Ascendance (2017)

1
- The old tunnels...
Much the same as they've always been.
Whenever we'd visit my Aunt's house,
this is the place we'd explore.
But now, I come alone.
As a girl, I used to wonder if there was
some creature lurking in the dark,
some huge monster just around
the corner waiting to pounce.
Scaring myself was half
the fun in those days.
Little did I know that
it was in these tunnels
that events would unfold that would change
the course of everything.
- Something unexpected
is happening on the sun.
According to measurements from
NASA's Reported Observatories
the sun's vast magnetic field--
- Five, four, three, two, one.
Houston, negative return.
- Copy, negative return.
- What would you do if you had
dreams of disasters and
they started coming true?
It all started after the funeral
when I was sent to my
aunt's house to live.
- Aunt?
- Yes, come in, Sarah.
- My aunt and I had
never got on that well.
- Just...
Just come out when you're ready, eh?
- Who is that?
- It's nothing.
It's just some people up at the tunnels.
- Extreme climate conditions
caused historic flooding along
the Mighty Mississippi
and Missouri Rivers.
And severe storm events have
made this tornado season
the deadliest in 50 years.
- We have been dealing, this spring,
with a highly unusual set of
catastrophic weather events.
And we have over a
thousand core employees--
- It was getting worse.
Sometimes I feel like
Google is my best friend.
It was late, and my aunt said she had to
go out for half an hour.
- Okay, well I won't be long.
- Okay.
- Bye.
- See ya'.
- The National
Weather Association
in Nashville has issued a tornado warning
for Rutherford County in Middle Tennessee.
South Central Wilson
County in Middle Tennessee.
And from 4:15 PM central standard time
at 3:34 PM central standard time,
National Weather Service Doppler Radar
indicated a severe thunderstorm
on top of that producing a tornado.
This dangerous storm was located 15 miles
south of Sevierville,
or 16 miles southwest of Jonesborough,
and moving northeast at 15 miles per hour.
Take cover now.
Move to an interior
room on the lowest floor
of a sturdy building.
Avoid windows.
If in a mobile home, a
vehicle, or outdoors,
move the closest substantial shelter,
and protect yourself from flying debris.
Tornado warning for--
- Well, I'm sure people have dreams
of disaster all the time.
My favorite photo of my parents
was taken when I was eight years old.
I told my aunt I was going
for a walk around the beach,
which was true.
No way out.
Hello?
Who's there?
Hello?
No...
No.
Yes!
- The mission
was to find any survivors
after an EF5 tornado ripped
through this neighborhood.
Their mission not only included
searching for survivors,
but finding potential hazards as well.
- It was the deadliest
tornado is the United States since 2011,
when 161 people were
killed in Joplin, Missouri.
Moore, Oklahoma was also hit
hard by a deadly tornado.
- It had happened again.
Smoke!
Auntie!
Auntie?
Auntie?
Auntie?
Auntie?
Auntie?
- Back on.
- What happened to all the angels?
- I just felt like a bit of a change.
- Very believable.
What was going on in this place?
Unearthly beings in the tunnels...
And disturbing dreams night after night.
Later that day, there was more bad news.
- An asteroid
about 45 meters in diameter
is going to pass very
near our planet on Friday;
the closest ever predicted approach
for an object this size.
But there is no need
for concern says NASA's
Near Object Observations
Program in Washington.
In 1908, a slightly smaller asteroid
exploded over Tunguska, Siberia,
leveling trees over
2,000 square kilometers.
NASA estimates 100,000 objects this size
are in Earth's vicinity.
On average...
- We've never seen an object
this big get so close to Earth.
An asteroid about half the
size of a football field
only 17,200 miles above
our planet's surface.
There's no danger of a collision,
but the space rock has NASA's attention.
- Driving with
my aunt was always fun.
- Auntie, stop the car, please.
Stop the car!
- Nobody else on this street can see me.
It's given to very few.
- I just wanted to ask you--
- I have no permission at all
to answer any of your questions.
I'm sorry.
- But I just wanted to ask you something.
- When the way is close,
knock and the door will be opened.
Seek...
And you shall find.
- So, what was all that about?
- I thought I saw someone.
- Never do that again.
I will seek permission to
answer some of your questions.
I'll meet you right here,
mid-afternoon tomorrow.
Expect perhaps some answers.
In the meantime, there are
creatures at some of these
side tunnels you would never want to meet.
Stay in the light.
Mid-afternoon tomorrow.
- Hello?
You okay?
Hello?
You okay?
What happened?
- There was some whispering,
and my torch went out.
- Let's get you out of here.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome.
