I Know Why We Never Returned to the Dark Side of the Moon

WEBVTT
1
00:00:04.490 --> 00:00:10.949
Year 2135. Location, Luna, the far side. The lander crunches
2
00:00:10.990 --> 00:00:14.550
down on the surface, and Reed Knowles double-checks the instruments,
3
00:00:15.169 --> 00:00:17.589
making sure the gear is solid and the lander is stable.
4
00:00:18.370 --> 00:00:22.690
Looking good, he says. Copy that. Chase Buford replies from
5
00:00:22.730 --> 00:00:26.410
the other side of the small cockpit. Same here. Pressurizing
6
00:00:26.449 --> 00:00:28.989
the drop hatch now. We can exit and start the
7
00:00:29.030 --> 00:00:32.329
survey in five minutes. Five minutes can be an eternity
8
00:00:32.429 --> 00:00:35.670
out here. Reed says, peering out of the cockpit window
9
00:00:35.929 --> 00:00:38.929
at the endless expanse of darkness that covers the moon's
10
00:00:38.990 --> 00:00:43.270
far side surface. The dark side of the moon. Beyond
11
00:00:43.310 --> 00:00:47.630
the surface, though, are wonders of reflected light. Clouds of
12
00:00:47.729 --> 00:00:51.359
dust particles pick up the sun's ever-present rays and turn
13
00:00:51.399 --> 00:00:54.240
the open space around the moon into a kaleidoscope of
14
00:00:54.299 --> 00:00:59.619
swirling hues. Reds, oranges, greens, and purples. Reed watches as
15
00:00:59.700 --> 00:01:02.280
the solar winds turn the clouds of dust into a
16
00:01:02.320 --> 00:01:05.780
spectacle as dynamic as the northern lights, a sight he
17
00:01:05.859 --> 00:01:09.689
watched endlessly as a young boy back in Petaluma. All right,
18
00:01:10.120 --> 00:01:12.730
even with the relays, comms are spotty on this side
19
00:01:12.750 --> 00:01:14.629
of the big hunk of cheese, so we need to
20
00:01:14.670 --> 00:01:16.450
be fast and careful when we get out of there,
21
00:01:16.870 --> 00:01:21.730
Chase says. No sightseeing, Reed. Got it? Got it, Reed replies.
22
00:01:22.290 --> 00:01:24.829
And since when have I ever gone sightseeing while on mission?
23
00:01:25.519 --> 00:01:28.819
Every damn time, Chase laughs. You have your head in
24
00:01:28.840 --> 00:01:31.920
the stars, even when you are out in them. Command
25
00:01:31.980 --> 00:01:34.909
expects its astroneers to be on their game at all times.
26
00:01:35.250 --> 00:01:37.909
That's all they ask. They also ask us to leave
27
00:01:37.950 --> 00:01:40.329
our families for months at a stretch, so we can
28
00:01:40.409 --> 00:01:42.870
find them new ways of making money off of what
29
00:01:42.930 --> 00:01:46.310
shouldn't be touched in the first place. Reed doesn't even
30
00:01:46.349 --> 00:01:49.170
try to hide the bitterness in his voice. Luna is
31
00:01:49.209 --> 00:01:52.849
for everyone, not just the highest bidder. Tell that to
32
00:01:52.870 --> 00:01:55.769
the highest bidder. Which happens to be the company we
33
00:01:55.829 --> 00:01:58.890
work for. The company that keeps our bank accounts full,
34
00:01:59.310 --> 00:02:01.109
so that our families don't have to stand in bread
35
00:02:01.150 --> 00:02:04.310
lines or purchase discount rebreathers just to live through the week.
36
00:02:05.109 --> 00:02:08.680
Now you're getting it. I was being sardonic. You were
37
00:02:08.699 --> 00:02:14.159
being what? Sardonic. It's like sarcastic, but with bite. Yeah, well,
38
00:02:14.560 --> 00:02:18.919
keep your sardonic-ness to yourself. Chase points at the cockpit ceiling.
39
00:02:19.560 --> 00:02:22.979
Command is always listening. That's right, you two. And don't
40
00:02:23.020 --> 00:02:25.729
forget it. A woman's voice calls out over the comms.
41
00:02:26.330 --> 00:02:28.930
My panel is showing that your exit hatch is pressurized,
42
00:02:29.469 --> 00:02:31.530
so I have to wonder what you're still doing inside
43
00:02:31.569 --> 00:02:34.550
the lander instead of out surveying the site, like you
44
00:02:34.569 --> 00:02:38.629
were being paid to do. Copy that, Angela, Chase says.
45
00:02:39.090 --> 00:02:41.930
We are heading out right now. We were just waiting
46
00:02:41.969 --> 00:02:45.560
to hear your lovely voice, big sister, Reed adds. Ah,
47
00:02:46.030 --> 00:02:49.729
I finally get that reference, Reed, Angela Wokoff says from
48
00:02:49.750 --> 00:02:53.259
her safe and comfy office back on Earth. The 20th
49
00:02:53.300 --> 00:02:58.539
century novel 1984, right? That's right, Reed replies, as he
50
00:02:58.580 --> 00:03:02.520
and Chase stand up, each flipping switches and checking readings
51
00:03:02.780 --> 00:03:05.080
while they make their way to the circular hatch set
52
00:03:05.319 --> 00:03:11.800
into the cockpit's deck. The ever-present, inescapable big brother. So, basically,
53
00:03:12.180 --> 00:03:14.300
you are calling me a tool of the surveillance state.
54
00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:18.879
Is that it, Reed? Pretty much. Well, considering how much
55
00:03:18.969 --> 00:03:21.849
I get paid, I could be called worse. That seems
56
00:03:21.889 --> 00:03:25.129
to be the sentiment around here too. People gotta live, Reed.
57
00:03:25.680 --> 00:03:28.379
Chase protests as he spins the wheel on the hatch,
58
00:03:28.800 --> 00:03:30.759
waits for the heavy clunk that is followed by a
59
00:03:30.800 --> 00:03:34.500
loud beep and pulls hard. The hatch swings up and
60
00:03:34.539 --> 00:03:36.960
Chase moves around it so he can peer down inside.
61
00:03:37.699 --> 00:03:41.219
Nothing's shifted during transit. All equipment is still stowed and secure.
62
00:03:41.879 --> 00:03:44.449
Permission to drop in and get this party started, big sis.
63
00:03:44.949 --> 00:03:49.250
Not you too, Chase. Angela sighs. One asshole permission is
64
00:03:49.289 --> 00:03:52.520
about all I can handle. Yet you get yourself a twofer.
65
00:03:52.819 --> 00:03:55.500
How lucky for you. Gonna buy a lotto ticket on
66
00:03:55.520 --> 00:03:58.900
my way home tonight. I have so much luck. Dropping in, Command,
67
00:03:59.300 --> 00:04:04.139
Reed says, not waiting for the official go-ahead. Hurry, Angela replies,
68
00:04:04.520 --> 00:04:06.849
and her voice is swallowed by a swarm of static.
69
00:04:07.650 --> 00:04:10.509
Losing comms window in ten seconds. You'll be dark for
70
00:04:10.550 --> 00:04:13.590
at least twenty minutes until the next orbital relay comes around.
