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Rated: 13+ · Book · Sci-fi · #1369089
The main characters are introduced, also hard science, political and religious intrigue.
#558304 added January 1, 2008 at 10:46pm
Restrictions: None
EPISODE 5 - THE VOYAGE
FADE IN:

EXT. SHEREMETYEVO

It is a beautiful spring day with very little cloud cover.
It is warm by Moscow standards for this time of year, but
rather chilly to most Americans. As he steps from the ship,
we could hear the strains of "Donzy Molodzy", "The Brave
Lads of the Don".

Mike looks over to where the music is coming from and we see
the world famous Red Army Choir in full dress uniform.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                                       (under his breath)
                             Finally, the A-team.

President Puchinskiy is already waiting for him on the dais.
Mike doesn't see any microphones arrayed as they were in
Atlanta, but a technician greets him and clips a wireless
mic to his collar.

                                                 PRESIDENT PUCHINSKIY
                             Dobro pozhalovat!

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Bolshoye spacibo. Ochen priatna!

Mike takes Puchinskiy's hand.

The President turns to face the crowd that has let out a
thunderous cheer. He holds up his hand until they quiet.

                                                 PRESIDENT PUCHINSKIY
                             Dami ee gospoda, moi droogi ee
                             grazhdanii. My friends and
                             countrymen, today we are at the
                             doorway of the greatest adventure
                             the world has ever known.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                                       (Under his breath)
                             Doggone! Same speechwriter.

                                                 PRESIDENT PUCHINSKIY
                             Being requested to share in this
                             global venture as partners has
                             honored us. Many of you have
                             come from far away to be
                             witnesses to history today. Many
                             have been here on the airfield
                             since yesterday.

Mike can see quite a few people in the front of the crowd
holding blankets and other gear.

                                                 PRESIDENT PUCHINSKIY (CONT'D)
                             There is much I could say on this
                             occasion, much political nonsense.
                             You have all heard and seen me on
                             the television so you know I
                             could speak for hours and not say
                             anything.

A roar of laughter erupts spontaneously from the gathering.

                                                 PRESIDENT PUCHINSKIY (CONT'D)
                             I am not going to do that to you
                             today. Today is not my day; it
                             belongs to the group of scientists
                             and fellow citizens you see
                             before you. And it belongs to
                             the man beside me, Mike Angel,
                             Mikhail Ivanovich Angelskov!

The crowd roars even louder as the President lays a hand on
Mike's shoulder and gestures for him to take the microphone.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             President Puchinskiy, my friends,
                             I do have to disagree a bit with
                             you. Today belongs to all of us
                             with no national boundaries. Yes,
                             only a few of us will be making
                             this trip, but each of you will
                             be with us every step of the way
                             and we will have you in our
                             hearts and minds always, knowing
                             that you all are behind us.
                                       (beat)
                             Your President once asked me why
                             I wanted to include you in this
                             project. I will admit now that I
                             did not give him the entire truth
                             at that time. I had told him
                             that there were only two great
                             countries, superpowers - the
                             United States and the Soviet
                             Union. Now that the Soviet Union
                             is no more, the Russian Federation
                             has not lost that greatness, only
                             changed direction for the better.

The applause now lasts over a minute. Mike takes this
opportunity to take a sip from the water glass on the podium.
It isn't water and he almost chokes on the vodka.

When the din dies down,

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             What I did not say at that time,
                             I will remind you of now. Who
                             were the first to put a satellite
                             in orbit?

Mike hears a scattered "Russia" from parts of the crowd.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Who put the first human being
                             into orbit?

"Russia." The reply is much stronger this time.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Who made a space laboratory that
                             lasted over 15 years in orbit?

"Russia." The roar is back in their voices.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             The ideas for the power supply we
                             will be using came from the mind
                             of Nicola Tesla, a Serbian from
                             Croatia which was a neighbor of
                             your great country. Vladimir
                             Kosma Zworkin, born in Murom,
                             invented the television devices
                             we use. The idea for the drive
                             that will take us to another
                             planet first came from Eugene
                             Podkletnov, a Russian student. I
                             would forever be ashamed not to
                             share this experience with the
                             people who made it possible!

The pride now overflows to the point that the noise doesn't
quiet down for almost five minutes. Mike takes another sip
of the vodka, this time knowing what it is.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             I now present to you the real
                             heroes of this mission and your
                             countrymen. Many of you already
                             know Svetlana Gerasova from
                             Moscow television. She is the
                             journalist who will bring you
                             every step of our journey as it
                             happens. May I present her and
                             her son, Mikhail.

A finely featured woman in her late-30s steps from the edge
of the crowd where the FSB has roped off an area for the
crewmembers, and strides confidently toward the ship. She
looks more as if she had just come from a photo shoot for
Vogue magazine or stepped from the screen of the cinema than
a television news desk. She is tall and slender, about five
feet seven inches with dark hair falling to her shoulders.
Her deep, light-brown eyes smile at the crowd as they
applaud. Trailing behind her is a young man of slight build.
He is just 17 and his sullen face reveals that he is still
was angry about the death of his father.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Doctor Igor Barishnikov, whose
                             exploration in the far north of
                             Siberia has unearthed evidence
                             that your ancestors were living
                             there over 15,000 years ago.

Doctor Barishnikov is a rather unremarkable looking man with
a slender build but large hands. Anyone can see that he was
more at home digging through the permafrost than he would be
teaching.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Doctor Pavel Norodsky who is
                             currently working to bring water
                             back in parts of Mongolia that
                             have been in a drought for over a
                             decade.

Norodsky is rather short and squat with hair that appears to
go everywhere at random. His girth shows that here was a
man who definitely enjoyed his food.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Doctor Ivan Medvedev, who has
                             just returned from Vostok Station
                             in the Antarctic where he is
                             studying heretofore unknown
                             bacteria discovered in an
                             underground lake almost three
                             kilometers under the ice.

The doctor turns out to be a large, full-bearded man, about
6'3", who looks more like a linebacker for an American
football team than a scientist.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             And here is Doctor Yuri Garan who
                             has been working on the geological
                             formations in the Tunguska region
                             to learn more about the great
                             explosion.

Doctor Garan looks to be a man in his early sixties and
walks with a slight stoop. His ushanka covers up the fact
that he is completely bald.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Excuse me for a moment, please.

