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A veteran assigned to extract Earth’s remaining resources begins to question what he knows about his mission and himself (imdb).
Director:
Writers:
Karl Gajdusek (screenplay), Michael Arndt(screenplay),
Stars:
OBLIVION
Written by
William Monahan
Current Revisions by
Karl Gajdusek
Based on the story by
Joseph Kosinski
DRAFT: March 27, 2011
1.
FADE IN:
EXT. THE PLANET - MORNING
Huge mountains, destroyed STRUCTURES. Buildings
enveloped by flows of earth. Awe-inspiring beauty.
JACK (V.O.)
They arrived almost half a century
ago. Aliens, Scavs, whatever you
want to call them. Their idea of
how-do-you-do was to blow up our
moon.
Giant waterfalls crash where lava cooled through iron and
concrete. Telephone polls half-buried in sand.
JACK (V.O.)
Without her moon, the earth went
insane. Most were killed in the
floods, as the cities came down,
as everything caught fire. A year
later their ground troops landed,
to exterminate whoever was left.
A station wagon half protrudes from a lava flow. A
child's plastic flip-flops on the dash.
JACK (V.0.)
They were probably surprised, what
we were willing to do, to survive.
We used the nukes.
(BEAT)
We won the war, but lost the
planet.
Low on the HORIZON, the TET rises with the sun. It's a
WHITE TETRAHEDRON (SIX-SIDED) SPACE STATION that circles
the earth once a day, like an artificial moon.
JACK (V.0.)
Humanity had to flee the Earth.
We had to unlearn what it meant,
to call something our home. Now
we live on the Tet, our man-made
moon. A temporary home before the
next step. Everyone's there now.
(BEAT)
Well, almost everyone.
2.
INT. BEDROOOM - MORNING
An ALARM chirps. A man's hand reaches out of bed,
silences it. The MAN swings his feet onto the floor. He
sits with his face in his hands, waking up. We hear a
SHOWER RUNNING. He looks up.
A WOMAN showers near him, only steamed glass walls
between them. She sees him, smiles at him, without
modesty. He looks back at her.
OVER TITLES. We watch a familiar morning routine:
INT. A HOME - MORNING
BATHROOM. The man flicks on a light, stares at himself
in the mirror. This is JACK. Early 40's, a good face
that enjoys rugged living. Tan and weathered skin. His
eyes are curious, kind, almost child-like.
The woman squeezes in next to him, VICTORIA. 30s, a tom-
boy shock of red hair, towel around her neck. She
brushes her teeth.
KITCHEN. Victoria watches the coffee drip, bites toast.
SHOWER. Jack lets warm water blast him in the face.
READY ROOM. Jack pulls a worn high-tech workman's suit
from a locker, revealing a photo taped to the door: It's
of him and Victoria, younger, in a white-walled high-tech
corridor, smiling eager at the camera. He stares at it
for a moment, closes the locker door.
KITCHEN. Victoria hands Jack his coffee. He kisses the
top of her head, heads out to work.
EXT. SKY TOWER - CONTINUOUS
He walks out onto the deck of a futuristic home perched
1,200 feet in the air, literally above the clouds. As
our minds are blown, Jack moves away from the glass-
walled home towards his BUBBLESHIP, a futuristic-cross
between a Bell 47 Helicopter and a jet fighter, and we
CRANE UP UP UP... INCREDIBLE VERTIGO until we're looking
down at this impossible structure. Jack, climbing into
his ship.
TITLE CARD: "OBLIVION"
3.
EXT. THE SKY - DAY
The SKY stretches to infinity above roiling planetary
cloud-cover. The BUBBLESHIP streaks through our frame,
dropping faster than free fall.
INT. BUBBLESHIP - CONTINUOUS
Through the canopy of the Bubbleship: The cloud cover
below seems to FALL UPWARDS at us, that's how fast we're
diving. There's a small worn BOBBLE-HEAD on the dash
which vibrates with the ship.
Jack is un-phased by the drop, touches a few controls.
VICTORIA (V.O.)
Good morning, Jack. I'll be your
flight attendant for the day.
This is day... three thousand two
hundred and twenty five, in case
you were wondering.
JACK is running instruments. A day at work..
VICTORIA
Today we will be running support
on five Resource Gatherers working
the seaboard. Coordinates coming
to you... now. Please do confirm.
On Jack's heads-up display, five icons glow to life.
JACK
Yeah, I got 'em. You got 'em,
Bob?
The Bobblehead bobs.
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
VICTORIA watches the Bubbleship's icon on a screen.
She's now wearing a work jumpsuit open over a man's
undershirt. She has a natural ease with tech and stress.
She sips her coffee, punches up a feed, multi-tasking
with cool.
VICTORIA
Drone perimeter defense is intact,
although one went offline last
night. How's the drop?
(CONTINUED)
4.
CONTINUED:
JACK
Oh, you know. Same ole' same.
In front of Victoria, almost a hundred years of
technological advances. Most prominent a MAP overlaid
with environmental, meteorological, radiation levels...
Other screens stream cam-footage from the Bubbleship.
VICTORIA
Alright, you're blind in five,
four, three...
INTERCUT WITH JACK IN THE BUBBLESHIP. JACK watches the
cloud wall RUSH UP at him.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Two... one...
JACK
You should come with me sometime.
VICTORIA
No, thank you. Have a nice ride.
The Bubbleship HITS CLOUDS, goes completely blind. Just
vapor and water HAMMERING the canopy like bullets.
On the heads-up display, GPS numbers roll. The readouts
deal with climate, terrain below... Even in this hell,
Jack takes the controls, starts to pilot on instruments.
One of Victoria's boards flashes. She squints as a large
MASS forms near Jack's ship.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Jack, you got some weather on your
five, closing.
The Bubbleship is VIBRATING, buffeted.
JACK
What do you call this?
What does a storm look like inside a storm? Like this.
The WALL OF WEATHER comes out of the wind and rain from
behind Jack's ship, simply eats it up.
Suddenly Jack's going end over end, helpless. Warning
lights flash. Jack punches controls that won't respond.
JACK (CONT'D)
(humming to himself)
"I've got sunshine...
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
5.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
JACK (CONT'D)
on a cloudy day. When it's cold
outside I've got the month of
May..."
Victoria watches the readouts, helpless.
JACK (CONT'D)
(STILL SINGING)
"I guess you'd say... What can
make me feel this way?"
(a little tense)
Okay, Bob. Need you to work with
me here.
In the Bubbleship, Jack works the display, literally
SMACKS a panel with his fist. Suddenly, the Bubbleship
SURGES with power. Jack regains control as:
INT/EXT. BUBBLESHIP - CONTINUOUS
The Bubbleship BURSTS through low clouds, hurtling down
past turbulence into...
THE SKY ABOVE A BEAUTIFUL DESOLATE PLANET. Mysterious
black sand dunes, active volcanoes, swirling orange and
gold sediment, steaming bright blue hot springs and rich
brown craters.
Jack takes a moment to marvel at it all.
JACK
(under his breath)
"Talkin' 'bout my girl..."
Jack shifts the Bubbleship, in the distance a series of
RESOURCE-GATHERERS on the horizon. Essentially titanic
vacuums, sucking up the oceans.
In front of her console, VICTORIA charts the Gatherers,
and the patrol arcs of their defensive Drones. One
blinks, stalled.
VICTORIA
Okay, we've got another Drone
downed last night.
JACK
Send it.
NUMBERS FIRE across the heads-up. Jack touches a button.
A BAR GAUGE begins to fill, like a street racer turning
on the NOX before dragging...
(CONTINUED)
6.
CONTINUED:
VICTORIA
Would you like to set a course to
reserve fuel?
JACK
(SMALL SMILE)
Absolutely not.
Bar gaucre hits top. Jack punches it.
JACK vibrates in his seat, pinned back. The ship SCREAMS
over the surface, following the signal.
Now A HUGE CRATER opens up in front of him which he DROPS
INTO, barely missing an edge... which seems to have
architecture to it.
The ship skims close along the walls which are revealed
to be rows and rows of stadium seats, half buried in
sand. We're in Giants Stadium, New Jersey.
Old news to Jack. He surveys below...
JACK (CONT'D)
I see it, looks like full mid-
flight impact. What was its last
destination?
BELOW, through blowing dust, we see a DRONE, a spherical
mechanical weapon, plunged into the sand.
VICTORIA
Yo no se. No data. It's not
transmitting.
(checking the map)
Tet coverage will go live in 11
minutes.
Jack stares forward at a huge broken sign: "Home of the
2015 World Champions..."
JACK
You know, I actually read about
this game. Giants are literally
on their own seven with 25 seconds
on the clock...
VICTORIA
Please do not reminisce on my
Comm, thank you very much.
He puts the Bubbleship into a soft descent. Victoria
observes it on her console.
(CONTINUED)
7.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Negative, technician. I have no
eyes in the sky for another ten
minutes. Do not land.
SEEN FROM INSIDE A STADIUM TUNNEL: The bubbleship lands
thirty yards from the Drone, moors itself by setting
spikes from its skids. Blowing sand whips around both.
INT. BUBBLESHIP - CONTINUOUS
JACK grabs an old YANKEES CAP from between the seats and
slides it on backwards. He hoists a WEAPON, a carbine-
sized gun on a sling, and checks its charge as he slides
the door open. He's BLASTED with sand and wind which now
suddenly still, like a freight train that's passed.
JACK
Anyway... QB lets off this mile-
high bomb...
The weather's fast and erratic like this. As Jack starts
moving towards the Drone, a heavy mist forms, shrouding
it in grey. There's almost no sound, just Jack's feet on
earth...
JACK (CONT'D)
The thing just sails the length of
the field.
Victoria anxiously checks a screen, the arc of the Tet's
"vision" still not covering Jack's location.
VICTORIA
Jack I have no scope. The Tet is
still offline.
He pauses. A faint sound on the wind... like a whine.
JACK
And at the one yard line...
interception. Devastation. It's
all over.
EXT. STADIUM - CONTINUOUS
LIGHTS connected to the ship's two AUTOMATIC GUNS reach
from the hull of the BUBBLESHIP, backlighting JACK as he
reaches the downed drone.
(CONTINUED)
8.
CONTINUED:
THE DRONE, a spectacular piece of technology, has landed
hard, half-buried in the sand. The basic electronics are
still humming, cycling.
JACK
But the guy's too eager. He
starts running it back.
Everyone's yelling "Fall down,
just fall down!"
Jack goes to his knees, examining it, his hands expertly
locate an empty tube-like space on the side of the Drone.
JACK (CONT'D)
Huh... The fuel-cell has been
taken.
VICTORIA
What do you mean taken? Was it a
malfunction?
Jack looks at the casing... beaten, pried open? He
glances at the ground around him, the dark tunnels.
REVERSE ANGLE. From inside a caved-in tunnel entrance,
Jack looks small, vulnerable. Something watches Jack...
JACK
No... It's a master drone, too.
166. Looks like it was hit mid
flight, managed to limp its way
here. Watch my back, I'm starting
field repair.
INTERCUT: VICTORIA AT SKY TOWER. Glances at the arc of
the Tet's vision - still six minutes away.
JACK (CONT'D)
Bob, I'm going to need a cell.
AT THE BUBBLESHIP. An exterior compartment opens
revealing spare parts, etc... At the same time, a small
ROVER, an ball-shaped independent gopher, rolls free from
the ship, sprouting wheels...
VICTORIA
Jack, you need to get out of
there. Bring it home to the shop.
Jack has a panel open. He pulls a lead from the sleeve
of his suit, connects it to a board. We see FLIGHT DATA
transfer to the Bubbleship.
(CONTINUED)
9
CONTINUED: ( 2)
JACK
So the guy keeps running. 30, 40,
50 yards and BAM! He gets pasted.
Ball goes loose...
VICTORIA
Jack, you know they can weaponize
a fuel cell.
Now a DRIVER shoots out of the tool cuff of his suit.
JACK
(STARTING WORK)
And wouldn't you know it, Giants
recover, start running it back.
Total insanity.
VICTORIA
I'm reading the whole central core
off alignment, you don't have the
necessary tools.
Jack's got an arm and half his chest inside. He takes
his CHEWING GUM, presses it in next to a board...
Systems go green on Victoria's console.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Hold on, what did you just do?
JACK
(calling to the ship)
Bob, I said I needed...
He turns to find that the ROVER is already there, a
DEUTERIUM FUEL CELL sitting in its payload bay.
A SOUND now reaches Jack. Distant, an animal in pain?
Jack listens, but it's gone. He slots the cell. A
HUMMMM as the Drone powers up, systems coming online.
Jack looks around at the stadium.
JACK (CONT'D)
Can you imagine it? 80,000 people
on their feet. Everyone yelling
"Go! Go! Go!..." Touchdown...
He sets his gun against the Drone, raises his arms,
running in a circle, making the crowd roar sound...
JACK (CONT'D)
"Yahhhhhhhhhhhhhh... ."
(CONTINUED)
10.
CONTINUED: (3)
INTERCUT VICTORIA: Listening to his stadium cheer sound
over the Comm. She rests her head in her hands.
WITH JACK. The empty ruined structure stares back.
Reality returns, sadly...
He reaches for the open Fuel Cell door... hesitates,
hating what comes next... and that SOUND comes again.
Distinctive. An animal's whimper...
INT. STADIUM TUNNEL - MOMENTS LATER
Jack stands at the tunnel entrance, shining a light into
the depths. The sound is clear now, a low WHIMPERING.
Jack makes his way down the tunnel, carefully. Ahead,
the tunnel meets the circular tunnel that rings the
stadium. His light plays over the silty floor, finds:
A DOG. Starving, shivering. It COWERS in a corner.
JACK
Hey there, boy. Easy...
Jack moves forward, hand out.
JACK (CONT'D)
You got nothing to be scared of,
buddy...
The dog suddenly SCURRIES away into the dark
BEHIND JACK, a HUGE FORM RISES. We see GREY SKIN,
TEETH... and Jack hears ITS HEAVY LABORED BREATH...
JACK (CONT'D)
Ah, shi...
JACK SPRINTS, full speed! The animal, A GIANT EMACIATED
HAIRLESS BEAR, comes SURGING out of the darkness,
lumbering after him.
Jack TEARS back down the tunnel, the bear's form almost
FILLING the tunnel behind him.
EXT. STADIUM - CONTINUOUS
We HEAR JACK before we see him. A loud "AHHHHHHHH'.!!!!"
as Jack comes STREAKING out of the tunnel, the bear on
his heels.
(CONTINUED)
11.
CONTINUED:
VIEW FROM ABOVE: Jack streaks down the field, 50, 40,
30.. The giant bear closing...
WITH JACK. He can see the drone in front of him, the
Fuel Cell Door still hanging open. He puts on a burst of
speed but STUMBLES, sliding on his chest, arm
outstretched towards the Drone as the bear LEAPS!
He REACHES, flips the Drone's fuel cell door shut.
Drone 166 REACTIVATES. It SURGES UP, weapons POWERING UP
and RRRRRRRRRRRRip!! It opens up with white plasma fire
on the bear which seems to go nova in mid air,
disintegrating to BLACK ASH which covers Jack.
Jack stumbles to his feet. Drone 166 NOW WHEELS ON HIM.
Its smoking red-hot cannons inches from his face.
JACK averts his gaze as the Drone SCANS Jack. Breathing
hard, hating this moment. With its ganglia still hanging
out, it doesn't seem to be processing... And then just as
quickly, the Drone rockets up into the sky and is gone.
Jack falls to his knees in the sand, exhausted. Only now
realizing that Victoria has been calling his name.
VICTORIA
Jesus, Jack. What the hell was
that?
INTERCUT VICTORIA. The Tet's scanners finally giving her
a high-rez thermal view of Jack. Her display burning red
from the residual plasma fire.
JACK
(SPITTING ASH)
Call in number 166 for service up
top. It's practically got its
motherboard and half its
hydraulics hanging out.
(under his breath)
But it still wants to kill
everybody...
VICTORIA
Jack, what happened?
Nowtrudging to the ship:
JACK
I'll see you at the house later.
You want anything? Milk? Bread?
Anything else that doesn't exist?
(CONTINUED)
12.
CONTINUED: (2)
VICTORIA
You.
He leans against the ship. Smiles tired. It's a nice
thing to hear.
JACK
Well if you want anybody else,
you're out of luck.
He boards the BUBBLESHIP.
VICTORIA
We only have two more months,
Jack. Please try to resist the
urge to do something stupid.
(BEAT)
There's no other service signals.
Come home.
ON VICTORIA. A relationship off balance. She wants him
home. He wants...
JACK
No...
ON JACK. The captured Drone data right there in front of
him on the heads-up. He's too curious.
JACK (CONT'D)
That Master Drone was hit right
over mid-town. Same area as the
one we lost last night.
EXT. HILLSIDE -- LATER
JACK'S BUBBLESHIP, locked and armed, sits atop a ridge,
against the bruised and lightning-fractured sky.
Jack SCANS the horizon with his BINOCS, past deserted
landscape, an early iron-framed skyscraper that came down
semi-intact on its side. Nothing.
He lowers the Binocs, glances upwards to where one of the
HUGE RESOURCE GATHERERS blots out half the sky, breath-
taking. It's hovering over what is left of a subsided
harbor, a few blasted and rusted hulks of ships. The
water level has dropped by a kilometer.
(CONTINUED)
13.
CONTINUED:
The Gatherer is sucking up salt water, harvesting the
elements essential to create DEUTERIUM, "Heavy Hydrogen."
At the top of the giant machine, Drones work tirelessly,
ferrying containers of Deuterium energy up into the sky.
Jack raises the Binocs, snaps a few photographs...
VICTORIA
There's no Drone signal there.
