The Great Space Race [act 5/5] 'A prize wrap-up'

EXT. PAYROL SHUTTLE - 1K MI UP - HALFMOON ON MIDNIGHT CHINA

OMS RETRO-BURN; 6 sec. moonset (with eastside Earthshine).

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. PAYROL SHUTTLE - 80 MI UP - MID PACIFIC - 05:30 AM

DAWN BRIGHTENS towards them on the ocean below … SUNRISE …

Shuttle rotates to forward-above-level 40 deg. (pitch-up).

INT. COMMAND - DEORBITING 40 DEG. ABOVE LEVEL

Good burn, Ross: You're de-escaped: deorbiting at 30 degrees glidepath.

Roger, Houston: Attitude is wings-level forward, pitch at 40 degrees high, for reentry.

Copy…. Ever think about signing-up to be an astronaut full-time, Ross?

(smiles, cowboys)
Wehhl: Thank-yuh kindly, Hooston: That-there compl'ment be one more bright gold star f'r mah saddle!

Roger, Payrol: You've got your aero-glow;-- See you in Florida.

Reentry orange PLASMA GLOW BEGINS noticeably but faint;

Roger, Houston.

A long silent moment …

(wearied at last)
Ohh! This trip sure is taking long!

We're almost home, Dacy-dear-- just a few more minutes; thirty at most.

(very evenly-down)
It is so hard to sit on these seats for days straight-on-end especially weightlessly!

He really puzzles that one: homophonic relative absolutes.

(2 beats)
Can we stop for ice cream along the way?- And get some fresh cherries?

Maybe-- we'll see…. We're passing over the Pacific Isles, right now.

(perks-up, looks out)
Islands!?-- We could have pineapple mango spumoni ice cream with white chocolate macadamia nut-creme dip!: (3 beats-- wearied again)
Ohh, this trip sure is taking long!: (settles back)
I wish we could go to the Islands.

We can come back this way tomorrow, Dacy-dear, when the news-media is chasing us.

(senilely)
That'll be nice: I'm sure they'll like taking an Island vacation.

Orange PLASMA GLOW BLOOMS to full;

(observes)
Is that the reentry plasma, Daddy?

Yup-- hot off the barbecue grill.

(giggles)
Silly man.: (push-tests seat)
I feel heavy again.

Yes:- the wings are catching the upper atmosphere, and slowing us.

(searches through plasma)
Can we still see Marcia and Mr. Flops?

CUT TO:

INT. FLOPS COMMAND - DEORBITING - FULL ORANGE PLASMA GLOW

The windows are clear of moon-mud. Marcia is tracing their flight-path on colored Earth maps; no orange till Arizona:

(checking colored maps)
Neon-orange isn't on these maps, till Arizona!

(a beat)
You'd need a 3-D-flight-plan relief-map, Marcia: It's orange only at this very high altitude.

(shakes little-No)
Oh, okay: Orange sky sure makes a mess of the four-color-map theorem.: (beat)
Whiteout should be less expensive.: (plotting)
We're roughly five thousand miles from the K-S-C Runway,-- so that's two thousand seconds,- about.

Sounds good:- thirty-three minutes.

Talk about taking quick trips down to the coroner.

CUT TO:

INT. SHEIK COMMAND - 90 MI BELOW - CATALINA DAWN (TURNING)

OMS-THRUST-BURST EACH 3 sec. against east; 10-Sheiks seated flail-round, arms-up each burst, forward-bow in-between;

(keys a burst: Brit.)
By-Jove … I believe I've got the hang, of this groove!

If Jove heard you calling his name, he would, I trust, hang you, Mujah!

A SLUSH OF BLUED TOILET WATER ICE and a 2-lb. frozen short fat pink FISH CRASH-STICKS EYE-FIRST on the windshield.

All glare at it--

(a beat)
There's the fish … Where are the cats and dogs?

(examining it a beat)
Christians!- This time you Mujahs have real-ly done it! The President is going to be sore after me!: (chagrins)
To think, He might have been the next space alien to visit Earth.

Helm keys: WIPER SCRAPES THE SMEAR; All dry-gag-cough--

(looks inside bag)
This is worse than dry labor-- I've run plumb out of barf for my bag--!

And groans-laughs into the bag…

CUT TO:

INT. PAYROL COMMAND - FULL ORANGE PLASMA GLOW

(bemused)
Dad-dy: Orange, is pretty in ovens, and on crayons, and flowers, birds, and oranges,- not the world outside … well, not Earth outside,-- Venus, maybe.

We'll deorbit through the plasma in just a minute more…. Think of it as an Orange Julius fog.

(super trial smile)
Really!?: (smile sides break)
You're making me forget my ice cream, you promised.

Sorry,-- I was thinking more of an Orange, Julius, Float.

