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                             SOLDIER




                            Written by

                        David Webb Peoples




                                                  REVISED DRAFT
                                                  October 2, 1997


     INT.  HOSPITAL NURSERY - NIGHT

     BABIES in bassinets, isolettes, incubators.  BABIES sleeping,
     BABIES blinking, BABIES cooing, BABIES chirping, BABIES
     squalling.

     It's the SQUALLING BABIES, the ones with pinched faces and tiny
     bunched fists, that seem to interest the TWO ANONYMOUS MEN in
     Military Uniforms.  (Their anonymity is assured by the angles
     from which they are seen; they are hands, they are feet, they are
     the backs of heads.)

     A lone NURSE watches them grimly as they make their "selections,"
     marking the cribs of the most active, noisy BABIES with X's.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  VAN/HOSPITAL - NIGHT

     ANGLE ON VAN DOORS slamming shut on a dozen squalling BABIES in
     tiered red cribs.

     ANGLE ON THE VAN pulling away from the loading dock of the large
     hospital as a date is SUPERED over the scene...

                                1992

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CAGE/BASEMENT ROOM - DAY OR NIGHT

     Vicious teeth, savage snarls, tearing flesh as three fierce
     fighting DOGS battle a single WOLVERINE in large steel cage.

     The cage is in the middle of a gloomy windowless room surrounded
     by twenty TWO-YEAR-OLDS seated on folding chairs and dressed in
     identical gray overalls.  As the TWO-YEAR-OLDS watch the battle,
     amazement on their innocent faces, a date appears SUPERED over
     the scene...

                                1994

     WE DISCOVER in the shadows more ANONYMOUS MEN (and WOMEN), some
     of them in Military Uniforms, observing the children.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  A WINDOWLESS CEMENT ROOM - DAY OR NIGHT

     It's creepy:  the same children two years older, milling about a
     bare cement room, apparently unsupervised.  They ought to look
     cute, but somehow these joyless FOUR-YEAR-OLDS look slightly
     sinister, all of them wearing drab uniforms and military burr-cut
     hair.  Again a date is SUPERED over the scene --

                                1996

     -- just as an AGGRESSIVE FOUR-YEAR-OLD approaches a PASSIVE FOUR
     YEAR-OLD seated on the floor and kicks him.

     It's a harmless child's kick.  But then, as the DATE DISAPPEARS,
     he kicks the PASSIVE FOUR-YEAR-OLD again.  And again.

     The servo-motor in a remote video camera mounted high on the wall
     WHINES slightly as the camera pans to the record the action.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  WINDOWLESS "CLASSROOM" - DAY OR NIGHT

     Puzzles.  Fingers fit shapes into holes.  The puzzles aren't fun
     puzzles; they're obviously tests of intelligence or dexterity or
     both.  SIX-YEAR-OLDS now, the boys perform in a grim room under
     fluorescent lights as more ANONYMOUS MEN and WOMEN in polished
     shoes and sharply creased military slacks cruise the aisles,
     observing.

     As a date appears SUPERED over this scene...

                                1998

     WE NOTICE one of the SIX-YEAR-OLDS is becoming familiar to us.
     TODD.  We NOTICE his intense eyes as he dexterously manipulates
     a puzzle.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  FIELD - DAY

     Behind a cyclone fence topped with curlicues of razor wire, the
     boys, now TEN-YEAR-OLDS, are marching in formation under the
     supervision of a (faceless) DRILL SERGEANT.  Again a date is
     SUPERED over the scene...

                                2002

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  GYMNASIUM - DAY

     Fourteen-year-old TODD is doing bench presses in shorts while all
     around him his FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLD COMRADES work out with weights
     in a very grim and spartan gym that resembles a sinister
     concentration camp more than the yuppie spas of the 20th Century.
     The date appears SUPERED over the scene...

                                2006

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  OBSTACLE COURSE/MONTAGE - DAY

     The FOURTEEN-YEAR-OLDS, TODD among them, jump, roll, dive, crawl,
     swim, and rappel through a brutal course featuring:

     vertical wooden walls,

     fast moving rapids,

     tangles of barbed wire,

     steep rock faces,

     and finally a jungle of dangling chains with tiny circular
     "platforms" about eight inches in diameter every ten feet.
     FOURTEEN YEAR OLDS bloody each other with pugil sticks and padded
     cudgels while they swing twenty feet above the ground.  One of
     them is knocked off, plummets downward.  CRUNCH!

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  SNOW COVERED LANDSCAPE - DAY

     Long even strides, two inches of snow.  Breathing hard, the
     SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLDS now lope through hills and woods in shorts and 
     T-shirts, their breath coming in steamy blasts as the date is
     SUPERED over the scene...

                                2008

     This a brutal cross country run under a grim sky in bitter cold
     weather, but the SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLDS are super-fit, their faces
     hard and without expression, their eyes as cold as snake eyes.

     Except for the STRAGGLER, a lone boy who's bringing up the rear, 
     obviously in trouble, gasping for air, struggling, struggling, 
     struggling to keep his feet...

     ANGLE ON A HILL where ANONYMOUS OBSERVERS, all in military dress, 
     watch.

     ANGLE ON THE STRAGGLER, unable to keep his feet, going down,
     gasping.  With fearful eyes, he looks toward the hill where he
     knows the OBSERVERS are.

     ANGLE ON THE PACK, sixteen SIXTEEN-YEAR-OLDS not looking back,
     even as a single SHOT rings out.  TODD doesn't even blink, just
     keeps running.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  SHOOTING RANGE - DAY

     Suddenly, out of nowhere, a scary mechanized pop-up target, a
     MILITARY FIGURE, erupts from the long grass, weapon pointing.
     Before the weapon can flash a laser bean, AUTOMATIC FIRE ravages
     the target and it disappears back into the grass.  The boys,
     EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLDS now, are wearing combat gear and carrying
     automatic weapons as they advance through a sloping field of tall
     grass.

     Different sophisticated TARGETS pop up urgently, sometimes close, 
     sometimes far, some MOVING rapidly on tracks.

     The EIGHTEEN-YEAR-OLDS expertly mow down menacing MILITARY
     FIGURES while holding their fire when ANIMAL TARGETS or UNARMED
     CIVILIANS and CHILDREN appear.

     The eighteen-year-old on point is RILEY, a muscular redhead.
     TODD is right behind him as a date is SUPERED over the scene...

                                 2010

     Suddenly multiple TARGETS appear, charging.

     BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA!  First TARGET down!

     RILEY, panning for the next target, holds fire, passes over two 
     MOTHERS HOLDING CHILDREN, pans for a nearby SOLDIER TARGET.  But
     the SOLDIER TARGET zips behind the MOTHERS HOLDING CHILDREN,
     taking cover, weapon pointed at RILEY.

     For half a second RILEY hesitates!

     BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA!  TODD blazes away, mercilessly blowing away
     the MOTHERS HOLDING CHILDREN TARGET and the SOLDIER TARGET.

                          THE MAIN TITLE APPEARS

     as the ROAR OF GUNS gives way to MUSIC...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  PROCESSING ROOM - DAY

     Skillful hands operate a tattoo pen, stenciling an insignia and
     a number on the left side of RILEY'S face over the cheekbone.
     His cheek says RILEY, L.B., his face reveals nothing as...

                          OPENING CREDITS BEGIN

     The next face is TODD.  The skillful hands with the tattoo pen go
     to work on his face, marking, stenciling the skin as...

                       OPENING CREDITS CONTINUE

     Then the tattoo artist's bands finish with TODD and move on to
     the next MAN, leaving TODD staring straight ahead, his cheek
     tattooed, his face like carved stone, his eyes as unfathomable as
     the eyes of a statue as THE OPENING CREDITS CONCLUDE.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  JUNGLE - DAY

     Machinegun fire, SOLDIERS in cammies moving through lush tropical 
     growth.

     A mortar explodes, a SOLDIER is engulfed in shrapnel.  As the
     smoke clears, the SOLDIER screams mindlessly like a siren.  This
     is real war, not training.

     A title and date appear on the screen, saying...

                       2011, THE BOLIVIAN WAR

     As the title fades, we glimpse TODD advancing at a crouch through
     smoke and enemy fire, blazing away at the unseen enemy.  Sweaty
     and smudged, his uniform torn and stained with blood, TODD
     reveals nothing on his stone face.  But he's clearly
     unintimidated by the death of his screaming comrade as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  PINE WOODS - DAY

     Automatic weapons CHATTER as TODD struggles through thick snowy
     woods, half-carrying a bloody comrade barely recognizable as
     RILEY.  Bullets spatter bark and leaves as TODD and RILEY take
     cover behind a fallen log.  A date and title appear, SUPERED over
     the action...

                    2012, THE MONTANA "INCIDENT"

     RILEY is nearly unconscious.  TODD glances at his own wound, a
     savage opening in his side.  He considers the torn flesh as 
     dispassionately as a man checking a flea bite.

     Bullets whiz around the wounded man as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  DESERT, VILLAGE - DAY

     Sunbaked landscape, a burning village, ENEMY CORPSES sprawled
     here and there, burned or horribly mutilated by artillery fire. 
     SUPERED over the corpses, a date and title...

                    2014-2016, THE SAUDI CAMPAIGN

     WE DISCOVER TODD, RILEY, and several OTHER SOLDIERS, exhausted,
     parched, in torn and bloodied uniforms, sharing a single canteen
     under the blazing sun.  War is hard work!

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  LAUNCH PAD - DAY

     A fury of flames, the THUNDER of ignition as huge rocket engines
     lift a space vehicle off the launching pad and propel it skyward.

     EXT.  OUTER SPACE

     Profound SILENCE!  The space vehicle that the rocket propelled is
     a weathered looking military spaceship gliding through the
     blackness of outer space like a huge shark.  A date and title
     appear SUPERED over the scene...

                          2017, TANNHAUSER GATE

     As the title fades away in the eerie silence, we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  ANOTHER PLANET - NIGHT

     A huge moon looms in the blackness above a barely visible
     landscape...

                    2020, THE ARGENTINE SECTOR

     SIX SOLDIERS stagger through the rough terrain in pressure suits
     and plexi helmets, breathing from tanks.

     Sudden automatic fire staggers the lead SOLDIER.  His helmet is
     pierced, air and blood erupt from the hole in his face plate.

     The SERGEANT, his futuristic "chevrons" on his helmet, signals
     the men to take cover, starts to return fire.  As a flare
     illuminates the battlefield, we RECOGNIZE the sergeant through
     his visor.  It's TODD.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  EXTRATERRESTRIAL CITY - DAY

     Bombed out!  Buildings turned to rubble, smoking ruins, rain.  An
     extra-terrestrial city ravaged by war to such a degree that it
     bears an uncanny resemblance to Dresden/Earth in 1945 after the
     fire-bombing!  The architecture, even in ruins, recalls old
     Europe, and the streets are narrow, as in before (or after)
     automobiles.

     Bursts of AUTOMATIC FIRE, occasional MORTAR BLASTS.  A spooky
     battle between unseen SOLDIERS is taking place in seemingly
     deserted streets and alleyways.  And SUPERED over the gloomy
     scene...

                        THE THIRD DRESDEN MOON
                (1.16 Earth atmos, acceptable oxygen)

     CRACK!  CRACK!  CRACK!  Shots!

     Suddenly a terrified MOTHER dashes along the street, a screaming
     BABY in her arms, looking for shelter.

     A CIVILIAN MAN pops out of a doorway, pulls her to safety.

     REVEAL TODD, watching from the shell of a once proud building.

     TODD'S POV of four ENEMY SOLDIERS running at a crouch among the
     rubble.

     ANGLE ON TODD watching them scurry into a cellar door.  TODD
     turns and gives a hand signal.

     ANGLE ON RILEY twenty yards away, hidden behind exposed
     machinery, acknowledging the signal and, along with a THIRD
     SOLDIER, advancing toward the cellar.

     EXT.  CELLAR DOOR

     TODD, RILEY, and the THIRD SOLDIER converge stealthily,
     coordinating with hand signals.

     TODD pulls the pin on a grenade, and RILEY and the THIRD SOLDIER
     kick in the door.

     TODD tosses the grenade in as RILEY fires a withering barrage of
     automatic fire through the cellar door.

     BAHWHOOM!  The grenade EXPLODES.

     Then, RILEY, TODD and the THIRD SOLDIER charge in.

     INT.  CELLAR

     HEAVY FIRE as TODD, RILEY and the THIRD SOLDIER spray the room.

     ANGLE ON TODD signaling cease fire.

     Sudden silence.  Drifting smoke.  Then...GROANS.

     Four ENEMY SOLDIERS are sprawled motionless, horribly
     eviscerated.  A fifth ENEMY SOLDIER, horribly wounded, is
     groaning.

     ANGLE ON TODD surveying the scene, stone faced.

     TODD'S POV of the enemy dead, and several CIVILIANS equally dead,
     as well as the dead BODIES of several CHILDREN.

     BANG!  RILEY shoots the groaning ENEMY SOLDIER.

     Silence again.

     CLOSE ON TODD, his stone face.  What does he see?  What does he
     feel?  Anything?  A mystery!

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  BARRACKS - DAY

     A spartan room, bare bunk-beds.  Rain POUNDS on a window that
     looks out into a stormy sky over the godforsaken ruins of the
     Third Dresden Moon.

     TODD is sitting on a bunk, shirtless.  His new rank has been
     tattooed on his right cheek; there's a scar under one eye and
     another scar that distorts his lip slightly.  The names of
     various battles have been neatly stenciled down his left arm, an
     official record, not a decoration.  TODD is silent, staring into
     space.  The room is full of SOLDIERS in T-shirts, fatigues,
     sleepwear.  WORDS APPEAR SUPERED OVER THE SCENE...

     The WORDS FADE AWAY, the silence continues, the rain BEATS on the
     barracks, no one says a word, they just stare into space or watch
     the rain beat on the windowpane.  They look like robots...used
     robots, made individual only by their different scars.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  BARRACKS - DAY

     Rain.  Low buildings, boarded windows, slogans painted on the war-
     scarred walls, the makeshift barracks in one building, command
     quarters in the next.

     A lone figure, a MAN IN A PONCHO, hurries through the downpour,
     passing the barracks, heading for the command quarters.

     INT.  COMMAND QUARTERS

     Entering, the MAN shakes rain off his poncho.  His name is
     RUBRICK, he's thirty-five, a lieutenant.  He faces the two bored
     OFFICERS lounging in the cluttered office where outdated
     equipment is strung together by mazes of wire and the desktops
     are heaped with printout sheets and styrofoam coffee cups.

     The captain, CHURCH, has his feet on the desk.  He's fifty years
     old, gray and fat and soft.  The other officer, SLOAN, also a
     lieutenant, is a thirty-five year old woman, dark, moderately
     attractive, but not particularly happy.

                                   RUBRICK
                    Colonel Mekum has his "boys"
                    unpacked.  I think he wants to show
                    them off.

                                   CHURCH
                    Hmmmmph.

                                   RUBRICK
                    They look...impressive.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  "STATION" - DAY

     A NEW SOLDIER fills the frame, a perfect-looking man/boy of about
     twenty built like a linebacker, powerful looking with sculpted
     unscarred musculature.  He looks straight ahead, unblinking, and
     so does the one next to him, and the next one.  Twenty of them
     are standing in line in one corner of an enormous space that was
     once a station of some sort.  They don't seem to respond to the
     chill or to the occasional drops of rain from the skylights
     leaking sixty feet above them.

     Wearing dripping ponchos, CHURCH, SLOAN, and RUBRICK are looking
     the robot-like monsters over like so much meat, while a bright-
     eyed blond colonel about thirty, named MEKUM, stands proudly by,
     glowing with satisfaction.

     The vast interior is so large that in spite of clusters of
     stacked crates, part of a dismantled spaceship, a rusty
     earthmover, numerous large pieces of machinery, and a whole
     arrangement of exercise gear, the place has huge open spaces and
     a sense of emptiness to it.

     SLOAN walks close to the line of NEW SOLDIERS and studies one,
     her eyes drifting over their muscular bodies.  She breaks the
     long silence.

                                   SLOAN
                    Well, they're...pretty.

                                   CHURCH
                         (to Mekum)
                    What's so hot about them?

                                   MEKUM
                         (proudly)
                    Very much improved.  In every way.

                                   RUBRICK
                    This is Colonel Mekum from Q.  He's
                    their commanding officer.

                                   CHURCH
                         (dubious)
                    Improved...how?

                                   MEKUM
                    As I said, in every way.  Physically
                    and psychologically.  More
                    endurance, quicker responses, better
                    hand-eye, improved technical
                    training.  Where the First
                    Psychology gave you ninety-eight
                    percent obedience, this bunch gives
                    you 99.4.

                                   CHURCH
                         (dubiously)
                    Mmmmmm.  Weeell, you know my old
                    daddy was in maintenance and he had
                    a saying...

     RUBRICK and SLOAN exchange an eye-rolling private glance that
     means they've heard a lot of Daddy's sayings.

                                   CHURCH
                    ...He used to say, "If it ain't
                    broke, don't fix it."

                                   MEKUM
                         (patronizing)
                    I...see.  I'm not sure I quite get
                    your...point...

                                   CHURCH
                         (indicating the
                          Veterans)
                    Well, the soldiers we've got now,
                    they've been through all kinds of
                    heavy shit...and they've always got
                    the job done.  Now these new ones,
                    these "hot shots" of yours...what
                    kind of action have they seen?  They
                    are battle-tested, aren't they?

                                   MEKUM
                    That's up to you field guys.  H.Q.
                    wants you to break 'em in when you
                    do the annual security sweep in
                    January.

                                   CHURCH
                    The sweep is just routine, not even
                    police action.  I'd like to see some
                    sort of...meaningful evidence...

                                   MEKUM
                    Such as?

                                   CHURCH
                    Maybe we could run some tests.  Kind
                    of a comparison, the old and the
                    new...

     RUBRICK and SLOAN exchange a startled glance, but MEKUM doesn't
     seem fazed as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  "STATION" - DAY - LATER

     A WEAPON FIRING!  BUDDA!  BUDDA!  BUDDA!  The automatic weapon is
     being fired by the veteran soldier RILEY.  He's blazing away at
     an elaborate electronic target a hundred yards away in the huge
     space.

     TODD is watching with the other VETERAN SOLDIERS.  They're seated
     on the floor, wearing drab fatigues, directly across from the
     twenty NEW SOLDIERS.

     As TODD glances at them, the NEW SOLDIERS look back unblinkingly.
     (The VETERANS, in spite of their impassive expressions, look very
     human compared to the NEW SOLDIERS.  Their battle scars mark them
     as individuals in sharp contrast to the perfectly-muscled young
     giants across from them.)

     The firing stops, and RILEY, his weapon empty, leaps to his feet
     and salutes RUBRICK, who's been watching the demonstration with
     the rest of the officers.

                                   RILEY
                    Sir!

                                   RUBRICK
                    Very nice, Riley.  Fall away.

                                   RILEY
                         (another salute)
                    Sir!

     As RILEY joins the VETERANS squatting motionlessly, RUBRICK
     glances at the shredded electronic target, glances at his
     stopwatch, then looks at Mekum.

                                   RUBRICK
                    Thirty seconds, 90 percent hits.

     MEKUM smirks, picks up the weapon, disassembles it rapidly.
                                   MEKUM
                    Let's make it more difficult.

     RUBRICK, CHURCH and SLOAN exchange glances of disbelief as MEKUM
     scatters the disassembled parts onto the concrete floor with a
     loud clatter.

     TODD watches, unblinking, as MEKUM looks to the NEW SOLDIERS.

                                   MEKUM
                    Caine Six-Oh-Seven!

     A blond Nordic giant is suddenly on his feet among the NEW
     SOLDIERS.  There is real dignity in his salute; he's like a pro.

                                   CAINE 607
                    Sir!

                                   MEKUM
                    Assemble the weapon, load, fire on
                    the target from various evasive
                    positions in a thirty-second period.

     OFFICERS look at each other again in disbelief.
                                   MEKUM
                    Starting...now!

     MEKUM punches his watch as CAINE 607 gracefully begins to pick up 
     pieces of weapon, doing it rapidly, yet without apparent haste.

     TODD is watching, revealing nothing.

     CLACK!  KA SHACK!  CLICK!  CAINE 607 slaps the weapon together, 
     loading a magazine with a final KA SHUCK, then he dives to the
     floor, firing a rapid burst at the electronic target which blinks 
     wildly...

     OFFICERS watch, impressed.

     CAINE 607 is firing from another position.

     The target goes crazy.

     CAINE 607 is rolling and firing at the same time.

     The target goes wild.

     MEKUM's watch clicks off 27 seconds...28...29...

     The firing stops.

     TODD stares impassively as CAINE 607 salutes.  Beside him, RILEY 
     watches also.

                                   MEKUM
                         (to Caine 607)
                    As you were, soldier.

     RUBRICK is looking at the electronic target, grudgingly
     impressed.

                                   RUBRICK
                    Ninety-nine percent...

                                   MEKUM
                         (smug)
                    While taking evasive action...

                                   RUBRICK
                         (amazed)
                    That's...very good.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  WEIGHT AREA/"STATION" - DAY - A LITTLE LATER

     A NEW SOLDIER cleans an awesome weight with what looks like ease
     as RUBRICK, CHURCH, and SLOAN again exchange impressed glances
     and MEKUM watches smugly.

     They're still in the giant warehouse in the gym section among all
     sorts of ominous exercise devices.  The NEW SOLDIERS and VETERANS
     are gathered in separate groups at attention, their faces like
     stone.

     TODD is watching the big man handle the weight easily.
                                   MEKUM
                    See?  Much stronger.

                                   CHURCH
                    What about endurance?

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  RUINS - DAY

     TODD is loping through sheets of rain.  The terrain around him 
     features ghostly shells of buildings, shards of a city nearly 
     invisible through the curtains of rain.

     His feet slash through flooding gutters and trash filled streets 
     bordered by ruins as he runs smoothly, evenly, keeping a good
     pace, his breath rasping rhythmically, his eyes revealing
     nothing as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OFFICER QUARTERS - DAY

     SLOAN accepts a cup of hot coffee from RUBRICK as she considers
     the plastic "papers" MEKUM has spread on the cluttered desk.
     Ponchos have been hung by the door.  MEKUM is pointing to various 
     numbers and paragraphs.

     CHURCH has been staring out the window into the pouring rain.  He 
     turns to MEKUM and interrupts.

                                   CHURCH
                    Our man has been out there fifteen
                    minutes now.  Shouldn't you send one?

                                   MEKUM
                         (smug grin, to Church)
                    In a minute.
                         (turning back to Sloan)
                    Now, see this test?  This shows what
                    they do under sleep deprivation
                    conditions.  Forty-eight hours awake
                    and they can...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  TODD RUNNING/RUINS - DAY

     Rain slashes his face as TODD runs, his eyes staring vacantly
     into the blinding storm, his legs pumping evenly, his feet
     chopping through the thick mud in a wasteland of shelled
     apartment buildings where rat-like CREATURES scurry out of his
     way as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  "STATION" - DAY

     Separated by fifteen yards, the two groups of SOLDIERS, the NEW
     and the VETERAN, sit on the cold cement floor, staring vacantly
     into space as they await orders.  Occasionally a VETERAN will rub
     his chin, another will scratch his nose, but nobody says
     anything, and when their eyes accidentally meet, they look away 
     deliberately, expressionless.  Nobody flinches when a big door
     opens and pale light streams in.

     MEKUM is standing there in a poncho.

                                   MEKUM
                    Melton, Eight Five.  Forward.

     MELTON, one of the husky new soldiers, climbs to his feet and
     steps toward MEKUM, saluting.

                                   MELTON
                    Eight Five, sir.

                                   MEKUM
                    Ten miles, Melton, on the run.

     MELTON's face shows no expression as MEKUM continues.

                                   MEKUM (O.S.)
                    You've got sixty minutes.  Go.

                                   MELTON
                    Sir!

     MELTON heads out into the rain running smoothly and easily as
     we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  TODD/RUINS - DAY

     TODD's breath comes in even rasps as his feet splash over rough
     terrain, splash splash splash, hard work but nothing in his
     stone face indicates he's not equal to the task.  Splash splash
     splash!

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OFFICER QUARTERS - DAY

     In the cluttered office, RUBRICK, CHURCH, and SLOAN look up from
     a conversation as MEKUM enters dripping wet and takes off his
     poncho, smiling smugly.
                                   MEKUM
                    My man left exactly twenty minutes
                    after yours.  Make a note of that.

                                   RUBRICK
                    What are we supposed to do with the
                    old soldiers?

                                   MEKUM
                         (a shrug and a grin)
                    Old soldiers never die.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  TODD/RUINS - DAY

     Running.  Splash splash splash!  TODD makes a turn, heading back,
     his face like stone, as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OFFICERS QUARTERS - DAY

     MEKUM is filling his coffee cup as he speaks.

                                   MEKUM
                    They'll serve as a labor force.  You
                    can use them for physical stuff...
                    loading, unloading, repairs, power
                    lines, that kind of thing.
                         (a glance around the
                          office)
                    Even cleaning...sweeping...,uh,
                    tidying up.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  TODD/RUINS - DAY

     Breathing steadily, raspily, TODD lopes through the rain.
     Something makes him glance back over his shoulder.

     Thirty yards back he sees a vague shape, obscured by rain.

     TODD looks ahead again, his face revealing nothing, his legs 
     maintaining the same even pace, running, running, running.

     Then he looks back again.

     The vague shape is taking form, a GHOSTLY RUNNER getting closer.

     TODD continues at the same even place.  He doesn't look back
     again until he feels closeness.  Then he looks.

     IT'S MELTON only a few yards behind him, running effortlessly,
     keeping a steady pace that's faster than TODD's.  The bigger man
     moves even with TODD without even looking at him, as though TODD 
     weren't there, and then he moves ahead like a big machine,
     inexorable.

     As TODD runs, eyes straight ahead, he can see MELTON becoming
     ghostly, disappearing in the curtains of rain ahead as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  "STATION" - DAY

     The huge doors are open to the rain as SLOAN, CHURCH, RUBRICK,
     and MEKUM watch for signs of TODD.  Still dripping vet, the
     muscular MELTON is standing beside MEKUM, breathing heavily but
     not desperately.

                                   MEKUM
                    Of course, age is a factor, but the
                    real factor is the training program,
                    especially the psychological.  The
                    mind controls the body after all,
                    and we're doing wonderful things
                    with the mind.

