Interstellar Page #2

rest of our solar system around the black hole.

ANSEN:

It didn't. Because if it had we'd

all be dead by now.

On-screen, Jupiter, then the Earth and the inner planets are

consumed by the black hole. Only the sun survives, pulled

into orbit around its new master.

ANSEN (CONT'D)

Which leaves only one explanation:

The signal traveled through a

(MORE)

4.

ANSEN (CONT'D)

wormhole. A gateway to a distant

corner of the universe. The black

hole is on the far side.

On-screen, the black hole system is removed to a distant

corner, connected to ours by a tunnel through space-time. A

gravity wave from the collision travels through the tunnel.

NSA AGENT:

I've read your book, Doctor. You

said that wormholes are impossible.

ANSEN:

There is nothing quite as satisfying

as being proved utterly wrong.

(SMILES)

I said that a wormhole couldn't exist

naturally. Not for more than a few

billionths of a second. It would

have to be... stabilized.

NSA AGENT:

Stabilized by what?

Ansen pauses, unsure. His assistant steps in to his defense.

ASSISTANT:

We don't have any way to answer that

question.

NSA AGENT:

(IGNORES HIM)

You're not under peer review here,

Doctor. I don't care about your

reputation. I need to know how that

thing got there. Now.

Ansen finally speaks up.

ANSEN:

If you're worried about an invasion,

I would start drafting the articles

of surrender.

(SMILES)

Whoever they are, if they can build

a wormhole, they could erase us in

the blink of an eye. Luckily, that

also means we have nothing they could

be interested in.

NSA AGENT:

Then why is it there?

5.

ANSEN:

I don't know. Maybe it's an

invitation. A chance to commune

with an advanced species.

The assistant, embarrassed, looks down. The agent notices.

NSA AGENT:

You don't agree?

ASSISTANT:

(DELICATE)

No. I don't think we can assume an

alien intelligence built the wormhole.

(CHANGES TACK)

But the opportunity it represents is

incredible. We could explore parts

of the universe we never dreamt of

reaching in our lifetimes.

The agent exchanges a look with one of his colleagues, who

steps out of the room.

ANSEN:

We need to get back to work. I have

a conference call with our European

partners in fifteen minutes.

NSA AGENT:

We severed the connections to your

European partners this morning.

ANSEN:

(INDIGNANT)

You can't do that. The Europeans

put up some of the funding...

GOVERNMENT MAN:

We'll send them a check.

(STANDS)

Your project is now classified under

the State Secrets Act.

He steps out the door, leaving the men alone. The assistant,

outraged, turns back to his boss.

ASSISTANT:

They can't keep this a secret. You

know that. Sooner or later...

The younger man looks down, embarrassed, as he notices that

tears are rolling down the older man's cheeks.

6.

ANSEN:

I don't care about that. I've spent

my whole life being afraid we would

wipe ourselves out before this moment

arrived. We've made so many mistakes,

I wasn't sure we'd make it...

The assitant realizes that the old man is weeping for joy.

Relief.

ANSEN (CONT'D)

But this will change everything.

Fifty years from now, nothing will

be the same.

The older man looks at the simulation on the screen of the

tiny link between our galaxy and another.

FADE TO BLACK:

EXT. CORNFIELD, CENTRAL CALIFORNIA -- DAY

Corn. As far as the eye can see.

SUPER TITLE:
"FIFTY YEARS LATER"

A large old diesel tour bus is parked by the side of a dirt

road, smoke pouring out of its open hood. A dozen MEN in

BASEBALL UNIFORMS are standing around the front of the bus.

A battered PICKUP pulls up, and a MAN, 30s, gets out, leaving

his two SONS in the car. This is COOPER. He joins the

ballplayers staring at the lifeless diesel engine.

BALLPLAYER:

Seized up on us.

COOPER:

Long way to come by bus. I thought

you guys would have a plane.

BALLPLAYER:

We did. Ran out of parts for it.

You know anything about diesels?

COOPER:

A little.

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