(bounce-brightens)
With pineapple mango spumoni ice cream!

Sure.

CUT TO:

INT. FLOPS COMMAND - 35 MI UP, CALIF - GLOW THIN, 08:40 AM

Conversation paces JOYSTICK-ROLL MANEUVERS left-right:

It's clearing-- so:: (rechecks maps)
That means: we should be somewhere over-- California, Bill: Do you think we can see home from here?!

Shuttle LEANS ONTO LEFT in thin orange plasma;

(joystick left: looking)
It should be safe enough to take a peek.

Take a peak-- hah hah-- you and your vice-president: Bill and George, of the silicon jungle:: (imitative ape-tickle)
Ooh-- ooh-- ahh-- ahh-- too-kay-- too-kay.

And resumes maps;

(grins a beat;-- sincere)
It's more like, two-gig two-gig, these days.: (looking out a beat)
Why do you suppose we can't see our homes from up here, but we can see the ants crawling on the freeway?!

(looks across 2 beats)
Those are your, aunts, Bill: Mine are in Tennessee.: (back to maps 2 beats)
Remember to lean the other way, too: We don't want to miss Florida, at the other end.

Shuttle LEANS ONTO RIGHT in very-thin plasma glow;

(joystick right: looking)
That must be the southside neighbors' freeway, in California.: (a beat)
A timely reminder!

(looks out right 2 beats)
Green stripe, north and south, fuzzier to the west, flat taupe to the east:: (back to maps)
This must be the low-Sierras, down around, Laguna Hills-- clear as a painted line.

(a beat)
There must be a better way to draw the Earth.

Shuttle LEANS ONTO LEFT in faint plasma glow;

(joystick left: looking)
My turn.: (3 beats)
My, how land flies!: (a beat)
That must be Nevada's southern tip; But how do you tell, on a reality-map?

(busy a beat)
Reality, Bill?

Shuttle RIGHTS, AND LEANS RIGHT; no plasma glow;

(joystick semi-right)
Yes, Marcia?

What's a reality-map?

Something you buy with a reality-check.

Shuttle continues rightward, ROLLING KEEL OVER;

(looks forward a beat)
Aren't you going a little far with this maneuver?!

(grins)
Got carried away:--: (joystick for upright)
This steers like a Rolls-Canaveral.

(a beat)
Soon enough: But first you can practice steering across Texas.

EXT. FLOPS SHUTTLE UPRIGHTS - 30 MI UP, ARIZONA

CUT TO:

INT. PAYROL COMMAND - 30 MI UP, ARIZONA - 08:40 AM

(checking about)
Dad-dy.

Yes, Dacy-dear?

Whatever happened to the Sheik and the rest of his coterie, after the moon backside?

They should be reaching Earth, very soon: They drifted eastward alone a day,- a hundred miles ahead of us.

Why didn't we, reenter eastward?

(counsels)
Dacy-dear: A lot of competitions are merely over-powered survivalism that's not for young ladies!

Oh.

CUT TO:

INT. SHEIK COMMAND - 80 MI BELOW ARIZ - 08:40 AM (TURNING)

10-Sheiks wilted, lean outward;

That's the last of the O-M-S Pod deorbiting fuel burns.

(monitoring speed)
We are still going nearly six miles per second.

(snide)
A little more than usual: About the same for a regular molnyia perigee.

So, it's a little faster: We'll get home a little quicker-- that is the idea.

If we can take the heat. We're not quite on course for Florida-- so we'll have to correct that once we're back in the atmosphere.

So, it's more the scenic route: We should still get there on time-- shouldn't we?

(not happy)
Sure, if we don't bounce: we'll ride hot-seat down the glide-path!

(nonchalant)
If, we get to Earth, at all, it-'ll be on time!

That's the idea!

A DUST CLOUD DARKENS the sky gray, engulfing them …

What, now?!

(a beat, giggles)
Oops;-- I did not calculate, that, part of the equation.

What part, of what equation?

(giggles)
Oh, right!- The equator, equation!

(exasperates)
What, equator, equation?!

(slouched in his seat)
Should we dump the waste-water again?

Wobbling AEROGLOW BEGINS, also inside the dust cloud, as a mutual understanding dawns, and Alfaseti grins funny …

CUT AWAY TO:

INT. NASA RADAR TRACKING CENTER - RED LIT

Live wall maps show returning Shuttles over New Mexico.

We have radar tracking on three Shuttles, over New Mexico;- One entering the cuckoo's nest now.

CUT BACK TO:

INT. SHEIK COMMAND - TURNING IN FULL PLASMA BLOOM

10-Sheiks flail-about, arms forward bow, back up, to east;

I have good news, and bad news:- I calculate we are entering sideways about twenty degrees.

What's the good news?

The good news is that we're less likely to bounce back out of the Earth's atmosphere.

