Original subtitles

(Bowman) 'By the year 2000,

'we had begun to overpopulate, pollute, and poison our planet

'faster than we could clean it up.

'We ignored the problem for as long as we could,

'but we were kidding ourselves.

'By 2025, we knew we were in trouble

'and began to desperately search for a new home, Mars.

'For the last 20 years,

'we've been sending unmanned probes with algae

'bio-engineered to grow there and produce oxygen.

'We're gonna build ourselves an atmosphere we can breathe,

'and for 20 years, it seemed to work.

'It looked like we'd pulled it off, we'd done it.

'Then, all of a sudden, oxygen levels started to drop.

'We don't know why.

'The international community has thrown all of its resources behind us.

'It's the greatest undertaking man has ever attempted.

'Our ship, MARS-1, is too massive to launch

'from the surface of the planet,

'and we've shuttled here to the high-orbit space station

'for a low-gravity launch to begin our six-month trip.

'The first manned mission to Mars.

'The hope and survival of mankind rests on us.

'But I know we'll solve the problem,

'because the best scientific minds are going there

'to figure out the answer, and I'm leading the mission.

'|'m Bowman, pilot and Mission Commander.

'Chantilas, Chief Science Officer and the soul of the crew.

'Santen, a hothead, but a fine copilot.

'Gallagher, our Mechanical Systems Engineer, maintenance.

'Frankly, not my first choice.

'The two civilian members of the team are:

'Burchenal, one of the world's leading bio-engineers

'and his own greatest hero.

'Pettengil, Terraforming expert

'and last-minute replacement on the science team.

'And packed away in her box, AMEE,

'Autonomous Mapping Exploration and Evasion,

'a multitask robot on loan from the Marines.

'In other words, our Mars surface navigator.

'We're the first travellers to another planet.

'It's another giant leap for mankind,

And if we don't figure out what's wrong on Mars,

'it could be our last.'

(Santen) Alpha-Mac Indicator.

- Clear. - (Computer) 'Confirmed.

'That concludes the primary systems check list, Commander.'

- (Bowman) Thanks, Lucille. - (Lucille) 'You are welcome.'

Gentlemen, take over.

I still can't believe we're doing this.

Ah, just keep it automatic, follow the routine.

Secondary systems, OHS, RCS.

- Clear. - (Lucille) 'RCS confirmed.'

- Optical Alignment Site. - 'Op-site, rate 19.'

- Clear. - 'Confirmed.'

How many hits you get on your website yesterday, Pettengil?

- Oh... - I got 500,000.

- That's great. - How many did you get?

- (Lucille) 'ATU 13.6 degrees.' - 832.

(Laughs)

- Were they all from your mother? - Yeah.

(Pettengil) You know, it's strange. It's gone.

Yesterday, I could see it. Today, I looked, and I couldn't find it.

So what, you think the Earth just vanished,

it's... it's gone forever?

No, I'm saying it's weird not being able to see it.

Yeah, so it's weird.

You'll get over it, or you won't.

It's just something I wasn't expecting, that's all.

Gallagher.

Up for a couple of turns around the campus?

My grandfather taught me to sail when I was a kid,

taught me to read the stars.

"Just in case all of the GPS satellites fell out of the sky," he said.

He said, "Any man who puts his life

"in the hands of a bunch of batteries is an idiot."

A real Yankee.

No, he just wouldn't approve something he couldn't build with his hands.

He wouldn't have approved of this.

Going to Mars?

He'd say we were headed for trouble.

Say we didn't try.

We just finished poisoning the Earth,

and everyone was dead in a hundred years.

Then what was the point of any of it?

Art, beauty... all gone.

The Greeks, the Constitution.

People dying for freedom, ideas.

None of it meant anything?

And what about religion?

Do we give up on God, too?

You didn't just give up being a scientist one day, did you?

I realised science couldn't answer any of the really interesting questions.

So, I turned to philosophy.

Been searching for God ever since.

(Bowman) Hey.

You're talking to a classroom of second-graders from Iowa at 14:30.

Wait a minute, it's your turn to do the kiddies.

Oh, no, it is your turn, and you know it.

Besides, I outrank you. I could order you to do it.

Yeah, just cos they promote faster in the Navy.

Of course they promote faster.

You have to when you're dealing with the best people.

(Santen laughs)

14:30, with a smile on your face.

This mean you pulling rank for the shower, too?

No, not rank.

Gender.

Ladies first.

Hey. Could you pass me the towel, please?

Sure. I'm sorry.

Just pretend I'm your sister.

I have two sisters.

They don't look like you.

This only works if we both believe it doesn't matter.

So, I should pretend you're virginal.

Well, you could make it matter more than that.

OK, um... why don't we practice?

You can get back in the shower naked

and come out, and I'll, um... I'll pretend it doesn't matter.

Why don't you go... fix something?

Yes, sir. Ma'am.

- (Lucille) 'Math systems check.' - I'll be on the flight deck with Bowman.

- Yup. Sure. - 500,000. 832.

Tighten up.

- Get ready, boys. - Yeah.

God, I hate him. It's like high school.

Yeah, there's the jocks and then us.

You watch my back, I'll watch yours.

- You wanna help me with AMEE? - OK.

(Gallagher) It's time for a pre-launch diagnostics check.

Hang on. Who are you kidding? You're a jock.

- You did the NASCAR circuit, right? - Yeah. I was just tuning the cars.

It wasn't really jock stuff.

- (Grunts) That's heavy. - Ears are still ringing.

(Pettengil) What is that powers this thing?

(Gallagher) A helium nuclear power cell.

It's the size of a beer can, and it runs her for eight months.

- Hey, sweetie. - Sweetie?

Is she your navigator or your girlfriend?

- Been a long flight. - Certainly has.

It's looking good. Let's check your TA.

Tighten up.

So, the military removed her reflexes before they transferred her, huh?

That should make her your kind of girl.

