the space brothers

8/8/2019 The Space Brothers

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THE SPACE BROTHERS

Written by

David Kaftal

David Kaftal424 9th Street FINAL DRAFTEureka, CA 95501 May 1, 2008(707) 444-0479


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THE SPACE BROTHERS

FADE IN:

EXT. OUTER SPACE - NIGHT

The moon, dark side toward us, is set against a gibbousEarth in a dazzlingly starry sky.

Looking more closely, we see an immense alien mothershiphanging hidden from Earth behind the moon, suspended instationary orbit like a bloated spider on an invisibleweb. Tiny silvery discs trickle from its mouth in aseemingly endless line, rounding the moon and disappearingbehind it.

The camera follows the flying discs around the edge of themoon and we see that they are heading toward Earth,descending in the direction of Southern California.

EXT. WEST HOLLYWOOD - DAY - ESTABLISHING

Shiny cars roll down La Cienega Boulevard beneath statelypalm trees, alongside monuments to modern commerce inconcrete and steel and glass.

INT. UFO EXPO/FOOD COURT - DAY

DESMOND LOPEZ pays for a cup of coffee and carries it overto the counter by the packets of sugar and creamer. He isabout thirty, clean cut, medium height and wiry, with darkhair and eyes. He tears open two packets of creamer andpours the contents into his coffee.

He and CAMILLA FRENCH, a sprightly, twenty-seven year oldblonde haired woman standing nearby, reach for thestirring rods simultaneously. Their hands almost collide.

DESMOND(smiling widely)

Hey Camilla!

CAMILLA(surprised)

Desmond! What are you doing here?Did you come to make fun ofeverybody?

DESMONDNothing quite so anti-social! Ijust dropped by to hear Dr.Rossiter speak.


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CAMILLAYoure kidding! Dr. Rossiter? FromNASA?

DESMONDYou didnt know he was going to behere?

CAMILLANo, I didnt hear anything aboutit.

Desmond gestures towards an empty table.

DESMONDWant to sit down?

CAMILLAWhy not?

They find a table and seat themselves, Desmond pulling outCamillas chair for her.

CAMILLAThanks.

DESMONDSure.

They sip their coffee.

CAMILLAYou used to work with him before

you came to SpaceTech, didnt you?Didnt he get into some kind oftrouble or something?

DESMONDI worked under him for a couple ofyears in Pasadena. Hes brilliant,but a little, ah, eccentric...

(takes another sipof coffee)

Anyway, there were a few rumorsgoing around, but the officialstory is that he retired so he

could spend more time on his ranch.

CAMILLAWhat kind of rumors?

A loud scream suddenly pierces the air. Desmond andCamilla swing their heads around and see a man writhing onthe ground, a black uniformed security guard with a taserstanding over him. Camilla turns her head back.


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CAMILLADont look! Pretend you dont seeanything.

DESMONDThats outrageous! Those things cankill!

A second security guard joins the first, and they tase theman on the ground again. And again. His screams are loudand agonized, and interspersed with gibbering. And then heis quiet.

The guards drag his motionless form away.

Camilla and Desmond sit in stunned silence. Desmond closeshis eyes. After a bit he looks at Camilla again.

DESMOND

Lets get out of here.

He stands up.

DESMONDIve got an extra ticket forRossiters talk. You want to come?Its in the main auditorium.

CAMILLAAh, sure.

He pulls the chair out for her, and they leave the food

court.

INT. MAIN HALL

Desmond and Camilla walk past stalls and tables crowdedwith UFO related books and CDs and DVDs and otherparaphernalia.

CAMILLAWhats the talk going to be about?

DESMOND

I dont know. He just sent me thetickets and a note saying he wasgoing to make some kind ofmysterious announcement, and thatId be sorry if I missed it.

CAMILLAHmm.

They walk a little farther.


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CAMILLAWhat time does it start?

DESMOND(looking at watch)

In about fifteen minutes.

They stop for a moment to look at a sculpture of a bug-eyed alien, then move on.

DESMONDWhat I dont understand is why hechose this venue to make hisannouncement. He must realize itllcost him credibility with thescientific community.

CAMILLAMaybe he doesnt care what thescientific community thinks

anymore. Maybe hes found somethinghigher.

DESMONDLike what?

CAMILLACant you think of anything higherthan science?

DESMONDSure. I can think of several.

CAMILLAName one.

They exit the main hall.

INT. CORRIDOR

They pass doors bearing announcements for UFO relatedseminars and lectures.

DESMONDWhy do you want to know?

CAMILLAI just want to know what you think.

DESMONDOkay -- Id say surfing is higherthan science.

CAMILLAWhat? Surfing! Why surfing?


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DESMONDBecause its a science and an art.

CAMILLAInteresting...

An immense EARTH MOTHER type festooned with goddessjewelry stands by the entrance to the auditorium takingtickets.

Desmond hands her the ducats. She tears them in half andhands him back the stubs.

EARTH MOTHERThese are VIP tickets. Youll besitting in the reserved seats upfront.

DESMONDOh cool. Thanks.

They go in.

INT. AUDITORIUM

An USHER leads them toward the front row. Suddenly Camillagrabs Desmonds arm.

CAMILLA(excitedly)

Look! TV cameras!

Two cameraman/reporter teams are setting up. One of thereporters, BRENDA WHITTAKER, has particularly fabuloushair.

DESMONDHow about that.

CAMILLA(still hanging ontoDesmond)

This is great! Hey, isnt thatBrenda Whittaker over there? Thereporter?

DESMONDI'm not sure. I dont watch muchTV.

They arrive at the center of the front row. The ushershines his flashlight on two seats next to each other.

USHERHere ya go.


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DESMONDThank you.

The usher leaves and they settle into their seats. Theauditorium is about half full; more people stream in.

In the background we hear the cheesy, eerie strains ofTheramin music.

Almost imperceptibly the light begins to dim as the hallfills. After a bit it gets a little darker and a spotlightcomes on, lighting the empty lectern.

The Earth Mother whod been taking tickets emerges from thewings and walks to the podium. She taps on the microphone,and is rewarded with a loud clunk.

Then she looks around the room, her face shining withpride and perspiration.

EARTH MOTHERI cant tell you how inspiring itis to look out at all of you, andsee so many highly evolved soulshere tonight! I think we shouldgive ourselves a big round ofapplause...

She begins to clap enthusiastically, and the room explodesinto a self-congratulatory frenzy.

DESMOND(whispers to

Camilla)I dont know how much of thisidiocy Ill be able to take.

Camilla pointedly ignores him and stands up, sparking astanding ovation.

Eventually the applause dies down, and the audience sinksback into its seats.

EARTH MOTHERThere -- didnt that feel good?

Murmurs of agreement ripple through the crowd.

EARTH MOTHERWell folks, everybody, youd betterprepare yourselves. Ive justlearned that were about to witnesshistory being made. I am soooexcited! I wish I could tell youwhat I know, but that would bespilling the beans.

(MORE)


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EARTH MOTHER (CONTD)So instead, let me introducetonights guest, who I guarantee hasquite a surprise in store for you.

(pauses)Ladies and gentlemen, the WholeCosmos Expo is proud to present thefounder and head of the newlyformed Intergalactic PleiadianSociety...

At the word Pleiadian Camilla clamps her fingers ontoDesmonds leg just above the knee in excitement, thenquickly jerks her hand back.

EARTH MOTHER...former director of NASAs JetPropulsion Laboratory and worldfamous scientist... I wish I had adrum roll here... Doctor Eugene

Rossiter!

Paroxysms of delirious applause.

DR. ROSSITER emerges from behind the curtains and walks tothe podium. He nods stiffly to the Earth Mother, whowithdraws.

Rossiter looks ancient. He is tall and gaunt, and his baldscalp stretches across an oversized egg shaped cranium. Hewears a crisply starched white lab coat.

Dr. Rossiter nods once toward the audience, gravely, then

waits until the applause dies down. Once the room is quiethe picks up a glass of water from the podium, examines itclosely, and takes a sip. Then he puts the glass back andpauses a moment longer before speaking.

DR. ROSSITERTonight...

A gunshot erupts from the audience, and Dr. Rossiter isstruck down, an ugly bloodstain on his white lab coat.People scream. There is pandemonium.

We see a man in a black ski mask backing toward the exit,

a huge .44 Magnum in his hand.

Suddenly the stage curtains are flung apart and ZANDORstrides forward. He is about seven and a half feet tall,with golden ringlets of hair and cornflower blue eyes. Heis sculpted like a Greek statue, and clad in a whitetunic, golden cincture and gold sandals. In one hand heholds a light scepter, a curious looking rod with aglowing spiral coil at its tip.

The man in the ski mask lets out a strangled cry, turnsand bolts headlong toward the door.


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Zandor calmly points the light scepter at him and blastshim with a beam of intense blue light, immobilizing him.

The man floats upward until he is horizontal in the air,still immobile in the beam of light and floating a fewfeet above the audience. The TV cameramen franticallyswing their cameras from Rossiter lying in a pool of bloodto the man suspended above them.

ZANDOR(to audience)

May peace be yours!(looks around room)

My name is Zandor. Have no fear ofthe creature overhead, nor for him.He is not what he seems, but I haverendered him harmless. Behold...

As Zandor speaks, the levitating mans clothing and fleshseem to melt away in the blue light. A shape emerges --

gray and hairless, about three and a half feet long, anoversized head attached to a spindly neck -- it is aclassic Gray. The audience screams.

Zandor adjusts a dial on the light scepter, and the ray oflight turns purple. It seems to encase the Gray in acocoon of spinning purple light, and then suddenly with aloud pop the alien disappears. Zandor switches off thescepter.

ZANDORBe not concerned! He has not beeninjured, merely translated to

another dimension where he can dono further harm.

The audience appears stunned. Camilla is curled up in afetal position peeking through her fingers, Desmonds armaround her protectively.