Mike motions to the President as he steps from the platform
and walks towards the crowd.

He approaches a young, dark-haired girl, OKSANA IVANOVA, who
is in the front row holding a wad of bedding. It is obvious
that she's been there overnight.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Zdrastvui, menya zavot Mikhail
                             Ivanovich.

                                                 OKSANA
                                       (The girl blushes very deeply)
                             Ya znaiu, ochen rad.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Vy govorite po-angliski?

                                                 OKSANA
                                       (Looking at her feet)
                             Yes, I have learned English in
                             school.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             May I ask your name?

                                                 OKSANA
                                       (Blushing even deeper)
                             Oksana Ivanova.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             What do you study at University?

                                                 OKSANA
                             I am to become an engineer. I
                             have one year left.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Outstanding!
                                       (Mike's eyes light up)
                             How long have you been waiting here?

                                                 OKSANA
                             My mother and I arrived by train
                             from St. Petersburg yesterday and
                             came right here. We have been
                             waiting since. We are both very
                             excited for you.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             And is this your mother?

Mike indicates an attractive woman, OLGA IVANOVA, standing
next to the girl.

                                                 OLGA
                             Yes, I am. Olga Ivanova.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Good, you also speak English. I
                             am extremely pleased to meet you
                             both, and also sorry that you had
                             to spend the night out here in
                             the cold.

He shakes the older woman's hand.

                                                 OLGA
                             My daughter has spoken of nothing
                             else since she learned of what
                             you are doing and that you would
                             be here. She gave me no choice
                             and would have come by herself if
                             I did not say yes.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                                       (Grinning)
                             Madame Ivanova, I have a very
                             large favor to ask of you.

                                                 OLGA
                                       (Confused)
                             Of me? That would be?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             You probably know that I have
                             many scientists with me on this
                             trip, but I am the only engineer.
                             I need the help of an engineer.
                             I would like your permission to
                             ask your daughter to come with us.
                             I think her professors will
                             excuse her for the month we are
                             to be away as on the job training.

                                                 OKSANA
                                       (Shouting and dropping
                                       her bedding to the ground)
                             What?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             I would like your permission for
                             Oksana to come with us for the month.

The older woman looks shocked and is speechless.

                                                 OKSANA
                                       (Pleading, tears
                                       forming at her eyes)
                             Mat! Pazhalusta! Mother! Please!

                                                 OLGA
                             I am uncertain.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             If you are concerned for her
                             safety, I will personally look
                             after her. Please believe that
                             she will be of great service to us.

Oksana's eyes are pleading at this point and Mike sees the
tears beginning to well up in the corners.

After a short pause the woman straightens.

                                                 OLGA
                             Yes, it will be all right.

                                                 OKSANA
                             I do not have anything packed.

The girl is almost bouncing with excitement at this point.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Don't worry, I have already taken
                             care of that, and everything you
                             will need is already on board.

Mike looks around the crowd until he spots Jim McKinney and
waves for him to come over.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Jim, I want you to take Mrs.
                             Ivanova over to the Golden Ring
                             and get her into one of their
                             presidential suites. She is to
                             stay there as long as she wishes,
                             on us. When she wants to return
                             home, please arrange a flight.
                             The train is so uncomfortable!

                                                 OLGA
                             But that is not necessary! We
                             were to return tonight. I have
                             tickets...

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             "Ma'am, your daughter will be on
                             the television in a few hours and
                             I don't want you to miss it. If
                             you were on the train, you would
                             not be able to see her. Besides,
                             after sleeping on the ground for
                             the night you really should have
                             better accommodations than a
                             train seat.
                                       (turning to McKinney)
                             Oh, and Jim, give her your
                             satellite phone too. That way,
                             ma'am, you can talk to Oksana any
                             time you wish.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             If you press the star and the one,
                             it will put you through directly.
                             Oksana, you may call your mother
                             any time, also. The ship knows
                             the number.

Jim nods and hands Olga his mobile phone. He take the
bedding from the mother and daughter under one burley arm
and retrieves their suitcase with the other.

                                                 JIM MCKINNEY
                             We'll go right after they leave.

Mike takes Oksana's hand and leads her toward the group by
the ship while the entire crowd sounds as if their team had
just scored a goal during an international soccer match.
The lapel microphone has been active the entire time and
everyone has heard the conversation. Tears are now running
freely down the girl's cheeks.

Mike walks back up to the podium.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Mr. President, my crew is now
                             complete. We are ready to take
                             our leave if you do not mind.

                                                 PRESIDENT PUCHINSKIY
                             If I live to be one hundred, I
                             will never understand you crazy
                             Americans. You make a five-year
                             plan, and then change it every
                             ten minutes!

Mike laughs with the President as they hug.

He leads the party into the ship as the Red Army Choir
started up a rousing chorus of Agapkin's "Farewell of
Slavianka".

He closes both hatches and leads the Russians around the
boxes to where their carry-on luggage is sitting.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. LIVING SECTION

He shows them their quarters on the second deck and gave the
same tour as he had when leaving Atlanta. Oksana was to
room with Carol and Mikhail with the unexpectedly acquired
John Belisar, thus leaving all of the adults with their own
staterooms.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             I'd like you to join me on the
                             top deck in about an hour. We'll
                             have a question and answer
                             session and then an interview if
                             you would like Svetlana. By the
                             way, may I call you Sveta?

                                                 SVETLANA
                             I would actually prefer the
                             English Lana, if that's all right.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Lana it is, then. I will see you
                             all in an hour. If you need
                             anything or have questions just
                             ask the ship's computer. There
                             are microphones everywhere except
                             in the bathrooms and she'd be
                             more than willing to help in any way.

Mike returns to the elevator and goes to retrieve the last
minute supplies.

Lana unpacks the things she had brought with her and begins
to put them away. She has one business suit out of habit
for formal interviews, but otherwise several pairs of denim
blue jeans and casual tops. She notes that there are a
dozen coveralls in the closet and at least a dozen
undergarments in the dresser. She checks and discovers that
they were all her perfect size.

                                                 SVETLANA
                                       (under her breath)
                             The KGB would have loved to have
                             this man working for them.

                                                 SVETLANA (CONT'D)
                                       (Out loud)
                             Computer.

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             Yes?

                                                 SVETLANA
                             Do you see me?

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             No. There are no cameras in the
                             staterooms. Even though I am a
                             machine, Mr. Angel thought some
                             people would not be comfortable.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             I see. What should I call you?

