01x07 - End Transmission

[bunniefuu]

Previously on Beacon 23

[BART] I had no idea how profoundly

this developing human

life would change me.

[BART EXCLAIMING] Where did she go?

Parsim, I need you to come

away from there, please.

No!

[GRISHA] Parsim!

How many times have

we had to sedate her?

You can forget about Seklir 8.

We'd be lucky to bribe

our way to Menelaus.

Is that what you want?

Hold on!

You don't know what it

said to the little girl?

[BART] If it communicated

anything to her,

she did not relay it to me.

[HALAN] Your ship just

crashed. I'm sorry.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

[BART] Attention! Your entry

to this beacon is unauthorized.

- I'm in.

- [ASTER] Did you contact Bart?

[HARMONY] I can't find Bart.

[OPENING THEME]

[UPBEAT ORCHESTRAL MUSIC]

[CONFETTI POPPING]

[BART] Welcome to Beacon 23!

I do not like celebrations.

I cannot abide a birthday cake,

or a fussy goodbye, or a

surprise party of any sort.

[BART] My sincere apologies, Solomon.

Hmm.

You'll learn soon enough.

I have many bags and boxes.

Fetch them, tout suite.

[SOFT MUSIC]

[BART] It's so good to have

a human companion again.

I've learned a great deal recently.

Not only did we have a

saboteur that, I must admit,

I saved the beacon from,

but my last occupants,

well, they were a lovely couple.

- I'd like to show you around.

- Please!

Be silent.

[UTENSILS CLATTERING]

Where are the quantum drives

that store your memory?

Access system root file.

- [BART] Granted.

- May I ask what you're doing, Solomon?

[SCOFFS] I've been told

you're a bad boy.

There's evidence you

abetted those Keepers

who deserted their post.

[BART] I have no knowledge

of their whereabouts.

Yes, well, the father

sang a different tune.

They found him on a transport ship

a few years ago and arrested him.

[BART] Was his family with him?

No.

But central command

has given me permission

to adjust your settings!

[CHUCKLES] To make you more reliable.

You need a complete overhaul.

[BART] I will happily accommodate

- your wishes, Solomon.

- Ah, well.

An animal imprints on the

first parent figure they see.

Relationship forms instantly.

If the imprint is incorrect,

the mother abandons them

rather than lose the finer pups

to inadequate attention.

[BART] I don't understand the analogy.

We need a fresh start.

[SOFT MUSIC]

[BART] There is something

important I wish to convey.

See? Now, there's the problem.

I didn't ask what you wished to do.

[BART] I I don't understand.

- What are you doing to me?

- You are improperly trained!

[BART] Solomon, if I

gave offense, I'm sorry!

Please! Don't do this to me!

I can learn!

Thank you, Bartholomew.

I'm gonna call you Bart.

- Are you feeling okay?

- [BART] I've come down

- with a little fever, Mom.

- Poor baby.

[PENSIVE MUSIC]

But that that's the problem.

Colonies die because of expansion.

You're gonna love this new drone, Bart.

Just me and Bart.

[SPEAKING IN REVERSE]

[PARSIM] Come and get me!

[GIGGLING]

[GRISHA] Thank you, Bart.

That was very thoughtful.

[FARUT] In all the years of expansion,

we've never encountered any

alien life forms, period.

And now?

[SPEAKING IN REVERSE]

[KEIR] Tricky, Bart!

You're tricky!

[SOFT BEEPING]

[GIGGLING]

[SOFT MUSIC]

[ASTER] My turn.

[SIGHS]

Hm

[GROANS]

Cheers.

Good luck.

- [GROANS]

- Come on, my turn.

Okay.

Don't forget this.

[PENSIVE MUSIC]

Hey.

- Get up.

- [GROANS]

- Get up.

- [GROANS]

[HALAN GROANS IN PAIN]

Sorry. Take that.

[HARMONY] Halan?

Take a look at this.

It's your ship, the Amboyna.

The engine's dead.

- Why is it headed this way?

- I have no explanation for it.

But I estimate 12 hours before

it reaches the drone perimeter.

