01x02 - The Big Empty

Episode transcripts for the 2015 TV show "The Expanse". Premiered November 23.*
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"The Expanse" - based on the novels of the same name - follows a police detective and the Rocinante's crew as they unravel a conspiracy that threatens peace across the System and may be devastating to human existence.
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01x02 - The Big Empty

Post by bunniefuu »

Previousy on The Expanse...

Alex: Picked up a Mayday. Looks like a light freighter. Calls itself the Scopuli.

(HEAVY BREATHING)

We're obligated to check it out.

It's pirate bait.

Purge the logs.

We never received that signal.

Shaddid: I have something for you.

Little lost daughter case.


(WHISTLES)

Miller: So what's my contract exactly?

Find Julie Mao. If she's still here on Ceres, detain her and ship her home.

Kidnap job. My pleasure.

Anybody grew up this far from the sun won't give a good g*dd*mn what planet you're from.

Real sky over your head and real gravity holding you on the ground, they don't trust you.

That distress call we never received, it was logged with HQ.

Holden, you'll head up this rescue, or salvage.

Put a shuttle team together.

So, just for the record, guys, I don't wanna be here right now.

Naomi: This must be the beacon that called us.

Alex: Forwarding you an A-1 tight beam from the Canterbury.

Man: Torpedo launch!

Holden: Canterbury, burn like hell, you got incoming.

Real lemon works best, if you could ever get your hands on one.

It's a crucial part of the formula.

Neutralizes acidity, adds body, balances pH.

Something like that.

Here.

A perfect cup of coffee.

(GULPS) Ah!

(CHUCKLES)

It's an acquired taste.

Yeah.

So, wait and see.

Yeah.

Hey, what's your name?

Ade.

I'm the new navigator.

Jim, there's something you should know.

Alex: Hoss.

Hoss!

Debris field. Buckle up!

I'll try to drive us out of it.

(CLICKS)

(SNIFFLES)

Holden: How bad are we gonna catch it?

Alex: Pretty bad.

Right, sweetheart. You know how much I love you.

(RATTLING)

(CLANKING)

(BEEPING RAPIDLY)

(CRACKLING)

(AIR WHOOSHING)

Amos: Airlock breach! We're losing pressure!

Naomi: Somebody close the hatch! I'm on it!

(GRUNTS)

(GRUNTS)

Alex: Somebody shut that damn airlock!

(GRUNTS)

(WHOOSHING STOPS)

(CLANKING CONTINUES)

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

Son of a bitch.

We're through.

(PANTING)

Do we still have scopes?

Damn straight. Do not lose that ship.

What?

Alex: Jesus, you're not...

We're going after them.

Buddy, I don't think...

We're losing them!

Don't do it, Alex.

They just dusted 50 of our friends.

Well, let's not make it 55.

Alex, I'm telling you to go after that ship.

What if they don't like being followed?

They slip off that screen, they're gone forever.

They'll get away with this.

What is wrong with you? I gave an order!

You think rank matters now?

Get up, I'll do it myself.

Get up!

Naomi: We're not going anywhere.

(ENGINES SHUTTING DOWN)

(BUZZING)

Hey! Hey! Hey! Whoa, whoa!

(COCKS g*n)

Let's just take a deep breath here, people. All of you.

(THEME MUSIC PLAYING)

(SONG PLAYING)

(BEEPS)

Woman: (OVER INTERCOM) Water ration exceeded.

(BEEPING)

Woman: (OVER INTERCOM) Water ration exceeded.

(GROANS)

Bouillotte dealer: They're trying to thirst us out.

Who's that?

Bouillotte dealer: Earth, Mars.

The water shipment's not late, copain.

They're holdin' it back.

You seem pretty sure about that.

Bouillotte dealer: Water means life.

One shipment late, you got protests.

Two shipments late, you got dead people in the street.

And it's gonna get worse.

Mark my words.

(BEEPS)

(BEEPS)

Christ.

(JULIE'S VOICE) "Father, bother, poured hot coffee in the parking lot."

"Father, bother, poured hot coffee in the parking lot."

Home. I'm home.


(TRILLING) Show me my files.

Copy all files.

Replay my last messages.

I tried to give you the best of all worlds, and you choose to live like some filthy handmaid among the riff-raff of the Solar System.

Since you have no intention of returning home, I'm forced to consider selling
The Razorback.

You're naive, sweetheart.

It's time to come home.

Please. I'll make everything right again.


Jesus. Spare me.

Show me my replies.

