1
T minus 15
seconds, guidance is internal.
Twelve, eleven, ten, nine,
ignition sequence start.
Six, five, four, three, two,
one.
Midway through the
last century,
a few of mankind's brightest
minds
got together over lunch,
to seriously discuss a
question, which until then,
had been largely relegated to
the realm of science fiction.
The question was, "where is
everybody?"
Asked on a cosmic scale.
In a galaxy vast enough to
encompass
a hundred million black holes
and a thousand times
that many burning stars,
we expect to see some signs of
life
beyond this little blue dot we
stand on.
Since that lunchtime
chat among physicists,
we've extended our reach beyond
the solar wind's farthest
traces.
And our sight all the way
to our universe's horizon.
But despite the staggering
biodiversity here on Earth,
we have yet to encounter
a single piece of evidence
that says that we aren't alone.
So, are we an anomaly?
A lonely group of chance
biological specimens
alone in a blind and deaf
universe of rock and ice and gas?
By its definition and anomaly is
unlikely
and shouldn't be assumed.
But the possible reasons
we haven't yet sensed
an alien presence range from
the terrifying to the sublime.
Where are the others?
And why can't we find them?
The answer will be mankind's
most important discovery.
And so we search hoping
with each passing decade
to observe something that
might give us an answer.
Docking lock
confirmed.
Commander Nelson, you're
free to move about the cabin
and prepare for stasis.
Thanks.
Oh, and NASA, one of my data
screens just went fuzzy.
Affirmative.
We're uploading a revised AI
plugin.
Last minute bug fixes?
That's not very reassuring,
NASA.
Please don't tell my wife.
Hey, I'm still here.
She's the one
uploading the plugin.
Babe, a year and a
half
and I'll be waking up at Titan.
This is Mission Control,
we are ready to begin
onboard systems check.
Commander Nelson,
are you preparing for stasis?
Sorry, I'm currently
distracted by the view.
Abigail, you know you should
really be
a little nicer to Becker.
Without him...
I'd be watching the
launch
with the rest of the civilians,
I know.
But sometimes Becker can be such
a...
Hey, hey, I'm still
here.
We have
a computer confirmation
on the Magellan's current
trajectory.
Nelson, can you give us
a manual confirmation
of geosyn controller sync?
In my defense, it's
the Chinese who drove this
launch timetable, not me.
Well, they'll wish they
hadn't.
However, this does seem to be
more of a military
endeavor, now doesn't it?
Friendly
competition for science,
I've been assured.
When will our advanced probe
reach Titan?
Uh, that's classified
information.
Two days before he
does.
Thank you, Becker.
At least somebody tells
me what's going on.
Oh, don't you start
that, Babe.
All
controller systems check out.
We are go for gravity spin
in T minus two minutes.
Commander Nelson,
are you preparing for stasis?
Ah, that's a negative.
Currently distracted by the
view.
I see you staring
At rockets in the sky
Firing the liquid
Here's the last of them.
Thank you.
And NASA's on the phone.
Really?
Yeah.
I need you to hold this.
Thank you.
Roger Nelson speaking.
If it's Becker, tell him you
can't go.
You can't miss your wife's
symposium.
Yes, sir, no, yes.
Tomorrow morning?
Yes, sir.
You got it, 1000 hours?
Okay, no, no, no, thank you.
Becker says you're
gonna miss my symposium?
It wasn't Becker.
I have a briefing.
You mean a...
A mission briefing.
An actual space...
Tomorrow morning.
A mission briefing.
Oh, my gosh, can you believe it?
Yeah.
Hey Nelson.
They finally sending
you off into space, man?
Ah, it looks like it.
Nice, oh yeah.
I sure hope so.
Hey, I'm sorry about the
symposium.
Yeah, well NASA's in
trouble with your wife.
Not me?
Ah, man.
Approximately 48 hours ago
SETI reported
a radio anomaly, picked up by
Arecibo.
A low-frequency pulse,
repeating at constant intervals.
Within minutes the VLA and
Atacama picked it up as well.
That's when we started
listening.
Matthew, can you please play it?
That's some kind of pulsar?
Yeah, that's what we thought
initially, as well, yes,
but it's not on sidereal time.
Then SETI reported a second
anomaly
at a higher radio frequency.
And then a third showed up.
Even higher still.
And they've been transmitting
constantly ever since.
After we picked up the third
signal,
I realized that the
second pulse is exactly
four semitones higher
in pitch than the first.
And the third is exactly seven
semitones higher in pitch.
Hmm?
Play them together.
I'm sorry, a second
ago you used the word
transmitting, not emitting.
Yes, yes, yes I did,
and for good reason.
Do you hear that sound Captain
Nelson?
In musical theory, that is what
they call
a perfect tonal major triad.
It's space music, essentially.
The signals are artificial.
So you're saying that someone
from across the galaxy sent us a
song?
Based on what we know now...
Essentially, yes.
That's incredible.
Where are they coming from?
That's where it gets
interesting.
So the computers did the math
and we found out that all the
signals
are coming from within our solar
system.
I'm sorry, what?
Captain Nelson, these are
local.
We traced the radio signals
to three separate points of
origin.
The first, is transmitting
from Saturn's moon, Titan.
The second From Neptune's moon,
Triton.
And the third, from the dwarf
plant Eris.
Eris?
Uh huh, yes, the signals
probably began
transmitting at the same
time, but Eris and Triton
are four and half light hours
away.
How, I mean...
How do we suddenly start
getting these signals
transmitted to us from
all these locations?
We don't know.
But that's where you come in.
Secretary Stewart.
The mission will be to fly
to each of these locations
to discover the exact
source of the signals,
collect samples and if possible,
the transmitters themselves.
We need an astronaut with the
right background for the job.