(BEAT)
What are you doing, Jack?
JACK
One day when we get to Mars,
someone will want to know about
this. From someone who was here.
He stares at the HUGE columns of water draining upwards.
JACK (CONT'D)
Do we have to take it all?
VICTORIA
It's not doing anyone any good
here.
JACK nods, starts to turn away when something GLINTS on
the horizon. He raises the Binocs, PANS to a gallows-
like structure. He ZOOMS, but it is still unclear.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Jack, without a signal, you're
looking for a needle in a
haystack. I think we've had
enough excitement for one day.
JACK is at the back of the Bubbleship, throwing levers.
JACK
Actually I've got a bit of a
problem with a gyro here, call you
when I've fixed it.
He releases a catch, pulls a WHITE RECTANGULAR CASE from
a slot in the Bubbleship. He kneels down, hands working
expertly, producing a full UNFOLDING MOTORCYCLE.
As Jack locks the rear wheel in place, the bike HUMMS to
life. He gets on and opens up the throttle, rooster-
tailing off. The bike's electric, but it MOVES.
(CONTINUED)
14.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
JACK rides over what used to be the sea-bed, soaking up
the thrill of catching top speed air over embankments of
black sand. Completely carefree, enjoying himself like a
man who is utterly and completely alone.
EXT. SINK HOLE - DAY
Something was here. A large metal beam has been propped
onto rocks, stretching over... a COLLAPSED SECTION OF
EARTH. This was the source of the light reflection.
Jack stares down into the hole... black. He POPS a
flare, drops it in. It comes to rest far below, next to
the unmistakable form of a DRONE.
JACK
.There you are.
An instant of BLACK...
And we're suddenly looking at Jack THROUGH ALIEN
BINOCULARS. High tech, symbol readouts changing.
Something is watching him.
INT. SINK HOLE - DAY
Inside the hole, looking up. A CLIMBING ROPE spills
towards camera.
We descend with Jack, all the way down into the hole, the
light receding above. He touches his suit and a light
array blazes on, illuminating the walls passing by.
INT. LIBRARY -- DAY
Jack drops down through what used to be a roof... into
the READING ROOM OF THE NEW YORK PUBLIC LIBRARY. Vast,
ruined, the far end totally collapsed, like a sky-scraper
fell on it. He reaches the silty floor, the flare's
burning light illuminating the room.
He STARES at the expanse of SHELVES that line the walls,
stripped and empty. Wonder... and disappointment.
He turns to his task, kneels by the Drone. The thing's a
wreck. A METAL SHAFT protrudes from a crease. Jack
marvels at the accuracy of the shot...
He carefully reaches out, slides the fuel cell door open.
Again, the FUEL CELL is missing.
(CONTINUED)
15
CONTINUED:
JACK
Vika, you're not going to
believe...
WHITE NOISE on the comm. There's no signal down here.
EXT. HILLSIDE -- CONTINUOUS
The static BUBBLESHIP sits inert.
VICTORIA ON THE COMM
Jack? Jack... ?
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
Victoria, worried. Finally, she turns to the TET COMM.
A station reserved for high-tech, long-range
communication with the home base. A STATUS indicator,
and a screen for text communication.
TET COMM STATUS: "COMMUNICATION ENABLED."
VICTORIA
Mission, this is Lieutenant
Victoria Kohl, requesting Drone
intercept at coordinates sending
now.
Her AUDIO goes through a SCRAMBLING PROCESS, then is
uploaded where a few seconds later its receipt is
acknowledged: STATUS: "APPROVED."
She stares up at the map, sees one of the Drones turn
towards Jack's location. She settles back, watching.
INT. LIBRARY - DAY
JACK looks up and sees how the Drone was brought down:
above it is a twisted tangle of chain-mesh and cables
strung between two structures, a DRONE TRAP.
MOVEMENT FROM THE DARKNESS. Jack spins, his gun coming
off his back in a fluid motion. Just the empty cavern,
the wreckage at the end.
Jack squints at... a wall of books on the shelves beyond
the wreckage.
JACK
.Jackpot.
(CONTINUED)
16.
CONTINUED:
He steps forward... ALMOST FALLS INTO A GIANT HOLE!
He raises the flare off the ground, illuminating a void
where the entire floor has imploded down seven more
stories. What's left is a PIT, with a building-sized ton
of twisted metal hanging over it...
A single bent GIRDER still spans the hole. Jack tracks
the possibilities... steps out onto the girder. He
reaches up to the suspended wreckage to balance...
IT SHIFTS! A hundred tons of twisted metal just moved an
inch above him. Best leave that alone...
He balances, inching across this metal tightrope.
Finally reaching the other side...
AT THE FAR SHELVES
Jack approaches the wall of books, hundred of them. He
kneels, lifts one, blows dust off the cover: "THE
EDUCATION OF HENRY ADAMS."
He steps back, admiring it... SNAP! A BEAR TRAP hidden
in the debris closes around his leg, piercing armor and
flesh. Jack has a second to process and a cable rises
from the debris, goes taught!
JACK is dragged through the dust inhumanly FAST, headed
towards a darkened alcove. He activates a LASER CUTTER
on his cuff, slices through the cable which WHIPS AWAY as
he brings his rifle up, FIRES rounds into the darkness.
INHUMAN SCREAMS. Half animal, half electronic.
Something's in pain, but not retreating, CLOSING ON HIM.
Jack SLICES DOWN, cutting loose the claw, and RUNS FOR IT
back towards the HOLE as his girder is yanked away in
front of him, pulled into the void below.
Jack doesn't slow, reaches the edge, LEAPS!
A moment, Jack hanging in space, gravity clawing at him,
falling... SLAMMING into the far side. For a moment
dangling over the fall, then Jack hauls himself over the
far side.
ALIEN FORMS emerge from recesses. We get glimpses of
feathers, oily flesh, metal... They CLOSE as he reaches
his line, clips in and RISES automatically, the suit
riding the line up at neck-snapping speed...
(CONTINUED)
17.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
ABOVE. The line trembles under his weight and stress...
A KNIFE, improvised from bone and sheet metal, enters the
frame and CUTS THE LINE.
Jack has a second to feel the slack hit. And then he's
FALLING... IMPACTS the ground. Can't get his air.
Staggering wildly to his feet, FORMS CLOSING...
Suddenly a DRONE blasts down through the ceiling hole.
Its lights turning night to day, its cannons FIRING.
In the STROBING FLASH of canon fire, we see SCAVS
INCINERATED. Metal and hair fry to ASH as the insect-
like creatures SCREAM!! Other shots IMPACT WALLS. Fire
and plaster dust fills the space.
Jack shields himself from the debris as the Drone ceases
firing, WHIRLS on Jack. The same awful moment as it
SCANS him.
Then it lifts away, is gone as quickly as it arrived.
And with its departure, the darkness comes again.
Silence, whatever was here is now gone.
Jack takes in the destruction for a hard beat: The ash
of an alien, burning paper twisting in the air. He looks
up towards the light above. A long ways above.
EXT. SINK HOLE - LATER
Jack appears, dirty-faced, filthy and frustrated,
crawling, lugging his own weight up through the sink
hole. Finally back to the surface.
He shakes himself off... notices his bike has been taken.
JACK
(AD-LIBBING
EXPLETIVES)
That was my bike!!
He kicks at the dust, the rocks, curses at the pain as
he's reminded of his injured leg. He stares at the long
walk ahead, the wall of wind and rain that now hits him,
soaking him. He starts walking.
18.
EXT. BUBBLESHIP - DUSK
The debris in the air makes for spectacular sunsets.
Jack's Bubbleship bursts from the low clouds, carrying
Jack home after the long day. We see the "PLANETARY
RING" formed by the rubble from the destroyed moon.
INT. BUBBLESHIP - CONTINUOUS
Jack marvels at the ring, thoughtful. But then checks
his read-outs. Victoria knows what he's looking for.
VICTORIA
Check your seven.
Jack touches his controls and the Bubbleship Canopy
REVOLVES so Jack's facing away from the direction he's
traveling in.
Low on the HORIZON, the TET floats in the sky. It's
setting, glows a dull orange, like a Harvest Moon.
INTERCUT VICTORIA. She's leaning back in her command
chair, her feet propped on the console, also staring out
at the Tet. Strangely quiet.
In Jack's face a curious mixture of nostalgia, and
confusion... This small metal planet is his home.
JACK
Goodnight, folks... See you back
here tomorrow. Same time, same
channel...
He punches the throttle, and screams across the tops of
the clouds through the beautiful light, arriving at...
EXT. SKY TOWER, LANDING PAD - CONTINUOUS
The GLASS walls of the SKY TOWER reflect the Bubbleship
as it lands. HOOKS catch the landing rockers of the
BUBBLESHIP and lock it down against the buffeting wind.
INT. SHOWER - DUSK
Jack drops the last piece of his environment suit. He
touches a button and warm water sprays down. Through the
glass, he can see Victoria inside the Sky Tower. She
nods at him, a tense welcome home. He nods back. There
is no privacy in the Sky Tower.
(CONTINUED)
19.
CONTINUED:
As the glass walls go opaque with steam, he closes his
eyes, the water running over his face. POPS OF MEMORIES
go through his imagination:
SKY TOWER. Early in their tour, Victoria girlishly jumps
on the sofa with a pint of ice cream, laughing.
BEDROOM. Also early. Jack watches Victoria sleep,
brushes hair from her face, affectionate...
And the memory... SEEMS TO DISTORT. Suddenly becoming:
THE NEW YORK SKYLINE, seen through a cheap telescope.
Jack, pulling away from the telescope, happy, turning
to... A BRUNETTE WOMAN, staring back at him.
Jack STARTS, snapping out of the memory.
INT. SKY TOWER, STORAGE AREA - DUSK
Rows and rows of shelves, mainly empty now. Jack and
Victoria have gone through almost all of what they needed
for a 5-year tour. Jack grabs a container of water.
INT. SKY TOWER, READY ROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Jack starts to hang up his workman's suit, pauses to
stare at the photo of a younger him and Victoria on the
Tet. They look so eager, so innocent.
He shifts slightly to where he can see out to the Tet
itself, sinking below the horizon.
INT. SKY TOWER 2, WORK AREA - DUSK
The area is devoted to DRONE REPAIR. Lifts, parts,
shelves, odds and ends of gear and weaponry, tables of
tools, a written-off DRONE at the back.
Jack comes in, glances at his newest arrival, the self-
beached DRONE 166. Even deactivated, it looks like
trouble, like pure evil.
He opens a drawer, slips THE EDUCATION OF HENRY ADAMS
into the drawer, shuts it.
20.
INT. SKY TOWER, LIVING AREA - DUSK
We finally see the whole thing. It couldn't be more
comfortable, although it continually vibrates in the
wind: VICTORIA is sitting, reading her own work notes.
In the background, Chaplin's "Modern Times" plays
silently on a large screen.
JACK goes up behind her and kisses her on the head.
VICTORIA
(not looking at him)
You're not supposed to bring up
surface items.
JACK sips water, then waits even longer before...
JACK
No. I'm not supposed to bring
them in the house.
He's right. He exchanges his water for a glass of
something stronger, and goes and sits down.
VICTORIA
I tried to reach you earlier...
If we're going to be an effective
TEAM --
JACK
You're right.
VICTORIA
Then you can't just --
Jack leaps up, only to return a second later with a small
bundle held together by an old rag. He hands it to her,
pleased, watching her reaction.
She opens it to reveal a small GREEN SEEDLING in a pocket
of fresh, rich soil. Her eyes play over it...
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Where did you find this?
JACK
Ah-ha. So it's okay when I bring
you something. But if I --
She MOVES suddenly, opening one of the glass doors of the
Sky Tower and heading outside where she holds the
seedling away from her body, off the edge, lets it drop.
(CONTINUED)
21.
CONTINUED:
She comes back in, washes her hands in the sink, upset.
JACK (CONT'D)
Was that really necessary?
VICTORIA
I know you think I'm a stickler
for the rules, but you have no
idea what sort of toxins could be
in something like that.
He chuckles...
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
I'm sorry, I don't think it's
funny.
JACK
It was just a plant, Victoria.
VICTORIA
That's not the point. We have two
more months and the last thing we
need is you putting it all at
risk.
He shakes his head, grimaces as he limps away.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
(CONCERNED)
You're hurt. What happened?
He admits it with a glance, offers no explanation. She
comes over to him, examines the wound professionally.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Come on.
TNT. INFIRMARY BAY - DUSK
It is tiny, but state of the art. VICTORIA seriously
examines his wound, cleaning it out. It's no small wound
but they're less concerned than we would be.
Victoria pulls on gloves, opens cabinet and removes a
watery substance as well as a small electronic wand. She
smears the substance onto his wound, a HEALANT.
VICTORIA
This is gonna pinch a little...
(CONTINUED)
22.
CONTINUED:
JACK
Hit me.
She activates the wand, shines ultra violet light onto
the substance. A beat, then he BENDS OVER in pain.
Through the healant we see the FLESH begin to knit and
repair. Skin and sinew literally regenerating... to new.
VICTORIA
(AFFECTIONATE)
Serves you right.
She kisses him on the forehead, turns away.
INT. SKY TOWER, DINING ROOM - LATER
Wine is involved, candles. Victoria is mellower, much.
This is a couple who knows each other's differences and
admires them. This isn't an argument.
VICTORIA
.I'm not saying you can't go
into your caverns, I'm saying we
have a job and if I'm trying to
reach you and you're off on one of
your adventures --
JACK
Look, they trained me to fix
drones. That's my job, I get
that. But it's not what I am. I
can't simply do the same thing
over and over again, every day,
with that... world down there.
(toasts the sky)
And if mission has a better Drone
tech, they can get him to baby-
sit.
He gets up, tries out his leg. Stiff, but healed.
VICTORIA
It's only a little while longer.
The Gatherer's have collected most
of the resources we need for Mars.
Pretty soon --
JACK
Pretty soon, there won't be
anything left down there. No more
plant life, no more water.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
23.
CONTINUED:
JACK (CONT'D)
So forgive me if I want to enjoy
it a little before the end.
VICTORIA
You act like there's not a war
going on down there but there is
and we can't leave even two of
those things alive...
(NO RESPONSE)
Dammit, Jack. They nearly killed
you today.
They eat in silence for a moment, then:
JACK
Actually, it was like they were
trying to... catch me.
(trying to joke)
Guess I look tasty.
He goes over to her, puts his arms around her.
VICTORIA
Please be careful. If they get to
you, what happens to me?
JACK puts a finger to her lips, then kisses her.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Answer the question.
Jack considers this. Then he pulls his shirt off over
his head. For sex?
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
(PLEADING)
Jack.
JACK
Come on.
EXT. SWIMMING POOL - NIGHT
Talk about an infinity pool. The pool is miles in the
sky, with a glass bottom. The cold wind is constant
overhead but heaters flare with the changes in
temperature, compensating.
Jack glides graceful underwater, his nude form
silhouetted against the roiling dark clouds below. He
surfaces near Victoria, who's stayed dressed on the edge
with a glass of wine.
(CONTINUED)
24.
CONTINUED:
He kisses her, steals a sip of her wine, then pushes back
into the water, looking up at the stars, the streaming
moon-rubble above.
VICTORIA
Can you imagine when we go back
up? Having a face to face
conversation again? I can't
believe it's finally ending.
(TOASTING HIM)
We made it.
Jack looks away...
JACK
It's not so bad down here. They
certainly don't have anything like
this.
VICTORIA
I wonder what duty I would have
pulled. Probably programming the
Mars boats.
JACK
I'd have been overhauling the zero-
G toilets.
(SHE LAUGHS)
I'm serious, it's dangerous work.
I mean, you think you have control
of the situation.
He swims closer. She smiles, he presses on.
JACK (CONT'D)
But then you realize, there are
some things that were never
supposed to happen in zero G.
VICTORIA
Stop!
JACK
It's awful. Just thinking about
it, I get afraid...
She LAUGHS, reaches for her wine, accidentally knocks the
glass which tips over, and rolls right off the Sky Tower.
They watch it disappear into the darkness below.
JACK (CONT'D)
Ocops.
(CONTINUED)
25.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
VICTORIA
(SUDDENLY)
I've been happy here. With you.
(watches water fall
from her hand)
I can't remember zero gravity.
Physically. Can you?
JACK
Here, let me show you...
He reaches up PULLS her into the pool. She screams,
laughing as she goes in. She surfaces, pulling her
soaking shirt over her head and tossing it to the side.
VICTORIA
I should have seen that coming.
Jack smiles, then takes a breath and goes under. He
floats face-down, staring through the bottom of the pool
into the lightening-stung clouds below...
.and then Victoria's form glides underneath him,
looking up at him, smiling. She stops moving and her
body rises towards his. He opens his arms, and she
floats up and against him. They embrace, kiss...
Two bodies, intertwined underwater, a thousand feet above
a roiling thunderstorm.
Their lips part, he pulls back to look at her ...
But it's the BRUNETTE WOMAN who stares back at him!!
INT. SKY TOWER, BEDROOM -- LATE NIGHT
Jack wakes, breathless, troubled. He doesn't know this
woman who invades his dreams...
Next to him, Victoria lies asleep, curled in the sheets.
Shaken, he quietly gets up, grabs clothes... and goes
where he goes when Victoria is asleep...
INT. SKY TOWER, WORKSHOP AREA - NIGHT
Jack moves to a BENCH where he keeps his finds... a few
coins, a watch, a pistol, a snow globe showing the
Nativity. A book: THE LAYS OF ANCIENT ROME.
JACK produces his newest find from the library: THE
EDUCATION OF HENRY ADAMS. He opens it.
(CONTINUED)
26.
