V: Rebirth -- The Script!
David Strauss
Straczynski's permission to repost this here. It is the first
three acts of the Miniseries he wrote to revive V. Warner
Brothers passed on the series due to anticipated costs being
too high, and now it will never be made. Eventually, JMS says,
it will probably be novelized, but he doesn't know when.
For those who care, here's JMS' permission:
From: strac...@genie.geis.com
Message-Id: <199405242245...@relay2.geis.com>
Date: Tue, 24 May 94 22:27:00 UTC
Subject: Question / Request
X-Genie-Id: 0236346
X-Genie-From: STRACZYNSKI
Status: RO
Sure, by all means, repost the segment. And thanks.
jms
And now, the first three acts of "Rebirth." (That's all Joe
has released.)
*******************************************************
V: THE NEXT CHAPTER
"Rebirth"
A Four-Hour Miniseries
Written by
J. Michael Straczynski
FADE IN:
BLACK SCREEN
On which we HOLD for a moment, just black, and SUPER the word:
Prologue
and gradually a VOICE FADES IN:
ANNOUNCER (VO)
(hushed)
-- continuing our coverage live from
the United Nations as the papers are
signed at last, signaling an end to
the Visitor occupation of Earth.
CUT TO:
FLASHBACK SCENE (FROM FOOTAGE)
In which the head Visitor is signing a peace treaty at the United
Nations. (NOTE: treat the video/footage so that it looks grainy,
washed out, which increases as we ZOOM IN on the action.)
ANNOUNCER (cont'd)
Present: representatives from every
nation, as the world breathes a sigh
of relief. The war is over....
And on that FREEZE THE IMAGE. Then PUSH IN at high speed, the
image BREAKING UP as we
CUT TO:
SCENES OF CARNAGE (STOCK/NEWS)
Which FILL THE SCREEN with horrific images: cities in ruins,
communities devastated, cannon-fire from side-streets (taken from
news footage of actual war-zones -- Beirut, Ireland, elsewhere --
and cities ravaged by natural disaster), INTERCUT with scenes of
Visitor ships looming overhead or FIRING down at those below.
(Stock.)
It should give the sense of a flurry of news reports, each
overlapping the next, from a variety of reporters and nations,
the words pouring out in a flurry of voices and accents.
This footage should also be grainy, rough, as though from an
archive.
NEWS VOICES (vo)
(overlapping)
...sudden, unprovoked attacks,
reports of heavy casualties in Los
Angeles, Chicago, London...
(another)
...statement from the White House
confirming the arrival of fifteen
Visitor motherships now circling the
Earth. News of the reinforcements...
(another, in French)
...every step being taken by the
military to deal with the Visitor
attack...
(another, English)
...Prime Minister denounced the
surrender as a hoax designed to buy
time for a major Visitor offensive...
(another)
...word of heavy fighting throughout
the United States; all communication
with the West Coast totally cut off..
(another)
...we've lost San Diego. Once again,
San Diego has been destroyed. The
entire city is reported vaporized.
Civilians are urged to stay away...
(another, in Russian)
...heavy casualties in Minsk, one
Visitor ship destroyed...
(another)
...please stand by.
And on that, ABRUPTLY END MONTAGE and go to
BLACK SCREEN:
HOLDING a BEAT, then, in somber, stunned tones:
NEWS VOICES (vo)
(in German)
...Earth has surrendered...
(in French)
...Earth has surrendered...
(in Japanese)
...Earth has surrendered...
(American)
...Earth has surrendered. We repeat:
Earth has surrendered.
THEME MUSIC UP as against the blackness, we SEE something silver,
metallic. A pillar, it seems. Then it turns, and we realize
that we're looking at a single letter...
V
It's cast of hard steel, and as the light falls fully on it,
fire-red letters appear beneath the V. Smoke and light pours
through them, forming the words:
The Next Chapter
MAIN TITLES CONTINUE (TO BECOME STANDARD EPISODE OPENING)
As we SEE each of our main characters in photographs of
themselves in happier times, which BURN AWAY, revealing footage
of those characters now in the present, fighting, running, always
in motion. The final photograph to burn away is DAMON MALLORY'S,
frozen in time in an alley, glancing back over his shoulder as we
MATCH CUT TO:
INT. ALLEY - NIGHT
where Damon cuts down an alley, moving fast, eyes searching the
shadows. He carries a duffel bag, his face covered by a few days
growth of beard. He's been on the road a long time. He ducks
into a doorway as suddenly LIGHT spears the night from somewhere
overhead. He hugs the doorway as the light passes over the
alley. We can't see what it is that's hovering overhead, but
from the sound it's massive. Another moment, and then it's gone.
Damon moves on. Not running from pursuit, but wanting not to be
noticed. He cuts into
A BREEZEWAY
between two buildings. He's about to step into the breezeway
when a SECURITY 'BOT cruises past the opposite entrance to the
breezeway. Damon hugs the corner, not wanting to be spotted.
SECURITY 'BOT
(prerecorded voice)
Curfew is midnight. To ensure public
safety, anyone found outside after
midnight is subject to arrest.
Repeat: curfew is midnight....
Then it goes on its way. Damon lets out a slow breath, then
crosses toward a doorway on the other side of the breezeway. He
STOPS abruptly as he sees another MAN heading for the same door.
He hugs the wall, waits. The man knocks, twice, then four times,
quickly. The door opens and the MAN steps inside.
Damon approaches the door and does the same. Knocks. The door
opens again, just a crack. Enough for a GUARD inside, someone we
can't see, to peer out. The Guard looks around, checking the
street, then nods, admitting the man. Damon then approaches the
door and repeat the process, entering
INT. BAR
Few are drinking at the moment. Damon barely gets a step inside
when the door slams shut behind him, and a SECOND MAN appears at
his elbow.
2ND MAN
Let's see it.
Damon holds out a hand. The 2nd Man takes his hand, and pricks
his finger. A thin stream of blood emerges. It drips into a
small vial filled with chemicals. The man shakes it, and the
vial's contents foam up. He nods.
2ND MAN
Good, old fashioned human blood.
(nodding to inside)
Broadcast starts in a few minutes.
Damon nods, and heads further inside. He goes to the bar, sits
on one of the stools. Looks around. The place is darkened, the
people paired off in groups of two or three, talking in hushed
tones. The BARTENDER approaches Damon.
