"ARMAGEDDON" (1998)

Current Revisions by

VOICE Sixty-five million years ago, dinosaurs walked the face of a lush and fertile planet ...

2 A GIGANTIC ASTEROID streaks past camera, burning into the atmosphere. 2

VOICE (cont'd) ... a complex, highly-evolved ecosystem thrived .... A piece of rock, only six miles wide, hurtling through space, altered the course of natural history forever ...

4 EARTH, seen from space, rocked by an IMMENSE SHOC1'WAVE.-:-:- and now - the 4 blue is slowly lathered in this awful black death):cloud·.:,oMITTED (3)

;"?t VOICE (cont'd) .....·· •· .... Impact equal to ten thousand nuclea.:tf' ···· .. . weapons detonating simultaneously. -;r,A o· trillion tons of dirt and rock hurled,<ihto the atmosphere. A blanket of dust th~.. ,sun was powerless to penetrate for a thotfs'ima· '>: . years. It happened before. It wilU. happen' again. It's just a question ... of -wh,~n:Y ·,,;·;·.:,':·'·

6 And OVER this we hear: A BLUR OF STATIC AND SQUAWKING RADIO 6 CHATTER -- EARTH, reflected off the face of ASTRONAUT PETE SHELBY'S helmet. He is spacewalking; tethered to SHUTTLE ATLANTIS. He is trying, without success, to repair a satellite.

Equipment. Busy. Crowded. Tense. DAN TRUMAN is the boss here. NASA's second-in-command -- he would've been an astronaut himself, but his LEG BRACE speaks of a disappointment he's had to accept long ago. He's standing over the shoulders of FLIGHT DIRECTOR CLARK. Watching the console. And the video.

Truman taps Clark. Clark moves to another seat as.Truman sits down .

.._,, .. TRUMAN \t:,,. Pete, this is Truman -- we've got an>;.:~ye on your meds here -- let's try and relax a,,. little -- we've got plenty of time ):ruddy<:', ,••:, ...

SHELBY still struggling with delicate instruments. TRUMAN TENSE.

The instrument· ever so SLOWLY moves into_ position~:· · .·

-- I'm looking good here -- it's go.;;.'.,;,•

SHELBY'S HELMET GETS ROCKED -- the glass spiderwebs -- EARTH'S REFLECTION shatters -- blood boiling -- Shelby's SHOULDER CAM spins.

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THE SPACE SHUTTLE suddenly shredded by thousands of tiny, speeding, 9-11 meteoric pebbles -- SHRAPNEL tearing ~hrough everything -- NASA logo is ·destroyed -- THE SHUTTLE'S SKIN peeling down to the ribs -- KANTWELL COCKPIT FILLS WITH A FIREBALL. Finally, there's a HUGE INTERNAL SHUTTLE EXPLOSION.

MONITORS go dead. A horrible moment of silence ...

NASA TECH #1 We're down.

NASA TECH #2 Massive failure. We lost ....

And then -- action -- controlled panic. Hands flying over keyboards. CAMERA CLOSES ON~- Truman standing there, stunned. Utter disbelief.

A dark room filled with equipment ... full BATTLE STAFF run to their consoles. Tiny yellow BLIPS appear on large TV Screens.

OPERATOR #1 (following yellow BLIPS) <i Sector five-niner is reporting three, -- --11-ow five -- eight -- I repeat eight unidentified tracks --

OPERATOR #2 Watchdog, I have four, now nine eleven unknown tracks --

From above, a haggard looking SECTOR _DIRECTOR yelJt':'clci~':\t

<\c ,'; }< SECTOR DIRECTOR '-{i\~tt,f:,,j,:;·: Scralllble the Eagles ....

Two dozen PILOTS and CREW from the 102nd Fighter Interceptor Wing scramble onto the dark, frozen tarmac to their wait,;i.,rJ.g F;,_15 EAGLE' s

\?f))'~fJ-::··. ;·\.·-::-:/~(-·~-2

SEVERAL AIDES rush around the room. Mega-high tech ..,~qμ::Lpment comes alive. A young AIDE holding three phones, is tal~,ing· ori':\a secure line:

/!'❖ ,,'',h

AIDE #1 -~::x {rushing in) Sir, I have some General from theRussian Air Defense Forces on the phone. He wants to know what we're doing ....

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The room is packed. Truman pacing through, rushing out assignments.

DOTTIE is in her eighties. She's wearing a nightgown and slippers. She's got a flashlight and she's walking with as much angry determination as her little body can muster. She walks out of her trailer towards a huge 1920's OBSERVATORY. She starts yellin'--

DOTTIE * Goddamn it, Karl, this time I'm not * kidding! *

A HUGE TELESCOPE. KARL, 80, a cranky, scrawny baCkyard astronomer with his eye to the sky. She throws open the door and --

DOTTIE .· .... * If you don't start spending a litt~fa;-,less .. -. * time in here and a little more time""in the * trailer with me, I want a divorce. *

KARL * I thought we already were divorced. *

DOTTIE c,,,,,y,:.:·-:,/.X.;a:.,<•"••<* I am .ili.k of you taking me for grant¢d''ahd'.i·- *

KARL * Will you shut-up?! This is the big:• or,ier··•>::,;> * I'm in the books with this ! Go get my · +,, * phonebook I gotta call that guy·/f+,om_ * NASA! ,:-;: *

DOTTIE :, * Friggin' books ... you should be calling a * lawyer is who you should be calling·~··•.·.· •,. *

FOUR CARS -- military motorcade -- racing around a corner

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U.S.A.F. LT. GENERAL KIMSEY. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His deputy, GENERAL BOFFER, beside him in the back seat.

Establishing. The sun rises over the Brooklyn Bridge.

A small MESSENGER cruising on his bike singing like a rock star. In the front basket is his FRENCH BULLDOG lovin' life. N'.~~ York city pumps.

The MESSENGER now walking his Bulldog pulling at t4~:<•l,'4I1t;i.ts of his retractable leash. Bulldog's POV as the dog atta,¢ks ·1:ner:big city. PEOPLE reading the tabloids. SHUTTLE MISSING! ~ISASTER'.:IN ORBIT!

"X/(~:-s::-;:0;.-\/., .)~;;•·.

25 A BIG ELECTRONICS STORE just up ahead. PASSERSBY's b.ay:~ stopped to 25 stare through the window, where DOZENS of TELEVIS:£00S't.:.a:re .Playing an ABC NEWS SPECIAL REPORT on the missing Shuttletand ,.._ "\\

LITTLE GUY What's up? ....

Little Guy jerks the Bulldog ... the Bulldog can wait rib lotiger. He lifts his leg against A VERY LARGE BOOT attached tP<•·ac:+AvfroGE SAMOAN GUY. He feels something and looks down. The Samoan 'Guy''"kicks the dog, and it starts growling. J,C:>:"\~/\: >

--~ =' LITTLE GUY *~t ,,._._,·:<L· ;,.;, AI 7: ~ '..( '='<: I~ _Hey! Hey man, you kicked my dog!

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Suddenly, the T.V. SCREENS START FRITZING OUT a huge SONIC BOOM C ROARS OVERHEAD -- The huge Samoan looks up, as -- A ROCK, the size of a basketball, WIPES HIM OFF THE SCREEN

-- EXPLODING into the pavement -- CONCRETE and SPARKS and GLASS FROM THE WINDOW. The TELEVISIONS ARE BLOWN IN THE AIR -- all of it -- SHATTERING AT ONCE and PEOPLE SCREAMING and HORNS HONKING and then --

It's over. The hissing of steam. Little Guy inside the store. In his hand, the leash -- the other end disappearing down into --

Ten-feet wide. Forty-feet deep. Way down there, embedded in the substreet infrastructure, A SIZZLING, STILL-SMOKING, RED-HOT METEORITE. And hanging there, suspended by the leash, the Bulldog.

Traffic is ground to a halt. CAMERA MOVES into a cab. STU, the Cabbie, with an ASIAN TOURIST, cranes his neck out the window.

C STU THE CABBIE

Could be a couple of things : Shootir;i.•', c , stabbin' , dead guy. It's Friday, payday most probably a jumper . tilj\{/':•·• ,.

28 Suddenly -- a projectile the size of a dump truck SC~S through 28 the sky and blasts through THREE HUGE BUILDINGS. •)-More"•p:i;ojectiles explode in the intersection. Cars get thrown ev~;cywhere :;:

'iftt~\--{·:;:-_·::::-Ji'

29 Five cars lifted from the explosion scream down thef·street flying 29 inches over the head of the Little guy and his dog.

30 THE ENTIRE TOP FIVE STORIES OF A BUILDING topple and hit the street 30 below. Bricks, mortar and gargoyles everywhere. .::•,

-~ ·• ,: .. ·. ,• .

Grief and frenzied activity. Dozens of people ruful;ing<,riumbers.Truman is at the center -- being handed documents, shown rnqilitors --

NASA TECH #1 Space Command's screens are clear. *

NASA TECH #2 Right here. They're clearing too.

-------- - -- ----------- - --- ---··- - -·

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NASA TECH #2 That could take over a week to--

NASA TECH #2 General Kimsey on line four.

32A-BINT. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL ROOM/INTERCUT WITij DAN TRUMAN 32A-B

Crowded now. Joint Chiefs. Cabinet officer. Empty chair for the President. NETWORK NEWS on TVs. GENERAL KIMSEY on the phone, frantic:

TRUMAN * It's a meteor shower in the northern,c:'::~ <-'<'."". * hemisphere. That's what took out the * shuttle. "" * ·\(. -~~\./~:... _ :--: KIMSEY * I've got the President on Air Force ..:OnJ":; * demanding answers -- is it over? -> * ~V/.):wt>.J TRUMAN * The sooner I get off the phone the sooner * I '.11 know, we' 11 call you back-.- *

Truman hangs up the phone -- back to the insanity

til;_ ·.:\

Hallways alive with action. We're following one ri~rdy,.guy named DR. RONALD QUINCY, carrying stacks of paper and hustli~~-a~ong when

-=<t~i:. NASA TECH # l .-?1· {from a doorway) "i'if>>--

this old guy on the phone here from Sedo'na. Says he met you at some comet seminar?

BANKS OF COMPUTERS and COMMUNICATION GEAR. NASA PEOPLE manning battle stations. Tense, anticipatory silence. Nobody moving or talking.

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NASA TECH #1 (second phone) The FBI locked his location.

Truman passing off the numbers and THE ROOM EXPLODES with quiet frenzy -- NUMBERS are frantically plugged into the computer ..

The RULERS move to the MAPS of the asteroid belt/ lines are dra'Wil.

Loads of NAVAL MEMORABILIA. Dottie stands there:~J'.tthifigi:.

Karl hangs up and flashes her this very smug smile/?· She;·s burning.

PHONE HANGS UP. Computers PRINT. OUT, PHONE LINK t'bcaa $ .}!'.JI . - -

Home of the HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE. Two S.T.I. TECHNICIANS man the * Hubble's control console. *

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The HUBBLE SPACE TELESCOPE screams by camera orbiting the earth. The Telescope tilts, repositioning its view. Lights flash.

IMAGES from the Hubble arrive on a high-resolution printer. S.T.I. Technician 1 grabs four PHOTOS from the printer. Technician swipes stuff off the console, making room. Together they arrange the four photos. They· stare silently at the awesome COMPOSITE PHOTO.

40-41EXT. OUTER SPACE - CONTINUOUS 40-41

CAMERA PUSHES THROUGH A CLOUD OF ROCKY, ICY DEBRIS, penetrating the cloud until the HUGE ASTEROID CORE comes into clear view -- a mass .:Jf dirt and ice -- rough, craggy, menacing. A PROJECTION SCREEN - FULL FRAME. And there's that jagge~, fuzzy, ugly THINGOagain. And we hear:

NASA VOICE ,, This is the anomaly at sixteen-forty-- three ...

KA-CHUNK -- slide changes-- the THING gets bigg4· -- .•...•.

~"ft:::-:!~<>-:+~·: NASA VOICE (cont'd) ... ··""· Here is theanomaly at sixteen-fift;y;,,,/:; · ;> ·-,.1' . eight ... ,;;_;_

PULL BACK TO REVEAL -- FIFTY PEOPLE AT LEAST. Cr~ed ib'. Hand- lettered signs, hastily written -- propped up around this long table: ENGINEERING -- PROPULSION -- COMMUNICATIONS -- PUBLIC:,,AEFAIRS -- DATA RETRIEVAL -- Open phone lines to N. S. C. -- The C~Jti,~· £·~· '"the feeling that everybody who is in on this is on the line right now.

And here is t~!S!n~~~l~ at sevente~h··u hundred. . . ';;;,".?<

KA-CHUNK -- the THING gets bigger.

General Kimsey watching THE SECRETARY OF DEFENSE as we hear THE PRESIDENT in the BG transmitted from Air Force One --

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43A-BINT. MISSION CONTROL - CONFERENCE ROOM -- SAME TIME 43A-B

PRESIDENT {V. 0. ) I'm staring at a laptop -- how big are we talking about?

Truman looks down the table. THREE PEOPLE sitting behind one of those signs that reads: PROPORTIONAL ANALYSIS.

Truman waving his. hands to make it simple.

TRUMAN· I'm sure you' re aware, Sir, after .. congressional budget cuts, that $700,00n only lets us track 3 percent of the'sky--

TRUMAN ···· ·· ··· Total. Sir. This is what we call a J3lobal Killer. The end of mankind. Doesn't matter where it hits, nothing would:: survive, not even bacteria.

----·--------·----

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Suddenly the door ope~s across the room a MATH GUY stands there, holding a printout. One look and you know it's bad. A sudden, total, awful silence.

A GOLF BALL and TEE pushed into GRASS -- HARRY S. STAMPER, CLUB in * hand, lines up the shot -- eyes on the ball, then on his target, * squinting, concentrating -- intense. He swings -- THWACK! Smiles. *

46A-BWe FOLLOW THE BALL, which sails through the air -- and just as we 46A-B expect it to hit grass, it hits a GREENPEACE BOAT~- just missing * one of the half dozen PROTESTERS on the deck, just waking up. * They start YELLING at Harry, who waves back at them: *

HARRY * RISE AND SHINE! *

The Protesters keep yelling as Harry sets up another ball. Behind him,* CHARLES "CHICK" CHAPPLE arrives, holding a clipboard. 40's, rugged -- * been through the worst with Harry, but he's standing here. That says * it all. *

·CHICK < ·..·· .... · * That boat's a hundred yards too close. * I'll call my friend at the Singapore Navy. * This bastard's so mean his mother hates * him. * ;\r.

Harry swings WHACK! The ball hi ts the Greenpe;aqe Jiu.11.·The * Protesters yell more. Harry yells back: *

HARRY {cont Id) 1? . * YOU GUYS ARE RIGHT! DRILLING IS BAD! -~-•·· * MODEL SOLAR-POWERED BOAT IS THAT?! .;_"" *

CHICK * (hands him clipboard) 'tr,)~Jt'i'}\:' · * Seriously, Harry, lemme call my friend. At * the very least it'll be entertaining. * ,_:ft\~::-:,::. HARRY ;f: *

Nah, Gre~~;!~~~g li:~~r;lales, I lik~:,: ' * whales. I just don't like when they park * on my driving range-- why was there;}:' · ·· * drilling on 'Iwo? ·t/-, *

CHICK * Yeah, I thought you might find that * fascinating. Chewed 180 feet last night. *

HARRY * I shut it down. Who the hell ordered 'Iwo * to drill?! *

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Harry's face goes flush jaw clenched -- he grabs the golf club. SWINGS -- The Golf Club as it's hurled into the sea--

Harry tearing through the rig. Way pissed off. HARRY'S GOLF SHOES CLATTERING and --

A COUPLE ROUGHNECKS cut pipe -- looking up, smili.ng

ROUGHNECK #1 What'd he do this time, Har?

Funky and cramped. Samples all over. ROCKHOUNDiis wearing boxers, sneakers, and a miner's helmet. He's holding a big.f:i,91:l in his gloved hand. Harry comes rushing through-- / · <·:;

¼:,'.=

Hey, Har! Ch:~~~~~ out, man! Fciftjr:,. three pounds of lean, mean, aquatic# . machine! Life in the Goddamn food '1ol;la;in !

Truman studies the Math Guy's report. All eyes i{.1./.theL,room on him. The grim reality is setting in ... he looks aroun9'the room .

.. ..;l= TRUMAN · All right, this is what we're going to do I want every strategy we got for Near * Object Collision -- every strategy, every idea, every program, every sketch on every napkin and pizza box -- whatever we got for Near Object Collision Contingency. For 30 years they've questioned the need for NASA. Today we give them the answer. Let's go.

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And the room erupts in activity --

·INT. OIL RIG - CRANE CROW'S NEST MOMENTS LATER 53

THE DOOR bursts open. Dust falls. Harry fills the frame. A small, dark'" room. A bed in the darkest corner Harry kicks it.

A.J.'s up in bed looking, damn "hand in the cookie jar" nervous. He's physically awkward here -- as if moving at all might break something ... or reveal something ...

C

ass in the fire, if you don't hit at. 1.9,, 0.00 feet, do whatever the hell you plea~e>' You don't fillfil:.: disobey my orders! · *

I-won't, you~~~ I won't. Who sc:r~wed up? Me. I blew it. I. suck. Damnit Harry~>:.'·-· everything you're thinking, you're right. I'm sorry. I'll meet you at ops in five minutes. 'Kay?

Harry looks at A.J. squarely. A.J. gets it. Harry turns to leave. *

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And then he HEARS a FEMALE SNEEZE. Harry stops. A.J. winces. Harry turns around, under the bed sheet -- lying there, in her slinky pajamas, is GRACE -- precious, beautiful and 23.

We' re TIGHT ON Harry's face -- wracked with rage ;_~·red, insane -- he * moves for A.J·. who BOLTS OUTTA THE ROOM through the other door -- we * CUT TO A.J. sliding down a 70-foot cable -- *

Harry RIPS a SHOTGUN from its mount. SHELLS fall everywhere

A.J., in his boxers, sprints from Harry, who wields the shotgun *

A.J. , > '.. HARRY! HARRY?! Under the circumstances being irrational is totally understanda--

BOOM!!! Harry FIRES into the sky -- Christ it's ~buD>'::".:.:.·11.J. JUMPS, picking up speed, terrified

HARRY 'i!~,,.,,p;\, .. ""';::'/' You're still the same dumb-ass punk, Just" * twice as old!

As A.J. scrambles up the DERRICK

Harry turns Grace runs up behind them, a sheet wrapped around her.

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Harry's going after A.J. again -- A.J.'s climbing hard -- glancing back at his pursuer --

BOOM! Harry cocks and aims -- but is blocked by JAYOTIS "BEAR" KURLEENBEAR, huge, one of Harry's veterans, des~erate for a shower and shave.

Harry pushes past Bear continues after A. J. climbiI1g< :fOJ;<his life.

HARRY ,.,/ You think I raised her-- sent her tP ·college?! You think I took care o:EJ:e:h~r> all these years so she could end up witfr<,Vi-:·' someone like Y..§.? A guy like~?!

Harry FIRES again -- hits the PUMP JACKS - Harry continues until Chick intercepts him

CHICK

on your crew get yourass on deck -- we got fumes --

Harry now pushes past Chick -- going after A.J. with all he's got --

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BOOM\ -- A.J. climbing too fast -- loses his footing -- slipping falling -- grabs for THE CABLE -- just snagging it and --

A.J. on the cable, pulling himself to safety. Harry aiming at him. He knows he won't really shoot the kid ... or does he? AN AIR HORN BLASTS--

56 A HUGE LUXURY YACHT on the horizon. 56

CAMERA MOVES along a PRESENTATION TABLE drawings, books, reports, sketches, scale models,-- over a DOZEN NASA TECHS~- and here's Truman, addressing his troops:

NASA PLANNER #1 (really nervous) Uh, we, uh-- back in 1974, the idea,, the. possibility that an asteroid-- you,:\(:Oufd'' · . say, meteor, though technically a r#,eteoJ:: is· just a - - "-1'ht1;s';t,:> , ... .. :: :;!,:::·-. ..,. TRUMAN ,J'/,a:+;'°,<f, ... I need someone who's had less caf f Ji~e 'fhf~{ morning. Grunberg, translate. it ___ ,. ,;;e ·•y;-;:;_0;.'?:.' :.-·: , NASA PLANNER # 2 Our first feasibility plan was to 'l;f~.i..~,;:--~"··:;;k,.>;• spread-focus laser generator to heatithe ... object to the point of fracture-- ;/

TRUMAN ,:;,} ;, , . ,., ,, > That's shooting a BB gun at a freight ? ,;, train. Alexander whatcha got? 'Cf~""""';;::,.. ,, __ : '

NASA PLANNER #3 , What about Electrostatic Repulsion?;:;: \}\:· TRUMAN' ·<<'/:.·. . What about it? We've got two and a half * weeks. we can't bank on E.R. in this scenario. Waisler. Go.

