Ascension (2014) s01e01 Episode Script
Night One
1 So, what's this test supposed to do? (Woman): Just say the first thing that comes to your mind.
Father.
I was a baby when he died in that fire.
Rage.
Ancient history.
Ascension.
Trap.
(# Oldies on stereo #) (Men and women talking, indistinct) Chin up! Back straight! I should be able to draw a line from your earlobe to your ankle.
Jackie, the seams of your stockings are a disgrace.
- Mmm! - Never bend at the waist.
It's graceless.
Remember: poised, elegant, confidant.
Don't you just love their uniforms? They always look so perfect.
I'm thinking about apprenticing.
If spending 6 months learning to put on lipstick and talk in a breathy whisper is your idea of fun.
Not everyone aces their Apt Test, Nora.
There's no way I'm gonna end up cutting hair like my mom.
Besides, stewardesses get all the prettiest clothes.
Have you seen Lorelei? She said she'd be here.
Are you coming to the party tonight? To toast the glorious tin can? No thanks.
Try not to drool on the decorations, Nora.
(Glasses clinking) (Man talking in distance) (Stokes): Take off.
Hello! Nixon! Bordeaux! What's Bordeaux? Wine.
There's only 25 bottles of Chateau St-Cloud '59 left.
After tonight, there'll be 24.
So, do you have what I came for? Mmm! Yeah! I'll be in my cabin at 21:00 after your little party.
Your cabin off the slaughter stalls Enticing! (Scoffing) Is that funny to you? We had an understanding! It's not funny, Stokes.
It's sad.
(# Woman singing Fly Me to the Moon #) ## Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars # Let me see what spring is like On Jupiter and Mars In other words Commander Gault! Mrs.
Vanderhaus, are you alone this evening? In other words It seems her husband was assigned the midwatch suddenly.
Lorelei Captain's orders.
Not my idea.
In fact I'd say it's a shame that your sister's unaccompanied when she looks so stunning tonight.
And you're stunning too, of course.
Lorelei's not happy with me.
We both have issues with the other's taste in men.
(Scoffing) In other words, please be true (Sighing) Yeah, I'm just not feeling it.
In other words, I love you (Dr.
Enzmann on film): The time has come for mankind to take longer strides.
We must move further down the line.
We must reach for the stars.
(Audience applauding on film) Imagine the greatest journey ever undertaken, a century-long sojourn to a new world completed by the grandchildren of the brave souls who embarked on this adventure.
(Grunting) (Panting) (Both moaning) (Grunting, panting) (Metal clanging) (Footsteps approaching) Our eyes must be focused on the stars if we are to have any hope of surviving this arms race, this space race, indeed, this human race.
Have you seen Lorelei? No, no.
I'm sure she's around somewhere.
(Dr.
Enzmann): Esteemed colleagues, friends, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Ascension.
(Audience applauding on film) Lorelei! Lorelei? Lorelei? Lorelei? (Screaming) ( Rocket Man by Elton John ) ## And I think it's gonna be a long, long time # Till touchdown brings me around again To find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh, no, no, no I'm a rocket man Rocket man, I'm burning out of fuse up here alone And I think it's gonna be a long, long time Till touchdown brings me around again To find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh, no, no, no I'm a rocket man Rocket man, I'm burning out of fuse up here alone And I think it's gonna be a long, long time And I think it's gonna be a long, long time And I think it's gonna be a long, long time Orig.
sync & corr.
by mkbu95 (Birds chirping) (Men and women talking, indistinct) Dad! Why is my father restrained? Restrained.
"The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place" He was agitated earlier.
That's why we called.
His visitor seemed Visitor? I'm his only visitor, and he barely knows I'm here.
I don't know the man, but he's still on the grounds.
I passed him just outside talking on his phone.
Why are you harassing my father? You're the son, Harris.
Look, um I'm really sorry about what your father's going through, the stroke, and what it's done to him.
It must be hellish to see him that way.
I'm Mark Hayes.
And I didn't mean to upset him.
I've admired Dr.
Enzmann for years.
I'm doing my dissertation on his work.
You're an academic.
Yeah.
I'm finishing my Ph.
D.
on the history of the early space program.
It's tragic to me that most people don't know who your father is.
He He inspired me.
He inspired me too.
Yeah, I guess it's kind of hard to top a dad who escaped from the Nazis, and then developed rockets for NASA, huh? Hmm! You ever hear of Project Ascension? I haven't heard those words in years.
Your father was convinced that the US could launch an interstellar spacecraft right then in the '60s with the technology we had.
I mean, you can't go faster than the speed of light, so the original crew would never see the new world, but their descendants would.
Quite a dream Dad had! (Whispering): I think he did it.
I was taking you seriously.
No, wait a minute! Look! Wait, wait, wait! Look, look, look! They had the means, right? Kennedy was a fan.
Think of what it might be like! A mission like no other! And imagine the people that went: Hundreds of people out there in space in a world that never knew the summer of love, Betty Friedan, the autobiography of Malcolm X, The Clash, fresh from Father Knows Best exploring the universe.
I work for the government.
Do you have any idea how incompetent it is? Do you really think that they could do something like this and no one would know? Ascension was the military.
It was top secret.
What do you do? I'm an engineer.
I evaluate government contracts.
Look, before you write me off, go see one of your father's old associates, whoever's still alive.
Maybe they'll talk to you.
Thanks, but I'll skip humiliating myself.
You could claim your father's legacy for him.
This is real and the world should know.
(Woman on PA): Do you have what it takes to make a difference? Apply for a Safety Officer Apprenticeship today.
Good morning, ladies! (Male voice):On Ascension, safety is our priority.
(Keypad beeping) (Computers beeping) XO, sir, I've been looking for you.
You weren't in your quarters last night.
I didn't sleep there, obviously.
Is that an issue? No, sir, of course not.
It's just, the captain's been looking for you.
Carry on.
(Sighing) What happened? It looks like she fell and hit her head.
I'm sorry, Duke.
How am I gonna tell my wife her sister's dead? Every kid on this ship knows this place like the back of their hand.
What are you saying? I'm saying it's hard for me to believe it was just an accident.
Marks on her wrists It could be from a rope.
Wow! Agatha Christie would be impressed! Or have you been reading Raymond Chandler? All right, then! You're chief safety officer.
What's your theory? She had too much to drink at Launch Day.
She came out here for a midnight swim like we all did when we were kids - Hmm! - Only she slipped.
Like Dr.
Bryce said, an accident.
Take her to the medical centre.
She's been out here way too long.
You really believe this wasn't an accident? Look, I know it may sound crazy I want you to look into it.
If there is the slightest chance, we need to be sure.
Captain, I don't have any experience with anything like this.
Nobody does.
Vanderhaus is your chief safety officer, alright? Why don't you get him to do it? Look, he hasn't handled anything worse than petty theft or a drunken brawl.
Besides, she's family.
He can't even entertain the idea.
He won't be happy.
Look, I can't worry about his feelings, Gault.
I have to take care of 600 souls.
- And you don't want a panic.
- Exactly.
Imagine what it would do if they thought a neighbour was a killer, so just keep this under the radar for the time being.
- Are we clear? - Clear.
Okay.
(PA system buzzing) Attention, please! This is Captain Denninger.
It pains me to report this, but last night, we lost one of our own in a tragic accident: Lorelei Wright.
Those who knew her said she was a beacon of light and vitality, a light that has been extinguished all too soon.
Her passing reminds us all of the fragility of life.
Our hearts go out to those she leaves behind.
Thank you.
Is a full autopsy really necessary? I'll also need a blood analysis for alcohol, drugs and any other tests you can think of.
Does the captain really believe that Lorelei was murdered? I'm looking into it, but remember, the official story is that it was an accident.
What the hell are you doing, Gault? I just have a few questions for Mrs.
Wright.
Hasn't my family been through enough? It's fine.
If it's important, it's fine.
Thank you, ma'am.
(Sighing) If there is anything I can do Thank you.
Had Lorelei been upset about anything recently? Did she have a boyfriend? All the boys were interested in her.
That's no secret.
She didn't run around like some lower-deck trash.
Can you think of any reason that someone might wanna harm her? Oh! Of course not! What are you implying? Duke, what is this about? You know what? That's enough.
My family and I would like to be alone now.
Of course.
I'm sorry for your loss.
(Crying) Let me help you.
