Strange Angel

We're here.

Years from now, the world will realize

that this is where the future became possible.

Man will live on the moon.

It'll be our rockets that carry them there.

And this...

is where we're gonna build them.

Oh, there's one of 'em now.

It's irresponsible.

They didn't even know what they were doing,

and then boom.

Morning, Professor.

What are you all testing here today?

Nothing that would interest you.

We don't anticipate any, uh, explosive findings.

It's a shame, really.

Such a waste of talent.

Come on, faster. Richard will be here soon.

Come on.

Hello?

You still sure about this?

Mesulam agreed to keep the project under his supervision.

Yeah, well, our last prototype nearly took my foot off.

He was the only one that knew it was going to fail.

Hey, Jack?

Is that a busty redhead riding a wolf?

It's a werewolf, actually.

He's here.

We were starting to worry you weren't gonna show up.

I stopped by campus to pick up the last of our things.

Richard, we got to stay focused on what's in front of us.

What do you think?

It's a work in progress, I know,

but we'll have everything we had at GALCIT and more.

We'll store chemicals over here, put up some more tents.

One for propellants, one for engineering.

And right there is where we're gonna put our testing platform.

The first dedicated rocketry testing facility of its kind,

or, as I like to call it, the JPROL.

The Jack Parsons/Richard Onsted Testing Laboratory.

Oh, doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it?

Well, we could just drop your name and call it JPL.

I'm kidding.

Your name can even come first for all I care.

The only thing that matters is

that it's gonna be revolutionary,

and it's gonna be ours.

Can you picture it?

Well, this place has one thing going for it.

At least here...

no one will see us blow ourselves up.

_

Abide with me, Ra-Hoor-Khuit.

Oh, is that the guy Parsons?

Did you see the paper?

I heard he almost blew himself up.

I assume it's just alcohol in these?

Absinthe made by the Grand Magus himself.

Not bad.

Have you seen my pal Ernest around?

First names must never be spoken.

Good. You got a drink.

Look like you could use it.

Everybody, this is Frater J.P., a Minerval initiate.

I remember him. Last time he didn't come alone.

- How - is - Your wife?

She's fine, thanks.

Jack's wife is Catholic.

Oh. My sympathies.

I didn't realize you came to these?

Well, it's important to Ernest,

so, when in Rome...

How many of those have you had?

I'm glad you came.

You tapped into your inner potency out in the desert.

Thelema can do the same thing for you.

What exactly is Thelema?

It's better experienced than explained.

Do what thou wilt

shall be the whole of the law.

Love is the law.

Love under will.

I proclaim the Law of Light,

Life, Love and Liberty in the name of IAO.

Love is the law.

Love under will!

Sing unto me the rapturous love song!

Burn to me perfume!

Wear to me jewels!

Drink to me.

I am the blue-lidded daughter of sunset.

I am the naked brilliance

of the voluptuous... night sky.

To me!

To me!

Love is the law.

- Love under will. - Love under will!

Love is the law.

Love under will.

What happens now?

Now you leave.

You must ascend higher before you can partake in the workings.

Hey, you know what they're doing up there now?

What's this?

The answers you seek.

This is London.

You will now hear a statement by the prime minister.

I am speaking to you

from the cabinet room of 10 Downing Street.

This morning the British ambassador in Berlin

handed the German government a final note

stating that, unless we heard from them by 11:00,

that they were prepared at once

to withdraw their troops from Poland,

a state of war would exist between us.

I have to tell you now

that no such undertaking has been received,

and that consequently

this country is at war with Germany.

You can imagine what a bitter blow it is to me

that all my long struggle to win peace has failed.

Yet I cannot believe

that there is anything more or anything different

that I could have done

and that would have been more successful.

Up to the very last it would have been quite possible

to have arranged a peaceful and honorable settlement

between Germany and Poland.

But Hitler would not have it.

Now may God bless you all

and may He defend the right.

For it is evil things that we shall be fighting against,

brute force, bad faith,

injustice, oppression,

and persecution.

And against them I am certain that the right will prevail.

You heard?

Just now... in the truck.

...with a solemn statement declaring war...

I can't believe it.

Please stay tuned for further developments.

We now return you to regular programming.

Don't worry. Europe's a world away.

Where were you?

Uh, I'm sorry.

I was trying to get the generator going in the Arroyo.

Lost track of time.

Well, I'm glad you're here now.

Lay back.

What are you doing?

Jack, what are you doing?

Just trust me.

Stop.

St-Stop. I said stop.

Why would you think I'd like that?

Well, I didn't. It was disgusting.

Fine.

I guess I'm disgusting.

Hop in. We're heading to the same place.

Did Jack invite you out here?

Told me all about your project.

Nothing gives people faith in their endeavors

like a sense of posterity.

Well, come on. I don't have all day.

One of the advantages of being out here

is that we can run as many tests as we like.

Which is why I've developed

a state-of-the-art testing mechanism.

Come on.

Your neighbor gave me a lift.

Apparently, we need a documentarian.

Figured it might be helpful to record the tests

so you can watch 'em back later.

That actually would be very helpful.

Thank you, Ernest.

We're not running any tests today,

but maybe you can capture the preparations.

You just pretend I'm not here.

Well, back to the job at hand.

Here's what I'm proposing.

We dig a trench out there

and lay the test rocket sideways,

attaching a recoil spring

so that any misfires will have a limited blast radius.

Conversely, we could just stop designing rockets that blow up.

Well, the quicker we...

eliminate bad ideas,

the quicker we reach escape velocity.

So we're just back to trial and error then, huh?

Think of it as destruction and rebirth.

Exactly, he gets it.

Don't point that thing at me.

So...

shall we get started?

You want us to dig the trench?

It's not gonna dig itself.

The guy's a prophet. If he tells you to do something,

you just do it.

Richard.

Well, if he's not gonna bust his ass,