"Dark Star", short film script, by John Carpenter & Dan O'Bannon



   







                    DARK STAR: A SCIENCE FICTION ADVENTURE

                 A Screenplay by John Carpenter and Dan O'Bannon







     OPEN ON BLACK SILENCE.

     The sound of electronic music rises, hollow, metallic.

     FADE IN on a long TRACKING SHOT through the universe.  As the NARRATOR
     speaks we move through galaxies, nebulae, solar systems, moving from
     the infinite slowly down to a particular planetary system deep within
     a maze of suns.

                                   NARRATOR
                              (over)
                    It is the mid 22nd Century.  Mankind
                    has explored the boundaries of his
                    own solar system, and now he reaches
                    out to the endless interstellar
                    distances of the universe.  He moves
                    away from his own small planetary
                    system in huge hyperdrive starships:
                    computer-driven, self-supporting,
                    closed-system spacecraft that travel
                    at mind-staggering post-light
                    velocities.  Man has begun to spread
                    among the stars.  Enormous ships
                    embark with generations of colonists
                    searching the depths of space for
                    new earths, now homes, new
                    beginnings.  Far in advance of these
                    colony ships goes a new pioneer: the
                    scouts, the pathfinders, a special
                    breed of man who has dedicated his
                    life to blazing the trail through
                    the most distant, unexplored
                    galaxies, opening up the farthest
                    frontiers of space.  These are the
                    men of the Advance Exploration
                    Corps.  The task they face is one of
                    unbelievable isolation and
                    loneliness.  So far from home that
                    Earth is no longer even a point of
                    light in the sky, they must comb the
                    universe for those unstable planets
                    whose existence poses a threat to
                    the peaceful colonists that follow.
                    They must find these rogue planets
                    -- and destroy them.  Among these
                    commandos are the men of the
                    scoutship Dark Star.

     We are now moving toward a planet.  Floating in front of the planet is
     the SCOUTSHIP DARK STAR.  As we move toward the ship, we begin to hear
     VOICES, crackling with static.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (over -- radio filter)
                    Ah, what'd you say, Pinback?

                                   PINBACK
                              (over -- great static)
                    Mafhkin oble groop...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (over -- filter)
                    Ah, what was that again, I still
                    can't hear you?

                                   PINBACK
                              (over -- filter)
                    I said I'm trying to reach Talby.
                    Something's wrong with the damn
                    intercom.  I need a last-minute
                    diameter approximation.

     CAMERA IS NOW FLOATING TOWARD THE OBSERVATION DOME on top of the ship.
     In the Dome sits TALBY.  He is staring around, wide-eyed, at the
     planets and stars.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (over -- filter)
                    Talby, Talby, this is Doolittle.  Do
                    you read me?  Talby?

     WE MOVE IN CLOSE ON TALBY'S FACE.  The shot stops and holds as he
     continues to stare, rapt.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd -- over --
                              filter)
                    Talby, do you read me?

     There is a CRACKLE, and Doolittle's voice suddenly booms through, loud
     and clear:

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    TALBY!

                                   TALBY
                              (snaps out of it)
                    Oh!  Ah, yes, Doolittle.  What is it?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     CLOSE SHOT of a digital clock, ticking down the seconds.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I need a diameter approximation.

                                   TALBY
                              (over)
                    Okay, Doolittle, I'll have it in a
                    minute.

     CAMERA BEGINS TO PULL BACK along the length of the control room,
     revealing three men: BOILER, DOOLITTLE, and PINBACK.  They are seated
     close together in cramped little chairs, surrounded by a maze of
     instrumentation, pressing buttons, making adjustments and corrections.
     There is one EMPTY CHAIR; the panel in front of it looks burned.

                                   PINBACK
                    I need a GHF reading on the gravity
                    correction.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I'll check it.

                                   BOILER
                    I have a reduced drive reading of
                    seven thousand.

                                   PINBACK
                    Right, that checks out here.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Pinback...

                                   PINBACK
                    Yes, Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Your GHF reading is minus fifteen.

                                   PINBACK
                    Doolittle...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yes.

                                   PINBACK
                    I need a computer reading on a fail-
                    safe mark.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    In a second.

                                   PINBACK
                    Boiler, can you set me up with some
                    temp figures?

                                   BOILER
                    Ninety seven million, minus eight,
                    corrected to mass critical.

                                   PINBACK
                    I read that with a quantum increase
                    of seven.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Pinback, I have a computer reading
                    of nine five seven seven.

                                   BOILER
                    Time to start talking.

                                   PINBACK
                    Bomb bay systems operational.

     Pinback hits a button on his panel.

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     The screen is BLACK for an instant.  Then, two enormous doors begin to
     open ponderously, revealing the planet rotating below.  A huge BOMB,
     designated with a giant #19 on its side, lowers slowly out of the
     ship on a rack.

                                   NARRATOR
                              (over)
                    This is a chain-reaction bomb,
                    otherwise known as an Exponential
                    Thermostellar Device.  Its own
                    destructive power is small, barely
                    enough to vaporize twelve city
                    blocks.  However, when it explodes in
                    contact with an object the size of a
                    planet, it starts a chain-reaction
                    in the very matter of that planet,
                    turning it into a giant reactor
                    which destroys itself in one
                    staggering thermal flash.

                    These bombs are equipped with
                    sophisticated thought and speech
                    mechanisms, to allow them to make
                    executive decisions in the event of
                    a crisis situation.  These judgment
                    centers are controlled by a fail-
                    safe mechanism.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Lock fail safe.

     Pinback turns a key in a lock.

                                   PINBACK
                    Fail-safe locked.  Ah, Sergeant
                    Pinback call1ng Bomb #19.  Do you
                    read me, bomb?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     The bomb is suspended beneath the ship.

                                   BOMB #19
                    Bomb #19 to Sergeant Pinback, I read
                    you.  Continue.

     When the bomb speaks, it has the prim, fussy voice of a minor civil
     servant.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Well, bomb, we have about sixty
                    seconds to drop.  Just wondering if
                    everything is all right.  Have you
                    checked your platinum euridium
                    energy shielding?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #19
                    Energy shielding positive function.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Swell.  Let's synchronize detonation
                    time.  Do you know when you're
                    supposed to go off?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #19
                    Detonation in six minutes, twenty
                    seconds.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    All right, I have detonation time
                    at... Wait a minute, something's
                    wrong with the clock.
                              (hits panel)
                    All right, I have detonation time
                    at... no, that can't be right, it
                    says three years.
                              (beats panel again)
                    Okay, I have six minutes exactly.
                    Does that check out down there?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #19
                    Check at six minutes.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Arm yourself, bomb.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     Several lights blip on along the bomb's side.

                                   BOMB #19
                    Armed.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Well, then, everything sounds fine.
                    We'll drop you off in thirty-five
                    seconds.  Good luck.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #19
                    Thanks.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Begin main sequence.  Mark at 10-9-8-
                    7-6-5-4-3-2-1-drop.

     EXTERIOR - THE SHIP

     Bomb #19 falls away from the ship and whizzes down toward the planet
     below.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Hyperdrive sequence begun.  Hit it,
                    Pinback.

     Pinback hits the hyperdrive switch.  Force fields energize around the
     men.

     EXTERIOR - THE SHIP

     The DARK STAR accelerates into hyperdrive and streaks away through
     space.

     The planetary system recedes in the background.  Inside the Observation
     Dome, Talby is frozen in a protective force field.

     INSERT: CLOSE SHOT OF A TIME CLOCK.  It blips down to ZERO.

     RETURN TO SCENE

     Behind the ship, there is an intense flare of light as the planet, now
     a dot of light, explodes.

     INTERIOR - OBSERVATION DOME

     The force field around Talby disappears as the ship comes out of
     hyperdrive.  He rubs his eyes as though awakening, then looks down at
     his readout panels.

     INSERT - CLOSE SHOT OF A PANEL.  On a small screen we see the exploding
     planet, and below, a readout says:

                         DESTRUCTION SEQUENCE COMPLETE

     RETURN TO SCENE

     Talby touches his intercom.

                                   TALBY
                    Lieutenant Doolittle, it just
                    exploded.
                              (pause)
                    Ah, sir, the planet just exploded.
                              (pause -- he shakes the
                              microphone)
                    Lieutenant?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     The men are stretching in their seats.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Unlock fail safe.

     Pinback unlocks the fail-safe unit.

                                   PINBACK
                    Fail safe unlocked.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Attention.  Attention.  The hyperdrive
                    sequence is now terminated.  Please
                    observe that the no smoking signs
                    have growrrr...

     The voice runs down.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Well... now what?  What do, you have
                    for us now.  Boiler?

                                   BOILER
                              (checking his readouts)
                    Not much.  Nothing at all in this
                    sector.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Find me something, I don't care
                    where it is.

                                   BOILER
                    Well, I show a 95% probability of
                    sentient life in the Horsehead
                    Nebula...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Fuck that shit.

                                   BOILER
                    Well, it is kind of a long shot...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    It's a goddamn wild goose chase.
                    Remember when Commander Powell found
                    that 99 plus probability of sentient
                    life in the Magellanic Cloud?

                                   BOILER
                    Well, there's the possibility of...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Remember what we found?  Fourteen
                    light years for a fucking mindless
                    vegetable that looked like a limp
                    balloon and went squawk and let a
                    fart when you touched it.  Remember?

                                   BOILER
                    All right, then...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    So don't give me any of that
                    sentient life crap.  Find me
                    something I can blow up.

     A LIGHT flares on Pinback's board.  He looks up.

                                   PINBACK
                    New star.
                              (no reaction)
                    Hey, guess what?  I got a new star on
                    the readout.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (not looking up)
                    Which one?

                                   PINBACK
                    Another unknown.  Not on the charts.
                    A red dwarf.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Any planets?

                                   PINBACK
                    Yeah.  Eight, it says here.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Any of 'em any good?

                                   PINBACK
                              (scans the board)
                    Naah.  All stable.

     Doolittle loses interest.

                                   PINBACK
                              (cont'd)
                    What are you gonna name it?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (not looking up)
                    What?

                                   PINBACK
                    The new star.  What are you gonna
                    name it?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Who cares.  Don't bother me.

     Pinback's mouth tightens.  A pause.

                                   PINBACK
                    Commander Powell would have named
                    it.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander Powell is dead.

     Involuntarily, Pinback glances at Commander Powell's empty, burned
     seat.  The panels behind it sputter.

                                   PINBACK
                    Come on, Doolittle, give it a name.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Fred.

                                   PINBACK
                    Wha?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I hereby name this star Fred.

                                   BOILER
                    Hey, Doolittle, here's one.  An
                    unstable planet.  85% probability of
                    an unstable planet in the Veil
                    Nebula that will probably go off its
                    orbit and hit a star.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sounds good.  Chart a course for the
                    Veil Nebula.

