Sphere

Barnes takes Ted and Norman on a quick tour of DH-8. It’s divided into five cylinders, or “Cyls,” A-E. The air lock is in A Cyl. Norman notices divers’ suits and helmets, one of which has his name on it. Barnes explains that they’ll wear them when they go to the spacecraft. B Cyl contains the power and life support systems. There, they meet Alice “Teeny” Fletcher, a Naval engineer in charge of the systems. Barnes gives them badges that they must wear at all times and explains that failures are rare, but the badges will warn them of any issue with the life support systems. C Cyl contains the living quarters, including bunks and bathrooms. D Cyl houses a laboratory, where they meet Tina Chan, the communications officer, and Jane Edmunds, the unit archivist. Ted is particularly interested in Jane’s role, asking about the equipment she uses. Barnes seems uneasy with Ted’s interest. E Cyl holds a large lounge and the kitchen. They meet Rose Levy, the cook.

The team gathers in the lounge. Barnes hands out lotions and eardrops, explaining that the atmosphere makes them more susceptible to infections. Norman learns that Arthur Levine didn’t make it down because he became claustrophobic in the sub. Barnes explains that they’ll only remain there for up to 72 hours due to naval regulations. Barnes receives notice that the divers have breached the craft. The team is upset when they learn that Barnes plans to send a robot into the craft first.

Ted is particularly upset that a robot is going into the craft first. Harry and Ted find it incredible that the door looks as if it were designed for humans. The robot struggles to open a panel. When it does, they discover that the buttons are marked in modern English, and Harry laughs.

Harry announces that the craft isn’t alien but an American spacecraft from the future that traveled into the past. As the scientists consider this, the robot tries to open the inner door, but its extensor arm is too big to fit in the panel. They attempt a probe, but the surface of the buttons is too slippery. Barnes decides that the scientists must board the ship.

The scientists don their dive suits and slip into a pool that allows them to fall down onto the ocean floor. Ted is excited, while Beth notes the lack of marine life in the area. They walk to the ship, following a tunnel the divers cut into the coral. When they reach the door, Ted insists on making a statement for the camera before they go inside. Harry, Ted, and Beth argue over this until Barnes butts in and makes his own statement for the camera. When Barnes is done, Harry is annoyed that his name was listed last, feeling that it’s professional discrimination. They go inside and Beth tests the air. When she determines that it’s pressurized and safe to breathe, Barnes takes off his helmet and gestures for the others to do so too.

Barnes explains that the craft’s many catwalks and girders help make the craft extraordinarily strong and that it likely has a second hull to protect from high levels of radiation. They eventually arrive at the cockpit, a large room with three large seats that appear to be for humans. The console lights up, and Beth admits that she pushed a button. They look for a date somewhere while discussing the technology. Norman sits in one of the chairs, and it comes to life, wrapping itself around him and moving closer to the console. He finds a button that releases him from the chair. Harry points out that the leather of the chairs shows no signs of use. He argues that the craft must have launched without a crew. Ted hypothesizes that it was an accident. They notice a fourth chair pulled up to the console and pull it back, revealing a mannequin. Continuing to explore, they find a date on a keyboard that suggests the craft was built around 2043. They see living quarters with 20 bunks, and a fully functional kitchen.

In another compartment, they find storage bays filled with heavy containers, each containing a large amount of food, enough food for 20 crew members to survive for years. In the corridor, Beth pushes another button, which causes the walkway to move. They find another room with life support equipment and spacesuits. Ted and Harry argue about the craft’s primary objective. Ted thinks it was meant to go to the stars, but Harry argues that going to the stars is illogical given the distance the ship would have to travel.

Norman joins the others in the lounge. They observe several subs near DH-7, where divers are gathered around the subs and some are going into the habitat. Harry and Ted argue about what might be happening. Harry leaves the lounge, and Ted complains that Harry is arrogant and inappropriate for the team. Norman distracts Ted by asking him to explain space and time again. Ted demonstrates by using a bowl, explaining that space is curved and that this curve impacts objects traveling through space in different ways depending on an object’s speed. He notes that the faster a ship goes, the slower time will seem to its occupants. Ted adds that more curvature exists in space in places that have a lot of gravity, such as near a black hole. At the mention of black holes, Ted has an epiphany, but he doesn’t tell Norman what it is because Barnes calls for everyone to gather.