What's the bad news?

That it is going to get hotter than Mozart's Magic Flute, in here … but the good side is that spinning will reduce the chance of a meltdown.

CUT TO:

EXT. 2 SHUTTLES FAR APART - 30 MI UP, ROSWELL NM - 09:45 AM

A kaleidoscopic green+yellow fireball embedded in a waving thousand-meteor-standing-rain storm chases 10 mi. above.

CUT TO:

INT. PAYROL COMMAND

Fireball-meteor storm SW-behind; Dacy looks-about, 4 sec.…

(and to south,-west)
Look,- Daddy:- There's a meteor-fireball coming near us-- I don't suppose we're in any danger!?

(leans, looks out right)
No danger, Dacy-dear-- but, that should be the Sheiks' shuttle.

(sincere)
Why should that be the Skeik's shuttle?

(smiles politely)
That is where he is reentering the atmosphere.

Oh.

And looks out at it again…

CUT TO:

INT. SHEIK COMMAND - KALEIDOSCOPIC GREEN-YELLOW PLASMA GLOW

METAL CREAKING SOUNDS of the structure bending; 10-Sheiks sweating hard, flail-about, forward bow, back up;

Alfaseti, Helm, sweat their under-drapes, drooping, fanning themselves, barely speakably--

Almost, a Santa Ana, condition.

You convert, to Christianity, in the heat, of the day.

(beat)
What, do you, convert to,- Mujah?

(imagineers)
A date-nut, frozen lox, ice cream cup, with maple syrup, sprinkled in, halvah bits.

(contemplates whimsical)
Sounds, New York Jewish:- how nice,: (and weak smiles)
that must be!

INT. LOWER DECK

Aide, Newswomen, roll around, sweating their underwear--

Oh,-- I'm in, such, heat!

(short breaths)
I-- I-- can't-- brea-- the!

I'm going to expire,-- in just two more minutes, of this!

CUT TO:

INT. FLOPS COMMAND

Marcia watches the turning fireball cool to glinting;

(checks watch)
Right-on time: That's one Sheik who keeps his schedule commitments.

Nnnngh!

Just like the Enterprise, Cernkov-dropping into normal space from warp-speed!

Nnnngh!

CUT TO:

EXT. 3 SHUTTLES - SPRINT ACROSS TEXAS, 30 MI UP - 10:50 AM

Right-wing-chewed S-bent Sheik Shuttle slows inverted spin.

INT. SHEIK COMMAND - UPSIDE DOWN - YAW-SWAY SETTLING

10-Sheiks slowly flail left-right opposite yaw-sway;

(wrestles joystick yaw)
As easy as a MIG-Cobra sidewinder-maneuver!

Where'd you learn the MIG-Cobra?

I was a double-agent with the Soviet Air-Force during the cold-war.

Amazing!

I, much preferred engineering peaceful detente, to making war: With engineering you always know which colors are which: Red is for positive wires: Black is negative!

That's backwards from accounting, procedures: Black is for positive lines: Red is negative!

You can blame Benjamin Franklin, flying his kite in the lightning storms, for getting the charges reversed:-- he must have gotten zapped a few times!

(grins)
Heh! I always, blame the Americans!

Yaw-heading is recovered, steady … and rolling to UPRIGHT;

(glances back-cabin)
I'm glad they were all praying to Allah, all the way down.

10-Sheiks are woozied-out.

CUT TO:

INT. NASA COLLOQUIUM - LAST DAY - LIT, 12:00 M EDT

A WATCH-ALARM BEEPS CONTINUALLY amidst the squirming crowd;

Half bored-half dosing, laid-back NASA talk-board CONFEREES plod-on tangentially about deep-space exploitations, until the WATCHBEEPER awakens and realizes the Shuttles are back;

I, for one, am for more deep space research: We don't know all what's out there: We may never know!- … It may all disappear, before we get, out there!- Who knows?!

(rubs forehead)
More deep-space research. More deep space-research. More-deep -deeper,- space research!?

(yawns, coins words)
One -among many- is for researching deep space, without knowing what we are re-searching … What did we have to lose?- At last we're getting somewhere, leastwise metaphorically if not meta-afocally.

(stretches groggily)
I believe, we have more pressing, responsibilities, to protect planet Earth, from, incoming disasteroids, and gigantic meteorite-streams, ice hordes of Halley's comets and rogue quark stars, and lost black sheep-dip holes, and gamma-ray blusters,… and mind-gobbling interstellar ozone-holes, and super-colliding galactic neutrogen clusters.

We looked for all those things last year after Christmas, and couldn't find them: They must have gone out in the rubbish, with the December 31st Old-Years' Party budget! We need focus on this year's budget, or we'll never get home to watch the movie tonight: We've been at this for almost six months!