And you, Captain Nelson, are our
man.
Let me get this right.
You want me to fly a
manned mission to Saturn?
Actually, we need you
to fly a manned mission
to Saturn, Neptune and Eris.
Yes, sir, I'm your man.
What's the spacecraft?
The X-57.
But the X-57's not
outfitted for deep space,
I thought that we're way...
It will be, in two and a half
years.
Captain Nelson, these
signals, whatever they are,
have created quite the buzz
in the scientific community
and in the DOD as well.
What started out as the
scientific find of the century,
has quickly become an
issue of national defense.
The ideal window for launch
would be eight years from now.
But there is a less ideal,
but still manageable,
window, two and a half years
from now.
And intel has just come to
us that says the Chinese
are shooting for that.
Okay, so we're racing the
Chinese
to these unknown transmitters?
That's fairly accurate, yes.
Most of the space exploration
community
is behind us on this, because
we have the infrastructure
to pull it off.
Between the feds and foreign
governments,
we have billions of dollars
pledged to perfect stasis tech.
And the Chinese, seem to want
these things
for themselves, whatever they
are.
Of course, I'll do whatever it
takes.
But if you don't mind me asking,
Mr. Secretary, why not just send
probes?
Well, we are looking
into the feasibility
of sending an advance probe
to collect survey data,
but this mission is too
important to trust
to remote operation or and AI.
Nelson, we're not just asking
you
to go to some distant rock
in the the hope of collecting
scientific data here.
Whatever those things are,
it was put there for a reason.
We need real-time decision
making.
Humanity's outstretched hand.
We're talking bout the real
possibility
of first contact here, Nelson.
We want you to be Earth's
ambassador, scientist,
investigator and advanced scout.
Yes, sir.
What's the mission duration?
Well, it's approximately 10
years,
but the good news is that you
will be
in stasis most of the time.
Of course, your wife
will have to remain here the
whole time.
Which is why, despite your
record as a duty-bound pilot,
Becker insisted we give you the
option
to refuse the assignment.
Refuse the greatest discovery
since the birth of mankind?
No sir, I'm your man.
Don't worry about Abigail,
she'll manage.
Well, if you're
certain,
let's continue the briefing.
Secretary
Stewart's just informed me
that the Chinese launch has
been delayed for 24 hours
due to inclement weather.
I bet Secretary Stewart's
happy.
Your
vital signs check out.
You may enter the stasis box
when ready.
I hate the stasis box.
You know how weird it's gonna be
to be asleep for 18 months
and not have a dream?
Whatever,
You Won't Even Notice.
I'm the one who's stuck
down here, remember?
Right, my apologies, babe.
Hey NASA, did I fail to mention
that I hate tight spaces as
well?
Then you've
chosen the wrong job.
What do you think you're
doing, Roger?
You just signed away
10 years of your life.
Our lives, my life.
What do you expect me to do
the whole time you're gone?
Tell Becker you can't go.
Abigail, I've never
even questioned orders,
let alone refused them.
And now I get a chance
to do something really
important.
And you want me to tell the
Secretary of Defense no?
You knew what we were getting
into
when we signed up for this.
You knew, you knew when we got
into this.
You were okay ...-
- That's because I thought you
might die!
You were okay with it!
I didn't think you would get
shipped
across the solar system for 10
years!
Well, guess what.
What?
I still might die.
So just like that?
Because Stewart requests it?
You don't have to blindly follow
everything they tell you, you
know.
You could follow your own path.
Hey.
Come here.
This is my path.
It's all I ever dreamed of.
I know, I know.
Hey, I just need to know
that you're gonna be there with
me.
The entire way.
Hey Becker, you'll take care
of Abbie
for me, right?
If, by taking care
of,
you mean making sure she
can get into Mission Control
anytime she wants, then yes.
I'll be fine,
you take care of yourself.
I will.
I'll be careful, Abigail.
Besides, that's what I got
Ferdinand for, remember?
I love you.
You better
come home Roger Nelson,
you hear me?
Come home.
Ahh!
Good
morning, Commander Nelson.
Good morning, Ferdinand.
How are you
feeling?
I'll be feeling a whole lot
better
once I get these tubes out of my
arm.
Very good.
Please proceed with attaching
your health monitors.
Thank you.
Ferdinand, give me a complete
systems report, please.
All systems
are currently nominal.
Number of single event upsets,
total six,
with minor software corruption
and zero hardware malfunctions.
Software corrected without
incident.
What's our current position,
and ETA?
We are
approximately 8.49
astronomical units from Earth.
We will be intersecting
Saturn's planetary orbit
in less than 24 hours.
Good.
What are we getting
from the advanced probe?
It has completed
orbital survey successfully.
I am processing the data now.
How many dispatches do I have
from NASA?
How many?
229, sir.
And how many of those
are designated important?
All of them.
Are you awake yet?
I'm getting desperate.
NF3.
I'll be here all day.
Oh, it's on.
F3, really?
I see your F3 and I raise you
D5.
Hmm.
Hey Ferd, what's the
transmission time?
Hour and twenty minutes?
One hour
and fourteen minutes.
But in your wife's timezone on
Earth,
it's two o'clock in the morning.
Would you like to play a
faster game of chess with me?
No thank you.
It's the human element that
matters here.
Besides, I gotta get
through all these dispatches
before NASA calls.
Will you do me a favor?
Let me know when we pass
Saturn's orbital path.
Yes, sir.
Thank you.
F3 Really?
Here's one, Ferd.
Becker forwarded me a video from
the CNSA
congratulating us on a
successful launch.
Chinese government must be
pretty mad.
Another dispatch
states
that they have delayed
the launch for a year.
They have announced that they
will be
on trajectory for Neptune.
Hmm.
So they're skipping Titan
altogether, huh?