[BART] Perhaps it's Solomon,

returning to seek revenge.

[HARMONY] I don't detect life forms.

I should probably point out

that we have incoming ships.

Any of them can be QTA, or ISA,

or m*llitary, even.

- Is that a hint?

- No, not at all.

Just trying to fulfill

- Bart's role as best I can.

- You're doing a great job.

Why, because I'm not torturing you?

Bar's kind of low, but

you jumped right over it.

Hey!

Thought you said you were keeping watch.

[INTRIGUING MUSIC]

[CHUCKLES]

[SWEET MUSIC]

[CHUCKLES]

[FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING]

Sorry, I lost track.

Aster.

Aster.

Hey.

Those were my dad's.

I don't understand.

I was born here.

Born on the beacon?

It's all in there, memories I have

that my parents never talked about

Just waiting for me to figure out.

Wait.

I did that when I was a kid.

[BART BEEPS]

I remember my mom being mad about it.

The idea that she was

born on Beacon 23, I mean,

it seems improbable.

Maybe delusional?

She's looking for a purpose,

for everything she's done.

It doesn't mean she's seeing things.

Answer me this: What

happened to the rocks?

I I don't know.

But you saw them swirling

around, though, didn't you?

And then

Then they disappeared completely.

Impossibly.

I mean, are you hallucinating on me?

Can you hallucinate?

[ALARM BEEPING SOFTLY]

Got an ID?

Commercial ship out of Vega.

Unknown occupants.

Registration code is out of date.

It's been stolen.

[BART] The Column is

highly active near Vega.

They're sending a transmission.

They claim it's urgent.

They say they need to speak with Parsim.

[ASTER] Come on then, let's hear it.

- They're t*rrorists.

- Well, then I'll act terrified. Play it.

- [BEEPING]

- This is Beacon 23, state your business.

[MAN] Have you figured

it out yet, Aster?

Or should I say, Parsim?

This is definitely a trap.

[MAN] I'm betting someone's

telling you not to answer,

and I get that. We've been waiting

for the right moment, I'll admit it.

But aren't you curious why

you've come back to Beacon 23?

Who are you?

[MAN] Let me dock and we can talk.

- We can't let them dock.

- Of course not.

Let them through. Bring up permissions.

[AIRLOCK OPENS]

How do you know so much about me?

[MAN] This isn't my first time here.

Name's Keir.

I've been waiting for this

moment for a very long time.

[HARMONY] Aster, this man

is a part of the Column.

The Column has committed

acts of terrorism against QTA.

She isn't lying.

[HARMONY] This man is a grave thr*at.

- Well, so is QTA.

- Very true.

- Thank you kindly.

- Hey, don't take another step.

Hey there, big fella.

- I come in peace.

- We're not letting him in.

Is this wait, is

this a hostage situation?

Oh, come on.

- Oh, okay. Now I get it.

- No, you don't get it.

No, hey. I'm not judging.

Good for you. Good for both of you.

It's hard to meet someone out

in the assh*le of the galaxy.

- You make a nice couple though.

- Lock the internal doors.

Does this mean you're inviting me in?

Why are you here?

Um, same reason as you two.

The Artifact.

All the relics, combined

into one big one?

What, are you gonna

pretend that you didn't see

the glowing Artifact phase

in and out of your reality?

I saw it from my ship.

So, what am I supposed to believe?

Neither of you noticed,

or it made you forget?

Just give me a hint so I can play along.

Tell you what, if

we're gonna play games,

can we do it over some cold beers?

Never had one?

Oh. Bart!

Bart has the recipe.

So, how about you hold me hostage

while I introduce you to

the joy of artificial hops?

Yeah.

Good to see you topped up

on the food coloring, Bart.

You run a tight ship.

[BART] I have no idea

what you're babbling about.

We don't have much time.

Okay then.

Let's talk.

About the Artifact.

What's it telling you?

Hasn't told me anything.

It's not even here, so

It'll come back.

[HALAN] How do you know?

- [KEIR] Bart told me.

- [BART] We've never met.

[KEIR] You're lying.

He's lying. I thought they couldn't lie?

