| 17-1 |
EXT - PISON NORTH-BEND NEAR GROVE - 16:30 WEAK HAZE
ELLE, ADAM WALK - Adam talking and pointing at trees and bushes. The meteor
spray has already subsided. On the far side of the river [1 mi across]
is the rough side lip of a gigantic meteoritic impact crater:
[miles across miles along]
A LIZARD scampers a few steps, stops - runs again:
ELLE
We've walked far-enough.
(points to grove)
Let's rest over there.
ADAM
(already pointing to lizard)
What's that?
ELLE
That's little more than a small snake with fully developed legs.
ADAM
It's fast - does it live underground, too?
ELLE
When the days are typically cooler it spends more time beneath.
ADAM
Will we build a camp underground, too?
ELLE
(looks at Adam, smiles)
I hope it doesn't get that cold here. |
A BIRD SWOOPS-DOWN-PASSED: GRABBING THE LIZARD.
|
ADAM
Oh! What was that?
ELLE
That's the bird you didn't see earlier - they fly at day.
ADAM
Where do birds go at night?
ELLE
They may find a safe place high in the trees - maybe here. |
Elle, Adam ENTER the GROVE, and gather STICKS, ROCKS, to build a fire pit.
ELLE STRIKES [or rubs-sticks] a FIRE for dinner:
The CAT, having approached the grove, chases a BIRD.
ADAM
(points)
What's that?
ELLE
A land-animal - what would you like to call it?
ADAM
(pauses)
Does it have a name?
ELLE
Every planet has its own types of animals - we can name them here.
ADAM
(watches)
It's trying to catch a bird - let's call it a, catcher.
ELLE
Okay, but how about just, cat - that's simpler.
ADAM
Okay, a cat: It's a small catcher.
ELLE
(nods acknowledging)
And how would you describe a cat, to me?
ADAM
It's long; it has four legs, and a longer tail, and short ears; it's brown.
ELLE
And what if there were another that were white - would that be a cat?
ADAM
(considers)
Yes: This is a brown cat.
ELLE
And if it had a short tail - would it be a cat?
ADAM
(considers)
I don't think so - do you think there are any?
ELLE
This is a small base-camp - we'll see what we find.
But, Adam: Don't you chase wild animals:
Do you understand me?!
ADAM
Yes.
ELLE
And don't squeeze your pet animals hard, like you do mommy and daddy.
Let's prepare dinner:
(begins gathering dry brush)
Let's gather dry brush and sticks for a fire.
ADAM
(helps gather brush)
Okay.
ELLE
(strikes a fire)
We'll make a fire of sticks tonight, but we must find better:
Sticks grow in season, and in place, and for other uses.
(prepares fish)
|
Later.... |
17-1 |
| 17-2 |
EXT - LATE DUSK DARKENING
Stars appearing: SOFT DESERT BREEZES RUSTLE IN THE TREES. CRICKETS CHIRP.
ELLE, ADAM finish dinner.
Elle prepares bed of fronds, leaves, while Adam tosses bone-scraps to invite the CAT.
Elle takes Adam in arms to sleep - rests.
An occasional METEOR streaks across the sky.
ELLE
(quietly)
Do you know the stars in the sky?
ADAM
Mr. Gabriel assigned us research to learn them: There's Sirius:
(points)
It's bright red - and Adara - and there's Rigel:
(points)
And Betelgeuse - and Aldebaran - it's red, too - and there's the 'cluster-of-seven'
-
(points)
but that's not their name - and there's Capella:
(points)
And over there's Procyon -
(points)
and Pollux....
(looking around)
The stars appeared on the fourth-day-type ...
(surprised, points)
And a meteor!
(beat)
There are also lots of stars we can see from the other side:
(beat)
Mommy, will we get to visit the other side of the Earth?
ELLE
Not very soon, Adam - but eventually we may: we'll see how we like living
on this side - but, you remember what you told me about the planets revolving
around the sun?
ADAM
(ponders)
Yes -- oh: We don't have to go to the other side to see the other stars!
(exuberates at his discovery)
When will we see them?!
ELLE
In about a hundred and 83 days - maybe several times it takes for fruit
to grow on a bush or vine.
ADAM
(figures)
Then we will, see the other stars again.
ELLE
Yes, many times - maybe a thousand times again.
ADAM
Okay.
(redirects)
But, mommy, there were more stars on this side, before.
ELLE
From our spaceship, space is clear to see more stars - but on this planet
the deep sky hides most stars at night: most of the stars we see directly
are near our sun in the galaxy - and during the day the blue sky obscures
all but a few stars: Do you know which lights we see during the day? and
which of them are stars?
ADAM
The sun is the star nearest this planet, but what other stars?
(pauses)
And we see the moon, too, and maybe other planets.
ELLE
We may see comets and supernovae sometime.
ADAM
Mr. Gabriel said a supernova is a big star that burns-up like a billion
suns, all in six hours, and then glows brightly for a thousand times longer,
until it blows-away into space - and these are rare now.
ELLE
Rare, yes; but when the universe began there were very many.
ADAM
(pauses long)
Are there people like us living near every star? Or are they like the
sixth-day-type mankind?
ELLE
Sixth-day-type planets abound in the galaxy, but we must never endanger
their peoples with our technologies. Do you know why? or where their technology
comes-from?
ADAM
It comes from knowledge of planetary-surface physics.
ELLE
Right, you are - a thousand times too slow and too shallow for us.
ADAM
Will they ever become like us?
ELLE
In a thousand times as long before your adult-teeth come-in.
ADAM
How long is that?
ELLE
Maybe six or seven thousand years, they'll get their spacer-teeth. But
only if you help them, and never hurt them - never ever.
ADAM
(drowsily)
They'll be adults for a very long time.
(sleeps)
|
Later.... |
17-2 |
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