Pandora (2019–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Shelter from the Storm - full transcript

Be back for dinner, mommy-o.

Jax.

Hey, Jax, wait.

Sorry.

Welcome to Earth.

You're not Professor Osborn.

You're perceptive, I see.

I'm his teaching assistant,
Xander Duvall.

I was told I'd be meeting
Dr. Osborn, so...

Yeah, he was supposed to.
He wanted to, in fact.

But he's very busy,
so he sent me instead.



You think he'd find the time

to meet the orphaned niece
he's never met.

Yeah, like I said, he's...

Very busy.

I heard you.

I'm not sure we're completely
getting off

on the right foot here, are we?

Well, it appears I'm not
the only one who's perceptive.

I had a class
with your mother...

when I was a freshman.

She was an inspiring teacher.

I'm sorry for your loss.

That's very kind of you.

I suppose we should go get
my duffels then.



You may just be strong enough
to carry all of them.

Interesting he chose to model
his home on the Queen Anne's.

Not what I was expecting.

Yeah? What were you expecting?

Certainly not to find my uncle
aspiring to live in the home

of a bonanza king.

Even if just a very impressive
replica.

Is that you, Mr. Duvall?

It is, Professor.

Uncle.

Jacqueline.

Sorry I was unable
to greet you personally,

but it is most agreeable
to finally meet you

after all these years,

sadly under such
unfortunate circumstances.

I appreciate your help, uncle.

It's been a difficult few months
as I'm sure you can imagine.

I presume you've already been
briefed on your dispensation.

If you mean that
as my only living relative,

I'm now your burden, then yes.

Hardly a burden, my dear.

I'm not an emotional man,
but I loved your mother dearly.

And to her,
family was everything.

I feel it incumbent upon me

to make sure
that you're looked after/

It's what she would have wanted.

Is there any news
on the investigation?

None as of yet,

but I'll see
what I can find out.

In the interim, you're aware
I arranged with the chancellor

for you to matriculate
this semester

at the Fleet Training Academy.

I appreciate you interceding
on my behalf.

The school year started
two weeks ago,

but based on your grades

you should have no problem
playing catch-up.

And if there's anything else
you need...

Quite right.

Mr. Duvall can assist you.

He's one of my brightest pupils.

Please feel free to rely on him

for any of your immediate needs.

I certainly will, uncle.

Now as Mr. Duvall said,

the school year
has indeed commenced,

and I am already
quite inundated with work,

so if you'll excuse me,

I'll see you both on Friday
for dinner here

promptly at 7:00.

Of course.

Such a warm and sociable man.

Great men like the professor
are often somewhat quirky.

Not the word I would've used.

Anything else
I can help you with?

What do you know about
my the death of my parents?

Nothing.

I only T.A. for the professor,

and as you can imagine,
he's pretty tight-lipped.

Of course.

I guess I'll be seeing you
around then.

Sooner than you might like.
I'll be seeing you in class.

May I assist you?

Is this Interstellar Protocol?

Stellar Cartography.

Wrong class. Sorry.

Protocol is more
than simple etiquette.

It's not about manners
or pleasantries.

It's about respecting
customs and traditions

utilizing proper
diplomatic formality.

For instance,
if I wanted to convey

my profound indignation

over the inability of a cadet
to arrive on time in my class...

how exactly would I do that?

I'm so sorry, I didn't...

To misunderstand the culture
you're communicating with

is one of the worst mistakes
an officer can make

in a first contact situation.

Seemingly incomprehensible acts
can often be better understood

when one examines the situation
from the opposite perspective.

And there are some worlds
in which failure to adhere

to proper protocol

can have the direst
of consequences.

Consider yourself lucky
this is not one of them.

Wouldn't you agree, Miss Zhou?

Shral didn't need to be
such a scum weasel.

It's my first day.

I got lost on the way to class.

Are all the professors here
so awful?

Actually, most of the profs
are pretty neat.

Except Osborn.
That man is a total ass.

He's also my uncle.

Oops.

I guess I shouldn't
have said anything.

- I'm so sorry.
- Oh, I agree.

He is a total ass.

