Earth 2 (1994) s01e18 Episode Script

The Boy Who Would Be Terrian King

Previously on Earth 2.
Think I'm, like, becoming part Terrian or something? 'Cause they think I'm probably their prince, and I couldjust command them.
He's the link to the Terrians.
It's in his blood.
Security alert.
- Savages.
Think we weren't expecting you? Activate now.
Security alert.
Security alert.
Damn it, activate.
Security alert.
Security alert.
Wait till headquarters sees this.
Open it.
Looks like we moved for a rook and captured the king.
Who is he? Don't you know him? Fearless leader of the rebel Terrians.
He's Ulysses Adair.
Today's the 104th day we've been on this planet.
That's according to space station calendars.
Yale's working on a new one, but I'm glad we haven't switched yet because on the old calendars, it's exactly 364 days since I turned eight.
That means tomorrow's my birthday.
There he is.
What are you going to be, Uly? Thirteen? Fourteen? No.
Just nine.
Nine? That's old enough to get down and finish your work.
Morgan.
Last year, we spent my birthday on a Syndrome ward with all the other sick kids.
But my mom threw a party anyway.
And Yale gave me a V.
R.
program called "All the Things I Can Be.
'" But I knew he was just trying to keep my spirits up.
Kids with the Syndrome weren't supposed to live past their eighth birthday.
But here I am.
I haven't even sneezed in four months- thanks to the Terrians.
I guess it's really time for me to start thinking about what I'll be when I grow up.
Yale, we're going for one more load before sunset.
All right.
Keep your eye on the time.
Okay.
Great! A swing! No, Uly.
! Come on, get off.
Isn't it for my birthday? No.
I'm sorry.
It's for me, okay? Get off!.
You're selfish.
No, I'm not.
Get off!.
Kids, that is enough.
Please.
Now, aren't you supposed to be helping with the firewood, Uly? Yes.
And I think Yale could use an extra set of hands.
Okay.
Devon, it's Alonzo.
We're scouting the high country.
Ah.
With good news, I hope.
Sorry to disappoint you, Dev, but we've descended another thousand feet.
We still haven't found a wide pass.
Vehicles will never make it through.
Damn.
No sense in going any further.
The temperature dropped anyway, so we're gonna head back.
Alonzo! Alonzo, what's happening? Alonzo, what is it? We're not sure, Devon.
Oh, my head! My head! They're screaming at me! Who's screaming? The Terrians! Baines! - I'm okay! - Magus, do you need a rescue? Let's go! Come on, over here.
The Terrians are firing.
We're making a run for it.
They stopped.
They stopped screaming too.
Magus, do you need a rescue? No.
They stopped firing.
I think we're okay here.
Why were they firing at us? They said to stay off their territory.
I guess they meant it.
At least we know where not to go.
Let's go.
Do you have any idea what kind of trouble you're in? I guess we'll let the Justice Committee decide that.
We've recently approved new penal codes.
When our security is at stake, the area marshal is allowed to act without review.
Looks like it's just the two of us, Uly.
So- let's look over your offenses.
Trespassing, attempted sabotage of public works- What about your violation of the national lands treaty? inciting the native population to violence- Illegal expansion? The murder of 12 Terrians? - That was unfortunate.
- You knew your converters would leak on to their land.
Just as the Terrians knew that the original treaty gave them control of our water supply.
I've recently drafted a new treaty, which entitles us to an additional 10,000 hectares and riparian rights to the Upper Morgan River.
You sign this on behalf of the Terrians, and I'll grant you a full pardon.
I think you know what you can do with your treaty.
I told her you'd say that.
Who? She didn't think that you'd want her involved, but being the great mediator that she is, she couldn't resist intervening.
My mother has no influence over me.
We don't even speak.
Nevertheless, when she knew what was at stake, she insisted on flying in.
I'll leave the two of you alone.
You've been all over the news chips lately.
There's a lot of work to be done.
I know.
Congratulations on your arbitration in the northern settlement.
Must've given you quite a laugh.
Voting rights don't mean much to Terrians.
Yet for humans, who haven't mastered telepathic consensus, it was a very big step.
No, it wasn't.
It was another arrogant gesture on the part of people who want to civilize a species they should be learning from.
Each species can learn from the other.
Not if one is exterminated.
Uly, that's why we are fighting very hard to make crimes against Terrians a global offense.
But in the meantime, Max hides behind territorial rights and ignores you.
And he's gonna keep on ignoring you until someone makes him stop.