Julie: You're so blind and so condescending and you're never gonna change. If you won't take yourself seriously as an adult, then why should I care about being your child? You want to sell The Razorback? Do it. You can't buy me off or control me anymore. Maybe what you hate about me the most is that I remind you of yourself.

(DOOR CREAKING)

(SIGHS)

(CLATTERING)

Keep it up, partner.

You'll get there.

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)

Is it true that you had a Belter up on hooks for 20 hours?

He's an O.P.A. smuggler and a t*rror1st.

The Secretary-General...

He didn't want to talk...

The Secretary-General has publicly disavowed gravity t*rture.

If you want to talk to that Belter, you put him in the t*nk.

You know who I am?

I've heard of you, yes.

Many interesting tales.


You're well-spoken for an O.P.A. soldier.

Because I'm a Belter, I'm naturally O.P.A.?

(SCOFFS) I'm just a citizen of the Belt.

I work for the future of my people as you do for yours.


Then for the future of both our people, I need to know how you got your hands on restricted stealth technology that could destroy the balance in the system.

You mean the balance between Earth and Mars.

Either way, it's a lousy deal for Belters.


The O.P.A. demands legitimacy through v*olence.

They haven't earned it any other way.

No? You talk to me through a piece of glass, you see my body which can no longer survive on the very planet that bore my great-grandmother.

(INHALES) Earth has created a race of exiles out in space, who have no homes to return to.

Should this go unanswered?

I don't mean to make you afraid,
madame.

Have I given you the impression that I'm afraid?

Then why waste your time on a meaningless courier like myself?

You're too modest, child.

Someone entrusted you to transport pieces of the holy grail.

The question is, who?

There are places far worse than this.

And I imagine there is a mother somewhere who'll love to see her boy again.

Est cela ça, madame.

I understand.

We all have our duty.


We've got a dead radio and about four hours of oxygen left.

Alex, how much burn do we have?

Alex: I could get us maybe a third of the way to Ganymede Station, maybe.

Or get us right to the edge of the shipping lanes, and then we'd have to pray someone tripped over us.

Amos: It won't happen.

With a dead transponder, we're just like space trash.

What's wrong with the radio?

Board's cooked, and I'm guessing the antenna array up top has seen better days.

Holden: See if you can improvise another board.

I'm gonna go outside and see what's what.

Great. We'll wait here.

I don't mean to be a bad news bull or anything, but the airlock's done.

The outer door's gone.

Then we'll have to vent the ship.

Are you outta your tree?

We'll lose all oxygen in the cabin.

Everything depends on fixing that radio.

We're wasting time.

There you go. Calling the sh*ts again.

I'm going outside. You got a problem with that?

Amos, go with him.

Whoa! (STUTTERING) Let's just hold on for one second.

We don't have to go outside.

(STUTTERING) We're safe right now.

We open those doors, we're done.

The ship could cr*ck apart. I'm telling you...

Shed?

I'm just... If we open those doors...

Please, just listen to me. Listen to me!

If we out there, we're gonna die.

Hey, hey, hey!

(PANICKING)

You're in shock. You're in shock.

(PANTING)

Holden: You know the symptoms. You know the symptoms. Just breathe. Breathe.

Deep... breathe. Breathe, breathe.

All right.

(GASPING)

(GRUNTING)

There.

There. You chilled?

Okay.

Now, we're gonna go outside, and we're gonna fix the antenna, and we're gonna make some noise and get rescued.

Okay. Okay?

Yeah.

Alex: (OVER RADIO) Watch your step, boys. We're on the way.

How's it looking out there?


Holden: Well, it could've been worse.

Amos: It can always be worse.

(CLICKING)

Okay. It's worse.

(BIRDS CHIRPING)

Havelock: Captain was pissed you weren't around.

She wanted this dealt with.

Yeah, it must be my week.

New Earth partner.

Drawing all the "hot" cases...

Woman: (OVER PA) Your attention, please. The Air, Water and Power...

Joon: Well, it's about time.

Expected you an hour ago.

It's a long hoof from the Medina, sir.

A week ago, those dead patches started appearing.

My guess is, the Greigas are stealing water again.

Some Belters clearly don't respect the green space's role in recycling the air and the water.

Not to mention the embarrassment it causes the Governor.

You seem sure it was Belters.

The criminals here tend to be.

You're new here, aren't you?

We'll get right on that, sir.

Maybe if everyone in Ceres had this view, they'd respect you more.

There.

Now, you can make your own view.

(HEAVY BREATHING)

(CLANKING)

Holden: Oh, sh*t!

(HEAVY BREATHING)

You're an Earther.

And I don't even know where you're from.


