Written by Steven E. de Souza 2nd Rev. Final Draft July 23, 1984 V Episode Two "Scorcher" Cast Mike Donovan Julie Parrish Diana Elias Elizabeth Ham Robert Maxwell Lydia Nathan Bates Air Force General Visitor Aide Willie Visitor Technician Visitor Officer Security Guard Visitor Trooper Sets Interiors: Cave Mothership Corridor Control Room Diana's Guarters Maxwell Ranch House Elizabeth's Bedroom Science Frontiers Bates' Office Club Creole Secret Passage Basement Captured Mothership Corridor Control Room Skyfighter TV Studio Studio Floor Catwalk Exteriors: Observation Grounds Road Mothership Mountain Road Maxwell Ranch Dry Wash Captured Mothership Skyfighter Act One A Quick Reprise--Of last week's episode, stressing all the unresolved situations we've set up, especially Elizabeth's molting and (important) Bates' summoning of the hit men; and finally culminating in the gunfight at the observatory and the skyfigher appearance, allowing us to lead directly to-- Fade In: Ext. Observatory Grounds--Day Donovan and Ham are where we left them after Diana's skyfighter disappears into the clouds. They start walking towards Ham's car. Ham: I don't understand...The red dust is supposed to be everywhere...how could she stay alive? Donovan: She killed Martin and took one of his pills. (checking watch) But it should have worn off by now... Ham: Not judging by the way she tried to kill us. Donovan: Which reminds me, what brought you out here, anyway? They've reached the car. Ham puts their weapons inside, then turns to Donovan, sincerity etched across his face. Ham: When I heard Diana bought it, I went to the morgue...and guess what? The body was a year-old lizard stiff. Somebody must have switched it. Donovan: 'Somebody'? Who? Ham: Whoever helped her escape. (looking off) Company. Donovan turns, sees-- A Police Car coming towards them. Back To Scene As the squad car slows to a halt, Donovan and Ham walk towards it. Donovan: (to Ham) Maybe they can get the military on their radio. Hey! Over here! But as the "officers" are out of the car and just as we realize that one of them is Steve Roller, the man Bates hired, their guns are out and they're firing. As the bullets ricochet into the parking lot surface around their feet, Donovan and Ham dive for cover, roll to their feet. Closer on Donovan and Ham The two Resistance fighters are on their feet, running towards Tyler's car. One of the fake cops pursues them on foot while his comrade goes back for their vehicle. Ham and Donovan jump in the car. Ham peels out of the observatory parking lot. A moment later the "cop" on foot jumps into his buddy's car and the chase is on. Int. Ham's Car--Traveling--Day Donovan snatches up the Ingram, reload it. He loads the weapon, fires out the window at their pursuers. Donovan: Who are they? Ham: You been dating somebody's wife, Gooder? Donovan: Very funny... (beat)...Maybe they came to see Diana off... Ham: (deadpan) Could be... Ext. Observatory Road--Day As the two cars careen down the switchbacks, we-- Cut To: Int. Cave--Day Robert and Julie stand against the cave wall, eyes wide. The flickering light of their Coleman lantern casts strange shadows on the wall. They stare in shock at-- Their Point of View--Gelatinous Cocoon It splits open with a sickening, organic sound. Thick liquid oozes across the cave floor. A hand reaches out... a lizard-like hand... Back To Scene Robert: Elizabeth! Robert starts forward... Closer Shot--Hand It stretches grotesquely, the skin parting, splitting... Back To Scene Robert and Julie recoil, back away-- Cocoon The figure in the cocoon emerges further, struggling in a true birth process... and then the face and torso split, stretch! Back to Scene Julie and Robert are looking in the direction of the camera. We cannot see it, yet, but we can see its shadow on the cave wall behind them. The shadow seems distorted, inhuman. It is clearly too large to be a small child. Robert: (stunned, overwhelmed) My God--Elizabeth? It...can't be-- And then the shadow on the wall stumbles, topples to the ground. Robert runs towards the camera, kneels beside the body which is blocked by the cocoon. Julie rushes over with the blankets, covers the still form. Julie (quickly checking) She's