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             Mr. Angel just calls me 'ship'.
                             He hasn't given me any other name
                             yet since the house computer
                             found out what his name really meant.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             Well, we will just have to take
                             care of that. Will you answer any
                             question I ask?

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             Anything except engineering and
                             design questions.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             Why exactly was I chosen for this
                             trip?

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             I thought Mr. Angel explained that.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             He did, but I would like to hear
                             it from you also.

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             Primarily, he knew that if he
                             left the selection of a
                             meteorologist and a television
                             journalist up to each president,
                             only males would be presented.
                             You notice that the rest of the
                             scientists are all men?

                                                 SVETLANA
                                       (thinly disguised disgust)
                             I noticed that.

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             He also required two young people
                             with special qualifications and
                             knew that the two governments
                             would give him an impossible time
                             regarding this if the children
                             were not accompanied by a parent.
                             It is logical, and fortunate,
                             that you and Mrs. Manson fit
                             those qualifications precisely as
                             do your children.

                                                 VESNA (OS; CONT'D)
                             It is also fortunate that you are
                             both single parents which made
                             the logistics of coercing each of
                             you easier.

Lana thinks this over for a minute.

                                                 SVETLANA
                              Who made the selection?

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             The house and I performed the
                             initial search, but Mr. Angel
                             made the final decision. He has
                             been a fan of you both for many
                             years and rarely misses any of
                             your broadcasts.

At this, a smile creeps onto Lana's face.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             And what was the deciding factor?

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             He considers each you to be a ten.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             A what?

The grin is now spreading on her face.

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             When Mr. Angel was training me I
                             learned his taste in people and
                             that is one of the criteria I
                             added when we were researching
                             you. Both you and Mrs. Manson
                             are considered a ten on his scale.

Lana starts laughing so hard she has to sit on the fold-down
bunk to keep from falling on the floor.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. COMMAND DECK

Everyone from both countries have gathered there. Most are
sitting on the couches and chairs scattered around the room.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             I want to express my heartfelt
                             thanks to each of you once again
                             for accepting the invitation to
                             join me.

The view from each screen is spectacular, especially the one
displayed on the large monitor on the "ceiling" showing the
space in "front" of them.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             I want you to know that the ship
                             is transmitting back to the two
                             television stations on Earth
                             everything that happens in this
                             room at all times. There will be
                             available everything that we do
                             for the next month for broadcast,
                             or not, at the discretion of the
                             two women back there. I have no
                             ground rules, except it wouldn't
                             be wise to pick your nose on the
                             flight deck.

There are scattered chuckles among the crew, but most of
them look around to spot the lenses on the perimeter of the
room.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             I want to assure all of you that
                             this is a cooperative effort.
                             Since each of our countries is a
                             democracy, I have very few rules.
                             Everything else will be decided
                             by consensus. This is your
                             mission as much as it is mine.
                             I'm only supplying the
                             transportation, the chauffeur as
                             it were. There are only two
                             things I want to investigate.
                             Actually there's only one that I
                             personally want to check out;
                             President Forest convinced me to
                             change the batteries in their old
                             Viking lander.

Again, a chuckle ripples through the gathering.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             It is there we will first touch
                             down so that I can get rid of
                             about 100 pounds of dead weight
                             we're carting along with us.

                                                 BARISHNIKOV
                             I can assume, then that you will
                             be the first human to set foot on
                             the planet's surface?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             No. That was one of my decisions,
                             made long ago before I even built
                             this ship. The trip alone is
                             enough of an ego boost for me. I
                             don't have to be 'first' to step
                             onto Mars. I've decided already
                             who that shall be.

There is a murmuring among the crowd as they look at one
another until Doctor Barishnikov speaks again,

                                                 BARISHNIKOV
                             And which of us will that be?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                                       (Hedging)
                             Let me first introduce the rest
                             of my operating crew to you and
                             explain their functions. Mikhail,
                             Carol, will you join me?

The two stunned teenagers look at their parents and move
forward slowly. Mike indicates to Mikhail the chair on his
left and Carol to the one on the right.

Mikhail takes a close look at the console in front of him.

                                                 MIKHAIL
                             These are the controls for my
                             game 'Cosmic Invaders'.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                                       (Grinning)
                             Yes they are. You are the
                             champion scorer at the arcade at
                             GUM in Moscow, am I right?

                                                 MIKHAIL
                             Yes.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             People, right now everything on
                             board, including guidance, is
                             being controlled by the ship's
                             computer.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             The computer is a machine; it
                             could break down. I can fly this
                             ship by hand if I have to, but,
                             since I am only human, something
                             could happen to me also. Meet
                             the pilot of this mission,
                             Mikhail Gerasov.

The boy's jaw drops open and his eyes turn to saucers. Lana
comes close to falling out of her chair.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             But...

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             I told you a month or so ago that
                             I had plans for your son. He has
                             proven to have the reflexes and
                             skill of his father. I need that
                             skill to back me up in case of a
                             problem. Your son, as pilot,
                             will fly farther than any human
                             in history. I specifically
                             designed these controls to
                             simulate the game at which he is
                             an expert. The creators of that
                             game have even sent him a special
                             certificate, I believe, because
                             he out-scored the writers of it.
                             I can think of no one else on
                             Earth who would be as good at
                             piloting this ship as he.

The sullen look evaporates from the youth's face and a
genuine excitement comes through. He puts his right hand on
the joystick and begins studying the other displays.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             "Carol,
                                       (turning to the girl)
                             I hate math, I'm terrible at math.
                             That's why I concentrated in
                             computers, so that they could do
                             my math for me. Your term paper
                             last year in spherical
                             trigonometry was nothing short of
                             brilliant and you already know
                             that the ship is dying to discuss
                             quantum mechanics and string
                             theory with you.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             I need someone who can calculate
                             and navigate in three dimensions:
                             quickly, and in their head. I
                             would like you to be the
                             mission's navigator. The house
                             and the ship would have killed me
                             if I hadn't selected you for this
                             mission because they both were
                             impressed.

The girl turns beet red and it is Sharon's turn to be shocked.

                                                 JAMESON
                                       (Protesting)
                             But these are just children.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                                       (raising his palm)
                             Yes, but they are the reason we
                             are here now.