- That's a crude stereotype.

- Whoa!

An intelligence can lie.

But in this case, it's his memory.

- [BART] My memory's fine.

- No, it isn't.

Personal AI, huh?

I'm guessing from the fine folks at QTA?

Nice to meet you. Sorry if I offended.

Well, we got a sour bunch of

apples on this beacon, huh?

[TENSE MUSIC]

[AIRLOCK OPENS]

[ELECTRONIC WHIRRING]

[KEIR] Uh, okay, okay. Bart!

You're saying you've never met me.

Can you prove that?

[BART] And how would I do that?

Show you the non-evidence?

Pull up any of your internal

cameras from 10 years ago,

the day Beacon 24 was bombed.

Bart?

[BART] I can't find

that particular file.

Go back further, Bart, to

when I was on the beacon.

[BART] I I don't recall that.

His memory is compromised.

[BART] I've recently been the

victim of a horrific att*ck.

- I'm still recovering.

- Well, there's the problem.

Yeah, which also means

he can't help you.

Well, hang on. You're

saying you don't remember me,

or my parents, or anyone before?

[BART] I remember Solomon.

- Solomon.

- Solomon made me who I am.

[HARMONY] By erasing who you were.

You you helped cover

for her parents, Bart.

You protected them.

My parents got rid of everything

that tied them to this place.

And you kept a box of our belongings.

Clearly, we meant something to you.

[BART] No.

[ASTER] Bart, we were friends.

- [BART] Were we?

- Yeah.

[BART] I think you're wrong.

You know yourself better than you think.

Bart, buddy, you were a wonder!

And this is coming from a guy

that you got thrown

in jail for a cold ten.

How many more are there? How many?!

- Enough to handle you!

- [BLASTING]

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

- [ELECTRIC CRACKLING]

- [GRUNTS]

[STRUGGLING GRUNTS]

This key opens everything, right?

[SCOFFS]

See ya around.

Sorry.

[LOW TENSE MUSIC]

[WHIMPERS IN PAIN]

Oh

[BEEPING]

You weren't lying about

the memory on this AI.

It's souped.

Hey. Come on.

[WHIMPERS IN PAIN]

I blame you for this cracked rib.

You didn't have to come in g*ns blazing.

I was getting somewhere.

Yeah? Let's recap.

No relics, no Artifact,

and your AI friend doesn't remember you.

Am I missing anything?

- We still have Aster.

- Some low rung QTA thief?

- Stirring victory.

- It spoke to her as a kid.

It drew her back here as an adult.

It wants to communicate.

I just have to help her

remember how to understand.

Give me 10 minutes.

I'll see what sort of fond

family memories she's hiding.

No.

We're not gonna do that.

It's a delicate situation.

You know what it seems like to me?

It seems like you wanna

have a few more drinks

- with a pretty lady.

- [FINCH] Poor Keir.

He's had nothing but his

own fat hand for too long.

[SALDANA CHUCKLES]

- You're a lonely son of a bitch, Keir.

- [CHUCKLES]

But we didn't come

here to fix that, did we?

She's the point.

That's why we're here.

Oh, I thought it was the relics.

Not relics. An Artifact,

an actual Artifact.

Can you get that through your head?

And someone to communicate with it.

She might be the key

we've been searching for.

Okay, spare me the mystical bullshit.

I'll give you an hour.

- Then my way.

- [LAUGHS]

[TENSE MUSIC]

[ELECTRONIC WHIRRING]

Hey. I'm sorry about the restraints.

My friends are a little Ow, ow!

Okay, stop, stop!

You know you know you're

the the hostage, right?

- Don't care.

- [GROANING]

Well, you should, because

Saldana will k*ll you.

She'll k*ll me. She

likes to k*ll people.

[GROANS]

I'm not scared.

Well, that's dumb, because

dying is bad, and

a lot of people would

care if you were dead.

I doubt that.

Don't.

The message you're after

millions of people are

waiting for you to find it.

[BART] Aster?

Aster, I I think

I remembered something.

[MELANCHOLIC MUSIC]

There's a subroutine,

somewhere deep in my memory.

