All language subtitles for Arrival.201ARKS

I used to think

this was the beginning of your story.

Memory is a strange thing.

It doesn't work like I thought it did.

We are so bound by time,

by its order.

Ok.

Ok.

Come back to me.

Come back to me.

Come back to me.

Stick them up!

Are you the sheriff in this here town?

These are my tickle guns,
and I'm gonna getcha!

No!

You want me to chase you?

You better run.

I remember moments in the middle.

I love you.

I hate you!

And this was the end.

Come back to me.

You come back to me.

But now I'm not so sure
I believe in beginnings and endings.

There are days that define
your story beyond your life.

Like the day they arrived.

Good morning.

Morning.

Where is everyone?

Ok. Well, let's get started.

Today we are talking
about Portuguese,

and why it sounds so different
from the other Romance languages.

The story of Portuguese begins
in the kingdom of Galicia...

Sorry.
In the Middle Ages,

where language was seen
as an expression of art.

Any news you want to share?

Dr. Banks, can you turn
the TV to a news channel?

But police have already set up
a blockade here around the area.

As you can see we've got
just about as close as we can,

but unfortunately, Montana right
now is on complete lockdown.

The object apparently touched
down 40 minutes ago,

just north of I-94.

We're waiting to hear if this is perhaps
an experimental vessel or...

Hold on, it...

I'm learning that more objects,

like this have landed in as many as
eight other locations around the world.

Yes, can we?

This is from a site in Hokkaido.

This is worldwide.
It is happening right now.

Ok.

I'm sorry. Class is dismissed.

You are an idiot!
You drove right into me!

You just ruined my car!

For now, we're simply asking for cooperation
while authorities assess the object.

So, you're saying it's not ours?

Do you even know if it's from Earth?

We're still collecting information.

For coordinating with other countries.

We're not the only ones to have
one of these in our backyard.

If this is some sort of
peaceful first contact,

why send 12?

Why not just one?

Yeah, I know. I saw that, too.

I don't know, Mom.

I'm watching the same news
coverage that you are.

Well, Mom...

please don't bother with that channel.

How many times do I have to tell you
those people are idiots.

Yeah, well, do I sound nervous?

Ok. Exactly. So...

Me? Yeah.

You know me.
I'm about the same.

Mom, I'm fine.

Ok, I'll call you later.

Bye.

And around eight hours after landing,

there are still no signs of what
might be called first contact.

Now, the objects measure
at least 1,500 feet tall...

Two are reported to have
penetrated Russian airspace.

One in Siberia and the other
off the coast of the Black sea.

Above the ocean.

So far, there are 12 unidentified objects
spread across the globe.

There is no obvious logic
to their locations,

and no evidence
that the ships are even occu...

entertain the idea,
that if it is a kind of vessel,

it may be unmanned.

Regardless, we have
a protocol for scenarios like this.

After Tuesday's extraordinary events,

the President this morning has
declared a state of emergency,

with as many as 5,000
National Guard

being deployed to the state
of Montana alone.

Borders are closed and flights have been
grounded, stranding millions of travellers.

Panic buying of gas, water and food,

continues to escalate,

and federal authorities
have temporarily lifted

all caps on overtime
for law enforcement.

The ATF has put a temporary
ban on new gun licenses,

forcing many independent suppliers
of hunting equipment and firearms

to close their doors to the public.

Forty-eight hours later and
no further development...

Two days.
From the site of the 12 UFOs.

And already the public expects us
to know the answers.

I'm Colonel G.T. Weber.

We never formally met
but two years ago,

you did some Farsi translations
for Army Intelligence.

You made quick work
of those insurgent videos.

You made quick work
of those insurgents.

You are on the top...

of everyone's list
when it comes to translations.

And you have another two years,

in your SSBI,

so you still have top-secret clearance.

That's why I'm in your office
and not at Berkeley.

Ok.

I have something I need you
to translate for me.

Why are you here?

Can you... Can you understand us?

Where did you come from?

Now you heard it.

What do you make of it?

Is that...

Yes.

How many?

How many what?

How... How many...

speaking?

Two.

Assume they were not speaking
at the same time.

Are you sure?
Did they have mouths?

How would you approach
translating this?

Do you hear any words?

Phrases?

I don't... I don't know.

So what can you tell me?

I can tell you that it's impossible
to translate from an audio file.

I would need to be there,
to interact with them.

You didn't need that
with the Farsi translations.

I didn't need it because
I already knew the language but...

this... this is...

I know what you're doing.

Tell me what I'm doing.
I'm not taking you to Montana.

It's all I can do to keep it
from turning into a tourist site

for everybody who has
a TS clearance.

I'm just telling you what it would take
to do this job.

This is not a negotiation.

