Hindman shakes his head empatically.
HINDMAN
A first stepping stone, that’s all. But if
it is the template, then the impossible might,
just might, become possible.
Where's the research ship now?
HINDMAN
As we speak, stationed off Norfolk
OMURA
standing here.
Omura, followed by Messina
HINDMAN
Gentlemen, there is one other thing.
(a beat)
The craft still has power.
Omura and Messina
Hindman hurrying close behind.
EXT. HELIPAD AT THE PENTAGON - NIGHT
An S-10 BLACKHAWK helicopter takes to the air.
INT. THE HELICOPTER - SAME
himself onto the bench beside him. Further along, a less
than happy Hindman fumbles nervously with his safety harnesses. The two black suited agents are also on board and, as the chopper levels off, one opens an attache case on his lap and removes a large manila envelope. He unbuckles his safety belts and, supporting himself along the fuselage, wobbles a couple of steps forward. Raising his voice over the MUFFLED ROAR of the rotors and the INDECIPHERABLE CHATTER(O.S.)from the chopper's PILOTS he hands the envelope to Omura.
AGENT
The material you requested, Sir.Pg. 10
OMURA
Thank you.
He rips the envelope open and removes a RED/WHITE STRIPED classified C.I.A. FILE FOLDER, holds it for a second, then hands it to Messina
OMURA
You'll find this interesting reading.
You just know Dutch’s story, but there was
a sequel.
INSERT: CU ON COVER LABEL
O.W.L.F. LOS ANGELES ENCOUNTER. SUMMER 1997.
Compiled from testimony by Lt. Michael Harrigan, L.A.P.D.
BACK TO SCENE
Omura starts as if hit by a sudden realization.
OMURA
(calls out)
Albert. I should have called Carol.
Hindman, still fumbling, reassures Omura.
HINDMAN
(calling back)
Not to worry, my boy. A very reliable
messenger has already contacted your
lovely wife personally. Does the name
LIEUTENANT JANICE FANFARSKI ring any bells?
OMURA
(smiling)
Thank you, Albert.
HINDMAN
Quite. Carol will be OK with Janice.
And Madeleine always likes to see her
Godmother. Besides...
He finally snaps his harness into position.
HINDMAN
Ah, there it is.
(looks up)
Pg. 11
Besides, you know you couldn't have made
a conventional call. We are all now very
squarely under the umbrella of 'national security'.
Omura nods. Messina
You've never mentioned any of this. This
is incredible.
OMURA
The local authorities sealed it up tight.
Smart move.
A BEAT. Another. Messina
OMURA
I met Harrigan once. Good man. Funny,
he retired, too. Just like Dutch.
(ironic laugh)
The shrinks said they should meet, talk,
share their experiences, share the pain.
They said it would help.
his head back against the cold steel.
OMURA
No. It didn't.
EXT. THE HELICOPTER - NIGHT
Lights blinking, the chopper banks over the sleeping city below and heads for the coast.
EXT. ON THE OCEAN. THE U.S.S. ENIGMA - DAWN. ESTABLISH
EXT. DECK OF U.S.S. ENIGMA - SAME
Close to the helipad CAPTAIN MILLER J. WICKES JR. and his EXECUTIVE OFFICER, LIEUTENANT TODD HUTTON, watch the chopper's approach. The Captain is thirty-five-ish, fresh-faced, with a thin, whiplash strength about him. The
Lieutenant is older, stockier, ruddy complexion. With the
two navy men is PROFESSOR LACHLAN MacTAVISH, a short, twenty-something Scot with wild red hair. He is dressed in an ARMANI suit and is as twitchingly excited as the Captain
Pg. 12
and Exec. are professionally stoic. He is nervously kneeding a bound white document.
MacTAVISH
(Scottish burr)
Mitch Omura. Coming here. I canny
believe I'm gonna meet Mitch Omura.
WICKES
I'd ask you to show some decorum, Mr.
MacTavish. Captain Omura is an
important dignitary coming aboard my
ship.
MacTAVISH
(incredulous)
Good God, man. Omura was the right hand
to Dutch Schaefer. Dutch Schaefer. The
guy who fought and killed an alien?
Omura knows. . .everything.
He waves the document up at the two Navy men.
MacTAVISH
Did you guys even read this?
Hutton delivers a killer glare towards MacTavish.
MacTAVISH
And by the by, that's Professor MacTavish.
Guided by TWO DECK CREW the helicopter touches down smoothly. Ducking under the slowing rotors the crewmen open the chopper's doors and help the passengers disembark. All five bend low and scuttle away from the whipping turbulence of the slowing blades overhead. Messina
WICKES
Captain Omura. Welcome aboard the Enigma,
Sir. I'm Captain Miller J. Wickes Jr.
Grasping Omura's hand, Wickes indicates Hutton.
WICKES
This is my Executive Officer, Lieutenant
Todd Hutton.
Hutton salutes. Omura replies and shakes Hutton’s hand.
