| 29 |
EXT - SHORE - SUNDOWN PASTEL HUES, MOON RISE
[nebulous-stereo is phase-contraverted]
ELLE is still sitting huddled the same:
(00:00 aah, first phase-piece)
ANGLE RETREAT: SLOWLY UP-BANK:
AND BETWEEN CROWDING CURTAINS OF OFFICERS' straight-dressed LEGS - AND:
(00:42+stretch 6sec gap: ahh)
HOLD while [OFFICER:NARRATOR] reviews Elle's credentials:
[NARRATOR]
(nebulous-stereo)
(vital-statistics)
Lieutenant Commander Elle Yachovech: InterSpace Forces: starship detail:
planet surface: planet Earth; Commendations: Twelve-Pleiads-star-cluster
diadem, royal-purple and gold-sun-burst epaulette; Recognitions: rogue-moon-dawn-rendezvous
knee-patch, highest class-honors ... widowed on active duty. |
(00:48 voice, strum, second phase-piece)
ANGLE-RISE (Still on Elle) SLOWLY UP BETWEEN CURTAINS OF straight-dressed LEGS, and
CLOSER DROPPING CURTAINS OF straight-dressed ELBOWS AND SHOULDERS - AND:
(01:18~+stretch 5sec end-note: clang)
LINGER NARROWLY BETWEEN while:
[NARRATOR]
(continues)
... Height: 5'9: Erect form: Complete outline: Mass: 160: Normal build.
Eyes: Blue; Hair: Brown... |
Mike's COMMUNICATOR TWINKLES-IN:
[OFFICER:COMMUNICATOR] reports progress:
[COMMUNICATOR]
(normal-stereo)
Sir: We have one of the watchers. Another is three miles northward leaving
four miles per hour - third telemetry is non-respondent. |
COMMUNICATOR TWINKLES-OUT, AS:
Elle shrieks! Leaps-turns back-away half-into the water: hands on shore-mud:
cowers crouched, glaring back:
Then hesitantly:
ELLE
(recognizes, exasperates)
Mr. Michael!? |
ANGLE-RISE: CLEAR CURTAINS OF SHOULDERS TO BETWEEN HEADS: REVEALING:
CMDR MICHAEL standing nearby-right: watching her:
(01:23 voice - third phase-piece)
ANGLE FORWARD-CLEAR: HEADS, AS: Elle runs up:
But halts just before his image, bleary-eyed:
Muddy finger-touches the reality of Mike's chest:
And lunge-embraces him:
ANGLE: Elle sobs, hugging-hanging on Mike - mouthing almost words.
ANGLE: SLOWLY CLOSE-IN ON FACES: Elle, Mike, as they ready to dialog:
ELLE
(teared articulates)
I'm sorry ... Mr. Michael ... I understand, now.
MIKE
Elle: Dear one: It's alright: We've been watching for an opportunity to
reach you....
ELLE
(surprised, leans head back)
What?! How long, have you been watching?
MIKE
(leans head back)
A few years: while we've been parametrizing the planet surface....
ELLE
(checking her beliefs)
Years!? And you didn't.... Where did you go?!
MIKE
We regrouped and rebuilt at Venus, after the city-ship was destroyed
entering the Earth's atmosphere.
ELLE
Oh: That's what I felt - oh, I'm sorry.... Did Mr. Gabriel get back all right?
MIKE
(shakes no)
No: We didn't see him: We thought he might have stayed with you and Adam....
ELLE
(shakes no)
But he didn't - he didn't return - he ...
(winces)
Where could he have gone? The shuttle had sufficient fissionables for
ten launches to orbit - or two years of continuous atmospheric flying -
I cross-moded it: Didn't he ever radio you?!
MIKE
(shakes no)
No: No distress-beacon: No crash-beacon.... We've waited and monitored
every frequency around the Earth, daily for years: But we couldn't detect
him - which is one reason we stayed-off.
ELLE
(hesistant)
But he could have returned to help us - we haven't had any trouble
here with the native inhabitants - no run-ins with spacer-types.
MIKE
We were being extremely cautious, Elle, to avoid any possibility.
ELLE
But do you suppose ... could they have ... was he captured?
MIKE
No indication, Elle: We had our own troubles with them, but we found them
highly fragmentatious and in need of cohesive leadership.
ELLE
You've met them!?
MIKE
Yes, and joined communities in this solar system out to beyond the Pluton
watering-hole: They are compliant with reason, to the extent of their trust
in their better sciences.
ELLE
Why did they hit us when we came? Were they at war?
MIKE
Not really.... They suffer a general autism, a fast-planetary mind-set
- much as Adam ... we learned that gradually - he wasn't suited for spacer-living:
Earth is really the best choice for, him....
(pauses)
ELLE
Eve - is adaptable to any mental regime.... I wish we
had more interbreeding for them - but they'll survive: They're children:
This planet is their home and school.
MIKE
You can visit them anytime you wish.
ELLE
(eyes sparkle)
Then I shall.
(kisses his cheek lightly)
And we shall return and scour the wildernesses for Mr. Gabriel.
MIKE
(brightens)
Would you like to resume your duty station presently? Lieutenant Commander.
ELLE
(nods yes, stands back erect)
Yes, Sir! |
Elle eyes down Mike's shirt-front: grimaces:
Mike self-inspects shirt-front mud-smear: Flicks it:
ELLE
Oh - Mister Michael! You've never seen dirt!
(gleefully takes Mike's hand)
Come! I'll show you how we clean in water, on a habitable planet. |
Elle pulls-leads Mike down to the waters' edge:
Then releasing his hand, runs-dives-in and under.
She comes back up clean, hair swept-back.
And wades to the water's edge:
Carries-up a hand of water: And wipes Mike's
shirt mud-smears: while continuing conversation,
both giggling happy ad lib:
ELLE
Did you see that supernova six years ago?
MIKE
(helps wipe shirt: giggling)
It's 3 light-years away: dimmed by its solar plane, edge-on:
Blueshift measures 2 thousand years before quartz dust
arrives, seeding global rains and the solar photo spectra - another
4 thousand years before radio-thorium components arrive. We might
leave before then - at least return to space for the duration. We've
parametrized the nearby giant stars for supernova in the next
few millennia: None significant.... |
Mike's COMMUNICATOR TWINKLES-IN: [OFFICER:COMMUNICATOR] advisories:
[COMMUNICATOR]
Sir: We're finishing load - and, Sir: This geo-region is still unstable:
Leisure-time has been canceled - ship-science-scan is estimating more local
sub-ground activity within the hour.
MIKE
(into voice-link)
We're coming:
(looks into Elle's eyes)
Presently.
ELLE
(nods yes)
Directly.
[COMMUNICATOR]
Yes, Sir: Very well: End-out. |
COMMUNICATOR TWINKLES-OUT. |
29 |
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