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The main characters are introduced, also hard science, political and religious intrigue. |
| FADE IN: EXT. FRONT YARD Mike is sitting in the lawn chair with a Guinness when a woman's voice comes through the laptop. SVETLANA (OS) Mikhail Ivanovich? MIKE ANGEL (Startled the call hadn't been announced) Da, ya. Govorite po-angliski, pozhalusta. SVETLANA (OS) (Almost no discernable accent) All right. You wish my son and me to accompany you on an untested space flight? MIKE ANGEL Mrs. Gerasova, I presume. SVETLANA (OS) Yes. Why have you requested we come with you? MIKE ANGEL I need a qualified meteorologist, and a good reporter who can tell the world exactly what is happening as it happens. You are the best I've seen. I have your program relayed to me by satellite every day and wouldn't miss it for the world. Besides that, you're the only weather person in Moscow that has a decent record of accuracy. SVETLANA (OS) (Sternly) And my son? MIKE ANGEL I want him because he has talents that I need for this trip. This will not be a free ride for him. I plan on putting him to work that he is suited for. SVETLANA (OS) (Almost incredulous) He has talents? And that work is? MIKE ANGEL (Devilish smile in his voice) You will find out if you decide to join me. SVETLANA (OS) Your Mr. McKinney is a very persuasive man, as is Vladimir Grigorovich. I still do not understand why you require me and my son. MIKE ANGEL McKinney is the best there is; about the only one in his line of work that I would trust. I'm sure you understand that this mission requires a qualified person to observe and predict weather. Satellites have measured wind speeds and sand storms in excess of 300 kilometers per hour. I certainly don't want to be outside in something like that. More important, I want the world to be with us and I need a good news reporter aboard to keep them informed. You have both qualifications so I chose you. I will also promise that you will be your own editor. I will have no control over what you broadcast. SVETLANA (OS) (Hesitantly) I will accept that for now. (beat) Convincing my son may be another matter. He has not much interest in anything since his father died and may not choose to come. The only skill he has demonstrated lately is with video games at the GUM department store. MIKE ANGEL That is precisely why I need him. This really is a package deal, and as I asked President Puchinskiy, I would appreciate all you can do to persuade him. I think he will find this to be the adventure of a lifetime. Your late husband was an adventurer, a pilot with exceptional judgment and reflexes. From what I know about your son, he will someday follow his father's example. I would like to offer that opportunity now. SVETLANA (OS) (Sounding hesitant and discouraged) You have more faith than I. MIKE ANGEL You're being a typical mother. You forget when you were a teenager that you were rebellious. You decided to go into science and journalism against your father's wishes for you to become a nurse at one of the State hospitals. SVETLANA (OS) You did your investigation of me, then? MIKE ANGEL Of course. You and Mikhail Illyich are my first choices for this trip. I hope you will decide to come with us. SVETLANA (OS) I would like to come. I will try to convince Misha also, but I cannot give any guarantees. MIKE ANGEL You might tell him that he will be pleasantly surprised if he agrees. I have a special position for him, and he will also miss one month of school. SVETLANA (OS) The missing of school he will like. What is the position? MIKE ANGEL In due time, Mrs. Gerasova, in due time. CUT TO: EXT. RUNWAY OUTSIDE LOCKHEED B2 BUILDING Several tow motors are pulling several shiny stainless-steel cylinders on a wheeled flatbed from the building onto the tarmac. The prototype ship slowly descends over scene from the clouds. The ship hovers above the first section, then the second. The low pitch of the engines changes slightly and both sections of the main cabin rise with the ship until they are out of sight. The engineers and workers who had gathered around the flatbed vehicles that had brought the sections out of the building onto the field just stand there with their mouths open. The Air Force officers on the other side of the field just keep their cameras rolling and take notes. DISSOLVE TO: INT. MIKE'S WORKSHOP A few minutes later, the ship with its cargo in tow descends through the defense shield and deposits her load in the building behind the house. This time there are no missiles, only a small crowd of press corps assembled in the street. Flashes go off, even though it was just past noon. A half dozen paparazzi were in evidence speaking into microphones in front of various broadcast trucks, surrounded by curiosity seekers equipped with enough paraphernalia for a Boy Scout camp out. There is now a special foundry in one corner of the workshop. We see several large toroidal masses on the floor underneath several large ceiling cranes. The workshop has been prepared months before to handle the task of inserting several immense cylinders of super conducting material into the troughs of the sections. There are also a half-dozen large coils placed at various positions outside the cylinders. Mike has turned off the camera on the Internet link for this operation. DISSOLVE TO: INT. MIKE'S WORKSHOP We see the two halves of the main section being fit together. Mike is moving around the seam tightening bolts as the cranes lower the top section. CUT TO: EXT. MIKE'S FRONT YARD Mike is back in the lawn chair with a Guinness. A young man carrying an attache case, JOHN MOLINAR, walks up to the shield, opposite Mike. JOHN MOLINAR Mr. Angel? MIKE ANGEL Yes? JOHN MOLINAR I'm John Molinar from Johnson Controls. Bill Simmonds sent me over to finish the installation. MIKE ANGEL "Great! I've been expecting you. Step over here and look directly into the lens." Mike indicates a camera-like affair on a tripod. The young man complies and shortly a green light on the top of the