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                   S T A R S H I P   T R O O P E R S

                             Screenplay by
                            Edward Neumeier

                         Based on the novel by
                            Robert Heinlein



1	FROM THE FEDERAL NET -- NOTICE -- JOIN UP NOW !
 
	Proud YOUNG PEOPLE in uniform, the bloom of human evolution.

				YOUNG PEOPLE
		I'm doing my part... Me, too...
		Are you ?

	The mobile infantery logo:	LIGHTNING BOLTS ON A BLACK SHIELD.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Join the mobile infantery and save the world !
		Service guarantees citizen-ship.
		Would you like to know more ?

2	BUG METEOR:

	Behold actual pictures of a METEOR, this one a mile across, as it hurtles
	past an observation ship.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		The Bugs send another meteor our way !

	A BRIGHT EXPLOSION in space out beyond the moon.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		But this time we are ready !
		Planetary defenses are better than ever !
		Would you like to know more ?

3	KLENDATHU --- WHY WE HAVE TO FIGHT !

	Klendathu, a fierce orange planet ringed by an asteroid belt, 
	orbits a double star.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Klendathu, source of the bug meteor attacks,
		orbits a twin star system whose brutal gravitational 
		forces produce an unlimited supply of meteorites...

	A "You are here" map of the KNOWN GALAXY shows the Earth in 
	relationship to the BUG PLANETARY SYSTEM and Klendathu.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		To ensure the safety of our solar system,
		Klendathu must be eliminated !
		Would you like to know more ?



4	LIVE BROADCAST -- FROM ORBIT - THE INVASION OF KLENDATHU !

	For BATTLE GROUPS, sixty STARSHPS strong, orbit the orange planet.
	Graphics:	KLENDATHU:	THE INVASION

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		We break net now and take you live to Klendathu 
where the invasion has begun !

5	EXT	KLENDATHU -- NIGHT -- THE CAMERA

	takes the Mobile Infantery CAP TROOPERS wearing fully armed Marauder
	POWER SUITS as they move up the line, the pans to the
	NET CORRESPONDENT

				NET CORRESPONDENT
		We 've just landes here on whar cap troopres are calling 
		"Big K" with the 6th Mobile Infantery division...
		It 's an ugly planet, a bug planet, a planet hostile to 
		life as we iGKKKKKK !

	Blood hits the lens as the Correspondent is cut in half.
	The CAMERA catches a glimpse of HUGE CLAWS as Cap Trooper
	JOHNNY RICO , 18, blows away SOMETHING BIG big with his pulse cannon.

				JOHNNY
		Com'on, let's go !	ON THE BOUNCE

	The cap troopers move out, among them DIZZY FLORES, 18, ACE
	LEVY, 19, and KITTEN SMITH, 18. The CAMERA pauses, unsure.

				FED NET CENTRAL (O.S.)
		FOLLOW THEM...! GO ! GO !

	The CAMERA follows. The PULSE of BUG BATTERIES is blinding.
	Cap Troopers scream as they are torn apart right and left by an enemy
	seen only in disorientating glimpses.

				JOHNNY
		THIS WAY !

	The group splits into two, and the CAMERA follows Johnny.
	Something slices Kitten Smith, and he goes down screaming.

				JOHNNY
		KITTEN !

	Johnny stops to help his comrade. A CLAW slashes into him.

	
				JOHNNY
		AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !

	Now something grabs the CAMERA, spinning it around. 
	We glimpse the hideous jaws of an ARACHNID WARRIOR.

				CAMERAMAN (O.S.)
		AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !

	The CAMERA hits the ground. Johnny, badly wounded, bleeding
	from the mouth, crawls into CAMERA, trying to get away from the
	dark INSECT SHAPES that close in on him.

				JOHNNY
		Oh, God... Oh, God, help me...
		please help me...

	His eyes glaze over as he remembers

								FLASHBACK:

6	INT	NEW UNI HIGH - CLASSROOM - DAY - CARMEN IBANEZ

	is beautiful, just 18, and quite pleased with herself  because
	Johnny Rico is clearly infatuated with her.

				RASCZAK (O.S.)
		The end of another school year, and for 
		me no doubt another failure...
		Rico, pay attention !

	The teacher JEAN RASCZAK, 38, a rugged veteran who proudly
	displays his missing hand, scowls at Johnny, bemused.

				JOHNNY
		Sorry, Mr. Rasczak.

	But as soon as Rasczak turns back to the class, Johnny begins to sketch
	a cartoon on his desk's touch screen.

				RASCZAK
		Here in History and Moral Philosophy
		we've explored the decline of 
		Democracy when social scientists brought
		the world to the brink of chaos, and how the	
		veterans took control and imposed a stability 
		that has lasted for generations since...
		You know these facts but have I taught you
		anything of value ? You.
		Why are only citizens allowed to vote ?

	Rasczak points at LANNY, 17, with his stump
.
				LANNY
		It's a reward... what the Federation gives you
		for doing Federal Service.

	Rasczak is crestfallen, makes a big show of patience.

				RASCZAK
		No. Something given has no value !
		Haven't I taught you dimwits anything ?
		I guess they ought to revoke my 
		teaching credential...

	Laughter. Johnny's cartoon, meanwhile, is taking shape:
	Johnny and Carmen flying round planet Venus in a space ship.

				RASCZAK
		When you vote, you're exercising political
		authority. You're using force. And force, my
		friends, is violence, the supreme authority
		from which all other authority derives.

	CARL JENKINS, 18, a superintelligent geek, jumps in.

				CARL
		Gee, we always thought you were the
		supreme authority, Mr. Rasczak.

	Laughter. Rasczak grins.

				RASCZAK
		In my classroom, you bet. Whether it's 
		exerted by ten or ten billion, political 
		authority is violence by degree. The 
		people we call citizens have earned
		the right to wield it.

	DIZZY FLORES, 18, athletic, pretty, no nonsense, chimes in.

				DIZZY
		My mother always says that violence
		never solves anything.

				RASCZAK
		Really ? I wonder what the city fathers of
		Hiroshima would have to say about that.
		You.

	Rasczak points at Carmen.

				CARMEN
		They probably wouldn't say anything.
		Hiroshima was destroyed.

	Johnny presses ´"SEND" on his desk, and the cartoon appears
	across the way on Carmen's screen.

				RASCZAK
		Correct. Naked force has settled more
		issues in history than any other factor.
		The contrary opinion 'violence never
		solves anything' is wishful thinking
		at its worst.

	While Rasczak looks away, Carmen throws Johnny her wonderful
	smile, and Johnny's gone, checked out, flying round Venus.

				RASCZAK
		People who forget that always pay...
		They pay with their lives and their
		freedom.

	Dizzy notices the dreamy look on Johnny's face.
	So does Rasczak. He points at him with his stump,
	snaps Johnny to.

				RASCZAK
		You. Tell me the moral difference,
		if any, between the citizen and the civilian ?

				JOHNNY
		The difference lies in the field of civic
		virtue. A citizen accepts personal
		responsibility for the safety of the body politic,
		of which he is a member, defending it,
		if need be, with his life.
		The civilian does not.

				RASCZAK
		The exact words of the text. But do
		you understand it ?
		Do you believe it ?

				JOHNNY
		Uh, I don't know.

				RASCZAK
		Of course you don't. I doubt if any 
		of you here would recognize 'civic virtue'
		if it bit you in the ass.

	A bell rings. Rasczak shrugs, indifferent.

				RASCZAK
		Well, that's it. Have a nice life.

7	EXT	NEW UNI HIGH - HALLWAY - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	walk with their friends. Several COUPLES hold hands. Johnny
	tries to take Carmen's hand, but she demurs. Johnny broods.

				CARMEN
		C'mon, let's see if they've posted the
		math final test yet.

				STUDENT
		Hey, Rico, we gonna take Tesla ?

				JOHNNY
		How should I know ?

				STUDENT
		You're captain of the team !

8	EXT	QUAD - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	join other students around a MULTI-SCREEN KIOSK.

				CARMEN
		First thing Fleet Academy looks at
		is your math scores. 
		Wish me luck !

	Carmen enters her name, receives her score:	97% !	She beams.

				JOHNNY
		Good for you.

				CARMEN
		Your turn...

	Then she spots Carl across the way talking with MARCO, 17.

				CARMEN
		Hold on... I wanna talk to Marco.
		His sister's at Fleet !

	Carmen rushes off. Johnny checks his score:	35% ! Crushed, he
	makes sure no none else has seen. Carl walks up to him.

