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a group of people become lost while transporting a prisoner and must find a way home |
ACT I OPENING CREDITS FADE IN ON: A LARGE SHIP SPEEDING FORWARD IN SPACE. The ship speeds away from earth heading off in the distance. YEAR 2030 comes on screen. INT. THE SHIP-COCKPIT THE SHIP’S pilot JOANNA is sitting on the pilot seat holding onto the joysticks tightly, keeping THE SHIP steady. JOANNA flicks a few switches next to her, plotting THE SHIP’S course. Behind JOANNA the medical officer ROGER is sitting on his own chair sipping his coffee. ROGER What’s our destination again? JOANNA Well doc. Our destination this time is the wonderfully dull space station orbiting Pluto. ROGER (sarcastic) Oh yeah that’ll be great. ROGER takes another sip of his coffee, finishing it off then stands up. ROGER You want one of these? JOANNA Yeah I’ll need to keep myself awake if wee want to actually get there. ROGER I’ll be back in a minute. JOANNA Thanks. ROGER leaves the COCKPIT, closing the door behind him. He walks through a long brightly lit hallway, making a few turns through similar hallways until coming up to a door that has the words DINING AREA in plain white capital letters on the door. ROGER presses the button next to the door and heads in. INT THE SHIP-DINING AREA The DINING AREA is a large open-spaced room, the table is set in the centre of the room with six chairs set around it. The food supply cupboards and the sink are at the far left corner, one of them is open. Two of the chairs are being occupied by CAPTAIN TONY MASON and NATHAN REYNOLDS. They are sitting next to each other, both of them having lunch. They both stop for a beat and look towards the door to see ROGER entering, and then they go back to their lunch. ROGER Hey guys. TONY/NATHAN (in unison) Hey doc. ROGER walks past them to the sink he washes out the cup then re-fills it with coffee. NATHAN How’s our ‘passenger’? ROGER She‘s in healthy condition. NATHAN (mocking) Well isn’t that a shame ROGER Yeah well she’s fine, no signs of any illness or anything. And anyway she’ll be off the ship within a day or two. NATHAN Thank God, I hate having a prisoner on board. ROGER We all do. TONY (interrupting) Our course been plotted yet? ROGER turns to face them. ROGER Yeah, Joanna just did it before I came here. TONY Good, don’t want to waste any time. TONY gets on the Comm. System, a small device attached to just below his left shoulder, to SAMANTHA “SAM” COLLINS. TONY Hey Sam. (beat) Sam! SAM Hey Captain, what is it? TONY How the engine? SAM The engine’s fine, she’ll get us there good and well. When we get to the Pluto Space Station I’ll do some checks and stuff, make sure she can get us back. TONY Good thinking, tell me if there’re any problems. SAM Will do Captain. TONY turns off the Comm. System and goes back to the lunch. ROGER, having got the cup re-filled, leaves the DINING AREA. ROGER walks back to the COCKPIT, moving slower and more careful. Suddenly THE SHIP heavily rattles for a second then stops, ROGER accidentally spills all the coffee over himself. ROGER Shit! ROGER tries unsuccessfully to wipe the coffee stain dry. THE SHIP suddenly rattles a second time, this time making ROGER nearly fall to the ground and drop the cup, shattering it. ROGER What in Gods name is going on?! SOUND: RAPID FOOTFALLS ROGER turns to look behind him and sees TONY and NATHAN urgently running towards the COCKPIT. NATHAN sees the big coffee stain on ROGER. NATHAN What happened to you? ROGER (agitated) The coffee got spilled on me then I dropped the cup and it broke! NATHAN Well lets find out what happened. NATHAN rushes to the COCKPIT and ROGER follows him. INT THE SHIP-COCKPIT JOANNA is sitting on her seat checking scans for the problem. TONY is leaning on the JOANNA’S seat. TONY Any clue what’s happening? JOANNA Not yet TONY Come on Joanna, you got to give me something. JOANNA Right now I can’t, we didn’t hit anything or anyone. TONY How can you tell? JOANNA Because according to these readings there’s nothing out there. TONY Are you sure? THE SHIP rattles again, TONY holds onto JOANNA’S chair tighter. JOANNA Yes I’m sure! I’ve checked it so many times, the only thing about a hundred miles around is us! TONY Well then what the hell is going on! JOANNA I haven’t got a clue right now