[Closeup, wider than before, on the Girl’s head. Her eyes follow the flight path of the bird.]

Entranced, she turns to question an unseen individual.

GIRL: “Mommy, can we go to the park?”

MOTHER (O.S.): “Not yet, honey. I’m working on something. We’ll go in a bit.”

The girl briefly stares at a woman in her 30s who shares her dark hair and eyes. She’s seated at a desk in a lower section of their ultra-modern CREW QUARTERS. It’s an inviting living space that also serves as an office. Focused, the Mother taps at her console.

The Girl stands and quickly skips along an upper deck. The room is wrapped entirely by windows that look out onto the green trees — a scene that looks far too perfect to be real.

[The Girl walks along the upper deck past her Mother.]

[The Mother’s eyes glance from the screen to watch her daughter’s approach.]

[As the Girl continues walking, the entire room is revealed.]

The Girl reaches the steps leading into the pit and bounds down.

The Mother notices and smiles, beckoning to her lap.

The Girl hops on and stares at a series of images on screen.

One by one, video feeds of hibernating COLONISTS scroll by.

The Girl looks on in fascination at the frozen faces seen through ports in PROTECTIVE CAPSULES. They’re folks of varied age and race representing the entire spectrum of humanity.

GIRL: “They look cold.”

MOTHER: “That’s because they are.”

GIRL: “Who are they?”

MOTHER: “Survivors.”

GIRL: “From where?”

MOTHER: “Earth, honey.”

[The image of a woman colonist appears on the monitor.]

GIRL: “Like you and Daddy?”

With sadness the Mother looks at a PHOTO to the right of her monitor. It’s her with a man smiling and holding a baby.

MOTHER: “Yes… but unlike us, they were asleep when they came aboard.”

[Cut back to the monitor screen, displaying another COLONIST’S slumbering face.]

GIRL (O.S.): “And you keep them alive?”

MOTHER: “Sort of. I’m in charge of the systems that keep them alive. Someday, I’ll take you there and show you. Would you like that?”

GIRL: “Sure!”

The Girl glances at a model of COLONY ONE — a massive interstellar spacecraft — on the desk to their left. Beside
it are a number of small toy vehicles.

The Girl jumps off her mom’s lap and takes one of the toys– an AEROFOX shuttlecraft — and flies it around in her hand.

GIRL: (flying it around) “Is that scary?”

MOTHER: “Is what scary?”

GIRL: “Taking care of them.”

[Insert shot of Girl’s hand grasping the toy AeroFox.]

[The Mother gets to her knees in front of her daughter.]

MOTHER: “No more than looking after you.”

MOTHER: “Honey, we’re out here on a long trip to preserve life and make a new one.”

[As she hugs her Mother, the Girl’s eyes look at the AeroFox toy.]

MOTHER: “I care about them.”

[Tight closeup on the Girl’s eyes.]

MOTHER: “I care about you.”

MOTHER: “Every life is important.”

The Girl tries to make sense of it all. She looks down at the toy in her hand. She rotates it, pondering thoughtfully.

JUMP CUT TO: THE PRESENT.

[Tight closeup on the eyes of an adult woman.]

The toy is now a wireframe diagnostic COMPUTER GRAPHIC of the AeroFox spacecraft rotating on a monitor inside the cockpit of a real version of the same ship.

[Full shot of the woman’s head as she gazes lost in thought.]

DARCY CLARKE — a fit, 20-something version of the Girl — is wearing a trim gold and black flight suit, and is seated at the controls of the craft. She stares at the display, lost in thought.

An unseen male VOICE attempts to grab her attention.

VOICE: “Darcy, I need you to confirm the final flight plan. (Snapping his fingers) Darcy!”

Clarke is irritated by the interruption. Shaking off the memory, she refocuses, responding to a bearded and tired-eyed man in his 80s: CAPTAIN ISAAC BOVA — her adopted parent.

CLARKE (annoyed): “Jeez, Dad! We’ve been over it four * times. Flight plan confirmed.”

BOVA (ON SCREEN): “Thank you. Was that so hard?”

Clarke laughs at the Captain with a warm familiarity.

CLARKE: “Hey, instead of nagging me from the bridge, why don’t you come down to the launch bay. Do it face-to-face.”

BOVA: (ON SCREEN) “I’m sorry, peanut. It’s just…”

CLARKE: “Just what?”

BOVA: “It’s going to be a rough three days. One hell of a first mission.”

CLARKE: “You don’t think I’m ready?”

BOVA: “I didn’t say that.”

The rich voice of OMNI, the ship’s computer, fills the cabin with authority. His animated infinity symbol floats on one of Clarke’s forward monitors as he speaks.

OMNI: “Tank pressurization complete.”

CLARKE: “Copy that, Omni.” (back to Bova) “Please don’t worry about me.”

Clarke glances to a CREW MEMBER at another station.