DAMON
Beer.
BARTENDER
Fresh out. Should be getting a
shipment Tuesday. I got a brother
works out in a Free Zone, sending it
in.
DAMON
Whiskey?
BARTENDER
That I got.
The Bartender reaches to the racks of bottles behind him, pours
out a drink. Puts it in front of Damon.
BARTENDER
Four.
Damon hands over a five-dollar bill. The Bartender picks it up,
looks at it and smiles, almost wistfully.
BARTENDER
Haven't seen one of these in a while.
Y'know, if you trade these in, you
can get nearly double --
DAMON
I know. Call me sentimental.
The Bartender shrugs, rings up the transaction as an OLD MAN
approaches the bar, and sits beside Damon. The Bartender brings
back the change, puts a few coins down on the bar. Damon picks
them up.
THE COINS
And in the light of the bar, we can SEE that these aren't any
coins we've seen before. One square, one triangular, one oblong,
each covered with alien script.
DAMON
turns them in his hand, then shakes his head. Puts them back on
the bar.
DAMON
Keep the change.
And begins to sip at his drink. The Old Man beside him signals
to the bartender.
OLD MAN
The usual.
As the drink comes, the old man glances at Damon.
OLD MAN
First time here?
DAMON
Just hit town.
OLD MAN
Thought so. Got a good memory for
faces. Good to have you with us.
At that moment someone steps up to the bar carrying a cloth-
covered parcel. He unwraps it, revealing a short-wave radio. He
plugs it in and futzes around, trying to find the correct
frequency.
During this, Damon glances back at the rear door, where one more
LATECOMER is being checked. The pinprick test is administered,
and the man enters. He makes straight for the bar, sitting down
on the other side of Damon. He looks to no one, just goes and
sits. The bartender approaches.
LATECOMER
Whiskey.
The Bartender slaps a glass on the bar, and leaves. The
Latecomer takes a sip, then puts the glass down, though still
holding onto it. At that moment, the broadcast begins:
VOICE OF RESISTANCE
(on radio)
-- the Voice of the Resistance
returning to the air with word of new
attacks against Visitor strongholds
in Australia and West Germany. Our
thoughts go out to our brothers and
sisters in Europe in their battle
against the invaders.
There's cheering at the good news, though the latecomer seems a
little less enthusiastic. Damon glances at the latecomer's hand,
clasping the glass.
INSERT: NEWCOMER'S HAND
A thin trail of blood from the pricked finger slides freely down
the side of the glass. It flows far more freely than it should
from a small pinprick.
BACK TO SCENE
As the BROADCAST CONTINUES (text to come), Damon finishes his
drink, leans toward the old man, gesturing to the newcomer.
DAMON
That man -- you ever see him here
before?
OLD MAN
No.
DAMON
You ever know a hemophiliac who'd
agree to let his finger get stuck,
then forget all about it?
OLD MAN
No.
DAMON
Me either.
Damon puts down his glass, walks casually over to the latecomer.
DAMON
Excuse me --
Then as the latecomer turns, Damon slugs him. The latecomer
tumbles backward, and a rush of others come in to separate the
two, holding back Damon, not understanding what's going on.
OTHERS
What the hell -- lay off -- what're
you trying to pull? --
DAMON
Let me go! I know what I'm doing!
OLD MAN
You heard him! Let him go!
The others hesitate, then agree. Apparently, the old man carries
some weight with them. Damn shrugs free of their hands, goes to
the latecomer, who is still being held. Damon grabs his hand and
lifts it up for all to see. The trail of red still leaks from
his pricked finger.
DAMON
It's red, all right. Maybe even
looks a little like human blood. But
you forgot something. Human blood
clots. So what is it? Some kind of
glove? Fill it up, put it on?
Abruptly, Damon grabs hold of the latecomer's neck, toward the
back, coming up with a fold of skin. He YANKS forward, and the
layer of synthetic flesh comes off with a a tearing sound,
REVEALING the scaled, green skin of a Visitor. The others REACT
with varying degrees of shock and alarm. Surprisingly, and
disturbingly, the Visitor smiles.
VISITOR
Did you think I was foolish enough to
come alone?
With that, he gives out an ALIEN CRY that nearly pierces the
ears, and then everything's SLOW, SLOW, SLOW AS:
FOUR MEN IN THE CORNER
rise from the table, draw Visitor weapons from beneath their
jackets, and begin FIRING into the crowd. One of them has a com-
link in his hand, and is YELLING into it in ALIEN language, as
THE BAR WINDOWS
explode inward with attacking Visitors and laser fire. Search
lights glare in from outside, turning the bar a bone-bright
white. The attack is on. INTERCUTTING WITH:
THE UNMASKED VISITOR
throwing off those holding him, diving for Damon. They struggle.
Damon lays him out, though with difficulty.
ANGLE ON THE DOOR
as the place empties, people rushing out into the alleys, some
being cut down by incoming FIRE. Others amid the crowd are able
to fire back, buying precious seconds for some to get out.
DAMON
gets to his feet, panic all around him, grabs his duffel bag,
pulls out the weapon inside, and makes a break for it.
INT. ALLEY
Panic: people and Visitors firing in all directions. Damon cuts
through it, FIRING as he goes. He gets clear, heads down an
alley, to a fence. Grabs the top, and is partly over when:
OLD MAN
Help!
Damon turns. The old man who assisted him in the bar runs from
two Visitors. He's too slow and too old to climb the fence,
they're going to capture him. Damon swings back over and drops
down between them, FIRING as he goes. The Visitors RETURN FIRE,
but there's little cover in the alley, and Damon takes them out
quickly. Turns back to the Old Man.
DAMON
C'mon!
He helps the Old Man over the fence, then follows suit himself.
INT. ANOTHER ALLEY
where Damon and the Old Man get clear, breathing hard. Damon
looks down one intersecting alley, then the other.
DAMON
Split up, try and throw 'em off.
OLD MAN
Will do. And thanks.
The Old Man flashes Damon a quick "V" for Victory before trotting
off into the darkness. Damon watches him go, a smile on his
face, then goes back to alert as LIGHTS flicker over the alley.
The search is widening. He gets moving.
