The Rules of Luton/Transcript

Hook
1. EXT. SPACE (SFX)

Eagle leaves Moon.

HELENA (VO): "Moonbase Alpha Status Report. Eight hundred and ninety two days after leaving Earth's orbit. Doctor Helena Russell recording. We have just passed through a space storm. Duration, forty two days."

Eagle flies to planet (sc 2)

HELENA (VO): "Our sensors have picked up a medium sized planet in the North Quadrant."

INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

Koenig & Tony piloting.

HELENA (VO): "Commander Koenig is exploring the planet."

3.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Vegetated surface.

HELENA (VO): "The surface is rich in vegetation. It is our hope that it might prove habitable."

4.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

KOENIG: "Maya." ((she enters)) "Sensor reading?"

MAYA: "Surface temperature seventy three degrees. Atmosphere breathable."

KOENIG: "Alright. Let's put it down."

TONY: "Okay."

7.EXT. PLANET SURFACE (SFX)

Eagle flies over conifers.

8.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

A panel marked 'Oxygen' flashes.

TONY: "Oxygen leak, life support system."

KOENIG: "Take over, Tony."

TONY: "Right." ((moves control sticks as Koenig takes a readout))

KOENIG: "Four hours until critical level."

TONY: "Do we abort?" ((beat))

KOENIG: "No. You go back to Alpha, pick up another Eagle. Maya and I will have completed our survey by the time you get back."

TONY: "Check." ((Koenig removes seatbelts & stands))

EXT. PLANET SURFACE (SFX)

Eagle lands.

9.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

YASKO: "Moonbase Alpha to Commander Koenig. Go ahead."

10.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Berry bush area. Koenig holds comlock as he & Maya walk down a gentle bank.

KOENIG: "Eagle One has developed a malfunction and is returning to Alpha."

11.EXT. PLANET SURFACE (SFX)

Eagle lifts off.

12.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Berry bush area.

KOENIG: "Maya and I will continue our survey until Tony returns and picks us up."

YASKO (VO): "Anything we can do, Commander?"

KOENIG: "Just stay in touch."

YASKO (VO): "We'll contact you every thirty minutes to make sure you're alright."

KOENIG: "We'll talk to you in half an hour. Out."

MAYA (scanning a berry bush): "They're edible."

KOENIG: "Great."

Koenig picks & eats a berry. Sound: scream of agony. Maya picks a flower. Sound: scream of agony. Cuts to various locations.

THUNDER VOICE: "Cannibals!...Murderers!..you will be punished. As cannibals and murderers deserve to be punished."

FADE OUT

ACT ONE
14.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Cloudy sky.

Koenig & Maya run to thicker vegetation.

Lightning in sky.

Koenig & Maya run through trees.

They run up a bank & to the top of a cliff.

KOENIG: "Koenig to Alpha, Koenig to Alpha. Come in, Alpha."

Lightning in sky.

Koenig calls on his comlock.

KOENIG: "Koenig to Moonbase Alpha. Come in, Alpha."

Comlock screen: three conifers. (sc 49)

THUNDER VOICE: "Murderer. You have had your last communication "

Koenig holds the comlock (sc 20)

THUNDER VOICE: " with Alpha."

KOENIG: "Who are you?"

Screen:

THUNDER VOICE: "We are the judges of Luton."

Alphans.

KOENIG: "What is the crime we.."

Screen.

THUNDER VOICE: "You destroyed life forms on this planet."

Alphans.

KOENIG: "We picked a flower and ate some berries."

THUNDER VOICE: "That is your crime. You killed members of our society."

KOENIG: "We didn't realise.."

THUNDER VOICE: "But we are merciful."

Screen.

THUNDER VOICE: "Even to criminals of such magnitude."

Alphans.

KOENIG: "Please believe us, if we committed a crime it was out of ignorance."

Screen.

THUNDER VOICE: "You will be given a chance to prove your innocent intent."

Koenig hears lightning & looks up to see three aliens.

THUNDER VOICE: "These are your adversaries. They too are criminals from space who violated our laws. They too claim innocence due to ignorance. Your innocence will be tested in the crucible of combat."