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NASA PLANNER #4 (shows drawing) We've got the design for sending a craft to * the object and hoisting solar sails to gently re-direct its trajectory.

NASA PLANNER #4 (feeling it) You don't like this idea. *

And we PUSH IN on the nearby official NASA stopwatch -- DIGITAL NUMBERS to the thousandth of a second -- blurring past -.,-, counting down TIME TO GLOBAL IMPACT 18 DAYS - 431:15:18:014 .

THE YACHT has landed. ·The clients, THREE HONG KONG TITANS, prepare to come up the gangway. Harry and Grace (now dress~q) stand together -- A.J., and Bear off to the side.

:·<:- GRACE '1< (tries to hide her rage) .. •.··· .. I understand that you' re handicapped by ·a:,-,, natural immaturity, Harry-- ., .. '\:/,;: HARRY Dad. Call me Da--

GRACE i;\s. But that shotgun thing was off-the.::Hha:Fts•.,. unacceptable.

.. GRACE 1tiV>..· We are friends. Friends who sleepW •· together. Look, you' re really good,, ~t' these things, let me ask you this .. \> ·

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Grace steps forward to greet THE HONG KONG CLIENTS, charming them instantly with her perfect Cantonese. She continues talking to the Clients, while Harry greets them -- but they both)continue their ,---......, argument: j

Harry goes pale --

1%Siltt:•,\

THE HONG KONG CLIENTS getting the grand tour. Grabe leads the way, but the clients are oblivious to their fight:

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61-62Grace turns to listen to one of the Clients as Harry suddenly 61-6"2 seems distracted by a THUMP-THUMP NOISE -- pipes VIBRATE -- Harry * looks over at a PRESSURE GAUGE -- which is peaking -- the NEEDLE * DROPS SUDDENLY -- then JUMPS -- ONCE -- TWICE -- Harry's eyes go * wide -- he sprints away -- Grace confused -- A.J. joins Harry with * a triumphant £mile -- *

63 KA-WHOOSH! OIL -- PIPE MUD -- all of it ROCKETS into the sky. 63

.. HARRY (cont'd) ··.·.. · Chick! Turn the table out -- move!'.! Bear>,~:. -- Max swing those back-flanges/in -- Go! Go! ~! ~,1.&.·~:. ··:·_,'·?::

64-66A.J. -- like a flash --charges after Harry. GrJbe pil;ll.~:pg the64-66 Clients into hiding and -- Oil begins to spurt f:t-Q:{n.,c,-t;he,;,:val ves .Chick and his TEAM pull CABLEand EQUIPMENT as fast as they can. Harry right

in the center of it and-- A.J. right behind. ,t(:,:'.'.i}tci· t:+;;:.

~~. ~.::,

Another meeting. KIMSEY is here, with an exhausted TRUMAN. and crew:

TRUMAN t~,'.~i?'t;'.)\;,(i~1i Because of the proximity of the astetoid * without any prep time -- none of * primary plans are going to work. *

KIMSEY * So what are you telling me? *

TRUMAN * That our best shot -- what I'm abo-tit to * suggest we do -- is a back-up plan ''that:· * sounds like a joke. *

KIMSEY * Why can't we can't just send up 50 ICBMs * and blow that rock apart? *

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QUINCY * Simple physics. Did you ever take Physics? * I don't mean that as an insult ... *

KIMSEY * Yeah, I took Physics ... who is this? *

TRUMAN * Dr. Ronald Quincy from Research. Pretty * much the smartest man on the planet, listen * to him. *

QUINCY * It's actually very simple: you set a * firecracker off in your open palm and you * burn yourself. Right? But close your fist * and light that fuse ... and ... well, your * wife's gonna be opening the ketchup bottle * the rest of your life. *

KIMSEY * You're saying we nuke the thing ... from * inside? *

QUINCY * That's exactly what I'm saying. *

KIMSEY * How? *

TRUMAN t<'\ <-. · .· * We drill. We need to bring in the \world's * best deep core driller. Vt" ... *

A68 EX~. OIL RIG -- DAY A68

IT'S SO LOUD YOU CAN'T BELIEVE IT -- PIPES keep f:~lling arid CRASHING* AND ROLLING· and the OIL IS STILL SHOOTING AND SPEWING AND RAINING DOWN and -- Harry PULLS men out of the way -- races to get to a GIANT VALVE* WHEEL -- he's struggling to move the thing but it;/.E1 ... n91::. working and he's being blinded by the oil and -- NOW FLAMES B~ST OUT--

,·.

Through a fountain of oil and mess, A.J. appears_.;.. he pushes his way in beside Harry -- muscles straining and THE ROAR.ING SOUND OF OIL and THE RATTLE and SHAKE -- Fire hoses shooting watE;!~ --:,' It ''S terrifying * and dangerous as metal pipes falls around them --;{,.but they' re doing it - - the WHEEL TURNS -- the GUSHER is slowly CONTAINED'': ... .;.. ;,,,

Until finally the insanity's ov1;r -- Harry and A .. J .."''coli'apse to the floor, exhausted, covered in black. Harry looks at A.J.,>whose smile is the only bright white thing here. •... ·, ·

Harry gets up -- slips a little in the oil -- and heads off. A.J.'s smile is gone now.

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Grace with the Hong Kong trio -- all covered in oil -- suits ruined, the yacht trashed -- but the Clients are all smiles. Harry appears.

Harry forces a thumbs up, turning to Chick, who's high on the bridge:

Now A.J.'s .. behind Harry slaps his back

Harry pivots -- SLAMS A.J. in the face -- A.J. goes down. Grace gasps, starts across the platform toward the men. Harry,looms large over A.J .

You're off. You're fired.

A.J. gets to his feet -- stands up to Harry -- Grae;:~ ge~p to A.J. --

--.. >~t~-t- ->:=·~ A.J. Well look around, man!

69 Suddenly they all look up -- the Clients, everyone -- to the WHOK - 69 WHOK - WHOK - WHOK of an approaching SEAHAWK NAVY HELICOPTER

The SEAHAWK sets down -- the doors fly open and SIX ARMED MARINES deploy. ADMIRAL KELSO is right behind them.

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Harry steps with Kelso to the ROAR OF THE ROTOR-WASH --

(,,:_:. KELSO

... I'm afraid I don't know "Crazy Willy." Sir, I'm dead serious about this. .JY';;/

Everyone's staring -- and just as Harry realizes\i;this;: if:lj/real, Rockbound approaches, intense and burdened. '":¼<!'•

ROCKHOUND J··

her age, so I assumed she was at le;as;t.,;;.::..

Harry looks over at Grace and A.J. This might he gives it a try:

HARRY ;:::/<··· .. (only Kelso can hear this)t I' 11 go with you. On one condition\i'/•.~,

Grace and A.J. are in the midst of their own drama, unaware of the four MARINES heading from the chopper toward them. A.J. 's furious.

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The Marines arrive

Grace looks to A.J. -- sharing the confusion -- s.uddenly two of the MARINES hold A.J. from either side -- one under each arm -- Grace yells out but the other two have her -- they're being pulled apart -- and

Harry watches from the chopper, smiling as Grace -- confused and angry -- is "escorted" into the helicopter -- REVVING SO LOUD she can't hear.

TODAY! MR. FONG, YOU LOOK GREAT IN, -"BLACK! *

The Clients wave at Harry as the CHOPPER takes of~. OMITTED ( 7 2 )71A

t?.:

THE CLOCK: DIGITAL NUMBERS -- TIME TO GLOBAL IMPACT -~-- 17 DAYS - 73 4 0 7 : 14 : 2 6 : 0 21 .,f\1"' .,,;- .·>; ..

Establishing shots ... the scope of this place is awesome;_:iq ...

Harry and Grace coming through. Clean clothes, they've showered -- still, they're tense, tired, and confused.

'!'.RUMAN Mr. Stamper. Ms. Stamper. I'm the Executive Director of everyone, please accept

Silence. Two men eye-to-eye. Truman almost smiles.

"

:naster(08/14/97i 23.

A large room. Harry and Grace sit in the middle of a PRESENTATION We go TIGHT ON Harry and Grace. Cut in the middle of Truman's story.

Dead, grim silence. The lights come up. They're numb.

TRUMAN , Mr. Stamper, this is as real as itigets. ·t'·· -

Truman nods to TECHS FLIP and SKIP, who open big ~tir.tiinsrevealing WINDOWS THAT LOOK DOWN ON A~ HECTIC MISSION r~;L-

It's coming. Right now. At 22,000 Jni-l~s .. an hour, right for us. And none of:-<us ... ··.-. anyone, anywhere. . . can hide from iit. J.

%t~~f}:j\/:{;. HARRY I take it ... you're not alerting like this.

rnaster(OS/14/97) 24.

Harry and Grace -- both in shock -- walk downstairs behind Truman, Quincy and A SMALL MILITARY ESCORT.

QUINCY * The drilling unit is part of a lunar project we've been working on ·for the past three years. The recent discovery:ofwater on the moon wa-- ·

A DOOR. TWO ARMED GUARDS open up and step aside

TECHN'ICIANS standing beside a huge· gurney. Stret¢hed ,:g.Cross, A LARGE ROBOTIC DRILLING ARM -- complex machinery and gears ana· X.~flon cables. ~ Harry's jaw tightening as he circles the thing. ·Harry is in shock -- . ~ ... _.,,'

master(08/14/97i 25.

HARRY .: .. · If you're gonna steal a blue-printf: at least read the materials list -- ho~- 40.' you short-hitch ceramics?

Truman beckons across the room and EIGHT NASA MISSION SPECIALISTS start walking toward us. The geek patrol. Nerdnauts.

i HARRY (CONTI D) \

What's this?

master(OB/14/97) 26.

Silence. Everyone has stopped working.

HARRY ...,., ..... Look, I'm a third-generation drille+'\~'/:: 0-:;t<< .. drew my first paycheck when I was e-welve: C', years old .. It took me 32 years, eve,;y~dayt' every frigging minute, to learn whati'f·:- •" know. And I'm still learning. Some,>~gμy;•; with one hand in a bar told you abo;μt a·•··· · piece of equipment you gotta watch&out for that kinda thing. Might not look it\~$?'1,le' drillin' holes is an art. Like a dirty, dangerous ballet: if you don't know your crew as well as you know yourself, ;ryo1:f?1¥:e01,>:'1::i screwed. · Maybe dead. You think I 'IriJfrthe best? You're right, because I work with the best. In 17 days, I couldn't teac}:l ::,, .. these Trekkies any more about drillfrtg\d:ha:n\ you could teach me to fly a damn s],1ace/}:- :'.!• ship. 'ilt;;;}1t <:\>>JU,/

Their eyes lock -- Truman's mind races -- Harry' ~+:t6h' _,::.::\

HARRY

(knows what's coming) Harry, wait a second --

mast:er(OS/14/97) 27.

Does anyone m1~c~f I throw in onel\':raticina.1

c:_/ thought here? ;,

GRACE In case one doesn't make it. So wB~t are . the odds here? Has anyone calculated that? "'-~_:.rt);~.. i<.-:.-'.' QUINCY (indicates busy Techs) That's what they're doing.

HARRY ,.·,:\: (to Grace) ;_{~f_.::.<=-\.,y I need you to go to the office, ge~ the personnel files. ··tiff'\.'·'.·

master(OB/14/97) 28.

· A lonely ribbon of American road. A Harley detailed with leather and horns. And there's BEAR in the saddle. Charley Pride meets Shaft.

Bear glances at his rearview mirror. Shit, there's a COP CAR behind And then, ANOTHER.

Bear tears off at a 100 m.p.h.

Harry and Grace flip through STAMPER OIL PERSONNEL FILES. A team of FBI PERSONNEL listening to every word.

HARRY :/>.,. I need more muscle. The best two fitters we got ... between Monaco and Max. . . ~- ' '" ·

MAX LENNERT. A big man. Plenty of room for all'0thosei tattoos. Could be an Allman Brothers roadie. Reading the Wall St:n·eet J8urnal sitting in a chair having a tattoo engraved on his massive a,.:r;m.,, MOMMA walks in. She weighs 350lbs and is carrying a box of qqugh~~J1t::~,~ She looks at Max's new tattoo. It says: "LOVIN' MOMMA." Mo~ smJ;).est·

tB,.l'lt<tf' if MAX Like it, Ma? Did you get me one of those yellow-jelly bear claws?

~OMMA Maxie . . . I think :)u' re in * law again ...

FBI AGENTS walk in the door.

--i~'.-

Roc khound is drunk. So's THE BIMBO beside him. :~;,j.,q½:iI?.g.:'t He's got out his loupe, while holding her ·hand examining her··:aiamond ring.

master(08/14i97\ 29.

_,,r'""-'~..._ I '. ROCKHOUND I Hey, don't rush me, we got plenty of time

for that later. Just kidding. So what'd he tell you he spent on this, anyway?

Rock.hound notices the TWO FBI AGENTS who stand over him.

Are these your friends?

AGENTS ,.,., Sir, we have a national security ~ttei<· T-:

Second Geolog~~Y 6~~~), s the man ,tf·>f ·

OSCAR CHOI, 32, goatee, galloping full tilt ona ,\gr~y,!>sT/μJLION.

-·i\'" .. ,_ . "\i GRACE (V .0.) 'f!b,,1; ;,}J<r·, rr5' · Yeah, if they can find him ...

There ' s two HELICOPTERS skimming the ground behi~~ji~~-~'.ff\;~:n

Chick at a craps table. Losing.

HARRY {V.O.) Chick obviously.

Snake eyes. TWO G-MEN watch Chick pull in a big pile of chips. *

master(OB/H/97) 30.

FREDDY NOONAN, an Aussie, CHOKING some guy against the wall.

Noonan stops. GUY GASPS. TWO HUGE FEDERAL AGENTS'. sta:nd there.

Noonan reels around COLD COCKING the weasel, who •tops·: flat.

·=\·?\· ;~:.._· .-F :):+:i.

NOW TEN SQUAD CARS ... lights burning ... SIRENS WHI~NG·.,,, ,_ -.A 'JROAD BLOCK. Three foot gap between cars ... lOOmph ... Bear blows ·-tihrough on his bike.

