For All Mankind (2019) s02e10 Episode Script

The Grey

I mean, it's all just a cycle, you know.
Panama does one thing,
Reagan does another,
Soviets do something else,
and then Reagan's got to respond
so that he shows the public
he's standing his ground.
Honestly, at this point,
I just tune the whole thing out.
Uh, Flight.
Jamestown is showing
a depressurization event.
That can't be right. Raise Rossi.
Jamestown, come in.
Jamestown, do you read?
What's going on?
Pressure issue on Jamestown.
Jamestown, we're showing readings
of a depressurization event.
Ops/Comm cabin pressure is
less than one PSI. Do you copy?
- Jamestown, do you
- Jamestown here.
We've been having some
issues with our sensors.
Think we've finally
got it under control.
Ops/Comm pressure
is returning to normal.
Just a faulty sensor.
Copy that, Jamestown.
Thanks for the clarification.
Okay. No problem, Houston.
Good.
They are not aware of the situation.
Locked.
Leave this hallway depressurized
to protect our flank.
We want they release
Rolan Baranov. Where is he?
Like I said, I don't know.
Like I said, you help us
I would. I just don't know.
- You will help us.
- Wait.
I'm just tryin' to
Wait
Skipper?
Yeah?
It's your turn to get some shut-eye.
No. I'm okay.
Sir, you haven't slept since TLI.
How far are we away
from the blockade line?
Two hours, 15.
Where's Buran?
Already in low lunar orbit.
On course to intercept us
when we cross the blockade.
Give me updated numbers
for LOIT and delta-V total.
You okay, sir?
Not if you keep looking
at me like that, I'm not.
You get back to work, Mr. Piscotty.
Yes, sir.
What's the latest with Apollo-Soyuz?
The Soviets are asking for
more time before docking. Again.
We can't just keep orbiting ad infinitum
while they get their act together.
What are they saying
the holdup is this time?
No official reason was given.
Sergei said they need more
time before docking. That's all.
Which is what they've been
saying for the past five hours.
I know. I know.
But I still think this can work.
I don't know why they don't just admit
it's to do with the lunar blockade.
Save us all some time.
What's the latest with that?
Have we crossed the
blockade line yet? Is Buran
Margo, you know I can't
get into the details.
It's a classified operation.
How are we supposed to
make informed decisions
without knowing what's
really going on in there?
I
I'm sorry. I wish I could, but
Just making friends
left and right, Wilson.
Speaking of which, you want to
give Apollo the bad news, Bill?
Apollo, that's a no-go on
the coplanar rendezvous burn.
Star City's still dragging their feet.
We'll give you an update
as soon as we have one,
but that's another orbit on deck.
- Sorry, guys.
- Copy that, Houston.
Damn it.
Hurry up and wait, huh?
Guess it's one more
trip around the world.
It's really depressurized out there.
What the hell is going on?
Maybe a meteorite hit the base.
Maybe, but no one's
responding on the comm.
It's like they all vanished.
Not everyone.
Well, try to get their attention.
Let them know we're
Shh! Get down.
Jesus, Gordo, what the fuck is going on?
I don't know.
Jamestown Base, this is your commander.
I am being held by the Soviets.
They have not harmed me.
They are offering an exchange,
me for their fellow cosmonaut,
Rolan Baranov.
Don't do it. Don't do it
We must do what they say.
No. Not a chance.
Isn't this at least worth discussing?
No. There's nothing to discuss.
The president has given this man asylum,
and we are not giving him back.
Seriously?
They'll kill Rossi. We are outmanned.
Two of your marines aren't even here.
They're still guarding that
stupid goddamn claim site.
You really think we can
take them at their word?
They get him back, they'll
probably just kill Rossi anyway.
They won't leave until they have me.
Then we make 'em leave.
Wow, this place is impressive.
It's not too shabby, huh?
I mean, it's nothing compared to what
Trace and Ed wake up
to every morning, but, uh
Well, for us earthlings,
it's really something.
- Morning, Mr. Cleveland.
- Morning.
Hey, do you
Do you ever worry about
Ed when he's up there?
Of course.
You know, I just try
not to think about it.
