Lost in Space

FADE IN ON:

EXT.-SPACE

PULL BACK slowly as MARS fills THE FRAME, a sphere of red desert and

fast rushing crimson clouds.

A triangular CARGO SHIP descends from the dark of space.

PILOT (OVER)

Mars mining base, this is Grissom One,

Request final descent vector.

REVERSE ANGLE:

EXT.-MARS

A row of giant red mountains and beneath, on the planet's surface, the

spires of A MINING BASE. Illuminated landing crosshairs alight a

landing pad, beckoning the ship.

CONTROLLER (OVER)

Roger, Grissom One, this is Mars

Mining, You are cleared to land. Hope

you got some Partagas in that rust

bucket, Sal.

EXT.-EDGE OF SPACE

THE CARGO SHIP changes attitude, landing thrusters FIRING as the vessel

begins to penetrate the atmosphere.

PILOT:

I brought you the most amazing...

Amazing, what, we'll never know. The CARGO SHIP begins to EXPLODE, the

bubble bridge BLOWING out into space in a ball of fire.

EXT.- MARS

LOW ANGLE from the planet's surface-. Two shapes BLAST through FRAME,

BUBBLE FIGHTERS, single pilot, transparent globes, racing up towards

the sudden star of the cargo ship at impossible speed.

INT.-BUBBLE FIGHTER

POV of the burning Cargo Ship, coming towards us incredibly fast.

Speed, trajectory and tactical readouts flash.

EXT.-CARGO SHIP

The pulse lasers are still hammering the ravaged hull.

WIDER:

Two sinister ATTACK SHIPS, their lasers locked onto the Cargo Ship,

FIRE away as they BLAST overhead. The nuclear core of the Cargo Ship

overloads, the craft finally EXPLODING in a storm of fire.

A BUBBLE FIGHTER ROARS through the hurling world of flame. PUSH IN.

INT.-BUBBLE FIGHTER

A lone FIGURE stands in a gyroscopic harness, working a heads-up

holographic display, command controls spinning 360 degrees with the

pilot's Comas the fighter SCREAMS after the fleeing raider.

The harness spins, the pilot coming clearly into view. Handsome,

intense, reckless eyes. MAJOR DON WEST.

WEST:

Sino-Jordanian Raiders. They're

claiming the cargo ship violated

their air-space.

INT.-SECOND BUBBLE FIGHTER

Another pilot (JEB WALKER) commands an identical craft, ROCKETING

towards the assault craft just below West's.

JEB:

This cold war's heating up. Where did

they come from?

INT.-WEST'S BUBBLE FIGHTER

WEST:

Hell. And we're going to send them

back screaming.

West activates his targeting computer.

WEST:

Last one to kill a bad guy buys the

beer.

TARGETING DISPLAY-CLOSE. The fleeing Attack Ship jogs in and out of the

crosshairs on West's holographic array. West fires.

EXT.-SPACE

The Attack Ship SHOOTS straight up, dodging West's laser BLASTS.

INT.-WEST'S BUBBLE FIGHTER

West closes on the fleeing craft, as Jeb engages the other Attack Ship,

lasers FIRING in the b.g., visible through the transparent surface of

the bubble glass under West's feet.

WEST:

What's that sound? must be the fat lady

warming up.

EXT.-SPACE

The fleeing Attack Ship loops in mid-space, reversing direction,

heading straight towards West's Bubble Fighter. A game of chicken.

INT.-WEST'S BUBBLE FIGHTER

West doesn't flinch. Bears down, FIRING madly, the two space ships

heading straight for each other.

WEST:

That's right. Come on, come on, you wanna

play, I wanna play.

EXT.-SPACE

The two ships are ROCKETING towards each other, locked in collision

vectors, lasers FIRING wildly.

INT.-WEST'S FIGHTER

WEST:

I can hear her. Oh, yes, oh yes. She's

gonna sing.

TARGETING:
DISPLAY-CLOSE. The Attack Ship flashes, captured in the

targeting hatchmarks. The display expands into a tactical grid.