f/fJt':,<;-~·:·~~=

Harry and Grace as they were -- finally getting be the inevitable.

~~~~4:-!t({J\,\ \ .- '.;/\{-/~~. GRACE ..... . You' 11 still need another tool push~;i:::r;:,.· " Everett's probably in Houston right.fnow ... how about Fredo? He' s good. i'ii/%<<i:i: ?:.

Harry looks away. Is he going to say it first or will she?

master(OB/14/97) 31.

Grace struggles to come up with an argument ... but can't.

A.J. fixes his old 60's muscle car. ·A big wise-ass grin< Loving this.

A.J. ,·· . ·. So what you're basically saying her'e ,;..,;.. lemme just get this straight -- is that there's a job Mr. Stud Harry Stamper can't handle by himself.

Harry stands there, letting A.J. love this ... but hating it himself.

Harry looks into A.J.'s eyes -- he could could embrace him -- he chooses to do neither:

Harry -- ther!·~~e five words I wa~{>§~1i? Right now. "A.J., I need you. Man';'::-- no, no: "A.J., you're the best ... ever.'.' .How ... , about four words: "A.J.? I love you"·. '/" .':

A.J. 's quiete~ ... intrigued ... and because he cay{~\~etfs:-e::it ... afraid.

i \ EXT. MISSION CONTROL BU~LDING -- DAY 91

The DRILLERS walk in with military ESCORTS laughing and joking with no idea what's up. They greet Harry and Truman.

rnaster(OS/14/97) 32.

The guys LAUGH -- except Harry ...

FACES in the dark: stunned, blank, incredulous, fascinated, terrified faces. MAX, "OSCAR, NOONAN, CHICK, ROCKHOUND, BEAR, and A.J. sitting there; the lights come up. Dead silence.

Truman ushering NASA PEOPLE out the door. The guy~ alone,now. SHOCKED. OSCAR starts to smile. >"'·

NOONAN -{;.::. Surprise, right? This is a joke, someone's birthday. Please, wasjt~~e", here born today?! ,:?/if;':·. HARRY ,/: ;: Yeah, this is the craziest shit I at~:,/C' heard of too. And if we choose not t:b'" go ... we're just sitting around waiting for some goddamn roe~ to kill everythi~~{;'}'J'~!;0:\;:\A:K' know. So I'm going. But not one o~you need to prove how tough they are. r"ve · seen you do stuff that would make Neil , . Armstrong piss his spacesuit. So i;pf:qqμ'Y•!>_;: don't think you can make it all the' way,', I J, need to know who's in. Who's out, ;;~iglit .. , .), now?

Silence. And then, breaking the ice:

Harry smiles at this.

..... ----c.···.~=- -· .. ------ -- ------- ---··-- -------------- ...

master{OB/14/97) 33.

Truman, Kimsey and a GROUP OF NASA FOLKS stand around waiting. Staring at the door.

~~!~ _s~~~e t~e~oi~. orT~~ t ~oo~n~~:~~le~arry out f \Jst.?:\'n,~! Guys , behind

HARRY f~~~}f:Y'~f.~~{{\t~?; They'll do it. But they've got a few"i' requests.

Harry has a list. Unfolding it. And unfolding i~.· ,Kimsey is enraged - - about to berate them, but Truman silences Kimseff''with ·a. look.

*~:*>r__,_\_--_: .;=dif HARRY ·"•·· •v· There's a lot here ... they mostly involve things like, uh ... (reading the list) Oscar here's got some outstanding parking tickets . Wants 'em wiped off his record.

rnaster(OB/14/97) 34.

Harry hands Truman the long list ... Truman reads it, a little taken aback, but in no position to argue.

We see Rockhound's mind racing. He CLEARS HIS THROAT gets Harry's attention. Harry moves to the guys. They huddle~ .Harry then walks back to Truman.

Off Truman and Kimsey' s reaction -- Kimsey turns :a,t:id walks off.

·.,·,.

EIGHT NASA GEO TECHS working around the clock to Illgp.,.and monitor the asteroid. M<;>nitors with 3-D ma:i;;>ping. Chemical sl\t)~c•t:-~oscppy. Truman is here --like a General prepping for battle. ,j, ,> ::.:

· >10:i:~?%Sf$f~'.$ gt/f" TRUMAN Tell me everything you know about q,~1'.Uii(fi'tu,. enemy. ;\~±,:/

A ROW OF CUBICLES. Nurses everywhere. The guys 1~~l:l<:at:Ja,~r tattoos don ' t look 1 ike NASA fit specimens . BEAR, they' re:fdrawing blood. NOONAN, mouth open. OSCAR, .·they' re testing his ref·lexes. Rockbound, Chick, Harry, A.J. - all running on treadmills attc1che.ct.to EKG's ... dripping sweat.. Rockbound sits down half dead. ,+t!:'>/(.;ZJ:>>:,}y;,

95A Chick and Oscar, naked beneath their NASA smocks, waiting. The door 95A opens and Noonan comes hobbling out, his posterior is killing him.

master(OS/14/971 35.

r•,, Head Nurse HELGA stands before Chick with RUBBER GLOVES, an ENEMA ,,. __,., PROBE, and a jar of Vaseline.

96A Harry and A.J. sit facing each other, shirtless, on exam tables. 96A Each has a HYPER-NERDLING NASA DOCTOR attaching the cuff .of the sphygmomanometer to gauge their blood-pressure. Both men.watch these LOUD-BREATHING GEEKS with discomfort. .

A.J. nods, mock-seriously. Harry just stares at :fiim. Hating him. *

~0A-llNT. PSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING ROOM l00A-D \'•..,.-✓' OUR TEAM is interviewed by a SHRINK in an all white-;·sma:U room.

CHICK t: ,,. ·~, '\;;' I get off the job. Find a hotel. ~s·h~>fny,:otf check. Gamble till it hurts. Then ):J.~q~-:e.,to work. Some people might think that;{/§'c;s~cfi'z, But I say ... yeah, I guess it ll sa,'cl ... ?· \~ir:~'/;fj$' NOONAN I don't~ to get into fights, fights come te> me; I'm like flypaper, but for ~%9'.~~'f;\H;; I'm fightpaper. Does that make any -~nse?

MAX. ·H~;,,, ,-_a.;~~ -- my favorite dish is haggis. It '~"''"a'l'tl .. ''\: the parts of the sheep you'd normatdy ~pro~! ~way -- heart, lungs, live;-, you slfq~~-;::i-t;rtf51" into the sheep's stomach with oats and ·· ~-•

~~!~~' T~~:~c~~u t~~~; si ghe ~!~g~e :,9,1::t)';?;;,'!t ,;,

HARRY ·,';'f;?:{?'i•w· My first sexual memory? ... what kind of mission is this?

ROCKBOUND

i What? You want to compare brain pans? \ ....

(blinding speed) I won the Westinghouse prize when I was twelve. Big deal. Published at nineteen. (MORE)

~====·--·-·· -·-··

master(OS/14/971 36.

Big, late-night meeting. Truman, Kimsey, Quincy, Harry, some NASA STAFFERS and all the NASA DOCTORS.

DR. ·BANKS . ·.

one toxicology analysis revealed Ketarnine. That's a~ powerful sedative.

""'i--~--~-t--7=~--e...a_l_p...l_.h_~-:-i""'~--:-~-~--Y-t-~....u=~----~"""w_.;..___t...h....e...._.._t...r=:}-~?-L~>l:h[;>',<::.. ,.

DR. BANKS !~~~l?,:\f;_'fat'.i; Personally, I don't know how theysurvived the tests. 1~~;;lX\if?rd?.tS~½f f-?

Dr. Banks stamps a BIG RED "APPROVED" sticker on t'~e guys' files -- over a small black "FAILED" stamp ...

OUR GUYS -- the whole motley crew -- heads down atri~·atit.\i's'eptic NASA corridor in SLOW-MOTION. At the other end, COLONEL ... ,S~P -- a hardened military and aeronautic veteran -- stands wit1'. T:r;timan 'an.c:i Clark, staring at the rag-tag team, deadpan. :;{ · ,;,

s:~bf+<'. <::-: i c}·+ SHARP Sir, you're telling me my wife and little girl's lives are in their hands?

rnaster(OB/14/97) 37.

A table piled high with BOOKS and FILES. OUR GUYS standing watching as SHARP walks forward slinging some books off the desk.

BEAR ,.. , * Yeah, wow do you take a dump in spq¢e? *

Chick raises his hand. *

BEAR * I'm serious. *

Al03 EXT.INT. NASA V.A.B. BUILDING -- DAY OMITTED (103) AlO~

The giant hangar doors open as the guys along ~W)tli"i"Jfiffilhan, Sharp and Grace -- our guys' faces dropping when tli'ey see the truly awesome sight -- THE X-71 SPACE SHUTTLE. Impossibly huge, impossibly adv~ced. Dozens of WORKERS up on sca.~J~P,-t_¢iin9.;1 ladders and platforms. J;,r ,14 '? *

TRUMAN \~t;;:l( --";

You"re the first civilians to * Top secret joint-venture with the A:ifr• · * Force ... she and her sister ship at ¼f .. * Vandenberg will leave tomorrow for 'launch,.,, ::, · * prep in Florida ... but I thought you sn6ti1a. * have a look. *

Dumbstruck expressions as they follow TRUMAN. Kimsey standing here with a GROUP OF UNIFORMED spit-polish, TEST PILOTS.

rnaster(08/14/97i 38.

The pilots give a wave dovm from on high.

Harry, Grace and the Guys watch a HUGE PLASTIC SHEET being raised. TWO ARMADILLOS. This is not the old lunar golf-cart from Apollo days. Larger. Lower. Much, much cooler. THE DRILL ~-- has been mounted.

TRUMAN . _ Fourth generation surface rover. Joint venture with BMW. Pressurized titanium alloy airlocked cab. Able to -climb an 80 degree incline. Six-cell solar engine. It'll turn 800 turbo horses in near-zero gravity.

105 TIME CUT: METAL PIECES COME CLANKING to Quincy' s {feet. _ Thrown 105 from the airlock. OUR GUYS vs. THE ARMADILLO. qn.dert::c\Qver. Inside and out. / ·

Grace with a clipboard, scribbling away, and --

A.J. ! I want~Y t~V ;~~~k into so~~g)£ffigh:0/ load, wastegate diaphragms and a couple nine-tooth, TS drive gears.

Eight ai!!!f ~~t~~o;~i~~ ~~~~f ~'i'2'.} (more chatter from below--) Two rolls of Kevlar header wrap. Box of nine-inch graphite U-joints.· (and again) Eight buckets of fried chicken.

Quincy is dying here his men standing around getting pale ....

master(OS/14/97) 39.

111 SMASH CUT: HORRIFYING IMAGES of flight -- A T-38 SCREAMING SKYWARD --111 Bear in the back -- crammed in there. ROCKHOUND eyes bugging. Harry about to blow. WE HEAR the voice of CHUCK JR., a tough Vietnam Vet.

A. J. holds on for dear life and there's OSCAR -- :except he.' s loving it.

Harry wobbles out of the plane and kisses the gro¥_rid,~ ..•

\.::.2B INT. NEUTRAL BUOYANCY TANK -- DAY OMITTED ~lllA, 1~·2, 112A) 112B

Harry and Roughnecks underwater lined up. They l.~6JtfiJke· .Michelin Men. in weightless aerobic training. THEN WE HEAR a Lpud F~TO:!from Bear.

\?~,it{t~{ti:;, . ··:' [~>} BEAR (unembarrassed) Yo, I got a wicked-ass methane

The Roughnecks laugh -- the NASA guys don't.

}~wftt);/•!.:,Jqj}?:::

There's Earth beautiful, blue earth. Then a rodk passes over the camera toward our home. Then another, · then a CLUSTER, .. ,t;.,hat form the pathetic entourage for. . . THE REAL ASTEROID. Thi~.i"huge•,,.b'$-cragg-ed, black, grey, white, horrific thing comes rumbling}iove:i:- th~_- camera.It keeps coming over the camera, doesn't end because·. JtS,.J:itJ{]E .

r··· ·::'.',

Truman, Rockhound, Oscar and Grace study printout~-- of thejfasteroid surface. '<:':,Zf;_;,;> • <5 •

Clark moves to Truman, speaks to him quietly:

master(OS/14/97) 40.

The guys are all over attacking and welding the metal beast. Mack trucks are lined up, trannies being dropped. The Armadillo is looking meaner and tougher as it's retrofitted for this special mission.

Sharp standing on the stairway of a NASA BOEING 707~ As our guys board" the plane -- for the first time we notice the COLOR CODING that will * continue throughout: on their outfits, the players have RED or BLUE * markings, breaking them into two teams. Blue: Harry, Rockhound, Chick* and Max. Red: A. J. , Bear, Oscar and Noonan. *

SHARP •·.•···.·. Hope you Mission Specialists had a Jiice relaxing lunch. Welcome to the Vomi.t Comet. Eight days from today you'1μ; feel it for real. .. so today we're gonna f;Lyt~ts bird to 40 thousand feet and drop t;p:,J:0\\ thousand in 3 O seconds for weightle.ss •· training. \i\r;y,>)>

The plane drops. The Roughnecks lift off: Zero gk!?-vity. ,,;,/Harryand our guys FLOATING AROUND. Then -- the BUZZER goes off-'l;iand the guyssplat to the ground.

;i>'

All the guys are in stalls, throwing up. Harry and Roq)dlound are at the sinks Harry getting sick in one -- Rockhound',:,.. a~ guy with a troubling secret, gagging but not vomiting, stand§ beside·•~him.

ROCKBOUND ··~li;tt'J'.i'.\:\~tt,)' I was talking to this hotty in the ... ,::-.< metabolic secretions department? r:fn("'·• wo1;'."king !;er: all right? So don't :r±1~peat ..... this, this is a secret. ''•t;.':':-,1.~,, </;. • (gags a little) ~ .. · ··· Basically, the closer this rock gets the more they're learning and the less they're liking -- I'm talking about gas volcanos and ice storms and clouds of f.Qg and

\ seismic crap and rock slides and shit I

can't even bring myself to~-- (hears others throwing up) (MORE)

mast:er(08/14/97i 41.

· ROCKHOUND (cont'd) You got more reason to blow·yesterday's

I ~\ lunch than you think.

(back to Harry, gags again) Not only are we landing on a psycho bitch of an asteroid -- that's not the secret. The secret is those shuttles that they've never flown. They've done 400 flight simulations, right? Take a freakin' guess how many of those sim-launches worked?

The Armadillo sits on a dry lake bed outside of Houstorf;" ,. Inside, HARR.Y's at the wheel, A.J. rides shotgun. MUCHO TENSION between them. QUINCY is their INSTRUCTOR.

Harry hits the five switches .to activate the BRAKE"LOCK.

·;:<\:::-. QUINCY (CONT'D) Good. Now I'll ask you to reverse thrusters -- safety's on... lfB;U;\/:',

A. J. begins the thrust procedure . As he does thI~;1:;rtt:}:;' *

Harry yanks the throttle

Suddenly the Armadillo RUMBLES -- GIANT GROUNDING PINCERS swing wide and SLAM into the concrete floor! Harry and A.J. are thrown hard against the cockpit wall! QUINCY hits his head hard \

master(OB/14/97) 42.

1~17C INT. NASA'S OLD MISSION CONTROL -- NIGHT 117C \ ' ,,/ ·oscar sits at the out-of-service control console. Wears an ancient headset. Speaks quietly, dramatically ...

Harry enters the room, watches Oscar play for a moment. Then:

Oscar jumps, startled really embarrassed

But Harry's gone before he can finish -- Oscar winces,;;; *

'.-,1f f$;.y;f_:.~{~/::

CLOSE ON A.J. and Grace kissing. We PULL BACK they're in a GINlT ROCKET ENGINE. Suddenly a VOICE:

Startled, the couple looks down on Harry, who stands there, Chick behind him. Harry is calm, assured. ·-r"-···· _;:;,:t"t::c

;~if't',..;',:,= ?'.•:. -:i. ·; -:~,

You do whatev~;u (~~~~'~tght now~i:r:;BRt;;?:iJ" two weeks? When we get back? I 'rri go:t1I.1,a: deal with this. My way. You two a,r.e•,:<i:·· through. ,,t

:;\: ,:.,':_/.'. ! . '·:L;<~-":·· GRACE· Harry, grow up. *

HARRY * (to A.J.) * And you? We're through. *

mascer(OB/14/97) 43.

Harry walks off, Chick follows. Grace and A.J. watch him go.

Harry walks under the belly of an old Space Shuttle, heading back to * the barracks, Chick trying to keep up. *

HARRY * I know who and what my daughter is -- I'm * not as dumb as I look. You should ...know * that about me. *

,',_:;: CHICK ft * We all helped raise her, Harry. Y$ah, ~ * biggest contribution was teaching h_E;;t;·•di,:irty * jokes ... but she's old enough to vc:ftet'ri6w.·. * And drink and get married and get divorped * and you know. . . whenever, whatever 7.s;t,:ie;f: · * wants. . . if she wants. ",,, * ir::±t)f\..\}"r>>;);. HARRY . Look at your life. Really think ab'_out Jit .,;# Think about Bear. Oscar ... Noonan .·~i1·ine ..v/ What do we do? We're scavengers. Live in shacks floating in the middle of. t~i1f?..~~l~ never on land for more than an eignfil!week:· ·· stretch, covered in filth for most o~ it.;. it's dangerous, it's lonely ...

~~::;e~~: (~:ihs~~~~ got. She's b(:;(,)

CHICK .. , ::. -.-,::~}~.>:I::>,- In six days we' re going into space~:}!' This •·F: isn't another job in the South Chiria Sea. .M Now Rockhound' s right. We've got abq.μJ;.:r;"'":: zero odds of surviving this. You know · that. So here's a piece of un-asked-for advice: figure it all out with your "little girl". You know? Just in case.

master(OB/14/97) 44.

(~': 8 INT. JOHNSON VACUUM CHAMBER - MORNING 118

OUR EIGHT GUYS IN STATE OF THE ART SPACE SUITS. Tough-ass NASA PILOT * JENNIFER WATTS stands up front giving a lesson. But Bear, Oscar and * Noonan are talking, clearly something about Watts. *

Rockhound raises his hand. Watts calls on him.

Watts hits a button -- the massive 40-ton door begins _:_(;::Losing.

':,· .

They fumble for their helmets as the door slams shut.,,,,;-~"'.'.'. BLACKNESS.

Out of blackness, the asteroid -- mankind's horrifying enemy ROARS toward us ... many "satellite" rocks surround it --

The TECHS doing their thing -- Truman close, GEO TECH #1.

GEO TECH # 1 ";,;;t<'. 't·:?''::¼'h;ifi. She's starting to show her persona~Jty. The atmosphere's brutal -- severe wmnd ..

GEO TECH #1 My son's three today.

master(OB/14/97) 45.

SIX STORIES OF THE MOST ENORMOUS WIND TUNNEL FANS IN THE WORLD at one end. EIGHT DWARFED FIGURES -- our guys -- in SPACESUITS at the other.

The BLADES turn -- in SECONDS the guys are BLOWN QUT OF FRAME.

122C WE PUSH IN ON THE CLOCK: TIME TO GLOBAL IMPACT _.;;: 6 DAYS <... 122C 174:12:18:028

The Armadillo is hanging from a huge crane, Harry .watches beside A.J.

Harry's face registers concern -- Gruber and *

Truman-stands before the entire group, ROUGHNECKs?:5°irid..>NASA, givingan overview. Truman is using crude models hanging from ~tri;ngs.

:ztn,:,,~r:l> ,;:::i'. TRUMAN Our only launch window for us to mee~ up with the asteroid is Tuesday. Youi1.;~~~2f ":t launch into orbit and dock at the Russian Space Station for refueling. From there, a two and a half-day trip to the

Truman walks amongst the spheres.

master(OS/14/97) 46.

Truman moves to a monitor, hits his remote computer control -- the CG images display what he's describing. *

The display shows two giant asteroid halves just fissi~;--:fheearth. *

· They all watch in dread as the monitor displays tq~Jro~fub.>p.ischarging* l2a.§..t. Zero Barrier -- and the two pieces both hitt:iihg tb.e earth.*

HARRY if~i$".~~t1tf' '?P:/f

We'll only have eight hours once we land. * Th.at' s 45 minutes to set up, 6 _and ~~{*",.?'"' * hours drill time -- we' re gonna nee~~11ho1.'e'': * 800 feet deep, that's 12.5 feet an hour. * Then 45 minutes to drop the nuke and take * off. * (eyes on Truman) * We'll report our progress as we go *

TIME TO *

~:~~ B~~~:t~~e a 0~~~~t~~r~!~hD~;~H~AR GRAPHS ~iE:.<:~~~;;d *

;ft HARRY (cont'd) •;:;H;t:.,~1'.:-,;,y;:JJ/* · Time to Zero Barrier and Depth. If this' · * gauge runs out first, we don't have a hole. * I'd say we can go home, but we won't have * that either. Now I want the red team to *

i I suit up: A.J ♦-, Bear, Oscar, Noonan, let's *

go. *

master(OS/14/97) 47.

~3B EXT. DRY LAKE BED (EDWARDS) - DUSK 123'13 I .. \ J · CLOSE-UPS of Harry's incredible drill design mounted on the ARMADILLO.* Over these shots we HEAR and we SEE guys demonstrate movements.

124A-GNT./EXT. NEUTRAL BUOYANCY TANK -- 124A-t3

MONTAGE SHOTS of the RED TEAM in the water tank, fully suited -- moving quick to adjust the mock-up drill arm -- Harry is in monitoring* room, STOPWATCH in hand -- *

TIME CUTS of A.J. operating the drill -- of the CO:PN'rDOWN' -- of their * DRIFT STANDARD DISPLAYS -- a CG SIMULATION of DEPlfif,)and :TRANNY RPM' s. * TRUMAN is watching -- GLOVED HANDS pulling cable ::'.'•.:"t:;;C:LA.MPING PIPE * BEAR• s FACE through the helmet straining and sweating as'<he tries to * keep up with the pipe replacement li{ _.;/ .;: *

~:{J4:ith(~A?~ .==·"-:~...- BEAR A.J., slow it down, man! *

A.J. * Come on, guys, keep it up! We're the * younger team! I'm going to 11,000! Bear, * give the turbine more 02! *

'-- . ::: --.-__

master (08/14/97) 48.

The unit's shaking -- the tension rising

A,J.'s meters JUMP -- the computer alarm SOUNDS w;i,th_a.BLOWN TRANNY.*

Outside of the tank, the exercise is halted as A.J. is pulled from the* water -- Harry grabs him -- slams him against the wall -- Chick comes * to break it up -- Harry pushes_ him back it's t:ense:,•... ,. as all hell -- *

HARRY ~ "Your team"? "Your team" just blew'• the * transmission. *

Well that God=y rock is no place ~j~Y&\tfi~a/',, out. You pull that crap up there, you're * dead - - the crew' s dead - - everyon ,,:,:~~~? think of. I want you to go back in ere * and do it my way, no fight, no ego, * questions asked. * iftL;~;j)'',ff::t,7

MONTAGE -- CLICK -- STOPWATCH -- A.J. works the drillY:-- '.we see the* fruits of Harry's wisdom: the CG MONITOR shows ttlt("'d:itillihg at 8,000* RPM' s hit ting 8 0 0 feet . It ' s worked. Truman move'if tcf1Harry - -*

rnaster(OS/14/971 49.

The NASA SECURITY GATES open -- and our guys are,t>king driven all in their own chauffeured car away .from the premises ...

A CASH COUNTER whipping through bills. Done. LQ~ SHARK picks up the last pile puts it on the table.

LOAN SHARK >: (very skeptical) You sure you don't want to check

ROCKHOUND stuffs the cash into a paper bag.

of your fingers are gonna be mine. ·~<;£<<':ci::J,<'>c~' \-:.(: J~~ ROCKHOUND Yadda yadda yadda, you know where me, yeah, I got it.

ROCKHOUND "<ij;:-:.>yfJ\/:<f_:·'('~~f.. Let's just say no more than you are. *

Photographs. Mementos. Trophies. Pieces of old equipment. A shrine to drilling. Memories. Harry looks around -- and then he finds PHOTOS OF GRACE -- as a little girl ... looking in these pictures the way he sees her always.