Zandor turns the scepter back on and bathes Dr. Rossiterin an emerald colored ray. After a few seconds the doctorseyes flutter open and he sits up. He pulls up his shirtand examines his chest.

DR. ROSSITER

(his voice shaky)I-Impossible! Im alive, andtheres no sign of a bullethole...

Zandor helps him to his feet.

ZANDORThe bullet went through your heartand lodged against your spine.

(MORE)


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ZANDOR (CONTD)However, the ray from my lightscepter transmuted the mass of thebullet into the energy which healedyou... Fortunately our medicaltechnology is far advanced beyondthat of your planet, or else youwould still be dead.

DR. ROSSITER(still shaky)

Yes, I must have been dead...

Several people in the audience are crying. A small thronggathers in front of the stage and tries to clamber up ontoit, arms outstretched towards Zandor. A woman swoons.

Dr. Rossiter steps up to the microphone.

DR. ROSSITER

Everyone, please...

He leans against the podium, supporting himself.

DR. ROSSITERPlease go back to your seats. Nopushing, there! Please, just goback to your seats and sit down.Zandor would like to say a fewwords once everyone is seated.

Zandors admirers reluctantly withdraw.

DR. ROSSITERThank you. Thank you very much.

He picks up the glass of water and drains it.

DR. ROSSITERI hadnt anticipated such adramatic introduction...

(pauses)... but perhaps its as fitting away as any for the first emissaryfrom an extraterrestrialcivilization to make his initial

public appearance on Earth. Ladiesand gentlemen, please permit me tointroduce my dear friend, thePleiadian Ambassador to Earth --Zandor!

A frenzied roar erupts from the crowd.

INT. JOE & EMILYS APARTMENT/KITCHEN (VENICE BEACH) - DAY

The apartment is sparsely furnished and a little messy.


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EMILY is in her late twenties. She is medium height, thin,and a little pale looking, with long, frizzy black hair.

Emily reaches into the oven with a hot mitt, and brushesher exposed left forearm against the side of the ovensinterior. She cries out in pain and slams the oven doorshut.

JOE (O.S.)Damn it, do you mind? Im in heretrying to watch something!

Emily picks up a large carving knife and heads toward theliving room, sucking on the burn spot.

INT. LIVING ROOM

JOE is seated in an easy chair in front of the television.He is maybe a year or two younger than Emily and a fewinches taller. He sports a buzz cut, two earrings, and

double full sleeve tats. He seems to be in a trance-likestate.

Emily appears in the doorway, knife in hand. She looksright at him.

EMILY(shrieks)

What is wrong with you?

There is no reaction from Joe, who continues to starezombie-like at the TV screen.

Emily walks over by him. She looks down at the knife, thenover at Joe, then back at the knife, and finally at the TVset. Zandor is speaking.

Emily sinks to the floor. She sits cross-legged, watchingTV.

ZANDOR(on TV)

... and so, we have traveled acrossthe vastness of space to help guideyou through your long awaitedparadigm shift, that you might

finally reclaim your forgottenbirthright as Divine Beings.

(pauses)We have come in the spirit ofUniversal Love. My dear friends,never doubt that we are your TrueSpace Brothers and Sisters!

INT. UFO EXPO/AUDITORIUM (LIVE) - DAY

Back to Zandor in front of the live audience.


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ZANDORGentle people of Earth, do not bedeceived by the hollow lies of theZeta Reticulans, or Grays as yousometimes call them. They arecreatures of darkness, and havebeen our enemies for more than halfa million of your Earth years.

Long ages ago we assumed the taskof checking their every advance.The compassion we bear in ourhearts for all living beings doesnot allow us to annihilate them, aswe easily could, but still it isour sacred duty to nonviolentlycounter them whenever they threatenany sentient life form.

Zandor pauses for a moment and looks around the room, then

looks back at the television cameras.

ZANDORFor some time now, the Zetas havebeen treacherously abusing yourspecies. I speak here of much morethan their abductions of yourpeople, or even their obscene humangenetic experiments. The situationis, in fact, far graver than any ofyou can imagine, and daily growsmore ominous.

(pauses)

I will speak more of this in daysto come. For now, however, I mustlet you know that the problemsposed by the Zetas are as nothing,compared to a vastly more urgentthreat to your continued existence;one which I shall reveal when Iaddress the General Assembly ofyour United Nations later today.But now I must leave for New York.Thank you for your attention, andmay peace be yours.

INT. JOE AND EMILYS APARTMENT/LIVING ROOM - DAY

Joe and Emily are still sitting transfixed in front oftheir TV set. Brenda Whittaker, wildly popular acereporter, is now on the screen. Behind her we see excitedpeople from Zandors audience milling about. She flashes a2000 watt smile at her faithful viewing public.


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BRENDA(on TV)

And now we take you back to ournewsroom. This is Brenda Whittakerfor News Channel 99, live from theWhole Cosmos Expo in WestHollywood.

The station cuts to CHAD CUMMINGS and CYNTHIA MCDONALD,daytime anchors for News Channel 99.

CHAD(on TV)

Thank you Brenda.(turns to Cynthia)

What an unbelievable story!

CYNTHIA(on TV)

It certainly is, Chad. And what

about those space aliens abductingpeople and performing bizarre sexexperiments on them? Sounds like acreepy urban legend come to life!

Emily gets to her feet, the carving knife still in herhand.

EMILY(hollow whisper)

Becky was abducted by aliens once.But dont tell her I told you.

CHAD(on TV)

When we return, well bring you theresults of a three-year, four-point-eight trillion dollar federalstudy into why men dont lowerthose toilet seats... but first, wehave to pay a few bills. Well beright back.

Joe aims the remote control and switches stations to adocumentary about blowfish.

EMILY(grabbing for theremote)

You creep! I wanted to hear thatstory about the toilet seats!

Joe jerks back the remote and slaps the knife out of Emilyshand. Emily jumps on him and bites his wrist. They spillonto the floor, intertwined and writhing furiously as theyfight for the remote.


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INT. UFO EXPO/AUDITORIUM - DAY

Desmond and Camilla are crushed up against the front ofthe stage as excited audience members try to mob Zandor.Dr. Rossiter calls down to Desmond.

DR. ROSSITERLopez! I can use an assistant. Doyou want to come with us?

DESMONDIt would be an honor, sir.

Camilla grabs onto Desmond.

CAMILLATake me with you.

DESMONDCan Camilla come too? She works

with me at SpaceTech.

DR. ROSSITERVery well, but get a move on. Wehave to be in New York in less thanan hour.

Zandor pushes another button on his light scepter, and a"bubble" of purple light forms around him and expands toenvelop Rossiter and then Desmond and Camilla down on thefloor, while not allowing anyone else into the glowingforce field. The sphere with the four of them in it floatsupwards like a giant purple soap bubble, and glides over

the heads of the now frenzied audience members to sideexit doors which open onto the parking lot. The doorsswing open and the ball floats out.

EXT. UFO EXPO/PARKING LOT - DAY

The doors swing shut by themselves and the globe touchesdown and vanishes, leaving the four standing together inthe parking lot. A large circular shadow glides over themand they look up. Onlookers peer upwards as well, andseveral scream in terror. Hovering above the parking lotis a flying saucer about seventy-five feet in diameter.

DR. ROSSITERAh! Our ride.

EXT. COOTER'S TRAILER/FRONT PORCH (NEAR WEAVERVILLE) - DAY

COOTER and BUTCH are sitting on the porch stairs drinkingbeer and staring past Cooters battered Ford pickup atNorthern Californias majestic Trinity Alps.


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The sun is dazzlingly bright. There are beads of sweat onthe beer cans, and rivulets of sweat running down the mensfaces. Cooter is lean and hard, and looks like he might beforty or fifty. He wears jeans and a T-shirt. Butch looksas if he could have been struck from the same mold.

LITTLE WILLIE, weighing in at over 400 lbs., is leaningback, scratching his back against a porch column like abear. Suddenly he expels a stream of tobacco juice.

BUTCHDamn it Willie, watch what youredoin! You almost got my boot.

LITTLE WILLIE(laughing)

Shoot! Cant believe I missed.

BUTCHIt aint funny!

LITTLE WILLIEYou aint got no sense of humor.

Cooter turns around to face Little Willie.

COOTERGive it a break Willie.

(turns back toButch)

And you can just lighten up alittle.

Little Willie settles onto a rickety wooden chair. Itlooks as if it might collapse at any moment.

LITTLE WILLIEAny more beers?

COOTERYeah, help yourself.

Butch reaches into the ice chest next to him and pulls outtwo cans. He shakes one vigorously and holds it out toWillie.

LITTLE WILLIELemme have the other one, wise guy.

BUTCHNo skin offa my nose.

He hands Willie the other beer, tosses the first one backinto the cooler, and gets himself a different one.

Willie spits his chaw out into the yard, cracks open hisbeer, drains it, and flings the empty over Cooters rustingsatellite dish, barely missing it.


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Butch finishes his beer and throws the can higher andfurther than Willies.

LITTLE WILLIEGood throw.

BUTCH(offering Willie anew beer)

Want another one?

LITTLE WILLIEIs that the one you shook up?

BUTCHNaw.

LITTLE WILLIEI dont believe you.

BUTCHYou want a different one?

Butch starts to put the beer back, and Willie leansforward and grabs it from his hand.

LITTLE WILLIEGimme that one.

He points the top of the can at Butch and pops it open.Nothing shoots out. Willie puts the can to his fleshylips, upends it, and seconds later its contents arehistory. He burps loudly.

As Willie wipes his mouth with the back of his hand, a mudsplattered Jeep approaches along the dirt road leading upto Cooters trailer. Cooters dogs begin barking o.s.

The Jeep comes to a stop in front of the trailer and ROGERclimbs out. His is clad all in camo.

ROGERHey Cooter, your TV working?

COOTERHell yeah.

BUTCH(handing Roger acold one)

Have a beer.

ROGERThanks. Listen you guys, its likethis. They just faked some ten foottall E.T. on TV, and supposedly itsspeaking at the U.N. right now.