If I leave here,

your chance is gone.

Good day.

Colonel?

You mentioned Berkeley.

Are you going to ask Danvers next?

Maybe.

Before you commit to him,

ask him the Sanskrit word
for war and its translation.

An agreement on sharing
scientific discoveries

looks closer tonight,

as Russia and China join talks
at the United Nations.

Meanwhile, financial markets
across the world are in crisis

as the Dow Jones Industrial Average,

fell over 2,000 points, its worst...

Morning.

Colonel?

Gavisti.

He says it means an argument.

What do you say it means?

A desire for more cows.

Pack your bags.

Alright. Give me 20 minutes?
Take-off in ten.

Dr. Banks.
Right this way, please.

Excuse me, Dr. Banks, let me make
sure you're properly secured.

You ok?

Sorry, I couldn't hear
what you were saying.

Language is the foundation
of civilization.

It is the glue that holds
a people together.

It is the first weapon
drawn in a conflict.

Louise, this is Ian Donnelly.

Louise Banks, Ian Donnelly.

That's quite a greeting.

Yeah, well, you wrote it.

Yeah.

It's the kind of thing
you write as a preface.

Dazzle them with the basics.

Yeah, it's great.

Even if it's wrong.

It's wrong?

Well, the cornerstone of civilization
isn't language,

it's science.

Ian is a theoretical physicist
from Los Alamos.

You'll be reporting to me,
but you'll be working with him,

when you're in the shell.

That's what they're calling the UFO.

Priority one,

what do they want
and where are they from?

And beyond that,
how did they get here?

Are they capable of faster
than light travel?

I've prepared a...

list of questions to go over,

starting with a series
of handshake binary sequences...

How about we just talk to them

before we start throwing
maths problems at them?

This is why you're both here.

I'll bring the coffee.

Coffee with some aliens.

I want you to take
these two to Dr. Kettler.

Yes, sir.

Follow the captain to medical.

It should take just a few minutes,

and then we'll get started.

We'll take care of your bag.

I'll take your cell phones.

Cell phones!

Follow me.

Put these on. You're gonna
wear them at all times.

Sir, they're here.

Louise Banks.
Ian Donnelly.

When was the last time
either of you have eaten?

Last night.
Same.

Last time you did something stressful?

Does now count?

Just saying...

Who was being...

carted off in the medevac?

Not everyone is able
to process experiences like this.

I'm gonna get some blood from you,

and give you an immunization dose

that covers a battery
of bacterial threats.

Could you sign these, please?

And roll up your sleeves.

Either of you claustrophobic?

No.
No.

Currently taking any medications?
Allergies?

Pregnant?

No.

The booster is a kick to your system,

so you may experience
some side effects,

nausea, dizziness, headaches,

a ringing in your ears,
like you have tinnitus.

You see what's happening to him?

How does this even work?

The readings do not change,

but I don't know,

it's like we're insects
on a piece of paper,

and they're easing us
out of the house.

At exactly 112 minutes
and 19 seconds,

gravity starts to shift
and slides us out of the room.

Have you found a scientific
explanation for it?

Like, is it for them?

No. We think it's for us.

Air doesn't seem to circulate
inside the chamber,

so after about two hours,
we run out of oxygen.

It doesn't take 18 hours
to pump fresh air into a room.

Atmosphere...

Excuse me?

If their atmosphere
is different from Earth,

it would certainly take hours

to rebalance their O2 content
and pressure for us

every time they open their door.

So, they could suffocate us
if they wanted.

This is Agent Halpern with the CIA.

Let me get you two to your stations.

Yes, sir.

Remember, we need answers
as soon as possible.

What do they want?
Where are they from?

Why are they here?

This is the priority.

Everyone, this is Dr. Ian Donnelly.

He'll be running this team here.

Have they responded to anything?

Shapes, patterns, numbers, Fibonacci?

We can't tell what they're saying
when they respond to hello, so...

Don't get ahead of yourself.

What have you figured out?

We're just getting started.

Good morning!

This is Dr. Louise Banks.

She'll be heading your team.
Dr. Louise Banks.

It's a pleasure meeting you.

Dr. Banks is taking over
the mission from Dr. Walker.

That's a 15-minute warning.

You scuba-dive before?

What kind of radiation exposure
are we walking into?

Nominal. These are just for safety.

So, is there any physical contact with the...

Am I the only one having trouble saying...

aliens?

There's a wall.

Like a glass wall.
You can't get to them.

So, what do they look like?

You'll see soon enough. Hurry up.

The suits are clumsy at first,

but you get used to them.

I'll open a second vehicle.

We'll be there in a few minutes.

Make sure you hold on to something.

Copy, Condor.
We will observe, but not initiate. Over.

Watch your step.