				CARL
		You still haven't kissed her yet ? Don't lie.

				JOHNNY
		What's the hurry ?

				CARL
		Others are waiting.

	Carl points out Dizzy, talking with friends.

				JOHNNY
		Did you read her mind ?

				CARL
		Don't have to... Some mating semaphore
		is pretty hard to miss.

	It's true. You can tell by the way she looks at Johnny.

				JOHNNY
		Yeah, but I want Carmen.

				CARL
		You got it bad.

	Carmen returns to Johnny as Carls heads off.

				CARL
		Don't forget about this afternoon.
			(to Carmen)
		He's always late when he walks you home
		to fish for a kiss.

	Carmen blushes, covers.
	
				CARMEN
		She's flying starships !

				JOHNNY
		Who ?

				CARMEN
		Marco's sister. Can you imagine 
		maneuvering half a million tons through
		crwoded space lanes...
		You gotta have nerves of steel !
		Reflexes are critical

				JOHNNY
		I have good reflexes.

	Carmen notices the way Dizzy's looking at Johnny, doesn't
	like it one bit, takes Johnny's arm.

				CARMEN
		C'mon Johnny, we'll be late for Biology.

9	INT	BIOLOGY LAB  -- DAY - THE BIOLOGY TEACHER

	is an older woman, very spry, also blind. Johnny, Carmen and
	other students gather around covered lab tables.

				BIOLOGY TEACHER
		For our final today, please identify the mouthparts,
		the abdominal organs, and for extra credit, locate the
		nerve cord and count the ganglia.
		You may begin.

	The students remove the cover to reveal large alien bugs, 60
	centimeter ARKELLIAN SAND BEETLES laid out for dissection.

				CARMEN
		Eeuch !

				JOHNNY
		Aw, c'mon, it's just a bug.

				BIOLOGY TEACHER
		Just a bug, eh ? We humans like to think we are
		Nature's finest achievement. I'm afraid it isn't 
		true. This Arkellian Sand Beetle is superior in many
		ways. It has fewer moving parts, can reproduce itself
		in vast numbers, and unboud by concerns of ego and
		mortality, makes the perfect selfless member of 
		society.

				JOHNNY
		Better put your goggles on.

	Johnny slices the abdomen open with asurgical laser. Green
	fluid sprays from the slit. Carmen turns away looking ill.

				BIOLOGY TEACHER
		Our galaxy is teaming with insect life. We have
		identified over two billion species so far.
		Human, life, it would seem, is the anomaly.

				CARMEN
		But we 're intelligent. Human minds have invented
		art, mathematics and interstellar travel.

				BIOLOGY TEACHER
		True, we know of no insect society that has
		produced a Shakespeare, an Einstein or a
		Cherynkov, but before you let that go to your
		head, take the example of the Arachnids, a 
		highly organized, highly evolved insect society.

	She points to an insect evolution chart that starts with a
	common ant and ends with a two meter tall ARACHNID WARRIOR.

				BIOLOGY TEACHER
		They are relatively stupid by human standards. Workers
		have an IQ of 12, warriors around 35 , and yet the 
		Arachnids have colonized planets. Over a million years
		of evolution, Nature has provided the Arachnids with the 
		biological means to hurl their spore into space.

	Johnny applies a spreader and jacks the insects abdominal cavity 
	open with aresounding crack. Bug guts gush out.

				JOHNNY
		Well, if that's the crop, that must be the gastric
		caecal...

				CARMEN
		Excuse me...!

	She heads for the door, hand over her mouth.

10	EXT	CIVIC PARK - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	walk home from school together.

				JOHNNY
		35% on the math final !  No one could be
		that dumb with numbers.

				CARMEN
		Well, at least you didn't lose your lunch
		over a bug. How embarassing.

				JOHNNY
		Who cares about bugs ? You can't go anywhere
		if you don't know math.

				CARMEN
		Don't be so sure. I like you even if you are
		dumb with numbers.

				JOHNNY
		Then how come you won't hold hands with me
		at school ?

				CARMEN
		I don't want everyone to see.

				JOHNNY
		Why won't you kiss me when we're all alone ?

				CARMEN
		How come that's all you talk about anymore ?

				JOHNNY
		It's all I think about anymore.

	Indeed, they are all alone now. The look in Johnny's eye says how
	about it. Carmen grins, reaches for Johnny's hand.

11	EXT	PUPLIC TRANSPORTATION - DAY - CARMEN

	and Johnny stand together near a bank of TRANSPORTERS.

				CARMEN
		You can't walk me home.

				JOHNNY
		Why not ?

				CARMEN
		I thought you were going to help Carl.

				JOHNNY
		Carl can wait.

				CARMEN
		Johnny, my Dad's home today.

	Johnny's face darkens with frustration.

				JOHNNY
		What's he got against me... I mean, I 'm
		a teenager. You can't be a citizen when
		you're only a teenager !

				CARMEN
		It's not you, Johnny. Your parents are rich
		they don't need to be citizens, and that stuff
		means a lot to my dad. He's a veteran.

				JOHNNY
		Well, if your dad doesn't like me, how come
		we're such good friends ?

				CARMEN
		Sometimes I do what I want, eh ?

	Carmen steps into the flux.	ZAPPP!	She's gone.
	Johnny grins, happy to be in love.

12	INT	CARL'S HOUSE - BASEMENT - DAY - JOHNNY

	is hard-wired to the stacks of processing units that comprise Carl's 
	basement workshop. Carl concentrates on the image of a playing card,
	the six of diamonds, displayed on a monitor.

				CARL
		Don't think about it... go on instinct.

				JOHNNY
		Ace of spades.

	The ace of spades appears, and the computer indicates "no match".
	Carl puts another card up, the jack of diamonds.

				CARL
		Statistically speaking you should've accidentally
guessed right by know.

				JOHNNY
		In addition to "psychic dolt" this test also proves 
		I'm unlucky ? Two of hearts.

	Wrong again.

				CARL
		Luck is not a factor. No one really knows why 
		some people are sensitive and some aren't.
		Federal studies like this might provide a clue.

	The next card up is the nine of clubs.

				JOHNNY
		I wouldn't want to know what everyone was
		thinking. Four of spades.

	Suddenly, A GIANT YELLOW FROG jumps onto the keyboard, fritzing
	the monitor. Johnny removes the blindfold.

				CARL
		Cyrano, you big yellow turd !

	Johnny knows this frog, scratches him on the neck.

				JOHNNY
		He just wants attention. You don't play with 
		him like you used to.

	Carl concentrates for a moment.

				CARL
		Go bug Mom, Cyrano.

	Cyrano's eyes widen. He hops off the table and up the stairs two at
	a time. Carl clears the screen.

				JOHNNY
		How do you make him do that ?

				CARL
		I gave him the impression that there was a fly crawling
		up my mom's leg. He is going to go eat it.

	From upstairs, CARL'S MOM shrieks.

				MOM (O.S.)
		Get out ! Get out ! CARL...!

				JOHNNY
		Carl, promise me you won't ever do anything like that
		to me.

				CARL
		Don't be afraid. Can't do humans... yet.
		C'mon let's go.

	Carl, puts up more cards, Johnny misses them all.

				JOHNNY
		Ten of clubs. You still gonna sign up for
		Starside R&D ?

				CARL
		Passport to the Universe.
		Who wouldn't want that ?

				JOHNNY
		I've been thinking about applying for 
		Federal Service, too. Fleet, maybe.

				CARL
		Your father will never let you.

				JOHNNY
		I'm eighteen. It's my decision, I think I'd 
		make a pretty good pilot. I've good great
		reflexes. You need that for maneuvering,
		you know.

				CARL
		Only 1 in 14 male applicants make it through
		stellar navigation.
		So what do you think your chances are ?

				JOHNNY
		Eight point... no, uh, seven...

				CARL
		If you can't do those numbers, you haven't
		got a chance.

				JOHNNY
		All I know is Carmen's going to be a citizen, 
		and I don't think it'll work out for us if I'm not.

				CARL
		Love... how excruciatingly pathetic. 
		Now try and pay attention.

	Carl puts a card up.

				JOHNNY
		Queen of hearts.

	The computer indicates a match. Johnny peers around at the monitor.
	It is the Queen of hearts.

				CARL
		Well, what do you know about that !

13	EXT	ATHLETIC FIELD - STANDS - DAY - CARMEN

	and other students wearing orange and black sing the "Uni High Song".
	The SCOREBOARD says:	REGIONAL FINAL.
	Across the field, fans wear red and gold and sing another song.

