SPHERE
by Stephen Hauser
based on the novel, SPHERE, by Michael Crichton
March 5, 1996
EXT. STREET IN GEORGETOWN -- MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT
Fog hangs above the street, amongst the streetlamps. Apartment
buildings line the curb, it is very quiet. In one building, six floors
up, a bedroom light is on. WE SEE the silhouette of Norman's WIFE
looking out the window.
WIFE (O.S.)
What kind of a crash was it?
NORMAN (O.S.)
You seen my suitcase?
WIFE (O.S.)
There's nothing on the news about a
crash. Did he say what airline?
NORMAN (O.S.)
He didn't say much at all. Honey --
WIFE (O.S.)
In the closet. I don't understand,
Norman -- why would they call you?
NORMAN (O.S.)
Don't be so supportive, honey.
WIFE (O.S.)
Well, I can't imagine five years of
unemployment --
NORMAN (O.S.)
Four. Four years --
WIFE (O.S.)
Four years of unemployment would
look too good on a resume.
NORMAN (O.S.)
Keep watching the news. Are you
watching the news?
WIFE (O.S.)
How are you getting to the airport?
You need money for the bus?
A tinted-window black SEDAN travels down the street, pulls up in front
of the apartment building. A U.S. NAVY decal is on the door.
WIFE (O.S.)
There's a U.S. Navy car outside,
Norman.
NORMAN (O.S.)
What?
WIFE (O.S.)
Was it a military crash?
NORMAN (O.S.)
I don't know.
WIFE (O.S.)
They never used to send a Navy car.
CUT TO:
THE LOUD, HARD CHOPPING OF A HELICOPTER PROPELLER
EXT. PACIFIC OCEAN -- DAY
Blinding sunlight, as the helicopter WHIPS by, speeding above the
Pacific Ocean.
INT. HELICOPTER -- DAY
Norman, 53, disheveled, unshaven, sits in the back. He studies a
pamphlet in his hand: "AIRCRASH SURVIVAL: HOW TO COPE". The PILOT, in
the cockpit, turns to him.
PILOT
What kinda work you in, Dr. Johnson?
Norman quickly stuffs the pamphlet into his dufflebag.
NORMAN
I'm in psychology. Was. Still am
really, just been a while.
(beat)
I treat aircrash survivors.
PILOT
Oh, so you're that Dr. Johnson.
NORMAN
You've heard of me?
PILOT
Well, everybody's been talking about
that report you wrote.
NORMAN
What report?
PILOT
Huh?
NORMAN
What report?
PILOT
You mean you don't know?
NORMAN
Know what?
The pilot glances back at him again.
PILOT
Must be another Johnson then. Been
flying so many scientists out here
-- can't keep everyone straight.
NORMAN
Who's everyone?
PILOT
Physicists, mathematicians,
geologists, you name it.
NORMAN
Geologists? At a plane crash?
PILOT
Strange, isn't it? In the middle of
the ocean no less.
NORMAN
What the hell would a geologist be
doing at a plane crash?
Norman looks out the window and sees a group of ships circling in the
water.
EXT. SHIP DECK -- DAY
The helicopter descends down onto the helipad, wind gusting about. A
young, female OFFICER -- holding her hat to her head -- rushes to
greet Norman, as he climbs out of the helicopter.
She looks down crudely at his shotty, nylon dufflebag.
OFFICER
Any other bags, Dr. Johnson?
NORMAN
Just that. Careful, it's heavy.
She lugs it over her shoulder, no problem.
OFFICER
No other equipment? Scientific
instruments?
NORMAN
No, they didn't say --
OFFICER
This way, sir.
Norman follows the officer away from the helipad.
INT. SHIP
She leads Norman down a flight of stairs.
OFFICER
Captain Barnes wants to see you
right away, sir.
NORMAN
Captain who?
OFFICER
Barnes. He's very eager to meet you.
Been calling us every half hour to
see if you're arrived.
NORMAN
Really?
As they march down a hallway, Norman looks down at his wrinkled suit,
tries to smooth it out.
OFFICER
By the way sir, I've read your
report. I think it's brilliant.
NORMAN
What report?
OFFICER
You mean they haven't told you yet?
NORMAN
Told me what?
She staightens up, like she might have said too much.
OFFICER
This way, sir.
INT. BARNES' OFFICE
CAPTAIN HAROLD BARNES, 60s, immaculate, proud of who he is, talks on
the phone.
BARNES
How's he look?... Well, we can't all
be officers, can we?
(laughs)
They tell me he's brilliant.
EXT. BARNES' OFFICE
Norman stands in front of the door. The doorplate reads: PROJECT
COMMANDER -- CAPTAIN HAROLD BARNES. Norman straightens his big-knotted
tie. Deep breath.
INT. BARNES' OFFICE
As the door opens, Barnes is putting down the phone, rises from his
desk, as Norman steps inside.
BARNES
Dr. Norman Johnson. Welcome aboard.
They shake hands.
NORMAN
Thank you, Colonel.
BARNES
Captain.
NORMAN
Captain. Right, forgive me.
Barnes looks at Norman, sizing him up. An akward silence.
NORMAN
Well, thanks for the opportuninty
here -- my wife appreciates it.
BARNES
Don't thank me, Dr. Johnson. You
weren't my choice. The Pentagon made
me take you.
NORMAN
(smiling)
The Pentagon? I didn't know I had
friends in Washington.
Norman tries to laugh as Barnes ushers him to the door...
BARNES
Come with me. The team's already
waiting.
NORMAN
What team?
INT. HALLWAY
Barnes leads Norman down the corridor, lined with OFFICERS and GUARDS.
BARNES
What have you been told so far?
NORMAN
The usual. Plane crash. Survivers
unknown. Routine stuff really.
BARNES
Anything else?
NORMAN
Nothing else.
A GUARD unlocks a large, steel door.
GUARD
Captain Barnes. Dr. Johnson.
NORMAN
Hello.
Norman looks at the guard as they proceed through the doorway,
wondering how the guard knows his name.
BARNES
You talk to any reporters? Any
press?
NORMAN
Press? No, I haven't.
The steel door shuts loudly behind them.
BARNES
Good. Security's been our biggest
worry. Now that you're here we can
shut this thing down tight.
NORMAN
From what? What's with all the
security?
BARNES
Well, we don't have all the facts
yet.
Another GUARD opens up another large steel door...
INT. TECH ROOM
Barnes leads Norman through the room, crammed with video monitors,
screens, and grids. Officers talk into radios. Technicians work on
computers.
BARNES
We're moving fast considering the
storm.
NORMAN
Storm? What storm?
BARNES
A cyclone's on it's way in. I
thought they would have told you on
the phone.
NORMAN
They didn't tell me anything.
Norman tries to keep pace...
BARNES
We've had divers working around the
clock. Take a look at this...
ANGLE ON a large VIDEO SCREEN -- shows a diver walking on the ocean
floor, holding a bright artificial flashlight.
NORMAN
How deep is he?
BARNES
A thousand feet.
NORMAN
A thousand? An airplane crashes into
a thousand feet of water -- I don't
want to sound pessimistic here, but
I assume there are no survivors.
BARNES
Survivors? No, I wouldn't think so.
NORMAN
Then why am I here?
BARNES
What?
NORMAN
What do you need me for?
ON THE VIDEO SCREEN -- the diver shines his light on a large, metallic
OBJECT.
BARNES
What crashed wasn't an airplane, Dr.
Johnson. It's a bit larger than
that.
Barnes walks toward a TECHNICIAN, sitting at a keyboard.
BARNES
(to technician)
Bring up the grid, would you?
ANGLE ON THE MONITOR as an IMAGE OF THE CRAFT begins to form.
NORMAN
What is it? A military spacecraft?
Like a shuttle or satellite?
BARNES
Something like that.
(beat)
That doesn't surprise you?
NORMAN
Not really, no. Something of the
military crashes in the ocean -- it
explains why there was nothing on
the news, why you've kept everything
a secret... When did it crash?
BARNES
As best we can estimate, it crashed
four hundred years ago.
A beat.
NORMAN
Four hundred? You're kidding, right?
ANGLE ON THE MONITOR -- showing a grid depicting an image of the craft
and a small layer of ROCK above it.
BARNES
See this? Coral. Geologists measured
the coral growth on top of the craft
to be over five meters thick.
NORMAN
Geologists?
BARNES
Coral grows at a rate of two and a
half centimeters a year --
NORMAN
-- Wait a second --
BARNES
-- dating the crash at least that
old.
NORMAN
Hold on --
BARNES
Maybe older --
NORMAN
-- there's got to be some mistake
here -- a four hundred year old
military spacecraft? There's no such
thing... our space program isn't even
forty years old.
BARNES
Extraordinary, isn't it?
NORMAN
It's impossible.
BARNES
I'm afraid it is Dr. Johnson...
because it's sitting on the bottom
of our ocean floor.
INT. STAIRWELL
Barnes and Norman shuffle down the stairs.
BARNES
Off the record, I don't mind telling
you, this thing scares the shit out
of me.
NORMAN
It doesn't make any sense.
BARNES
We think it might. That's why we
brought you here. We've assembled
your team -- they're waiting for us
now.
NORMAN
What team?
BARNES
The one you recommended. In the ULF
report you wrote for the Bush
administration.
NORMAN
ULF report? Nobody's mentioned that
in years. You mean someone actually
read it?
As they head down a hallway, Barnes pulls the ULF REPORT out from
under his arm, hands it to Norman.
Norman looks at it, almost embarrassed to be holding it.
BARNES
Your report's become our bible down
here, Dr. Johnson. We've been
carrying out each of your
recommendations -- one by one -- to
the smallest detail.
NORMAN
But sir, I don't understand. This
report -- these recommendations...
they're for an encounter with extra-
terrestrial life.
INT. BRIEFING ROOM
ON A VIDEO SCREEN -- sonar video of the spacecraft.
BETH (O.S.)
How big is this spacecraft?
BARNES (O.S.)
Of what we're able to measure,
roughly twenty-six hundred feet.
TED (O.S.)
A half a mile long?
BARNES
The wing dimension alone is larger
that any aircraft we've seen.
The team members sit around the conference table:
TED FIELDING, 41, geologist, boyish and happy to be here. BETH
HALPERIN, 36, biochemist, mother of three who's never worn an apron.
ARTHUR LEVINE, 54, marine biologist, pudgy and quiet. HARRY ADAMS, 32,
mathamatician, African-American, wire-glasses, no bullshit.
HARRY
How much damage?
BARNES
To the craft? None. Not a scratch.
HARRY
Right. So you're saying it survived
a high speed impact with water
without a scratch?
BARNES
I'm not saying anything, Harry, I'm
just stating the facts.
