The Outer Limits (1995–2002): Season 4, Episode 3 - Hearts and Minds - full transcript

Big stick's planted and
ready to swing, Captain.

Easy does it, Sergeant.

We're not here
to level the place.

Anti-personnel charges only.

Understood.

(Beeping)

Hawthorne, you set?

Hawthorne?

CAPTAIN: Hawthorne?

(Beep)
Yes, sir.

I'm set. Sorry, sir.



It's all right.
Settle down, Corporal.

Archer... is everyone
home for the night?

Sat-com shows 12 hostiles
in the target area, sir.

Roger that.

A veritable infestation,

if you don't mind me
saying so, sir.

(Beeping)

CAPTAIN: Rosen... how's
your eyesight?

20/20, sir.

OK. Heat 'em up.

Yaah!

Whoo!

Ha ha ha!

Whoo! Whoo!



Yaah!

Damn, I love a bug hunt.

(Shrieking)

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...

In order to survive

a soldier must fight
many battles...

physical
as well as mental...

but in
the heat of the struggle,

reality can sometimes
fade like memory

until only one thing
remains certain...

the first casualty of war
is truth.

I can't make out
a damn thing.

There's too much
heat interference.

One of our charges must
have ignited the pergeum
ore in the mine.

WOMAN: Those bugs aren't
going to be too happy.

The bugs
want pergeum,

they can find it
somewhere else.

This planet
belongs to us.

Archer, are we sure
no aliens survived?

Negative, sir. The next
surveillance satellite

won't be in range
for another 5 hours.

All right, people,
you know what
that means.

We have to go in.

You all ready
for that?

Yes, sir!

ARCHER: Yes, sir.
Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

Good.

Prep weapons.
Encounter protocol.

(Hissing)

HAWTHORNE: Damn it.

What's the problem,
Hawthorne? Juice up.

I'm trying, sir.

This is one drill
you better know cold.

Encounter Protocol...

"Any potential encounter with
alien forces must be preceded

"by self-inoculation
to prevent infection."

Yes, sir.
I know the regs, sir.

It's because of those
alien parasites, you know.

Their stinking bodies
are crawling with them.

They're called
spirochetes, sir.
Bacteria.

I learned about them
in training, sir.

No kidding? Well, then
maybe you can explain
something to me.

I mean, I've always wondered
which hurts more...

the skin ruptures

or the hallucinations
from the brain lesions?

I'm sorry, sir.
I don't know.

I'm only asking you
'cause when our last
medic got the bug,

he just wouldn't
stop screaming.

Well, till
he stopped screaming.

Damn it.
(Hissing)

You have to disengage
the interlock and
open the bleed valve

before you
cycle the pump.

You have to line it up
exactly right if
you want it to work.

It's not as easy as they
tell you in training.

Yes, sir.
Thank you, sir.

Lieutenant?

When your last medic
got the bug,

how long did it
take him to die?

He didn't.
He blew his foot off
on a pulse mine.

He rotated home
last week.

Approach is clear.

I like what you've done
with the place.

Archer, what's the count?

Visual confirmation
on 11 bodies, Captain.

Means we've got one hostile
unaccounted for, people.

Look sharp.

(Alien shrieks)

Stay close. Stay quiet.

(Shrieks)

Target is definitely
alive, Captain.

I engaged,
but shot wide, sir.

Understood, Sergeant.

OK, people, let's
establish a perimeter.

Don't let this bastard
get past us.

(Alien shrieks)

(Shuffling)

Rosen, it's heading
in your direction.
Can you confirm him?

Negative.

OK, everybody,
listen close.

We're going to set up
a crossfire.

Eldritch, take the north
corridor and join up
at Archer.

Rosen, Hawthorne, find cover.
Maintain position.

I'll be coming through
the south-east passage.

Down!

You OK?

Yeah. Yeah.

How bad is it?

It's not bad at all, sir.

It's just
a superficial chest wound.

The shot went straight
through the vest, sir,
and only grazed her.

Looks like today was your
lucky day, Lieutenant.

Good work.
Thank you, sir.

Last hostile present
and accounted for, sir.

Stinkin' bug.

You got a problem
with something, Corporal?

No, sir.

I think you do.

These bugs scare you,
don't they?

Well, they should.
You know why?

Because they hate you,
and unless you learn
how to hate them back,

you can be damn sure
that they will kill you.

That's enough.

Both of you.

Let's go.

All right, people,
we'll rest for a while,

then we'll pack up
and get ready for evac.

Captain...

Looks like we had visitors.
Bug patrol.

How the hell did they get
past our booby traps?

Because our traps
weren't armed.

What happened?

But, Captain,
I thought--

I was sure I set
those charges.

Damn it, Hawthorne,
half our food and ammo
was in here.