Barnes tells the team that a storm is approaching the surface, and they need to decide whether to return to the surface to ride out the storm or ride it out on the ocean floor. The Naval officials want them to return to the ships as they would be without communication for the duration of the storm, approximately 48 hours. Everyone but Ted votes to return to the surface. Barnes tells them that they’ll leave in two hours. Ted and Harry begin to argue over the situation, while Barnes calls Beth out for pushing buttons inside the craft, warning her that she could cause a problem if she pushes the wrong button. The men head to the dorm to rest. The floor is wet, and Ted tastes it and hypothesizes what it is. Teeny tells him that it’s urine from a leak, and Ted becomes ill. Harry briefly describes the nature of a black hole to Norman, describing it as having so much gravity that it sucks up everything around it, including light. Norman runs into Tina, who tells him that Harry has asked her help to write his will.

The team returns to the craft one more time before leaving, splitting into two teams to search for a flight recorder. They split up to cover more ground. Beth complains about Barnes’s words to her earlier, insisting that he called her out because she’s a woman and that Ted stole her idea of saying some words before entering the craft for the first time. Norman distracts Beth with a task. When Harry complains about her attitude, Norman explains that Beth is sensitive to being treated unfairly because as an undergrad, she had an affair with her professor. When the relationship ended, the professor published five papers based on her research without giving her credit.

Harry, Norman, and Beth find what they think is the flight recorder, but the technology is so advanced that they don’t know how to access it. Beth begins pushing buttons. A screen lights up, and they see a menu of saved data, which suggests that the craft was in flight for 13 years and that something happened in the last few months of flight that caused events to be recorded more frequently. They see recordings of stars and then what appears to be another galaxy and a black hole. Ted and Barnes interrupt Harry, Norman, and Beth by announcing that they found something.

As they head toward Ted and Barnes, Beth asks Harry why a spacecraft would go through a black hole. Harry explains that since a black hole contains so much gravity, it distorts space and time, potentially making time travel possible. Beth, Norman, and Harry join Ted and Barnes in a large storage room for heavy equipment and weapons. Ted and Harry bicker over the purpose of some of the machines as Barnes leads the way to an interesting find. It’s a sphere, approximately 30 feet in diameter. Norman thinks it looks like a ball bearing until Barnes points out an unfamiliar pattern on one side that seems alien.

Harry tells everyone his theory about the black hole, and Ted insists that he thought of a black hole first. Ted proposes that the sphere is meant to be an introduction from an alien race to humans, as proof of alien existence. He doesn’t believe that it’s meant to do anything besides exist. Harry offers his own theory, suggesting that hidden within the markings of the pattern is a door. Harry says that something is inside, and it scares him.

Back at DH-8, Norman is in the lounge listening to Barnes explain the sphere to his superiors. The focus is opening the sphere. Jane has set up two cameras on the sphere and is setting up a third. She’s monitoring the feeds and other sensors that she set up around the sphere. Ted is still on the craft, trying to figure out how to open the sphere. Barnes’s phone conversation has turned to ways to bring the sphere to the surface, but he expresses concern that it would take a long time and too many resources. Harry suggests that even if they bring it to the surface, they’ll never find a way to open it. When Barnes finishes his call, he announces that they’ve been given permission to remain in place for 6-12 more hours.

As they discuss what might be inside the sphere, Barnes asks Norman about the anthropomorphic problem. Norman explains that most people assume that alien life will be similar to human life in that it will appear in a form humans can understand and will be mortal. However, these assumptions can be dangerous because they’re likely untrue. Beth points out that certain viruses and bacteria are immortal. Harry further suggests that an alien could be multidimensional, creating a creature not completely visible by humans and difficult to kill. Beth says they should be concerned that an alien creature could interfere with basic human life mechanisms. For example, it could breathe air and exhale cyanide gas. Barnes points out that whatever the sphere contains could benefit humanity, but Harry argues that a creature as advanced as they believe the sphere is couldn’t share its technology with them because their advancements are too separate.

