Falling Skies (2011–2015): Season 3, Episode 4 - At All Costs - full transcript

Team five, I need you covering
the north entrance, over.

Sniper three, top.
Advise, over.

Status, General?

They're throwing everything
they can think of at us,

but we're
holding our own.

What the hell
is she doing here?

I asked for her.

The least you could do is cut me
loose,

let a soldier fend for herself.

What would be
the point of that, Lieutenant?

I'd just as soon not end up in a



pile of rubble
with the rest of you.

Wouldn't be so sure that's
going to happen, Lieutenant.

I've seen what
the aliens can do, sir.

OP. Charlie reporting inbound
Beamers 30 clicks out.

But you haven't seen what we can
do. Are the Volm mobilized?

Yes, sir.
They're ready.

Anthony, let's escort
our guest topside.

What do you mean?

You're about to witness
a miracle, Lieutenant.

Let's see.

Oh, my God.
What the hell are you doing?

Watch!

I... I don't
understand that.

How...



The how, I'm afraid,

does not yield a simple
answer... even for me.

Dude,
they are totally freaked.

You see them?

They ran like little girls.

My dad says that
without the Mechs,

Skitters are nothing
but just slimy cowards.

- Yep.
- Yeah.

You know, it would be awesome
to have six legs.

Ew!

You are beyond weird,
Markley.

I'm just saying,
it would be awesome

to climb up walls and jump
over buildings and stuff.

Okay, just stop.

I owe you big time,
bro.

If you hadn't
have smoked that Mech,

I'd be lying
right next to them poor dudes.

You know I got you.

It's true. You saved his life.

And mine.

And a whole mess of others.

Hey, I'm just doing

what either one of you guys
would have done.

Well, listen to him,
would you?

It doesn't
make any sense, really.

You know why can't win,
why walk into a punch?

We'll put a team together,
have them walk the perimeter,

make sure those bastards
didn't slip any crawlies

through the back door.

Or worse.

I hope not.
I'm still having nightmares

about those damn things.

Hey, Dad.

You okay?

Yeah, no,
it's just a couple dings.

Um... Listen, I need to
talk to you about something.

Okay.

We should probably wait
till later.

Can you come by
my office?

I got a debriefing
and family notifications.

Absolutely.

We'll drop by later tonight.

I'll have an aide
come by your room?

Hey, great job out there.

I'm proud of you.

Thanks. Thanks, Dad.

What the hell
are you doing?

Stopping you
from doing something stupid.

Maggie,
I got to tell him.

Then we'll talk to him when he's
alone in his office tonight.

If I'm meeting Karen,

- if I'm the spy, if I'm the--
- You're not.

All right?

After seeing you
in this firefight,

it just doesn't add up.

Calm down,

and we'll talk to your father
tonight, all right?

Hey.

I promise this is
not going to hurt, baby girl.

I just need
a little swab.

Hey. You need help
with anything?

No, I'm good.

You're not low
on formula or...

Really, I'm fine.

Okay.

- All right.
- Mm.

What am I thinking?

Oh.

I love you, Lexie.

I love you too,
mommy.

Who are you?

Oh, boy.

Whoa.

Cyrus Ruskin.

Oh.

Cyrus? Really?

Afraid so.

He was with the Second Mass
from the beginning.

Yeah.
I know it.

Tough fighter.
Hell of a loss.

He left two girls.

Lost their mother, Marjorie,
in Fitchburg.

Cyrus took it hard.

To Cyrus.

To Cyrus.

Come in.

Sorry, Professor,

but she was pitching a fit
until I brought her to you.

What can I do for you,
Lieutenant?

It's been
a long couple days.

Did you know, sir,
that you killed 23 Skitters,

eight Mechs,
and who knows how many Beamers?

Seventeen actually.

That's one of the advantages
of having the Volm as an ally.

I owe you an apology,
sir.

You owe a hell of a lot more
than that, soldier.

Yes, I know,
and I'm sorry.

But still,
President Hathaway,

he needs to know
what you have here.

All right,
let's suppose for a second

that you're
telling the truth

and no one more than me
hopes you are.

How do we do that?

Do you have
a shortwave radio?