(MORE)


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ROGER (CONTD)This looks like the opening move ofsomething bad.

COOTERIts on TV right now?

ROGERYep. If we hurry we should still beable to catch some of it.

COOTERWell lets go in and see what thehell theyre up to!

Cooter leads the way and they all parade inside.

INT. COOTERS TRAILER/LIVING ROOM

Cooter switches on the TV, but nothing happens -- thescreen stays dark.

ROGERIs it plugged in?

COOTER(giving the TV set aresounding kick)

Its just cantankerous.

The TV flickers on. We see a shot of the United NationsBuilding.

TV ANNOUNCER (V.O.)(on TV)

We will return to our specialreport Ambassador from Space afterthis important message.

A torrent of tobacco juice splashes onto the picture ofthe U.N. Building. A second later the station cuts toanother commercial, this time with a barbershop quartet ofsurgeons in their scrubs hoisting cups of coffee andsinging a jingle during open-heart surgery.

COOTERDamn it Willie, was you raised in apig sty? This is my home. Show alittle respect.

LITTLE WILLIETo the UN?

Roger puts his beer down and picks up an oily rag lyingnext to Cooters rifle on the coffee table.


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ROGER(gesturing towardthe TV)

Okay if I use this?

COOTERI guess.

As Roger wipes off most of the tobacco juice and smearsthe rest, Butch spies Rogers unattended beer and snatchesit. Popping open the tab, he showers himself with beer andfoam.

Little Willie howls with laughter.

COOTERShut the hell up! Its starting.

The shot of the U.N. Building flashes back onto the TVscreen.

TV ANNOUNCER (V.O.)(on TV)

We now rejoin Zandors address inprogress...

EXT. TOPANGA CANYON - DAY

BOBBY FLETCHER leans into the turn as his off-road/on-roadYamaha motorcycle scrabbles off Old Canyon onto a narrowtrail winding up the side of a hill. His green dreadlocksflutter from beneath his helmet. He is twenty-five.

Almost a dozen dogs appear from behind a boulder andcharge him, barking savagely. He guns the bike and shootsforward, barely escaping.

At the top of the hill Bobby slows down as he rides pastthree young hippies playing hacky sack and a school busbrightly painted in psychedelic patterns. He rolls to astop in front of a Lakota-style teepee.

EXT. FRONT OF TEEPEE - DAY

COUGAR, a gray haired hippie in his mid-sixties, pokes hishead out the opening.

COUGAR(with a thickHungarian accent)

Move that stinking infernalcombustion engine downwind!

BOBBYSure thing! Sorry.


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Bobby dismounts and rolls the bike over by a manzanitabush where he leaves it propped up on its kickstand. Hestrolls back to the teepee and squats in front of theopening.

BOBBYHows it going?

MOONRAVEN, as white as the moon, plump as a cherry, andforty-two, flashes a big smile from inside the teepee.

MOONRAVENCome on in! Were watching Zandorthe Pleiadian address the U.N.

INT. TEEPEE

Cougar and Moonraven are sitting in front of theirtelevision, Zandors face on the screen. There is also a

telephone, a stereo and a computer in the teepee.

BOBBY(climbing in)

No way! I was just down by theWhole Cosmos Expo when he wasthere! I saw him take off in hisflying saucer like an hour ago!

COUGARThat Zandor is a phony baloney!Badmouthing the Grays!

MOONRAVENCougars a little irritable today.But beneath all that grumbling heknows were all brothers andsisters, no matter what galaxy wecome from. Dont you, Sweetie?

COUGARBe quiet! I want to hear what thatno good bum is saying.

MOONRAVEN(to Bobby)

Would you like some organic sesame-black bean-amaranth chips andguacamole dip?

Cougar punches up the volume on the remote until Zandorsvoice is very loud.

ZANDOR(on TV)

After tracking Zeta Reticulanactivity to your sector of thegalaxy, our scouting parties...


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Cougar turns the volume back down a little.

ZANDOR(on TV)

... arrived here and in the courseof routine observation came torealize that you were facing amenace so severe that it threatenedto render all life on your planetextinct. We found that yourindustrial and automotive emissionshad created a greenhouse effect,producing global warming which inturn was causing your ice caps tomelt, throwing the Earthsequilibrium out of balance. Ourextremely sensitive instruments nowshow that your planets axis iscurrently displaying significantrotational irregularities, and,

what is worse, they are rapidlycompounding.

Cougar turns the volume the rest of the way down.

COUGARBig surprise! As if we need somenine foot tall pretty boy in a togato tell us that! I have three booksand a DVD that say the same thing!This guy needs some new material.

He turns the volume back up.

ZANDOR(on TV)

... a shock. As a result of thischain of events, in a matter ofdays the rotation of the Earthsaxis will become violentlyeccentric, and your planets crustwill begin to break up into manythousands of pieces. There will begigantic earthquakes and tidalwaves. All this will bring about amuch needed cleansing of the Earth,

but at a terrible cost.

COUGARAbout time, too.

MOONRAVENYou need a massage, Sweetie Pie. Orsome Reiki.

Moonraven puts her hands on Cougars shoulders and leavesthem there as she tilts her head back and closes her eyes.


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Sierra pees into the bowl of guacamole dip.

MOONRAVENSierra Sunhawk! You do that againand youre getting a time out!

SIERRA(scampering over tothe opening)

If you can catch me, you big, fatbutthead.

Sierra jumps through the opening and is gone.

COUGAR(cranking the volumeon the TV back up)

Keep it down! I cant hear.

ZANDOR

(on TV)... whenever possible. As you cansee, the first rescue operation isscheduled for three days from nowat noon, Pacific Time, from the topof Mount Wilson, just outside ofLos Angeles. It will be followed bymany others at hundreds ofthousands of sites all over yourplanet during the following hoursand days. The times and places areall listed in this report.

(closes the booklet)

And now, I am certain that you allhave much to consider and todiscuss among yourselves. If youwill please excuse me, I shall takemy leave. Thank you very much foryour kind attention, and may peacebe yours.

Moonraven heaves herself to her feet and walks to theteepee opening. She sticks her head out through it.

MOONRAVEN(calling loudly)

Yoo hoo, Sierra! You can watch yourshow now!

EXT. U.N. BUILDING - DAY

Zandor, Dr. Rossiter, Desmond and Camilla exit thebuilding in a purple bubble, pursued by a tidal wave ofreporters waving cameras and microphones at them. Theirflying saucer is parked about 75 yards away. Halfwaybetween it and the building are ten PROTESTERSdemonstrating for animal rights.


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PROTESTERS(together)

Feather, fin, hoof and claw --Wild and free is natures law!

As Zandor and his entourage approach the spacecraft, theyalso approach the protesters, who are directly in front ofthem.

CAMILLA(to no one inparticular)

Hey, cool! Im a vegetarian.(yells)

Meat is murder!

Dr. Rossiter gives her a withering look.

One of the protesters (PROTESTER #1) clambers up onto awooden crate and waves a sign at the approaching media.

PROTESTER #1(from atop the crate)

We are here to speak for theanimals!

PROTESTER #2 moves to in front of the crate and faces thecameras.

PROTESTER #2And we are here to free theanimals!

Protester #1 hops down, and he and Protester #2 remove thelid, then turn the crate upside-down while the rest of thedemonstrators stand behind them in a semi-circle, cheeringat the TV cameras trained on the UFO.

The two protesters shake the box and out tumble a deadbat, a maimed koala cub, several crippled lizards andsnakes, a dead flamingo, a scruffy coyote spitting outpink feathers, a banana slug in unknown condition, and afurious bobcat missing half an ear.

The coyote seizes the flamingo in its teeth and dashesoff, while the bobcat bolts in the opposite direction. The

other critters just lay still, except for the baby koala,who crawls forward haltingly, whimpering.

PROTESTER #1Uhhh, see, this is what happenswhen you...

A phalanx of troops wearing baby blue helmets and carrying9mm Uzis suddenly appears and heads for the protesters atdouble time.


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PROTESTER #1(to the otherprotesters)

Lets get the hell out of here!

The protesters flee abruptly, leaving the newly releasedanimals to fend for themselves.

The little koala cub struggles forward a few pitifulsteps. The thundering herd of approaching soldiers is onlytwenty yards away from it. Fifteen yards. Ten. The koalais about to be horribly crushed.

CAMILLA(to Zandor)

Cant you do something?

The Pleiadian draws his light scepter and points it at thetiny koala. Instantly a globe of purple light surrounds itand floats it up above the troops heads, just before it

would have been trampled to death.

The cub floats in its purple bubble towards Zandor andentourage until its globe merges with theirs, and it dropslightly into Camillas arms. She gazes at it and then up atZandor with tears in her eyes.

CAMILLA(her voice barelyaudible)

Thank you...

Zandor twists a knob on his scepter, points it, and the

crippled marsupial is bathed in a ray of vivid greenlight. Instantly it stops whimpering and its movementsbecome normal.

Camilla squeezes Zandors arm, stands on her toes, andkisses his chest. He smiles in response, and lightly runshis fingers through his hair.

Camilla pets the critter. It tries to nurse on one of herfingers.

DESMONDLook -- hes hungry.

ZANDORLet us go to the spacecraft! Wehave bovine lacteal secretions onboard. I can rearrange theirmolecular structure a little sothat our friend here can assimilatethe nutrients more easily.

They resume walking toward the flying saucer, the pressstill following them.


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24.

Off to the side the animal rights activists are all lyingon the asphalt face down, their hands clasped behind theirheads, Uzi barrels pressed against their skulls. None ofthe media are paying any attention to them.

A cordon of blue-helmeted troops surrounds the saucer. Atthe foot of the ramp are four policemen in black uniformscarrying AR-15s. As Zandor and his associates approach theramp, the police block their way. POLICEMAN #1 opens hiscitation book.

POLICEMAN #1Is this your vehicle?

