Water

An Earth 2 Episode Summary
by Ariadne [April 17, 1995]

CONTENTS:

• Previously
• The Teaser
• Act I
• Act II
• Act III
• Act IV

[<==] [^] [ ==>]

Screenplay by: Carol Flint
Directed by: Joe Napolitano

Previously

Julia says into a communication device that she has arrived on the planet, monitoring Eden Project, and that she knows he planned the crash.

(Up to Table of Contents)

The Teaser

Water is in short supply - the hydro-compressor was not made to condense water for so many people in so arid a place. Everyone is lined up to get the half-ration Julia is doling out. Adair says they are looking for bodies of water in the vicinity right now. Uly excitedly asks if they're going to have to drink water right out of the ground. She says they're going to treat it first. Danziger says without their dry soap stalls, some of them could use an old-fashioned bath. In narration, Bess says this new planet isn't easy on people; they're so used to having so much that isn't here. Growing up on Earth, she knows how to make do.

Julia is startled by a response from her communication device, turns over rationing to Bess, and sneaks away to answer. Bess, in narration, says their lives are in the hands of their doctor. Instead of the latest technology, she has none of her equipment, and she is all alone. How is she supposed to make do?

Reilly asks Julia her position, but she says he can forget that. He demands to talk to her on virtual; she hesitates, then gives in, telling him to try again without screaming. He says he does not scream, even at a citizen who has failed to call in for weeks. Seeing her, he says this planet is rough - she barely resembles her autocard. It's a miracle they managed to survive without his help. She says it's a miracle they managed to survive the crash _he_ caused. He says the Council had nothing to do with that; Eden was Blaylock's job. When he couldn't red tape it to death, he got desperate. She says she was on that ship! Reilly says she wasn't supposed to be, not that that excuses anything. Blaylock went overboard, and that's one of the reasons they put him out to pasture. She asks how she's supposed to know he's not here to finish what Blaylock started. He says the Council is light years beyond vendettas; they only want to focus on the Cause, to settle this planet on their terms. When she asks if he would send provisions or water if she gave him her position, he asks if they are in an arid region and says yes, he would. She asks how - they must be thousands of miles apart, or his heat seekers would have found them already. She believes he would aim weapons at them and that he's a liar; they're all liars. She thinks she's a liar for thinking she could trust the Council. She cuts him off and drops out of VR.

(Up to Table of Contents)

Act I

Water is in even shorter supply; overnight, Grendlers have dumped their reserve water because they wanted the containers. The scanner has found a sizable body of water 12 km to the south. Danziger figures he and Walman could make two trips before sunset, but Adair was hoping for three and says she's going. She wants Walman to work on the compressor. Danziger is not pleased.

As they ride along in the dune rail, Adair volunteers to drive the rail; Danziger says driving the rail is a whole different thing from driving a voice-activated taxi. She comments on the heat and hopes she brought enough water in her canteen. She hasn't but Danziger has some in one of the water drums. The rail stops running and will not restart. As Danziger gets out to check it, Adair asks what it is about her that bothers him so much. He says it's because she is too confident and optimistic; he supposes these are virtues if you're an Adair. Does he think she's some kind of spoiled rich lady? He thinks she's a lady who's used to finding what she needs right at her finger tips; it hasn't quite sunk in yet that she's on a whole new world where a lot can go wrong. She says she relies on him to be skeptical enough for all of them. The vehicle is out of juice and must be recharged for a couple of hours. She calls back to camp to let them know they won't be back until sunset.

Julia gives Alonzo a pill in a fresh attempt to heal his leg. It will be a few hours before they know if it will work. She asks him if he wonders if he can trust her. He jokes, then asks her why the Terrians picked him to talk to. She is unable to explain a fraction of what she's seen the Terrians do. He says the Terrians are always out there.

Danziger lays down a blanket for Adair to rest on while the rail's batteries recharge. She tells him there's only one blanket; there's room enough for both of them. He lays as far from her as he can, then abruptly jumps up to check if the collectors are turned on. As he drinks from a canteen, two Terrians burst from a rock face next to where Adair is laying. She and Danziger run away up the ridge. A short way up they notice, while stopping to pick up dropped gear, that the Terrians aren't following them. Adair tries to tell the Terrians that they are just looking for water; Danziger tries to stop her. The Terrians' response is to fire at them. Danziger shoots back, but Adair pushes his gun away; he says he wasn't shooting, but was answering fire. The shot tore a hole in the water container in the rail, spilling it all.

