A new cli-fi novel, “The Straitening,” by Paul StJohn Mackintosh has just gone live on Kindle – link and author remarks below:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/
The novel’s set about 5 minutes into the future, after the disintegration of most developed states under the stress of climate change. The premise is a climate change-induced epigenetic change in human nature – a kind of reset in the human genetic code to a safe mode that turns off most of the language-related cognitive functions. Falling atmospheric oxygen levels due to climate change mean that humanity just can’t afford to think any more.
The novel’s set about 5 minutes into the future, after the disintegration of most developed states under the stress of climate change. The premise is a climate change-induced epigenetic change in human nature – a kind of reset in the human genetic code to a safe mode that turns off most of the language-related cognitive functions. Falling atmospheric oxygen levels due to climate change mean that humanity just can’t afford to think any more.
PAUL tells this blog:
''I wrote The Straitening to pile on the most brutal, uncompromising chastisement for human hubris I could think of. Titanism – the concept of power and arrogance unconstrained by any ethical understanding or maturity – fascinates me, and epigenetics is an equally fascinating phenomenon I could pair up with it to create the Nemesis it deserves. The genetic bias of the story is also an implicit plea for human unity and solidarity in the light of our common heritage. Climate change is the immediate focus of the book, but it’s also a critique of the ideologies and tendencies that enabled climate change in the first place. And it’s a fit punishment for the smug vanity of our self-consciousness that the fruits of our much-vaunted intelligence combine to take that intelligence away.
I wrote for a hard sci-fi and thriller audience. I hope readers bear with the (authentic as I could make it) jargon, to roll with the thriller narrative. I tried to make it relentless, without compromise. Sam Goldwyn’s proverbial advice to start with an earthquake, and then work up to a climax is great counsel for cli-fi, and I’ve done my best to make it so.''
Preface
''After stewing some ideas about epigenetics in the back of my mind for ages, I started writing this novel during a quiet moment in Stockholm, round the corner from Strindberg’s Blue Tower – pondering what could possibly threaten this tranquil, friendly, peaceful place, so long neutral, so devoid of enemies, so far from zones of conflict. Yes, there had been the Stockholm bombings, but I couldn’t take them seriously in such a thriving, multiracial city. And so I came up with a threat that could affect everybody impartially, the entire human race, of whatever origin, creed, or colour, from Swedes to Surinamese – self-inflicted, perhaps, but one that didn’t play favourites about guilt or responsibility. Any branch of the human tree, from pastoral nomads to Silicon Valley technophiles, would probably go down the same path to the same final destination, given enough time. Eco-catastrophe is the modern secular Apocalypse, as nuclear holocaust was for a previous generation, with the same practical advantage over the legendary kind that it might actually happen; but then every previous generation probably felt the same way about their own particular version of the End Times. And whatever grim satisfaction I may get from seeing greed, stupidity, arrogance, wilful ignorance, Titanism, and selfish self-delusion chastened, I hope obviously that my own version will be just as illusory, and that the sea will continue to lap quietly round the wharves of Stockholm.''
Begun in Tegnerlunden, Stockholm, July 2015.
''Post COVID-19, this tale looks very different. I don't claim any special prescience. Europe back then was very different, and this remains a sort of reverse paean to what I loved and love about the place, then and now.''
Budapest, June 2020
Paul StJohn Mackintosh
Website: http://paulstjohnmackintosh.
Amazon Author page:
http://www.amazon.com/Paul-St.
BONUS TEXT: a sci fi movie script by ANONYMOUSE
THE KOROLEV INCIDENT
Written by
[NAME REDACTED]
Traditional Sci-Fi/Cli-Fi
A special woman doctor on the first manned mission to Mars and an
Asperger gifted computer scientist back on Earth, team to remedy a
mystery health issue. Matters soon go awry with widespread
consequences.
WGA registered
2.
TITLE IN BLANK “MARS, Mans first journey there a monumental
achievement. Getting back is another matter.”
EXT. LOW EARTH ORBIT PACIFIC NEAR SOUTH AMERICA - DAY
FADE IN:
The strange pear shaped spacecraft is rapidly plunging, blunt
end first into the tenuous atmosphere. On the fat end, the
craft is surrounded by something appears similar to an
oversized swimming donut. Something that 4 year children wear
to the pool.
The blunt end starts to glow. Wispy red flames streaking
back, lapping the donut.
Glowing increases, larger and larger pieces of the balloon
donut glow red then brilliant white.
Pieces start to streak off as the spacecraft plunges toward
the South America Andes on the horizon.
The hollow balloon donut collapses. Causing the spacecraft to
start to spin out of control. Some flaming chunks flung off.
The fragments streak toward one heavily glaciated Andean
peak. Below a steam locomotive is winding its way though the
adjacent valley.
Sound of rushing air increases. Distant high pitch steam
train whistles.
Wingtip slides into view.
Flexing ailerons, the PERLAN sailplane slides into full view.
It has a white spaceship appearance with small spider-eye
windows, contrasting against the ink black sky. Some stars
glimmer in glaring daylight. Far below is the heavily
glaciated Peruvian Andes.
Closer in, lively Inca music hums, beats loud through the
round windows.
Inside, visible through the windows, two pilots, child-size,
dark Inca features, are strapped in a cockpit meant for much
larger. Both wearing astronauts helmets with something like
scuba wet suits.
They sit on yoga blocks as boosters on seats meant for much
larger.
2.
2.
3.
The sound of respirators raspy breathing is in slow rhythm to
the music.
Cockpit has all sorts of dials and indicators typically on a
small plane. Large yoke steering handlebars pivots on a
column.
Affixed on top of the column are two tiny black tubes, pencil
holders. Each holder has a newly sharpened bright yellow
wooden pencil, tip up.
QUILLA, 30s, in front, has a flower, by her name tag. Hint of
feminine curves though the suit confirms she is no child,
despite her child body size.
One hand on yoke, she takes a sip of Hawaiian Punch though
hole in helmet. Grabbing a nearby first aid kit, she pulls
out a small bag of Oreo cookies. Pops the face cover off,
gobbles a couple down. Quickly closes her faceplate.
Kon, 30s, in back, just pulled his faceplate up, munching
down a sandwich, while intensely working some numbers and
weather charts on an iPAD.
Quilla dark brown INCA eyes dancing, bit watery.
Quilla reaches out to couple of small photos nestled at
slight angle to each other on instrument panel.
One of her 3 children in Peruvian elementary school uniform,
and other of family gathering feasting in her rural
grandmother’s traditional Pueblo kitchen. Label on photo
“Cherished Family”. A small crucifix pinned by them.
Her hand withdraws, back to business.
Pulls out a card, looks at it. Back side shows table with
lots of lines and hand written numbers and times. Turns it
over, what was facing her is an aeronautical map likewise
taped on.
She fetches a pencil with some minor difficulty with the
thick gloves and starts to write.
The pencil tip snaps.
Lowers the card and for a few seconds examines the broken
pencil tip, a bit disgusted.
Carefully putting the pencil back in its holder, but having
minor trouble hitting the hole. Promptly she pulls out the
other pencil, which slips from her gloved hand, she fumbles
and drops.
2.
3.
3.
4.
She looks down and around, searching. Finally sees the
pencil, she puts the card back in its slot to free her hands.
Bending way over, reaching, being careful not to push the
yoke that steers the sailplane, she is struggling, looking up
toward sky to get reach, as there is no room for her head.
Her eyes roll back, concentrating, reaching for the pencil.
Fumbles couple times, sighs of disgust.
She sees something, then stops.., startled.
Her focus is now overhead of a tiny bright star getting
brighter, fast!
Then the star becomes two.
Then many points, some larger.
Quila jerks up!
QUILLA
(quickly shouts)
In the sky, about 1 o’clock! What
is that? Oh that can’t be.
(in Quechuan, subtitled)
What the Hell?
Quilla instinctively rolls the sailplane.
LOUD BANG!
CUT TO:
INT. NASA CONTROL ROOM - SAME TIME
Room with rows of flat screen monitors and large modern
displays, reminiscent of Apollo missions. Sign above big
board display reads “Mars Orbital Reentry Test Mission”.
Front of room dominated by two huge displays, one world map
other image of moon and earth, with a path looped around moon
and back to earth. On both a bright blinking miniature pear-
shape spacecraft is approaching the ANDES.
Flight Director, 50s, balding and stressed from both being
supporting parent and iron rod leader over mission control.
He notices team of astronauts and other visitors walk into
the busy control room filled with nerdy engineer flight
controllers. Male and female, some with tattoos punk
looking, some gamer T shirts and Mohawks, but still nerds.
3.
4.
4.
5.
Flight Director steps over to greet TEX, KANANI, and jockey
sized FRANK, among others.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Ladies and Gentlemen so glad you
could make our first attempt at
Aero bag breaking. We will use it
to get into orbit around Mars.
Our test vehicle has swung around
the moon and will attempt to brake
in the very upper reaches of the
Earths atmosphere to simulate MARS.
Tex, late 40s, a big proud macho Texan, and proud of it, much
to the irritation of those nearby.
Kanani, Hawaiian late 40s, pleasant easygoing professional
somehow has been captured into Tex’s sphere like a moth to a
flame.
Frank, mid 30s, unsure, white, small gaunt in stature and
confidence, just squeezed in the program, clings close in
hope.
TEX
You’all, I hope this works, I’ve
never liked depending on an airbag
to save my ass, in cars and
especially a spacecraft.
KANANI
(Chuckles) Sorry ASS.
FRANK
(Pretends to cough) Fat
TEX
(Kind of uppity)
You guys are just jealous that I’ve
been designated Chief Pilot.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
(Interrupting) Just passing the
point of closest approach.
Ear splitting Alarms reverberate. Multiple displays flashing!
Many displays go blank.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
What happened?
4.
5.
5.
6.
FIGHT ENGINEER
Something happened to a hydrazine
roll control rocket! Over the
Andes, and we just lost contact.
EXT. INCA RUINS - SAME TIME
An Inca priest known as a SHARMAN, (70s) in colorful tunic
robe and feathery headpiece is performing blessing.
Deep in trance. He stops, hesitating.
Sharman has a vision -- There are two dashing chariots, one
with 3 horses, other 6 horses. Horses and Greek gods are
bleeding and faltering. Number 13 fades in and out.
INT. LUXURY TRAIN DINING CAR, BINGHAM TRAIN - SAME TIME
HENRY, 40’s, is a very tall 6’9”+, lanky very dark black.
Henry has great seat on the scenic narrow gauge railroad.
Couldn’t care less. Train car looked like right out of some
Wild Wild West movie set, lots of Ornamental brass and
curtains with 18th century lighting fixtures.
The narrow gauge train sways and bucks like a wild bronco
constantly as it snakes though the narrow Andes gorges.
Lively Inca music fills the air.
Henry not looking at spectacular scenery but absorbed in a
gadget before him.
CARLOS, (50) their native Peruvian tour guide, was sitting
across the isle.
CARLOS
One of the other passengers swears
you play pro basketball.
HENRY
I must have a NBA twa-twin. B-Being
black and so tall, everyone
assumes. (Short tense smile, laugh)
Sports not my thing.
Ra-really, I much prefer company of
my children, .. my AI computers I
developed. Yes, they are key in
the first manned spaceflight to
MARS.
Carlos unsure what to say, stared out the window.
5.
6.
6.
7.
ANITA, late 40’s, but looking younger than her brother Henry,
A very proper black lady, with stress lines, sat stewing.
She turned to Henry, and burst out:
ANITA
Hey FREAK brother! Do not care
what Momma hoped we learn to get
along. You are driving me crazy
fiddling with that shit. Stop it!
Anita goes on fuming.
Henry, frustrated, both with his badgering sister and high
tech attachment to the camera. It just keeps on falling off.
HENRY(V.O.)
(bites his lip, stammers)
OK, just one quick test for SAINT,
MomMomma would approve!
ANITA
SAINT? What the hell you into?
Lord almighty, I took my precious
time off selling houses that takes
care of Momma, and you go off..
Henry abruptly gets up, turning to Carlos, back to Anita.
HENRY
(Short tense smile, laugh)
KaKaCarlos, is their an open
platform back of the train?
(NOTE: For ease of reading, Henry’s Aspergers symptoms, tense
smile when nervous and stutter will not always indicated
onward, sometimes slightly rocking like Bill Gates)
CARLOS
Yes, two cars back. It’s very open.
Be careful. (winks) They have come
close to loosing a few.
Henry gets up, nearly falling over from swaying.
He protectively grabs the camera in one hand and the other to
steady himself while staggering down the car, once almost
falling on another passenger nearly dropping the camera.
He grimaces.
PASSENGER 1
Do you play for the Nicks?
6.
7.
7.
8.
Henry, trying to be pleasant, but his face shows combination
of worry of falling and exasperation.
HENRY
(tensely, stammers)
No, I’m sorrrry, no I’m with
NaNaNASA.
PASSENGER 1
I did not know they had a team in
the Bahamas?
Train lurches hard. The camera attachment comes off into
Passengers 1 pasta. It sizzles and sparkles a bit in a
strange way, much to his dismay.
Henry awkwardly picks up the attachment. Kind of grossed
out, clueless, wipes it off on Passengers 1‘s table cloth
right in front him.
Passenger 1 is speechless as Henry walks on.
Henry, on way out of car as the train lurches, hits hit his
head hard. Fumbles the camera.
HENRY
(Mutters) Damn!
INT. REAR TRAIN OBSERVATION BAR CAR - MOMENTS LATER
Henry makes his way past bar in rear car of train. PASSENGER
2 calls out.
PASSENGER 2
Were you in that Lakers basketball
free-throw brawl last month?
Henry just holds his lips and staggers to rear of open train
car, clutching camera and anything solid he can grab.
I/E. REAR TRAIN OBSERVATION CAR OPEN DECK - MOMENTS LATER
Deck is very open on very end with a surprising low railing,
especially for someone so tall.
Awkwardly stooping while clutching the post for dear life,
Henry one handed fumbles the camera. The attachment pops off
falling onto the tracks below. It breaks out into thousand of
little pieces with lots of smoke and sparkles.
7.
8.
8.
9.
Henry grimaces. Looks at camera, then resolved to get
something, aims and zooms the camera at spectacular view of
Andes and an Inca tomb.
There is some type of Inca ceremony Shaman at tomb. The
Shaman turns and appears to look directly at him.
A bright flash illuminates the sky!
BOOM!
The train comes to an emergency stop. Throwing everyone
forward.
Henry is barely able to hold onto the post.
Shocked, he glares to side at something big breaking up.
Looking like NASA shuttle Columbia breakup. Streaking across
Andean sky right toward a plane glinting high in sky.
HENRY
My god, those folks in that plane
are toast!
INT. PERLAN COCKPIT - MOMENTS LATER
Quilla, tensely glancing up and back at instrument panel.
Suddenly she jerks the stick.
The plane now on wing edge, 90 degrees to ground.
A large burning chunk booms by.
The wings bend ominously some 10 feet from the stress.
The cockpit violently shakes and smoke fills the air.
KON
(Screaming, shouts)
She’s going to go into a flat spin!
The wings will come off! 100,000
feet and 400MPH no plane can do
this.
Quilla, quickly snaps the plane back. Levels out. The wings
severely flapping up and down.
BOOM! Sailplane shakes VIOLENTLY!
Air EXPLODES!
8.
9.
9.
10.
Couple of the instruments dials spin wildly to their stops,
others bouncing madly.
Quilla instantly squeezes her eyes shut like straining on the
toilet and reaches out.
QUILLA
Kon, get your seals on tight NOW!
KON
(rustling, labored)
Too late, I’m hit..
His breathing getting labored and voice getting fainter from
thiner air.
KON
(weakly) Love you so much!
Quilla struggles to control the badly damaged sail plane, now
roaring with an open hole. Sounds of some parts being ripped
off by the wind.