With what? Violence? You're already losing support among some moderates who are starting to believe Max, that those who have been healed by the Terrians have lost all compassion for their fellow humans.
Now, why can't you see the bigger picture here? I guess I don't have your knack for diplomacy.
I can't smile and shake hands with scum like Max.
Right now, you don't have much of a choice.
There is a surgeon out there, prepping to perform a chromo-alt on you- to erase your Terrian qualities forever.
Not without my consent.
Oh, yes, without your consent.
As you said, this is Max's territory.
Give Max what he wants for now.
Then you and I can walk out of here and fight this thing on neutral ground.
No.
If I compromise now, Max won't stop.
Maybe the chromo-alt's a perfect idea.
What? Maybe a human martyr is what it'll take to make people rise up against Max.
Oh, my God, Uly.
Do you know what you're saying? You would be sick again.
It always comes back to me, doesn't it? Who can't see the bigger picture here, Mom? Alonzo said the Terrians fired without warning.
Yeah.
Yeah, but, Uly, there's nothing to worry about, because we're safe as long as we stay off their land.
They made that very clear.
Yeah.
Tomorrow's your birthday.
Aren't you excited? Yeah.
When was I born- exactly? Exactly? Exactly you were born at 6:37 in the morning.
Were you happy to see me? Happy? God.
I'd never been happier.
Even though I was sick? Oh, Uly.
You were so special.
As soon as you were born, the doctors took you away and put you in an incubator.
And when I finally got to see you, you turned and looked right at me.
I'll never forget that look.
Not sick at all, but very, very strong, like you were challenging me to be your mother.
Hmm.
I don't remember that.
Hmm? That's okay.
I do.
Now why don't you get some sleep.
It's a very big day tomorrow.
Okay.
Okay.
Why am I here? Who are you? Mother? I don't blame you for not believing.
I hardly believe it myself.
Why is this happening? The Terrians don't dream to me.
This is our first winter, isn't it? The Quonset hut.
On our way to New Pacifica.
There's something- You do look like Uly, but what is this? Can they read my hopes somehow and then project them? Terrians did send me, but not the ones you think.
My comrades must have found a way.
We've never dreamed into the past before.
All I know is, we were attacked today, and whatever this is, I don't trust it.
Yeah.
I could have warned the Terrians you'd be this way.
You're not my son.
My son is in there, asleep.
He's gonna be nine years old tomorrow.
I remember that birthday.
In the biodome, Yale gave me a sled that he made himself.
Yale hasn't made anything, and I don't believe you.
You stop.
Just please stop.
Mom, I was there.
And I'm near the same location now, Look.
That's why the Terrians dreamed me back here.
You're camped near this pass.
You could go there.
The same place where we were shot at today? - You could save us all, Mom.
- Stop calling me that.
Mom.
Mom! Mom.
! Mom, wake up.
! Mom! You were having a bad dream.
I'm sorry I- I'm sorry I woke you, Uly.
It's okay.
Do you know what today is? Yeah.
Yeah, it's your birthday.
Hey, Cameron! Wait up! What happened to you? Are you sick or something? I've contacted the Land Appropriations Committee, and they have secured He's dreaming with his fellow creatures, eh? Must make a mother very proud.
Your schemes won't work now.
This entire structure is fortified with iron alloy.
No dramatic subterranean escapes this time.
Release my son, and the land is yours.
Oh, this coming from the woman who promised all Syndrome children a healthy future.
Oh, come on, Max.
I pleaded with your father to let the Terrians heal you.
He insisted on using synthetics.
He was just scared.
Scared? Or shrewd enough to know that the Adairs would cut a deal with the Terrians, promising them that they could keep the best regions of the planet? We never promised the Terrians land.
The planet was already theirs.
Which is why your committee's offer is meaningless.
I need your son's signature to insure transfer without bloodshed.
Tell the doctor to proceed as scheduled.
Max, come on.
You're making a terrible mistake here.
Our outpost may be young and disorganized, but that won't last.
Other territories are already talking of sanctions against you.
You cannot do this, Max.
They're not so bad, the synthetic drugs.
After his operation, Ulysses will get used to them.
Unfortunately, the effects are short-lived.
He'll find he won't be able to go more than a minute between doses.
The pain, you know? Happy birthday, Uly.
Open another one.
Uly, why don't you find out who that's from before you open it? Oh.
That's from Morgan and me.
Oh, it is? You okay? Yeah.
Chocolate.
Thanks.
You're welcome.
Bess, are you nuts? That's from our private stash.