(continuing)
The outer metal is made of a
titanium alloy, built into an epoxy-
resin honeycomb. The necessary
technology to bond this type of
metal has never been invented.
TED
Never invented?
ON NORMAN, watching the team...
BETH
In basic English, what does all this
mean?
BARNES
Basic English? There's no way this
spacecraft was constructed on our
planet.
A LOUD MECHANICAL WHIRR
INT. TESTING ROOM -- LATER
A large, X-Ray APPARATUS moves to the side, revealing Norman's FACE.
ON BETH -- standing next to him.
BETH
Five years. No phone calls. What am
I -- a leper?
Norman sits up...
NORMAN
Beth, look, can I trust you with a
little secret?
BETH
I love secrets.
NORMAN
That ULF report everybody's patting
me on the back about?
BETH
I've read it twice, Norman. It's
brilliant.
NORMAN
It's bullshit. The report's a joke.
BETH
(beat)
That's quite a secret.
NORMAN
I spent a week reading Sagan and
watching re-runs of the Twilight
Zone. Seriously. I was just trying
to pay the mortgage on my house -- I
had no idea --
ANGLE ON TWO NAVY CORPSMEN, standing behind glass in the next room,
monitoring Beth and Norman.
BETH
Do yourself a favor, Norman. Are you
listening? Don't tell anyone what
you just told me.
NORMAN
C'mon, Beth -- that report's like
the blind leading the blind.
BETH
Because when we get down there --
NORMAN
Wait -- down where?
BETH
To the spacecraft. To investigate.
NORMAN
Underwater?
BETH
What do you expect? For them to
bring it up here?
NORMAN
We can't go down there. We're not
prepared. That deep? That takes
years of training, Beth. We're just
scientists. Lab scietists. We wear
ties and lab coats to work -- not
oxygen tanks.
BETH
Well, you must have realized the
chances an encounter like this would
happen here. In the ocean.
(off his look)
70 percent of the earth's surface is
water, Norman. That's first grade
geography.
NORMAN
It never occurred to me.
BETH
Well, let's pray that's the only
mistake you made. Have you said
anything to Barnes about this?
NORMAN
The timing has never seemed quite
right.
BETH
Just keep your mouth shut, alright?
This could mean everything to our
careers, you know that? Don't
jeopardize this.
NORMAN
(nervous laughter)
What -- are you threatening me?
EXT. SHIP -- LATE AT NIGHT
THE SKY -- clouds looming on the horizon.
ANGLE ON ARTHUR LEVINE, leaning against the railing, looking out at
the water.
ON NORMAN, approaching him. Arthur never looks at Norman, he just
stares out at the water.
ARTHUR
I don't know you, but I'll be honest
with you. I don't like this. I don't
like any of this. Especially, the
water.
NORMAN
Seasick? A marine biologist?
ARTHUR
I don't belong here. None of us
belong here. Look at that.
ANGLE ON THE WATER, an ocean of seemingly endless, choppy waves.
NORMAN
Makes you feel pretty small, doesn't
it?
ARTHUR
It scares the shit out of me.
CUT TO:
CLOSE ON NORMAN, lying on a cot. It is dark. His eyes are open. He
stares at the ceiling.
CUT TO:
INT. DESCENT PLATFORM
A porthole hatch to the DESCENT SUB unlatches loudly. A SUB-OFFICER
help Norman lower himself through the hatch.
INT. DESCENT SUB
Norman steps down the ladder into the sub compartment. Seated in a
circle area: Ted, Beth, Harry, and Arthur. Ahead of them, Captain
Barnes sits with the pilot in the sub's cockpit, separated by a wall
of plexiglass.
Norman takes a seat between Beth and Ted.
BARNES (O.S.)
(through the intercom)
Our descent will take 13 minutes.
Descending at a speed of 80 feet per
minute.
Across from Norman, Harry is WHISPERING something quietly into
Arthur's ear.
BARNES (O.S.)
Pressure adjustments will cause the
sub to lurch at times, but don't be
alarmed. It's perfectly normal...
Arthur's face drips with sweat, as Harry continues to whisper into his
ear.
BARNES (O.S.)
The sub's interior atmosphere will
experience moisture as we descend,
and the temperature will drop
rapidly. Just relax and remain
seated during the descent.
Norman watches Arthur, dripping with sweat.
BARNES (O.S.)
We have clearing from the base.
Red interior lights flicker on in the compartment, and WE HEAR the sub
make a HISSING sound. The sub lurches, and begins to lower in the
water.
NORMAN
Arthur?
Harry has gotten to Arthur. Arthur is on the verge of panic.
NORMAN
Arthur? You alright?
ARTHUR
Open the hatch door, please.
Harry continues to whisper in his ear.
ARTHUR
Captain, open the hatch door, please
... the hatch door, Captain. Open it,
please.
BARNES (O.S.)
Calm down, Dr. Levine.
ARTHUR
Let me out, Captain. Open the door!
BARNES (O.S.)
Please, Dr. Levine.
Arthur leaps violently out of his seat, scrambles to the plexiglass
wall.
BARNES
(through the plexiglass)
Sit down, Dr. Levine! You're in a
military operation now --
Arthur bangs on the plexiglass wall with his fists.
BARNES
... Your civil rights have been
overridden!
ARTHUR
Open it, Captain!
BARNES
Dr. Levine, please! Return to your
seat!
Arthur VOMITS, violently, heaving, splattering the plexiglass wall.
ARTHUR
Open the fucking door!
The sub LURCHES again, coming to a stop. The compartment is totally
silent, as they begin ascending to the surface.
ON HARRY smiling a sly, evil grin directed right at Norman.
The sub lurches again, and WE HEAR clanking metal. The hatch door
opens.
And Arthur, wiping the vomit from his mouth, climbs up the ladder and
out the hatch door.
BARNES (O.S.)
Anybody else?
Silence.
The hatch door LOCKS, loudly. The sub lurches, and begins descending.
TED
Pussy.
BETH
What's that -- mistake number two,
Norman?
NORMAN
He wasn't feeling well.
TED
He's a pussy.
Harry is still staring at Norman...
HARRY
How are you feeling, Norman?
NORMAN
What?
HARRY
You holding up alright?
NORMAN
Fine. I'm fine.
HARRY
Don't be defensive.
NORMAN
I'm not being defensive.
HARRY
You sound defensive.
NORMAN
I'm fine.
TED
(to Harry)
What'd you say to him?
HARRY
To who? Arthur? Nothing. Nothing
that Norman doesn't already know.
TED
What does Norman already know?
HARRY
Norman thinks we shouldn't be going
down. Thinks it's a mistake.
Norman looks over at Beth.
HARRY
She told me what you said, Norman.
TED
What is it, Harry?
HARRY
Just one of Norman's many secrets.
ON NORMAN, saying nothing.
EXT. OCEAN
WE SEE the sub descending into darker waters.
EXT. DH-8 HABITAT -- ARRIVING DOCK
The SUB descends into the AIRLOCK, metal clanks against metal. Around
it, the DH-8: interwoven cylinders lit up with lights.
INT. AIRLOCK -- PRESSURIZING ROOM
CLOSE ON THE HATCH DOOR closing tightly, locking.
OFFICER (O.S.)
One moment for pressurizing.
A SOFT WHIRR.
ANGLE ON -- Barnes and the four remaining team members standing in the
small, claustrophobic pressurizing room. Like sardines. Nobody says
anything. A long beat.
THE DOOR
in front of them, opens. TEENY FLETCHER, 30s, a big-boned female
officer, stands before them. She wears a black plastic PAD, a
"talker", around her neck.
She hands each member their own "talker". Norman takes his.
INT. DH-8 HALLWAY
Fletcher leads Barnes and the team members down the hallway. Each of
them wears the "talkers" around their necks.
BARNES
They pressurize us with helium.
NORMAN
What's wrong with oxygen?
BARNES
It's a corrosive gas. On earth, it
makes a half-eaten apple turn brown
and puts the ugly, iron rust on an
Oldsmobile. At a pressure this low,
oxygen becomes toxic. Breathe it
down here, and it'll do to your dick
what it does to the Oldsmobile.
TED
Important safety tip. Thanks
Captain.
Fletcher listens through her radio earpiece, turns to Barnes...
FLETCHER
Captain, the divers have the airlock
mounted at the door. The robot is
now in position to enter the
spacecraft.
TED
Robot? What robot?
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
CLOSE ON A MONITOR -- showing the robot in front of the curved gray
metal of the spacecraft.
BARNES
Edmunds, bring up the robot's camera
feed.
JANE EDMUNDS, 32, the unit archivist, works the control panel. Another
MONITOR clicks on -- showing the robot's POV of the door.
TED
Captain, you know, I really
appreciate you hauling us a thousand
feet below sea level so we can watch
this historical event on television.
BARNES
Nobody goes inside, until we know
what's inside.
ON THE MONITOR -- THE ROBOT CAMERA scans the spacecraft hull, stops on
a rectangular panel mounted to the left of the door.
BARNES
Can you open that panel?
EDMUNDS
Working on it now, sir.
ON THE MONITOR -- a robotic CLAW extends out to the panel. Trying to
pry the panel open.
TED
I'd like it noted in the report that
I think we should be doing this
ourselves. Making a manned entry...
The claw is clumsy, and keeps banging into the metal.
TED
I'd also like it noted --
BARNES
Duly noted, Ted. Edmunds, try using
suction.
ON THE MONITOR -- another robotic arm extends out, with a rubber
sucker. It pushes against the panel, but doesn't suck.
EDMUNDS
It's not sucking, sir.
BARNES
Thank you, I can see that. Try
something else.
EDMUNDS
We don't have anything else to try,
Sir.
BARNES
Well, shit -- find something, do
something... make something up --
TED
What about a crowbar?
Barnes straightens up, looks at Ted...
BARNES
What about a crowbar?
TED
What if we go out there, you know --
wedge a crowbar in the door and pry
the thing open.
HARRY
Pry the thing open? What are we --
neanderthals?
BETH
All that banging and pounding. I
don't know. We should think about
making a good first impression.
HARRY
For who? The fish?
BETH
For whoever's in that thing.
BARNES
Or whatever's in that thing.
ON THE MONITOR -- the spacecraft, sitting there silently, staring back
at them.
BARNES
Norman, what do you think?
Norman, quiet in the corner, perks up...
NORMAN
Me? Well -- I don't really... I
mean, you could... you know, you
could make a real solid case... a
crowbar?
All eyes on Norman.
NORMAN
I don't know.
A beat as they all stare at him.
TED
I'm secure enough with that.
