TERRAFORM

Screenplay by Mark Salow




First Draft

September 1996





In the background, fading in, the landscape of Europa, a moon of
Jupiter, rolls away in glowing, almost iridescent hills. The sky has a
lavender hue and one of the towers belching greenhouse gases and its
supporting buildings can be seen in the distance. It is the year 2070
and humans live here now, the view from the window of one in
particular is what we're seeing. Zoom out to the side of a young man's
head, staring out the window. The head is that of ERIC LASLING.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ERIC LASLING'S APARTMENT - TWILIGHT

CU of a glowing pink orb on a coffee table that is supported by a
black porcelain segmented doughnut.

It LIGHTS with a HUM and ERIC turns toward its summons. He waves his
hand over it for identification and he hears the voice of his friend
BOXER BASHING. Eric passes his hand over the orb again and a columnar
hologram rises out of the orb bearing the wise-cracking face of Boxer.

BOXER Eric, let's get going - the crowd is probably brimming right
now.

ERIC Doctor Boxer Bashing. Man of so many talents and so little
timing. We can't go yet, it's too early. Taoist philosophers always
said "timing is wisdom" and mine tells me it's not quite time to
leave. (pauses) Come on up for a minute. (passes his hand over the
glowing orb) Open sesame.

Boxer enters the apartment just as Eric is casting an old fishing rod
with a fabric mouse attached to the end. It lands on the floor and an
orange cat pounces from behind some furniture and clenches on it with
mouth and claws. Eric yanks on the rod and lifts the cat up into the
air, pulls out a net and the cat releases just as the net is
underneath him.

BOXER Good catch! Looks like a ten pounder.

ERIC (holding up the cat and examining it) Hummm, I don't know, looks
kind of small to me.

He cradles the cat in his arms and sits on the ottoman inviting Boxer
to sit. Boxer is hesitant and irritated.

BOXER Can't we just take off now? Timing is wisdom? You're no ancient
sage and I'm a thirsty guy, so what do you say we forget about your
timing for once and get going?

ERIC Well, aren't you always bashing through life? I'm sure, years
ago, that was the true origin of your family name.

BOXER Do me a favor tonight. Don't try to time everything! If you see
someone interesting, don't spend the entire evening choosing the right
time, because you'll never find it. If you continue nit-picking,
you're going to end up like Rex Harrison in My Fair Lady: fifty years
old and talking to your butler every morning.

ERIC You make the situation sound so desperate. I'm only thirty two
years old.

BOXER I'm just tired of the loneliness innuendoes. You never admit
that you're lonely but there is always this air of hopelessness
everytime we talk about women. You and Carol may not have had the
dream relationship, but at least you seemed more relaxed.

ERIC Carol. I should have listened to my Uncle Vince; he always told
me "Confucius say: relationships are like bath water: hot at first but
after a while not so hot."

CUT TO:

EXT. APARTMENT BUILDING - NIGHT

Boxer and Eric get into Boxer's hovercraft. It looks similar to a car
except an antimatter glow emanates from the bottom looking like a
large orb - not unlike the communication ball back in Eric's
apartment.

ERIC So, do you know anyone else who is going to see the illustrious
Pater Benton this evening or are we going to be milling about with a
bunch of stiffs and puppet women.

BOXER Puppet women! What on Europa are they?

ERIC They're pulled around on strings by some guy. You talk to them
and all you hear is my man did this and I'm so happy. When you ask
them what makes them happy, they start talking about someone else -
not theirself.

BOXER Is that so bad? We can't all be self-serving robots that don't
care about anyone else.

ERIC (getting bothered) What are you getting at? That I'm some cold
heartless guy.

BOXER No, I just think that sometimes you don't think enough about
other people and maybe that's why you've been single for so long.

ERIC Look! Just because I am being choosy this time around doesn't
mean that I'm cold and heartless.

BOXER Let's get back to the puppet women. What else bothers you about
them? It can't just be that they don't talk about themselves. That's
what I hate the most in women I meet is that it's all about what they
want, that they're getting a different haircut, they don't feel good,
me me me! Never an original thought.

ERIC You've hit the nail right on the head. That's precisely what I
need: to hear something, anything, but me me me.

CUT TO:

INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT

Eric and Boxer enter the room and wander through the crowd. We pan
from their POV seeing a large set of circular, plate glass windows
surrounding half of the room. Outside, there is a twinkling, twilight
cityscape far below. Eric stops to look out onto the landscape,
turning as Boxer wanders off into the room. Boxer sees two attractive
women and turns to comment. He sees that Eric is now a few paces back
and he rolls his eyes as he steps back to him.

BOXER (Urgently excited) Eric, these two ladies just got here. I know
the one from the Life Nexus conferences and Wallace is talking to
them, let's mingle.

Across the room, a man named Wallace is standing with the two ladies -
blocking our view.

ERIC OK, relax, you're about to jump right out of your skin.

Just as they take a few steps a voice can be heard speaking to the
crowd.

CUT TO:

INT. BALLROOM STAGE - NIGHT

ANNOUNCER Let's all give a warm welcome to this evening's speaker:
Pater Benton.

An old man with a spring in his step and a shine in his eyes bounds
across the stage smiling at the audience.

PATER It's my pleasure to once again address the great community of
Europa. The subject I've chosen to speak about is an historical one:
the demise of humankind on earth and its root cause. Not a very
uplifting thing to speak about, but it's important to understand so we
don't make the same mistakes here on this world.

ZOOM OUT from Pater as his voice fades. Eric and Boxer are facing the
stage and we see the backs of their heads. Eric turns his head to face
Boxer who also turns for a face-to-face a few seconds later.

ERIC (whispering due to the speaking) Now, who are these ladies?

BOXER (cracking a smile) I only know the slightly shorter one. Her
name is Keesa Faith, I met her at the conferences. She is a
boi-scientist working on plant hybrids. You should see her seriously
green thumb.

ERIC You mean she has some really impressive plants?

BOXER No. She never really gets her hands clean from working with them
so she always has a green thumb.

ERIC (shaking off a chuckle) So, if you know enough about her to know
that she always has green fingers, don't you know who her friend is?

BOXER I didn't meet any of her friends at the conferences but I do
remember her mentioning her friend Jasala a few times.

ERIC (getting a bit anxious) Well, what did she say about her? What
does she look like? Do you think that's her over there? (nodding
toward the girls across the room)

BOXER Now who's getting excited!

ERIC Cut it out! Tell me what you know smart guy.

BOXER Keesa didn't come out and say "my tall, voluptuous girlfriend
with shoulder length brown hair and blue eyes told me..."

ERIC (cutting him off) Of course not but what DID she say? You must
remember something.

BOXER (hit by recollection) Oh! Yes, she works in the wave lab at
SETI. They're still looking for signs of extraterrestrial life, but
they think that a recent barrage of inputs they've found might have
something.

Eric and Boxer go out of focus. Pater comes into focus on stage and we
ZOOM IN on him as he is speaking.

PATER ...recent history indicates that it all changed for mankind
during the third and fourth centuries B.C. when the religious
explosion took place. In the east, Taoism became challenged by the
Moists and Confucianism. Elsewhere, shortly thereafter, Judaism got
greatly complicated by Christianity and people started clinging to
deities like Mohammed and Buddha. Spirituality became a battleground
of beliefs instead of a haven of peace and harmony. Now it's possible
that if people had not strayed from Taoism, humankind could have been
a lot less likely to wreak havoc on mother earth. Taoists believed in
the way of nature: that man is not some sanctified species controlling
the earth and everything upon it. Instead, he is simply one of many
things simultaneously existing and interacting.There was a chance,
when men lived this way, that humankind could have lived indefinitely
on earth like the reptiles always have, and still do. But, like the
dinosaurs, man is built with a deadly flaw. The flaw in dinosaur
design was their flatulence and other gases they expelled. These gases
changed the atmosphere which started a chain of ecological events
which brought about their demise.

ZOOM OUT from Pater as his voice fades. Keesa and Jasala are facing
the stage and we see the backs of their heads. Jasala elbows Keesa and
they turn toward one another.

JASALA (whispering because of the speech) Didn't you always believe
the meteor theory of the dinosaurs? That its big explosion changed the
atmosphere and killed them all?

KEESA (Waking from a daydream) Did you notice those two guys across
the room when we were talking to Wallace? I recognized the one from
the Life Nexus.

JASALA You didn't hear a word I said, did you?

KEESA Yes, I did. Everyone thinks it was a meteor, Dr. Benton is just
using a different theory to make some connection in his speech. Or,
he's trying to be Mr. Alternative Thinking again. You know how he
likes get people to expaaannnd the way they look at things. I'm sorry
I didn't answer you, that was rude, but did you notice those two
looking at us?

JASALA Yes, the one obviously recognized you.

KEESA That's Doctor Boxer Bashing.

JASALA I don't know the other one either.

KEESA Well, what do you think?

JASALA He doesn't look prone to mischief, that's the bane of most men.
He seems to be a very noble, proper character.

KEESA So, he's probably boring and unromantic?

JASALA Not necessarily. You can't really tell about that until you
lift the lid.

KEESA Lid?

JASALA The lid on the jar where everyone hides their feelings.
Hopefully, his isn't on too tight.

Jasala and Keesa go out of focus. Pater comes into focus on stage and
we ZOOM IN on him as he is speaking.

PATER ...We are successfully living on this terraformed satellite
without the planetary threat that the remaining people on earth are
facing...and will face until the end of human existence there. We are
able to do this because of the gifts of the mind. Inside these same
skulls (pointing to head) is the drive to compete. It is what caused
man to challenge the harmonious beliefs of Taoism, and the limits of
the nature of which he was indeed part.That's the detrimental design
flaw: man's competitive drive. Playful competition for exhilaration
and well-being in one thing. Competing with ideas and beliefs,
however, is deadly, especially if it's turned into a vicious
contest.Let's hope we have a much better grip on the dangers of the
competitive drive now. It would be a shame to waste all of the
ingenuity that has allowed us to continue. Thank you for listening to
my historical babbling. I hope you found it enlightening. Good
evening.

He waves and steps down into the crowd where a curious bunch gravitate
to his side.

CUT TO:

INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT

Keesa grabs Jasala's arms and begins to pull her.

KEESA Come on, let's go say hello to Doctor Bashing and friend.

JASALA (shocked) What?! I'm not going over there to have you introduce
me to them. You'll make it so obvious that we've been talking about
them. Then they'll be cocky and assume that we find them interesting.

KEESA Well, we do.

JASALA You know what I mean. We'll stay right here and continue
talking to Wallace. If they want to talk, they can come over here.

KEESA (Rolling her eyes) Alright, but you have to promise to relax and
have fun if they come over, loosen up please!

Keesa and Jasala turn around and approach Wallace.

CUT TO:

INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT

Boxer is trying to act casual as he looks around the room. Eric, doing
the same, turns to Boxer and gives him that let's-do-it look.

BOXER Thought you'd never ask. Take a long, deep breath.

CUT TO:

We DOLLY ALONGSIDE them as they make their way through the crowd.
Eric's eyes light up as he gets closer to Jasala and realizes how
delicately beautiful her face is. As they get closer to the others,
Boxer begins to swagger foolishly as he extends a hand to shake with
WALLACE.

WALLACE Hello Boxer, and how are you Eric Lasling?

ERIC (A little dumbstruck) Uh, I'm doing well, thank you.

WALLACE Boxer, you know Keesa Faith.

BOXER Yes, we've met. (extending a hand) This is my good friend, Eric.

Keesa and Eric shake hands. As their grip loosens, Keesa pulls on
Jasala's arm yanking her up to the introductions.

KEESA Nice to meet you, this is my friend Jasala Hemo. Dr. Boxer
Bashing and Eric Lasling.

Jasala shakes their hands. As she shakes Eric's and their eyes meet,
they both stall for a few moments.

JASALA Pleased to meet you.

ERIC The pleasure is all mine.

Keesa brashly interrupts this special moment.

KEESA Jasala is a transmissions analyst at S.E.T.I., she's searching
for intelligent life beyond our own.

CU on Boxer as he looks around the room curiously.

PAN around the room looking at all of the different characters. PAN
stops on a man wearing a Saturday Night Fever polyester white suit
with black shirt. His hair is styled exactly like Tony Manero's in the
movie.

This man represents an extreme case of "nostalgiac" - a term which is
routinely applied to people enamored with the past. When Boxer sees
this guy, his eyes bulge from his face and his cheeks inflate with
air. He turns back to the group.

BOXER (exhaling heavily through a blow hole) Intelligent life?! I
think here is as good a place as any to start.

