A.I.M.Y. (episode)/Transcript


 * This article is a transcript. For the episode of The Deep animated series, see A.I.M.Y. (episode).

(Matilda Marshall paddles a kayak in a storm, huffing. She sees a bolt of lightning strike, flinches and presses a button on her vest.)

Matilda: This is Matilda Marshall, can anyone hear me? Please help!

WOA: This is the World Oceans Authority. What is your situation?

Matilda: Storm. Came out of nowhere. Worst thing I've ever seen.

WOA: Stay calm. I'm tracing your GPS signal now.

Matilda: Please hurry!

(Matilda's radio is only emitting static.)

Matilda: Hello? Can you hear me? Hello? Hello?

(Intro)

''In an eroded, long dead volcano crater is the home base of the Nektons. The Aronnax reverses into a docking bay and surfaces. The Nektons all walk off the deck and into a large room. In the centre, a pair of robotic arms hang near the ceiling.''

Ant Nekton: Professor Fiction!

Professor Fiction: Nektons! Yeow!

(Fiction turns around in the robotic arms and spreads them in welcome, accidentally turning the blowtorch in his left hand on. He blows it out and hands it to the robotic arm on the right.)

Professor Fiction: I thought you weren't due until...

(He looks at his watch.)

Fiction: Right now! Welcome!

William Nekton: Working on something new and exciting?

(The robotic arms lower down to the floor. Fiction presses the middle of the harness holding him. The harness unclasps and the arms raise back to the ceiling. Fiction displays a light bulb.)

Professor Fiction: Changing a light bulb! But I forgot to get a new bulb.

(Fiction throws the light bulb over to the side. It clinks out of sight.)

Ant: Is our super cool secret project ready?

Professor Fiction: (Conspiratorially) Ooh, the first one or the second one?

Ant: The one that was my idea.

(Fiction flourishes a hand at a large wooden crate. It is roughly three metres tall. Ant runs over to it.)

Ant: Yes!

Fiction giggles and pulls a crowbar out of his lab coat.

Fontaine Nekton: Do you always keep a crowbar in there?

Professor Fiction: A good scientist is always prepared.

(Fiction goes to wrench the crate open.)

Ant: Stop! What about my presentation?

Professor Fiction: Oh, yes. I forgot.

Fiction throws the crowbar over his shoulder.

Will: You won't need that later?

Professor Fiction: Meh. I have more.

''Ant clears his throat and presses a button on his tablet. The lights go down and are replaced with smoke from the ceiling and disco lighting.''

Fontaine: Did you build the smoke machine too?

Ant: Of course.

(Ant presses his tablet and a voice over of Ant starts playing. The Nektons and Fiction look around with the exception of a bored Fontaine.)

Voice Over: Once in a lifetime, a technological advancement comes along that changes deep-sea exploration forever.

Ant: So true.

Voice Over: The submarine. The SCUBA suit. The old time diving costume with a fishbowl head.

Ant: Classics!

Fontaine: Isn't that you?

Ant: Shh! He's nearly finished.

Voice Over: And now, the Shadow Knight!

Ant presses the tablet again and a spotlight shines onto the crate.

Ant: The crate!

''Fiction pulls a crowbar out of his coat and wedges the front of the crate off. It falls forward, revealing a sleek Knight.''

Professor Fiction: Ant's passion project!

Will: [chuckles] That's awesome.

Kaiko: Nice.

Ant climbs into the Knight.

Ant: I call it the Shadow Knight. It's like the White Knight—

Professor Fiction: But the sleeker design makes it easier to manoeuvre!

The canopy of the Shadow Knight closes.

Ant: And the grey metallic covering—

Professor Fiction: Makes it almost invisible in the water!

''Ant activates the Shadow Knight's arms and goes to step out of the box, but falls on his face. He groans and looks at the other Nektons. Fiction kneels by the head of the Knight and looks in.''

Kaiko: Good try, Ant. I'm sure you'll fix the kinks.

Ant: I didn't get to the coolest part! You'll love it!

Fontaine: You said there was a second project, Professor?

Professor Fiction: Ah, yes. To the Aronnax!