so just let me figure it out. JOANNA begins checking all systems one by one. NATHAN and ROGER come into the COCKPIT, holding tightly onto the walls. NATHAN What’s happening! TONY We have no idea. JOANNA So far all systems are fine. ROGER Did we hit something? JOANNA There’s nothing out there! THE SHIP rattles again, getting worse. JOANNA checks navigation systems and sees what is wrong. JOANNA What the…? TONY What? You found something? JOANNA looks up to TONY. JOANNA We’re changing course! NATHAN What?! ROGER How can we be changing course? JOANNA I have no idea but we are, something is dragging us away. TONY Well move us away. JOANNA I’ll give it my best Captain. JOANNA turns on THE SHIP’S reverse thrusters, slowing it down but not stopping it. THE SHIP rattles heavily now without stopping. THE SHIP was still moving away from course. JOANNA Its no use Captain, we’re still being dragged away! TONY Then shut off the reverse thrusters. SAM (over Comm. System) Captain what the fuck is happening! TONY Working on it! SAM (over Comm. System) What do you mean ’working on it’! TONY Something is pulling us towards it! SAM (over Comm. System) Well whatever is happening its doing hell to the engines! TONY How long ‘till they’re dead? SAM (over Comm. System) If this keeps going they’ll be dead in five minutes. TONY Keep them going as long as possible. SAM (over Comm. System) Will do. JOANNA tries turning THE SHIP with the double-joystick steering, THE SHIP still doesn’t budge. NATHAN Are we heading to a planet? JOANNA checks to where they are being pulled to. THE SHIP rattles again, ROGER nearly looses his footing JOANNA No. if this damn thing’s right then we’re heading… (beat) Nowhere. TONY (confused) Nowhere? JOANNA In the direction we’re heading there is nothing out there. NATHAN So this ship may never stop? JOANNA Exactly. ROGER Oh that’s just fantastic! Outside in space just ahead of THE SHIP there is a small dark-red light, slowly getting brighter. ROGER What is that? NATHAN What? ROGER points to the dark-red light, they all look to where he is pointing. ROGER That NATHAN (looking in awe) Never seen anything like it. (beat) Have any of you? TONY No JOANNA Well whatever it is that’s what we’re heading to. TONY Any way to get away from it? JOANNA If there is I’d know it but I don’t. It looks like we have a collision soon so strap yourselves in and hold tight! TONY goes on the Comm. System to SAM TONY Hey Sam. (no answer) Sam! SAM (over Comm. System) I’m ‘ere Captain! SOUND: STEAM IN ENGINE ROOM TONY How we doing? SAM (over Comm. System) Um… about another minute and we’re drifting. I’ll try to keep it going as long as I can but I can’t promise it’ll be any good. TONY No, no, no forget that. Find a chair and strap yourself in fast, we might have a crash coming soon. SAM (over Comm. System) Fine. ROGER I think we’d better do that as well. NATHAN Good plan. NATHAN and ROGER leave the COCKPIT as fast as they could. TONY You gonna be ok? JOANNA straps herself into the pilot’s seat the re-grasps the double-joysticks tightly. JOANNA I’ll be ok, just make sure the rest will be. TONY You got it. TONY leaves the COCKPIT. THE SHIP is getting pulled closer to the red light, which is getting closer to being pink. INT THE SHIP-DINING AREA TONY runs into the DINING AREA towards the bolted-down chairs. ROGER, NATHAN and SAM are already strapped down, holding the chair’s arms tightly. TONY takes a seat between ROGER and SAM and straps himself in. SAM What about our prisoner? NATHAN What about her? SAM Well she might get badly hurt. NATHAN The cell is small she won’t be hurt too badly. THE SHIP starts rattling again, this time without stopping. Everyone grips the arms of their chairs tighter. SAM closes her eyes, turning her face to the side. JOANNA (over Comm. System) EVERYBODY HOLD ON! The red light has turned white and suddenly explodes in a white ball, it quickly gets bigger and bigger until it reaches THE SHIP. THE SHIP rears back as the white ball hits it, items in the DINING AREA fall from the shelves and scatter as they hit the floor. The crew’s faces are all in a grimace. Sparks start flying around in the ENGINE ROOM. Fires start burning around the inside of THE SHIP, some bigger than others. The white ball grew past THE SHIP, then suddenly stopped growing and started shrinking. JOANNA