Sliders s03e08 Episode Script

The Fire Within

[People cheering.]
Yeah! [Crowd cheering.]
Yeah! [Music playing.]
[Inaudible.]
[People chanting.]
Rembrandt, we have got to go.
Wait a minute, man.
We got at least You got to get your watch fixed.
I just tied the all-time high score here.
(Professor) You didn't, by chance, wager on this game? A little.
[People clamoring.]
Here we go.
Hey guys, wait a minute.
The money.
We got to Wait! [Whooshing.]
Considering we're leaving this dimension, I think it's fair to say all bets are off.
This entire world is on fire! How much time? Thank God.
[All grunting.]
[Growling.]
Four, three, two, one.
(Quinn) Heads up! Your coat's on fire.
[Grunting.]
What the hell was that place? Maybe it was hell.
The hell it was.
Five more seconds, you'd have been a believer.
Five more seconds, I'd have been beef Wellington.
[Laughs.]
[Honking.]
(Professor) We seem to be in some sort of company oil town.
Well, I think I'm gonna like it here.
Looks like they've got real cars.
How long are we here? Uh, four days and change.
Man, we got to get some cash.
Mr.
Brown, did you pay the hotel bill? Oh, no, I was going to, but, uh We skip out on the hotel bill too many times, the karma's gonna catch up, guys.
Look, I said I was going to, but At least we got cash.
Now we don't have to work.
Well, not exactly.
See, I left the money on the bar.
I was betting on the game and, uh Wait a minute, guys.
Now, look.
That's when you guys, you came in and jerked me out of there.
It really wasn't my fault.
You pulled me out of there before I was supposed to win anything.
I almost won $600.
Get him! (Rembrandt) You guys pulled me away too soon! (Quinn) What if you found a portal to a parallel universe? What if you could slide into a thousand different worlds, where it's the same year, and you're the same person, but everything else is different? And what if you can't find your way home? (voice) Sliders.
[Fire engine siren wailing.]
(Quinn) I'd hate to be a fireman on this world.
Especially here.
(Rembrandt) You guys smell gas? (Wade) This whole town smells like gas.
There's gas pumps everywhere.
You know, from what I've observed, I think it's a possibility that on this Earth the world's major deposits of petroleum were not in the Middle East but here in Southern California.
Yeah, it looks like Detroit stayed where it was.
(Rembrandt) The Japanese cars have never even invaded the country at all.
I never understood why cars had fins.
To begin with, Miss Wells, this is not just a car.
That is a living room on wheels.
(Rembrandt) Yeah, and other rooms as well.
[Rembrandt chuckles.]
And secondly, a fin is not just a fin.
Though it may serve some aerodynamic purpose, it's real function is as an extension of the male psyche.
Nothin' appeals like a good set of wheels.
(man) Global Oil, anybody else need a job? Hey, fellas, check it out.
They're hiring for the oil refinery.
Yes.
Why don't you go and get a job so that you can repay us? Now, Professor, if Rembrandt had won, you wouldn't have a problem, right? But he lost.
Well, you can get a job just like I can.
Guys, it doesn't matter what world we slide to, okay? I still need three square meals a day and often require a place to sleep.
I'll check it out.
[Truck engine running.]
Hi.
We're looking for jobs.
Could we get a ride? Hop in.
Thanks.
(Wade) He'll take us.
(Professor) Oh, great.
Know what I like about America? You work hard, you, too, could own a Cadillac.
Pity we always seem to be starting on the back of a cattle truck.
Such a cynic, Mr.
Mallory.
Yeah? So? What did they say? We might as well go ahead and hire 'em all.
We're gonna have some holes to fill if the union goes on strike tomorrow.
Thanks.
So we, uh, goin' out this weekend? I gotta wash my hair.
I'll help you.
Then you better come early.
[Phone ringing.]
Hello? Yeah, he's still here.
I'll tell him.
Mr.
Ashton, you need to get back to your office.
Why? What's up? There's a fire at the plant manager's house.
They think it's arson.
I'll bet it's that damn union.
(man on TV) doing survey of 2300 That was a sorry excuse for a meal.
I just hope that breakfast is better tomorrow in the company restaurant.
I thought the spaghetti was pretty good.
That was spaghetti? That wasn't spaghetti, that was oil slick with noodles.
(man on TV) Are you there? (TV reporter) Sources say the fire may be linked to the Brotherhood of Petrol Workers who stormed out of negotiations early this morning.
Their contract expires at midnight.
They got the fire (Quinn) Hey, guys.
This looks like the place we slid into.
Officials say that arson is now suspected.
I thought only the British were capable of destroying breakfast.
You didn't put enough syrup on it.
[Music playing on stereo.]