alive... the transformation must have exhausted her. (quickly deciding) We've got to get her home... I can examine her there. Robert nods, gingerly starts to pick up the blanket-covered form. As Julie raises the lantern and they begin to move, we-- Cut To: Ext. Mothership in Space (Stock) Cut To: Int. Mothership Corridor--Day Diana is walking briskly down a corridor accompanied by two shock troopers and Lydia. Lydia is a strikingly attractive Visitor officer, her light coloring a contrast to Diana's dark beauty. Diana: You've assembled the troops? Lydia: (nods) All assault leaders are on the bridge as you requested. It's good to see you still alive. The Leader will be pleased. Diana: Not half as pleased as I will be when we retake this planet... Lydia: But the red dust bacteria...? Diana: My survival is proof the red dust is no longer a danger to us. What is the status of the fleet? Lydia: We've regrouped behind the Earth's moon to await orders. The Leader was extremely disturbed by our defeat. Recent setbacks at home demand we be victorious. We need this world for survival... Diana: Which is precisely why I intend to take it--by force of arms. They move through a doorway into: Int. Control Room--Day As they step inside, the room is like a tonic for Diana. Lydia: (crisp, loud) Commander on the bridge! Both crew members and assault leaders snap to attention. Diana circles the room. Diana: Gentlemen, I cannot begin to describe the pleasure it gives me to stand before you once again. For the past year, during my long confinement, one thing consumed my thoughts--the moment when I might return and lead to you final victory. That moment is upon us. The camera tightens on her as she moves past the assault leaders addressing them as she moves. Diana: I want a full scale offensive: all pilots proceed to deck 'B'... assault teams assemble on 'C.' The attack will begin at oh-nine hundred. Give no quarter. (raising a fist) Today, we conquer a world! A war cry goes up in the room. Diana stands, arms akimbo, relishing it as the troops surge into action. At the same time, Lydia escorts the sturdiest-looking officer to Diana's side. Lydia: You mentioned a special assignment. Captain Rowland has volunteered. His squad of shock troopers is the best in the fleet. Diana: Excellent. She moves to a console, hits some controls. Insert--Monitor Screen A picture of Elizabeth (age eight) appears on a monitor screen. Back To Scene Diana: You are to find this child... and bring her to me. Cut To: Ext. Mountain Road--Day The fake police officers and Ham and Donovan swerve and skid down the mountain in their respective vehicles. Various Angles--Chase The cars pull abreast of each other, slam into each other. Neither vehicle can get a real edge. From time to time, Donovan and the killer in the squad car passenger seat exchange shots, but without real success. Int. Ham's Car--Traveling--Day Donovan: (shouting) They're coming right up our tailpipe! I thought you could drive! Ham: (shouting) I thought you could shoot! They go into a wild turn. Donovan puts another clip in the weapon, leans far out the window, takes careful aim. Donovan--Traveling--Day Hanging out window. He fires a long burst. Close on pursuing car As his burst blows the front right tire of the police car. Scene The pursuing car spins out, lands in a hiss of escaping radiator steam. We see Roller and the other "cop" climb out. Int. Ham's Car--Traveling--Day Ham: Nice work, Gooder. Donovan: But it still doesn't answer the question--why us? On Ham's look, we-- Cut To: Ext. Maxwell Ranch--To Establish--Day Int. Maxwell Ranch House--Living Room--Day Tight on a telephone as someone jiggles the hang up button. We widen, see that Robert is trying to make a call. Behind him, Julie comes over to him. A stethoscope is around her neck. Robert: (turning to face her) I can't get through to a hospital. A line must be down... it happens a lot up here... Julie: It doesn't matter. I can't believe it, but she's stabilized. It must be her alien chemistry. The only thing that really concerns me is her temperature--it's so low. Robert: (concerned) Maybe I should build a fire in the fireplace. The radio says it's supposed to drop below freezing again