master(OS/14/97) 50.

Then he grabs the BIBLE from a desk drawer -- and takes an old photo of him as a kid and his DAD covered in oil next to the old Airstrearn. Harry smiles at the photo, puts it in the Bible ... takes it.

A NURSE just inside. Harry gets a kiss.

Sitting there: HOLLIS STAMPER. They call him "GRAP." He's ancient and tough, and a little senile.

Then Harry looks at Grap -- who's looking at It's a moment of clarity for Grap. Harry smiles.

master(OB/14/971 51.

Grace holds on to A.J. as he rides a Ducati motorcycle-- pushing the machine to its limits -- Grace laughing -- screaming as he guns it ...

Not the greatest. House next to an oil process p1ant. A.woman looks * through the screen door, her name DENISE. Chick stands outside.

She's come down toward him now. Nervous.

SIX-YEAR-OLD TOMMY peering down through the scree~y:9:Pt::i:r,~'.,:, *

THE BOY, at the door, watching Chick walk away.

MOMMA working a busy stov.e, eight pots of supper going. Max at the table. Eating like there's no tomorrow. 'Cause there might not be.

master(OS/14/97) 52.

:MAX Hey Mamma, when I was a kid, you ever dream of me growing up and being an astronaut?

Oscar on his knees. Blessed by a PRIEST.

Huge joint. MUSIC BLASTING. STRIPPERS all seem to be congregating in one part of the room. In fact, here come some more STRIPPERS running from the dressing room; all of them heading for --

THE VIP Section. Champagne everywhere. Rockhound and Noonan stuffing hundred dollar bills anywhere they want. OTHER CUSTOMERS getting jealous and pissed -- Rockhound buried in chest flesh.

HUGE CUSTOMER ,, .·. Hey,. who the hell do you guys think;you/ are? You' re hogging all the action'f,s-.::< ·

NOONAN ·,,.., Hey pinhead. Go find your own part,y. ""<:z:i)uf:':.·:.·'

Here comes an even BIGGER GUY. Call him BIKER.

Why don' t youB;~~:a~U~~~~al th, p:i4fi.YJt;,, :;;:i];;

(tossing him a bill) Here. Go out and buy yourself

That cuts it. It's a brawl. Noonan loving it ... swings, a bottle. Rockhound hiding behind SOME STRIPPERS as all hel;J;>bre'i:'iks loose.

Harry walks down a busy street, looking at all the people: families, * kids, old folks, all laughing and talking, -living their lives oblivious to the danger that awaits. Harry really feeling the responsibility. The pressure.

master (08/ 14/97) 5 3 .

· THREE HOUSTON SQUAD CARS angled outside. Brawl aftermath. Bloody noses. Torn shirts. Rockhound and Noonan standing there with TEN OTHER GUYS, everyone with their hands up against the wall as the COPS try it out.

A COP roughs up the skinny Rockhound.

Harry sitting thinking. Outside, NASA ~EOPLE running urgently to some* emergency.

- HARRY Hey. What's going on?

NASA TECH #2 Space command spotted more

The room is on. Mad scramble. Lights running and Truman at the middle of it

NASA TECH #1 East Asia. Eleven minutes ...

Huge city. Neon blazing. The busy harbor alive with floating Junk's. A SONIC BOOM CRACKS THE SKY. HUGE FLASH .. Night becomes day for two seconds. The world slows down, motion creeps. The face of a terrified LITTLE BOY reaching for his FATHER'S HAND. THE ASTEROID SHRIEKS down --

STRIKING -- so hard -- so fast -- a million gallons of seawater FLASH- BOILED instantly. The Junks rip apart like kindling.

master(OS/14/97) 54.

/~·-1,,7 INT. MISSION CONTROL -- MOMENTS LATER 147 I \ / The room is quiet now. Somber. Truman looks wiped. Sees Harry -- moves to him.

Their eyes meet for a moment. Truman almost smiles.

I'd be on that shuttle with you, Harry. If * I could. *

HARRY * You don't want to go up any more than I do. *

:~~ r:d;!t. u; c:~!in;;~~ don' t t:~~(:i: *

TRUMAN ,,,;:, .·.· * No . I'm afraid: . . because I think;;@:' do. *

TWO NASA LEAR JETS parked on the runway. The guys walk with duffel bags on their shoulders. Chick snaps off a crisp salute to Davis as he climbs into the plane. Max right behind him. Noonan and Rockhound hanging very,~ low this morning. Every footstep a major achievement. Grace and A.J. walk together. Harry stands there, watching, still disapproving. Truman walks up to Harry.

master(OB/14/97) 55.

149A-RNT. NASA MISSION CONTROL MEDIA ROOM/ NEWS MONTAGE 149A-li°

SCREENS, one by one, filling with the story. Talking heads speak with an urgency a lot more hysterical than usual.

[~;~

HUNDRED OF REPORTERS and NEWS VANS pressing forwa~d. U.S. Air Force SECURITY POLICE to keep them back.

if{!;{ f:!',Hffr:· ;;... ,.

~~;~~tf/" \1:1~t~

THE CRAWLER. Moving a towering X-71 ROCKET toward J;:;t;l~,launch gantry. Harry and the guys being driven in a transport veb,;i"'e•l?EO~t:~μ11 over. The guys get out, looking at the MASSIVE SHUTTLE. J:tl" ':[,: ]i

f:/ ,o,:.;i~;., :,~ \~:[:~i-' OSCAR You see those things all the time .. you just never think you're gonna be i

there,

She turns to him -- can't even force a smile.

rnaster(OB/14/97) 56.

(''- She just moves to him and hugs him. He hugs her back, savoring the \ moment ---his purest joy in ages • -~- ✓-

HARRY * Deal. What's the other one? *

GRACE * (the tears come) * I want you to bring my fiance back with * you. *

Harry stands there -- letting the news sink in. She waits-for his * approbation -- but instead, he just takes her into his arms. As Grace* cries, Harry sees what she was looking at: A PLAQUE which reads, "1967 * Dedicated To The Living Memory Of The Crew of Apollo One." And we can* see the fear in Harry's face. We then PULL BACK,\;;J:;"evealing A.J., * watching them from far away. f) "' *

:·;;;;

~5 INT. NASA MISSION CONTROL MEDIA ROOM -- SAME TIME 155 '-,................

• -A}('.t.·_){Sf::.t)/':::·

More news flashes. NETWORK ANCHORS looking frazz;Jtea·."·\ ·

ANCHOR GARBLE l;i'iili1~::J·'/ ,,;i/,0 " ... a secret shuttle project that was to be announced next year .... II " ••• that J:i;'.he{}fi'.:;., President and his family are in thet'White House and that he plans to stay after hi~ address to the nation" "stopping t2fi;;;:\:· refuel, picking up liquid oxygen at the R~ssian". "hurrying toward that _winqi~;r?,Q;~l.J?;, 7:,,y opportunity for successful take off ;·-;if" "'· · ~::\

156A-ENT. /EXT. NASA KENNEDY SPACE CENTER.,-- DAY %. :•_,-r.<, 156A-E

/:;~// >:1:~ -,~~y~ ·.··.

QUICK SHOTS. Final preparation. FIRING ROOM shak(ing"downJ}'.Harry and the Guys getting dressed. THINGS plugging in. ~p.ihg,,,oh.The Team suiting up in their SHUTTLE FLIGHT SUITS. ''0i'!<• <:>>

_.,: ·\!.;;;/;·.?.( .<:.>:;,.·

'l>,.

Big door. VEHICLES outside waiting to take them €6:te:he<gantry. Tons of NASA PEOPLE scurrying around. Military security. Grace can go no further. A.J. the last to go. They're waiting for him.

NASA TECH #2 Mr. Frost, are you good to go ...

He turns to Grace. Two lovers surrounded by this madness. *

master(OS/14/97) 57.

And he kisses her -- SLOW-MO --

NASA TECH #2 Mr. Frost. Please.

The kiss over, A.J. looks at Grace, strong and proud:

The door shuts and -- And A.J.'s gone. Grace looks down at her ring.

158A-mASSIVE MONTAGE 158A-Z

TELEVISION SCREENS all showing the White House. A~ the massive door opens THE FLIGHT TEAM, lined up heroically, loads .... iilt<;>. escort vehicles. NEWS CREWS being held back. ::;f,•"''·"•,,.

-··,, PRESIDENT (OVER) %/28;}>"1i I address you tonight not as the PresJq.ent of the United States, not as the 1 atiei·)i6f, a country, but as a citizen of hum · ity\; .. \:

The vehicle· convoy guided down the long three-mil 'f8!d:iU~~the Shuttles by five cop cars and three SWAT loaded NASA Hueys.

~t¾W~1G{Jt7i{?1JSWi¾

The two shuttles silhouetted by the setting sun. ··-~ "BAR dead quiet, PEOPLE watching television. The ENGINES steaming ~n readiness. LAUNCH CONSOLES humming alive. Truman in the bathroom, a moment alone, reliev~s himself, his forehei;id leans against the j~]i~_y, .. ~:~.~' s feeling the weight of the world on his shoulders. n·i ;:); ,[@

'?!~?;I~ :;+;Tt:: ;f). PRESIDENT (OVER) ... We are faced with the very graves·t;\::.of:t: challenges. The Bible calls this g~y "Armageddon:" the end of all thing$h, And yet, for the first time in the hist6i:fy'.. tof · the planet, a species possesses the technology to prevent its own extinction ...

TELEVISION SHOTS now of THE FLIGHT TEAMS stepping off the escort vehicles at the gantry base. GRAP STAMPER parked in front of the TV as Harry's FACE is caught by the camera.

rnaster(OS/14/97) 58.

I PRESIDENT (OVER) / ... All of you listening and praying with us

tonight need to know that everything we can do to prevent this disaster is being called into service ...

CHICK'S KID glued to the TV as CHICK'S FACE flashes across the screen. THE KID turns, looking to DENISE who's standing at the door in shock.

GANTRY ELEVATORS closing in on THE FLIGHT TEAMS. FACES of the ENTIRE FLIGHT TEAMS flashing. LAUNCH TECHS scurry aroundthe gantry base.

GANTRY ELEVATORS arrive at the top. CHICK'S KID ~t,aring as the television cameras linger on CHICK for a moment. ;,i1DENISE, says: "That's your Daddy ... " ,{,{ ,::•:

'.<;>>~.-:'" :·.:~>~?' PRES !DENT (OVER) '<Y~?::; . ~ Tonight, the dreams of an entire planet are focused on the fourteen brave soulsY '·r': travelling into the heavens. . . :;\,~q_;cf:'·f ?

MAX'S MOMMA in the kitchen watching. THE LOAN SHARK with his mouth open. KARL and DO'ITIE watching.

a>··•··

FREEDOM to the left. INDEPENDENCE to the right. /f Harry a,n.d A. J. the last ones to split up. TECHS in WHITE SUITS leadi:n.,g., .t:;h~-'.

A.J. * I don't know ... how about we go blast into * space? *

mas1:er(08/14/97) 59.

HARRY * Yeah, that sounds good. *

THERE'S A LOT MORE TO SAY, BUT THERE'S NO TIME AND THEY'RE TOO CHOKED UP AND SCARED. THEY PART INTO THE WHITE ROOMS.

Strap-in teams harness Harry, Chick, Max, Rockhound. Up front, Sharp, Watts and Gruber prepping final checks.

A.J., Noonan, Bear, Oscar strapped in. Up front, Davis, Tucker and Halsey run their checks. RADIO V.O.: Event timer started.

A.J. looks at Oscar, who looks truly terrified. *

A.J. * Probably not. *

OSCAR * Oh ... *

16 2 LAUNCH MONTAGE _/:;,,,;Jj?L:i,it:kth:, 16 2

~it· ;X •_j;

Countdown. Truman i;U1d. Kimsey in Mission Control j~~~CE{ij>' FACE~. FACES . THE CLOCK ticking down. And RADIO CHATTER ·over'. everything. T-MINUS TWENTY SECONDS. Harry trying to breathe. A.J. trying to breathe. Davis ready to roll. Sharp looking st~a~+?1,'.',;f~GINES REWING. TEN SECONDS. Rockbound eyes closed. Oscar prayi!f:'··•,.,cfii'ck. Bear.

NUMBERS RUNNING DOWN. 10- 9- 8- ENGINES VENT ·jt!~-;{}:yr,~'rkGINESFIRING.

163 IN'l'. FIRING ROOM - CAPE CANAVERAL 163

~L:v0 , .... KENNEDY LAUNCH CONTROL '\iict: •· Independence and Freedom, auto ground launch sequencer commencing.

( 164 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM 164 -

rnaster(OS/H/97) 60.

,,.-..155 EXT. KENNEDY LAUNCH PADS -- NIGHT 165 ( , The shuttles engines fire simultaneously. The huge exhausts billows out as the massive vehicles clear the pads.

166A-Harry riding it out. A.J. too. Rockhound, Max, Noonan, Oscar -- 166A-B squinting -- Bear, Chick all clenched against their fear. The Independence and Freedom streak awesomely between the camera. Clim.bing to the heavens.

The whole control room intently watching their consoles.

C-::~~- ..... ' Sharp and Watts flip switches, check gauges.

tr --.= ----

Freedom and Independence scream away from Ear~h ci~,,,-,:tB~Y ;>~hed their booster canisters. Harry and the guys hit their flrSt hard G-Forces.

.. ~· ,· :.;i~t- :--:·>/.'· *

Picture the cluttered glove box of an old car. c9s:rr1pn,~,1;1t LEV ~ROPOV * intensely works the equipment -- he hits one of his::..monl.tors which FLICKERS back to life -- d'i' <> *

"}~\ .~:3 ,•.---:- ::= '~ ~' .,:, ,•· ~ :~":?'

PULL OUT of the window to see Lev bouncing.around to the music, FURTHER STILL to see the entire multi-module Space Station.

,· 6 INT. SHUTTLE INDEPENDENCE - COCKPIT l'to

Through cockpit windows, the BLUE of the Earth's atmosphere becoming the BLACKNESS of space. RADIO CHATTER layering over everything

master(OB/14/97) 61.

1 77 INT'. SHUTTLE FREEDOM 177

Sharp and Watts do the same. Sharp turns to Harry and the rest: *

SHARP * Russian space station's fired her rockets -- * that'll give her enough spin to simulate * gravity and let us work faster -- but it'll * also make you queasy, so prepare yourself. •· *

ROCKHOUND * (sick of this shit) * Yeah, it's about time, I haven't thrown up * in almost an hour. *

Freedom and Independence approach the Space Station's T-Shaped TWIN * DOCKING PORTS. The Shuttles move to opposite sides . *

..

179A-HNT. SHUTTLES FREEDOM/INDEPENDENCE - SPACE STATJ!ON AIRLOCK PORT 179A-~

\<~ .. << :·<' SHARP h~- * Fuel teams prepare to unload. * I • if;, "'f;~: ·:· ·· ..

GREEN LIGHT. Locks depressur1.z1.ng. Harry, Sharp%, Gruber; Rockbound enter from one side. A.J., Davis, Tucker, Oscar ''ftt~Iri:ltl:l.e' other.

'!--!~.,: tt~> <•• : -:-

...-,l!h/ ••/,-,

As they enter,· Lev pops out. Hanging upsidedowJ11t'f%%:5>;r~:Jyesand a* grave stare.that borders on psychosis. *

LEV '.i~J;~:~.:-:?:'Xd-~\?f?ft* So. . . my Space Agency tells me. . . 1. C',t 1.s YQ.Y * who will be s~ving world. Is this tt.ue? · *

,,,<\:{~ft\>=-{+:\:: ;-::. SHARP * We have a 35 minute window we shOuld ~/ * start the liquid 02 transfer immedi'4B;~fl~ \<;.{'' *

LEV }fi·'.".~~:,,,,,... . .·,. -;,, l:.* (~ intense) .1, * Russian Space Station is not gas station. /' * Is laboratory. I am here alone -- in";(:,>·,:\'.'"/'" * charge of important and outstanding Russian * scientific experiments. So. Do not be * touching any _one thing. Is this understood * by everybody? *

They're all a little taken aback by Lev's manner. *

rnaster(OB/14/97) 62.

SHARP * Got it. *

LEV * Good-- *

Suddenly Lev falls to the floor. Embarrassed -- angry *

LEV * Space legs ... bitch ... *

Harry offers help, but Lev gets up on his own. *

LEV * I do it. * (stands uncertainly) ... * You of course realize your plan cannot * work. Is impossible. Break asteroid in * two pieces ... *

SHARP * We really need to move fast. *

LEV * Of course. For refuel I will need * assistance. * (to A.J.) * You. Come. *

Lev wobbles off. A.J. turns to Sharp. *

A.J. * How long has this guy been alone? *

SHARP * 17 months. *

A.J. * Huh. I was going to say 16. *

;>:

Cramped and moldy like an old sub. Pipes and tubing evei;:ywhere.Lev * helps A. J. put · on a HEAVY COLD SUIT. it/>1,ii·: ,_,,.:,ft::*

:)~= ,>:'.. ?.

You will be observing pressure gauge. I ,,• * will be controlling 02 release. ,.. :;,;:/':?/'/ . * 1~( ...

Chick looks inside an open, packed STORAGE BIN --{Lev"';;°••••=••••••h• rus~es• ,, to him.*

CHICK * I'm sorry, I was just-- *

rnaster(OS/14/97) 63.

LEV * If something break, I pay for it. Back * home. That is how Russ·ian Space Agency * work. That is how much they trust me. *

CHICK * Well if this whole plan's not gonna work it * doesn't really matter, does it? *

LEV * That is not bad point. * ( to A.J.) * Let's make move. *

Lev leads A.J. down into a 25 FOOT SHAFT into *

182' INT. RUSSIAN SPACE STATION - FUEL STORAGE

HUGE TANKS line the frosty room. Lev moves to the fuel gauges. *

LEV * See gauge. You watch. 150? Good. 160? * OK. 200? Very bad. Disaster for Space * Station. * (indicatesintercom) * So you tell Lev if before very bad· *

A.J. * What's "Lev"? *

LEV * Lev is~- Colonel Lev Andropov. * home I am a hero. *

A.J. * I'm not arguing with you. *

LEV * If past 200? You hit shut-off valve. * Here. +i/li/fjj\'(>y:,;i•\.r:.,,Jf:*

Lev shows A.J. the steel shut-off handle. Lev then turns on the 02 * pressure, then climbs out of the shaft. *

The shuttle teams works feverishly to set up the transfier of fuel into * the shuttles. A liquid PROPELLANT TRANSFER HOSE i_s>'ruri:\;through the docking port to an interior P~OPELLANT INTAKE VALVE in the shuttles. Negative 400 degrees Liquid Oxygen starts to runs/through:: the hose, filling the cabin with condensation. On a wall, a ''t~OMPUTER BOARD that monitors the fuel transfer is filled with GREEN LIGHTS.

Harry, Noonan, Rockhound looking around as Lev works the consoles * intensely working away. They all notice the PHOTOGRAPHS that Lev has * taped onto the console -- his WIFE. His two SONS. His PARENTS. *

rnaster(OB/14/97) 64.

His DOG. Lev not1ces that the Americans are looking at his personal * life. He doesn't like it. *

LEV * My father was from Mordovinia. You know * Mordovinia? It once had largest bomb * factory in all of Soviet Union. He * assembled impact sensors. He loved his * job. Today in Mordovinia they make key * chains. Now they have to be proud of * building key chains. *

Suddenly a CO2 LEAK bursts near Harry's head -- they all jump -- Lev * hurries to them -- *

ROCKHOUND * Jesus Christ. we're gonna die in this piece, * of shit! *

Lev grabs a ROLL OF METAL TAPE -- wraps it around the pipe, stopping * the leak. *

LEV * ~ we are all going to die! But not * because of Russian Space Station. She was * built to last 7 years -- 12 years after it * is Russian Space Station you come to for * fuel. What is the most irony is t~t'the * last man alive ... will be the one who lives * on Space Station. Yes, this piece ;pf shit'."' * Me. And when my family is dead ... yoμ are * the man I will blame. ,,;~'/:tc'<; >, ,, * ii ''' ROCKHOUND 1 * ~~f;,iv:;/''", * Christ, is there a Russian phrase "lighten up"? Jesus ... *

A.J. watches the gauge which starts to rise.

CLOSE ON the intercom, which broadcasts a BARELY AUDIBLE,, CRACKLING * A.J. as Lev continues to work the FUEL RELEASE CONSOLE. ''\He turns to*

, them, somewhat regretiul: ~~+\~':\i''.:>'':<c;>s:)/

LEV * Eh ... look, if I ... if am very-tempered ... * it is because ... I am lonely alone a lot by * myself. So ... I am sorry. If ... *

\

• HARRY * It's all right. I know what it's like ... * to be alone. *

rnaster(OS/14/97) 65.

Then Watts enters -- Lev turns to her -- gasps. *

WATTS * Check your hoses, we've got some thermal * variation -- you should check your pressure * build-up. *

LEV * (deeply effected) * You are first woman I have seen ... in more than one year ...

On a control panel behind him, GREEN LIGHTS turn RED as -- *

A.J. watches the gauge hit 195 -- 200 -- A.J. PULLS .the SHUT-OFF VALVE*- - but the 1€ver cracks off in his hands -- the Liquid Oxygen oozes into* a CIRCUIT BOARD. Surgeon-like microscopic camera tracks it hitting a * SWITCH -- which SPARKS. . ., *

Lev tries to respond to A.J. 's STATICKY calls -- *

LEV ·,r * I cannot hear you -- hit the microphone, * maybe is loose. :]'.: ·. *

Suddenly there's a BROWN'-OUT. Everyone stops -- iJ:/ s hgrrifyingly silent -- a chill runs down Lev's spine -- then he·'''EXPLODES WITH:

LEEEEEEMMM ¾w G~~1:r~', , gm:, ! 1 l-0;, . , .... ' ' , ' ~ <" \·

Lev hits the KLAXON and Sharp runs for the DOCKI1'f$ PORT Ji madness

·1:t,f;tG?;i/ SHARP Christ, E-vac! E-vac! Prepare to unhook shuttles! MQYE! '.ef/[~~~?e.);:r::t:,?t~i-~ ·'.~~

On A.J. as the .. KLAXON BLARES -- a recorded RUSSI~j\~OIClf=:;comes overthe speakers. A.J. struggles to climb up the shaft ]f~dder. Reaching

a:1h,:; ,•:t:}it::_, ,}: ·. A.J. This sucks ... £i'>,:f·,;C> ·., •. \

-.::<;r!;t>::i=":'..-· :.. ·.-~--

Circuits POP VIOLENTLY all around A.J. SPARKS FLY -- FIRE starts to CHEW the walls -- Lev runs in, meets up with A.J. -- the leak growing rapidly --

:naster(OB/14/97) 66.

A small EXPLOSION -- SHARP knows it's over ... he closes a HATCH, sealing A.J. and Lev inside an area -- for the good of the mission.

Chick rushes in the shuttle

Lev and A.J. are trapped in here .. They can't open the hatch that Sharp closed on them. AUX air hatch. Lev POPS the door open and cold vapors pour in. The walls are being eaten around them. *

-\~;( -~: ·: LEV .,, Not heated, minus 100. Hold breath~or lungs freeze. And touch nothing. _,,

Lev sucks in a huge breath and into --

4J,.,fi.::::.;r -'/>:):>;,,._

So. tight they must crawl on elbows. Impossibly_ c.Ql'1cf."'.'.\ Breath and you die. Sweat freezing as they inch along. LEV'S BA;RE handAbrushing a ' . 1 . k ' ' ' ff d ,0;;,._ :.· . · . '' f reezing coi -- s 1n ripping o an -- '40;:JJb;?~f',>" ,;1;;

-~l1~J~{D~~~t~~t~

Halsey, Bear and Noonan rushing out with the hosinm, Davis standing there. Eyes bugging out. Smoke wafting up --

