The Last Scout Page #3

You know what,

I'll happily take your shift,

Pete,

if you can prioritize fixing

my shower head.

Woah.

What have I told you

about removing it

from the mounting to, uh...

"test the water pressure"?

What are you

doing in that shower?

I gotta pass the time somehow.

Hey, hey, hey,

listen up real quick.

As you guys know,

we had to shut down the engines

to make some minor repairs.

Everything's fine,

just wanted to let you know.

Everything's good to go.

Sure.

Gunning the engines

for seven years

on a short range transport.

- Oh woah woah.

- Here we go..

We don't gun the engines.

We make this baby purr.

He's got one good point there.

These crafts were not made to go

the distance we're taking them.

Really?! Are you sure?!

Or comforts,

or privacy, or proper hygiene.

Or a decent work out regime.

No, we're getting

the pool installed next week,

you know that?

Yeah. Yeah, I've been meaning

to write a letter about that.

Yeah, the pilot seat needs

fixing too. It's kinda squeaky-

Everybody-

There's a lot of squeaky

stuff in the-

Woah!

Let's let the Captain speak.

I think he has something

to tell us.

Captain?

Ahh, we got the status

report in from the Utah.

As you know they are

the ship closest to us

and sent to scope

out sector 349G.

The planet they were targeting

came back negative.

So they've started their

final run back to the fleet.

- Lucky bastards.

- Right, I...

Listen, I know it's not good

news guys,

but we still have a mission

to do. It just means

we're going to be the ones that

get to discover the new Earth.

Seven years wasted.

Fourteen years

when they get back.

Everyone knows

these issues were a lottery.

Some people got journeys

twice as long.

Some people got trips

of one year.

They weren't even out

of comms range of the fleet.

Why couldn't I have been

on one of those f***ing ships

rather than this one?

I think we all

would have liked that.

The longer the mission, Gerry,

more chance there is

something going wrong,

and the less chance there is

of getting back.

Everyone knew that.

Everyone still knows that.

- Here, here.

- That's right.

We're looking good

for an old ship. Come on.

I know Right.

That's cold comfort for someone

who couldn't make the choice

seven years ago.

She's had seven years more

of life this way

than she would have had

otherwise.

- What life?

- How can you say that?

She's got more goodness

in that little finger,

than you've got

in your entire body.

Well, that goodness

is going to wither

on the vine and turn into dust-

- Hey! Just, Gerry, what...?

- What are...?

- Why do you always...?

- Hey, hey, hey. Listen. Listen.

As long as we have a mission,

guys, we have hope.

Okay? There's no reason

to believe this planet

is not the right one.

Okay?

It's in the habitable zone.

Edward, all of your long range

scans have been encouraging,

haven't they?

So far.

A little bit of elaboration.

Yeah, can you give us more here?

Well, long range scans

haven't shown anything,

not habitable,

but it's still a longshot.

We won't know until I send down

the probe.

Statistically though,

it's unlikely that ours

or any of the other ships

are going to succeed.

And what the hell?

We can cultivate our own food

and we've got water recyc.

We just turn this ship around

and head back

and we will survive.

I want to get back to work.

Until the oxygen breaks down...

I'm repairing those

right now, Edward.

And then we slowly

suffocate to death.

This is him being encouraging?

This is him being Edward.

I'm just saying

that's the situation.

And I'm just saying

reign in the negativity.

We've still got our job to do.

In fact, your job just became

the most important.

She's got a point, Edward.

Once we get there,

I'm going to need you

all over the telemetry.

We only got one probe.

Looks like

you finally became useful.

F*** you.

Can I have seconds now?

I'd better get back

to the bridge.

Pegasus is probably getting

bored flying herself.

- I'll go.

- I thought you wanted more food.

No, I'm done.

I'm not hungry anymore.

Guys, we're almost there.

You know, I do wonder though

about the Utah.

And how many are the ships

that have been lost.

It must have happened to some.

I just hope that it wasn't

to ones that were on their way

to a habitable world.

Someone does find something.

It's seven years back.

God knows how many heading

to where the new world is.

- Hayley.

- What's up, sweetheart?

Can I watch a movie tonight

with Pete?

Not tonight.

We've got a big day tomorrow,

so I need you to get

some proper sleep.

And no one

is sneaking around the ship.

You know, Gerry gets grumpy

if we wake him up.

Oh, all right.

That's it. I'm gone.

Please, always

know, always remember...

I love you more than anything

in existence...

I know you feel the same.

I will always be with you.

Complete your mission...

It is the most important thing.

For us both.

The future of humanity

depends on it.

Goodbye, my love.

End of message, Captain.

Would you like me

to play it once more?

Did you clean your teeth?

Good, because I really

don't fancy doing

any more dental work.

Pulling out Pete's molar

was enough for me.

Pete said he wouldn't

trust anyone else to do it.

He said, for a nurse,

you make a better dentist

than most dentists.

Did he? Well,

that's very kind of him to say.

Although, to be honest,

I'd be quite happy

if I didn't get every

vaguely medicine

related job on the ship.

- Hey!

- You're busy?

No, not even flying.

I've got it on autopilot.

Wow.

Jane's plotted too good a course

to bother changing.

No, I meant "Wow, that's a

special kind of laziness".

But seeing as you've got

a minute, it's time for...

Night of the Living Dead.

Why did you choose

that one again?

Come on, this is a classic.

You love this one.

Give it another chance.

I know how much you love it

really deep down.

You can't sleep, Pete?

Well, if I can't sleep,

you're not sleeping.

Where's the popcorn, buddy?

Well, we could have some

recycled protein.

I'll pass.

What was my mom and dad like?

They were great people.

They were the best kind

of parents you could have,

because they loved you

very much.

Why did they leave me?

Sweetheart,

they didn't leave you.

They saved you when

they couldn't save themselves.

You were too young to remember.

There was a lot of confusion

when people left Earth.

Some people got left behind

that really shouldn't have.

There wasn't enough room.

Did they die?

I don't know, sweetheart.

I know they wanted to find a new

home and that's why they gave

you to me when you

were just this big.

And now you

are big and grown-up.

I don't think I could carry

you now, like I could back then.

So I'm going to do my best.

You know?

I'm going to find

you a new home.

We're going to be all right.

You and me.

Good night, Hayley.

Good night, sweetheart.

Sweet dreams.

You want some?

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