Ant: I'll catch up. I just need to figure out how to load the Shadow Knight onboard.

''Under a panel in the floor of the bridge, Fiction is installing a box-like projection onto a wall. It electrocutes him repeatedly, but he is undeterred.''

Professor Fiction: Just need to—ow—install an extra—oww—hard drive! And... ready.

''Fiction presses a button on the hard drive, turning it green. He clears his throat.''

Professor Fiction: Hello? A.I.M.Y.?

A.I.M.Y.: Hello, Professor.

''The Nektons look around briefly for the disembodied voice. Fiction pokes his head out of the hatch and flourishes. On the big screen and monitors, a line fluctuates as A.I.M.Y. speaks.''

Professor Fiction: Nektons, meet A.I.M.Y., an Artificial Intelligence.

A.I.M.Y.: Hello, William and Kaiko Nekton.

Fiction flaps his hands excitedly and holds a finger up.

Professor Fiction: Ooh! Ah, watch this! A.I.M.Y., status report please.

A.I.M.Y.: Surface temperature is fourteen degrees. Wind speed is thirty knots. I have ordered a list of maintenance tasks in order of priority. Tomorrow is Professor Fiction's birthday.

Will and Kaiko look at each other and smile.

Ant: This is so awesome!

A.I.M.Y.: I am merely well programmed.

Professor Fiction: It's all voice controlled! Check this out! A.I.M.Y., take us out.

The Aronnax's engines power up and the sub leaves its docking bay.

Kaiko: It's... impressive.

Will: But?

Kaiko frowns and rests her hand on her forehead.

Kaiko: I have enough trouble with Ant talking back. I don't need another voice on the ship.

A.I.M.Y.: I am programmed to help and protect the Nektons.

Professor Fiction: Help, protect, Nektons. Three of my favourite words.

A.I.M.Y: Incoming call from Commander Pyrosome of the World Oceans Authority.

The screen of A.I.M.Y.'s voice is replaced by Pyrosome.

Commander Pyrosome: Nektons.

Will: [folds arms confrontationally] Commander Pyrosome.

Commander Pyrosome: We have a situation. A kayaker attempting a long distance record has encountered a severe storm.

Fontaine gasps and turns to face Pyrosome.

Fontaine: Matilda Marshall? She's my idol!

Commander Pyrosome: The severity of the storm is keeping our planes back and our submarines are too far away. You're the closest vessel.

Fontaine: Of course we'll help!

Pyrosome closes the call.

Professor Fiction: Okay. Just turn around and drop me off at HQ, then you can—

Kaiko: No time, you're coming with us.

Professor Fiction: But I didn't pack anything...

Ant: A.I.M.Y., take us to Matilda!

Kaiko: Ant, I've got this. [clears throat] A.I.M.Y., please take us to Matilda via the quickest possible route.

The screen of A.I.M.Y.'s voice is replaced by a map showing the Aronnax's trajectory to Matilda's kayak.

A.I.M.Y.: Your proposed route takes the Aronnax through Dead Man's Reef, a dangerous journey. I propose a safer route.

Kaiko is not impressed by A.I.M.Y.'s backchat and groans in irritation.

Kaiko: A life is at stake.

A.I.M.Y.: Understood. Setting quickest route.

Professor Fiction: Maybe the wrong time, but does anyone have a spare toothbrush? I only packed crowbars.

''The Aronnax starts along the route to Matilda's kayak. Ant walks out of his room.''

Ant: A.I.M.Y., I'm in a hurry. Could you feed Jeffrey for me?

Jeffrey looks up expectantly. Eight pieces of fish food come out of a chute and into his tubes and he zooms around, eating them.

A.I.M.Y.: Twenty-two calories exactly.

Ant uses a spanner on the Shadow Knight's left knee joint.

Ant: We copied the controls from the White Knight, but the weight distribution is different, so they need adjusting. That's why it didn't work before.

A.I.M.Y.: Untested equipment can be dangerous. I advise caution.

Ant turns to the speaker A.I.M.Y.'s voice is coming from, snorts, waves a hand dismissively and turns back to the Shadow Knight.