,::·,.,ei· :t.v SHARP ·'.:-::,1 ·-T * Get in the damn cabin! Did we get :'l:,l,".1:.~~,;/·: * fuel? *

master(OB/14/97) 67.

Gruber, Chick and Max pull a fighting Harry inside.

The small hatch in the ceiling pops out and Lev and A.J. drop to the floor. They are so frozen their muscles can barely move. A VIOLENT CONCUSSION hits, dropping the SPACE STATION sideways. A.J drags Lev away from the burning central hub. The pressure's too much -- a METAL* DOOR BURSTS from its hinges -- flies across the corridor, almost takinif off their heads. The ship is RIPPING apart. Lev grabs his PHOTOS OF * HIS FAMILY. . *

WATTS * ANbi(5fu'j§~· !·... It's them or ALL OF US! THIS IS ?}: ',

Tucker fires up the shuttle. The Russian Space S,ti'gt'f~arl'si'shudders._... ~~ -:" .·: '. louder TILTS further. ~f

A.J. and Lev are running hard -- suddenly a VIOL •,VAQUDM -- their * screams silent· as they struggle to pull themselv H~:i-.thef shuttle door.*

.. .-:Y.0-.\~.; =c•¼'l..~i .,

Harry looking through the window,eyes franticaLt;#::sea'rcl:ling for A. J. Sharp stabs a button on his pilotconsole. The ]]).OORS slfde shut.

·:>it:c.trii····.. ;:>:< ,_ : · SHARP Full thrusters!

2Ql INT. RUSSIAN SPACE STATION - DOCKING MODULE 20'1

The door opens -- A.J. and Lev dive in -- A.J. hits the button, the * door CLOSES behind them -- *

rnaster(OS/14/97) 68.

,-.,.,.--~02 EXT. RUSSIAN SPACE STATION - SHUTTLES FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE 202 (, / The two shuttles RELEASE AWAY from the Space Station on FULL THRUSTER * POWER, just escaping as -- *

The Space Station EXPLODES in an internal flash fire, blowing out * sections of wall panels and sending a SOLAR PANEL shooting toward * , Freedom that just misses her! THE SPACE STATION IMPLODES. *

A.J. and Lev in zero gravity ... Lev looking back on the debris;

A.J. * You might wanna talk to the boys in"the * lever department about that. *

DAVIS * Welcome to the Independence. *

A204 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM A204

Harry moves to the cockpit

B204 INT. MISSION CONTROL B204

Everyone is relieved *

C204 EXT. SHUTTLES FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE C204

As they head toward the moon ...

SUPER: TWENTY-THREE HOURS TO THE MOON

Jj;i:\:·\?:<:>\;t:.

-~. :< .. ' ., '~\ffr?:Yt':··t;,T'· t({t~? • .

TWENTY SCREENS. VIDEO SHOTS of: Cargo bay. Cockpit':".Armadillo. Bear cranking up the music. Oscar up front in the cockpit. Noonan trying to eat a tube of floating stew. A.J. at the window and --

Chick and Rockbound trying to play cards in zero G's. Harry floating looking out the window, staring back at earth.

master(OS/14/97) 69.

(,,,.--·--g 6 INT . SHUTTLE FREEDOM - CABIN OMITTED (205,207} 206 \ / Max sleeping, hanging upside-down. Harry, Chick and Rockbound looking* back at earth. *

CHICK * I've followed you all over that thing. And * now I've followed you up here. What the * hell's wrong with me? *

HARRY * (quietly} * Look at that. Just floating there. It's * so beautiful, isn't it? Part of me is * thinking. . . there are all those people * living on that planet. . . how can we. * possibly exist at all? And why do we? * What is the purpose of life? * (beat) * Then another part of me is thinking~--:. ; why * do I pay for all those movie channels? I * never watch 'em. *

Suddenly Max awakens with a start terrified. *

MAX * Christ -- *

HARRY \0, * Max, you okay? * _;>=".('. •< ~; : :'1Z'

~ii~~;;. ~~d!~i"!;;n ~~ng ~tili'.\ . ' *

HARRY * We're s.ll going home. And when we * there, I'm buying drinks. * (points to earth) * Anywhere on that ball you wanna_ go "t':;~l?·It,'T:f)/:rtrt*

Max tries to smile -- but his nightmare has really,frshaken him.Harry * then opens his Bible -- and finds a photo of Grace as little girl and" himself a younger man. *

A STORAGE CLOSET thrown open. SIX BACK-UP SPACE S:Uii:t'S: ·:b,ii,nging here. Tucker pulls one -- hands it back to Lev. :iJ· ... ,r ··

\(\_ '

Halsey already helping A. J. , Oscar, Noonan, and Be'eir.'.\t::O';,'ig~t their suits on. Solemn vibe. Battle-prep.

Same thing. The team settles in their seats, It's showtime. *

master(OS/14/97) 70.

,,........,.10 INT. MISSION CONTROLDAY 210 I\ The room waking up now. Clean shirts·. Fresh coffee. Crunch time. Kimsey on the phone near the MILITARY CONSOLE. Truman checking out something that Flip and Skip are working on. CONSTANT RADIO CHATTER GOING between ground and shuttles and

The two Shuttles approach THE MOON, Freedom in the lead, Independence following. Beyond the Moon, too distant to see clearly, THE ASTEROID is on its trajectory toward Earth. It is a HUGE, CRAGGY .MASS surrounded on all sides by a DEBRIS CLUSTER of rock and ice, the ice glinting on and off in reflected sunlight, like millions of fireflies.

The MOON grows larger and larger. Beyond is th:e oncoming ASTEROID.

Kimsey pace behind the console. J;t

( =~·.t4A-HNT . SHUTTLE FREEDOM / SHUTTLE INDEPENDENCE Obt'.rTTED (215 )214A-B

Harry, Chick, and Max finish bucklinginto their ~'~a.t\::rJstraintsand harnesses. Shuttle Independence theyare doing ®le sgine

??;~\-.:~~::/\·:.'·

~---. --~i\'."\_:/_"\•·:=::) ;.:\j'.-.'V'' • ;::,.<•>

Shuttles closing-in rapidly. The dead, luminoust$phere lpoming larger.

·:_,:itc~r;f~W .,: _·-i·

~::i;~!~!r~i~~letely fills the windshield. WEt"'~!Ef{":l:9$\t:: sight of the

•!"-?-

/~r~-::,;.-r.,_,._, '·•·:_'.

Shuttles Freedom and Independence shoot toward tn~ Mcfon, rpulled bythe lunar gravitational field. The moon surface rushfugf"pi3,~t.

·:·t;\_ -~--> SHARP ·.t;· :·:;,--,·/··O:-- We've lost visual contact with the target~ Houston.

220B THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD -- THE LUNAR SURFACE looks close enough to 220B touch. OMITTED (220,221,222)

The two Shuttles rushing toward the dark side and

master(OS/14/97) 71.

,,,--"\2 4 - 2 l:NT . SHUTTLE FREEDOM - COCKPIT 224-225 ( . ', ,' · THROUGH THE WINDSHIELD - THE LUNAR SURFACE is only 50 miles below.

THE ASTEROID followed by a SWARM OF DEBRIS roar into frame. Getting closer to the moon. Earth, in the far distance, a. big, blue target.

Sharp and Watts getting set for the big one.

WA'l1TS Rockets ready. - On your mark.

\_// TRUMAN (V.O.)

See you on the other side. J;Y ;::: J\b:- '

CLARK .--•:,:,--:t.c:<-'-•:,•-- Radio contact terminated, we' re outql',i '"'':·:+>:;\,, :it . ::_ 0~-<

STATIC. VIJ;)EO SCREENS crashing. All shuttle re~~J.:l;f;.S~ -J~!LATLINE.

Anyone ever d::::t before? (:()

Yeah. Vlad the Russian monkey back iI). ...'.!$'7. We'll pick 'em up again in sixteen Jniriuhes>. * -:~~r .;°.'.< {"✓,: ---~ CLARK ;,¾«ftrvzft::: ,:< ::r If they"re still alive. -- *

Truman turns to see Grace sitting behind. Gives her a hang tough nod. She returns it.

rnaster(OS/14/97) 72.

r.,.,..~ l EXT. DARK SIDE OF MOON - FREEDOM AND INDEPENDENCE 231

Freedom and Independence _fire their BOOSTERS and explode forward, hurtling around the Moon"s DARK SIDE with a degree of increasing velocity never before experienced by Man.

232A-HNT·. SHUTTLE FREEDOM / SHUTTLE INDEPENDENCE OMITTED (233) 232A-B

Harry, Chick, Rockhound and Max get hit with the first G-Forces. Their torsos get jammed against their seats. Their arms weigh 300 lbs. It's like an elephant sitting on their chests. In the Independence A.J., Lev, Bear, and Oscar are in WRENCHING PAIN.

Watts reads her VELOCITY INDICATOR under G-Forces so bad-she speaks through clenched teeth:

Horribly helpless. Spookily silent.

236A-HNT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM/ SHUTTLE INDEPENDENCE ;OMITTED ( 2 3 7 ➔ 236A-B

Excruciating. Gut-wrenching-turn-you-inside-out-iG-Fo;_.ces. FACIAL MUSCLES distorting hideously. Cheeks and lips just flattening. Almost impossible to breathe. Almost.

IN ONE AWE-INSPIRING SHOT, we see -- THE SHUTTLES re>Gketing around the Moon in darkness, further and further, until finaJT~t''WE SEE, a staggering, mind-blowing visual -- ;;;,_ ·-•-•• .:,

THE ASTEROID' S TRAILING DEBRIS appears, a HUGE CLOUD of.· i::~ny ICE CHUNKS AND PEBBLES, and much larger BOULDERS, and ICEBERGS the size of houses, the ice glinting with reflected sunlight, throwi:,➔.g:::19:f·t':~vdazzling SPECTRAL SHOWER OF LIGHT in all directions. DEBRIS from the asteroid's tail starts bombarding the moon's surface. ··· ·

THE ASTEROID' s··HUGE CORE - just clearing the Moon+{t,.Ilbi/~f:lies straight for its destination: the beautiful, blue PLANET E:AR.Tf{ de~a ahead. Freedom and Independence slingshot out of the luri~:i;-'.··Or,:l:>it and fall behind the asteroid, settling into the DEBRIS-LESS'CORRIDOR.

..':·,.

Silence/static replaced by LIGHT and SOUND. Com~hters'WkIR to life.

Nervous silence. And then ... THROUGH BROKEN STATIC.

rnaster(OB/14/97) 73.

Grace, like everyone else, breaths a major sigh of relief.

Sharp and Watts staring through the windshield at the ASTEROID and GLIMMERING TAIL dead ahead. Harry and the others, still recovering. RADIOS START CHATTERING AWAY and --

FREEDOM out front. INDEPENDENCE flanking. Descending through the debris-free corridor toward the asteroid surface. They are travelling 150 M.P.H. faster than the speeding target. Suddenly. A CLOUD OF ICE AND PEBBLES appears up ahead --

Visibility cut instantly to twenty feet -- BANG! laANG!,>J~ANG! BANG! massive turbulence -- PEBBLES and ICE CHUNKS BATTERING'THE WINDSHIELD -- e chipping -- denting it 111;

BACK IN THE CABIN -- Harry and the guys reacting -

REAR OF COCKPIT -- Harry and the others are buff •~::-~-:t.t'.;:;:t,4tntly

No visibility here either. windshield.

The debris clears -- then returns BIGGER AND MORE FORCEFUL

master(OS/14/97) 74.

r1s EXT. SHUTTLE INDEPENDENCE 245 I \ / BANG! A rear thruster gets taken out by flying rocks. The fuel leaks out spitting BLUE FLAME. Independence SPINS OUT OF CONTROL

The whole shuttle spins around twirling, upside down.

The Independence upside down flies right over the top of the Freedom. The cockpits can almost look into each others.

Filling Freedom's cockpit windows, massive engine·/t:hrusten:s of the Independence nearly colliding with her. Sharp takes evasive action and pulls up, out of the way. Safe, but for a MOMENT, a HUGE ICE BOULDER the size of a HUGE HOUSE twirls into F~eedom's path.

The nose of the Freedom smashes into the top of the rock right over camera. Harry and the guys take a hard concussion.

'9 INT. SHUTI'LE INDEPENDENCE - COCKPIT OMifflD (25'6-251) 249 ~ ",,.~ ..../ In the mayhem, spinning and shaking. A.J., zero-G. As the shuttle takes large violent

The Shuttle's roof collides with a rock. We hea,riijSQRAPING METAL. The CEILING dents in, dislodging INTERIOR CEILING PANEL'S.filled with wires and electrical components; Sparks that rain down. Chaos.

In the Cargo Bay, MACK TRANNIES, PIPES, DRILL BIT spin free and shred through the shuttle roof. A violent vacuum windstorm sucks more free.

<';;:'\';· ·:·)/·;·:-:;f:. DAVIS d'f-'''::,:j,;:"· .v: Eve:ryone go to life support! ~;::>5':}L,;:;,Jq,:;~

Everyone grabs for their HELMETS, frantically tryi~gwt;.,q_ get them on. A. J. gets his ·on, but he can't lock the neck seal,,<~'' ''<Hei\if:4i-dgets with the litt::i..e SEAL LOCKS. A.J. rips off the helmet. It'}'.slips f:t'orn his fingers and floats off through the zero-G cabin! ;i,h,-,,?iig·,,·"··><;f

,, , .. : ,~; ... · --~ . ,'

The whole cockpit revolves around A.J. as he floats for his helmet.

?.52 INT .. · MISSION CONTROL 252

We hear a CACOPHONY SCREAMING VOICES from the Independence.

master(OB/14/97) 75.

r~, Truman and the NASA personnel can only sit and.listen, horrified; \ · impotent to do anything ....

Noonan, strapped in, freaks out, bolts for the SAFETY EMERGENCY HATCH equipped with EXPLOSIVE RELEASE CHARGES. Tucker sees a wild-eyed, crazed Noonan at the Emergency Hatch. BIG ROCKS smash off the windshield in front of Tucker; the windshield's safety layer weaken and splinter, to the point of bursting.

A ROCK SMASHES through the windshield, gouging into Tucker. Depressurization. Davis and Tucker are VIOLENTLY.SUCKED out the windshield. · ·· ·

255 Noonan BLOWS the Emergency Hatch. Noonan is sucked out the hatch 255 door, hanging on by his harness, flapping against the side of the shuttle.

'% •.' .·· ....

Sharp, Watts and Harry watch the Independence twi.il do'\Atii.-· BANG!!! MACK TRANNIES, PIPES, METAL SPLINTERS strikes the Freedom's nose. SUDDENLY SLAP! DAVIS' BODY HITS THE WINDSHIELD. Everyone .rse.coils in terror.

-256 ·1:<'··. ,// 256

\\~;~~?;)>= :· .

FLASH CUTS: Independence's Systems Monitors flash of:f,; PRESSURIZATION goes to zero; CABIN OXYGEN zero. Radio STATIC andi',p:l(N:tCKED VOICES .

·,;;'-'i'.'&' . .;'_'.✓•.

SKIP Systems-wide failure!

A.J., eyes wide, his face catatonic with fear. THE: SOUND DROWNS OUT as he watches the Independence die. The cabin twirli:g.g ... smoke spewing from a hundred ··ruined components .. sparks flying .. ,.wrh~i'asfa~roid' s surface approaching through the blown Emergency H~tcli;•... {a

Then the Shuttle, upside down, SLAMS DOWN. The fuselage·ceiling rips open like a can of tuna, filling the cabin with jg,ggeds'rqcks and ice. The Indepe·adence skips, bounces, finally skiddintf' to a s,t,op.

\ii. ,_.:,}'

Seconds pass, Independence's STATIC goes dead. Sharp, Watts, Harry and crew stare at the radio in shock. Sharp looks out below at a rougher, craggier section where landing looks impossible.

master(03/14/97) 76.

,,.,.-.... , WATTS '/ \.

We're comir.g in too hot!

Sharp punches the directional thrusters, trying to regain control.

The Shuttle Freedom swoops over a CRAGGY SLOPE on the asteroid's surface, coming in sideways, too hot. Freedom HITS HARD on the craggy slope, bouncing and sliding, slinging gravel and ice chunks.

Harry and his Team are SMASHED around in their se~ts. They JOLT to a stop. No one moves. No one breathes. It's scary as hell. Silence.

Gruber with a big cut on his forehead -- in shock.

HARRY * (jumping in) * If you can say you're hurt, you're/not * dead. . <:. * ,;'.;(

POWER PULSING AND LIGHTS FLICKERING. Wat ts work{pg li~ke )nad *

.. ~\_::·-•)" .. ~ ·:, .. SHARP (to Watts) Initiate system-wide system check sure we can get off this rock.

t?1<-.2:r:·:tt~\-'.>-i-+~0tf

Frantic beehive of activity. People trying to bo8iit the'"signals -- check the modules -- analyz~ the trajectories -- guess the angles.

Truman turns back to find Grace -- on the edge oimadnesi, living in a nightmare. He moves to her -- :·. >r-:-: ;::?:>·'

master(OB/14/97) 77.

Panels pulsing. Sharp and Watts blitzing a diagnostic rundown.

Harnesses being torn away .. Harry already at the window.Max and Chick very quiet. Rockbound starting to freak --

SHARP * Independence is off the grid. *

ROCKHOUND * Off the grid? What are you, a freaking * cyborg? What's that mean? *

GRUBER * You saw it ... she's gone. *

CAMERA TIGHT ON HARRY -- devastated -- thinking about A.J. -- the rest* of his team. He grabs his Bible -- eyes welling :w-ith tears *

HARRY *

\=:~_.' If. . . if I'd ever read this thing ..:,;: maybe *

I'd know what to say right now. But ..,.~;;,;y.,,, * don't, I don't have a clue. . . excep;:ff>'thaf-"0>;, * it could've been us . Maybe it sho:@ld' ye: :, * been . . . ·,\\:,i:s,J•.:' :tit *

CHICK * Jesus Christ ... I can't believe * -can't believe we're here ... *

HARRY * W~ll we are here. We did make it. li, "~:?R~~/: *

we're gonna deal with it. *

MAX * This isn't happening-- *

Clark and Skip at the CAPCOM STATION, still trying to get a radio signal going -- screens STATIC -- looks desperate --

rnaster(OE/14/97) 78.

A265 INT. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL CRISIS CENTER A265

Everyone on edge -- the GENERAL'S hunched over a phone -- VIDEO MONITORS nothing but STATIC. RADIO is exclusively Houston's frantic effort to make contact. Grim in an understatement--

Watts swapping panels like crazy. Sharp punching keys. Rockhound stares at a MONITOR -- NUMBERS occasionally appear through the STATIC.

Sharp checks an LCD GAUGE showing RADIO SIGNAL *

SHARP * Radio signal's dead -- *

WA'ITS {f * I'm flipping the back-up generator'i:l~,7 hilt * even with that, our comm signal's cuf>in * half until we get back main power. * ~}rtft~tt·.'.tL1S_): ROCKHOUND 'r.< We're in segment 202, lateral Grid Nine. Site 15H32, give or take a few yards, , ... Ci;lpta~n America blew the landing b~itrtw:~t.y~,, six miles ,.. ··" ~~

SHARP How the hell do you know that? *

ROCKHOUND * Because I'm a genius. *

WATTS * I can't read these gauges, they're all * peaked, like we're plugged into some kind * of magnetic field ... *

master(OS/14/97) 79.

ROCKBOUND * Who on this space ship wants to know why? * {mostly to Sharp) * The reason we were shooting for Grid Eight is that thermographics indicated that Grid Nine, our current parking space, was especially compressed iron ferrite. In Astronaut-talk that means you landed us on a goddamn iron plate.

The gnarled wreck of SHUTTLE INDEPENDENCE lies below. Twisted metal.

MOVING THROUGH the steam and frozen gasses leaking from hundreds of * small ruptures. Emergency lights flicker. Halsey: dead. Noonan: dead.* Oscar's body, contorted horribly. But there's BEAR -- trapped in his * harness, his boot painfully crushed into some grillwork. A.J. hangs * upside-down, cuts himself free. Scared and breathing hard, he makes * his way to Bear. · · *

A.J. gets down there. Straining and straining an'if'.:'·:LL:' - *

~\~~ A.J. * You gotta help me do this. *

BEAR * No sweat, what do you need? *

Suddenly Bear passes out. A.J. all alone, trying to pull it together. And then, in the back the sound of an ANGRY RUSS~v-$WiJ;ARING.

'\;jt' =·-·- A.J. Hey! Lev! Up here! -:i~/_·:~::;~~!>i? ;:.-

Lev appears through the cabin, out of breath, sh&ken'.J

~¼'KI,,;,:_<.·.• LEV ·Where are the .rest? <{i:/:<t1?~'-.: ~). ::>: .. (A.J. shakeshi.s head, Levjf looks off) ·-=~i:ci·,/. ..... lucky. They arevery 1ucky . . . <\.:: *

Lev's eyes swell with tears. A chill rushes down A.J. 1 s spine. He * then __ climbs into the Armadillo -- flips some controls the LOCATOR * BEACON comes to life, indicating the direction of the other Armadillo.* I \

master(OS/14/9'1) 80.

A.J. * Okay -- I got a reading here ... this is * what we're gonna do: we're gonna get in the * Armadillo and we're gonna find Harry and * the other shuttle. *

LEV * And why then are you so optimistic the * other team is not dead? *

A.J. * Well that's just the difference between you * and me. Help me with him. *

Freedom's cargo ramp unfolds to the asteroid surface. Harry and crew are suited up. Max inside the Armadillo, others on the sides. Harry looks out. The place looks eerily calm--

Incredibly quiet. Tranquil and bizarre. They've landed in a small, dark valley; turned away from the Earth and Sun, THE MOON is huge on the far horizon. Harry walks down the ramp carrying a steel probe. Rockhound stares off at the moon -- *

HARRY * Because I figure if it is we're screwed. *

Here comes the ARMADILLO. In the BG, Sharp and J~:J'.t?Jbt~h out the remote satellite link and ·.. ~--

Watts working hard to get the radio and

DRILL BIT turning. Lowering. Biting. Harry and.%,',Chick ,w,6rk the arm carefully watching their rotation and depth speed 'tj21uges .' Rockhound stands back -- the bit begins cutting, Max driving!

master(OS/14/97)

The first 10 feet go smoothly -- 15 feet -- 20 feet -- them suddenly: * CLANK--CLANK-- CLOSE ON Harry as his face is flush with horror -- *

HARRY * What the hell ... *

KSSSSSSHHHHH-BOOOOOM!! ! The bit breaks apart and the drill dies. * Harry is horrified. Max is pale *

MAX * Uh, Harry? D'you see that? *

HARRY \<_,;.:_, We've all seen bits get fried before.

HARRY t;S:c-; Well now we have! Get that look off your face. Bring out the Deliverance. !tet'"s /r'e- bit this as fast as we can -- ~'.jt

~1-~, .. J/· I :_

Watts getting THE RADIO to light up -- butonly ffu:::;;c'a.:imornent

CONSOLE LIGHTS flickering and -- Everyone that FIVE VlDEO SCREENS are wisping to life --

Whole room reacting as they hear A VOICE THROUGH ,THF:"'.STAT,IC .

<:.

CHEERS and APPLAUSE throughout the room -- Grace can't help but laugh.*

mast:er ( 08 / 14 / 97 I 82.

·sharp now there with Watts. Yes! A minor triumph. *