Gut him like a fish.

Kill him.

That's my kind of girl.

That's real damn funny, Gallagher.

(Lucille) 'Gallagher, this activity is strictly prohibited in this area.'

- She could have hurt me. - 'Seize immediately.'

They took away her knife, but inside she's all Green Beret.

All right, back in navigator mode. You're gonna dig Mars, AMEE.

(Woman #1) 'S0, have a good time, and I hope to see you

'back down here on Earth real soon.

'Good luck. We miss you.

'Bye.

(Computer) '209 web messages remaining.'

(Woman #2) 'Hey, Teddy, you remember me?

'Sure hope you haven't forgotten your old friends

'now that you're a big hot-shot astronaut.

'Anyway, just wanted to let you know I was thinking about you.'

(I THE POLICE: "When The World ls Running Down You Can't Go Wrong")

(Lucille) 'Commander, I sense an irregular permitted mixture.'

- Hi. - Hi.

(Breathes deeply) How you doing?

Fine. As soon as someone explains to me

why there's an indicator on the flight deck

saying that the temperature in here is above normal by ten degrees.

Fahrenheit or Centigrade?

Um... he's teaching me about, uh... biology.

- I've developed an interest in... - Fermentation?

A billion taxpayer dollars on this mission

and you're using the lab equipment as a still?

No. I'm, uh...

- I'm sterilising. - (Bowman) Uh-huh.

And how do you propose that I explain to Houston...

...that two of my crew went blind drinking moonshine vodka?

Very carefully?

(Chuckles)

So what, doesn't this establishment serve women?

Allow me.

Commander Bowman.

Whoo!

(Clears throat)

I learned how to drink in the Navy, boys.

(Burchenal) Chantilas, there were frogs around when you were a kid, right?

Lots.

And then we killed them. Every last one.

Now, since frogs breathe through their skins,

they react to the toxins in the environment more rapidly.

That should have been a warning.

Don't you think?

What's your point?

Uh... man's a party animal.

If he's doin' OK, nothin' else matters.

That's not gonna change.

Unless there are larger forces at work than biology.

Uh-oh.

We're gonna talk about God now, aren't we?

Cos if we are, I'm gonna need another pop.

Not God. Faith.

Faith? Oh, I had a girlfriend named Faith.

She cheated on me with a girl named Chastity.

You wouldn't be riding 309 million kilometres

into outer space and back

in a rocket ship that nobody ever tested properly

without having a little faith.

Hey, listen, listen.

Let's forget all the hypothetical stuff for a second, OK?

Um... I say, to hell with humanity.

I say, Commander Bowman,

when we get to Mars, we just take it.

We just take it over for ourselves.

Call Earth, tell them, "|t sucks. Don't bother coming"?

Yeah. Whatever keeps out the riffraff.

Chantilas, you know, you can do the religion thing.

You, Gallagher, you can keep the space John working.

And, uh... Pettengi|'s... passed out.

And I can handle pretty much everything else, you know?

King.

What about me?

Well, you'll be my queen.

Propagation of the species.

It's just a...

It's just a joke, Commander Bowman.

And on that note, gentlemen, I suggest we retire.

(NASA) ' MARS-1, Houston.

'You have acquired orbit.

'Congratulations on 182 days of smooth sailing,

'and welcome to Mars.

'Houston out.'

(I PETER GABRIEL: "The Tower That Ate People")

♪ There's a rumble in the floorboards

♪ No shutting out the sound

♪ And the workers are below me

♪ Digging underground

♪ Feel the building all around me

♪ Like a wrap of armoured skin

♪ But the more we are protected

♪ The more we're trapped within ♪

Did you find a good parking space?

Yup. Right between Phobos and Deimos.

(Gallagher) I prefer one moon, you know?

That way you know what to call it, the moon.

More colour commentary from the janitor.

The correct term is Mechanical Systems Engineer.

But he will accept Space Janitor.

(Burchenal) What the hell with the chitchat?

After six months, I'm ready to get out of this hamster cage.

Come on. What do you say, Bowman?

Lucille, initiate all pre-launch systems checks.

- (Lucille) 'Yes, Commander.' - Finally.

We're eating dinner on Mars.

Sounds good to me.

(Lucille) 'Mars entry vehicle launch in two hours.

'HAB 3D model online.'

It'll be nice to live on the ground for a change.

Yeah. Even if we are exchanging one hamster cage for another.

(Bowman) If all's gone well, hydroponics have been online for six months.

We'll have fresh tomatoes tonight.

That's one requirement for my dream house.

Oh, I bet you'll want a white picket fence, right?

Yup. I wouldn't mind.

Lucille, are we close enough to see our new home?

(Lucille) 'Yes, Commander.

'Locking in on HAB.

'LZ 56.'

Sure is desolate.

Gamma burst.

(Bowman) Latch up. Latch up. Free flow.

We're gonna lose chips. Shut it down.

- You want me to shut it down? - Shut it down now. SEP.

Some kind of massive solar flare. Come on.

(Lucille) 'Radiation alert. Level 5 EMP.'

(Alarm blaring)

Whoa, radiation alert. Safe area.

Go: go-

You, too, Lieutenant.

I'm not going anywhere. You need me up here on the flight deck.

I want you back there now.

Lieutenant, now. Go.

(Lucille) 'Massive gamma ray penetration, Commander.

(Lucille) 'The solar flare has passed, Commander.

'Power levels are below operating minimums.'

Shit.

- (Bowman) 'Santen.' - Yeah, Bowman, we copy. We're all OK.

What's the damage to the ship?

Oh, we're dead in the water.

- (Lucille) 'Main power unit offline.' - She's holding it together now,

but she could fall apart at any moment.

(Lucille) 'Auxiliary power unit failure. Power levels still dropping.

'Primary systems will shut down in six minutes.'

Change of plans, boys.

We're launching now. Suit up.

I'll secure the ship.