Interesting.
Wonder if that's gonna change
our orders.
Currently, we
are to proceed as ordered.
So do you read all my emails?
All
transmissions must be sent
through our encrypted channel,
which the central computer must
decode.
So, yes.
Although I'm programmed to
ignore
any message marked classified.
Good to know.
Sir, we will reach
our trajectory in 10 minutes.
Alright, Ferd, let's rock and
roll.
Target will
be achieved in one minute.
There was a slight overshot
in our trajectory curve.
NASA recommends we be ready
to fire additional retro rockets
manually.
Do you want me to handle
that or shall I...
Just make sure the
retrogrades are primed, please.
Certainly.
But I need to confirm that
order, please.
Confirmed, I'll control them
manually.
Check complete.
All system ready.
Entering orbit in ten, nine,
eight, seven,
six, five, four, advise
slight adjustment, nose left.
Beginning roll maneuver now.
Orbit achieved,
stable.
We are in orbit around Titan.
Taking thrusters offline.
Tell me what I'm looking at,
Ferd.
These are images
of the Northern polar regions of
Titan,
which is covered by numerous
lakes
of liquid methane and ethane.
The advance probe survey
was able to pinpoint
the source of the first signal
to within four kilometers near
the lake called Punga Mare.
So these are the ice
flats here?
Affirmative.
I think this is gonna
be our best place to land,
assuming that the ground
is gonna be solid enough.
The ground is
solid.
Surface temperature is
approximately
negative 178 degrees Celsius.
Negative 178, that's it?
So I should probably wear
a spacesuit for this one?
That would
be advisable for survival.
Okay, Ferd, got it.
Still four kilometers.
That's not a small area
to wandering around
on an alien moon.
So, I'm thinking our best bet's
gonna be to land right here in
the middle
and hopefully get a
better bead on the signal.
What's our window for Neptune?
We have an
ideal six hour window, sir.
Six hour.
After
that, we will have to dip
into ion thruster reserve fuel.
However, if the land is
close enough to the lake here,
we can save time on refueling
the lander.
If I can drop a line in the
lake,
we won't have to do
methane air extraction.
Is that feasible, Ferd?
Yes, as long as
impurities remain under 6%.
Which we won't know until
we land and I get a hose in.
However, could save us
three to four hours.
I say it's worth a
shot, Ferd, let's do it.
What's our entry window for
Titan?
In twelve minutes.
Good.
Any change in signal?
It is still
transmitting at regular intervals.
Good, stay on top of it,
please.
Sir, we have
received a video transmission
from Mission Control.
Okay, throw it up on the main
console.
Ready, okay begin.
Commander Nelson,
congratulations
on your safe arrival at Titan.
It is a landmark in human
exploration.
Abigail wanted me to
congratulate you as well.
I tried to convince her to come
down here
and talk to you herself, but
she's...
How do I put it?
She's a little stressed out
right now.
Something happened earlier this
month
and she's...
She's really having a bit of a
breakdown.
She recorded part of a message,
and she tried to delete it,
but I think you should hear
her talking to you honestly.
I'll send it to you after you
get
reconnected with the Magellan.
I don't want anything
distracting you right now
at this critical moment.
I really shouldn't even be
talking to you about this, sorry.
Your primary mission is to find
out
what is sending that signal.
Whatever it is, it's there for a
reason.
And once you've located it,
we may just have a clue why.
Good luck, Roger.
Thanks a lot, Becker.
If you shouldn't be talking
to me about it, then don't.
Stay on task.
Alright, Ferd, let's go.
Engaging docking release.
Undocked.
Captain Nelson.
Due to probable data relay
issues during landing,
I'd like to remind you
the X-57 is been equipped
with a separate AI named Neil.
Neil will engage while
the lander is detached.
Hello Commander Nelson,
this is Neil.
Uh, hello, Neil.
I'm sorry, I wasn't
expecting you to sound so...
Enthusiastic.
It's for morale,
Commander.
For morale.
Abigail programmed you, didn't
she?
Possibly.
Yep, sounds like her.
Radio will be
experiencing
static interruption...
Commander, this is
Neil.
Due to entry velocity and
atmospheric conditions,
we've temporarily lost radio
contact with the Magellan.
We are also experiencing some
turbulence.
But all systems are nominal.
Thanks, I guess.
Just doing my job, sir.
I swear, Abigail.
We're coming in to the landing
area.
Neil, I need the location
on the lake, please.
Give me a visual target
of the West shoreline.
Right there.
Okay, we're coming in too hot,
we need to slow it down.
I'm gonna engage the landing
cycle.
Engaging.
Prime the VTOL thrusters, Neil.
Roger that, Commander.
Priming VTOLs now.
We're almost in the
target area.
Here we go now.
Firing retro thrusters.
VTOL engines are
primed.
Engage VTOLs.
Copy that, VTOLs
engaged.
Deploying landing gear
now.
Landing gear deployed.
Stay on target.
Nice and easy.
Distance to target, 200
meters.
Distance to target 100 meters.
Slow and easy.
Slow and easy.
50 meters.
30 meters.
10 meters.
Five, four, three, two, one.
Touchdown.
We have touchdown on Titan.
Yes, we do.
Alright.
Looks like the signal's coming
from a Northeasterly direction.
Which puts me more or less
parallel to the shoreline.
Wanna get a hose in, get some
samples,
and head out.
Copy that, Commander.
We're getting closer.
Commander, this is
Neil.
Copy that, go ahead.
Ferdinand is reporting
a storm approaching from the
East,
with high winds and significant
danger of combustion
due to evaporated methane.
I'm getting close,
Neil.
Hang in there.
Come on.
Oh, shoot.
I didn't copy that.
Signal's coming directly from
the lake.
Well, I wasn't planning on
getting wet.