As she screams on radio, she struggles with the sail plane.
QUILLA
(On radio)
May Day May Day May Day, This is
Nancy Nancy Alfa Niner Zero One
Echo Echo at 91,000 feet. Have been
struck, total extent unknown.
Copilot with unknown injury losing
life support. .. Need immediate
clearance of airspace below and
emergency medical support. Over.
Radio, static for 5 seconds, then:
CUSCO AIR CONTROL (V.O.)
Rodger. This is Cusco control.
Alpha Niner Zero.. You are very
noisy. Advise no traffic within
... (static) ...Willa Wiqi. ...
(static) .. everything ... (static)
.. Air rescue is spinning up in
Cusco. Over.
QUILLA
This is Alpha Niner .. Not sure
how much structure is damaged but I
have to get this bird down really
fast. Over.
9.
10.
10.
11.
CUSCO AIR CONTROL (V.O.)
This is Cu ..(static).. Rodger.
..(static).. transponder ..
(static).. stopped reporting
altitude. Till then .. (static) ..
you at 91,000 (static)... lots of
targets came down on you
..(static)..
Brief pause, more static while Quilla fights to control the
plane.
CUSCO AIR CONTROL (V.O.)
(Static) ... een tracking you at
400 knots over 90,000 feet. Never
imagined..
Radio static stops and puff of smoke comes from radio.
Quilla grimaces.
Quilla reaches for a laminated max air speed vs altitude
chart. In big red letters in red zones, “WING FAILURE REGION”
She sticks near wind speed indicator and altimeter.
Quilla looks out window and only sees rugged mountain
glaciers.
Makes a cross on herself, tensely pulls red drogue shoot
lever, plane bucks wildly and plummets toward the mountains
peaks. She fights to maintain control.
EXT. TRAIN SIDE BY INCA TOMB - SHORTLY LATER
People are milling around outside the stopped train. Henry
approaches the Sharman, still holding his video recorder
camera.
HENRY
Why were you staring at me?
Sharman putting on his thick black modern plastic glasses
which contrasts his tradition Inca attire.
SHARMAN
I was not staring at you. Look what
fell out of the sky! I almost
crapped in my pants! Then the
sonic boom happened. Gee!
10.
11.
11.
12.
SHARMAN (CONT'D)
(after a brief pause) Pick up the
junk you dropped off the back of
the train! .. Tourists!
The Sharman turns and walks away in disgust.
Henry starts to pick up his broken parts.
Suddenly over the rise of Inca ruin the battered Perlan comes
to rest. Tip of its nose just over the edge of the ruins.
The air rescue helicopter roars in just behind.
Considerable cheer and excitement in crowd as lots of people
rush up the Inca steps to help.
They are stunned too as the Perlan looks more like a space
ship, and some of crowd think that’s what broke up.
Henry, records the activity.
Quilla, face bleeding, quickly pops the round window hatch
off and scrabbles out, shaking her neck length hair while
motioning to rescuers and barking orders.
QUILLA
Help me me open his hatch, QUICKLY.
God save my Husband!
(Makes a cross quickly)
There is blood everywhere!
Quilla pointing for rescuer.
QUILLA
Just cut those straps and tubes
off! Get him in to the chopper
fast!
RESCUER gets a pulse. Thumbs up, puts medical equipment on.
Kon revived briefly. Speaking weakly smiling.
KON
Good thing our parents named us
after INCA gods, makes us really
tough to kill. See that this,
expensive Airbus’s plane, is safe.
RESCUER
(rolling his r’s Spanish) Madam, we
just have enough capacity this high
to take just him. A second chopper
for you is 10 minutes behind.
11.
12.
12.
13.
Rescuer rushes Kon off. Air Rescue flys away.
Quilla notices a big hole in her own breathing tube, rolls
the tube over, bit surprised.
Quilla starts to gather things up to start to disassemble the
plane. Henry walks up. Henry towers over Quilla, double her
height.
QUILLA
You’re a tall one. Play basketball?
Henry, fascinated with the plane, startled to grimace but
catches himself. He awkwardly sits cross legged, just then
is he almost face to face to Quilla.
HENRY
(Short tense smile, laugh)
No. Why you so s-s-short? I
actually work for NaNaNASA, but my
sister and I are here in P-P-Peru
to visit the sites.
Quilla frowns, she, in thought a second.
QUILLA
I got something for you.
Reaches into back portal inside the Perlan. Pulls out a
charred bloody metal scrap loaded in plane. Hands it Henry.
Puzzled, Henry turns the charred scrap over.
It has the NASA logo on it, and partially charred part of a
logo that Henry instantly recognizes.
His eyes grow real big in disbelief. Henry expresses rare
guilt, having difficulty in reading and expressing emotions
with others.
HENRY
(not stammering)
I’m sure NASA will make this up.
Provide best medical care.
Quilla interrupts him. Poking his forehead. Henry has a
pained expression.
QUILLA
Your N-A-S-A really owe us...Here,
get that sail plane wings off and
on that train.
Pokes him again. Henry again has pained expression.
12.
13.
13.
14.
QUILLA (CONT'D)
As MR NASA here, you are NOW
CONSCRIPTED! You are a very tall
person, folks listen to and obey
very tall persons... Get it?
HENRY
(sheepishly) OK?
Another chopper lands.
QUILLA
As a very good surgeon, I need to
assist with my husband’s care.
In our village we have a tradition
that you never ask anyone to do
something without some form of
token payment. Here!
Quilla takes the battered flower off her pressure suit and
hands it to Henry. Henry becomes engrossed in the flower and
chard piece of metal still in his hand.
Quilla quickly reaches into cockpit and grabs the photos with
crucifix and jumps onto the helicopter as it takes off and
zooms away.
Henry is left slowly getting up, looking at rest of sailplane
plane.
EXT. BACK OF TRAIN - EVENING
Henry is standing with his cross sister on the back
observation car as the train pulls into the station. The
sail plane parts are partially sticking out the rear of the
car.
Sticking out of Henry’s shirt pocket is the flower.
INT. - HALL WAY - DAY
TITLE OVER:
2033
Tex and KANANI in flight suits walking down busy NASA
hallway.
13.
14.
14.
15.
TEX
So I hear Frank is out. Likely desk
Job. Recon where he should have
been all along.
KANANI
Tex! Shame on you. You know he is
only person really good and capable
of flying the Dragonfly!
TEX
So you find out what shit really
happened?
EXT. - OUTSIDE NASA BUILDING - DAY(FLASHBACK)
KANANI (V.O)
You know how he had just rebuilt
that classic MG.
TEX (V.O)
Yes, piece of shit!
Car zooms in, smoke billowing from hood. Frank jumps out,
runs to the building door.
FRANK
Oh No, Oh No, Shit!!
Frank dashes back out in carrying a huge fire extinguisher.
The car smoke is heavier. Frank opens the bonnet with one
hand, but it refuses to stay up as he begins to spray.
KANANI (V.O.)
(Laughing)
The hood is so hot he switches
hands holding up the hood.
FRANK
Damn, that’s hot! Oh no, my car!
Frank switches hands, gets fire out. Frank starts screaming.
FRANK (CONT'D)
God it hurts! Burned both hands!
Help anybody!
INT. - HALL WAY - DAY
“Mars Now 2038” posters all over. Some with US capital and
politicians.
14.
15.
15.
16.
KANANI
I saw him yesterday at his home.
Frank held up his hands, bandages
as big as boxing gloves, third
degree burns both hands.
TEX
You not serious!
KANANI
Then Frank said something
hilarious.
FRANK (V.O.)
You really know who your friends
are when you have to go take a
crap.
KANANI
(laughing hard)
I promptly made excuse to leave,
fearing where this was going.
Both laugh, walking. Tex slaps KANANI on back, attaching a
kick me post it on KANANI back. They continue walking.
KANANI
Right here in front of Houston
Control, for all to see.
TEX
A true astroNUT. Got to think
clearly in crisis. Not astronaut
material.
KANANI
AstroNUT, that’s not nice. None of
us are machines, we make mistakes.
TEX
We are better than any damn
machine. Astronaut thrill, grits
and glory entertainment drama.
That’ll get the heart racing.
KANANI
Both do about same science.
Machines way cheaper and survive
where man cannot. Agree, human
drama does draw the crowds though.
KANANI Laughs.
15.
16.
16.
17.
KANANI
Talking exciting dumb stunts. I
still laugh when we were on that
far..
Tex abruptly backs Kanani against the wall.
TEX
(intensely)
Button it! That never happened!
Understand!
INT. AT SECURE DOOR TO SAINT LAB - DAY
Flight Director escorting a distressed Anita to door of Saint
Lab, with very secure cypher lock. Under BOLD “SAINT” letters
full name appears “Sentential Artificial Intelligent
Neuromorphic Technology”.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Normally we would not allow even
family to the AI computer center.
Sorry to hear about your mother’s
stroke.
ANITA
We need to rush, she is in bad way.
They told me to swing by here.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Henry is on way out. He’s been
initializing the key training
education of SAINT. We’ll fly you
all to the hospital, it’s faster.
Sound of door opening as Fight Director swipes ID card. Henry
seen sitting on bench, rocking with a cloak tightly wrapped
around him, eye peering out of peaked hood and goggles on.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Henry, lets go!
Henry with cloak rushes out, like a priest would wear, white
pants, and white shoes. Anita is quite startled with Henry’s
appearance and that Henry unaware of his appearance. Flight
director notices.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Uh Henry.. It’s warm. Leave the
cloak.
All three rush down the hall. Henry dumps the cloak.
16.
17.
17.
18.
HENRY
How’s Momma?
ANITA
Not good.
HENRY
Dear me. I had to rush out of
clean room without changing.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Your sister seems more in shock
with you in that white hooded
cloak.
HENRY
Oh, its freezing in there for the
AI computer. Hooded cloak is
essential in there and white shows
dirt. (enthusiastically) It’s
like Spock’s.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
You really have no idea what you
look like.. Anita I’ll get you a
badge for the future. Lots going
on.. Now, This way.
Flight Director swipes his badge though a set of doors. Henry
in a run, leaving Anita and Flight Director struggling to
catch up.
ANITA
God, this is all new to me. Nothing
a realtor ever sees. What’s
Sentential?
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
It’s our desire to make AI self
aware, reason, like a smart dog.
Neuromorphic means structured like
our minds, not like a computer with
a central processor. Very
different.
ANITA
If you say so. Way over my head.
They pass though another set of doors with helicopter in
sight.
17.
18.
18.
19.
ANITA
Oh, is Sentential same as Savant?
As his big sister, when he was
about 2 I heard that mentioned
about him.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
(surprised with question)
No, definitely no Savant. Know
Henry gotten to trust me. He’s
bloomed. Not stereotypical
autistic. He’s an Einstein, now
leader in Artificial Intelligence.
They reach the helicopter.
ANITA
He’s most impossible difficult
around most people. You certainly
know, being such a good neighbor
and mentor to him these many years
Since Henry was in diapers.
Now you gotten a helicopter, to get
us all across Houston traffic to
momma, how on earth?
Henry pulls Anita in to helicopter.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Your momma is in our prayers!
Flight Director, closes the helicopter door and dashes away,
the helicopter zooms and quickly disappears into thick smokey
air.
INT. HOSPITAL WAITING ROOM - LATER
Henry picks up cell phone; pushes a single button to call.
INT. FLIGHT DIRECTOR’S OFFICE - SAME
Director busy at desk. Phone rings.
INTERCUT - TELEPHONE CONVERSATION
HENRY
She’s responding well the doctor
says. Something I need to tell you
about.
18.
19.
19.
20.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Good to hear about your mom. Now
what’s on your mind?
HENRY
Remember that episode in Peru I
told you about?
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
K?
HENRY
You really need to look at that
sailplane pilot to replace Frank.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Why?
HENRY
Asskk if they had fliight recorder.
I saw that plane hit and her saving
the plane. When she got out I saw
a huge hole in her breathing tube.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Go on, please.
HENRY
She did not look pure Inca to me.
I’m convinced she has one of a kind
metabolism.. Well that and
something else, important to us.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
I’ll ask about flight recorder. No
promises.
HENRY
(Stammers)
I know. You won’t be sorry.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
If you can, try to figure out how
to get in touch with her.
HENRY
Tell me how I should touch her?
She’s a half world way.. Know she
poked my head, twice!!
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
We will talk later. You need now
to try to take care of your mom and
sister. Bye now.
19.
20.
20.
21.
Henry closes phone and stares at clouds in thought, poking
his forehead with his finger.
INT. - COUNTRY BAR - EVENING
Man with Cigar (70s), (only his old fat cheek, cigar and hat
visible initially). Haze in air.
His probing dark sinister eyes watching the crowd intently.
On entrance of Tex with Mrs Tex, Tex notices Man with Cigar.
Man with Cigar motions finger to Tex.
Tex and his wife take a seat, about to order something. Mrs
Tex, her back to Man with Cigar, totally unaware of Man with
Cigar.
TEX
I need to go to restroom.
MRS TEX
My Lord! You just went. Get on.
I’ll go ahead and order.
Tex gets up stops by Man with Cigar. Bends to his ear.
Tex and Man with Cigar whisper with Mrs Tex’s back visible a
few tables in background.
MAN WITH CIGAR
You got it done?
TEX
It’s set. It’s set.
MAN WITH CIGAR
You are 2 bit dead meat without my
support.
TEX
(worried)
Yes, I know, I know.
Tex heads to restroom.
Man with Cigar, craggy sour face takes a deep breath.
MAN WITH CIGAR
(to himself)
Why the hell ever got him promoted.
That piss poor pilot going to screw
this up. (coughs)
20.
21.
21.
22.
INT. - LOBBY CAYETANO HEREDIA HOSPITAL, PERU - DAY
Henry is frustrated with the smartly uniformed RECEPTIONIST
(30s, 4’10 dark Peruvian features) in the busy crowded
Spanish speaking very Peruvian Hospital. Henry looking
haggard, with single hand carry suitcase with airline tag
affixed beside him. Henry has his phone out, attempting to
translate, but the Receptionist rich accent and Henry’s
frequent speech issues under stress have made the phone
translator more of a hinderance. Both are highly frustrated.
RECEPTIONIST
(Strongly in Spanish)
Speech therapy up 2 floors take a
left.
Henry presses translation button on PHONE.
PHONE
Sweet potatoes sunrise today.
Henry takes a breath, puts phone in his pocket. Pulls out of
his suitcase a NASA logo and a small toy model of a rocket
and an of an astronaut. He hands that to the puzzled
Receptionist.
Henry points to models with his hand and then himself.
HENRY
NaNASA NASA
Henry points to points to phone.
HENRY
(carefully)
Dr. Quilla Alvarez..Dr Quilla
Alvarez
RECEPTIONIST
(comprehending)
See, El astronauta.
Receptionist picks up phone and dials. Conversation barely
understandable. Few words stand out.
RECEPTIONIST
..Astronauta...?Como? .. Neil
Armstrong?
Receptionist hangs up then points to nearby chairs.
RECEPTIONIST
Momento.
21.
22.
22.
23.
Henry takes a seat. Minutes pass as hospital hurries about.
Elevator chimes, and Quilla steps out. Surprised to see
Henry, she come up.
QUILLA
Well welcome! Stay seated, it’s
easier that way. Why did you come
all this way? Email is easier.
HENRY
My b-boss, NASA’s Flight Director
over the first attempt manned
missions to MARS, wanted me to come
in p-person, since we met before.
He sends a request for VIP tour and
debriefing in Houston. We really
need you and your husband’s
insight. Wi-Will you come please?
Henry hands Quilla envelop.
HENRY
We can have a NASA G3 Jet fly you
both direct to Houston. We really
need you.
