Original subtitles

you read, Houston?

Loud and clear.

I feel great, Houston.

I'm moving west, quickly, towards Hadley Crater to gather the last group of

samples for geology.

Telemetry looks good, Paul.

Phil, how you coming?

Leaving the limb now, Paul.

Houston, I have reached the rim of the crater and I'm starting my descent.

Ask backwards, if you'll pardon the expression.

I'm at crater bottom.

Oh, my, my, my.

Finding enough samples around here to keep geology busy for the next six

months.

Roger, Colonel.

I'll pack up all I can.

Colonel Andrews, do you copy?

Colonel Andrews, telemetry indicates your pulse rate increasing.

Everything is fine here, Houston.

Captain Clausen, get a radiation readout of the solar antenna.

We show an increase in radiation.

Christ. It's off the wall.

We got solar radiation heading this way.

Let's not take any chances.

Get back to the LEM. Copy that, Colonel?

Come on, Paul. The readings are redlined.

What the hell are you doing?

It's going to take me a while to get back up.

How much time do I have?

We estimate seven minutes before radiation reaches you.

Feel this enough.

I'm only going to say this once.

You get back to the LM now.

I'm not leaving without you.

I'll be right behind you. Now move.

That's an order, Phil.

Move.

Come on, Paul.

Move.

Don't worry about me. Just keep moving.

I have started my ascent.

Three

minutes

before full radiation.

I copy, Houston.

Oh, Christ.

Oh, damn.

Houston,

I think I clogged my sublimator.

God damn, it's getting hot in here.

Copy, Paul.

Telemetry shows your suit temperature rising.

Maximum radiation in 45 seconds.

Can you make it, Paul?

At this point, yes, it is doubtful.

Captain Clawson, lock it up.

Phil! Damn, you moved.

It's the only thing left to do.

That's an order, Captain.

I'm not going to make it back in time.

Lock it up, boy.

You've got your orders.

Lock it up.

Don't gobble your food.

So, it went well this morning?

Fine.

Um, actually, there were a few adjustments I have to make.

Uh, you're gonna be late.

You're right. I gotta go.

Who's that?

Hi, Al. Good morning.

Good morning, honey.

How you doing, son?

Fine, Al.

That's good.

You've been out today?

Out? Yeah, you know, out. Like, um, to the high school?

Yeah, he did one of his rockets this morning.

Well, thank you, Mr. Rossetti.

Well, he's a good boy, but I have no choice here.

30 days seems like enough time to think about things.

How long before you have an estimate?

In a few days.

It's mostly water damage.

Hi, Ann. Hi, Ellie.

Mr. Rossetti could have suspended you for the term with no promotion.

Look, let's just let the fire department cool down. You know, as they say, out of

sight, out of mind. Out of sight is exactly what's going to happen.

I can't believe she's sending you away.

Especially to my father. I mean, I'm the last person he wants to see, you know? I

don't see why you have to go there if you don't like him.

It's not that I don't like him, it's just we always fight.

Don't start that astronaut business with your father. You know how he feels about

it.

Try to avoid arguing with him, okay?

Okay. All right, but I'm not gonna lie to him, okay? Well, that's just what I'm

talking about, Eric.

You know how upset he gets.

Four weeks is a long time.

Please, honey, try to be flexible, okay?

He has a new girlfriend, and I think he's really serious about this one, so

try to get along with him, okay?

It's really important to him.

Just take it easy.

Um, are you gonna marry him?

Maybe. I don't know.

All right.

I'll call you tonight.

All right?

Okay. Love you.

Me too.

Bye, Al. Take care.

Thanks.

Give my regards to your father.

Okay. Thanks.

Eric? Excuse me.

Are you Eric?

Yeah. Hi, I'm Lori McCall, your dad's friend. He got

jammed up at the office. He got caught in a meeting. He's really sorry he

couldn't be here.

It's okay.

Last time I had to take a cab to the apartment.

At least this time he thought enough to send somebody.

I live with your dad, and I work at home, so we'll be seeing a lot of each

other. I designed clothes.

Zach, the wonder dog.

Come on, baby.

What's that?

It's a rocket.

Oh.

Hey, you made a wrong turn.

This isn't the way downtown.

You're right.

Your dad and I rented a house at Cedar Bay.

It's beautiful.

You'll love it.

Cedar Bay?

What do you think? Beautiful, huh?

It's great.

Cedar Bay. Sounds awfully familiar.

Maybe you were here with your dad.

No.

I've never been here, but...

Somehow I know about this place.

Cedar Bay.

All right.

Now, where are you?

There you are.

Colonel Paul Andrews.

Thirteenth man on the moon.

Interesting moon samples.

Ever married.

Ah, retired 1975,

currently lives in Cedar Bay, Oregon.

Huh, he's here.

Something goes wrong with one plane the FAA wants to ground all of them.

They're just trying to be careful, Rich.

Believe me, that's the best built plane in the world.

If the government was as careful as we are, this country would be in a lot less

trouble.

Anyway, I'm sorry I couldn't meet you.

At least I gave you and Laurie a chance to get to know each other.

Now, here's to my son.

Welcome, Eric.

Welcome.

So, do you have a girlfriend?

