Constellation
Season 1 – Episode 2
Episode Title: Live and Let Die
Original release date: February 21, 2024
Plot: Jo races to find a way back to Earth before her life support runs out. Henry is concerned about his experiment.
* * *
[wind howling]
Alice, baby, talk to me.
[groans]
You gotta stay awake.
Can’t fall asleep. Alice!
How did you get there?
[speaks Swedish]
[panting]
[grunts]
[in English] Alice? Baby?
My baby.
[groans]
[stammers] Are you a ghost?
Mmm.
[panting] Mummy’s gonna be right back, okay?
Okay.
[grunting] Everything’s gonna be okay.
Mummy’s gonna take care of you.
My love. [Sighs]
[sniffs]
[panting]
You smell like you again.
[in Swedish] Who else should I smell like?
[speaks Swedish]
[sniffles]
[in English] Oh, this might sting a little bit.
But it’s gonna get you warm.
Mamma…
Hmm?
I missed you.
I missed you too.
Oh, no. We’re out of hot water.
[sniffles] I’m gonna boil you some more.
[in Swedish] Don’t go.
[breathes shakily]
[breathing heavily, sniffles]
[exhales sharply]
[groans]
Mamma. I’m cold.
[sighs]
[in English] Mummy?
Alice?
[exclaims] Alice?
[speaks Swedish]
[in English] Where are you? Where’s…
I’m here.
[stammers, panting]
[sniffing]
[gasps]
What’s the matter?
Where is she?
Hmm?
Who?
[breathing deeply]
TsUP, this is Station. Do you copy?
Can you hear me?
I… I’ve lost time.
I’ve lost hours.
I think my blo… blood oxygen is… is low.
I… I passed out in, uh…
Um…
Remaining life support, six hours 45 minutes.
[sighs]
Major Lysenko.
[Irena] Commander Caldera.
You make me feel obscurely better.
You always say that,
but I never know if it’s true.
I have equipment here that immediately needs to go
with search and rescue for Soyuz 1.
[Irena sighs]
It is not certain that there will be a search and rescue for Soyuz 1.
Why?
There is no sign of life. [Sighs]
[Henry] Let’s go.
[grunts, sighs]
[timer beeping]
[machinery powering down]
[exhales] Okay. Do it.
[panting]
It’s gonna work.
Nice and steady.
Nice and ste…
[clanging]
Yes.
I don’t know if you can hear me in the blind.
This is Station.
That’s battery two transferred to Soyuz.
It’s taken approximately 55 minutes to switch one battery.
I have four left.
And then 90 minutes undocking procedure.
Oh, shit.
[clattering]
[gasps]
[breathes heavily]
[flashlight clicks]
Hello?
Can anyone hear me?
This is Station.
I’m afraid of the dark.
[Magnus] There are other rockets, right?
I-I mean, there’s… there’s all those insane billionaires. StarCosm. Yes?
Even if StarCosm went crazy, there
there’s no way they’d launch in under a day.
And she doesn’t have a day. She has a few hours.
There… There must be a way for her to get back.
I mean, that has to be possible.
They didn’t manage to send her the deorbit parameters in time.
I… I don’t know… What is a deorbit parameter, Frederic?
Meaning even if she fixes the capsule,
she’s going to have to calculate her own reentry.
This is very dangerous.
[chuckles]
But this is what she’s trained for.
[sighs]
I mean, you… [chuckles] trained her for four years.
Yes?
[Frederic inhales deeply]
Oh, for God’s sake, don’t you cry.
[Frederic sniffles]
Don’t you sit there crying, for fuck’s sake.
[breathing shakily]
[Frederic sniffles]
[Frida] Wendy!
[Wendy] Coming!
Bye, Alice.
See you later.
[Magnus sniffles]
Alice…
You done? [Sighs]
I just, uh, need to talk to the others before they leave.
Is she dead?
No.
[sighs]
She… She doesn’t have a lot of time though.
She’s not dead until we know that she’s dead, is she?
[sighs] No.
