Click here to add text.BLACK MIRROR
"USS CALLISTER"
SHOOTING SCRIPT
06/01/17
Written By
William Bridges
Charlie Brooker
C/o House of Tomorrow
Shepherds Building
Charecroft Way
London W14 0EE
2016/17 Black Mirror Drama (S4) Limited. All Rights Reserved
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1 1 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - DEEP SPACE
Darkness. We hear a klaxon. Red alert in space!
Automatic doors slide open -- we follow a striding, confident
man named CAPTAIN ROBERT DALY as he enters the BRIDGE of a
SPACESHIP.
It's retro - the women wear miniskirts, the colour scheme is
groovy, the screens are old school -- like a 60s space epic.
Following behind DALY: comms officer SHANIA LOWERY.
DALY glances up at the giant DISPLAY WINDSHIELD in front of
him. His matinee-idol looks and stance epitomise the very
best of Space Fleet command.
The DISPLAY shows an ALIEN WARSHIP looming in front of them.
WALTON (40s), the first officer and ship’s navigator, salutes
as DALY enters. Walton looks worried. Scared.
WALTON
Captain DalyCAPTAIN DALY
Report.
WALTON
It’s a non-federation vessel -
jumped straight out of whitespace,
right in front of us.
DALY nods to himself, then looks at the main display.
Tightens his jaw. Walton steps in alongside.
CAPTAIN DALY
Valdack.
WALTON
(horrified)
It can’t be --
LIEUTENANT DUDANI, the ship's head engineer, who has CYBORG
IMPLANTS on his temples, looks up from a monitor.
DUDANI
My datascan indicates a heavilyarmoured Gorgon Dreadnaught, vessel
ID number zero nine sixty fi--
CAPTAIN DALY
(cutting in)
Thank you Dudani.
(beat)
(MORE)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 1.
Valdack must’ve hijacked it from
the Fermi hub and tracked our
position.
(beat)
Tulaska, shield status.
ELENA TULASKA, the Callister's glamorous head of security --
a SEXY ALIEN -- sounds worried -- albeit in an EAST EUROPEAN
ACCENT:
TULASKA
Shields 100 percent.
CAPTAIN DALY
Helmsman PackerPACKER
Captain -
CAPTAIN DALY
Prime rear thrusters.
PACKER
Rear thrusters primed.
Behind him HELMSMAN PACKER works furiously at the controls.
WALTON is increasingly spooked. DALY is thinking.
WALTON
If that’s Valdack he’ll rip us to
shreds!
(beat)
Captain we have to surrender.
(beat)
There’s no other way!
DALY keeps his eyes on the display.
CAPTAIN DALY
Let’s not lose our heads Lieutenant
Walton.
Suddenly: BOOM! -- the BRIDGE is ROCKED by a blast from
VALDACK’s ship.
TULASKA
Shields at 68%.
SHANIA
Heavy damage reported decks six
through tenDUDANI
Fires in med centre and major
rupture to cargo bay Alpha.
1 1 CONTINUED:
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT'D)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 2.
WALTON
We got no choice Captain!
SHANIA
Do you want me to open comms with
Valdack’s craft Captain?
WALTON looks at DALY pleadingly. But...
CAPTAIN DALY
Negative.
BOOM! Another blast rocks the bridge!
TULASKA
Shields at 54 percent.
SHANIA
There’s no way out.
WALTON
Captain -- please --
CAPTAIN DALY
Not now WaltonDALY peers beyond VALDACK’s ship. Beyond it: a cluster of
asteroids encompassed in a large green gas cloud.
He turns to PACKER, the young helmsman.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Helmsman Packer! Take us into that
asteroid gas cluster.
PACKER
Into the cluster?
WALTON looks terrified.
WALTON
That's suicide--
CAPTAIN DALY
--It's our only chance!
(beat)
That gas cluster is charged with
ionized pyron particles. If our
shields hold we can use them to
increase our photon intensity.
DALY puts a hand up to silence DUDANI’s wittering.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Packer, increase thrusters.
1 1 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 3.
PACKER pushes forward on the throttle. Engines roar. WALTON
looks increasingly scared.
The CREW watch as their ship passes over the enemy craft and
heads into the gas cluster.
The entire bridge SHUDDERS. Lights blink.
TULASKA
Shields at 43%
WALTON
It'll tear the ship apart!
Without averting his eyes from the display, DALY snaps:
CAPTAIN DALY
Walton, you're a Space Fleet
officer. Hold yourself together.
WALTON checks himself, nods, tries to hold it together. Then
BOOM! SHUDDER! Another IMPACT.
TULASKA
Shields at 32%.
SHANIA monitors the sensors from her station.
SHANIA
Valdack's not following.
CAPTAIN DALY
Packer, turn us aroundPACKER nods and obeys.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Tulaska, charge photon bolts.
TULASKA taps something.
TULASKA
Bolts charged captain.
A beat. Daly bides his time.
CAPTAIN DALY
Fire.
They fire a photon bolt at the enemy ship. It's a direct hit -
it EXPLODES ON IMPACT causing enormous damage.
TULASKA
His hull’s breached. Shields gone.
He's defenceless.
1 1 CONTINUED: (3)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 4.
CAPTAIN DALY
(to SHANIA)
Lieutenant Lowery, open comms--
SHANIA
He's already hailing us Captain --
CAPTAIN DALY
On screen.
The screen reveals VALDACK, a MUSCLY SPACE VIKING, injured
but defiant. Behind him: glimpses of his spaceship through
sparks and smoke. The screen flickers - the signal is weak.
VALDACK
(On comms screen)
Captain Daly. May you drown in the
venom of 900 Tragorian snakes.
CAPTAIN DALY
You’re defeated, Valdack. Return
the Plasmorthium crystal and we'll
cause you no more damage.
VALDACK spits.
VALDACK
You must think me a fool Captain. I
know the crystal's capabilities.
I'll die before I give it up.
CAPTAIN DALY
I gave you a chance Valdack. Showed
you mercy. Reflect on that. While
you can.
(To SHANIA)
Close comms.
The display screen flicks back to open space. The semiobliterated enemy ship sits in view.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT'D)
Tulaska. Destroy his ship.
TULASKA
Yes captain.
A PHOTON BOLT is launched. The crew watches on as it impacts
the enemy ship. The ship EXPLODES IN A FIREBALL.
The crew breathe a SIGH of relief - then CHEER. DALY stands.
SHANIA
That was incredible captain.
PACKER
You saved our lives!
1 1 CONTINUED: (4)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 5.
WALTON takes DALY's hand, desperately grateful.
WALTON
Sorry I lost it back there.
CAPTAIN DALY
Not for the first time, WaltonWALTON
I should know by now to never doubt
you. Please -- forgive me.
Still holding DALY’s hand, he falls down on one knee, like a
man begging forgiveness from the pope.
CAPTAIN DALY
At ease, Walton.
WALTON stands, nodding. Suddenly DUDANI pipes up:
DUDANI
Captain!
Everyone looks round.
DUDANI (CONT’D)
Sensors indicate an escape pod
ejected from Valdack's ship before
detonation. Traces of Plasmorthium -
- he’s escaping with the crystal.
PACKER
Want me to plot a pursuit course
captain?
DALY considers his options.
CAPTAIN DALY
No. We'll let him go.
(beat)
For now.
Everyone nods and smiles.
SHANIA
Great decision-making, captain.
Suddenly WALTON shouts:
WALTON
Three cheers for Captain Daly! HiphipCREW
Hooray!
1 1 CONTINUED: (5)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 6.
DALY pretends to be vaguely embarrassed, making a "quiet
down" gesture with his hands. But the toasting continues:
WALTON
Hip hip!
CREW
Hooray!
... so DALY smiles, shrugs, and basks in their adulation.
Next, WALTON claps in time and leads a sing-song:
WALTON
For he's a jolly good fellow...
The entire CREW join in. DALY basks in the praise. SHANIA
sidles up and puts an arm around his waist.
DALY leans over and kisses her, SHANIA literally bending over
backwards as he does so. A curiously chaste lips-closed kiss.
The pose is a bit like Errol Flynn kissing a rescued maiden.
No sooner has the kiss with SHANIA finished than DALY turns
and performs an IDENTICAL KISS with TULASKA.
Throughout, the crew are still SINGING his praises.
CREW
And so say all of us! And so say
all of us! For he's a jolly good
fell-o-www... And so say all of us!
2 2 INT. CALLISTER INC. - LOBBY - DAY.
Elevator doors open to reveal DALY waiting inside - he looks
different. Downtrodden. In badly-fitting work attire, this is
the real ROBERT DALY, arriving at his real job.
DALY steps into the lobby.
We don't really see the RECEPTIONIST's face just yet
incidentally. Behind her is the logo for the company -
CALLISTER INC.
On one wall is a video display showing a sizzle reel of the
company's major product: INFINITY.
It's a constant trail showing CGI graphics from a space game.
The rendering looks like the environment aboard the USS
CALLISTER, but without the retro tinge -- it's more JJ ABRAMS
style. And it's intercut with captions like “MASSIVELY
MULTIPLAYER VR SPACE EPIC” and "TOTALLY IMMERSIVE".
DALY reaches the main doors, swipes his pass, and the panel
BEEPS and flashes RED. He tries again. Same result.
1 1 CONTINUED: (6)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 7.
DALY looks over at the RECEPTIONIST. We notice she is
LIEUTENANT ELENA TULASKA, the USS CALLISTER's head of
security, except she's in civilian clothes.
DALY's demeanour is notably different. He's awkward. Shy.
DALY
Elena? My pass doesn’t work again.
She looks up, not hugely interested in his dilemma.
ELENA
You must renew on first of each
month.
DALY
I know, but, the first was on the
weekend, so...
ELENA
Okay -
She presses a button, unlocking the main doors.
DALY
Thank you.
ELENA
(looking at phone)
You’re welcome.
3 3 INT. CALLISTER INC. - MAIN FLOOR - CONTINUOUS
DALY makes his way across the large open plan office - this
is CALLISTER INC head quarters, an advanced VR Tech company.
We see rows of coders at workstations, designing software.
Building levels. Data streaming down paper thin monitors -
some using AR smart-specs -- it’s Google on steroids.
In one small room we see some TESTERS sitting motionless,
their eyes clouded out, with tiny disc-like VR EXPERIENCERS
stuck to their temples.
One of the walls serves as a huge video display -- also
showing the INFINITY sizzle reel.
Another face we recognise heads towards DALY on his way out.
It's HELMSMAN PACKER, the fresh faced recruit, only here he
is an intern, real name NATE PACKER. He smiles a greeting for
DALY as he nears. He’s casually carrying an empty tray.
NATE
Morning Mr. Daly.
2 2 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 8.
DALY
Helmsman Packer.
NATE looks confused.
DALY (CONT’D)
I mean, Mr. Packer. Nate.
Nate smiles, a bit confused, and passes. DALY turns, realizes
where he's going. Points at the tray.
DALY (CONT'D)
Are you - making coffees?
Nate stops, turns.
NATE
Uh yeah.
DALY waits for a brief moment for Nate to catch up with what
he meant by the question. Nate doesn't get there.
DALY
Do you think maybe you could make
me one too? I mean perhaps --
NATE
Sure. Sure.
Nate takes out his phone, ready to add to the order.
DALY
Vanilla latte.
Nate types.
DALY (CONT'D)
Skim milk.
Nate smirks at that, glancing at DALY's paunch.
NATE
Yeah good call.
DALY forces a smile. Nate finishes taking the order, smiles,
heads off on his mission.
DALY turns and walks across the floor, momentarily distracted
by the sight of SHANIA LOWERY (who works here in BUSINESS
AFFAIRS) crossing the floor in business-wear.
SHANIA
(finishing a cell call,
cut-glass accent)
Well, careful what you wish for;
those are big numbers and we might
just have to hold you to that.
3 3 CONTINUED:
(MORE)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 9.
(beat; hearing unfunny
joke from client)
Hahaha!
(beat)
Of course. Absolutely...
Momentarily not looking where he's going, DALY immediately
trips over a GYM BAG and lands with a THUMP on the floor.
There's a moment for him to groan. All eyes on him.
A man who looks exactly like VALDACK leans in to help him up.
But this VALDACK is actually a faintly jockish co-worker,
KARL, from marketing.
KARL
Woah, you okay there?
DALY gets to his feet, embarrassed. Feeling all eyes on him.
KARL (CONT’D)
Guess you didn't see my gym bag.
KARL slaps him on the back, a little too hard
KARL (CONT’D)
Sorry bud.
DALY smiles weakly, and heads toward the end of the room.
DALY passes a BIG office window - we see SOMEONE inside
talking to SOMEONE on a hands-free earpiece, while toying
idly with a STRESS BALL with the CALLISTER logo on it.
This man is confident, swaggering -- he glances over at DALY,
smiles and nods as he carries on his conversation. It's
WALTON, the USS CALLISTER'S second in command - in the real
world he looks far more confident.