Ant: Caution? Pfft! I don't know the meaning of the word!

A.I.M.Y.: Caution, noun. Care taken in order to—

Ant frowns, then groans in exasperation.

Ant: It's just an expression, A.I.M.Y.. Sheesh.

Fontaine is sitting at her station, talking to Matilda Marshall via radio.

Fontaine: Just over an hour, Matilda.

Matilda: Okay. But if I'm not here when you get here, will you please tell—

Fontaine: No! We're coming now, promise. You will be there. Fontaine out.

Ant's face appears on the monitor screen.

Ant: Shadow Knight demonstration in the Moonpool room! Oh, bring your own snacks.

Fontaine: We'll watch from here, thanks.

Will grabs a handful of popcorn from the bowl Fiction is holding and eats it.

Ant: I've adjusted the controls, but I left the smoke machine back at the workshop, so you'll have to use your imagination.

Professor Fiction: Ooh! What about the music?

Ant raises the arms of the Shadow Knight into the air, one at a time, then flourishes them.

Ant: Dun, dun, dun, dun dun!

''Ant chops the arms up and down. Will and Fiction look at each other and smile.''

Ant: Dun dun dun dun dun dun dun dun!

''Ant tries to make the Shadow Knight walk, but he stumbles. Just as he is about to fall on his face, the Moonpool's claw grabs the Shadow Knight's right arm. Will and Fiction look back to Ant's presentation.''

Ant: Huh? What's going on? Don't touch me! I just need to practice.

A.I.M.Y.: We can't be too careful.

''The claw releases the Shadow Knight, but hovers behind it in preparation of another fall. Ant straightens the Shadow Knight, takes a step backwards, then struggles to get his balance. The claw grabs the Shadow Knight's right arm again.''

A.I.M.Y.: I recommend against continuing.

Ant: I just need to practice, get used to the weight.

''The claw releases the Shadow Knight again. Ant straightens it up again and takes a wobbly step forwards.''

Ant: Uh, almost got it. Engaging propulsion!

''The propulsion engages and fires from the back and knees of the Shadow Knight. It flies over the Moonpool and slams face first into a wall. The claw picks the Shadow Knight off the wall and places it on the ground.''

A.I.M.Y.: You must stop, immediately.

Will: He's fine, A.I.M.Y..

A.I.M.Y. goes to the bridge and protests to Kaiko instead.

A.I.M.Y.: Antaeus' recklessness could lead to injury. I advise paying greater attention to his activities.

Kaiko: No offence, A.I.M.Y.—

A.I.M.Y.: I am incapable of being offended.

Kaiko: I don't need parenting advice from a computer!

Fontaine turns to Kaiko's monitor after a long pause.

Fontaine: You're a little bit offended, aren't you?

A.I.M.Y.: ... no.

The Shadow Knight wobbles slightly, but Ant regains his balance.

Ant: It's gonna ba a little awkward. The Shadow Knight isn't designed to be used out of water. I just want to know the balance is right before I jump in the bone crushing depths. Ugh!

''The Shadow Knight trips and sprawls on the ground. A.I.M.Y. grabs its head and prevents it from standing.''

A.I.M.Y.: This demonstration is over.

Will: Let him go!

''Will jogs to the Shadow Knight. Its canopy opens and Will helps Ant out.''

A.I.M.Y.: I am programmed to protect the Nektons, even from themselves.

Will: It's okay if he falls. We let Ant do what he needs to do.

''Fiction walks over with the bowl of popcorn. Ant opens the control panel for the Shadow Knight.''

Professor Fiction: It's also kinda funny.

Ant: Exactly! It's an issue with the hypocentre of gravity. If I can just adjust the gyroscope—

A.I.M.Y.: New data suggests that the Nektons can not be trusted with their own safety.

The course of the Aronnax changes to the longer route to Matilda's kayak.

Professor: Uh, what's that?

''The Aronnax makes a sharp turn. Kaiko and Fontaine are both startled.''

Kaiko: A.I.M.Y., are you diverting us to the longer route?