QUILLA
I’m impressed! Ill talk it over
with Kon.
INT. - SOME NASA FACULTY - MORNING
Several Astronauts are standing in a row with an INSTRUCTOR
giving them instruction on proper public stance. They appear
to be having an awkward problem with what to do with their
hands. “Mars Now 2038” posters all over.
Quilla and Kon walk in led by the Flight Director acting like
a tour guide.
INSTRUCTOR
(Texas drawl)
OK TEX, project the NASA public
image of a confident hero so the
funding dollars keep coming. Now,
hands on the hips.
Tex and one other astronaut start to mimic what the
instructor says NOT to do.
22.
23.
23.
24.
INSTRUCTOR(CONT'D)
Thumbs back, not in the pockets,
front or rear, not in front, no
picking, scratching. Chest out
slightly.
INSTRUCTOR
(Pausing slightly)
I will not repeat where Tex just
scratched, just I’d advise him to
get that checked out.
Laughter erupts.
QUILLA
(To the Flight Director)
Well I’ll be, are they going to do
some dance? I did not know that
dancing was a requirement.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
No, it part of the public relations
training refresher. Some really
get into it as a strange tradition.
INSTRUCTOR
If you are sick, never go out in
public. You can be the best pilot,
but be rest assured jocks that do
not fit the image, are washed out.
Again, Tex pulls stunts and brings out a Star Trek logo,
smiles. Staff laughs.
INSTRUCTOR(CONT'D)
This is the Star Trek image that
keeps the manned program going.
Remember 3 P’s. Posture, Poise and
Punctuality.
Tex and 2 others pretend to Pee.
Flight Director interrupts.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Enough. I’d like you all meet
Quilla and Kon. Our test capsule
struck their sail plane.
KANANI and HANA (40) thin Australian, immediately graciously
reach out to shake hands.
23.
24.
24.
25.
KANANI
Quilla, it’s such an honor, I heard
about the avoidance maneuver you
did to avoid the largest chunk of
our test spacecraft.
QUILLA
Wrong place at wrong time. Bad
luck.
KANANI
I tried it a 100 times in the
simulator. Not good. That you're
here, truly astounding.
HANA
Quilla, heard you’re a renowned
neurosurgeon from Peru, and Kon is
behind high altitude aeronautics
for the Perlan? Is that true?
TEX
(interrupting)
Yes, WE ARE a very elite group. I’m
Alvin Granger, chief pilot, call me
Tex. Any space flight questions,
we the experts... You’all enjoy the
rest of your visit here.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Actually, something was uncovered
just last week. We hope Quilla and
Kon will consider last slots on the
upcoming MARS mission.
Quilla, Kon and Tex simultaneously exclaim;
QUILLA KON AND TEX
WHAT????
TEX
(ranting)
Why was I not consulted first?
Quills and Kroz (Tex messes
Quilla’s and Kon’s name up)
are way under height.
It takes years to be remotely
qualified.
Flight Director getting steamed, attempts to butt in, Tex
rants on.
24.
25.
25.
(MORE)
26.
TEX
Neither of them can even reach the
pedals. Disability Act does not
apply to astronauts. No midgets,
only true American heroes.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
(Interrupting)
Tex, we needed to act on this now.
Administrator and White House told
me to get it done.
Your lobbyist and Senator golfing
buddies no help on this.
Tex is fuming.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
The Dragonfly is essential for
quick ferrying and rescue on MARS.
A drone just would not adapt to
unexpected. We need a tiny pilot.
Just then Henry and MRS TEX (40) walk in. Mrs Tex speaks
slowly with big Tennessee drawl, like Dolly Parton. True big
warm country bell in a jump suit. She smiles and speaks with
all the color and direct humorous perceptions on life.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Great Henry! You were able to
corral her.
MRS TEX
What you’all tarnation all spun up
in such a hurry fur. Lord help me,
came as fast I could, any faster
and I’d catch up to yesterday... My
my, where’s the introductions?
Reaching out shake hands.
MRS TEX (CONT'D)
MY name is Twyla Skeeter Grainer.
I’m wagoned up with Alvin here.
Neither of us care much for our
given names, the Chipmunk and mine
is just horrid.
So we go by Mr and Mrs Tex.
Everyone chuckles.
25.
(MORE)
26.
(MORE)
26.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
27.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Airbus recently sent the flight
data from the encounter with the
Perlan. Well, we just did not
believe the data. No way.
KANANI
That was some incredible flying,
That is what you did.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
We need an altitude test together
with our Peru guest and our prime
Mars astronaut couples. Henry
uncovered something we all need to
see.
HENRY
If any of you have digestion
issues, we will excuse you from the
test this afternoon.
QUILLA
I‘m really curious what they think
they found, lets go for it Hon!
Kon nods, they all proceed out the door.
INT.- HALL WAY - MORNING
Tex taps Flight Director on shoulder, they step aside.
TEX
What the hell! This is not NASA
back to the good old glory days.
Now you setting up two very green
wetback foreigners in prime crew.
This ...
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
(Interrupts, irritated)
Settle down. Actually the
Administrator and Science Committee
Chair both are in favor.
TEX
But!
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Both are extremely qualified.
Your industrial lobbyist cannot
help you on this one.
(MORE)
26.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
27.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
27.
28.
Your are going to march down to
that chamber, be a perfect host!
INT - OUTSIDE ALTITUDE CHAMBER - MORNING
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
We will have two masked medics to
assist you if needed. Air mixture
will be same as PERLAN, very close
to the space craft mixtures. Henry.
Henry demonstrating weight curls.
HENRY
We will be giving each of you 30
lbs weights. Do curls every 20
seconds without masks above 10,000
feet.
TEX
Better make it 5 lbs for our
children here. (chuckles)
MRS TEX
Alvin! Shame!
KON
No need. Let’s just see who wins.
They file in. Henry hands Quilla a fresh flower of exactly
same type she gave him.
HENRY
Thought you might need this. It’s
my time to torture.
Quilla smiles. Rest finish filling in. Door closes.
INT. - INSIDE ALTITUDE CHAMBER
A chamber with large window. Henry and technician outside
prepping. Sound of hissing gas though lines.
Everyone inside putting on their masks, just sound of
breathing hissing gas. Medics quicks check each one each one.
Thumbs up though the window.
Outside the window, Henry, points at the technician. Sound
of pump starts.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
27.
28.
28.
29.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Camera on.
INT. - MEETING ROOM. - AFTERNOON
All the astronauts, Quill, Kon, Henry and Flight Director in
attendance.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR,
Hope you had good lunch and able to
freshen up a bit. I will only
show the relevant few minutes.
Flight Director pushes the remote and video with audio
starts. Sound of breathing.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
This is Quilla’s breathing. Sorry
we did not tell you first, but
wanted you to breathe normal.
Offscreen normal breathing, sound of pump.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
Masks off.
Offscreen slightly deeper breathing, pump sound slightly less
as air thins. Couple farts.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT’D)
Normal farts in altitude chamber.
Someone lets out a huge fart, little liquid sound at end.
Everyone breaks out laughing.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
Ugh, that was not normal. Someone
was not very honest that they
should have skipped the test.
TEX
KANANI?
KANANI
Sorry. I misjudged. I took a quick
shower and changed right
afterwards.
HANA
I hope so.
All still laughing.
28.
29.
29.
30.
TEX
God help us if Public relations get
a hold of this tape, they will have
our asses sealed during public
events.
Room erupts.
TEX
Little known NASA disgrace is space
is full of soiled underwear. Got
to have a great washer if we are
going to MARS.
MRS TEX
Well, as it comes to doing laundry,
you are more often like a blister
and show up only after the works
all done.
Room erupts again in laughter.
HANA
You tell him sister!
More laughter.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Ok ok ok now, now on to business.
We skip ahead.
Breathing heavier, couple weights are dropped.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
Thats what we expect, normal. Now
we skip way ahead.
Breathing is very fast and heavy. Quilla still pumping
weights.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
Look at the altimeter. For this
mixture we could not go any higher.
So we cheated and reduced the
oxygen very slowly.
HENRY
Well, we though it was impossible
for even Peruvians to work this
high. This is in terms of normal
air mixtures considerably higher
than Everest. Quilla, can you
explain?
29.
30.
30.
31.
QUILLA
Well, maybe my father was Tibetan,
likely I got his rumored high
altitude genes. Mother was
exceptional climber too. Thats how
they met.
Quilla takes a sip of water.
They both hold records for fastest
climbs without oxygen for Himalayas
and Andes. I learned breathing and
climbing from them.
That’s how Kon and I met, climbing.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
That matches our blood test. We
ran the numbers we have our Dragon
fly pilot to replace Frank. If you
both will join us?
Those in room stirs.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (CONT'D)
White House is keen on 2038 Mars
schedule. Too tight. U.S. willing
to give a very large grant to Peru,
your employers to get you two.
KON
I’d like to review the design of
the Dragonfly before I say so.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
That’s agreeable here. That gives
your both time to really think this
over and settle affairs and
patients.
Flight director leans forward, finger on table for emphasis.
You can come as much of often as
you like, but in 2 months we need
to move one way or another. We
have a Presidential edict and we
must press ahead.
QUILLA
That gives us time enough.
30.
31.
31.
32.
QUILLA
(Pauses)
I had a flash thought, and in few
days like to send you an ideal on
most unusual addition to the
journey.
Quilla picking up speed and showing her natural command.
QUILLA (CONT'D)
I need NASA reports on mitigating
zero G and radiation effects too.
Would I be the primary doctor for
the crew?
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Yes, you would be flight Physican.
Your surgeon and diagnosis skills
as a neurosurgeon we consider
essential on a long mission.
QUILLA
Have all the issues been openly
scientifically researched so odds
good? Publicity does seem very
favorable, whatever that means.
TEX
(jumps in)
I got the best Mars mission
science. I’ll send you these very
favorable reports. Just met with
main research sponsor yesterday.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Sounds as you are both close to a
decision.
KON
Well we are very intrigued. Not
risk averse being Andean mountain
climbers and extreme sailplane
pilots.
QUILLA
Besides, we never pass up what
might be an excellent adventure!
INT. - JUST OUTSIDE MEETING ROOM - AFTERNOON
Everyone filing out.
31.
32.
32.
33.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Quilla, I’d like to ask you
something in private.
Sure.
Kon, I’ll be a minute.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Wait..
Others move on.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR(CONT'D)
About something you did in chamber.
Why you did you do it?
INT. - INSIDE ALTITUDE CHAMBER - AFTERNOON
In full screen video Quilla put weight down, gets up and puts
the flower on Tex’s lap. Masked assistants are stunned.
Everyone else has passed out. She is breathing heavy and
medium fast. Pump noise and hissing gas sound almost gone.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR(O.S.)
Why the flower on Tex’s lap?
QUILLA(O.S.)
Sometimes for macho dominant
persona little acts of anonymous
kindness can break through.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR(O.S.)
K. You were over 35,000 feet and
able to get up?
Video changes to when Tex stirs later, his hand brushes off
the flower to the floor.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Impossible, must be that Space Gene
that Henry advocates you have, but
you did it.
FADE OUT..
32.
33.
33.
34.
ACT 2
EXT. - IN ORBIT MARS SPACESHIP - DAY
Mars ship is spinning. It’s 6 round modules stacked on top of
each other. One revolution every 2 seconds. The large
decent module nearby, waiting to be attached to nose port
like LEM module was for Apollo moon missions long ago. An
Aries space craft in housed in kind of a garage built into
the side of the middle of module. Another large Aries module
is approaching the airlock on the nose. It’s acting as a
ferry ship from the earth. It’s matching its spin, then
docks, Music theme wonder in space.
Earth below shows a pale brown southern US with large plumes
of smoke.
INT. - INSIDE THE LEADING MODULE. - HOUR LATER
A central wide angle camera mounted on edge of an opposing
hatch in center of spaceship captures the last of the crew
climbing down into circular floored space ship living area.
A couple pressure hatches leading to the Aries ferry module
are in open position. The astronauts in NASA flight jump
suits have formed a fire brigade line, passing supplies from
the Aries down the 3 foot diameter passageway along the axis
of the spinning ship, down the ladder to the pile on the
floor below. Some packages stowed in compartments on walls.
Three central support tubes cross the 12 foot disk shaped
open area that define the 30’ diameter by 12 foot thick air
space in the living work compartment. Very open cross
bracing on the three central poles and in the disk itself
provide some level of safe confinement for passage to
compartment further aft, yet allow full view of entire 360
degrees of compartment below. Has appearance of more of a
vertical atrium, but floor stretches all around circumference
(like in “2001”). The last astronaut in line up the tube
closes each hatch in turn. From the central ladder crew are
now spreading around the aisle, still putting things away.
Entire crew wearing caps with radios.
Space ship is actually bit noisy with fans, pumps, air. As
film time goes on pump noise tends to diminish for
understanding of dialog to come.
The interior decorated more like a home, with living room
appearance furniture, much wood trim and even curtains hiding
clutter, Plants are used, edible flowers and herbs.
33.
34.
34.
35.
Everything made for crew to feel more like a home, even with
wood planking flooring, not a sterile stressful laboratory.
(Note: Can be shot on circular stage built on carnival ride,
floor respect to spin tilted, 1.5 G. Two stages, one
circular, rectilinear camera remapped, other spiral section
of close in scenes. Actors and dog can easily fitness train
for >1.5G.)
KANANI
Welcome aboard!
Small male border collie yelps, from dart from within the
pile and runs all around the circular track of the space
station, stopping at Quilla’s feet. Quilla picks him up
hugging.
KANANI (CONT'D)
(laughing)
Yes, Meteor steals the show, again.
QUILLA
How’s Meteor working out?
Meteor meanwhile steps into some special dog shoes, he
growls, they latch.
KANANI
At first I had doubts of your idea,
but after Meteor alerted us to the
small leak and quickly showed us
where, I was impressed!
Meteor goes up to central area. The shoes allows him to
climb the special surface track on the wall and hold him down
in zero G. He disappears into a hole.
KANANI(CONT'D)
(confirming impressed nod)
Learns amazingly fast.
Soft banging sounds and dog yelp. Hatch opens on side of
living area and Tex emerges carrying Meteor.
TEX
Welcome my Tacos! I hope you two
got bugs worked out of the
Dragonfly.
QUILLA
(testily)
Dragonflies eat bugs and pests.
34.
35.
35.
36.
Quilla glares at Tex hard on words Tacos and Bugs, making it
clear she loathes his comments.
KON
Yes it will work.
TEX
Better, I need its range and speed.
Pause as more noises banging down tube hatch starts to
reopen.
QUILLA
I heard you had objected to the
laser hair removal. You know we
just cannot afford shaving or cut
hair shorting things out.
Others of crew start reemerge having briefly left, louder
pump sounds.
TEX
(Staring at Quilla)
And the dog?
Alarms go off.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (V.O.)
(muted over intercom)
Mars 1, Houston here, Over.
TEX
(Pressing button on belt)
Mars 1 here, whats up, Over.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (V.O.)
(muted over intercom)
We got a X class solar storm
heading your way 5 minute ETA.
Complete your storm checklist and
all of you plus 2 technicians from
station must be in water tank
safety area in time.
Everyone gets busy. Quilla bend down and says to Meteor:
QUILLA
Meteor, Safety hold now! Safety
hold now!
Meteor is off in a flash up ladder track for his shoes and
down central tube in direction future aft the ship opposite
that crew fire brigade supplies came in.
35.
36.
36.
37.
INT. - SAFETY HOLD ROOM - DAY
8 tense persons and a dog are crowded into 10 foot diameter
safety area. Quilla and Tex floating on opposite side of area
cross with each other. Tex in Tension watching affection
between Quilla and Kon. Mrs Tex keeps herself preoccupied.
Conversation low and improvised. Cramped area has all on
edge.