It's a rerun.

The budget?

(stretches)
Going to the moon again is a rerun: We did that in the '60's and '70's. We can't land men on comets because those are not land … and Venus is too hot … Mars is too cold … Earth is just right, but it's too far away …: (puzzles)
No, That's not quite right …

We've been to Earth.

(brightens)
Right: That, was the problem with Earth: It was too deep.

And we've never quite gotten out of that problem.

But isn't that why we're in this space-rocket-launching business?!

We can't go visiting problems, to solve them by diminishing returns.

I knew there was a catch in this year's budget.

We need to exploit these problems, on Earth, to our best advantage.

(to #6)
Is, he, in the right colloquium?

(stir-emotes)
I mean: The need to exploit gravity and landscapes, and other common inter-planetary problems!

WATCH SHUTS OFF: A silent big moment … then--

"Whew:" That clock-ray-burster was getting to be a real annoyance!

(stretched-out shaded)
I wasn't listening from this right-declination: It was too nebulous!

Next thing you know: the public will be demanding--: (over-emotes)
If NASA can go to the moon, Why can't NASA invent a zipper that doesn't beep?!

All, "Hear, hear."

(reads watch astonished)
Did anybody remember that the moon-race Shuttles return, today?!

They should be turning over Florida, right now.

Florida definitely needs to be turned over-- with all that sun.

(a beat)
Isn't there a celebration?!

None I heard-of: Why?

It was a race: wasn't it? Somebody gets First Place or Ties in a race!

That's a novel upgrade: I thought they got ribbons, for other Places.

CUT TO:

EXT. 3 SHUTTLES - 2000 MPH 20 MI ABOVE FLORIDA WEST-COAST

NASA SR-71 Mach-3 Chase jet leads parallel 1 mi. below.

CUT TO:

INT. CANAVERAL CAPCOM'S OFFICE - NOON

Capcom busy at his desk; his SECRETARY brings an e-board--

(immediate)
Sir.

(busy)
Yes-- I'm very busy.

The Shuttles are returning from the moon, at noon.

(busy)
Throw them an Earth-coming party with ribbons, balloons, cake and ice cream.

Yes, Sir.: (turns, exits, pauses)
No candles-- sir?

(busy)
Not around fuel vapors.

(and EXITS)
Right.

CUT OVER TO:

INT. F-15 CHASE#1 - SHUTTLES 15 MI UP 60 MI SW OF CANAVERAL

SR-71 leads the Shuttles SNAKING LEFT-RIGHT equally to cool excess 1700 mph speeds; 3 F-15 Chase jets follow straight…

Roger, Chase-1:-- 3-Shuttles in the landing-corridor shaking-off speed!

CUT TO:

EXT. NASA-SOUTH PARKING LOT - 2 BANNER JEEPS

WORKERS finish slinging a 30 m multi-ribbon checkered goal banner between poles in the back-beds of 2 jeeps …

2 DRIVERS rush out from the building--

Jump into their jeeps, start-up and drive away together,- leaving the workers in-or-out, tumbling about the jeeps …

CUT TO:

EXT. NASA RUNWAY - NW-END FINISH LINE - 12:25 PM

NEWS MEDIA teams prepare …

Shuttles, F-15's, bank-turn 25 mi. SW, 10 mi. up, 700 mph …

1ST SONIC BOOM--

Some look up Runway SE … scout S … SW … 5 sec.

2ND SONIC BOOM--

All look up SE … scout S … 2 sec.

(points S-SE; proclaims)
There! They're coming! The Shuttles are almost here!

A BIG CHEER,- and they tweak aim and begin shooting.

CUT TO:

INT. FLOPS COMMAND - 8 MI UP 600 MPH 10 DEG 20 MI TO RUNWAY

Drop-turning parallel left, Sheik Shuttle on his left seems wingtip-over-wingtip: Alfaseti glaring, palm-chin emotes;--

(excited)
I wish they wouldn't fly so close to us, Bill!

Alfaseti just thinks he still has an even chance to win this race.

CUT TO:

INT. PAYROL COMMAND - 7 MI UP 550 MPH 9 DEG 18 MI TO

Drop-turning left; Flops, Alfaseti, at equal progress left.

(looks across, worries)
They're still with us, Daddy!

That's the idea of the race, Dacy-dear.

(looks to Runway)
But how are we all going to land at the same time on one small runway?!

Well,- it's bigger than it appears, 17 miles away-- but this does need to be resolved: This is true!