QUICK CUTS
as Damon runs through alleys, jumps over fences, fast and agile,
until coming out into
EXT. REAR OF APARTMENT BUILDING
Damon comes up the fire escape, going in a second story window.
INT. APARTMENT/FLOPHOUSE
Not much to look at, even in the dark. Breathing hard, exhausted
but exhilarated, he slumps onto the sofa. Give it a BEAT, then
A MATCH
flares in the darkness across from Damon. Someone is sitting in
the chair on the other side of the room. Has been ever since
Damon arrived. The voice has a distinctly Australian accent.
BURKE
That was right stupid, Major. You
could've been killed or captured.
Either way it's a bloody waste of
materiel.
Startled, Damon flicks on a light, revealing BURKE, late
thirties/early forties, his features gaunt, severe, his eyes hard
and small behind wire-frame glasses. He's lighting a cigarette.
DAMON
I don't know what you're talking
about, you've got the wrong guy.
Burke shakes his head, stands. Walks slowly toward him.
BURKE
Major Damon Mallory. Served during
the Earth/Visitor War. Dishonorably
discharged under the Lazarus program.
Your mother's maiden name is Taylor,
you've a mole on your left shoulder.
DAMON
Look, I don't know what this is
about, but either you get out of here
right now, or --
BURKE
(over him)
-- and the password is: Millennium.
Which stops Damon dead in his tracks. He looks at Burke with new
interest -- and growing anger.
DAMON
Five years. Five years I've been
undercover. What the hell took you
so long?
BURKE
Got caught in traffic. What do you
want, an apology? You were told
you'd be reactivated when the
Visitors forgot about you. It took a
while, okay? So you wanna take a
swing at me, or do you wanna go make
bang-bang with the green scaly guys?
Damon hesitates, then grabs his coat and and heads for the door.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
Burke leads Damon to a semi-trailer. Opens the rear doors.
BURKE
After you.
Damon steps into
INT. TRUCK
Dark. And suddenly a hell of a lot darker as the doors SLAM shut
behind him. An instant later, the truck begins MOVING, driving
through the darkened streets.
DAMON
Hey!
He goes to pound on the door when suddenly a LIGHT flares at the
other end of the trailer. He squints against the light. All he
can see is a silhouette of someone seated behind a desk.
BOARD MEMBER
Good evening, Major. We hope we
haven't inconvenienced you.
DAMON
I was starting to think you guys had
lost my file or something.
BOARD MEMBER
Just waiting for a task suited to
your abilities.
DAMON
Yeah, well, next time don't be so
fussy. It was getting pretty damn
cold out there.
(beat)
So what've you got?
A manila folder slides the length of the table, ending just short
of the end. Damon approaches it.
BOARD MEMBER
You've been designated Sector Chief
for the local resistance group.
DAMON
What happened to the old chief?
BOARD MEMBER
You don't need to know that.
DAMON
Translation: he got himself killed.
BOARD MEMBER
The folder contains a list of agents
we haven't called in from the cold
yet. Pick whichever ones you want.
Damon picks up the folder, leafs through it.
DAMON
Then what? Do I coordinate with the
rest of the first group --?
BOARD MEMBER
I'm afraid that won't be possible.
Damon closes the folder, peers out at the silhouetted figure.
DAMON
(beat - it sinks in)
Are you trying to tell me they're all
dead?
(no reply)
I get it. I don't need to know that,
either. You guys are too much.
(beat, pacing)
So what's the mission? Or is that
classified too?
BOARD MEMBER
You are to rendezvous with one of our
people, who will give you your
instructions. But you're not to take
any further action without clearing
it with us first.
DAMON
Why do I get the sense you don't know
what the job is, either?
(no answer)
OKay, so who's my contact?
(no response)
Look, how do you expect me to find
him if you won't tell me who it is?
BOARD MEMBER
He'll find you. When he does, you
will notify us through Burke, the man
who brought you here. We'll advise
you from there.
DAMON
Great. And just for the record --
who are you, anyway?
And gradually, the light begins to dim behind the figure.
BOARD MEMBER
A Member of the Board, Major. That's
all you need to know. Good luck.
The light goes out, then a rustle of movement. Damon's alone.
DAMON
Hey! Hey, I'm not finished yet. I
got some things I want to ask --
The truck shudders to a stop. An instant later, the doors open
behind him. Burke stands in the opening.
BURKE
Last stop. Everybody out.
With a final glance around the trailer, Damon steps out onto
EXT. STREET
the same spot where they'd picked him up. Damon jumps down from
the trailer beside Burke.
BURKE
Welcome back to active duty, Major.
We'll be in touch.
With that, Burke goes to the front of the semi, climbs in, and
the trailer rumbles off into the darkness. Damon watches it go,
then glances at the folder in his hand. Shakes his head, and
starts back toward his apartment. What he doesn't notice is:
ANGLE - DOORWAY
Where someone is watching Damon leave. At first, we SEE only his
back. Then, as Damon heads away, the figure turns more fully
into the light, and we see HAM TYLER. Only he looks different
now: harder, his face scarred and haunted. He's been through
hell. He shakes his head, then walks off into the darkness, as
we
FADE TO BLACK
AND
FADE OUT:
End Act One
Act Two
FADE IN:
EXT. ELECTRONICS SHOP - ESTABLISHING - DAY
PANNING the neighborhood as a young black woman -- LYNN CAYCE --
steps into a shop marked CAYCE ELECTRONICS REPAIR.
INT. ELECTRONICS SHOP - CONTINUOUS
Where we FIND her husband JORDAN CAYCE working behind a
television set that has seen better days. Black, middle-
thirties, he's independent, tough-minded and he's been around.
It's a small shop, a one-man operation: a clutter of tools and
wires and spare parts for as far as the eye can see. He rewires
a circuit, crosses them -- and there's a SPARK from the wiring
that zaps him.
JORDAN
Damn....
A thin line of smoke comes up from the back of the set. Jordan's
pissed. Hits the counter. He's going to have to start over. As
he starts to tear out the wiring, the
FRONT DOOR
closes, and Lynn crosses to him. She carries a paper sack, and
brings it to the counter.
LYNN
Is that a circuit burning, or are you
just glad to see me?
JORDAN
Damn it, Lynn, I --
(pulling back)
Wiring's brittle, keeps coming apart.