Nine-point-nine megahertz.

- Whenever you're ready.
- Thanks.

Keystone, Kingfish One.

Authentication follows:
Juliet, Alpha, Golf, Foxtrot.

Request Big Dog, over.

Keystone, Kingfish One.

Authentication follows:
Juliet, Alpha, Golf, Foxtrot.

Request Big Dog, over.

Kingfish One, Keystone.

Roger authenticate.
This is Big Dog.

Go ahead.

Hello, Mr. President.

It's good
to hear your voice.

Mr. President,
are you still there?

Yes, Professor Mason.

A Skitter rebellion,
alien allies, it's just

a lot to take in.

I can imagine, sir.

Unfortunately, I see no way
to provide verification

other than a good,
old-fashioned face-to-face.

ls there any way
you could organize that ASAP?

Oh, I think
we could arrange that, sir.

Lieutenant Fisher.

Yes, sir.

We'll meet at Keystone.

Copy that.

Lieutenant Fisher
will give you those coordinates

at the proper time.

Big Dog out.

You're harnesses
were removed externally,

which left
the internal nucleus intact.

Now, we think
these stringy fibers here

extending out to your spikes

are constantly being regenerated
by the nucleus,

and the Volm de-harnessing
machine allows us

to extract the fibers,
and uproot the nucleus

without affecting

the spinal cord
or the nervous system.

It's like pulling a radish
out of the ground.

Yeah, if you want to
think of it like that.

So, um, I'll need
my inhaler again?

Yes.
Unfortunately, yeah.

I'll need my glasses?

If you wore them before,
yes.

Guys,
I know this is scary,

but you need to
understand something.

Your spikes give you
amazing strength and agility,

but we don't know yet

what the long-term implications
are of living with them.

We know it puts stress
on your skeletal muscles,

and we suspect that it
interrupts stem-cell production,

which, if true,
could shorten your life-span.

How significantly,
we don't know.

Well, it's not like
normal life-span's that

long these days anyway.

If you're
not ready for this...

Come on, Ben.

It's going to be
so much better.

Won't it?

I... I think so.

Come on.

Yeah. Yeah.
You know, I'm... I'm in.

Okay.

Let me get this straight.

The so-called government
of Charleston, S.C.,

is commandeering
my personal property

for unknown reasons
for an unknown length of time.

Is that it?

Pretty much, yes.

Well, that has
the sickening ring of tyranny,

don't you think?

A good citizen would
have gladly told

his government representatives
that he had an aircraft,

and then willingly
made it available.

That airplane is
my ticket out of here

when everything goes to hell,
as it most certainly will.

You don't even know
how to fly the plane, Pope.

- I'm reading a book.
- I'm twin-engine rated,

so I'll pilot
your precious aircraft,

and make sure
nothing happens to it.

Your damn right
because I'm going with.

The hell you are.

This is a classified mission.

And that is
a vintage 1935 Beechcraft.

Finders keepers.

Listen, gentlemen,
either I am on that plane,

or there will be
no plane.

You want to come along, Pope?

Be my guest.

We leave in two hours.

Gentlemen.

Well, you and Marina have
got the reins while I'm gone.

I'll call in as soon as I know
everything's okay.

We'll have somebody
on frequency full time.

And now I got to ask
the hard question.

Are we sure that this is a good
idea, you going there now?

It's a personal request from

the President of
the United States.

It's kind of a
hard thing to ignore.

That's just it.

We just got finished
fighting off the Fishheads.

We're building
the supposed Volm weapon.

I mean, how are you
going to this summit meeting

or whatever it is... how is it
going to help us here now?

Think about what it's going to mean

to the people of Charleston

to find out President Hathaway
is still alive.

Yeah.

I get you.

Not sure I like the idea,
but I get you.

Marina said she'll dribble out
your paperwork

over the next few days,

make it seem like
you're still here,

throw the spy
off the scent.

It looks like somebody
already got the word.

This is supposed to be
a secret mission.

You should know by now
you can't keep secrets from me.

Seriously, are we okay?

Seriously, yes.

We do need to talk
when you get back.

Okay.

I'll come back soon.

W... what?

