The Ark (2023) s01e05 Episode Script

One Step Forward, Two Steps Back

Felix, that's not me in the
video. I didn't kill anyone.
- How's that not you?
- Her name's Denise. We were clones.
Then they introduced additional
experimental DNA into our systems.
I completed the genetic trials
and was assigned to this
ark to see if it all worked.
I've been having
strange visions as well.
I talk a lot when I'm nervous.
I told you, you don't
have to be nervous.
- You're wasting time with this boy.
- Uh
Lieutenant Lane. Keep
an eye on that one.
We're gonna end up with no
food and everyone will blame me.
Maybe they need some more water.
- It's the water! The comet.
- What?
I've been drinking the water
just as long as everyone else,
but I've had no hallucinations.
This just gets better and better.
She synthesized this
sample to be hydrophilic.
We need to put whatever's
in this vial into the water
and that's gonna cure us all.
We need you to analyze it,
see if you can use it to figure
out exactly what hit the ship.
- It could've been a weapon.
- We're only the people
in history to go this far in space.
I didn't say people.
Oh, my God.
Dr. Kabir.
- Bad time?
- I was taking advantage
of the lack of patients to get
some work done. How can I help you?
I just wanted to thank you for
saving us from the water contaminant.
It was a team effort.
Angus figured out the cause.
Alicia synthesized the protein
while I was unconscious.
Yeah, but you figured
out the science of it all.
To be honest, I still don't
understand how you did it.
Short answer, we caught a
virus and I figured out a cure.
And the long answer?
Is there something specific
you want to know, Lieutenant?
No. No, just fascinated
by the science of it all.
It took me six months of
all-nighters in med school
to understand molecular
protein reversal synthesis,
so how much time do you have?
Well, I don't have to understand
it to know that you saved us all.
- I'm sorry. It's just
- Still not sleeping?
Barely. Unless you count the coma.
- Why don't you take a break?
- I can't. I have too much work.
Come on, look, when was the
last time the Med Bay was empty?
Get some sleep before the next
shite storm hits. I'll keep watch.
I'll send for you if something comes up.
I have to make up the
new shift schedule anyway.
I can do that from here. Please.
Thank you. I owe you one. I
am so bleary-eyed right now,
I don't even know what I'm
looking at on that damn thing.
- Of course.
- Thank you.
- You're a clone?
- What are you talking about?
You're an illegal clone
is what I'm talking about.
How dare you keep that from us?
The people that need to know know, okay?
Dr. Kabir knows and sh
Oh. Is she the one who told you?
Kabir kept your secret.
I found your med files.
Found or illegally accessed
classified information?
You could be court-martialed.
By who? You? You're not fit to command.
Oh, I see. This is yet
again another power play.
Sharon, there's a reason
for the clone laws.
You could snap at any moment
and kill someone just
like your sister did.
You need to go the other way right now!
I'm trying to give you an out here.
Look, I'll keep this
information to myself, all right?
- At least until you snap.
- I'm not going to snap.
Do you know that for a
fact? Relinquish command.
I'm still the best one
to command this ship,
and I thoroughly
believe that to my core.
And I'm sorry, but I don't
think you can handle the job.
Oh, I can handle it just fine.
I promise you I will step aside
if I feel at all like,
you so kindly put,
like I'm going to snap.
By then you could've
already done the damage.
- Relinquish command.
- Not going to happen.
Then I'm calling a vote to
have you relieved of command.
You you can't reveal
classified information.
I'll do whatever it takes
to keep this ship safe,
and that includes protecting it
from the risk of you melting down.
Lieutenant Garnet's clone
sister had a psychotic episode
during which she killed a man
before taking her own life.
There's a very real risk the
same thing will happen to Sharon.
This is a waste of time.
This is necessary for our safety,
and we need to vote.
- Are we really doing this?
- Yes.
Well, I don't mean to knock
the wind out of your sails, pal,
- but, I mean, she seems totally fine.
- For how long?
Well, you know what?
I vote for myself, because a vote for me
is to vote to finally put an
end to all of this bickering.
Excuse me. Um, but what's
wrong with being a clone?