71
00:04:13.610 --> 00:04:16.649
So be careful. You get into any trouble, and I
72
00:04:16.689 --> 00:04:20.069
can't help you. Yes, because you are so much help
73
00:04:20.089 --> 00:04:23.199
from where you are. Reed says. He climbs down and
74
00:04:23.240 --> 00:04:27.180
steps aside so Chase can follow. Neither wastes a second
75
00:04:27.600 --> 00:04:31.480
and both begin putting on their exosuits, each meticulously checking
76
00:04:31.540 --> 00:04:35.269
every part for any signs of damage or issues. Once
77
00:04:35.430 --> 00:04:39.050
encased in their protective equipment, Reed grabs the wheel on
78
00:04:39.069 --> 00:04:41.930
the second hatch, the one at their feet, while Chase
79
00:04:41.970 --> 00:04:44.149
climbs halfway up the ladder and closes.
80
00:04:43.910 --> 00:04:45.569
The hatch to the cockpit.
81
00:04:45.589 --> 00:04:45.970
Good to go.
82
00:04:46.470 --> 00:04:48.129
Chase's voice crackles over the comms.
83
00:04:48.449 --> 00:04:49.209
Ready for exit.
84
00:04:49.949 --> 00:04:53.920
Copy that. Reed replies. Do you copy, Command? We are
85
00:04:54.000 --> 00:04:57.079
exiting the lander now. A burst of static squelches in
86
00:04:57.120 --> 00:05:00.360
their ears, and both men adjust their comms volume quickly.
87
00:05:00.740 --> 00:05:02.259
We've lost comms with Angela.
88
00:05:02.660 --> 00:05:06.750
Chase says. The two men pull hard on the exit
89
00:05:06.790 --> 00:05:09.649
hatch and step back as a whoosh of air comes
90
00:05:09.709 --> 00:05:13.490
up from the pressurization bubble. Then the bubble dissolves, as
91
00:05:13.550 --> 00:05:16.230
it's designed to do, and all that's between the two
92
00:05:16.269 --> 00:05:20.350
men and the moon's surface are six ladder rungs. After you,
93
00:05:20.850 --> 00:05:24.970
Chase bows in the stiff suit. No, after you. The
94
00:05:24.990 --> 00:05:27.490
tip of my hat to you, kind sir. Chase laughs
95
00:05:27.550 --> 00:05:30.750
as he slowly descends through the hatch, down the short ladder,
96
00:05:31.089 --> 00:05:34.089
and onto the surface of the moon. He stands there
97
00:05:34.149 --> 00:05:37.209
for a moment, turns in a slow circle, then stops
98
00:05:37.509 --> 00:05:40.000
and looks up at Reed. They don't call it the
99
00:05:40.040 --> 00:05:42.939
dark side of the moon for nothing, Chase says. You
100
00:05:42.959 --> 00:05:44.100
can't see shit out here.
101
00:05:44.959 --> 00:05:45.639
Better go, Hud.
102
00:05:46.160 --> 00:05:49.230
Reed switches on his heads-up display. He taps at a
103
00:05:49.269 --> 00:05:52.610
small keyboard on his suit's left wrist, and multiple readings
104
00:05:52.790 --> 00:05:54.230
stream across the helmet's visor.
105
00:05:54.829 --> 00:05:57.670
All right, turn 20 degrees to your left, and that's
106
00:05:57.730 --> 00:05:58.939
our first target sight.
107
00:05:58.939 --> 00:06:03.459
20 degrees, copy that. Chase taps at the wrist, and
108
00:06:03.500 --> 00:06:07.360
many floodlights on his helmet illuminate the darkness. He starts
109
00:06:07.439 --> 00:06:10.839
walking as Reed descends to the surface quickly and follows
110
00:06:10.920 --> 00:06:14.759
closely behind. Ground probing radar from the drones says the
111
00:06:14.779 --> 00:06:18.490
cave system should be approximately 60 meters ahead. Chase calls out.
112
00:06:18.990 --> 00:06:20.949
We need to find a way into the system. The
113
00:06:20.970 --> 00:06:22.970
company would rather not have to do any blasting.
114
00:06:23.410 --> 00:06:26.470
Humanity would rather the company didn't do any blasting. One
115
00:06:26.490 --> 00:06:29.750
wrong charge, and we split the moon in half. At best,
116
00:06:30.209 --> 00:06:32.649
we knock a chunk off and send it floating toward Mars.
117
00:06:33.389 --> 00:06:35.879
At this trajectory, the chunk would head for the sun.
118
00:06:36.620 --> 00:06:40.860
No, it would head toward Mars. You aren't accounting for... Not.
119
00:06:40.720 --> 00:06:43.339
Accounting for what?! Chase stops. Reed?
120
00:06:43.959 --> 00:06:44.379
You there?
121
00:06:45.250 --> 00:06:48.290
With no response, he looks over his shoulder. Reed is
122
00:06:48.329 --> 00:06:50.509
standing still, staring out at nothing.
123
00:06:51.310 --> 00:06:57.149
Reed? What? Oh, sorry. There was an electromagnetic spike, and
124
00:06:57.180 --> 00:06:58.129
I was trying to trace it.
125
00:06:59.120 --> 00:07:00.220
Anything we need to worry about?
126
00:07:00.939 --> 00:07:02.819
No, no. Probably a sunspot.
127
00:07:03.620 --> 00:07:04.339
Those aren't good.
128
00:07:05.100 --> 00:07:08.350
True, but I'm not picking anything anymore. We should be fine.
129
00:07:09.050 --> 00:07:09.379
Cool.
130
00:07:09.649 --> 00:07:09.910
Great.
131
00:07:10.490 --> 00:07:12.689
Chase turns back to face the direction they were headed.
132
00:07:13.610 --> 00:07:16.230
A mouthful of teeth is all he sees, and before
133
00:07:16.250 --> 00:07:19.269
he can scream, the mouthful consumes his helmet and a
134
00:07:19.310 --> 00:07:22.689
head within in one bite. Reed turns in time to
135
00:07:22.709 --> 00:07:25.970
see Chase's headless suit fall to its knees, then collapse
136
00:07:26.029 --> 00:07:29.209
onto its side. Then he sees the shape standing over Chase,
137
00:07:29.689 --> 00:07:30.889
its massive maw.
138
00:07:30.680 --> 00:07:31.879
Chewing, chewing, chewing.
139
00:07:32.480 --> 00:07:35.680
Oh, dear God,' Reed whispers. He turns to run back
140
00:07:35.720 --> 00:07:37.899
to the ladder, but the sight of the spacecraft is
141
00:07:37.980 --> 00:07:41.910
blocked by a second mouthful of teeth. Unlike Chase, Reed
142
00:07:41.949 --> 00:07:44.560
has time to scream before his head is removed in
143
00:07:44.620 --> 00:07:55.199
a single bite. Year 2156. Location, company conference room. Captain Knowles,
144
00:07:55.439 --> 00:07:58.569
a question. A reporter shouts from the scrum of journalists,
145
00:07:58.930 --> 00:08:01.790
all jockeying for position, in front of the podium while
146
00:08:01.850 --> 00:08:05.529
simultaneously trying to control their camera drones that hover above
147
00:08:05.569 --> 00:08:08.269
the crowd. All eyes are on the young man in
148
00:08:08.290 --> 00:08:12.860
the company flight uniform. Yes, Castor Knoll says, pointing at
149
00:08:12.899 --> 00:08:13.399
the reporter.