That was stuff we need
a hell of a lot more
than we need a medic.

All right, I want a full
inventory of everything
that's left.

Nobody touch anything
unless you've juiced up.

The whole damn place
is probably contaminated.

Mind if I sit down?

No, sir.

Hawthorne...

what are you
doing here?

See, I was just
starting college

when the government
began the recruiting drives.

And they said that the aliens
were after the pergeum

and that it was
our responsibility

to fight to protect
what was rightfully ours.

I thought coming here
was the right thing to do.

So you're an idealist.

I guess I was.

CAPTAIN: All right,
people, listen up.

I just got off
the comm at HQ.

One of
our spy satellites

uncovered
an alien munitions
plant in our sector.

According to Intell,
that plant goes on-line
in 31 hours.

If it does, the bugs
will gain a major advantage
in this sector.

Maybe even the edge
they need to force us out.

So, we're the only unit
close enough to get
there in time, folks.

That's it.

What's the matter?

Look at you.

Take a good look
at yourselves.

What's wrong
with you people?

You don't remember
the way Earth used to be.

Why, just 40 years ago,
there were power shortages
everywhere.

Electricity riots
in the city.

Countries actually
going to war for energy.

Yeah.

Because of us, every country
on Earth gets the pergeum

they need to keep
their people warm and fed

and their economies humming.

No more need
to fight each other,

no more need for us
to kill each other anymore,

and just when we've finally
got our act together,

the bugs come and they
put it all in jeopardy!

So the next time you feel
a little tired or hungry

or you get a little scared,
you think about that,

and don't forget it!

We won't, sir.

CAPTAIN: Good! We move out
in 3 hours.

These tunnels
run underneath most
of this quadrant.

If we continue
in this direction,

we'll end up in
an abandoned mine.

We should be able to use
the mine shafts there

to get into
the munitions plant.

How far?

45 klicks.

Great.

We're on a planet
where night lasts
half the year,

and we're walking
through caves.

Hey, Rosen, was he
this much of a whiner

during sunlight
depravation training?

No, sir.
He slept through it.

(Muffled shriek)

I think it's company.
Did you hear that?

No.

Archer,
what do you see?

Nothing but us, sir.

The area's clear.

Good. Let's hope
it stays that way.

Haul to.

Archer, scan.

Sat-com shows a UV
laser web just around
the corner, Captain.

I've got a fix on it.

Yeah. It's probably
rigged to explode.

Think you could take
that detonator out

with an EM-pulse
grenade, Sergeant?

Got one right here.
Do it.

Man down!

What happened?
Who went down?

I thought you did.

What happened?
What's wrong?

Nothing, sir. We deacted
the trap as ordered.

It's my fault.
I thought I heard
them call for help.

It's all right.

More caution is better
than less.

Now, it's going to get
a lot worse from here on in.

There's lots of opportunities
for traps up ahead,

maybe even sentries,

so let's juice up
before we move out.

As near as I can tell, sir,

the internal release valve
was fused shut.

Every time you juiced up,

the internal pressure
kept building until
the whole rig blew.

Must have happened when
you got hit at the station.

One of the rounds must
have passed close enough

to fuse the valve without
touching anything else.

That would explain
why the injector didn't
appear to be damaged.

Captain,
that would mean I haven't
been getting my doses

since we left the station.

I feel fine, Eldritch.

Yeah, sure.

Replacement
injectors were lost
with our supplies.

That means
we got a big problem.

What do you suggest we
do about it, Corporal?

Well, sir, we could try
to modify our own injectors

and dose the lieutenant
off them.

Is that going to work?

It might.
CAPTAIN: No, no, no.

I'm not gonna risk the other
members of this team
on "it might," Corporal.

Captain, we don't
have any alternative.

I can try to compensate
with other meds for a while,

but if Lieutenant Rosen
encounters another bug

her chances of
becoming infected are
practically guaranteed.

Lieutenant...
that munitions plant

goes on-line
in about 22 hours.

I need you in this mission.
You know the risk.

I'm with you, sir.

First sign
of alien infection...

you're on your own.

CAPTAIN: I see only one
sentry at the shaft entrance.

What do you see, Archer?

We're too far underground
for a reliable sat-com,
Captain.

If there are still
any hostiles in the area,

I can't pick them up.

We better assume
he's got support.

All right, let's keep it
nice and quiet.

Take him out.

What are you waiting for?
It's a clear shot.

If I tap him now,
he falls in the open.

I just want him down
where nobody can see him.
Relax.

What's wrong?

Nothing.

It's a miss!
He's on the move!

He's down.
(Alien shrieks)

Good job.
What the hell happened?

I don't know, sir.

Well, I know!
It's obvious, Captain!

She's got the bug!
She's losing it!