Years ago, militaries tried to increase
the size of their armies
by cloning soldiers.
The constant reproduction
from the same original
caused a degradation.
The second tier clones became psychotic.
For the record, I'm first tier.
First tier clones are no
different than in vitro babies.
I'm human, just like anyone else.
It was the introduction of foreign DNA
that made Denise dangerous.
But you had foreign DNA put in you, too.
Look, I think we all
understand the risks
of leaving Sharon in charge.
What I understand you're a
jerk who betrayed my trust.
You know, I'd rather deal with a
possible mental break from Sharon
than your clinical case
of small penis syndrome.
People died. They released these
time bomb clones into the world,
where eventually they
snapped and killed people.
Is that really what
we want to happen here?
But didn't Lieutenant Garnet
just save all our lives?
Either way, she's still human.
Felix, you're a man of the law.
Cloning is sacrilege,
but Lieutenant Garnet
is a victim not a perpetrator.
She's not to blame for what
other people did to her.
That's not what we're
debating here, Felix.
This is about whether
or not she's fit to lead.
Garnet's a great leader. I
stand with her. Anyone else?
Acting Captain Garnet,
the floor is yours.
Thank you, Strickland.
Let's get back work.
Eva, what will it take to get
us back up to near light speed?
A miracle. We're still repairing
the NEPS from the failed jumpstart.
- It's dangerous to push too hard.
- Dangerous how?
We only have one engine. If it
blows, we're dead in the water.
And if we stay the same
speed, it's gonna take us
more than a decade to reach Proxima B.
We're just gonna have to
push it as far as we can.
Let me try to figure it out.
Strickland, how's the
murder investigation?
A possible witness has reached out.
I was on my way to talk to
them before politics intervened.
Good hunting.
Brice, take the bridge.
Alicia, get with Angus on the
new element he's been analyzing.
The one that melted our ship?
See if there's a way to weaponize it
or create some sort of shield
in case we encounter it again.
I guess you're gonna court-martial me.
I should throw you out of the airlock.
What's your frigging
problem with me, Lane?
I already told you. I'm
afraid you might snap.
Bullshit. You were on me way
before you knew about that.
I guess I just resent the way
in which you assumed command
without anyone else having a say in it.
Well, now everyone's
had a say. Satisfied?
What do you want me to do? Apologize?
- Kiss the ring?
- That's a good start.
- Is that an order?
- No.
Here's your order.
You're gonna start seeing Cat
and get over your mommy issues.
- I don't have
- And then
you're gonna swallow your goddamn pride
and be my second in command.
The Captain wants us to get
us back to near light speed.
- She's officially captain now?
- Captain, acting Captain.
I don't know. She's in charge.
If we're not careful,
the xenon won't burn off.
The radiation buildup could
corrode the engine safeties.
I know. Inch it up by percentages
and monitor it carefully.
Start at 5%.
First signs of trouble,
pull the emergency shutdown.
I think that Eva might be our murderer.
Eva was in a relationship with the man
who was suffocated
during the oxygen crisis.
- She blamed Jasper
- The murdered imposter.
Yeah.
I know that she's struggling
to process her grief,
but Eva said that Jasper
deserved what he got.
That's motive. Thank you, Cat.
I really don't like
betraying confidentiality.
We're not talking about a stolen ration.
You did the right thing telling me.
Heard you needed my help.
I'm working on the NEPS.
Can we make it quick?
Understood.
I just have a couple of
questions about your whereabouts
- when the murder occurred.
- My whereabouts?
Are you accusing me of this murder?
Only four people had
access to this room.
I don't have time for this.
Eva, what are you doing?
Eva!
If I wanted to kill this asshole,
this is how I would've done it!
It would look like a heart attack.
God.
And if I did slit his throat,
I wouldn't be stupid enough
to throw the knife into a water system
that I would have to fix.
I am smarter than whoever did this.
Point made.
Hmm.
Is that a good "hmm" or a bad "hmm?"
It's a weird "hmm." We've
had a drop in thrust.
Would you just do me a favor and check
the xenon levels at your end? Any drop?
Uh, no change here.
