Pioneer One (2010–…): Season 1, Episode 1 - Earthfall - full transcript
A strange object crashes over a wide area of Montana and southern Canada. As more information comes in the US government struggles to understand the situation. Eventually an expert is disturbed enough to ask "Is this about extra-terrestrials" he is told "No it is far weirder than that"
There are events that become
pivot points in history.
We usually mark the past
by the wars we fight,
where you hear people talk about things
before the war and the world after the war.
The after-the-war world is born out
of human struggle and cruelty.
Sometimes there are events born out of human
ingenuity and courage like discovering fire,
or inventing the Internet,
or walking on the moon.
Sometimes it's a little of both.
We had no idea what was going to happen
or what we were going to do about it.
And we had no idea the price we'd pay.
There was no plan...
There were no lofty thoughts
about changing the world.
We just did what we thought
was right at the time.
And I would do it all again,
even knowing the consequences.
See, the thing is, I've never
actually written a resume before.
Wait, are you kidding?
No, I've just never had to.
You know, school led to one thing, which led
another thing, to another thing, which led...
No, okay. That makes sense.
That makes sense.
But I mean, come on. You're 29
years old, and you've never...
28 years old, please.
All right, 28. And you have
never written a resume?
Yeah, no...
this is the first time that I've actually
had to put like a real one together.
All right. Okay, so the only
thing that I would say is,
I know it seems to make sense to put
everything in chronological order...
but you might want to start with your
most recent work and then work backwards.
- Oh, oh, I get it. And go, and go... right.
- Right. Because then the most relevant
- stuff is at the top
- Right, that makes sense. That makes sense.
That's good advice.
Good tip. Good Stuff.
This is why I come to you.
That's weird.
Top ten things you don't want to here
someone saying in a space observatory
that's weird is definitely
on there somewhere.
All right, so what's number one?
Like...
what the hell was that? That's on there.
Yeah, but what about like...
oh my god.
Right? Like,
- oh - my - god.
- Yeah, no, you're right. That's worse.
That's definitely number one, yeah.
Can one of you or both of you come over here
and tell me what this looks like to you?
Which one are you up to now?
These are captures from NEO94853
from last night.
Alright, what am I looking at?
Right here.
All right, that looks manmade.
Yeah.
Those are all most definitely
solar panels on the ends there.
But it's not a satellite out that far?
A probe?
That's the only think I
can think of, but we're...
we're already tracking all the
probes that are out there.
Well, is it possible they're
some we're not tracking?
I mean, I suppose.
I don't know what else it could be.
So if it's not ours, then what?
- Russian?
- Or, Chinese?
I don't think so.
This thing's coming toward us,
which means it would have had
to have been launched years ago
in order for it to be on
this kind of trajectory
and the Chinese have never sent
anything out that far, so.
What is its trajectory exactly?
How close is going to get to us?
It'll get close, but...
it won't catch us. In fact...
it's probably crossing our orbit right
about now if it hasn't done so already.
Are you sure it's not going to catch us?
Pretty sure. Yeah.
And anyway...
it would just burn up before
it got near the ground.
Okay, sir, if you stop now, if you go...
Okay go one back.
One forward, one forward, forward.
- Stop there. Right there. Right.
- Yeah...
What are you thinking?
Call me...
crazy.
There are many who do.
Yeah.
It's not the same angle, but...
This comes off, right?
Does it?
Yeah. This is Taylor.
- Do you ever sleep?
- No fatalities.
Some debris came down in and around
Station but it didn't hit any with people.
- An airliner?
- That's what we think now
but we're trying to confirm
with eye witnesses.
Have you checked with airports
for any overdue flights?
Yeah, we're checking. Nothing yet.
Why would someone blow up
an airliner over Montana?
Why does anyone ever
blow up an airliner?
Yeah. Is Vernon and the
new guy in the yet?
They're waiting for you in your office
- What's his name again? I know you told me
- DiLeo.
- DiLeo.
- There's something else though
that might turn this into
a whole other thing.
I just got a call saying
that hospitals in the area
are reporting multiple
patients coming in
with symptoms consistent
with radiation sickness.
- A dirty bomb?
- We haven't confirmed that yet.
- But that's what it looks like?
- Nobody really knows what that looks like.
We might find out tonight Get the
Mayor of Station on the phone
and tell him there's a quarantine
in effect for Station Township
and everything within a 10 mile radius.
- Coordinate with local authorities.
- We shouldn't wait for confirmation?
Do you really feel like taking
chances with radiation?
But get some feet on the
ground to confirm that.
But I need you to confirm that.
Sir, there are positive cases of radiation
sickness in two separate hospitals.
- How do you spell that?
- I just ordered a quarantine
for Station Township and everything
within a 10 mile radius.
One of the cases is from a hospital
30 miles north of Station.
I'm going to need a copy of that faxed
to this office before I can do...
Thank you.
Sir, a major piece of debris,
a piece of a plane's fuselage maybe
crash landed in a wooded area
outside of Edmonton in Canada.
We're getting a formal request for
assistance from your counterpart
in the RCMP faxed here right now.
Good, we're not passing this
one off on the Mounties.