I'm gonna try to get more systems online, and then I'll join you.

(Suit #1) 'Chantilas, suit voice activated.'

(Suit #2) 'Gallagher, suit voice activated.'

(Lucille) 'Power levels still dropping.

'Primary systems will shut down in five minutes.'

(Suit #3) 'Suit computer online.

'Dr Burchenal, your EPA systems are 100%.'

(Lucille) 'MEV LP lock.

'Commence math systems check.

'AG up online. Aperture kit loader online.

'Inner-shut thrusters initialised.'

(Bowman) 'I've got the auto-launch programme online.

'|'m arming it now.'

(Lucille) 'Clock de-lock. 9K opened.

'IMU online.

'DEM “at. ABBA engaged.

'Launch-release system not responding.'

- That's not good. - (Lucille) 'N0, it isn't.'

OK, let's try it another way.

(Lucille) 'IRS not responding.

- 'Failure to engage.' - Come on.

(Lucille) 'Launch-release system not responding.

(Suit) 'Lieutenant Santen, suit sealed 100%, air supply 100%.'

(Lucille) 'Ignition system go.

'MEV landing system check.

'|'m sorry. Launch-release system not responding.'

OK, guys, listen up.

The MEV's not supplying power to the launch-release system.

I'm gonna have to stay back and arm it manually.

Commander, with all due respect, we're not leaving without you.

(Bowman) 'Hey, it's not up for debate.'

Cut the auto-guidance system and try to reboot the arm.

No, we don't have time. Santen, you're in charge.

'I hope you like the saddle. Lock it up, gentlemen.'

(Lucille) 'Lieutenant Santen, MEV launch systems ready.

- 'Launch on your command.' - Crew, secure.

- Secure. - Secure.

Secure.

Secure.

(Lucille) 'The MEV guidance system is scanning for the HAB transponder.

'MEV launch sequence initiated.'

We're green across the board.

(Lucille) 'Boosters online. Fuel in D-tanks.'

God, I hope she makes it.

(Lucille) 'Commander, primary systems shutdown in 50 seconds.'

Launch.

(Alarm buzzing)

Auto-guidance systems out. The flare must have cooked the chip.

I thought MEV was shielded.

(Santen) Complain later. I'm going to manual flight.

(Groans)

(Lucille) 'Commander, five seconds.

'Primary systems shutdown.

'Artificial gravity failure.'

Oh, shit.

(Lucille) 'We have an electrical fire in Access 2-4

'and a smoke warning in Sphere 6.'

(Groaning)

(Lucille) 'Accelerated rate of damage, multiple fires, temperatures...

- 'Caution, Commander.' - Later, Lucille.

(Grunts)

(Lucille) 'This is a zero-gravity fire, Commander.

'I tried warning you.'

(Santen) Deploying chutes!

(Lucille) 'Smoke warning in Sphere 6.

'Brace yourself this time.

'Commander, we have additional fires in Spheres 3 and 5.'

We're off target. Terrain's crappy.

I'm dumping the landing gear.

- (Gallagher) AMEE's in there. - (Santen) No choice.

(Lucille) 'We now have fires in Spheres 3, 7, and 8.'

I'm deploying bags.

(Bowman coughing)

(Lucille) 'Bio-systems indicate increasing air toxicity.'

♪ Here comes your 19th nervous breakdown ♪

(Crew groaning)

(Panting)

(Crew grunting)

(Groans)

Chantilas!

(Deflating)

(Lucille) 'Flames now consume 80% of the ship.

'This exceeds our fire-extinguishing capacity.

'All fires are extinguished. O2 level: 0%.'

(Bowman breathes heavily)

(Wind whistling)

(Santen groans)

(Panting)

(Grunts)

OK, OK.

Take him easy.

Here. Look. Help him up.

Let's sit down for a minute.

- Nice and easy. - There.

(Computer) 'Terrascan Mars alpha.'

'Compiling mission itinerary.'

You don't appear to have any compound fractures.

It doesn't look like you broke anything.

(Lucille) 'Reserve power supplies are failing.

'Auxiliary power unit 20%.'

Reroute the main power supply through the B chip, Lucille.

'This violates operating parameters, Commander.'

I'm not gonna take no for an answer.

You got that? Do it! Now!

'Yes, Commander. Alpha processor discharged.

'Power rerouting through the Beta chip.

'Main power unit 15%.

'Main power unit restored.

'Well done, Commander.

'Artificial gravity restored.'

No shit.

'Artificial atmosphere systems restored.

'O2 level 2% and increasing.'

(Santen) Where the hell is HAB?

(Gallagher) If you hadn't dumped our navigator, we'd know.

Can't get a visual on AMEE, but maybe I can fix this radio.

- How long? - I don't know.

These repairs are gonna take a while.

Science package is KO'd also.

Shit. There goes the mission.

The mission's not over yet, Pettengil.

Oh, really? Did you miss something?

We lost the science package.

We can no longer achieve what we came here for.

Quit whining.

You did park us on the rocks, Mr Santen.

And you knew there were risks.

And right now, gentlemen, locating HAB is what matters.

(Computer) 'Exterior atmosphere indicators disabled.'

I think we're somewhere down-range.

(Computer) 'Calculating landing ellipse.'

(Santen) Based on our last uncorrupted NAV state,

I'd say we're somewhere in the 60 by 120 kilometre ellipse.

(Burchenal) All the mission data is in here.

We just got to close in on the down-range variables.

It's about the math.

This is it.

That moment they told us about in high school

where one day algebra would save our lives.

Shut up.

Sorry.

(Computer) 'Officers' warning. AMEE not responding.

'MARS-1 comm initiation unsuccessful.

'T-ray imaging.'

Oh, man.

System memory, bring up a panoramic shot from the HAB.

(Computer) 'Op 1-X panoramic mode.'

- Reverse. - (Computer) 'Boundaries charted.'

