FADE IN:
EXT. BLACKNESS
We can HEAR breathing.
Slowly, ever so slowly, tiny pinpricks of light pierce through the veil of darkness.
STARS.
We are looking at the vastness of space.
IMANI (O.S.) Danny!
INT. RELIEF SHIP – OBSERVATION HATCH – NIGHT
DANNY SHEPHERD lies at the observation window, staring out at the infinity of stars. He’s an excitable puppy, cute, 26, and African American.
IMANI (O.S.) Get your butt down here!
Reluctantly, Danny moves away from the observation hatch. As he does, he reveals a new section of window previously obscured. Outside is a big, blue PLANET. NEPTUNE.
EXT. RELIEF SHIP – NIGHT
The space capsule floats through the silent void, passing by Neptune and on toward a distant moon.
SUPER: “Triton”
A BLAST OF FIST-PUMPING, HEART-JUMPING ROCK MUSIC assaults us and –
INT. TRITON BASE – EXERCISE ROOM – NIGHT
AURORA (RORY) REYNOLDS (27) runs on a treadmill in the brightly lit exercise room, the music blaring from her speakers.
Her hair’s pulled back tightly, her movements taut and expert. She keeps up a brutal pace.
EXT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – COMPANY CAR PARK – DAY
The sky is beautiful as the sun sets, a blaze of diaphanous fire.
SUPER: “Orlando, Florida”
SAM SHEPHERD (29) clambers out of his car. He takes a moment to look up at the sky, a small smile gracing his face. You can see the family resemblance to Danny, though slightly older, more mature.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – CORRIDOR – DAY
A variety of LAB WORKERS in white coats and OFFICE WORKERS in scruffy smart-casual pass Sam as he wends through dimly lit corridors. He nods a greeting to each one of them, a buoyancy in his step.
Sam passes a series of doors labelled with various MOON NAMES. He reaches a door labelled TRITON. Across the hall another door is labelled CALLISTO.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – DAY
MAYA PATEL (28) flicks through a magazine while chipping at her nail varnish, a bank of monitors in front of her. She wears a headset and mic. TINNY ROCK MUSIC filters through the headset.
MAYA You’re late.
She doesn’t look up as Sam enters.
SAM Sorry. All good?
MAYA Wish she’d choose a different song.
Barely glancing up, Maya flicks a few switches. The MUSIC from her headphones now blasts through a pair of battered speakers.
Sam slumps into a seat beside Maya and turns the music down. He scans the monitors before them. Each screen monitors the vitals of a different person: COMMANDER ANGELA HAWKINS, KARINA BABIKOVA, AZIZ KADER, RORY REYNOLDS. Three screens are dark.
2.
SAM Any problems?
MAYA Nada.
SAM Well, it was lovely talking to you as always, Maya, but you’re in the good chair. Go home. Shift.
Sam yanks the headset off Maya’s head. She barely notices.
INT. TRITON BASE – EXERCISE ROOM – NIGHT
Rory’s still pounding away at the treadmill. Her MUSIC cuts out, replaced by the CRACKLE of the comms.
SAM (O.S.) Good morning, Starshine. The Earth says hello.
Rory starts to slow her pace, though only fractionally.
RORY I was wondering when you’d get your lazy ass into work.
SAM Yeah, yeah. Bet you’ve been pining away for me.
RORY (dryly)
Always.
SAM Alright. Let me check in with the others and I’ll be back to serenade you with the smooth sound of my voice before you know it.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – DAY
Sam scans the monitors, noting something on AZIZ KADER’S monitor.
SAM You doing okay there, Aziz? I’m noticing your cortisol levels are a little raised.
3.
INT. TRITON BASE – GREENHOUSE – NIGHT
Aziz monitors the sprinklers in the base’s grubby UV-lit greenhouse, gritting his teeth. He carries heavy bags under his eyes and a rash of stubble across his jaw.
AZIZ I’m fine.
SAM (O.S.) You don’t sound fine.
AZIZ Well I am.
Plants sprout in raised beds, ready for eating, the hum of the sprinklers almost obscured by the reverberating rock music.