I love you, kiddo.
[Jo] Hey, baby. Hey, Magnus.
I thought I’d record something since I can’t talk to you guys.
Okay, so I gotta fix all this stuff so I… I can get home.
[in Swedish] It’s nice to hear a voice
even if it’s just my own.
[sighs]
[in English] Yes.
[exhales deeply]
This is the third.
Kind of need to hurry up.
[distorted hissing on recording]
[beeps]
[rewinds, beeps]
[Jo on recording] …is the third. Kind of need to hurry up.
[distorted hissing on recording]
[rewinds, beeps]
[Jo on recording] …is the third.
Kind of… [distorted dialogue] need to hurry up.
[distorted hissing on recording]
[Paul on recording] You gotta stop breathing.
Stop breathing, Jo.
You stay in Destiny.
[Jo breathing shakily]
Paul?
[Jo gasps]
[breathes shakily]
[gasps]
[gasps]
[breathing heavily]
What the hell are StarCosm doing?
[Michaela] We’re talking to Alyanna. They are scrambling,
but, Henry, she’ll be dead by then.
That’s a third of a billion dollars to retrieve two dead bodies
and some experimental equipment.
Some experimental equipment, Michaela?
It’s a highly significant piece of research.
Not only for our understanding of the theoretical universe,
but also for about a thousand different practical applications
that can make a fundamental difference to life on this planet.
The science cannot trump the people, Henry.
Yeah.
[sighs]
[gasps] Okay. [Chuckles]
[comms beep]
[Sergei] Station, this is TsUP.
[gasps, panting] Okay.
Hi. Read loud and clear.
Any chance for a chat with my family today?
[Sergei] Station, this is TsUP.
This is a recorded message.
We have S-band failure and cannot hear you.
Open all bands for local transmission.
Christ.
[Sergei] We’re attempting to upload your deorbit parameters.
[sighs]
RPL requests you retrieve CAL data core.
Restore full power to Soyuz 1.
Initiate undock as soon as possible.
You have approximately two hours and 30 minutes of life support
as of 9:38 on 10/15.
[panting, speaks Swedish]
[in English] Come on.
[Sergei] Station, this is TsUP. This is a recorded message.
[Henry] You open on loops one and four?
Sure we did.
[Irena] There is nothing near her, not from us.
We don’t put satellites in the vicinity of the ISS.
Between you and me, the US Air Force has moveable satellites.
I’ve requested that they put them higher.
We know that, Henry,
but moving them closer isn’t going to help reach her.
If the damage is too significant, she may not be able to hear anyone.
[admin] Commander Caldera,
you have a call from Skagerrak Marine Observatory.
Oh, Christ.
Skagerrak?
Don’t look at me like that.
I’m not losing the CAL. I am not losing her.
That is not what happens.
[Sergei] Station, TsUP. This is a recorded message.
We have S-band failure and cannot hear you.
You heard from your sister?
I think you know that she has passed away.
Have you heard from your brother?
Not in many years.
Thank God.
[newscaster] …as we wait to find out
what’s become of the astronaut still left on the International Space Station
now literally the loneliest person in the universe.
With me is retired astronaut Bud Caldera.
Commander, what happens when the structure of the ISS is damaged in such a way?
[Bud] That would lead to what is called a “depress.”
Depressurization of the various modules on the ISS.
That’s pretty much the most serious thing that can happen.
Just talk through what would be taking place up there
with the astronaut that’s left.
Well, it goes by protocol.
We have these flip-books with checklists,
and we prepare pretty much every scenario during training.
So even if it’s an unusual situation, they’ll be working according to a scheme.
But you have experience of what can happen if something goes wrong up there.
Sure.
It must bring back some memories for you.
No, I’m not looking for…
I don’t spend my time bringing up memories.
But you do have experience
on what it’s like to bring bodies back home.
That’s not a question. That’s an observation.
Can you maybe just tell me a little
about what you imagine they must be feeling right now?
Yeah, and why the hell should I do that?
And you instruct me on what’s “a little”?