     A shape appears in the rain a hundred yards off, moves closer,
     takes the form of a runner running.  It's TODD, still moving at
     the same pace, his face like stone.

     TODD lopes into the big warehouse and, breathing hard but evenly, 
     comes to a halt in front of RUBRICK and salutes.

                                   TODD
                    Sir.

                                   RUBRICK
                    At ease, soldier.

     CHURCH has been thinking and now he speaks to MEKUM.

                                   CHURCH
                    What's the price of all that speed?
                    Is he tired?
                                   MEKUM
                    Tired?

                                   CHURCH
                    Todd here ran the pace he's been
                    taught to run.  He's still strong.
                    Send him up the chain, Rube.

                                   RUBRICK
                         (to Todd)
                    Soldier!  Up the chain!
                                   TODD
                    Sir.

     TODD salutes and lopes toward ten chains that dangle from the
     rafters sixty feet above, grabs one, and starts up it, hand over
     hand.

     MEKUM watches TODD climb, then looks at CHURCH who is looking at
     him expectantly.

     MEKUM grins at CHURCH.

     Then MEKUM looks back at TODD, not hurrying.

     TODD is thirty feet up and climbing, passing the eight inch
     circular "platforms" or footholds in the chain every ten feet.
                                   MEKUM
                         (sharply)
                    Melton, on the double!  Up a chain!

                                   MELTON
                         (saluting)
                    Sir!

     MELTON takes a few easy strides, gracefully catches a chain mid-
     stride, and smarts up, climbing easily and twice as fast as TODD.

     CHURCH, SLOAN, and RUBRICK crane their necks as the two men
     struggle upward toward the rafters.

     Three quarters of the way up, MELTON comes even with TODD, then
     passes him.
     MEKUM, watching, smirks.

     CHURCH is watching too, and he's still not satisfied.  His brow
     is knit, something's bothering him.

     ANGLE HIGH ABOVE, AMONG THE GIRDERS

     Stonefaced, MELTON is resting an a "platform" on the chain, sixty
     feet up, beneath the girders, swaying gently.

     His stony gaze is on the next chain where TODD is arriving at a
     "platform" on an adjacent chain...only three feet away.

     Their eyes meet, TODD and MELTON alone together sixty feet up,
     three feet apart.  Neither man blinks, neither man flinches,
     neither man reveals anything at all...

     LOW ANGLE, LOOKING UP

     CHURCH considers the men high above, then to MEKUM.

                                   CHURCH
                    What about...spirit?

                                   MEKUM
                         (as in "what's that?")
                    Spirit?
                         (...a grin)
                    Oh!  You mean "AQ"..."aggressive
                    qualities"?

                                   CHURCH
                    Whatever the latest jargon is.

                                   MEKUM
                    Much better, much higher.  For
                    example, where your old ones
                    expressed ninety percent of their
                    sexual energy in aggressive
                    physicality, these new ones are
                    ninety-nine percent without
                    sexual inclination.  It's all
                    aggression.

                                   SLOAN
                         (dryly)
                    Real men!

                                   CHURCH
                         (sharply, to Sloan)
                    At ease, Lieutenant.
                         (turning to Mekum,
                          serious)
                    What if they fought?

     A sudden silence.

     SLOAN raises her eyebrows, gives RUBRICK a look.

     Frowning thoughtfully, MEKUM looks up.
                                   MEKUM
                    You mean up there?

                                   CHURCH
                         (to Rubrick)
                    Go ahead, Rube.  Tell Todd to take
                    him.
                                   MEKUM
                    No!

     They all look at MEKUM.  Is this the chink in the armor?  The new 
     soldiers can't fight?

                                   CHURCH
                    "No"?
                                   MEKUM
                    Not fair.  No contest.  Send two
                    more of your old ones up.

     Now CHURCH, RUBRICK, and SLOAN are stunned.  They exchange a
     glance.

                                   MEKUM
                    Go ahead.

     RUBRICK shrugs, turns to the VETERANS still sitting stoically in
     a group on the cement floor.

                                   RUBRICK
                    Romero, A. -- Goines, D.L. -- up
                    the chains.

     Two of the veterans, ROMERO and GOINES, leap immediately to their
     feet and climb rapidly.

     SLOAN, CHURCH, and RUBRICK exchange a look as MEKUM smirks 
     confidently.

     ANGLE ON TODD AND MELTON ABOVE.  They're still facing each other
     across the sixty foot drop.

     MELTON glances down...without losing sight of TODD.

     ROMERO and GOINES are coming up the chains fast, hand over hand. 
     They're within ten feet, their impassive faces look dangerous.

     Nothing shows on MELTON's machine-face, but he starts a slight
     motion in his chain so that he spins slowly.  That way, as the 
     veterans surround him, he keeps a continual eye an all three.

     TODD, his face impassive, eyes MELTON vigilantly.

     ANGLE ON RUBRICK BELOW

     For a long moment, RUBRICK looks up at the three men dangling
     around the new soldier, then he shouts loudly at them.
                                   RUBRICK
                    Get him, men!

     ANGLE ON TODD as SMASH!  TODD is hit hard in the face even as he
     starts to swing.  WHAM!  MELTON hits him again and TODD loses his
     grip on the chain, starts to fall, grabs at the chain, clutches,
     slides...

     ANGLE ON MELTON, CRUNCH!, hit as he swings at MELTON.  WHAM!
     MELTON hits him again, hard.

     GOINES swings against MELTON from behind, smashing at him with
     his free hand and with both feet.

     MELTON ignores the blows from behind as he grabs ROMERO by the
     face with one hand, yanks the face close to his own, and squeezes 
     mercilessly.

     ANGLE ON TODD, TWENTY FEET BELOW.  He's managed to get a foothold
     on one of the mini-platforms.  His face horribly bloody, he looks
     up at the action twenty feet above him and sees MELTON suddenly
     hurl ROMERO downward.

     ROMERO rockets down past TODD...

     ANGLE ON THE FLOOR as SMASH!  ROMERO's body crunches against the 
     cement not far from RUBRICK, SLOAN, and CHURCH, splattering them
     with blood.

     Their eyes are wide with disbelief and horror as they look up
     again...

     ANGLE ON MELTON in the girders as he turns to face the man who's
     been clubbing him from behind...GOINES!
     GOINES swings his chain wide and MELTON, eyes merciless, deadly, 
     swings after him.

     ANGLE ON TODD, bloody, struggling up the chain hand over hand.
     His eyes follow MELTON above as the new soldier swings and
     swings, trying to get a blow at GOINES.

     Just then, GOINES lunges at MELTON, SMACK, SMASH, he hits him
     hard, and WHAM!  MELTON hits him back...

     ANGLE ON TODD who has climbed to a "platform" foothold on his
     chain five feet above the swinging fighters.  TODD looks down
     on MELTON's back as the big man swings close, watching, tensing,
     then...

     TODD dives off his chain and lands on MELTON's back, crooking one
     arm around the new soldier's neck and pounding him with one free
     hand and strangling him with the other arm.

     MELTON gurgles while GOINES hits him in the face.

     ANGLE ON MEKUM WATCHING BELOW.  For the first time a frown of
     concern wrinkles his brow.

     ANGLE ON MELTON AND TODD on chains just below the girders.
     MELTON slams an elbow back into TODD's ribs hard and TODD gasps
     for air, but...

     GOINES uses the moment to slam a knee into MELTON's balls and...

     MELTON gasps, then grabs GOINES by the neck with one hand, rips
     him from the chain, and sends him plunging violently downward
     even as...

     TODD goes for face with his free hand.

     SLAM!  MELTON smashes TODD in the ribs with an elbow.

     TODD savagely gouges out one of MELTON's eyes.

     ANGLE ON MEKUM, sixty feet below, enraged at the sight of
     MELTON's injury.

     ANGLE ON THE VETERANS watching the brutal fight with blank
     impassive faces, RILEY among them.

     ANGLE ON THE NEW SOLDIERS watching, robot-like.

     ANGLE ON THE STRUGGLE OVERHEAD.  SMASH!  SMASH!  SMASH!  MELTON's
     elbows drive back into TODD's ribs.  The breath knocked out of
     him, TODD gasps for air, pain contorting his face.

     MELTON manages to get TODD's forearm into his mouth and bites 
     furiously, drawing blood.

     TODD grits his teeth in pain.

     WHAM!  Another blow to the ribs from MELTON's elbow.

     TODD is losing his grip.

     RILEY watches below, his face a mask.

     MELTON bites and elbows furiously.

     TODD loses his grip and grabs at MELTON, rakes flesh as he begins
     to fall and then...

     Plunging downward, TODD grabs wildly at the chain and catches it
     ...but he keeps falling, the chain ripping flesh from his hand
     for twenty feet until...

     He can't hold on any longer!  TODD plunges the last thirty feet
     to the floor, landing with a terrible crunch right on top of
     ROMERO's broken body below.

     Sudden silence!

     ANGLE ON THE VETERANS watching impassively as TODD lies
     motionless, sprawled on ROMERO's body.

     ANGLE ON THE NEW SOLDIERS revealing no feelings.

     ANGLE ON CHURCH, SLOAN, and RUBRICK looking stunned and shaken.

     It's MEKUM who breaks the silence, SCREAMING furiously at the one-
     eyed MELTON who's still sixty feet up...
                                   MEKUM
                    GET DOWN HERE!  GET DOWN HERE ON THE
                    DOUBLE, GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE, YOU
                    MISERABLE PISS ANT STINKING SHIT FOR
                    BRAINS!

     CHURCH, SLOAN, and RUBRICK lift their stunned faces from TODD to
     MEKUM who's continuing to rant at MELTON as MELTON comes down the
     chain fast...
                                   MELTON
                    COME ON, DOUBLE IT UP, DOWN, DOWN,
                    DOWN, YOU MISERABLE THIRD RATE
                    SHITHEAD INCOMPETENT CLOWN!

     MELTON lets go of the chain and drops the last fifteen feet,
     landing gracefully on his feet in front of MEKUM and salutes.

                                   MELTON
                    Sir!

                                   MEKUM
                    LOOK AT YOU, YOU BIG DUMB SHIT,
                    YOU'VE LOST AN EYE.  WHAT THE HELL
                    GOOD IS A GODDAMN ONE-EYED SOLDIER?
                    DO YOU KNOW WHAT IT COST TO BREED
                    YOU, YOU BIG MORON?  TO TRAIN YOU,
                    FEED YOU?

     As MEKUM turns, including all the NEW SOLDIERS in his continuing
     tirade, CHURCH, SLOAN, and RUBRICK confer in low voices.

                                   RUBRICK
                    They're...fantastic!

                                   CHURCH
                         (reluctant agreement)
                    Mmmmmmm...

                                   SLOAN
                         (worried)
                    We could have a problem here,
                    couldn't we?  I mean, we just lost
                    three men...

                                   CHURCH
                    Oh, I wouldn't worry about that.
                    "Training accident."  Paperwork.

                                   SLOAN
                    What about the bodies?

                                   CHURCH
                         (turning away)
                    Incinerator.

     Turning his back on SLOAN and RUBRICK, CHURCH approaches MEKUM
     who's still raging, indicating MELTON to the blank-faced NEW
     SOLDIERS.

                                   MEKUM
                    WHAT GOOD IS THIS MAN NOW?  WITH ONE
                    GOOD EYE!  HE'S GOT NO DEPTH PERCEPTION!
                    HE'S CANNON FODDER.  ALL HE CAN DO
                    IS WALK POINT AND TAKE THE FIRST
                    HIT.

                                   CHURCH
                         (interrupting)
                    They're very...impressive.

                                   MEKUM
                         (fuming)
                    Yeah, well, the big moron shouldn't
                    have lost an eye.

     CHURCH glances at TODD's corpse dumped over ROMERO's broken body,
     tries to assuage him.

                                   CHURCH
                    It was our best man who got his
                    eye...  Todd, a real tough one.
                    Survived police action in Montana,
                    fought in the Argentine Sector, and
                    in the Saudi Campaign to say nothing
                    of --
                                   MEKUM
                    Old news!  They're nothing at all!
                    Wait until you get these new fellas
                    into some real action.  I guarantee
                    you'll be awed.  I guarantee it.

     The NEW SOLDIERS sit impassively, the bleeding MELTON among them,
     staring right at the VETERANS.

     Not far away three dead bodies lie motionless as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  FURNACES/FURNACE ROOM - NIGHT

     A rage of flame!  The mouth of a huge furnace leers with yellow
     fury, eight feet high.

     Two men, BURNERS, in asbestos fire suits and helmets, appear,
     laboriously dragging a tattered sofa leaking stuffing.  With
     effort they shove it into the blazing furnace where it is quickly 
     consumed.  Slowly the BURNERS turn and trudge back for another
     load as we REVEAL A REFUSE BIN, seven feet high, looming in the 
     shadows not far from the flickering light of the furnace.  It's 
     overflowing with junk, barely distinguishable in the gloom.

     The BURNERS grab blindly and haul out the next object.

     It's ROMERO's dead body.  They haul it out of the bin and let it
     flop limply to the floor where ROMERO stares sightlessly at
     nothing.

     The BURNERS stare at the body, exchange a blank look through
     their visors, shrug and start to drag the heavy carcass toward
     the flames.

     INT.  REFUSE BIN/FURNACE ROOM/CLOSE BY

     In the near darkness, the faintest flickering light reveals two
     tangled BODIES, motionless in the confusion of refuse.  But not
     quite motionless!  A hand opens and closes!  A bloody hand!
     Fingers twitch.

     INT.  FURNACE ROOM

     ROARING FLAMES as ROMERO's body is tossed unceremoniously into the
     fire where the flames begin to consume it.

     For half a second the BURNERS watch ROMERO melt into fire, then
     they turn their backs and head back for another load.

     INT.  REFUSE BIN/FURNACE ROOM

     BURNERS' hands reach in and haul out another corpse, GOINES,
     dragging the body right over TODD's body.

     As GOINES' shoe drags over TODD's face, TODD's eyes flicker
     stupidly.

     Then GOINES' corpse is pulled over the edge of the bin.

     TODD blinks, fighting for consciousness.  Where is he?  He moves
     his head...

     INT.  FURNACE ROOM

     The BURNERS, silhouetted by flames, feed GOINES' body to the
     furnace.

     CLOSE ON THE FLAMES as GOINES' body is consumed by raging
     flames.

     ANGLE ON THE BURNERS trudging to the bin.  They reach in blindly
     for whatever's next.  Tugging with effort, they struggle the
     clumsy object over the rim, and let it fall to the floor.  It's a 
     mattress!

     Communicating with a look, the FIRST BURNER drags the mattress
     toward the fire while the SECOND BURNER reaches again into the
     bin.

     The SECOND BURNER frowns through the visor, struggles with
     something, frowns, wrestles with it.

     Finally, with great effort, he pulls out a big carton that 
     immediately spills old magazines on him.

     Disgusted, he pulls the partially full carton across the refuse-
     littered floor toward the furnaces.

     ANGLE ON HIS FEET, as the SECOND BURNER struggles toward the
     fire, stepping over a trail of blood which is hardly noticeable
     in the flickering firelight.

     He passes another big corrugated bin with a sign an it.  The sign
     says NONFLAMMABLE WASTE DISPOSAL...and the trail of blood leads
     to that bin!

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  OUTER SPACE - "DAY"

     Silence!  A vast darkness with only a few tiny lights in the
     infinite depths.

     A battered rusty spaceship glides slowly and silently into view.
     This is a GARBAGE SHIP and it looks it.  Awkward and slow and
     totally unglamorous, it moves through space like a great clumsy
     church made of steel as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  HOLD/GARBAGE SHIP - "DAY"

     As the massive doors on the underside of the ship open, light
     spills in and there is a huge ROAR as tons of debris, including 
     massive pieces of machinery, huge statues, old vehicles, and 
     numerous containers, spill out through the open bays and tumble 
     downward.  The one that says "Nonflammable Waste" on the side
     careens against the bulkhead with a THUNDEROUS sound, then
     hurtles downward.

     EXT.  JUNK MOUNTAINS/LANDSCAPE

     As debris from the ship tumbles down onto one of several huge
     mountains of junk that loom 800 hundred feet above a windswept
     terrain dimly lit by four pale suns, the bays close, and the
     rusty GARBAGE SHIP glides away.

     Still the cascade of machines and other bulky junk THUNDERS down
     the steep slopes, shattering, breaking into parts, tumbling and
     tumbling, settling here and there, while a SCREAMING WIND, very
     powerful, picks off the lighter pieces and carries them off like
     snow blowing off a mountain.

     The familiar-looking container somersaults halfway down the slope 
     where it bursts open, spilling a confusion of junk.

     Above the container, a huge drum smashes into a hunk of machinery
     and splits, oozing an awful looking liquid that spills down onto
     the contents of the container, sizzling and smoking on steel,
     eating it like acid.

     Not far from a smoking piece of steel, WE FIND TODD'S foot
     protruding from the junk heap!  It's motionless!  Acid drips and 
     hisses.

     ANGLE ON TODD, sprawled "inside" the mountain of junk, grimacing
     in pain as acid hits his exposed foot.  Trapped in the debris, 
     battered and bloody and weak, he struggles to rise, fights the
     heavy objects pinning him, fights to avoid the dripping acid.  As
     the wind SCREAMS furiously, he continues to struggle against the
     junk that pins him as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  "INSIDE" AND OUTSIDE THE MOUNTAIN - DAY - A LITTLE LATER

     TODD's head, caked with blood, appears from the junk like a man
     looking out of a cave.  Wind seizes at his hair furiously.

     He looks up, sees four pale suns in the sky...just as a huge
     steel lathe comes somersaulting down from above like a loose
     boulder, and TODD has to duck hastily to avoid certain death.

     As the heavy steel tumbles down the slope below him, wind plucks
     a twelve-foot I-beam from the slope next to him and whips it off
     in a frenzy.

     Holding on for dear life, TODD looks down at the ground four
     hundred feet below and sees a bleak wasteland strewn with junk
     shifting and skittering in the wind.

     He notices something and reacts.

     Far down on the floor there is a strange pattern of lines...and
     moving along one of the lines are four tiny FIGURES...they could
     be humans...but maybe not!

     For a moment TODD watches them.

     Then he starts to climb downward through the labyrinth of junk 
     "inside" the mountain, and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  LOWER ON "JUNK MOUNTAIN" - DAY - MINUTES LATER

     Far down the slope, perhaps forty feet from the foot of the
     massive mountain, TODD's head pokes out of the confusion of junk
     and he looks down at the FIGURES below.

     Seen more closely, the FIGURES are more distinct, but no less
     mysterious.  Heavy outer garments like huge parkas and hoods blur 
     their individual shapes as they inch across the landscape,
     apparently clutching one of several crisscrossing wires that
     stretch tautly for miles across the bleak terrain like "roads"
     through the wind.

     TODD watches as one of the FIGURES moves off the "road."  He's 
     trailing rope that attaches him to the others as he struggles
     through the wind, walking almost on all fours like an ape.

     TODD watches the FIGURE moving among bits of junk until he
     locates something he wants, picks it up, and starts to struggle
     back toward the others, dragging his burden after him.

     TODD is watching what would seem to be some sort of scavenging
     process by these strange unearthly FIGURES as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  FADING SUNS - DUSK - LATER

     The four suns are changing color, dimming in the sky, as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  LANDSCAPE AND "JUNK MOUNTAIN" - DUSK

     Tiny in the distance, the four FIGURES are moving together along
     a cable, headed away from the junk mountain.

     At ground level now, TODD is watching them, crouched behind a
     massive transformer that teeters slightly in the wind in spite of
     its great bulk.

     Peeking around the sheltering transformer, he spots one of the
     taut cables lashed to an enormous piece of junk near the foot of
     "his" mountain.  The cable is twenty yards away in a "canyon" of
     junk and he'll have to move across open space partially exposed
     to the wind in order to get to it.

     He starts out from behind the transformer...

     WHOOOOOO!  Screaming wind lifts him and hurls him thirty feet,
     his arms flailing.  He comes down even further from the cable, 
     struggling to keep on his feet.  Gritting his teeth, he fights
     the wind, struggles toward the cable.

     Suddenly a chunk of steel whips at him and he ducks just in time
     as it whistles close to his head.

     TODD drops to the ground and starts to crawl "under the wind,"
     toward the taut cable, and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  "STEEL HENGE" - DUSK - LATER

     Seen by TODD, the four tiny FIGURES are far ahead, disappearing
     in the distance and the dusk.

     Following them on a taut wire, TODD is passing through a barren 
     landscape punctuated by strange ruins, great shapes of steel
     thrusting out of the ground and looming over and around him,
     vaguely recognizable as the wreckage of a space vehicle that must
     have crashed long ago.

     The mountains of junk squat a mile behind him.  He's come a long
     way, it's almost dark, he's weak.

     He hangs onto the wire, walking with effort.

     He can no longer see the creatures ahead of him on the wire.

     He notices something thirty yards off the wire to the right.

     Steel crosses.  Maybe a hundred of them.  A cemetery.

     Just then, the wind catches TODD, yanks him, but he hangs onto
     the wire, holding on desperately, as the wind pulls at him and
     makes him flap like a pennant in the breeze.

     Then the wind dies enough for him to get both hands on the wire
     and get weakly to his feet.  For a moment he looks like he might 
     collapse, but he doesn't, and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  LANDSCAPE - NIGHT

     At night the four suns glow darkly like night lights.

     TODD is alone on the planet, punished by the savage wind,
     struggling along the wire, shivering.

     Every stop is an effort, but the eyes stare into the dark and
     they reveal no emotion, not even when he suddenly tenses, seeing 
     something ahead.

     In the distance a faint light glows.

     TODD considers it as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  WINDOW/SKYLIGHT - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER

     The window is detached plexi from some kind of vehicle, embedded
     in a low mound of "earth" like a skylight.  Whatever is making
     the light comes from below in a sort of hut that slopes only
     inches above the ground.

     TODD is hanging onto the cable only ten yards from the strange
     window.  He can see more of them glowing all around him, as well
     as silhouetted pipes issuing smoke to the wind.

     TODD drops to his belly to keep under the wind.  He crawls ten
     yards to the window and pears through it.

     TODD'S POV of a fantastic confusion of color and movement seen
     through the thick scratched plexiglass window.  The wild blurs of
     activity make no sense to him whatsoever, nor do the very FAINT
     SQUEALS of sound barely audible over the deafening ROAR of the
     wind.

     (What he's seeing in the room below is a violent pillow fight
     between eight BOYS and GIRLS ranging from four to ten years old. 
     Wearing cotton shifts dyed red, blue, or yellow they're smacking
     each other violently with rag pillows and laughing happily in a 
     dormitory-style full of stacked bunks.)

     ANGLE ON TODD, prone on the "roof," mystified.  He's never seen 
     anything like it.  His grease-covered face barely reveals his 
     puzzlement when he is suddenly distracted by a change in the
     wind.

     The ROARING WIND that has dominated the environment since he first 
     arrived has diminished to a strong breeze.

     TODD tries sitting up.  The breeze doesn't overpower him.  He
     looks around.

     The meaningless SHRIEKS of the pillow fight, though still muffled
     by heavy plexiglass, are LOUDER now, but TODD's attention is on
     the other window/skylight that glows from this strange "roof" and
     on the strange sound that's coming to him, borne on the breeze...
     a MUSICAL sound.

     Struggling weakly to his feet, TODD staggers toward the next
     window.  The MUSIC is LOUDER as he approaches -- it's waltz music 
     played on an accordion.

     TODD drops to his knees and peers through the next window.

     TODD'S POV through the second "window," another mysterious
     vision!  The color and movement are more subdued, but TODD is
     just as puzzled.

     What he's seeing indistinctly through the thick plexiglass is an 
     OVERHEAD VIEW of a man and a woman gliding across the floor,
     moving as one, first this way, then that, in time to a WALTZ.  In
     the corner, another person is making a strange movement that
     seems to initiate the music...

     ANGLE ON TODD, flat on the roof.  Now that the weak breeze has
     given way to a deathly stillness, the mysterious (to him) MUSIC
     is clearly audible as TODD peers through the plexiglass at the
     warm scene below, as puzzled by the waltzing couple as by the
     pillow fights.

     Then he gets to his feet again and in the stillness makes his way
     past a smoking chimney toward the next window.  Halfway there he 
     freezes...listening!

     A strange haunting WHISTLING sound is coming from somewhere...

     TODD looks around at the blackness beyond the roof windows.
     There's nothing visible...

     The mysterious sound is louder now, drowning out the music
     ominously, drowning out everything, everything, everything.

     Suddenly TODD understands, but he's too late...

     ROOOOOOOOOOAAR!  It's the WIND, back with renewed fury, more
     powerful than ever!

     TODD is hurtled into the air, tossed head over heels by the wind,
     struggling, clutching at empty air in vain, buffeted, slammed to
     the ground, lifted again before he can flatten himself, tossed 
     violently, somersaulted helplessly...

     EXT.  INSIDE A TRENCH

     WHAM!  TODD is slammed face first to the ground.  For a long
     moment he's motionless, untouched by the HOWLING WIND for reasons
     that aren't clear.

     Finally he rolls over weakly and looks up.

     In the weak light he can just make out the steep earthen walls of
     a narrow trench looming eight feet straight up, protecting him
     from the wind howling overhead.

     TODD tries to get up...but the fall has injured his leg and he
     slumps to the floor of the three-foot-wide trench, too weak and 
     injured even to crawl.

     Lying there, barely conscious, gasping for breath, he suddenly
     sees something.

     Shoes!  Less than a foot from his bloody face.

     He manages to lift his head a little and look up.

     Silhouetted by the light spilling from an open door in the trench
     wall are four children...ELLEN, ten, WILL, six, TOMMY, five, and 
     JOHNNY, eight.

     Barely conscious, TODD can just make out the astonishment on
     their blurred shadowy faces as they look down at him in
     amazement.  Then they go OUT OF FOCUS altogether as TODD slumps
     unconscious and everything goes BLACK BLACK BLACK, and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  MEETING ROOM - NIGHT

     VOICES, CONFUSION.  About fifty people are jammed into the low-
     ceilinged meeting room, all of them talking at once.  They are
     PIONEERS, men and women of all ages and many races, a hardy,
     weathered-looking group dressed in plain clothes of muted color.