Screen.

THUNDER VOICE: "The survivors "

Aliens.

THUNDER VOICE: " will be given their freedom."

Alien Strong picks up a long shaft of rock & breaks it in half, each half for his companions. Koenig fires his laser at Strong, to no effect.

KOENIG: "Move." ((he & Maya leave))

21.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Gully area. They run along one side of a gully. Koenig stops as in the middle of it walks one alien. He puts his arm out to Maya, following & about to cross a gap between bushes, through which she might be seen.

KOENIG: "Back."

The three walk past below.

KOENIG (of laser): "This is useless. We'll need a weapon."

MAYA: "If we break a branch or injure a tree they'll condemn us without a chance."

KOENIG: "Yeah, we'd better not get hungry before this is over." ((sees aliens searching out of the gully)) "Come on."

The aliens search.

The Alphans run up to an open area.

KOENIG: "Come on."

They cross the area, Maya leaving a deep footprint in soft dry earth.

They run to the top of a shaley bank & stop for breath. Koenig looks at the shale.

KOENIG: "These would make good arrowheads."

MAYA: "Arrowheads?"

KOENIG: "Yeah. American Indians. Used arrows and bows."

MAYA: "Oh."

KOENIG: "We could probably make a bow. But we need some string. I bet we could make a spear."

MAYA: "Must we kill them?"

KOENIG: "Maya, yes. If we want to survive."

The aliens enter the open area. Invisible finds Maya's footprint. Strong leads them on.

The Alphans.

MAYA: "Well, if we reveal ourselves it's a sign of goodwill. It's obvious we mean them no harm."

KOENIG: "You've got a point."

MAYA: "We'll make contact."

KOENIG: "Yes. But first, let's make sure...we've got some security between them and us. Like a canyon." ((smiles; he runs up the bank & looks over; he sees the aliens tracking)) "They're tracking us." ((takes a twig & brushes the bank))

The aliens track over the rocky surface.

Koenig brushes the bottom of the steep bank.

KOENIG: "Stay on hard ground."

The aliens reach the top of the bank & search for tracks.

The Alphans climb the side of a gully. A foot steps in the mud & leaves a print ((Alphan with a red sleeve & no jacket)). At the top of a deep gully they see the aliens. The aliens find the print & instead of following, Strong directs his companions in another direction. The Alphans see the aliens advance along the middle of the gully. Strong tears up a dead tree trunk (or rock) & gives it to Transport.

KOENIG: "He could tear a mountain apart with his bare hands. You're right, Maya. I'd rather have him as a friend than as an enemy." ((Strong gives Invisible a lance; Koenig stands)) "Hallo! Hallo!" ((echoes)) "We don't want to fight with you! We want to be friends!" ((Strong throws a stone at them; to Maya:)) "But he doesn't."

MAYA (stands): "We are not your enemy!"

A stone is thrown at her. They run away.

25.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

YASKO (as Helena paces): "Moonbase Alpha to Commander Koenig. Moonbase Alpha to Commander Koenig. Moonbase Alpha to Commander Koenig."

24.EXT. SPACE (SFX)

Eagle.

24.EXT. MOONBASE ALPHA (SFX)

Close on base.

TONY (VO): "Eagle One requesting clearance for touch down."

INT. COMMAND CENTRE

YASKO: "Eagle One. You are cleared for touch down."

EXT. LAUNCH PAD (SFX)

Eagle lands.

TONY (VO): "Thanks, Alpha. Do you have another Eagle standing by for me?"

INT. COMMAND CENTRE

HELENA: "Ready for lift off as soon as you clear the launch pad, Tony."

EXT. LAUNCH PAD (SFX)

Eagle descends on hydraulic pad.

TONY (VO): "Thanks, Helena."

29.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

YASKO: "Moonbase Alpha to Commander Koenig. Moonbase Alpha to Commander Koenig."

HELENA: "Yasko. Get that planet on the screen."

-Big Screen (SFX): space (sc 30)

HELENA (VO): "Where is it?"

YASKO (VO): "It should be there."

-Command Centre: (sc 31)

HELENA: "It's got to be. Check your scanners."

