Bates is across the room, standing near a wall map. Ham circles the office, moving in towards Bates like a shark closing in on prey. Ham's right hand never leaves his pocket. Ham: Diana is on the loose, man. Do you hear me? She is on the loose. Bates: Calm down, Tyler. Ham: Calm down! Lizard lady trashed the world once, Bates. If she gets away... Bates: Gets away where? Ham: Where? Bates: Exactly. Where? The whole world is a deathtrap for Diana... She can't stay on this earth... and therefore she has to get off it. Ham: The Mothership... the captured Mothership... Bates: Guarded like Fort Knox. She won't risk that. So what's the only alternative? Ham: Call for help? Bates: Southwestern Tracking Station. The radio telescope. She used it once. It's not too far from where she escaped. That radio telescope can transmit or receive signals over billions of miles of deep space... Ham: Makes sense... makes sense... Bates: Take three men... He reaches for the telephone. Ham slams the phone back into the cradle. Ham: No amateurs! I do this my way. Bates: You work for me. Ham removes his hand from his pocket. An automatic. Ham: Wrong. I left your money in the outer office... less my expenses. From here on, I'm a free agent. You interfere, I'll be back. He checks the clip, slams it home. Bates: Always so melodramatic, Tyler. A look of hatred between the two. Ham: Not always, Bates. He goes out. After a beat, Bates presses a silent buzzer. A moment later, a stone-faced hit man, Steve Roller, steps quietly through the door. Hold on hitman's face, then go to: Ext. Sky--Day Donovan's helicopter roars through the morning sky. Int. Helicopter--Traveling--Day Donovan's eyes scan the ground below. He sees something, lowers the craft... looks down at... Donovan's Point of View--From Helicopter--Abandoned Jeep Still where we last saw it, the open hood a clear indication of its condition. Back to Scene Donovan absorbs this, checks the map that straddles his knees. Insert--Map Donovan's finger traces a path to the Mt. Monash Observatory. Back to Scene Sure now, Donovan banks the helicopter, rises in the shot. Ext. Abandoned Jeep--Day Donovan's helicopter rattles by, raising dust here, and then it becomes a dot in the distance and we... Cut to: Ext. Another Road--Day The gleaming 4x4 drives up a grade... then it slows, moves to the side of the road and into a little glen surrounded by trees. Int. 4x4--Day Diana looks outside, suspicious. Diana: Why are we stopping? Good Old Boy: Golden Rule. Diana: Golden Rule? Good Old Boy: I do something for you, you do something for me. Diana: Oh, I see. Her hand starts to slide across the seat. Diana: My pleasure. Ext. 4x4--From Rear--Long Shot The "country" scene etched on the rear window prevents us from seeing inside the cab. But we can hear... Good Old Boy: (O.S.) Well, that's nice... yeah, real nice and... He never finishes the sentence. Instead, his voice becomes a terrified scream. The 4x4 shakes a little on its springs. We hear some more strange sounds from inside the cab. Then silence. A pause. Diana slowly gets out of the driver's side. She wipes her mouth and hands with that red bandana. Then she throws it like a discarded tissue into the vehicle. She turns, crosses the road. We pan her through a gate. The sign over it reads: "Southwestern Tracking Station" Freeze Frame: Fade out. End of Act Three Act Four Fade In: Ext. Rugged Terrain--Day Elizabeth urges her mount through the gathering light, as though in a dreamscape, toward some yet unseen rendezvous. As she reaches the crest of the ridge, she reins up, staring at something before her. Ext. Cave Entrance--Elizabeth's Point of View A natural opening among the rocks, it lies heavily in shadow. Elizabeth appears transfixed, her eyes riveted upon the opening as her whole body is cloaked in an aura of strange light. Her horse nickers as this halation intensifies. Then silently, the starchild slips from her steed and moves purposefully through the rocks until she stands directly before-- Mouth of Cave To one side of the entrance, a large diamondback rattlesnake lies coiled and poised to strike. But ignoring the snake's primordial warning, Elizabeth moves forward. Surprisingly, the viper allows the girl to pass unharmed. As she is engulfed in the