It's not possible. I tested
her blood sample an hour ago,
it's clean.

Coming from you,
that doesn't mean
a damn thing.

Enough!

Archer...

their sentry
get a call off?

I can't be sure, Captain.

Eldritch, take
Archer and Hawthorne.

Get down to that shaft.
Rig it to blow.

Don't forget to juice up.
Be right behind you.

Captain, I don't think
it's a good idea--

I just gave you
an order, Sergeant!

Yes, sir.

All right,
what's going on?

I'm not sure, sir.
Speculate.

Something happened to me
at that station, sir.

I've never been so close
to a live one before.

I saw his face when I fired.

I can't get that image
out of my head,

and when I think about it...

I almost feel like a murderer.

You killed a bug that
was trying to kill you.

You did what you
were trained to do.

I know.

Maybe I'm just not cut out
to be a soldier.

Rosen?

Sir?

I know there's a lot
of people on Earth

who believe we've outgrown
the need for war,

but it takes more than
a few decades of peace

to change human nature.

You volunteered to fight,

and I've seen
what you can do.

Make no mistake about it,
you are a soldier.

If you've lost
your confidence,

then you've become a liability

to this team
and to yourself.

I made you second in command
because I trust you
to watch my back.

If you can't do that anymore,
you better tell me right now.

I can do it, sir.

Let's go.

How are we doing with
those charges, Sergeant?

We're almost ready to attach
the detonators, Captain.

We'll be a few
more minutes, sir.

Good. We'll do
a quick patrol of the area.

Hawthorne,
you'll come with me.

You stay here, stand watch.

Keep your distance
away from that thing.

That won't be
necessary, sir.

I torched it.
I sterilized
the entire area.

Lieutenant Rosen's
in no danger of
infection here, sir.

It's good to see
initiative, Corporal.

Yes, sir.

Let's go.

Doesn't look like much
of a soldier, does he?

That's because
he's a dead soldier.

I mean, for all we know,
he could be a kid.

Is that who
we're killing now?

Innocent civilians?

To tell you the truth,
I don't care.

The bugs started this war,
and as far as I'm concerned,

every last one of
those things is fair game.

And any thing carrying
a weapon is not a civilian.

I hope you haven't
forgotten that, sir.

We still have another hook-up
on the other side, sir.

(Weapons firing)

ELDRITCH: Go! Let's go!
Let's go! Fall back!

Where the hell
is it coming from?

I don't know!

Aah!

(Coughing)

Captain?

Captain?

Hawthorne!

(Equipment beeping)

(Sighs)

You all right,
Hawthorne?

I tried every bio-regen.

(Sighs)

I couldn't do anything
for him, sir.

Wounds were too massive.

Took more than a dozen hits
in the back and the chest.

ARCHER: There's no sign
of pursuit, sir.

ELDRITCH: The bugs
probably think we're dead.

What's so interesting?

These rounds don't
look like they're from
an alien weapon to me.

Is that some sort of
accusation, Lieutenant?

I'm not accusing
anybody of anything.

No, you're just suggesting
the captain was killed
by friendly fire.

Maybe that's something
we should consider.

Does that bother you?

Me? It was your mess

that got us into this
situation in the first place.

If it should bother anybody,
it should bother you.

The captain's dead
no matter who killed him.

We still have a mission
to finish.

Yeah, I guess we do,

but I don't think
the lieutenant is in
any condition to command.

I'm in command,
Sergeant!

I'm sure
Corporal Hawthorne

will certify me
fit for duty.

Yes.

Yes, sir.

Well, that's
good enough for me.

Your orders, Lieutenant?

If we're going to make it
to that munitions plant
in time,

we can't take
the captain with us.

Strip his gear.
We're moving out.

Yes, sir.

Should be getting close.

Yes, sir.

Lieutenant?

We're right under
the munitions plant.

What do you see?

Sat-com shows several bugs
clustered in a work area

roughly 2 klicks from here.

We should be able to use
the surface corridors
to approach.

All right.
I'll take recon.

Lieutenant?

I think it's time for
another sample of blood.

Make a quick scout.
Keep it quiet.

(Beeps)

Well, your luck is
still holding up, sir.

Your blood's clean.

No trace of spirochetes.

What do you know about
spirochete-induced
psychosis?

Well, only what
I've seen in
the training vids.

Nothing you
haven't encountered
in the field, I'm sure.

I've never actually seen
psychosis in the field.

Not one single case.

I never realized that before.

(Sighs)

(Noise)

The drugs
in our injectors...

do you know how they work?

Well, they don't
give field medics
a lot of details, sir.

But I've heard
that the alien DNA

is quite a bit
different from ours,

which makes it
tough to deal with.

That's why the drugs are
genetically engineered for
our individual biologies.