CONTINUED:
. He was three years old when he took
this earliest step in education; a lesson
of color. The second followed soon; a
lesson of taste...
ON HIS EYES as he reads:
. he remembered quite clearly his aunt
entering the sick room bearing in her hand
a saucer with a baked apple.
He puts the book down, strangely troubled.
TNT. SKY TOWER, COMAND CENTER - LATE NIGHT
The console sits inert, unattended. Suddenly, a BLIP
radiates on the MAP, its origin elsewhere. A signal.
EXT. DEEP SPACE - NO TIME
A NASA SHUTTLE floats in deep space, a recognizable
design from our time.
INT. SPACE SHUTTLE - NO TIME
Empty, dark. Frozen crystalline dust hangs in the air.
The ship is dead.
Suddenly a panel "blips" on. Other systems go active.
The ship is waking up. There's a VISIBLE RUMBLE as the
engines prime...
FURTHER BACK, in the hold. ROWS OF DELTA SLEEP PODS. We
close on one...
AND THE SHUTTLE'S GIANT ENGINES ERUPT IN FIRE.
INT. SKY TOWER, BEDROOM - MORNING
Jack's eyes blink open, waking from another dream. He
sits up, troubled.
EXT. SKY TOWER - DAWN
Victoria works in her GARDEN. She grows perfect,
blemishless ROSES. The roof is open to the sky.
Victoria makes a small depression in the earth, taps
three seeds out of a labeled envelope.
(CONTINUED)
27
CONTINUED:
JACK comes through, kisses her. Then moves off towards
his work.
VICTORIA
Don't go out today until we get a
signal.
Jack looks back. She's never said this before. She's
genuinely worried.
JACK
.Then what would you say in your
report?
Victoria looks away, stuck.
JACK (CONT'D)
I can't get to a site fast enough
unless I'm already out there. You
know that.
He turns, disappears through the glass mechanical doors.
EXT. SKY TOWER - MOMENTS LATER
JACK suits up and gets into the bubbleship and for the
first time we see the startup procedure.
JACK
One, Two, Three. Jack Harper.
Lights sparkle across the board. Activation sounds.
Jack hits switches. Outside, protective barriers lower.
The stratospheric wind VIBRATES the bubbleship.
JACK (CONT'D)
What say we have a little fun
today, Bob?
The Bobblehead vibrates along with the engines.
INTERCUT VICTORIA putting on her headset.
VICTORIA (ON COMM)
What's that, Jack?
JACK
Just thinking I'd take Bob manual
for the dust-off. Feeling the
need.
(CONTINUED)
28
CONTINUED:
VICTORIA
A hundred terraformed acres on
Mars is all you have to think
about.
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
VICTORIA stares out from her windows above the clouds.
VICTORIA
(TO HERSELF)
I love you.
He waves, blows the chocks. The WIND whipping off the
tops of the clouds instantly grabs the ship, HURTLES it
into the void.
WITH JACK, just letting the wind twist him and the ship
in freefall. Loving this feeling.
Victoria. turns professionally to her console. THE TET
SYMBOL ON THE SCREEN, the COUNT DOWN TO TET-RISE. She
opens video streams, loses herself in her work.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Time as indicated. Technical
officer away on autonomous patrol
as of this transmission. Border
Beacons surrounding the radiation
sector are 100% operative...
STATUS: "LOG RECEIVED."
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
You're welcome...
Victoria takes a sip of coffee, turns to another task,
when again a BLIP on her map pulls Victoria's attention
back. That signal, radiating near Jack's position.
She swipes up a grid, intensifies her sensors...
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Jack... I've got a rogue signal.
Might just be interference, but
there shouldn't be anything there.
JACK
Drone?
Already she's got the signal analyzed on six different
screens. No matches...
(CONTINUED)
29.
CONTINUED:
VICTORIA
(TROUBLED)
No... It's.. I'm not sure what
it is.
INTERCUT Jack listening to her in the Bubbleship.
JACK
Don't be embarrassed, there's
always a first time.
(BEAT)
Send it over. I'll check it out.
Victoria hesitates... hits a key.
VICTORIA
On its way. Be careful, okay?
EXT. WATERFALL - DAY
Jack's ship skims over the surface of a deep pool of
water. Up ahead, a waterfall explodes its force into the
pool, spray and mist already reaching the Bubbleship.
JACK
All right, I'm coming up to the
location.
Jack begins flying slowly up the twelve hundred foot wall
of falling water which almost seems to conceal a Petra
behind its veil. Jack reaches the top...
JACK'S POV - THE SPIRE AND OBSERVATIONAL DECK of the
EMPIRE STATE BUILDING, now part of a cliff, set in
shifted sea-bed, a gushing river pouring past.
EXT. OBSERVATION DECK - MOMENTS LATER
Jack lands and gets out of the craft, grabbing his weapon
and Yankees cap as he does. He looks around, half
nervous, half in awe that the old girl is still standing.
JACK
(under his breath)
New York, New York... It's a
wonderful town. The Bronx is up,
and the Battery's down...
He can hear nothing over the wind and the water. He
moves to the balcony edge, looks "downtown" at the sunken
city. A Venice set in a matrice of rubble and sea-bed.
(CONTINUED)
30.
CONTINUED:
He notices an old PAY TELESCOPE next to him, bent and
rusted. He puts his eyes to the lenses. Nothing.
Black.
He STARES at the 25-cent slot on top, lost in a deep
sense of Deja-Vu...
VICTORIA
Jack, you're right on top of it.
What do you see?
Jack starts a circuit of the deck. A pile of old deck
chairs in his way, he pushes at them with his foot...
finds a WIRE, running below them, linked to two CAR
BATTERIES, hidden under the rubbish.
He traces the path of the wire... up.
EXT. TOP OF THE ESB ANTENAE - LATER
JACK has made an arduous climb to discover a TRANSMITTER,
hooked to an old MILITARY REPEATER, and both hooked to...
we look up as Jack does... the RUSTED, DAMAGED, ESB
Antenna atop the building.
JACK
Bob, give me audible on this
signal.
Almost immediately from the Bubbleship comes the
intermittent electronic SQUACK of the signal.
EXT. OBSERVATION DECK - MOMENTS LATER
At the bubbleship, Jack watches the frequency analysis of
the signal play on his heads-up. He touches the screen
and the signal goes quiet.
VICTORIA
What did you find?
JACK
It's an old radio system. It's
been reactivated.
VICTORIA
Define reactivated.
Jack looks at the batteries, the wire...
(CONTINUED)
31.
CONTINUED:
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Jack, that signal's going out over
the whole territory. You need to
blow the structure.
JACK
It's the Empire State --
VICTORIA
It's ancient history, Jack. You
know the procedure. Blow it.
He pulls several CHARGES from the Bubbleship's storage,
starts to set them...
He pauses, staring at the railing, the old telescope.
Change of plans. He walks towards the batteries, a blade
sliding out of the cuff of his suit. He reaches them and
SEVERS the lines. The signal dies.
EXT. OBSERVATION DECK - MOMENTS LATER
The Bubbleship lifts off. Jack can't help staring down
at the Observation Deck as the ship lifts into the air.
TNT. BUBBLESHIP - DAY
Jack is in the air, troubled. Up ahead in the distance
we see a LARGE NATURAL RIDGE. Some instruments light up.
VICTORIA
Check your course, you're headed
right at the border.
JACK
Yeah, I may have seen another
drone trap...
INTERCUT VICTORIA
She checks her map. Jack's Bubbleship is headed straight
at a large red swath of territory marked out, toxic
radiation levels constantly monitored.
A small ALARM goes off in the Bubbleship cabin.
VICTORIA
You're at the edge of range, Jack.
You're starting to break up.
(CONTINUED)
32.
CONTINUED:
JACK
It's okay --
VICTORIA
(SERIOUS)
No, it's not okay. You get in too
close that radiation --
JACK
-- will cook me from the inside
before I know it. Don't worry,
I'm still more than five clicks
from the beacons...
IN THE BUBBLESHIP. A BIGGER ALARM goes off, Red skull-
and-crossbones flash across the heads-up. Jack DIVES the
ship, down over huge rocky outcroppings.
Jack, intent on piloting. Static. Some GARBLED SOUNDS.
Victoria's voice barely coming through.
VICTORIA
What are -- you ---- out there
Jack?
The signal goes to pure static as Jack steers into a
steep canyon, rock on all sides. Barely room to squeeze,
but Jack's not worried. This is all familiar.
JACK
That's right, Bob. You know where
we're going.
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
Victoria stares at the screen, static hiss low and empty.
It's not the first time he's done this, but she hates it
every time.
VICTORIA
Jack...?
Victoria works the panel, upping signal, boosting
reception. The static is again MIXED WITH GARBLED
SOUNDS. She listens, confused, ups the volume...
BLIP! That signal from the Empire State starts again.
This time it LOCKS ON, a loud and continuous electronic
pattern.
33.
EXT. CRATER LAKE - DAY
JACK's ship emerges from a canyon into a beautiful
landscape we have never seen before. This is Jack's
SECRET PLACE. TREES exist on an island surrounded by
clean water.
And near the shore, a GROTTO, a carved-out portion of the
hillside, supported with scavenged timbers, protected by
plastic tarps. A ton of gear is piled inside. JACK has
been scavenging for a long time.
The BUBBLESHIP lands. JACK walks into the structure,
slapping on a relay from a SOLAR GENERATOR. All around
are young growing plants, including small yellow flowers
and their GREEN SEEDLINGS -- the same Jack gave to Vika.
Jack kneels down by an old military JAMMER. He checks a
screen: the Crater Lake location is being jammed.
INT_SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - DAY
Victoria sits, the repetitive audio of the signal playing
from her console. She stares at the empty map, the
notable absence of the Bubbleship's icon on it. She keys
the Comm, one last time.
VICTORIA
Jack? Jack, I really need you
online...
EXT. CRATER LAKE - DAY
A RECORD PLAYER is taped into his solar power system. An
EARLY METAL POWER-BALLAD floats out of the speakers.
Jack has a basketball hoop lashed to a pole. He shoots
hoops by himself, the ROVER retrieves the ball.
LATER. Jack brings a single CHAIR out in front of the
water. He sits, and with care produces the books he's
brought with him. He opens one with burnt edges:
TREASURE ISLAND.
.I remember him as if it were yesterday,
as he came plodding to the inn door, his
sea-chest following behind him in a hand-
barrow...
JACK is in an obscure state of frustration. He lifts
another book, THE LAYS OF ANCIENT ROME:
(CONTINUED)
34
CONTINUED:
How can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his gods...
Jack closes the books, strangely unsatisfied...
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - DAY
ON VICTORIA, stuck with the audio signal playing. She
moves the Tet Comm, hesitates. Then keys the control.
VICTORIA
Mission, this is Lieutenant
Victoria Kohl, requesting a link.
I may have a situation...
A beat while the connection is made, then...
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Lt. Kohl, standby.
(BEAT)
What is your situation?
VICTORIA
I have a rogue signal of unknown
origin. I'm sending you a relay.
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Have your Technician locate and
report.
VICTORIA
(loathe to admit)
Technician is... experiencing
technical difficulties...
She winces, that wasn't the greatest lie. Waits...
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Are you still an effective team?
VICTORIA
Yes, we're an effective team.
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Understood. Have your Technician
locate and report.
VICTORIA
(SUDDENLY)
We're happy, to be coming home.
(CONTINUED)
35.
CONTINUED:
A long beat. Then:
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
(beat, then)
It'll be good to have you back,
Vika. Two more months. : )
Victoria SMILES despite herself. Nods, emotional.
VICTORIA
Will communicate findings on next
Tet cycle. Understood.
Victoria clocks off. Stares at the border area on the
map where she last saw Jack.
A KLAXON goes off in her workspace. Victoria STARTS. For
the first time she seems confused as she works the
console. She can't immediately figure it out...
Suddenly she brings up a WIDE SCAN for tracking the Tet,
The whole Eastern Coast of the continent. And something
is closing, coming over the poles, FAST.
ON VICTORIA...
EXT. CRATER LAKE - DAY
Jack folds the page of his book, stuffs it in his cargo
pocket and walks down to the water sparkling over stones.
Motion catches his attention. It's the ROVER,
approaching with the basketball.
JACK
So, um... Victoria.
The ROVER shifts, confused.
JACK (CONT'D)
I was thinking, when our tour is
up, maybe we'd stay. We could put
in for another -- Wait, wait.
Stop yelling. Hear me out. No,
don't throw that, that's a...
The ROVER turns around. Jack smiles at the poor
machine's confusion. The smile dying... this is serious.
JACK (CONT'D)
Maybe you should go, and I should
stay...
(CONTINUED)
36.
CONTINUED:
The ROVER leaves, obedient. Jack watches it go, sad.
He's spoken the words. He lies back on the bank, looks
at the clouds rolling overhead.
JACK (CONT'D)
I should stay...
His eyes... close.
INT. JACK'S DREAMS - VARIOUS
---- AN ELEVATOR. It climbs a gantry towards a SHUTTLE.
POV looks over, sees a YOUNGER VICTORIA, who smiles back,
nervous...
-- A GLASS CARAPACE. A WOMAN'S FACE inside. The same
Brunette woman. Her eyes open, she SMILES WITH LOVE...
.then SCREAMING! JACK'S POV SPINS as A SCAV looms
through ORANGE LIGHT and DUST, snarling with its
electronic squeal...
WOMAN'S VOICE
JACK!!!
JACK's eyes snap open. It is much later in the day. He
scrambles to his feet, breathing hard, remembering
SOMETHING... something desperate...
BOOM!
What appears to be A METEOR streaks across the sky,
leaving a trail of flame and white smoke.
Jack grabs his binocs and traces the meteor path...
resolves it just barely as the shuttle, crashing down.
It disappears over a rise, a beat, then a FIERY
EXPLOSION.
JACK
Bob! Let's get going!
The Bubbleship is already powering up by the time Jack
piles in. He touches a control and the ship shoots up
into the air.
INT. BUBBLESHIP - MOMENTS LATER
Jack sets a course towards the smoke on the horizon.
(CONTINUED)
37
CONTINUED:
JACK
Vika? Vika, did you get that? An
object hit near here. A ship.
VICTORIA
Where the hell have you been?
Jack's silent, not wanting to lie.
INTERCUT VICTORIA, looking at streaming info from TET.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
(tense, professional)
It's an external. An alien ship.
It's a God damn Scav vessel in the
Western Valley.
JACK
I saw it through optics in the
last minute. I'm not sure it was
alien.
VICTORIA
Turn around, Jack. The Drones
will handle the situation.
JACK
The Drones'll kill anything that
moves.
VICTORIA
Just for once wait for your
orders on this one, Jack. This is
serious.
Jack is silent, unsure. The crash site growing closer...
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Technician. This is your Control.
Turn around.
JACK
Vika...
VICTORIA
You heard me.
Another hard beat. Jack hating this but...
JACK
Negative. I'll report when I get
to the site.
(CONTINUED)
38.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
IN THE BUBBLESHTP. Bob seems to shake his head.
JACK (CONT'D)
(sotto, to Bob:)
What are you looking at?
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
Victoria STARES at her Comm. This has never happened.
EXT. CRASH SITE -- DAY
A MOUNTAINOUS AREA of what was once sea-bed. Smoky
orange fire blows across the ruined landscape. A fire in
a dust storm. A GUST now reveals...
The crashed NASA space shuttle, with the name ODYSSEY on
its fractured hull.
INT. BUBBLESHIP - CONTINUOUS
JACK is circling the wreckage, looking down.
JACK
I'm here, and it's definitely one
of ours.
VICTORIA
I'm not confirming this from the
Tet.
JACK
I'm confirming it. I'm right
here.
Vika works her displays, scanning, wanting to keep him
safe. The wreckage has strewn out thousands of flaming
pieces of debris, all which register heat signatures.
JACK (CONT'D)
This thing is ancient, one of the
old pre-war shuttles.
JACK'S POV - THE WRECKAGE. The ship's guts are strewn
across the earth. Several pod-like canisters strewn
around, more fixed into the burning wreckage.
39.
EXT. CRASH SITE -- CONTINUOUS
JACK TOUCHES DOWN, rolling out of his Bubbleship even
before it's settled. He heads straight into the burning
wreckage, into hell. Heat SEARING his eyes, disorienting
him. All around metal POPS and GROANS as it distends.
He moves through metal panels, dodging flames and burning
debris -- searching wildly.
Jack sees what looks like a SURVIVOR! HAULS it over to
discover it's only an empty NASA jumpsuit. But beyond
that... A DELTA-SLEEP POD, split wide open. Its
interior EMPTY. Jack moves on, finds another POD,
presses his face against the glass...
A HUMAN FACE on the other side. A MAN, sleeping...
A FUEL EXPLOSION plumes into the dark sky. Jack STUMBLES
ON, tracks another pod literally ON FIRE. Beyond that, a
whole portion of the ship is semi-intact, the hull ripped
lengthwise. Jack tracks a burnished STEEL CYLINDER with
radioactive markings, locked in strong moorings...
And near that, another POD, still locked in the ship's
wall. Jack moves to it, wiping away soot and grime,
pressing his face close and sees her...
.THE BRUNETTE WOMAN FROM HIS DREAMS.
She's asleep, her face lit by moving firelight. JACK is
stunned. Eyes dart to readouts: She's alive.
ON JACK. Confused, amazed, moved. He puts a hand out,
towards the glass of the pod...
JACK
OKAY
SVUNK! SVUNK! Behind Jack, plasma rounds impact the Pod
with the man in it, the metal going nova, collapsing...
JACK (CONT'D)
NO! 1!
Cannon fire erupts all around him! TWO DRONES settle on
the site, their weapons kicking out energy, locking on
and destroying Pods...