                                   BOILER
                    Pinback, throw me the chart log.

     Pinback draws a loose-leaf notebook from a shelf above Commander
     Powell's empty seat, and hurls it at Boiler.  With a sour look at
     Pinback, Boiler picks up the notebook and begins to leaf through it.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Let's have some music in here,
                    Boiler.

     Boiler presses a button.  LOUD COUNTRY MUSIC THEME BEGINS TO PLAY.

     EXTERIOR - DARK STAR (TITLE SEQUENCE)

     This sequence includes shots of the DARK STAR drifting through space,
     past various cosmic wonders, intercut with shots of the men relaxing
     (Talby staring into space; Boiler trimming his beard; Doolittle
     playing solitaire; Pinback reading a comic book).

     CREDITS AND MUSIC OVER.

     SEQUENCE ENDS.

     INTERIOR - DARK STAR

     Beep.

     We are watching a filmed tape.  Doolittle has just turned it on and is
     staring into the camera.  Crosshairs and blipping numbers superimposed.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Ship's log, entry number 1,943.
                    Dark Star cruising at light speed
                    through Sector Theta 990.  En route
                    to Veil Nebula for destruction of
                    unstable planet.  Our ETA is 1700
                    hours.
                              (thinks)
                    Ship's systems continue to
                    deteriorate...

     Pinback leans into view and whispers into Doolittle's ear.  Doolittle
     nods and Pinback withdraws.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    The short circuit in the rear seat
                    panel which killed Commander Powell
                    continues to be faulty.
                              (thinks)
                    Uh... Storage Area 9...

     Pinback leans back in and whispers emphatically.  Doolittle looks put-
     upon.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    And because he's sitting next to it,
                    it continues to bother Pinback.
                              (glares at Pinback.
                              Then:)
                    Storage Area 9 self-destructed last
                    week, destroying entire ship's
                    supply of toilet paper.  That's all.

     Beep.

     INTERIOR - OBSERVATION DOME

     Talby is still gazing around at the stars.

     A hatch opens in the floor and Doolittle sticks his head up.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Talby.

     Talby rotates his seat and looks down at Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    Here's some breakfast.

     Doolittle climbs into the dome and sits on the floor.  He hands Talby
     the food package, and watches matter-of-factly as Talby begins to eat.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    You know, Talby, you really ought to
                    eat with the rest of us.  You spend
                    too much time up here.

                                   TALBY
                    I like it up here.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Must get lonely being up here so
                    much.

                                   TALBY
                    I don't like to go below since
                    Commander Powell died.  I feel
                    enclosed down there.  If it were big
                    enough, I'd sleep up here...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    ... Should spend some time below, see
                    more of the rest of the ship...

                                   TALBY
                    ... You see, I can watch things up
                    here, Doolittle.  I love to watch
                    things, just stare at the planets
                    and meteors and asteroids, gas
                    clusters...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    You'll have plenty of time for that,
                    you know.  Figure it this way: twenty
                    years in space and we've only aged
                    three, so there'll be plenty of time
                    to stare around...

                                   TALBY
                    You know, Doollttle, if we're going
                    into the Veil Nebula, we may
                    actually find a strange and
                    beautiful thing: the Phoenix
                    Asteroids.  They should be passing
                    through there about now...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Phoenix Asteroids?  Never heard of
                    'em.

                                   TALBY
                    They are a body of asteroids that
                    make a complete circuit of the
                    universe once every 12.3 trillion
                    years.  The Phoenix Asteroids... From
                    what I've heard, Doolittle, they
                    glow... glow with all the colors of
                    the rainbow.  Nobody knows why.  They
                    just glow as they drift around the
                    universe.  Imagine all the sights
                    they've seen in the time they've
                    been travelling -- the birth and
                    death of stars, things we'll never
                    see.  The universe is alive,
                    Doolittle.  I thought it was all
                    empty, but it isn't.  In between the
                    stars, it's seething with light and
                    gasses and dust.  There are little
                    pebbles drifting around, planets no
                    one on Earth has ever seen... No one
                    but the Phoenix Asteroids...

     There is a BLIPPING SOUND.  It is insistent.  Talby is rudely yanked
     from his reverie.  He looks down at a panel.  But his soft talk has
     started Doolittle reminiscing.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    You know what I think about, Talby?

                                   TALBY
                    I'm getting something here, on this
                    readout...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    It's funny, but I kind of sit
                    around, you know, a lot of time to
                    myself...

                                   TALBY
                    I think I'm getting a malfunction
                    here somewhere.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I can't talk to the others, but with
                    time to myself, I think about back
                    home, back home at Malibu.  I used to
                    surf a lot, Talby.  I used to be a
                    great surfer.

                                   TALBY
                    Lieutenant Doolittle, I'm getting a
                    definite malfunction on one of the
                    closed-circuit computer systems...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    The waves at Malibu and Zuma were
                    fantastic in the springs Talby.  I
                    can remember running out on the
                    beach early spring mornings with my
                    board and a wet suit...

                                   TALBY
                    I can't seem to locate the
                    malfunction exactly...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Waves would be peaking really high
                    and glassy.  Hit that water.  Ridin'
                    the wall just perfect.

                                   TALBY
                    ... Somewhere in the autonomic relay
                    circuits...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I guess I miss the waves and my
                    board most of all.

     Talby turns in his seat and addresses Doolittle directly.

                                   TALBY
                    Ah, Doolittle, I do have a
                    malfunction on this readout, but I
                    can't seem to pinpoint exactly where
                    it is.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (snapped out of his
                              daydream)
                    Don't worry about it.  We'll find out
                    when it goes bad.

                                   TALBY
                              (chagrined)
                    I really think I should try and
                    locate it immediately.  Might be
                    something important.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I wish I had my board with me now.
                    Even if I could only polish it once
                    in awhile.

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

     LONG SHOT of the DARK STAR drifting through space.

     INTERIOR - KITCHEN

     Boiler, Pinback, and Doolittle are descending a ladder into the
     kitchen.

                                   BOILER
                    I'm getting this flickering light on
                    one of my panels.

                                   PINBACK
                    What flickering light?

                                   BOILER
                    The one on unit... oh, I think it's
                    GMR twelve zero zero.

                                   PINBACK
                    Oh.  What's wrong now?

                                   BOILER
                    I'm not sure.  I think something is
                    fucked up somewhere in the ship,
                    though.

                                   PINBACK
                    I hope it's not the oven again.

                                   BOILER
                    Yeah.

                                   PINBACK
                    Remember when the artificial
                    gravity, went out in the toilet?

     The men sit for their meal.  Doolittle brings food packets from the
     oven.

                                   PINBACK
                    Hey, Doolittle, think we'll ever
                    find real intelligent life out
                    there?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Out where?

                                   PINBACK
                    Veil nebula.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Who cares?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     The Control Room is EMPTY.  After a moment, there is a repetitive BEEP.

     CLOSE SHOT - TV SCREEN.  On the screen is the message:

                            INCOMING COMMUNICATION

     This fades, and MISSION CONTROLLER appears on the screen, against a
     background of computer terminals.  He is dressed in a snappy tunic, and
     when he receives the on-camera cue, he smiles ingratiatingly.

                                   MISSION CONTROLLER
                    Hi, guys.  Glad to get your message.
                    We gather from the ten-year
                    communications lag that you are
                    approximately 18 parsecs away.  Drop
                    us a line more often, won't you?

                    Sorry to hear about all the
                    malfunctions, and real sorry to hear
                    about the death of Commander Powell.
                    There was a week of mourning all
                    over Earth.  The flags were at half
                    mast.

                    Now I hate to send bad news when you
                    guys are up there doing such a swell
                    job, but something's come up, and we
                    all felt you ought to know about it.
                    Our systems simulation computer has
                    predicted that by the time this
                    message reaches you -- that is to
                    say, in about ten years -- there
                    will be a failure in one of your
                    vital ship's systems.  The
                    malfunction will occur in --
                              (rifles papers)
                    -- system number E180246.  You can
                    see what a problem this would be if
                    you didn't catch it on time.  Now
                    what you should do is this: First,
                    do not, repeat, do not attempt to
                    adjust the system manually.
                    Second --

     INTERIOR - COMPUTER ROOM

     The room is dim and eerie, banks of dimly flickering lights and the
     hum of air-cooling machinery.

     Talby is seated before a glowing screen.  He punches several buttons,
     and the screen comes to life.  A schematic cross-section of the ship
     appears in glowing green lines.

     Talby punches more buttons, and the screen flashes through the levels
     or the ship.  Finally it shows Level 6.  There is a small red light
     pulsing in the Emergency Air Lock.

     Talby punches another button.  The Emergency Air Lock is magnified
     fifteen times until it fills the screen.  The red light is pulsing in a
     small area labelled COMMUNICATIONS LASER #17.

     Talby picks up a microphone.

                                   TALBY
                    Lieutenant Doolittle, this is Talby.
                    Lieutenant?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (over -- filter)
                    Yes, Talby, what is it?

                                   TALBY
                    Sorry to interrupt your lunch, sir,
                    but I'm in the Computer Room, and I
                    think I've located the malfunction.
                    The scanner shows it to be some sort
                    of fault in the communications
                    laser, down by the Emergency Air
                    Lock.  Can't pinpoint it exactly, but
                    I'm going down there with a starsuit
                    and try to find it.

     INTERIOR - KITCHEN

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sounds good, Talby.  Let me know if
                    anything important comes up.

     Doolittle hangs up the mike.

                                   BOILER
                    Why doesn't Talby ever eat down here
                    with the rest of us?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    He just likes it up in the dome,
                    that's all.

     Boiler seems to be thinking.  He frowns, looks at Doolittle.

                                   BOILER
                    What's Talby's first name?

     Doolittle thinks about it, and an odd expression crosses his face.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What's my first name?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     CLOSE SHOT - TV SCREEN

                                   MISSION CONTROLLER
                    -- then repatch channel 12 and seal
                    all the plates.  Don't mess with it
                    and it should work okay.  I'm just
                    glad we caught this thing before
                    anything serious happened.  Keep up
                    the good work, men.

     His image fades, and is replaced by the message:

                            END COMMUNICATION

     FULL SHOT - CONTROL ROOM.  Lights blink peacefully in the empty room.
     HOLD FOR A MOMENT.

     EXTERIOR - UNIVERSE

     SLOW ZOOM toward a sun system.  The DARK STAR is suspended in frame.  A
     title pops on briefly:

                               VEIL NEBULA

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     A GLOWING SCREEN shows a schematic of the planet rotating below.
     Boiler stares at it, smiling.

                                   BOILER
                    There she is.  Definite 99%-plus
                    probability that the planet is going
                    to deviate from its normal orbit in
                    another twelve thousand rotations.
                    It'll spiral in toward its sun,
                    and --

                                   PINBACK
                    Eventual supernova.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Good stuff.  Let's vaporize it.