CLARKE: (quietly) “Worry about Baxter.”

[Cut to inside the Command Center.]

BOVA: “I am. But, there’s no other choice.”

CUT TO an image of the astronaut Clarke was referring to: TANYA BAXTER — a 60-something systems engineer — is seen via a monitor on Captain Bova’s instrument-laded CONSOLE in the BRIDGE of Colony One.

Bova observes with concern as Baxter — clad in a tight hibernation suit — sleeps in her crash couch onboard the AeroFox.

BOVA: “She’s the only one who can get that shield operational in time.”

A determined Clarke is seen on a screen at the opposite end of his station. Bova turns his attention back to her.

CLARKE (ON SCREEN): “I’ll make sure that she does.”

Bova smiles in agreement, switching off Baxter. He’s wearing a formal version of Clarke’s flight suit and is seated in a elevated CAPTAIN’S CHAIR.

BOVA: “I know you will.”

The Command Center is bordered in giant, floor-to-ceiling displays that surround the bridge with real-time data and camera views of key ship interior and exterior sections.

Sensing tension, Clarke is determined to reassure Bova.

CLARKE (ON SCREEN): “In the meantime, if anyone can hold things together a while longer, it’s you. Just a few more weeks.”

Bova is clearly emotional over something big and unsaid.

BOVA: “Well… I’ve run out of chewing gum and duct tape. But, you’re right.”

Bova looks around at the surrounding ship with admiration. Crew members of varied ages and ethnicities work at nearby stations and on a lower platform.

BOVA: “The old girl is almost home.”

CLARKE (ON SCREEN): “We all are.”

Wistful, Bova refocuses on the mission at hand. He scans a geological survey of their target planet.

BOVA: “You’ll be the first people to see Proxima B up close. When you reach orbit, I need you to confirm the richest vein of copper.”

Back inside the AeroFox, the planet reference leads Clarke to another memory.

She glances at a trading card with the image of a statue from Easter Island affixed to her console.

CLARKE: “Will do. “

CLARKE: “Then we can use it to target the first mining operation. (back to business) Okay, let me and Omni get through this pre-flight before the launch window closes.”

BOVA (ON SCREEN): “Of course.”

A muffled moan causes Clarke to shoot a concerned glance toward Baxter — who is seated 120 degrees away from her.

The engineer has begun to stir, awakening groggily.

BAXTER: “Jesus…”

KYLE NIVEN, a 20-something med-tech, wearing the same uniform as Clarke, drifts to Baxter’s side.

[A floating Niven faces away from the camera, hanging in front of a strapped-in Baxter.]

Bright-eyed yet sheepish, he flashes her a friendly grin.

In the background, Clarke and Omni continue through a verbal pre-flight checklist.

NIVEN: “Doing okay, Ms. Baxter?”

BAXTER (barely comprehending): “Not sure… Did we make it?”

While using the same color scheme as the other uniforms, Baxter’s close-fitting unitard is different. It features a medical display on the chest and electrodes across the body.

NIVEN: “Not quite.”

BAXTER (coughing): “Then, why’d you thaw me out?”

NIVEN: “Couldn’t be helped.”

Niven holds a medical SCANNER, passing it over Baxter’s torso. Baxter slowly becomes aware that she’s strapped into a padded crash couch. She fights to focus her vision.

BAXTER: “And, who might you be?”

NIVEN: “Astrophysicist slash Med-Tech Kyle Niven at your service. Thirsty?”

BAXTER: “Sure. Got any coffee?”

Niven closes the scanner, placing it on his belt.

From beside it, he grabs and opens a DISC filled with GLOBES OF WATER.

He plucks one, allowing it to float as he closes the container.

NIVEN: “How about little water instead?”

Niven snags the globule, offering it to Baxter.

She opens her mouth as Niven taps the sphere toward her.

Baxter chews through the edible shell of the sphere, gulping water.

BAXTER (talking with mouth full): “If we aren’t there yet, then where the hell are we?”

Baxter: (looking around) “And why am I waking up in an AeroFox?”

NIVEN: “Relax, we made it to the Proxima system. You’ll learn the rest during the mission briefing.”

Baxter shifts angrily. It’s not the answer she’s looking for.

BAXTER: “When is that?”

NIVEN: “Soon. Don’t worry. This trip will be quick. Then we’ll get you back before the real fun begins.”

BAXTER: “Get me back..?’ You won’t even tell me where we’re going.”

Niven smiles apologetically and pats Baxter on the shoulder.

NIVEN: “I better strap in.”

Niven descends to the lower section to stow his scanner in a dispensary in the wall. Above him, having finished her pre-flight check, Clarke reinstates her conversation with Bova.

CLARKE: “Okay, Dad… The board is green.”

[Camera pans right to show Clarke]

BOVA (ON SCREEN): “Understood. Listen, before you go, we just confirmed the bad news.”