JACK (CONT'D)
NO! NO! They're firing on the
ship. Vika, it's one of ours.
40.
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
Victoria stares at her screens, perhaps for the first
time in her life, frozen. Jack's voice blares over
speakers.
JACK
There are people here, and they're
killing them!
Victoria opens her mouth to respond. She can't.
EXT. CRASH SITE - CONTINUOUS
A Drone passes right over Jack, locks into position,
lining its cannons on the Pod with the WOMAN in it...
Jack moves between the Drone and the Pod. The Drone
hesitates...
SCANS him. Weapons literally red hot from
repeated fire.
The Drone SHIFTS AGAIN, FAST, looking for its shot. Jack
counters, keeping his body between the Drone and the Pod.
JACK
Get out of here! Go away! Get!
A moment of insane bravado, Jack un-shoulders his weapon,
strafes the Drone with gunfire which knocks it back.
It re-centers, weapons chugging with energy.
INTERCUT VICTORIA. Staring at the feeds. A screen
catching a half-image of Jack firing at the Drone. She's
absolutely still, holding her breath...
Jack stares at the Drone, at certain death.
JACK (CONT'D)
Well, what the hell are you
waiting for? GO ON!
And suddenly, the Drone moves on, Canons live, searching
on into the wreckage, annihilating other Pods.
ON JACK, chest heaving...
An instant of BLACK, shuttering back to:
CROSS-HAIR POV: We suddenly see Jack through CROSS-
HAIRS, tracking him as he shields the Delta Pod with his
body, dragging it towards the Bubbleship...
(CONTINUED)
41.
CONTINUED:
A high-tech, high-powered RIFLE rests in two alien-
armored hands. Like a metal-coated insect tarsus (barbed
feet of a fly). The alien begins to depress the
trigger... Then another tarsus presses the barrel down.
Don't. Don't fire.
SHIFTING OVER: Close on an ALIEN. Our first real look,
still too close to truly comprehend. Thick stubbled hair
armored with metal, bones; A head-dress of authority.
Behind layers of dusted cracked goggles, the older alien
eye... blinks.
EXT. CRASH SITE - CONTINUOUS
JACK reaches the Bubbleship, heaves the Delta Pod onto
the carrier which immediately secures it with armatures
designed to carry damaged drones.
JACK steals another look at the sleeping face of the
WOMAN. He touches the glass, wiping away soot and dust.
JACK
It's you...
SEEN FROM FAR AWAY
The Bubbleship flies up and up, The DELTA SLEEP POD
securely hanging from its belly, carrying Jack and this
mysterious woman away into the evening sky.
EXT. SKY TOWER, BUBBLESHIP PAD - SUNSET
The WIND is wild and brutal. As the Bubbleship touches
down, CLAMPS snap on the landing skids.
Jack is in motion, bursting out of the ship. He glances
up. Victoria stands behind the glass of the Sky Tower
living room, staring at him.
THUNK. He releases the armature. HAULS the Pod with him
towards the house. HAMMERS ON THE GLASS.
JACK
Open it!
Victoria obeys, opens the glass doors. WIND fills the
living room as Jack hauls the Pod in. Then Victoria
touches a control and the walls SEAL.
(CONTINUED)
42.
CONTINUED:
JACK (CONT'D)
The drones tried to kill her.
They destroyed the other
survivors.
VICTORIA
(RATIONALIZING)
Well it didn't recognize her.
It's machinery. It's programmed
MACHINERY --
JACK
She came off a NASA shuttle. The
drones were specifically targeting
the pods --
VICTORIA
I don't know what the machinery
did or didn't do. There's
protocol...
JACK
Protocol? Protocol?! Who's the
machinery now, Victoria?
VICTORIA stares at him. Then retreats from the question
into the task at hand. She kneels by the Pod.
VICTORIA
Go get the cutter, and a breather,
and my big bag. Now. The Pod's
been damaged, she's not doing
well, let's get her out of there.
Jack moves. Victoria, almost holds back, but...
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
.This has to be reported.
HE SPINS. Stares at her. Really angry.
JACK
I know it does. And when we
report it, we'll also report that
drones slaughtered the other human
survivors from one of our ships.
See what they make of that.
He goes for the equipment. Victoria stares at the
woman's face, deeply unsettled...
Jack returns with Victoria's bag, and firing up a CUTTER.
(CONTINUED)
43.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
VICTORIA
Right there, be careful...
Jack directs the blue arc towards a seal. The Pod
depressurizes with a sudden exhale of dead air. Jack
pulls back the pod door.
Inside, the woman lies in a gauzy sleep suit. Her hair
is matted. Her body looks frail, her skin translucent,
veins dark, lips blue, like a drowning victim.
Vika pulls her feeding tube, takes her pulse, checks her
eyes, lifting the lids.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Lift her up, we have to get some
air into her.
JACK gets his arms around the woman, pulling her upwards.
FLUID seeps from her mouth...
And suddenly she's ALIVE, COUGHING, spewing fluid across
Jack and the floor. He sets her down as she painfully
wretches, then SUCKS IN AIR. Her eyes flutter open.
She's suddenly violently ill again. Instinctively, Jack
goes to hold her --
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
(PROFESSIONAL)
No. Don't. Let her get the fluid
out.
The woman stops heaving. Looks up at both of them...
She tries to stand, disoriented by the glass walls, the
infinite vertigo that surrounds them. She falls to her
knees and stares with amazement down into the clouds.
Jack kneels beside her, puts a hand on her shoulder.
JACK
You're safe. You're in a
skytower, on Earth.
WOMAN
.Jack.
Victoria gives a sharp look at Jack. He's stunned.
Now completely exhausted, the woman SLUMPS into
unconsciousness. Jack catches her. Victoria comes
close, slides an oxygen breather mask over her face.
(CONTINUED)
44.
CONTINUED: (3)
VICTORIA
We need to get her cleaned up.
INT. SHOWER - MOMENTS LATER
A bizarre and almost beautiful tableau: ALL THREE
together under the water, Jack holding the unconscious
Woman like a child. The warm water spraying over their
three forms, soaking the woman's gauzy suit which clings
to her body. Water running across Jack and Victoria's
faces, their open eyes, locked on each other.
The water finally stops.
VICTORIA
We have to get her up to the Tet.
JACK
I know.
VICTORIA
I don't have the facilities here.
Once she's stable...
JACK
I know.
The glass door slides open behind them. Neither move.
VICTORIA
What's going on?
He shakes his head. He has no idea.
INT. INFIRMARY BAY - LATER
The WOMAN lies in a bed. VICTORIA checks her readouts,
adjusts her UV drip. She glances over her and realizes
that the woman's eyes are open, staring at her.
Beat. Victoria turns, offers the woman some water.
VICTORIA
Here. Drink this. You're
dehydrated... You've been in a
very bad crash. Your ship came
down.
This DISTURBS the woman. She tries to sit up.
(CONTINUED)
45.
CONTINUED:
WOMAN
What about the others? How did
you get out?
VICTORIA
What's your name?
WOMAN
.Julia. Julia.
The woman, JULIA, sinks back down, exhausted.
VICTORIA
You need to rest quietly. You've
been in delta sleep for a long
time.
JULIA
How long...?
VICTORIA
Best guess? About 65 years.
Julia takes that in...
JULIA
Where's Jack...?
Julia STARTS. Looks down at her arm where Victoria has
just slid a needle under her skin. She stares at her,
almost afraid. Victoria depresses the plunger.
VICTORIA
Shhhhhh...
EXT. SKY TOWER - NIGHT
SEEN FROM AFAR. The Sky Tower a lonely refuge in a
roiling storm, turning on its axis, like a weather-vane
And we PLUNGE DOWN. Down and down, to the base of the
SKYTOWER, to see...
EXT. SKY TOWER BASE - NIGHT
AN ALIEN, battered by wind, rags blowing, raises its mask
to the sky. Looking up towards the tower. It wears the
DISTINCTIVE HEAD-DRESS that we have seen before.
46 ,
INT. SKY TOWER, DINING AREA - NIGHT
Victoria is very subdued, poking at food. Both very
aware of the woman sleeping in the infirmary.
VICTORIA
Tomorrow, I'll report that we have
her.
Jack nods, but won't look at her. Deep in thought.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Jack...
(BEAT)
What do you want from me, Jack?
This isn't just a Shakespeare
Sonnet, a buffalo nickel, some
vase...
JACK
It's a Greek funeral vase. Which
I want my ashes in, incidentally.
Victoria collects the dishes, heads for the kitchen.
JACK (CONT'D)
I just think we need to know why.
VICTORIA
Jack, please. This isn't why
we're here. This is just what we
have to do before our real lives
begin. We've given them five
years and now we get to go home.
(BEAT)
So just leave this alone. It's
not our job.
JACK
And what if I can't?
They stare at each other, each obscurely frightened.
EXT. INFIRMARY - NIGHT
Julia sleeps, a mask taped to her face, oxygen hissing.
Jack watches her. Now cleaned and dry, there's a
natural, earthy, freckled beauty to her. Air passing
peacefully through her lips, now returned to color.
(CONTINUED)
47.
CONTINUED:
Jack reaches out to brushes hair from her face. He
notices the outline of a necklace with a pendant under
her nightgown.
INT. SKY TOWER, KITCHEN - NIGHT
Victoria sets dishes in a dishwasher. She stops. She
can see Jack in the Infirmary, staring at Julia.
INT. WORKSHOP AREA - NIGHT
DRONE 166 sits in its hub, repaired. Jack replaces a
panel, moves to a laptop and activates the drone.
It POWERS UP, rising fast, bringing its canons around.
We should be afraid, very afraid, that something is wrong
with it. It SCANS Jack, as menacing as ever. But
something's changed in Jack. He just stares back at it.
Beat. Then the DRONE FIRES itself off into the black
clouds, disappearing towards the earth below.
Jack stares after it; then he turns, looks across empty
space to the underside of the glass pool. Victoria has
just dived in. She swims laps, kicking hard,
bubblestreams peeling across her body. Exercise, not
pleasure.
EXT. SKY TOWER, POOLSIDE - NIGHT
Jack stands at the end of the pool, watches Victoria
stoke powerfully towards him. She sees him as she
reaches the edge, stops, looking up at him.
This is important, something Jack's been wanting to say
for a long time:
JACK
I read these books, of what it was
like down here, before...
He sits, his legs dangling into the water. She pulls up
close, her arms on the side.
JACK (CONT'D)
In this one book I was reading, a
man describes being a child. He
remembers a yellow kitchen, a
baked apple.
(CONTINUED)
48.
CONTINUED:
VICTORIA
I know. That was the world
before. Your little obsession...
JACK
What was so wonderful about life
on the Tet?
She looks away...
JACK (CONT'D)
When our time is up next month. I
want to put in for one more tour.
Victoria pushes off from the side, drifts back...
JACK (CONT'D)
It's almost all gone, Victoria. I
want to be here for the end.
She turns, resumes swimming laps. Hard, driving through
the water. He watches her for a moment, then turns away.
INT. SKY TOWER - NIGHT
Victoria comes in from the pool. She can see Jack in the
bedroom, sitting on the bed, his back to her.
She moves into the Infirmary, moves to Julia and checks
her IV drip. She starts to adjust it, stops.
She stares down at Julia.
INT. SKY TOWER, BEDROOM - MOMENTS LATER
Victoria comes in from the infirmary. She opens a
closet, changes into a night shirt.
JACK
VIKA --
She turns and grabs him, desperate.
VICTORIA
Please. Please. Don't you
understand? We have a chance to
be on the first boats out, to be
the first to settle Mars, raise a
family. Five years. Proof that
we are an effective team.
(CONTINUED)
49.
CONTINUED:
She holds his face, kisses him, willing him to want her
as desperately.
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
Everything we've wanted is waiting
for us up there. Please, Jack.
JACK
I don't know if it is or not,
Victoria. I can't remember.
She starts to reply... has nothing. Shakes her head.
She grabs blankets and pulls them around herself, her
back to him, her eyes open, scared. Jack also lies down,
staring upwards. And then Jack asks the 64,000 dollar
QUESTION:
JACK (CONT'D)
Do you remember her?
Victoria doesn't move. Stares straight out.
EXT. THE SKYTOWER - NIGHT
WIND shakes the SKYTOWER, and the clouds boil beneath it.
Jack and Victoria sleep next to each other.
In the infirmary, Julia sleeps alone. A machine "beeps."
EXT. OBSERVATION DECK - DAY (DREAM)
We're in the deep saturation of Jack's dream. Images fly
by, then SLOW. People, enjoying the view. New York
City. Jack, looking through the pay telescope. Then
turning, seeing...
Julia right next to him, smiling up, happy.
INT. THE SKY TOWER, BEDROOM - NIGHT
Jack's eyes open. That dream again. Victoria's still
asleep next to him. He rises out of bed...
INT. SKY TOWER - VERY EARLY MORNING
Jack pads out into the main room. STOPS when he sees
Julia, risen from the infirmary, standing at one of the
glass walls of the Sky Tower, staring out.
(CONTINUED)
50.
CONTINUED:
It's early early morning. Probably 3:00 am. While it's
dark below, the first signs of dark blue and orange
sunrise are visible on the horizon. THE PLANETARY RING
glows with soft golden light.
JULIA'S POV: In the distance, the Tet is rising, faint
light on its surface as it crests the planet's curve.
VERY CLOSE on Julia. The image of Tet reflected in the
corneas of her eyes. She's been crying, silently, and
alone. One hand at her chest.
JACK
It's beautiful, isn't it? It's
your home now.
(NO RESPONSE)
How do you feel?
She wipes her eyes.
JULIA
A bit more... located.
JACK
What was your shuttle's mission?
She turns to him, watches him carefully in the dim light.
And then, lying:
JULIA
I don't remember. I should get
back to the ship. I might be able
to find the flight recorder.
JACK
Your ship... it's pre-war.
JULIA
(again, careful)
Have you ever seen a ship like
that?
JACK
No. No, of course not.
This answers something important for Julia.
JULIA
I wonder what brought us back?
JACK
.There was a transmission. I
don't know who sent it.
(CONTINUED)
51.
CONTINUED: (2)
JULIA
We'll never really know without
the flight recorder.
(almost casually...)
She says we can't go down there,
that it's too dangerous.
He laughs a little, shakes his head.
JULIA (CONT'D)
What?
JACK
Funnily enough, you've found your
man.
JULIA
(SMILING)
Have I?
An awkward beat, then:
JACK
How did you know my name?
JULIA
.You look like someone I once
knew.
(extending her hand)
I understand I owe you my life.
Thank you, Jack.
They shake. A weird moment. She breaks away, looks back
at the Tet which now glows a pale orange on the horizon.
JULIA (CONT'D)
What happens now?
JACK
In a few hours, the Tet will come
online. Victoria will report your
rescue and I imagine they'll send
someone down for you.
JULIA
From... the `Pet?
JACK
Yes.
She gestures out to the Bubbleship on its pad.
(CONTINUED)
52.
CONTINUED: ( 3)
JULIA
You fly that thing?
JACK
.You could say that.
She SMILES, pleased. A twinkle in her eye...
JULIA
Alright then. Don't you want to
know?
EXT. SKY TOWER, BUBBLESHIP PAD - EARLY MORNING
JACK and JULIA are suited up, ready to go. The Tetis
still low and far on the dark horizon, silhouetted bythe
first signs of sunlight growing in the East...
The Bubbleship's ENGINES start up with their distinctive
whine. As they head towards the ship, Victoria comes out
from the house, a robe pulled on...
VICTORIA
Jack! What are you doing?
JACK
I'll bring her back before Tet-
Rise. We just want to try to find
the flight recorder. You can't
know everything watching from a
mile up.
VICTORIA
She shouldn't be --
Julia turns on Victoria, quickly.
JULIA
Thank you. I feel very well.
Then, coldly, she boards the ship.
JACK
She's the flight officer, she
wants. to see the wreck of her ship
and secure items there. You'd
want to do the same thing.
VICTORIA
Jack, please.
(CONTINUED)
53.
CONTINUED:
JACK
Don't worry, we'll be back before
you have to make your report.
VICTORIA
That's not it. I can't protect
you with the Tet offline and I
just have a very bad...
JACK
I'll be fine.
He turns and boards. Julia is staring at her through the
bubble-canopy.
The bubbleship rises and then falls off to the side,
plummeting towards earth.
INT. BUBBLE SHIP - EARLY DAWN
Jack pulls the ship out of its dive, sets course across
the altered earth. Julia is STARING down, a little
afraid, but darkly fascinated...
Victoria's voice cuts through on the Comm.
VICTORIA
Jack... This isn't just about
protocol. I'm trying to
understand.
JACK
(BEAT)
I'll be home for breakfast.
And he SWITCHES OFF the Comm.
INT. SKY TOWER, COMAND CENTER - CONTINUOUS
Victoria STARES at the dead Comm. A moment, then she
SLAMS the panel with her fists. She backs off, staring
at the panel.
INT. BUBBLESHIP - CONTINUOUS
They fly in silence. Julia gazes down at sights we're by
now familiar with, becoming visible as the first light
hits. The craters, emaciated seascape.
(CONTINUED)
54.
CONTINUED:
JULIA
So I guess I'm around... a hundred
years old.
(BEAT)
What happened next?
He gestures towards the moon ring in the sky.
JACK
The Scavs assumed taking out the
moon would wipe us out, and it
almost did. But we re-grouped,
fought back. We beat them in the
end.
She glances at him.
JACK (CONT'D)
That's if you call nuking half the
planet beating anybody.
He looks at her, shrugs. They fly past a RESOURCE
GATHER, its column of water lifting from the seas.