Evidently they spend more on the entertainment budget here than they do chefs.
Listen to this: "Management says it won't bow to bully tactics of the Brotherhood.
It will lock out workers if necessary.
" I overheard a conversation.
You know what the union is demanding? Health insurance.
What do they get now? If you get sick, they have a burial plan.
I can't stop thinkin' about that fire world we landed in.
You think it was volcanic? No, possibly natural gas deposits, burning for years like the coal fires in Virginia.
It's weird, but for a moment there I thought the fire was comin' after me.
Well, perhaps it was the spirits of the hearth.
You know, when I was a boy, my father used to terrify me with stories of the Corracha Cagalt, the blue flamed spirits of fire that punished naughty boys.
[Professor chuckling.]
Just your imagination.
[Alarm buzzing.]
[Sighs.]
Well, I guess our chariot awaits.
(J.
C.
) Well, we talked for a half hour.
He couldn't tell me a doggone thing.
I don't understand it.
Hmm, how strange.
Three burns in two days.
Nobody sees nothin'.
Something's going on.
I heard the last one was very hard to put out.
Yeah, the crew said it was a hell of a fight.
The fire burned one guy's mask off.
They'd knock it down here and it would jump up over there.
Almost like it was alive.
Anyway, they were moppin' up hot spots for hours.
Hmm.
Hey, uh, you remember to get the cream rinse? (workers chanting) No health, no wealth! No health, no wealth! No health, no wealth! No health, no wealth! No health, no wealth! No health, no wealth! Okay, you know where you're going? Uh, yeah, yeah, I got the map right here.
Good.
Be sure and lock your doors.
And don't stop for any reason.
You understand? Look, uh, are we expecting any trouble? No.
Not if we hurry up and get our butt out of here.
Now, let's roll.
(workers) No health, no wealth! No health, no wealth! [Workers continue chanting.]
We should all be wearing a respirator.
I asked the man.
He said hold your breath.
Yeah.
So much for employee relations.
[Siren blaring.]
You think it's a fire? I don't see any smoke.
Mr.
Mallory, if you can see smoke in a place like this, it's too late.
Come on.
[Workers clamoring.]
You all right? I will be when I get another job.
I'm not gonna scab.
I'm with you.
Let's go.
(Quinn) I know one thing.
They got stronger beer.
How come it's so cheap? [Burps.]
Excuse me.
Hey! I'm sorry, how rude.
I think they brew it in the same refinery.
Must be why it tastes like unleaded, huh? [Laughs.]
All right I'm gonna take a spin around the block so I don't go to bed with the spins.
Good night.
Good night.
Wade? Hmm.
Nothin'.
Manana.
Quinn! [Choking.]
[Honking.]
Are you all right? [Gasping.]
The flame.
It saved my life.
[People chattering.]
I'm telling you, I saw fire surround Quinn before he fell down.
I couldn't breathe.
There wasn't any oxygen.
Look, you both have had a few beers, right? Now, maybe you tripped, and maybe you saw the truck's lights reflected in the street, and you thought The truck would have run him over.
Remmy, I really think the fire saved my life.
See, now I know you had too much to drink.
It's hard to see, but it's there, hiding in the gutter.
I got within a couple of feet, but it wouldn't let me any closer.
Wait a minute.
You're saying that there's a flame out there and it's alive? Incredible as it sounds, Mr.
Brown, I do believe it has some level of awareness.
I must have brought it with me from the fire world, riding on the tails of my jacket.
Do you realize what this means? Let's not tell anybody.
They'll think we're nuts.
Or worse, they'll destroy it before we find a chance to find out who or what it is.
This represents one hell of a turn in evolution.
Do you think it might have something to do with all those fires? From what I overheard in the store, I'm willing to bet it is.
A guy there was talking about fighting a fire that seemed to him "to be acting as if it was alive.
" Think about it.
Everywhere it looks, nothing but food.
And nobody to tell it not to take a bite.
Maybe we should find a way to tell it to go on a diet.
I agree with you.
We must find a way of communicating with it.
Wait a minute.
Now, we don't know what this thing can do.
Maybe we should just leave it alone.
No, we brought it into this world, we're responsible for what happens.
So how do you talk to a fire? Maybe with a spectrometer? Excellent idea, Mr.
Mallory.
There must be one in the lab at the refinery.
We'll look into it tomorrow.
We've got to find some common ground.
Build a vocabulary, set up a translation path.
First we have to capture it.
Yeah, once we do, we better talk fast.
We slide in a couple of days.
You better do it before Flame-boy realizes he's sitting on a 100 million barrels of oil.
(Rembrandt) I don't know about you, but it scares me to death.
(workers) On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! [Phone ringing.]
I'm done with these files.
I wish all my temps were as good as you.