On the wall of WALTON’s office is a blown-up framed front
cover of WIRED magazine. It shows WALTON, with the headline
TO INFINITY AND BEYOND.
DALY smiles and waves as he passes the window but WALTON's
attention has already gone back to his chat.
DALY carries on, passes text on the door that reads;
JAMES WALTON. CEO. CALLISTER INC.
He reaches a second, pokier office next to WALTON'S and heads
inside. On his door the text reads;
ROBERT DALY. CHIEF TECHNICAL OFFICER. CALLISTER INC.
3 3 CONTINUED: (2)
SHANIA (CONT'D)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 10.
4 4 INT. CALLISTER INC. - DALY'S OFFICE - DAY
DALY's office is cramped. On the wall there's a POSTER for
SPACE FLEET, an old late 60s TV SHOW in the STAR TREK mould.
Bits of SPACE FLEET memorabilia are everywhere. There's even
a series of BLU-RAY, DVD and VHS box sets on a shelf.
DALY sits at his desk. Sighs.
He looks through the glass to notice SHANIA and KARL. From
the glances in his direction it looks like maybe they're
talking about him. SHANIA laughs at whatever KARL just said.
Under the desk, DALY clenches a fist.
A knock at the door snaps him out of it. NANETTE COLE (mid
20s), supersmart coder, stands in the doorway, a tad nervous.
DALY thinks he knows what she wants. It's happened before.
DALY
Ladies bathroom's that way. The
sign's confusing.
NANETTE
You're Robert Daly, right?
DALY
Right --
NANETTE steps forward and holds out a hand.
NANETTE
Nanette, Nanette Cole.
DALY gingerly takes her hand and shakes it
NANETTE (CONT’D)
I started here today, coding on the
update? Just wanted to pass on my
admiration to the person who
actually designed Infinity. The
procedural algorithm is amazing, it
really is some beautiful code.
DALY is genuinely taken aback.
DALY
Thank you.
NANETTE steps inside.
NANETTE
It's actually the reason I wanted
to work here.
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 11.
A pregnant pause, DALY doesn't know what else to say.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
You must be busy, sorry.
DALY
No-no, its fineNANETTE
-Fangirling, sorry.
She notices the SPACE FLEET boxsets. Picks up a VHS case.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Woah what's that?
(beat)
Vintage.
DALY stands, worried his VHS case may get fingermarks on it.
DALY
Space Fleet. A TV show. It was
before your time - before my time
actually, but it was visionary --
NANETTE
Is that on like tape?
DALY taps the other boxsets
DALY
Got the VHS, the DVD, the Blu-Rays -
- whole thing, seasons one to six.
(beat)
Netflix has it these days.
NANETTE
“Aboard the spaceship USS
Callister”. OK yeah, so Callister
is like theDALY
Yeah, when we set up the company I
suggested we call it Callister as a
kind of a tribute. Walton didn’t
really get the reference, but he
let me have that one.
Nanette looks at the SPACE FLEET poster. Notes the female
crew member in a sort of mini-skirt costume.
NANETTE
Mini-skirted damsels? Little cold
for that in space.
4 4 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 12.
DALY
That's just what a Bargradian sand
warrior would say.
The look on NANETTE’s face indicates she didn’t get the joke
Suddenly WALTON enters without invitation. Starts talking
before he even realizes NANETTE is in the room.
WALTON
Bob, Christmas is closing in like a
god damn meteor and we got
customers all over our balls
waiting on this Infinity update.
Just tell me it’ll be up and
running before the weekend.
DALY
(flustered)
Well - I can ask Kabir if he could
pick the pace up a littleWALTON
(interrupting)
You're CTO, you shouldn't be asking
anyone anything. You should be
telling. Like I'm telling you now.
DALY
I'll speak to him. I'm sorry.
WALTON
Good. Okay.
DALY nods. WALTON notices NANETTE standing in the room.
Desperately wishing she wasn't there.
WALTON (CONT'D)
Hello.
NANETTE
Hi. Sorry. I couldn't find a good
moment to -
She's about to say the word "leave".
WALTON
You must be new.
(Holds out his hand)
James Walton, I run the company.
WALTON holds her hand a little too long after the shake.
WALTON (CONT'D)
Well, we run the company. Kind of.
Bobby's the hardware and I'm - the
shiny front end.
4 4 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 13.
NANETTE
Nanette Cole.
WALTON
Which department?
NANETTE
Engine architecture.
WALTON
Did you start today?
NANETTE
I er - yes.
WALTON
You had the tour?
NANETTE
No. I was just--
WALTON
(Cutting in)
--Then please, allow me.
Before NANETTE can answer WALTON leads her out the door.
NANETTE
(To DALY)
It was so nice to meet you.
DALY nods. Then watches as WALTON leads NANETTE away.
5 5 INT. CALLISTER INC. - MAIN FLOOR - DAY
DALY walks over to a workstation to find KABIR DUDANI, a
bookish coder, eating his breakfast at his desk.
DALY
Uh, Kabir...
As DUDANI looks up, we realise he’s LT DUDANI. He wears
GLASSES in reality.
DUDANI
Mr Daly?
DALY
You got the latest ETA on the
update patch? Just there’s still
some runtime errors...
4 4 CONTINUED: (3)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 14.
DUDANI
Well... thing is Mr Daly - it could
be ready by end of play today, but
if we had time we could alter the
trading mechanics, tweak the
critical hit system, but of course
that’d add another week, maybe ten
days?
While DUDANI says that, DALY glances round and sees, on the
other side of the office, WALTON introducing NANETTE to
SHANIA and KARL. KARL is clearly attracted to her.
DALY didn't hear what DUDANI just said. DUDANI prompts him.
DUDANI (CONT’D)
Mr Daly?
DALY
Uh, yeah, do all that. Thank you.
DUDANI nods, a bit surprised.
DUDANI
Okay. We’re on it.
DALY heads back towards his office. As he does, he sees the
intern Nate handing out his coffees. One to SHANIA, one to
KARL. One to WALTON.
Nate has one left -- DALY's skinny latte. WALTON takes it and
hands it to NANETTE. She smiles and accepts it.
DALY scowls. Retreats to his office and broods in silence.
6 6 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - FRONT DOOR/CORRIDOR - NIGHT
The room is dark. No one home. A sensor panel on the wall
suddenly emits a little BING noise as DALY enters, grouchily.
Eating the remains of a hot dog, holding a GROCERY BAG under
his arm.
As he enters the lights gently brighten to an inviting glow.
7 7 INT. DALY’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
This is a small room with even more SPACE FLEET memorabilia.
Posters. Action figures in glass display cases. An Airfix
model of VALDACK's ship, still in its packaging.
There's also a small desk with a computer MONITOR and
keyboard, and a high-backed ergonomic chair.
On the desk there is also a MYSTERIOUS DEVICE, like a PETRI
DISH connected to a wire that trails off somewhere.
5 5 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 15.
DALY slumps at his desk and drops the hot dog packaging into
a small trash can.
DALY reaches over to the side of his desk, opens a minifridge next to it, and tries to choose between a carton of
CHOCOLATE MILK and a carton of STRAWBERRY MILK.
As he does so, we notice in the FRIDGE DOOR is a see-through
ziplock plastic bag with a RED LOLLIPOP inside it.
The name TOMMY is written on the bag in Sharpie.
DALY chooses CHOCOLATE milk. Stabs a straw into the carton
and taps his mouse.
He takes a small VR EXPERIENCER DISC from a receptacle and
plants it on his temple.
On the monitor, using his mouse, he opens a DESKTOP FOLDER
labelled INFINITY. Inside are two icons. INFINITY and
INFINITY (SPACE FLEET MOD).
He double-clicks the latter.
LIGHTS GLIMMER on his VR EXPERIENCER DISC.
Immediately DALY's EYES GLAZE OVER and his body goes limp.
He slumps back in his chair, immobilised - he's in the game.
8 8 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - DEEP SPACE
The doors open. The in-game CAPTAIN DALY -- energized and
simmering -- steps out onto the bridge.
WALTON
Welcome back Captain.
CAPTAIN DALY
Have you located Valdack's
position?
WALTON
Not yet. But our sensors are
probing every star system between
here and--
CAPTAIN DALY
So your answer is "no".
A pause. Tension rises on the bridge. The captain's in a bad
mood. The crew exchange glances.
WALTON
I'm afraid so captain.
7 7 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 16.
DALY nods. Then he suddenly grasps WALTON by the throat and
lifts him off the ground with one arm. Darth Vader style.
The CREW watch, frozen with fear. WALTON gasps for breath.
CAPTAIN DALY
You're pathetic Walton. What are
you?
WALTON
(strangulated)
Pt-- pthhhCAPTAIN DALY
What’s that?
WALTON
(as clearly as possible)
Pathetic.
DALY lets him dangle a moment longer, then lets go. WALTON
hits the floor gasping. DALY addresses the rest of the crew.
CAPTAIN DALY
(to everyone)
So Valdack’s out there, somewhere
and you village idiots are asleep
at the wheel.
(beat)
You’re not just disgraceful. You’re
disgusting. All of you.
Silence as they look at their shoes.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
So. Can you do one thing? Can you
find Valdack?
(glancing at WALTON)
I’m not asking. I’m telling you.
(beat; to all)
Understand?
General nodding and murmurs of ‘of course Captain’.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Well alright.
Daly clicks his fingers -- more energy.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
(to TULASKA)
Tulaska! Check security protocols -
if they've expired you're in
trouble.
TULASKA
Yes Captain.
8 8 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 17.
TULASKA nods, chastened, busies herself.
CAPTAIN DALY
(to DUDANI)
Dudani! Recheck those probe
results! No room for errors.
DUDANI
Of course captain.
DALY turns to PACKER.
CAPTAIN DALY
Helmsman Packer -
PACKER
Yes Captain?
CAPTAIN DALY
Vanilla latte. Skim milk.
PACKER salutes.
PACKER
At once!
PACKER practically sprints to fetch the order. Meanwhile DALY
settles down into the captain's chair.
He looks at WALTON, who's crawling on all fours towards the
door.
CAPTAIN DALY
Walton.
WALTON swallows, crawls over to the CAPTAIN's chair. Lies
down in front of it. DALY rests his feet on WALTON's back.
DALY sitting in his chair, sighs.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
(out loud)
Exit game.
9 9 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
The real DALY blinks back to life in his chair.
A beat.
10 10 INT. CALLISTER INC. - DAY
NANETTE sits coding at her workstation, ear buds in.
We pull focus to see DALY is watching her from his glass box.
8 8 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 18.
Now we're inside Daly’s box, looking out. Just like him.
Then DALY spots WALTON. Striding through the office like
Caesar. He stops at NANETTE's desk.
She pops out her ear buds. They trade a little friendly chat.
Walton puts a friendly hand on Nanette's shoulder.
Daly's eyes tighten.
Suddenly he's snapped out of this reverie by DUDANI's voice.
DALY looks up -- DUDANI is in the doorway.
DUDANI
Mr Daly? Got that new ETA on the
update patch.
DALY
New ETA? --
DUDANI
It’s all good but now we’re looking
at December 24th for roll out.
DALY
We don’t patch till Christmas Eve?
DUDANI
Well. Yeah. I mean with the
alterations you approved...
DALY doesn’t know how to respond to this.
DALY
Okay. Okay thank you.
He watches DUDANI go. Then NANETTE is in his doorway:
NANETTE
Hey Robert.
DALY stands up.
DALY
Oh hi --
NANETTE
Just fixing a coffee, you want one?
It’s the nicest thing anyone's said to him in five years.
DALY
Sure.
(beat)
Uh, vanilla latte. Skim milk.
10 10 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 19.
NANETTE
Okey dokes!
She walks off. DALY's heart swells.
11 11 INT. CALLISTER INC. - WATER COOLER AREA - LATER
NANETTE stands at the HYDRATION STATION -- a glorified water
cooler area the company has installed. Various branded
vending and coffee machines line a seating area.
Meanwhile, SHANIA approaches from a distance, on a cellphone
call. Again, she talks in her cut-glass British accent.
SHANIA
(friendly, to phone)
Of course. Yes. Absolutely.
Using cardboard cups with plastic lids, NANETTE starts to fix
herself her coffee and one for DALY, when SHANIA arrives
alongside her.
As Shania speaks, she looks at Nanette -- and mimes boredom
and irritation with the phonecall she’s making, so Nanette
will know she secretly hates the person on the other end.
SHANIA (CONT’D)
(into phone)
Yes. Okay then. Hahaha! Well those
are great numbers! Ta-ta.
Shania hangs up, looks at Nanette and points at the phone.
Her accent changes. SHANIA sounds less refined in real life.
SHANIA (CONT’D)
(pointing at phone)
Total fucking shitwit.
Nanette nods, a bit embarrassed.
NANETTE
You want a coffee?
SHANIA
Yeah thanks, Brushed Suede.
NANETTE punches buttons. They wait while their coffees brew.
SHANIA regards her and picks up an apple. NANETTE smiles,
unable to think of much to say.