150
00:08:13.939 --> 00:08:14.379
Go ahead.
151
00:08:14.959 --> 00:08:17.600
Your father disappeared more than 20 years ago while trying
152
00:08:17.620 --> 00:08:19.819
to complete a mission, similar to the one you are
153
00:08:19.879 --> 00:08:23.689
about to embark on. That's not a question. Yeah, sorry.
154
00:08:24.170 --> 00:08:27.629
My question is why? Why follow in his footsteps when
155
00:08:27.649 --> 00:08:31.350
those footsteps ended in tragedy? Well, we don't know it
156
00:08:31.389 --> 00:08:34.250
ended in tragedy, because we don't know how the mission ended.
157
00:08:34.929 --> 00:08:37.549
All we know is that my father, Reed Knowles, and
158
00:08:37.590 --> 00:08:40.470
his partner, Chase Buford, landed on the far side of
159
00:08:40.490 --> 00:08:43.950
the moon, checked in with command, and proceeded to execute
160
00:08:43.970 --> 00:08:47.700
their mission. They were never heard from again. So, in
161
00:08:47.740 --> 00:08:51.159
between the last communication, and when the orbital comms relay
162
00:08:51.200 --> 00:08:55.000
was back in range, they disappeared. The lander returned on
163
00:08:55.100 --> 00:08:58.379
autopilot when called from command, but there was nothing recorded
164
00:08:58.740 --> 00:09:01.789
or logged that could shed any light on what happened.'
165
00:09:01.440 --> 00:09:05.600
That still sounds like a tragedy to me, Captain!' To you, maybe.
166
00:09:06.059 --> 00:09:09.500
To me, it sounds like a mystery worth solving. So
167
00:09:09.519 --> 00:09:13.830
this is personal? Of course it's personal. It's always personal.
168
00:09:14.370 --> 00:09:17.289
We live on a planet that, while not dying, isn't
169
00:09:17.350 --> 00:09:21.309
exactly living like it used to. Severe deforestation means our
170
00:09:21.370 --> 00:09:24.399
atmosphere is becoming more and more toxic. People are having
171
00:09:24.440 --> 00:09:27.940
a hard time breathing without mechanical assistance. Yes, Captain.
172
00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:28.679
We all know.
173
00:09:29.200 --> 00:09:31.620
And with drought now just part of the hotter months
174
00:09:31.919 --> 00:09:35.460
and massive storms part of the colder months, mass agriculture
175
00:09:35.500 --> 00:09:39.889
is becoming nearly impossible. Sure, some small farms are eking by,
176
00:09:40.289 --> 00:09:43.429
but you can't feed a hungry planet with roadside produce stands,
177
00:09:43.470 --> 00:09:47.259
can you? Captain, my point was... Your point was to
178
00:09:47.299 --> 00:09:49.870
get me to give you a soundbite that can perpetuate
179
00:09:49.909 --> 00:09:53.230
the notion that the moon is inhabited. Sorry, but I'm
180
00:09:53.269 --> 00:09:56.029
more a hard facts guy, and the hard facts are
181
00:09:56.090 --> 00:09:59.970
space is dangerous. My father and Chase Buford knew those dangers.
182
00:10:00.370 --> 00:10:03.460
faced those dangers, and in the end, the dangers won.
183
00:10:04.049 --> 00:10:08.279
It's that simple. So, yes, it is personal, but only
184
00:10:08.320 --> 00:10:10.720
because if my mission doesn't find a viable site for
185
00:10:10.759 --> 00:10:12.899
a new moon colony, then a lot of people will
186
00:10:12.940 --> 00:10:16.159
die down here on Earth. Sir, Even if you did
187
00:10:16.200 --> 00:10:18.799
find a site, it could only house about... And that's
188
00:10:18.879 --> 00:10:22.519
all for today, folks, Angela Wolkoff says, stepping to the
189
00:10:22.559 --> 00:10:26.340
podium and pushing between Caster and the large array of microphones.
190
00:10:27.200 --> 00:10:30.700
Captain Knowles needs to prepare for tomorrow's launch. Press packets
191
00:10:30.720 --> 00:10:32.840
will be sent to your ID logs when you exit
192
00:10:32.879 --> 00:10:36.000
the conference room. Thank you all for coming. The company
193
00:10:36.039 --> 00:10:39.840
hopes you have a great day. The journalists grumble and
194
00:10:39.879 --> 00:10:43.539
try to call out last-second questions, but Angela waves them
195
00:10:43.639 --> 00:10:46.539
off as she hurries Castor away from the podium and
196
00:10:46.600 --> 00:10:50.200
out a side door. Not exactly on message, but not
197
00:10:50.240 --> 00:10:53.570
a total disaster. Angela leads Castor by the elbow down
198
00:10:53.610 --> 00:10:56.789
a hallway, through a locked and guarded door, and into
199
00:10:56.830 --> 00:11:00.330
Command Central, where a dozen techs sit and work to
200
00:11:00.350 --> 00:11:03.389
prepare for the important launch. I told you I wasn't
201
00:11:03.409 --> 00:11:06.659
going to bullshit them, Castor says, as he's led into
202
00:11:06.700 --> 00:11:09.679
a glass-walled meeting space. What else should I have said?
203
00:11:10.220 --> 00:11:12.549
They asked about my dad. Not like I can say
204
00:11:12.610 --> 00:11:15.850
no comment and leave it at that. Oh, you most
205
00:11:15.909 --> 00:11:19.690
definitely could have said no comment. Angela responds. She points
206
00:11:19.730 --> 00:11:22.909
at a chair. Take a seat, Caster. It's time you
207
00:11:22.950 --> 00:11:27.450
saw something. Saw something? What are you talking about? Just
208
00:11:27.490 --> 00:11:30.850
sit and you'll see. Caster sits and Angela swipes her
209
00:11:30.909 --> 00:11:34.090
hand over the meeting room's table. A bright hollow appears
210
00:11:34.549 --> 00:11:39.200
and Caster frowns. That's a transport. Caster studies the rotating
211
00:11:39.240 --> 00:11:44.179
hollow image. He leans closer. Um, hold on. That's a
212
00:11:44.240 --> 00:11:45.320
military transport.
213
00:11:46.019 --> 00:11:46.500
Yes, it is.
214
00:11:47.200 --> 00:11:50.899
And one you are certified to pilot. Although you won't be. No,
215
00:11:51.159 --> 00:11:53.950
I won't be. Because I'll be piloting a lander that
216
00:11:54.000 --> 00:11:56.850
holds just me and Hirsch. We don't need a full transport,
217
00:11:57.149 --> 00:11:59.889
let alone a military one. You do if you are
218
00:11:59.929 --> 00:12:03.330
taking a squad of marines with you. Castor's shoulders drop,
219
00:12:03.830 --> 00:12:07.129
and he slouches back into his chair. Talk to me, Angela.
