPTAIN.
IT WAS YOU.
YOU KILLED THEM ALL.
I NEED THAT STATION.
WHAT'S THE MATTER, CAPTAIN?
I BROUGHT YOU BACK.
YOU ARE A HERO.
I WON'T LET YOU DO THIS.
I CAN'T LET YOU DO THIS.
GUARD!
HE ATTACKED ME.
I HAD TO.
YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND... SHE KILLED MY CREW.
AND SHE'S GOING TO KILL AGAIN.
HE'S WORSE THAN WE THOUGHT.
SHE'S NOT HUMAN.
YOU CAN'T LET HER GO BACK UP THERE.
CAN'T LET HER GO!
I'M TELLING YOU THE TRUTH!
YOU GOT TO LISTEN TO ME.
I'LL FIND YOU!
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHAT YOU'RE DEALING WITH.
WHAT HAPPENED?
HE'S SO SICK.
I HAD NO IDEA THE PSYCHOSIS COULD BE THIS STRONG.
THEY'LL GIVE HIM THE BEST POSSIBLE CARE.
I HOPE SO.
HE NOW THINKS I HAD SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT.
IT'S JUST THE SICKNESS TALKING.
I HEARD YOU'RE GOING BACK TO THE MERIDIAN.
DUTY CALLS.
EVEN AFTER ALL THAT'S HAPPENED?
YOUR PLACE IS HERE, MS. DYSART.
MINE'S UP THERE.
SOME SAY THAT THE TRUTH IS
ONLY WHAT WE PERSUADE OTHERS TO BELIEVE.
IF SO, WE SHOULD BE WARY,
FOR TRUTH IS EASILY AND OFTEN HIDDEN
BY THE ARGUMENTS OF THOSE WHO ARE FALSE.