- EXT. OBSOLETE NAVY STATION, CALIFORNIA BAY - HIGH FULL MOON
- COASTAL ROADWAY, TRAFFIC - FAR SHOULDER - (CONTINUOUS)
- Huddled on this far side, Gwen, Peter, Daniel, Diana, now blackened-faces,
await their opportunity to cross,
- The Road clears momentarily,--
- And They dash across still-distant oncoming headlights
- Passed the closed guard station cracked with tall weeds
- Across the time-warped vacant parking strip
to
- THE BARBWIRED FENCE
- Peter hangs a folded sheet-metal-and-carpet piece atop--
PETER
- (hoarse-whispers)
- Hit the wall!
- Each climbs over
and joins the huddle for reassurance,-- their
black-greased -FACES- (CU) maybe military but Peter, Gwen, Daniel, faces, hands,
also glow blue points
- Daniel last, takes and tosses the piece, catching-up,--
DANIEL
- (confides)
- Still faster than swimming the bay.
- And all recede quickly into the MOVING SHADOWS scattered by the now-passing
cars headlights
- But as FLOODLIGHTS BEGIN PRIMING over the dock
- FAR SHY OF DOCKSIDE
- Regathered crouched scanning the lay of a low-profile bluish-black SUBMARINE
patting and pointing a route to avoid 4 DEMOLITION CREW preparing generators,
lights, radio, tools, amid removed equipments and debris
DANIEL
- (hoarse-whispers)
- That should be all of them!
PETER
- (hoarse-whispers)
- Five hesits;-- Go!
- (00:00 past drum - Color Of Love/Amber/Berman 12" mix)
- Daniel, Diana, quick stealth way around for center
- Peter, Gwen, waiting
check their watches
and mutually
- Place and start their boom boxes,-- and run for the dock;
- POV: Crew, not noticing distant SIRENS [Police+MP] (OS)
- Startles at 20 TIRES SQUEALING (OS) TO STOP at the street
- And BARKING [dogs] (OS)
VOICES IN PURSUIT (OS);-- coming:
- Dockward [Officer-D] (OS) PA-HORNS, "CLEAR SHOTS ONLY!"
- Centerward [Voice-C] (OS) YELLS, "DOGS THIS WAY!"
- Centerward CRACK-CRACK,-- dockward BANG-BANG: gunshots!
- Centerward [Officer-C] (OS) PA-HORNS, "CLEAR YOUR SHOTS!"
- Two Crew retreat, avoiding two dockward figures oncoming
- Centerward [Dogs, Officers, Voices] (OS) beyond the light, chase two more
figures oncoming through the center
- The remaining two Crew back away, off into the water as dockward
CRACK-CRACK-CRACK,-- centerward BANG-BANG-BANG!
- Four figures loosely weaving, converge, up the gangplank
- ATOP THE SUBMARINE CONNING TOWER-MOUND
- Lift the hatch,- and climb down into the dark: Peter, Gwen, Diana, Daniel
last,-- shutting the hatch, wheeling
- As a centerward box reverts, booming a mathematics lecturer over squeaky
chalk, "Remember to check boundary conditions; Then, par-X-par-Z dee-Z, plus
par-X-par-W dee-W, along the curvilinear contour of inflection for the relation
X on Z-W space
;" and remaining boxes append choirs, booming, Angels We Have
Heard,
Gloria Deo,
Requiem,- to utter cacophony;
- And the Crew returns running, climbing:
CREWMAN#1
- (up the gangplank, loud)
- They're, inside!
- (tries the hatch wheel)
RADIOMAN (CONCURRENT)
- (keys radio-phone, loud)
- 3-4,- Q-K,
This is Beaver.
Meadow Lark.
Over!?
CREWMAN#2
- (late up gangplank, loud)
- There were four of them!
- (joins at conning mound)
CREWMAN#3
- (gathering tools, loud)
- Check the grounds for more!
- (runs for the gangplank)
- INT. CONNING TOWER - CLOSED QUIET DARK (AS CONTINUOUS)
- Daniel ties his baton jam of the hatch-wheel-lock;
- Outside ATTEMPTS to open it, JOSTLE IT;
DANIEL
- (climbs down)
- Next time it'll be my D-V-D's of rabbit squeals and Tibetan chants!
- The second pair of FOOTSTEPS runs onto the outer hull.
- LADDER BOTTOM
- Peter on the floor, FLASHLIGHTS the way: Gwen, Diana, climb off clunkily
onto the hollow floor littered with clear-red plastic-tank fire extinguishers,
workmen debris, papers:
GWEN
- (lands, passes)
- I hope there are no crew in here.
PETER
- (aims into control-room)
- Gwen: Get this started-- and away from the dock.
DIANA
- (lands, quips, passes)
- Angels have more fun than blonds!
- And on to the control room, as Daniel climbs down; and outside 3 pair
FOOTSTEPS move equipment about the hull;
DIANA
- (flashlights litter)
- Find a light-switch and a trashcan.
- Daniel clops a landing,- and flicks-on his flashlight.
- Peter precedes, stepping over strewn workmen debris:--
DANIEL
- (following)
- Think someone knew we were coming!?
PETER
- They just don't want us here while they're demolishing this.
- THE SUBMARINE COMMAND CENTER:
- Gwen seated busy at three adjacent wide displays, fingers flying, touching
diagram-display points, pop-ups, keys that correspondingly light,
chain-spelling; Diana watches
DIANA
- (slides into chair-right)
- Way-out SPO, Gwen.
- Daniel picks-up a half-full fire extinguisher.
- Outside, a pair of FOOTSTEPS runs-off the hull;
- RED RUNNING LIGHTS COME-ON.