14	INT	LOCKER ROOM - DAY - JOHNNY

	and other UNI HIGH TIGERS, all exceptionally robust young man and women,
	suit up in their orange and black uniforms.

				DIZZY
		Tesla's tough. They tumble good and they
		hit HARD.

	Dizzy bounces a JUMP SHOE to Johnny. The spring fires and vaults it high into
	the air. Johnny catches it, puts it on, smiles cocky at the TESLA GIANTS who
	suit up in red and gold.

				JOHNNY
		We tumble good, too.

15	EXT	ATHLETIC FIELD - DAY - WHAM ! -- TIGERS AND GIANTS 	

collide. Powered by jump shoes, the play is gymnastic. Johnny moves the ball ,
flips high in the air over the Giant defensive line, makes ten meters before he is
brought down.

16	EXT	STANDS - DAY - THE CROWD

	cheers as Johnny runs back to join his team. He sees Carmen waving, glad that
	Johnny has seen her among all the people.

17	EXT	HUDDLE - DAY - JOHNNY
	
	and other Tigers listen as quarterback Dizzy calls the plays.

				DIZZY
		Kick three, fade left. On two.

	They make fists, then breal for thevline of scrimmage.

18	EXT	SCRIMMAGE LINE - DAY - THE TIGERS
	
	have the ball. The Giant's QUARTERBACKassigns ZANDER BARCALOW, 18,
	handsome, super-confident, to guard Johnny.

				ZANDER
		Time's running out.

	Zander points. The SCOREBOARD shows	TIGERS 19,	GIANTS 20,
	three minutes and counting on the clock. Johnny grins.

				JOHNNY
		A lot can happen in three minutes.

				DIZZY
		Hut... hut !

	Johnny takes the handoff, flips over a gauntlet of Giant guards. Zander
	hurls himself at Johnny, misses. Johnny scores.
	Zander tumbles into the crowd, loses a jump shoe.

19	EXT	SIDELINES - DAY-ZANDER

	looks up and sees Carmen, smiling as she offers him a hand. She helps
	him up. He holds her hand longer than necessary.

				CARMEN
		Are you alright ?

				ZANDER
		I'm getting better.

20	EXT	ATHLETIC FIELD - DAY - JOHNNY

	runs back to join his team as the crowd cheers. The Tigers lead 
	21-20. Johnny frowns when he sees Carmen talking to Zander on 
	the sidelines, shaking his head, smiling.

21	EXT	SIDELINE - DAY - ZANDER

	finds his shoe, straps it on.

				ZANDER
		So what are you doing later ?

				CARMEN
		Everyone is going to the dance. Aren't you ?

				ZANDER
		I don't know. It's my last night as acivilian.
		I ship out for Tereshkova tomorrow.

	Zander heads for the field. Carmen follows, interested.

				CARMEN
		You're going to the Academy ?
		That's where I want to go. I'd love
		to talk to you abou that.

	A REFEREE blows his whistle at Zander, signalling impatiently.

				ZANDER
		I'm all ears.

				CARMEN
		Don't you have to finish the game ?

22	EXT	SCRIMMAGE LINE - DAY-THE GIANTS

	are in possession. Zander lands hard in front of Johnny.

				JOHNNY
		Don't get any ideas. She's my girl.

				ZANDER
		You can never be sure.

	Johnny scowls at Zander, turns his head to look back at Carmen.
	She waves, smiling. The Giants pull ablitz.

				DIZZY
		WATCH THE BLITZ...!

	Zander knocks Johnny on his ass, and the Giants score. It's
	TIGERS 21, GIANTS 22 and less than a minute to go.

23	EXT	HUDDLE -- DAY -- DIZZY

	orders up the next play. Johnny keeps looking over his shoulder
	because Zander's back talking to Carmen again.

				DIZZY
		Flip six, three hole. Rico ?
		Hey !

	Dizzy slams Johnny upside his helmet with her forearm.

				JOHNNY
		What ?

				DIZZY
		You were drifting. Flip six, three hole.
		On one, got it ?

				JOHNNY
		Just throw me the ball, Diz.

	They make fists and break.

24	EXT	SCRIMMAGE LINE -- DAY -- JOHNNY

	takes position again across the line from Zander who now grins at
	Johnny broadly. Johnny  doesn't grin back. 

				DIZZY
		Hut !

	At the snap, Johnny breaks for open field. Dizzy throws, Johnny catches
	it, trips Zander up painfully, and hurls himself into the end zone as a
	horn sounds the game's finish.

25	EXT	ATHLETIC FIELD - DAY - CHEERING UNI FANS

	rush onto the field as the school band strikes up a victory march.
	Tigers do flips in the air. Giants look dejected. 
	Zander picks himself up, watches Johnny leave with Carmen.

26	INT	JOHNNY'S HOUSE - NIGHT - JOHNNY

	walks throuh rooms filled with elegant furniture. He's all spiffed up
	for the big dance. His MOTHER catches him preening in front of a
	mirror by the TRANSPORTER in the hall.

				MOTHER
		Who said you could grow up so fast ? Last time
		I checked you were only five years old. You had
		such a bright little face...

				JOHNNY
		Aw, don't get mushy.

	Johnny's FATHER enters carrying a FEDERAL SERVICE CATALOGUE.

				FATHER
		This came for you today. I presume on your
		request.

				JOHNNY
		A lot of my friends are doing Federal Service...

				MOTHER
		You aren't thinking of applying...?

	Johnny shrugs.

				FATHER
		Have you lost you lost your mind ? I'd rather
		take ten lashes in Public Square than see you
		ruin your life.

				JOHNNY
		It's aterm of service, not a career. I just want to
		get out on my own and see the Galaxy for a
		couple of years.

				MOTHER
		Johnny, people get hurt... people get killed in
		the Federal Service. If something happened 
		to you I don't know what I would do...

				FATHER
		Who gave you this idea ? It's that teacher.
		What's his name ? You know the one I
		mean.

				JOHNNY
		Mr. Rasczak.

				FATHER
		Rasczak... Silly name. There ought to be
		a law against using a school as a 
		recruiting station !

				JOHNNY
		No, Mr. Rasczak doesn't do that at all.
		He sorta discourages you really.

				FATHER
		Good, because you're going to Harvard,
		and that's the end of it.

				JOHNNY
		I'm eighteen. It's my decision.

				FATHER
Oh, is that how it is ?

				MOTHER
		Wait you two. Dad and I have a surprise
		for you that will settle this.
		Can you guess what it is ?

				JOHNNY
		Uh, no.

				FATHER
		A trip to the Outer Rings.
		Whad'ya think of that ?

				JOHNNY
		Wow ! Santori and Zegema Beach, I've
		always wanted to go there.

				MOTHER		
		Good good, then it's all settled.

				FATHER
		A year at Harvard and you'll  see this
		"Federal Service" is just menial training 
		for inferior people so they can call 
		themselves "citizens" and take airs for 
		the rest of their lives.

				JOHNNY
		Wait a minute ! Carl is doing his Federal
		and he isn't inferior. He's the smartest 
		kid at school !

				FATHER
		Sorry. Carl's a fine boy...

	Johnny puts on his jacket.

				JOHNNY
		I don't know what they teach at Harvard,
		but I think I'm pretty good enough the
		way I am !
	
				MOTHER
		Johnny, please. Calm yourself.

				JOHNNY
		Well, that's what you're saying ! You're
		saying that I'm not good enough the way
		I am now !

	Johnny stomps out, the transporter goes ZAPPP !

				MOTHER
		Why did you go and do that ? He was all
		ready to go Zegema Beach !

				FATHER
		Teenagers !

27	INT	UNI HIGH GYMNASIUM - NIGHT - EVERYONE

	at the "Farewell Dance" is dressed up. Rasczak and other TEACHERS
	chaperon. A spotlight finds the BAND LEADER.

				BAND LEADER
		Alright, everybody, this is the last dance, so
		let's turn down the lights and make it a
		slow one.

	The lights go down. Dizzy, dressed pretty, brightens when she sees Johnny
	standing alone near the dance floor.

				DIZZY
		Hey, Rico, wanna dance ?

				JOHNNY
		Actually, Diz, I promised Carmen...

				DIZZY
		Too bad for her if she's not around.

	Dizzy pulls him onto the floor, holds him close.

				DIZZY
		You know, it's sad... Most of us probably
		won't see each other again after tonight.
	
	There is an invitation here. Johnny doesn't take it.

