S02-E14 - WHISPERS
INT. RETROGRADE SECTION FIVE CORRIDOR
(ALEX, RUDI, SHARROW)
SOUNDS OF
ROBOTIC CLANKING
AND SERVO MOTORS
SHARROW
You know these exo-skeletons under
suits itch like crap, don't you,
they are tight. When RUDI
mentioned them I thought they would
be like a huge mechanical loader
type of thing. They look even
creepier, it's all mono bonded
diamond tubes and titanium. The way
they move gives me the creeps, its
sort of biological.
ALEX
Well, they have had lots of years
to refine them and all the controls
are neural nets programmed off of
real world creatures. Tell you what
I like best though.
SHARROW
Whats that?
Alex moves and exposes the armour.
SERVO MOTORS
ALEX
These, 'Ceramic Normalon' armour.
Gives me a safe feeling like I'm
all tucked up in bed.
SHARROW
(Sigh) You had a really misspent
youth, you really need a teddy
bear, you do know that don't you?
ALEX
Sure, but my teddies had glowing
red eyes and marched in
militaristic manner, signing songs.
They needed immediate dispatching.
(Pause) So RUDI was saying that
this is just a standard combat
suit, nothing special. They have
sure come a long way.
SHARROW
Yep a long way to more killing and
destruction.
ALEX
Well, you know humans, we just love
to fight. (Pause) You know they
even have uniforms that are
designed to go over this stuff, I
guess they spend most of the time
fighting in these suits.
SHARROW
You know its becoming obvious why
the Cherries, even with all the
kids can be an effective fighting
force. If they all have this tech
even the youngest could run all day
with two hundred kilos on their
back, and not even break into a
sweat. It makes the whole concept
of a mercenary army made of
teenagers feasible. Physical
strength is not a requirement, just
discipline, tactics and knowledge.
ALEX
Yeah physically, but what about the
emotional side of things, thats the
thing about combat, that is the
real weak link. Technology is one
thing, emotions another. (Pause)
Say what was your experience of
front line like?
SHARROW
Well, I had one real campaign,
three simulated, but I was bio tech
remember. We were counted as a
third line asset and as such kept
well back from the front line.
ALEX
Probably best, bio tech is
horrible. Say you got anything to
drink in you util pouch. I managed
to find these, ta dah!
SHARROW
Hmmmm, peanuts.
ALEX
High energy and more importantly I
nicked them from the bar!
SHARROW
You're so naughty gurl, mama GANDER
gonna spank your arse.
ALEX
I like to see her try with this on.
(laughter)
SHARROW
Oh, I have two of these self
cooling bubble packs, thought they
would be interesting to try. Look
you pull this little tab at the
bottom, shake the pouch and they
get cold and fizzy at the same
time.
ALEX
Oh, that's cool, they ... hang on
did you hear something metallic,
like creaking.
SHARROW
I'm just turning up the audible
discriminators.
RUDI
We have started picking up small
voltage and current variations on
the supplies to that zone.
(Crackling) can you see anything?
SHARROW
No not as yet, we heard something.
ALEX
Whats the temperature like.
RUDI
No changes registering. I suggest
you make a slow sweep of the area.
ALEX
You know, that's another thing
thats weird SHAS.
SHARROW
Whats thats?
ALEX
Well, the whole time dependant
aspect of the phenomenon. We should
try and look for patterns, when
this thing appears. Perhaps we
could monitor the power across all
area's of the inn, any fluctuations
might tell us when and at what
time, this event is occurring.
SHARROW
Good idea' also another aspect is
the location, does this happen in
other places, perhaps in locked
rooms with no one can see the
effect. Maybe we are only seeing
the tip of the iceberg.
ALEX
Hmmm.
SHARROW
Oh, sounds happening, just
processing. It says its coming
from theta section.
ALEX
Well thats a slight change from
JACINTA's location. I'm starting
to hear a shushing sound, its a
regular pulse, with white noise
mixed in.
SHARROW
Yeah, I'm picking it up as well.
RUDI can you hear the noise?
RUDI
Were not picking up noise in the
transducers, but the readouts from
your implants are seeing something.
SHARROW
How the hell, is that happening?
How can we be perceiving something,
but its not really there?