220
00:12:07.929 --> 00:12:10.250
I don't need to talk. I need to show you something,
221
00:12:10.590 --> 00:12:12.149
like I said I was going to when I told
222
00:12:12.169 --> 00:12:16.330
you to sit. Castor points at the transport. No, that's
223
00:12:16.370 --> 00:12:19.309
not what I wanted to show you. This is... The
224
00:12:19.350 --> 00:12:22.649
lights dim, and the hollow switches from the rotating military
225
00:12:22.720 --> 00:12:26.799
transport to a grainy, staticky HUD recording. And the lower
226
00:12:26.860 --> 00:12:30.480
third of the image is the name, Knowles R. The
227
00:12:30.559 --> 00:12:33.659
image is hard to make out, so Castor leans forward again.
228
00:12:34.799 --> 00:12:38.730
What am I looking at? he asks, quietly. Your father's
229
00:12:38.809 --> 00:12:42.750
exosuit was able to transmit this recording to the lander before...
230
00:12:43.330 --> 00:12:49.110
Before what? Well, you'll see. Castor does see, but barely
231
00:12:49.350 --> 00:12:52.879
due to the image quality. He sees something standing over
232
00:12:52.909 --> 00:12:56.500
Chase Buford's headless body, but everything is a blur as
233
00:12:56.580 --> 00:12:59.740
Reed Knowles turns to run. What looks like a mouthful
234
00:12:59.759 --> 00:13:04.179
of teeth comes straight at the camera. Then, nothing. Does
235
00:13:04.220 --> 00:13:07.460
the squad of marines make sense now, Castor? Angela asks.
236
00:13:07.870 --> 00:13:11.509
swiping the hollow away as the lights come back up. Yeah,
237
00:13:12.009 --> 00:13:14.710
I guess. What doesn't make sense is why you waited
238
00:13:14.750 --> 00:13:16.970
to show me this now. I should have seen this
239
00:13:17.009 --> 00:13:21.049
years ago. The company is not leak-proof. This has been
240
00:13:21.070 --> 00:13:24.370
kept under wraps for over 20 years. The company has
241
00:13:24.409 --> 00:13:27.029
just now received permission to return to the far side.
242
00:13:27.669 --> 00:13:30.090
We aren't screwing this opportunity up by that HUD vid
243
00:13:30.330 --> 00:13:33.820
getting out to the public. Angela, I'm not a Marine.
244
00:13:34.320 --> 00:13:37.600
I'm not military or trained in combat situations. I'm an
245
00:13:37.679 --> 00:13:41.590
astronaut engineer, just like my father. You send astroneers up
246
00:13:41.629 --> 00:13:44.509
to do research and come back with answers. You don't
247
00:13:44.549 --> 00:13:46.690
send us up to fight whatever that was in that vid.
248
00:13:47.669 --> 00:13:51.169
Did you not hear the whole Marine squad part of this? Regardless,
249
00:13:51.580 --> 00:13:55.220
this is way outside my comfort zone. Relax, you will
250
00:13:55.259 --> 00:13:58.529
have trained professionals protecting you. You will also have a
251
00:13:58.570 --> 00:14:02.830
very robust comm system that I personally designed after. Well,
252
00:14:03.370 --> 00:14:06.029
you know why I designed it. All of command will
253
00:14:06.070 --> 00:14:09.149
be watching and listening, so if anything goes wrong, we'll
254
00:14:09.169 --> 00:14:13.049
send backup immediately. Backup that has to travel from Lunar
255
00:14:13.070 --> 00:14:15.250
Base Echo and all the way to the other side
256
00:14:15.289 --> 00:14:19.059
of the moon. Which takes how long, Angela? Ninety minutes.
257
00:14:19.919 --> 00:14:21.720
How long were my father and Chase on the moon's
258
00:14:21.740 --> 00:14:26.379
surface before whatever you just showed me happened? Approximately eight minutes.
259
00:14:27.289 --> 00:14:29.950
I don't have to do the math for you, do I? Again,
260
00:14:30.480 --> 00:14:33.500
and I can't stress this enough, you will have marines
261
00:14:33.559 --> 00:14:37.220
with you. If anyone gets eaten, it'll be them, because
262
00:14:37.259 --> 00:14:39.059
their job is to make sure you don't end up
263
00:14:39.100 --> 00:14:43.440
in some monster's belly. Castor sighs. What do we think
264
00:14:43.480 --> 00:14:47.419
those things are? No clue. The company has had every
265
00:14:47.460 --> 00:14:51.450
single zoologist, and even cryptozoologists, worth a damn look at
266
00:14:51.470 --> 00:14:54.350
the vid. I thought you said this has been under wraps.
267
00:14:55.200 --> 00:14:57.340
We don't tell them the vid is from the moon, Castor.
268
00:14:57.840 --> 00:15:00.639
We say it's from a subterranean cave in Southeast Asia
269
00:15:01.039 --> 00:15:03.690
and was taken by a tourist. We leave out the
270
00:15:03.730 --> 00:15:06.710
Chase Buford part and also erase your father's name from
271
00:15:06.730 --> 00:15:10.690
the lower third. The company is very careful, hence the Marines.
272
00:15:11.470 --> 00:15:16.830
Now you understand. I was being sardonic. Sarcasm with a bite. Yes,
273
00:15:17.340 --> 00:15:21.120
your father said the same thing often. Castor glances out
274
00:15:21.159 --> 00:15:24.549
at the main command center and all the techs. We're
275
00:15:24.580 --> 00:15:26.340
only going to get one shot at this, aren't we?
276
00:15:26.860 --> 00:15:28.620
He asks after a minute of silence.
277
00:15:29.419 --> 00:15:29.659
Yes.
278
00:15:30.360 --> 00:15:32.500
The government has made it very clear to our team
279
00:15:32.860 --> 00:15:34.740
that they didn't want anyone to ever go back to
280
00:15:34.759 --> 00:15:37.679
the far side. But you know how persuasive the company
281
00:15:37.720 --> 00:15:41.460
can be. I do. But if this goes wrong, well,
282
00:15:42.019 --> 00:15:44.539
the odds of ever going back again are slim. Not
283
00:15:44.600 --> 00:15:47.700
even Russia allows its cosmonauts to venture to the far side.
284
00:15:48.320 --> 00:15:51.480
They gave up before we did. Not that we exactly
285
00:15:51.519 --> 00:15:55.799
gave up. That's not the company's way. I suppose not.
286
00:15:56.580 --> 00:16:00.419
Caster narrows his eyes and nods. All right, when do
287
00:16:00.440 --> 00:16:08.679
I meet the team? Year 2156. Location, Lunar Base Echo.
288
00:16:09.590 --> 00:16:12.850
Two weeks later. Hey, I said shut the fuck up
289
00:16:12.899 --> 00:16:16.370
and sit your asses down. Master Chief John Howerton shouts
290
00:16:16.629 --> 00:16:20.789
at the assembled squad of Marines standing before him. Without argument,
291
00:16:21.190 --> 00:16:25.169
each Marine shuts the fuck up and sits their asses down. Captain,
292
00:16:25.730 --> 00:16:28.830
Howerton says to Castor, who is standing off to the side,
293
00:16:29.250 --> 00:16:34.309
leaning against the transport's wall. Thank you, Master Chief. Castor
294
00:16:34.330 --> 00:16:36.250
pushes off the wall so he can stand in front
295
00:16:36.269 --> 00:16:39.649
of the squad. I am Mission Leader Captain Castor Knowles.