                                                 SHARON MANSON
                             What do you mean.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             What we do in the next 30 days is
                             for the future of mankind. Look
                             closely at them; they are the future.

Again, there is a murmur, but this time it seems subdued.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Oksana, John, would you please
                             join me?

The other teenagers walk to stand with Mike.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             You all heard what I told Oksana
                             in Moscow, so you are aware that
                             she will act as the chief engineer.

                                                 KITCH
                             But she has no credentials, no
                             experience! She doesn't even
                             have her undergraduate degree yet!

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Precisely! She can think like an
                             engineer, but is not yet poisoned
                             by the textbooks! Over the past
                             year, the best engineering and
                             physics minds on Earth have
                             argued that what we are doing at
                             this moment cannot be done. Yet,
                             here we are. It works. I need
                             someone with no preconceived
                             ideas of how things are 'supposed
                             to be'. I need someone who is
                             open to something new. Humanity
                             is in the rut we are today
                             because the mainstream innovators
                             cannot, and I hate to use the
                             phrase, 'think outside the box'.
                             It will take talent to think
                             logically without being held back
                             by any preconceptions. Oksana,
                                       (Turning to the girl)
                             the third seat is yours.

Oksana manages to control the flood of emotion that was now
washing over her. Nevertheless, it is obvious she is having
a difficult time not just believing that she was here and
handed such a responsibility by someone she had met only one
hour before. The enormity of what she was being asked to do
overwhelmed her, and it is almost impossible to keep her
tears of emotion and excitement back.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. RESTAURANT OF THE GOLDEN RING HOTEL

Oksana's mother is sitting in the restaurant of the Golden
Ring hotel. A wide-screen television has been set up for
the patrons so that they wouldn't miss the continuing
coverage of the flight. As the camera zooms into Oksana's
face, Olga, shocked, stands and shouts,

                                                 OLGA
                             Eto moya deutch! - That's my
                             daughter!

The other patrons turn and stare, and then begin to crowd
around her with questions; some asking for autographs, but
all wanting to speak with this famous woman. Here was
something to tell their grandchildren.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. COMMAND DECK

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             To answer your original question
                             Doctor, about just who will first
                             set foot on another planet, you
                             are looking at them!

This time Lana and Sharon shoot to their feet simultaneously.

                                                 SVETLANA/SHARON MANSON
                             What???

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             This mission is about the future
                             of mankind. These are the future
                             of humanity, your children! Who
                             better to take that first step?
                             I propose that they step off
                             together: no politics, and no
                             sexism. These young men and
                             women are going to have to pick
                             up from where we screwed up. I
                             would like for them to create a
                             heritage that all young people on
                             Earth can look up to.

This time there is a total stunned silence as everyone
absorbs the news.

Mike turns to the young people at his sides,

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             I know I didn't prepare any of
                             you for this. Are you all game?

Each nods their heads vigorously, even Oksana, who is still
on the verge of loosing control.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Ship. Miss Ivanova is to have
                             full access to all of your
                             engineering database and specs.

                                                 VESNA
                             Yes sir.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             The rest of you have total access
                             to everything else. The ship has
                             stored a complete database in all
                             of your specialties if you need
                             it. If there is something she
                             doesn't have, she has Internet
                             access and can find it out in a
                             few minutes. Please don't
                             hesitate to access her any time
                             you need. Each lab also has a
                             video monitor and printer if you
                             need graphics. In addition, for
                             my Russian friends, I know that
                             I've requested English to be the
                             official language while we are
                             here. I also know that each of
                             you are bi-lingual because that
                             was one of my requirements, but
                             the ship speaks Russian as well
                             as any of you, so you may access
                             her in your native language if
                             you are more comfortable with
                             that.
                                       (beat)
                             There are also several telephones
                             in the lounge on the second deck.
                             These will connect to any
                             telephone system on Earth. For
                             those of you with friends or
                             family back there, or if you're
                             just homesick, please don't
                             hesitate to use them to reach out
                             and touch someone back home. No
                             charge for long distance. Just
                             be aware of the time differences!

The group chuckles at that.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             The chronometers on the bulkheads
                             are set for Greenwich Time. Be
                             aware that the Eastern U.S. is
                             minus five hours from that and
                             Moscow is a plus three. I know
                             that the Martian timing will be a
                             little tricky, because a Mars day
                             is 24 hours, 37 min, 23 sec. That
                             means that our 24-hour clocks
                             will slide back a little each day
                             as far as the actual Martian day.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             We'll actually loose about 18
                             hours during the 30 days we'll be
                             down there, but that shouldn't
                             matter.

                                                 MEDVEDEV
                             Where are we now? When we begin
                             on our journey?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             At the moment, we are just
                             passing the moon's orbit lining
                             up for a straight shot to Mars.
                             The ship is making certain there
                             is nothing major in our path
                             before we start the main engine.
                             We should be in Mars orbit in a
                             little over three hours.

The audience gasps.

                                                 GARAN
                             How is this possible? It took
                             the Americans several days to
                             reach the moon. I have felt no
                             acceleration.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             You shouldn't feel anything the
                             entire trip. Leaving the Earth
                             to this point, you are all inside
                             the reverse gravity field
                             generated by the ship. Everything
                             is acted on equally; you are a
                             part of the field. It is not
                             like standing in an elevator that
                             is moving. You are part of the
                             elevator and are repelling the
                             gravity the same as the floor and
                             ceiling in here. This way,
                             inertia is overcome. Each part
                             is moving simultaneously, so you
                             should have no sensation of motion.

                                                 JAMESON
                             But you said we would be at Mars
                             in three hours. That's over 47-
                             million miles! That's not possible!

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             That's what several Nobel
                             physicists have told me. The
                             current state of the art in Earth
                             rocketry can achieve a little
                             better than 18,000 miles per hour.
                             We will be traveling at around
                             5,000 miles per second on this trip.

Mike waits for this to sink in.

                                                 OKSANA
                             How can this be?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             That's what you are to learn on
                             this trip.
                                       (He smiles at the girl
                                       and turns to Mikhail)
                             In a few minutes we'll be lined
                             up for the shot. You can see
                             that on your monitor, Mikhail.

The youth looks at the screen in front of him and sees
familiar images. The one in the upper left hand corner that
looks like a circle with an "X" in it would be the target,
and the imitation rocket in the bottom center would be him.