tonight. Int. Den--Near Sofa--Day As he speaks, they slowly approach the sofa, look down at it. Julie: (softly) Elizabeth... Elizabeth, wake up. Pause. And then Elizabeth sits up, her face filling the screen! It is the face of a beautiful and normal-looking 18-year-old girl! Scene Elizabeth looks at Robert and Julie, slightly confused. Robert sits on the bed, holds her. Julie: (an awed whipser) It's incredible. Physiologically, she's jumped ten years. Elizabeth tries to speak... without experiencing any pain, she realizes she can't. Robert: (to Julie) Why can't she speak? Julie: Her body hasn't adjusted to its new configuration... the same thing happened before... Elizabeth looks at one of her nightgown sleeves, turns towards the adults, puzzled. Julie: Yes, honey. It's Mommy's nightgown. (on Elizabeth's confused look) Yes, it fits you now. Elizabeth. Take my hand. Elizabeth complies, gets to her feet shakily. Robert helps support her. As of yet, we still have not seen her completely. The two adults walk her across the room to a full-length mirror that stands beside a table. On the table is a picture of Robin and Elizabeth taken just weeks before. Elizabeth's Point of View--Mirro She stands, amazed, looks at herself. Disbelieving, she turns to look at Robert, who smiles, nods. Robert: It's all right, baby. It's you. The child/woman touches the reflection, then her own face, wonderingly. Then she sees the photograph of Robin and her former self, picks it up, wistful. She turns, walks towards the camera, looking at this, her face a pattern of changing emotions... then she looks up... her eyes widen. She drops the picture to the floor and the glass shatters. Julie and Robert rush to her, hold her. Julie: Elizabeth. Don't be frightened. We're here to help you-- And then Julie realizes that the girl is pointing at something outside, her face a pale mask of terror. Julie looks that way, too?... gasps. Robert's head whirls around and he sees it, too. Ext. Maxwell Ranch--Their Point Of View--Through Window Perched like a giant insect outside the ranch is a Visitor squad ship. Armed shock troopers are getting out of it, weapons held ready. In the lead is the officer Diana sent after Elizabeth. Back To Scene Julie: (her voice breaking) Oh, my God. They're back...! Int. Maxwell Ranch House--Day Tight on a trophy case as it is thrown open. We widen as Robert takes out the rifle he used in the Resistance and a clip of bullets, tossing them to Julie. As she checks the chamber, Robert pulls a shotgun for himself and loads it. Elizabeth watches, frightened. Ext. Maxwell Ranch House--Day The shock troopers are moving towards the house. The noncom signals for several to flank it from the rear. Int. Ranch House--Day Robert is dragging furniture against the windows. Julie leads Elizabeth under a table, moves furniture around her. Julie: Stay here, understand? Robert: Here they come! He fires the shotgun. Ext. Ranch House The lead trooper is knocked off his feet. But he rises again! Another blast drops him for good. Over Julie's Shoulder She fires at a shock trooper... who staggers, keeps coming. Julie: That damn armor...! Two more shots drop him, and then a comrade behind him. Close--Elizabeth She finds her voice and screams! Scene Julie and Robert turn to see more shock troops. They're smashing down the doors. Julie spins, brings the rifle to her shoulder, fires at the first trooper through the door--with no effect. Robert also turns--but a shock trooper lunges into the window beside him, grabs him from behind! Robert strikes the trooper with his gun butt, retreats, firing. Now Robert and Julie are back to back, hovering over Elizabeth. The shock troopers keep coming--the humans are surrounded--the troopers reach for them--And then the shock troopers stagger... first one, then another... and then they're choking, yanking their helmets off and gasping like dying fish. A trooper falls close to the camera, his hand ripping his pseudoskin away in a last dying twitch. Back To Scene Robert and Julie slowly realize they're going to live. The dying troopers become still at their feet. Elizabeth slowly stands. Robert puts a protective arm around her. Julie is already examining the closest body. Robert: What