We'll keep Alpha channel open. Over.

Alpha, be advised.
Humidity increased since yesterday.

Every 18 hours,

the door opens up at the bottom.

That's where we go in.

Zero movement.
Alpha detail, clear to proceed. Over.

Copy, Condor.

Beginning our ascent now. Over.

Ten feet.

Five feet.

Two, one...

Alpha clear to enter antechamber.

Moving into position.

Thirty feet from target.

Suit telemetry now full strength,

despite unknown interference.

Three, two, one.

Oxygen level: 20.3%.

No known contaminates. Over.

Radio signals are decreasing.

90%, 85%...

Yeah, that just happened.

Alright, let's move!

Time is wasting.

You ready?

You ready?

Let's do it!

Condor, I'm proceeding first
with Captain Marks, over.

Gravity nominal in the antechamber.
Over!

It's all good, sir.

You can proceed.
Stand by!

Ok, bring it up.

Vitals are low.

Radio signal strength stable at 75%.
Over.

You ok?

Yeah.

Dr. Banks?

You can do this.

Come on.

I don't know. I...

I think...

Grab her.

Donnelly, are you alright?

Dr. Donnelly, you good?

Dr. Donnelly, are you alright?

Please respond. Over.

Yeah.

Holy fuck!

We're gonna go down there,

and you're gonna start your job.

Ok.
Ok?

Ok.

Everybody, move out!

Alpha detail is in position.

Team is in position.

We're on the move.

Condor, Alpha's now in the nave.

Setting up equipment and telemetry.
Over.

So, what happens now?

They arrive.

Dr. Banks?

Dr. Banks?

You can start.

In airlock.

Do not stop until you have
passed the airlock door.

Do not attempt
to remove Hazmat suits

without assistance
from authorized personnel.

Repeat: Hazmat suits without
assistance from authorized personnel.

Wait. Just a minute. Just a minute.

Clear.

Alright.
Step on out, please.

Now hold that.

Am I fired?

You're better than the last guy.

That doesn't make me feel any better.

You both have till 02:00 hours
to figure something out.

Ok. What happens then?

You go back in.

Violence continues to spread

across the US today in the
wake of the 12 landings.

The president has declared

a mandatory dusk-to-dawn curfew

after the crackdown
by the National Guard failed

to prevent a third night of
looting across the country.

In North Dakota, 144 members

of the Saint Lawrence Pentecostal Cult

are feared dead after they set
their compound ablaze.

Their website claims,
the arrival of the aliens

set in motion a prophesy that 12...

We're up in 15.
You got any new Intel?

Yeah, we've been playing back
some of their sounds.

Where does that get you?

Well, they play audio back at us,

from an unseen source.

Audio of what?

It's bits of conversation
from the room.

Random clips of dialogue.

Really, we have nothing.

T-minus 14 minutes to shell access.

T-minus 14 minutes to shell access.

T-minus 9 minutes to shell access.

T-minus 9 minutes to shell access.

What's that for?

A visual aid.

Look, I'm never gonna be able
to speak their words,

if they are talking,

but they might have some sort of
written language or basis for...

visual communication.

Ok. Let's get started.

Human.

Human.

I'm human.

What are you?

Human.

Oh my God!

Are you getting this?

Yes, sir!
It's uploading back to base camp.

Louise, that's incredible.

Human.

Human.

Human.

Ok. ok, slow down now.

Slow down.

I don't wanna take away
from your success in there,

but Dr. Banks, is this really
the right approach?

Trying to teach them how to...

speak and read?

That's gotta take longer.

You're wrong.

It's faster.

Everything you do in there,

I have to explain
to a room full of men,

whose first and last question,

is how can this be used against us.

So you're gonna have
to give me more than that.

Kangaroo.

What is that?

In 1770,

Captain James Cook's
ship ran aground

off the coast of Australia
and he led a party into the country,

and they met the Aboriginal people.

One of the sailors,

pointed at the animals that hop around,

and put their babies in their pouch,

and he asked what they were,
and the Aborigine said, Kangaroo.

And the point is?

It wasn't till later
that they learned that

kangaroo means
I don't understand so...

I need this so that we don't
misinterpret things in there.

Otherwise, this is gonna
take 10 times as long.

I can sell that for now.

But I need you to submit
your vocabulary words

before the next session.

Fair.

And remember what happened
to the Aborigines.

A more advanced race,

nearly wiped them out.

It's a good story.

Thanks.

It's not true.

But it proves my point.

We think we were able,

to reproduce some prime number
sequences back at them.

So that's something.

Well, congratulations.
You're a parrot.

Well, it's a lot more than that,
you cheeky bastard, don't you see?

They can't seem to follow our algebra,

but complex behaviors, that clicks.

Well that doesn't make any sense,

at all does it?