     Their faces seem to have been etched by the wind with deep lines,
     the skin burnished, and even the younger ones have crow's feet
     around the eyes from squinting.

     As they chatter excitedly, asking each other what happened, who
     found him, where, and so on, a sharp-faced fifty-ish woman,
     HAWKINS, is standing behind a table in the front of the room,
     calling for order.

                                   HAWKINS
                    Please!  Quiet, please!

     Just as the hubbub finally dies down, a grizzled pioneer named
     SLADE bellows loudly at her.

                                   SLADE
                    Just tell me one thing!  How many of
                    them are there and are they armed?

     HAWKINS stares SLADE down, refusing to speak until she has real 
     silence.  When she finally speaks, her voice is calm and
     controlled.

                                   HAWKINS
                    There in a man...one man.  He was
                    found in the trench by several
                    children...

     A sudden murmur dies away quickly under HAWKINS' hard stare.
                                   HAWKINS
                    This man was not armed.

     A murmur goes through the crowded room, then a woman named ELISE
     speaks over the hum of voices...

                                   ELISE
                    How could there only be one?  How
                    could he get here?

     HAWKINS glances toward MACE, a muscular, bearded man, about
     thirty.

                                   MACE
                    He was unconscious.  We couldn't ask
                    him anything.  He --

     A commotion in the back room causes MACE to break off as JIMMY
     PIG, a clean-shaven burly-looking pioneer in his thirties, pushes
     his way in, followed by four more PIONEERS.  All five of then are 
     wearing their huge hooded parkas, strange Eskimo-type wind
     goggles, and carrying weapons.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                    Nothin' out there.  We couldn't see
                    nobody, couldn't see no ship, no
                    vehicles, nothin'...plus the wind's
                    up again real strong.

     An excited hubbub.  HAWKINS is trying to restore order when SLADE
     shouts over the commotion.

                                   SLADE
                    They're hiding, I bet.

     HAWKINS ignores him as she speaks with firm authority.

                                   HAWKINS
                    Let's everybody calm down right now!
                         (beat; silence; then)
                    We have an injured man among us.
                    One man.  A traveler.  Unarmed.
                         (another pause; then)
                    We all want to do the decent thing.
                    The decent thing is to help him.
                    Mace's wife, Sandra, is looking
                    after him now.  Now, I'd like a vote
                    of support on this course of action
                    from all of you.

     The way she says it, you know she's used to getting her way, and,
     in fact, PIONEERS are exchanging glances and nodding when SLADE
     shouts again.

                                   SLADE
                    You keep an eye on him, Mace!  You
                    watch him!

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  BEDROOM - NIGHT

     TODD is on his back in a bed in a tiny earth-walled bedroom.  He
     stares stupidly at the woman bending over him.  She is SANDRA, a
     woman of twenty-five who is attractive, but not in a glamorous
     way.  It's a very natural beauty worn with intelligence and 
     dignity.  She's wiping away blood and grease from TODD's face.

     TODD's eyes flick around the room even as he lies motionless.

     He sees a window high on one wall.

     He sees old-fashioned magazine pictures and bits of patterned
     material hung here and there for decoration.

     Clothing hangs from pegs on the walls.

     He doesn't see the look in SANDRA's eyes as she discovers the 
     savage scar on his forehead or the sergeant's tattoo on his
     cheek.  Eyeing these telltale marks, SANDRA pours liquid into a
     spoon and holds it to his lips.

                                   SANDRA
                    Want to try some more of this?

     TODD swallows weakly.

     SANDRA smiles, stands up, moves toward the door.

                                   SANDRA
                    You rest now.  I'll give you more
                    later.

     TODD watches her exit.

     He hears her VOICE in the next room...a low murmur.

     He's looking around again when a NOISE makes him look back toward
     the door.

     A two-year-old is crawling into the room on hands and knees.  The
     baby boy, NATHAN, stops just inside, seeing TODD in the bed.

     NATHAN looks into TODD's eyes with childlike interest and wonder.
     TODD meets the look with those blank soldier's eyes.

     INT.  "LIVING ROOM"

     A second tiny room next to the bedroom is the rest of the
     Mace/Sandra/Nathan living quarters.  MACE and SANDRA are deep in 
     conversation.

                                   MACE
                    What do you mean he's survived
                    worse?  Did he say something?

                                   SANDRA
                    No, but he's covered with old
                    wounds, all sorts of scars.  Knife
                    scars, bullet scars, burns.

                                   MACE
                         (worried)
                    A soldier!

                                   SANDRA
                    There are words on his shoulder.
                    Tannhauser Gate, the Argentine
                    Sector, Montana, Bolivia, Shanghai
                    2012...

                                   MACE
                    The Tannhauser Gate was a battle...

     MACE and SANDRA look into each other's eyes, very worried.
     Then...

                                   SANDRA
                    We'll have to sleep on the floor.

                                   MACE
                         (suddenly alarmed)
                    Where's Nathan?

     MACE is looking around.  He spots the open door to the bedroom, 
     hurries to it, and disappears.

     SANDRA starts after him, looking worried...but before she gets to
     the door, MACE reappears with NATHAN safely in his arms.

                                   MACE
                    If there's any danger to Nathan --

                                   SANDRA
                         (interrupting grimly)
                    I won't permit danger to Nathan.

     MACE and SANDRA lock eyes in firm understanding as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  WAR SHIP - "DAY"

     EXPLOSION!  SCREAMS!  SMOKE!  A SIREN!  We're in some kind of war
     ship in outer space during a battle.

     The interior is a lot like the interior of a submarine, cramped
     even in the best conditions and right now the conditions are
     awful as SOLDIERS in bulky space suits stumble through thick
     smoke while a SIREN WHOOPS urgently and wounded SOLDIERS scream
     in agony.

     WHOOOOM!  Another EXPLOSION!  SCREAMING METAL!

     Part of the bulkhead is shot away and the suction is like wind,
     ripping SOLDIERS out of the hole into space..

     We FOCUS ON a soldier in a space suit who's wedged himself behind
     a cannon.  As we look closely at his visor, we recognize TODD
     who's firing back at the enemy while all around him SOLDIERS are
     screaming and dying as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  BEDROOM - MORNING

     SUDDEN SILENCE!  TODD blinks awake.  He looks around.

     It's the same bedroom, but morning light is streaming in the high 
     window.

     He can hear SOUNDS...LAUGHTER...coming from beyond the door.

     INT.  OTHER ROOM

     NATHAN is wobbling forward with wide eyes as MACE holds one of
     his hands and SANDRA holds the other.  They're teaching the child
     to walk, encouraging each step.  But when they let go, NATHAN
     totters forward only one step before landing flat on his ass.
     MACE and SANDRA laugh, making the whole thing a game, and NATHAN, 
     after a moment of confusion, joins in the laughter.  It's a warm 
     moment until SANDRA, sensing a presence, turns toward the
     bedroom, suddenly serious.

     MACE follows her look.

     TODD is standing in the doorway, supporting himself on the door
     frame...his soldier's eyes full of unspoken menace... one leg
     heavily bandaged.

                                   SANDRA
                         (nervous)
                    You must be...you must be feeling
                    better.

     TODD says nothing.  His eyes flick to NATHAN.

     MACE is watching TODD sharply.

                                   MACE
                    We're teaching the boy to walk.

                                   SANDRA
                         (nervously filling silence)
                    He's late learning.  He was sick for
                    a long time.

     TODD says nothing.  His eyes follow MACE who's gone to the corner
     where he's seizing a heavy metal rod that might be a weapon.

     TODD tenses.  Ready.  Dangerous.

     As MACE turns toward him, MACE doesn't notice the danger in
     TODD'S eyes.

                                   MACE
                    I got something for you.

     He innocently approaches with the metal rod.

     Super alert, TODD watches MACE hold the rod out to him.

                                   MACE
                    Here.

     TODD looks mistrustful.

                                   MACE
                    Like this.

     MACE demonstrates, using the rod like a cane.
                                   MACE
                    See?

     Expressionless, watches MACE use the cane.

                                   MACE
                    Practice with it.  In a day or two
                    maybe you'll be strong enough to go
                    out to the garden with Sandra.

     MACE never even realizes how much danger he was in.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OTHER ROOM - DAY - A LITTLE LATER

     TODD's heavy boots come close to NATHAN, the cane clumps down,
     just missing him.

     NATHAN looks up with open-mouthed innocence and childlike wonder
     at TODD who looms past him, walking very cautiously with the help
     of a cane.

     TODD looks down at NATHAN.  Their eyes meet for a moment.  TODD
     is wearing one of the heavy parkas the pioneers wear.

     SANDRA answers a KNOCK at the door, opens it, revealing ELLEN,
     the ten-year-old, in the doorway.  Behind her are JOHNNY and
     WILL, as well as several other CHILDREN of various ages.

                                   ELLEN
                    I came for Nathan.

     But ELLEN's eyes are on TODD and so are the others crowding
     behind her to peep over her shoulder.  They all want to get a
     look at TODD, but when he looks in their direction, they retreat 
     shyly.

     SANDRA is wearing a parka too.  She picks up NATHAN from where
     he's sitting near TODD's feet and carries him to the door, giving
     him a kiss, then handing him to ELLEN.

     NATHAN starts to cry and holds his arms out to his mother as
     ELLEN hugs him and comforts him.

     TODD watches the drama as ELLEN and SANDRA comfort the child and 
     soothe his fears at being separated from his mother.

     Nothing shows in TODD's eyes...but affection seems to fascinate
     him.

     As ELLEN and her cohorts hurry off with NATHAN, they sneak over-
     the-shoulder glances at the strange monster, TODD.

     Just then MACE, dressed in a heavy parka also, comes out of the 
     bedroom and heads for the door.

                                   MACE
                    Let's go.  Come on, Sergeant.

     MACE is heading out the door as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  INSIDE THE TRENCH - NIGHT - MINUTES LATER

     Single-file, a dozen PIONEERS move along a trench as the wind
     SCREAMS overhead.

     We DISCOVER the cane and boots of TODD among them.  The MAN in
     front of TODD glances back at him occasionally, curious, while
     MACE and SANDRA walk behind him.

     As they pass huts, there are windows high in one sloping wall of
     the trench.  TODD doesn't notice the distorted faces of the
     CHILDREN peering out at him, their noses pressed against the 
     plexiglass, full of curiosity as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  A JUNCTION OF TRENCHES - DAY

     Three trenches meet.  Some of the PIONEERS move off to the left,
     some to the right.  MACE is going left, but SANDRA guides TODD
     toward the right with her.

                                   SANDRA
                    This way...

     MACE gives her a wave.  He waves at TODD too.  TODD looks
     confused at the wave, then he salutes.

     MACE is startled by that.  He sort of grins as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  GARDEN - DAY - LATER

     A nasty little snake, a ten-inch VIPER, slithers through the dirt 
     among the neat rows of seedlings growing there until...

     SQUASH!  One neat blow from the sharp edge of a trowel
     decapitates the VIPER.

     SANDRA flips the still wriggling thing aside and wipes her trowel 
     clean in the dirt as TODD watches with those blank snake eyes of
     his.

     They're on all fours in a garden.  The garden is simply a much
     wider trench covered by a trellis so the light can be regulated.
     There are already neat rows of vegetables are growing.  Behind
     them, kneeling PIONEERS are planting new seedlings and weeding
     around more mature plants.

     SANDRA turns back to place a seedling in the dirt with only an
     offhand glance at the dead VIPER.

                                   SANDRA
                    You have to watch out for them.
                    They probably wouldn't kill someone
                    your size, not if you were healthy
                    anyway.  But they'd make you pretty
                    sick.  Someone smaller...like me, or
                    a child...

     Her meaning clear, SANDRA continues to demonstrate to TODD how to 
     plant the seedling in the earth.

                                   SANDRA
                    In a month this one will be as big
                    as those.

     TODD follows her look to the other side of the trench where the
     plants are already eighteen inches high.

     Other PIONEERS, working on their hands and knees also, are
     sneaking glances as TODD, among them, a middle-aged woman named
     JUDITH and an older woman, EMMA.

     SANDRA frowns one of their looks away protectively as she selects 
     another seedling from a tray and hands it to TODD.

                                   SANDRA
                    Here.  You try one.

     TODD looks at it.  He doesn't exactly look scared, but he handles
     it gingerly, seemingly intimidated by the delicate seedling.  He 
     starts to plant it carefully as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  DINING COMMONS - EVENING

     Jabbering VOICES, the click of utensils.  Heaping plates of food
     are being passed the length of long tables set up in communal
     style.  JOHNNY is kicking ELLEN under the table, WILL flips a
     piece of food at TOMMY when his mother, ILONA, isn't looking, and
     the outspoken SLADE is lecturing a pioneer named CHESTER.

                                   SLADE
                    You can't talk to a soldier no more
                    than you can talk to a...a...bomb!
                    Or a bullet!  They're trained,
                    they're killing machines.  They got
                    an objective and they go after that
                    objective and nothing stops them but
                    killing them.

                                   CHESTER
                         (a glance over his
                          shoulder)
                    Just one?  To kill us all?

     The conversation gets the attention of JOHNNY and WILL who stop
     food-fighting to listen to the adults talk.

                                   SLADE
                    First off, if there's one, there's
                    more.  That's how it is, soldiers
                    travel in bunches.  Second, they
                    don't waste soldiers on folks
                    like us, that's for police!  Training
                    soldiers to kill weaklings like us
                    is not what they call "cost
                    effective."

                                   CHESTER
                    Then who do they fight?

                                   SLADE
                    Other soldiers!  There's a saying,
                    "Soldiers deserve soldiers."

     ANGLE ON ILONA noticing WILL and TOMMY listening.

                                   ILONA
                    Slade, hush up.

     ANGLE ON TOMMY and WILL glancing toward the next table.

     ANGLE ON THE NEXT TABLE where TODD, wedged between SANDRA and
     MACE, is eating like a machine, looking neither right nor left as 
     people jabber all around him.

     ANGLE ON JUDITH whispering to EMMA at a nearby table as she
     watches TODD eat.

                                   JUDITH
                    You see how much he's eating?

     ANGLE ON SLADE who turns now and boldly addresses TODD across the
     gap between the tables...

                                   SLADE
                    I don't see how you can not remember
                    how you got here, Sergeant.

     There's a sudden hush in the noisy room, broken only by a few
     urgent whispers and a cough.

     TODD looks up from his food and meets SLADE'S look.

     SANDRA scowls at SLADE as SLADE persists...

                                   SLADE
                    You're not a deserter, are you...
                    Sergeant?

     The silence is even more charged than before.

     SANDRA looks alarmed.  Someone coughs.  The tension is
     unbearable.

                                   TODD
                    No, sir.

     A sigh of relief from everybody!  But SLADE presses on.

                                   SLADE
                    Then how come you're not with your
                    unit?

                                   JIMMY PIG
                    Oh, come on, Slade, let the man eat.

                                   SLADE
                    It's not an unreasonable question.
                         (to Todd)
                    How about it, Sergeant?

     ON TODD, actually struggling with the question...
     remembering.  Suddenly he blurts...

                                   TODD
                    I was...replaced.

                                   MACE
                    Replaced?

     TODD hesitates for half a second before answering.

                                   TODD
                    By a better soldier, sir.

     There are looks exchanged among the PIONEERS as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  GARDEN - DAY

     A little seedling is fitted into the earth gently.  TODD's strong 
     hands pat the earth around it.

     TODD reaches for another seedling.  He's one of a group of ten
     PIONEERS, all on their hands and knees, all working intently, 
     silently.  They seem to have accepted him.  Nobody stares.

     TODD is carefully patting the next seedling in the ground when
     something causes him to look up.

     Five ENEMY SOLDIERS in torn and dirty uniforms are looming over
     him, weapons pointed at him.  All around them is a desert of sand
     stretching forever under a baking sun.

     One of the soldiers kicks TODD.

     ANGLE ON EMMA, JUDITH, and several other PIONEER WOMEN exchanging
     nervous glances as they look back to where TODD's kneeling.

     There are no soldiers...but somehow, he's trampled several rows
     of seedlings.

     TODD looks toward them, confused, disoriented by his "memory."

     The women look away quickly, frightened, and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OTHER ROOM - NIGHT

     SANDRA is changing NATHAN's diaper as she chatters, her back to
     TODD.

                                   SANDRA
                    ...And it got worse and worse.  My
                    father hadn't had any work in three
                    months and...also...there were other
                    things...violence...  political
                    feelings.  My father said he'd heard
                    it was better in the Trinity moons.
                    A lot of other people must have had
                    the same idea because the ship was
                    jammed with people...mostly
                    families.  That's probably why it
                    broke down...  overloaded.

     Across the room, TODD, wearing a T-shirt and baggy pants is
     sitting on a stool, his face impassive as ever.

     As SANDRA talks, her back to him, TODD's eyes are on the contours
     of her body against the shift she's wearing.  It's very...erotic.

                                   SANDRA
                    Even after they made the repairs, it
                    barely got off the ground, it was an
                    old converted mining transport, a
                    piece of junk to start with.  It
                    just...dropped.  Maybe you saw
                    what's left of it...out there in the
                    wind.  A lot of people died.  And we
                    couldn't make any radio contact...
                    So we were stuck here.  Nobody was
                    happy about it.  A few years later,
                    when the dumpers started coming over
                    and dropping stuff, people tried to
                    get their attention with explosions
                    and fires.  But it didn't work.
                    They must be unmanned...or they just
                    don't care.  Maybe they think we're
                    garbage too!

     TODD'S face is as impassive as ever while his eyes caress the
     shape of her body...and she, unaware, continues to reminisce.

                                   SANDRA
                    So there really wasn't any choice.
                    People had to pull together and make
                    the best of it.  We became a...
                    community.

     As SANDRA maneuvers NATHAN, TODD catches glimpses of her breasts 
     pushing against the material of the shift.  She continues, still
     not noticing where his attention is.

                                   SANDRA
                    One good thing...nobody bothers us.
                    Who'd want to fight over a
                    godforsaken place like this?

     A wry laugh.  She turns to put NATHAN down on the floor and
     catches TODD's eyes just as he shifts them quickly from her
     breasts.

     For a moment it's awkward...she looks at him...then she recovers.

                                   SANDRA
                    I guess that's what you like!  The
                    fighting, I mean.  The wars.
                         (unsure, a question
                          really)
                    You must...you're a soldier...

     TODD doesn't answer as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CORRIDOR (AND MEETING ROOM) - DAY

     The CHILDREN are peeking around a doorway, watching something in
     the meeting room.

     HAWKINS, coming along the dirt-walled corridor, spots the
     CHILDREN ahead.

                                   HAWKINS
                    You children are supposed to be
                    doing lessons.

     The CHILDREN barely acknowledge her as she comes even with them.
     She looks at what they're looking at.

     What they're seeing through the doorway is TODD, shirtless, doing
     an eerie sequence of tai chi exercises.  His muscular body
     ripples, revealing an incredible map of scar tissue that speaks
     eloquently of the life he's led...gash marks, long zippers of 
     stitches, the puckered patches of burns.

     HAWKINS watches for a long moment, her eyes worried.

     In the midst of a slow graceful movement, TODD suddenly whirls
     and delivers a lightning blow to an unseen enemy with amazing
     speed and fury, the terrible force contained in the movement all
     too obvious.

     Even as HAWKINS and the CHILDREN gasp silently, TODD returns to
     the graceful, almost balletic movement, even spookier now, that 
     preceded the deadly thrust.

     The CHILDREN's eyes are like saucers, their jaws agape.

     HAWKINS shudders...and breaks the hypnotic spell, speaking aloud
     to the children.

                                   HAWKINS
                    Lessons.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  INSIDE TRENCH - NIGHT

     It's dark, the wind's HOWLING just above the trench walls as TODD
     peers into a faintly lighted window in the wall of the trench.

     TODD'S POV THROUGH THE BEDROOM WINDOW reveals a tender moment
     between MACE and SANDRA as they enter the bedroom and kiss.  A 
     flickering candle on a low table, the only light, exaggerates 
     their shadows.

     ANGLE ON TODD, his face revealing no feelings as he turns away.

     Light spills from other windows, some more brightly lit, as TODD 
     begins to jog along the trench, gradually picking up speed, until
     he's running hard through intermittent pools of light in the maze
     of dark trenches.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  BARREN WASTE - DAY

     Stillness!  No wind!  Everything is quiet.  Bits of junk are
     strewn across the landscape under the four suns.

                                   MACE'S VOICE (O.S.)
                    She's down now, but she'll come up
                    again.  Always does.

     EXT.  INSIDE A TRENCH

     As MACE continues talking to TODD, he loads the pockets of his
     heavy parka with miscellaneous hunks of metal.

                                   MACE
                         (continuing)
                    That's why we're weighing down.  And
                    that's why we're always on the wire
                    even when the wind's down, like now.
                    You don't get much warning.  Here,
                    load up, you'll want the weight, I
                    promise.

     MACE hands heavy hunks of metal to TODD who's wearing a parka
     like MACE'S.  He pockets the metal obediently.

     Behind them a small crowd of PIONEERS are doing the same:  JIMMY
     PIG, SLADE, CHESTER, RED, a woman named SALLY and several OTHERS.
     In addition to the parkas, they wear eskimo-style eye-protectors
     and carry canteens, tools, and coils of rope attached to various
     parts of their outfits.

     ANGLE ON MACE noticing TODD eyeing the rifle JIMMY PIG is
     carrying.

                                   MACE
                    Oh, we're not going to shoot
                    anything.  That's not what we mean
                    by "hunting."
                         (then, laughing, to
                          Jimmy Pig)
                    Jimmy Pig, you're not going to shoot
                    anything, are you?

                                   JIMMY PIG
                         (laughing)
                    What could I hit?

                                   MACE
                         (to Todd)
                    It's how we call for help.  Two
                    shots.  There'll be someone on duty,
                    listening in case we get off the
                    wire and get lost or something.  We
                    have flares too.  Come on.

     Other are already climbing the ladder out of the trench to the
     surface above as MACE urges TODD to follow.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  "STEEL HENGE" - DAY

     It's very still, no wind.  The little group of PIONEERS is moving
     along a wire that passes close to the towering ruins of the
     wrecked spaceship.  They are tiny figures in the vast landscape.

     CLOSER ON TODD AND MACE as they plod along in the line of
     PIONEERS.  MACE indicates the wreck off to the right.

                                   MACE
                    Sandra said she told you how we
                    wound up here.  Our parents and so
                    on.
                         (turning left,
                          indicating)
                    Over here, we call these "catcher
                    trenches."

     TODD follows his look to a long open trench leading, apparently, 
     nowhere.

                                   MACE
                         (continuing)
                    Smaller stuff that blows across the
                    ground, it falls in these trenches,
                    it works sort of like a filter.  We
                    go through the trenches sometimes
                    and get some good stuff.

     As they pass close along the trench,  TODD looks in and observes
     the trench is knee deep in muddy water with rusty machine parts
     and assorted junk protruding.

     MACE chuckles at the sight.

                                   MACE
                    We try to work 'em when they're dry.
                    It's lousy going in there when
                    they're flooded.  You can see...

     A sudden SHOUT, "HEYYUP!  YO!" distracts them.

     TODD looks forward, sees RED pointing to a chunk of steel a
     hundred yards off the wire.

     ANGLE ON JIMMY PIG, already fastening his safety rope and a
     second rope to the wire, then heading off toward the piece of
     steel, trailing the two ropes.

     ANGLE ON MACE, explaining the procedure to TODD.

                                   MACE
                    Whatever looks useful, if we can get
                    a rope to it, we'll go for it.  But
                    you can't ever go further than your
                    safety line because it'll come up on
                    you with sometimes maybe ten seconds
                    or even less.

     TODD is watching JIMMY PIG as he approaches the piece of steel
     and starts to attach his rope to it.

                                   MACE
                    Like right now.  You hear that?

     TODD listens.

     Nothing at first...then a very faint WHISTLING.  The sound he
     heard that first night when he was on the settlement "roof."

                                   MACE
                    It's close when you hear that.

     TODD can see JIMMY PIG.  He's attached the rope to the steel and
     he gives a signal.

     As PIONEERS start to haul on the line, pulling the steel toward
     them, MACE shouts at JIMMY PIG.

                                   MACE
                    SHE'S GONNA BLOW, JIMMY.

     JIMMY waves, starts back toward them.

     MACE indicates for TODD to help haul the steel and the two of
     them are just joining in the effort when...

     WHOOOOOOOOOO!  THE WIND IS SUDDEN AND FEROCIOUS!  IT STAGGERS
     THEM!

                                   MACE
                    GRAB ON, SERGEANT!

     TODD follows MACE'S example and, like the others, grabs the wire
     and hangs on as the wind SCREAMS and tears at them.

     One of the pioneers, CHESTER, shouts, points.

     They all see JIMMY PIG being blown faster than he can run, his
     legs churning desperately to keep up with his wind-propelled
     body.  To no avail!  He's suddenly airborne, his legs still
     churning like cartoon legs as he flaps helplessly at the end of
     his safety tether like a kite, fifty feet in the air.

     An eighty-pound steel barrel blows past, tumbling in the wind.
     Bits of junk zip dangerously around like missiles.

     ANGLE ON THE PIONEERS, crouched low on their knees against the
     wind, clutching the wire with one hand while they pull on JIMMY
     PIG'S safety line.  But the wind is too strong...until suddenly
     TODD is pulling, and TODD'S strength makes the difference...
     slowly JIMMY PIG is pulled toward them...and Pioneers exchange
     amazed glances at TODD'S strength.

     As he pulls, TODD notices what the others don't...

     ANGLE ON THE RIFLE dropped by JIMMY PIG, ten yards away.

     ANGLE ON JIMMY PIG as he's hauled safely in to the group of
     PIONEERS who clap him on the back and hug him.  CHESTER is
     laughing so hard he can barely stand up as he tries to describe
     and mimic JIMMY'S desperate effort to outrun the force of the
     wind...

                                   CHESTER
                         (shouting, guffawing)
                    JIMMY...RUNNING...CAN'T...HA HA
                    CAN'T...KEEP UP WITH HIMSELF...
                    HA HA HA...

     CHESTER breaks off, suddenly sober, staring off, and the others
     turn to see what he's looking at.  Everybody stops laughing.

     ANGLE ON TODD, carefully moving away from the wire to retrieve
     the rifle!!!  The WIND is dropping off some, enough to stand.

     ANGLE ON MACE and the other PIONEERS reacting with alarm at the
     sight of TODD picking up the rifle.