- Peter, Daniel, arrive--
PETER
- (orders)
- Gwen: Get us out of here, now:-- battery power;-- anything!
- He flashlights the BUTTON on the wall above her:
DANIEL
- (scrutinizes the button)
- Where's the tape on your button?
PETER
- That was the world we left, Dan:-- a prior chinga terra.
DIANA
- (to them)
- What's a chinga?
DANIEL
- (shrugs)
- Catholic meaning: Failure, censure, Get lost, a war cry
. A previously noted
subtitle posted on our world.
- Outside, a pair of FOOTSTEPS returns onto the hull;
- Daniel shows the fire extinguisher to Diana,- sliding his hand into the
back-sleeve of its flared tube--
DANIEL
- (pretends levity)
- And, This, is a giant spritzer,-
- (mock-appraises)
- Of fizzy cherry-cola-berry juice.
DIANA
- (leans-looks into tank)
- What fires do you suppose they were extinguishing in cherry-cola fizz?!
- Outside TOOLS OPERATE on the hull,- a DRILL starts working;
DANIEL
- (considers: looks about)
- Maybe this place was ransacked, for something.
- (dangles extinguisher)
PETER
- How soon, Gwen?-
- (to Daniel)
- Dan: Be ready with your fire extinguisher.
- Gwen touches a sequence on her center ENGINE-display
- MARKS, LINES, BAR-GRAMS, flashing, diagram operations;
GWEN
- Watch the bar-grams.
- Outside HARD BANGING on the hull;
- A FAINT HUM begins increasing in the background;
- Diana leans to Gwen's display--
DIANA
- Is this easy, Gwen?
GWEN
- It works.
DIANA
- How much does it do for you?
GWEN
- Single-point operation of the ship.
DIANA
- (bouncy)
- Neat: We can take a joy-ride!?-
- (more quietly)
- Will it really go?
- Outside, a CIRCULAR SAW starts,-- GRINDS on the hull;
- Bar-grams above the line, indicate Engines nominally ready.
GWEN
- It's hot.
- She presses a sequence of key-spots on Eng-display--
- BAR-GRAMS STAND UP;-- RIGHT DISPLAYS NAVIGATION: Diana's--
- The ENGINES WHINE-UP in the background;--
- The FLOOR ROLLS SLIGHTLY;-- Daniel, Peter, grab seat rails.
PETER
- Forget the ropes, Gwen: Scram this!
DANIEL
- (overrides)
- Floor, it, Gwen!
- (to Diana)
- Hang-on tight, Diana.
- (confides unto Peter)
- Scram, would mean, Dump the reactor-core.
- THE SHIP SQUIRMS;
- Outside TOOLS CEASE,--
- 3 pair heavy rapid FOOTSTEPS PASS-OFF the hull;
- TWO ASTERISKS APPEAR on Nav-display, flashing far-left and far-right,-
heading centerward;--
DANIEL
- (points to the asterisks)
- Gwen: They've already notified the coastguard!
PETER
- Gwen: Break us free: Take the dock with us!
- Gwen presses more keys and spots:--
- THE SHIP LURCHES,-- the ROOM LEANS dockward; DEBRIS ROLLS;
- Outside the DOCK CRASHES against the hull; The Room rights;
DANIEL
- (exaggerates)
- Good; good:- Take the whole west coast of California too
!
PETER
- We should check all systems soon.
GWEN
- All systems, nominal.
PETER
- Does this submarine work the same as before?
GWEN
- Yes, Peter:
- (points)
- Systems check appears here
- Outside GUNSHOTS PUNCH the conning tower-mound and hull,--
- A KLAXON REVERBERATES briefly;--
- Daniel, Peter, grab the rails two-handed harder.
- Nav-display lower-center ship-mark alternates, an asterisk; NEXT-RIGHT
DISPLAYS SHIP-INTEGRITY, DIAGRAM WARNINGS with asterisks flashing hull-hits, and
LIBRARY DATA;--
GWEN
- (glances across)
- Hull-integrity warning!
PETER
- (clips)
- Hull penetration:- Dive!
- Gwen keys: Eng slides left; Nav to center; Lib to Diana;
GWEN
- (presses keys and spots)
- Shallow dive: ten meters.
DANIEL
- (points at integrity)
- There: Near the conning tower: The flashing stars!
- (arms around Diana, keys)
- CLOSE BETWEEN: Daniel and Diana: Lib-DISPLAY zooms-in,-- POPS-UP the
Live-Encyclopedia.
- Outside GUNSHOTS THUNK DULLY in water against the hull;
- Nav-display diagrams Ship-mark position and motion in the bay; Gwen controls
Nav-display steering-directives;
GWEN
- No further hull-integrity alarms.
PETER
- Low-power weapons: handguns: Keep going, Gwen;- And keep our head down.
- A DOG-BARK display-left: ITS ASTERISK SPINS and twinkles;
GWEN
- (controls new)
- Company has arrived.
DIANA
- Do we avoid them?
GWEN
- (tentatively)
- We may not need-to: Their tracking-vectors aren't precise.
PETER
- (interprets)
- They don't see us under water.
- THE SHIP SWAYS as the Engines whine-up TO A MILD ROAR;
- (00:00 - This Is Your Night/Amber)
- A DOG-BARK display-right: ITS ASTERISK SPINS and twinkles;
DANIEL
- (more for Diana)
- But they know we're still here:- That's two asterisk's twinkling.
- Left asterisk moves rapidly
half way to their Ship-mark--
PETER
- Coming fast, Gwen: Evasive action!
- THE SHIP SWAYS with deliberation;-- Peter, Daniel, hold-on to the seat
rails;
- Ship-mark becomes an asterisk flashing inside a circle,--
DANIEL
- (watching Gwen's display)
- They've found us:- Our ship is an asterisk; Can we fire anything back at
them?- Decoys? Jam? Blue books?