lets the double-joysticks go and holds herself tightly, until her hands are white. The whit ball shrinks until it is gone, THE SHIP stops rattling. SAM opens her eyes and looks around frantically, seeing that everyone is ok she lets out a sigh in relief. TONY Everybody good? They all nods their heads and one after the other begin to un-strap themselves from the chairs. TONY Hey Joanna, you good? JOANNA (over Comm. System) That’s a yes Captain, how ‘bout everyone else. TONY We’re all good here. They all begin to stand up, ready in case THE SHIP rattles again. ROGER, who is the last to stand, begins walking towards the door. TONY Where are going in such a hurry? ROGER To check on the prisoner SAM Yeah she might be hurt. NATHAN Hey today’s looking up already. The three of them give NATHAN a stern look, NATHAN turns from them and picks up several of the food cans and puts them back in to the cupboards. TONY turns back to ROGER. TONY Fine but when you’ve done that come right back here and help clean up. ROGER I’ll be back soon as I can. ROGER rushes out the DINING AREA, TONY and SAM help NATHAN with cleaning up . JOANNA (over Comm. System) Captain we have a case of fire on board. TONY How bad? JOANNA (over Comm. System) Some are close to the engine room. TONY, NATHAN and SAM look at each other in in shock and fear. SAM drops the food cans she has in her hands and runs for the door. TONY (calling after SAM) BE CAREFUL! SAM (calling back) I WILL BE! TONY and NATHAN return to cleaning. INT THE SHIP-PRISON CELL ROGER walks quickly to the cell, a fire extinguisher held with both hands. He puts the fire extinguisher to the floor to punch in the key-code when SAM rushes past him to the ladder at the end of the hall. ROGER (worried) Where’re you going in such a hurry? SAM (out of breath) There’s a fire in the engine room, gotta hurry! ROGER picks up the fire extinguisher. ROGER Sam! SAM What! ROGER Take this ROGER tosses the fire extinguisher to SAM, she catches it easily. She runs for the ladder again, carrying the fire extinguisher in one hand. SAM Cheers doc. ROGER goes back to the door and punches in the key-code and slowly opens the door. The prison cell is small, the bed is low to the ground and just next to the door, going from there to the wall at the far side of the room and has both ends touching the wall. The walls, floor and ceiling are all a dull grey colour. There is a small toilet at the wall next to the head of the bed. The prisoner AMY is lying on the bed, her hands are cuffed. Her cuffed hands are holding in the bars at the head of the bed. AMY (not caring) What’s been going on? We under attack or something? ROGER There was something out there pulling us in but we think its over now AMY You think? So you don’t actually know? ROGER Well the thing’s gone so its probably over. A small silence between them. AMY So what’re you doing here? Shouldn’t you be helping the others? ROGER They aren’t injured. AMY Well neither am I so you can just scurry back to wherever it is you were before. ROGER nods his head, turns and walks out, locking the door. AMY sighs in annoyance. INT THE SHIP-ENGINE ROOM SAM climbs down the ladder then rushes into the ENGINE ROOM holding the fire extinguisher, a small fire is in the far left corner. SAM goes to the corner and puts the fire out, once it is out SAM sighs in relief. SAM goes onto the Comm. System. SAM The engine room’s clear Captain TONY (over Comm. System) Is there any damage? SAM checks the ENGINE ROOM for damage, there is only a few burn marks. SAM Uh… a few burn marks nothing too serious. TONY (over Comm. System) Thank God, but there are still some other fires- SAM On it. SAM runs out the ENGINE ROOM to the ladder then goes back up it. She gets out of the first exit to a long hall with the crew’s living quarters along both sides of the hall. There is a fire larger than the one in the ENGINE ROOM next to the door entitled ROGER’S, SAM moves up close it and starts putting it out. After some time the fire finally went out. The damage is slightly worse than in the ENGINE ROOM but still not too bad. SAM (to herself) That’s another one. TONY (over Comm. System) Sam the rest of the fires are out now. SAM (confused) How’s that? TONY (over Comm. System) The rest of them were in the area with sprinkler systems. SAM We’ve got to get more