"2,100..." "I am transmitting from planet earth." "This will be the final entry of my mission log." "It's too dangerous to repeat this transmission, but if someone's hearing me now, listen carefully and tell others what you've heard." "People need to know what happened here." "In case you don't know, earth is a blue planet with a yellow sun." "It's a nice planet." "It's big." "There's 6.9 billion inhabitants." "It's the sort of place it should have been easy to hide, unless you didn't really fit in." "I've been hiding since I was 11." "That's when my father first told me these stories, and that's where we'll begin." "we have touchdown." "The air is breathable." "Here on earth, the last born son of zalaxon will live amongst the humans and will, at last, find peace." "Space commander." "Pew pew pew pew pew." "Pew pew pew." "Ah!" "Joe." "He's awake." "He wants to see you." "Right now?" "Yeah Joe." "Just one minute." "I have to finish this." "What have you got there?" "It's a comic I'm drawing from a story my dad's been telling me." "Well, I'm sure he'd love to see it." "Come on." "I've drawn where they're on zalaxon, see?" "Oh, that's good." "And xalador has taken the pregnant women from each of the 12 tribes and he's going to sacrifice the newborns." "And mathius and baby jace are about to escape into space." "See?" "You like this story?" "Yeah." "But you haven't told me what happens next." "The good guys win, right?" "Do you think so?" "'Cause it's not looking so good for them, is it?" "But they're the heroes." "They'll keep fighting no matter how bad things get." "Joe." "What if I told you what happens next is mathius and jace escape to the planet earth and they live among the humans." "And when jace is 11 years old mathius gets ill and he knows" "he's gonna die." "So he decides... to finally tell the truth to jace about where they came from." "But it's just a story, right?" "What if it wasn't?" "What if it was true?" "Joe, I need to know you're gonna be all right." "That you'll survive." "'Cause this is a hard world to live in." "The sun is bright, and the gravity is strong," "but you've got to keep fighting, Joe." "I was 11 years old when I learned the truth about who I was." "My name is Joe Norman and I am an alien." "Mission log." "Earth date 29th, the 9th, 9:24 local time." "If my calculations are correct, the tennarias wormhole should open at any second" "and I'll be able to see the bedastear constellation." "If the beacon on zalaxon is lit, it should be visible, dead center." "Something's happening." "I can see it." "I can see the constellation." "Come on." "A flashing light." "It should be visible at the center any second." "Any second now." "Any second." "that is a negative sighting on the beacon." "The wormhole reopens in a few months, by which time the rebellion will have succeeded." "End log." "Hey!" "What do you think you're doing?" "Get back here!" "And in other news, stargazers were treated to an unexpected display of aurora borealis, or the northern lights, this evening." "Scientists are attributing the unpredicted... mrs. reiley." "Oh, you scared the life out of me, Joe." "I'm sorry." "I thought you were a burglar." "What did you plan on doing with that?" "This?" "This is just a toy." "Oh." "I just left a little surprise for your birthday." "I always look after my best tenants." "I just thought I'd do a little bit of a tidy." "Oh, there's no need for that." "Thanks very much, mrs." "reiley." "Thank you." "How did you know it was my birthday?" "Oh, I saw it in your passport." "Anyway, I thought you'd be out celebrating with your friends." "It's a weeknight." "It's friday." "Yeah, but I've got to work tomorrow, so..." "Thank you." "Thanks." "Good night." "Hello ham." "Hello." "Missed you." "Father." "My son." "My son." "You are well." "You are well." "Yes father." "Yes father." "Just logging mission update." "There's no zalaxon energy signals detected nearby." "Doesn't seem that any bounty hunters even know what planet I'm on." "And... today was september the 29th," "the tennarias wormhole finally opened but there was no beacon." "You must be patient." "The rebellion will succeed in time." "It's 26 years to the day since we first arrived on earth." "Don't be discouraged, Joe." "The wormhole will reopen soon enough and the beacon will be lit." "But what if it isn't?" "After next time it's another 25 years before it opens again." "Sorry father." "I just thought I was finally going to be able to go home, you know, and just be able to tell people who I am." "And be a hero?" "Yeah." "Plus, on zalaxon" "I'll be really strong because of the gravity there, and... and that would be really cool." "Your battle is on earth, Joe." "Every day that you survive is a further blow to xalador's reign." "Yes, I know." "But what if the rebellion takes another hundred years." "I mean, xalador could just keep cloning himself forever." "What if the rebels never find a cure for sterilization?" "I just really think that we need to just consider the contingency." "Absolutely not." "Close contact with the humans is extremely dangerous." "Your mission is to stay hidden and survive." "Plus you need at least 85% genetic