Nothing.

Oh, here.

Lourdes packed you
a med pack.

Just in case.

I love you.

No matter what,
I love you.

I love you, too.

Kiss our baby girl for me,
and keep an eye on the boys.

Always.

Whoa!

No, no, no, no.

Nobody said anything
about a bubblehead,

and a damn murderer.

Must have
slipped my mind.

Man, this deal's getting
worse and worse.

Is everything all right,
Cochise?

I... it is simply...

A... are you certain
this aircraft is...

Safe?

I was going to say,
"Capable of flight."

I believe General Bressler
wouldn't let us lake off

if he wasn't confident
in its airworthiness.

After you.

You take care, Tom.

I promise.

Good luck, then.

- There are some things I'll miss.
- Like?

Uh...

All the stuff I can do now
that I couldn't do before.

Like?

Being somebody
my dad depends on.

Being better
than my older brother.

Being needed.

I like that I can lift cars.
I'll miss that.

Yeah. It's always
a good party trick.

But it'll be nice
being normal again, won't it?

Yeah, it's...

No more buzzing
inside our heads.

No more staying up
for days.

No more Skitter-vision.

No more translating for them
at all. No more connection.

We won't be freaks
anymore.

No.

And we'll have none of the
problems of being needed.

Oh. Wait a minute.
Inversion.

If it's inverted.
Of course. What was I thinking?

Dr. Kadar?

I'm sorry
to disturb you.

I'm Dr. Anne Glass.

I run the infirmary
here in Charleston,

and I need your help.

There was a time... a glorious,

halcyon time when
no one bothered me down here.

Not a soul.

Now it's like
Grand Central Station.

You may have heard
the Volm built a device

that allows us
to remove the harnesses

from the children who were
enslaved by the Espheni?

And it works?

After you remove the harnesses,

they're able to return to
normalcy with

no residual effects?

Well, that's what
we're trying to figure out.

We'd like to know

if the harnesses cause
any chromosomal mutations.

DNA tests should be able to
give you an answer to that.

If we had the equipment
to run one.

And you're here to see if I can
devise such a test for you.

Could you?

If you get me
these supplies,

and the tissue samples,
I'll run the tests.

Well, uh, I'll leave you
to your work.

Thank you, Dr. Kadar.

Anne Glass.

- You're with Tom Mason.
- Yeah, that's right.

You just had a child.

Alexis.

Alexis.

The eyes of a newborn baby
are just...

They're portals to wonder
and truth, aren't they?

Yeah, I suppose.

It's...
it's...innocence. It's...

They're so innocent.

Hmm.

What you doing,
suckerfish?

Uh, nervous eating.

"Stressed" spelled backwards
is "desserts."

Scared about
the de-spiking?

Yeah.

Probably sounds crazy, but

I've kind of
gotten used to them.

- I thought you hated them.
- I do.

I... I do. I just...

As bad as they are,
and as wrong as they are,

they let me do good things,
you know what I mean?

So keep them.

Those who mind don't matter,
and those who matter don't mind.

What's that, Dr. Seuss?

Bernard Baruch,
one of F.D.R.'s advisers.

He was giving advice

on seating arrangements
at a dinner party.

Dad tell you that one?

Only like 30 times.

You think that's how dad
got girls in college?

Instead
of playing the guitar,

he'd just tell weird,
historical anecdotes?

I think that's how dad didn't
get girls in college.

Probably true.

Let's see hands!

Weapons down!

Secure his weapon!

General Donovan.

Lieutenant Fisher.

Cole Bressler.
Am I correct?

You are, sir.

Good to see you
still commanding, General.

Such as it is, yes.

And you are
Professor Mason?

I'm Tom Mason,
yes, sir.

Actually, sir,
we have one more on board.

What the hell are you thinking,
Lieutenant?!

Yes, sir.

Bring an alien within 10 meters
of the President?!

Sir, this alien is actually
an ally.

He's here to explain his mission
to the President.

That's enough, Professor.

Secure this creature.

Hold on. Hold on.

Just wait. Wait one second.
Wait, wait. Oh!

These are allies.
They're here to help.

Stand down,
General Donovan.

