The Outer Limits (1995–2002): Season 4, Episode 13 - The Joining - full transcript
The sole survivor of a disaster on Venus reacts strangely to Earth's environment and when radiation is applied, he begins to manufacture duplicate body parts.
(engineer)
Delta one to rescue team.
Please report your status.
(Kate)
We're entering
the 3rd module now.
(engineer)
Salvage what you can,
and then boogie.
We don't want to
miss our window.
So far, every structure's
been compromised.
(Kate)
Atmosphere and temperature
control Systems are trashed.
[panting]
(engineer)
Any sign of the team?
Well, nothing yet.
Hang on.
What is it?
It looks like 2 body bags.
(engineer)
Empty or full?
Ugh.
(engineer)
Can you identify?
(Perkins)
Uh, decomp's pretty extensive.
It's Dr. Hughes.
How about the other one?
[sighing]
Major Braithwaite.
Looks like a gunshot wound.
Somebody had to have
zipped up these bags.
(Kate)
Let's check out
the other domes.
[door opening]
[Kate panting]
[panting]
(Kate)
The seal to
the Airlock's intact.
The scrubbers
are still humming.
There may still be
enough oxygen in the lab.
[grunting]
[creatures squealing]
[creature hissing]
Some of this equipment
still looks salvageable.
(Perkins)
What is it?
What is it, Kate?
[Kate whispering]
Miles.
Miles.
It's Capt. Davidow.
He's alive.
(Kate)
Miles?
Dear God.
Miles.
(Perkins)
Delta one, we have a survivor
(Kate)
Miles, it's me. It's Kate.
(engineer)
Roger that. We'll have
a medic standing by.
Miles.
I'm gonna take you home.
(male narrator)
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(narrator)
Our history abounds
with the exploits of heroes,
who brave overwhelming odds,
and live to tell the tale.
But is there a point at which
the determination to survive
comes at too high a price?
(Latimer)
Date is 10 June, 2012.
Time, 13:55.
This is the first official
debriefing of
Capt. Miles Davidow.
And the salvage team
of Dr. Scott Perkins,
and commander Kate Girard,
who rescued him
from our outpost
on the aphrodite highlands
of Venus,
(Latimer)
Yours truly, Gary Latimer,
Chief of Ops, U.S.A.S.,
presiding.
Let me be the first to say,
welcome back, Miles.
Thank you, Gary.
(Latimer)
the isolation Barrier's
just a precaution.
Normal level one protocol.
I trust it's not
too uncomfortable.
After 7 months of cryo-sleep,
everything's a little bit
uncomfortable.
Ok, why don't we start
with the events
leading up to the crash of
the resupply ship, highlander?
(Latimer)
Commander Girard?
I recovered the black box
from the wreckage.
Go ahead and play that
for us, please.
(Miles)
You're looking good,
highlander.
Got you on our scope.
(pilot)
Azimuth correction, .1905.
Ready to reverse thrust
in 10, 9, 8...
hang on, we've got a problem.
Navigation Board's lit up
like a christmas tree.
Get me on override, Harry.
(Miles)
You're off your vertical.
Vector A.O.D.
Back .25 Radians.
Increase Retro.
[ship whirring]
Repeat, increase retro.
Do you read me, highlander?
(Kate)
That's it.
The rest is white Noise.
(Kate)
Recorders indicate that
the ship disintegrated
about 300 meters
from the surface of Venus.
Dr. Hughes went out
to meet the Lander.
She was hit by burning debris,
and killed immediately,
along with
the highlander crew.
The blast compromised
structural integrity
of 5 of the 6 domes.
We also lost
our comm. Antennae.
So that left just you
and Major Braithwaite.
We retreated
into the lab module,
where we diverted
the remaining life support.
(Davidow)
Even if we had communications,
it would be another 7 months
before a resupply ship
could reach us.
There were 2 of us breathing.
We estimated our oxygen supply
at 3 months, Max.
I know this isn't easy, Miles,
but I have to ask
about the circumstances
of Major Braithwaite's death.
And the gunshot wound
to his head.
We both knew it was
just a matter of time.
[gun cocking]
This is just crazy.
You know that.
What are we gonna do?
Sit here and pretend
that we're gonna make it
through this, Miles?
[echoing]
We both know it's a joke,
[echoing]
there's not enough air,
for one of us!
Let alone 2.
Don't do anything Stupid.
Stupid?
Stupid was coming
to this godforsaken planet
in the first place.
And expecting
to make it back alive.
[yelling]
Alive.
It's ok.
At least one of us
might have a chance.
Forgive me, Miles.
[yelling]
Danny, no!
Believe it or not,
that's what happened.
We have no reason
to doubt you, Miles.
Capt. Davidow's metabolism
had slowed So much
that he had fallen into
a virtual state
of Hibernation.
That must be how you managed
to make the remaining Air
last as long as it did.
I sedated myself
with cryotol,
in order to suppress
my breathing Requirements.
That's all I remember.
Until I saw an angel
standing over me.
(Latimer)
the bio-Research Division
is very anxious
to hear Firsthand
about your team's discovery
of fossil microorganisms.
We, uh, salvaged the computer
you were using,
but, unfortunately,
most of the files
were encrypted.
So we were hoping
that you'd help us
unlock them.
Those were Dr. Hughes' files.
I'm afraid we,
we lost the password
when we lost her.
At least they can't complain
about your appetite.
If you hadn't eaten in a year,
you'd be hungry, too.
I just wish
you didn't look so pale.
What did the doctors say?
You know doctors, Kate.
I mean, they just take
notes that nobody can read
and mumble a lot.
Come on, Miles. They must've
told you something.
All right.
I have roughly the metabolism
and resistance
of a chemo patient.
I don't seem to be able to
absorb nutrition effectively.
I keep losing Weight.
None of the doctors
around here can figure out
what's keeping me alive.
But other than that,
I'm hunky dory.
[sighs]
You know, Perkins said
that you must've been
breathing like a yoga master,
to survive on air that thin.
