Interstellar Page #12

The mission commander wants to see

you. Your son can stay here. He'll

be all right with Tars.

Cooper eyes Tars warily. Then steps outside.

EXT. UNDERGROUND BUNKER -- DAY

They walk across the space towards the base of the rocket,

away from the other engineers. Cooper nods at the older

engineer.

COOPER:

I thought the old man was in charge.

BRAND:

(ANNOYED)

The 'old man' is my father.

And he was in charge. But he decided

that we needed someone who could

lead the mission for the foreseeable

future.

COOPER:

Not you?

BRAND:

I'm a biologist.

35.

COOPER:

(LAUGHS)

You don't look like one.

(off her look)

With the rifle, I mean.

Brand heads towards a group of large maintenance ROBOTS

clustered at the base of the rocket. A smaller, human sized

robot is staring at the rocket, giving them instructions.

The robot looks up. This is CASE, the leader of the mission.

Originally an air force pararescue officer, every part of

him, from his alloy chassis to his voice, was designed to

inspire respect and confidence. He turns to Cooper.

CASE:

You're the man who brought us the

probe?

(off his look)

Thank you. We tested the telemetry

board you warned us about. It failed

under high voltage, just as you said.

Come with me, please.

Case strides off.

INT. MISSION CONTROL, UNDERGROUND HANGAR -- DAY

The lights dim as Brand's father brings up a schematic of

our solar system. Case points to the picture of the ice

planet recovered from the probe.

CASE:

You're right, Mr. Cooper. The planet

you saw is a long way from earth. A

very long way indeed.

Brand looks down. Case notices.

CASE (CONT'D)

Our science officer doesn't think I

should trust you with any of this.

One of the curious things about humans

is that the more alike you are, the

more initially hostile you are to

each other. As if by design.

Brand makes eye contact with Cooper, then looks away,

embarrassed.

CASE (CONT'D)

I've found the best way to earn a

person's trust is to trust them.

(MORE)

36.

CASE (CONT'D)

(looks at Brand's

FATHER)

Go ahead, John.

Brand's father taps a few keys and the schematic he built

fifty years beforehand flickers onto the screen.

BRAND'S FATHER

It's a wormhole. A shortcut leading

to a galaxy on the far side of the

universe. We found it fifty years

ago.

Cooper looks at the animatic, taking it in.

BRAND'S FATHER (CONT'D)

We've been waiting, sending probes

into it for decades. None of them

ever came back. Not until now.

Case walks to the schematic. Looks at it.

CASE:

Based on the information on the probe,

we're finally preparing to send the

manned mission.

COOPER:

That rocket doesn't have enough thrust

or fuel to get you to Jupiter.

CASE:

The main ship was built in orbit.

It has nuclear engines, with enough

fuel to last for several years.

Cooper looks at the schematic.

COOPER:

Why are you telling me this? I

already told you I'm not going to

tell anyone about this place.

CASE:

I know you won't, Mr. Cooper. We're

telling you this because I want you

to join us.

Cooper looks at him. Is he serious?

CASE (CONT'D)

The probe has taken a great deal

longer to return to us than we hoped.

(MORE)

37.

CASE (CONT'D)

Dr. Brand's Father and several other

members of our crew have gotten...

older.

Brand's Father looks down, stoic. Brand looks angry.

CASE (CONT'D)

We need someone who can run the

systems, improvise, work with what's

available. All of the skills you

seem to have developed.

COOPER:

But I don't have any of the

experience. Any training. You people

have been preparing for this for

years.

Case shakes his head.

CASE:

Humans worry about things like rank

and experience. I'm only concerned

with whether someone would be useful.

(BEAT)

I think you'd be useful, Mr. Cooper.

Cooper is stunned. This is the offer he's waited his whole

life for. And it's come too late.

COOPER:

No. I'm sorry.

Cooper is deeply conflicted. But he can't leave his boys

behind.

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