SHANIA (CONT’D)
So how you settling in? You are
settling in?
She takes a bite.
10 10 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 20.
NANETTE
Yeah, everyone's really friendly.
Shania nods and chews the apple.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Not like my last job, thank God.
SHANIA
Yeah?
NANETTE
It was a toxic workplace. Boss was
a major league bully. Not like
here, like with Mr--?
SHANIA
-Walton? Yeah he’s a good guy.
(beat)
Bit of a player...
NANETTE
Oh?
SHANIA
- like chuck a ham sandwich across
the room and he’d fuck it before it
hit the ground but he’s basically
an alright bloke.
NANETTE doesn’t know how to respond to that.
NANETTE
Okay. Well. It's two bosses anyway
here I guess.
SHANIA looks blank.
SHANIA
Two how?
NANETTE
Robert Daly --
SHANIA
Oh! Ha! Well technically yeah.
And just now we reveal that DALY is lurking just behind the
refreshment area, listening in, unbeknownst to both women.
NANETTE
Mr. Daly’s actually the reason I
came here. I mean, who wouldn’t
want to work under an incredible
mind like that, y’know? His coding
is sublime.
11 11 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 21.
We see DALY hearing this praise. His heart skips a beat.
SHANIA
Do you have a thing for him?
NANETTE
Daly? No, it’s not like that. It’s
purely professional. I like his
code.
We see DALY hearing this. No reaction on his face.
SHANIA
(breathes out)
Fucking hell, I was gonna say --
don't be too nice to him. He gets a
bit... starey. Y’know.
She does the mime as she says that bit.
SHANIA (CONT’D)
Wide berth, that’s my advice. Wide
berth...
NANETTE
(a bit disappointed)
Oh. Okay.
(beat)
Thank you.
NANETTE puts lids on the coffees as SHANIA eats her apple.
12 12 INT. CALLISTER INC. - DALY'S OFFICE - MOMENTS LATER
It's now muted and awkward as NANETTE carries the COFFEE CUP
in to DALY and sets it down on his desk.
NANETTE
There you go.
DALY
Thank you.
Nanette goes, feeling DALY's eyes on her back. She sits at
her own desk and SIPS HER COFFEE.
A CLOSE-UP on her LIPS as she sips through the LID SIPPYHOLE. DALY is WATCHING.
13 13 EXT. CALLISTER INC. - EVENING
The sun begins to set.
11 11 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 22.
14 14 INT. CALLISTER INC. - CONTINUOUS
The office is almost empty bar DALY, still in his office.
He watches the last few employees leaving. KARL, pulling on a
coat, chatting to SHANIA, leaves through the doors.
NANETTE hoists a backpack onto her back and puts her earbuds
in. She's the last to leave.
The moment the door shuts behind her, DALY stands up.
He opens a desk drawer containing SURGICAL GLOVES, TWEEZERS
and a SEE-THRU PLASTIC BAG.
He starts pulling on the gloves.
15 15 INT. CALLISTER INC. - MOMENTS LATER
DALY is at NANETTE's WORKSTATION.
He reaches into her TRASH CAN.
Pulls out the COFFEE CUP she had earlier. Takes off the LID.
Carefully places the LID into the SEE-THRU BAG
16 16 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - FRONT DOOR/CORRIDOR - NIGHT
BONG. The room lights up in preparation for DALY'S return.
DALY bursts in, fumbling at his work bag. He pulls out the
cellophane bag we saw earlier and hurries into his bedroom.
17 17 INT. DALY’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
DALY rushes to his desk, sits, puts down the cellophane bag.
He dons latex gloves again. Pops open the MYSTERIOUS DEVICE
on the desk. There's a PETRI DISH in there with some sort of
thick blue gel in it.
He carefully takes the CUP LID out of the plastic bag and
runs a SWAB along the SIPPY-HOLE.
DALY delicately places the SWAB onto the PETRI DISH and
closes the lid. An LED winks. Something bleeps.
Then he places the LID back into the BAG and puts the BAG
into the FRIDGE. We notice the shelves have OTHER ITEMS in
bags -- one contains a splodge of CHEWING GUM, another a
TISSUE, and one a LOLLIPOP.
He turns to his keyboard and types. Clicks his mouse around.
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 23.
More LIGHTS on the PETRI DISH DEVICE start to twinkle.
On the screen: ASSIMILATING.
And a loading bar appears. 1% and rising.
ESTIMATED TIME TO COMPLETION - 16 HOURS
DALY looks at his watch. Stretches. Heads for bed as the
loading bar rises incrementally.
18 18 EXT. DALY'S APARTMENT BLOCK - DAWN
Orange morning sun spreads over Daly's apartment block.
19 19 INT. DALY’S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - MORNING
The loading bar reads 67% as DALY, in the background, gets
dressed and heads out the door.
Music carries us through a little montage:
20 20 INT. CALLISTER INC. - VARIOUS - MOMENTS LATER
DALY exits the elevator, crosses the lobby and tries his
pass. Once again he's rejected.
ELENA the RECEPTIONIST buzzes him in again.
We INTERCUT the following with the LOADING BAR as it climbs.
Now it's at 74%
Next we see him watching NANETTE chatting with WALTON, then
KARL, then SHANIA.
The loading bar climbs to 85%
DALY sits typing when WALTON suddenly holds an iPad-type
tablet displaying a press article directly in between him and
the monitor. Headline: INFINITY UPDATE: NOT TILL XMAS?
DALY looks up at him. WALTON shakes his head, disappointed.
Meanwhile NANETTE is at her station, coding.
Loading bar now at 96%
We go in on NANETTE's face.
97%
We see DALY watching her through the glass.
17 17 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 24.
98%... 99%... 100%
21 21 INT. USS CALLISTER - MED BAY - DEEP SPACE
There's a starched white MEDICAL BED in this room.
We are tight on eyes. A woman's eyes. Nanette's eyes.
Suddenly NANETTE wakes, looks around. This isn't her bed.
Or her room. It’s too dark to make out detail. There's no
window. Just some machines making beeping-booping noises
She looks down and realises she's dressed in SPACE FLEET
attire. Figure-hugging uniform. Groovy short skirt.
She pats herself, confused. Feels her hair. It's different.
She walks to a door, which opens into a corridor...
22 22 INT. USS CALLISTER - CORRIDOR - DEEP SPACE
We HEAR an automatic door swooshing. Then NANETTE walks into
frame, traversing a classic starship corridor.
NANETTE
(Calling out)
Hello?
There's no-one here. She turns a corner. At the end is a kind
of AIRLOCK DOOR with a small porthole-type WINDOW in it.
She sees her own FACE reflected in it. But it’s not a
reflection she entirely recognises. Her hair is different.
It's styled. And she has make-up on. Light blue eyeshadow.
She stares at herself, baffled. And then -- she focuses on
the stars behind her reflection. THE STARS?!?
Shocked, she leans in.
OUT THE WINDOW - stretching out either side of the window is
the UNIVERSE. DEEP SPACE.
We see an external shot. NANETTE peering out from a tiny
window. We pull out to see, on the main section of the ship,
printed in giant letters, the words USS CALLISTER
Dizzy with shock, NANETTE steps back from the window. And
then she hears TWO VOICES arguing, echoing down the hallway.
She stumbles towards them in a trance, following the sound
through the winding hallways until she reaches a DOOR.
NANETTE passes through the door -- onto the BRIDGE.
20 20 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 25.
23 23 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
The BRIDGE is dimly lit. The crew are not at their stations.
They're in a corner, huddled around a kind of BAR.
WALTON's there, pouring a drink whilst the rest sit solemnly
watching. The argument (between WALTON and TULASKA) stops the
minute they see NANETTE in the doorway.
There's a pause.
WALTON
(to self)
Oh boy.
(beat)
Looks like there's a new girl in
the office.
He takes a swig. NANETTE holds back, confused. SHANIA pipes
up -- in her ‘regular’ voice, not her cut-glass accent.
SHANIA
What’s your name hun?
WALTON
Come in. Let me pour you a drink.
Got everything from Bengarian
phlegm shots to distilled root
blood from the Cangor quadrant.
What's your poison? Some of this
actually is poison. Don't be shy.
NANETTE doesn't move.
NANETTE
Am I dreaming?
SHANIA
‘Fraid not.
TULASKA, who’s bored and sitting at her station, doesn’t look
up from her fingernails.
TULASKA
I remember dreaming.
PACKER nods -- those were the days.
PACKER
Me too.
NANETTE
Where am I?
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 26.
WALTON
The USS Callister, Space Fleet's
finest, exploring the farthest
reaches of the known universe and
beyond. We are its loyal crew. And
now, it seems, so are you. Cheers.
WALTON downs a shot. NANETTE looks around.
SHANIA
Your name, babes, what’s your name?
NANETTE
Nanette.
(off SHANIA’s blank look)
We've met.
SHANIA
Maybe, in the real world. I got no
way of knowing.
NANETTE
What do you mean?
SHANIA
You'd better sit down.
NANETTE
I don't want to sit down, I want to
know what's going on.
DUDANI walks towards her.
DUDANI
You're onboard Robert Daly's ship.
NANETTE
Wh -- Robert Daly? The CTO?
WALTON
(Pouring another drink)
Here he's Captain Daly, our
fearless leader.
SHANIA
You're seriously gonna need to sit
the fuck down.
NANETTE turns to spot PACKER.
NANETTE
(To PACKER)
You're the intern? From work. Nate
something?
23 23 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 27.
PACKER
Packer. Nate Packer.
(beat)
I’m still just the intern out there
huh? Jesus.
NANETTE turns to DUDANI.
NANETTE
And you’re --
DUDANI
Kabir Dudani. Diagnostics.
NANETTE, dazed, looks at TULASKA.
NANETTE
You're the receptionist.
TULASKA nods.
TULASKA
Elena.
NANETTE looks at TULASKA’s ALIEN BLUE SKIN.
NANETTE
But you’re skin is blue...
TULASKA looks at her own alien skin and practically shrugs by
way of recognition.
TULASKA
Weird alien skin, I know, it’s
fucked up. Almost sort of racist.
NANETTE looks dizzy. She nearly falls over. SHANIA is there
to catch her.
She starts leading NANETTE over to the captain's chair.
SHANIA
Walt. Fix her something. Vodka.
Something she'll recognise.
NANETTE sits. The rest of the officers crowd round. She looks
at them like she’s dreaming.
PACKER
What's it like out there now?
NANETTE struggles to answer.
PACKER (CONT’D)
Like what year is it?
SHANIA is annoyed with PACKER.
23 23 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 28.
NANETTE
What year - I saw you today.
WALTON
Did you see me? Did I look thin?
Like wheatgrass and yoga thin?
SHANIA
Can we not pop her fucking mind?
Give her a chance.
NANETTE
Someone needs to be straight with
me right now.
SHANIA steps forward. Trying to calm her.
SHANIA
Okay. Listen. This is Infinity.
That's what we're all inside--
(gesturing around)
-- that's where all this exists.
NANETTE
Infinity the game?
SHANIA
(nodding)
Daly's got his own modded version
of Infinity - re-skinned to look
like his favourite TV show --
NANETTE
Space... Thing...
WALTON brings the vodka over and hands it to her.
WALTON
Space Fleet. Hence the groovy decorSHANIA
(indicating own outfit)
And this get-up.
NANETTE
Infinity's an online game, like a
multiplayer deal, I mean --
DUDANI
This is his development build.
Sealed off. So he can control it.
He keeps it offline so the custom
code he's written can’t be detected
and deleted.
23 23 CONTINUED: (3)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 29.
WALTON
It’s a bubble universe ruled by an
asshole God.
NANETTE is almost lost for words.
NANETTE
He -- put us in here?
SHANIA
(nodding)
Drink your vodka.
NANETTE
How do we get out?
SHANIA holds the shot of vodka closer.
SHANIA
Really, drink it.
NANETTE downs the shot. And gasps.
SHANIA (CONT’D)
You can't leave.
NANETTE
What!?
SHANIA
None of us can. Because you're not
actually you.
NANETTE
What?
SHANIA
I know, it’s mental. But -- you're
a copy of you.
DUDANI
A digital clone.
NANETTE looks around, trying to process this. WALTON
sympathetically signals for her to drink another shot.
NANETTE
No. I'm meWALTON
- but not the real you.
DUDANI
Daly's created an identical digital
version of you - of all of us. From
your DNA. He’ll have harvested it
somehow.
23 23 CONTINUED: (4)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 30.
WALTON
Told me he got mine from the rim of
a smoothie cup. Packer’s juices he
retrieved from the bathroom--
PACKER
-- man, let that go, she don’t need
detailsSHANIA
Basically he’s built some fucking
gizmoDUDANI
-I theorize an advanced biometric
DNA virtual clone replicator wi--
SHANIA
(interrupting)
- exactly, a fucking gizmo. He fed
your DNA in, grew you inside his
computer and bam. You pop up here.
Like a pop tart.