-Big Screen (SFX): space.

YASKO: "Not registering."

-Command Centre:

HELENA (goes round to look at Yasko's desk): "The sensors are giving no readings."

32.EXT. LAUNCH PAD (SFX)

Eagle raised to surface.

33.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

TONY: "Eagle Four ready for life off."

YASKO (VO): "Abort, Eagle Four, abort."

TONY: "What?"

YASKO (VO): "Abort."

TONY: "I've got to get the Commander off that planet."

34.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

HELENA: "Tony, we don't know where that planet is."

35.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

Tony reacts.

36.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

River area. The Alphans swim across. They climb onto the bank. On the opposite side they see the aliens inspecting the water's edge.

MAYA: "They don't like the water."

KOENIG: "Maybe they can't swim. Stay here." ((goes to bank)) "Listen to me! Please listen to me! We've no reason to fight! Don't let them make us kill each other! Listen to me!" ((no response; he returns to Maya))

MAYA: "Even if they can't understand us they must know we want to talk. Why won't they talk?"

KOENIG: "Maybe it's their nature to kill, not talk. Well, that river gives us a breathing space."

MAYA: "Maybe they're leaving."

KOENIG: "No, just trying to figure out a way across. Well, it'll be a while before they catch up with us. We've got to find some way to defend ourselves." ((they move on))

They pass a dinosaur skeleton. (sc 36)

MAYA: "What is it, Commander?"

KOENIG: "I haven't noticed any live animals. Those vines look like they have a stranglehold on that one."

MAYA: "The plants killed the animal?"

KOENIG: "Let's just say it eliminated a natural enemy."

They walk on. Koenig takes his comlock (sc 36)

KOENIG: "Koenig to Alpha. Koenig to Moonbase Alpha, come in, Alpha."

THUNDER VOICE: "Commander Koenig. You waste valuable "

Screen.

THUNDER VOICE: " time. Devote yourselves to saving your lives."

Alphans. (sc 38)

KOENIG: "Why must we kill to save our lives?"

Screen.

THUNDER VOICE: "Because those are the rules of Luton."

KOENIG: "We will not "

Alphans

KOENIG (cont): " submit to those rules. They're cruel and vicious!"

THUNDER VOICE: "Cruel..vicious? We pride ourselves on our justice, on our fairness."

Screen.

THUNDER VOICE: "As proof of our fairness we have given your adversaries abilities to match yours."

Alphans.

THUNDER VOICE (cont): "Otherwise the contest would be too one sided."

KOENIG: "We will not fight. We will not submit to those rules."

THUNDER VOICE: "Kill!"

Screen:

THUNDER VOICE: "Or die."

Alphans.

MAYA: "I thought they were against killing."

KOENIG: "Obviously animals are a lower form of life on this planet. If we all kill each other it's acceptable."

MAYA: "I wonder what abilities they gave our adversaries?"

KOENIG: "Three against two aren't heavy enough odds."

MAYA: "Maybe a lion or a tiger might even out the odds."

KOENIG: "No, Maya, he'd tear you apart if you got close enough, no matter what form you took. But wait. Maybe we could use your abilities to give us an edge. That way we'd know where they are at all times." ((close on her eyes; she becomes a bird)) "Don't stay in one place too long."

The bird flies off (sc 39).

Koenig watches.

Bird flies off (sc 39)

Koenig picks up a small rock (sc 41)

Bird flies (sc 40)

Koenig tests the weight of the rock, then lifts a branch. (sc 43)

Bird flies. (sc 44). Three views.

Bird lands on a branch. Below are Invisible & Strong. Transport sits in a tree looking across the river. He points across, then jumps down & disappears.

Koenig is throwing rocks (sc 48). Transport appears behind him. Koenig turns to it.

FADE OUT

ACT TWO
49.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Bird flies.

Transport advances to Koenig. Koenig falls but throws earth into the face of Transport, then kicks him back (sc 48)

Bird in flight (sc 49)

Koenig backs to a tree (sc 50). The bird swoops over, & Transport hits Koenig in the shoulder with his lance. It swoops again, so Transport misses Koenig, then again, as Koenig is knocked to the ground by the lance. Transport holds the lance high over Koenig.

