Original subtitles

Apollo, can you hear me?

Are you able to walk?

Who is this?

Hello?

Hello?

I'm sorry, Apollo.

A little technical difficulty here.

I hope you've taken the clothes that were laid for you.

How are you feeling?

I got a fucking headache.

We were worried you might have suffered

serious physical injury.

Could you give me a brief rundown

from the last few weeks?

I'm sorry?

Do you remember anything from the last few weeks, Apollo?

No.

I don't.

Take some time, all the time you need.

Apollo, listen, we can use any details, even ones

you might think irrelevant.

I don't know.

Blackness.

That's a start.

We just want basic answers, nothing too complicated.

How about a basic answer for me?

Where am I?

You're home.

It's a nice room, isn't it?

We're not sure if you can have caffeine

yet, so I hope that water is OK for you while I have my--

my morning wake-up call.

Oh, don't worry.

It's not poison.

I'm Jim Lee.

Sorry for the smoke and daggers.

We had to wait until your bruises cleared up.

And you were-- you were out of it for quite a while.

I've been assigned to help you with your case.

Oh, no.

Yeah.

Sorry.

That was a-- a shot of adrenaline

that we had to give you to make sure you didn't stay in a coma.

A coma?

Mm.

You were in an accident, a pretty severe one.

While there was some physical trauma,

there was a possibility there may

have been some psychological trauma as well.

What is this place?

Why don't you tell me, Apollo?

Have I been here before?

You seem to be focusing on that desk.

Is there anything else in this room

that's speaking out to you?

This is called the Madeleine Room.

It's designed for people to feel at home in their senses.

I don't know.

I don't think I feel anything.

Oh, be patient.

There's a naturally-stimulating effect in this room.

That one reminds me of the trees in the city

when the cicada descended.

It was like a biblical plague had befallen us.

What is all this stuff?

It's whatever you need it to be.

Just breathe.

Are you feeling relaxed?

Yes.

Good.

I'm gonna do a little exercise that may help with your memory.

Bear with me.

Do you feel connected to your heart and your body

at this moment?

Yes.

Do you feel healthy?

For the most part.

Do you feel like your body can comply with all

of your mind's commands?

Sure.

Do you feel physically hurt or threatened?

No.

What emotions is your heart feeling?

I want to feel a connection.

A connection?

Yes, connection.

I need to feel it.

To who, Apollo?

I'm not sure.

Do you trust me?

No.

But I'd like to.

Now, I don't know anything about you.

Five years ago, my wife was

pregnant with our second daughter.

It was-- well, let's just say it was

a very difficult pregnancy.

And they told us that Christa--

that she had a heart condition and may

not survive past three months.

After she was born, those were the most difficult

three months of my life.

Every day, I'd wake up and I would wonder if today--

I did things that I never anticipated I would do.

I prayed.

And she survived.

Why are you telling me this?

Because I want you to know who I am so

know that you will trust me.

Only then can we figure out who you are.

You have some form of amnesia, which,

I will be honest with you, we did not anticipate.

We don't want anything from you other than the truth.

I'm not here to punish you.

What if I can't give you what you want,

these answers you're looking for?

We won't let that become an option.

How are you feeling?

How do I feel?

Well, Jim, I feel like I've been mentally pulled

and prodded and I still can't remember a fucking thing.

I don't think this is working.

What do you feel when you look at her?

She's beautiful.

Do I know her?

You tell me.

Why can't I remember who she was?

I want to leave.

And go where?

If you're not gonna tell me who I am or who she is,

or how I fucking know her, then I want to leave.

You're not a prisoner.

But are you sure you want to leave

the premises without resources or knowledge of where you are?

Or most importantly, who you are?

Then tell me who I am.

- I'm sorry. - Please!

It doesn't work that way.

Believe me, I'm trying to help you.

Fine.

I'll let you out.

You're on your own once you exit federal premises.

Let's try and work together for both our sakes.

Look, I need help.

I need real fucking help.

No more riddles, no more games--

show me something, anything that

will spark something in me.