WALLACE Boxer, I've been meaning to ask you. What happened with Jean
Baptiste?

BOXER Hmmm, what do you mean, I fixed his vision.

WALLACE I know that. Everyone knows that a Neuroprostheticist heals
lost senses with electronic gizmos and such. It's no surprise that you
gave him his eyesight back but he mentioned something the other day.
He eluded to some sort of surprise you had for him.

BOXER What? Jean Baptiste worked on installing cranes for building
furnace towers for greenhouse gas production. A crane slipped off of
its temporary footings, the whole thing came twisting down.

WALLACE (cutting him off) Smashing into the back of his head where
everyone's sight nerve center is. His brain was OK but his sight
connections were all severed. You hooked up prosthetic micro-eyes by
his temples and now he can see again. I'm talking about the surprise,
the operation.

BOXER Surprise? Oh, I think I know what you mean.

CUT TO:

CU of Boxer's face. He cracks a menacing grin and he goes out of
focus.

FADE OUT.

INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

In the darkness we hear Boxer's voice.

BOXER (O.S) Any moment now you will start seeing a little light.

JEAN (O.S.) (Blurting excitedly) I see a glimmer of faint light right
now.

A dim light starts to grow in the darkness.

BOXER(O.S.) Good, more light will continue to pour in, then hues of
color will start to appear. I'll be right here with you until things
come into focus.

CU of Jean as he stares straight ahead waiting for his vision to be
fully restored.

CU of Jean's face as it erupts into hysteria. He is laughing
uncontrollably, convulsing in his examination chair.

ZOOM OUT to see Jean point toward the Doctor.

JEAN Hey doc, you're a clown!

CU of Boxer bent over his patient: he's wearing a bright red rubber
ball nose, an orange kinky mop of a wig, white face make-up and a big
red kidney bean lipstick outline surrounding his mouth.

BOXER After all I've done for you, all you can do is tease me about my
appearance. Shocking!

Jean Baptiste's laughter fades with the scene.

FADE OUT.

INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT

The out of focus image of Boxer clarifies.

BOXER Do you think that's what Jean Baptiste was talking about,
Wallace?

WALLACE I'm sure. Have you told old Pater Benton over there that story
yet?

BOXER No, I haven't been around to visit him lately. He looks pretty
busy right now.

We PAN from Boxer and friends around the room to the small crowd
surrounding Pater Benton. A WOMAN seems particularly intent on getting
an answer to her curiousity.

WOMAN What about nostalgiacs? Do you think its healthy for our new
world that people hold on to our old one. I mean, considering its
failures and all.

Pater pauses for a few moments and the crowd around him is dead
silent. Almost as if his sycophants could hear the wisdom turning in
his head.

PATER One really must look at the big picture regarding nostalgia. For
example, what is the nature of the particular nostalgium at hand: most
of it is quite harmless. There are many little known aspects of life
in prior eras that are all but non-existent, and they are far from
worth remembering.

WOMAN You mean like things that are tucked away in history books?

PATER No, let me give you an example. There was a series of
generations in the United States practically obsessed with fecal
matter. Subsets of society, from the middle class suburban groups to
rural farmers and crowded urban folk all had a verbal obsession with
excrement.

WOMAN Eeewww, you mean they talked about it all the time.

PATER Not directly, but a colloquial expression for make a decision
was "shit or get off the pot." Trying to accomplish something
outlandish was called "putting ten pounds of shit into a five pound
bag." If trouble was going to result from something it was "the shit
is going to hit the fan." and a fool was called "shit for brains."
Believe it or not, these phrases were used countrywide in many corners
of society. It's embarrassing to think that our forefathers and
mothers had this obsession, but the expressions themselves do have a
sort of twisted charm.

CUT TO:

INT. BALLROOM - NIGHT

Boxer notices that Eric and Jasala have wandered off a few paces. He
turns back to Wallace.

BOXER (gesturing toward them) I wonder what those two are talking so
privately about over there.

WALLACE You need to install prosthetic super-hearing in your own ears.
Then you could hear every conversation in the room.

BOXER (leering) Not a bad idea, my friend.

From Boxer looking their way, we follow his POV and ZOOM IN on Eric
and Jasala.

JASALA So, you work at OCOE. If the Oversight Commitee looks over all
of the new events and changes that take place on Europa, then you must
be sort of an analyst.

ERIC Well, sort of.

JASALA You read reports, meet other members of the committee everyday,
or what?

ERIC Not exactly, we have it broken down into roles. For instance, I'm
a Field Agent. (He puffs with pride at his position) So, everytime a
new artistic exhibit, scientific finding or structure comes about, I
go and see it and write a report, make recommendations and comments.
The idle souls working in their holes analyze it and...

JASALA (cutting him off) Wait a minute, what holes?

ERIC Their little labs and offices, but I mean...

JASALA (fuming indignantly) I work in a so-called HOLE, so does that
make me an idle soul?

ERIC No, no, no, I just meant that I need to move about, they're great
people really, I just can't see how they can do it, I didn't mean to
sound crass, I just personally hate sitting around, that's all.

Boxer sees that something has gone awry with his friend. He approaches
them for damage control.

BOXER Hey, hey, hey, you just met, take it easy, the night is young.

Keesa notices that something's going on and she too steps up to the
crowd.

KEESA Jasala, let's go get a drink.

The ladies wander off toward the bar leaving Boxer and Eric behind.

BOXER What was all that about.

ERIC That was all about Eric Lasling putting his foot in his mouth.

BOXER Talking about yourself in the third person? Boy, you must've
really blown it. What did you say?

ERIC just insulted every person like her and everyone she knows,
that's all.

BOXER Geez, did you apologize?

ERIC Yeah, but she must think I'm a jerk.

BOXER She seems like a reasonable lady, I don't think she'll put you
to shame for one social faux pas. Relax, just make sure you're nice to
her before the evening's over and get her call line.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ERIC LASLING'S APARTMENT - DAY

Eric is sitting rather nervously on the edge of the ottoman, staring
out the window. Jupiter is in half phase and it's a clear day. The
swirls on the planet's surface can be seen moving like trade winds in
patterns.

He taps his knee a few times, then waves his hand over the glowing
pink communication orb. The orb begins to glow brighter as it
identifies the hand print, then after a prolonged pause it speaks.

MACHINE Hello Eric, what can I do for you?

ERIC (After a nervous pause) I want to call Jasala Hemo, her call line
is "call me softly," please ring her for me.

The machine is confused and pauses for moment.

MACHINE Do you mean ring her softly with the call line "call me," or
is the call line actually "call me softly?"

ERIC Oh, she mentioned that you'd be confused, all machines are, there
is an error in her call line design, but she seems to think it's
rather cute so she keeps it. Peculiar woman.

CUT TO:

INT. JASALA'S APARTMENT - DAY

A very similar orb glows pink in a white porcelain donut, slighty less
rigid than Eric's. Jasala waves her hand over the orb and a hologram
rises like a 3 foot by 3 foot column of light from the orb. The image
is of Eric and he looks noticeably nervous.

JASALA Hello.

ERIC Hi, are you busy? Would you like to go for a walk in the flora
gardens? Do you need to work or are you free?

JASALA Which question would you like me to answer first?

ERIC Do you want to go for a walk?

JASALA (pausing and humming) Hmmmm, yes I'd like that, I am feeling
restless and I need to get out. I'll come over there, just send
directions over the line and I'll see you in a few minutes. Is that a
good idea?

ERIC (relieved and excited) That would be great! I'll see you soon.

CUT TO:

INT. ERIC LASLING'S APARTMENT - DAY

The Orb beeps for the door, Eric pops to his feet and nearly leaps
across the room to pass his hand over it.

ERIC Open Sesame!

Jasala enters the apartment a few seconds later.

JASALA (Cheerfully) Hi, you live very close by.

She begins to look around the place. One particular print catches her
eye and she walks to it for a closer look.

JASALA What's this print, I don't recall seeing it in any of my books
or in any gallery?

ERIC It's a nineteenth century Rousseau called "A Meadow Bordered by
Trees," it's quite well known but there is SO MUCH good art. I'm
partial to earth landscapes, I guess. Sometimes I wonder what it's
like to be in a place like that. Theodore Rousseau and a handful of
other artists used to gather together in Barbizon Village to paint and
have fun. It is in the Fountainbleu Forest outside of Paris and,
looking at this print, even the air in that meadow must have felt
magical.

They stare at it for a few moments and Jasala grasps his hand. They
stare at each other for a moment.

JASALA Let's go, shall we?

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. THE FLORA GARDENS - DAY

Jasala and Eric walk slowly, more like bounding, since the gravity is
lower than earth's, each step is like a soft bouncing hop.

A sun, smaller than as seen on earth, is rising from the left lighting
half of Jupiter which hangs centrally in the sky in a great mass. The
landscape they walk on rolls away like an African veldt, thick and
lush.

JASALA What a wonderful sight Europa can be. Do you remember the tale
of its name we learned in school?

ERIC All that I can remember is it's named after a Greek princess.

JASALA Yes, from Phoenicia. Her ancestry was filled with mighty
warriors of which she was very proud. So, she lived a very spirited
life.

ERIC What happened to her?

JASALA She was frolicking with her handmaidens and they spotted this
extraordinary white bull milling about in the fields. They dared her
to ride it, and adventuresome as she was, she relished the
opportunity. After jumping on its back, she kicked it in the ribs for
it to get going. (nodding her head) It went alright.

ERIC What did it do? Run so hard she couldn't hold on to it?

JASALA Oh, she held on alright and the maidens screamed as the bull
trotted off to the ocean. Then INTO to ocean where it swam away with
her into the horizon.

ERIC Oh, yeah, the bull was magic or something wasn't it?

JASALA The bull was Zeus. (points to the big disk in the sky) Or
Jupiter as the Romans called him. He had disguised himself as a bull
to catch her after he fell in love with her. He had been watching her
from afar for hours the day beforehand.

ERIC What did she do, try to get away?

JASALA She had plans to return home and tell everyone the exciting
stories of her travels, but Zeus also had plans for her. He pledged to
honor her beyond all mortal women and her children would populate a
continent named after her: Europe.

ERIC So, did she like this idea? A shallow woman can be seduced by
riches but it sounds like she came from a proud family.

JASALA It was a genuine romance. They had three sons together and Zeus
always showed his love for her. When it gets dark we can see one of
the gifts he made for her.

ERIC Dark?

JASALA The chandelier of stars he hung in the sky for her. A symbol of
their love and how it began: the constellation Taurus, the bull.

FADE OUT.

INT. ERIC'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

We fade from black to the constellation Taurus as seen from Eric's
bedroom window.

We ZOOM OUT to Eric staring out the window. He can't sleep and he sits
up on the bed.

He walks over to a personal computer type machine. The keypad has
recessed keys and he presses one. It turns on and Eric sits down and
writes.

CUT TO:

INT. JASALA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Jasala stares out the window at the same constellation. The ORB lights
up and quiety hums. She gets up and runs her hand across it. Eric's
image is on the hologram.

ERIC (whispering) Hi, sorry, I know it's late. Did I wake you?

JASALA No, I couldn't sleep. What are you doing up so late?

ERIC I wrote something for you. Would you like to hear it?

JASALA Sure.

ERIC It's called "Sonnet for Jasala." (reading, a little nervous at
first) She knows no my heart's not worn on my sleeve. Or how I cannot
tell her how I feel. These heartfelt words would she truly believe.
That her passion seems earthbound yet surreal. Visions of hyacinth
fields clarify. The fantasies of sensual afternoons. Flowering her
hair as bees round her fly. Beating the rhythm of Clair De Lune. Their
song and her sweet smile make me dizzy. As I long to reach out and
hold her tight. She knows not of the wretched loneliness. Or how she
could quickly end my duress. By focusing two lives now so hazy. And
ending the wandering with me tonight.

As he finishes reading, he shyly looks down, a little embarrassed.
When he lifts his glance back up Jasala is staring at him with the
most radiant loving smile, a small tear in her eye.

JASALA That was the most beautiful thing anyone has ever done for me.
(she pauses) Would you like to come over and visit me?

ERIC What? When? You mean right now?

JASALA As fast as you can. I don't want you to hurt yourself.

ERIC Hurt myself? I can't feel a thing right now.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. JASALA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

CU of Jasala's nightgown slowly comes into focus. We ZOOM OUT to see
its curved folds, then Jasala's full form comes into view. She is
looking upon the landscape from her outside deck.

CU of Jupiter in full radiance glowing centrally in the sky. The
satellites of Io can be seen quickly moving across its surface.

