INT. TERRACAT

Baxter leans forward, looking out the window.

Clarke looks at the odd formation through her Laser Ranger. Via her POV, the geoglyph’s ashen color differs from the main patterns seen from orbit.

[AddDescriptiveText]

Just then, the comm activates.

OMNI (COMM VOICE) " AeroFox Two to TerraCat. "

CLARKE " We read you, go ahead. "

OMNI (COMM VOICE) " I sent the data-pac to Odyssey as requested. It was received and there's been a response. "

Still affected by her nightmare of the Odyssey's destruction, Clarke is hesitant to hear the report.

CLARKE " What did it say? "

OMNI (COMM VOICE) " The ship is experiencing a number of systems failures. The crew is working to stabilize the situation. "

Clarke frowns. Jim was right.

OMNI (COMM VOICE) (CONT’D) " They’ve begun emergency procedures. They expect to have the majority of settlers awakened and prepped to disembark in twenty-two hours. "

BAXTER " That doesn’t sound good. "

OMNI (COMM VOICE) " Also, I’ve been using the satellites to monitor Proxima Centauri. A flare has erupted. "

CLARKE " How long until it hits? "

OMNI (COMM VOICE) " Approximately one hour. "

CLARKE " We better get going. TerraCat out. "

INT. TERRACAT

Baxter looks at a chronometer nervously.

BAXTER " We can’t make it all the way back to the Fox. We’re going to have hide in that crater we passed. "

CLARKE " Yeah, you’re right. "

Baxter muses silently for a moment.

BAXTER " These flares... If we can’t get that shield fixed, we might have to live on the other side. "

CLARKE " In the dark? Are you kidding me? "

BAXTER " It's still better than Earth. "

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Clarke looks at the sky, and then at the surrounding desert.

A pool of water has collected on the ground nearby.

CLARKE " It's a lot warmer over here. "

BAXTER " Imagine how hot it must be down at the equator. It's always high noon. "

Unlike other areas of the planet seen previously, this environment is eerily silent.

Baxter walks to the node.

Connected to its metal truss is a power supply and COMPUTER INTERFACE.

Lights flash on its face indicating an ‘offline’ status.

Baxter sets down the toolkit.

BAXTER (CONT’D) I'll pop the main board and upload the new firewall.

Baxter uses a DRILL to remove screws.

Bored, Clarke walks around the aeroshell.

Baxter pulls a large NODE-BOARD from its housing.

Clarke stops and looks at Baxter with a frown.

CLARKE " What do you think it's like? "

BAXTER " What is 'what' like? "

CLARKE " Earth. What's left? Who's left? "

CLARKE (concerned) " We received transmissions for a long time, but then they stopped. "

Baxter ceases working and looks in Clarke's direction.

BAXTER " No one told me that! That's crazy. Valkyrie and Phoenix were still under construction when we left. Each was going to carry a hundred thousand people. "

CLARKE " That was over fifty years ago. What do you think happened? "

BAXTER " No idea. I’ll have to discuss it with Captain Shepard. "

Baxter returns to work, giving the board a visual once-over.

She notices a faint electrical DISCHARGE that briefly cascades across its crystal circuity, then dissipates.

BAXTER (CONT’D) " This node got hit by a pulse too. "

Baxter activates a computer screen above the node slots.

She checks the power flow. It PULSES strangely.

BAXTER (CONT’D) " Weird. It looks like there’s current coming from somewhere other than the fuel cells. "

On the other side of the tower, a shocking image stops Clarke in her tracks.

CLARKE " Engineer? Can you come here? "

CLARKE (OFF SCREEN) " Fine. Tanya, please come here! "

BAXTER (putting down the board) " What is it?! "

Standing sluggishly, Baxter walks around to Clarke's side.

Clarke points to the sunward area of the transmission tower.

The aeroshell has been violently punctured by geoglyph material!

It’s 'grown' up the sides of the antenna assembly.

CLARKE " Could it have breached on impact? "

The metallic glyph glints in the ochre sunlight with a texture similar to pyrite.

They move toward it cautiously.

BAXTER " No way. The tower deployment was fine. This happened after landing. "

Clarke removes a pickax from her utility belt and kneels near the growth...

...cautiously poking at a shard.

The protrusion continues up into the back of the node's computer system.

BAXTER (CONT’D) " That looks like years of growth. "

CLARKE " Growth? "

BAXTER (tapping her wrist) " AeroFox, come in. "

OMNI (COMM VOICE) " AeroFox, receiving. "

BAXTER " There's something odd out here. "

OMNI (COMM VOICE) " Please describe. "

BAXTER " Geoglyph material has ruptured the node's aeroshell. It's in direct contact with the transmitter. "

Baxter runs her hand over the geometrical surface.

CLARKE " Don’t touch it! "

BAXTER " Why? It’s just a rock. "

INT. AEROFOX

A seemingly-sleeping Dyson covertly opens one eye as video streams in showing the unusual growth.

OMNI " It seems highly unlikely that a breach occurred at landing. "

CLARKE (COMM VOICE) " Obviously not. The geoglyph has grown through it. "

Weak, Dyson sits up and speaks.

DYSON " Get a sample... "

CLARKE (COMM VOICE) " What? "

OMNI " Kyle is reminding you to obtain a sample. However, the flare will arrive within ten minutes. You should find shelter immediately. "

Dyson flops back on his couch in frustration.

DYSON " C'mon... "

EXT. SHIELD NODE

Clarke quickly stands.

The two women turn to look up at the flaming orb of Proxima Centauri.

CLARKE " Switch your glasses to U-V mode. "

They both tap buttons on their wrists -- their lenses darken.

The U-V Mode takes light in the ultraviolet spectrum and makes it visible on their head-up displays.

From Baxter's POV, the tendrils of numerous lethal flares writhe along the flank of the red dwarf star.

BAXTER " Oh, my God. "

DYSON (COMM VOICE) " Guys, please... Just one piece. "

Turning back to the geoglyph, Baxter makes a decision.

BAXTER " Kyle, you got it. We’ll get right back to you. "

She leaves Clarke behind, heading toward the TerraCat.

CLARKE " Where are you going? "

BAXTER " To get a soil-core. Use the pickax. Break some off! "

Back at the TerraCat, Baxter climbs into the vehicle.

Meanwhile, Clarke hacks at the geoglyph with a ferocity that belies her fear of the alien rock.

She stops to look at the raging Proxima, then returns to work.

Fragments of pyrite fly off.

Clarke is caught unaware when Baxter admonishes her.

BAXTER (CONT’D) " Stop! Jesus. We just need a piece. "

Baxter carries a SOIL-CORE -- a clear plastic tube with a handle on top.

In near panic, Clarke snaps the pickax onto her utility belt.

She glances again at the sky.

CLARKE " We gotta get outta here. "

BAXTER (pointing) " Fire up the Cat! "

Clarke takes off for the rover while Baxter places geoglyph shards into the soil-core.

On the way, Clarke notices the computer board that Baxter removed earlier.

She grabs it.

Baxter stands, grimacing in the high gravity as she seals it tight.

Her suit speaks with authority.

SUIT VOICE " Radiation levels rising! "

EXT. SHIELD NODE

As Baxter turns to leave, she stops, noticing with horror that the geoglyph is GROWING BACK!

[AddDescriptiveText]

Baxter lifts the soil-core and looks at the material inside with grave concern. Should she even take it back with her?