Aziz throws down his tools.
AZIZ (CONT’D) I mean, must it be so loud? Every day we have this, and every day I ask her to turn it down. She’s impossible.
SAM (O.S.) I’ll have a word with her. Anything else to report?
AZIZ No. Everything’s fine in here.
SAM (O.S.) How those stars looking?
Aziz turns around. The greenhouse walls are transparent, revealing the never-ending night.
AZIZ Beautiful. They’re beautiful.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – DAY
Sam smiles to himself. He’d love to see those stars for himself.
He snaps out of the moment, moving to KARINA BABIKOVA.
SAM (O.S.) Good morning, Karina. How are we today?
4.
INT. TRITON BASE – TECH LAB – NIGHT
Karina (32) scans incoming readings from a bank of low-tech, outdated monitors. Her jaw’s set, a serious woman with a serious problem.
KARINA Better than Base Two’s reactor core. I’m logging some strange activity.
SAM (O.S.) I’ll log it. Do you need to investigate now or can you wait for the incoming crew?
KARINA We’re short-handed as it is. I’ll wait.
SAM ‘Atta girl.
A shot of irritation flashes across Karina’s face at the word ‘girl’.
KARINA Don’t make me come down there.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – DAY
Sam cuts off his mic with a laugh.
SAM And finally, our illustrious Commander.
ANGELA (O.S.) Good morning.
It doesn’t sound like a good morning.
INT. TRITON BASE – FUNERARY – NIGHT
Commander Angela Hawkins (44) is grim, her face tinged with sadness and her shoulders set tight.
ANGELA Please log that Luis Wallis’s remains have been cremated and interred. That’s all for now.
5.
We HEAR the buzz of the comms disappear as Angela switches off her mic.
A small grey jar sits in front of her. All that remains of Luis Wallis. With a heavy step, Angela places the jar in a hatch within a bank of lockers. She closes and locks the hatch.
She casts about for a writing utensil. A loose nail will do.
Angela takes the nail and begins to scratch a name into the locker door: LUIS WALLIS.
Stepping back to admire her work reveals the names scratched on to other locker doors. There are more hatches occupied than empty.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – DAY
Sam takes the news in, his eyes lingering over the darkened screens before moving onto a photograph on his desk: Sam and Danny smiling together.
He breathes deeply and forces a smile to his face.
INT. TRITON BASE – EXERCISE ROOM – NIGHT
Rory’s still pounding away, her MUSIC at ear-bleeding levels.
The music cuts, announcing Sam’s return.
SAM (O.S.) I’m afraid to report we’ve had a noise complaint.
RORY Again? Seriously? Who was it this time.
SAM (O.S.) Just keep it down, alright? You’ve all got to get along up there.
RORY Was it Karina? No. I bet it was Aziz.
Rory takes Sam’s silence as confirmation.
RORY (CONT’D) It was! That little sneak.
6.
SAM (O.S.) To be fair, I’m pretty sure your music can be heard several moons over.
RORY If he had a problem he should have come to speak to me about it!
She purposefully raises her voice so that Aziz can hear.
INT. TRITON BASE – GREENHOUSE – NIGHT
Aziz rolls his eyes.
INT. TRITON BASE – EXERCISE ROOM – NIGHT
SAM (O.S.) Okay, well could you delay any fist fights or mutinies for the next, say, 15, 20 minutes?
RORY Why, got somewhere better to be?
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – CORRIDOR – DAY
Sam ducks and dives past people, twisting around the narrow, dimly lit corridors.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – RELIEF SHIP MONITORING ROOM – DAY
Sam bursts in through the doors, a sheen of sweat to his face. ELLIE SIMMONS (30) startles, knocking her drink off the desk and onto her clothes.
She looks at Sam with murder in her eyes.
ELLIE What?
SAM You know what.
ELLIE No.
SAM Oh, come on.
7.
ELLIE The comms aren’t for chit-chat. I can’t keep breaking the rules. He’ll be arriving soon. You’ll speak to him every day then.
SAM But I want to talk to him now, Ellie.