''Kaiko looks at the screen. The line showing A.I.M.Y.'s speech remains flat.''

Kaiko: I repeat, A.I.M.Y., are you diverting us to the longer route?

''The door to the bridge opens and Will, Ant and Fiction all run through. Fiction kneels by the panel that A.I.M.Y. was first installed in and tries to open it.''

Ant: Professor, what's happening?

Fiction opens the panel and reaches in.

Professor Fiction: We need to stop A.I.M.Y. before—

The panel slams shut, almost catching Fiction's arm.

Professor Fiction: —before things like that happen.

Kaiko: A.I.M.Y., Matilda needs us.

A.I.M.Y.: Your safety is my prime directive. Everything else is secondary. The kayaker must wait.

Matilda is struggling to keep the kayak upright in the storm.

Matilda: Is anyone there!? Fontaine?

Fontaine: Don't worry Matilda, everything's under control. We're coming. We just have to deal with an insane computer.

A.I.M.Y.: Sanity is not a measure one applies to an operating system.

Will: [very quietly] We may be able to use the Rover to reach Matilda.

Ant: Why are you whispering?

A.I.M.Y.: William Nekton, could you speak louder so you are audible to the ship's security system.

Will: [still quiet] Let the others know what we're doing.

''Ant nods and winks. Will and Fontaine head for the moonpool room.''

A.I.M.Y.: The moonpool room is off limits for your safety.

Fontaine: Um, we're going to make sure the other vehicles are secure so nobody takes them out through that... reef. Because of... the danger.

A.I.M.Y.: Good. Responsible thinking.

''Will gives Fontaine a thumbs up and both run into the moonpool room. ''

Ant watches Kaiko and Fiction attempting to pry the panel open with crowbars.

A.I.M.Y.: Interfering with the Aronnax's equipment could endanger our mission.

Kaiko: Ugh!

Professor Fiction: I think there may be another way of accessing the bowels of the ship.

Ant: Eww.

Kaiko and Fiction look quizzically at Ant.

Ant: [conspiratorially] Bowels.

''Fiction giggles. Kaiko sighs and rolls her eyes.''

''Fiction presses a button and a door opens. He lifts up a panel in the floor. It stays open.''

Professor Fiction: This should lead us back to the space under the bridge where A.I.M.Y.'s hard drive is located. I'll go first! I know this ship inside and out!

''Fiction jumps down. A banging noise is heard.''

Professor Fiction: Ow! Where did that come from?

Ant makes as if he'd like to go next, but Kaiko stops him.

Kaiko: No. I need you to keep A.I.M.Y. distracted.

Ant: What? I should be part of the action! It's what I do!

Kaiko: Look, A.I.M.Y. is a futuristic, hyper-smart artificial intelligence designed by one of the world's greatest scientific minds. It's almost impossible to outwit, even for a second.

''An eavesdropping Fiction grins at being called one of the 'greatest scientific minds'. Ant looks down and considers.''

Ant: I'll do it!

Kaiko jumps down the hatch and follows Fiction.

Professor Fiction: One of the world's greatest scientific minds.

Kaiko: Huh! You can be smug after we remove the insane computer you installed.

Will and Fontaine run into the Moonpool room and Fontaine jumps into the Rover.

A.I.M.Y.: I cannot recommend your current course of action.

''The Moonpool claw waves threateningly at the Rover. Will throws a fire extinguisher at it. The claw catches it, but it starts spewing carbon dioxide and makes the claw retreat.''

Will: If I need advice from a heartless machine, I'll ask a toaster!

''Will jumps into the Rover and it exits the Moonpool. Will and Fontaine start on the faster course to Matilda's kayak. Matilda sees a leak in the bottom of her kayak and tries to plug it with her hand.''

Matilda: Oh no! Please hurry, Fontaine!

''Fiction is not looking where he's going and headbangs a pipe. Kaiko smirks a bit.''

Professor Fiction: The server room is just up—ow! Watch out! A.I.M.Y.'s throwing pipes at us!

Kaiko: That was always there.

Professor Fiction: Oh. I hope Ant has found a way to distract her.

Ant is in the kitchen, looking for ways to cause trouble.