CUT TO:

EXT. SOUTH PARKWAY - BANNER JEEPS RACE NORTH - 12:30 PM

Checkered banner fluttering drooped-between, bouncing lightly, librating neck-and-neck at top speed 95 mph …

Shuttles, F-15's, 10 mi. SE, 2 mi. up, finish bank-turning;

Jeeps SQUEAL the Parkway Bend at Runway-South end, and--

HIT THE GAS for NW …

CUT TO:

INT. PAYROL COMMAND - 2 MI UP 350 MPH ALIGNS PARKWAY 9 MI

Dacy scrutinizes for a landing, somewhere--

(deflects shoulders left)
Dad-dy: Aren't we a little far to the right of the runway centerline?

Yup: We're going to land on the Kennedy Parkway.

Dacy zombie-wide-eyes Payrol.

America's highways are just as safe as airports, Dacy-dear.

Dacy stuck-wide-eyes, resumes forward.

CUT TO:

EXT. BANNER JEEPS - NW MI 1; SHUTTLES, F-15'S, 8 MI

Flash pass a NW-cruising Parkway PATROL CAR.

CUT AHEAD TO:

EXT. SE-CRUISING PATROL CAR - MI 1.5

Jeeps race passed NW, opposite the Second Patrol--

Which turns-On LIGHTS+SIREN; pulls onto the boulevard to turn left,- but:

NW-racing Patrol with lights+siren passes, already chasing;

And SE-Patrol turns right onto the NW-shoulder, continuing SE with "GET OFF"-ARROW lights to clear the road.

CUT NW-AHEAD TO:

EXT. THIRD PATROL CAR - MI 2 AHEAD NW-CRUISING

Jeeps, First Patrol, coming-up behind fast … Jeeps pass:--

CUT INSIDE TO:

INT. 'HOTTEST' PATROL CAR TO EVER GIVE CHASE

Max-equipt: TRACKING RADAR scans Jeeps at 95 mph, DIAGRAMS road progress, vehicles, hazards, live-time-positions;

(watching surprised)
Those were only jeeps!

Driver plunges the pedal:-- ENGINE ROARS…

CAR LUNGES FORWARD, ACCELERATING … 78 mph auto-activates:--

LIGHTS, SIREN, AIR RAM, SPOILERS; [MINDER] (FEMALE VO)--

Warning: You have engaged super-cruise: Speed limit is one-hundred-sixty miles-per-hour.

REAR MIRROR: First Patrol tailing… Shuttle, F-15, lowering;

(to radio)
North-west-bound on Kennedy south-end: We've got four persons in two-repeat-two jeeps racing: Exceeding 75. We are leading hot pursuit: We have-repeat-have assistance …: (ponders rear mirrors)
We need a temp-road-block at Rolloff Road:-- Let's get these: (awed, and spins to look)
meteorites off the parkway--

POV: Partner looking back-middle: 6 mi. distant Payrol Shuttle nears landing on the Parkway; motorists distant scatter to their right shoulder; Patrols staying-on;

(freaks-squeals)
Holy! Get us out of here! There's a Shuttle landing on our tail!

(glancing in mirrors)
Hang tight!

And buttons the SUPER DRIVE--

ENGINE SCREAMS! to red-line, ACCELERATING--

Warning! Tach Red-line! Escape-distance: 14-thousand feet!- 94 seconds remaining…

[Minder] counts down Time Remaining (per 1.5 sec.) "93 seconds… 92 seconds… 91 seconds…" AD INF (CONCURRENT);

(to radio)
Revise-repeat-revise!-- We have a Shuttle landing on the parkway!-- We are leading the sweep!

ENDING (VO) next scene--

VO CUT TO:

EXT. PARKWAY MI 3 - NW-BOUND 2 PATROLS WHIZ-BY-1-2

OVERBLOWN EXHAUST FLAMES (like Batman) …

Onward; ARROW-LIGHTS alternating with "GET OFF"…

ROAD SIGNS with Shuttle icon:

WATCH FOR SHUTTLE CROSSING: NEXT 3 MILES

Passed motorists pull-off-right to the shoulder …

CUT TO:

EXT. ROLLOFF ROAD - MIDWAY NEARER RUNWAY - NOONDAY QUIET

Distant Shuttles about to land: 2 on Runway, 1 on Parkway;

Zero traffic, far from the Runway finish-line, car parked clear off the road, a lone senior MATRON PHOTOGRAPHER is standing mid-road, steadying and aligning her old-fashion camera on a tripod for taking nice pictures of the arriving winners.

CUT TO:

INT. F-15 CHASE#2 - BEHIND-UNDER SHUTTLES FLOPS

WHEEL-SETS lower … and lock-down; Chase#2 likewise behind under Sheik's Buran Shuttle Alfaseti with skid-ski-wheels.

Shuttle-2 wheels-down, verified, Canaveral!

Copy, Chase-2: Wheels-down confirmed!

The Chase jets pulls-back, and up above behind.

CUT TO:

EXT. AFORE PAYROL SHUTTLE UNDERCARRIAGE; F-15 BEHIND BELOW

Wheel-set … locks down.