What is all this?

I'm hoping that you'll be able to tell me.

Am I supposed to know what to do with this?

Yes, I think so.

I believe you do know.

The question is, do you believe it?

I wouldn't even know where to begin.

I use this?

As much as I'd like to, I can't answer those questions.

Only you can.

Give it a try.

No, no. I-- I--

Just focus.

Come on, let's go.

I believe you can do this.

No? Sorry.

That's good. You're good.

Keep going.

Let's play that again.

That's it.

Jesus Christ.

Good.

Keep going.

Shit.

I can't explain it, but my hands

were somehow connected to it.

I could feel it.

How is that possible?

Because you created it.

You brought it to us two years ago.

OK, so something has come back to you.

Now we just have to unlock the rest of the mysteries

that are inside your head.

Come on.

What the fuck?

Try.

Imagine seeing her in person.

I know her.

She's my wife.

Yes.

Good.

What else is coming?

Is she OK?

She's just fine.

I need to see her.

And we will bring her to you, but for security purposes,

we need you to answer-- for security--

I need you to--

I need you to see her right now.

I need you to remember.

I need you to remember!

What is your name?

I don't know.

I don't fucking know.

It's too difficult.

Perhaps we're making it too difficult.

You need to feel your way into these memories--

that sound, your wife.

Do you understand?

We need to find moments when the emotions were palpable.

Do you remember your accident?

Accident?

Mm-hmm.

I remember--

I remember shouting and then--

Blackness.

I need to know exactly what happened to you.

I wish I could tell you, Jim.

Jim?

What the hell is going on?

What's that noise?

Hey!

Oxygen content decreasing.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

Hello!

Somebody fucking hear me?

For fuck's sake.

Fuck.

Oxygen content decreasing.

Fuck.

Oxygen content decreasing.

One.

Oxygen content 10%.

What happened?

What the fuck was that?

All I'm trying to do is make you yourself.

God.

You could have fucking killed me.

The probability test was run.

It was statistically impossible for you to have died.

And you know why?

Fuck you.

Because this is my helmet.

What happened, Apollo?

Something went very wrong.

I remember being in a hallway hearing screams.

God, they were so loud.

They kept screaming for it all to stop

and I couldn't do anything.

What exactly did they want to stop?

I remember running, trying to escape.

Escape what?

They're all--

They're all what?

The crew.

Oh my god.

What about the crew?

They're all dead.

Jesus Christ.

How did they die, Apollo?

How did they die?

It killed them.

Sorry?

It killed them all.

It?

Apollo, you know where that name comes from, of course.

Apollo was the Greek epitome of beauty.

Perhaps your vanity has you believing, that's why

we're calling you Apollo.

But the Greeks were not particularly

interested in Apollo's looks.

Apollo was the god of truth and prophecy.

That's why he's important in Greek mythology.

So many Greek plays derail into train wrecks of tragedy

because Apollo predicted things that people

did not want to believe.

Apollo is the teller of hard truth.

And in a world filled with deceit and desire,

Apollo was obsessed with fire and light,

and he guarded it jealously, so much so

that when an impostor, Icarus, tried

to claim his equal by flying too close to the source of that

light, his wings were melted and he plunged into the sea.

What I want to know in this little tragedy here is, is this

a truth that you're withholding that could explain everything

or are you an impostor who wanted too much at a cost?

Either way, we need you to trust

me because I don't want this to be a tragedy in the end.

Do you?

I remember flashing lights and that noise

that just wouldn't stop.

Like a pounding migraine all around me.

I saw blood on the walls.

I'm sorry.

I think I know why you can't say.

No, you don't.

You weren't there.

OK.

So tell me what happened. - I'm trying.

We need to know.

I'm aware.

Just let me try to think first--

Apollo, are you sure this is just some memory loss?

The fact that you won't answer leads me

to some very dark conclusions.

This is what actually happened.

No.

Show me more.

I'd like to give you the opportunity to talk.

What if I can't remember exactly?

I think you can remember.

It wasn't me.