INT. CHANGING ROOM
ANGLE ON A LOCKER door opening. Inside is an elaborate JUMPSUIT and
HELMET with the name: "JOHNSON", stenciled above the faceplate.
NORMAN
Are we all -- I mean, is it
necessary for all of us to go... out
there?
The other team members take their suits out of their lockers.
BARNES
Nothing to be nervous about. These
suits are wired and electrically
heated. Each equipped with an alarm
that triggers automatically if life-
support sustems go below optimum.
Norman holds his jumpsuit out and away from him, like it's something
nuclear.
TED
It's just like swimming, Norman...
You know how to swim, don't you?
HARRY
You're not afraid of the water, are
you, Norman?
They all look over at him.
BETH
(half smiling)
Isn't there a psychological term for
that, Dr. Johnson?
NORMAN
(under his breath)
Yeah. Drowning.
INT. AIRLOCK ROOM -- (A CYLINDER)
Dressed in jumpsuits and helmets -- Barnes jumps into a POOL of ocean
water, cut out from the floor, leading to the ocean. It looks like a
tiny swimming pool. Ted jumps in next. Beth, Harry, and Norman are
left...
BETH
You're next, Norman.
NORMAN
(nervous as hell)
No. Go ahead. Really. Ladies first.
BETH
Such a gentlemen when you're scared
shitless.
She hops in. Norman watches, looks up at Harry, next to him.
HARRY
Go ahead. Ladies first.
NORMAN
No, why don't --
Harry nudges him forward.
HARRY
C'mon.
NORMAN
Wait a second, I --
Harry pushes him again. Norman catches himself.
NORMAN
Geez, c'mon, alright. Gimme a
minute. Let me get my bearings --
Harry pushes him again.
HARRY
C'mon, Norman.
NORMAN
Look, would you --
And Harry just pushes him in. Norman slips and falls awkwardly... into
the ocean depths.
CUT TO:
BLACK.
Quiet. Only THE SOUND OF NORMAN -- BREATHING.
For a couple beats.
Now... NORMAN'S POV -- from inside his helmet -- a light SHINES from
behind him -- casting his SHADOW onto the murky ocean floor.
Norman's head turns, and he's BLINDED by a light -- it's Harry, the
light SHINING from the top of Harry's helmet.
WE HEAR Harry's voice, static, through Norman's helmet.
HARRY (O.S.)
The switch is on your waist.
ON NORMAN -- his GLOVE -- fumbling at his waist.
HIS HELMET LIGHT -- FLICKERS on.
ON NORMAN -- slowly, beginning to walk on the ocean floor.
HIS FEET -- squashing gently, lightly into the muddy ground.
NORMAN'S POV -- can barely make out the others in front of him, their
helmet lights STROBING the dark water, crossing each other, like
searchlights on a foggy night.
CLOSE ON NORMAN'S FACE -- eyes cold, BREATHING. Couple beats. And
HEARS:
TED (O.S.)
Look at that thing.
Norman's eyes look up... WE PULL BACK...
LONG, HIGH, WIDE SHOT of the team -- their little helmet lights tiny
and insignificant almost as...
IN FRONT OF THEM -- the SPACECRAFT. Dwarfing them in size, looming
large, majestic, like nothing we've ever seen. The enormous tail fin,
in the distance, extends high out of the coral.
In the huge MOUND OF CORAL covering the spacecraft, WE SEE a tunnel --
cut out like a cave -- lined with tiny, dim lightbulbs.
INT. TUNNEL
About 60 feet deep. Narrower than they'd like. Norman descends,
clumsily, awkwardly -- pushing off the bulky, iron handles fastened to
the coral walls.
THE LOUD HISSING OF AIR
INT. SPACECRAFT AIRLOCK
CLOSE ON NORMAN'S FACE as he watches the water recede, down past his
faceplate.
THE LOUD BANGING OF METAL
Ted has wedged a crowbar into the door and BANGS at it with a
sledgehammer.
HARRY
Easy Ted, we're not mining gold.
TED
Gimme some room here, will you? Back
off. Gimme some space.
They all back away, cramming into the far corner of the airlock as Ted
keeps swinging.
BETH
Looks alot like an airplane door,
doesn't it?
Ted stops and looks at the door.
TED
Alot like. You know, I noticed it
before, but I didn't...
HARRY
Shutup, Ted. You didn't notice shit.
Keep hammering.
NORMAN
You want me to try?
TED
You're a 53 year old shrink, what
are you gonna do?
BARNES
Give him the hammer, Ted.
Norman takes the hammer. Walks up to the wedge. Gets his bearings.
Rears back... then stops.
TED
What is it, your back give out?
Something has caught Norman's eye. He looks down at the wedge.
BARNES
What is it, Norman?
NORMAN
Take a look.
Barnes comes toward him. The others follow. Barnes bends down, looks
closely down at the wedge in the door.
BARNES
It's chipped.
HARRY
Chipped? The door? How can it be
chipped?
BARNES
I don't know how it can be chipped,
but it's chipped.
HARRY
I thought you said there wasn't any
damage done in the crash?
BARNES
I did.
HARRY
Then how can it be chipped?
ON BETH -- she touches the door with her palms, feels around.
BETH
There's heat coming the door.
BARNES
Back away then.
BETH
Wait a minute --
BARNES
I said back away.
BETH
Would you wait a minute?
THE DOOR STARTS TO RUMBLE
Barnes unstraps a GUN -- nearly the size of an uzzi -- from his
buckle.
BARNES
Ted, get her away from the door.
TED
What are you going to do -- shoot
her?
The RUMBLING louder...
BARNES
Get her away!
THE DOOR begins to slide open.
Beth backs away.
THE DOOR, sliding, is revealing COMPLETE BLACKNESS inside. The door
stops, it's open, it's quiet. They all stand there, looking at
BLACKNESS. A long beat.
INT. SPACECRAFT
ON NORMAN -- cautiously stepping inside. His helmet light SHINES on the
others ahead of him, walking along a 5 foot wide CATWALK, suspended
high in the air.
Metallic BEAMS and RAFTERS criss-cross above them.
Norman looks over the railing -- his light STROBES through 40 feet of
darkness, dimly lighting the LOWER HULL, a dense network of STRUTS and
GIRDERS.
TED
Look at this.
BARNES
What is it?
Ted SPOTLIGHTS the OUTER HULL.
TED
Some sort of lead or something.
BARNES
Radiation shield, you think?
TED
A foot and a half thick? That'd
withstand a helluva lot of
radiation.
Beth's light SHINES down onto the CATWALK. WE SEE FOOTPRINTS outlined
on the dusty floor.
BETH
Hold on --
BARNES
What is it?
BETH
Any of you get ahead of me -- walk
this far up?
TED
No. I don't think so.
BETH
Well, think. Because there's
footprints here that aren't mine.
TED
Well, they're not mine.
ON THE FOOTPRINTS -- large, like the boots they're wearing.
BARNES
Calm down, alright? They gotta be
somebody's here. Let's stay
together, please.
CUT TO:
LONG SHOT -- seeing them suspended high in the air on the catwalk,
walking. Their tiny streams of LIGHT moving about. WE SEE just how
ominous this spacecraft really is.
BETH
It's empty. Why would someone build a
ship like this?
HARRY
You'd have to ask them.
They approach a DOOR, at the end of the catwalk.
BARNES
Alright, Beth, do that thing you did
before.
BETH
How about I just press the button?
She presses a button near the door. The door SLIDES open.
BARNES
Or just... press the button.
Barnes holds out his gun, and enters. The others behind him.
TED
Strange, isn't it? You know -- how
it would have a button.
NORMAN
Earth doesn't have a patent on
buttons, Ted.
TED
Still, make a note I recognized that.
ON BARNES -- leading them through a small hall. It seems to be opening
up into some sort of room -- when Barnes stops. Dead in his tracks.
TED
What's wrong?
BARNES
(serious)
What do you make of this?
ON NORMAN -- as he steps around Barnes, his light BRIGHTENING on: A
SIGN that reads: "Trash."
TED
(softly)
What the hell?
Very softly, Harry begins to laugh.
TED
English?
HARRY
That's right.
Norman looks up and SEES more of the room as his light SHINES
throughout it: TABLES, COUCHES and CHAIRS -- made of leather, very
comfortable looking.
They begin to slowly wander about...
BETH
I don't get it.
TED
It doesn't make any sense.
HARRY
You don't think it does? I think
it's rather obvious.
TED
Is it some sort of joke? Like one of
those hoaxes?
HARRY
A spacecraft half a mile long --
with 500 tonnes of coral on top of
it? Someone went to a lot of
trouble. Try again.
TED
But it's impossible.
HARRY
Is it?
Beth touches the table, it's metal, but it's soft and rubbery.
TED
Why would this ship carry
instructions in English?
HARRY
Think about it.
TED
Unless, this alien spacecraft was --
you know -- somehow presenting
itself to Americans in a way that
would make us feel comfortable.
NORMAN
400 years ago? I'm sure Christopher
Columbus would've loved these
accomodations.
BETH
Good theory, Ted.
TED
Well, what's your theory?
BETH
I'm a woman. I don't theorize. I
only deal with facts.
HARRY
All the facts you need are right in
front of you.
TED
Gimme a minute here... I think I've
got it.
HARRY
Do you?
TED
If it is an alien spacecraft --
HARRY
Save your breath. It's not an alien
spacecraft.
BETH
Then what is it?
HARRY
(beat)
It's an American spacecraft.
TED
An American spacecraft? Half a mile
long? And buried 400 years? Yeah,
good theory, Harry.
HARRY
It's been obvious from the start,
hasn't it, Captain? That's why all
the secrecy, why no one was told
about it?
BARNES
We had considered it.
TED
Considered what? That it's American?
How would you think it's American?
HARRY
The chip in the door.
ON NORMAN -- glancing up at Harry...
HARRY
We take a weeny little wedge, bang
on it a couple of times, and bust
off a chunk of the metal. Yet any
spacecraft -- even at a low
velocity, say 200 miles an hour --
crashes into the water -- it's gonna
be like hitting concrete, it would
crumple like paper. But there isn't
a dent to be seen anywhere. Not even
a scratch.
TED
Meaning?
HARRY
Meaning it didn't land in the water.
TED
Please. It must have flown here --
HARRY
It didn't fly here. It arrived here.
TED
Arrived? From where?
HARRY
Not where. When. 400 years ago. From
our future.
A quiet moment as they take this in.
INT. SPACECRAFT -- DEEPER INSIDE
Ted and Barnes trek through a vast cargo bay, like two ants wlth
flashlights.
TED
Time travel. I always thought it was
one of those myths... like Santa's
reindeer.
BARNES
What would we be working on in the
future that would make us want to
come back?