Back aboard Colony One, Bova glances toward a large screen showing the projected flight paths of his ship and Clarke’s.

BOVA: “During our final braking maneuver, Colony One will pass so close to the star, the radiation will likely disrupt communications.”

CLARKE (ON SCREEN): “That’s what the FoxSats are for. We’ll deploy all three on our first orbit.”

Inside the AeroFox, Clarke is ready to go. Bova is impressed.

BOVA : “The Clarkes would be proud of you.”

Clarke is taken off-guard by the unexpected reference.

CLARKE: “You think so?”

BOVA : “I know so. As am I.”

CLARKE: “Thank you, sir.”

Listening in the background, Niven plays with a tiny, antique GYROSCOPE — vintage 1900s — that floats in front of his face.

He snags it out of the air.

CLARKE (offscreen):“Permission to disembark, Captain?”

On Colony One, Bova nods with pride.

MOBILE OMNI – a roaming version of the ship’s computer rolls by in the background.

BOVA: “You’re cleared for launch.”

In the AeroFox, Clarke grasps the control stick.

CLARKE: “Separation on my mark.”

Baxter grabs her safety harness and mutters to herself.

BAXTER: “Why is this happening?”

She shoots Niven a glance. He gives her a thumbs up.

Pressing buttons, Clarke completes the undocking sequence.

CLARKE: “Disconnect in three, two, one.”

The vehicle fires its maneuvering thrusters and moves away.

[The camera follows the AeroFox’s progress as it strafes to the left.]

[The AeroFox continues to taxi away form the mothership. Behind, the interconnected girders and support trusses that line Colony One’s hemisphere are visible.]

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Clarke activates a series of commands.

She turns to the crew.

CLARKE: “Everyone get ready for the pain.”

[Close-up of Clarke’s hand on joystick.]

Baxter squeezes her eyes shut while Niven tensely clutches his gyroscope.

[Closeup of Niven’s fingers as they curl around the gyroscope.]

The craft trembles violently. The sound of engines roars through the cabin.

[Closeup of Baxter.]

[Closeup of Niven.]

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

The rumbling continues for an eternity. The crew hold on for their lives, straining against the acceleration.

Clarke’s thumb floats above red button on her joystick.

CLARKE: “Main engine cut off in three… Two… One… Mark!”

She presses it. The vibrations stop.

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

The view from Clarke’s window abruptly clears revealing the gulf of space.

She is awed by the expanse.

Baxter watches as the fast packs dwindle in the distance.

BAXTER: “At Alpha Centauri less than five minutes. Already dumping garbage.”

Clarke overhears Baxter and responds facetiously.

CLARKE: “They’ll be retrieved.”

BAXTER: “I bet.”

Clarke ignores her. Her forward display indicates a long, curving orbital path. She reestablishes radio contact.

CLARKE: “Colony One, burn complete.”

CLARKE: “On course for Proxima B.”

BOVA (ON SCREEN): “Copy, AeroFox Two. As soon as Baxter is coherent, I want to brief her on the situation we’re facing.”

CLARKE (frowning): “Roger that. She’s already… awake. I’ll put on the Autobrew for her and we’ll be in touch. AeroFox out.”

EXT. SPACE

The AeroFox leaves Colony One behind. Up head, the crescent of a large, rocky planet can be seen. In the distance beyond is the flaming orb and solar prominences of a red dwarf star.

NIVEN: “Still in one piece.”

BAXTER: “Let’s not do that again.”

CLARKE: “Sure. Not for another…” (looks at the clock) “Thirty-two minutes.”

An irritated Baxter shifts uncomfortably. She wants answers.

BAXTER: “Guys, seriously. Why am I here?”

Clarke turns toward Baxter for a formal introduction.

CLARKE: “Engineer Baxter, I’m Commander Darcy Clarke of the Colony One Air Group. The Captain woke you because you’re the leading member of the shield team.”

BAXTER: “‘Leading member’? I designed it.”

NIVEN (Sensing Tension): “Unfortunately, it’s not working.”

BAXTER: “What the hell’s wrong with it?”

Instead of explaining, Clarke gets down to business.

CLARKE: “Omni, please reconfigure Baxter while I contact Colony One.”

OMNI: “Reconfiguring now.”

Baxter’s seat slides backward as Clarke presses buttons, reestablishing radio contact with the mothership.

CLARKE (O.S.): “Colony One, AeroFox Two. Ready for mission briefing.”

Over the speakers, Colony One’s female COMM OFFICER responds.

COMM OFFICER: (COMM VOICE) “We copy AeroFox Two. Connecting you to the Captain.”

Baxter realizes the gravity of speaking with her commanding officer in her current condition.

BAXTER (to Clarke): “Hey, where’s that AutoBrew you mentioned?”

BAXTER: “You want me talkin’ to the boss, gonna need some coffee.”