SHARP * ,. Shuttle flight capability not yet known we're also having electric and antenna * difficulties, but we have commenced * drilling. *

VARIOUS SHOTS as Harry, Chick, . Rockbound and Max clamp in the NEW BIT * they begin DRILLING AGAIN -- *

HARRY * All right, let's go to 25! *

MAX * 25! *

And as the bit's ripping through the asteroid'sskin Rockbound surveys * around the hole -- Harry at the controls -- andthen, the unthinkable:* CLANG--CLANG--BOOOOMl The bit is chewed again. They all go silent in * disbelief and shock. This is worse than any of tpem ever imagined. *

ROCKHOUND * Harry-- *

HARRY * Shut up. We're cutting through a pla;t;:~-,-. * some are tougher than others, you ]q:'foi~l'"}'' ":S: * that. ~et' s get another bit on th~~ thi,:i;ig .) *

· Iron Maiden. Let ' s go ! 'ill>i;:::;,;, }'" , )P*

A286 INT. MISSION CONTROL ASTEROID MONITORING HUB A.28*6

%.l~~lJJTuTo~t;\:·.:<~7.f-'.H

Truman and Kimsey are there -- NASA and MILITARY TECHs everywhere. A * NASA TECH #2 displays some dire information on a CG'monitor -- · *

NASA TECH #2 ,:.";' ,.>_ * Before the asteroid passed the moorl;J.he:t::. * rotation was stable at 32 degrees on:::a.n'· 'N;•;:c; * axis. But now look -- the lunar gravit.~··<::s" * put her in a spin. She's tumbling _9ri.<a.1r·•3 * axes. This wasn't expected, sir-- :K *

TRUMAN * What does this mean for communications? *

NASA TECH #2 * Not good -- we'll have definite contact * with the shuttle for only 7 more minutes. * After that it's radio darkness. *

rnaster(OS/U/97) 83.

TRUMAN * For how long? *

NASA TECH #2 * We can't predict the asteroid's positioning * -- we'll lose contact a minimum 90 seconds. * And a maximum ... of forever, sir. *

Kimsey turns to a NUKE TECH {in military uniform) *

KIMSEY * If they lose shuttle comm, when do we lose * the nuke? *

NUKE TECH . * The weapon remote receives its signal from * a Milstar satellite, sir -- different . * orbit, higher powered frequency -- if we've * got the shuttle for 7 minutes, we have * remote detonation capability for an * additional 5. *

KIMSEY * Get me the President right away-- *

Bear painfully lowering himself into ARMADILLO TWO. Lev aand A. J. * staring at the mangled-up CARGO BAY. *

LEV * (sarcastic) ,f * Look how good your shuttle made sa~~·:><'lt· * landing. *

A.J. :f'' .. ' \ * Listen, it's not mY shuttle, okayT();\>J.,',.ro': n9t * even an astronaut, I'm an oil drillertf""' r•)'• * shouldn't even b.§. here. *

LEV * Really. . . so what are you doing? *

A.J. ·i:t7=ib·-.-i:~. * b{ .. I'm getting us out of here. * _ :~1ti;?"::f:;;, _. ,

A.J. jumps up on top of the ARMADILLO. Pulls the sleeve fromthe * CANNON. Flips a few obvious looking levers and takes ;>aim.

-i-~;:~i-· ').\ :i•··

You might wan~-~~ get down for thi~":~;f:Lev>"

Lev dives down into the ARMADILLO. A.J. ready ... set ... he pulls the trigger and -- BAM -- BAM -- it fires-~ THE HUGE EXPLOSIVE SHELLS BLAST THROUGH. i

master(OB/14/97) 84.

(~·86A EXT. SHUTTLE INDEPENDENCE WRECKAGE 286A \ The smoke clears -- A HUGE RAGGED HOLE. THE ARMADILLO blasts through the ripped metal shuttle skin --

Harry, Rockbound and Chick watching the very slow progress.

HARRY {V. 0. ) Do it or I'll come in and do it for you.

Max PUNCHES the CLUTCH -- the drill ROARS and

Spinning faster -- faster -- BAM! Starting to droJi}:;§:T~:·,c:ID,d then, BRRRRRR ... Real slow. ,r, ·,";

h~•,:-;/ , ·:·'.: HARRY ~4<;1,itl' What's up with the tranny?

·~;- .. ·:·/~, MAX The good .news is at least we gotf ft~i,ti~~'.v left ...

Suddenly .aQQM ! The tranny BLOWS - - SHRAPNEL -FLI~:::w~'l!.-v.i•,,, ";~RE*

Suddenly, A BURST OF WIND ROARS THROUGH hang

Sharp and Gruber trying to lock down the REMOTE ANTENNAE, fighting the asteroid's gas bursts and windy atmosphere --

mast:er{OB/14/97) 85.

A291 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM A291

Watts continues to work the electrical -- more lights _come alive -- *

Kimsey pacing. Checking his watch. VIDEO MONITORS in the BG, starting to go in and out and --

Harry and Chick walk in as Sharp tries the radio -- STATIC --

HARRY :·,:,:. I'm drillin' into something I shou1dn'..t be - - this thing just ate two drill bits faster than. I've ever seen -- now it's kiiled our transmission.

What's import=Is that you help Jt~:".:,get: f:' that transmission on--

mast:er(OS/14/97) 86.

HARRY * Fifty-seven feet! *

Sudden silence. Sharp can't believe this -- he's afraid now. He heads* toward the cockpit radio *

HARRY * We landed on Goddamn steel -- once we get * through the metal plate it'll go as fast as * any other job-- *

Sharp via VIDEO and RADIO. Very patchy and statipky.

294A-HNT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM - COCKPIT OMITTED\f,(294, 295,296)294A-B

Harry pushing past Watts. Sharp is on the radio, reading a DRILLING * TIME TABLE CARD: Harry rips it out of his hand.

Harry grabs the radio out o~:rp• s hand. Piss,~ ,; *

This is , the way drillin' goes sometd:;rn~$.::i -;: you don't know what you're gonna hit _;til you hit it - - so you can ' t panic j u~.t :; ''.c'/i-,,<,;;;:., 'cause we had a few bad innings -- i. > T¾ '0©ts,"',,:;-;;:,}: ~ii1

INTERCUT WITH: MISSION CONTROL *

Harry's transmission is BREAKING UP -- NASA TECH$,:1'~f;f=\:>B-~~tic, trying : to maintain contact with Shuttle Freedom but monitors FLICKER as the SIGNAL FADES. Harry drops ~he radio and turns to ~harp·-- *

:~rpI d~:;\~~rai~g i~u~h~h~~~o {3() *

Just face it. You can't do it. Yoti Just .:, * can't. I knew from the beginning i:kinging}{ * you and your crew along to do this J'&15<.l:wa's:'-'' * the biggest Goddamn mistake in NASA histor-- *

Before he can finish, Harry has LUNGED at Sharp -- pushing Sharp's face* right into the VIDEO TAP -- back at NASA everyone sees this on VIDEO * SCREENS that FLICKER again, then GO TO STATIC. At least for now, * communication is. GONE. *

master(OS/141971 87.

TRUMAN * Jesus -- try reaching them, every * frequency, everything you can do-- *

A295 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM A29~

Sharp tries to push Harry away -- finally they break apart: *

HARRY * Stay here. You supervise and report. I'll * go do the real work. *

Harry heads back to the tranny -- *

Screens still STATIC desperate Techs at their posts,-- Kimsey is * handed a RINGING RED PHONE *

KIMSEY * ... Yes. Yessir. We saw that too. Yessir, very difficult ... but perhaps we should * ... wait unt-- (abruptly- cut off) * Yessir. I understand. . * (hangs up, to Truman) , , .·. * Dan, get them out of·there. E-vac[right: * now. *

TRUMAN * What are you doing? * ... KIMSEY '~~~\;:,;;;;;( I've been ordered to override the sysi:~rn. * ,:~~:t~Jftli?itr ::\:· :\_=<~~~-

BOOM -- a CONTINGENT OF MARINES enter the room, a:c:cornl))ani~d by two military AIDES who are carrying a NUCLEAR COMMAND0~J~' ~'9';ITCASE .

TRUMAN What is this? ·c}/,~!\;;~\f;j,.\W¾?:?

Kimsey is all business now. He now has official o~ders.

KIMSEY ":;( .. The President and his advisors feel ':'tne•t: * drilling isn't working -- and we're about * to lose radio contact, maybe for good -- we * only have a few more minutes with * guaranteed ability to remote detonate that * ... nuke. If we don't do it now we lose control-- *

master( 08/ 14/ 97) 88.

TRUMAN .: .:.::,. We can't reach them -- we don't evefrknow * if that shuttle can fly yet! *

A300 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM - COCKPIT OMITTED {298,299) A30°t)

Watts works hard on the electrical more lights\\have come on. Sharp* enters, furious -- glances at the RADIO SIGNAL GAUGE.;:'.'."- DEAD. *

;;;_'=;:·i: ··=·.-_.-:.. ,::~.>-:;--~:--·- -~~ ;~ * ?<

B3 0°t)

remote *

it's

~0 ~a'.:~ ~t~:e;h~~' ~~:u:S=~~um::o~\~e a,~jOLE

Mr. President, I understand how * detonating that bomb appears to be tb~if'.'.'?''.:',:: * right thing to do -- it has the illtision * of being pro-active, but the truth i!lt__ C::;1' * without the bomb detonating 800 feet""or:.',{_>: 0 * deeper inside a fault, an explosion will * do nothing to stop the asteroid from * hitting this planet. My point is simple: * you do this, you kill me, you kill you, * you kill the First Lady. *

A beat. Truman holds out the phone. *

rnaster(OS/14/97) 89.

Kimsey takes the phone. *

KIMSEY * This is Kimsey. Yessir. I understand. *

Then Kimsey looks drawn from the orders he's hearing. Hangs up. *

TRUMAN * Give 'em a chance, they're making progress! *

KIMSEY * (indicates THE DEPTH/TIME * GAUGE) * That's not progress. One crew's dead, * another's worthless and the equipment's * down. Any minute we could be in total * radio darkness forever. I'm sorry· about · * this -- more sorry than you think. *

NASA TECH #1 -- we still can't get through

KIMSEY \\~.- "'{."· . * The order is for remote detonation in 30 * seconds. :JF10tJ(, · * .... .... );/ '-:'·

Kimsey inserts his key -- Grace moves forward -- U\:?i?. ";:· ·

GRACE rtl 'i:: You can't do that! THAT' s MY FATHID}·«UR THERE!

Grace ~s held back by military OFFICERS --

But the MILITARY AIDES INSERT THEIR KEYS -- and they turn them -- CLICK ... CLICK ... Truman looks over -- there's Grace, crying, held back by the Officers, her heart breaking -- Kimsey says a silent prayer as he turns his key -- CLICK.

master(OB/14/97) 90.

rJOl EXT. ASTEROID SURFACE/DRILL SITE A301 f ',

Rock.hound and Max dissemble the broken tranny -- a WIND STORM picks up,* kicking thick dust everywhere -- *

ROCKHOUND * Harry, we're dismounting, where the hell's * the back-up? * (beat) * Harry, do you copy? *

Harry and Chick struggle alone, carrying the .heavy tranny -- it's a * brutal job -- Harry only hears STATIC, unable to read Rockhound' s call.*

HARRY * Keep going-- *

CHICK * I got it ... *

That's when Chick sees something -- THE NUCLEAR BOMB'S DIGITAL CLOCK IEf' COUNTING DOWN -- 4 MINUTES -- Chick stops -- Harry confused -- *

Harry looks at the bomb sees its running clock __ ;:,:- his eyes go wide*

"'/-:.-; *

drops the tranny --

HARRY * SHARP!!! GET BACK HERE! ! ! * \=i~;_.:_; ·t i<{~l;J_

Sharp hurries in -- sees the bomb -- loses his shit _i *

:(~l?;,;f:,;,'"{::.•· SHARP * WATI'S. GET THE SHUTTLE READY TO * TWO MINUTES NOW! *

HARRY * What's happening? *

SHARP * SECONDARY PROTOCOL! *

Watts -- already moving double-time *

1 * I DON' T KNOW ~~T:: CAN FIRE UP IN ~IMEt<> *

HARRY * What the hell is Secondary Protocol?! *

Guys in panic mode, following Sharp, who GRABS THE BOMB. Harry and * Chick help, confused in the insanity -- trying to take it all in -- *

master ( 08/H /97) 91.

SHARP * They're detonating this thing from earth! * We gotta DROP IT AND GO!

HARRY * MAX! ROCKHOUND! DOUBLE-TIME IT BACK TO * THE SHUTTLE! *

A302 EXT. ASTEROID SURFACE/DRILL SITE A30~

Rockhound and Max keep working, business as usual-- THEY CAN'T HEAR * HARRY' S CALL *

B302 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM B3 0"2

Watts is crazed in the cockpit· __ lights are actually GOING OUT *

WATTS * We' re surging! Not primed for departure I *

HARRY * I got two men out there -- I gotta bring * them back *

SHARP * I GOT A MAN OUT .THERE TOO!There ' s}'no * time! *

Harry grabs Sharp HARD -- *

/:__<,~~> ·:·>=···:_·:,=~..;:, ·.. ..,. HARRY }: > * Without putting this bomb down 800 l~eet_,/ * into a fault line, blowing it up's jus:t:<a * real expensive fireworks show -- now _th,ey * might not think we can drill it but:J>+/$>:dp';-:,'.·';h,*

SHARP '.\~b-,,..,,,;ri <f)!'* The order to detonate could only haver:>come .,. * from the President of the United States -- * ~ifEWW'f1i¢::t% HARRY Well guess what. I never voted for him, 'cause I thought he was awimp! We .can do this right. Turn it off. Dismantle; 'it'l'' <:;:(: ,¢ ,, ;t·• '.{:,

C302 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM - COCKPIT ·:t~it:t~~·::.-· ·."<:_-'.'.:~---C30'2

"( '. '._··?'..'."t··,::

Watts gets a minor victory as the main power is BE::ING··'RES.TORED *

f}T ···:;\\ i:-:'..:: :~'t WATTS * Central generator's notcoming back~~iilin.iii1':' * Sharp, we are not goingto make it! *

Clark trying in vain to reach the Freedom. Truman standing at the back of the room, catching the eye of Flip at his COMPUTER TERMINAL. Truman draws his finger across his throat -- "kill it." Flip understands. His fingers race on the computer.

rnaster(OS/14/97) 92.

(---'73 INT . SHUTTLE FREEDOM 303

Utter mayhem --Sharp pushes Harry hard against the wall -- Harry then * grabs a WRENCH -- he moves to the bomb -- about to SLAM the thing -- * when Sharp pulls a gun on Harry -- *

SHARP * DON'T! You could set it off! *

HARRY * Then you do it -- stop the clock so we can do our job.

SHARP * I'm under orders. to protect a surface * detonation *

Truman's eyes on Flip's BLURRING hands -- the monitor then reads: "OVERRIDE SUCCESSFUL" -- and the BOMB CONTROL PANEL COUNTDOWN suddenly stops -- Kimsey is shocked --

MARINE #1 Sir, the override -- it's been ... over- ridden --

Kimsey looks over at Truman, who just returns thl sta~~ -- Kimsey figures out what's happened -- '·

It's still madness here Harry vs. Sharp -- gun still drawn

Uf\fr?r~::{(?(?·:i·{//:t SHARP ;;, This thing's gonna blow, we gotta get it off the ship!

Now Gruber enters from the windy exterior

Suddenly the bomb counter freezes at 1:09. Sharp is shocked -- everyone freezes -- no one knows what to think ... Harry lunges and WRAPS pipe tongs around Sharp's neck. Sharp is SLAMMED against the wall - Harry enraged. Gruber tries to stop him -- but Rockhound and Max come in. Harry squeezing the life out of Sharp. Chick hits Gruber in the throat, Gruber goes down. Harry, intense to Sharp:

master(OS/14/97) 93.

The Marines ~ith Kimsey at the Nuke Console *

MARINE #1 * We're coming back on line-- *

BU'ITONS being pushed -- the signal RE-SENT *

A309 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM - COCKPIT A30~

Watts prepping for departure -- the RADIO SIGNAL GAUGE hits 90% --

WATTS * Forty-five seconds to engines! *

~ ,,,:fo 9 INT .SHUTTLE FREEDOM

Harry and Sharp -- CLOSER -- more INTENSE

HARRY .. ·,";•?N';,.... * I' 11 be goddaroned if I let you pul],.StnE?'?''f\.. * plug before I've had a chance! ;;;t ,' * ·:J~\:?';}{'.~=.l-f; · :;r// ·

The PIPE TONGS SQUEEZING the air out of Sharp -- SUDDEN!.Y THE BOMB * STARTS AGAIN. None of them can believe it. Sharp struggles to get * away from Harry but Harry forces him down l'«:[_~~z~•,\~v,:;t1l,~ 01 -- Harry * squeezes harder on Sharp -- FACE TO FACE. \'4:rn *

HARRY K"~ ··,";; •••" * I understand NASA wasn't always about.""".'._~-: · · :1.. ;* following rules. Used to be about ·::aoing .:.( * whatever you had to do to get the j'ol:),,,a:one'< * right. Is that true? That there were __ · · * times when the guys in space didn' t,<take:>-::'":.-,'-:.* the orders from the ground -- didn 1ft. follow'> * the rules -- because they were ther.~!... Anq. ::~' * sometimes they saw the better way. ''Sharp';" * this is the biggest risk anyone's ever had * to take -- but I've cut through slop and * fire and stone so hard it crumbled diamond * bits and goddamnit we're drilling this one! * We can beat this thing! They're giving the * orders ... but we're the ones who are here. * Do what you know is right. Please. *

----------------- -

master(OB/14/97) 94.

,,---..._, * ( . Sharp listens, he hears Harry now. '\, --~--,.-'

SHARP * Swear you can do it. On your daughter's * life -- my family's ... *

HARRY * Swear to God. *

SHARP * I'll disobeying the order. I'll take that * responsibility. Take the heat. I just * hope I can shut it off in time. *

SMASH CUT: Sharp quickly, precisely removes panels -,... pulls fuses -- * removes MICROCHIPS, hi ts buttons, finds wires -- Gruber helping -- * everyone sweating -- Rockhound leans against the wall -- eyes wide in * terror -- this man is going insane. *

ROCKHOUND * Do a good job, do a good job, do a good * job ... *

As Sharp works we see a COMPUTER MICROCHIP from the bomb mechanism fall* unnoticed through the floor gating -- the clock ticks down -- 05,04,03 ~ - Sharp does the final maneuvers , *

\P

The timer on the console shuts off at TWO SECONDS:, .•.··. *

NUKE TECH * Sir-- it shut off. *

KIMSEY * (sweating) * &h?il.? *

Silent NASA faces. Truman. Grace. SILENCE. And then -- the radio--* scratchy but clear-- *

Grace and Truman share a look. Kimsey closes his .. ,~yest *

KIMSEY * Get me the President. *

A.J. is ARMADILLO rumbles over a little hill revealing the RIDGE WITH * THREE SPIRES directly in front of them. THE SUN is creeping over the * asteroid's FAR HORIZON, causing a surprisingly beautiful "sunrise." *

mast:er(OS/14/97) 95.

,,-0,13 INT. A. J. AND LEV' S ARMADILLO 31"3

A. J. driving. Lev and Bear ( in pain) bouncing.A.J. watching the * LOCATOR BEACON. Turns to head for the signal. Lev looks out, lost in* thought ... *

LEV * It's like Siberia. Is so cold there ... * urine freezes immediately after pissing. *

BEAR * Just thinkin' the same thing. *

LEV * Did you like it there? *

A.J. * Until today it was the worst place I've * ever been. *

BEAR * Just thinkin' the same thing ... *

A.J. * Guys ... ? *

A.J. HITS THE BRAKES -- they have come to a §"o foot drop * there's no way to get down. (:::_: x.·.~/;_-< :_;-;.,:_,:·/, .. _*

:;:,;i· ''./'· ·.::,; ·?>

·· <~f\r(/, ·· ·

Harry, Sharp, and Gruber bolt down the final lugs on THE NEW * TRANSMISSION -- Rockhound wears the Armadillo CANNON:::-AIMING HELMET --* wherever he looks I the turret aims . Everyone I s s'wea.t':Lri.g ·;now - - here* comes another QUAKE :/; · *

SHARP * Those tremblers are getting worse. *

HARRY * Is it me or has it got ten 2 0 degrees:. hotter * in the last ten minutes? t<fi"'' · · · · * i\t.(?·';. ROCKHOUND :,/:\· ·· * (half to himself) * The sun is hot ... hot dogs are hot ... *

Beneath the armadillo, Max is on his back, braced under THE * TRANSMISSIONS HOUSING straining to hold the lug straps in tight. *

MAX * Okay. We're hot and heavy, let her go. *

rnaster(OB/14/97: 96.

Chick up front. Starts the thing up -- accelerates and -- *

'·316 · EXT. ASTEROID SURFACE/DRILL SITE 31*6

DRILL BIT DESCENDING -- grinding and digging and -- *

HARRY * You know the job: we got 2 hours to rip * through the plate and chew 800 feet! Let's * make this one work! *

Lev standing on the roof of the Armadillo. A.J. walks in front, looking for a way down to continue on.

Do humanity aAf~;or and shut the hell up.

A.J. j;'/ We're not gonna give up! We are NOT gonna gy.il!

A.J. grabs a rock and HURLS it at LEV, who ducks '~:,-:,'bU-t.Jthe rock just KEEPS GOING -- A.J. watches it -- Lev turns to see"It.go too -- the rock just floats away ... A.J. and Lev look at each/0.ther ...

THE ENGINE ROARING. Max sweating buckets as he works -- Rockhound, wearing the aiming helmet, stares off crazily at the horizon -- now the- drill seems to have broken through something --

rnaster(OS/14/97) 97.

A.J., in the driver's seat, jams it into reverse~ Tires SKID. A.J. pauses. Looks ahead and breathes, then looks to Lev.

A. J. floors it right towards the cliff, as he shdt.s d6~h>::the roof r-:: mounted pro-gravity thrusters. :;'< ·• ......... ·

The Armadillo rumbles right off sail into space. It flies over the shoots across the entire jagged

Lev looks down. They are slowly going higher. He pushes the thruster "fire" switch--:- but nothing happens.He pushes $;,f;•'::B9:,~~. . . nothing. Bear is getting nervous

A.J. * :M1s!.t. isn't very good?! *

LEV * Jets not firing! *

Lev rushes to the air lock. A.J. freaking *

A.J. * YOU'RE CLIMBING OUTSIDE?! *

LEV * I AM SAVING YOUR AMERICAN ASS! *

masterlOS/14/97) 98.

,,-·'1 3 EXT. A. J. AND LEV'S ARMADILLO 323 r .: The Armadillo is still ascending as Lev POPS out on the roof and crawls' carefully to the thruster port, caked with ice. Lev uses a small * firing torch to melt the ice. *

LEV * Please work -- please *

The valve SPUTTERS -- pissed off, he goes to the next -- *

Floating rock? SLAM and pepper the roof of the Armadillo. Lev rolls, " dodging the hits, barely hanging on. He looks through the windshield to A.J.

A side-mounted 02 canister explodes, sending Lev grabbing for the tow * winch cable. The whole vehicle is now spinning end over end, and now * Lev is hanging under the chassis. The ground passing 100 feet beneath.*

