Dr Rachel Scott quotes from The Last Ship

Dr Rachel Scott

Hope. Such a rarified concept these days. High in demand... [sighs] And short in supply. I'm enjoying recording these logs again. Until recently, I had given up on them. With no connection to the outside world, they were serving as little more than just a diary. But now with the satellite network up and running, they have become my trusty carrier pigeons. I am happy to report that the cure has landed safely in labs across the country and in Europe, and I am on my way to you, Dr. Hunter, my friend, my mentor. We'll be stopping first in Savannah to set up a lab there, before heading down to you in Florida with the cure. As promised, I am uploading my data to the secured satellite, and I would love for you to take a look at the work we've done, and get your thoughts on faster methods for replication. Because time, as you well know, is of the essence, and millions still continue to live at risk. So take of yourself, old friend, and I'll be seeing you shortly.

[grabs Scott's biosamples case] I swear to God, I will throw this overboard! I want answers!

Dr Rachel Scott

You want answers? Seven months ago, outside Cairo, there was an outbreak-- a virus of unknown origin. Its genetic structure was like nothing any of us had ever seen. It swept throughout the village, killing everyone that it infected. Egyptian officials claimed the outbreak was contained, but it wasn't. Instead, it continued to mutate and spread. The CDC and the WHO wanted to sample the virus from the victims to create a vaccine. But nothing worked. It was my belief that we needed to find the primordial strain here in the Arctic.

The birds.

Scott

They're just the carriers. They pick up the virus from the melting permafrost. We finally found their feeding ground.

So you have what you need to stop this thing?

Scott

I won't know until we get it back to the lab. We're running out of time. The virus back home is moving quicker than any of us could've imagined.

How would you know that? We've been radio silent since we left Norfolk.

Scott

Because I have my own sat phone.

We were at EMCON so no one would know our position!

Scott

We were at EMCON to protect my mission... Not yours. Orders came from the White House.

Well, you led the Russians right to us and endangered my entire crew.

Scott

It was imperative that I stay in contact with the labs back home to keep them informed of my progress. I don't think you understand what we're talking about here.

Enlighten me.

Scott

When we left Norfolk, the virus was at Phase Two, limited to small clusters in Asia and Africa. We are now at Phase Six-- global pandemic. 80% of the world's population is infected. The world is sick, Captain Chandler... Very sick.

Are you telling me the whole world is dying, and they send two people to save it?

Scott

It took weeks to convince the government to even send me here. Most of my colleagues think that I'm insane.

Are you?

Scott

I told you... that what's in that case... might be the only hope that we have.

Who else has been working on a vaccine?

Dr Rachel Scott

What, in the world? Everyone.

What about the Russians? Were they close?

Scott

I mean, nobody was making any real progress. And I hate to say it, but they're probably all dead anyway. Why?

If somebody had the primordial strain of the virus, the stuff you found in the ice, could they make a vaccine?

Scott

I suppose, if they had the right equipment and someone qualified to run it. But they'd be months behind us.

Amy Granderson

We have successfully taken control of the Nathan James. My people are collecting all your work as we speak. Now, with your research and your samples, Dr. Hamada and his team will eventually learn to make the cure themselves. Wouldn't it be better for everyone if you just agreed to work together?

Dr Rachel Scott

Work together? What, on your Darwinian experiment? Save those that you deem worthy and, what, just forget the rest?

Granderson

Perhaps I was overzealous in... "barbarians at the gate," I believe, is what you called them. Doctor, I watched a grown man beat a 12-year-old boy to death over a gas mask. I saw a woman stab her sister in the back for a can of beans. The apocalypse is here. It's been here for a long time. But I am willing to adjust my philosophy to suit your sensibilities if you just help me get the lab up and running.

Scott

What about the captain? And my friends?

Granderson

The best thing you can do for your friends is to let them know you've decided to cooperate with me. That will end this foolish bloodshed.

Scott

You say you'll help everyone?

Granderson

I will.

Scott

Well, then, prove it.

Granderson

And how do you suggest I do that?

Scott

You're wasting doses here on healthy people. Let me out into the street with what I have left... save people who are already sick. What, you think I'm gonna try to escape?