A frustrated Clarke presses a button; her seat moves away from its console.

A steadily-awakening Baxter aligns with a screen above the science station as it reveals Captain Bova.

BOVA: (ON SCREEN) “Ms. Baxter. It’s Captain Isaac Bova. It’s been fifty years. I hope I’m still as dashing as you remember…”

BAXTER: “Good to see you, sir. You don’t look a day over thirty-five.”

[EXTERIOR SHOT OF COLONY ONE]

On Colony One, Bova smiles and laughs.

BOVA: “But, hell… It’s not the years, it’s the kilometers.”

BAXTER (ON SCREEN): “Well, I wouldn’t complain much. You’ve only logged forty trillion.”

BOVA: “Yes. Something like that.”

On the AeroFox, a floating Clarke activates the ship’s FOOD STATION. She retrieves an AutoBrew and fills it with water.

BOVA (ON SCREEN): “Ms. Baxter, you should rest, so I’ll cut to the chase. There’s a problem on Proxima B and I need
your help.”

BAXTER (coughing): “Call me Tanya…”

Niven observes the briefing on his station as well.

BOVA: (ON SCREEN) “Alright, Tanya…”

On-screen, Bova taps a button. An animation replaces him.

BOVA: (VOICE ONLY) “The issue is with your shield.”

BOVA: (VOICE ONLY) “The towers we launched from Earth prior to our departure made it to the planet successfully.”

A series of automated craft travel from Earth to Proxima Centauri.

BOVA: (VOICE ONLY) “All were operational after landing.”

The crafts land at various spots on a gray-brown planet. The graphic shows a network of nodes spread out across the face of a brownish-auburn planet.

BOVA: (VOICE ONLY) “By now, they should be generating a low-frequency E-M field strong enough to protect the sunward face from the dwarf star’s radiation.”

[In the midst of listening, Baxter looks up to see the red dwarf star though the window.]

[Through Baxter’s window, the red glow of Proxima Centauri is seen.]

Bova reappears on the monitor.

BOVA: (ON SCREEN) “Unfortunately, they aren’t. The system is active, but a large number of nodes are nonfunctional.”

BAXTER: “I don’t understand. Any idea why?”

[In the background, Clarke moves toward Baxter.]

On Colony One, Bova becomes frustrated as he recounts the circumstances. Clearly, the stakes are high.

BOVA: “We haven’t a clue. We’ve tried for weeks, but are unable to fix it remotely. This is why I woke you.”

Back on the AeroFox, Clarke drifts up to Baxter’s side, holding a clear, pear-shaped container of dark liquid.

CLARKE: “Careful, that’s hot.”

Baxter takes it, leaning forward. She gulps it down as if she hadn’t had coffee in decades. Bova continues.

BOVA: (ON SCREEN) “It’s your design.”

[Back on Colony One, Bova speaks gravely.]

BOVA: “I need you to access the system and do whatever it takes to get that shield online.”

Back on Bova’s console screen, Baxter nods thoughtfully, attentive and serious. The transmission is staticky.

BOVA (O.S.): “I’ve got twenty thousand people up here counting on this mission.”

BOVA: (gravely) “No shield. No colony. No future.”

[Baxter is overwhelmed.]

BAXTER (ON SCREEN): “No shit.”

Bova nods and responds in kind. He’s in the trenches as well.

BOVA: “No shit, indeed. As a wise man once said…”

Aboard the AeroFox, Bova is fuzzy and harder to discern.

BOVA: (ON SCREEN) “‘Failure is not an option’.”

Baxter frowns. The situation hits her like a ton of bricks.

[In the background,] Clarke grabs handholds, making her way back to her seat.

BAXTER: (sitting back, determined) “I’ll pull myself together and see what I can do.”

Clarke straps back in and returns to her flight position.

BOVA: (ON SCREEN) (barely intelligible) “That’s the spirit. Look… We’re nearly out of range. This will be our last chat for a while. Good–”

The transmission cuts out.

Clarke checks the comm-system.

CLARKE: “That’s it… We lost him.”

Baxter leans back in her seat, finishing his sentence.

BAXTER: “Yeah. ‘Good luck’.”

Inside Colony One, the Captain’s spirit of warmth and encouragement is replaced with a cold sense of dread.

OMNI: “AeroFox Two has entered L-O-S.”

BOVA: “Understood. Thank you, Omni.”

Bova glances at a monitor showing the course of the AeroFox’s into orbit of Proxima B. Clarke weighs heavily on his soul.

BOVA: “Safe journey.”

INT – Baxter ponders the situation as Niven talks to himself.

NIVEN: “Persephone.”

Clarke overhears and rolls her eyes.

Baxter is inquisitive.

BAXTER: “What did you say?”

NIVEN: “The Captain said ‘Proxima B’. The planet’s called Persephone.”

BAXTER: “Persephone? Since when?”

CLARKE: (laughing) “Since he changed it.”

