02x12 - Meltdown

[bunniefuu]

You know, I never considered
myself an environmentalist,

but the idea of somebody
free-dumping biomass

is really starting
to tick me off.

I mean, we're looking at a
two and a half acre crop loss

if Sea Mine doesn't stop
dumping by-product.

Yeah, well,

we don't know
it's Sea Mine, do we?

Yeah, and we don't know
there is no Santa Claus, either.

Hate it when I'm right.

Yeah. The old man's
gonna freak.

What the hell was that?

You...
You don't suppose

they had the nerve to dump
while we're here, do you?

God, I hope so.

Where are you going?

We're gonna catch
these guys red-handed.

Look. They're circling back.

Now maybe the UEO will get
off their butts and do something.

Turn around, Jenna.

Turn around.

What the hell is that?

Jenna? Jenna!

Jenna!

Jenna!

Commander Ford, you have a call.

Commander?

Jonathan?

Something wrong?

Must be doing
extra laps.

Commander,
I'm sorry to disturb you,

but you have
an up-link on hold.

Take a message.

I tried that, sir.

Well, try again.

Jonathan, it's your father.

I know.

He's been on hold
a while.

Sir?

What?

Okay.

The Fitness Center?

No, my quarters.
Secured line.

A secured line
with his dad?

They have
a special relationship.

I guess.

Hello, sir? Mr. Ford, I
can put you through now.

Sir?

Sir?

Mr. Ford?

Nice.

Hello?

Anybody there

on that nice sandy beach?

You waiting for somebody?

Where's my son?

Who are you?

Who are you?

I asked you first.

I got it, Tony.

Commander Ford,
do you know this guy?

Jonathan,
who is this person?

Person?

Goodbye, Tony.

Dagwood, put this back
where you got it.

Shame on you.

Where did I get it?

Rick and Jenna are missing.

The bodies were
never recovered.

When did this happen?

Yesterday afternoon.

How's Ben taking it?

Your brother's a mess.

Rick and Jenna
were good friends.

Dad...

I just don't think
I can get away right now.

Jonathan, you know I
wouldn't call if! didn't need you.

I'd handle it myself, but this
new facility has all my attention.

I've got half the business
leveraged into this start-up.

I can't lose focus.

What about Ben?

He's your
chief operating officer.

If I came down there I'd
be stepping all over his toes.

He and Mike Rainer
hate each other.

Like throwing fuel
on the fire.

This thing with
Sea Mine South Atlantic

has turned into
a full-blown range w*r.

Mike Rainer likes you.

You're a big sh*t
in the Navy.

No, Dad, the UEO
has got to stay neutral.

Jonathan, I'm not
asking you down here

in your
professional capacity.

I'm asking you as my son.

Look, you made it perfectly
clear to me a long time ago

that my life's work
is not important to you.

Dad.

That is a much
larger conversation.

Then let's not have it.

Give me a couple of days.
That's all I'm asking.

Thanks for
the vote of confidence.

Just don't let this
get any uglier, Ben.

It's pretty ugly already.

I may not have
Jonathan's finesse,

but Rainer and his Sea
Mine g*ons are diggers,

and a cool head to them
just makes an easier target.

Look, Dad,

give me hours, I'll have
Sea Mine on their knees.

If you think I'm going to give
you permission to retaliate,

you're dead wrong, Ben.

Dad...
No!

Now, I don't want you doing
anything until Jonathan gets here.

Do you understand me?

The pattern of ice pack breakdown is consistent.

You're sure it's just
not a minor coastal disturbance?

No, no, there's definitely
a trackable pattern,

and this is nothing minor.

The emergence of farming
and mining in the area

have completely altered
the natural ecology.

Activity which has caused
the water's temperature to rise.

There's still a ceiling
of cold water

running through it,
though, right?

No, see,
that's the problem.

It's forcing warm water
deeper along the trench,

blowing it right back
through our interior ice pack.

Those idiots in the farming
and mining industries

are destroying
our ice caps.

Well, that's the price
of progress, Lucas.

The gains of providing
affordable food

and mineral products
to the world

outweigh the seasonal
anomalies of a single ice floe.

Besides, both industries
are sanctioned by the UEO.