We hear Eric's voice and Jasala turns to call to him.

ERIC Jasala? Autoentry let me in. I hope that's O.K..

.

His voice trails off and he is stunned as he sees her on the deck. He
stops. She smiles and gives him a slight smirk. He relaxes and walks
over to her.

CU of Jasala and Eric face to face. They get closer and closer. She
teasingly pulls away ever so slightly, then moves back in closer. He
grins from this jest and then they kiss long and passionately.

We see the the two of them in full view, their bodies getting closer.
ZOOM IN on Jupiter until all is white.

FADE OUT.

INT. SETI LAB - DAY

Sudden burst of energy and noise: lights are flashing on screens and
indicators, people are moving quickly around like a press room during
an emergency. Droning hums of alert modules can be heard and are
routinely squelched by workers who record the transmissions.

After circling around the activity for a while, we see who's in the
center of it all. Surrounded by displays and charts, Jasala sits in
the core of the action. Workers come and go, point things out, drop
unheard comments.

The activity has a little lull and one WORKER approaches her seeking
answers.

WORKER What do you think about this new load that's come in, Ms. Hemo?
Just a bigger bunch of the usual garbage we always get, or could it
finally be SOMETHING this time.

JASALA (after an analytic pause) Possibly just the usual garbage. The
upside is that it's not the typical earthborne confused signals that
everything else turns out to be. It doesn't seem to be a new twist to
Jupiter radiation either. So there's hope.

WORKER (a little excited) Hope!

JASALA Relax. I mean the pie-in-the-sky kind of hope. Fantasy
material. (pauses for rephrasing) Let's just say that it's at least
better than the usual garbage, and leave it at that. Take it
seriously, but don't have any expectations at all.

A pink orb on her desk hums and lights up.

JASALA (holding up her finger) Excuse me a minute, please.

The Worker departs and Jasala waves her hand over the orb.

JASALA Hello, how can I help you?

KEESA (O.S.) Luuunnnnch! I'm starving, let's go to Callisto's Deli.

JASALA I can't go right away, I've got to tie a few things up here.
Can I meet you in a half hour?

KEESA (O.S.) Aww, O.K. I guess I can suffer a little bit longer.

JASALA Nice guilt play, Keesa!

KEESA (O.S.) Sorry, see you in a half hour.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. CALLISTO'S DELI - DAY

Keesa Faith stands in the lobby waiting for Jasala. She stares out the
window and we PAN to the landscape

Jupiter is in quarter phase in the sky which is cloudy. There is a
slight drizzle and fog lies low in the valleys.

Jasala enters the lobby and Keesa turns to greet her.

KEESA Hi, this has been the longest half hour of my life.

JASALA Guilt, guilt, guilt. That's becoming a very bad habit.

KEESA You know when I'm hungry I lose control. I'm like an animal with
no restraint. So what, a lot of people are like me.

JASALA So, by the power of numbers, your bad habits are suddenly
popular?

KEESA Whatever. Let's eat and everything will be just fine. FOOD cures
all.

Keesa whips excitedly up to the orb at the check-in counter. She runs
her hand over it and she steps up to order.

Jasala follows her and ends up waiting behind her to order. Keesa
stares at the recessed menu screen and order pad.

JASALA Geez, you were so hungry I thought you'd have every ingredient
picked out by now. Down to the condiments and how much of each.

KEESA (slightly irritated) Leave me alone. Deciding what to have is
half the fun of going out to eat.

As she decides, we PAN around the DELI. It has booths and tables, a
high-tech condiment counter, a large glowing jukebox without open
glass but a man-size treble clef.

JASALA Maybe I should go put some music on the the jukebox while you
decide.

KEESA (proud of her decision) Wait! I know what I'm going to have.

Keesa quickly presses a series of spots on the recessed keypad. With
the final push, she uses her thumb.

KEESA There! Your turn.

Jasala steps up to order. She quickly decides, presses all of the
buttons and meets Keesa at the pick-up counter. Two plates with
colorful, mystery salads appear. They pick them up and sit down in a
booth.

JASALA Oh, I have something to tell you, it's kind of exciting.

KEESA (expecting something) About Eric?

JASALA No, about SETI. Don't get excited, but it looks like we may
finally have something.

KEESA Extra-terrestrial's finally talked to us?

JASALA Not exactly, but this newest load of transmissions looks really
promising. I still don't understand them, but they're different from
anything I've ever seen.

KEESA So, do you announce this to OCOE?

JASALA Not yet. They don't know the first thing about analyzing waves.
They're not properly trained. No, I don't know enough about these
things to tell anybody, there's too many unanswered questions. If OCOE
got involved at this point, all they would do is ASK questions, they
would be no help at all. That's why they have no one working at SETI,
there's nobody equipped to handle it.

KEESA You don't think they'll get upset if you keep this from them?

JASALA Keep what? Right now all we have is a bunch of confusing
garbage, like all the rest we've ever found. There's really nothing to
alarm them about yet.

KEESA Speaking of OCOE, how are you and Eric getting along?

ERIC Just fine, my nosy one. Have you met anyone interesting lately?

KEESA No, the men of Europa just don't find me charming. Ten years
from now I'll be your babysitter while you go out on the town. (she
pauses, a little hesitant to speak) Does Eric treat you good, I mean,
you two were at each other's throats when you first met? He isn't mean
to you is he, you'd tell me if he was?

JASALA No, I'd be telling you why I'm not seeing him anymore. Some
women seem to like the drama of taming a man that pushes them around.
They seem to see it as a challenge, not me. They treat me bad and I
disappear like that fog when the sun comes out. (pointing out the
window)

The fog outside swirls around and slowly vaporizes.

FADE OUT

INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

Boxer Bashing reclines in his examination room wearing his white
doctor's frock. He has an old, wooden, paddleball in his hand and his
is rapidly bouncing the ball back and forth.

The pink orb lights up and hums drawing his attention, he turns toward
it. Losing control of the paddleball, he is bounced in the head by the
little red ball. He SQUEALS at it, wrestles it to the counter and
regains composure as he runs his hand over the orb.

BOXER Ow, geeezz! Uh, yes. (clears his throat) Yes, this is Doctor
Bashing.

KEESA (O.S.) Hi, this is Keesa Faith calling. Are you busy this
afternoon, or can I pop by for a few minutes?

BOXER (cracking a sly grin) Uh, no, I'm not too terribly busy, I think
I can squeeze you in. (His eyes light up and he makes a devilish look)

KEESA (O.S.) When is good for you? I can break away this afternoon, is
an hour O.K.?

BOXER (Stalling, toying with her) Hmmm, I think I can clear things up
to accomodate you, I'll see you in an hour.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

Boxer is leading Keesa back to the examination room. He leads her to
the patient's examination chair and offers it to her.

BOXER This will have to do, it's the only other chair in the room.
Incidentally, if you need anything examined, you'll be in the right
place.

She takes him seriously and cheerfully sits down.

KEESA I don't think so Doctor, I feel fine.

He notices her legs as they entend while she sits.

BOXER (Under his breath to mask the double entendre) I'm sure you do.

He sits and they both relax for a moment. Keesa looks curiously around
the room at all of the charts, equipment and human sensory diagrams.

Boxer gets professional and breaks the silence.

BOXER Well, Keesa, if it's not your health, then what's on your mind?
You've never visited me before but this is a welcome surprise.

KEESA It's Jasala and Eric. Do you think everything is alright with
those two. Sometimes I wonder since Jasala doesn't talk to me as much
anymore.

BOXER You know, that's interesting. Eric has been a little too busy
for me lately. Maybe your right. Something could be amiss.

KEESA I thought maybe it was just Jasala's work. She has some new
findings and I figured she was just kind of obsessed with them.

BOXER Findings, like what?

KEESA Transmissions. They could be from E.T.s but she's not really
sure.

BOXER Has she told Eric about them?

KEESA I don't think so. She doesn't think it's time for OCOE to get
involved, so I don't think she would tell Eric about them yet. At
least until she thinks they're for real, she doesn't want to look like
she's crying wolf again.

BOXER Yes, but don't you think that if the source of these waves is
hostile we need to protect ourselves?

KEESA Hostile? They don't even know if they're real yet.

BOXER True, but we should be prepared. I think Eric ought to be told.
This is his department at OCOE, to check this sort of thing out.

KEESA Do you think Eric will be upset with Jasala for not telling him
about the waves?

BOXER He should be understanding. She has good reasons for remaining
quiet. I just think that telling him will be in everyone's best
interest.

Keesa looks pleased with Boxer's assessment of the situation. The
meddling prospect appeals to her and she has a devious look in her
eye.

KEESA I think you're right Doctor. That sounds like the best
prescription.

BOXER (matching the deviousness of her expression) Of course, I'm a
trained professional, even though you can't expect to be able to read
it. I have horrible penmanship.

CUT TO:

INT. ERIC LASLING'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Boxer is sitting on the ottoman, Eric is pouring them a couple of
drinks. He brings them over and sits down in a chair across from him.

BOXER Thank you. (pauses) I haven't seen you much lately. Have you
been pretty busy?

ERIC Not really. I've just been spending a lot of time with Jasala.

BOXER Oh, now that you mention Jasala, did she tell you about the new
mysterious batch of waves that they found at SETI?

ERIC No. Mysterious, how? And where did you get your information?

BOXER Mysterious since they are out of the ordinary and could be the
real thing. And I heard it from the next best thing to Jasala, her
girlie girlfriend Keesa Faith.

ERIC (a little bothered by being out of the loop) Since when did you
start rubbing elbows with her?

BOXER Hey, you know we're acquaintances. We both work in the Science
Center, she dropped by while she was in the neighborhood, is that so
strange?

ERIC But why would Jasala tell Keesa about something so important and
hide it from me? I mean I need to know these things!

BOXER Hey, you got me. Women, they never really make any sense. (He
sets down his glass) I'd better get going. Hey, relax E. Your buddy
Boxer is there for you, just call me if you need to. (pats him on the
shoulder)

As Boxer steps out of screen we see Eric looking increasingly
bothered.

CU of Eric's face as he quietly talks to himself.

ERIC Jasala Hemo, why would you do such a thing?

He paces around the room, looks out the window.

Jupiter is eclipsed in the sky. The planetary disk is dark but a
strange, glowing ring surrounds it.

Eric turns, pours himself another drink and sits down on the ottoman,
mulling over the situation. Just as he is at his peak of frustration
the orb hums.

He steps over and passes his hand across it. Jasala's image appears in
the hologram. She is smiling with her cheery greeting.

JASALA Hello, just called to see how you're doing tonight

Eric just stares silently at her in disgust.

JASALA Eric, what's wrong you look terribly bothered?

He continues to stare a bit longer then answers.

ERIC Don't you have something to tell me?

JASALA I was going to tell you that I missed you, but I don't think
you want to hear that right now.

ERIC (snapping slightly) Nothing about new transmission waves you've
found?

JASALA (feeling insulted) I don't know what you've heard. Whatever
I've found is a big mystery and it's in no position to be inspected
yet by outside observers. Next thing you know OCOE will bombard them
with response waves, scare them off before we find out where they're
from, and they'll disappear.

ERIC So, OCOE is a gang of fools who are going to make the worst
possible move and disrupt the geniuses at SETI, is that it?

JASALA I didn't say that! Proper analysis techniques have to be used
to figure out WHAT it is in the first place. OCOE will be told as soon
as their is truly something to tell. You just want me to shoot my
mouth off and be wrong. You want me to look like an idiot don't you?
Well, I'm not going to be made the fool.

ERIC Why couldn't you at least tell me about it?

JASALA Because I wanted to surprise you if I was right. You were going
to be the first person I told if I was.

ERIC (still a little suspicious but quieter) Well, I appreciate that.
Look, I'm really worn out, I'm going to hang it up for the night. Good
night Jasala.

JASALA (still bothered) Good night, Eric.

Eric passes his hand over the orb and the hologram disappears.

He walks to his bed, get underneath the covers, lays down his head,
stares into space for a moment and closes his eyes.

FADE OUT.

FADE IN:

INT. BOXER BASHING'S ROOM - MORNING

Boxer is sound asleep. The pink orb drones with his wake up alarm.
After a while it speaks to him.

MACHINE Wake up Dr. Bashing. (pauses a few seconds) Dr. Bashing, it's
time for you to get up.

The machine returns to its droning for another while then returns to
its speech.

MACHINE Wake up Dr. Bashing. (pauses again) Dr. Bashing it's time for
you to get up.

Boxer lolls around for a few seconds, his eyes slowly start to crack
open. As if he's hitting the snooze button, he reaches over and passes
his hand over the orb.