darkness of the cave's recesses, we-- Cut To: Ext. Southwestern Tracking Station Guardhouse--Day A sign here reads: NO ADMITTANCE WITHOUT C-1 CLEARANCE. But the guardhouse appears empty as Mike Donovan cautiously approaches it on foot and peers inside. Int. Guardhouse--Donovan's Point of View What's left of the guard is obscured beneath the desk save a protuding hand and a pool of blood. Back to Scene Donovan starts to turn, but something new catches his eye. Stepping just inside the doorway, he reaches down and picks up the guard's .45 automatic that fell from his grasp when Diana took him out. Checking the clip to make sure it's loaded, Donovan turns and hurries through the open gate and we-- Cut To: Ext. Cave--Day Elizabeth's horse stands grazing as Robert Maxwell and Julie pull to a stop in Maxwell's Jeep and climb out. Robert: (moving to horse) If she left her horse, she can't be far... (shouting)...Elizabeth! Elizabeth! Julie: (looking O.S.) Robert, look... there's a light...! Their Point of View--Entrance To Cave An iridescent light seems to be pulsating from within the cave. Back to Scene Robert and Julie react, sharing an apprehensive glance, then rush together toward-- Mouth of Cave The light becomes more and more intense, illuminating their features with an eerie glow as Robert and Julie reach the cave. But as Robert starts to enter, Julie spots something on the ground, stopping him with: Julie: Robert, look out...! Their Point of View--Rattlesnakes There are half a dozen now, all blocking the entrance to the cave. As the snakes coil and buzz-- Robert and Julie take a step back. At the same time, from within the cave, we hear a child scream out! Robert: It's Elizabeth! She's in there...! Julie: Those snakes... The cave must be full of them... Robert: We've got to find a way to reach her... On Robert's determined stare, we... Cut To: Ext. Southwestern Tracking Station--To Establish Int. Tracking Station--Day Gripping the .45, Donovan slips quietly down a deserted corridor as he attempts to find and destroy Diana before she can get away. In the background, the sound of a repetitive beeping signal can be faintly heard. (NOTE: This sound will continue and intensify as the scene progresses.) Donovan reaches the far doorway... and as he does he seen as approaching shadow. Donovan hugs the wall as footsteps approach. Then he leaps out, strikes at the intruder, takes him to the ground. New Angle Donovan has Ham Tyler in a death grip, the .45 poised and ready. Ham's Uzi has fallen a few feet away. Ham: Gooder! You're improving. Donovan: (releasing him) What the hell are you doing here? Ham gets up, retrieves his weapon. Ham: That was my line. Donovan: (eyeing him carefully) I think you know why I'm here. Diana. Ham: (deadpan) Diana? Diana's dead... Donovan: Not unless you just killed her... (a beat, realizing)... You know this already... you know all about this... Ham: Never mind what I know. Donovan: Who are you working for? Ham: (listening to something) Shut up...! Donovan: CIA...? FBI...? KGB...? Ham: (reacting) I said shut up! Listen...! Hear that...? The steady beeping continues from somewhere O.S. as Donovan and Ham listen. Donovan: So what...? Ham: She's here. That's a homing signal... an SOS. Donovan: (reacting) Martin was right... she's trying to reach them. Realizing Donovan's right, Ham releases his grip and the two move swiftly off toward the beeping sound. Donovan scoops up his .45 as he moves out the door. Cut To: Int. Observation Room--Day A bank of computers works in conjuction with a large radiotelescope which points skyward from the center of the room as Donovan and Ham enter, covering each other as they move. Donovan: Sound's getting louder. Must be coming from here... Ham: Check out the computer bank... Among the computers, they quickly locate an oscilloscope, its sine wave corresponding to the continuous beep it is generating. Donovan: Here... this is it... But before they can move to disconnect it, a laserblast echoes through the chamber! Donovan and Ham both dive for cover as the shot takes out a panel of electronic equipment. On Diana As she smiles defiantly from the darkness of the upper reaches of the main telescope catwalk. She's back in her old uniform and holding the laser she took from