Open the door, please.

Open the fucking door. - Sit down, please.

- Open the goddamn door! - Sit down!

You said I was free to leave, that I wasn't a prisoner,

remember? So I want to leave.

Leaving is no longer an option.

That was Lee, our captain.

She was--

She was the best.

So you do remember your crew.

I remember their faces, but not--

Where did you find this feed?

Where your ship crashed.

I don't remember any of this.

Try.

Try.

What do you mean, try?

Jim, it wasn't me, I swear to you.

I follow where the evidence leads me.

So I will ask you for a third time, who did this?

Why are you stalling?

I'm not stalling.

We already know that you can play that.

Do you not want to go back to your life,

your wife, your family?

That sound I was creating before was a plea.

What do you mean, a plea?

I didn't know.

Didn't know what?

I didn't know that was gonna happen to them, all right?

Please, you have to believe me.

You need to tell me more if you want me to believe you.

I was trying to get it to stop.

Get what to stop?

I am begging you to let me help you.

What were you trying to get to stop?

The cargo, Jim.

The cargo?

What was the cargo?

I have this image stuck in my mind, when I was nine,

watching this ridiculous segment

on TV called Einstein Bytes.

Let's try and confine our images to those

that we think we can help.

There was this one episode--

the host-- this telephone-like experiment

to show how human communication was inefficient.

Apollo.

It was the first time I ever really thought

about words, semantics, how we've corrupted

our tongues, false meaning.

It became my, I don't know, obsession to find something

that was pure, honest.

While my peers were all struggling

with elementary French and Latin,

I was already on to invest in Sanskrit.

I wanted much more.

Went deeper and deeper into the indecipherable,

cuneiform, Sumerian, the Voynich manuscript.

I followed the magnificent journey of sudra's soul

re-soul Jim, and I realized language

didn't need visual cues.

And then xenolinguistics.

I understand why you brought me here, Jim.

This was my office.

This is where I sat every day.

You ever wonder why they sent a linguist on the Orion, 24-month

mission into nothingness?

First contact.

The defining moment.

The 21st century.

So the cargo--

Is a life form.

What do you mean, a life form?

Sentient and conscious entity that

is designed a method of communication

far beyond any comprehension.

Something of this magnitude has consequences.

You need to tell me everything that happened on that ship.

Be as specific as possible, please.

It is like nothing that we have ever

seen before, a being so different from anything

we could have ever possibly imagined.

Jim, it is beautiful.

Communicates solely through sound.

And I spoke to it with sounds and frequencies

that I created with that machine.

You spoke to it?

Yes, I spoke to it.

The crash?

Yeah.

This crashed, so chaotic and fast, how it all happened.

One minute we're in space, descending

through the atmosphere, and then--

I don't know.

Something must have went wrong with our systems.

That ship was equipped with the most sophisticated

of safety systems designed to endure the most

catastrophic of events.

What aren't you telling me?

I'm telling you exactly what I remember.

I'm violating every single protocol,

even revealing this to you.

No one is supposed to know about that life form.

I have the highest level of clearance.

You violated nothing.

Then I guess I still don't really know who you are, do I?

How do I know the threshold of your loyalty?

Your obsession, as you say, has been

the epicenter of global competition

for the past two years.

Xenolinguistics.

You knew about this, about the life form this whole time.

So what was this?

Just another goddamn test to check my loyalty?

That's right.

This is about loyalty.

We both know the value of first contact

and its potential to change the world, particularly the power

structure of the world.

This mission, your research.

We were very lucky to find you.

Particularly you.

What do you mean, you?

Do you really not know why I've been asking

you all these questions?

No, Jim, I clearly don't.

What are you accusing me of?

You think I sold out?

You think I'm a traitor?

I assess based on facts.

OK, so what is it exactly that you're

accusing me of here?

You were the only one who knew

how to control the life form.

You used it to get rid of your crew while protecting yourself.

But the accident, of course, that was a side effect.

That wasn't part of the plan.

I didn't plan any of it.