In the African veldt a lion growls & advances. (sc 54)

Transport retreats back towards the river bank.

KOENIG: "Maya. Stop him! Stop him! Stop him. We must talk to him."

Transport falls in the river.

MAYA: "Come back! Come back, we won't hurt you." ((Transport does not surface; she returns to Koenig)) "Your shoulder. Come on, sit down. Come on."

She looks at the shoulder wound, then goes to the river to soak a piece of fabric in water. She returns to tend his wound.

MAYA: "Mm. One they gave the strength to tear mountains apart and the other they made a Transport."

KOENIG: "Yeah. One second the other side of the river, the next second this side. If he could transport, why didn't he do it again to escape?"

MAYA: "Perhaps they're only permitted to use their abilities once."

KOENIG: "Yeah, could be. Anyway, thanks."

MAYA: "Nothing to thank me for."

KOENIG: "Alright, then I thank the bird for it's keen eyesight and the lion for it's terrible roar." ((Maya laughs; he groans in pain))

MAYA: "Oh, I'm sorry but...I've got to stop the bleeding."

KOENIG: "Don't look so sad, it doesn't hurt that much."

MAYA: "Be careful when you move."

KOENIG: "Okay, mom. I won't get it infected and I won't get any dirt in it." ((they laugh))

MAYA: "What you need is some rest."

KOENIG: "Right, and some peace and quiet. I'm afraid we're not going to get much of that."

They see the aliens swimming across the river holding onto a log; Koenig indicates Transport's discarded lance.

KOENIG: "We'd better take that with us." ((Maya struggles to lift it)) "Give it to me."

MAYA: "It's too heavy for you."

KOENIG: "Don't waste time arguing." ((takes it & they stagger off)) "Okay,"

55.EXT. SPACE (SFX)

Eagle leaves moon.

56.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

TONY (on screen): "Eagle Four to Command Centre."

YASKO: "Go ahead, Tony."

57.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

TONY: "I'm getting no reading on my sensors."

HELENA (on screen): "That was expected, wasn't it?"

TONY: "Well, how about yours?"

58.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

HELENA: "Still negative. And I still think you're out of your mind."

59.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

TONY: "When I approach the planet, or at least when I think I'm in the area of the planet, I'll check in."

HELENA (on screen): "Be careful, Tony."

TONY: "Oh, you never know. I might even be lucky and make visual contact when I get there."

HELENA (on screen): "You should have a copilot with you."

TONY: "I'm not letting anybody else share this risk, Helena."

HELENA (on screen): "Remember, you said you'd give yourself a good margin for safety."

TONY: "What I'm remembering is that I told John and Maya I'd be right back for them."

61.EXT. SPACE (SFX)

Eagle.

62.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Cliff area. Maya goes to the sleeping Koenig, then goes to look over a canyon. Koenig rises.

KOENIG: "Maya. We'd better get moving again."

MAYA: "You'd better rest."

KOENIG: "We can't stray too far from where the Eagle touched down. When it comes back we've gotta be there."

MAYA: "You're getting weaker, what you need is some nourishment."

KOENIG: "Oh sure. How about some pheasant under glass, asparagus hollandaise, topped off with chocolate mousse and coffee expresso, mm." ((kisses fingers))

MAYA: "Some broth. Maybe chicken, rabbit. Beef."

KOENIG: "Sure. All we need for that are the ingredients. And on this planet there are no such ingredients any more."

MAYA: "Well, maybe they didn't kill off all the animals. Not every animal's a plant eater."

KOENIG: "Have you seen any around? The only bird we saw was you. If you take another form don't stay in any one place too long. We mustn't give them a chance to get at you. We also need some more weapons. That lance isn't going to be enough." ((they hear a roar; Maya looks down the slope at the aliens searching)) "Company, huh?"

MAYA: "Yeah." ((he struggles to lift the lance)) "Careful."

They walk on, Koenig leaving a piece of blood stained cloth.

Koenig is very weak.

MAYA: "Oh, you can't go on."

