The Expanse (2015–…): Season 3, Episode 5 - Triple Point - full transcript

Someone's alive in here.

You just
can't help yourself, can you?

Saving everyone.

You want me to go and tell
my CO to hail a UNN admiral

in the middle
of a war?

Yes, exactly.

So what is this thing that
you want me to show them?

Time is short,
and I'll be brief.

Are the prisoners
secured?

We have them
in the med bay.

What really happened
on that ship?



This war
was built on a lie.

Are you going to do
something about it?

I'm relieving you
of command.

The Agatha King
is now mine.

Melas has learned to live without a father.

We don't need you anymore.

Fire!

You guys fought one of
those things and won?

All hybrid pods are
ready for transfer.

Katoa, come on!

I want to talk to Katoa.

Disassembly reveals
useful pathways.

The boy is talking to

the rest of the
protomolecule infestations.



He's the key
to everything.

It's getting kinda
crowded out here.

Yeah.

When the MCRN started
hauling ass back from Saturn,

the UNN sent the bulk of
their outer planet assets

burning hard towards 'em.

Now,

they're all headed
towards Callisto,

transponders
going dark.

The MCRN shipyard.

It's a critical base
of operations.

That it is,

but it has opened up
a hole for us right here.

See this course?

This'll get us to Io without
anyone picking up our scent.

Little bit of luck,
we'll get in and out without anyone noticing.

Whoever is there
won't know we're coming,

but that's the only
advantage we got.

We'll go in hot,
land hard,

and from there,
it's a 100-meter run to the access hatch.

Any idea of
the resistance inside?

In terms of humans?
No.

In terms of hybrids,

there's no way
to know for sure.

We haven't had any more protomolecule
shouts from the station.

It's possible the hybrids
are either gone or dormant.

And if they're not?

Then we run,

and nuke the goddamn place
on the way out.

Copy that.

Okay.

Ready?

If they take Callisto,
it's game over.

They've got 19 destroyers.

Third fleet
hurt 'em good.

And lost four battle
groups in the process.

Your sister fought
a good fight.

With those
reinforcements,

it'll be 51 destroyers
against our 23.

We're racing into a battle
before our guns arrive.

Sir, Ensign Sinopoli,
as you requested.

Thank you, Chief.

Captain, on behalf of my team,
I'd just like to say thank you.

Thank you, sailor,
for coming back to the fight,

though I don't understand
how you did it.

Your command deck
was sheared clean off.

We didn't exactly get the KC
in ship-shape ourselves.

- We had help.
- From who?

James Holden.

The taker,
who blamed us for blowing up the Canterbury,

then got
the Donnie killed?

The Rocinante...

I mean, the Tachi,
it came upon the KC.

They just fixed up your boat
and sent you on your way?

We tried to take the ship by force,
but we were unsuccessful.

There was a Martian marine
on board,

Gunnery Sergeant
Roberta Draper.

The defector.

As well as UN Deputy Undersecretary,
Chrisjen Avasarala.

She was there, too.

Who else was there?
Fucking tooth fairy?

It's a little hard
to believe, son.

But she was there.

Then why did they
let you go?

Holden and Avasarala gave me
this to give to my CO.

They say there's a conspiracy within the UN,
and this is the proof.

Time is short,
and I'll be brief.

Martian Defense Minister
Korshunov

suffered a fatal heart attack
earlier this evening.

Simultaneously,
the MCRN Karakum,

dispatched by Korshunov to take delivery
of your protomolecule technology,

was destroyed over Ganymede.

And I gave the order.

Avasarala wanted this to get
to you and Admiral Souther.

He's commander
of their Jupiter fleet,

aboard the Agatha King.

She says he's
an honorable man.

He wouldn't fight
an illegitimate war.

He's been fighting one,

and based on the number of
our ships he's knocked out,

he's pretty
good at it, too.

You don't even know
if that's authentic.

This smells like counterespionage,
some kind of smokescreen.

Nav, where's
the UNN Agatha King?

Sir, according to
our last drive sig scan,

the Agatha King was en route
to the Jovian system.

- Callisto?
- No, sir.

Looks like they're
heading for Io.

There's nothing on Io but volcanoes,
bad weather, and stink.

And maybe something
we don't know about.

Something important enough to divert
a UNN flagship in a war zone.

I'm sorry, Captain.