Wait, you found our ship.

Where's the life form?

It's secure.

Where?

The sonic chamber.

I'm the only one who knows how to contain it.

ASA was able to access enough of your research.

My research?

This is my life's--

I always believed there was something out there capable

of better communication.

I watched as our language deteriorated,

slowly witnessing a global malaise, a fucking demise.

We can't even speak to each other anymore.

Whole language is one giant goddamn advertisement.

I kept myself going by believing there was something

pure out there, like an abstract expressionist

painting, medium distilled to the simplest

of means that convey the most essential messages.

There was a reason, Jim, to make contact with something

beyond ourselves, the search to find

a language incapable of being commodified.

Feelings are candid.

They do not lie.

It is the only thing that builds trust between anything.

When I found a language based on this,

there is not a shot in hell I would sell it to anyone, ever.

So please, whatever you say, do not accuse me of being

a hypocrite to my life's work.

Many people betray the things that they love for expediency.

They make terrible decisions.

I didn't make any terrible fucking decisions, except maybe

to trust you.

Your perception of yourself varies wildly

from the assessment others make of you.

What is your assessment of me?

That I orchestrated this whole thing?

We believe that if you survived the crash,

you intended to sell the life form and your communication

to one of our international competitors.

Please know that we have significant evidence

to support this assertion.

I didn't betray anyone.

I didn't fucking kill anybody.

I want to see my wife.

You found my office.

You spoke to people who know me.

You know goddamn well where she is.

I want to see her!

It's you.

Oh, thank God.

Mary?

Hi.

Oh my god, baby.

You're alive.

I can't believe it's you.

I begged them to let me see you.

They said-- they said you had amnesia, that if I saw you,

I had to call you Apollo.

You're here.

That's all that matters.

Are you OK?

Are you in pain?

Don't worry about me.

How much do you remember?

Do you remember me?

I could never forget you.

You're not wearing your necklace.

What's wrong?

Um-- I-- he--

Who?

Jim?

They told you something.

They told you something, didn't they?

Baby, don't-- don't believe them, OK?

They're lying.

You-- you listen to me, baby.

You know me.

Hey, hey.

I know you told them who I am, right?

But my commitment to my work, to--

to my country.

You told them, right, baby?

Right, baby?

Um--

Hey!

I'm sorry.

What are you talking about?

Mary--

I know that whatever you did, you did with good intentions.

What do you mean, what I did?

What do you mean, what I did?

What did they tell you?

Hey, hey, just calm down, OK?

Calm down, Apollo.

My name is not fucking Apollo!

Why didn't you tell them the truth, baby?

Why? - I did.

I did tell them the truth, OK?

I told them who you are, who I know you to be.

I know why you went on that mission.

And I understand why you believe what you believe.

ASA was corrupted by money and influence.

And of course, it wasn't about the science anymore.

And of course, they stopped caring about the language

that you studied.

And the mission was just driven by enterprise

and not communication.

And I know you wanted to instill something pure.

And I'm sure that running the cargo to your enemies

was the only way to do that.

What the fuck are you talking about?

Running the cargo-- hey, baby, you know me.

Come on, baby, you know me.

For Christ's sakes.

Nothing in our world was real anymore.

It's all disinformation, storytelling.

Everyone wants to believe whatever

the fuck they want to believe. Remember?

Yeah.

Look at me.

Look at me.

You told them that I would never just leave you, right?

You told them that, right?

Because I love you.

Because I wanted to remain the man that you fell in

love with, to give you a better world to live in.

And this language, this-- this communication, this

was the answer, but that doesn't make me a traitor.

Maybe they can't see it like we can.

They don't see it like you and I do.

Language, it's everything.

It defines our joy, our grief, our anger.

Our pain.

I know.

It doesn't matter what we believe.

It doesn't matter what you believe or what I believe.

And I know you're an honorable man.

Just admit to it and cooperate with them,

and you and I can go home.

Mary, you're not listening.

I'm-- you--

Look at me.

Look at me!

You know I can't do that.

What is wrong with you?