Problem is, not everyone
shares our policy

of being open with the aliens.

Have you met General Shang?

The call sign for him is Big Domino.
Whatever Shang does,

at least four other nations will follow.

Louise?

We have to gain ground today.

Ok.

You have a vocabulary list for me?
I do.

You're gonna teach them
your name and lan's?

Yes, so that we can learn
their names if they have names,

and then introduce pronouns later.

These are all grade-school words:

Eat. Walk.

Help me understand.

Ok.

Oh, no, no, no! Not the top!

Ok, this is where you wanna get to, right?

That is the question.
Ok.

So, first, we need to make sure that
they understand what a question is.

Ok, the nature of a request for
information along with a response.

Then,

we need to clarify,

the difference between a specific you,

and a collective you,

because we don't wanna know why Joe Alien,

is here, we want to know
why they all landed.

And purpose requires
an understanding of intent.

We need to find out
do they make conscious choices,

or is their motivation so instinctive

that they don't understand
a why question at all.

And biggest of all we need to have
enough vocabulary with them

that we understand their answer.

I get it.

Stick to your list.

Just...

don't add anything to it.

Are at 2.97.

Oxygen level: 21.4%. Over.

Condor, Alpha's now in the nave.

Setting up equipment and telemetry.
Over.

Let's get started.

Louise.

Louise. I am Louise.

What is that?

Is that a new symbol?
I can't tell.

I don't know. I think it's
the symbol for human again.

It just has a little curl on the end,

maybe to indicate a question.

I don't know.

I don't know, Louise.

I think they're getting confused.

Dr. Banks,

perhaps we should
move on to the next word.

Dr. Banks!

Dr. Banks!
It's ok.

What's going on?

Hey! Hey! Hey! What are you doing?

Yeah, I'm fine.

Are you insane?

They need to see me.

She's taking off
her Hazmat suit Dr. Banks.

Is it ok?
You're risking contamination.

They need to see me.

Dr. Banks!

Dr. Banks!
She's walking towards the screen.

Should we abort?

Recourse noted.

Stand by for further orders.

Go back to your stations.

Now that's a proper introduction.

Hey.

Louise.

I am Louise.

Ian, do you want
to introduce yourself?

Yeah.

Louise.

Screw it!

Everybody dies, right?

Sir, Donnelly is taking off
his Hazmat suit.

Permission to abort?

Continue the session.

Ian.

Louise.

You...

Who are you?

I think those are their names.

They have names.

So, what are we gonna call them?

I don't know.

I was thinking Abbott and Costello.

Yeah.

Yeah?
Yeah, I like it.

I like it.

Team 1, exit your vehicle

and proceed directly ahead
to the decontamination tent.

Leave your respirator on,

until you reach the equipment room.

I know.

I know.

Team 2, exit your vehicles,

and continue to
the decontamination tent.

Leave your respirators on,

and do not hesitate until you have
reached the equipment room.

How do you feel?

Overworked.

Well, I guess I don't need to tell you
you're putting yourself at risk.

There's no signs of radiation
poisoning yet.

We'll see how your blood tests look.

For now, I'm gonna give you
another boost.

Ok.

No radiation.

Nothing else we can detect either,

but I'd give them a strong cocktail,
regardless.

It's the first time
we've made significant progress.

Alright.

We'll take the risk.

Ok, honey...

What is going on there?
Honey.

Just tell me!

Don't worry.
You don't need to worry.

Ok?

How can I not worry?
Just calm down.

Just calm down.

Becky asked me if the monsters
are going to kill Daddy!

Honey, it's not gonna happen.

Just stay safe.

You don't need to worry.

Please! I'm so scared!

All junior xenolinguistics

and science personnel must observe

general curfew unless expressly authorized

for extended work hours by unit COs.

Curfew in effect as of 2200 hours.

Notice to all late workers,
fire watchers and night staff.

Effective immediately,
midnight rations will be served all night.

Here are some of the many things
we don't know about heptapods.

Greek. Hepta, Seven. Pod, Foot.

Seven feet. Heptapod.

Who are they?

Trying to answer this
in any meaningful way,

is hampered by the fact that,

outside being able to see them
and hear them,

the heptapods leave absolutely no footprint.

The chemical composition of
their spaceship is unknown.

The shell emits no waste,
no gas, no radiation.

Assuming that the shells
communicate with each other,

they do so without detection.

The air between the shells, is untroubled
by sonic emission or light wave.

Are they scientists? Or tourists?

If they're scientists,

they don't seem to ask
a lot of questions.

Why did they park where they did?

The world's most decorated
experts can't crack that one.

The most plausible theory is

that they chose places on Earth

with the lowest incidence
of lightning strikes.

But there are exceptions.