Ellie mops fruitlessly at the wet patch. Sam manages to look apologetic.
SAM (CONT’D) Please. He’s my baby brother. He’s all I’ve got.
Ellie huffs at the obvious manipulation but rolls her chair out of the way. She passes her headset to Sam.
INT. RELIEF SHIP – NIGHT
Danny’s pressed against a porthole, trying his best to see as much of the outside as he can.
Nearby, IMANI ADUBA (35) can’t help but smile fondly. HANK NGUYEN (45) glowers at both of them.
IMANI Oh, give it a rest. You’re young enough to remember what your first time was like.
HANK Don’t count on it.
SAM (O.S.) Danny?
Danny’s smile gets even bigger, nervous, excitable energy racketing through him.
DANNY Sam. You should see it. It’s so beautiful.
SAM (O.S.) So I’ve heard.
Danny’s face falls fractionally.
DANNY I wish you could be here.
8.
SAM (O.S.) Don’t worry about it. Just make sure to bring me back some moon rocks.
DANNY You got it.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – CREW SHIP MONITORING ROOM – DAY
Ellie pointedly clears her throat.
SAM Ellie wants the comms back. But don’t worry, I’ll be talking to you soon. Every day. You’ll be sick of me within a week.
DANNY (O.S.) Yeah, I bet.
Sam hesitates, the news of Luis Wallis still hanging over him.
SAM Be safe.
DANNY (O.S.) You too.
INT. TRITON BASE – CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Rory exits the Exercise Room, wiping the sweat from her face. She bumps into Aziz. They glare at each other.
Rory wipes her hand across her brow. She smears the sweaty residue across Aziz’s face.
AZIZ You’re disgusting, you know that?
RORY I’m charming.
Aziz grimaces.
AZIZ On what planet?
RORY This one.
9.
She walks off, her sweaty towel catching Aziz as she walks by.
AZIZ This is a moon.
But she’s already gone.
INT. RELIEF CREW – COCKPIT – NIGHT
Imani is already strapped into her battered old seat while Hank mans the controls. She indicates an empty seat for Danny, its seatbelt frayed and rickety.
IMANI Strap in.
HANK Yeah, you’ll need to be tied down while landing one of these rust buckets. You never know what they’re gonna do.
Danny does his best not to look worried. It doesn’t work. Imani laughs.
IMANI Trust me. Flight simulation did not prepare you for this.
Hurriedly, Danny straps himself in.
INT. TRITON BASE – COMMUNAL ROOM – NIGHT
Karina and Angela prepare the main doors for the relief ship’s arrival as Rory enters, trailed by Aziz.
AZIZ Did you hear me? This is a moon, not a planet. Surely you know that by now?
KARINA Could you two stop your bickering for one moment and prepare for the new arrivals?
RORY I don’t know if Aziz can shut his mouth for that long.
Angela sighs, used to their antics.
10.
ANGELA I don’t have time for this.
(to Karina) How long until the ship arrives?
An ALARM begins to sounds through the base. An AUTOMATED VOICE chimes in: SHIP APPROACHING, SHIP APPROACHING.
INT. RELIEF SHIP – NIGHT
Danny’s pretty sure the ship’s about to fall apart around him.
DANNY Should it be making this much noise? And shaking? There’s no atmosphere.
IMANI Rust. Bucket.
Danny redoubles his grip on the fraying armrest.
A cacophony of NOISE breaks out around them. Everything’s shaking. Danny closes his eyes and grits his teeth.
INT. TRITON BASE – TECH ROOM – NIGHT
Angela crowds in to the tiny computer room as Karina flicks switches.
KARINA Ready for docking.
ANGELA Alright. Pull ‘em in.
Karina activates a command.
INT. RELIEF SHIP – NIGHT
A VIOLENT SHUDDER rips through the ship.
Danny SCREAMS. Imani WHOOPS, an adrenaline junkie through and through.
HANK Hold on!
11.
INT. TRITON BASE – TECH ROOM – NIGHT
KARINA Magnetic pull activated. Ready for arrival in 5, 4, 3 –
INT. RELIEF SHIP – NIGHT
Danny is thrown forward, the straps of his seat breaking.