BOXER I'm up, I'm up.

He pulls himself up to a seated position and stares straight ahead in
a daze. He scratches his head and smacks his chops a few times.

After staring blankly ahead a few more seconds, he reaches over and
grabs a compact piece of machinery with electrodes and attaches them
to his temples. As he reaches to hit the ON button, we see DELTA DAWN
labeled on the machine.

As the machine runs, his eyes start to look more awake. His body perks
up and he looks revitalized.

Pleased with the machine, he takes it off, sets it down and rises to
face the day.

BOXER (aloud to himself) Awake, refreshed and ready to go. Thanks to
the wizards of the delta wave.

CUT TO:

INT. ERIC LASLING'S APARTMENT - DAY

Eric is hard at work tinkering at his work bench. He has what amounts
to handyman clothes of the future: sturdy yet casual coveralls.

The work is very detailed and he is hunched over and in deep
concentration.

CU of Eric's face as he knits his brow to the task, reacts to some
slight sound he hears, looks slightly to the left, his eyes light up
and he spins around in nervous surprise.

ERIC Boxer! Geez, you about gave me a heart attack.

BOXER I'm sorry, I let myself in. What's all of this? (waving his hand
over all of the gadgets) Today's our day off, don't tell me you're
working.

ERIC Not really. I'm making a wave analyzer. When it's done I'm going
to go out hiking with it. You can go if you want, it'll be fun.

BOXER Sure, I'd like to go for a hike, but is this contraption going
to take a long time to make.

ERIC No, as a matter of fact, all of the serious tinkering in done.
This is an old Delta Dawn, probably like the one you used to wake up
this morning.

BOXER Precisely the one. I wouldn't miss her for the world. I am a
professional, and we must be very alert.

ERIC (pursing his lips) Yeah, whatever. Anyhow, I've reversed the
polarity of the wave chamber that calibrates frequency, amplitude, et
cetera.

BOXER (cutting in) Hey, I'm not looking to write a manual on this
stuff, just the general idea if you could.

ERIC Well, that's about as technical as it gets really. The chamber
now receives the input and sends the setting out to the screen. This
way I can read about the type of waves instead of telling it what kind
I want. Got it?

BOXER Not really, how does something that usually spits out waves turn
into something that sucks them in?

ERIC These standard microphone things that we used in camp as little
kids. (holds up the equipment) We stuck them on geiger counters for
radiation experiments, now I'm sticking one into Delta Dawn, with a
few adjustments of course.

He attaches loops and a strap to the machine, tapes the attachment to
the end of an aluminum pole, wires everything together, loads it onto
his body and holds out the receptor.

ERIC (pleased with himself) What do you think, pretty neat huh?

BOXER (doubtful) Uh, I don't know, are you sure this thing is going to
work?

ERIC Sure it will. It has all of the same pieces that all of the fancy
detectors at SETI have, and I'll bet this one works as good or better
than the ones those hotshots use.

BOXER Hotshots! Do I sense a little animosity toward our friends at
SETI?

ERIC Oh, you have friends at SETI?

BOXER Enough said my friend, let's try this beastly hunk of metal out
huh. Delta Dawn's never let me down.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA FIELDS - DAY

An expanse of Europa spreads out before us. Similar to the hilly
fields of the English midlands, we can see for miles from a prominent
hilltop.

Two dots stick out on this HIGH ANGLE VIEW. As we come in closer, we
see that it's two people walking.

Upon closer view, we start to see that it's Eric and Boxer walking
along with the equipment.

We dolly alongside them as they hike in the hills, bounding along in
the lower gravity state.

BOXER So, do you see anything yet?

ERIC No, and stop asking me that, I'll let you know if I see
something. (he pauses) Hey, I think I see something.

BOXER What?! What does it look like?

ERIC It's way too low on the scale. (he turns the receptor around and
back) And it's coming from that direction. (he points)

BOXER Well, come on, let's follow it.

They start hiking up a hillside following the signals.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. EUROPA FIELDS - DAY

Boxer and Eric are still climbing hills, only now they look haggard
from climbing all day.

BOXER (winded and dreary) Hey, E. I want to find this thing. (catches
breath, pants) But, I don't know how much longer I'll last.

ERIC Yeah, I'm getting worn out too.

They stop walking. Eric pulls out a navigation gadget and pushes some
buttons.

ERIC That should be good for the day, I'll keep looking later.

BOXER Do you really think your onto something?

ERIC We'll find out when I find the source.

The CAMERA MOVES from Eric's face to the hillside. We ZOOM IN on a
particular plant, a large BOSTON FERN. We FREEZE on a large leaf.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. PLANT GREENHOUSE - DAY

We dissolve from one large BOSTEN FERN leaf to another. As we ZOOM OUT
from it, we see that it is attached to a plant among many.

We continue ZOOM OUT until we see a HIGH ANGLE SHOT of the entire
greenhouse with row upon row of plants.

Wandering between two rows is Boxer Bashing. As he reaches an
intersection of rows, he about collides with a meek botanist named
TIM.

BOXER (apologetically) I'm sorry, excuse me. (extends his hand) Name's
Doctor Bashing, I'm looking for Keesa Faith, is she around?

TIM (shaking hand briefly) Uh, Tim. Uh, Botanist. Let me see. Keesa is
at the testing station. Do you know where that is?

BOXER No, I've never been here before.

TIM Oh Gee, uh. Let me see. (he traces out directions in the air with
his finger, mumbling to himself as he stares at the ceiling) Oh, boy.
Directions would be far too complicated. Ummm, why don't I just show
you the way?

Boxer finds him quite peculiar and amusing. Boxer stares at Tim in a
daze for a few seconds, containing a smirk.

BOXER Certainly, that would be great, thank you.

Tim and Boxer wander through rows of fascinating plants and flowers.
They pass Birds of Paradise, cactuses of exotic sorts and sizes, pine
saplings, multi-colored gladiolas: turning a corner at each new
species.

Finally, they reach a clearing from the rows and we see lab equipment.
Keesa Faith is looking into a single, oval, circular eyepiece
inspecting something.

Tim leads Boxer to her and she looks up from her work. Keesa looks a
bit surprised but pleased.

KEESA Hello Boxer, what a pleasant surprise.

Boxer begins to return the pleasantry but he's interrupted by Tim. He
nervously steps in front of Boxer.

TIM Uh, Keesa. (a bit suspiciously) I, um, found your doctor friend
here wandering around the greenhouse.

KEESA It's alright Tim, I told him to drop by sometime.

TIM So, ummm. (carefully pausing) Everything is fine, you don't need
me to stick around for anything?

KEESA (reassuringly) No, Tim. Thank you though, you've been very
helpful.

Tim walks out of frame grudgingly and slowly, keeping an eye on Boxer
every step of the way.

BOXER (gesturing Tim's direction) What was all that about?

KEESA Tim is, well, Tim is very concerned about everything.

BOXER Everything?

KEESA You know. You name it, he's concerned about it.

BOXER You mean he worries a lot? About anything and everything, he
worries.

KEESA You could say that. He's a worrier.

Boxer shakes his head, pauses for a second to absorb the idea of Tim's
nature. He widens his eyes for an instant and exhales heavily,
deciding to change the subject.

BOXER The reason I'd stopped over is that I'd like to talk to you
about our mutual friends.

KEESA Jasala and Eric?

BOXER Yes. I think we may have made a bad decision, and I'd like to
talk to you about it.

KEESA This will take a while won't it?

BOXER I'm afraid so. Why, are you busy?

KEESA I've got to get these results in soon. There really isn't time
right now to talk.

BOXER (seeing an opportunity) Hey, I've got an idea! Why don't we talk
it over at dinner?

KEESA Dinner it is.

CUT TO:

INT. BOXER'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

We hear chopping as we see the corner of a kitchen counter through
doorway. Moving into the kitchen, Boxer is finishing his cilantro
dicing.

He sprinkles the garnish over top the pasta dishes, pours two glasses
of red wine from a decanter, moves the dishes over to the table. He
then steps back over to grab the glasses, just as he picks them up,
the orb hums and lights up.

He picks up the pace, sets the wine down and steps over to the orb,
runs his hand across it.

KEESA Hi, it's me, Keesa.

BOXER Entree!

Boxer looks around and sees that the place is a bit disheveled.
Tidying up, he stuffs things under cushions and inside drawers and
canisters.

Keesa catches him in the act.

KEESA (giggling) You look busy.

Boxer ignores the comment and gestures toward the dinner.

BOXER Perfect timing, everthing's all set.

Keesa pauses for a minute, looking around the room. There is a funky
metallic mobile hanging in the center of the room. On the walls,
perpetually morphing prints change from one colorful image to another,
also, a large, plaster nose sculpture is attached to a placque.

Shaking her head in disbelief, Keesa grins and joins Boxer at the
table.

BOXER What's so funny?

KEESA I find your designer's style rather, uh, original.

BOXER What designer? I designed this place myself. Picked out the
placque and everything.

KEESA The big, white nose?

BOXER Of course. There's something very noble about a big nose.

KEESA (considering an instant) On a person, maybe, but hanging from a
wall? I don't know.

Boxer looks over at the nose placque. After inspecting it for a while
from afar, he reconsiders.

BOXER (chuckling) Well, maybe your right.

Boxer and Keesa begin to eat. After a few bites, Keesa remembers the
reason for the dinner.

KEESA Now, about Jasala and Eric. You think we did the wrong thing?

BOXER I don't know. Eric snapped out of a funk when he met Jasala.

KEESA And now?

BOXER Now, he's back to being kind of moody. He makes rude comments
about SETI, which can only mean that he's still upset with Jasala.

KEESA Yeah, she gets bothered if I mention his name.

Boxer picks up his wine glass and motions toward the living room.

Keesa nods and picks up her glass following him to the long, curved
couch. They pause for a moment and Boxer decides to throw a new slant
on the conversation.

BOXER Do you think Jasala and Eric are being extreme? You don't seem
to be moody even though you don't have someone special.

KEESA Who says I don't have someone special?

BOXER I didn't mean anything by it, I just never see you with anybody
else, so I just figured...

KEESA (cutting him off) Am I alone right now?

Boxer looks at her startled and speechless.

Keesa moves closer to Boxer on the couch and warmly smiles looking
deep into his eyes. Boxer gratefully responds to her advance and they
touch noses, getting very close to a kiss.

CU of Keesa and Boxer's profiles about to make contact.

BOXER Why Keesa Faith, you little minx.

Boxer and Keesa lock into a long kiss and slide out of view into the
couch.

FADE TO BLACK.

INT. BOXER'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Keesa and Boxer lie in bed with covers up to their necks. The room is
dimly lit and they both have a blissful look on their faces.

BOXER Wow, that was amazing.

KEESA Just what the doctor ordered?

BOXER (sitting up a little) Hmmmm, let me see. (puts his hand on her
forehead checking her temperature) I'm sorry Ms. Faith. You're still
not quite well. I'll have to fill your prescription again.

KEESA Yes doctor, I am in pain. Can you please make me feel better.

Keesa pulls the covers back over their heads. We see them wrestling
under the covers.

BOXER (O.S.) I'm afraid I'm going to have to operate.

KEESA (O.S.) Whatever you think is best doctor, you're the
professional.

FADE TO BLACK.

INT. BOXER'S APARTMENT - MORNING

Boxer and Keesa are wearing robes, hers is too large since it came
from his closet. Boxer is bringing over two glasses of juice to the
table.

Boxer notices that Keesa has a very concerned look on her face. He
considers why for a few seconds.

BOXER Do you have any regrets about last night?

KEESA (reassuringly) Oh, no! Not at all. I was just thinking about
Jasala and Eric.

BOXER Yeah, we really messed things up for them didn't we?

KEESA Do you have any ideas about what to do about it?

BOXER And what to do about the whole transmission waves thing, too.
Neither one of them know what they're chasing after, I hope it's not
trouble. (pause) This sounds like something for Pater Benton to sort
out. I haven't been to visit him for quite some time. It'll be good to
see the old hoot-owl again.

CUT TO:

EXT. UNIVERSITY BUILDING - DAY

In his hovercraft, Boxer pulls up outside the university building. It
has classic pillars in front of it with a futuristic design to the
rest.

Boxer steps out of the hovercraft and gazes at the building for a few,
reverent moments. Then he bounds up the series of marble-like steps to
the door.

Just as Boxer is about to step through the door, someone passes him on
their way out. It's the Saturday Night Fever guy again. Boxer is
amazed to see that he is wearing the burgundy polyester shirt and dark
slacks of the intro scene. To top it all off, the guy is eating two
pieces of pizza, one stacked on top of the other.