The next most plausible theory,

is that Sheena Easton had a hit song
at each of these sites in 1980.

So, we just don't know.

How do they communicate?

Here, Louise is putting us all to shame.

The first breakthrough was
to discover that there is no correlation

between what a heptapod says
and what a heptapod writes.

Unlike all written human languages,

their writing is semasiographic.

It conveys meaning.
It doesn't represent sound.

Perhaps they view our form of writing

as a wasted opportunity,

passing up a second
communications channel.

We have our friends in Pakistan

to thank for their study
of how heptapods write,

because unlike speech,

a logogram is free of time.

Like their ship or their bodies,

their written language has no forward
or backward direction.

Linguists call this,

non-linear orthography,

which raises the question.

Is this how they think?

Imagine you wanted to write a sentence using
two hands starting from either side.

You would have to know
each word you wanted to use,

as well as how much space
they would occupy.

A heptapod can write a complex
sentence in two seconds, effortlessly.

It's taken us a month
to make the simplest reply.

Next, expanding vocabulary.

Louise thinks it could easily take
another month, to be ready for that.

Hey.

Hey.

Weber's looking for you.

Yeah, well, why do you think
I'm hiding out here?

Come on up!

Thanks.

Nice out here?

Yeah, it's a nice view.

Away from the noise.

You know, I was just
thinking about you.

You approach language
like a mathematician.

You know that, right?

I will take that as a compliment.

Yeah, well it is.

As I...

I watch you steer us around
these communication traps,

that I didn't even know existed,

it's like, what?

I guess that's why I'm single.

Trust me, you can understand
communication and still end up single.

I feel like everything
that happens in there,

comes down to the two of us.

Yeah, that's a good thing though, right?

You and I?

Have you seen the jokers
that we're working with?

Thank God I've got you!

Tonight,

the first photograph
of the aliens goes viral.

Biological contamination is a major
risk factor at the Montana site.

So say environmental
pressure groups.

800,000 march on Washington

to protest the government's
handling of the crisis.

All this, and more special coverage.

First contact with whoever it is that is
inside that thing and who's running the show?

The government.
That's right folks, the same government

who ruined our healthcare
and bankrupted our military.

Look at these people!

Most of them don't even have guns!

We could be facing a full-scale invasion.

Our president is just willing to sit back

and let them waltz in
and take our country.

We are falling asleep at the wheel, people!

You know what I'm talking about.
I know you do.

What if the smartest thing
we could do right now,

would be to give them a show of force?

I'm talking about a shot
across the bow.

I want you to ear what do you think?

Caller No.1, you're on the air.
What do you think about all of this?

What's this word?

Planet.

That's, like...

The Earth is a planet.

Want to see my project
for Miss Garriott's class?

Yeah, little nose.

We had to make up our own TV show.

If we had one.

And who are those two people?

That's you and Dad.

The show is called Mommy
and Daddy talk to Animals.

Well, it's lovely.

Ok...

You know it's ok to be sad
that your dad and I...

I know. I'm not.

Because we both love you very much.

I know. It's just a cartoon.

It's not real.

Louise?

You alright?

Yeah. Yeah, I'm fine.

I'm not sure it's something I can...

I can explain.

When was your last check-up
with Dr. Kettler?

I'm ok.

I'm gonna get some air.

I'm ok.
Alright.

I'm fine. Yep.

How you feeling?

I need some sleep, but...

I'm fine.

Yeah.

You know, I was doing some reading...

about this idea that...

if you immerse yourself into a foreign
language then you can actually

rewire your brain.

The Sapir-Whorf hypothesis.

The theory that...

It... It's the theory that...

the language you speak determines

how you think and...

Yeah. It affects how you see everything.

It was...

I'm curious...

Are you dreaming in their language?

I may have had a few dreams,
but I don't...

I don't think that that
makes me unfit to do this job.

Did you sleep?

A little.

Do you know Mandarin?

It is shifting.

The voice you're about to hear,

belongs to a Chinese military chief...

General Shang.

Pull it up!

We got a satellite feed here
of who he's talking to,

if you want to look.

Wait, go back.

Stop.

He's saying that each of the 12
is offering advanced technology.

Go back again.

And play.

Our science team
is attempting to decode the sets.

Sets. I don't know what that means.

Something about advantage,

suits, honor and...

flowers.

I don't...

I don't know. That's all.

I don't know what it means either.

An hour ago, China mobilized forces.

And now, Russia's following suit.

Shang's about to start something.

Following suit. Suits.

Suits, honor, flowers.

Colonel, those are all tile sets
in Mahjong.

God are they...

Are they using a game
to converse with their heptapods?

Maybe. Why?

Well, let's say that I taught them,

Chess instead of English.

Every conversation would be a game.