DIANA
- (counter eyes him)
- Do angels ever, take written tests?
GWEN
- (examines displays)
- No lock-in signature yet: We're still in their way: Running 30--35
meters-per-hesit: Accelerating.
- The twinkling-spinning asterisks nearing from both sides
- Steering into a chase
- SHIP-MARK INVERTS to a circle inside a hollow asterisk flashing at the
in-comers--
DANIEL
- (relieved)
- We're away
!- Must have been their new, clear-missiles!
- (grins)
PETER
- (un-relieved)
- Faster, Gwen: We're suddenly glamorous, And we've out-performed their
expectations.
- Each asterisk passes behind the ship-mark and disappears.
- Ship-mark exits the harbor for the open ocean;
- EXT. SUBMARINE - HARBOR MOUTH - WEST MOONLIT (CURRENT)
- Riding just under its wave, the submarine exits harbor
- INT. COMMAND CENTER - DIM RED RUNNING (RESUME)
- Engines whining a roar
Gwen reactuates her right panel:-- Lib slides far;
Near displays diagrammatic LIVE-VIEW night;
- AN ASTERISK APPEARS onshore left behind their Ship-mark;--
DIANA
- (peering back-over Gwen)
- Gwen: Isn't that another asterisk, off-port?
GWEN
- (presses display buttons)
- Yes: We've got more company.
DANIEL
- (sits at Diana's right)
- Maybe we'd better "up" the acceleration: Strap yourselves, in.
PETER
- (sits at Gwen's left)
- Gwen: Can you give us much speed,- while keeping us below the surface?
- All seat-belt;
GWEN
- (keys controls)
- More, yes: The controls don't say how much;- We maintained 85 underwater
last time.
- The ENGINES WHINE-UP EVEN MORE ambient scream;
DANIEL
- (to be heard)
- Do we still have any functional escape pods?!
- A DOG-BARK display-left: ITS ASTERISK SPINS and twinkles-- approaching
rapidly
DIANA
- (watching edgily)
- Here it comes.
- SHIP-MARK BECOMES A CIRCLED FLASHING ASTERISK--
- A FLEET OF 6 flashing asterisks leaves shore,- spinning;
PETER
- Gwen: Full-evasive
. How fast are we going?
GWEN
- (checks Nav-display data)
- 80 meters-per-hesit. And we have additional company: They've scrambled the
air-station.
- (keys more)
- A RUMBLY GRINDING RESONATES through the ship
- Daniel reaches across Diana and keys-up documentation on defense systems,--
DANIEL
- (unto Diana)
- Standard procedure: They'll try to flush us.
- (begins computer access)
GWEN
- (intent on her screens)
- Maneuver, programmed: Ready for hop-scotch evasive in 8, 7 hesits
GWEN (CONCURRENT)
- (2.2 sec. pace)
-
6
5
4
3
2
PETER
- (on Gwen "6")
- Diana,-- Dan: Check your computer for countermeasure responses.
DIANA
- (on Gwen "3", hesitant)
- Gwen: Are we going to survive this?
- The ENGINES SCREAM to highest pitch
Asterisk is half way;
DANIEL
- (equally loudly)
- Hold tight!
- (unto Diana)
- Ready!?
- Diana nods so.
PETER
- (loudly)
- Now, Gwen!?
- Their circled-ship-asterisk evades, left-right; They lean:
- [Inner-Voice-Over is contra-phase stereo-inside]
[COMPUTER](IVO)
- (forewarning)
- Linx!
- (SHIP VEERS LEFT)
COMPUTER
- Recht!
- (SHIP VEERS RIGHT)
COMPUTER
- Linx!
- (SHIP VEERS LEFT)
DIANA
- (cheers loudly)
- Breech'em, whale-girl!
PETER
- (loudly)
- Zoom-in on the missiles.
GWEN
- (touches Nav-display)
- Zooming-in.
- Her Nav-display center 40% dilates to 80%, outer shaded;
- The twinkling asterisk converges rapidly
DANIEL
- (reading display, loud)
- Limited response, Pete: A small amount of emergency decoy-ballast: It's
metal.
- (points Diana to key)
- The missile-asterisk disappears; the next approach;--
DIANA
- (loudly)
- Second wave, Gwen!
- They lean:
[COMPUTER] (IVO)
- (forewarning)
- Recht!
- (SHIP VEERS RIGHT)
COMPUTER
- Linx!
- (SHIP VEERS LEFT)
COMPUTER
- Recht!
- (SHIP VEERS RIGHT)
PETER
- (calmly loud)
- Decoy-ballast: Dump it, now!
- Directed by Daniel, Diana presses the button:--
- METAL BALLAST DUMPS noisily in hull-chutes;--
PETER
- (inserts loudly)
- Dive, Gwen: Push us down!
- Nav-display indicates submerging
- The last pursuing missile-asterisks disappear
- Submarine seamounts appear as sub-island contours
- THE SHIP SWAYS to avoid a seamount;--
GWEN
- Seamounts;- The air-assault has dissipated.
PETER
- Hold us under for a couple minutes, Gwen,- Then return to the surface for
top-maximum progress, Zigzag course, 20-percent off-center-line; will cost us
2-percent: half-hour per day; and just maybe we'll avoid any new company along
the way.
GWEN
- (programs)
- Aye
captain.
DIANA
- (unto Daniel)
- Not-so-silent,- not-so-deep.
- (relaxes)
- Despite the noise, this is your basically incredible machine.
- Daniel actuates both panels:-- Lib and Live exchange.