We told your mom you're here.
You were in a state of shock.
We gave you a sedative.
(EKG monitor beeping) Christa? Christa? In the Glau Room, they're watching.
(Christa panting) They're watching! Nora, chloral hydrate, 500 milligrams! (Panting, crying): No, no, no! The Globus sees all! Nora, the sedative! (Christa panting) Is she going to be all right? (Sighing) Yeah! I think so.
She just needs to rest.
Nora, could you excuse us for a moment, please? I didn't wanna say anything before, but when I administered Lorelei's psych-eval, I found some troubling things.
Like? Frustration, depression, rage She felt like her life wasn't her own.
The crisis.
Usually, the crisis is a normal part of coming of age.
We all have to deal with the fact that we have no control over our destiny, that this was chosen for us before we were born.
It hit me when I was 14, the unfairness that I couldn't be a pro baseball player or a secret agent.
Back on Earth, you could dream as big as you wanted.
Your parents could allow any illusions to die naturally.
There were an infinity of possibilities to try.
We don't have infinity.
We only have the ship.
We're born in it.
We die in it.
But with Lorelei, the crisis seemed more intense, unnerving in a way I've never seen before.
I was afraid of what she might do.
(Lorelei):So, what's this test supposed to do? (Juliet):Just say the first thing that comes to your mind.
Father.
I was a baby when he died in that fire.
Rage.
Ancient history.
Ascension.
Trap.
We have a camera at the entrance to Water Reclamation.
The beach is a blind spot.
There! This is the time-stamp you asked for, but as you can see, nobody enters or exits.
How could Lorelei have gotten down there without being seen? There has to be another way to the beach.
Pull video from the Commons, track her movements, find out where we lose her.
Yes, sir.
Mr.
Gault? May I have a word? Emily, they already know I wasn't in my cabin last night.
Coming to me here, it's too risky.
I had to see you.
But of course! I'm sorry about your sister.
There's something I have to tell you.
Lorelei was seeing someone: James Toback.
Why didn't your mother tell me? He's from the lower decks.
He works in Water Reclamation.
She was embarrassed.
She wants to maintain this image of Lorelei as a perfect lady, but it wasn't the truth.
She was with James the night she died.
I told her she had to stop seeing him, but she threatened to expose us.
You should've told me.
She wouldn't have done it.
Lorelei could be selfish at times, but not cruel, not like that.
The safety officers came by Water Reclamation today looking for me.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down, James! Lorelei's dead, and they're looking for me.
What'd you tell them? (Man): Hey, hey! (Panting) You need to learn some manners, Pup! Get him out of here! (Grunting) Her blood-alcohol level was elevated, but not enough to incapacitate her.
However, she did have sexual intercourse within hours of her death.
What about the marks on her wrists? Your XO might've been right about those rope burns.
She had contusions on her torso and a broken collarbone.
So it wasn't an accident? I also found a fibre strand in her teeth.
There is a good possibility she was gagged.
And the autopsy revealed another surprise: a small puncture wound in the roof of her mouth.
What caused it? All right.
Let me know if any new information comes to light, OK? Thank you.
(Door closing) Why is the good doctor calling so late? Should I be jealous? What's that? A bullet, which begs the question: How did a gun get on this ship? It was a .
22 Short, I looked it up, an uncommon caliber even on Earth.
How'd it get on the ship? There were no firearms on the manifest.
- It must've been smuggled aboard.
- And kept hidden for 50 years? Yet someone knew what they were doing.
It wasn't powerful enough to puncture the hull or damage the hydraulic systems, just enough to kill.
I put in an official comment in the log and made a communication to Earth.
Why use the gun now? The Rubicon, maybe? Once we pass that point of no return, we won't have the resources to be able to go back to Earth.
We're gonna have to continue on to Proxima no matter what.
People are getting anxious.
Yeah, I'm ordering a complete search of the ship.
If Vanderhaus and his Jackboots start flipping over beds and rooting through underwear drawers, it will cause a panic.
What do you think will happen when the crew finds out a murderer's on the loose? If you tip our hand with a scavenger hunt, the killer will dump the gun.
Give me a chance to find him.
Anyone else gets hurt, it's gonna be on you.
(Men talking, indistinct) (Woman on PA): Have a friend feeling blue? Sign them up on Lucy, I'm home! I placed the treasure of cinema and literature before you, and this is all you remember.
I came looking for books about how police solve crimes.
"The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
" Or I suppose sister in this case.
There are no absolute secrets onboard this ship.
Someone always knows, and someone always talks in the end.
I heard a rumour about you.
The captain wanted me to investigate Lo The rumour about you and a woman, a woman not lawful for you to love.
Who said that? You know how these stories end.
Camelot's gone, the heroes are dead and the woman enters a nunnery.
It's always stories with you.
I came here to talk nonfiction.
Police manuals were written for people on Earth where cops walk the beat, and there's an infrastructure in place to deal with criminals.
- Then what do you suggest? - Try Philip Marlowe.
He walked the mean streets alone.
Read detective stories? That's your idea? They made a number of movies if you're too lazy to turn a page.
There's also Hitchcock, Fritz Lang Okay, movies! I got it! What did Lorelei watch? She liked movies like Beach Party or Gidget, anything with blue skies and sandy beaches.
There was something else.
This is the last thing she checked out.
The night of the fire.
Are you ready to open old wounds? I can take it.
I learned from the best.
The video card She kept it.
Why? What are you doing here? It's okay.
Don't leave.
Lorelei brought me here sometimes.
If she brought you here, she must've liked you.
Or maybe she just wanted someone to paint the clouds.
You painted those? She told me she did.
Lorelei said that if she was born on Earth, she would've lived on the beach and surfed all day.
Maybe one day, we'll see a real one.
We'll never touch the land, much less see a beach.
That's not true.
We'll get there.
We'll be old, but we'll see it.
Face it.
Our grandparents screwed us.
They sent us on a one-way ticket to nowhere.
How can you say that? This ship was a trillion-dollar payday.
50 years ago, a bunch of people lined their pockets, and then sent us out here to die.
They sent us here to ensure life would go on no matter what.
Read the history books.
People on Earth weren't saints.
Lorelei told me some of the lower-deckers didn't believe in the mission.
I guess she meant you.
We're all going to the same place: nowhere.
And none of us have a choice.
I think you're a little crazy.
(Chuckling) Probably.
You know how deep that tank goes? 40 metres, maybe? That's wrong.
It goes all the way to hell.
(Moaning) Whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa! Where are you going? I'm finished.
Well, I'm not! Get back here! I'm gonna give back those silk dresses you gave me.
It's not polite to return a gift.
As the captain's wife, it wouldn't be proper to dress too extravagantly.
Yeah, well, when I'm captain, you can dress as extravagantly as you like, okay? Yeah, and when is that gonna happen? The council has moved to unseat my husband 3 times already, unsuccessfully.
Well, that's before this girl died.
An accident in Water Reclamation isn't gonna change anything, except to put up guard rails.
It wasn't an accident.
That investigation into her death? Strictly covering their ass.
My sources think the girl was murdered.
Please! Your sources are paranoid.
They think your husband is deliberately downplaying this, making it seem pro forma, when, actually, this is quite serious.
- To prevent a panic.
- Hysteria, fear Let me tell you this.
Any man who can't control his ship, does not deserve to have the word "Captain" in front of his name, so why don't you come back here and finish what you started.
It is fun to keep a man waiting.
You know what else is fun? Surprises.
(Councilman Rose chuckling) Because finishing what you started is never as good as starting something new.
I love the way you think.
(Elevator beeping) They found her lying there like that.
She hasn't said a word.
Thank you for calling me.
You know, when I was pregnant with Nora, I would come up here and daydream about what Proxima was like.
I'd imagine plants and animals I'd never seen before.
I like your necklace.
It's a seahorse.
There aren't any in the aquariums.
No, we didn't bring any.
The only ones are back in the oceans on Earth.
It's beautiful.
Christa, you see that star cluster? Alpha Centauri is binary, 2 suns orbiting each other, but when we zoom in a little closer, we can see a third.
That's Proxima.
That's where we're going to live.
You're wrong.
There's no life there.
There! That's life.
That's where we have to go.
Everything else is death.
You didn't show up for work last night.
Is that why your safety officers pulled me in, for playing hooky? Where were you the night of the Launch celebration? - The hold.