JACK (CONT'D)
We harvest seawater to supply the
Mars colony with the energy we
need to live there. We're almost
done. Pretty soon, there'll be no
more water down here.
JULIA
A dry planet...
He nods at the Tet, rising in the distance.
JACK
Yeah. What's left of us are up
there now, ready to go where you
were headed, Mars. 40 acres and a
mule. What we've got left. What
you've got.
Julia stares out at the Tet.
JULIA
What about you?
JACK
We were born and raised up there.
Vika's the A-student. I'm just a
tech... I fix things. I...
(CONTINUED)
55.
CONTINUED; ( 2)
JULIA looks at him. Something out of the groove.
JACK (CONT'D)
Why are you looking at me like
that?
JULIA
Sorry.
She stares back down at the landscape.
JULIA (CONT'D)
It's so beautiful.
He looks at her, surprised. He thought he was the only
one...
EXT. CRASH SITE - EARLY MORNING
THE BUBBLESHIP sits landed amidst the wreckage. A low
still fog has condensed, leaving visibility low, moisture
everywhere. While there was light up high, they've
descended back into the pre-dawn darkness.
The ROVER has detached, shining its small light in their
direction to help.
Julia searches fruitlessly. Everything from the wreck
small enough to carry away has been taken by Scavs. Every
piece of fabric and metal.
Jack half watches her, half tracks the periphery, his
weapon slung low.
INT. SKY TOWER, COMAND CENTER - CONTINUOUS
Victoria sits at her workstation, upset.
She's got the Bubbleship up on the map, its cam feed on
display.
EXT. CRASH SITE - CONTINUOUS
Julia, still weakened from Delta Sleep, hauls aside
debris, revealing a metal floor-plate, unscrewed and
discarded. The slot within is empty.
JULIA
No! NO! It's been taken. DAMN
IT!
(CONTINUED)
56.
CONTINUED:
She backs off, upset, breathing hard.
JACK
Look, it doesn't matter --
JULIA
It matters, okay!? You don't...
you can't understand... I need
that flight recorder. I need to
know what happened.
(BEAT)
You need to know what happened.
JACK
We should stay close to...
She ignores him, moves on. Deeper in the wreckage, she
locates the empty moorings that held the Steel Cylinder
Jack saw. It's also gone.
JACK (CONT'D)
What was it?
She STARES at him, wanting to say something. Deciding
not to. She leans back against a wall of the shuttle.
INT. SKY TOWER, COMAND CENTER - CONTINUOUS
Victoria has tried to ignore the cam feeds, working on
other things. She glances over, then away just as a FORM
passes by one of the cam feeds!
Victoria checks another readout, glances back as TWO MORE
FORMS pass by the camera. Glimpses of metal and fur...
VICTORIA
(hitting the Comm)
Jack! Jack! There's something
coming your way. JACK!!"
TNT. CRASH SITE - CONTINUOUS
Jack's Bubbleship sits silent. The COMM still switched
off. Suddenly ANOTHER FORM moves through our line of
sight, something's there, and CLOSE.
WITH JACK and JULIA.
The air still, damp. Almost no sound. She picks through
the remains of the ship. He's staring at her.
(CONTINUED)
57.
CONTINUED:
JULIA
(without looking up)
You're staring at me.
JACK
I'm sorry.
INTERCUT: Victoria watches as MORE AND MORE Alien
figures pass the camera feed. Moving towards Jack and
Julia's position. Victoria, HELPLESS.
Julia looks up at Jack, directly for the first time.
He stares at her...
JACK (CONT'D)
How do I know you...
ON JULIA'S FACE. Suddenly her vision racks...
JACK SPINS, sees emerging out of the mist, SCAVS. A
dozen of them. Alien tribesmen, bristling with weapons,
war-like high-tech headdresses. Mandibles and claws.
Terrifying and close.
Jack reaches for his weapon, bringing it around and --
SLAM! He's hit from the side by a SCAV. Its armored
body bringing him to the ground. He tries to CRAWL AWAY,
sees Julia grabbed. He twists, sees Scavs crawling over
the Bubbleship.
JACK (CONT'D)
Bob! HOME!
In the background, the Bubbleship BLASTS OFF, Scavs
falling off as Jack KICKS BACKWARDS, breaking the Scavs
hold. He rolls away towards his weapon-
- straight into the legs of a GIANT SCAV holding an
improvised club which now comes down, IMPACTING JACK...
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
VICTORIA stares at image of the wreck growing SMALLER as
the Bubbleship rises.
VICTORIA
JACK! JACK...!
58.
EXT. OPEN LAND - DAWN
Darkness. LOUD SOUNDS. ANIMAL PANTING. Small, glimpses
of earth moving by, then darkness again.
Jack and Julia are tied to a huge SCAV SLED pulled by
twelve FERAL DOGS. A combination of old scavenged
military hardware and new innovation to adapt to a world
without engine-power. Giant treads roll forward as the
dogs STRAIN against metallic harnesses.
Jack's head lolls to the side. He blinks, looks over to
see Julia next to him, unconscious. He tracks up. At
the top of the sled, a massive Alien Scav pilots the
sled, sand whipping through a head-dress we recognize:
The LEADER. He holds a long whip, cracks it over the
dogs who haul the sled forward.
We slow, letting the sled pull away from us into the dark
as we travel BACK, towards where we came from, reveal...
The Bubbleship's ROVER has been following. A machine
meant for small journeys, it rolls inside the tread path
left by the sled, but it can barely handle the terrain.
INT. SKY TOWER - MORNING
Victoria hears the SOUND OF THE BUBBLESHIP, arriving.
She rushes to the glass of the Sky Tower, sees the
Bubbleship, docking itself. Auto pilot. No one inside.
EXT. MOUNTAIN CANYONS - MORNING
From far away, we see the sled wind up this rocky canyon
which opens onto a massive wall of old concrete and
steel. Something giant and industrial in its time.
The sled approaches, seems to disappear as it moves under
a shadowy outcropping of rock. In the dark underneath,
huge metal doors... close.
INT. A DARK SPACE -- NO TIME
Almost complete blackness, just the SOUND of a slow drip
of water. In the far distance, the howls and chatter of
Scavs.
Jack's blood-encrusted eyes blink open. Irises dilate
trying to orient. He raises his head, can barely see.
(CONTINUED)
59.
CONTINUED:
He and Julia lie in the only pool of light in the room,
filtering in from a high ventilation shaft. She's
unconscious. Around him, in the dark, the sense of
movement.
His eyes adjusting, he squints into the dark. There's a
FORM on the edges of the light, watching him. Jack
tenses as the figure...
.strikes a match on the floor, brings the flame to its
face, revealing... An Old Man: BEECH. He sucks in on
the end of a cigar. For a moment, their eyes meet.
Then the match goes out. Dark silhouette again. Only
the feint orange glow from the cigar.
BEECH
MonteCristo, #2. Do you have any
idea how long I've waited, for
this?
He EXHALES a stream of smoke into the beam, then moves
closer, into the light. Beech's face is lined with age
and exposure, his skin scarred from battle. His teeth
yellowed and crooked, but his arms and body are strong.
Jack TENSES. Beech's voice is calm, with a barely held-
back malice lurking just under the surface.
BEECH (CONT'D)
Well, let me tell you, Jack. It's
been a long time...
JACK
Who are you? Where is this?
BEECH inhales again. There's a piercing curiosity to
Beech's gaze, studying him.
BEECH
We're deep underground. Very deep
underground.
JACK
We were taken by the Scavs...
BEECH
Oh... The "Scavs".
(BEAT)
Tell me, Jack. Have you ever met
a Scav, up close?
(CONTINUED)
60.
CONTINUED: (2)
Jack is suddenly aware of other FORMS in this room.
Motion, on the periphery. Hair... Feathers. Scavs?
BEECH (CONT'D)
No, of course not. You just
repair the damage, keep the Drones
up and killing. Don't ask many
questions, do you, Jack? No part
of the...
(BITTER TASTE)
.job description.
Beech pulls off the cigar...
BEECH (CONT'D)
Brutal, if you think about it.
The way your Drones -
JACK
The Scavs took everything from us.
And if you're working with them --
BEECH
Interesting, Jack. Interesting.
You're worried I might be some
kind of... Collaborator.
Jack doesn't respond.
BEECH (CONT'D)
(ASIDE)
Lllllllights!
A beat, then a BANK of lights flickers on, revealing
HUMANS, all around them, heavily armed.
Julia GROANS, the light bringing her to. Jack moves to
protect her, tracks ten, TWENTY people... He looks UP
where ROWS AND ROWS of men and women stare down from
above with undisguised animosity. Forty, fifty more...
At the front, a strong battle-scared Scav, SYKES, hovers
on the edge of violence. He's been recently WOUNDED.
BEECH (CONT'D)
You see...? We're not Aliens,
Jack. We're very much human.
Jack can't process. Human face after human face.
(CONTINUED)
61.
CONTINUED: ( 3)
BEECH (CONT'D)
Of course that's a problem. Your
drones go for human shapes, human
voices. So... we change our
shapes, change our voices.
(INHALING SMOKE)
The Drones still kill us, but
they're not nearly so aggressive
as when they smell a human target.
Did you ever ask yourself why that
is?
JACK
No, they're programmed to
BEECH
To what, Jack?
(OFF JULIA)
You saw it yourself. You almost
got yourself blown to bits
protecting her. I've been meaning
to ask you, why did you do that?
JACK
Anyone would have...
BEECH
Anyone. Would have. Interesting.
Julia comes around, her eyes flickering open, She
SCREAMS, looking frantically for an escape. Jack GRABS
her, protecting her, calming her.
Beech gets CLOSE, studies Jack, what he's doing. Nods.
BEECH (CONT'D)
Very interesting.
Beech moves away. Jack moves after him and suddenly
forty or more weapons lock onto him. Sykes closer than
any other.
BEECH (CONT'D)
Careful, Jack. I'm afraid you're
not very popular here.
Beech switches his gaze to Julia.
BEECH (CONT'D)
Welcome back to earth, commander.
Hope you like what we've done with
the place.
(CONTINUED)
62.
CONTINUED: ( 4)
Beech moves on. Jack and Julia follow, cautiously...
INT. GROW-HALL, RAVEN ROCK - CONTINUOUS
They pass into a giant area devoted to agriculture. ROWS
of wide, two-story glass tubes hold PLANTS bearing fruit.
Their roots are held bare, bathed only in moist air...
BEECH
We grow what we can, under the
lights. It isn't much; Wheat-
grass, some vegetables, what beans
and soy we can. The general state
of our health proves that human
beings are not herbivores, but the
alternative is not appetizing to
anybody.
(SARDONIC WINK)
Not yet, anyway.
JACK
When we get you up to the Tet,
there's plenty -
BEECH
There is? Plenty. Plenty of
what?
JACK
Food.Foreveryone.
(BEAT)
Look,it'samazing you've lasted
thislong.But the radiation
zonesare growing. All of this,
willbe gone soon.
BEECH
The zones... the area you don't
patrol...
JACK
No one does. You go there ---
BEECH
-- Your organs boil from the
inside. I've heard.
Beech moves on, turning down another corridor.
There are PAINTINGS, stacked against the walls. Picasso,
Monet, Kandinsky, Warhol. SCULPTURES in piles.
(CONTINUED)
63.
CONTINUED:
A Grand Piano is pushed in a corner, other instruments
propped against it. They pass a room filled with BOOKS,
another with a SCREEN mounted in front of a projector.
For a moment, Jack forgets everything else. It's like
his private collection at Crater Lake, but a hundred
times bigger, richer...
Julia stops in front of a painting of a young girl in a
field of golden grass, staring towards a farmhouse on the
horizon. She turns to Jack.
JULIA
It reminds me of home...
INT. SKY TOWER, COMMAND STATION - DAY
VICTORIA is communicating with the Tet. She has been
crying, sick with worry.
VICTORIA
He's disappeared.
(CORRECTING HERSELF)
My Technical Officer, Jack Harper.
He's gone.
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Time since last contact?
VICTORIA
.Six hours.
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Protocol states 24 hours before
reporting a loss of contact.
VICTORIA
The Scavs took him. I witnessed
it. He has a...
A beat. Victoria experiencing jealousy she didn't fully
understand before...
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
There's a woman with him. The
survivor of the crashed shuttle,
Julia Sommerville.
Silence.
(CONTINUED)
64.
CONTINUED:
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Prep the survivor for immediate
evac.
VICTORIA
I told you, she's with the
Technical Officer. I'm requesting
permission to re-task the Drones
for search and rescue.
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Permission granted.
Victoria gets to work on the console, re-tasking Drones.
Another TONE makes her look over.
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN) (CONT'D)
You doing okay, Vika?
VICTORIA
(FRUSTRATED)
Yes, I mean. I don't know.
Tet Comm Status: "COMMUNICATION ENDED."
INT. RAVEN ROCK - NO TIME
Jack and Julia are held back by Scavs as up ahead Beech's
second-in-command, the battle-hardened SYKES, whispers
heatedly in his ear, glancing back. Not everyone thinks
having Jack and Julia here is a good idea.
Jack peers over the edge of the gantry they are on. FAR
BELOW, ancient GEOTHERMAL TURBINES churn.
JULIA
Jack, what he said about the
Tet...
JACK
(not looking at her)
It took three decades to build the
Tet. And when it was finally
ready and it was time to go up,
there were people who refused.
Leaders, who told their people to
stay.
Staring at Beech, the glint in the man's eyes...
(CONTINUED)
65.
CONTINUED:
JACK (CONT'D)
And so they stayed. And they were
slaughtered.
Whatever the conversation is, it doesn't go well. Sykes
storms off, angry. Other Scavs go with him.
EXT. CANYON - DAY
The ROVER has reached the Canyon, starts to make its way
in towards Raven Rock.
INT. SKY TOWER, COMAND CENTER - DAY
Vika is on a tear, working hard. Unable to reach Jack,
she's looking for any clue, anything to help find him.
To that end she's replaying the recordings of her last
transmission from the Bubbleship. We hear her last
PLEADING:
VICTORIA'S VOICE
Jack! Jack! There's something
coming your way. JACK!!!!
Victoria LISTENS, chilled. She hits REWIND, then PLAY:
JACK'S VOICE
.It'll be fine. Trust me.
VICTORIA'S VOICE
I'm trying to.
JACK'S VOICE
I'll be home for breakfast.
Alone in the Sky Tower, this hits Victoria hard.
REWIND. Victoria STARES at the counter, letting it go
further back. Then, PLAY.
Just STATIC. Then we hear Victoria's end of a
conversation we already witnessed:
JACK'S VOICE (BREAKING UP)
(CONT'D)
I'm near the... .border
territory. .still more than
five clicks from the... beacons...
(CONTINUED)
66.
CONTINUED:
VICTORIA'S VOICE
What are you doing out there so
far, Jack?
Then the static for a moment filled with GARBLED SOUNDS.
Victoria hits STOP. She stares. Makes an adjustment,
plays the SOUNDS again. Something drawing her in...
INT. WORK HANGAR, RAVEN ROCK - CONTINUOUS
A Large bay, filled with machinery, computers. Other
things scavenged from the wreck of the Odyssey including
several Delta Sleep Pods. Scav Soldiers work in the
center of the bay on a DOWNED DRONE. It's been opened
up, taken apart. All of its circuit boards and wiring
spread out, hooked to computers.
To the side, other soldiers are grouped around something.
Jack tracks the object they're working on: The scarred
STEEL CYLINDER Jack saw on the Odyssey. Its been opened
up and some ten scavenged Deuterium fuel cells have been
fitted inside the casing.
JULIA
The bomb...
She REALIZES something, wheels on Beech, angry.
JULIA (CONT'D)
You brought down the Odyssey. You
sonofabitch you crashed our ship.
There were people on board, all so
you could get --
BEECH
I know what I did. But tell us,
Commander, why did you have a bomb
on board, what was it for? Tell
him.
She looks at Jack, reluctant to say it, but...
JULIA
The Tet... is an alien ship, Jack.
The odyssey's mission --- Our
mission, was to investigate it.
Jack shakes his head no. Angry...
(CONTINUED)
67.
CONTINUED:
BEECH
It attacked us. First it
destroyed our moon. Then it
unleashed its primary weapon, a
brilliant weapon...
JACK
I was born there!
BEECH
I was born in Chicago, Jack. I
used to go to baseball games with
my father. I used to get two big
hot dogs, fill 'em up with relish,
and mustard. Just go to town. Me
and my pops, watching the sox.
(quick, pressing)
You have any memories like that
Jack?
JACK
No, my father was a --
BEECH
Was what? Tall? Fat? He yell at
your mom? Ever go to a baseball
game, Jack?
JACK
(GETTING ANGRY)
I already told you --
BEECH
Right, sorry. Tell me how your
mother smelled.
JACK
What?
BEECH
My mother, smelled like warm
fruit. Like oranges, sitting in
the sun.
Jack starts to speak... Stops. Beech moves to one of
the scavenged DELTA SLEEP PODS, runs his hand over the
embossed name-plate...
(CONTINUED)
68
CONTINUED: ( 2)
BEECH (CONT'D)
If you had looked more carefully
at the wreckage of the odyssey,
you would have noticed there were
two empty sleep pods. The Pilot,
and the Co-pilot...
Jack stares at the name plate on the POD: "J. Harper."
JULIA
It was you, Jack.
JACK
What?
JULIA
You and Victoria. We were all on
the Odyssey. We were supposed to
make contact...
JACK
No.
BEECH
The Tet is an alien vessel,
Commander Jack Harper. It came
and destroyed our moon and most of
humanity when it did. And ever
since, with your help, it's been
trying to finish the job.
(BEAT)
I'm sorry, Jack. It's not good
news, I know. You've been turned
to the wrong side.