KOENIG: "Who says I can't?" ((he collapses))

MAYA: "Any questions?"

KOENIG: "Yeah. Why'd I get you into this?"

Maya looks up a slope, then they climb it.

The aliens search.

The Alphans climb the slope.

The aliens climb the cliff slope.

Koenig & Maya reach the top of the bank & find another dinosaur skeleton. They pass it & another lying against a bank. They arrive at a large quarry.

KOENIG: "Better check out the area." ((he sits as she looks over quarry))

MAYA: "There's a long line of animal skeletons. All along the rim, looks like they're in formation".

KOENIG: "Battle formation. Could be that..this is where the animals made their last stand. The animals wiped out all the plant life in that area, to protect their rear. Can you imagine the battle that must have taken place on the.. on the rim of this cliff?"

MAYA: "And the animals lost."

KOENIG: "Yeah. Better check on our friends below, huh?"

MAYA: "Yeah." ((goes to look down slope)) "There's nothing I can see from here."

KOENIG: "Why don't you take a closer look, huh?"

MAYA: "Right." ((transforms into bird & flies off))

The aliens search & find the blood stained cloth.

The bird flies over the quarry. It lands on sandy earth. Two vines approach & it flies off.

The aliens look up the quarry side.

The bird flies over the quarry.

Invisible climbs the bank. It looks up & disappears.

Strong sees the bird & removes it's vest.

The bird lands.

Invisible reappears & continues climbing.

The bird flies off again.

Invisible disappears.

The bird flies back to the top of the bank.

Invisible reappears.

FADE OUT

ACT THREE
81.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Koenig feels his arm in a pause while scraping his belt with a rock. His knuckles are bloody. Maya comes up.

MAYA: "You were supposed to be resting."

KOENIG: "Yeah, I will as soon as I finish this."

MAYA: "I had a great bird's eye view of the valley, but I only saw one of them."

KOENIG: "I'd sure like to know where the other one is."

MAYA: "On the valley floor somewhere I imagine. What are you making?"

KOENIG: "It's a bolo. In ancient times on Earth, bush natives invented a very effective weapon."

MAYA: "The bolo. Can I help?"

KOENIG: "Yeah. You can get some more rocks about this size. No, make it a little bigger. And round." ((she goes off))

Invisible climbs the bank.

Maya returns to koenig.

MAYA: "Are you alright?"

KOENIG: "Well it only hurts when I laugh."

MAYA: "Um?"

KOENIG: "It's an old Earth joke."

MAYA: "It's not funny."

KOENIG: "Well it was on Earth."

MAYA: "Fifty years ago."

KOENIG: "Okay, then tell me some old Psychon jokes." ((she looks away)) "I'm sorry, Maya. I didn't mean to bring up sad memories."

MAYA: "The memories aren't sad. Except at the end. Psychon was a happy place. That's why most of us wouldn't leave it even when we knew we faced disaster."

KOENIG: "Your brother left?"

MAYA: "My brother, like Mentor my father, was on Psychon's High Scientific Council. He knew there was no hope when our planet began to boil. So my brother and a thousand others went off into uncharted space...preferring to take their chances than face sure death."

KOENIG: "Did they find another planet?"

MAYA: "We never heard from him again. Or any of the others who built spaceships after that and left. As Psychon's temperature kept rising."

KOENIG: "If the break up of the planet was inevitable, why didn't Mentor leave?"

MAYA: "My father's dream was to restore Psychon. To make it the beautiful planet it once was. But nobody shared his dream. They all left. Preferring to take their chances in the unknown."

KOENIG: "But if every...every scientist on Psychon knew what was coming...why did Mentor remain so stubborn?"

MAYA: "He wasn't only stubborn. He was in love. My mother's tomb was on Psychon, and he wouldn't leave her."

KOENIG: "What about you?"

MAYA: "Oh, he tried to make me go. But I wouldn't. I couldn't let him stay alone."

KOENIG: "He should have made you go."

MAYA: "You don't understand. He really believed he could perform the miracle of restoring Psychon. And I got caught up in that dream. Mentor was a great scientist. And he was my father. I knew he could do anything."