CUT TO:

INT. UNIVERSITY OFFICE - DAY

Pater Benton sits at his desk, flipping through some pages of glowing
holograms.

A very distinct KNOCK can be heard on the door.

PATER Come in Dr. Bashing.

Boxer steps into his office, smiling.

BOXER You don't forget a thing do you? I haven't been over to see you
for at least a year and you remember the knock like it was yesterday.

PATER Something's on your mind this time. This isn't the usual casual
Boxer drop in and chat session.

BOXER Hey, I've got some exciting news this time...

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. UNIVERSITY OFFICE - DAY

We fade up to Pater summing up what Boxer has just explained.

PATER So, what it comes down to is: do you try to repair relations,
and in the process, help push along the exploration of these
potentially "E.T." waves?

BOXER Yeah, what can I do?

PATER Nothing. You've already disturbed the balance. Ms. Hemo has been
right all along. Let her uncover this thing, if it's there to find.
She hasn't toiled her entire life to have her work come to naught over
a confused boyfriend. Leave them alone, you troublemaker.

BOXER (Shaking head) Keesa isn't going to like this.

PATER You and her are two peas in a pod. You're an explosive
combination, but obviously you have the same interests. (considers for
a moment) Tell her to treat the situation like watching the weather,
there's nothing you can do to change it, so watch it and don't mess
with it.

BOXER You make it sound so easy.

PATER Good luck, my boy.

BOXER What have you been working on lately, Pater?

PATER It's something that's been around for a long time. But, as a
science, it's new. It's called psycho-neuro-immune-ology. But don't
try to say it fast until you really get used to it.

BOXER What's it about? Different ways to flavor a snow cone or what?

PATER I have no idea where you came up with that.

BOXER Either do I really.

PATER You still love testing my patience don't you?

BOXER Always will.

Pater Benton stands up, grabs his demonstration wand and steps up to a
diagram. It shows the outline of the human body, the brain in one
color, the nervous system spreading from it in another, and red for
the heart and major arteries and veins.

He points to the brain.

PATER Psycho.

He traces a line along a stretch of the nervous system.

PATER Neuro.

Finally, he circles the wand around the guts of the body.

PATER Immunology. It's the science of the central nervous system
protecting the health of the rest of the body.

BOXER Wait a minute. What you're talking about could put me out of
business.

PATER Nonsense. We'll always need restorative doctors for accidents,
major system failures, et cetera.

BOXER What do you mean it's been around a long time. The way you
describe it, it's something new.

PATER It's as old as human beings. People have always had a limited
ability to cure ailments and help themselves. They just never believed
they did. That's what the shamans knew.

BOXER The native american shamans, a century ago?!

PATER People thought that their wild incantations and herbal potions
and smoke would magically cure them. Of course, there was no real
magic. They always had the magic right inside their own bodies.

BOXER And the shamans knew this.

PATER Precisely, and that's how they cured their people, by making
them believe they'd get better. Their body took care of the rest.

BOXER And that's what you're working on, ways for people to use this
built-in system. Good luck, sounds like a winner.

PATER You know I don't need luck, Boxer, I've got skill.

BOXER But you know I'll take luck over skill anyday.

PATER Of course, the more things change.

BOXER The more Boxer stays the same. Hey, help me with my problem if
you get any ideas, I could really use them.

PATER I'll do what I can, Doctor Bashing.

Pater shows Boxer out the door. He sits back down in his chair and
rocks slowly as he thinks.

PATER (under his breath) Extra-terrestrials. Now that would be truly
fascinating.

FADE OUT.

EXT. EUROPA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

Eric continues to wander the countryside with his detector.

He sits down on a log, pulls out a little device, enters some figures
and puts it away.

He lifts the Delta Dawn box portion closely up to his face, tweaks a
few buttons.

ERIC We're getting closer Delta Dawn, I can feel them.

He takes a drink of water and looks around for a minute. We PAN the
countryside and see that there's a lot of ground to cover, in the
process we see Jupiter in half phase.

Eric gets to his feet, sets his detection gear in front of him, sees
the signal and walks OUT OF FRAME.

CUT TO:

INT. SETI LAB - DAY

Jasala stares at a screen showing myriad, colorful wavelengths. The
worker drops by for an update.

WORKER So, what do you think, it's all garbage?

JASALA It's still so confusing. None of the usual descramblers make
any sense out of them.

WORKER I've got the dimension reports finished, maybe they'll help.

JASALA What do they say?

WORKER That they're way at the end of the spectrum. Very small, I'm
surprised we picked them up at all.

JASALA (considering a moment) We'd pick up anything if it was closeby.
Maybe something flew over Europa and dumped them on us.

WORKER But we received more over the next few days, that wipes out
that theory.

JASALA I suppose you're right, then I wonder where they're hiding, if
they're really out there at all. (ponders a bit and changes the
subject) Hey, do you think anyone on staff would be so foolish to
break the code.

WORKER You mean announce anything before you do? Open their mouth? I
really doubt it.

JASALA Why is that?

WORKER Everyone knows that when you work here the rest of Europa
thinks you're goofy if you start talking about aliens, spacemen,
E.T.'s. People just just look the other way. (cupping hand over mouth
and whispering) Oh, this guy works at SETI, here he goes again, yeah,
aliens, right buddy. (wink, wink, paternize) No, the last thing any of
us want to do is say a thing to ANYBODY, even our own families until
we have something real. Nobody likes being treated like the jester,
unless of course, you're a clown.

JASALA Hmmm, that makes a lot of sense, thanks.

WORKER Sure, let me know if you get anything else on your mind.

The Worker gets up and walks away. Jasala sits there pondering for a
moment until she's hit by a sudden realization.

JASALA Keesa Faith! She's the big mouth!

She passes her hand across the orb with an angry swish.

CUT TO:

INT. SETI LAB AND PLANT GREENHOUSE (SPLIT-SCREEN) - DAY

We see both Keesa and Jasala sitting at their desks in a split screen
of thier two workplaces.

Keesa runs her hand across the orb to receive the call.

KEESA Yes, this is Ms. Faith.

JASALA (snapping angrily) They should call you Ms. Faithless. Keep the
faith? I'd rather not. I'd like to take the faith and grind it up in
the trash disposal.

KEESA Hey, hey, hey...cool down hot-head. What's the matter?

JASALA There wasn't a matter until you made one. You know when I tell
you something about SETI that it's a big deal to keep it to yourself.
But no, you had to go shoot your mouth off to Eric, that's why he's so
mad at me. It's all your fault.

KEESA Wait a minute, I did not tell Eric anything.

JASALA Well, he found out somehow. (sassing, imitating Keesa telling a
story) There's a new clairvoyant at OCOE who knows everything. It's
just like she looks into a crystal ball and sees everything. She must
have told Eric all about Jasala and what she found. (dropping routine)
Right Keesa! Whatever, I don't even want to hear what you have to say
for yourself. Just keep your nose out of my business!

She wipes her hand across the orb to end the conversation.

CUT TO:

INT. PLANT GREENHOUSE - DAY

Keesa looks sheepish, confused and guilty. She taps of the microscope
console deciding what to do.

We see the image of Boxer's nose placque SUPERIMPOSED above her head.

KEESA (to herself) Keep your nose out of my business? Noses! Boxer
Bashing, it's all your fault, you'd better get us out of this mess.

The image of the nose placque grows until it takes over the FRAME,
then just the image of the nose.

CUT TO:

INT. DOCTOR'S OFFICE - DAY

A close up of a rubber nose. As we ZOOM OUT, we see that the nose is
part of a classic shnoz: combination rubber glasses, nose and fake
moustache.

Boxer Bashing is wearing this shnoz as her juggles three balls while
seated at his chair.

The orb hums and lights up drawing his attention. Again, he is
distracted from what he's doing by the orb. One ball hits him on the
head, then another.

BOXER Owww, owww, geez! (he fumbles to the orb) Uh, yes, this is
Doctor Bashing

KEESA Boxer, it's Keesa.

BOXER (acting smooth and cool) I know, I'd recognize that lovely voice
anywhere.

KEESA Knock it off. We need to talk as soon as possible.

BOXER What, what happened?

KEESA It's very important, can you make it over here?

BOXER (still mystified) Uh sure, I'll be right over.

CUT TO:

INT. PLANT GREENHOUSE - DAY

Boxer steps into the lab area and is quickly greeted by Keesa. Tim,
the botanist, notices his arrival with a suspicious look.

KEESA Great, follow me.

Keesa and Boxer wander into a corner of the greenhouse and pull over
two chairs to sit.

As they do this, we see Tim grabbing a jar of flies and carefully
staying out of their sight as he follows them.

He stops at the Venus Fly Traps and we can see the backs of Keesa and
Boxer behind him through the plants. Tim pulls a pair of tweezers out
of his frock and grabs a fly out of the jar. He begins feeding the
Venus Fly Traps as he listens.

KEESA She is really mad at me because of you know what.

Tim's eyes light up and shift as he hears this.

BOXER How does she know it was you?

KEESA I don't know. Process of elimination I guess. I don't know.

BOXER Pater Benton told me not to make the situation worse.

As he hears the name Pater Benton, Tim rolls his eyes and makes an
even more suspicious face, nods slightly.

KEESA Pater Benton doesn't know her. We've got to do something. I
can't take it anymore.

Tim gets a look of bravery as if: he'll save Keesa.

BOXER No, leave it alone. I'll see what I can find out from you know
who: my source. Then maybe we can get out of this hot water.

Tim begins fuming when he hears that they are in hot water.

Boxer and Keesa get up and walk to the door. Tim watches this and, as
Boxer walks out, decides to take action. He wanders back to the lab
and confronts Keesa.

TIM Keesa. (stalling, getting the nerve up) If you were in any trouble
would you come to me for help?

KEESA Trouble? Tim, what are you talking about?

TIM Uh, uh, I mean if you need me to help you, I'll be there for you.

KEESA Well, that's very nice but everything's fine.

TIM (bursting into excitement) I don't know. That doctor comes here
and you both look serious and you go into the greenhouse and
everything's hush hush and I think you're in some sort of
trouble.(runs out of breath)

KEESA Tim! breathe deeply. (calming him down) Relax, everything's
going to be alright. I'm not in any danger. There's just a little
personal situation, but it's no big deal. Nothing's going to happen to
me.

TIM (instantly relieved) Whew, good. Well, I'll go back to my feeding
now.

Tim turns and heads back toward the Venus Fly Traps.

As he walks away, Keesa watches, amazed, as he departs.

FADE OUT.

EXT. EUROPA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

Boxer walks along with Eric as he gets closer to the source of the
waves. They are silent for a while, then Eric questions Boxer.

ERIC Boxer, what is it with women on Europa that makes it so hard to
get along with them?

BOXER What do you mean on Europa? Haven't they always thought on a
different wavelength, marched to a different drummer, sang a different
tune?

ERIC Are you becoming a closet cliche nostalgiac?

BOXER (changing the subject) What's really on your mind.

ERIC Did I ever tell you that story my Uncle Vince told me about my
grandfather, the one about fishing in Alaska?

BOXER Doesn't ring a bell.

ERIC When he was a young man, my Grandpa Louis left home for a while
to join a fishing company in Alaska. He could make better money than
he could at home, and he and grandma had been struggling to make ends
meet. They wanted to buy a house and it was next to impossible with
the work he could get, so he took the chance when it came along. Are
you sure you haven't heard this?

BOXER I'm sure.

ERIC Anyhow, you could make good money on fishing boats back then
since it was dangerous, hard work. Grandpa could make some good quick
cash and they could buy a house.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. ALASKAN SEA BOAT - NIGHT

We dissolve to a daydream sequence as Eric narrates the events
offscreen. In this scene are a young GRANDPA LOUIS, ARTURO, the
NAVIGATOR and other co-workers. We see the events occur as Eric
describes them:

ERIC (O.S.) Most of the fishing experience was like factory work. It
was a huge ship that caught large loads of halibut in tremendous nets.
Down in the hull they filleted each cold, slimy body with machine
precision. Slab after slab was dissected and processed into waiting
lot bags.

BOXER (O.S.) That doesn't sound like a lot of fun, they'd have to pay
me a bundle to do that too.