I don't know
how you did it, Miles.
I had somebody waiting for me.
Somebody who believes
in miracles.
[whIspering]
I love you so much.
You know that, don't you?
More than dancing on a star?
More than dancing on a star.
You're a brave man, Doc.
Mmm?
No biohazard gear?
Oh, if there were
any airborne pathogens,
I would've already
been exposed to them.
Ah, you must've worn
a suit on Venus.
Mmm, not when
I put you in cryo.
Don't lie to me, doc.
Well, I can't very well
treat you
from inside a plastic bubble.
Hey.
Whatever it is,
just give it to me straight.
Frankly, what I'm looking at
confounds the hell out of me.
It's cancer, isn't it?
'Cause I can-- I can feel it.
It feels like it's just
eating away at me.
No, no. I'm afraid
it's not that simple.
These tests show
a Rash of genetic anomalies
but nothing correlating
to any known pathology.
(Perkins)
Frankly, the only thing
I'm really certain of
is that you took
a dramatic turn for the worse
when you came back to earth.
I don't understand, doc,
how I could
survive on Venus,
with next to nothing.
But I'm struggling
here on earth.
[moaning]
(Perkins)
Sit, sit, sit, sit.
You all right?
[panting]
Yeah.
[sighing]
Don't ask me how,
but your body's changed.
And as far as it's concerned,
this is the hostile
Environment.
Great.
Sure there isn't
something else?
Something that you might
just have overlooked?
No.
Wait a second.
What are you getting at?
I'm gonna die, aren't I, doc?
(Perkins)
No, not if I can help it.
You see that apparatus?
It's a broadband
convergence irradiator.
We use it to simulate
greenhouse conditions
on the surface of Venus.
It might help ease
your body's transition.
I can't make
any promises, though.
I'm not asking you to, doc.
[machine whirring]
[machine whooshing]
[moaning]
You ok?
Compared to what?
Ok. Now Let's go
have a look at you.
Lie up here.
[groaning]
What's the matter?
Oh, doc, my arm.
Let's have a look.
[Miles panting]
[groaning]
Doc, do something,
it's killing me.
Uh, I--I'll get
an anti-inflammatory.
[groaning]
[squelching]
What in god's name was that?
(Miles)
Well, look at this.
30 minutes ago,
it was hamburger.
Now, it's almost gone.
Somehow these aberrations
you're going through
have given you the ability,
temporarily, at least,
to heal your damaged cells.
This may be premature,
but we may have stumbled
on a Miracle cure.
Well, that's fine.
Just as long as it cures me.
(Perkins)
It's an abnormal growth,
all right.
Other than that,
I have no idea
what we're looking at.
(Perkins)
My best Guess is that his body
was trying to purge itself
of this abnormal tissue.
The radiation may have even
helped him to expel it.
I just wish to god
we knew what really
happened out there.
The Answer's probably
in those encrypted files,
but Miles swears
that he can't get into them.
Maybe something like this
happened to him before,
and he was just afraid
to tell us.
Incredible.
What is it?
Well, the morphology isn't
as random as I thought.
Take a look at that.
See those
radiating structures?
What are those?
Bones?
Mmm.
It's malformed,
but I think
we're looking at tissue
that was on its way
to becoming
a hand.
Until we know more,
we have to assume
that whatever has infected you
may well be contagious.
Who knows how many people
may have been affected
had we turned you loose
into the world.
For all we know,
we could've unleashed
a plague.
In fairness, there is
no evidence whatever
that Capt. Davidow's condition
is in any way transmissible.
Whatever it is, my body seems
to be fighting it.
I have twice as much strength
as I did before
Dr. Perkins' treatment.
Well, I'm sure you understand
that we have to err
on the side of Caution.
Now, I have a call in
to Dr. Thoroughgood
at the Fort detrich
biochemical research Lab.
That's fine.
As long as these measures
are temporary.
I didn't survive Venus
to wind up like a lab rat.
Capt. Davidow,
you are confined
to level 2 isolation,
until our medical experts
can assure us
that you pose no threat
to the general population.
I'm afraid that goes
for you too, Dr. Perkins.
Is that understood?
Yes, sir.
Good.
You look good, Miles.
You're finally getting
your color back.
Why don't you tell that
to Latimer?
Dr. Perkins says the worst
is probably over.
What else he tell you?
I saw the growth that was
expelled from your body,
if that's what you mean.
I was hoping
they wouldn't show you that.
I thought there weren't
gonna be any secrets
between us.
Now I guess there aren't.
Maybe I can talk them
into letting me stay with you.
No.
Come on, Miles.
I helped carry you
out of that hellhole.
Whatever it is,
they're afraid you have,
I've been exposed to it.
(Miles)
Kate, I said no.
But you can't stop me
from being near you.
And I've asked them
to bring me a cot.
You can just put this chair
in the corner for me.
Thank you.
Are you responsible
for all this?
[chucklIng]
I couldn't stand how sterile
your quarters were.
I just brought a few things
to give you that
touch of Home.
Look, I don't have plans
to settle down in here.
I mean, unless you know
something I don't know.
No. Don't be silly. I just...
I thought you may as well
be comfortable.
Whether it's 2 days,
or a month.
Billie holiday.
You really thought
of Everything.
Um, you know it's odd, Miles,
but, uh,
I've been running
several simulations
on the oxygen output
of those scrubbers
on aphrodite.
For the life of me,
I can't figure out
how they kept
their levels up.
Well, it wasn't
just the scrubbers.
I scavenged some O2
off the suit tanks.
You never mentioned
that before.
You know what it's like
stripping tanks off
the decomposing bodies
of your friends?
It's not really something
you like to reminisce About.
Uh, Dr. Perkins says
you're finally putting back on
some of the weight you lost.
Yeah, I hope I can fit
into my uniform tomorrow.
What's tomorrow?
Our wedding.
[laughIng]
I mean,
isn't that a little impulsive?
I--I thought we were
gonna wait till
the time was right.
