The Expanse (2015) s03e10 Episode Script

1 - [SCREAMS.]
- [GRUNTS.]
I need to get a message to my father, Jules-Pierre Mao.
Everything you feared about the protomolecule has come to pass.
I can't fix it, but I can destroy the man who brought you low.
We've struck at the "Inner's" vessels, and we will strike again.
Holden didn't do any of that.
He's being framed.
That fake message was somebody trying to kill us.
It was just supposed to be a back door so we could get nav and stuff you might not tell us.
We're still locked out of comms and weapons.
I don't wanna get into anyone's firing range until we can explain that that message was fake.
Make sure you tell them we didn't blow up the "Seung Un"! Tell them what really happened, please.
You want to indulge in a selfish desire to be a part of something amazing.
Yeah.
[CHUCKLES.]
I'm going through the Ring.
I won't hear your voice until I'm back.
Inyalowda go through the Ring, call it their own.
But a Belter opened it! This moment belong to us! It's the MCRN "Xuesen.
" If things go too fast around here, something gets nervous and grabs 'em? How fast was it going when it got stopped? Just over 18,000 KPH.
Okay, so now we have a speed limit.
I came back for the wrong reasons.
I didn't understand what I was leaving.
Don't go too fast out there.
Hang in there.
I'm coming.
I've been seeing him since the Ring turned on.
Maybe he isn't exactly dead.
Maybe he isn't exactly Miller.
We gotta go.
Come on.
To the station.
To the nucleus.
I got a case to solve, and you want the truth.
Are you coming or not? Miller told me to go to the station.
He said it would help us.
He's already saved our asses once, so I've gotten you guys in enough trouble.
What else is new, right? [CHUCKLES.]
I have to do this on my own.
Just stay safe.
Thanks both of you, for well, for everything.
And do not follow me.
That's an order.
Fuck.
After all the shit we've been through, I'm starting to wonder if I'm cursed.
Yeah, why's that? 'Cause out of the whole human race, you're the one flying through the mysterious alien artifact with a dead guy? - Yeah.
- [CHUCKLES.]
You're just following your program.
- Just like me.
- Program? - Mm-hmm.
- I always had this crazy notion about free will.
Then how come it is that every time there's a cluster-suck shit-storm situation in the universe, there's James Holden, shrugging his shoulders, saying, "How the hell did I end up here?" You're really pumping me up for this mission.
You're the patron saint of lost causes, kid.
Quit running from it.
[PENSIVE INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.]
[ENGINES FIRE.]
[PA DINGS.]
- Course is locked.
We are on final approach to the Gate.
Sub two is go.
[INDISTINCT COMPUTER CHATTER.]
Dr.
Volovodov I heard you were a Methodist.
- Uh, I am.
[CHUCKLES.]
- Me too.
First Methodist, Cedar Rapids, Iowa.
- Mm-hmm.
- It's part of the North American Trade Zone.
We're all a long way from home.
Yeah, a very long way.
[PA DINGS.]
- All hands, stand by for zero-G.
As a precaution, speed will be 12,600 kilometers per hour, 30% below the limit.
I haven't been sleeping very well since we got the orders to go through this thing.
In the face of all this, sleep seems disrespectful, maybe? - I'd say more like terrifying.
- [CHUCKLES.]
Mm-hmm.
Do you think God wants us to be here? Uh, as far as I can tell, the scripture's quiet on this one.
Excuse me.
[PA DINGS.]
All indicators are green for Ring transit.
Gate contact in ten nine eight seven six five four three two one.
[EXCITED CHATTER.]
Transit is complete.
We are on the other side of the Ring.
All work groups report.
And there are the Martians.
This is incredible.
We have to get some probes out ASAP.
Can't we just enjoy it for a minute? I suppose we should.
I thought it was gonna be a wormhole.
- It's not? - In theory, wormholes connect distant points in space.
And this doesn't look like space at all.
Exactly.
Whatever it is, it's highly energetic.
Its emissions are swamping our censors.
I think it's beautiful.
There's something at the center.
It looks similar to the Ring.
Makes sense it would be the same technology.
What are those those purple glows? You tell me.
Yeah? That's the slingshotter.
Belter torpedo MCRN probe in the same orbit, the same distance apart.
[EXHALES.]
What is this place? Where angels fear to tread if they had any goddamn sense.
Sorry, Pastor.
"Rocinante.
" Please respond.