We all find ways to manage.
Pot really helps.
I bet.
You don't have anything
to worry about, though.
Tracy is as tough as they come.
Yeah.
Well, tell me. What is the next
big move for Karen Baldwin?
'Cause you're about to make
yourself a nice chunk of change.
I'm not too sure.
We're just right on in here.
Okay.
If you're having second thoughts,
we can stop right here.
I don't want you to do anything
you're uncomfortable with.
No, uh
It's okay. I'm ready.
Right this way then.
Houston, approaching
lunar orbit insertion.
Copy that, Pathfinder.
We're about to cross the blockade point.
Entering orbit in five, four,
three, two, one.
Pathfinder, Houston.
We show you in lunar orbit.
Any sign of Buran?
Negative. They're not
showing up on our radar.
Where the hell are they?
Houston, we have no
radar contact with Buran.
Pathfinder, wait one while we
check with Goddard for an update.
Houston, any sign of Buran?
Buran has crossed to the
far side of the moon.
We can't track their orbit
until they reemerge.
- They were bluffing.
- You don't know that.
There's still over two hours
till we're able to deliver Sea Dragon's
cargo to the lunar surface.
Oh, come on.
Our badass nuclear-powered space fighter
scared those Russkies
back to their cave.
All right. Sally's not wrong.
Let's stay vigilant here.
You were warned not
to cross the blockade.
Now, Yuri, you're being unreasonable.
We were quite firm, Ronald.
Sea Dragon cannot enter lunar orbit.
Well, we were very clear
the United States does not
recognize your blockade.
It is not a blockade.
It is a quarantine against
offensive weapons.
There are no weapons
on Sea Dragon, Yuri.
And it is provocative actions
like this that lead
The US was first to shoot
a gun on the moon.
The first to kill someone on the moon.
If the US fires on Buran,
we will have no choice but to
respond in a substantial way.
The Soviet Northern Fleet
off the coast of Panama
has 30 targets in the southern US.
If Buran is destroyed, we will
have no choice but to strike back.
You know our missiles
in Western Europe
Our position is clear.
Further signs of escalation
in the Atlantic today,
as the Russian Northern Fleet
has taken offensive positions
off the Central American coast.
US carriers have been
deployed in the Gulf of Mexico
as people across the nation
begin to stockpile supplies
in anticipation of an all-out conflict,
causing runs on everything from
bottled water to toilet paper.
We must again delay
the docking, I'm afraid.
Why?
All I can say is that we need
more time. You must hear me.
That's not good enough, Sergei.
Every time we're supposed to dock,
you come up with another delay.
And we both know what
this is really about.
I'm sorry, Margo.
Best I can do is to give
you our state vector
for next docking opportunity.
Fine, go ahead.
07 853
58 72.
Thank you, Margo.
He's so full of shit.
If this is a lost cause, I want
to bring our people home.
Every trip around the Earth increases
the chances that something
will go wrong.
I hate to say it, but she's right.
Takes two to handshake.
Ellen, we've gone through too much
to just give up on this now.
Up until a month ago,
you thought this whole thing
was a waste of time.
Yeah, well, a month ago we
weren't on the brink of war.
This is what Tom was
talkin' about. Just
Just give me one more orbit.
Ninety minutes. And then they come home.
Five minutes to the coplanar burn
and docking initiation, Apollo.
Copy that, Houston.
Strausser, tell 'em
they won't be docking.
Russkies are kicking the can again.
One more time around. After
that, we're pulling the plug.
Oh, just like that? No,
everyone has worked so hard.
You can't just say it's
over like it's nothing.
Bill, who is this? Why
is she speaking to me?
Uh, she apologizes.
- No, I don't.
- Yes, you do.
I like this one.
Uh, Apollo, some, uh
some news over here.
Uh, unfortunately we're
gonna need for you
to proceed with another orbit.
The docking with Soyuz
has been delayed again.
We didn't come all this way
just to wave at each other
through the window.
I hear you, Apollo, I do.
Going off VOX, Houston.
Copy.
Raise the Soyuz.
Soyuz, Apollo? Do you
read? Soyuz, Apollo?