of them. TONY (over Comm. System) We will when we get paid. SAM If we get paid. TONY (over Comm. System) The people that want the prisoner are respectable people, they don’t back down from deals. They are gonna pay us when we arrive. SAM Captain you’ve said that about the last ten people at yet they somehow only give us half of what they owe us and force us to leave. TONY (over Comm. System) Ok you got me there but I’m right this time. SAM I’m not gonna complain. TONY (over Comm. System) Good. SAM walks back to the ladder, leaving the fire extinguisher where it is, and climbs to the top. INT THE SHIP-DINING AREA NATHAN, ROGER and TONY are almost finished with cleaning the DINING AREA. Most of the food cans and pots and pans are back in their original places. SAM walks in through the door, she looks around at what is left of the mess then to TONY. SAM Well it seems you boys don’t need so I’m go check if the engine can be fixed. TONY Good thinking. SAM turns to look at ROGER. SAM How is she? ROGER Annoying as ever but physically fine. NATHAN Damn shame SAM Shut it Nathan! NATHAN smiles, amused by SAM’S outburst. SAM glares at NATHAN for a while then leaves. ROGER turns to NATHAN ROGER Why do you hate her? NATHAN Who? ROGER Amy, our prisoner. NATHAN Oh come on doc. If she got the chance she’d kill all of us and sleep soundly that night. Am I the only one who realises that? ROGER looks to the floor embarrassed, NATHAN notices this. NATHAN Thought so. TONY stares back and forth between NATHAN and ROGER, they don’t stare back. TONY Will you two shut up, Amy isn’t our main problem right now. If we can’t fix this ship we aren’t going anywhere for a long time. So you two sort out whatever problems you have when we get to the Pluto Space Station, got it? ROGER and NATHAN stare at each other for a little while longer, then both nod their heads. TONY Good now lets just finish up in here. JOANNA (over Comm. System) Captain. TONY What is it? JOANNA (over Comm. System) We have another problem. TONY rolls his eyes and NATHAN slumps down in annoyance. TONY What is it this time? JOANNA (over Comm. System) Well umm… the thing is that… TONY (worried) Joanna what is it? NATHAN Yeah is this ship able to move? JOANNA (over Comm. System) I don’t know yet TONY So what’s the problem? JOANNA (over Comm. System) We uh… we aren’t in the same place we were before. FADE TO BLACK END OF ACT 1 ACT 2 INT THE SHIP-DINING AREA TONY and NATHAN are staring at each other in confusion. NATHAN What do you mean we’re not in the same place as before? JOANNA (over Comm. System) I mean that we are in a different position than before that big ball hit us. TONY How different? JOANNA (over Comm. System) Very. I don’t think we are still in out Solar System any more. NATHAN Oh this is just brilliant. Thank you very much. JOANNA (over Comm. System) This is not my fault Nathan so don’t go blaming me! TONY Alright, alright just calm down the two of you. Joanna try and find out how far we are from the Solar System. JOANNA (over Comm. System) (sigh) I’ll try but no promises. TONY Give it your best. TONY turns the Comm. System off. NATHAN What do we tell the others? TONY thinks for a moment. TONY Nothing yet NATHAN They’re gonna find out anyway. ROGER i hate to say it but he's right TONY Not if we can get us back soon, then they’ll never know NATHAN How do we do that? TONY shrugs. TONY I don’t know but we need to figure something out. ROGER Like what, wait for that thing to come back? TONY Of course we’re not doing that. NATHAN Well what then? TONY I don’t know it depends if this ship can actually move. Sam! SAM (over Comm. System) What? TONY Can we move? SAM (over Comm. System) Not right now I’m afraid. TONY What’s wrong? SAM (over Comm. System) Well to put it simply we’re dead in the water. We aren’t going anywhere for at least a few hours. TONY So you’re saying that it can be fixed right? Please tell me it can be fixed. SAM (over Comm. System) Yeah but not for a long time, and I may need a little help. TONY How much help? SAM (over Comm. System) Well luckily none right now but when I do I’ll holler. NATHAN I’ll do it. SAM (over Comm. System) That’ll be fine cheers Nathan. TONY Great. SAM (over Comm. System) And Captain. TONY Yeah? SAM (over Comm. System) I heard what Joanna said… ’bout us not being where we were. TONY (worried) You did huh? SAM (over Comm. System) So I guess we won’t be getting paid huh. TONY laughs. TONY Well not yet. But we will. SAM (over Comm. System) Oh goody. I’ll probably celebrate when that happens. TONY We all will Sam don't you worry. SAM (over Comm. System) (sigh) Thanks. ROGER She seems to be taking it rather well. NATHAN Yeah a bit too well. TONY Yeah well we can deal with that later right now we just need to get this baby moving. Nathan, go to the engine room to help Sam. NATHAN opens his mouth to say something but TONY cuts him off. TONY I know she said she didn’t need help yet but just go there anyway so when she does need help you won’t be far away. NATHAN Done. NATHAN leaves the DINING AREA. ROGER What about me? TONY Doc. You and me are gonna check the rest of the ship for damage see what does and doesn’t work and how bad the damaged things are. ROGER You got it. INT THE SHIP-ENGINE ROOM SAM is on her knees next to the engine with a wrench in her hands, she is trying to tighten one of the pipes so it would stop leaking fluid. Her hands are dirty and sticky. Steam was blowing out other pipes along the walls. NATHAN Need some help? SAM jumps in shock and looks behind her and sees NATHAN leaning at the ENGINE ROOM’S entrance. He chuckles lightly when SAM jumps. SAM You scared me. NATHAN raises his hands defensively. NATHAN Sorry. SAM Oh its ok, its just all of what’s been happening has made me a little jumpy. MATHAN (smiling) Huh a little? SAM goes back to the pipe and continues her attempts at tightening it. SAM Ok, ok a lot, but… (beat) Oh come on like you’re not worried or even just a little jumpy. NATHAN (shrugging) I’m not. SAM Mm yeah sure. NATHAN I’m serious SAM (laughing) No you’re not, you’re just trying to act all cool and stuff so the rest of us will think you’re braver than us. And we both know you are the second-least brave person on this ship. NATHAN Whose first? SAM I am. NATHAN No way is that anywhere near true. SAM Yes it is NATHAN Oh come on, you are in here up close to that thing (he points to the engine) every day knowing that it could blow at any second. That’s better than the rest of us. SAM looks at NATHAN and smiles. SAM Thanks. NATHAN Any time. Now to steer you back to what I said before ‘need some help’? SAM Umm sure could you try and stop the steam coming from those pipes. SAM points to the pipes on the wall next to her then continues tightening. NATHAN Well I can give it a shot. SOUND: PIPES CREAKING, THEN A SMALL METAL-ON-METAL BANG SAM That’s done it. NATHAN Fix it did ye. SAM Yeah it was leaking fuel. NATHAN How much we got left? SAM gets to her feet and walks to the other end of the ENGINE ROOM. NATHAN watches her go. SAM We have… just over half fuel. NATHAN Well it isn’t that bad. SAM Actually it is. NATHAN How’s that? SAM turns back to face NATHAN. SAM Well even if we do get this ship up and running again it won’t do much good unless there is a known station within a twenty thousand square-mile radius. NATHAN Oh…… SAM Fuck? NATHAN Yeah that about sums it. NATHAN grabs a spare wrench from SAM’S tool box and fixes the pipes on the wall, the steam coming from the pipes comes slower and slower until finally stops. SAM So… whose gonna tell him? NATHAN (reluctantly) I’ll do it- SAM Oh thank God. NATHAN But not yet. SAM As long as I don’t have to tell him I’m fine. NATHAN and SAM hug each other. NATHAN Whatever’s happened I’m sure we’ll get through it in one piece. SAM Sure? NATHAN Sure. INT THE SHIP-COCKPIT JOANNA is standing in front of her chair. Sorting through wires inside the main controls, trying to get through them to a set of switches. JOANNA Come on you son of a… JOANNA finally gets her left hand through the wires to the set of switches . TONY (over Comm. System) Hey Joanna, how’s it going. JOANNA I’m just checking the switches, to see if the sensors’ll come back on. TONY (over Comm. System) Keep me informed. JOANNA I will. JOANNA flicks a switch and several of the lights go out, she flicks it again and the lights turn back on. JOANNA Ok so the proximity alert works. No for the rest. JOANNA flicks another switch, this time nothing. She flicks it repeatedly back and forth and still nothing happens. JOANNA gets agitated. JOANNA Dammit, so the… internal sensors don’t work. JOANNA moves to the third switch and