"Rocinante," please respond.
[SIGHS.]
Come on, guys.
Why aren't you talking? Belter skiff, this is the MCRN "Xuesen.
" What is your business? I am en route to the "Rocinante.
" Have you contacted them? This is a policing action.
We have been ordered to apprehend James Holden and crew.
Your assistance is neither requested nor required.
You can't possibly believe that the same James Holden who saved Mars has started blowing up innocent civilian ships? We are ordering you to break off.
You have been fairly warned.
- "Xuesen" out.
- Same to you.
Asshole.
"Drop Ship One," this is "Flight.
" Stand by for final clearance to drop.
Whoever that is, they're headed straight for that thing in the center.
It has to be Holden.
That's definitely his style.
- So he's crazy? - I suppose you could - make that argument.
- Fantastic.
But I don't believe he would blow up the "Seung Un.
" That's definitely not his style.
You sure you're up for this, Gunny? What do you mean by that? The things Holden did in the war with your help that's a big part of why you were reinstated.
It'd be understandable if you were feeling conflicted.
Our orders are to stop him before he does anything down there, and that's what I intend to do.
Are you gonna tell me what that thing is? Yeah, just as soon as we get down there, we'll both know.
I should've brought a gun.
Wouldn't do you any good.
I calmed down the station's security.
That's about the only thing protecting you right now.
Mm, comforting.
Except these guys.
We got a little company.
Ugh, Martians.
- They're not happy with me.
- Just collecting pals wherever you go, huh? - What are you doing? - Trying not to get caught.
Slow down.
Remember what I said - about doors and corners? - Don't start with - with that shit again.
- Hey, you're no good to me if the station squashes you like a bug! - Slow down.
- [PANTS.]
Just exercising some free will.
Now you're just being an asshole.
Amos.
Amos! Looks like the "Xuesen" just launched a skiff.
They're going after Holden.
Then we have to go after him too.
We can't.
Even if we left right now at maximum speed, we wouldn't get - to him before they did.
- And they're not gonna be expecting us to try, so we're going to punch them in the face before they figure it out.
Right, that's a that's a great plan, to take on a Martian Marine fire team.
It's better to go down swinging than rolling over.
Why are you being so much like yourself? Is none of this stuff weirding you out? You want me to say this is some weird shit? - Yeah, this is some weird shit.
- Thank you.
And we're playing way out of our league, here.
That's been true ever since we've been sharpening sticks and going after lions, but we're still here.
I get it.
Alien shit, magic gates Naomi bugging off to go play Belter, Holden doing I have no clue what Holden is doing.
Me neither.
I wish that I could tell you I was freaked out, but I'm not.
Not even a little? I haven't felt fear since I was five years old.
Man, I wish I could go through life - without feeling fear.
- No.
You don't.
Brother I I can't stop thinking that being in this place, that maybe this is it.
Like, we're all gonna die.
We are gonna die.
No.
All of us.
Humanity.
Back in Baltimore, I had this friend.
And she said, if the end ever came, she'd grab a bottle and her two cats and go to the roof, have a toast, and then jump.
With the cats? Like a freakin' pharaoh.
Don't worry.
I'd take you with me too.
My best guess is that it's a field that manipulates inertia in ways that we don't understand.
Inertia.
That's the whole bodies - in motion and rest thing? - Yes.
I feel like there's a sex joke in there somewhere, but I'm not finding it.
What's interesting is that the torpedo's engine is still burning, and that the probe's still - sending back data.
- Why is that interesting? Well, it means that their internal systems are still functioning normally, even though the objects themselves have been stopped.
I bet that if an object were to exceed the speed limit inside this ship, nothing would happen to it.
We should test that.
Maybe the purple glow is like a cyst.
- I don't follow.
- When you get a splinter, your body builds around it, isolating it infections can develop cysts.
Maybe it's interpreting these objects as threats, and that's how it isolates them.
There's no way to know why it's doing anything.
Best we can figure out is how.
I don't think biological models are gonna - help us understand this.
- Kinda makes you nervous to think that it's alive and watching us, don't you think? Little bit, yeah.
- What is it? - The XO would like to speak with you on the command deck, ma'am.
[SIGHS.]
Lieutenant? You okay? Just fine, ma'am.
[OMINOUS MUSIC.]
Show the "Rocinante's" course.
Show best route to intercept with the "Rocinante" within the speed limit.
I need to get there before the "Xuesen.