We've been saving it for a special occasion, Uly, so happy birthday.
There you go.
Come on, Bess.
Can I talk to you for a second? What a great gift, huh? You're gonna save that.
This is a little something from me.
Thanks, Yale.
Ajump rope.
No, no, no, no, no.
It's a rope for pulling this.
Wow! Thank you, Yale.
I love it.
What is it? It's a sled, Uly.
It's for playing in the snow.
I made it for you myself.
Wow.
Neat! I'm gonna try it out.
Um- Why didn't you tell me you were planning this? It was a surprise.
That's okay for Uly, but you really should have told me.
I didn't know you were going to react like this.
I'm sorry, but it was my surprise.
Devon, even when I worked for you, there were some things I kept to myself.
Of course.
I'm sorry.
I just- It's great.
It's great.
I just, uh- You gave Uly a sled and, uh, you made it yourself.
Yes.
Yes, I did.
My research is inconclusive so far, but I'm hoping with further study and fresh samples I'll be able to- Excuse me.
Am I disturbing you? No, not at all.
What's up? Well, nothing, really.
Just, uh- I've been having trouble sleeping lately, and I thought I might need a mild sedative or a sleep aid.
Okay.
You-You mean you want it right now? Yeah.
I thought I'd try and take a nap.
I've just been wound up, and I think that now is a good time to try and catch up.
Okay.
This should do the trick.
But I wouldn't suggest getting into the habit.
Oh, no, of course not.
This will be the only time, I'm sure.
Don't take it until you're lying down.
It's pretty powerful.
All right.
Thank you.
Okay.
Where is he? I'd like to see him.
You came back.
I had to.
You said you needed my help.
Where are we? What is this place? Uly.
Is it really you? Yes, Mom, it is.
Oh, my God.
It was too much to hope for, seeing you like this, just grown and strong.
After everything we've been through.
But now your work is in danger again.
Why? What happened? Didn't we make it to New Pacifica? Terrians don't share our sense of past and future.
They think that time is a delicate balance that shouldn't be tampered with.
Oh, but just seeing you, knowing you survived, tells me so much.
Not necessarily.
This may not be the only future.
This may just be one of many possible futures.
If I tell you too much, it could change everything.
But didn't the Terrians send you back to me? As it turns out, I dreamed myself across time, fueled by my own will, something the Terrians don't have.
What's he saying? He thinks it was another human trait that pulled us together- something else he doesn't have.
Emotion.
Love.
I think he's right.
Uly, what happened with us? Nothing.
I need you to get my bio-I.
D.
from the medical tent- The tissue sample with D.
N.
A.
extracted after the Terrians changed me, but when I was still a child.
I can do that.
At the mountain pass that I showed you, there's an entrance to a cave.
But the Terrians won't let us on that land.
That's why you'll send me down alone.
Wait.
You? You mean Little Uly, you? He'll be okay.
He's the only one who can go.
He's part Terrian.
They won't harm him.
- How do you know that for sure? - Because I'll be with him.
I'll travel beside him on the dreamscape.
And my comrade here will tag along.
He can't dream back on his own, but where I dream, he can follow, and we'll both be with Uly.
But he's just a little boy.
He'll get frightened.
He'll do anything, if you say he can.
I always believed everything you told me.
Okay.
Now once he's down in the cave, he must keep walking, take every fork to the right until he comes to a chamber.
He'll see a shadow, shaped like the tip of a Terrian spear, and below it, a triangular rock.
He's to put the D.
N.
A.
sample in that rock, no matter what happens.
Oh, my God! What's happening? Tell me.
! What is it? Uly! Tell him I'll get the sample.
I will do it right away.
Uly! Uly! No.
Forget what I asked.
Don't send him in now.
I can't protect him.
Mom.
Mom! If those chemo-lasers slip by a centimeter, it could be deadly.
Why you- Uly! Uly! Julia! Devon? Did it work? The sedaderm - did you sleep through the night? Yes.
Yeah, I slept great.
Good.
Thanks.
Listen, Uly is very anxious to try out his new sled, so I promised to take him out.
So can you tell the others that's where we went? Sure.
Thanks.
Do you think you should go alone? The Terrians haven't been very neighborly.
We'll stay close.
We'll be fine.
All right.
Thanks.
Morning, True.
You're early for your shift this morning.
Uh, yeah.
I wanted to ask you something.
Do you have any files about, you know, animals? Like, animals from Earth, what they ate, what they liked- How they got sick.
