Fantastic Voyage Page #14

Over a series of controls are numerous gauges. The indicators marked

TANK RT and TANK LT show the left tank is rapidly losing pressure.

GRANT:

(up at Bubble)

The left tank's losing pressure.

331INT. BUBBLE

Owens presses a button and swivels around. With him we see:

332P.O.V. - EXT. STERN OF PROTEUS

A stream of large air bubbles is pouring out behind them.

333INT. BUBBLE

Startled, Owens presses the button which swivels him back.

OWENS:

Grant! Get up here, quick!

He starts getting out of his harness.

334INT. PROTEUS

As Grant moves toward the Bubble, he passes Duval and Cora, who are

now looking toward the stern.

CORA:

(with apprehension)

Air bubbles!... Doctor --

DUVAL:

No danger of an embolism. At our

reduced scale, they're much too

minute to prove fatal to Benes.

335INT. BUBBLE

As Grant appears, Owens is slipping out of his harness.

OWENS:

There's a short in the valve. Take

over.

(of controls)

Steers like an airplane.

Grant nods as he gets into the seat. Owens starts quikly down the

kiosk, leaving Grant at the controls.

336INT. PROTEUS

Cora and Duval, at the window, watch anxiously as Owens moves to the

Manual Control Panel. Michaels remains at the console, also deeply

concerned. Owens opens the Circuit Panel, revealing a maze of wires

and circuit breakers. Only someone with an intimate knowledge of the

sub could posslbly find the right one. Owens does quickly. He trips a

switch, shuts the panel. He turns, sees their anxious looks.

OWENS:

Well, that takes care of the valve.

It was probably caused by that

electric shock.

MICHAELS:

(to Owens)

Was there any damage?

OWENS:

Not to the valve. But we've lost too

much air to make it the rest of the

way.

DUVAL:

What do you propose we do, Captain?

OWENS:

Nothing we can do. We must have full

tanks to continue.

He starts up toward the Bubble, leaving the three staring at each

other in consternation.

337-

338

339INT. BUBBLE

As Grant slips out of the seat and Owens resumes at controls:

GRANT:

Any reserve air?

OWENS:

Enough to breathe, but that's all.

Grant starts down.

340INT. PROTEUS

He steps into the cabin in time to hear:

DUVAL:

(ironically)

Just a few cells away from a vast

air chamber -- one of the countless

Alvioli of the Lung -- and we can't

get enough to fill a microscopic

tank.

GRANT:

Maybe we can...

(as they look at him in

bewilderment)

Skipper, is there a snorkel on this

sub?

OWENS' VOICE

(from Bubble)

Yes, there is.

GRANT:

(to Michaels and Duval)

Could I run a tube through that

Wall, without harming Benes?

MICHAELS:

At this size, I would certainly

think so.

GRANT:

If those Corpuscles can take on air,

no reason why we can't.

(to Duval)

All we have to do is hook up the

snorkel to that air chamber you were

talk1ng about, and when Benes

inhales, there should be plenty of

pressure to force the oxygen into

the tank.

(up at Owens)

How's that sound to you, Skipper?

341INT. BUBBLE

As Owens considers the possibility:

OWENS:

It's a dangerous procedure. If I

miss the timing, we could explode

the tanks... But I'm willing to try

it.

342INT. PROTEUS

MICHAELS:

Yes, by all means. We must try it.

OWENS' VOICE

(from Bubble)

It'll be safer if everybody leaves

the sub.

Grant moves to the aft compartment, opens the door, goes into:

343INT. LAB AND STORAGE SECTION

As he moves to compartment containing the Underwater Gear, he is

jolted by something he sees o.s.

344LASER OVER WORKING COUNTER

It is swinging loose on one hook, its plastic cover off.

345INT. LAB AND STORAGE SECTION

Grant takes a step toward it, stops.

GRANT:

Cora!

After a moment, she appears. She follows his look toward the laser,

reacts aghast.

GRANT:

Looks like you didn't batten it down

too well.

CORA:

But I did. I'm positive!

Duval and Michaels appear in the doorway in time to hear:

GRANT:

Then how come it worked loose?

CORA:

I have no idea.

DUVAL:

Cora, is something wrong with the

laser?

CORA:

(distraught)

I don't know yet, Doctor. And I

won't know until I test it.

GRANT:

That'll have to wait until after

we're refueled.

As he takes out the Underwater Gear and passes it to the three:

CORA:

(righting laser)

I can't imagine how it possibly

could have come loose. I distinctly

recall fastening it with all four

bolts --

MICHAELS:

It must have been jarred loose

during the whirlpool.

Grant and Michaels exchange looks, as if neither are satisfied with

the explanation.

GRANT:

(of gear)

Well, let's get into these as

quickly as possible.

He leads the way out. Michaels and Duval follow. Left alone, Cora

starts to unzip her jumper, revealing she is wearing her swim suit

beneath. Her eyes remain on the laser, now her prime source of

anxiety...

345AINT. MAIN OPS ROOM

Starting on the grid map, we see the sub in the channel of the

Pulmonary Artery. CAMERA then TILTS DOWN to the Radarscope, where the

blip is blinking on and off in one place, without moving.

346INT. CONTROL TOWER

On the monitor at the Map Table, we see the INTERIOR OF THE TRACKING

POST, where the same blip is in the identical stationary position on

the Radarscreen. PULL BACK to include Reid staring at the blip on the

monitor. Carter is pacing on the other side of the table.

REID:

They've stopped -- on the outer

limits of the Right Lung...

Carter looks at the Minute Recorder. It reads .

CARTER:

Another delay... With only forty-two

minutes left.

REID:

It'll be close -- but there's still

a margin of safety.

CARTER:

Let's find what the devil's holding

them up!

(to Wireless Technician)

Contact the Proteus!

As the message is heard being tapped out:

REID:

(glancing at Monitors;

none are on)

It must be some kind of mechanical

difficulty.

The tapping stops. As they wait for an answer, Carter pours a stream

of sugar into his coffee.

REID:

I told you to cut down on the sugar.

CARTER:

I can't help it. I'm just weak, I

guess.

347-

349

350INT. PROTEUS - AT DOOR OF ESCAPE HATCH

All have stepped out of their jumpers and are now revealed in their

swim suits except Owens, who remains in the Bubble. The suits are

form-fitting, antiseptic-looking, with a Breather Pack strapped to the

back. Duval is tightening Cora's pack. Grant is checking Michaels'

pack. The latter looks in rear at the small hatch, visible through the

open door. The wireless starts tapping again.

CORA:

(of tapping wireless)

Shouldn't you answer that?

GRANT:

(putting on swim mask)

Not now. We need air, not greetings!

He motions Michaels to precede him into the hatch. Face reflecting his

irrational fear, Michaels puts his swim mask over his fear. But he

freezes at the door, unable to step into the small hatch. Grant and

Duval exchange looks.

GRANT:

Let's go, Doctor.

Michaels forces himself into the Escape Hatch. Grant follows, closing

the door.

351INT. ESCAPE HATCH

There is only space for the two. Michaels cowers against the wall,

palms pressed against the metal, fighting against another seizure of

his phobia. Grant opens a valve. Liquid starts pouring into the hatch

from several ports. When it is up to their chins, Grant bends down to

unlock the ventral hatch.

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