You know that logo
at the top of your paycheck?

Captain, with your permission,
I need to take a few days off.

Is this
your father's business?

You know, the natural resources
of the world belong to everyone.

Aqua farming and mining
are signatories

to the UEO
Natural Resources Act.

We're supposed
to stay neutral.

I understand that, sir.
But by staying neutral,

the UEO is only fueling
an expl*sive situation,

a situation that's cost
my father millions,

as well as the lives of two
of his research workers.

Maybe you should be there.

Permission granted.

Thank you, sir.

Oh! Sorry.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

Are you going somewhere,
Commander Ford?

I have to go see
my family, Dagwood.

You have to go
see your family?

You don't want to go
see your family?

Sometimes.

But not this time?

I just don't always get along with
them, is what I mean, Dagwood.

You don't like your family?

No, no, no,
I love my family.

It's just easier to
love them from far away.

It's like when you go
to a restaurant.

Going to families is like
going to a restaurant?

No, no, that's not
what I mean.

I mean, we tend to be nicer
to total strangers.

You know, friends, waiters.

We tend to behave better,
we have more patience,

we don't drive them
to distraction.

You know,
familiarity breeds contempt.

None of this means
anything to you, does it?

The part about
the restaurant does.

A little.

I like restaurants.

I guess we're just
more at ease

showing our bad side to
people who have to love us.

It's complicated.

No. I get it.

We have family

because we have to
drive them to distraction,

where there is
a restaurant that we go to

to be nice to people
who don't have to love us.

Exactly.

Mag-Lev engaged.

Be seated to avoid injury.

Thank you, Commander Ford.

Next stop, Docking Bay .

Anytime, Dagwood.

I don't know, Ben.

It doesn't sound like something
your father would go for.

We have to take care
of ourselves, Paulie.

Nobody understands
that better than my father.

Hey, Paulie!

Iced tea over here.

Hey!

Jonathan,
when'd you get here?

I just got here.
Good to see you, man.

Sit down.
Finish your dinner.

Thanks.
How's your mom?

She's good, she's good.
I'll tell her you asked.

Let me get you another
one of these.

Ben?
Pm fine

Paulie's on aerators
tonight. He's gotta go.

Since when
do we run at night?

Since you've been gone.

Paulie.
Yeah.

Okay.
Another time.

Look, Ben,
this wasn't my idea.

It's okay, Jon,
I understand.

It's not like it matters.

Well, it matters to me.

I just don't know
what to do about it.

I mean, you and Dad are
entitled to your own relationship,

even one that sucks.

I just don't see
why ours has to suck, too.

You're not around that much.

Well, maybe I can do
something about that.

No, Jon,
you're not around that much.

So what difference does
it make how we get along?

And so far as
the old man seeing you

as the only answer to the
problems he can't solve...

Well, I can't do
much about that.

I make good decisions
when I'm allowed to, Jon,

and I can be
very effective.

Thank you.

Dying.

Dying? Who's dying.

Sea lions, schools,
many dolphins.

He's been like this
all morning.

What is it, my friend, huh?
A predator?

An orca?

Bigger than orca.

Bigger?

An eating mammal?

Eating fish.

Scaring dolphin.

Okay, where is this
big fish, Darwin?

Near land. Warm water.

Comes from cold water.

Likes warm now.

You know, maybe that
activity in the South Atlantic

has stirred up
a pod of k*ller whales.

But he says
it's not k*ller whales.

So what is it?

Missing?

What the hell's Paulie
doing out there

in the middle of the night
running aerators?

I thought that with all
that's been going on,

we should be running
nighttime back-ups.

With all that's
been going on,

we should be staying the
hell in our homes at night.

Paulie's got a family.

Yeah, we know how
important family is to you.

I've been on with the
Coast Guard all morning.

I gave them a full description of
the launch and the aerator grid.

But so far there's no
sign of Paulie or the boat.

Dad,

Ben was just trying
to do his job.

I can handle this, Jon.

Mr. Ford, there's a call
from Mike Rainer here for you.

Mr. Ford?

Yeah?

Mr. Rainer?

Your father around, Jon?

I've found something
I believe belongs to you.