I'm Jax.
Nice to meet you.

Atria.

So where you headed now, Jax?

Back to the dorm.

I have a ton of assignments
to catch up on.

Well, I'm going to hang
at the Black Hole.

- Want to come with?
- Black Hole?

Center of gravity on campus.

Lounge, bar, hangout.

Place where you can unwind.

And if you ever wanted
to hear some really bad poetry,

it's the place to do that too.

Did I mention it's a great place
to meet hot guys also?

Not on my dance card
this semester.

- I have other obligations.
- You say that now.

Oh, that's Tom.
He's also in Shral's class.

You'll like him.

He's not your average
joystick jockey.

- Fighter pilot?
- Wannabe.

Hopefully, he'll wise up
and get on a command track.

He's way too smart to be flying
jets in space.

Glad you haven't got
many bruises

from that unprovoked attack
in class today.

Ugh. That you can see.

Sumi Starburst for you,
Tommy Boy.

Hey, Atria.
The usual and...

and the new girl.

- Jax.
- Jax. What can I get you?

Just a shoulder to cry on.

That I can definitely provide.

Let me guess. Osborn.

No. Shral carved her up
and spit her out

real good this morning.

I had him last year.

His bark is worse than his bite.

He's a pretty decent instructor
once you get to know him.

- What year are you?
- Just finished my undergrad.

On the med track now,
looking to get on board

an exploratory vessel as a CMO.

Ah, a doctor.

Well, not yet.

And with the way this semester's
been going, maybe never.

Well, I love the humility.

Not to mention a man who's good
with his hands.

So, what's your story Jax?

Oh, not much to tell, really.

Yeah, somehow I doubt that.

Her parents were killed
at New Portland.

Didn't you hear?

Yeah, I heard.

Everybody heard.

But just because it's on my mind

doesn't mean it's on my tongue.

I'm so sorry.
I didn't mean to...

Fine. It's not any
kind of secret.

Old news. Really.

Hello.

Could I get a...?

Come to think of it, I think
I am going to get that drink.

I got this.

- Bartender.
- What can I get you?

He'll have a Blue Safari,
and so will I.

If you wake up with a massive
headache in the morning,

you can blame me.

Why are you talking to me?

Why shouldn't I?

I mean, if you'd prefer,
I can go back and hang with my...

I guess I can't really
call them my friends,

because I just met them,
but the group I'm hanging with.

Are you with the Earth
Intelligence Services?

Not very trusting of the
kindness of strangers, I see.

Come on.

Drinking alone is called
alcoholism.

Much better to do it
with a crowd.

Go on.

- So, what's your name?
- Ralen.

I'm Jax, this is Greg,
Thomas and Atria.

She's easy to recognize,

because she's the only one
who's a natural purple.

- I see.
- So...

you're the Zatarian ambassador's
son, huh?

I have that privilege.

What made you decide
to join the Academy, Ralen?

Other than spying on all of you?

That was my attempt at humor.

It can't be easy
being the first Zatarian

to ever attend the Academy
since the war.

I can't imagine
it's any easier for you.

There's not a long history
of clones

belonging to the Adari sect
joining the space fleet.

That's true, but that's because
we're considered as property

and our masters won't let us
pursue a formal education.

So how did you
convince your master

to let you go the Academy?

Adari masters aren't known
for emancipating their clones.

I killed him.

Ahem. Here.

- Excuse me?
- I could tell

you desperately wanted some
chips, but didn't want to ask.

- Telepath?
- Part.

My mother was a captain
in EarthCom.

My pops, telepathic.

In the C.I.S.?

No. Jail.

He got busted in Macau
for cheating at cards.

Wasn't the first time either.

Not what Earth Intelligence
had in mind

- when they created telepaths.
- Yeah.

Wasn't really what
I had in mind for a dad either.

So, what really brings you
to the Academy, Ralen?

I have always thought

the best way to avoid
another conflict

between our two respective races

is to understand
each other better.

That's why I prevailed
upon my father

to have the Earth ambassador
to Zatar

request that my application
to the Academy be accepted.

So, what do you think so far,
mate?