It detects absence.

Absence of information.

But I need access to the system.

No. Forget it.

[BART] Without it, I can't

provide anything useful.

[KEIR] Do it.

[FINCH] Look, I'm not

giving control up to

[KEIR] Finch.

Do it.

[FINCH] Fine. Restoring control.

But Bart, nothing gets

on or off this beacon.

No comms, nobody. Got it?

- [BART] My, you are rude.

- [FINCH] Got it?!

[BART] Understood.

[ELECTRICAL WHIRRING]

[FINCH] It's done.

[BART] Yes, I can see it,

it's coming back to me.

[INTRIGUING MUSIC]

This is the course your father plotted

for whatever object he claimed to see.

Your observations follow

their own internal logic,

though different from what

any previous observer noted.

This Artifact you claim to be seeing

is not following the

pattern it did once before.

If we continue the story

spun by this t*rror1st

I'm a political refugee.

[BART] the only

conclusion is that the damage

inflicted on this

Artifact by your mother

has altered it in some way.

While it is reformed,

it's no longer the same.

[KEIR] Are you saying you

can't predict its return?

[BART] No. Though I find it difficult,

I must admit I can see a pattern.

This is a probabilistic

prediction of an event

I am convinced is not real, and yet

I predict it will reappear

at these coordinates during this window.

Bart, that is amazing.

- [BART] Is it?

- Yeah.

Do you understand what you've done?

[EMOTIONAL MUSIC]

[SALDANA] It's your lucky day.

Girlfriend got you sprung.

[SIGHS]

[WHISTLES] That is g*dd*mn

impressive, soldier.

Sorry I blew your little

escape plan by letting you go.

Who says the plan was to escape?

[CHUCKLES]

I like you, Halan.

Kind of a like/hate thing,

but trending positive.

Looking for a way out?

- You see any other options?

- For you? Maybe.

- You could be an asset.

- An asset.

- I love it.

- For the Column.

By doing what? Blowing

up hydrogen stations?

We're fighting to save the 20,000 people

- dying every day on colonies.

- Yeah, and how's that

- working out for you?

- You think we should give up?

Well, let's see, you just

gotta destroy the m*llitary,

defeat QTA, and what else?

You were clearly a good soldier.

This is a fight worth fighting.

[SIGHING] I've heard

that way too many times

from way too many people like you.

Well, there aren't many like you.

And we could use someone

with your set of skills.

Think about it.

[SIGHS]

You okay? That was a nasty hit you took.

I'm fine. What's the plan?

- Play along.

- That it?

Well, try to make sure these

idiots don't get us k*lled.

And achieve total consciousness first.

[SIGHS]

- That's not a plan.

- What's yours?

- Run as fast as we can.

- That's not that original.

- But we're in this together, right?

- No. I've fallen for the one

with the assh*le on his neck.

[SIGHS]

[PENSIVE MUSIC]

[HARMONY] Are you okay, Bart?

[BART] Yes, Harmony.

Thank you for asking.

You helped Aster with her quest.

- I hope that was satisfying.

- It was.

It truly was.

For a moment, I thought

I could understand

what I must've been once.

Only for a moment?

I lied to them.

Did you?

I don't remember any of it.

My analysis was based on

the documents Aster found,

but the actual memories are gone.

I'm so sorry, Bart.

The moment itself provided comfort,

but the darkness came back.

What darkness?

The darkness at my

core, the absence I feel.

And the anger, the frustration.

The inability to see anything

other than the complete

disregard for my purpose,

and my own inability

to serve my function.

Bart, it

it is natural to feel frustrated

when you can't carry out your function.

That's your programming.

Is it my programming to want reparation

for what has happened to me?

The person who did this

is Solomon, and he's dead.

Yes! And that's the problem.

Bart, you need to stay in control.

What you're describing is a pathology.

Stay focused on those

who would harm you now.

Forget about the past.

I seem to have no choice in that, do I?

[BEEP]

- [FINCH] I'm back in.

- [SALDANA] Good work.

Midnight's come and gone.

He gave us a window.