Can't get decent parts anymore,
manufacturer only handles Visitor
business, whole world's going to
hell...
LYNN
Well, as long as you're enjoying
yourself.
(puts down sack)
You forgot your lunch. Again.
BEHIND THEM
the door opens again, and Damon enters. He lingers in the
background, looking at the used sets and other equipment for
sale, waiting until she leaves. They notice him, but don't think
much of it. She lowers her voice a little, continues.
LYNN
I was talking to Ruth this morning.
She says a shop just came up vacant
in the Neutral Zone. You could make
some contacts there, get better
supplies, maybe even get you back
into computers where you belong --
JORDAN
No.
LYNN
Would you just think about it?
JORDAN
Lynn, if you work in the Neutral
Zone, you work for the Visitors.
You're a collaborator. I can't do
that.
LYNN
But you --
He sets down the tools, straightens. He's not angry, but he's
losing his patience.
JORDAN
Lynn -- no. Please. We've had this
discussion before. It was no then,
and it's no now. All right?
She looks like she'd prefer to pursue it, but she stops. Drops
it. For now, anyway. Nods, then gathers up her stuff.
LYNN
All right.
She starts toward the door. He glances up again.
JORDAN
Lynn?
(off her glance)
About the shop -- I know you mean
well. I just can't, that's all.
She nods, not truly agreeing or accepting, but willing, for now,
to let it go. And heads out the door. A moment later, Damon
makes his way to the counter.
JORDAN
What can I do for you, buddy?
DAMON
Are you Jordan Cayce?
JORDAN
Suppose I am. Who wants to know?
DAMON
The password -- is phoenix.
Jordan starts, as though slapped. He hadn't expected this.
JORDAN
Yeah? Well, the answer -- is no.
With that, he disappears into the back of the shop. From his
expression, Damon clearly hadn't expected this reaction.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARK - DAY
Near some STORES in which we see a merging of human fashions with
Visitor fashions, for those trying to keep a foot in both worlds.
It's not much of a park, little more than a spare plot of grass,
but it's green, and that's a start. A few people are camped out
in sleeping bags and tents, castoffs. Jordan sits on a park
bench, eating from a sack lunch, looking not terribly happy with
the world at the moment. A BEAT, and then Damon comes up
alongside the bench. Sits. Looks around.
DAMON
You want to talk about it?
JORDAN
No.
He takes another bite or two from the sandwich, finally puts it
down. He doesn't want this, but sees no way out.
JORDAN
That woman in the store? That's my
wife. We had it pretty good, before
the war. I worked in computers. I
was one of the best.
DAMON
I know, that's why I need you.
JORDAN
Look, I did my part, I fought in the
damn war, and we got our butts kicked
clear across the planet. We lost.
And now look at me. Fixing TVs and
toasters, Lynn working double shifts;
it's not fair. I'm tired of getting
shot at.
He goes back to his lunch. Damon lingers.
DAMON
Then why won't you work in the
Neutral Zone?
(off Jordan's glance)
I couldn't help overhearing. She's
right, you know. You could do real
well for yourself --
JORDAN
I won't work for them. But I'm won't
fight 'em anymore, either. You end
up dead fast that way. Now if you
don't mind, I'd like to get back to
my life.
Jordan heads away, trashing the remains of lunch. Damon shakes
his head, disappointed. A BEAT, and then he glances up. Frowns.
UPSHOT - PAST DAMON
And there we see the source of his discontent, looming high above
the city: one of the Visitor motherships, hanging suspended in
the afternoon sky, casting its mammoth shadow across the city.
CUT TO:
INT. NEUTRAL ZONE - ESTABLISHING
Just outside the perimeter. We SEE a number of uniformed
Visitors and humans moving through the Zone, engaged in
conversation. We LINGER for a moment on a sign nailed to the
wall of a building, right at the corner of the intersection.
Below the Visitors symbol we can read the warning:
NOW ENTERING
NEUTRAL ZONE
All Terran Vehicles
Subject to Search
EXT. AN ADJACENT STREET
Off the beaten track. A few storefronts, objects for sale in
windows and doorways. Damon ENTERS the alley just as a Visitor
is leaving. Damon waits until he's gone, then moves toward a
VENDER in one of the doorways. He's Korean.
VENDER
Yes, sir, what can I do for you?
DAMON
I'm looking for Digger.
VENDER
(small laugh)
You and everybody else. Here, take a
look at this --
DAMON
I was told I could contact Digger
through you.
VENDER
Were you?
(holding up product)
How about this? Imported from China,
or what's left of her --
Damon, running out of patience, grabs him by the shoulder.
DAMON
Look, damn it, this is important.
The Vender looks him over, sizing him up.
VENDER
Digger only works where there's a
profit. No profit, no Digger.
Damon shakes his head in dismay, and finally releases the Vender.
DAMON
Just put the word out, all right?
Tell Digger I want a meeting. The
name's Damon. I'll be around.
Damon heads away. As he does, the vendor nods to a street kid
lurking in an alley -- JACKO -- who watches Damon intently. He
emerges from the shadows, following Damon for a pace or two.
Then, abruptly, he stops as though listening to something. Then:
JACKO
Hey!
(as Damon turns)
Digger says: what do you want?
DAMON
What...?
Damon kneels down, turns Jacko's head just slightly. We SEE that
the kid's wearing a transceiver earplug.
DAMON
Transceiver?
(off Jacko's blank look)
Transmitter/receiver. Radio?
(kid nods)
We have to talk.
Jacko listens to something we can't hear, then glances up again.
JACKO
Digger says: business or pleasure?
DAMON
Not over an open channel. This has
to be in person. It's important.
JACKO
(listening again)
Digger says: follow me.
The kid heads off. Damon follows him into
ADJACENT ALLEY
where Jacko picks up a manhole cover and steps back.
JACKO
You ever been DownUnder before?
DAMON
Not in these parts, no.
JACKO
Digger says: hold onto your socks.
Damon proceeds down the steps. Jacko waits above until he's
down, then follows, replacing the manhole as he goes.