Amos: We're gonna be space trash in a few hours and you wanna start a friendship?

Holden: If you don't think we're gonna make it, what are you doing up here?

Amos: Naomi told me to, so I am.

As far as I'm concerned, she's the cap now.


(THUDDING)

(ALEX HUMMING)

(CONTINUES HUMMING)

♪ Till I lost my Clementine ♪

Naomi: Alex, send me some juice to E-12.

♪ How I missed her... ♪

Alex?


Naomi: Alex!

(STOPS HUMMING)

Oh. E-12.

Copy that.

There you go, sugar.

You doin' okay up there?

I'm doing as good as dew on a mornin' full of sunshine.


Holden: Hey, what's the deal with you and Naomi?

You two an item or something?

An item?

Hey, it's none of my business, but...


Amos: You must think I'm pretty stupid, don't you?

I mean, you're right.

I can take a core apart and put it back together with my eyes closed.

But ask me whether or not I should rip your helmet off and kick you off this bucket, and I couldn't give you a reason why I should or shouldn't.

Except Naomi wouldn't like it.


(CLATTERING)

Could you pass me the drill?
(ALEX HUMMING)

Thank you.

Alex: (OVER RADIO) ♪ Then I lost my Clementine ♪

(DRILLING)

Alex, what are you doing?

Alex: I'm bringin' her home, honey-pie.

Hey.


Alex: One more, two... and we'll be together.

Just one trip to Ganymede, sweetheart.

Oh, don't be like that, sugar, I said I'm comin' home.


Shed: Alex.

Naomi: Shed, what's wrong with him?

Shed: He's, uh... he's hypoxic.

Oh, sh*t!

His breather's crapping out!

Damn it! How long can he hold on?


(ALEX GROANS)

Shed: Oh, oh, sh*t. We're losin' him!

Holden: (OVER RADIO) We're coming back in.

Negative. We don't have enough oxygen to vent again.

Shed, take care of him! Do something!


(PANTING AND GROANING)

Shed: We're in a vacuum! He's in a suit! I...

(ALEX GASPING)

Shed: What do you want me to do?

There's no spare!


Naomi: Shed, you're a medic! Act like one!

Shed: Hold on, buddy.

Listen, I'm hooking our breathers up, okay?

So we can share air.

So you can breathe off mine, okay?


Naomi: Shed, what's happening?

(ALEX GASPING)

Shed: Okay. Hold on, buddy. Come on.

(GROANING AND GASPING)

Shed: Hold on, Alex! Come on.

(HISSING)

Yeah, there it is! Breathe! Breathe, Alex!

Breathe it in. Breathe.


(INHALING)

Just keep breathing. We're buddy-breathing.

(SIGHING)

Shed: It's all gonna be good. It's all good.

Shed, you got this?

No one else dies today.

If we don't get that radio back, we all die... today.


Shed: Okay, Alex. My turn, buddy.

I just need a couple of breaths.


(BREATHING HEAVILY)

Shed: Ah, that's the stuff.

Holden: (OVER RADIO) How's Alex doing?

Naomi: He's hanging in there.

(GRUNTS)

Holden: What does that mean?

Naomi: Means he's hanging in there!

Get on with it. Hurry up.


Shed: Don't look at it.

Just think about something else, okay?

Like your kid. Think about your kid.

Swinging on a...

Swinging on a swing or something.

You're trying to distract me.


(GRUNTING)

(CHOKING)

Shed: Hey, guys.

(SHUNTED BREATHING)

We're running out of... we're running out of air.

(DRILLING)

(GRUNTING)

Holden: Now?

No carrier.


Holden: Ah, piece of sh*t!

(CLANKING)

(GRUNTING)

(PANTING)

(RADIO WHIRRING)

Naomi: (OVER RADIO) We have connection.

Naomi: Get back in here now!

(CHOKING)

(GRUNTING)

Come on.

Naomi: Go!

Holden: Pressurizing.

(HISSING)

(INHALING SHARPLY)

(BEEPING)

(HOLDEN GRUNTING)

(SIGHS)

(GASPING)

(CHOKING)

Ow!

What the hell did you do to me?

(GROANING)

You saved my hide, partner.

You crazy son of a bitch.

Shed: Ah, no problem.

Avasarala: I need him sent to Luna for deeper interrogations.

Errinwright: Let the team here go another round, they'll break him.

They have a budget, it's already sh*t to hell.

And unlike you, I have to grovel and promise and deliver to get reappointed.

(SCOFFS) This concerns me? How?

You're two heartbeats away from running the government on this planet.

Yet you're accountable to no one. How does that happen?

