The Switch World's End

ALARM CHIMES

SHE SIGHS

Morning.

Glad you lot are with it. I'm usually useless till at least nine.

Where are they going?

To get changed.

Stamina training starts in five minutes.

So this is the full SZ breakfast.

I guess I'll have my eggs...

dried.

SEAGULL CAWS

Are you still icing me out? What was I supposed to do,

pin Cat down and tell her she wasn't allowed to go?

Yeah, that's what I would've done.

Then you don't know her as well as you think you do.

Like she'd listen to either of us.

You train for three hours...

every day?!

If you can't do it, leave.

-What is your problem?

-Why are you here?

The same reason you went upstairs.

I wanted to find out why we were brought here,

why we've been separated, and what this place,

what the mission, is all about.

How do you know about the mission?

Caitlin told me.

So you decided to swap places in time for today...

What's so special about today?

I told you, she wants us to fail.

Listen, I'm not trying to make you fail,

I'm here because I want to help you.

Have you ever done any flight training?

What?

I hope you're a quick learner.

Why are Astrid and Magnus still in Stockholm?

-Why aren't they here with the rest of you?

-Not now, Casey.

-Hi.

-Hi.

-Hi.

-But they were based here with you years ago, right?

If you're that desperate for answers, you need to speak to...

Why is Casey interrogating Dad?

He thinks he's high up on whatever's going on.

He told me he'd look into it for us.

I guess he's keeping his word.

You told Cat you'd do the same.

-You know, he's Cat's mysterious benefactor?

-No.

-Hm.

She told me last night.

Don't tell anyone.

KNOCKS ON DOOR

You ready?

So, you're not Cat's evil twin then, are you, not like Guy is?

-No, she's not.

-Have the...

What do you call them, mentors, have they ever...

You know, done any unnecessary operations?

Or maybe wired electrodes to your head and asked you strange questions?

What, like yours?

Hey, will you two stop crowding her?

Sorry I'm late.

I have a surprise for you all.

Classes are cancelled!

Not quite.

An impromptu physics test.

Let's see how much you've all been listening.

I think I know this. Just copy me.

Oh, I won't need to.

We were solving questions like these five years ago.

OK, so I close the nitrogen and oxygen vents,

check the helium's pressurised

and THEN give the all clear?

That's right.

Yes, I totally rock.

So, where exactly are you meant to be flying?

It's a simulated flight

to nowhere in particular.

But they must be planning for you to fly somewhere?

We haven't been told.

Why are you going along with this?

I think there's more to her being here then she's saying.

Now's our chance to see what the impostors can do that we can't.

What's up there?

How about we show you?

Yeah!

Guided tour!

To my left, there is...

-NERVOUS LAUGHTER

-It gets better.

I'm sorry for what happened to you when you stayed with us.

Shall we?

-You coming, Gaia?

-I can't.

-I've got my first shift at the cafe.

-Doing what?

Serving invisible customers?

Would you be able to tell Mackenzie I'll be there after we've done...?

-I don't want her to think I'm dissin' her.

-Oh!

I doubt she'll notice. She'll be too busy singing to her alien egg.

-Huh?

-She and Skink found this stone ball thing

with these markings on it.

They're convinced there's a baby alien inside.

They've been singing to thinking it thinking it'll make it hatch.

-THEY GASP AND LAUGH

-That's awesome!

-Come on!

-What about the tour?

Dreary castle tour...

..genuine alien baby?

There won't be a real alien baby,

you know that, right?

HE CHUCKLES

Time to go.

What does he do down here?

He's our new flight mentor.

I think he's displeased with me.

Why do you think that?

He looks at me differently to the others.

I don't know what I've done wrong.

You haven't done anything.

The new flight mentor, he's your dad.

-Dad?

-Yes, dad.

You do know what a dad is?

Gaia told me about the one she met upstairs,

but here...

there's no...

It's just us and the Origin.

What is the Origin?

OK, here we are,

the flight simulator.

Treat this launch as if it's the real thing.

There is no margin for error. There is no-one to prompt you.

The only people that you have to rely on in there are each other.

And this is the tower room.

If you're ever above ground and you can't find us, we're probably here.