TED
Maybe we didn't want to come back.
BACK IN -- THE ROOM
Norman, Harry, and Beth...
BETH
What are you looking for?
HARRY
A light switch. A button opened that
door -- the craft runs on some sort
of power.
ON NORMAN -- as he sits down in one of the CHAIRS.
BETH
What's that noise?
They LISTEN to a GIRGLING NOISE.
NORMAN
Sounds a little like water --
SUDDENLY -- the chair Norman's in -- wraps around him, squeezing him
inside, padding sliding around his head, his shoulders enveloping him
-- sucking him inside...
BETH
Norman!
NORMAN
Get this thing off me.
Beth bends down, presses a button, the CHAIR releases Norman...
BETH
I think the chair thinks you want to
fly this thing.
ON BETH's FACEPLATE -- as she's looking down -- WE BEGIN TO SEE --
reflected in her faceplate: yellow digital lettering sputtering
across...
"RV-LHOOQ... DCOM1... "
Her EYES look up slowly... as we
CUT TO:
THE BLACK SCREEN in front of the chairs, lit up with bright yellow
lettering:
"RV -- LHOOQ -- DCOMl -- U.S.S STAR VOYAGER"
"ASSIMILATING DATABASE" as a series of numbers race upwards in
count...
And the desk in front of them LIGHTS UP, a control panel coming to
life.
HARRY
Nice work, Norman.
NORMAN
Whatever I can do to help.
ON THE SCREEN as it changes, now filled with columns:
SHIP SYSTEMS
DATA SYSTEMS
QUARTER MASTER
FLIGHT RECORDS
Harry punches some keys on the control panel.
HARRY
A flight recorder. Our future is
about to be seen in our present.
ON THE SCREEN as it changes:
FLIGHT DATA SUMMARIES
FDS 01/01/47-12/31/49
FDS 01/01/50-12/31/52
FDS 01/01/53-12/31/55
FDS 01/01/56-12/31/56
FDS 01/01/56-02/01/56
FDS 02/02/56-UNKNOWN ENTRY EVENT
NORMAN
01-01-47. Two thousand-forty seven.
50 years in our future.
HARRY
Unknown Entry Event.
Harry pauses, looks down, and punches more keys...
ON THE SCREEN -- as it expands in size, widens around them, curving...
WE SEE a galaxy of stars, planets coming OFF THE SCREEN, into the
room, becoming three dimensional, suspended in air, giving the
illusion of depth.
The IMAGE begins streaking outward, TOWARD US, moving rapidly, like
we're flying through it.
The stars and other space matter streaking by.
BETH
What's that cluster of stars there?
In the center?
Harry stares, walking around the desk, moving into the 3-D image...
HARRY
Our answer.
NORMAN
To what?
HARRY
Time travel. A black hole.
The CLUSTER of stars grows brighter and brighter, as it comes closer
and closer, brightening.
The FIELD twists and turns as the SCREEN and FIELD become BLINDING as
WE ENTER the cluster, the black hole.
ON NORMAN -- his face, bright, FRIGHTENED as he HEARS:
HARRY (O.S.)
Ted? Captain?
BARNES (O.S.)
Yes, Harry.
HARRY (O.S.)
We know how this craft got here.
Where it's been.
BARNES (O.S.)
So do we. And it seems to have
picked up something on it's travels.
STILL ON NORMAN -- frightened...
NORMAN
Picked up something? What is it?
BARNES (O.S.)
I don't know. But it's something
alien.
CUT TO:
INT. CARGO BAY
ANGLE ON our six team members' BOOTS, in the distance. AS WE PAN UP
and AROUND WE SEE a curved surface appear: a surface of slowly
swirling green and blue fluids. Like mercury. Mesmerizlng.
AS WE COME AROUND, the team stands looking at the SPHERE, 30 feet in
dlameter, held by a GIANT CLAW gripping it from the top.
They walk around it, circling it, looking up at it.
HARRY
This answers one of our questions.
NORMAN
Which one? Let me get the list out.
HARRY
This spacecraft was designed to pick
things up. They see things they want
-- these claws go out and bring it
in. They come across this. This...
sphere. Find it interesting,
curious. They draw it inside to take
back home.
NORMAN
But on the way home, they miss their
turn, go too far, into the past.
HARRY
Our present.
BARNES
But what does it do? This... sphere.
TED
Maybe it's a message of some sort,
you know? See this red here.
ANGLE ON THE SPHERE -- some dark red MARKINGS on it's surface...
TED
(continuing)
Looks like a design, some writing,
maybe. Maybe it was sent to meet the
spacecraft with a message.
HARRY
Look closely. That isn't writing.
Those are grooves.
ON THE RED GROOVES -- engraved into the surface.
HARRY
No. They don't represent a message.
They aren't decorative at all. They
have another purpose entirely.
BARNES
What?
HARRY
To conceal a small break in the
surface of the sphere.
BARNES
A break for what?
INT. HABITAT -- HALLWAY
DOWN A LONG CORRIDOR -- WE SEE Barnes, through a half-closed door,
pacing, talking on the phone...
BARNES
... it's definitely something alien
... another civilization, yes, sir...
Well, we don't know yet, but we
think we've found a door...
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
Edmunds, Barnes, and the team members (minus Ted) look at the monitor.
BARNES
So how do we get it open?
HARRY
Ted seems to have some ideas.
ON THE MONITOR -- Ted pushing on the SPHERE door. Banging into it with
his shoulder.
NORMAN
Maybe we shouldn't.
BARNES
What?
NORMAN
If it is alien, maybe we shouldn't
try to open it at all.
HARRY
(nodding to Norman)
Man is man, all he knows is man, and
all he can think of is what he
knows. The anthropomorphic problem.
Good, Norman.
BARNES
The what?
NORMAN
I mentioned it in my report. Didn't
you read the report?
HARRY
Everything ever written about extra-
terrestial life imagines that life
is essentially human. If it doesn't
look human, it's a reptile or a big
insect or something, having human
values, human understanding.
BARNES
So? What's the problem?
HARRY
It's nonsense. There's enough
difference between our own species
to prove that.
BETH
Take politics, our views on
abortion, the death penalty...
HARRY
Cannibalism, to be extreme. And now
we're talking about a new life form.
Their values and ethics may be
incomprehensible.
BARNES
Like "Thou shall not kill"?
NORMAN
Or maybe, it can't be killed.
BARNES
You mean, what's in that thing is
immortal?
NORMAN
I don't know. That's the point.
BARNES
Everything can be killed.
BETH
Not everything. Even on earth. Take
... yeasts.
BARNES
Yeasts? Thank you, Beth, but I don't
think we're gonna open it up and
find a loaf of bread.
HARRY
And we're just talking about three-
dimensional creatures. What if it's
five or six or seven-dimensional? So
dimensional that we couldn't even
see it to kill it.
NORMAN
Good point. I don't know what you're
talking about, but good point.
BARNES
Or it could contain some great
benefit to us, some astonishing new
idea or technology to help mankind.
HARRY
It could. But the odds of it being
any use to us are against it.
BARNES
You don't know that.
HARRY
Let's say whoever made this thing is
a thousand years ahead of us, just
like we are to, say, medieval
Europe. Suppose you went back to
medieval Europe with a TV set. There
wouldn't be any place to plug it in.
BARNES
Just tell me worst case. Worst case
of what we might find?
BETH
It could breathe in air and exhale
cyanide gas.
NORMAN
Disrupt our brain waves, interfere
with our ability to think.
HARRY
Produce radioactive waste and
disintegrate us into nothing.
CUT TO:
CLOSE ON PRINTER, TYPING: "Surface winds at 25 knots -- Estimated Time
of Departure -- 01:45 hrs"
CUT TO:
INT. DH-8 HALLWAY
Empty, sterile. WE HEAR the repeating sound: THWAP. Almost like a
dripping faucet. THWAP... THWAP...
INT. LIVING QUARTERS
Harry on his bunk, staring at the wall, flicking his middle finger at
his cheek: THWAP... THWAP.
HARRY
You realize, Norman, that we are all
going to die.
Norman is lying in his own bunk, below Harry.
NORMAN
Don't be so optomistic, Harry.
HARRY
I'm completely serious. There is
something very important missing
from that spacecraft. You know what
that is?
NORMAN
Not a clue.
HARRY
A sign that the builders knew time
travel through a black hole was
possible.
NORMAN
I don't follow you.
HARRY
On that flight recorder, they called
the black hole an "Unknown Entry
Event." They didn't know what a
black hole was. Fifty years from
now, men are going to build that
ship in a very tentative,
experimental way, with no knowledge
that time travel through a black
hole is possible.
NORMAN
So what?
Harry leans his head over his bunk.
HARRY
So, we know.
(beat)
We know it went through a black
hole. We saw it. Norman -- when we'd
get to the surface, we'd tell
someone about the black hole,
wouldn't we? It'd go in some report
like some big discovery. So in fifty
years when they build that ship,
they'd make precautions for a black
hole.
(beat)
But they didn't. The called it an
Unknown Entry Event.
NORMAN
Meaning we're never gonna get the
chance to tell anyone.
HARRY
Meaning we're never gonna get to the
surface alive... to tell anyone.
Norman gets out of his bed.
NORMAN
I can't believe that, Harry.
HARRY
Gimme another explanation.
Norman pacing.
NORMAN
I can't. If I had a minute to think,
maybe, but I know you're wrong.
HARRY
Am I?
NORMAN
Look -- we're under a lot of
pressure, we're tired, you're not
thinking straight.
HARRY
You mean, you think I'm cracking?
NORMAN
No. I didn't say that.
HARRY
Then what, Norman?
Norman stops pacing, a beat.
NORMAN
It's what's in that sphere, isn't
it, Harry? Whatever you think is in
that thing -- you think it's going
to kill you.
HARRY
Curious, isn't it? What's inside?
Before I die, I'd sure like to open
it and see.
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
CLOSE ON MONITOR: Video of the sphere. RAPIDLY rewinding.
BARNES
What caused it?
EDMUNDS
Nothing. I don't know. Everything
was normal. No changes at all.
HARRY
When did it happen?
EDMUNDS
Seconds ago. Here!
PLAYBACK: WE SEE the sphere -- idle. Nothing around it. Then it's DOOR
slowly OPENS, revealing BLACKNESS inside. A beat. And then it closes.
BARNES
Let me see that again.
Edmunds plays it again. This time...
WE MOVE IN ON HARRY, staring at the monitor.
HARRY
(to himself)
I'd sure like to open it and see.
ON HARRY -- those cold, intelligent eyes.
CUT TO:
CLOSE ON PRINTER, TYPING: "... 30 knots -- ETD -- 00:19 min"
CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY
CLOSE ON -- Norman and Barnes.