- Drinking? Actually, I go down there for the intellectual conversation.
Your girlfriend was murdered, James.
What are you talking about? It was an accident.
Were you with her that night? No! Yes, but early.
- We got in an argument.
- About what? She didn't wanna go to the party with me.
She say why? No.
That's just who Lorelei was.
She made you feel like you were living life on edge, that things would fly apart any second.
But it was worth it.
She made you feel like you were truly alive.
On the medical report, it says that Lorelei had sex in the hours before death.
Well, I guess I wasn't the only one on the edge with her then.
You won't find your courage in the bottom of a glass.
Are you calling me a coward? (Chuckling): I would never call a hero of the inferno a coward.
I should hope not.
We owe these quarters to my courage.
Unless the thought of going back to the lower decks appeals to you.
William, I'm trying to be helpful.
Use this distraction to ensure your place, our place, going forward.
A girl was murdered, Viandra! It's an opportunity! The council is terrified of insurrection.
Move decisively, reassert your position.
Callousness is your least attractive quality.
(Scoffing) Yes, terrible, terrible me, who took my joke of a job and turned it into something that will serve us both.
I doubt your girls are as pleased.
My girls have made alliances with nearly every powerful man on this ship.
They enjoy their privileges, and we enjoy the favours they trade and the information they bring.
(Scoffing) I'd keep your head in the sand if it makes you feel better.
I'll go on being the politician, so you can pretend to be the statesman.
Christa! I'm glad to see you're doing better.
Would it be all right to ask you some questions about Launch Day? Lorelei was gonna teach me how to dance, but I couldn't find her.
Do you know why she went to the beach? - She was afraid of someone.
- Was it James Toback? - Not James.
He was nice to her.
- Then who? She wouldn't tell me, but she said he knew the truth.
The truth about what? Earlier, you told Dr.
Bryce something about Globus.
What does that mean? Was it something to do with Lorelei? Dr.
Bryce had me on some kind of medicine.
Look, you can tell me.
But I'm a weirdo already.
Sometimes, I think I know things.
What kind of things? It's hard to explain.
It's like I can still feel it underneath everything, behind everything, like a skull under the skin.
(Men talking, indistinct) Good morning, Nora! Good to see you! What is that? You like it? With full life-support system, completely radiation sealed.
A couple of more tweaks, it should be ready to road test in Proxima.
Dr.
Choi, I was wondering if you've selected all your apprentices for terraforming yet.
I have now.
(Man): Try it now.
Now, I read your report.
You don't think the boyfriend killed Lorelei? No, I don't, sir.
This Toback kid's trouble.
Vanderhaus said he's been detained for fighting and drinking in the past.
He's from the lower decks.
He's had it rough.
Find proof that he didn't do it.
Otherwise, he's our man.
Bullshit! You put me in charge of this investigation 'cause I wouldn't be bullied, not even by you.
You owe me, Aaron, all right? If the council loses confidence, they're gonna push me out of the captain's chair, and you're not gonna be far behind.
I'm doing this my way, sir.
If you wanna relieve me, that's your prerogative.
You know, Aaron, if you and I weren't born on this ship, we could've accomplished great things.
We are doing something great, sir.
The captain who launched and the captain who lands, that's who history will remember.
The guy in the middle, who gives a shit.
Handle it your way for now, Aaron.
(Keypad beeping) (Siren wailing in distance) (Dog barking, bird chirping) - There you go, honey.
- Thanks! Oh, Harris, that light is still on in the car.
Harris, are you listening? You said you'd get it fixed.
Uh, it's just a reminder.
I'll take care of it this weekend.
Yeah, that's what you said last weekend.
What are you typing? It's actually called texting, Dad.
I know that.
What are you texting? - Nothing.
- I know what DIAF means.
It means: "Die in a fire.
" A kid was giving me a hard time, no big deal, so I told him to DIAF.
- Hello! - It's just words on a screen.
They're not just words on a screen.
There's a world in here, and when you type on it, you become part of that world.
You change it.
You have to take responsibility for that.
Harris, something's happened at work.
(Speaking German) (Door buzzing) Sorry about your shirt.
Your alibi checked out.
I felt the same way when I was your age, that I had no choice, then I realized this is what we have to work with.
We find meaning where we can.
You done? White shirt, track him.
He's moving down the central corridor.
(Computer beeping) Where's he gone? I don't see him.
We lost him.
There, A-Deck.
Yeah.
He's headed to the beach.
(Birds chirping) What are you doing down here, James? You followed me? You know more than you're telling me.
So, where's the Launch Day tape that Lorelei took? I don't know what you're talking about.
You know, I saw the movies she watched: surf, sand and sun.
She loved nature.
That's why she was drawn to this place.
You call this nature? Did you actually watch those movies? They took it all for granted, the sky, the ocean.
They could run on the beach for miles without slamming into a bulkhead.
This beach represents everything that's fake about our lives.
For Lorelei to die here, of all places.
I don't think she died here.
There's no video of anyone but Lorelei coming down here.
There wasn't any sign of a struggle, and nothing explained the marks on her wrists.
There's only one way in or out.
You're wrong.
There's more than one right here.
(Elevator beeping) Stop it! I know you're there! Stop watching us! Leave us alone! I'm not afraid of you! I'm not afraid of you! I should tell you where we're at.
Trust me, I'm up to date.
I'm getting memos every 10 minutes.
- What if Warren finds out ab - She won't.
There's someone interested in my father's work, a grad student.
He knows about Ascension.
How much does he know? He was speculating to me what the people on board would be like.
He was pretty convinced the starship has been launched.
- We need to tell director Warren! - No! You're holding off telling her about this guy, You're holding off telling her about the anomaly.
This thing could blow up in her face! This is my father's legacy.
I won't have it tarnished.
Harris, the crew isn't safe.
These people have spent the past 51 years dealing with the rigours of deep space.
They're used to being unsafe.
(Siren wailing in distance) (Air hissing) This place is a maze.
My father told me about it.
Looks like someone's been down here.
"N.
F.
" What do you think it means? No idea.
What's this? Rilke.
"Love Poems to God.
" All these pages are blank.
Here! This is where Lorelei was murdered.
Why would they bleach the pages? Everything on board is electronic.
Writing on a stenotab is a risk.
Well, this is the water-filtration system, the nav-computer blueprints.
A month ago, the nav computer crashed.
Just last week, the water- filtration system went off line.
- It's not a coincidence, is it? - It was sabotage.
- Who are they? - We're not sure.
But we suspect they wanna force the ship back to Earth.
Sir, I'm the XO.
Why wasn't I told of this? We believe the saboteurs have their routes below decks.
So now I'm a security risk because I wasn't born in the upper decks? Look, if the council knew how close we were to insurrection, it'd be Rose sitting in this chair, not me.
Search the ship.
Turn it upside down.
I want answers.
All right, Captain! (Man): Hey, give me a hand here! (Chickens clucking, man shouting indistinctly) (Vanderhaus): Attention! Place all contraband on the tables in front of you and prepare to be searched! What's a matter, Duke? Didn't get this month's payoff? Step aside, Stokes! This isn't about Lorelei.
It's about the captain denying the lower deckers a voice.
(Men exclaiming) Stand down, and prepare to be searched.
Better get your own house in order before you come into mine.
I have it on good authority the chief safety officer's wife is taking another man into her bed.
(Men laughing) which leaves only one question: What's he got that you don't? (Men grunting and shouting indistinctly) (Alarm sounding) (Male voice): Radiation alert! Stand down! Stand down! Emergency protocols! We're heading into a radiation storm! Hey! This is not over! Radiation alert! Let's go! According to the ship's forward radar, we're heading towards a massive ion cloud, unlike anything we've seen.
Ascension's been hit with cosmic rays before.
How's this different? That was before we reached our current speed.
The radiation caused by our fractional speed-of-light velocity will cause real fireworks.
- How long do we have? - Half hour, maybe 40 minutes.
Vanderhaus, have your men clear the decks.
Announce radiation protocol.
Captain, the starboard blast shields are not closing.
Without shields, the radiation will burn the ship clean through.
Pump the grey water to the forward tank, they'll act as a buffer.
Gault, assemble a repair team.
Get those shields closed! (Alarms sounding) (Men and women exclaiming) (Alarms sounding) Nixon, I need you! Oh, what brings our esteemed XO down to the lower decks? Run out of people to kiss your ass up top? Nixon, you trained as an electrician? I need you onto repair.