Why are you choosing to destroy everything right now?

You have the opportunity to make this right.

Just tell them what you did and we could go home together.

Please.

Please.

I can't.

OK.

Whatever happens, I love you.

What did you tell her?

Only what I told you, the truth.

You know I didn't kill anyone to sell the technology.

How do I know?

Because I would remember orchestrating this betrayal,

crashing the ship, any of it.

The memories of an amnesiac

don't come back with the snap of a finger.

It's more of a--

a slow burn.

I remember the ship, Jim.

Mm.

But how can you be sure, when all

your memories are such a blur?

I remember.

Mary!

Everything I did, I did it for us.

I did it for you!

I don't believe him.

Hello?

What the hell is going on?

Oh, for God's sakes, tell me this isn't happening.

It seems there's been a large explosion

at Cape Canaveral.

It escaped.

Initial reporting is scarce,

but viral videos are surfacing around the Cape.

Citizen footage is coming.

Disturbing reports.

Let us play this for you now.

How is this happening right now?

I don't know.

They're using your research to control it.

You know what there is out there now, they have

the research and they can't--

Please, help.

What the hell am I supposed to do?

You already have my research.

It occupies-- - No, no, no.

--space. It can be contained.

You're the only one that knows the life form.

Everyone else who is on that ship is dead.

Why?

There's a chance for you to redeem yourself.

Please, help us.

I'm telling you, I can't do anything more

than what you've already done. - No, no, no, no.

Communicate with it. Talk to it.

Come on.

We need you to control it.

It's gonna destroy half the state of Florida.

No.

Everyone that you know and love

is out there, including Mary.

This isn't just speaking German, Jim.

I can't just use the language to control it.

You can. You can communicate with it.

That's what the language is for,

to control the fucking thing.

This isn't about control.

That's not how this works.

That language I created was meant

to build trust, a salutation from us,

contact, communication.

And what did we do?

What did I do?

We harpooned a whale for its blubber

without even knowing the capabilities

of its intelligence.

Now, whatever's happening out there

We brought that on ourselves.

No.

This is what you wanted.

You were playing the instrument.

I was watching you.

Before it escaped, you were playing.

You did this.

What are you talking about?

We were onto you, and so you unleashed it.

This way, even if everyone dies,

you escape dishonor and the judgment of everyone,

including your wife.

I won't let you have it.

So what happens to everyone out there?

Hmm?

What happens to those people?

What about them?

You know, that's what people like

you always say when a new technology unleashes

its destructive power.

This time, the tech is better than us.

It can see right through us.

This is what the world deserves.

Maybe we'll finally learn that technology

comes at a human cost, Jim.

So this is what you want--

total destruction, chaos, anarchy.

I am begging you one last time.

Think of Mary.

I can't.

And I'm sorry about it.

I believe you.

I know that you were telling the truth.

They made me do that, ask you those questions,

accuse you of those things.

Why?

They need the technology to communicate with an alien life

form with unknown capabilities, allow them access to everything

that it's capable of.

It'd be the most powerful weapon in the world.

You're right, we didn't care about language

itself, only how we could enslave it for our use.

But I need to learn.

When I first heard that sound, I was--

what if instead of an intent to destroy--

what if it came here to teach us something amazing?

What is this?

Today's news? I don't understand.

There's nothing about the life form.

How's-- it's not possible.

Because it didn't happen.

What do you mean, it didn't happen?

I saw those buildings, those people.

We made it all up.

Careful how you react.

They're watching.

We created that news story, green screen

actors, little engineering to shake the walls.

The goal was to get you to use the language

to its fullest extent.

The more you play the instrument, the more they

could observe, the more we could

learn how to communicate with the life

form, which we still can't do.

And the life form?

Still safe in the sonic chamber.

I want to help you.

Now you want to help me through all

the lies and accusations.

How could I possibly believe you?

You're right.

I am not a saint.

Not even close.

My ex-wife used to say that.

Maybe it's all the lies from work.

But at some point, she figured she never even knew me.