There are dots on the screen between the two, and Mikhail
instinctively knows that these are asteroids blocking their
path.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             The main propulsion system for
                             our trip will be a pulsed quantum
                             singularity. We will create it
                             just far enough in front that we
                             remain on the event horizon while
                             it is trying to suck us in.

Sharon gasps.

                                                 SHARON MANSON
                             I've watched enough science
                             fiction to know that black holes
                             are something to be afraid of.
                             Won't we be crushed?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             You shouldn't feel any differently
                             than you do now. Remember, we
                             are all part of the attraction;
                             all parts of the ship. It will
                             pull evenly against all mass
                             inside the field, which includes
                             us. Again, it's not like an
                             elevator where a floor pushes you
                             or drops out from under you.
                             Everything is attracted or
                             repulsed with the same force
                             simultaneously so that inertia
                             doesn't apply.

                                                 MEDVEDEV
                             But Newton's laws...

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             He was close. However, he didn't
                             understand either quantum
                             mechanics or super-strings. Let
                             me put it to you in simple terms.
                             The house and the ship have
                             solved the Unified Field Theory
                             that ties together electricity,
                             magnetism and gravity. That's
                             what will be getting us there and
                             back in record time. We could go
                             faster, but I'm getting old and
                             the prospects of traveling close
                             to or at the speed of light make
                             me nervous. During her tests
                             last month, this ship made it out
                             to Pluto and back in a little
                             over three days. My need for
                             speed disappeared when I turned
                             21. Let's face it. I'm
                             conservative. I'll take a risk,
                             but not with you, my new friends,
                             along for the ride! We're going
                             to take a leisurely pace and get
                             there in a couple of hours which
                             is more than fast enough for me.

Several people smile nervously at Mike's joke, while others
are speaking in muted, anxious undertones. As he looks
around the room, Mike sees that everyone is deeply apprehensive.

                                                 VESNA
                             I'm ready.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Mr. Gerasov, does everything look
                             clear to you?

Mikhail again looks at his monitor,

                                                 MIKHAIL
                             Yes sir, there are a few objects
                             close to the path, but nothing
                             directly in front of us.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             OK ship. Go for it.

There is a small change in the vibration of the ship, but no
one feels anything else. The large monitor in the ceiling
goes blank for a second and then returns showing objects
that expand rapidly.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             I've reprogrammed the camera
                             system so that you can observe
                             our travel almost realistically.
                             Unfortunately, at this speed, the
                             Doppler Effect makes most
                             'visible' light invisible to our
                             normal detection. What would
                             normally be infrared becomes
                             ultra violet. The ship has
                             compensated for this
                             electronically so that what the
                             monitors are now showing is
                             understandable to our eyes.

The entire assembly tilts their heads back to watch.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             The spot in the center is Mars.
                             Don't worry; we also have a field
                             around us to deflect any stray
                             matter attracted by the
                             singularity that might hit us.
                             This is the same type of
                             shielding that has kept me
                             breathing until today.

The entire crew is still staring at the display over their
heads.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             This mission needs a name. I mean
                             you people had Gemini, Apollo,
                             and a lot of others. I do not
                             feel comfortable calling this 'ship'.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Look, I got into a lot of trouble
                             naming the house ESADS. I still
                             haven't resolved that one and I
                             am not ready to do it again. Why
                             don't we all vote on a name for
                             the ship and this mission. That
                             way you can share the blame.
                             What do you say ship?

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             I was wondering when you would
                             get around to calling me anything
                             except that stupid name. Just as
                             long as it's not an acronym for
                             something else.

Mike blushes as the crewmembers begin their suggestions. It
wasn't often that someone or something got the best of his
sense of humor. He heard everything from "Enterprise"
through "Soyuz", but they had all been taken.

Mikhail turns from his panel.

                                                 MIKHAIL
                                       (softly)
                             How about Vesna, the season
                             spring? We are a new beginning, yes?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Ship?

                                                 VESNA
                             I like that. It is logical, yet
                             feminine.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Crew?

As Mike looks around the cabin, there is a general nodding
of heads.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             All right, I officially declare
                             you to be Vesna, spring, the
                             beginning of a new season in the
                             future of the human race.

                                                 VESNA
                             Thank you all. And thank you
                             Misha, I couldn't have selected a
                             better name myself.

The boy, unused to being the center of attention, blushes
slightly and returns to studying the monitor and controls in
front of him.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Well, if there's nothing more at
                             the moment, I think it's time for
                             some refreshment.

He walks over to the right hand bulkhead and presses a panel.
The wall receeds revealing a table covered with a dazzling
and delicious smelling selection of food.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Since it's already six o'clock,
                             Moscow time, it's time for zakuski!

As he pulls the table out on its rollers, the gathering can
see several types of caviar, black bread with butter and
salt, bliny, pickles, as well as many dishes containing
foods that are not readily recognizable to the American
delegation.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             This was graciously donated by
                             the Literaturnoe Kafe in St.
                             Petersburg. You might know of it,
                             Oksana.

The girl's eyes open wide.

                                                 OKSANA
                             I have not experienced such a
                             feast in many years. In my home,
                             we normally just have eggplant
                             caviar and much less.

Mike turns to the young people near him.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             On this trip we go by the
                             American rules. The Vodka and
                             alcohol on board is for those
                             over 21 only. There are soft
                             drinks and chai over to the right.
                             And doctors,
                                       (turning to the
                                       Russian delegation
                                       while pointing toward
                                       the bottles of
                                       Stolichnaya and Zhitomirska)
                             let me remind you that we will
                             have work to do in a few hours.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Please go easy on the vodka for
                             now. There will be plenty of
                             time for celebration soon.

He turns toward the two journalists.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Ladies, even though this is
                             already being broadcast and the
                             world is aware that we are just
                             partying up here, if you would
                             like individual interviews, I am
                             open for the next several hours
                             if you wish.

The two women are still stunned and look at each other
rather puzzled.

                                                 SHARON MANSON
                             Is this to be together?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             However you wish. We can do this
                             together, or I can endure
                             separate interviews - whichever
                             each of you prefers. There will
                             be another hour at least before
                             we touch down.

Again, the women looked at each other, and as if telepathic,
they responded in unison,

                                                 SVETLANA/SHARON MANSON
                             Together, please.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Let's go to the lounge downstairs,
                             then.