Shouldn't we at least try
to contact Souther?

An enemy admiral
in the middle of a war

to pass along a message
we don't know is real,

for a purpose we don't
understand?

Tight-beam MCRN Command.

Inform them that we have
received intel

that the UNN Agatha King
is en route to Io

for an unknown objective that may
be critical to the war effort,

and we are changing course
to intercept.

If necessary,
we will engage

and take them out.

Aye-aye, sir.

- Captain...
- You've done your part, Ensign.

Chief.

Get him on a damage control unit.
We're gonna need the help.

One way or another,
we're heading for a fight.

Aye, sir.

Their battle group
was en route to Callisto

when this cruiser detached
and set course for Io.

Drive sig indicates
Scirocco-class.

We can handle
one of those.

I'd still hate to have
to slug it out.

They could do us
some real damage.

My recommendation would be
to fall back to Callisto

and rendezvous with the Eighth
so the numbers are in our favor.

We will continue to
Io as planned.

Admiral,

may I ask why
we're going to Io?

You don't need to know.

Of course, sir,

but I wonder,
since Callisto

- is the key to victory...
- We are going to Io.

The rest of the fleet
will meet us there.

Sir.

Mars knows
where we're going.

That's where the battle
will be fought.

Mr. Boyer, relay my orders
to the fleet.

Aye-aye, sir.

Admiral, in the future,
unless you have specific business on the CIC,

there's no need
for you to be here.

Understood, sir.

Good coffee
can save the world.

I'd settle for it
saving my morning.

My father used to keep a
statue of Atlas on his desk.

He told me I had even stronger
shoulders than him.

I was six.

Let me guess.
It's still on your desk

- to inspire you every day.
- No.

I smashed it when
my son was killed.

The point is,
I didn't quit.

I realized there were
very few adults in the room,

and that, like it or not,

I was one of them.

I think I see
where this is going.

Jules-Pierre Mao has been
letting the children

play war
in the backyard,

while he sorts out what god or
monster looms over the fence.

Then he came up with
a real shitty plan.

Kids can burn down the house
as easy as you or me.

James.

I haven't been completely
honest with you.

You can't nuke Io.

I need the protomolecule.

Naomi was right.

She's a very clever girl.

Earth doesn't have
a sample,

but I don't want it
as a weapon.

You know what's
happening on Venus.

The entire system's
at risk.

Because of
adults like you.

You're the reason
we're in this mess.

My favorite saying
used to be,

"Earth must come first."

I did terrible things
to protect my home,

but this moment
is different.

This is about the
survival of our species.

I tried
saving the world.

All I did
was make it worse.

But at least
you tried.

And you cannot
stop trying now,

'cause I need to understand
the protomolecule,

and for that,
I need a sample.

For the good of Earth,
Mars and the Belt.

For the good of us all.

You're not a child.

I suspect you never were.

So stop acting
like one.

It doesn't become you.

Hey, Holden.

What's up?

I'm gonna open up the comms and
have one last little looky-loo,

before we go dark,
if that's all right with you.

Okay, make it quick.

All right.

Let's see what
we got here, girl.

Yeah. Definitely looks like the
next rodeo's gonna be at Callisto.

That's good.

Hi, Dad.

I know Mom's mad,
and doesn't want me talking to you,

but I just wanted you to know,
I'm not mad.

I mean, I was at first,
but I know you only left to protect us.

A real warrior has to
make sacrifices.

When I'm old enough,

I'm gonna join you
and fight for Mars, too.

- Anyhow, I just wanted to tell you.
- Jeez.

I'm proud to be your son.

Bye, Dad.

Hope you can
come home soon.

Just breathe.

Squeeze the trigger.
Don't pull it.

Not bad, Doc.

Just remember,
when we're on Io,

the real bullets kick a lot
harder than these plastic rounds.

I'll remember.

Thank you for
taking care of me.

And for teaching me.

You can thank me if we get
your little girl back.

Or get even.

Like you said,
it's the next best thing.

Permission to
speak freely, sir.

Please do.

Ever since Nguyen
came on board,

he's been tight-beaming back and
forth between the UN and Io,

and everything's off-buffer,
against regs,

with no record
of the conversations.

You've been monitoring
his comms.

Yep.