Barnes orders everyone to rest for a few hours. Harry goes to the sleeping quarters, but Beth and Norman remain in the lounge with Tina. Norman wanders into the kitchen to get a piece of cake. Norman observes Tina and Beth on the surveillance monitors. Tina is explaining to Beth that everything happening in the habitat and the spacecraft is recorded and that the tapes are taken to a sub anchored nearby every 12 hours. The sub is programmed to rise automatically to the surface if no one resets it so that the information is preserved even if a problem occurs. Their conversation shifts to the sphere. Tina asks whether Beth believes they’ll ever get it open. At that moment, Norman sees the sphere open on the monitor behind Beth.

Norman runs to D Cyl, where Tina and Beth are, yelling that the sphere is open. By the time he gets there, however, the sphere is closed. Harry joins them as Tina rewinds the tape. They watch the sphere open as Tina and Beth continue their conversation, discussing Beth’s fear of snakes. The sphere appears dark inside except for tiny lights they see moving inside. When Beth says on the tape that she doesn’t think the sphere will ever open, it closes. Ted returns and tells everyone that he believes he knows where the ship went, but his announcement is interrupted by news of the sphere opening. Barnes says they should return to the spacecraft.

The team studies the pattern on the side of the sphere, wondering if it’s some kind of test like the Davies Message, a picture-based intelligence test created by Emerson Davies, a physicist from Cambridge, England. Harry wonders whether the pattern has changed, but Ted expresses doubts. Barnes wants to know how to open the sphere again, but no one has any ideas.

The team returns to DH-8 to prepare to ascend to the surface. However, when they gather at the communications console, they see Harry back in the craft. He stands in front of the sphere, the door opens, and he steps inside. A few minutes later, the power goes out. When it comes back on, Barnes announces that the storm has hit and they’ve been cut free of the ships on the surface, meaning that they’re providing their own power with diesel engines and can’t communicate with the surface. They’re stuck on the ocean floor for anywhere between a few days and a week.

Norman wakes, showers, and begins searching for the others. He finds Beth in C Cyl rewatching the tape of her conversation with Tina during which the sphere opened. Beth tells Norman she believes Barnes and the Navy are lying to them. Beth shows Norman a communication she found in which Barnes lied about the team voting to return to the surface. She uses the congruity theory, which states that information exchange between alien species is possible only if they’re equal in technology, to argue that Barnes is more concerned about the technology of the spacecraft than the sphere. Norman tells her that they’re stuck together and she should let it go for now. Norman is left alone at the computer. He looks up the team list and is surprised to find that he was the last psychologist considered for the team due to his age. This is another of Barnes’s lies.

In the communications room, Tina shows the team footage of the sphere with its door open, explaining that all they can see is darkness and vague lights, like fireflies, though they don’t think the lights are fireflies. Ted offers his opinion that the spacecraft didn’t travel far beyond their own galaxy and that the black hole it encountered is on the edge of the galaxy. Ted explains that theory holds that capturing a black hole and moving it close to Earth would allow scientists to harness its energy and power the entire planet. Barnes suggests that it would also make a good weapon. Ted agrees. Barnes asks whether the ship went through the black hole, and Ted explains that it wouldn’t have gone through it but would have bounced off it. As they discuss the black hole, Beth points to the monitor that shows the sphere, and they see Harry has emerged.

Harry lies in his bunk, and Norman questions him. Harry tells Norman that they shouldn’t be on the ocean floor. Harry seems adamant about it. In addition, he’s very thirsty, suggesting dehydration. Norman asks what happened inside the sphere, and Harry describes foam like sea foam. Harry asks if he looks different, insisting that he feels different. Harry again insists that they should leave. Finally, Harry asks to be alone so that he can rest.

Norman joins the others, and they show him a school of bioluminescent squid that has gathered around DH-8. Beth insists on going outside to collect some of the squid because they have six tentacles, suggesting an unknown species. Rose suggests cooking some for dinner, but Barnes refuses. One of the monitors turns itself on and begins to display an unknown code. No one knows what has caused it, but Tina suggests that it might be a buffer discharge from switching to diesel power. Ted suggests that it’s a message from the sphere. Norman thinks he sees a pattern in it. Barnes tells Tina to keep a copy, but the screen goes blank the moment she touches the console.