296
00:16:40.389 --> 00:16:43.649
A hand shoots up, and Howerton points at the offending Marine.
297
00:16:44.320 --> 00:16:47.320
I will personally insert that arm inside your rectum and
298
00:16:47.379 --> 00:16:49.399
pull it out your left nostril if you do not
299
00:16:49.440 --> 00:16:50.840
put that hand down right now.
300
00:16:51.340 --> 00:16:51.759
He barks.
301
00:16:52.620 --> 00:16:56.179
The Marine puts his hand down. Anyway, I am the
302
00:16:56.220 --> 00:16:58.639
mission leader, and we will hit the LZ in about
303
00:16:58.720 --> 00:17:01.799
five minutes. Some of you are wondering why you are here,
304
00:17:02.220 --> 00:17:05.180
since the moon is uninhabited. I am here to tell
305
00:17:05.200 --> 00:17:07.559
you that it is very inhabited, and we are going
306
00:17:07.579 --> 00:17:11.009
to find out with what. There's some nervous laughter amongst
307
00:17:11.160 --> 00:17:14.069
the Marines, and all eyes go to the Master Chief.
308
00:17:14.470 --> 00:17:17.650
He ain't shitting you sideways, folks. I've seen the vid myself.
309
00:17:18.150 --> 00:17:20.650
Whatever we are dealing with is taller than a man
310
00:17:20.690 --> 00:17:21.789
and has way more teeth.
311
00:17:22.710 --> 00:17:23.170
All true.
312
00:17:23.680 --> 00:17:26.609
Caster steps forward. So you will need to stay alert,
313
00:17:27.009 --> 00:17:30.190
but also listen to me. My mission is to see
314
00:17:30.230 --> 00:17:33.089
if the subterranean tunnel structure the company detected on the
315
00:17:33.130 --> 00:17:37.190
far side is usable as habitable space for about 300,000
316
00:17:37.190 --> 00:17:41.609
emigres looking to relocate to the moon. Your mission, Marines,
317
00:17:42.029 --> 00:17:45.890
is to make sure Captain Knowles accomplishes his mission, Howerton barks.
318
00:17:46.230 --> 00:17:50.390
We will not fail, am I understood? Hoorah, the Marines
319
00:17:50.589 --> 00:17:54.160
shout in unison. Good, Caster nods at the Master Chief.
320
00:17:54.680 --> 00:17:56.900
I'll check on Hirsch and be back, all suited up
321
00:17:56.960 --> 00:17:59.079
and ready to go. Clock is ticking, Captain.
322
00:17:59.140 --> 00:18:00.579
Be quick. Always.
323
00:18:01.420 --> 00:18:04.160
Caster hurries out of the transport's hold and up a ladder,
324
00:18:04.500 --> 00:18:06.440
down a corridor, and up another ladder.
325
00:18:07.109 --> 00:18:07.450
Hirsch!
326
00:18:07.950 --> 00:18:10.869
He shouts when he reaches the bridge. Let's go! And
327
00:18:10.890 --> 00:18:13.589
that's why I don't swim in the ocean, Neil Hirsch
328
00:18:13.609 --> 00:18:17.289
says to the transport's marine pilot. The pilot doesn't laugh.
329
00:18:17.930 --> 00:18:20.150
I guess you had to be there. We need to
330
00:18:20.170 --> 00:18:23.049
suit up now, Caster says to Hirsch. We are landing
331
00:18:23.089 --> 00:18:27.009
in two minutes. One minute, Captain, the pilot says. Well,
332
00:18:27.390 --> 00:18:29.789
I guess we need to hustle then, don't we? Hirsch
333
00:18:29.849 --> 00:18:32.569
pats the pilot on the shoulder. When I get back,
334
00:18:32.950 --> 00:18:34.650
I'll tell you the story about how I fought a
335
00:18:34.690 --> 00:18:38.490
gang of ladyboys in Thailand and almost won. The pilot
336
00:18:38.650 --> 00:18:42.980
doesn't respond. Hirsch shrugs and follows Caster off the bridge,
337
00:18:43.440 --> 00:18:46.920
down the ladder, down the corridor, down another ladder, and
338
00:18:46.940 --> 00:18:50.160
to a gear room holding their exosuits. We'll do checks
339
00:18:50.220 --> 00:18:53.230
on the go, Caster says, racing to get his suit on.
340
00:18:54.109 --> 00:18:57.430
In 30 seconds, both men are in their exosuits, helmets
341
00:18:57.670 --> 00:19:00.509
tucked under their arms, and stepping into the hold just
342
00:19:00.569 --> 00:19:04.490
as the transport touches down on the moon's surface. Good timing,
343
00:19:04.880 --> 00:19:07.720
Howerton says, then looks at the soldiers seated on each
344
00:19:07.759 --> 00:19:10.359
side of the hold. Time to do our jobs, Marines.
345
00:19:10.720 --> 00:19:12.440
Get your asses up and let's see what all the
346
00:19:12.500 --> 00:19:13.160
fuss is about.
347
00:19:13.759 --> 00:19:14.279
Hoorah!
348
00:19:14.819 --> 00:19:17.130
We should have a shout like that, Hirsch says to
349
00:19:17.150 --> 00:19:19.940
Caster as he puts his helmet on. Keep your head
350
00:19:19.980 --> 00:19:23.240
in the game, Castor responds, putting on his own helmet.
351
00:19:23.740 --> 00:19:24.779
This is serious, Hirsch.
352
00:19:25.619 --> 00:19:26.779
I'm always serious.
353
00:19:27.500 --> 00:19:30.420
I'm not fucking around. My dad died up here. I
354
00:19:30.480 --> 00:19:32.930
intend not to. Same, man.
355
00:19:33.190 --> 00:19:37.089
So relax. We got this. System's in the green and ready.
356
00:19:36.869 --> 00:19:40.869
To disembark, Howerton says to Castor. Castor looks at the
357
00:19:40.930 --> 00:19:42.950
hold's huge hatch. Then he nods.
358
00:19:43.529 --> 00:19:44.230
We are a go.
359
00:19:44.789 --> 00:19:48.099
Howerton slams his fist against a large red button. A
360
00:19:48.140 --> 00:19:52.160
klaxon blares, red lights flash. and the hatch descends, becoming
361
00:19:52.200 --> 00:19:55.059
a ramp. The Marines are already walking down the ramp
362
00:19:55.299 --> 00:19:59.359
before it has fully touched ground. Floodlights from the transport
363
00:19:59.420 --> 00:20:02.329
light up a surface that would normally be nearly pitch dark.
364
00:20:02.980 --> 00:20:07.150
In every direction are gray dust and large craters. Caster
365
00:20:07.190 --> 00:20:10.289
checks his HUD. and then points 46 degrees to the left.
366
00:20:10.990 --> 00:20:14.549
We go this way. He starts off walking, his slow-moving
367
00:20:14.609 --> 00:20:17.509
heavy boots kicking up large puffs of moon dust with
368
00:20:17.569 --> 00:20:21.569
every step. Hold your horses, Captain, Powerton says over the comms.