But apart from that,
the composition's
classified.

Is something
bothering you, sir?

Remember when I asked you
why you were here?

Yes.

I'm beginning
to wonder why myself.

Lieutenant,

with all due respect...

I think you should
remember what
the captain told us,

because he was right.

What we're doing here
is important.

I'm not sure
that's true anymore.

Lieutenant,
I'm not exactly sure
what you mean by that,

but I suggest that you
don't discuss it

in front of
Sergeant Eldritch.

At least,
not if you want
to stay in command.

(Footsteps)

Well,
that's another clean
bill of health, sir.

What are we up against?

It's hard to say, sir.

The power emissions
from their equipment

were interfering
with our sensors,

but we observed
only minimal defences

and 10 possibly more
hostiles in the area, sir.

Technical
recommendations?

We stage the assault
from below--

quick strike.

Go pack
out of here.

Lieutenant,
the injectors are
due for a recharge.

You want me to take care
of that now?

Go ahead.

I'll collect
the empties.

(Pours liquid)

(Screws on cap)

(Aliens roaring)

Is everyone juiced up?

Yes, sir.

MAN: Yes, sir.

Yes, sir.

(Aliens roaring)

(Footsteps)

Lieutenant?

I'm in position.

I copy that.

All set, Lieutenant.

(Footsteps)

(Aliens roaring)

(Garbled voices)

Stand down.

What?

I said stand down.
Abort. That's an order.

Why?

Those aren't aliens
up there.

Yes, sir.

(Muffled voices)

What the hell
were you doing?

We got at least a dozen
hostiles back there.

No. They're
human beings.

You're
out of your mind.

Listen to me.

Do you remember
what happened
at the mining station?

What does that
have to do with this?

Just hear me out.

What did you see?

I saw a bug.

I fired, I missed.

OK. Focus
on that moment
as hard as you can.

What did you
see there?

What did you see?

What did you see?

It was...

It was a bug,
just like I said.

How about you?

I saw it only for
a second, Lieutenant--
maybe less.

Think about it again.
What did you see?

I'm not sure.
Um...

It--

It could've been
human?

It was.

There was no alien
in that station.

And there are
no aliens here.

Then how do you explain
what we've been seeing?

I'm not sure,
but I think

it might be some sort
of a memory implant.

I've heard
enough of this.

You're crazy,

and you're trying
to make the rest of us
crazy as well.

How come we didn't
realize this before?

The drugs we take
when we juice up,

it must reinforce
the memory implant,

and when my injector
was damaged,

the implant began
to break down.

Yeah, but your injector
was damaged because
you got shot.

How come we can see
through these implants
now, too?

Because I sabotaged
your injectors.

I replaced the drugs
in your canisters with
glucose supplement

to help you see the truth.

You're all done.

Sergeant, please,
this is not the way.

It's good advice,
Corporal.

You should listen to it
yourself.

What's wrong with you?

You want to fight
so bad, you don't care
who you kill anymore?

You had no right to tamper
with our injectors.

That's a court martial
offence. You could be
executed for it.

Lieutenant, you're risking
all our lives on the basis
of a belief.

It's more than
just a belief.

I've had several
close contacts
with the enemy

with no drugs
to protect me,

and I'm still
perfectly healthy.

Why haven't I
been infected?

Because there are
no alien bacteria,

because
there are no aliens.

If we've been conditioned
the way you say,

how come when I look at you
I see a person and
not a bug?

The images must be
triggered somehow,

maybe electronically.

Yeah, but why go through
such an elaborate charade

just to create an enemy?

The person I killed
in the station,

I think he may
have been with
the coalition.

Our government knew they
couldn't convince us
to fight a war

just to protect
their profits,

so they transformed
human miners
into aliens

and made them enemies
in our own minds.

They brainwashed us

into fighting and killing
other human beings.

That's insane.

Is it?

Well, there's
one way to be sure.

(Footsteps)

My God.

They're here.

Run!

Get help!

(Miners yelling)

They're terrified of us.

Of course they are.

They thought we were here
to wipe them out.

And they were right.

Listen. Please.

You don't have
to be afraid.

We know the truth now.

Yeah, we do.

This is where
the killing stops.

No, no, no, it's OK.
No one's going to hurt you.

Please.

You don't have
to be afraid.

We know the truth now.

ELDRITCH:
We won't hurt you.

(Gunfire)

Don't.

Don't.

We know you're human.

We didn't come
to fight.

(Garbled speech)

(Gunshot)

MINER:
Disgusting creature.

Not so close.

We must medicate first.

Humans kill for love,

for revenge,
for survival,

and even for ideas.

Perhaps the capacity
to kill, then,

is a very true part
of our nature.

But within
this behaviour

defined by fear,

must we also be taught

to hate?

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