I asked Eva to goose us up to speed.
Could that have anything to do with it?
That is just so weird.
Xenon levels should increase with speed,
and propellant flow rate
and thrust always match.
- Always?
- Yeah, always.
Well, I mean, unless there
was a leak in the reactor core.
The last engineer assigned
to the core was Gregor.
Bridge to engine room.
Engineer Ralph Gregor, respond.
Ralph Gregor, report to
the bridge immediately.
Garnet to Eva Markovic.
I need a status report
on engineering, stat.
On my way there. Strickland delayed me.
Gregor's not responding.
I'll be there in a second.
- Hey.
- Hey.
- I'm really sorry about
- Yesterday was weird
Um, you first.
I was gonna say, that
wasn't the best first date.
- Yeah.
- But I think I getting poisoned by a comet
gives you an automatic do-over.
- If you want one, that is.
- I would.
When would you like
to do it? Over, I mean.
How about right now?
I never experienced anything like that.
I saw my mom and she
was as critical as ever.
- Does she not approve of me?
- Oh, not at all.
Just so you don't feel bad,
she never approved of anyone.
She never really let me date.
Who'd you see?
- I, uh
- Oh, I'm sorry.
That was rude. I didn't mean to
No, it's fine.
I, um I saw Susan Ingram.
She was my commanding officer.
Lieutenant Commander?
Maybe you met at boarding.
She died when we came out of cryo.
Did you know her well?
Um
I just can't believe
this is really happening.
Thank you. Thank you for everything.
I had to do quite a sales
pitch to my superiors
to get them to add you to the team.
I appreciate it.
This ship is amazing!
As far as I'm concerned,
William Trust is like a god.
I mean I mean, to make
this whole program happen?
We need more people like you to
make his plan come to fruition.
That's why I went to bat for you.
You sure it wasn't because
I'm such a good kisser?
Well, there's that.
She was, uh, my mentor.
If it wasn't for her, I
wouldn't be on the ship.
I'm sorry I never got to meet her.
The good news is hallucination
Susan liked you very much.
Good.
Then maybe she wouldn't
mind if I did this.
- I'm sorry.
- For what?
I'm sorry. I've never
kissed a boy before.
Well, my dad. On the cheek of course.
But he was my dad, not a boy.
And I just thought if I talked
about it first, I might chicken out.
So I just kinda like
Wow.
Markovic to Bridge.
There's a radiation leak in the NEPS.
- How's Gregor?
- Dead.
- Shit.
- It's my fault. I stepped away.
If you hadn't, you might both be dead.
Now, look, can we save the self-pity
until after we fix this, please?
The leak's contained for now,
but we need to seal off the
area in case it doesn't hold.
- But how the hell are we gonna do that?
- Already have my crew on it.
Tell them to keep quiet. We
don't wanna create a panic.
If radiation spreads, the whole
ship will go into automatic lockdown.
Yeah, well, I think at that point
panic will be the smart move.
Turn this into a weapon or shield?
Those were our orders?
- Alicia?
- What?
Oh, uh, yeah, the residue,
not the actual glove.
I know. It's just
- A lot to ask?
- Yeah.
I mean, I really don't
want to disappoint
Lieutenant Garnet, but it's like saying,
"Here's a glass of water.
Go make a rainstorm."
- Or a really good umbrella.
- Yeah, I mean, a shield I understand, but
why a weapon?
I guess Lieutenant Garnet
thinks that whatever hit us,
if it wasn't meteors
or something natural,
if we were attacked by that stuff,
then we should be able to shoot back?
I guess.
- Um, can I ask you a question?
- Yeah, anything.
What do you think of Ensign Trent?
Oh.
I mean, I barely know him.
He seems nice enough. Why?
No reason.
Um, okay, let's see if
we can maybe figure out
- something with this substance.
- Yes.
Uh, the unknown element
is, well, unknown.
It was found in a small
crystalline, pellet-like
Container. So does that
mean it was manufactured?
Not necessarily. It could be
naturally occurring that way,
like milk in a coconut.
Well, accept this milk eats
through almost anything it touches,
so it could be engineered
like a weapon and shot at us.