Beech goes to the BOMB, stares down at it
BEECH (CONT'D)
But now, with your help, we can
finally destroy it.
JACK
You're insane. This is insane.
He turns to Julia, but she won't help him.
JACK (CONT'D)
(to both of them)
There are people up there -
BEECH
What? People like you? We are
the last real people.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
69.
CONTINUED: ( 3)
BEECH (CONT'D)
Pockets like this one, hiding out,
dying. Probably all over the
planet.
Beech raises his gaze to Jack. Deadly serious.
BEECH (CONT'D)
We didn't win the war, Jack. We
lost.
These words hit Jack. He starts to reply, finds he
can't. Beech approaches, fatherly, gentle.
BEECH (CONT'D)
It has taken us ten years to get
here, but we finally have a
weapon, and a working Drone to
carry it. Except we can't
successfully program the Drone.
It's not our technology.
(CLASPING HIS
SHOULDERS)
But you can, repairman. That is
the beautiful irony. It gave you
the skills.
ON JACK...
EXT. RAVEN ROCK - CONTINUOUS
The ROVER crawls up the Canyon finally arrive at the
entrance to Raven Rock. It stops, scanning the face of
Raven Rock...
BLAMI!! A SHOT hits it, it tumbles back, utterly
destroyed.
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
Victoria is working hard, intent on deciphering the
sound. She doesn't notice the image of Raven Rock appear
on a side monitor, transmitted from the ROVER.
INT. WORK HANGER - CONTINUOUS
Suddenly, SYKES and several other Scavs burst into the
area. All eyes go to Jack and Julia as the ruined ROVER
is brought in.
(CONTINUED)
70.
CONTINUED:
SYKES
It followed him here. I told you
this was a mistake!
Beech, processing. All around the periphery, REACTION.
This is a disaster.
BEECH
Well well, we may be out of time.
Set the Drone to return to the Tet
upon reactivation. It needs to go
right to the center --
JACK
No! It will kill -
BEECH
(RAGING)
It will kill that ugly stain on
the sky. That's all! Now program
the Drone!
Soldiers push Jack towards the opened Drone. Jack stares
at the read-outs, the electronics. Sykes GRABS a weapon
from a female Scav soldier, lines it on Jack.
JACK
No. I won't do it.
SYKES
He won't help us. We bury them
both, make our run as soon as we
can load up.
JULIA
NO!!
Jack stares Sykes down.
JACK
You know I stare into weapons
every day, so you can put that
away. Because here's what I can
tell you...
(back to Beech)
If the Rover found us, the Drones
will too. Unless you want them to
find you, let me get somewhere
where I can send a signal.
Somewhere far from here.
Beech... caught.
(CONTINUED)
71
CONTINUED: ( 2)
BEECH
(IGNORING SYKES)
What's your plan, Jack? Tell the
Tet where we are, so they can send
a nice big welcome --
JACK
The Drones would kill you. Let me
try to stop that.
SYKES
You can't trust him!
JACK
(staying on Beech)
You're wasting time.
On Beech, Sykes...
TNT. RAVEN ROCK - MOMENTS LATER
Jack and Julia stand near the entrance to Raven Rock.
Sykes appears with the white rectangular box, tosses it
down in the dirt at Jack's feet.
Beech watches as Jack unfolds his motorcycle. Behind
them, other Scavs are packing up, readying an exodus.
JACK
I can fix this.
BEECH
Well, you're the repairman.
Jack powers up the bike and gets on. He looks at Julia
who hesitates, then she climbs on the back of the bike.
JACK
I'll get to the antenna, send a
signal with my location. The Tet
will call off the search. .You
should be safe, for now.
Jack starts to go.
BEECH
Jack... What if I told you that I
had been to your radiation zones.
And what I found there... Would
change everything you think you
know about the world.
(CONTINUED)
72.
CONTINUED:
Jack looks at him, hearing this. Then GUNS the bike.
Beech stares after them, the rooster-tail of Jack's bike
racing away across the ruined landscape.
SYKES
What makes you think he's any
different from the others?
Beech stares at him a moment, then back out.
BEECH
She does.
Beech turns away.
EXT. THE RUINED EARTH - DAY
Jack pilots the electric bike across STAGGERING
BEAUTIFUL VISTAS... LANDSCAPES OF THE IMAGINATION. On
the back of the bike, Julia takes in the incredible
beauty around her.
Finally, in the shadow of a jagged mountain, the BIKE
slows and STOPS. Jack checks the charge: it's dead.
They climb off and Jack leaves the bike where it lies,
headed off on foot.
JULIA
What happened...?
She's staring into the distance where an old WRECK of a
RESOURCE GATHERER lies shattered against a cliff-face.
JACK
The Scavs brought it down ten
years ago. All. this time, I
thought we were at war with the
Scavs... but it turns out we were
just killing each other.
He turns, heads off on foot. After a moment, she
follows.
EXT. CLIFF TOP - DAY
Jack and Julia reach the top of a high cliff, with what
looks like a METAL SPIRE protruding upwards at its edge.
(CONTINUED)
73.
CONTINUED:
We PASS OVER them, staring down a familiar 1,200-foot
waterfall. Jack has returned to the top of the Empire
State, this time approaching from above.
Together, they climb DOWN the craggy rock face. Two tiny
figures against a massive backdrop, a mortal fall below.
EXT. OBSERVATION DECK - DAY
Jack is the first to drop onto the cracked cement of the
deck. He moves forward, pulling the plastic and
camouflage off the transmitter and repeater. He gets to
work on the repeater. It's old tech, hard to make it
talk to the Bubbleship.
Julia stands a ways off. For a moment, their gazes meet,
then he continues working.
INT. SKY TOWER, COMAND CENTER - DAY
Victoria is hard at work, processing the sound that
caught her attention. She has it playing through the
whole sky tower: The SOUNDS are broken, static-like,
almost ALIEN. Strange and guttural.
Fingers fly over controls, making adjustments. This time
the sounds parse into WORDS. A male and a female voice.
Almost apprehensive, she pulls an electronic filter,
overlays it on the signal, which suddenly drops into
perfect clarit : A recording of Jack and Victoria, from
a different patrol.
VICTORIA'S VOICE
(LAUGHING)
.And I want a dishwasher, the
kind that you can put --
JACK'S VOICE
I don't think they'll have those
on Mars, Honey.
VICTORIA'S VOICE
Okay, fine. No dishwasher. How
about just you. All the time.
JACK'S VOICE
Yes. When we get there.
ON VICTORIA. Her face totally still. Strangely frozen
in the face of this sweet little exchange...
(CONTINUED)
74.
CONTINUED:
And then a SOB breaks from her lips. The kind you can't
control. Her fingers SHAKING, BADLY, she plays the
recording, puts it on a loop.
TNT. SKY TOWER - CONTINUOUS
The voices BOOM through the Sky Tower, over and over.
Frightening that their simplicity contrasts so much with
the effect they are having on Victoria who moves into the
main room, white as a sheet. She looks up as..
The Bubbleship lifts off from its platform and sails
into the sky. She watches it go, then rushes back
towards her station.
EXT. OBSERVATION DECK - DAY
Jack stares at the ESB Antenna, down at the repeater and
the line of code he hopes he's transmitting.
JULIA
What will you do now?
Jack doesn't answer. He moves to the edge of the deck,
stares out, unwilling to meet her eyes.
JACK
That old man is smart. Those fuel
cells, the way he's got them tied
in with your device... He could
blow the whole station.
JULIA
Jack, you can't turn them in.
He glances at her, shakes his head.
JACK
What do you want from me? I'm
just a repairman.
(BEAT)
This is bigger than me.
Jack moves off to a corner of the deck by the old
telescope. She follows him, steeling herself.
JULIA
(CAREFULLY)
You and I started the same year at
NASA.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
75.
CONTINUED:
JULIA (CONT'D)
It wasn't really about space for
me, it was about... what could be
out there. Life...
JACK
Look, stop, okay? Just --
JULIA
But for you, it was always the
stars. You wanted to fly further
and faster than any one else.
JACK
I don't know who you're talking
ABOUT --
JULIA
I'm talking about a man I knew,
who was fearless. A man who
wouldn't bow out of a fight, ever.
JACK
STOP! You and that old man have
this story... Except I know who I
am, okay? I know who I am!
JULIA
No, you don't. That thing
brainwashed you, it erased your
MEMORIES
He turns, starts to lean on the old telescope, draws
back, staring at the thing like it bit him.
JULIA (CONT'D)
That's right... What do you
remember?
INTERCUT: The auto-piloted Bubbleship skims over the
surface of downtown, headed towards the Empire State...
Jack is staring at the telescope, agitated, confused.
JACK
Why do I... what is it about this
place?
JULIA
Ten days before we got our go-
ahead, you asked me to meet you
here.
(CONTINUED)
76.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
INTERCUT: VICTORIA. Eager to find out where the
Bubbleship is headed, she punches up the live feed.
Julia comes close, puts a hand out, rests it on his
chest. She moves closer to him, searching his eyes.
JULIA (CONT'D)
Don't you remember what happened
here?
INTERCUT: The Bubbleship now moving UP the waterfall.
Victoria, leaning forward, watching the feeds...
Julia takes one of his hands, places it around her waist.
Moves closer still...
JACK
When I sleep. You're always
there.
She kisses him.
EXT. OBERVATION DECK - DAY (FLASHBACK)
A YOUNGER JULIA is staring out over glorious intact New
York City. Next to her, a YOUNGER JACK peers through the
telescope. Now he pulls away, turns to her...
YOUNGER JACK
There, right there. Take a look.
She smiles, puts her eye to the telescope.
YOUNGER JACK (CONT'D)
The tall billboard, with the girl
on it.
YOUNGER JULIA
Oh, okay. I don't understand.
YOUNGER JACK nervously produces an ENGAGEMENT RING from
his pocket.
YOUNGER JACK
Now, pan to the right, slowly...
YOUNGER JULIA'S POV - THROUGH THE TELESCOPE
PANNING over as he directed, to a billboard, half-covered
by a large canvas. The words "JULIA, WILL YOU MARRY ME?"
clear on the canvas.
(CONTINUED)
77.
CONTINUED:
YOUNGER JACK (CONT'D)
Julia...
She GASPS, looks over. There he is, holding the ring --
VRROOOOOM! THE SOUND OF A BUBBLE SHIP...
EXT. OBSERVATION DECK - DAY (PRESENT)
VROOOOMMMM! The Bubbleship RISES INTO VIEW directly in
front of them. Jack, kissing Julia, tries to break away,
confused, guilty. Julia holds on.
She reaches to her collar, pulls free a necklace, a
familiar ring dangles from it...
JULIA
There are a few pages missing, but
it's the same book.
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
Victoria stares at the screen, the image of Jack kissing
Julia, then breaking away. She's strangely cold, like
there's simply nothing left to feel...
INT. BUBBLESHIP - MOMENTS LATER
Jack pilots the ship, a tense silence between he and
Julia. He checks a few readouts, then hits the Comm.
JACK
Vika, it's me. I'm... all right.
I'm coming in. Don't report in to
Mission, not until I get back.
No response. Dead air. Julia is pressed far back in her
seat, watching Jack.
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - CONTINUOUS
Victoria is still motionless. She hears Jack's calls on
the Comm, does nothing.
JACK'S VOICE
.I'm 20 minutes out.
A TONE makes Victoria look over. The Tet, checking in.
(CONTINUED)
78.
CONTINUED:
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Mission requests status of
survivor.
VICTORIA
Go to hell.
Beat. Beat.
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Did not copy.
(LONG BEAT)
Have you located your partner?
Vika is silent. The Tet waits for a response. It
doesn't get one. Finally:
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN) (CONT'D)
Are you still an effective team?
VICTORIA
(LIPS TREMBLING)
No.
A long painful silence. Tears flow without sobs.
Tet Comm Status: "COMMUNICATION ENDED."
Victoria. pushes away from the console, numb. As she
leaves the room, we STAY on the console...
which suddenly comes alive. Readouts go active, data
history starts to play. The Tet is accessing everything.
Visual and Voice recordings blaze by. Images, everything
the Bubbleship has seen. We see the image of Raven Rock
sent from the ROVER.
INT. SKY TOWER - CONTINUOUS
Victoria enters the Sky Tower, staring at it as if it was
all alien to her. As she moves through, she unzips her
jumpsuit, steps out of it, moves on. Her shirt, then
bra, land on the floor. She moves on...
EXT. SKY TOWER - TWILIGHT
JULIA and JACK step out of the Bubbleship, head towards
the interior of the Sky Tower. The whole thing has been
opened up. Wind blows freely through papers, magazines.
Vases have been blown over, water spilled.
(CONTINUED)
79.
CONTINUED:
There are petals, Rose petals, swirling everywhere.
EXT. SKY TOWER, GARDEN - CONTINUOUS
Jack comes out near the garden. It's been ripped to
shreds. What plants are left lie uprooted and broken.
Flowers strewn about. PETALS float off the side of the
sky tower and down into the clouds.
VICTORIA stands near the far edge, looking out. She's no
longer in her jumpsuit. She wears a beautiful flowing
dress which waves in the wind. Her hair is free.
JACK
Vika... the Scavs. They're
humans, like us. The war has
become some giant... mistake.
She turns. The heartbreak in her face clear.
VICTORIA
I saw you. I saw you two.
JACK
SHE'S --
VICTORIA
(shaking her head)
Stay away from me with the truth!
I don't want the truth. I
preferred oblivion.
Victoria looks up, sees Julia in the distance...
VICTORIA (CONT'D)
You never really loved me, did
you, Jack?
His silence is LOUD. She LAUGHS, tears flowing...
JACK
(broken for her)
Vika, she was my wife.
She looks at the infinite sky, the clouds, and as the TET
appears... He steps towards her and she backs towards
the edge.
VICTORIA
I told them. The drones will be
here. For her. For you.
(CONTINUED)
80.
CONTINUED:
Jack feels the sting of this betrayal, but quickly
accepts it.
JACK
Then come with me.
(she shakes no)
Don't you see what it means?
There are still people, living on
Earth. Surviving on earth.
People like us.
Victoria hears that and laughs, bitter.
JACK (CONT'D)
Vika?
Her laughter dies. She looks at him, strangely calm,
beautiful in this moment.
VICTORIA
Oh, Jack. I think they made us.
Victoria steps backwards. Jack LUNGES forward.
JACK
NOOO1
PETALS are falling towards us from the skytower, and
then, so is VICTORIA.
EXT. SKY TOWER CONTINUOUS
Jack stares after Victoria for one terrible beat, then
falls to his knees. Not yet feeling, in shock. Julia
approaches, slowly...
He turns at her so fast she's afraid and steps back but
he blows right by her, into
INT. SKY TOWER, CONTROL STATION - MOMENTS LATER
Jack enters Victoria's station. Trespassing in a space
that doesn't belong to him. His eyes play over the room:
A cup of coffee, now cold. A jacket on the back of her
chair. On a monitor, a wavelength plays silently. The
signal she descrambled.
He looks at the Tet Communication Device. We realize
he's never spoken directly to the Tet before.
(CONTINUED)
81
CONTINUED:
JACK
This is Technician Jack Harper.
The signal goes out. Beat. Beat...
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Where is your Control Officer?
JACK
She's dead.
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Prep the survivor for immediate
evac.
JACK
Did you hear what I said? She's
dead!
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
Prep the survivor for immediate
evac. You will be reassigned.
JACK
I want to talk to somebody.
Beat.
THE TET (TEXT ON SCREEN)
It'll be good to have you back.
JACK
DAMN YOU! I want to hear your
voice!
Beat. Beat. Tet Comm Status: "Communication Ended."
He stares at this last transmission. Then looks up to
the big map. From all over the sector, DRONES are
closing on the Sky Tower. Closing on him.
EXT. SKY TOWER, BUBBLESHIP PAD - MOMENTS LATER
Jack comes back out, heading towards the ship. Julia
puts out a hand to him.
JACK
We have to go.
82.
TNT/EXT. BUBBLESHIP - CONTINUOUS
Jack and Julia streak across the sky in the Bubbleship.
On the heads-up display, they can clearly see the
radiation border marked RED in front of them, and the two
DRONES closing behind them.
JULIA
Where are we going?
JACK
Beech said to look in the
radiation zones. I have to go
there.
JULIA
And if he's just a crazy old man?
Jack looks at her. It'd be a funny moment, but it's not.
JACK
I've been wrong about everything
else.
He dives the ship towards the clouds below.
EXT. CANYON - MORNING
Drones shoot down a canyon towards RAVEN ROCK.
INT. BUBBLESHIP - CONTINUOUS
The Bubbleship BURSTS through clouds. Up ahead, the
familiar RIDGELINE is approaching...
AND THREE DRONES WATTTNG.
Jack HAULS the ship over as the Drones bear down on them
OPENING UP. We recognize one: Drone 166.
Canon fire ROCKS the Bubbleship, pieces blowing off.
Jack REVOLVES THE CANOPY to return fire. A Drone
EXPLODES but Drone 166 and another blast through the
smoke, firing.
83.
INT. RAVEN ROCK - CONTINUOUS
Everything has been packed, loaded, ready to leave.
Beech watches Sykes supervise the final lashing of the
BOMB onto a sled. Beech gives a command and the great
steel door groans OPEN, revealing...
SIX DRONES, waiting. Their weapons POWERING UP.
ON BEECH, a final realization washing over him.
EXT. OPEN SKY - CONTINUOUS
Jack SPINS the ship, evading pursuit, even as he checks
his heads-up, tracks the two Sky Tower Drones closing
from behind. He hauls over, pursuing Drones turning with
him, firing as the two Drones burst out of cloud cover
FAST, MID-AIR COLLISION, two more Drones go down!