Ant: A.I.M.Y., you're programmed to keep us safe, right?

A.I.M.Y.: Correct.

''Ant takes his wetsuit off and is now in just shorts. He opens the fridge.''

Ant: Well, I'm standing cold and half-naked in front of the fridge, even though it's flu season! Brrr!

A.I.M.Y. shuts the fridge.

A.I.M.Y.: I recommend that you return to quarters and cover up.

''Ant runs to his room, grinning, and turns the lights off. He jumps onto his bed with a book.''

Ant: I'm reading in the dark! Oh, these words are so small and difficult to see!

''A.I.M.Y. turns the lights on. Ant giggles.''

A.I.M.Y.: You risk permanent strain to your eyes.

Ant runs to the cookie jar and starts talking with his mouth full.

Ant: I'm in danger! The sugar will rot my teeth and cause dangerous chemical imbalances in my liver!

Ant tips the rest of the cookies into his mouth and on the floor, then falls over dramatically.

A.I.M.Y.: Your recklessness is affecting my ability to run this ship, Antaeus.

The Rover approaches Dead Man's Reef.

A.I.M.Y.: You are nearing Dead Man's Reef. Proceeding poses an unaccceptable risk.

Will: You and I have very different ideas of 'unacceptable risk'.

Fontaine: Does this reef worry you?

Will: Nope.

The Rover enters the reef and starts weaving gently through.

A.I.M.Y.: Even if you make it through the reef, you must surface to retrieve the kayaker, putting you in the path of the storm.

Will: We understand the storm is too dangerous and we should turn back.

The Rover's turns are getting sharper.

A.I.M.Y.: Yes. Precisely.

Will: We just have to pick one thing up first.

''Will guns the engine and the Rover goes faster. Matilda is trying to pump water out of her kayak, pantinng with effort.''

Matilda: There's too much water! The pump can't keep up, Fontaine!

Fontaine: We're only a few minutes away now, you'll be okay. Just hold on!

A.I.M.Y.: No. I am putting a stop to this.

''All the Rover's controls power down, including the engine. The Rover starts plummeting.''

Will: No!

Fontaine: A.I.M.Y.!

''The Rover clips the top of a formation, but keeps falling. It crashes onto the seafloor and skids and halts at the very edge of a trench.''

Will and Fontaine: Woah!

Matilda: Fontaine? Fontaine, please tell me you're nearly here!

Static comes out of Matilda's radio.

Fontaine: Uh, Ant? Are you there? Can you read me?

''Ant finishes the last cookie with some effort. He hears Fontaine's voice coming from his communicator and lifts it up.''

Fontaine: Ant, we're stuck. A.I.M.Y.'s taken over the Rover.

Ant: Huh? Did you make it to Matilda?

Fontaine: No, A.I.M.Y. shut us down when we got to close to the reef.

Ant: I didn't know A.I.M.Y. was in the Rover!

Fontaine: the Rover is hooked up to the Aronnax network. All of our vehicles are!

Ant thinks, then his face brightens.

Ant: All of them except...

Fontaine: What?

Ant: No time for cookies!

Will and Fontaine: cookies?

Ant stands up and runs out of the kitchen

A.I.M.Y.: Why are you running, Antaeus?

Ant: I'm helping my family. The family you put in danger! Remember?

''A.I.M.Y. doesn't respond, instead closing the door to the Moonpool room. Ant jumps through at the last second. The Moonpool claw activates and points at Ant.''

A.I.M.Y.: I can not allow you to—

Ant: To let me save them? Protect them? Isn't that your prime directive?

''Ant runs to the Shadow Knight and gets in. It closes.''

A.I.M.Y.: I... do not... I... m-m-m-m-must...

''The Moonpool closes. Ant stands up, confused. The claw swings around to the Shadow Knight and makes a grab for it. Ant activates the propulsion and the Shadow Knight flies out of the way and lands on its feet.''

Ant: Ha! Told you it was the gyroscope!

A.I.M.Y.: This equipment is still untested and dangerous. I strongly advise against taking it out into the water.

Ant: Okay, I'll take your advice under consideration...