So
everyone who had access
to the room has been cleared.
So we're back to square
one? Everybody's a suspect?
We need to look at the
other potential evidence,
like the anonymous
message Lane was sent.
I've been trying to analyze it,
but I wasn't put on the
ark for my tech skills.
That's all right. We're
all doing what we can.
Have you checked the
message's point of origin?
Yeah, but I keep getting
this strange code.
Let me see.
- It's just random numbers.
- Maybe they're not so random.
Whenever anyone sends a message,
it gets stamped with a protocol ID.
It identifies where
the message originated.
You mean the actual tablet
or terminal it was sent from?
Right. And if you try to remove
a sender name from a message,
the system automatically
replaces it with a protocol ID.
So that tells us where
the message was sent from?
In this case, a tablet.
If I cross-check that with
the message's timestamp,
I can see who was logged
into that tablet at the time.
No way.
The logs don't lie.
Well, well, well. Garnet
told me to expect you.
Take a seat.
I don't need therapy.
And how does that make you feel?
It's a waste of both of our time.
Why don't we start with
why you hate Garnet so much?
Is it just her or do you hate all women?
What I hate is when someone is promoted
to a position of power they
don't deserve, like you.
So, all women then.
If you must know, I don't trust Garnet.
She was added to our team
minutes before departure
and none of us knew anything about her.
I mean, don't you think that's weird?
You don't think I deserve this job.
Well, I didn't ask for it, you know.
It was foisted on me.
Did you just hear a word I just said?
Hmm?
That's the 17th failed
simulation. It's not gonna work.
Maybe 18th time's the charm?
There is nothing that works as a shield.
We can't make a weapon, because no
matter how many variations we try,
we just don't have enough of
the element to synthesize it.
Then maybe we should
figure out how to find more.
That's not a bad idea.
What? Finding more residue?
No, figuring out how to find it.
We probably have enough of the residue
to reconfigure the ship's
sensors to be on alert for it.
- So if there's more out there
- We'll have an early warning system.
Strickland, um, how can we help?
Alicia Nevins, you're under arrest
for the murder of Malcolm Perry.
What?
This is insane.
You know I'm not a murderer. Please!
- Please, Strickland, you have to believe me.
- I believe you.
I know you were at your station
at the time of the murder.
I'm sorry we had to do this.
Someone used your credentials
to send Lane the video
of Garnet's sister.
Wait, so that was all for show?
It stands to reason that whoever
wanted to frame Lieutenant Garnet
could be very well be our murderer.
But why would anyone want
to use my credentials?
I don't know. Perhaps convenience.
Does anyone else have
access to your password?
- Oh, my God.
- What?
Oh, my God.
I really hate this.
Alicia, do you know something?
I I think I know who the murderer is.
I thought the murderer was someone
with clearance to access this room.
- That's what we all thought.
- We were wrong.
The murderer is someone with
the skill to pick the lock.
During the oxygen crisis,
Ensign Baylor Trent
demonstrated his
ability to pick locks
twice.
But what's Trent's
connection to the victim?
- Unknown.
- That's a little circumstantial.
- Just 'cause the kid can pick a lock?
- I'd agree
if he hadn't stolen
Alicia's login credentials.
It was during the comet crisis.
I was in such a rush to
tell you about the comet,
I left my tablet behind.
Oh.
When Trent returned the tablet to me,
I knew he had it the whole time.
He tried to frame you
both. I'd like to know why.
There's only one way to find out.
Oh, shit.
Move, move, move!
Oh, shit.
Where were you running
to? We're in space.
There's nowhere to hide.
- Why did you kill the stowaway?
- Look, he was an imposter.
- And that's reason to kill him?
- Oh, no, no, no.
You don't get it. He
disrupted the balance.
Great. Well, that clears that up.
In order for our mission to succeed,
everyone must have their place.
Look, it's like you
said, Lieutenant Lane.
It's survival of the fittest, right?
- Why did you frame Garnet?
- I have a place here.
Garnet wasn't even on the
roster. She was expendable.
Look, with half of us gone,
we have to work that much
harder to keep the balance.
