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                                    "MISSION TO MARS"


                                      Screenplay by

                          Jim Thomas, John Thomas & Graham Yost

                                         Story by

                         Lowell Cannon, Jim Thomas & John Thomas


                                      SHOOTING DRAFT


                

               FADE IN:

               EXT. LATE AFTERNOON SKY

               Blue sky, a few puffs of cloud, pierced by slanting rays of 
               sunlight. Late afternoon on a perfect day.

               SUPER TITLE: "HOUSTON, TEXAS. JULY 4, 2020."

               As we hear, after a few more beats, an ASTRONAUT'S VOICE.

                                     PHIL
                         T minus ten, nine, eight, start 
                         ignition sequence, five, four, three, 
                         two, one, ignition... Liftoff!

               A tiny red streak zips into the sky, then bursts with a faint, 
               ludicrous POP. A bottle rocket. We hear CHILDREN'S LAUGHTER, 
               excited SHOUTS.

               EXT. LAWN PARTY. LUKE GRAHAM'S HOUSE. LATE AFTERNOON

               DESCENDING, we see PHIL OHLMYER, late 20's, kneeling, with a 
               gaggle of eager CHILDREN around him. Phil, an astronaut, has 
               got an impressive array of fireworks lined up, and is using 
               an empty longneck as his launching tube.

                                     CHILDREN
                              (all at once)
                         My turn! My turn! No, I was next! 
                         No, me! Uncle Phil, Uncle Phil, can 
                         I do one? I want to do one!

                                     PHIL
                         Guys, guys, please! This is risky 
                         stuff here. And I'm a highly trained 
                         professional.

               Derisive GROANS from the kids, more SHOUTS. Phil grins. 
               There's little danger NASA will ever use him on a recruiting 
               poster: he's messy, very hyper. Phil waves his hands for 
               silence.

                                     PHIL
                         Okay, okay! Uncle Phil will launch 
                         another booster...

               Another astronaut, RENEE COTE, a tall, very fit French woman, 
               is walking by with a fresh six-pack. She tosses a beer and 
               Phil catches it.

                                     PHIL
                         ...just as soon as he completes his 
                         fuel intake.

               ANGLE FOLLOWS COTE

               Who grins, walking away from Phil and the kids, as we begin 
               to get a better sense of the scope of this party. We are in 
               the big back yard of a middle-class home in a Houston suburb. 
               DOZENS OF PEOPLE - astronauts, NASA personnel, and their 
               families -- are gathered around picnic tables or spread-out 
               blankets. Lots of red, white and blue bunting, lots of 
               balloons. We hear snatches of MUSIC, mostly country-flavored, 
               from dueling boomboxes. Futuristic Frisbees are being tossed 
               about. A banner, strung between trees, reads "BON VOYAGE, 
               MARS ONE!!!"

                                     WILLIS
                         It'll take us six months just to get 
                         to Mars. Another year on the surface, 
                         then six months back. That's two 
                         years...

               Passing the banner, Cote lobs a beer to another astronaut, 
               NICHOLAS WILLIS, who snags it neatly. He's got his other arm 
               around the waist of a PRETTY GIRL. As Cote moves OUT OF FRAME, 
               ANGLE LINGERS on these two. Willis, a very young astronaut, 
               early 20s, is recruiting poster material, and knows it all 
               too well.

                                     WILLIS
                         I guess what I'm trying to say is, 
                         since this is my last night on Earth, 
                         it's gonna be a very precious memory 
                         to me. Y'know?

                                     PRETTY GIRL
                         Nice try, Nick.

               As the Pretty Girl slips out of his grasp, laughing, and 
               walks away, Willis shrugs philosophically. He pops open his 
               beer, swigs it.

               ANGLE FOLLOWS THE PRETTY GIRL As she swerves around an open-
               pit barbecue, where other ASTRONAUTS are gathered. Cote has 
               paused here, too, distributing the last of her beers. SERGEI 
               KIROV, a Russian cosmonaut, is watching some kids nearby as 
               they play a game of wiffle ball. He turns, grinning beerily 
               at the chef.

                                     KIROV
                         Hey, Woody, our Mars One crew won't 
                         be heading back to Earth till ten 
                         days after you guys land at our base 
                         camp with Mars Two. That's a pretty 
                         good long rendezvous.

               WOODY BLAKE, late 30s, is a big, rangy guy in a cowboy hat 
               over a Hawaiian shirt and a "KISS THE CHEF" apron. An entire 
               pig is turning on a spit over the flames, and Woody is basting 
               this as he smiles at Malik.

                                     WOODY
                         What are you suggesting, Sergei?

                                     KIROV
                         Maybe you should bring a baseball 
                         bat. Yes? American baseball? Our two 
                         crews could have ourselves a little 
                         Solar System Series.

                                     WOODY
                         Please. Half you guys are foreigners. 
                         We'd crush you.

                                     KIROV
                         No, no, we have equal crews. Three 
                         men, one woman. Same handicap.

               He grins teasingly at Cote, who makes a face at him.

                                     WOODY
                         Easy now, you're talking about my 
                         wife.
                              (seeing her approach)
                         And Terri just happens to be one 
                         helluva shortstop.

               DR. TERRI FISHER, early 30s, passes by with a platter of 
               corn-on-the-cob. Short, sturdy body, a face made attractive 
               by its alert, questing intelligence. She pauses to kiss 
               Woody's cheek; there's a wonderful, sexy spark between them. 
               Then she glances at Kirov, all business now.

                                     TERRI
                         Fast pitch, no steals, batter calls 
                         his own strikes. Thousand bucks make 
                         it interesting?

               He's a bit rattled by her cockiness, and looks at Cote, who 
               smiles, nods her cool agreement.

                                     COTE
                         Eh bien. Winner take all.

                                     TERRI
                         Good.
                              (smiles sweetly at 
                              Kirov)
                         Bring some balls.

               The other men ooooh at this, busting on Kirov and Cote, as 
               Terri moves on. Woody, watching her go, has a thousand-watt 
               grin.

                                     WOODY
                         You wanna know the sad part? 
                         Technically I outrank her. But if we 
                         want any peace at all on Mars Two, 
                         I'm gonna be saying a lot of "Yes, 
                         dears."

               The others laugh.

               ANGLE FOLLOWS TERRI as she dodges a PACK OF KIDS -- they run 
               by her, shrieking happily - before she finally reaches a 
               picnic table, where ASTRONAUTS' WIVES are opening containers 
               of baked beans, coleslaw, and potato salad.

                                     1ST WIFE
                         ...just not sure how I feel about 
                         NASA allowing couples to go on this 
                         type of mission together.

               One of the other women raises a warning eyebrow, and the 1st 
               Wife turns, sees Terri setting down her platter.

                                     1ST WIFE
                              (embarrassed)
                         Nothing personal, Terri. It's just 
                         that, well, it's kind of a funny 
                         feeling for those of us staying 
                         behind.

                                     TERRI
                              (carefully neutral)
                         All the research shows that marriage 
                         will provide stability on these long 
                         duration trips.

                                     2ND WIFE
                         Then they haven't studied some of 
                         the couples I've known.

               Laughter at this. Terri smiles politely -- she doesn't really 
               have much in common with these women -- before moving on. 
               ANGLE LINGERS on the wives, who watch her go with a slight 
               tinge of jealousy. One of them is looking around.

                                     3RD WIFE
                         Anybody seen Jim McConnell?

                                     4TH WIFE
                         I don't think he's coming.

                                     1ST WIFE
                         God, that poor man. How's he doing?

                                     2ND WIFE
                         Totally losing it, from what I hear. 
                         Can't sleep, can't eat. Visits her 
                         grave almost every day.
                              (lowers her voice)
                         They say he could lose mission status.

                                     3RD WIFE
                         Oh, that's so sad. That is just so 
                         tragic. You go to a routine physical 
                         one day, and wham.

                                     4TH WIFE
                         After all those years of training, 
                         too. It was their whole dream.

                                     1ST WIFE
                         Must be a pretty funny feeling for 
                         Luke Graham. Y'know? Now he's gonna 
                         be in the history books. First man 
                         on Mars...

               She shakes her head, awed by the thought. The others nod in 
               agreement, following her glance...

               In the distance, a lone MALE FIGURE stands by the garage, 
               his back to them, facing the parked cars, vans, and SUVs 
               which stretch down the driveway and along the street. Another 
               figure, a WOMAN, can be seen approaching him.

               CLOSER ANGLE FOLLOWS the moving woman -- DEBRA GRAHAM, early 
               30s, very attractive -- until she reaches her husband. LUKE 
               GRAHAM, mid 30s, has the lean, fit body of an astronaut, the 
               restless intellect of a scientist. He's unaware of her 
               approach until she touches his shoulder. He looks at her 
               with an apologetic smile.

                                     DEBRA
                         He's not coming, Luke.

                                     LUKE
                         Jim deserves this, too. All his 
                         friends are here. And it's my last 
                         night.

                                     DEBRA
                              (gently)
                         Your last night with us, too.

               He looks at her, moved. She summons a smile. He slides his 
               arms around her waist, kisses her forehead.

                                     LUKE
                         I love you, Deb.

                                     DEBRA
                         I love you too, baby. But maybe you 
                         should spend some time with Bobby.

                                     LUKE
                         Yeah. I will. Where is he?

                                     DEBRA
                         Up in his fort.

               He kisses her again, then goes. Debra's eyes follow him, 
               with a mixture of pride and sadness.

               ANGLE FOLLOWS Luke away from the garage, into

               EXT. THE BACK YARD. LATE AFTERNOON

               Luke moves through the crowd. Phil and the kids are still 
               shooting off rockets. Red streaks arc high overhead.

               In the back corner of the yard, where it's quieter, he passes 
               Willis, who's sitting on a blanket, murmuring soulfully to 
               PRETTY GIRL #2.

                                     WILLIS
                         Deep space is so lonesome. So cold. 
                         But I guess I'll have my memories to 
                         keep me warm...

               Luke shakes his head. Willis is incorrigible. Finally he 
               reaches a tall redwood playset. He looks up the ladder.

               A SMALL BOY sits on the platform of the tower, arms around 
               his knees, staring up at the stars. A telescope rests nearby 
               on a tripod. He looks lonely.

               Luke climbs up, sits down on the wooden deck next to him. 
               BOBBY, 7, glances over at his dad, his idol, then back at 
               the sky.

                                     BOBBY
                         Who's gonna read to me now, at 
                         bedtime?

               Luke is surprised by the question. A pause.

                                     LUKE
                         Mommy will.

                                     BOBBY
                         I like when you do it. Now we're 
                         never gonna finish our book.

               His voice is unexpectedly fierce. He's fighting back tears. 
               Luke is moved. Another brief silence.

                                     LUKE
                         Well, I'll tell you what. I've been 
                         thinking about that. And what I 
                         thought was -- how 'bout if I bring 
                         along my own copy?
                              (Bobby looks at him)
                         Then every night, wherever I am, 
                         I'll read a little bit more of it. 
                         And I'll know that you and Mommy, 
                         wherever you are, you're reading it 
                         too. That way, it'll feel like we're 
                         still reading it together. 'Cause I 
                         don't know about you, but I'm pretty 
                         anxious to find out how 'ol Ben Gunn 
                         got marooned on that island. What 
                         d'you say?

               Bobby manages a smile. He nods, feeling a little better. 
               Luke is proud of his son's courage.

                                     LUKE
                         Good deal. Can I have a hug?

               Bobby's arms go around his father's neck. He hugs Luke 
               fiercely, and Luke hugs him back. His eyes, over the thin 
               young shoulders, are brimming with love and impending absence. 
               Then, from the distance, the sound of an APPROACHING CAR. 
               They both turn.

               An open Jeep is coming down the street. Its DRIVER is alone.

               Luke's expression changes. Recognition, then happiness.

               EXT. LUKE'S STREET. LATE AFTERNOON

               The Jeep stops, its electric engine WHIRRING down. The Driver 
               climbs out wearily, reaching into the back seat, and comes 
               out with a champagne bottle, hastily decorated with ribbon. 
               The PARTY SOUNDS are drifting this way, and he hesitates a 
               moment, seeming to gather himself. He starts gamely towards 
               the party, then pauses again.

               Debra Graham stands nearby on the front lawn, waiting. She 
               smiles tentatively.

               JIM MCCONNELL, early 40s, manages a smile in return. He has 
               dark circles under his eyes, and his clothes look slept in.

               Yet we sense, even through his sadness, a kind of quiet 
               competence in this man, an unforced authority; he's a natural 
               leader.

               Debra hurries forward, into his arms, and he hugs her. They 
               separate, looking at each other. Her eyes are shining.

                                     DEBRA
                         We were afraid you wouldn't come.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I caught a whiff of your barbecue. 
                         After that I was helpless.

                                     DEBRA
                         All the way out in Galveston?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Something like that.
                              (she smiles)
                         It's his night, Deb. I didn't want 
                         to spoil it.

                                     DEBRA
                         Spoil it? He's been going crazy 
                         looking for you.

               Over her shoulder he sees Luke approaching, his arm around 
               Bobby. The two men look at each other, the bond between them 
               so strong it needs no words. Finally Luke smiles.

                                     LUKE
                         C'mon. A whole lot of folks here are 
                         gonna be mighty glad to see you.

               McConnell comes towards him, accompanied by Debra, and 
               together the four of them move OUT OF FRAME, heading towards 
               the party. ANGLE HOLDS on the parking area, as we...

                                                               DISSOLVE TO:

               EXT. SAME VIEW. NIGHT (HOURS LATER)

               All the parked cars and vans are gone now, except for two: 
               McConnell's Jeep and Woody's classic 'Vette. Willis, one of 
               the last to go, is just departing on his motorcycle. Perched 
               behind him, arms around his waist, is PRETTY GIRL #3. They 
               zoom away, through the darkened neighborhood.

               EXT. BACK YARD. NIGHT

               The yard is nearly deserted. The "Bon Voyage" banner has 
               torn loose at one end and flutters limply. Here and there a 
               napkin blows across the ground.

               In the distance, THREE FIGURES sit on the ground, by the 
               waning fire of the barbecue pit, sipping beers.

               CLOSER ON THIS TRIO

               As Woody shoves another piece of wood into the flames. For a 
               moment he, McConnell, and Luke are silent, staring at the 
               sparks as they rise towards the stars -- red and gold dots 
               mingling with the silver ones.

                                     WOODY
                              (abruptly)
                         I wish we were all going. Together.

               The intensity in his voice surprises the others, and even 
               Woody himself. Luke glances at McConnell. An awkward beat.

                                     LUKE
                         Then you've got a short memory. Think 
                         back to how we were by the second 
                         week of lunar training.

                                     WOODY
                         Oh, you're not gonna bring that up 
                         again --

                                     LUKE
                              (laughing)
                         I'm trying to remember, let's see, 
                         which one of us scored the lowest 
                         ranking up there?

                                     WOODY
                         You just can't let that go --

                                     LUKE
                         Oh, man, three commanders, on the 
                         same ship? If they sent us off to 
                         Mars together, there wouldn't be 
                         enough fuel to lift all those egos.

                                     WOODY
                              (laughs)
                         Bullshit, we would've made a great 
                         crew.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         That was never gonna happen. I was 
                         always teamed with Maggie, and we 
                         were mostly chalkboard jockies. You 
                         know? Systems. Payloads...

                                     LUKE
                         Listen to him. Mr. Cover-of-Time 
                         Magazine!

                                     WOODY
                         Yeah, who landed the crippled Block 
                         II Shuttle?

                                     LUKE
                         Yeah, and who scored highest on the 
                         lunar rankings?

                                     WOODY
                         Let it go, Luke.

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (smiles)
                         Sure, I made a little noise. But 
                         putting the first footprints on Mars? 
                         Nah. That's for guys who...
                              (looks at Luke)
                         ...wrote their Ph.D. thesis on how 
                         to colonize the place. And guys who...
                              (looks at Woody)
                         ...read too much science fiction as 
                         a kid and still wear little Flash 
                         Gordon rocketships around their necks.

               He grabs playfully at Woody's neck. Woody smacks his hand 
               away, laughing.

                                     WOODY
                         You read the same damn science fiction 
                         books that I did! You're just not 
                         man enough to wear jewelry!

               He pulls from his shirt a little Flash Gordon rocketship 
               emblem hanging on a chain, and waggles this tauntingly at 
               McConnell, as Luke and McConnell laugh.

                                     WOODY
                         You want Flash. You know you want 
                         him. Well you'll have to come through 
                         me!

               Luke grabs Woody's arm to give McConnell a better shot at 
               the emblem, but Woody cuffs his hands away, laughing. 
               McConnell, watching their horseplay, shakes his head.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         God, she would've loved to see you 
                         two clowns. Just one more time.

               He tries to smile, but his face reddens. Then all at once 
               his chest is heaving as he struggles to control his emotions. 
               Woody sees this, reaches out a reassuring hand, but McConnell 
               shakes him off, rises abruptly. He turns his back on them, 
               walking away a few steps.

               Woody and Luke exchange a worried glance.

               EXT. LUKE'S STREET. LATER THAT NIGHT

               McConnell and Luke watch as Woody starts up his Corvette. 
               McConnell has regained his composure.

                                     LUKE
                         Hey, Woodrow, isn't it about time 
                         you donated this thing to a museum?

               Woody revs the engine, which ROARS lustily. He grins.

                                     WOODY
                         Internal combustion, boys. Accept no 
                         substitutes.

               Luke laughs. Woody looks at McConnell.

                                     WOODY
                         Jim, if there's ever... if there's 
                         anything Terri and I can do --

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I'm okay. Really. Thanks.

               Woody reaches out to shake Luke's hand.

                                     WOODY
                         See you when I get to Mars, Luke. 
                         Don't solve all the mysteries of the 
                         universe, okay? Leave a little 
                         something for the next guys.

                                     LUKE
                         I'll see what I can do. Just make 
                         sure you bring some fresh beer.

                                     WOODY
                         You got it.

               With a final glance at McConnell, Woody slips the car into 
               gear. McConnell and Luke watch as he drives away. A silence. 
               Luke glances at his old friend, growing more serious. We 
               sense he's been waiting all night for a chance to say this.

                                     LUKE
                         Should've been your mission, Jim. 
                         Yours and Maggie's.

               McConnell, looking after Woody's car, becomes very still.

                                     LUKE
                         None of us ever wanted Mars the way 
                         you two did. Not even Woody. Twelve 
                         years of hoping for this assignment, 
                         training for it --

                                     MCCONNELL
                         That's all over now.

                                     LUKE
                         If Maggie hadn't gotten sick -- if 
                         you hadn't pulled yourself out of 
                         the rotation to take care of her --

               McConnell turns to him, his eyes flashing danger. He will 
               not tolerate pity. Luke sees this but presses on.

                                     LUKE
                         No, I'm gonna say this. I have to 
                         say it...
                              (pause)
                         I wanted Mars One. Hell, I battled 
                         you for it every step of the way. 
                         Never wanted to beat anybody so bad 
                         in my life. But not like this... 
                         Jim, I'd give this all up in a second, 
                         if it would bring Maggie back to us.

               McConnell is deeply moved, and for a moment doesn't trust 
               his own voice.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I know that, Luke. You don't have to 
                         say it... Mars is yours now. Go get 
                         it.

                                     LUKE
                              (pause)
                         Take care of yourself.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Yeah. You too.

               Luke nods. They grab hands for a second, then let go. Luke 
               walks back towards his house. McConnell watches him for a 
               moment, then turns, walks over to his Jeep. He opens his 
               door, then pauses. He turns. Looks up at --

               EXT. NIGHT SKY

               A tiny reddish dot hovers there, glowing steadily. Mars 
               itself, a tantalizing prize. But for him now, more distant 
               than ever. For him, perhaps, never to be attained.

               CLOSE ON MCCONNELL'S FACE

               As we see these thoughts going through him. After a moment 
               he looks down at

               HIS SHOES

               And the sandy verge of the front yard.

               MCCONNELL'S EYES

               Are a map of complex emotions: regret, injured pride, infinite 
               yearning. Gently, a bit self-consciously, HE LIFTS ONE SHOE

               And sets it down again, making a careful, deliberate footprint 
               in the sandy soil...

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. MARS. CHRYSE PLANITIA. DAY

               Instantly we're hurled into an immense, stunning LANDSCAPE, 
               mysterious and vivid as a fever dream. Dazzling sunlight. A 
               vast plain of rust-orange soil. Countless craters. Boulders 
               the size of houses, tossed about by the hands of gods. Twin 
               moons hanging in a salmon-pink sky. On the horizon, towering, 
               craggy peaks. And, at center -- the only sign of life -- a 
               small, mysterious, moving puff of dust.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. MARS. DAY

               CLOSER ANGLE as a small, Sojourner-like, multi-wheeled robotic 
               vehicle ambles INTO FRAME, jouncing along the orange Martian 
               soil, pausing to snuffle its sensors towards the occasionally 
               interesting rock. Lettering on its side reads "ARES-8."

               SUPER TITLE: "MARS. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. EIGHT MONTHS LATER."

               Suddenly Ares-8 pauses. Its video lens WHIRRS out, fine-tuning 
               focus, as it becomes intrigued by something OFFSCREEN -- a 
               higher, more distant target. The little fellow almost quivers 
               with excitement.

               EXT. MARS. TIU VALLIS. DAY

               A one-man ATV ROVER waits in the background, in a dry 
               streambed, as Luke, in an EVA spacesuit, swings a clawed 
               rock hammer against a multi-layered, sedimentary rock face. 
               Reddish dust coats his bulky white suit. Despite that bulk, 
               he moves easily in the light Martian gravity (1/3 Earth's). 
               A hunk of rock breaks off, and Luke examines it more closely, 
               holding it up to his clear faceplate. He's very happy, 
               absorbed in this work, when his RADIO CRACKLES.

                                     COTE
                         Luke, you read me?

                                     LUKE
                         Yeah, Renee.

                                     COTE
                         Luke, I just got ARES-8 on line and... 
                         Well, we think you're gonna wanna 
                         see this for yourself.

               Luke, though reluctant to break off work, is intrigued.

                                     LUKE
                         Copy that.

               As Luke turns away, headed for the rover

               WE PULL WIDE

               To REVEAL a STAGGERING PROSPECT, seen for the first time: 
               Valles Marineris, that planet-creasing slash. So wide, so 
               deep, it boggles the mind: on earth it would reach from New 
               York to L.A.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. DAY

               The crew of Mars One - Kirov, Willis, and Cote -- have joined 
               Luke, gathered around some display monitors. They're in NASA 
               jumpsuits; the Hab has artificial atmosphere, enhanced 
               gravity, and heat. All are captivated by what they see. ON A 
               VIDEO SCREEN

               We see a low-angle image of an elongated, rubble and dirt-
               covered MOUNTAIN. Hard to tell scale, but it looks huge. 
               What's most striking, however, is a WHITE PEAK barely 
               protruding through the rubble two-thirds of the way along 
               the mountain's ridgeline. Its whiteness is in clear contrast 
               to the typical rust-orange of the surrounding rubble; what's 
               more, this strange little peak also displays an oddly-smooth, 
               multi-planed symmetry.

                                     LUKE
                         What the hell is that?