Bingo.
Do you...
Commander Kate Girard,
take this man to be
your lawfully wedded husband,
to have and to hold,
for better or worse,
(Chaplain)
in sickness, and in health,
for richer, and for poorer,
till death do you part?
I do.
(Chaplain)
And do you,
Capt. Miles Davidow,
take this woman to be
your lawfully wedded wife,
to have and to hold,
[echoing]
for better or worse,
in sickness and in health,
for richer or poorer,
till death do you part?
[yellIng]
[gun firing]
I do.
The ring.
(Chaplain)
Then, by the power
vested in me,
I now pronounce you
husband and wife.
You may...
Oh, sorry.
I suppose that'll have
to wait until later.
(Perkins)
I'm gonna take these samples
to the sequencer room.
Maybe if we can have
a look at them
on the molecular level,
we'll know what's happening.
(Perkins)
Won't be long.
[machine beeping]
[monitor beeping]
[squealing]
Oh, my God.
(Miles)
Kate!
Miles!
(Kate)
Miles!
Miles!
Miles!
[Kate banging]
Miles!
[groaning]
Miles, no!
Stop it!
(Miles)
Kate, get out of here!
[grunting]
[gasps]
Look at that.
(Miles)
That's not just
accelerated healing.
The damn thing grew back.
Wh-What did Perkins say?
He can't figure it out.
God, if I had any guts,
I would've just ended it
the way Daniel did.
Miles,
please don't talk like that.
You're the victim here.
I'm not the only one.
God knows
what sort of hazards
I've exposed you to now.
Well, whatever it is,
we will face it together.
You saw that thing, Kate.
It's not human!
I'm not human any more.
(Miles)
Scott.
Scott!
Scott, I want you
to get Kate out of here!
I want you to take her
home right now!
I told you, I'm not leaving.
(Perkins)
She's right about that.
Latimer has ordered her
to stay here with us in iso
till we know
what we're dealing
Good.
(Perkins)
Your white cells
are stampeding,
you're practically
inhaling protein,
and yet your tissues
are still atrophying.
We have to radiate again.
No. No. You know what it did
to your body last time.
We can't risk that.
The only reason I'm alive
is because of the treatments.
Any tissues that
my body eliminates
is a step
in the right direction.
You said so yourself.
Look, I'm doing tests
on some laboratory rats.
I--
there's no time for that.
Without radiation,
you're gonna be looking
for answers in an autopsy.
[machine whirring]
How are you feeling?
I feel ok.
(Perkins)
Your vitals have
picked up considerably.
The radiation
seems to be helping.
[moaning]
(Perkins)
Miles, what is it?
[groaning]
[panting]
[Miles screaming]
[screaming]
[squelching]
[screaming]
Your white cell count
came down almost Immediately.
Yeah.
All it took was giving birth
to 5 pounds of
writhing alien Flesh.
(Kate)
it seems to mimic the part
of the body that expels it.
I mean, you can actually
see the beginnings
of a ribcage here.
I just wish I had access
to Hughes' research
on those fossil life Forms.
(Kate)
You know,
maybe--maybe descendants
of those Venus microbes
still exist.
They could've infected you.
And I-it could be that
this--this purging process
is just a stage.
And after it's over,
you could be left
stronger for it.
All I know is,
whatever's keeping
this monster
inside of me alive,
is keeping me alive.
To understand
what's happening
to Captain Davidow,
it would help to see
what happened to
a laboratory rat
when I injected it
with a sample of his d.N.A.
After displaying
an INORDINATE appetite
for protein and fluids,
the rat seemed
to develop a tumor,
which grew rapidly.
But after 36 hours,
it was apparent
that this was not,
in fact, a tumor.
As extraordinary as it sounds,
the rat underwent a--a--
a sophisticated mitosis.
A self-replication.
It's internal organs,
it's skeletal structure,
it's muscle tissue,
bifurcated.
It divided itself
into 2 distinct individuals.
You're not seriously
suggesting
that your Capt. Davidow
has the same capacity.
Whatever infected him,
has made his body
attempt to replicate itself.
And with each effort,
it's getting more successful.
You want to show
Dr. Thoroughgood
those tissue samples, Scott?
Yeah. Um...
(Perkins)
When we irradiated
Capt. Davidow's body
to raise his metabolism
to normal levels,
it seemed to spur
this Mock mitosis.
At first,
the tissues Generated
were relatively small.
But then, as you can see,
the last tissue
that extruded from him
had much of the morphology
of a complete human rib Cage.
Only scaled down.
This tissue, as you call it,
was it ever alive?
(Perkins)
for a short time, yes.
But without fully developed
biological systems,
it quickly expired.
What about the effect
on his own body?
(Latimer)
In each case,
it completely
reconstituted itself,
within a matter of minutes.
Dr. Perkins,
what I'm hearing is that
it's conceivable
that Capt. Davidow could spawn
a complete version of Himself.
Now, the fact is,
we may be looking
at some kind
of hybrid organism,
capable of dividing at will,
with each survivor
Being virtually impervious
to injury.
Well, that's speculation,
Doctor.
Can you honestly
rule out that scenario?
Mmm,
not without further study, no.
But it's important to remember
that the rat was injected
with the subject's D.N.A.
There's no evidence whatsoever
that this condition
is contagious or infectious.
I'm not sure
we can wait around
for that evidence
to present Itself.
Frankly, Dr. Perkins,
I'm prepared to recommend
the Organism's destruction
before we have an epidemic
on our hands,
the likes of which
our world has never seen.
[chuckling]
Unfortunately, uh,
Capt. Davidow and the organism
are one and the same.
I'm aware of that.
(Perkins)
What are you saying?
That he should be
summarily executed
because of your fears?
You know, you've laid
a pretty good groundwork
for those fears, doctor.
I-- I'm just saying,
that we shouldn't overreact,
that's all.
If this unfortunate man
turns out to be ground zero
for a population explosion
of a genetically superior
life form,
then we damned well
better overreact.