     Pinback hits buttons.

                                   PINBACK
                    Bomb bay systems operational.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     BOMB #20 lowers ponderously out of the ship.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Lock fail safe.

     Pinback turns the key.

                                   PINBACK
                    Fail safe in lock.  Four minutes to
                    drop, 22 minutes to detonation.  This
                    is Sergeant Pinback calling Bomb
                    #20.  Do you read me, bomb?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    Bomb #20 to Sergeant Pinback.  Roger,
                    I read you, continue.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     CAMERA SLOWLY PANS DOWN the chromium-steel walls of the Emergency Air
     Lock to reveal Talby in a starsuit.  He is wearing it only as
     protection against possible depressurization, and therefore wears no
     jetpack.  Carrying a tool kit, he is slowly circling the lock.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    You are now in the Emergency Air
                    Lock.  Please remember that the
                    Surface Door can be opened without
                    prior depressurization, so be sure
                    to wear your starsuit at all times.
                    Thank you for observing all safety
                    precautions.

     Talby stops facing LASER SHAFT 17.

     The plate cover on the laser shaft hangs loose; it appears to be
     burned.  Talby approaches it and puts down his tool kit.  He turns on
     his helmet radio.

                                   TALBY
                    Ah, Lieutenant Doolittle?  Sir?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sh, Talby, don't bother me now.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

                                   TALBY
                    Ah, well, I think I've found the
                    malfunction, sir.  I'm in the
                    Emergency Air Lock...

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Not now!

                                   TALBY
                              (over -- filter)
                    Well, I'm in the Emergency Air Lock
                    and --

     Click!  Doolittle turns off Talby's radio line.

                                   PINBACK
                    One hundred twenty seconds to drop,
                    bomb, have you checked your platinum
                    euridium energy shielding?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    Energy shielding positive function.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Do you remember the detonation time?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #2
                    Detonation in twenty minutes.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Right, that synchronizes here.  Okay,
                    bomb, arm yourself.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    Armed.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby stands in front of the laser shaft, trying to reach Doolittle on
     his helmet radio.

                                   TALBY
                    Hello?  Lieutenant Doolittle?  Hello!

     Silence.

     Very carefully, Talby reaches out to touch the dangling plate cover on
     the laser shaft.  He pushes it, and it drops to the floor of the lock
     with a CLANG.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Communications Laser #17, monitoring
                    information relays and bomb bay
                    systems, has now been activated and
                    will switch into a test mode.  If you
                    will look near the Surface Door, you
                    will see that the Parallax Receptor
                    Cell has been engaged.

     A small triangular hole opens in the opposite wall and a photo-
     sensitive cell rotates into position.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    The laser will now energize.  Please
                    stand clear of the path of the beam.

     Talby steps back quickly.  The airlock lights dim, and with a HIGH-
     PITCHED WHINE, A PENCIL-THIN BEAM OF RUBY LIGHT PULSES ACROSS THE
     LOCK, from the laser shaft to the receptor cell.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Communications Laser #17 is now on
                    test.  Under no circumstances enter
                    the path of the beam.  Thank you for
                    observing all safety precautions.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Everything sounds fine, bomb.
                    Dropping you off in sixty seconds.
                    Good luck.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #2
                    Thanks.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    Quantum is up thirty-five.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I read the same here.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby crouches by the laser shaft, carefully peering past the red,
     humming beam.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle.  Doolittle?  It you're
                    there, I'm going to try to adjust
                    the cue switch on the laser.

     Silence.

                                   TALBY
                              (cont'd)
                    Well... here goes...

     He takes a long tool from the tool kit.  Slowly, with agonizing care,
     he inserts the tool into the laser shaft, painstakingly avoiding the
     beam.  He engages the tool into the base of the laser, and begins
     slowly to make an adjustment.

     There is a BLINDING FLASH OF LIGHT.

     Talby drops the tool and staggers back, clutching his face plate.

                                   TALBY
                    My eyes.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Attention.  Attention.  The laser has
                    malfunctioned.  Under no
                    circumstances enter the path of the
                    beam.  To do so will cause
                    immediate --

     Talby stumbles into the beam.  There is a dull EXPLOSION.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     There is a FLASH on the lower side of Bomb #20, a sudden EXPLOSION.
     Lights BLIP FURIOUSLY on the bomb.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Begin main sequence.  Mark at 10-9-8-
                    7-6-5-4-3-2-1-drop.

     A HONKER SOUNDS.  The men sit up.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I have a negative drop.  The bomb is
                    still in the bomb bay.  Try it again,
                    Pinback.

     Pinback resets his panel.  The honker stops.

                                   PINBACK
                    Mark at 5-4-3-2-1-drop.

     HONK-HONK-HONK-

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Ah, negative drop.

     The men stare at each other in silence for a long moment.
     Simultaneously they begin hitting buttons.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Rechannel all safety relays --

                                   BOILER
                    -- open quantum latches --

                                   PINBACK
                    -- open circuit breakers --

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    -- remove thrust drive repellant --

                                   PINBACK
                    -- automatic channels open --

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    -- Remark.

                                   PINBACK
                    5-4-3-2-1-drop, drop, drop!

     There is a very long pause.

                                   BOILER
                    Sittin' there.  It's just sittin'
                    there.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     Bomb #20 hangs underneath the ship, waiting.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby lies unconscious on the floor of the lock.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     On the men's faces in strained anxiety.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    This is Lieutenant Doolittle calling
                    Bomb #20.  I repeat previous order,
                    you are to disarm yourself and
                    return immediately to the bomb bay.
                    Do you understand?

                                   BOMB #20
                              (over)
                    I am programmed to detonate in
                    fourteen minutes thirty seconds.
                    Detonation will occur at the
                    programmed time.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Bomb, this is Doolittle.  You are not
                    to detonate, repeat, you are not to
                    detonate in the bomb bay.  Disarm
                    yourself.  This is an order.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    I read you, Lieutenant Doolittle,
                    but I am programmed to detonate in
                    fourteen minutes.  Detonation will
                    occur at the programmed time.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Fourteen minutes to detonation.

     The men stare at each other.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Attention.  Attention.  The bomb has
                    malfunctioned.  Automatic dampers
                    have gone into effect, and will
                    confine the explosion to an area one
                    mile in diameter.  Please contact
                    mission control and await further
                    instructions.  Thank you for
                    observing all safety precautions.

     Pause.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Only one thing to do.  I'll have to
                    ask Commander Powell.  I'll have to
                    ask him what to do.

     INTERIOR - FREEZER ROOM

     Doolittle climbs down a ladder into the icy-blue, cold Freezer Room.
     The walls are covered with frost, and mist hangs in the air.

     He pulls on a pair of insulated gloves and approaches a heavy freezer
     door.  On the door is a sign:

                         CRYOGENIC FREEZER COMPARTMENT

                         CAUTION

                         ABSOLUTE ZERO

     He opens the door.

     COMMANDER POWELL is encased in the freezer in a post-death, frozen
     ammonia state.  Wire and electrodes are attached to his head.

     Doolittle takes a microphone from a console on the freezer.  He flips a
     switch and speaks into the mike:

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander Powell?  Commander Powell,
                    this is Doolittle.  Can you read me?

     A crackle of static comes from a speaker grille, along with the FAINT
     MUTTERING OF COMMANDER POWELL'S VOICE:

                                   POWELL
                    ... muffirup glurrinpinfropal...

     Doolittle fiddles with the volume control, trying to bring Commander
     Powell's voice into audibllity.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander Powell, this is Doolittle.
                    Ah, there's something serious come
                    up, sir, and I have to ask you
                    something.

                                   POWELL
                              (very weakly)
                    I'm glad you've come to talk with
                    me, Doolittle.  It's been so long
                    since anyone has come to talk with
                    me.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander, sir, we have a big
                    problem.  You see, the Veil Nebula
                    bomb, Bomb Number 20, is stuck.  It
                    won't drop from the bomb bay.  It
                    refuses to listen and plans to
                    detonate in --
                              (checks watch)
                    -- less than eleven minutes.

                                   POWELL
                    Doolittle, you must tell me one
                    thing.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What's that, sir?

                                   POWELL
                    Tell me, Doolittle, how are the
                    Dodgers doing?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Well, sir, the Dodgers broke up,
                    disbanded over thirteen years ago.

                                   POWELL
                    Ah... pity, pity...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    You don't understand, sir, we can't
                    get the bomb to drop.

                                   POWELL
                    Ah, so many malfunctions... why don't
                    you have anything nice to tell me
                    when you activate me?  Oh, well, did
                    you try the azimuth clutch?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yes sir.  Negative effect.

                                   POWELL
                    What was that, Doolittle?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Negative effect.

                                   POWELL
                    It didn't work?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    That's correct, sir.

                                   POWELL
                    Sorry, Doolittle.  I've forgotten so
                    much since I've been in here.  So
                    much.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What should we do, sir?  The time is
                    running out.

                                   POWELL
                    Well, what you might try is --

     Commander Powell's voice is drowned in a burst of static.  Doolittle
     fiddles with the dials.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander Powell?  Commander, hello!

                                   POWELL
                    Doolittle, hello?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sorry, sir, you faded out there for
                    a minute.

                                   POWELL
                    Sorry.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What were you saying, Commander,
                    about the bomb?

                                   POWELL
                    Ah... it seems to me, Doolittle...
                    Sorry, I've drawn a blank.  Hold it.
                    I'll have it again in a minute.  I
                    forget so many things in here, so
                    many things.  Hold on, just a minute,
                    let me think...

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    But you can't explode in the bomb
                    bay.  It's foolish.  You'll kill us
                    all.  There's no reason for it.

                                   BOMB #20
                              (over)
                    I am programmed to detonate in nine
                    minutes.  Detonation will occur at
                    the programmed time.

                                   PINBACK
                    You won't consider another course of
                    action, for instance just waiting
                    around awhile so we can disarm you?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    No.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    I can tell, the damn thing just
                    doesn't understand.

                                   PINBACK
                    Look, bomb...

     INTERIOR - FREEZER ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander?  Are you still there?

                                   POWELL
                    Oh, yes, Doolittle, I'm thinking.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    We're running out of time, sir.

                                   POWELL
                    Oh, yes... Well, Doolittle, if you
                    can't get it to drop you'll have to
                    talk to it.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sir?

                                   POWELL
                    Talk to the bomb.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I already have, sir, and Pinback is
                    talking to it now.

                                   POWELL
                    No, no, Doolittle, you talk to it.
                    Teach it Phenomenology, Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sir?

                                   POWELL
                    Phenomenology...

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Doolittle!  Doolittle!  Six minutes to
                    detonation!

     INTERIOR - VENTRAL AIR LOCK

     Wearing his starsuit, complete with jetpack, Doolittle pushes a
     button.  Above him, the giant lock doors slowly slide open.