Neil, any idea how this suit
will stand up to submersion
in liquid methane?
It's designed to
withstand the vacuum of space
so as long as you don't
rupture it, you should be okay.
You'll sink much more quickly
but Titan's low gravity should
allow you
to climb out again easily.
Okay, well I don't
suppose there's any way
to get the topography on the
lake's floor,
see how deep it gets.
No sir, not from here.
Okay.
I guess I'm just gonna take the
plunge.
Good luck, sir.
Here we go.
The signal's strong, it's
really strong.
Come on, come on, come on, come
on.
It's really strong, Neil.
We're right on top of it.
It says I'm right on top of it.
I don't see anything!
Come on.
Neil, I think I found it.
This is unbelievable.
Sir, that storm is
coming in fast
and may have dangerously high
winds.
I advise immediate return to the
lander.
Alright Neil, I'm coming.
Prime the VTOLs, Neil.
Let's get go, we gotta go now,
now!
Let's make the launch, Neil.
We gotta go, we gotta go now.
Evaporated methane
levels have risen enough.
We don't want to risk
igniting the rockets, sir.
Also, the high winds will make
launch extremely dangerous.
We'll have to wait until the
storm clears before we leave.
What?
No, no, no, no, no.
There's still time, Neil, we can
go!
Oh, come on!
Think, think, think.
Fine.
How long?
How long until the storm passes?
Unknown, sir.
Communications with the
Magellan are still out
and I'm receiving no
further data from Ferdinand.
Right, right.
Let's just hope we don't miss
our window.
What are you?
Neil are you picking up any
particles,
any radiation, anything at all?
No, just the radio
signal.
But mission protocol calls
for immediate storage of the
object.
There's something...
What is that?
Sir, the properties
of the object are unknown.
I must advise you not to...
Neil, what was that?
I am unsure.
The signal was interrupted
momentarily
while the object responded to
your touch.
I hope I didn't do anything
stupid.
I just felt drawn.
We gotta go, Neil.
We're outta time.
If we miss our launch window
the Magellan won't be
back in docking range
for another three hours,
and we're gonna miss
our window to Neptune.
The winds' have slowed
enough.
We should be able to
make a safe launch, sir.
Alright, ready the VTOLs,
Neil.
Come on, we're going.
Welcome back, sir.
Our orbital exit window
closes in five minutes.
Copy that.
Prepare to depart Titan's orbit.
Take trajectory to Saturn
for gravity assist.
This is Commander Nelson
reporting to Mission Control.
I have successfully
retrieved the transmitter.
I'm back on the Magellan and
currently
on trajectory to Neptune.
And I've got something to show
you guys.
Sit there.
So I found this in a few inches
of liquid methane in the Punga
Mare.
It has no obvious power source,
but a lot of physical
properties.
I think you will hopefully
be able to make it out.
And it is most definitely
still transmitting.
I'm gonna send over a
more complete report soon,
but I just thought
you'd like to celebrate.
Nelson, out.
Abigail,
I did it.
You won't believe what
I just found on Titan.
Look, NASA's gonna decide
when and what to share with you.
Okay, but I just had to send you
this
and let you know that I did it.
I did.
And I miss you.
And I found the alien
transmitter on Titan.
Transmission
from Mission Control, sir.
It's probably from Abigail.
Will you throw it up for me
please.
So are we set?
Okay.
Congratulations Commander
Nelson on your discovery.
This is truly a historic day.
We are all celebrating
here and we eagerly await
a full analysis of the object.
Listen, please make sure that
you follow the procedures
outlined in your mission
manual for the analysis.
I cannot stress enough how
important it is
that you follow specific
protocols.
Things are getting a little
testy here
with Secretary Stewart, so
please,
take extreme caution
not to taint the object.
We look forward to seeing
the results of the test.
My testing is progressing
well.
And I'll be sending
measurements and imagery soon.
But, I uh...
Hmm, how should I put this?
I may have already touched
the transmitter...
With my bare hands.
What's interesting is that
it reacted to my touch
in tone and in light.
So what I'd love to do is repeat
that little experiment
and record it for you.
So, I will await your next
transmission
and we'll go from there.
Come on, Becker!
Ya can't leave me hanging.
Hey, Ferd.
I'm gonna do lake samples.
Just letting you know.
Ferd, anything from my wife yet?
Other than
chess moves, no, sir.
Come on, Becker.
I'm sorry, sir.
I've compiled results
on the methane sample.
Okay, will you pull them
up on my screen please?
Thank you.
Ferdinand, there are amino acids
here.
Yes, sir.
This sample appears to
confirm the hypotheses
of Miller, Urey and Horst.
This is like two steps
away from life off Earth.
I agree, sir.
NASA will be very interested.
Are you kidding me?
Everyone on Earth is going
to be very interested.
That's amazing.
Hmm.
Sir,
a new transmission from Mission Control.
Becker again?
I believe
it's your wife, sir.
Finally.
Pull it up, please.
Got it, thank you.
Hey, Roger.
You're probably just waking up
and have a lot of stuff to do.
But, things have been pretty
crazy.
Apparently, word got out
that I have access to Mission
Control.
And somebody hacked my home
computer
looking for information on your
mission.
They were controlling my webcam,
Roger.
They don't know who it is, yet.
They're possibly Chinese
hackers,
but now the CIA's involved
and Stewart's pissed at Becker
and they're threatening to have
me banned
from Mission Control.
As if I'm not separated from you
enough.
I mean, he's just such a...
No, he's your commanding officer
and I know that you're about to
make
incredible discoveries and all
of that.
I just...
It's only been a year and
a half and I'm scared.
I feel like I'm writing
letters to a dead guy.
This message is solely
for Abigail Nelson.
Hi, Abbie.