(Gallagher) Hey, guys, look at this.

(Santen) What, Gallagher?

I don't think it's about the math, I think it's about the picture.

- (Santen) What picture? - This one.

(Santen) We're not in that picture.

If we were, we'd know where HAB was, which is what we're trying to figure out.

I know, but look. If this rock is HAB,

and it's in the line about 30 degrees, it sees these two peaks there,

but reversed cos it's on the other side,

and then about 180 degrees it sees those two peaks,

which puts us in the line about here,

which makes the line to HAB about there.

(Burchenal) He's right.

Nice work, Space Janitor.

We only have seven and a half hours of air left.

Let's get moving.

I realised science couldn't answer any of the really interesting questions.

So, I turned to philosophy.

Been searching for God ever since.

Who knows?

I may pick up a rock and it'll say underneath, "Made by God."

The universe is full of surprises.

That would be a big one.

You ready, sir?

Unfortunately, I'm staying here.

What?

My spleen's ruptured. There's significant internal bleeding.

I wouldn't get very far.

But we have emergency medical gear at HAB.

Can lock out the spine impulse.

You can walk us through the surgery.

Carrying me will slow you all down,

just enough to deplete everyone's oxygen.

This is no time for misguided heroics.

I'm not gonna let you die here.

(Chantilas) What we came hereto do is more important.

The four of you must carry on with the mission.

It won't be easy, but I know you can do it.

Get going.

You heard the man.

He'! -

I got to see Mars.

Come on, give me a red light.

Give me juice. Come on, don't do this to me and my team.

Give me a goddamn red light.

(Lucille) 'Communications online.'

See, all you needed was an attitude check.

'Thank you, Commander.'

Mars ground crew, this is MARS-1. Can you hear me? Over.

Mars ground crew, this is MARS-1. Do you copy? Over.

(Sighs)

(Computer) 'Terrascan has nothing to report.

'N0 life form trace apparent.'

(Pettengil) It's weird. There's nothing here.

It's Mars.

No. I mean there's not one sign of the algae we sent up here.

Even if it all died, there should be something.

A dried algal mat, traces on the lee side, something.

(Burchenal) He's right. They're not just dead.

They're gone, like they were scoured off.

This says there was nothing ever here. That's impossible.

Maybe there was never anything in this valley.

If we are where we think we are,

this whole area was covered with blue algae

as recently as a month ago.

The valley before this should have been blazing with red-orange chloroflectic.

All right, all this talking is burning up oxygen. Let's move out.

At least we know what happened to the oxygen.

- There's nothing hereto make it. - Burchenal, you done?

I said move out.

(Lucille) 'Commander, ten minutes until we exit the day side.'

OK, where are the boys?

'Grid tracking, de-lock.'

- OK, boys. Where are you? - 'LZ topography,

'six degrees tracking, three minutes tracking, I de-lock.

'MEV landing zone, LZ 56.'

Why aren't you at the LZ?

(Lucille) 'Five minutes until we exit the day side and lose visuals.

'144—X.

- 'Azimuth HZ 4.99...' - Boys, where are you?

'MEV LP lock.'

Oh, shit.

Find HAB for me, Lucille.

(Santen) There it is!

We made it!

26 months of food, air, and water!

We made it!

(Santen) Whoo!

(Gallagher) God help us.

(Burchenal) It's all chewed up.

What happened?

- An ice storm couldn't have done this. - No way.

Every HAB stood up to an F-5 in tornado alley.

(Gallagher) This isn't weather-related.

OK. What are we gonna do?

Start looking for O2.

Houston, this is MARS-1.

We have experienced a massive proton field upset,

sequel to a solar flare.

MARS-1 systems at below 70%,

orbital path degraded by fire control air purge.

Engine function zero.

MEV launched with a crew of five.

I have visual on crash site. I can see one person down.

I have absolutely no radio contact with them.

Houston, visuals confirm that HAB-1 is tango uniform.

I repeat, HAB-1 has been destroyed.

Even if the rest of the team is alive, they have no way to survive.

I'm uploading telemetry and video data to you now.

(Lucille) 'Data unit relayed.'

I don't see anything.

No food, no air, no water.

OK. What? What-what are we gonna do?

(Burchenal) Not a lot we can do. We're out of time.

We're out of time when we're out of air.

Sixteen minutes. What do you got left?

A little less.

Some final entry for the bio, huh?

"Disappointed 12 billion people.

"Not counting the ex-wives."

(Groans)

I hope Bowman made it.

You know, I had a thing for her...

...from the start.

I thought they chose me cos I was single...

...in case I died.

Short time to live.

Long time to wait.

God, it really is beautiful, isn't it?

You know, I was planning on getting engaged when I got back.

(Scoffs)

Yeah, well, I'm gonna miss a lot of girls.

A lot of girls are gonna miss me.

(Chuckles)

I was never supposed to be here.

I was just the next lucky guy on the list.

Well, my flying ability isn't an issue now.

With HAB destroyed, it makes no difference where we landed.

You're calculating excuses?

Nothing to excuse. It's moot.

No impact.

Bud Chantilas?

Moot. He'd have died here anyway.

Just like us.

You're amazing, Mr Santen.

Your life is about to end, and you still can't accept defeat.

I can come across as a hard ass, I know that,

but technically, I didn't fail.

Look, what's done is done.

I came up here to forgive you.

Yeah? Well, screw you.

I don't need forgiveness from a pussy like you.

Get outta here.

Go away and die like a man if you can.

Santen! Oh, my God!

Santen!

Oh, Jesus.

(Burchenal) Mars' polar ice is mostly CO2.

We use low-order nuclear detonations to melt the ice.

(Panting)

That releases CO2.

Now, CO2 buildup creates a greenhouse effect.

Uh... Mars starts to warm up.

Now, when it's hot enough, we seed down some algae.

Now, the algae grows and emits oxygen.

You want me to just shut up and let you die quietly?