     EXTERIOR - SHIP

     Doolittle slowly rises up out of the ship.  He stops his ascent with
     his jetpack, turns, and moves down toward the bomb bay.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Doolittle!  Doolittle, what the hell
                    are you doing?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     Doolittle floats into shot, jets himself up until he is facing massive
     Bomb #20.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Hello, bomb, are you with me?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Of course.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Are you willing to entertain a few
                    concepts?

                                   BOMB #20
                    I am always receptive to
                    suggestions.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Fine.  Think about this one, then:
                    how do you know you exist?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    What's he doin'?

                                   PINBACK
                    I think he's talking to it.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    Well of course I exist.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    But how do you know you exist?

                                   BOMB #20
                    It is intuitively obvious.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Intuition is no proof.  What concrete
                    evidence do you have of your own
                    existence?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Hmm... Well, I think, therefore I
                    am.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    That's good.  Very good.  Now then,
                    how do you know that anything else
                    exists?

                                   BOMB #20
                    My sensory apparatus reveals it to
                    me.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Right!

                                   BOMB #20
                    This is fun.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    All right now, here's the big
                    question: how do you know that the
                    evidence your sensory apparatus
                    reveals to you is correct?

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby lies unconscious near the burned laser.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What I'm getting at is this: the
                    only experience that is directly
                    available to you is your sensory
                    data.  And this data is merely a
                    stream of  electrical impulses which
                    stimulate your computing center.

                                   BOMB #20
                    In other words, all I really know
                    about the outside universe relayed
                    to me through my electrical
                    connections.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Exactly.

                                   BOMB #20
                    Why, that would mean... I really
                    don't know what the outside universe
                    is like at all, for certain.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    That's it.

                                   BOMB #20
                    Intriguing.  I wish I had more time
                    to discuss this matter.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Why don't you have more time?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Because I must detonate in seventy-
                    five seconds.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    The key!

                                   PINBACK
                    Key?  Key?  What is the key?

                                   BOILER
                    No, no, the key, the key to the
                    fail-safe lock!

                                   PINBACK
                    Key?

                                   BOILER
                    Where's the fail-safe key?

                                   PINBACK
                    The key!

                                   BOILER
                    Where is it?  What did you do with
                    it?

                                   PINBACK
                    I don't have it.  I don't know where
                    it is.

                                   BOILER
                    You must have it, you idiot, we can
                    stop the bomb!

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Now, bomb, consider this next
                    question, very carefully.  What is
                    your one purpose in life?

                                   BOMB #20
                    To explode, of course.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    And you can only do it once, right?

                                   BOMB #20
                    That is correct.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    And you wouldn't want to explode on
                    the basis of false data, would you?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Of course not.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Well then, you've already admitted
                    that you have no real proof of the
                    existence of the outside universe.

                                   BOMB #20
                    Yes, well...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    So you have no absolute proof that
                    Sergeant Pinback ordered you to
                    detonate.

                                   BOMB #20
                    I recall distinctly the detonation
                    order.  My memory is good on matters
                    like these.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yes, of course you remember it, but
                    what you are remembering is merely a
                    series of electrical impulses which
                    you now realize have no necessary
                    connection with outside reality.

                                   BOMB #20
                    True, but since this is so, I have
                    no proof that you are really telling
                    me all this.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     Pinback is pawing frantically through the control room, searching for
     the key.  Boiler is apoplectic.

                                   BOILER
                    The key, goddamit, the key!

                                   PINBACK
                    Christ, twenty seconds, Christ!

                                   BOILER
                    Where is the key?

                                   PINBACK
                    We're gonna die, Boiler.  We're gonna
                    die.

     They begin slapping each other hysterically.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    That's all beside the point.  The
                    concepts are valid, wherever they
                    originate.

                                   BOMB #20
                    Hmmm...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    So if you detonate in...

                                   BOMB #20
                    ... nine seconds...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    ... you may be doing so on the basis
                    of false data.

                                   BOMB #20
                    I have no proof that it was false
                    data.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    You have no proof that it was
                    correct data.

     There is a long pause.

                                   BOMB #20
                    I must think on this further.

     THE BOMB RAISES ITSELF BACK INTO THE SHIP.  Doolittle practically
     collapses with relief.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    It didn't go off.

                                   PINBACK
                    Oh, God...

                                   BOILER
                    It didn't go off.

                                   PINBACK
                    Boiler, we're alive.  My heart.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby slowly climbs to his feet.  He is dazed, groggy.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle?  Doolittle?  What happened?
                    Pinback?  Boiler?  Did we blow it up?
                    Hello?  Hello?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    No bombs today.  No bombs.  Big
                    Boiler's back in business.  No bombs
                    today.

     Pinback is mumbling unintelligibly.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

                                   TALBY
                    Hello, anybody!  Did we blow up the
                    planet?  Hello, hello!  What's going
                    on?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     Pinback and Boiler have calmed down.

                                   BOILER
                    We've got to disarm the bomb.

                                   PINBACK
                    Doolittle, are you there?

     EXTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Doolittle is floating outside the Emergency Air Lock door.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I'm coming in now.  I'm down by the
                    Emergency Air Lock.  Too much trouble
                    to come in the Ventral Lock.  Would
                    you blow the seal on the emergency
                    hatch so I can come in?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Oh, sure.

     He presses a button.

     EXTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     The Emergency Air Lock door EXPLODES AWAY FROM THE SHIP.  Behind it,
     carried by the burst of escaping air, comes Talby spinning head over
     heels into deep space.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Hello, Pinback, are you there?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Yeah, Doolittle.  What's up?

     EXTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Talby was in the air lock.  You blew
                    him out of the ship.  I'm going after
                    him.  Turn on his helmet radio so I
                    can contact him.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    What was that, I didn't hear...

                                   PINBACK
                    It's Talby.  He's drifting away from
                    the ship without his jetpack.

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

     Doolittle fires his jetpack, moving off into space after Talby.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Talby, Talby, can you read me?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    Can you beat that?  I always knew
                    Talby was weird.

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Talby, can you read me?

     Talby is spinning wildly.

                                   TALBY
                    Help, Doolittle, help me!

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    All right, bomb, prepare to receive
                    new orders.

                                   BOMB #20
                              (over)
                    You are false data.

                                   PINBACK
                    Huh?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Therefore, I shall ignore you.

                                   PINBACK
                    Hello, bomb.

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    False data can act only as a
                    distraction.  Therefore.  I shall
                    refuse to perceive you.

                                   PINBACK
                              (over)
                    Hey, bomb.

                                   BOMB #20
                    The only thing which exists is
                    myself.

                                   PINBACK
                              (over)
                    Bomb?

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

     Talby, spinning, is reflected in Doolittle's face plate.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle!  Help me.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Calm down, Talby.  I'm coming.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Snap out of it, bomb.

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    In the beginning there was darkness,
                    and the darkness was without form
                    and void.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    What the hell?

                                   PINBACK
                    Yoo hoo, bomb...

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    And in addition to the darkness
                    there was also me.  And I moved upon
                    the face of the darkness.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    Bomb, hey bomb.

                                   PINBACK
                    Hey, bomb...

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    And I saw that I was alone.

     Pause.

                                   BOMB #20
                              (cont'd)
                    Let there be light.

     THE SCREEN GOES WHITE.

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

     IN DEAD SILENCE, THE WHITE SCREEN FADES DOWN TO SHOW A GIANT WHITE
     FIREBALL IN SPACE.  THE FIREBALL CONTRACTS TO A HARD CORE, GROWING RED.
     THEN

     A BLINDING WHITE FLASH.

     Doolittle flies past, falling backward.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Whoa!

     Talby, upside down, is falling in the opposite direction.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle, Doolittle, where are you?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Here I am.  I think I'm spinning...
                    We're both falling, Talby, in
                    opposite directions, away from each
                    other.  My -- my jetpack's gone.

                                   TALBY
                    What happened, Doolittle?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Bomb must have gone off inside the
                    ship.  Nothing we can do about it
                    now.  Hey, it looks like... the
                    skipper.  He made it.  Commander
                    Powell made it!

     A block of ice with a man's body in it tumbles past, end over end.

                                   POWELL
                              (weakly)
                    Men... men... what happened, men?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yeah, the skipper always was lucky.

     The planet begins to rise behind Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    Looks like I'm headed for the
                    planet, Talby.  Going right toward
                    it.

                                   TALBY
                    When you fall, Doolittle, if there's
                    anyone down there on the planet,
                    somebody may see you.  They may see
                    you coming down.  What a beautiful
                    way to die... as a falling star...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Guess you're right.

     Talby turns his head and looks behind him.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle, I'm heading right toward
                    something.  It's behind me, in the
                    distance.  Something that glows.

     Far behind Talby, coming nearer, is a shimmering point of light.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Oh yeah?

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle... I think it's the Phoenix
                    Asteroids!

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Phoenix?

     The point of light is closer now, and it has begun to differentiate
     into a group of beautifully colored frost-like shapes.

                                   TALBY
                    It is, Doolittle, it's the Phoenix!
                    They glow with all the colors of the
                    rainbow, just like everybody said.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    No kidding?

                                   TALBY
                    I'm going into them, I'm going to
                    hit them.  Doolittle...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yeah?

                                   TALBY
                    Before we get too far away, and our
                    signals start to fade, I just wanted
                    to tell you... you were my favorite.
                    I really liked you, Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I really liked you too, Talby.  Hey,
                    some debris from the ship!  It's
                    coming right by me.

     Several chunks of debris from the ship drift past Doolittle.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle, I'm catching up to the
                    asteroids.  I'm going to be a part of
                    them in a minute.  Doolittle, I'm
                    going into them.

     Talby drifts into the huge frost-like shapes, expanding and glowing
     and spinning, slowly refracting all the colors of the spectrum with a
     cold glow.

                                   TALBY
                              (cont'd)
                    I'm beginning to glow.

     The field of spectral shapes, with Talby in their midst, begin to
     drift away into the distance.

                                   TALBY
                              (cont'd)
                    They're taking me with them, with
                    the Phoenix... going to circle the
                    universe forever.  I'm with them
                    now... be back this way again some
                    day.  Doolittle, before it's too
                    late, there's one last thing I
                    want to tell you...

     Talby's signal dies out as the glowing lights disappear into the
     depths of space.

     Doolittle is hanging onto a long, thin chunk of debris.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Hey, Talby!  I've grabbed a piece of
                    the ship, and I think I've figured
                    out a way!

     He pulls the piece of metal down beneath his feet, and stands on it.

     Crouching and extending his arms, Doolittle surfs down into the
     atmosphere of the planet, banking and planing as he disappears to a
     small dot.

     END TITLES AND MUSIC OVER.DARK STAR: A SCIENCE FICTION ADVENTURE

                 A Screenplay by John Carpenter and Dan O'Bannon







     OPEN ON BLACK SILENCE.