ERIC (O.S.) Things weren't very exciting until the storm came. Grandpa
couldn't sleep that night, along with most of the others on the ship.
Sixty foot swells raged on the waters that seemed so placid that day.
Climbing out of his bunk, he wandered the halls of the cavernous hull.
He met a buddy named Arturo who was heading up to the bell tower.
Seeking any outlet, Louis gravitated Arturo's way. Mounting the steps,
the many steps, he felt claustrophobic as the spaces became smaller
near the top. Finally, the steps ended as they climbed into the
windowed confines of the tower. There were a few green, glowing
devices with sweeping hands that the navigator clung to for
deliverance from some mighty god. Glancing out the huge frontal
window, Louis could see the hell threatening the navigator.

BOXER (O.S.) What was it?

ERIC (O.S.) Huge mighty forces tossed the small craft that circled the
waters that day. Arturo had chatted with one of the unfortunate that
very morning as they began a catching competition. Now, with eyes
bulging from from his face like cracking hard-boiled eggs, Arturo
gasped as he watched the tiny vessel capsize.

BOXER (O.S.) Could they try to save them after the storm settled a
bit?

ERIC (O.S.) The water was like an ice-bath. As soon as the crew hit
it, they froze almost immediately. As Arturo wretched, Grandpa Louis
became transfixed by the horrific vision. Not only was Arturo's
adversarial boat overturned, many others like it met the same fate.
Louis could not actively hear the screams of the countless casualties
of the storm, yet their terror ringed in his ears. The next morning,
the ringing slowly faded away, but the vision never would.

BOXER (O.S.) Did he go home then or stay with the ship?

ERIC (O.S.) Oh, he stuck it out, which isn't saying much. His tour was
through in a few weeks. When he returned home, he had fists full of
cash but no smile on his face. It was grandma that eventually warmed
his heart. He was happy to be back with her, and soon he was his old
jovial self.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

We dissolve out of the daydream sequence and back to Eric and Boxer
walking along with the detector.

BOXER Eric, that's a pretty eerie story. What made you think of it?

ERIC Women, Jasala in particular.

BOXER What does she have to do with a fishing boat story?

ERIC Nothing besides how men and women used to be, and how they are
now. It seems like they played on the same team back then.

BOXER They still do, you're just a little sore. (pausing for a moment)
You know there's still time. Imagine you and Jasala making history
together.

ERIC Oh, come on, give in to her?

BOXER It's not giving in to join forces.

ERIC Maybe not, but could I trust her?

BOXER Be realistic, Eric. You know as well as I do that you believe in
her, and you want to talk to her.

Eric hangs on Boxer's words for a moment, staring at him with great
consideration.

FADE OUT.

INT. CALLISTO'S DELI - DAY

Jasala and Keesa are having lunch again.

JASALA Last time we had lunch here I made the biggest mistake of my
life.

KEESA Look, that's why I wanted to see you. I know I loused everything
up with my big mouth. But, I'm going to make it up to you.

JASALA When? On my deathbed, when I can hardly hear you and don't
really care? Look, there's nothing you can possibly do, so let's just
forget it, huh?

Keesa looks down, disappointed she wants very much to make things
better. In her desperation, she does the only thing she thinks a
friend can do under the circumstances: she fibs to her.

KEESA Uh, I've got some news I think will make everything better. (she
stalls, preparing her fake news) Umm, a certain someone told me, told
me to tell you, that someone they know has E.T. wave info for you. And
that certain someone would love to talk to you about it.

JASALA Wait, let me take a wild guess. Boxer Bashing told you that
Eric Lasling wants to give me new information on my mystery waves.

KEESA You're so clever.

JASALA Don't smooth talk me now. What on earth could he know that I
don't, I've got all of the equipment.

KEESA Boxer says Eric has a wave detector that he made.

JASALA Made? Out of what?

KEES A Delta Dawn and some kind of phone attached to it.

JASALA Hmmm. (pauses, pondering) I can see how that could potentially
work. But, I can't see him wanting to tell me anything. He's really
mad at me.

KEESA I guess he misses you. At least that's what Boxer thinks.

CUT TO:

INT. JASALA'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Jasala sits alone next to the com. orb. She looks at it, wondering if
it's wise to call Eric. She starts to pass her hand over it to call
and pulls back, stalling.

JASALA Keesa Faith. You'd better be for real this time.

She throws caution to the wind and waves her hand across the orb to
call Eric.

CUT TO:

INT. ERIC LASLING'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Eric, too, is sitting and pondering the situation. The orb lights and
hums. A little hesitantly, he answers the call.

Jasala appears in the hologram, a hopeful, good-natured look on her
face. After taking a deep breath and collecting her thoughts, she
slowly breaks the ice.

JASALA Hello Eric.

ERIC Hello Jasala. How have you been? It's good to see you.

JASALA Yes, it's good to see you. I was really happy to hear that you
want to work together finding the wave source.

Eric stalls, looks away and back to her. He is realizing that there is
some serious meddling happening.

ERIC Wait a minute, I want you to work with me to find it? Do you
realize what's going on?

JASALA What?

ERIC It sounds like someone is speaking for you and for me and we're
just puppets. Marionettes for someone's little play. (struck by
realization) Puppets! It's that damned Boxer Bashing! I'll BASH him!

JASALA (catching on) And Keesa Faith, she must be in on this too!

ERIC Look, I'm doing fine finding the waves on my own, I'd better go
now, I have business to settle with a certain eyes-ears-and-nose
doctor!

JASALA Yeah, I can find things well enough on my own, there's a
certain green-thumbed miscreant I need to straighten out.

CUT TO:

INT. BOXER'S APARTMENT - MORNING

The machine attempts to wake him up again. It beeps a number of times,
then it tries to wake him up again.

MACHINE Doctor Bashing, this is my fourteenth attempt to wake you. It
has been two hours since your first wake up call.

Boxer pulls the covers over his ears and rolls over, grumbling.
Moments later, the machine beeps again and this time it's a call.

MACHINE Doctor Bashing, Keesa Faith is attempting to call you.

Boxer roll over slowly and runs his hand languidly across the orb. The
hologram of Keesa appears.

BOXER (smacking his chops and rubbing his eyes) Good morning Keesa.
Did you get a visit from anybody late last night?

KEESA Yeah, Jasala's really mad at me.

BOXER Eric's really perturbed at me, too.

KEESA I guess there's nothing more we can do now.

BOXER Except maybe breakfast. I'm ravenous and need something to eat.
I think you should come over and see me right now.

KEESA Why Doctor Bashing, your tone doesn't sound very professional.

BOXER I'll see what I can do about that on your way over, hurry up.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA COUNTRYSIDE - DAY

Eric Lasling is walking briskly across the landscape. His detector is
making an excited beeping noise. He picks up the pace and practically
starts jogging. The detector makes a more excited, rapid beep.

He hops over a stream and huffs up a hillside across from it. When he
reaches a slight valley on the hillside, he stops to rest, sits on a
log, opens his water bottle and refreshes himself.

He sees something out of his peripheral vision, it's a chameleon. It
is climbing along on a stick and it pauses when Eric stares at him.
The chameleon looks in different directions with each eye, like
chameleons do. One of the eyes rests rests on Eric.

ERIC What are you looking at? Haven't you ever seen an alien
discoverer before?

The chameleon makes a motion with his head that resembles a head shake
"no."

ERIC (under his breath) No. Either have I.

He gets up, puts away his water bottle, aims his detector up the hill
and forges ahead. He gets to the top of the hill and heads back down.
Spread out in front of him is a meadow, a stream running to the left
and a bank of trees behind it.

The detector reaches a fever pitch as he steps to the center of the
meadow. As he starts to walk further, the detector slows its rapid,
frenetic pace. He stops, confused, and turns around.

ERIC (mumbling to himself) What the?...

He circles the area with the detector and, since each time he steps
out of the meadow's center the signal fades, the spot must be the
location. Eric stands smack dab on the place the detector has found,
looks down at his feet.

ERIC (lifting a foot) There doesn't seem to be any strange life forms
here.

Perplexed, he sets down his detector and sits on the spot.

CUT TO:

INT. SETI LAB - DAY

Jasala takes a small cartridge out of an analyzer, steps across the
lab and inserts it into a different machine. She types in a few
settings into a recessed keyboard. The screen lights up and several
colorful waves zing across it. She types a few more setting on the
keyboard and the waves change shape.

She calls over to the worker, whose name is MAX, and nods for him to
step over

JASALA Hey Max, could you come look at this please?

Max steps over to the counter and they look together at the results.
She points at a red wave line in particular.

JASALA Is this the one you sampled from all of the data?

MAX Yes, that's the standout. All of the rest seem to be support
waves, offshoots from the transmission source. They can't really be
carrying any message if I'm right about them.

JASALA How sure do you feel about any of your dimension analysis?

MAX Not at all, really. I did the best I could with the equipment
available, but the waves are just so extreme. They don't fit into any
of the standard parameters that our equipment is set to handle.
(points to screen) This image, for example, is an extrapolation. It's
all guesswork based what we do know.

JASALA And that's why we don't get anything when we try to plug them
into the descramblers.

MAX Exactly.

JASALA So we need something else, some other way to really look at
these babies.

MAX Yes, but what? We've already run them through every known analyzer
that we have.

JASALA I know, but there's got to be some other way we can look at the
real thing. Then we can try to reset the descramblers to accomodate
them.

MAX I'll go through the checklist again, see if I stumble onto
anything that we may have missed.

JASALA That'd be great Max, all we can do is keep looking.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA MEADOW - DAY

Eric and Boxer too are looking. They are standing in the meadow where
Eric has detected should be E.T.'s home.

They are carrying handled tools that look sort of like hoes, wearing
supermodern infra-red binoculars around their necks. Eric has some
device attached to his belt and the Delta Dawn detector lays next to
them on the ground.

They are brushing aside foliage with the tools and looking underneath
it with the infra-red goggles. They continue to do this action as they
chat.

BOXER Geez, we've been out her for quite a while and haven't found a
thing.

ERIC Keep looking, Delta Dawn says that the waves came from right
here. Something must have made them, and we're going to find them.
Just think, you and I will be like Lewis and Clark.

BOXER More like Lewis and Martin.

ERIC Aw, come on, where's your sense of adventure?

BOXER Adventure? You call poking around in some brush an adventure?
You sure know where to find excitement!

Suddenly, something bustles in the brush by Boxer's hoe.

Boxer straightens out and steps back a few paces.

BOXER (Whispering excitedly) Eric, shhh. I found something.

Eric steps over to Boxer and they carefully watch as the brush shakes
and the thing moves underneath it. They follow it for a moment and
step ahead of it. Eric yanks back the brush as Boxer steps up to see
whats underneath.

It's a FERRET sniffing around, it stops cold, shocked by the surprise.
Seizing the opportunity, Boxer grabs it and lifts it up to face level,
showing it to Eric.

BOXER Here's your culprit. This little guy is sending out
transmissions from some hole around here.

ERIC He's just a little weasal or mongoose or something.

BOXER So, he could be sending out messages somehow.

ERIC (inspecting it a little closer) I know what it is: it's a ferret.
They run around in this area and they don't send messages to anything
but other ferrets.

BOXER Hey, how do you know that this is just any old ferret. Maybe
it's more complicated than we realize.

ERIC How?

BOXER Perhaps this ferret has an alien being inside him. The whole
ferret population could be being robbed of their normal life. Like in
Invasion of the Body Snatchers, only with ferrets being invaded.

ERIC Boxer, you're getting a little bored with this aren't you?

BOXER Well...

ERIC Put the ferret down and let's get back to it, huh. You'll know
when you've found the real thing. It won't be like anything you've
ever seen before.

CUT TO:

INT. SETI LAB - DAY

Jasala sits at the screen with the waves making more calculations. She
is interrupted by Max.

MAX Jasala, there's someone here to see you.

Max steps OUT of FRAME and Pater Benton walks in and extends a hand to
her.

Pater takes a closeby chair and seat himself.

PATER Hello, I'm Pater Benton.

JASALA (shaking his hand) Jasala Hemo.

PATER I know that's why I'm here.

JASALA Oh, I don't believe we've ever met?

PATER True, but I have heard about you.

JASALA Do I have some sort of secret admirer? Wait, let me guess. You
saw me at your last speaking engagement, asked around about me, and
you're here to tell me that you've fallen in love with me.

Pater stares at her realizing that she's a bit bothered by his
presence, she wants to know the meaning of the intrusion.

PATER I have come here to help.

JASALA Oh, I didn't realize that I was looking so helpless.

PATER Wait a minute, Ms. Hemo. I have come here with the best of
intentions. I have heard about your possible discovery.

JASALA It seems to me that I have the most popular speculation in
recent Europa history.

PATER I don't know about that, but you do have some very concerned
friends. Their intentions were, believe it or not, in your best
interests.

JASALA So, why are you here?

PATER Are you aware of some of my discoveries?