369
00:20:21.970 --> 00:20:24.279
We'll lead the way. You and your partner can tuck
370
00:20:24.319 --> 00:20:26.400
in the middle. My job is to get you two
371
00:20:26.440 --> 00:20:28.660
home in one piece, and I am very good at
372
00:20:28.680 --> 00:20:29.160
my job.
373
00:20:30.099 --> 00:20:34.019
Understood, Master Chief. Caster hangs back until half the Marine
374
00:20:34.059 --> 00:20:36.359
squad is in front of him and half are behind.
375
00:20:37.430 --> 00:20:40.990
Castor shoots a map to everyone's HUDs. As you can see,
376
00:20:41.450 --> 00:20:44.599
there are large holes about a quarter-click away. At first,
377
00:20:44.960 --> 00:20:47.400
they were thought to be deep craters, but the company
378
00:20:47.460 --> 00:20:50.259
realized later that they are possible tunnel entrances.
379
00:20:50.279 --> 00:20:51.539
Tunnels?
380
00:20:52.000 --> 00:20:52.400
From what?
381
00:20:52.420 --> 00:20:53.660
A Marine asks.
382
00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:54.819
No one knows.
383
00:20:55.259 --> 00:20:56.309
It's our job to find out.
384
00:20:57.450 --> 00:20:59.470
My guess is there used to be water on the moon.
385
00:20:59.910 --> 00:21:00.430
Hirsch says.
386
00:21:00.910 --> 00:21:03.150
No one agrees with me, but I like to think
387
00:21:03.170 --> 00:21:05.690
there were rivers all over the surface, and maybe one
388
00:21:05.710 --> 00:21:07.730
or two cut into the rock and made the tunnels.
389
00:21:08.210 --> 00:21:11.210
No one agrees with you because it's not possible, Castor says.
390
00:21:12.049 --> 00:21:13.769
No one agreed with Galileo either.
391
00:21:14.569 --> 00:21:16.650
You, Hirsch, are not Galileo.
392
00:21:17.589 --> 00:21:19.269
MC, we're picking something up.
393
00:21:19.730 --> 00:21:22.890
A marine announces. Talk to me, Averton replies.
394
00:21:23.410 --> 00:21:24.259
Sending to hut now.
395
00:21:24.960 --> 00:21:27.700
The view from Castor's visor is suddenly overlaid with the
396
00:21:27.740 --> 00:21:31.339
scan reading, showing possible movement next to a tunnel opening.
397
00:21:31.720 --> 00:21:33.549
What is that? Is it a shadow?
398
00:21:34.200 --> 00:21:34.829
Yes, Hirsch.
399
00:21:35.109 --> 00:21:36.809
It's a shadow on the dark side of the moon.
400
00:21:37.109 --> 00:21:38.970
That makes sense, Castor says.
401
00:21:39.690 --> 00:21:42.289
Yeah, well, since nothing should be moving up here except
402
00:21:42.329 --> 00:21:45.430
for us, I went with a reasonable answer. What the
403
00:21:45.470 --> 00:21:47.170
fuck do you think it is, smartass?
404
00:21:48.049 --> 00:21:51.950
Before Castor can respond. The ground around the group explodes
405
00:21:51.990 --> 00:21:55.119
as dozens of enormous creatures rip through the moon's thin crust,
406
00:21:55.460 --> 00:21:59.500
surrounding the Marines and the Astroneers. They're fucking worms! A
407
00:21:59.519 --> 00:22:03.240
Marine shouts, just as the creature swallows them whole. Gunfire
408
00:22:03.339 --> 00:22:07.049
erupts everywhere, and Castor throws himself to the ground to
409
00:22:07.109 --> 00:22:09.190
avoid being cut apart by the swarm of bullets.
410
00:22:09.869 --> 00:22:10.289
Hirsch!
411
00:22:10.690 --> 00:22:13.710
He shouts into his comms. Get your ass down! But
412
00:22:13.750 --> 00:22:17.049
it's too late for Hirsch. The man stands there, staring
413
00:22:17.089 --> 00:22:19.430
at a 12-foot worm with a mouth that is nothing
414
00:22:19.490 --> 00:22:24.589
but row after row after row of razor-sharp teeth. Stray
415
00:22:24.630 --> 00:22:28.000
bullets puncture Hirsch's exosuit, and he screams into the comms
416
00:22:28.339 --> 00:22:31.299
as blood slowly spurts out of the holes, drifting in
417
00:22:31.339 --> 00:22:35.200
the almost zero gravity toward the towering worm. The droplets
418
00:22:35.440 --> 00:22:39.240
splatter across the worm's rough, scaly skin, turning the monster
419
00:22:39.279 --> 00:22:42.910
into a living Jackson Pollock painting. Then it lunges and
420
00:22:42.990 --> 00:22:45.690
closes its maw around the top half of Hirsch's body,
421
00:22:46.250 --> 00:22:51.539
biting the Astroneer in half before Castor's eyes. No! Castor screams,
422
00:22:51.980 --> 00:22:54.259
but no one hears him. Or if they do, they
423
00:22:54.299 --> 00:22:58.200
don't pay attention. Everyone else has their own problems. One
424
00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:01.299
Marine tries to sprint back into the transport's hold, but
425
00:23:01.319 --> 00:23:03.859
the ground below him opens up and a mouth four
426
00:23:03.920 --> 00:23:07.529
times wider than himself chomps down on his legs, severing
427
00:23:07.569 --> 00:23:11.200
them just above the knees. The marine's comms system shorts
428
00:23:11.279 --> 00:23:13.849
out from the volume of his wails. The man's body,
429
00:23:14.089 --> 00:23:17.490
leaking blood and oxygen from his exo-armor's leg holes, thrashes
430
00:23:17.549 --> 00:23:19.990
on the ground until the worm shoves up higher and
431
00:23:20.029 --> 00:23:23.150
devours the rest of him in one gulp before disappearing
432
00:23:23.190 --> 00:23:27.000
beneath the surface, the hole it made filling itself in automatically.
433
00:23:27.960 --> 00:23:30.960
Castor watches in horror as another worm slinks its way
434
00:23:31.019 --> 00:23:33.140
up the ramp and into the transport's hold.
435
00:23:34.140 --> 00:23:34.700
It can't fit.
436
00:23:35.019 --> 00:23:38.880
It can't, Castor mutters. Then, The comms link between the
437
00:23:38.910 --> 00:23:40.539
group and the transport comes online.
438
00:23:40.859 --> 00:23:42.079
Get back to the transport!
439
00:23:42.420 --> 00:23:45.380
The pilot shouts. I am lifting off in T minus
440
00:23:45.380 --> 00:23:45.779
10 seconds.
441
00:23:46.220 --> 00:23:47.140
Everyone get back!
442
00:23:47.940 --> 00:23:51.240
The pilot's voice cuts off, and Caster watches the transport
443
00:23:51.559 --> 00:23:55.460
actually shake back and forth before going still. A few
444
00:23:55.519 --> 00:23:58.019
seconds later, the worm crawls its way back out of
445
00:23:58.039 --> 00:24:00.460
the transport and digs into the moon's surface.
446
00:24:01.240 --> 00:24:01.640
Come in!
447
00:24:02.279 --> 00:24:05.000
Caster shouts into his comms, burying his shock.
448
00:24:05.420 --> 00:24:06.599
Command, do you read?