I want you to take a good look.
This is not a dead guy.
At least not yet.
Look, I know you're having a
tough time.
But I want you to hang in there,
okay?
NASA's there to take
really good care of you
and I promise you that
Ferdinand's
taking good care of me up here.
I mean, we're really onto
something here.
And...
I can't wait to find
what I think we're gonna find on
Triton.
And I can't wait to share it
with you.
So hang in there.
Alright, I've got to go into
stasis.
But if you're thinking of
moving your knight to H4,
I think I'm gonna have
to move my rook to F6.
And I'm 99.9% sure that's
what you're gonna do.
So we'll pick it up from
there when I wake up.
I love you.
Hang in there.
NASA has confirmed
the advanced probe failed on
arrival.
No survey data has been
collected.
We will have to perform the
orbital survey ourselves
to locate the signal.
Failed, what do you mean?
What happened?
Apparently a
computer error.
But Mission Control
didn't send diagnostics.
Currently, no survey data of
Triton has been collected.
We will have to perform the
orbital survey ourselves
to locate the signal.
Great, how much additional
time is that?
Unknown, sir.
It could take upwards of 24
hours.
And what's our window to Eris
after we achieve orbit around
Triton?
24 hours.
Okay.
Any word on the Chinese mission?
Nothing official,
sir.
It is believed they may have
arrived
on Triton in the last seven
days,
but there have been no
public announcements
on their mission status.
Any messages from my wife?
It doesn't appear
so, sir.
Seriously, nothing?
There are over
200 dispatches waiting for you.
And none of them appear to be
your wife.
Although I may have made a
mistake due to mislabeling.
Unlikely.
There is
something else, sir.
What's that?
Commander, during
stasis,
there were some anomalies in
the sphere's transmissions.
What kind of anomalies?
Momentary
variations
from the regular tonal pulse.
NASA was notified of the
anomalies
and sent you a report.
Okay, what about the other two
signals?
The other two
signals
have had no detectable
variations.
Was there anything
interesting in the report?
Possibly, at the
time
of the transmission anomalies,
there was a significant
rise in your brain activity
similar to measurements found
while dreaming in normal sleep.
Which isn't thought to
be possible in stasis.
No, it's not.
Were you dreaming,
sir?
Yeah.
Yeah, I think so.
It was just images, but nothing
specific that I remember.
I will log a
report and send it to NASA.
Right.
Sir, is everything
alright?
Yeah.
Yeah, yeah.
Okay, Becker says "public
reaction
"to the findings is ecstatic,"
yada yada.
"Renewed interest in the space
program."
Okay that's good.
"Increased federal
funding awarded to NASA."
Oh good, maybe they'll
send me a fruit basket or
something.
That would
be improbable, Commander.
Time and cost for cargo resupply
at this distance is prohibitive.
You're probably right, Ferd.
Hmm.
"Possible Chinese hacking of
probe."
That's interesting.
Okay, here we go.
"Transmitter anomaly report
video relay."
At approximately 3400
hours sidereal time,
24 AU from Earth,
we recorded an anomaly in the
found transmitter's signal.
For about 34 minutes, the
signal just suddenly scrambled
and began transmitting what...
What appears to be binary code.
The variations would
last just a few seconds
and then it would revert
back to the original signal.
After 34 minutes the
anomalies just ceased.
We've been trying to figure this
out.
We were trying to decode
these binary clicks
and we're still going at it,
but we're not having any
success.
Now whether this had anything to
do
with you touching that
transmitter
against protocol we don't know.
But I do know this.
Secretary Stewart is livid and...
I bet he is.
Thank you, Becker.
From now on I'd suggest not
repeating
your experiment until further
notice.
I'm also
working on the binary codes
in my background processes.
Okay.
"Still working on the signal
anomalies.
"Every attempt to decipher
it runs into variations.
"The code may not be binary."
"We observed increased brain
activity
"associated with REM,
"coinciding with the signal
anomalies.
"Have you been dreaming,
Commander Nelson?
"Please respond when you get
this."
Will do.
How you feeling today,
Ferdinand?
Never better, sir.
Okay, well let me know if you
have
any personal problems.
What kind of
problems, sir?
You know, just anything
unexpected...
In your processing.
Of course, sir.
Sir, can I inquire what you are
doing?
Why not.
I don't believe
this
is following protocol,
Commander.
No, it's not, Ferd.
But I am on a mission of
discovery.
And as current circumstances
may prevent rebuttal from
higher ranking personnel,
I'm not that worried.
Alright, Ferdinand, record this.
Did you get that Ferd?
Yes.
Can I inquire what caused
your reaction, sir?
I don't know.
Umm...
I um...
I saw images, umm...
Just water, and stars...
Send it.
Send the video now.
Yes, Commander.
Orbit achieved.
Beginning orbital survey
to locate signal source.
Roger that.
Commander,
a new video transmission
has just arrived.
Okay, throw it up on the
screen down here for me please.
Commander Nelson, we just
received word
that there's been an accident
with the Chinese mission.
We're not sure what happened,
but it's been confirmed
that they experienced some
sort of mechanical failure
and it's believed that all
three crew members are dead.
Again, we don't know what
happened,
we're just waiting for some sort
of an official statement here.
Your orders are to proceed
with the mission as planned.
I reached out to Abigail
and let her know that you're
okay, so...
Good luck, Roger.
Search time
is limited, Commander.
We must be en route to
Eris within three hours,
or we will miss our window.
Hey, Commander
Nelson, this is Neil!
You don't say.
What's the refueling
process once we touch down?
Are you serious?
There is none, Neil.
Gravity is less that 8% of
Earth's.
There's barely trace atmosphere.
Escape velocity's super low.
How do you not know this?
Ferdinand doesn't
tell me everything he knows.