I think it could be interesting for new kinds of animals we might find here.
Have you found a new kind of animal, True? No! Not a new kind.
Same kind I found before- except this one's not gonna hurt anyone.
Where is it? You're sitting on it.
God, child, will you never learn? These creatures are dangerous.
! It doesn't look dangerous.
I'll give you that.
He's in pretty bad shape.
But still, you cannot keep something like this to yourself.
I didn't.
I told you.
Yes, but now you have to tell the others.
Why? You know more than anybody else does.
Why can't you and I just help him? Because the safety of the group is important and- Well, we'll keep him away from the group.
Devon will want to be informed.
I thought you didn't work for Devon anymore.
My dad says you aren't just a cyborg tutor.
You're a free man now.
My spirit has always been free.
True, freedom doesn't mean we have no responsibility to our community.
We depend on each other.
I hoped I could depend on you.
I know I need an adult to help.
You always think things out before you act, so I just thought maybe you'd give him a chance.
All right, True.
We'll do some research.
See what we can find.
Thank you.
All right.
We have to take this crate as far away from camp as possible.
Careful.
He's heavy.
Yeah.
He's coming out of it.
May I see him? Of course.
Release her.
But leave the hands.
Hey.
Mom.
Hey.
How you feeling? Like a kid again.
May I, please? Thank you.
Here, honey.
Just like old times, huh, Mom? Yeah.
Drink this, okay? Oh! I'm sorry.
Could you please remove these? I'm not going anywhere.
If you insist.
Thank you.
Leave it.
She'll take care of it.
Right.
Uly? Everything's going to be okay.
No, it's not, not if she sends him in alone.
What? I thought I'd be able to tell, but I can't dream anymore.
I can't help him.
Help who? Myself.
Uly.
It's okay.
Everything's gonna be okay.
The day after my birthday, my mom took me sledding.
At first, we were having a lot of fun.
But then she got all serious.
You know, there are times when you get the feeling that growing up isn't such a good thing.
I have a surprise for you, Uly.
What is it? We didn't just come up here to go sledding today.
See, the Terrians know that it was your birthday too.
Do they have a present for me? No.
Remember how we talked about growing older meant having new responsibilities? Well, today, the, uh, the Terrians are going to give you a test- see how grown up you are.
What do I have to do? You have to take this.
Now, I want you to pay very close attention to what I'm saying, okay? You have to go down there into the cave, and you keep walking, taking every fork to the right.
until you come to a chamber.
And there you're going to see- You know, it's a funny thing about grown-ups.
Sometimes you just can't understand what's going on inside their heads.
I mean, the older I get, the more I think that maybe the Terrians did change me.
Maybe I'm not gonna grow up and be a person at all.
The Terrians may try to scare you, but you're nine years old now, and even if you do get frightened, they will not be able to stop you.
You understand? Maybe you should come with me.
I can't.
But I will be with you on gear the whole time, okay? Okay.
Go on.
You can do it.
I know you can.
Remember, every fork to the right.
Okay.
I could tell Mom was scared, even though she was trying not to act like it.
But she always believed in me, no matter what, so I believed in me too.
So talk to me, sweetheart.
Tell me what you see.
It's cold down here.
And it smells kind of funny too.
I think I just saw a Terrian.
Now remember, they cannot hurt you.
I know.
Okay, I'm taking a fork to the right.
Devon, it's Alonzo.
Do you read me? Uh, Devon here.
Devon, where are you? Hi, Alonzo.
We're up above the camp, on the hill, sledding.
Why? The Terrians contacted me on the dream plain last night.
It wasn't a very friendly chat.
They told me why they want us off their land.
You're not gonna like it.
Well, what is it? It's Uly.
The tribe knows that he's a link between the Terrians and the humans, and they don't want anything to do with it.
This tribe? Uly could be in danger.
Uly? Uly, come in, right now.
Devon, are you there? Uly? Uly, can you read me? I'm here, Mom.
It's really dark down here.
I've come for my son.
I'm taking him back.
Mom? Mom, are you there? I'm gonna take another fork to the right, okay, Mom? Mom? Mom, the Terrians.
What are you doing? Mom! Mom, they're testing me.
Hey, stop! Let me through.
I can do it.
I can do it.
Mom! Mom? Mom, I'm lost.
Why can't you answer me? You're not gonna hurt me, are you? Well, any luck? No.
I tried leaves, water, and spirulina.
He just won't eat.
What about you? I've scanned everything about reptile, rodent, and mammalian life cycles, and I'm tempted to believe the little fellow is trying to hibernate, just that he picked the wrong spot.