DANIEL
- Wait till you see the encyclopedia
Zirconium-96 nuclear cata-mutator
reactor power to last a hundred years
ultrasophisticated computer navigation
koa-wood furnishings in the Captain's Quarters: We could be pirates of the high
seas
!
DIANA
- I always wondered what became of the high seas
Where do you keep your
booty?!
GWEN
- (stands, exiting)
- Forward corridor, third doorway on the left. Peter: You have the com.
- (quickly to the corridor)
DIANA
- (to Daniel)
- Do angels get smarter with practice?
PETER
- (sits in Gwen's chair)
- We're all a bit weary of the chase.
- (checks his watch)
- It's only 5-point-6-43 A-S on the surface.
DANIEL
- (readies to change seat)
- Peter: You and Gwen can take the first break;-- I'll return us to
surface-speed. Diana can read her encyclopedia, to make her time worthwhile:
bring her up to speed.
DIANA
- (open taunt)
- I knew it!- You angels are all alike: There's nothing new under the sun.
PETER
- Someone had better.
- (tentative to Diana)
- Okay with you, Diana?
DIANA
- Sure, We'll take the first shift,-- me and my Zirconium-mentor angel.
PETER
- (walks away)
- Thanks: Call us immediately if you get any new obstacles.
DANIEL
- (moves to Gwen's seat)
- Of course
.
- (sits; relaxes)
- Well, Diana: We've become asterisk-gazers.
DIANA
- (quips)
- Prematurely astir,-crazy:- The risk of desktop geezering
Ever watch a
deskttop get a blowdry job, Daniel?
- Daniel shakes Not-inviting.
DIANA
- You angels miss some finer points.
- FADE TO:
- INT. COMMAND CENTER - (BEFORE NOON, HOURS LATER)
- Running MEDIUM-QUIET; Daniel, space-admiral suit white, collar turned down,
at Nav-console, Diana right; Nav, diagrams open ocean, course S-SE.
DANIEL
- (finishes Nav-control)
-
full. Surface-cruise speed: 3-hundred-10 meters-per-hesit; 20-grads
eastward to center-line.
DIANA
- (yawns)
- It's much quieter on the surface
.
DANIEL
- Oh, it'd be noisy in a sprint.
So, Back to more encyclopedia lessons.
DIANA
- (fingers keys)
- Name your search, dude.
DANIEL
- Hesit: like a moment of hesitation.
- Diana types "hes" and the encyclopedia prompts "hesit" with choices and text
answer,--
DIANA
- Okay, here it is:
- (reads aloud)
- DISPLAYED SUB-TEXT EXPLANATION:
- Hesit: The base unit of metric time equaling one centigrad of
diurnal rotation: I.E. A ten-thousandth of a quarter mean solar day; Epoch A-D
19-hundred; Chiefly Nautical usage. See also Demur, equals a kilohesit.
DIANA
- (resumes)
- That's it.
DANIEL
- And in plain English: A hesit is 24 hours divided by forty-thousand: or
2-point-1-6 seconds,-- which means, a meter-per-hesit is 3-and-a-half-percent
faster than one-mile-per-hour: Like doing 57 instead of 55.
- (smiles)
- Or, Using the next-centimeter tire-size on your car.
DIANA
- Daniel: Do you angels still use miles and hours, and seconds?
DANIEL
- (hesitates, subdued)
- Miles?- No,- not since we left, our, Earth.
DIANA
- Oh. I wonder about you sometimes: You don't seem like very-smart, angels:
I'm sorry if I expect too much from you.
DANIEL
- That's okay: You keep surprising us: as though your science-clock were
turned ahead.
DIANA
- What's next, guru-da?- Tri-angel-ometry in the after-math!?
DANIEL
- How's your theory of
magnetism?
DIANA
- (guffaws)
- Daniel! Will you, please, keep your mind on teaching me this
computer-encyclopedia!?
DANIEL
- (puzzles)
- I am;-- I did
a quickie pop-quiz.
DIANA
- (wary)
- Well,- Pop:- There's no such force as magnetism: That's soshe-theory,- and a
lot of Maxwellian formulae for electrical engineers.
DANIEL
- (puzzles more)
- How do you explain the repulsion of wires carrying opposing currents
?
DIANA
- Flow-amplified deflection electrons impinging mutually extended fields,
repulsively, more than attracting protons, increasing for current-flows in
opposition; decreasing for currents in conjunction.
DANIEL
- (takes surprise)
- A new application for Zeno's paradox: What about induction in the secondary
of a transformer?!
DIANA
- The same: Application of a voltage on the primary displaces the free
electron cloud in the secondary;- When a primary current flows, the remote
electron nudging increases the Fermi temperature in the second proportionably to
electron density, and a restoration current flows, back out the secondary
.
Self-induction is similar, but obviously a current does flow.
- (contrites)
- That's how I learned it in APE 2-31 with Dr. Bedeman.
DANIEL
- (recovers a beat)
- Would you concur that energy itself is repulsive,- as in a transformer,
energy supplied the primary, energizes and repels the secondary?
DIANA
- That argument sounds entropic.
DANIEL
- (nods approval)
- Good. And would you concur that Maxwell's equations are a transformation of
bases from electric to magnetic?
DIANA
- (wrinkles nose)
- Mathematicians are always, polite, when the electricians need it!
Otherwise, there's that Israeli soshe-scientist who claims that Moses discovered
magnetism by letting his people wander through the wilderness forty years
instead of rushing point-to-point like the electric Egyptians;- And when Moses
stopped his people, the gentiles inducted away.
- (flash grins
adds)
- He also suggests, Jesus did his healings that way: casting-out demons into
swine.
DANIEL
- Interesting
And you learned all this in
what's APE 2-31?