Martin. Diana: Mr. Tyler and Mr. Donovan... How nice of you to see me off! Tight on Ham and Donovan Ham: Sorry, hotlips, you're not going anywhere... As he says those words, Ham spins out from hiding, opening up with his UZI and destroying the homing oscilloscope in a fiery shower of sparks. The beeping sound abruptly stops. In fury... Diana Fires again, the shot barely missing Ham as he ducks away. Donovan waits for the shooting to stop, then calls to Diana. Donovan: I know Martin only had one pill, Diana. Time's running out... Diana hearing this, rechecks her watch-- Insert--Digital Watch The read-out displays only 4 mins 36 seconds! Diana Reacting, she silently grips her weapon and waits while below her: Donovan looks across at Ham to catch his eye, then nods toward the far door. Donovan: (sotto) She's up on the catwalk. You go that way... we'll catch her in a crossfire... As Ham nods, Donovan moves off in the opposite direction, and we... Cut To: Ext. Cave--Day As Julie holds a makeshift torch, Robert strikes a match and lights it. The dry wood quickly ignites, illuminating the gathering darkness. From within the cave we continue to hear Elizabeth's sporadic cries and see the iridescent glow from some unseen source. Julie: Hurry...! If she's been bitten, we won't have too much time. Robert: Stay behind me... Then brandishing the torch he moves toward the snakes, forcing them to withdraw from the mouth of the cave as he and Julie enter. Int. Cave--Day The torchlight casts strange shadows across the walls of the cave as Robert and Julie move cautiously toward the sounds emanating from within. As they round an outcropping of rock, Robert reacts with horror at what he sees. Robert: No... it can't be... Elizabeth! As Julie reacts as well, we see: Their Point of View--Elizabeth's Form Lying prone on the floor of the cave, the little girl's features can be clearly seen encased in a gelatinous cocoon! Robert instinctively starts forward, but Julie grabs his arm. Julie: Don't touch her. Robert: We've got to help her! Responding to the urgency in Robert's voice, Julie slips past him and carefully drops to one knee beside the starchild as Robert joins her. Julie: Robert, you were right about a metabolic change. She appears to be going through some sort of... transformation. Robert: (reacting) A metamorphosis...? Into what? Julie: I... don't know. Robert moves determinedly towards the cocoon. Robert: I'm getting her out of that thing-- Julie: Wait! Whatever this process is, we have to let it run its course. If we interfere in any way now, she could be permanently damaged... or perhaps even die. As the truth of Julie's words reach him, Robert Maxwell's face is filled with anguish. He looks again at the molting starchild. Robert's Point of View--On Elizabeth Her lips part as an inhuman wail begins to emanate from within the cocoon, and suddenly the skin of the child begins to split asunder! Close on Robert As he reacts with a mixture of horror and scientific awe at the process taking place before them. We hold on Robert, then-- Cut To: Int. Tracking Station--Donovan moves stealthily along the catwalk toward the spot where we last saw Diana--the storage room behind the darkened doorway at the very end--his gun at the ready. Int. Second Doorway--Ham approaches the same storage room from the opposite direction. This doorway is on the far side of the room from Donovan, therefore neither can see the other. Reaching the doorway, Ham stops to listen as we-- Cut To: First Doorway As Donovan places his hand on the knob, takes a breath and bursts through the doorway into-- Storage Room At the same moment, Ham comes flying through the far door. But it is all either of them can do to keep from firing into thin air, for Diana is nowhere to be seen! Ham: She's gone! Donovan: Outside! There must be a back way... But Ham is already in motion. As Donovan races after him, we-- Cut To: Ext. Tracking Station--Day Diana runs quickly to the disk antenna that stands at the edge of the parking lot. She kneels beside the dish mast and tears the electric lead wires from it--and then she reacts to an alarm. Glancing down at the watch she took from Martin she sees-- Insert--Diana's Point of View--Digital Timer The readout is 00 HRS 00 MINS 00 SECS--all in red