On the slope a rock is dislodged & falls. Invisible disappears. The Alphans look down.

MAYA: "I don't see anything."

KOENIG: "Yeah."

He winces & they return to their places. Invisible reappears & resumes climbing. Koenig returns to scraping the belt.

MAYA: "Must you keep at it?"

KOENIG: "Firepower, Maya. In a combat situation there's nothing as persuasive as firepower." ((resumes scraping))

MAYA: "What about you, Commander? Did you have any brothers?" ((he shakes his head)) "Sisters? Mother, father? You had nobody?"

KOENIG: "I had a wife."

MAYA: "Had?"

KOENIG: "Weren't there any wars on Psychon?"

MAYA: "No. Unlike your planet we were all of one race, one religion, one government. Our planet was so rich in resources that there was no separation of classes."

KOENIG: "In nineteen eighty seven all the hatreds on Earth between races, classes and religions, all came to a head. The war was global and awful. It was finally the war to end all wars because the survivors realised that..if there was another one it would be the..the end of humanity."

MAYA: "You mean people killed people just because they were different from each other?" ((he nods)) "That's disgusting."

Meanwhile Invisible climbs the slope.

KOENIG: "The one virtue of that war, if war can have a virtue, is that prejudice was wiped out. People realised if..they were going to survive they would have to...work together, accept each other for what they were. So we began to create a brand new, wonderful civilization." ((pause)) "But it was too late for my wife. She was a casualty of that war." ((beat))

MAYA: "What was she like?" ((beat))

KOENIG: "She was like....Helena."

Invisible dislodges another stone. He disappears, but his lance remains. The Alphans look down the slope & see it.

MAYA: "A weapon."

KOENIG (cautious, he stops her going down to get it): "It's just like ours."

MAYA: "He's down there then."

KOENIG: "Careful, he knows we're alerted."

MAYA: "His weapon is still there but I don't see him."

KOENIG: "He's gotta be down there."

MAYA: "I don't see him anywhere."

KOENIG (holds belt up to test wind): "The wind's blowing in this direction. Good. Come on. Come on, let's move back."

Footsteps appear impressed in the sandy soil by invisible feet.

Koenig briefs Maya at the cliff top.

KOENIG: "If my hunch is right, we've just discovered the third ability given them by the judges of Luton."

Footsteps appear in soil. Plants separate as though something passes inbetween.

Koenig gives Maya instructions.

KOENIG: "We may not be able to see him, but he's up here somewhere. Maya. You could pick up a scent." ((she becomes an dog)) "Go find him, Maya."

Bushes part to make way for an invisible figure. A big boulder rises before the dog. The dog growls. The boulder is dropped & a scream heard.

Invisible's body reappears at the bottom of the cliff. They look down.

84.EXT. SPACE (SFX)

Eagle.

TONY (VO): "Eagle four to Alpha."

85.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

TONY: "Eagle Four to Alpha."

YASKO (VO): "Alpha to Eagle Four."

86.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

YASKO: "Go ahead, Tony."

TONY (on screen): "I'm close to the planet. Or where it should be."

HELENA: "You don't have visual. Can you see it?"

87.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

Tony looks.

-Eagle viewport (SFX): nebula (sc 88)

Tony replies. (sc 89)

TONY: "No." ((looks at screen: shows Moon)) "But I do have you on the monitor."

90.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

TONY (on screen): "Do you have me on the screen?"

Helena looks.

-Big Screen (SFX): Eagle. (sc 91)

HELENA (VO): "Yes."

TONY (VO): "How about the planet?"

-Command Centre: (sc 92)

HELENA: "We'll try again. Yasko."

-Big Screen (SFX): space (sc 93)

-Command Centre: (sc 94)

HELENA: "Tony, we can't get a fix on that planet. And you can't stay out there forever."

TONY (on screen): "Oh yes I can. Send another Eagle to refuel me."

95.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Cliff top. Koenig wakens from a moaning, feverish sleep.

MAYA: "It's alright. It's alright. It's alright. Ssh. Hey. Oh. Are you better now?"

KOENIG: "What'd I do...pass out?"

MAYA: "No,. You fell asleep."