     The sound of electronic music rises, hollow, metallic.

     FADE IN on a long TRACKING SHOT through the universe.  As the NARRATOR
     speaks we move through galaxies, nebulae, solar systems, moving from
     the infinite slowly down to a particular planetary system deep within
     a maze of suns.

                                   NARRATOR
                              (over)
                    It is the mid 22nd Century.  Mankind
                    has explored the boundaries of his
                    own solar system, and now he reaches
                    out to the endless interstellar
                    distances of the universe.  He moves
                    away from his own small planetary
                    system in huge hyperdrive starships:
                    computer-driven, self-supporting,
                    closed-system spacecraft that travel
                    at mind-staggering post-light
                    velocities.  Man has begun to spread
                    among the stars.  Enormous ships
                    embark with generations of colonists
                    searching the depths of space for
                    new earths, now homes, new
                    beginnings.  Far in advance of these
                    colony ships goes a new pioneer: the
                    scouts, the pathfinders, a special
                    breed of man who has dedicated his
                    life to blazing the trail through
                    the most distant, unexplored
                    galaxies, opening up the farthest
                    frontiers of space.  These are the
                    men of the Advance Exploration
                    Corps.  The task they face is one of
                    unbelievable isolation and
                    loneliness.  So far from home that
                    Earth is no longer even a point of
                    light in the sky, they must comb the
                    universe for those unstable planets
                    whose existence poses a threat to
                    the peaceful colonists that follow.
                    They must find these rogue planets
                    -- and destroy them.  Among these
                    commandos are the men of the
                    scoutship Dark Star.

     We are now moving toward a planet.  Floating in front of the planet is
     the SCOUTSHIP DARK STAR.  As we move toward the ship, we begin to hear
     VOICES, crackling with static.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (over -- radio filter)
                    Ah, what'd you say, Pinback?

                                   PINBACK
                              (over -- great static)
                    Mafhkin oble groop...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (over -- filter)
                    Ah, what was that again, I still
                    can't hear you?

                                   PINBACK
                              (over -- filter)
                    I said I'm trying to reach Talby.
                    Something's wrong with the damn
                    intercom.  I need a last-minute
                    diameter approximation.

     CAMERA IS NOW FLOATING TOWARD THE OBSERVATION DOME on top of the ship.
     In the Dome sits TALBY.  He is staring around, wide-eyed, at the
     planets and stars.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (over -- filter)
                    Talby, Talby, this is Doolittle.  Do
                    you read me?  Talby?

     WE MOVE IN CLOSE ON TALBY'S FACE.  The shot stops and holds as he
     continues to stare, rapt.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd -- over --
                              filter)
                    Talby, do you read me?

     There is a CRACKLE, and Doolittle's voice suddenly booms through, loud
     and clear:

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    TALBY!

                                   TALBY
                              (snaps out of it)
                    Oh!  Ah, yes, Doolittle.  What is it?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     CLOSE SHOT of a digital clock, ticking down the seconds.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I need a diameter approximation.

                                   TALBY
                              (over)
                    Okay, Doolittle, I'll have it in a
                    minute.

     CAMERA BEGINS TO PULL BACK along the length of the control room,
     revealing three men: BOILER, DOOLITTLE, and PINBACK.  They are seated
     close together in cramped little chairs, surrounded by a maze of
     instrumentation, pressing buttons, making adjustments and corrections.
     There is one EMPTY CHAIR; the panel in front of it looks burned.

                                   PINBACK
                    I need a GHF reading on the gravity
                    correction.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I'll check it.

                                   BOILER
                    I have a reduced drive reading of
                    seven thousand.

                                   PINBACK
                    Right, that checks out here.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Pinback...

                                   PINBACK
                    Yes, Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Your GHF reading is minus fifteen.

                                   PINBACK
                    Doolittle...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yes.

                                   PINBACK
                    I need a computer reading on a fail-
                    safe mark.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    In a second.

                                   PINBACK
                    Boiler, can you set me up with some
                    temp figures?

                                   BOILER
                    Ninety seven million, minus eight,
                    corrected to mass critical.

                                   PINBACK
                    I read that with a quantum increase
                    of seven.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Pinback, I have a computer reading
                    of nine five seven seven.

                                   BOILER
                    Time to start talking.

                                   PINBACK
                    Bomb bay systems operational.

     Pinback hits a button on his panel.

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     The screen is BLACK for an instant.  Then, two enormous doors begin to
     open ponderously, revealing the planet rotating below.  A huge BOMB,
     designated with a giant #19 on its side, lowers slowly out of the
     ship on a rack.

                                   NARRATOR
                              (over)
                    This is a chain-reaction bomb,
                    otherwise known as an Exponential
                    Thermostellar Device.  Its own
                    destructive power is small, barely
                    enough to vaporize twelve city
                    blocks.  However, when it explodes in
                    contact with an object the size of a
                    planet, it starts a chain-reaction
                    in the very matter of that planet,
                    turning it into a giant reactor
                    which destroys itself in one
                    staggering thermal flash.

                    These bombs are equipped with
                    sophisticated thought and speech
                    mechanisms, to allow them to make
                    executive decisions in the event of
                    a crisis situation.  These judgment
                    centers are controlled by a fail-
                    safe mechanism.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Lock fail safe.

     Pinback turns a key in a lock.

                                   PINBACK
                    Fail-safe locked.  Ah, Sergeant
                    Pinback call1ng Bomb #19.  Do you
                    read me, bomb?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     The bomb is suspended beneath the ship.

                                   BOMB #19
                    Bomb #19 to Sergeant Pinback, I read
                    you.  Continue.

     When the bomb speaks, it has the prim, fussy voice of a minor civil
     servant.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Well, bomb, we have about sixty
                    seconds to drop.  Just wondering if
                    everything is all right.  Have you
                    checked your platinum euridium
                    energy shielding?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #19
                    Energy shielding positive function.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Swell.  Let's synchronize detonation
                    time.  Do you know when you're
                    supposed to go off?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #19
                    Detonation in six minutes, twenty
                    seconds.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    All right, I have detonation time
                    at... Wait a minute, something's
                    wrong with the clock.
                              (hits panel)
                    All right, I have detonation time
                    at... no, that can't be right, it
                    says three years.
                              (beats panel again)
                    Okay, I have six minutes exactly.
                    Does that check out down there?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #19
                    Check at six minutes.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Arm yourself, bomb.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     Several lights blip on along the bomb's side.

                                   BOMB #19
                    Armed.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Well, then, everything sounds fine.
                    We'll drop you off in thirty-five
                    seconds.  Good luck.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #19
                    Thanks.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Begin main sequence.  Mark at 10-9-8-
                    7-6-5-4-3-2-1-drop.

     EXTERIOR - THE SHIP

     Bomb #19 falls away from the ship and whizzes down toward the planet
     below.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Hyperdrive sequence begun.  Hit it,
                    Pinback.

     Pinback hits the hyperdrive switch.  Force fields energize around the
     men.

     EXTERIOR - THE SHIP

     The DARK STAR accelerates into hyperdrive and streaks away through
     space.

     The planetary system recedes in the background.  Inside the Observation
     Dome, Talby is frozen in a protective force field.

     INSERT: CLOSE SHOT OF A TIME CLOCK.  It blips down to ZERO.

     RETURN TO SCENE

     Behind the ship, there is an intense flare of light as the planet, now
     a dot of light, explodes.

     INTERIOR - OBSERVATION DOME

     The force field around Talby disappears as the ship comes out of
     hyperdrive.  He rubs his eyes as though awakening, then looks down at
     his readout panels.

     INSERT - CLOSE SHOT OF A PANEL.  On a small screen we see the exploding
     planet, and below, a readout says:

                         DESTRUCTION SEQUENCE COMPLETE

     RETURN TO SCENE

     Talby touches his intercom.

                                   TALBY
                    Lieutenant Doolittle, it just
                    exploded.
                              (pause)
                    Ah, sir, the planet just exploded.
                              (pause -- he shakes the
                              microphone)
                    Lieutenant?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     The men are stretching in their seats.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Unlock fail safe.

     Pinback unlocks the fail-safe unit.

                                   PINBACK
                    Fail safe unlocked.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Attention.  Attention.  The hyperdrive
                    sequence is now terminated.  Please
                    observe that the no smoking signs
                    have growrrr...

     The voice runs down.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Well... now what?  What do, you have
                    for us now.  Boiler?

                                   BOILER
                              (checking his readouts)
                    Not much.  Nothing at all in this
                    sector.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Find me something, I don't care
                    where it is.

                                   BOILER
                    Well, I show a 95% probability of
                    sentient life in the Horsehead
                    Nebula...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Fuck that shit.

                                   BOILER
                    Well, it is kind of a long shot...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    It's a goddamn wild goose chase.
                    Remember when Commander Powell found
                    that 99 plus probability of sentient
                    life in the Magellanic Cloud?

                                   BOILER
                    Well, there's the possibility of...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Remember what we found?  Fourteen
                    light years for a fucking mindless
                    vegetable that looked like a limp
                    balloon and went squawk and let a
                    fart when you touched it.  Remember?

                                   BOILER
                    All right, then...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    So don't give me any of that
                    sentient life crap.  Find me
                    something I can blow up.

     A LIGHT flares on Pinback's board.  He looks up.

                                   PINBACK
                    New star.
                              (no reaction)
                    Hey, guess what?  I got a new star on
                    the readout.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (not looking up)
                    Which one?

                                   PINBACK
                    Another unknown.  Not on the charts.
                    A red dwarf.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Any planets?

                                   PINBACK
                    Yeah.  Eight, it says here.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Any of 'em any good?

                                   PINBACK
                              (scans the board)
                    Naah.  All stable.

     Doolittle loses interest.

                                   PINBACK
                              (cont'd)
                    What are you gonna name it?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (not looking up)
                    What?

                                   PINBACK
                    The new star.  What are you gonna
                    name it?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Who cares.  Don't bother me.

     Pinback's mouth tightens.  A pause.

                                   PINBACK
                    Commander Powell would have named
                    it.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander Powell is dead.

     Involuntarily, Pinback glances at Commander Powell's empty, burned
     seat.  The panels behind it sputter.

                                   PINBACK
                    Come on, Doolittle, give it a name.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Fred.

                                   PINBACK
                    Wha?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I hereby name this star Fred.

                                   BOILER
                    Hey, Doolittle, here's one.  An
                    unstable planet.  85% probability of
                    an unstable planet in the Veil
                    Nebula that will probably go off its
                    orbit and hit a star.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sounds good.  Chart a course for the
                    Veil Nebula.

                                   BOILER
                    Pinback, throw me the chart log.

     Pinback draws a loose-leaf notebook from a shelf above Commander
     Powell's empty seat, and hurls it at Boiler.  With a sour look at
     Pinback, Boiler picks up the notebook and begins to leaf through it.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Let's have some music in here,
                    Boiler.