     ANGLE ON TODD as he turns, rifle in hand.

     TODD'S POV of the PIONEERS staring at him, the WIND diminishing 
     further.

     ANGLE ON TODD looking toward them.  Nothing shows on his face.

     ANGLE ON SLADE looking sour.  Trouble!  Just what he expected.

     ANGLE ON MACE, taking a deep breath, smiling as he moves toward
     TODD, holding out his free hand for the rifle...

                                   MACE
                    Uh, thanks, Sergeant.  Thanks a
                    lot...

     But MACE breaks off, realizing that TODD'S attention is
     elsewhere.

     TODD is beyond MACE toward the landscape.

     MACE (and the other PIONEERS) turn to see what TODD'S looking at.

     ANGLE ON THE "JUNK MOUNTAINS" in the distance, several miles off, 
     where, hovering high above the junk mountains, an ancient DUMPER
     SHIP issues a steady stream of metal and concrete debris onto the
     junk heaps far below.  The faint THUNDER of the refuse tumbling
     onto the steep slopes is just audible over the SOUND of the wind.

     CLOSE ON TODD, as realizes how he got here.

     ANGLE ON MACE, reacting to TODD'S intense interest.

                                   MACE
                    Dumpers.  They come every twenty or
                    thirty days.

     As TODD turns and looks at MACE, MACE puts out his hand again for
     the gun.

     TODD seems to notice the weapon in his hand for the first time.
     Unhesitatingly, he hands the rifle to MACE...

     As MACE casually takes the weapon, the PIONEERS breathe a sigh of
     relief, grinning again as the tension eases.

     TODD has turned his gaze back to the DUMPER SHIP, fascinated.  So 
     that's what they did to him!

     Just then, JIMMY PIG claps TODD heartily on the shoulder.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                    Thanks, partner.  These no-goods
                    woulda just let me blow away.

     TODD, reacting to the smack on his shoulder, looks at JIMMY PIG
     like what was that?  Are you hitting me?

     But all the PIONEERS are gathering around TODD in such a jovial
     manner that the puzzled soldier sort of understands this isn't an
     attack.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OFFICE (OTHER WORLD) - NIGHT

     A CHRISTMAS TREE!  The corny little tree with plastic needles,
     blinking lights, and topped with a super cute angel is only a
     foot high.  It's sitting on CHURCH's cluttered desk next to
     framed photographs of CHURCH's wife and children.  We can hear
     MEKUM's voice badly transmitted...

                                   MEKUM (V.O.)
                    Sorry to disturb the tranquillity of
                    outer space on Christmas Eve, but
                    I'm off to the Caribbean in a few
                    hours, and I wanted to make sure
                    you'd got the transmission on the
                    security sweep.

     Glowering at the monitor where MEKUM's badly transmitted VIDEO
     IMAGE is quivering and distorting, CHURCH waves the print-out map
     he's holding in his hand, a map showing hundreds of little dots 
     against a vast field, stars and moons in the vast sea of space. 
     RUBRICK and SLOAN watch as CHURCH addresses MEKUM's image 
     indignantly.

                                   CHURCH
                    We got it all right.  This is an
                    outpost here, not the Third Army!
                    You've got us securing thirty-four
                    locations and erecting monitor units
                    in one month and --

                                   MEKUM
                         (interrupting)
                    Piece of cake, guys!  These are
                    totally remote, totally uninhabited
                    territories.  All you do is set
                    down, send out a patrol purely as a
                    formality, then have those veterans
                    of yours put up an A-Type unmanned
                    monitoring unit.  You should be on
                    about number twenty-five by the time
                    I get back from my vacation...

                                   CHURCH
                    What if we do run into people...
                    say squatters or refugees?

                                   MEKUM
                         (a frown)
                    Well, you sure as hell don't want to
                    get involved in evacuating people
                    and that sort of thing.
                         (then, meaningfully)
                    My advice would be to..."avoid
                    paperwork."

                                   CHURCH
                    Eliminate them, you mean.
                                   MEKUM
                    Well, no one's out there, but
                    officially these are "hostile
                    zones."  Therefore you'd be within
                    your rights to classify anyone as
                    "hostile," I think.
                    But I repeat, you should be worried
                    about boredom, not action.  Any
                    other questions before I go?

     CHURCH hesitates.  SLOAN and RUBRICK look at him.  Then CHURCH
     blurts a question, his voice breaking...

                                   CHURCH
                    Down there...is it snowing?

                                   MEKUM
                         (a smirk)
                    Not in the Caribbean.  Have a good
                    Christmas, guys.  See you when I get
                    back.

     MEKUM'S IMAGE disappears and the video screen goes blank, leaving
     a glum silence broken only by the DRUMMING of the rain on the
     roof.

     CHURCH moodily strolls toward his desk, and his eyes go to the 
     photographs.

     His wife and children smile back at him from the pictures.

     Just then SLOAN taps him, and be turns to see her handing him a
     cup full of amber liquid.

                                   SLOAN
                    Merry Christmas, Captain.

     RUBRICK is pouring another glass from a bottle of Scotch as the
     little tree winks on and off, and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  BARRACKS - NIGHT

     Silence.  Darkness.  Dim shapes in the darkness, hard to
     distinguish.

     Rain BEATS on the roof monotonously, relentlessly.

     The room is alive with BREATHING.

     Then we hear a MUFFLED WHOOP from outside.

     The darkness is tense, the BREATHING changes rhythm.

     The RATTLE of the door breaks the quiet.

     The door swings open, a flashlight stabs the dark.

     A woman GIGGLES:  SLOAN!

     The flashlight beams and wavers in the darkness, catching brief
     glimpses of the faces of the NEW SOLDIERS.  Their eyes glitter in
     the lurching beam, their faces are ghostly like vampires.

     RUBRICK switches on a dim overhead lamp as he and SLOAN (holding
     the flashlight) and CHURCH stagger drunkenly into the bunkhouse, 
     carrying a couple of half-empty bottles.

                                   SLOAN
                    Hi, fellas.  At ease!

                                   RUBRICK
                    Merry Christmas, everybody.

     Eyes riveted on the THREE OFFICERS, the NEW SOLDIERS are
     unresponsive to Christmas cheer.  In fact, they look almost
     angry, like big dangerous animals, as the three OFFICERS stagger 
     stupidly down the row of bunks, every eye following them.

                                   CHURCH
                    We brought you a little Christmas
                    tree.

     CHURCH almost falls over as he places the tree on the floor

     As stone faces watch him without expression, RUBRICK waves a
     couple of bottles.

                                   RUBRICK
                    And some good cheer.

     SLOAN, giggling, does a provocative bump and grind.

                                   SLOAN
                    How about some Christmas pussy,
                    guys?  Anybody for a quick piece?

     The NEW SOLDIERS don't react.  Stone faces.
                                   RUBRICK
                         (smirking)
                    That's "conduct unbecoming," Sloan.

                                   SLOAN
                    It's Christmas!  Haven't you heard
                    of piece on earth?  "Piece on
                    earth," get it?

                                   CHURCH
                         (suddenly serious,
                          sober)
                    Christ, I wish we were on Earth.

     RUBRICK sets three bottles down and indicates them to the NEW
     SOLDIERS.

                                   RUBRICK
                    Eat, drink, and be merry, men.  For
                    tomorrow you go on patrol in the 
                    "hostile zone."

     RUBRICK burps stupidly as the NEW SOLDIERS stare back at him from 
     their bunks, muscles bulging, eyes glittering, nothing but danger
     in their stone faces as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  PIONEER MEETING ROOM - NIGHT

     "JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE BELLS, JINGLE ALL THE WAY."  In sharp
     contrast to the gloom of the soldier Christmas, the PIONEERS,
     MEN, WOMEN and CHILDREN, are SINGING and celebrating.

     There's a six-foot carved wooden tree festooned with makeshift 
     decorations and ringed with heaps of presents in crude wrapping.

     There's an appetizing looking buffet and a punchbowl.

     ANGLE ON TODD seated against a wall not far from the door.  He
     stares uncomprehendingly at the merriment all around him.  What
     on earth is going on?  What are they doing?

     JIMMY PIG is marching around in a Santa Claus costume, doling out
     presents to ELLEN, WILL, TOMMY, JOHNNY and OTHER CHILDREN.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                    HO HO HO!  HO HO HO!

     Passing TODD, JIMMY PIG acknowledges him with a wink and a
     special "HO HO HO."

     TODD'S eyes give away his confusion.  What the fuck is this?
     JIMMY PIG in a fake beard and a fake stomach?  This is the
     craziest shit TODD has ever encountered.

     ANGLE ON NATHAN, a wrapped present in hand.  He hasn't a clue
     what it is or what he should do with it.

     Laughing, MACE and SANDRA hover over him, showing him how to pull
     the wrapping off.  Great idea!  NATHAN likes pulling wrapping
     off!  That's fun.  SANDRA and MACE watch joyfully as NATHAN tears
     at the wrapping enthusiastically.

     ANGLE ON TODD getting to his feet.

     ANGLE ON NATHAN pulling away the last of the wrapping to expose a
     pull toy, a METAL BIRD on crude wheels made of wire and junk.

     MACE takes the toy, demonstrates pulling it.  The wings flap as
     the wheels turn!

     NATHAN reacts with delight and amazement!  Then grabs it!

     A SUDDEN SCREECH...

     ANGLE ON TODD looking alarmed.  He's on his way to the door, but
     EMMA is charging at him, SHRIEKING!!!

     Not sure whether this is an attack or not, TODD watches the older
     woman scramble onto a stool next to him, still SHRIEKING giddily.

     As TODD eyes her (and everybody else) warily, she gives him a
     peck on the cheek and points over head.

     TODD looks up, sees a strange cloth decoration with a sign on it
     that says "MISTLETOE."

     Means nothing to TODD.  There's a burst of applause as EMMA
     scrambles off the stool.  Somebody starts to sing "GOD REST YE
     MERRY GENTLEMEN."

     A MONTAGE OF FACES:  JIMMY "SANTA" PIG, MACE, SANDRA, RED,
     CHESTER, SALLY, ELLEN, HAWKINS, even SLADE, SINGING.

     ANGLE ON THE DOOR.  No sign of TODD!  Gone!

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  "ROOF" - NIGHT - MINUTES LATER

     A low wind MOANS and mingles with strains of "OH, HOLY NIGHT" as
     TODD bellies up to the "skylight" and peers down at the scene
     below in the Meeting Room.

     TODD'S POV THROUGH THE SKYLIGHT.  The merriment has evolved into
     a more spiritual mood as the PIONEERS join in the solemn hymn.

     But TODD spots NATHAN trying to pull his pull toy along so the
     wings flap.  NATHAN is pretty wobbly and he goes down hard and
     starts to cry.

     Immediately SANDRA disengages from the adults and rushes to the 
     sobbing NATHAN and clutches him to her breast, soothing him...and
     MACE joins her, hovering over his son.

     ANGLE ON TODD, watching.  After a moment, TODD scrambles off the
     roof and drops into the adjoining trench while "OH, HOLY NIGHT"
     continues to blend with the soughing WIND.

     EXT.  INSIDE THE TRENCH

     Lit by spill from a window in the wall of the trench, TODD starts 
     doing push-ups.  One-two-three-four-five-six-fast-fast-fast-fast.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CORRIDOR AND MEETING ROOM/SETTLEMENT - (ANOTHER) DAY

     HAWKINS is walking along the corridor outside the meeting room
     when she hears strange SOUNDS.  She approaches the door and looks
     in.

     ELLEN and other CHILDREN (including NATHAN) are playing
     children's games on the floor, paying no attention to the source
     of the strange noises...JOHNNY and WILL.

     JOHNNY and WILL are doing exercises, obviously inspired by TODD's 
     martial calisthenics, and including the sudden violent movements.

     As the two boys make their ritual grunting noises, HAWKlNS frowns
     a worried frown, and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  TRENCH GARDEN - DAY

     The seedlings have grown to twelve-inch stalks.  SANDRA is
     pulling some from the ground as TODD imitates her.  She shows him
     the fat edible root.

                                   SANDRA
                    We'll eat these.

     Other PIONEERS are also harvesting, with occasional glances at
     TODD as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OTHER ROOM - DAY

     Cleaning vegetables, SANDRA is separating the roots, shaking the
     dirt off, cutting away the excess.

     TODD is carefully following her example, cutting the stalks away
     with the knife.

     NATHAN is tottering across the floor an a beginner's wobbly legs.

                                   SANDRA
                    It seemed like he was never going to
                    walk.  Then all of a sudden...he's
                    an expert.

     Whump!  NATHAN falls on his ass.

                                   SANDRA
                         (a laugh)
                    Well, not quite an expert.

     TODD watches SANDRA go to NATHAN and hug him affectionately.

     Turning back to the vegetables, stone faced, TODD cuts his
     finger.  Blood flows.  He ignores it, continues working...

     But SANDRA, returning to the vegetables, notices TODD's cut
     finger and immediately grabs a rag and takes his hand.

     TODD looks startled is she takes his finger.  Then, staunching
     the blood with the rag, she looks him in the eye, curious.

                                   SANDRA
                    Sergeant Todd...what's it
                    like...what's it like being a
                    soldier?

     What's it like...?  TODD stares at her, trying to process the
     question.  Seeing his difficulty SANDRA tries to help...

                                   SANDRA
                    What do you think about?

     No answer, a stare.

                                   SANDRA
                    Do you think about food?  Or women?
                    You must think about something.

     TODD gulps.  His blank stare could pass for stupidity.

                                   SANDRA
                    What about feelings then?  You must
                    have feelings.  You must feel
                    something.

     TODD wets his lips.  He seems about to answer...and yet it's
     difficult for him.  He could kill a person easier.

     On the floor NATHAN GOOS happily, oblivious.

                                   TODD
                         (at last)
                    Fear.

                                   SANDRA
                         (startled)
                    Fear!  You mean...you feel afraid?
                         (as he nods)
                    That's when you're in battle...
                    What about other times?  Now, for
                    example?

                                   TODD
                    Fear.

                                   SANDRA
                         (amazed)
                    Now?

                                   TODD
                    Always.

     A stunned silence.  Finally SANDRA speaks...

                                   SANDRA
                    You don't...look afraid.  You look
                    fearless.

     TODD looks at her.  This is incredibly difficult for him, like 
     physical labor.  He wets his lips and take a breath.

                                   TODD
                    Fear and...discipline.

                                   SANDRA
                         (growing horror)
                    Oh, my God.  But there's nothing to
                    be afraid of here.  I can't hurt
                    you.  I wouldn't.

                                   TODD
                    Always.  It makes us...alert.

     SANDRA is overwhelmed.  She reaches for him, hugs him to her
     breast like a little baby, holding him.

     But TODD is as tense in her arms as steel.  He can't relax.  He's
     even trembling.

     NATHAN, on the floor, looks up, smiles innocently.

     SANDRA lets go of TODD and steps back, looking at him, her face
     troubled, as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  MEETING ROOM - DAY

     ELLEN is supervising block building (babysitting) with several of
     the younger children (OMAR, BUCKY, ANGIE and JANICE) while WILL
     and TOMMY play their own separate games close by.  Then WILL
     looks up and sees something disturbing.

                                   WILL
                    You're not supposed to do that
                    anymore.

     He's speaking to JOHNNY who is doing martial exercises.

                                   JOHNNY
                    So what?  I'm a soldier.

                                   WILL
                    They're gonna kick him out.

     ELLEN looks up from the blocks.

                                   ELLEN
                    They can't kick him out...

                                   WILL
                    They're gonna.  My father --

                                   ELLEN
                         (interrupting strongly)
                   My mother says when someone's sick
                   or hurt, you have to help them.  You
                   don't have a choice.

                                   JOHNNY
                         (getting interested)
                   Yeah, but what if the hurt person
                   is...evil?

                                   ELLEN
                   You still have to help them...
                   because if you don't, you're evil!

                                   WILL
                         (importantly)
                   My father says...uh...he says,
                   "Soldiers deserve soldiers."

                                   TOM
                   Yeah.  That's what my father said
                   too.

                                   ELLEN
                   My father's making Sergeant Todd a
                   scarf because he saved his life one
                   time.  He's knitting it.
                                   WILL
                   That's dumb.  Your father's dumb.

     WILL is smirking with satisfaction at having settled that when
     out of nowhere ELLEN's little fist hits him hard on the nose.
     WILL looks stunned.  Blood oozes from his nose.  He starts to
     cry.

     ELLEN looks horrified at what she's done as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OTHER ROOM - DAY

     The scarf!  It's been knitted with an elaborate and colorful
     design.

                                   JIMMY PIG'S WIFE (O.S.)
                   Jimmy knitted it himself.  He worked
                   on it for two months.

     SANDRA is examining the knitted scarf as JIMMY PIG and his WIFE
     stand in the doorway.

                                   SANDRA
                   It's beautiful, Jimmy.  He'll love
                   it.

     JIMMY PIG looks very embarrassed.  He shrugs.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                   He saved my life out there.  I guess
                   Mace told you.

                                   SANDRA
                         (nods)
                   You should give it to him yourself.
                   I think he's in the meeting room...
                   doing...exercises.

     JIMMY PIG nods, takes the knitted scarf back from SANDRA as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  ALLEY/CITY - NIGHT

     Frantic CIVILIANS, mostly women and children, are illuminated by 
     FLASHES from rocket fire overhead as they scramble for cover
     amidst heavy CROSSFIRE from automatic weapons.

     A terrified LITTLE GIRL, separated from her family, seeks shelter
     in a doorway when suddenly she's confronted by THREE SOLDIERS IN
     RED UNIFORMS looming over her.

     Looking up in abject horror, she sees a RED SOLDIER casually pan
     his assault rifle, pointing the muzzle right at her from only a
     foot away, unmistakably flexing to fire.

     BLAM!  Suddenly the RED SOLDIER is blown backwards violently,
     shot in the chest.

     ANGLE ON TODD, visored, in a torn black uniform, firing again.

     BLAM!  A SECOND RED SOLDIER goes down.

     CLICK!  TODD's weapon jams.

     As the LITTLE GIRL, amazed to be alive, watches open mouthed,
     TODD swings his weapon like a club, attacking the THIRD RED
     SOLDIER before he can aim.

     Then she runs, leaving TODD savagely beating the THIRD RED
     SOLDIER to death.

     TODD is delivering a final savage blow to the prone body when a 
     movement or shadow catches the corner of his eye and he whirls 
     savagely to defend himself from behind --

     INT.  MEETING ROOM - DAY

     WHUMP!  JIMMY PIG is slammed up against the wall of the meeting
     room, TODD's big hand around his neck.
     Gurgling desperately, his eyes popping out of his head, JIMMY PIG
     stares helplessly into TODD's merciless soldier eyes and his
     stone face only inches away.

     TODD blinks.  He sees he's got a terrified JIMMY PIG pinned to
     the wall, his feet dangling two feet off the floor.  Slowly he
     lowers JIMMY PIG to the floor.

     All JIMMY PIG can do is squeak desperately and point to the
     floor.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                   Scarf!  Scarf!

     TODD looks down.  He sees a knit scarf lying on the floor.  He
     doesn't understand.  He looks up.

     He sees JIMMY PIG'S WIFE, HAWKINS, SLADE, and several other
     PIONEERS standing in the doorway of the meeting room, their
     stunned expressions indicating they just saw something
     horrifying.

     TODD stands there, isolated, bare-chested, his huge muscles
     glistening with sweat, decorated with terrible scars and
     mysterious tattoos, as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OTHER LIVING QUARTERS - NIGHT

     EVA, Johnny's mother, is reacting, horrified.

                                   EVA
                   What....?  What... are...those?
                   Chester!  CHESTER!

     CHESTER, Johnny's father, rushes in to see what the commotion's
     about.

     ANGLE ON JOHNNY in the tin cauldron that serves as a bath tub.
     JOHNNY'S bare chest and shoulders are covered with crude
     imitations of TODD's tattoos.

                                   JOHNNY
                         (sullen)
                   Those are my war marks.  From the
                   battles I fought.

     CHESTER and EVA exchange a look.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  BEDROOM - NIGHT

     MACE and SANDRA are lying awake in the bed in darkness.  For a
     long moment they're both silent with the silence that comes in a
     heavy moment in a conversation.  Then MACE speaks, his eyes on
     the ceiling.

                                   MACE
                   There's going to be a meeting.
                   People are upset about him.

                                   SANDRA
                   He's not fully recovered.

                                   MACE
                   That's what scares people.  He gets
                   stronger every day.

     They're both silent for a long moment.  MACE has something
     weighing on his mind that he hesitates to say...but finally he
     says it.

                                   MACE
                   I've caught him..sneaking looks at
                   you.  At your body.

                                   SANDRA
                   I know.

     A heavy silence, then...

                                   SANDRA
                   Are you afraid of him, Mace?

     MACE stares at the ceiling and speaks with difficult honesty.

                                   MACE
                   Yes.
                         (pauses, then)
                   God knows where he's been...or what
                   he's done.

     Another pause before...

                                   MACE
                   I've never been afraid of anyone
                   before...not this way.  I feel he
                   could break me in half...with no
                   real effort and no real...feeling.

                                   SANDRA
                   He told me he's afraid.

                                   MACE
                   Maybe he is.  It doesn't matter.

     MACE is staring grimly at the ceiling as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  WINDOWLESS CEMENT ROOM - DAY OR NIGHT (FLASHBACK)

     Silent and surreal, the events of 1986 continue with the PASSIVE
     FOUR-YEAR-OLD sitting on the floor while the AGGRESSIVE FOUR-YEAR-
     OLD looks down at him, and other FOUR-YEAR-OLDS gather ominously.

     It's only now, as he gets to his feet, suddenly trading vicious
     blows with the AGGRESSIVE FOUR-YEAR-OLD that we realize that this
     passive boy is FOUR-YEAR-OLD TODD.  The boys don't fight like 
     children; they don't quit or cry as the blood flows.

     Highly-polished shoes, sharply creased trousers, and eyes
     glittering from the shadows are all that is visible of the
     faceless OBSERVERS who make no move to interrupt the violence.

     FOUR-YEAR-OLD TODD, his nose pouring blood, exchanges savage
     hurtful blows with his opponent, bloodying him viciously, as
     we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OTHER ROOM - DAY (PRESENT)

     Eyes!  The adult TODD blinks away the memory, stares straight
     ahead...

     into NATHAN'S face, only six inches from his own.

     They're all alone in the room.  It's very quiet.

     NATHAN smiles a tentative smile, raises a hand, reaches out to
     touch TODD'S face affectionately, curiously, testing their 
     friendship...
     ANGLE ON TODD, his eyes.  Dangerous.  He draws his face back
     enough to avoid being touched.

     NATHAN looks unsure.  He's used to affection.  Then he
     realizes... it must be a game!  He reaches out again...

     Again TODD avoids the touch...and as he does so, something
     catches his eye.

     TODD sees a VIPER sliding across the floor toward NATHAN.

     NATHAN doesn't see it; he's still trying to figure out this game.

     TODD pulls off his boot and hands it to NATHAN.

     NATHAN accepts it, thinks it's a gift.  He's pleased.  It's that
     kind of game!  He gives TODD a friendly "thanks for the boot"
     smile.

     TODD points to the VIPER which is close to NATHAN now.

     NATHAN looks at the VIPER.  He doesn't understand what he's
     supposed to do.

     TODD makes a hitting motion with his hand.

     The VIPER is close to NATHAN, coiling.

     NATHAN looks from the VIPER to TODD.

     TODD indicates the VIPER with his eyes.  His look is intense, a 
     message in his eyes.

     The VIPER is like a spring, it strikes...

     TODD's hand is like a blur, almost invisible as he catches the
     snake and flips it a couple of feet.

     NATHAN stares.

     The angry VIPER SPITS and HISSES and coils to strike again.

     NATHAN looks at TODD.

     TODD eyes the boot, then indicates the VIPER with his eyes.

     NATHAN frowns; he's getting the idea.

     The VIPER is about to strike again...

     SQUASH!  A heavy boot comes down on the snake, crushing it.

     TODD looks up to see MACE standing on the snake, reaching down
     for NATHAN.  As MACE hugs the boy protectively to his chest, he
     glares down at TODD with eyes blazing with fury.

     TODD meets the look without blinking.  He never blinks.

                                   SANDRA (O.S.)
                   What happened?

     TODD turns to see SANDRA standing in the bedroom door, her eyes
     almost as hard as TODD's as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  MEETING ROOM - NIGHT

     TODD stares impassively as HAWKINS addresses him...

                                   HAWKINS
                   No one here has any animosity toward
                   you, Sergeant.  None of us here is
                   your enemy.

     TODD is standing in front of the room full of grim-faced
     PIONEERS, all looking at him.  It's like a court.

     HAWKINS is flanked by MACE and SANDRA...

                                   HAWKINS
                   Moreover, we respect your qualities.
                   We have no doubt that you are a
                   very, very good soldier.

     As she speaks, TODD's blank stare considers the weathered faces
     of the PIONEERS facing him.  He sees CHESTER, EVA, RED with his
     WIFE, JIMMY PIG and his WIFE, SLADE and MRS. SLADE, JUDITH, EMMA,
     SALLY.  As HAWKINS continues, TODD's sharp eyes pick out details.
     He sees JIMMY PIG opening and closing his hands nervously, he
     sees SLADE fingering a barely noticeable rifle barrel.  CHESTER
     has a weapon too.

                                   HAWKINS (O.S.)
                   But, because of your training, I
                   don't think you'll ever be able to
                   function in a group like this, a
                   community of vulnerable people, of
                   families, of children, where the
                   ability to fight is not the sole
                   purpose of existence.

     The PIONEERS are nervous, ready for trouble, afraid TODD might
     take this badly and fly off the handle.

     As TODD's huge hand opens...and closes, their eyes are on it.  He 
     could pick up the table and hurl it at them, break men in half
     with his bare hands.  His face is like stone, his eyes like
     diamond chips as he glances toward SANDRA.

     TODD sees SANDRA is moved, trying to suppress her emotions,
     biting her lip, as HAWKINS goes on...

                                   HAWKINS
                   You're different from us, Sergeant.
                   We don't hate you for that, but we
                   have agreed that to try to include
                   you would pose an intolerable risk
                   to the community itself.

                                   MACE
                   We'll give you any tools you need,
                   warm clothing, a good knife, boots.

                                   SANDRA
                         (emotionally)
                   And if you're ever sick...or you get
                   hurt...