I don’t get paid to use my goddamn imagination.
Henry Caldera, many thanks.
It’s Bud! Bud Caldera, for Christ’s sakes!
[groans] Fuck.
[metal clinking]
[breathing heavily]
[machinery powering up]
[groans]
[breathing heavily]
[grunts, sighs]
[beeping]
[sighs]
[machinery powering up]
[speaks Swedish]
[sighs, pants]
[beeping]
[in English] TsUP, this is Station. Come in.
[beeping]
Okay.
So that is power fully restored to Soyuz 1.
[Sergei] Station, this is TsUP.
This is Station. Come in.
[Sergei] This is a recorded message.
You have approximately
98 minutes of life support as of 10:48.
Of course.
[Sergei] Minimum undock time is 90 minutes.
Fuck.
[Sergei] RPL requests you retrieve CAL data core.
You’re kidding me.
[Sergei] We’re attempting to upload your deorbit parameters.
[sighs] I can’t wait for you.
Okay.
Come on. Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Okay.
[beeps]
[stutters] What the…
“Oxygen, 19%.”
I gotta go.
In the blind.
Initiating undocking procedure, Soyuz 1.
Go.
[beeps]
“Input deorbit parameters.”
So I’m gonna use yesterday’s figures ’cause that’s all I got.
[beeps]
“Deorbit parameters outdated.”
Yeah, I know, but you gotta work with me.
[beeping rapidly]
Oh, come on.
Come on, come on. Please come on.
[beeping tones]
“Undock initiated.”
“Ninety minutes to launch.”
[Sergei] Station, this is TsUP.
This is a recorded message.
We have S-band failure and cannot hear you.
Please open all bands for local transmission.
We are attempting to upload deorbit parameters.
Daddy, what are deorbit parameters?
Well, as I understand it,
it’s the place on the edge of the Earth
that you have to hit if you wanna come home.
Does Mummy know what they are?
I don’t know.
I’m sure she does.
She’s very clever.
Fuck…
[speaks Swedish]
[Sergei, in English] Station, it’s TsUP.
Oh, shut up.
[Sergei] We have S-band failure and cannot hear you.
You have approximately 45 minutes of life support.
Please calculate your own deorbit parameters.
Done it.
[Sergei] RPL requests you retrieve CAL data core.
Don’t endanger yourself.
Oh, for fuck’s sake.
[beeps]
Hey, Magnus.
I’m going to put in the deorbit parameters.
My own calculations.
Let’s just hope it takes me back.
[mutters]
Forty-one…
[beeps, chimes]
[sighs]
Magnus, I know you.
And you know why I had to do this.
And I am so grateful for your love and your trust.
I know it hasn’t been easy. You’ve sacrificed a lot…
I’m sorry I, um…
I left you alone with all this…
I love you.
[sighs] Alice…
[speaks Swedish]
[in English] You’re everything to me.
And I wanted to, uh…
I wanted to make you proud.
You.
And I wanted to show you that…
Even if I’m not here…
I’m always with you and Daddy.
I don’t think you understand how much I…
I just wanted to be around and see you grow up
and go to high school
and have your first boyfriend and
then go out dancing with you
when you get old and just, um… just be around to see you grow up.
[speaks Swedish]
[in English] No matter what happens,
my eyes are always on you.
And, um…
And my heart beats with you, baby.
I love you so much, more than you can ever imagine.
Okay. So, um, I’ve only got 12 minutes left,
and I kind of gotta…
I just hope I got my sums right.
[breathes shakily]
[whimpers]
[speaks Swedish]
Okay.
[system powers up]
[clanging]
[beeping]
[clanging continues]
“Bolt malfunction”?
[breathes heavily] What? What the fuck?
Arm bolts are fine. Can’t be the data.
“In the event of bolt system malfunction,
bolts to be armed and fired from entry dock of ISS
on the other side of the hatch.
“Requires two crew.”
Fuck.
[beeping]
[sighs]
Come on.
[console beeping, buzzing]
Come on, please.