No. Kind of peaceful.

Oh, OK. So, um... they sent us here

to figure out what happened to the oxygen.

The question is...

...what happened to the algae?

You know?

Santen's dead.

Threw himself off a cliff.

Tried to stop him.

(Suit) 'Gallagher, replace your O2 canister immediately.'

I'm under a minute.

What... what's it gonna be like?

Hypoxia?

Dizziness, skin'll tingle, vision narrows, then shock.

Convulsions, acidosis.

Is it gonna hurt?

Yeah.

All right. I'm gonna...

I'm gonna go over here, take a walk.

- (Groans) - (Suit alarm beeping)

(Suit) 'Gallagher, oxygen supply depleted.'

(Gallagher gasps)

- (Pettengil) Gallagher? - I was...

(Gallagher gasping)

(Gallagher gagging)

(Suit) 'Burchenal, replace your O2 canister immediately.'

(Hyperventilating)

(Suit) 'Pettengil, replace your O2 canister immediately.'

(Wind whistling)

I can breathe.

I can breathe.

Burch... Burch...

It's like being in high altitude.

I don't know how... we can breathe, but we can breathe.

(GaspiflQ)

(Inhales deeply)

(Burchenal) We can breathe!

I don't know what the hell this is... but I'll take it.

(Coughifl9)

(Inhales deeply)

(Burchenal) We can breathe.

This can't be possible.

What the hell is going on here?

If Santen just waited a few more minutes...

We can breathe, Santen.

We can breathe.

(Lucille) 'Attention, Commander. Incoming relay.'

(NASA) 'MARS-1, this is Houston.

'We got your message and we're glad to hear your voice.

'Analysis of your telemetry indicates MARS-1 orbital failure in 31 hours.

'The good news is we'll have you out of there by then.

'We believe we can restore engine function

'for a main engine burn and exit from Mars orbit.

'Ground crew is presumed end of mission.

'Houston out.'

Terraforming didn't even come close to creating breathable air up here, right?

Right.

And the oxygen levels were already dropping when all the sensors died,

so how can there be more O2 now than ever before?

And no algae to make it, huh?

(Lucille) 'Sorry, Commander. No response from ignition systems.'

(Sighs)

Houston, MARS-1.

No joy in all scenarios for engine ignition.

That includes hitting the console.

What next? Over.

My God, I wish I didn't have to wait 40 minutes to hear your answer.

Hey, guys. Here's the radio.

Not gonna be calling Bowman on this.

Wait a second. I saw something.

When we were trying to locate HAB.

That little rover they sent up back in '97.

That must have a radio, right?

- Yeah. - Hang on.

It's four kilometres from here.

Gonna get dark real soon.

It will be too cold.

We'll go first light.

(Burchenal sighs)

Well, at least this thing still has enough rocket fuel to keep us warm.

Here comes a billion-dollar campfire.

At least it's good for something.

Ha.

If the radio at the rover works, we can contact Bowman.

Tell her there's breathable air here.

But that isn't gonna help us, is it?

Hey, Pettengil,

it must have been hard watching Santen go like that, huh?

Yes, it was.

I bet.

(Pettengil) Hey, it's your girlfriend. She made it.

(Burchenal) Hey, AMEE, I thought you were dead.

(Gallagher) Hey, sweetie, good to see you.

Aw, you're kind of banged up.

I knew you'd make it.

Hey, are you a little out of whack?

Flip over for me.

- Shoot, processor's damaged. - (Pettengil) Can she still navigate for us?

Yeah, until she breaks down for good.

We wait till she breaks down, her drone'll crash.

Let's just yank her Mars positioning system now.

MPS hard drive is modular and self-powered.

So, we can run it through an HHC, that would give us control of the drone,

but then... that'd be killing her.

Yeah? You want me to do it?

No, I'll... I'll do it.

(Gallagher) AMEE!

AMEE!

(Burchenal) Oh, shit.

Ow!

AMEE, no!

No!

No!

AMEE.

(Groans)

(Pettengil) Gallagher, what's going on?

She's in military mode. Crash must have flipped her.

Why did she turn on us?

We tried to kill her.

- Made us the enemy. - Son of a bitch.

- You OK? - Then override her.

I tried. She won't respond.

It's a broken rib.

Oh? Tell me something I don't know, like why she let us live. She had us.

She's playing war games.

Guerrilla tactics. It's an old trick.

Wound one of the enemy, the others have to help out.

Slows 'em down.

Sooner or later, she'll play search-and-destroy.

Then she'll come and kill us... one by one.

- (Groaning) - You all right?

(Drone flies overhead)

(Electronic beep)

AMEE's jammed the transmitter so we won't know where she is.

You all right?

($ighs) Hmm.

Only hurts when I breathe.

Sun's gonna come up soon.

Might as well get going. Give me a hand?

Whoa! (Chuckles)

Sure get some high arc in this low gravity, huh?

(Gallagher) Watching this, AMEE? Taking the first piss on Mars.

(Lucille) 'Boosters online.'

Mm-hmm.

'AMI confirmed.

'Ignition system operable. Awaiting further instructions.'

Houston, I have a green light for engine ignition.

I repeat, I'm a go for engine ignition.

(Sighs)

Thank you, 9W3-

Thank you for busting your asses.

I have some time before I have to punch.

I'm gonna take another look for the crew at daybreak.

I know they're end of mission, but it's something I gotta do. Over.

(Lucille) 'Relayed.'

Burchenal, you know what you're doing, right?

I always know what I'm doing.

Charming.

It's a 50-year-old off-the-shelf computer modem

on a frequency we're not using on our mission,

but it beats shouting for help.

I got it.

(Lucille) 'Synchronous lock. I 2.3. Synch lock off. 144-X.

'HZ lock.'

Houston, MARS-1.

I'm configuring MARS-1 for a final slingshot around the day side,

and I will be returning to Earth.

