Mosiah's Moon (4) still want the bonus? Sal glares at the General, then at Anderson. ANDERSON I’d get crackin if I were you; she arrives within the hour. Sal stands and walks to the door. SAL Thanks for the vacation, General. BRIGS I’m sorry, Sal. Maybe next time. SAL Bullshit. Brigs waits until Sal has left the room before he speaks. BRIGS Now, . . . Captain Phillip? PHILLIP Yes, General? BRIGS Who is Marcus Garvey and what the bloody hell is he doing on my moon? Phillip has begun to turn pale. PHILLIP He’s a convicted murderer on a life sentence. He holds a bit of influence over the inmates. Warden Rogers thought he might be helpful in keeping the other inmates inline, so I . . . BRIGS So, you decided to disobey a direct order? (beat) (to Anderson) Oh well, kill two birds . . . ? ANDERSON Agreed. PHILLIP Excuse me, sirs? ANDERSON We cannot allow this mission to be compromised, Captain. Thanks to your Warden Rogers, Garvey’s people are going to be demanding someone’s skull on a platter. Once Gutierrez gives us what we want, we’ll no longer have a need for his mind, . . . or Garvey’s. PHILLIP We’re just going to kill them? BRIGS By not following orders, Captain, you’ve doubled our dilemma. The transfer plane was set to disappear over the Bermuda Triangle. Gutierrez’ undercover work already prevented us from adding his name to the manifest, now you’ve put a celebrity onboard. If we don’t bring them back, these investigations will never end; and we can’t very well bring them back alive, . . .now can we? Phillips is beginning to feel ill for real. BRIGS Don’t go soft on me now, Captain! PHILLIP Sir, . . .I’m not up for this. ANDERSON Relax. Two of my people will be going with you; they’ll handle the extractions, Captain. You’ll run clearance and interference. Phillip begins to calm down. BRIGS Now get a grip son! We’ve still got some details to punch out. PHILLIP What details? They’ll be dead! ANDERSON Upon your return, Phillip, you’ll need to plant the bodies. Phillips covers his mouth and runs from the room. Anderson and Brigs stare at one another. BRIGS He’ll be fine. ANDERSON He better be. We’re running out of support staff, General. I’m not at all comfortable with our cover. We need another councilman. INT. MOON PRISON DIG SITE A yellow triangular shaped pyre, the size of a house, is glowing in the center of a large cave. Wearing protective suites, guards and prisoners stare in awe at the structure while Marcus takes ion readings from its base. In front of the pyre, David has been studying hieroglyphic-like inscriptions on a limestone tablet, as Walker arrives. WALKER Good mornin’ Doc. So, this is what it looks like? A natural pile of plutonium. Kinda looks like gold, doesn’t it? David is engrossed in translating the tablet. DAVID That’s because it’s oxidized. This is some kind of manual. WALKER What? DAVID Operating instructions for a machine. WALKER Machine? What are you saying? DAVID This Sanskrit looks like 4th Dynasty, around 2500 BC; but it could be millions of years earlier. Your pile is only the top of a much larger structure. WALKER That’s really wild, doc. How big do you think it is? DAVID The measurements are expressed in cubits and decans. The height and base measurements are 720 Royal Cubits; the Great Pyramid. WALKER I've heard of cubits, but what the hell are decans? DAVID A decan was the major measuring unit of ancient Egypt's calendar. In astrology, it's 1/36 of the precession of the Zodiac, or 720 years. It's the name given to each third of an astrological sign. The first decan of a sign is governed by its natural ruler. The second and third decans are governed by the rulers of the signs in the same quality, in successive order. 