ALEX
Don't ask me, I think we need a
hard core physicist. OK we are
nearing the location. I think I'm
starting to.. Ohhhh!
SHARROW
What can you see?
ALEX
It's a dark, hole in the corridor,
theres a dimly glowing object which
fills the sky, but its bisected by
a white line, which is wobbling.
Around the dark mass, is some sort
of material, it's glowing, its like
an eye. The shussing noise ahhh,
move back its trying to suck me in.
I can feel its pull.
SHARROW
Get those magnetic boots on now
ALEX! RUDI telemetry, get ALEX's
suit to back off section theta
intersection 15
ALEX
(Panting) Ah, I'm trying, the exo-
skeleton is really straining. The
forces are massive. Its pulling
everything, including my body.
RUDI
I'm starting to get radiation
readings, from the corridor. The
suit is at its limit, hold on I'm
throwing overrides. SHARROW get
behind ALEX grab the back of the
suit and pull as well.
SHARROW
Will do, I've got hold, backing off
now. ALEX you good.
ALEX
Yes, yes, I don't feel so good
SHAS.
SHARROW
ALEX it's the radiation. I'm going
to pull you, keep working the
servos to max.
SOUNDS OF STRAIN
ROBOTIC SERVOS
ALEX
(Strained) It's loosening it's
grip. SHAS I think I'm going to be
sick.
RUDI
Medic-vac on its way. She has
received a radiation dose.
SHARROW
I'm not feeling great either.
RUDI
Yep you have a dose as well. Pull
back, cancel the mission, get well
away from the effect. Repeat, get
as far away as you can.
SHARROW
Argh! (Being sick sound) Coughing.
ALEX is unconscious.
This is serious RUDI. We need out
now I'm dragging her back.
RUDI
Yep we know! I'm over riding the
exo-suits. Walking you out. Is
ALEX conscious?
SHARROW
No, she's gone, I'm fading fast.
RUDI
OK, you must have taken a hell of a
dose. If it wasn't for your
special biology, I suspect you
would both be dead.
INT. RETROGRADE RCBS MEDICAL
(ALEX, MACALISTER, RUDI, SEATON, SHARROW)
SEATON
Now sit still, you both received a
very high radiation dose, its
affected your immune response and
stomach linings. Nurse swab their
faces please.
MACALISTER
Of course Doctor, I think I'll get
the bucket as well.
ALEX
Argh, I feel like I've been burnt.
SEATON
You were burn't all right. It's
miraculous you have survived,
seemingly intact.
ALEX
It's out little nano things, what
are they up to? I'm weak and
really thirsty, I feel like I'm
running a temperature
SEATON
Well, I get you on another drip but
you have had a lot of saline
SHARROW
Me to, I feel a bit under the
weather. Those lumps under my arms
must be working overtime. Doc can I
get up, I need to pee.
SEATON
Well your certainly flushing any
cell damage away in record time.
SHARROW
Yep, must be. Is RUDI around we
need to speak.
SEATON
I'll just buzz her, she's been
worried.
BUZZ THEN
COMMUNICATOR
RUDI, our two guests have woken and
want to talk, could you come in.
RUDI
(on comms) Sure, on my way.
SEATON
So, I'm giving you some energy
boosters and some vitamins these
should assist will cell
regeneration.
SHARROW
Thanks Doc.
SEATON
Here you go, get these down.
DOOR OPENS
RUDI, both patients are responding
well, and they appear to have
amazing regenerative powers.
RUDI
Thanks DOC. Girls, so how are you
feeling, we've all been really
worried. You took a heavy dose
down in that corridor.
Decontamination is down there right
now.
ALEX
What happened after we passed out?
RUDI
Well, we activated the withdrawal
automatically, and about a minute
after the effect faded over the
course of ten seconds and then
disappeared.
ALEX
I wonder if it needs a human
presence to show?
RUDI
We've no idea. We're going through
the telemetry data at this moment.
SHARROW
If JACINTA or COSTAS had taken our
dose they would both now be dead.
That's what's bothering me. There
must be an increase in the
intensity of the effect. Perhaps
it changes each time it occurs. We
only have a couple of data points
at the moment. Excuse me (coughing)
RUDI
Well, it's serious all right. The
radiation beam came out at an angle
and up through the ceiling then out
of the pub. Its pure luck that
other people weren't irradiated. It
probably reached all the way across
the habitat to the other side.