                                     COTE
                         No idea, boss.

                                     LUKE
                         Where is it?

               Cote glances at the others. They're all smirking, as if they 
               share some secret joke Luke's not yet in on.

                                     WILLIS
                         You don't wanna know.

                                     LUKE
                         C'mon, what's so funny? Gimme the 
                         coordinates.

               He leans over to read a digital gauge, but Cote covers it 
               with her hand, enjoying the tease.

                                     COTE
                         Latitude 41 degrees north, longitude 
                         9 degrees west.

                                     LUKE
                         The Plains of Cydonia. So?
                              (pause)
                         Oh no. You're not telling me --

               They all laugh as the other shoe drops. Luke's expression is 
               incredulous, exasperated.

                                     COTE
                         Oui. Exactement! It's Kirov's fault, 
                         he picked today's sector.

                                     KIROV
                         Hey, c'mon! We've got a scientific 
                         duty to check that thing out.

               Luke sits, taking over the Ares remote control from Cote. 
               They all watch as he fine tunes the image, trying without 
               success to coax more resolution.

                                     LUKE
                         Great. That's great. The first anomaly 
                         we hit, and it's gotta be in the one 
                         place guaranteed to make NASA look 
                         ridiculous... You know how many books 
                         have been written about that damned 
                         mountain?

                                     COTE
                         The Egyptians put it there.

                                     KIROV
                         No, the Amazons.

                                     WILLIS
                         No, it was little green men!

                                     LUKE
                         And all because a couple of lousy 
                         impact craters happen to look like 
                         eye sockets. If this gets out, we'll 
                         have every UFO kook on Earth spouting 
                         off on the six o'clock news... C'mon, 
                         people, gimme a read here. Is that a 
                         cinder cone?

                                     KIROV
                         Nah, too smooth. Too angular. Volcanic 
                         upwelling?

                                     COTE
                         No fissures. No caldera.

                                     LUKE
                         It's an upwelling, for sure. But 
                         maybe not volcanic...

               The others look at him, puzzled. Luke leans in closer, with 
               growing excitement. He points to the screen.

                                     LUKE
                         Look at the color. And see how shiny 
                         it is? I could swear that's ice...

                                     COTE
                         This far south?

                                     WILLIS
                         Impossible. You can't have ice at 
                         this latitude. Not unless...

               They look at each other, Luke's excitement now leaping from 
               one to another of them. They're almost trembling.

                                     WILLIS
                         Oh my God.

                                     LUKE
                         How far away is it?

                                     KIROV
                         Sixteen kilometers northeast. Take 
                         us twenty minutes to get there.

                                     LUKE
                              (considers a moment)
                         Let's send a packet to Micker. Then 
                         we'll go check it out.

               EXT. MARS ONE BASE CAMP. DAY

               AIRLOCK DOORS

               Slide back, REVEALING the crew in EVA suits, carrying gear. 
               They walk over to...

               THE FOUR-MAN ROVER

               The astronauts climb in through the hatch. The last one in 
               pulls it shut behind him and locks the latches. We see Cote 
               and Luke check their screens and press some buttons. Luke 
               puts the rover in drive.

               WIDER ANGLE, PULLING UP AND AWAY

               As the rover moves off across the rocky surface, dust kicking 
               up from the wheels, we get our first exterior glimpse of the 
               Mars One Base Camp. The main HAB UNIT looks like a huge tuna 
               can with a conical top section; it connects to a separate, 
               inflated-bubble GREENHOUSE. There's also an OXYGEN STILL, 
               PROPELLANT PLANT, and, on the other side, a couple hundred 
               meters distant, the massive ERV (Earth Return Vehicle), which 
               arrived as a separate, unmanned flight.

               Rows of SOLAR PANELS, arrayed on the ground, and an AMERICAN 
               FLAG on a thin pole, about man-height, complete the scene.

                                                               DISSOLVE TO:

               EXT. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION (ISP). EARTH ORBIT. DAY

               A vast, impressive, MULTI-SECTIONED SPACECRAFT is drifting 
               majestically above Earth. The main hull displays both NASA 
               and U.N. flag decals.

               SUPER TITLE: "INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. MARS MISSION 
               CONTROL ROOM (MMCR). 20 MINUTE TIME LAG."

               We MOVE IN towards another of the station's segments, which 
               is dedicated entirely (as we see from more labels and 
               insignias) to the Mars Program: Control Room, Training and 
               Living Quarters, and a Vehicle Docking and Launch Area, where 
               Mars Two is already positioned for its eventual flight. We 
               hear LUKE'S EXCITED VOICE, over speakers.

                                     LUKE
                         This is a truly anomalous formation. 
                         Looks like nothing we've seen so 
                         far. The structure appears to be 
                         crystalline, at least from the angle 
                         displayed by ARES-8 ...

               INT. MMCR. DAY

               On a large CENTER DISPLAY SCREEN, we see Luke and the Mars 
               One crew, sitting around their kitchen table in the Hab, 
               finishing lunch while taping this VIDEO MESSAGE.

                                     LUKE
                              (grins)
                         We're all trying not to go too nuts 
                         up here, but -- we think there's a 
                         good chance this could be an extrusion 
                         from some subsurface, geothermal 
                         column of water. And if we're right...

               He looks at his crew. They beam like cats who ate canaries.

                                     LUKE
                         ...then we've found the key to 
                         permanent human colonization.

               IN THE MMCR

               There's an EXCITED BUZZ among the assembled TECHNICIANS, 
               FLIGHT ENGINEERS, and SCIENTISTS. This would be a fantastic, 
               epochal discovery.

               MCCONNELL

               Sits at the center console, wearing a headset. He's now the 
               Mars One CAPCOM (Capsule Communicator), and his manner is 
               brisk, efficient, all-business. A TECHNICIAN leans in for 
               instructions.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Tell geology and hydrology we need 
                         to scramble on this. Full-court press.

               The technician nods, hurries away. McConnell, sharing the 
               intense excitement of those around him, stares up at

               THE SCREEN

               Where Luke and his crew are still smiling, well knowing the 
               excitement their bombshell will create.

                                     LUKE
                         Anyway, we'are going out to take a 
                         closer look at it, try to get an 
                         idea of its composition.
                              (checks his watch)
                         By the time you receive this, we 
                         should be just about on-site.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DAY

               The rover is a hundred meters away and moving fast TOWARDS 
               CAMERA. We BOOM DOWN to REVEAL Ares-8, still faithfully 
               holding its point, like an Irish Setter, with its video snout 
               WHIRRING OUT.

               The rover drives up and slows to a stop nearby. The hatch 
               door cracks open and some dust vents out. The door opens all 
               the way and the astronauts climb out. They all look up in 
               awe. We hear their voices ON RADIOS.

                                     KIROV
                         Jesus Christ...

               THE MYSTERIOUS PEAK

               Gleams in the sun, dazzling white, its facets as planed and 
               smooth as if an architect had drawn them. It pierces through 
               the topmost rubble at the near end of the big mountain -- an 
               isolated, butte-like giant, stretching two miles from left 
               to right in front of them.

               THE ASTRONAUTS

               Walk towards the mountain. There's a very deep, very low, 
               staccato tone intruding over their headsets.

                                     LUKE
                         Anyone else hear that?

                                     COTE
                         Yeah. What is it?

                                     WILLIS
                         Sounds like our antenna's out of 
                         phase.

                                     LUKE
                         Can you fix it?

                                     WILLIS
                         Hey, skip, I can fix anything.

                                     LUKE
                         Big talker. Renee, Sergei, let's 
                         break out the radar, see what this 
                         thing's made of.

               As they go to their jobs, the deep, barely audible rumbling 
               tone continues.

               INT. SPACE STATION. CORRIDOR OUTSIDE MMCR. DAY

               MULTINATIONAL CREWMEMBERS walk by, in the artificial gravity 
               of the busy station, as RAY BECK, mid-50s, approaches from 
               the opposite direction. Beck is the tough, crewcut, PR-savvy 
               head of the NASA Mars Program (ID'd by his name tag), and 
               just now he's leading a covey of U.N. AMBASSADORS on a tour. 
               The ambassadors, of both sexes, many nations, and all races, 
               look as excited as schoolkids.

                                     BECK
                         ...and this is the Mars Mission 
                         Control Room, nicknamed "Micker." I 
                         understand a comm packet is incoming 
                         from Mars One Base Camp, so you may 
                         find this interesting.

               He opens the doors, ushering his flock inside.

               INT. MMCR. DAY

               The ambassadors enter, oohing and ahhing over the impressive 
               array of gadgetry and personnel, and especially over the big 
               screen. Some of them start taking souvenir snaphots. The 
               NIGERIAN AMBASSADOR turns to Beck, whispering curiously.

                                     AMBASSADOR
                         That man over there. He's in charge?

               BECK FOLLOWS HIS GLANCE TO

               MCCONNELL

               Who is surrounded by a KNOT OF TECHNICIANS, to whom he is 
               giving quiet, precise instructions. They hover, then depart, 
               like so many eager bees.

               BECK

               Smiles indulgently at the ambassador's misunderstanding.

                                     BECK
                         No, actually, that's Jim McConnell, 
                         the CAPCOM. Our voice link to the 
                         astronauts? Jim's been with the manned 
                         Mars program since its inception. 
                         One of our real pioneers.

                                     AMBASSADOR
                         Will he be going to Mars, too?

                                     BECK
                         Ah, no. This is as close as he gets.

               ON THE SCREEN

               Luke and his crew have finished eating, and are clearing 
               away their dishes and leftovers.

                                     LUKE
                         ...anyway, that's about it. We'll 
                         send another packet when we get back.

               Cote clears her throat, gives Luke a look. The others can 
               barely conceal their grins.

                                     LUKE
                         Oh, right. One more thing. Today is 
                         a very special day for a good friend 
                         of ours, and I know he's there right 
                         now.

               McConnell looks at the screen, worried. What's Luke up to?

                                     LUKE
                         Now, he hates it when any fuss is 
                         made, so I won't mention his name...

               A look of relief comes over McConnell.

                                     LUKE
                         ...because the last thing in the 
                         world I'd ever want to do is embarrass 
                         someone like Jim McConnell.

               McConnell winces -- Dear God, no -- as, on the screen, Kirov 
               appears from OFF CAMERA holding a cupcake with a burning 
               candle stuck in it, and the Mars One crew starts SINGING 
               "Happy Birthday" to him. Loudly. And very off-key.

                                     LUKE
                         C'mon, you Micker weasels, sing!

               Soon most everyone in MMCR is singing along -- even some of 
               the jolly ambassadors -- with the noticeable exception of 
               Beck, who stiffens unhappily. McConnell is mortified.

                                     LUKE
                              (sings a line, then, 
                              to CAMERA:)
                         Hey, Ray! Take a look at him! Is he 
                         all red with one of those fake "I'm-
                         a-good-sport" grins?

               Beck looks over at McConnell, who indeed is red in the face 
               with a fake "I'm-a-good-sport" grin.

                                     LUKE
                         And hey, you guys, check out Ray! 
                         Does he have on one of his "This-
                         wasn't-in-my-mission-plan" faces?

               Indeed, Beck's smile is thin, sour, disapproving.

                                     LUKE
                         Nothing you can do about it, Ray! 
                         We're a hundred million miles away!

               Luke and the crew finish singing the song. Luke raises the 
               cupcake in a toast.

                                     LUKE
                         Happy Birthday, Jimbo! Make a wish!

               He and his crew lean in, blow out the candle. They laugh and 
               applaud, then wave goodbye.

                                     LUKE
                         Catch you again soon. Take care, 
                         buddy. End of transmission.

               Luke reaches out, turns OFF the CAMERA, and the display screen 
               GOES BLACK.

               Beck turns, his gaze locking with McConnell's. He's annoyed, 
               as if this violation of protocol were somehow McConnell's 
               fault. McConnell returns his stare coolly.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DAY

               Cote stands by a display screen mounted on the rover. Kirov 
               has a big radar gun on a tripod, pointing at the mountain. 
               Luke turns to Cote.

                                     LUKE
                         Well? What's under there?

                                     COTE
                              (puzzled)
                         Je ne sais pas. I... I think there's 
                         something wrong with the equipment.

                                     LUKE
                         What?

                                     COTE
                         I mean, it can't be right. It says... 
                         it says there's metal under there.

               Luke doesn't understand. He walks up to look at the display 
               screen.

                                     COTE
                              (points)
                         There's ten, twelve meters of rubble 
                         and sand, and then... solid metal.

                                     LUKE
                         That doesn't make any sense. You're 
                         reading a vein of ore.

                                     COTE
                              (shakes her head)
                         No. It's under the whole mountain.

               The deep pulsing tone continues. Luke frowns.

                                     LUKE
                         Nick, could the problem with the 
                         antenna be interfering?

                                     WILLIS
                         Could be.

                                     LUKE
                              (to Cote and Kirov)
                         Try it closer and up the power. I'll 
                         watch the screen.

               INT. MMCR. DAY

               McConnell is taping an audio message to be sent to Mars as 
               the rest of MMCR looks on. Beck is gone. So are the U. N. 
               ambassadors.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Ah, we're all pretty stoked about 
                         that formation you spotted, Mars 
                         One. The folks in the geology and 
                         hydrology back rooms are going over 
                         your images and comparing them to 
                         every photomap they've got.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DAY

               Cote and Kirov are close to the foot of the mountain, 
               resetting the radar gun on its tripod. The deep vibrating 
               tone continues.

               Luke is some distance away, by the rover. He looks at Willis, 
               who's still working on the rover's antenna.

                                     LUKE
                         Nick, how we coming on that antenna?

                                     WILLIS
                         Goin' as fast as I can, boss.

               Cote and Kirov are having some trouble with the switches on 
               the radar gun. They turn towards Luke and Willis.

                                     KIROV
                         Hey, Nick. Come show me how stupid I 
                         am. I can't get this to work.

               Willis looks at Luke. Luke nods -- Go help them. Willis starts 
               towards the radar gun.

               INT. MMCR. DAY

               McConnell is handed a slip of paper, glances at it.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Medical wants me to remind you that 
                         you're three days late on your blood 
                         tests. I know they're a bore, but 
                         you've got to get them done, or 
                         else... or else I don't know what. 
                         Just do them, okay?

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DAY

               Willis, Cote, and Kirov get the radar gun up and running.

                                     KIROV
                         All set here, chief.

               Luke sidles over to the display screen on the rover.

                                     LUKE
                         Okay. Crank up the juice and let's 
                         see what's in this sucker.

               INT. MMCR. DAY

               McConnell checks over his clipboard list of updates.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I think that's about it for business. 
                         But on a personal note, be advised 
                         that, ah, none of you can sing worth 
                         a damn.

               LAUGHTER in the MMCR.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DAY

               Luke watches the screen on the rover, as, by the mound...

               KIROV

               Flips a switch on the radar gun, then swivels its muzzle 
               slowly across the near slope of the mountain. We hear and 
               feel the radar signal. The immediate result is that the 
               pulsing tone we've been hearing suddenly stops.

               LUKE

               Looks up from the display screen. A puzzled expression.

                                     LUKE
                         Why did that stop?

               A split-second later, he gets his answer. We hear a WHOOSH, 
               a mighty rushing of wind, as

               A GIGANTIC, TRANSLUCENT CYLINDER

               Starts to swirl and rise, straight up from the top or the 
               mountain, at its center. As it swirls, the cylinder picks up 
               debris -- pebbles, sand -- from the sediment-encrusted surface 
               of the slopes.

               THE FOUR ASTRONAUTS

               Stare up at this spectacle, awed. A cyclone? Some kind of 
               energy wave? They have no idea. At the moment they're too 
               fascinated to even be scared.

               TILTING UP - FROM THEIR POV

               We see the whirling cylinder rise, higher and higher, 
               perfectly straight, until in just moments it's as tall as a 
               skyscraper. As it rises, it gains speed and power, narrowing 
               at its top into a conical vortex. It's sucking up so much 
               dirt, so many rocks -- even small boulders now -- that the 
               accumulating debris begins to darken its swirling, translucent 
               outer "skin".

               THE ASTRONAUTS

               Exchange amazed glances. Can't believe their eyes...

               INT. MMCR. DAY

               McConnell still hovers by the microphone.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Honestly, Luke, if you guys don't 
                         have anything better to do with your 
                         time, I can make some suggestions to 
                         mission medical. There are worse 
                         things than blood tests.

               LAUGHTER and GROANS from the staff in MMCR.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DAY

               Luke, still staring in fascination, becomes aware of sand 
               and pebbles flashing past his helmet. From behind. He turns.

               SAND PATTERS AGAINST HIS FACEPLATE

               As the nearby landscape BLURS. The vacuuming effect is 
               becoming more general across the area. More violent.

               LUKE IS ALARMED

               And the spell is broken. He keys his throat mike, his lips 
               moving, but no sound can be heard over the ROARING WIND. He 
               waves his arms, motioning for the others to back away, towards 
               the rover. Wind whips at their EVA suits as they obey him, 
               retreating.

               Luke, backing away himself, is afraid to take his eyes off 
               the cylinder.

               Then he sees that one man -- Willis -- hasn't moved. In fact 
               he's busily snapping photographs of the cylinder. Luke hurries 
               over to him, tugs his sleeve.

               WILLIS LOWERS HIS CAMERA

               But still stares up, transfixed, like a man face to face 
               with a cobra. Luke follows the young astronaut's frightened 
               gaze, and his own eyes widen as he sees

               THE TOP OF THE VORTEX

               Beginning to tilt down, then coil sideways. Suddenly they're 
               looking into the huge open "mouth" of it, as sand and rocks 
               fly into the swirling darkness...

               The monstrous, gaping maw slithers down over the rim of the 
               mountain, turning this way, then that. Seeking them. And 
               then, with horrifying precision, it locks in on the little 
               group of astronauts. And lunges towards them...

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DAY

               Luke and Willis turn, running as hard as they can towards 
               the rover. But the suction is so great, it's as if they're 
               held back by wires.

               The ground itself is SHAKING, RUMBLING, as earthquakes begin 
               to open fissures across the plain. The ROAR of the vortex, 
               the GROANING of the earth, are like an onrushing freight 
               train...

               AHEAD OF THEM

               In the maelstrom of flying debris, they can barely make out 
               Cote and Kirov, still retreating, leaning back with all their 
               strength against the suction, while staring up, aghast.

               Suddenly a hurtling rock, the size of a basketball, smashes 
               into Cote's helmet from behind, crushing it and killing her 
               instantly. Blood sprays into the wind, immediately 
               crystallizing, in the sub-zero atmosphere, into red pellets...

               LUKE, HORRIFIED, FLINGS HIS ARM UP

               As bloody hail patters against his faceplate and forearm. An 
               instant later he sees

               KIROV

               Snatched up by the wind, then swept past him, in a terrifying 
               blur, arms and legs flailing, mouth open in a silent scream 
               as he vanishes...

               THE GROUND AT LUKE'S FEET

               Abruptly opens, and he slides into a fissure. Scrabbling 
               frantically with his gloved hands, he manages to momentarily 
               arrest his fall, gripping the edge of the fault line, with 
               his helmet and one elbow thrust over its lip. The air is 
               almost solidly choked with debris, deadly boulders bound 
               over him, and torrents of cascading sand are burying him 
               alive...

               CLOSE ON LUKE

               Barely conscious, as he watches, for a horrifying final 
               instant, as...

               HIS LAST CREWMAN, WILLIS

               Is sucked bodily into the black maw of the vortex, spinning 
               and tumbling like a rag doll...

               CLOSE ON WILLIS'S FACE

               His features grotesquely distorted by the forces tearing at 
               him, before suddenly his faceplate is sprayed with blood, 
               and...

               DISTANT ANGLE - LUKE'S POV

               Willis's spacesuit explodes, his entire body disintegrating 
               into a million bits, which instantly disappear into the 
               hellish maelstrom. And then that maelstrom itself, just as 
               abruptly...

               STOPS. Vanishes.

               There is an instant, ringing SILENCE, as awesome in its own 
               way as the roaring storm itself had been...

               WIDE ANGLE

               On the plain, as the last pebbles, released from suction, 
               pitter down, bouncing. Swirls of dust and sand drift away, 
               settling gently. The harsh orange landscape is once again 
               calm, peaceful.

               And then, from the direction of the nearby mountain, we hear 
               another sound: the deep bass pulsing rumble returns.

               INT. MMCR. DAY

               As McConnell finishes his message to Luke.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Oh, and I talked to Debra. She and 
                         Bobby are doing fine. Said to tell 
                         you, they're, ah, they're on their 
                         "third time through the book, page --
                              (glances at a note)
                         -- page 125." They send their love 
                         and say take care of yourself. Same 
                         from us here, buddy. Till next time, 
                         then. End of transmission.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DAY

               MOVING ANGLE, the CAMERA EXPLORING ground zero, as the bass, 
               pulsing rumble continues...

               WE PASS the Rover, canted sideways into a little crater, 
               with its canopy missing, one axle fractured, but miraculously 
               still with all four wheels...

               WE PASS faithful little ARES-8, lying on its side, partially 
               crushed under a boulder. It gives a final, pitiful WHINE, 
               its video snout slowly extending, then dies. And finally we 
               come to the area where the fissure had been, and see

               THE FISSURE HAS BEEN FILLED IN

               Leaving only a slender crease of umber sand. No sign of Luke. 
               The pulsing rumble continues, over, as we see

               EXT. AERIAL VIEW. DAY

               An extraordinary sight, seen from high in the air, looking 
               back down. Staring up at us from the bottom of a shallow 
               crater, scoured clean of its aeons of accumulated silt and 
               rubble, is a structure resembling a vast humanoid Face.

               The surface is gleaming white, apparently metallic. The 
               features are suggested by intricately interlocking planes, 
               slopes, ramps. The "eyes" -- hatches of some kind? -- are 
               closed, and the overall expression is eerily calm, but 
               terrible in its power, like some ancient tribal mask.

               We see the Face clearly for only a few beats before thick, 
               scudding clouds OBSCURE it, but the deep, pulsing rumble 
               continues, low and insistent...

                                                               DISSOLVE TO:

               INT. MARS TWO (DOCKED). COCKPIT. DAY

               We're inside the Mars Two spacecraft, which is still in its 
               docked position alongside the Space Station.

               Woody Blake, wearing a NASA jumpsuit, floats up into the 
               cockpit in Zero-G, studying a thick manual.

                                     WOODY
                              (reads)
                         "Problem: Hatch door malfunction, 
                         backup power fail, manual override 
                         fail. Solution: Replace circuit 
                         breaker 907B."

               He straps into the pilot's seat, staring at an electrical 
               junction box at one end of the console.

                                     WOODY
                         Okay... Piece of cake.

               He swings open the housing, revealing a bewildering tangle 
               of fuses and wires. He sighs heavily, as Terri drifts up 
               beside him, also in a jumpsuit, and straps into the co-pilot's 
               seat.

                                     WOODY
                         God, who dreams up these nightmares?

                                     TERRI
                         Don't try to change the subject.

                                     WOODY
                         I'm not! We're talking about your 
                         sister's wedding, right?

                                     TERRI
                         Very funny. We're talking about 
                         dancing lessons. Before my sister's 
                         wedding.