NIVEN: “It sounds better and you know it!”

CLARKE: “If you say so.”

BAXTER: “Uh, guys… I couldn’t care less. We need to get to work. Omni?”

Baxter’s seat moves back to her station..

OMNI: “I’ve pulled up the relevant data.”

BAXTER: “Good. When we’re in range, link-up with the shield computer. I want to see where Colony One left off.”

Niven scans the primary Omni interface above his station.

OMNI: “Understood. However, if remote access is unsuccessful, we may be required to land.”

Baxter frowns at the thought. Niven jumps on the idea.

NIVEN: “Good thing I packed enviro-suits.”

BAXTER: “Um… No thanks. No landing for me.” (nauseated) “Barely handling this as it is.”

CLARKE: “I get it.” (turning to Niven) “We discussed the possibility, but we only land if we have to.”

NIVEN: (bummed) “Fine. We come all this way and–“

CLARKE: (interrupting) “You’re going to spend your entire life on that planet. You’ll be down there soon enough!”

Baxter has a sudden coughing fit.

Empathetic, Niven slides his chair out of flight position and unbuckles his seatbelt.

He floats to the cockpit’s lower level and pulls a med-kit from the wall.

Opening it, he grabs a HYPODERMIC dispenser.

[Baxter is wracked by another series of coughs.]

[Niven floats back up to Baxter.]

NIVEN: “This should help with the nausea. We call it ‘Popsicle Sickness’ — a side effect of hibernation.”

He administers a shot to Baxter’s neck.

BAXTER: (incredulous) “‘Popsicle’?”

NIVEN: “What we call you colonists.”

BAXTER: “Wow. Thanks a lot…”

NIVEN: (laughing) “Sorry! We needed something to differentiate you guys from us.”

Baxter surveys Niven and Clarke with a pleasant realization.

BAXTER: “Ah… So, you’re the kids of the crew who stayed awake?”

NIVEN: “Yep. Us and thirty others.”

BAXTER: “Must have been something growing up out here.”

NIVEN: “You bet it was.”

Overhearing the chat, a wave of emotions flash across Clarke’s face as if plagued by a negative memory.

Omni suddenly pipes in with urgency.

OMNI: “Detecting an X-Class solar flare. It will arrive in ten minutes.”

A graphic on Clarke’s console indicates an approaching storm of deadly radiation.

Clarke briefly laughs and turns in Niven’s direction.

CLARKE: “Ha! Told ya’. You owe me. One month of your fruit allocation. And I’m talkin’ the real stuff… Not synthesized.” (gesturing) “Pay up.”

Niven pops the hypo onto his belt in feigned anger.

NIVEN: “Like I brought blueberries with me!”

BAXTER: “What are you guys talking about?”

CLARKE: “‘Mister Optimist’ here bet me that we could make it to the planet without a flare erupting. He lost.”

A defeated Niven drifts back to his seat.

BAXTER: “That’s nice, but what are we gonna do about it?”

CLARKE: “What do you mean?”

BAXTER: (irritated) “This ship is a lander. It doesn’t have the radiation shielding for a long-duration flight.”

NIVEN: “True. But, as always, Darcy has a plan.”

CLARKE: “Indeed, I do. Strap in.”

[Baxter steels herself.]

[Clarke prepare to fire the main engine.]

[Close-up on Clarke’s right hand as she presses the button to engage.]

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

The cockpit goes dark with the exception of internal lights.

[Close-up on Niven.]

CLARKE: “We’ll stay in the planet’s shadow until it passes.”

BAXTER: “Nice.”

Clarke checks her instruments and shudders uncomfortably.

CLARKE: “God…”

NIVEN: “What?”

CLARKE: “I’ve never seen anything so black.”

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Clarke moves her controller to rotate the ship. The view shifts.

CLARKE: “And, look at that.”

Clarke notices flashing on the edge of the planet.

NIVEN: “Yeah. Lightning. Perpetual storms caused by the temperature variance on the day-night line.”

Baxter bristles at an undisclosed memory.

BAXTER: “That’s nothing compared to what it was like when we left Earth.”

[Niven and Clarke exchange a look as they observe the maelstrom below.]

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

The cabin — now filled with funky bass tones — is illuminated by the auburn light of Proxima Centauri.

An irritable Baxter reviews computer files on the shield problem.

[Baxter taps on the keyboard as graphics and data move on her monitors.]

CLARKE: “When I said you could play music, I didn’t mean classical. Where do you even find this stuff?”

Niven floats at the SCIENCE STATION in the lower section of the craft. He stares into the viewing hood of a telescope.

NIVEN: “In the archives. Some of us actually study Earth history.”

NIVEN: “The good news is… I made a special playlist just for this mission. You’re gonna love it!”

Baxter is staying out of it; Clarke rolls her eyes.

CLARKE: “Great.”