And now he's diverted a capital
ship from a major engagement

to go to
a deserted moon,

keeping you in the dark,

and relieving you of command
for no fucking reason.

Something is off.

We've been talking,

quietly, to some of
the other ships.

The commanders you trained,

they're loyal to you.

If you were
to make a move...

A move?

You know
what we mean, sir.

Yeah.

And that's what
worries me.

Admiral.

Oh, Boyer, um,
I've been meaning to tell you,

your boss is
kind of a prick.

When he has to be.

He doesn't like people
questioning his judgment.

There's a reason
he's Fleet Commander.

Yeah, 'cause Souther
stepped down.

Are you sure it wasn't more
like stepped on?

Well, Nguyen certainly has
the right qualifications.

The ability to kiss
Errinwright's ass.

Did you know that Admiral Nguyen
was in the Vesta Blockade?

So were half
the Joint Chiefs.

He was on the Yasijuro.

No kidding.

The Yasi, with four
other destroyers,

were facing off against
one Martian cruiser.

Somebody twitched.

Everybody started shooting.

Ceasefire was issued
within minutes,

but by then,

that one Duster had crippled
all five of our ships.

Nguyen saw 29 fellow sailors
get blown out into space.

You don't think he thinks about that
every time he sees a Martian flag?

Hmm?

He knows the enemy.

I'm glad he's in charge
at a time like this.

Well, Gunny...

Looks like your Goliath's gonna
be all charged up in no time.

Thrusters are low.
This won't refill them.

Yeah, sorry about that.

We don't carry hydrazine.

Roci has no need for
rocket fuel, ironically.

Look, don't worry about it.

Like, Io's gonna be what,
one-sixth G?

You and you crew
killed a hybrid, yeah?

Yeah.

Barely.

Well, how'd you do it?

Tactically.

We were lucky.

They're not that smart.

More like an animal,
following instinct.

We lured the thing out
with a nuclear warhead,

and I flipped
the Roci around,

and I torched that thing
in my drive plume.

I need incendiaries,

or high explosives.

But there's nothing here that'll
work with my RPGs, damn it!

But these'll work
with my gun.

If I can get close enough
and maintain fire long enough,

these might do the trick.

Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Hold on there, soldier.

The plan is, if you guys see any of
those things down there, you run.

I know the plan.

Katoa,

can you hear me?

What happened to me?

It hurts.

I'm sorry.

I truly am.

I want to talk to you
about disassembly.

What you said before,

when you were
studying that man,

were you also talking about
the Arboghast, on Venus?

I think so.

You also said "repurposing."

What did you mean by that?

You...

You...

You make it

and it works,

or it doesn't.

And then...

The parts...

All the parts,

put together,

they...

They...

We need to...

To know what
you're trying to do.

What do you want?

If this can use, then use,

not use, then...

It turns.

Can use? Not use?

Use for what?

Find the pieces... For Up.

Building across...

The Up...

For the Work.

The Work?

What is the Work?

You can't stop the Work!

What are you building?

He's changing too fast.

We're losing him.

Can you slow it down?

Yeah, I can try.

The control module used to
program the hybrids

is attached directly
to the brain stem.

I might be able to use it
to slow his metabolism.

There you go.

See?

It's all
under control now.

The Hammurabi's
closing in fast.

By the time we get to Io,

they'll nearly have us
within missile lock.

They won't engage until
the rest of the fleet

gets to missile range, too.

XO, cut our braking
burn to Io 10%,

and inform me when we're
ready to make orbit.

- I'll be in my quarters.
- Aye, sir.

It's obviously
a malfunction, Ensign.

- But sir, it's...
- It's an old ship.

Take a break.
I'll handle it.

What's up?

Nothing. Comm panel's
acting up again.

We just got a message
on the inter-fleet channel.

We're at war. Who the hell
would be using that?

It's from the Hammurabi.

And it's addressed specifically to
Admiral Souther.

Forward it to my personal
comm and erase the log.

Thank you, Mr. Mancuso.
You have the conn.

So, Jules,

you will clean up the mess
you've made for me,

you will return
to Earth alone,

you will await
my instructions,

and you will get the fuck
back to work.

What are you
gonna do, sir?

I need to confirm
this is real.

Nguyen is Errinwright's creature.
They're in this together.

I need to
confirm it first.

What do you
want me to do, sir?

Be ready for anything.