I got the Governor and the Mayor of Station
waiting to speak with you on lines 2 and 4.
Vernon, you're going to stay in touch
with those hospitals and the Station P.D.
Give them anything they need Send
me updates every half an hour.
You, I need you to send
me a copy of that fax
as soon as you get it in
your hands to my phone.
- Can you handle that?
- Yes, sir.
Call down to the airfield for a car.
Agent Larson and I are leaving for
Edmonton in 15 minutes. Make it happen.
I told you his name was DiLeo.
Yeah, I know. I only had so much room
at this particular moment, so...
You good?
- Yeah. You?
- Yeah.
Why are we going to Edmonton?
'Cause we're not going to be
the next news media punch line
that screwed the pooch
on a terrorism case.
We stay out in front of this thing
and show the country that we're
actually good for something.
- How does that sound to you?
- No argument here.
Good. Let's do this right.
- Yes, sir. Lines two and four.
- Thank you Sophie.
Mr. Mayor, this is Tom Taylor.
Do you know where I can get a
cup of coffee or something?
Mr. Secretary.
Yes, sir. I do too, sir.
Thank you.
They have us set up at a
defunct airbase in Calgary.
They're shipping the suspect to
a facility here for treatment.
I don't know that yet, sir.
We'll know more very soon.
I -- with...
all due respect sir, I...
think that's a little premature.
I'm...
not ready to label this an
act of terror just yet.
I understand there are political...
we just don't know that yet sir.
And what we do know just isn't
adding up to my satisfaction.
Just need a little more time to sort...
Yes, sir. That's why we're here.
Well I appreciate that, sir, yes.
Yes, sir.
You'll know as soon as I do.
Thank you.
Tom?
Jesus Christ!
- Sorry. We have...
- No, it's okay.
We've got the Deputy Secretary pressuring me
to announce that we've captured a terrorist.
He says it would be politically
expedient to do it now before...
a whole debate over the
definition of what constitutes
an act of terror starts in the media
and I'm trying to tell him...
in so many words that...
I don't want to start
counting my chickens... What?
He's here.
He started yelling at us. I think in
Russian before we got the hatch open.
Once we identified
ourselves, he shut up...
and thats when we noticed he
had a pistol in his right hand.
He couldn't raise it enough
to point it at us though.
I don't know if he would have shot
at us, or if he was just scared.
Does that kid look like
a terrorist to you?
I don't know what he looks like.
He's stable now.
He was extremely dehydrated,
malnourished...
and I'm running every
test that I can think of.
He'll live?
He's got a good shot.
The fact that he survived
all this time under the
conditions that he's been living
gives me hope that he's got a chance.
But he's gonna need, I don't know,
could be years of rehabilitation.
Have you ever seen
anything like this before?
Frankly, no, I haven't.
The only cases...
that come close that I know of...
is severe child abuse where a
child is held hostage in a room
or a basement and neglected.
It's like he's been living
in a cave his whole life.
Can he talk?
He's sleeping now.
He's in shock
I can't guarantee he'll make
any sense when he wakes up.
Let me know as soon as he does.
Will do.
You said he was yelling something
when you found him. Do you...
remember what he was saying?
Not really. It was something
in Russian, I think
She speaks about 47 languages.
Whatever you remember
Something like...
identiforo... something.
Nikorosh vi stronia.
Nikorosh vistronia
Identifutsoro vitsebia.
Could that have been the first part?
Yes. I think so, I think that was it.
Identify yourself.
What about the rest?
Which side are you?
You said he kept repeating that?
Yes, sir.
Which side are you?
Which side of what?
That's what I heard.
What does that mean? Are you sure
you're translating that right?
47 languages.
He was wearing this when we found him.
Is that a spacesuit?
- May I?
- It's clear.
Hello?
Look.
Maybe they just haven't
sprung for new patches.
Does that kid look like he was even
born when there was a Soviet Union?
Sirs?
That's no airliner.
No, it's not.
We found these in the capsule.
- Those look like rocks.
- They are, rocks.
And we found this.
I guess it's also Russian.
What is it?
I'm not sure.
It looks like a page from
some kind of flight manual.
There's something
handwritten on the back
What?
That's the most ridiculous
story I've ever heard.
Yes sir. We're investigating
all the possibilities.
It sounds more like someone got their
hands on some old Soviet hardware
and are using it to perpetrate
an attack on the United States.
An attack on Montana, sir?
Maybe it went wrong. I don't know.
All I know is, I have
sick people in hospitals
and a potential public
relations nightmare.
We have to show we have a
handle on the situation.
I don't need to remind you that our record on
these things hasn't been exemplary of late.
With all due respect, sir. I'm not
convinced we're dealing with terrorism
All we have is a sick kid,
possibly a Russian national.
I don't think treating him
like a criminal is the best...
He had no identification...
and piloted a craft spreading
radiation over American cities.
First thing he does is pull a gun on
the people who are rescuing him.
Have I got that much right?
Yes, sir. All those things are true
Then he's a criminal until we have
firm evidence to the contrary.
Whatever the case
I want you to take the suspect to an
American base immediately, and we'll...