                                   MACE
                   You're a friend, Sergeant.  It's
                   just...

     MACE doesn't finish.  TODD's eyes glance again at the PIONEERS.
     They too seem moved, not so ready to shoot.

     TODD blinks.  Once.  And we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  INSIDE THE TRENCH - MORNING (WIND)

     TODD is wrapped in a heavy parka, his mouth wrapped with the
     scarf JIMMY PIG knit, his eyes covered with eye protectors as
     MACE hands him another sack in addition to the one already over
     his shoulder.

                                   MACE
                   If you need us...you can ask us for
                   help.

     TODD glances at the knot of PIONEERS gathered in the trench, all
     eyes on him.  SANDRA is among then with NATHAN in her arms.  For
     just a second TODD's eyes go to the cheerful face of NATHAN; then
     he turns to MACE.

     MACE is startled to see TODD pull the scarf from his mouth to
     speak.  He's never spoken before unless spoken to.

                                   TODD
                   It's not true.
                         (then, with great effort)
                   I'm not a good soldier.

     Then TODD replaces the scarf over his mouth and starts to climb
     out of the trench into the wind as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  LANDSCAPE (AND "STEEL HENGE") - DAY - LATER

     Four suns glare down from the sky onto the vast, windswept
     wasteland.

     TODD is a tiny dot in the vastness, traveling like a bug along
     one of the long cables that stretches for miles and miles.  He's
     out by the skeleton of the old ship as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  ANOTHER PLANET - DAY

     A low slung armored vehicle on caterpillar treads RUMBLES over a
     steep rocky terrain faintly backlit by a cold sun that looms 
     enormously on the horizon while giving off only a faint glow.

     Hanging on to the outside of the insect-like scouting vehicle
     (called a "CRAWLER") are two nasty-looking NEW SOLDIERS in space
     suits designed for battle, their heavy rocket rifles cradled and
     ready, their visors blank and ominous.

     INT.  CRAWLER

     The husky sergeant, CAINE 607, steers the vehicle and speaks into
     a radio mike at the same time.

                                   CAINE 607
                   Crawler, Crawler to Daddy.  No
                   hostiles!

     The GUNNER beside him and the NEW SOLDIERS in the back seat stare
     stoically out the windows as CAINE 607 replaces the mike.

     INT.  COCKPIT/"DADDY"

     RUBRICK is sitting at a console cluttered with coffee cups and
     half-finished cheeseburgers, responding to the radio.

                                   RUBRICK
                   All right, Crawler, Crawler, we got
                   you.  This is Daddy.  Continue per,
                   over.

     RUBRICK turns to CHURCH who's standing in the cramped cockpit,
     staring out a window at the gloomy planet outside, watching the 
     CRAWLER creep over the terrain.

                                   RUBRICK
                   We're clear.  We can send a crew
                   out.

                                   CHURCH
                         (bored)
                   Sloan's already on it.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CREW QUARTERS/"DADDY" - DAY

     An oval hatch door swings open and SLOAN enters.

     VETERANS in coveralls, slumped or sprawled on steel-tiered bunks,
     scramble obediently to their feet, eyes on SLOAM.

                                   SLOAN
                   Suit up, fellas.  Time to go build
                   another play house.

     As VETERANS start to pull space suits from under the bunks, SLOAN
     turns her back on them...but hesitates before exiting as though
     expecting something.  Sure enough, veteran RILEY speaks up.

                                   RILEY
                   Sir.

                                   SLOAN
                   Yes, Riley, what is it?

     SLOAN says it even before she's turned.  She knew who it would
     be.
                                   RILEY
                   We haven't been issued weapons, sir.

                                   SLOAN
                         (as to a child)
                   You won't need weapons, Riley.
                   You're not soldiers anymore.

                                   RILEY
                         (saluting)
                   Yes, sir.

                                   SLOAN
                   You don't even have to salute
                   anymore.  A simple "Yes, sir" will
                   do.

     RILEY swallows hard and with effort keeps his hand from saluting
     as he speaks.

                                   RILEY
                   Y-yes...sir.

     SLOAN turns her back and exits.

     As the door closes, RILEY, unable to restrain himself any longer, 
     salutes hastily as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT./EXT.  COCKPIT - DAY - LATER

     Through the cockpit window in the bluish glare of a work-light,
     VETERANS, dressed in space suits, can be seem erecting a prefab
     hut on the harsh moonscape.

     SLOAN is watching them through the window while behind her
     RUBRICK lounges with his feet on the console and reads a current
     magazine on a VDT.  CHURCH is partially visible in the
     background, poring over charts in the navigator's cubicle.  It's
     very quiet until SLOAN speaks, almost to herself.

                                   SLOAN
                   Every time it's time to send them
                   out, Riley asks about weapons.  And
                   every time I tell him they don't
                   need weapons anymore, they're not
                   soldiers anymore.

                                   RUBRICK
                         (eyes on VDT)
                   Jesus!  It says here Macy's is going
                   out of business.  Can you imagine
                   that?  New York without Macy's?

     Silence.  SLOAN watches the VETERANS outside through the window.
     They're working like a team of ants in space suits, erecting the
     hut.

     CHURCH gets up noisily from the navigation cubicle and joins
     them, shaking his head.

                                   CHURCH
                   Next one's going to be a real pain
                   in the ass.

                                   RUBRICK
                         (reading, not interested)
                   Yeah?  What flavor pain in the ass?
                   Gravity pain in the ass?  Atmosphere
                   pain in the ass?

                                   CHURCH
                   How about a "gaseous currents" and
                   "urgent convections" pain in the ass.

                                   SLOAN
                   I think you're trying to say a "wind
                   pain in the ass."

                                   RUBRICK
                   Wind!

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  PIPE - DAY

     WIND!  As the wind RAGES outside, TODD, wearing his parka,
     crouches over a tiny fire inside a huge open-ended pipe twelve
     feet in diameter.  He stares at the bleak, windy landscape
     outside his shelter.  He looks primitive, like a caveman, and
     very very alone as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  PIPE - DUSK

     The fat section of pipe is twenty feet long squatting in the
     blowing litter on the grim landscape in the shadow of the junk 
     mountains.  Somehow that inanimate pipe also looks lonely in the 
     vastness as the four suns overhead darken toward evening.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  STARS - NIGHT

     Stars glitter behind the dimmed suns as the wind HOWLS and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  PIPE - DAY

     The fire is nothing but coals.  TODD sits stoically over the
     embers, more alone than ever, chewing on a piece of dried food,
     part of his spartan meal.

     As he chews, he stares blankly at nothing until...

     A single tear crawls down one cheek.

     Then another.

     TODD looks like a stone statue oozing tears.  He reaches up and 
     touches the strange water with his finger, then studies the
     finger, as though a tear were the most remarkable thing he's ever 
     seen.  He cannot remember anything like this; he cannot remember
     ever having cried.

     And suddenly, without warning, he's convulsed with tears, heaving
     with sobs, alone in the big pipe with the pitiful little fire,
     bawling like a baby as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  BEDROOM - DAY

     A VIPER writhes across the floor through the patterns of light 
     streaming through the window, a sinister presence, full of menace
     and evil designs.

     The VIPER winds its way toward an object that will prove in a
     moment to be a corner of the bad.

     SMACK!  The VIPER doesn't make it!  SMACK!  Another blow from
     MACE's heavy boot being swung by hand.

     The VIPER coils and HISSES angrily, wounded and dangerous.

     SMACK!  The boot again!

     NATHAN wields it awkwardly, hitting bravely at the HISSING VIPER!

     SMACK!  NATHAN hits again and...

     MACE rolls over in the bed.

     SMACK!  MACE comes awake, looks around.

     MACE lunges from the bed.

     SMACK!  Just as NATHAN gives the damaged VIPER another blow, MACE 
     snatches the boy in his arms and yanks him away.

     SANDRA sits up in bad, looking around, alarmed.

     MACE is holding NATHAN, staring down at the VIPER.

     The VIPER has up the ghost, lying on the floor.

     MACE hugs NATHAN to him and looks toward SANDRA.  They both look
     at the boot.  And at the dead VIPER.

     Their eyes meet and, for a long moment, they just look at each
     other.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OTHER ROOM - DAY - A LITTLE LATER

     MACE is wearing his parka, pulling on his eye protectors
     hurriedly as he opens the door to the corridor.  SANDRA's voice
     makes him stop and turn to her.

                                   SANDRA
                   Mace!  What about the vote?
                   Everybody voted.

     Mace glares at her for a moment, knowing she's right.  Then he
     turns away and starts out defiantly.

                                   MACE
                   We voted wrong!

     SANDRA looks relieved and worried at the same time and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  LANDSCAPE - DAY

     This time MACE is the tiny figure struggling along the wire in
     the wind, alone on the vast landscape under four suns.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  OUTER SPACE/"DADDY" - "DAY"

     The military ship called "DADDY" (Defend And Attack Deployment
     Entity) is a big ugly insect gliding through a black silent void.
     On the grimy bulwark of the ship are the letters NAF followed by 
     serial numbers and the logo of the North American Forces.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  COCKPIT - DAY

     CLOSE ON space charts.  CHURCH's finger is indicating a tiny dot
     on the chart surrounded by a vast sea of space.

                                   CHURCH
                   It's a dump.  Literally.

     SLOAN and RUBRICK are looking over CHURCH's shoulder while a NEW 
     SOLDIER sits stonefaced at the control console flying the ship.

                                   SLOAN
                   No shit!  We're gonna set up a
                   monitor on a garbage dump!  So we
                   can monitor garbage rusting?

                                   RUBRICK
                   Will the wind affect the patrol?

                                   CHURCH
                   The Crawlers are low enough and
                   heavy enough, they won't blow.  The
                   men should wear armored vests and
                   carry double weapons and ammo for
                   the weight.  They may have to use
                   lines too, like mountain climbers.

     RUBRICK shakes his head, snorts disgustedly.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  OUTER SPACE/"DADDY" - "DAY"

     As the grimy skin of the ugly military ship looms across our
     vision, a tiny orb is visible off the bow in the distance, a
     remote world, destination of "DADDY" as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  CABLE/LANDSCAPE - DAY

     Alone, MACE is pulling himself along the cable as the wind
     buffets him.

     Ahead the cable stretches past the skeleton of the ship and the 
     "catcher trenches" toward the mountains of junk towering over the
     flat landscape several miles off.

     A heavy barrel blows by, then an old refrigerator tumbles past.

     MACE squints into the wind.

     Off to the right about a quarter mile away he can see a big piece
     of pipe...and a trail of smoke blowing out of the pipe and 
     disappearing in the wind.

     MACE struggles the cable past flooded "catcher trenches" as
     we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  PIPE/LANDSCAPE - DAY - MINUTES LATER

     The pipe lies fifty yards off the cable to the right.  As MACE
     pulls even with it, he can see right inside.

     TODD is standing just inside the mouth of the pipe, looking
     straight out at MACE...but the light is behind him and MACE can't
     see TODD's face as he SHOUTS at him.

                                   MACE
                   TODD!  TODD!
                         (pauses, then)
                   TODD!  WE WANT YOU TO COME BACK!  WE
                   MADE A MISTAKE!

     MACE starts toward him, letting go of the wire, struggling in the 
     wind.

     TODD watches him come.

     MACE stumbles on, dances a few feet, recovers, struggles toward
     TODD, SHOUTING....

                                   MACE
                   TODD!  WE'RE SORRY!  WE WERE WRONG!

     Just then, a sharp gust staggers MACE, driving him several yards 
     toward a "catcher trench."

     He's teetering on the lip of the flooded trench, about to fall
     in, when TODD'S strong arms grab him.

     They look like a strange four-footed beast as TODD drags him
     through the wind in an awkward "embrace" toward the cable.

     Once MACE has the cable in his hands, he laughs and gasps...

                                   MACE
                   Damn!  Thank you, Todd.  God damn!
                   I almost took a... a...swim there!

     MACE breaks off.  Todd isn't listening; he's looking off toward
     the horizon.

     MACE follows his look.

     Five miles away he can see an ugly insect-shaped spacecraft
     descending from about ten thousand feet.

                                   MACE
                   My...God!  Someone's landing.

     TODD doesn't answer.  He's staring at the descending ship with
     soldier eyes and a stone face as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CORRIDORS/SETTLEMENT - DAY

     Excitement, confusion.  PIONEERS and CHILDREN are clogging the
     narrow, earthen corridors, shouting excitedly, hurrying outside.

     SANDRA opens her door into the corridor, concerned...

                                   SANDRA
                   What's going on?

                                   JUDITH
                   Someone's landing!  Jimmy Pig
                   spotted a ship!

     SANDRA stands there stunned as excited PIONEERS mill past her,
     jamming the corridor, and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  CABLE - DAY

     TODD is on the cable with MACE, his eyes on the squat beetle-like 
     object crawling slowly toward then through the junk half a mile
     away.

                                   MACE
                   Look at that.  It's some kind of
                   vehicle.  A landing party.  HEY!

     MACE raises his arm to wave.

     Without taking his eyes off the approaching CRAWLER, TODD grabs
     MACE's arm and pulls it down.

     MACE looks at TODD, sees the grim expression on TODD's stone
     face, and suddenly MACE is worried too.

     INT.  CRAWLER

     Peering through binoculars, a soldier in the front passenger
     seat, the GUNNER, nudges the DRIVER and indicates something to
     the right.

     Two tiny FIGURES in the distance on a long cable.

     The driver is the beady-eyed giant, CAINE 607.  Reacting to what
     he see, he adjusts the vehicle to the right.

     EXT.  CRAWLER/LANDSCAPE

     Two ominous NEW SOLDIERS wearing plexi-goggles and bulky armor
     under their uniforms hang on the outside of the CRAWLER in the
     wind, their waists dangling with weapons and equipment, big
     rocket rifles across their chests.  They're looking ahead toward
     the long cable, as their nasty-looking vehicle grinds slowly
     forward through the litter, an evil vision.

     EXT.  LANDSCAPE

     TODD and MACE are running, TODD in the lead, buffeted by wind, 
     struggling through a clutter of old machinery, diesel engines, 
     turbines, scattered haphazardly on the flat desert floor.

     MACE is running too, not as well, and TODD has to reach back and
     grab him, pull him along...

                                   MACE
                         (gasp)
                   ...maybe...they're...
                         (gasp)
                   ...friendly...

     INT.  CRAWLER

     The GUNNER works a servomotor, aiming a cannon, as he peers
     through a scope.

     Through the scope, surrounded by digital readouts, we see two
     tiny running FIGURES...

     EXT.  CRAWLER

     BALAAM!  BALAAM!  The CRAWLER cannon FIRES...

     EXT.  LANDSCAPE

     MACE screams, he's hurled wildly mid-stride, tossed ten yards.

     TODD looks back, sees him lying on the sand, screaming in pain.

     TODD turns back, sprinting, low, weaving, tossed by the wind.

     WHOOOM!  Another SHOT.  If the wind hadn't hit him, TODD would
     have been hit.

     MACE is screaming.  His right leg is gone.

     TODD gets him, drags him, stumbles.

     WHOOM!  Another SHOT, another miss.

     TODD struggles for cover, staggering in the wind with MACE on his 
     back.

     INT.  CRAWLER

     Through his scope, the GUNNER sees TODD and MACE dive behind a
     big turbine.

     Unhurriedly the GUNNER flicks a switch on the dash.

     CAINE 607 nods approval.

     The GUNNER works the servo, bringing the cannon to bear on the
     turbine.

     EXT.  TURBINES

     TODD is dragging MACE along behind the cover of the turbine,
     glancing back for what he knows will occur.

     BAWHOOM!  The area where they disappeared EXPLODES, chunks of 
     steel fly.

     TODD keeps pulling MACE, who looks half dead as...

     BAWHOOM!  The TURBINE is hit again!

     INT.  CRAWLER

     Through the scope, the GUNNER aims again and watches another
     chunk of turbine disintegrate.

     The GUNNER glances at the robot-faced driver.  Their eyes meet.
     CAINE 607 nods.  Obviously, they've killed the two men.

     The GUNNER points to the cable.

     CAINE 607 follows the look, nods, and alters the course of the
     vehicle in toward the cable as he reaches for the radio mike.

     EXT.  ABANDONED ENGINES/TERRAIN

     TODD is crouched over MACE inside an abandoned diesel engine not
     far from the disintegrated turbine.  He's making a tourniquet to
     stop the bleeding from the stump of MACE's leg.  MACE looks
     awful, pale, in shock.  He speaks weakly.
                                   MACE
                   Oh, shit, Todd...I'm...dead...
                   aren't I?  I'm not going to make it.

     TODD meets his look but doesn't answer.  He finishes the
     tourniquet and turns his back on MACE to peer out through a gap
     in the engine at the CRAWLER.

     TODD sees the CRAWLER approach the cable, watches it veer left
     and start to travel along the cable...straight toward the colony!

     TODD turns and looks into MACE's face.  MACE's eyes are clouded
     with horror.

                                   MACE
                   Why?  Why?

     No answer.

                                   MACE
                   I'm not..a soldier.
                         (then...)
                   A...mistake?  Was it...a mistake?

     TODD shakes his head no.  MACE's eyes fill with new horror.

                                   MACE
                   Oh, my God.  They won't...they
                   won't...?  Not Sandra!  Not...
                   not...Nathan!

     TODD turns away from MACE and peers through the machinery.

     He can see the CRAWLER is a hundred yards away now, traveling
     along the cable toward the colony.

     He can see the faces of the NEW SOLDIERS hanging on the outside
     of the CRAWLER, hard faces, goggled and ominous.

     When TODD turns back to MACE, he finds MACE eyeing him with pure 
     hatred.  MACE sneers weakly.

                                   MACE
                   Soldiers!  Soldiers...
                         (gasp)
                   ...deserve...soldiers!

     His eyes roll back.  He's dead.

     TODD peers out again at the NEW SOLDIERS.  They look invincible
     as we..

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  "DADDY"/LANDSCAPE - DAY

     The spaceship is squatting on the barren ground a mile from the 
     junk towers like an ugly insect.

     INT.  MESS/"DADDY"

     RUBRICK sticks his head in the door of the cramped officers mess.

                                   RUBRICK
                   People.  They've spotted people!

     Both CHURCH and SLOAN look up in astonishment from the card game
     they're playing on a tiny fold-out table.

                                   CHURCH
                   "People"!  "People"?  What do you
                   mean "people"?

                                   RUBRICK
                   Two civilians.  Unarmed.  They've
                   killed both of them.  They've
                   spotted smoke from some kind of camp
                   and they're going to check it out.

                                   SLOAN
                   A camp!  Jesus Christ!

                                   CHURCH
                   Damn!
                         (worried)
                   Did they ask for assistance?

                                   RUBRICK
                   Not yet.

     CHURCH frowns, considers, then frets...

                                   CHURCH
                   Like my daddy used to say,
                   "Nothing's ever as simple as it's
                   supposed to be...except shit."

                                   SLOAN
                         (rolling her eyes)
                   Thank you, "Daddy."

                                   RUBRICK
                   Who do you think they are?

                                   SLOAN
                   The civilians?
                         (a shrug)
                   Squatters...refugees. I don't think
                   we want to know, do we?

                                   CHURCH
                   Good point.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT. GARDEN TRENCH - DAY - A LITTLE LATER

     HAWKINS, JIMMY PIG, RED, and other PIONEERS are peering over the
     lip of the trench just beneath the trellis.

     A half mile off they can see the CRAWLER creeping in their
     general direction.

     The garden is full of excited PIONEERS with their CHILDREN,
     everybody trying not to trample the plants, but trampling them
     anyway, as HAWKINS addresses them...

                                   HAWKINS
                   I'm going to go out and talk to
                   them.  More than likely they're
                   friendly.  If not...
                         (indicating Jimmy Pig,
                          others)
                   ...those of you with weapons will be
                   ready to defend us.  The rest of you
                   go back.

     HAWKINS turns abruptly and looks over the rim.

     The CRAWLER is closer now, only a quarter mile away, angling to
     the left along the wire.

     HAWKINS starts to climb out of the trench, boosted by JIMMY PIG
     and CHESTER.  She's waving her arms, shouting.

                                   HAWKINS
                   HERE!  OVER HERE!

     SANDRA looks worried.

     INT.  CRAWLER

     CAINE 607 and the GUNNER both see the tiny figure waving at them
     a quarter mile away, trying to get their attention.

     As CAINE 607 adjusts their course to the left, the GUNNER's
     servomotor WHINES as he aims, peering through the scope at the 
     helpless figure of HAWKINS.

     EXT.  SETTLEMENT/LANDSCAPE

     ANGLE ON HAWKINS suddenly reacting to the sight of the vicious-
     looking CRAWLER coming straight toward her, now only five hundred 
     yards away.  They don't look too friendly!  Frightened, she's
     lowering her arms and turning when...

     BLAAAAM!  The cannon flashes, HAWKINS flies backwards!

     EXT.  INSIDE GARDEN TRENCH

     HAWKINS' body flies back onto the PIONEERS in the trench.  Panic 
     erupts as...

     CHESTER raises his light rifle and starts FIRING over the lip of
     the trench.

     BAWHOOM!  The whole edge of the trench explodes, dirt flies, and
     CHESTER is hurled backwards, dead.

     PIONEERS are screaming and running wildly down the trenches...

     JIMMY PIG bravely aims his rifle over the lip of the trench.

     He sees the CRAWLER is lumbering right at him.

     PING!  PING!  His shots are pitiful.  The CRAWLER keeps coming.

     ANGLE ON JIMMY PIG.  No choice but to retreat.  He turns and
     hurries down the trench after the others as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OFFICERS MESS/"DADDY"

     CHURCH and SLOAN look up from their card game again as RUBRICK
     sticks his head in the door to report the latest.

                                   RUBRICK
                   Report from Crawler One.  Everything
                   under control.  No need for
                   assistance.

                                   CHURCH
                   There's resistance?

                                   RUBRICK
                   Ineffectual.  About fifty
                   disorganized people with almost no
                   fire power.  Three men are going in
                   to clean them out; one man's staying
                   with the Crawler.

                                   CHURCH
                   Humph.  Sounds reckless, three
                   against fifty.  The old ones, the
                   veterans, they would have called for
                   support...just in case.

     Again RUBRICK and SLOAN exchange a glance and an eye-roll at the 
     fretting old fuddy-duddy.  Then SLOAN changes the subject
     brightly.

                                   SLOAN
                   Speaking of Riley and his old
                   soldiers...why don't we let them
                   start putting up the unit?  It's
                   gonna take forever in this wind.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CREW QUARTERS/"DADDY" - MOMENTS LATER

     RILEY is standing rigidly in front of his bunk in crew quarters,
     flanked by the rest of the VETERANS in similar positions, facing
     SLOAN.

                                   RILEY
                   Will we be issued weapons, sir?

                                   SLOAN
                         (a sneering smile)
                   No, Riley...no weapons.  You're not
                   a soldier, Riley.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  INSIDE THE TRENCHES - DAY

     The NEW SOLDIER comes straight, like some inexorable death
     machine, lumbering awkwardly with his burden of weapons, goggled
     and blank faced.

     A PIONEER is backing away ten yards in front of him, firing
     wildly.  POW!  POW!  POW!

     The NEW SOLDIER looks at one of his armor-gloved hands, opening
     the palm in front of his face.  His hand's been hit.  He shakes
     it, annoyed, like it was a bee sting, then he aims at the
     PIONEER.

     WHOOOOSH!  A tongue of fire from the NEW SOLDIER's flame thrower 
     engulfs the helpless PIONEER as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  MEETING ROOM - DAY

     PIONEERS are crouching in the room when the door bursts open, and
     a tongue of flame turns the room into a firestorm and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CORRIDOR - DAY

     SANDRA has NATHAN screaming in her arms as she calmly herds
     frightened CHILDREN through a corridor, JOHNNY, WILL, and ELLEN
     among them.

                                   SANDRA
                   Keep going, children, don't panic,
                   don't panic.

     But if her demeanor doesn't reveal her fear, her eyes do.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  INSIDE ANOTHER TRENCH - DAY

     Two Pioneers, SALLY and RED, lunge from a doorway into the trench
     and fire a rifle and a pistol at a THIRD SOLDIER who's advancing 
     along the trench.

     BANG!  BANG!  PING!  SPLAT!

     SALLY and RED dive back in the doorway for cover where a pioneer
     named SINGH is crouched, watching with alarm the THIRD SOLDIER 
     advancing unfazed.

     ANGLE ON THE THIRD SOLDIER coming toward them.

     ANGLE ON THE PIONEERS huddled in the doorway.

                                   RED
                   They got armored vests.  You got to
                   aim for exposed parts like the
                   face...

                                   SINGH
                   Here goes.

     RED and SALLY watch SINGH step out directly in front of the
     advancing THIRD SOLDIER and FIRE five shots rapidly...PING!
     PIZG!  PING!  PING!  PING!

     WHOOOOSH!  RED and SALLY see SINGH incinerated before their eyes.

     Exchanging a horrified glance, they turn to retreat down the
     interior corridor, but before they get two steps, they freeze...

     A SOLDIER is in the corridor, not looking at them, but breaking
     down a door.  They can't go that way!

     Trapped, they turn to see the THIRD SOLDIER almost to the
     doorway, his flame thrower aimed, his finger on the trigger,
     and...

     A blur!  Something lands on the THIRD SOLDIER from above the
     trench, and the THIRD SOLDIER falls over backwards, slamming hard
     to the floor of the trench.

     But he's a super soldier, so that almost at the same time he hits
     the ground he's already lunging upward to regain his feet and
     fight except...

     A knife blade rips across his throat, opening it wide in one
     swift movement, and...

     The THIRD SOLDIER's head sags back because not even superman can
     fight with no neck and the last thing he sees through his plexi 
     goggles is...

     TODD looming over him with a bloody knife, a face like stone, and
     fierce soldier's eyes.

     ANGLE ON THE DOORWAY, where RED, SALLY, and another PIONEER peer 
     around the corner, eyes wide with amazement at the sight of TODD 
     kneeling over his victim.

     ANGLE ON TODD, slipping the utility belt off the dead THIRD
     SOLDIER, yanking grenades and ammo from the bulky body, stuffing
     a heavy pistol in his own waistband.

     RED approaches timidly.

                                   RED
                   You want help, partner?

     TODD glances up at him, and RED sees TODD'S eyes and RED backs
     away quickly because...