Luckily it by then it had been
attenuated by a good amount of air
and dust. If the angle was
different then it could kill a lot
of folks.
SHARROW
Exactly my thoughts. You need to
get radiation detecters in every
room, in multiple layers. Set up
constant monitoring, if any one of
them starts to trend up,
triangulate and clear the area's in
the path of the beam. Also does the
effect manifest slowly, or does it
come on suddenly? Look we need a
physicist urgently, this is
something that is playing with
space and possibly time.
RUDI
Yes, of course, but physicists are
hard to find, and ones that keep
there mouth closed even harder. How
do we know its not enemy action.
SHARROW
Well if the enemy can deploy what
we saw on the 'other side' of the
effect, we might as well give up
now. It was a window into hell.
RUDI
What?
SHARROW
Look, we looked out to another
world, it was a portal of some
sort, I don't think its fully open
yet, its kind of semi transparent,
or not fully effective. I think we
are only getting a fraction of what
is on the other side coming
through. If it opens fully, we are
going to get a beam of radiation
that will cut New London into
pieces, and then vaporise those
pieces and then if a planet gets in
the way, it will cut straight
through that as well.
RUDI
Isn't that a little over dramatic!
SHARROW
Well, I'm just extrapolating from
what has occurred so far.
RUDI
Well, it's not going to be as bad
as the beam that comes out of
GANDER, when I tell her that the
Retrograde is under threat. She
won't take kindly to that!
INT. RETROGRADE MAIN BAR
(ALEX, GANDER, RUDI, SHARROW, SOPHIE, ZED)
GANDER
Trackamina, this is bad, very bad.
We will have to close our doors.
I'll have to say its for
renovations. It sounds like this
beam can spring up at any time.
RUDI do you know who might be doing
this?
RUDI
Well we have a long list of
enemies, so take your pick.
However my thought is its nothing
to do with any of them. Think
about it, if you can manifest a
beam, out of thin air, then blast
away, why would you attack a pub?
Clearly you would go for a much
higher value target.
GANDER
I don't know, the hatred of some of
our competitors runs very deep.
RUDI
Yes, well thats motive, but you
need the means as well. Its my
judgement that they would not have
the means.
GANDER
Yes, I hope you are correct. If
this beam can blast out at anytime,
perhaps we should set up a series
of lead shields at strategic
locations.
RUDI
It's not practical GANDER, we don't
have an epicentre yet, and where
would we get sufficient lead.
GANDER
Yes, well we need to move out any
guests and staff and clear out the
Cherries Barracks.
RUDI
I think I feel a space excise is
required, say some distance from
New London. Perhaps we could do
some vacuum training. I'll get BOY
on to that immediately. Any other
non essential staff need to go to
somewhere else.
GANDER
Oh my god this is going to cost a
fortune.
RUDI
Oh yes it will, also we need to
keep this on the big down low. We
don't want our enemies to get wind
of this.
GANDER
Hmmm, thats going to be difficult,
but I will do my best.
INT. ANGEL AND MAYS VIRTUAL PIN BOARD ROOM
(ALEX, SHARROW, SOPHIE, ZED)
ZED
So we, loaded in the information
from those interviews and the other
stuff. We also got the camera
feeds so that's what are we
attempting to cross correlate.
ALEX
Well the first thing to do is plot
each, (pause), lets call it an
'incursion', for want of a better
name. At what position in the inn
did it occur. If a beam emerges,
what is the direction of the beam.
My thinking is if there is any geo
spacial patterning it would be good
to understand that.
SHARROW
We need to do that for the time
dimension as well. Do these
incursions happen randomly or are
they regular or at time which, say
correlates to our position in the
orbit, or other orbits or anything
else we can think of.
ZED
What about spacecraft movements.
If this thing is being projected
from outside, it may need a
spacecraft close to the habitat.
SHARROW
Yes, good thinking.
SOPHIE
How about, examining the intensity
to see how its changing. It would
be good to pick up a trend. Does it
switch on instantly or build up
over time.
ZED
You said you thought it was a
perhaps astronomical, is that
right.