I don't think that's the best
course of action at this time, sir.
I'd like more time to investigate
before we jump to any conclusions.
I'm not making suggestions, Mr. Taylor.
I want you to move him
as soon as you can.
Yes sir.
Okay then. We'll be in
touch throughout the day.
Yeah?
We've recovered another piece
of the capsule outside Calgary.
There was a nuclear battery onboard; it looks
like that was the source of the radiation.
It's in an unpopulated area,
so there's that bit of good news.
Yeah.
What?
We're leaving.
They didn't believe it either?
I don't blame them. It's crazy.
It's also the only thing that
makes any kind of sense.
Sophie. It makes no kind of sense.
What do you think? Some Al Qaeda nut job
makes a play for an old Soviet space capsule
instead of a nuclear bomb,
somehow manages to launch
it from a cave in Tora Bora
on a mission to scare the
bejesus out of Montana.
- Where's the sense in that?
- It spread radiation over hundreds of miles.
It just seems like a round about way to
spread terror, if terror's your goal.
I know. I know, I...
I don't know what else to do.
I don't know what else there is to do.
Well, nothing besides get some sleep.
I don't have time for that,
and neither do you.
We have a sick kid in a hospital bed.
He's not a terrorist.
He's not a Martian either.
Well, maybe not.
What's that?
It's a letter from the RCMP allowing
us to operate in Canadian territory
DiLeo sent it over.
I asked for this like 12 hours ago.
He said he had trouble converting it
to a PDF, or something. I don't know.
He's supposed to be America's
first line of defense.
- The best and the brightest.
- Which one are you?
I've always been the best,
but never the brightest.
Well, I've always been the brightest,
but never quite the best.
You know, if this whole serving and
protecting thing doesn't work out,
I think we have a sitcom in our future.
I'll make the arrangements.
Thank you.
This is Taylor.
Mr. Taylor, this is Dr.
Bertram. I was the physician...
Yeah. I know who you are.
How's he doing?
I've just gotten the preliminary
blood work back and he has cancer.
Say that again.
I'm no oncologist, but...
but his body's riddled with it.
I've called in an expert.
Slow down doctor.
Get him ready to be moved.
He's coming back with us to the States.
I don't think that's a good idea.
I didn't ask your opinion, and besides that,
the decision's already been made.
We've been granted authority to
operate in this jurisdiction
and whether you like it or not, you answer
to me, do you understand that?
Yes.
Anything else I should know?
He's developed a respiratory infection,
he's not responding to treatment.
If you put him on a plane,
you could kill him.
And this is your professional opinion?
What other opinion would it be?
I'm sorry.
He's coming back with us.
He'll receive treatment in the States.
- Get ready to move him.
- Yes sir.
Tom Taylor.
- How'd you know it was me?
- I've got caller id,
like the rest of the world.
I'm not interrupting anything, am I?
No, just about to play my round of golf;
like I did yesterday...
like I probably will tomorrow.
Sounds like the life you always wanted.
It's not.
Yeah. Sorry I didn't make it to that
dinner I read about in the paper.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
That's not why you called.
Yeah. No
Messy business up there.
Please...
tell me you haven't
called for a pep talk.
Yeah. Not exactly.
Then what?
I got golf to play.
Yeah. Well...
this may seem a little strange, but...
I need your insight on something.
My insight?
Yeah.
Just how crazy were
the Soviets? I mean...
just how crazy were they?
You know.
You were there.
I was a kid, I wasn't on
the front lines like you.
Well.
I never put anything pass them,
I'll say that. Never.
Naw...
some people thought
we were a bunch of...
paranoid theomongers in the agency,
but all the stuff we learned when
we left after the fall. Jesus!
It was a crazy time than.
Hell, we were crazy too but...
they were crazier...
I really mean that.
Did you ever hear of a guy
named Stanislov Petrov?
No.
Me neither, not until
about 10 years ago.
Stanislov Petrov was in the
Soviet Air Defense Force and...
he was on duty in a bunker just
outside Moscow one night in 1983.
His job was to monitor OKO,
the Soviet early warning system.
Kind of like our NORAD.
They had a network of satellites up
in orbit, just like we did...
to alert them if the U.S.
launched their missiles.
Anyway...
old Stanislav was on duty,
eating his day old bread,
drinking his Vodka, whatever they did.
He saw something he'd never seen before.
A big board lit up all red,
and alarms going off...
blaring.
What it was telling
him was that the U.S.
had launched their ICBM's, their...
their nuclear ICBM's at his country.
His job in that event...
was to fire his country's missiles back.
But he didn't.
He didn't believe it.
For some reason, in his gut it
just didn't feel right.
So, he ignored all his orders
and all his training...
and he turned the alarm off.
To make a long story short...
the sun was bouncing off some
clouds or something or other...
and confused the satellite
into thinking...
missiles were on their way.
If Stanislav Petrov...
had done what he was supposed to do...
we wouldn't be having this
conversation right now.
And you know what happened to him?
Discharged...
dishonorably.
Probably sent to Siberia...
or somewhere. Who knows.
The man defied his country...
and saved the world.
Quite literally saved the world.