BARNES
Don't get hysterical, Norman.
NORMAN
I'm telling you, Harry's lost it.
He's saying there's a deathwish out
for each of us.
BARNES
Look, the ships are clearing out.
They're taking us topside in a
matter of minutes. Someone can check
him out there, if it's that imprtant.
NORMAN
All I'm saying is, someone should
keep an eye on him.
BARNES
Just worry about yourself.
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
Barnes on the phone with the surface. Ted talking to him anyway...
TED
Can I stay, sir? I'm willing to risk
it. I am. After what we just
witnessed.
BARNES
(into phone)
What? No, I know they're
civilians...
INT. LIVING QUARTERS
ON NORMAN -- gathering his things. Stuffing his shotty dufflebag.
Beth, at her bunk, doing the same.
Norman stands up. Looks at the bunk above him: unpacked clothes,
unpacked belongings, a notebook lying there saying: PROPERTY OF DR.
HARRY ADAMS.
ON NORMAN -- panicking, looking around for Harry.
CUT TO:
BACK IN -- COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
BARNES
(into phone)
... I said send the subs down, damn
it!
Barnes out the door, Ted at his heels...
TED
Did you hear me, sir, because --
BARNES
Ted, shut up. Are you packed? Ready
to go? I want everyone packed. Now!
ON NORMAN -- running at them...
NORMAN
Harry's missing.
BARNES
What do you mean, he's missing?
NORMAN
He's missing. He's gone. He left.
BARNES
He's here somewhere. Find him. The
sub's on it's way.
(they look at him)
Go! C'mon!
Norman runs off. Barnes storms down the hall...
BARNES
How can he be missing?
TED
Sir, about leaving --
BARNES
We're on the bottom of the fucking
ocean -- he can't just walk outside!
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
Edmunds working the monitors, stops. Seeing something on a screen.
Staring in horror...
EDMUNDS
(to herself)
Oh my gosh...
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
Barnes, phone to his ear...
BARNES
Gimme a report, I want --
HARRY (O.S.)
Ladies and Gentlemen...
BARNES
Who is that? Where's that coming
from?
HARRY (O.S.)
Please watch your closest monitor...
Barnes turns...
ON HIS MONITOR -- Harry, in jumpsuit and helmet, stands in front of the
SPHERE.
Barnes quickly puts on his headset mic...
BARNES
What's he doing there?
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
Edmunds, Norman, Beth, Ted staring at the monitor...
TED
I thought he was with you, Norman.
Through the speakers...
BARNES (O.S.)
Get him out of there. I thought I
told you people --
EDMUNDS
(into her mic)
Harry? Can you copy?
ON THE MONITOR -- Harry, before the SPHERE...
HARRY
Pay close attention. I think you
will find this of interest.
The sphere DOOR slowly opens.
TED
What the hell is he doing?
Harry steps up and into the sphere. The door closes slowly behind him.
CUT TO:
PRINTER, TYPING: "... ETD -- 00:15 min"
CUT TO:
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
Norman with Barnes...
BARNES
Don't tell me I told you so, Norman,
because I don't want to hear it.
(yelling past him)
Ted, I want everything by the door
-- ready to go!
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
ON MONITOR -- labled: "SUB DESCENT" -- it's still.
EDMUNDS
(into mic)
Subs are still at surface, sir.
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
BARNES
(into phone)
Send them, damn it! I know, but I'm
not gonna be held responsible --
Norman with him...
NORMAN
You can't just leave Harry down
here, sir.
BARNES
I told you people, nobody goes
anywhere unless I say.
NORMAN
But sir --
BARNES
No "buts". If he wants to be left,
we'll leave him.
(into phone)
Hello? Yes, the subs -- I want a
report... Hello... Yes, a report.
Gimme... shit.
EDMUNDS (O.S.)
I'm getting no sub reading, sir.
BARNES
They're coming.
CUT TO:
PRINTER, TYPING: "... ETD -- 00:13 min"
CUT TO:
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
ON NORMAN -- staring at the monitor of the sphere, idle.
BARNES (O.S.)
Any sign of Harry?
EDMUNDS
Nothing, sir.
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
BARNES
Fuck him.
(into phone)
What? Hello?
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
ON MONITOR -- labeled "SUB DESCENT"...
EDMUNDS
Sir, I am still getting absolutely
no reading on sub movement...
CUT TO:
PRINTER, TYPING: "... ETD -- 00:11 min"
CUT TO:
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
BARNES
(into phone)
Yes, a report... Hello?
Beth, inside now...
BETH
I am not leaving without him. Do you
hear me? We come down as a team, we
leave as a team.
BARNES
What are you -- his mother? Get
Norman, I want everyone ready to go.
(into mic)
Edmunds, the subs?
EDMUNDS (O.S.)
Nothing, sir.
BARNES
What the hell is going on here?
INT. CORRIDOR
Beth rushes by Ted, carrying bags to the door...
BETH
Norman? Where's Norman?
TED
By the bunks.
INT. LIVING QUARTERS
Beth running in...
BETH
Norman?... Norman?
Can't see him anywhere.
INTO THE BATHROOMS
BETH
Norman!
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
BARNES
Edmunds, do you have a 20 on Norman?
EDMUNDS (O.S.)
Yes, sir.
BARNES
Well, where the fuck is he?
EDMUNDS (O.S.)
In the ship, sir.
Barnes spins to see the monitor...
BARNES
What?
ON MONITOR -- Norman, in jumpsuit and helmet, running through the ship.
Barnes slipping on headset mic...
BARNES
Norman? Norman!
INT. SPACECRAFT
Norman running across a catwalk...
BARNES (O.S.)
You get your ass back here. You have
no authority whatsoever to be in
there. You hear me?... Norman? Don't
go hero on me now.
CUT TO:
PRINTER, TYPING: "... ETD -- 00:05 min EVACUATION IMMINENT"
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
EDMUNDS
Sir, if the subs haven't left by
now...
BARNES (O.S.)
They've left, keep watching!
EDMUNDS
Sir! Sir, the door -- it's opening.
ON THE MONITOR -- the sphere door, slowly opening. Revealing:
BLACKNESS.
BARNES (O.S.)
Where is he? Damn it! Can you see
him?
A still moment and then Harry tumbles out the sphere, and falls to the
ground.
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
Barnes, squinting at Harry on his monitor.
BARNES (O.S.)
How does he look? Can you tell?
Harry lies motionless.
EDMUNDS (O.S.)
He looks... dead, sir.
ON BETH -- in the hall, hearing that.
INT. SPACECRAFT
Norman, running, blindly, through a hall, around corners...
BARNES (O.S.)
Norman, get out of there now!
Norman?
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
EDMUNDS
If the subs aren't here yet, sir --
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
Barnes, into his headset.
BARNES
They'll be here. Norman -- can you
hear me?...
INT. SPACECRAFT
ON NORMAN -- running...
BARNES (O.S.)
You don't have time! Get the hell
out of --
Barnes' voice goes static, and cuts out.
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
ON THE MONITOR -- flickering, losing power...
EDMUNDS
Sir, we're losing it.
ON THE MONITOR -- flickering, fading, and all the lights and monitors
SHUT DOWN.
INT. SPACECRAFT
ON HARRY -- lying still, face down under the sphere. Goes to him.
Checks Harry's LIFE SUPPORT BADGE. Still blinking -- he's still alive.
Norman, pauses, looks up, staring at...
THE SPHERE
Mesmerizing. He can see himself, reflected in the swirling mass,
staring back at himself. The door begins to open, closes. Begins to
open.
INT. CORRIDOR
Dark. Ted, Beth, and Barnes wander throughout.
TED
What the hell happened?
The lights flicker back on.
BARNES
They switched us over.
TED
To what?
BARNES
Internal power.
BETH
What for?
CUT TO:
THE OCEAN FLOOR -- a cable falling from the surface, coiling around and
around.
CUT TO:
ANGLE ON their dufflebags piled in the corner by the door. They've
been left behind.
INT. HABITAT HALLWAY -- LATER
LOOKING DOWN A LONG CORRIDOR -- it's quiet. WE PEEK inside the
cafeteria...
BARNES (O.S.)
The surface ships will be back.
After the storm clears.
BETH (O.S.)
How long will that be?
INT. CAFETERIA
Barnes speaks to the team (minus Harry and Norman)...
BARNES
They told me about sixty hours.
BETH
Two and a half days?
TED
How long can we last down here?
EDMUNDS
Comfortably? Seventy-two hours.
BETH
Comfortably -- what's that mean --
with oxygen?
CUT TO:
INT. LIVING QUARTERS
CLOSE ON HARRY'S FACE
Harry lies on his bunk. He begins to slowly awake.
WE BEGIN TO HEAR A SCRATCHING NOISE, like nails on a chalkboard. It
gets LOUDER as Harry comes to. He puts his fingers to his temples.
Norman stands beside, him writing in his notebook.
HARRY
What is that? That noise?
NORMAN
What noise?
HARRY
It's like...
ANGLE ON Norman's pen -- as he stops writing, the NOISE stops.
Harry sighs. Norman looks down at his pen.
NORMAN
Harry, can you tell me about the
sphere?
HARRY
What are you still doing here?
NORMAN
You remember opening the door?
HARRY
You were all supposed to leave. You
weren't supposed to stay down here.
NORMAN
Tell me about the door. Do you
remember how you opened the door to
the sphere?... Harry?
HARRY
You don't understand about the
sphere.
NORMAN
Then explain it to me.
Harry pauses, staring almost like a frightened little boy.
HARRY
Norman?
NORMAN
What is it, Harry?
HARRY
What happens on page 87? Have you
ever read page 87?
NORMAN
Page 87 of what, Harry?
HARRY
I could never read that far. I never
wanted to.
NORMAN
That far in what, Harry?
Harry doesn't say anything. Norman waiting...
HARRY
You shouldn't be here, Norman. It's
too dangerous for you and the others
to be down here.
INT. BATHROOM/SHOWER FACILITIES
Beth comes out from behind a vinyl shower curtain. A towel wrapped
around her.
BARNES (O.S.)
Beth -- I wanted to have a word with
you...
Barnes washes his hands at the sink, looking at her in the mirror in
front of him.
BARNES
Back at the door -- I asked you to
back away.
BETH
Yeah. I heard you.
BARNES
There are procedures, Beth, that I
want followed. My procedures. And
considering what's going on, I want
you to follow them very closely.
BETH
(a beat)
Forgive me. I've never read the Navy
manual. I wonder what it says about
bathroom and shower procedures.
He walks to the door, then turns.
BARNES
And Beth, one other thing. I'd like
from now on for you to address me as
Captain or sir in front of the men.