The SOUND of FOLDING METAL rips through the ship as it SLAMS into the Triton base.
INT. TRITON BASE – COMMUNAL ROOM – NIGHT
The SLAM reverberates through the base. Aziz and Rory pause their squabbling and look toward the doors.
RORY What was that?
INT. RELIEF SHIP – NIGHT
Imani SCREAMS. The LIGHTS flicker. Machinery continues to CRUNCH. ALARMS begin to blare.
HANK Oxygen on!
Danny scrambles for his oxygen pack, swiftly activating his suit, his helmet automatically rising up and encasing him.
IMANI Is there a breach?
HANK Everybody out.
Imani crawls on her hands and knees, thrown from her chair like Danny.
Her way is blocked by someone’s feet. Aziz stands before her, encased in his own oxygen suit. He offers Imani his hand.
The rest of the Triton crew board behind him.
ANGELA Is everybody alright?
HANK Just peachy.
12.
IMANI We’re fine.
Angela nods, short and sharp.
ANGELA Reynolds. Check the damage and report back. Everybody else, into the airlock.
The ship empties quickly, leaving Rory alone.
Making her way into the
COCKPIT
She deftly enters a command and the ALARMS fall silent, quickly replaced by a blast of Rory’s MUSIC.
RORY Much better.
Rory rolls her shoulders, relaxing, and draws up a monitor, beginning to assess the ship for damages.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – DAY
Ellie appears at the door, breathless. She cuts a frantic Sam off before he can speak.
ELLIE He’s fine. I swear.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – PEREZ’S OFFICE – DAY
NIA PEREZ works at her desk on the highest floor. The higher the floor, the bigger the office. The bigger the office, the higher your status. Nia’s office is big. Very big.
A TIMID KNOCK on the half-open door. A NERVOUS ASSISTANT follows the knock.
NERVOUS ASSISTANT Ms Perez?
PEREZ Yes?
She doesn’t look up.
13.
NERVOUS ASSISTANT There’s been another accident. A bad docking.
PEREZ Where?
NERVOUS ASSISTANT Triton.
That grabs her attention. She looks up sharply, freezing the Nervous Assistant to the spot.
PEREZ Any deaths?
NERVOUS ASSISTANT No.
Perez’s shoulders relax fractionally.
PEREZ Very well. Report to me if anything changes.
The Nervous Assistant nods, backing out quickly.
Alone, Nia pulls up a file on her monitor.
It’s a list of casualties on Triton. Luis Wallis’s picture is top of the pile. His face stares out at her. She CROSSES herself.
INT. TRITON BASE – MEDLAB – NIGHT
Aziz finishes checking Hank for broken bones under the watchful eyes of Angela.
AZIZ There we go. Good as new.
HANK Doesn’t feel like it.
IMANI Ignore him. He’s a grumbler.
ANGELA Very well. Are you fit enough to carry out repair work? I believe Karina has found a problem at Base Two.
14.
IMANI Ready when you are.
Hank groans softly in protest.
INT. TRITON BASE – FUNERARY – NIGHT
Danny surveys the bank of lockers in front of him, the crudely carved names a reminder of what they are.
RORY (O.S.) It takes some getting used to, doesn’t it?
Danny turns to find Rory lingering at the door.
DANNY There are so many. I – I didn’t realise.
RORY Nobody tell you this was dangerous work?
She doesn’t wait for him to answer, walking right up to Luis’ locker instead.
RORY (CONT’D) Death walks beside you here on Triton. You’ll get used to it.
Danny pales.
RORY (CONT’D) Least, that’s what Luis told me. And he was right.
DANNY How did he die?
RORY I don’t know. An accident, out on the surface. Angela was with him. I didn’t like to ask. It’s easier, not to know.
AZIZ (O.S.) Saddle up, ponies!
15.
INT. TRITON BASE – COMMUNAL ROOM
The room is buzzing with activity as Rory enters, trailed by Danny.
RORY What’s going on?