Wheels down, Canaveral.

Roger, Payrol:-- Wheels down.

F-15 backs … rises …

CUT TO:

INT. SURF WOODY - MI 0.5 NW LINE OF MOTORISTS

SE-racing Patrol passes-back on inside shoulder;

Motorists changing lanes rightward to comply;

Payrol Shuttle 250 mph, passes low … the DOWNDRAFT RATTLES their surfboards, impressing 4 windblown SURFERS--

(gleeful shout)
/ Hang Ten! / Rip Curl! / Gnarly!

F-15 passes slightly higher; while just ahead in the line--

INT. MOTORIST - MI 1 NW - PAYROL SHUTTLE LANDS AHEAD

MR George, driving, and MRS Mabel, ride the right shoulder;

Shuttle touches the road; pops its DROGUE-CHUTE, preceding; F-15 Chase#3 passing low overhead, pulls up away--

Shuttle-3 Parkway touchdown.

Roger, Touchdown, Chase-3.

(pleasantly surprised)
Look, at that, Mabel: Ever seen the likes of them on the road out here?

Nope: Not out here, George:: (points left to Runway)
They always drag the landing strip over there-- I see two of them now.

(looks left too)
Top-gun Shuttle pilots: A bunch of our, boys.

I don't know much about that, with all these sky-john'ings these days.

That's, sky-jack'ing, Mabel.

It comes out all the same when they wave their guns in your face!

CUT TO:

EXT. RUNWAY WATERWAY S END MI 1 - 2 SHUTTLES, TOUCHDOWN

Sheik Shuttle to skid-ski the Canal-strip Waterway at the left, half-ahead; Flops WHEELS SQUEAL the runway-proper.

INT. SHEIK COMMAND SKIS WATERWAY - FLOPS SHUTTLE ON RIGHT

All anticipating;

(excites)
I'm good-- I'm good!

Moments pass; COCK-SPRAY BLOOMS outside--

And the Shuttle SLOSH-WAGS (no jostle);--

(smiles)
Smooth as a baby's bottom.

(commercial musically)
It's the water!

(also rechecks runway)
We have to roll-out on land-- in just a moment!

CUT TO:

INT. FLOPS COMMAND - RIDING IN THE SPRAY STORM

Windshield WIPERS GOING STRONG; the all-weather-radar delineates the Runway;

(watching radar)
Keep going, Bill: A hair to the left: Don't quit now: We've still got the finish-line on the radar!

He really likes that water thingy.

A hair more to the left. Living in the desert, will do that to men, Bill.: (a beat)
Then again: Maybe we should hug the right, and let the Sheik have room to roll-out.

Nnngh!

CUT TO:

EXT. PARKWAY POLICE BARRICADE - JUST NORTH OF ROLLOFF ROAD

Team-strutting before lanes of stopped southbound traffic, parked, shouldered, 3 OFFICERS wave-on on-coming northbound traffic (both-arms whip-up, over-left, right heel pickup) …

Ambulances arrive behind southbound lanes, CHIRPING SIRENS;

Inmost Officer revises for northbound on the shoulder-lane and two-way traffic (left-right arms alternating up-down) …

Jeeps, Patrols, Payrol Shuttle slower 120 mph, yet 1.5 mi;

Inmost northbound clears-- an Officer looks back,- radios …

The Ambulances bypass southbound via the inmost northbound.

CUT TO:

EXT. ROLLOFF ROAD - MIDWAY

Shuttles at 1.0 mi. 100 mph: 2 on Runway, 1 on Parkway.

Matron Photographer repoints, rechecks, reaims her camera for more runway-finish pictures.

CUT TO:

INT. PAYROL COMMAND - 60 MPH NW 0.5 MI TO BARRICADE

Jeeps, Patrols, preceding;

Hang-on, Dacy-dear: We're taking a tight left turn!

(hands onto panel)
Okay, Daddy!

CUT TO:

EXT. POLICE BARRICADE - ROLLOFF ROAD - JEEPS, PATROLS, NOW

Jeeps SQUEAL left, zooming cross the barricade to the road;

Parkway Patrols 1-2, SQUEAL left, zooming cross, in chase;

Officers back away,-- and pull the northbound barricade;

Payrol SHUTTLE LOOMS …

Stalled Motorists get out, and run away from the road;

Payrol Shuttle SQUEALS left, zooming cross the barricade;

Police return, running to their cruisers,-- and START-UP …

Ambulances arrive from north behind, pass the Police, and SQUEALING their right, join the chase on Rolloff;

Rowdy graduating LAW-STUDENTS packed in 2 cars, 2 schools, LAWFL.EDU, FLLAW.EDU, arrive, SQUEAL their right and join:

(rowdy singing)
Gaudeamus igitur, iuvenes dum sumus; Post iucundam iuventutem, Post molestam senectutem Nos habebit humus, Nos habebit humus.