flicks it, the door’s locking mechanism shuts down. She flicks it again and they turn back on. JOANNA sighs in relief. TONY walks in through the door behind JOANNA. TONY How we doing so far? JOANNA Well right now the pluses are beating the minuses. TONY (nervous) What’s not working? JOANNA So far I only know that the internal sensors aren’t working. TONY (relieved) We can do without them for a while. What about air and gravity? JOANNA Errr… JOANNA moves to the far end to check readings from two separate pannels and then turns back to TONY. JOANNA So far the’re holding up alright. SOUND: FAINT RUMBLING FROM THE ENGINE Suddenly more lights turn on. TONY and JOANNA look around, a smile crosses TONY’S face. JOANNA quickly walks to her seat. JOANNA We’re back on. TONY God bless you Sam. JOANNA Hey Sam congrats on getting the engine back on. SAM (over Comm. System) Thanks Joanna. TONY How’s our fuel? SAM (over Comm. System) Not as good as you’d want. TONY How bad? SAM (over Comm. System) Its close to being red. JOANNA How long would we last? SAM (over Comm. System) At minimul speed we’ll last three hours at least. TONY This is a really bad day! JOANNA Don’t go ‘bad day’ until we see what’s out there. TONY Or what’s not. JOANNA starts the long range scanners and the two of them wait for a short time. SOUND: BEEPING The scanning is complete and JOANNA checks the results. She looks happy. SAM/TONY (in unison) Are we gonna be ok? JOANNA Yes. SAM (over Comm. System) WOOHOO! TONY laughs as he looks relieved and leans forward, resting his hands on his knees. TONY What’ve ye found? JOANNA A small red planet, it has signs of life on it. SAM (over Comm. System) How long will it take to get there? JOANNA It’ll take us half an hour. TONY Well lets not waste any time then. Get us there safely Joanna. JOANNA moves THE SHIP forward, slowly at first and then going faster and faster. INT RED PLANET-DOCKING AREA JOANNA lands THE SHIP in an empty space, there are many different ships around it. A small ramp lowers to the ground from the back of THE SHIP and they all walk down it. All except AMY. The surrounding area is very crowded by tall thin dark-coloured buildings. The blue sky is barely visible. The surrounding area is almost like a giant market-place. The are dozens of aliens all around the ‘market-place’ area of many different colours and appearance. Most of the aliens don’t notice them but some do and for a long while stare at them. NATHAN Where the hell are we? ROGER Good question. NATHAN Yeah well unfortunately we don’t have any answers. TONY Not yet. They all stare at TONY in surprise. SAM You can not be serious. JOANNA You really expect us to go out there? TONY Yes. ROGER No, no, no. you can go out there but I’m gonna stay right here and wait. TONY We are all going. They all look reluctant and look away but do not agrue with TONY. With the silence as an answer TONY nods his head. TONY Ok then. Roger, you and the girls go to the left while me and Nathan’ll go right. We’ll meet back here in two hours. Keep the Comm. Channel open at all times. JOANNA What are expecting to find? TONY Anything that could be of use, our top priority is fuel and directions. NATHAN Oh great, lets just shout the fact that we are basically tourists to this place. SAM Well we kinda are Nathan. JOANNA Lets just go. They start to separate, going in their groups. NATHAN and TONY has to squeeze through the crowds while it isn’t as crowded where JOANNA, ROGER and SAM are. SAM looks at some of the stalls and what they are selling as she, JOANNA and ROGER pass by them and is disgusted by some of the items. SAM What the hell is this stuff. JOANNA I can’t even begin to tell you why I don’t want to know. ROGER I don’t even know why I’m looking at them. They turn away from the stalls and walk deeper into the MARKET-PLACE AREA. NATHAN and TONY move through the heavy crowd trying not to stare too hard at the passing aliens. Less and less sunlight is able to get through to them. Aliens continually stared at them but only for a moment. NATHAN I don’t like it here, wherever here is. TONY I don’t either but this was the only planet we could find. (beat) As soon as we get what we came for we are out of here. NATHAN If we get what we came for. TONY stops and turns to NATHAN. TONY Quit complaining and help me look. NATHAN