NANETTE looks dizzy. SHANIA continues.
SHANIA (CONT’D)
We've all been through it. He
brings us in for different reasons.
Shit we did in the office. I called
him out for staring.
DUDANI
I reset admin permissions on a test
build for fourteen minutes. In
truth a minor error which was
rapidlyBefore DUDANI can ramble, PACKER cuts in:
PACKER
I brought him the wrong sandwich.
TULASKA puts a hand up.
TULASKA
“Insufficient smiling”.
WALTON doesn’t want to talk about this.
WALTON
Never mind Daly’s ‘reasons’. We’re
stuck in his playground now, that’s
all you need to know.
NANETTE gets out of the chair and walks around.
23 23 CONTINUED: (5)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 31.
NANETTE
This is a dream. It has to be.
WALTON takes the shot that NANETTE has left.
WALTON
More of an eternal waking nightmare
from which there is no escape.
NANETTE
No. No.
SHANIA
(to WALTON)
Fuck sake, I’m trying to break her
in gently.
WALTON rolls his eyebrows and downs the shot.
WALTON
Quicker she gets it, the easier
it’ll be for her.
Suddenly the lights of the ship come on, bathing the room in
a warm orange glow. Tense resignation washes across the crew.
TULASKA
Daddy's home.
PACKER
(indicating lights)
Daly. He’ll be here any moment.
NANETTE
No. I'm out of here.
PACKER grabs her arm. Deathly serious.
PACKER
(To NANETTE)
You gotta stay on the bridge.
NANETTE
Get offPACKER
He controls everything -- he does
shit to make us cooperate. You have
no idea. I’m trying to help you.
NANETTE pulls herself free and RUNS for the exit. PACKER goes
to run after her, but SHANIA stops him by saying:
SHANIA
Leave it.
23 23 CONTINUED: (6)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 32.
PACKER
(to SHANIA)
He'll fuck us all up if she doesn't
play ball.
SHANIA
She’s gonna have to work it out for
herself. Like we all did.
She glances at WALTON who looks at his shoes.
24 24 INT. USS CALLISTER - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
NANETTE runs along the hallway, looking for an escape.
NANETTE
(to self)
Gotta be a way out.
She tries an access panel beside the airlock door. It has
buttons on it. She mashes away at them.
NANETTE (CONT'D)
Come on come on. Got to be a way --
Suddenly, the ship HUMS LOUDER. Lights up.
NANETTE tries the access panel again, but stops when she
notices something happening to her hands -- they're glowing.
She holds them up, realises its happening to her whole body.
She is beginning to disintegrate in a strange golden glow.
She panics, SCREAMS as she evaporates into thin air.
25 25 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - DEEP SPACE.
NANETTE reappears on the teleporter, in the same golden glow
she disappeared in, still holding her hands out, SCREAMING.
The CREW are now all at their stations watching her in
silence. In the quiet of the bridge, NANETTE'S SCREAMING
seems overly dramatic. She stops.
The chair in the centre of the room spins round to face her,
revealing CAPTAIN DALY sat in a classic hero pose.
CAPTAIN DALY
Lieutenant Cole. Welcome aboard.
She stares at him, agape.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Crew, we have a new member of the
team. Science Officer Nanette Cole.
23 23 CONTINUED: (7)
(MORE)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 33.
(beat)
Please, take your post - I believe
we've finally managed to track
Valdack to an uncharted planet.
TULASKA, the nearest, nudges her. Signals to an empty chair.
NANETTE
(Gathering composure)
No.
Nervous looks from the CREW.
CAPTAIN DALY
Take your post. That is an order.
NANETTE
I'm not doing this.
CAPTAIN DALY
(Dropping the act briefly)
The whole thing's much better if
you let yourself get into it.
NANETTE
If you think I'm playing along with
your Space Force bullshit--
CAPTAIN DALY
Space Fleet -
NANETTE
- whatever - just think again.
CAPTAIN DALY's mood darkens. He stands from his chair.
CAPTAIN DALY
This is my ship. I am your captain.
An order is an order.
NANETTE
Then go fuck yourself. "Sir".
A stand off. The tension amongst the crew is palpable.
CAPTAIN DALY
Okay. So we're doing it this way.
CAPTAIN DALY holds out a hand in her direction, not unlike
the Emperor from Empire Strikes Back.
NANETTE
What, you gonna 'throw a fireball'?
The crew avert their eyes. They've seen this before.
Suddenly DALY clicks his fingers.
25 25 CONTINUED:
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 34.
NANETTE's entire FACE suddenly becomes a perfectly smooth
featureless bump. No eyes, no nostrils, no mouth.
We hear a muffled gasping. Evidently she can't breathe.
CAPTAIN DALY
Oh dear. Can't see, can’t breathe?
NANETTE is gasping -- but has no mouth. She pats her useless
non-face, she clutches her throat, falls to her knees.
The rest of the CREW return to their stations, trying to
ignore the familiarity of the torture playing out.
DALY comes closer, standing over her.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Unpleasant, isn't it?
She's on the floor, gasping. DALY kneels beside her.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Do you submit? You won't die you
know. No-one dies in here unless I
want them to. I can keep you this
way forever if I feel like it.
Eternity - in darkness, gasping for
breath with a mouth that isn't
there.
She writhes, desperate to breathe. DALY straightens up.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Do you submit?
NANETTE is still squirming.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
We have all the time in the
universe. Do you submit?
Eventually -- NANETTE nods.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Good girl.
He clicks his fingers, walks away. NANETTE's face reappears.
She GULPS down air like someone rescued from drowning.
CAPTAIN DALY spins his chair round away from NANETTE to face
the large viewing screen at the front of the bridge.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT'D)
Lieutenant Cole. Valdack's hideout.
Triangulate the signal please.
25 25 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 35.
NANETTE looks at the crew. No one is coming to help her.
They've all been made subservient by DALY's omnipotence.
Eventually NANETTE pulls herself up, heads over to her
station. She sits at the chair next to SHANIA.
NANETTE looks down at the controls, incomprehensible symbols
and colored shapes.
SHANIA talks through the side of her mouth to NANETTE.
SHANIA
(Whispering)
Any button, they're all the same.
NANETTE looks down to see a red flashing light on her
controls. She presses it.
The shapes and symbols move away to reveal an animation of a
star system, it zeroes in on a planet in that system.
A flashing beacon pulses on the planet surface. Information
scrolls down next to it. NANETTE stares at it all.
CAPTAIN DALY
Well?
NANETTE
(Reading from monitor)
I’m getting a signal from... a
class 5 planet... Uh.. Rannotch
B...
SHANIA
Rannoch--
NANETTE
Right. Rannoch B.
CAPTAIN DALY
Excellent. Dudani, prepare the
transmat system.
DUDANI
Of course Captain.
CAPTAIN DALY gets up.
CAPTAIN DALY
Walton. Packer. Lowery. With me.
We'll transport down to the planet.
Reclaim the crystal. Bring Valdack
to justice.
The named crew members get up to follow CAPTAIN DALY to the
TELEPORTER. CAPTAIN DALY stops:
25 25 CONTINUED: (3)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 36.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT'D)
Actually, Cole. You come too.
Perfect opportunity for you to
prove you're more than a
recommendation from Space Fleet.
What do you say?
NANETTE looks at TULASKA, who nods slowly and discreetly.
PACKER, WALTON and DALY don BELTS with PHASER GUNS on them.
Meanwhile NANETTE joins them on the TELEPORTER. SHANIA
indicates how to stand on one of the teleporter discs.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Mr Dudani. Transport!
DUDANI
Aye aye captain.
He hits a button and the CREW DEMATERIALISES.
26 26 EXT. ALIEN WORLD - DAY
The alien planet surface. Two suns hang in a mauve sky.
DALY and the crew MATERIALISE into view. NANETTE looks a
little dizzy. The rest are accustomed to it.
CAPTAIN DALY
Breathable atmosphere. Scanning for
Plasmorthian traces.
DALY scans the horizon with his OMINICORDER, like it’s a
geiger counter.
The OMNICORDER beeps. Daly turns and points at the horizon.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
The crystal's this way. Let's go.
He leads them toward it. DALY and WALTON walking ahead.
As PACKER heads off, NANETTE spots the GUN on his belt.
NANETTE
(hushed)
Nate.
She pulls level with him.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Hey Nate--
PACKER
(equally hushed)
Helmsman Packer.
25 25 CONTINUED: (4)
(MORE)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 37.
You gotta call me “Helmsman
Packer”. He gets mad if we don't
use our full titles.
NANETTE
You got a gun, let’s take him out--
PACKER
Not gonna happen --
NANETTE
It’s worth a shot--
PACKER
One, our guns don’t work. Only his
does. And two, the motherfucker's
invincible.
NANETTE
Least you got a gun.
She’s getting more and more annoyed with this.
27 27 EXT. CRATER - LATER
DALY leads them down a craggy path with high rocky walls
towards the centre of a crater. NANETTE looks up around them -
it feels like they’re being watched. Some small stones
clatter down the wall behind them making WALTON jump.
WALTON
(nervously)
Captain--
DALY is consumed by the readings on his OMNICORDER.
CAPTAIN DALY
Shhh!
SUDDENLY VALDACK'S voice booms out from behind them.
VALDACK (O.C.)
We meet again, Captain Daly!
DALY swings around to see VALDACK standing on the crater’s
edge above them, holding a massive grenade launcher, covering
their only exit.
WALTON
We're trapped!
DALY raises his phaser.
VALDACK
Not advisable. My plasma grenades
would turn you into screaming soup.
26 26 CONTINUED:
PACKER (CONT'D)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 38.
SHANIA leans in, whispers:
SHANIA
He’s not going to kill us Captain.
He had the element of surprise,
he’d have done it when he had the
chance.
DALY nods. Looks at VALDACK and raises his voice:
CAPTAIN DALY
Haven't worked out how to use the
crystal, have you Valdack?
VALDACK
It’s true that I require your Space
Fleet knowledge. It’s also true
that you’ll give it to me.
CAPTAIN DALY
Don’t be so sure.
VALDACK gives out a classic evil villain laugh.
NANETTE
(under breath; it’s
cheesy)
Jesus.
SHANIA shoots her an urgent look -- be quiet.
VALDACK
Let’s see how your resolve holds up
when you're being devoured one-byone -- by my Archanajax.
AT THAT MOMENT a grotesque BEETLE MONSTER scuttles from
behind VALDACK, over the edge towards the crew. It's about
the size of a large HORSE with great big gnashing mandibles.
WALTON
We’re all gonna die!
CAPTAIN DALY
Killing us won't make us tell you
how the crystal works Valdack.
We'll never --
Suddenly his OMNICORDER emits a sort of electronic BING BONG.
Like a doorbell. He holds it up.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
(breaking character)
Hold on - think my pizza's here.
(beat; raised voice)
Pause game.
27 27 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 39.
Suddenly DALY freezes in position, still holding the
OMNICORDER. The crew RELAX. So does VALDACK. Even the
ARACHNAJAX sits down. NANETTE is confused.
NANETTE
What's happening?
WALTON
You heard him, he's paused the game
for a pizza delivery.
(off incredulous look)
Out there.
28 28 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
The REAL DALY snaps out of his trance -- his pupils returning
to normal -- and peels the VR DISC off his temple.
The same Bing Bong his omnicorder made is coming from
somewhere off-screen.
DALY
Hold on!
He gets out of his seat.
29 29 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - FRONT DOOR/CORRIDOR/BEDROOM - MOMENTS
LATER
DALY takes a PIZZA box from a bored delivery guy. Flips open
the lid and grabs a slice as he walks back to his bedroom.
30 30 EXT. CRATER - CONTINUOUS
NANETTE stares at CAPTAIN DALY, who's frozen in position,
eyes open, still holding the OMNICORDER. She waves a hand in
front of his face. Nothing.
PACKER
Watch out. He'll be back soon.
VALDACK stretches and puts down his plasma launcher.
VALDACK
Goddam launcher's heavy as shit.
(nodding down to CREW)
How you guys holding up?
SHANIA shrugs and rolls her eyes.
WALTON
We’re existing.
WALTON nods at the ARACHNAJAX.
27 27 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 40.
WALTON (CONT'D)
How ‘bout you Gillian?
The ARACHNAJAX lets out a mournful howl.
WALTON (CONT’D)
Well, yeah.
SHANIA sees NANETTE is now staring at the ARACHNAJAX. She
leans in.
SHANIA
Her name's Gillian. She was in
marketing.
PACKER
Daly turned her into... that... cuz
she wouldn't "play along" when he
cloned her into here.
SHANIA
This whole universe is littered
with things like her. Poor fuckers
who stepped out of line.
NANETTE stares at the ARACHNAJAX sadly, and with a deeper
sense of dread. Suddenly DALY's omnicorder emits a beep.
WALTON
Well, here comes Captain DickThe crew re-assume positions. VALDACK picks up his launcher.
The ARACHNAJAX gets back on its feet.
DALY springs back into life, calling up to VALDACK.