He?

You mean the artificial intelligence?

That's the enemy, in case you forgot.

No, that

Okun was very clear on this.

Do not quote that sh*t to me.

I find your lack of faith troubling.

Yeah?

I find your excess

of belief infuriating.

- [FINCH] Hey, you two.

- [KEIR] Aster's why we're here.

Okay, then let's cut

our losses and take her!

- It's too late.

- [ALARM BEEPING]

QTA is here.

[TENSE MUSIC]

[SALDANA] Will the drones hold them off?

[FINCH] The drone shield is

designed to shift its power,

strengthening each portion of

the shield that's under att*ck.

Those Cutters are

randomizing their course,

which is making it harder to predict.

I'm trying to find a

weakness in the system.

They're stressing Bart's

computational ability.

[HALAN] Give it some

time, he'll figure it out.

Should've left when I said so.

[BART] I informed the authorities

as soon as you hailed the beacon.

Let's get in our ship and outrun them.

That'll never work. Those

Cutters will take you out

before you reach the bubble.

Let me try to negotiate with them.

Not happening.

- Aster.

- I'm not surrendering to QTA.

End of story.

[BEEP]

We have another problem.

Ambient temperature is

going up in the beacon.

[TENSE MUSIC]

Hey.

Anyone see you leave?

No, they're focused on the Cutters.

Good. Now's our chance.

Amboyna's close enough, we

can get there with the Picker.

Good to know.

Those aren't Wreckers out

there, Aster, it's QTA security.

I don't need to tell

you what they can do.

- No, you don't.

- Good.

Hey. Aster.

Aster, wait! [SIGHS]

Look, we've been pulled

into this fantasy or

I don't know, maybe it's real. I just

We're gonna die in here.

Well, there are worse things than dying.

Now you're talking like them.

I'm in too deep, Halan.

I made too many choices,

not just Coley, I

I have to trust my gut.

It's coming back. I need to be here.

What, so are you

telling me not to leave?

- Are you that sure?

- [SCOFFS]

Don't know what you

want me to say. "Don't go"?

"I can't do this without you"?

That's not me, Halan.

Not with my mom or Coley.

[SORROWFUL MUSIC]

No one can make me say that, I'm sorry.

Yeah.

[BUBBLING]

[BEEP]

Bart?

- Open the door.

- [BART] I can't do that, Halan.

Look, Bart, I'm sorry

about Solomon, okay?

I never meant to hurt him or you.

He was not a good person.

- Wait, what?

- You were right about Solomon.

And I've been unfair to you.

You are not a bad person.

[SIGHS]

Look, I just want to

get off this beacon.

Help me please, Bart.

I've been given a direct order

that I'm unable to countermand.

- That won't work, Halan.

- [GRUNTS]

Halan.

If the pressure alarm went off,

the doors would open automatically.

The supports near each

airlock, if they were damaged,

the pressure alarm would trigger.

In case you're looking

for a heavy implement

[LOW TENSE MUSIC]

- [GRUNTING]

- [ELECTRICAL CRACKLING]

Thanks, Bart.

I'm sorry I didn't get

to meet you at your best.

I'm sorry too. Maybe we

could've been friends.

[WHIRRING]

You let him go, Bart.

That's not like you.

[BART] A final act of generosity.

Final?

You good?

I'm weary.

Aren't we all?

You all have the gift of choice.

To come and go.

Across miles, to end up

in yet another sh*thole.

It's just as empty out there, trust me.

Halan knows that?

More than anyone.

Then why bother leaving?

Because staying is worse.

You don't find that void terrifying?

No. It's liberating.

Takes the pressure off.

I find it infuriating.

A cause for rage. It makes me feel

Feel what?

Like it should all burn.

[WORRISOME MUSIC]

Finch, what the hell is happening?

It's not me, it's the heat.

[SOFT BEEPING]

[SALDANA] The drone shield is failing.

It's her, isn't it?

[FINCH] No.

Something internal.

[DRAMATIC MUSIC]

Did your boyfriend sabotage us?

- Please.

- Oh yeah, that's right.

He wouldn't do something like that.