apparatus comes on. MIKE ANGEL Let him through, house. Mike motions the man to step in. Molinar is a bit hesitant, but steps through when he feels no resistance. Mike leads him down to the workshop where the incomplete ship is sitting. JOHN MOLINAR So this is your Mars express. MIKE ANGEL Hopefully. Mike opens a hatch and they step into the engineering section of the vehicle. Mike shows John where the parts are stored. MIKE ANGEL I haven't filled the engines with liquid helium yet, so the positions for the sensors and controls are still exposed. Molinar nods as they go up a lift to the next deck where Mike shows him around the galley and staterooms. JOHN MOLINAR Wow. This is more of a cruise ship than a space ship! MIKE ANGEL That's what I'm hoping for. Since we're all going to be civilians, I figure we don't need to be Spartan like the military. He shows him the placement of several thermostats and controls for each stateroom before they go up to the command deck. This proves a spacious room with video monitors on all of the walls and ceiling. Comfortable looking stuffed chairs are around the room. At one end is an obvious control panel with its own set of monitors and controls. It looks more like a living room with a home theater setup than the mission control center for a flight to Mars. MIKE ANGEL Here's where all of the sensors and controls will join. (indicates the control panel) Computer interfaces should be clearly marked and if you have any questions, just ask her. JOHN MOLINAR Her? VESNA (OS) Me. A feminine voice comes over the speaker on the wall making John jump. JOHN MOLINAR What's that? MIKE ANGEL That's the ship, or rather, the ship's computer system. Her programming is complete and she's in learning mode now. She has full knowledge of all of her circuitry and schematics, so just ask anything if you run into a problem. JOHN MOLINAR (Wide eyed) It understands my voice commands? VESNA (OS) (Coldly) Yes she does. MIKE ANGEL She also has an attitude problem I think she picked up from the house. Treat her nicely and you should get along. Molinar opens his case and retrieves a sheaf of printouts showing what needs installing and the approximate locations. Mike leaves him on his own and returns to his seat in the front yard. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. MIKE'S FRONT YARD (Indicating time has passed) Molinar joins Mike in the front yard. JOHN MOLINAR That should do it. MIKE ANGEL Fantastic. You're ahead of schedule, too. Mike motions the young man to another lounge chair and hands him a cold Guinness from the cooler. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) We should be just about ready to fill her up and test everything, then. JOHN MOLINAR She's ready whenever you're ready. That machine is a marvel and that computer is something else all together! She even had explanations why certain cables were run the way you had them. I wish all my jobs were this easy. MIKE ANGEL (Smiling at the young man) The truth is, you must be pretty good. If she detected anything wrong, she would have told you immediately and made your life a living hell. Moreover, she'd have told you in not so nice terms, either. She's a stickler for detail. The two finish their stout and head back down the slope to the shop. CUT TO: INT. MIKE'S WORKSHOP Mike uses several large, insulated hoses to fill the ship's voids with liquid helium. MIKE ANGEL House, what do you think? HOUSE COMPUTER (OS) I can detect no flaws and no leaks. All of my tests show that this is exactly by our specifications. MIKE ANGEL Can you spin up the engines? HOUSE COMPUTER(OS) Yes. The new ship begins making a low rumble and lifts a few inches off its supports. MIKE ANGEL How are the readings? HOUSE COMPUTER (OS) They appear within specifications. MIKE ANGEL Good. I'm not getting any younger, so it's time now to give your counterpart full control. JOHN MOLINAR Why does it have to be so cold? MIKE ANGEL The liquid helium keeps all of the superconductors at about 2 Kelvin. Helium has almost zero friction. This way the engines can spin almost independently with almost no inhibition after the initial inertia and not slow. CUT TO: EXT. MIKE'S FRONT YARD An endless stream of journalists and curiosity seekers have replaced military surveillance, their numbers great enough that it is difficult to drive down the street safely. Cameras roll as the new ship slowly lifts off from the building and ascends into the the Atlanta sky. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. MIKE'S FRONT YARD Mike is in his lounge chair wearing an Atlanta Braves T- shirt. He taps a few keys on the laptop. MIKE ANGEL Mr. President, I hope you have good news for me today. PRESIDENT FOREST (OS) I'm ready to send you our recommendations. I understand that Mrs. Manson has agreed to join you in your insanity. MIKE ANGEL Yes. Both she and her daughter will be accompanying us. They no longer think that this is too crazy. I just wish you and NASA could get on board and understand that you don't have to go bankrupt to go to Mars. So far, I've done this out of my pocket. PRESIDENT FOREST (OS) (Ignoring Mike) I noted that your new craft left your premises yesterday. MIKE ANGEL She's going through sea trials, as it were. I want a fully unmanned test before I risk the lives of the best geniuses on the planet. I sent her out to Pluto and back just to make sure. She should be back by tomorrow or the next day. PRESIDENT FOREST (OS) That's not possible! All of my advisors and the head of NASA have assured me that it's impossible to go that fast. Even what I remember from high school tells me that you can't get there and back in three days. MIKE ANGEL If sunlight can do it, so can I. Tune in to CNN, then. They're carrying a direct feed from the new ship. I know that your radar and detection satellites tracked her out of Earth orbit. In fact, have NASA retune their receivers to the 9Ghz band and they can pick up the feed directly. I had her make some preliminary surveys of Mars yesterday, and then proceed to Pluto at just below