                                     WOODY
                         Honey, do you mind? I've got a 
                         catastrophic power failure here.

               He peers into the housing with exaggerated concern. But 
               Terri's not so easily sidetracked.

                                     TERRI
                         Woody, we're a married couple. Would 
                         it kill you to invite me out on the 
                         floor once in awhile?

                                     WOODY
                         I danced with you at our wedding.

                                     TERRI
                         I'm not talking about shuffling your 
                         feet around while you grab my butt. 
                         I mean real dancing. Cha-cha, rhumba, 
                         jitterbug --

                                     WOODY
                         Face it, honey, some couples dance, 
                         some go to Mars. That's life.

                                     TERRI
                         I'm serious. We've got two more months 
                         in this training rotation, but just 
                         as soon as we get home, we're starting 
                         lessons. If we never dance, people 
                         will think there's something wrong.

                                     WOODY
                         If they see me dance, they'll know 
                         there's something wrong.

               Reaching past him, she pulls out the required breaker. As he 
               reacts, surprised, she smiles, despite her exasperation.

                                     TERRI
                         You are such a lug.

               Overhead, an intercom CRACKLES. We hear PHIL.

                                     PHIL'S VOICE
                         Cockpit, this is Control.

                                     TERRI
                         Control, this is Cockpit.

                                     PHIL'S VOICE
                         Uh, Terri, they want us all back in 
                         the Station. Report to Micker.

                                     TERRI
                         Who says report to Micker?

                                     PHIL'S VOICE
                         The little men who live in my head.

                                     WOODY
                         Phil, c'mon! We just started this 
                         drill.

                                     PHIL
                         Woody, it was Ray Beck. He told me 
                         to round up the team. Now.

               Woody and Terri exchange a worried look. What's wrong?

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. SPACE STATION. MMCR. DAY

               A crisis atmosphere prevails. The big room is more crowded 
               than we've ever seen it, with ENGINEERS and MANAGERS hurrying 
               by, huddling in tense, conferring knots, or muttering 
               feverishly into microphones.

               On the center screen, a giant image of Mars. A frantic flow 
               of green numbers crawls above and below this, and the site 
               of the Mars One Base Camp is marked in blinking red.

               WOODY AND HIS CREW

               Are staring up at this screen, appalled. McConnell and Beck 
               stand nearby, briefing them.

                                     BECK
                         Then, at 1417, the X-band continuous 
                         data stream from Mars went silent. 
                         All data -- med, environmental, 
                         everything -- suddenly stopped. While 
                         we were trying to figure out what 
                         the hell went wrong, we got a signal 
                         from the folks at the Large Array at 
                         Soccoro.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         At the same moment we lost the data 
                         stream, they picked up an intense 
                         burst of energy from Mars.

                                     WOODY
                         What do you mean, "intense"?

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (hesitates)
                         Catastrophic.

               Looks are exchanged among the Mars Two crew.

                                     TERRI
                         What about the crew?

                                     BECK
                         The level of energy in the pulse... 
                         didn't seem survivable.

                                     WOODY
                         What about the REMO? It went into 
                         Mars orbit last week. Maybe that 
                         could give us some clue.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Good thinking, Woody. That's just 
                         what we tried next.

               He leans over, punches buttons on a keyboard.

               ON THE CENTER SCREEN

               An orange dot can be seen in its orbital ellipse around Mars, 
               leaving a glowing electronic trail. This dot gets isolated 
               in a viewing box, then enlarged and rotated into the computer-
               animated image of a small, ugly, industrial-looking unmanned 
               cargo craft, labelled "REMO."

                                     MCCONNELL
                         The Resupply Module checked out fine. 
                         No instrument failures, no change in 
                         status. Orbit holding steady. But 
                         there was something else. The REMO'S 
                         computer contained an uplink message -- 
                         a very faint, highly distorted 
                         transmission from Mars One Base Camp.

                                     TERRI
                         Someone's alive.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Yes.

                                     PHIL
                         How?

                                     BECK
                         The message is almost indecipherable. 
                         Two teams are still working on it. 
                         You better see for yourselves.

               INT. MMCR. DAY

               FINGERS press buttons on a console. McConnell, Woody, Terri, 
               and Phil are crowded around a monitor with Beck and two weary 
               TECHNICIANS.

                                     TECHNICIAN
                         Still concentrating on the audio. We 
                         managed to bring out a couple more 
                         words, but we've got a long way to 
                         go.

                                     WOODY
                         Show us whatever you've got.

               The technician nods, then gestures to his assistant who hits 
               a play button.

               CLOSE ON A MONITOR

               Black for a moment, then static. Out of this static comes a 
               faint image of Luke, sitting alone at the Hab kitchen table. 
               He looks awful -- dried blood on his face, bloodshot eyes. 
               The image is blurry, heavily streaked, and most of what he 
               says is lost in waves of static.

                                     LUKE
                         ...make this quick... may be only ch--
                              (long section of static)
                         ...to the site, when we... hit us 
                         just as we... --thers are all dead...

               Woody, Terri and Phil look at each other -- Oh, God.

                                     LUKE
                              (following more static)
                         ...low sound that we couldn't 
                         understand. Then all of a sudden 
                         there was this terrib...
                              (another long burst 
                              of static)
                         ...--stems are holding up for now, 
                         but I don't know how long I can...

               The monitor screen GOES BLACK.

               INT. MMCR. DAY

                                     TECHNICIAN
                         That's it.

               Woody and his crew stare at the screen, stunned. This is a 
               catastrophe almost too huge to grasp.

               INT. SPACE STATION. DAY

               As Beck leads McConnell and the other shaken astronauts down 
               a corridor, Phil pauses, seeing...

               A SOBBING TECHNICIAN

               At her desk. TWO CO-WORKERS are trying to comfort her. One 
               of these women looks up, and her reddened eyes meet...

               PHIL'S EYES

               He looks back at her, haunted.

                                     TERRI
                         What did Luke mean by a "low sound?"

               INT. SPACE STATION. DAY

               In an otherwise empty lounge, the astronauts clutch Styrofoam 
               coffee cups. Beck stands nearby. Through a large viewport 
               behind them, stars glitter against the inky blackness.

                                     BECK
                         If this was a earthquake, as we're 
                         now assuming, there's usually an 
                         auditory component.

                                     WOODY
                         But that energy pulse they picked up 
                         in New Mexico...

                                     PHIL
                         Electromagnetic emission. Not uncommon 
                         with large-scale geophysical 
                         phenomena.

                                     WOODY
                              (incredulous)
                         Causing this kind of damage? I don't 
                         buy it. We're missing something here.

               McConnell and Woody exchange a glance... Woody's right.

                                     TERRI
                         Luke must be in pretty bad shape if 
                         he hasn't blasted out of there in 
                         the Earth Return Vehicle. That thing's 
                         designed so even one crew member 
                         could fly it back to Earth.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Even if Luke was in great shape, he 
                         couldn't get home. That energy pulse 
                         would've fried the ERV'S computers.

                                     WOODY
                         Other than the computers, how do we 
                         think the ERV fared?

                                     BECK
                         Well, so far our modelling says it 
                         should be in pretty good shape.

                                     WOODY
                         Which means it's gonna be up to us 
                         to get new motherboards, drives, and 
                         software to Mars. As fast as we can.

               McConnell looks at him, nods. They're on the same wavelength. 
               But Beck is more cautious.

                                     BECK
                         Whoa, slow down. It's gonna take us 
                         weeks just to analyze this data.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Right, but meanwhile, we've gotta be 
                         working up a mission plan.

                                     WOODY
                         Luke needs us now.

                                     BECK
                         Luke may already be dead. And even 
                         if he's not, it's doubtful he's going 
                         to be able to transmit again. So we 
                         wouldn't know whether it's safe to 
                         land until you were almost there.

                                     PHIL
                         What about SIMA?

               Terri looks at Phil -- SIMA?

                                     PHIL
                         The Saturn Imaging Probe. It's going 
                         to slingshot around Mars on its way 
                         through the solar system. It could 
                         be retasked to take pictures, read 
                         radiation levels at Mars One Base 
                         Camp.

                                     WOODY
                         Good idea Phil. If SIMA tells us 
                         Luke hasn't survived and it's not 
                         safe to land, we swing around Mars 
                         and come right back home.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Yes. We can design the mission to 
                         have a free return capability. It's 
                         a long trip, but if you don't land 
                         it's the best option.

                                     BECK
                         We're getting ahead of ourselves. 
                         You're forgetting the bigger problem.
                              (they look at him)
                         The orbits are all wrong. Our first 
                         decent launch window is almost eight 
                         months from now.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         But we can go earlier and get there 
                         faster if we reconfigure the payload 
                         for extra fuel. We've modelled that, 
                         Ray. I've modelled it.

                                     BECK
                         On paper, yeah. But those stresses 
                         have never been tested in space.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         The ship can take it.

                                     BECK
                         I wasn't thinking of just the ship.

               A tense beat. Again we sense the test of wills between these 
               two tough-minded men, once good friends.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I know the protocols for a Mars 
                         Recovery Mission better than anybody, 
                         because I helped design them. And 
                         I'm saying these guys can do it.

                                     WOODY
                         He's right, Ray. We've got a real 
                         shot.

               A pause with beck weighing the odds. He looks at Woody.

                                     BECK
                         Give me an updated mission plan by 
                         0800 tomorrow. Then I'll put it in 
                         the works.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         You'll have it by 0600.

               He looks at Woody, Phil and Terri, who are just as eager.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Let's get to work.

               McConnell exits followed by Terri and Phil, but as Beck starts 
               out, too, Woody stops him.

                                     WOODY
                         Chief, could I have a word?

               Beck looks at him a moment, nods.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. SPACE STATION. MMCR. DAY

               In a quiet corner, Woody and Beck are alone.

                                     WOODY
                         I've no longer got the right crew.

                                     BECK
                              (surprised)
                         What do you mean? Bjornstrom can be 
                         up here on the next shuttle.

                                     WOODY
                         Bjornstrom is a geologist. He's good, 
                         but not for this. My people just 
                         lost eight months of training. This 
                         is a different mission, with a 
                         different objective.

                                     BECK
                         I haven't been given authorization 
                         for a mission yet.

                                     WOODY
                         But when you are, it ought to be 
                         given the best chance for success. I 
                         want McConnell to fly right seat.

               Beck's expression hardens.

                                     BECK
                         He's no longer on mission status.

                                     WOODY
                         Yeah. Because you washed him out.

                                     BECK
                         He washed himself out. He only had 
                         to pass a few more psych evaluations, 
                         but he refused to take them.

                                     WOODY
                         Ray, he's the best pilot I ever saw, 
                         and you've got him benched at a desk.

                                     BECK
                         Everybody has to pass the psych 
                         prelims. No exceptions. Jim knew 
                         that.

                                     WOODY
                         Maggie was his wife. He didn't want 
                         to lie on a couch and share her with 
                         strangers.

                                     BECK
                         That was his call. But I had to make 
                         one too. It was tough as hell, but 
                         I'd do it again.

                                     WOODY
                         His wife wasted away in front of his 
                         eyes. What was he supposed to do? 
                         Suck it up? Get with the program? 
                         What was his crime? That he was upset? 
                         That he cried...?

                                     BECK
                         I couldn't trust him!

               Beck and Woody stare at each other. A long tense beat.

                                     BECK
                              (his voice softer)
                         Not in a crisis... I'm sorry Woody, 
                         but Jim lost his edge. Are you gonna 
                         stand there and tell me Jim McConnell 
                         is the same man he was two years 
                         ago? You want me to bet four more 
                         lives on that?

               This stops Woody, just for a beat. Then makes him press on 
               harder, with even greater intensity.

                                     WOODY
                         When Maggie died, yeah, it knocked 
                         the shit out of him. It knocked the 
                         hell out of all of us. But you know 
                         and I know that he's still the best 
                         we've got. He and Maggie wrote the 
                         book on Mars. He's got more hours in 
                         the sims than the rest of us put 
                         together. Ray, we can do this. Give 
                         me McConnell as co-pilot, and we 
                         will bring Luke home. And that's a 
                         promise.

               Beck looks back at him, his features taunt.

               INT. SPACE STATION. MMCR. DAY

               Woody, Terri, and Phil stand at the edge of the big control 
               room, waiting and watching, in a tense silence, as

               IN THE DISTANCE, FROM THEIR POV

               Beck and McConnell are huddled together at the CAPCOM's 
               console. Other personnel have moved away, giving them room. 
               Both men are seated, leaning forward, with McConnell listening 
               intently, while Beck does most of the talking, very quietly. 
               After a moment McConnell looks up in surprise. His eyes search 
               the room till they find

               WOODY'S FACE

               Woody looks back at him, nods: C'mon, man. Take it.

               MCCONNELL'S OWN FACE

               Is a study in conflicting emotions. But after a moment he 
               masters his feelings, turns back toward Beck. A few more 
               quiet words are exchanged, then Beck offers his hand. 
               McConnell hesitates, then shakes it. Both men rise, and 
               McConnell turns again to look towards

               WOODY, TERRI, AND PHIL

               Who react with relief, glad that he's now a part of their 
               crew. Woody grins, giving him a thumb's up.

               CLOSE ON MCCONNELL'S FACE

               As he smiles. Then he starts towards them, with a new energy 
               in his step, a new sense of confidence and purpose. And as 
               he WALKS TOWARDS US, PASSING OUT OF FRAME...

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

                                                               DISSOLVE TO:

               EXT. DEEP SPACE. MARS RECOVERY. DAY

               An infinite canopy of stars. After a moment, some of them 
               begin to be BLOTTED OUT as

               A SPACESHIP

               Glides INTO VIEW. "MARS RECOVERY" (formerly Mars Two) looks 
               much like its sister craft on Mars: a conical cockpit mounted 
               above a "tuna can" crew Hab module.

               SUPER TITLE: "MARS RECOVERY. MISSION DAY 172."

               The entire lower deck forms a segmented section of the hull 
               that rotates on bearings to provide artificial gravity; we 
               see window ports spinning past, then an American flag emblem.

               Behind this lower deck, in an extending network of struts, 
               like the abdomen of a dragonfly, are the three huge round 
               PROPELLANT TANKS. Then vast, delicate-looking rectangular 
               SOLAR PANELS, which sweep out to either side of the ship; 
               these also bear the dish of the earth-pointing HI-GAIN 
               ANTENNA. And finally comes the great mass of the ENGINE BELLS, 
               housed within a curving AEROSHELL; three hatches in the 
               aeroshell can open to allow the main thrusters to fire through 
               for a mid-course burn.

               CAMERA DRIFTS CLOSER

               To the forward section of the ship, APPROACHING a viewport 
               in the EVA airlock chamber. Inside, we can see Phil leaning 
               forward, concentrating on some task...

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. EVA AIRLOCK. DAY. A BUNCH OF M&MS

               Are floating in mid-air, forming an intricate 3D pattern. In 
               the EVA airlock, it's zero G.

               Phil, strapped into a chair by a galley counter, is just 
               completing this weightless puzzle by placing a final blue 
               M&M. He looks bored, sluggish. In the b.g., Terri is hunched 
               over a microscope.

               McConnell emerges from the core tunnel, behind them, coming 
               up from the lower Hab, then pushes off from the ladder, 
               floating towards Phil. He grins, admiring Phil's obsessive 
               handiwork.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         What's that?

                                     PHIL
                         That... is the exact chemical 
                         composition of my ideal woman.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Used to be.

               He plucks out a couple of the M&Ms as he drifts by.

                                     PHIL
                         Hey!

               McConnell grins, snacking on the M&Ms.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Now what is it?

               Phil looks sadly at his floating model.

                                     PHIL
                         A frog.

               McConnell and Terri laugh as Phil starts scarfing down the 
               rest of the M&Ms. Swooping at them with both hands.

                                     TERRI
                         I guess now we have our answer to 
                         the effects of long-term 
                         interplanetary travel on the human 
                         mind. The answer is Phil.

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (smiles)
                         I'm gonna get an update on SIMA. It 
                         should be just about close enough to 
                         start capturing some surface images.

               He's drifted to another short ladder, and now grabs it, starts 
               up to the cockpit, atop the Hab.

               INT. COCKPIT. DAY

               As McConnell appears in the cockpit, he sees Woody by the 
               forward instrumentation panel, looking at a monitor. The 
               cockpit is also zero G.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Hey, Skip.

                                     WOODY
                         Take a look.

               McConnell pulls himself forward.

               ANGLE ON MONITOR

               MARS completely fills the screen. Surface details are clearly 
               visible. Something is moving down there, an amorphous brown 
               swirl.

               INT. COCKPIT. DAY

                                     WOODY
                         What do you make of that?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Dust storm. Southern hemisphere, 
                         coming from the east... Big fella, 
                         too.

                                     WOODY
                         Headed for Chryse Planitia.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Yup. Could get a little hairy just 
                         about landing time...

               McConnell pulls back from the screen, looks at Woody.

                                     WOODY
                         We'll have to be ready to move fast. 
                         Maybe even advance our ETA. Those 
                         things can cover the whole planet, 
                         and last up to a year.

               A beat. They both hope he's wrong.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         When does SIMA do her fly-by?

                                     WOODY
                         Tomorrow morning, about 0600. That's 
                         when we find out whether we came all 
                         this way for nothing.

               They exchange a glance. Woody's right, but the thought is 
               too terrible to dwell on. McConnell looks back at Mars.

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (softly)
                         My money's on Luke.

               INT. MARS RECOVERY. EVA AIRLOCK. NEXT MORNING

               CLOSE ON A DIGITAL CLOCK

               Just turning over to read "0545."

               TERRI

               Pulls her gaze away from these numbers. Judging from her 
               redrimmed eyes, it's been a long, anxious night. Restlessly, 
               looking to distract herself, she reaches for a test tube of 
               blood, straps it into a centrifuge, sets it spinning. Nearby 
               is her electron microscope.

               MCCONNELL (LOWER HAB)

               Lies on his cot in his own cubicle, with the door closed. 
               The lower hab has artificial gravity (AG) and McConnell can 
               move normally. Hands behind his head, he stares at his bureau.

               PHOTO OF A WOMAN

               Rests there, in its leather travel frame. Beautiful, smiling, 
               dark-haired: MAGGIE MCCONNELL. Her face glows with 
               intelligence and energy.

               MCCONNELL

               Shifts his eyes. The clock on his bulkhead reads "0546."

               PHIL (LOWER HAB)

               Stands in the communal bathroom, still in his pajamas, a 
               towel around his shoulders, brushing his teeth. He glances 
               at another digital clock, which reads "0547." Shakes his 
               head impatiently. He looks back into the mirror, then is 
               surprised to hear MUSIC lilting incongruously over the 
               loudspeakers: Elvis Presley's "Blue Moon."

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. EVA AIRLOCK. DAY

               Phil floats in through the connecting tunnel, then stops 
               himself at a handhold. He grins, charmed by the sight of

               WOODY AND TERRI DANCING

               Like a weightless Fred and Ginger. Woody is surprisingly 
               good at this. Enthusiastic, unselfconscious.

               He sweeps Terri gallantly about the little cabin, pushing 
               off from every handy surface, even guiding her into some 
               passable twirls and dips. She laughs, shaking her head.

                                     PHIL
                         What brought this on?

                                     WOODY
                         Zero-G. My last chance to be graceful. 
                         Once we're in Mars gravity, it's 
                         back to shuffling my feet and grabbing 
                         her butt.

                                     TERRI
                         I'll take what I can get.

               She grins, kisses his ear, as Phil turns, sees

               MCCONNELL

               Who has now arrived, is also watching the dancing couple. A 
               twinge of sadness crosses his features. But when his eyes 
               meet Phil's, he shakes off the feeling and manages a smile: 
               Aren't they something?

               Over the music, they hear a CHIRP from the SHIP'S COMPUTER, 
               then an announcement.

                                     COMPUTER
                         Attention. Incoming packet.

               They all look at each other. This is it! Woody spins over to 
               a console, shuts off the music.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         It's SIMA.

               INT. COCKPIT. DAY. MINUTES LATER

               The crew is gathered around a display screen. The lights are 
               dim, reflecting up off their faces. By their expressions, we 
               can tell the news is not good.

               CLOSE ON THE SCREEN

               It's a color, high-resolution satellite image of the Mars 
               One Base Camp. Ghostly, dust-covered. No signs of life.

                                     WOODY
                         Looks deserted.

                                     PHIL
                         It's still standing, though. So is 
                         the ERV. And look, there's the 
                         greenhouse.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         We know Luke survived for at least a 
                         few hours. Question is, are there 
                         any signs of recent activity?

               They all scan the screen. Phil spots something.

                                     PHIL
                         There.

               He grabs a stylus and touches the screen. They all look. 
               CLOSE ON THE SCREEN

               Using where the stylus touches the screen as the focal point, 
               the image enlarges. THREE LONGISH DIRT PILES appear, some 
               fifty meters from the hab.

                                     PHIL
                         What the hell are those?

               McConnell gets it first.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Graves.

               They all realize he's right. They sit back, stunned. But 
               then Phil has another thought.

                                     PHIL
                         Hold on. There's only three. That 
                         means --

                                     TERRI
                         Phil --

                                     PHIL
                         It means Luke must still be --

                                     TERRI
                         No. It just means there was nobody 
                         left to bury him.

               This quiets everyone for a long moment.

                                     WOODY
                         Check the radiation levels.

               Phil keys in some commands and data pops up onscreen.

                                     PHIL
                         Normal.

                                     WOODY
                         Go to the disaster site.

               Phil uses the stylus to bring MORE IMAGES into view. The 
               frame moves over the terrain in the direction of the Face, 
               first in SWIFT BLURS, then slowing. Scattered rock debris 
               come into view. The IMAGE ARRIVES where the mountain was, 
               and they see...

               Debris in every direction, NEAT SPIRALS of it now, dropped 
               uncannily into place, like some massive earth sculpture. As 
               if - but this makes no sense -- it had been swirled towards 
               a LARGE CRATER. The crater itself is a perfect circle. They 
               FOCUS on the CENTER OF THE CRATER, but the image gets 
               distorted by STATIC.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         What's wrong?

                                     PHIL
                         I don't know. Magnetic interference?

               Phil tweaks the stylus, but the image won't clear up.

                                     WOODY
                         Go to infrared.

               Phil works the keyboard.

               THE SCREEN

               Goes to INFRARED, reading heat, The middle of the IMAGE, 
               where the Face is, is still distorted, refusing focus.

               THE ASTRONAUTS

               Sit back, exasperated.

                                     PHIL
                         Must be a problem with SIMA. I don't 
                         see how an earthquake, six months 
                         ago, could give us this kind of 
                         distortion.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         That was no quake.

               He leans closer, staring intently.

                                     WOODY
                         Then what the hell was it?

               McConnell shakes his head. But his every sense is engaged; 
               he's like a predator just sighting his prey for the first 
               time. We see in his eyes an utter determination to unlock 
               this secret.

               EXT. SPACE. DAY

               Mars Recovery is speeding ever closer to Mars, which now 
               looms large, a dusty red mysterious sphere.