AZIZ We’re taking a day trip. Base 0-0- 2.
DANNY Already?
KARINA Reactor’s fried.
RORY I’ll get my kit.
KARINA No need. You work on repairs for the ship. We’ll take Hank for the reactor.
Rory’s face falls.
Karina finishes gathering everything she needs. Imani and Hank help lug her equipment out of the door.
RORY But –
AZIZ Sucks to be you.
ANGELA You’re staying behind too, Aziz.
Aziz halts in his tracks.
AZIZ What?
ANGELA Essential personnel only.
Angela disappears through the door before anyone can argue.
The base falls silent.
16.
INT./EXT. TRITON BASE – NIGHT
Rory watches from a porthole as the rover rolls out without her.
AZIZ (PRE-LAP) I’m the medic. I’m the most essential person here.
INT. TRITON BASE – COMMUNAL ROOM – NIGHT
Aziz paces furiously while Danny and Rory watch.
DANNY Don’t worry. Imani’s a trained medic.
RORY He wasn’t worrying.
AZIZ Don’t you have a ship to repair?
Rory ignores him.
AZIZ (CONT’D) Or do you need me to come with you and hold your hand?
He’s taunting her. The tension in the room rockets. Danny looks between them cautiously.
RORY Go to hell.
AZIZ You sure? One time offer. I know you want it.
RORY Back off.
DANNY What’s going on?
AZIZ It’s a secret.
RORY Stop it.
17.
AZIZ See, Rory likes to pretend she’s a big bad wolf, but really she’s just a scared little girl.
RORY I said stop it.
Rory’s in his face now, a fight just waiting to happen. Aziz just grins. Months of pent-up frustration are coming out now.
AZIZ What is it you’re afraid of? The silence? The darkness? The monsters under your bed?
RORY I’m not afraid.
AZIZ Sure, sure. Gotta ask yourself why you can’t turn down that music then? Or switch off the lights. Must be hard, terrified of everything out here. Wonder why they even hired you.
RORY They hired me because I’m the best.
AZIZ Yet Angela took the new mechanic with her. Probably knows you don’t like being out on the surface. They took pity on you. How does that feel?
Aziz’s face twists cruelly, knowing he’s struck a nerve. Rory falters but doesn’t back down.
The CRACKLE of the comms announces Sam’s intervention.
SAM (O.S.) Alright, guys, why don’t we cool it for now. No need for bloodshed.
Rory and Aziz don’t move, the tension hanging thick between them.
With a sudden turn, Rory spins on her heel.
DANNY Where are you going?
18.
RORY Out.
DANNY What?
Rory stops at the door, turning expectantly to the two men.
RORY Are you coming?
Aziz’s face breaks into a grin. Mission accomplished.
SAM (PRE-LAP) Rory, return to base.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – DAY
Ellie hovers over Sam’s shoulder, watching the monitors.
SAM Rory. Answer me.
RORY (O.S.) Don’t make me turn my comms off.
SAM Don’t make me report you.
INT. ROVER – NIGHT
Rory, Aziz and Danny are all squashed into the rover, oxygen suits activated, jolted by Rory’s less than careful driving over Triton’s frozen surface.
RORY You wouldn’t. Not when I’ve got Danny with me. Don’t want him in trouble on his first day.
SAM (O.S.) Danny, tell her to turn back.
DANNY No way. You know I want to see the surface.
RORY Relax, Sam. I promise, I’ll keep him safe.
19.
She means it, the sincerity unmistakable. She slows the rover, turning to Danny.
RORY (CONT’D) If you want to go back, I’ll take you.
She waits for Danny’s answer. His reply is resolute.
DANNY Keep going.
AZIZ That’s right. Don’t give this scaredy-cat an out.
RORY Nobody’s talking to you.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – NIGHT
SAM Christ.
Sam throws his headset down.
SAM (CONT’D) What should I do?
Ellie shrugs, helpless.
ELLIE Just keep an eye on them. Check in with them in an hour.