light speed. If it works as advertised, great. If not, I'm out somewhere near a half-billion, you're out nothing. I get to spend the rest of my life behind this force field so you don't rip off a new weapon. PRESIDENT FOREST (OS) You still don't trust me? MIKE ANGEL Not even a little bit. PRESIDENT FOREST (OS) (Sighs) Please look over our recommendations and contact my office so that we may proceed. MIKE ANGEL Yes Sir. Thank you. The connection goes dead. Mike monitors the ship's progress on the laptop screen. MIKE ANGEL House. Make a note that we're going to have to translate the video to shift the ultraviolet from the Doppler Effect back into something the human eye can understand. HOUSE COMPUTER (OS) I can see it just fine. MIKE ANGEL Smart alek! You realize if we go at three percent light speed, we can make it to Mars in around three hours. HOUSE COMPUTER (OS) Don't you think that's a little slow? She's doing a little over 90% light at the moment. CUT TO: INT. MIKE'S LIVING ROOM Mike goes back into the house for a moment to where the paper FAX machine is located and then returns to his lounge chair in the yard. He studies the paper for a moment. MIKE ANGEL House, can you retransmit this to McKinney? HOUSE COMPUTER (OS) You know I can, so why ask. MIKE ANGEL You realize that you're becoming a total pain? HOUSE COMPUTER (OS) Then don't ask questions you already know the answer to. Mike gives a loud raspberry in the direction of the laptop and then places the paper on the tray table. BILL SIMMONDS (OS) Mike! MIKE ANGEL What's up, Bill? BILL SIMMONDS (OS) Your ship, for one thing. You crazy son of a...you actually did it! MIKE ANGEL I told you I would. BILL SIMMONDS (OS) Honestly, I figured we'd see a pile of parts hit the Atlantic the other day. According to CNN, NASA says you've been tracked just about to the edge of the solar system. MIKE ANGEL Yeah. If all goes well, she should be back sometime tomorrow night. BILL SIMMONDS (OS) They've got to be dying with this one! Look, the reason I called is that our branch is having our annual picnic at the office on Saturday and wondered if our number one celebrity client would care to join us. Our CEO's coming in from Milwaukee and would really like to meet you. MIKE ANGEL OK if I bring a friend? BILL SIMMONDS (OS) Sure. It'll be on the lawn at the office around one. MIKE ANGEL I'll be there, then. The connection breaks and Mike pauses for a minute. MIKE ANGEL House, see if Sharon Manson is still at the station, will you? There is a slight pause. SHARON MANSON (OS) This is Sharon Manson. MIKE ANGEL Mrs. Manson, this is Mike Angel. We haven't officially met yet and I thought this would be as good a time as any. SHARON MANSON (OS) (Off-balance) Uh, what did you have in mind? MIKE ANGEL They're having a little get together at JCI here in Roswell this Saturday and I figured it might be a good time for you and Carol to find out that I've had all my shots and haven't bitten anyone in weeks. SHARON MANSON (OS) Uh, what time? MIKE ANGEL It's supposed to start at one, so I can pick you up around twelve thirty. Traffic shouldn't be too bad up 400 on the weekend. SHARON MANSON (OS) That sounds good. Carol, too, right? MIKE ANGEL Especially Carol! I'll pick you up around twelve thirty. CUT TO: EXT. MIKE'S FRONT YARD Mike emerges from the house wearing a pair of good Dockers, white turtleneck and sports jacket and his backpack flier. In a few minutes, he takes off straight up and exits the force field at around 10,000 feet. He quickly changes direction toward the west and drops to treetop level about three miles from the house to another property on Johnson's Ferry Road. He lands in the front yard of another of his "safe houses" where he keeps a car garaged. Mike opens the garage with a remote and removes his flier. He gets into the driver's seat of a nondescript older Buick and is quickly moving down the street in the direction of the main road heading to downtown Atlanta. CUT TO: EXT. STREET IN FRONT OF THE MANSON'S Sharon appears at the door in a green business suit with flats. SHARON MANSON Dr. Angel? CAROL MANSON follows behind with a loose blouse over blue jeans and sneakers. MIKE ANGEL First rule. It's Mike. If you absolutely have to, I'll answer to 'Mister', but never, ever, is it Doctor. Second rule, casual! You're not on camera here and I like everybody around me to be comfortable. Life's too short not to enjoy yourself. CAROL MANSON (Petulantly) I told you so, Mom. I've watched him more than you have. (turning to Mike) She's been on me all morning to dress up. I kept telling her this was a picnic. MIKE ANGEL You and I are going to get along just fine! SHARON MANSON (Sheepishly) I'll remember that. Sharon trails behind as Mike leads them to the car and opens the passenger door for her. He looks around sees no evidence of anyone following. CUT TO: EXT. FRONT LAWN AT JOHNSON CONTROLS Mike pulls into a parking space and spots a caterer's tent on the lawn. There are about a hundred people there so far with children playing Frisbee and other games on the lawn off to one side. Bill Simmonds meets them as Mike walks around the car to open Sharon's door. BILL SIMMONDS (Extending his hand) Glad you could make it. MIKE ANGEL (To Sharon) Bill Simmonds, regional sales manager for JCI, this is Sharon Manson and her daughter Carol. They're both coming along with me for the ride. BILL SIMMONDS You've certainly called for some great weather for our picnic Ms. Manson. You realize you've hooked up with a crazy man here. SHARON MANSON (Smiling) You may be right. But if I did, I'm just as insane to accept, even if it is the President twisting my management's arms to send me. CAROL MANSON Well, I don't think he's crazy. This whole thing is so exciting I can't wait! All four laugh and the ice is broken. BILL SIMMONDS Let me introduce you around. Bill leads them to a group of people by the tables. They approach an older gentleman in a dark business suit, WARREN SHUTT. BILL SIMMONDS Mike, Sharon, this is Warren Shutt, our President and CEO. He