INT. HABITAT HALLWAY
A LONG CORRIDOR -- LOOKING into the cafeteria...
INT. CAFETERIA
Harry is eating at a table, seems more relaxed. The team members
around him, eating too. Beth, cold. Harry sprinkles salt on the dish
of food in the middle.
TED
Hey, go easy on the salt, will ya?
We're not a bunch of icy streets
here.
HARRY
Salt's good for you, Ted. Helps you
from getting impotent.
TED
Impotent? I'm not impotent.
NORMAN
(off food)
These aren't half bad, Fletcher. You
might have a second career coming.
HARRY
What are they?
FLETCHER
Squid...
Harry stops mid-chew. Frightened.
FLETCHER
... there was a whole flock of them
out there earlier. It's strange.
It's dead down here, and then all of
a sudden --
Harry drops his fork. He begins COUGHING. HACKING. CHOKING loudly.
GAGGING. He HACKS out the squid from his mouth...
CUT TO:
INT. HABITAT CORRIDOR
A long, empty corridor. All is quiet.
CUT TO:
CLOSE ON A MONITOR -- a series of numbers:
00032125262632 032629 301321 04261037 18 3016 06180
82132 2903305 1822 04261013 0830162137 1604 4298756
08301632125262632 032629 301321 04261037 18 3016 06
82132 2903305 1822 04261013 0830162137 1604 4268756
08301632125262632 032629 301321 04261037 18 3016 06
82132 2903305 1822 04261013 0830162137 1604 0830164
NORMAN
When did it come across?
EDMUNDS
Minutes ago. Harry's trying to
decode it in his room now.
NORMAN
Where's it coming from?
EDMUNDS
No idea. We have no surface support.
It transmitted too fast to be coming
from underwater.
NORMAN
Is it coming from our own computer?
EDMUNDS
Harry thinks it's some sort of
discharge from our own system, but
I've seen it discharge before -- and
it didn't look anything like this.
EXT. HABITAT -- UNDERWATER
SWARMS of pretty, pink JELLYFISH. Everywhere.
FROM UNDER THE HABITAT -- Fletcher swims up to them with a net. It's
beautiful. Eerie. Almost idyllic.
INT. LIVING QUARTERS
Harry, on his bunk with decoding papers in his hands, turns to Norman,
entering the room.
NORMAN
Getting anywhere with those?
HARRY
There's some sort of pattern here.
It'll take a minute.
NORMAN
Have you looked outside? Jellyfish.
Everywhere. I hate jellyfish.
(sits on the table)
Harry, what happened in the
cafeteria?
HARRY
Don't do this. Don't psychoanalyze
me. I hate squid. Period. Just like
you hate jellyfish.
NORMAN
You said something to me, before --
about how we were all going to die.
HARRY
Did I?
NORMAN
You don't remember that?
HARRY
I don't remember much. It's like my
memory is on the tip of my tongue --
but I can't taste any of it. Funny,
my senses are much keener though.
Purer. Hearing, seeing, smelling.
Like, I can smell your sheets,
Norman. You tried to wash it out
earlier, But I can still smell the
urine.
(beat)
Don't worry, I'm not going to tell
the others. It's normal, really,
isn't it? In a crisis. The stress.
The panic.
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
Beth, Ted, and Barnes watch...
ON A MONITOR -- Fletcher outside, with the jellyfish.
BARNES
(into the mic)
Fletcher? What are you doing out
there?
FLETCHER (O.S.)
They're like pink snow, sir. Sticky.
TED
She says jellyfish are a delicacy.
You know, I never knew that.
BARNES
Get out of there. I don't want anyone
going anywhere outside, understood?
FLETCHER (O.S.)
They're warm. I can feel the heat on
my legs.
BARNES
Fletcher, I want you back here.
CUT TO:
BACK IN -- LIVING QUARTERS
Norman sitting on the table...
NORMAN
What happened to you inside that
sphere, Harry?
A long beat. Harry becomes concerned...
HARRY
Why? Does someone else want to go
inside?
CUT TO:
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
ON THE MONITOR -- Fletcher, the jellyfish clinging to her facemask, her
suit...
FLETCHER (O.S.)
I can't see, they're smearing the
faceplate. My arms... the fabric...
Fletcher's suit tears...
BARNES
Fletcher, get away from there...
FLETCHER (O.S.)
It's burning...
BARNES
Get out of there!
FLETCHER (O.S.)
I can't see...
BARNES
Fletcher! Now!
FLETCHER (O.S.)
I can't...
ON BETH -- bolting out of the room. Barnes turning to her...
BARNES
Nobody move.
BETH
But she's --
BARNES
Nobody move!
FLETCHER (O.S.)
They're eating through...
Somebody --
CUT TO:
ON FLETCHER -- UNDERWATER -- jellyfish eating into her plastic
faceplate... she's COUGHING, GASPING.
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
They watch...
ON THE MONITOR -- Her body twisting, contorting. Her suit, ripping
apart. SCREAMING. She convulses. Her body falling.
HER HORRIFYING SCREAM FADING INTO...
INT. DECONTAMINATION LAB
CLOSE ON -- Fletcher's face. Cold, dead. Eyes open. Jellyfish rooted in
her skin.
CUT TO:
INT. LABRATORY
CLOSE ON A MICROSCOPIC IMAGE of a jellyfish.
ON NORMAN -- in the corner of the lab, inspecting a MEDICAL KIT.
NORMAN
What is this, Beth? You taking
valium?
Beth, looking into the microscope.
BETH
Sedatives. Whatever my mood calls
for.
Norman picks up a book, next to the kit: 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
NORMAN
Where'd this come from?
BETH
The library.
NORMAN
We have a library?
BETH
A bad one. It was the only book in
there. Norman, come here, look at
this.
NORMAN
No, thank you. I hate jellyfish.
Walking toward her...
NORMAN
... when I was six, my younger
brother and I -- we went swimming in
the Pacific. At my mother's beach
house. We both felt stinging, and
when we came out of the water, he
was wearing jellyfish head to toe.
Killed him.
BETH
My gosh, Norman.
NORMAN
Yeah, it was awful.
BETH
What about you? What happened to
you?
NORMAN
Me? Well, I was wrapped in seaweed.
It itched for a while, but I
survived.
(beat)
Beth, do you find it... curious that
we're seeing all this life down
here. Nothing, and then these
enormous flocks of squid. Then
jellyfish?
BETH
Normally, I'd say no. Everything's
quiet now -- no ships, no divers, no
electricity. Makes sense. But what's
curious is -- these aren't normal
jellyfish.
NORMAN
What do you mean -- not normal?
BETH
They have six tentacles. A new
species. And the squid too. They had
no stomach.
NORMAN
Wait a minute.
BETH
What?
NORMAN
You knew about the squid not being
normal. Before Fletcher went out
there?
BETH
Yeah, why?
NORMAN
And you didn't tell anyone?
Beth, nervous...
BETH
What? Why...
NORMAN
Beth --
BETH
I mean, I'm not... I wasn't
absolutely sure if... they --
NORMAN
They are or they aren't. Which is
it?
BETH
What?... Wait. Don't... why are
you --
NORMAN
Beth.
BETH
Nobody said... Norman... What? Why
are you looking at me like that?
NORMAN
Beth --
She backs away from Norman, knocking off a speciman jar, it SHATTERS
on the floor. She starts breaking down.
Norman watching her, falling to the ground, picking up the glass,
hurriedly...
BETH
I didn't do anything wrong. I didn't
mean...
NORMAN
Beth.
She's crying, glass in her hands. She looks up at Norman, frightened,
nervous...
BETH
You wouldn't go and tell the others,
would you?
Norman hesitates, goes to her, tries to hold her, but she pushes him
away.
BETH
I hate this place, Norman. I want
out.
CUT TO:
INT. HABITAT -- HALLWAY
LOOKING DOWN -- at the room where Barnes was on the phone earlier. He
stands there now, hand on the knob.
CLOSES it shut.
CUT TO:
INT. ROOM
Barnes sits, Norman in front of him, worked up...
NORMAN
I'm not paranoid. I know Beth. She
can be drastic.
BARNES
How drastic?
NORMAN
You don't want to know.
BARNES
I think I do.
NORMAN
A while back, Beth and I -- we
worked at the same university. She
was assisting a chemist there -- I
forget his name -- doing research,
experiments. She was also living
with him.
(off Barnes' look)
Yeah, I know. And when she finished
her work, he kicked her out, broke
off the relationship, and published
five papers -- all her work --
without any thank you or
acknowledgement.
BARNES
She should've known better.
NORMAN
She put a razor to her wrists a day
later.
BARNES
(a beat)
When was this?
NORMAN
'81, I think. She tried again five
years ago.
(beat)
I thought you should know.
BARNES
So you knew this when you wrote your
report?
NORMAN
At the time, I don't know, I thought
putting her on the list -- it might
help her career -- catch her a
break.
BARNES
You knowingly recommended a woman
with suicidal tendencies for a
government operation --
NORMAN
Wait a second --
BARNES
-- and then brought her down here --
NORMAN
-- I didn't know it would come to
this --
BARNES
-- without a cautionary word to
anyone.
(beat)
You know, Ted said something to me
earlier. I think he's right. He
said, "When you got a guy who -- if
he wasn't here -- he'd be standing
in the unemployment line, you gotta
question if you got the right guy."
ON NORMAN -- sweating.
CUT TO:
ON THE MONITOR -- a series of numbers:
00032125262632 032629 301321 04261037 18 3016 06180
82132 2903305 1822 04261013 0830162137 1604 083106
21 1822 0330313130432 00032125262632 032629 301321 0
4261037 18 3016 0618082132 2903305 1822 04261013 08
30162137 1604 08301621 1822 0330313130432 000321252
62632 032629 301321 04261037 18 3016 0618082132 290
3305 1822 04261013 0830162137 1604 083016 21 1822 03
30313130432 00032125262632 032629 301321 04261037 1
8 3016 0618082132 2903305 1822 04261013 0830162137
HARRY
It's the same as before, but the
spacing's different now. It's
definitely nonrandom. See...
Harry sitting at the monitor, shows Ted, Barnes, Norman, and Edmunds a
PRINTOUT of the screan -- indicating a pattern.
HARRY
It's a single sequence repeated over
and over.
BARNES
We're all very proud of you, Harry,
but what the hell is it?
TED
Maybe it's a message?
EDMUNDS
From what?
TED
The sphere. Maybe the sphere --
EDMUNDS
We're not hooked up to the sphere.
HARRY
Well, if it's a discharge --
TED
It's not a discharge. Right,
Edmunds? You said before, right? So
it's gotta be a message.