And he faced the consequences.
Because...
I think he had something the
rest of his country didn't.
Imagination.
He...
could imagine the consequences
of following his orders.
And those consequences were
unconscionable to him.
And that's how crazy they were.
Does that about answer your question?
I guess so.
Anyway...
It was sweet of you to...
to call an old man for his advice, Tom.
It really is.
Get out there and do a job, will ya?
Yes, sir.
Next time you're in the neighborhood...
Yeah. I'm not really much of a golfer.
Me neither.
Take care, Frank.
You should be more concerned with
taking care of yourself right now.
Bye.
Get our people up here.
As little as possible.
We need to give them something.
They're sniffing blood in the water.
Otherwise they're just going to
run with whatever they can find.
- He's right. We can say...
- Why don't we just say
that a Soviet satellite and
old Soviet satellite...
- With a leak in the battery onboard. Yes.
- Came down just like it did.
- Can you work with that?
- Yes.
Great. Put something together
and give it to the press.
All right, that takes care of
the press. Now what about -
- Don't worry about that.
- Don't worry about that?
- DiLeo, do you still have that fax?
- Yes, sir.
- Alright, you never got it.
- Sir?
- The right answer is, what fax?
- Yes sir.
What are you doing?
I believe the technical term is gumming up
the works and buying some time to investigate
before we end up shipping
that kid to a federal prison.
Jesus Christ! Can we get a cup of coffee
around her that tastes like coffee, please?
Send someone to Willie Horton's,
or whatever they have up here.
- Get some for everyone, will you?
- We need an expert in here.
Someone who knows what they're
talking about, and quietly.
An expert? On what?
It's open.
Yes?
Zachary Walzer?
Dr. Zachary Walzer.
Can I help you?
Dr. Walzer.
I'm Tom Taylor.
Sorry about all the...
I know this is a little strange.
I think I know why I'm here.
You do.
That dirty bomb thing
wasn't a dirty bomb. Right?
- No, it was actually...
- Funny thing about that downed
- satellite story.
- What's that?
I heard it on the news this morning
and I couldn't help feeling
like I'd heard it
somewhere before, so...
so I did a bit of Googling,
and in about two minutes...
I found this.
Apparently a Soviet Satellite
carrying a nuclear battery
made an unplanned reentry
into the Earth's atmosphere
spreading radioactive
material over Canada.
That's right.
You see, that article is from 1979.
Funny coincidence, right?
Two Soviet satellites accidentally
come down and spread radiation
over the same part of
the world? I mean...
that's some bad luck. Don't you think?
You might want to do a little research
before you put out a bogus cover story.
Well, as I can see,
you've already gathered
we're in a bit of a
situation here that...
quite frankly, it's a little
outside my area of expertise.
- I don't doubt it.
- Good.
Then you'll understand why we're in
need of a little outside consulting.
I understand you're some
kind of space buff.
I have a Masters in
Aeronautics and Astronautics
and a PhD in Nuclear Engineering.
- There you go.
- I've written three books
on celestial mechanics
and manned space flight.
Two Planets, One Future, and The Case
for the Red Planet. What's the third?
It's coming out next fall. No title yet.
What exactly have you got going on here.
I'll need you to sign the Confidentially
Agreement before I can tell you anything.
Forgive me.
You'll understand if I'm a little hesitant
to do anything you say or sign anything.
You're the guys who
have made flying from
Seattle to Cleveland to be a real ordeal
and flying to the Moon doesn't
exactly instill confidence.
I'm trying to protect
the American people.
And what a bang up job
you've done on that so far.
The fact is, we're in a bit of a
spot here and we could use someone
with your knowledge
and expertise on this.
If it's not you, it'll be someone else.
What could you possible
want with someone like me?
Imagination, Doctor.
Imagination.
Don't tell me it's
extraterrestrial. Really.
Or I'll just walk right
back out that door.
No. It's actually a
little weirder than that.
Come with me.
Theoretically, is it possible
for someone to survive on Mars?
Absolutely.
For years on their own
with limited resources?
Well sure. I've written a lot about this.
It's called the living off the land approach.
Like the pioneers who settled
the Western United States.
All the elements of survival are right there
on Mars if you know how to extract them.
It's surviving the trip
there that's the hard part.
You've got a million kinds
of background radiation,
cosmic rays, solar flare activity.
Plus nine months without a gas
station to stop at if you get a flat.
What's happened to his man?
You tell me.
This is your Martian pioneer.
What?
The Soviet satellite wasn't a satellite;
it was some sort of capsule.
We found him inside.
We also found a note.
If it's to be believed,
it was written by a Soviet Cosmonaut
who claims to have been living
on Mars since the mid '80's.
According to the note,
this supposedly is their child.
Wait. What?
Slow down.
You're really saying, seriously, that...
that this man has been to Mars?
We're saying he was born there.
Well how is that possible?
That's what we'd like you to tell us.
Dr. Walzer.
Are you all right?
Do you know what this means?
- I know. It's a little insane.
- It's incredible.
If it's true...
My whole life, I've been...
making the case for the human
exploration of Mars, Mr. Taylor.
And this whole time...
my god.