DIANA
- Applied Physics Engineering, -2-31 A-B-C,- Quantum Gradients Theory.
But
don't worry about Professor Bedeman: He's a nice academic kook: His doctoral
thesis was:--
- (phrasing)
- On Amortization-Blocking In Spermatozoic Pseudo-Species By Naturally
Occurring Saline Solutions;- Did his research at the Dead Sea:- Thought he was
on a lead for virginal birthing.
- (a beat, confides)
- You are not the first cosmic space aliens I've known, Daniel.
DANIEL
- (avoids a beat)
- Interesting: Accounts for brine shrimp and pickles: Let's continue.
DIANA
- Is our destination on this encyclopedia?
- She types "iti" and it prompts "itinerary" with choices and global map of
their course, California to the South Pole;--
DANIEL
- Good question. Our host-builders must have programmed this decades ago:--
Their polar-ice-flow information could be out-of-date.
DIANA
- Suppose our destination no longer exists!?
DANIEL
- But we've been there two weeks ago.
DIANA
- (counters)
- In your, world, Daniel!
DANIEL
- (contrite)
- Right.
DIANA
- Is there a way to change the programmed destination?
- She types "alte" and it prompts "alternates" with choices and a web of
ocean-crossing courses;--
DANIEL
- Gwen didn't find it;-- She said it was not at the controls.
DIANA
- (notices web)
- I wonder what Gwen
Uh-oh, Daniel: The whole world has been taken-over by
you space aliens.
DANIEL
- Why do you think there's only one, kind of space alien?
Looks like a
regular network:- I ponder if that means company at the South Pole.
DIANA
- You're not, expecting company!? Why do angels exist
?!
- A RED BAR FLASHES on his Nav-display top-left corner;--
DANIEL
- Whoa-- d้-jเ vu!
DIANA
- (notices red-bar)
- What's that flashing red bar?!
DANIEL
- (unsettles)
- Wake-up time: Call Gwen and Peter back to duty-station: It's an
over-the-horizon detector: Something out there far away.
DIANA
- How soon will it be viewable?
DANIEL
- (keys course-change)
- It's probably an island base
Let's dodge this old treachery, with a new
tack.
- Nav-display shows course adjusting westward to S-SW;
DIANA
- You can't dog an old trick with a new teacher.
- He smirks
and points: They watch for a moment
- FADE TO:
- INT. CORRIDOR - RED RUNNING (NEXT DAY LATE AFTERNOON)
- Daniel, clean face, hair combed, slows to pass quietly:--
- CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS: The door ajar, SLOT VIEW:
- Backside, Diana, clean face, hair combed, in stylish warm submariner
crew-clothes, kneels at her bed, head bowed--
DIANA
- (praying softly)
-
and keep them well
Especially angel-Gwen: for she is all the family I
have left
. And, most of all, Dear Father-Mother-God: Forgive your angels: for
these three are incompetent.
- (silent nod)
- He stifles a guffaw; She stands; and he sneaks ahead
- INT. COMMAND CENTER - SOUTH POLE (SAME MOMENT)
- Cruising; All cleaned up: Gwen watches Nav-display approach to the majestic
glacial ice cap; Peter reads a Lib-display;
- A low GAP APPEARS in the glacier ice wall before them;
PETER
- (scan-reads)
- The ice cap appears fairly, stable, over decades,-- or maybe just this, area
. Located an entrance, yet?
GWEN
- (steady to the display)
- Maybe; -it's still on auto-pilot:- but, Here.
- (points to the gap)
PETER
- (leans-looks, digresses)
- I'm glad this boat held together
The engines didn't quit this time:-
No-one left their jacket melting on reactor heat-pipes. The close-range gunshots
from the dock penetrated the outer uranium clad, but, we didn't sink. The dock
crews must have known enough to not foul the machinery,- though it is a mess
- RHYTHMIC CLOMPING in the corridor:--
- Daniel enters, parade stop. Sidesteps. Backs to the wall.
DANIEL
- (erect salute)
- Tent! Hut! Sergeant Lamb-Bo, Peep! Is on the con'deck!
- Diana enters, side-glancing at Daniel;-- He tags behind
PETER
- Good afternoon, bright-eyes;- Nice outfit.
DIANA
- Hello, Peter; Gwen, I'm bored: Are we there yet? I'm hungry again.
GWEN
- (resumes her display)
- We have an entrance, now.
- They approach the ice-port's tunnel
and slow
in through the passage
dimly lit by their conning floodlights
DIANA
- Gwen: Is the food in the Captain's refrigerator any worth eating?
DANIEL
- (unnecessarily loud)
- Food!- I forgot all about partying!
PETER
- Did you inspect any of the pantry storage-foods?- Might be better.
DIANA
- I rehydrated a freeze-dry pack of turkey: It smells good but I didn't taste
it
yet.
- Daniel exits to the corridor--
DANIEL
- (invites loud)
- Last chance for a party, guys: Come-on, Diana: Let's prepare a feast. And
invite those up-town penguins,- and the kissing-seals: Do you know about
kissing-seals?
- (CORRIDOR REVERBERATES)
- You can show me how to cook turkey on this planet.
GWEN
- Go ahead, Di: We'll watch the docking procedures.
DIANA
- (exits tentatively)
- Whose side are we on, in a case like this?
- INT. CONNING TOWER - (EVENING: AN HOUR LATER)
- They climb: Peter leads with ropes; Diana in winter jacket; Gwen; Daniel
last
Open the top-hatch, and exit
DANIEL
- (up to hostess)
- That was delicious, Diana: You sure you won't stay on this planet, and cook
turkeys?
DIANA
- (half out; face down-in)
- I don't do submarines, Daniel.
DANIEL
- (finishes to himself)
- Freeze-dried lettuce on crackers was interesting.
