To the Core and Back Page #6

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that Carl Sagan narration

all the way to the core?

- I beg your pardon?

- I said...

[stammers] I have an obligation

to my students...

An obligation to make

a book deal perhaps?

[Zimsky] Two book deals,

if you'd like to know the truth.

I read that last book.

It wasn't very good.

[Zimsky] Oh, really? Really?

When did you learn how to read?

[Braz] You amaze me.

[Bob] People.

Drs. Zimsky and Keyes?

You guys are

our resident geophysicists.

What do you make of this?

The mantle is a chemical hodgepodge

of... a variety of elements...

Say it with me:
"I don't know."

Well, Commander, wise men say,

"When in doubt, you should go around."

No. It's too big. We turn too slow.

Anything that we can't go through

displays as black.

- So, what's... what's static?

- It's nothing.

- What do you mean?

- It's nothing.

It's empty space.

L.-

I never taught the computer how

to read empty space.

And I never taught Virgil

how to fly.

Oh, God!

[all grunting]

Oh, no, man!

[Bob] Oh, dear God.

[grunts]

[shouts]

[groaning]

Ah!

[screams]

[all grunting, panting]

Serge, you all right?

Yeah.

- Anybody hurt?

- No. You OK?

- Yeah.

- [craft hissing]

What's that? What is that?

From the cooling system.

Shut that down. Shut it down.

I told you to go around her.

Nobody listens to me.

Where in God's name are we?

Whatever has us jammed up

is inside our lasers. Shut 'em down.

We're not going anywhere.

Powering down.

[ship powers down]

Josh, is there any other image

you can pull up?

Nope. Whatever it is,

it's also inside our MRI cameras.

- We have to go outside.

- [Serge] What?

Believe me, I hate to admit it,

but I think he's right.

- I'm coming. I want to collect samples.

- [Bob] Wait, hang on, hang on.

The first problem is,

the only way out of the ship

is the way we came in,

which is through the impeller outlet...

- Which is still at 5,000 degrees.

- Exactly, I mean...

I'll just flush it with liquid nitrogen

from the cooling system.

Wait. The cooling system that's keeping

us from roasting to death in this ship?

Well, just a small part of it.

Alternatives? Anybody.

[heavy breathing]

[Bob] Whoa, whoa, that's it.

[Josh] It's like a giant...

giant crystal.

- [Zimsky] Where the hell are we?

- [Bob] Well, the good news is,

it looks like the suits

can take the pressure.

It's completelyjammed

the laser assembly.

We just... we got to hope,

if we can cut it loose,

- they're still functional.

- Careful!

OK.

Got it.

- Beck, try the lights, will you?

- Lighting up.

- Oh, it's magnificent.

- [Zimsky] Oh, my God.

[Braz] Aladdin's cave.

[Zimsky] It's like

a crystal Grand Canyon.

I think it's a geode.

But I don't understand

how it could have survived down here.

- Cobalt shell, maybe?

- [Zimsky] Well, I mean,

in a magma environment

of 5,000 degrees.

Something would have to protect it.

Unbelievable.

- Zimsky.

- Yeah?

We're inside a giant gem bubble,

wrapped in a cobalt cocoon

of the Earth.

- Hell of a day.

- [Zimsky laughing]

Yes, it is.

- [Braz] I'll start cutting.

- [Bob] OK, Braz.

I'm going to check the hull.

Call me if you need me.

- OK.

- [tool powering up]

[Zapping]

[hissing]

Oh, no.

- Zimsky!

- Yeah?

- Zimsky...

- Look! It's an amethyst.

[Zimsky] Oh, God,

we've breached the shell.

[shouts]

- [gasps]

- [all shouting]

Guys, you don't have to be here!

I want you back inside!

Well, I think that means me.

Orders are orders.

VVaH,Josh.

The problem is I'm losing oxygen.

- Braz, what can I do?

- Check the feeds for me.

Check the feeds for me, Josh.

Quick!

I'm coming. I'm coming

as fast as I can.

Hey, guys, at this rate we have three

minutes before the lava gets to us.

Come on, guys. Come on.

[beeps]

[Braz] It's not going to work

without oxygen!

We're losing oxygen!

[air hissing]

I fixed it. Now cut!

[Braz] That's good. It's working now.

It's working well now!

That's good, Josh!

- Josh's vital signs are dropping.

- What?

[exhales]

Serge!

[Braz] You're almost there.

You're almost there, Josh.

- [grunts]

- Josh!

[grunting]

[grunts]

- Joshua!

- OK, guys, connect the oxygen.

- [Bob] Braz, you got that?

- [Braz] Yes. Connected!

[Bob] Good. I got to check these lasers.

OK, Beck, turn 'em over.

Pre-lasers only,

if you don't mind.

Initiating.

This better work.

The tide's really coming in.

Yes!

We got lucky! I think we're going

to swim right out of this one.

Bob?

[gasps]

[long beep]

Bob?

Bob...

Braz, come on, it's over.

OK. OK.

Beck! Beck!

We're coming in.

[panting] Initiate start sequence.

Beck!

- Beck, do you hear me?

- [Serge] Careful.

Start the impellers!

The door, open the door.

Activate bulkhead doors!

Now, Beck!

[gasps]

You OK? You're going to be weak.

You're OK.

Good job, good job. Good man.

- Well done, well done.

- [Josh] I'm fine. Thank you.

So... we have some good news, and...

...and we have some bad news.

Good news.

I'll take good news.

- All right.

- Well, we're alive and we're moving.

That's g... that's good news.

Oh, it is hot in here.

Yeah, that nitro we flushed out of the

cooling system, it's causing things

just to heat up a little. I'm going

to go back and make some adjustments.

- I'll lend you a hand.

- I'm fine.

[Beck] I'm going to check

your heartbeat, OK?

Thanks, Braz. Appreciate it.

So, that's the bad news?

That's not too bad.

No. Commander lverson died.

But... we're living,

and he would want to...

He'd want us to

complete our mission,

so I think that it's

important that we all...

- It's all right.

- Thank you.

I'm sorry.

Let's give him a second, OK?

He deserves that.

Oh, God, this all just seems

too big, doesn't it?

I think you were attempting

the impossible.

You were trying

to save the world, and...

...it's overwhelming.

I came here to save my wife

and my two children

and... six billion lives...

it's too much.

I just hope I'm smart enough

and brave enough to save three.

You did a nice job, Joshua.

Very nice. Great.

- You'd have done the same thing.

- Well, maybe, maybe.

Hey... who's steering the ship?

- Video screen autopilot.

- I hope he knows the way.

You and me both.

So... you're really

a college professor?

You're not from the CIA or the NSA

or any of those three-letter places?

No. I am a boring college professor.

Wrong place, wrong place.

That was the bravest thing

I've ever seen.

Well, I just, I just...

Listen, the lack of oxygen

kept me from weeping

like a little girl,

as is my custom

in dangerous situations.

[Beck] Hey, guys, we're close

to the mantle core interface.

Where are you?

[Serge] Key's in, Dr. Brazzelton.

- Ready.

- [Josh] We are in the

- luxurious, beautiful...

- [Serge] OK, the code...

...weapons control

checking the controls on the nukes.

[Serge] This is

the birthday of my daughter.

[Braz] O-3-1-9-9-5.

- Ready? Three, two and one.

- Yeah.

Thank you.

Green. All green.

Great. So we have

to synchronise the babies now.

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