NIVEN: (looking up) “Ms. Baxter, wanna see something?”

BAXTER: “Down there?”

NIVEN: “I promise it’s worth it.”

Baxter’s chair lowers and she unbuckles reluctantly.

As she drifts down, she grabs a nearby handle before knocking into the wall.

Niven reaches up and pulls her to his side.

Baxter grabs the viewing hood and squints into it. Niven observes.

NIVEN: “I’ve wanted to view them up close since I was a kid.”

[He crosses to the left side of the science station.]

CLARKE: “What are you talking about?!”

An excited Niven smiles and flicks a couple of switches. The sunward-face of Persephone pops up on screens throughout the craft.

NIVEN: “The geoglyphs.”

[The same image appears’s on Clarke’s monitor.]

The brownish-gray planet is crisscrossed with a series of dark, straight lines. They stand out against the arid landscape. Some areas are less prominent than others.

CLARKE: “Ugh…”

NIVEN: “The geoglyphs.”

CLARKE: “…Those again.”

Niven ignores her, straining at the image.

NIVEN: “They look different. Shriveled up.”

Baxter is amazed, looking back and forth between Niven and the images of the geoglyph.

BAXTER: “Wow. You really have studied them.”

NIVEN: “Enough to know they’ve changed since the old probe images. I want to know why.”

CLARKE: (scoffing) “As long as there’s enough of that stuff for us to build a civilization, who cares?”

Niven points at the screen angrily.

NIVEN: “We should! Jesus, Darcy. Can we do a little science before you go digging up the place?”

CLARKE: (facetious) “Sure! Snap a few geo-scans for me? That’s science, right?”

NIVEN: “Those patterns are more than just mineral deposits!”

BAXTER: “And, what do you think they are?”

[Niven floats up toward the large monitor as he turns his head to address Baxter.]

NIVEN: “Signs of extraterrestrial life.”

Baxter backs away from the console.

BAXTER: “Come on…”

Niven toggles the telescope instruments, zooming in.

NIVEN: “Seriously! They’re perfect. There for eons. Next to huge volcanoes. And, somehow completely free of ash! What could cause that?”

A panel on the wall lights up as Omni joins the discussion.

OMNI: “The initial landers indicated they were statically-charged mineral deposits.”

OMNI: “Hence, the lack of dust.”

CLARKE: “Exactly. Thank you, Omni.”

BAXTER: “Hmmm… It is a tidally-locked exo-planet orbiting a dwarf star. Who knows how gravitational forces might shape its surface?”

NIVEN: (increasingly livid) “You can’t tell me you don’t see massive alien art down there!”

BAXTER: “Who made it? There’s nothing alive on Proxima B, except the algae we seeded.”

[Baxter uses the bars on the station to cross to her seat.]

BAXTER: “No one’s ever lived there.”

NIVEN: (reaching) “I didn’t say anyone lived there.”

NIVEN: “Maybe someone… stopped by and… I don’t know… Just did it.”

An amused Baxter returns to her seat.

BAXTER: “Sure. Makes total sense.”

CLARKE: “Yeah, Kyle. It was aliens.”

A disappointed Niven gives up. He taps a button to shut off the telescope feed, and heads back to his seat.

[Niven floats toward his seat.]

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Baxter coordinates with Clarke as she activates systems.

BAXTER: “Hold this orbit.”

BAXTER: “Omni, establish a link with the primary shield node.”

A schematic of the node rotates on-screen.

OMNI: “Link established. Accessing data.”

Baxter zooms in. The code shows numerous random errors.

BAXTER: “What the hell?”

BAXTER: “The subroutines that regulate power flow are disabled.”

CLARKE: “How is that possible?”

BAXTER: “Back-ups are offline as well.”

BAXTER: “I have to reinstall the O-S.”

OMNI: “While you do that, I will analyze–“

Omni suddenly rages with a bizarre outburst.

OMNI: “No… This is not… NO!”

NIVEN: “Omni! What’s wrong?”

OMNI: “Frag… Fragmentation!”

The lights of the Omni interface begin flashing randomly.

Instrumentation follows suit — including loud alert tones. The crew watch in stunned fascination.

[Cut to Clarke’s face.]

[Cut to Niven as he struggles to understand what is happening.]

Then, the main cabin illumination dims and is replaced with red emergency lights.

[Baxter reacts to the emergency lights.]

NIVEN: “Omni? Omni, respond!”

Silence.

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Inside the cabin, with Omni out of order, Niven pulls a manual release and pushes from his seat.

[Close shot of Niven pulling back the manual release lever on his seat.]

[Niven’s chair drops back toward the ship’s rear.]

[Now in position, Niven pushes from his seat in the low gravity.]

He drifts to the science station.

The computer remains silent.

[Niven examines the science station for a clue as to Omni’s malfunction.]

[Baxter turns her head in Niven’s direction.]