720 Royal Cubits are exactly one decan or 1/36th of the 25,920 year precession of the astrological zodiac. WALKER Good gravy, Doc; speak English. As Walker scratches his head, David begins to laugh and stare at the pyre in awe. Walker What's so funny? DAVID Archeology, astrology. Beth was right all along! They do relate. (beat) Egyptians were not capable of such astrological measurements. WALKER So? DAVID Don't you see? The Great Pyramid measures the zodiac. The ancients who built it were in fact, precise mathematicians of the heavens. WALKER You mean they were aliens? DAVID Hardly. They were here first. WALKER Doc, ...how ...big ...is ...it? DAVID It has the exact dimensions as the Pyramid of Khufu: 230 meters on each side and 147 meters tall. WALKER A pyramid of pure plutonium! The Federation hit the mother lode. DAVID It’s the greatest discovery in mankind’s history. We’ll need to excavate the entire site. WALKER Whoa! Hold on there, doc. The Feds just want the plutonium. DAVID Well, there’s certainly enough of it here. In fact, there’s more than enough, to blow the entire moon straight to hell! And in case you skipped sixth grade, Walker, we need the moon. Without it, the earth gets sucked into the sun. I haven’t a clue what the extraction of ore will do. We’ll have to wait until we find out what the hell this is. As Marcus operates the Geiger counter, he is also reading David’s lips. WALKER So how long will an excavation like that take? DAVID In this density? A few weeks. WALKER I’ve got to tell Rogers. I guess there’s not much chance of anyone stealing it in the meantime? DAVID You can assure the Federation, . . .their stockpile’s secure. Suddenly Walker spots Marcus, raising his hands and kneeling before the pyre. When several other prisoners follow suite, Walker begins moving toward them. WALKER Aw shit! Here we go. Lieutenant, get them back! Back to work! Several guards carrying electric sticks move toward the prisoners. Marcus stands and motions to the prisoners. They stand and return to the task of removing rocks from the base of the pyre. Marcus resumes writing down Geiger counter readings. INT. PRISON MESS HALL Marcus is eating at his table when suddenly a fight breaks out between two prisoners. Walker waits for him to stop it. When he continues to eat, Walker moves to him. WALKER Whatcu gonna do, Garvey? Marcus glances at Walker, then at the prisoners, then resumes his meal. WALKER You want me to go over there? Walker motions to his guards. Once they begin to move in, Marcus suddenly claps his hands and the two stop fighting. Walker stares angrily at Marcus. When he pulls out his electric stick, every prisoner in the mess hall stands at once. Walker glares at them for a moment, then at Marcus. As he walks angrily away, Marcus smiles and continues to eat. INT. WARDEN’S OFFICE Marcus is staring at the office from his cell, reading Walker’s lips. Rogers is listening while Walker paces in front of his desk. WALKER He’s undermining my authority. Something needs to be done. He made a damn fool out of me! ROGERS I warned you about letting the inmates run my asylum. You’ve allowed him attitude, Mr. Walker. Now, we must alter that attitude. Summon our young medical student. Walker is heading for the door when he notices the light on the satellite monitor behind Rogers desk, BLINKING. WALKER Call comin’ in, sir. Rogers spins around in his chair. When he pushes a button, Anderson’s image appears on a monitor. The monitor is reflected in a mirror on the wall. ROGERS If you’ll excuse me, Mr. Walker? While Rogers waits for his privacy, Marcus continues to invade it. INT. AIRPORT SHUTTLE Beth and Sal are conversing in the back of a transport. BETH How long has he been missing? SAL I tried all last night, but no contact. IRO called me in this morning. When I heard you were in the area, I thought I better check in. BETH What the hell is he doing here? SAL They found an ancient Sanskrit; they wanted him to decipher it. BETH What’s so top secret about that? SAL References to space exploration. BETH Why aren’t they looking for him? SAL They don’t want attention drawn to site. Beth, they’ve given me just 48 hours to find him. BETH And then? SAL They’re already searching for a replacement. BETH Those bastards! Sensing her anxiety, Sal looks out the window. After a few moments, he moves back in. SAL Dave’s my best friend. Do you want to help me or not, Beth? Beth