ZANDORIt belongs to the PleiadianFederation, but I am its captain.

Policeman #1 scrawls out a ticket and thrusts it towardZandor.

POLICEMAN #1Maybe the next time youre in NewYork youll remember this aint aparking lot. Sign on the bottom.

Zandor reaches through the force field and plucks theticket from the policemans hand.

ZANDOR(signing it andhanding it back)

Please accept my utmost apologies.

The transgression was entirelyunintentional.

POLICEMAN #1Yeah, yeah, Im all choked up.Heres your copy. Now get this heapback to Mars or wherever the hellit came from before you start anymore riots.

Policeman #1 steps aside and motions with a jerk of histhumb for the four to go on through, but stops the mediahorde. The reporters shout questions over each other.

REPORTER #1When will the earthquakes start?

REPORTER #2What are you going to do about theGrays?

REPORTER #3Why cant you use your advancedtechnology to stop the destruction?


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25.

REPORTER #4Is this the end of the world?

Zandor and company are about halfway up the ramp. Desmondturns to the Pleiadian.

DESMONDDont you think you could maybe takejust one or two questions before weleave?

ZANDORVery well, I shall answer onequestion.

DR. ROSSITER(loudly)

Zandor will take exactly onequestion.

(pointing)

You there...

ASIAN WOMAN REPORTERAmbassador Zandor, isnt three daysrushing things a bit? How do weknow we can trust you?

ZANDORThree days from now the Earthscrust will begin to violently breakapart, and it will be apparent toall that I have spoken the truth.As for the other part of your

question, you can know if youshould trust me by listening toyour heart.

(smiling and waving)Thank you, and may peace be yours!

INT. JOE AND EMILYS APARTMENT/LIVING ROOM - NIGHT

Emily opens the sliding glass door to the balcony andpokes her head out. We hear the sounds of traffic outside.

EMILY

Its balmy tonight.

Joe is typing away on a computer and makes no response.Emily looks at her wristwatch. It is eight oclock. Shecrosses over to the TV, turns it on, and is greeted by aradiantly perky face with remarkably white teeth.

BRENDA(on TV)

Good evening everyone, Im BrendaWhittaker for News Channel 99.

(MORE)


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BRENDA (CONTD)Topping tonights news: we are notalone. Thats the word from expertsaround the world, in light oftodays stunning developments. Andjust how serious is that glitch inthe spin of the Earths axis thatspaceman Zandor warned us about...or for that matter, does it reallyexist? Well have differingopinions on this important questionfrom scientists at -- where else?-- USC and UCLA. Plus, are youready for outer space? People arealready showing up on Mt. Wilsonwith their sleeping bags, lawnchairs, and ice chests, digging infor what they hope will be theexperience of a lifetime -- and itsa party! Well be taking you there

live, right after these messages...

Emily mutes the TV.

EMILYHow much longer are you going to beon the internet? Im expecting animportant call.

Still no answer.

EMILY(screaming)

Joe!

JOEWhat?

EMILYIm waiting for a phone call.

JOEIll be off in two minutes.

EMILYYou said that an hour and a half

ago.

JOENo, really, Im almost done.

EMILYYou said that an hour ago.

Joe continues to type. Emily leaves the room.

On the muted TV screen we see people in a circle holdinghands, the Mt. Wilson Observatory behind them in the b.g.


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On the observatory someone has hung a banner that saysWelcome Space Brothers!

A young woman rides across the screen on horseback. A girlof about ten and an old woman walk together past tents andcampfires, each carrying cat carriers with cats in them.They pass a grizzled yogi wearing only a loincloth andbeads sits cross-legged on the grass, meditating. Near himfour teenagers sit by a campfire and drink beer.

Emily reenters the room with her carving knife. She walksover to the modem and slashes its phone line.

JOEAre you crazy? What the hell didyou do that for?

EMILY(waving knifecarelessly)

I told you, Im expecting animportant call.

JOEWell... damn.

The phone rings. Emily picks it up.

EMILY(into phone)

Hello.(beat)

Hey Becky!

Emily walks out of the room, the cordless phone to herear, and into her bedroom.

INT. JOE AND EMILYS APARTMENT/EMILYS BEDROOM - NIGHT

Emily locks the door behind her, then paces nervously asshe talks with Becky.

EMILY(into phone)

Guess what! Joe is driving me

crazy, and I cant decide whetherto kill him or leave him.

INT. BECKYS BEDROOM - NIGHT

BECKY sits on her neatly made pink bed. She has a phone inone hand and a mirror in the other. She sticks the mirrorbetween her feet, picks up a hairbrush, and carefullybrushes her magenta hair.


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28.

BECKY(into phone)

Oh, Joes okay.

INTERCUT WITH Emily in her bedroom.

EMILY(into phone)

You think so? You try living withhim and see how long you can takeit.

(pause)Listen... Ive been thinking aboutheading up to Mt. Wilson. If I go,you want to go with me?

BECKY(into phone)

You mean go for a ride on a flyingsaucer? After what happened the

last time I did that, I dont thinkso.

(beat)Are you really going?

EMILY(into phone)

Maybe. These aliens are supposed tobe the good guys, right? Not theones you had your run-in with?

BECKY(into phone)

Well, thats what they

re saying.

But I dont know... I just dontthink I can trust any aliensanymore. What if these guys turnout to be just as bad as the Grays,or worse?

EMILY(into phone)

You are like so xenophobic! Supposewe really do start having all thoseearthquakes and everything, andyour only hope for survival is to

get beamed up in a flying saucer?What are you going to do then?

BECKY(into phone)

Well, in that case I might go. Butso far there havent been anyquakes.

As if on cue, the earth rocks and rolls. Windows rattleand small objects are knocked to the floor. Becky andEmily shreik simultaneously.


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29.

EMILY(into phone)

No quakes, huh? What do you callthat?

BECKY(into phone)

Oh my God...

Becky turns on her bedroom TV and starts flipping throughthe channels.

BECKY(into phone)

Hold on, Ive gotta see if they sayhow big it was.

News Channel 99 comes on, and Brenda Whittakers smilingface appears.

BRENDA(on TV)... preliminary reports indicatingsix point six on the Richter scale,with the epicenter located beneaththe ocean about forty miles west ofSan Pedro. So far there are noreports of injuries or seriousdamage.

BECKY(into phone)

Whoa, that was fast! Theyre saying

it was a six point six.

BRENDA(on TV)

Coming up next, sports with RufusJackson, followed by the weather,the latest business news, andtonights lifestyle feature on thelatest in designer sunglasses.Everything you want... and need...to know!

INT. NEWS CHANNEL 99 STUDIO (LIVE) - NIGHT

Brenda Whittaker smiles at a TV camera as she wraps up herreport.

BRENDAWell be back at the top of thehour with more live coverage fromthe gathering on Mt. Wilson, andupdates on all the rest of thedays major stories.

(MORE)


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BRENDA (CONTD)But first, a few short messagesfrom our sponsors. Im BrendaWhittaker for News Channel 99, allnews, all the time.

Brenda Whittaker unclips her lavalier mike and carelesslytosses it onto the tabletop.

TED MARSALA, thirty year old camera operator, takes offhis headphones and hangs them from the camera pedestal.

TEDGreat job, Brenda! As always. Youreally knocked em dead.

BRENDAGet real. You think I dont knowwhen the show stinks?

TEDWell, I thought you were good...

BYRON TOLLIVER, well dressed, silvery haired owner of theTV station, enters the studio.

BYRONGreat job, Brenda!

BRENDAWhy, thank you, Sir!

BYRON

And dont think the network hasn

t

noticed. They just might try tosteal you from me one of thesedays.

BRENDAWhy Byron, Id never dream ofbreaking my contract.

BYRONOf course not, of course not.

Byron coughs gently into his closed fist.

BYRONYou know youre my good luck charm,dont you Punkin?

BRENDA(laughs)

Dont be silly. Im not goinganywhere.

BYRONCourse not.


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31.

He gazes at her a moment too long.

BYRONWell, you take it easy. Ill seeyou tomorrow.

BRENDA(openly erotic)

Good night, Byron.

TEDNight, Byron.

OSCAR MEEKS, fortyish, shy and self-effacing, enters theroom just as Byron is about to leave.

OSCARGood night Mr. Tolliver.

BYRON

Night everybody.

Byron flashes a wave of the hand and exits.

Oscar picks up Brendas lavalier mike and examines it.

OSCAR(stuttering)

M-miss Whittaker, I really wish youwouldnt toss your m-microphonesaround. Theyre very sensitive, andit takes me a long time to repairthem when they b-break.

BRENDAWhat are you talking about? Im aprofessional. I dont mistreat myequipment.

OSCAR(putting down themike)

N-no, Miss Whittaker, Im sure youdont... its just that... ah...those mikes are very sensitive, andI worry about them. Im sorry... I

ah... in fact, Ive always... ah...admired your p-professionalism.

BRENDAWhy thank you Oscar.

OSCAROh, youre welcome, Miss Whittaker.I-I really mean it. Youre veryprofessional.


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32.

BRENDAThats very kind of you.

(beat)Oh, by the way, I wanted to ask youabout something I heard you mentionto Coleman earlier today...something about a miniature unitfor doing live remotes?

OSCAR(blushing)

Oh, its nothing really. Just alittle gizmo I came up with. Moreof a toy than anything else...

BRENDAIm sure youre being much toomodest.

OSCAR

No, really, it can only broadcast alow resolution signal -- but itdoes have a range of half a mile,and itll fit in your pocket.

BRENDAWhat if you had a truck with anuplink inside that half mile?

OSCARWell, then you could rebroadcastthe signal, but it really wouldntbe broadcast quality. Its made for

one of those little digitalconsumer camcorders.

BRENDABut youd still be able to see thepicture okay?

OSCAROh sure. In fact, with theequipment we have in our trucks, weshould be able to tweak it enoughto get it looking pretty darn good!

Brenda moves closer to Oscar until they almost touch.