[announcer] Forty-one, 40, 39,
thirty-eight, 37, 36, 35…
Anything on triangulation?
Nothing. Still nothing.
Thirty, 29, 28, 27, 26,
twenty-five, 24, 23, 22,
twenty-one, 20, 19, 18
seventeen, 16, 15…
[sighs]
fourteen, 13, 12, 11,
ten, nine, eight, seven,
six, five, four, three, two, one.
[Sergei sighs]
[in Russian] Listen.
Close your eyes.
When the names of those who have fallen asleep are remembered in prayers,
what can be more beneficial for them than this?
We who live believe that the dead are not deprived of existence,
but live with God.
As we pray for our brothers and sisters
who with faith and hope are traveling
so we pray for those who have departed from this world.
[in English] Jo, this is TsUP.
Do you copy?
[beeping]
[gasps, sighs] Okay.
[breathes sharply]
Detached from ISS.
Three hours and 20 minutes to reentry…
I think.
[sighs]
[Irena] Thought you might not want to be alone.
I’m quite happy to be alone. [Sighs]
So, how much you guys charging for a return trip on Soyuz these days?
75 million, up and back?
That is coming to an end.
Unless you start sending tourists.
Tourists? Oh, please.
Cheers.
Jo and Paul.
Jo and Paul.
[Jo sighs]
Okay.
Okay.
Fire in
five, four, three,
two, one.
[rumbling]
[groans, breathes heavily]
The ISS was not designed to run more than 20 years.
It’s been running nearly 30.
And it’s full of holes.
Your own president says another seven years max.
My own president is wrong. I’m working on my own president.
We are going to withdraw from the program.
Just abandon things
because something went wrong, because someone dies?
NASA abandoned the moon after Apollo 18.
So that’s what this is all about, huh?
You know what I’ve been doing all these years.
[sighs] Perhaps for me, it is about that.
For Roscosmos, it’s about taking advantage of a natural stop.
You are not the least bit curious about the illness of which you are an expert?
There was a fatal accident after years of warning about debris.
This will happen again, Henry.
Huh.
And there are a whole lot of answers we are never going to get.
Agreed. We will designate the ISS as an international grave,
and leave space to the people with money.
[alarms blaring]
[speaks Russian]
[in English] Soyuz 1, this is TsUP. Can you hear me?
[rumbling]
[alarm blaring]
TsUP, this is Soyuz 1 reentry. Are you receiving?
This is Soyuz 1. Come in, please.
[grunting]
Soyuz 1 has reentered Earth atmosphere. She is not responding.
It’s in ballistic entry.
Where’s she gonna hit?
Anywhere within 300 kilometers.
Get your ham radio guys and get her. We need to know where the hell she is.
This is a needle in a haystack.
[Irena] Can’t you call NORAD?
Call your fucking guy in Egypt.
[alarm blaring]
Roscosmos Control, this is Soyuz 1.
Do you read me?
Roscosmos Control, this is Soyuz 1.
Do you read me?
[panting]
Soyuz 1… [speaks Russian]
[in English] Soyuz 1, this is TsUP. Do you copy?
[distorted] Soyuz 1, this is TsUP.
We can’t… [indistinct]
[Jo] Oh, shit.
[Sergei] Open all VHF bands.
[grunts] I need to… [sighs]
[speaks indistinctly, panting]
[Sergei] Soyuz 1, this is TsUP. Repeat. Open all VHF bands.
There’s a… I’m trying! I’m trying!
[grunts, straining]
[grunts]
[panting]
TsUP!
[Jo speaks Russian]
[applause]
[Sergei] Soyuz 1, we hear you.
You’ve hit 6.5 degrees off optimal, you need to correct.
I’m on ballistic approach, I can’t.
Ask her if she retrieved the data core.
Oh, Henry, for Christ’s sake.
Ask her.
Do you have the CAL phase four data core?
[panting] Yes.
[Magnus] Jo? Jo?
Do you have her? Where is she?
[Sergei, in Russian] You’re going in ballistic at a very steep angle.