came down from Milwaukee for our party and especially to meet you. MIKE ANGEL (Extending his hand) Mr. Shutt, a pleasure indeed. You really didn't have to come all this way. WARREN SHUTT (Accepting Mike's hand) Nonsense! I try to keep in personal touch with all of our branches. I was due for a trip here anyway. Besides, it's cold as the dickens in Wisconsin now and I really needed an excuse to break out the short sleeves. I also wanted to meet our most famous customer. MIKE ANGEL Oh, come on. You outfit half of NASA and your gear is on every shuttle and 90% of our jets. I just bought a couple hundred grand worth of your equipment and some time from your installers. That hardly qualifies me as a prime customer. I'm sure you make more from outfitting an office complex. WARREN SHUTT "But an office complex doesn't get 24-hour coverage on CNN or fly to other planets on standard issue parts. Actually, I have a favor to ask. MIKE ANGEL (Shrugging) Anything. WARREN SHUTT I've got a marketing department that's wetting its pants to use this in their next campaign. I'd like your permission to tell the world in our next round of advertising that everything you bought was off-the-shelf. MIKE ANGEL (laughing) No problem. Truth in advertising, what a concept! The sooner the world learns to stop placing impossible demands on each other, the better off we'll all be. I insisted on standard parts so that I could get spares. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) If your sensor didn't exactly fit my design, it's easier to change my design than to insist you make one to my specs. Tell them that, and you'll start a revolution in manufacturing. Find a good product and work with it, not against it. Shutt's eyes glaze wide at this. John Molinar wanders over balancing a paper plate with a hamburger and chips on top of a can of soda. JOHN MOLINAR You'd better get in line before this stuff is all gone. It's not as good as your food, but it fills a void. (turning to the CEO) Wait until you see this spaceship of his. It's a luxury liner, not a shuttle! WARREN SHUTT I'd like that very much. MIKE ANGEL Unfortunately, we're really not ready for tours yet and she's still somewhere out around Jupiter at the moment. In fact, (removing what looks like a large cell phone from his jacket) house, please patch me through to the ship. HOUSE COMPUTER (OS) Chirp. Mike's eyebrows raise and he looks to the sky. VESNA (OS) Yes, sir? MIKE ANGEL Just checking to see how everything's working. VESNA (OS) So far, everything checks out perfectly. JOHN MOLINAR Are all of the thermal sensors and interfaces working all right? VESNA (OS) John! Yes they are. You did an excellent job. I trust you are alright, also. JOHN MOLINAR Yes, thank you. The CEO just stares at his employee in disbelief. WARREN SHUTT That's a computer? JOHN MOLINAR She's much more than that, believe me sir. I got to know her quite well while I was finishing up the wiring. It doesn't take long before you totally forget she's not alive. Sharon just stares at everybody blankly. She hasn't been prepared for a computer that could not just speak, but also seemed to think. Carol, however, is beaming at the conversation. CAROL MANSON Can she do math, too? MIKE ANGEL (Smiling) Not quite as well as you. I mean she can get the right answers, but she hasn't the intuition and feel beyond the pure mechanics that you have. That's one of the main reasons I asked your mother to bring you too. VESNA (OS) Is that Carol Manson? CAROL MANSON (Tentatively) Yes. VESNA (OS) I'm very glad to finally meet you. I read one of the papers you did in summer school on string theory and I am really looking forward to working with you. The girl blushes, but it is obvious that the compliment pleases her no end. CAROL MANSON (Almost pleading) When can we see her? MIKE ANGEL Probably not before we leave. Believe me, after a month on board, you'll be begging to come home to normal gravity, polluted air, and a pollen count over 2,500. She looks disappointed, but accepts it. The afternoon passes pleasantly even though Sharon was still looks somewhat in shock. Her moment in the celebrity spotlight had been short. SHARON MANSON (Under her breath) The president of a Fortune 500 company, a man who was either the world's most brilliant scientist or its craziest, and an advanced computer system are lavishing their complete attention on my 16- year-old daughter. Sharon tags along with the group in a daze. CUT TO: EXT. EVENING BACK IN CAR SHARON MANSON Are you always like this? MIKE ANGEL Pretty much. I like to be comfortable and I like the people around me to be comfortable. That way everything's out on the table and you don't have to worry about what face this person has seen or anything else like that. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) What you see is what you get. I'm me and I'm happy with that. It doesn't bother me if I'm not what someone else wants me to be. CAROL MANSON I can't wait now. MIKE ANGEL Soon, young lady. Soon. CUT TO: EXT. SERIES OF SHOTS Prototype lowering one science section at Hartsfield airport. Prototype lowering another science section at Sheremetyevo. Jim McKinney's men installing and calibrating the equipment provided by organizations sponsoring each individual scientist. McKinney overseeing provisions and stores locally purchased in each country. McKinney's men storing the Mars suits which are modified and insulated high-altitude flight suits. Each is equipped with two-way radio communication. Each suit also has a special "back pack" containing environmental control units and oxygen re-breathers that would allow each close to six hours outside time. Helmet visors are tinted deep yellow to filter out the ultraviolet spectrum that will be intense on Mars' very tenuous atmosphere. Two of the helmets also have side mounted television cameras for the journalists. CUT TO: INT. MIKE'S LIVING ROOM MIKE ANGEL House, get me a conference call between the Kremlin and the White House if you please. It takes a few minutes before the house replies, HOUSE