BRENDAIf I had a big story... I mean ahuge monster story with footagethat every station in the worldwould give anything to run, nomatter what it looked like, and theonly way we could get the story outwhile it was still breaking waswith your invention...

(MORE)


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BRENDA (CONTD)That would be quite a feather inyour cap, wouldnt it?

OSCARI-I suppose so... b-b but itsreally not ready yet for a fieldtest.

BRENDAYoure not afraid Ill break yourlittle gadget, are you?

OSCAROh no, Miss Whittaker, Im sureyoud take very good care of it...

BRENDA(putting her armsaround Oscars neck)

Oh I would, and Id take very goodcare of you, too...

INT. FLYING SAUCER - DAY

Desmond, Camilla and Dr. Rossiter lay half swallowed byreclining egg-shaped seats, while Zandor sits at thecontrols, piloting the flying saucer.

The compartment is entirely white. The shapes, thoughfunctional, are highly refined and sculptural, and veryalien looking. Every line is curved, and everything flows

into everything else, creating a unified, organic, ultra-futuristic whole.

Camilla is stroking the koala cubs soft fur.

CAMILLA(dreamily)

I think Ill name you Fluffy...

Above Zandor an oval screen about four feet wide shows theU.N. Building below growing smaller and smaller. Zandor ismanipulating the controls.

ZANDORThe mothership is expecting us. Tosave time well use the dimensionalbypass drive.

DR. ROSSITER(sits up)

Very good.

DESMOND(also sits up)

Dimensional bypass drive?


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ZANDORYes, it allows us to bypass thespace-time continuum. Its fairlysimple, really. In essence, thedrive consists of a conventionalpropulsion system, a sort of timemachine, and a pair of tandemparadox inverters.

DESMONDWha-a-at...

ZANDORI shall attempt to explain. Thinkof a trip which would require, say,two hundred years of travel using aconventional slower-than-lightpropulsion system. The conventionaldrive would carry you forward fortwo hundred years, while the time

machine would compensate by takingyou backwards in time for twohundred years, so that in effect notime at all would have elapsed.Essentially you would havesidestepped the space-timecontinuum.

CAMILLABut if you went back in time twohundred years youd be right backwhere you started, wouldnt you?

ZANDORNot at all. There is a paradoxinvolved. Since everything in theuniverse is in constant motion,where you were two hundred yearsearlier would have moved, so thatwhen you attempt to go back to it,it would, of course, be somewhereelse by then. So the idea becomesto plot a course that ends uptaking you back to the precisespot that you wish to reach.

CAMILLA(a bit uncertainly)

Oh...

DR. ROSSITERThe paradox inverters act as chaosfilters. They literally protect thefabric of time and space.

DESMONDAmazing!


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35.

Zandor nods his head gravely.

DR. ROSSITERIn terms of functionality, thedrive is identical to thehyperdrive of science fiction.

DESMONDAre there ever any ill effects fromusing it?

ZANDORIt is perfectly safe. Observe --except for a recurring sense ofdeja vu and some curious visualeffects, you will experiencenothing out of the ordinary...

Zandor pushes a large red button, and everything begins tospin and leave brightly colored afterimages which merge

into spiraling trails of colored light.

ZANDOR (V.O.)(his voice echoing)

nothing out of the ordinary...nothing out of the ordinary...nothing out of the ordinary...nothing out of the ordinary...

The spiraling light spins faster and faster, becoming awhirling energy vortex. It turns in on itself and comesout the other end, then slowly dissipates.


A gigantic mothership hangs in the sky against a starrybackdrop. Suddenly a flying saucer winks into being infront of it, and a gaping maw irises open in themothership. The saucer glides forward through it into theinterior of the mothership.

EXT. LANCES BARN (NEAR WEAVERVILLE, CALIFORNIA) - NIGHT

An almost full moon peers down through a cover of wispy

clouds at Butchs battered old Ford pickup rolling up toLances barn. The barn door is partly open, and white lightwith a pale yellowish cast spills out. Butch parksalongside more than a dozen cars and trucks, and goes in.

INT. LANCES BARN - NIGHT

Maybe twenty-five or thirty people, mostly men, aresitting on folding chairs and bales of hay. Many of themare drinking beer. A meeting of some sort is underway.


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36.

Butch enters, sees Cooter and Roger and Little Willie, andfinds a seat next to them.

LANCE is standing at a microphone in front of the rest ofthe group. Behind him on the wall is a thirteen star BetsyRoss flag. Lance is about fifty, trim, and looks a littlemean. He is wearing khaki trousers, a white polo shirt andgold wire-rim glasses. His lips are very thin. Mosteverybody else is wearing jeans or camo. Little Willie iswearing bib overalls.

LANCE... to decide what were gonna do.Roger, you want to get up here andtell folks what your wifes -- wasthat her cousins husband -- said?

Roger gets up and walks to the mike.

LANCE

Just tell them what you told me.

ROGER(taking microphone)

Right. Anyway, hes over at GroomLake, in Nevada... thats wherethey test all kinds of aircraft,and people keep saying they seeUFOs and other weird stuff...Anyway, he says the word is thisZandor character is something theycooked up as a pretext to declareall out martial law, maybe as soon

as tomorrow.(pause)

Hes been reliable in the past. Hesays theyre gonna be arrestingmillions of people and shippingthem to those FEMA centers theybeen setting up. And theyre gonna begetting help from Mexican, Canadianand Chinese troops wearing babyblue helmets. And maybe someRussians too. Thats all I know.

Roger puts back the microphone and goes back to his seat.

Lance takes over the mike. LOUELLA, a small woman with abig hairdo, puts her hand up.

LANCEWhat is it, Louella?

LOUELLAWhat about that flying saucer theyshowed on TV? Are they gonna comeafter us in flying saucers?


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LANCEDidnt you hear Roger? Its a fake.That things just as phony as theMoon landing. Its probably aweather balloon or something, alljazzed up with digital effects likethey use for movies.

LOUELLAI dont know, that flying saucerlooked awful real to me.

LANCEI wouldnt worry about it none,Louella. Its all just a show. See,the bankers and the Masons and theso-called elite -- the New WorldOrder -- they control the media,and they use all that smoke andmirrors and stuff to try to control

us...

JIMBO, a large, florid man in his early forties, jumps tohis feet.

JIMBO(almost yelling)

It aint the Masons behind the NewWorld Order! Its the Jews!

COOTER(from his seat)

Wrong. Its the Catholics. The

Jesuits run everything. The headJesuits called the Black Pope, andhes the one with all the power.

LANCENow just hold on. It dont matterif its the Jews, the Masons, theCatholics or the League of WomenVoters behind the New World Order,we still gotta decide how weregonna respond to this martial lawbusiness. Anybody got any ideas?

JIMBO(raising his hand)

I got one!

LANCEWhaddaya got, Jimbo?

JIMBOI got me one o them strategicideas. Its your basic two-prongedattack, based on the theory thatthe best defense is a good offense.


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LANCEWere all ears, Jimbo.

JIMBOWell, I figure first of all thisdbe a good time for the WeavervilleAir Force to show its stuff.

LANCEJimbo, the Weaverville Air Forceconsists of exactly one antiquecropduster. Its a biplane.

JIMBOIt can take out a friggin weatherballoon any day of the week,altitude permittin, of course.Thats what you said it was, didntyou -- a weather balloon allgussied up with digital effects?

LANCEWell, yeah...

JIMBOAnd its my cropduster, and my butt!

HARLAN, thirty, baby faced, overweight, jumps to his feetand knocks his chair over.

HARLANIll go with you!

JIMBOThanks, Man.

Harlan picks up his chair and sets it back up, then lowershis behind onto it. The chair collapses under him.

LANCEOkay, Jimbo. You was sayinsomethin about a two-prongedattack?

JIMBOYes sir. The cropduster, I mean the

Air Force, attackin that weatherballoon, thatd be the one prong.The second one wouldnt really be aprong, though -- I mean, like apair of pincers or nuthin. Itsjust a figure of speech. But thesecond part would be to secure ourperimeter.

Harlan has succeeded in setting the chair up again. Hetests it, then sits in it gingerly. It holds.


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JIMBOI figure we could dynamite Highway299 at each end of town and seal itoff... maybe bring in a couple ofbackhoes and dig us some tank trapswhile were at it... station a few ofthe boys at the roadblocks withmachine guns an explosives... anErnies rocket launcher... Hell,them Fedsd think twice beforemessin with us!

Rebel yells and piercing whistles echo through the barn asfolks hoot and holler in agreement.

Roger strides up to the front of the room.

ROGERYou mind if I say a few words,Lance?

LANCEHelp yourself, if you can getanyone to listen.

Roger removes the microphone from the stand and paces backand forth holding it until the commotion subsides.

ROGEROkay. Now then, aint nobody herehates the Feds or the U.N. more nI do, and every man here knows Ivenever run away from a fight in my

life.(pauses)

But I try to pick my fights. Imean, sure, sometimes you justdont have a choice, but when youdo...

A SCRAWNY GUY with bad teeth yells from the back of theroom.

SCRAWNY GUY...you hand them their heads backon a stick!

More howling and carrying on by the assembled townspeople.Roger once again has to wait for them to quiet down.

ROGERAs I was saying... I mean, as I wastrying to say... there are timeswhen its just a bad idea to pick afight, and I think this is one ofthem.


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HARLANSo what are you gonna do? Wait tillthey round us all up and put us inconcentration camps like Hitler andStalin done, and then wish youd adone something to try and stop emwhen you still had the chance?

ROGERUse your head, Man! Were upagainst superior firepower. Theresno way we could go head to headwith them with what weve got! Thelast thing in the world we want todo is provoke them and callattention to ourselves. Itd besuicide. You ask me, we need tohead back into the hills, way back,and fight harassing guerrilla-typeactions. On our terms.

Jimbo starts flapping away like a chicken.

JIMBOBraaak! Buck! Buck! Buck! Braaak!Chick-ken!!