SHARROW
Well, we have a number of strong
clues, the most interesting of
which is the pulsating nature of
the emissions. It may look like
the gates of hell, but I thought I
could make out the surface of a an
astronomical object, but I would
like to talk to an astronomer to
try and confirm that. I think what
we are dealing with is a real
thing, not some spooky mystical
nonsense. I think this is effect is
an Einstein-Rosen bridge.
ALEX
A what?
SHARROW
A Einstein Rosen bridge
ALEX
What the hell is that?
SHARROW
Oh it's something I saw on a sci-fi
program, its like a distortion in
space that connects to another
place. It's also called a worm
hole. The scientists were saying
they don't think it's really
possible, they were saying it needs
negative energy or something like
that and vast amounts of energy
too, more than our civilisation can
muster.
ALEX
Sounds like we definitely need a
physicist.
SOPHIE
Well, that's where I might be able
to help, there is a gaggle over at
Columbus, if thats the collective
term for these type of nerds. It's
the massive optical telescope
array. Its a short flight away.
Perhaps I could set up a meeting,
there was this guy I met at a
party.
SHARROW
Sophie, why am I not surprised, do
you meet everyone outside of a
party!
SOPHIE
All the time, missy, its a bit of
drag, they keep hitting on me. Its
my magnetic personality you see.
SHARROW
Magnetic personality, you sure its
not those short hot pants you wear?
SOPHIE
Its real drag, but, what I girl to
do. (sigh)
ALEX
SOPHIE, you minx. You are pure
moocher, thats for sure. Well I'm
sure SHAS can give some advice on
how to dress down for less
attention if thats what you want!
SHARROW
Actually SOPHIE was training me up
to attract the boys!
SOPHIE
Oh, no disrespect, but I could
never be like you guys, you're way
to chilled for me. I guess its
because you're old, really old and
know a lot of stuff about all sorts
of things.
ALEX
Hay, don't do yourself down, we
both know this ditzy act is just
surface, and your as sharp as a
whippet underneath. We are not dumb
enough to by into that, also GANDER
gave us a rundown on you're
academic achievements.
SHARROW
Yes, we don't believe the act
SOPHIE.
SOPHIE
Oh dam it, I thought you had been
fooled. I guess thats why your
detectives, right. Bye the way
SHAS you know CHRISTOPHER, he was
asking about you, do you want me to
hook you guys up.
SHARROW
Ahhh, I think I might pass on that,
actually is he the one with the
dark hair, I'm starting to loose
track, I've been introduced to so
many?
SOPHIE
Oh yeh, and the green eyes, he has
the hots for you alright.
SHARROW
Oh!
ALEX
If you two have quite finished with
the bubblehead routine, I think we
need to focus. After all we have a
world to save.
SOPHIE
ALEX, you can be really square
sometimes. SHAS was just getting
her mojo.
ALEX
Actuall
COMPUTER
KEYBOARD
ALEX
y I'm so square at the moment I'm
cubical, so you better believe it.
SHARROW
You know SOPHIE you have given me
an idea, when you mentioned
magnetic. I think I would like to
meet with this physicist friend of
yours and check a few things out. I
need to gather my thoughts.
SOPHIE
Well, Miss square bum, lets grab a
cab and gather thoughts on the next
shuttle, which leaves in half an
hour.
ALEX
So where is this 'Columbus' thing.
How long will it take, you two girl
friends to flick over there?
SOPHIE
Oh its only about an hour, they are
in a trailing orbit. They need us
for supplies, so they don't want to
be to far out, but they also want
to keep a minimum of thirty
thousand kilometres away.
ALEX
Why are they separated from New
London at all?
SOPHIE
I think it's to prevent light
pollution or something like that,
oh and vibrations. There also a
lot of spacecraft throwing
propellent mass around the docks.
I think the gases mess with their
telescopes. We can ask them when
we see them.
ALEX
We.
SOPHIE
Well, you don't think I'm going to
sit on my tootsie, when boys stuff
is going down, do you? Besides SHAS
will get lonely by herself, and I
also need to learn this
detectivating or whatever you call
it. Also we like to chat!
ALEX
Oh its SHAS now, best of buddies
are you?