               INT. MARS RECOVERY. LOWER HAB. DAY

               McConnell and crew are eating dinner while they watch a taped 
               message from MMCR.

               CLOSE ON MONITOR SCREEN

               As Ray Beck addresses them. Other NASA STAFFERS, twenty or 
               more, have crowded in behind him, and we sense their great 
               hopefulness and high spirits; the whole team's triumph is 
               tantalizingly close now.

                                     BECK
                         We're going to continue analyzing 
                         this data and try to determine what 
                         the problem is with those images. 
                         Frankly, we're just as stumped as 
                         you guys, but we'll keep on it.
                              (glancing around)
                         We agree that the evidence of the 
                         graves is inconclusive and that a 
                         ground search is advisable. Be aware 
                         there are little sand storms kicking 
                         up near Mars One Base, but the big 
                         one you spotted is turning south. It 
                         shouldn't be a factor.

               Beck takes a breath, smiles.

                                     BECK
                         We're all pretty excited here and 
                         we're sure you must be feeling the 
                         same. Enjoy your meal and get a good 
                         night's sleep. We anticipate that 
                         tomorrow morning you will be Go for 
                         Mars Orbital Insertion.

               INT. MARS RECOVERY. LOWER HAB. DAY

               WHOOPS OF JOY from McConnell's crew. Woody and Terri high 
               five each other.

                                     BECK
                         God bless you and goodnight. End of 
                         transmission.

               The monitor screen GOES BLACK.

               INT. MARS RECOVERY. LOWER HAB. NIGHT

               The lighting is subdued for a sleep period, but everyone's 
               too restless. There's a low HUM of equipment.

               INT. EVA AIRLOCK. NIGHT

               Terri and Phil are playing computer Monopoly under a single 
               light. Terri is using touch-screen technology to move her 
               piece. She glances at Phil. He has spread some M&Ms out, 
               letting them drift in mid-air as he performs his ritual 
               weeding out of the red ones. She shakes her head.

                                     TERRI
                         What if you opened up your meal packs 
                         and found that, instead of putting 
                         in everything but red ones, they'd 
                         made a mistake and put in only red 
                         ones?

                                     PHIL
                         Hey, that's a funny notion. And what 
                         if in your meal packs, instead of 
                         brown rice, there were spring-loaded 
                         spikes that shot into your eyes?

                                     TERRI
                              (pause)
                         How did you ever pass the psych 
                         evaluation?

                                     PHIL
                         When you're schizophrenic, they take 
                         the higher score.

               He touches the screen to roll the dice.

               INT. MARS RECOVERY. LOWER HAB. NIGHT

               McConnell, in his cubicle, looks away from the photo of 
               Maggie. Haunted by memories. He rises, flips through the CDs 
               in a storage case, pulls one out. He holds this carefully, 
               hesitating, then feeds it into his computer. Immediately his 
               screen saver vanishes and we see

               HOME VIDEO OF A PARTY

               An impromptu celebration, a bunch of friends gathered in a 
               semi-darkened living room. The footage is HANDHELD, a bit 
               jerky. People have paper plates of food, beers in hand, 
               everyone is a little tipsy. Debra is there, Terri, Phil, 
               Cote, Kirov, others. They're watching a STILL PHOTO SEQUENCE, 
               shown on a large screen TV, with commentary by Luke and Woody.

               THE FIRST PHOTO

               Is of a small boy (YOUNG MCCONNELL) in his pajamas, kneeling 
               in front of a Christmas tree. He's grinning ecstatically as 
               he holds up a brand new model rocket.

                                     LUKE
                         Jim's first ship was seriously 
                         underpowered...

               LAUGHTER at this. Some AD LIB CRACKS about the painfully bad 
               haircut and the pajamas.

               THE SECOND PHOTO

               Is of a gawky-looking teenage girl (YOUNG MAGGIE), standing 
               on a porch at night, posing a bit self-consciously by a 
               telescope on its tripod.

                                     WOODY
                         Maggie was always starstruck...

               More LAUGHTER, plus some digs about the nerdy eyeglasses and 
               braces. VIDEOCAMERA swings around the room, REVEALING the 
               adult JIM and MAGGIE. They sit side by side on the hearth, 
               leaning into each other, looking very happy.

                                     MAGGIE
                         I'll get you guys for this.

               More LAUGHTER. Everyone's having a great time. The VIDEOCAMERA 
               swings back towards the TV screen as

               THIRD PHOTO APPEARS

               Jim and Maggie, young adults, standing on the wing of a 
               fighter jet. Both in Air Force flight suits, helmets in hand. 
               Suntanned, cocky, flashing radiant smiles.

                                     LUKE
                         When they met at the Air Force 
                         Academy, it was "love at first 
                         flight."

               GROANS and LAUGHTER from the offscreen watchers.

                                     WOODY
                         After that, NASA training was tough. 
                         All Jim could think about was 
                         exploring a heavenly body. More ribald 
                         LAUGHTER, as

               FOURTH PHOTO APPEARS

               Maggie and Jim, tethered together, floating weightlessly in 
               space suits.

                                     LUKE
                         But Maggie, as you can see, kept him 
                         on a short leash. Until...

               A FIFTH PHOTO

               Shows McConnell, in a dress uniform, leaning in to kiss 
               Maggie, who wears a white bridal gown.

                                     WOODY
                         Mission accomplished!

               ANGLE ON MCCONNELL, IN THE PRESENT

               As he smiles at this, hearing the renewed LAUGHTER and CHEERS, 
               the AD-LIBBED DIGS from the video. He becomes aware he's not 
               alone. He looks up.

               WOODY

               Stands in the doorway of his cubicle. Their eyes meet. They 
               both smile, turning back to the video. Remembering.

               IN THE VIDEO

               Luke and Woody have stepped forward, INTO SHOT, standing at 
               the sides of the TV, where the last photo lingers. Luke waves 
               his hands, hushing everybody.

                                     LUKE
                         Today we celebrate a new chapter in 
                         their story. And guys, it's a pretty 
                         historic one.

               Both men raise champagne flutes.

                                     WOODY
                         Let's hear it for the newly-announced 
                         Captain and Co-Captain of Mars One. 
                         To Jim and Maggie!

               CHEERS at this, repeats of "Jim and Maggie!" Luke grins, 
               giving a little signal, and we see

               A FINAL PHOTO

               Of Maggie in Jim's arms, both of them in goofy tropical 
               vacation wear, smiling. Evidently a photo taken in the surf 
               somewhere, but here it's been crudely superimposed onto a 
               Martian landscape. Laughter greets this unlikely image.

                                     LUKE
                         When you guys land, it'll prove once 
                         and for all there's no intelligent 
                         life on Mars.

               More hoots of LAUGHTER, CATCALLS, but Maggie jumps in to 
               protest, as the VIDEOCAMERA SWINGS TO HER AND JIM. Terri 
               sits nearby.

                                     MAGGIE
                         Hey, c'mon, what if I'm right?

                                     ASSORTED VOICES
                         Oh no, here we go! Don't get her 
                         started! Somebody put on some music!

                                     MAGGIE
                         It's our sister planet!

                                     PHIL
                         Oh brother!

               LAUGHTER at this, and Maggie joins in. She's a good sport.

                                     TERRI
                         Maggie, why does this have to be 
                         about us? Mars is a great opportunity 
                         for pure science.

                                     MAGGIE
                         We'll do the science. And we'll do 
                         it very well. That's what we've 
                         trained for. But what if there's 
                         more...? In all our myths, in every 
                         human culture, Mars has always held 
                         a special attraction. What if that 
                         means something? Only we don't 
                         understand it yet...

               The mood of the party is changing, as everyone is caught up 
               in Maggie's spell. She has a radiant simplicity. The VIDEO 
               CAMERA DRIFTS IN ON HER; we are caught up, too.

                                     MAGGIE
                         The universe is not chaos. It's 
                         connection. Life reaches out for 
                         life...

               She looks at McConnell, smiles. He takes her hand.

                                     MAGGIE
                         This is what we were born for, isn't 
                         it? To stand on a new world, and 
                         look beyond it to the next one. It's 
                         who we are.

               A silence; the guests are enchanted by the purity of her 
               passion. She smiles, suddenly self-conscious. She hadn't 
               meant to get so carried away.

               IN THE PRESENT - MCCONNELL

               Reaches out, gently taps the keyboard, FREEZING the screen. 
               He and Woody, their eyes shining, stare at her image. A beat.

                                     WOODY
                         You okay?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Yeah. I'm good to go.

               Woody glances at him. It's true. Rather than being saddened, 
               McConnell seems to have taken on new strength. A renewed 
               sense of wonder.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         After all these years... Can you 
                         believe it? Tomorrow we'll be standing 
                         on Mars.

               Woody nods, smiles.

                                     WOODY
                         You know what? She may have been 
                         right.

               McConnell looks at him.

                                     WOODY
                         If that wasn't a quake down there, 
                         then something else caused it. Or 
                         planned it... You're thinking the 
                         same thing.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         It's never been out of my mind.

                                     WOODY
                         Jesus. You realize what this means?

               McConnell nods. Looks again at Maggie's face on the screen.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         She knew, Woody. She was the only 
                         one of us that ever thought there 
                         might be something down there.

                                     WOODY
                         Yeah, and we're not leaving until we 
                         find out... Deal?

               McConnell nods. They clasp hands briefly. Deal. Then Woody 
               turns. Before leaving, he hesitates just a moment, turning 
               back. One last thought, and he doesn't know he's going to 
               say it until it comes out.

                                     WOODY
                         Maggie was the best of us.

               McConnell looks at him, silent but grateful. Woody goes. 
               McConnell turns back, looking at her smiling face, frozen on 
               the screen.

               INT. COCKPIT. NIGHT

               MARS LOOMS AHEAD OF US.

               As seen through the cockpit windows. Huge, beautiful, MUCH 
               CLOSER now. We can make out swirling pink clouds, large 
               surface features. It's just before Martian dawn, the next 
               morning.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Range 6783 and closing. 35 minutes 
                         till Mars Orbital Capture.

                                     WOODY
                         Okay, people let's look sharp. If we 
                         overshoot, there's no coming back.

                                     PHIL (O.S.)
                         Yeah, and drifting through eternity 
                         will ruin your whole day.

               In the cockpit, Woody and McConnell are in the pilot and co-
               pilot's wearing space suits but not yet helmets. AS CAMERA 
               PULLS BACK AND AWAY, we see them making instrument adjustments 
               in preparation for MOI.

                                     TERRI (O.S.)
                         Delta V systems initialized.

                                     WOODY
                         Charge primary APU.

                                     TERRI (O.S.)
                         Engaged. Charged.

                                     WOODY
                         Select HPU fuel cells for run.

                                     TERRI (O.S.)
                         Engaged.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Tie main bus to systems.

                                     PHIL (O.S.)
                         Power ready.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Select H2/O2 HPU and fuel cells for 
                         open.

                                     PHIL (O.S.)
                         H2/O2 control valves open.

               CAMERA TURNS, PUSHING DOWN INTO...

               INT. EVA AIRLOCK. NIGHT

               ...Where Phil and Terri sit side by side at a pair of 
               computers, relaying cockpit commands to the systems.

                                     WOODY (O.S.)
                         Charge flow.

                                     TERRI
                         Charged and on-line

                                     WOODY (O.S.)
                         Reset PW.

                                     TERRI
                         Set

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Transfer protocol data from EVA 
                         station.

                                     PHIL
                         Transferred. Awaiting track 
                         confirmation.

               There's a sudden LOUD, BRITTLE POP from somewhere overhead, 
               and Phil's gloved hand, hovering over a computer screen, is 
               punctured through and through. The screen itself is holed 
               and spiderwebbed with a loud CRACK!

                                     PHIL
                         Uhhh!

               PHIL HOLDS UP HIS HAND

               As he and Terri stare at it, dumbfounded. Thick droplets of 
               blood leak out and begin to swirl away, sucked up towards 
               the venting puncture in the hull over head. The astronauts' 
               helmets dangle up there, awaiting use.

                                     TERRI
                         What in God's --

               Suddenly we hear HIGH PITCHED ALARMS SOUNDING, then the 
               PINGING OF MORE TINY MISSILES, slashing across the ship's 
               outer skin.

               WOODY AND MCCONNELL

               Are staring back from the cockpit, reacting in astonishment 
               to Phil's drifting blood and to the alarms. Then Woody 
               suddenly understands.

                                     WOODY
                         Micrometeoroids

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (scanning sensors)
                         Breach hits in the hull!

               ANGLES ON TERRI AND PHIL

               As she seizes his wounded hand, tries to stop the bleeding. 
               He's staring at a gauge.

                                     PHIL
                         Outgassing! Losing pressure!

                                     TERRI
                         Woody, seal the breech!

               ANGLE ON WOODY

               As he unbuckles, dives from the cockpit back down into the 
               EVA, and floats quickly over to a storage hatch. He yanks 
               this open pulling out a

               PATCH GUN

               Then spins around in zero-G, as his eyes track

               THE RISING DROPLETS OF BLOOD

               Which give a telltale hint of the puncture's location, 
               somewhere up among the dangling helmets on the "ceiling."

               WOODY PUSHES OFF

               Rising to this area, and shoves aside a helmet with a 
               shattered faceplate -- its label reads "MCCONNELL" -- to 
               REVEAL A BREECH IN THE HULL. Jagged metal edges, dangling 
               insulation. The blood droplets are whirling out through here, 
               going into the vacuum of space.

               Quickly Woody stuffs the muzzle of the patch gun into the 
               puncture, firing a thick grey sealant. We hear MORE PINGS, 
               ECHOING LOUDLY, but after a few seconds they DIMINISH, then 
               abruptly STOP. The KLAXONS continue to wail.

                                     WOODY
                         Kill those alarms!

               McConnell punches buttons, MUTING THE ALARMS, and they all 
               strain to listen, faces tense and sweating. A long beat. But 
               the meteor shower has passed by, as abruptly as it appeared. 
               The astronauts turn, becoming aware of a strange phenomenon.

               PHIL'S BLOOD DROPLETS

               Have stopped in place, wobbling eerily as perfect spheres in 
               the zero-G. Then suddenly they start moving again, faster 
               and faster, in a new direction. Down through the open core 
               tunnel that leads to the lower Hab.

               MCCONNELL

               Stares at a gauge that confirms what's happening.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Still outgassing in the lower Hab! 
                         There must be another hole down there, 
                         even bigger.

                                     PHIL
                         Losing pressure fast! We're gonna 
                         decompress!

                                     WOODY
                         Computer, how long until zero 
                         atmosphere?

                                     COMPUTER
                              (after a beat)
                         Four minutes, nine seconds.

                                     PHIL
                         If we get below 20% atmosphere, the 
                         power will shut down!

                                     TERRI
                         Are you sure?

                                     PHIL
                         Positive! A vacuum inside the ship 
                         would cause a total electrical 
                         failure. The nav computers will fry!

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (to Woody)
                         We'll lose all control. We won't be 
                         able to fire the engines to capture 
                         Mars orbit.

               Just then a computer screen flickers, freezes. Phil punches 
               keys with his good hand. What he sees shocks him.

                                     PHIL
                         It's already starting. The primary L-
                         1 hub has been smashed. The systems 
                         are crashing.

               Woody looks back at his crew, struggling to project more 
               calm than he really feels.

                                     WOODY
                         Everybody switch to suit oxygen. We 
                         beat this in the simulator, we can 
                         do it here. Jim, you've got the ship. 
                         I'm going EVA.

               They stare at him, stunned by their immense task.

                                     WOODY
                         C'mon, people, let's go! Let's work 
                         the problem!

               INT. EVA AIRLOCK. MOMENTS LATER

               Terri, now helmeted, is putting Woody's helmet on him, but 
               something's in the way, chafing his neck. He reaches into 
               his suit, pulls out...

               THE CHAIN

               From around his neck, with his little Flash Gordon rocketship 
               dangling.

               WOODY HANDS THIS TO TERRI

               As they share a brief, loving glance, but there's no time 
               for words. She tightens his helmet ring, and he brushes his 
               gloved fingertips on her faceplate. Then he hurries towards 
               the inner hatch door, where McConnell is throwing airlock 
               switches. Woody and McConnell exchange a look.

               At the EVA computer panel, Phil is shutting down non-essential 
               power drains, trying to get the main computer system back on 
               line. His wounded hand makes this difficult and painful.

                                     PHIL
                         Jesus, it's still bleeding.

                                     TERRI
                         Keep the pressure on!

                                     COMPUTER
                         Eighty percent atmosphere...

               INT./EXT. AIRLOCK. NIGHT

               The outer airlock door is now open, revealing stars, as Woody 
               drifts through it into space. He's now wearing the MMU, an 
               oversized jet pack like the ones used by the shuttle 
               astronauts.

               INT. EVA ROOM. NIGHT

               MCCONNELL'S HELMET.

               With its shattered faceplate -- now useless -- drifts past 
               Terri as she is wrapping med tape around gauze pads on Phil's 
               glove.

               MCCONNELL

               Floats up to them, checking on Phil's work at the computer.

                                     TERRI
                         Jim, you've gotta get your spare 
                         helmet from storage.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         No time. Phil, can you keep the nav 
                         computers on-line?

                                     PHIL
                         I can't get this damn machine to re-
                         initialize! And the automated systems 
                         just went down. We can't shut down 
                         the hab rotation from here.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I'll do it from below.

                                     TERRI
                         We're losing pressure. You could 
                         embolize.

                                     COMPUTER
                         Seventy percent atmosphere...

               McConnell looks at her, knows she's right. But he starts off 
               anyway. Phil reaches out his good hand.

                                     PHIL
                         Jim, I've got an idea. If you guys 
                         can save enough atmosphere, I'll 
                         disconnect the power in the main 
                         computer bay, then jump start the 
                         systems. I'll do a hard boot.

               This is a radical, incredibly risky notion. McConnell stares 
               hard at Phil. So does Terri.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Has that ever been tested?

                                     PHIL
                         Are you kidding? These machines are 
                         much too valuable.

               McConnell looks from Terri to Phil. It's life and death.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Do it.

               Then he turns, and the CAMERA FOLLOWS MCCONNELL as he pushes 
               away from the console and dives down into the core tunnel, 
               heading towards the

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. LOWER HAB

               ...where he emerges from the core into the rotating Hab deck, 
               and pushes himself down a ladder toward the floor. He 
               accelerates as he gets closer to the floor, then rights 
               himself with a twist and lands on his feet -- now in gravity.

               EXT. MARS RECOVERY. NIGHT

               Woody, in the MMU, is hovering over the lower segment of the 
               Hab hull, and right away we see his problem. He can't reach 
               the damaged spot because it's spinning past him, spewing 
               vapor.

                                     WOODY
                              (over radio)
                         Jim, how we doin' on the AG?

               INT. LOWER HAB. NIGHT

               McConnell runs to a computer terminal and starts clicking 
               with the mouse.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Just one goddamn second. Come on, 
                         c'mon...

                                     COMPUTER
                         Voice print identification.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         McConnell!

                                     COMPUTER
                              (a beat)
                         Accepted. Shutting down artificial 
                         gravitational rotation.

               McConnell hears a sound up at the core tunnel. He turns, 
               it's Terri. She holds an small 0-2 cannister, marked with a 
               red cross.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Hang on!

               McConnell grabs onto a counter edge as...

               EXT. SPACE. NIGHT

               Attitude control thrusters on the hull begin firing in pulses. 
               The rotation of the lower Hab deck immediately starts to 
               slow down. The great red ball of Mars drifts by.

               INT. CORE TUNNEL. NIGHT

               Terri, lurching, grabs a ladder strut, and watches from the 
               tunnel as...

               MCCONNELL

               Is also jarred by the firing of the thrusters. The rotation 
               slows until the Hab is still. Zero-G. McConnell floats. He 
               and Terri can hear the terrifying sound of air whistling out 
               into space through the breach hole.

                                     COMPUTER
                         Sixty per cent atmosphere...

                                     WOODY (V.O.)
                         Get some light on the hole so I can 
                         locate it.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I've got a better idea.
                              (shouts to Terri)
                         Stay there!

               He starts rooting through Phil's storage area -- bags of 
               M&Ms, comic books -- looking for what he needs.

               INT. COCKPIT. NIGHT

               Phil is now strapped into the pilot's seat. He's scared, 
               sweating hard, but concentrating fiercely as his one good 
               hand works a battery-powered screwdriver.

               He's removing the panel of the main computer bay. Over the 
               intercom, he can hear the merciless struggle going on 
               elsewhere.

                                     WOODY (V.O.)
                         I'm topside, Jim, do you know which 
                         sector?

                                     MCCONNELL (V.O.)
                         I'm workin' on it!

               EXT. SPACE. NIGHT

               The lower Hab deck is no longer revolving. Woody pops his 
               thrusters and drifts over the metallic skin. But there's 
               such a vast area to search!

                                     WOODY
                         Jesus, uh, OK, this is gonna be like 
                         searching for a needle in a haystack.

               INT. LOWER HAB NIGHT

               McConnell locates a can of Dr. Pepper, shakes this violently, 
               then tosses it up to Terri, who's still in the tunnel mouth. 
               She catches the drifting can, confused. When McConnell speaks 
               again, he's gasping for air.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Shake out the liquid.

                                     TERRI
                         Jim, I don't --

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Shake it out near the hull!

               Terri shakes out soda from the open can. She and McConnell 
               watch the brown stream of fluid swirl up into the air, caught 
               by escaping oxygen. It rises towards the "ceiling" of the 
               outer hull, like a miniature tornado.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. SPACE. NIGHT

               Woody still drifts over the hull, searching intently as his 
               frustration builds.

                                     WOODY
                         C'mon, c'mon, where are you...?

                                     COMPUTER (V.O.)
                         Fifty per cent atmosphere...

               INT. LOWER HAB. NIGHT

               Terri, staring at the ceiling, sees something remarkable.

               THE SODA STREAM

               Swirling ever tighter, has formed a whirlpool that's now 
               being sucked out through the breach hole in the hull. She 
               can now see the ugly puncture for the first time.

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (gasping)
                         Woody, the breech is in sector four! 
                         Sector four, copy that?

                                     WOODY (V.O.)
                         Copy, I' heading there now.

               Terri turns, excited by McConnell's triumph; she's just in 
               time to see him collapse to the floor below her, as he starts 
               to lose consciousness. He's deathly pale.

               EXT. SPACE. NIGHT

               Woody spots a tiny geyser of brownish ice crystals spouting 
               out of the hull of the lower Hab. It's some distance away 
               from him, but clearly visible.

                                     WOODY
                              (to himself, marveling)
                         Sonofabitch. You never did that in 
                         the simulator.

               INT. LOWER HAB. NIGHT

               Terri pushes off from the ladder, drifting weightlessly down 
               to McConnell. She opens the valve of the oxygen cannister, 
               pushing the plastic mask over McConnell's face. He sucks in 
               air, color returning to his skin as he revives.

               INT. COCKPIT. NIGHT

               CLOSE ON THE COMPUTER'S GUTS.

               An incredible tangle of tubes, wires, chips, as Phil's gloved 
               fingers -- both hands now -- probe desperately through them.

                                     PHIL
                         Where are you, you little bastard, 
                         where are you...?