BARNES
From the sphere?
TED
What's inside the sphere.
HARRY
If it is a message, it's probably a
substitution code. I'll work on it.
TED
Yeah, I'll work on it, too.
BARNES
(to Ted, flat)
You do that.
INT. BATHROOM/SHOWER AREA
Ted, nervous, anxious -- with five or six printouts in his hand -- has
Norman's ear in front of the sink...
TED
He's manic, Norman. You know that?
This reliance on Harry is misplaced.
You hear me? Totally misplaced. He's
overlooking things. Obvious things.
NORMAN
Like what?
Ted hands him a printout...
TED
It's not some fucking substitution
code, it's a direct visual
representation.
NORMAN
You mean a picture?
TED
Take a look. I rearranged the
numbers. Put 'em up to the light.
(Norman does)
Go ahead. Squint at it.
NORMAN
I don't see anything.
TED
Squint harder.
NORMAN
Please, Ted.
TED
(hands him another
printout)
Try this one.
NORMAN
This is like nursery school.
TED
Don't you see it? It's a picture of
the creature.
NORMAN
The creature?
TED
Inside the sphere. Look, that's the
vertical torso, three legs, two
arms. There's no head, so I'm
guessing the creature's head is
located within the torso itself, you
know?
ON NORMAN -- Ted's lost it.
NORMAN
Well, how about we wait and see what
Harry comes up with?
TED
Sure, why not. Give him the trophy.
That pretentious son of a bitch. You
heard him, Norman. All that "someone
went to a lot of trouble, try again"
bullshit. And "impotent". Where does
he get off saying I'm impotent? He's
a fucking self-righteous, little
prick.
CUT TO:
CLOSE ON MONITOR -- spirals now.
HARRY
... I asked myself, why would the
sphere be using a code? If you're
trying to communicate, why use a
code?
TED
(to Norman)
See? No code. What'd I say?
HARRY
Codes are for hiding information. So
it's making a mistake. It's making a
code without intending to. I figured
it's probably substituting numbers
for letters... Then I began to wonder
what an alien intelligence would
make of our keyboard. And since
we're getting spirals, I imagined
the keyboard as a spiral. So I
translated it...
NORMAN
That's brilliant.
Ted grimaces at Norman.
HARRY
... spiralling out of the center, you
see: "G" is one, "B" is two, "H" is
three, and so on... when I got the
message.
BARNES
What's the message?
HARRY
I have to tell you. It's strange.
BARNES
How do you mean, strange?
Harry picks up his yellow pad of paper and reads:
HARRY
"Hello. How are you? I am fine. What
is your name? My name is Jerry."
CUT TO:
INT. HALLWAY
Barnes walks briskly down the hall, Norman with him...
BARNES
He translated it wrong. "My name is
Jerry"? It's like "See Spot run."
NORMAN
The message doesn't show a lack of
intelligence. It's smart. It's
approaching us in a simple way. Like
you would a dog. Holding out your
hand, letting it sniff, get used to
you.
BARNES
What am I -- a dog, now?
Barnes ducks his head into the Video Feed room...
BARNES
Edmunds, get in here. I need you for
this.
EDMUNDS
In a minute, sir.
BACK IN COMMUNICATIONS ROOM -
Barnes storming through the room, the others (minus Edmunds) around
the monitor.
BARNES
I want a name. A real name. This
thing's full name, rank and serial
number.
TED
Captain, I personally feel we should
ask much more substantive
questions --
BARNES
I am not gonna explain in some damn
report that one person died in a
deepsat expedition so we could meet
an alien named Jerry.
HARRY
(on the keyboard,
typing)
First, we have to see if he'll talk
at all.
ON THE MONITOR -- "0032125252632"
The monitor BLINKS, reply:
"0032125252632"
HARRY
Okay, Jerry's talking.
Harry types -- "0002921 301321 0613182108142232"
TED
What'd you say?
HARRY
"We are friends".
BARNES
Cut the friends crap, get a name.
"004212232"
HARRY
"Yes". Good. Now let's see if it'll
switch over to English letters.
"0032125252632 = Hello"
Reply:
"0032125252632 = Hello"
BARNES
It's not talking, it's mimicking.
TED
Give him a chance. He's speaking our
language, not the other way around.
HARRY
(typing)
Good idea, Ted.
TED
(confused)
Thank you.
"0032125252632 = Hello. Hello = 0032125252632"
No reply.
BARNES
What's he doing?
Reply:
"Hello = 0032125252632. 0032125252632 = Hello."
BARNES
Ignorant. The thing's ignorant.
HARRY
It's not ignorant.
TED
Maybe it's pretending to be
ignorant.
Harry types "==="
Reply:
",,,"
Harry types "=,="
Reply:
"7 & 7"
BARNES
Are you enjoying yourself, Harry,
because I don't know what the hell
you're doing.
HARRY
He understands me fine.
Harry types: "Yes"
Reply:
"0004212232"
Harry types: "Hello"
A long beat. Reply:
"I am delighted to make your acquaintance. The pleasure is entirely
mine I assure you."
They stare, stunned, at the screen.
NORMAN
Well, he's polite.
TED
Unless it's an act.
BETH
Why should it be an act?
"Are you the entity HECHO in Mexico?"
BARNES
Mexico? Where'd he get Mexico?
"Are you the entity made in the U.S.A.?"
TED
He doesn't wait for an answer.
BETH
Who says it's a he?
BARNES
Not now, Beth. Please. I want to
know who we're talking to before we
start talking. Where's Edmunds?
HARRY
She's not gonna know, sir.
TED
(to Harry)
Ask him. C'mon. Say something.
Harry types: "We are. Who are you?"
Reply:
"We are"
BARNES
Hell's that mean? "We are" what?
Harry types: "We are the entities from the U.S.A. Who are you?"
"Entities = entity?"
TED
We have to teach him plurals?
Harry: "No"
"You are a many entity?"
"No. We are many separate entities."
"I understand. Is there one control entity?"
BARNES
What?
HARRY
He's saying, "Take me to your
leader." He wants to know who's in
charge.
BARNES
I'm in charge.
"Yes. The control entity is Captain Harald Barnes"
BARNES
With an "o". Harold with an "o".
HARRY
What -- you want me to retype it?
Harry: "Who are you?"
"I am one"
"Where are you from?"
"I am here"
"Where is the location from where you began?"
TED
"From where you began?" That's not
even good English.
"I am from AWARENESS"
BARNES
What is that, a planet?
"Where is AWARENESS?"
"AWARENESS is"
"Did you make a journey?"
"Yes. Did you make a journey?"
"Yes"
"I make a journey. You make a journey. We make a journey together. I
am Happy."
BARNES
Great, okay. Ask him about his
weapons.
NORMAN
That's smart. Let's talk about guns
and violence.
BARNES
You don't think weapons are
important?
NORMAN
I think we should be careful.
Consider his emotional response.
TED
You want to put him on your couch,
Norman. Grill him about his
childhood?
NORMAN
When he uses a phrase like "I am
Happy", I think we should think
twice about what we ask him.
"Do Not Be Afraid"
The all stare at the screen, stunned.
NORMAN
Jerry, can you understand what we're
saying?
"Every word"
Norman walks up to the screen, close to it.
NORMAN
Jerry, can you read our minds?
"Yes Norman"
Barnes goes to the intercom...
BARNES
Edmunds, I want you in here. Now.
Norman focuses on the screen, staring.
ON THE SCREEN -- blank.
Norman concentrating, on the screen.
THE SCREEN -- blank.
NORMAN
Jerry, are you there?
"Yes, Norman"
BARNES
We shouldn't talk here. Shut it off.
"I do not wish to Intrude"
NORMAN
We would like to talk alone.
"I do not agree. That is not possible. I enjoy to talk with you."
NORMAN
And we enjoy talking with you.
"Let us talk now"
NORMAN
We'd like to talk with you more. We
admire your talents and your great
power and understanding.
"Thank you"
NORMAN
And in your great understanding, you
know that we are entities who must
talk in private -- with each other.
"Do Not Be Afraid"
NORMAN
We're not afraid, we are
uncomfortable.
"Am I offended you?"
NORMAN
Not at all, we enjoy you very much,
but we need to talk alone, without
you listening.
"I shall oblige"
NORMAN
Thank you.
"But I am Not Happy"
NORMAN
Jerry?...
"We'll be Right Back after a short break for these Messages from our
Sponsor"
NORMAN
Jerry? Are you still there?
SCREEN -- blank.
NORMAN
Jerry?
SCREEN -- blank.
BARNES
(into intercom)
Edmunds? Get in here. I want to know
exactly how this is being
transmitted.
HARRY
She's not gonna know.
BARNES
She wired this system.
HARRY
If the technology of that sphere is
advanced enough -- the way it
functions is gonna appear to us like
magic.
ON TED AND NORMAN -
TED
Don't gimme that psychology
bullshit, Norman. Psychology isn't a
science, it's superstition. It's a
bunch of soft, subjective theories
without any hard data to back it up.
With an intellect like this,
emotions don't mean shit.
ON HARRY AND BARNES -
HARRY
It's like showing Leonardo da Vinci
a laptop computer. He'd run
screaming "witchcraft". And you
couldn't explain it to him, either.
Modems, microchips, particle
physics.
BARNES
(into intercom)
Edmunds?
ON TED AND NORMAN -
TED
Don't make stuff up, these emotional
theories, just so you can feel
important here.
NORMAN
Frankly, Ted, I'd be much happier if
Jerry was just a cold, emotionless
intellect.
TED
Why's that?
BARNES
(into intercom)
Edmunds?
NORMAN
Because if Jerry is powerful and
also emotional...
BARNES
Damn it, Edmunds?
NORMAN
... it raises a very serious
question: What happens if Jerry
gets mad?
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
BARNES (O.S.)
Edmunds? Can you copy?
An empty chair. Edmunds is not here. WE HEAR a repeating THUMP. THUMP.
THUMP.
BARNES (O.S.)
Edmunds?
ON A MONITOR -- WE SEE her body, wedged in a light stand bracket,
floating in the water, lifeless. Her helmet THUMPING against the wall
of the habitat.
INT. UNDERWATER -- OUTSIDE THE HABITAT
Norman and Beth, in jumpsuits and helmets, walk out from under the
habitat. Still HEARING the THUMPING. They pause, looking around.
BETH
Coast is clear.
They go to the south end of the habitat. The THUMPING louder.
Norman climbs up the grid-like STANCHION, the support beam holding up
the habitat. The BODY above him -- flapping in the current. THUMPING
against the wall.
He climbs, reaching the body. A BOOT swings, catches the LOOP in his
air hose. BUBBLES shoot out.