Alright, alright. TONY turns back around and is about to continue moving when a group a three aliens, one female and two male, come up them and stop in front of them. Each of the three aliens are completely different from each other. The female alien in front began speaking but neither NATHAN nor TONY could understand her. TONY (slowly) Umm… we can’t understand you. While speaking he tries to gesture with his arms. The three aliens look between each other in confusion and then start talking to each other, each of them is speaking in a bizarre language and both TONY and NATHAN couldn‘t understand any of it. NATHAN leans towards TONY. NATHAN This don’t look good. TONY nods his head in agreement. The MALE ALIEN to the left of the female reaches into his pocket and takes out two small rough brown balls. He cracks one open and inside is a tiny red worm-like creature, he picks it up and reaches out to TONY. TONY looks confused, his eyes going back and forth between the male alien and the worm-like creature. NATHAN I think they want you to eat it. TONY (look of disgust) Don’t joke around. NATHAN I’m not. The MALE ALIEN holding out the worm-like creature to TONY urges him to take it. The FEMALE ALIEN and the other MALE ALIEN nod their heads. TONY shakes his head and looks away. The first MALE ALIEN moves his outstretched hand to NATHAN who then raises his hands and backs away. NATHAN Whoa, whoa I am not touchin’ that thing. There is a long silence between all of them, TONY takes several deep breaths. TONY Alright just gimme it. TONY takes the worm-like creature from the male alien’s hand and is about to put it in his mouth when the other male alien stops him and gestures with his hands for TONY to put it in his ear. TONY Oh God you gotta be kiddin me! NATHAN Our ear?! The three aliens nod their heads in unison. TONY hesitantly reaches for the worm-like creature and grasps it lightly and then places it near his ear, he closes his eyes to prepare for it then moves his hand closer to his ear. The worm-like creature suddenly shoots into TONY’S ear, who yelps in pain at the sudden intrusion he backs away a few steps before reopening his eyes, he is disorientated and nearly falls but NATHAN grabs him. The dizziness fades and he is back to normal in a few seconds. NATHAN You alright man? TONY Yeah, yeah I’m ok. What the hell was that? FEMALE ALIEN That is a Translator Worm, it lets us understand each other. NATHAN What did she just say? TONY She said that the little worm thing helps understand what they’re saying. The MALE ALIEN cracks the other ball and takes out another red worm-like creature and hands it to NATHAN. NATHAN This is gonna hurt. NATHAN takes the worm-like creature up to his ear and it shoots into his ear. NATHAN Arrg God! NATHAN holds his ear in pain, which slowly goes away. MALE ALIEN #1 Now that we can understand each other, we ask for your asistance. TONY (cautious) In what? FEMALE ALIEN Before we do that allow us to introduce ourselves. My name is Inyri Savakan. INYRI gestures to the MALE ALIEN to her right. INYRI This is Kargen and this… (gesturing to the other MALE ALIEN) … this is Furlin. KARGEN and FURLIN both lightly bow to TONY and NATHAN, who wave back. TONY Well hi, I’m Tony and this is Nathan. NATHAN Hi. INYRI The word ‘hi’ what is its meaning? NATHAN Hi, means hello. INYRI (nodding) I see. TONY Earlier on you said you needed our assistance… what assistance do you need? FURLIN We need your help in getting off this planet to a safer place. This planet isn’t the most civilized place in the near galaxy. NATHAN Now you tell us. TONY gets on the Comm. System to the others. TONY Hey Sam… Joanna you guys hear me. ROGER (over Comm. System) We’re here, what’s wrong? TONY and NATHAN sigh in relief. TONY You guys alright? SAM (over Comm. System) We’re good, I’m starting to like it here. NATHAN What’s going on over there? ROGER (over Comm. System) I’m not sure, there seems to be sort of… dance or ritual or something with a huge crowd around. They all seem to like what’s going on. TONY looks over to INYRI for answers. INYRI They must be at the New Year Ritual. We know where your companions are. TONY Take us there. KARGEN Follow us and stay close. They all walk quickly through the crowds. INT RED PLANET-NEW YEAR RITUAL ARENA SAM, ROGER and JOANNA are sitting in with the