Um, yeah, sort of.

What's your name?

Ellie. Ellie Keller.

Jerry Keller's daughter?

Mm-hmm.

NASA screwed both of us. Actually, he was out of work a lot longer than I was.

So, are you into sports?

Soccer. Uh-huh. I sure don't know what you had in mind firing that damn rocket

at school.

I didn't launch it at the school, Dad. It was an accident.

Well, you know, there'll be plenty of room for you to launch it around here.

Eric brought a fantastic rocket with him. What?

It's a Saturn V. It has a special booster I designed.

Christ, when are you gonna grow up?

Here.

Let's eat.

Hi. Hi.

Is this your boat?

Yep. Nice.

Thanks. Do you sail?

No. My name's Eric Michaels.

My assignment.

Nice to meet you.

Nice to meet you.

Are you visiting someone?

I am, my dad.

Michaels.

I don't know, Michael. It must be new.

Yep, he's new.

Well, I'm going to go sailing. You want to come?

Sure.

Grab this.

Just undo that rope. Grab a hold of the railing and give it a good push.

Good push?

Yep.

So, Mara, are you in the habit of inviting strange men sailing?

Well, you don't look like a strange man.

We saw each other last night at the restaurant, remember?

Are your parents divorced or something?

Divorced. What's that like?

You're still talking, all.

Now I can see my dad once in a while. It's the way they arranged it.

Do you ever wish they were together?

No, not anymore.

How about you?

My mom died three years ago.

They were married a long time.

Sorry. It's okay.

You ready to go to school?

I graduated last June.

I can't really decide about college yet.

I'd like to study photography, but that would mean leaving.

My dad owns the restaurant, so I help him.

And you? I'm a senior.

No school?

I, uh, kind of screwed up.

30 days suspension.

You, um, you know Paul Andrews?

I gotta go.

Tomorrow? What's the matter? What'd I say?

Nothing. I just have to set up for lunch.

What's wrong?

I mean, I only asked a simple question. He lives here, doesn't he? Yeah, he

lives here. He and my dad are friends.

He doesn't like strangers.

That's fine.

I didn't mean to be so nosy. It's just... I'm gonna be an astronaut

someday, so I thought that if you knew him, I might get to meet him. That's

all.

He's gonna be a hero of mine.

Sorry.

You really want to be an astronaut?

Yeah.

Most people laugh when I get home, so I just keep it to myself.

Not laughing.

No.

My dad is having a party tonight.

He's just having a few people over.

I don't really know anybody here, so... I have to work.

I've come after.

That'd be great. It's great.

It's the White House on the beach near the point.

Okay. Okay?

Yeah.

Hey, come on in.

Hi.

Eric, you remember my boss, Alex Stannis?

Yes, sir. Hello, Eric. And it's the FAA, not me, that keeps your dad working

late.

Look, I want to take this.

Well, hello.

Who are you?

Is Eric here?

Eric?

Eric Michaels. Is this his home?

Yes, sure. I'm sorry. Please come in.

Eric.

Someone to see you.

Hi.

Sorry I'm late. It's okay.

This is my dad, Richard Michaels, and his friend, Laurie McCall. Hi. Hello.

This is Morris.

Well, I'm really surprised Eric never told me he had friends here.

You know, we met on the dock today.

Great. Didn't I see you in the restaurant last night?

Yes, my father-in-law.

I think I've seen you there for dinner a few times. Right.

Right. Well, come on in. Let me introduce you.

You met on the dock? Yeah.

I went sailing.

You went sailing?

That boy's got class.

Like some people.

You know what you asked me today about Paul Andrews?

Yeah?

Well, if you really want to meet him, I could ask him, but I don't know what

he'll say.

That would mean a lot to me.

He's a little funny sometimes.

He doesn't really talk to many people.

And he sort of drinks a little.

Drinks?

You mean he's an alcoholic.

No, he... he just keeps to himself.

I can't say that I blame him.

Must be tough to be a hero.

He doesn't think he's a hero.

Well, he is to me.

Think about it.

To actually walk on the surface of the moon.

To be in space.

Maybe find other people out there.

They're out there, you know.

I can feel them.

I'm going out there someday.

I swear.

Silly, huh?

No.

It's not silly at all.

Do you believe?

I believe.

God, who I believe.

So glad you're here.

Up early?

Hi.

Must be the, uh, salt air or something.

I have to stay in the city for a few days until this FAA investigation's

over. After that, I'm gonna take a week off so we can really spend some time.

Great.

You have to do that?

I like to do it, Dad.

What do you want from me? The trouble you had in school was because of those

damn rockets.

It was an accident, and I'm being punished, okay?

Some punishment.

I'm late.

Listen, I'm trying to keep out of Laurie's way this week. She has some

designs she has to finish.

I'll call later.

Oh, hi.

Is Eric home?

Yeah, he is. He's upstairs. Go ahead.

Thanks.

Eric?

Hi. Hi.

Am I disturbing you?

No.

So, um, did you see him?

See him?

Paul Andrews.

Paul Andrews. Yeah.

Yes, I saw him this morning.

So, uh, what did he say?

He said that we should go over after lunch about three.

If that's okay with you.

