Bring It Down

The discovery of a subterranean reservoir of liquid water

on a ridge above Valles Marineris has reshuffled the decks on the Red Planet

as a new joint mission

between the Soviets and Helios Aerospace is now underway.

A large specialized drill will be flown down autonomously

from the Helios ship, Phoenix .

Once the well is established,

its water could fuel the growth of a more robust colony on Mars,

long a dream of Helios founder, Dev Ayesa.

The Soviet Union has already begun planning the first steps

of the drilling operation with their new partners.

Questions remain about how NASA will respond,

as the Russians have excluded them from participating in the new venture.

But once you get settled at Helios, we'll figure out how to keep in touch

while everything gets, you know--

I'm not going to Helios.

What do you mean?

I'm being sent back to Moscow.

Now that your cooperation is no longer necessary,

I am also no longer necessary here.

But I need more time.

At least a few more days to get things--

Margo, they are taking me to the airport now.

What?

No. That's not--

- No. - Margo.

I appreciate everything you have tried to do.

If...

If we do not see each other again...

We will.

We will see each other again.

Yes.

Goodbye, Margo.

Mr. Wilson, the Gettysburg Address is 272 words.

Declaration of Independence is 1,322 words.

Your statement on the authorization of the Rocketdyne contract alone is 27,000.

I was asked to provide the details of my consultancy with Rocketdyne

from 1981 to 1987, and that's exactly what I did.

Having nothing to hide-- It ran a little long.

Mr. Wilson, you're here because we believe

that you have used your position as the First Gentleman

to influence the outcome of NASA partnerships with independent contractors

that you have personal connection to.

Oh, no, sir. I'm here because you have it out for my wife,

and you have since the day she was elected.

President isn't under oath here today. You are.

And the return on some of these contracts, Rocketdyne, Aerojet, FIP Systems.

L&M Labs alone is high enough to make the Jolly Green Giant blush.

Isn't that right, Mr. Wilson?

Never having had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Giant,

I'm afraid I can't answer that, Congressman.

One last thing, Mr. Wilson.

Let me guess. "Have I ever met the Pillsbury Doughboy?"

A source has informed our committee that

someone in the White House is currently having an affair

with a member of your wife's staff.

Do you know anything about this?

A source? What source?

Are you aware of any such affair?

No, Congressman. And I'm not sure what this has to do with NASA contracts,

which is the subject of this hearing.

I'll determine what's appropriate for this hearing, Mr. Wilson.

This is ridiculous.

Are you, Larry Wilson,

having a secret affair with a White House aide?

And let me remind you,

you're under oath.

I hope you haven't been waiting. I came as soon as I got your message.

Who have you been talking to about our relationship?

No one.

- I swear! I haven't told-- - It's okay. It's-- I'm not mad.

Just-- We need to figure out who it is.

- Did you mention anything to your mom? - We don't talk. You know that.

I haven't spoken about us to anyone.

Willie Baron asked me today if I was having an affair with you.

With me? Did he actually say my name?

"White House aide."

- Maybe he doesn't know it's me. - It doesn't fucking matter.

I lied to Congress,

which we both know is a felony.

So let's take a beat...

- Oh, my God. - ...and tr--

Shit. Okay, I told one person, but he swore--

I'm so sorry, Lar.

- What did you tell him? - Nothing. Just--

- How I feel about you and-- - Oh, Christ.

- But he doesn't have proof. - Who is it, Jeremy?

You don't know him. He's just a friend from college.

It's gotta be this "Uniform First" thing. He seemed pretty upset about it.

Well, this is what I want you to do.

I want you to call your friend,

and I want you to tell him that you were lying.

You were drunk, and high on drugs, and you made up a story.

- He's not gonna believe me. - Make him.

Check into rehab if you have to.

- You're cutting me loose, aren't you? - Just call him.

"Sources say that President Wilson and the US

were kept in the dark about the deal until the discovery was confirmed."

That's A1 leadership right there.

They say the fish rots from the head down.

Worst president in history.

- In all of history? - Yep.

Is that because she's a she?

- Because she's objectively terrible. - Yeah.

She used to come to my house every Fourth of July.

Ellen and my mom trained together.

"Ellen"?

Take a look at this guy.

On a first name basis with the President of the United States.

- What's she like? - Don't know.

She never seemed interested in talking to me.

Well, that's her loss.

She really stepped in it with that gay thing, huh?

Yeah. What does that even mean, "Uniforms First"?

Problem is they can't keep their uniforms on.

This guy!

Afternoon, Mrs. Stevens.

Hey.

Jimmy, have you seen Avery's Silkie?

- No. - Hi.

Sorry.

- Hi, Avery. Hello. - Hey.

She's so pretty.

Thanks.

Come to me.

So, Jimmy, you ready?

I don't know.

It's easy-breezy, in and out.

I mean, you were practically born there.

I know. It's just--

I'm not good at this type of thing.

Well, that's why Sunny's going with you.

We're gonna have some fun.

Listen up, people.

The samples our geologist, Cosmonaut Castillo, took on the ridge

have come back.

They are free of biosignatures, and we are approved for drilling.

And Helios Control has designated an ideal spot for the well.

And the BAD is being remotely flown from Phoenix to Gagarin Ridge as we speak.

- "BAD"? - Big-Ass Drill.

We'll be commencing drilling in two sols.

I'll be piloting the MSAM to the top of the ridge, and Stevens...

Stevens?

Stevens?

- Stevens? - Yes, sir.

- You got right seat. - Aye, aye, sir.

Mueller, you'll be in command of Helios Base while I'm gone.

And Corrado, you'll be controlling the CO2 compressor

and the drill pressurization system. Copy?

- Yes, sir. - Aye, aye, skip.

Myself and Cosmonaut Castillo will be overseeing

the drilling operation on the ridge.

There is much to do to prepare, so let's work together.

Well said. Let's get ready to Jack and Jill, peoples.

Your father, he still...

I think, does not care for me.

He's just--

He's like a cactus fruit.

Prickly on the outside, mushy on the inside.

Mushy?

This is difficult for me to imagine.

Give him some time.

He is very effective commander. Focused, intelligent.

- Drilling mission is on target. - Wait.

What do you mean, "drilling mission"?

Tomorrow, we head up to Gagarin Ridge to begin.

But I haven't finished my tests on the core sample yet.

I thought you spoke with him.

- No, I didn't. - Wha--

Now, before you-- Kelly, no! D--

Wow, this is...

- Crazy, right? - Yeah.

I figure it's gotta be one of the people who worked in my department.

The Russians got their hands on an early version of the design,

and these people are the only ones who had access to it.

But every time I feel like I found the right answer,

there's another piece of data that doesn't fit.

I've probably gone through that like a hundred times already.

It's tricky.

I don't know. Let me think about it.

It's not your basic Gaussian elimination.

This involves human-behavior variables and random external factors, and--

- Yeah, I know. - Yeah.

Thank you for taking a look at that, by the way.

I didn't really know who else I could talk to about it.

Yeah, of course. I'm happy to help. Yeah.

Where does he get all that energy from?

I'm tired just watching him.

Well, you know, we should probably get going.

Okay.

Here's his stuff. I put his eardrops in the side pocket.

Yeah.

Unless--

Did you wanna come over for dinner? Papa's making machaca.

I do love his machaca.

I know you do.

But I...

I sorta promised Javi I was gonna take him to go see the Astros tonight.

Right. No, of course.

He'll love that.