A.J. pushes the "fire" button and the THRUSTER'S\ENGAGE The burst sends the Armadillo heading in a new direction -41

/?

Lev hangs on for his life as the Armadillo SLAMS tcl,nto :.-,the: sheer face of' a spire -- a 90-degree wall. The wheels almost smash Lev's body as it * SLAMS into the face of the asteroid, Lev dragging to-".a,,):,top. They did * it.. f~,f---~>=,.·:=,.\> .. -~\Y;. ·. • *

}j~i

A.J. pops his head out of the airlock. Lev, splayed out 50 feet from * the back of the. Armadillo, covered in asteroid s~.ce,f$i'\t"t and grime, * looks up at him. Smiles for maybe the first timeW/,n years. *

DEPTH/TIME GAUGE -- less than two hours to Zero a:;rrier.+~ They're 400 * feet down. 200 feet behind schedule. Grace is gbing .. J;hrough her * father's files -- pulling out maps of old drilling s:ites -- studying * them -- looking for something -- *

Truman moves to GEO-TECH #1 --

master(OS/14/97) 99.

GEO-TECH #1 * Now that it's passed the moon her rotation * is stabilizing -- but the day/night cycles are getting longer -- so she's heating up, * almost 20 degrees an hour -- *

THE SUN hangs low and bright over the horizon. STACKS OF PIPE and * debris starting to accumulate. They're DRILLING as fast as they can. * Harry and Sharp humping pipe -- Rockhound, atop the Armadillo, seeming* oddly thoughtful -- *

And Rockhound PULLS THE LASER-AIMED CANNON TRIGGER -- the cannon begins* BLASTING WILDLY! Chick almost falls off the Armadillo -- Harry and * Gruber turn -- as Rockhound turns to them so does••,:the gun turret -- * Harry and Gruber dive for cover. Rockhound ,·s gone ·mad: Rockhound madly FIRES at him -- Harry DIVES as he just misses the BLAST! Rockhound * almost shoots the NUCLEAR BOMB -- *

Harry's climbed onto the Armadillo and tackles Rockbound -- they both * fall hard to the ground -- Harry right on top of :cl:lim·i:.·-•· ... *

HARRY * What the hell are you doing? *

ROCKHOUND * Just shootin' a gun in space. * so testy about? *

Max at the controls looking around, confused, ~i~.fd ::i+~ *

MAX * This is one damn freakshow ... *

He's turned away long enough to miss the £P~il.la!..l,,!..l,U~~~:.:...il...,,-\1':i!:!~!::!=il-~~* SUDDENLY -- then JUMP -- ONCE -- TWICE we've se~_n tJ:;.-is *

~?Z~f~'._.{~~\/::,:c~;;J:k:

\~)}}[/f.~~-')·~1~-·:,!:·i~_;i~~:=

The GROUND begins to SPLIT -- SPIDERWEBBING like sh'att§redglass -- * BENEATH Harry and Rockhound -- continuing to the qrtlill·;;~rmHarry * then sees THE DRILL ARM KICK -- just a few inchesr,:;);:,__ he 'ban Ittake his *

1 *

eyes off it -- THEN IT KICKS AGAIN. 1?t>'i++'.W~,',~.:;0''

HARRY * Max, pull the drill! Clear the hole now! *

Suddenly a HUGE TREMBLER rocks the valley -- *

rnaster(OB/14/97) 100.

Max grabs his helmet -- EVERYTHING SHAKING BOUNCING -- his helmet falls -- kicks around in the interior

The drill arm KICKS LIKE CRAZY NOW-- *

Harry tries hopelessly to unhook the ARMADILLO form the DRILL ARM --and" it's POUNDING AWAY and there's GAS BURSTING from beneath the ground and" Rockhound's going nuts and Harry bangs on the Armadillo glass at Max--*

But ·Chick grabs Harry and pulls him away as KA-~l!:L. THE DRILi..ING* HOLE BLOWS -- huge explosion -- PIPE EXPLODES UPWAAD :...:...<-everywhere* the DRILLING ARM and ARMADILLO ONE LIFT OFF THE GROUND -- PINCERS * RIPPING FREE -- the whole thing blows skyward *

\~\,,~ ..... . ''t\({\t., ;~. •:,'

Max tumbles -- frantic -- punches THE DOOR LOCK wi tliout: depressurizing * the cabin -- this is suicide -- he's sucked viol~fttly out into space --*

ARMADILLO -- ALL THAT PIPE, THE DRILLING ARM. MAX, all of. it shooting* in to nowhere. MAX' S FACE a screaming mask of ter,riQr ,and0z,confus ion; * arms reaching for help that will never come. DOWN"':l3EtoW· ·::::::.. Harry and * the guys watch in silence. Except Rockhound: ':' · *

ROCKHOUND * See ya, Max ... *

Clark at the comm: *

CLARK * Freedom? Come in Freedom, request an * update ... *

rnaster(OB/14/97) 101.

Everyone stops ... goes pale. Some drop their head into their hands. Grace ~ears in her eyes seems more enraged than anything --

Silence. Stark tableau. Harry, Chick, Sharp and Gruber -- they're * all devastated. That's when Rockhound goes off: *

Sharp and Gruber move to the bomb -- *

Kimsey beside the Nuke-techs who still work to make contact with the * nuke. Truman approaches -- *

TRUMAN * We'll do it the President's way. 11 * order an evac ... you can remote * detonate. *

KIMSEY * You still don't think this'll work. *

TRUMAN * What I know is irrelevant. *

Truman goes to do that -- but Grace blocks hisway. Y:011 donot wantto* mess with her right now. ,17'·',,Y>. c>> >. ''. .*

GRACE * i(txfi'·::o,),c Can -they still take off? *

TRUMAN * We hope so. We can't know if-- *

Before.he can finish, she's SLUGGED TRUMAN across the face * unleashing all her rage: *

GRACE *

/ I THAT'S MY FAMILY UP THERE, DO YOU *

UNDERSTAND THAT? ! *

She grabs his shirt -- everyone watches, stunned -- *

master(08/:4/97) 102.

/,,,.,-...........

GRACE {cont'd) *

i, YOU PULLED THEM INTO THIS! SO I DON'T WANT * '•,,¥.·

TO HEAR "WE HOPE SO"! *

Now Truman grabs her -- by the shoulders tears come to her eyes -- *

TRUMAN * I'm feeling the same thing you are-- *

GRACE * No you are not-- you couldn't-- *

TRUMAN * -- and I'm sorry. But it's not your · * famiiy. It's everyone. Everyone's family. * Can they still take off? I pray they can. * Even more I pray there' 11 be a place they , * can come home to. *

A352 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM - COCKPIT OMITTED :i(349-351)

Watts, drained, prepares for take-off *

WATTS * Houston, electrical's unsteady but we have * pre-launch-phase two complete ... * ..... ,

~52 EXT. ASTEROID SURFACE/DRILL SITE B35"2 ·- ,,..,, Harry watches Sharp and Gruber as they reassemble the''·nuke. Chick * moves to Harry, says quietly: if · ·· · · *

CHICK <}:~;;;:; .,'c:" * It ' s been 2 0 years with you. EverytiIIJ.e .J: * thought we couldn't do it ... you pr,qved·.me- * wrong. I admire that more than you~ thirik. · * (beat, voice cracks) '/;,.,,,c-,,,,<0lf <> * Damni t, Harry. . . this time I was right'. ' · *

Just then a light washes across Harry's spacesui~t,(i:\";:::T:·.~~;::~rnsaroundto*

see the 2ND ARMADILLO HEADLIGHTS BLAZING. ~~

352 3~

;:·so::I::t::::: broken by an emotional VOICf:r. *

The room erupts in TALK and CHEERS -- Grace is an emotional volcano *

ARMADILLO TWO rumbles to a stop at the hole. A.J. pops out of the roo~ hatch -- *

master(OS/14/97) 103.

A.J. * There's a great little Italian place like * two miles that way. *

Harry can't help but smile *

HARRY * Ya feel like helping us drill a hole? *

A.J. 's joy is soon replaced with the memory of the grim crash: *

A.J. * I've only got Bear and the cosmonaut. The * others didn't make it. *

HARRY * We'll take whatever help we can get; *

Truman moves to Grace -- *

TRUMAN * D'you think they can drill 400 feet<in,·one * hour? .:.-·<·'.·:,, .-.;,-_._,< ·= .;_.-.,,_

GRACE * We hope so. *

,;:,~-

·-:\J«.,v;.,;.<; ·\(/

Feverish pace -- A.J. works the levers on the plat'form. Hydraulic * tongs clamp pipe -- wind POUNDS Harry, working hard outside -- A.J. * controlling the drill from the inside -- Bear wo~~$;'i).tati®:l}tthrough the * pain -- Lev helping any way he can -- Harry shouting orders, the ground" TREMBLING beneath them .. · *

:~~h:~e!· ~he ·~:~Lih~~i~r~- G:~: ~id; =~,::t'f1t sters *

HARRY * WE'RE GETTING SOME KICK! *

A.J. * I'M DRILLING THROUGH HER! *

HARRY * NO. WAIT. SLOW IT DOWN! *

A.J. * HARRY IF YOU'RE EVER GONNA TRUST ME. DO IT * N:Qk[! WE CAN'T PULL BACK, THE BIT'LL GET * LODGED AND THE WHOLE THING'LL BLOW! *

rnaster(OB/14/97) 104.

HARRY * I DON'T THINK THE ARM CAN TAKE THE * PRESSURE! *

A.J. * YOU BUILT HER! LET ME RIDE HER! IF THE * BIT GETS CHEWED WE'LL REPLACE IT! IF THE * TRANNY BLOWS WE'LL THROW ANOTHER ONE ON! * TRUST ME!!! *

HARRY * I GOT SOME NEWS FOR YA! WE'RE ALL OUT OF * BITS AND TRANNIES! *

A.J. *

HARRY * WE'RE ALL OUT! *

A.J. * (mind reeling) * Okay. . . HARRY. YOU GOTTA TRUST ME! .I..:H * ASKING YOUR PERMISSION, HARRY! CAN I REV * HER ALL THE WAY?! IT'S YOUR CALL! *

Sharp -- Bear -- Gruber BUCKING *

HARRY * PUNCH IT. * _Jf1tJL~:s~)j?<·t._ ::--: ==.

And A.J. WORKS the drill -- driving the bit hard 'ilnd :fist?-- the SOUND* LOUDER than we've ever heard - - the GAUGE JUMPING"~~·~;,,;dfuml:NG - - but * A.J. 'S drilling through the rock -- he' S doing it ~:::_'.'j:J1e ARMADILLO * DEPTH GAUGE hits 804 FEET -- Harry ecstatic -- ,;:/",lf,,'1;~?.;~:K,, *

ii;•/ ·:;::~}. HARRY * A,J,, YOU TAPPED US A FAULT! Let's j€~li~:{ rrl' * pulling pipe! ~! *

Cheers erupt as we see the DEPTH/ZERO BARRIE~ cha~ ¢9~;ete -- DEPTH *

is COMPLETE -- ZERO BARRIER closely approaching -- l:irace·moves to Truman. *

GRACE *

TRUMAN * Breaking my jaw? *

\ ,, .,../I GRACE *

If it makes you feel better, I think I * broke my hand. *

master(OS/14/97) 105.

'I'RUMAN * (beat) * It does. *

She smiles. *

THE NUKE SLED -- Sharp and Gruber finishing reassembling the bomb. *

SHARP * We' re almost ready to drop this thing in!. *

HARRY * As soon as the hole's clear! *

DRILL ARM in full-speed reverse. Pulling up. Sections of pipe rising * quickly -- ·Harry and Bear (in agony) snapping them off -- A.J. working* the drill and Bear on top, a wrench in his hand, losing_ consciousness * and the wrench SLIPS -- falls into THE TURBINE ENGINE ~- SIX THOUSAND * R.P.M. 's GRINDING HORRIBLY and-- *

THE DRILLING ARM suddenly reversing -- JAMMING PIPE BACK~ INTO THE* HOLE -- buckling it -- twisting it -- Harry and Bear diving away-- *

Truman paces -- the whole room is knotted with tebsio:ri :'.::;~,:-a *

We CUT TO WORLD MONTAGE -- a NEWSCASTER details uncont'irn\ed reports* that . the drilling has failed as we see VARIOUS IMAGES:;;'.:of,)the world* reacting to the news -- "':-ix::<> /Y *

'<i'

THE HOLE. A.J. standing there as Harry comes lirnpfng over.Fifty feet* do-wn, a mess of MANGLED PIPE. *

HARRY * Run me out some cable. *

A.J. * Ycu're not going down there. *

HARRY * Hell I'm not. *

Harry starts running out the cable himself -- *

A.J. * I've climbed the Pyrenees twice-- I'm a * better climber than you and I don't know * how many decades younger. *

rnaster(OB/14/97) 106.

HARRY * Back home I'd kick your ass for that. *

A.J. * The truth hurts. If we had more time I'd * say go for it, you know that. *

Harry and A.J. share a look -- Harry hands A.J. the cable. A.J. climbs* in -- looks up at Harry. *

HARRY * You better start climbing. *

A.J. descends with a HAND-HELD CUTTER and A LENGTH OF ROPE. Reaching * the obstruction. PIPES mashed and bent, stabbed in.to the walls. A.J. * starting to cut and-- *

Harry and Chick hoisting debri..s, as the ground starts to RUMBLE.

';'{;._").

A. J. 's rattled around as he ties the rope to the pipe's' .:.;..

_<i:-/.Z?;:\/,(~ :} i<'...

Harry and Chick hauling out the debris. Sharp an~~~Jil:Jlb~i)right near by, prepping THE NUKE and --

Rockbound duct-taped to a chair -- finally pushes some of the tape th

away wi his :::~:u:: tap!~:~~~t spearmint? cit:) *

it's got a minty-fresh taste. *

Just then a BIG TREMBLER STARTS BUILDING. in •- Lev right * behind her, holding tools -- *

ROCKHOUND * ·Hey, any of you kids feel like un-Goddamn- * taping me?! *

\ __ ,M6 EXT. ASTEROID SURFACE/DRILL SITE 366

EARTHQUAKE. A 9.7 on Earth. Chick falls back. Harry grabs the ARMADILLO. Sharp tries to grab THE NUKE as it rolls off· the sled and --

master(OB/14/97) 107.

' ·A.J. trying to climb out because EVERYTHING RUMBLING. THIS SOUND, WHOOOSHHHH, getting louder and louder and then, suddenly, a WINDSTORM OF PEBBLES shoots up SMASHING INTO A.J. 's FACESHIELD and--

Harry looks -- ACROSS THE VALLEY FLOOR -- A 100 FOOT METHANE GEYSER ERUPTS. and plumes of GREEN GAS rocket into space. ANOTHER. And ANOTHER -- it's coming alive ....

A.J. can't hold on anymore the up-draft too strong and--

Harry turns to see A.J. shot out of the hole -- SAFETY LINE PLAYING ou'I"' -~ ripping free! A.J. flies 70 feet off the ground as Harry dives for* THE CABLE -- just grabbing it before A.J. 's gone forever *

HARRY * 'This thing definitely does not like us. *

CHICK * 'Cause it knows·we're here to kill it. *

CHUNKS OF ASTEROID -- some the size of trucks -- •:breaking free from the* ASTEROID SURFACE and, slowly at first, but with tEg~ifyingly increasing speed and momentum, they start rolling. . . r<·· · '\ ·· .•·.·.

'f:

Harry and the guys standing there, they can't bei'±e:v:e· it?( On come the ROCKS and CHUNKS, rolling as they hit smaller surf_9 c.e.,.rocks -- they take little hops, and bigger hops, until they arE;;i{BOUNDING across the surface. Harry lashes A.J. 's tether to THE ARMAO)LLo~: Sbarp rushes for the PHALANX CANNON atop the Armadillo. <, , s,c\( ,;;,:.

,.·_.;/~. ·,

In the midst of this, the ground bursts open with -- A 200 FOOT HIGH GEYSER next to the drilling hole. Gruber gets b41~}~:t:~qml::?MJ the geyser, which blows him across the asteroid floor, SLAMMIN:$.«hirn'into THE ARMADILLO, killing him. Th~ cannon FIRES thousand$ of rounds that smash into rocks, bursting them. But there are toq_ man,Y of them.

/(;/)>-\.: :;;/i•>;:.. -=~-\~ti

A 20 FOOT BOULDER rolls toward A.J. 's SAFETY TETHER.\: "'"'

\\it;:('.:<(\\~:•,/:': .=t>

A. J., suspended high above, looks down at the ONCOMING"'''!CE BOULDER.

✓•• •• ,;:.,: ••

The boulder hits A.J. 's tether, rolling over it, '.:fiattenitrig it to the asteroid surface, which causes A.J., with a JOLT;¾tto be yanked toward the surface. ·'>,:L"''<>a<:.·-·

Sharp, on top of the ARMADILLO, sees A.J. 's plight. He dives inside, engages the gears. The Armadillo ROARS toward the oncoming ICE BOULDER.

A.J., terrified, continues to descend as --

Sharp, driving the Armadillo, rams the BOULDER just as it's about to roll over A.J. The boulder keeps rolling. A.J. is safe~ BUT SHIT ...

master(CB/14/97) 108.

the grappling hook is now irnbedded in the.rolling rock. The slack in line starts to unravel like a huge barracuda on a wild fishing line. The slack RUNS OUT and A.J. is still attached to the harness.

SLACK IS GOING. A.J. tries to get it off ... less slack -- WHOMP it pulls A.J. and slams him into a rock just as he releases the harness.THE NUCLEAR DEVICE gets banged by debris. Rocks CLANGING off * the device"s REMOTE DETONATOR ...

THE LARGEST JAGGED ROCK rolls right at Harry and Chick. They are caught. No place to turn. TEN FEET ... FIVE ... Harry pulls Chick into a small, fox-hole-sized indentation. THE ROCK BOUNCES, floating right over them so close, virtually skimming their face shields. It rolls right past their shocked eyes.

Finally the quake stops. The situation stabi:izes. Everyone get.s to their feet. Harry and Chick get up.

· They look Gff at THE MASSIVE BOULDERS rolling away in the distance, * smashing into other rock formations. Sharp looks at Gruber's corpse.

-·: --~ ...

Harry stumbling to the hole. Looking down. Clear. *

HARRY * Get the bomb.· *

r-'"121, , ...... ~·· INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM - COCKPITOMITTED (371) 37"2

:f~~~rr~=~p~~g_J~r ~k==off. Lev at the window 1:::;: :,p, s

0 *

WATTS * No-- God, not now-- *

Sharp doing final prep on the nuke Harry and A. beside him -- * Sharp hits the button sequence -- but the thing dq§!,~n'.,,t,>;i:::espond.*

:}f~'..i'.,·.-:·;,·~=,/::f~·- .. , ; ''..:.,\)-\ HARRY ::'.1 0S '.·.;, T« * What ' s wrong now? 0,s,~:cf•~ ,. : •:• 1/:P*

SHARP * (horrified) * The timer, the remote, * dead-- *

A.J. * The bomb's no good--? *

SHARP * The trigger must've gotten fried when we * took it apart.

masterWS/14/97) 112.

Before she can react -- A VIDEO SCREEN comes to life-- *

Grace can't believe it. *

384A-HNTERCUT WITH HARRY IN ARMADILLO TWO, staring at the camera. 3 84A-'13

Skip hands Grace a mike and exits. She stares at the static on the * monitor. Harry's face fades in and out. Grace knows something is very' wrong from her father's strained, tired face. She forces a smile. *

GRACE *

Tears start to well up in her and Harry's eyes. *

HARRY * I know I promised I was coming home ... * but ... Grace, I gotta break that promise. *

GRACE * Why can't they ... ? * "!'-!~.

Honey, stop. ~~en to me, there 1ln't * much time. I just want to tell you,.. ;ki'.i!i[,, >,,. * lied to you. When I said I was goafng·a:16ri.g * because I don' t trust anyone else .1).. th,at :~: * wasn' t true. <;:3r;f> ,:.,:0"' * (beat) * I'm here because I love you. *

Harry tries not to cry which just makes it harde;:~"!i\;;;:;;v/ *

GRACE * I!m so scared ... Dad, I'm soscared~,i~;fil;'.)tDrn * :it HARRY (V .0.) * (looking at Earth) .:.,-.,. ,/,,:c:sc. * There won' t be anything to be scare,d/''q,,'f? '· '\L * soon. . . and don' t be scared for mejp/ }; ;W * Sweetheart ... I' 11 be just fine. r'J?:lS'\'sQ"•-:} * beautiful up· here. ,,.,.. ;,<>- *

Grace fights her tears ... *

Harry then pulls the video link -- Grace's monitors go STATIC. Grace * touches the monitor as Harry's face fades away. Her knees buckle. *

master(OS/14/97) 109.

HARRY * Sharp, how do we detonate this thing? *

Truman addresses the room. PUSH IN on Grace as:< *

TRUMAN * We're eighteen minutes from Zero Barrier. * We've got some bad news. The remote * detonator on the bomb's been damaged:\. *

PAN FROM Harry ... to A.J ... Chick ... Lev... Bear ... Watts. Rockhound* still taped to the chair. Electrical wire and CUTTER on the table. *

SHARP * It takes two people to fly this thing. * Otherwise I'd trade places with anyfof you. *

ROCKHOUND * Yeah, sure you would. *

·* SHARP ,,,.. "- Either we all stay and die, or you guys? * draw straws. *

ROCKHOUND * I say we all stay and die, but that's me. *

HARRY ·:·,f * We don't need to take straws. I'll do it. *

LEV ,,--:t/li:+~<-- .. ·:·"'.. -·,* Bullshit I will let you volunteer f:or this J * so I can return to my country as ttt:e,:.,man- -.\+" * who did not volunteer-- ,.[ .. ,,.,-' * .. ·· '.\:Y\~.~_:.:-, -~<;(-:,-:·=· ,'. .,~, .

I'm the guy f~~he job. Besides J~,.bike If * .. barely got anything back home anyway"':'<J\1:. _:- ••••*

ROCKHOUND * You all might think I'm crazy now, but I'd * really like this responsibility. *

HARRY * Let's draw -- do it quick. *

--.... . .. ·--..-

master(OS/14/97) 110.

Sharp nods. A BUNDLE OF ELECTRICAL WIRES in his hand. *

SHARP * We'll go clockwise ... *

That makes A.J. first. He stares at the BUNDLE OF WIRES. Reaches. * Draws. Holding HIS STRAND as Chick swallows hard. His hand shaking aff it reaches out -- pulls slowly -- HIS STRAND LOOKS LONGER THAN A.J. 's. * A.J. goes pale. Bear reaching quick -- ANOTHER LONG ONE -- *

Lev takes his. *

LEV * Mine is long one. *

Everyone stares at A.J. No doubt now. He's staying. Harry' s stomach * is in knots -- *

HARRY * A.J., listen-- *

A.J. * (with a good face) * It's settled.· I'm the guy who gets ::to * save the Earth. Let's get it over with; * -~\t

Sharp shows A.J. the detonator -- *

SHARP )\ * You' 11 plug this into the port, pre~S,:-,*,:;) * this trigger button. That's it. ..,,,. *

A.J. nods. Dead man walking. *

FLIP AND SKIP lead Grace up the stairs and into

A couple chairs. MONITORS. RADIOS. Like an room. Grace sits. Waiting to talk to her man.

:;: )"~.=('./\·: . .. :::

A.J. and Harry emerging from the SHUTTLE A. J. ):holding'<thedetonator .*

t~tit?<'> ' . A.J. Do me a favor and tell Grace ... * (fights his emotions) * ... she already knows anything Icould ever * tell her ... just tell her I missher. * Would you do that? *

HARRY * No. *

master(OB/14/97) 111.

Harry then grabs his own MISSION PATCH from his spacesuit sleeve and RIPS IT OFF. He shoves it into one of A.J. 's suit pockets.

HARRY * Give that to Truman. *

Suddenly Harry VIOLENTLY rips A.J. 's air tubes almost immediately * loses his breath. Harry stabs the AIRLOCK DOOR grabs the DETONATOR *

A.J. thrashes -- GASPS -- Harry pushes him into THE ELEVATOR -- the doors SLAM closed -- A.J. BANGS ON THE DOOR -- *

A.J. * BULLSHIT! THIS IS MY JOB! *

HARRY * Go take care of my little girl. That's * your job. Go be the husband Grace * deserves. *

A.J. ..-, i:>\·.~ * I 'M GONNA GET ANOTHER SUIT, I SWEAR~· TO GOD! *

l~~e you al=Y as much as she dE::i~\ *