compatibility to reproduce." "That's nearly one in a million human females." "It could be worse." "It could be worse." "It could be undetermined." "the beacon will be lit soon enough and then you can return home a hero." "Was there anything else?" "Yes, quick memory diagnostic." "Does this key open anything?" "I have no relevant data." "Just checking is all." "Then you should power down and limit the risk of detection." "Okay." "May the gods keep you safe, my son." "Oh, and happy birthday." "Thank you." "Dad" "Oh, don't worry, ham." "We'll get to go home some day." "You're late." "Sorry dave." "My car broke down 'cause of the cold and everything." "Oh, that's terrible." "Would you like to see my impression of someone who cares?" "It's not very good." "I should be back before closing." "You're leaving?" "Yeah." "Now, remember, no credit, no cheques." "If mr. fealon calls, just telling I'm dealing with a customer." "And stop letting the homeless people use the toilet." "But..." "You'll be okay, Joe." "I'll see you later." "Ah!" "The lost son of zalaxon." "The only hope for our universe on the brink of destruction." "Ah!" "Ha!" "Ha!" "Hi." "Ah!" "Hi." "Are you open?" "Uh, yeah." "Good 'cause I want to sell these." "You sell vintage toys, right?" "I'll give you all of this for 100." "Sorry, I'm not sure I can do this." "75 then." "That's my final offer." "Okay, 60." "No, I don't think that we sell this kind of thing." "Why not?" "These are classic toys." "I spent my youth collecting these." "Really?" "But you're a..." "Girls can like sci-fi too, you know." "Look, an original commander Adama." "Actually, when people come in looking for Adama, they usually mean Edward James Olmos not" "Lorne Green." "Well, there's no accounting for taste." "I know." "The old battlestar was just more fun, wasn't it?" "Yeah, the new one is so bold faced." "And it's not as realistic as people think either." "You know, in a dramatic sense." "Look, the thing is" "I finally got a nursing job after nine months, but" "I don't get paid until the end of the week and if I don't find the rent money by 5 PM, the landlord is just gonna throw me out, so..." "I didn't actually mean to put this one in there." "You know what?" "Keep it." "You sure you want to part with all this?" "Time to put childish things away." "Or sell them." "You know what?" "There are some definite collectibles in there." "Really?" "Yeah." "Was it 100, did you say?" "Um, no." "75." "Actually, 60." "Uh, well come on." "Vintage lorne green?" "There's 100, right here." "Thank you." "All right." "Well, I better go then." "Okay." "See you." "See you!" "Wait!" "Wait!" "Excuse me!" "Wait!" "You okay?" "Will you go out with me?" "What?" "We could go to a movie maybe?" "Or we could just go for a drink." "People do that, yeah." "I'm really sorry." "Excuse me." "Why?" "Why not?" "You're not really supposed to ask that." "Really?" "Yeah." "It's not exactly the done thing when you're asking someone out." "Okay." "How should I have done it?" "You're not really supposed to ask that either." "Sorry." "I've never actually asked anyone out before." "If I didn't do it right, I'd just like to know where I went wrong because, well, I don't think I'm ever gonna meet anyone like you ever again." "But, if I did, I wouldn't want to ruin my chances again." "That's really sweet in a potential serial killer kind of way." "Look, you seem really nice, it's just I just got out of a really messed up relationship." "He's actually my psychology lecturer and he's the one that got me the job at the hospital and I still see him every day." "Quasar." "Do you ever play Quasar?" "You know, with the guns." "So, you play this a lot then?" "Not for a while." "I'm a little bit rusty." "Ah!" "That would explain it." "Oh look, it's Orion." "Can you see it?" "It's the one with three stars in a row just there." "Yeah, I know." "Oh." "Me and my dad used to be real star gazers." "Used to be?" "Well, I kind of stopped looking when he died." "Oh, I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to upset you." "No, it's fine." "No, 'cause I know that speaking about death speaking about death makes people sad." "Well, yeah." "Yeah." "Yeah." "I was always looking at the stars when I was young because I couldn't really go out during the day." "I used to get these really bad blisters from the sun." "I got better though." "I adapted." "Don't you get Rickets from that?" "Yeah." "But then I just used to drink milk with vitamin d in it, and then I found out I had a lactose intolerance, so..." "Oh." "Yeah." "What else are you allergic to?" "Nothing much." "Just peanuts, and eggs." "Mm hmm." "Bee stings, shellfish, wheat, soy, latex." "How you discovered the latex allergy." "Should you be eating that then?" "I shouldn't, no." "No." "Okay." "It's too cold anyway." "Yeah, isn't it?" "Well, Joe, that was one of the more unusual dates I've been on." "I had fun though." "Thank you." "Well, that's good." "Just so you know, most of my dates are much more normal than this." "Look, you're a really sweet guy." "And it's not that I don't, it's just..." "This probably can't go anywhere, and..." "And it wouldn't be fair to lead you on." "Okay." "Maybe