EXT. SPACE
The screen opens to a large vista of stars. Earth's sun is a distant dot of light, almost but not quiet indistinguishable from the rest of the stars.
The PILGRIMAGE, a near future space ship, enters our field of view and passes by us.
AMELIA (V.O.)
Space the final frontier... Okay, I
thought it would be cool to start
with that.
INT. THE PILGRIMAGE, CORRIDOR
We float slowly through the corridor, which looks a lot like an International Space Station corridor.
AMELIA (V.O.)
You see we've been en-route to
TRAPPIST-3, an earth like planet,
for the past 80 years.
INT. CRYOGENIC WAREHOUSE
We drift into the cryogenic pod storage. There are rows of cryogenic pods lining up the wall.
AMELIA (V.O.)
History will forever remember the
Pilgrimage crew. The first humans to
ever live on a different planet. And
I'm part of that... Ain't that
great?
We approach one pod in specific and we get a peak at the person inside, AMELIA, a 26 year old woman.
AMELIA (V.O.) (cont'd)
Yup, you guessed it, that's me. I
probably wouldn't be here right now,
if it weren't for that guy in the
pod beside me...
We drift to the next pod and we show a young man in his early 30s.
AMELIA (V.O.) (cont'd)
Jonathan, my hubby.
CUT TO:
EXT. GREEN FIELD - NIGHT
Amelia and Jonathan lie on the grass looking up at the stars.
AMELIA (V.O.)
I always asked myself how can you be
absolutely sure if someone really
loves you? Sure he never got bored
of my lectures on escape velocity or
orbital mechanics. Sure he agreed to
give up his life on earth to come
with me to TRAPPIST-3.
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
Amelia sits on the couch, her face buried in her hands. Her shoulders shake gently. She's crying. She holds a piece of paper in her hand.
AMELIA (V.O.)
But it all became clear to me one
night. You see, Jonathan couldn't
wait to be a father. But it's the
one thing I couldn't give him.
Jonathan enters the house and once he sees Amelia crying, he runs and kneels beside her.
He tries to hug her, but she pulls away from him and hands him the paper.
He reads it. It's an abortion note. Jonathan is shocked. And for a long moment he just stares at the note.
AMELIA (V.O.) (cont'd)
I killed our baby so I can go on the
TRAPPIST-3 mission. I think I saw a
piece of him die that day.
Jonathan kneels beside Amelia and takes her hand in his.
AMELIA (V.O.) (cont'd)
I didn't deserve forgiveness after
what I've done to him. But he
forgave me anyways. That's when I
became absolutely sure he loved me.
CUT TO:
INT. PILGRIMAGE CRYOGENIC WAREHOUSE
AMELIA
Fast forward 80 years and here we
are.
Red lights are flaring and slowly we start to hear the alarm sirens going off. Amelia's pod deactivates and opens. Amelia floats out of the pod. Her eyes flutter open. After a moment of disorientation she comes to full alertness. She twists and turns in the weightlessness of space, until she reaches a bulk head to support herself on.
AMELIA (cont'd)
CASPER, what's going on?
CASPER
Good morning, Amelia. I do apologize
for waking you up before your
scheduled time.
Amelia pushes herself to Jonathan's pod and looks at him, then checks the readouts on the computer screen attached to his pod.
CASPER (cont'd)
Don't worry Amelia, Jonathan and the
crew are operating within normal
parameters.
AMELIA
I'm not worried. Just following
protocols.
CASPER
I believe your actions indicate your
concern is for your husband more
than it is for mission protocols
Amelia finishes checking the readouts. She pushes herself and floats through the Pilgrimage's corridor. She's still feeling a bit disoriented.
AMELIA
Casper, are you going to psycho
analyze me or are you going to tell
me why you woke me up?
CASPER
My observations of the crew indicate
small talk always precedes technical
discussions.
AMELIA
Casper, when did you become sooo...
CASPER
Intelligent?