The women each fill a plate and follow Mike to the elevator.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. LIVING SECTION

When they reached the lounge area Lana asked,

                                                 SVETLANA
                             Where are the cameras?

Mike points to the joint between the ceiling and the bulkhead.
                                                                                                                       176.


                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             They're all over except in the
                             staterooms.

                                                 SHARON MANSON
                             But who is directing the shots?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             I think when you talk with your
                             producers later, you'll find that
                             Vesna is one of the finest
                             technical directors in the
                             business. Of course, your
                             producers can send up instructions
                             with the two-way communications
                             for the shots they'd like.
                             However, she's been deciding all
                             this time what to send back and I
                             trust her judgment. Everything
                             received at each of your stations
                             should be air quality with no
                             editing. As I have always said,
                             this is going to be the ultimate
                             in reality TV. I have no rules
                             and no restrictions. What we do
                             may be of interest to someone and
                             I'm not going to take the
                             responsibility of cutting a thing
                             or censoring out our bloopers.
                             Right now you two have me on the
                             hot seat and I'm fully prepared
                             to make a fool of myself before
                             the entire world just like I've
                             been doing for the past year or so.

Mike walks over to a couch and sits in the center. The two
reporters each take separate easy chairs facing him.

                                                 SHARON MANSON
                             We are on the air now?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             If your producers are running it,
                             we are. The feed will be 24/7
                             for the next month. They can
                             choose what they wish; I'm not
                             editing or controlling the
                             content and neither is Vesna.
                                       (beat)
                             My assumption is that this will
                             be the noon newsbreak in Atlanta
                             and the seven o'clock news on NTV.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             That is, unless they have carried
                             us consistently; in which case I
                             can see everybody heading to
                             Blockbuster to rent a movie out
                             of boredom!
                                       (beat)
                             Understand, also, regardless of
                             which language we speak here,
                             Vesna is translating it
                             simultaneously in our voices for
                             the other feed. She is extremely
                             good at language and voice imitation.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. SERIES OF SHOTS

INT. AMERICAN BAR - EVERYONE CROWDED AROUND THE TELEVISION

INT. GOLDEN RING RESTAURANT, FILLED TO CAPACITY WITH
EVERYONE GLUED TO THE LARGE-SCREEN TV

EXT. DISPLAY WINDOW OF ELECTRONICS STORE SEEN FROM STREET
WITH A CROWD STANDING AROUND

INT. FAMILY HOME WITH NOT ONLY THE FAMILY, BUT NEIGHBORS IN
FRONT OF THE TELEVISION

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. LIVING SECTION LOUNGE

                                                 SVETLANA
                             Doctor Angelskov...

Mike holds up a hand to interrupt.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Let me set one ground rule before
                             we begin. It's either Mike,
                             Misha, or, if you insist on being
                             stilted, Mr. Angel. We are all
                             here for the duration, and I
                             insist that we don't stand on
                             formality during the trip. OK?
                             As I warned Sharon once before,
                             never, ever call me doctor.

Both women nod and Lana is taken a little aback.

                                                 SVETLANA
                                       (Stuttering)
                             Mr., uh, Mike. Could you tell us
                             exactly why we are here?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Fair enough. I've tried
                             explaining it to each of your
                             governments, but there seems to
                             be a problem of communication
                             with political types. We're here
                             because I'm a hopeless romantic,
                             an adventurer. I joined the Navy
                             to see the world. I saw it from
                             under ships, up rivers, in mud
                             over my shoulders, and from the
                             desert sands -- not really what I
                             had in mind when I signed up. I
                             also took enough undergraduate
                             courses in anthropology to fuel
                             my adventurous side even further.
                             Heck, I even memorized the
                             dialogue from all of the old
                             Indiana Jones movies. When the
                             house computer and I hit on the
                             possibility of space travel, this
                             was the next logical step.
                             However, I didn't want to go it
                             alone because what we can learn
                             here belongs to the entire world
                             and I didn't study everything
                             there is. Knowing scientists as
                             I do, and that they insist on
                             free sharing of information, I
                             knew that this had to be a
                             scientific expedition. If it
                             were political or military, or
                             run by a government, you wouldn't
                             learn squat - much less having
                             both countries receiving
                             simultaneous discovery. This
                             adventure will be done for pure
                             science!

                                                 SHARON MANSON
                             Is that why you chose the
                             specialties of our companions?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Precisely! Doctors Stromberg and
                             Norodsky are here because NASA's
                             satellites say there is probably
                             water under the ground. They'll
                             find out if there really is and
                             if it is recoverable. Kitch and
                             Medvedev will make certain that
                             there is nothing still alive that
                             will kill us or we might
                             accidentally bring back. They
                             will also investigate whether or
                             not there ever was anything alive
                             up there. Jameson and Garan will
                             give us an accurate history of
                             the geologic progress of the
                             planet. Do you realize that the
                             highest mountain and deepest
                             valley in our solar system exist
                             on Mars? I hope that they can
                             get some answers while we are
                             there. Belisar and
                             Barishnikov...well, we may have a
                             surprise or two when we get there
                             and they will be useful.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             You didn't mention us.

Mike looks over and can see a gleam in her eye.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Once we get there, we will need
                             someone to keep an eye on the
                             weather. There are sandstorms
                             and winds that could push a
                             person or vehicle half way across
                             the planet. We will need to know
                             that before it happens. You also
                             will do what you are doing now,
                             presenting the story of the
                             entire trip to the Earth.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             And our personal selection was why?

The gleam is getting brighter and her lips are curling up at
the edges. Mike feels instinctively that his ice s getting
thinner and a bead of sweat forms on his forehead and he
squirms slightly on the couch.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Obviously, you are both certified
                             meteorologists that also have
                             experience with hard news
                             reporting and you each have the
                             experience on camera to do it
                             right. Plus you are both mothers
                             of the young people that I needed
                             to accompany me.

Lana closes the trap,.

                                                 SVETLANA
                             Then our having great legs had
                             nothing to do with it?

Mike knows he'd been suckered and hadn't seen it coming,

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Vesna!

Sharon's head whips around to look a Lana who sports a
wicked grin.

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                                       (Protesting)
                             That wasn't classified, sir.

Sharon is staring at Lana, but the light is coming on in her
eyes also.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Vesna, our next lesson will be
                             about discretion!