Really?

Yes, really.

Hi, babe.

I'll be with you in a minute.

How are you, sweetie?

Give us a hug.

Good to see you.

You're handsome.

All dirty.

Where's your friend?

Eric Michaels.

Hi. It's an honor to meet you, Colonel Andrews. Nice to meet you. You want a

beer?

Here you do.

Thanks.

Boy, hot one today, huh?

Yeah.

It's really beautiful out here, sir.

Yeah.

It's quiet.

You can tell your dad I'll be down in a couple of days to pick up those doors

and windows.

Well, my dad redid the restaurant. He saved the doors and windows. Paul's

going to use them for the greenhouse.

That's a great idea.

It must be...

Oh, sorry, you go ahead.

No, you go ahead.

Oh, I was just going to ask about the moon.

See, I was telling Mara I'm going to be an astronaut someday, so I thought I

might get a chance to ask you about it.

What about it?

Well, I mean, I can't even begin to... I imagine what it could have been like.

No, of course not.

Eric's building this great big new rocket model.

You should see how detailed it is.

Listen, honey, I don't really give a damn what your friend is building. It's

wonderful. I'm sure. I'm just not interested.

And I don't want to talk about those things anymore.

You know that, Mara.

Excuse me. I've got some work to do before it gets dark.

Have another beer if you want to. Stick around.

Don't blame him, Eric.

He doesn't mean to be rude.

What the hell did I do to him anyway?

Don't you understand?

It's not you.

He just doesn't like to talk about it. I don't understand. I really... I don't.

Eric.

I like you.

A lot.

More than Paul Andrews?

What's that supposed to mean?

Just what it means.

You know.

No.

I don't know.

Look, I saw how you were with him.

Christ, he's 30 years older than you are.

Why don't you just say what's really on your dirty little mind?

All right.

I mean, if I didn't know any better, I'd say that, uh, that you had made it with

him. So what?

What you did? You actually did? I don't have to explain myself to you, little

boy. My God, you did.

How could you? He's so old.

He's a man.

He's been moping around all week.

Well, maybe he had a fight with his girlfriend.

I don't think so.

He acts like something's hurt him really deep.

No, he's used to getting what he wants. He needs to grow up.

Then talk to him.

I'll try him.

Nothing I say.

You want my opinion?

I think you talk at him.

Well, it's so hard, you know. I mean, he's a stranger.

Kids grow up. They change.

You haven't seen him since last summer. It's been a year.

Makes me ache.

Then tell him.

Tell him what?

Tell him that you love him.

Tell him that you're here for him.

All right. Let's hit beautiful downtown Cedar Bay.

I'll wait while we balance the tires.

Okay. We'll take a walk.

How long?

What, about half an hour? Yep.

How's your mom?

She's fine.

She seeing anybody?

Yeah, nice guy.

Think they'll get married?

Maybe.

I guess so.

What about you and Dad?

Maybe. Would you mind?

Maybe you should talk to him about it.

I'll give it a try. Look, did you, uh, excuse me?

How you doing, Hal? Pretty good, Paul. How you doing?

You got them all set for me, huh? You bet.

Handle these yourself.

Oh, yeah, I'll be fine.

Break for an hour.

Oh, no.

I'm Eric Michaels.

I'm Mara's friend.

So what you doing?

I just thought you could use a little help.

Oh.

Sure, why not?

Yeah? Yeah.

Yeah, I think it's gonna work. I'm glad you dropped by.

Would you, uh, would you mind if I helped you finish it?

Don't you go to school?

Not exactly.

What do you mean?

Well, it's kind of a long story.

Yeah, I'm sure it is.

Well, I guess I could use some help if I'm ever gonna finish it, but I can't

afford to pay you anything.

That's no problem.

All right, it's a deal.

Jim.

Listen, I'm really sorry about the other day.

It's just I don't like talking about it, you know? It's ancient history to me.

No, it's okay.

It's just, um... Just what, son?

I am going to be an astronaut someday, so... I just wanted to talk to you about

it. We all probably never get the chance to talk to a real astronaut again.

I hear what it was like firsthand.

Yeah, well, it was a long time ago in another world, son.

Literally another world.

But sometimes it's all I can think about.

Being up there, alone, looking down on the Earth.

For me, it was everything I ever did with my life or ever wanted to do.

But it's not something I can really tell you about.

It was something I lived.

And a part of it stays deep inside.

How did you get chosen?

Oh, who the hell knows?

Getting there always seemed to be the easiest part. I just always believed it

was my destiny.

My own choice.

Can you understand that?

Yeah. I feel the same way. You know, like I... I know that I'm going out

there.

Maybe you will.

I don't ever think of it as a maybe.

It's like you say, it's a choice.

The whole world was watching and I could have cared less.

It's just me up there alone.

It changed me forever.

Finding enough samples around here to keep geology busy for the next six

months.

Roger, Colonel.

I'll pack up all I can.

Colonel Andrews, do you copy?

Colonel Andrews, telemetry indicates your pulse rate increasing.

Bet that was a long time ago.

I'm tired.

How about tomorrow?

Huh?

Greenhouse.

No, let's make it Monday around noon, okay?

I'll see you then.