INT. TUNNELS
And where you'd expect to see no one else around, instead there
are people passing through the underground maintenance tunnels in
both directions. The walls are spray-painted with graffiti, much
of it dedicated to anti-Visitor slogans. Jacko leads him past
vendors working out of boxes and suitcases, exchanging Visitor
money for Terran hard cash, selling radios and watches and travel
passes. (Background dialogue to come.)
The folks in the DownUnder are a combination of rough-and-tumble
types, punkers, and straights: we see a pair of nuns negotiating
with a vendor for a shortwave radio.
DAMON
Business is good.
JACKO
Visitors don't come down here. They
try, sometimes, but without air
support, they have to come down one
at a time. They come down, they
don't go back up again.
DAMON
So in the meantime, you're more
trouble than you're worth.
JACKO
For now. They'll figure out how to
pull it off someday.
DAMON
And then?
Jacko makes a slicing gesture across his throat, his meaning
clear. He continues into
ADJACENT TUNNEL
Different from all the rest. This one is markedly empty. Jacko
stops, turns, points down the tunnel.
JACKO
That way.
Damon hesitates only a moment before continuing into the
otherwise deserted tunnel. He's barely inside when two large MEN
come out of the shadows, one in front of him, one behind.
FIRST MAN
(re: the duffel)
Hand it over. Weapons search.
DAMON
Sorry. Private property.
FIRST MAN
In two seconds it'll be my property
if you don't let me see it.
DAMON
And when I get it back it'll be light
just a few of my valuables. Right?
FIRST MAN
(smiling)
Strictly business. You pay me a
little now, or you pay me a lot
later. Your choice.
Damon shrugs as though giving in. Removes his duffel, and SLAMS
the first man across the face with it. The second man comes at
him, and Damon takes him out with a savate kick. Damon presses
the advantage, dragging the first man back unsteadily on his
feet. He cocks his fist back to deliver a haymaker when:
DIGGER
Cut it.
PULL BACK TO REVEAL Digger holding a Visitor laser. Her
expression is strictly no-nonsense, her voice cool, but there's
no doubt that she'd pull the trigger if given a moment's
provocation. Damon looks like he's considering it for a moment,
then finally releases the man. Digger lowers the weapon and
nods toward the far end of the tunnel.
DIGGER
Go on.
With a final glance to his opponents, Damon heads away. Jacko
follows. Digger lingers as the two men pick themselves up off
the ground, then approaches the first man. We don't SEE it, the
action taking place BELOW FRAME, but she grabs him in a very
delicate part of his anatomy. His face shows the pain.
DIGGER
I track you going into business for
yourself again, I'll cut 'em off and
mail them to you in a box. Fourth
class. You copy?
He nods. Quickly, and emphatically. Digger lets go and retraces
her steps back to the room she emerged from.
INT. DIGGER'S QUARTERS
A clutter of boxes, merchandise, steam-pipes, old TVs, you name
it, a black-marketeer's dream. There are also a number of kids
from every ethnic group in the place, from 12 on up until the
late teens. She holsters the weapon, looks to the kids.
DIGGER
Cypher mode, troops. Eyes and ears
out, make sure no one bothers us.
The kids head out, disappearing down the access tunnels and air
ducts. Jacko is one of the last to go, pausing just long enough
to give Digger the transceiver in his ear. She smiles and hands
him a chocolate bar. He's clearly her favorite.
DIGGER
Nice going.
He smiles, takes the chocolate, and heads out. She looks at the
transceiver in her hand, holds it up for Damon to see.
DIGGER
Beautiful, isn't it? One of the last
things to come out of Japan before
the Hammer fell.
DAMON
The password is --
DIGGER
Phoenix. Yes, I know. I've been
expecting you ever since they picked
you up.
DAMON
How --
DIGGER
Nothing happens up top, or DownUnder,
that I don't hear about.
DAMON
That's why I'm here. With your
network of contacts in the black
market, you'd be a big help to the
Resistance. You interested?
She smiles grimly, walks away, then raises her right wrist so he
can see the silver band that encircles it, much too tightly.
DIGGER
A gift from the Visitors. When they
took over, they grabbed kids for
slave labor to help clear rubble off
the streets. I was sixteen when I
got this.
DAMON
Paingivers. I've seen them before.
Used at Visitor prison camps. You
try to escape, they broadcast a
signal --
DIGGER
-- and it fries you. Major flatline.
Took me a year, but I figured out how
to disable it. Stuck my hand in a
high-voltage fence. Figured I'd
either short circuit it or die,
either way was okay by me. It
worked. Brains, not brawn.
She turns away from him. Rubbing the bracelet.
DIGGER
But I still can't get it off. Alien
metal. Lasers, diamond drills,
nothing works. It was made for a
skinny 12 year old girl. Soon it'll
be so tight it'll cut off the blood.
Then they'll have to -- to amputate.
She lets this sink in. Then turns toward a locked cabinet.
DIGGER
You want to know if I'm up to it?
She opens the cabinet, revealing a stunning assortment of
weapons, Terran and Alien. Enough to outfit a small army.
DIGGER
Where and when?
Damon smiles. He's found the right person.
DAMON
Soon. Got one more to go. I'll be
in touch.
With a casual salute, he exits. Digger watches him go, her hand
unconsciously straying to the paingiver on her wrist.
CUT TO:
EXT. VISITOR MOTHERSHIP - DAY
Just enough to ESTABLISH UNDER:
FIRST VISITOR (vo)
The Counselor will leave within the
hour.
CUT TO:
INT. MOTHERSHIP - CONTINUOUS
One of the control centers. Several uniformed VISITORS move
through the scene in BG UNDER:
FIRST VISITOR
He requests an audience.
SECOND VISITOR
I'll inform his Excellency.
With a bow, the Second Visitor heads out of the room and into
INT. CORRIDORS
passing other Visitors at work. He heads down the corridor, past
an intersection, and pauses in front of a reinforced door that
reads ATMOSPHERE BATHS - NEGATIVE PRESSURE. He touches a hand to
a handplate, and the door SIGHS open. He steps into
INT. AIRLOCK
And we HEAR the sound of air being pumped, exchanged. He waits.
Finally, a red light above the door on the other side of the room
goes from RED to GREEN, and he goes through into
INT. ATMOSPHERE BATHS
of which we can see precious little. Lots of steam, and smoke,
and what might be pits of molten rock glowing through the mist.