Earth preaches a set of values
across the galaxy

about tolerance and diversity,

but I have yet to see
the actions of your people

meet their high-sounding words.

Until today.

Tell you what.

Since we're now apparently
the paragons of human virtue,

allow me to offer you the chance
to join our study group.

You and Jax, of course.

Not easy to make it
at the Academy alone.

We're stronger
together than apart.

I will accept your invitation.

We got to go,
but we'll see you soon.

We're needed in space.

They a couple?

Not yet.

He has a girlfriend on Vega 5,

which won't last much longer.

For some reason,

147-trillion-mile-distance
relationships never work.

Why? You interested?

Nah.

Not in him.

I like Ralen.
What do you think?

We'll see.

I'm having a tough time
reading him.

Maybe he just doesn't like you
poking around inside his head.

I know I don't.

Zatarian attack ship closing.

Should I attempt to hail them?

They're heading towards
us and not communicating.

Could be trouble.
Weapons hot.

All pulse cannons online.
Prepare to fire on my mark.

But Tom, we don't know
their intentions.

We do now.

Hey.

Let's go again.

Maybe this time a little bit
less chattering,

little bit more blasting, yeah?

Might help.

Hey, Miss Congeniality.

You busy downloading
from the datacore again?

Sorry to interrupt your reboot.

I wish you wouldn't
call it that.

You know we call it meditation.

I met some people today.

They invited us to join
their study group.

I said yes for both of us.

Are you sure that is wise?

What do you know of them
and their abilities?

I know I like them.

Not necessarily
the best criteria

to evaluate their suitability
as study partners.

Why do you always
have to act so superior?

Because I am superior.

It's not narcissism,
it's an empirical fact.

Right, well, one of them
is Zatarian.

Ralen?

- Yeah. You know him?
- I know of him.

We should be wary.

Why?

Because he is Zatarian.

We do not know his true motives
for being here.

- I do.
- You do?

Yeah. He said he wants to bring
our races closer together

through mutual understanding.

- And you believe him?
- Why shouldn't I?

- Because he is Zatarian.
- You said that already.

You have to understand,

the Zatarian are violent
and warlike.

They're treacherous
and wary of other species.

They're victims
of their basest instincts.

I could say the same thing
about human beings,

and we struggle to overcome them
every day.

So you're saying you're not
going to be in the study group?

I thought you believed
in respect for all races.

Isn't it reasonable to evaluate
this Zatarian on his own merits

and give him a chance
before convicting him

of your own personal prejudice?

I will participate
in your study group.

What?

I said I'll participate
in your study group.

Oh, well, I'm glad to hear that.

- Now I got to go.
- Where are you going?

Dinner at my uncle's.
Should be lots of fun.

Tons of laughs You'd love it.

Want to come?

No.

You clean up well.

I could say the same about you.

How was your first day
of school?

I'd prefer not
to think about it.

I mean, I got raked
over the coals by my prof today.

- Shral?
- Yeah, Shral.

He was a real ass,
if you know what I mean.

No, I mean, hello,
Professor Shral.

Mr. Duvall.

Pleasure to see you, as always.

Ah, Miss Zhou.

Mm.

I thought I recognized
that voice.

A word of advice.

A good officer
needs to get along

with all kind of personality.

Those you like, those you don't.

Other species you can't even
begin to understand.

You'd be wise to remember that.

Enjoy the party.

You're taking perverse glee in
my predicament, aren't you?

Never.

You know, I admire a man
who still has books.

The touch and the feel of paper.

You know, it's tangible.

And as much as we've gained
as a civilization,

I feel we've lost to life
in our digital age.

Ellison Pevney, Miss Zhou.

I knew your parents well.

My condolences.

Professor Pevney,
it is an honor, sir.

The pleasure is all mine.

And I am delighted

that you will be
in my Earth History class

this semester.

As am I.

Do you mind me asking,

is there any news
of your parents?

I keep asking
the same thing repeatedly,

and no one seems
to know anything.

Well, surely your uncle
can help.

Help with what?

Donovan. We were just
talking about you.

We were talking about
the investigation

into the attack on New Portland.