Norman joins Beth in the laboratory in D Cyl. She shows him a dissected squid, pointing out all its internal structures. Again, Rose suggests cooking them for dinner, and Beth gives permission. Beth tells Norman that she also found a small field of sea fans behind the habitat. She comments that she had noted a lack of sea life upon their arrival, so these plants and animals are an interesting change that finally gives her something to do.

Harry wakes and is eating eggs as he’s informed about the squid. He expresses distaste for squid. Tina calls out to tell them that the strange code has returned to the monitor. Harry looks at it and points out that it’s a repeating pattern. Harry says it’s a discharge from within the computer, but it might be a good idea to translate it. He sets to work on it, and Ted insists on working on it too.

Harry steps out for a minute, and Ted tells the others that Harry’s theory about the code coming from the computer is wrong because it would be in a different representation because of the type of processor in the computer. He also argues with Harry’s thought that the code is a substitution code. Ted believes that it’s a visual code offering them a picture of the creature inside the sphere. However, Norman can’t see what Ted believes he sees in the code. Ted becomes frustrated, complaining that Harry is so young and arrogant while Ted himself is old in terms of potential success in his field. Ted argues that his last chance to make a name for himself is this expedition.

Beth complains to Barnes that none of her experiments with the squids are working. He explains that it’s because of the heliox (helium and oxygen) atmosphere and that she should rely on gross anatomical analysis. Ted draws their attention to the portals: A school of shrimp has gathered outside the habitat. Norman feels uneasy at the sight of the marine animals.

Norman goes to the dorm to check on Harry. He expresses his uneasiness at the arrival of the marine life. Harry suggests that perhaps they’ve come because the activity of the divers and subs stopped. Norman asks Harry again about what happened inside the sphere. All Harry remembers is swirling light and a sense of happiness. He denies knowing how he got the door open. Norman feels that Harry is a little manic. He questions Harry about his concern that they were still on the ocean bottom, but Harry claims not to remember why he was worried.

Norman visits Beth and asks her whether Harry’s theory about the animals is true. She says the opposite would be true because the electricity the divers were using, and the power being sent down from the ships, would have attracted the animals. Beth tells Norman that the shrimp are a new species, which is highly unusual. She says the shrimp were acting strangely, clumping together when shrimp normally prefer to have distance from one another. In addition, she also says they were acting as though they were feeding, but they don’t have stomachs. She adds that they have no reproductive organs and are almost like someone’s interpretation of shrimp.

The group gathers for dinner. All but Ted and Harry eat squid. Ted and Harry eat shrimp. Harry expresses a fear of squid because of the movie Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea. He was a child when he saw it and was frightened by the giant squid the main character fought. Jane notices the arrival of jellyfish and draws everyone’s attention to them. Jane goes out to film the jellyfish and seems fine but then reports that the jellyfish leave some kind of residue on her helmet when they touch her. Jane tells them the residue is eating through the plastic of her helmet and her suit. Tina calls Jane, telling her to get out of the water, but she falls down. Ted wants to rescue her, but Barnes forces them to stay where they are. They watch as Jane is swarmed by the jellyfish, screaming, and then becomes silent.

An hour later, Norman and the others watch as Barnes and Teeny inflate Jane’s suit and send her up to the surface. Tina explains that they have no place to keep a body, and the decomposition would ruin their atmosphere. A new message arrives on the computer system. Harry says it’s in binary code. Another code comes, and then another, each slightly different, but all are written in a spiral form. Harry suggests the sphere is using different codes to attempt to communicate. Ted suggests that the technology of whatever is sending the message is so advanced that its attempt to communicate is like a modern person attempting to explain the television to Isaac Newton. Ted says they might not be capable of understanding the messages. Ted suggests that they communicate by sending the same message back. Harry jumps in and sends back the original code. After a pause, a new code appears. Harry tries again by sending the second group of code. Another code comes back. Barnes asks who exactly they’re communicating with. Harry says he believes that an entity inside the sphere has been released.