letters which blink in time to the strident alarm! Diana reacts, but refuses to give up. Taking a lead in each hand, she crosses them, forcing each back into the other's socket. The result causes the dish to begin to hum! At the same time-- Ham and Donovan run out of the observatory. Hearing the hum, they turn toward the dish antenna just as: Diana slips back into the shadows. Closer on Ham and Donovan They stand together momentarily as Ham speaks, his voice filled with urgency: Ham: I'll check out the sound. You make sure she didn't double back. Donovan: Right... As Donovan moves off on the double to circle the observatory, Ham holds his Uzi at the ready and moves deliberately toward the dish antenna. Ham's Point of View--On Area Near Dish Nothing seems to stir as the hum continues. Ham reaches the dish and spots the leads. But as he reaches down to disconnect them, he hears Diana's weapon being cocked. Diana: (O.S.) You have some very tiresome habits, Mr. Tyler. Place your gun on the ground... New Angle To include both as Diana emerges from the bushes, her laser pointed directly at him. Ham: (keeping it) I don't think so... Diana: I didn't ask for your thoughts. Hostage or dead hero--which will it be? Ham: Nobody lives forever... And with these words, Ham takes a flying tumble trying to make it behind the antenna as Diana opens up...He almost makes it before one of Diana's hits blows him off his feet and he goes down! Diana smiles and moves in to finish him off as a deafening roar fills the air. Looking up, she spots-- An Alien Skyfighter ripping across the sky! Diana looks from the skyfighter to where Ham lies and raises her weapon. Diana: Goodbye, Mr. Tyler... But as she pulls the trigger, there is only a resounding click of a solenoid. Her energy pack is depleted. At the same time offscreen, we can hear the skyfighter land in the parking lot. Diana:...How disappointing... Turning, she starts to run for the skyfighter as it lands and opens its auxillary door to allow her to enter. But just as she makes it-- Donovan runs into the parking lot, steadying the .45 with both hands as he shouts. Donovan: Diana...! New Angle On both as she spins to see him. Donovan: This is for Martin...! And before she can move, Donovan begins to fire! Three--four--five rounds hit her just above the heart. Diana staggers, but does not go down. At the same time, an alien sergeant appears in the skyfighter doorway and begins to return the fire with his laser pistol as Donovan dives for cover. Closer on Diana As the Sergeant helps her inside, the doors close and they both react to the thrust of the engines as the skyfighter blasts off. Sergeant: Your transmission was interrupted or we would have been here sooner. Are you all right? Digging the flattened .45 slugs out of her clothing, Diana shakes her head. Diana: What a primitive planet... Sergeant: From your message we feared you would already be dead by now...The red dust...? Realizing he is right, she checks her watch to find it still flashing zero. Diana: How interesting. The long-range effects of the bacteria released into the Earth's atmosphere appear negligible. Sergeant: Shall we make another pass at the Earthlings? Diana: No. Call the fleet. Tell them to go to battle stations. We're going to crush these humans once and for all! As a reptilian smile curls Diana's lips, we-- Cut To: Ext. Observatory Parking Lot--Day Donovan stands alone staring off into the sky as Ham joins him. Donovan: (regretfully) I had her...dead... Ham: What do you mean, 'dead'? Donovan: I shot her. I know I didn't miss. Frowning, Ham takes Donovan's .45 and removes the clip. The minute he sees the ammunition, he shakes his head and tosses it back to Donovan. Ham: Those little red suits are bulletproof, remember? Next time you hunt the big iguana, make sure your ammo is Teflon coated. Donovan: (reacting) Next time...? Then you think they're coming back? Ham: Wrong, Gooder. I think they're here. As the two men hold each other's stare, we... Cut To: Moon Full and round in the darkness of limitless space. Far below, the Earth's sphere peacefully rotates on its axis as the camera pushes past the edge of the moon--around to the dark side...where an alien armada waits--waits the order to attack once more. Fade Out. The End