I'm afraid I have
no news to report.

I've just learned the
investigation has been closed.

An entire colony
was just obliterated.

How can they just close
the investigation?

I wish I had better news.

If EarthCom doesn't find out
what happened, I will.

You realize that's quite
impossible, of course.

We'll see what's impossible.

Anyways, you'll have
to excuse me.

It's been a long week,

and I have a lot of work
to catch up on.

Thank you for the gracious
invitation.

What was all that about?

She doesn't know, does she?

No.

I don't like it, Donovan.
I think you're making a mistake.

You need to tell her the truth.

For what it's worth, I'm with
Ellison on this one, Professor.

That is your right.

But even if you disagree
with my orders,

I do expect you to follow them.

I just want you to know
that you still have

my father's full support.

And mine, of course.

That is indeed a comfort.

By the way, I understand
you already know the girl.

Not well.

She dated my sister for awhile.

But you knew that already,
didn't you, Professor?

I may have heard something
to that effect.

Don't fence with me, Osborn.

My father won't always
control Parallax.

If he keeps harvesting
the organs of clones he grows

to sustain his frail body,
he may just live forever.

You should try it.

We'll see.

One day Humpty Dumpty
may not be able

to put himself
back together again.

I think it's time
you run back to Io and report.

Your father is not renowned
for his patience.

Neither am I.

So I advise you
to tread carefully.

The company may be mine
sooner than you think.

I wonder what your sister,
Odessa, would say about that.

I doubt she'll be in a position
to say anything.

And if you don't
watch your tongue with me,

neither will you.

Forget it! Let's go!

Prior to this,

World War I had been mistakenly

and over-optimistically called
"the war to end all wars."

But two decades later,

the continent would again
find itself

on the brink of conflict
in the Second World War,

as you can see.

Enter.

You missed the study group.

I came to see
if you were all right.

I'm fine.

Human behavior remains
a bit of an enigma to me,

but that was clearly a lie.

I guess it is.

I've just...

I've been thinking a lot
about my parents lately.

They were killed in an attack.

New Portland colony?

You heard about that?

My father is the Zatarian
ambassador.

There's not much in the sector
I don't know about.

Of course.

One of the reasons
I agreed to come here

was I thought I might be able
to find out more

about what happened
to my parents.

And now it's been three months,

and I don't know any more today
than the day they were murdered.

And then I find out they closed
the investigation entirely.

So now, I may never find out
what really happened to them.

And no one really seems to care

about them or me.

I care.

And I'm not the only one.

We are your friends, Jax.

I am your friend.

Well, I appreciate that.

But unless you have a ship
with EM-FTL capabilities,

I'm not sure there's much
you can do.

I do.

Do what?

I might have access to a ship

with light speed capabilities.

I think I may have just found
my new best friend.

Are you sure this is legal?

We are students matriculated
at the Academy.

And this ship is property
of the Academy.

Are you saying this ship
doesn't belong to you?

Let's not split hairs,
as you humans say.

Excuse me?

It's an old model
training vessel.

They won't miss it.

School is not back in session
for several more days.

So how do we get to it?

They're not just going to let us
fly it out of here.

I've already made arrangements.

Happy birthday!

I can understand if you don't
want to tell me how old you are,

but it can't be a day over 30.

Oh.

Well, it's not my birthday.

It's not?

But I have a delivery order
right here for William Rogers.

I'm Elias Wilson.

Oh. There must be
some kind of mistake.

But you're the flight chief,
right?

I am.

What are you doing here?

Well, rumor has it you were
going on a little trip,

and I love to travel.

Look, I appreciate
the sentiment,

but I don't think it's a good
idea if you try and tag along.

I don't know how long
we're going to be there,

or what we're going to find.

Well, sounds like we don't have
any more time to waste

talking about it then.

I sure wouldn't mind trying
some of this tasty-looking cake.

It's a long night,
and I can't leave my station.

Oh, I can't.

But I can give you
something sweet,

because you're so nice.

What are you doing?

Did you just kiss that man?

Well, of course.
It's his birthday, kind of.

Is that true?
Is it your birthday?