This boy isn't some hapless smuggler.

I believe the O.P.A may be trying to obtain stealth weapons.

Everything is not an O.P.A. plot and if Earth can't afford a stealth program, how can a bunch of rock-tossers?

They can't...

Unless they've found a new friend like Mars.

Cold w*r is a bloodless w*r.

Mutual distrust and complete co-dependence.

Nobody wants to change that.

Least of all Mars.

That's another thing.

I want every Martian weapons facility under a microscope.

They are.

You know, your Belter will like gravity on Luna better.

That's the only thing he'll like.

I'm afraid for him.

Heaven help your enemies, Chrisjen.

Heaven help us all if Mars and the Belt decide to share a toothbrush.

Bold move, I'll give him that.

What?

The cold w*r is over, this is something new.

(BEEPING)

The antenna's working but our signal's still too weak.

(SCOFFS)

Naomi: The transmitter was severed from the power grid. It's done.

This just keeps getting better and better.

So we just blew an hour of air for a radio that doesn't even work?

Can't we rig ourselves an amplifier?

We're gonna need a sh*t load of power.

Take everything apart.

Be fast and be careful, we're inside of a limb with a pin here.

If it has a battery, a power pack, any charge capability, it goes into a part.

I'm sorry, does anyone need a back rub first?

(SIGHS)

Last one.

(DRILLING)

Shed: Even if someone hears our SOS, they're gonna think we're pirates.

(EXHALES) Well...

We're gonna just have to pray there's another caring soul out there like Ade.

Ade? She's why we're in this sh*t right now.

If she hadn't gone and logged that stupid distress call...

Hey!

You don't know what you are talking about.

You wanna keep your teeth in your mouth...

(CLANG)

We're wasting air.

(AIR HISSING)

Alex: Give me a hand over here, will you, buddy?

You want to unburden your soul, do it on your own time.

On the remotest chance we get off this alive.

We have enough problems right now.

Yes, sir.

You know that guy was telling you to go...

... hump yourself.

Yeah.

Geez... Really? I hadn't realized that.

I've got plans for it, anyway.

Not even gonna ask.

Miller: Nice tat.

Your boss lets you wear your colors like that, out in the open?

(SCOFFS)

Boss has one just like it.

Here's the one. Feeds the south-east corner of the gardens.

This guy?

Yeah.

(CREAKING)

AWP worker: Look it, here.

Sensor box should be to your right.

(HISSING)

Amateurs.

But you gotta admire their stones for hittin' the park.

Where did you say this pipe diverts to?

(CLANKING)

Twelfth Level, condenser grid. It's in a warehouse.

(WHIRRING)

(BEEPING)

Diogo: Even water like this today, Belter loader gonna want it.

Huh? Hmm?

Sa baka.

(CLICKS TONGUE) It's good! Good.

We can sell it.

Urchin: Let's make some money!

(THUD)

Star Helix, don't move!

Hey! Hey! Hey!

Be smart.

Come on, kid.

Huh?

(THUD)

(GRUNTS)

(GRUNTING)

(CLATTERING)

Is that everything you got?

(GRUNTING)

Hey... Hey!

Diogo: Doing my work, cop.

Hey, whoa, whoa!

What are you punks doing stealing up-tunnel water?

(SPITS)

Free sample.

All piss and vinegar.

You know, you're lucky it's us chasing you and not the Greigas.

They would feed you your fingers, for playin' in their district.

Greigas gone.

This is our turf now.

Nobody just abandons their territory to a bunch of street punks.

You see, the Greigas were smart.

They'd siphon a little water, and sell it off...

Nobody's the wiser.

But you, you gutter punks.

You screwed the golden goose.

Mmm?

Okay, man.

Schoolin' me on gangsters, que?

Yeah, dirtbag school's in session.

Listen... Pick all the pockets you want, roll drunks...

But when you mess with the water, that's when you're going down.

Maybe a couple of years on a prison barge will set him straight.

Huh? Would you like that?

Do what you gotta do.

(CLINKS)

Hey... Hey!

(CUTS ZIPLOCK)

Get out of here.

Stay away from the aqua.

Tell all your friends!

(CLICKS TONGUE)

I did not see that coming.

Yeah?

How about this? You see that coming?

Yeah.

Assistant: Madam, I apologize for calling so late.

There's been an incident on the shuttle to Luna.


Avasarala: Go on.

The prisoner, Heikki Sobong took his own life by avoiding the high-gravity injections from his crash couch...

It appears he broke free of his restraints, during the critical phase of the ascent, when he knew the guards would be receiving their own injections.