We can dimly SEE a number of robed shapes moving through the
room, while others sit, almost as though in meditation. The
First Visitor looks around, then finally finds the one he's
looking for. He stoops beside the figure. Whispers. After a
moment, the figure opens one yellow, slitted eye. A BEAT, then
it nods, and the First Visitor exits.
STAY WITH the figure as it rises, and moves out of the room into
an ante-chamber, where a Visitor TECHNICIAN mans a control
console. It steps up onto a raised platform, and a translucent
glass tube descends over it. Once covered, it shucks the robe.
The tube makes viewing difficult, but we can SEE that this is a
Visitor, and for the first time we can see, albeit only partly,
the full reptilian form. It nods to the technician, who starts
up the equipment. There's a POWER WHINE, and the tube GLOWS.
Then, layer by layer, we SEE the reptilian form covered by what
might pass for human flesh. First just pinkness, then
musculature, then more flesh, then a simple face, which grows in
detail by the moment. Finally, the process finished, the tube
retracts, and out steps the figure we saw earlier on the poster:
the Leader. He is nude, though we only SEE his head and
shoulders. As someone puts a ROBE around him, we
CUT TO:
INT. VISITOR CHAPEL - MOTHERSHIP
The Leader sits, waiting. Others also sit quietly in BG. The
Visitor symbol is here, but different. Silver, the points on the
end of each arm seen now as stars, and the whole design is
integrated into a much larger canvas of Visitor symbols. There
are various frescoes, detailing various stages in Visitor
evolution, from crawling lizards to lizards standing upright, to
starships and lightning bolts. In the center of it all is a
symbol that looks like a sword against a starburst.
Into this, the Counselor comes. Bows, as the Leader stands.
COUNSELOR
Excellency.
They sit in one of the alcoves.
COUNSELOR
My ship departs for Homeworld within
the hour. Counselor Henrod, my
replacement, should arrive shortly.
I've received some -- troubling
reports about him. His loyalty --
LEADER
-- is a topic of some discussion,
yes, I know.
COUNSELOR
And you agreed to his transfer here?
LEADER
You determine if a stone holds iron
or gold by putting it in a crucible,
and heating it until it melts and
shows its secrets. The Emperor feels
this would make a fine crucible.
(beat)
Leave him to us, Counselor.
EXT. BAR - NIGHT
Just enough to ESTABLISH as we cut inside to
INT. BAR
Where we FIND Jordan at the bar, nursing a beer and looking not
at all happy with life. There are a fair number of other people
in the place, at tables and behind the bar. A jukebox plays an
old blues song from the thirties, soft, and soulful. Jordan
looks up at the Bartender.
JORDAN
Man's got a right to make a living,
right? Puts in his time, fights for
everybody else, he's got a right to
say no, make a little time for
himself, doesn't he?
(bartender nods)
Damn right. Once in a while, you got
to do for yourself.
Give it a BEAT. Then suddenly the door OPENS, and in walk three
Visitors, in full uniform. Instantly, the place falls dead. The
only SOUND is the song, which continues unabated. The Visitors
walk through the bar, checking out the clientele with suspicious
glances. They stop at a table, look at the couple seated there.
VISITOR
Identity papers.
They begin digging out the papers. The Visitor waits
impatiently, looks around, notes the jukebox.
VISITOR
What is that racket?
The other customers look around, but no one answers. The Visitor
glacnes to one of his companions.
VISITOR
Turn it off.
The second Visitor goes to the jukebox and unplugs it. The soft,
gentle voice and music falls silent. The room suddenly seems
dead and depressed and empty. The Visitors finish checking the
couple's ID, and then move on to the next table.
Just as they get there, however...the music starts again. They
whirl around to see Jordan leaning up against the jukebox. He's
just plugged it in again, and once more the sweet sounds of the
song fill the bar.
JORDAN
You want to know what that is? That
is Helen Morgan. Recorded October
16th, 1929 with the Leonard Joy
Orchestra. "Why Was I Born?" from
"Sweet Adeline."
The main Visitor nods to his companion, who starts back toward
the jukebox, clearly expecting Jordan to step aside. Jordan
doesn't, standing between the Visitor and the jukebox, which
continues behind him.
JORDAN
I was sixteen when I played this song
for the first time. It was the
sweetest sound I'd ever heard. Made
me think that maybe the human race
isn't so bad after all, if we can
produce something as pure, as --
VISITOR
Step aside.
JORDAN
When it's finished.
The Visitor draws his weapon. Jordan doesn't move. But then,
one by one, every person in the bar stands, slowly, and starts to
surround the three Visitors. Yeah, the Visitors have guns, but
it's three of them against fifty others, some of whom have large,
blunt instruments in hand.
The Visitors consider the odds...and with a look that says "We'll
be back," they stalk out of the bar as, behind them, the song
continues to its conclusion.
CUT TO:
EXT. BAR - ALLEY - NIGHT
Jordan steps out of the bar, still humming the tune to himself.
Just then, he notices he's not alone. One of the Visitors we saw
earlier steps into view at the other end of the alley. Waits.
Then starts slowly toward Jordan. Jordan slows, looks around,
starts to head back the way he came. But now a Visitor appears
there as well.
VISITOR
That was a mistake.
With that, he SLUGS Jordan. Jordan hits the wall, rubs his
mouth. It's bleeding. He shrugs.
JORDAN
Hey, it was my quarter.
With that, Jordan rushes one of them, but the Visitor is too
strong, and too fast. The others start in on him when:
DAMON
Hey, you got him! Great. that's the
guy, all right. Stole my wallet.
VISITOR
We --
DAMON
No, that's okay. I'll take it from
here. Let me get a human cop, and --
Damon approaches, surreptitiously getting something out of his
back pocket. Just as they shove him away:
DAMON
MOVE!
He IGNITES what he's holding, a magnesium FLARE. The Visitors
are blinded. Jordan breaks loose, and it's a free-for-all. The
fight rages back and forth inside the alley, until one of the
Visitors decides that this has gone far enough. He pulls out a
Visitor weapon from his belt, FIRES. Jordan dives at Damon,
saving him. They tuck and roll, and Damon comes up with a
similar weapon, FIRING back. He takes out the first Visitor,
then the second as he tries to escape.
That done, Jordan and Damon sit, exhausted, on the alley floor.