- Sarah, there's someone here to see you.
- You're thinking you'll
not go back up there,
but I say again...
Seek, and you shall find.
Knock, and the door will be opened.
- You're older.
Hello?
- Sarah.
- Sarah...
You need to prepare yourself
for what you're about to hear.
Come.
- You're an angel then?
- You could call me that.
- Why do you come to the tunnels?
- They call that place Jacob's Ladder.
Jump from there to anywhere
in Europe or the Pacific.
Come.
- I keep having dreams of disasters.
And they seem to be coming true.
- The time of shaking has begun.
Everything that can be
shaken will be shaken.
- He told me we were nearing
the end of all things.
But beyond that, wouldn't say much.
- You have entered the
time of birth pangs.
This have never happened before.
You need to prepare yourself
and those close to you.
Come.
If you meet with me here
tomorrow at the same time,
there's more that you need to here.
- Some 1,600 tornadoes
crisscrossed the United States last year.
Other parts of the world experienced
similar extreme weather.
The year before, Russia
experienced its hottest
summer in 500 years.
These conditions are likely to trigger
more intense droughts, heavier rainfall,
and stronger storms.
- I couldn't work out
why the angel hadn't told me more.
- No, no, no,
both of her parents died.
Anyway, I better go.
Yes, we'll be in touch.
Okay...
- It was then that we learned
the space shuttle was being
sent on a special mission,
something to do with the sun.
- Say go for launch, OTC.
- We're a go.
- TVC.
- The boosters are a go.
- TCC.
- TCC
is go for launch, sir.
- LCS.
- LCS is go.
- Two supply.
- Two supply is go.
- MILA.
- Go for launch.
- STM.
- STM is go.
- Safety counsel.
- Ready to go.
- SRL.
- SRL is go,
we're ready and clear for launch.
- So, out again?
Up the hill again.
- Beware the voice of deception.
- Sarah.
- Thank you.
The dreams, they're getting worse.
- Your long civilization
is coming to an end.
Come.
You know what happens over
the next 60 years, Sarah?
Collapse of Western Europe,
collapse of Eastern Europe.
Collapse of East Asia,
with or without disasters.
For decades your people have immersed
themselves in a marketing culture;
an entertainment culture that
tells them over and over,
"Live for self, exist for self."
What's coming is a global
population collapse.
It's already underway.
- Surely there's some
way of turning it around.
- For sometime we've had
it under consideration
to pull most of our forces
out of the richer countries;
focus on the poorer nations.
We're getting very close to doing this.
- But if you leave, won't
the disasters get worse?
- They will get worse.
It's already happening.
We've done all that we can here.
It's time to go.
Come.
- Could we meet again tomorrow?
There's something I've
been meaning to ask you.
- We can.
- Atlantis OTC,
closure launch advisors initiate O2 flow.
- That's a one.
- Firing chain is armed.
Go for main engine start in
t-minus ten, nine, eight,
seven, six, five--
All three engines up and burning.
Two, one, zero, and lift off!
Lift off of Atlantis, the
shoulders of the space shuttle.
- Deploy it now Houston.
- Roger roam, Atlantis.
- Atlantis
Houston, go at throttle level.
- Houston now controlling
the flight of Atlantis.
- Copy, a go as well.
- Multiple ground complete,
Atlantis now heads down wings
level on the proper alignment
for its eight and a half
minute ride to orbit.
Four and a half million
pounds of hardware and humans
taking aim on the
International Space Station.
- Hello?
Hello?
Hello?
- She's gonna get hurt.
- It cannot be helped.
- And the other?
- You know the situation.
But it is time.
It's time.
- Auntie?
- Back on.
- The solar storm.
- Sometimes they erupt
like a billion atomic
bombs going off at once.
- So far,
blackouts from solar storms
have lasted no more than a day or so.
But many scientists worry
about a super storm.
The last one happened in 1859.
- The iconic
Harrington event of 1859,
a solar storm that set
telegraph offices on fire,
and sparked northern lights
as far south as Hawaii.
A similar storm today could
have a catastrophic effect.
- Something happens to you
when your parents die young.
One day they were there full of life...
The next, they were gone.
The police came to the door to tell me.
I couldn't even speak for two days.
I've never told the angel,
but ever since that time
I've never prayed one prayer,
never set foot in a church.
I just couldn't do it anymore.
- Sarah...
Come.
- The thing I've been
meaning to ask you is...
Do you know my parents
dies two months ago?
They were killed by a drunk driver.
I never could understand
why God would do that.
Why would he take them away like that?
Why would he do that?
- Are you saying it was God?
That caused that man to go get in his car
and go kill your parents?