You’ve got 8G coming up.
[Jo, in English] Understood.
Jo! Jo?
Hi. Hi.
[sighs]
[Sergei] Jo, you’re going into the black.
[Jo whimpering]
[Sergei] It’s gonna take us some time to find you.
Good luck.
Hi. Guess what?
What?
[people clamoring]
[Henry] It’s marked with RPL flashes.
It goes on Search and Rescue helicopter number 1.
Now, goddamn it, let’s move it.
Will do.
She’s got a super short time. It’s gonna be very tough to locate her.
Don’t bloody do this to me, Frederic.
I’ve just told my daughter it’s gonna be all right!
[speaks Russian]
[crew member 1] Heading north east, can’t see anything from the helicopters.
[indistinct radio chatter]
[gasping, groaning]
[crew member 2] Helicopter 5, check south east above the mountain.
Helicopter 2, north west 22 degrees.
[speaks indistinctly]
[crew member 1] What can you see?
[crew member 2] Still nothing, Team 1.
[moans]
[moans]
[moaning]
[breathing heavily]
[sighs]
[grunts, groaning]
[cries, sighs]
[sighs, speaks Swedish]
[groans]
[grunts]
[strains]
[exclaims]
[panting, grunting]
[sighing]
[breathing heavily]
[growling]
[growling continues]
[gasps]
[gunshot]
[gasping]
[crew member speaking indistinctly]
[rescue worker speaking Russian]
[speaks Russian]
[people clamoring]
[sighs]
[chuckles]
[Alice] Mummy!
[gasps]
That’s my baby.
Put me down. Put me down. That’s my baby.
Mummy!
[Jo gasps]
[sighing]
[speaking Swedish]
[in English] I love you.
[sniffles] I love you so much.
[speaks Swedish]
[in English] Hi, Jo.
You all right? You okay?
[breathes heavily, stammers]
I’m so h… I’m so happy to be… I’m so happy to be here.
[cries]
I love you guys so much.
I love you guys so much.
[breathes heavily]
I, uh… Welcome back.
[Jo whimpering]
[chuckles] Thank you.
[breathes heavily]
[Henry speaks Russian]
[in English] Give it to me, please.
Open the case.
The canisters should be prepped.
This is my baby.
Give me the iPad.
Give me some space.
Is that… Is that Wendy’s dad?
You don’t have to look, my love. [sighs] Don’t… Don’t look.
So, uh, how are things?
I… I don’t know.
Wow. You look great.
I’m back. [Chuckles] I made it back, right?
Yeah.
Hmm.
Hey.
Hi. Jo, I, uh…
Come on. Let’s go. Let’s go.
[medic] Go, guys! Go!
I… I’ll be right back, baby.
I’m back now.
[Magnus] She’s home.
We’ll take you directly to Star City.
Excuse me.
[chuckles]
[camera shutters clicking]
[Frederic] Put that fucking camera away.
[Henry] Holy shit. It’s there.
Goddamn it.
It can’t be there.
What is Russian for “eureka”?
[speaks Russian]
[chuckles, inhales sharply]
Mummy?
[wind howling]
Mummy?
[breathes heavily]
Alice?
[helicopter blades whirring]
A-Are you okay?
Okay.
[breathing heavily]
[speaks Swedish]
[in English] What?
You forget how Earth smells.
[inhales deeply, exhales sharply]
Where is she?
[Alice] Who?
Where is… Where’s my baby? Alice!
[speaks Swedish]
[in English] What?
Where is she?
Who?
[breathes heavily] You.
I… I don’t know what you mean.
[breathing heavily, stammering] Didn’t you see yourself?
In the mirror?
[breathes heavily] No! Here.
Mummy, I didn’t see anything.
Get dressed.
[Alice] Mummy!
[Jo] Get ready. [Panting]
Come on, we gotta go!
It’s too cold. She’ll freeze to death. We gotta find her.
[Alice] Who?
[pants] The other you.
[“Tellur” by Surrogate Sibling plays]