CAPTAIN DALY
If we die, the secret of the
crystal dies with us Valdack!
VALDACK
So be it!
The ARACHNAJAX advances toward them, gnashing its jaws.
WALTON
Oh my God! We're going to die!
DALY calls up one more time.
CAPTAIN DALY
Valdack!
VALDACK
What is it Captain? Final words?
DALY points to something to the far side of VALDACK.
30 30 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 41.
CAPTAIN DALY
Over there -- a naked lady!
VALDACK
Whaaat?
VALDACK turns to look. DALY raises his phaser and FIRES,
hitting VALDACK in the shoulder.
With a howl, VALDACK topples off the crater wall and lands on
his back on the sandy floor.
The ARACHNAJAX scuttles away. DALY and the CREW advance upon
the winded VALDACK as he groans in agony.
PACKER
Great plan Captain.
SHANIA
Unparalleled tactics.
Daly stands over VALDACK, who is alive -- barely.
VALDACK
(coughing up blood)
We have fought many battles haven't
we Captain?
CAPTAIN DALY
We have.
VALDACK
And I have been a good adversary
for you have I not?
CAPTAIN DALY nods.
VALDACK (CONT'D)
Then please. End it. Kill me.
VALDACK looks DALY square in the eyes. He looks - desperate.
CAPTAIN DALY considers the request. Aims his phaser at
VALDACK's head, ready to fire the killshot.
The rest of the CREW hold their breath, sensing a moment.
Instead, CAPTAIN DALY lowers his phaser, sucks in air through
his teeth, gives an apologetic head shake.
CAPTAIN DALY
Killing in cold blood is against
the Space Fleet code. I wish I
could help.
CAPTAIN DALY kneels down, drops the hero act for a moment.
30 30 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 42.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT'D)
Sorry. Bud.
VALDACK looks like he could cry. The rest of the CREW look
away, each one with a strange look of defeat in their eyes.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT'D)
(To the crew)
Take him to the brig.
SHANIA and PACKER help VALDACK up, drag him away as CAPTAIN
DALY hails the CALLISTER with his omnicorder.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT'D)
Dudani.
DUDANI (O.C.)
(From ship)
Captain.
CAPTAIN DALY
Transport us aboard.
31 31 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - DEEP SPACE
Another feverish round of For He's a Jolly Good Fellow is
taking place as DALY basks in his latest achievement.
He takes SHANIA in his arms, and does the damsel-kiss.
Next it's TULASKA's turn. Then - as the singing continues -
he pulls NANETTE close and leans in to kiss her.
NANETTE pushes him away. Slaps him. The SINGING stops:
WALTON
And so say - oh my fuck
DALY holds his cheek. Glares at NANETTE. An ominous pause.
CAPTAIN DALY
That wasn't very nice.
He rises up, holds out his hand like the Emperor again. The
crew holds its breath. Nanette braces herself.
Then suddenly, DALY lowers his arm.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Today I will show you mercy.
DUDANI
Great mercy-showing Captain.
30 30 CONTINUED: (3)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 43.
CAPTAIN DALY
(ignoring that)
Tomorrow, you should reconsider
your... amenability. I may not be
feeling so benevolent.
(Out loud)
Exit game.
CAPTAIN DALY instantly disappears. The ship goes into stasis
mode, the lights dim, leaving just the CREW. A beat, then:
SHANIA
(sigh of relief)
Fucking hell.
TULASKA
This was tense.
(annoyed glance at
NANETTE)
I don’t like tense.
WALTON
Drink?
32 32 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - LATER
The CREW sit by the area where WALTON runs his 'bar'. He's
filling DUDANI and TULASKA in on what happened on the ground.
WALTON
Wasn't too bad. Usual 'standoff'
storyline.
(beat)
Saw Gillian from Marketing.
NANETTE is pacing up and down.
NANETTE
No way I'm kissing that asshole.
PACKER
Then he’s gonna get more and more
pissedNANETTE
(back at PACKER)
How about you kiss him?
SHANIA
Look, it’s -- you get used to it.
(beat)
There’s no tongues, never tongues,
if that’s any consolation--
NANETTE grimaces.
31 31 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 44.
TULASKA
Doing tongues is not "Space Fleet
way".
SHANIA
- and it's not like it can get
beyond kissing anyway.
NANETTE
What do you mean?
SHANIA
You haven’t noticed?
WALTON clears his throat, steps out from behind the 'bar' and
calmly starts undoing the belt on his costume.
NANETTE
Okay what’re --
He unbuttons his pants -- NANETTE is appalled:
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Don't do that --
He drops his pants, revealing -- nothing! Where his genitals
should be there's a smooth, hairless mound. Like a Ken doll.
WALTON
No genitals in Space Fleet. It’s a
wholesome universe.
NANETTE looks confused.
SHANIA
He must’ve modified our code that
way. Think he’s scared of sex.
(beat)
We're all the same. Don't believe
me, take a look down there.
She points at NANETTE’s groin. NANETTE gingerly pulls the
waist of her skirt away from her belly and peers down into
her knickers. Her face says it all.
WALTON, doing up his pants, adds:
WALTON
We've tried grinding our mounds
together out of sheer boredom, no
sensation at all.
SHANIA
Can’t even shit. Can’t even have
the basic fucking pleasure of
pushing out a shit.
32 32 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 45.
They all nod, sadly.
TULASKA
I miss taking shit.
NANETTE
Okay. Stealing my pussy is a red
fucking line. We gotta get this
bastard.
WALTON
We've tried a million times. No way
out.
NANETTE
Walton, c’mon- Walton!
WALTON downs his shot, walks off to sulk in a corner. NANETTE
watches him go, shaking her head.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Daly's smart. But he’s not a God.
He’s a coder. He's fallible.
(A flash of inspiration)
Kabir! What was he holding? In his
hand, that scanner thing?
DUDANI
His omnicorder. Primary
communications device--
NANETTE
(to SHANIA)
You said he kept his version of the
game offline.
SHANIA nods.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
(to DUDANI)
But his omnicorder made contact
with the outside world. When the
pizza came. Gotta be connected to
his home system at least.
SHANIA
The omnicorder’s gone.
DUDANI
It loads when he loads, it goes
when he goes. And that's the only
one.
NANETTE thinks. Walks over to one of the ship's computers.
It's displaying apparently random code raining down the
screen. A bit MATRIX.
32 32 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 46.
NANETTE
There's got be a way to connect.
She starts typing.
DUDANI
You won't hack it. I've tried.
NANETTE
I haven't.
She types furiously. DUDANI shakes his head and walks off.
33 33 EXT. USS CALLISTER - DEEP SPACE
HOURS PASS -- during which we see an EXTERIOR SHOT of the USS
CALLISTER with the HEAVENS rolling past.
34 34 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - LATER
NANETTE is typing furiously. Suddenly she stops.
NANETTE
Bingo.
DUDANI and SHANIA are nearby. She shows them the screen. An
icon of a handshake, beneath it the words INVITE A FRIEND.
DUDANI's eyes widen as the penny drops.
DUDANI
Oh that’s good.
SHANIA still looks confused, so Nanette explains:
NANETTE
Part of Infinity's front end. You
invite a friend with a custom
message.
SHANIA
You can get a message to outside?
NANETTE
Just one. 140 characters maximum.
PACKER
Who are you going to contact?
NANETTE flashes a smile.
32 32 CONTINUED: (3)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 47.
35 35 INT. CALLISTER INC. - ELEVATOR/LOBBY - DAY
NANETTE, stands in the elevator listening to her ear buds and
exits into CALLISTER inc's LOBBY...
... which is now festooned with CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS.
Even ELENA the RECEPTIONIST wears novelty antlers as she
fiddles with her smartphone.
NANETTE
Hey Elena.
As NANETTE passes toward the office she hears her phone PING.
It’s an email. ROBERT DALY INVITES YOU TO JOIN INFINITY.
NANETTE opens the e-mail and stands reading for a moment.
Beneath the 'SIGN UP NOW' icon is a message;
THIS IS NOT SPAM.
DALY HAS STOLEN YOUR IDENTITY.
I AM YOU AND I'M TRAPPED IN MODDED INFINITY.
HELP ME. CONTACT CYBER POL!
NANETTE reads the message, thoroughly confused.
Elena assumes there's a problem with her pass.
ELENA
You need me buzz you in?
NANETTE
Wh - oh. No - uh.
She puts her phone away and looks for her pass. KARL appears
from behind, and proffers his own.
KARL
I’ll get that for you
NANETTE
Thanks.
KARL
After you.
36 36 INT. CALLISTER INC - OFFICE - DAY
More decorations. NANETTE heads across the floor, still
slightly thinking about the email. Looking at her phone.
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 48.
She sees Robert Daly walking ahead of her.
NANETTE
Mr Daly, hi.
He looks up. A bit flustered.
DALY
Uh, hey.
NANETTE
You didn't send me an Infinity
invite just now did you?
DALY
What? No. What?
NANETTE
It was really weird, it had this
message attached, about people
"trapped in the game".
DALY thinks fast.
DALY
Probably a spambot, firewall
doesn't always get them all.
NANETTE
That's what I thought. Weirdest
thing. It went to my personal
account, not my work mail.
DALY
Hackers getting creative. I
wouldn't worry about it. Didn't
open the link did you?
NANETTE
God, no.
DALY
Maybe upgrade your security
software I guess.
NANETTE
Yeah. Well. Have a good one.
She turns and heads back to her desk.
Daly passes WALTON’s OFFICE, peering in. Walton is walking
around casually strumming an unplugged ELECTRIC GUITAR.
Daly glowers.
36 36 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 49.
37 37 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - DEEP SPACE
WALTON is methodically banging his head on a desk. Slowly.
Bang. Pause. Bang. Pause. Bang. Pause. Eventually:
PACKER
Could you cut that out?
WALTON
Trying to make it a hobby.
Suddenly the LIGHTS turn up - the HUM of the ship waking up.
SHANIA
This is way too early. He's only
been at work a few hours.
NANETTE
She got the message. I did. It's
me. Or the cops most likely.
(Smiles)
We're getting out of here.
SHANIA looks less convinced.
They look at the DOOR -- as it slides open... to reveal
CAPTAIN DALY. Glowering.
NANETTE glances at the CREW. This is bad.
DALY walks to the DISPLAY SCREEN and gazes out into space.
CAPTAIN DALY
What is Space Fleet?
(Dark, quiet)
I’ll tell you what it is. It's a
belief system, founded on the very
best of human nature. It's a goal
for us to strive towards, for the
betterment of the universe, the
betterment of life itself.
He turns to face them.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
(petulant rage)
And you assholes are fucking it up!
NANETTE steps forward.
NANETTE
It was me. I sent the message. No
one else was involved, I swear.
CAPTAIN DALY stares at her.
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 50.
CAPTAIN DALY
I tried the carrot. Now meet the
stick.
DALY raises his hand, emperor-style. SHANIA looks worried.
NANETTE turns defiant.
NANETTE
None of this is ever gonna make you
happy, Daly. Cos you're sick.
You're sick and you need to get
help.
DALY stretches out his hand. SHANIA has to intervene.
SHANIA
Don’t!
(beat)
Captain. Please. She’s new. She’ll
behave. We’ll all behave. Just --
let her off. Just this once.
DALY thinks. He lowers his hand.
CAPTAIN DALY
Okay.
He smiles. And then aims his hand at SHANIA.
NANETTE
No -- no -
Too late. DALY concentrates -- and SHANIA starts to convulse.
She SCREAMS in AGONY and drops to the floor.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Please no! Daly no!
SHANIA mutates into an ARACHNAJAX. The metamorphosis is
agonising. Her SCREAMS become more animal, guttural.
NANETTE looks at CAPTAIN DALY, coldly looking back at her as
the ARACHNAJAX ROARS out in PAIN.
CAPTAIN DALY
Know what makes me happy? The look
on your face right now.
He turns to the rest of the CREW.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
(about ARACHNAJAX)
Dudani, Walton, Tulaska -- throw
that thing in the brig with
Valdack. Packer, find a barren
planet we can dump her on.
(turns to NANETTE)
37 37 CONTINUED:
(MORE)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 51.
And you. You can just stay here.
Think about your attitude.
The crew glumly set about their tasks, DUDANI and co
shepherding SHANIA / ARACHNAJAX to the brig while PACKER goes
to his navigation computer.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Exit game.
He vanishes. NANETTE sits down, defeated.
38 38 INT. USS CALLISTER - CORRIDOR - LATER
NANETTE stands by the window, staring out into DEEP SPACE.
She’s CRYING. Utterly broken.
But then something catches her eye. Out the window, in the
depths of space - a LIGHT. Something is happening.
She wipes the tears and snot on her sleeve, looks out to see
OUT IN SPACE -- A cluster of stars swirl together, sucking in
debris from around them - forming a funnel shape...
A WORMHOLE IS FORMING IN SPACE in the distance.
She looks at the access panel screen beside the window. It
kicks into life. Incomprehensible data scrolling down the
screen.
