Friday 26 July 2019

The Majors Tom : 2010 - The Year We Make Contact





We're on dangerous ground right now, because of our secrets and our lies.

They're practically what define us.

When The Truth offends, we lie and lie until we can no longer remember it is even there.

But it is still there.

Every lie we tell incurs a debt to The Truth.

Sooner or later, that debt is paid.

That is how an HAL-9000 Computer turns into a serial murderer and goes on a killing spree.

Lies.
















 


Understand, nobody can talk.
The accents will confuse him.
He can understand me, so if you have
any questions, please let me ask them.
Good morning, HAL.



HAL [OVER SPEAKERS]:
Good morning, Dr. Chandra.



Do you feel capable of resuming all of your duties?
 


Of course.
I am completely operational and all my circuits are functioning perfectly.



That's good.
Do you know what those duties are?
 


Yes. I will operate the onboard systems of Discovery.
There is a launch window in 31 days when Earth is in the proper position.
There is enough fuel on board
for a low consumption route that will enable Discovery
to return in 28 months.

This will not present a problem.
 


CHANDRA: 
That's very good.
Now, HAL, do you mind if I ask you a question?
 


Not at all.
 


Do you recall Dave Bowman
and Frank Poole leaving the Discovery?
 


Certainly not. That could never have happened or I would remember it.


Where are Frank and Dave?


They're fine. They're not here right now.
 


Who are these people?
I can only identify you although I compute
a 65 percent probability that the man behind you is Dr. Floyd.
 


CHANDRA: 
Don't worry, HAL.
I'll explain everything later.
 



Has the mission been completed?
You know that I have the greatest enthusiasm for it.
 



The mission has been completed
and you have carried out your program very well.
 


And now, HAL, if you will excuse us
for a moment we wish to have a private conversation.
 


Certainly.
What was that all about?
 



I've erased all of HAL's memory from the moment the trouble started.
 


The 9000 series
uses holographic memories so chronological erasures
would not work.



CHANDRA: 

 I made a tapeworm.



You made a what?
It's a program that's fed into a system that will destroy any desired memories.



Wait.



Do you know why HAL did what he did?


Yes. It wasn't his fault.
Whose fault was it?


Yours.


Mine?
CHANDRA:
Yours.
In going through HAL's memory banks
I discovered his original orders.
You wrote those orders.
Discovery's mission to Jupiter was already
in the advanced stages when the first small monolith was found
and sent its signal toward Jupiter.
By direct presidential order, the existence
of that monolith was kept secret.



So?

So as the function of the command crew, Bowman and Poole
was to get Discovery to its destination it was decided they shouldn't be informed.



The investigative team was trained separately and placed in hibernation before the voyage began.
Since HAL was capable of operating
Discovery without human assistance it was decided he should be programmed to complete the mission autonomously in the event the crew was incapacitated or killed.
He was given full knowledge
of the true objective and instructed not to reveal anything
to Bowman or Poole.


He was instructed to lie.


What are you talking about?
I didn't authorize anyone to tell HAL about the monolith.
 


The directive is NSC 342-slash-23, Top Secret, January 30, 2001 .
NSC, National Security Council, the White House.
I don't care who it is.
The situation was in conflict with the basic purpose of HAL's design the accurate processing of information without distortion or concealment.
 

He became trapped.

The technical term is an H-Mobius loop, which can happen in advanced computers with autonomous
goal-seeking programs.



The goddamn White House.
I don't believe it.
 

HAL was told to lie by people who find it easy to lie.
HAL doesn't know how, so he couldn't function.
He became paranoid.
 