I think, madam, he is making a statement.


Speak frankly, please.

Earth's gravity. We used it to hurt him.

He threw it back in our face.


Holden: You want to clue us in?

This beacon we answered isn't pirate tech...

It's top-grade m*llitary stuff.

Serial stamp on the main board.

Martian Congressional Navy.

(HULL CREAKING)

Alex: That makes no kind of sense.

Holden: It makes all kinds of sense.

That ship that att*cked The Cant wasn't tucked behind an asteroid, it was hiding in plain sight.

A stealth ship... why would they nuke a civilian ship without warning?

Because they can.

You don't know what you're talking about.

Shed: Whoa...

What the hell are we tangled up in here?

Who gives a sh*t?

Let's focus on staying alive. We'll worry about Mars later.

(WHIRRING)

(SIGHS)

Good so far?

(BEEPING)

Good signal.

We've got three hours of juice.

(SIGHS)

Shed: Well...

I guess all we gotta do now is pop a cold beer, and wait to be rescued.

(INDISTINCT CONVERSATIONS)

(INDISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER PA SYSTEM)

Dock master: Nope.

Got no record of a Razorback on these docks.

Any, um, special hangar where rich people keep their pleasure-craft?

On Ceres? Not last I heard.

(SCOFFS)

(TRILLING)

(LAUGHING)

Now, there's a girl I'm not gonna forget anytime soon.

Yeah, why's that?

Uh, few rotations back, some dock-jock was slobbering all over her while she was prepping to ship out.

Eh, guy must've mistaken her good manners for encouragement and when he laid hands on her, god damn, she planted him in the deck.

That girl had skills.

What ship was that?

(CLICKS TONGUE)

Scopuli.

Dumpy old transport.

No cargo, just this young lady and a few crew.

Send me the ship manifest, will you?

And transponder logs, et cetera?

She in some kind of trouble?

I'm sure it's nothin' she can't handle.

(BEEPING)

Alex?

(BEEPING CONTINUES)

Someone heard us.

Someone heard us?

Yeah.

Shed: Are they coming?

Just waiting for the bounce back.

(CHUCKLES)

What is that?

Ship en route.

How far?

(CHUCKLING)

It's almost 80,000 clicks.

It's gonna be a hell of a close shave.

We'll make it.

What? What is it?

The ship. It's Mars.

What?

The Donnager.

The flagship of the Martian Navy.

Coming to finish the job.

(SCOFFS)

And we just told 'em where we were.

Reporter: ... continues to appear for the raider Canterbury which disappeared while responding to a distress call.

The
Canterbury was reported to be carrying ice, bound for Ceres station.

And the loss of that shipment has prompted a drastic increase in water rationing station-wide.

A spokesperson...


(CLAMORING)

(INDSISTINCT ANNOUNCEMENT OVER PA SYSTEM)

Hey.

Hey.

(SCOFFS)

(FOOTSTEPS APPROACHING)

Good golly, Ms. Mao. You sure can pick 'em.

Find your lost heiress yet?

(SIGHS) Well...

She's not on Ceres.

Shipped out on the Scopuli.

It just went dark right after take-off.

Vanished.

The week for vanishing ships.

You'd think a rich girl like her would've had that birthmark fixed.

I don't know. If it was a birthmark, her parents would have had it fixed.

That's a scar.

I don't think she wanted it fixed.

Why do you say that?

Oh, it's a badge of defiance.

Against everything she's supposed to be.

Wow. She tell you that herself?

Yeah, she did.

Listen, we're the only ones who know what happened to the Cant.

We get on that ship and chances are we're never comin' out.

Unless...

Naomi: What are you doing?

Holden: Buying us insurance.

My name is James Holden, speaking for the five survivors of the Canterbury.

Our ship was destroyed answering a bogus SOS from a ship called the Scopuli.

We recovered a false beacon and identified it as Martian Naval technology.

It was a trap.

Are you insane?

We are about to be taken aboard the MCRN Donnager.

Naomi: Alex, shut him down!

He's locked us out.

Alex: He's locked us out! Hey, whoa, whoa!

Naomi: You don't speak for us.

We intend to cooperate and hope this means we won't be harmed.


Amos: Should I smoke him?

Say the word.

We're dead anyway.

Any such action will only confirm that the Canterbury was destroyed by Mars.

(BREATHING HEAVILY)

It just needs to reach one ship, one station. Then it'll spread.

Alex: Don't count on it.

Their jammers were in range.

(SHIP RATTLES)

(CRACKLING)

Martian guard: You are prisoners of the Mars Congressional Republic.

Move and you die.
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