BAXTER: “What’s going on?!”

NIVEN: “He’s offline.”

Without warning, the ship bucks wildly!

Niven attempts to grab a handhold and fails.

Above him, Clarke flies into action, checking her glitch-ridden instrumentation.

CLARKE: “What the hell?”

[As the cabin shakes, Baxter holds on for dear life.]

CLARKE (O.S.): “Thrusters firing!”

Unable to grab a handle, Niven drifts uncontrollably and slams into the side of the ship’s lavatory.

[Niven’s body connects with a painful thump.]

INT –

Niven is tossed away from the bulkhead and rammed into the central column!

[Niven’s chest connects with the central column.]

[His momentum flips him around the pole’s axis, sending Niven head over heels.]

[Niven hits the wall along the food dispensary area.]

His painful cry catches Baxter’s attention. She moves to help.

BAXTER: “Kyle!”

[Clarke stills tries desperately to control the ship.]

CLARKE: “Stay in your seat!”

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Clarke wrenches on the controls.

CLARKE: “I can’t null this out…”

Below, Niven clutches his abdomen.

[Close on Baxter. She is worried for Niven’s predicament, but slightly relieved to see he has secured himself against the bulkhead.]

Clarke scans her controls and thinks of a possible solution.

CLARKE: “I’m firing the main engine! Only way to override the O-M-S!”

Fighting the spin, Clarke activates the propulsion system.

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Clarke slowly gains ground against the malfunction.

[Beneath her, Niven rides it out in pain.]

INT. COCKPIT

Clarke checks the ship’s trajectory and blows a quick sigh of relief. Niven drifts below in pain.

Baxter cranes to see him.

BAXTER: “You okay?”

NIVEN: “Wow. That hurt…” (up at Baxter) “But, yeah… I’m good.”

Niven slowly makes his way back to his seat.

[Niven grabs a handhold on the central column near his chair.]

[Niven settles into his chair and straps in.]

NIVEN: “I’ll try a hard reboot.”

CLARKE: “Do it.”

Clarke presses buttons on her console.

Niven’s chair rise back to his station.

Niven presses buttons on his console.

The cabin lights and instrumentation are restored to their original configuration.

BAXTER: “Looks like it worked.”

Back inside, Niven stares at the blank science station.

NIVEN: “Omni… Where are you, pal?”

A klaxon emanates from Clarke’s console breaking the silence.

CLARKE: “Shit! We lost main engines.”

CLARKE: “Our orbit. It’s decaying fast.”

NIVEN: “The burn sent us in the wrong direction!”

The flashing red of the emergency lights triggers an abrupt, traumatic memory in Clarke. She freezes at her controls as Niven yells in the background. His voice and the room fade.

[Flashback. Colony One hallway outside Bridge. Close on elevator door opening.]

Close on young Clarke.

JUMP CUT TO:

FLASHBACK: The CORRIDOR is bustling with running officers as an emergency unfolds. YOUNG DARCY (the Girl) is being led by her Mother, DENISE CLARKE, into Colony One’s Bridge.

The mother and daughter stop and take in the sight.

The mother and daughter stop and take in the sight.

Everything is illuminated in red-alert lighting — exactly like the AeroFox. The Bridge buzzes with activity. Technicians bark at each other. Something is seriously wrong!

At the far end of the room, Captain Bova — 20 years younger and clean-shaven — sits at his console. He waves them forward.

MOTHER: “Got here as fast as I could. I was taking Darcy to school when the alert sounded. We diverted here.”

Behind Bova, a ship schematic flashes red in several critical areas.

Young Darcy is in awe.

The Captain nods at the Girl.

BOVA: “Welcome to Control, young lady. I wish it was under better circumstances.”

With maturity, Young Darcy reaches up and shakes the Captain’s hand. Briefly redirected from the emergency, he smiles warmly and takes it.

Denise scans the display.

[Insert of Colony One schematic depicting damage to tank two and meteor trajectory.]

DENISE: “Looks like a meteor punctured the
aft barrier and struck Tank Two.”

BOVA: “Yes. It’s venting into space.”

[Insert live video feed of damaged tank.]

BOVA [OS]: “We’ve already lost three percent of our cyro-reserves.”

The intense situation leads to a heated exchange.

DENISE: “That’s all we’ve got! I’m barely keeping the hibernation units running as it is!”

DENISE (with misplaced anger): “Dammit, I told you this might happen when the back-up units were damaged in the Oort Cloud!”

BOVA: “I know that. It’s not like we could have circled back to get more!”

BOVA (gravely): “At this point, no matter what we do, we’re going to lose ten thousand colonists.”

DENISE: “Gonna lose a helluva lot more…”

[On Young Darcy, looking up at her mother.]

DENISE (OS): “…if we don’t get out there and fix it!”

BOVA: “We’re prepping to send your team.”

DENISE: “Good. I’ll get suited up.”