Can anyone tell me what the
hell this kid is talking about?
We have to get these barriers up faster.
Okay, time's up! We
need to get out of here.
Come on!
Attention, all hands.
All personnel evacuate
sectors two through five.
This includes cargo
pods, bioshelter, showers.
Everyone, move forward!
- I thought we had this under control.
- So did I.
You can contain it though, right?
Initiating nuclear decon protocol.
- Shit.
- What?
NEPS remote access controls
have melted at the source.
I can't shut down the
leak from the bridge.
If you don't stop that
leak, we're all dead.
I have to do it manually.
Send someone into a radioactive zone?
- No one can survive that.
- I know.
You mean a suicide mission.
Attention, all hands, this is Garnet.
Unfortunately, there's
been a radiation breach
in our nuclear electronic
propulsion system,
and we've lost the ability
to stop it remotely.
It has to be done manually.
I can't force anyone to do this,
so I'm asking for a volunteer.
Someone who's willing
to sacrifice themselves
so the rest of us can live.
This is an impossible situation,
but if someone doesn't do this,
our journey ends here.
- I'll do it.
- Absolutely not.
Well, I don't see anyone else
with their hand raised, do you?
We can't wait exactly
wait around till nuts up.
I can't clear you for this.
Not with that knee.
What the hell are you talking about?
We need someone able-bodied.
There's nothing wrong with my knee.
Doesn't matter.
We can't afford to
lose our only navigator.
- I'll do it.
- Sharon
You're about to get what you wanted.
What? I didn't want it this way.
Listen to me. You're
gonna be a great leader.
That's not what you said before.
Well, just put the crew before your ego.
- Can we at least just discuss this first?
- We're running out of time.
Sharon.
- You've gotta be kidding me.
- What is it?
Give me ten minutes before you do this.
- What are you doing?
- Just promise me.
- What are you doing?
- Just promise me.
You better make this good, because
the last thing I wanna be doing
is spending what little time
I might have left with you.
I heard you're looking for a volunteer.
- You mean you?
- Yep.
- It's a suicide mission.
- I know.
Why should I trust you?
Because there's something on this ship
that you need to know about.
I have a volunteer.
Spence, have you lost your mind?
Look, we want a volunteer, we have one.
Can I talk?
I know no one understands what I did.
Well, you slit a man's throat.
It wasn't exactly subtle.
Everything I did was
to keep people safe,
and I'm ready to do this to
save Ark One and the mission.
Why should anyone believe
an asshole like you?
I'm sorry, Alicia. Okay?
I never meant to hurt you.
Shut up! Why should anyone believe you?
Because he does.
Lane, are you vouching for him?
- I guess I am.
- You're gonna kill me anyway.
We haven't even discussed your sentence.
Just let me do something
good before I die.
What is this?
Just let him do it.
I'm gonna need more than that.
Look, you wanted me to
trust you as our leader.
Now I need you to trust
me as your number two.
He's the man for the job,
and we can't lose you.
We're out of time.
Someone has to do this now.
You don't have to trust
him, Sharon. Just me.
This suit is designed for solar
radiation, not atomic radiation.
Best it can do is slow the effects.
And we'll track your progress.
Eva will open each
bulkhead as you come to it.
Do not stop. Just keep moving.
It's now or never, Trent.
Okay.
He's ready.
Opening first bulkhead in three,
two
one.
Door! Door!
Door! Door!
- We're losing the feed.
- Yeah.
Yeah, he's running into
high radiation levels.
Door!
Come on, Trent.
Jesus Christ.
Come on.
Door!
Door.
What's happening?
We're losing the feed.
Come on. You got this.
- Eva, come on. Get the feed back.
- I can't.
Door!
Open door.
Open the damn door!
Eva, get the goddamn door open now.
It won't open!
Trent, we can't open it from our end.
I can't get in.
Try again! Aw, man.
What's happening?
One of the doors is
inoperable. He's stuck.
What do you mean inoperable?
There's no way to open the door!
Trent, can you hear me?
Trent, answer me!
Ensign? Ensign, report!
Guys, we are running
out of time. Come on.