Sorry, sir.
No one's allowed.

Get the fuck
out of my way, sailor.

Ah!

I was wondering when
visiting hours were.

Tell me exactly what
Errinwright said

in that message you claim
he sent to Avasarala.

He said that he was working
with Jules-Pierre Mao

on a secret
weapons program,

and that he was furious Mao
was in bed with the Martians.

That's what
he accused her of.

He said he ordered the
destruction of a Martian ship

that was supposed to pick
up a weapon on Ganymede.

What ship?

The, uh...

Karakum.

That was it.

Avasarala sent you
the comms buffer.

Yeah, she made it.

- How is she...
- Admiral Souther.

Please, come with us.

Admiral Nguyen would
like to see you, now.

Alex says it looks like there might
be a ship or two heading towards Io.

Do we still have
a clear path?

He thinks he can keep Io between
us and them for the descent.

He's earning his pay.

Of course,
we all basically work for food.

Jim.

I know you feel
like I betrayed you.

It doesn't matter
what I feel.

It does.

It's almost funny to say this after
everything we've been through, but...

You don't really
know me,

and that's
not your fault.

You did what you did,

and if you hadn't,

Mars would be the only one
with the protomolecule.

You were right
about Avasarala.

Earth doesn't
have a sample.

What's done is done.

But I want you to
understand why I did it.

You know,
I used to run with the OPA.

I was with someone.

He was a romantic,
an idealist.

A fighter.

He always believed what
he was doing was right.

You know
I'm not that guy.

I had a child with him.

A baby boy.

Filip.

The man I loved
took him away,

because I refused to do
what he wanted.

I was desperate.

Wrecked.

And then finally,

I shut it all off.

And I signed up to the
Canterbury to disappear.

Naomi, I'm sorry.

Why didn't you tell me?

I don't know.

I just couldn't.

But then Eros happened,

and Ganymede.

Seeing all those
Belters suffering.

And you cared so much.

It made it hard
to stay numb.

I imagined Filip
amongst them.

It woke me up.

I'm not sorry I gave the
protomolecule to the Belt.

But I'm sorry for
the way that I did it.

I should've talked to you first,
all of you,

but most of all, you.

I'm never going to like
what you did.

But I can't hate you

for doing what you
thought was right.

The control module will deliver

a minimal level
of stimulation,

just enough for awareness.

Katoa.

You were telling us
about the Work.

- The Work...
- What is the Work?

What are you building?

Soon...

Work finish...

Soon... Soon...

- No. We're losing him again.
- Soon... Work...

Finish! Soon! Soon!

Soon, soon, soon!

- Sir, come with me, please.
- Soon!

Soon! Soon!

Soon! Soon! Soon!

Sedation protocol.

Did you hear
what he said?

The protomolecule
has an objective.

The Work.

Whatever it's building
on Venus is almost done.

We need to know more.
You have to keep him talking.

Well, I was able to slow
the transformation,

but I can't stop it.

His internal organs
are changing.

The vocal cords,
the structure of his brain.

I'm sorry, sir.
He won't be talking to us again.

Then we need
another conduit.

Well, the subject hybridized
with the protomolecule

better than anyone
I've ever seen.

Of the remaining subjects,

the one with the most similar
genetic profile would be...

Mei Meng.

Make it happen.

Your family
accounts are now unfrozen.

You will transfer
launch control

of the hybrid pods
to my ship immediately.

The tech team
will be down shortly

to collect all the materials
related to the project.

Understood.

Transferring launch
control now.

Gus.

We've known each other
a long time.

Just couldn't leave it alone,
could you?

There's still time
to make this right.

You're relieved of duty
and confined to quarters.

Try anything else,
and I will have you in irons.

Sir, it's the Hammurabi.

We're almost within range
of their torpedoes.

Battle stations.

We should have a firing solution on
the Agatha King in five minutes.

How long before the rest of the
fleet will be able to engage?

Eleven ships should have firing
solutions three minutes after we do.

Full fleet engagement
five minutes after that.

I want a slower approach.

Increase braking burn
one-quarter.

Aye-aye, sir.

- Captain, what...
- Chief.

Get Sinopoli up here
on the double.

Right away, sir.

You sent that video
to Souther.

Sir, that could
be considered...

I know what it could
be considered.

We have two fleets
bearing down on each other.