" [SIGHS.]
Support ships for the Inners, coming to join the party.
No matter.
We'll reach the thing in the middle - before they do.
- And then what? Knock politely? Rub it with a cloth? [CHUCKLES.]
Oh, and it's just too bad we don't have our chief engineer to build us some probes.
You have something to say? Yeah, I said it.
We needed Nagata here, - and you let her go.
- This isn't a slave ship.
No, it's a warship.
The Belt's first and only.
And I'm its captain.
Yeah.
Yeah, you are.
We have a few autonomous farm drones with chemical samplers for soil.
We can convert those into probes.
A captain must know their ship.
Hmm.
I repeat, we are ordering you to break off your present course so we can bring you aboard in protective custody.
You will not be harmed.
[SIGHS.]
James Holden, please respond.
- [SIGHS.]
Shit! - He's not slowing down.
- Not even a bit.
- He's still got a ton of velocity to shed, unless he's planning on going through that thing instead of to it.
What do you think's gonna happen when he reaches it? Maybe little green men'll come out.
Maybe boom Hopefully nothing.
Sir, may I give it a try? Do it.
Holden.
Bobbie Draper here.
Really? Yeah.
It's me.
I need you to slow down.
Shut the hell up, I'm trying to sorry, Bobbie, I wasn't talking to you.
Are you on another channel? What? No.
I I mean yes.
Yes, another channel.
- Would you just stop for - Who are you talking to, Holden? [WHISPERING.]
Monkeys and microwaves? Holden, are you all right? - Exactly.
- Holden.
You need to slow down and let us bring you in.
- Give me a minute - I promise we'll - hear you out.
- I didn't blow up the "Seung Un," and Alex and Amos had nothing to do with it either.
- I gotta go.
- [COMM DINGS.]
Get him back.
[BEEPING.]
- I can't.
He's locked us out of his comms.
That man sound rational to you? Not entirely.
No, sir.
He did not.
Yeah, I concur.
He's cracked.
Everyone's got a breaking point.
I'm sure he's not the only one in this godforsaken place.
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[BREATHING HEAVILY.]
What are you waiting for? - What's in there? - Just stuff.
The next lead in the case.
Do you even know what "the case" is? Yeah, sure.
It's, uh we gotta find a records room.
And then we gotta read the files.
And then we see what's what.
You tell me what that is, and I'll keep going.
Whew.
Sometimes I I know stuff that's too big for my head.
There used to be, uh something here.
A lot of something.
A, uh civilization billions of years ago.
But now, all that's left is a bunch of locked doors - and some lights on a timer.
- So what do we do? You figure out how to pick the locks.
- Ah, they're getting closer.
- Can't you stop them? Sure, I can get the station to stop them permanently.
No.
No, no.
- Don't do that.
- Hmm.
Then keep moving.
[AIR LOCKS RELEASE.]
[UNSETTLING MUSIC.]
Jules-Pierre Mao's project wreaked havoc throughout the system.
The Protomolecule killed so many, brought Earth and Mars to the brink of annihilation, and you had a major effect on those events, and that led you to this.
The Ring.
How does that make you feel? Kind of makes me want a donut.
[HAND TERMINAL BEEPS.]
Show me the "Rocinante's" new course.
If I took a skiff, could I get to the "Rocinante" before the Martians? If the "Rocinante's" reactor went critical, what would the zero-survival radius be? Bossmang Yeah, what's up? What's the problem, Harari? I na like da ting Drummer say to you or how she say it.
Uh a captain can run their ship however they choose to.
Captain should be you.
Tread carefully, good my boy.
You been bossmang from da time before me or half the Beltalowda on this ship was born.
Yeah, that's true.
I have.
And I've drunk real Earth whiskey out of a UN Admiral's mug and then scuttled her ship.
I flew dark past a Martian battle group, and they never even knew I was there.
And I've seen friends breathe the vacuum and watched my only child burn.
So when I tell you to tread carefully, you would do well to stop talking.
[MYSTERIOUS MUSIC.]
Is this some kind of machine? Yeah.
Oh, and I need you to do something for me later.
Not sure what I can do that you can't.
Hmm? Oh, I need you to you know, help me get the system back online.
I thought you were plugged in to this place.
Yeah, but not to the records.
See, they're locked.
Remember? So you can, you know, - turn the key.
- But what do you need me for? Because you exist, okay? That's why.
You seem real enough.
Okay.
