by

Chip Proser

A STRANGE LANDSCAPE.

Like the surface of some alien planet. CELESTIAL FORMS spin in

the distance. DROP DOWN over a topo

ALVIN 5 - THE POD

A titanium alloy sphere; the strongest form to withstand great

pressures. A streamlined mantle hou

WEIRD SUBMARINE FORMS

glow in artificial light. We float over undulating undersea

hills. Tendrils of beautiful growths w

AL (VO)

...one small schlep for mankind...

INT. - ALVIN 1

THE MAN INSIDE is Al Viola, 35, ex-Marine, ex-astronaut. He

holds a doctorate in Medieval Language

AL

...but it means money in the bank to

me.

A VOICE cuts in - The Mission Control Officer - COLIN

COLIN - VO

Could you to stop counting

your profits long enough for a systems

check...

AL

This is a small breakthrough.

I've a right to make a statement.

A LAB SOMEWHERE

Technicians cluster around VIDEO SCREENS showing feeds from

ALVIN'S MULTIPLE CAMERAS. One shot fro

COLIN

What a pain in the...Where did we

get this prima donna?...(into mike)

Then do try to keep it dignified.

Puns are a sign of oxygen deprivation

of the brain. Now give us bank three,

if you would.

AL

Alright, alright! Air filtration,

88; battery load, 76;...

Reception is perfect. Al reports full success. He reads off

instrument readings rapidly. His voice

2.

THE LAB TECHNICIANS are taut, organized and highly disciplined.

There is a sense of purpose, of ve

THE SUBMERSIBLE swoops through valleys lined with stranger

growths. The craft is perfectly balance

END TITLES

SILICON VALLEY - DAWN - A peaceful setting; flowers on low,

rolling hills, a high-tech building co

TWO MEN ON A HILL OVERLOOKING UST. They are fooling with

something. It goes off. A rocket flares o

ABOVE THE BUILDING, retro jets slow the craft. A small braking

chute blooms. It settles, braking j

THE ROCKETEER hits a button; blue flame shoots out the

underside of the vehicle. It burns a tiny p

INT. UNITED SYNERGISTIC TECHNOLOGIES - A HIGH-TECH LAB - THE

SAME ONE, SAME TIME - A TECH turns fr

CONTROL ROOM - Engineers note and dismiss a READING...

ENG 1

Air temp just went up.

ENG 2

We're drawing lots of power.

INT. UST FRONT OFFICE - Salesmen, job seekers crowd the busy

lobby. One applicant, Joe Doakes, 30,

JOE

Remember me?

She barely looks up...a 40 watt smile.

JOE

Joe Doakes? It's quarter to 10...

RECEPTIONIST.

I'm sorry. We're running behind.

So many applicants...so few jobs... If you'll just have a

seat.

JOE

I have a seat. I've had it since

nine.

RECEPTIONIST.

...Mr. Athol will be with you as soon

as possible. Will you be able to

wait?

JOE (he turns)

You're just lucky I

(more)

3.

(Cont'd)

need this job.

RECEPTIONIST.

Is there anything else?

JOE

A drink...

RECEPTIONIST.

Water fountain's through that door,

down the hall.

JOE

Thanks.

THE ROOF - The landing craft withdraws its torch, deploys a

nozzle-arm. PSSSSCCCHHHT. A colorless

INT. LAB AND CONTROL ROOM. - Slowly, almost imperceptibly, the

hubbub and chatter die off. People

EXT. THE VALLEY - A CHOPPER glides through the pass and settles

on the UST landing pad. Five figur

THE INTRUDERS - walk to the access door. They are armed,

disciplined, well drilled. Movement is un

LEADER

Hello.

GUARD

Hello.

LEADER

We'd like to come in.

The guard is lethargic. The gas has sapped his will. One part

of his brain cannot accept what he i

GUARD (giggling)

You'd like...to come in...

LEADER

Open the door please.

GUARD (still giggling)

Open the door?... Certainly.

The door pops open. They enter and pass the bemused guard.

LEADER

Thank you.

GUARD

My pleasure.

INT. LAB AREA - Everyone is smiling...stoned. The LEADER

speaks to them like children, not to be f

LEADER

Hello.

TECH

Hello.

(more)

4.

(Cont'd)

LEADER

We've come for the PEM114. Where is

it?

TECH 2

Right there.

LEADER

Thank you.

The INTRUDERS step up to the lab equipment. Another

tech...steps forward...He is struggling agains

TECH 3

Wait.

LEADER

Why?

TECH 3

You can't take that.

LEADER

Why not?

TECH 3

The experiment. The danger...

THE VOICE is soothing, calming, hypnotic, but the submachine

guns are always in position.

LEADER

It's alright.

TECH 3

It is?

LEADER

It will be fine. You have another.

TECH 3

Just one. The back up.

LEADER

Could I have it, please.

TECH 3

I can't get it out. It would take

hours.

LEADER

That's alright. Just tear it apart.

TECH 3

Tear it apart?