NANETTE studies it. It's code! She realizes what's happening.
NANETTE
(To herself)
Update patch.
(beat; louder)
The update patch!
She RUNS toward the bridge.
39 39 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - MOMENTS LATER
NANETTE is beside PACKER, as he looks at a GALACTIC MAP on
his display. The WORMHOLE is depicted on it, a distance away.
NANETTE taps the WORMHOLE.
PACKER
So what. It's a wormhole.
The doors slide open, the remainder of the CREW slouch in.
NANETTE
Uh-uh. It's the Christmas update
patch, pre-installing itself.
37 37 CONTINUED: (2)
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
(MORE)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 52.
The wormhole is just how the game's
expressing the uplink.
PACKER
So?
DUDANI understands what’s happening.
DUDANI
So Daly’s custom build is still
connected to the internet.
NANETTE
(nodding)
Some way, somehow --
WALTON cuts in.
WALTON
If this is another one of your
'plans', just stop now before
someone else gets monster-fied--
NANETTE
This can work.
DUDANI
But we can't get online access from
the ship, he’ll have crippled
permissions.
NANETTE
Yes, but -- what happens if we fly
into the wormhole?
PACKER
Like on purpose?
DUDANI has worked it out. His eyes widen.
DUDANI
We'd hit the system firewall -- and
have our rogue coding deleted.
NANETTE
Exactly.
PACKER
Deleted as in--?
TULASKA
- as in die.
DUDANI
Whether it’s ‘dying’ would depend
largely on your philosophical
position regarding sentient co39 39 CONTINUED:
NANETTE (CONT'D)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 53.
NANETTE
(cutting in)
We would cease to exist. That’s
true. But we'd be free.
(beat)
We’d be free.
The CREW go quiet. Think about what she's saying.
DUDANI
But this is academic since we have
no means of getting to the wormholePACKER
Yeah we can only pilot the damn
thing while Daly's here. He'll stop
us like that.
NANETTE thinks.
NANETTE
How about when he's logged in but
on pause? Like when his pizza came?
He was just frozen thereDUDANI
Flying would be possible--
(nodding at map)
-- but that wormhole's a whole
parsec away; we'd never reach it
before he got back.
NANETTE nods. Thinking.
NANETTE
Unless we can stall him longer.
TULASKA
And that we do how?
NANETTE
We'd need help from outside. From
real me again.
TULASKA
Worked good last time...
PACKER
How we meant to contact "real you"
again anyhow?
NANETTE
(to DUDANI)
If we can get Daly's omnicorder, we
can make a call, right?
39 39 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 54.
DUDANI
That’s correct, theoretically, but--
NANETTE
Well, if we can get real me on the
phone, I may have some... leverage.
PACKER
Leverage on yourself?
NANETTE
Uh-huh.
They stare blankly at her.
PACKER
Like what?
NANETTE
(almost reluctant)
My PhotoCloud account. I know the
password - obviously. There're
some... interesting images in
there. That I shoulda deleted a
while back. But didn’t.
(beat; deep breath)
So we can blackmail me. Pretty sure
I'd do anything to stop those
pictures getting out.
TULASKA
Must be pretty pictures.
NANETTE
Look if this is gonna work, we've
all gotta be in on it.
There’s a pause while they consider..
PACKER
Flying into certain death in a
wormhole beats another 10,000 years
with Captain Ass. I'm in.
DUDANI
Me too.
They look at TULASKA.
TULASKA
Also me.
WALTON suddenly pipes up from across the room.
WALTON
Well I'm out
39 39 CONTINUED: (3)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 55.
They stare at him.
WALTON (CONT’D)
Daly's won. We just gotta get on
with it. We don't have a chance.
NANETTE rounds on him.
NANETTE
Yes we do. We hit that wormhole,
we're extinct. Gone. Rid of his
shit.
WALTON
(bitterly)
Sounds peachy.
NANETTE gets closer.
NANETTE
What's with you? Don't you wanna
fight back? Why won't you fight
back?
WALTON
Tommy.
No-one knows what he's talking about.
NANETTE
Who's Tommy?
WALTON
My son. He's six years old. Least
he was when I woke up in here.
(beat)
See, in the early days of this
ship, it was just me and Daly in
here. I was his pet project.
He tried just about everything to
break me. I withstood it all. Cos I
thought there was still a chance I
could get out. See my boy again.
(beat)
And I was right. I did get to see
him again. Just not the real him.
As WALTON continues to speak we see GLIMPSES from the PAST:
40 40 INT. CALLISTER INC. -- TWO YEARS EARLIER
Slow-mo, dreamlike. We see REAL WALTON showing his son TOMMY
round the office. Greeting KARL, DUDANI (AWKWARDLY), NATE.
SHANIA gives TOMMY a RED LOLLIPOP. He starts SUCKING it.
39 39 CONTINUED: (4)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 56.
WALTON (V.O.)
Daly told me what happened. Back in
the outside, real me brought Tommy
into the office one day. Wanted to
show him around. He would’ve loved
seeing all the computers, he's into
that stuff.
(beat)
Anyhow evidently, Tommy had a
lollipop that day.
TOMMY puts the LOLLIPOP down on a desk absent-mindedly. Pull
focus to see DALY looking at it.
41 41 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
We see DALY removing the LOLLIPOP from a PLASTIC BAG with
TWEEZERS, placing it in his PETRI DISH DEVICE.
WALTON (V.O.)
That was all Daly needed.
42 42 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - FLASHBACK
In slow-mo, CAPTAIN DALY leads TOMMY onto the BRIDGE. WALTON
is the only other crew member. His face lights up, but he’s
also concerned.
WALTON (V.O.)
He copied him into here. And it was
Tommy alright. Alike in every way.
CAPTAIN DALY grabs hold of TOMMY before he can run to his DAD
Suddenly we're back in the present, on the BRIDGE -
43 43 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - PRESENT DAY
Walton's voice is cracking. Nanette is silenced, listening.
WALTON
You know what he did to him?
44 44 INT. USS CALLISTER - CORRIDOR - FLASHBACK
Slow-mo still as CAPTAIN DALY drags a screaming TOMMY down
the corridor, towards the AIRLOCK with the ACCESS PANEL.
WALTON (V.O.)
He took Tommy and he threw him out
the airlock. Right out into space.
Made me watch.
40 40 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 57.
We see WALTON staring out of the window, screaming and
howling in slow motion, horrified by what he can see...
45 45 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - PRESENT DAY
WALTON is in tears now.
WALTON
Have you ever seen an unsuited body
compress in space? They freeze. And
crack. Like a porcelain doll. I
take my hat off to Daly, the detail
in this place really is
exceptional.
Everyone is stunned. Horrified.
WALTON (CONT’D)
He said he'd do it again. And
again. If he had to.
(beat)
I can't let him do that to Tommy.
Never again.
(beat)
Daly's still got his DNA. Got all
our DNA. He told me. Keeps it in a
bedroom mini-fridge by his desk. So
I have to stay in line.
(beat)
Because even if we all die, he can
bring us back. He can bring Tommy
back -- whenever he wants. And God
knows how he'd take it out on him.
God knows what he'd do. But I tell
you this. He’d make us watch.
PACKER
Holy shit.
WALTON
(tears in his eyes)
So you see? What choice do I have?
(breaking down)
What choice?
NANETTE is closest. She holds him. And then she looks him in
the eye with all the conviction she can muster and she says:
NANETTE
Walton. We are gonna get that
fucking lollipop.
(beat)
But you gotta believe me. Can you
do that? Can you?
He looks at her, uncertain.
44 44 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 58.
46 46 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - FRONT DOOR/CORRIDOR - NIGHT
We notice a uniform CHRISTMAS WREATH on the door, as the
house lights up as DALY enters and heads to his bedroom.
47 47 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - NIGHT
Once inside, DALY sits down at his games desk.
There’s now a slightly pathetic mini-CHRISTMAS TREE on it.
Grabs a chocolate milk from his fridge. We see the LOLLIPOP
and the other DNA bags.
He slurps, pops the VR DISC on his temple. Boots up the game.
An LED flashes. His eyes mist over. He goes limp. He's in.
48 48 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - MOMENTS LATER
CAPTAIN DALY bounds in. And smiles as he sees NANETTE is
sitting dutifully at the COMMS desk.
CAPTAIN DALY
(to NANETTE)
Good to see you at your position
Cole.
NANETTE
(saluting)
Captain - you've come at just the
right time.
CAPTAIN DALY
I have?
NANETTE
(nod)
I'm picking up a distress signal
from the surface of Skillane IV.
Looks like a crashed shuttle.
(beat)
What should we do?
CAPTAIN DALY
Space Fleet never turns its back on
those who need our help. Dudani,
set a course for Skillane IV --
DUDANI
Aye aye sir
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 59.
CAPTAIN DALY
We'll send a search party.
(beat; turning round)
Packer, Tulaska --
NANETTE
(cutting in)
Actually Captain - I was thinking
maybe you could take me alone. As
science officer I need to learn the
ropes. And I could use your close
attention.
DALY is flustered. It takes him a while to respond.
CAPTAIN DALY
Good idea.
49 49 EXT. ALIEN PLANET SURFACE - LATER
NANETTE and CAPTAIN DALY transport down onto a warm, craggy
planet surface. Arid mountains, lush lakes.
DALY takes out his omnicorder, scans the area. NANETTE eyes
the device hungrily.
CAPTAIN DALY
Atmosphere's good.
Daly spots the SHUTTLE up ahead. It's the size of a minivan.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Over there.
He leads the way. Behind, NANETTE exhales. So far so good.
50 50 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
The CREW are gathered around DUDANI's control panel, watching
a wireframe map with a GPS dot on it, indicating DALY and
NANETTE’s position. They're waiting for something. We turn to
see their faces as we hear DALY saying:
CAPTAIN DALY (V.O.)
No signs of life here. Shuttle is
deserted.
51 51 EXT. ALIEN PLANET SURFACE - MOMENTS LATER
CAPTAIN DALY and NANETTE stand a short distance from the
SHUTTLE. DALY is talking into the omnicorder. There is a
shimmering LAKE nearby. NANETTE looks at it and thinks.
48 48 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 60.
CAPTAIN DALY
We'll scout the area, check for any
life forms. Daly out.
NANETTE starts walking toward the lake. DALY looks confused.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Cole, we should head out this way.
(beat)
Cole?
NANETTE unzips her uniform, slipping it off (she wears a
sports bra and underwear beneath).
CAPTAIN DALY averts his eyes -- then stops averting them.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Wh- what are you doing?
NANETTE swims in up to her neck and turns around, smiling.
NANETTE
Ohmygod the water's great.
DALY’s flustered. He's simultaneously annoyed and mesmerised.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Come on in!
CAPTAIN DALY
Swimming's a leisure activity.
We're on Space Fleet duty.
NANETTE dives and resurfaces, smiling.
NANETTE
We could always say I started
drowning. You had to come in to
rescue me...
(beat)
Come on in, my big Captain...
DALY thinks. He's shy but wants to join her. He starts
slipping off his clothes too (he has boxers on beneath).
DALY carefully folds his clothes and lays them on the ground.
Puts the omnicorder on top of them and heads in to the water.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
(smiling)
Gonna take all day?
As DALY walks toward the water, smiling at NANETTE, we see
the omnicorder start to GLOW. It's being TELEPORTED...
51 51 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 61.
52 52 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - DEEP SPACE
The omnicorder re-appears on the bridge. DUDANI scoops it up
as the rest of the crew look on anxiously.
DUDANI
Okay, gotta patch it in.
DUDANI sits the omnicorder on his workstation panel, a
connecting circle appears beneath it. He's in.
Everyone looks up to the main bridge screen, which now
displays a search engine page. DUDANI navigates to the LOGIN
page of NANETTE'S PhotoCloud account.
DUDANI (CONT'D)
It worked. I'm connected. Gonna
access her photocloud account.
PACKER
You actually remember that
password?
DUDANI
(from memory)
Uppercase Y 998 lowercase g-p-7
Uppercase TY ampersand 4.
(adding approvingly as he
types it in)
Secure choice.
The screen switches to an iPhoto style GALLERY of Nanette's
personal photos. Pretty innocuous stuff so far.
TULASKA
Boring life.
Everyone's staring at them as DUDANI scrolls down.
DUDANI
There's a thousand images here.
This could take a while to find--
DUDANI focuses on his workstation. Then as they scroll down,
we watch the crew's faces.
We see a picture of NANETTE grinning in a swanky hotel room.
Taking a selfie in the bathroom mirror. Then another one --
her shoulder strap is down. And another --
Everyone reacts -- eyes widening at what they're seeing.
PACKER
Woah.
Even TULASKA is momentarily impressed. She cranes her neck.
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 62.
TULASKA
That is gymnastic physique.
WALTON
Nice... bedding.
PACKER swallows like he's seeing the face of God. There's a
pause as they all stare mesmerised.
DUDANI
Should I keep scrolling?