If you want to stay on, there's a I got to be someplace in a couple of days.
Don't worry.
Things have a way of workin' out.
Why are they all marked "awards"? Oh, that just means that those people got some money from the company at one time.
Diana! (Diana) What are you doing here? (Amanda) I want what's due to me.
I want my husband's last check.
Please, you gotta leave now.
Give me my money and I'll leave.
Amanda, how many times do I have to tell you? The company doesn't pay men who try to burn down the refinery.
My husband wouldn't do that.
You knew him.
J.
C.
Saw him open a gas valve and light it.
I know you and J.
C.
Have a thing going, Diana, but he lied.
My husband knew we had a baby on the way.
Please, I need the money.
(Diana) Get out of here, Amanda.
I don't wanna lose my job.
Please.
Call the guards.
(Diana) Did you hear me? Call security! Never mind.
False alarm.
[Liquid bubbling.]
Doesn't look like anybody has been here for a while.
Don't think they'll miss anything.
How about starting with hydrogen? Most common element in the universe, it must talk hydrogen.
You know, why don't I take all of these? What do you think we should ask it first, Professor? Think of the wonder of it, Mr.
Mallory.
An alien intelligence, and we get to ask it questions.
Who? Where? Why? [Laughs.]
My boy, the most exciting time of my life, my boy.
Uh, all clear, let's go.
All the big questions.
[Professor laughing.]
All right, guys, there are two things we can do.
We can either take the flame with us, or we can leave it here.
There's a third possibility.
We may be forced to destroy it, if If what? Lf, when it finds out its true situation, it gets a little resentful.
It may decide to retaliate.
Then we could still be responsible for destroying Southern California.
No, if it wanted to torch the place, it would have done it already.
It hasn't yet.
It's taking its time, checking things out.
I just hope once we break through, we can reason with it.
Did you get it? Yup.
One laptop with mega gigs, color screen, and a projection system.
Nice.
Everything you asked for.
Uh, I've got to run an errand.
I'll see you guys back at the hotel, okay? (workers) On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! On strike! Yeah, this is J.
C.
Computer and lab equipment? What else is missing? All right, get a list of the new hires.
Okay? Anybody who had access.
I'll meet you in my office.
(Amanda) We have to show them we mean business.
I want 20 men on that picket line at all times.
Go on.
[Door closing.]
The guy at the door said I could make a donation.
Cash or check is fine.
Actually, the donation is for you.
You should be taking vitamins and stuff.
It helps keep up your strength.
I helped take care of my cousin when she had her first kid.
I drove her nuts.
I read all these books, I talked to all these doctors Get out of here! I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to embarrass you.
I thought since you can't afford toothpaste Take all this with you.
I don't want any help from someone who works for them.
Maybe your baby does.
What do you want? When I heard that you were pregnant and your husband was If you work for the company, then you work for killers.
I don't He was gonna blow the whistle on them.
They murdered him to shut him up.
You don't understand.
They can do whatever they want.
They think they can kill the union, too.
Well, I'm gonna prove them wrong.
I'd like to help you do that.
You want to help? Yes.
Tell me what to do.
Well, uh, you can start by helping me pick this stuff up.
Okay.
(Professor) Maybe we should use more alcohol.
Maybe it's not hungry.
Maybe it is.
I just saw it.
Did you see that? It divides like a cell.
How could we kill it if we ever have to? I don't know.
But you better hope it can't lip-read.
It's in.
Get it.
Let's get out of here before we're spotted.
[Electronic buzzing.]
So, how many of those are you gonna have to fire up? We'll do it until they burn out, or the flame responds.
Maybe you should try music.
You want to sing Light My Fire? [Banging on door.]
Uh, sorry, the room is full.
(Wade) Remmy? It's Wade.
Is it talking yet? It's a little shy.
Where have you been? We've been worried.
I went for a long walk.
All right, pal, how about another round of hydrogen light? [Buzzing.]
It did it.
Did what? The frequencies match.
Flame-boy just said hello.
[Whispering.]
Wade? Wade.
Hi.
What are you doing here? Oh, Quinn needs some more parts.
He sent me to find you.
How's he getting on? Finishing up the last of the elements.
Where's Remmy? He's gone to get some chemicals.
We're meeting in your office at noon.
I'm anxious to get back.
Listen, while you guys are pulling parts, there's some computer files I need to borrow for a union woman I met.
Ah, workers united? Hmm.
It's more than that.
I think the oil company murdered her husband.
What? He organized the refinery two years ago.
Anyway, I kind of figure if I do this, it will help balance the karma for being a scab.
All right, Flame-boy, here's how it's gonna work.
I'm gonna say something into the microphone, the computer is then going to translate that into a light wave, which you will repeat.

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