     Boiler presses a button.  LOUD COUNTRY MUSIC THEME BEGINS TO PLAY.

     EXTERIOR - DARK STAR (TITLE SEQUENCE)

     This sequence includes shots of the DARK STAR drifting through space,
     past various cosmic wonders, intercut with shots of the men relaxing
     (Talby staring into space; Boiler trimming his beard; Doolittle
     playing solitaire; Pinback reading a comic book).

     CREDITS AND MUSIC OVER.

     SEQUENCE ENDS.

     INTERIOR - DARK STAR

     Beep.

     We are watching a filmed tape.  Doolittle has just turned it on and is
     staring into the camera.  Crosshairs and blipping numbers superimposed.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Ship's log, entry number 1,943.
                    Dark Star cruising at light speed
                    through Sector Theta 990.  En route
                    to Veil Nebula for destruction of
                    unstable planet.  Our ETA is 1700
                    hours.
                              (thinks)
                    Ship's systems continue to
                    deteriorate...

     Pinback leans into view and whispers into Doolittle's ear.  Doolittle
     nods and Pinback withdraws.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    The short circuit in the rear seat
                    panel which killed Commander Powell
                    continues to be faulty.
                              (thinks)
                    Uh... Storage Area 9...

     Pinback leans back in and whispers emphatically.  Doolittle looks put-
     upon.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    And because he's sitting next to it,
                    it continues to bother Pinback.
                              (glares at Pinback.
                              Then:)
                    Storage Area 9 self-destructed last
                    week, destroying entire ship's
                    supply of toilet paper.  That's all.

     Beep.

     INTERIOR - OBSERVATION DOME

     Talby is still gazing around at the stars.

     A hatch opens in the floor and Doolittle sticks his head up.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Talby.

     Talby rotates his seat and looks down at Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    Here's some breakfast.

     Doolittle climbs into the dome and sits on the floor.  He hands Talby
     the food package, and watches matter-of-factly as Talby begins to eat.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    You know, Talby, you really ought to
                    eat with the rest of us.  You spend
                    too much time up here.

                                   TALBY
                    I like it up here.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Must get lonely being up here so
                    much.

                                   TALBY
                    I don't like to go below since
                    Commander Powell died.  I feel
                    enclosed down there.  If it were big
                    enough, I'd sleep up here...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    ... Should spend some time below, see
                    more of the rest of the ship...

                                   TALBY
                    ... You see, I can watch things up
                    here, Doolittle.  I love to watch
                    things, just stare at the planets
                    and meteors and asteroids, gas
                    clusters...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    You'll have plenty of time for that,
                    you know.  Figure it this way: twenty
                    years in space and we've only aged
                    three, so there'll be plenty of time
                    to stare around...

                                   TALBY
                    You know, Doollttle, if we're going
                    into the Veil Nebula, we may
                    actually find a strange and
                    beautiful thing: the Phoenix
                    Asteroids.  They should be passing
                    through there about now...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Phoenix Asteroids?  Never heard of
                    'em.

                                   TALBY
                    They are a body of asteroids that
                    make a complete circuit of the
                    universe once every 12.3 trillion
                    years.  The Phoenix Asteroids... From
                    what I've heard, Doolittle, they
                    glow... glow with all the colors of
                    the rainbow.  Nobody knows why.  They
                    just glow as they drift around the
                    universe.  Imagine all the sights
                    they've seen in the time they've
                    been travelling -- the birth and
                    death of stars, things we'll never
                    see.  The universe is alive,
                    Doolittle.  I thought it was all
                    empty, but it isn't.  In between the
                    stars, it's seething with light and
                    gasses and dust.  There are little
                    pebbles drifting around, planets no
                    one on Earth has ever seen... No one
                    but the Phoenix Asteroids...

     There is a BLIPPING SOUND.  It is insistent.  Talby is rudely yanked
     from his reverie.  He looks down at a panel.  But his soft talk has
     started Doolittle reminiscing.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    You know what I think about, Talby?

                                   TALBY
                    I'm getting something here, on this
                    readout...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    It's funny, but I kind of sit
                    around, you know, a lot of time to
                    myself...

                                   TALBY
                    I think I'm getting a malfunction
                    here somewhere.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I can't talk to the others, but with
                    time to myself, I think about back
                    home, back home at Malibu.  I used to
                    surf a lot, Talby.  I used to be a
                    great surfer.

                                   TALBY
                    Lieutenant Doolittle, I'm getting a
                    definite malfunction on one of the
                    closed-circuit computer systems...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    The waves at Malibu and Zuma were
                    fantastic in the springs Talby.  I
                    can remember running out on the
                    beach early spring mornings with my
                    board and a wet suit...

                                   TALBY
                    I can't seem to locate the
                    malfunction exactly...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Waves would be peaking really high
                    and glassy.  Hit that water.  Ridin'
                    the wall just perfect.

                                   TALBY
                    ... Somewhere in the autonomic relay
                    circuits...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I guess I miss the waves and my
                    board most of all.

     Talby turns in his seat and addresses Doolittle directly.

                                   TALBY
                    Ah, Doolittle, I do have a
                    malfunction on this readout, but I
                    can't seem to pinpoint exactly where
                    it is.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (snapped out of his
                              daydream)
                    Don't worry about it.  We'll find out
                    when it goes bad.

                                   TALBY
                              (chagrined)
                    I really think I should try and
                    locate it immediately.  Might be
                    something important.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I wish I had my board with me now.
                    Even if I could only polish it once
                    in awhile.

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

     LONG SHOT of the DARK STAR drifting through space.

     INTERIOR - KITCHEN

     Boiler, Pinback, and Doolittle are descending a ladder into the
     kitchen.

                                   BOILER
                    I'm getting this flickering light on
                    one of my panels.

                                   PINBACK
                    What flickering light?

                                   BOILER
                    The one on unit... oh, I think it's
                    GMR twelve zero zero.

                                   PINBACK
                    Oh.  What's wrong now?

                                   BOILER
                    I'm not sure.  I think something is
                    fucked up somewhere in the ship,
                    though.

                                   PINBACK
                    I hope it's not the oven again.

                                   BOILER
                    Yeah.

                                   PINBACK
                    Remember when the artificial
                    gravity, went out in the toilet?

     The men sit for their meal.  Doolittle brings food packets from the
     oven.

                                   PINBACK
                    Hey, Doolittle, think we'll ever
                    find real intelligent life out
                    there?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Out where?

                                   PINBACK
                    Veil nebula.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Who cares?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     The Control Room is EMPTY.  After a moment, there is a repetitive BEEP.

     CLOSE SHOT - TV SCREEN.  On the screen is the message:

                            INCOMING COMMUNICATION

     This fades, and MISSION CONTROLLER appears on the screen, against a
     background of computer terminals.  He is dressed in a snappy tunic, and
     when he receives the on-camera cue, he smiles ingratiatingly.

                                   MISSION CONTROLLER
                    Hi, guys.  Glad to get your message.
                    We gather from the ten-year
                    communications lag that you are
                    approximately 18 parsecs away.  Drop
                    us a line more often, won't you?

                    Sorry to hear about all the
                    malfunctions, and real sorry to hear
                    about the death of Commander Powell.
                    There was a week of mourning all
                    over Earth.  The flags were at half
                    mast.

                    Now I hate to send bad news when you
                    guys are up there doing such a swell
                    job, but something's come up, and we
                    all felt you ought to know about it.
                    Our systems simulation computer has
                    predicted that by the time this
                    message reaches you -- that is to
                    say, in about ten years -- there
                    will be a failure in one of your
                    vital ship's systems.  The
                    malfunction will occur in --
                              (rifles papers)
                    -- system number E180246.  You can
                    see what a problem this would be if
                    you didn't catch it on time.  Now
                    what you should do is this: First,
                    do not, repeat, do not attempt to
                    adjust the system manually.
                    Second --

     INTERIOR - COMPUTER ROOM

     The room is dim and eerie, banks of dimly flickering lights and the
     hum of air-cooling machinery.

     Talby is seated before a glowing screen.  He punches several buttons,
     and the screen comes to life.  A schematic cross-section of the ship
     appears in glowing green lines.

     Talby punches more buttons, and the screen flashes through the levels
     or the ship.  Finally it shows Level 6.  There is a small red light
     pulsing in the Emergency Air Lock.

     Talby punches another button.  The Emergency Air Lock is magnified
     fifteen times until it fills the screen.  The red light is pulsing in a
     small area labelled COMMUNICATIONS LASER #17.

     Talby picks up a microphone.

                                   TALBY
                    Lieutenant Doolittle, this is Talby.
                    Lieutenant?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (over -- filter)
                    Yes, Talby, what is it?

                                   TALBY
                    Sorry to interrupt your lunch, sir,
                    but I'm in the Computer Room, and I
                    think I've located the malfunction.
                    The scanner shows it to be some sort
                    of fault in the communications
                    laser, down by the Emergency Air
                    Lock.  Can't pinpoint it exactly, but
                    I'm going down there with a starsuit
                    and try to find it.

     INTERIOR - KITCHEN

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sounds good, Talby.  Let me know if
                    anything important comes up.

     Doolittle hangs up the mike.

                                   BOILER
                    Why doesn't Talby ever eat down here
                    with the rest of us?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    He just likes it up in the dome,
                    that's all.

     Boiler seems to be thinking.  He frowns, looks at Doolittle.

                                   BOILER
                    What's Talby's first name?

     Doolittle thinks about it, and an odd expression crosses his face.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What's my first name?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     CLOSE SHOT - TV SCREEN

                                   MISSION CONTROLLER
                    -- then repatch channel 12 and seal
                    all the plates.  Don't mess with it
                    and it should work okay.  I'm just
                    glad we caught this thing before
                    anything serious happened.  Keep up
                    the good work, men.

     His image fades, and is replaced by the message:

                            END COMMUNICATION

     FULL SHOT - CONTROL ROOM.  Lights blink peacefully in the empty room.
     HOLD FOR A MOMENT.

     EXTERIOR - UNIVERSE

     SLOW ZOOM toward a sun system.  The DARK STAR is suspended in frame.  A
     title pops on briefly:

                               VEIL NEBULA

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     A GLOWING SCREEN shows a schematic of the planet rotating below.
     Boiler stares at it, smiling.

                                   BOILER
                    There she is.  Definite 99%-plus
                    probability that the planet is going
                    to deviate from its normal orbit in
                    another twelve thousand rotations.
                    It'll spiral in toward its sun,
                    and --

                                   PINBACK
                    Eventual supernova.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Good stuff.  Let's vaporize it.

     Pinback hits buttons.

                                   PINBACK
                    Bomb bay systems operational.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     BOMB #20 lowers ponderously out of the ship.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Lock fail safe.

     Pinback turns the key.