Every idea expressed through
opposition, victory, defeat.

You see the problem?

If all I ever gave you was a hammer.

Everything's a nail.

We need to ask the big question.

Ready or not.

Yeah, I know, but between there
and there.

Well, it's time to go.

Ok.

Heptapods' purpose.

Heptapod purpose Earth.
What is your purpose?

Do we only have Costello?

Ok. There you are.

What does it say?

Offer weapon.

You saw what they wrote!

Using a word they don't fully understand.

Could be a request.
A warning.

Enough please!

Louise?

We don't know if they understand

the difference between
a weapon and a tool.

Our language like our culture,

is messy and sometimes,
one can be both.

And it's quite possible that they're
asking us to offer them something,

not the other way around.

It's like the first part of a trade.

So, how do we clarify their intentions

beyond those two words?

Well, I go back in.

Right away, we go back
in and we clear this up.

It's more complicated than that.

How is it more complicated than that?

Colonel, the Secretary of Defense
is on the line for you.

We need to sit on this information
till we know what it means,

so we aren't sharing it with our enemies.

We've to consider the idea that our visitors
are prodding us to fight among ourselves

until only one faction prevails.

There's no evidence of that.
Sure there is.

Just grab a history book.

The British with India,
the Germans with Rwanda.

They even got a name for it in Hungary.

Yeah.

We're a world with no single leader.

It's impossible to deal
with just one of us.

And with the word weapon now...

Halpern.

Yes, sir!

No confirmation yet.

Standing by.

Anything.

What did they say?

China and Russia are off the grid.

They aren't speaking to anyone.

Whatever they learned
in their last session has them spooked.

Yes, sir!

We have orders to do the same.

These are our allies!
You can't shut us down!

Put us on radio silence.
Do it.

We received a message from the hept...

Damn it!

We need to be talking to each other!

You want to talk to them?
Find out what this means.

Base-camp talk is now offline.

All interpreters and international liaisons,
For confirmation they are offline.

Stand down and report
to unit coordinators.

We've never re-entered
a session before.

Louise, trust me, ok?
We've got time.

We've just gotta step on it, alright?

Use weapon.

This is the alien message said
to have provoked the Chinese government

to withdraw their scientists from
the international mission today.

In a statement, General Shang said,

China no longer trusts the aliens
who want to divide us.

Humanity must be protected.

China has asked for
immediate talks at the UN.

Alpha-one-niner,
this is Condor, over.

Alpha-one-niner,

this is Condor, come in. Over.

Captain Marks, Condor,

not receiving transmission.

Squelch twice if you hear line.

Captain Marks, all escort units
are ordered to cease all activity.

No, no, no, no, no.
Dr. Banks, you can't go in there.

I just need to ask one question.

Dr. Banks!

The session is finished. You can't...

You can't go back in.
It's dangerous.

Look, we just need five minutes.
Don't sweat it.

Marks, let them go.

Hey, Abbott!

So, what are we calling this?
Session 37?

No, 36, part 2.

Why are they on their own?

We've been attempting
to hail Captain Marks.

The escort units are not responding, sir.

Why not?

Send security.

Offer weapon,

question mark.

Are you offering us something?

Technology, apparatus, method?

Yeah, see, this is a different word.

This... This segment, it's a lot busier.

Give,

technology,

now.

What's he doing?

Captain, on your ten.

Security detail inbound, sir.

T-minus 4 minutes remaining.

We need to see this through.

Ok, this is it.
Lock and load.

We just need to
hold them off until it's done.

Copy that. Warning shots
and suppressive fire only.

Load up and get to cover.

Stay frosty and we can
avoid casualties.

Abbott wants me
to write on the barrier.

Can you even do that?

I don't know.

I can't do it with both hands.

Louise...

What is that?

Hey! Hey, hey, hey. Take it easy.

You suffered a concussion.
Just lay back.

How do you feel?

How is Ian?

Same as you. He's ok.

Who...

Who did this?

Some soldiers.

They've been watching too much TV.

What is that?

Take it easy. Take it easy.

The site's no longer secure.

We're standing by to evacuate.

Where's Ian?

Weber came and got him
maybe 10 minutes ago.

He wouldn't leave until
he knew you were ok.

Your whole tent is on the clock

to figure out whatever it is
you were given up there.

This is all of it?

The feed wasn't interrupted
by the explosion?

Not as far as I can see.

You see something?

Oh, I don't know yet.

I'm gonna need my team,

to get together with Louise's team.

I need everybody working on this.

We cannot leave.

Glad to see you're awake.

We need to go back in and
explain this wasn't our fault.

We can't go back inside.
We have to.

What happened in there
was an attack.

We can hope for the best, but I have
orders to prepare for retaliation.