Thanks, Mara.

Bye, honey.

She hasn't seen him since I left him in town.

In fact, she hasn't talked to him all week.

I think they had a fight. So where the hell is he?

How do I know?

We were talking. He just took off.

You were talking about what?

You and me.

His mother.

He asked me if we were getting married.

So what did you say?

I told him I thought he should ask you.

Thanks a lot.

Jesus Christ, Richard.

Let me deal with my son my own way, all right?

Hi.

Oh, yeah, I forgot about dinner. Just give me a minute to get changed. Where

the hell have you been?

I was in town.

We just got to talking. You weren't with Mara. We called her.

I didn't say I was with Mara. I was just in town with some of these guys I met.

I'm sorry I'm late, okay?

Hurry it up. They don't hold reservations on Saturday night.

Roger. Copy that.

Space man's back.

Paul, I think it's time we talked again about getting you down to Huntsville.

No, not yet.

Sometimes we don't have the luxury of choosing our time.

Yeah, well, I don't believe that, Neil. I think we always have a choice.

You just keep me going a little while longer, and I won't put on any more of

your quack. Fair enough?

Okay. But if you have another attack, or even feel a little tired, I want you to

get to me fast.

Okay, I will.

Thanks, Nick.

And lay off the booze.

Bye, Connie.

Bye. Jill, see if you can get me Captain Philip Lawson at that NASA number in

Huntsville.

I'm going to go out. I'll see you later.

Eric, can I talk to you for a second?

Yeah. Listen, I'm not trying to be nosy, but I'm kind of responsible for you, you

know? You take off here every day, and I have no idea where you're going.

I'm just hanging out with the guys.

Come on, Eric. I've been down to the marina, and you're not there.

I'm sorry. It's just that, uh, it's sort of a secret.

I can keep a secret.

Okay, but, uh, if Dad ever found out, he'd be real pissed.

Okay. I've been, uh, over at Paul Andrews helping him build a greenhouse.

Who's Paul Andrews?

He's an astronaut, you know, like on the moon.

Just the thing is that if Dad ever found out I was hanging around with an

astronaut, he'd lose it.

I understand.

But do you understand why he feels that way?

I guess so.

They laid him off at NASA after Apollo.

He's out of work for a long time.

You know, Mom told me a little bit about it.

Tell you what.

I won't tell your father about Paul Andrews, but you've got to stop freezing

your dad out.

You got another minute?

Sure.

Well, you're much younger than my dad. Doesn't that

ever bother you?

What do you mean, bother me?

You know, the age difference and all that.

You know, if you love somebody, those kind of things don't matter.

People are just people.

I guess you're right.

Thanks. You're welcome.

What?

Come on, we've been working together over a week now. I know when you get

something on your mind, spit it out.

I, uh... I don't really know how to say this.

Try using your mouth.

Hey, whatever it is, I'm not gonna bite your head off, okay?

More about the moon?

No, it's nothing like that. It's about Mara.

You really care for her, don't you?

She and I, we kind of had a fight when we came over here.

She was just protecting you, you know. She told me that you didn't really like

it when strangers hung around.

She's right.

I can understand that.

It's just we...

Kind of had another fight.

Lots of fights. That's a sure sign of love.

What is it, son?

Well... I mean, it must get awfully lonely around here, you know?

Two people, they, um... I don't really know how to say this.

Are you asking me if I slept with Mara?

Yeah.

I'm sorry, Eric. It's not really funny. No, for Christ's sake, no. I love Mara.

She's like a daughter to me. Her dad's a good friend of mine. I wouldn't do that.

For Christ's sake, no.

Who said we did?

I'm not really too sure. Did Mara say so?

I thought she did, but she was pretty angry at the time.

What?

It's females.

They're complicated.

And wonderful.

You relieved now? Good.

Get your ass back up there and finish the frame.

I know.

Billy,

I'm really sorry, but I just saw someone I have to speak to. Want to dance?

Okay.

Sorry, I'll see you later.

Hi. Hey, wait a minute. Hey, hold on a second.

Mara, would you wait, please?

I have nothing to say to you.

All right, so then would you just listen to me just for a second?

Look, I was wrong. I'm sorry.

Fine. Now, goodbye.

Hey, come on. I said I'm sorry.

I had it all wrong. And now you have it all right.

Sort of.

I mean, everything was so good that day with us, and then it all got so screwed

up. You didn't look screwed up dancing. Come on,

that was nothing.

I mean, I went there looking for you, and you were with that jerk.

Just look, I've been thinking. I spoke to Lori.

Paul and I were... Paul and you?

Yeah, Paul and I. We, uh, we've been talking about... What the hell do you

mean you've been talking?

About what?

We've been working... How? We've been working together.

Working together?

On this greenhouse, yes.

He's a great guy. I met your father, too.

He never said a word.

Then... Look... I just, um...

I mean, I just want to let you know I'm sorry. I was wrong, and I feel lousy.

And I just wanted to say something to you to say that I'm sorry for being such

a jerk and that I'd like to see you.

I was wrong.

Do you want to go sailing?

I haven't been practicing.

I didn't really feel right. Eric, how are you going to learn if you don't

practice? You're hopeless.