killed them? Julie: The red dust. But it took far longer than it should have. Robert: (concerned) What I don't understand is why they didn't shoot at us. It was almost as if they wanted us alive... Julie reacts, having found something in the dead troopers tunic. Robert: What is it? Julie stands. Hands it over. Insert--Visitor Field Hologram The alien equivalent of a Polaroid. When the button is depressed, images dissolve into view on the 4" x 4" plastic field. Images of Visitorese script and of the eight-year-old Elizabeth! Back To Scene Robert and Julie turn, look at the child as realization sets in. Julie: We have to get out of here. Cut To: Int. Mothership Control Room--Day Widen from a dispatch as it is handed to Diana and Lydia. Diana: (reading) Our troops are dying? But that can't be-- Lydia: In New York... Moscow... Tokyo... they die minutes after they leave the landing craft. Diana: Then my survival was... Lydia:--A mistake. You must call off the attack--at once. They are interrupted by the arrival of an aide with fresh print-outs. Diana grabs them. Lydia: More casualties? Diana: (smiling) Not at all. Success. She hands them to Lydia, is pleased at her confusion. Diana: Victory... in Miamai... Rio de Janeiro... Panama City... don't you see the pattern? (on her look) Obviously not. (turning to a technician) Put up a map of our landing zones. Insert--Int. Control Room--Monitor Screen (Intercut) A satellite picture of the Earth appears (it would be nice if all the markings were in Visitorese). Back To Scene Diana: Overlay the red dust deployment areas. (as the map changes) Add weather patterns and correlate. More interesting changes on the map, and then several areas blink. The Visitors in the room who've taken night courses ad-lib excitement. Diana turns to Lydia, triumphant. Diana: There's your explanation. The red dust is a bacteria... Lydia: ...A living organism? Diana: And a sensitive one, apparently requiring a dormant stage to regenerate its life cycle. (pointing to map) In places that experience freezing, the red dust is able to regenerate and thrive. But in warmer climates... like in Los Angeles... it withers and dies. (to Lydia; scornfully) Call off the attack? (turning, calling out) Lieutenant! An aide runs up, salutes. Aide: Commander? Diana: (handing over the dispatches) Launch the second wave of reinforcements at once. They are to go to these coordinates and these coordinates only. Aide: Yes, Commander. Diana: And have an attack team meet me in the landing bay. The aide salutes and departs as Lydia confronts Diana with: Lydia: You're not going back...? Diana: Some things must not be left to chance. Lydia: But what if the humans reintroduce more red dust into the atmosphere? Diana: That's precisely what I intend to prevent... by striking at the source. As the camera tightens on her, we see her eyes fill with determination. Fade Out. End of Act One Act Two Fade In: Int. Club Creole--Day A market contrast to the last time we saw it. In place of the happy partygoers who filled it then, now it is packed with hapless refugees. We pan this group, hearing distant artillery fire. The pan ends on the framed magazine cover of Elias, now with its glass cracked and broken. Willie moves past this, carrying a tray with a bottle and a number of shot glasses. He begins dispensing this to the refugees. Elias Seeing this, he comes over to Willie. Elias: (sotto) What are you doing, giving out my good brandy? Willie: (nodding) It has a calming effect on the human species. Elias: (switching it for another bottle) Here. The species will be just as calm with the domestic. Willie takes the bottle, leaves. Then, hearing a knock at the barricaded door, Elias takes an automatic from his waistband, goes to the door. He looks through a peephole there, then quickly throws the door open. Julie, Robert, and Elizabeth rush inside. Elias shuts the door behind them. Elias: Julie! Robert! Man, it's good to see you--! I was afraid the Visitors might have got you. They hold each other in a tight embrace for a moment. Robert: They're everywhere. I don't understand why the red dust isn't working... Elias: Yeah. I've been wondering about that myself. Then Elias turns, indicates Elizabeth. Elias: Who's your friend? Robert looks at Julie. Julie: It's Elizabeth. She's undergone a metamorphosis. Elias: (stunned) Elizabeth? (off the girl's nod; marveling) I've seen some weird stuff since those flying saucers dropped in, but this takes the cake... little girl, you are a fox. Julie: Elias, I have to get back to the lab and run some tests on the red dust. (indicating Robert and Elizabeth) Do you think they could stay here? Elias: (deadpan) Do you have a reservation? (grins) Of course, you can stay. Robert: Thanks, Elias. Julie, be careful. Julie: Don't worry about me. Take care of Elizabeth. As Robert nods and Julie moves off, we go to: Int. Science Frontiers--Bates' Office--Day Bates is seated behind his desk. Across from hin an Air Force General sits on the edge of his chair. Behind him stand several junior officers. General: All hell's broken loose and you're telling me the red dust is no longer effective? Bates: Only below the frost line... As he says this, Julie hurries through the door. Julie: Nathan, they're everywhere-- Seeing the General and his entourage, she stops short. Bates: Ah, Dr. Parrish. I was worried. This is General O'Brien of the Joint Chiefs. We were just discussing it. General: We don't have time for discussion. Unless we can reinfuse the atmosphere with red dust within the next twenty-four hours, we'll be overrun. I'll have tanker trucks here within the hour. I'll expect your full cooperation. Bates: Unfortunately, that won't be possible. General: What are you talking about? As he speaks, Bates unlocks his desk drawer and removes a folder marked "Top Secret--Eyes Only." Inside it are still photographs. He hands them to the General as Julie steps close, peering over the General's shoulder at: Insert--Stills Dying plants, deformed animals (two heads, etc.)...other nightmare images. Back to Scene Bates: (as the General looks at the stills) All of these laboratory animals were exposed to heavy doses of the red dust...You see the result...Mutation...sterility...death. Julie: But it was supposed to be harmless to life on Earth. Bates: (shaking his head) We were wrong. But more to the point, every person on this planet has already been exposed to the red dust once. We've ingested it, it's in our systems. If we use the dust in combat again...every life form on Earth could be dead in six months. The General swallows hard. Returning the folder, he stands. General: I have to go now, Nathan...(bitterly)...And tell the Joint Chiefs that we don't have any defense against the enemy! Bates: I'm sorry, Tom. I wish there were something I could say. Turning, the General and his entourage depart, leaving Bates and Julie alone. Julie: Then it's over. There's nothing we can do. Bates: (considering) Perhaps. But when the stakes are high enough, you should never toss in your cards. We hold on Julie's quizzical look, then... Go To: Int. Club Creole--Kitchen/Secret Passage--Day Elias is leading Robert and Elizabeth through the kitchen. We can still hear the sound of distant combat. Elias: (to them as they move) You get enough to eat? Robert: (nods) Those guns are getting closer. Elias: No problem. At Club Creole, we specialize in two things: food... He opens a refrigerator. ...And shelter. They step through the door into-- Int. Club Creole Basement--Day The little group comes down the circular staircase, marveling at what they see here: Art deco glass and beautifully designed furniture, still elegant despite the dust and neglect of decades. Robert: Elias, this is fantastic. Elias: Near as I can figure, it used to be a speakeasy back in prohibition days. I added this entrance. The guy who sold me the building didn't even know this was down here. In fact, nobody knows except Willie and us. Robert: (indicating Elizabeth) The way the Visitors seem to want her, it's probably best to keep it that way. Elizabeth moves to a cot in the corner, sits down, eyes distant, holding her Teddy. Elias: Yeah, right. The original intergalactic hot potato--(beat) Hey, where's her mama? Robert: I wish I knew. Elias breaks off, hearing a commotion from upstairs. He looks at his guests. Elias: Those refugees must be stealing my tablecloths. Stay here. He goes back up the secret stairway.