I'll call in some time and see how much the She-Ra is selling for." "Can I ask you a question?" "Mm hmm." "Was it worth it, selling all of your toys to hold onto your flat?" "It's a really nice flat." "It was the responsible thing to do, so..." "You still have most of them, don't you?" "I mean, you haven't sold all of it, have you?" "Wait here a second." "I thought you might not want to go through with it." "I didn't sell them." "I kept them." "Father." "I think I've found her." "and so my ultimate mission began." "my relationship with the earth female, Maria, progressed well when after extensive research," "I impressed her with my vast knowledge of human courting rituals." "What?" "do you see your dad often?" "not in person though." "On skype?" "Yeah, that sort of thing." " For the first time, I experienced how earthlings co-existed within conventional human relationships." "No fish." "No dairy." "No wheat." "No soya." "And no latex." " It was good." "Oh no." "I don't eat rice." "The courting phase of human relations is expensive." "You need lots of what they call money." "And to get money, you need what they call a job." "It's like slavery, I suppose, except you can get fired." "Humans have a saying." "Honesty is the best policy." "But my studies show that the way to succeed in their society is to tell your superiors exactly what they want to hear." "Well Joe." "With all your computer experience," "I think we'll have you running the daily metrics report on Paradite on cross reference with all the subsiduent systems across the global platform, and then use those to calculate the disbursements for each subdivision." "You can handle that?" "Yes." "I can't believe your flatmate just vanished like that, that's really weird." "I know, I just came back one day and all our stuff was gone." "So, this is my bedroom." "Is it all right to put my stuff in here?" "Um," "No, you're in here, with me." "After only two months of courting," "Maria and I were cohabiting." "Oh." "That was..." "That was nice." "I was finally able to apply techniques I've been practicing for years." "The problem is, I really liked it." "Yeah, I just think it's a shame that more films aren't made that represent aliens in a positive light." "That's all." "Sometimes I almost wish it could have stayed like that between us." "But, as with all things in this world, nothing can last forever." "Bye ham." "It's all right." "It's okay." "We'll just buy another one or something." "Joe, are you awake?" "Mm." "I haven't spoken to my mom since my dad's funeral." "10 years now." "He wasn't driving the car when he died, it was... another woman... he was having an affair with." "Mom knew." "They decided to stay together for... the sake of me and my sister, liz." "I thought we were one big happy family." "It was all a fantasy." "This is real, right?" "You and me?" "It's real." "Under no circumstances can you reveal your identity." "If you are discovered, you will be killed." "But she's having doubts about the relationship." "And if I don't tell her, I think I might lose her." "But... if she knew how important a role she was playing in the whole thing-- the risk is unacceptable." "The wormhole will reopen in a few days time, the beacon will be lit, and you will send for rescue." "But what about Maria?" "She may not survive on Zalaxon." "You would have to leave her behind, Joe." "Hey." "Hey." "Have you sent me the Orchus file yet?" "Oh yeah." "Sorry Phil." "I'll do it now." "Are you okay?" "You seem a bit more spaced out than usual." "Yeah?" "I'm just..." "Phil." "Phil." "There's this thing with my girlfriend." "There's something that I need to tell her 'cause I've been keeping a secret from her." "Well, whatever it is, in my experience, this shit always comes out eventually." "Better off getting it over with." "If the relationship survives, then... you know it's the real deal." "Take me and my missus for example." "When times got tough for us, bitch ran for the hills." "Oh, so sorry." "Sorry, but thanks Phil." "No problem." "Sorry about the bitch." "Yeah." "Shit." "I think Joe's going to propose." "What are you going to say?" "Well, I can't say yes." "Why not?" "'Cause we're too young, for starters." "Mom and dad were 23." "There's so much we don't know about each other." "He never talks about himself, you know." "It's all about me." "Oh, dump him." "Dump him fast." "Shut up." "Joe just sees things in a really simplistic way." "We're just not living in the same world." "Right." "He's not living in reality." "And you'd be better off with someone like dr." "Richard with his" ""love is a delusion" bullshit?" "It only takes two people to form a consensus on reality." "Sounds like it's real to Joe." "So the question is, is it real to you?" "Joe?" "Are you here?" "Hi." "Hi." "This is new." "Oh yes." "Yeah." "I just bought it." "And it saves me having to break into the observatory, which is good." "Okay." "Mm hmm." "I've been thinking about us." "Why?" "I mean, we're fine exactly the way we are." "Yeah, I know." "But..." "I think that you deserve to know what our relationship means." "Mm hmm." "And I know that I'm never going to be this... lucky again," "which is