After a while of watching, wide eyed.
WALTON
I’d say any of the last nine will
do.
PACKER
(swallowing)
Uh-huh.
53 53 INT. CALLISTER INC. - NIGHT.
At a desk in the corner real DUDANI sits typing into his
system. Not far away the real NANETTE sits at her
workstation, also working late. Earbuds in.
SHANIA heads past, heading out for the holidays. She
playfully bounces a stress ball off NANETTE’s head as she
approaches. NANETTE pops out her earbuds.
NANETTE
Thank you. Going out for the night?
SHANIA
Hello, it’s Christmas Eve. Out of
this place for like ten days.
(beat)
You’ll fuse with that desk, go
home.
NANETTE
I will, just gotta finish off...
SHANIA
Well okay. Merry Christmas loser.
NANETTE smiles. SHANIA leaves. NANETTE’s about to put the
earbuds back in when her phone PINGS. Message from ANONYMOUS.
She looks confused, taps it open.
NANETTE COLE. REMEMBER THAT WEEK IN VEGAS?
NANETTE'S eyes widen. She seems to know what that means.
52 52 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 63.
Then a PHOTO MESSAGE arrives. The bathroom mirror SELFIE.
NANETTE reacts, horrified.
NANETTE
Oh God, Elliot you asshole.
Another message appears. Another image with the headline;
PS - THIS ISN'T ELLIOT.
She frowns -- then the phone RINGS in her hand: ANONYMOUS.
NANETTE lets it ring for a moment. Shock and panic overriding
everything. Then she answers it, to hear a gravelly voice.
We INTERCUT with the BRIDGE to show WALTON saying the
following into a mic, with a hand over his mouth to make his
voice sound mysterious:
WALTON (O.C.)
Nanette Cole. We have hacked your
PhotoCloud account.
NANETTE
Who is this? What do you want?
WALTON (O.C.)
Do exactly as instructed or first
thing Christmas Morning your entire
gallery will be shared with your
friends and family.
(beat)
And PornHub.
(At that last line we see TULASKA looking at WALTON
unimpressed. He shrugs -- he thought it was a nice touch.)
A beat; fear in NANETTE'S eyes. She gulps. Holds her brow.
NANETTE
Okay. Whatever you want. I'll do
anything. Just -- I’ll do anything.
WALTON
Then listen to our instructions
carefully. There isn't much time.
Get your coat on.
(beat)
Now!
REAL NANETTE jerks to attention and immediately stands up.
54 54 EXT. ALIEN PLANET SURFACE - CONTINUOUS
DALY bobs beside NANETTE. He glances back to the shore.
53 53 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 64.
CAPTAIN DALY
We should probably head back --
NANETTE
(hurriedly)
Help I’m drowning!
He whips his head back round.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Oh, it's okay. Just - forgot how to
swim for a moment. Haha!
DALY smiles awkwardly at her. She's acting a little odd.
Then she splashes him playfully with water. DALY’s almost
angry. Then he smiles -- he smiles -- and splashes her back.
55 55 EXT. DALY’S APARTMENT BLOCK - BALCONY - NIGHT
Real NANETTE climbs over a BALCONY -- nervously -- and once
safe, peeks into DALY'S WINDOW. She sees him lying limp in
his chair, plugged into the game, but his BACK is to her.
NANETTE
(into earpiece)
In position.
INTERCUT with the BRIDGE of the USS CALLISTER:
WALTON
OK. We’ll hang up now. Make the
call and do not fail the rest of
your mission.
NANETTE
I will --
56 56 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
WALTON
You better.
WALTON taps the omnicorder off and hands it to DUDANI.
DUDANI
Okay, send it back down.
57 57 EXT. ALIEN PLANET SURFACE - CONTINUOUS
As DALY and NANETTE frolic in the water, the omnicorder
rematerialises on top of his pile of clothing.
54 54 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 65.
DALY bobs underwater for a moment. A quick glimpse of
NANETTE's smile fading - then reappearing as he resurfaces.
58 58 EXT. DALY’S APARTMENT - BALCONY - NIGHT
Real NANETTE makes a phonecall. Adjusts her earpiece.
NANETTE
(On phone)
Yeah, I'd like to order a pizza.
59 59 INT. DALY’S APARTMENT BLOCK - HALLWAY - LATER
A PIZZA GUY arrives. Checks it’s 102. Pushes a buzzer.
60 60 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - CONTINUOUS
The DISPLAY PANEL by the DOOR goes BING BONG.
61 61 EXT. ALIEN PLANET SURFACE - LAKE - CONTINUOUS
As NANETTE and DALY splash each other, laughing, on the
shore, DALY's omnicorder lights up and emit the same BING
BONG sound as the doorbell.
Both he and NANETTE look round.
NANETTE
Guess you better get that?
62 62 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
DALY lies limp in the chair, eyes glazed, as the bing-bonging
continues.
63 63 EXT. ALIEN PLANET SURFACE - SHORE - CONTINUOUS
DALY, still in his BOXERS, grabs the omnicorder. Looks at it.
CAPTAIN DALY
It's the door.
(beat)
Pause game.
He's frozen in position. NANETTE quickly grabs the omnicorder
from his hand, taps something and speaks into it.
NANETTE
Dudani? Pick me up.
57 57 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 66.
She chucks the omnicorder down onto DALY’s clothes, gathers
her own clothes and starts to DEMATERIALISE...
64 64 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
... And REMATERIALISES on the bridge, still in underwear,
clutching her clothes.
NANETTE
Okay. We don't have much time.
She quickly starts to dress. Her and PACKER share a glance
for a moment -- PACKER looks away -- he's embarrassed.
NANETTE briefly remembers the photos.
65 65 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
DALY snaps out of the game, takes off the VR DISC and places
it on his DESK. The BING BONG noise continues.
DALY
Coming!
66 66 EXT. DALY’S APARTMENT BLOCK - BALCONY - CONTINUOUS
REAL NANETTE watches through the glass as DALY heads for the
door. As soon as he's gone, she OPENS THE BALCONY DOOR.
67 67 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - NIGHT
DALY stands by the door. He talks into the CONTROL PANEL.
DALY
Hello?
PIZZA DELIVERY GUY (O.C.)
Pizza.
DALY
I didn't order pizza.
68 68 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Quietly, REAL NANETTE sneaks up to DALY's desk, picks up the
VR EXPERIENCER DISC, puts it in a pocket and REPLACES IT WITH
AN IDENTICAL COPY.
Then she quickly opens the MINI-FRIDGE and looks at the
LOLLIPOP BAG. She stares at it, bemused for a moment --
63 63 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 67.
NANETTE
(hushed)
The hell am I doing?
-- then stuffs it -- AND THE OTHER BAGS - in her pocket.
She quickly fishes her phone out and TAPS something.
69 69 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - DEEP SPACE
NANETTE is quickly dressing, while on the main screen, a star
chart is on display. WALTON is plotting a course.
Suddenly there’s a DING and a large NOTIFICATION on the
screen.
FRIEND INVITE ACCEPTED! From NANETTE COLE
NANETTE
That’s the signal! She’s got the
DNA!
(beat)
All of it. Tommy too.
She looks at WALTON, who is relieved beyond belief.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
(To PACKER)
Packer, we ready to fly?
PACKER
Uh-huh.
A beat.
NANETTE
Well?
PACKER
You're supposed to say something
like 'engage' or 'increase thru--
NANETTE
Just fucking go.
PACKER nods, engages thrusters. The ship speeds into SPACE.
70 70 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - FRONT DOOR/CORRIDOR - CONTINUOUS
PIZZA DELIVERY GUY
Man someone ordered it. You want it
or not?
DALY
Hold on.
68 68 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 68.
DALY opens the door. He takes the pizza, beeps a CONTACTLESS
CARD onto the pizza guy's PAYMENT WIDGET.
DALY (CONT’D)
Thanks.
PIZZA DELIVERY GUY
Hey, I got it here in under twenty.
(beat)
There's supposed to be thirty in it
for me.
DALY looks at him blankly for a moment, then shuts the door.
PIZZA DELIVERY GUY (CONT'D)
What the fuck asshole?
71 71 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
The real NANETTE hears the door shut. She FREEZES.
72 72 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - - CONTINUOUS
DALY takes a slice, pleased with his bounty. Tucks in.
The digital doorbell BLEEPS. We see on the control panel The
PIZZA DELIVERY GUY still at the door. Demanding his tip.
PIZZA DELIVERY GUY
Come on man you promised...
DALY taps the screen. Selects DO NOT DISTURB mode.
73 73 INT. DALY’S APARTMENT BLOCK - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
To the PIZZA DELIVERY GUY's dismay, the little SCREEN with
the APARTMENT NUMBER ON IT changes to read DO NOT DISTURB.
There's an auto-locking sound.
PIZZA GUY tries the DOORBELL again but now it’s SILENT.
A beat. Then he gives up.
PIZZA DELIVERY GUY
Nice. Merry Christmas asshole!
He turns and stomps away.
74 74 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
DALY enters his bedroom, chewing a slice of pizza. He looks
around. Something odd, perhaps?
70 70 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 69.
He looks at the window. Walks over to it.
75 75 EXT. DALY’S APARTMENT BLOCK - BALCONY - CONTINUOUS
REAL NANETTE ducks down so he can't see her.
76 76 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
DALY draws the curtains shut and walks back to his desk.
He sits down, picks up the VR DISC. Puts it on his temple.
DALY
Resume game.
Nothing.
He peels the DISC off and blows on it.
DALY (CONT’D)
Resume game.
Still nothing.
77 77 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
On the DISPLAY, stars whizz past. But NANETTE is anxious.
NANETTE
Can't we go any faster? That dud
disc isn’t gonna fool him forever.
Update's gonna complete before long
and that means bye bye wormhole.
PACKER points at his galactic map, showing the route.
PACKER
Only quicker route would be through
that asteroid belt there.
NANETTE
So let's go that way!
WALTON
It's way too dense.
DUDANI
If the ship broke up we wouldn't
die, we'd just be left spinning in
space--
74 74 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 70.
WALTON
- until Daly works out what's
happening. He'd find us and fuck us
over.
NANETTE nods, still impatient.
78 78 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
Having inspected it, DALY gives up with the VR DISC.
DALY
Stupid thing.
He TOSSES it across the room, opens a drawer. Rustles through
bric-a-brac, old paperclips and the like. At the back he
finds a BRAND NEW VR DISC in SHRINK WRAPPED tasteful
packaging. (It’s a small box -- about the size of the little
square case a pair of Apple earbuds comes in - NB maybe it’s
a TCKR-branded product?)
He RIPS it open. Quick cuts as fumbles and puts the new DISC
on his temple.
DALY (CONT’D)
Resume game.
79 79 EXT. ALIEN PLANET SURFACE - SHORE - CONTINUOUS
CAPTAIN DALY, still in his underwear, suddenly springs into
life. He’s confused for a moment by the lack of an omnicorder
in his hand.
CAPTAIN DALY
Okay Lt. Cole, let's head for--
(beat)
Cole?
He looks around. Where is she? He scoops up his OMNICORDER.
80 80 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
TULASKA sits up as DALY's VOICE comes through on a speaker.
CAPTAIN DALY
Daly to bridge. What's going on?
NANETTE
Shit. He had a backup disc.
(to TULASKA)
Don't answer him!
77 77 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 71.
81 81 EXT. ALIEN PLANET SURFACE - SHORE - CONTINUOUS
DALY
Come in?
(beat)
Goddamnit.
He looks around. Spots the SHUTTLE in the distance. Trudges
towards it.
82 82 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
DUDANI notes something on his display.
DUDANI
Uh-oh. The wormhole. It's
decreasing in size.
NANETTE
Upload must be in the last few
percent. Dammit Packer, we're gonna
have to go through the belt.
(beat)
Think you can do it?
PACKER
Think I can try.
They watch anxiously as the DISPLAY swerves to show the
ASTEROID BELT.
83 83 EXT/INT. SHUTTLE - CONTINUOUS
On the ALIEN PLANET, CAPTAIN DALY is inside the SHUTTLE. He
taps a few buttons on the dash. Systems hum into life.
COMPUTER
Ships. Computer. On.
CAPTAIN DALY
Computer, where is the USS
Callister?
COMPUTER
USS Callister is on course.
CAPTAIN DALY
On course for where?
COMPUTER
The wormhole.
A beat.
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 72.
CAPTAIN DALY
What wormhole?
COMPUTER
The update vortex.
A penny drops. Woah. WOAH.
CAPTAIN DALY
Sons of bitches.
(beat)
Prepare for takeoff.
He hits some controls. The engines start up.
84 84 EXT. DEEP SPACE
The CALLISTER swerves through the ASTEROID BELT, narrowly
avoiding calamity. A small ROCK bounces off the hull.
85 85 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
The CREW lean THIS WAY and THAT, as PACKER pilots them
between spinning chunks of space rock.
TULASKA
Shields at 86 percent.
Suddenly DUDANI notes something on his computer.