(Lucille) 'Relayed.'

OK.

Let's do it.

OK.

Test. Test.

Does it work?

I don't know. The little green light's on.

Houston, MARS-1.

I've acquired elliptical orbit.

I'm commencing engine ignition sequence for Earth return.

This is MARS-1 ground crew. Do you copy?

This is MARS-1 ground crew. Do you copy?

This is MARS-1 ground crew. Do you copy?

Hello?

We're the guys on Mars.

Come on. Someone talk to us.

Let's try it again.

This is MARS-1 ground crew. Do you copy?

This is MARS-1 ground crew. Do you copy?

(Burchenal) Maybe they'll hear us back in 1997.

(Metal clinks)

It's been two hours.

(NASA) 'MARS-1, Houston.

'MARS-1, Houston.

'Commander, we've picked something off a radio telescope

'pointed in your direction. You're not gonna believe this.

'You're gonna have to tune to a frequency we haven't used in 50 years.'

(Gallagher) Yeah, well... it was worth a shot.

(Bowman) 'Mars ground crew, this is MARS-1. Do you copy? Over.

'Mars ground crew, this is MARS-1. Do you copy?'

Bowman! Bowman!

(Bowman) 'Gallagher?'

(Sighs)

(Chuckles) You're alive.

Yeah.

Holy shit, you made it, too.

Hey, I know that HAB is wrecked. What is your status?

(Gallagher) 'Er... we're down here with the little rover, what's-its-name,

'and I'm with Burchenal and Pettengil.'

Got no food and water, AMEE's gone mustang,

and, uh.. . oh, yeah, we can breathe.

How can that be? The oxygen levels are...

That is impossible.

I don't know, but we're doing it.

(Bowman) 'I saw a body back in MEV. Who was it?'

That was Chantilas.

Santen's gone, too.

(Bowman) 'What happened?'

(Gallagher) Pettengil says he threw himself off a cliff.

'Anyway, that's the news.'

We're not gonna make it much longer.

I hope you got an idea, cos we're... we're fresh out.

OK, well, let me work on it.

I'll get back to you.

I hope she has a magic wand.

Houston, we have three men alive and breathing on Mars.

Let's bring them home.

You just can't get around it, can you?

I still can't figure out this... algae and oxygen business.

You hate not knowing, don't you?

Oh, give it time, believe me. I'll know.

Yeah, maybe.

Maybe life's just more mysterious than you think it is.

You know, you spent too much time with Chantilas.

But if you wanna take the God route,

the easy way, that's up to you.

The easy way? There's nothing easy about a spiritual life.

It's a lot more difficult than just being intelligent.

I think you're just ignoring the facts.

The facts.

I bet you're no fun at Christmas.

I bet your mum told you there was no Tooth Fairy when you were four.

I'm a geneticist. I write code, OK?

A, G, T, P in different combinations.

Hacking the human genome, OK?

I choose what, I choose where,

and either your kidneys work, or you grow a sixth finger.

I do that.

Now, you spot God, you let me know.

Until then, I'll trust my PhDs.

(Bowman) 'Hey, it might sound crazy, but it's the only choice you got.'

We walk 100 kilometres to a 30-year-old Russian rock probe

that failed to launch and try to jump-start it?

Gee, why couldn't you make it tough?

The probe's called Cosmos.

Houston found the designer, name's Borokovski.

'Owns a deli in Brooklyn.

'He thinks that you can start the launch sequence right there on the site.'

Former rocket scientist who now specialises in... making sandwiches.

- Terrific. - Well, here's the hard part.

You got just under 19 hours to get there and get it off the ground.

Oh, well, then I take back what I said about it being tough.

I gotta ditch the B-tank and burn more fuel from A

just to hold orbit that long.

I can't burn much after that,

or MARS-I won't have enough fuel to get back home.

OK, I need a heading. Which way should I go?

OK, you wanna go to your five o'clock.

- There you go. - (Gallagher) 'OK. We're set.'

OK, I got some work to do.

And then I will be in blackout on the dark side,

so I'll call you when I get back.

Roger. Thanks.

- (Bowman) '|'m sorry it's not more.' - Hey, it's something.

Give me a hand.

(Gallagher) 'lt's nice just to know you're still up there.'

Yeah, well, I don't mind dying. I just hate being alone,

'so get your asses back here. Talk to you later.'

(Sighs) Thanks.

Oh, it feels like it's through my lung.

(Bowman) 'Gallagher, what do you think?'

(Gallagher) 'I think... it's very distracting seeing you get out of the shower.'

I started to lock the door after that.

No, you didn't.

- Yes, I did. No, you didn't.

Mmm...

(Whispers) Good night.

What's that?

Over there.

It's like the ground's moving.

I didn't see anything.

It's gone now, but I... I definitely saw something.

(Squeaking)

(Bowman) 'Gallagher?'

Hey, Bowman. How're you doing?

I need a headings' check.

You're right on target. Listen, I need to talk to you.

(Buzzifl9)

I got the comm off. What's the matter?

Bowman?

The only place to ride the Cosmos is in the rock sample container.

Sounds comfy.

'It's very small.

'Borokovski and Houston have been trying'

to figure out how to cram three people in, and...

(Sighs) ...it only fits two people.

Two people barely.

(Panting)

- How we doing, huh? - Good, great.

I'm sorry.

Yeah, right. I'll... talk to you later.

- (Burchenal groans) - (Gallagher) This is to patch you up.

It'll help with the pain.

(Burchenal) I can barely breathe. This air is too damn thin!

You're gonna be OK.

Put your arm over. That's right.

Left foot... right foot.

- That's right. - OK.

(Gallagher) Hop like a bunny. Just go...

♪ Here it comes

♪ Here it comes

♪ Here comes your 19th nervous breakdown...

What are you doing?

It's the song my grandfather sang.

Rolling Stones. Come on, sing it.