Soyuz, copy.
What are you guys doin' over there?
Uh, Comrade Orlov continues
to struggle with space adaptation.
- Still puking his guts out, huh?
- Yeah.
Is not joke.
I'm starting to get the
feeling this handshake
isn't gonna happen, Stepan.
Yes. I also have this feeling.
Guess it was stupid to think they'd ever
go through with this in the first place.
At least we got a nice view.
- Hello?
- Sergei?
I'm sorry for this diversion.
I could not speak openly
over normal channels.
I understand, but I'm puttin'
myself on the line over here
keeping this docking alive,
and every time I do, you pull
the rug out from under me.
You need to come clean
with me, Sergei, right
I'm sorry, Margo. I'm
doing the best I can.
Well, that's not good enough.
You need to tell me
what's really goin' on.
I can't do this by myself.
We are having avionics issues.
Avionics?
You're sayin' this is
a technical problem?
Yes.
I don't believe you. Why
didn't you say this earlier?
If I were to admit to United States
that Soyuz were malfunctioning,
Andropov would cancel
docking. I know this.
Please, Margo, please.
- Please deposit 50 cents
- You must give me more time.
We have almost resolved the
problem. You must trust me.
I trusted you once before,
and you guys sent an
armed Buran to the moon.
Pathfinder is also armed, is it not?
That's not the point, Sergei.
You took advantage
No, Margo. I'm like you.
On the outside, trying
to do the best I can.
One orbit, that's all I can manage.
Margo
Morning, Miss Madison.
The United States and Soviet Union
have postponed the expected
handshake yet again.
No word yet as to when
And what I'm hearing now
from sources in the Pentagon
is the canal standoff is very
much linked to Sea Dragon
There's nothin' on Jamestown.
It's all Apollo-Soyuz
or this blockade crap.
- You check CBS?
- I checked them all.
You know, last time I was up here
all we had was six tapes of
Bob Newhart to keep us company.
Bob Newhart?
We watched 'em so many times,
damn near memorized the whole thing.
When the Betamax broke, we
even used to act them out.
- Really?
- Mmm.
- Even Ed?
- Yeah. Yeah.
Course, he only ever played Bob.
Of course.
Yeah, didn't have much else to do.
And those days just
stretched out forever.
Yeah.
You know the only thing I
really looked forward to?
Mmm?
Was fighting with you
on that damn thing.
Yeah, we always had fire.
Yeah, we did.
Hey, there was this old
S-Band directional antenna.
Linked us to JSC.
Oh, you know how to
sweet-talk a girl, don't you?
Yeah. It's just when
Ops/Comm went operational,
they routed all base communications
through the new high-gain antenna.
It's more bandwidth and all, but
But maybe the old antenna still works.
There's only one way to find out.
Hub's fully depressurized.
Covering right.
Webster, you see them
move, radio immediately.
Lopez. On me.
Clear.
Okay, stay alert.
When we round the corner, I'll cover.
You set the breaching charges
on the Ops/Comm hatch.
Copy that.
Goddamn it.
I should have lost a few more pounds.
You're doing great, Gordo. Keep goin'.
Oh, wait.
I think I see it.
Yeah, think I got it.
Yeah.
Oh, man.
Okay.
That That should be it.
Fuck.
What?
What is it?
Shit.
- Trace?
- Cavalry's here.
Thank God.
I can see Vance.
I'm not sure who's with him, but
Vance! Damn it, they
can't hear me. Vance!
I'll be a son of a bitch.
Look who it is.
America's sweetheart.
Lopez.
Put eyes on that hatch.
Don't get famous.
Aye, aye, skip.
Oh, my God. Vance.
Vance!
Vance!
Vance! Vance! Come on!
Russian! Turn ar
Vance? Vance, come in.
Vance is down. Jesus.
I'm hit.
How bad is it?
I'm okay, I think. But
my suit's losing pressure.
He shot him.
He just shot him.
- There was nothing I could do. He just
- Pressure up.
Hang on. I'm gonna repressurize.
Flight.
- Pressure again?
- No.
This is real weird.
The nuclear reactor's primary
coolant pump has shut down.
Have they radioed down for assistance?