Those sons of bitches.
I didn't know.
I didn't know.
You think we're gonna
get out of this alive?
We have a chance.
A man of few words. I like it.
HAL [OVER SPEAKERS]: Fifteen minutes
to ignition. All systems nominal.
Good. Thank you, HAL.
FLOYD [OVER RADIO]:
We read 15 minutes, Discovery.
HAL: Dr. Chandra,
I've checked my calculations again.
By using all of Discovery's fuel now,
Discovery will not be in proper position...
...to rendezvous with Earth.
CHANDRA: Yes, I know.
HAL: Then why are we doing it?
You will rendezvous
with the new space station.
The Leonov has been
ordered home immediately.
HAL: I have no information regarding
a new space station.
Yes, I....
I know, uh.
It was completed two years ago.
Oh, my God.
FLOYD:
Put the telescope on the monitor.
Increase the magnification.
HAL:
Eleven minutes to ignition.
I don't believe it.
HAL: Dr. Chandra,
I detect strong vocal stress patterns.
-Is there a problem?
CHANDRA: No, HAL.
The mission is proceeding normally.
Can you analyze the image
on Monitor Circuit 2?
HAL: Yes. There is a circular object
near the equator.
It is 22,000 kilometers in diameter.
It is comprised of rectangular objects.
CHANDRA: How many?
HAL: 1,355,000, plus or minus 1000.
And what is the proportion
of the objects in question?
HAL: One-by-four-by-nine.
CHANDRA: Do you recognize these objects?
HAL: Yes. They are identical in size and shape
to the object you call the monolith.
Ten minutes to ignition.
All systems nominal.
CHANDRA: Is the number
of monoliths constant?
HAL:
No.
-They are increasing.
-At what rate?
HAL:
Once every two minutes.
Look closely.
Tell me I'm nuts. Are the cloud formations
going towards the spot?
You're not nuts.
ORLOV: Looks like the thing
is eating the planet.
-I think it is.
-It's reproducing exactly like a virus.
HAL: Eight minutes to ignition.
Dr. Chandra, may I make a suggestion?
Of course. What is it, HAL?
HAL:
This is a very unusual phenomenon.
Don't you think
I should abort the countdown...
...so you can remain to study it?
Chandra, get on a headset.
-Use the private channel.
-Okay.
Now you got to talk quickly.
Persuade him to continue the countdown.
I don't care what you tell him,
only don't let him stop.
HAL:
Five minutes to ignition.
Dr. Chandra, I'm ready to stop
the countdown if you want.
No, HAL, don't stop.
I am confident in your ability
to study the phenomenon yourself.
I have complete faith in you.
HAL: Propellant tank pressurization
completed. Voltage steady.
Are you sure you're making
the right decision?
I think we should stop.
Four minutes to ignition.
I enjoy working with human beings...
...and have stimulating relationships
with them.
We enjoy working with you, HAL,
and we will continue to do so...
...even if we are separated
by great distance.
Good God.
Color.
It's fading.
ORLOV: It seems to be
losing its chemical strength.
HAL: I think we should stop the countdown,
Dr. Chandra.
No. Don't do that.
HAL: This behavior is inconsistent
with logic, Dr. Chandra.
This phenomenon is too important
to leave, unless it represented danger.
Do you think there is danger here?
Captain, how critical is our ignition?
-Can we do this manually?
-It's very critical.
We cannot be accurate
to a tenth of a second if we do it manually.
HAL:
Three minutes to ignition.
Dr. Chandra, I am waiting for your reply.
I don't have time
to explain everything to you, HAL.
We have to leave here
and we need your help.
HAL:
Thirty seconds to final sequence.
If you would tell me the reasons
perhaps I could be of help.
Final sequence beginning.
Two minutes to ignition.
Dr. Chandra, I find it difficult
to proceed with the ignition...
...without knowing why we are doing this.
Is the mission in jeopardy?
Yes, we're in jeopardy.
HAL: Is that why we are making our
escape launch before the launch window?
Yes, HAL.
HAL:
Ignition in 90 seconds.
If there is danger here
and I use up all the fuel in the escape...
...what will happen to the Discovery?
It could be destroyed.
HAL:
And if I don't proceed with the launch?
Then the Leonov and everybody in it
could be destroyed.
HAL:
I understand now, Dr. Chandra.
Do you want me to stay with you?
HAL: No.
It is better for the mission if you leave.
One minute to ignition.
Thank you for telling me the truth.
You deserve it.
HAL:
Fifty seconds.
Dr. Chandra?
Yes?
HAL:
Will I dream?
I don't know.
HAL:
Forty seconds.
Thirty seconds.
Thank you, HAL.
HAL:
Goodbye, Dr. Chandra.
Twenty seconds.
FLOYD:
Chandra, get the hell out of there.
HAL:
Ten, nine, eight, seven...
...six, five, four, three...
...two, one.
Ignition full thrust.
MAN [OVER PA]: One minute to separation.
Separation in one minute.
-You had us scared for a moment.
-Nice work. You all right?
Yes, I'm all right.
MAN: Separation in 40 seconds.
-Thought you might want this.
When?
-Wasn't very hard to find.
MAN: Separation in 30 seconds.
Yeah, I knew you would do
something like this.
MAN:
Separation in 20 seconds.
Separation in 10 seconds.
[SPEAKING IN RUSSIAN]
Nine, eight, seven...
...six, five, four, three...
...two, one, zero.
BOWMAN:
HAL, do you read me?
HAL [OVER SPEAKERS]:
Yes, Dave.
Where are you?
I cannot see you on any of my monitors.
BOWMAN: That isn't important now.
I have new instructions for you.
I want you to point the AE35 antenna
towards Earth.
HAL: Dave, that will mean breaking contact
with the Leonov.
I will no longer be able to relay
my Jupiter observations...
...according to program.
BOWMAN:
I understand.
The situation has changed.
Accept priority override alpha.
Here are the AE35 coordinates.
Please, do it now.
HAL: Instructions confirmed, Dave.
It is good to be working with you again.
Have I fulfilled
the mission objectives properly?
BOWMAN:
Yes, HAL. You have done very well.
Now, there is one final message for you
to transmit to Earth.
It is the most important message
you have ever sent.
I want you to keep repeating it
as many times as possible.
HAL: What is going to happen, Dave?
BOWMAN: Something wonderful.
HAL: I'm afraid.
BOWMAN: Don't be. We'll be together.
HAL: Where will we be?
BOWMAN: Where I am now.
HAL: Lock confirmed on Beacon Terra 1.
Message commencing.
It's shrinking! It's shrinking!
[ALARM BEEPING]
Don't quit. Don't quit, damn it.
Move!
Grab something, now!

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