Others quickly join in, and form a chorus of chickencalls. Roger hands the microphone back to Lance and walksout the barn door.

INT. FLYING SAUCER/CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT

Fluffy the koala cub looks from side to side, then jumpsfrom Camillas lap onto the floor. Camilla begins to climbout after him, but Zandor reaches the baby koala first andscoops it up in his arms.

ZANDORWe have landed. I suggest you allrecline in your eggs for a few moreminutes, and become accustomed tothe new time-space continuum.

CAMILLA(holding out her

arms)May I please hold Fluffy again?

ZANDORI will return him to you shortly,but I must first check in withCentral Control, and after that Iam required to leave Fluffy with analien life form specialist for abrief but thorough healthscreening. It is solely aprecautionary measure, of course.


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CAMILLAOh... okay.

ZANDOR(strolling towardsexit, which slidesopen for him)

Ill be back quite soon. In themeantime, I suggest you just relax,perhaps meditate on your onenesswith the Cosmos. May peace beyours, my friends.

He leaves, and the opening slides shut behind him.

INT. FLYING SAUCER/PASSAGEWAY

Cradling Fluffy in his arms, Zandor slinks down anarterial corridor. He stops at an oddly shaped prominence

rising from the floor and sits on it, then lifts thelittle koala into the air by the back of its neck.

Zandor tilts his head back. Fluffy whimpers and thenshrieks with terror as Zandor slowly lowers him toward hisupturned, unhinged jaws as they stretch ever wider apart.

EXT. ROGERS CABIN (NEAR WEAVERVILLE) - DAY

Rogers Jeep pulls up in front of his log cabin overlookingthe Trinity River. It is small and tidy, with a colorfulflower garden and neatly stacked firewood. Roger parks and

gets out, and goes into the house. He is carrying a riflein a soft camo case, and a gun bag.

INT. ROGERS CABIN

ROGER(calls out)

Hi Nancy! Im back.

There is no reply. He goes through the house looking forher.

ROGERWhere are you, Angel? Are you home?

Roger finds a note on the kitchen table. He reads it, thencrumples it into a ball. He looks as if a mule had justkicked him in the stomach.

He walks over to the wood burning stove in the livingroom. Squatting down he opens its cast iron door, placesthe wadded note on the grate almost gingerly, thencarefully and deliberately sets fire to it.


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He watches it burn, and as the flames reach the tightinner core of the wad he pokes and prods it with his barefingertip until the last bit of paper is reduced to ash.He stares at the ashes, then stands up again.

He goes to a cabinet and removes an unopened bottle ofWild Turkey and a coffee cup. He cracks the seal on thebottle, fills to cup to about half an inch from the top,and carries the bottle and cup out to the front yard.

EXT. ROGERS CABIN

Roger pulls the axe out of the oak round he uses for achopping block, and leans it up against the stackedcordwood. Then he sits on the oak round and drains the cupof whiskey. He refills the cup.

The sun is high, burning brightly in a cloudless sky. Twoturkey vultures circle lazily overhead.

Roger empties the second cup and hurls it against aboulder in the front yard. It shatters violently. He putsthe bottle to his lips and upends it.

The sun traces spinning circles in the sky.

Roger stands up on very wobbly legs, throws the emptywhiskey bottle through his front window, picks up his axe,and heads back into the cabin.

INT. ROGERS CABIN

Staggering through the house sobbing and roaring, Rogerdoes an astonishing amount of damage with his axe.Finally, after demolishing an antique grandfather clock,he falls to his knees and vomits. The room begins to spin.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ROGERS CABIN - NIGHT

Roger is lying unconscious on the floor. Moonlight isspilling in through the shattered window.

He groans and stirs a little, then clumsily gets up. He iscovered in his own vomit. He lurches into the bathroom.

INT. ROGERS CABIN/KITCHEN

Roger enters the kitchen in clean clothes, drying his hairwith a towel. He still looks pretty shaky.

The kitchen is a shambles. He roots around in the fridgeand finds a piece of cold chicken.


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Gnawing on the chicken, Roger digs through the rubble onthe kitchen counter and finds the cordless telephone. Hebites off the last piece of chicken and flings the boneonto a pile of smashed crockery.

ROGER(mumbling to himself)

Okay. Its only a little pasteleven in Nevada. Josie wont likeme calling this late, but Edllstill be up.

He heads outside with the phone, dialing Eds number.

EXT. ROGERS CABIN - NIGHT

Roger sits on the oak round, phone to ear.

JOSIE (V.O.)

(recording on answeringmachine, filtered)Hi! Youve reached Josie and EdGilmore. Were sorry we cant cometo the phone right now...

(picks up phone)Yes? Who is it?

ROGERHi Josie. Sorry to be bothering youso late...

JOSIE (V.O.)

(over phone, filtered)Oh, its you. Eds getting ready forbed, but hes still up. Let me gethim for you.

ROGERThanks.

We hear the sound of JOSIE and ED arguing o.s. in theb.g., but not the individual words. Finally Ed picks up.

ED (V.O.)(over phone, filtered)

Hey there Roger, hows it goin?

ROGERHi Ed. Listen, if this is a badtime to call...


Naw, its fine. Im always up untilat least midnight. Josie gets afterme to turn in earlier, but you knowhow it is.


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ROGERYeah.

There is silence on both ends of the line.


You okay?

ROGERIve been better. Look, ah, Nancysrun off to L.A. with that slimeballyoga teacher of hers...


Oh man.

ROGERYeah. I got back from the range and

the house was empty. She left anote. She also emptied out the bankaccount. And took Buffy.

An owl perched above Roger in a huge old oak tree hoots.


She took your dog too? Thats cold.

ROGERI had her since she was a puppy.

(stifles a sob)

She used to be so little you couldcarry her around in a shoe box.

Theres a moment of silence.


You need a few bucks?

ROGERNaw, Man, Im okay. I got some goldand silver coins, and some FederalReserve notes.

(beat)Matter of fact, Im in great shape.My biggest problem just walked outthe door. Im a free man.


Hey Buddy, Ill drink to that.(guzzles some beer)

More silence on both ends of the line.


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ROGERYou got anything new on that UFOscam?


You mean the Zandor thing?

ROGERYeah.


Okay, this is the deal. Theyregonna be detonating undergroundnukes all over the place to fakeearthquakes. Everybodys gonna getscared and run off to get beamed upby the flying saucers, but insteadtheyll find troops waiting for

them. Hello FEMA camp.

ROGERThats evil.


You got it.

ROGERSo what are you going to do?

ED (V.O.)

(over phone, filtered)Well, Im afraid I cant discussthat even with you, Good Buddy.

The owl launches itself forward and buzzes Rogers headbefore disappearing into the darkness. Roger ignores it.

ROGERYou got a bolt hole?


Could be. Limited seating, though,

if you get my drift.

ROGERDont worry -- I make my own way.


Got any plans yet?

ROGERGot a couple of ideas. Wanted toask you something, though.


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46.


Shoot.

ROGERThose caves under Mount Shasta. Youhavent heard of any covert opsthere or anything?


Nothin since that Cold War stuffback in the 50s.

Josie is yelling in the b.g. on Eds end.

ROGERJust wondering. Well, thanks a lot,Ed. I gotta get going. Its gettinglate.


Yeah, well, you hang in there,okay? Any womans gonna treat youlike that, youre better offwithout her, you know what I mean?You just hang in there.

ROGERThanks Man. Ill catch you later.

ED (V.O.)

(over phone, filtered)Take it easy.

INT. MOTHERSHIP - NIGHT

Desmond and Camilla are sitting at a sort of table,drinking an electric blue beverage. Clouds of glowing fogrise from their glasses. Before them is an immense ovalporthole the size of four football fields, opening onto avast stellar panorama. They gaze in awe into the splendorof the heavens.

Small groups of Pleiadians, the men exact duplicates ofZandor in appearance, the women identical statuesque sevenfoot tall blondes, stroll past or are seated nearby.

Desmond turns his gaze to Camilla.

DESMONDThis is all so... fantastic.

CAMILLAReally. Its totally amazing.

(MORE)


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47.

CAMILLA (CONTD)Whod have thought?

(holds up her glass)What do they call this stuff,anyway?

DESMONDPahoonga.

CAMILLARight, pahoonga.

(takes a sip,laughs)

It tickles...(pause)

So listen, do you think Zandorlikes me?

DESMONDYoure asking me? How should I

know?

CAMILLAWell, youre a guy.

DESMONDI have no idea what goes on inZandors head. For all I know helikes goats.

CAMILLAWhat an awful thing to say!

DESMONDI suppose it is.

(pauses)But you know, theres somethingcreepy about the guy. I dontreally trust him.

CAMILLAOf course you dont trust him!Materialists are always threatenedby spirituality.

DESMOND

I am not a materialist. And foryour information, Zandor wouldntrecognize spirituality if it bithim on the rear end.

CAMILLAThats ridiculous. Zandors the mostspiritual person Ive ever met!

DESMONDZandors religion is self-worship.Id call that a spiritual disorder.


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CAMILLAAnd what gives you the right to sitin judgment of other peoplesbeliefs?

DESMONDTwo things -- the fact that somebeliefs are patently absurd, andthe fact that Im capable ofrational thought.

CAMILLAYou are, like, so right brain!

DESMONDI think you mean left brain.

CAMILLAWhatever. You think youre sosmart, but the mind is limited, and

cant grasp the infinite!

DESMONDWell, yours apparently cant evengrasp the obvious.

Camilla stands up abruptly, spilling her drink.

CAMILLAYou jerk!

She slams her glass down, turns on her heel, and hurriesaway. She looks quite upset.

EXT. HIGHWAY ONE NORTH OF BIG SUR - DAY

A southbound white Volvo station wagon is carefullynegotiating the curves above the ocean. Overhead the sunis setting, painting both sky and ocean with a vividpalette.