That was seven years ago.

And your daughter?

I don't have a daughter.

I had to get you to trust me to answer my questions, right?

Who are you gonna trust, a guy who prays for his sick kid

or-- or a guy like me whose kid barely knows his name?

Yeah, she took him when she walked out.

Said she didn't want Chris exposed to someone like me.

He's eight now, though.

He had a birthday a few weeks ago.

He's big into Super Mario.

He had a Mario-themed party.

Wonder what he even thinks of me.

Why should I believe you?

Because in this time that we've spent alone together,

I've listened to you, I've heard what you said,

I've seen the language that you speak.

And I was wondering if there was some way for me to be

redeemed, to be the kind of man my son

could look up to and respect.

Please.

Please, let me help you.

How can you help me?

I've been talking to my team.

There's a way that you can be exonerated.

You have to admit to conspiring with our rivals.

And then we can arrange to send you home with Mary.

- You just fucking said that-- - No, I know.

I know. I believe you.

I do.

But the others don't.

I can't convince them.

They have footage of evidence.

Someone was arranging to frame you.

I don't know.

I don't know whether it comes from ASA

or whether it's someone in Washington.

I don't know.

But the bottom line is, someone's going down for this.

And they're gonna take someone, and it's gonna be you.

They want to hold on to that life form

and they want to keep it a secret.

What about me?

Hmm?

My entire reputation?

I'm supposed to lie and admit treason so your son can feel

good about his deceitful dad?

You don't have a choice!

I am trying to get you home and not in prison.

I presume they want me to teach them the language.

Yes, but not all of it.

You don't have to give them everything.

Just enough so that they feel like

you're-- you're cooperating, and then they will pardon

anything that's gone before.

Very few people will know the truth.

What?

Nothing.

Well, there is one thing I'm not overly proud of.

I lied to you from the start.

I've never had amnesia.

Didn't know if I could trust you.

Should trust you.

Any of you.

It's all fake.

I did wake up somewhere after a crash.

Didn't know where I was, what the hell happened.

Something was off.

Felt different.

I'm a scientist too, Jim.

I conduct experiments.

That's what this was--

to buy time, see if I could trust you.

And?

You love your son?

Yes.

You think he's a good kid?

Yes.

You think you're a good man?

For the most part.

You like lying, Jim?

No.

You value communication as a tool to empathize?

Yes.

You believe such communication

can be manipulated?

Yes.

Were you doing that with me?

Yes.

Are you doing that with me now?

No.

You need to bring me Mary.

I need to see her.

I can't do that, Jim.

I want to see her.

No glass.

You want my full cooperation?

That's what I want.

Honey.

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, my love.

Hi.

Oh my god.

Baby.

Baby, I wanna come clean.

I wanna move past all this.

I want to be a better partner for you.

I'm gonna tell you everything, OK?

Apollo.

No.

My real name.

Nathan.

Beard is good.

Your beard is actually good.

Maybe they've given me a way out.

If I agree, we can be together.

OK.

That's all I've ever wanted.

I might have to give up so much of what I fought

for, though, believed in.

What's the point of fighting so hard

or something if you end up with nothing?

Do you remember the day I left?

Yeah, of course.

I was devastated.

- I'll never leave you again. - OK.

I'm not gonna let you.

Do you remember what I told you?

I just--

I just remember being heartbroken.

But I'm-- I'm so glad you're back.

Who are you?

Apollo.

Only my wife calls me Nathan.

So who the fuck are you?

I didn't-- what are you doing?

Hey, baby.

You want me to tell you the truth?

Hmm?

The last thing I said to you.

Uh-- hey, you're hurting me.

The last thing I told you a week

before I left for the mission.

Nathan--

I said goodbye forever, because that

is what you wanted.

We were both heartbroken.

No one else fucking knew.

Did you think I don't know my own wife?

You look like her, exactly like her, but you are not Mary.

I wanted Mary to find someone that could be there for her.

We both knew that love meant no longer being together.

You are not Mary.

Who the fuck are you?