				JOHNNY
		You still gonna play for Brazil ?

				DIZZY
		Looks like, unless Tokyo lets me start.

				JOHNNY
		Well, anyone who gets you is lucky.

				DIZZY
		How come we never got together ?

	Dizzy looks at Johnny meaningfully. He's distracted. Carmen crosses
	the room, stunning in her formal.

				JOHNNY
		Can't we just be friends, Diz ?

				DIZZY
		Sure.

				JOHNNY
		Uh, look, Diz...

				DIZZY
		Guess you gotta go.

				JOHNNY
		You're the best.

	Johnny heads for Carmen. Dizzy watches jealously as Carmen takes 
	his hand. She looks around for someone to dance with.
	Carl, a nerd in a tux, waves shyly.

28	INT	GYMNASIUM - DANCE FLOOR - NIGHT - CARMEN AND JOHNNY

	dance. Johnny wants to kiss her, Carmen playfully avoids.

				JOHNNY
		Isn't it great to be in love ?

				CARMEN
		How do I know if this is love ?
	
				JOHNNY
		It wouldn't be so romantic if we weren't...

				CARL
		Outa the way you two !

	Carl and Dizzy dance by, Dizzy smiling bravely because Carl is a terrible dancer.
	Johnny goes in for the kiss again.

				CARMEN
		Romance is just a vestigial biological
		response to procreation...

				JOHNNY
		Aw, you're in love with me... 
		You just dont know it yet.

	Johnny's confidence makes her smile. Johnny moves in to kiss her,
	but the music ends. Everyone applauds. The lights come up and 
	people head for the doors. Johnny sees Rasczak.

				JOHNNY
		Wait, I want to talk to Mr. Rasczak.

				CARMEN
		I'll meet you outside.

	Johnny heads over to Rasczak.

				JOHNNY
		Mister Rasczak ?

				RASCZAK
		What is it, Rico ?

				JOHNNY
		I just wanted to say thanks 'cause History
		and Moral Philosophy was the best class
		I had this year.

				RASCZAK
			(smiling)
		Well, it's not really my job to please.
		Hope you learned something.

				JOHNNY
		I wanna join up, Mr. Rasczak. I think I
		have what it take to be a citizen.

				RASCZAK
		Good for you. Go find out.

				JOHNNY
		Well, my parents are against it, and I 
		know it's my choice, but I was
		wondering...
		What would you do if you were me ?

				RASCZAK
		Figuring things out for yourself is the
		only freedom anyone really has.
		Use that freedom.
		Make your own choice, Rico.

29	EXT	UNI HIGH GYMNASIUM - NIGHT - JOHNNY
	
	walks out and finds Carmen talking with Zander. He wears the blue 
	uniform of a Fleet pilot trainee. Carmen examines his FLEET PIN,
	a pair of silver wings.

				CARMEN
		Johnny, this is Zander.

				ZANDER
		Yeah, we know each other from the game. 
		No hard feeling, eh, chum ?

				JOHNNY
		None at all... We won.

				CARMEN
		Good luck at the academy.

	Zander takes back the wings and pins the to his tunic.

				ZANDER
		Always.

30	EXT	PROMENADE - NIGHT - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	walk together along the river holding hands.

				CARMEN
		He just got accepted to the Fleet Academy.
		Isn't that great ?

				JOHNNY
		Yeah, sure, I guess.

				CARMEN
		No, I mean if he can get in, maybe I have a
		chance.

				JOHNNY
		What are you talking about ? We both know
		you're gonna be a pilot.

				CARMEN
		Zander is going for pilot, too.

				JOHNNY
		You two have so much in common.

	Carmen pulls Johnny to a stop, looks him in the eye.

				CARMEN
		Johnny Rico, you're jealous !

				JOHNNY
		I can't help it.

				CARMEN
		He's nothing like you.

				JOHNNY
		I don't even know if you're my girl.

	Carmen smiles, leans in close to Johnny.
			
				CARMEN
		Are you the boy for me ?

				JOHNNY
		I'm gonna do it, Carmen. I'm gonna sign
		up for Federal Service.

	They kiss, tentatively, but the passion grows and they break apart,
	breathless.

				CARMEN
		Oh, Johnny...

31	EXT	PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - NIGHT - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	making out as they wait their turn. There are a few other people around
	including a POLICEMAN.

				CARMEN
		Everyone's looking... we shouldn't...

				JOHNNY
		Who cares ?

				CARMEN
		You're right. Let's never stop...

				POLICEMAN
		Hey, you, there's a place for that !

	Without stopping, Johnny pulls Carmen into the flux.	ZAPPP !

32	INT	FEDERAL HOUSING - NIGHT - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	kissing at her front door. Johnny moves his hand tenatively to Carmen 's breast.
	She takes his hand, smiling, puts it under her shirt.

				JOHNNY
		I love you, Carmen.

				CARMEN
		Shhh...

	She puts her mouth on his and they melt together. The door flies open,
	and CARMEN'S DAD stands there.

				CARMEN'S DAD
		Carmen, it's late. Get inside.

				CARMEN
		Sorry, Dad. See you, Johnny.

	Carmen ducks inside. Her father looks Johnny over. He carries a terrible
	battle scar oon his face.

				CARMEN'S DAD
		I don't want you around Carmen anymore. Get me ?

				JOHNNY
		Maybe Carmen's gonna make her own decisions from
		now on, Mr. Ibanez.

	Carmen's Dad reddens. He'd like to punch Johnny out.
 
				CARMEN'S DAD
		Carmen's gonna be a citizen. She don't need you
		and your rich family. The Federation'll give her
		everything she needs.

				CARMEN (O.S.)
		Dad, leave him alone...
	
	Carmen's Dad slams the door in Johnny's face.

33	EXT	FEDERAL BUILDING - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN
	
	meet Carl in front of the induction center where a staedy flow of prospective
	citizens file through the main doors.

34	INT	LOBBY - DAY - THE RECRUITING SERGEANT

	is missing one arm. He smiles broadly at the three teenagers.

				RECRUITING SERGEANT
		Fresh meat for the grinder, eh ?

				CARL
		That's us. Where do we sign ?

	He turns in his chair to grab the forms. Johnny and his friends see that he is also
	missing both legs. The Recruiting Sergeant catches them looking, 
	smiles even wider.

				RECRUITING SERGEANT
		Here and here and here.

	As he signs, Johnny looks at the campaign ribbons on the Recruiting Sergeant's
	chest. We hear MUSIC: 	"The Mobile Infantery Anthem" plays softly in honor
	of distant battles.

				RECRUITING SERGEANT
		Welcome to the adventure of Federal Service.
		Follow the blue line.

35	INT	PROCESSING HALL - DAY - JOHNNY, CARMEN AND CARL

	are routed into different lines, joining other hopeful civilians.
	A COLONEL makes a speech over the loudspeaker.

				COLONEL
		There is no guarantee of service. We don't need
		all of you. It costs a great deal to train human beings
		for useful tasks. Many jobs are hazardous to your
		health. If you are chosen and do not wish to serve
		you may resign at anytime simply by completing 
		form 1240/A. Thank you for exercising you
		constitutonal rights.

36	INT	CHANGING ROOM -- DAY -- JOHNNY

	and others in the line strip down. The guy in front of Johnny is
	DON, 18, athletic and cheerful.

				DON
		They took my sister, they'll take anybody.

37	INT	TESTING FACILITY -- DAY -- JOHNNY

	grimaces as a TECHNICIAN installs an INTERFACE PLATE on 
	his side, drawing fluids.

				DON
		Oh, this is the part that hurts !

	A PSYCH OFFICER sits down across from each candidate.

				PSYCH OFFICER
		No talking please. I'm going to ask you some 
		questions. Please answer all questions truthfully.
		We'll know if you don't.
		Birthplace ?

				JOHNNY
		Here in Buenos Aires.

	The Psych Officer checks Johnny's response on a meter.

38	INT	VARIOUS TESTING STATIONS - DAY - JOHNNY

	is poked and prodded, subjected to aural, visual and pharmacological
	stimuli, and scanned from head to toe.

				PSYCH OFFICER (V.O.)
		Are your parents currently citizens ?

				JOHNNY (V.O.)
		No, sir.

				PSYCH OFFICER (V.O.)
		Which do you think is more important,
		courage or confidence ?

				JOHNNY (V.O.)
		Courage, I guess.

				PSYCH OFFICER (V.O.)
		Please complete this sentence.
		I want to be citizen because...