KOENIG: "As long as I was only delirious. I'd hate to have recurring nightmares like that again."

MAYA (she inspects his wound_: "Alright, if it will make you happy. You were delirious."

KOENIG: "That bad, huh?"

MAYA: "It has to be cleaned. I've got to find some water."

She transforms into a bird & flies off, carrying a scrap of cloth.

POV of a dry canyon with river (sc 98)

Bird lands by water. A confusion of fluttering wings & Alien Strong puts her in a cage. (sc 99)

FADE OUT

ACT FOUR
100.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Koenig wakes, hearing bird cries. He looks down the cliff & sees Strong holding up the cage & growling. Koenig walks back & takes his comlock.

KOENIG: "Judges of Luton."

Screen (sc 101)

KOENIG (VO): "Free her. And I will go down to him."

THUNDER VOICE: "We will not interfere."

Koenig. (sc 102)

KOENIG: "I will let him kill me."

THUNDER VOICE: "No."

KOENIG: "She can keep that form for only an hour. She will be crushed." ((bird screeches)) "Free her and he can kill me."

Cliff top.

THUNDER VOICE: "We cannot."

Screen.

KOENIG (VO): "You're the judges of Luton. You can do anything!"

THUNDER VOICE: "It is against the rules of Luton." ((screen blanks))

Koenig reacts.

KOENIG: "Wait! Please, please wait! Wait!" ((throws away the comlock))

Strong sits by the cage.

Koenig goes to his belt & ties a rock into it.

Strong waits.

Koenig lifts his rocks & looks down. Strong cries out. Koenig lifts the lance.

103.EXT. SPACE (SFX)

Two Eagles approach.

TONY (VO): "Eagle Four to Command Centre."

INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

TONY: "Refuelling Eagle coming alongside."

YASKO (on screen): "Refuelling Eagle is carrying relief pilot."

TONY: "I don't want a relief pilot, all I want is "

104.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

TONY (on screen, cont): " refuelling."

HELENA: "Don't be stubborn, Tony. Let your relief take over."

105.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

TONY: "No way, Helena. One of us taking this risk is all that Alpha can afford."

106.EXT. SPACE (SFX)

The refuelling arm swings out to the Eagle pod.

INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

Tony.

106.EXT. SPACE (SFX)

Medium shot as refuelling Eagle lowers onto other.

CU shot of same.

HELENA (VO): "Tony, according to our computer you're drifting very close to our recorded position of "

107.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

HELENA (cont): " that planet."

TONY (on screen): "According to my instruments I'm uncomfortably close."

HELENA: "That's what I said...too close."

TONY (on screen): "I'm still hoping for a visual."

HELENA: "Give yourself more room, Tony. You know the slightest miscalculation.. you'll crash."

108.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

TONY: "I'm not in the mood for miscalculation, Helena."

HELENA (on screen): "How long do you expect to stay there?"

TONY: "Forever. If I have to."

110.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Cliff area. Koenig falls down the slope, rises, & falls down again. Strong laughs. Koenig rises to pull the lance down to him. He then walks forward. Strong stands.

KOENIG: "We're...we're fools..if we fight!"

STRONG: "I don't want to kill you, but I must!"

KOENIG: "You...you understand me?"

STRONG: "It pleases the judges of Luton to let us communicate at the moment of combat."

KOENIG: "Let her out of the cage. She'll be crushed!"

STRONG: "It is regrettable, but necessary that you both die so that I may live."

Strong advances & lifts his club. Koenig throws the lance at him & runs back, stops, & swings the bolo. He throws it. It wraps round Strong's feet, & he falls, his head hitting a rock. Koenig goes to the cage.

KOENIG: "Maya."

Maya emerges from the cage. Koenig takes the lance & lifts it over Strong. He then looks back to Maya, who shakes her head.

THUNDER VOICE: "Kill!"

-Trees on hill (SFX):

THUNDER VOICE: "Kill!"

-Koenig & Maya.

THUNDER VOICE: "Kill and you will be freed!"

-Koenig looks down at Strong.