I'm sorry. You'll have to
excuse me, it's a little...
I'm sorry.
Will you help us out doctor?
Absofuckinlutely!
pivot points in history.
We usually mark the past
by the wars we fight,
where you hear people talk about things
before the war and the world after the war.
The after-the-war world is born out
of human struggle and cruelty.
Sometimes there are events born out of human
ingenuity and courage like discovering fire,
or inventing the Internet,
or walking on the moon.
Sometimes it's a little of both.
We had no idea what was going to happen
or what we were going to do about it.
And we had no idea the price we'd pay.
There was no plan...
There were no lofty thoughts
about changing the world.
We just did what we thought
was right at the time.
And I would do it all again,
even knowing the consequences.
See, the thing is, I've never
actually written a resume before.
Wait, are you kidding?
No, I've just never had to.
You know, school led to one thing, which led
another thing, to another thing, which led...
No, okay. That makes sense.
That makes sense.
But I mean, come on. You're 29
years old, and you've never...
28 years old, please.
All right, 28. And you have
never written a resume?
Yeah, no...
this is the first time that I've actually
had to put like a real one together.
All right. Okay, so the only
thing that I would say is,
I know it seems to make sense to put
everything in chronological order...
but you might want to start with your
most recent work and then work backwards.
- Oh, oh, I get it. And go, and go... right.
- Right. Because then the most relevant
- stuff is at the top
- Right, that makes sense. That makes sense.
That's good advice.
Good tip. Good Stuff.
This is why I come to you.
That's weird.
Top ten things you don't want to here
someone saying in a space observatory
that's weird is definitely
on there somewhere.
All right, so what's number one?
Like...
what the hell was that? That's on there.
Yeah, but what about like...
oh my god.
Right? Like,
- oh - my - god.
- Yeah, no, you're right. That's worse.
That's definitely number one, yeah.
Can one of you or both of you come over here
and tell me what this looks like to you?
Which one are you up to now?
These are captures from NEO94853
from last night.
Alright, what am I looking at?
Right here.
All right, that looks manmade.
Yeah.
Those are all most definitely
solar panels on the ends there.
But it's not a satellite out that far?
A probe?
That's the only think I
can think of, but we're...
we're already tracking all the
probes that are out there.
Well, is it possible they're
some we're not tracking?
I mean, I suppose.
I don't know what else it could be.
So if it's not ours, then what?
- Russian?
- Or, Chinese?
I don't think so.
This thing's coming toward us,
which means it would have had
to have been launched years ago
in order for it to be on
this kind of trajectory
and the Chinese have never sent
anything out that far, so.
What is its trajectory exactly?
How close is going to get to us?
It'll get close, but...
it won't catch us. In fact...
it's probably crossing our orbit right
about now if it hasn't done so already.
Are you sure it's not going to catch us?
Pretty sure. Yeah.
And anyway...
it would just burn up before
it got near the ground.
Okay, sir, if you stop now, if you go...
Okay go one back.
One forward, one forward, forward.
- Stop there. Right there. Right.
- Yeah...
What are you thinking?
Call me...
crazy.
There are many who do.
Yeah.
It's not the same angle, but...
This comes off, right?
Does it?
Yeah. This is Taylor.
- Do you ever sleep?
- No fatalities.
Some debris came down in and around
Station but it didn't hit any with people.
- An airliner?
- That's what we think now
but we're trying to confirm
with eye witnesses.
Have you checked with airports
for any overdue flights?
Yeah, we're checking. Nothing yet.
Why would someone blow up
an airliner over Montana?
Why does anyone ever
blow up an airliner?
Yeah. Is Vernon and the
new guy in the yet?
They're waiting for you in your office
- What's his name again? I know you told me
- DiLeo.
- DiLeo.
- There's something else though
that might turn this into
a whole other thing.
I just got a call saying
that hospitals in the area
are reporting multiple
patients coming in
with symptoms consistent
with radiation sickness.
- A dirty bomb?
- We haven't confirmed that yet.
- But that's what it looks like?
- Nobody really knows what that looks like.
We might find out tonight Get the
Mayor of Station on the phone
and tell him there's a quarantine
in effect for Station Township
and everything within a 10 mile radius.
- Coordinate with local authorities.
- We shouldn't wait for confirmation?
Do you really feel like taking
chances with radiation?
But get some feet on the
ground to confirm that.
But I need you to confirm that.
Sir, there are positive cases of radiation
sickness in two separate hospitals.
- How do you spell that?
- I just ordered a quarantine
for Station Township and everything
within a 10 mile radius.
One of the cases is from a hospital
30 miles north of Station.
I'm going to need a copy of that faxed
to this office before I can do...
Thank you.
Sir, a major piece of debris,
a piece of a plane's fuselage maybe
crash landed in a wooded area
outside of Edmonton in Canada.
We're getting a formal request for
assistance from your counterpart
in the RCMP faxed here right now.
Good, we're not passing this
one off on the Mounties.
I got the Governor and the Mayor of Station
waiting to speak with you on lines 2 and 4.
Vernon, you're going to stay in touch
with those hospitals and the Station P.D.