Okay.
I don't know, Neil,
we're getting pretty close
to this impact crater.
Yeah, the signal's coming from
the crater.
Probably 50 meters down.
You should return
for some climbing gear, sir.
Thing is, I
could probably just jump it
in this gravity, you think?
That is not advisable,
sir.
I think I can
climb it without gear.
How long until the window?
15 minutes until
we need to launch, sir.
Sir, are you returning for gear?
Negative, Neil,
there's not enough time.
I'm just gonna free solo it.
I can't advise that,
Commander.
I know.
Be cautious, sir.
Ahh!
Neil, I'm okay.
Continuing to the impact crater.
Keep me posted on time.
Your suit pressure
appears to be stable.
Time to departure is
11 minutes 47 seconds.
Time to departure
is eight minutes.
Neil, I got it.
Okay.
Alright, Neil, traversing up.
I may need a little longer.
Wanna buy me some time?
Neil, it's really hard to
get any traction on this ice
with the low gravity.
Could really use some
crampons right about now.
No, no, no, no, no!
Neil...
Neil, I dropped the sphere.
I have to go back.
How much time do we have left?
Time to departure
is 4 minutes 30 seconds.
Copy that.
Sir, your suit
is losing pressure.
It's a slow leak.
Can you locate and patch it?
No time.
We have to get outta here.
Otherwise we'll never make it to
Eris.
This may be a bad
time to say, I told you so.
Time to departure is 3 minutes
30 seconds.
You need to hurry back to the
lander, sir.
Charge the VTOLs.
Neil, give me a trajectory, now.
I don't want to get caught
chasing Eris' tail
through the solar system.
We don't have the time or the
fuel for it.
We gotta go now.
Roger that, Captain.
Displaying trajectory now.
Okay, I found the second
transmitter.
And as you'll see here,
it's got some similarities.
So similar shape, similar color.
I was also just able to get a
small sample of ice near it.
'Cause I nearly missed my exit.
So that's all I've got for now.
You can expect the analysis
results next transmission
Okay, Ferd.
I want you to tell me
what this is made of.
Right away.
You have a new transmission from
Abigail.
Oh, great.
Throw it up on the screen for
me.
Thank you.
Hey baby.
Becker said you'd be
coming out of Stasis today.
And I figured that by
the time you get this,
you've probably been
awake for a couple hours.
He's letting me stick around
here as long as I want,
despite Stewart's wishes.
I think he feels sorry for me
because I'm the astronaut widow.
It's been 50 months.
That's a little over four years.
Yeah...
I mean, a lot's been going on.
My sister's been living with
me for the last six months.
I thought I was up for a
promotion...
It didn't happen.
I don't know.
I seem to even be having a hard
time getting a speaking gig
at the local college symposium
anymore.
But everyone wants an interview
with the astronaut's wife.
It's all anyone's interested in
anymore.
The ball you found.
I don't know all the details
of it yet, but it's incredible.
Roger, I'm scared.
I keep having this dream that
you uh...
You float off into space...
And worse.
They keep telling me you're
okay,
but they're not giving
me full access anymore.
And after what happened
to the Chinese mission,
I'm scared you're gonna die out
there.
I'm sorry, I shouldn't
be talking like this.
I just really miss you.
I miss you a lot.
And umm...
Queenside castle.
Ah.
Ferd, I'm gonna go check on the
suit.
Analysis on the
ice sample
from Triton is complete.
It's mostly frozen water
with some carbon dioxide
and nitrogen ice crystals as
well.
Nice.
There are
other trace ices present.
Ammonia, methane, carbon
monoxide,
also chloride and magnesium.
Not unlike sea water on Earth.
A very, very cold seawater.
You didn't find any
amino acids or proteins?
None at all.
But there are some anomalies
in the radio survey I performed
while you were on the surface.
Do you have any readouts for
me?
You can access
them on the main console.
Thank you.
I confirmed the
presence of a subterranean
ocean beneath the ice crust of
Triton.
Which averages one and
a half kilometers thick.
The anomalies I referred to
are a number of dense
protrusions
that come near the ice crust
which could be mineral
pinnacles.
As you'll see on your screen,
however,
they appear to change
position on subsequent scans.
So what, just icebergs
floating around?
No, the
protrusions
stand out from the material
around them.
They're made of something
different
with different densities.
And the movement didn't follow
any distinguishable pattern
that might indicate
currents or convection.
They seem random.
Random?
Ferdinand...
Are you telling me there
are fish down there?
I would
hesitate to suggest that, sir.
They would be bigger than
whales if they were life forms.
But that is an unacceptable
leap to make based on this data.
It could just be some form
of subsurface distortion
or globs of some compound being
broken
up by undersea geysers.
I don't know, Ferdinand.
After what happened
to the Chinese mission.
I'm scared you're gonna die out
there.
Incoming
transmission
from Mission Control, sir.
Commander Nelson, I'm
sending you this message
because some of my people
have done some analysis
of their own, as well as
viewed your touch experiment.
And we're very concerned.
I know you and NASA are
advancing the future of mankind
at a breathtaking pace.
But it's important that
in all the excitement of your
discoveries
that we don't lose our heads
and do something that we're
gonna regret.
There could be any number of
dangers
from these extraterrestrial
objects,
and frankly, we don't
know enough about them.
We don't know where they
came from or who sent them.
And until we do know,
I implore you to exercise
the utmost caution
in your handling of them and
exposing them
to any databases or feeds
on board your craft.
I want you to keep them
contained and separate from you.
As you can tell by the
failed Chinese mission,
this is a very delectate
situation
and we must proceed
with the utmost caution.
I will be your direct contact
from this point forward.
As Becker seems to have made it
a habit
of making unauthorized messages.