-Trees on hill (SFX):

-KOENIG: "No! I will not kill!" ((he backs away; Strong sits up))

THUNDER VOICE: "Kill the criminal who "

-Trees on hill (SFX):

THUNDER VOICE: " committed murder on Luton! Kill!"

-KOENIG: "No! You are the criminals!"

-Trees on hill (SFX):

KOENIG: "You could have stopped us before we "

-Koenig & Maya.

KOENIG: " tore plants and destroyed flowers!" ((chattering sound starts))

-Trees on hill (SFX):

THUNDER VOICE: "You have defeated the enemy."

-Strong gets up & runs away.

THUNDER VOICE: "You are free."

KOENIG: "You want to see things die. You would like everything here to die."

-Trees on hill (SFX):

KOENIG: "To satisfy your lust for death."

-Studio flowers

-Trees on hill (SFX):

THUNDER VOICE: "Hear me! Listen!"

-Studio berries & flowers.

-Trees on hill (SFX):

THUNDER VOICE: "Listen to me!"

-Studio foliage, chattering.

-Koenig & Maya look round.

-Studio shrubbery.

-Maya.

-Studio grasses, berries.

-Koenig & Maya.

-Whip pans between studio vegetation.

-Whip pan to trees on hill (SFX):

THUNDER VOICE: "Go. Go. You are free." ((loud chattering))

-Koenig & Maya.

-Trees on hill (SFX):

-Maya goes to Koenig. They look round.

-Studio flowers, swaying

111.EXT. SPACE (SFX)

Eagle flies in space.

112.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

TONY: "I've checked and I've rechecked, Alpha. According to my onboard computer I'm at the planet. And yet nothing."

113.EXT. SPACE/ PLANET SURFACE (SFX)

POV space. Abrupt cut & clouds clear to see planet landscape.

114.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

Tony reacts.

115.EXT. PLANET SURFACE (SFX)

POV of landscape as start to rise.

114.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

Tony pushes the control sticks down.

115.EXT. PLANET SURFACE (SFX)

POV: top of hills to sky.

114.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

Brief shot of Tony.

115.EXT. PLANET SURFACE (SFX)

Eagle swoops over trees.

Eagle swoops over trees.

116.INT. EAGLE PILOT SECTION

TONY: "Phew. Okay, Alpha."

117.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

TONY (VO): "I've found the planet."

HELENA: "John and Maya..see if you can get through."

YASKO: "Moonbase Alpha to Commander Koenig. Moonbase Alpha "

118.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

YASKO (VO): " to Commander Koenig."

MAYA: "They're letting Alpha make contact."

KOENIG: "Anything to get rid of us before we start an uprising."

YASKO (VO): "Moonbase Alpha to Commander Koenig."

MAYA: "Moonbase Alpha. This is Maya. Go ahead."

INT. COMMAND CENTRE

YASKO: "Eagle Four is ready to touch down if you will give your position."

EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Koenig & Maya look.

119.EXT. PLANET SURFACE (SFX)

Eagle landing.

MAYA (VO): "No need."

120.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

MAYA: "We have visual contact."

121.EXT. PLANET SURFACE (SFX)

Eagle lands.

122.EXT. PLANET SURFACE

Koenig & Maya run off.

FADE OUT

EPILOGUE
123.INT. COMMAND CENTRE

Koenig enters, his right arm on a sling. He sees a pot plant on his desk.

KOENIG: "Where did that come form?"

TONY: "Hydroponics."

MAYA: "Tony gave them to me. He thought that might make me cheer up after our ordeal."

HELENA: "So he gave you a plant. Well. Nobody could say that Tony does not have a sense of humour." ((Tony chuckles))

KOENIG: "I think Tony needs to have his sense of humour retooled."

MAYA: "Oh, I thought it was a nice gesture."

TONY: "I thought so too."

HELENA: "He could have given you a bucket of his abominable beer." ((Tony laughs)) "They're quite nice."

MAYA: "Do you want one, Helena?"

HELENA: "I'd like one."

KOENIG: "Hold it. Do me a favour. While I'm around never pick a flower." ((offers pot to Tony)) "Back to Hydroponic."

CU flowers.

FREEZE FRAME