[SIGHS.]
Couple hundred billion brain cells in your skull.
You got more synapses than stars in the universe.
- You are a fancy hand terminal.
- Thanks.
With a lot of buttons.
Now, I push a few trillion of them buttons in exactly the right way and, ta-da.
You're talking to Miller.
The sound of his voice, the clothes he wore.
- Plus the hat.
- Yeah, I like the hat.
Plus, uh, I'm pushing the buttons.
So it's a magic trick.
So is your whole damn reality, kid.
Just different buttons being pushed.
Maybe I'm the illusion inside your head.
Whoa, whoa, whoa.
I'm trying to keep things simple here for you, okay? Calculus, amoeba.
Monkey, Mozart.
You have to pick one or the other.
I don't think that there is a conflict.
My father used to say that God gave us two texts: scripture and creation.
And if they seem to contradict, it's because we haven't understood one of them yet.
- Enlightened attitude.
- Earlier than the Enlightenment, actually.
It turns out, he was quoting St.
Augustine.
Excuse me, ma'am.
Sorry to interrupt, but I have a favor to ask.
One of our crew has passed.
I understand you were of the same faith.
Would you be willing to say a few words at his service? Of course.
Who is it? Lieutenant Jordaan Nemeroff.
[STAMMERS.]
What happened? He was cleaning his sidearm and accidentally discharged the weapon.
Thank you, ma'am.
That's just terrible.
It's a terrible euphemism actually.
Excuse me.
[HAND TERMINAL BEEPS.]
- Supply Master.
I need access to a mech suit rated for deck work.
- Reason? - Jammed access hatch.
Gonna have to cut it out.
Name is Koh, K-O-H, Melba.
Got it.
Stand by.
Checking your contract.
Sorry, Melba Koh, you are not authorized for that.
You will need a supervisor to approve "that I didn't know him when he was ali " no.
[SIGHS.]
Sorry I ditched you.
The XO keeps trying to limit our access privileges.
If I'd known blackmail was going to be this tedious, I'd have done something else.
You look grim.
Who died? Oh, shit.
Did somebody die? An officer who tried to talk with me during the transit.
He was scared, and I was so I ignored him, and he killed himself.
Jesus.
I'm sorry.
- Hey, it's not your fault.
- Well he was begging for help, and I was too distracted.
That's completely understandable.
We've had some pretty unprecedented distractions.
I should've been more focused on why I'm here.
- What do you mean? - I'm not a scientist.
I'm a minister.
Physics, biology, alien artifacts I wanna know all about them, but that's not my job.
You're not here to praise the Lord.
No, I'm here to talk to people, to offer comfort where comfort is needed, to sit with people when they're scared and grieving.
That is what a minister is supposed to do.
Sorry.
Clarissa? That portal opened just as Holden was getting close to the surface.
Maybe he's controlling that thing somehow You can't seriously believe he's controlling It opened for him.
You saw it.
Look, I don't know what he's going to do down there, but I got a bad feeling he's not gonna come with us quietly.
I want you to take us in and get as close to that portal - as fast as you can.
- Without going over the limit.
No freaking shit, Trepp.
That's SOP, - and it's understood.
- Copy, LT.
Minimum duration braking burn.
Get ready for some pretty heavy Gs, marines.
Lids on and load up.
I didn't know Jordaan as well as many of you who worked with him and lived at his side.
I only spoke with him a few times, and I regret that I didn't know him better.
During the transit, Jordaan asked me if I thought God wanted us to be here.
I I didn't know the answer then, and I don't know it now.
What I do believe is that God wants us to be together, to care for each other.
"Where two or three gather together in my name, there my spirit is also.
" We can't know all of the burdens that Jordaan carried.
He isn't here anymore to ask.
But we can remember him and the shared burdens that we all carry now.
And we can treat each other gently, reach out to those in need.
It will increase our joy and diminish our pain, and it will honor Jordaan.
Thank you.
Thank you so much.
- Thank you.
- [INDISTINCT.]
Of course.
I didn't expect to see you here.
- Me neither.
- Thank you for coming.
You're very good at that reaching out to people in pain.
You look preoccupied.
I think I just saw someone who didn't wanna be seen.
I don't understand.
When Jules Pierre-Mao became public enemy number one, he took his whole family down with him.
All of their assets were frozen, several of his family members were detained and interrogated.
- I heard something about that.
- [SIGHS.]
Well, a few of them managed to disappear.