We may have to evacuate.
No, that's the wrong move.

As long as they stay,
we have to stay.

Well, they're not leaving.

Why does this feel worse?

China is on the offensive.

They're positioning the military to blow
the alien vessel right out of the sky.

And if this happens,

we can't sit around waiting
for retaliation.

So, get prepared.

The Air Force and infantry,

are standing by.

Yes, sir.

Tonight, China becomes
the first world power,

to declare war against the aliens.

Following the failure of diplomatic
efforts at the United Nations,

China has confirmed that its
language experts have tonight,

delivered an ultimatum
at the Shanghai site.

In a televised statement,

General Shang, chairman of
the People's Liberation Army,

said the aliens have 24 hours
to leave Chinese territory

or face destruction.

And he urged all other world leaders to
unite with China and take a similar stance.

With a huge buildup of forces
at their landing sites,

Pakistan, Russia and Sudan

are thought to be following China's lead.

It can't be random.

It's going to take us years.

What's this term here?

Mom.

Mom.

Sweetie.

What's this term for that thing,
like a...

Like a technical term,

where we make a deal,
and we both get something out of it.

A compromise.

No.

Like, it's a competition.

But both sides end up happy.

Like a win-win.

More science-y than that.

If you want science, call your father.

Thank you.

Sorry.

It's ok.

I'm up.

What time is it?

It's time you opened that
bottle you've been hiding.

You cracked something, didn't you?

Yeah. Come here.

Take a look at this section.

It seems to be talking about time.

Their symbol for time is everywhere.

So what is this?

A formula for faster-than-light travel?

Who can tell?

There are too many gaps.

Nothing's complete.

Then it dawned on me.

Come here.

Right here.

Stop focusing on the ones.

Look at the zeroes.

How much of this is data?

How much of it is negative space?

So, I measured it.

0.0833 recurring.

Perhaps you'd like that as a fraction.

One of twelve.

What they're saying right here
is that this is one of 12.

We are part of a larger whole.

Or we're one of 12 contestants
for the prize.

Why do I have to talk to him?

We're all working together.

We need to talk to the other sites,

We need to help them with what they've
gotten from the heptapods.

In case you don't remember
we're blacked out.

China just threatened to destroy
their shell. We're on our own.

But this says that all of
the pieces fit together.

And I'm telling you that
no one else cares.

Two hours ago, we pulled this audio
off a secure channel in Russia.

Someone on the science team
there was broadcasting wide.

In their final session, the aliens said,

There is no time.

Many become one.

I fear we have all been
given weapons.

If anyone is receiving this,

please...

Well, I mean...

there are a lot of ways
you can interpret what he said.

I don't need an interpreter
to know what this means.

Russia just executed
one of their own experts,

to keep their secret.

Many become one
could just be their way of saying

some assembly required.

Why hand it out to us in pieces?

Why not just give it all over?

What better way to force us
to work together for once?

Even if I did believe you,

how in the world are you gonna
get anybody else to play along.

And give up their data?

We offer ours in return.

Yeah?

A trade?

It's a Non zero sum game.

Non zero sum game.

That's it.
Yeah.

Thanks.

Nine of the landing sites have gone
total comms blackout.

Only way to reach them is
to physically drive there

and yell at the border guards,
which we're doing but...

it won't be fast enough.

There must be a way
to get the message to them.

To our allies maybe but
at this stage it's too little too late.

What we need is to get all
the other nations online

before one starts global war.

And there is no way for us to reach them.

Ok, hold on a second.
There is.

It's right above us.

That's problematic for us right now.

The Pentagon's convinced
our shell will retaliate.

My guess is they'll order us
to evacuate within the hour.

Look, they're not our enemy.

They've made no act of
aggression towards us.

Maybe this is their way
of being aggressive.

That's not the question.

What is the question?

How do we get you back in that room
when it's half a mile straight up?

I think our work here is done.

It's in the hands of our superiors now.

What the hell is she doing?

Oh, my God! Oh, God, no!

Costello...

Where's Abbott?

I'm sorry.

We're sorry.

I need you to...

I need you to send a message
to the other sites.

I don't...

I don't understand.

What is your purpose here?

How can you know the future?

I don't...

I don't understand.

Who is this child?

The show is called
Mommy and Daddy talk to Animals.

Wait.

No! Wait!

Wait!

Dr. Banks!
Louise!

Are you alright?

You alright?
Yeah.

I'm alright.
What happened?

I'm trying to figure it out.
This is too big.

Doesn't matter now.

We have orders to evacuate.

Why?

Russia and Sudan are following China.

I don't understand Ian.

Help me, Mama.

Louise?

Mom!

Mama!

Sorry, honey.

What day is it?
Do you know, baby?

Sunday.