♪ Here it comes

♪ Here it comes

♪ Here comes your 19th nervous breakdown ♪

(I Mimics electric guitar)

(Thunder clapping and wind howling)

(Flips switches)

(Lucille) 'Commander, a massive low-pressure system

'is approaching the crew.

'Atmospheric pressure: 820 millibars.'

Gentlemen, there's an ice storm coming straight for you, and it's big.

It's the size of Montana, and it's moving fast.

I'm going into comm blackout in a few seconds.

You need to find shelter immediately. Now!

(Wind howling)

Where are we gonna find shelter around here?

(Burchenal) Over here! There's an opening!

(Lucille) 'Maximum sustained winds: 111 miles per hour.

'Temperature: negative 50 degrees Fahrenheit.'

(Gallagher) Hurry!

- (Panting) - Shit.

Houston, this is MARS-1.

(Wind howling)

(Grunts)

How far is Cosmos from here?

- What? - Hey. Cosmos.

(Sighs) How far do you think it is?

Five or six hours.

Let's say five.

That leaves us four hours to try and launch.

Not counting whatever time we lose here.

(Sighs) This Borokovski better have a good memory.

Won't be time for plan B.

Only two of us can go on Cosmos.

What?

There's only room on Cosmos for two people.

You two will both go.

You carry on with the mission,

you tell the people what they need to know about what you learned here, and...

...when we get to Cosmos. I'll help you rig it, and then, uh...

...say goodbye.

(Scoffs) Probably won't even launch.

It is Russian, after all.

You'll get ten feet off the ground and explode,

and I'll still live longer than both of you.

($norts)

You're a rare man, Gallagher.

But somehow I don't quite believe it.

What are you talking about?

He thinks I'm responsible for Santen's death.

What do you think, Gallagher?

Gallagher?

You trust me?

Do you?

I'll watch your back, you watch mine?

Shit, I know I don't trust you.

But you're gonna leave your buddy here, behind,

and take off with me?

(Nervous laughter)

Yes, that's...

That's what he's gonna do.

(NASA) 'MARS-1, this is Houston.

'Commander, we don't know about your clock,

'but ours is running out of time down here.

'Your team's been out of contact over three hours.

'They did a great job getting this far,

'but that's a killer storm, and no one can survive it out in the open.

'S0, here's where we are.

'If you haven't heard from your crew by the time you receive this,

'you're ordered to return home.

'Houston out.'

Gallagher, come in.

Gallagher, can you hear me, please?

(Dripping)

(Shivering)

Shit.

- Burchenal. -Mmm?

- He's gone. - What?

He took the radio.

Oh, shit. Shit!

(Drone flies overhead)

It's AMEE.

She wants us to watch.

(Panting)

(AMEE whirring)

She's got him.

(Electronic screeching)

Oh.

Well, he was afraid we were gonna leave him here.

He made it come true.

Gotta get that radio... or we're both dead, too.

(Burchenal) We lost three hours in the snow cave.

(Gallagher) Well, at least Pettengil was heading in the right direction.

How do you know?

I took a general heading before the storm got too bad,

lined it up with the stars.

We're OK.

- Oh, shit. - Hey.

Oh!

Hold on.

This is algae.

There's algae here.

Why is it here and nowhere else?

No time for that now.

There's Pettengil.

At least he didn't drop the goddamn radio.

AMEE really tore him up.

Oh, shit.

Little shit's got a... got a death grip on it.

- (Bones crunching) - Give me the radio!

I'll call Bowman.

Why did he close his visor?

He didn't have any air left.

Bowman. It's Gallagher. You up there?

Bowman? This is Gallagher.

(Rattling)

Must still be on the dark side.

(Grunts)

Jesus!

(Chittering)

It's some kind of nematode.

Sparks ignited them.

They're feeding on the algae.

That's where it went. They're feeding on the algae.

Come on, son of a bitch. Got it.

- Thought there wasn't any life here. - I was wrong.

(Groans) Water!

Where there's water and air, there's life.

Is it smart to take those things with us?

Smart? You don't get how important this is, huh?

I'm the janitor, remember?

Hey, Earth's losing oxygen. Did you see how those things burned?

They make it. They eat algae and make O2!

I finally get it! I told you I'd solve this damn thing.

(Gallagher) Why are the nematodes here?

(Burchenal) Cos there's something left to eat.

(Chuckles)

Hang on.

I haven't seen green fields like this since I was a kid.

(Chittering)

Gallagher!

- Burchenal. - They're eating through my suit!

Stay there!

You need my air for the launch!

Take this back, Gallagher.

Accomplish the mission.

It's up to you now.

Better put your helmet on.

I'm not going out like Pettengil.

(Lucille) 'Commander, there is a disturbance on the surface of Mars.'

Oh, God.

'Mars ground crew, this is MARS-1. Can you hear me? Over.

'Mars ground crew, this is MARS-1. Do you copy? Over.

'Gallagher, what's going on? What's happened?

'Mars ground crew, this is MARS-1. Can you hear me? Over.'

(Grunts)

(Gallagher) 'I can't... can't go back.

'There was some kind of oxygen burn-off.

'It was like a blowtorch.

- 'Burchena|'s gone.' - Gallagher?

He sacrificed himself.

'Gallagher, where are the others?'

- 'I've got to rest.' - Gallagher...

...where are the other guys?

Dead.

They're all dead.

'|'m the only one left.'

Gallagher, stop and listen to me.

'It's over.'

I don't know what happened tonight,

but you have come too far to give up now.

'And you are going to accomplish the mission.'

I can't.

'Burchenal sacrificed himself for you.

'You don't want to make that for nothing, do you?'

I want you to stand up, and I want you to start walking.

'If you can't do it for him, Gallagher...'

- I can't... - 'D0 it for me.'

Do it for me.

- 'You have to keep going.' - OK.

(Drone flies overhead)

(Lucille) '55 minutes until we need to leave orbit, Commander.'