JASALA Artificial gravity. You're the one that invented it. So,
everywhere we go indoors, we can feel the standard human gravitational
force that we're designed for. We look like earth humans and
comfortably function like them because of you. Am I getting warm.

PATER You're correct about artificial gravity, but there's so much
more. Much of it only interesting to the scientific community.

JASALA So, is this an impromptu lesson that you've decided to bestow
upon me, or is there a reason for you seeking me out?

PATER Ms. Hemo, please, bare with me.

JASALA Jasala, please.

PATER I'm sorry?

JASALA Jasala, I prefer to be called by my first name. My last name
has always bothered me. It just seems so bloody rough.

Pater turns away for a moment, thinks about it and returns to the
conversation.

PATER Why yes, I can see that, it does have a bit of a punch. Anyhow,
Jasala, (nodding for approval) when the second generation started
living here, solely off the means of Europa, I was a young man. I
became very concerned. All of my ecological tests showed me that we
were doomed.

JASALA Doomed?

PATER Yes, doomed. Had we continued on our original path, we would
have never made it here. At least, not without help from earth.

JASALA What happened.

Pater stands up and begins pacing about the lab as he tells the tale.

PATER There were dangerous imbalances in the atmosphere. Not so much
to our breatheability, but the plants would have suffered horribly.
Also, the balance of the animals we were breeding was wrong. The
predators outweighed their prey and all would have eventually
famished. The eco-system is very fragile.

JASALA Please forgive me Doctor Benton, this is very interesting but I
have something delicate I need to attend to, could we get to the
point?

PATER Certainly, the point is: whatever you find, please be very
careful with it.

JASALA (finding him paternizing) Naturally, I am very sensitive to the
importance of my findings. Is that what you came here to tell me.

PATER Not entirely, I got a sort of brainstorm regarding your
endeavors.

JASALA Brainstorm? So you have lightning and thunder blasting away in
your head.

PATER Boy, you are a precocious young lady, aren't you.

JASALA Doctor Benton, put yourself in my shoes. I have what could be
the greatest discovery in the history of mankind, which would be the
answer to one of man's greatest questions. And, on top of it all, I
have everyone causing me no end of irritation as I try to answer it.
Now, you walk into my office, I've never met you before, and you start
telling me about your brainstorms. How do you expect me to react.

CU on the face of Pater.

PATER Fair enough Ms...umm excuse me...Jasala, let me just say this:
sometimes you will find the biggest discoveries in the smallest of
places.

With that said, he immediately gets up and walks OUT OF FRAME. Jasala
watches him depart and continues to look at the doorway after he's
gone.

She turns back to her screen and stares at it for a moment.

JASALA The smallest of places?

She turns in her chair and yells to the outer chamber.

JASALA Max, would you please bring in the quark analyzer from the
subatomic lab?

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA MEADOW - DAY

Boxer and Eric lie on their backs staring up at the sky.

The equipment they were using is scattered sporadically all around
them.

BOXER I was right, there is no intelligent life on Europa.

ERIC (depressed) You're such a pessimist.

BOXER Wait a minute, it sounds like you're doing a Boxer Bashing
imitation. That line is usually reserved for me, talking about Eric
Lasling.

ERIC Well, they've got to be here somewhere. It just doesn't make
sense to have a bunch of transmissions appear from someplace for no
good reason.

BOXER Eric, we've looked everywhere. We've done the best we could,
you're just going to have to let this thing go.

ERIC No way. There has got to be something here, that's all there is
to it. You can give up, but I'm sticking to this until I find it.

BOXER Hey, listen, I'm just looking out after you. I worry about you.
Geez! Now I'm starting to sound like Keesa's lab-mate Tim!

ERIC Hey Boxer, thanks for sticking with me on this thing. (gesturing
to all of the equipment) We can hang it up for the day, but I really
needed someone to help me.

BOXER No problem at all. I wanted to spend some time with my buddy
before he gets back together with his girlfriend. After that, I'll
never see him again. (begins to feign sobs)

ERIC (chuckling) Yes you will, you maniac.

They hop to their feet and begin to pick up the equipment.

ERIC Let's get going, it'll be getting dark soon.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ERIC LASLING'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

Eric sits on his ottoman with his detector in hand. He rubs it a few
times in thought and sets it aside.

He stares outside for a moment in thought and we PAN to the window. It
is dark outside and Jupiter is at full phase. We can see it clearly
with the dark dot of Europa slowly moving across the center of it. Io
too can be seen but its surface is colorful with bright red spots
flaring up.

We pan back to Eric as he sighs with boredom. He runs his hand across
the machine and stalls. It comes on and prompts him.

MACHINE Hello Eric, what can I do for you?

ERIC (snapping into awareness) Uh, yeah, please call Jasala Hemo for
me. Her call line is...

MACHINE "Call me softly." It's still in my memory banks. Did you
intend to erase it Eric?

ERIC (wondering if he did) Uh, I don't think so. No, have I asked you
to screen my calls?

MACHINE No, but you know I do.

ERIC Of course, but please place the call for me.

The orb lights up and flashes off and on for a few moments. After a
while, the machine stops flashing.

MACHINE Eric, there is no response to her call line.

ERIC Hmmm, alright, thank you.

He props his feet up and reclines toward the far wall. Running his
hand across the orb, he orders a movie.

ERIC I'd like to watch the film Casa Blanca, please.

The far wall parts to expose a large white screen. After it's fully
exposed the film begins to roll.

Eric sighs and sinks deeper into his ottoman.

CUT TO:

INT. SETI LAB - NIGHT

Jasala is finishing some adjustments to new equipment that she has set
above the others. Max enters and holds out his hands.

MAX Is there anything else you need, I've got to get home, I'm
exhausted.

JASALA No, thanks Max. You have no idea how much your help has meant
to me.

MAX Hey, I've been with you every step of the way, and I work here
too...for a reason. I know how much this means to all of us. But I
think we all need a little sleep. (gestures toward her) Even
superwoman.

He nods to her and steps OUT OF FRAME. We are left with Jasala sorting
through a jumbled knot of wires. She picks them up, starts to sort
them out, and sets them back down again.

JASALA (under her breath) You're right Max, I do need a little sleep.

The lab is empty except for her. She runs her hand over the orb twice
and the lights fade.

FADE OUT.

INT. SETI LAB - DAY

The screen is still black, but we hear CHEERS and SCREAMS of joy
erupting.

As the lights come up, we pan around the SETI employee crowd until we
see Jasala in the center. They are cheering for her like the coach
that's just won the game.

The noise quiets a bit and Max puts a hand up silencing the crowd.

MAX I just want to say for all of us, thank you Jasala, for making us
a part of history.

The crowd erupts into more cheers. This time it's Jasala herself who
puts a hand up to speak.

JASALA Thank you, thank all of you. We never could have done it unless
we stuck together like we did. (they cheer again and she pauses to let
them subside) But, let's not forget, even though we've found they
exist on the subatomic level, we still haven't talked to them. Then,
if we do that, we may even get to see them or possibly even meet them.

The crowd looks on with serious excitement. They turn to one another
and nod in agreement.

JASALA So, we need to keep this under our hat just a little longer
until we talk to these guys, beings, things, whatever-they-are. Then
we can bask in the glory and be proud that we were part of the
pioneers at SETI.

With that said, everyone takes cue to return to their work stations,
leaving just Max and Jasala with the modified, and now subatomic,
equipment.

JASALA Well, let's set the translator and see what these guys have to
say.

They tweak a few buttons and stare at the screen. Jasala begins to
reads aloud to Max.

JASALA We believe that there is other life communicating out there. If
you can read this, please respond.

MAX Jasala, I think that the wave generator is all set to the proper
coordinates. We should be able to send them messages now.

She sits down in front of the recessed keyboard and starts to type.

JASALA (reading aloud what she's writing to them) We can read your
message. Can you read ours?

A few seconds later some lights start flashing. They both get excited
to read it.

JASALA Yes we can. How long have you been trying to contact us?

She continues typing.

JASALA Since long before we came to Europa, our name for this
satellite of the big planet. (the lights flash and she reads the
response) Which satellite of the planet, we are on the second large
one.

Jasala gets excited and starts to slap Max on the shoulder.

JASALA Max! There right here on Europa with us.

MAX Well, don't tell me that, tell them! (pointing to the keyboard)

JASALA (typing) We too are on the second large satellite, we would
like to see you, can that be arranged?

She gets an idea and turns to Max, swishing her hands in the other
direction.

JASALA Hey Max, go get the voice emulator so we can hear them
translated through a voice box.

Max steps OUT OF FRAME for a few seconds.

Jasala stares at the return message while Max brings in the requested
equipment.

He quickly plugs everything in and Jasala types in commands on the
keyboard.

JASALA Here goes.

She punches a final key with a hard poke. The VOICEBOX now speaks for
the ET's.

VOICEBOX Of course we can arrange that. We would like to see you too.

JASALA (speaking into the microphone of the emulator) Great, then
please send us your location and we'll come to where you are.

CUT TO:

INT. ERIC LASLING'S APARTMENT - DAY

Waking up on the ottoman from the night before, looking haggard and
restless.

ERIC Where are they?! They must be there somewhere. (thinks for a
moment) they're underground that's it.

He grabs his gear and races out the door.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA LANDSCAPE - DAY

There are two hovercraft vehicles parked in a clearing at the top of a
hill. Jasala and Max unload all of the packs holding the gear they
will need. The packs have straps and she puts them all over her
shoulder.

JASALA Are you sure you can't come down to the meadow and look at them
with me?

MAX (torn by decision) There's nothing I would rather do than go down
and take a peek at them. But, you heard my message, there's an
emergency with my little girl, I've got to rush over to the medical
station.

JASALA (nodding her head) I understand, and I would do the same thing
if I were you.

MAX Jasala, you remember where they are? By the trees, just above the
big grey rock?

JASALA Of course Max, I can't really focus on anything else right now.

MAX (rushing off to his hovercraft) Let me know the minute you can
what they look like, I'm dying to know.

JASALA I sure will, now hurry off and take care of that little one,
she's a sweetheart.

Max gets in his hovercraft and floats away, he waves regretfully at
Jasala, he'd rather not be leaving. As we see the hovercraft disappear
into the distance, Jasala turns on the top of the hill and looks into
the meadow.

We can now see that the PANORAMIC SHOT of the meadow is of the very
same one Eric has been searching. We close in on the rock where Jasala
is heading.

We DOLLY alongside her as she bounds down the hill toward the rock. As
she gets closer, the courageous look of determination turns more into
joy.

Her feet step around the rock, one on the left, then one on the right.

A GROUND LEVEL SHOT of her head looking into the ground, directly at
the rock, confirms that she has found the spot.

Jasala unloads her bags of equipment, kneels down next to them and
begins to unload them.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA LANDSCAPE - DAY

Eric Lasling pulls up in his hovercraft next to Jasala's. He notices
it's hers and knits his brow with curiosity.

He steps out of the hovercraft and begins to bound down the hillside
toward the meadow. As she comes into view in the distance, Eric sees
Jasala unpacking her equipment and he cracks a big smile.

CU of Jasala hearing someone and turning up her head to see Eric. She
beams with great joy when she sees him.

She sets down her equipment and takes a step toward him to greet him.

He sees this and begins bounding down the hill in large steps.

ERIC Jasala!

JASALA (waving to him) Hi Eric!

He rushes to her and they embrace tightly. They kiss each other on the
neck and cheeks, then finally on the lips. When they've finally catch
air, Jasala thanks him.

JASALA Eric, I'm so glad you're here. I'm about to talk to them and
I'd be all alone. How did you know I'd be here?

ERIC I didn't know, but I'm so glad you're here, I've missed you.

JASALA I've been so caught up in finding these guys. (she motions
around the ground) So you know where they are?

ERIC Well, not exactly, but I tracked them here.

JASALA Ohhh, I think I heard this story. You found them with your
Delta Dawn.

ERIC (nodding) Exactly, people have been talking haven't they?

JASALA More than I thought they possibly could. You know where they
are then?

Eric releases their embrace and walks over and stands on the place
where they live.

ERIC (pointing downward) Right here.

JASALA Exactly! You sure do good work detective Lasling.

ERIC (doing a Humphrey Bogart imitation) Why thank you sweetheart. (he
motions to all of the gear she's brought) What's with all of the
equipment, is it translation gear or something?

Jasala begins to break the gear out of the carriers and assemble it.
As she does, she questions Eric as he watches on.

JASALA This intelligent life we've found, you really don't know what
it's like do you?

ERIC No, I couldn't find it, but I know it's here, so I figured it
must be underground.

