V Pilot
Act Two
FADE IN:
INT. SMALL OFFICE DAY
Erica, Dale and Major Ryan are standing in front of a large flat screen hanging on the wall. A CORPORAL sits at a table beside it wearing earphones and staring at a bank of computer screens. Six other office personnel are milling about behind them.
ERICA
I feel so at home in here.
MAJOR RYAN
Corporal, why am I starting at static? Why aren't we patched in yet?
CORPORAL
Sir, sorry sir. I can only pick up the pilot's chatter so far. Wait. Sir, I got their gun-cams as well.
The big screen flickers to life with three low altitude pictures of the city.
ERICA
Three planes?
MAJOR RYAN
McGuire launched three F-22 Raptors, fully armed.
ERIC
And they're chasing wind?
MAJOR RYAN
The details are classified, but the newest military satellites have laser systems capable of detecting unnatural wind currents.
DALE
(explaining)
Its a new way of tracking stealth planes.
LEAD PILOT ON RADIO
(filter voice)
Negative, nothing on radar, nothing on infrared, the sky is clear. McGuire base, you sure this isn't some kind of weather phenomenon?
(static filled pause)
Roger base, going in.
Major Ryan grabs the soldier by the shoulder clutching hard.
MAJOR RYAN
Get McGuire air command! Tell them to keep those planes at a distance.
CUT TO:
EXT. THREE F-22s FLYING LOW OVER THE CITY DAY
CLOSE UP: F22 opening its belly doors - missiles ready to fire
Suddenly, the first two planes explode as if hitting a glass wall. The collision sends ripples of light across something disk shaped and huge. The third plane pulls up hard, going into a perfectly vertical climb.
INT. F22 cockpit
The entire cockpit is shaking as the screaming engines fight gravity. The pilot's face is hidden behind his air mask but we see the reflection of the huge disk in his black goggles.
PILOT
Mother of God..
EXT. ONE F22 IN A VERTICAL CLIMB OVER THE CITY DAY
The jet avoids the disk until, suddenly, a wing is ripped off. The plane spins out of control; its parts flying in all directions - fire rains down on the city.
FADE TO:
INT. SMALL OFFICE day
Ryan looks at Dale
ERICA
What just happened?
CORPORAL
All three planes down, Sir.
MAJOR RYAN
Erica, get the Mayor on the phone. Have her clear the skies. Airport, helipads - ground everything.
CORPORAL
Sir, according to the object's last know trajectory, it should be over us any minute.
They all begin running up the stairs toward the roof. Dale and Major Ryan bringing up the rear. The roar of the wind grows louder as they climb the stairs.
Erica is running with her cell phone in her ear.
ERICA
(Shouting over the wind)
It is an official police emergency. I'm detective Erica Evans. No I can't wait.
(two beats and then with a heavy sigh)
Just tell its her niece Erica and its an emergency.
(beat)
Aunt Judy? You have to order every plane grounded. It's a military emergency. Yes, I'm with the Major now. Three fighter jets have just exploded.
Erica reaches the roof, the wind whipping at her clothes, and joins a crowd already standing there. She looks up just as a two mile wide disk fades into view directly overhead. The wind stops as if someone had thrown a switch.
ERICA
(softly)
Why?
(beat)
Aunt Judy, just look out your window.
She closes the phone looking up. Dale steps up beside her and she grabs his arm. He looks at her with a curious expression. CAMERA TILTS UP TO: the underside of the floating disk begins to crackle with energy glowing brighter. Screams rise up from the street below. The blinding light softens into the picture of a woman, ANNA, in her 40's, black hair, filling the two mile wide underside of the ship. She smiles as if looking down upon her children.
ANNA
Please, please don't be frightened. My name is Anna. I, and the many other living aboard this ship with me, have come a long way to meet you. We are deeply saddened by the damage our arrival has caused and we are willing to help in any way that we can.
CUT TO:
EXT. Visitor's ship seen at a distance day
Anna's image is being projected out in all four directions on mile high holographic screens. Her voice seems to come from everywhere filling the air.
ANNA
This is a most joyous day. We celebrate, for until now we thought ourselves the only intelligent life in the universe. We have so much to learn from each other. Our technology may be more advanced, but we offer ourselves as your students to learn from you, your culture, music, and philosophy. We wish to study those ideas which are as unique as each of you.
CUT TO:
EXT. STEEPLE WINDOW OF ALL SAINTS CHURCH DAY
Father Jack and Father Travis are looking out their faces full of awe.
FATHER TRAVIS
Its a sign...
FATHER JACK
But from whom?
FATHER TRAVIS
From God of coarse, he has sent servants to deliver us from our own corruption.
CUT TO:
EXT. ROOF TOP ERICA'S POV
ANNA
In exchange, we will share with you our advances in medicine, energy production and new ways to feed your growing population.
(pause)
A cheer rises up from the street, followed by another until it spreads to the rooftop and across the city.
ANNA
(flashes an almost shy smile)
Within moments, we will be sending a delegation to your UN building to meet with your leaders. Until then, walk in peace - always.
The image of Anna fades until only her smile is left, then the underside of the of ship fades into a hazy picture of the sky above. Scattered bursts of applause erupts here and there. Erica jumps as her cellphone rings. With an embarrassed smile, she lets go of Dale's arm and turns away to answer the call.
ERICA
Major - all aircraft have been grounded. The Mayor also called up the National Guard to help with crowd control.
MAJOR RYAN
OK people - Get back to your desks. There are going to be a lot of phones calls from a lot of scared people.
DALE
Starting with our illustrious leaders, I would imagine.
ERICA
I'm not even sure what I saw.
MAJOR RYAN
Then you better write it down. 'Cause you're going to be explaining it all day long.
FADE TO:
EXT. U.N. BUILDING DAY
A crowd of reporters await to ambush Anna and her entourage as they leave the U.N. building. Chad pushes his way to the forefront. Anna appears and cameras flash as reporters shout their questions.
REPORTER 1
Where do you come from?
ANNA
Our planet is located close to the galactic core and can not be seen from earth.
REPORTER 2
What is the name of your people.
ANNA
It is difficult to translate our language into English. For now, just refer to us as the Visitors.
REPORTER 3
Do you really expect us to believe that you came all this way for just a few books and CDs?
ANNA
(her smile becomes quite strained)
I... believe
CHAD
(interrupting)
What kind of books do you like Anna?
ANNA
(her smile fully restored)
Oh, I'm a sucker for a good love story.
The crowd laughs. She waves to everyone as she steps into the visitor landing craft (called a hopper). Before she disappears inside, Anna pauses and flashes Chad a secret smile.
INT. HOPPER
Inside Anna's private hopper, everyone stands holding onto a handrail that rings the middle. In the center floor is a window similar to a glass bottom boat. Her second-in-command MARCUS stands beside her as they look down upon the dwindling humans below.
ANNA
So, those were reporters?
(Marcus nods)
ANNA
That one seemed to perform well.
MARCUS
Thank you.
ANNA
You're taking credit?
MARCUS
If it pleases you, then yes. If not...
He points at the rest of the entourage.
MARCUS
Its their fault.
ANNA
I see how you advanced so far, so quickly.
MARCUS
(with a slight bow)
It is my eagerness to serve you that drives me so.
ANNA
(smiles at his charm)
Once I'm aboard, go back and invite him up.
MARCUS
Maybe it's too soon...
ANNA
No, we need to continue building public trust.
MARCUS
As you wish, of course, but the timetable...
ANNA
(leans a bit further over the rail looking down)
Time is our enemy; we need to keep moving forward.
Fade to black: End of Act Two