Seventy-four ships,
thousands and thousands of lives,

and the only thing
we're likely to accomplish

is annihilating each other.

That video
doesn't change that.

War is an inherently unstable
interaction of three things.

Intense emotion,
politics and luck.

That message was luck.

Maybe out here,
away from all the politics and bullshit,

luck opens a door and lets
a couple of grunts

figure out
how not to fight.

For once.

That's great and noble, sir,

but we're in a shooting war,
and I prefer to win it.

Doc,

no matter what happens
down there,

I got your back.

Thank you.

I mean,
if we don't find her,

- or if we do and she's...
- I'll be ready for that, too.

What the hell was that?

Override's no good!

Hydraulics are behind
that plate.

- Feels pretty thick.
- We can cut it.

Their weapons are better than ours.

They have
a firing solution.

Why the hell
aren't they firing?

They're testing us.

Captain, we'll be within range of
their missiles in two minutes,

and their full fleet
in six.

Maintain speed
and trajectory.

Ready target lock.

Undersecretary Avasarala.

Are she and Souther close?

I don't know, sir.
She didn't really say.

What was she like?

Kind of mean,
at first.

I think I liked her.

Captain, we have a firing
solution on an enemy vessel.

What are your orders, sir?

Maintain course and speed.

They don't want to shoot.

If they did,
they would have done it already.

They're testing us to see
who we really are,

if we're honorable or not.

There's no honor
in defeat.

Weapons,
prepare all tubes.

We're going to give them
everything we've got.

- Belay that order!
- Hold it!

- Don't move!
- Hey, freeze!

Don't fucking move!

In accordance with
the Military Code of Justice,

I am relieving you
of command.

This is mutiny!

For conspiring to wage
an illegal war.

I have proof.
Take him into custody.

Are you insane?

Comms,

give me wide-band,
unencrypted.

All ships in the AO.

Sir?

All ships, Earth and Mars.

Channel open, sir.

This is Admiral Souther
of the UNN Agatha King.

We are standing down.

I repeat,
we are standing down.

I have relieved
Fleet Admiral Nguyen of duties

under charges of conspiracy.

We're fighting
an illegal war.

I'll be transmitting proof
to both fleets.

I'm ordering all UNN ships
to take any actions necessary

if the Agatha...

You're under arrest for
attempted mutiny.

They're breaking off.

Traitors.

Comms, give me the fleet.
Our fleet.

Yes, sir.
Channel open.

This is Admiral Nguyen.

We have put down an attempted
mutiny by Admiral Souther.

All ships are ordered to
return to the AO immediately

and prepare to engage.

Who hasn't acknowledged?

The Heisserer
and the Jimenez.

Fucking PT boat.

Comms, give me a tight-beam
to the Jimenez.

Tight-beam open.

Jimenez, this is
Admiral Nguyen.

I am ordering you
to return to the fleet,

or be considered a deserter.

They're not
changing course, sir.

There's five ships
still moving off.

Weapons,
give me a missile lock on the Jimenez.

If there's anyone else here
who is unwilling

to follow my lawful order,
declare yourself now.

Take them all to the brig.

Yes, sir.

Move!

Jimenez, this is your
final warning.

Return to the fleet
or you will be fired upon.

Jimenez, acknowledge.

The Jimenez has been
destroyed, sir.

Jesus,
they're firing on each other.

Captain, they're in disarray.
We should take them out.

No.

Open a channel to our fleet.

You're on, sir.

All MCRN ships, this is the
Captain of the Hammurabi.

Hold your fire.
I repeat, hold your fire.

There's been a mutiny
aboard the Agatha King,

and UNN ships are
firing on each other.

If we engage,

it will only unite them
to turn their weapons on us.

If they want to
destroy each other,

we will let them.

Hammurabi out.

Now I want to
talk to the UNN.

Get me an auto-doc.

Seal off the CIC.

We're in lockdown.

Yes, sir.

This is Captain Sandrine
Kirino of the MCRN Hammurabi

to all UNN ships
in this AO.

Any vessel that declares
its peaceful intentions

will not be fired upon
by Mars,

and will be considered to be
flying under a flag of truce.

If any vessel requires
assistance,

we are ready
and able to help.

Admiral, how do you
wish to respond?

Sir?

Sir?

Got it.

What the hell is that?

They've launched the hybrids.