Until you leave Eris and begin
your return journey home,
civilian personnel will
no longer be admitted
into Mission Control.
That includes your wife,
Commander.
I know this may be difficult for
you,
but it is necessary.
Messages to her will
be relayed through us.
Good luck on your journey
to Eris, Commander.
And be cautious.
So tell me.
What would posses you, or anyone
else,
to wanna risk their life
and fly around the cosmos
in a tiny rocket ship looking
for life?
Well, that's easy.
A sense of discovery.
Unexplored places.
The advancement of scientific
knowledge.
No, that's not it.
No?
No.
You're fighting for
significance.
You're a tiny speck in that
enormous universe out there.
And you're looking for man's
place in it.
You want meaning, just
like everybody else.
Well...
If I'm looking for meaning,
the universe is a great place to
start.
There you are.
What the...
Neil, I found something.
A sphere, captain?
Yeah.
There's something else.
Neil...
We found it!
Ferdinand, approach complete.
I'm showing the Magellan's
docking mechanism
negative for lock at this time.
Docking
mechanism is ready, Commander.
Go ahead.
Ferd, I have a visual
on the docking hatch.
Lights are red.
Can you run a systems check,
please.
They checked
out affirmative, sir.
Running again.
Docking mechanism is ready.
Proceed with docking at will.
Ferdinand, I have a
close visual on the hatch.
It appears to be closed,
locked, with red lights.
Sir, my systems
show green,
clear for docking.
Are you feeling alright, sir?
I'm feeling fine, Ferd, and
you?
Are your systems functioning
today?
They
certainly appear to be, sir.
What was that?
Ferd, I need you to clear
your local memory stacks
immediately.
Clearing memory,
sir.
Captain, I'm getting
a request from the Magellan
to access lander systems
for firmware update.
Denied.
Isolate all channels, Neil.
Roger that.
Okay, Ferdinand, I need you to
listen
to my command carefully, here.
Okay, I want you to disable
your ancillary memory stacks
and then refresh your
temp processing stack.
Disabling
ancillary memory.
I am now functioning at 65%
capacity.
Now clear your local memory
again.
Clearing memory,
sir.
Memory cleared, all
systems functioning, sir.
Proceed with manual docking
procedure.
Neil, I want you to stay
online
and keep all channels isolated
until you hear otherwise from
me.
Sir, once docking is
complete,
the central computer is
programmed
to automatically override
all lander systems.
Sir?
You may proceed with
manual docking procedure.
Proceeding.
What the hell was that
Ferdinand?
Captain Nelson,
a transmission from NASA has
arrived.
No, no time for that now Ferd.
Close open input channels
immediately.
No more system updates
from NASA or anybody else.
And no external programming
changes, only mine.
It's done, but sir...
You can let transmissions
through,
but nothing touches your
firmware
without my explicit
authorization.
And setup a new outfacing
firewall
and give me the key and only me.
Yes, Commander.
Ferd, I want you to run
a deep systems check on your
processing.
But leave those ancillary
memory stacks disabled
until you have a direct order
from me to enable them, okay?
Confirmed, sir.
Hey, Ferd.
I got some samples that need
bio testing, immediately.
Okay, Ferd, it's all yours.
Yes, Commander,
beginning analysis.
Thank you.
Testing for
purines.
Purines are present.
Testing for phosphate.
Phosphate is present.
Testing for deoxyribose.
Come on, Ferd.
Tell me what I wanna know.
Is this extraterrestrial
life I'm looking at, or what?
Deoxyribose is
Present.
Affirmative.
Commander Nelson the sample
is biological in nature
and appears to contain DNA.
Yes!
Yes, Ferdinand!
Thank you so much!
We did it, we did it, we did it.
Thank you, thank you.
I love you, I mean it.
Unbelievable.
Hey, hey, we gotta tell
Neil, we gotta tell Neil.
Neil's not even real.
Oh, what do I do, what do I do?
I will attempt to
break down
the genetic code and
perform bio assay tests.
Should I transfer data to NASA
now?
No, no.
No, I'm gonna be the one to
break the big news to them.
Oh, and Ferd, all
messages we're gonna send,
they're gonna be unencrypted,
got it?
Sir,
that's against protocol.
Yes it is.
Yes!
Mission Control, this is
Commander Roger Nelson
with the IC Magellan.
Coming to you with a
slightly delayed broadcast,
somewhere in orbit around
the dwarf planet Eris.
Becker, I got a surprise for
you.
We're not alone.
Ferdinand's still working
on the genetic breakdown,
but my best guess is
that it's some type of
extremophile colonial bacterium.
Maybe some form of biofilm, not
sure.
But it most certainly has DNA.
I'm gonna be sending
pictures and data soon,
but I just had to show this to
you.
Whoa!
How about that Abigail?
Life in outer space?
Thought about naming it after
you,
but I don't think it's quite
sexy enough.
So Becker, you can claim it.
Thinking about calling it
Bacterium Beckerococcus.
Think about it.
Um, alright...
Abbie...
I'm so sorry that I've
been gone for so long.
But I want you to know, I'm
coming home.
And if the spheres let me,
I'm gonna dream about you the
whole way.
I miss you so much.
Hang in there.
Oh and Stewart, there was
an incident with Ferdinand.
You might want to check your
firewall.
In the meantime, I'll be taking
total control of the ship.
This is Commander Nelson, out.
Handle that, Secretary Stewart.
No, you are not sexy, are you.
You're not intelligent, either.
Which makes me wonder.
Why did they want me to find
you?
Still no reply from Mission
Control?
It's been like four and a half
hours.
They're likely
concerned
with my system lockdown, sir.
Between that, and time it
takes for transmission,
I expect a return message
within the next hour.
I bet it's gonna be a good one
too.
Stewart might have me
court-martialed.