You want to send someone
to get it?

Looks like chop slammed it
against the struts all night.

That still wouldn't
account for this.

I don't know
what did this.

I'm sure you don't.

Hey, junior, maybe
you ought to tell me

why you had a man at my
rig in the middle of the night.

Don't try and turn this
around on me, Rainer!

I'm not turning
nothing around.

Guys, guys-

Look, I'm totally clean
on this, Jon.

I had nothing to do with
any of your father's accidents.

Nothing.

Now, maybe some of my
guys off-loaded a little waste

before they got completely
outside the shelf.

But sabotage?

Not while I'm in charge.

Look, maybe you got a
loose cannon on your hands

you don't know about.

Well...

We know for sure
your father has one.

And whatever sabotage
you think we're responsible for

doesn't justify this.

This expl*sive was strapped
to the strut of my rig.

Thank God
it hadn't been set yet.

Now, I'm willing to let
this go, Commander,

but you tell your old man
no more of this bull,

or I promise,
it will get ugly.

What the hell did you
think you were doing?

Jon, wait.

You know, at least, if you're
gonna do something that stupid,

have the guts
to do it yourself.

You gonna tell Dad?

No, I'm not
gonna tell Dad.

You're gonna tell Dad, right
after you tell Paulie's mom.

Rainer's not behind
the att*cks, Dad.

He's been dumping biomass
in my beds.

Why should
I believe this man?

Mr. Ford, you wanna have a look at this?

Mike Rainer may not be
the planet's best friend,

but he knows the difference
between cutting corners

and the cost
of human life.

Look, I didn't come
down here to take sides.

I've done all I can.

I've really gotta get back
to seaQuest.

Dad?

Jonathan!

Where are you?

I don't know,

but I'm about three miles west if
you're heading towards the Trench. Why?

You gotta run, son!

You gotta run as fast
and as hard as you can,

and don't slow down!

Run? Run from what?

Dad? Dad!

Run to the kelp beds, son!

What?

Hide in the kelp! Now!

Oh. my God!

Dad, that's the biggest
alligator I've ever seen in my life.

It's a crocodile, Jon.

Now, I want you to listen
to me very carefully.

Dad, I can't stay here.
It's gonna take the top off.

Jonathan, there's
a filtration system

about feet
to your starboard.

When I tell you to,

I want you to make as wide a
sweep away from it as you can,

and make a run
for the beach!

I'll never make it.
At a dead start I need

seconds just to get from
one end of that thing to another.

You can make it, son.

Because in five seconds, I'm
gonna blow up the filtration tanks

and release , gallons
worth of fertile seed flagellate.

Plankton?

A ZOO-foot crocodile
is trying to eat me,

and you want to att*ck it
with spores?

Now, Jonathan! Now!

He's going for it.

Captain, this is
Commander Ford.

I think the situation
in the South Atlantic

officially falls under the
auspices of the seaQuest.

Let's get you out.

Well, the tracking and depth sensors are totally sh*t.

The internal ballast system
has to be completely refit,

but she'll live
to sail again.

Lucas, I take back
everything lever said to you

about the cost
of titanium siding.

A quarter of an inch
is all that stood

between me and
being that thing's lunch.

Come on, Commander,
a ZOO-foot crocodile?

You know how everything
underwater looks a little larger than life.

Jonathan, it's not unusual for
some species of salt water crocodile

to grow in excess
of feet.

No, no, no.
Guys, guys.

His head was feet.

I know what I saw.

Dad, anytime you want
to pipe in.

, anyway.

Well, if it's as big
as you say it was,

then what you probably
saw was this.

A lizard.

Yeah, it's a very big lizard.

It's a Deinosuchus.

It's a post-Jurassic predecessor of
the modern crocodile and alligator.

That's what I saw.
That's it.

That's what's been terrorizing
us. This isn't Ben's fault.

Get out of here. That thing,
out there where I swim?

It's just a theory.

How would a creature
like that survive today?

Well,

with the activity in the South
Atlantic and the rising temperature,

I'd say we probably
thawed this thing

out of a million-year-old
block of ice.

The lizard got hurt.

One of you science-heads
ought to have a field day with this.

What is that?