why..." "I want to show you something." "I've made some modifications to it." "I get it." "What?" "I'm gonna look through the telescope and I'm going to see something sparkly." "Oh yeah." "That's nice." "I mean, that's a really nice idea, it's just, you know, once I see it, it's out there and you can't take it back." "And maybe you'll wish you could." "I mean, seriously, truthfully, do you really want me to see because... maybe you just think you do." "No." "I know I do." "Maria, I've thought about this a lot." "I'm sure." "Okay." "Okay." "Okay." "So it has to be okay." "So." "It's just stars." "What were you expecting?" "Oh, nothing." "Forget it." "There is a star out there." "It's the reddish one." "The light coming from it is millions of years old." "Sometimes a wormhole... opens up and you get like a live broadcast." "A wormhole?" "Yeah." "That red star." "There are 12 planets in orbit around it." "And the fifth of those planets is called Zalaxon." "Joe, what are you talking about?" "Maria," "I want you to know the truth about me." "About where I came from." "I just assumed you're english." "Maria," "I... am an alien." "Well, do you mean you don't have a proper work visa?" "God Joe, you don't need one." "No, Maria, I'm an alien." "From another planet." "You're an alien from another planet." "Yes." "Joe, practical jokes are a delicate art form and you should probably just stay well away from them." "No, Maria." "This isn't a joke." "My father and I came to earth to escape genocide." "I am the last natural born zalaxian and you are the only genetically compatible human that I've been able to find." "Maria, you are my only hope to continue my line of people." "Oh God." "You're serious?" "Yes." "Get back!" "What are you doing?" "Stay away from me!" "Okay, you be careful with that." "It's very delicate." "Get back!" "What's wrong with you?" "What's wrong with me." "Hmm." "You're the one that's a fricken alien." "Shh." "Don't say that too loud." "Oh my god." "Oh my god." "This all makes perfect sense." "The weirdness." "The obsession with science fiction." "Battlestar Galactica isn't realistic." "You're insane." "Maybe we should talk about this inside." "I'm actually what?" "The host for your alien seed." "You probably want me to come to your home planet too, Right?" "And all I have to do is drink the kool-aid." "I know this is pretty mind blowing." "Yeah, it's mind blowing all right." "But I can prove it." "Yeah?" "How?" "My father invented a holographic database... onto this cine 8 film." "It's powered by an energy crystal just behind the lens." "Of course." "Now, there are some glitches like memory gaps, but... you can ask him pretty much anything you like." "Father, please state the nature of the holographic database." "And please state the origins of the child named Jace." "See?" "It's just a home movie." "No, it's a hologram." "Right there." "You can at least hear it though, right?" "I have to go." "It's..." "Look." "Maybe it's something encrypted into my sensory frequency, you know." "You should try my glasses." "What are you doing?" "I'm going to my sister's." "Oh no." "Maria, don't go." "I have to go." "I can't stay here." "I can't deal with this." "I'm sorry." "Okay." "I can seethat I made a terrible mistake in telling you and I didn't want it to come to this, but... you've left me no choice." "Oh god." "You're not gonna kill me, are you?" "What?" "No." "But," "I am going to wipe your memory though." "With a camera flash?" "Oh no, this isn't a camera flash." "It's a memory wiper." "It's just disguised as a camera flash." "You know, Joe, just don't, okay?" "Now, this isn't gonna hurt but you might feel a little bit disorientated afterwards." "Yeah, seriously?" "I'm not playing along." "It'll be fine." "Joe, I'm warning you." "Just don't." "Hiya." "Did you just get in?" "You seem a little bit disorientated." "Have you been drinking maybe or something?" "You're not only crazy." "You're also an idiot!" "Pardon?" "Get out of my way." "Wait." "Wait." "Wait." "Wait." "Maria, don't go." "No, just wait." "Maria!" "What the hell is wrong?" "Father, she couldn't see you." "What..." "Dad?" "Where..." "Father." "She couldn't see you and the flasher didn't work either." "Adapting our technology to their local power sources can be difficult." "Yeah, maybe, but..." "Vera Ellis, 186 Meadow Lawns." "Who's that?" "I have no relevant data." "I have to get her back, father." "I have to make her believe." "He's insane." "Oh." "Come in." "Don't worry." "I'll call you." "What am I gonna do?" "As much as I hate to lean towards conventional wisdom," "I think Joe needs professional help." "No." "They'd lock him away." "What about Richard?" "He'd do anything you say." "No." "His methods are brutal." "I thought he was gonna ask me to marry him." "Lucky you were going to say no." "Hi." "It's me again." "Please, please, please, just give me the chance to explain it all to you." "I know it's a lot to understand and to take on because it's a very complicated process, but if I see you," "I'll talk over the figures then in person." "That's probably..." "Okay." "Thanks..." "Okay." "Thank you, bye." "Morning Joe." "Morning sir." "Joe, at