Police SCREECH into the chase; Motorists returning joining;

CUT TO:

EXT. 2 JEEPS ROARING 90 MPH - ROLLOFF ROAD NEARING MIDWAY

Far ahead, 2 Shuttles 0.5 mi. to the end of Runway; midway Matron unminding her rear; backside to Jeeps, Patrols with lights+sirens+arrows, Payrol Shuttle, Ambulances, Law-Grad Students, Police, and other Parkway Motorists;

CU: Jeep Drivers grow WIDE-EYES AT--

Matron in the road,--

HIT THE BRAKES, --the banner drooping unto the ground,--

VEERING OPPOSITELY around her:

TILT-WHEELIES passing each other, ribbon-high outside over low-inside and ducking … then alternate who's higher-lower:

Counter-winding rapidly … Closer … CLOSER … about her:

MAYPOLE: her and tripod, knees-to-nose in checkered ribbon;

CUT TO:

INT. FLOPS COMMAND - RUNWAY-END - SHEIK HALF-SHUTTLE AHEAD

News Media scramble to drive Rolloff Road;

(sees right, points)
But there is, a checkered pole way over to the right! Where the third Shuttle is going;-- that's Payrol!

Right, we go!

CUT TO:

EXT. RUNWAY END - FLOPS, SHEIK, SHUTTLES, NOW

And veer right, to perfect parallel on Rolloff Road;

Chased by Shuttle-Assist Vans, News Media,…

CUT TO:

EXT. ROLLOFF ROAD - PHOTOGRAPHER'S POSITION

Jeeps SCREECH TO HALT at Matron Photographer wrapped tight in ribbons, gagged, trying to say something, arms too, but middle-finger loose reaches up for the camera trigger-bulb, dandling it; Parkway Patrol Cars stop sliding to each side.

3 black-nosed Shuttles stop SIMULTANEOUSLY EXACTLY around.

Ambulances arrive,-- sirens dropping;

Law-Student-Graduates arrive, cheering, Gaudea! Gaudea!

Police cruisers arrive,-- nudging into spaces-between.

A Jeep-Rider remedies the ribbon off her nose, as Parkway motorists, News Media, Shuttle-Assist Vans, converge to stop all around; Matron recovering breaths … Rider walks away … and she's hopping again, mouth still gagged …

CUT TO:

INT. PAYROL COMMAND - 12:35 PM (AS CONTINUOUS)

The congregation awaits; Dacy checks her wrist watch--

Right on time!

(to videolink)
Wheels stop,-- Houston.

We copy, Payrol.

Payrol: This is Canaveral: Welcome, to Florida, Mr. Payrol!

Thank you, Cap-Com.

(to videolink)
Can you take me to your leader?!

(lightly)
Welcome to Earth, spaceling: I'll ask the President about that!

Thank you, Cap-Com.

(to Dacy)
You already know the President.

This is my publicity stunt.

(mouthes)
Oh.

CUT TO:

EXT. MATRON GROUND ZERO

CU: Matron Photographer finger launches the trigger-bulb:--

Camera FLASH discharges in her face-- FROZEN … POLARIZING … GLARE subsides, Polarization melts, Unfreezes-- she blinks…

NASA TEAMS roll-up Porta-platforms to the Shuttles hatches;

FLOPS HATCH opens-- Flops, Marcia, appear to crowd APPLAUSE and tossed ROSES … and their platform descends;

PAYROL HATCH open; Payrol, Dacy, platform-descend to crowd APPLAUSE and tossed ROSES;

Flops, Marcia, Step off the Platform, AND THROUGH THE CROWD approach Sheik Shuttle--

SHEIK HATCH rosy: Sheik, Helm, Engineer, Aide, exit wobbly; followed by 10-Sheiks crawling hands-and-knees to APPLAUSE;

Sheik platform descends… The Newswomen peek from the hatch;

(watching Sheiks)
Weren't they alot taller before?

(a beat-- to Marcia)
Maybe they're suffering bone-loss from days of weightlessness: They should have exercised with one-ton barbells.

(smirks)
That's sadistic.

(counter-grins)
Grin-istic: In outer space they don't have weight.

(and smiles)
They are still, heavy: And symptoms take years and are not that severe.

Crowd rolls-in, CLAPPING, CHEERS, hugs, kisses; Revealing--

B.G. behind a SHUTTLE SSME: CHILDREN play with SPARKLERS…

Officials tape-measure distances from Shuttles to Matron Photographer's unwrapped nose: Payrol's is 1 inch-nearest;

(FINAL CREDITS SCROLL)

ICE CREAM MELODY truck approaches b.g.