A.I.M.Y.: Very good.

The Shadow Knight's shoulders slump and the claw retreats a bit.

Ant: And ignore it!

''The claw grasps for the Shadow Knight, but it dodges and flies on top of the Moonpool. The big, yellow claw for lifting heavy equipment into the Moonpool hovers above the Shadow Knight. Ant jumps out of the way just before it breaks a hole in the Moonpool.''

Ant: Thanks, that was very helpful. Ha!

''The Shadow Knight leaps into the hole. The yellow claw follows it out of the Aronnax, but can't catch it. It retreats and the outer Moonpool doors close. Ant zooms around in circles.''

Ant: Haha! It works! It totally works! You can't control the Knight, can you A.I.M.Y.? Must be annoying.

A.I.M.Y.: I do not get annoyed.

Ant: That sounds like a challenge.

''Ant stops playing around and the Shadow Knight heads off on the route to Matilda's kayak. The Rover's engines power up again. Will and Fontaine look at each other and raises their hands into the air to prove they weren't the cause.''

Will: What's happening? Did you touch something? I didn't touch anything.

Fontaine: It's not me!

The Rover moves powers up and drives away from the trench, making a large U-turn.

A.I.M.Y.: Stand by to intercept.

Fontaine: Intercept? Intercept what? Is that Ant? Are we intercepting Ant?

A.I.M.Y.: Yes. I am able to detect his current course and plot an interception point.

''The Rover gains speed. Will bangs his hands on the monitor.''

Will: You have to let him go, A.I.M.Y., he's trying to save a life!

A.I.M.Y.: By risking his own. Not acceptable.

Will: Look out, we're coming for you!

''The Rover swerves towards the Shadow Knight, but Ant gets away. The Rover chases him into the reef. Both vehicles turning sharply.''

Will and Fontaine: Woah!

Ant: Oh, A.I.M.Y., I never got to show off the coolest part of this Knight, did I?

A.I.M.Y.: What is this 'coolest part'?

Ant: Stealth mode!

''Ant presses a button and all lights power down except the highlights of the Knight. It zooms off. The Rover's monitor shows a red dot for Ant. It moves away from the Rover and disappears. The Rover stops moving.''

Fontaine: I don't know how you did it, but you just disappeared from radar and GPS.

A.I.M.Y.: Antaeus has disappeared from all instruments.

Will folds his arms and grins smugly.

Will: Good for him.

A.I.M.Y.: William, perform a visual check for the Shadow Knight.

Will: Antaeus? Shadow Knight? Never heard of them.

''A panel opens in the space under the bridge and Fiction snd Kaiko look for the hard drive. Both climb out of the vent and into the room.''

Professor Fiction: There it is! You'll have to be very careful removing that hard drive. It's connected to a lot of delicate machinery!

Kaiko: Can't I just rip it off?

Professor Fiction: Ripping it off is also worth a try!

''Kaiko grabs the sides of the hard drive. It electrocutes her and she falls back against the opposite wall. A panel falls on top of her head.''

Professor Fiction: Are you okay?

Kaiko: Nothing serious. Just enough of a charge to keep people away.

Fiction rubs his forehead dejectedly.

Professor Fiction: I programmed A.I.M.Y. to protect you! Now she's preventing anyone from disabling her so she can keep on protecting you! Why am I so smart?

Kaiko: What do we do?

Professor Fiction: I... I... I don't know.

The Rover starts moving again.

Will: A.I.M.Y., what are you doing?

A.I.M.Y.: I do not need to know where Antaeus is presently.

Will and Fontaine look at each other, confused and sceptical.

A.I.M.Y.: I do know where he is going. The kayaker.

Will: No.

The Rover is within visual of the Shadow Knight.

A.I.M.Y.: Intercepting in three seconds.

Will starts fiddling underneath the Rover's steering wheel.

Will: Come on, come on!

A.I.M.Y.: Do not interfere with the opera-t-t-t-t-tion of th-th-the Rover.

''The Rover's engines goes into overdrive, but still heads for the Shadow Knight. Will and Fontaine are thrown back in their seats.''