     TODD looks badder even than the new soldiers!

     Turning back to the dead man, TODD goes for the last item...the
     goggles.  Ripping them off he reveals...

     A one-eyed soldier.  The dead man staring up at him is MELTON.

     For just a moment TODD stares into the dead face, revealing
     nothing of how he feels, as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  OTHER ROOM - DAY

     NATHAN is SCREAMING in terror on the floor, ignored as SANDRA and
     CHILDREN haul the bed from the bedroom to add to the heap of
     obstacles they've placed in front of the door already.  The
     stove, everything is wedged against the door to the corridor.

     As they heave the bed against the mountain of furniture and other 
     belongings, the door quivers, the heap of furniture shifts.

     INT.  CORRIDOR

     The FIRST SOLDIER, as big as an offensive tackle, shoulders the
     door again, and it gives...

     INT.  ROOM

     CHILDREN SCREAM as the mountain of furniture heaves backwards,
     and the door opens part way, revealing the FIRST SOLDIER.

     SANDRA grabs NATHAN and hands him to one of the children.

                                   SANDRA
                   Into the bedroom, all of you.

     SANDRA picks up a stool to defend herself.

     INT.  BEDROOM

     Dashing into the bedroom, the children are greeted with a
     terrifying sight!  SMASH!  Soldier boots are kicking out the
     little window high in the wall, SMASH, SMASH, SMASH, and the
     window collapses, a boot sticks through the opening...

     INT.  OTHER ROOM

     Unhurriedly, the giant FIRST SOLDIER bulls through the furniture,
     tossing the bed and table aside like sticks.

     SANDRA smashes at him with the stool, hitting him twice, hurling
     it in his face.

     The FIRST SOLDIER shakes off the blow as if he'd been hit by a 
     feather.  But she's got his attention.  He turns his goggles at
     her, starts to raise his weapon as...

     SANDRA turns and disappears into the bedroom...

     INT.  BEDROOM

     As SANDRA dashes into the bedroom in blind retreat she runs smack
     into the chest of another soldier!

     Helpless and horrified, she looks right into a cruel stone face
     and goggled eyes, and she gasps...

                                   SANDRA
                   Sergeant Todd!

     TODD never takes his eyes off the door as he brushes her roughly
     aside with one hand, while his other arm aims the heavy rocket
     gun right at the door and...

     The FIRST SOLDIER comes into the doorway with his flame thrower
     raised to torch women and children and what he sees is TODD
     looking right at him, aiming the rocket gun, and BAWHOOM, the
     FIRST SOLDIER is blown clear back across the other room with a 
     shot right in the chest.

     ANGLE ON SANDRA, still on the floor where he knocked her,
     watching TODD exit the room, weapon raised, his utility belt
     dangling bandolier style across his chest.

     He looks like...one of them!  A soldier!

     INT.  OTHER ROOM

     Crossing the next room, TODD moves quickly to the door, flattens,
     and peers into the corridor.

     He sees the SECOND SOLDIER heading toward him.

     BLAM!  BLAM!  TODD fires twice around the door and sees...

     The SECOND SOLDIER staggering back, hit, a pistol from his
     hip...

     Dirt explodes around the door frame as TODD ducks back.  Quick as
     a wink, he yanks a grenade from his utility belt, triggers it,
     and flips it around the corner as CRACK!  a shot rips at his arm.

     BAWHOOM, the grenade goes off and, bleeding from his arm, TODD
     swings into the corridor and follows the grenade with three quick 
     rocket shots.

     INT.  CORRIDOR

     Keeping low, TODD charges, his weapon pointed at the fallen
     SECOND SOLDIER.

     The SECOND SOLDIER is sprawled bloodily in the corridor, the
     walkie-talkie on his chest squawking urgently.
                                   WALKIE-TALKIE (V.O.)
                   Crawler One calling Double Mike.
                   Give me an "okay," Double Mike.

     TODD seizes the walkie-talkie, presses the transmit button, and
     snarls a throaty animal growl into the mike...

     INT.  CRAWLER/LANDSCAPE

     CAINE 607 is sitting at the wheel of the motionless vehicle
     parked near the trench garden, radio mike in hand, when he hears
     the low ANIMAL SNARL come across his speaker.

     CAINE 607's robot face reveals nothing as he listens to ANOTHER
     GROWL.  WIND HOWLS outside.

     Then he flicks a switch on the dash and puts the mike to his
     mouth, his face expressionless.

                                   CAINE 607
                   Crawler to Daddy, Crawler to Daddy.
                   Come in, Daddy!

                                                       CUT TO:

     PORTHOLE VIEW/EXT./INT.  OFFICERS' MESS/"DADDY"

     Seen through the thick plexi-porthole, heavily-clothed VETERANS
     are struggling with a wall, trying to erect the pre-fab unit
     while the wind, inaudible inside the ship, rages around them, 
     staggering them this way and that.  What we hear in the quiet
     interior of the mess is CHURCH voicing his disbelief.

                                   CHURCH (O.S.)
                   A "growl"!  He heard a growl?

     RUBRICK, looking uneasy, is facing CHURCH who's looking up at him
     from a game of solitaire at the little table.  SLOAN is biting
     her fingernails in the b.g.

                                   RUBRICK
                   Well, he didn't say the word
                   "growl."  He said a "throat-noise,"
                   but I asked him to imitate it and it
                   sounded like a growl to me.

                                   CHURCH
                   My God!  Who are we fighting here!

                                   RUBRICK
                         (nervous)
                   I think...I think we have to assume
                   the missing men are...down.

                                   CHURCH
                         (getting up, pacing)
                   I knew Mekum's hotshots were green.
                   No reinforcements, then they walk
                   right into an enemy stronghold.

                                   RUBRICK
                   We could send reinforcements now...

                                   CHURCH
                         (sharply)
                   Absolutely not.  Those bastards are
                   just waiting in there for us.  No
                   more of this fancy super-soldier
                   shit.  We do it with the hammer...

     RUBRICK and SLOAN exchange a nervous glance as CHURCH paces
     agitatedly.

                                   RUBRICK
                   Uh, what does that mean, "the
                   hammer"?

                                   CHURCH
                         (suddenly smug)
                   My daddy always said, "When you want
                   to insert a nail in a piece of wood,
                   you don't do nothing fancy or
                   glamorous, you don't finesse or play
                   the hero, you just pick up your damn
                   hammer and hit that sumbitch till
                   it's in."

                                   SLOAN
                         (under her breath) 
                   Christ!  Now Daddy's a carpenter!

                                   RUBRICK
                         (to Church)
                   I...don't...quite...follow...sir.

                                   CHURCH
                         (decisive, sharp)
                   Take the whole unit, both Crawlers,
                   and tell 'em to pound that place
                   with rockets, cannons, mortars,
                   everything we got...from a safe
                   distance.

                                   RUBRICK
                         (brightening)
                   Raw firepower!

                                   CHURCH
                   It may not be heroic, and we may
                   waste some ammo, but by God we'll
                   get the job done.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  LANDSCAPE - DUSK

     The four suns are dimming noticeably, dusk is falling.

     The wind HOWLS, junk drifts and shifts.

     A corpse turns over in the wind.  It's HAWKINS' BODY, ravaged by
     the turbulent air, as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  EARTHEN CORRIDOR/SETTLEMENT - NIGHT

     Someone is dragging a CORPSE down the smoky, lamplit corridor as 
     little NATHAN watches SANDRA tending to the bloody wounds of a
     PIONEER lying on the floor.  As the CORPSE is dragged past
     NATHAN, the lifeless, vacant eyes stare right at the
     uncomprehending little boy.

     NATHAN sees the pioneer's seven year old daughter, ANGIE, sobbing
     uncontrollably at the sight of her father's wounds.  SANDRA is
     trying to help with the bandages and console ANGIE at the same
     time while all round her in the hellish atmosphere people GROAN
     and children CRY OUT.

     NATHAN doesn't understand it, it's confusing.  MEN and WOMEN loom
     past him.  He wobbles off down the corridor, toddling away from
     the sounds of pain.

     SHUK!  KA-SHUK!  Strange SOUNDS come from a doorway ahead, the
     doorway to the meeting room.  CHAK!  KLAK!  SHIK CHIK KA CHIK!
     The sound of metal and metal, metal parts CLICKING and SLIDING.

     Alone in the corridor, NATHAN toddles innocently forward, toward
     the SOUNDS.

     INT.  MEETING ROOM

     NATHAN wobbles into the meeting room doorway and stops there,
     staring.

     The burnt furniture has been heaped in one corner of the room,
     leaving a large open space where TODD, bare-chested, a tourniquet
     on one arm, is squatting on the floor, skillfully reassembling a
     stripped rifle.

     Surrounding him on the floor in neat piles are the rocket rifles, 
     pistols, ammo clips, utility belts, goggles, torn armor vests,
     boots, grenades, knives, and flashlights he salvaged from the
     dead soldiers.  TODD looks up at NATHAN and their eyes meet.

     NATHAN recognizes his "friend," tries a tentative little smile.
     But TODD just stares at him, and the unformed smile fades from 
     NATHAN's face.  For a long moment they just look each other in
     the eyes very seriously.

     SANDRA enters, her dress covered with the wounded man's blood.
     Not noticing TODD, she rushes to NATHAN, grabs him...

                                   SANDRA
                   Nathan, thank God, there you...

     Suddenly seeing TODD she breaks off, stares at him.

     Squatting on the floor, surrounded by weapons, TODD'S eyes meet
     hers for a long moment...then he looks away, goes back to
     assembling the weapons with quick sure movements, almost as if he 
     wanted to avoid her eyes.

     SANDRA wets her lips to speak, hesitates, then finally blurts out
     what she can hardly bear to ask...

                                   SANDRA
                   Did he find you?

     No answer.  TODD finishes with the weapon, starts checking the
     next one.

                                   SANDRA
                   My husband...Mace...he went out to
                   look for you.  He...found you,
                   didn't he?

     TODD looks up at her and nods.  Their eyes lock.

                                   SANDRA
                   They...killed him...didn't they?

     TODD nods, turns back to his arsenal.

     SANDRA stands there, hugging NATHAN to her chest, holding her
     tears in, her lids quivering, fighting to conquer her emotion.
     After a long, difficult moment, she wins the battle with herself.
     She looks numb, stunned, but she's not crying.

     TODD has begun to dress.  He straps a sheath knife to one ankle,
     pulls on boots.  Then he pulls a jersey over his muscular torso, 
     covering all the old scars, the tattooed names of battles, and
     the tourniquet on his arm.

     Staring at him with glazed eyes, SANDRA notices a blotch of blood
     form on the jersey, leaking through the tourniquet.  She speaks 
     numbly.

                                   SANDRA
                   Your wound...it's still bleeding.

     Stuffing his pockets with ammo and other items, TODD glances at
     her with eyes that glitter dangerously.
                                   TODD
                   I like to bleed, sir.

     SANDRA stares at him stupidly as he continues to dress, pulling
     on a heavy armored vest.

                                   SANDRA
                   It doesn't...hurt?

     TODD pulls on a second armored vast, one that already has a
     ragged hole in it from a rocket.

                                   TODD
                   Not enough, sir.

     SANDRA watches him go to the heap of charred furniture in the
     corner and take a blackened stick from it, watches him smear
     charcoal under his eyes.

                                   SANDRA
                   How do you know they'll come back?

     TODD looks at her, a savage with blackened eyes.

                                   TODD
                   They're soldiers, sir.  Like me.

                                   SANDRA
                   What...what do they want?

                                   TODD
                   Nothing.

                                   SANDRA
                   Nothing?

                                   TODD
                   They are obeying orders, sir.  It's
                   their duty.

     For a moment SANDRA is silent, then...

                                   SANDRA
                   You know who they are, don't you?
                   Do you know how many there'll be?

     TODD crosses two utility belts across his armored chest like 
     bandoliers.

                                   TODD
                   Seventeen more, sir.

                                   SANDRA
                   Seventeen!  My God!
                         (suddenly energized)
                   You can't fight seventeen yourself!
                   You have to organize the rest of us,
                   show us what to do.  We don't have
                   your...your skills...but we're not
                   cowards.  We'll do what you tell us,
                   we'll --

                                   TODD
                         (interrupting, softly)
                   No.

     His voice is soft as silk but hard as steel.  She looks into his
     eyes.  Does she detect a hint of approval, of respect, in those
     flat expressionless snake eyes?

                                   SANDRA
                   Why not?

     TODD turns to go, laden with weapons, a flamethrower on his back,
     a rocket rifle on his shoulder, another in one hand.

                                   TODD
                   Soldiers deserve soldiers, sir.

                                   SANDRA
                   But...one soldier against seventeen!

     He looks back at her, right into her eyes this time.

                                   TODD
                   I am going to kill them all, sir.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CREW QUARTERS - NIGHT

     The NEW SOLDIERS are putting on their heavy gear in ominous
     silence, covering their muscular torsos with armored vests and
     utility belts while SLOAN watches from the hatchway.

                                   SLOAN
                   Double belts, double ammo, double
                   everything!  You've got to be heavy
                   there or you'll blow away,
                   fellas...and we wouldn't want that,
                   would we?

     They continue dressing obediently, their eyes the sullen eyes of 
     robots.  But CAINE 607 speaks up, at once respectful and
     dignified...

                                   CAINE 607
                   It's dark now, sir.

                                   SLOAN
                   You're afraid of the dark, Sergeant
                   Caine?

                                   CAINE 607
                   No, sir.  But the manual says --

                                   SLOAN
                   That's what nightscopes are for,
                   soldier.  For the dark.

                                   CAINE 607
                   Yes, sir.  But the sixth rule is
                   "never give the enemy an advantage
                   unnecessarily."  If they're
                   expecting us --

                                   SLOAN
                         (erupting)
                   Listen, Sergeant, this may come as
                   news to you, but you're not a real
                   hot thinker!  Your pitiful efforts
                   at tactics have cost us three men
                   already.  So turn it off, that
                   little pea brain of yours!
                         (turning to the others)
                   That goes for all the rest of you
                   mental giants too.  All you have to
                   do is go boom-boom.  Understand?
                   Boom-boom!  Kill kill!  Say it...
                   Kill...kill...kill...

     Draped in battle gear the seventeen NEW SOLDIERS obediently
     repeat the words after her, their eyes blank and sullen...  "Kill
     kill kill..."  They look like somber death machines as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  "CONSTRUCTION" SITE - NIGHT

     In the harsh blue glare of work-lights RILEY and the crew of
     VETERANS, dressed in heavy parkas, are struggling in the wind to
     erect the second side of a small hut.

     RILEY sees something, reacts.

     He sees seventeen NEW SOLDIERS exiting the ship in the fringe of
     the work-lights, ominous death machines in their heavy gear and 
     goggles, partly lost in shadows like some vision from hell.

     RILEY stares at them, at the men who carry the weapons he used to
     carry, his face like stone, his eyes a mystery as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CORRIDOR - NIGHT

     SALLY and RED are guarding a door to the trench when a CLANKING
     noise in the corridor behind them makes them turn and look.
     Their jaws go slack with amazement.

     Clanking toward them is TODD, so armored and laden with fighting
     gear he looks almost like a medieval knight!  He says nothing as
     he looms closer to then, heading for the door.  The two of then
     shrink hastily out of his way.

     EXT.  INSIDE TRENCH

     Stepping into the trench, TODD hears the wind SCREAM overhead.
     He approaches crude steps dug in the side of the trench and
     begins to pull himself up into the wind.

     As he climbs, the SCREAMING wind changes pitch radically, and by
     the time he bellies over the lip of the trench, the wind is only
     a breeze.

     Getting to his feet and finds even the breeze is dying, replaced
     by a terrible stillness.

     As TODD looks off into the darkness, a voice calls to him from
     the trench behind biz.

                                   SANDRA (O.S.)
                   Sergeant!  Sergeant Todd!

     TODD turns back, looking down into the trench, and sees SANDRA
     looking up at him.

                                   SANDRA
                   Sergeant...these soldiers...the ones
                   you're going to fight...  Are these
                   the "better ones"...the ones who
                   replaced you?

     TODD looks at her for a long moment, his face a mask, before he
     nods almost imperceptibly.  Her eyes are full of tears.

                                   SANDRA
                   Sergeant Todd...I think they...I
                   think...someone made a serious...
                   mistake.

     TODD looks into her eyes.  It is impossible to tell if he knows
     that she cares about him and that she is blessing him.

     After a moment he turns away and lumbers off into the darkness,
     the CLANKING of his equipment the only sound in the spooky
     stillness.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  JUNK/TERRAIN - NIGHT

     Two CRAWLERS cut through the night fifty yards apart.  Four of
     the NEW SOLDIERS cling to the outside of one CRAWLER, five on the 
     other, two on each CRAWLER operating spotlights that pan the
     darkness to the sides while the headlights illuminate the
     skeleton of the crashed ship and shadowy chunks of machinery
     littered across the terrain ahead of them.

     It is very still.  No wind.

     INT.  CRAWLER ONE

     A DRIVER is at the wheel, a GUNNER beside him, studying the night
     through an infrared scope.  Behind them, two more NEW SOLDIERS
     sit lost in shadows in the back seat, staring impassively out the 
     window at the spooky spotlights combing the eerie junkyard.

     EXT.  CRAWLER ONE

     The LEFT FRONT SOLDIER sits on the fender seat of CRAWLER ONE,
     peering along the beam of his spotlight, scrutinizing the
     sinister shapes in the darkness, when...

     BLAM!  He's shot in the face, slammed back into the windshield of 
     CRAWLER ONE.

     INT.  CRAWLER ONE

     Vision blocked, the DRIVER is fighting for control of the vehicle
     as the GUNNER to his right screams into the radio mike...

                                   GUNNER
                   CRAWLER ONE, WE ARE RED!  RED!  WE
                   ARE RED!

     By veering sharply, the DRIVER is able to shake off the body that
     was blocking his vision, clearing his shattered windshield.

     EXT.  JUNK TERRAIN

     Seven of the NEW SOLDIERS -- the three hanging on CRAWLER ONE and
     the four from CRAWLER TWO -- drop off into the stillness.  One
     checks the LEFT FRONT SOLDIER's body while the others, barely
     visible in the weak light, fan out, keeping low, taking cover in
     the random junk strewn all around them.

     ANGLE ON NEW SOLDIER ONE, a corporal, crouched behind a huge
     piece of discarded agriculture machinery.  He yanks a flare from
     his waist band and fires it.

     The FLARE bursts overhead, exposing the ghostly terrain to a
     bright green light.

     ANGLE ON THE JUNK AND THE SKELETON SHIP: a ghostly graveyard.  No 
     wind.  Nothing moves.  No sign of TODD.

     INT.  CRAWLER ONE

     Maneuvering across the junk-strewn landscape, the DRIVER peers
     through the cracked windshield at the green terrain, looking for
     TODD as the RADIO crackles...

                                   RADIO
                   Crawler Two to Crawler One.  Do you
                   have a sitrep?

     THE GUNNER and the DRIVER exchange a glance.  The GUNNER takes
     the mike and speaks into it.

                                   GUNNER
                   Crawler Two, we are one down,
                   responding to sniper activity.

     INT.  CRAWLER TWO

     CAINE 607 is at the wheel, speaking into his mike.

                                   CAINE 607
                   Crawler One, do you require
                   assistance?

                                   RADIO
                   That is negative.  We will eliminate
                   the sniper and rendezvous at target.

                                   CAINE 607
                   Roger, One.  We are proceeding to
                   target.

     CAINE 607 accelerates the CRAWLER.

     EXT.  JUNK TERRAIN

     The flare fades and the near darkness returns.

     ANGLE ON NEW SOLDIER ONE peering out into the stillness, then 
     signaling NEW SOLDIER TWO who's hiding nearby.

     As the two NEW SOLDIERS step out from their sheltered positions, 
     they're joined by NEW SOLDIER THREE.  Exchanging hand signals,
     the three of them advance, spreading out cautiously.

     NEW SOLDIER THREE has moved about thirty yards away when suddenly
     he "disappears."

     EXT.  INSIDE A "CATCM TRENCH"

     SPLASH!  SOLDIER THREE has tumbled into a flooded trench.

     He struggles to his feet, can't figure out where he is.  He pulls
     a flashlight from his waist and shines it down the trench in both 
     directions.

     The flashlight beam reveals a steep-walled trench knee-deep in
     water and littered with rusting junk.

     NEW SOLDIER THREE splashes along the trench, looking for a way
     out.

     His light reveals a piece of a derrick mast leaning against the 
     trench, a perfect ladder.

     He's slogging toward it when he whirls suddenly and splays his
     beam down the trench behind him.

     NEW SOLDIER THREE'S POV of the flooded trench.  Junk and water.

     ANGLE ON NEW SOLDIER THREE, turning back and approaching the
     ladder.  Just as he reaches the ladder he whirls again.

     Again his light illuminates the spooky trench.  Again, nothing
     but water and junk.

     Relieved, he's just about to switch off his light when...

     TODD rises out of the water only five feet away like a demon.

     Before NEW SOLDIER THREE can cry out, TODO lunges at him.
     EXT.  JUNK TERRAIN

     As he creeps cautiously through the gloom, NEW SOLDIER ONE
     stiffens.  Was that a stifled CRY?  Or not?

     NEW SOLDIER ONE signals NEW SOLDIER TWO and the two of them turn
     and move cautiously toward where NEW SOLDIER THREE was.

     EXT.  INSIDE THE TRENCH

     TODD'S light reveals NEW SOLDIER THREE slumped in the water, his
     head askew, neck broken, eyes vacant.  TODD is hastily rummaging
     through the soldier's equipment, looking for something.

     He finds it.

     EXT.  JUNK TERRAIN

     NEW SOLDIERS ONE and TWO are approaching the trench when suddenly
     a flare bursts above them.

     The NEW SOLDIERS react with amazement as the flare exposes them
     in a brightly illuminated landscape.  Before they can take
     cover...

     BUDDA BUDDA BUDDA.  Flashes of fire from the lip of the trench.

     NEW SOLDIER ONE drops dead, NEW SOLDIER TWO is down and writhing
     on the ground, SCREAMING.

     ANGLE ON CRAWLER ONE veering sharply toward the trench, 
     accelerating, FIRING ROCKETS, CANONS, MACHINE GUNS....

     ANGLE ON THE OTHER NEW SOLDIERS, prone, firing toward the trench.

     EXT.  INSIDE THE TRENCH

     Tracers whizzing over the top of the trench illuminate TODD as he 
     races down the trench, running for his life.

     EXT.  JUNK TERRAIN

     Still firing, CRAWLER ONE grinds up to the lip of the trench.

     ANGLE ON NEW SOLDIERS charging toward the trench behind the
     CRAWLER.

     CLOSE ON CRAWLER ONE'S HOOD where a small trap opens and a nozzle
     pops out like a little penis and...SQUIRTS a stream of liquid!
     The liquid stream arcs fifty yards along the trench and
     diminishes backward like a man pissing...

     INT.  INSIDE THE TRENCH

     TODD looks back just before be rounds a corner in the trench,
     sees the liquid hitting the water in the trench.

     Sheltered from their view by the turn in the trench, TODD tries
     to scale the steep wall of the trench.

     WHOOOOOOOOOSH!  The surface of the water-filled trench bursts
     into flame.  A fiery river of flammable liquid.

     ANGLE ON NEW SOLDIERS reacting to something!

     NEW SOLDIERS' POV of TODD, visible in the firelight as he rolls
     over the lip of the trench fifty yards from them.

     ANGLE ON THE NEW SOLDIERS firing as they move toward TODD.
     They've got him now!

     ANGLE ON TODD bellying toward a rusting turbine, disappearing
     from view.

     ANGLE ON CRAWLER ONE, separated from TODD'S hideout by the 
     trench, pouring heavy FIRE on the spot where TODD disappeared.

     ANGLE ON NEW SOLDIERS communicating by hand signals as they move
     to surround TODD.

     EXT.  BEHIND THE TURBINE

     As rockets and canon shells SLAM into the turbine, TODD hastily
     attends to a nasty wound in the flesh his thigh, bandaging it
     skillfully, quickly.
     EXT.  JUNK TERRAIN

     While CRAWLER ONE keeps TODD pinned down, NEW SOLDIERS move to 
     outflank him.

     EXT.  BEHIND THE TURBINE

     As TODD completes dressing his thigh, the CRAWLER stops firing.

     Silence.

     TODD peers out, assessing the situation.

     TODD'S POV of the terrain.  Vague glimpses of NEW SOLDIERS
     slipping from cover to cover, never exposing themselves enough
     for a shot.

     ANGLE ON TODD.  He seems to know he's in a tight spot.  He's
     preparing to fight off an attack, laying out weapons, grenades,
     when...he freezes.  Listens.

     Behind the stillness he can hear the faint WHISTLE that precedes
     the wind.

     Hastily TODD yanks his belt off.

     EXT.  TERRAIN

     NEW SOLDIER FOUR sticks his head up from behind an old boiler and 
     signals NEW SOLDIER FIVE.

     ANGLE ON NEW SOLDIER FIVE acknowledging from the mouth of an old 
     storage tank where he's positioned.

     ANGLE ON NEW SOLDIER SIX bellying toward TODD'S position.

     EXT.  BEHIND THE TURBINE

     Using his belt and a carabiner as a safety line, TODD attaches
     himself to the heavy turbine...and gathers up his weapons.  He
     can HEAR the very low WHISTLING building ever so slightly.

     EXT.  TERRAIN

     The WIND SIGHS and a faint breeze stirs.  Then a tin can skitters
     by in a puff of wind as the NEW SOLDIERS take turns moving
     closer to TODD, flanking him from safe vantage points.

     NEW SOLDIER FOUR stands to wave the next man forward when...

     WHOOOOOOOOOOOOOSH!  THE WIND ERUPTS, ROARS, BELLOWS...

     NEW SOLDIER FOUR is lifted into the air and carried away.

     NEW SOLDIER FIVE is trying to stay on his feet, as the wind SLAMS
     him into one piece of junk after another.

     INT./EXT.  CRAWLER

     As the wind HOWLS and shakes the CRAWLER, the DRIVER and the
     GUNNER stare with amazement as NEW SOLDIER FIVE slams into their 
     windshield, neck broken, and stares at them with lifeless eyes.
     They see NEW SOLDIERS SIX and SEVEN tumble and somersault past.

     As NEW SOLDIER SIX disappears, blown off into the night, NEW
     SOLDIER SEVEN manages to grab hold of the walking wire.