BETH
Norman, your suit -- it's leaking.
The BOOT comes off in Norman's hand -- and the NAKED FOOT, gray flesh,
purple toenails, KICKS his faceplate. Startles him.
BETH
Norman. Look at this.
ON EDMUNDS' SUIT -- a long TEAR in the fabric, revealing red, mangled
FLESH. Droplets of BLOOD float past Norman's faceplate.
BETH
Her flesh has been macerated.
Chewed. I've never seen a bite like
this before.
Norman pulls her body out.
Edmunds' FACEPLATE whips around -- and Norman SEES her staring eyes,
mouth open in horror.
NORMAN
I can't feel her bones. She's like a
sponge.
BETH
She was crushed. Feel her skin --
it's like sandpaper.
NORMAN
What could have done this?
WE HEAR A SENSOR: PONG. PONG. PONG.
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
Barnes at the monitors, Ted with him.
PONG. PONG. PONG.
TED
What is that?
BARNES
The sensors are picking up something
outside.
TED
What?
Barnes flips a switch...
BARNES
It won't register. It's too big to
image.
TED
Too big?
EXT. UNDERWATER
WHITE EGGS, the size of golf balls descend from above. Hundreds of
them. Beth catches one, inspects it...
BETH
Norman.
NORMAN
What are they?
BETH
Eggs.
From inside their helmets...
BARNES (O.S.)
You people need to hurry back. The
sensors have activated. I don't
think you're alone out there.
INT. CORRIDOR
Ted walks with Norman and Beth...
NORMAN
What was it?
TED
Barnes didn't know. Couldn't get a
reading.
NORMAN
Has Harry spoken with Jerry?
TED
Not that I know of. Why?
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM
Norman and Ted at the console...
NORMAN
Jerry?
No reply.
NORMAN
Jerry, are you there?
No reply.
TED
You think Jerry has something to do
with what killed Edmunds? With
what's out there?
NORMAN
I'm not sure.
INT. LABRATORY
CLOSE ON AN EGG
Beth, scalpel in hand, is making an incision into the shell.
BETH
Looking at the coating here, it's
definitely marine invertebrate.
Barnes, Norman, Harry and Ted stand around the table.
BARNES
Well, until we know exactly what it
is, nobody goes outside, understood?
TED
What was Edmunds doing outside?
BARNES
Resetting the sub.
TED
What sub?
BARNES
In the dome hanger. All our tapes
are transferred to the sub. It's on
a 12 hour timer. If someone doesn't
reset the "delay" button, the sub
ascends to the surface with the
tapes.
NORMAN
What for?
BARNES
If something should happen to us,
the Navy will at least have partial
records of what happened.
NORMAN
At least our obituaries will be
accurate. That's reassuring.
ON THE EGG -- splitting open. A slimy pinkish-brown FLUID oozes out. A
FETUS underneath.
They cover their mouths from the smell.
BARNES
What is it?
Beth picks at it with forceps...
BETH
I'm not sure. I've never seen
anything like it.
BARNES
You're a fucking biochemist, aren't
you? Can't you tell us something.
Beth glares at Barnes...
INT. CLOSET AREA -- DARK
Beth, holding a piece of paper in her hand, pulls Norman inside,
pressing on him...
BETH
... He lied to us. He left us down
here.
NORMAN
C'mon, Beth. Don't make this
personal. He told me himself they
were taking us back.
BETH
Yeah, he told you. Think. What was
Barnes doing before they cut that
cable loose? He was on the phone.
Except that cable is a thousand feet
long, Norman. They would've broken
off communication with us four, five
minutes before they cleared out.
NORMAN
So what?
BETH
So who was Barnes talking to at the
last minute? Nobody.
NORMAN
You're jumping to conclusions, Beth.
Don't get worked up --
BETH
Fuck you, Norman! It's right here...
She shows him the printout in her hand, putting a flashlight on the
words, reads...
BETH
"Although advised of risks, all
personnel elect to remain down for
duration of storm to continue
investigation of alien sphere and
associated spacecraft. Signed,
Barnes, USN."
NORMAN
Where did you get this?
BETH
In Edmunds' things.
NORMAN
You went through Edmunds' things?
BETH
He's not just a Navy captain -- he
works for the fucking Pentagon.
NORMAN
Calm down, Beth. Alright?
BETH
Don't tell me to calm down!
NORMAN
It's done, alright? It's over! And
there's not a damn thing we can do
about it now, okay?
He turns to leave...
BETH
You said something to him, didn't
you?
NORMAN
What?
BETH
You told him about me?
ON NORMAN -- pausing, staring at her...
NORMAN
Beth --
BETH
You did, didn't you?
NORMAN
Don't do this.
BETH
You bastard.
NORMAN
Beth, I didn't. Hold it together.
Alright?
She looks at him, piercing into his eyes...
BETH
Yeah, okay. Sure, Norman.
NORMAN
Beth --
BETH
No, I should stay calm. Like you
say. Right, Norman? Stay calm.
Norman looks at her, concerned, knowing she doesn't believe him...
BETH
Fletcher and Edmunds are dead,
Norman. And the only one we can
trust to run this place is a fucking
liar.
CUT TO:
INT. CONTROL ROOM
ON THE OXYGEN REGULATOR -- bobbing up and down -- keeping track of the
little that's left.
CUT TO:
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
Barnes, Norman, Beth, and Ted are gathered around the monitors. Barnes
addresses Norman...
BARNES
I don't want you talking to Jerry.
NORMAN
But sir, I think it's imperative. I
think the messages, the animals
we've seen, what killed Edmunds, the
reading you got earlier -- I think
they're all related.
TED
Jerry isn't hostile, Norman. He said
earlier -- we were his friends --
NORMAN
Of course he did. He's been isloated
for 400 years. He wants someone to
talk to. Look, you put a human being
in isolation for four days, they can
become neurotic, sometimes
psychotic. We're talking about 400
years here. An alien that shows
emotional responses. I think we need
to address him, before he reacts
further.
BARNES
You think he killed Edmunds?
NORMAN
Yes, I do. Whatever's out there, I
think is his response to us refusing
to talk to him earlier.
BARNES
Bullshit. What's out there isn't
alien. It's an animal.
NORMAN
Maybe so. But I think we need to ask
Jerry about it.
BARNES
No. I think we should shut down the
communication lines inside the
habitat. He might be listening now.
BETH
I think he already is.
They turn to the monitors:
ON THE MONITOR: "DO NOT IGNORE ME"
BETH
Nice work, Captain sir.
BARNES
Shut up, Beth. I don't want to hear
it.
NORMAN
Jerry, we don't want to ignore you.
"Don't underestimate my power"
NORMAN
We don't.
"Yes you do"
NORMAN
Jerry --
THE MONITOR blinks back -- WE SEE the sphere. It is closed. Still.
WE HEAR the SENSOR: PONG. PONG. PONG.
CUT TO:
INT. LABRATORY
Harry, alone, stares at THE FETUS on the table.
CUT TO:
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
ON THE SONAR IMPULSE MONITOR -- lines jumping higher. PONG. PONG. PONG.
Barnes, Norman, Beth, and Ted watching it.
NORMAN
Jerry?
No response.
NORMAN
Jerry?
The MONITOR flashes: "I'm Not Listening" -- blinks back.
AN OUTSIDE CAMERA FEED -- infra-red -- a large IMAGE streaks by.
BARNES
Direction's east coming!
BETH
What was that?
Barnes flips a switch...
BARNES
Going active.
NORMAN
Jerry?
No response.
BETH
It looked like a tentacle. Of a
squid.
THE MONITORS -- BEEPING now.
BARNES
A squid? The size of a whale? I
don't think so.
(beat)
Target acquired. Sixty yards.
PONG. PONG. PONG.
BETH
What if it attacks?
BARNES
Fifty yards and closing.
BETH
What do we use for defense?
BARNES
We're a habitat. Not a castle. The
only defense we have is High
Voltage.
BETH
High Voltage?
BARNES
It sends 200 volts throughout the
cylinder surface. But we've never
used it underwater before.
PONG. PONG. PONG.
BARNES
Forty yards.
BETH
But you've tested it?
BARNES
Sure. Each time it started fires
inside the habitat.
PONG. PONG. PONG.
BARNES
Thirty yards.
BETH
What are you saying -- we can't stop
what's out there?
THE MONITORS blink: "I AM COMING". The monitor blinks to BLANK.
BARNES
What the hell?
(bangs on the monitors)
It shut us down.
NORMAN
Jerry? Please. Stop this.
BARNES
Ted, go into the control room.
Listen for my instructions.
Ted goes out the door.
ALL THE MONITORS -- blank.
BETH
Where is it?
BARNES
Why can't I -- ? What the hell is
going on here?
They HEAR a metallic CLANKING.
BETH
What was that?
BARNES
He's right beneath us.
THE MONITORS blink: "I AM HERE".
CUT TO:
INT. LABRATORY
Harry looking at the FETUS on the table. It suddenly SLIDES down the
table.
The room is rocked.
ON SHELVES -- Jars, petry dishes, test tubes SLIDE off shattering to
the floor.
INT. CORRIDOR
BANG!
TED is thrown ruthlessly against the wall. His HEAD striking metal,
splitting open his forehead.
THE WALLS -- CRACKING and GROANING.
WATER breaks through a crack, spreading out onto the floor.
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
Barnes...
BARNES
Ted? Ted?
INT. CONTROL ROOM
Ted, stumbles, reaches for the headset...
TED
Sir, we're leaking!
Blood dripping from his forehead.
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
BARNES
Increase positive pressure!
BETH
That's our reserve air.
BARNES
It's either that or we grow gills.
BANG! They grip onto the console...
INT. CONTROL ROOM
Ted, drousy, BLOOD gushing from his head, keeping balance, searches
for the PRESSURE GAGE.
BARNES (O.S.)
Ted? Ted, are you with me?
Finds the GAGE. Turns it.
TED
Increasing positive pressure.
EXT. HABITAT -- UNDERWATER
AIR BUBBLES burst out of the walls.
INT. CORRIDOR
ON THE FLOOR -- the WATER scurrying back through the leaks in the wall.
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
Barnes, watching the monitors.
BARNES
That's enough Ted.
(beat)
Shut it off!
INT. CONTROL RROM
THE PRESSURE GAGE -- the needle RISING...
ON THE HEADSET -- in the air, dangling from it's cord.
BARNES (O.S.)
Ted? Ted!
ON TED -- passed out on the floor. Blood covering his face.
INT. VIDEO FEED ROOM
Beth and Norman BOLT out the door
INTO THE HALLWAY
Running. BANG! They're thrown against the wall.
INT. CONTROL ROOM
THE PRESSUR