Hopeless, but cute.

Wait, wait, wait. We want to... All right. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Yes.

Okay, easy?

Yep.

Okay,

that's got it.

Paul, when do you want us to put this?

Right on schedule.

I told her it would be done by four.

You sure your dad won't find out about this?

No, she's not going to tell him. We made a deal. I don't want to see you get into

any trouble.

All right.

What's your name?

Laurie McCall.

Paul Andrews. Glad to meet you.

I'm honored.

My pleasure.

I brought you some tenants.

Oh, cyclamen. They're beautiful.

Thank you very much. I get a good home here.

There's something to celebrate with.

Oh, my, my, my.

Well, I'll have to get some glasses. I'll be right back.

It's probably... Oh, God, that's your love.

Both of you are...

Young is good.

And good is beautiful.

It's all beautiful.

Ah, that's the smell of life.

The earth, our home, our mother. She is our mother.

And she is home, I know.

I left home once and went far away.

Very far away.

And I looked back and I saw her small and blue and alive but

fragile.

Oh, so very fragile.

This boy wants to know what it's like out there!

like you could reach out and touch the earth and hold it in the palm of your

hand. It makes you ache to want to fix it, to fill it with love

and make it right.

I should have stayed out there.

I should have stayed.

But I came back.

And the assholes were here, of course, waiting for me.

Now, why are the assholes always there waiting, you may ask?

Because they don't understand the simple truth.

They've always got to turn it around and twist it all up and turn it into shit.

But from out there, oh, my God, from out there.

It is pure and clean and untouched and

wondrously beautiful.

The boy wants to know what it's like out there.

Come here.

If you want to find out, you have to go out there.

You make the choice, but they got to send you.

They sent me, and they brought me back.

But see, I left some part of me out there.

It's not here anymore.

I left it out there.

I'll never get it back.

It's all beautiful.

You're beautiful.

And you're beautiful. And you're beautiful.

And I'm drunk.

You there?

Just a second, I'm coming.

How you doing?

Hey, Paul, I'm getting old down here.

You're getting old.

Hey, buddy.

Sleeping late these days, aren't we? Phil.

How the hell are you?

How the hell do I look? Come on in.

Hey, you okay?

Yeah, I'm fine.

So, to what do I owe the honor of this visit, Captain Clawson? You been fired,

or are you just up to see how your betters live?

Thanks a lot, pal.

Hey, do I need a reason to see an old moon, buddy?

Especially when you show up in the middle of the night unannounced.

I'd say you're on a mission and don't you bullshit me. I've got a head that

won't quit. You want some coffee?

Thanks. I just can't believe he would lie to me, that's all.

I didn't lie to you, Richard.

I only promised to keep a secret.

I didn't think it would do any harm.

I assumed he was a normal guy.

Well, he's not. I could have told you that.

When he came back from his mission... After the debriefing?

He was impossible.

Arrogant, strange, nasty.

They finally had to get him out of Houston.

There was a rumor he even told the president to stuff it.

I'm not surprised at his drinking, but I am surprised that you let Eric hang

around with a man like that.

I didn't know, really, until yesterday.

Until I actually saw him.

Eric's been so happy and excited.

He admires Andrews.

Worship them.

Hi, Spaceman.

Hi.

Did you get some time off?

A couple of hours.

Did you see Paul today?

No.

He must be sleeping.

He goes over the deep end sometimes, doesn't he?

Can we talk about something else?

You don't have to talk about anything at all.

You know, it looks like it's socked in for the day, Phil, and you ought to

check your flight.

I flew up, sir.

Still waiting on taxpayers' money?

The way things are going, you better save it for the program. You guys are

going to need every penny.

Try.

Coming up to see a friend that did so much for the program and wasted money is

not to me.

Thanks, pal.

Why not for old times' sake? Come on down to Huntsville.

Let them take a look.

So much people down there would like to see you again.

Well, maybe later.

After the summer.

But just make sure they understand I don't buy fantasy.

I know the facts.

a while to get back up.

How much time do I have?

We estimate seven minutes before radiation reaches you.

Phil, listen up.

I'm only going to say this once.

You get back to the LM now.

I'm not leaving without you.

I'll be right behind you. Now move.

That's an order, Phil.

Move.

Don't worry about me. Just keep moving.

No Merlin.

I want you to put that thing away.

Why? Because I said so, goddammit. That's why. I'm still your father.

For most of the year, that's really hard to tell.

That's why you feel you have to hurt me.

Hurt you? How do I hurt you? I'll tell you.

By being so distant all the time.

By doing those damn models when you know how much I hate them.

Sneaking around, spending so much time with Paul Andrews.

She told you?

Laurie told me because she's afraid.

He's a drunk and a nut. A failure.

A failure?

A failure? A man who walks on the surface of the moon is a failure?

I mean, he's a hero.

Hero, my ass. You just can't see the truth because your head's so filled with

space garbage.

For Christ's sake, grow up.

Face reality.

Listen to me.

For once, just listen to me.

You're becoming a man.

This is for children. It's make-believe. It's games.

The best for you.

You hear me?

Eric?

Yeah.

I hear you.

You just won't hear me.

There is a program.

