Starman Page #12

The STAR MAN frees his right hand and blindly searches the

floor for the gun. He comes up with it and, shoving the barrel

in the Man's face, barks a harsh command in his language.

The Man freezes and Jenny stops struggling. It's suddenly

very quiet on the street.

MAN:

Oh God, man... don't shoot me... My

mistake... I'm sorry...

JENNY:

He doesn't understand... just walk

away...

The STAR MAN claps a hand over her mouth.

MAN:

I promise I'm not going to tell

anybody about this... None of my

business... I'm going to move now,

okay...

(takes a step to one

side)

You guys want to fight, that's up to

you...

(takes another step)

I'm leaving now... I won't say a

word...

He keeps his eyes on the STAR MAN until he reaches the back

of the Mustang, steals a quick look at the license plate,

then blots for his van. The STAR MAN takes his hand off

Jenny's mouth and slams her back into her seat. Uttering an

expletive in his language he points the gun in her face and

keeping it there indicates the red dot on the satel compass

floating undisturbed above the dashboard.

STAR MAN:

Go.

EXT. STREET - DAWN

The Mustang moves back into the correct lane and continues

on.

INT. MUSTANG - DAWN

JENNY:

Could you put the gun down?

The STAR MAN just stares at her. She points to the gun.

JENNY:

Gun... Down... Down.

Slowly, he lowers it to his lap.

JENNY:

Thank you.

EXT. ABANDONED LOGGING CAMP - EARLY MORNING

Shermin's helicopter is taking on fuel from an Army tanker

truck. The pilot and co-pilot are catching forty winks on

the grass next to the old bunkhouse.

INT. HELICOPTER - EARLY MORNING

Major Bell, bleary-eyed and unshaven, is huddled in front of

the television screens eating a breakfast off a styrofoam

plate. On the top left screen is a satellite picture of

Northern Michigan and half of Wisconsin taken with a Doppler

radar.

On the lower left screen is an infrared view of the same

area. Over both these views is a schematic of the state

boundaries and major cities. On the screens to the right of

these views are blow-ups of smaller sections of the overview.

Lyman and the radar technician are asleep on the floor. Seated

in front of the radio console Shermin is going through the

telex messages. Next to him the radio technician is bent

over the desk with his head in his forearms.

SHERMIN:

There's nothing... No reports of

sightings or landings or anything...

in the other parts of the country or

overseas... Seems like a totally

isolated incident.

MAJOR BELL:

It was only an accident that we

discovered them.

SHERMIN:

I know, but...

Shermin continues on through the messages. Bell asks the

computer to change the pictures on the screens. Rhythmically,

a sequence of images appears and disappears.

SHERMIN:

You married, Major?

MAJOR BELL:

Twenty-eight years.

SHERMIN:

To the same woman?

MAJOR BELL:

(smiling)

Yes.

SHERMIN:

I tried it once... Fourteen years

ago... 'I was a lousy husband and a

worse father. The only thing I'm

good at is this... At least until

yesterday.

Bell stuffs his breakfast plate into a garbage bag and goes

to get a breath of fresh air in the open doorway. Shermin

stops at a point on the telex sheet. He reads the message to

himself again.

SHERMIN:

How would you describe the sounds we

heard coming out of that thing's

helmet?

MAJOR BELL:

(after trying to

imitate them)

It was kind of like clicking, maybe

a language wasn't it?

SHERMIN:

Listen to this.

(paraphrasing the

telex)

A woman was kidnapped in Eau Claire

this morning. When a citizen went to

her rescue the kidnapper threatened

him with a gun and shouted at him in

a strange 'clicking gibberish'...

MAJOR BELL:

It was a man though... right?

SHERMIN:

The police think he was high on

drugs...

Bell shrugs.

SHERMIN:

What do you think?

EXT. WISCONSIN FOREST - EARLY MORNING

With a rush the helicopter rises out of the trees and thunders

away.

EXT. JENNY'S HOUSE - MORNING

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