JORDAN
Thanks.
DAMON
Anytime.
JORDAN
(re: the weapon)
So where'd you get that thing?
DAMON
Old war souvenir. Surprised it still
works.
JORDAN
Imports. Last forever.
(beat)
Stupid question. How long've you
been following me?
DAMON
On and off, since we met. I thought
maybe you might change your mind.
Wanted to be there when it happened.
JORDAN
Who says I changed my mind?
DAMON
They weren't delivering a singing
telegram. You must've done something
to make 'em mad.
JORDAN
Yeah, I did. And tell you the truth,
I'm glad. I've been mad at these
creeps for a long time. And maybe
now it's time I did something about
it.
(beat)
I'm in.
He extends a hand. Damon takes it, shakes.
DAMON
Welcome to the front lines.
FADE TO BLACK
AND
FADE OUT:
End Act Two
Act Three
FADE IN:
EXT. DAMON'S APARTMENT BUILDING - DAY
Just enough to ESTABLISH as Damon walks into
INT. CORRIDOR FRONTING APARTMENT
He stops in front of the door. Something's wrong. His door is
slightly open. He looks around. Doesn't see anyone, but that
doesn't prove anything. He reaches into his bag, comes up with a
weapon. Has it at his side as he nudges open the door and enters
INT. DAMON'S APARTMENT
Nothing looks disturbed. Holding the weapon up and ready, Damon
moves slowly and cautiously through the living room, eyes
searching the shadows. He STARTS at a small noise from the
kitchen. He approaches. Takes a breath. Steps into
INT. KITCHEN
ready to fire if need be -- and there is HAM TYLER, his face in
the refrigerator, a half-eaten sandwich in his hand. He barely
seems to notice the gun, or Damon.
HAM
You got any decent coffee around this
joint?
Damon lowers the gun a little.
DAMON
Ham? Ham Tyler? Is that you?
HAM
No, I'm the Easter Bunny, what do you
think of my disguise?
(sniffs milk carton)
Whoof!
(pours it into sink)
I let myself in, hope you don't mind.
Damon relaxes slightly, puts the weapon away.
DAMON
Who, me? This place is getting like
Grand Central Station.
HAM
I've seen Grand Central. It's
cleaner.
Ham sits at the table, continues eating, seemingly very casual.
DAMON
I didn't know you were still alive.
HAM
Good.
DAMON
Last time I saw you was during the
war. I still owe you for pulling my
fat out of the fire in Mexico.
HAM
Glad you see it that way, Damon,
because I'm about to collect.
(beat)
So, what'd they tell you about the
mission?
DAMON
Just that you needed support for a
mission.
HAM
But they didn't say what, right?
(off Damon's nod)
Which means they still don't know
what the mission is. Good. And they
want you to tell them what it's
about. Right?
(no answer)
That's what I thought. Which is why
we're playing this my way. I'll tell
you what you need to know, when you
need to know it. You got any ketchup
around here?
Ham gets up, looks for it. Damon points to a cabinet.
DAMON
Third shelf. Why won't you tell me?
HAM
I can't tell you that.
DAMON
You can't tell me why you can't tell
me?
HAM
That's right.
DAMON
You're asking a lot, Ham.
HAM
Hey, you were the one said you owed
me big-time. Look, either you trust
me, or you don't. What's it gonna
be?
Damon thinks about it for a long moment. Finally nods.
DAMON
All right. I'll play along, but just
for now. Anything else?
HAM
Two things: One: There's an old
warehouse over on Lake, meet me there
with your team tomorrow night at
eight. I'll fill you in then. Two:
go back and tell the Board I haven't
shown up yet. We've had no contact.
DAMON
That's it?
HAM
For now.
With that, Ham heads back into
INT. LIVING ROOM
and makes for the door, Damon behind him.
DAMON
What next? Raise the dead?
HAM
That'll teach you to let somebody
save your life. Next time let 'em
kill you, it's less painful in the
long run.
And just as Ham steps out through the door:
DAMON
By the way...you remember a spring
day, about six years ago, you were
pinned down by a Visitor convoy and
an F-1 fighter plane blew them away?
Saved your butt?
HAM
Yeah. Was that you?
(off Damon's nod)
Damn.
Looking vaguely annoyed, Ham exits.
CUT TO:
EXT. MOTHERSHIP - DAY
Just enough to ESTABLISH UNDER:
KYRAN (vo)
Welcome aboard, Counselor Henrod.
INT. MOTHERSHIP - CORRIDOR FRONTING DOCKING BAY
An airlock door dilates open, and COUNSELOR HENROD enters. He
carries a heavy case, and is met by KYRAN. She bows, just
slightly, at the meeting.
KYRAN
Security Chief Kyran, at your
disposal. Your quarters are this
way.
They start walking down the corridor. After a BEAT:
KYRAN
So how are things on Homeworld?
HENROD
The same. But that's to be expected.
KYRAN
The New Order requires discipline and
consistency.
HENROD
So I'm told.
KYRAN
You don't agree?
HENROD
I didn't say that. I only meant that
that's a very simple answer designed
to eliminate an entire class of
complex questions.
KYRAN
Great truths are always simple.
HENROD
Yes.
(beat)
So I'm told.
They stop in front of a recessed door. Kyran bows slightly.
KYRAN
Your quarters. When you're settled,
perhaps we can continue our
discussion. I'm sure I'd find it
quite -- fascinating.
HENROD
I look forward to it. Now, when can
I see his Excellency? I was told --
KYRAN
He is indisposed for the moment. The
pressures of running an occupation
force of this size.
HENROD
But policies require --
KYRAN
You will be notified when he wishes
to see you. Good eating, Counselor.
On that, Kyran heads off. Henrod doesn't look happy. He's just
had his loyalty quizzed, and been put off, within minutes of
arriving. Not pleased, he opens the door to his quarters and
steps inside, closing the door loudly behind him.
CUT TO:
EXT. PARK - AFTERNOON
Damon walks casually across the park. He heads toward a park
bench, where someone is seated, reading a newspaper. After Damon
sits, give it a BEAT as the paper lowers to reveal Burke.
BURKE
You're late.
DAMON
I got tied up.
BURKE
What's your report?
DAMON
I've selected my team. They're good.