INT. BASE TWO – TECH LAB – NIGHT
Karina and Imani finish hauling their kit into the base as Hank carts it to the relevant areas. It’s dark and shadowy, a neglected ruin.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM – NIGHT
Angela works alone, another bank of monitors before her detailing the working heart of the base. Every piece of technology, from the ventilation system to the reactor core can be accessed here.
Slowly, the pictures on the monitors begin to go out. Angela watches in confusion. In the blink of an eye, the face of Nia Perez fills one solitary screen.
20.
PEREZ Hello, Commander. Please lock the door.
Angela goes rigid, a soldier addressing her CO.
ANGELA Ms Perez.
INT. ROVER – NIGHT
Rory slows the rover as they near Base 2. Motionless drills litter the surface of the frozen wasteland outside the base’s perimeter, stuck half way into the ground.
DANNY Why aren’t they working?
RORY Base 2 was shut down a while ago. Too many deaths out here. Three’s functional though.
AZIZ It’s a pity. There’s more water at Base 2 than 3. More chance of life.
DANNY You think we’ll find it. Life?
Rory SNORTS.
RORY They’ve been running this mission for how long now? If it was out there we’d have found it already.
AZIZ Yeah, like you’re such an expert.
Pulling the rover to a stop, Rory chooses to ignore him.
RORY Alright, everybody out.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM – NIGHT
PEREZ Do you understand?
Angela’s face is pale.
21.
PEREZ (CONT’D) Commander?
ANGELA Yes.
It’s barely a sound, but Perez accepts it.
EXT. BASE TWO – NIGHT
Aziz immediately makes a break for the base.
RORY Where do you think you’re going?
AZIZ Inside. I am not afraid to admit I hate it out here.
With a cheeky salute, he opens the air lock.
AZIZ (CONT’D) You coming Danny?
Danny shakes his head.
AZIZ (CONT’D) Rory? Last chance. Admit you’re scared and you can come inside.
Rory turns away.
AZIZ (CONT’D) Suit yourself.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM – NIGHT
ANGELA Not everybody’s here.
PEREZ Nevertheless –
The CRACKLE of the comms interrupts Angela’s next sentence.
KARINA (O.S.) Uh, Commander. I’m sorry to report, but Aziz is here. Rory and Danny too.
ANGELA They’re all here?
22.
KARINA (O.S.) Affirmative.
ANGELA Very well. I will deal with them momentarily.
Angela switches off the comm before Karina can respond. On the monitor, Perez looks satisfied.
PEREZ You have your orders.
EXT. BASE TWO – NIGHT
Danny marvels at the icy world of darkness around him.
DANNY I’m here. I’m actually standing on Triton.
Rory keeps her eyes fixed on Danny, determined not to look out into the empty darkness.
RORY Trust me, the excitement wears off real quick.
DANNY I can’t believe that.
He scoots out of Rory’s eyeline. She closes her eyes tight, breathing a little faster.
DANNY (CONT’D) My brother and I, we used to look up at the stars and dream of coming up here. And now look at me.
RORY Yeah.
She doesn’t, her eyes fast shut.
DANNY You really don’t think we’ll find life under this ice?
RORY It’s not there. I want it to be, but – People back home, they want to believe. It gives them hope. But there’s nothing here except us.
23.
Danny doesn’t respond, too busy examining the drill technology. The silence drags on a little too long.
RORY (CONT’D) Danny? Danny?!
Rory stumbles forward blindly before Danny catches her.
DANNY I’m here. Don’t panic.
Rory’s eyes fly open at his touch. She’s breathing too quickly.
DANNY (CONT’D) You really don’t like it out here.
RORY I’m fine.
Danny doesn’t believe her.
DANNY Should we head inside?
RORY Only if you want to. I’m fine.
She’s really not.
DANNY Come on. Let’s go in.
INT. BASE TWO – TECH LAB – NIGHT
Hank inspects the abandoned base, rusted and old in every sense of the word. Abandoned experiments litter the room.
HANK Would you look at this place. Can’t believe there were once enough folks to man both stations.
Karina activates a monitor, the screen blinding as it springs to life.