SOPHIE
Relax its part of the teenager
training program. I figured that if
we are going to pass we have to
pretend to be two uni kids doing a
joint project. Besides I need to
make sure she doesn't start to act
beyond her physical years. Problem
is she's just too smart for her
age.
ALEX
Oh, you've picked that right.
Actually thats a good cover story,
it will allow you to pick their
horrible scientific brains without
raising suspicion and still torture
them with your hot pants!
INT. COLUMBUS PROJECT DOCK
(CHRISTOPHER, SHARROW, SOPHIE)
SHARROW
SOPHIE, how do you know they will
just let us in? We can't just rock
up and demand to speak to a
scientist.
SOPHIE
SHAS, chill, you completely
underestimate my girl power, it can
over come all known physical
barriers. CHRISTOPHER said he
would be delighted to show us
around. I said you were a hot nerd
chick, so he totally has a hard on
for you. I think you should wear
those little glass things you put
on your eyes. They are so
anachronistic and charming he wont
be able to resist.
SHARROW
Oh, my god, what did you say to
him.
SOPHIE
Look, you're a twenty something
attractive blond, what could
possibly go wrong, dig! Look here
he is, oh I forgot to say he wears
those glasses things to, but I
think his are data lens, but aren't
they so sexy? I think they are
steaming up in anticipation!
SHARROW
(Groan) Ohhh, What's the back story
again?
SOPHIE
Oh, sorry, I said we were doing a
project exploring the confluence of
art and science, or something along
those lines. I thought we needed
easy visual explanations, it might
help us interpret what you saw.
SHARROW
Oh here he is, nearly through the
security gate.
CHRISTOPHER
Oh hello, SOPHIE, right on time,
and you are Dr SHARROW, is that
correct.
SOPHIE
Oh, yes CHRISTOPHER, this is Doctor
SHARROW MAY, she is a well known
artist, and scientist, she really
wants to talk to you and get
inspiration. When I told her about
your research she got quite
excited.
SHARROW Gives SOPHIE an intense stare.
CHRISTOPHER
Well, Ah Ms SHARROW, really, I'm so
pleased to meet with you, its good
to hear that the art community is
trying to connect across the
science barrier. People need to
understand what a fascinating
universe we are living in!
SHARROW
Yes, well, ahh, yes, I'm trying to
draw some of the most interesting
objects and show them in a way that
the lay person can find
interesting.
CHRISTOPHER
Wow, thats amazing. Now girls can I
get you a coffee and then we can
sit in the infirmary. I can't take
you through into the labs because
of security.
SOPHIE
Oh, thats fine CHRISTOPHER, we
don't mind.
SHARROW
So tell me from a visual point of
view, what do you think are the
most interesting objects you see.
CHRISTOPHER
Well, I suppose nebula, they have
lovely colours, especially if we
use false colours for wavelengths
we can't see.
SHARROW
Yes of course, but they have been a
little overdone, what about
individual objects.
CHRISTOPHER
Well, then it would be the larger
objects of our and other solar
systems, then there are the strange
things like black holes and neutron
stars. We don't really know in
detail what they look like, you see
we can't easily resolve distant
objects well, although we are
starting to be able to see
atmospheres around our nearest
neighbourhood planets.
SHARROW
Oh thats a shame, they would be so
pretty.
CHRISTOPHER
Oh no, may I call you SHARROW.
SHARROW
Of course CHRISTOPHER.
CHRISTOPHER
So you really wouldn't want to be
anywhere near any of those objects,
they are very dangerous.
SHARROW
But supposing, in our minds eye,
say, we could see them. Say we
hovering in a spacecraft.
CHRISTOPHER
Well, then I suppose it would be,
objects like black holes, although
in that case the hole is black, so
not much to paint there. However
the accretion disc, wow, I mean
really spectacular, especially if
the black hole was in a feeding
phase. Mind you it would almost
always be highly terminal.
SHARROW
Terminal?
CHRISTOPHER
Oh yes, you see the radiation
levels are off the charts. You
would be cooked in an instant.
SHARROW
What about those things that give
off beams aren't they black holes.
CHRISTOPHER
Oh, you mean the black holes,
smaller brother, the neutron star.