Or we could be paying
the price for generations.
On whose authority
are you planning
to take this man's life?
National security council,
directive 44, section 3.
"in the event of
an extraterrestrial
biological Hazard,
"any and all means
shall be used
to eliminate the threat."
I'm compelled to brief
the N.S.C. As soon as I can.
Final decision rests
with the president.
Get them off!
Miles.
Miles, what is it?
[groaning]
Oh, god, Kate.
[mumbling]
What? What is it?
(Miles)
Just get him in here.
[screaming]
Just get him in here now!
[Miles screaming]
Scott, we need your help.
Something's wrong!
What happened?
[rasping]
[whispering]
God Almighty.
[rasping]
[door opening]
(Miles)
the only reason I'm alive is
because of the treatments.
The only reason I'm alive is
because of the treatments.
Any tissues that
my body eliminates
is a step
in the right direction.
You said so yourself.
Without the radiation,
you're gonna be looking
for answers in an autopsy
Miles?
What's going on?
I had no choice, Kate.
Perkins wouldn't
help me again.
But I had to try
to get this thing out of me.
I found the lancet and slides.
What are you doing
to yourself?
[pantIng]
I've been testing my Blood.
That's all.
I used Hughes' computer
to analyze it.
So you knew the password
all along?
[sIghing]
I had to find a way
to destroy it, Kate.
[moaning]
Destroy what?
The alien D.N.A.
What are you
talking about?
Miles, if I'm gonna help you,
you have to let me know.
Those extinct life forms?
They weren't extinct.
They were alive and Well.
Thriving, in fact.
At first, we didn't think
any life existed up there.
Not till
the highlander exploded,
and breached the Domes.
Then the serps,
that's what we called them,
they came in through
the damaged substructures.
They raided
our produce stores.
After Braithwaite died,
I figured if I could just
take on
some of their tolerance
for--for the conditions
on Venus,
maybe I could stretch
my resources.
So you injected yourself
with the serp D.N.A.
That's why your scrubber
simulations never computed.
By the time you found me,
I'd been breathing pure co2
for 6 weeks.
So you've been lying to us
all this time. To me.
Kate, if I hadn't done
what I did,
I--I wouldn't be here
right now.
I never meant
to put you at risk, Kate.
I'm sorry.
It's all right.
You're gonna tell Perkins,
aren't you?
No.
You are.
Pictures don't
do them justice.
(Miles)
Bioluminescent serpents
hell bent on survival.
They live
on natural radiation,
raw amino acids,
and each other, if need be.
They divide, they reproduce
by mitosis.
Of course.
Just the way your body's
been trying to do.
Why did you hide this?
Why didn't--
why didn't you tell us?
I thought I'd be signing
my death warrant.
I thought that it was best
I keep it a secret.
But you were willing
to expose me,
your co-workers, your wife,
the rest of the world,
to a biological Hazard
of god knows what proportions?
I was quite confident
that there was nothing
I could pass along.
I know that's no excuse
[screaming]
Miles! Miles!
(Perkins)
No, the serp in his blood
is trying
to replicate Himself.
Stay there!
[groaning]
[screaming]
[Miles screaming]
[alien growling]
[roaring]
[screaming]
[grunting]
[growling]
Kate.
Kate, it's ok. It's just me.
Kate!
(Miles on TV)
All I ever wanted
was to survive
[gasps]
when I got back to earth,
I hoped
it would all go away.
I wanted my life back.
So if I'm guilty of anything,
it's not wanting to die.
So, if that's what
I'm being charged with today,
I guess
I don't have a defense.
[gaspIng]
I know what I did was wrong.
I'm not asking
for forgiveness.
[sniffling]
Except--
except maybe from you, Kate.
That's all.
(Latimer)
In the 5 days
he's been deprived
of radiation treatments,
the subject's condition
has deteriorated markedly.
It seems to have settled
into a baseline metabolic rate
that is Akin to a waking coma.
At the risk of sounding
inhumane, Mr. Latimer,
that's small comfort
to those of us
who wish to see
the threat eliminated.
(Dr. Thoroughgood)
Do you have a suggested
course of action?
(Latimer)
As per the Pentagon's
instructions,
we've drawn up
a number of options
for a bio-safe execution.
If I may,
I'd like to say a word.
Thank you.
I know
that you have stopped asking
whether to take
my husband's life,
and that now,
it has just come down to how.
I am also told
that you have decided
to abandon
the aphrodite project.
So, in one misguided act,
you are going
to waste a man's life,
and billions of dollars spent
in our knowledge of space
and extraterrestrial life.
(Kate)
Now, I believe that there is
a way to avoid all that,
at the same time,
to be protecting
against any potential Hazard
my husband May still pose.
(Latimer)
He is responsible
for Perkins' death.
(Kate)
Even after all that we know,
I am here to argue
that my husband
be allowed to live
and even
to continue to contribute
to the nation
to which he has always shown
absolute loyalty.
[sighing]
What would you have us do,
commander Girard?
I would like you
to send him back to Venus.
[dog barking]
(Kate)
Not much has changed here.
Uh, Carlisle has taken over
as head of space medicine.
And the jupiter Mission's
been pushed back
to the middle of next year.
They've managed to keep
Just about everything
out of the press.
Perkins' death was attributed
to a laboratory explosion,
and, uh, there's been
a few stories
about "Hero astronaut
returns to Venus outpost."
I've downloaded them for you
I was happy to hear
how well you've responded
to the ambient levels
at aphrodite.
Every night I look up
at the sky,
and I say a little prayer,
and I think about
our time together,
however brief.
It took a while,
but I have forgiven you.
I completely understand
why you did what you did.
And I still love you.
I'll never forget you, Miles.
Never.
It goes over in dome 3.
(narrator)
it is nature's imperative
that the differences
among us endure.
But what if we can
no longer distinguish
one being from another?
Delta one to rescue team.
Please report your status.
(Kate)
We're entering
the 3rd module now.