BOVA: “No. Lead them from here.”

DENISE: “Captain…”

[Bova gestures to Young Darcy with an open palm.]

BOVA: “Denise.”

[Denise looks down at her daughter, pensively.]

DENISE: “I know.”

DENISE (determined): “It’s my job.”

Bova sighs and nods, looking sympathetically toward Young Darcy.

The mother kneels, touching the girl’s shoulders.

DENISE: “Honey, I have to go. I need you to stay with Captain Bova.”

Bova smiles warmly at Young Darcy.

BOVA: “Yes. You can help me run things.”

YOUNG DARCY (to her mother): “Where are you going?”

DENISE: “Outside, honey.”

Niven’s voice is suddenly juxtaposed over the scene.

NIVEN (O.S.): “The burn sent us in the wrong direction. We have to compensate!”.

JUMP CUT BACK:

Back inside the AeroFox, a graphic shows a path that intersects with the surface. They are going to crash!

NIVEN: “You have to compensate!”

Niven knows something is wrong with Clarke. He yells, snapping Clarke out of her childhood memory.

NIVEN: “Darcy!”

Clarke shakes her head to clear her mind and returns to the present. She scans her controls.

CLARKE: “Uh… Thrusters are offline.”

NIVEN: “You should engage main engines.”

NIVEN: (pointing to his screen) “Use our trajectory. Bounce us off the atmosphere!”

CLARKE: “That’s insane!”

NIVEN: “You have a better idea?!”

Clarke realizes it’s the only way. She makes the call, and presses the main engine control. Nothing happens.

CLARKE: “Main engine just went offline.”

BAXTER: “What the hell is going on?”

Clarke plays with the stick. The sound of jets reverberates.

CLARKE: “Wait, I just got limited control.”

NIVEN: “Then we can get back into orbit.”

Clarke looks around, then checks her instruments.

CLARKE: “No. We’ve used too much fuel.”

Baxter knows where this is heading. She mutters to herself.

BAXTER: “Don’t say it. Please don’t say it.”

CLARKE: “No choice! Aligning for descent.”

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Clarke is reluctant but driven as she monitors systems.

CLARKE: “We hit atmosphere in one minute.”

Niven scans for a landing site.

NIVEN: “Angle for the dark side.”

CLARKE: “Why?!”

NIVEN: “Flares! With the shield offline, it’s the only was to stay out of the radiation.”

CLARKE: “Fine! Find us a spot to set down.”

NIVEN: “I’m looking.”

As Clarke tweaks the controls to alter course, Baxter can do nothing aside from holding on and waiting for the inevitable.

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

The crew is buffeted as the glow of entry enters the windows. A loud roar fills the cabin.

[A shaken Baxter clutches at her restraints.]

Niven observes a wireframe landscape on his monitor, calling out over the cacophony.

[Blurred by the ship’s vibration, Niven’s NAV readout shows their projected landing zone.]

NIVEN: “Stay on this heading!”

Clarke tracks a trajectory on her console.

CLARKE: “Got it! She’s right on the line.”

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

The turbulence smooths out.

Screens indicate they’re almost on the ground.

Clarke is back on her game, guiding the craft.

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Lightning flashes outside the windows.

The ship is slammed even harder than during atmospheric entry.

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

[White-hot lightning pierces the interior of the AeroFox.]

Arcs of blue fire jump around the cabin.

The startled crew pull away from their instruments to avoid being electrocuted!

As the sparks fade, internal power fails at the same time. Wisps of smoke drift where the lightning impacted the most.

Wisps of smoke drift where the lightning impacted the most.

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Numerous warning sounds fill the space. A fire breaks out where the lightning struck.

Baxter looks down in horror as smoke fills the cabin.

BAXTER: “Hey! We have a fire!”

CLARKE: “Stay put! We’re almost down!”

The screens indicate they are nearing touchdown. Clarke hits a series of buttons.

CLARKE: “Deploying gear!”

[Niven grimaces as the flames grow behind him.]

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Clarke disconnects her restraints.

INT. AEROFOX, COCKPIT

Clarke disconnects her restraints.

With the ease of a superhero, she jumps out her seat.

[She observes the situation acting quickly.]

[She jumps down.]

[Clarke lands on the floor.]

She snatches a fire extinguisher from the wall.

[Clarke begins hosing down the fire, spraying foam across the flames.]

[She finishes off the fire.]

Baxter and Niven look on as she brandishes it like a weapon, dousing the flames.

Clarke makes her way to the science station and hits a switch to shut down the alarms. Everyone is stunned by the sequence of events.

A bizarre silence fills the cabin, occasionally interrupted by the sound of howling wind and distant thunder. Clarke leans back against the console and closes her eyes for a moment to simply relax and listen.

She reopens them and looks up at Niven. Lightning flashes in the window above him.

CLARKE: “Niven, can you access to flight systems?”