I think he just seems sad.
Or homesick.
Yeah.
What are you thinking, Yale? Where did you first find him? Over there, by the orange tent.
Look at that.
What is it? It's a nest.
This must have been where he was living.
Oh, neat.
Uly- Uly, come in.
Do you hear me? Uly, are you okay? Mom.
! Mom, I'm over here.
! Mom!Just- Just like you said.
I passed the Terrians' test.
Mom.
Thank God you're okay.
Sure, I'm okay.
The Terrians didn't hurt me, just like you said.
That's right- just like I said.
Sorry to interrupt.
I've dropped the assault charges against you, Devon.
Your exit visas are at the front gate.
You're both free to leave- just as soon as we finish this final order of business.
What is it? A treaty- allotting 10,000 hectares to the Expansionist Party.
You expect him to sign? Why am I not surprised? A thumbprint will do.
My thumbprint means nothing.
I've lost dream contact with the Terrians.
They know I no longer speak for them.
Still, it does have symbolic importance- Ulysses Adair's final message to the Terrians before he chose to return to a human state.
That story will never hold, Max.
You know why? 'Cause we'll be out there to tell the truth.
You know why else? Tell me.
Don't anybody move.
Devon, relax.
You don't want to do this.
- Oh, yes, I do.
- Looking for this? Please! This is murder! All right, then you tell your guards to open the front gate now.
Can you walk, Son? You bet.
Good, 'cause this man's gonna escort us right out to the helipad, aren't you, Max? I need a hit! Then you keep moving.
Get away from us! I'll kill him if I have to, and I mean it.
Let us pass.
Close.
Close the door! This is it.
It's 16 years old.
I hope it still works.
The operation won't be easy- but getting to him is what I'm really worried about.
What do you think his chances are, True? I'm not sure.
He seems to have accepted the D.
N.
A.
, and it was from his own system.
Where did this come from? - What is he saying? - They say he's dreaming with them now.
He's coming around.
Easy.
Uly, easy.
I'm surrounded by beauty.
He's back.
I think you were right, Mom.
Two species can learn from each other.
But how did you mange to hide that D.
N.
A.
from your childhood? How did you even save it for all of these years? Can you tell her, Mom? - Me? I don't have a clue.
- I think that's a good sign, right? Did we leave this once? I do remember sledding when you were- It's okay, Mom.
Yeah.
I don't know which I owe you most, thanks for saving me, or an apology for selling you short.
Neither one.
Yes, I do.
Mm-mmm.
I lost sight of how much you've done here.
Uly, no matter how much we've disagreed, I am always so proud of the man you've become.
I've missed you, Mom.
Me too.
Me too.
Did we have to find a place so far away from camp, True? Yeah, Yale.
Don't want anybody else to know.
It's a secret.
You see, you can't be too careful on this planet.
What appears to be a dead tree to us, can be of use here.
Hold still, now.
You're gonna like this.
We're gonna put you back where you belong.
Get this in here.
All right.
We're gonna put you back where you belong.
There you go.
Remember this place? Go back to sleep now.
I believe your friend looks very happy.
Me too.
- Thanks, Yale.
I knew you could help.
- It was my pleasure.
Good night, little Koba.
All right, let's go.
Let's get back to camp before we freeze.
Bye.
! Come on, True.
You lied to me.
You knew that tribe ofTerrians was dangerous.
You weren't about to send me into those caves.
I had no choice.
You could have trusted me.
I never would have been able to convince you.
Nothing can compete with that voice inside your heart that puts me first.
It's the only thing I knew I could trust- that, and knowing that you'd never stay mad at me forever.
Don't be so sure.
A mother never forgets, you know.
You will, Mom.
Stop.
! Stop it.
! You said I could try it today.
Uly.
You had a turn all day yesterday.
Not today.
Hands off!.
Stop it.
! You said I could use it today.
Hey, hey, that's enough.
Hey! Hey! He wasn't gonna use it till I wanted to.
Was too.
You were not.
Come on, outside, both of you.
I'll teach you how to share.
Those two really gotta learn how to get along.
I wouldn't worry too much about it.
I think they're going to grow up to be very good friends.
What makes you so sure? I don't know.
I just, uh- I just have this feeling.
They'll be fine.
Whatever you say.
Yeah.
My birthday was so busy, I didn't have time to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.
Mom says I can be anything I want, so I guess I shouldn't worry.
And besides, right now I've got more important things to do.

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