COMPUTER (OS) Done, sir. MIKE ANGEL Mr. Presidents, I thank you both for agreeing to talk today. PRESIDENT PUCHINSKIY (OS) I understand that you are nearing the end of your preparations. MIKE ANGEL Yes, Sir. We should be completely ready within the next several weeks. How does a launch date of March 1st sound to each of you? PRESIDENT FOREST (OS) (Short Pause) That would be a Monday, I believe. Are you absolutely certain that you must use civilian facilities? MIKE ANGEL Yes Sir. I want to have as much of the public on hand as well as the press at each site. It's not every day that humans run off to another planet and I think this has to be a public spectacle. I like Mondays because that's usually a slow news day, so this will give the networks something to do. PRESIDENT FOREST (OS) (Showing some stress) Very well. PRESIDENT PUCHINSKIY(OS) We will notify the people of this date so that they may prepare. I do not think that there will be any problem from here. MIKE ANGEL Thank you both very much. We are coming up on an exciting time in history and I sincerely appreciate your participation. PRESIDENT PUCHINSKIY (OS) Pazhalusta. PRESIDENT FOREST (OS) You're welcome. I will need a favor from you. The people at Jet Propulsion Lab have asked if you could find their old Viking lander and put some new batteries in. MIKE ANGEL I don't have any problem with that, just get Jim McKinney the materials and he'll make certain that they're stowed. Have them send me the coordinates of its last known position and we can do that. CUT TO: INT. MIKE'S LIVING ROOM MIKE ANGEL Thank you both for your time. I'm just calling each of your stations to make certain that the communication equipment I sent has been installed and is working properly. NEWS DIRECTOR (OS) Our chief engineer had no problem and he assures me that the quality is excellent. RUSSIAN NEWS DIRECTOR (OS) Our is also installed and operating properly. We have tested the intercom and your ship assures us that it is working properly. MIKE ANGEL That brings up one question of mine, sir. You realize that the official language aboard ship will be English, even though I have insisted that all personnel be bi-lingual? RUSSIAN NEWS DIRECTOR (OS) Yes, I do. I do not believe that this will be a problem. Svetlana Illianovna has told me that she would be sending her reports in Russian and would translate anything that is important. Besides, many of our people also speak English. MIKE ANGEL I'll tell you what. I can go that one better. If you wish, I can have the ship simultaneously translate everything in the voices of the speakers automatically for your television feed. That way Mrs. Gerasova wouldn't have to worry about keeping up. RUSSIAN NEWS DIRECTOR (OS) Your ship can do that? MIKE ANGEL Definitely! She speaks better Russian than St. Cyril and being so large and fast, she can handle at least 12 conversations at the same time. RUSSIAN NEWS DIRECTOR (OS) That may be interesting; we will see if it is needed. CUT TO: INT. MIKE'S WORKSHOP Mike and the house double check all of the ship's diagnostic systems just for safety's sake. Mike makes certain to top off the helium and LOX storage tanks at maximum, and checks that the CO2 scrubbers are in place and functioning. He makes certain that the power storage coils are fully charged and that the fuel cells that double as their fresh water recycling system are functioning properly. CUT TO: EXT. SUNRISE IN ATLANTA Zoom to a dark speck descending on Hartsfield International Airport. CUT TO: INT. VESNA'S COMMAND DECK We see on a video monitor a crowd estimated at about 10,000 people on the pad in front of the hangar and surrounding the American laboratory section. We also make out several dozen network television cameras scattered around the runway and the crowd. EXT. HARTSFIELD INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT From the ground, everyone can see the craft descending slowly and silently over the shiny stainless steel cylinder on the concrete runway in front of them. There is a slight vibration, but no noise. The crowd draws back slightly out of reflex on seeing something that large coming straight down. A police line keeps them back about a hundred feet, but still human nature makes them flinch. The ship resembles a very large coffee can with a slightly domed top. It is 30 meters in diameter and close to 15 meters tall. Evenly spaced around the circumference are four large cylinders that run vertically for the height of the vehicle. These are the gravity focusing generators. The main engine is unseen by anyone outside, being contained in the lower third of the ship. There is a slight "click" as the ship gently sets down in perfect alignment with the laboratory section. CUT TO: INT. VESNA'S COMMAND DECK Mike checks the clamping readouts and then descends into the lower section using a magnetically driven elevator. When the two sections are attached, the elevator shafts on each automatically open creating one long shaft. This would repeat when they acquire the final section in Moscow. Mike swings a lever on the bulkhead and a large door in the laboratory section opens outward, hinged like an aircraft door, and he steps out. All the cameras instantly zoom in to try to get a shot of the interior, but all they see is a picture of a short hallway because of the angle of the lenses. Mike is wearing a pair of blue coveralls with an American flag on the right shoulder and a Russian flag on the left. There is a patch over the left breast with a depiction of the Solar System and a lightening bolt through it. Around the patch in Latin lettering it said simply "Per Aspera, Ad Astra" the old Roman saying "Through determination, to the stars". Mike is also wearing what appears to be a belt purse, a small black case attached around his waist. Mike looks and sees a wooden podium set up about 10 meters away with several dozen microphones arrayed on it. He makes his way over to it and sees the Vice President with a contingent of Secret Service bodyguards approaching from the edge of the