(engineer)
Salvage what you can,
and then boogie.
We don't want to
miss our window.
So far, every structure's
been compromised.
(Kate)
Atmosphere and temperature
control Systems are trashed.
[panting]
(engineer)
Any sign of the team?
Well, nothing yet.
Hang on.
What is it?
It looks like 2 body bags.
(engineer)
Empty or full?
Ugh.
(engineer)
Can you identify?
(Perkins)
Uh, decomp's pretty extensive.
It's Dr. Hughes.
How about the other one?
[sighing]
Major Braithwaite.
Looks like a gunshot wound.
Somebody had to have
zipped up these bags.
(Kate)
Let's check out
the other domes.
[door opening]
[Kate panting]
[panting]
(Kate)
The seal to
the Airlock's intact.
The scrubbers
are still humming.
There may still be
enough oxygen in the lab.
[grunting]
[creatures squealing]
[creature hissing]
Some of this equipment
still looks salvageable.
(Perkins)
What is it?
What is it, Kate?
[Kate whispering]
Miles.
Miles.
It's Capt. Davidow.
He's alive.
(Kate)
Miles?
Dear God.
Miles.
(Perkins)
Delta one, we have a survivor
(Kate)
Miles, it's me. It's Kate.
(engineer)
Roger that. We'll have
a medic standing by.
Miles.
I'm gonna take you home.
(male narrator)
There is nothing wrong
with your television.
Do not attempt
To adjust the picture.
We are now controlling
the transmission.
We control the horizontal,
and the vertical.
We can deluge you
with a thousand channels.
Or expand one single image
to crystal clarity,
and beyond.
We can shape your vision
to anything our imagination
can conceive.
For the next hour,
we will control
all that you see and hear.
You are about to experience
the awe and mystery
which reaches
from the deepest inner mind
to The Outer Limits.
(narrator)
Our history abounds
with the exploits of heroes,
who brave overwhelming odds,
and live to tell the tale.
But is there a point at which
the determination to survive
comes at too high a price?
(Latimer)
Date is 10 June, 2012.
Time, 13:55.
This is the first official
debriefing of
Capt. Miles Davidow.
And the salvage team
of Dr. Scott Perkins,
and commander Kate Girard,
who rescued him
from our outpost
on the aphrodite highlands
of Venus,
(Latimer)
Yours truly, Gary Latimer,
Chief of Ops, U.S.A.S.,
presiding.
Let me be the first to say,
welcome back, Miles.
Thank you, Gary.
(Latimer)
the isolation Barrier's
just a precaution.
Normal level one protocol.
I trust it's not
too uncomfortable.
After 7 months of cryo-sleep,
everything's a little bit
uncomfortable.
Ok, why don't we start
with the events
leading up to the crash of
the resupply ship, highlander?
(Latimer)
Commander Girard?
I recovered the black box
from the wreckage.
Go ahead and play that
for us, please.
(Miles)
You're looking good,
highlander.
Got you on our scope.
(pilot)
Azimuth correction, .1905.
Ready to reverse thrust
in 10, 9, 8...
hang on, we've got a problem.
Navigation Board's lit up
like a christmas tree.
Get me on override, Harry.
(Miles)
You're off your vertical.
Vector A.O.D.
Back .25 Radians.
Increase Retro.
[ship whirring]
Repeat, increase retro.
Do you read me, highlander?
(Kate)
That's it.
The rest is white Noise.
(Kate)
Recorders indicate that
the ship disintegrated
about 300 meters
from the surface of Venus.
Dr. Hughes went out
to meet the Lander.
She was hit by burning debris,
and killed immediately,
along with
the highlander crew.
The blast compromised
structural integrity
of 5 of the 6 domes.
We also lost
our comm. Antennae.
So that left just you
and Major Braithwaite.
We retreated
into the lab module,
where we diverted
the remaining life support.
(Davidow)
Even if we had communications,
it would be another 7 months
before a resupply ship
could reach us.
There were 2 of us breathing.
We estimated our oxygen supply
at 3 months, Max.
I know this isn't easy, Miles,
but I have to ask
about the circumstances
of Major Braithwaite's death.
And the gunshot wound
to his head.
We both knew it was
just a matter of time.
[gun cocking]
This is just crazy.
You know that.
What are we gonna do?
Sit here and pretend
that we're gonna make it
through this, Miles?
[echoing]
We both know it's a joke,
[echoing]
there's not enough air,
for one of us!
Let alone 2.
Don't do anything Stupid.
Stupid?
Stupid was coming
to this godforsaken planet
in the first place.
And expecting
to make it back alive.
[yelling]
Alive.
It's ok.
At least one of us
might have a chance.
Forgive me, Miles.
[yelling]
Danny, no!
Believe it or not,
that's what happened.
We have no reason
to doubt you, Miles.
Capt. Davidow's metabolism
had slowed So much
that he had fallen into
a virtual state
of Hibernation.
That must be how you managed
to make the remaining Air
last as long as it did.
I sedated myself
with cryotol,
in order to suppress
my breathing Requirements.
That's all I remember.
Until I saw an angel
standing over me.
(Latimer)
the bio-Research Division
is very anxious
to hear Firsthand
about your team's discovery
of fossil microorganisms.
We, uh, salvaged the computer
you were using,
but, unfortunately,
most of the files
were encrypted.
So we were hoping
that you'd help us
unlock them.
Those were Dr. Hughes' files.
I'm afraid we,
we lost the password
when we lost her.
At least they can't complain
about your appetite.
If you hadn't eaten in a year,
you'd be hungry, too.
I just wish
you didn't look so pale.
What did the doctors say?
You know doctors, Kate.
I mean, they just take
notes that nobody can read
and mumble a lot.
Come on, Miles. They must've
told you something.
All right.
I have roughly the metabolism
and resistance
of a chemo patient.
I don't seem to be able to
absorb nutrition effectively.
I keep losing Weight.
None of the doctors
around here can figure out
what's keeping me alive.