(Up to Table of Contents)

Act II

The Terrians are still blocking the pass, and the gear is broken. Adair thinks they are waiting for their next move. When Danziger asks what that is, she says these Terrians might be different from the others they've met. Danziger wants her to wait while he gets the rail, but she wants to walk the ridge to see what's up ahead. He reluctantly agrees.

As they walk, Danziger notices Adair is getting tired and thirsty and warns to drink water if she's thirsty. She denies her thirst, then gives in and takes a drink.

Danziger spots the lake from the ridge; they also see the Terrians there ahead of them. He wants to go back to the rail, but Adair wants to walk to the lake first; maybe the dune rail is what's frightening the Terrians. If they just show them that all they want is a little water, maybe they can avoid a confrontation. Danziger thinks if they have the rail, they stand a better chance of out-running them. When she decides to go to the lake, he says not to ask his advice if her mind is made up already. She says she is capable of making a decision; he figures she got lots of practice heading up her own multi-orbit firm. She says she did, and she was not spoiled, but agrees that her life did not compare to life in the Quadrant. She has scanned everyone's job applications that Yale has on file. He says she has him pigeon-holed: third-generation indentured stiff, problem with authority, working to pay off the debt of his grandparents' passage up. She says it helps her understand why a man like him would sign on for a job like this. He says he's damned if he's gonna pass his debt onto his kid; True is not going to grow up and be a drone. She doesn't like that term. He says "immigrant worker" is the term you blue-bloods use; in the Quadrant they knew they were drones. She says inherited debt is terribly unjust - a lot of them were working to amend that law. He bets that as soon as they get to New Pacifica, she's gonna send him home a rich man. Adair says she issued payroll on departure, and back on the stations, he is already debt-free. So how come on planet G-889 she still acts like the boss? She agrees, testily, to take the rail and hands him the canteen.

Julia is working at her table in the med tent. Alonzo comes in crying that his leg hurts, with lots of shouting and complaining about the pain. The leg is healing and must be flexed; he'll be able to walk when the bones harden. When the pain subsides, he says that she has a lousy bedside manner; he was hurting back there, and she didn't even care. She says she cared, she just wasn't crying about it. When he says he didn't cry, she says he was certainly making a lot of noise; she thought flyboys supposed to be tough. He says the nastier she gets, the more he likes her. She is displeased by this. He says it must be because she either likes him or hates him; either way, she can't stand the thought of him liking her, too.. She says she feels nothing, but he disagrees.

Adair and Danziger return to the rail. The collectors are recharged but the rail only spins its wheels. Danziger tries pushing, then puts a rock beneath the wheel with no luck. While he is trying to figure out what is going on, a Terrian appears and zaps Adair. Danziger cries "Devon!", grabs the Terrian's staff and collapses, zapped, into her lap.

(Up to Table of Contents)

Act III

Adair and Danziger are tied together to a rock face; both are just coming to consciousness. They are sore and notice the Terrians have buried the rail. He says she can tell him she told him so; she says her mouth is so dry. She must use her mouth to get the canteen in Danziger's lap. They work together, and she is able to get her drink. She drops the canteen while trying to pass it to him, and the water spills. She must then get the knife on his belt so they can cut themselves free from the Terrian ropes.

Bess, in narration, comments that hardship can bring out the best and the worst in people. She confronts Morgan, who had brought her a full cup of water, telling her that rationing was off. She thought he stole it, but it turns out that he gave her his half.

Alonzo can now walk, and he demonstrates this to Julia by walking to her and handing her the crutches back. He says thank you and hugs her. She silently pulls away and walks to her tent.

He follows and says he doesn't know how to thank her for all her effort. She says she was just doing her job; it's what they made her for. He says no matter what they did to her genes, she should take credit for who she is. She wishes that were true. He moves closer and kisses her. Her response surprises both of them. The moment is broken when some of the others come in to comment on Alonzo's walking.