                                                                                          DISSOLVE TO:

INT. COMMAND DECK

Everyone is assembled in the control room and the food table
returned to its niche. The view of the planet completely
fills the ceiling screen. The three young people are still
studying the controls at their positions; Oksana is busy
reading through screen after screen of schematics that Vesna
automatically translates into Russian for her.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             We're going to make several
                             orbits before we set down. I
                             need to drop off some special
                             communication and weather
                             satellites."
                                       (nodding at the women)
                             John. I need your help. Now's
                             your first chance at being gopher.

                                                 JOHN BELISAR
                                       (Brightening)
                             We're going outside?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             What's this 'we', Kemosabe? I
                             only have one vacuum suit.
                             You're going to lug the satellites
                             down to the airlock and I'll set
                             them up outside.

The boy's face falls, but he follows Mike to the elevator.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. ENGINEERING SECTION

They stop at a storage area on the third deck of the main
section where Mike has stowed the satellites he had
constructed while the ship was being built. He dons the
bulky vacuum EVA suit he had bought from NASA and moves to
the airlock while John pushes the first satellite in.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                                       (over the communicator)
                             Vesna? Let me know when we're
                             ready for the first drop.

                                                 VESNA
                             This is as good a spot as any.
                             I'll calculate the rest relative
                             to this point.

Mike opens the outer door and steps out. He pulls on the
tether and drags the machine out with him. Once outside, he
is weightless, no longer within Vesna's gravity field. This
field, while powerful, is the same as the one the house had
erected around the property in Atlanta. It extends only a
few inches from Vesna's hull.

After pressing several buttons on a panel of the machine,
two arms extended from the satellite to reveal solar panels.
A few minutes later Mike gives the unit a kick and it spins
away and then seems to stabilize. After a few seconds, it
orients itself towards the sun and drops back from their
position.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (OS - COMMUNICATOR)
                             Number one is off, Vesna. Let me
                             know when the next one is ready.

                                                 VESNA (OS)
                             You have about eight minutes.
                             John is working quite well. The
                             next one is already in the airlock.

This scene is repeated five more times before Mike re-enters
the lock and takes off the bulky suit.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Thanks.

John just nods back.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. COMMAND DECK

As they return to the control deck, Doctor Garan takes Mike
to the side.

                                                 GARAN
                             Grazdanin Angelskov, why have we
                             not floated around? Why no
                             weightlessness? Are we in a
                             Hollywood cinema studio?

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             Moi droog,
                                       (turns to the rest of
                                       the gathering)
                             How many here actually enjoy
                             being on a roller coaster?

The four young people raise their hands, as does Sharon.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Doctor Garan has asked why we
                             have not experienced
                             weightlessness during this trip.
                             You remember that feeling you get
                             every time it goes down hill.
                             The feeling you get in your
                             stomach like you want to throw up?

A few nod their heads, but most just stare.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                                       (Straight face)
                             I could turn off the gravity
                             within the ship if you'd like
                             that sensation to continue.

Barishnikov turns white. While still legally sober, he'd
probably had at least one vodka more than he should have.

Coupled with the Beluga, his stomach is already walking a
fine line. Even the thoughts of such things made the
appetizers threaten to reappear.

Mike glances around the room.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             I thought as much. I don't
                             relish that sensation either.
                             When we land at our second site,
                             I'll turn it down and you will
                             all have to get used to one-third
                             Earth's gravity. Until then,
                             let's enjoy the food and company
                             without tossing our cookies.

Igor has now passed white and is well on his way toward green.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             How are the satellites performing?

                                                 VESNA
                             So far they are all flawless.
                             We'll have a good picture of the
                             conditions by the time we land.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                             People, the two spots I've picked
                             are currently enjoying summer
                             weather and will be about 70
                             degrees Fahrenheit during the
                             daytime hours. At the poles, it
                             is still near 200 below zero
                             while the rest of the planet is
                             averaging about minus 64. Where
                             we'll be will get well below zero
                             at night, so we will do most of
                             our work during the daylight
                             hours.
                                       (looks at Lana and the
                                       other Russians)
                             Kind of like Siberia during bad
                             weather.

He turns to Ivan.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             Dr. Medvedev can tell you of
                             several winters in Vladivostok
                             when the high temperatures barely
                             reached minus 54 Celsius. His
                             last year at Vostok Station at
                             the South Pole the temperature
                             never reached minus 70 - and that
                             was summertime.
                                       (beat)
                             Also, keep in mind, that even
                             though we will not be in 'space',
                             you are used to 14.7 pounds per
                             square inch of air pressure on
                             Earth. On Mars, there is less
                             than one-tenth pound per square
                             inch and that's mostly carbon
                             dioxide, a little nitrogen and
                             some argon. Without your suits,
                             you would undergo explosive
                             decompression. The dissolved
                             gasses in your body fluids would
                             expand 100 times very rapidly and
                             you would hemorrhage from your
                             eyes, ears, nose, and mouth
                             almost instantly. It's not a
                             pretty thought.

He pauses to let that sink in. It does. The thought pushes
Igor over the edge and he makes a run for the elevator and
the bathroom.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             The suits you will wear are
                             modified jet pilot's high
                             altitude pressure suits. The
                             kind that allows the pilots of
                             the SR-71 and other planes that
                             operate at the edge of space to
                             survive. They will keep your
                             body pressure near normal, but
                             still allow you good mobility
                             without the bulky gloves and
                             joints that the vacuum suits have.
                             I was tempted a year or so ago,
                             just to acclimatize you to
                             extremely low pressure and use
                             parkas with an oxygen mask, but
                             that turned out not to be
                             practical because the human body
                             doesn't adapt all that well.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             This would end up to be a three
                             month expedition, with two and a
                             half of those spent in a
                             decompression chamber.

The young people look horrified.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             It was more practical to put up
                             with some discomfort using the
                             suits than to turn you into Martians.

The group chuckles nervously.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (CONT'D)
                             We'll be landing in a few moments
                             at the site of the old Viking
                             lander. President Forest wants
                             me to activate it again so that
                             JPL can continue their experiments
                             after all these years. I expect
                             each of you to bring back a
                             thousand times more information
                             than that thing could possibly
                             produce, but what the heck, I'll
                             humor him. In the meantime, you
                             kids get together and figure out
                             what you'll say when you step out.
                             This will be something that every
                             school kid on Earth will have
                             memorized by tomorrow and no one
                             will forget for generations. I
                             leave it entirely up to you to
                             make it good.