- Time? - (Bowman) '52 minutes to go.'

- Should be there by now. - You're almost there.

I could've screwed up the celestial NAV.

- Could be off-course. - 'Trust me. You're there.'

- Could have run right past it. - 'Shut up and keep moving.'

I found it.

OK, what do we do now?

Get rid of the sample return tray.

OK. What next?

There's an infrared maintenance port. It should be marked.

Marked? Yeah.

In Russian.

Uh... all right. Found it. Now what?

Connect the radio to Cosmos.

I'm gonna download what you need through the modem.

- (Computer speaking Russian) - Still works.

Go.

(Continues in Russian)

OK, you should be able to run diagnostics now.

All green.

OK, now, this thing has two settings, on and off.

'Right now, "on" sends it all the way back to Earth.'

As you lack air, food, and water, that would be bad.

You want just enough power to reach orbit.

I've recalculated for the weight of one person.

You gotta take two litres out of each fuel tank.

'There's a central purge.'

Russians couldn't add a gas gauge?

Hey, I'm going into comm blackout soon,

and we're down to 49 minutes, so shut up and get to work.

OK, what now?

Launch diagnostics. Avoid pressing anything that says "ignition".

(Computer speaking Russian)

Gallagher?

Battery's dead.

(Softly) Oh, Gallagher.

There's not enough power to launch.

Not enough power to launch.

Is there anything else there that you can use?

I don't know. Let me look around.

See if I see any alternate high-voltage sources.

No... there's just rocks.

(Sighs)

I'm gonna die on this planet.

I'm gonna figure out how to stay up here,

and we will find another way.

'You can't stay there without burning more fuel to hold orbit.'

You gotta go.

How much time till blackout?

About a minute.

'OK. There's a couple things I gotta tell you.

'There's life here on Mars.'

The guys couldn't figure out how they got here, but they ate the algae.

'And they ate HAB, too.'

The important thing is that they make oxygen.

Don't know how, but...

...Burchenal said they might even be able to save Earth,

'S0... better get some guys up here quick.

'And just tell 'em to be safe cos...'

...they eat everything.

(Lucille) '30 seconds, Commander.'

Well, that's about it.

I, uh...

I really hate this planet.

I really miss Earth.

I really miss a lot of things.

I, uh...

I'm gonna miss you.

Aren't you gonna say anything?

(Sighs)

I should've kissed you.

Yeah. You should've kissed me.

(Lucille) 'Comm frequency lost, Commander.'

Good bye.

♪ Here it comes

♪ Here it comes

♪ Here it comes

♪ Here it comes... ♪

(Drone approaching)

00f.

(Drone approaching)

Alternate high-voltage energy source.

Come and get me.

I'm gonna steal your battery, sweetie.

(Drone flying overhead)

(Electronic whirring)

(Screams)

Bye, sweetie.

(Electronic shrieking)

(Grunting)

I'm going home.

(Computer speaking Russian)

Fuck this planet.

(Lucille) 'Warning: object in orbital path.'

(Bowman) Oh, my God. Gallagher.

Abort! Reroute orbital manoeuvring.

I need pitch. Roll!

Yaw! 10 millimetre burst!

(Gasps)

(Chuckles)

Seal this level.

(Lucille) 'Level sealed.'

Open the dock!

(Lucille) 'Targeted object point 3 kilometres.

'We only have five minutes before MARS-1 leaves orbit, Commander.'

Hook me up, Lucille!

Line release, full velocity!

(Grunts)

Gallagher!

Gallagher!

Retract!

90 millimetre burst!

Seal emergency atmosphere now!

(Air hissing)

(Lucille) 'Atmosphere restored.'

(Lucille) 'Linking to suit computer.

'Gallagher's vital signs are negative.

'Bio-scan indicates cardiac arrest.'

Come on!

Come on!

(GaspiflQ)

- (Lucille) 'Stand him up, Commander.' - Come on.

(Gallagher coughing)

Oh, man.

I saw Elvis.

(Laughs)

Let's go home, Lucille.

(Lucille) 'Organism bio-scan. DNA mapping.'

Hard to believe they're the good guys.

Do you think it was worth it?

Houston thinks so.

On Earth, they're calling you a hero, Gallagher.

God works in mysterious ways.

A memento?

It's for Chantilas' granddaughter.

He had faith.

You... are not who I thought you were.

'Nothing went the way it was supposed to.

'But the team, mankind at its best and its worst,

'accomplished the mission.

'Maybe Chantilas was right.

'Maybe it isn't just the science.

'I sure don't know.

'But whatever forces were at work, we triumphed.

'And me? I've got six months before we get home.

'I guess I'll get to know the janitor.'

(I PETER GABRIEL: "The Tower That Ate People")

♪ There's a bump in the basement

♪ There's a knocking on the wall

♪ In the pumping of the pistons

♪ I swear I heard you call

♪ There's a bump in the basement

♪ There's a hole in the floor

♪ There's a guard in the garden

♪ Locking up the door

♪ There's a rumble in the floorboards

♪ No shutting out the sound

♪ And the workers down below me

♪ Digging underground

♪ Feel the building all around me

♪ Like a wrap of armoured skin

♪ But the more we are protected

♪ The more we're trapped within

♪ Tell it like it is

♪ Till there's no misunderstanding

♪ When you strip it right back

♪ Man feed machine

♪ Machine feed man

♪ Tell it like it is - ♪ And on this land, we cast our fortune

♪ Till there's no misunderstanding

- ♪ And on this ground, we make our home - ♪ You make up what you like

♪ Man feed machine

♪ Machine feed man

♪ Brick by brick by brick by brick we're building

♪ Brick by brick by brick by brick we're building

♪ Brick by brick by brick by brick we're building

♪ Brick by brick by brick by brick we're building

♪ Brick by brick by brick by brick we're building

♪ Brick by brick by brick by brick we're building ♪