     Gripping the wire for his life, he turns just in time to be 
     decapitated by a piece of aluminum housing flying through the
     air.

     EXT.  TERRAIN

     NEW SOLDIER FOUR, badly battered, is down on his belly trying to
     stay "under the wind" when he sees something terrible!

     HIS POV of a massive lathe blowing right toward him along the
     ground, tumbling, crashing, slamming into things.  It looms over
     him, unavoidable, the end!

     ANGLE ON NEW SOLDIER FOUR reacting to the huge lathe about to
     crush him.

     EXT.  BEHIND THE TURBINE

     Held by his safety belt and protected by the turbine, TODD peers
     out, and watches the wind destroy the footsoldiers.

     TODD'S POV OF NEW SOLDIER FIVE's lifeless body being blown along
     the ground like a leaf.

     ANGLE ON TODD, reacting.  He's seen something important.

     TODD'S POV of CRAWLER ONE moving again, rounding the far end of
     the trench and, no longer separated by the trench, turning
     toward TODD'S position.

     INT.  CRAWLER ONE

     As the DRIVER steers, the GUNNER peers through his scope.

     GUNNER'S INFRARED POV of TODD darting behind an overturned vat.

                                   GUNNER
                   There!

     The DRIVER steers toward where TODD disappeared.

     EXT.  JUNK TERRAIN

     Windborne junk CLATTERS against CRAWLER ONE'S armor plating,
     debris flies through the bright swaths of the headlights, as the
     vehicle grinds toward the overturned vat.

     ANGLE ON CRAWLER ONE coming around the vat, headlights glaring.

     INT.  CRAWLER ONE

     The GUNNER is peering intently through his scope.

     GUNNER'S POV through his scope: The infrared view with crosshairs
     is especially spooky because of the debris blowing eerily across
     the landscape as the gun whips back and forth, looking vainly for 
     TODD.  Suddenly the sight is yanked hard, sweeping violently
     over to pin a moving object...

     False alarm!  Just another piece of blowing junk.  No sign of
     TODD.

     EXT.  CRAWLER/JUNK TERRAIN

     The CRAWLER grinds slowly past a huge overturned boiler, its
     cannon panning right, then left, then right.

     INT.  CRAWLER ONE

     Peering through the scope as he sweeps the terrain, the GUNNER
     suddenly stiffens and back-pans to find something...

                                   GUNNER
                   Tentative at One.

     The DRIVER angles right, aiming for one o'clock.

                                   GUNNER
                   That's negative, no target.

     The DRIVER swings the wheel back and they continue slowly through
     the darkness.

     In the back seat, two NEW SOLDIERS peer into the night with blank 
     faces.  One of them is watching a huge plastic sign cartwheel
     past in the wind when --

     -- he reacts!

     -- as TODD'S face appears is only inches from his, right against
     the plexi!

     BAM!  Before the NEW SOLDIER can do more than look startled, TODD 
     shoots out the window with a pistol and shoves a live grenade
     through the hole.

                                   NEW SOLDIER
                   RED!  RED!  RE --

     BAWHOOOM!  The grenade EXPLODES and...

     The DRIVER fights for control of the wheel.

     The GUNNER screams and screams and screams like a machine running
     at high speed while the two NEW SOLDIERS lie open-eyed with death
     in the back seat.

     EXT.  CRAWLER

     No sign of TODD.  Disappeared again.

     As the wind ROARS furiously, the damaged CRAWLER limps along.

     INT.  CRAWLER ONE

     The dying GUNNER is making awful noises while the DRIVER, eyes
     glazed, his face streaming with blood, maneuvers the vehicle
     slowly and cautiously, looking for the enemy...

     But all he sees through the cracked windshield is a shadowy world
     of wind-tossed debris.

     EXT.  JUNK TERRAIN

     Protected by a hunk of pipe, TODD crouches and watches the
     CRAWLER, his eyes glittering, his weapon ready.  It's clear now
     that the tables are turned and he is the hunter as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CORRIDORS - NIGHT

     EXPLOSIONS!  SCREAMS!  BAWHOOM!  Another shell hits, beams
     splinter, dirt walls collapse.

     Eight-year old JOHNNY, alone and terrified, comes in to view
     around a corner.  He's been separated from the others.

                                   JOHNNY
                   DAD!  DAAAAAAD!

     No answer.

     JOHNNY doesn't know which way to go.  The world's falling apart!

     WHUMP!  The little warren of earthen corridors is shaken by
     another BLAST.

     Desperate, JOHNNY makes a left, away from the last blast and
     hurries down a collapsing corridor past doorways that reveal
     rooms with no ceilings where the wind HOWLS.  It's obvious the 
     shelling has been going on for a while.

                                   JOHNNY
                   DAAAAAAAD!

     Just then, JIMMY PIG pops out of a doorway in front of him and
     and rushes toward him.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                   GOTCHA!

     BA-WHOOM!  Another shell collapses the corridor behind JOHNNY as
     JIMMY PIG grabs him and hauls him toward the door he emerged
     from, the Dining Commons.

     INT.  DINING COMMONS

     EMMA is ushering CHILDREN through a trap door in the floor into
     the root cellar as JIMMY PIG ushers JOHNNY into the room.

                                   JOHNNY
                   Where's my father?  Where's my
                   father?

     JOHNNY looks around urgently.

     SANDRA is bandaging TOMMY'S arm while ELLEN, NATHAN, and WILL are
     huddling under a table in the most protected corner of the room.

     JIMMY PIG and JUDITH exchange a pained look as JIMMY PIG pushes
     JOHNNY toward SANDRA and the table.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                   Johnny, get over under that table
                   with Miss Sandra and Ellen and the
                   others.  Miss Judith, you better go
                   on down the root cellar with Emma
                   and help with the ones down there.

                                   JOHNNY
                   Where's my mother?

     BAH-DOOOM!  Another fierce CONCUSSION twenty yards away shakes
     dirt from the ceiling.  ELLEN beckons from under the table...

                                   ELLEN
                   Come on, Johnny.

                                                       CUT TO:

     EXT.  SETTLEMENT - NIGHT

     MUZZLE FLASH!  FFFWHOOOMP!  CRAWLER TWO fires another round.

     The vehicle is squatting not thirty yards from the trench garden,
     pouring round after round into the colony, lighting the night
     with bright-colored flowery blasts.

     Crouched in the wind not far from the vehicle, the two NEW
     SOLDIERS from the back seat have set up a mortar, and they too
     are firing away.

     INT.  CRAWLER TWO/STATlONARY

     The GUNNER is looking through his scope, methodically aiming and
     firing as CAINE 607 at the wheel watches impassively.

     KA-FOOMP!  Another shot, the vehicle rocks, and, five hundred
     yards away, fire and dirt fountain thirty feet into the air.

     BEEP!  BEEP!  A light on the dash blinks on.  CAINE 607 switches
     on a radarscope, spots a blip.

     The GUNNER takes his eyes off the scope, looks at the blip.

     CAINE 607 is already manipulating a spotlight, looking across the
     GUNNER out the right window.

     The spotlight stabs the darkness, finds a moving vehicle a half
     mile of moving toward them.  It's CRAWLER ONE with its lights
     out.

     As CAINE 607 flicks off the spotlight, the GUNNER turns back to
     the scope and resumes his deadly barrage.  CAINE 607 speaks into
     the radio mike.

                                   CAINE 607
                   Crawler Two to Crawler One.  Come
                   in, One.

                                   RADIO
                   One.

                                   CAINE 607
                   Two to one, take your port to our
                   nine o'clock and commence firing.

                                   RADIO
                   Copy, Two.  Port to your nine and
                   commence firing.

     FOOOMP!  The GUNNER fires again, rocking the vehicle.

     CAINE 607 looks at the SCOPE.

     The blip continues on directly on its course.

     CAINE 607 picks up the mike again.

                                   CAINE 607
                   Crawler Two to Crawler One.  Again;
                   proceed to port nine...

                                   RADIO
                   Affirmative, Two.

     FOOOMP!  The GUNNER fires again as CAINE 607 looks at the screen.

     The blip on the screen keeps on straight, doesn't alter course!

                                   CAINE 607
                         (into the mike)
                   Two to One.  You are still on twelve
                   o'clock.  Correct to nine.
                                   RADIO
                   Roger.

     But the blip continues straight, directly at them.

     And suddenly CAINE realizes!  Dropping the mike he snaps at his
     GUNNER urgently.

                                   CAINE 607
                   Gunner, hard to port, target hard to
                   port!

     As the startled GUNNER starts to obey both of them are bathed in
     sudden, blinding white light as CRAWLER ONE suddenly switches on
     all lights and...

     KA-BLAM!  KA-BLAM!  MUZZLES FLASHES from CRAWLER ONE.

     WHUMP!  WHUMP!  CRAWLER TWO shudders, taking two direct hits.

     The GUNNER SCREAMS in pain.

     INT.  CRAWLER ONE

     TODD is at the wheel, speaking into the radio as wind whips at
     him through the shattered windshield.

                                   TODD
                   Roger, Two.  Affirmative.

     BLAM!  BLAM!  TODD fires as he drives straight ahead toward
     CRAWLER TWO and the two NEW SOLDIERS pinned in his headlight.

     EXT.  CRAWLER TWO

     As shells slam into CRAWLER TWO, the two NEW SOLDIERS outside try
     to get clear of the explosions, staggering off into the wind.

     INT.  CRAWLER ONE

     TODD sets his sights on one of the NEW SOLDIERS, cutting him down
     with rocket fire, then he glances toward the SECOND NEW SOLDIER
     on the right.

     The SECOND NEW SOLDIER, ten yards ahead, stops, turns to fire.

     TODD yanks the wheel, swerving toward him.

     EXT.  CRAWLERS

     CRAWLER ONE plows into the NEW SOLDIER, crushing him under the
     wheels, and continuing to grind toward the crippled CRAWLER TWO.

     WHAM!  CRAWLER ONE rams CRAWLER TWO and drives it sideways,
     pushing it ten yards... twenty yards.... thirty yards...until
     suddenly it sprawls into the mouth of the trench garden,
     splintering the trellis and wedging itself at a sharply canted
     angle over the garden, and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CAPTAIN'S CABIN/"DADDY" - NIGHT

     Silence.  CHURCH is dozing fully clothed on his bunk in a tiny
     stateroom.

     BZZZZT.  BZZZZT!  A buzzer sounds and a light flashes.

     CHURCH opens his eyes, sees the light flashing.

     Siting up in the bunk, he grabs the receiver of a phone and puts
     it to his ear.  As he listens, his eyes widen with
     incredulity...then they get wider as he hears more.

                                   CHURCH
                   Whaaaaat?

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CORRIDORS/SETTLEMENT - NIGHT

     Thick smoke clogs the narrow corridors as RED winds through the
     maze of corridors, coughing desperately.  He can hear VOICES
     ahead.

     INT.  DINING COMMONS/SETTLEMENT

     RED charges into the commons, shouting excitedly.

                                   RED
                   THEY STOPPED SHOOTING!  THEY STOPPED
                   SHOOTING!

     He stops abruptly, seeing...

     a blazing fire, whipped by wind from a shel hole in the ceiling, 
     consuming tables in the far half of the commons...

     while JIMMY PIG, SLADE and SANDRA struggle with one end of a huge
     beam that's fallen at an angle on top of a trap door in the floor,
     the root cellar.

     ELLEN, with NATHAN in her arms, TOMMY, WILL, JOHNNY and OTHER
     CHILDREN hover behind her, staring at...

     a six inch opening between the floor and the trap door where
     EMMA, JUDITH and OTHER CHILDREN, unable to squeeze through the
     six inch gap, peer out with frightened eyes, trapped.

                                   RED
                         (dampened)
                   They stopped shooting!

                                   JIMMY PIG
                         (to Red)
                   Give us a hand, dammit!

     As RED joins the effort.  SLADE snaps at him sarcastically as he 
     strains against the heavy beam.

                                   SLADE
                   You think (grunt) that's good they
                   stopped?  It means (grunt) they're
                   comin' for us!  To (grunt) kill us!
                   That's good news, you think?

                                   SANDRA
                         (looking for hope)
                   Sergeant Todd (grunt, cough) said...

                                   SLADE
                   That he's gonna (grunt) stomp a whole
                   army?  Couldn't if he wanted.

     The smoke is getting thicker.  EMMA and JUDITH are coughing, 
     looking scared.

                                   SANDRA
                   He (grunt) knew them!  He said --

                                   SLADE
                   He's dead!  If he isn't (grunt)
                   dead, he joined 'em.  He don't
                   (grunt) care about us, he's a
                   soldier.  Besides, we threw him out,
                   remember?

     SANDRA pushes at the beam with all her strength, fighting back
     tears of despair.

                                   SANDRA
                   He's not dead!

     The massive beam won't budge!  Eyes wide with terror, EMMA and
     RUTH peer out of their trap.

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  COCKPIT/"DADDY" - NIGHT

     CHURCH is in the cockpit now, hovering behind RUBRICK who's
     speaking urging into the radio mike.

                                   RUBRICK
                   This is Daddy, come in, Number Two.
                   Daddy calling Number Two...

                                   CHURCH
                   What about Number One?  Try
                   Number...

                                   RUBRICK
                   I tried One.  I can't get either
                   one of them.

     SLOAN is pacing, looks sick to her stomach with fear.

                                   SLOAN
                   There was...some kind of...
                   guerilla action...

                                   RUBRICK
                   Then we lost them...

     Now CHURCH is pacing back and forth, panicky, ranting...

                                   CHURCH
                   You should have waked me sooner!
                   This is bad, very bad.  I never
                   should have let that clown Mekum
                   test his wonder boy army on me.  "If
                   it ain't broke, don't fix it."
                   Shit!  We don't even know what we're
                   up against.  How many...?

                                   SLOAN
                   We couldn't get any figures on enemy
                   troop strength.

                                   RUBRICK
                   Not even estimates...

                                   CHURCH
                   We're sitting ducks here!  There
                   could be a couple of divisions!
                   More!  We don't even have the
                   weapons to arm the old soldiers.

                                   RUBRICK
                         (into the mike,
                          desperately)
                   Hello...  Hello, One. This is
                   Daddy...

     EXT.  ABOVE THE TRENCH GARDEN

     The radio in CRAWLER TWO is still SQUAWKING urgently with
     RUBRICK'S VOICE as the crippled vehicle lies sprawled at a
     violent angle over the trench garden.

                                   RADIO (V.O.)
                   This is Daddy!  Come in, Crawler
                   Two, come in...

     Nearby, A VOICE is crying out in pain in the night.

     Limping, TODD keeps his weapon ready as he searches out the
     sound.

     ANGLE ON THE INJURED SOLDIER, the one TODD crushed under the
     treads of the CRAWLER.  He's screaming in pain.  Looks up.

     TODD looms over the INJURED SOLDIER, weapon pointed.  Their eyes
     meet.

     In agony, the SOLDIER looks into TODD'S eyes, nods ever
     so slightly.

     BLAM!  BLAM!  TODD fires point blank.

     Now the only sound is the ROARING of the WIND and the pathetic
     sound of RUBRICK continuing his desperate RADIO BABBLE.

     EXT.  INSIDE THE TRENCH GARDEN

     As the RADIO CHATTERS, burning debris from the CRAWLER canted
     over the garden illuminates the garden...and a BODY sprawled
     there, fallen from the CRAWLER above.

     BAM!  KABAM!  ROCKET FIRE!

     EXT.  ABOVE THE TRENCH

     TODD FIRES rockets into the damaged CRAWLER...until the RADIO
     CHATTER stops abruptly.  RADIO killed dead.

                                                       CUT TO:
     INT.  DINING COMMONS/SETTLEMENT - NIGHT

     The gap between the floor and the trap door has increased to ten
     inches, enough for EMMA and RUTH to squeeze an INFANT through to
     SANDRA'S reaching arms.

     Soaked with sweat, gasping and coughing in the thickening smoke, 
     JIMMY PIG, SLADE and RED continue to strain at the beam...and it
     moves.  Another inch!

     The fire is raging.  The INFANT SQUALLS in SANDRA'S arms.  SLADE
     snaps at her as he pushes on the beam.

                                   SLADE
                   Get them kids (grunt) hid somewhere!
                   There's soldiers coming.

     ELLEN and the CHILDREN look alarmed as SANDRA gathers them and
     ushers them toward the exit, glancing back toward the trap door
     as she's leaving.

     EMMA and RUTH meet her look with frightened eyes.

     Noticing SANDRA'S hesitation, JIMMY PIG reassures her...

                                   JIMMY PIG
                   Don't worry.  Couple more inches and
                   they're out.

     SANDRA and the CHILDREN exit.

     And suddenly!!!  The beam slips back five inches, almost closing
     the opening.  EMMA and JUDITH SCREAM!

     JIMMY PIG, RED and SLADE look alarmed, defeated.

     EXT.  ABOVE THE TRENCH GARDEN

     TODD walks away from the smoking bulk of the CRAWLER canted over
     the garden and drops into a traveling trench.

     EXT.  INSIDE A PASSAGE TRENCH

     Limping slightly, laden with weapons and still wearing his
     helmet, TODD starts along the trench in the direction of the 
     settlement.

     EXT.  INSIDE THE TRENCH GARDEN

     In the shadows six feet below the overturned and smoldering
     CRAWLER TWO, the BODY stirs on the floor of the garden, barely
     visible in the flickering half light from the flames above.

     It's CAINE 607.  He groans and stirs again.  He's not dead!  In
     fact, he's rolling over, struggling to his knees.

     INT.  DINING COMMONS

     The frightened eyes of EMMA, RUTH and CHILDREN peer from the four
     inch crack.

     Whipped by wind from the hole in the ceiling, the fire is
     spreading, the smoke is thick.  JIMMY PIG, SLADE and RED are
     gasping with effort and coughing.  SLADE gasps to RED.

                                   SLADE
                   You know where Thomas keeps those
                   two axes?  Go get the axes.

     RED takes off at a run.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                         (so Emma and Ruth can't
                          hear)
                   We can't (cough) chop 'em out.  We
                   don't have time.

                                   SLADE
                   Just as good (gasp) to die chopping
                   as fighting.

     INT.  CORRIDOR

     RED rushes through a smoky corridor.  Wherever shells have
     punctured the roof, the WIND whips debris about.

     EXT.  INSIDE THE GARDEN TRENCH

     Sitting up now, using a flashlight, CAINE 607 is examining a
     terrible gash in his thigh that reveals tissue and tendon.  The
     right side of his face is also badly injured, flesh torn, swollen
     and distorted.

     He pulls the first aid kit from his utility belt, opens it,
     focuses the light on the contents.

     Selects a couple of pills.  Swallows them.  Considers.  Takes two 
     more.  Pulls out a hypodermic needle, injects his leg.  Takes
     another needle, stabs his bloody cheek.

     His eyes glitter as he feels the rush from the drug.  He looks 
     dangerous again in spite of his condition.

     EXT.  INSIDE THE PASSAGE TRENCH

     TODD reaches the settlement, enters a half collapsed doorway.

     INT.  SUPPLY ROOM

     RED is urgently rummaging through crowbars, coils of rope, sledge
     hammers.  At last he finds two axes, grabs them and exits.
     INT.  CORRIDOR/SETTLEMENT

     TODD picks his way among collapsed walls, fallen timbers.

     He peers through doorways, sees CORPSES.

     Moves on.  Searching.

     EXT.  INSIDE THE PASSAGE TRENCH

     Dragging a freshly bandaged leg, CAINE 607 makes his way along
     the trench toward the settlement.  He's using the wall for
     support...but he seems to be getting stronger rather than weaker.
     His face is hideous.
     INT.  JUNCTION OF CORRIDORS

     Carrying two axes RED zips around a corner and freezes...

     RED'S POV of: A SOLDIER, seen from behind, moving down a smoky
     corridor, helmeted, heavily armed, dangerous looking,
     unidentifiable.

     ANGLE ON RED, terrified, waiting till the SOLDIER (TODD) has
     disappeared in the smoke.  Then RED hurries on down another
     damaged corridor, axes in hand.

     INT.  OTHER DAMAGED CORRIDOR

     RED scoots around another corner and... stops short...an armored
     torso a foot in front of his face.

     Looking up, RED looks right into the distorted face of CAINE 607.

     Before RED can react, CAINE 607'S hand shoots out and snatches
     one of the axes.

     Astonished, RED backs up a step, and raises the other axe to
     defend himself.

     RED'S POV OF CAINE 607 looming toward him, axe in hand.

     ANGLE ON RED, turning and running.

     ANGLE ON CAINE 607 limping along, dragging his leg as RED
     disappears around a corner.

     CAINE 607 rounds the corner in pursuit... and see only smoke,
     no sign of RED.

     INT.  DINING COMMONS

     EMMA and JUDITH peer out from under the heavy metal trap door as
     JIMMY PIG and SLADE desperately try to move the beam using a
     piece of metal as a lever.

                                   SLADE
                   This (grunt, cough) ain't gonna
                   work.  Where's them axes?  He musta
                   run into soldiers and got killed.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                   How do you know there's soldiers coming?

                                   SLADE
                   'Cause soldiers (gasp) finish what
                   they start -- unless you stop 'em.
                   And we're what (gasp) they started,
                   and we didn't stop 'em!
                         (shouts to Emma)
                   WE'RE GONNA GET YOU OUTTA THERE
                   SOMEHOW!  I SWEAR IT!

     Just then RED bursts into the room with a single axe, shouting...
                                   RED
                   SOLDIERS!  SOLDIERS!
                                   SLADE
                         (grabbing the axe)
                   Only one axe?

                                   RED
                   They took the other one!

                                   SLADE
                         (chopping furiously)
                   Toldja.

                                   JIMMY PIG
                         (to Red)
                   How many?

                                   RED
                   I... I couldn't... I couldn't...
                   count 'em.  Four, I think.  Maybe
                   five.

                                   SLADE
                         (chopping)
                   More!  Trust me!

                                   JIMMY PIG
                         (grabbing the axe)
                   Turns.

     JIMMY PIG starts chopping furiously.

     SLADE picks up a rifle, hands it to RED.

                                   SLADE
                   Do what you can.

     As RED looks at the rifle, alarmed, SLADE "comforts" him.

                                   SLADE
                   They're gonna kill us anyhow.  No
                   point in surrendering.
                         (grabbing the axe)
                   Turn!

     JIMMY PIG gasps for air as SLADE takes over chopping again.

     RED exits, worried.

     INT.  THE MEETING ROOM

     Huddled in a makeshift shelter of overturned furniture, with
     NATHAN asleep on her lap, SANDRA is reciting to ELLEN, WILL,
     TOMMY, JOHNNY, ANGIE, eight year old RAMON.

                                   SANDRA
                   "-- sailed an a river of crystal
                   light into a sea of dew.  Where are
                   you going and what do you wish the
                   old moon asked the three.  'We've
                   come to fish for herring fish...'"

                                   TOMMY
                   What's a "moon?"

                                   JOHNNY
                   I know what a moon is!  It's...

                                   SANDRA
                         (suddenly, urgently)
                   SHHHHHHH!

     SANDRA is reacting to vague movement in the shadows beyond the 
     door...and sounds.

     She puts her hand over the mouth of a whimpering CHILD, hushes
     another.

     A timber falls outside the door and SANDRA sees a shadowy shape
     enter the meeting room, looming in the darkness.

     Frightened CHILDREN hold their breath, peer out fearfully.

     CRACK!  SMASH!  The huge shape hurls aside the debris in his way, 
     switches on a flashlight, probes the darkness.

     The light wipes the damaged room.

     Suddenly, SANDRA gasps.

                                   SANDRA
                   Oh, my God!  It's... it's you!

     TODD maneuvers the flashlight beam, sees the frightened CHILDREN.

                                   SANDRA
                   Are you...all right?

                                   TODD
                   We should go, sir.

                                   SANDRA
                   Go?

     INT.  CORRIDOR

     Peering into the smoke, RED reacts.

     RED'S POV of CAINE 607, obscured by smoke, crossing the corridor 
     ahead, not seeing RED.

     ANGLE ON RED, summoning all his courage, raising his rifle,
     aiming.

     BANG!

     ANGLE ON CAINE 607 reacting, looking toward RED.

     ANGLE ON RED scared to death, firing again!  And again!

     ANGLE ON CAINE 607 wrenching a heavy door from its hinges and
     holding it in front of him, shielding himself from RED's
     continuous shooting, advancing.

     ANGLE ON RED, firing again and again...and backing up.

     ANGLE ON CAINE 607 holding the door/shield as he advances on RED.

     Backing, RED trips, goes down flat on his back.

     CAINE 607, only six feet away, hurls the door at him.

     RED shoves the door aside, aims his gun up at CAINE 607, as the
     huge soldier looms over him.

     Before RED can pull the trigger, CAINE 607 snatches the rifle
     barrel and yanks the weapon out of RED'S hands.

     RED rolls, scrambles to his feet.

     And CAINE 607 clubs him to the ground with the butt of the rifle, 
     crushes his skull with three brutal blows.

     INT.  ROOM

     TODD'S impassive face somehow reveals the alarm and awkwardness
     he feels at what's happening to him.  TOMMY is seated on his 
     shoulders, he's got NATHAN in one arm and JOHNNY is nervously
     looking up at him as he clutches at TODD'S huge free hand, and
     now a little girl, SARAH, clutches at his combat pants as SANDRA 
     instructs her.

                                   SANDRA
                   Sarah, you hang on to Sergeant Todd.
                   No matter what happens!

     Clutching TODD's combat pants fiercely, SARAH looks up timidly at
     the big stonefaced man as SANDRA turns to ELLEN.

                                   SANDRA
                   Ellen, go to the Commons.  Tell
                   Jimmy Pig and Mr. Slade that
                   Sergeant Todd says we have to leave
                   as soon as they get everybody out of
                   the root-cellar.  Can you do that?

                                   ELLEN
                         (scared)
                   Uh, yes, ma'am.

                                   SANDRA
                   It's all right.  The soldiers are
                   gone for now.  But be careful where
                   you walk.  And if it's too smoky,
                   just come back.

                                   SARAH
                         (on her way out)
                   Yes, ma'am.

                                   SANDRA
                         (calling after her)
                   Tell them to bring all the food and
                   clothing they can carry.
                         (turning to the
                          children)
                   Do you all understand that Sergeant
                   Todd here is going to help us, and
                   whatever he says to do you must do
                   immediately, as if he was your
                   father or your mother.