- INT. ICE CAVERN - DOCK - CONNING FLOODLIGHT (CONTINUOUS)
- Acoustically live decked with aluminum; floodlight swaying, the submarine
leans-and-bobs slowly at dock; Peter runs the length, tying mooring-lines; Gwen
exits, as Diana yields
- THE SUBMARINE CONNING MOUND with gaping bullet-tear-holes, power saw
grooves, drill dents. She surveys, patting hands.
DIANA
- (sniffs deep, returns)
- Actually
- (pauses for Daniel up)
- It's warm in here: barely freezing.
DANIEL
- (exits)
- The seawater keeps it constant just below zero.
- And he closes the top-hatch,--
- And spins the hatch-lock a full turn;
GWEN
- (surveying, points)
- There's the doorway,-- over there, against the metal wall.
DANIEL
- (looks)
- So similar
.
- Peter approaches on the dock as they begin to descend:
PETER
- Dan: Don't look back: Those bullet-holes in the conning tower weren't
ordinary pistol-powered.
- They PEEK-BACK quiet, at the bullet-tear-holes
- Then steady-step down the submarine's extended top
- THE DOCK
- And jump to,- and looking about, cross the CREAKING DECK
- AT THE DOOR, They speak again, quieter--
DIANA
- What if it's locked, Gwen? Or do you angels have the keys to the universe?!
- Peter holds a flashlight to the keyhole in the wall next to the doorhandle
while Gwen tries her prior keys, which fail;
DIANA
- Definitely arcane.- And do you angels know which one?!
GWEN
- (a key failing)
- My house keys worked.
- (tries more keys)
DANIEL
- My front door key didn't;-- Back door was all right.
PETER
- (more to Gwen)
- Not the same world planet;- Close,- real close: but not identical.
DANIEL
- (amends)
- I had two undergrads with me: Told them the U-F-O landing had caused
excessive weathering;-- And they believed, me!
- (piqued)
- I, don't recall being so gullible before graduation!
GWEN
- (last key failing)
- None of these work.
- All but Diana, mutually pensive;--
PETER
- Double check them
!?
DIANA
- (jangles a chain of keys)
- Would you like to try these, Gwen?
- (gives them)
- These were in Captain's Quarter,- laid flat under the mattress.
GWEN
- Thank you.
- (tries the new keys)
DANIEL
- (chides)
- The princess and the Quarter, key.
- Diana cock-glances Daniel.
PETER
- (to Daniel)
- And, How many U-F-O's landed while you, were in college, Dan?
DANIEL
- (incredulous)
- A lot more than Blue Book was admitting!
- This key works,--
- The door CLICKS OPEN, slowly;-- BRIGHT LIGHT floods out
- They look about, and in, and about again,--
- And enter, silently
.
- INT. LABORATORY - ENTRY CORRIDOR - WELL-LIT (CONTINUOUS)
- Conning floodlight barely visible; Peter leads-in; Diana, Gwen, Daniel, keep
tight formation,--
DANIEL
- (entering very quietly)
- Now I wish they didn't, have lights in here
Do I hear other voices?!
- (inside, stifles)
- All halt.
- VOICES AD LIB around the corner ahead, echo lightly from aluminum walls,
floors, ceiling; Corridors stretch to dim
PETER
- (quietly unto Diana)
- Diana: Take the lead: You're less obvious.
- (flanks opposite Gwen)
DIANA
- (quietly)
- Do chickens have angels
?!
- (leads cautiously)
DANIEL
- (quietly exasperates)
- Shush,- Or we'll be roasted turkey-tails!
DIANA
- (very quiet)
- Or picking-up hardboiled eggs
.
- They stroll tightly forward, eyes barely looking about
- Lab-white-clad PERSONNEL cross the next corner ad lib
- Corridor corners lead off figures-and-arrows
- Across the corner
and onward passed doors, some open, lit, occupied,
figure-labeled or paper-slipped.
GWEN
- (unto Diana)
- Let's skip this museum, Di: Walk like you're taking us directly, and don't
turn to talk.
DIANA
- (puzzles)
- The angelic concept of hindsight, puzzles me, Gwen.
- They quicken their pace moderately
and approach
- A LARGE LIGHTED RECEPTION AREA full of animal artifacts, full-size
glass-encased taxidermies of dinosaurs and less-descript creatures, situated
center.
- And pause. More white-clad Personnel mill about;
GWEN
- Check that wall-directory,-- just in case.
- (nods direction)
- Diana leads to a large diagram on a wall.
GWEN
- (arriving, quietly)
- It's a picture-directory:
- (points arm through)
- We're here.
- (traces a course)
- And this leads to the exit-vehicle.
- Gwen looks a hint in the direction,--
- Diana takes it,- leading into another corridor
- 6 Personnel approach, discussing ad lib
- POV: Personnel passing half-interested in them--
ONE
- (smiling at Diana)
- Finding your way, new-bee?
DIANA
- (prompt official dour)
- Yes, thank you, mister.
SECOND
- (a beat to themselves)
- Military recruits moving-in?
THIRD
- Unusual grade for escort.
ONE
- Are they ours?!
- (chuckles)
THIRD
- U-N rank, maybe?
SECOND
- Probably NATO lost in the wrong ocean again.
- Personnel chuckle, grin, and ad lib onward
- POV: Diana et al continuing beyond, half-watch them go
- ANOTHER CORRIDOR: Locating
arriving, Gwen surveys about:
- A WINDOWED ACCESS DOOR. Diana glances in--
DIANA
- (quips)
- People who need peepholes
.
GWEN
- (concludes)
- This must be it.
- Diana opens the door;-- Peter scoots in, and ahead;--
- They follow,-- Daniel closing the door stealthily
.