Well, no, not really.

Then why are you kissing
my girlfriend?

I...

Nice work.

Thank you.

Now I'm really hungry.
That cake looked so yummy.

I just hope we're not
making a mistake.

I mean, we could get
expelled for this.

What have we gotten
ourselves into?

No idea.

But I do know remember one thing
my sisters used to tell me:

Be a voice, not an echo.

You know, for years, I lived
as a slave among the Adari

because I wasn't considered
a real human being.

No one spoke for me.

So I'll tell you, Tom,

I'll never turn my back
on someone who needs my help.

Ever.

You're amazing, you know that?

Stars can't shine
without darkness.

How far to planetfall?

At present speed,
16 hours, 24 minutes.

Okay. Anyone got anything
to pass the time?

I do love my classical.

♪ It's poetry in motion ♪

♪ She turned her tender eyes
To me ♪

♪ She blinded me with science ♪

♪ She blinded me
With science ♪

♪ And failed me in geometry
Yeah ♪

Scans?

I'm detecting an EarthCom vessel
in orbit around the planet.

Registry, ECOM-19.

It's the battle cruiser
Tereshkova.

That's strange. Osborn said the
investigation had been closed.

Apparently not completely.

Can we get any closer
without being detected?

I can try bringing her down from
a parallel orbit on the deck

and below the ionosphere.

This ship is small enough it
may not read on their scanners.

- Do it.
- Aye, aye, cap.

I can also deactivate
the transponder codes,

which will make it less likely
they'll read us as well.

Yeah, but if they do,
without our transponder codes,

they may open fire thinking
we're one of the marauders

who attacked the planet.

There is that too.

Jax, I'm detecting life-forms.

I think it's time we join them.

Put her down near the colony
where she won't be seen.

I'm heading to the surface
to see what's really going on.

- Ralen, you up for a walk?
- I am.

Greg, stay here with the ship.

We'll let you know
as soon as we know more.

I didn't travel thousands
of light years

to let you go down there alone.

Besides, it might actually
hurt my feelings if I found out

you only brought me along
for my charm and good looks.

Well, I'd never want
to hurt your feelings.

The encampment where we lived
isn't far from here.

So, what are we looking for,
exactly?

- A reason.
- A reason?

A reason for the attack.

And what if there wasn't one?

There's always a reason.

Seemingly incomprehensible acts
can often be understood

when examined from
the opposite perspective.

Or so I've been told.

- What is that?
- I don't know.

But I know what it's not.

The C.I.S. hasn't remotely
closed their investigation.

So either Professor Osborn
was misinformed...

Or was lying.

I'm going down there.
Stay here.

Yeah, we're not letting you
go alone.

This I need to do myself.

The Cronin?

They're a long way from home.

What do you make of that?

I do not know.

But Cronin rarely travel this
far from their mother world

unless they have
a very good reason.

We need to go tell Jax.

Jax does not need
or want our help.

We must be patient.

I wouldn't presume
to understand Jax.

And you do?

Because you wish to be
intimate with her.

I only want to help her find out
what happened to her parents.

Of course.

Clearly, I misread your motives.

You got me.

Next time I hang out with her,

I'm taking her somewhere
romantic, like Euphoria 7.

Ah, the pleasure planet.

So you've heard of it then.

Yes.

We should have annihilated
it during the war.

You shouldn't be here.

What the hell
are you doing here?

I could ask you
the same question.

- This was my home.
- Not anymore.

Everything I know
was stolen from me.

I deserve to know why.

Look, you could get in a lot
of trouble.

I've had to call...

I've had to call in
more than a few favors

to cover for the fact
that you stole a ship.

And even if you don't care,
think of your friends.

You have to return
to the Academy, now.

You never answered my question.

What are you doing here, Xander?

I'm here to keep you
from getting expelled.

Nice try. Try again.

Well, you're just going
to have to trust me.

- Why in the worlds would I?
- I wish I had a reason,

but sometimes you just
have to have a little faith.

Well, I'm afraid that's
in short supply these days.

- This mean anything to you?
- Should it?