~~~g ~~ ts H~~~ ef :v:i~~eb~;i~n ~~r!~!r ~levator s'}f,ksst~~t'\:I;,~'i- up into the :

ELEVATOR_ DOORS qpen -- A.J. falls out, eyes wet "'t:-ii}rJooks,.at Bear, who * immediately knows what's happened. t',~1r··•;\••T,:;:,,:- *

BEAR * That stubborn iron-ass bastard ... *

Harry walks to the drilling hole -- violent WIND J<,4.:·cking. dust *

~~:t--· ··, .

Grace alone. Truman standing at the door. *

GRACE * Is he calling? Can he get through? *

TRUMAN * There's been a change in plan. *

master(OS/14/9?1 113.

,--~5 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM - COCKPIT 385

Sharp anq. Watts -- a blur of pre-flight activity--

Harry sitting beside the hole. DETONATOR in hand.

A.J., Rockbound, Lev, Chick, and Bear all strapped in.

Watts hits the THRUSTER BUTTON. Hits it again. ~gain. Nothing.

WATTS /ii Goddamni t . I just had it running ! {,

Booster rockets SPUTTER and die.

ZERO BARRIER CLOCK down to 1:34 ... 1:33 ... 1:32 ....

Lev

~icfi'.~s t~r~~~ :;t~a~i~!!if t~":i'-=oward the f °t .,.

:-Jf" HARRY ,~ What the hell are you doing in there?'i Get off this rock!

Watts frantically works the FUEL VALVES. Lev crowds in behind her.

:naster{OS/1' /97) 114.

395 Sharp hitting the THRUSTER BUTTON over and over -- 395

396 ZERO BARRIER CLOCK -- 16 ... 15 ... 14 396

WIND and RUMBLING --

Watts going nuts trying to get THE VALVE to open and--

LEV ,.c .. SHIT PART RUSSIAN IS SAME AS SHIT PART AMERICAN! I SPEND YEAR AND A HALF ON RUSSIAN SPACE STATION! THIS IS HOW WE FIX< * EVERYTHING! :<:

Lev jerks her out of the way and starts HITTING ti~'""~t_ruipment with his * wrench -- BAM! BAM! BAM! Suddenly -- VROOOOOOMJ IT FIRES! Lev * falls back into WATTS' ARMS as FREEDOM LURCHES. ''t;;/;g,:):·· ,,,,: *

ZERO BARRIER CLOCK IS BUZZING NOW ... -2 ... -3 ... -4.

Sharp with the'stick-- struggling-- lights lifting away and--

FREEDOM rising backwards. THRUSTERS ON FULL REVE,SE -- hilling away from THE ASTEROID -- toward the Moon. DOWN BELOW :_;7 :.Rarey, getting smaller and smaller and -- ·· ,,.:, .,

( Harry takes his final breaths. Tears welling. A GEYSER blows across \__./ the valley. WINDS gusting badly and--

rnaster(OS/14/97) 115.

Raising THE DETONATOR to press the button and -- WHAM!! -- right below him -- THREE GEYSERS OF GAS BLOW OUT OF THE GROUND!. THE DETONATOR flies from HARRY'S HAND as he's knocked back on his ass--INTO THE HOLE!

Harry falling ass first -- PRO-GRAVITY THRUSTERS pushing him further and further down -- Harry's fingers GOUGE into the walls and BOOTS scrambling to stop his fall -- GASPING as his air supply is punctured.

Sharp with -his hands full. Watts busy strapping in and--

HARRY'S GLOVED HANDS grip the sides of the hole. ii;H,is HELMET appears. ·PULLING himself up. Looking for the detonator ... iar:ty choking.

·<\-';

\,=~8 INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM - COCKPIT 408

~ _.,.. ·.. . SHARP ;~} ·," .•. Something's wrong -- we gotta go ba~;k. --~:-~;~.\\:{,(;;;;_/ WATTS There is no going back! We won't have'3;~. ::L_,. * 4¢ \·; ·,.::, enough fuel to make it home! * 'ih?;;,'.1ilf}F c:li}

409A-HNTERCUT - HARRY/ FREEDOM COCKPIT 409A-"l3

Harry hurt, damaged suit -- much pain GEYSERS -SPWij;tN.:G and THE WIND and DUST flying. -- is running, gasping for air. Sijarp'·s ··,shaking hand is on the throttle about to thrust forward. Harry •:a.edges flying rocks.

Something' s wrong! * ,/,f):\·:.v. :'"'"\' ... A.J. ~ ~\ Ev~n if something' s wrong, Harry woti~A .. ,,,<<f quit . He doesn' t know how. '"""''·,.;,;s:,;:,,,·

Harry dives for THE DETONATOR. One last look at beautiful Earth. Home. Tears .

---,--~-------,------,----,----~,---=~=---cc----==~--=---=---- - --------------------- ------ -- .. -- -----

master(OB/14/97) 116.

_.,.......__ SLOW-MOTION CU -- HARRY'S FINGER pressing the button and-- 1 \ ·-,,/14 EXT. SPACE 414

EXPLOSION. Spectacular. The ASTEROID splits in half like a diamond. TWO BLOWN PIECES winging off at new angles and--

ROCKED BY THE BLAST WAVE. Sharp hanging on to the stick and Watts staring out the window and-- The guys are silent.,Not sure how to ::eel.

416A-EXT. AROUND THE WORLD -- IMAGE MONTAGE 416A-K

EXTREME SLOW-MO: We see images around the world.f WALL STREET deserted A CHURCH with people gathered around a TV ... A TEAR falling from a woman 's face ... FARMERS in a cornfield ... KIMSEY with his . face in his hands. THE PYRAMIDS dappled in firelight as hundreds pray ... FATHER AND SON hold hands as they watch a brilliant flaming sky ... TRUMAN falls back into his seat ... India--hundreds praying ... Little kids running.

Grap's in his room watching TV, the bright flare fills the room.

_ GR)\P That's my boy ... *

~ INT. MISSION CONTROL 418 -.......__.,....

'-,~,"'~--~:::--:.:-' :· :t·

Truman, Kimsey and everyone who'll fit, crammed i;Ii>'afouna.the ORBITAL MATH CONSOLE -- ON THE BIG MATH SCREEN -- compute#'-im~gin,g THE ASTEROID' s TWO HALVES moving in new directions --''f~~I-JiF ario. SEVERAL TECHS grabbing DATA SHEETS as they pour out. ""'""''''·'· .

WAY IN THE BACK -- GRACE is sitting alone. Quieqiy wkepirig. Startled* as THE WHOLE PLACE SUDDENLY EXPLODES IN CHEERING;~gl~g~uSE *

Truman turns realizing she's heariqg this, concern,~g.i':"'·:t::μμs up the* aisle. He gathers her into his arms and -- { \f

~t?.b_l,?_t_:i_:::.·' '-:-:<:>::·<,·-=~✓,,,,.;:~/. 419

VEHICLES everywhere. AMBULANCES . MEDIA. NASA FIRE TRUCKS. And here comes FREEDOM, corning fast, wobbly, 'tilting, adjusting, closer, closer -- up a little, down a little, all over ...

:naster(CS/14/97) 117.

r'~O INT. SHUTTLE FREEDOM - CABIN -- DAY 420

· The guys bouncing around like crazy. Things SHAKING and RATTLING and falling Bear wincing with every ding --

Here comes FREEDOM -- DUST CHIRPING as TIRES HIT :coNCRETE -- BANGING DOWN, BRAKES GOING -- BOUNCING and SPEEDING but it's gonna work, it's gonna stop, it's gonna be all right.. . .··

A.J., Chick, Bear, Rockbound and Lev unbuckling.

ROCK.HOUND }; .. · :., .. , * I already got one. . . I 'm serious, I [<;ion' t ·< ·· < * think my oxygen was working right .. /? *

SHARP * Guys, stay in your seats * us what to do -- there's * out there, it's gonna be * just hang tight, okay? *

A.J. * No. That's not what Harry would do. *

~i$ff[iitft~:;~fFfl

EMERGENCY HATCH DOORS EXPLO~E from their hinges ana CRASH DOWN onto -the runway. NASA people completely surprised. A. J. a_:gd CJ:l:i..ck giving Bear a hand down . Rockhound stands there waving to mszeROWDt1itha t ' s starting to CHEER and CHANT and ROAR LOUDER ... LO't::~M)i\t'•\:ll;

A SEA OF AMERICAN FLAGS and A. F. SECURITY POLICE '.ffa;:rying:, t;o keep PEOPLE back and everything disrupted by -- A.J., Chick, BE:iar.··:·at:f they victory walk the runway. Pumping their fists. THE CROWD JUST GOING NUTS -- Rockbound behind wearing his helmet afraid to be seen.

Grace breaks away from a RECEPTION AREA up ahead. A.J. spots her-- they're both running, falling into each other's arms. Kissing, crying. It's their moment ...

master(OB/14/97) 118.

GRACE * I know he was. *

Denise and Chick's son in the crowd, held back by soldiers -- YELLING and CHEERING and CALLING FOR ''CHICK" but he can't hear them, the boy starts running, full out -- soldiers chasing him onto the runway and--

The boy running up -- stopping suddenly as he arrives. An awkward instant, as they realize they don't know what to do; -and then Chick reaches out, "lifts the boy into his strong arms, ·holding-him tight and--

precaution or romance? SHARP on the runway, mard1ing with purpose. Eyes straight ahead. CHEERING CROWD means nothing :ttcf him. Full military stride; he stops:

Grace unpeels herself from A.J. and turns to --

Grace smiles. Her eyes are dry. She hand. They shake. A.J. sees Truman,

A.J. * Harry wanted you to have this. * ~~}:«):;.:;;~~i;J,i~i.f

Truman, eyes wet, smiles as he sees the mission p;~ch. Smiles at A.J ..*

TRUMAN * Thank you. *

Grace grabs A.J. again -- they hold each can ... WE * PULL BACK to the SKY .. knowing that Harry somewhere.*