Space Command Redemption

Many years ago,

the British explorer George Mallory,

who was to die on Mount Everest,

was asked why did he want to climb it.

He said, “Because it is there.”

Well, space is there and we're going to climb it.

And the Moon and the planets are there,

and new hopes for knowledge and peace are there.

And therefore as we set sail, we ask God's blessing

on the most hazardous and dangerous

and greatest adventure

on which Man has ever embarked.

We lost attitude control.

“This ship could get you to the Oort Cloud.”

Yeah, right.

Grappling lines?

She's too hot.

We grab hold, she'll tear apart.

Our instruments are non-functional!

My daughter and I need help, urgent help!

Heat's scrambling their reception. They don't know we're here.

Sir, I think I can maneuver and get under her hull.

Negative, Lieutenant.

We can't risk this ship.

We can't just let them burn to death.

That's enough, Lieutenant.

Inform HQ, we'll follow her down and

send coordinates on the debris field.

Into the survival compartment!

That's it,

she's done for.

Buckle in, sir.

Kemmer!

Veer off, Lieutenant!

That's an order!

Let me know when her hull's cool enough for us to grab hold.

Wow!

To have an angel fly into your life

when you least expect it.

Glad to be of service, Dr. Odara.

Captain,

I brought the Med-kit.

Your hands.

I'm fine.

Attend to my daughter, please.

Monorail leaving platform.

Please stand clear.

You bust your ship all to hell.

So they give you a shiny new one.

Hi, Dad.

In my day, we called them ROAD captains

“retired on active duty.”

Senior officers just waiting for their pension,

keeping their heads tucked in,

never taking a risk.

– Dad... – Just hold your tongue.

Parkhill'll get kicked up the food chain and you'll make captain.

Another victory for spinelessness.

He had a failure of nerve, that's all.

I wasn't talking about him.

This place sure has changed.

It used to be a desert.

Was this all just the Synthetics?

He's two months away from retirement.

What, I'm supposed to burn down his career and mine?

Word on the grapevine is he's rethought that.

What?

Now that he's kicked up the chain of command,

he's put off his retirement indefinitely.

So one more bad penny keeps getting to make life and death decisions.

Aw, for the love of Mike.

What?

Now you don't like Synthetics?

My God, I don't believe it.

You're missing the good ol' days.

Humans weren't designed to observe,

we were built to do.

So yeah,

I miss 'em.

Let me tell you something.

Soft lives make soft men.

And soft men make soft choices.

What's the point of that, you're not even on the planet.

But Mecca is.

– You keep saying that. – So do you.

And I'll keep on saying it.

– It doesn't make a friggin' bit of sense. – You have to have something to believe in.

I believe when this shift is over

I'm gonna have a drink.

After a thirty-year delay,

the Nobel Peace Prize was awarded today

to human-rights activist Anoka Chandimol-Kemmer,

whose United Planet movement culminated in her future husband,

Captain Anson Kemmer of the United States Space Command,

spearheading a multinational force

that tethered a captured ice comet to the North Pole,

causing the Gulf Stream to be renewed

and averting an ecological disaster of catastrophic proportions.

In other news,

British forces on Titan faced insurgents today.

There were no reported fatalities.

We snared a comet,

hauled it to Earth,

a helluva thing.

I was a hero to the whole world,

but to the brass I was still a pain in the ass.

But it's never about the brass.

To soar up there.

That's what it's about.

That sky's been calling to the men of our family

ever since your great-great-grandfather

joined the Lafayette Escadrille in World War I.

We fly.

That's what we Kemmers do.

And one day you're gonna have a ship of your own

and you're gonna fly a lot farther.

And you take care of her,

and your crew.

Hey, ma.

Getting away from it all?

I'm beginning to feel grateful for those thirty years of peace.

It's so good to have you home.

Sorry I didn't make the ceremony.

My only regret is that they didn't honor your father as well.

An idea as unpopular as mine was

is nothing

without a relentless someone driving it home.

Why was he overlooked?

I... I love your father dearly.

But he would alienate as many people as he would enroll.

Politics.

And he wants me to follow in his footsteps.

That's his courageous path.

Except I know that's not possible.

Courage doesn't follow.

Are you alive?

No.

Are you a man?

No.

What are you?

A machine.

And what is your purpose?

To be of service.

And whom do you serve?

Whoever leases me.

And how does that make you feel?

Happy.

Very good.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I give you Dor Neven,

the first in what will soon be legions of contented synthetic workers

to serve your every need,

brought to you by Mazzey/Patillo.

Questions?

Yeah.

Can they harm humans,

or allow humans to come to harm?

With the exception of the combat models,

no.

If, like the brochure says, they're smarter than we are,

what's to prevent them from doing whatever they want?

Good question.

The same thing that compels them to safeguard humans

and obey their every command.

An inhibitor chip, guaranteed for the life of the model.

Now, there'll be time for more questions at the reception, but for right now,

let's show our friend here exactly what we think about him, okay?

You hear that?

They love you.

Are you alive?

No.

How bad is it?

Bad, but it could have been worse.

Only Synthetics, no humans?

Thank God for that.

What do you want done with them?

Burn 'em, they're under warranty. We'll get some more.

I think I can fix this one.

– Trash him, he's not worth it. – You got something better for me to do?

Suit yourself.

Come on, let's go.

– Captain Essex. – Captain Kemmer.

A pleasure.

Call me Jack.

Lora.

How was your flight?

Look.

I know that the Paladin was supposed to be your ship.

You're the man of the hour, Captain.

It is not for me to question the wisdom of the brass.

I just wanted to apologize.

They're readying her sister ship, the Templar.

I'll be out there soon enough.

What happened there?

An explosion with the Alcubierre drive.

Took out a lot of good men.

Command hushed it up.

No faster than light speed for the foreseeable future.

Solar System will have to do.

Listen, do you want to get a cup of coffee or