Give them anything they need Send
me updates every half an hour.
You, I need you to send
me a copy of that fax
as soon as you get it in
your hands to my phone.
- Can you handle that?
- Yes, sir.
Call down to the airfield for a car.
Agent Larson and I are leaving for
Edmonton in 15 minutes. Make it happen.
I told you his name was DiLeo.
Yeah, I know. I only had so much room
at this particular moment, so...
You good?
- Yeah. You?
- Yeah.
Why are we going to Edmonton?
'Cause we're not going to be
the next news media punch line
that screwed the pooch
on a terrorism case.
We stay out in front of this thing
and show the country that we're
actually good for something.
- How does that sound to you?
- No argument here.
Good. Let's do this right.
- Yes, sir. Lines two and four.
- Thank you Sophie.
Mr. Mayor, this is Tom Taylor.
Do you know where I can get a
cup of coffee or something?
Mr. Secretary.
Yes, sir. I do too, sir.
Thank you.
They have us set up at a
defunct airbase in Calgary.
They're shipping the suspect to
a facility here for treatment.
I don't know that yet, sir.
We'll know more very soon.
I -- with...
all due respect sir, I...
think that's a little premature.
I'm...
not ready to label this an
act of terror just yet.
I understand there are political...
we just don't know that yet sir.
And what we do know just isn't
adding up to my satisfaction.
Just need a little more time to sort...
Yes, sir. That's why we're here.
Well I appreciate that, sir, yes.
Yes, sir.
You'll know as soon as I do.
Thank you.
Tom?
Jesus Christ!
- Sorry. We have...
- No, it's okay.
We've got the Deputy Secretary pressuring me
to announce that we've captured a terrorist.
He says it would be politically
expedient to do it now before...
a whole debate over the
definition of what constitutes
an act of terror starts in the media
and I'm trying to tell him...
in so many words that...
I don't want to start
counting my chickens... What?
He's here.
He started yelling at us. I think in
Russian before we got the hatch open.
Once we identified
ourselves, he shut up...
and thats when we noticed he
had a pistol in his right hand.
He couldn't raise it enough
to point it at us though.
I don't know if he would have shot
at us, or if he was just scared.
Does that kid look like
a terrorist to you?
I don't know what he looks like.
He's stable now.
He was extremely dehydrated,
malnourished...
and I'm running every
test that I can think of.
He'll live?
He's got a good shot.
The fact that he survived
all this time under the
conditions that he's been living
gives me hope that he's got a chance.
But he's gonna need, I don't know,
could be years of rehabilitation.
Have you ever seen
anything like this before?
Frankly, no, I haven't.
The only cases...
that come close that I know of...
is severe child abuse where a
child is held hostage in a room
or a basement and neglected.
It's like he's been living
in a cave his whole life.
Can he talk?
He's sleeping now.
He's in shock
I can't guarantee he'll make
any sense when he wakes up.
Let me know as soon as he does.
Will do.
You said he was yelling something
when you found him. Do you...
remember what he was saying?
Not really. It was something
in Russian, I think
She speaks about 47 languages.
Whatever you remember
Something like...
identiforo... something.
Nikorosh vi stronia.
Nikorosh vistronia
Identifutsoro vitsebia.
Could that have been the first part?
Yes. I think so, I think that was it.
Identify yourself.
What about the rest?
Which side are you?
You said he kept repeating that?
Yes, sir.
Which side are you?
Which side of what?
That's what I heard.
What does that mean? Are you sure
you're translating that right?
47 languages.
He was wearing this when we found him.
Is that a spacesuit?
- May I?
- It's clear.
Hello?
Look.
Maybe they just haven't
sprung for new patches.
Does that kid look like he was even
born when there was a Soviet Union?
Sirs?
That's no airliner.
No, it's not.
We found these in the capsule.
- Those look like rocks.
- They are, rocks.
And we found this.
I guess it's also Russian.
What is it?
I'm not sure.
It looks like a page from
some kind of flight manual.
There's something
handwritten on the back
What?
That's the most ridiculous
story I've ever heard.
Yes sir. We're investigating
all the possibilities.
It sounds more like someone got their
hands on some old Soviet hardware
and are using it to perpetrate
an attack on the United States.
An attack on Montana, sir?
Maybe it went wrong. I don't know.
All I know is, I have
sick people in hospitals
and a potential public
relations nightmare.
We have to show we have a
handle on the situation.
I don't need to remind you that our record on
these things hasn't been exemplary of late.
With all due respect, sir. I'm not
convinced we're dealing with terrorism
All we have is a sick kid,
possibly a Russian national.
I don't think treating him
like a criminal is the best...
He had no identification...
and piloted a craft spreading
radiation over American cities.
First thing he does is pull a gun on
the people who are rescuing him.
Have I got that much right?
Yes, sir. All those things are true
Then he's a criminal until we have
firm evidence to the contrary.
Whatever the case
I want you to take the suspect to an
American base immediately, and we'll...
I don't think that's the best
course of action at this time, sir.
I'd like more time to investigate
before we jump to any conclusions.
I'm not making suggestions, Mr. Taylor.