Fontaine: Look out!

Will fiddles under the steering again.

A.I.M.Y.: I repeat, do not tamper with the vehicle.

''The Rover turns upside down, but still chases the Shadow Knight. Will and Fontaine fall onto the glass canopy. Will reaches up for the underside of the steering again.''

Will: Hold on!

Fontaine: You're normally very opposed to breaking things!

Will: i'm more opposed to being controlled by artificial intelligence!

A.I.M.Y.: This is a very delicate machine that—

''Will pulls a panel away and A.I.M.Y.'s voice is muted. The Rover flips the right way up and stops moving.''

Will: All yours, Ant! Go save Matilda!

Ant: I'm on it!

Ant looks back at the Rover, then zooms away.

Fontaine: Next time, instead of a terrifying and unpredictable artificial intelligence, can we get a dog or something?

''Matilda paddles as hard as she can, but a wave crashes onto her and the kayak flips upside down and the pump falls away. Matilda tries to right the kayak, but can't. Until Ant hands her the paddle.''

Ant: Did you drop this?

''Matilda grabs the paddle and rights the kayak, gasping for breath. The Shadow Knight surfaces beside it.''

Matilda: Thank goodness you're here!

Matilda reaches for Ant, but he scoots out of reach.

Ant: Don't touch me!

Matilda: What?

Ant: If you do, it's considered assistance and you'll be disqualified from the world record, right? Don't you still want to try?

Matilda: Of course, but you've come all this way.

Ant: And now we're close if anything goes wrong. Good thing somebody brought a patch kit! You can still try to do this on your own if you want to.

Matilda: Yes! I really do.

Ant hands the patch kit to Matilda.

Ant: You see, A.I.M.Y.? People need to be allowed to fail on their own so they can try again and succeed.

Fontaine: Nobody knows more about failing than Ant.

Ant: You're programmed to help and protect us, right?

A.I.M.Y.: Yes.

Ant: We're explorers, scientists. We have to take risks. We don't get better if we don't let ourselves fail. We fall down, then pick ourselves up and keep going.

A.I.M.Y.: But my programming.

Ant: If you protect us like that, you aren't really helping.

A.I.M.Y.: [stuttering] I... that is my... directive...

Kaiko walks over to the hard drive.

Kaiko: A.I.M.Y.?

A.I.M.Y.: [stuttering] I...

Kaiko: I think she's shutting down.

''Fiction pries the hard drive off with a crowbar. The green line turns red. Jeffrey gets far more than 22 calories of fish food.''

Fontaine: Tell her to come aboard the Aronnax! I want to meet her!

Matilda: I really can't.

Fontaine: It's nice! We have cookies!

Ant: I ate all the cookies. Sorry.

Fontaine: Ugh... Get an autograph?

Matilda: After I finish the journey. I have to do this.

Ant: I get it. If you don't finish it yourself, you'll never know if you could have.

Matilda: Exactly.

Ant: I think we can help! Mum, the rules say we can't touch Matilda, but we can shield her from the storm!

Kaiko: I think I know where you're going, Ant.

''Matilda gasps in wonder as the Aronnax surfaces beside the kayak. Kaiko powers the Aronnax down. Will looks over Fiction's shoulder at the hard drive.''

Will: How's it going, Professor?

Professor Fiction: Oh, I feel terrible. I think I should step down as your scientific advisor. Maybe I could be a baker or a fighter pilot.

Will: Have you ever flown a fighter jet?

Professor Fiction: No. But I once made one out of microwave parts and an old bicycle...

Will: You tried something, it didn't work, but that's okay. We'll keep testing and keep learning until we get it right.

Will takes a box covered in red wrapping paper and gives it to Fiction.

Will: And by the way, happy birthday.

''Fiction opens the box and pulls a lightbulb out. He frowns at it, then smiles brightly.''

Will: For your next bright idea.

Morning arrives and the Nektons go to the deck to see Matilda off.

Fontaine: Well, it looks like the storm's finally cleared. You're on your own now.

Matilda: Thanks for not saving me!

Ant and Fontaine wave as Matilda paddles off.