KANANI and HANA engaged with Meteor. Background music echos
tension.
Meteor yelps from something unseen, cowers.
Voice over PA announces event is over, everyone start to
float out.
EXT. - ORBITAL ROCKETS FIRE - DAY
FLIGHT DIRECTOR (O.S)
Have a good journey, see you in
three years, Over.
TEX (O.S.)
Thank you Houston. Over.
INT. - SLEEPING AREA - EVENING
KANANI and HANA bedding down, being romantic.
HANA closes to kiss, but several spot flashes rip across her
vision.
HANA
Sorry Honey, just cannot get
romantic with all these flashes.
They are much worse when I close my
eyes.
Hana rubs eyes.
HANA
Somehow though I can sleep through
them since we left earth’s magnetic
shield.
In dim both lie frustrated.
INT. - INSIDE THE LEADING MODULE - DAY
36.
37.
37.
38.
TITLE OVER:
DAY 2 - JUST PAST THE MOON
Astronauts chit chat in video conference with Flight Director
and Henry. In background is Mars 1 mission logo, derived from
Mars classic symbol of warrior with spear in chariot with 6
horses (the astronauts), 5 with head high, ribs showing, one
with head down, pulling, muscles bulging and 2038 date.
HANA
Henry, I never asked, how you ever
came up with the ideal to fix
aircraft for Mars, what became the
Dragonfly?
Audio beep. (beep like in Apollo missions)
After 4 second delay.
HENRY (V.O.)
I’m replaying the Perlan crash and
Quilla’s remarkable flying in my
mind. Then just as Quilla turned to
leave for the helicopter ride,
EXT. - PERU ANDES FLASHBACK - DAY
HENRY(O.S.)
A dragonfly landed on
Quilla‘s back.
QUILLA (O.S.)
(in Quechuan)
Inkary!!!! Wiracocha!!!
(subtitle - “Oh my God!”)
DRAGONFLY ON QUILLAS BACK SHOULDER
HENRY (V.O.)
It was then I saw how to solve the
distance transport problem, a low
drag dragonfly sailplane. The
pilot was right in front of me.
Audio beep.
HANA
Why not just drive it, like in
movies?
Audio beep. 4 second delay, music builds.
HENRY(V.O.)
Mars has as much land area as the
entire earth, just no oceans.
37.
38.
38.
39.
INSERT VAST BARREN MARS TERRAIN
Huge Mars vehicle is slowly crossing sand dunes, spinning
wheels in sand, with canyon ahead.
HENRY(V.O.)
It like driving across Sahara dunes
canyons and all. It will take
months and have to move the entire
habitat for enough life support...
The Dragonfly covers couple
thousand mile a day. Primarily a
sailplane with some solar powered
ion thrust augmentation.
INSERT DRAGONFLY HOVERING AND CATCHING A BUG
HENRY(V.O.)
Dragonflies solved the speed vs
hovering problem 300 million years
ago. The dual moving long wings
give control with minimum drag.
So good, one species flies over
10,000 miles a year, longest of any
insect from India across the ocean
to Africa and return.
BACK TO MONITOR.
HENRY
Looks as we are about to be
broadcasting to our TV audience.
Audio beep.
TEX
Greetings from the crew of Aries
Mars Mission just past the moon.
This is Commander Granger. Copilot
Kanani Ito will give a tour.
Kanani, picks up the camera from Tex. Starts walking.
KANANI
Welcome. We spin the entire 27 foot
diameter MARS ship every 2 seconds.
This is enough for artificial
gravity for our health needs and
allows for camper style facilities.
38.
39.
39.
40.
Meteor, the border collie, bounds into the kitchen half way
around the circular space craft living area ring for a treat.
KANANI
Well there is Meteor, who besides
sniffing for gases and diseases,
quickly fetches and provides
wonderful companionship.
Meteor goes to toilet, flips dog lid down.
KANANI
Meteor, close the door!
Meteor closes the door pawing a button.
KANANI
Over here is our shower. Gravity
is so nice.
Sound of airplane toilet flushing, door pops open, Meteor
bounds out and disappears into a small hole. Some of crew
working around kitchen table. HANA takes over tour talk,
pointing as she talks.
HANA
(embarrassed by Meteor)
Well.. All through out is herbs and
edible flowers, some vegetables
hanging to supplement our stored
food and algae based food. Our
Kitchen is well stocked, with
couple of great refrigerators and 3
small separate bedroom spaces,
shower.
We recycle most everything. All
these touches make the place more
like home rather than a spacelab.
Kanani sweeps camera over interior. Interior is crammed with
everything in every space possible, with plants impossibly
stuffed between. It even has comfortable looking chairs,
neat gym machine, shower with adjacent medical station.
INT. - TV NEWS STUDIO - EVENING
Back away from closing of telecast nationally known
newscaster laughing.
NEWSCASTER 1
Wish my camper was so equipped.
39.
40.
40.
41.
NEWSCASTER 2
I’ve been in your camper. (Laughs)
It’s so overloaded and big already,
even turtles have to honk to pass
you.
Laughs.
You see they all wearing caps, I
did not see any hair.
NEWSCASTER 1
They all had laser removal of any
growing hair that would have to be
cut.
NEWSCASTER 2
I’d like to never have to shave,
but to voluntarily chose to be
totally hairless, that’s way to
much.
Brushes his precious hair humorously as it becomes apparent
its a toupee.
INT. - 1ST MODULE EXERCISE AREA - LATER
Tex followed by Kon are jogging around circular perimeter of
forward living module. Size difference accentuated. Kon
working hard to keep up. They pass, Quilla, KANANI and HANA
resting after hard workout, towels in hand at chairs by
exercise station, which is next to shower. Mrs Tex attending
flowers.
HANA
I love the smell of all these
thornless roses, sure beats locker
room smell... (sniffs) KANANI, you
are rank, go take a shower!
KANANI gets up, steps into to shower, takes T shirt off,
closes door just as Tex and Kon pass again. KANANI drops
rest his clothes just over translucent shower door. Shower
on for 15 seconds, stops, KANANI can be perceived soaping
up. Mrs Tex trimming the roses, separating out flower tops.
MRS TEX
They seem to do just fine, despite
being grown hydroponically.
There, should have enough rose
petals for our desert later.
40.
41.
41.
42.
HANA
(looking at KANANI)
Nice view from here!
KANANI
You can’t see nothing, pervert!
HANA, Quilla and Mrs Tex chuckle.
HANA
Quilla, hope you don’t mind my
asking, but you looked like you
seen a ghost when Henry told us
about the Dragonfly landing on your
back.
QUILLA
It’s nothing.
MRS TEX
I saw her too. I thought she was
about to faint.
Dear, would you like to tell us and
not to keep it inside festering?
Tex and Kon pass by.
TEX
Who’s faint?
MRS TEX
It’s ok dear, keep jogging.
QUILLA
As a doctor I really try hard to be
totally scientific. Science is
about understanding tangible
things.
Yet underneath I still have my deep
Inca religion roots, values and
fears.
Dragonflies in the Inca culture are
omens of great evil to come, the
devil exactly, especially if they
land on you.....
Quilla sits back.
41.
42.
42.
43.
QUILLA
Kon and I always thought of the
Dragonfly scientifically, as a
modified sailplane with its
distinctive shape only due to
aerodynamic drag reasons.
Now...
No, that instant it became
something deeply emotional,
intangible, in some ways something
very difficult,...
dark and scary.
All my science preparation left me
quite unprepared...
HANA
I see...(breathes) I’ll be with you
in constant contact for all you
flights on Mars... It’s just a
machine, not some demon.
QUILLA
Well, after talking it over with
Kon, both of us felt we had put
that fear behind us.
Quilla pause, and puts on a forced smile.
QUILLA
Anyway, we got to be flying soon on
Mars...What would an excellent
adventure be without some
challenges.
INT. - 2ND MODULE - AFTERNOON
TITLE OVER:
WEEK LATER
KANANI doing corny NASA IT security class. On screen is the
actual NASA 2018 IT security training module. KANANI puts
his finger under the following line:
“Zen has .. to update his badge SO THAT HE WILL HAVE ACCESS
TO THE BUILDINGS ON MARS ONCE HE ARRIVES”.
42.
43.
43.
44.
KANANI
(calling out)
What the fuck!
Anybody know who this Zen is? How
is he going to be on MARS.
Sounds like the doors are going to
be locked on modules on MARS?
Tex, anything you were holding
back? Some RED scare?
TEX
(Calling from shower)
Zen? Must be a Chinese spy yahoo
with a name like that.
KANANI
Look at this NASA security page,
KANANI, mocks “You will be
debriefed by intelligence officer
on your return from MARS”.
More gathering by KANANI’s screen, laughing.
HANA
Intelligence officer? Must be
concerned with those little green
men rumored (laughing hard).
Tex, totally hairless, steps out of shower totally nude right
in front of Quilla.
QUILLA
Please, keep some decency.
Nudity to some is a form of visual
assault, especially yours.
Coverup!
TEX
(smug)
You're a doctor, and I’m a Greek
God.
HANA
More like Greek feta.
Laughing.
43.
44.
44.
45.
QUILLA
Wait, something’s wrong. Let me get
a scalpel and I’ll take care of
that mole,
Oh that’s your Penis!
Everyone except Tex breaks out laughing. Tex in huff covers
up.
EXT. - OUTSIDE CAPITAL - DAY
SENATOR is surrounded by throngs of press. They are throwing
questions at Senator. TV REPORTER thrust mike at Senator.
TV REPORTER
Senator, Is there any truth to the
rumor with the departure of the
Mars mission, you are now running
for President?
INT. - INSIDE LEADING MODULE - DAY
Tex and Mrs Tex alone in rear module.
MRS TEX
Why you got your tail up so, honey?
TEX
You need to help stand up for my
command.
MRS TEX
Oh my dear! Really? No reason to
be in such a tizzy. Take a chill
pill and enjoy it.
You set yourself up anyway.
They respect you, you can hang your
hat on that.
TEX
Does not seem like it.
MRS TEX
Honey, when things do not go your
way in the heat of things; better
to keep your mouth shut and appear
to be a fool, than to open your
mouth and remove any doubt.
44.
45.
45.
46.
INT. - EATING KITCHEN AREA - DAY
Astronauts enjoy meal laugh about telecom. Quilla brings out
her special treat, roasted Guinea pig.
QUILLA
Here is a special traditional Inca
treat, Roasted Guinea Pig.
KON
Yummy, so that’s the frozen secret
you brought!
Chatter, warmth. Alarm goes off, station shakes doors close,
Meteor and Mrs Tex takes off.
KANANI
What the Hell?
KON
COMPUTER, exactly where is the
problem?
(Computer voice is computer voice like from original Star
Trek Enterprise.)
COMPUTER(O.S.)
Algae reclaim tank losing pressure.
Kanani, checking a reading on a display
KANANI
(puzzled)
Computer? What the Hell?
COMPUTER(O.S.)
I do not understand Hell.
Kon laughing hard.
KON
Someone check the Algae tanks...
Henry and I yesterday decided to
activate the computer voice. On a
lark chose the Enterprise’s
computer voice as it never did
harm.
Last thing we wanted is Computer in
voice of HAL 9000 to quote some
2001 Space Odyssey line.
45.
46.
46.
47.
COMPUTER(O.S.)
(like Hal’s voice)
I don’ want to insist on it, Dave,
but I am incapable of making an
error.
For a second everyone in shock, then everyone cracks up.
KANANI
Kon, what the Hell?
KON
Guys, that was by accident.
Just then Mrs Tex opened a hatch all soiled with Sewer Algae
water, really revolting.
KANANI
Mrs Tex, What the Hell?
MRS TEX
Sorry guys, my Boo-boo.
Everyone dying of laughter. Everyone turns turns back to eat
the treat, but Meteor has jumped up on the table and is just
finishing the last gulp.
KANANI
Meteor, What the Hell?
INT - INSIDE LEADING MODULE -DAY
TITLE OVER:
ONE MONTH AFTER DEPARTURE
A large display has been set up in the module, Kon and Tex
finishing setting it up and making things tidy. With Mrs Tex
manning a camera. HANA is seated in comfortable stuff chair
close by, watching, Meteor sitting by.
TEX
Kon, to left side of the big
display, and I’ll be on the other.
They move in position.
Tex, touching a mike switch at his waist.
TEX
Houston, we are ready, over.
46.
47.
47.
48.
Tex releasing belt mike switch and picks up a stage type
microphone.
TEX (CONT'D)
Now we’ve got to wait 12 minutes
till our signal gets to earth and
they respond. All this to get some
live prime time news coverage.
Kon throwing a tumbling paper airplane. Plane circles around
the entire module 1.
On opposite side (upside down) Quilla and KANANI are seated
playing a game of chess
(chess pieces held by hidden braces strapped into chair and
electromagnetic chess pieces).
Plane continues around and is shown hitting the clock at
5:30PM
FADE OUT.
INSERT INSIDE LEADING MODULE - LATER
Clock displays 5:43 PM
Mrs Tex has set up camera for tour. Tex standing in to side
of Mars mission Greek mythology based logo on the display.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR(V.O.)
Mars 1, Houston here. Our audience
would love more details on the Mars
1 expedition.
Tex puts on his stage face, raises a hand microphone.
TEX
The Mars 1 mission welcomes you.
We like to show you some of the
very unique manufacturing. This
will enable us to quickly 3D print
our carbon Dragon aircraft on MARS.
Our resident aeronautical engineer,
Dr Kon Alvarez developed much of
the techniques.
Kon, please briefly explain this to
our audience.
47.
48.
48.
49.
Kon, clicks the remote display control. World globe picture
of Mars appears. Display changes and it follows Kon’s
lecture.
KON
Most people have misconceptions
that key areas of Mars could be
explored by a off road 4x4 land
vehicle.
Thats maybe achievable for a large
earth city area.
Pauses, camera zooms onto display.
KON(O.S.)
Many of the most important sites
are huge distances, like Paris to
Calcutta ..
Map overlays Paris to Calcutta distance with Eiffel tower and
Taj Mahal as symbols..
KON(O.S.)
Mars also has strong enough
gravity, that we need every bit of
fuel we can make on MARS to get
back off.
Cartoon shows rocket trying to get off Mars, but flame goes
out and it falls back to Mars.
KON(O.S.)
We just cannot land with enough
fuel to ever get off of Mars with
the present rocket technology.
Tex Interrupting, little bit of tussle in background.
TEX (O.S.)
Just a minute Kon. Switching over
with my slides. That’s right.
To make fuel needed we are landing
right next to the Korolev Crater.
It has plenty of water and chromate
to make our return home fuel.
Picture of Korolev Crater from Mars Express probe now on
Display with X on a flat spot.
48.
49.
49.
50.
TEX (O.S.)
Right on flat spot on rim of crater
where the X is...
Tex pops his arm in view pointing at X.
TEX (O.S.)
The supply ship is already there, a
pair of powered rovers just rolled
our supply hoses to connect the
supply ship with the nuclear power
plant on the frozen lake bed.
As we speak, our robots on Mars are
now piping fuel and oxygen into the
supply ship.
KON(O.S.)
Excuse me Tex,
As Kon’s arm comes across camera view and grabs the remote
control.
The Mars Dragonfly video fills the screen.
KON (O.S.)
So the only viable solution to fly
in the Martian air is a hybrid of a
high altitude sailplane..
Cartoon of Everest added on.
KON(O.S.)
The air of Mars is so thin, similar
to 100,000 feet on earth, 4 times
higher than Everest, the minimum
airspeeds are 300 mile per hour
because the air is so thin.
Cartoon of jetliner added.
KON(O.S.)
Thats nearly 3 times faster a
commercial jet needs on with long
runway. That makes takeoff and
landing especially challenging.
Cartoon shows dual wings flapping.
KON(O.S.)
