Independence Day Page #15

Okun hits a switch and the sealed partition lifts revealing...

FORMALDEHYDE TANKS - ALIENS

Three dead aliens float in the milky formaldehyde tanks. The

murky fluid and condensation obstructs our view. What we do

see is not pretty.

OKUN:

When we found them they were

wearing bio-mechanical suits.

Once we got them off, we were able

to learn a great deal about their

anatomy; eyes, ears, bipolar

digestive system... no vocal cords

though. We're assuming they

communicate with each other

through other means.

David cannot contain his fascination. He steps forward.

DAVID:

What kind of other means? Hand

signals, body language?

OKUN:

Some kind of extra sensory

perception. Telepathy.

PRESIDENT:

Can they be killed?

OKUN:

These three died in the crash.

Their bodies are as frail as our

own. You just have to get past

their technology, which is, I'm

sorry to say, far more advanced.

The President turns to David.

PRESIDENT:

You unlocked a part of that

technology. You cracked their

code.

DAVID:

All I did was stumble onto their

signal. I don't know how helpful

I can be...

PRESIDENT:

Show them what you've discovered.

Work together. We've got to find

a way to beat them.

EXT. SECURITY GATE - SAME

Four armed GUARDS watch the gate. An armada of trucks and

trailers heads right for them. They move into position to

block their entrance as a blue pick-up skids to a halt before

them. Steve stands up from the back of the pick up.

GUARD:

Sorry, Lt. Colonel, I can't open

the gates without clearance.

STEVE:

You want to see my clearance?

Impatiently Steve grabs the Guard by the collar, pulling him

over the side of the truck putting him face to face with the

bundled parachute in the flatbed. Steve rips the fabric aside

revealing...

THE ALIEN CREATURE

Still unconscious, the alien stirs. The Guard JUMPS BACK,

shitting in his pants. Quickly he signals for the other to

open the gate.

The armada quickly drives past.

BLACKNESS:

Total darkness. Suddenly light pours in as a door is open.

We see the faces of Okun, David and three technicians all

peering at us with inquisitive expressions.

OKUN:

See the gizmos flashing?

REVERSE - INSIDE ALIEN CRAFT

Sure enough, tons of gizmos with lights flashing. High tech

meets organic organisms. This alien ship looks familiar to

our own technology and completely different at the same time.

OKUN (cont'd)

We've been working around the

clock trying to get a fix on all

this crap. Some stuff we figured

out right away.

David climbs in, fascinated. He touches everything. Okun

points to everything as he describes it.

OKUN (cont'd)

This thing we're pretty sure is

the life support for the cabin,

this do-hickey over here is

connected with the engines, this

crap...we have no idea what that

stuff is for.

David is transfixed by it. He stares at the small screens

with flashing light patterns on them.

OKUN (cont'd)

But this over here is clearly what

they use to navigate and guide the

craft.

But David still stares at the small screens.

DAVID:

Someone grab my laptop for me?

One of the technicians rushes off as Okun leans close.

OKUN:

Find something interesting?

DAVID:

Maybe.

The technician hands David his retrieved laptop which he

quickly flips open and turns on.

DAVID:

These patterns here, they're

repeating sequentially, just

like...

David turns his laptop around for Okun to see. The pattern on

David's laptop flashes identically as the alien screen.

DAVID (cont'd)

...their countdown signal. Their

using this frequency for computer

communications. It's how they co-

ordinate their ships.

OKUN:

You know, you're really starting

to make us look bad.

The two men exchange a smile. Another TECHY pops his head

inside.

TECHY:

(out of breath)

They got one! They got one,

alive!

INT. HALLWAY OFF MAIN HANGAR - AREA 51 - SAME

The bundled alien lays on a stretcher that's wheeled quickly

into the hall. Okun and his staff surround it. Trailing

behind them is Steve, Russell and Miguel.

OKUN:

How long has it been unconscious?

RUSSELL:

Excuse me Doctor...

STEVE:

Three hours.

OKUN:

Get him into containment, stat.

RUSSELL:

My boy is very sick, he needs

immediate attention.

Okun ignores Russell, hitting the elevator switch on the wall,

the room begins its hydraulic HUM.

OKUN:

He's dying out. I want him

sprayed down with saline.

Russell SLAMS his fist against the switch, the room stops. He

GRABS a doctor nearby, gets in his face.

RUSSELL:

My boys is slipping into a diabetic

coma. If you don't do something

about it right now he will die.

Miguel is surprised and proud of Russell as he holds DOCTOR

ISAACS, meaning business.

DR. ISAACS

O'Haver, Miller, come with me.

(to Russell)

Take us to him.

CUT TO:

EXT. ROAD - MAINTENANCE TRUCK - NIGHT

Headlights pierce the darkness as the maintenance truck rolls

to a stop. Jasmine climbs down out of the truck, her face

ashen.

She walks past a sign reading: El Toro Marine Corps Air

Station. Tears begin to roll from her eyes. We follow her

gaze to see...

EXT. EL TORO MARINE CORPS AIR STATION - CONTINUOUS

The entire facility is smoldering, the last remnants of the

fire burning itself to extinction. Jasmine is devastated.

CUT TO:

INT. AREA 51 COMMAND CENTER - NIGHT

General Grey and Nimziki are in a heated argument.

GENERAL GREY:

You were the head of the National

Intelligence Agency! You knew all

about this. When were you

planning on informing the rest of

us!?

NIMZIKI:

It had been deemed classified.

GENERAL GREY:

Christ, why didn't you say

anything about this when they

first arrived? You could have

warned us before we launched a

counter attack that cost us

hundreds of American pilots!

Just then the President enters along with Constance and some

other ADVISORS. He examines a paper map of the United States,

tacked to the wall, each major city circled in black.

PRESIDENT:

Atlanta, Chicago and Philadelphia,

destroyed?

GENERAL GREY:

(composing himself)

And there are scattered reports of

sightings over Miami, Ft. Worth,

And Memphis.

The President and his team take seats at the large conference

table.

GENERAL GREY (cont'd)

We've learned that NATO and

western allied installations were

the firs to be taken out. We

were next. They knew exactly where

and how to hit us.

Grey sneaks an accusatory glare at Nimziki.

PRESIDENT:

And our forces?

GENERAL GREY:

We're down to approximately

fifteen percent, Sir.

(beat)

If you calculate the time it takes

them to destroy a city and move

on, we're looking at world wide

destruction of every major city

within the next thirty six hours.

PRESIDENT:

We're being exterminated.

The room is quiet. Constance runs her fingers through her

hair. The door to the room opens and Lt. Mitchell enters with

Steve.

MITCHELL:

Mr. President, this is Lt.

Colonel Steven Hill.

The President quickly gets to his feet, anxiously shaking

Steve's hand.

PRESIDENT:

Lieutenant, congratulations.

STEVE:

Thank you, sir.

PRESIDENT:

Where is the prisoner now?

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