449
00:24:06.960 --> 00:24:10.079
We have encountered hostiles and they're taking damage fast. Need
450
00:24:10.119 --> 00:24:14.849
backup immediately. The only answer is ear-piercing static. From that
451
00:24:15.230 --> 00:24:17.750
and the bloody massacre painting the scene with slashes of
452
00:24:17.829 --> 00:24:20.910
crimson and moon dust, a chill runs down Caster's spine.
453
00:24:20.930 --> 00:24:23.410
Am I heading toward the same fate as my father?
454
00:24:23.430 --> 00:24:27.160
Then his breath catches as a shape 20 times the
455
00:24:27.200 --> 00:24:30.079
size of the attacking worms stands tall over the battle.
456
00:24:30.880 --> 00:24:34.359
The smaller worms finish their rampage until nothing is left moving.
457
00:24:35.180 --> 00:24:37.799
One or two marines groan in pain, but are silenced
458
00:24:37.900 --> 00:24:41.390
by mouths full of teeth. Caster is the only one
459
00:24:41.450 --> 00:24:45.509
left alive. The towering worm slides slowly through the dead
460
00:24:45.569 --> 00:24:47.210
soldiers and looms over him.
461
00:24:47.769 --> 00:24:49.109
Caster knows!
462
00:24:49.769 --> 00:24:53.759
A deep, terrifying voice digs into Caster's mind, just like
463
00:24:53.779 --> 00:24:57.019
the worms around him dig into the ground. They disappear,
464
00:24:57.599 --> 00:24:59.640
leaving him alone with the nightmare behemoth.
465
00:25:00.490 --> 00:25:02.690
Castor knows. You will listen.
466
00:25:03.710 --> 00:25:07.069
Castor doesn't have a choice. The voice has taken hold
467
00:25:07.109 --> 00:25:10.930
inside his mind and hooked into his flesh. He feels
468
00:25:11.009 --> 00:25:15.009
teeth gnawing at his brain, unreal, but staggeringly painful as
469
00:25:15.069 --> 00:25:19.269
his skull reverberates with the powerful voice. His thoughts swim
470
00:25:19.309 --> 00:25:21.450
as he falls to his knees, squeezing his head.
471
00:25:22.230 --> 00:25:26.230
I knew Areen Knowles for a brief moment. His mind
472
00:25:26.289 --> 00:25:29.230
was full of thoughts of you, but you were so
473
00:25:29.269 --> 00:25:31.829
much smaller then A larva.
474
00:25:32.869 --> 00:25:36.089
Caster can't respond. It takes every ounce of strength not
475
00:25:36.130 --> 00:25:38.990
to shriek until he's shredded his throat raw and bloody.
476
00:25:39.450 --> 00:25:42.539
You should not have come here. This is not a
477
00:25:42.619 --> 00:25:46.799
place for humans. I told your father the same, but
478
00:25:46.819 --> 00:25:49.839
he was not strong enough to relay the message. His
479
00:25:49.920 --> 00:25:54.180
mind crumbled to dust under my influence. The madness that
480
00:25:54.220 --> 00:25:58.059
Caster tries to keep at bay creeps closer. You show
481
00:25:58.079 --> 00:26:01.759
a weakness also. but I believe you will survive this,
482
00:26:02.400 --> 00:26:04.480
at least to deliver my message.
483
00:26:05.559 --> 00:26:08.019
Castor flinches as the weight of the voice presses down
484
00:26:08.079 --> 00:26:08.599
on his mind.
485
00:26:09.440 --> 00:26:14.750
Before man, before Earth, before the moon, before the light
486
00:26:14.869 --> 00:26:18.569
spilt the universe and killed the darkness, we have existed.
487
00:26:19.170 --> 00:26:22.390
We are older than your god. We are older than
488
00:26:22.490 --> 00:26:25.549
all gods. We are the first, and we will be
489
00:26:25.589 --> 00:26:26.230
the last.
490
00:26:27.329 --> 00:26:31.069
Warmth drips from Castor's nostrils. Unable to reach inside his
491
00:26:31.109 --> 00:26:34.529
helmet and wipe the blood away, Caster's tongue darts out
492
00:26:34.849 --> 00:26:36.390
and licks the blood from his upper lip.
493
00:26:37.109 --> 00:26:40.180
The moon is ours, Caster knows, and he will tell
494
00:26:40.220 --> 00:26:43.900
your people this truth. We have allowed your kind to
495
00:26:44.000 --> 00:26:48.059
land and build and live on the sight of light, but.
496
00:26:47.980 --> 00:26:49.259
That will be no more.
497
00:26:49.980 --> 00:26:53.180
Your return here has shown us that humans are a virus,
498
00:26:53.700 --> 00:26:55.769
a pestilence. It stops now.
499
00:26:56.769 --> 00:26:59.430
Castor's comms come back online, and he can hear the
500
00:26:59.490 --> 00:27:02.890
panicked voices from hundreds of crew members who populate and
501
00:27:02.950 --> 00:27:06.890
run Lunar Base Echo. Then the screams begin, and Castor
502
00:27:06.930 --> 00:27:09.759
squeezes his eyes shut as hard as he can, hoping
503
00:27:09.799 --> 00:27:11.859
it will block out some of the horror he is hearing.
504
00:27:12.539 --> 00:27:15.980
It doesn't, and Castor slowly suffers until the very last
505
00:27:16.039 --> 00:27:18.180
voice says, Tell my family I.
506
00:27:19.220 --> 00:27:22.500
We have erased that abomination, as if it had never
507
00:27:22.579 --> 00:27:25.039
been here in order to show your leaders that they
508
00:27:25.099 --> 00:27:28.970
are helpless before us. If they come again and try
509
00:27:29.009 --> 00:27:33.150
to build again, we will erase that too. Then we
510
00:27:33.190 --> 00:27:35.619
will show your kind we are not bound only to
511
00:27:35.660 --> 00:27:39.319
the moon. We will drop upon your planet and devour
512
00:27:39.519 --> 00:27:41.240
every living thing until.
513
00:27:41.079 --> 00:27:44.140
Its surface is as barren as the surface you cower
514
00:27:44.240 --> 00:27:47.759
on now. Dust and bones are all that will be left.
515
00:27:48.880 --> 00:27:51.599
Blood trickles out of Castor's ears, and he struggles to
516
00:27:51.640 --> 00:27:54.579
keep his eyes open, to stay awake and witness the
517
00:27:54.660 --> 00:27:58.819
giant evil that hovers over him. its mouth easily large
518
00:27:58.859 --> 00:28:02.670
enough to swallow the transport whole. Images race through Castor's
519
00:28:02.730 --> 00:28:05.789
tortured mind of the destruction such a beast could wreak
520
00:28:05.990 --> 00:28:09.670
down on Earth. The images stop on his family. He
521
00:28:09.730 --> 00:28:11.890
sees them in his mind's eye, as if they were
522
00:28:11.930 --> 00:28:14.690
standing right in front of him. He watches as the
523
00:28:14.759 --> 00:28:17.200
sun is blocked out and a worm a hundred times
524
00:28:17.279 --> 00:28:20.380
larger than the one assaulting his brain dives down and
525
00:28:20.420 --> 00:28:24.160
devours them in one gulp. But the gargantuan worm doesn't
526
00:28:24.200 --> 00:28:28.220
stop there. It keeps eating, swallowing whole chunks of the planet.