Pg. 13
OMURA
Thank you, Captain.
(indicates Messina
My aide, Lieutenant Robert Messina.
OMURA
And you know Dr. Hindman.
WICKES
Of course. Welcome back, Doctor.
HINDMAN
A pleasure, Captain.
WICKES
And now, Captain. I'm sure you'd like
to meet with Admiral Luck.
OMURA
Yes. Thank you, Captain.
As Wickes shows the way, MacTavish loudly clears his throat.
WICKES
(reluctant)
Ah, yes. Gentlemen, this is Mr...
MacTAVISH
Professor.
WICKES
(a beat)
Professor Lachlan MacTavish. He's here
to help us sort out the alien computers...
if that's what they are.
And how does one go about that?
MacTavish is gazing up at Omura with something bordering on hero worship.
MacTAVISH
(To Messina
Oh, trial and error, Lieutenant. Try this,
try that. You know, heuristic analysis.
(to Omura)
You're Mitch Omura.
Pg. 14
A BEAT. Omura nods.
MacTAVISH
Your boss fought an alien. How cool is
that?
Omura throws him a withering glance. MacTavish is affected not one bit.
OMURA
Captain. Admiral Luck?
WICKES
Of course.
Wickes moves off again towards a doorway, Omura hobbling by his side. Messina
(to Hutton, indicates
MacTavish)
Who is that guy?
HUTTON
From his bio. he's the best at what he
does. He’s the guru of Silicon Glen in
at Strathclyde University
guy who ran a simulation for the tech.
elite of the EU two months ago, showing
them how easy it would be to shut down every
OC-48 Connection on the planet. There’s
only about twenty of them total. They’re
the hubs of the internet.
(looks blank)
And that's tough?
HUTTON
Tough? It's supposed to be impossible.
This guy could screw E-commerce worldwide
any time he wants. He makes that Mafia
Boy from a few years back look like a
petty thief.
So he's a geek with the computer team.
Pg. 15
HUTTON
With it? He's in charge.
Well if he pulls another stunt like he
just did, I may have to kill him.
HUTTON
(smiles thinnly)
Oh, please.
INT. THE MAIN HOLD - MINUTES LATER
WIDE ANGLE
Omura and the others ENTER onto a gantry overlooking the
scene. There is a DRONING HUBBUB of verbal discord from all quarters: gleaned facts clashing with assumption, theory, and conjecture.
A surprisingly large expanse, the MAIN HOLD has been hastily, but expertly, retrofitted for the task at hand. Compartmentalized about the perimeter, booths, stalls, and bays of varying sizes and configurations accommodate the various technical and scientific teams assembled to study the extraterrestrial phenomenon that has fallen into their grasp. Bodies scurry here and there with energy.
In the centre of the hold, partially obscured by a fine lattice of securing scaffolding, is the CRAFT itself. Larger than Omura had expected, the ship is a hulking,
snubbed missile of a thing. A dull grey with haphazard, irregular folds of a plated steel-like substance along its length which grow more pronounced towards the front.
There are recognizable rockets or boosters at the rear, and, at crazy angles from various points on the outer hull,
mysterious long barbs of unknown function jut viciously.
CLOSER ON GANTRY
To one side ADM. STANLEY R. LUCK is conferring with several AIDES. He is a tall, stooping, weather-beaten figure, close to retirement age. His face is blessed with wise, twinkling eyes: it is an 'honest' face. He looks up, notices the newcomers, dismisses his aides.
WICKES
(saluting)
Sir. Captain Michael Omura and Lieutenant
Pg. 16
Robert Messina.
Omura and Messina
LUCK
No need for ceremony, Gentlemen, unless
it's absolutely necessary. I can tell
you, my priorities just suddenly seemed
to change as soon as I laid eyes on the
'BULLDOG' down there.
(indicates the craft)
OMURA
'Bulldog', Sir?
LUCK
Well, the damn thing looks like a sour-
pussed old hound, don't you think? And I
can get a grip on a handle like 'Bulldog'
better than the official designation of
'Solar Storm Artifact'. We all prefer
'Bulldog'. Isn't that right, Professor MacTavish?
MacTAVISH
Indeed it is, Admiral. Very true.
LUCK
(to all)
What did he say?
Everyone, save MacTavish, laughs.
LUCK
(over Omura's shoulder)
Gentlemen, if you'll excuse us.
(to Omura)
Let's talk, Captain.
As Omura and Luck begin to move to the far end of the gantry we SEE the others of the group disperse. Only Messina
ON OMURA AND LUCK
LUCK
I've acquainted myself with Major Scheafer’s
Pg. 17
file, Captain, and I've also had quite the
eye-opening talk with your Dr. Hindman, so
I’m aware of your situation, also. He's a
good man, Hindman. I like him.
Omura
Yes, Sir. He has become my friend.
LUCK
(nodding)
I'll be honest with you, Captain, when
I tell you that this whole business
is a bit much for an old sea dog like
myself to swallow.
OMURA
I can understand that, Sir.