- Mr. President, I really--
- My apologies,

Professor Mason.

But times being
what they are and all,

I hope
you understand it.

You neglected to mention

that you were going to be
accompanied, Professor.

Yes, sir,
for security purposes only,

not knowing if our transmissions
were being monitored.

Hello.

I am Chichauk ll'sichninch
Cha'tichol of the Volm.

- We call him Cochise--
- President, we got one more.

Uh, sorry.
Sorry about that.

That's John Pope...
our... mechanic.

Yeah, I got to...

check our fuel line there.

So if it's just the same
with you,

I'd like to stay
with the plane.

I doubt I've got
a whole hell of a lot

to contribute
to the conversation.

Assign a small detail
to keep an eye on him.

Professor Mason,
General Bressler,

after you, please.

General Donovan, proceed.

Uh, Mr. President.

Do I really
need to explain to you

that taking
any kind of chance

with any type of alien being
is just not prudent?

- I understand, Mr. Pre--
- Now, please,

let's go inside and talk.

I really don't think
you understand, sir.

Professor.

I will be all right.

Talk with your President.

Go!

Rubbing alcohol.

Dish detergent, salt...
that's everything I need.

Here are
the tissue samples

from 12 kids who had
their harnesses removed.

Okay.

How are they doing...
the kids?

Each one of them have
varying degrees

of post-traumatic stress,
but most are adjusting.

We've placed them with families,
they're going to school...

resuming their lives
as best they can.

It must be... rewarding
working with children.

That's why I became
a pediatrician.

Although, it wasn't till I had
my first that I realized what

it meant to be a parent.

You had a child
before the invasion?

A boy... Sammy.

Is he...

A piece of shrapnel from a Mech
missile

went through his right temple.
He bled out in my arms.

There's nothing worse than
the silence right af... after...

It was a mistake.

I'm sorry.

I don't want to talk.

I'll have these results
for you tonight.

Bye.

We've spent the last year

trying to establish
a communications network

with as many of the surviving
resistance groups

as our scouting parties
could find.

It's been our whole focus,
and it hasn't been easy.

In fact, it's been
damn near impossible.

Still, in all, a system has
been put into place.

Information does travel.

It's not Federal Express.

It's... more like
the pony express,

but it's up and running,

and I'm not willing
to put that at risk.

My guess is that
every resistance group

you've contacted has said
basically the same thing...

that conventional engagement
has proven ineffective,

guerilla tactics
slightly more successful,

but at too great a cost.

You're absolutely right.

That's why I'm...
a little more than interested

in what your Volm ally
has to offer.

And Lieutenant Fisher was
certainly impressed

with the way their weapons
helped you crush that attack.

- But you're not convinced?
- No, I'm not convinced.

Give me a reason
to believe you, Professor?

This isn't some
academic exercise here.

The survival of the entire
human race is at stake.

I'm well aware of that,
sir.

And believe me, any vestiges
of my former, academic naiveté

have been wiped away
by the last two years.

My reasons for
trusting the Volm are

simple but practical...
we need them.

For the last
seven months,

we've fought side-by-side
with Cochise and his soldiers,

and we've expanded
our perimeter.

We've defended it
against repeated attacks.

But moreover, sir...

We've caused real hurt

These are real,
tangible results.

I trust our ally
because in my gut,

I believe that
with their knowledge

of the enemy and their weaponry,
we can win this war.

Then what?

What plans do the Volm have
for us after the war?

They have no plan
for us.

And you expect us
to take your word on that?

No.

His.
That's why I brought him.

I'm sorry about all this.

It is to be expected.

Professor Mason has told me a...

good deal about you...

how the Volm have

fought the Espheni... halfway
across the universe

liberating
one planet after another.

And you have questions.

Just one actually.

What are you
fighting them for?

Resources, territory?

A flower...
the Catarius.

It blooms on my homeland
when the weather begins to warm.

A flower that is...
so valuable

that it's caused
an intergalactic war?

The Catarius has no value
to anyone except me.

Something you remember
from your childhood?

Actually,
I have never seen it.

Just as
I have never held

the warm soil of my homeland
in my hands.