But other than that,
I'm hunky dory.
[sighs]
You know, Perkins said
that you must've been
breathing like a yoga master,
to survive on air that thin.
I don't know
how you did it, Miles.
I had somebody waiting for me.
Somebody who believes
in miracles.
[whIspering]
I love you so much.
You know that, don't you?
More than dancing on a star?
More than dancing on a star.
You're a brave man, Doc.
Mmm?
No biohazard gear?
Oh, if there were
any airborne pathogens,
I would've already
been exposed to them.
Ah, you must've worn
a suit on Venus.
Mmm, not when
I put you in cryo.
Don't lie to me, doc.
Well, I can't very well
treat you
from inside a plastic bubble.
Hey.
Whatever it is,
just give it to me straight.
Frankly, what I'm looking at
confounds the hell out of me.
It's cancer, isn't it?
'Cause I can-- I can feel it.
It feels like it's just
eating away at me.
No, no. I'm afraid
it's not that simple.
These tests show
a Rash of genetic anomalies
but nothing correlating
to any known pathology.
(Perkins)
Frankly, the only thing
I'm really certain of
is that you took
a dramatic turn for the worse
when you came back to earth.
I don't understand, doc,
how I could
survive on Venus,
with next to nothing.
But I'm struggling
here on earth.
[moaning]
(Perkins)
Sit, sit, sit, sit.
You all right?
[panting]
Yeah.
[sighing]
Don't ask me how,
but your body's changed.
And as far as it's concerned,
this is the hostile
Environment.
Great.
Sure there isn't
something else?
Something that you might
just have overlooked?
No.
Wait a second.
What are you getting at?
I'm gonna die, aren't I, doc?
(Perkins)
No, not if I can help it.
You see that apparatus?
It's a broadband
convergence irradiator.
We use it to simulate
greenhouse conditions
on the surface of Venus.
It might help ease
your body's transition.
I can't make
any promises, though.
I'm not asking you to, doc.
[machine whirring]
[machine whooshing]
[moaning]
You ok?
Compared to what?
Ok. Now Let's go
have a look at you.
Lie up here.
[groaning]
What's the matter?
Oh, doc, my arm.
Let's have a look.
[Miles panting]
[groaning]
Doc, do something,
it's killing me.
Uh, I--I'll get
an anti-inflammatory.
[groaning]
[squelching]
What in god's name was that?
(Miles)
Well, look at this.
30 minutes ago,
it was hamburger.
Now, it's almost gone.
Somehow these aberrations
you're going through
have given you the ability,
temporarily, at least,
to heal your damaged cells.
This may be premature,
but we may have stumbled
on a Miracle cure.
Well, that's fine.
Just as long as it cures me.
(Perkins)
It's an abnormal growth,
all right.
Other than that,
I have no idea
what we're looking at.
(Perkins)
My best Guess is that his body
was trying to purge itself
of this abnormal tissue.
The radiation may have even
helped him to expel it.
I just wish to god
we knew what really
happened out there.
The Answer's probably
in those encrypted files,
but Miles swears
that he can't get into them.
Maybe something like this
happened to him before,
and he was just afraid
to tell us.
Incredible.
What is it?
Well, the morphology isn't
as random as I thought.
Take a look at that.
See those
radiating structures?
What are those?
Bones?
Mmm.
It's malformed,
but I think
we're looking at tissue
that was on its way
to becoming
a hand.
Until we know more,
we have to assume
that whatever has infected you
may well be contagious.
Who knows how many people
may have been affected
had we turned you loose
into the world.
For all we know,
we could've unleashed
a plague.
In fairness, there is
no evidence whatever
that Capt. Davidow's condition
is in any way transmissible.
Whatever it is, my body seems
to be fighting it.
I have twice as much strength
as I did before
Dr. Perkins' treatment.
Well, I'm sure you understand
that we have to err
on the side of Caution.
Now, I have a call in
to Dr. Thoroughgood
at the Fort detrich
biochemical research Lab.
That's fine.
As long as these measures
are temporary.
I didn't survive Venus
to wind up like a lab rat.
Capt. Davidow,
you are confined
to level 2 isolation,
until our medical experts
can assure us
that you pose no threat
to the general population.
I'm afraid that goes
for you too, Dr. Perkins.
Is that understood?
Yes, sir.
Good.
You look good, Miles.
You're finally getting
your color back.
Why don't you tell that
to Latimer?
Dr. Perkins says the worst
is probably over.
What else he tell you?
I saw the growth that was
expelled from your body,
if that's what you mean.
I was hoping
they wouldn't show you that.
I thought there weren't
gonna be any secrets
between us.
Now I guess there aren't.
Maybe I can talk them
into letting me stay with you.
No.
Come on, Miles.
I helped carry you
out of that hellhole.
Whatever it is,
they're afraid you have,
I've been exposed to it.
(Miles)
Kate, I said no.
But you can't stop me
from being near you.
And I've asked them
to bring me a cot.
You can just put this chair
in the corner for me.
Thank you.
Are you responsible
for all this?
[chucklIng]
I couldn't stand how sterile
your quarters were.
I just brought a few things
to give you that
touch of Home.
Look, I don't have plans
to settle down in here.
I mean, unless you know
something I don't know.
No. Don't be silly. I just...
I thought you may as well
be comfortable.
Whether it's 2 days,
or a month.
Billie holiday.
You really thought
of Everything.
Um, you know it's odd, Miles,
but, uh,
I've been running
several simulations
on the oxygen output
of those scrubbers
on aphrodite.
For the life of me,
I can't figure out
how they kept
their levels up.
Well, it wasn't
just the scrubbers.
I scavenged some O2
off the suit tanks.
You never mentioned
that before.
You know what it's like
stripping tanks off
the decomposing bodies
of your friends?
It's not really something
you like to reminisce About.
Uh, Dr. Perkins says
you're finally putting back on
some of the weight you lost.
Yeah, I hope I can fit
into my uniform tomorrow.
What's tomorrow?