They're images recovered
from your mother's workstation

at the dig site.

"The obstacle is the path."
What does that mean?

Why are you looking at me
like that?

Are you absolutely sure
that's what it says?

Aren't you?

- How do you know?
- I don't know.

I guess my mother
must have said something.

We've had hundreds
of xenolinguistic experts

and cryptologists,

and hundreds of thousands
of hours on the datastream

trying to decode that image,

and none of them have been able
to crack it.

Are you absolutely sure
that's what it says?

Yes.

Your mother never
showed you that.

Of course she did.

How else would I know
what it says?

No, those were the images
she was working on decoding

when the colony was attacked
and she was killed.

What's really going on here,
Xander?

I can't tell you.

But I can tell you

that what your parents
discovered

may well be a threat
to our entire galaxy.

I need to see what's inside
this cave.

No. You need to go.

Not until I see it for myself.

We're detecting
some sort of immense power.

Energy signatures
off the charts.

You've never been here before,
I presume?

Can't say that I have.

There's something else
you should see.

Your parents never told you
about any of this?

To be honest, I always found
their work pretty dull.

I guess I was wrong.

What does it mean?

I don't know.

There's something on
the other side of that portal.

- The obstacle is the path.
- Stand by.

I need further instructions
from Earth before proceeding.

Good thing I don't.

One thing's for sure,
we're not in Kansas anymore.

What?

Never mind.

Any idea where we are?

I wish I knew.

Commander Duvall,

are you there?

Do you copy?

We're okay.

Hold your positions.
Await further instructions.

It seems to have created
some sort of stable wormhole,

where we were and where we are.

Why?

You tell me.
You opened it.

Dr. Slavin?

Dr. Slavin, report.

Report!

Something's not right.
We need to leave, now.

I'm staying.
This may have something to do

with what happened
to my parents.

This time I'm not taking no
for an answer.

Stay down.

Jax!

You okay?

Is it dead?

Just stunned.

For now.

Not going to say anything,
are you?

Of course not.

So how about I tell you
who you are.

You're some sort
of intergalactic secret agent

working for military
intelligence.

Not going to tell me
if I'm getting warmer, colder...

- If I could tell you...
- You would.

Got it.

And what about my uncle?

What does he have
to do with this?

He sent my parents
to New Portland, didn't he?

Did he know
they would be attacked?

What about my friends?
What'll happen to them?

I'll accompany all of you back
to the Academy on the Earhart.

We'll chalk it up
to some sort of hazing prank.

There won't be any
disciplinary action.

I like you, Xander.

Against my better judgment,
I do.

But you know I am never going
to let this go.

I know.

The worst part is never getting
to say goodbye.

You never really appreciate
your parents until they're gone.

And I think they knew
how much I loved them.

At least, I hope so.

God, I miss them.

Good night, Xander.

Good night, Jax.

Doctor, what do you have for me?

I completed my analysis
of its DNA.

Not only does it share
the same nucleobases

as all known terrestrial life,

its genome is practically
identical

to that of Homo sapiens.

Or at least the part of the code
actually endemic to our species.

That said, some of what would
normally be non-coding genes

in humans appears to be active.

And that's its DNA there?

Yes and no.

I don't have time for games,
doctor.

No game, Agent Duvall.

It's virtually the same DNA,

but it's not from the specimen.

It's the DNA
you took from the girl.

She has the same active
sequences.

Are you saying
that she's not human?

That's exactly what I'm saying.

You're late.

I accompanied the students home
on the Earhart.

The Tereshkova will leave
New Portland in 36 hours

and return the specimen
to Earth.

I received your preliminary
report.

I believe things may be worse
than we initially feared.

You're wrong about her.

I might very well be,

but we can't afford
to take that chance,

or Pandora could be responsible
for the death of every man,

woman and child in existence.

She's your niece.
Her name is Jax.

Call her that.
Don't use her code name.

I know you're fond of the girl.

But this Pandora is a lot
like her mythical antecedent.

She was curious too.

And by the time
she opened her box,

it was too late to stop
the demons she unleashed

into the world.

And I assure you,

this Pandora's demons
are very, very real.