Like the rest of my comrades,
I was born on the ships

that set out from our world
hundreds of years ago.

All I know of the Catarius
is an image in a data file,

and through a poem
my brother read to me

when I was young.

You never told me
that you had a brother.

He...

He is deceased.

On a planet orbiting

one of those spots of light
up there...

a most weary,
un-bright cinder

far from the home
I have never known.

He was born to war,
grew up in it,

and it eventually
claimed him.

He died for a world
he never saw.

Be thankful

that you fight on the soil
of your homeland, gentlemen.

That is a gift.

I will never see my home.

But if we win this war,

my children's children
may one day...

gaze upon
a real Catarius.

That is what I am fighting for,
Mr. President.

Congratulations,
Professor.

I think you just made it
to round two.

The thing is...
with my spikes,

I can do things, you know,
good things.

I look at...

other kids in mess hall,
in school or whatever, and...

I can do stuff they can't,
you know? We're...

We're part of
the solution to this whole mess

because of our spikes.

And... yeah,
maybe that means we're freaks,

but it's worth something.
It's worth the sacrifice.

Isn't it?

Even if it means
you only live to be 20?

You know... It's okay
if you still want to do it.

I know.

I'll like you
with glasses.

Liar.

- Hi, Colonel.
- Hal.

Hey, is it true
my dad left Charleston?

Where did he go?

Can you at least tell me
when he's coming back?

A couple of days...
probably.

Something wrong, Hal?

Can I help?

Ah, it's fine.

It's fine. Um...

I'm just going to wait till my dad
gets back. it's all good.

Now, is that the best you got?

Now, we both know

why you didn't tell Weaver
the truth, don't we?

And why you let Maggie
talk you out of

spilling your guts
to your father.

I'm going to tell my dad
everything.

Mm, nope,
I don't think so.

In fact, I'm willing to bet
you never tell him.

This isn't real.

Karen put some
sort of implant in me.

And this is
a hallucination.

Oh, so,
we're back to that excuse?

It's the truth.

Then what about
all the rendezvous with Karen?

They're dreams.

Dreams?

Oh.

Come on.

You know those weren't dreams.

So, you go to the woods
to meet Karen...

Because you love her.

Because you want her.

And you just can't
stop thinking about her.

No.

And that's why you're going to
go right on lying to Maggie,

and your father
and your brothers.

And it'll be easy.

They want to believe
your lies.

They can't
face the truth...

any more than you can.

No!

Oh, Hal.

You seem stressed.

I'll tell you what...

how about I take over
for a little while,

give you a break?

I don't like it, Tom.

I didn't think
you would.

But this is
the right thing to do.

The President
needs me and Cochise

to present the Volm's position
to the people.

Whatever's going on,

I've learned the hard way
that to argue with you

after you've made up your mind
is a waste of time.

That's true.

Listen, I'm not sure
when I'm going to be back,

so tell Anne
and the boys that

I love them and I'll see them
as soon as I can.

You can tell her yourself.
She just came in.

You speak there.

Tom?

Can you hear me, Tom?

Yeah. Yeah, I'm here.

So, you heard that?

Yeah.

And you understand?

No, not really,
but I know

you have to do
what you believe is right.

I'll be back
as soon as I can.

I know.

Kiss Alexis for me,
and...

Everything's going to be all right.

You got to believe that.

I do.

I love you.

I love you, too.

Tom, we'll be monitoring 24/7.

Keep us posted, okay?

Of course.

Last lonely eagle out.

Well, what do you say
we hit the nest?

No argument here, brother.

Hey.

Hey.

Walk with me?

Sure.

So, I thought about
what you were saying.

I think you're right.

Those dreams,
they're...

They're dreams.

All right.

So, what do we tell
your father?

Urn... I don't know.

What if we just
don't tell him anything?

- You sure?
- Yeah.

There's no point in making
him worry about something else.

- Especially if it's not real.
- Yeah.

Thank you.

For what?

Believing in me.

Putting up with all my insane,
neurotic crap.

I told you
I could take anything...

As long as
you're honest with me.

In 11 of these samples,
there are no abnormalities.

All 100 percent human.

Ifs nothing
short of miraculous.