Mike sees that Sharon and Lana both barely resisting the
urge to rush forward and give advice.

The scene on the overhead monitor begins to change and
quickly shows a starry sky. Other monitors on the panels in
front of them begin to show increasingly more detail of the
Martian landscape until they finally stop.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. RUSSIAN SCIENCE SECTION

Mike shows the four young people how to don their suits and
double-checks the two women as they gather in the Russian
laboratory section. Each of the women's helmets has a
protuberance on the side that is a television camera
directly linked to their stations on Earth through Vesna and
the satellites Mike has positioned.

He shows the journalists the controls at their waist that
will put them in direct contact with their audience and with
their producers.

The four youths precede Mike and the two women into the
airlock and nervously take each other's hands. Vesna has
activated the external cameras and is sending that scene
back to Earth. The helmet cameras from the two reporters
standing behind their children in the airlock are also active.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL (OS - OVER INTERCOM)
                             Everyone ready?

The four young people nod, facing the outside door as the
two women describe the scene on the private channel to their
stations. The outside door opens revealing a sandy
landscape resembling the Painted Desert in Arizona. The sky
is clear with a pale red color due more to dust rather than
atmosphere. The four look at each other and step forward to
the edge of the lock.

                                                 MIKHAIL
                             Today we step into the future.

                                                 CAROL MANSON
                             We step into a world unknown.

                                                 JOHN BELISAR
                             We give this heritage to those
                             not yet born.

                                                 OKSANA
                             To the future, for the children!

The four lock arms and step in unison to the alien surface.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

SERIES OF SHOTS

INT. RESTAURANT OF THE GOLDEN RING HOTEL

Olga Ivanova is sitting at a table with tears streaming down
her face. Other customers are shouting, dancing around,
hugging.

EXT. TIMES SQUARE, NEW YORK

The scene is like New Year's Eve. Large television
projection screens have been erected and the crowd is
cheering and throwing confetti.

EXT. LUZHNIKI STADIUM, MOSCOW

Large screens have been set up at the soccer stadium and the
crowd is at capacity. Everyone is cheering and shouting.
Many are pouring champaign over their compatriots.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

EXT. MARTIAN TERRAIN

The four young enjoy jumping around the surface with reduced
gravity while Mike grabs a case containing the batteries to
restore the old American probe.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

EXT. MIKE AT AIRLOCK

He lugs the heavy bag outside where it becomes much lighter.
He then returns for a small box of tools to help with the
repair.

It takes about ten minutes to locate the old probe, which is
30 meters from the landing site. Mike spends a half hour
replacing the worn out power supply while the other
scientists in the party disembark to look around for themselves.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

EXT. KITCH AND MEDVEDEV

Kitch and Medvedev are busy taking samples, wiping underneath
stones with swabs and sealing them away inside plastic bottles.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

EXT. JAMESON AND GARAN

Jameson and Garan discover a slight cliff leading up to
another plateau and are on their knees, avidly investigating
striations in the exposed soil, using magnifiers.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

EXT. NORODSKY AND STROMBERG

Pavel Norodsky is walking a short distance off with a device
suspended from his shoulders that looks like a high-power
metal detector. In actuality, the hydrologist carries a
portable ground penetrating radar to see if there is any
fluid deposits while Stromberg strides beside him taking notes.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

EXT. SVETLANA AND SHARON

The two women split up, and Mike spots them in the distance,
walking slowly in different directions, each turning
occasionally to point or gesture. It is obvious that they
are broadcasting their impressions of the panorama to their
stations on Earth. It is also obvious that each is keeping
a careful eye on their children.

                                                                                          CUT TO:

EXT. MIKE AT VIKING

Mike finishes replacing Viking's batteries, Mike looked
toward the horizon to see Phobos, the larger of Mars' two
moons, just beginning to make an appearance in the pinkish
sky. The same bland red color is everywhere on the surface
due to the ever-present iron oxide in the soil.

He turns a switch on the device and knowing that it will be
at least four minutes before the scientists in Pasadena
receive any signal since the lander uses standard radio
telemetry to communicate its information back to Earth. As
he finishes packing his tools and the spent battery pack
back into his bag, Mike stoops and pulls one final object
from the bag. He straightens and walks to the front of the
old explorer where he can see the cameras pointing and with
a smirk on his face places a stuffed pink rabbit carrying a
bass drum onto the ground. With the flip of a switch, the
toy begins moving back and forth.

                                                 MIKE ANGEL
                                       (mumbling to himself)
                             That'll drive them crazy!

                                                                                          CUT TO:

INT. COMMAND DECK

Mike has left the crew to have another half-hour while he
returns to Vesna.

Mike has Vesna put both Earth television feeds on monitors
and sits back to watch. He appears very impressed at how
quickly both women have gotten the hang of their suit
cameras and audio. Sharon is being interviewed by a network
anchorperson and is responding to the questions as if she'd
lived on Mars all of her life. He also eavesdrops on the
instructions that both reporters are receiving from Earth
through their earpieces, and is pleased that their producers
also appear ecstatic with their professionalism. He knows
beyond a shadow of doubt that he has made the right choices.

He notes that throughout the broadcasts, neither woman
strays very far out of sight of her child. The young people
are always within peripheral vision of the women.

The children are still playfully testing the gravity and are
now conducting foot races. They soon discover that reduced
gravity does not necessarily mean increased speed like in
the Superman comics. It does mean, however, increased
clumsiness. The ever-present dust and sand doesn't help
much, either.

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory notifies Mike that their
lander is again functioning. The electronics had not been
damaged in spite of the years. Even though the bearings on
the wheels were a bit sluggish from several decades of sand
and dust, it still appears functional. President Forest's
Science Advisor also tells him that none of their scientists
thought the rabbit was the least bit humorous. Mike almost
giggles aloud because he did. He also knows down deep that
the engineers in Pasadena are probably rolling.

Mike notices the scientists straggling back to Vesna earlier
than he expected.

                                                                                          FADE OUT:


Ben W. Gardner
Sedona, Arizona

"I do not fear computers. I fear lack of them." --Isaac Asimov

http://ca.geocities.com/vladilyich/

In The Beginning - ISBN: 1-4116-3848-4
Just In Time - ISBN 1-4116-3851-4
Ad Astra - ISBN: 978-1-84728-518-8
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