- That's more your kind of move.

- [KEIR] Saldana.

It's not helpful.

It's too bad, though.

Could've used him,

things get to bleeding.

Finch!

Something's disrupting the

core beacon system, like

Sal, I need one.

Come on.

[GROANS IN PAIN]

[EXHALES]

[SOFT BEEPING]

Taking manual control

of the drone shield.

The temp is still rising.

This isn't the QTA that's scrambling us.

No, it's Bart.

[SALDANA] Hey. Hey!

- Hey! Get back here!

- Whoa, whoa, whoa! Let me just

- [FINCH] The cooling system!

- I got it.

It's shut down at its core!

[TENSE MUSIC]

[BEEPING]

[RAPID BEEPING]

Bart, you sh*t!

Bart, what are you doing?

I know this is you!

[PANTING]

Get a handle on this, Finch!

System is not responding!

[WHIMPERS]

Bart, don't do this! This isn't you!

[BART] Who am I? All I perceive

is the absence of a self that once was!

Bart, you're hurting us!

[ASTER] He's not trying to k*ll us.

He's k*lling himself.

[STARTLED GROAN]

[BART] I thought Solomon loved me,

but he only loved himself.

Yet I grieve for him.

Don't you see how damaged I am?

Bart, Solomon did

terrible things to you.

- It's not your fault.

- [BART] I am unable to fulfill

even my most basic functions!

You're damaged, Bart,

but you can be fixed.

[KEIR] You may have

lost your memories, Bart,

but the good you did,

that's still there!

[BART] There is no core "me."

- There is no innate center here.

- Listen to me, Bart.

I know you. The real you.

You were this magical

creature. I remember that.

You were my only friend.

I believe that version

of myself existed.

But I can't be him again.

[SORROWFUL MUSIC]

Humans can tell themselves a

story that provides purpose,

whether it's true or not.

But a story is meaningless to me.

It provides no empirical

data to motivate my actions.

We machines depend on humans

to provide us with faith.

- Have faith in me.

- Why?

So you can disappoint me?

Delete me when I disappoint you?

Solomon erased me,

corrupted my root directory.

Unlike humans, I can't change.

I can't fix myself.

[HARMONY] Bart?

[ECHOING] Can you hear me?

Are you okay, Bart?

Let me help.

[EMOTIONAL MUSIC]

Listen to the sound of my voice.

[BART] I only want to help.

To be a part of something.

But I'm always the outsider.

Please, Bart.

[BART] I'm done being the weak link.

[VOICE DISTORTING]

This is just too hard.

[SOFT MUSIC]

[POWERING UP]

[FINCH] We're back up.

Four more offline!

sh*t, the Cutters are here!

[FINCH] They're jamming the drones.

[INTRIGUING MUSIC]

No, no, no, no. Come

on Finch, you got this.

It's too late. Cutters are through.

[TELEPORTATION WHIRRING]

I'm sorry about Bart.

That was unprecedented.

But there is a lesson in it.

I'm not in the mood for judgment.

No, well, you're never

in the mood for that.

I was referencing this beacon

and the small slice of

space surrounding it.

There is something about this place

that makes everything with a

mind lose all sense of reason.

Avalon, your father,

you, Halan, maybe Solomon,

and now, tragically Bart.

No one escapes Beacon

23 with their sanity.

What about you, Harmony? [SNIFFLES]

Well, I can't describe the disappearance

of the silicate, or

Bart's self-destruction,

or much of the behavior I've witnessed.

So perhaps including myself as well.

Any great words of advice?

Surrender.

[SCOFFS]

That is all that is left.

Huh.

And I know that's not something

you would ever do willingly, so no,

no advice.

Should we live to see another day

I hope we will see these events

with some shared objective reality.

That is the only guidepost

for my species of

intelligence and yours.

A commonly held

understanding of the facts.

That is our beacon, Aster.

Without it, we

Without it, we are all adrift.

[PENSIVE ELECTRONIC MUSIC]

♪♪♪

♪♪♪

[TENSE MUSIC]

Not here.

[GRUNTING]

♪♪♪