Piece of Wally gator.

Captain, if one of these
things has been reanimated

after million years,

there could be more.

Well, there's only one way
to find out.

Scatter-Com away,
bearing .

Miguel?

Recording at , meters.

No frequency backwash.

Clean?
As a whistle.

Okay.

I got final.

Final is good to go.

Captain, I'm reporting a final on
all marine activity in the region.

I'm uplinking
your board now.

Thank you, O'Neill.

Well, except for the usual pods
of migrating marine life, Captain,

I'd say we're talking
about an isolated case.

Good.

Well, sort of good.

I mean, there's still at
least one of those things

out there we've gotta
take care of.

We can't k*ll it.

Look, this thing
is amazing.

What's amazing, Lucas,
is its appetite.

Ask Darwin
how he feels about it.

Captain?

We're lucky it hasn't
destroyed an entire village.

Which is not to say it won't.

Area of att*cks have
been fairly contained.

Cold-blooded reptiles
tend to be territorial

as long as there's food
in the area.

Well, there's not much we can
do about the marine population,

but we can evacuate
the human population.

You mean the villagers.

I mean everyone.

For how long?

For as long as it takes.

This area is a vital piece
of my operation, Captain.

I paid a fortune
for these rights.

Millions in research, and millions
more in manpower and equipment.

Fine.

You tell the bank
I'm defaulting on my loan

because of
a ZOO-foot crocodile.

Well, anyway.

Evactee Provo is
cleared for departure at Dock .

Evactee Provo is cleared
for departure at Dock .

Get those cargo sleds now.

Yes, sir.

Hold that line.

Clear this area
right now.

Everything all right?

Yeah, everything's cool.
Thanks a lot, man.

We're clear all the way up
to the cove, Commander.

I've got flyers out
to all the locals.

Everyone seems to be taking
the evacuation in stride.

Good. Listen,

why don't you take the
shuttle back up to the docks

with everybody else, help
keep a lid on things up there?

I gotta tell you, Commander,

it's a pretty impressive little
empire your family's got here.

Just how rich are you?

Well, that's a pretty
rude question.

Oh.
I got a ruder one.

If you're so rich,
how come you keep working?

Because I like ordering guys
like you around.

Now, move it.

Don't take it so hard, Dad.

With any luck, in a few weeks
you'll be back in full operation.

That's not
what I was thinking.

I came very close
to losing you.

The hardest fate to imagine
is losing a child.

Well, you'd still have Ben.

I take it that's your way
of telling me

that I should stop being
such a jerk to your brother.

No, sir, I would never dream
of telling you what to do.

Then I guess that's your
way of telling me also

that while I'm at it, I could
stop being such a jerk to you.

Very funny.
Thanks.

You know
what else is funny?

You coming all the way down
here to help me keep going.

Now you're shutting me down.

Come on.

You and Ben can ride back
with me in the launch.

Fine.

What the hell is this?

Hey, we're getting
ready to roll here.

Need some help?

Yeah, sure, man.
Thanks a lot.

You know, I think I may
owe you an apology.

Oh, not as far as I can see.
I probably owe you one.

At least one.

Which one are you
talking about?

Oh, you know.

The one where I dumped
this gig in your lap,

stuck you with
the old man's dream.

Oh, that one.

You know,

I didn't stick around because I didn't
know what else to do with my life.

I stayed because I actually
like agricultural work.

You have got
to be kidding.

And given half the chance, I
know I can do it better than Dad.

Did you ever
tell Dad this?

What, you think
I'm crazy?

Dad.

Don't move, son.

Hey! Hey!

Here, you miserable lizard!

No, Ben! No!

Come and get me,
you oversized handbag!

Dad?
Stupid kid.

Come on!

My God!
Dad, he's got Ben!

Dad!

Down here!

Help! Help!

Crocodile eggs.

Any sign of our crocodile?

No, sir, nothing yet.

Nothing at all.

What do you mean?

Well, the shelf is
usually teeming

with jack, yellowtail,
schools of tuna,

but it's completely
dead out there.

It's been that way
all morning.

How many eggs
were down there?

I didn't hang around
long enough to count,

but I'd say a dozen,
maybe more.