The shuttle is a program. It's just you're not in it anymore because they

fired you.

I'm sorry. I didn't mean that.

Sure you did.

Don't give me that crap about the shuttle being a space program. It's not

a real space program. It's nothing but a big plane to carry military hardware.

It's not space.

It's not the dream we once all had.

Well, it's my dream. I want you to have a secure future, a real life.

Dad, I got the bug from you.

You are the guy who taught me about space. My mistake.

I hate it. I really hate it.

Well, I don't like it much either.

I want us to be able to get along.

Me too.

You designed this?

Yeah.

I'm going to mount four extra engines onto the main booster system.

Well, what about reinforcing the frame? You'll have to...

Do that with that much thrust.

Well, uh, I already did the main cross struts.

Nose gave me a little bit of a problem, though. Lost a couple rockets.

Yeah, we know where the fire department found one of those.

Yeah, I guess that was more like an ICBM than a space shot.

True to life, huh?

Yeah. Do you, um, know the lift and, uh, thrust potential of those engines?

Yeah. You give me those engine potentials and I'll see if I can work it

out on a computer in the office.

That would be great.

When are you going to launch this?

Well, if you can give me those figures, I guess you can be ready just about when

it's time to go.

Go back to mom.

Tell you what, we're having a little barbecue next weekend. I'd like our

friends to see this.

And why don't you invite your friend, Paul Andrews?

Seriously?

Seriously.

Oh!

Oh,

excuse me.

Hi. Hello.

Here's to you.

Thank you. You're welcome.

Hi. Eric.

Just being in to wonder what happened to you. Ah, just being fashionably late.

How are you, Mark?

Is this your dad?

Oh, yeah.

This is Paul Andrews. This is my father, Richard Michaels. Welcome, Colonel. It's

an honor to have you in my house.

It's Paul.

I left the Colonel in Houston years ago.

Is that the model?

Yeah.

Isn't this supposed to be a Saturn V?

Yeah.

I mean, I made a few modifications on it.

Well, congratulations. It's fantastic.

But would it fly?

Oh, yeah, it would fly.

And who is this beautiful man?

Colonel Paul Andrews, Cynthia Rogers.

It's Paul.

I'm retired.

Why would a handsome, virile man like you want to retire?

Let me buy you a drink. How could I refuse?

Go on, what else?

You're a spiritual man.

The only child.

And a loner.

What's that?

That's your lifeline.

And what does that tell you?

It tells me that you need another drink.

I'll be right back. You don't go away now.

It's good, isn't it?

Huh?

Oh, it's terrific.

He did a hell of a job.

He's a great kid, really great.

You and Cynthia seem to be getting along very nicely.

She read my fortune.

Well,

she came with my boss, so I hope you don't have any...

Thank you, Isabel.

Mr. Michaels, I don't steal other men's money.

Yeah, I suppose.

You guys never had to steal anything, did you? Everything was handed to you on

a silver platter. All you had to do was take it.

I beg your pardon. What are you talking about?

I'm talking about the days of Apollo, Colonel. You guys were the heroes, and

we were the insignificant little shits who did all the work. That's what I'm

talking about.

Excuse me, Mr. Michaels. I suggest you back off.

Eric told me about how you were laid off from the program, about your divorce and

all, but I had nothing to do with that, and I'm really very sorry.

As far as Cynthia is concerned, I think she's old enough to make up her own mind

about her men, don't you?

There's a character that you always were.

You still don't understand who you really are, but you really did.

Just a minute.

What the hell are you talking about?

Talking about?

I'm talking about us working our asses off night and day to get you guys to the

moon and back so you space cadets could take all the bows. I'm talking about us

being discarded when it was over. Don't you think that's my fault?

You're blaming me? Mister, you are nuts.

I'll tell you what happened, sir.

A few of us came forward and put our lives on the line. You hear me?

our freaking lives on the line and don't give me that teamwork crap my friend we

spent years of our lives under a microscope having our bodies and minds

probed like amoebas and we sat on the top of your goddamn firecrackers and

drew g's blasting off and i personally landed that limb myself on a place 250

000 miles from here and while i was doing that alone sir you and your

buddies were sitting in a comfortable air-conditioned mission control with

your feet up sipping coffee and acting like you knew what it was all about well

my friend you don't know shit and that is the bottom freaking line like it or

not the bottom freaking line as you call it is that it took NASA years to decide

to send men instead of monkeys on those missions. You guys were nothing but sky

jockeys in expensive space suits with computers to do your thinking.

Computers and programs that we designed.

I watched three of my buddies burn to death in a frigged-up space capsule

designed by you geniuses. Nobody knows about all of our people who died on

construction accidents.

You son of a bitch!

How many construction accidents blew up six miles above the Earth?

Stop!

Take it easy, Doc. I'm a big boy.

No more booze, all right?

It's your choice.

I spoke to Phil Claussen after they brought you in.

He told me you agreed to go down to Huntsville. I want you to promise me

something. What?

If they want you to have a drink...

making sense and by the way you have a visitor he's been hanging around

all morning a kid named eric eric you want to see yeah sure doc

he doesn't know what's really wrong with me does he of course not thanks a

lot

How are you?

These are for Mara. She says hello.