INT. VOLVO - DAY - TRAVELING

Inside the Volvo a CD of sitar music is playing. NANCY is

riding shotgun, and MAYANANDA, Nancys slimeball yogateacher, is driving. Nancy is thirty-five and attractive,with blonde hair and blue eyes. Mayananda is twenty-sevenand has long hair, skin that glows, and perfect teeth.

Riding in the back seat is BUFFY, a large black LabradorRetriever.

NANCYYou know, a sunset like this wouldbe wasted on Roger.

(MORE)


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NANCY (CONTD)All he ever thinks about is crazyconspiracies and stuff like that.Would you believe it, he broughtguns with him on our honeymoon incase the Feds tried to SWAT team usor something? And he stayed up halfour wedding night cleaning andoiling them!

MAYANANDAUnbelievable. And you so young andbeautiful...

NANCYDo you have any idea what it feelslike to play second fiddle to anassault rifle on your honeymoon?

MAYANANDA

It must have been terriblyhumiliating, especially for asensitive soul like yours.

NANCY(starts to cry)

It was terrible.

The car overtakes a pair of Spandex-clad bicyclists, andBuffy erupts into a loud barking frenzy, slavering andclawing furiously at the window.

MAYANANDA

Stop him! Hes ruining the car!

NANCYShes a she.

(to Buffy)Down Buffy! Down! Down down...

Buffy stops barking once the bicyclists are out of sight.She curls up on the back seat and chews on her behind.

NANCYStop that, Buffy!

MAYANANDABuffys behavior proves the Law ofKarma -- you see what happens topeople who eat meat. They end upreincarnating as dumb carniverousbeasts.

NANCYDont you dare call Buffy dumb!Youll hurt her feelings.


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MAYANANDAMy apologies. Buffy.

EXT. HIGHWAY ONE NEAR BIG SUR - NIGHT

The Volvo wends its way south on Highway One through thenight to a bed and breakfast called the Mermaids Arms.They pull up at the office and park.

INT. VOLVO - NIGHT

MAYANANDA(turning off theengine)

Would you like to come with me orwait here?

NANCY

Ill go with you. I need to stretchmy legs.

They slip out of the car, barely keeping Buffy fromescaping.

EXT./INT. MERMAIDS ARMS/OFFICE - NIGHT

They walk to the office and enter it, Mayananda openingthe door for Nancy.

Inside it is rustic and charming. The proprietress, MRS.

ROSS, a sweet grandmotherly type, is at the desk.

MRS. ROSSGood evening.

MAYANANDAHi! We have a reservation --Robertson, party of two. Paid inadvance.

MRS. ROSS(looks on computerscreen)

Yes, there you are. Ive put you innumber six. It has a beautiful viewof the ocean.

(hands him aregistration card)

Isnt it horrible about theearthquakes?

NANCYEarthquakes?


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51.

MRS. ROSSYou havent heard? Of course --youve been traveling all day.

(to Mayananda)I just need your name and addressand your cars license platenumber.

(back to Nancy)Well, its been all over the news,my dear. Its simply horrible.There have been dozens ofearthquakes all over the worldtoday, really big ones. There wasone in India theyre saying killedover half a million people.

MAYANANDA(alarmed)

Where in India?

MRS. ROSSOh dear, let me see. I believe theysaid it was near Calcutta. Or wasit Bombay? No, it was Calcutta, Iremember now. Im sure thats whatthey said. Calcutta.

MAYANANDAThats where my spiritual masterlives!

MRS. ROSSOh, I m so sorry. What was, I

mean is, his name?

MRS. ROSSShree Shree Mahavatara Mayavadaji.

Nancy wanders over to a corner where theres a televisionon, the volume very low. She begins to watch.

MAYANANDA(filling out card)

He only had thirty-two yogic powerswhen he incarnated as Jesus, butthis time he has all one hundred

and eight.(hands her the card)

MRS. ROSSWell, he should be fine then. May Iplease see your drivers license?

NANCY(watching the TV)

Oh no!


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52.

MAYANANDAWhat is it?

NANCYThere were a bunch of quakes up inthe Bay Area just a few minutesago. San Francisco and San Jose gotslammed. Theyre saying it wasreally bad, particularly SanFrancisco. A lot of people dead.

MAYANANDAThats it, then. Its the beginningof the paradigm shift. ThePleiadian was right. Well have toleave at four in the morning if wewant to get to Mt. Wilson on time.

MRS. ROSSOh... youre going down to Mt.

Wilson? I dont suppose you

d haveroom for one more? I can pay.

MAYANANDAWhat did you have in mind?

MRS. ROSSI dont know... fifty dollars?

(beat)A hundred?

MAYANANDA(magnanimously)

No problem. Youll have to share

the back seat with a dog, though,and you can only take one suitcase.Are you okay with that?

MRS. ROSSThatll be fine.

MAYANANDAWell start packing the car aroundthree-thirty. We have to be on theroad by four at the latest, so wecant wait if youre late.

MRS. ROSSI understand.

(handing him a key)Heres your key. Just go out thedoor and turn right, and follow thedriveway to number six. Itll be onyour right. You cant miss it.

MAYANANDAThanks.


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53.

NANCYSee you in the morning!

MRS. ROSSSee you then. Good night.

Nancy and Mayananda exit the room.

EXT. THE MERMAIDS ARMS/OFFICE - NIGHT

Leaving the office, they walk back to the Volvo. Buffy isvery excited to see them, and bounces up and down wildly.

As Mayananda opens the car door Buffy lunges forward andexplodes past him into the parking lot, across it, and offinto the night.

NANCY(taking off after

the dog)Buffy! Come back! Bu-u-f-f-f-y!

Mayananda takes off after Nancy.

EXT. THE MERMAIDS ARMS/CABIN SIX - NIGHT

The white Volvo is parked in front of number six, a tinylog cabin nestled in a sylvan wonderland high atop adramatic highland.

In the distance, seals bark and waves break beneath the

full Moon.

Nancy and Mayananda, dirty, scratched, clothes torn,stumble out of the woods and up the path toward the cabin.

MAYANANDADont worry, shell come back whenshe feels like it. She wont have anytrouble finding us.

NANCYBut shes never even seen thiscabin...

MAYANANDABut she knows the car. And you canalways leave something with yoursmell on it outside the front door.

(unlocks door andopens it)

Come inside. What you need is a nicetantric massage...

They go in, and the door closes behind them.


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54.

The moon is very large and full. In the distance, a saucerflies across its face. Beams of red light shoot out fromit periodically, striking the ground. The saucer drawscloser, and hovers overhead. A red beam shines down.

Abruptly, the ground begins to shake with great intensity,flattening the cabin with explosive force. With a grindingroar the ground splits apart, and the Volvo and the cabinsremains are swallowed up.

EXT. ANGELES CREST HIGHWAY - DAY - ESTABLISHING

The traffic heading towards Mt. Wilson is stalled at leastas far back as Glendale, and conceivably all the way toTiajuana. Not a car is moving.

INT. BECKYS CAR (ON ANGELES CREST) - DAY

Becky is at the wheel and Emily is sitting next to her.The car is standing still with the engine turned off andthe windows rolled down. Becky takes a swallow from abottle of spring water.

BECKYI cant believe I let you talk meinto coming up here.

EMILYOh right, its all my fault. I madeyou come.

BECKYOkay, okay -- youre right. It wasmy decision. I only have my ownspinelessness and stupidity toblame.

EMILYThank you.

BECKYBut now that Ive seen the error ofmy ways, Im going to turn this cararound and head back to Santa

Monica while the downhill lanes arestill open.

EMILYDont you dare!

BECKYWhat are you talking about? Werenot going anywhere.

(MORE)


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55.

BECKY (CONTD)We havent moved in over an hour...and cars are starting to use thesouthbound lanes to head up themountain! If we dont leave now,were going to be stuck here tillnext spring.

EMILY(opening car door)

If you turn this car around, Imgetting out and walking.

BECKYDont be a fool!

EMILYIm a fool? Youre the one who wantsto stay and get killed in the earthchanges!

Emily grabs her backpack and gets out of the car. Beckyremoves the keys from the ignition, and jumps out onto theAngeles Crest Highway after her.

BECKYFor Gods sake, Emily, you have noidea what its like! They do thingsto you...

At that moment Bobby Fletcher, green dreadlocks flowingfrom beneath his helmet, cruises up on his bike betweenthe lanes of stalled cars. He comes to a stop in front of

them, takes off his helmet, and smiles winningly.

BOBBYHi! I dont mean to barge in, but Ithought you might like to know thattheres a bunch of motorcycle copsheading up the hill just behind me,and it looks like they might begetting ready to seal off the roadto Mt. Wilson. Im going in aheadof them, and I have room for onemore. Either of you like to come?

The girls glance at each other.

EMILYId love a ride.

BOBBY(putting helmet backon)

Hop on.

Becky and Emily hug.


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56.

BECKYYou be careful!

EMILY(laughing and wipingaway a tear)

Yes, Mother.

The wail of sirens can be heard in the distance. Bobbyrevs his engine.

BOBBYWe have to go now.

EMILYIm ready.

Emily slings on her backpack and hops on the bike behindBobby. She tries to call out a farewell to Becky, but hervoice is drowned by the squeal of rubber and the roar of

his engine as Bobby pops the clutch and shoots off,heading north along the empty soundbound lanes.

BECKY(waving sadly)

Good luck...

As Becky stares off in the direction theyd gone, the soundof police sirens gets louder, and then a stream ofpolicemen mounted on motorcycles roars past.

INT. MOTHERSHIP - NIGHT

Zandor walks up to Desmond, who is sitting alone in frontof the gigantic porthole, staring out at the stars.

ZANDORHow are you enjoying your stay? Areyour sleeping quarters comfortable?

DESMONDYes, very nice thank you. In fact,Im just getting ready to turn in.

ZANDOR

In that case, please, do not let mekeep you any longer. Indeed, I toomust retire for the evening. Restwell my friend.

(bows gravely)May peace be yours.

DESMONDAhhh... good night.