Jack hits the brakes. Another Drone overshoots him,
pulls up. Jack sites the Drone, starts to fire...
The Bubbleship is raked with fire! Drone 166 is right on
them and firing. The canopy is hit! CRACKS spider-web
across it. A canon is blown clean off.
Jack tries his remaining weapon. It's dead.
WITH DRONE 166
It pulls out of an arc, ACCELERATES, closing on the
Bubbleship as the Bubbleship tears away into a cloud
bank, goes in. Drone 166 follows, seconds behind.
Drone 166 EMERGES from the cloud bank into open air, its
cannon lining on... nothing. Empty sky. It REVOLVES
quickly, sensing for ...
SMASH! Jack's Bubbleship IMPACTS the Drone from above,
the ship's manacles designed for transporting broken
Drones CLAMPING ON. Suddenly the two vessels are LOCKED.
And the Drone goes wild. It's engines THRUSTING,
fighting against the counter-force of the Bubbleship's
engines. The Drones GUNS BLASTING in every direction,
but unable to elevate to hit the Bubbleship.
INSIDE THE BUBBLESHIP. Julia screams as the ship tumbles
end over end. Jack stays on the controls, tracking the
last Drone closing from above.
(CONTINUED)
84.
CONTINUED:
Jack FORCES Drone and ship to turn, turning Drone 166's
canon on the last Drone which EXPLODES.
JACK
There...
He punches the throttle. The Bubbleship with Drone 166
attached blasts in the direction of A CLIFF FACE.
DRONE 166 gets free of one restraint, rotates so its
cannon come to bear on part of the undercarriage. OPENS
UP, blasting the storage to bits...
And Jack PULLS UP, just clearing the ridge, Drone 166
IMPACTING ROCK. The Drone blasts clear through, CRASHES
ONTO VOLCANIC ROCK.
INT. THE BUBBLESHIPP - CONTINUOUS
Jack and Julia in the damaged, smoking, now-shaking ship.
JACK
You okay?
JULIA
No.
Jack nods, turns the ship north again. The Bubbleship
shaking and smoking. Up ahead, the RIDGELINE
approaching.
WARNING ALARMS trigger on the Bubbleship's display
Claxon-like.
JULIA (CONT'D)
What is that?
JACK
Radiation warning. We're five
clicks from the border.
Jack makes an adjustment, the Bubbleship SURGES with more
speed. It sounds like it's going to tear itself apart.
EXT. ROCKS NEAR CRATER LAKE - CONTINUOUS
The smashed Drone 166 POWERS BACK UP. A moment as it
runs its systems, then BLASTS OFF in pursuit.
85.
INT. BUBBLESHIP - CONTINUOUS
On the heads-up, they can see Drone 166 coming up behind
them, closing FAST. Jack touches a familiar button. The
Bar-guage for his extra boost starts to fill...
FROM BEHIND THEM, blasts go wide. Drone 166 is firing,
missing.
The bar gauge FALTERS, something broken. Jack SLAMS the
dash. Gauge keeps rising. The Bubbleship starts to buck
as RED WARNING TEXT STREAMS ACROSS THE CANOPY: "LETHAL
RADIATION LEVELS APPROACHING. DO NOT ENTER."
JULIA
Jack...
JACK
I got this.
Jack hits it. They're both propelled back into their
seats. The radiation zone coming up fast... They CROSS
INTO THE ZONE!!
.and the Bubbleship goes completely DEAD.
Jack works controls, punches at the display. But there's
nothing. Just the whistling sound of wind...
JACK (CONT'D)
Bob! BOB! What are you doing
Bob!!!!!
Bob just bobbles... BLAM! BLAM BLAM!! The blasts from
Drone 166 impact them, helpless.
JACK (CONT'D)
Hold on!!
Jack grabs a level, a mechanical lever, and HAULS IT UP.
THE COCKPIT OF THE SHIP SEPARATES FROM THE BODY. The
dead body of the ship tumbles backwards as Drone 166
BLASTS IT, tries to pull up but the Bubbleship IMPACTS
Drone 166 which SPINS OUT OF CONTROL towards the ground.
THE BUBBLESHIP COCKPIT skims the surface, IMPACTS a
ridge, blasting through it. It hits another ridge, the
canopy shattering, earth piling in on them as they
finally grid to a stop.
Jack groans, leans to checks that Julia is okay. She's
coughing, dazed, but alive.
86.
EXT. RADIATION ZONE - CONTINUOUS
Jack opens the canopy door. It falls off. He stumbles
out, himself still dazed. Wind and sand blow around him.
CLOSE ON JACK. He breathes in. Breathes again. Waiting
for a painful death, that doesn't arrive.
JACK
Son of a bitch, old man...
Words die on his lips as he tracks the plume of smoke
from the downed Drone 166, lifting over a nearby ridge.
He turns back to the ruined ship, grabs his carbine.
JACK (CONT'D)
Stay here.
Jack runs towards the smoke which is already being blown
clear by a rising sand storm. He flops down in the dirt
at the top of the rise, bringing his weapon up.
JACK'S POV - DRONE 166. It lies smashed and smoking at
the bottom of an incline. Finally dead. The wind and
sand are beginning to whistle now, growing intensity...
Jack starts to stand... when a FAMILIAR SOUND makes him
turn.
THAT OF A BUBBLESHIP.
Jack hits the dirt as A BUBBLESHIP, just like Jack's,
screams overhead and lands next to the DRONE, in a moment
eerily reminiscent of the first scene of the film.
Below, a MAN gets out of the second Bubbleship. He wears
the same kind of suit as Jack. ANOTHER REPAIR MAN. He's
got a bandana wrapped around his lower face to shield him
from the sandstorm.
Jack reaches for his BINOCS, bring them to his face only
to find the lenses shattered.
Reaching the downed Drone, the MAN kneels next to it and
in a familiar fashion begins utilizing his tools to fix
Drone 166. He locks a damaged cannon back into place,
tightens it...
Jack suddenly realizes what the man's doing. He stands,
the wind now blasting in his direction, he starts running
down the hill towards the man.
(CONTINUED)
87.
CONTINUED:
JACK (CONT'D)
Hey! Hey, wait! Stop! Don't
touch that Drone!
His words are eaten up by the wind and sand. He rushes
forward.
WITH THE REPAIRMAN. We only see his hands as he works on
Drone 166. He's very good. Even in the growing
sandstorm he clips out a ruined board, slots a new one
in. Runs a by-pass around a wire-bundle.
The Repairman's fingers go to a familiar switch to
activate the Drone...
JACK'S VOICE
No! Wait!
The Repairman hears the voice, even as he flips the
switch. He LEAPS BACK, spinning around, his carbine
coming off his back, lined on Jack fifteen feet away who
STARES BACK AT HIM IN UTTER ASTONISHMENT.
JACK'S POV -- THE REPAIRMAN. Holding the weapon on him.
The man is Jack. A cleaner, newer, but identical version
of Jack... A CLONE.
Jack stares, transfixed. Now it all makes sense: The
Garbled transmissions, Victoria's last words, who or what
he really is, and is not.
Not so for Jack 2. He takes a step back, confused,
horrified. A tense moment.
JULIA'S VOICE
Jack!?
Julia has just crested the rise, sees the two Jack's.
Also understanding...
JACK
Julia! Stay back!
Jack 2 senses her movement, SPINS and AIMS his rifle as
Jack rushes forward --
JACK (CONT'D)
No!
-- He HITS JACK 2 and they both go down, the weapon
FIRING! They fight over the weapon.
(CONTINUED)
88.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
Blow for blow combat, their physical strength and
training identical, the only exception being that JACK 2
is fresh, his suit immaculate, a man who has just arrived
at work, maybe just arrived on the planet.
WITH JULIA. Standing, watching the two clones fight...
she suddenly drops to her knees, her hand on her side.
Blood seeps between her fingers. She's been shot, badly.
WITH JACK AND JACK 2. Jack grapples with Jack 2, trying
to control him...
JACK (CONT'D)
STOP! You have to understand! You
have to understand...
Jack 2 throws Jack, leaps on top of him, trying to
throttle him, in a full panic. Jack drives up into his
gut, rolls away.
JACK (CONT'D)
We're just Drones! We're just
Drones, man! You and me! Don't
you get it? Don't you know?
Jack 2 comes at Jack wildly, emotion over-amping
technique. Jack DUCKS the blow, wraps Jack 2 up in a
choke-hold. SQUEEZING...
JACK (CONT'D)
It's okay. It's going to be
okay...
Jack 2 goes limp, unconscious. Jack lets him go,
staggers back. Everything finally processing. Then:
JACK (CONT'D)
Julia...
He turns towards Julia, sees her kneeling there, holding
her side. The blood seeping between her fingers...
JACK runs to her as she begins to fall. She is conscious,
but just barely. But still, she PULLS BACK from him.
JULIA
(HORRIFIED)
Don't touch me. Don't
She lurches away from him, body running on fear and
adrenaline. Jack nods, accepting her terror of him.
(CONTINUED)
89.
CONTINUED: ( 3)
He moves forward, lifts her up against her willand
carries her to shelter among the rocky terrain closeby.
EXT. SMALL ROCKY ENCLAVE - CONTINUOUS
Jack sets her down. There's blood frosting her lips and
her skin has gone pale. He looks back, sees the
Bubbleship and Jack 2's form lying next to it. He
realizes something.
JACK
I'll be back for you.
INT. BUBBLE SHIP 2 - MOMENTS LATER
Jack climbs in, looks around at the interior of the ship,
at the similarities. He stares out at the unconscious
Jack 2 in front of the ship.
JACK
(EMPTY WORDS)
One, Two, Three. Jack Harper.
A moment... then lights sparkle across the board.
JACK (CONT'D)
Okay... Let's go home.
The Bubbleship 2 lifts off.
INT/EXT. BUBBLESHIP 2 - DAY (LATER)
ON JACK. Making the approach. And then he sees it:
Another Sky Tower, just like his. It had to be there.
The Bubbleship closes on this new Sky Tower.
EXT. SKY TOWER 2, GARDEN - DAY
A woman we know but do not know is starting her new
garden. VICTORIA 2. She looks happier, a little younger
and more radiant than the Victoria we knew. It's earlier
in their tour.
Victoria 2 looks up as the Bubbleship lands. SMILES as
Jack gets out and crosses the bridge towards her.
VICTORIA 2
You're early...
(CONTINUED)
90
CONTINUED:
As he approaches she notices his damaged environmental
suit.
VICTORIA 2 (CONT'D)
What happened out there? I lost
contact.
JACK stares at her, heartbroken.
JACK
.Just a bit of a dust up.
VICTORIA 2
Are you all right?
He nods. She comes over to him. He marvels at her
beauty, the simplicity of life here...
VICTORIA 2 (CONT'D)
(SELF-CONSCIOUS)
.What?
She comes close, brushes his hair away from his forehead.
VICTORIA 2 (CONT'D)
You dreamed a lot last night. I
was thinking, you have to start
writing them down.
JACK
I cut myself, I just came by
for...
VICTORIA 2
I'll get it.
JACK
No, I'll get it.
He kisses her. Gentle, loving...
JACK (CONT'D)
I'll get it. You stay here.
And as JACK goes into the sky tower, she returns to
happily planting her roses. Oblivious.
INT. SKY TOWER 2, WORK AREA - MOMENTS LATER
As Jack heads through his work area he sees A COLLECTION.
Just started, but not much different from his own.
(CONTINUED)
91
CONTINUED:
Some coins, a book, THE COLLECTED POEMS OF T.S. ELLIOT,
left open to a page, a passage underlined. He reads:
We shall not ceasefromexploration
And the end of allourexploring
will be to arrivewherewe first started
and know the placeforthe first time.
He nods, strangely moved, moves on.
INT. SKY TOWER 2, INFIRMARY - CONTINUOUS
He grabs the healant and wand. He shuts the cabinet,
stares at his reflection in the burnished steel.
INT. SKY TOWER 2, READY ROOM - CONTINUOUS
He opens the door to the locker. Stares at the brand-
new, unworn picture of he and Victoria, taped to the
inside of the door.
INT. SKY TOWER 2 - MOMENTS LATER
Jack comes out into the living area of Sky Tower 2,
noticing everything: The furniture, the big things are
exactly the same, but the little personal touches, the
smaller details are different.
He sees it all in a different light now. Things that he
never looked twice at before. The items used to keep
them from the truth.
Victoria 2 comes in from outside, washes her hands.
VICTORIA 2
We should watch a movie tonight.
He sits, looking around himself. He belongs here. He
fits here. Victoria munches on something.
VICTORIA 2 (CONT'D)
I was going over the catalog and
there's still a bunch of your
favorites I haven't seen...
She glances over, smiles. Who wouldn't forget everything
for that smile?
92.
INT. BUBBLESHIP 2 - MOMENTS LATER
Jack stares down as the Bubbleship LIFTS OFF from Sky
Tower 2. He sees Victoria 2 come out, looking at him
puzzled. Then she moves towards her Control Station.
After a moment, her voice comes over the Comm.
VICTORIA 2
Hey, you didn't say goodbye.
JACK
(BEAT)
Good bye...
He turns the Bubbleship, towards
EXT. RADIATION ZONE - DAY
Jack touches down in the second Bubbleship. Drone 166
still lies there, but Jack 2 is GONE.
EXT. SMALL ROCKY ENCLAVE - DAY
Jack clambers into the enclave to where he left Julia.
She's passed out, she looks dead. There's blood on the
ground around her.
He pulls her into his lap, pulling away the clothing
around the wound. As he does, her eyes flutter open.
She's delirious, eyes fixing on him.
JACK
This is gonna pinch a little.
JULIA
(NOT PROCESSING)
Okay...
He spreads the HEALANT over her wound, activates it. For
a moment, nothing. Then the skin starts to knit.
And Julia starts to SCREAM...
INT. BUBBLESHIP 2 - LATER
Julia is unconscious, propped in the passenger seat of
the ship. Jack climbs in, jams Bob the Bobblehead onto
the dash. It bobbles at him, ready.
Jack hits the gas and the Bubbleship lifts into the air.
93.
INT. BUBBLESHIP 2 - DAY
The Bubbleship soars through the sky. There's something
particularly calm, picturesque, exquisitely beautiful
about the earth below.
Jack pilots. In the seat next to him, Julia is pale,
propped against the canopy, recovering. She watches him.
He's aware of her gaze, but he doesn't look over.
INT. CRATER LAKE, GROTTO - SUNSET
Julia weakly stands amidst the tarped supplies, aware
she's trespassing somewhere utterly private. Outside,
the sound of Jack splitting wood. She takes in the
books, the records, the mementos of the past. Sees the
Jammer up and working...
Jack comes in, gets to work piling wood in the fireplace.
He won't meet her eyes. Scared of himself, ashamed in
front of her...
JACK
I always thought that plateau up
there could be for a house
someday. I thought about
remaining here, letting the rest
of humanity run off to Mars. And
we'd just stay here.
Jack stops himself, realizing how easily he said "we."
JULIA
I'm sorry. Jack...
JACK
No.
He moves away from her, lights the fire, it starts to
crackle. He gets up and goes, walking down to the lake.
She stands near the fire, glad for its warmth, watching
him out there, silhouetted in front of the lake.
WITH JACK. He stares out over the water. Letting the
truth wash over him.
And then MUSIC from the grotto... the opening bars to the
Temptation's "My Girl."
94.
INT. GROTTO, CRATER LAKE -- NIGHT
Julia stands by the record player, watching the disc
revolve. She looks up when Jack's form appears in the
doorway. He's been out there too long, cold.
JULIA
He loved this song.
Jack sits, shivering, looking out at the lake. She moves
to him, wraps a blanket around him.
JACK
What was he like?
JULIA
He was arrogant, and annoying, and
the best man I'd ever known.
Some distant part of Jack smiles at that.
JULIA (CONT'D)
.And I loved him.
JACK
I'm not that man.
JULIA
Shhhhh. Yes you are.
She rests her head against on his shoulder, holds him.
Simple, caring. His eyes... close.
INT. MISSION CONTROL, NASA - EVENING (FLASHBACK)
A group of ASTRONAUTS and NASA CONTROLLERS are
celebrating. A television screen reads: "Odyssey Mission
a GO!"
A YOUNGER JACK and JULIA are among the people
celebrating. As an ASTRONAUT pops champagne, Jack and
Julia find a private alcove, he lifts out the engagement
ring that she wears on the necklace around her neck...
YOUNGER JACK
We should just tell everybody.
YOUNGER JULIA
No, when we come home...
They KISS...
95.
TNT. A DARK ROOM - NIGHT
Their bodies entwined. Kissing, touching. Clothing
pulled away. Staring into each other's eyes.
INT. NASA CREW APARTMENT - EARLY DAWN
Younger Jack stares out the window at the Odyssey on its
launchpad in the distance. Steam rolls off its engines.
It's being readied to launch.
YOUNGER JULIA
Hey...
He looks over, smiles. She's naked under the sheets,
happy, smiling back at him.
EXT. CRATER LAKE - MORNING (PRESENT)
Jack's eyes blink open. Julia is asleep near him,
peaceful. He turns, stares into the lightening morning
sky. The Tet rising with the sun.
EXT. CRATER LAKE -- MORNING
Jack walks to the water's edge. He stares at the
reflection of the Tet in the glassy surface of the lake.
And under that, a fish, nibbling algae...
He smiles at the fish.
JULIA (O.S. )
Good morning.
He turns. She's there, arms held around herself against
the chill of morning. They look at each other, so much
to be said.
JACK
We can't stay here.
She smiles, nods.