You can't just come down here start ordering us around.
We got work to do.
Wrong, Stokes! I outrank you.
That's what that means.
Nixon, let's go! Nora! Come with me to the beach.
I need your help.
Secure the cart.
I'll catch up.
You heard the orders.
We have to go to our cabins.
Now's the perfect time.
No one will be watching.
- Lorelei told me she hid something there.
- Tell the safety officers.
They haven't been telling the truth, neither is the captain.
Come on! (Male voice): All hands to radiation pods! Okay, Captain, we're here.
Nixon's checking the electrical.
The converter's out.
We're gonna need visual confirmation.
(Denninger): I need an ETA, Gault.
(Gault): Anytime now.
OK, there it is! I see it.
Looks like A12.
A12.
Got it! We're wasting our time.
The safety officers already searched it.
It's here! If they found the tape, Gault wouldn't have asked about it.
What are you doing? There's one place they didn't look, in there.
I'm coming with you.
I've never seen anything like it.
(Nixon): No time for sightseeing.
Captain, the shield doors are closed.
Good job, Gault! (Screaming, grunting) Nixon? Nixon! (Panting) - Nixon, can you breathe? - Yeah! - Can you hear me? - Yeah! I'm good.
No tear.
Pressure suit holding.
(Panting, sighing) (Denninger):All right, get back to quarters.
It's about to get rocky.
They're pumping the tanks! Move! (James coughing) (Both panting) (Coughing) (Laughing) What is it? It's the missing video card that Lorelei took.
Come on! Wait! There's something you need to know.
The night Lorelei died, I saw Stokes give her something.
What? A gun.
(Crying) There is nothing to be afraid of.
I won't be able to breathe.
Yes, you will.
It's a mild sedative.
It's gonna put you right to sleep.
Come on! Hop on in! The seahorse will guard you.
Where's Nora? I thought she was with you.
Robert, they've sealed the decks! Nora's a smart girl, all right? There are radiation pods all over the ship.
We should go.
Come on! (Door keypad beeping) And when you wake, it'll seem like a dream.
(Male voice): Radiation protocol! Where are you going? Follow me! All hands to radiation pods.
Hurry! Radiation protocol! What the hell is that? Get in! It's shielded.
(Panting) (Rumbling) My grandfather told me once that back on Earth you couldn't stare at the sun without hurting your eyes.
We'll have a sun, someday, three of them.
(Panting): If we can get through this, maybe.
(PA system beeping) This is Captain Denninger.
We are entering the ion cloud.
Make sure your mask is secure.
There's nothing to worry about.
It's just a little stormy weather.
(#Lena Horne's "Stormy Weather" plays on PA#) Don't know why There's no sun up in the sky Stormy weather Since my man and I ain't together Keeps raining all the time Life is bare Gloom and misery everywhere Stormy weather Just can't get my poor self together I'm weary all the time The time Yes Yes, I'm weary all the time When he went away The blues walked in and met me If he stays away Old rocking chair will get me (Air hissing and sputtering) (Gasping, panting) the Lord above will let me walk Can't go on Everything I had in life is gone Stormy weather Since my man and I (Christa gasping) All right, I want status reports from every department, structural integrity analysis of the reactor's shielding.
Yes, sir! Captain, a word? After we fixed the shields, Nixon confessed something to me about Lorelei and Stokes.
All right, ladies, how are we doing, huh? Yeah? Good? (Pigs grunting) (Sheep bleating) Huh! Nixon! Where is it? Where's what? We know you gave Lorelei the gun.
Screw you! Ah, shit! (Stokes screaming) (Man 1): Clear? (Man 2): Nothing up here! (Man 1): Now look under there! Sir? I found something.
You son of a bitch.
You set me up! Where have you been? Your father and I were worried sick.
I waited out the storm in the terraforming lab.
Alone? With James Toback.
How do you think Lorelei would feel about that? (Sighing) Is Nora all right? Yeah, honey, she's fine! Christa, have you seen my necklace? I'm sure that I left it on the dresser.
You did.
He took it while we were sleeping.
Christa, no one was in here.
Everyone was asleep.
The Globus never sleeps.
Why would I give Lorelei the gun, then kill her? This is a setup! Why would anyone frame a man who shovels pig shit? You're not that important.
You chose me 'cause you don't think I'm important! You need a scapegoat! What about after you're gone? W-w-what do you mean "after I'm gone"? Come on, Stokes, you know we can't even add a baby without someone dying.
It'd be a luxury beyond our means.
Nobody's gonna spend precious resources on the killer of a young woman.
Now, we'd have to do what every small, isolated society does.
Exile you.
To where? You're talking about spacing me.
Look, I don't know who killed her.
I just She asked for the gun.
I gave it to her.
That's all! Who was she afraid of? Man, you really didn't know her, did you? The question isn't who was she afraid of (Scoffing) it's who was afraid of her? So, the bad man has been caught, and now the poor girl can finally be put to rest.
I think a funeral is just the thing to bring this ship together.
Is there something you're trying to tell me? Do you remember when we were paired? That romantic day when they told us we were number one on each other's genetic hit parade? My mother was disappointed.
You didn't seem destined for great things.
Yeah, she made that quite clear at the wedding.
I'm glad you remember it.
I think of it often, and how I told you that night that I loved you.
I scared the hell out of you, didn't I? Poor man, you were perfectly ready for a business-like arrangement, and I went and spoiled it.
I haven't found Rose's informant.
It will require further digging.
We are talking about your girls, aren't we? Do you really wanna know, William? (Sighing) Mr.
Gault? Christa, yes? I found this in my cabin, and I thought you might want it.
It was Lorelei's, and she told me her boyfriend gave it to her.
Thank you, Christa.
(Door buzzing) Lorelei Wright's passing reminds us of our place, our limitations.
Individually, we are but a small part of something far greater, greater, yet essential to the survival of the whole, essential to this mission essential to humanity.
We take great strength in this as we consign her body to the infinite.
(Door buzzing) Director Warren.
Harris, you think I wasn't supposed to hear that someone brought a gun on board because the ship is 50 years out? Come on! Did one of our space heroes actually commit a murder? It would appear so.
Harris take care.
Your fiefdom is built on your being able to convince me and everyone that you have complete control.
Once that erodes, let me put it this way, your life and the life of this project have the same expectancy.
Director Warren.
What a surprise.
Excuse me! Harris, a word? We've got a problem.
(Gun cocking) (Gasping, whimpering) I've got something of yours.
It probably should be in your collection, shouldn't it? (Chuckling) You know, this belonged to the first captain.
You know, people had no idea how incredibly difficult a journey like Columbus' was.
Astrolabes told latitude but not longitude.
Reaching a new world was like finding a needle in a haystack: pure, blind luck.
Is that why you had me investigate Lorelei's murder? 'Cause you knew I'd never suspect you? I set you down this course, and now you're ready to distrust anyone.
You should've told me.
I couldn't help myself, Gault.
Lorelei was playing me for a fool, but I didn't kill her.
(Door opening) You have to believe me.
(Nora panting) Oh, it looks like I'm a little late for the funeral.
Just let the girl go, Stokes.
No, I don't think so.
I'm gonna go before the council.
Listen, you're only making matters worse for yourself.
You think my cell door just opened itself? It's a lot easier to kill someone in a manhunt.
I will get to the bottom of it, I promise, but for right now, just let her go.
Someone came in the stockyards during the radiation storm, all right, planted this gun and and set me up! No no one was there! Nobody could survive the radiation.
Now listen to me.
Please, let her go! All I know is I saw a boot print after the storm where there wasn't one before! (Alarm sounding, all grunting) (Air hissing) Stay here! (Nora whimpering) (Both grunting) (Keypad beeping, buzzing) The control panel's locked! (Both grunting) (Gun clicking) (Both grunting) (Alarm sounding) (Screaming) (Screaming) (Panting) (Grunting) (Screaming, panting) (Grunting) (Groaning, panting) You think I don't have total control? Every detail from the movement of the stars to the flushing of the toilets is exactly as it would be on the real journey.
The minute they doubt the validity of their environment is the minute the experiment fails.
It is magnificent.
It's more than that.
Ascension is a lifeboat for humanity.
Father.
I was a baby when he died in that fire.
Rage.