crowd. MIKE ANGEL (Under his breath) Figures, I get the B-team to see me off. He steps to the platform and waits for the Vice President to reach him from his position near the edge of the crowd. Suddenly there is a "zing" as a bullet ricochets off the force field protecting him that emanated from the device on his belt. The bullet's impact only makes him miss a step. Three of the Secret Service immediately jump on the Vice President and shield him on the ground. MIKE ANGEL I really wish you wouldn't do that, Sir. VICE PRESIDENT LINK (Protesting) Honest to God, that wasn't one of ours. The Vice President gets up and brushes off, now closely surrounded by agents. MIKE ANGEL Not a federal employee, then? The VP shakes his head as he extricates himself from the Secret Service and continues to dust himself off. MIKE ANGEL (Pulling a communicator from his pocket) OK. (beat) Ship? PROTOTYPE (OS) Yes? MIKE ANGEL Did you see where that came from? PROTOTYPE (OS) Yes. MIKE ANGEL Please take care of it for me, will you? PROTOTYPE (OS) Done. We see a black speck rise quickly from the roof of concourse D and disappear into the clouds. The Vice President unsteadily ascends the steps, still surrounded by his bodyguards now in a tight circle. The VP is definitely pale from the experience and Mike hopes that his heart doesn't give out on camera. He covers the microphone with his hand VICE PRESIDENT LINK What did you do? MIKE ANGEL You really don't want to know. Plausible deniability. VICE PRESIDENT LINK Probably not. (turning to the microphones) My fellow citizens, let me welcome you to the dawn of a new era in America's exploration of space. Mike rolls his eyes, but bites his tongue. VICE PRESIDENT LINK (CONT'D) We are here this morning to witness mankind's furthest step toward understanding the universe we live in. With American technology, (Mike's eyes almost invert themselves in his skull) we are about to embark on the greatest adventure in the history of mankind. VICE PRESIDENT LINK (CONT'D) By late this afternoon east coast time, human beings will be setting foot on another planet. This is the culmination of a dream we have all held since we stopped walking on our knuckles and stood upright, wondering what those lights were in the dark. This is an answer to the challenge that President John Kennedy made to our great country 50 years ago and President Bush did earlier in this century. Today, mankind will step onto our neighbor Mars and claim it for future generations of human beings. There s a mild round of applause as the Vice President pauses. Mike, being on a tight schedule, grabs the opportunity to step forward and cut the VP short before he begins to gag. MIKE ANGEL Thank you Mr. Vice President. I would like to introduce to all of you, the brave scientists who have graciously consented to come with me on this adventure. He points at a small group of people assembled apart from the rest of the crowd while the cameras follow his motion. The Vice-President scowls, but the cameras were already panning and miss it. MIKE ANGEL First I'd like to introduce Mrs. Sharon Manson and her daughter Carol. Those of you in English speaking countries will become intimately familiar with her face and voice during the next month. The reporter and the young, dark haired girl advance toward the ship. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) She will be your representative; your eyes and ears aboard ship and will keep you informed every step of the way - even the boring parts. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) (A low chuckle sweeps the crowd) She will serve not only as one of our meteorologists but also as the English-speaking journalist that will report to you everything that we do - especially when I screw up. There is another low ripple of laughter from the crowd. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) Doctor Joseph Belisar, whose discoveries in the Jungles of Peru gave us so much new insight on the life and times of pre- Columbian civilization on the American continents. A rugged looking, dark-skinned man with wire-rimmed glasses detaches himself from the group and strolls toward the podium. While not exactly Indiana Jones, Doctor Belisar looks more as if he were a trainer at a yuppie physical fitness center than a scientist from the jungles of Central and South America. His dark tan shows his original ancestry as being from south of the United States' border. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) Doctor Peter Stromberg. Doctor Stromberg's research in ground water discovery and reclamation is one of the major reasons people in Southern California have drinking water today. A stereotypical professor nervously joins the group by the ship. Doctor Stromberg has obviously spent much time in the laboratory and his pale skin contrasts with Belisar's deep tan. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) Doctor James Kitch, our microbiologist. This is the man who discovered the vaccines to prevent anthrax and the Ebola hemorrhagic virus. Another pale researcher comes across the tarmac. Doctor Kitch dislikes being in the spotlight, much preferring to be left in peace with his slides and microscope. He had almost skipped the ceremonies last year in Stockholm when he received the Nobel Prize for medicine for just that reason. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) And this is Doctor Peter Jameson, whose discovery of the iridium layer in the soil indicated that the primary cause of the die-off of the dinosaurs was from a hit by an asteroid in the Gulf of Mexico several million years ago. Here was another athletic looking man who had obviously spent much time in the field. A reporter in the front row shouts out a question and Mike waves it off. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) There will be a press conference in about three hours when we reach orbit before heading off to Mars. I hope each of you submitted your questions to Mrs. Manson in advance because she will be your single point of contact throughout this mission. Mike turns slightly and gestures at the group at his side. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) Not really the poster children for the astronaut training corps, are they?" This time the crowd's responding laugh was louder. He returns to the microphone. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) President Forest and his people have graciously selected the best scientific minds in the areas I wish to study on this first step into the exploration of our own solar system. These are the people best qualified to advance human knowledge in one quantum leap during the next four weeks. By this time tomorrow, each of them will have set foot on an alien planet and will be busy in each of their specialties to discover what they can in the limited time we have. I would like you to give them all a big hand. This time the applause from the crowd is deafening. Mike turns to the Vice President and extends his hand through the personal shield. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) Please thank President Forest for his cooperation. You won't be disappointed with the results. The Vice President nods as he takes Mike's hand. Mike can see the Vice President is still annoyed that Mike upstaged his carefully prepared speech and cut it short. Mike waves to the crowd and cameras and steps from the podium. The group of scientists follow him through the open door of the spaceship and Mike pulls the door closed behind them and latches it. CUT TO: INT. AMERICAN SCIENCE SECTION Once inside, they pass through a second door that Mike also closes behind them. This would provide an air lock capability once in space. They enter a relatively spacious room with doors all around the circumference and plaques indicating the various laboratory functions. MIKE ANGEL (Waving around the room) All of the equipment you supplied has been installed in your labs. I hope that between you and your Russian counterparts, we will have everything that we need for a good trip. I really won't be able to send out for spare parts once we leave. In a pinch, I can get the prototype ship to ferry some stuff out to us, but I'd rather not if we don't have to. Sharon smiles at that. Even though she knows that she is good in her field, Mike can see she looked intimidated by the company of Nobel Prize winners and geniuses that were there. Carol's eyes are just wide, trying to take it all in as she looks around. Mike motions to a collection of luggage in one corner. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) I'm sorry, all of your carry-on is here, and you'll have to grab it and bring it up to the living quarters yourselves. We'll stop there on our way up. Mike leads them to a large elevator on one side of the room. CUT TO: INT. LIVING SECTION The living quarters are located in the main section of the ship, just below the command deck. When they reach it, each can see it is similar to the laboratory section. There is a central open space with couches and stuffed chairs scattered around. There are doors all around with each of their names on them. There is also a door labeled galley that reveals a well-stocked larder and a walk-in freezer. MIKE ANGEL I'm afraid that you will pretty much have to fend for yourselves. I'll probably end up doing most of the cooking, since I consider myself a darn good cook. However, don't hesitate to fix whatever you want, whenever you want. We're going to run this like a submarine and it will be open galley 24 hours, seven days a week. Now please make yourselves at home. Your staterooms are marked with your names. You might want to unpack and get acquainted with the ship. Then please join me on the top deck. In the dressers you'll find jumpsuits similar to the one I'm wearing, so you can change if you like. CAROL MANSON When will we be taking off? MIKE ANGEL (Smiling) We're already 150 miles up and about half-way to Moscow. You are actually in space at the moment. KITCH (Protesting) But I felt nothing. MIKE ANGEL That's the beauty of a gravity drive. If you are inside the field, the forces apply equally to every molecule in your body and the ship; inertia doesn't count. You shouldn't feel a thing the whole trip. JAMESON But Newton's laws? MIKE ANGEL Don't apply. You are now inside a field of synthetic gravity that is also controlling our movement. You are part of the ship and the forces act on everything equally. When the ship moves, you move with it. The same force causing that acts on your bodies as part of the same mass. Therefore, you don't feel anything that you would in any other type of vehicle. It's not just the vehicle that is acted on, but we are too. Right now, I'm keeping a 1G force inside the ship until you get used to it. We'll gradually decrease that to about half Earth's gravity while we're on Mars just to conserve power. Outside, the gravity of the planet will be only 1/3 that of Earth." (Turning to Carol) that means you'll weigh about 37 pounds once we get there. The girl grins as Mike continues. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) I plan on keeping the gravity at half Earth normal inside the ship so that none of you have any problems adjusting when we return. But you will have to get used to it while you're outside. Mike turns back toward the elevator. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going up to the command deck. Just push the one on the elevator when you're ready to join me. We should be landing in Moscow in about 30 minutes. VESNA Michael. The voice of the ship comes from speakers around the perimeter of the room, causing everyone except Mike to jump. MIKE ANGEL Yes, what is it? VESNA I have detected an anomaly. MIKE ANGEL And that is? VESNA I feel that we are almost 170 pounds over the original stated weights. MIKE ANGEL Do you know where it's located? After a slight pause. VESNA I am sensing additional life- signs in Doctor Belisar's laboratory. Mike frowns and turns to the doctor. MIKE ANGEL Will you please come with me? Belisar looks startled and surprised. They both re-enter the elevator and return to the lab deck. CUT TO: INT. AMERICAN SCIENCE SECTION Mike picks up a pry bar from a clip on the bulkhead and they open the door leading to the archeology section. In addition to the magnifiers, examination tables, and other equipment that is already set up and ready for use, are several wooden crates in a corner that contain various tools to be used in excavation. Mike spies one large crate that is about six feet long. MIKE ANGEL If you'll do the honors, Doctor? Belisar takes the pry bar from Mike, inserts it under the lid, and pulls it loose from its nails revealing a layer of Styrofoam "peanuts" as packing material. Mike brushes these aside to reveal a young boy, about 18, laying rather uncomfortably on a bed of screens and digging tools. BELISAR (Shouting) John! What the?? The boy sits up, brushing the plastic from his body. Mike stands to one side, relieved that this wasn't another NSA agent. JOHN BELISAR (Defensively) You have never taken me along on any of your expeditions, Dad. Now you're going on the greatest dig in the history of mankind. I just wanted to be with you! You're always off somewhere and leave us at home. I thought that I would come with you for a change to see what you do. BELISAR (sputtering) This is insane! MIKE ANGEL Do you realize that I was thinking of depressurizing this section during the trip? How do you think your father would have felt tonight when we reach Mars and he found a dead body in one of his boxes? The boy hangs his head. JOHN BELISAR (defiantly) I had to come with you on this trip. I never see you. BELISAR Does your mother know where you are? JOHN BELISAR No. MIKE ANGEL When you get up to your room you can call her, Doctor. We don't have the time to return to Atlanta, so he comes along. Just ask the ship's computer to make the connection. Mike turns to the boy. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) Well, you'll get your wish to come along on a dig. However, you may not enjoy it. Everybody here has a specific purpose. Yours is going to be gopher. JOHN BELISAR Gopher? MIKE ANGEL What ever anybody here needs, you'll gopher it. If your father needs something dug, you'll dig it. If one of the other people needs a piece of equipment, you'll gopher it. If something needs lifting, you'll do it. This won't be a joy ride. JOHN BELISAR (Brightening) Cool, MIKE ANGEL Tell me that a month from now. You'll bunk with Mikhail Gerasov. I'll have the extra supplies waiting for us in Moscow. CUT TO: INT. COMMAND DECK Mike reaches the bridge. Overhead is a large screen television monitor that is currently displaying a magnificent view of the stars. Several of the other monitors on the control panel show that same view and one also have a brilliant display of the Earth below. MIKE ANGEL Ship? VESNA Yes. MIKE ANGEL Get McKinney on the phone, please. After a brief pause JIM MCKINNEY (OS) Everything OK so far? MIKE ANGEL Not really. We've picked up a hitchhiker. JIM MCKINNEY (OS) (Shouting) Say what? MIKE ANGEL Yeah, Belisar's kid stowed away in an equipment box and I don't have time to take him back. I need a couple of favors really quick. JIM MCKINNEY (OS) Anything! MIKE ANGEL Have your scrounger in Moscow get me two more outside suits, size medium. I'll need two dozen more uniforms, also medium. About a hundred kilos each of sausage and cheese, and around 50 kilos more bread. And anything else he can think of delivered to the lab at Sheremetyevo. JIM MCKINNEY (OS) (sarcastically incredulous) That's all? MIKE ANGEL I need it in 30 minutes. JIM MCKINNEY (OS) You don't ask for much, do you? MIKE ANGEL You're the best. I know you can come through. JIM MCKINNEY (OS) Yeah, right. Would you like me to raise the dead while I'm at it? CUT TO: INT. COMMAND DECK As they descend over Moscow, Mike can see a repeat of the scene at Hartsfield. There are several thousand people already gathered around the laboratory section on the tarmac. He can also see a forklift pulling away and several people carrying boxes into the section. He watches the requested supplies moving on a tow motor to the Russian section. He slows the ship slightly to give the workers time to finish loading and clear the Russian laboratory section before making the final descent and attaching to it. Again, a soft click as the sections match up and the ship settles above the runway. Several of the crewmembers had come up in the meantime and are watching over his shoulder, fascinated by the view on the monitors. A good deal of sky and an almost 360-degree panorama are visible from this vantage point. The monitor labeled "down" is blank now and won't be on again until they take off. MIKE ANGEL Please wait here while I greet your counterparts. This will be your home for the next month, so go ahead and wander around and get acquainted. If you have any questions, the ship will be more than glad to answer them. CAROL MANSON How do we access the ship's computer? MIKE ANGEL Just talk to her. She's voice activated, there are microphones and speakers everywhere with the exception of the bathrooms, and there are no cameras in your rooms. MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D) There are also television cameras for her use everywhere except in your rooms so she can see you. I thought you would appreciate at least a little privacy. Mike dons his belt shield again and goes down in the elevator, CUT TO: INT. RUSSIAN SCIENCE SECTION The men who brought Mike's last-minute supplies on board have left the airlock door open. Mike ignores the boxes in the middle of the floor for the moment and steps outside. FADE OUT: Ben W. Gardner Sedona, Arizona "I do not fear computers. I fear lack of them." --Isaac Asimov http://ca.geocities.com/vladilyich/ In The Beginning - ISBN: 1-4116-3848-4 Just In Time - ISBN 1-4116-3851-4 Ad Astra - ISBN: 978-1-84728-518-8 In stores and at Amazon.Com http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_gw/103-1761779-3946261?url=search-alias%3Daps&... |
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