anaxotech we're a family." "You don't have to call me sir." "Morning Gordon." "Mr. Jennings is fine." "Listen, there's some people here from company HQ and they'd like to have a few words with you, if you've got the time." "Yeah, do I have the time?" "Yes, yes you do, Joe." "Ah!" "Here they are now." "Mr. Norman," "It says here you've had nine jobs in four years." "You seem to have had a lot." "Are you chasing something?" "Or is something chasing you?" "in your appraisal you rated yourself average." "You're not so sure that you're as average as you say you are." "No." "I think there's more to you than meets the eye." "Tell me, Joe." "Do you see this as somewhere that you belong?" "Or do you see yourself as someone with a higher purpose?" "Simply... passing time in this mundane world, waiting, waiting for some greater destiny?" "I don't know what you mean." "You don't believe you're meant for bigger things, Joe?" "More important, more important, more vital things?" "Haven't you been waiting for the day when someone, somewhere, would see you for what you really are?" "Maybe I have." "Or maybe," "Maybe that day is today?" "So what do we do now?" "We found you, Joe." "The next move is yours." "Sorry to interrupt, gentlemen." "The conference call with new york has started." "We'll continue this later, Joe." "Don't go anywhere." "I just don't believe in this blanket policy of medicating every single patient, you know." "Yeah, I know." "I'll see you later." "See 'ya." "It's me." "It's me." "Joe!" "What the hell are you doing?" "Have you lost your mind?" "Don't answer that." "You have to believe me." "I am who I say I am." "I promise you." "Joe, you need professional help." "You're delusional." "You watch movies about aliens all the time." "Why is it so hard to believe that you can actually meet one?" "Because it just is!" "Please, I can't be part of your fantasy." "They found me." "Who?" "The bounty hunters." "I think I gave them the slip" "I'm going to leave the country now and I want you to come with me." "You're leaving the country." "I'm not going to leave without you." "Okay, well then I have no choice." "Well, that's brilliant." "Meet me in an hour?" "South wing, room 212." "Okay?" "Room 212." "Okay." "Maria, thank you." "Thank you for believing me." "Hi." "Are you ready?" "Come on." "Let's go." "Hello Joe." "My name is dr." "Richard Webb." "I'm a psychiatrist." "Well, dr. richard, it's very nice to meet you but, if you'll excuse us..." "Maria and I really need to go." "Is it because of the bounty hunters?" "I had no choice." "Well, this is embarrassing." "Okay, you were right about me, Maria." "I really shouldn't play practical jokes." "I always take them too far." "Obviously, I don't think I'm an alien." "I'm really sorry about the confusion." "Joe, if you leave this room," "I'll have security waiting for you at every exit." "And I'll have you sectioned for one-week assessment, where you'd be a sitting duck for those bounty hunters." "What do you want?" "I just want to talk." "A few questions and then I'll let you go." "Oh, I... hope you don't mind... but Maria got some stuff from your car for me." "I enjoyed your comic book." "Very informative." "And this, I presume, is a ray gun, although it looks curiously like a toy;" "Very dangerous." "It's in safe mode." "And here we have the memory wiper, which we know doesn't work." "It won't configure to local power sources." "And this..." "I wasn't sure about." "And then remembered an old toy I'd had as a boy." "Is this a truth ray, Joe?" "Yes." "Yes." "Damn it!" "Good." "Take a seat." "So, when exactly did you discover the truth because it's not clear from your comic." "You know," "You know, I like the way that has different settings." "I suppose that's for when people resist." "my father told me!" "In a hologram?" "No, before he died." "What age were you when he died, Joe?" "11." "That's very young to be all alone in this world, Joe." "It must have been difficult." "But then, knowing your life has meaning makes all the pain and hardship bearable, doesn't it?" "Maybe." "And how does Maria fit into all this?" "She's a contingency in case the rebellion doesn't succeed and I need to continue my line of people on earth." "You weren't just feeling lonely." "I'll tell you what I think, Joe." "I think your father knew... what life was going to be like for you and he decided that... maybe you'd be better off believing those stories he told you were real." "That is not true." "Well, other than his word, what proof have you got?" "The hologram?" "Maria didn't see it." "The hologram is real." "Maybe some people just have trouble seeing it." "And was there ever a time when you couldn't see it?" "When you couldn't see it?" "Even for a moment?" "No." "No?" "You're sure, Joe?" "Because if you just lied to me, then this... truth ray may just be a toy." "And the hologram might just be a hallucination." "And everything that you've chosen to believe may just be a fantasy, right?" "Right?" "Right?" "That's enough." "It is not a fantasy." "I am the last son of Zalaxon." "Zalaxon." "Is that Z-a-l-a-x-o-n?" "Okay, now that I've answered your questions can we please just go?" "Tell me, Joe." "When