Ancient history.
Ascension.
Trap.
(# Oldies on stereo #) (Men and women talking, indistinct) Chin up! Back straight! I should be able to draw a line from your earlobe to your ankle.
Jackie, the seams of your stockings are a disgrace.
- Mmm! - Never bend at the waist.
It's graceless.
Remember: poised, elegant, confidant.
Don't you just love their uniforms? They always look so perfect.
I'm thinking about apprenticing.
If spending 6 months learning to put on lipstick and talk in a breathy whisper is your idea of fun.
Not everyone aces their Apt Test, Nora.
There's no way I'm gonna end up cutting hair like my mom.
Besides, stewardesses get all the prettiest clothes.
Have you seen Lorelei? She said she'd be here.
Are you coming to the party tonight? To toast the glorious tin can? No thanks.
Try not to drool on the decorations, Nora.
(Glasses clinking) (Man talking in distance) (Stokes): Take off.
Hello! Nixon! Bordeaux! What's Bordeaux? Wine.
There's only 25 bottles of Chateau St-Cloud '59 left.
After tonight, there'll be 24.
So, do you have what I came for? Mmm! Yeah! I'll be in my cabin at 21:00 after your little party.
Your cabin off the slaughter stalls Enticing! (Scoffing) Is that funny to you? We had an understanding! It's not funny, Stokes.
It's sad.
(# Woman singing Fly Me to the Moon #) ## Fly me to the moon Let me play among the stars # Let me see what spring is like On Jupiter and Mars In other words Commander Gault! Mrs.
Vanderhaus, are you alone this evening? In other words It seems her husband was assigned the midwatch suddenly.
Lorelei Captain's orders.
Not my idea.
In fact I'd say it's a shame that your sister's unaccompanied when she looks so stunning tonight.
And you're stunning too, of course.
Lorelei's not happy with me.
We both have issues with the other's taste in men.
(Scoffing) In other words, please be true (Sighing) Yeah, I'm just not feeling it.
In other words, I love you (Dr.
Enzmann on film): The time has come for mankind to take longer strides.
We must move further down the line.
We must reach for the stars.
(Audience applauding on film) Imagine the greatest journey ever undertaken, a century-long sojourn to a new world completed by the grandchildren of the brave souls who embarked on this adventure.
(Grunting) (Panting) (Both moaning) (Grunting, panting) (Metal clanging) (Footsteps approaching) Our eyes must be focused on the stars if we are to have any hope of surviving this arms race, this space race, indeed, this human race.
Have you seen Lorelei? No, no.
I'm sure she's around somewhere.
(Dr.
Enzmann): Esteemed colleagues, friends, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Ascension.
(Audience applauding on film) Lorelei! Lorelei? Lorelei? Lorelei? (Screaming) ( Rocket Man by Elton John ) ## And I think it's gonna be a long, long time # Till touchdown brings me around again To find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh, no, no, no I'm a rocket man Rocket man, I'm burning out of fuse up here alone And I think it's gonna be a long, long time Till touchdown brings me around again To find I'm not the man they think I am at home Oh, no, no, no I'm a rocket man Rocket man, I'm burning out of fuse up here alone And I think it's gonna be a long, long time And I think it's gonna be a long, long time And I think it's gonna be a long, long time Orig.
sync & corr.
by mkbu95 (Birds chirping) (Men and women talking, indistinct) Dad! Why is my father restrained? Restrained.
"The quality of mercy is not strained.
It droppeth as the gentle rain from heaven upon the place" He was agitated earlier.
That's why we called.
His visitor seemed Visitor? I'm his only visitor, and he barely knows I'm here.
I don't know the man, but he's still on the grounds.
I passed him just outside talking on his phone.
Why are you harassing my father? You're the son, Harris.
Look, um I'm really sorry about what your father's going through, the stroke, and what it's done to him.
It must be hellish to see him that way.
I'm Mark Hayes.
And I didn't mean to upset him.
I've admired Dr.
Enzmann for years.
I'm doing my dissertation on his work.
You're an academic.
Yeah.
I'm finishing my Ph.
D.
on the history of the early space program.
It's tragic to me that most people don't know who your father is.
He He inspired me.
He inspired me too.
Yeah, I guess it's kind of hard to top a dad who escaped from the Nazis, and then developed rockets for NASA, huh? Hmm! You ever hear of Project Ascension? I haven't heard those words in years.
Your father was convinced that the US could launch an interstellar spacecraft right then in the '60s with the technology we had.
I mean, you can't go faster than the speed of light, so the original crew would never see the new world, but their descendants would.
Quite a dream Dad had! (Whispering): I think he did it.
I was taking you seriously.
No, wait a minute! Look! Wait, wait, wait! Look, look, look! They had the means, right? Kennedy was a fan.
Think of what it might be like! A mission like no other! And imagine the people that went: Hundreds of people out there in space in a world that never knew the summer of love, Betty Friedan, the autobiography of Malcolm X, The Clash, fresh from Father Knows Best exploring the universe.
I work for the government.
Do you have any idea how incompetent it is? Do you really think that they could do something like this and no one would know? Ascension was the military.
It was top secret.
What do you do? I'm an engineer.
I evaluate government contracts.
Look, before you write me off, go see one of your father's old associates, whoever's still alive.
Maybe they'll talk to you.
Thanks, but I'll skip humiliating myself.
You could claim your father's legacy for him.
This is real and the world should know.
(Woman on PA): Do you have what it takes to make a difference? Apply for a Safety Officer Apprenticeship today.
Good morning, ladies! (Male voice):On Ascension, safety is our priority.
(Keypad beeping) (Computers beeping) XO, sir, I've been looking for you.
You weren't in your quarters last night.
I didn't sleep there, obviously.
Is that an issue? No, sir, of course not.
It's just, the captain's been looking for you.
Carry on.
(Sighing) What happened? It looks like she fell and hit her head.
I'm sorry, Duke.
How am I gonna tell my wife her sister's dead? Every kid on this ship knows this place like the back of their hand.
What are you saying? I'm saying it's hard for me to believe it was just an accident.
Marks on her wrists It could be from a rope.
Wow! Agatha Christie would be impressed! Or have you been reading Raymond Chandler? All right, then! You're chief safety officer.
What's your theory? She had too much to drink at Launch Day.
She came out here for a midnight swim like we all did when we were kids - Hmm! - Only she slipped.
Like Dr.
Bryce said, an accident.
Take her to the medical centre.
She's been out here way too long.
You really believe this wasn't an accident? Look, I know it may sound crazy I want you to look into it.
If there is the slightest chance, we need to be sure.
Captain, I don't have any experience with anything like this.
Nobody does.
Vanderhaus is your chief safety officer, alright? Why don't you get him to do it? Look, he hasn't handled anything worse than petty theft or a drunken brawl.
Besides, she's family.
He can't even entertain the idea.
He won't be happy.
Look, I can't worry about his feelings, Gault.
I have to take care of 600 souls.
- And you don't want a panic.
- Exactly.
Imagine what it would do if they thought a neighbour was a killer, so just keep this under the radar for the time being.
- Are we clear? - Clear.
Okay.
(PA system buzzing) Attention, please! This is Captain Denninger.
It pains me to report this, but last night, we lost one of our own in a tragic accident: Lorelei Wright.
Those who knew her said she was a beacon of light and vitality, a light that has been extinguished all too soon.
Her passing reminds us all of the fragility of life.
Our hearts go out to those she leaves behind.
Thank you.
Is a full autopsy really necessary? I'll also need a blood analysis for alcohol, drugs and any other tests you can think of.
Does the captain really believe that Lorelei was murdered? I'm looking into it, but remember, the official story is that it was an accident.
What the hell are you doing, Gault? I just have a few questions for Mrs.
Wright.
Hasn't my family been through enough? It's fine.
If it's important, it's fine.
Thank you, ma'am.
(Sighing) If there is anything I can do Thank you.
Had Lorelei been upset about anything recently? Did she have a boyfriend? All the boys were interested in her.
That's no secret.
She didn't run around like some lower-deck trash.
Can you think of any reason that someone might wanna harm her? Oh! Of course not! What are you implying? Duke, what is this about? You know what? That's enough.
My family and I would like to be alone now.
Of course.
I'm sorry for your loss.
(Crying) Let me help you.
We told your mom you're here.
You were in a state of shock.
We gave you a sedative.