Have you finished your systems
check?
Yes, sir, and
found nothing out of order.
Good, 'cause NASA had
better figure this one out.
I'm a little worried having my
life depend
on a 65% functioning computer.
Actually,
it's more like 45%,
allowing for backup processes
and redundant parallel
computing.
If you would allow me
to just bring my peripherals
back online.
I'm sorry, Ferd, but no.
What are you?
Ahh!
Ferdinand, what was that?
An immense
burst of radio signals.
Several million transmissions
playing
simultaneously through our comms
system.
The burst seems to have
come from the spheres,
but I am unsure how they gained
access
to our audio feed.
Start analyzing this,
Ferdinand.
And I want you to make sure
and log it in your data store.
I wanna know where this is
coming from and what it is.
Analyzing.
There are millions of channels,
billions of signals each
and trillions of transmiss...
I am unable...
Sir, at this scale I may not
be able to log everything.
I'm operating at only 65% and I
can't...
I've never encountered
a data set this immense.
Sir, I'm unable to...
It's okay.
I want you to log and analyze
the first 1,000 transmissions.
It appears
to be radio chatter
originating from multiple
different locations
in the galaxy, being
relayed through the spheres
and into our comm system.
I can't interpret the chatter.
How can you tell where it's
coming from?
There are
codes embedded in each signal
that gives relative distances
from the center of the galaxy,
along with vector information
to pinpoint locations
within a star system and
exoplanet.
I'm plotting these locations
on the main screen now.
There are other metadata
associated with each signal,
one of which may be a form of
timestamp.
If it is a time stamp,
then all of these signals
are nearly simultaneous and
ongoing.
Are you saying these
messages are current?
They're being transmitted right
now?
Either that,
or they were all transmitted
within moments of each other at
some point
in the distant past.
The timestamp data point is a
number
approximately 4.32 times
10 to the 17th power.
All the transmissions are
stamped
with numbers close to that.
And they are all incrementing
at the same rate.
These numbers, 4.32
times 10 to the 17th power,
what significance does that
hold?
It is close
to the age of the universe in
seconds.
The observable time
elapsed since the big bang.
But it is unlikely that
interstellar signals
would be based on Earth's
seconds.
But, if these others were
anything like us humans
then a second would be the
minimal amount
of time significant to all of
us,
outside of precise measurements.
An Earth year wouldn't
be meaningful, Ferd.
But a moment in time, that
could be common across space.
The time to takes to...
Take a breath, for a heart to
beat...
To say a word.
Perhaps, but
under our current understanding
of relativity, it's impossible
for signals
to be transmitted across
space from those distant stars
without travel times of many
years.
Unless, they're using
quantum entanglement,
and they're outputting
the signal on our end
in radio waves so we can hear
them.
That shouldn't be
possible.
None of this should
be possible, Ferdinand.
I mean, I'm holding alien
artifacts in my hands right now,
none of this should be possible.
This...
This is...
This is the moment we've
been waiting for, Ferd.
This is the moment all of
mankind has been waiting for.
We're not alone.
We just haven't been able to
hear them.
What are they saying, Ferdinand?
Can you infer any patterns in
the signals?
Is it speech, machine
language, text, music, what?
It could be
any assortment of each.
The signals vary wildly.
It would take about six years
for me
to run correlations between
enough of these signals
to begin piecing together an
alphabet or speech pattern,
if that's what they are.
Perhaps if you brought my
full memory back online.
Not gonna happen, not now
anyway.
In any
event, all the binary data
seems to be encoded in a DNA
codex.
They communicate with DNA
code?
That's a lot of data.
What's happening, Ferdinand?
A new signal, sir.
From inside our solar system,
but more distant than the
others.
A new arrival?
No, it's coming
from
a dark body within the Oort
Cloud.
Well beyond the explored
regions of the solar system.
About a third of a light year
from earth.
Wow.
That's a long ways away.
Ferd, how long would it take to
get there?
Approximately 38
years,
provided the Magellan's systems
remained functional throughout.
Shall I transmit our findings to
NASA
and prep the stasis box
for the journey home, sir?
Sure, yeah.
You go ahead and do that.
They brought us this far...
There has to be a reason.
Abigail, I can't imagine how
difficult
these last five years have been
for you.
And I'm so sorry, I haven't been
there.
But I have to move forward.
It's hard to explain,
but they're calling me
and I have to answer.
There's something left
for me to do out there.
And I don't know what it is.
I just know, or I believe,
that the answer is
somewhere in the Oort Cloud.
So that's where I'm headed.
I'm following my own path.
I know it's been so selfish of
me
to expect so much from you.
So I want you to know
that I am...
I'm giving you the
option to refuse orders.
And I release you of any
obligation
you have towards me whatsoever.
So that you can live
your life as you see fit.
Before I go into stasis,
I wanted to make one last chess
move
and it's gonna seem a little
unorthodox.
King G6.
Sir, I believe
that move
places your king in check
with her pawn and is illegal.
You are correct.
Ferdinand, I want you to send
that message unencrypted,
please.
Then set a trajectory for
the signal in the Oort Cloud.
Want you to get us there
as fast as possible.
Sir, we're
still awaiting NASA's reply
and it is...
Ferdinand, I am the mission
commander
and you have your orders.
Into the Oort Cloud.
Commander
Nelson, Secretary Stewart
has brought me back in
here to reason with you.
Now you need to return control
of the Magellan to us,
or begin your return journey
immediately.
While I personally commend
your scientific audacity,
we need you to bring those
beacons back for analysis
and for heaven's sake,
Nelson, you won't survive.
Your mission is complete
and we're worried.
We're worried about your mental
health.
You orders are to return home,
Nelson
while you still can.
You better
come home Roger Nelson.
You hear me?
Come home.