Are you gonna leave me
like Daddy did?

Oh, Hannah, honey,
your daddy didn't leave you.

You're gonna see him,
this weekend.

He doesn't look at me
the same way anymore.

It's my fault.

I told him something that
he wasn't ready to hear.

What?

Well...

Believe it or not,

I know something
that's going to happen.

I can't explain how I know.
I just do.

And when I told your daddy,
he got really mad.

And he said
I made the wrong choice.

What? What's going to happen?

It has to do with a...

a really rare disease.

And it's unstoppable.

Kind of like you are,

with your swimming,

and your poetry and all the other amazing
things that you share with the world.

I'm unstoppable?

Yeah.

I got you.

Louise?

Louise?

I just realized why my husband left me.

My husband left me.

You were married?

Come on!
Let's get out of here.

Mama?

Yeah?

Why's my name Hannah?

Get those people back, please.

Well, your name is very special,

because it is a palindrome.

It reads the same forward
and backward.

Alright, guys, give me a hand here.

Yes, sir.

That goes in the bag.

Ready to go!

Evacuation underway.

Hey.

Come on. We're done here!

What's going on?
We're taking this with us.

I can read it.

I know what it is.

What?

It's not a weapon. It's a gift.

The weapon is their language.

They gave it to us.
Do you understand what that means?

So we can learn Heptapod.

If we survive.

If you learn it when you...

really learn it,

you begin to perceive time
the way that they do,

so, so you can see what's to come.

But time, it isn't the same for them.

It's non linear.

Look, we did our best,

but it wasn't enough.

The captain will load you up.

You're lifting off in 5 minutes.

Ian, Louise,

it was an honor to work with you.

Good luck.

Hey, Colonel.

I'm gonna find out
where we're going.

Wake up, Mommy!

Dr. Banks..

A pleasure.

General Shang,

the pleasure is mine, really.

Your president said,

he was honored to host me
at the celebration.

Yeah.
But I confess,

the only reason why I'm here is to...

meet you in person.

Me? Well, I'm flattered.
Thank you.

18 months ago,

you did something remarkable,

something not even
my superior has done.

And what's that?

You changed my mind.

You're the reason for this unification,

all because you reached out to me
at my private number.

Your private number? General, I...

I don't know your private number.

Now you know.

I do not claim to know
how your mind works but,

I believe it was important
for you to see that.

I called you, didn't I?

Yes, you did.

Louise!

Alright, let's shut down the system.

Sir?

There's a sat line here dialing China.

Here? What do you mean here?

Come on, come on!

Whose phone is it?

It's your phone, sir.

Search base camp now.

Find out who's using that phone.

Hold on to those coordinates.
Yes, sir.

Come on.
What do I say?

What do I say?

Come on.

I will never forget what you said.

You told me my wife's dying words.

We found the source of the phone call.

It's in the clean room.
We're waiting for instructions.

What are you doing?

What are you doing?
Changing someone's mind.

Can you buy me 20 seconds?
We don't have time for this.

No, trust me. Buy me 20 seconds.

Do you trust me?
Ok.

Just trust me. Ian.
Yeah.

Dr. Banks, drop the phone now
or we shoot!

Drop it!

I'm sorry!

You are committing an act of treason!

Yes.
Drop it!

It's done. I'm done.

Blackout from all 12 landing sites

continues this evening,

the two questions...

Hold on, we are just hearing...

I'm being told we're going to cut this
report to tell you breaking news now...

China has called an emergency
press conference...

General Shang, commander in chief
of the People's Liberation Army,

has announced in an
emergency press conference

that China is standing down.

China is still in all
intelligence they've received

will be shared immediately
with the other landing sites.

Scientists from around the world are sifting
through information received from the UK, Japan,

Sierra Leone and Venezuela.

The information they have acquired
from both of their landing sites...

Also confirming it to be one of
the 12 pieces of this puzzle

that is being slowly put together.

So,

Hannah,

this is where your story begins.

The day they departed.

You alright?

Despite knowing the journey,

and where it leads,

I embrace it.

And I welcome
every moment of it.

H-A-N-N-A-H.

Now backward H.

H-A-N-N-A-H

Hannah.

You ready, baby?

Hi.

Don't worry. See you.

Daddy!

You ok?

Are you ready?

Oh, guess what? Star stuff!

Ian?
Yeah.

If you could see your whole life
from start to finish,

would you change things?

Maybe I'd...

say what I feel more often.
I... I don't know.

You know, I've had my head tilted up to
the stars for as long as I can remember.

You know what surprised me the most?

It wasn't meeting them.

It was meeting you.

I forgot how good it felt
to be held by you.

You wanna make a baby?

Yes.

Yeah.

By LESAIGNEUR
Sync & corrections February 2017