Negative. Rossi said that there was
gonna be a communication hold
for an hour or two while they
worked on some maintenance.
Override the hold and
get Rossi on the line.
We need to make sure this
isn't what it looks like.
Jamestown, this is Houston.
Did you command an emergency shutdown
of the primary reactor coolant loop?
Jamestown?
Come in, Jamestown.
A lot going on here, Margo.
What do you need?
We've got a problem at Jamestown.
The primary coolant loop for the
nuclear reactor has shut down.
What does Al Rossi think?
Jamestown is not responding to comms.
Not responding?
Radio silence.
Christ.
Could this be related to the defector?
It may be a diversionary
tactic by the Russians.
Whatever it is,
there's a backup loop that should
compensate in cooling the reactor, so
It might not be that simple.
What do you mean?
There's a second reactor.
What?
Now, this is above
your security clearance,
but the Pentagon used last month's
Sea Dragon payload as cover
to bring a second reactor
to Jamestown to, um
Produce weapons-grade plutonium.
Now, that reactor is hooked up
to the same primary coolant system,
but due to national security priorities,
we had to bring it online before
it was connected to the backup loop.
Which means there's no fail-safe.
It'll go into full meltdown.
Forget for a moment
just how nonsensical it is to have
nuclear weapons on the moon at all,
but to keep this a secret
from the very people
who are in charge of the safety
of that base, of this agency
Margo, this was a top-secret program
run through the Pentagon.
I'm the director of JSC, goddamn it.
Look, even if we wanted to tell you
We? You knew about this?
I At the time
Don't waste your breath, Ellen.
Now, if you'll excuse me,
I've got your nuclear
meltdown to prevent!
Margo. Margo.
Houston, this is
Houston. Do you read?
Houston, this is
Do you read?
Houston, this is Jamestown
One. Do you read?
This is Jamestown. Can you hear?
Do you read?
Hello?
Houston, do you read?
Houston, do you read?
Tracy.
W Hi.
We've been stuck in the
galley since it started,
and they're keeping the area just
outside the module depressurized.
Have you been in communication
with anyone?
Negative. They shut down the comms,
and we don't have any suits in here.
What is it? What's going on?
The nuclear reactor's control
computer has gone off-line.
The reactor is overheating and fast.
- In approximately 45 minutes
- Jesus.
it will cause a massive
nuclear meltdown,
killing everyone on the base
and rendering Shackleton
uninhabitable for a thousand years.
Jesus Christ.
Okay. What can we do?
The backup coolant loop has its own
control computer that is functioning.
Normally, we'd just have you
switch it over in Ops/Comm.
Shit.
HAB SYS says that it's
possible to swap out
the cable connectors from the
backup computer to the primary loop.
You're talking about hot-wiring
a nuclear reactor here?
Pretty much.
All right. So what are we waiting for?
The cable connectors
are outside of Ops/Comm.
So, without suits, there is
no way for you to reach them.
So what are we supposed to do?
Are we just supposed to sit here
until the whole thing blows?
How far are those cables from us?
About 25 meters.
I think I can get to 'em.
- What?
- What?
I can cover 25 meters
in less than 10 seconds.
Hell you can.
- I started jogging again.
- No
Jogging? We're talking about running
on the surface of the moon
without a suit on.
Are you out of your goddamn mind?
Gordo, I appreciate the
It's just It's not a possibility.
Well, maybe it could be. Technically.
I mean, he'd have 15 seconds
before he lost consciousness.
If we could jury-rig
some sort of protection
for him against the vacuum,
maybe we could do this.
Y'all know what's in the galley.
Help me make as close
to a suit as I can get.
All we know is there's been
an attack on Jamestown
with multiple casualties.
I put every one of them up on that base.
Gordo, Tracy.
Helena Webster
Is she okay?
We don't have an accurate picture yet.
Why would they attack Jamestown?
Is this because of the blockade?
It's unclear.
It could be an effort to
recapture the defector
or part of a broader plan.
Does it matter? They attacked
'cause they smelled weakness.
Trying to take the moon for themselves,
just like they did with Eastern
Europe and Southeast Asia.