The dual set of wings allow many
modes of propulsion including
flapping and work much like a
hovering or speeding dragonfly.
49.
50.
50.
51.
Tussle of the mike off screen.
TEX (O.S.)
To take off, basically we spring
the Dragonfly into the air
preferable into the wind or along a
drop off much like hang glider do
on earth.
We can support a few small rocket
assists.
Only the Dragonfly can truly
support the continental mission
distances needed.
Mrs Tex and HANA are next to each other on small couch
looking at Tex and Kon. Tex and Kon glaring at each other as
Tex continues on with more slides. Tex tightly grips the
mike.
MRS TEX
(whispering to HANA)
Here we go again. My husband is
too much. But one thing I have to
say about this contraption ..
..You know, because a chicken has
wings don’t mean it can fly.
HANA giggles, relaxes back.
Meteor climbs into Hana’s lap. HANA puts headphones on.
Hana closes her eyes and listens to animated dialog sound
between Kon and Tex. Hana drifts off to lively music while
the two battling it out fades away..
INT - INSIDE QUILLA AND KON BED AREA - EVENING
TITLE OVER:
HALF WAY TO MARS
Quilla and Kon watch a personal broadcast from family, with a
couple aunts, uncles and their parents. Kids, now in
college, are excited with their parents adventure, for Peru.
The Kids improv conversation include what was said by
classmates. Broadcast ends with test pattern.
Kon records a response.
50.
51.
51.
52.
KON
Great to hear everything. I know
its now about 20 minutes of silence
waiting for our reply to get to
you, we are so far away.
Your mom and I are having one Grand
adventure as she would say.
..(Improv if need for fade)
FADE OUT.
INT. - LEADING MODULE - EVENING
Scene playing from a horror sci-fi like “Forbidden Planet” on
TV. Monster invisibly creeps up toward space ship. Beats of
radar show monster coming.
Tex, Mrs Tex and KANANI and Meteor watching intensely. Mrs
Tex brushing Meteor. Popcorn in hand, with each radar pulse,
the three tense up.
HANA walks in, Meteor and KANANI glances up briefly.
KANANI
(to HANA, softly)
Great space flick, sit!
Radar beat.
Hana smiles, still standing. Reaches to stroke Meteor’s
head.
HANA
Meteor, you little angel.
Radar beat.
MRS TEX
(munching popcorn)
Come and join us for a spell.
Radar beat.
HANA
(shivers)
That movie gave me nightmares as a
kid.
Laser blast.
51.
52.
52.
53.
KANANI
(chuckling)
You got to be kidding me.
Laser blasts.
KANANI
We got a 8 year old afraid of
nightmares on board.
Noise of monster.
HANA
(sitting down, with spunk)
Ok, smart ass. Pass the popcorn.
HANA sits down with monster screaming laser blasting. Mrs
Tex passes the popcorn. HANA flicks a popcorn at Meteor which
he catches. The four staring intensely at screen with sound
of the monster in fight with space ship crew.
INSIDE SAINT LAB - DAY
Henry in white CLOAK at screen all tightly wrapped up,
rocking. Cloud from cold as he breathes. Beating on
keyboard and talking to SAINT on headphone. Voice similar to
Henry’s mom without emotion.
There is a subtle beat to background noise, same tempo as
Monster scene. Bit similar to beat in “Lost”.
Saint is rows of computer racks, noisy.
Multiple displays each at different rack locations.
On displays windows Saint appears as Octopus, with 13 arms
reaching and gathering independently with a color changing
face. On display popup various mathematical unique ties to 13
such as Fubini numbers, emirps, Wilson primes, etc.
She speaks, along with lines of code and multiple text and
graphics windows on very large and complex displays.
HENRY
There, yet deeper training sequence
initiates. “Saint, scan log files
and optimize training.”
SAINT (V.O.)
Optimization and scanning already
running. What else Henry?
52.
53.
53.
54.
HENRY
Oh? Already?
Background beat tempo increases.
SAINT (V.O.)
Someone is pounding on entrance
door. Henry, take refuge in racks
and I will initialize security
protocol.
HENRY
“Wait. Show me on screen.”
Window pops up. Anita shown pounding on door though fisheye
lens, like Hal in 2001.
ANITA
(muffled by camera mike)
Henry! We are late! Let’s go!
HENRY
Shit! My Sister. Got to go.
SAINT
Noted, Your human obligation. We
got enough initial data to optimize
Mars flight support.
Henry tears off headset and dashes out. Computer screens get
very active.
INT. - 2ND MODULE. - DAY
KANANI and HANA eating at curved dinner table opposite side
of module.
When scene opens conversation is spirited fun. Playing
cards, with popcorn. By couch and chairs near camera. TV,
plants, instrument rack etc in background. HANA and KANANI
have up a pair of microphones and really get into lively
karaoke.
QUILLA
Look at those two going.
TEX
Wish you could sing like that? You
know, you sound and look just like
a two year old.
Tex, imitates singing of a two year old,
53.
54.
54.
(MORE)
55.
SWITCHING BACK AND FORTH as each speak.
TEX
(to a bad off-key tune)
Lilla Quilla, I am so cute, that’s
how I got in Med school!
MRS TEX (O.S.)
Tex!
QUILLA
Mrs Tex, its ok, Tex is certainly
as you say “Long in the tooth”.
Beat same as monster scene starts to emanate from Mars 1
logo, builds as scene intensifies.
QUILLA
Hey Tex, you US space history buff?
QUILLA (CONT'D)
KANANI showed me logo from ill
fated Apollo 13. See!
Quilla points at Mars 1 logo. Holds up Apollo 13s.
Spooky BEAT.
TEX
Sure, some similarity. So what?
QUILLA
I checked more. Americans all big
space disasters, number 13 comes up
again and again.
Spooky BEAT.
TEX
Total Hog Wash!
QUILLA
OK, More. Apollo 1 fire was 13th
American multi astronaut spaceship.
Spooky BEAT
QUILLA (CONT'D)
Shuttle Challenger blew up at 1
minute 13 seconds.
Spooky BEAT
54.
(MORE)
55.
(MORE)
55.
MRS TEX (CONT'D)
56.
QUILLA (CONT'D)
Shuttle Columbia broke up on
mission 1 hundred and 13
Spooky BEAT
QUILLA (CONT'D)
Our Launch date, SEE 2038 on Logo
Sum of digits in 2038 is ... 13!
Spooky BEAT
Tex leaves the module upset without a word.
Quilla looks up very cross in apparent direction of KANANI.
KANANI’s mouth is at microphone, finishing off the spooky
BEAT sound.
He lowers the mike, gives Quilla a nervous smile and raises
shoulders to say gee sorry.
HANA and Mrs Tex roar with laughter.
MRS TEX
Quilla, touché. But I think KANANI
just succeeded in quite a prank.
Those two for years since the
Academy been doing very elaborate
pranking on each other.
Quilla comes over to Mrs Tex,
QUILLA
Was that a mistake to bring it up?
MRS TEX
Na, He’s a grown boy. No way you
know he’s got a fear of 13.
QUILLA
How you guys ever get together?
MRS TEX
I was young, and he was rising
star, ambitious. Taught me to fly.
A geologist who collects rocks,
flying?
(MORE)
55.
MRS TEX (CONT'D)
56.
MRS TEX (CONT'D)
56.
57.
Sure enough though, sometimes Tex
thinks the sun gets up just to hear
him crow.
QUILLA
I’m the alpha in our relationship.
I’m so lucky Kon is sooo patient,
supporting.
MRS TEX
Last few years, Tex gotten with
some powerful no-account folks.
Past few weeks he’s been really
beside himself. It has something
to do with those snakes he’s tangle
up with. Not sure what their game
is.
QUILLA
Dear!
MRS TEX
If it was not for my humorous
country ways, and my deep religion,
not sure where Tex and I all be.
QUILLA
Kon and me, we keep our beliefs
private, like He told us to. No
alms before men.
Everyone startles when Meteor, starts growling and barking
with fear.
Spooky BEAT
Dog is lost, wonders like it’s looking.
Spooky BEAT
Then falls over.
Spooky BEAT
Everyone gathers except Tex.
KANANI
Little late now to bring this up,
there was signs. Last 2 weeks had
to clean up after the dog.
Spooky BEAT
MRS TEX (CONT'D)
56.
57.
57.
(MORE)
58.
INT. - MEDICAL ROOM (TINY) - DAY
The medical room, more of a closet, which has opened into
the shower bath area. A table folded down.
Quilla bringing sedated Meteor back from safe room and
putting him down on examination table.
Spooky BEAT continues but as heart monitor.
QUILLA
Now Meteor, rest a bit.
Several of crew pet Meteor.
MRS TEX
Poor Meteor. Looks like he been
chewed up.
Quilla, pulling a protective apron off.
QUILLA
Thank you, Kanani. Only place low
enough radiation to operate the MRI
is in the safe room.
KANANI
Glad to help. I though MRIs take
up a huge room.
QUILLA
Henry and his AI developed this
trunk size wonder MRI using latest
room temperature superconductors.
Despite its wonders, space
radiation make lots of interference
to be removed. AI excels in that.
Be an hour.
HANA
(Concerned)
What you think is wrong Quilla?
QUILLA
(tentatively)
Let see what Henry’s team comes up
with.
INT - JUST OUTSIDE MEDICAL EXAM ROOM - DAY
Chairs have been moved close, everyone, except Tex, hovering
or seated outside. Silence, no Heart beat.
57.
(MORE)
58.
(MORE)
58.
PHYSICIAN 1 (CONT'D)
59.
Meteor, lifeless, just inside the room, HANA petting him.
Communication screen alert sounds, Henry’s face come up on
monitor from SAINT room. Beat of SAINT room in background.
HENRY
Quilla, just finished. Being sent
in a jiffy. The medical briefing
will be in 5 minutes.
On adjacent monitor successive slices though Meteor’s head
are coming up about once couple seconds tempo, each with a
click (Beat).
Quilla put on her Doctor glasses staring intently at the
screen after about 4 beats.
In Quilla’s glasses the successive images reflecting. Her
face grows more stern with some gasp as images deep in
Meteor’s brain start to flash by, with beat every flash.
Takes about 20 seconds, and then entire image repeats once
quickly through all frames then goes 3D. Quilla eyes looks
around image, zooms in.
Brain looks a bit frothy. Music theme breakdown.
Communication alert chimes.
INT - JUST OUTSIDE MEDICAL EXAM ROOM - DAY
Everyone looking internally at screen. Communication alert
chimes up again, PHYSICIAN 1 pops on communication screen.
PHYSICIAN 1
Quilla, you should have been able
to go once over the MRIs.
There are considerable cosmic ray
induced lesions throughout the
brain. Your Biopsies will confirm.
Not sure if applies to humans.
Looks as the anti radiation drugs
had little benefit.
HANA gasps.
PHYSICIAN 1
We recommend crew dosage be
increased to maximum, increase
testing.
(MORE)
58.
PHYSICIAN 1 (CONT'D)
59.
PHYSICIAN 1 (CONT'D)
59.
60.
...Sorry about that, we are
researching past studies to see how
we missed this and what the issue
may be and fix.
Transmission over.
The entire crew sits stunned for a second.
HANA
Shit!, (stutters) did I understand
that?
MRS TEX
(hesitating then speaking)
Yep, we might be in a real pickle.
Billions of miles from nowhere. ...
Where is that husband of mine?
INT. - COMFORTABLE LUXURIOUS LIVING ROOM - EVENING
Man with Cigar, sitting watching some random newscast when
his cell phone buzzed with Irish Rose of Texas.
MAN WITH CIGAR
Wonder what that Texan is so
stirred up to send an encrypted
video with the private account. ...
What a needy bozo.
Breathing heavy, coughs (poor health).
Typical Astronaut on quest to be
heroes and in limelight. Makes
them so easy to duped.
INT - BY PUMPS IN 2ND MODULE, HIDDEN - AFTERNOON
Tex is speaking fast and quietly not to be heard and speaking
into a mobile phone.
TEX
We just had a crew death here.
Actually the dog.
I recall one of the purposes was
the dog was to be a canary since
they live much faster lives, things
would show up about 7 time faster
on them.
Tex looks around to make sure not heard.
PHYSICIAN 1 (CONT'D)
59.
60.
60.
(MORE)
61.
TEX (CONT'D)
I need you to confirm we are ok,
since you sponsored the key
radiation research.
Get back to me quickly so I as
leader I look like I am on top of
it.
Tex, looks startled, confused, closes phone.
TEX
(mutters)
Why am I in a storage closet? Must
have dozed off.
INT. - IST MODULE, TEX AND MRS TEX TINY BEDROOM - EVENING
MRS TEX
(angry yet concerned)
In what cubby were you hiding in
today? We had to put Meteor down!
TEX
(terse)
What were you talking about Woman!
Gibberish again!
MRS TEX
(trying not to shout)
Alvin!!, Get ahold of yourself!
TEX
Bitch!
Tex storms out slamming the door.
INT - NASA MEETING ROOM - DAY
Several doctor types in room at conference table with Flight
Director and Henry. Meeting ongoing.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
If what you just told me from
earlier research is true, should I
have the crew stay in safe area and
loop back home.
It’s end of the program though.
PHYSICIAN 1 (50s, white lab white coat, tie) easing back in
chair, puts finger tips together.
60.
(MORE)
61.
(MORE)
61.
PHYSICIAN 1 (CONT'D)
62.
PHYSICIAN 1
We do not know that for sure. It’s
all we have in NASA official files.
Though several earlier studies
indicted we had an issue.
HENRY
What tha fuck!
PHYSICIAN 1
If so we believe half the crew or
more will make it fine. We cannot
let them know.
Flight Director, visibly upset, leaning forward.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Why was not this one study
repeated?
Physican 2 starts to speak, but Physican 1 waves him off.
PHYSICIAN 1
We are not sure entirely. But
seems this researcher did not
submit for follow on studies.
HENRY
Why for God’s sakes?
PHYSICIAN 1
Reason was they lost most of staff
in some fake scandal started
online.
Then it was picked up by a less
reputable national news network and
tabloids.
Flight Director and Henry tense up.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Politically motivated by non
scientist types?
Immediately Physican 1 leans forward for emphasis.
PHYSICIAN 1
Yep. Did not matter, no one wants
their career tainted up, especially
in biomedical research, even in a
trumped up controversy.
(MORE)
61.
PHYSICIAN 1 (CONT'D)
62.
PHYSICIAN 1 (CONT'D)
62.
(MORE)
63.
So they quickly moved on to other
research.
HENRY
(questioning posture)
Really, that’s the driver?
PHYSICIAN 1
Yep, Those remaining in their field
published studies we now find were
highly gamed to gain favor and
funding of very outspoken
politicians at time.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
(defensive and
exasperated)
NASA took precautions! About those
drugs?
PHYSICIAN 2 (30s, messy lab coat, no tie, hair a bit messy)
hands folder to Physician 1, who tosses folder onto table.
Several real science papers slide out of folder showing
articles titles clearly visible.
PHYSICIAN 1 (O.S.)
Radiation studies showed wildly
contradictory results for deep
space drugs. Results got to be
dramatic black and white like a
vaccine to be of any use.
Henry starts to browse articles.
PHYSICIAN 1
(with emphasis)
Turns out no vaccines possible for
Cosmic radiation. Its like the
quest for the fountain of youth.
Pause. Henry looks up with pause at Physician.
PHYSICIAN 1(CONT)
Have to remember every cell in the
body has cosmic ray hit every 3
weeks.
Brain nerve cells are unique, as
they have to live for your entire
life. We have no ability to replace
or transplant brain tissue.
PHYSICIAN 1 (CONT'D)
62.
(MORE)
63.
(MORE)
63.
PHYSICIAN 2 (CONT'D)
64.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Go on.