527
00:28:28.759 --> 00:28:32.230
And as it swallows, it grows, and it grows, and
528
00:28:32.289 --> 00:28:35.170
it grows, until it is the size of a mountain range.
529
00:28:35.670 --> 00:28:38.039
Do you see, Castor Knowles?
530
00:28:38.519 --> 00:28:41.859
The deep voice booms, nearly shattering his mind with its force.
531
00:28:42.349 --> 00:28:46.130
You cannot stop us. We have been and always will
532
00:28:46.190 --> 00:28:50.509
be the first and the last. So heed my warning.
533
00:28:51.049 --> 00:28:53.819
Never return to the dark side of the moon. For
534
00:28:53.890 --> 00:28:56.559
if we see another human, it will be the end
535
00:28:56.599 --> 00:28:57.210
of you all.
536
00:28:58.259 --> 00:29:01.319
The man whimpers and the woman laughs. It is a
537
00:29:01.359 --> 00:29:04.180
laugh that can rupture organs and burst eyeballs.
538
00:29:05.079 --> 00:29:08.019
You will tell your leaders when you return, Captain Knowles.
539
00:29:08.380 --> 00:29:08.960
You will.
540
00:29:10.390 --> 00:29:12.950
And then the worm is gone. It retreats so fast
541
00:29:13.349 --> 00:29:15.390
that if it weren't for the massive dust cloud it
542
00:29:15.470 --> 00:29:18.759
kicks up, or the many bodies still strewn about the surface,
543
00:29:19.039 --> 00:29:22.759
Caster would have thought it all a heinous hallucination. Captain Knowles!
544
00:29:23.259 --> 00:29:26.079
A voice shouts over the comms. Caster takes a deep
545
00:29:26.140 --> 00:29:27.539
breath and lets out a sob.
546
00:29:28.380 --> 00:29:30.049
Captain Knowles, do you read me?
547
00:29:31.140 --> 00:29:35.670
Collapsing to the dusty surface, Caster cries. He cries for himself.
548
00:29:36.250 --> 00:29:39.089
He cries for his dying planet. He cries at the
549
00:29:39.130 --> 00:29:43.029
thought of his father-in-law experiencing what he just survived. Then
550
00:29:43.049 --> 00:29:46.190
his cries become laughs, and in seconds, he is curled
551
00:29:46.230 --> 00:29:49.470
in on himself, both crying and laughing as the voice
552
00:29:49.529 --> 00:29:51.509
continues to call his name over the comms.
553
00:29:56.130 --> 00:29:56.430
Year 2185.
554
00:29:56.410 --> 00:30:04.809
Location. the domed city of Petaluma, California. Castor watches the
555
00:30:04.849 --> 00:30:07.509
children play in the sunlight that has been filtered through
556
00:30:07.549 --> 00:30:11.930
the ever-present dome that covers and protects the small California
557
00:30:11.970 --> 00:30:16.529
city from the ruined environment outside. His eyes dart this
558
00:30:16.609 --> 00:30:19.589
way and that, tracking their movements as they race around
559
00:30:19.630 --> 00:30:22.670
the mostly green yard, chasing each other with no game
560
00:30:22.710 --> 00:30:26.099
in mind, all just happy to be allowed outside, even
561
00:30:26.140 --> 00:30:27.819
if it is only for one hour per day.
562
00:30:28.799 --> 00:30:29.059
Dad?
563
00:30:29.640 --> 00:30:33.119
Are you okay? A woman asks Castor. Can I get
564
00:30:33.160 --> 00:30:38.500
you anything? Castor doesn't respond. He never does. Once he
565
00:30:38.559 --> 00:30:43.059
delivered his message, Castor Knowles stopped speaking. No matter how
566
00:30:43.140 --> 00:30:47.900
hard they tried, the doctors, scientists, friends and family, none
567
00:30:47.940 --> 00:30:50.920
have gotten him to speak a word for decades. The
568
00:30:50.940 --> 00:30:53.660
woman takes the seat next to Castor and holds his hand.
569
00:30:54.680 --> 00:30:57.549
It's nice they get to play, she says. Thank you
570
00:30:57.589 --> 00:30:59.930
for this. I know I say it all the time,
571
00:31:00.589 --> 00:31:03.450
but without your company privilege, we'd be left out in
572
00:31:03.470 --> 00:31:06.309
the wastes with the rest. A girl slaps a boy
573
00:31:06.349 --> 00:31:09.250
on the back, and they both cackle and giggle and run.
574
00:31:09.970 --> 00:31:13.049
Castor tracks them around the yard, then his eyes move
575
00:31:13.109 --> 00:31:17.700
past them to the hazy horizon. He frowns. Dad, are
576
00:31:17.720 --> 00:31:21.500
you okay? The woman asks. Castor's eyes narrow at the
577
00:31:21.539 --> 00:31:24.700
shape rising into the evening sky, ready to shine down
578
00:31:24.759 --> 00:31:28.480
on them once night comes. Oh, right. The woman says.
579
00:31:28.900 --> 00:31:29.339
The moon.
580
00:31:29.859 --> 00:31:33.019
How about we get you inside? The children squeal and
581
00:31:33.099 --> 00:31:36.940
laugh until one of them points at the faded circle. Moon, moon,
582
00:31:37.009 --> 00:31:41.490
go away. The child sings. Come again another day. The
583
00:31:41.529 --> 00:31:44.970
rest finish. Then the children race back across the yard
584
00:31:45.250 --> 00:31:48.730
to swarm around the woman and caster. Look, look, Pappy Cass.
585
00:31:49.009 --> 00:31:52.420
A girl says. It's the moon. You went there, right?
586
00:31:52.880 --> 00:31:56.819
A boy asks. Hey, kids, no. The woman says. We
587
00:31:56.839 --> 00:32:01.140
don't talk about... I know, Castor says. The woman freezes
588
00:32:01.539 --> 00:32:06.039
and the children go silent, their eyes wide with surprise. Dad?
589
00:32:07.319 --> 00:32:09.519
I know why we never went back to the dark
590
00:32:09.599 --> 00:32:13.119
side of the moon, Castor says. He turns his head
591
00:32:13.569 --> 00:32:17.450
and looks at the children. Do you know? They all
592
00:32:17.509 --> 00:32:18.170
shake their heads.
593
00:32:19.509 --> 00:32:19.849
Good.
594
00:32:20.730 --> 00:32:22.410
He lets the woman help him to his feet.
595
00:32:23.509 --> 00:32:23.829
Good.
596
00:32:24.829 --> 00:32:28.640
Then it will all be okay. Most of the children
597
00:32:28.700 --> 00:32:31.430
follow the woman and cast her inside the house. But
598
00:32:31.549 --> 00:32:35.130
one girl stays outside, her eyes turned to the rising orb.
599
00:32:35.730 --> 00:32:39.130
I'll go there one day, she says to herself. And
600
00:32:39.190 --> 00:32:45.089
no one can stop me, because I'm a gnolls. To
601
00:32:45.150 --> 00:32:48.369
hear more stories like this, be sure to hit subscribe
602
00:32:48.410 --> 00:32:51.490
and turn notifications on. I'll see you in the next one.