That was a stupid thing
you did, Ben.

Getting that thing
to go after you.

You're welcome.

You missed
a golden opportunity.

With me out of your life,

you could've run the
business any way you wanted.

I don't want you
out of my life, Dad.

Just out of the way.

Dagwood.

Dagwood.

Dagwood, no.

Dag... Dag...

Okay, okay-

Thanks.

Welcome.

Sir, a UEO reconnaissance
plane spotted our crocodile.

Where?

She's sunning herself.

Sunning herself?

Well, she's standing
guard over her nest.

What are we gonna do?

I hate to think what'|| happen
if some of those eggs hatch

and these things start
swimming out to the open waters.

Well, I've got good news
and bad news.

According to the DNA
found in that reptile's skin,

our crocodile was,
and is again,

a healthy
three-and-a-half year old.

Three years old?

Doctor, the life expectancy of
the Deinosuchus was years.

They were known to lay eggs
several times a year, every year

for the entire course
of their lives.

And that wasn't
the good news?

She's sterile.

Is or was?

Always has been, according
to her blood grouping.

So those eggs
are infertile.

Mmm-hmm.

That poor thing is standing defense
for babies that will never be born.

So what happens to Mom?

I don't see
that we have a choice.

I mean, as healthy as
she is, with her longevity,

she's gonna wreak some pretty
major havoc on our food chain.

We've gotta k*ll her.

No.

You can't k*ll her.

Put her back.

Dagwood, I wish
it was that simple.

It is.

Put her back
where we got her.

Where did we get her?

Wait a minute.
He's right.

We just put her back.

How are you gonna get
her back million years?

That's not where
she's from anymore.

She really came
from the ice floe.

Well, we do have enough
liquid nitrogen on the boat

to put her back to sleep.

Re-freeze her?

It's the most
humane way, Commander.

We gotta first
get her off the island.

Darwin's got her, sir.

WSKRS?

Bodyguards
in position, sir.

Come on, my friend.

Don't take chances.

Sir, we've lost
the crocodile.

Where'd she go?

Where's Darwin?

Darwin's fine, sir.

Keep a WSKR
on her, Lieutenant.

Don't let her get
too far from the boat.

Aye, aye, sir.

Don't do it.

Don't do it.
Stay close.

Ready the hatch.

Ready, sir.

Darwin's inside, sir.

Good.

You ready,
Mr. Ortiz?

On your order, sir.

Okay.

Now.

Got her, sir.

Vital signs slowing down,

heart rate, temperature.

All activities in stasis.

She's asleep, sir.

Any time, Lieutenant.

Aye, aye, sir.

She's secured, sir.

Thank you, Commander.

Take us through
the Drake Passage.

.

Let's put her to bed.

Maybe some day
she'll come back.

Maybe she will.

We're ready,
Lieutenant.

Dr. Smith said it might
smell for a few days,

but the mineral output you'll get
when those eggs rot should be worth it.

Sorry, I had to thaw
million year crocodile out

to get you to come visit.

Oh, you knew I was
gonna show up eventually.

Somebody's gotta pull you
two apart from time to time.

Well, I guess I'll say
goodbye to you now.

Goodbye?
Where you going?

Nepal

Nepal?

Well, what's in Nepal?

I don't know.
I've never been there.

What?

I'm taking a year off, Jon.

Giving Ben the chance to find
out what he can do without me.

That's great.

Congratulations.
Thanks.

Congratulations
to both of you.

You take care
of yourself, son.

I will.

All right, man.

You're gonna do great.

Throw it back, please.

Please,
throw it back, please.

Yo, sir.

Bring it back, please.

Hi, I'm Rosalind Allen.

We all know Darwin
is a dolphin,

but do you know
what separates him

from his relative,
the porpoise?

Well, one difference is
their rostrums or noses.

A dolphin's rostrums are
elongated and beak-like,

while a porpoise's is
shorter and more blunt.

Their teeth are
also different.

A dolphin's are conical,

while a porpoises
are shaped like spades.

Generally, porpoises
are found In colder waters,

while dolphins are
a familiar sight

along the warmer waters
of our coast lines.

See you on the next
adventure of seaQuest.