They are approaching steps which will take them down to the floor of the hold.
LUCK
So let the rest search for new weapons
and new technologies.
He pauses and places a hand on Omura's shoulder.
LUCK
I'm rooting for the medical team. Let's
get you back on two good legs again, and
let’s find a cure for your adopted
daughter, young. . .um. . .
OMURA
Madeleine, Sir.
LUCK
Madeleine. That’s it. Let’s get her back
on her feet. Make that your mission,
Captain.
OMURA
Thank you very much, Sir. I appreciate
that.
LUCK
(slaps Omura's shoulder)
Come on down. We'll meet some of the
PROJECT HEADS.
Pg. 18
ANOTHER ANGLE
We SEE Omura and Luck, followed by Messina
ON THE FLOOR
Luck leads the way, greeting those he passes with affable comments and friendly nods, returns a mock salute or two. Those who notice give Omura more than a passing glance. His passage leaves a hushed murmur in its wake.
LUCK
They know who you are, Captain. And some-
thing of your connection to this story.
OMURA
So it would seem.
Omura continues to follow Luck through the varied personnel,
each busied with his or her own specific function. As he walks he finds himself glancing more and more at the 'Bulldog'. He notices that there are at least half a dozen C.I.A. AGENTS hovering in its immediate vicinity.
OMURA'S POV
The agents, in matching black jump suits, and packing shoulder handguns, sport spindly microphone head sets. They pace about menacingly, observing the movements of anyone and everyone.
RESUME SCENE
LUCK
Captain.
Omura looks to see Luck standing with a NEWCOMER: a tall,
sickly scarecrow of a man in his early fifties who, paradoxically, sports the beaming smile of the eternally optimistic. His short but unkempt sandy hair has been gelled in vain, and his heavy, black-rimmed spectacles seem way too large for his face. A BEAT. Omura frowns; he recognizes this man.
OMURA
TOM FURLONG. JPL. You spoke on advanced
solar electric propulsion at the Tech.
Validation Symposium in Ohio
Pg. 19
We met for about ten seconds. Exciting
stuff you were proposing.
The two men shake hands; Furlong's smile widens.
FURLONG
Ha! We’re ionizing gases. I think this
baby travels piggyback on light waves.
(nods to the 'Bulldog')
OMURA
On light? You’re sure?
FURLONG
Of course not. That’s just a guess.
But we’re pretty sure that it goes really,
really fast.
(another beaming smile)
Omura glances at Messina
FURLONG
In fact there's an unofficial race going
on between the teams here. The first
one to come up with anything concrete
will be the winner. Personally, my
money's on the linguist, HELENA... oh,
there she is now.
He waves, OFF CAMERA, and as the others turn we SEE
FURLONG'S POV
FURLONG
(O.S. calling)
DR. LANSING. Dr. Lansing.
Hearing her name, DR. Helena Lansing stops and turns. Possibly early forties she is attractive, still slim, and her shoulder length auburn hair shows no grey. Carrying a coffee and a clipboard she heads over and reaches the group as we...
RESUME SCENE
LUCK
Captain Omura, Lieutenant Messina, allow me
to introduce Dr. Helena Lansing, Professor
of Egyptology at the Humboldt Institute in
Pg. 20
work on the...um...
(hesitates, eyes Lansing
Meriotic language of ancient Nubia
Very good. Most people pronounce it
Mer-o-tic.
LUCK
She is the best, Gentlemen, the very
best. We are fortunate to have her
talents with us.
Oh, please, Stanley
me.
Another glance passes between Omura and Messina
(to Omura and Messina
Pleased to meet you Captain, Lieutenant.
Then straight to business.
I just delivered an update to Mr.
Schollander, Stanley. You'll find the
same report on your desk.
(to Furlong)
And you might be about to collect on
your wager, Tom.
FURLONG
(excited)
You've cracked it?
I may have something.
OMURA
How did you manage it, Doctor?
Well, their linguistic symbols, some-
thing of a cross between druidic runes
and Phoenician script, still adhere to
many of the classic patterns of other
Pg. 21
languages. You'll find a sentence or
a phrase or a single word which is
repeated often. This can become your
foundation, a first stepping stone from
which to begin.
And you found a 'stepping stone'?
(nods)
And often, too, you will discover that it
is a name, a term, or a title which refers
to the people in question. What they call themselves.
OMURA
So who are we dealing with?
Well in this case, Captain, I had the added
help of army and civilian law enforcement files, not to mention the trophies which have been
found on board the ship, some of which had identifying marks actually inscribed upon them. With those additional pointers I'm pretty sure
I'm correct in my translation. I think
they call themselves THE GREAT PREDATORS.
A BEAT.
OMURA
Well that would definitely fit.
FURLONG
And it's good enough for me.
(to Omura)
Good to see you again, Captain. We'll
talk again. Right now I have to collect
some cash.
He hurries away.
OMURA
Admiral. I'd like to see the ship now.
LUCK
Of course.
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