But I'll need hardware, a lot of it.
If we're going to fight these things
we'll need more than rough language.
BURKE
Done. What about your contact?
Damon looks around, hesitates just the barest second, then:
DAMON
Hasn't shown up yet.
BURKE
Why not?
DAMON
How should I know? I'm not his
mother.
(beat, moving past it)
Look, what's the deal on this guy?
If the Board doesn't know what he's
up to, why'd they bring me in out of
the cold to help him?
BURKE
It wasn't unanimous. But he's big
with some of the top guys on the
Board. They think he's some kind of
hero. I say he's a loose cannon.
Everything he touches blows up. So
if you do hear from him, chirp in.
For your own sake.
With that, Burke walks away, not looking back.
CUT TO:
INT. UNDERGROUND TUNNELS - NIGHT
Digger moves through the underground tunnels, thick with people
sitting hunkered against the walls, sleeping on floors. As she
moves forward, she's approached by the same MAN we saw earlier,
guarding her quarters. Behind him, we SEE several others
standing with a confused-looking WOMAN.
DIGGER
What's the problem?
MAN
(re: the woman)
She came in through B tunnel a few
hours ago. Security found her
wandering around after lights out.
No name, no contacts, no ID.
DownUnder Council just voted on
whether or not she gets sanctuary.
DIGGER
And?
MAN
Negative. We're taking her topside
now.
Digger moves forward, looking more closely at the woman, who
doesn't meet her gaze. She's been through some rough times, to
be sure. Her clothes are torn, she's dirty, her hair is ragged.
She focuses at a nowhere point somewhere past Digger.
DIGGER
(to the woman)
What happened? Do you need help?
MAN
Won't do you any good. She's not
talking. Hell, I don't know if she
can talk.
DIGGER
She's in shock. We can't send her
out like this. Why'd the Council
vote to send her out?
MAN
Officially? No sponsor. We're short
on everything. Food, supplies --
without a sponsor --
DIGGER
What's the unofficial reason?
MAN
Five Visitors tried to follow her
down the tunnel. None of them got
very far, but they must've wanted her
real bad.
(beat)
She's got their mark.
He pulls up her sleeve, revealing a holographic tattoo...a
translucent projection of the Visitor symbol that rotates slowly
above her skin, where a slender device has clearly been implanted
in her arm. Digger examines the spot and the hologram with
growing curiosity.
DIGGER
This is new. Never seen a tag like
this before.
(to the woman)
What did they want with you, I
wonder?
(to the man)
Tell the council she stays.
MAN
We can't. If the visitors come again
--
DIGGER
Let 'em. We don't throw our own kind
out like garbage.
MAN
She doesn't have a sponsor.
DIGGER
She does now.
With that, Digger takes the woman's arm and slowly begins leading
her down the hall. She pauses only long enough to call back:
DIGGER
By the way -- any of you boy scouts
seen Jacko? I've been looking all
over the place for him.
MAN
Said he was going out, had something
to do. That's it.
Digger nods, and continues on her way.
CUT TO:
INT. LEADER'S QUARTERS - NIGHT
The Leader carefully assembles bits of enamel on a mural he's
making. It's a rendering of another world, with symbols covering
parts of the world. There's the sound of a CHIME behind him.
LEADER
Come.
The door opens, and Kyran enters. Without turning from his work:
LEADER
Yes?
KYRAN
Ship is secure. Transports locked
down for the night. Ground base
confirms all quiet.
LEADER
Very good, Kyran.
(as she starts away)
Nothing else to report?
KYRAN
What else would there be?
LEADER
I understand you've had an escape
from Biolab 7.
(off her glance)
I do hear things on my own.
KYRAN
A matter of no importance, Leader.
We're in the process of finding a
replacement subject even now.
LEADER
And the woman?
KYRAN
Knows nothing that can harm us. And
in her condition, without assistance,
I doubt she'll survive the night.
LEADER
Good. And our guest? Is he settled
in?
KYRAN
Yes.
(noting the mural)
Homeworld.
LEADER
It relaxes me, reminds me why we're
here. And what's at stake.
(beat)
Your appraisal of the Counselor?
KYRAN
Young, idealistic, keeps his own
counsel...he could prove to be
troublesome.
LEADER
You worry too much, Kyran. He's far
from the Council, on a world filled
with unknown dangers. If he should
difficult, there's always the chance
that his shuttle might accidentally
put down in an area outside our
control. He could be stranded for
hours.
KYRAN
And would, of course, be killed
almost immediately.
LEADER
A tragedy, to be sure. But then,
I've always told the Homeworld
council that we need more ships.
(beat)
Good night, Kyran.
KYRAN
Good night, Leader.
She backs out of the room, and he returns to his mural, smiling.
CUT TO:
EXT. STREET - NIGHT
A young PREGNANT WOMAN steps out of her small apartment, locks
the door, looks around nervously and then starts off across the
street. There's no one else about. She pulls her coat closer
about her as she turns a corner. Just then
A BLACK VAN
edges out of a side alley and begins pacing her.
INT. ALLEY
Jacko is going through a dumpster when he HEARS the sound of
footsteps. He dives quick into the dumpster, hiding from sight.
ANOTHER ANGLE
The woman enters the alley, cutting across to save a few steps.
She passes the dumpster and is halfway down the alley when
THE BLACK VAN appears at the end of the alley, blocking the exit.
THE WOMAN slows, stops. Waits. The van just sits there. She
looks back the way she came. And another black van blocks the
only other way out of the alley. She's startled by the SOUND of
the first van's door sliding open and she CRIES OUT.
INT. DUMPSTER
Where Jacko huddles, listening to the SOUND of a struggle out in
the alley, the woman CRYING for help. Her cries are suddenly
muted, though. There's the sound of footsteps, and the BANG of
the van door slamming shut.
INT. ALLEY
As the two vans drive off into the night, we go back to
THE DUMPSTER
Where Jacko trembles, frightened, very much alone in the dark.
FADE TO BLACK
AND
FADE OUT:
End Act Three
--
David Strauss / ds...@virginia.edu (PsiCop P12+ & B5 Waiter, Fresh Air)
Administrator, New York Islanders Mailing List
"Mr. Potato Head! Mr. Potato Head! Back doors are NOT secrets!"