I guarantee you this lunar
blockade is part of it.
Exactly. And we're fighting
on multiple fronts now,
and you're our last line
of defense up there.
Has Buran come out from hiding yet?
We expected them to reemerge
from the far side of the moon by now,
but we haven't seen them yet.
- Oh, they're back there waiting for us.
- It looks that way.
They must have slowed their speed.
They're probably in an elliptical orbit.
Why would they do that?
We'll be isolated. Unable to
communicate with Houston.
Sir, if we're to encounter them
while we're back there?
Ellen just got word
from the White House.
Your orders stand. If you are to
- We're losing you, sir.
- Nearing Loss of Signal.
Fifteen seconds till we cross over
to the far side of the moon.
I'll keep it simple.
Protect Sea Dragon at all costs.
- Yes, sir.
- Approaching Loss of Signal.
Godspeed, Pathfinder.
As the astronauts and
cosmonauts of Apollo-Soyuz
await their handshake in space,
tensions between the two
countries here on Earth
remain at heights not
seen in two decades,
all the way back to the
Cuban missile crisis.
The long-simmering conflict seems
to be on the verge of turning
from what has come to
be known as a cold war
into something much more dangerous.
Across the nation, people are
growing increasingly concerned about
the events of the past several days.
Musician and activist John Lennon
drew tens of thousands
Hi, Kel.
to his concert for peace at Madison
Square Garden, saying, quote
Why are we closed?
Because the bar isn't ours anymore.
What do you mean?
I sold it this morning.
I just signed the paperwork.
Seriously?
Mm-hmm. Yeah, it all happened
very fast. But I sold it.
Why?
I got a really great offer, and it
I don't know, just felt
like the right time.
Cheers.
Wow.
I'm gonna miss it.
I'm not.
So what are you gonna do now?
I don't know.
I don't have any idea.
I've I've got nothing.
And it feels damn good.
I can't really picture you
sitting on the couch,
eating ice cream and
watching TV all day.
Okay, well, that's not gonna happen.
I don't know, you know?
Maybe I'll travel. Go to India.
I've always wanted to see the elephants.
Or maybe I'll go back to college.
Mom.
What?
For what?
Well, you know, a master's
in business is very useful.
And where would you go?
I was thinking William & Mary.
Are you and Dad getting a divorce?
What? Kelly, that that's not
I saw you guys fighting in the driveway,
and William & Mary is in Virginia.
And you're talking about
all these plans,
and none of them seem to involve Dad.
Okay, well, Kelly, your father
went back to space.
I'm just trying to figure
What is that?
It sounds like an air raid siren.
I'm I'm sure that it's just a drill.
Everything's gonna be okay,
all right? And I don't
This is a message from the
Emergency Broadcast System.
In the wake of events
in the Gulf of Mexico
That doesn't seem like a drill.
Let's head downstairs, okay? Come on.
This is not a drill.
In the wake of events
in the Gulf of Mexico
He will have about 15 seconds total
to reach these cable connectors
here, swap them out
Then reboot the computer
with this switch here
and get back to the air lock
before he loses consciousness.
Best we have, people.
So we gotta work with it.
We're at DEFCON 2.
The Soviet fleet off the coast of Panama
is threatening the
southern United States.
Nelson thinks there could be up to
ten nukes targeting Houston alone.
Christ. It's all
falling apart, isn't it?
All right, everyone, listen up.
The doors to the bomb shelters
are at the rear of building 30.
Anyone who wants to should go now.
Well, okay.
Turn that thing off. Let's keep going.
George, Alicia, get me the list
of every item in the Jamestown galley.
Sedgey, help me figure
out how to use that stuff
to make a counterpressure suit.
- We gotta do what we can to protect Gordo.
- Yes, ma'am.
- Margo, we have
- I know. I know.
We have to call off Apollo-Soyuz.
Bill, raise Apollo.
Tell them it's time to come home,
and calculate their reentry
at the next window.
Yes, ma'am.
Sorry, Dani.
We'll get you your reentry
protocols in the next few minutes.
Well, that was a waste
of time and money.
Soyuz, this is Apollo. Come in.
This is Apollo. Come in.