AMELIA
Annoying.
CASPER
Amelia, you wrote my algorithms.
Could it be that you put too much of
your personality in mine?
AMELIA
Ah, that must be it. Smart ass.
INT. PILGRIMAGE CONTROL CENTER
Amelia gets to the command center. It's a small rectangular room with consoles lining the wall. Thick cables are connected to different ports in the wall. Amelia looks through some readings on a console.
AMELIA
(concerned)
Why did the engines stop?
CASPER
There was an unexpected drop in the
solar power supply.
Amelia floats to a different console. A series of power readings appear on the screen.
AMELIA
If the power continues to drop at
this rate the cryogenic pods will
shutdown.
CASPER
Indeed Amelia, but the safety
measures will wake up the crew
first. Unfortunately, they will lose
the benefit of having their life
spans preserved till we reach our
destination.
AMELIA
Well thanks for the comforting news.
CASPER
It’s hardly comforting news, Amelia.
Are you okay? The entire crew will
be dead by the time we arrive at
TRAPPIST-3.
AMELIA
(rolls her eyes)
I was being sarcastic, Casper.
CASPER
Ah. I understand.
Amelia continues working on the console. There are two other blank monitors to her left. She taps them, but nothing is happening.
AMELIA
(to herself)
What's going on?
CASPER
I'm having trouble routing sensor
data.
Amelia disconnects some cables and connects them to different ports.
AMELIA
Try it now.
CASPER
Excellent, Amelia. I believe you
refer to that as human ingenuity.
The two screens to Amelia's left come to life.
AMELIA
Oh, no.
CASPER
Oh no indeed, Amelia. The rear solar
panel has been damaged during a
meteor impact.
AMELIA
We'll have to jettison the damaged
one and expand the auxiliary panel.
CASPER
Executing.
A 3D model of the ship appears on one screen, while a live view of the solar panel appears on the other. There are a series of bursts along the connectors on the base of the panel. However the panel is so damaged that a section of it breaks off and slams into the ship. Rough vibrations knock Amelia off her feet. She hits the walls of the corridors as she grabs hold of some handles to stabilize herself.
Amelia looks at the screen. One of the cables connecting the damaged panel wasn't jettisoned. The force of the blowout caused the damaged section to whip around dangerously. It keeps slamming into the body of the ship and then continues its random motion.
AMELIA
Looks like it's time for a
spacewalk.
She pushes herself through the corridor.
EXT. PILGRIMAGE AIRLOCK
Amelia, in her space suite, scales the frame of the Pilgrimage, heading towards the damaged panel. It zips by too close for comfort.
CASPER
Amelia, the erratic motion of the
panel poses a danger to your safety.
AMELIA
Thanks, Mr. Obvious. Just monitor
its motion and let me know if it
heads my way.
CASPER
As you wish. But please note, the
ship's sensors in the damaged area
are down.
AMELIA
Got it. I'm on my own.
Amelia approaches the connected cable being whirled every which way. She takes out a screw driver and starts unscrewing the port
The panel zips too close for comfort.
CASPER
Imminent threat, Amelia
Amelia works faster. The panel zips again very close to her. She has to hug the ship to avoid being hit by it.
She unscrews the last screw and the port literally explodes out. Amelia has to do an acrobatic move. She holds onto the frame of the ship and arcs around her arm to avoid the metal end of the cable. It zips a mere inch away from her.
Amelia watches the panel float away.
CASPER (cont'd)
That was a close one.
AMELIA
Tell me about it. Okay, extend the
auxiliary panel.
A door in the body of the ship opens and the panel starts to unfurl, but it stops before it's completely straight.
AMELIA (cont'd)
What now?
CASPER
There seems to be a mechanical error
in the fourth joint, likely caused
by an impact from the damaged panel
AMELIA
Do you ever give me good news
Casper?
CASPER
I only give you facts. Would you
like me to lie to you?
AMELIA
No. That's okay.