Zandor leaves, walking off across the deck to a corridorwhich heads deeper into the mothership.


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57.

He walks along the corridor to an airlock which opensbefore him. He goes through, and it closes behind him.

On the other side the airlock Zandor undergoes anastonishing metamorphosis. As he sighs in relief, hishumanoid form collapses into a quivering pool of slime. Alarge bubble rises to the surface and bursts, and then ahideous creature which might have sprung from the brow ofHieronymous Bosch emerges, a nightmare melding ofreptilian, insectoid and cephalopod natures.

With a sucking, squelching sound Zandor slimes his way toa small flying saucer parked nearby, opens the access portwith a tentacle, and slithers inside.

INT./EXT. FIGHTER SAUCER - NIGHT

Zandor inserts himself into the pilots seat, turns on theviewscreen, and fires up the controls.

The saucer taxis down a tubular runway, gathers momentum,and shoots out into space like a torpedo.


The mothership hangs suspended in space, hidden from Earthbehind the Moon. The fighter saucer emerges from it androunds the Moon.

INT./EXT. FIGHTER SAUCER - NIGHT

The viewscreen shows Lake Mead below the saucer. Theflying disc swoops down and positions itself in front ofthe dam. Zandor activates the targeting crosshairs on theviewscreen and positions the base of Hoover Dam squarelyin the center. Placing a hideous claw on on the sleektrigger grip, he squeezes.

The ground shakes and Hoover Dam disintegrates, releasingthe entire contents of Lake Mead in an awesome display ofraw force.

Zandor, visibly quivering, lets out a triumphant shriek.

He watches a while longer, then takes off straight up,shooting towards outer space.

EXT. THE PENTAGON - DAY - ESTABLISHING

It is a beautiful day in Washington, and the streetsaround the Pentagon are teeming with midday traffic.


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INT. A CONFERENCE ROOM IN THE PENTAGON - DAY

DR. INGA SVENSEN, renowned geophysicist and blondebombshell, is standing before a table at which are seatedSAMUEL ADAM WEISHAUPT, President of the United States;PENELOPE LAKE, Presidential Aide and Girl Friday; GENERALTYBURN OLD CANNONBALLS HALFMAST, head of the Joint Chiefsof Staff; Benjamin Sharkey Saxon, Chairman of the FederalReserve Bank; and LT. COL. WILLARD WEDGEWELL, head of aresearch facility in Area 51. Also present are members ofthe intelligence community and assorted other suits andmilitary uniforms.

There is a large flat screen monitor behind Dr. Svensenshowing a 3D animation of the Earth spinning slowly.

DR. SVENSENThats correct, Mr. President,theres no question about it. TheEarths rotation is perfectly

normal. What is abnormal, however,is some seismic data USGS recentlycollected. Observe the next image.

A new picture flashes onto the screen, of a mountainousarea. There is a set of bright red concentric circlessuperimposed over one of the valleys.

DR. SVENSENThese concentric rings indicatepulses of geomagnetic energyrecorded near the epicenter of amajor seismic event yesterday

afternoon in California. As withall significant seismic incidentsduring the past two days for whichwe have data, which is all of them,these pulses occurred less thanhalf a second before the temblorstruck. Weve never seen anythinglike this energy signature before.

(pauses)Gentlemen, I find it impossible toescape the conclusion that theseearthquakes were deliberatelyinduced by someone with an advanced

technological capability.

A collective gasp goes up from the table. The presidentturns to General Halfmast.

PRESIDENT WEISHAUPTWhat do you think, General?

Gen. Halfmast fiddles with his ring, which has Masonicinsignia on it.


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GEN. HALFMASTWhat we have here, Mr. President,is an attack on U.S. soil byhostile aircraft. Well have to goto DEFCON ONE status, of course.

(pauses)And of course you should declaremartial law immediately. I alsorecommend we nuke somebody.

PRESIDENT WEISHAUPT(to Penelope)

Write a note reminding me todeclare martial law when we getback to the White House.

PENELOPE(scribbling away)

Yes sir.

GEN. HALFMASTOne more thing -- Id stronglysuggest we bring in some U.N.Peacekeepers. Some of our boysdont like to point weapons attheir own people.

PRESIDENT WEISHAUPTGood idea.

GEN. HALFMASTWe need more intel about those damnNordic aliens. What do our little

gray friends from Area 51 have tosay about them, Col. Wedgewell?

LT. COL. WEDGEWELLBegging your pardon, General, butIm not cleared to release thatinformation.

PRESIDENT WEISHAUPTIm giving you clearance now,Lieutenant Colonel.

LT. COL. WEDGEWELL

Begging your pardon, Mr.President...

PRESIDENT WEISHAUPTLieutenant Colonel, as yourCommander-in-Chief I hereby orderyou to answer the generalsquestion

LT. COL. WEDGEWELLBut Sir -- my implant will go off.


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60.

PRESIDENT WEISHAUPTYour what?

Splattering everyone in the room with gore, LieutenantColonel Wedgewells head explodes violently.

INT. JOE AND EMILYS APARTMENT - DAY

Joe shuffles into the living room yawning. He is barefootand wearing jeans and a wifebeater undershirt. He needs ashave.

He wanders into the kitchen and rummages through thepantry, eventually finding a can of ravioli. He opens it,finds a spoon, and carries the can and the spoon back intothe living room.

He lowers himself onto the sofa, picks up the remote, andturns on the TV. He sits and watches TV, eating cold

ravioli from the can.

The TV is playing the end of a commercial. It shows a cardriving off into a rainy night.

NARRATOR (V.O.)(on TV)

Recent studies show that Zepherolslows the reabsorption of criticalneurotransmitters up to twice aseffectively as the three leadingserotonin re-uptake inhibitors.

The shot dissolves to the interior of the same car on asunny day. A woman dressed in bright, cheerful colorswaits behind the wheel. The door opens and her husbandgets in. Looking as squirrely as a bagful of bandicoots,he giggles.

WIFE(on TV)

What did the doctor say?

HUSBAND(on TV)

He said my brain chemistry is still

all messed up, but you know what --now I dont care anymore!

They both laugh. The NARRATOR continues as children frolicon a perfectly manicured lawn.

NARRATOR (V.O.)(on TV)

Ask your doctor if Zepherol isright for you.

(MORE)


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61.

NARRATOR (CONTD)Side effects may include nausea,diarrhea, boils, running sores,paralysis, convulsions, blindness,stroke, and moderate to severedeath. Do not take if...

Bored, Joe flips through the channels.

A huge earthquake rocks the building. The wall to theoutside is ripped open, providing a direct view of thePacific Ocean. Furniture is overturned, and Joe is flungonto the floor.

As the shaking continues, the electricity goes out, comesback on for a few seconds, then goes out again.

The shaking stops. Joe gets to his feet. He stares outthrough the jagged hole in the wall at the ocean.

The lights come back on. Joe turns the TV back on and sitsback down on the couch. He puts on News Channel 99, andBrenda Whittakers flawless face graces the screen. She islive on location. Looming behind her is earthquake damagedMount Wilson Observatory, its classic dome half collapsed.

Joe leans forward a little, leering.

BRENDA(on TV)

The scene here on Mt. Wilson istense today, in marked contrast tothe festival atmosphere two days

ago. Police earlier today cordonedoff a sometimes rowdy crowd ofabout ten to fifteen thousandpeople who were waiting here forthe flying saucers, and there havebeen scores of arrests.

A milling sea of people are pushing and shoving againstagainst each other and against a line of heavily armedpolice in riot gear and gas masks. Outside the policeline, yet more people are trying to push their way in.

BRENDA

(on TV)Police havent released any officialfigures yet, but in the past hour Icounted approximately fifty peoplebeing led away to buses inhandcuffs.

EXT. MOUNT WILSON - DAY

Heavily armored police fire tear gas cannisters at a grouptrying to force its way in.


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62.

The attackers retreat, then stop, pick up rocks, and throwthem at the police. Some of the stones overshoot theirmark, hitting people inside the line, a few of whom throwrocks and other objects back. The police begin firing teargas grenades in both directions.

BRENDA(into microphone)

According to spaceman Zandorsschedule...

(coughs and gaspsfor breath)

... excuse me... the flying saucersshould...

(coughs again)... get here soon...

Ted, Brendas studio cameraman, pours water from a canteenonto a bandana and puts it over Brendas mouth and nose.She holds it in place, and coughing and gasping they both

run toward fresh air along with everyone near them.

INT. JOE AND EMILYS APARTMENT - DAY

Joe watches the unfolding events with rapt attention. Hesees Emily riding on the back of a motorcycle with a guywith bright green hair. They are outside of the policecordon, and riding around aimlessly in circles. Joe hootsderisively and bounces up and down on the sofa.

EXT. MOUNT WILSON - DAY

The situation on Mt. Wilson is getting out of hand. No onecan cross the police line in either direction, and theharder they try, the more violent the police become.

The line is almost breached in one spot, and bursts ofmachine gun fire ring out. People fall to the ground;others scream and try to run away from the police.

Suddenly the saucer appears. It is huge. A roar goes upfrom the crowd.

Brenda fumbles in her purse and pulls out Oscars gizmo, a

small digital palmcorder taped and hardwired to a soupedup cell phone with a multi-element antenna protruding fromit. She pushes it into Teds hands.

BRENDA(still gasping)

Get ready to make history. Doug hasthe receiver patched into theswitcher on the truck. When youreready to transmit just dial 99 andhit the send button.

(MORE)


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63.

BRENDA (CONTD)Theres enough juice for abouttwenty minutes of airtime.

TED(examining gizmo)

Looks pretty straightforward.

An aperture half the size of a football field irises openin the center of the saucers underside, and a beam of bluelight shoots out. It plays across the crowd in a wideswath, beaming up over a thousand people in one pass,including more than a few police.

Ted throws his arms around Brenda as the ray approaches,and then they too are lifted up into the air.

TEDHold tight and dont look down!

the space brothers

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