I want you to move him
as soon as you can.
Yes sir.
Okay then. We'll be in
touch throughout the day.
Yeah?
We've recovered another piece
of the capsule outside Calgary.
There was a nuclear battery onboard; it looks
like that was the source of the radiation.
It's in an unpopulated area,
so there's that bit of good news.
Yeah.
What?
We're leaving.
They didn't believe it either?
I don't blame them. It's crazy.
It's also the only thing that
makes any kind of sense.
Sophie. It makes no kind of sense.
What do you think? Some Al Qaeda nut job
makes a play for an old Soviet space capsule
instead of a nuclear bomb,
somehow manages to launch
it from a cave in Tora Bora
on a mission to scare the
bejesus out of Montana.
- Where's the sense in that?
- It spread radiation over hundreds of miles.
It just seems like a round about way to
spread terror, if terror's your goal.
I know. I know, I...
I don't know what else to do.
I don't know what else there is to do.
Well, nothing besides get some sleep.
I don't have time for that,
and neither do you.
We have a sick kid in a hospital bed.
He's not a terrorist.
He's not a Martian either.
Well, maybe not.
What's that?
It's a letter from the RCMP allowing
us to operate in Canadian territory
DiLeo sent it over.
I asked for this like 12 hours ago.
He said he had trouble converting it
to a PDF, or something. I don't know.
He's supposed to be America's
first line of defense.
- The best and the brightest.
- Which one are you?
I've always been the best,
but never the brightest.
Well, I've always been the brightest,
but never quite the best.
You know, if this whole serving and
protecting thing doesn't work out,
I think we have a sitcom in our future.
I'll make the arrangements.
Thank you.
This is Taylor.
Mr. Taylor, this is Dr.
Bertram. I was the physician...
Yeah. I know who you are.
How's he doing?
I've just gotten the preliminary
blood work back and he has cancer.
Say that again.
I'm no oncologist, but...
but his body's riddled with it.
I've called in an expert.
Slow down doctor.
Get him ready to be moved.
He's coming back with us to the States.
I don't think that's a good idea.
I didn't ask your opinion, and besides that,
the decision's already been made.
We've been granted authority to
operate in this jurisdiction
and whether you like it or not, you answer
to me, do you understand that?
Yes.
Anything else I should know?
He's developed a respiratory infection,
he's not responding to treatment.
If you put him on a plane,
you could kill him.
And this is your professional opinion?
What other opinion would it be?
I'm sorry.
He's coming back with us.
He'll receive treatment in the States.
- Get ready to move him.
- Yes sir.
Tom Taylor.
- How'd you know it was me?
- I've got caller id,
like the rest of the world.
I'm not interrupting anything, am I?
No, just about to play my round of golf;
like I did yesterday...
like I probably will tomorrow.
Sounds like the life you always wanted.
It's not.
Yeah. Sorry I didn't make it to that
dinner I read about in the paper.
Congratulations.
Thank you.
That's not why you called.
Yeah. No
Messy business up there.
Please...
tell me you haven't
called for a pep talk.
Yeah. Not exactly.
Then what?
I got golf to play.
Yeah. Well...
this may seem a little strange, but...
I need your insight on something.
My insight?
Yeah.
Just how crazy were
the Soviets? I mean...
just how crazy were they?
You know.
You were there.
I was a kid, I wasn't on
the front lines like you.
Well.
I never put anything pass them,
I'll say that. Never.
Naw...
some people thought
we were a bunch of...
paranoid theomongers in the agency,
but all the stuff we learned when
we left after the fall. Jesus!
It was a crazy time than.
Hell, we were crazy too but...
they were crazier...
I really mean that.
Did you ever hear of a guy
named Stanislov Petrov?
No.
Me neither, not until
about 10 years ago.
Stanislov Petrov was in the
Soviet Air Defense Force and...
he was on duty in a bunker just
outside Moscow one night in 1983.
His job was to monitor OKO,
the Soviet early warning system.
Kind of like our NORAD.
They had a network of satellites up
in orbit, just like we did...
to alert them if the U.S.
launched their missiles.
Anyway...
old Stanislav was on duty,
eating his day old bread,
drinking his Vodka, whatever they did.
He saw something he'd never seen before.
A big board lit up all red,
and alarms going off...
blaring.
What it was telling
him was that the U.S.
had launched their ICBM's, their...
their nuclear ICBM's at his country.
His job in that event...
was to fire his country's missiles back.
But he didn't.
He didn't believe it.
For some reason, in his gut it
just didn't feel right.
So, he ignored all his orders
and all his training...
and he turned the alarm off.
To make a long story short...
the sun was bouncing off some
clouds or something or other...
and confused the satellite
into thinking...
missiles were on their way.
If Stanislav Petrov...
had done what he was supposed to do...
we wouldn't be having this
conversation right now.
And you know what happened to him?
Discharged...
dishonorably.
Probably sent to Siberia...
or somewhere. Who knows.
The man defied his country...
and saved the world.
Quite literally saved the world.
And he faced the consequences.
Because...
I think he had something the
rest of his country didn't.
Imagination.
He...
could imagine the consequences
of following his orders.