Oh, they're beautiful.

And there's a vase over there on the sink.

So, how's the rocket coming?

Dad's been helping me out a bit.

Listen,

I really feel awful about what happened. Your dad's a nice guy.

He feels lousy about it, too. Yeah, when I was unfair and I was drunk, and I'm so

very sorry.

He's sorry, too.

So how long are you going to be in here?

Just a few more days.

Hey, when do you go home?

A week from Sunday.

Great. Do you like sailing?

Yeah. Well, I can get my hands on a beautiful 30-footer. Let's go out.

Okay. Hey.

Morning. Morning.

Morning, Colonel.

Hey, you might need this.

Put that sail in the bow. Good to see you up and about.

Thank you.

You've got a beautiful day.

I wish I could join you guys.

Well, I wish you could, too.

Listen, I am really very sorry about the other night. I was drunk and

grandstanding, and I don't blame you for being pissed.

A lot of you people did get screwed.

Look, I was the heavy there.

It was my fault.

I hope you can accept my apology.

If you can accept mine.

You bet, Paul. Thank you.

Paul, I just want to say thanks for spending time with Eric,

for being... Hey, look, you have no idea what it's meant to me. He's a great kid,

and you're a lucky man.

I am.

You know, you've brought us closer together somehow, closer than we've ever

been.

I don't know how to thank you for that. You don't have to.

You know, we ought to think about sitting down sometime and, you know,

discussing what happened with the program. Maybe come up with some

suggestions for the future for kids like Eric.

I'd like that. Good deal.

Well, have a good time.

Thank you.

See you later, son.

See you later, Dad.

Eric, there's someone very special I want you to meet.

He's one of a kind.

In fact, he's the only person I've ever known who sees the Earth from down here

the same way I saw it from up there.

But I gotta warn you, he's a little eccentric.

3 p.m., side 118.

Vought Alpha 15 just past rescue point.

Summer.

This is the infamous lunatic, Dr.

Harry Bertram, the man who talks to whales.

That sounds like an out-of-work moonwalker.

And I don't talk to them, I listen, which is more than I can say for some

people. How are you, Harry?

Good to see you.

This is my friend Eric Michaels, Harry.

Nice to meet you, Eric. Nice to meet you, too, sir.

That's, uh, that's great.

You like it?

Yeah. You know what they're saying?

No, what?

I have no idea. I thought you might.

Your timing is exquisite.

Come over here, Eric.

Side 118, track B.

Pod Alpha 15 just past Berski Point moving south. This is the sound of Pod

Beta 9 east of Perez Channel.

They stopped feeding.

They seem to be crossing the channel to meet Alpha 15.

They're coming over to say hello.

You do know what they're saying? No, no, no, no. It's just a guess.

Come here. Come here. Get out of the way.

Here.

Here.

Now, this pod, Beta 9, has been feeding along this channel.

When the new pod, Alpha 15, came into the bay, they stopped feeding and turned

to meat.

They do it all the time, so...

They assume they're coming over to say hello.

So, uh, all these, uh, whales, you know by their sound? He does.

By sight, too.

Hey, you want a beer? Thought you'd never ask.

How about you? You want a soda?

Uh, yeah. How about a Pepsi?

Thanks.

So,

uh, when did you get to know them all? Oh, well, they live here.

I've been recording them for longer than you've been alive, about 20 years now.

Harry was disabled by a Japanese whaling ship while he was trying to stop them

from killing whales.

They just ran his boat under.

Someday, we have to stop killing.

They have a right to live.

Just like us.

Killer whales, huh?

I saw some of them perform at the sequarium once.

They're smart.

Smart, huh?

They're brilliant, and we call them orca, not killer.

You hit a sore spot.

There's only one killer on this planet.

I wonder how many humans would go on living if they were forcibly removed

from their families and locked up in a cage.

Those sons of bitches trash whole families of whales that say they're

doing research.

Bullshit! The military straps bombs on them, and so-called civilized people

still slaughter them on the high seas.

Listen.

Listen to them.

We dump on them, and they still sing.

I'm just an old man on his soapbox.

Portable soapbox.

You want to see something wonderful?

Here.

My God.

That's Beta-9.

The one with the large dorsal is Herbie, the father.

If you look behind, you might be able to see his new baby, Denise.

Yes. Her mother is Rhonda, the one in front.

I wonder, if we ever got to another planet and found life there, and that

life was as different from us as whales are, would we try to destroy it? I

wouldn't. No, I don't suppose you would.

But what happens if it's not you out there?

Well, I'll just make it my business to be out there.

Good. That's good.

Maybe by going out there, you can help stop the madness here.

Good luck with your launch tomorrow.

Final guidance release.

Ten. Nine, eight, seven.

Ignition sequence started. All engines are started. We have ignition.

Two, one, zero. We have a liftoff. We have a liftoff. It's lighting up the

area. It's just like daylight here at Kennedy Space Center. It's a Saturn V.

It's moving off the pad.

It is now clear to power.

I miss you already.

I don't want to go.

Nora.

I really love you.

And this has been the best time of my life being here with you.

I'm just really gonna miss you.

I love you, Erica.

See you guys.

How's practice?