I'd love the
opportunity to examine

that de-harnessing machine.

Of course. Anytime.

Sample number five
is an anomaly.

It's strands
of something... alien DNA

or who knows what... intertwined
with the human DNA.

It's like
a parasitic jungle vine

wrapped around a tree,
and slowly strangling it.

What can you tell me
about this child?

What's wrong?

Oh, my God. It's true.

This sample...
Is from your daughter.

How is that possible?

I don't know.

We have to tell Tom
about the test results.

He's not here.

He's away on a mission.

Well, we have to tell someone.

Dr. Glass... You must know that
what I'm saying is true.

After all that's happened,

we can't take the chance
that

your daughter is... Not human.

You're right.

Absolutely.

Okay.

We'll just
get the sample.

They'll have to see it
for themselves.

Oh... God.

That was worth
waiting for.

Mmm.

- Maggie.
- Yeah?

I love you so much.

I love you, too.

Uh, where's Denny?

Haven't seen her.

Hey, dork.

I thought
you were in surgery.

No. I changed my mind.

What are you doing here?

I, um...
I came to give you these,

but... I guess
you won't be needing them.

I guess not.

Oh, yeah.

Hey.

Hey.
Where have you been?

Is it late?

I had a couple house calls,
and I went for a walk.

I must have
lost track of time.

Yeah, no,
I was just worried.

How was your day?

Mm, it was tough.

I had several extractions
of spiked kids today,

and I'm still a little shaky
on the Volm machine,

so it took longer
than it should.

I'm sure
you'll get the hang of it.

Well, sure, just...
well, maybe you could

go over a few things with me,
you know?

Of course. Anytime.

Hey, do you want to help me
finish this off?

I've had it for so long.
I'm afraid it's going to go bad.

Sure. Yeah.

To... good friends.

Good friends.

I'm, uh...
I'm sorry I've been

such a handful
these last couple of weeks.

It's just... everything
with the baby has been

really overwhelming.

Yeah,
of course it's been.

I'm sorry.

It's, um...

It's okay.

Oh, God.

We got to go, Lexie.

You see those three stars
right there?

That's called
the summer triangle.

That's Vega,
Deneb, and Altair.

See the kind of faded one
in the center of the triangle?

Wait a minute.

Oh. There it is.

It's Albireo.
It's a binary star system.

You see how one of them's
kind of orange

and the other one's blue?

- The blue one's hotter.
- Exactly.

I wonder
which one they came from.

Well, it doesn't matter.
They're here now.

I'll get you home, Tom.

I don't know when,
but I will get you home.

I understand the sacrifice
I'm asking you to make.

To be honest,

it's not one I'm even sure
I could make myself.

We have a chance... now...
to make the world work again,

and we have to do it.

If we survive.

And I believe
that the Volm are offering us

our only viable option
to retake the planet.

So, they have a strategy?

They've got a working strategy,

and they've got the weaponry
to back it up.

Can you be
more specific?

I'd prefer that Cochise
filled you in on the details.

But suffice to say,
if we're successful,

we could take down
the entire Espheni war machine.

Sir.

Advance scouts
just reported

enemy aircraft inbound
headed straight for us.

I don't understand.
How did they find us?

An excellent question, sir,
but we have to

- get you out of here now.
- Whoa, whoa, whoa.

If not you, then who?!

We don't have time
for this now. Come on.

Come, Professor. Come.

Here are the coordinates,

but follow in close formation
just in case.

Roger that.

No, no, no!

Cochise is coming with us!

There's no time to argue this!
Get in your plane now!

We have to go now,
Professor!

No matter what,
we have to go now!

Come on!

- Aah!
- Hello Doctor Glass.

Hello, Alexis.

No.

No.

You can't have her.

No.

It's okay, Anne.

Everything's
going to be fine.

General!

Damn.

Hang on!

No!

We got to land!
We got to make sure!

Impossible, Professor.

We got a Beamer
right on our tail!

There's no way
we're going to outrun that thing.

We got to get this plane down
now!

Strap yourself in,
you damn fool!

Professor!

Fireball
coming right toward us!

Hang on!

Looks like
we're walking from here!