(EKG monitor beeping) Christa? Christa? In the Glau Room, they're watching.
(Christa panting) They're watching! Nora, chloral hydrate, 500 milligrams! (Panting, crying): No, no, no! The Globus sees all! Nora, the sedative! (Christa panting) Is she going to be all right? (Sighing) Yeah! I think so.
She just needs to rest.
Nora, could you excuse us for a moment, please? I didn't wanna say anything before, but when I administered Lorelei's psych-eval, I found some troubling things.
Like? Frustration, depression, rage She felt like her life wasn't her own.
The crisis.
Usually, the crisis is a normal part of coming of age.
We all have to deal with the fact that we have no control over our destiny, that this was chosen for us before we were born.
It hit me when I was 14, the unfairness that I couldn't be a pro baseball player or a secret agent.
Back on Earth, you could dream as big as you wanted.
Your parents could allow any illusions to die naturally.
There were an infinity of possibilities to try.
We don't have infinity.
We only have the ship.
We're born in it.
We die in it.
But with Lorelei, the crisis seemed more intense, unnerving in a way I've never seen before.
I was afraid of what she might do.
(Lorelei):So, what's this test supposed to do? (Juliet):Just say the first thing that comes to your mind.
Father.
I was a baby when he died in that fire.
Rage.
Ancient history.
Ascension.
Trap.
We have a camera at the entrance to Water Reclamation.
The beach is a blind spot.
There! This is the time-stamp you asked for, but as you can see, nobody enters or exits.
How could Lorelei have gotten down there without being seen? There has to be another way to the beach.
Pull video from the Commons, track her movements, find out where we lose her.
Yes, sir.
Mr.
Gault? May I have a word? Emily, they already know I wasn't in my cabin last night.
Coming to me here, it's too risky.
I had to see you.
But of course! I'm sorry about your sister.
There's something I have to tell you.
Lorelei was seeing someone: James Toback.
Why didn't your mother tell me? He's from the lower decks.
He works in Water Reclamation.
She was embarrassed.
She wants to maintain this image of Lorelei as a perfect lady, but it wasn't the truth.
She was with James the night she died.
I told her she had to stop seeing him, but she threatened to expose us.
You should've told me.
She wouldn't have done it.
Lorelei could be selfish at times, but not cruel, not like that.
The safety officers came by Water Reclamation today looking for me.
Whoa, whoa, whoa! Calm down, James! Lorelei's dead, and they're looking for me.
What'd you tell them? (Man): Hey, hey! (Panting) You need to learn some manners, Pup! Get him out of here! (Grunting) Her blood-alcohol level was elevated, but not enough to incapacitate her.
However, she did have sexual intercourse within hours of her death.
What about the marks on her wrists? Your XO might've been right about those rope burns.
She had contusions on her torso and a broken collarbone.
So it wasn't an accident? I also found a fibre strand in her teeth.
There is a good possibility she was gagged.
And the autopsy revealed another surprise: a small puncture wound in the roof of her mouth.
What caused it? All right.
Let me know if any new information comes to light, OK? Thank you.
(Door closing) Why is the good doctor calling so late? Should I be jealous? What's that? A bullet, which begs the question: How did a gun get on this ship? It was a .
22 Short, I looked it up, an uncommon caliber even on Earth.
How'd it get on the ship? There were no firearms on the manifest.
- It must've been smuggled aboard.
- And kept hidden for 50 years? Yet someone knew what they were doing.
It wasn't powerful enough to puncture the hull or damage the hydraulic systems, just enough to kill.
I put in an official comment in the log and made a communication to Earth.
Why use the gun now? The Rubicon, maybe? Once we pass that point of no return, we won't have the resources to be able to go back to Earth.
We're gonna have to continue on to Proxima no matter what.
People are getting anxious.
Yeah, I'm ordering a complete search of the ship.
If Vanderhaus and his Jackboots start flipping over beds and rooting through underwear drawers, it will cause a panic.
What do you think will happen when the crew finds out a murderer's on the loose? If you tip our hand with a scavenger hunt, the killer will dump the gun.
Give me a chance to find him.
Anyone else gets hurt, it's gonna be on you.
(Men talking, indistinct) (Woman on PA): Have a friend feeling blue? Sign them up on Lucy, I'm home! I placed the treasure of cinema and literature before you, and this is all you remember.
I came looking for books about how police solve crimes.
"The voice of thy brother's blood crieth unto me from the ground.
" Or I suppose sister in this case.
There are no absolute secrets onboard this ship.
Someone always knows, and someone always talks in the end.
I heard a rumour about you.
The captain wanted me to investigate Lo The rumour about you and a woman, a woman not lawful for you to love.
Who said that? You know how these stories end.
Camelot's gone, the heroes are dead and the woman enters a nunnery.
It's always stories with you.
I came here to talk nonfiction.
Police manuals were written for people on Earth where cops walk the beat, and there's an infrastructure in place to deal with criminals.
- Then what do you suggest? - Try Philip Marlowe.
He walked the mean streets alone.
Read detective stories? That's your idea? They made a number of movies if you're too lazy to turn a page.
There's also Hitchcock, Fritz Lang Okay, movies! I got it! What did Lorelei watch? She liked movies like Beach Party or Gidget, anything with blue skies and sandy beaches.
There was something else.
This is the last thing she checked out.
The night of the fire.
Are you ready to open old wounds? I can take it.
I learned from the best.
The video card She kept it.
Why? What are you doing here? It's okay.
Don't leave.
Lorelei brought me here sometimes.
If she brought you here, she must've liked you.
Or maybe she just wanted someone to paint the clouds.
You painted those? She told me she did.
Lorelei said that if she was born on Earth, she would've lived on the beach and surfed all day.
Maybe one day, we'll see a real one.
We'll never touch the land, much less see a beach.
That's not true.
We'll get there.
We'll be old, but we'll see it.
Face it.
Our grandparents screwed us.
They sent us on a one-way ticket to nowhere.
How can you say that? This ship was a trillion-dollar payday.
50 years ago, a bunch of people lined their pockets, and then sent us out here to die.
They sent us here to ensure life would go on no matter what.
Read the history books.
People on Earth weren't saints.
Lorelei told me some of the lower-deckers didn't believe in the mission.
I guess she meant you.
We're all going to the same place: nowhere.
And none of us have a choice.
I think you're a little crazy.
(Chuckling) Probably.
You know how deep that tank goes? 40 metres, maybe? That's wrong.
It goes all the way to hell.
(Moaning) Whoa, whoa, whoa! Whoa! Where are you going? I'm finished.
Well, I'm not! Get back here! I'm gonna give back those silk dresses you gave me.
It's not polite to return a gift.
As the captain's wife, it wouldn't be proper to dress too extravagantly.
Yeah, well, when I'm captain, you can dress as extravagantly as you like, okay? Yeah, and when is that gonna happen? The council has moved to unseat my husband 3 times already, unsuccessfully.
Well, that's before this girl died.
An accident in Water Reclamation isn't gonna change anything, except to put up guard rails.
It wasn't an accident.
That investigation into her death? Strictly covering their ass.
My sources think the girl was murdered.
Please! Your sources are paranoid.
They think your husband is deliberately downplaying this, making it seem pro forma, when, actually, this is quite serious.
- To prevent a panic.
- Hysteria, fear Let me tell you this.
Any man who can't control his ship, does not deserve to have the word "Captain" in front of his name, so why don't you come back here and finish what you started.
It is fun to keep a man waiting.
You know what else is fun? Surprises.
(Councilman Rose chuckling) Because finishing what you started is never as good as starting something new.
I love the way you think.
(Elevator beeping) They found her lying there like that.
She hasn't said a word.
Thank you for calling me.
You know, when I was pregnant with Nora, I would come up here and daydream about what Proxima was like.
I'd imagine plants and animals I'd never seen before.
I like your necklace.
It's a seahorse.
There aren't any in the aquariums.
No, we didn't bring any.
The only ones are back in the oceans on Earth.
It's beautiful.
Christa, you see that star cluster? Alpha Centauri is binary, 2 suns orbiting each other, but when we zoom in a little closer, we can see a third.
That's Proxima.
That's where we're going to live.
You're wrong.
There's no life there.
There! That's life.
That's where we have to go.
Everything else is death.
You didn't show up for work last night.