KARINA It gives me the heebies just being here. The stories say there are still bodies under the ice.
She jots down some numbers from the screen.
24.
IMANI What are you doing?
KARINA The base is shut down but we left some of the machines running. Always a chance we might find life.
HANK And have you?
Karina shakes her head.
INT. BASE TWO – AIR LOCK – NIGHT
Danny and Rory sit opposite each other as the air lock pressurises.
DANNY It’s okay to be frightened, you know.
Rory doesn’t respond.
DANNY (CONT’D) I’m frightened all the time. Coming out here, it terrifies me. Leaving my home, my brother. I know what the return rate’s like. I know most people don’t make it back.
RORY Then why’d you come?
DANNY Because I want to live. Not many people get this chance in life. I don’t want to let it pass me by.
His words hang between them as Rory takes this in.
RORY I hate the silence. And the darkness. Sometimes I think I see things moving. It terrifies me.
She looks surprised to have confessed. Danny smiles sympathetically.
RORY (CONT’D) Don’t tell Aziz.
25.
DANNY Promise.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Karina leads the way to the Command Room, Hank and Imani following in her wake.
KARINA Aziz, stay where you are. Do you copy?
INT. BASE TWO – GREENHOUSE CORRIDOR – NIGHT
AZIZ Affirmative.
Aziz promptly begins to saunter in a different direction.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Karina tries the door for the Command Room. The KEYPAD doesn’t respond.
KARINA Angela?
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM – NIGHT
KARINA (O.S.) The doors won’t open.
Angela sits motionless, staring at the empty screen where Perez’s face appeared.
KARINA (O.S.) (CONT’D) Angela? What’s going on? Do you read me?
Slowly, as if her bones weigh her down, Angela draws up a new monitor. She begins to enter commands.
INT. BASE TWO – AIR LOCK – NIGHT
The air lock finishes pressurising. Rory gets to her feet and opens the door, motioning to Danny.
RORY After you.
26.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM CORRIDOR – NIGHT
IMANI What’s going on?
Karina’s clueless.
KARINA (O.S.) Angela? Do you read me?
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM – NIGHT
AUTOMATED COMPUTER VOICE System override?
Angela continues to type in commands.
AUTOMATED COMPUTER VOICE (CONT’D) Warning. Fail safes deactivated. Reactor core rising.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM CORRIDOR – NIGHT
ALARMS begin to blare. A RED EMERGENCY LIGHT fills the corridor.
Karina looks around in disbelief.
KARINA Angela? What are you doing?
INT. BASE TWO – GREENHOUSE CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Caught in the flashing red lights, Aziz panics. He begins to run.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Karina LAUNCHES herself against the door with all her might. She’s given up on the comms now, screaming for Angela through the wall.
INT. BASE TWO – AIR LOCK CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Halfway down the corridor, Danny is pinned by the sudden red lights. He turns back to Rory, closer to the airlock.
She begins to run.
27.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM – NIGHT
AUTOMATED COMPUTER VOICE Detonation imminent.
Angela closes her eyes. She presses down one final key.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMAND ROOM CORRIDOR – NIGHT
KARINA RUN!
INT. BASE TWO – NIGHT
The reactor explodes. Fire rockets throughout the base.
INT. BASE TWO – TECH LAB CORRIDOR – NIGHT
A FIREBALL shoots down the corridor, catching Karina in its wake. She’s barely made it two steps from the Command Room door.
INT. BASE TWO – TECH LAB – NIGHT
Angela, eyes still closed, is incinerated where she sits, a prayer still on her lips.
INT. BASE TWO – TECH LAB CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Hank and Imani fall to the FLAMES.
INT. BASE TWO – GREENHOUSE CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Aziz is still running. He throws himself at an alcove. He doesn’t make it.
INT. BASE TWO – AIR LOCK CORRIDOR – NIGHT
Rory is inside the air lock.
RORY Danny! Come on!
Danny’s legs pump, drawing him closer. He’s fast. The fire’s faster.
28.
With an agonising SCREAM, the FIREBALL engulfs his suit as he falls him into the air lock.