your father died, did you get all his personal effects?" "Why?" "Well, he might have left you the proof you need." "No, I got them all." "Could there be any elsewhere?" "Maybe." "I'll make a deal with you, Joe." "You find these things, prove your father's an alien, and I'll convince Maria to leave the country with you today." "What?" "What the hell are you doing?" "Well, you asked me for help and this is help." "What was all that about his father's stuff?" "What do you know?" "I'll do it." "Only if Maria will agree to come with me." "Where exactly are we going?" "It's an address on the side of the can of film." "A woman named Vera Ellis." "I think she might be able to help us." "After 400 metres, turn right." "So, webb was your psychology lecturer, and your ex-boyfriend." "Why didn't you tell me about your father?" "So, orphanages, foster homes?" "Never for very long." "I can't imagine how hard that must have been." "I suppose you believed whatever you needed to." "Is that black Jeep following us?" "God, I think it might be the bounty hunters." "Don't look 'round." "Don't look 'round." "Joe, for god's sake." "Joe!" "Nobody's following us!" "I think we lost him it's okay." "Nobody is following us." "The Bounty Hunters are not tracking us." "You are not on a mission." "And you are not an alien!" "No, maybe I know the problem..." "Maybe you're just afraid to believe in anything you can't prove." "Oh, for god's sake!" "It's true." "Ever since your father died, you think it's easier to believe in nothing so that way you can never be proved wrong." "At the next junction, turn left." "Would you turn that thing off?" "I need it." "I suppose it's some sort of alien tracking device." "Um, no." "It's a sat-nav." "Hello." "We're sorry to bother you." "We're looking for a Miss Mera Ellis." "What do you want?" "Did you know a Bill Norman?" "Did he live here?" "Joe?" "Thank you." "Billy and Joe." "They lived here for about a year after Moira died." "Joe's mother." "What exactly is it you're looking for?" "Well, before he died, Bill told Joe some things about his background and we just wanted to know if they were true." "I learned not to look too closely at what Bill Norman told me." "Did he leave anything behind?" "Just me, dear." "And some manuscripts and other rubbish." "Manuscripts." "He never could write worth a damn." "Science fiction nonsense." "Told me he was gonna be a big seller." "There's some stuff still in the garage." "Well, can I see them?" "What did he tell you, Joe?" "The garage isn't locked." "Okay thanks." "I better go with him." "Look sweetheart," "Bill Norman left nothing but destruction in his wake." "Whatever Joe is looking for, believe me, he won't like what he finds." "Joe. wait." "This is what the key opens." "Wait." "Wait!" "What if it's not true?" "What if none of it is real?" "Maybe you would be better off just not knowing?" "But it is real." "And now you'll see." "Well, don't open it, I mean, not for me." "I want to make you believe so much." "So much." "And now I can show you." "Dear Mr. Norman." "Thank you for submitting your manuscript the boy from the stars, but we regret to inform you that, at this time, we cannot accept it." "Joe." "Joe, what is it?" "Joe." "Oh God." "Joe!" "Joe!" "...but it's just a story." "What if it wasn't?" "What if it was true?" "Joe, I need to know you're gonna be all right." "Where are you?" "Talk to me." "Come on, I know you're there." "Talk to me." "Don't just leave me." "Don't just leave me here alone." "Please daddy, don't leave me here on my own." "Please." "Joe." "You have one new voice message." "New voice message:" "Joe, Miles Gilson at Anaxotech head office." "I know we didn't get to finish our little chat earlier, and I could have told you that we like what we see in you, Joe." "Yes, we think you've got potential." "So we're promoting you to Senior Matrix Analyst, effective immediately." "Congrat--." "Joe, can I come in?" "Please talk to me." "I'm sorry." "I just want you to know that I'm here for you." "I'll be right here." "What are you doing?" "What are you doing?" "I have to work." "You're not actually going to go in, are you?" "I've been promoted." "It's my first day in my new role." "Joe, you can't carry on like nothing's changed." "That's denial." "I am not in denial." "Yes you are." "This." "Denying that you're in denial is denial, Joe." "Oh, now who's starting to sound crazy, Maria?" "Joe." "Seriously Maria, I'm fine." "I understand that my father made the whole thing up because he thougt I would be better off believing I really was an alien but obviously that's ridiculous." "I haven't got a mission to do but I do have a job to go to." "That much hasn't changed." "Joe, don't do this." "We at least have to talk about it." "Well, there isn't much to say." "Seriously." "You were right, okay?" "None of it was real." "I was deluded and now I see things the way they really are just like you do." "So what else do you want me to say?" "I just want to help you." "I don't want your help." "I don't need it." "I've got to go." "Morning Joe." "Hello Mr. Jennings." "Call me Gordon." "Gordon." "Exciting new changes, huh?" "It's a whole new world." "You up to the task?