               PHIL WINCES WITH PAIN.

               As he moves his hands and forearms deep inside the computer 
               bay. Around him, several of the smaller screens and gauges 
               are starting to malfunction, the data streams breaking apart, 
               streaking into electronic snow. He shoots a tense glance at

               THE NAVIGATIONAL MONITOR

               Which is flickering crazily. It shows the ship moving much 
               closer to its critical MOI point, indicated by a flashing 
               red triangle aimed down at the Martian surface.

                                     COMPUTER
                         Forty percent atmosphere...

               EXT. SPACE. NIGHT

               Woody, popping his thrusters, moves as fast as he can towards 
               the protruding finger of crystal, but he's not there yet.

               All of a sudden Woody's thrusters cut out. The ship is moving 
               by, a meter beneath him. Woody punches his arm controls. 
               Nothing.

               Then just as the outer edge of the hab starts to pass him, 
               the thrusters kick back in. Woody grabs the edge, starts to 
               move to the hole. Woody lets out a breath.

                                     WOODY
                              (to himself)
                         Whoa.

               INT. LOWER HAB. NIGHT

               McConnell, holding his breath, grabs a patch gun from a 
               storage locker. Terri's still got the 0-2 cannister. He nods 
               to her, and together they push off from the floor, leaping 
               weightlessly up to the other side of the Hab, the "ceiling." 
               They reach the gaping puncture, which they now see has been 
               only partially dammed by the soda ice.

               INT. COCKPIT. NIGHT

               VERY CLOSE ON THE COMPUTER'S INTERIOR

               As Phil's gloved fingers finally locate the plug he's been 
               searching for. He hopes. And grip it firmly.

                                     PHIL
                         Gotcha!

               PHIL TAKES A DEEP BREATH.

               Says a silent prayer. Then he yanks the plug. SHRILL WHINES, 
               ELECTRONIC CRACKLES from all around him, as the systems are 
               abruptly shut down, in a way they were never meant to be 
               mishandled. Terrifyingly, a couple of the monitors arc to 
               each other as they die. Dodging sparks, Phil stares at

               THE NAVIGATIONAL MONITOR

               As it also flickers and dies. Now they're flying blind.

                                     COMPUTER
                         Thirty percent atmosphere...

               EXT. SPACE. NIGHT

               Woody arrives at the ice finger, knocks away the big crystal, 
               then pulls his patch equipment from a pouch.

               INT. LOWER HAB. NIGHT

               In the Hab, Terri uses the base of the 0-2 cannister to smash 
               away the interior ice chunk, then McConnell, who's getting 
               wobbly again, blasts the hole with the epoxy gun. As he works, 
               Terri gives him another hit of air.

                                     COMPUTER
                         Twenty percent atmosphere...

               The lights flicker out in the Hab.

               EXT. SPACE. NIGHT

               Outside, Woody slaps a big square patch over the hole, rips 
               off the backing.

               CLOSE ON THE PATCH

               As it changes color and shrinks, drawing itself down into 
               the metal of the hull.

               INT. COCKPIT. NIGHT

               VERY CLOSE ON THE COMPUTER'S INTERIOR.

               As Phil's fingers re-connect the same plug.

               PHIL PULLS HIS HAND OUT

               From inside the computer bay. He's trembling, sweat-streaked 
               inside his faceplate. Blood has soaked through his gauze 
               pads. His good hand hovers over the red main power switch. 
               The moment of truth.

                                     PHIL
                         OK... OK now...

               With a dramatic click, he throws the switch, hard-booting 
               the computer system back on. He stares at the screens.

               Nothing happens!

                                     PHIL
                         Come on. Come on...!

               Frightened, furious, Phil bangs on the switch with his 
               cordless screwdriver. When all else fails, hit something.

               INT. LOWER HAB. NIGHT

               Feeble starlight from the viewports. McConnell and Terri, 
               drifting side by side, stare at one another, expecting to 
               die within seconds. It feels like an agonizing eternity.

                                     COMPUTER
                         Twenty percent atmosphere...

               McConnell's eyes widen, as he realizes this is the same as 
               the last reading.

                                     COMPUTER
                         Pressure stabilizing... Atmosphere 
                         level increasing.

               Terri and McConnell look at each other. Tears of relief in 
               her eyes. He is exhausted, nearly spent, but manages a grin. 
               She holds the 0-2 mask up to his face, and as he grips it, 
               breathing deeply, they hug one another.

               INT. COCKPIT. NIGHT

               The lights and computer screens are flickering back on. All 
               of them! The cockpit lights up like a Christmas tree. Phil 
               bounces up and down like a madman, babbling in triumph.

                                     PHIL
                         Yes! Awriiiight! Had it all the way. 
                         Yes!

               Forgetting his injury, he pounds his gloved fist on the 
               console in triumph.

                                     PHIL
                         Shit!

               He wrings his injured hand, then his gaze is caught by

               THE NAVIGATIONAL MONITOR

               Which pops back on, showing the ship and the MOI point coming 
               perilously close together.

               PHIL'S EYES WIDEN IN FEAR

               As he keys his mike urgently.

                                     PHIL
                         Get back in here, guys!

               EXT. SPACE. NIGHT

               Woody floats above the repaired hole, scanning the nearby 
               surface of the hull.

                                     WOODY
                         Jim, there's a lot of scarring... 
                         I'd better check for other punctures 
                         while I'm out here.

                                     MCCONNELL (V.O.)
                         Negative, negative. Woody, get back 
                         inside. We've gotta start the 
                         checklist for orbital insertion.

                                     WOODY
                              (a beat; reluctantly)
                         Copy, I'm heading there now.

               Woody jets back towards the open EVA hatch. But as he reaches 
               this, about to re-enter the ship, he's captured momentarily 
               by a breathtakingly beautiful sight below him.

               SUNRISE OVER MARS

               As the huge planet is REVEALED in all its red, unearthly 
               glory. It's so close now that individual features can be 
               seen with the naked eye -- the vast chasm of Valles Marineris, 
               and then Olympus Mons, poking all the way up through the 
               Martian atmosphere. A stunning, alluring spectacle.

               WOODY

               Stares down at Mars, enthralled, as sunlight floods the side 
               of the spaceship, sparkles off his visor. Dawn, after a very 
               long night indeed. He whispers lovingly, under his breath.

                                     WOODY
                         Hey, Beautiful...

               Then he stirs himself out of his reverie and hurries through 
               the EVA hatch.

               CAMERA DRIFTS QUICKLY BACK and down along the hull as stark 
               sunlight flares off the big propellant tanks, three in a 
               row, and the thick silver tubes that join them. There's a 
               good deal of scarring and denting from the meteor shower. 
               Then, as the ship begins to MOVE OUT OF FRAME...

               WE MOVE IN CLOSER

               On one of these tubes, a feeder line to the engine bells, we 
               see a scatter of tiny, undetected holes, about the size of 
               the eraser at the end of a pencil. So small, so apparently 
               harmless...

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. EVA AIRLOCK. DAY

               As Woody enters, stripped from the MMU, dripping with sweat, 
               McConnell is waiting for him. For a moment the two men just 
               look at each other, then they surge forward into a fierce 
               hug.

                                     WOODY
                              (whispers)
                         Know what? You've got enough left.

               McConnell looks at him, understands.

               Terri sits nearby, where she has just finished stitching up 
               Phil's hand. As Woody goes to her, she rises from her seat 
               and looks at him tears of relief and pride in her eyes.

                                     TERRI
                         Piece of cake?

                                     WOODY
                         Well. Easier than the cha-cha.

               He scoops her into his arms; they kiss passionately.

               Phil is blinking; something seems to be getting into his own 
               eyes. His voice catches for a moment.

                                     PHIL
                         I don't know what you're getting so 
                         cocky about. We scored better times 
                         in the sim at least twice.

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (grins)
                         How's his hand?

               Terri separates from Woody, looks down at Phil.

                                     TERRI
                         Seems OK. Couple of the tendons are 
                         going to be a little tight for awhile. 
                         Try to close your fingers, Phil, 
                         nice and slowly.

               Phil starts curling up his fingers. The middle digit remains 
               extended in the universal gesture. They all consider this 
               for a moment. Then Phil looks up cheerfully.

                                     PHIL
                         Well, at least I'll still be able to 
                         drive.

               After a split-second they get it, and the whole crew roars 
               with LAUGHTER, which builds and builds; they're almost giddy 
               with the relief of the tension...

               EXT. DEEP SPACE. DAY

               MARS RECOVERY

               Sails INTO VIEW, with small attitude thrusters firing as the 
               great ship maneuvers into position for its orbital-capture 
               burn. Mars looks very large, blood-red. The entire spectacle 
               is majestic, awe-inspiring.

                                     WOODY
                         OK, we're ready to light this candle. 
                         Go/No Go for braking burn and MOI. 
                         Engines?

               INT. COCKPIT. DAY

               All four astronauts are strapped in, fully suited and 
               helmeted. Mars looms through the cockpit windows. The 
               atmosphere is electric with excitement.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Go.

                                     WOODY
                         Systems.

                                     TERRI
                         Go.

                                     WOODY
                         Nav.

                                     PHIL
                         Go.

                                     WOODY
                         We are Go for the burn. I'm fueling 
                         the engines.

               He flips three switches, in rapid sequence, and...

               EXT. MARS RECOVERY. DAY

               As we MOVE IN on the damaged fuel line, we see a tiny but 
               steady spray of fuel venting from the hole caused by the 
               meterorite. This freezes into eerie streamers and chunks, 
               which slowly drift away from the ship. They're quite 
               beautiful.

                                     PHIL (V.O.)
                         Optimum angle of entry minus seven 
                         degrees. Six... Five...

               INT. COCKPIT. DAY

               Woody looks at the others for moment -- everyone is set, 
               looking good -- then reaches for a last switch.

                                     PHIL
                         Four... Three...

               Woody hesitates, then glances at McConnell.

                                     WOODY
                         Jim?

               McConnell, moved by this honor, nods. He reaches out to throw 
               the switch himself.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Let's go to Mars.

               As the countdown indicator reaches "0000.00.00", a final 
               signal PINGS, and he flips the switch.

               EXT. MARS RECOVERY. DAY

               In total silence, the engines ignite. The second they do, 
               the streamers of frozen fuel explode in a white flash.

               INT. COCKPIT. DAY

               With alarms sounding, the four astronauts are slammed 
               violently forward, against their restraints.

                                     WOODY
                         What the --

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Shut down engines!

               He and Woody both reach out, straining against the incredible 
               G-forces, and manage to grab a red emergency lever, yanking 
               it down hard.

               EXT. MARS RECOVERY. DAY

               Too late! IN SLOW MOTION, we see a terrifyingly violent chain 
               reaction. The fuel tanks themselves explode, one after 
               another. The supporting metal struts are vaporized. The solar 
               panels are snapped off. Two of the huge engine bells are 
               smashed sideways, out of alignment, while the third, trailing 
               pieces of the cowling, goes hurtling off, PAST CAMERA, like 
               a flaming cannon ball. The entire aft section of the ship, 
               including much of the lower Hab, instantly becomes a shredded, 
               charred tangle of metal, and even worse, the explosion causes 
               what's left of the ship -- mainly the EVA chamber and cockpit -- 
               to tumble end over end, cartwheeling down towards Mars.

               INT. COCKPIT. DAY

               In the windows, Mars goes crazily in and out of view. The 
               astronauts, flung this way, then that, are all fighting 
               against unconsciousness.

                                     WOODY
                         Engines negative! No response! I've 
                         got no attitude control!

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Manual separation! Blow the bolts!

                                     WOODY
                         Negative! The CM doesn't have enough 
                         thrust to correct this rotation!

                                     PHIL
                         We're too steep! Falling into the 
                         atmosphere...!

               EXT. MARS RECOVERY. DAY

               From further away, the charred remainder of the ship can be 
               seen spinning down towards Mars, which now fills the screen, 
               looming as large as Earth, when seen from the space shuttle. 
               The ship's motion is mercifully slowing as it hits the outer 
               atmosphere, but just as clearly this steep, unplanned angle 
               of entry dooms it.

                                     PHIL
                         Christ, at this angle we'll burn up!

               INT. COCKPIT. DAY

               ON A COMPUTER.

               Their ANGLE OF ENTRY is shown -- much too direct -- with an 
               indicated swerve into blinking red disaster. Warnings flash: 
               CRITICAL ENTRY! PULL OUT!

                                     WOODY
                         How much time've we got?

                                     PHIL
                         I don't know! Three minutes? I don't 
                         know!

               McConnell's mind is racing furiously, desperately.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Where's the REMO?

                                     PHIL
                         The Resupply Module? Why? That's not --

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Where is it?!

               Phil punches buttons. ON THE SCREEN a second ellipse appears: 
               a blinking orange dot labelled "REMO." It appears to be soon 
               intersecting with their own trajectory.

                                     PHIL
                         Uh, it's close...

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Damn it, how close?!

                                     PHIL
                              (shaken)
                         I-I don't know. It'll take time...

                                     MCCONNELL
                         We don't have time! Figure it out! 
                         Now!

               Phil frantically types in commands on the computer.

                                     WOODY
                         Jim, we're dead stick, there's no 
                         way to maneuver this ship into a 
                         link-up!

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Not the ship. Just us. We have to go 
                         EVA.

               They look at him, stunned. Leave the ship?

                                     PHIL
                         You want us to transfer in suits?

                                     TERRI
                         Jesus, Jim -- if we don't make it -- 
                         if we miss the REMO...

                                     MCCONNELL
                         There's no other choice! Phil, how 
                         close?!

                                     PHIL
                         One kilometer, that's the best I can 
                         do!

               They stare at Woody. We feel the full, terrible weight of 
               his responsibility. Four lives hang on his call.

                                     WOODY
                         Prepare to abandon ship.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. SPACE. DAY

               The astronauts are outside the ship, tethered to each other 
               with long shock cords. Other cords, clipped to their suits, 
               trail gear bags. Phil clutches a silver metallic case -- his 
               precious computer repair kit. Woody is in the MMU. They're 
               all rotating at the same speed as the ship behind them.

                                     WOODY
                         On my mark, seven percent left 
                         thruster. Three, two, one, fire.

               All four astronauts fire a brief, simultaneous burst from 
               the tiny attitude control thrusters in their suits. This 
               stops their rotation, bringing their travel under control. 
               The ship continues spinning in the background.

               Woody takes a final look at the charred, doomed Mars Recovery. 
               The only home they've known for six months. He exchanges a 
               silent glance with the others. They all expect to be dead in 
               the next few minutes. Woody takes a breath, nods.

                                     WOODY
                         Okay. Let's go.

               He pops the big thrusters on the MMU and starts heading away 
               from the ship. The cord between Woody and the others pulls 
               taut and they start to follow.

               WIDE SHOT

               Of Woody leading them away from the crippled spaceship, 
               against the magnificent backdrop of the blood-red planet 
               below. Four tiny figures, all alone in space.

               ANGLE ON MCCONNELL AND THE OTHERS

               As Phil looks back, his eyes searching the stars.

                                     TERRI
                         What're you looking for?

                                     PHIL
                              (softly, sadly)
                         Earth.

                                     TERRI
                              (beat)
                         Hey. When we get back? We really 
                         will have to try this in the sim.

               He tries to smile. So does she.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         How we doin' on fuel, Woody?

               Woody eyes a small display screen on his forearm.

                                     WOODY
                         I'm at fifty percent.
                              (looking down)
                         But I don't see the REMO.

               THEIR POV

               Everyone is looking back at the curve of Mars against black 
               space, expecting to see the REMO coming up behind them.

               TERRI

               Happens to glance directly below.

                                     TERRI
                         There she is!

               THEIR POV

               The black outline of the little cargo craft drifts against 
               the red of Mars.

                                     WOODY
                         Jesus. She's not where I thought 
                         she'd be.

                                     PHIL
                         We're going to miss her.

               WOODY

               Looks again at his display screen, frustrated.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         What do you think?

                                     WOODY
                         We can't catch it. Not like this.

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (thinking quickly)
                         Use the tether.

               From a compartment on the side of the MMU, Woody pulls out...

               THE TETHER GUN

               About the size of a large flare gun. There's a carabiner-
               like hook five inches in diameter on the front of the gun.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         We'll only have one, maybe two shots 
                         before she's out of reach.

                                     WOODY
                         It'll be better if I leave you the 
                         gun while I run out to the REMO. 
                         I've got enough fuel left for that.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         You'll be going too fast.

                                     WOODY
                         I'll aim to overshoot, then brake 
                         like hell; arc it in.

               McConnell looks at him. They both know how risky this is, 
               and they also know it's their only chance. Woody flips a 
               switch on the gun and pulls on the hook. Off it comes, 
               trailing wire. Woody clips the hook to the MMU, then hands 
               McConnell the gun.

                                     WOODY
                         Seeya in a few.

               McConnell nods. Woody and Terri exchange a look -- tender, 
               loving -- then Woody turns around and fires the MMU jets at 
               full throttle. As Woody pulls away, line unspools from the 
               tether gun.

               WOODY AND THE REMO

               Woody is chasing the REMO from above. It's as if he were in 
               an airplane, trying to land on a car racing along a freeway. 
               Woody is picking up speed quickly. Maybe too quickly. He 
               checks his armpad display screen.

                                     WOODY
                         Okay. I'm on path to overshoot. I'm 
                         gonna take the edge off.

               Woody starts braking with the MMU thrusters as hard as he 
               can.

               CLOSE ON THE THRUSTERS

               Glowing with orange flame. They suddenly cut off.

               WOODY'S EYES

               Show alarm. He checks his display.

                                     WOODY
                         I'm out. Coming in hot. Still long.
                              (beat)
                         Abandoning the unit. I'll brake with 
                         suit jets.

               Woody hits some buttons and the MMU's latches snap open. He 
               grabs the hook connected to the tether line, then pushes 
               himself free of the MMU, starts firing his small suit jets.

               WOODY'S POV

               He's still going very quickly.

               WITH MCCONNELL, TERRI AND PHIL

               Floating close together. The tether line is still unspooling 
               from the gun. They watch Woody, below and ahead of them, as 
               he races towards the REMO. Terri's heart is in her throat.

                                     TERRI
                         Oh Jesus. Jesus...

               McConnell reaches a glove out, touching her arm.

               BACK ON WOODY

               Still speeding towards the REMO. His suit jets cut out.

                                     WOODY
                         Suit jets gone. But I'm gonna make 
                         contact...

               MCCONNELL, TERRI AND PHIL

               Stare at Woody's distant figure.

               INTERCUT --

                                     MCCONNELL
                         At what velocity?

                                     WOODY
                         Impact's gonna be a little rough.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         At what velocity?

                                     WOODY
                              (beat)
                         Thirty-two.

               A look between McConnell and Terri; her face is stricken.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I'm gonna use the gun to slow you.

                                     WOODY
                         No! You slow me and I'll fall short.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         It's too fast, Woody.

                                     WOODY
                         No choice. I'll be okay. Here we 
                         go...

               WOODY AND THE REMO

               Woody's coming down on the module at over thirty kilometers 
               an hour. He holds the hook out in front of him with one hand 
               while grabbing the tether line with the other, and WHAM! -- 
               he crashes into the REMO.

               WOODY'S HAND

               Slams the hook against a receiver on the hull of the REMO.

               IT CONNECTS --

               WOODY

               Tries to hold onto the tether line but his momentum is too 
               much.

               HIS GLOVED HANDS

               Are ripped from the line.

               WOODY

               Slides over the hull of the REMO.

               HIS HANDS

               Grasp in vain for something to grab onto. They drag and bump 
               and then finally his fingers close on... empty space.

               WOODY

               Is past the REMO, freefalling toward Mars.

               BACK ON MCCONNELL, TERRI AND PHIL

               As Terri screams.

                                     TERRI
                         Woody!!

               McConnell hits a button on the tether gun and starts to reel 
               them quickly in towards the REMO.

               WOODY

               Tries his suit jets again -- they're empty.

               HIS POV

               Falling away from the REMO.

               MCCONNELL AND THE OTHERS

               Are being reeled towards the REMO by the tether line. Another 
               couple hundred meters to go.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Woody, what's your status?

               INTERCUTTING --

                                     WOODY
                              (after a beat)
                         Uh, well, no suit jets and I'm still 
                         carrying a good deal of velocity.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         As soon as we get hooked up, I'll 
                         come get you.

                                     WOODY
                              (after a beat)
                         Uh, I'd have to say negative on that, 
                         Jim.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Negative on the transmission?

                                     WOODY
                         No, I heard you. Negative on the 
                         maneuver. I am not retrievable.

               McConnell and Terri share a quick, anguished look.

                                     TERRI
                         Woody, that's not possible. You're 
                         not going that fast.

                                     WOODY
                         It comes down to the amount of fuel, 
                         honey. The suit jets were designed 
                         for attitude control, not travel. 
                         Retrieval just won't work.

                                     PHIL
                         It has to work!

                                     WOODY
                         Hey, believe me, I don't like it any 
                         more than you do.

                                     TERRI
                         Woody --

                                     WOODY
                         Run the numbers, Jim.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I am.

               McConnell finishes looking over the numbers on his display 
               pad. Terri is staring at him. When McConnell's eyes meet 
               hers, they are red-rimmed. Haunted.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Woody, you hang tight. We'll get 
                         into the REMO, fire her up, drop her 
                         into a lower orbit and come scoop 
                         you up.

                                     WOODY
                         Sounds good, Jim.

                                     TERRI
                         It's gonna take half an hour to get 
                         the REMO reoriented! Woody'll be... 
                         He'll be in the atmosphere by then!

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Then we'll have to get her moving 
                         faster.

                                     TERRI
                         We don't have time!

                                     WOODY
                         You listen to Jim, honey. It's a 
                         good plan.

                                     TERRI
                         No! We are going to --

                                     PHIL
                         Oh Jesus, look! The ship!

               Phil points. McConnell and Terri look.

               THE MARS RECOVERY COCKPIT

               Is now several kilometers below and behind them. It's glowing 
               red... then orange... then white. Then it erupts into a giant 
               fireball, devoured by friction with Mars' atmosphere.

               MCCONNELL, TERRI AND PHIL IN DEEP SPACE

               Are all staring at this, awed, when McConnell happens to 
               look up again. He sees something alarming.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Look out!

               THEIR POV

               They are drifting quickly into the REMO.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Brakes!

               ALL THREE

               Fire their suit jets, slowing themselves down. They bang 
               into the REMO at about one-tenth the speed Woody did. They 
               find handholds and grab on. McConnell hits a button on the 
               tether gun.

               THE HOOK

               Releases from the REMO's hull. McConnell hits another button 
               and it is reeled all the way into the gun. Phil is already 
               scrabbling at a latch on the REMO's outer airlock door.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Okay, let's get inside! Phil, start 
                         dumping the cargo, or there won't be 
                         room for us.

                                     PHIL
                         But we need those supplies for --

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Dump the cargo. Hang on, Woody!

               WOODY

               Is looking back at the REMO. Smiles with relief to see that 
               Terri has reached it safely.

                                     WOODY
                         Will do, Jim.

               He turns to look at...

               MARS

               Right below him, filling his field of view. A long beat.