And those consequences were
unconscionable to him.
And that's how crazy they were.
Does that about answer your question?
I guess so.
Anyway...
It was sweet of you to...
to call an old man for his advice, Tom.
It really is.
Get out there and do a job, will ya?
Yes, sir.
Next time you're in the neighborhood...
Yeah. I'm not really much of a golfer.
Me neither.
Take care, Frank.
You should be more concerned with
taking care of yourself right now.
Bye.
Get our people up here.
As little as possible.
We need to give them something.
They're sniffing blood in the water.
Otherwise they're just going to
run with whatever they can find.
- He's right. We can say...
- Why don't we just say
that a Soviet satellite and
old Soviet satellite...
- With a leak in the battery onboard. Yes.
- Came down just like it did.
- Can you work with that?
- Yes.
Great. Put something together
and give it to the press.
All right, that takes care of
the press. Now what about -
- Don't worry about that.
- Don't worry about that?
- DiLeo, do you still have that fax?
- Yes, sir.
- Alright, you never got it.
- Sir?
- The right answer is, what fax?
- Yes sir.
What are you doing?
I believe the technical term is gumming up
the works and buying some time to investigate
before we end up shipping
that kid to a federal prison.
Jesus Christ! Can we get a cup of coffee
around her that tastes like coffee, please?
Send someone to Willie Horton's,
or whatever they have up here.
- Get some for everyone, will you?
- We need an expert in here.
Someone who knows what they're
talking about, and quietly.
An expert? On what?
It's open.
Yes?
Zachary Walzer?
Dr. Zachary Walzer.
Can I help you?
Dr. Walzer.
I'm Tom Taylor.
Sorry about all the...
I know this is a little strange.
I think I know why I'm here.
You do.
That dirty bomb thing
wasn't a dirty bomb. Right?
- No, it was actually...
- Funny thing about that downed
- satellite story.
- What's that?
I heard it on the news this morning
and I couldn't help feeling
like I'd heard it
somewhere before, so...
so I did a bit of Googling,
and in about two minutes...
I found this.
Apparently a Soviet Satellite
carrying a nuclear battery
made an unplanned reentry
into the Earth's atmosphere
spreading radioactive
material over Canada.
That's right.
You see, that article is from 1979.
Funny coincidence, right?
Two Soviet satellites accidentally
come down and spread radiation
over the same part of
the world? I mean...
that's some bad luck. Don't you think?
You might want to do a little research
before you put out a bogus cover story.
Well, as I can see,
you've already gathered
we're in a bit of a
situation here that...
quite frankly, it's a little
outside my area of expertise.
- I don't doubt it.
- Good.
Then you'll understand why we're in
need of a little outside consulting.
I understand you're some
kind of space buff.
I have a Masters in
Aeronautics and Astronautics
and a PhD in Nuclear Engineering.
- There you go.
- I've written three books
on celestial mechanics
and manned space flight.
Two Planets, One Future, and The Case
for the Red Planet. What's the third?
It's coming out next fall. No title yet.
What exactly have you got going on here.
I'll need you to sign the Confidentially
Agreement before I can tell you anything.
Forgive me.
You'll understand if I'm a little hesitant
to do anything you say or sign anything.
You're the guys who
have made flying from
Seattle to Cleveland to be a real ordeal
and flying to the Moon doesn't
exactly instill confidence.
I'm trying to protect
the American people.
And what a bang up job
you've done on that so far.
The fact is, we're in a bit of a
spot here and we could use someone
with your knowledge
and expertise on this.
If it's not you, it'll be someone else.
What could you possible
want with someone like me?
Imagination, Doctor.
Imagination.
Don't tell me it's
extraterrestrial. Really.
Or I'll just walk right
back out that door.
No. It's actually a
little weirder than that.
Come with me.
Theoretically, is it possible
for someone to survive on Mars?
Absolutely.
For years on their own
with limited resources?
Well sure. I've written a lot about this.
It's called the living off the land approach.
Like the pioneers who settled
the Western United States.
All the elements of survival are right there
on Mars if you know how to extract them.
It's surviving the trip
there that's the hard part.
You've got a million kinds
of background radiation,
cosmic rays, solar flare activity.
Plus nine months without a gas
station to stop at if you get a flat.
What's happened to his man?
You tell me.
This is your Martian pioneer.
What?
The Soviet satellite wasn't a satellite;
it was some sort of capsule.
We found him inside.
We also found a note.
If it's to be believed,
it was written by a Soviet Cosmonaut
who claims to have been living
on Mars since the mid '80's.
According to the note,
this supposedly is their child.
Wait. What?
Slow down.
You're really saying, seriously, that...
that this man has been to Mars?
We're saying he was born there.
Well how is that possible?
That's what we'd like you to tell us.
Dr. Walzer.
Are you all right?
Do you know what this means?
- I know. It's a little insane.
- It's incredible.
If it's true...
My whole life, I've been...
making the case for the human
exploration of Mars, Mr. Taylor.
And this whole time...
my god.
I'm sorry. You'll have to
excuse me, it's a little...
I'm sorry.
Will you help us out doctor?
Absofuckinlutely!