				JOHNNY (V.O.)
		I want to be a citizen because...
		well, because of my girl, sir.

39	INT	DEBRIEF - DAY - JOHNNY

	sits across from a MAJOR who views a list on a monitor Johnny can't see.

				MAJOR
		I'm happy to tell you that you've been
		accepted for Federal Service.

				JOHNNY
		Wow, that's great.

				MAJOR
		Looks like you're quite an athlete.
		Boy, look at those reaction stats.

	The Major clucks his tongue as he highlights the last category on his list:
	MOBILE INFANTERY.

				MAJOR
		My job is to dertermine what you're
		best suited for.

				JOHNNY
		I want to be a pilot, sir.

				MAJOR
		Sorry, son, no way. Your school records
		say you don't have the math skills.

	Johnny swallows this. He knew it was coming. The Major deletes
	"Pilot" from the list, then several other items.

				MAJOR
		That rules out the scientific and engineering
		applications, and I'm afraid we reserve
		non-military options for candidates who are
		frankly less able-bodied than you are, son...

	He turns the monitor around and shows Johnny the list.
	The only thing left is MOBILE INFANTERY.

				MAJOR
		It looks like the only thing you're good
		for is cannon fodder.
		I'm putting you down for the
		Mobile Infantery.

40	INT	AUDITORIUM - DAY - CARMEN

	proudly takes the Federal Service oath with about twenty-five other people,
	a gleaming silver FLEET PIN on her chest. She looks around for Johnny, 
	sees him grinning at her.

				JOHNNY ET AL
		...of my own free will, without promise, coercion,
		or inducement, after having been duly advised
		and warned of the meaning and consequence of
		this oath, do now enroll in the Federal Service
		of the Terran Federation for not less than two
		years and as much longer as may be required 
		by the needs of the Service...

41	INT	FEDERAL BUILDING - LOBBY - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	walk out together happily, hand in hand.

				CARMEN
		I wonder where Carl is. You don't suppose...?

				JOHNNY
		Naw, I made it, Carl made it.

	Just then, Don rushes past, shamefaced, crying.

				JOHNNY
		He was in the group with me.
		I guess he didn't...

				CARMEN
		Shhh ! Don't make him feel worse.

	The Recruiting Sergeant is getting ready to go home. He's got legs now,
	and he takes a prosthetic arm from its case and snaps it on.
	He grins when he sees them staring.

				RECRUITING SERGEANT
		They put me out front to discourage the weak-hearted,
		but at the end of the day I go home.
		How'd you kids do ?

				CARMEN
		I'm gonna go for pilot.

				RECRUITING SERGEANT
		Good for you. We need every pilot we can get.

	Johnny holds the door for Carmen and the Recruiting Sergeant. 
	Suddenly Carl appears looking a little paler than usual.

				CARMEN
		Hey, Carl, what's wrong ?

				JOHNNY
		Did you get Starside R&D ?

				CARL
		No.

42	EXT	FEDERAL BUILDING - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	are stunned.

				JOHNNY
		I don't believe it !

				CARL
		I got Games & Theory.

	Well, everyone's a little impressed by this.

				CARMEN
		Games & Theory ? That's Military
		Intelligence... Oh, Carl !

				JOHNNY
		Whoa ! Way to go, boy-yo !

				RECRUITING SERGEANT
		Next time we meet, I'll probably have to salute
		you. What about you, son ?

				JOHNNY
		Infantery, sir.

	The Recruiting Sergeant beams, offers a prosthetic hand.

				RECRUITING SERGEANT
		Well, good for you. The Mobile Infantery made me
		the man I am today.

	Just what Johnny wanted to hear. They watch the old Sergeant walk
	away.	MUSIC:	"The Mobile Infantery Theme".
	Carmen takes Johnny and Carl by the arm as they walk.

				CARMEN
		Let's all make a vow. Let's swear we'll always
		be friends no matter what.

				JOHNNY
		I'll go for that.

				CARL
		Well, we're gonna be millions of light years away
		from each other, and chances are we'll never see
		each other again, but sure...

				CARMEN
		I can't wait to tell my Dad I'm in.
		He's gonna be so happy !

				JOHNNY
		My father's probably gonna kill me.

43	INT	JOHNNY'S HOUSE - STUDY - NIGHT - JOHNNY

	stands sullenly as his Father rages at him.

				FATHER
		You'll resign, and that's all there is to it.
		It might look bad, but if that's the worst
		you suffer...

				JOHNNY
		I won't quit !

				FATHER
		I'm telling you, you will !
		You're not going back. You're going
		to go on vacation !

				JOHNNY
		I'm not going on vacation ! I want to
		be acitizen ! It's my decision. 
		I made it.

	Johnny turns for the door. His father throws his last shot.

				FATHER
		You walk out that door, you're cut off,
		young man... You understand me ?
		Alright, THAT'S IT, YOU'RE...

44	INT	JOHNNY'S HOUSE - HALLWAY - NIGHT--JOHNNY

	walks out, grim, sees his mother, tears in her eyes.

				FATHER (O.S.)
		...CUT OFF !

				MOTHER
		Johnny, why won't you change your mind ?
		Does citizenship mean so much to you ?

				JOHNNY
		Well, yeah, sure...

				MOTHER
		I hope so. I hope you don't ruin your life
		over some silly little girl who wants to look 
		handsome in a uniform.

	Johnny's face reddens.

				JOHNNY
		Don't talk about my girl that way.

	Johnny turns on his heel, heads for the transporter.		ZAPPP !

45	EXT	FEDERAL TRANSPORTATION HUB - DAY - JOHNNY

	looks for Carmen among hundreds of young people bound for 
	Federal Service destinations. Recruits wear civilian clothes.
	Everyone else is in uniform.  
	
				P.A. (O.S.)
		Outbound group 1380, Ursa Minor
		and Tyko, now transporting at 
		bank 17...

	Now he sees her entering struggling with luggage. Johnny rushes to
	help her and soon he is carrying all her bags.

				JOHNNY
		You're late.

				CARMEN
		My Dad had to help me pack. Suddenly
		he's afraid he's never gonna see me 
		again or something. It was sweet, but it
		took forever. Anyway, I guess I'm ready
		to go.

	At the freight station, Carmen enters her Federal I.D. card and gets
	numbered tags for her bags.

				JOHNNY
		Me, too. I'm wearing everything I own.

	Johnny loads them onto a conveyor belt.

				CARMEN
		Poor boy. I'm sorry your parents were so mad.

				JOHNNY
		Who cares ! The Federation'll give me everything
		I need for the next two years, right ?
	
	Carmen's already moved to the next line. Johnny follows.

				CARMEN
		You talk to Carl ?

				JOHNNY
		He left this morning. He couldn't say where.

	Carmen logs in, enters her destination:	LUNA - TERESHKOVA
	FLEET ACADEMY.	The tickets station spits out a pass.

				CARMEN
		It's exciting, but it's scary, too isn't it.
		Going someplace new where you don't
know anyone.

	Carmen heads toward a bank of transporters. Johnny stops her,
	takes her by the arms.

				JOHNNY
		I'm gonna miss you.

				CARMEN
		I'll miss you, too, Johnny.

				JOHNNY
		I love you.

				P.A. (O.S.)
		Outbound group 948A, Tereshkova,
		all sections, transporting at bank 5.

				CARMEN
		Oh, that's me.
	
	She scans her pass, but Johnny stops her again.

				JOHNNY
		Com'on, just say it. Try it on for size.

				CARMEN
		Alright, I love you.

	Carmen kisses him, jumps into the transporter.

				JOHNNY
		Do you mean it ?

				CARMEN
		I said it. Isn't that enough ?
		Don't forget to write !

	ZAPPP !	The last thing he sees are her beautiful eyes.

46	FROM THE FEDERAL NET - A WORLD THAT WORKS !

	People are doing Federal Service jobs all over the known Galaxy.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		From all over the known Galaxy, prospectice
		citizens work together to make a better
		tomorrow !
		Would you like to know more ?

47	CRIME & PUNISHMENT - TONIGHT !

	A CRIMINAL stands before a FEDERAL COURT

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		A murderer was captured and tried today.
		Sentence:	DEATH.
		Tonight at six, all net, all channels.
		Would you like to know more ?

48	NOTICE - ARE YOU PSYCHIC ?

	A Federal clinic specializing in psycic research.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		If you think you are psychic, maybe you are.
		Harness your unique abilities and take
		advantage of the many Federal benefits
		available for psychic citizens.
		Would you like to know more ?