                                     WOODY
                              (softly)
                         Hey, Beautiful...

               BACK AT THE REMO

               Terri makes a snap decision. She grabs the tether gun from 
               McConnell's surprised hands, then pushes off from the REMO. 
               McConnell lunges after her, his gloved hand straining.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Terri, no!

               But it's too late. She's already out of reach, and now fires 
               her suit jets, pulling quickly away from the REMO.

               MCCONNELL

               Is reaching to activate his own jets, when

               PHIL'S HAND

               Grabs at his wrist, restraining this suicidal courage. They 
               stare at each other. McConnell wrenches his hand free, half-
               maddened, agonized, staring after Terri.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Goddammit, Terri, it won't work!

               But Terri keeps on going.

               WOODY

               Looks back at the REMO, as he continues to fall towards Mars. 
               Sees the small figure of his wife heading towards him.

                                     WOODY
                         Terri, what are you doing?

               INTERCUT --

                                     TERRI
                         I'll tell you what I'm not doing, 
                         Woody. I'm not going to watch you 
                         die.

                                     WOODY
                         Terri --

                                     TERRI
                         You'd do the same for me.

               AT THE REMO

               Phil is watching as Terri drops towards the distant twinkle 
               of Woody's suit lights. The airlock door hangs open. Phil 
               looks at McConnell, anguished.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Get inside. Dump the cargo, then 
                         start the systems.
                              (Phil hesitates)
                         Now.

               INTERCUTTING BETWEEN WOODY AND TERRI

               As Woody keys his mike. Tries to steady his voice.

                                     WOODY
                         No. I wouldn't come for you. Not if 
                         it just wasn't possible.

                                     TERRI
                         I can do it!

                                     WOODY
                         No, Terri, you can't! You don't have 
                         enough fuel to get me, stop us both, 
                         and get us back. Hell, you come any 
                         farther and you won't have enough to 
                         get back yourself.

               No response from Terri.

                                     WOODY
                         Listen to me, goddammit! You have to 
                         stop! You have to stop now!

                                     MCCONNELL
                         He's right, Terri... It's no use.

               Terri looks at her armpad display.

               CLOSE ON DISPLAY SCREEN

               As her fuel indicator drops from 50 percent to 49 to...

               TERRI

               Releases her thumb from the toggle control.

               HER SUIT JETS

               Stop firing.

               TERRI

               Drifts, staring towards Woody.

               TERRI AND WOODY

               Are on the same trajectory, going the same speed, and only 
               about a hundred meters apart. But it might as well be 
               infinity.

                                     WOODY
                         Okay, honey...? You gotta go back 
                         now.

                                     TERRI
                         The hell I do.

               Terri raises up the tether gun and pulls the trigger.

               THE HOOK

               Comes shooting out of the gun, wire spooling out behind it.

               WOODY

               Watches as it comes shooting down toward him.

               PLATE POV -- MOVING -- AS

               Woody gets larger and larger, the hook gets closer and closer, 
               and then SNAP! -- the hook stops. ANGLE ON THE TETHER GUN

               The wire has run all the way out.

               WOODY

               Looks at the drifting hook, ten agonizing meters away from 
               him. His only life preserver.

               TERRI

               Hits the button and the wire starts winching fast back into 
               the gun.

                                     WOODY
                         What are you doing?

                                     TERRI
                         I'm gonna jet a little closer and 
                         try again.

                                     WOODY
                         Terri, you spend any fuel getting 
                         closer, you won't get back, and if 
                         anyone tries to get you, they'll die 
                         too.

               No response from Terri.

               THE HOOK

               Is whipping back toward Terri and the gun. Woody's voice 
               cracks; he's very close to tears. Pleading now.

                                     WOODY
                         Honey, please go back. Go back and 
                         help everyone get down to the surface.

               The hook slams back against the muzzle of the gun. Terri 
               resets the gun quickly, in an anguished fury.

                                     TERRI
                         I am not losing you.

                                     WOODY
                         I can't let you do it. I can't. I'm 
                         sorry.

               TERRI

               Looks at Woody, two hundred meters away, sensing something 
               different in his voice now, a terrible resolve...

                                     TERRI
                         Woody...?

               WOODY

               Raises his hands to his helmet ring. His eyes shining.

                                     WOODY
                         I love you, Terri. God how I love 
                         you.

               He unscrews the ring, pops the seal. The outrush of air pushes 
               his helmet all the way off. Woody shuts his eyes and opens 
               his mouth.

                                     TERRI
                         Woody, nooooooo...!!!

               Ice crystals bloom with Woody's last breath. There's nothing 
               to suck in. He doesn't fight it. He lets death come.

               ANGLE ON TERRI

               Tears streaming, chest heaving, frantic.

                                     TERRI
                         Woody, oh Woody, please God, no!

               HER THUMB

               Hovers over her suit jet toggle control. McConnell's voice, 
               from the distance, sounds very tired. Like he's aged fifty 
               years in the blink of an eye.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Come back, Terri.

               Terri's thumb is still poised. Death would be better.

               ANGLE ON MCCONNELL

               Outside the REMO. The hatch is still open. We see Phil inside, 
               staring out anxiously towards Terri.

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (quietly, simply)
                         He's gone.

               He sees no movement from the distant, small figure of Terri.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Please, Terri...
                              (long beat)
                         We need you.

               TERRI'S THUMB

               Pushes the toggle control... to one side, not forward.

               TERRI'S FACE

               Inside her helmet, is streaming with tears. She turns herself 
               around, reluctantly. Heads slowly back towards the REMO.

               INT. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. MMCR. DAY

               On the big screen at MMCR, a glowing green icon labelled 
               "MARS RECOVERY" is shown in orbit, as a stream of computer 
               figures crawls beside it.

               SUPER TITLE: "SPACE STATION. MMCR. 20 MINUTE TIME LAG"

               Beck stands by the NEW CAPCOM, as the latter repeats headset 
               data.

                                     NEW CAPCOM
                         Okay, they're Go for the burn and 
                         MOI. Should be initiating the burn 
                         just about... now.

               Suddenly the data stream goes crazy. It shivers, streaks, 
               breaks up... then stops. The blinking green icon representing 
               Mars Recovery glows brighter... then vanishes.

               A moment of stunned silence in the big room. Then a rising 
               babble of scared, confused voices.

               RAY BECK

               Takes a step forward, staring helplessly at the screen. His 
               face goes pale, stricken. His worst nightmare is taking place, 
               right before his eyes -- and for the second mission in a 
               row...

                                                               DISSOLVE TO:

               EXT. REMO. MARS ORBIT. NIGHT

               The REMO is now on the night side of Mars. Cargo boxes, 
               packing cases and assorted equipment containers float outside. 
               The hatch is sealed.

               INT. REMO. MARS ORBIT. NIGHT

               McConnell hovers by a bulkhead. He's anguished, haunted by 
               the image of Woody's death. We see him struggling to overcome 
               his grief and shock, trying to force himself to concentrate 
               on the critical tasks at hand. In front of him, a panel has 
               been opened; he's facing

               SMALL UTILITY MONITOR

               Already glowing, surrounded by coded switches, indicator 
               lights, com ports.

               MCCONNELL

               Stares at these, thinking hard, remembering. He's holding a 
               palm-sized computer, already wired into this panel. He begins 
               tapping the keys, but then stops himself. Reconsiders. He 
               turns, looking back at

               TERRI AND PHIL

               Hunched on what would be the floor if the REMO were on land. 
               They grip stowage straps to keep from drifting. Clearly this 
               tiny, rude cargo craft was never designed for manned 
               operation. It's claustrophobic, bitterly cold.

               PHIL'S FACE

               Is a map of torment. He is shivering, both from cold and 
               fear, barely holding himself together. He hugs his computer 
               supply case like a scared child would hug a teddy bear.

               TERRI

               Is worse. A thousand-yard stare. She's in shock.

               MCCONNELL

               Knows he has to occupy them. Speaks softly.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Phil?
                              (no response)
                         Hey, Phil...?

               Phil looks up at him dully.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         We're going in blind. We'll deploy 
                         the chutes by laptop. I need to get 
                         on the data bus, put in a software 
                         patch, and try to soften this tin 
                         can's landing. I could use your help 
                         with the patch.

               After a moment Phil releases his strap, pushes towards 
               McConnell. He stares numbly at the monitor for a few beats, 
               then takes the little computer from McConnell. He begins to 
               tap the keys, slowly at first, but then with more confidence.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         That's great. Good job.
                              (turning to Terri)
                         Hey, Terri, I was wondering. Think 
                         maybe we could rig some kind of 
                         seatbelts out of those cargo straps?

               Terri hesitates a moment, then looks at the strap in her 
               hand, as if she's never seen it before. Dully she reaches 
               for another one, begins looping them together.

               MCCONNELL

               Studies both of their faces intently. Knows that he can't 
               push them too hard, too fast. They're moving like robots, 
               but at least they're moving.

               EXT. REMO. MARS ORBIT. NIGHT. (MINUTES LATER)

               Small thrusters are firing, getting the REMO into position 
               for entry into the atmosphere.

               Then all the jets fire in unison, braking the REMO, as it 
               falls away from us, towards Mars at night.

               INT. REMO. HIGH ATMOSPHERE. NIGHT

               The astronauts, restrained on the floor by Terri's jury-rigged 
               strap system, hold on for dear life. The buffeting through 
               the atmosphere is shaking them violently.

               BEHIND THEIR FACEPLATES

               We see the effect of the incredible g-forces: faces distorted, 
               unable to focus their eyes. Each of them thinking, once again: 
               Now I'm going to die...

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. MARS ONE BASE CAMP. NIGHT

               The Mars One Base Camp looms in the foreground, like some 
               desolate, otherwordly ghost town. And then, in the night sky 
               beyond it, we see an eerie and beautiful sight: a bright 
               streak of red as the REMO slashes down into the Martian 
               atmosphere, like a shooting star, finally disappearing behind 
               distant mountains. Then all is stillness again, deathly 
               stillness and silence...

               INT. INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION. VIEWPORT. DAY

               Beck stands by a viewport, staring out into space. He's just 
               lost four good friends, and also knows he is seeing, in this 
               disaster, the probable end of the Mars Program, and the 
               certain end of his own career. He doesn't, at first, even 
               hear the nearby VOICE.

                                     NEW CAPCOM
                         Ray...? We've got some new data, 
                         just coming in.

               Beck looks up, his eyes red-rimmed. The CapCom shifts 
               uneasily. He's holding a computer printout.

                                     NEW CAPCOM
                         We just -- it doesn't make any sense. 
                         We're not sure how to read this.

                                     BECK
                         Data?

                                     NEW CAPCOM
                         Yes sir. Telemetry reports the REMO 
                         has left its orbit and reached the 
                         Martian surface.

                                     BECK
                              (pause)
                         Crashed?

                                     NEW CAPCOM
                         No sir. Under power.

               Beck snatches the paper, staring at it. For the first time 
               we see some life coming back into him.

                                     BECK
                         When?

                                     NEW CAPCOM
                         Sixty-three minutes after Mars 
                         Recovery went off-line. Sir, the 
                         graph reads like a controlled descent. 
                         But that doesn't make any --

               Beck suddenly understands. And it's a joy to see his face, 
               the tears of happiness that spring into his eyes.

                                     BECK
                         They used the REMO as a lander.

               The CapCom stares back at him, feeling the same surge of 
               hope.

                                     BECK
                         It's McConnell, it's got to be! Nobody 
                         else could have pulled this off. Son 
                         of a bitch! They're alive.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. MARTIAN SURFACE. MARS ONE BASE CAMP. DAY

               POV ANGLE - WIDE

               As we see the Mars One Base Camp: silent, very still. In the 
               distance, the massive ERV still looms, perched for takeoff, 
               the bottom rungs of its ladder buried.

               PANNING

               We see that sand has drifted high against the Hab, as well 
               as the sides of the partially-deflated tunnel and greenhouse, 
               and the four-man rover. The oxygen still and propellant plant 
               are almost buried. Solar panels, some of them punctured by 
               micrometeors, FLAP and CREAK eerily in the slight breeze. 
               And finally,

               CLOSER TO CAMERA

               We see the camp's American flag, still on its toppled pole, 
               but nearly obliterated by sand.

               ANGLE ON MCCONNELL, TERRI, AND PHIL

               Who are spooked by this desolation. They've paused at the 
               edge of the camp.

               They have dragged along with them from their landing site a 
               crude sledge, improvised from the REMO's hatch cover and 
               some cargo straps. On this, their meager supplies.

               McConnell, glancing at the others, knows he's got to keep 
               their spirits up. He kneels, digs out the flag pole. Brushing 
               off the sand, he rights this and re-plants it firmly in the 
               ground, packing the sand down with his boot. He stands for a 
               moment looking at the flag, his eyes moist. Despite the cost, 
               they have made it to Mars.

               When he turns, Terri and Phil are looking at him, moved.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Better?

                                     PHIL
                              (pause)
                         Damn right.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Terri, let's see if that oxygen still 
                         is operational. Phil, you better 
                         check out the ERV. I'll take the 
                         Hab. If you find Luke's --

               He catches himself. Phil and Terri look at him.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Just keep in touch.

               EXT. ERV. DAY

               Phil steps from the umber sand onto the ERV's ladder, begins 
               to climb. The four-man rover is nearby, sand drifted high 
               against its tires.

               EXT. OXYGEN STILL. DAY

               Terri kneels by the oxygen still, begins to scoop away sand 
               with her gloved hands. She still looks numb.

               EXT. HAB. DAY

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (on radio)
                         I'm at the main airlock door.

               He unlatches a panel, grips the emergency lever inside, tugs 
               it. After a seeming eternity, the door groans and creaks 
               open. Little puffs of dust and sand swirl about, settle.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Entering Hab.

               EXT. ERV. DAY

               Perched atop the ERV's ladder, Phil, using a battery-powered 
               drill, is just removing the final screw from the hatch cover. 
               He lifts off the heavy cover, lets it tumble to the sand.

                                     PHIL
                         I've got ERV access. I'm going in. 
                         Terri, you okay?

               EXT. OXYGEN STILL. DAY

               Terri is still scooping sand. She's just cleared the first 
               row of gauges.

                                     TERRI
                         Yeah. This is gonna take awhile to 
                         get back to 100% capacity.

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. DAY

               McConnell walks through the kitchen, which we recognize. He 
               pauses to look at the table from which Luke and his crew 
               taped their final, fateful message.

               HIS BIRTHDAY CUPCAKE

               Still sits there, eerily, with its stub of burned-out candle. 
               Half-finished, frozen cups of coffee. Suddenly, out of the 
               corner of his eye, he catches a flash of white. He spins, 
               startled, and sees

               HIS OWN REFLECTION.

               In his white pressure suit, staring back at him from the 
               screen of a video monitor. Above this is perched the camera 
               the Mars One astronauts used for their comm packets.

               MCCONNELL SHIVERS

               This place is filled with ghosts.

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. DAY

               Phil, in the pilot's seat of the ERV, pushes a computer's 
               power button. The screen flickers weakly to life, startling 
               him a bit, but all he sees on it are white streaks, crazy 
               static.

                                     PHIL
                         ERV appears structurally intact. 
                         Computers are fried, just as we 
                         thought.

               EXT. OXYGEN STILL. DAY

               Terri has cleared more gauges, valves. She sits back on her 
               heels, studying the tangle of pipes.

                                     TERRI
                         Copy that. I've got busted filters 
                         here, clogged intakes. Helluva cleanup 
                         job, but so far no major damage.

               INT. GREENHOUSE. DAY

               AN INNER AIRLOCK DOOR WHOOSHES OPEN, AND MCCONNELL ENTERS. 
               THEN STOPS, ASTONISHED. HIS POV

               On a fantastic, almost jungle-like atmosphere. The plants 
               have been allowed -- encouraged? -- to grow wildly. Some are 
               even pushing against the inflated roof. Water condenses on 
               the leaves and the roof, then is captured and routed through 
               pipes of every shape and size, dripping into a clever 
               assortment of collection jars. Liquid water.

               MCCONNELL

               Reaches into a bucket, touches the water. His glove comes up 
               before his wondering eyes, dripping. Grasping the implication, 
               he looks down at his forearm instrument pad.

               Blinking red letters read "25 deg. C." And something else -- 
               the puffy white material of his suit is starting to slightly 
               deflate, revealing his arm's shape. There's air pressure in 
               here!

               MCCONNELL

               Punches in more numbers, and gets the readout:

               "Nitr. 78%/ 02 20%/ C02 1%/ Trace gasses 1%."

               MCCONNELL

               Slowly reaches up, unsealing the neck ring of his helmet. He 
               hesitates, then lifts it off. Takes a deep, quenching lungful 
               of pure air. Holds it in. Lets it slowly out. For a moment 
               he doesn't trust his own voice. Then speaks softly towards 
               his helmet.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I'm in the greenhouse. You better... 
                         you better come see this for 
                         yourselves.

               INT. ERV. DAY

               Phil, still sitting at the cockpit controls, turns. Through 
               a side viewport he can just make out the greenhouse.

                                     PHIL
                         What is it?

               There's no answer. He rises.

               EXT. OXYGEN STILL. DAY

               Terri rises, concerned, and turns. Through the distant, 
               translucent wall of the greenhouse, McConnell's shadowy figure 
               can be seen, moving slowly.

                                     TERRI
                         Jim...?

               INT. GREENHOUSE. DAY

               McConnell sets down his helmet, starts exploring, pushing 
               through fronds as he makes his way down an aisle. The dripping 
               foliage is so dense it almost chokes his path. Everywhere he 
               looks, he has the sense of a scrounged-together, recycled, 
               jury-rigged environment, where a great deal of ingenuity has 
               come into play. He pauses, looking up...

               Overhead, a bellows, stitched together from pieces of plastic 
               tarp, slowly inhales and exhales, pumping air into a vent in 
               the upper deck of the Hab. Its power comes from a crude water 
               wheel, a buckets-and-strut assemblage, tidily sutured with 
               duct tape, like some giant Erector set.

               As McConnell turns away from this, still marvelling, a ragged 
               figure leaps through the foliage! It smashes into him, with 
               a HARSH SCREECH, knocking him to the ground.

               McConnell, on his back, straddled by his attacker, fights 
               back as best he can. A blur of flailing arms and fists, as 
               he tries to push the creature away. Staring up, he catches a 
               glimpse of the almost unrecognizable

               LUKE GRAHAM

               Whose frightened eyes glare back at him through a swaying 
               curtain of dreadlocks. His skin is creased, weathered, above 
               a scraggly beard. His clothes are tattered, patched together. 
               In one fist he grips a rock hammer, which he swings high 
               overhead, about to drive the claw through McConnell's skull. 
               McConnell grabs his arm desperately, trying to fend him off.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Luke, it's me! Jim McConnell!

               We see a flash of uncertainty in Luke's eyes. Then he yanks 
               his arm free, and his hammer arcs up even higher, trembles 
               in the air.

                                     LUKE
                         You're not here!

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Luke, it's Jim!

                                     LUKE
                         No, no, you're not... you can't be 
                         here.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Your wife is Debra! Your son is Bobby! 
                         You were reading Treasure Island 
                         with him...!

               As he stares down at McConnell, Luke's eyes finally light up 
               with recognition. but before he can move, he is seized from 
               behind and flung backwards to the ground, the hammer ripped 
               from his grasp, as Terri and Phil pinion his arms. McConnell 
               scrambles to his feet.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Don't hurt him!

               McConnell kneels beside Luke, signalling to Terri and Phil 
               that it's okay to let him go. They stand back, pulling off 
               their helmets. Everyone is panting, out of breath.

               Luke sits up, slowly studying their features, one after 
               another, as if still not quite certain whether they might 
               vanish. His voice is hoarse, rusty from disuse.

                                     LUKE
                         Phil... Terri...

               Luke looks with incomprehension at McConnell.

                                     LUKE
                         Jim... I don't understand. You're 
                         not supposed to be here... Why are 
                         you here? Where's Woody?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         He didn't make it Luke.

               Luke stares at McConnell, trying to absorb everything. He 
               looks to Terri, who looks down.

                                     LUKE
                         Oh no.

               Luke shakes his head in dismay. He seems to shrink in on 
               himself. It's all too much for him to take in. McConnell 
               kneels and puts his arm around Luke, comforting him.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. ELSEWHERE IN THE GREENHOUSE. DAY (MINUTES LATER)

               Luke sits on the side of his cot, in the little tented 
               sleeping area he's created in one corner of the greenhouse. 
               Nearby, his hotplate, pots, and some freshly harvested 
               vegetables and greens. The others crouch around him.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Luke, what happened here?

               A flash of fear in Luke's eyes.

                                     LUKE
                              (whispers)
                         We fired the radar. It came. They 
                         all died.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         What came?

                                     LUKE
                         They all died, but I was spared. 
                         Why? Had to be for a reason. Then, 
                         all of a sudden, I knew why I was 
                         spared.

               His voice drops to a conspiratorial whisper.

                                     LUKE
                         So somebody would be left to figure 
                         out the secret.

               He taps his forehead, significantly, then nods once or twice. 
               The others exchange an uneasy glance.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Luke, we still don't understand.

                                     LUKE
                         Come. Comecomecome.

               He rises quickly and scuttles off, waving an impatient hand, 
               without waiting to see if they'll follow. McConnell, Terri 
               and Phil stare after him for a long moment. Phil breaks the 
               silence.

                                     PHIL
                         Is it just me? Or is he about two 
                         mealpacks short of a picnic?

                                     TERRI
                         Long term exposure to low gravity 
                         can have an adverse impact on the 
                         brain. He could be suffering from a 
                         form of asphyxia.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Or maybe his whole crew died and 
                         he's been marooned alone on Mars. 
                         Let's give him time to adjust.

               McConnell and Terri follow in the direction Luke went. Phil, 
               trailing, mutters to himself.

                                     PHIL
                         Greatgreatgreat.

               EXT. MARS ONE BASE CAMP. DAY

               Luke, now in a patched-up pressure suit and grubby-looking 
               helmet, stands peering down unhappily at the improvised 
               sledge, with its meager supplies. McConnell, Terri, and Phil 
               walk up behind him, wearing their helmets again. They hear 
               Luke over his RADIO.

                                     LUKE
                         So... let me be sure I understand 
                         this. Your ship blew up, with all 
                         its supplies. Then you emptied the 
                         cargo out of the REMO, and it was 
                         totalled on landing. You've got no 
                         food, no water, no spare oxygen, 
                         nothing but what I see here...?

               McConnell and the others are silent, embarrassed. Then 
               McConnell nods. Luke looks at him, a cracked grin.

                                     LUKE
                         What kinda rescue mission is this?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         That kind.

               He points to the computer repair case, as Phil lifts it off 
               a sledge. Luke turns, looks at the case, then Phil.

                                     PHIL
                         Check it out. New nav boards for the 
                         ERV. I got four round-trip tickets, 
                         baby, right in here.

                                     LUKE
                              (softly)
                         Four.

               In some mysterious way, this reminder of Woody's death seems 
               to bring him fully back into himself. He takes Terri by the 
               shoulders, deeply saddened. She meets his gaze.

                                     LUKE
                         Terri... I'm so sorry. He was a good 
                         man.