                                   PINBACK
                    Fail safe in lock.  Four minutes to
                    drop, 22 minutes to detonation.  This
                    is Sergeant Pinback calling Bomb
                    #20.  Do you read me, bomb?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    Bomb #20 to Sergeant Pinback.  Roger,
                    I read you, continue.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     CAMERA SLOWLY PANS DOWN the chromium-steel walls of the Emergency Air
     Lock to reveal Talby in a starsuit.  He is wearing it only as
     protection against possible depressurization, and therefore wears no
     jetpack.  Carrying a tool kit, he is slowly circling the lock.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    You are now in the Emergency Air
                    Lock.  Please remember that the
                    Surface Door can be opened without
                    prior depressurization, so be sure
                    to wear your starsuit at all times.
                    Thank you for observing all safety
                    precautions.

     Talby stops facing LASER SHAFT 17.

     The plate cover on the laser shaft hangs loose; it appears to be
     burned.  Talby approaches it and puts down his tool kit.  He turns on
     his helmet radio.

                                   TALBY
                    Ah, Lieutenant Doolittle?  Sir?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sh, Talby, don't bother me now.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

                                   TALBY
                    Ah, well, I think I've found the
                    malfunction, sir.  I'm in the
                    Emergency Air Lock...

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Not now!

                                   TALBY
                              (over -- filter)
                    Well, I'm in the Emergency Air Lock
                    and --

     Click!  Doolittle turns off Talby's radio line.

                                   PINBACK
                    One hundred twenty seconds to drop,
                    bomb, have you checked your platinum
                    euridium energy shielding?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    Energy shielding positive function.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Do you remember the detonation time?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #2
                    Detonation in twenty minutes.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Right, that synchronizes here.  Okay,
                    bomb, arm yourself.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    Armed.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby stands in front of the laser shaft, trying to reach Doolittle on
     his helmet radio.

                                   TALBY
                    Hello?  Lieutenant Doolittle?  Hello!

     Silence.

     Very carefully, Talby reaches out to touch the dangling plate cover on
     the laser shaft.  He pushes it, and it drops to the floor of the lock
     with a CLANG.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Communications Laser #17, monitoring
                    information relays and bomb bay
                    systems, has now been activated and
                    will switch into a test mode.  If you
                    will look near the Surface Door, you
                    will see that the Parallax Receptor
                    Cell has been engaged.

     A small triangular hole opens in the opposite wall and a photo-
     sensitive cell rotates into position.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    The laser will now energize.  Please
                    stand clear of the path of the beam.

     Talby steps back quickly.  The airlock lights dim, and with a HIGH-
     PITCHED WHINE, A PENCIL-THIN BEAM OF RUBY LIGHT PULSES ACROSS THE
     LOCK, from the laser shaft to the receptor cell.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Communications Laser #17 is now on
                    test.  Under no circumstances enter
                    the path of the beam.  Thank you for
                    observing all safety precautions.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Everything sounds fine, bomb.
                    Dropping you off in sixty seconds.
                    Good luck.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #2
                    Thanks.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    Quantum is up thirty-five.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I read the same here.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby crouches by the laser shaft, carefully peering past the red,
     humming beam.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle.  Doolittle?  It you're
                    there, I'm going to try to adjust
                    the cue switch on the laser.

     Silence.

                                   TALBY
                              (cont'd)
                    Well... here goes...

     He takes a long tool from the tool kit.  Slowly, with agonizing care,
     he inserts the tool into the laser shaft, painstakingly avoiding the
     beam.  He engages the tool into the base of the laser, and begins
     slowly to make an adjustment.

     There is a BLINDING FLASH OF LIGHT.

     Talby drops the tool and staggers back, clutching his face plate.

                                   TALBY
                    My eyes.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Attention.  Attention.  The laser has
                    malfunctioned.  Under no
                    circumstances enter the path of the
                    beam.  To do so will cause
                    immediate --

     Talby stumbles into the beam.  There is a dull EXPLOSION.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     There is a FLASH on the lower side of Bomb #20, a sudden EXPLOSION.
     Lights BLIP FURIOUSLY on the bomb.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Begin main sequence.  Mark at 10-9-8-
                    7-6-5-4-3-2-1-drop.

     A HONKER SOUNDS.  The men sit up.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I have a negative drop.  The bomb is
                    still in the bomb bay.  Try it again,
                    Pinback.

     Pinback resets his panel.  The honker stops.

                                   PINBACK
                    Mark at 5-4-3-2-1-drop.

     HONK-HONK-HONK-

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Ah, negative drop.

     The men stare at each other in silence for a long moment.
     Simultaneously they begin hitting buttons.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Rechannel all safety relays --

                                   BOILER
                    -- open quantum latches --

                                   PINBACK
                    -- open circuit breakers --

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    -- remove thrust drive repellant --

                                   PINBACK
                    -- automatic channels open --

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    -- Remark.

                                   PINBACK
                    5-4-3-2-1-drop, drop, drop!

     There is a very long pause.

                                   BOILER
                    Sittin' there.  It's just sittin'
                    there.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     Bomb #20 hangs underneath the ship, waiting.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby lies unconscious on the floor of the lock.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     On the men's faces in strained anxiety.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    This is Lieutenant Doolittle calling
                    Bomb #20.  I repeat previous order,
                    you are to disarm yourself and
                    return immediately to the bomb bay.
                    Do you understand?

                                   BOMB #20
                              (over)
                    I am programmed to detonate in
                    fourteen minutes thirty seconds.
                    Detonation will occur at the
                    programmed time.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Bomb, this is Doolittle.  You are not
                    to detonate, repeat, you are not to
                    detonate in the bomb bay.  Disarm
                    yourself.  This is an order.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    I read you, Lieutenant Doolittle,
                    but I am programmed to detonate in
                    fourteen minutes.  Detonation will
                    occur at the programmed time.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Fourteen minutes to detonation.

     The men stare at each other.

                                   RECORDED VOICE
                    Attention.  Attention.  The bomb has
                    malfunctioned.  Automatic dampers
                    have gone into effect, and will
                    confine the explosion to an area one
                    mile in diameter.  Please contact
                    mission control and await further
                    instructions.  Thank you for
                    observing all safety precautions.

     Pause.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Only one thing to do.  I'll have to
                    ask Commander Powell.  I'll have to
                    ask him what to do.

     INTERIOR - FREEZER ROOM

     Doolittle climbs down a ladder into the icy-blue, cold Freezer Room.
     The walls are covered with frost, and mist hangs in the air.

     He pulls on a pair of insulated gloves and approaches a heavy freezer
     door.  On the door is a sign:

                         CRYOGENIC FREEZER COMPARTMENT

                         CAUTION

                         ABSOLUTE ZERO

     He opens the door.

     COMMANDER POWELL is encased in the freezer in a post-death, frozen
     ammonia state.  Wire and electrodes are attached to his head.

     Doolittle takes a microphone from a console on the freezer.  He flips a
     switch and speaks into the mike:

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander Powell?  Commander Powell,
                    this is Doolittle.  Can you read me?

     A crackle of static comes from a speaker grille, along with the FAINT
     MUTTERING OF COMMANDER POWELL'S VOICE:

                                   POWELL
                    ... muffirup glurrinpinfropal...

     Doolittle fiddles with the volume control, trying to bring Commander
     Powell's voice into audibllity.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander Powell, this is Doolittle.
                    Ah, there's something serious come
                    up, sir, and I have to ask you
                    something.

                                   POWELL
                              (very weakly)
                    I'm glad you've come to talk with
                    me, Doolittle.  It's been so long
                    since anyone has come to talk with
                    me.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander, sir, we have a big
                    problem.  You see, the Veil Nebula
                    bomb, Bomb Number 20, is stuck.  It
                    won't drop from the bomb bay.  It
                    refuses to listen and plans to
                    detonate in --
                              (checks watch)
                    -- less than eleven minutes.

                                   POWELL
                    Doolittle, you must tell me one
                    thing.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What's that, sir?

                                   POWELL
                    Tell me, Doolittle, how are the
                    Dodgers doing?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Well, sir, the Dodgers broke up,
                    disbanded over thirteen years ago.

                                   POWELL
                    Ah... pity, pity...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    You don't understand, sir, we can't
                    get the bomb to drop.

                                   POWELL
                    Ah, so many malfunctions... why don't
                    you have anything nice to tell me
                    when you activate me?  Oh, well, did
                    you try the azimuth clutch?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yes sir.  Negative effect.

                                   POWELL
                    What was that, Doolittle?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Negative effect.

                                   POWELL
                    It didn't work?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    That's correct, sir.

                                   POWELL
                    Sorry, Doolittle.  I've forgotten so
                    much since I've been in here.  So
                    much.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What should we do, sir?  The time is
                    running out.

                                   POWELL
                    Well, what you might try is --

     Commander Powell's voice is drowned in a burst of static.  Doolittle
     fiddles with the dials.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander Powell?  Commander, hello!

                                   POWELL
                    Doolittle, hello?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sorry, sir, you faded out there for
                    a minute.

                                   POWELL
                    Sorry.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What were you saying, Commander,
                    about the bomb?

                                   POWELL
                    Ah... it seems to me, Doolittle...
                    Sorry, I've drawn a blank.  Hold it.
                    I'll have it again in a minute.  I
                    forget so many things in here, so
                    many things.  Hold on, just a minute,
                    let me think...

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    But you can't explode in the bomb
                    bay.  It's foolish.  You'll kill us
                    all.  There's no reason for it.

                                   BOMB #20
                              (over)
                    I am programmed to detonate in nine
                    minutes.  Detonation will occur at
                    the programmed time.

                                   PINBACK
                    You won't consider another course of
                    action, for instance just waiting
                    around awhile so we can disarm you?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    No.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    I can tell, the damn thing just
                    doesn't understand.

                                   PINBACK
                    Look, bomb...

     INTERIOR - FREEZER ROOM

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Commander?  Are you still there?

                                   POWELL
                    Oh, yes, Doolittle, I'm thinking.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    We're running out of time, sir.

                                   POWELL
                    Oh, yes... Well, Doolittle, if you
                    can't get it to drop you'll have to
                    talk to it.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sir?

                                   POWELL
                    Talk to the bomb.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I already have, sir, and Pinback is
                    talking to it now.

                                   POWELL
                    No, no, Doolittle, you talk to it.
                    Teach it Phenomenology, Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Sir?

                                   POWELL
                    Phenomenology...

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Doolittle!  Doolittle!  Six minutes to
                    detonation!

     INTERIOR - VENTRAL AIR LOCK

     Wearing his starsuit, complete with jetpack, Doolittle pushes a
     button.  Above him, the giant lock doors slowly slide open.

     EXTERIOR - SHIP

     Doolittle slowly rises up out of the ship.  He stops his ascent with
     his jetpack, turns, and moves down toward the bomb bay.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Doolittle!  Doolittle, what the hell
                    are you doing?