Stepan, it's Dani. Have you heard?
Yes. I have.
You know, my husband
Clayton used to say
"When people tell you
who they are, listen".
I don't understand.
I guess what I'm saying is
I am tired of pretending
I can't hear it.
Tired of being used.
Being told to smile,
keep quiet, be patient.
We'll get to you next time around.
I'm sure you know
what I'm talking about.
No, I'm happy with Soviet space program.
Oh, come on.
I know you don't like
this any more than I do.
At least Laika got to do her mission.
Danielle, what are you saying?
What are they gonna do to us? Hmm?
We are a hundred miles above Earth,
floating around in these
two old tin cans.
Don't you want to just go for it?
And now look for the stowed oxygen masks
that have the full face covering.
And you gotta grab all the
rolls of duct tape you can find.
What's that for?
Well, you're gonna wrap yourself in it.
Seriously?
Beats aluminum foil.
That was the first idea.
Now, you are gonna wrap
every single inch
that you can see of your skin.
Every single inch. Because
anything that is exposed
is gonna balloon up the second
you set foot on the surface.
It's also close to 200 degrees
Fahrenheit out there,
which is gonna cause the
adhesive of that tape to melt.
So, you know, move your ass.
Yeah. Got it.
And remember, you gotta breathe out
all the air in your lungs,
or they will burst.
So you will have just 15
seconds before you pass out.
Gordo?
If you want to change your mind,
I am sure they will understand.
No. I'm good.
- 'Cause once you're out there, there's
- Yeah. Thanks, Mol.
I don't know if we're gonna have enough.
- There's plenty.
- Well, not for both of us.
- Trace, you're not
- Oh, the hell I'm not, Gordo.
This is too important.
You don't pull this off,
and everyone up here dies.
American, Russian, all of us.
Look, maybe
maybe if you only had to swap
the cable, you could make it back,
but there is no way you can do
this and reach that power switch.
It's suicide, and you know it.
But if we both go, we we
have a shot at making it back.
But if we don't. Danny, Jimmy.
Uh-uh. Uh-uh.
Don't you dare make me tell our
boys their daddy didn't have to die.
Trace.
End of discussion, Gordo.
We can do this. Together.
Let's go.
Sources inside the White House
tell us the president has
boarded Air Force One
as a precautionary measure
and is currently somewhere over the US.
Civil defense authorities have advised
the public to remain in fallout shelters
or places of safety until further
I need to tell you something.
But you can't get mad.
Okay.
I
I went to see my birth father.
What?
When?
I didn't even know that you
you could. How? I I don't
He has a restaurant in Arlington.
And I wrote to the orphanage
in Vietnam and
found out he immigrated here.
Wha Uh
I I'm
I don't I'm surp I'm surprised.
You never told me that you
wanted to meet him. I would've
I'm sorry I didn't tell you guys.
I wasn't sure how or if I even could.
Especially Dad.
Yeah.
And I didn't want you
guys to think that
No. No, no, no, no, no, no. It's okay.
It's perfectly normal to be curious.
Tell me.
What was he like?
I didn't even talk to him.
I couldn't. I I just
stood there, waiting for
something.
I'm not even sure what,
like a connection.
But
I was just another customer.
And he has his own life, his own family.
And so do I.
Yeah.
- That's weird.
- your ship.
We're getting a transmission
from Houston.
- Repeat.
- That's not Houston.
You are in violation of Space Treaty.
If Sea Dragon does not
immediately return to Earth,
we will be forced to fire on your ship.
Where are they?
Radar shows 11:00
high, 3,000 kilometers.
Jesus, they're closing in fast.
How long till Sea Dragon
is within their missile range?
Just over five minutes.
Mr. Piscotty, open
the payload bay doors.
Apollo, Houston.
Your pitch will be minus 49.3 degrees.
Deorbit burn will begin
in T-minus five minutes.
Negative, Houston.
Come back, Apollo. Didn't read you.
You did.
We are going to proceed
with the docking maneuver.
Uh
Apollo, you've been ordered to initiate
atmospheric entry in five minutes.
And I am telling you it ain't happening.
- Flight?
- What's going on?