There were rumors that they were hiding out in the backwaters of the solar system.
You think one of them is here now? - Are you sure? - Yeah, I'm sure.
Jules-Pierre Mao's daughter, Clarissa.
She was disguised as a service tech.
I was gonna call security, but I was social with Clarissa a little.
Look, our fathers are cut from the same cloth.
If she's on the run because of him, I don't want to be responsible for making it worse.
Are you going to reach out to her? - You think I should? - I think you should do what you think is right.
You can trust your judgment.
[CHUCKLES.]
You obviously don't know me very well.
[INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC.]
You might wanna slow down now.
This feels like one-G.
Yeah, you're welcome.
You got atmosphere too.
Take your hat off.
Show some respect.
I'll pass.
This is what I need you to do.
Complete that circuit.
What happens when I do? The answer to the case or maybe just the next clue.
What? Tick-tock, tick-tock.
Finish the job.
[OMINOUS MUSIC.]
Is Miller in there or just a heap of Protomolecule pushing my buttons? You're running out of time, kid.
Not good enough.
When Miller was on Eros, he could feel Julie.
It's got nothing to do with Julie.
Fuck you, then.
For all I know, touching that thing could end up killing everyone I love the same people she died to save.
No risk, no reward.
You died together.
But she was already gone, wasn't she? She couldn't feel any more pain, but you could.
Did it kill you? Did it tear you apart, one atom at a time? Or did you burn? [MUSIC SWELLS.]
Miller? Miller! Captain.
Come to check up on me? Well, you have been down here a while.
I thought I'd do this until I could keep my temper though I am getting a lot done.
I should thank you for that.
I understand why you let Nagata go.
If I had a chief engineer who didn't want to be here, I wouldn't want them around, either.
But she was your friend.
She is my friend.
No, I always treated my friends harder harsher, to show the crew I wasn't playing favorites even if I was.
You just can't stop giving me advice, can you? - I'm trying to help you.
- Yet, still you call me out in front of the crew.
Yeah, I could've done that better.
You did what you meant.
You put it in everyone's head.
And after I left, I bet you were all praise for me, yeah? How important it is to respect the captain and so on.
That way, when the turn come and you take over, they all know it was because you had to.
No choice.
Oh, we have a problem.
And we need to work it out.
Or else what? [SINISTER MUSIC.]
Clarissa? It's Tilly.
Tilly Fagan.
I was friends with your sister, Julie, a little.
You have me confused with someone else.
No, I don't.
How did you find me? There's not that many civilian contractors on the ship.
It wasn't hard, once I knew where to look.
[EXHALES.]
I want to help you.
Help me? I can help you set things straight.
I'll get you in touch with my lawyer.
Whatever your dad did or didn't do, you had nothing to do with any of it.
It's not his fault.
It's Holden's.
He's gotta pay.
Clarissa, whatever happened, you have no reason to be suffering for it.
[CHUCKLES.]
[SINISTER MUSIC.]
Julie told me this crazy kid's story.
[SOMBER MUSIC.]
She said when a child dies some sort of angel takes their hand and falls halfway, you know, so they wouldn't be afraid.
I tried to be the angel.
But I was so scared.
So she held my hand.
And I told her "If you fall with me it ain't gonna be for halfway.
" It's good to see you, Miller.
[JETS RUSHING.]
Holden.
- Holden, stay where you are.
- You stay where you are.
Get the hell out of here, Bobbie.
- I don't want you to get hurt.
- Listen to me.
- We just wanna talk to you.
- I didn't blow up the "Seung Un.
" - I never believed you did.
Come with us and we'll figure it all out.
I can't.
I have to do this.
There's no way to explain, but you gotta trust me, please.
Think about Amos.
Alex.
Think about Naomi.
You're putting them all in danger.
If you really care about them, come with us.
- Do not take another step - Holden.
Or we will shoot.
It doesn't wanna hurt us.
[GUNFIRE.]
[GASPS.]
[GUNFIRE STOPS.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
[CIRCUITRY BOOMS.]
What the hell? Grenade! [GRENADE BEEPS.]
[DIRE MUSIC.]
[SCREAMS.]
[DRAMATIC MUSIC.]
Now or never, Holden.
[WHISPERING.]
Finish it.
[LOW TONES.]
[ENERGY WHIRRING.]
[EXPLOSION.]
[DISTORTED SCREAM.]
[SHIVERS.]