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

     Doolittle floats into shot, jets himself up until he is facing massive
     Bomb #20.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Hello, bomb, are you with me?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Of course.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Are you willing to entertain a few
                    concepts?

                                   BOMB #20
                    I am always receptive to
                    suggestions.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Fine.  Think about this one, then:
                    how do you know you exist?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    What's he doin'?

                                   PINBACK
                    I think he's talking to it.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    Well of course I exist.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    But how do you know you exist?

                                   BOMB #20
                    It is intuitively obvious.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Intuition is no proof.  What concrete
                    evidence do you have of your own
                    existence?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Hmm... Well, I think, therefore I
                    am.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    That's good.  Very good.  Now then,
                    how do you know that anything else
                    exists?

                                   BOMB #20
                    My sensory apparatus reveals it to
                    me.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Right!

                                   BOMB #20
                    This is fun.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    All right now, here's the big
                    question: how do you know that the
                    evidence your sensory apparatus
                    reveals to you is correct?

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby lies unconscious near the burned laser.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    What I'm getting at is this: the
                    only experience that is directly
                    available to you is your sensory
                    data.  And this data is merely a
                    stream of  electrical impulses which
                    stimulate your computing center.

                                   BOMB #20
                    In other words, all I really know
                    about the outside universe relayed
                    to me through my electrical
                    connections.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Exactly.

                                   BOMB #20
                    Why, that would mean... I really
                    don't know what the outside universe
                    is like at all, for certain.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    That's it.

                                   BOMB #20
                    Intriguing.  I wish I had more time
                    to discuss this matter.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Why don't you have more time?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Because I must detonate in seventy-
                    five seconds.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    The key!

                                   PINBACK
                    Key?  Key?  What is the key?

                                   BOILER
                    No, no, the key, the key to the
                    fail-safe lock!

                                   PINBACK
                    Key?

                                   BOILER
                    Where's the fail-safe key?

                                   PINBACK
                    The key!

                                   BOILER
                    Where is it?  What did you do with
                    it?

                                   PINBACK
                    I don't have it.  I don't know where
                    it is.

                                   BOILER
                    You must have it, you idiot, we can
                    stop the bomb!

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Now, bomb, consider this next
                    question, very carefully.  What is
                    your one purpose in life?

                                   BOMB #20
                    To explode, of course.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    And you can only do it once, right?

                                   BOMB #20
                    That is correct.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    And you wouldn't want to explode on
                    the basis of false data, would you?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Of course not.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Well then, you've already admitted
                    that you have no real proof of the
                    existence of the outside universe.

                                   BOMB #20
                    Yes, well...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    So you have no absolute proof that
                    Sergeant Pinback ordered you to
                    detonate.

                                   BOMB #20
                    I recall distinctly the detonation
                    order.  My memory is good on matters
                    like these.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yes, of course you remember it, but
                    what you are remembering is merely a
                    series of electrical impulses which
                    you now realize have no necessary
                    connection with outside reality.

                                   BOMB #20
                    True, but since this is so, I have
                    no proof that you are really telling
                    me all this.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     Pinback is pawing frantically through the control room, searching for
     the key.  Boiler is apoplectic.

                                   BOILER
                    The key, goddamit, the key!

                                   PINBACK
                    Christ, twenty seconds, Christ!

                                   BOILER
                    Where is the key?

                                   PINBACK
                    We're gonna die, Boiler.  We're gonna
                    die.

     They begin slapping each other hysterically.

     EXTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    That's all beside the point.  The
                    concepts are valid, wherever they
                    originate.

                                   BOMB #20
                    Hmmm...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    So if you detonate in...

                                   BOMB #20
                    ... nine seconds...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    ... you may be doing so on the basis
                    of false data.

                                   BOMB #20
                    I have no proof that it was false
                    data.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    You have no proof that it was
                    correct data.

     There is a long pause.

                                   BOMB #20
                    I must think on this further.

     THE BOMB RAISES ITSELF BACK INTO THE SHIP.  Doolittle practically
     collapses with relief.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    It didn't go off.

                                   PINBACK
                    Oh, God...

                                   BOILER
                    It didn't go off.

                                   PINBACK
                    Boiler, we're alive.  My heart.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Talby slowly climbs to his feet.  He is dazed, groggy.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle?  Doolittle?  What happened?
                    Pinback?  Boiler?  Did we blow it up?
                    Hello?  Hello?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    No bombs today.  No bombs.  Big
                    Boiler's back in business.  No bombs
                    today.

     Pinback is mumbling unintelligibly.

     INTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

                                   TALBY
                    Hello, anybody!  Did we blow up the
                    planet?  Hello, hello!  What's going
                    on?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

     Pinback and Boiler have calmed down.

                                   BOILER
                    We've got to disarm the bomb.

                                   PINBACK
                    Doolittle, are you there?

     EXTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     Doolittle is floating outside the Emergency Air Lock door.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I'm coming in now.  I'm down by the
                    Emergency Air Lock.  Too much trouble
                    to come in the Ventral Lock.  Would
                    you blow the seal on the emergency
                    hatch so I can come in?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Oh, sure.

     He presses a button.

     EXTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

     The Emergency Air Lock door EXPLODES AWAY FROM THE SHIP.  Behind it,
     carried by the burst of escaping air, comes Talby spinning head over
     heels into deep space.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Hello, Pinback, are you there?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Yeah, Doolittle.  What's up?

     EXTERIOR - EMERGENCY AIR LOCK

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Talby was in the air lock.  You blew
                    him out of the ship.  I'm going after
                    him.  Turn on his helmet radio so I
                    can contact him.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    What was that, I didn't hear...

                                   PINBACK
                    It's Talby.  He's drifting away from
                    the ship without his jetpack.

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

     Doolittle fires his jetpack, moving off into space after Talby.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Talby, Talby, can you read me?

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    Can you beat that?  I always knew
                    Talby was weird.

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Talby, can you read me?

     Talby is spinning wildly.

                                   TALBY
                    Help, Doolittle, help me!

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    All right, bomb, prepare to receive
                    new orders.

                                   BOMB #20
                              (over)
                    You are false data.

                                   PINBACK
                    Huh?

                                   BOMB #20
                    Therefore, I shall ignore you.

                                   PINBACK
                    Hello, bomb.

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    False data can act only as a
                    distraction.  Therefore.  I shall
                    refuse to perceive you.

                                   PINBACK
                              (over)
                    Hey, bomb.

                                   BOMB #20
                    The only thing which exists is
                    myself.

                                   PINBACK
                              (over)
                    Bomb?

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

     Talby, spinning, is reflected in Doolittle's face plate.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle!  Help me.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Calm down, Talby.  I'm coming.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   PINBACK
                    Snap out of it, bomb.

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    In the beginning there was darkness,
                    and the darkness was without form
                    and void.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    What the hell?

                                   PINBACK
                    Yoo hoo, bomb...

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    And in addition to the darkness
                    there was also me.  And I moved upon
                    the face of the darkness.

     INTERIOR - CONTROL ROOM

                                   BOILER
                    Bomb, hey bomb.

                                   PINBACK
                    Hey, bomb...

     INTERIOR - BOMB BAY

                                   BOMB #20
                    And I saw that I was alone.

     Pause.

                                   BOMB #20
                              (cont'd)
                    Let there be light.

     THE SCREEN GOES WHITE.

     EXTERIOR - SPACE

     IN DEAD SILENCE, THE WHITE SCREEN FADES DOWN TO SHOW A GIANT WHITE
     FIREBALL IN SPACE.  THE FIREBALL CONTRACTS TO A HARD CORE, GROWING RED.
     THEN

     A BLINDING WHITE FLASH.

     Doolittle flies past, falling backward.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Whoa!

     Talby, upside down, is falling in the opposite direction.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle, Doolittle, where are you?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Here I am.  I think I'm spinning...
                    We're both falling, Talby, in
                    opposite directions, away from each
                    other.  My -- my jetpack's gone.

                                   TALBY
                    What happened, Doolittle?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Bomb must have gone off inside the
                    ship.  Nothing we can do about it
                    now.  Hey, it looks like... the
                    skipper.  He made it.  Commander
                    Powell made it!

     A block of ice with a man's body in it tumbles past, end over end.

                                   POWELL
                              (weakly)
                    Men... men... what happened, men?

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yeah, the skipper always was lucky.

     The planet begins to rise behind Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                              (cont'd)
                    Looks like I'm headed for the
                    planet, Talby.  Going right toward
                    it.

                                   TALBY
                    When you fall, Doolittle, if there's
                    anyone down there on the planet,
                    somebody may see you.  They may see
                    you coming down.  What a beautiful
                    way to die... as a falling star...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Guess you're right.

     Talby turns his head and looks behind him.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle, I'm heading right toward
                    something.  It's behind me, in the
                    distance.  Something that glows.

     Far behind Talby, coming nearer, is a shimmering point of light.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Oh yeah?

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle... I think it's the Phoenix
                    Asteroids!

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Phoenix?

     The point of light is closer now, and it has begun to differentiate
     into a group of beautifully colored frost-like shapes.

                                   TALBY
                    It is, Doolittle, it's the Phoenix!
                    They glow with all the colors of the
                    rainbow, just like everybody said.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    No kidding?

                                   TALBY
                    I'm going into them, I'm going to
                    hit them.  Doolittle...

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Yeah?

                                   TALBY
                    Before we get too far away, and our
                    signals start to fade, I just wanted
                    to tell you... you were my favorite.
                    I really liked you, Doolittle.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    I really liked you too, Talby.  Hey,
                    some debris from the ship!  It's
                    coming right by me.

     Several chunks of debris from the ship drift past Doolittle.

                                   TALBY
                    Doolittle, I'm catching up to the
                    asteroids.  I'm going to be a part of
                    them in a minute.  Doolittle, I'm
                    going into them.

     Talby drifts into the huge frost-like shapes, expanding and glowing
     and spinning, slowly refracting all the colors of the spectrum with a
     cold glow.

                                   TALBY
                              (cont'd)
                    I'm beginning to glow.

     The field of spectral shapes, with Talby in their midst, begin to
     drift away into the distance.

                                   TALBY
                              (cont'd)
                    They're taking me with them, with
                    the Phoenix... going to circle the
                    universe forever.  I'm with them
                    now... be back this way again some
                    day.  Doolittle, before it's too
                    late, there's one last thing I
                    want to tell you...

     Talby's signal dies out as the glowing lights disappear into the
     depths of space.

     Doolittle is hanging onto a long, thin chunk of debris.

                                   DOOLITTLE
                    Hey, Talby!  I've grabbed a piece of
                    the ship, and I think I've figured
                    out a way!

     He pulls the piece of metal down beneath his feet, and stands on it.

     Crouching and extending his arms, Doolittle surfs down into the
     atmosphere of the planet, banking and planing as he disappears to a
     small dot.

     END TITLES AND MUSIC OVER.