- Eva, open the door.
- I can't!
He's not gonna last!
He's exposed to radiation!
- I know!
- Come on, Eva. You got this.
- Open the damn door!
- She's doing her best!
We need to think of something.
Trent. Trent, listen to me.
You need to find a way.
- Yeah.
- Remember your mission.
Okay.
Come on, come on.
Okay.
Trent?
Trent?
Anti-radiation scrubber activated!
Thank you for trusting me.
We're gonna need to have a talk
about what Trent said to you.
Of course.
- Dr. Kabir.
- If it's not life-threatening,
- take a number.
- Just the opposite.
My murder investigation is
over, so if you need a hand
Okay, so most of these
people are suffering
from radiation poisoning,
burns, and the like,
so first you need to, um
- Excuse me a second.
- Mm-hmm.
- Here for your knee?
- There's nothing wrong with my knee.
And you know, I don't really
appreciate you lying about me like that.
Yeah, well, I don't
appreciate you lying to me.
- Lying to you?
- Mm-hmm.
When have I lied to you?
We've barely ever had a conversation.
I've seen your medical
records. They're perfect.
They're too perfect to be real.
You've risked your life for two
spacewalks, the comet assignment,
and you just volunteered
for a suicide mission.
You clearly have a death wish,
and I'm worried you're going
to take the ship with you.
Yeah, look, you've really got no
idea what you're talking about.
Okay, well, you know where I am
whenever you wanna update your records.
In the meantime, ice that knee.
There's nothing wrong with my knee.
Unfortunately, we can't
weaponize the element
or create any sort of
countermeasure devices.
Yet you look excited, Angus.
We've come up with the next best thing.
It's an early warning system
in case we come within range
of the element again.
Yeah, it's just a matter
of augmenting our sensors
to look for the element's
unique properties.
I can upload it to the
sensor system right now.
- On your word, of course.
- Do it.
- Well done.
- I was worried you'd be mad at us
- for failing our assignment.
- Not at all.
You thought outside
the box. I admire that.
The scrubbers have cleared the ship.
Bridge to all personnel.
I am pleased to announce all
radiation risk has been cleared.
The ship can now safely reopen.
One step forward, two steps back.
It's gonna take time
to make the repairs,
and get us up to a decent
speed, if that's even possible.
I know you'll figure it out.
Lane.
You were really going to do it?
Before Trent volunteered?
- You were going to take the hit for us?
- Is that a question?
I think I underestimated you.
I know I underestimated you.
What did Trent say to convince you?
I didn't wanna say this
with everyone in here,
but Trent did it for you, Alicia.
Something about you having
your whole life ahead of you.
He didn't want you to die and miss that.
Um
Well, I don't know about you,
but I feel like this session
- is a long time coming.
- Yeah.
You're gonna need to
get rid of that poster.
Where should we begin?
I'll do the talking,
you do the listening?
Of course. This is a safe space.
Don't be afraid to be free. Go
where your instincts want to.
- Cat?
- Listening.
Earlier today, Lieutenant Lane
called me a ticking time bomb, and
- Question.
- Sure, go ahead.
Lane is highly emotional.
If anyone's a time bomb, it's him.
- That was a question?
- What are you afraid of?
That he might be right.
My mission was clear.
Jasper found out, so he had to die.
So everything about "the
balance" was bullshit?
No. Balance is only part of the mission.
After Susan died, you said
not everyone would make it,
and that was my second clue
that you were one of us.
What was the first?
I saw something in you
in the send-off ceremony.
I'm William Trust.
- Full of people
- I thought Trust got fired
from his own company
because he went crazy.
Most geniuses are a little crazy.
That's when I knew.
I knew you were one of us,
that you had it in you
to complete our mission.
Susan, she opened my
eyes to a higher purpose,
and now I'm gonna do the same for you.
Come on, just think about it, Lane.
Where would we be without him?
He's the reason we're alive.
It's all his plan, his grand design.
Okay, I will save this
ship for one simple reason.
To save William Trust.
It's my duty.
Now it's your duty to keep Trust safe
because there are
people aboard this ship
who might want him dead.
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