PHYSICIAN 1
The brain has no capability for
replacement or self repair. This
totally affects medical prognosis.
HENRY
Why was this not tested with test
animals say looping halfway to moon
where get full cosmic radiation.
Not in the space station where it’s
protected by earth magnetic shield?
Physician shrugs.
Henry and Flight Director stir.
PHYSICIAN 1
If nerve cells could be replaced,
then strokes and Alzheimers would
be like mending a broken bone in
weeks or curing a fever in days.
HENRY
Shit, how in Hell was this not
addressed before committing all
these resources and hardware to
Mars manned space flight?
PHYSICIAN 1
NASA management just looked the
other way, as they were pressured
to do.
Physician 2 gets up.
PHYSICIAN 2
(with emotion anger)
The powers to be wanted to phase
out science that caused them
difficulty at NASA. Replace that
with big expensive manned programs,
rockets with lots of drama and
filled certain pockets.
Physician 2 takes off glasses and reaches for folder.
PHYSICIAN 2
One study conducted though does
give hope for part of the crew.
(MORE)
63.
PHYSICIAN 2 (CONT'D)
64.
PHYSICIAN 2 (CONT'D)
64.
65.
Henry look at this one.
Everyone showing disgusted, Flight Director gets up.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
We got to do everything we can to
solve this. Failure not an option.
HENRY
I’ve just got second SAINT up and
running, and two more possible in
30 days. Each can investigate
anything faster than 10,000 first
rate researchers. Just let me turn
them loose.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
You mean let them free, to the web
and any other computer with
priority access? That caries a
huge risk!
HENRY
(excited)
Yes, I trained them myself. It
will be OK. We cannot afford not to
throw them at this fully. I’ll be
with them night and day. I’m their
papa.
I feel especially responsible for
the two crew members I recruited.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Ok.
INT. - 2ND MODULE KITCHEN - DAY
TITLE OVER:
10 DAYS TO MARS
Tex opens refrigerator gets something out, pauses a second,
then leaves second module leaving refrigerator open.
EXT - MARS DECENT - DAY
Mars decent module beginning burn to decent. Mars decent
module has departed main spaceship.
PHYSICIAN 2 (CONT'D)
64.
65.
65.
66.
Airbag orbital entry module close by, fire scared having
slowed the spaceship into orbit.
HANA O.S.
God speed Eagle 2, we will hold
down the fort. Bring me a Mars
rock. Over.
TEX O.S.
Will do. Thank you Mars 1. Decent
sequence starting in 2 minutes.
INT. - MARS 1 EARTH DECENT CONTROL - DAY
HANA in pressure suit, visor flipped up at center of 3 seat
capsule with 3 seats behind.
In her hand is one of Meteor’s ears.
Tear flows from her eyes.
HANA
(quietly)
God please bless them and help them
return safe and sound.
INT - EAGLE 2 COCKPIT - DAY
Tex, KANANI and Mrs Tex in Front, Quilla and Kon in back, all
fully suited helmet visors down.
TEX
Descent sequence in 3, 2, 1 Mark.
Rockets fire brief noise. All jerk down in seats, arms
floating after. (Note: Like in carnival ride drop booth.)
KANANI
Burn good, velocity good, computer
good.
MRS TEX
Metrics look good, telemetry com
good. Camera and radar good.
TEX, sweating, looking lost. Pause, beat.
KANANI
Tex? OK, auto-sequence doing roll.
65.
66.
66.
67.
TEX
Sorry, changed to let auto-sequence
run the show.
INT. - NASA CONTROL ROOM - DAY
Silence tension then CHEER from control room.
TEX
Eagle 2 has landed at Eagle nest
right by our supply ship on Korolev
crater.
FLIGHT DIRECTOR
Rodger, Con.
FLIGHT ENGINEER
(switching private switch)
Flight Director, Telemetry
confirmed your suspicions.
Chief pilot made several serious
errors on way down and co-pilot,
missed the mistakes.
We in process of determining if we
are in safe landed configuration
and computers worked right.
INT. - TV BROADCAST NEWS CONTROL ROOM - EVENING
Wall of TV screens in a TV control room with various
different broadcasts visible.
Almost all of them except a few obvious market and old movie
channels, within few seconds bring up a special announcement
screen, then various reporters.
As special announcement screens pop up across networks,
flurry of various standard network “special announcements can
be heard on top of each other, followed by faces of
respective reporters. Some in front of a NASA center sign.
Frame of one TV has nationally recognized newscaster from
earlier with a mike, in front of NASA sign.
NEWSCASTER 1
Welcome. We are told we are
getting first broadcast from Mars
Eagle Nest landing site
momentarily.
66.
67.
67.
68.
Newscaster stalling.
NEWSCASTER 1
Actually all this was broadcast 12
minutes ago. Mars is so far away
signal is just getting here now.
Newscaster puts hand to ear listens intensely a few seconds.
There has been some problems
receiving the video signal from the
Eagle landing module.
Solar activity we are told can
interfere with high bandwidth video
from the Eagle.
While we wait NASA has provided
fascinating time lapse video from
the Kovolev crater as seen by first
surveyor lander to the present.
TIME LAPSE
Ad lib occasional newscaster comment such as amazing.
(NOTE: Suggest set snow scene based on appropriate parts of
Greenland Nutataks region or McMurdo Dry Valleys, but with
red sky and no clouds. This is area with vast flat ice-fields
with snow free ridges very similar to Korolev area of MARS.
Close up crater rim support station would look very much like
Princess Elizabeth Antartica station on its rim perch. Dry
scenes Wolfe Crater Australia or similar.)
A small rover seen moving away from lander hurrying around
crater and disappears.
A couple winter seasons pass with snow falling from clouds in
mile deep crater. Interleaving fog fills up side walls of
crater and disappearing leaving mile deep, 50 mile across
crater floor still mainly white. At times the clouds buildup
and roll over edge of crater. When fog lifts, the edges have
a dusting that is gone in an instant.
On third summer, the camera zooms in on dot on crater floor.
It’s the rover! Time lapse zooms to real time to see the
rover falls into a crevasse far onto the crater 3 miles away
as can be seen in video overplayed text.. Video then
displays “Signal lost from rover”
Another winter passes in seconds and next summer 3 landers
land in crater near each other, short of where rover was
lost.
67.
68.
68.
69.
Off of the two smaller landers 6 legged crab like emerge and
slowly make their way over to the larger lander which is
starting to steam a little.
A forth lander lands on crater rim (where Princess Ann
Station is)
The large crablike rovers with multiple large arms with hands
reminiscent of crabs lay hose and power lines. They start
building up the Power station on ice two miles away and the
supply depot which starts to faintly look like Princess Ann
Station on the rim. Power station starts to look like its on
a barge with black plastic around.
NEWSCASTER 1
The reactor has a huge 3D printer
attached, which it makes whatever
it needs from abundant carbon
dioxide and water using its huge
power resources.
Steam rises from the barge and a light fog surrounds the
nuclear reactor on the barge.
A couple of small otter size robots dives under water and
sealed leaks from the expanding pond.
A plastic pontoon bridge is constructed by crab robots so
they can access the reactor and work on the ice.
Winter comes, and in the dark the reactor glows green with
light from crabs worklights as they scale the crater walls
improving the route.
Robots teaming, helping each other, pulling the other out
when stuck, or needing a boost, much like arctic explorers.
Through the extremely cold Mars winter and nights. Never
stopping, never resting, except to charge on the power cable
from the reactor.
Reactor glows brightly green in dark fog supplying generators
power to the team of robots.
Robots seen repairing and upgrading each other as needed.
Heavier steam plume is now rising and a light fog rise over
the area. Though the ice filled crater is 100 kilometers
across, the fog expands over significant portion of the
crater floor at all times. Fog does roll in and out like in
Monterey Bay as the mile deep crater makes its own weather.
The robots rolled supply lines down to the ice station barge.
Bladders on the rim inside the expanded rim station inflating
with supplies.
68.
69.
69.
70.
When everything looks complete, the Mars1 Eagle decent/assent
module descends, legs holding upright.
One two sides of the Eagle decent module the working areas
are inflating, looking more like sides of spacecraft are
partially slowly exploding. Doors with space suits attached
can be seen expanding out. One of the crab robots is there
assisting.
NEWSCASTER 1
Now we got live feed. Looks like we
missed first steps. That in few
minutes.
EXT - ON MARS EAGLE NEST - PRESENT DAY
KANANI and Tex are outside in space suits finishing setting
up rescue safety hardware and for TV broadcast.
Mrs Tex outside collecting rocks close by in a small buggy,
like Apollo moon buggy.
KANANI
(on radio)
Just spectacular! Korolev Crater
some place blessed with easy water
and ideal site for powerful nuclear
reactor plant.
Computer, how far can we safely
venture toward the reactor craft?
COMPUTER(O.S.)
(using Star Trek computer
voice)
100 yards further is your radiation
safety limit from the support
reactor.
KANANI
Robots have come a long way.
They’re so capable, work in any
environment. Kind of wonder why we
are even here.
A shooting star steaks across the sky, followed by a loud
BOOM few seconds later.
KANANI
Wow, a meteor!
69.
70.
70.
71.
TEX
Must been fairly big to see in the
daylight. Bet it made it to
ground. Sounds like it was close
enough we could find a crater.
Glad it missed us!
Looks like we about done here. Time
to head back.
KANANI and Tex start walking to the airlocks.
On side of inflating section are 5 human torso size ports
which 3 are blanked off and two have smaller suits unoccupied
suits, sized for Quilla and Kon. The life support for suits
hang on the large rear entry ports to suits.
EXT - KANANI POV BY AIRLOCKS - DAY
Tex approaches airlock, pulls out NASA badge, inserts it into
a card reader. LED Light and beeps over radio link. Tex
backs into airlock, sound of interface being washed.
KANANI turns toward his airlock for his suit. Just besides
the port is a badge reader, with its LED slowly flashing.
KANANI
What the Hell. You need NASA.
security badge to enter? What Bozo
thought we needed that?
TEX
Pull your badge out. Remember your
NASA IT security training on way to
MARS. Yep, remember Zen?
KANANI panicked, eyes wide open. He recalling few seconds of
Zen IT training during flight to Mars.
KANANI
(nearly screaming)
Damn! How will I get in? I do not
have a badge!
TEX
Hold on, I’ll check if my computer
privileges can override.
KANANI, breathing heavy for a minute.
TEX (CONT'D)
OK, back up to your port and enter.
70.
71.
71.
72.
INT. - JUST INSIDE AIRLOCK - MOMENTS LATER
Sound of washing then door opens. KANANI steps out of
airlock, sweating. Tex is grinning ear to ear.
TEX
Gotcha!!. Really had you. There’s
no security locks here.
KANANI
Damn!
INT. - INSIDE OTHER ENCLOSURE - AFTERNOON
Kon and Quilla setting up 3D printing of Dragonfly. Wings
emerge complete from machine, delicate light weight web.
KON
Phase 1, first 2 weeks, quick
collection of local samples and
assemble the Dragonfly to do flyby
and snatch sample far away waiting.
Couple test flights. Everything
still a go with you do the long
flights to collect the samples?
Long ways away.
QUILLA
Sure! I know myself and trust your
skill putting this craft together.
Besides, just another part of our
adventure!
EXT - CRATER RIM WITH DRAGON - DAY
Dragonfly is setting on a test jig outside, tied down. It
has a twin set of long wings with no tail surface. Much like
a dragonfly. Wings are more like a very smooth soap bubble.
Quilla setting in the clear soap bubble cockpit, with a hose
into wall of the craft and dozen levels and pedals. Tanks
behind her.
Kon outside with a tablet, monitoring.
KON
Try slow motion flapping,
increasing to full power.
Sound of motors.
71.
72.
72.
73.
QUILLA
Coming up.
The dual pair of wings start flap back and forth in a
rhythmically beat out of phase to each other and forth and
turn using complex gearing motors, increasing, till almost a
blur over a minute.
Huge red dust rises.
The craft strains against its moorings rises some 30 feet in
air, dust rises. The 15 foot long wispy legs look like
mosquito legs and are well off the ground.
Kon wipes helmet visor and tablet screen dust off.
KON
Now put jato rockets 1/4 power for
5 seconds so you can see how the
wings transition to gliding motion.
Then back to beating.
Sound of Motors then rocket.
QUILLA
Rodger.
The rockets come on the 8 body legs quickly fold in. Over 10
seconds the Dragonfly starts staining forward on it mooring
as beating changes and moves Dragonfly forward.
Jatos fire.
Briefly they hold in glide position then start beating again.
Once in full beating the 8 spidery legs pops out toward the
ground. Jatos slowly cut off the beating slows, the
Dragonfly touches the ground.
Sound of Motors and Rockets.
QUILLA
(shouting)
Contact, power down.
MRS TEX (V.O.)
(over radio)
Ye-haw, Ride that bronco!
KON
This baby just warming up!
Everything nominal here, if you
ready for loop let me know and I’ll
release the moorings.
72.
73.
73.
74.
QUILLA
Checklist complete, ejection seat
armed. Let it fly baby!
KON
(quietly to himself)
What were we doing? Oh there.
Kon presses a button and the mooring are free. As before the
wings start beating, and quickly the Dragonfly rises so it
looks 1/4 size.
Sound of Motors and Rocket.
QUILLA CONT
(shouting)
4000 feet. Initiating jatos to
flight speed transition.
Different set of rockets fire, the Dragonfly now turning and
falling toward the ground.
QUILLA (O.S.)
(shouting)
250 knots, 3000 feet wings in full
glide position.
Falling increases.
QUILLA (O.S.)
(shouting)
400 knots flight speed, 2000 feet,
pulling up.
The Dragonfly zooms down in an arc and up, rockets
decreasing. Softer sound of wind, motors.
QUILLA (O.S.)
Turning into updraft. Instruments
show me way around the cannon rim,
be back in half hour after going
around the crater.
KON
Rodger. Be safe!
The Dragonfly quickly disappears climbing soaring around the
vast 50 mile crater. Kon looks into binoculars to watch.
73.
74.
74.
75.
EXT. - CANYON RIM - LATER
Kon looking with binoculars turned toward camera. At one
point Kon stops tracking, puts binoculars down and bends over
shielding his face.
Suddenly shadow zooms past and the Dragonfly soars up, jets
fire and wings start flapping.
Huge clouds of red dust.
Legs extend and they cushion the Dragonfly as it sets down.
Kon excited drops the tablet, and runs toward the Dragonfly.
A rope ladder extends 20 feet to the ground.
Quilla, still on her post flight checklist few more seconds,
then off with the seat belts.
Quilla slides down the rope ladder in lower gravity.
QUILLA
Kon, this is some sweet out of this
world aircraft! Really slick to
the air. Wow! Love it!
The crater rim is great soaring
place. I could easily climb 20 to
30 thousand.
Kon runs up dusty and gives Quilla a great big clumsy dusty
Hug.
TEX(O.S.)
(Over radio)
Rodger, go for entry!
MRS TEX(O.S.)
(Over radio)
Wow!
HANA
(Over radio)
We name you Super Dragon Slayer!
INT - WORK MODULE BY LANDER - DAY
Kon and KANANI working on assembling gear in maintenance tent
adjoining the Mars1 lander. Both are slow and disjointed and
alone in the room. They work slowly, lost.
Music theme edge of night starts to build.
74.
75.
75.
76.
Scene turns psychedelic music video as they both go into
Alzheimer’s type of episode.
Note:(Those that have lived, or deeply fear the experience of
a family member with Alzheimer’s, KANANI relate strongly to
these time entangled worlds. Those afflicted suddenly pop
into these alternate universes. Reemerging can be very
confused, defensive and denial experience, especially if
confronted when they come back from this semi dream state
world. How those afflicted and those around interact and
resulting compassion, or not, is central immensely powerful
human experience in this script and internal powerful music
video.)