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "I can do it." "Good." "You'll be taking on Phil's workload so... you might want to put in some O.T. on this." "So by Senior Matrix Analyst, you actually mean only Matrix Analyst?" "And since you won't have Phil to cover for you if an urgent query comes in, just make sure and clear your toilet breaks with me in advance." "Thanks." "So does this promotion include a pay raise?" "Well, technically you avoided a pay cut by getting promoted, so, yes, I suppose it does." "So, been promoted means no pay raise and double the workload." "Welcome to the team." "I am the team." "That's the spirit." "Morning Joe." "What do you want?" "Well, you're my patient now." "I'm here to assess your mental health." "Joe," "Zalaxon was an antidepressant in the mid 90s." "They took it off the shelves after only a few months;" "Unacceptably high mortality rates." "I'm sorry." "You couldn't see the hologram, could you?" "You know Joe, the mind is... able to create things it needs that reality can't provide." "You saw the hologram because you needed to." "Until now, that is." "Well, I don't need to anymore." "Maybe." "Maybe you're ready." "Ready for what?" "To finally face reality." "And maybe you think she's worth the risk." "Hmm?" "I got them to drop the charges." "I told them you weren't really suicidal, just a cry for help." "Hmm?" "Oh, by the way, the first session was a freebie but this one isn't." "Weren't you even going to say goodbye?" "I thought you'd try to talk me out of it." "Where are you going?" "I just need to go away." "You were right about me." "I was in denial and I can't expect things to go back to the way they were." "I can't pretend things can go back to the way they were no matter how much I want them to." "You were right about me too." "I am afraid to believe in things." "But I was wrong." "I'm so sorry for what I took from you." "I didn't know what I was doing." "But you had no choice because none of it was real." "You were real." "That strength to keep fighting." "That was real." "It doesn't matter where it came from." "You don't have to go." "Maybe I'm delusional but I still think we can make this work." "I mean, your feelings for me were real, right?" "I wasn't just part of the mission, was I?" "This must have been my mom's engagement ring." "Until two days ago, I thought it was a Zalaxian energy crystal." "You deserve something more than this." "You deserve something real." "And I don't know what that is." "No." "Don't go." "Just stay for one more night." "Let's just pretend just for one more night." "Nowonsci-ficlassics, back to space commander." "Hello there, Jimmy." "Space commander." "What brings you down to this part of the ship?" "Well, I heard there was a young recruit who was skipping out." "Well, there's no good reason for me to stick around here anymore." "So you're just going to leave her?" "She needs you, Jimmy." "I'll never be like you, SC." "I'll never be a hero." "There are all kinds of heroes, Jimmy." "And they don't all get to wear medals." "That's how it was for my daddy." "He always wanted to be a pilot but he couldn't see too good so he spent his whole life working as a cleaner." "Never got the chance to fly." "But he stuck it out in the hope that some day his son might get the chance to do something that he never could." "He's the real hero, Jimmy." "And that's the kind of hero she needs." "Maybe you're right." "She is a fine ship." "I'll stay." "Good for you, Jimmy." "My son, I hope you are well." "Please ask me your questions." "Holy shit." "Gordon?" "Hello Maria." "Uh, Vera." "What brings you here?" "Well, you do, my dear." "Congratulations, by the way." "Don't worry, Joe." "That's just the stun setting." "Been waiting far too long for this to kill you quick." "Oh!" "Over 10 years we looked for you." "And by the time we found you, you were too old to sacrifice." "We needed a newborn." "Enter Maria!" "Oh." "But of course you had to go and tell her who you really were." "she was never gonna believe the truth." "So we had to convince you it was all a fantasy." "Oh." "All it took was a remote inhibitor in the projector and a few little pieces of paper." "The antidepressants was my idea." "Oh." "I love this antigravity belt." "I could throw you around all day." "But I'm in a bit of a hurry." "Oh, and Joe, don't worry." "We'll take good care of Maria." "Oh!" "You all right, Joe?" "Phil?" "You just shot him?