49	TRAVEL ADVISORY - INSECT TRAGEDY ON TANGO URILLA
	
	A prefab township sits on the shores of a tranquil alien bay.
	Then, a "You Are Here" map of the Known Universe.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Disregarding Federal warnings, Mormon 
		extremists established Port Joe Smith,
		a settlement of 300 on Tango Urilla, a
		system just inside the Arachnid
		Quarantine Zone.

	Archival pictures of a captive two meter ARACHNID WARRIOR,
	multiple eyes, cutting mouthparts and claws. Wary SCIENTISTS
	keep their distance as it eats a COW.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Too late they realized tha Tango Urilla had
		already been chosen by other colonists
		-- Arachnids !

	Now body parts litter the ruined streets of Port Joe Smith.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		The council asks future colonists to obey all 
		official Federal warnings.
		Would you like to know more ?

50	EXT	CAMP CURRIE - PARADE GROUND - DAY - SERGEANT ZIM
	
	is 40, astoundingly fit, and like all drill instructors, he carries a small baton.
	He addresses sixty shorn RECRUITS.

				ZIM
		The problem with you is that none of you are
		good enough the way you are. 

	Johnny stands in formation with his squad, among them:

	BRECKINRIDGE, 18, DJANA'D, 19, KATRINA McINTIRE, 18, ACE LEVY, 
	18, SHUJUMI, 18, and KITTEN SMITH, 18.
		 	 
				ZIM
		I am your senior drill instructor,
		Career Sergeant Zim.
			(then)
		TO THINK THIS HAD TO HAPPEN TO
		ME ! What a bunch of apes. No, strike that.
		You don't rate that good...you sunken-chested,
		slack-bellied, drooling refugees from apron
		strings ! In my whole life I've never seen such
		a disgraceful huddle of momma's spoiled
		little darlings ! Suck in those guts !
		You there, EYES FRONT !

	Zim gives Kitten Smith the hairy eyeball. Smith cracks up.

				ZIM
		Do you think I'm funny ? Do I make
		you laugh ? Do you think I'm a
		comedian ?

	Kitten Smith shake his head  "no" , but he can't stifle himself.

				KITTEN SMITH
		Sorry...!

				ZIM
		The first and last words out of your
		stinking holes will be "sir".
		Do you get me ?

				KITTEN SMITH
		Sir, sorry...sir.

				ZIM
		See the armory ? Run around it !

	Kitten Smith squints. Out in the distance, a tiny building.
	Zim smacks him on the leg with his baton.

				KITTEN SMITH
		YEOW !

				ZIM
		RUN, I SAID. Bronski, keep pace !

	Kitten Smith runs. Big CORPORAL BRONSKI, 28, takes out after
	him, laying a baton across his backside every time he slows.

				ZIM
		You are now all brothers and sisters in
		the same family, my family, the Mobile
		Infantery. I will be your mother.
		I will be your father. If you do not 
		please me I will throw you out of my
		family because I hate all slackers and 
		negative hackers.
		Do you get me ?

				JOHNNY ET AL
		Sir, yes, sir !

	Zim points at the little WHITE PICKET FENCE leading to a
	transporter near the front gate.

				ZIM
		Anytime you think I'm being to tough,
		anytime you think I'm being unfair...
		QUIT ! Grab your gear and take a
		stroll down "Washout Lane". 
		Get me ?

				JOHNNY ET AL
		Sir, yes, sir !

				ZIM
		I wonder if there's a handful of
		guts in the whole bunch. Who
		thinks they've got what it takes
		to knock me down ?

	Breckinridge, a big guy from a farm planet, steps forward.

				BRECKINRIDGE
		Sir, I guess maybe I do, sir.

	Zim crooks afinger at him. Breckinridge charges. Zim knocks
	him flat. Breckinridge holds his arm, twisted now.

				ZIM
		You alright, Breckinridge ?

			BRECKINRIDGE
		Sir, yes, sir. It's my arm. I think it's
		broken, sir.

				ZIM
		MEDIC !

	A MEDIC charges up, checks Breckinridge's arm, grins.

				MEDIC
		Clean break... Doc'll have him back on
		active duty by tomorrow.

				ZIM
		Good. Who's next ?

	Shujumi steps up, assumes a fighting stance. Zim looks him over.
	There's not not much to him. Shujumi attacks Zim, counters his 
	counter, dances out of range.

				DJANA'D
		Lookit the little guy go !

	Now Zim attacks. Shujumi flip kicks Zim in the head.

				JOHNNY
		He's good alright.

				KATRINA
		I'll bet he makes squad leader.

				ACE
		He'll have to get past me.

	The recruits check Ace out. Zim sweeps Shujumi's legs, puts a
	knee in the little man's throat. Shujumi passes out.

				ZIM
		MEDIC !

51	EXT	OBSTACLE COURSE - DAY - THE RECRUITES

	tumble a brutal obstacle course using JUMP BOOTS.

				ZIM (V.O.)
		Some of you may not ´make it.

	Djana'd hits a tower and falls to the deck hard, dropping her rifle.
	She holds her knee, hurt. Zim races over to her.

				ZIM
		WHY IS THAT WEAPON ON THE GROUND ?
		YOUR WEAPON IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN
		YOU ARE ! PICK IT UP ! PICK IT UP !

	Zim begins to kick her because she doesn't move fast enough.

				ZIM (V.O.)
		You might think I am unfair.

52	EXT	ZERO GRAVITY COMBAT - DAY - THE RECRUITES

	watch poor Kitten Smith spar with Zim. Kitten Smith whacks Zim across the jaw.
	Zim doesn't even flinch.

				ZIM
		Is that all you got ? You hit like kitten, Smith !
		This is a punch.

	WHAM !	Zim knocks Kitten Smith for a loop.

				ZIM (V.O.)
		You will not like me.

53	INT	HYPERPHYSICAL TRAINING ENVIRONMENTS - DAY - ZIM

	watches the recruits face simulated 3-D OFF-WORLD FOES. In one room,
	CYCLOPS SOLDIERS of Antilles, in another, red DEATH WALKERS,
	and in a third, screeching ARACHNID WARRIORS.

				ZIM (V.O.)
		But if you survive you will thank me
		because you will be born again hard.
		You will be a new person.
		You will be a Cap Trooper. And then,
		MAYBE, you'll  be good enough...

54	EXT	COMBAT KNIFE PRACTICE - DAY - ZIM

	throws a knife, buries the point in a narrow post.

				ZIM (V.O.)
		...to serve in my family.

				ACE
		Sir, I don't understands who needs a
		knife in a nuke fight anyway...
		All you gotta do is push a button, sir !

	Zim yanks the knife out of the post.

				ZIM
		Put your hand on the post, private.

	Ace obeys. Zim throws, sticks his hand to the post.

				ACE
		AWK !

				ZIM
		The enemy cannot push a button if you
		disable his hand. MEDIC !

	Zim pays no attention to Ace who remains stuck to the post. A
	recruit trots up. Johnny stares, surprised. It's Dizzy.

				DIZZY
		Sir, recruit Flores, reporting for duty , sir.

	She snaps Zim a salute and hands him her orders.

				ZIM
		I see you specifically requested transfer
		from Fort Cronkite to this training group...

	Dizzy grins self-consciously at Johnny.

				DIZZY
		Sir, I heard it was the best, sir !

				ZIM
		It is the best... BUT WHAT MAKES YOU 
THINK YOU'RE GOOD ENOUGH ?
ON YOUR BELLY AND GIVE ME 
FIFTY, RECRUIT !

	Dizzy hits the deck and starts doing push-ups, counting off as
	MEDICS arrive and go to work on Ace's hand.

55	INT	MESS HALL - DAY - THE RECRUITES

	line up for mess piled four-square together on a single plate,
	meat on the bottom, ice cream on top.

				ACE
		I'd like to disable Zim...!

				KATRINA
		Improper Attitude ! They'll kick you out
		for talking like that...

				DJANA'D
		They can kick you out for anything.
		Improper Conduct, Unsatisfactory 
		Performance...

				KITTEN SMITH
		Off you go down Washout Lane, bye-bye !

	Ace cuts into the front off the mess line.

				ACE
		Aw, you either got what it takes
		or you don't.

				DJANA'D
		C'mon Ace, wait your turn !

				ACE
		At ease, soldier. It's all the same muck.

				JOHNNY
		Better get in line like everyone else, Ace.

	Silence. There could be a fight. Zim, standing nearby, watches
	with interest. Ace opens his hand.