Our wedding.
[laughIng]
I mean,
isn't that a little impulsive?
I--I thought we were
gonna wait till
the time was right.
Bingo.
Do you...
Commander Kate Girard,
take this man to be
your lawfully wedded husband,
to have and to hold,
for better or worse,
(Chaplain)
in sickness, and in health,
for richer, and for poorer,
till death do you part?
I do.
(Chaplain)
And do you,
Capt. Miles Davidow,
take this woman to be
your lawfully wedded wife,
to have and to hold,
[echoing]
for better or worse,
in sickness and in health,
for richer or poorer,
till death do you part?
[yellIng]
[gun firing]
I do.
The ring.
(Chaplain)
Then, by the power
vested in me,
I now pronounce you
husband and wife.
You may...
Oh, sorry.
I suppose that'll have
to wait until later.
(Perkins)
I'm gonna take these samples
to the sequencer room.
Maybe if we can have
a look at them
on the molecular level,
we'll know what's happening.
(Perkins)
Won't be long.
[machine beeping]
[monitor beeping]
[squealing]
Oh, my God.
(Miles)
Kate!
Miles!
(Kate)
Miles!
Miles!
Miles!
[Kate banging]
Miles!
[groaning]
Miles, no!
Stop it!
(Miles)
Kate, get out of here!
[grunting]
[gasps]
Look at that.
(Miles)
That's not just
accelerated healing.
The damn thing grew back.
Wh-What did Perkins say?
He can't figure it out.
God, if I had any guts,
I would've just ended it
the way Daniel did.
Miles,
please don't talk like that.
You're the victim here.
I'm not the only one.
God knows
what sort of hazards
I've exposed you to now.
Well, whatever it is,
we will face it together.
You saw that thing, Kate.
It's not human!
I'm not human any more.
(Miles)
Scott.
Scott!
Scott, I want you
to get Kate out of here!
I want you to take her
home right now!
I told you, I'm not leaving.
(Perkins)
She's right about that.
Latimer has ordered her
to stay here with us in iso
till we know
what we're dealing
Good.
(Perkins)
Your white cells
are stampeding,
you're practically
inhaling protein,
and yet your tissues
are still atrophying.
We have to radiate again.
No. No. You know what it did
to your body last time.
We can't risk that.
The only reason I'm alive
is because of the treatments.
Any tissues that
my body eliminates
is a step
in the right direction.
You said so yourself.
Look, I'm doing tests
on some laboratory rats.
I--
there's no time for that.
Without radiation,
you're gonna be looking
for answers in an autopsy.
[machine whirring]
How are you feeling?
I feel ok.
(Perkins)
Your vitals have
picked up considerably.
The radiation
seems to be helping.
[moaning]
(Perkins)
Miles, what is it?
[groaning]
[panting]
[Miles screaming]
[screaming]
[squelching]
[screaming]
Your white cell count
came down almost Immediately.
Yeah.
All it took was giving birth
to 5 pounds of
writhing alien Flesh.
(Kate)
it seems to mimic the part
of the body that expels it.
I mean, you can actually
see the beginnings
of a ribcage here.
I just wish I had access
to Hughes' research
on those fossil life Forms.
(Kate)
You know,
maybe--maybe descendants
of those Venus microbes
still exist.
They could've infected you.
And I-it could be that
this--this purging process
is just a stage.
And after it's over,
you could be left
stronger for it.
All I know is,
whatever's keeping
this monster
inside of me alive,
is keeping me alive.
To understand
what's happening
to Captain Davidow,
it would help to see
what happened to
a laboratory rat
when I injected it
with a sample of his d.N.A.
After displaying
an INORDINATE appetite
for protein and fluids,
the rat seemed
to develop a tumor,
which grew rapidly.
But after 36 hours,
it was apparent
that this was not,
in fact, a tumor.
As extraordinary as it sounds,
the rat underwent a--a--
a sophisticated mitosis.
A self-replication.
It's internal organs,
it's skeletal structure,
it's muscle tissue,
bifurcated.
It divided itself
into 2 distinct individuals.
You're not seriously
suggesting
that your Capt. Davidow
has the same capacity.
Whatever infected him,
has made his body
attempt to replicate itself.
And with each effort,
it's getting more successful.
You want to show
Dr. Thoroughgood
those tissue samples, Scott?
Yeah. Um...
(Perkins)
When we irradiated
Capt. Davidow's body
to raise his metabolism
to normal levels,
it seemed to spur
this Mock mitosis.
At first,
the tissues Generated
were relatively small.
But then, as you can see,
the last tissue
that extruded from him
had much of the morphology
of a complete human rib Cage.
Only scaled down.
This tissue, as you call it,
was it ever alive?
(Perkins)
for a short time, yes.
But without fully developed
biological systems,
it quickly expired.
What about the effect
on his own body?
(Latimer)
In each case,
it completely
reconstituted itself,
within a matter of minutes.
Dr. Perkins,
what I'm hearing is that
it's conceivable
that Capt. Davidow could spawn
a complete version of Himself.
Now, the fact is,
we may be looking
at some kind
of hybrid organism,
capable of dividing at will,
with each survivor
Being virtually impervious
to injury.
Well, that's speculation,
Doctor.
Can you honestly
rule out that scenario?
Mmm,
not without further study, no.
But it's important to remember
that the rat was injected
with the subject's D.N.A.
There's no evidence whatsoever
that this condition
is contagious or infectious.
I'm not sure
we can wait around
for that evidence
to present Itself.
Frankly, Dr. Perkins,
I'm prepared to recommend
the Organism's destruction
before we have an epidemic
on our hands,
the likes of which
our world has never seen.
[chuckling]
Unfortunately, uh,
Capt. Davidow and the organism
are one and the same.
I'm aware of that.
(Perkins)
What are you saying?
That he should be
summarily executed
because of your fears?
You know, you've laid
a pretty good groundwork
for those fears, doctor.
I-- I'm just saying,
that we shouldn't overreact,
that's all.