                                     TERRI
                         Thanks, Luke.

                                     LUKE
                         When there's time, we'll talk.

               She nods, grateful. A beat. He looks at the others.

                                     LUKE
                         This way.

               He starts off across the sand, and they follow.

               EXT. GRAVE SITE. DAY

               They stand looking down at the three long mounds of dirt, as 
               Luke completes his account of the disaster.

                                     LUKE
                         ...When I came to and dug myself out 
                         of the sand, my faceplate was cracked. 
                         Leaking badly. I barely made it back 
                         to Base. It was weeks before I could 
                         work up the nerve to go back out 
                         there and look for their...

               He has to pause, collect himself.

                                     LUKE
                         Renee was the only one I could find. 
                         But it didn't seem right, somehow, 
                         to dig just one grave.

               There is an emotional silence. Luke turns, takes a few steps. 
               He stares into the distance, observing the swirling dust 
               around them. McConnell hesitates, notices Luke's gaze.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Has it been blowing like this for a 
                         while?
                              (Luke nods)
                         We saw a big storm from space. But 
                         Micker said it was turning south.

               Luke looks off into the distance, studies something only he 
               seems to see.

                                     LUKE
                         If it holds course.

               McConnell pulls his gaze away from the horizon, looks at 
               Luke.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         This -- whatever it was -- this force. 
                         You say it came directly out of the 
                         top of the mountain?

                                     LUKE
                         You don't believe me. That's okay. 
                         But I'm not crazy, Jim.

               McConnell isn't quite sure how to reply to this.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         What did you mean by its "secret?" 
                         What secret?

                                     LUKE
                              (pause)
                         You better see for yourselves.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. DAY

               McConnell, Terri, and Phil follow Luke into the Science Lab 
               area of the Hab, then stop in their tracks. Their helmets 
               are off. It's very cold in here; their breath is frosty.

               THEIR POV --

               The Lab is crammed with rock and sand samples from many 
               locations, all tagged and labelled. There are drawings and 
               diagrams covering the walls: Martian landscapes, annotated 
               maps, and over and over, obsessively repeated, drawings of 
               the vortex that destroyed the Mars One crew.

                                     LUKE
                         See, where they made their mistake 
                         was, they must've planned for it to 
                         be visible from Earth...

               The others turn, looking at him. Luke is aiming an electric 
               space heater at his computer. As the coils glow red, he rubs 
               his hands together, poised over the keyboard.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Who's "they"?

               Luke reacts to their blank stares. He has a kind of jittery 
               feverish intensity, a secret excitement.

                                     LUKE
                         Don't you understand? Hundreds of 
                         millions of years have gone by. You've 
                         got erosion, sand storms, lava flows, 
                         meteor impacts -- hell, in that much 
                         time, the whole surface would've 
                         changed. So no wonder we never saw 
                         it before. Well, I mean, we saw it, 
                         but not like they meant us too. Too 
                         much dirt on it.

               The others exchange worried glances. Is he totally nuts?

                                     TERRI
                         Saw what?

                                     LUKE
                         This.

               On the computer screen they're looking at...

               CLOSE ON THE MONITOR

               Pictures of the Face after the disaster, seen from ground-
               level, in telephoto views. Rising out of a ring of rock and 
               dirt rubble is the shiny-white profile of a gigantic face. 
               The white is smooth, impenetrable. It has the scale of a 
               mountain, but the planes and angles are clearly unnatural.

               MCCONNELL, PHIL AND TERRI (INT. MARS ONE HAB.)

               They are stunned. Can hardly believe their eyes.

                                     PHIL
                         Jesus...

                                     TERRI
                         What is that...?

                                     LUKE
                         I don't know. But whatever it is, 
                         somebody built it. And not us.

               A few moments of silence while they try to absorb this.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         What about the sound? That signal 
                         you heard before the explosion?

                                     LUKE
                         Good, Jim, good. That's the key.

               A click of the mouse and they all HEAR, over speakers, the 
               DEEP PULSING BASS TONE.

                                     LUKE
                         Hear the pauses? That's what made me 
                         realize it's a pattern -- a repeating 
                         pattern.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Mathematical?

               Luke is trembling with excitement. His words tumble out very 
               quickly. He's been waiting so long to share this.

                                     LUKE
                         That's what I thought. There are 
                         distinct blocks in the pattern, and 
                         within each block the tones come in 
                         groups of three. Threethreethree. 
                         For months I struggled to analyze 
                         it, trying different constructs... 
                         Then I thought about dimensions.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         X-Y-Z coordinates...

                                     LUKE
                         Right! Three groups equals three 
                         dimensions... So I tried assigning 
                         different graphic values to each 
                         block, group and tone. And finally I 
                         got... this.

               He types another command. They all look at the monitor, the 
               glow reflecting on their faces. They are amazed again.

               CLOSE ON THE MONITOR

               Where we see the beautiful interlocking chain, the universally 
               familiar double helix, of a DNA molecule -- the elegant 
               blueprint of life.

               BACK TO SCENE (INT. MARS ONE HAB.)

                                     PHIL
                         My God... Is that what I think it 
                         is?

                                     TERRI
                         DNA... that's a model of DNA!

                                     LUKE
                         You see it, too. Thank God. I was 
                         afraid I was just suffering from a 
                         form of asphyxia.

               She glances at him, surprised that he overheard her earlier 
               diagnosis. But he smiles, not offended.

                                     PHIL
                         So, okay, so -- somebody left this 
                         thing here, somebody -- other than 
                         human. But what the hell is it?

                                     LUKE
                         My guess is, it's a signature. A 
                         self-portrait of whatever species 
                         created the Face.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         But that DNA looks human.

                                     TERRI
                         No way. It's missing the last pair 
                         of chromosomes. See?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Yeah, but it's close. Damn close.

                                     TERRI
                         The difference between a man and an 
                         ape is less than three percent of 
                         genetic material. But that three 
                         percent gives you Mozart. Einstein.

                                     PHIL
                         Or Jack the Ripper.

               They look at him. Then all four turn, stare again at the 
               slowly rotating DNA, pondering its awesome mystery.

               MCCONNELL

               When he finally speaks, never takes his eyes off the screen. 
               We can read in them the almost overwhelming grip this mystery 
               has on his imagination.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         It's been a long day. Let's get a 
                         couple hours sleep, then tackle this 
                         thing when we're fresher. Phil, your 
                         first priority will be to get the 
                         motherboards over to the ERV. 
                         Concentrate on getting communications 
                         up first.
                              (Phil nods)
                         Soon as we've got the juice, we'll 
                         send a packet to Micker, tell them 
                         Luke's OK, and that... everything 
                         else that's happened. The rest of us 
                         will take an inventory of supplies, 
                         see where we stand. Okay?

               The others nod in weary agreement. As they start out, towards 
               the relative warmth of the greenhouse, Terri looks at Luke, 
               at his scraggly beard and his long, lank hair. She smiles, 
               brushing some locks off his forehead.

                                     TERRI
                         C'mon. There's a pair of scissors in 
                         my medkit.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. ANOTHER SECTION. NEXT MORNING

               As in the Science Area, this space has enough thin oxygen 
               for the astronauts to remain unhelmeted. McConnell and Luke 
               are still going through what few supplies were salvaged from 
               the REMO.

               Luke pauses, rubbing the unfamiliar smoothness of his cheek. 
               His beard is gone, his hair neatly trimmed. McConnell enjoys 
               Luke's own wonder at his transformation.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         How do you feel?

                                     LUKE
                         Like I just got back my other three 
                         percent.

               McConnell smiles. Terri enters through the hatch, removing 
               her helmet.

                                     TERRI
                         The backup generator is salvageable, 
                         and two of the solar panels. I'm 
                         pretty sure I can get the oxygen 
                         still back into production, too. So 
                         we're not in such bad shape, 
                         considering.

                                     LUKE
                         Good work, Terri.

               McConnell, rummaging through Phil's backpack, drops an already-
               opened bag of M&Ms. The CANDIES scatter and bounce all over 
               the floor.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Look at that. Phil's idea of absolute 
                         essentials.

               Luke and Terri smile. McConnell scoops up the fallen M&Ms. 
               He slows down as he does it, looking at the scatter of little 
               round CANDIES. Something tugging at the back of his mind...

                                                              FLASHBACK TO:

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. MARS RECOVERY. EVA AIRLOCK. DAY

               Phil's intricately designed M&M model of his "ideal woman", 
               floating weightlessly, as McConnell drifts past it, plucking 
               away a couple pieces of the candy. Phil reacting, in good-
               natured annoyance. The gap in the design left by McConnell's 
               theft...

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. ANOTHER SECTION. DAY

               CLOSE ON MCCONNELL

               As he trembles with excitement. With sudden comprehension.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         It's not a signature.

                                     LUKE
                              (puzzled)
                         What?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         That noise from the Face... It's not 
                         a signature. It's a test.

               Luke and Terri stare at him.

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. MOMENTS LATER

               McConnell sits in front of the computer back in the science 
               lab area, staring once again at the mysterious DNA model. 
               Luke and Terri stand behind him. McConnell's energy, his new 
               certainty, is almost electrifying.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         It's asking us for the right answer. 
                         It wants us to put in the missing 
                         pair of chromosomes.

                                     LUKE
                         But why?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         To prove that we're human.

               Terri and Luke look at each other, starting to understand.

                                     LUKE
                         We fired radar into that thing. 
                         Concentrated sound waves...

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Which it interpreted as a wrong 
                         answer... Yes! It's like a, a security 
                         alarm. When it gets an incorrect 
                         response, it defends itself.

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. DAY

               Phil is listening in on radio. He's got panels open, wires 
               dangling, as he works his ongoing repair. He keys his mike, 
               uneasily.

                                     PHIL
                         So what happens when it gets the 
                         right answer?

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. DAY

               As McConnell looks at Luke and Terri.

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (hesitates)
                         I don't know. But we've got to find 
                         out.
                              (to Luke, pointing)
                         Can you work this the other way? 
                         Figure out which tones would be 
                         equivalent to the missing chromosomes? 
                         Then dub them into your recording of 
                         the signal?

                                     LUKE
                         I think so, yes.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         What about the radar gun? Will it 
                         accept that input? Can we transmit a 
                         completed signal back to the Face?

               Luke stares at him, startled by what he's implying.

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. DAY

               Phil is also growing increasingly nervous.

                                     PHIL
                         Whoa, whoa, hold on, Jim. What if 
                         you're wrong? Whoever goes out 
                         there... I mean, what if you're wrong? 
                         Three people have already died over 
                         that thing.

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. DAY

               As Luke and Terri look tensely at McConnell.

                                     TERRI
                         Four.

               McConnell looks at her.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Terri, if we leave here without 
                         getting some answers, they all died 
                         in vain.

               Terri shakes her head.

                                     TERRI
                         We just don't know enough about that -- 
                         that thing out there to take any 
                         more chances.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         What are we here for, if not to take 
                         chances...?

               His passion startles them; they've never seen him so 
               emotional. He points at the computer screen.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         This means we're not alone. It means 
                         we're on the brink of the greatest 
                         discovery in mankind's history. But 
                         we've still got to prove it. Who 
                         knows when someone else will get 
                         back here? Or if they ever will? You 
                         know what Congress is like. They'll 
                         say it's too dangerous, too much 
                         loss of life, let's go back to 
                         unmanned flights. We could be the 
                         last explorers to come here for 
                         decades. We're it, guys.
                              (pause)
                         We're it.

                                     LUKE
                              (quietly)
                         We don't have to go out there. There's 
                         a better way.

               They look at him, surprised.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DAY

               The familiar, plucky little figure of ARES-8 wheels across 
               ocher sand, with the radar gun jury-rigged onto its back. 
               Ares' video snout WHIRRS out, extending. The familiar bass 
               rumble of the Face is very loud from here.

                                     LUKE
                         Checking video feed...

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. LATE DAY

               McConnell, Terri, and Phil have gathered around Luke as he 
               pushes buttons, and a monitor CRACKLES to life. White streaks, 
               then a blurry image, which he tries to enhance. Finally the 
               image starts to sharpen.

                                     LUKE
                         There!

               ON THE MONITOR

               They see the familiar stark white profile of the FACE, shot 
               from ground level, in a SLOWLY APPROACHING ANGLE...

               THE FOUR ASTRONAUTS

               Stare at the ominous sight. They're all more nervous than 
               they want to show. Luke's fingers delicately work a joystick 
               as he maneuvers the remote surveyor.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         How close do we need to get?

                                     LUKE
                         I'm not sure. Maybe we better stop 
                         by that boulder.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. LATE DAY

               Ares-8 whines to a stop by a large boulder, which partially 
               shields it from the Face, looming beyond. The radar gun 
               swivels, locating its target. Then stops, ready to fire.

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. LATE DAY

               Luke looks at Terri, Phil, and McConnell. Phil shuts the lid 
               of the box holding the new nav boards, snaps it protectively 
               down. He nods. Terri takes a deep breath, then she nods.

               Luke's hand hovers over the red firing button; a moment of 
               awesome uncertainty and danger. He looks at McConnell, who 
               finally gives a nod of command. Then Luke hits the button.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. LATE DAY

               From the radar gun on Ares-8's back, a sharp, high-pitched 
               electronic burst is emitted, pulsating like a tuning fork as 
               it's fired towards the Face. After a few seconds it stops.

               For a moment nothing happens.

               Then the deep bass rumbling stops as well. The only remaining 
               sound is of WIND, stirring up dust on the Martian plains.

               ANGLE ON THE FACE

               As suddenly a huge, curved segment of the white surface begins 
               to rise from the earth, like a gigantic hangar door, sliding 
               out of sight into an upper sheath of some kind. The movement 
               is measured, stately, utterly silent. As the segment rises, 
               it reveals a blinding white light: the interior of the Face. 
               No inside details can be seen.

               INT. MARS ONE HAB. DAY

               McConnell, Luke, Terri and Phil stare at this phenomenon, 
               awed. They're barely breathing.

                                     PHIL
                         Oh my God...

                                     LUKE
                         It worked... It worked!

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Check for radiation.

               Luke punches buttons, waits anxiously for a readout.

                                     LUKE
                         Normal. Seismic... normal. Anemometer 
                         steady. No sign of the vortex.

                                     PHIL
                         I don't know what we did, but guys -- 
                         does that look to you like a hostile 
                         gesture?

                                     TERRI
                         No. More like an invitation.

                                     LUKE
                         Or another test...

               McConnell is staring at the mysterious opening. On his face, 
               a growing look of determination.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Luke, the four-man rover. Does it 
                         still work?

               The others look at him, their expressions changing as they 
               realize what he's implying.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. MARS ONE BASE CAMP. LATE DAY

               McConnell, once again helmeted, emerges from the Hab airlock. 
               Luke, Terri and Phil are coming out behind him. The wind has 
               picked up, and fine dust is blowing. They stop, staring off 
               in astonishment towards

               A FRIGHTENING SIGHT

               The entire sky has darkened from its customary salmon into 
               purplish-black at the horizon, with bloody streaks above. 
               The DUST STORM has turned their way; it's now sixty kilometers 
               away and closing. The main body of it reaches two thousand 
               meters above the surface and stretches out along a thousand-
               kilometer front.

               THE ASTRONAUTS

               Stare at this unholy juggernaut, alarmed. McConnell turns to 
               Luke, whose expression is grim.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         How long before it hits?

                                     LUKE
                         An hour? Maybe less.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         How bad?

                                     LUKE
                         A storm like that? It could go 
                         planetary. And last a year.

               McConnell stares at him.

                                     LUKE
                         It'll sock us in, Jim. We won't be 
                         able to take off. If that happens, 
                         with what few supplies we've got 
                         left...? We'll starve to death.

               McConnell turns, staring off towards the killer storm. The 
               others look at him with questioning gazes. He turns again. 
               There's the four-man rover, ready to go. Waiting.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Phil, how much longer to prep the 
                         ERV?

                                     PHIL
                         Maybe forty-five minutes. It'll be 
                         tight, but we can make it.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Then there's still time for us to 
                         get out there and back.

               He looks a question at Luke and Terri, one after the other. 
               Their eyes, tense but excited, signal agreement.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Stay here. Continue the repair. If 
                         something goes wrong, you get out of 
                         here before that storm hits.

                                     PHIL
                         Go back... alone?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         If we're not back in forty-five 
                         minutes, I want you to prep and 
                         launch.
                              (looks at his armpad 
                              display)
                         That's 1950 hours.

                                     PHIL
                         Jim --

                                     MCCONNELL
                         It's not a suggestion, it's an order. 
                         You understand?

                                     PHIL
                              (reluctantly)
                         I understand. But --

                                     MCCONNELL
                         You understand what?

                                     PHIL
                         If you're not back by 1950, I prep 
                         and launch.

               McConnell nods, satisfied. Looks at Terri and Luke.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Let's go.

               They start towards the four-man rover. Dust is swirling more 
               thickly through the air, and the WIND IS LOUDER NOW. Phil 
               stands watching them go, a lone, rather forlorn figure.

               EXT. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. DUSK

               In a WIDE SHOT, we see the rover approaching the Face, across 
               the plains. The sky beyond the Face is almost black, as the 
               storm approaches from that direction. It's marching 
               relentlessly across the planet, with flashes of lightning 
               now rippling up and down its face, and even small tornadoes 
               spinning off near its purple-black base...

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. DUSK

               Phil has panels off. He's reaching into the guts of the main 
               computer, working feverishly. His repair kit is beside him.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. DUSK

               In a HIGH SHOT, we look down across the side of the Face and 
               its vast, open doorway, out of which the bright white light 
               is streaming. Into this corridor of light, we see the rover 
               arrive, slewing to a stop, throwing sand from its wheels.

               GROUND LEVEL SHOT

               Looking at the cavernous vertical gap in the side of the 
               Face. The opening towers to a dizzying height above us; the 
               white light strains our eyes. The three astronauts ENTER 
               FRAME as we see them, from behind, staring up.

               ON THE ASTRONAUTS' AWED FACES

               As they are stunned by the immensity of the scene, the cosmic 
               mystery before them. Luke and Terri look at McConnell. Another 
               moment of critical decision. He keys his mike.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Phil, do you read me?

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. DUSK

               Phil keys his own mike.

                                     PHIL
                         Yeah, Jim. Your signal's breaking up 
                         a little in the storm, but I read 
                         you.

               EXT. THE FACE. DUSK

               McConnell stares into the bright opening. Bathed in its light.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         We're at the Face. We're gonna need 
                         a few minutes here. Same deadline, 
                         launch at 1950. With or without us. 
                         Do you copy?

                                     PHIL
                              (pause)
                         Copy that.

               Terri and Luke exchange a tense glance.

                                     TERRI
                         Jim, are you sure you want to do 
                         this?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I'm not sure of anything anymore. 
                         But I didn't come a hundred million 
                         miles just to turn back in the last 
                         ten feet.

               Luke smiles. The three of them stare into the portal. 
               McConnell, between the others, reaches out and grips each of 
               them by a gloved hand. They take a sort of collective breath. 
               Then they walk forward together, into the light.

               INT. THE FACE. DUSK

               The astronauts continue forward, each of them extending a 
               free hand.

               The light is too dazzling for them to gauge distances, 
               textures, colors -- anything at all. They can't see walls, 
               ceiling, even a floor.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Surface seems firm and level.

                                     LUKE
                         Roger that. Texture is smooth.

                                     TERRI
                         I've got good footing and no 
                         obstructions. Let's check our --

               Behind them, there is an abrupt WHOOOSH, like a giant airlock 
               sealing shut. They turn, startled and nervous. Letting go of 
               each other's hands, Luke and Terri run back the way they 
               came, but almost immediately are stopped by a wall of some 
               sort. The vast hangar-type door has closed behind them.

                                     TERRI
                         It's solid again! We're trapped.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Don't move! Keep this orientation.

               The three scared, helmeted faces seem to float in the 
               brightness, some twenty feet apart.

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (keys his mike)
                         Phil? Phil, can you still hear me?

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. DUSK

               Phil, saying a silent prayer, reaches over and turns on the 
               main computer. It works! He's immensely relieved.

                                     PHIL
                         Computers are online! Ready to load 
                         software. But guys -- we're losing 
                         visibility here.

               He glances out the cockpit window at the blowing dust. Then 
               realizes that he's hearing only silence over his radio.

                                     PHIL
                         Guys...? Jim? Luke? Terri? Is anyone 
                         there...?

               No answer. Phil stares at his radio in dread.

                                     PHIL
                         Don't leave me.

               INT. FACE. DUSK

               McConnell is staring at his spacesuit's sleeve. He can see 
               that the suit material is starting to deflate, revealing the 
               shape of his arm, just as it did in Luke's greenhouse. He 
               hesitates, then begins to unscrew the sealing ring on his 
               right glove.

               Terri and Luke see this.

                                     TERRI
                              (alarmed)
                         Jim, what're you doing? You'll 
                         depressurize!

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I don't think so.

               McConnell makes the final twist on his glove and there's the 
               hiss of rushing air.

                                     LUKE
                         Jim, seal it!

                                     MCCONNELL
                         No. That was air going into my suit, 
                         not out. Look at your own suits -- 
                         they're not rigid anymore. We've got 
                         pressure in here.

               Luke looks at his sleeve. McConnell's right.

                                     TERRI
                         Above Mars atmospheric? That's 
                         impossible.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         We're millions of miles from Earth 
                         and we're inside a gigantic white 
                         face. What's impossible?

               Terri types on her arm keypad. She's amazed.

                                     TERRI
                         There's six psi in here...
                              (taps more keys)
                         Nitrogen and oxygen.

                                     LUKE
                         Otherwise known as air?

               Terri nods. McConnell starts unscrewing his helmet ring. 
               Luke follows suit.

                                     TERRI
                         Hey, there may be some lethal trace 
                         gasses I haven't picked up yet, or... 
                         or... oh, the hell with it.

               Terri starts taking off her helmet. In a few moments, all 
               three helmets are off. They hold them, glowing softly, against 
               their chests, as they breathe deeply and gratefully. Air. 
               And then, at this very moment, as if they have just passed 
               another kind of test...

               HIGH, STRIATED WALL

               Appears through the glare, soaring up before their startled 
               eyes. White, metallic, composed of complexly-linked bands, 
               plates, ramps. It's part of a STRUCTURE whose overall height 
               and breadth keep us from understanding its purpose. But the 
               hatch opening slowly in its side, at the top of an approach 
               ramp, is unmistakable. Radiant white light streams out from 
               within, forming a glowing tunnel, down towards the astronauts.

               THE ASTRONAUTS BLINK

               Raising their gloves against the dazzling glow. At the end 
               of this tunnel of light, inside the hatch frame

               A SHAPE MATERIALIZES

               And slowly resolves itself into a glowing humanoid form, 
               which we somehow sense is female. She appears benign, 
               wondrous. This glowing MARTIAN -- a holograph -- regards the 
               astronauts for a few moments, then beckons to them, as if to 
               say "Enter." All her motions are both calm and calming -- 
               precise, unhurried, gracious.

               MCCONNELL, LUKE AND TERRI

               Look at each other. They're awed into silence, and still 
               tense, but now more out of excitement and anticipation than 
               fear. Their eyes agree: Let's go.