				ACE
		You got some guts for a rich kid.
		I guess you and me could be buddies.

				JOHNNY
		What an honor...

				ACE
		Hey, don't laugh. Everyone oughta have
		a friend like me !

	Ace makes a big friendly show of trading places with Johnny.

				BRECKINRIDGE
		Come on, Ace, back off the line !
		Bacl off the line !

	Now everyone's laughing, pushing Ace to the back of the line.
	Johnny has his grub. Dizzy comes up with her tray.

				DIZZY
		Hey, amigo, come chow with me.

				JOHNNY
		No thanks, Diz.

				DIZZY
		What's your malfunction, Rico ?

				JOHNNY
		You are. I joined up to get out on my
		own. And you had to tag along.

				DIZZY
		What ? You think I joined the Mobile
		Infantery because of you ?

				JOHNNY
		You saying you didn't ?

	Johnny turns away. Dizzy watches him go, hurt.

56	EXT	OBSTACLE COURSE - DAY - THE RECRUITS

	tumble down the difficult course in their power suits. At the head of
	the pack , breathing hard, Johnny and Ace race.

				ACE
		What makes you think... you'll make...
		squad leader, Rico ?

				JOHNNY
		Something... I've got...you don't.

				ACE
		You rich kids... are all the same !

				JOHNNY
		It isn't about rich... It's about
		who's best...!

	They come to a trap, prepare to leap.

				DIZZY
		Coming through !

	Dizzy jumps over them from behind. Johnny and Ace tumble into the mud.
	They watch, chagrined, as Dizzy reaches the end of the course effortlessly.

				ZIM
		C'mon, move it, you apes !

57	INT	SHOWERS - NIGHT - DIZZY

	enters as the recruits scrub down.

				KITTEN SMITH
		We all have one thing in common. We were 
		all stupid enough to sign up for Mobile
		Infanterie. What's your excuse,
		Breckinridge ?

				BRECKINRIDGE
		Well, my family is all farmers. I hate farming.
		Mobile Infantery's pure picnic by comparison.

				KITTEN SMITH
		So the grow 'em big and dumb on the farm
		planet, eh ?	Djana'd ?

				DJANA'D
		I'm going in for politics. You gotta be a
		citizen for that. So here I am.

				KITTEN SMITH
		C'mon, keep it going... Katrina !

				KATRINA
		I wanna be a mom. It's easier to get
		a licence if you've served.

				ACE
		I'm going career... officer's training.
		That's why I wanna be squad leader.
		They look for that.

				JOHNNY
		Wanting it doesn't make you the best
		one for the job.

				ACE
		Oh, yeah ? I don't see anyone else here
		with the chops to lead.

				JOHNNY
		Well, maybe you better look again.

				SHUJUMI
		Federation's gonna give me a scholarship
		when my hitch is up. I wanna be a
		neurologist, study brain chemisty and
		associated stimulus...

	Dizzy dresses down. Johnny and all the other guys check her out.
	She has a fabulous body. Dizzy cathes Johnny looking. He turns
	his back as she steps into the shower next to him.

				KITTEN SMITH
		Your turn, Rico !

				JOHNNY
		Aw, who asked you to be so nosey ?

				KITTEN SMITH
		Me, I got plans to be writer, and a writer's
		got a right to be nosey. Flores, you know 
		Rico from Buenos Aires... What's his story ?

	Dizzy uses her hand to divert the shower spray towards Johnny's crotch.

				DIZZY
		Well, some say he turned his back on the family
		fortune to be a citizen, others say he did it for
		a girl... missed a spot there, bucko... which is 
		funny because Johnny says I joined up to be
		with him, but why would I do that ?
		He doesn't even like me.

				BRECKINRIDGE
		Don't look that way to me.

	Everyone look down at Johnny's crotch, laughing. Johnny
	blushes, grabs a towel and exits the shower. 

58	INT BARRACKS - NIGHT - INTO CAMERA - JOHNNY

	pans the barracks with a little handcam, neat bunks in a row, other recruits
	lounging around in their skivvies.

				JOHNNY
		I know it's not much, but it's home. Over
		there's my bunk where I dream about you
		every night...

Ace, Kitten Smith, Shujumi and Breckinridge dance around and moon the
	camera.

				JOHNNY
		Hey, do you mind ?

	Johnny moves the camera away from the guys. Katrina walks by from the
	shower with Dizzy, mugs into frame.

				KATRINA
		Hey, what's going on ?

				DIZZY
		I bet it's that girl I was talking about...
		Her name's Carmen, I think.

				ACE AND THE OTHERS
		Carmen ! Ooh la la, Carmencita !

				KATRINA
		Hi, Carmen !

	Johnny heads for the door.

				ACE AND THE OTHERS
		Hey, where you going ? Come back...! He's
		getting awy... Grab him...!

	The picture goes all screwy, comes up again on:

59	EXT	BARRACKS - NIGHT - INTO CAMERA - JOHNNY

	talk quietly now outside the barracks door.

				JOHNNY
		Boot's pretty tough, and sometimes
		I think I won't make it, but then I
		imagine you're watching me, and that
		gives me someting... I try harder.
		Thanks to you, I think I might have 
		a shot at squad leader.

	The barracks lights go out. Taps plays over the public address.
	Johnny lowers his voice.

				JOHNNY
		Uh-oh, I gotta pack it in. I hope you're
		having fun, hope you're careful.
		No training accidents for you, eh ?
			(leaning into camera)
		I want to kiss you so badly. I want
		to feel you next to me, I-

	Behind him , someone begins to sing , badly.

				ACE
		I love you truly, so truly, dear...!

	Ace, the singer, and the other guys peer down from the transom 
	over the door, giggling, delighted with themselves.

							PULLBACK TO REVEAL:

60	INT	TERESHKOVA FLIGHT ACADEMY - DAY - CARMEN

	watches the end of Johnny's letter. Ace continues to sing.

				ACE
		Our love will grow, dear, year by year...

				JOHNNY
		Bye ! Write me ! I'm gonna kill you guys !

	The letter ends. Carmen smiles. A BALD CADET PILOT smacks her on the
	arm as she runs by in a sleek blue pressure suit.

				BALD CADET
		Orbit in five, Ibanez ! First one there gets
		to fly !

	Grinning, Carmen grabs her duffel, takes off after her.

61	INT	BOARDING CORRIDOR - DAY - CARMEN

	and the bald cadet race for the hatch past other recruits.

62	INT	BOAT - DAY CYCLE-CARMEN

	gets there first, jumps into the pilot seat. The Bald Pilot takes
	second seat.


				CARMEN
		Looking it down !
		
	Two LATE CADETS duck in through the closing hatch door.

				LATE CADET
		Oh no, not Ibanez again, she's crazy !

				CARMEN
		On my mark, in three, two, one...

63	EXT	LUNAR ORBIT - THE BOAT

	straeks upward from the lunar floor past orbitting training platforms where
	CADETS in brightly colored pressure suits float against the Earth which
	hangs beyond the horizon.

				CARMEN (O.S.)
		...GO !

64	INT	BOAT - LUNAR ORBIT - CARMEN

	blasts past a DESTROYER orbiting in dock, zips between CORVETTES
	and other slower fleet traffic in the crowded space lanes of Luna.
	The two late cadets are terrified.

				BALD CADET
		Geez, I thought I liked to fly fast !

				CARMEN
		This is nothing. Today, I get to fly that !

	She points. Now visible from behind a host of smaller ships,
	STARSHIP ATHENA, of older design, but impressive.

65	INT	ATHENA - COMMAND AND CONTROL - DAY CYCLE - CARMEN

	arrives on the bridge, dark, cramped, all-business. She salutes the instructor,
	CAPTAIN DELADIER, 40s.

				CARMEN
		Pilot Trainee Ibanez reporting for duty, ma'am.

				DELADIER
		Take the number one chair, Ibanez.
		Follow all instructions of you supervisor.

				CARMEN
		Yes, ma'am !

	Carmen turns for her station, but stops in her tracks. Her supervisor is
	Zander Barcalow, now a 2nd Lieutenant.

				CARMEN
		Hey ! What are you doing here ?

				ZANDER
		I'm the guy who's gonna teach you to 
		fly this crate.

	Carmen logs on. The ship recognizes her as a pilot trainee.

				CARMEN
		Assistant insructor... You must be some
		kind of a hot stick.
		Should I call you "sir" ?

				ZANDER
		Only when I give you an order.

				DELADIER
		Prepare for departure.

