Fantastic Voyage Page #7

132

133INT. CONTROL TOWER

Carter turns from the window, looks at Reid, who glances up from

viewing the monitors.

REID:

Okay to proceed.

CARTER:

Phase Two.

134INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM

A panel slides open and a precision handling device is rolled in by

several WHITE-CLAD TECHNICIANS. A NURSE follows, in uniform. The

machine is fourteen feet high, consists of pulleys on a tripod, which

control a vertical arm angling down from a horizontal extensor. Two

sets of mechanical fingers are on the vertical arm, about a foot

apart. Together they act as clamps. All adjustments are controlled by

various worm-gears. As the tall tripod rolls by, on the side of the

base we see stamped: MIN PRECISION HANDLING, under the insignia of the

.

135INT. PROTEUS

Grant and the others react to the first sight of the oncoming in relation to their own reduced size: a button is immense, a

shoe -- although far down from their position on the Zero Module -- is

long as a city street, the heads gargantuan atop skyscraper-tall

bodies. The precision handling machine itself is beyond recognition,

owing to its vast proportions.

136INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM

The tripod is eased to a stop so that its vertical arm is directly

over the Proteus on the Module. A TECHNICIAN at the gear box starts

turning a worm-gear control, which lowers the vertical arm toward the

capsule-sub.

137INT. PROTEUS

Grant reacts as huge steel fingers at the bottom of the arm slowly

slide into view. He glances at Cora and the others. They apparently

know what to expect, but watch with the interest of scientists. The

mechanical fingers slowly disappear beneath the sub.

138INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM

The Technician maneuvers the mechanical fingers carefully so that they

slip under the cradle of the sub, in effect becoming its holding fork.

Once the steel fingers are in place, the Zero Module sinks below the

floor from view, while the tripod holding the Proteus is eased back.

138AINT. CONTROL TOWER

A Technician presses a switch.

138BCYLINDRICAL AMPULE - MINIATURIZATION ROOM

A glass ampule about as tall and round as a small silo starts coming

up out of the floor on the Zero Module. The transparent container is

filled with a clear liquid, two-thirds to the top. It rests on an

encircling cork base. The lettering at the base reads: SALINE

SOLUTION.

139

140CYLINDRICAL AMPULE - P.0.V. PROTEUS

Grant and the others react to what appears to be something big as an

illuminating gas storage tank -- albeit filled with liquid.

141INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM - P.O.V. CONTROL TOWER

With Carter we see the tripod with the Proteus brought to a stop close

to the saline solution.

142-

143

144INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM

The Technician at the tripod moves it so that the claw holding the

Proteus is directly over the water in the ampule.

145INT. PROTEUS

Grant and the others react as they see themselves suspended over what

appears to be a huge lake far below, bounded by cylindrical glass

walls in the distance. Reflected light bounces off the top of the

water, with iridescent effect. Suddenly they begin to descend. Grant

and the others react as they seem to be dropping at suicidal speed

toward the water which is rushing up to meet them as if they were in a

dive-bomber. Then as the surface nears:

146INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM

Within the high walls of the ampule, the capsule-sub is deposited into

the water. Despite the delicate handling:

147INT. PROTEUS

It 'hits' the water, jarring all within, as at a launching from

drydock.

148INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM

The Technician now begins to maneuver the mechanical fingers out from

under the sub.

149INT. PROTEUS

Grant and the others see the gigantic steel fingers sliding past the

plastic windows.

150INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM

The lifting fork is now disengaged from the sub, which floats free in

the ampule.

151INT. BUBBLE

The sub is rocking none too gently on the surface of the vast glass-

enclosed 'lake.' As Owens sees the ends of the immense prongs move

past the bubble and continue upward:

OWENS:

(down toward kiosk)

We've got to submerge manually.

Grant, open Valves One and Two on

the bulkhead.

152INT. PROTEUS

Grant slips out of his harness and moves quickly to a butterfly valve

marked in the bulkhead. On the opposite side of the sub is a

duplicate valve marked . As Grant begins turning Valve One:

DUVAL:

Here -- I'll get the other.

Duval gets out of his harness and moves to the second valve. Grant

watches him covertly while working at his own valve.

152AMICHAELS

As he sees the fluid rising toward the bow windows, he begins to

respond with increasing fear.

153INT. BUBBLE

Owens' attention is on the gauges in the panel before him. They begin

recording PRESSURE and DEPTH. The surface of the saline solution

begins to flood upward.

154INT. PROTEUS

Grant and Duval at the valves, now fully open. Through the outer

windows the water appears to move upward in relation to the sub, which

continues submerging.

154AMICHAELS

Face sweating, his eyes reflect growing irrational terror as he stares

at the rising fluid bubbling over the bow windows.

155INT. BUBBLE

As the depth gauges near the mark:

OWENS:

Close valves.

156INT. PROTEUS

Grant and Duval twist the valves shut. When both are done:

GRANT:

Valves closed.

OWENS'VOICE

(from Bubble)

Right. That's all for the present.

As Grant and Duval move to their seats, Michaels opens his harness,

slips out and hangs onto the bulkhead ledge, gasping for breath.

DUVAL:

Doctor, what's wrong?

MICHAELS:

I can't breathe!... I've got to get

out!

DUVAL:

It's too late now. We must go on.

GRANT:

You'll feel better once we're

underway.

Michaels hangs on tighter to the bulkhead ledge, trying to control

himself.

MICHAELS:

(gasping)

I -- I'm sorry... Claustrophia --

buried alive -- two days -- air raid

-- England... Thought I'd gotten

over it. Please -- forgive me... I'm

quite all right now...

He sinks back into his seat. Grant helps him with his harness.

157INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM

We now see the sub for the first time beneath the surface of the

saline solution:
a small capsule submerged at an even keel, about one-

fourth of the way down in the huge transparent container. The Modules

on which the ampule rests now return to floor level.

158INT. MINIATURIZATION ROOM - P.O.V. CONTROL TOWER

From his vantage point above, Carter can barely see the capsule in the

ampule. He glances at Reid, who looks up from the monitors and nods.

CARTER:

(to Technician)

Phase Three.

The Technician presses a button on the panel, activating the

grid. The two blips flash on again, moving down the

and co-ordinates.

159

160THE MINIATURIZATION ROOM

Instantly the disc of the Miniaturizer trained on the ampule begins to

glow again. The light is reflected on the entire surface of the saline

solution. The low hum resumes.

161INT. PROTEUS

Again we first get the view of the shrinking process:

Grant and the others see everything rushing away into an immensity of

distance. And all the time the reflected light which has illuminated

the interior of the sub is diminishing. We see the reason:

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