Granderson

I think it's silly. And given the state of the world, I think it's small.

Dr Rachel Scott

I just tested Juan Carlos's blood. It turns out that he's naturally immune.

None of the mercs on Solace were CBR. Is it possible they're all immune? Everyone's like him?

Scott

I cross-referenced his blood against Bertrise's. Natural immunity, as it turns out, is a tad more common than I initially thought. Anywhere between 1% and 5% of the global population. That's how they took Europe.

Now their mission is to destroy the cure wherever it exists, on a nuclear-powered sub that never runs out of fuel.

Scott

Yes, but we had the flash drive. How the hell did they know where those labs were?

It must have transmitted to the satellite right before the attack.

Dr Rachel Scott

Have you watched it?

Granderson

Only long enough to know that it was for you, ma'am. But even from what I saw... It wasn't easy to watch. [opens video]

Rachel, oh, God, I pray this gets to you. Listen, we're... We're under attack, Rachel, but it's important... It's important that you learn this. I've been working with the data you sent me about the cure. And I think I found a way to help. Using what I learned about the measles project... Now, I know you think that's crazy, but it works. I'm sending you the data now. It's here. Look, I don't... Oh, God. Listen, Rachel. It's all worked out. All you have to do is... I just somehow pray that this file gets to you, that you get it off the server, Rachel. [gets interrupted]

Okay.

Got to know that... Rachel.

Come on, now. Take it all. We need to find that server. Okay, doc. No. Stand up.

Please. Please. [killed by gunshot]

Well, that's how they were able to get the locations of all the labs. Stole them from Dr. Hunter.

Scott

He was working on an experiment to turn my liquid injectable version of the cure into a powder so it could be released over populated areas via helicopters, planes, drones, even. I could manufacture a highly concentrated powder right here on the ship. We wouldn't even need labs anymore. So people could breathe in the cure. It would be very much like crop-dusting. Mass inoculations without glassware, needles, all the infrastructure that we no longer have.

Do you think Hunter was actually able to do it?

Scott

I know that he had some good results aerosolizing the measles vaccine, but I won't know until we get down to his lab in Florida.

What's that?

Dr Rachel Scott

[Blows] Cornstarch from the chief's mess. It turns out the secret ingredient that I've been looking for was being used to make pancakes.

So you found it?

Scott

Well, I have the recipe, and now all I need is to build a machine to manufacture the micro powder, so I was hoping that you might be able to lend me one or two of your capable machinists?

I think that can be arranged.

I was hoping to get an update on your progress.

Dr Rachel Scott

Well, I have a new plan. I was able to isolate the mutation in Niels' lungs that make him so contagious. And I introduced it to my vaccine. I injected myself with it about an hour ago, and then I breathed on an infected mouse, the same way that Niels used to breath on people as a way to kill them. If this works, if the mouse survives, in effect... I'll be able to breathe the cure onto people. And so will anyone else that I give this new shit to, which means that we won't need any more labs, any more infrastructure, or planes. All our problems will be solved.

Except one. [Inhales deeply] Did you do it?

Scott

[scoffs] Oh, God. Are you really asking me this?

That's exactly what I'm asking you.

Scott

The man who killed five billion people, including your wife and most of your crew's family, is dead. And now his lungs are gonna be used to save the rest of the people on this planet...

Goddamit, Rachel!

Scott

Yes, I did it! And I'd do it again in a beat.

I saw you a half-hour before I left the ship. You told me you were on the verge of a breakthrough.

Scott

I was!

But you didn't tell me you had to kill Niels to do it.

Scott

I was hoping to avoid getting blood on your hands.

I already have blood on my hands. You put it there.

Hi. Are you the lady who made the cure?

Dr Rachel Scott

Yes.

Can I get it?

Dr Scott

Well, weren't you in the park earlier?

No. I missed the party.

Dr Scott

Well, with so many people exposed, it's likely you caught it just walking into the hotel.

Still, I'd like to get it from you... [walks closer] For history and all. How close do you have to be?

Dr Scott

Uh... That's close enough.

Yeah. I think so. Sic semper tyrannis! [pulls out pistol and shoots Scott, then leaves her dead]