JASALA (shaking head) No, it's here alright, but it's not underground.

ERIC (mystified) But I looked everywhere. Where is it.

She hunches down and grabs a chunk of foliage, puts her hand
underneath it showing the leaves, points to it with her other hand.

JASALA Right here.

ERIC I'm sorry, I'm lost. I don't see a darned thing.

JASALA Well, don't feel bad, neither did I until Pater Benton paid a
visit to the lab. He mentioned something about small things and I
shrugged it off. Then, I got to thinking about it, what could possibly
escape all of the usual detectors. (raises finger and points to head)
Then it hit me, something subatomic wouldn't even register. Waves made
at that level, too, would be really tiny, just like the ones we found.
That's when we pulled out the quark analyzer, and Whammo! The waves
had patterns like all of the rest.

ERIC So, you're telling me that subatomic particles are the
intelligent life that we've been searching for?

JASALA Yes. And to be more precise, they should be about the size of a
top quark. And they're really funny.

ERIC Funny? You mean like funny looking?

JASALA No, they joke around a lot. They're really funny, oh, you'll
find out, I'll let you talk to them.

ERIC (excited) I'll be able to talk to them, but how?

JASALA That's what all of this equipment is about: this translates
their communication waves. (pointing to box) This emulates a human
voice with the content. (pointing to another box) And this makes sound
so you can hear it. (pointing to speaker)

ERIC I know what a speaker does, I know that much.

She shoots a sidelong glance at him, reassuring him that she was just
kidding.

She sets the final piece of equipment with a lense close to the
ground. Looking through an eyepiece, she makes a few adjutments.

She squeals with excitement a few seconds later.

JASALA Oh my gosh Eric, come here and look at this, there they are!

She offers up the lens and Eric steps up and peers into it.

ERIC Yes, that is something else. Amazing. And it looks about the size
of a top quark. What funky little bodies they have: that glowing,
top-like body with the detached ring buzzing around their neck, those
dots all over the top might be eyes. Maybe they see like flies, with a
sort of kaleidescope.

He breaks away from the lens and Jasala digs into one of her gear
bags. She pulls out two sets of virtual-reality-type goggles with
earpieces and microphones attached. She hands one set to Eric.

ERIC What's this for?

JASALA I'm going to channel the subatomic view into both of these
viewers, the sound emulation of their voice will go into the
earpieces, and our voices will be translated to them with these
microphones.

Eric holds up the piece of equipment, looks at all of the components,
then he looks over at her, amazed.

ERIC You don't kid around when it comes to talking to
Extra-terrestrials do you?

JASALA No, I've been preparing for this moment my whole life. And,
incidentally, I've decided what to call them: the Europans. After all,
they're from here, and it's a heck of a lot easier to say.

They put the gear on, make a few adjustments, then Jasala pushes a
glowing red button on the topmost box.

JASALA Well, here goes. Remember, we will have to take turns talking
so the translator can do its work without getting confused.

ERIC OK. You go first. I'll just listen for a bit.

CUT TO:

INT. THE MICRO-ZONE.

We are in a sort of cyberspace, everything has an artificial looking
background. Outlines of the leaves, the home of the Europans, are
sketchy and exist only as transparent background images.

As we focus from black to fluorescent, glowing shapes - the Europans
come into focus. They have an inverted top-like base tapering to a
thin neck connecting a smaller top for a head. Around the neck glows a
vibrant ring and dots cover the head.

JASALA Hello, I'm here with you now.

After she speaks, we see the Europans begin to spin around on their
bases, tiny sparks fly as they turn. Then their SPOKESMAN'S message
comes through.

SPOKESMAN Yes, we can see you. There are two of you.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA MEADOW - DAY

Excited, Jasala turns to Eric, pulls up her headgear, puts her arm
around his shoulder and kisses him smack on the cheek.

Eric pulls up his headgear and lays a kiss on her lips.

ERIC You are marvelous.

JASALA (pointing down) No, they are marvelous, Eric I can't believe
this is really happening.

ERIC It sure is, you've just made the history books.

JASALA No, WE made the history books.

They stare lovingly into each other's eyes galvanizing the moment in
their minds. After a moment, they realize they've ignored their new
acquaintances.

JASALA Oh, we better get back to them.

CUT TO:

INT. THE MICRO-ZONE.

The Europans continue to buzz around excitedly.

SPOKESMAN We noticed the two of you making contact. Is that a
necessity for your species to live?

JASALA (giggling) It's not a necessity as you mean it, but many
believe that it is needed to live well. It's not something you do with
just anybody.

ERIC Just with someone you choose?

JASALA Well, you sort of choose each other.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA MEADOW - DAY

Eric reaches over to hold Jasala's hand. As he grasps it, someone
steps up behind him, grabbing him on the shoulder.

Taken by surprise, Eric whirls around and whips off his headgear. His
initial look of shock immediately fades when he sees the new arrival,
he smiles widely.

ERIC Uncle Vince, when did you get here?

We see an older man, in about his sixties with a big grey moustache,
looking over Eric, Jasala and all of the gear. It is Eric's UNCLE
VINCE.

UNCLE VINCE Just a minute ago. What's all this? (he waves his hands
over all of the gear)

Jasala hears the commotion and turns to Eric, keeping her headgear
attached.

JASALA Eric, is everything alright?

ERIC Yeah, everything's fine. My uncle's here, I'll be back in a
minute.

Eric and Uncle Vince begin to walk a few paces. After a moment, Uncle
Vince looks back and sizes up Jasala, then he turns back to Eric.

UNCLE VINCE Is that the one you were telling me about? Valhalla?

ERIC No, it's Jasala. How many times do I have to tell you?

UNCLE VINCE She's quite a package.

ERIC She's not just beautiful, Uncle Vince, she's the smartest lady
I've ever met and she's sweet. (pauses) Unless you make her mad, then
look out, you're in serious danger.

UNCLE VINCE (nodding head) Sounds about like most women. You better
behave yourself, my boy.

CUT TO:

INT. THE MICRO-ZONE.

The europans are still buzzing around in a big cluster.

JASALA I'm sorry, I've never actually introduced myself. My name is
Jasala and I work for a lab that has been seeking intelligent life
other than us, people that is.

The europans move in together forming a tight band, then they spread
out into groups of three. After this conference session, the scatter
into an open bunch again.

SPOKESMAN And you think that we are the first intelligent life you've
found?

JASALA In the history of humankind.

SPOKESMAN You mean you have never seen the being that looks like this?

They scatter around forming a shape. The crowd of Europans has now
outlined the shape of a ferret (weasal).

SPOKESMAN There are many beings closeby that look like this.

JASALA (chuckling a bit) That is what we call a weasal, but they're
not intelligent.

SPOKESMAN They're not? They build things, move things around together,
communicate with each other. That is what we call intelligence.

The crowd of Europans spread back leaving one in particular in front
of the crowd. It is whirring around more excitedly that the others and
is assumed to be the spokesman.

JASALA (pausing a moment) Well, I guess we don't consider anything
intelligent unless there is some way for us to communicate with it. It
has to be able to reason.

SPOKESMAN Weasals seem to have their own reason, you just don't
understand it.

JASALA Everything from earth is typically taken for granted. We have
been searching for something beyond earth.

SPOKESMAN You don't care for anything from your own planet?

JASALA No, that's not true, we like plenty about earth.

SPOKESMAN Yet you've come here?

JASALA (pausing) I guess we didn't like it well enough.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA MEADOW - DAY

Uncle Vince and Eric still stroll and talk.

ERIC I'm really glad you came out here to visit me today.

UNCLE VINCE Why is that?

ERIC At first I was going to have you help me dig around here.
(motions to the meadow) But, now I'm happy that we have this chance to
talk.

UNCLE VINCE I'm happy too, 'cause I'll tell you, there's no way I'm in
any mood to do any digging, that's for sure.

ERIC You remember when I was a little kid and dad died, not a word
came out of my mouth for about a month.

UNCLE VINCE Yeah, I remember. I kept coming around and after a while I
started telling you those bad jokes, trying to make you smile.

ERIC And after a while you got me.

UNCLE VINCE Yeah, but I can't remember how that joke went.

ERIC Well, like you said, it was bad. It's probably just as well.
Anyhow, I never got the chance to thank you for being there for me.

UNCLE VINCE It's nothing. I need someone to talk to once in a while
myself. That's why you better treat her right. (pointing back to
Jasala) I'm not always going to be there for you, Eric.

They turn and start walking back to Jasala.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA MEADOW - DAY

Jasala takes off her headset and shakes out her hair. Eric and Uncle
Vince are a few paces away and she greets them with a smile.

Eric extends a hand as he presents his uncle.

ERIC Jasala, this is my Uncle Vince that I've told you about.

She reaches out and greets him.

UNCLE VINCE Eric told me you were a looker, but that's an
understatement.

JASALA (embarassed, turning to Eric) Is that what you're telling all
of the guys?

ERIC Just Uncle Vince. But, I also told him how smart you are.

UNCLE VINCE (staring at the equipment) I wish one of you were smart
enough to tell me what all of this equipment is about, I asked when I
first got here. I guess you think an old man wouldn't understand this
sort of thing?

ERIC Instead of telling you, why don't we show you...Jasala, let's
hook him up.

She grabs the headgear and gets it all set on Uncle Vince.

CUT TO:

INT. THE MICRO-ZONE.

The Europans buzz around into various formations: line up in rows,
make a circle, then a sine wave.

UNCLE VINCE (talking loud to Eric and Jasala, not the Europans) Oh
boy, what colorful little bugs you've found.

SPOKESMAN I'm sorry, I don't understand your message. What are bugs
and where did we find them?

UNCLE VINCE You know bugs, little insects, who is that talking there?

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA MEADOW - DAY

Jasala quickly realizes that it wasn't a very good idea. She nudges
Eric in the ribs to save his uncle from the confusion.

Eric puts the other headset on quickly.

CUT TO:

INT. THE MICRO-ZONE.

ERIC I'm sorry, this other person doesn't know who you are. That you
are from Europa.

SPOKESMAN Well, we will greet him just the same. Hello.

UNCLE VINCE (grasping the set-up) You mean, you little guys are
actually from this place? You've always been here?

SPOKESMAN Of course, where else would we go?

UNCLE VINCE I don't know, anywhere.

SPOKESMAN You are not from here, are you?

ERIC (cutting in quickly) No, Uncle Vince here was originally living
on earth. He's one of the last of the first generation on Europa.

They buzz around excitedly, form a large dense circle, stay packed for
a few moments, and scatter leaving the one in front of the pack.

SPOKESMAN We could tell you're not from here. You have the markings of
an alien, you wear that fur on your mouth.

UNCLE VINCE Uh, that's a moustache and I'm very proud of it. People
could wear them here on Europa but they just choose not to - it's a
style thing.

SPOKESMAN What is style.

UNCLE VINCE (chuckles) Style is a whole 'nother world. Hey I bet I
know which one of you is the one speaking.

They get excited and scatter about.

UNCLE VINCE It's you, the one with the glowing yellow band around your
neck.

They stop moving and the yellow-banded one steps to the front of the
bunch.

SPOKESMAN Yes, you are correct.

UNCLE VINCE What is your name, little one?

SPOKESMAN There's no way to communicate it to you with your language.

UNCLE VINCE Well, you look like a little top quark to me. So, we'll
call you Quarkhead from now on, OK? My name is Vincent, it was nice to
meet you.

The whole gang of Europans forms two eyes, a nose and a large smile.
They beam brightly, off and on until they beam so brightly they wash
out the screen with light.

CUT TO:

EXT. EUROPA MEADOW - DAY

Uncle Vince and Eric pull off their headgear. Uncle Vince gives the
two of them an astonished look.

UNCLE VINCE I thought I'd seen everything. Earth, space, asteroids, an
entire satellite changing into a new earth, but this takes the cake.
(gently grabbing Jasala's arm) Little lady, you're something else. I'm
proud to say that you're a friend of my boy here. Now, I've seen it
all.

He shakes his head as he walks off toward the hill.

Eric and Jasala are left standing in the middle of the meadow.

As we get a WIDE VIEW of them, the shot looks remarkably similar to
the print on Eric's wall: A Meadow Bordered by Trees.

DISSOLVE TO:

INT. ERIC LASLING'S APARTMENT - DAY

We FREEZE on the Rousseau print for a long beat.

The CAMERA MOVES slowly to the window where it stops on Jupiter. It is
at full phase and we move slowly into a bright white section of it
until ALL WHITE.

The white screen turns to a smeary grey.

FADE TO BLACK.

Roll credits.

THE END.