This is not his kingdom.
He's not responsible for
all that happens down here.
When he was, this place was a paradise.
People blame God for every terrible thing,
even when it's nothing to do with him.
Do you understand, Sarah?
You live in a fallen world.
Come.
- Thank you.
Tomorrow again?
- We can do that.
- It's funny, for after our
talk I felt a bit lighter.
- Atlantis Houston.
- Houston Atlantis,
model has arrived onboard
Atlantis with the arm.
- We copy.
- Accept, clear.
- Along side
drill strap, open it went.
Copy, drill strap clear.
- Stop motion.
- Motion stopped.
- She's getting quite suspicious.
Well, she hardly talks to me.
They've been triggered
into going out there.
Well, you're the counselor.
No, I'd rather just wait
until she decides she's ready.
No, no, let's just leave it.
Okay, alright, bye-bye.
You're not going out there again, are you?
You're not going.
- I have to go.
- Sarah...
There is something
important you need to know.
Come.
I told you how close we were
to pulling our main forces out.
This decision has been made.
This has been my final week.
Today is my final day.
We're leaving.
You will not see us here again.
- Can't you stay and fight
just a little longer?
Please, don't abandon us.
- The decision is not mine to make.
I'm sorry.
Come.
- Please, if you leave I feel like
something terrible will happen.
- We cannot stay.
I'm sorry.
Goodbye, Sarah.
- Houston Atlantis.
- For sometime, we've
had it under consideration
to pull most of our forces out.
- Won't the disasters get worse?
- This has been my final week.
Today is my final day.
The decision is not mine to make.
- Please, God...
Our Father, who art in Heaven...
Hallowed be thy name...
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done...
On earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our sins,
as we forgive those who sin against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power, the glory, forever and ever...
Amen.
Auntie.
- They've gone out there, Sarah.
- So, you do know something about them?
- Well, I only saw them from a distance.
- Then why were you acting so strange?
- I was trying to protect you.
- Well, they're gone now.
- Oh, sorry, but...
Sorry the way I've been about it all.
I guess I was afraid.
- That's alright, I'm
sorry for overreacting.
- There will be
signs in the sun and the moon,
and the earth, and distress of nations.
The powers of heaven will be shaken.
The sea and the waves will ruin,
men's hearts failing them for fear.
There will be signs in
the sun and the moon,
and on earth--
- Okay, we
just lost the flat prime, gang.
I don't know what happened here.
We've had everything
in the world drop out.
- We've had a couple
of cardiac arrests down here too, Pete.
- I got three fuel fail lights.
A fuel cell disconnect,
overload, one and two, HC out.
- FCE, FCE to auxiliary.
Took one Charlie.
- One Charlie.
- Atlantis,
station on the big move,
we have you in sight.
- Initiating RPMs.
- Atlantis,
you are a go for dunking.
- Go for dunking.
- Houston,
the station Atlantis
caption confirmed and we see three drifts.
Station Atlantis Houston,
station's three drift is confirmed.
- Welcome to
the International Space Station.
- We copy.
- Copy.
- Asteroids fly
by the earth all the time,
but this one is special.
- The 45 meter
asteroid will speed past us
at about eight kilometers per second.
About one tenth the distance
between the earth and the moon.
- That asteroid is going to hit.
- Just because in your dream it did,
it doesn't make it real.
You just need a good night's sleep.
You'll wake up in the morning,
and everything will be fine.
- NASA says the asteroid
will be visible in
parts of Eastern Europe,
North Africa, Asia, and Australia.
- Your long civilization
is coming to an end.
- I'm sure people have dreams
of disaster all the time.
- Everything that
can be shaken will be shaken.
- There's really no chance
of the asteroid hitting the earth.
- You have entered
the time of birth pangs.
- Just because
in your dream it did,
it doesn't make it real.
- The time of shaking has begun.
- You'll wake up in the morning,
and everything will be fine.
- It's really happening!
Auntie!
- What was that?
- It's the asteroid, I
think they're more coming.
We've gotta get underground.
- Wait, there's a shortcut through here.
- You're sure?
- Come on!
- What is this place?
- It's the drum room.
- You're back.
Auntie?
Auntie?
- Back on.
- No!
It was just a dream.
- This civilization cannot be saved.
I've been sent to bring you
and your aunt to safety,
along with...
Others.
- Atlantis Houston?
Atlantis Houston, come in?
Atlantis Houston?
- Some of you are thinking
that this too was just a dream...
And I'm about to start awake
just like all the other times.
Others of you think this whole thing
has all been in my head.
Well, maybe you're right.
Or maybe not.