Baby, I think you're just confused.

It's me.

I don't know you.

Baby, I love you.

Who are you?

Target's on the floor.

Restrain him.

The truth, of course.

That's what we have to offer him, Captain Lee.

I think it's clear to see you recognize your crew.

You can't possibly understand what you're seeing right now.

I think I have a pretty good picture.

Years of planning and effort, all right here in front of me.

I'm helping us, humanity, the human race,

call it what you will, learn about the greatest discovery

known to man since fire.

That discovery was mine, not yours.

This was never yours.

It was always bigger than you.

Don't you think your country and their allies

wouldn't make the same efforts if the situation were reversed?

Where am I?

The truth?

Svalbard, halfway between Norway and the North Pole.

Jim.

Jim.

How do you think this is going to end, Lee?

That depends on you.

You know, when you talked about an unadulterated form

of communication, I'm curious how far that conviction goes.

You can save them and yourself, you know that.

You just have to make a choice.

I can't do it.

It's your choice, what happens to them.

They don't deserve to die because of my beliefs.

No, of course not.

I didn't assess you for a selfish man.

If I help you, teach you the language, connect it to you,

you have to abide by your word, release my crew unharmed.

You have my word.

Everything is ready for the session.

Wait.

Everyone needs to leave. - We stay.

I'm trying to give you what you want.

This many people in the room will overstimulate it.

Fine.

He's playing us.

He knows the species, we don't.

We want him to teach us.

He won't unless he gets something.

Not you.

He needs to be here.

Why me?

We can't leave you alone in the sonic chamber.

We need to postpone the session,

discuss our plan of action.

This life form reacts solely on sensation, energy.

We need to be allies.

Once it trusts you, you'll get what you want and I

get what I want, my crew--

their freedom.

This life form is a foreign sentient being.

Communicates in a language entirely

different from our own.

Its language, my communication with it,

has been 100% honest, without any double speak.

I cannot stress that enough.

And what if--

what if it senses something, something that startles it?

It's a highly-evolved being in an uncontrolled environment.

Likely annihilate us both.

And then--

Well--

Apollo is right, Jim, what he said to Lee--

the thought, the planning that went into this.

And despite all that effort, he called the ruse.

My education and training have been

an attempt to try and understand

the truth beyond words.

Don't listen to what he's saying.

Feel the frequencies.

I can tell he's lying.

And my experience tells me something different.

Everybody out of the chamber.

Now!

We are together now.

Don't tense up.

It can sense the smallest idiosyncrasies.

Just relax.

Jim, if I can sense it, so will it.

I need you to trust me.

I do.

Connect with me. We have a bond.

We respect each other.

Remember, Jim, together.

You need to trust me.

We're together.

What are you saying?

Telling it that we're a unit, that it's safe.

Jim, go.

Jim.

Security.

Enter the chamber.

I repeat, enter the chamber.

It was never meant to destroy.

It was meant to explore, connect.

Hell, maybe even love.

You sure you can live with yourself,

letting the greatest discovery of humankind go?

One day, when we're ready, we'll

make contact again, for the purpose of contact, to learn,

not to take it for ourselves.

Arrange for my crew and I to return to the United States.

Now, why would I do that?

Because I believed you when you said you were a good man.

What's more, is that thing believed you.

If it hadn't, it'd ripped you apart from the inside out.

You need to come up with a story to the press

and politicians will devour.

No, no, no.

This-- this never happened.

We rescued you and your crew after a crash.

There was never any cargo.

This-- this is what you wanted from the beginning, isn't it?

You know, if we'd met in a bar, we might have

had a few beers, a few laughs.

Maybe even had a real conversation.

If only.

That's not the world we live in.

We're just getting word

that the crew of American Aeronautics Space Agency space

shuttle Orion safely returned to the United States

due to a joint effort between the United States

and the International Arctic Commission's

Search and Rescue efforts.

Previous reports that China or Russian intelligence

had sabotaged the shuttle have been dismissed as president

of the United States praises his allies for their help

in returning the crew.