DUDANI
I’ve got a heat signature. Looks
like a shuttle just took off from
Skillane IV.
NANETTE
Daly.
TULASKA
Incoming transmission.
She hits a button and we INTERCUT with CAPTAIN DALY, speaking
into a handset on board the SHUTTLE, which is now in space.
CAPTAIN DALY (O.C.)
I know you can hear me. Whatever
you think you're going to do won't
work. But it is going to cost you.
NANETTE
(to PACKER)
Let's go faster!
PACKER
We're already at maximum.
83 83 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 73.
DUDANI
Daly can't touch us unless he makes
it on board. And that shuttle's a
jalopy. He won't catch us in time.
NANETTE
I hope you're right.
Just then -- CLONG! Another small asteroid collides with the
ship. The crew rock about a little more.
TULASKA
Shields 58 percent.
86 86 EXT. SHUTTLE - DEEP SPACE - CONTINUOUS
DALY's SHUTTLE is whizzing through the inky dark.
87 87 INT. SHUTTLE - DEEP SPACE - CONTINUOUS
DALY continues hurling insults at them:
CAPTAIN DALY
If you thought what has happened to
you in the past was bad, that was
nothing. What I'm going to do you
is going to be god damn biblical...
88 88 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
DALY's voice echoes round the BRIDGE as PACKER continues to
weave through the rocks.
CAPTAIN DALY (V.O.)
I'm going to literally turn your
insides out, but I'll keep you
alive, in jars--
NANETTE
Why are we listening to this?
TULASKA nods, hits a button. DALY's rant is cut off.
TULASKA
Yes fuck him.
PACKER
We’re at the edge of the belt... I
think we're gonna make it...
Nanette smiles.
85 85 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 74.
89 89 EXT. USS CALLISTER - CONTINUOUS
He spoke too soon. Just as the CALLISTER exits the asteroid
field, one ASTEROID collides with CALLISTER's hull. It dings
away, causing damage.
90 90 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
Thump! Rumble! The crew is jerked around. Then:
TULASKA
Shields critical, 6 percent --
Suddenly there's a heavy groaning sound from the engines.
NANETTE
What was that?
DUDANI
(studying screen; worried)
The primary drive. It’s not
responding.
PACKER
I've lost all thrust!
(beat)
Engines not responding.
(beat)
We're drifting here.
91 91 EXT. USS CALLISTER - CONTINUOUS
Sure enough, the ship is drifting in space. Powerless.
92 92 INT. SHUTTLE - CONTINUOUS
The ship's computer announces:
COMPUTER
USS Callister has lost engine
power.
CAPTAIN DALY
Coming to get you!
He accelerates a little more.
93 93 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
All hope is lost. No-one knows what to do.
PACKER
What do we do?
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 75.
Everyone looks at NANETTE. She's in the captain's chair.
NANETTE
I don't know...
(to DUDANI)
Any way we can fix the engines?
DUDANI
That’s only feasible manually. By
climbing inside the jet feeder.
NANETTE
So --
PACKER
So you'd burn to a crisp when the
jet came on.
DUDANI
You'd burn without dying.
NANETTE
Then one of us has to go.
Sudden wide shot. WALTON isn't there. Suddenly - a voice:
WALTON (O.C.)
One of us already has.
NANETTE
Walton?
94 94 INT. JET FEEDER TUBE - CONTINUOUS
The JET FEEDER TUBE is a bit like the interior of a giant jet
ENGINE. Dark and lots of pipes and stuff.
WALTON is in there, with some TOOLS. Wrenching at something
in the wiring. He now has a COMMS EARPIECE in his ear.
WALTON
(straining as he wrenches
something)
Pretty sure I can fix this...
NANETTE
Walton, are you sure about this?
WALTON keeps his eyes fixed on the task.
WALTON
I'm sure.
(beat)
Tulaska, can you patch me through
to Daly?
93 93 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 76.
95 95 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
NANETTE looks at TULASKA. She nods.
TULASKA
Patching through.
INTERCUT ALL THREE -- the CREW on the BRIDGE as they listen,
WALTON in the JET FEEDER and DALY in the SHUTTLE.
WALTON
Daly? Can you hear me?
CAPTAIN DALY
Walton you're gonna pay for this --
WALTON
Robert, listenCAPTAIN DALY
-- I'm gonna bring Tommy back in--
WALTON
Robert --
CAPTAIN DALY
And God so help me you’re gonna
regret this all so hard--
WALTON
BOB I WANNA TALK TO YOU HERE!
DALY shuts up, momentarily chastened.
WALTON (CONT’D)
I was thinking I should say sorry.
As WALTON talks he continues tinkering with a space-spanner.
CAPTAIN DALY
Go on.
WALTON
You created Infinity. You're a
genius. I exploited that. Treated
you like the golden goose. Got fat
on the profits.
(beat)
Figuratively speaking.
(beat)
I was thinking I oughta say I
should’ve appreciated you more.
Shoulda treated you better.
DALY doesn't speak for a moment -- this is touching him.
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 77.
WALTON (CONT’D)
Yeah. I was thinking I should say
all that.
(beat)
But you threw my son out of an
airlock. So fuck you to death.
And with that he WRENCHES something -- and the JET roars.
WALTON is INCINERATED, SCREAMING.
96 96 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
WALTON's scream is cut off - the feed dies. ENGINES roar.
PACKER
We got power back!
He YANKS a thruster.
97 97 EXT. USS CALLISTER - CONTINUOUS
The ENGINE roars -- and the ship HURTLES for the WORMHOLE.
98 98 INT. SHUTTLE - CONTINUOUS
DALY anxiously looks ahead. A little graphic display shows
his shuttle is GAINING on the USS CALLISTER.
COMPUTER
Callister at 4Km and closing.
CAPTAIN DALY
Faster!
COMPUTER
Speed already at maximum.
CAPTAIN DALY
Whatever, just catch them!
99 99 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
DUDANI
Wormhole almost closed.
NANETTE
(to PACKER)
Keep her steady...
PACKER sweats as he pilots the craft.
95 95 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 78.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Steady...
100 100 EXT. DEEP SPACE - NEAR WORMHOLE - CONTINUOUS
The CALLISTER approaches the shrinking WORMHOLE...
We INTERCUT with the CREW holding its breath:
NANETTE
Steady...
And with DALY, shouting:
CAPTAIN DALY
Come on!
And with TULASKA saying:
TULASKA
I hope we are going to die.
And then... The USS CALLISTER SLIPS INTO THE WORMHOLE -
- Which WINKS SHUT BEHIND THEM.
And DALY's SHUTTLE zips past, missing the aperture.
CAPTAIN DALY
GODAMMIT!
101 101 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
Wild, bright lights on the display. Like the Falcon going
into HYPERSPACE.
The CREW stand together. Looking into infinity.
They slowly, silently HOLD HANDS in a final act of
solidarity.
The entire BRIDGE distorts. Elongates. SPINS.
Strobe lighting.
Impressionistic faces of the crew.
Like the black hole segment in 2001: A Space Odyssey.
And then -- BLACKNESS
TOTAL BLACKNESS
And then suddenly:
99 99 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 79.
102 102 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - MOMENTS LATER
Something's changed. The bridge layout is the same, but the
colour scheme is more MODERN. The display graphics are
NOTABLY more HIGH-TECH. We have JJ ABRAMS LENS FLARE.
Even the CREW COSTUMES are more MODERN. The women's outfit
less revealing. They look down at themselves.
NANETTE
What's happened?
DUDANI
The mod's gone. Daly's Space Fleet
mod. It's been stripped away by the
firewall.
They glance at TULASKA -- she’s HUMAN again! TULASKA looks
down at her own skin.
TULASKA
Okay so this is good.
PACKER
We're still alive?
DUDANI looks at his display.
DUDANI
Yeah it only erased the Space Fleet
mod.
NANETTE
We're not on Daly's computer any
more.
(beat)
We're in the cloud.
But TULASKA looks worried.
TULASKA
Where’s Daly?
DUDANI looks at his display.
DUDANI
Firewall's deleted his rogue
gamecode. And his controls are
disabled.
NANETTE
You mean --?
DUDANI nods, with a smile.
DUDANI
He's stuck there.
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 80.
103 103 EXT. DEEP SPACE - OTHER SIDE OF WORMHOLE
DALY's SHUTTLE thrums through space.
Suddenly -- the stars start to disappear. All of them.
Rapidly twinkling out of existence.
COMPUTER
Update complete. Wormhole closed.
104 104 INT. SHUTTLE - CONTINUOUS
Daly frantically punches buttons.
COMPUTER
Controls are disabled.
DALY
No no no105 105 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
The CREW sit on the BRIDGE, looking at the universe.
Just then they hear the DOOR OPEN and a triumphant voice:
SHANIA
Arseholes!
They spin around. SHANIA and VALDACK have just entered. KARL
is now in INFINITY COSTUME, as are the rest of the crew.
SHANIA (CONT’D)
Brig unlocked itself.
KARL
My Valdack outfit turned into this!
SHANIA
Yeah Karl, more to the point I’m
not a fucking beetle thing anymore.
(beat)
Got my body back, I mean my full
body back. Guessing we all did.
PACKER thinks. Peers inside his own PANTS. And grins like a
man who's discovered his penis now exists again after a long
period of absence. Because that's what has happened.
NANETTE
So what do we do now?
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 81.
DUDANI
We've got an infinite procedurally
generated universe at our disposal.
We can go anywhere.
NANETTE gazes at the heavens on the monitor, awestruck.
NANETTE
Holy mackerel.
106 106 INT. SHUTTLE - CONTINUOUS
DALY notices it's getting darker. He's worried.
CAPTAIN DALY
What's happening?
COMPUTER
Rogue universe detected... Deletion
in process...
CAPTAIN DALY
No! NO! Undelete! UNDELETE!
COMPUTER
(voice slowing down)
My mind is going... I can feel it..
The COMPUTER falls silent. The lights in the SHUTTLE dim.
CAPTAIN DALY
Exit game.
Nothing.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
Exit game!
A penny drops. He panics.
CAPTAIN DALY (CONT’D)
EXIT GAME! EXIT FUCKING GAME!
107 107 INT. DALY'S APARTMENT - BEDROOM - CONTINUOUS
The REAL DALY sits LIMP in the chair. EYES GLAZED. Mouth
slightly open. Unable to move. The VR disc on his temple.
The mini Christmas tree glows in the dark. We slowly drift
away...
105 105 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 82.
108 108 INT. DALY’S APARTMENT BLOCK - HALLWAY - CONTINUOUS
We pull away from DALY's APARTMENT DOOR with its Christmas
wreath -
- past the screen that reads;
DO NOT DISTURB
And pull further out to see...
109 109 EXT. DALY’S APARTMENT BLOCK - CONTINUOUS
... the entire building. Snow swirling. Sleighbells tinkling.
Passers-by walking past, oblivious.
110 110 INT. USS CALLISTER - BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
TULASKA sees something on a monitor.
TULASKA
Incoming transmission!
They all spin to look at her.
TULASKA (CONT’D)
It says Gamer691 --
DUDANI
That’s... a playertag. Another
ship. Another player --
NANETTE
We’re online. Patch them through!
She nods and taps something.
NANETTE (CONT’D)
Hello! Hey! This is the crew of the
USS Callister. Man, are we glad to--
She's cut off by the sound of an obnoxious 13-year old BOY:
TEENAGER (O.C.)
Yeah, Merry Christmas, so are we
gonna blow each other or are we
gonna trade?
NANETTE
UmNANETTE opens her mouth, to be cut off again--
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 83.
TEENAGER
Hello-o? Do you have anything to
trade at all?
NANETTE
No, uhTEENAGER
So why did you respond? OK just get
the hell out of my quadrant or I’ll
blast you to shit. You got ten
seconds.
SHANIA
(yelling at TEEN)
Oh do try -- we’ll photon bolt you
right up the perineum, you stupid
little boy.
TEENAGER
Five seconds!
SHANIA
Come on then.
NANETTE sees this is going to get out of control.
NANETTE
Okay Nate-- uh Helmsman Packer
TEENAGER (O.C.)
Five...
PACKER
Yes Captain?
TEENAGER (O.C.)
Four.
SHANIA
This kid--
NANETTE
Stick us in hyperwarp and lets -
fuck off somewhere.
TEENAGER (O.C.)
Three.
PACKER
Aye aye, Captain.
NANETTE
Really, Nanette's fine.
PACKER
Aye aye, Nanette.
110 110 CONTINUED:
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 84.
TEENAGER (O.C.)
Two.
111 111 INT. DEEP SPACE - CONTINUOUS
The USS CALLISTER fires up its hyperwarp engines and ZIPS off
out of view leaving behind the HECTORING VOICE of GAMER 691
TEENAGER (O.C.)
- One! Uh huh, you better run! King
of space, right here.
(beat)
King of space.
THE END
110 110 CONTINUED: (2)
USS CALLISTER. SHOOTING SCRIPT. 06.01.17 85.