               They walk forward slowly, carrying their helmets, up the 
               ramp and into the tunnel of light, following the Martian, 
               who retreats before them. They go through the hatch and 
               disappear inside.

               INT. MARTIAN STRUCTURE. DUSK

               Following the Martian, they find themselves in a round, open 
               space, defined by light, with a smooth matte-metallic floor, 
               but without apparent walls.

               The Martian stops, turns, facing them. The astronauts stop, 
               too, uncertain what they're meant to do. Then the Martian 
               gestures again.

               A cylindrical holographic column appears, rising from the 
               floor in front of the astronauts. Inside it, a swirl of eerie 
               lights, millions of them, like cosmic fireflies...

               MCCONNELL, LUKE, AND TERRI

               Set down their helmets, then cautiously converge around this 
               column, forming a loose triangle. As they stare into it, the 
               myriad lights are reflected off their own eyes and their 
               spacesuits.

               IN THE HOLOGRAPHIC COLUMN

               The whirling lights resolve into images, which relate to 
               them the story of ancient Mars:

               A BLUE PLANET

               we do not recognize. All is peaceful, beautiful.

               INTERCUT

                                     MCCONNELL
                              (softly)
                         Is that what I think it is?

                                     LUKE
                         Yeah. It's Mars.

               SUDDENLY A HUGE ASTEROID

               Tumbles through space towards the planet...

                                     TERRI
                         Oh my God.

               ON THE PLANET - CLOSER VIEW

               As thousands of small rocketships lift away from the surface, 
               heading in a stream out of the solar system...

               THE ASTEROID IMPACTS

               And a wall of fire and debris scours the planet. Oceans boil 
               and vaporize. Two gigantic hunks are blasted out of the 
               planet, spinning in flames...

               MCCONNELL, LUKE, AND TERRI

               Involuntarily flinch, bathed in the fiery images...

               THE PLANET IS NOW DEAD

               As dust storms roil across its cold, lifeless surface. The 
               flaming hunks of molten rock cool into twin moons.

               THE ASTRONAUTS

               Stare at this devastation, deeply moved.

               IN DEEP SPACE

               The stream of Martian ships grows smaller and smaller as it 
               continues on its epic voyage towards a new solar system. 
               Then we zero in on

               ONE PARTICULAR ROCKETSHIP

               As it peels off and goes in another direction. Graphics show 
               a model of what the ship contains: the familiar double helix 
               of DNA. The ship heads towards another blue planet in our 
               solar system...

               EARTH

               As it was then. More clouds than now, more ocean, and the 
               landforms all wedged together.

               TERRI

               Her voice is soft.

                                     TERRI
                         Earth, when it was still Pangaea. 
                         Before the continents separated.

               THE LONE MARTIAN SHIP

               Makes a fiery streak through Earth's atmosphere and plunges 
               into the ocean.

               Instantly the image of the DNA double helix grows, filling 
               the entire holographic column, then it begins to spin and 
               pulse, disintegrating into a phantasmagoric whirl of new 
               images...

               MCCONNELL, LUKE, AND TERRI

               Cry out, stunned by the strobelike power of the display as

               LIVING FORMS

               Flash into the holographic column, swimming, growing, 
               crawling, leaping, flying: one-celled microscopic organisms, 
               plankton, plants of all kinds, insects, then fish, dinosaurs, 
               birds, small mammals, larger mammals -- the entire stunning 
               panorama of evolution, distilled into a single explosive 
               sequence, as the images wash over the dazzled, awestruck

               FACES OF THE ASTRONAUTS

               Until finally the images whirl away, the holographic column 
               dissolves, leaving only a circle of glowing, concentric, 
               colored rings on the floor. The astronauts are left staring 
               at each other across the open space where the column had 
               been.

               THE MARTIAN

               Now comes forward with outstretched arms and completes their 
               circle, taking the fourth position. McConnell is opposite 
               her glowing form, and Terri and Luke are at either side. The 
               Martian reaches her arms out, inviting them to link hands. 
               As they do so, the Martian seems to be staring directly into 
               McConnell's eyes.

               MCCONNELL

               Is in wondrous awe, his whole face radiant with joy. It's 
               the first time we've ever seen him utterly without sadness 
               or reserve. Staring at the Martian, he understands.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         They're us. We're them...

                                     LUKE
                         We're Martians...?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         That's what she means.

                                     TERRI
                         Oh my God. The Cambrian explosion.

               McConnell and Luke look at her.

                                     TERRI
                         Almost six hundred million years 
                         ago, there was a sudden expansion of 
                         life on Earth. The first multi-celled 
                         plants and animals appeared. No one 
                         has ever understood why...

                                     LUKE
                         They seeded Earth.

               We hear a BELL-LIKE TONE, a single lingering high note, and 
               simultaneously the outermost ring of the circle on the floor 
               begins to glow brightly. It is an intense chromium yellow.

               THE ASTRONAUTS

               Step back, startled, unlinking their hands, and look at the 
               circle of colored rings. These shade from yellow, on the 
               outer rim, to a deeper yellow, then orange, then finally 
               reds. Inside the final, deep red ring is a circle of indigo 
               blue, about a meter across. Small points of light glitter 
               here, like stars against a midnight sky.

               THE MARTIAN

               Steps closer to McConnell. She has picked him out in 
               particular. Now she beckons for him to move inside the circle 
               of colored rings, to stand on the indigo core.

               MCCONNELL

               Looks back at her, nods his understanding. For the first 
               time she seems to smile. Benevolence, reassurance. Then as 
               abruptly as she first appeared, she fades away. Vanishes.

               Luke and Terri look at McConnell, confused. There is a sudden, 
               static-filled CRACKLE from their helmets, nearby on the floor.

                                     PHIL
                              (over radio)
                         ...in, please. Can you... me?

               Terri picks up her helmet, leans into its mike.

                                     TERRI
                         Phil, we're here! We read you.

               Even through the scratchy interference, they can hear the 
               relief in Phil's voice. And then the desperation.

                                     PHIL
                         Thank God! Listen, this storm is 
                         really --
                              (loud static)
                         -- few more minutes, I can't --
                              (more static)
                         You've gotta get back to the ship!

               And then they hear only STATIC. His signal is lost.

                                     TERRI
                         Phil? Phil...?

               Suddenly the BELL-LIKE TONE REPEATS, at a lower register, 
               with a more sustained note, and simultaneously, the last of 
               the yellow circles of light begins to fade, as

               THE FIRST ORANGE BAND

               Begins to glow brighter. McConnell turns, looking at this 
               new color, then looks back at Luke and Terri.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         We are in a ship. This is a ship. 
                         And the countdown has already started.

               Terri looks at Luke, alarmed.

                                     LUKE
                         He's right.

                                     TERRI
                         Then let's get the hell out of here!

               She scoops up Luke's helmet, tosses it to him. As he catches 
               it, she's already starting back out, in the direction they 
               came from, and Luke follows her. Until they both become aware 
               that McConnell isn't with them. They turn back. He's still 
               rooted to the spot, his gaze locked on the indigo core of 
               the colored rings.

                                     LUKE
                         Jim...

               McConnell doesn't turn.

                                     LUKE
                         Jim, we gotta go.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I'm not coming with you.

                                     TERRI
                              (stunned)
                         What?

               Coming back, she sees how calm he is. How certain.

                                     TERRI
                         What are you talking about? We've 
                         got to get home.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         That's where I'm going. Don't you 
                         see? That's what all this is for.
                              (McConnell gestures 
                              at the ship around 
                              them)
                         You were right Terri. This is an 
                         invitation. To follow them. To follow 
                         them home.

               He looks into their faces. Terri is trying to grasp this 
               idea, still incredulous. Luke has the beginning of a half 
               smile.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I have to go. This is the mission 
                         now. To find out who we are. Isn't 
                         that why we came here? Like Maggie 
                         said, "To stand on a new world and 
                         look beyond it to the next one."

               Luke nods at the memory of Maggie's words. Terri remembers 
               too. McConnell's passionate conviction is affecting them 
               both.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         You know, when you think about it -- 
                         I wasn't even supposed to be here -- 
                         all the accidents, everything that 
                         got us to this point, it's just... 
                         it's just... I just know it's right.

               Terri looks at Luke. Luke is smiling. He understands.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         I'm okay. I know what I'm doing. But 
                         you're running out of time. You've 
                         gotta get back to the ERV and get 
                         off this planet. Now please go.

               Luke steps closer, looking at his old friend.

                                     LUKE
                         I once felt like I was taking your 
                         turn. But now I think maybe you're 
                         taking mine. Guess I'm a little 
                         jealous.

               They clasp hands for a moment. But in this moment is a 
               lifetime of camaraderie, an eternity of farewell.

                                     LUKE
                         Thanks for saving my life.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         My pleasure.

               Luke nods, deeply moved. He turns away, picking up his helmet, 
               as Terri comes closer, looking at McConnell, a long unspoken 
               beat. Her eyes are glistening.

                                     TERRI
                         I wish Woody were here to see this. 
                         He would've wanted to go too, Jim.

               Terri smiles. She is starting on the road to recovery. She's 
               going to be okay.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         He's here, Terri. We wouldn't have 
                         made it without him.

               Terri nods. She digs into one of her suit's pockets, pulls 
               something out. She hands it to McConnell, and his fist closes 
               around it.

                                     TERRI
                         Take care, Jim.

               McConnell smiles. Terri smiles back at him. Then she turns, 
               picks up her helmet, and crosses to where Luke has paused, 
               looking back.

                                     LUKE
                         Hey, Jim...?

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Yeah?

                                     LUKE
                         Have a great ride.

                                     MCCONNELL
                         Always do.

               Luke and Terri exchange a final silent farewell with him, 
               then hurry away, into the darkness.

               MCCONNELL

               Looks down at what Terri gave him.

               IT'S WOODY'S NECK CHAIN

               With the little Flash Gordon rocketship.

               MCCONNELL

               Grips this tightly as he looks up.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. MARS. THE FACE. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. NIGHT

               The hanger-like hatch has reopened, and Luke and Terri, 
               helmeted again, emerge from the Face. The leading edge of 
               the dust storm is upon them. They can't see much more than a 
               few meters.

               As they reach the rover, they hear, even in this chaos, that 
               the deep pulsing tone of the Face has started again. They 
               look at each other, uncertain what this means. But McConnell 
               is now beyond their help. Luke keys his mike.

                                     LUKE
                         Phil? Phil, do you read?
                              (to Terri)
                         He's not reading.

                                     TERRI
                         I can barely read you. Let's get the 
                         hell out of here!

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. NIGHT

                                     PHIL
                         Is anyone there? Can anyone read me?

               Phil gets no response. He is shaking, almost crying. He 
               hesitates, then starts hitting some keys.

               CLOSE ON HIS COMPUTER DISPLAY

               Which reads: "PRE-LAUNCH CHECKLIST."

               INT. MARTIAN SPACESHIP. NIGHT

               McConnell has shed his backpack, with its unneeded oxygen 
               tank. He steps cautiously onto the colored rings. Nothing 
               seems to happen. Moving further, he takes his place on the 
               indigo circle at their core. He looks at

               THE GLOWING TAKE-OFF COUNTDOWN INDICATOR

               As it dips from orange into red; the BELL TONES are continuous 
               now, very deep and rapid.

               EXT. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. NIGHT

               The rover, with Luke and Terri inside, races away towards 
               the safety of the ERV, as the maelstrom boils over the Face 
               behind them. The sky is purplish black, thick with flying 
               debris and eerie lightning flashes. Towering billows of dust 
               chase them over the plain, nearly enveloping them as they 
               speed towards us, passing OUT OF FRAME.

               INT. MARTIAN SPACESHIP. NIGHT

               McConnell reacts, surprised, as suddenly

               A TRANSPARENT, GLASS-LIKE CYLINDER

               Begins to rise around him, swiftly and smoothly, coming up 
               from the circumference of the indigo circle.

               Then a second, identical cylinder -- the top half -- drops 
               down from somewhere overhead. The two sections meet and fuse 
               in a flash of light, containing McConnell inside them, as 
               neatly as if he were in a giant, transparent mailing tube.

               MCCONNELL

               Fights against a stab of claustrophobia. Is he being 
               imprisoned? Or somehow protected? Either way, he's virtually 
               immobilized. In this tight space in his bulky suit, he can't 
               even move his arms. Only his head and neck can still shift.

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. NIGHT

               Phil is going over his final pre-launch checklist, flipping 
               switches and pressing buttons. He looks at his

               DIGITAL CLOCK

               Which reads "1350."

               PHIL IS STRICKEN, TORMENTED

               His finger hovers over a "Fire" button. He licks his lips 
               nervously, squeezes his eyes shut, and hits the button.

               CLOSE ON COMPUTER DISPLAY

               And the words: "IGNITION SEQUENCE INITIATED"

               INT. MARTIAN SPACESHIP. NIGHT

               McConnell is straining inside the cylinder that surrounds 
               him, when something catches his attention. He arches his 
               neck, looking down.

               A COBALT-BLUE TRANSPARENT LIQUID

               Is beginning to fill the cylinder! It swirls in, from some 
               unknown source, rising rapidly; already his lower boots are 
               covered.

               MCCONNELL'S EYES

               Widen in alarm. He strains against the sides of the cylinder 
               but

               HIS GLOVED HANDS

               Slide helplessly across the smooth surface.

               MCCONNELL

               Looks down again.

               THE COBALT LIQUID

               Is up to his knees. Now his thighs...

               MCCONNELL

               Cranes his neck, staring up. Can he wedge himself higher, 
               can he somehow climb to safety?

               ABOVE HIM

               The entire "ceiling" of the Face is becoming translucent. He 
               can see the dust storm, boiling overhead. And now, rising 
               into this, are fiery coils of energy from the Face itself. 
               These swirl and twist in every direction, like angry water 
               snakes; battered by the fierce winds. Two vast forces on a 
               collision course.

               INT. ROVER. NIGHT

               Luke drives the rover through the blinding storm, as Terri 
               stares at a dashboard computer screen. They have to shout to 
               be heard over the ROARING WIND.

                                     TERRI
                         I've lost the Base Camp beacon!

               Luke looks over alarmed.

               CLOSE ON A DIAL

               As the needle spins freely, giving no direction whatsoever.

                                     TERRI
                         No good! We're driving blind.

                                     LUKE
                         I'll try to keep on a straight line! 
                         It's our only chance.

                                     TERRI
                         Don't worry! I've worked with Phil 
                         for four years! I know Jim gave him 
                         a direct order, but he won't leave 
                         without us.

               EXT. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. NIGHT

               The Rover races towards us, the front of the storm chasing 
               it from behind, then completely overtaking the Rover. It 
               disappears from view!

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. NIGHT

               Phil sits in the pilot's seat. He is looking at a computer 
               graphic that shows the engines readying to launch. With 
               resignation, he keys his mike.

                                     PHIL
                         This is ERV, do you read? ERV to 
                         Rover, do you read...?

               Phil waits a second, then reaches slowly for a blinking red 
               switch that reads "LAUNCH." He hesitates, then actually has 
               his fingers on it, about to flip it, when he hears a crackle 
               of static on the radio. Phil keys his mike.

                                     PHIL
                         This is ERV, do you read?

                                     LUKE
                              (very faint)
                         Save the fuel, Phil. We're coming 
                         in.

               And Phil chokes back a sob. Blinking back the tears, he tries 
               to compose himself, then keys his mike.

                                     PHIL
                         Uh, Phil's not here right now. He 
                         left for Earth five minutes ago. 
                         Please leave your message at the 
                         beep.

               EXT. THE FACE. NIGHT

               FROM GROUND LEVEL we see that the coils of energy are rising 
               from the forehead of the Face, from its "third eye," spinning 
               and looping faster and faster, starting to form a vortex. 
               But unlike the wind vortex that killed the Mars One crew, 
               this is a vortex of fire. As we watch, more fiery streaks 
               begin to emerge from the sides of the Face, from the chin, 
               cheeks and temples. These all rush upwards, like lava flowing 
               uphill, gathering in intensity as they leap free of the Face 
               itself and spiral into the atmosphere. The peak of the forming 
               vortex is already piercing the lowest layer of storm clouds, 
               causing a dark counter-swirl.

               EXT. MARS ONE BASE CAMP. NIGHT

               Phil stands at the bottom of the ERV's ladder, gripping it 
               to steady himself, staring into the swirling dust.

               THE ROVER appears out of the dust and sand, the immense storm 
               seeming to chase it from behind. Luke and Terri climb out, 
               struggle towards him through the wind. Phil grips their hands, 
               helping them over to the ladder. He looks back, confused.

                                     PHIL
                         Where's Jim?

                                     TERRI
                         He got another ride.

               Phil stares at her, bewildered.

                                     LUKE
                         Tell you on the way. Let's go!

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. MARTIAN SHIP. NIGHT

               LOOKING DOWN INTO THE CYLINDER, we see that the cobalt-blue 
               fluid has risen to McConnell's upper chest. Now it's at his 
               shoulders! It pours into his suit through his neck ring.

               He strains on tiptoes, craning his head back, trying to keep 
               his unhelmeted face above the rising liquid.

               He sucks in deep desperate gulps of air, his head thrashing 
               from side to side. Then suddenly the fluid is over his mouth, 
               his nose, his forehead. His whole body is submerged!

               The level of fluid continues to rise towards the unseen top 
               of the cylinder.

               MCCONNELL

               Squeezes his eyes shut, holding his breath. Not so much 
               fighting this anymore as simply floating in place, waiting 
               for his inevitable death...

               EXT. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. NIGHT

               WIDEVIEW FROM ABOVE, as the energy vortex bends from side to 
               side, pushing back the swirling storm that surrounds the 
               Face. As the vortex coalesces its energy into a cylindrical 
               shape, we see through its center to a rising form -- the 
               Martian ship. It is a flattened convex circle whose matte-
               metallic angles replicate the "Face" imagery.

               EXT. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. NIGHT. SIDEVIEW FROM INSIDE THE FACE

               As the Face burns away around us, the Martian ship begins to 
               rise and spin.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. NIGHT

               The vortex is now a tight, rapidly spinning cylinder. As it 
               draws more and more power from the disintegrating Face, the 
               Martian ship in its center spins faster and faster.

               INT. MARTIAN SHIP. NIGHT

               MCCONNELL'S FACE

               Is spinning and shaking too, more and more violently, as the 
               huge buildup of G-forces tears at his body. We're reminded 
               of Nick Willis just before the vortex exploded him; is the 
               same thing about to happen to McConnell?

               His eyes remain tightly shut, bubbles are streaming from his 
               lips. His last breath is nearly exhausted, it's being shaken 
               from his lungs.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. MARTIAN SPACESHIP. NIGHT

               As we MOVE IN CLOSER ON HIS FACE, we suddenly see, with him, 
               a SERIES of rapid-fire, almost subliminal IMAGES FROM THE 
               PAST. We recognize each one. Previously, though, we saw them 
               as still photos; now they have movement, life, and we view 
               them from new and slightly different angles. These images 
               INTERCUT with glimpses of McConnell's pale, shaking, near-
               death face in the present...

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               THE YOUNG MCCONNELL

               Under the Christmas tree, lifts his new model rocket from 
               its box. He turns to us, smiling joyfully. A blinding white 
               flash, and he disappears...

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               THE TEENAGED MAGGIE

               Is on her porch, under a night sky, bending down to the 
               eyepiece of a TELESCOPE. She looks up at us with a shy, proud 
               smile. A blinding white flash and she's gone...

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               MAGGIE AND MCCONNELL

               In flight suits, holding their helmets, stand on the wing of 
               a fighter jet. The radiant young couple turn to each other, 
               kissing. A blinding white flash and they vanish...

               MAGGIE MCCONNELL

               In an astronaut's pressure suit, drifts rapidly towards us, 
               reeling in along a tether. A man's gloved hand is 
               outstretched, reaching for her. As she grips the hand, we 
               see her triumphant expression through her faceplate. A 
               blinding flash; she's gone...

               MCCONNELL'S FACE - IN THE PRESENT

               Is shaking savagely; he is very near death. And then, all at 
               once, the SHAKING STOPS.

               Time itself seems to stop.

               McConnell opens his eyes, staring STRAIGHT AT US. And then, 
               fully accepting his fate, he throws his head back, opens his 
               mouth and takes in a deep lungful of the fluid. He can breathe 
               it.

               His eyes widen in surprise and understanding. He can breathe 
               it! This fluid will keep him alive! His whole body relaxes, 
               the tension draining from his head and shoulders, as he fully 
               trusts this launch for the first time. And then, with his 
               eyes wide open, he sees, from memory, one final image...

               BRIDAL VEIL IS LIFTED

               And REVEALS, in CLOSEUP, the beautiful face, the shining 
               eyes of MAGGIE McCONNELL. Beatific, eternal. She gazes 
               directly INTO CAMERA, then smiles...

               MCCONNELL

               Smiles back.

               EXT. PLAINS OF CYDONIA. NIGHT

               WIDE VIEW, FROM ABOVE, as the energy vortex changes from red-
               orange to blue-white. It ROARS with terrifying power as its 
               top starts to bend, angling like a telescope towards a 
               specific point in the stars. Then the Martian ship -- a 
               rounded darker form, little more than a blip within the vast, 
               blue-white column of energy -- shoots away from the surface, 
               leaving only a blacked crater where the Face had been.

               EXT. MARS. HIGH ATMOSPHERE. NIGHT

               ANGLE FROM DEEP SPACE, LOOKING DOWN, as the Martian ship, 
               riding its blue-white column of energy, streaks up into the 
               vast blackness, like a narrowly focused spotlight piercing 
               the night. Down below, we can see the dust storm in all its 
               vastness still boiling orange and brown across the planet's 
               surface, which it now completely covers.

               As the Martian ship flashes by us, it passes another ship, 
               much smaller and slower, rising through the storm clouds on 
               a different trajectory. We recognize the familiar, comfortable 
               sight of the ERV.

               PUSHING IN QUICKLY ON THIS.

               We see three figures in the cockpit.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               INT. ERV COCKPIT. NIGHT

               Luke, Terri and Phil are strapped in, with their acceleration 
               just starting to level off, when suddenly their cockpit 
               interior is starkly bathed in white light. They wince at the 
               unearthly radiance, shielding their faceplates with gloved 
               hands.

                                     TERRI
                         Dear God. Look at that.

               Through their cockpit window, they watch the Martian ship 
               hurtle by them at a hundred times their speed.

                                     PHIL
                         Is that him?

               Luke nods. Their eyes are glistening. Luke's voice is a 
               whisper, both of prayer and farewell.

                                     LUKE
                         Godspeed Jim McConnell.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               OMITTED

               Sequence omitted from original script.

               EXT. SPACE

               Looking through the cockpit window we see the Martian ship 
               receding into the infinite distance of space -- a long blue-
               white scratch that in moments begins to fade. Finally it is 
               a tiny point of light, taking its place amongst the limitless 
               expanse of the star-filled heavens.

                                         THE END



Mission to Mars



Writers :   Lowell Cannon  Jim Thomas  John Thomas  Graham Yost
Genres :   Drama  Sci-Fi  Thriller  Adventure


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