Adair and Danziger are walking to the lake and showing signs of dehydration. When they finally see the lake below them, she wants to find a better way down, but he says he can make this. He runs down a steep slope, falls, and almost rolls off a cliff. Adair is relieved that he is ok.

Julia gets a message from the communication device to respond immediately. She hides the device in her equipment and curls up on her bed.

Danziger lowers the canteen down on a rope to the lake. Adair says to be sure to test the water before he drinks it, but he says there's is no time to be picky. The water electrifies the canteen, and it falls in; the water is not drinkable.

(Up to Table of Contents)

Act IV

Danziger is struggling to pull himself back up the slope on a rope Adair is holding. When he gets to her position, they see the Terrians across the lake recharging their staffs. They weren't trying to warn them; they were trying to protect their power source. Danziger yells Go on, Diggers - it's yours. He is getting delirious and on the broken gear tries to call back to camp for help on the double - Miss Adair's orders. Adair slaps him back to consciousness and they head off.

The group back at camp discuss the lack of response from Adair and Danziger. Morgan complains about the water ration and fears he is getting dehydrated. He is annoyed by Alonzo's incessant walking; he gets thirsty just looking at him. Bess, after observing Alonzo's attention to Julia, pulls her aside and says that it's not such a bad thing to have someone to count on, someone to trust on this planet.

It's dark, and Adair and Danziger are trudging along. Danziger collapses onto the ground, and Adair tries to rouse him. He wants her tell True he wants her grow up optimistic and confident, like her. She reluctantly promises, and he passes out. She covers him with her coat, then goes off to get help.

On her way back, she unexpectedly encounters the rail. When she tries to drive it, it again spins its wheels. She throws a rock under the wheel, and the rock lands in a wet spot. She cups the water in her hands and drinks.

Julia walks to where Alonzo is on lookout for Adair and Danziger. She wants to talk about that afternoon. He says he doesn't know what it meant. She says it sounds like a conversation he's had before. He says he's glad it happened and cares about her, but after that he doesn't know; what did it mean to her? She believes they made a mistake. One kiss? Haven't she ever kissed a guy before? She says this is different. He says because she feels something; is that wrong? Is she a better doctor because she doesn't feel anything for her patients; a wonderful thing happens, and she's miserable because she can't explain it. She says she was put here for a reason and has more important things to think about than them. He says he doesn't want her let him stand in her way and heads further away from camp.

Danziger is still laying spread-eagle where he fell. The Terrians find him and squeeze water from a cactus into his mouth. He revives.

The next morning, Adair is driving the rail. She meets Danziger walking back; he comments on her driving as she gives him water. She thinks the Terrians moved the rail where they did so they would find the groundwater. She says he was out cold and thought she lost him. He says it was crazy, and he had this thought that he was .... She hopes it was a good one and gives him more water.

Julia goes off to talk to Reilly on VR. He thought he'd heard the last from her. He says she made him realize that loyalty from a person of her talent has to be earned. He doesn't blame her for doubting them, but he can remind her why she used to believe. The Council created on those stations a world that was better than any world that came before; it was safe, clean, and free from almost all conflict. They created her because that world is not made by magic, but must be made by hard work and hard decisions; those decisions cannot be made with the heart, but must be made with the mind, a mind like hers. Adair and her crew can be used, but they have to be guided; they need her to show them the way. Can he count on her, is she with them? She says yes, that has never changed.

There is now enough water at the camp that the kids are throwing it at each other and the men are shaving. Danziger does not think the women will be able to resist a clean-shaven, walking Alonzo.

Adair tells Julia that she did an exceptional job with Alonzo. She had her doubts about her at first, but she was completely wrong; they could not have made it this far without her. Julia replies that like she once said, they don't really have much of a choice.

Danziger sheepishly tells Adair that he said some things out there and he wants her to know ... then throws water on her. As everyone (except Julia) starts throwing water on everyone else, Bess comments in narration that all they need to survive are the simple things: water, their health, and especially each other. If they could only learn to live with each other, she knows they'll make a home here.

(Up to Table of Contents)

[<==] [^] [ ==>]