Is that why your safety officers pulled me in, for playing hooky? Where were you the night of the Launch celebration? - The hold.
- Drinking? Actually, I go down there for the intellectual conversation.
Your girlfriend was murdered, James.
What are you talking about? It was an accident.
Were you with her that night? No! Yes, but early.
- We got in an argument.
- About what? She didn't wanna go to the party with me.
She say why? No.
That's just who Lorelei was.
She made you feel like you were living life on edge, that things would fly apart any second.
But it was worth it.
She made you feel like you were truly alive.
On the medical report, it says that Lorelei had sex in the hours before death.
Well, I guess I wasn't the only one on the edge with her then.
You won't find your courage in the bottom of a glass.
Are you calling me a coward? (Chuckling): I would never call a hero of the inferno a coward.
I should hope not.
We owe these quarters to my courage.
Unless the thought of going back to the lower decks appeals to you.
William, I'm trying to be helpful.
Use this distraction to ensure your place, our place, going forward.
A girl was murdered, Viandra! It's an opportunity! The council is terrified of insurrection.
Move decisively, reassert your position.
Callousness is your least attractive quality.
(Scoffing) Yes, terrible, terrible me, who took my joke of a job and turned it into something that will serve us both.
I doubt your girls are as pleased.
My girls have made alliances with nearly every powerful man on this ship.
They enjoy their privileges, and we enjoy the favours they trade and the information they bring.
(Scoffing) I'd keep your head in the sand if it makes you feel better.
I'll go on being the politician, so you can pretend to be the statesman.
Christa! I'm glad to see you're doing better.
Would it be all right to ask you some questions about Launch Day? Lorelei was gonna teach me how to dance, but I couldn't find her.
Do you know why she went to the beach? - She was afraid of someone.
- Was it James Toback? - Not James.
He was nice to her.
- Then who? She wouldn't tell me, but she said he knew the truth.
The truth about what? Earlier, you told Dr.
Bryce something about Globus.
What does that mean? Was it something to do with Lorelei? Dr.
Bryce had me on some kind of medicine.
Look, you can tell me.
But I'm a weirdo already.
Sometimes, I think I know things.
What kind of things? It's hard to explain.
It's like I can still feel it underneath everything, behind everything, like a skull under the skin.
(Men talking, indistinct) Good morning, Nora! Good to see you! What is that? You like it? With full life-support system, completely radiation sealed.
A couple of more tweaks, it should be ready to road test in Proxima.
Dr.
Choi, I was wondering if you've selected all your apprentices for terraforming yet.
I have now.
(Man): Try it now.
Now, I read your report.
You don't think the boyfriend killed Lorelei? No, I don't, sir.
This Toback kid's trouble.
Vanderhaus said he's been detained for fighting and drinking in the past.
He's from the lower decks.
He's had it rough.
Find proof that he didn't do it.
Otherwise, he's our man.
Bullshit! You put me in charge of this investigation 'cause I wouldn't be bullied, not even by you.
You owe me, Aaron, all right? If the council loses confidence, they're gonna push me out of the captain's chair, and you're not gonna be far behind.
I'm doing this my way, sir.
If you wanna relieve me, that's your prerogative.
You know, Aaron, if you and I weren't born on this ship, we could've accomplished great things.
We are doing something great, sir.
The captain who launched and the captain who lands, that's who history will remember.
The guy in the middle, who gives a shit.
Handle it your way for now, Aaron.
(Keypad beeping) (Siren wailing in distance) (Dog barking, bird chirping) - There you go, honey.
- Thanks! Oh, Harris, that light is still on in the car.
Harris, are you listening? You said you'd get it fixed.
Uh, it's just a reminder.
I'll take care of it this weekend.
Yeah, that's what you said last weekend.
What are you typing? It's actually called texting, Dad.
I know that.
What are you texting? - Nothing.
- I know what DIAF means.
It means: "Die in a fire.
" A kid was giving me a hard time, no big deal, so I told him to DIAF.
- Hello! - It's just words on a screen.
They're not just words on a screen.
There's a world in here, and when you type on it, you become part of that world.
You change it.
You have to take responsibility for that.
Harris, something's happened at work.
(Speaking German) (Door buzzing) Sorry about your shirt.
Your alibi checked out.
I felt the same way when I was your age, that I had no choice, then I realized this is what we have to work with.
We find meaning where we can.
You done? White shirt, track him.
He's moving down the central corridor.
(Computer beeping) Where's he gone? I don't see him.
We lost him.
There, A-Deck.
Yeah.
He's headed to the beach.
(Birds chirping) What are you doing down here, James? You followed me? You know more than you're telling me.
So, where's the Launch Day tape that Lorelei took? I don't know what you're talking about.
You know, I saw the movies she watched: surf, sand and sun.
She loved nature.
That's why she was drawn to this place.
You call this nature? Did you actually watch those movies? They took it all for granted, the sky, the ocean.
They could run on the beach for miles without slamming into a bulkhead.
This beach represents everything that's fake about our lives.
For Lorelei to die here, of all places.
I don't think she died here.
There's no video of anyone but Lorelei coming down here.
There wasn't any sign of a struggle, and nothing explained the marks on her wrists.
There's only one way in or out.
You're wrong.
There's more than one right here.
(Elevator beeping) Stop it! I know you're there! Stop watching us! Leave us alone! I'm not afraid of you! I'm not afraid of you! I should tell you where we're at.
Trust me, I'm up to date.
I'm getting memos every 10 minutes.
- What if Warren finds out ab - She won't.
There's someone interested in my father's work, a grad student.
He knows about Ascension.
How much does he know? He was speculating to me what the people on board would be like.
He was pretty convinced the starship has been launched.
- We need to tell director Warren! - No! You're holding off telling her about this guy, You're holding off telling her about the anomaly.
This thing could blow up in her face! This is my father's legacy.
I won't have it tarnished.
Harris, the crew isn't safe.
These people have spent the past 51 years dealing with the rigours of deep space.
They're used to being unsafe.
(Siren wailing in distance) (Air hissing) This place is a maze.
My father told me about it.
Looks like someone's been down here.
"N.
F.
" What do you think it means? No idea.
What's this? Rilke.
"Love Poems to God.
" All these pages are blank.
Here! This is where Lorelei was murdered.
Why would they bleach the pages? Everything on board is electronic.
Writing on a stenotab is a risk.
Well, this is the water-filtration system, the nav-computer blueprints.
A month ago, the nav computer crashed.
Just last week, the water- filtration system went off line.
- It's not a coincidence, is it? - It was sabotage.
- Who are they? - We're not sure.
But we suspect they wanna force the ship back to Earth.
Sir, I'm the XO.
Why wasn't I told of this? We believe the saboteurs have their routes below decks.
So now I'm a security risk because I wasn't born in the upper decks? Look, if the council knew how close we were to insurrection, it'd be Rose sitting in this chair, not me.
Search the ship.
Turn it upside down.
I want answers.
All right, Captain! (Man): Hey, give me a hand here! (Chickens clucking, man shouting indistinctly) (Vanderhaus): Attention! Place all contraband on the tables in front of you and prepare to be searched! What's a matter, Duke? Didn't get this month's payoff? Step aside, Stokes! This isn't about Lorelei.
It's about the captain denying the lower deckers a voice.
(Men exclaiming) Stand down, and prepare to be searched.
Better get your own house in order before you come into mine.
I have it on good authority the chief safety officer's wife is taking another man into her bed.
(Men laughing) which leaves only one question: What's he got that you don't? (Men grunting and shouting indistinctly) (Alarm sounding) (Male voice): Radiation alert! Stand down! Stand down! Emergency protocols! We're heading into a radiation storm! Hey! This is not over! Radiation alert! Let's go! According to the ship's forward radar, we're heading towards a massive ion cloud, unlike anything we've seen.
Ascension's been hit with cosmic rays before.
How's this different? That was before we reached our current speed.
The radiation caused by our fractional speed-of-light velocity will cause real fireworks.
- How long do we have? - Half hour, maybe 40 minutes.
Vanderhaus, have your men clear the decks.
Announce radiation protocol.
Captain, the starboard blast shields are not closing.
Without shields, the radiation will burn the ship clean through.
Pump the grey water to the forward tank, they'll act as a buffer.
Gault, assemble a repair team.