Why wasn't I told about the swap?

-You weren't the only one.

-It wasn't planned.

-Why are all these things in here?

-It's just stuff people don't want.

What are these?

Toys.

What do they do?

They're for playing with.

Didn't you have any toys when you were little?

No.

Man, that place is messed up.

What's it like over there,

on the other side of the wall?

RADAR PULSES

POWER HUMS

'7-5, this is mission control preparing for prelaunch checks.

'Do you copy?'

Mission control, this is 7-5, roger that.

And then I press...?

Yes! Thank you.

-SHE CHUCKLES

-Oh, hey.

Gaia, how about you take your first order

while I, erm, go feed the dog?

See you out there.

What can I get you?

Well, I was pretty hungry,

but if that's what's on the menu I'll just stick to this, thanks.

I'm devastated. Turns out it's not an alien egg.

All my granny's fault, she took one look at it and she went,

"Alien egg my armpit - it's a Pictish ball."

Whatever that is! I told you not to show it to anybody!

What, but you can?!

Says here that Pictish balls were some kind of love token.

HE CHUCKLES

"To receive the ball meant an everlasting bond

"to the person who gave it."

Eurgh!

Oh...

I haven't got you anything.

Oh, I don't want anything.

-Actually, there is something.

-What?

Well, if we're to be together forever,

it's about time I met your dad.

Properly.

He made a terrible first impression.

You, me, him,

lunch, here, tomorrow.

Do you want the ball or not?

Hey, are you one of the girls that found that alien egg?

-It's a Pictish ball and we didn't steal it.

-I didn't say you did.

I was just wondering if you might be interested in selling it?

I'll give you...

..a tenner for it.

And the rest. My granny says it's worth at least 100.

AJ, wait, you forgot this.

-I don't think it's going to fit.

-I just sold the ball for 100 smackers.

-Well, 65. He's away getting the rest.

-You what?!

I just gave it away...for love.

Skink, what would you prefer,

cash in your pocket or your mate's everlasting happiness?

Whoa!

That is...

It's heavier than it looks.

Nitrogen supply switched on, over.

Flight plan loaded, over.

Oh, er...

Propulsion system helium pressurised...

over.

All power unit control switches and fuel tanks checked, over.

Pre-start complete.

'7-5, you are on your on-board computer. Prepare for launch.'

Launch?

60,

59, 58...

I thought this was meant to be a plane? What is this?

'7-5? 7-5, can you hear me?'

The hydrogen vents in the main engine are still open,

we'll crash back down in flames.

-That was your job, you NEED to close them.

-We're going to fail.

-Do something, now!

-'7-5, can you hear me?

'7-5, respond now.'

Sand, rocks,

water, done.

Now can we, please, go somewhere a bit kinder to designer

and highly expensive footwear?

Just take them off.

It's so beautiful.

What's wrong with her?

-16, 15, 14...

-'7-5, respond.'

-13, 12...

-Which one is it?

I knew we shouldn't have trusted her, she's ruining it!

I'm not trying to ruin anything, just tell me what to do.

It's the switch on the bottom right.

'7-5, can you hear me?'

One, zero...

'We have liftoff.

'Not the smoothest of operations, but you've passed. Well done.

'What happened to the comms just then? I couldn't hear you.'

Technical hitch.

I don't...

understand this feeling.

-Do you want to go back inside?

-No.

It's a pleasant feeling.

I look at all these beautiful things and...

-And...

-It's called freedom.

£100.

A pleasure doing business with you.

Oi!

Not so fast.

-Nice try.

-It bounces?!

I should have charged you double.

Hey!

And the tenner.

Right, where's the real ball?

Mackenzie gave it to AJ...for love.

What was that simulator meant to be?

-It was like being in a rocket.

-What did you think it was going to be?!

-A fighter plane.

-Why?

We think...

We think that you've been trained up

so that the military can use you as a weapon.

A weapon against who?

There are so many countries at war up there that I'm not sure

which one they'll send you to,

but I'm pretty sure that when you go on your mission,

you'll never come back.

We know that.

But they're not sending us to another country.

What?

When the Origin bids us...

we're going to another planet.