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "He's a Bounty Hunter." "They've been on to you for about 15 years." "We've been watching him." "I'm an ETM," "Extraterrestrial Monitor." "Okay Phil." "Can I just ask you a question?" "Yeah." "Is this real?" "Yeah Joe." "This is real." "Come in Callam." "Callam, are you there?" "Yes." "Is he dead?" "He is." "Yes." "Good." "I've got the girl." "I'm on my way to the ship." "The launch sequence is initiated so you've got 58 minutes to get there." "Good." "Where exactly is the ship?" "Is that you, Joe?" "You just leave Maria alone, all right?" "It's me you want." "Just let her go!" "Sorry Joe." "Not going to happen." "Give my regards to Callen." "Get down!" "Oh!" "Phil?" "Oh my god, Phil." "Let me call an ambulance." "Mm." "You'll have to find that ship." "You've got 58 minutes until that wormhole opens and they're gone forever." "Wait, where's the ship?" "Somewhere in the city." "We could never find it." "Don't have the technology to track the power signatures." "I do." "Joe." "Joe." "She's pregnant." "That's been their plan all along here." "You have to save her." "Phil." "Phil?" "Phil?" "Father." "Father, I need your help." "It's the tracker." "I haven't got the crystal to power it and they're launching the ship in less than 40 minutes." "Is there any way to power off local energy sources?" "Negative." "Only crystallic fusion will provide compatible energy." "Damn it!" "You must find an alternative power source." "Is there enough energy in the projector's crystal to power it?" "Yes." "But such an operation will drain the crystal beyond use." "The hologram will be permanently disabled." "I understand." "This shall be the last time we speak." "Okay." "Goodbye my son." "I love you." "Goodbye, dad." "I love you." "Maria." "Maria." "Whoa, don't shoot." "Liz?" "Joe." "Finally we meet." "I thought you left the country." "I changed my mind." "So, still crazy?" "Look, Liz." "We have to go through this, so just listen." "It's all true." "I really am an alien." "And now I need you to drive me into the city a hidden spaceship to stop alien Bounty Hunters from kidnapping Maria and taking her to planet Zalaxon." "Now, are you gonna help me or not?" "Okay." "Okay great." "Nice to meet you by the way." "Yeah, you too." "Okay, so alien bounty hunters who have been watching you for years and controlling all your alien devices, conspired to make you believe that you weren't really an alien because they needed your baby to complete a sacrificial ritual" "on the planet Zalaxon." "Yes." "Yes exactly." "That's it." "Oh, okay." "That makes perfect sense now." "Beta rays energy sources located at 1300 meters." "Acquiring." "Hey, how did you get your sat-nav to talk like that?" "Uh, it's not sat-nav, it's an alien tracking device." "Oh, of course." "can you go any faster?" "This is a 30k zone, but I can go faster." "my god, they're underground." "We're here." "Turn here." "Here, here, here." "Stop here." "Thanks liz." "No bother." "Hmm." "Why are the cute ones always insane?" "Ow." "Ow." "i'll say this for you, Joe." "You're resilient." "You're really bad at this, Joe." "Why don't you just stick your head out and make it easy on yourself?" "Nice move though, Joe." "I'm afraid that's it for you." "I don't think you have anything left in your bag of tricks." "Can you hear me?" "I'm gonna get you out of there." "Wait." "Launch capability in two minutes." "Hello Joe." "You." "All of this was you." "On the contrary, Joe." "It's all you." "Everything you see here, you've created." "I think I've heard that one before." "No, before it was selective embellishment." "Now you've graduated to free form delusion." "Oh, so we're not actually on a spaceship?" "You're in an asylum, Joe." "You were committed after your suicide attempt." "You do remember that?" "Bullshit." "Come on, Joe." "Alien Bounty Hunters trying to convince you you're human to get you to impregnate someone so that they can steal your baby?" "And you found me when I was too old and Xallador needed a newborn to complete the ritual." "If you engage any further with this delusion, you'll be lost to it forever." "Now you have one last chance." "You have to reject the fantasy." "You have to give me the gun." "You can't trust yourself, Joe." "You don't know what's real." "Yes I do know what's real." "I didn't before but now I do." "This is real." "You and me." "I love you." "You were never... just part of a mission." "Fine." "Oh." "Or we can do it like that." "Good speech though." "Rather moving." "But you were right." "I do need a newborn for the ritual." "And your child... will be the final sacrifice." "Look at you." "You've come so far only to fail now." "What would your father say?" "Wait, please wait." "Before you kill me, just let me see Zalaxon." "Just let me see the wormhole." "You think you'll see the beacon?" "Well, I'm nothing if not magnanimous." "Two minutes." "Enjoy them." "Now, exiting earth atmosphere." "Normal Zalaxion gravity restored." "You asked what my father would say." "He'd say that earth's gravity he'd say that earth's gravity is very strong." "Killing me will mean nothing but I'm one of many, and one day we will destroy your people once and for all." "No, I wouldn't worry about that, doc." "'Cause as you know, it's all in your head." "I love you." "I love you." "Enteringwormhole in one minute." "Quick, get off the ship." "Let's use the escape pod." "Joe." "Can't we beam down?" "No Maria." "This is reality." "Joe." "Did we make it?" "Are we home?" "Yeah." "We're home." "Joe, this is real, isn't it?" "This completes the final entry the final entry of our mission log." "Broadcasting on all interstellar frequencies." "I don't know if anyone on Zalaxon will ever hear this, but if you do, remember," "It doesn't matter where strength comes from, and never stop fighting." "This is Joe Norman, the second last son of Zalaxon, signing off."