If this unfortunate man
turns out to be ground zero
for a population explosion
of a genetically superior
life form,
then we damned well
better overreact.
Or we could be paying
the price for generations.
On whose authority
are you planning
to take this man's life?
National security council,
directive 44, section 3.
"in the event of
an extraterrestrial
biological Hazard,
"any and all means
shall be used
to eliminate the threat."
I'm compelled to brief
the N.S.C. As soon as I can.
Final decision rests
with the president.
Get them off!
Miles.
Miles, what is it?
[groaning]
Oh, god, Kate.
[mumbling]
What? What is it?
(Miles)
Just get him in here.
[screaming]
Just get him in here now!
[Miles screaming]
Scott, we need your help.
Something's wrong!
What happened?
[rasping]
[whispering]
God Almighty.
[rasping]
[door opening]
(Miles)
the only reason I'm alive is
because of the treatments.
The only reason I'm alive is
because of the treatments.
Any tissues that
my body eliminates
is a step
in the right direction.
You said so yourself.
Without the radiation,
you're gonna be looking
for answers in an autopsy
Miles?
What's going on?
I had no choice, Kate.
Perkins wouldn't
help me again.
But I had to try
to get this thing out of me.
I found the lancet and slides.
What are you doing
to yourself?
[pantIng]
I've been testing my Blood.
That's all.
I used Hughes' computer
to analyze it.
So you knew the password
all along?
[sIghing]
I had to find a way
to destroy it, Kate.
[moaning]
Destroy what?
The alien D.N.A.
What are you
talking about?
Miles, if I'm gonna help you,
you have to let me know.
Those extinct life forms?
They weren't extinct.
They were alive and Well.
Thriving, in fact.
At first, we didn't think
any life existed up there.
Not till
the highlander exploded,
and breached the Domes.
Then the serps,
that's what we called them,
they came in through
the damaged substructures.
They raided
our produce stores.
After Braithwaite died,
I figured if I could just
take on
some of their tolerance
for--for the conditions
on Venus,
maybe I could stretch
my resources.
So you injected yourself
with the serp D.N.A.
That's why your scrubber
simulations never computed.
By the time you found me,
I'd been breathing pure co2
for 6 weeks.
So you've been lying to us
all this time. To me.
Kate, if I hadn't done
what I did,
I--I wouldn't be here
right now.
I never meant
to put you at risk, Kate.
I'm sorry.
It's all right.
You're gonna tell Perkins,
aren't you?
No.
You are.
Pictures don't
do them justice.
(Miles)
Bioluminescent serpents
hell bent on survival.
They live
on natural radiation,
raw amino acids,
and each other, if need be.
They divide, they reproduce
by mitosis.
Of course.
Just the way your body's
been trying to do.
Why did you hide this?
Why didn't--
why didn't you tell us?
I thought I'd be signing
my death warrant.
I thought that it was best
I keep it a secret.
But you were willing
to expose me,
your co-workers, your wife,
the rest of the world,
to a biological Hazard
of god knows what proportions?
I was quite confident
that there was nothing
I could pass along.
I know that's no excuse
[screaming]
Miles! Miles!
(Perkins)
No, the serp in his blood
is trying
to replicate Himself.
Stay there!
[groaning]
[screaming]
[Miles screaming]
[alien growling]
[roaring]
[screaming]
[grunting]
[growling]
Kate.
Kate, it's ok. It's just me.
Kate!
(Miles on TV)
All I ever wanted
was to survive
[gasps]
when I got back to earth,
I hoped
it would all go away.
I wanted my life back.
So if I'm guilty of anything,
it's not wanting to die.
So, if that's what
I'm being charged with today,
I guess
I don't have a defense.
[gaspIng]
I know what I did was wrong.
I'm not asking
for forgiveness.
[sniffling]
Except--
except maybe from you, Kate.
That's all.
(Latimer)
In the 5 days
he's been deprived
of radiation treatments,
the subject's condition
has deteriorated markedly.
It seems to have settled
into a baseline metabolic rate
that is Akin to a waking coma.
At the risk of sounding
inhumane, Mr. Latimer,
that's small comfort
to those of us
who wish to see
the threat eliminated.
(Dr. Thoroughgood)
Do you have a suggested
course of action?
(Latimer)
As per the Pentagon's
instructions,
we've drawn up
a number of options
for a bio-safe execution.
If I may,
I'd like to say a word.
Thank you.
I know
that you have stopped asking
whether to take
my husband's life,
and that now,
it has just come down to how.
I am also told
that you have decided
to abandon
the aphrodite project.
So, in one misguided act,
you are going
to waste a man's life,
and billions of dollars spent
in our knowledge of space
and extraterrestrial life.
(Kate)
Now, I believe that there is
a way to avoid all that,
at the same time,
to be protecting
against any potential Hazard
my husband May still pose.
(Latimer)
He is responsible
for Perkins' death.
(Kate)
Even after all that we know,
I am here to argue
that my husband
be allowed to live
and even
to continue to contribute
to the nation
to which he has always shown
absolute loyalty.
[sighing]
What would you have us do,
commander Girard?
I would like you
to send him back to Venus.
[dog barking]
(Kate)
Not much has changed here.
Uh, Carlisle has taken over
as head of space medicine.
And the jupiter Mission's
been pushed back
to the middle of next year.
They've managed to keep
Just about everything
out of the press.
Perkins' death was attributed
to a laboratory explosion,
and, uh, there's been
a few stories
about "Hero astronaut
returns to Venus outpost."
I've downloaded them for you
I was happy to hear
how well you've responded
to the ambient levels
at aphrodite.
Every night I look up
at the sky,
and I say a little prayer,
and I think about
our time together,
however brief.
It took a while,
but I have forgiven you.
I completely understand
why you did what you did.
And I still love you.
I'll never forget you, Miles.
Never.
It goes over in dome 3.
(narrator)
it is nature's imperative
that the differences
among us endure.
But what if we can
no longer distinguish
one being from another?