crowd in a huge circle. Within the circle is a large fire with a group of aliens dressed in strangely coloured dresses dancing in unison around it. ROGER and JOANNA are both looking at the display confused while SAM is enjoying it. SAM Is anyone else enjoying this? ROGER and JOANNA look at her in complete surprise. SAM doesn’t look away from the ritual. JOANNA Are you mad? SAM looks over to JOANNA. SAM What? JOANNA How can you be enjoying this? SAM Its interesting, its new. Its also kinda cool. JOANNA Freaky you mean, please tell me you meant freaky. SAM What’s wrong with it? JOANNA Its all so weird. SAM Not its not. ROGER We don’t know what it is. JOANNA Exactly. SAM Oh come on guys haven’t you ever wanted to see something new? JOANNA Yeah, comfy chairs and vegitarian pizzas, (she gestures to the ritual) not weird alien dances. SAM becomes angry at JOANNA so she turns back to the ritaul. TONY, NATHAN and the three aliens walk up next to them watching the ritual with interest. TONY Anyone know what they’re doing? SAM, JOANNA and ROGER all jump when they hear TONY’S voice. SAM Don’t scare us like that. TONY laughs. ROGER sees the three aliens and backs up eyes wide. ROGER Err… wh-who are they? SAM and JOANNA look to where ROGER is looking and stand next to ROGER. NATHAN Umm lets see if pronounce this right, this is Inyri. Him over there that’s Kargen and he’s Furlin. SAM gives a nervous wave while ROGER and JOANNA just stand there staring. INYRI Greetings to you all. ROGER What she just say? TONY She says hi. ROGER Uh huh. JOANNA You understood that! TONY Yeah, didn’t you? JOANNA looks at TONY in disbelief. NATHAN Those worm things. TONY What, oh yeah. (turns to KARGEN) Do you have any more of those worm thingys. KARGEN Yes I have several more. TONY Good ‘cause my friends here need them. SAM Urr what’re you guys talkin’ about? NATHAN Trust us you’ll need this. SAM That doesn’t make me feel any better. NATHAN Well I can’t help that. KARGEN reaches into his pocket and takes out three moe balls, then cracks them open and takes out three Translator Worms and hands them over to JOANNA, ROGER and SAM, who take them after a few hesitant seconds. ROGER What’re we suppose to do with these things? TONY You’re suppose to put them in your ear. SAM/ROGER (in unison) You gotta be kiddin’ me. JOANNA No way in hell is that going anywhere near my ear. TONY Come on this’ll help you guys understand them. TONY points to the three aliens. JOANNA Alright, fine. But it better not hurt. SAM and ROGER watch intently as JOANNA closes her eyes and moves the Translator Worm up to her left ear. The Translator Worm shoots into her ear, she groans loudly in pain. SAM You ok Jo? JOANNA I’m fine, I’m alright. Now its your turn. SAM Arr man. SAM repeats what JOANNA had done and then gasps in pain when it shoots in her ear. SAM Ow, ow, ow that hurts. ROGER I guess its my turn now. ROGER does the same as SAM and groans in pain, holding his ear when the Translator Worm shoots in to his ear. ROGER Oh God that hurts, son of a… FURLIN We apologize for whatever pain the Translator Worm has caused but they should have been inserted on the day of your birth. JOANNA Birth?.. You’re serious? FURLIN Well yes, that is the way for all species. Why weren’t any of you injected with them? TONY Well we ain’t from around here. INYRI Where are you from? NATHAN We’re from a planet called Earth. KARGEN Earth? I know of no such Planet. JOANNA Oh that really helps. TONY (warningly) Joanna. SAM Well it kinda does, if these aliens haven’t heard of us then we are very far from home. NATHAN She’s got a point there. INYRI You are lost? TONY Yeah we’re lost. FURLIN How’d that happen? TONY Some sort of.. Spacial anomaly brought us here. INYRI Well maybe we can help each other. JOANNA How’s that? INYRI Well you take us off this planet and we might be able you get back to your home. JOANNA Ok, I’ll repeat the question INYRI There are some species that travel to the galxies far reaches, it is possible that someone saw your planet. TONY Well then what’re we waiting for? SAM Wait what about fuel and supplies? NATHAN Oh yeah FURLIN We have some supplies, and fuel for your ship should not be hard to find. TONY Well then lets go get it. They all leave the crowd and the New Year Ritual, which is nearing its end. FADE TO BLACK END OF ACT 2 |