COMPUTER:

Target lock.

EXT.-SPACE

Imminent collision.

INT.-WEST'S FIGHTER

The hull of the Attack Ship fills his bubble glass.

WEST:

The lights are dimming. The curtain's

coming down. Sing you fat, old bag,

sing!

West hits the firing stud.

EXT.-DEEP SPACE

West's pulse lasers converge on the Attack Ship barely meters ahead,

the ROARING craft EXPLODING directly before him.

INT.-WEST'S BUBBLE FIGHTER

(OVER) WEST SCREAMS as he shoots through the sudden conflagration of

flame and debris, everywhere and then gone, giving way to the blackness

of space and the starfield beyond.

WEST:

Show's over.

Below, the second Attack Ship ROARS past, lasers FIRING, locked in a

pinwheel battle with Jeb's Bubble Fighter.

EXT.-SPACE

JEB'S BUBBLE FIGHTER banks, avoiding the high energy volley. Almost. A

laser BURST grazes his Bubble Fighter, the surface of his craft

sparking, suddenly scored with flames.

INT.-JEB'S CRAFT

The Attack ship is right behind him.

JEB:

Weapons are off line. Jettisoning main

drive core.

EXT.-SPACE

The thruster core of Jeb's Bubble Fighter BLOWS off in a bolus of

flame, soaring back into the pursuit craft. The Raider EXPLODES.

INT.-JEB'S CRAFT

Controls are sparking. Displays flicker. (OVER) An ALARM sounds.

COMPUTER:

Warning. Failure in redundant drive systems.

JEB-POV. The surface of Mars is rushing up fast.

COMPUTER:

Impact on in 90 seconds.

JEB:

Mars Control. . .

EXT.-SPACE

Jeb's ship is barreling toward the planet.

JEB (OVER)

. . .this is Ranger One.

INT.-WEST'S FIGHTER

JEB (ON RADIO)

...Engines will not respond. Require

assistance. Repeat...

BASE (ON RADIO)

Ranger One this is Grissom Base.

Rescue craft have been dispatched.

EXT.- MARS MINING COLONY

Three small rescue craft race skyward.

INT.-JEB'S CRAFT

COMPUTER:

Impact in 60 seconds.

Mars fills the view screen.

INT.-WEST'S CRAFT

The rescue craft are speeding toward Jeb's fighter below.

WEST:

Grissom, this is Eagle One. Those Pugs

Will never reach him in time.

BASE (ON RADIO)

Eagle one clear this frequency and

return to base.

DON takes a beat. Then he spins his chair towards Mars, begins working

the controls.

WEST:

This is Eagle One. I'm going after

him.

BASE (OVER)

Negative Eagle one, your craft is not

equipped

West hits his thrusters.

EXT.-SPACE

West's craft dives toward Jeb's ship and Mars below.

INT.-JEB'S FIGHTER

Mars is coming up fast.

COMPUTER:

Impact in 30 seconds.

WEST (OVER)

Jeb, do you have navigational

thrusters?

JEB:

Don?

WEST (OVER)

It's a yes or no question.

Mars fills the windscreen. Jeb checks his status display.

JEB:

Marginal. But in the green.

COMPUTER:

Impact in 15 seconds.

WEST (OVER)

Head towards the canals.

JEB:

What are you doing?

WEST (OVER)

Saving your ass. Read towards the

canals. Now!

The canal streaked face of the Mars is all Jeb can see. He grabs his

throttle, engages his navigational thrusters and pulls.

EXT.-JEB'S SHIP

A tiny directional thruster FIRES, angling Jeb's craft so that it

scrapes the surface of Mars and dives into a giant canal, rocky walls

rushing up fast.

INT.-WEST'S SHIP

West is accelerating toward Jeb.

BASE (OVER)

Major West, your ship is not equipped

for rescue. You are not authorized to

jeopardize this asset. That is

a direct order. Acknowledge!

West slams a switch, deactivating his radio.

WEST:

Never liked that station, anyway.

He BLASTS into the canal, walls rushing up on either side of him.

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