- INT. SHORT CONNECTING ACCESS CORRIDOR - (CONTINUOUS)
- Trotting through the narrow winding way connecting to the
- INT. FLUSH GLASS GALLERY - MILES-SHEER SILO - (CONTINUOUS)
- Wrapping, overlooking the depths; They slow to sauntering
- (00:00 - She's A Beauty/The Tubes)
- Daniel checks up and down the windows, craning to see--
DANIEL
- I think we're missing a moon-ship
?
- EXT. - LOOKING IN, DOWN, UP, BEHIND
- Diana is a beauty among fashion models, talking, pointing
DIANA (VO)
- Could it be farther down below?
DANIEL (VO)
- Are you withholding a key?
- Diana shakes innocent-no.
GWEN (VO)
- Move on
Keep going
There is, some, vessel, in this direction
.
- Meandering along
passing inside-elevators
PETER (VO)
- What do you suppose they drilled?
DANIEL (VO)
- If it's not a missile silo
?
- In the landing bay, Peter opens the door, and They enter
- INT. LANDING CORRIDOR - READY ELEVATORS - (AS CONTINUOUS)
DANIEL
- (worried)
- Where, Gwen?
DIANA
- Try for the elevated view?
- They take an open elevator, up.
- INT. CLOSED HANGAR, MOON-ROCKET SUPERCRUISER - DIM LIT
- Elevator opens; They exit, marveling the Supercruiser sled, gigantic sleek
long inverted-thick-"U"-wing, on tip-skates:
DIANA
- (marvels)
- Is this your moon rocket?!
DANIEL
- Is this, even, a moon, rocket!?- Looks more like a 19-50's train.
- They approach and inspect along, toward the front landing
PETER
- Big enough.
- (spots the insignia)
- Ohhh:- This looks Nazi Third Reich.
- A PROMINENT COUNTERCLOCKWISE SWASTIKA
DANIEL
- ("hahkenkroitz")
- Actually not, Pete: The hakenkreuz points the other way: righthanded
- (examines both hands)
- Wait a sec.
- (unto Diana)
- Diana, Are you righthanded, or lefthanded?
DIANA
- Righthanded.
DANIEL
- Of course, you're righthanded,-- that's not what I meant.
DIANA
- That is, what you asked.
DANIEL
- What I mean is,--
- (right hand to Diana)
- Are you this-handed?
DIANA
- (right hand to Daniel)
- Yes, I'm this-handed.
DANIEL
- Okay,-- You're righthanded.
DIANA
- For once you're right, Daniel!
PETER
- But that can't be a pivotal factor.
DANIEL
- Probably true; May be a connection.
GWEN
- This may be closer to space alien.
DANIEL
- Weren't we, the space aliens
?
- Diana gives him a big noticeable smile.
PETER
- Will this need a launch ramp?
- Daniel, Diana likewise, look through the underside length
DANIEL
- Now, This, is interesting wing-aerodynamics:- Ever seen a WIG?
DIANA
- (thinks a beat)
- You mean, Wing-In-Ground?
DANIEL
- Exactly: Aerodynamic reflection.
DIANA
- This is as-wide; but too long: the air will escape before the rear.
DANIEL
- Not for supersonic, WIG:- the air slows and compresses
maybe enough.
- They step onto a personnel elevator-landing
and ascend
- INT. SUPERCRUISER, NARROW LOW CORRIDOR TO THE CONTROL ROOM
- Gwen coming, enters to sit Helm-left; Peter left, Diana,
DANIEL
- (last in, hypes)
- To your stations, Cadets!
- INT. CONTROL ROOM - MODERATELY LIGHTED (CONTINUOUS)
- Walls block-padded white; wraparound nose-cone window; Gwen preparing
launch; They sit reclined in cushion-chairs at consoles semicircled with heads
near
DANIEL
- (sits Nav-right)
- New equipment
Handle this, Gwen?
- (quieter to Diana)
- Majored in pure applied confidence.
PETER
- Think this is ready to go, Gwen?
GWEN
- (touch-scans, monotone)
- System: Nominal
Monitor nominal
Response: Nominal
Load: Nominal
Telemetry: Nominal
Registration: Nominal
Power: Nominal
Support: Nominal
Function: Nominal
Ambient: Nominal
Exterior nominal
Sequence: Nominal
Go: Nominal.
DANIEL
- (busying but grins)
- Experience: Nominal.
DIANA
- (grins to Daniel)
- Explanation: Nominal.
DANIEL
- (mid buttons, unto Diana)
- Is everyone comfortable?
- (to all)
- We've got Sequence-for-launch at 30 hesits,- and counting down.
DIANA
- (interested)
- Can we shorten that,- in case we're discovered?
- Daniel shakes no.
PETER
- (pressing buttons)
- Exterior controls show green across-the-board
- (peers out-forward)
- Opening the hangar door, now.
- HANGAR BRIGHTENS slowly with indirect outdoor light
- EXT. OPENING HANGAR DOOR - SNOW DRIFTS - LOW DAY (CURRENT)
- Amid scant 15 deg. rear-daylight
behind the moon-rocket.
- INT. CONTROL ROOM - (RESUME CURRENT)
- Before them is a hundred miles straight-ahead ice runway.
DANIEL
- Whoa,- We've got a long way to go!
GWEN
- Final-check your seat belts.
- A LASER BLAST from ground level-- steams runway snow ahead. Hangar
color-trim traffic lights indicate ready for launch.
DIANA
- Must be easy maintenance on ice.
- They latch and check their seat belts; a YELLOW ALERT BLINKS on Peter's
status controls;
DANIEL
- (quick-checks Diana's)
- Ready for the "G" ride?