Get those shields closed! (Alarms sounding) (Men and women exclaiming) (Alarms sounding) Nixon, I need you! Oh, what brings our esteemed XO down to the lower decks? Run out of people to kiss your ass up top? Nixon, you trained as an electrician? I need you onto repair.
You can't just come down here start ordering us around.
We got work to do.
Wrong, Stokes! I outrank you.
That's what that means.
Nixon, let's go! Nora! Come with me to the beach.
I need your help.
Secure the cart.
I'll catch up.
You heard the orders.
We have to go to our cabins.
Now's the perfect time.
No one will be watching.
- Lorelei told me she hid something there.
- Tell the safety officers.
They haven't been telling the truth, neither is the captain.
Come on! (Male voice): All hands to radiation pods! Okay, Captain, we're here.
Nixon's checking the electrical.
The converter's out.
We're gonna need visual confirmation.
(Denninger): I need an ETA, Gault.
(Gault): Anytime now.
OK, there it is! I see it.
Looks like A12.
A12.
Got it! We're wasting our time.
The safety officers already searched it.
It's here! If they found the tape, Gault wouldn't have asked about it.
What are you doing? There's one place they didn't look, in there.
I'm coming with you.
I've never seen anything like it.
(Nixon): No time for sightseeing.
Captain, the shield doors are closed.
Good job, Gault! (Screaming, grunting) Nixon? Nixon! (Panting) - Nixon, can you breathe? - Yeah! - Can you hear me? - Yeah! I'm good.
No tear.
Pressure suit holding.
(Panting, sighing) (Denninger):All right, get back to quarters.
It's about to get rocky.
They're pumping the tanks! Move! (James coughing) (Both panting) (Coughing) (Laughing) What is it? It's the missing video card that Lorelei took.
Come on! Wait! There's something you need to know.
The night Lorelei died, I saw Stokes give her something.
What? A gun.
(Crying) There is nothing to be afraid of.
I won't be able to breathe.
Yes, you will.
It's a mild sedative.
It's gonna put you right to sleep.
Come on! Hop on in! The seahorse will guard you.
Where's Nora? I thought she was with you.
Robert, they've sealed the decks! Nora's a smart girl, all right? There are radiation pods all over the ship.
We should go.
Come on! (Door keypad beeping) And when you wake, it'll seem like a dream.
(Male voice): Radiation protocol! Where are you going? Follow me! All hands to radiation pods.
Hurry! Radiation protocol! What the hell is that? Get in! It's shielded.
(Panting) (Rumbling) My grandfather told me once that back on Earth you couldn't stare at the sun without hurting your eyes.
We'll have a sun, someday, three of them.
(Panting): If we can get through this, maybe.
(PA system beeping) This is Captain Denninger.
We are entering the ion cloud.
Make sure your mask is secure.
There's nothing to worry about.
It's just a little stormy weather.
(#Lena Horne's "Stormy Weather" plays on PA#) Don't know why There's no sun up in the sky Stormy weather Since my man and I ain't together Keeps raining all the time Life is bare Gloom and misery everywhere Stormy weather Just can't get my poor self together I'm weary all the time The time Yes Yes, I'm weary all the time When he went away The blues walked in and met me If he stays away Old rocking chair will get me (Air hissing and sputtering) (Gasping, panting) the Lord above will let me walk Can't go on Everything I had in life is gone Stormy weather Since my man and I (Christa gasping) All right, I want status reports from every department, structural integrity analysis of the reactor's shielding.
Yes, sir! Captain, a word? After we fixed the shields, Nixon confessed something to me about Lorelei and Stokes.
All right, ladies, how are we doing, huh? Yeah? Good? (Pigs grunting) (Sheep bleating) Huh! Nixon! Where is it? Where's what? We know you gave Lorelei the gun.
Screw you! Ah, shit! (Stokes screaming) (Man 1): Clear? (Man 2): Nothing up here! (Man 1): Now look under there! Sir? I found something.
You son of a bitch.
You set me up! Where have you been? Your father and I were worried sick.
I waited out the storm in the terraforming lab.
Alone? With James Toback.
How do you think Lorelei would feel about that? (Sighing) Is Nora all right? Yeah, honey, she's fine! Christa, have you seen my necklace? I'm sure that I left it on the dresser.
You did.
He took it while we were sleeping.
Christa, no one was in here.
Everyone was asleep.
The Globus never sleeps.
Why would I give Lorelei the gun, then kill her? This is a setup! Why would anyone frame a man who shovels pig shit? You're not that important.
You chose me 'cause you don't think I'm important! You need a scapegoat! What about after you're gone? W-w-what do you mean "after I'm gone"? Come on, Stokes, you know we can't even add a baby without someone dying.
It'd be a luxury beyond our means.
Nobody's gonna spend precious resources on the killer of a young woman.
Now, we'd have to do what every small, isolated society does.
Exile you.
To where? You're talking about spacing me.
Look, I don't know who killed her.
I just She asked for the gun.
I gave it to her.
That's all! Who was she afraid of? Man, you really didn't know her, did you? The question isn't who was she afraid of (Scoffing) it's who was afraid of her? So, the bad man has been caught, and now the poor girl can finally be put to rest.
I think a funeral is just the thing to bring this ship together.
Is there something you're trying to tell me? Do you remember when we were paired? That romantic day when they told us we were number one on each other's genetic hit parade? My mother was disappointed.
You didn't seem destined for great things.
Yeah, she made that quite clear at the wedding.
I'm glad you remember it.
I think of it often, and how I told you that night that I loved you.
I scared the hell out of you, didn't I? Poor man, you were perfectly ready for a business-like arrangement, and I went and spoiled it.
I haven't found Rose's informant.
It will require further digging.
We are talking about your girls, aren't we? Do you really wanna know, William? (Sighing) Mr.
Gault? Christa, yes? I found this in my cabin, and I thought you might want it.
It was Lorelei's, and she told me her boyfriend gave it to her.
Thank you, Christa.
(Door buzzing) Lorelei Wright's passing reminds us of our place, our limitations.
Individually, we are but a small part of something far greater, greater, yet essential to the survival of the whole, essential to this mission essential to humanity.
We take great strength in this as we consign her body to the infinite.
(Door buzzing) Director Warren.
Harris, you think I wasn't supposed to hear that someone brought a gun on board because the ship is 50 years out? Come on! Did one of our space heroes actually commit a murder? It would appear so.
Harris take care.
Your fiefdom is built on your being able to convince me and everyone that you have complete control.
Once that erodes, let me put it this way, your life and the life of this project have the same expectancy.
Director Warren.
What a surprise.
Excuse me! Harris, a word? We've got a problem.
(Gun cocking) (Gasping, whimpering) I've got something of yours.
It probably should be in your collection, shouldn't it? (Chuckling) You know, this belonged to the first captain.
You know, people had no idea how incredibly difficult a journey like Columbus' was.
Astrolabes told latitude but not longitude.
Reaching a new world was like finding a needle in a haystack: pure, blind luck.
Is that why you had me investigate Lorelei's murder? 'Cause you knew I'd never suspect you? I set you down this course, and now you're ready to distrust anyone.
You should've told me.
I couldn't help myself, Gault.
Lorelei was playing me for a fool, but I didn't kill her.
(Door opening) You have to believe me.
(Nora panting) Oh, it looks like I'm a little late for the funeral.
Just let the girl go, Stokes.
No, I don't think so.
I'm gonna go before the council.
Listen, you're only making matters worse for yourself.
You think my cell door just opened itself? It's a lot easier to kill someone in a manhunt.
I will get to the bottom of it, I promise, but for right now, just let her go.
Someone came in the stockyards during the radiation storm, all right, planted this gun and and set me up! No no one was there! Nobody could survive the radiation.
Now listen to me.
Please, let her go! All I know is I saw a boot print after the storm where there wasn't one before! (Alarm sounding, all grunting) (Air hissing) Stay here! (Nora whimpering) (Both grunting) (Keypad beeping, buzzing) The control panel's locked! (Both grunting) (Gun clicking) (Both grunting) (Alarm sounding) (Screaming) (Screaming) (Panting) (Grunting) (Screaming, panting) (Grunting) (Groaning, panting) You think I don't have total control? Every detail from the movement of the stars to the flushing of the toilets is exactly as it would be on the real journey.
The minute they doubt the validity of their environment is the minute the experiment fails.
It is magnificent.
It's more than that.
Ascension is a lifeboat for humanity.