LEADER

Yes.

TECH 3

Ahhh...Okay?!!!

He tears into a complex web of electronic circuitry, ripping

wires and circuit boards apart. With

THE SHRIEK of an ALARM SIREN. Suddenly a door swings open.

The LEADER'S gun swings on the figure

5.

LEADER

What do you want?

JOE (stoned innocent)

Drink of water...?

A beat, then the LEADER relaxes...He waves Joe away...

LEADER

Go get a drink.

This has the force of suggestion...Joe turns and walks through

and out of the room...looking for a

INTRUDER 2

The PEM114?

TECH 2

Yes, that's it.

LEADER

Give it to me.

He does. Another tech offers the Leader the spare. He holds

the tiny circuit board in his palm, re

LEADER

This the only spare?

TECH 2

Yes.

LEADER

The other working.

TECH 2

Perfectly.

The Leader has something in his hand, a CLICK, a WHOOSH. A

butane lighter melts the circuit board to microscopic slag.

The Tech looks at his scorched hand,

TECH 2

Ow?...

LEADER

It'l be alright.

TECH 2

It will.

LEADER

It doesn't hurt.

TECH 2

No?

The Leader pauses for a moment, amused by their sheep-like

acquiescence. His next suggestion is dr

LEADER

It tickles.

The tech looks at his smoking hand in dismay...then incredibly

finds something amusing in his seco

6.

INTRUDER 5, steps into the room full of laughing idiots. He

moves to the LEADER. They speak quickl

INT. HIGH TECH EXPERIMENT AREA - The LEADER is surprised.

LEADER

What's this?

INT 5

They're further along

than we thought.

CU - an empty beaker on a pad surrounded by exotic equipment.

INT 5

...Looks almost ready to go.

A WALKIE-TALKIE SQUAWKS.

W/T (V.O.)

...response to door alarm...

LEADER

Time to go...(looks at the

beaker) It doesn't matter. We have the PEM.

They turn and exit the room. As they do, the LEADER notices

Joe aimlessly examining the wall of eq

The Leader decides. Abruptly, he kicks the equipment out of

his way. It smashes against the back w

MAIN ROOM - OTHER INTRUDERS finish taking apart the equipment.

The LEADER addresses the crowd, a J

LEADER

We must be off. Goodbye.

TECHS

Goodbye...Goodbye...

They all wish them goodbye...smiles and laughter all around.

The one who struggled steps forward.

TECH 3

Who....are...you?

INTRUDER 5 just laughs, but the LEADER turns back to TECH 3.

LEADER

I'm ...your mother.

CLOSE UP - TECH 3 - Stunned and confused...He shakes his head

and blinks rapidly. He rubs his eyes

TECH 3'S POV - Before his eyes, the IMAGE OF THE LEADER shrinks

down and transforms itself into th

TECH 3 - can't believe it.

7.

TECH 3

Mom...what are you doing here?

LEADER

Leaving, now go to sleep. ...all of

you.

Some of them do. The INTRUDERS step back through the door.

The TECHS look at each other blankly. T

LEADER

Give me the surveillance camera

videotapes.

The video tech does.

INT LAB - HOURS LATER - FRANTIC - Crawling with security

people. - The scene of the crime. No clue

FINNEGAN

...Well who did it look like?

Tech 3 squirms in his seat...embarrassed...humiliated. He

doesn't answer..The interrogator stands

TECH 2

My mother.

INT. CONTROL ROOM. - COLIN walks up to the CHIEF DETECTIVE.

He shrugs. In B.G. , through a glass p

FINNEGAN

Who'd it look like to you?

TECH 1

My dog.

COLIN turns to the detective.

FINNEGAN

Mass hypnosis. Short term memory loss.

Some kind of hallucinogenic gas...

MYER

Kind of stuff the army's been working

on.

COLIN

Surveillance Cameras?

FINNEGAN

They took the tapes.

COLIN

You have nothing...

FINNEGAN

We don't even know where to start.

What about these people? What do we

do with them?

8.

He indicates glass wall through which they can see the

bystanders, including Joe, being questioned Joe looks a little

queasy. He burps...an uneasy stomach.

COLIN

We'll have to let them go.

FINNEGAN

Surveilliance on them all.

COLIN looks uncomfortable at the thought. Tech 2 steps through

a door and catches his eye. He excu

INT. LAB. - TECH 2 is panicked. He speaks quietly, intensely.

TECH 2

The P.E.M. It's gone... They must

have it.

COLIN

How did they know? No one knew.

TECH 2

Whoever has it, can leapfrog

generations of technology. We gotta get it back.

TECH 3

Screw the PEM...What about Al...

TECH 2

Poor bastard.

AL - IN THE POD

fighting for his life. The pod is slammed and buffeted. Al

struggles with the controls as the POD

AL

Come in, control...Do you read me?

Come in...damn!

He flips frantically through the controls.

INT. JOE'S APARTMENT - that of a semi-impoverished single man.

Pictures of Baseball players taped

JOE</