- (back to his display)
- Okay; T-minus-15 hesits, Counting.
PETER
- (intent on his display)
- We've got a yellow-status on
Oh-boy, The gantry elevator!
- (looks at Gwen)
- Gwen: Any reason for, not, going?
GWEN
- No: What's the delay?
PETER
- Gantry elevator unlocked-unlatched:
- Someone's following us up!
GWEN
- Will the elevator-exit be exposed?
PETER
- (rechecks display)
- Says
Launch Status, this side.
GWEN
- (thoughtfully)
- I hope they stay-out during launch.
DANIEL
- (mock-rallies)
- Once-again, it's once-again,- and all-for-one, and one-for all.
- (grins)
DIANA
- (to Daniel)
- You're so cryptic, Daniel
[COMPUTER] (IVO)
- (clips; 2.2 sec. pace)
- Pfuenf.
- Vfeer.
- Drry.
- Tzvy.
- Supercruise-jet-engines build to WHINE TO RUMBLE, 4 sec.
- RELEASE-BOLTS CLANK OPEN:-- The hangar creeps backward, inch-by-inch
to
foot-by-foot faster
5 sec. (to 1 g)
- A COLD DAY SKY above the polar glacial ice and snow flurry;
DANIEL
- (reports)
- Easy acceleration
nominally.
GWEN
- (reports)
- 5 hesits into launch-sequence: Systems: Nominal; Telemetry: Nominal; Go-ing:
Nominal.
PETER
- (reports)
- Hangar cleared: We have a "Go" for orbit, Hohmann-transfer, and, moon!
- EXT. ICE RUNWAY - 1 MI. 20 SEC. FROM THE HANGAR LIGHTS
- The Supercruiser jet-accelerates unremittingly, 400 mph
GWEN (VO)
- WIG-levitation
Going transsonic
- Levitating just above the ice, leaving its cocktail spray
- EXT. NOSE-CONE - CONTROL
- They note the bleak icescape race, and check instruments
GWEN (VO)
- 4-hundred meters-per-hesit
1 gee
30 seconds to rotation
PETER (VO)
- Bleak
.
DIANA (VO)
- After all,-the Conspiracy theories!
- ICE RUNWAY - 10 MILES DOWN RANGE - (HALF MINUTE LATER)
- 1000 mph the Supercruiser comes levitating
and lifts
DANIEL (VO)
- We have liftoff
nominally.
- INT. CONTROL - (CONTINUOUS)
- Gradually angling upward for 30 deg. climb
DANIEL
- (mock relief)
- Okay
Break-out the caviar emptory dip and lemon-ka'cheese crackers
- (seriouser to Diana)
- A little mission humor here: Now we watch for trouble on the horizon.
- (looks out)
- Diana's star-map shows south-polar night-sky with several red-flagged
satellites gathering above, as they rise rapidly through snow-hazy clouds to
clear sky
DIANA
- (unto Gwen, points)
- Gwen: Is this trouble?
- Gwen busy, looks, briefly concerned
resumes at her own
DANIEL
- (looks high above)
- The horizon fell flat, and the sky follows suit,-- in clubs no doubt?
- (to Diana's, quieter)
- What is it?- DEW drops, again?
PETER
- (a beat, concerned)
- Gwen? What is it?
GWEN
- (slowly at first)
- Guys:
- (pauses)
- The distant-object motion detector, radar, is registering several
non-ballistic satellites ephemerides, changing: There's not going to be a third
world-war on this planet.
- Startled-puzzled glares from all;--
DANIEL
- (looks about, to Gwen)
- Meaning
what trouble
Gwen?!
DIANA
- Strategic Defense Initiative, Daniel,- Or, Don't you angels read the local
daily
planet
papers?
DANIEL
- (exasperates among)
- You mean
Laser cannons
S-D-I
actually works!?
DIANA
- It's been in place for a decade: It should, work.
- Sky is turning dark blue to black, 7 mi. up (at 1 g)
PETER
- (ponders to Diana)
- A-B-M's, -Anti-Ballistic-Missiles,- didn't survive political-cuts, on our
Earth, Diana. And S-D-I didn't survive the testing phase
. Except for MIL-STAR,
star-peace failed.
DIANA
- (horrified)
- And now they're going to zap us down!?- Do you angels give fast last
rights
?!
GWEN
- (somewhat urgently)
- Guys: They are gathering above us!
PETER
- (thinks aloud)
- S-D-I was to be selective, --and controllable,-- publicly visible detente.
- (assures)
- Gwen: Just keep us heading "up", straight-and-narrow,- and maybe they'll
take us for an unscheduled science-sounding rocket on a tilt: If we deviate,
they'll terminate us where we are,-- but we're far off their track: They may not
risk revealing their S-D-I capabilities, attributes, extremities, failures.
DANIEL
- (bothered-relief shiver)
- Counter-detente star-dust, before our time:
- (hyper-lightens)
- But, For the moment, We're integral
at T-plus-60 hesits.
- (mock-exasperates French)
- Plooh sah shahnhge,- plooh sah mem!
DIANA
- (politely interprets)
- More changes: more memories.
- Daniel accepts her bit of wisdom.
PETER
- (improves)
- Change, meters, memory -- Poetic cadence: 1, 2, 3.
DANIEL
- (to Diana)
- The more he changes it, the more it evens-out.
- Gwen giggles.
PETER
- You have a clever one to add, Gwen?
GWEN
- (smiling)
- I recognize Harry's undergraduate Nuclear Engineering gripe: "More changes:
More memos."
- All laugh.
PETER
- (laugh-smiles)
- Right! Straight, All the way, Gwen!
- Sky is black with stars, 30 mi. up (at 1 g).
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