INT. BUBBLESHIP 2 - DAY
Jack and Julia fly low over terrain. As the Bubbleship
crests a rise and drops down into a steep canyon, she
takes his hand. He glances at her, lets his hand stay in
hers. The entrance to Raven Rock looms ahead...
(CONTINUED)
96.
CONTINUED:
His eyes narrow. There's SMOKE, drifting from inside
Raven Rock.
EXT. RAVEN ROCK - DAY
As the Bubbleship touches down, the carnage becomes
clear. A few shattered DRONES lie here and there, but
there are bodies and smoking blast points everywhere.
JACK grabs his carbine, heading inside.
JACK
Stay here...
INT. RAVEN ROCK - DAY
As Jack moves into the darkness of the ruined Raven Rock,
his suit's lights blaze on. He moves in, weapon ready.
Bodies are everywhere, blasted to pieces.
FIRES still burn here and there. Paint bubbles on
burning canvas. Records melt and drip in the heat...
Jack turns a corner, finds Sykes STARING AT HIM! But his
eyes are dead. Sykes still holds a spear implanted in a
Drone's wrecked body.
A FLICKERING LIGHT draws Jack's attention.
INT. RAVEN ROCK, CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
BEECH is slumped in a chair, blastburnt, clutching a
charred black box in his arms. His eyes half-lidded, he
STARES AT:
Newsreel footage, from when the Tet arrived. On the
screen crowds stare, the UN meets, Cults form.
THE MOON in the sky, its surface VIBRATES, then starts to
come apart. People SCREAM... Cutting to War Footage.
Alien Troop-ships touching down, their design distinctly
Tet-like. They discharge waves of warriors...
CLOSE ON: Hand held, war-journalism. We see the alien
soldiers pushing back resistance. All of them are
versions of Jack. One sights the cameraman, BLAM! Blows
him away. Camera hits dirt..
SMASH! Jack is there next to Beech. He's just pushed
the projector over.
(CONTINUED)
97.
CONTINUED:
BEECH
(not looking up)
The first ones were soldiers,
programmed only to kill.
Beech slowly, painfully, looks at him. Little emotion in
Beech, just resigned recognition.
BEECH (CONT'D)
Later, there were new versions.
More... creative. The Tet needed
something different. And finally
there was... you.
JACK
I'm the weapon of this war.
BEECH smiles sardonic, nods.
BEECH
The Tet. The clockmaker God.
Such brilliant, complex
machinery... For such a simple
task. To steal our water, our
life... all for fuel.
(BEAT)
It doesn't even care about us.
It's just... effective.
JACK
Why didn't you tell me?
BEECH
Not the kind of news that.
(coughing up blood)
.motivates a man.
Beat,then low, defeated.
BEECH (CONT'D)
We lost, Jack. It won.
JACK
The device...?
BEECH
(shaking his head)
No Drone. It will go on,
devouring world, after world...
(BEAT)
You like books, Jack.
Beech closes his eyes, recalling from memory...
(CONTINUED)
98.
CONTINUED: ( 2)
BEECH (CONT'D)
"Cowards die many times before
their deaths; The valient never
taste of death but once."
Beech's voice trails off...
Jack kneels in front of Beech. The old man's eyes are
open, fixed on the artwork, the remnants of humanity...
But they don't blink any longer. Beech is dead.
Jack reaches up, closes Beech's eyes. He removes the box
from Beech's arms: The flight recorder from the odyssey.
JULIA'S VOICE
There is a way.
Julia stands in the doorway to the library.
JULIA
It wants me. Bring me to it.
(off his silence)
I'm right. You know I am. It's
the only way.
INT. WORK HANGER, RAVEN ROCK - MOMENTS LATER
The room destroyed. The disassembled Drone a smoking
hulk. Jack works in front of an open Delta Sleep Pod
from the Odyssey. He HAULS the cylindrical BOMB to the
Pod, slots it into the space for personal effects...
JULIA
Is it ready?
Julia is standing at the entrance to the room. He nods
and she approaches, STARES at what will be her coffin.
JACK
Julia...
JULIA
Let's just do it.
She moves to climb in, then turns to Jack and kisses him.
It's a kiss filled with a lifetime of kisses missed.
Finally, it breaks. She backs away, into the Pod, next
to the BOMB. Trembling as the door starts to CLOSE.
Suddenly, she's very scared. Fighting back panic.
(CONTINUED)
99.
CONTINUED:
JULIA (CONT'D)
Jack... Jack!!
The door closes, SEALS. Jack stares down at her through
the carapace. He puts a hand on the glass. She puts
hers on the other side.
JULIA (CONT'D)
.I got this.
He touches a button and a pale gas starts to fill the
chamber. Julia realizes that this will be her last
moment of consciousness. Trembling, crying, afraid...
JULIA (CONT'D)
Jack...
And she falls asleep. Jack stares at her sleeping form.
JACK
Dream about us.
EXT. RAVEN ROCK - LATER
Wind tearing at him, JACK loads the sleep pod onto the
drone-carrier of the Bubbleship.
TNT/EXT. BUBBLESHIP, OUTTER ATMOSPHERE - LATER
The Bubbleship hovers high above the clouds, the Delta
Pod attached beneath it. Jack STARES down at the earth.
He hits a control and the ship rotates, so it's facing
upwards towards the Tet which fills the sky above. Jack
touches the throttle and the Bubbleship begins to CLIMB.
Jack has the odyssey flight recorder on the seat next to
him. He touches a control and THE AUDIO fills the
canopy. It's distant, fuzzy, recorded from deep space.
Jack listens as the Tet grows in size in front of him.
ORIGINAL JACK'S VOICE
Good morning folks, this is
captain Jack Harper here in the
cockpit. We're settling in at a
cool one hundred and fifty clicks
from the unidentified flying
object...
100.
INT. SPACE SHUTTLE ODYSSEY - NO TIME ( FLASHBACK)
The ORIGINAL JACK in the Pilot's seat, ORIGINAL VICTORIA
next to him, co-piloting. Jack GRINS as he peers out at
the Tet, just a small geometry among the stars...
ORIGINAL JACK
(to Mission Control)
So far, from this distance, we're
still reading zero heat
signatures, no sign of organic
life. Did I mention we're still
really far away?
ORIGINAL VICTORIA
Mission plan has us approaching to
one hundred kilometers, doing our
initial readouts...
ORIGINAL JACK
Yes, because everyone knows, if
you want to really know something,
one hundred kilometers is the best
DISTANCE --
ORIGINAL VICTORIA
Stop. We don't know what it is,
if it has intentions.
ORIGINAL JACK
(to Mission Control)
I think she just made my point --
INT. BUBBLESHIP 2 - CONTINUOUS (PRESENT)
Jack touches a control, the sound from the recorder FAST
FORWARDS. Hours and hours of time on the odyssey fly by.
The Bubbleship has reached the stratosphere where the
blue sky gives way to black space. We see the small ship
detach from the blue curve of earth, the blackness of
space in front of it.
JACK
Bob, let's prep for outer
atmosphere.
OUTSIDE, the Bubbleship starts to transform for outer
space as it RISES higher and higher...
(CONTINUED)
101.
CONTINUED:
THE TET
(a metallic voice)
Technician Harper.
JACK
Finally. There you are.
THE TET
Your ship has converted to space
mode. This is not authorized.
JACK
I am delivering the survivor from
the crash of the NASA ship.
ON JACK. The Tet reflected in his eyes.
JACK (CONT'D)
We are... a more effective team.
THE TET
.Proceed.
Jack... exhales. The TINY BUBBLESHIP climbs towards the
massive artificial moon as the audio from the flight
recorder surrounds him again...
ORIGINAL JACK'S VOICE
-- We don't know if we're dealing
with E.T. or the Klingons here,
and we're not going to from this
distance.
INT. SPACE SHUTTLE ODYSSEY NO TIME (FLASHBACK)
The ORIGINAL JACK and ORIGINAL VICTORIA, in a friendly
argument.
ORIGINAL VICTORIA
It could be inert. Anything on it
could be long gone by now.
ORIGINAL JACK
Which is why we need to make
contact, before it just blows on
by like some...
ORIGINAL VICTORIA
Which is why we need to make
contact.
(CONTINUED)
102.
CONTINUED:
He double-takes, relieved that she finally agrees with
him, smiles.
ORIGINAL VICTORIA (CONT'D)
(to Mission Control)
I agree with Commander Harper. It
crossed whatever light years of
space and time to come this close
to us. We're not going to really
know anything about it from this
far away.
INT. BUBBLESHIP 2 - CONTINUOUS PRESENT
Jack sits in the Bubbleship, the Tet looming above, the
voices surrounding him.., remembering.
INT. ODYSSEY SPACE SHUTTLE - NO TIME (FLASHBACK)
They must have been given clearance to approach, because
the Tet now FILLS the view in front of them.
ORIGINAL VICTORIA
Mission control says maintain one
thousand meters.
Original Jack touches a control. The Shuttle pushes
forward, a little.
ORIGINAL VICTORIA (CONT'D)
What are you doing?
ORIGINAL JACK
This is a once in a lifetime
opportunity.
ORIGINAL VICTORIA
We have our orders, Jack. We're
to let it proceed without --
ORIGINAL JACK
We are. We're going to let it
proceed whereever it's going...
He lifts out of his seat, floats back towards the mid-
section of the Shuttle.
ORIGINAL VICTORIA
Jack...
(CONTINUED)
103.
CONTINUED:
He's already pulling on a spacesuit. Near him is the row
of Delta Sleep Pods. In the nearest one, he can see
Julia, asleep. He puts his hand on the glass...
ORIGINAL JACK
I'll be right back...
ORIGINAL, VICTORIA
Are we really going to do this?
He looks over. original Victoria is already pulling on
her spacesuit...
A last glance back at Julia, then he turns away. He
smiles at Victoria, drifts next to her, pulling out a
small camera and pointing it back at the two of them...
JACK
Let's make history.
FLASH. The birth of the picture of the two of them, eyes
filled with anticipation. The photo in Jack's locker.
EXT. THE ODYSSEY IN SPACE - NO TIME
The shuttle airlock cracks. Two figures in Space Suits
emerge. Small puffs of gas, they head towards...
REVERSE ANGLE. The Tet MASSIVE in front of them. Their
small forms shrinking at they approach it.
CLOSE ON JACK. His face seen through his visor as they
approach. Filled with wonder. The dark shadow of the
Tet crossing over him, blacking out everything.
INT. BUBBLE SHIP 2 --- CONTINUOUS PRESENT
Our Jack sits at the controls, the Tet now similarly
massive in front of him, blotting out all other sight.
He glances at the Bobblehead, which trembles from the
ship's engines.
JACK
It's okay Bob, I'm scared too.
In front of him, a SLOT opens in the Tet wall.
THE TET
Enter at headway speed only.
(CONTINUED)
104.
CONTINUED:
JACK
Entering at headway speed.
He flies into the Tet, carrying the POD.
INT. THE TET, OUTTER CHAMBERS - CONTINUOUS
The TET is obviously of alien manufacture. In this huge
bay, other BUBBLESHIPS are being constructed, welded
together, by Drones. JACK drifts above all of this.
THE TET
Leave the survivor and return to
your duties. Breathable
atmosphere has been provided.
A PAD is illuminated for Jack to land.
JACK
(SMALL SMILE)
Understood.
Jack continues on, towards a huge DOOR.
THE TET
Leave the survivor and return to
your duties.
JACK
(touching a control)
You know, you made a mistake, Tet.
You left me curious.
THE TET
Reverse course. Leave the --
JACK
And right now, I want to see what
you're made of...
Jack GUNS his ship at the large doors, OPENING UP with
canons as he does.
In front of him, the door IMPLODES just as Jack's ship
reaches it, passing into...
INT. THE TET, INTERNAL CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
A VAST space, miles in every direction. Jack's ships
STREAKS along walls that pulse with energy...
(CONTINUED)
105.
CONTINUED:
JACK
Do you like books, Tet!? I like
books. Can I tell you something
that I read?
BEHIND THE BUBBLESHIP. DRONES detach from the walls of
the Tet, beginning pursuit.
JACK (CONT'D)
It's a story from Rome, a very
great city, that you destroyed.
The Bubbleship hauls over, headed deeper into the Tet.
EXT. RADIATION ZONE - CONTINUOUS
Drone 166 sits inert in the sand where we last saw it.
Now it RISES UP with a familiar and evil sound. It moves
off, searching...
INT. THE TET, INTERNAL CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
JACK's flies as never before. Drone fire reaching him!
Blasts IMPACT the Bubbleship.
JACK
There was a guy named Horatius...
and he held a bridge, alone. And
when they told him to run, to give
up, he said --
BOOM! A drone blast EXPLODES A whole engine of the ship.
The Bubbleship goes into an uncontrollable SPIN, headed
straight at a WALL...
JACK (CONT'D)
He said everybody dies. The thing
is, to die well...
SMASH! Jack's ship IMPACTS the wall, goes halfway
through. The Canopy SHATTERS. Glass and debris tear at
him.
INT. THE TET, INCUBATION CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
Jack STUMBLES OUT, badly wounded. He drags the pod off
the carrier. He looks around himself, sees:
(CONTINUED)
106.
CONTINUED:
ROW UPON ROW of EMPTY GLASS PODS. He tracks the walls,
until near him... there are a dozen with Jack and
Victoria clones still inside.
BEHIND HIM Drones BLAST away from behind the Bubbleship.
Jack stares at the clones, LAUGHS morbidly.
JACK
.What Horatius said, what his
argument was, was this...
He opens the pod, revealing...
-- BEECH'S BODY, and on his chest the raw BOMB. The
nuclear warhead from the odyssey surrounded by ten
Deuterium fuel cells.
THE TET
That is not the Survivor.
JACK
No.
BEHIND HIM. The Drones blast away the last bit of the
Bubbleship, push through...
EXT. CRATER LAKE - DAY
A Delta Sleep Pod rests in front of Jack's ruined Grotto,
near the lake's edge. A TIMER now reaches ZERO.
The Delta Pod unseals with a HISSS, its door opening.
Soft daylight falls on Julia's face. Her eyes move under
their lids, then flicker open..
INT. THE TET, INCUBATION CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
Jack sees the DRONES swarming towards him. He starts to
recite, but falters. He's really scared.
JACK
How can a man die...
TNT. CRATER LAKE - CONTINUOUS
Julia emerges from the Pod, confused, looking around.
JULIA
Jack?
(CONTINUED)
107.
CONTINUED:
She sees the metal cylinder, releases it and it tumbles
to the ground.
She crouches by it, opens it. Whatever she sees moves
her to tears as IN FRONT OF HER, the form of Drone 166
rises into view. Its weapons trained on her.
She looks up, right at it, resigned...
INT. THE TET, INCUBATION CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
As the Drones swarm down, Jack closes his eyes, recites
without embellishment. The way these words were meant to
BE SPOKEN:
JACK
How can man die better
Than facing fearful odds,
For the ashes of his fathers,
And the temples of his gods...
The DRONES are on him, weapons lining!
JACK (CONT'D)
(YELLING)
Do you hear me!!!
Jack pounds the trigger with his fist. As ALL THE CLONES
open their eyes.
.and everything is bathed in WHITE LIGHT.
EXT. THE TET - CONTINUOUS
The Tet explodes in a MASSIVE DEUTERIUM FISSION
EXPLOSION, the entire artificial moon killed from within.
EXT. CRATER LAKE - CONTINUOUS
DRONE 166
falls inert in front of Julia as the Tet
Explodes in the sky above her. She stares up, tears
already running down her face.
EXT. VARIOUS LANDSCAPES - CONTINUOUS
DRONES fall from the sky, powerless...
A RESOURCE GATHERER YAWS, losing power, and falls
ponderously into what remains of the sea...
108
EXT. CRATER LAKE. CONTINUOUS
The explosion is like St Elmo's fire, refracted across
the sky, all over the face of the earth.
Julia looks down at her hands which hold: A rolled
canvas, the only object inside the metal cylinder. She
unrolls it now. We glimpse a girl lying in golden
fields, a farmhouse in the distance. The painting from
Ravens Rock that reminded her of home.
ON JULIA, weeping, staring at the fire ball in the sky.
BLACK
FADE UP ON:
EXT. A GARDEN - DAY
Well-tended. Thick ripe fruit hang on vines.
JULIA (V.0.)
The Tet arrived almost half a
century ago. And it changed our
world forever...
We're at CRATER LAKE, three years in the future.
The Grotto has been turned into a house, the ground has
been cultivated. Roses and yellow flowers grow near the
house. A SOLAR ARRAY powers the spot. All Jack's
scavenging has gone to very good use. There's a small
make-shift boat moored at the Lake's edge.
JULIA (V.0.)
It was probably surprised, what we
were willing to do, to survive.
Jack's basketball sits alone near the hoop.
JULIA (V.0.)
We had to unlearn what it meant,
to call something our home.
There's a familiar painting, hanging on the wall. The
girl in the field of wheat, yearning towards home.
JULIA (V.0.)
But we did. We started over. And
so here we are now, everyone
that's left...
(CONTINUED)
109.
CONTINUED:
JULIA is turning over a patch of ground for next year.
Next to her, A CHILD is digging her fingers through loam.
The CHILD looks up, stares across the water.
JULIA
Well, almost everyone.
A MAN stands at the edge of the water, on the opposite
side. He wears the wrecked remains of a worksuit, and
carries a pack. It is Jack 2. He's aged three years,
his hair has grown, his boots are scavenged. He has
travelled a long way, and we know that as he stares
across the water, he knows exactly what he is looking at.
CHILD
Who is that?
ON JULIA. It's been a long journey to this moment for
her as well. She smiles.
JULIA
It's your father. Come on, let's
go pick him up.
END.