begins to cry. She stops abruptly. BETH No. I’ve got hundreds of people missing. I have an obligation. I can’t just abandon them. Sal 48 hours, Beth, that’s all he’s got. Then, it’s out of our hands. Sal hands her a handkerchief and she wipes her eyes. BETH Okay! Two days! Where do we start? SAL Near the temple of Khufu, in the Granite Valley. BETH Khufu? What’s he doing there? I thought Cairo recycled that? EXT. AIRSTRIP NIGHT Senator McCurry, Captain Phillip and the two IRO agents are boarding a shuttle plane. The agents are dressed as doctors. Both are carrying black medical bags. INT. WARDEN ROGERS OFFICE David is speaking to Edgar Anderson on the satellite monitor. Outside the office window, Rogers is chairing a prison assembly. As he reads the riot act to the inmates, Marcus reads Anderson and David’s lips. DAVID What the hell have you gotten me into Anderson? A secret prison, built with stolen funds, stocked with shanghaied prisoners! They’re gonna fry all our asses! ANDERSON They’re not going to find out. DAVID Oh really? ANDERSON Look around you, son. It’s way over both our heads. Now, tell me about the isotope. DAVID It’s stable. After 4500 years, there appears to be no decay. ANDERSON Shit. It’s got a shelf life of 50,000 years. Tell me something I don’t know. DAVID It’s a machine. ANDERSON A machine? What kind of a machine? DAVID I don’t know! I need more time . . . and more help. ANDERSON I can get you some help, but as for time, you’ve got 48 hours. After that, you’re coming home. DAVID You said two weeks. What the hell’s the damn rush? ANDERSON Either I get the analysis within 48 hours, or, you lose the money. DAVID (grinning) Sorry Mr. Ed, but my funds are offshore. ANDERSON In your Fiji Island account? DAVID Son-of-a-bitch. That’s my money! ANDERSON Just find out how it works! 48 hours, Guitar! Anderson out! EXT. GIZA PLATEAU, EGYPT DAY Sal and Beth are riding in a six-camel caravan. Once the caravan stops, they stare at the three giant pyramids. SAL I’ve been interested in this site for years. BETH In this god-forsaken place? Pray tell, Sal? SAL You see that one in the end? That’s Khufu. It was built in 2500 BC; the largest pyramid in the world. And it was beautiful, until construction on Cairo began in the 10th century. Hundreds of years and thousands of lives to build, yet it took only a few short years to completely strip the entire complex. Most of the other temples have disappeared. BETH You seem to know a lot; why didn’t they just send you? SAL Unfortunately, Beth, I can’t read Sanskrit. Look at the top; that’s all that’s left of the smooth lime- stone facing. It still thrills the shit out of me, every time I see it. BETH Cleanliness is next to godliness. SAL What? BETH Never mind. SAL Last contact came several days ago. He could be anywhere by now. There are at least a 100 galleries in there, all arranged in a comb-like pattern. BETH How in the hell are we supposed to find him in there? SAL We’ll have to search them all. BETH You said he was carrying an up- link. Can’t you hone in on it? SAL (slapping his pack) The moment he turns it on, Beth. The two return to the caravan and continue toward the site. INT. WARDEN’S OFFICE Rogers and David are conversing when Captain Walker enters. ROGERS Mr. Walker, it would seem the good doctor has been ordered to expedite his findings; he’ll be leaving us shortly. Until his departure, I want Mr. Garvey to act as his assistant. WALKER Garvey can be extremely dangerous. ROGERS Can you run the ion detector? WALKER No sir. But what makes you . . .? ROGERS Mr. Walker, we’ve been ordered to insure the safety of David’s mission. Garvey will detect and you will protect. Like it or not, for the next 48 hours, they will be working together . . . at an accelerated pace. WALKER Sorta like stink on shit? Walker turns to leave, but stops when Rogers continues. ROGERS Have Garvey train a replacement, . . . just in case. DAVID In case what? ROGERS In case something were to happen to him. I mean, who knows when we’ll see another . . . doctor? DAVID