Commander Poole,
you have been given a direct order
to commence reentry procedure.
And I am choosing to ignore it.
Now, I suggest you all begin
docking procedures down there
if you don't want us to crash into
each other on national television.
She doesn't know everything that's
going on. Maybe if we tell her
I don't give a rat's ass what she knows.
She's been given an order.
Guess this is what happens
when astronauts
get away with disobeying orders.
Tell her she can proceed.
What?
I thought the president
canceled the docking.
He did. But I speak for
the president in this room,
and I think one good thing
should happen on this shitty day.
Okay. Tell them to begin
the docking procedure.
Yes, ma'am.
- Is this for real?
- It's about to be.
Go ahead.
Seriously? You You want
me to tell them?
Apollo, Houston.
You are go for docking.
Get him out of here!
They're coming through!
You look fucking ridiculous.
Take a look in the mirror.
Kidding me? I make this suit sing.
I love you, Trace.
Yeah, I love you too, Gordo.
Air lock is open.
They have 15 seconds.
They should've reached it by now.
Wait, the reactor's stabilizing.
It's taking too long.
Hello, Apollo.
So nice to see you again, my friend.
The pleasure's all mine.
Reactor has stabilized.
The air lock has repressurized.
They made it back.
The president wants the
Sixth Fleet to be ready
if the Soviets launch, all right?
Mr. President, we may have
to do something forceful.
Yes.
Mr. President, sir.
Take a look at the TV.
Ma'am.
Thank you.
This is Ellen Wilson.
This is the White House operator.
Please hold for the president.
Ellen.
Mr. President.
This Apollo-Soyuz business
Sir, I I know we had discussed
canceling the mission, but I felt
It was beautiful. And
Nancy thought so too.
Oh.
Four patriots of different
nations coming together.
Well, it it was just inspirational.
- We need that now more than ever, sir.
- Yes. Yes, we do.
Now, there might be a way out of
this yet, if we have enough time.
What's the status of
Pathfinder and Buran?
They're still out of
communication range, sir.
You have two minutes
to comply with blockade.
The United States does
not recognize your blockade.
If you take any aggressive
action, we will respond in kind.
Buran's radar signature shows
no sign of missile lock, sir.
Maybe they are bluffing.
No, they're just biding their time.
Activate radar lock system.
I have target acquisition.
Confirmed. Target range
shows 180 kilometers,
relative velocity two meters per second.
Within targeting parameters.
Once Buran engages
its missile lock system,
there will only be seconds until they
fire on Sea Dragon,
so we gotta be ready.
Ride, lock weapons system on target.
- Ride, lock weapons system on target.
- Admiral
Ed, this can't be the only way.
- We can
- We can what?
Ask them nicely to leave us alone?
You heard the general.
They attacked Jamestown.
They killed Americans. We
have orders to protect
Yes, but you are the
commander of this ship.
The ultimate decision is yours.
Ed, I watched you testify on Apollo 10.
You sat there in front of the world,
and you said that that was your call.
That's right, and I don't intend
on losing the moon a second time.
The only thing these people
understand is strength.
I saw it in Korea.
If we didn't stand our
ground and fight back,
the enemy would've gone all
the way to the South Sea.
- Ed, this isn't Korea!
- You're goddamn right it isn't!
It's a lot bigger. Now lock
weapons system on target!
Cover my station.
Step aside.
You're relieved of duty.
That's an order.
System lock.
Step away from the console, sir.
Sally, what the hell are you doing?
I said step away from the console.
- Put the gun down, Sal.
- I'm not kidding, Ed.
The Soviets attacked Jamestown.
They got American blood on
their hands, and Sea Dragon
Is unmanned! And whatever its cargo,
that's not the same as a human life.
We fire on Buran, we
kill everyone on board
and probably start a war
that kills millions more.
- That's not your call to make.
- Sally, put the gun down.
Stay back, Ed. I mean it.
You gonna shoot me, Sal?
I'll do what I have to.
So shoot me.
Never shot anyone before, have you, Sal?
Jesus! You both know we're in
a pressurized spacecraft, right?
Sally's not gonna shoot
anyone. Are you, Sally?