The magnetic ones are the worse,
they really stir things up, give
off beams. You know when they were
first found it was thought they
were aliens beacons.
SHARROW
Oh, why is that?
CHRISTOPHER
Well, they rotate you see and as
they go around, the beam of light,
x-rays mainly, but other stuff too,
goes around like a light house. If
you happen to be in the way, its
like a pulse of radiation. They
used to be called Pulsars.
SHARROW
Oh, thats sounds interesting!
CHRISTOPHER
Well, there are several different
types, probably the most
interesting being, the magnetar.
Those are serious nasty, but mega
spectacular.
SHARROW
Oh, how exactly?
CHRISTOPHER
Well, a magnetar is usual a very
young and aggressive neutron star.
Just been born so to speak, no they
have a massive rotating magnetic
field. As matter gets ingested and
gets pulled apart by the fields,
and a do mean pulled apart, the
electrons get stripped off the
atoms, and the nucleus gets pulled
apart, huge amounts of energy are
liberated. The magnetic fields act
like the biggest particle
accelerator you can imagine. The
particles somehow get projected out
of the poles as a concentrated beam
of energy. It will go for light
years. Heaven help anything that
gets in the path. It's a big field
of study. We don't really
understand the mechanisms at play.
Mind you the intensity of the
fields are really out of the park
beyond all human understanding
really.
SHARROW
Apart from the beams, what would be
seen?
CHRISTOPHER
Well the neutron star it self would
have a characteristic temperature,
usually hot. Of course many rotate
at good fractions of the speed of
light and the gravitational fields
are still large enough to warp
space. Yes they really would be the
ones to go for very visually
appealing from a painting point of
view. You see the beams move
around, they don't necessarily
align perfectly with the poles, so
that they wobble around as it
rotates. As I said, if we are in
the right place we can pick these
up like a lighthouse.
In fact when they were first
discovered it was thought they were
radio bacons for 'Little Green
Men'. Thats why in the catalogues
they are marked as LGM's, for
little green men. Get it. If fact
they are very useful for
navigation.
SHARROW
Oh, yes very amusing. So these
catalogues are they available
online.
CHRISTOPHER
Oh, yes almost all most
astronomical data is shared. The
interesting thing is that each star
has its own signature pulse
frequency, extremely stable like
atomic clocks and there are
hundreds of thousands of these all
over the galaxy. If you know the
pulse, you can find the location.
They are really are the cosmic
beacons.
SHARROW
Oh, thats very interesting. Thank
you CHRISTOPHER you information has
been ah, visually stimulating I
think I have enough for the time
being. SOPHIE, didn't we have
another appointment.
SOPHIE
What, Oh yeah, of course, I'm
getting my hair realigned with
active nano gel. Its a very
important event.
CHRISTOPHER
So will you hair be glowing the
next time I see you?
SOPHIE
Glowing bright blue CHRISTOPHER,
just for you.
SHARROW
Ahem. Well thank you CHRISTOPHER,
that was most informative, thank
you for you time.
CHRISTOPHER
Oh, do you have to go I have a few
more minutes, I could show you some
pictures.
SHARROW
Oh very sorry but we do have to go,
you could datavise them to this
address.
BLEEP
SOPHIE
Well, sorry CHRISTOPHER, The clock
is ticking. Don't worry we will be
back in touch as soon as we have
some artwork for you to look at.
See you at a party!
FEET THEN DOORS
CLOSING.
SHARROW
Active nano, my foot.
SOPHIE
Actually Ms 'know it all', there is
such a product, and its cool, can
make your hair glow, little organic
LEDS, it's mega expensive. So why
the sudden rush.
SHARROW
Well it occurred to me that all
this data is searchable and we can
do our own research. It will more
secure and we can be more specific.
SOPHIE
(Pause) So I take it your thinking
what I'm thinking.
SHARROW
Well, if you're thinking, we need
to take out your brain, and reset
the hormone levels to normal, then
you might be right.
SOPHIE
Hay, thats not going to happen, I
worked for my chance at the teenage
girl thing, and I'm going to enjoy
it, right! Besides, I know exactly
what you are going to do. You are
going to measure the frequency of
that pulse and figure out which of
the little green men's, neutron
star may be calling! Right
SHARROW
Told you, you were smart!
END.