Rory SLAMS the door shut, the flames just catching her arm.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – DAY
ALARMS are blaring across the monitors.
Sam sprints in, Ellie at his heels. He sees the monitors falling black, a life snuffed out. One screen in particular catches his eye, its vitals going haywire.
SAM No.
INT. BASE TWO – AIR LOCK – NIGHT
Danny writhes on the floor. Agony. The FLAMES are snuffed out, but the pain remains.
Rory checks her singed suit: still intact.
Crouched by his side, she tries to peel his battered suit from his wounds. She can’t. They’re stuck to his burns. She tries anyway. Danny HOWLS.
Outside the air lock, the fire rages. The temperature inside rises. The ALARMS continue to blare.
SAM (O.S.) Danny?
Danny can’t reply, consumed by pain.
RORY What do I do? What do I do?
Danny’s skin BLISTERS before her eyes, his damaged suit like an open wound.
SAM (O.S.) Danny?
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – NIGHT
SAM Danny, talk to me.
Sam’s beside himself, any veneer of professionalism gone.
29.
SAM (CONT’D) Talk to me, dammit!
INT. BASE TWO – AIR LOCK – NIGHT
RORY He can’t!
Rory’s panicking, Danny fading before her.
RORY (CONT’D) (to Danny)
It’s going to be okay. I’ll get you back to base.
Danny might be shaking his head, he might be convulsing.
DANNY My suit.
It’s ruined. He can’t go outside. They both know it.
RORY There’s got to be some way.
SAM (V.O.) Rory, talk to me. Tell me what’s happening.
RORY Danny’s hurt. His suit’s destroyed. He can’t go outside.
Rory’s forehead beads with sweat as the heat continues to increase.
RORY (CONT’D) But the base is on fire. We can’t stay here.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – NIGHT
Ellie disables the alarms and silence falls. Sam doesn’t know what to do.
INT. BASE TWO – AIR LOCK – NIGHT
RORY I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.
30.
Danny is in so much pain. He points towards the air lock door, the one leading outside.
RORY (CONT’D) I can’t.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – NIGHT
Sam stands immobile, listening to his brother’s agonised moans. Ellie takes control.
ELLIE Rory, listen to me. Is there any way to save both you and Danny?
INT. BASE TWO – AIR LOCK – NIGHT
Rory and Danny lock eyes. They both know there isn’t.
ELLIE (O.S.) Rory!
RORY No.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – NIGHT
Sam’s world is shattering.
ELLIE Then go. Now.
INT. BASE TWO – AIR LOCK – NIGHT
Rory hesitates, unwilling to leave Danny.
ELLIE Now.
Rory grips Danny’s hand tight. A goodbye.
She turns and opens the air lock door. She runs.
INT. ROVER – NIGHT
Alone, Rory speeds across the frozen landscape.
She’s hyperventilating, tears streaming down her face.
31.
ELLIE (O.S.) Stay with me, Rory. You’re almost there.
INT. TRITON BASE – COMMUNAL ROOM – NIGHT
Rory bursts out of the air lock and into the silent base.
Her RAGGED BREATHS come loud and heavy. She paces, wobbling, losing her balance, gasping.
She slumps down to her knees and WAILS.
INT. ISCO HEADQUARTERS – TRITON MONITORING ROOM – NIGHT
ELLIE Rory!
They can HEAR Rory SCREAMING.
ELLIE (CONT’D) She’s going into shock. Do something.
Sam, slumped in a chair, does nothing.
ELLIE (CONT’D) Sam!
Ellie SLAPS him, hard.
Slowly, Rory’s wails begin to register.
SAM (mumbling)
Airborne sedative.
ELLIE What?
SAM Airborne sedative.
Ellie shoves him towards the controls. Numbly, he types in the correct commands.
INT. BASE TWO – COMMUNAL ROOM – NIGHT
A GAS is released into the air.
32.
Rory’s fingers are caught in her hair, pulling and scratching. Her face is bleeding. Skin beneath her nails.
Slowly, her wails subside. She slumps down onto the floor. Her eyes close. She passes out.