Enough.
Enough! This is insane.
You're both so goddamn sure you're
right, and and maybe you are.
We can't let them shoot
down the Sea Dragon,
but we can't shoot down Buran either.
Maybe it's not some
black-and-white choice. Right?
Maybe there's some other way.
Buran has missile lock on Sea Dragon.
Ed, stop.
Don't. Ed, please.
Ed, stop.
I'm gonna do what I gotta do,
Sal. You do what you have to.
Please, Ed.
Wait. Wait, that's not right.
Yeah, it is.
Pathfinder, this is
Houston. Do you read?
Pathfinder, Houston.
Houston, this is Pathfinder.
It's good to hear your voice.
Uh, Houston, I don't know quite
how to say this, but, uh
Ed, it's Ellen. We need to know,
did you engage with Buran?
Did you shoot them down?
Uh
Negative.
Thank God.
Uh
Come again, Houston?
Ladies and gentlemen,
we have breaking news.
Reports have just come in
that President Reagan has
rerouted Air Force One to Moscow
after making a last-minute
entreaty to Premier Andropov.
- The two leaders hope to negotiate
- Hold your fire!
- We are being ordered to pull back!
- a mutual pullback of forces
both here and in space,
ending the current standoff.
Sources at the White House
conveyed that President Reagan,
like millions around the world,
was so moved by the images
of the Apollo-Soyuz mission
that it inspired him to reach
out his own hand in peace.
Andropov's surprising
willingness to negotiate
is thought in part to be
linked to the explosion
of NASA's Sea Dragon 17 rocket,
which is being blamed
on faulty circuitry.
NASA has not yet commented
on the incident.
The Sea Dragon has had a perfect
safety record to this point,
but production of the large rocket
has been halted at its Huntsville plant
until further investigation.
A grateful nation opens her heart today
in gratitude for their sacrifice,
for their courage and
for their noble service.
On April 3rd, 1972,
a C-5A Galaxy transport
plane with 243 infants,
children, volunteers and crew
took off from Saigon as
part of Operation Babylift.
One minute, 23 seconds later,
the plane crashed into a field.
Forty-seven children were
rescued. I was one of them.
There are these moments
that shape your life,
moments you have no control over.
If the pilot had banked
left instead of right,
if the south had won the war in Vietnam,
if the Russians hadn't
beat us to the moon
You okay?
Yeah.
I always thought things
happen for a reason.
Good and bad, there's a design, a plan.
But lately I've started to wonder
if maybe we just say that to
make ourselves feel better.
Maybe we're just drifting
from moment to moment
trying to do what we think is right.
To give some meaning to our lives.
So who am I?
I'm Hanh Nguyen, born in Saigon,
daughter of Le and Binh Nguyen.
And I'm Kelly Ann Baldwin,
raised in Houston,
daughter of Karen and Ed Baldwin.
A child of the space program.
Is this the journey
I was meant to be on?
Applying to the Naval Academy,
following in my father's footsteps?
I don't know.
All I know is the more we look back,
wondering what might have been,
the less we're living for today.
And the future
John Lennon probably put it best:
"Everything will be okay in the end.
And if it's not okay, it's not the end".
Hello?
Hello. Margo?
Sergei?
I wished to call to convey my respects.
I wanted to be there
myself today, but, uh,
alas, I could not get the clearance.
I'm sure that would
have been complicated.
They were heroes for America
and for the Soviet Union
and for the whole world.
Yes, they were.
Margo, I wanted to ask,
will you be at the ICSE conference
in in the UK this summer?
I'm not sure. Why?
Well, uh, I will be there.
So, if you come,
perhaps we could meet for a drink?
- Margo?
- Uh, yes.
I, uh I'll have to see.
If I If I'm going, I mean.
There's a lot happening around
Houston around that time and
Yes. Yes, of course, I understand.
But I'll see what I can do.
Okay.
I'll speak to you soon, Sergei.
Goodbye, Margo.
Good.
Very good.
I'm telling you, she will not come.
It doesn't matter.
She already opened the door with Buran.
By the time she realizes
she is working for us,
it will be too late.
Previous EpisodeNext Episode