Edgar, I was checking through my equipment and I noticed my terre- phone was missing. ROGERS Yes, I know; it will be returned. DAVID Good, because I may need to make contact . . . ROGERS In 48 hours, . . . doctor. INT. SPACE STATION Phillips is escorting McCurry on an inspection tour while the two IRO agents perform cursory physical exams on the crew. INT. PYRAMID TOMBS In a darkened gallery, Beth is searching with a flashlight for clues to David’s disappearance. In another room, Sal is busy planting a soiled T-shirt beneath a ceiling beam. When he hears Beth coming, he quickly walks away. After she enters the room, her flashlight eventually falls on the shirt. BETH (picking it up) SAL! Look at this! SAL (running up) Whatcha got? BETH It’s David’s. SAL How do you know? BETH (smiling) He’s a pig. That’s grape juice. (beat) I wonder what it’s doing here? Beth glances suspiciously at Sal, as she continues her search. Shining her light at a ceiling beam, she discovers glyphs, depicting modern day flying machines. BETH Sal, what the hell is this? SAL It’s looks like a helicopter. Is that a . . .hovercraft? BETH Ancient Egyptians drew these? SAL In 2500 BC? Hardly. This must be why they sent David out here; to find out who did. When Beth hears a noise outside, she steps to the entrance and looks out. Behind their caravan, a group of dune buggies drive through the plateau. She raises an eyebrow. BETH Top secret, huh? SAL The more sensitive sites have less access. She moves her light to a glyph depicting a space ship. BETH The reference to space travel? SAL Well, at least we know we’re in the right place. The two continue forward into darker recesses of the tomb. SAL He could be trapped inside any one of these galleries so, you better watch your step. BETH You too, . . . Sal. EXT. JAMAICA FEDERATION EMBASSY JAMAICANS raise up “FREE GARVEY” signs, outside the compound. EXT. NEW YORK UNITED FEDERATION BUILDING Hundreds of picketers are demanding to know the whereabouts of the internationally-exchanged prisoners. Banners, plaques and signs call for information concerning their relatives. INT. MOON CAVE As David and Marcus work in an isolated corner of the cave, the remaining inmates excavate the pyre. David is analyzing data using a SPECTROMETER, sweeping dust from a large portion of a wall as he goes. From a few yards away, Walker eyes them both. Marcus finishes writing down Geiger readings on a clip board, then joins David at the wall. As the two survey the wall, they periodically eye one another. Suddenly Marcus finds something and waves David over. Once he arrives, Marcus points to a glyph of an ibis-headed man, carrying a pen and an ink holder. As David begins to scan it, Marcus presents his Jamaican accent. MARCUS 3D visualization spectrometer? It’s been years since I’ve seen one of those. DAVID (surprised) Well, this is all they have. I’d prefer . . . hey, you can talk? MARCUS You know, I saw you dropped out of college, but damn. DAVID I was told you didn’t . . .what the hell do you mean, you saw? MARCUS I read lips. DAVID Well, I’ll be. So that’s what all the starin’s about? You got Rogers thinkin’ he’s in a battle of wills, when all the time, you been tappin’ into his chatter? But now, you’re talking to me? MARCUS About the plans Rogers has for you, the ones Walker told you about? DAVID You know, I never even thought of that. From where you’re cell is, you can see the whole damn place too. I’ll bet you know everything that goes on around here, don’t you? MARCUS I know Rogers wants you to castrate a prisoner for him. DAVID Bullshit! . . . Who? MARCUS Me. DAVID For godsake . . .why? MARCUS The man’s a deviate; he’s very sick. Hell, the envy alone must must be eatin’ him alive. DAVID Envy? MARCUS Rogers doesn’t read lips. DAVID So? MARCUS So what the hell do you think he’s been starin’ at? DAVID Shit! Oh . . .shit! David walks a short distance and begins mumbling to himself. DAVID It’s the Edgar thing; I knew it! When he notices Walker staring at him, he returns. DAVID
Copyright © 1999 David Duane Fortner |