COMMAND POST - DAY (MAGIC HOUR) 2-A *
Where a MAN wearing a military UNIFORM watches through
the large open windows the helicopter as it continues
to approach. Before the skids have even touched down he
SEES the first of the MEN, dressed in CIVILIAN CLOTHES
but carrying full COMBAT GEAR, alight gracefully from
the chopper, double-timing in close order to one side,
the orders SHOUTED by one man lo
COMMAND POST - DAY (MAGIC HOUR) 2-A *
Where a MAN wearing a military UNIFORM watches through
the large open windows the helicopter as it continues
to approach. Before the skids have even touched down he
SEES the first of the MEN, dressed in CIVILIAN CLOTHES
but carrying full COMBAT GEAR, alight gracefully from
the chopper, double-timing in close order to one side,
the orders SHOUTED by one man lo
Command has just struck
a blow against British colonialism.
Be warned that I have a long arm...
...and Im prepared to fight
my enemies wherever they may be.
Dont forget...
...theres no security.
Police!
- Put your hands up! Against the wall!
- Move! Move!
What the fuck is this shit?
How much shit you want, man?
How much for this motherfuckin shit?
- Who you talkin to?
- You, pig!
- Who the fuck y
antennae pylons
already disintegrating.
INT. PASSAGE TO FLIGHT DECK
Heart battering her ribs, Fry runs forward, using hand-holds to
steady herself. Over a headset:
OWENS (V.O.)
They trained you for this, right? Fry?
FRY?
She doesnt answer.
INT. FLIGHT DECK - DAY
Fry harnesses in, starts running switches -- but fumbles a few
times, making mental errors. Finally she gets crash-shutters
open to reve
antenna flicking.
Above it, the chairs runner reaches its highest point - descends --- and just misses it.
WOMANS VOICE (OC)
(a southern accent. cool)
Do you see the lillies, Deedee...? Big as soup ladles.
TILT UP to a pale hand on the chair-arm. inside a faded pink sleeve - and UP to
ECU - A FACE, SKOCKING IN ITS MELANCHOLY VISAGE
A WOMAN - 50, a gaunt, shattered beauty. Not a flicker in her gre
commander salutes Commodus and leads him to the edge
of a gully. Tribuus is an old-timer for whom Commodus is
just another royal pain-in-the-ass.
THE GULLY IS BLACK WITH CROWS -- with their endless "CAW-
CAW-CAW" they feast on corpses and in the shadows below
ROMAN SOLDIERS bury dead comrades. Compared with the
burnished perfection of the Praetorian Guards these
typical infantry grunts are grizzl
Commander in Chief U.S. Space Command. Understandably
nervous, the COMMANDING OFFICER escorts him down the hall.
GENERAL GREY
Who else knows about this?
COMMANDING OFFICER
S.E.T.I. in New Mexico identified a
signal but theyre even more
confused than we are.
The General shoots him a disapproving glance.
COMMANDING OFFICER
Excuse me, Sir.
He slides his security card through the lock and the doors f
loud
doesnt make-- Jim, settle it.
- No, dont--
- Settle it.
- Dont look at me.
- It was a go situation.
-This is exactly what Im talking about.
-Its hard to admit, I know that.
Three commanders, one ship.
I dont think thats gonna work.
Theres not enough rocket fuel
in the world to get those egos
off the ground. Come on.
Ah, we wouldve made
a great crew.
Maybe. If this man
was left seat.
- Yeah.
Rolls into FRAME. A bauble of green and blue and white swirls of cloud cover. The eerie clip and whistle of cosmic rays is drowned out by static and someone singing 몵MY WAY몶 - in Russian.
2 MOVING INTO FRAME - A SOVIET CAPSULE
Gleaming white. Black letters on its side, CCCP. A Russian COSMONAUGHT in his space suit is outside, repairing radio antenna. He몶s the one singing.
3 INSIDE THE CAPSU
antenna.
CUT TO:
EXT. ARECIBO TELESCOPE - DAY
FISHER
What do you think Doctor Arroway? Ain she a beauty?
ELLIE
Itl do.
FISHER
The village is five miles away. There a general store in the
cantina. They can pretty much order anything you need from San
Wan.
ELLIE
When can I get some dish time?
FISHER
(laughs) Dr. Clark said you wouldn be able to wait. Youe
first shift is up tonight.
ELLIE
Alright!
I