                                   SARAH
                         (tears)
                   He's not my father!

     ANGLE ON TODD'S stone face.  Unfamiliar territory.

                                   SANDRA
                   No... but he's our friend.  Our good
                   friend.  Do you understand?

     Frightened faces look to the awkward "killing machine."

     TODD looks like a statue decorated with CHILDREN.

     JOHNNY is sobbing as he hangs onto TODD's giant hand obediently.
                                   JOHNNY
                   I want my father and my mother!  Can
                   he find where my father is?  I want
                   him to find my father!

                                   SANDRA
                   No.  No, he can't do that, but --

     A SCREAM!  From the corridor!

     SANDRA freezes.  TODD is alert, tense...and covered with
     CHILDREN.

     SANDRA turns and runs for the door as TODD starts to put the
     CHILDREN down.  But he's awkward, slow, not his usual graceful
     self, trying to be gentle like a clumsy man handling breakables.

     INT.  CORRIDOR

     Bursting into the corridor, SANDRA sees ELLEN racing toward her, 
     weaving through broken beams, SCREAMING as CAINE 607 lumbers
     after her out of the shadows.  CAINE 607 doesn't bother to avoid 
     obstacles, shoving beams aside like twigs, dragging his bad leg.

                                   SANDRA
                   Sergeant Todd!

     ELLEN dives into SANDRA's arms and SANDRA turns, only three steps
     ahead of CAINE 607, and rushes into the meeting room.

     INT.  MEETING ROOM

     TODD is just putting NATHAN gently on the floor when he sees
     CAINE 607 arrive in the doorway.  For halt a second their eyes
     meet, then --

     CAINE 607 advances on TODD.

     Still encumbered by CHILDREN clutching at him, TODD sees his
     weapons, but can't get to them.  Then it's too late!

     The terrified CHILDREN watch as the giant CAINE 607 clubs TODD 
     mercilessly with the rifle butt, then hurls him backwards like a
     rag doll.

     Horrified, SANDRA sees TODD slam into a wall, slump to the floor.

     Dismissing TODD, CAINE 607 turns, looms toward the CHILDREN.

                                   SANDRA
                   THEY'RE JUST CHILDREN!

     CAINE 607 ignores her, heads for ELLEN, dragging his bad leg.

     Spotting TODD'S weapons, SANDRA snatches a heavy rocket rifle,
     brings it up awkwardly, points it, FIRES!

     And the kick from the heavy gun sends SANDRA sprawling back, the
     weapon trembling from her hands.

     But the WHIZZING ROCKET, a near miss, gets CAINE 607's attention.
     He turns away from ELLEN, toward SANDRA.

     ANGLE ON TODD rising to his knees, blinking stupidly, trying to
     focus as blood pours into his eyes from a gash in his forehead.

     TODD'S POV, a vague, unfocused image of SANDRA, snatching a
     bayonet from TODD'S gear on the floor and lunging courageously at 
     CAINE 607.

     Vaguely, TODD sees CAINE 607 parry her thrust effortlessly and
     grab her.  As she beats at CAINE 607 bravely with her fists, the
     big man slams her into a wall brutally.  As she crumples, he hits
     her again.

     ANGLE ON TODD struggling to his feet, staggering as he shakes his
     head to clear it.

     His eyes go to SANDRA, slumped against the wall, bloody.

     Terrified CHILDREN look up at CAINE 607 as he towers over them. 
     Suddenly...

     SHTUNK!  A knife blade suddenly sticks in CAINE 607's neck.

     CAINE 607 only flinches... and, as he YANKS the knife from his
     neck by the handle, he turns to see who threw the blade...

     WHAM!  TODD slams into him, tackling him, driving his big
     shoulder deep into the new soldier's waist, slamming the big man
     hard into a wall.

     Air goes out of CAINE 607, the knife drops from his hand.

     But that's it for TODD's victory.  Six-five, two-sixty, CAINE 607
     is bigger and stronger than TODD.  His powerful arms rip TODD off
     him like he's taking off a Band-Aid.

     Terrified, wide-eyed CHILDREN watch TODD hurled back across the
     room.

     TODD scrambles to his feet, shakes his head clear.

     Here comes CAINE 607, dragging his bad leg.

     TODD attacks!  Combining a martial arts feint and lunge with a
     vicious kick!

     But 607 counters expertly, brushing aside the attack!

     TODD lunges again employing yet another skilled move.

     SMACK!  CAINE 607 outmaneuvers TODD again, punishing him
     brutally.

     WHACK!  WHAM!  SMASH!  CRUNCH!  This time TODD jolts the bigger
     man with a terrible combination of moves, smashing him in the
     Adam's apple, kicking him in the knee, driving an elbow into the
     jaw.

     This time it's CAINE 607 who has to back away to recover.  And
     now he seems to re-consider TODD, revealing for the first time a 
     genuine respect.

     As their eyes meet, CAINE 607 seems to be saying "All right then,
     you're serious, let's do it, fella."

     TODD lunges.

     SMASH!  CAINE 607 creams him.

     TODD twists, slams CAINE 607 back.

     BASH!  A fist to the face!

     UMMMMMPH!  A knee in a groin!

     SLAM!  A head against a wall!

                                                       CUT TO:

     VIDEO SCREEN/COCKPIT/"DADDY" - NIGHT

     His face tanned from his Caribbean vacation, his image blurred
     and distorted by transmission, MEKUM'S VIDEO IMAGE stares 
     incredulously from the snowy video monitor in the cockpit.

                                   MEKUM/VIDEO SCREEN
                   You can't be serious!  This is some
                   kind of a joke...in poor taste.

     As SLOAN and RUBRICK look on uneasily, an indignant CHURCH
     addresses the image on the screen.

                                   CHURCH
                   Not only are we apparently out
                   twenty of your fancy new soldiers,
                   your supermen, we're out both
                   crawlers and all the weapons...so we
                   can't arm the old soldiers, the ones
                   you "improved" on, to defend
                   ourselves...

                                   SLOAN
                         (panicky, blurting at
                          the screen)
                   We've got to get out of here,
                   Colonel Mekum!

     CHURCH flashes a scowl at SLOAN as, on the screen, MEKUM erupts
     excitedly.

                                   MEKUM/VIDEO IMAGE
                   Abort?  You want to lose twenty top
                   soldiers to a phantom army and then
                   abort the mission?  Do you know what
                   that would look like on my record?
                   Or yours?  We'd be explaining it for
                   the next fifty years from some
                   goddam assignment in God knows
                   where, we'd --

                                   CHURCH
                         (interrupting sharply)
                   Well, how's it gonna look when we
                   lose the ship too?  How's that gonna
                   look on the old record?  'Cause
                   that's what's gonna happen if we
                   don't get our ass outta here.  We
                   can't defend ourselves with no
                   weapons and --

                                   MEKUM/VIDEO IMAGE
                         (fighting his own panic)
                   Hold on, hold on there, Captain!  At
                   ease!  Let's calm down and
                   remember...remember we're soldiers.

                                   CHURCH
                         (sarcastic)
                   Good plan, Colonel.

                                   MEKUM/VIDEO IMAGE
                         (moving on, improvising)
                   Now we can't just get the shit
                   kicked out of us by an unknown
                   guerilla army...  But maybe we
                   could...alter...our objective...

                                   CHURCH
                   Meaning?

                                   MEKUM/VIDEO IMAGE
                   Nuke the joint...and get out!

     Delighted with his own genius, MEKUM smiles triumphantly from the 
     video screen as RUBRICK, SLOAN, and CHURCH exchange stunned looks
     and we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  MEETING ROOM - NIGHT

     WHUMP!  TODD's bloodied head is slammed on the floor.  His eyes
     are almost swollen shut as he looks up at CAINE 607 kneeling on
     top of him.  Both men are bloody and exhausted their breath
     coming in gasps, but it's CAINE 607 who's on top, beating the
     last bit of resistance out of TODD who struggles desperately one
     more time...before he slumps unconscious.

     Horrified, NATHAN sees CAINE 607 smash the unconscious TODD with
     the last of his strength, "finishing him off."  NATHAN can't
     stand it.

     He toddles toward CAINE 607, who's still on all fours, and
     attacks, his tiny fists raining blows on the amazed monster's
     bloody face.

     The frightened CHILDREN see CAINE 607 ignore NATHAN's ineffectual
     blows and struggle with enormous effort to his feet.

     Once standing, he looks down at NATHAN beating at his knees.  For
     a moment he's confused.  What's this?

     Then he sees the frightened CHILDREN and orients himself.  When
     he looks down at NATHAN again, tiny NATHAN is an enemy as good as 
     dead.  One blow and...

     But just then big hands close around CAINE 607's ankles, tackling
     him.  As the giant topples, TODD lets go of the ankles and crawls
     on top of the fallen man.

     As CAINE 607 looks up into TODD's fierce face, the fight goes out
     of his eyes.  He knows he's beaten, he knows TODD will never
     quit.  He's helpless as TODD grips him in a terrible hold and as
     TODD puts the pressure on, CAINE 607 whispers...

                                   CAINE 607
                   It hurts!

                                   TODD
                         (sympathetic)
                   I know.

     SNAP!  TODD breaks CAINE 607's neck and watches the life go out
     of him.

     In the sudden silence as TODD, panting, stares at his defeated
     enemy, he hears a VOICE...her VOICE...very weak...

                                   SANDRA
                   Sergeant...

     TODD turns and sees SANDRA slumped against the wall where Caine
     607 threw her.  There's a trickle of blood coming from a nostril,
     more blood in her hair.  Her eyes don't look right.

                                   SANDRA
                   Nathan!

     TODD sees NATHAN looking at his mother with fear in his eyes. 
     Struggling to his feet, TODD picks up NATHAN and puts the boy
     down close to his mother.

     SANDRA reaches out and takes NATHAN's hand.  She holds NATHAN's
     hand toward TODD.

     TODD looks confused.

     There are tears in SANDRA's eyes as she pushes NATHAN's little
     hand into TODD's huge left paw.

     TODD looks down at the joined hands, then he looks into SANDRA's 
     flooded eyes.

     Does TODD understand her gesture?  His face is impassive.  Maybe
     he doesn't.  Just then a hand touches his shoulder.

     TODD turns to see JOHNNY face him, trembling but valiant, to ask
     the question the others are fearful of asking.

                                   JOHNNY
                    S-sir...sir, are you our friend?
                         (indicating Sandra)
                    Sh-she said you were our friend.

     TODD sees all the CHILDREN looking at him, their eyes big with
     hope and fear as we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  DINING COMMONS

     Blackened with soot, JIMMY PIG still has the axe in his hand as
     SLADE manages, with a supreme effort, to hold the door of the
     root cellar up enough to allow EMMA and JUDITH to push the FOUR
     CHILDREN out of the cellar and then to scramble after them.

     Exhausted, SLADE lets the door fall back, picks up his rifle and
     turns toward the exit.  And freezes.  Dumbfounded.

     Standing in the doorway is TODD, laden with CHILDREN, on his
     shoulders, in his arms, surrounding him, clutching at his
     garments.

                                   SLADE
                    You!

                                   JIMMY PIG
                    Thank God!

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  CORRIDOR/"DADDY" - NIGHT

     CRUDE LETTERS scrawled on the metal skin of the bomb say "LOVE
     FROM DADDY."

     The heavy bomb is lugged along a long narrow corridor.

                                   SLOAN (O.S.)
                    Well, Riley, you wanted a weapon,
                    right?  Now you got one!  A real
                    biggee!

     We see that RILEY and three other VETERANS -- GREEN, CHESLEY, and 
     MOORE -- are struggling to maneuver the heavy bomb along the
     narrow corridor and down a ladder hatch as SLOAN follows on
     their heels and CHURCH and RUBRICK, fretting, follow her.

                                   RUBRICK
                    What good'll it do just setting it
                    outside?  We don't know where the
                    enemy is.

                                   CHURCH
                    Doesn't matter.  For once Mekum's on
                    the ball.
                    This is a very dirty bomb!  That
                    wind will churn the radioactivity
                    around like soap in a washing
                    machine.  This is gonna be one clean
                    place in a very short time...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  BOWELS OF THE SHIP - NIGHT

     THE TIMER on the bomb CLICKS into action, ticking off seconds and 
     blurring off the tenths.

     ANGLE ON SLOAN, punching a code into the device as she addresses
     the four VETERANS.

                                   SLOAN
                    Okay, fellas, take it about a
                    hundred yards, then get back on the
                    double...unless you wanna fry.

     RILEY, his face impassive, opens a hatch, revealing the darkness
     outside where the wind SCREAMS.

     As RUBRICK and CHURCH watch, the four VETS stagger into the
     darkness with the bomb, RUBRICK has to shout to CHURCH to be
     heard over the wind outside.

                                   RUBRICK
                    THIRTY MINUTES IS AWFUL TIGHT!  WE
                    HAVE TO LAUNCH AND GET CLEAR OF THE
                    ATMOSPHERE.

                                   CHURCH
                    IT'S ENOUGH.  IF WE LEAVE MORE THAN
                    ENOUGH, THE ENEMY MAY GET CLEAR
                    SOMEHOW AS WELL.

     As SLOAN shuts the hatch, she checks her watch.

     EXT.  SPACESHIP/"DADDY"

     Carrying the heavy bomb in a sling, RILEY, CHESLEY, MOORE, and
     GREEN stagger past the work-lights into the darkness while the
     wind rages around them.  Holding the sling one-handed, GREEN is 
     illuminating the ground ahead with a flashlight.

     INT.  COCKPIT/"DADDY"

     Flick!  Flick!  Flick!  Flick!  SLOAN is flicking switches as
     RUBRICK reads off a check list and she responds to each item on
     the list with "Roger."

     CHURCH is punching buttons on the control console, causing lights
     to light up reading "Port Power Cluster," "Starboard Power
     Cluster," "Vertical Stabilizer Unit," and so on.

     EXT.  TERRAIN

     Darkness!  Buffeted by the wind, RILEY and his COMPANIONS lower
     the bomb to the ground and release it gently.  They're just
     turning to go back, fighting the wind, when RILEY senses
     something.  He takes the light from GREEN and points it.

     The four VETERANS axe astonished at what they see.

     CRAWLER ONE, battered and motionless, is abandoned only ten yards 
     away.

     The flashlight beam probes the blown out windshield, the scarred 
     chassis, pans across the back seat...and pans back urgently,
     glimpsing tiny EYES.

     The EYES disappear behind the back seat.

     RILEY, CHESLEY, GREEN and MOORE exchange glances.

     The light probes again, this time revealing the frightened faces
     of CHILDREN cowering in the back seat, hiding from the wind.

     Suddenly RILEY whirls.

     Out of the darkness beside him, TODD looms.

     RILEY looks into the face of a man he saw killed!

     TODD has a CHILD in each arm and another hanging on to his leg
     for dear life.  He's wearing the scarf Jimmy Pig gave him.

     In the shadows behind TODD, JIMMY PIG, SLADE, EMMA, JUDITH and
     more CHILDREN are watching anxiously.

     RILEY's stone face comes as close to expression as it ever
     will...astonishment!

     The other VETERANS stare too, amazed.

     Suddenly RILEY gives TODD a smart military salute.

     ANGLE ON JIMMY PIG and SLADE exchanging a look of wonder.  What's 
     going on here?  They haven't a clue!  And we...

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  COCKPIT/"DADDY" - NIGHT

     The countdown clock is TICKING away, showing ten minutes, as
     CHURCH, RUBRICK, and SLOAN complete their pre-launch prep.
                                   CHURCH
                    Right horizontal?

                                   RUBRICK
                    Roger.  Right horizontal checks
                    green.

     CHURCH relaxes, looks up at the clock, satisfied.

                                   CHURCH
                    All right we're "go."  I'm allowing
                    us three minutes to clear the
                    atmosphere and get out of range.
                    That means we can wait seven more
                    minutes.

                                   SLOAN
                    Fuck 'em!  Let's just go!

                                   RUBRICK
                    She's right!  Four more casualties
                    aren't gonna mean anything to
                    anybody, especially when they're
                    already obsolete.

     CHURCH considers for a moment, then shrugs.

                                   CHURCH
                    I guess they wouldn't want to get
                    old anyway.
                         (to Sloan)
                    Go ahead, lock the hatch.
                         (to Rubrick)
                    Rube, punch up the port power
                    cluster and --

                                   SLOAN
                         (interrupting urgently)
                    What was that?

                                   CHURCH
                    Huh?  What was what?

                                   SLOAN
                    Sssshhhh!  Listen!

     SLOAN is listening intensely.

     All they hear is the HUM of the air system and miscellaneous
     WHITE NOISE.

     CHURCH and RUBRICK exchange a glance and are about to speak when
     they all hear it...

     A sound like a CHILD CRYING somewhere in the ship!

     All three of them stare at each other in utter amazement.
                                   RUBRICK
                    It sounds...

                                   SLOAN
                    Like a kid!

     Just then they hear it again, closer.

     CHURCH frowns.  What the fuck?

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  BUNKS/"DADDY" - NIGHT - MOMENTS LATER

     EMMA, JUDITH, SLADE and JIMMY PIG are settling most of the
     CHILDREN in the cramped crew quarters, pulling off hats and
     coats, when a COMMOTION causes them to look toward the open door
     to the corridor in time to see...

     a glimpse of RUBRICK being shoved roughly along the corridor by
     MOORE, his loud protests clearly audible.

                                   RUBRICK
                    Are you crazy?  You can't do this,
                    soldier!  You're going to be in
                    trouble.

     Then, as RUBRICK is pushed out of view, CHURCH appears, indignant
     and panicky, as CHESLEY hustles him past.

                                   CHURCH
                    I'm your superior officer, don't you
                    understand that?

     ANGLE ON THE PIONEERS, exchanging glances.

     INT.  CORRIDOR/"DADDY"

     As CHESLEY shoves him along, CHURCH continues to protest...

                                   CHURCH
                    Don't you realize you're violating
                    the chain of command?  I'm giving
                    you a direct order to...to...to...

     CHURCH breaks off, suddenly speechless at the sight ahead of him.

     Here comes TODD, laden with more CHILDREN, the tattoo on his
     cheek clearly visible.  His eyes meet CHURCH'S.

                                   CHURCH
                    S-sergeant?  S-sergeant T-todd?
                    It...  You...!  How...?  How...?

     Weak at the knees, CHURCH is still stammering as CHESLEY shoves
     him ahead.

     And then SLOAN, in the grip of GREEN, is hustled by.  She looks
     wide-eyed at TODD and the CHILDREN.

                                   SLOAN
                    Sergeant Todd!

                                                       CUT TO:

     INT.  BOWELS OF THE SHIP - NIGHT - SECONDS LATER

     RUBRICK, CHURCH, and SLOAN are still protesting as the VETERANS
     hustle them down the ladder toward the main hatch.

                                   RUBRICK
                    Listen, you don't understand!  That
                    bomb is triggered!  It's on a timer!

                                   CHURCH
                    We have to get out of here!  All of
                    us!  You need us!  You need us to
                    operate the ship...

                                   SLOAN
                    YOU'RE FUCKING MORONS!  CAN'T YOU
                    DIMWITS GRASP THAT YOU'RE KILLING US
                    ALL!  YOU'RE KILLING YOURSELVES!
                    THERE'S ONLY A FEW MINUTES LEFT!

                                   RUBRICK
                    NO!  NO!  NO!

     RUBRICK is shoved out the door into the night!

     EXT.  SPACESHIP/"DADDY" - NIGHT

     RUBRICK desperately clutches at the hatch entrance as the savage
     wind tears at him...but he can't hold on.

     As SLOAN and CHURCH are shoved out the hatch, they see RUBRICK
     blown off into the night, screaming.

                                   CHURCH
                    DOWN!  LIE DOWN!  FLAT!

     And CHURCH dives for the ground as the wind tumbles him.

     SLOAN does the same thing as the hatch door slams behind them, 
     shutting them out of the ship..

                                   SLOAN
                    NO!  NO!  NO!  PLEASE!  NO!

     INT.  COCKPIT/"DADDY" - NIGHT

     The countdown clock shows four minutes and twenty seconds as it
     CLICKS off the seconds.

     Their soldier faces inscrutable, TODD and RUBRICK consider the
     various lights winking on the control panel.

     RILEY points to a row of switches and looks at TODD.  Their eyes
     meet.  TODD considers the switches, then nods.

     RILEY throws the switches.  A row of red lights goes on and the
     ship seems to hum with life.

     Still communicating wordlessly, TODD points to another switch,
     RILEY throws it!

     EXT.  SPACESHIP/"DADDY"

     BLAST OFF!  Big engines belch fire, illuminating the bleak
     landscape as the ship rises into the night.

     Brightly lit by the ignition, SLOAN, still on her belly, sees the
     ship taking off.

                                   SLOAN
                    OH, MY GOD!  OH, MY GOD!

                                   CHURCH
                    THERE IT IS!  I SEE IT!

     The bomb is clearly visible ten yards away in the dying glow of
     the takeoff.

     CHURCH bumps madly along the ground on his belly.

     EXT.  SPACESHIP/"DADDY"

     The NAF ship "Daddy" climbs off into space, getting smaller and
     smaller, the light from the takeoff diminishing.
     EXT.  THE BOMB/TERRAIN

     The countdown timer on the bomb is faintly visible in the dying
     light.  It reads twenty seconds.

                                   CHURCH (V.O.)
                    Twenty seconds.  Hurry.

     CHURCH and SLOAN are hunched desperately over the bomb in near
     darkness, the wind tearing at them.  SLOAN tries to punch a code
     into the keys...

                                   SLOAN
                    Oh, my God, I can't remember if it's
                    six-seven or seven-six...

                                   CHURCH
                    Try one! Try it!

     SLOAN punches the keyboard blindly.

                                   SLOAN
                    There!  I did it!  Did it stop?  Did
                    it -- ?

     BAHWHOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!  Everything is dazzling, blinding light!

     INT.  COCKPIT/"DADDY"

     White light from the blast briefly floods the cockpit as TODD and 
     RILEY stare at the video monitor where MEKUM'S VIDEO IMAGE is
     babbling frantically.

                                   MEKUM/VIDEO IMAGE
                    ...I need a report, Captain.  It's
                    not just my ass, it's yours too!
                    You've got to stand by me on this.
                    I want you to come in right now...
                    right now!  Do you understand me?
                    Right now!

     RILEY turns to TODD, looking a question at him.  TODD meets his
     look and no words are necessary.

     RILEY reaches for the control switch as MEKUM continues babbling.

                                   MEKUM/VIDEO IMAGE
                    This is important for all of us, for
                    our careers.  There's going to be a
                    Board of Inquiry and --

     MEKUM'S IMAGE cuts out mid-babble.

                                   SLADE'S VOICE (O.S.)
                    That was the boss, huh?

     TODD and RILEY turn to see SLADE in the entrance to the cockpit 
     addressing TODD and the VETERANS collectively.

                                   SLADE
                    Well then, I guess you fellas are
                    all right.  I guess I misjudged you
                    some.  Where I said you were "a
                    buncha no good killer robots," I
                    mighta just overspoke myself.  As of
                    now, till it goes otherwise, you got
                    my sincere approval and support.

     With that, SLADE turns and exits.

     TODD looks at RILEY, RILEY looks at TODD.  What the fuck was
     that?

     INT.  CORRIDOR/"DADDY" - NIGHT

     NATHAN wobbles along an empty corridor, stumbles, catches himself
     on a wall, keeps going.

     He passes a doorway, peers in, sees two SOLDIERS working at a
     console like robots.  They don't look up.

     NATHAN keeps going, toddling toward a hatchway.

     INT.  COCKPIT/"DADDY"

     Entering, NATHAN moves among the legs of big men, VETERANS.
     NATHAN keeps going.

     Then, backing against a wall, he looks up and VETERANS loom past
     him with blank faces.  He is alone again.

     NATHAN totters onward.

     CLOSE ANGLE ON CHARTS, the same ones Church had on Christmas Eve, 
     showing tiny dots in a vast sea of space.

     TODD and RILEY are poring over them, their eyes considering dot
     after dot.  Finally, TODD points to a dot and looks a question at 
     RILEY.

     RILEY considers the dot for a long moment...then he looks TODD in
     the eye.

                                   RILEY
                    Cold.

     TODD looks back at the dot, considers it, looks back at RILEY.

                                   TODD
                    Air?

     RILEY nods a yes.

     TODD is thoughtful...finally asks the next question.

                                   TODD
                    Safe?

                                   RILEY
                         (nodding yes)
                    But very cold.

     TODD considers the dot on the map again, then looks at RILEY.

                                   TODD
                    That one.

                                   RILEY
                    Aye, aye, sir.

     RILEY turns toward a console, but something makes him look down
     toward his feat.  Then he looks back at TODD.

     TODD follows the look.

     Tiny NATHAN is looking up at TODD who's towering over him.

     TODD looks down without expression, the scarf from Jimmy Pig
     still wrapped around his neck.

     NATHAN puts his arms out to be picked up.

     TODD considers the outstretched arms.

     RILEY looks from TODD to NATHAN and back to TODD.  What's this?

     TODD hesitates a half second more, then leans down and picks
     NATHAN up in his arms, lifting the boy to his chest.

     RILEY looks on.  Never seen anything like it.

     NATHAN is close to TODD's face, looking right into it, trying a
     little smile, a nervous one, looking for a response.

     TODD hesitates, takes a breath, moves the muscles of his face.

     All he can produce is an awkward grimace, the distortion of a
     smile, almost comical.

     NATHAN reads the intention successfully.  His face collapses into
     a huge friendly grin.

     TODD tries again, making a clumsy sort of rubbery wince.

     RILEY watches.  Totally amazed.

     TODD turns, takes NATHAN to a porthole, puts his face up to it.

     NATHAN stares out at the darkness punctuated by a billion stars,
     a sky full of hope.

     As NATHAN looks out, TODD works his face again, trying for a
     smile the way a weak man might try to lift a heavy weight.

     NATHAN looks at the stars outside, TODD looks with him and
     suddenly TODD's face relaxes into an awkward grin, almost by
     accident.

     RILEY watches the two of them for a moment, confounded by what
     he's seeing.  Then he turns to the console and...

                      THE CLOSING CREDITS ROLL.

                               THE END



Soldier



Writers :   David Webb Peoples
Genres :   Action  Drama  Sci-Fi


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