Amelia moves along the new panel. The Pilgrimage is visible in its entirety from her vantage point. She smiles at its magnificence.
Amelia turns to face the damaged joint. She sees something past it which makes her eyes widen in horror.
AMELIA (cont'd)
Oh shit.
CASPER
It's unlikely there are any
excrement in space, Amelia.
AMELIA
Casper, we have a big problem.
Amelia looks at an asteroid easily 20 times the size of the ship heading their way.
CASPER
Amelia, I'm hooking to your suit's
sensors to compensate for the blind
spot.
(beat)
Oh, shit indeed Amelia.
Amelia takes out a speed measuring tool and points it at the asteroid.
CASPER (cont'd)
Amelia I have some good news and
some bad news. Which would you like
first?
AMELIA
The good.
CASPER
If you’re able to fix the panel
joint in the next two minutes, full
power can be restored and we can
navigate the ship out of the path of
the asteroid.
AMELIA
And the bad?
CASPER
You won’t have time to re-enter the
ship.
Amelia is in shock. She looks at the asteroid, then at the ship.
She closes her eyes tightly.
FLASHBACK. MEMORIES MONTAGE
Amelia sits under a tree with Jonathan. Jonathan proposes on one knee to Amelia. The sun sets behind them. Amelia throws the bouquet of flowers behind her back during her wedding. Jonathan and her kiss.
EXT. PILGRIMAGE BODY
Amelia opens her eyes in determination.
AMELIA
Casper, prep the engines for
startup.
She takes out a laser cutting tool and starts to cut the broken joint.
JONATHAN
Amelia. Amelia.
AMELIA
Jonathan? Casper, why did you wake
him up?
Amelia continues cutting the joint.
CASPER
I thought you'd want to say goodbye
to your husband.
JONATHAN
Amelia, get back in here.
AMELIA
I'm sorry, Jon. I'll have to break
my promise.
JONATHAN
What do you mean? What promise?
AMELIA
To grow old with you.
Amelia looks at the asteroid, looming larger by the second. The joint breaks. Amelia positions herself such that her back is to the frame of the ship and uses her legs to straighten the joint. The electrical engine then kicks in and finishes the job.
AMELIA (cont'd)
Jon, I'm so sorry, I hurt you. I
know you wanted to be a father...
JONATHAN
Stop talking. All this is in the
past.
CASPER
Amelia, I would advise you to clear
the ship. The sudden acceleration
may harm you.
AMELIA
Bye Jon.
Amelia pushes herself from the ship and floats away.
JONATHAN
No. Amelia. Amelia. Please...
Amelia turns off her communication and closes her eyes in pain.
The farther Amelia gets from the ship the more of it she can see. She is now able to see the airlock she came out of.
It appears to open and a moment later another person in a space suite dives out of the airlock. They use a jetpack to navigate towards her.
Amelia activates her communicator.
AMELIA
What the hell are you doing? Go
back.
But it's already too late. The ship zooms away.
The other space man reaches her and they grab onto each other. It's Jonathan.
AMELIA (cont'd)
Why? Why? What did you do?
JONATHAN
Did you really think I'm going to
leave you alone?
AMELIA
Now we're both going to die out
here.
Jonathan smiles.
JONATHAN
Look at it this way. Maybe we won't
grow old together. But we'll live
the rest of our lives together.
They hug.
AMELIA
I love you.
Jonathan and Amelia drift off in each other's embrace.
The asteroid passes on top of them, and in a few seconds clears them.
A moment later the Pilgrimage enters our view on top of them.
CASPER
Sorry to interrupt this tender
moment. But are you interested in a
ride to TRAPPIST-3
AMELIA
What the hell? Where did you... But
you said...
CASPER
I believe that's what you call a
practical joke. Was it funny,
Amelia?
AMELIA
Hell no. I think we need to work on
your Algorithms a bit more Casper.
Jonathan uses his propellers to navigate both him and Amelia back into the airlock.