Okay, I guess.

Yeah, I'd be nice.

You pick a college yet?

MIT, I hope.

Then off to NASA.

That is, if there's still a space program.

What makes you say that?

Well, there are people who don't really want to explore space anymore.

They just want to build rockets for war.

And there's no real long-term plan.

I think each step moves us forward.

Ah, the dream is always there.

Hi, spaceman. How you doing?

Oh, what are you doing here?

Good to see you. Good to see you, too.

Mr. Andrews, this is my friend Al Fletcher. Hi. Al, this is Paul Andrews,

the astronaut. It's an honor, Mr. Andrews. Nice to meet you.

Eric, Mr. Andrews has a surprise for you. Yeah, well, I was on my way to

Huntsville, Alabama, so I called your dad and... I asked if I could stop by

and take you with me, if you want to go.

We're at NASA, to the Space and Rocket Center?

Yeah. And if it's all right with your mother, of course.

Mom?

Okay. It's okay? Yeah, it's okay.

All right, it's great.

When do we go? Our flight leaves at 7.

Yeah? 7. Okay, I'll go pack.

Okay. Okay?

This is the big one.

Saturn V.

These engines launched a whole Apollo program.

Amazing.

How's it going, guys?

Hello, Phil.

I made it. Hi, buddy.

Phil, this is my friend, Eric Michaels.

My old moon buddy, Phil Clawson.

It's an honor, sir. My pleasure, Eric.

How about this?

It's unreal.

It's a lot larger than I thought.

We think bigger out here.

Yeah.

The Bible Boys would like to say howdy now.

Why don't I show Eric around and you can meet us later?

All right.

Building 9.

We'll meet you at Building 4. Good deal.

I'll see you later. Okay.

So, Eric, let me show you around. Great.

This is a mock-up of the lunar excursion module, the LIMB, that Paul and I landed

on the moon. Uh-huh.

Paul was a pilot, huh? That's right.

Hi, how's it going?

Best.

Hey, Eric, how would you like to take it through a launch sequence?

That'd be great.

Bob, would you come take this young man through a retro sequence?

Nice kid, right?

You bet. Means a lot to him.

So what'd they say? Eh, same old bullshit. Nothing new.

Good to see the old tub again.

It all looked better than we did.

Would you want to go up now?

Damn right in a minute. How about you? You bet.

So what did they say? Hey, I told you I'd come down. I told you I'd talk to

them, and I did.

It's really too bad there wasn't more care taken when it happened.

You can't go on blaming everyone. I can blame whoever I damn well please, all

right? Take it easy.

Sure it matters. Will you finally and once and for all believe me, it doesn't

matter anymore.

There's always hope. There's new things... Oh, for Christ's sake, Phil,

don't you hear me?

This isn't God and country and apple pie anymore. I screwed up up there. I

screwed up, okay?

I made a choice.

I understood the odds. I gambled and lost.

It's as simple as that.

Hey, take it easy, old buddy. I don't want the kid to know.

You know I'd hope there is no more hope Phil You know

what maybe it wasn't even the radiation after all maybe that had nothing to do

with it, you know What are you gonna do now I'm going home

I'm going home Come on Eric, I

wanna show you

I'll never forget this.

Thanks.

I'm glad you could join me.

Listen,

Eric.

I want you to have this.

This is your lucky charm.

Yeah, well, it's more than that. See, this is part of the moon rock that I

brought back with me as a souvenir.

I guess I'm sort of a thief.

At any rate...

I want you to have it.

Maybe someday you can take it back where it belongs.

Well, this, uh... This is too valuable to you. I can't take this. No, I want

you to have it, Eric.

You're very special to me.

Very special.

And this belongs to you.

Someday you'll understand.

Hello?

Eric? What is it? What's wrong?

It's Paul.

He died tonight.

What happened?

He had leukemia.

Eric, he knew he was dying.

He knew.

God, I wish I could have just seen him one more time.

I loved him so much.

I loved him, too.

I love you, Mara.

Oh, um... I'll let you speak.

Dearest Eric, my friend, when you read this, I will have gone from this earth

once again, but this time for good.

Both you and Mara have been very dear to me in these last days of my life.

I hope you are together when you read this. You are both so beautiful and good

together. There is a plastic bag buried under the door sill of our greenhouse.

It's for you.

In it is the mate to the stone I gave you.

When I found it on the moon, both stones were together.

And I realized immediately that it was not just a stone, but something that

someone had made.

Someone not of our Earth.

Perhaps I shouldn't have, but I kept it.

It's been my secret all these years.

You are the only person I've shared it with.

My only regret is that I was never able to discover its true meaning.

But I know that someday, Eric, you will.

My dear Eric.

There it is.

I can't think of anyone who deserves to have it more, or anyone I would trust it

to other than you.

Now you know what I knew, that they are out there, that we are not alone in the

universe. I hope you will find them. I know you will try.

And if you do, let them know that we come in peace.

Have a good life.

With love and thanks for being my friend, Paul.

It's not always fair It's

not always beautiful But love has

many ways

And make the weak stronger.

And that's what love can do.

It's not always kind.

But.

Cause love gives us reason.

The light and the freedom.

No end, no beginning.