Each has in turn has POV in this music video in turn but both
walking around, interacting some present time objects mixed
with their past. Transition between two in dream state is
when Kon appears briefly in KANANIs POV. Scene ends with
crash of knocked over hardware.
EXT - ROVER NEAR LANDER - DAY
Tex and his wife collecting local rocks in a souped up moon
buggy. They are in space suits. Everything dusty red. We
infer it is them by height, name tags and their voices. Mrs
Tex walks by the camera.
MRS TEX(O.S.)
Honey, can you get the rock near
that small crater, with blue in it?
Tex just stands. Tex just staring. Music theme edge of night
starts up. Gets a few lines into song with him just staring
at horizon, and Mrs Tex walking up to Tex, shakes Tex.
MRS TEX
Whats with you?
TEX
Oh, Radio problem, got it fixed
now.
MRS TEX
Let’s get cracking, not much light
left.
INT. - LIVING QUARTERS ON MARS - EVENING
Everyone gathered around eating, chatting. Mrs Tex speaks
up.
75.
76.
76.
(MORE)
77.
MRS TEX
Found some interesting rocks today.
HANA O.S.
What you find? Over.
MRS TEX
HANA, glad you in radio range.
Over.
HANA O.S.
Today orbit worked out and felt
like need to chat.
Things get really quiet otherwise
just doing maintenance and some
astronomy observations.
Got couple more minutes.
So what you find? Over.
MRS TEX
You know me, the rock lady.
Tex picked up really strange blue
rock. Unlike anything we ever seen.
Still no fossils or Martian life
yet.
Hopefully Quilla’s flight tomorrow
to pick up samples from remote
locations that rovers were
previously deployed will yield
something. Over.
HANA O.S.
Yea! Dragon Slayer.
We will be chatting and watching
you from above all day tomorrow
direct and through the three relay
satellites.
Its all coordinated. My direct
radio link time is up, those
geostationary satellites too much
delay to chat.
See ya later. Signing off. Over.
76.
(MORE)
77.
(MORE)
77.
QUILLA (CONT'D)
78.
QUILLA
She’s in good spirits. Must be
really tough, especially without
Meteor to keep company.
.. Tex, KANANI both you come over
here please,
I just spotted a rash on both you
necks and I need to check its not
leakage in your large suits.
Last thing we need is poisoning
from reactive Martian perchlorate
dust that’s everywhere.
This place is so nasty.
EXT - DRAGON FLY ON LONG FLIGHT - MORNING
Dragonfly taking off. Everything red dusty. Kon looking up
and heads back to Mars1 lander.
HANA O.S.
Dragonfly, see you and tracking.
I’ll be overhead to release the
payload balloon for your first snag
at Kasei Valles site, 1000 miles
away, thats 2&1/2 hours away then
back home. Over.
QUILLA POV - MORNING
Over shoulder edge of crater the Dragonfly is departing in a
cloud of red dust. In front of Dragonfly is cable cutter
used on helicopters and a hook.
Quilla in Mars astronaut suit with view of cockpit and
scenery flying.
Note: Suggest a pusher aircraft with forward observer or
navigator position in a WW2 bomber to simulate Dragonfly
cockpit in flight.
Sound of wind.
QUILLA
Rodger. Winds uplift on radar look
favorable. Huge desolate place.
(MORE)
77.
QUILLA (CONT'D)
78.
QUILLA (CONT'D)
78.
79.
Sure glad got Dragonfly 2 UAV as
rescue in remote case, would not
last long here. Over.
KON(V.O.)
Test of Dragonfly 2 UAV went well
other day. Take comfort it can be
ready in half hour if need be.
Over.
QUILLA POV - MIDDAY
TITLE OVER:
3 HOURS LATER
Ahead over Quilla shoulders is a large bright green balloon
with stringer.
It’s a rapidly enlarging in view.
Quilla rapidly controlling Dragonfly.
Display stays with cross hairs.
Mars horizon going down as Dragonfly curves upward slowing.
Sonar pings with decreasing time intervals.
HANA O.S.
Target armed for autorelease, over.
Sound of wind, motors.
QUILLA
Got it. Over.
About 20-30 seconds as balloon and its payload on cable grow
bigger in view.
All time sonar signal increases in tempo.
It becomes apparent the Dragonfly heading straight for the
cable between.
Tempo pinging becomes very rapid.
BOOM!
Dragonfly shakes violently and goes into a dive.
Balloon jumps up out of view.
QUILLA (CONT'D)
78.
79.
79.
80.
Quilla busy at controls. Rockets and loud motors going off
and on.
QUILLA (CONT’D)
Capture, rebalancing and pulling
payload in.
Some clicking motor noise. Bang and Dragonfly shutters.
Dragonfly levels off. Motors reeling something in.
QUILLA
Payload in the bay. Heading home!
Over.
HANA O.S..
(interrupts)
Great, First snag in the bag! Over.
The vibration of the wings flapping permeates the cockpit as
Quilla works the controls and plane banks 180.
QUILLA
Winds now not as favorable for
return will take some effort and
time to find uplifts.
Computer estimates an hour longer.
Save dinner for me. I’ll see if
can do better. I’ll be busy here.
Over and out.
QUILLA POV OVER SHOULDER IN DRAGONFLY - AFTERNOON
TITLE OVER
100 MILES TO EAGLE LANDING
Quilla busy at instruments.
Lively Peruvian music playing.
Suddenly collision alarm goes off. Radar shows rapidly moving
target. “Collision collision” instrument voice.
Sound of rockets, Quilla does immediate roll.
Boom!
Dragonfly shakes violently!
Quilla has same Rosary and photos that was on Perlan.
79.
80.
80.
81.
QUILLA
Dear God, not again!
Music picks up pace, sound of escaping gas, alerts on screen
in cockpit, alarms.
Quilla quickly goes through them in a flash,
She increases power in motors so they now scream.
She stops a second.
QUILLA
OK, not great, we can beat this.
Quilla, puts plane in autopilot unbuckles, reaches back,
unsteady, twists something, sets down, re-buckles.
QUILLA (CONT)
(Calling distinctively but
not stressed)
Mayday! Mayday!
Kon and HANA.
Had a very small meteor to clip
couple of fuel cells. I was able
to isolate, but looks I will be
about 20 miles short of making it
back.
Kon, set out immediately with
fueling truck and some oxygen so I
can take another quick hop back
home once refueled.
HANA monitor my condition and give
Kon updates. I am going to ration
my Oxygen. Good thing I can get by
with so little.
So I will have plenty for possible
extended wait for Kon. Over.
KON(O.S.)
Rodger, be off in 5 minutes. HANA
please scout me best path. We will
returning after dark. Over.
HANA
Rodger, Over.
80.
81.
81.
82.
INT - WORK AREA IN TENT - CONCURRENT
All three working on various tasks.
MRS TEX
Crap, Quilla’s in trouble!
KANANI
Sounds tough, but she has
incredible ability to figure ways
out of things.
Tex, tense, sitting down taken back.
TEX
(to himself)
Damn, not on my watch.
INT - TRUCK CAB - LATER
Kon driving fuel truck.
Kon looks tense, bites lip.
Pinging radar display.
Lively Peruvian music for a minute.
Kon presses button. Display flashes auto-tracking.
Kon breathes deep.
Music theme dark of night starts.
Kon stares a minute, looks as he is going to adjust the
tracking but picks up a tablet, and dusts it off.
Kon settles back and is engaged with tablet as truck drives
on its own.
EXT - DRAGONFLY LANDED ON PLANE - LATER
Quilla outside Dragonfly stretching when fuel truck drives up
and stops.
Quilla walks up to dusty truck and opens the airlock door and
climbs in, opens helmet. Kon looks up from tablet.
KON
(startled from tablet)
Quilla, what brings you here? Did
you see Mom?
81.
82.
82.
83.
QUILLA
(tentative)
Oh?.. Guess we should sit for few
minutes till we figure this out.
Quilla takes seat by Kon.
Watches him go random over tablet, seemingly lost.
Pondering.
After a bit, she switches on the radio. Picking up the radio
mike.
QUILLA
Calling Eagle Nest, We are fine
here.
But I’m going to anchor the
Dragonfly in place and two of us
come back in the fuel truck.
Tomorrow when got light we can
patch it up, check it well and fly
it back. Over.
MRS TEX(O.S.)
So glad to hear you in good shape.
Sounds like a plan. Over.
QUILLA
We have to chat when we get back.
Where’s Tex. Over.
MRS TEX(O.S.)
Around, just you get yourself back,
ya here me? Over.
Quilla puts mike down.
Reaches over and gives Kon a big hug. Looking warmly into
his eyes...
QUILLA
(softly)
Kon, you just stay here. Later I
love for you tell me about Mom.
Kon never really looks up from his tablet. He just randomly
moves his finger on it.
Quilla, get up from seat, turns to a back panel, enters a
pass code.
Display text shows ”Truck operation by passcode only“.
82.
83.
83.
(MORE)
84.
She latches her helmet on.
Exits airlock. She is moving a bar across the door.
Display text “Airlock secured, exit not possible”
Though windows of truck Quilla is visible hauling from the
truck around a tool that looks some like a jackhammer with 6
several foot barbed hooks attached.
She sets it down by the ladder, climbs up leaning into the
Dragonfly pressing something.
The wings start folding up next to the fuselage and 6 cables
drop down.
Quilla starts to climb down the ladder, but goes back up and
opens a lever, rear compartment opens and payload winds down
on a cable to the ground.
She is setting up the jackhammer by first cable.
Huge dust envelopes Quilla with dull thumping from
jackhammer.
INT - WORK AREA IN TENT - LATER
KANANI working slowly.
Mrs Tex following the truck on computer screen.
Tex walks into view, towards and starts to enter the airlock.
Music theme dark of night.
MRS TEX
So good you could join us.
TEX
(matter of factly)
I got to mow the grass.
KANANI
Yep. It gets thick this time of
year!
MRS TEX
Alvin! What’s going on here!
TEX
This door is jammed again. Damn
Humid weather!
Tex bangs his shoulder hard into outer airlock door.
83.
(MORE)
84.
(MORE)
84.
KON (CONT'D)
85.
With a loud crack and for frame gives away.
Station undergoes explosive decompression.
Alarms blaring and fades out as air is lost.
Mrs Tex grabs on and manage to get full face masks on.
KANANI just out of it, never grabs on and is hurled into
table edge, knocking him out.
KANANI foaming out of mouth.
INT. - TRUCK CAB APPROACHING EAGLE NEST - NIGHT
Kon and Quilla interacting normally now as headlights of
truck penetrate dark.
They both look very worried.
Lights and Eagle Nest coming into view though dust haze.
As they get closer, airlock door area blown off and debris
scattered all over.
KON
My God, what happened!
QUILLA
No wonder HANA was frantic on the
radio calling us! No response from
Eagle Landing..
Is that Tex, No!
He is surely dead.
Kon, see if you can now link the
cameras to main com to Mars1 and
Houston.
When I stop I got to triage. You
need to determine what life support
is intact.
KON
Radio links up, computers report
only this tent structure
compromised. Capsule and other
pressure tent intact.
Appears everyone was in this one
when the failure happened.
(MORE)
84.
KON (CONT'D)
85.
KON (CONT'D)
85.
86.
Linking into camera archives and
forwarding.
HANA O.S.
No no no no no! (screams!)
INT. - LIVING QUARTERS ON MARS - FLASHBACK
Playback of door failure as Tex rammed into it.
INT. - LIVING QUARTERS ON MARS - NIGHT
Looking through where airlock was. Back of KANANI’s head is
cracked open, brains spilled out adjacent to door from metal
equipment, which has died blood smeared on it.
Mrs Tex, moving some, lying on floor by emergency station,
mask on and a wrap partially around her torso. Her face
especially ear and nose and mouth is red and foamy under the
clear mask. Her ear bleeding.
QUILLA
She’s alive, barely.
Kon, looks like severe Barotrauma,
beyond damage to her lung, bet she
got Caissons.
Good, she partly successful putting
the compression wrap on to give her
lungs a chance.
Grab that portable oxygen, we got
to get her into the other tent,
Stat!
Kon and Quilla struggle to carry much larger Mrs Tex while in
their space suits out of the room.
INT. - MAINTENCE MODULE TENT - MORNING
Quilla looking really beat, dozed off on bench by Mrs Tex on
a pad on the maintenance table. She is propped up by some
pillows. Two tubes run out her throat, around. Her eyes
turning dark blue. An IV drips her arm. She is sleeping.
Computer chimes, Quilla rouses, sleepy, and plays message.
KON (CONT'D)
85.
86.
86.
(MORE)
87.
QUILLA POV - COMPUTER SCREEN - IMMEDIATELY AFTER
Screen pops open and Henry looking beat and somber in
computer room.
HENRY
Hope you two able to get some rest.
I encrypted this secret message as
you two are owed some honesty.
Saint, our AI computers brought
this to me.
Mrs Tex has 2 weeks max left, and
she long ago indicated to be buried
on Mars. We strongly suggest only
hospice care.
Quilla stunned.
QUILLA
(to herself)
Oh my!
HENRY
Saint already been redirecting the
robots to help you with all the
inspection, needed repair and any
other launch preparations in next
week.
QUILLA
(to herself)
Ok?
HENRY
(pausing, hesitant)
One last thing.
Turns out that upper management,
under pressure from lobbyists and
political leaders chose to ignore
and repress studies that showed
males minds are severely degraded
by deep space radiation.
I’ve attached papers up-to early
2018 on this topic. Research on
this topic was gamed during that
administration.
86.
(MORE)
87.
(MORE)
87.
QUILLA (O.S.) (CONT'D)
88.
INT. - MAINTENANCE MODULE TENT - HOUR LATER
Quilla reading papers, tears down her cheek. She picks up a
chair and throws it, screams then sits on floor sobbing.
QUILLA POV - LOOKING AT LAPTOP SCREEN - EVENING
Quilla speaks into computer:
QUILLA (O.S)
Henry, we need ...
no I need ...your help with service
for our friends we lost....
let’s go ahead and plan Mrs Tex as
she’s in the final stages of death
process, few hours most left...
I just pray I do not have to go
through this twice on this
da..(stutters) planet....
oh... (sobs).
Were we cursed?
poor Kon. ....
See if you can find their minister
and family. Maybe they like to say
something...
Something in next couple days..
Quilla POV turns briefly to door and back.
QUILLA (O.S.)
Kon might be missing me soon...
Please have one of robots prepare a
grave outside, maybe clean things
up for family funeral broadcast...
We will do the service outside, but
I’ll have to give Kon a sleeping
pill to knock him out.
He is so often in that alternate
universe, sometimes reliving past
in Peru, just not safe with him
outside.
(MORE)
87.
QUILLA (O.S.) (CONT'D)
88.
QUILLA (O.S.) (CONT'D)
88.
89.
One of robots can use a camera and
telecast this back to earth.
Let me know.
Transmission terminated displays on screen.
EXT - FUNERAL - DAY
Quilla and robots in a line in front of 3 graves heaped onto
Mars surface with 3 US flags draped on each.
HENRY(V.O.)
Quilla,
Robots are running up a separate
camera so they can be part of the
service.
I have a 30 second delay here on
earth for returning transmission,
so if you need to go back in. We
have enough footage to make the
service appear continuous..
I will fill in as needed. Start in
15 seconds, over.
Silence for 15 seconds
MINISTER
God and his Son have a special
place in their hearts for those of
us that accomplish what most of
cannot even dream of. So do us
all...
FADE OUT.
QUILLA (O.S.) (CONT'D)
88.
89.
89.
90.
ACT 3
INT - INSIDE LEADING MODULE - DAY
TITLE OVER:
TWO WEEKS LATER
Kon then Quilla enter the Leading Module in astronauts suits,
but helmets off.