Racers and Officials gathered adjacent to Matron-center:

Three Mayors fill a Golden Winner's Cup with orange juices;

Nearest-Winner, and First Place by an inch-- for not-overly cheating:

ROUND LAUGHS and CLAPS as Official concludes--

Mr. Payrol, And his daughter, Dacy-dear!

FULL APPLAUSE as ASSISTANTS bestow a wreath figure-8'ed on Payrol and Dacy together … Then the Cup-- which they sip … And dripping, bow to the audience LOUDER APPLAUSE …

B.G. One Child jumps extra-high and WAVES FOUR SPARKLERS--
FLOOM! The Shuttle SSME 'blasts a fart' … And They laugh …

Tied-- for Second-Place, Mr. Flops, of MegloSoft, And, Sheik Al Faseti, Prince-- of Bubiyan Minor…!

APPLAUSE as Assistants bestow a wreath figure-8'ed on Flops and Alfaseti together … and Flops first, Alfaseti yielding, And vice vrs.-- alternately miss to shake hands …

Marcia congratulates Dacy, shaking hands….

Female Reporters pose hamming a PHOTO-OP with Sheik's Aide hunk: MULTIPLE FLASH-FREEZES … and the GLARE subsides….

Gathering about the Matron Photographer still gagged and vigorously dandling the trigger for a picture, Payrol bestows his wreath, And gives her a kiss--

FLASH FROZEN! by her exploding flashbulb … and the GLARE subsides-- as the Ice Cream Melody truck arrives center:

Ice creams are quickly bulk-served to everyone about …

A FAMILY CAR pulls up-- GREENISH-BROWN TOURISTS:

(licking ice cream)
Now this, is Just-In-Time technology!

(licking ice cream)
NASA's finest!

(leans out window)
We're looking for Key West Florida: Can you point us…?

(finds south, points)
It's south of here.

Thank you.: (inside)
I'd thought it'd be west, of here.: (leans out again, late)
Can we go this way?

The car drives away, Rolloff Road SW to the Shuttle Runway.

EXT. AROUND-AND-ABOVE SHUTTLE RUNWAY - (AS CONTINUOUS)

SLOWLY UP on the congregation, keeping a hint that the lone car turns and drives down the Shuttle Runway SE …

SKY-DOLLY: around both foci, backing to miles away--

The car, coming fast … lifts-off … rotates … coming up …

SUN GLEAMS the windshield… and it flies close, PASSING--

IN FOCUS: The NOW-BROWN-GREEN family smiling, WIFE driving--

EASTWARD, to the Saturn-like-halfmoonrise with a ring arc …

HOLD TILL the last Credits are off …

FADE OUT

THE END.

Petry System Family Wision USA

presents

(a spec'script)

The Great Space Race
-of the twenty-first century-

a space science fiction romantic adventure comedy, PG-13 feature

Mr. Raymond Kenneth Petry, Strategic-Director
a Wision--SesQuaTercet USA production

Three eccentric billionaires launch three space shuttles
in a great space-race to the moon backside and back

"And they're off ... way-way-way-way off!"

[index][script][music][sets&settings][budget][prospectus][roles]

[Music specified in this screenplay is the Strategic-Director's selection]

Act 5

'A prize wrap-up'

[final credits (tbd)]

digital music [var] © [tbd; extant works, Screenwriter's selections and annotations; not otherwise representative of project Sesquatercet]

The theory of measurement propounded in this work is not to be cited (as) considering contraband or corpses; Nor are the intellectual appurtenances hereïn to be used for or in the commission of crimes against persons, peoples, properties, or powers (States).

© 2001-2010 Mr. Raymond Kenneth Petry

Petry System Family Wision USA

presents

(a spec'script)

The Great Space Race -of the twenty-first century-

a space science fiction romantic adventure comedy, PG-13 feature

Mr. Raymond Kenneth Petry, Strategic-Director a Wision--SesQuaTercet USA production

Three eccentric billionaires launch three space shuttles in a great space-race to the moon backside and back

"And they're off ... way-way-way-way off!"

[index][script][music][sets&settings][budget][prospectus][roles]

[Music specified in this screenplay is the Strategic-Director's selection]

Act 5

'A prize wrap-up'

[final credits (tbd)]

digital music [var] © [tbd; extant works, Screenwriter's selections and annotations; not otherwise representative of project Sesquatercet]

The theory of measurement propounded in this work is not to be cited (as) considering contraband or corpses; Nor are the intellectual appurtenances hereïn to be used for or in the commission of crimes against persons, peoples, properties, or powers (States).

© 2001-2010 Mr. Raymond Kenneth Petry

The Great Space Race
-of the twenty-first century-

Mr. Raymond Kenneth Petry, Strategic-Director
a Wision--SesQuaTercet USA production

Three eccentric billionaires launch three space shuttles
in a great space-race to the moon backside and back