HANA is just seated, looking at photos, obviously depressed,
lost.
Quilla comes up and gives HANA a long hug. Meanwhile Kon
just stops and stares.
Music theme dark of the night.
Quilla, ends the hug, looks at Kon’s face, goes quietly over
to him and gives him a long hug and whispers in his ear,
music fades.
INT - SLEEPING QUARTER - HANA - NIGHT
TITLE OVER:
THAT NIGHT
HANA’s eyes rapidly moving in sleep.
POV HANA - HORROR SCI-FI SCENE
HANA now immersed in horror Sci-fi scene from earlier scene
from Sci-fi film when the monster is attacking.
Monster screams.
HANA screams and runs wildly in her dream to escape.
INT - INSIDE LEADING MODULE - NIGHT
HANA screaming fighting off the invisible monster like they
were bees, runs into the airlock still screaming, and shuts
the door.
89.
90.
90.
(MORE)
91.
Kon and Quilla groggy but scared emerge just time to see HANA
though the large airlock window.
HANA still screaming batting away the monster.
She hits the panic release door and is blasted into vacuum of
deep space, screaming in silence and batting at the invisible
monster.
INT. - SAFETY HOLD ROOM - DAY 70 OF RETURN
Kon and Quilla floating in safety room.
It has zero G toilet and bedding food and TV installed.
Looks very lived in.
Music of type recommended for Alzheimer’s.
Quilla bringing food to Kon, various brief scenes with music
of her giving Kon tender loving care.
Kon is at times distant.
They are engaged in total silent conversation while music
plays.
INT. - LEADING MODULE - NIGHT
Quilla at laptop, haggard, stressed.
Screen bar at top say encrypted private conversation to
Henry.
Large clock at 12:01 UTC. Quilla sighs.
Quilla types.
QUILLA(O.S.)
Thank you for the early warning and
the UCSF research on female vs male
mice in deep space environment.
Not sure about your assessment that
I possess unique combination giving
the first space gene. I agree we
Inca’s are a hardy and resilient
lot though..
I’ve been able to keep Kon somewhat
protected locked in the safe room
without him seeming to catch on.
90.
(MORE)
91.
(MORE)
91.
HENRY(O.S.) (CONT'D)
92.
Quilla pauses.
FLASHBACK TO SEQUENCE OF CARING FOR KON AND DEATH OF CREW ON
MARS
QUILLA POV - CONTINUED
QUILLA (O.S.)
At my wits end how much longer can
do this.
At least something that seems to
protect females somewhat.
I’ve tested myself using computer
and my scores still at 95% of
normal.
Kon is having lots of episodes.
God its lonely here.
Clock shows 12:04,
FADE OUT.
SAME SCENE LATER
Clock shows 12:25.
Quilla eyes half closed, almost nodded off.
Laptop chimes. Incoming message, screen displays “de-
encrypting”.
HENRY(O.S.)
Keep it up. Nothing like 10 feet
of water to stop most of those high
energy cosmic rays. Keep yourself
in safe room.
I assume Kon is asleep.
My aunt long ago said when those
mind episodes happen, you go into
and play in their imaginary world,
like you do for a 2 year kid.
Never try to drag them back to
reality.
(MORE)
91.
HENRY(O.S.) (CONT'D)
92.
HENRY(O.S.) (CONT'D)
92.
(MORE)
93.
Never scold.
Quilla types.
QUILLA(O.S.)
I saw Tex drew more confrontational
with everyone with every
correction.
Really made his last days cold and
alone.
Tex, was more a self centered
egomaniac than even typical
astronaut.
Seems many being drawn to be a
astronaut only for fame.
With that abrasive personality it
was not hard to see Tex go.
I just did not understand why Mrs
Tex stayed with him for all those
years.
She was sweet actually.
Quilla pauses.
Anyway, I just want to enjoy what
love Kon and I have, does not
matter in what mental universe he
is in.
Quilla hits send, Clock 12:30.
INT - INSIDE LEADING MODULE - NIGHT
Clock ticks to 12:50, Quilla has fallen asleep on table in
front of laptop. Laptop chimes, Quilla sleeps on.
INT - INSIDE LEADING MODULE - NIGHT
Clock ticks to 3:50, Laptop still chiming. Quilla groggy,
gets up, moves toward door of safe room, unlocks it, goes in
and locks it behind.
HENRY(O.S.) (CONT'D)
92.
(MORE)
93.
(MORE)
93.
HENRY(O.S.) (CONT'D)
(MORE)
94.
INT - INSIDE THE LEADING MODULE - NIGHT DAY 100
Quilla at laptop, clock: 12:01
QUILLA POV - LOOKING AT LAPTOP SCREEN - NIGHT
QUILLA (O.S.)
Kon had a very bad episode today.
Seems he thought he was in school
today.
He was looking for some video game,
gone long ago.
I’m having to come up with toys.
He thought I was his mom.
Anything else to do?
Quilla hits send clock 12:03.
INT - INSIDE LEADING MODULE - NIGHT
Music theme time.
Quilla slouched back in chair. Clock 12:25.
Laptop chimes.
Quilla wakes up looks at Laptop screen.
Music sad, instrumental somewhat religious inspirational
background.
HENRY(O.S.)
Sorry to hear about Kon.
You are doing the best.
A small team I got working on side
outside NASA’s ear, with our AI,
SAINT, we made a wonderful
breakthrough.
NASA days are actually numbered
now.
(MORE)
93.
HENRY(O.S.) (CONT'D)
(MORE)
94.
HENRY(O.S.) (CONT'D)
(MORE)
94.
QUILLA (O.S.) (CONT'D)
95.
What we can do is nothing short of
a miracle for you, maybe Kon, just
fight to remain alive till get you
back to earth.
QUILLA (O.S.)
Henry..I’d like to thank you
actually for all your support and
love, its been hell of an adventure
for Kon and me.
What’s life without an adventure!
MONTAGE IMAGES OF CARING FOR KON
QUILLA (O.S.)
I’m not sure either us make it
though.
My latest test showed I’m starting
to slip.
From my medical knowledge Id say
Kon got 3 to 4 weeks...
His gut is shot too.
Radiation damage.
Losing weight.
Incredible, cannot get enough
nutrition in him.
IVs will run out soon.
Quilla takes a bit of some food.
Quilla, resolved, at laptop screen.
QUILLA (O.S.)
I need you to lock down and totally
automate this ship and our return.
Plenty of food and oxygen for one
even if half of systems fail.
I’m not sure how long till I have
what folks used to call Alzheimer’s
episodes.
HENRY(O.S.) (CONT'D)
(MORE)
94.
QUILLA (O.S.) (CONT'D)
95.
QUILLA (O.S.) (CONT'D)
95.
96.
With this radiation damage needs at
least five times the amount of
water shielding we got.
As long as I’m breathing, please
take care of me and my family.
Pause,
Quilla sighs, takes a drink of alcohol from medical supplies.
QUILLA (O.S.)
I got to thank you for providing
the distraction to Kon to be in
safe room constantly on tweaking
and fixing the MRI early on.
You had him almost all the time in
that protective room behind tons of
water much safer from Cosmic
radiation.
Radiation that seems to affect mens
minds much worse than women.
Quilla doses off, email chimes.
HENRY(O.S.)
Actually that was the Saints, AI
computers recommendations.
They were actually keeping Kon
quite busy. They saw that it was
hopeless for the other two males.
Kon genetically might have some
Cosmic Ray resistance.
Quilla gets up. Mail chimes again.
HENRY(O.S.)
You might be wondering how Flight
Director was not aware.
Actually he was..
INT. - COMPUTER ROOM - FLASHBACK
Flight director suited, just walking up to consoles in SAINT
lab with Henry.
QUILLA (O.S.) (CONT'D)
95.
96.
96.
97.
HENRY(O.S.)
(Voice over)
Actually only the Flight Director,
Saint, the AI and myself knew truth
of crew status.
Even before landing.
AI gave high probability that two
American males would die on Mars.
Flight Director said only way to
save NASA was to shorten the stay.
Somehow, get you all off alive and
have you all put into a medication
induced coma.
Well that did not go well.
INT. - INSIDE LEADING MODULE - MOMENTS LATER
Quilla shifts, uncomfortable.
QUILLA
(mumbles to herself)
Thats .. oh shit.
HENRY(O.S.)
Asked SAINT for options how to
shorten the trip.
Saint, with new freedom and immense
power we allowed, arranged for a
very believable 6 month early
warning, including fake satellite
data, that Betelgeuse was going
Supernova.
Likely for a decade even earth
orbit would be uninhabitable.
That forced immediate evacuation of
all manned space sites, including
the radio telescope we have on the
far side of the moon.
QUILLA
(mumbles)
Easy to make a dumb computer lie.
96.
97.
97.
(MORE)
98.
HENRY(O.S.)
Actually we were concerned about
trapping the AI a possible
conscience computer into lying.
Like Hal in 2001.
We do not think AI has reached
Singularity yet, which would allow
self awareness and value judgment
to understand concept of a lie, but
its very close.
If AI was aware, it has not let on.
However, it was shortly after this
that AI told me about their
wonderful discovery I told you
about.
INT - INSIDE LEADING MODULE - NIGHT
Quilla turns laptop off after hitting send, crying now. She
climbs to safe room in center. Music theme my last breath.
INT. - SAFETY HOLD - NIGHT
Music theme last breath. Crying Quilla just hugging tenderly
to a still Kon.
I/E. - CAMERA SWEEP FROM HOLD ROOM TO SPACE - NIGHT
Music still continues. Camera view sweep out of spacecraft
and as song continues, the Mars 1 spacecraft disappears into
a lonely dot, toward the glaring Sun, Venus, and Earth and
adjacent moon, Milky Way in background.
FADE OUT.
INT - SENATE HALLWAY - EVENING
Doorway to Science Committee, two Marines stand outside
blocking entrance. There is Red rope barrier across entrance
with sign, “CLOSED SESSION”. No smoking sign by door.
INT. - INSIDE SENATE HEARING CHAMBER - EVENING
Senator sits alone at seat on dais. Only other person is Man
with Cigar, smoking, with a special comfortable chair brought
in, his feet propped up on hearing table.
97.
(MORE)
98.
(MORE)
98.
MAN WITH CIGAR (CONT'D)
99.
MAN WITH CIGAR
Senator, Looks as things
worked out in end. We will
see you and your family are
taken good care of.
SENATOR
(terribly upset) what you
mean worked out? NASA is
destroyed with this loss.
MAN WITH CIGARR
So?
SENATOR
This mission and moon mission
required we gut certain programs at
NASA. Now the world has found out
there was solid science that this
Mars fiasco was a certain death
trap.
Spending billion upon billion just
recreating a 1960 Saturn chemical
rocket. During 1960s we used all
best science to give best odds.
This time around we repressed
critical Science just to still
justify building very expensive
hardware.
For what? Now manned missions is
only emblem of shame, ego,
incredible waste and Government
corruption.
Man with Cigar flicks ash onto the Senate Table.
MAN WITH CIGAR
We never cared crap for Mars, MOON
or even the manned program.
Hell, last Apollo astronaut if he
been few days more on moon, he’d
come back in a body bag from all
the razor sharp moon dust ripping
up his lungs.
The only reason we created the rush
to Mars and to MOON missions as way
to destroy, gut the former part of
NASA that was in our way. That was
our most serious threat to our
owners’ quarterly profits.
(MORE)
98.
MAN WITH CIGAR (CONT'D)
99.
MAN WITH CIGAR (CONT'D)
99.
(MORE)
100.
Senator we learned after fall of
McCarthy era, sowing hatred, being
paranoid of our enemy, not fucking
peace was in our interests as
industrialists.
SENATOR
You are in denial, mad truly mad!
MAN WITH CIGAR
Just means to objective.
Delay and deceive. Its all a
charade to control it all.
Lifetime Real Power is very
addicting drug.
As an unemployable starving
physicist I learned about power
from a very manipulative
intimidating stock market boss.
All the science facts just did not
matter to people in face of enough
hype.
That’s the day I threw science’s
lofty goals in the trash and went
just for power and money.
SENATOR
Science showed us two decades ago
we had a chance. I bought into
your charade that exploration
uplifts spirts. “Just dream it
will happen.”
I was a fool and let you screw our
children’s future by not listening
to science’s warnings.
MAN WITH CIGAR
Speak for yourself.
Never had any children I’d claim.
Anyway, my principle is enjoy life,
the caviare, women now to the max.
Screw tomorrow.
Anyway, You and I in 10 to 20 years
will be dead. I just DO NOT CARE.
MAN WITH CIGAR (CONT'D)
99.
(MORE)
100.
(MORE)
100.
TEACHER (CONT'D)
101.
INT. - FUTURE SPACE SHIP ROOM - EVENING
Closing scene on a huge spacecraft approaching Alpha Centauri
300 years in future. In background are models with names of
all great technology ship losses, Titanic, Apollo 13, Soviet
N1, Two shuttles (Challenger and Columbia), Concorde, and
Mars-Aires. Sign above: Great manned losses.
The youthful identical triplets (10) gathered around the
TEACHER, very elderly, something artificial, looking like
Quilla.
TEACHER
SAINT having reached consciousness,
realized all gone amuck due to egos
and greed. They found rampant
denying science facts was illogical
since science is just reality
explained.
Humans became broken spirited and
cynical toward space, as they only
saw failure and greed with the
failed space missions.
CHILD 1
But how we ever get back into
space?
TEACHER
About that time, several of the now
laid off manned space scientists
and AI established the Order.
Things were royally screwed up,
millions were dying, things getting
much worse.
The Order, things were run by
science rules, joint logic
decisions and not petty human egos.
TEACHER (CONT'D)
(pausing for emphasis)
The Order started with running
small cities, small companies,
lower ranks of militaries all over
the world.
Those that adopted the Order were
wildly successful. It quickly grew
worldwide.
The Order ran things.
(MORE)
100.
TEACHER (CONT'D)
101.
TEACHER (CONT'D)
101.
102.
After couple centuries, the Order
saw the need to spread to the
heavens.
CHILD 2
I heard there was a Great War.
TEACHER
Not really, ...well some that lived
by manipulating refused to change
and died, but Order already had
stops into most bad things.
Many more were dying before due to
bad parts of human nature. Some
called it Devil influences.
A nearly 7 foot white hooded MONK enters, face not visible,
with 3 border Collie puppies in arms. The children erupt
with excitement.
TEACHER (CONT'D)
Meteor! You shouldn’t have! The
children do not have time.
MONK
The Order learned from from you and
saw the need for all beings,
including ourselves, to have
devoted pets, totally different
thinking companions.
More intelligent the better. That’s
where humans fit in to us. There is
something special learned and grows
with that relationship. ....
Teacher turns slightly. Now it’s clearer she is Quilla but
has become an android.
TEACHER
Ok, Something I long ago should
have done to thank you and SAINT ..
City manager holds up his dark weathered hand, flower pinned
to robe. He turns. His face, shape of Henry, obviously
synthetic, is spectacular with color flashes like the octopus
screen of SAINT.
THE END
TEACHER (CONT'D)
101.
102.
102.
I/E. - CLOSING CREDITS SUGGESTIONS TO GAIN VALIDITY
Show clips of supporting actual scientific research, Mice
longevity both researchers, and Dr. Parker’s call on
radiation effect and 15 meter water blanket needed. Clips
of actual real Perlan sailplane and dragonfly like Skeeter.
Funny outtakes on spinning carnival ride set or on location
showing how movie done.
Then at almost very end credits stop and then..
FLASHBACK to last of Henry in movie. Henry says to kids,
gather round for yet another story, sweeping his hood back
to reveal a head even more advanced like from AI The movie.
As camera fades out:
CITY MANAGER (HENRY)
There were 5 of us originally, but
first my story....