	Carmen and Zander go to work.

				CARMEN
		It's amazing, us running into each other
		like this. Maybe it's fate.

				ZANDER
		Maybe not. I heard about this crazy girl
		coming through the academy, solid math,
		a little wild on the stick, but a natural.
		When it turned out it was you, I made
		sure we'd run into each other...

				DELADIER
		Alright, take her out, Ibanez.

				CARMEN
		Yes, ma'am.

	All eyes are on carmen as she grabs the stick. The ship shudders under
	her hand. She winks at Zander.

				CARMEN
		In simulation, my supervisors could never
		keep up.

				ZANDER
		This isn't simulation anymore.
		Take'er out easy, cadet.

				CARMEN
		Oh, yes, sir. Vector ?

				ZANDER
		Twenty-five by five, roll seven.
		And don't exceed port speed.

	Carmen rocks the stick, and the view from the bridge spins smoothly
	away from the dense orbiting yards os Luna toward the outer system.

				CARMEN
		Or...?

				ZANDER
		They revoke our flight status.

				CARMEN
		Oh, I see... teamwork.

	Carmen jogs past lumbering freighters. Zander's impressed.

				DELADIER
		Steady as she goes, number one.
		Prepare for warp. Number two,
		design for Jupiter orbit.

				ZANDER
		Yes, ma'am. Star drive in three...
		two... one...

	Space appears to bend. Zander and Carmen share a smile. They 
	blur together, becoming one, then:	WHAM !

66	EXT	LUNA - STARSHIP ATHENA

	disappears in a flash of blinding light.

67	EXT	WAR GAMES COURSE - DAY - THE RECRUITS

	have been divided into two teams. RED TEAM includes Ace, Katrina,
	Breckinridge, and Djana'd. Johnny, Shujumi, Kitten Smith, and Dizzy
	are part of BLUE TEAM.

				ZIM
		The object of this exercise is to capture
		your enemy's flag before your enemy
		captures yours.

	Bronski passes out Morita SmartRifles.

				ZIM
		These weapons have been modified for
		this exercise. If your enemy hits you,
		your suit will fail. You will be unable
		to move. You will be as good as dead.

68	EXT	WAR GAMES COURSE - LATER - DJANA'D
	
	bumps the magnification of her heads up display to survey Blue Team's
	flag guarded by two recruits. She jumps down to joining other Red
	Team members on the move.

				DJANA'D
		It's right over the next ridge...
		Only two guards.

	Johnny, Kitten Smith, and Dizzy open fire from athicket as they pass.
	Djana'd and the others collapse as their suits fail, Djana'd laughing
	because playing at war seems funny.

				KITTEN SMITH
		You are now prisoners of the Blue Team.
		Tell us your plans or die !

				DJANA'D
		Oh no ! Name, rank, and mind your own
		business is all you get from me !

69	EXT	RED TEAM FLAG - DAY - RED TEAM

	opens fire as the Blue Team appears. Shujumi and other Blue Team members
	go down in an ambush led by Breckinridge. Johnny dives for cover, and finds
	himself sharing it with Dizzy.

				KITTEN SMITH
		I'm going in ! Let's go !

	Kitten Smith makes arun for the flag with a rifle team. Ace and Katrina open 
	fire from two new hidden Red Team positions, taking Kitten and his team
	down with a cross fire.

				JOHNNY
		Man, they're defended... no way in.

				DIZZY
		Flip six, three hole.

				JOHNNY
		What ?

				DIZZY
		High school... remember ? Run a flip
		six, three hole play, and you might
		score...

	Johnny looks at the course in a new way, nods.

				JOHNNY
		Cover me.

				DIZZY
		You got it.

	Johnny tumbles open ground, vaults into the air. Dizzy takes out Breckinridge
	as he rises to fire. Johnny lands, knocks out Katrina, then Ace. He picks up
	Ace's fallen Morita.

				JOHNNY
		Thanks, pal.

70	EXT	OBSERVATION TOWER - DAY - ZIM AND CORPORAL BRONSKI

	watch Johnny firing both Moritas simultanously and taking out the remaining
	Red Team defenders. He grabs the Red Team flag and hurls it into the air like spear.

				ZIM
		Kid's got some moves...

71	INT	AIRBORNE SKIMMER - DAY - THE RECRUITS

	line up in the door of a SKIMMER, the military's standard utility aircraft,
	to practice drops from altitude.

				ZIM
		Smith, GO ! McIntire, GO ! Flores, GO !
		Rico, I'm making you sqaud leader !

				JOHNNY
		Sir, thank you, sir !

				ZIM
		Don't stand there dumb... GO !

	Johnny jumps, plummeting toward the earth.

				JOHNNY
		YEEEE-Haaaaaaaaaaaaa...!

	Next in line, Ace scowls.

72	INT	BARRACKS - NIGHT - THE RECRUITS

	have some free time. Johnny makes a big show of polishing the chevrons
	that designate him as Squad Leader.

				KITTEN SMITH
		Look at him. Do you think anyone has
		ever been so pleased with himself ?

				ACE
		Zim hadda choose someone to be
		his brown nose, I guess.

				JOHNNY
		I just want you guys to know that I'll
		never do anything that I haven't asked
		you to do first.

	Johnny approaches Dizzy.

				JOHNNY
		Couldn't've done it without you, Diz.
		Friends ?

	Dizzy smiles, shakes.

				DIZZY
		Yeah, sure... friends.

	Bronski walks through with the mail.

				BRONSKI
		Levy... Shujumi... Rico.

	Johnny grabs the E-disk, pops it into his handcam. The Fleet Mail logo appears:
	APPROVED MESSAGE

				JOHNNY
		Bet it's from my girl.

	Johnny's pals gather for a look. Carmen appears, dressed down to skivvies, 
	in her quarters aboard starship Athena.

				CARMEN
		Hi, Johnny, I would've written sooner,
		but they've really got us going every 
		moment here.

				ACE
		Yeow, Rico, you don't deserve that !

				JOHNNY
		Shhhh...!

				CARMEN
		I'm glad you're doing so well. If they 
		haven't made you squad leader by now,
		I'm sure you will.

	Johnny holds up his squad leader chevrons victoriously.

				JOHNNY
		All it takes is the love of a good woman...

	The image changes abrupltly. Now Carmen's wearing a trim blue flight suit.
	She stands the camera on Athena's gunnery deck. Outside , the rings of
	Saturn sparkle in bright solar light.

				CARMEN
		Look at that. Isn't it beautiful ? I had 
		to show you. It's great to be out here on
		my own. I'm just not some little girl from
		Buenos Aires anymore. I'm gonna be a
		starship pilot, and I'm gonna see the
		universe...
			(she sighs)
		And that's also the problem because I
		don't really want to get married,
		Johnny. I don't want to have kids.
		I want a command, a ship of my own,
		and you know, I don't think that's 
		gonna leave a lot of room for you and
		me.

	Johnny is stunned. All the other recruits suddenly seem to have 
	something else to do.

				CARMEN
		I know that's not what you wanted to hear...
		but I have to follow my heart. I'm sorry.
		I'm afraid you'll hate me, and I couldn't
		stand that. Write me, alright ? Write me,
		so I'll know that we'll always be friends.

	The Fleet Mail logo appears again:	END OF MESSAGE. Johnny
	shuts the handcam off. Ace puts a hand on his shoulder.

				ACE
		Funny how they always want to be your friends
		after they kick your guts out.

				JOHNNY
		It's what I deserve.
	
				ACE
		Whad'ya talkin  about ?

				JOHNNY
		I joined up for her. I wouldn't even 
		be here if it wasn't for her.
		I'm a fool.

				ACE
		You made squad leader on your own,
		and, hey, you still got me to kick 
		around.

	Johnny smiles in spite of himself.

				JOHNNY
		Thanks, Ace.

	Johnny turns for the door, flipping the chevrons like a coin.
	Dizzy watches him leave. She'd so like to comfort him.

 73	EXT	LIVE FIRE COMBAT RANGE - DAY - THE RECRUITS

	arm their Marauder power suits. Zim and Bronski wear Command model suits
	with rank designations. Johnny checks weapons, scans the electronics on 
	each squad member's power suit.

				ZIM
		With the Marauder's visual capabilities,
		all you have to do is look at something
		to hit it, so you will exercise EXTREME
		CARE on my firing line.
		Do you get me ?

				RECRUITS
		Sir, yes, sir !

				ZIM
		The live firing combat range is the 
		closest simulation of actual combat
		we can provide. If you do not hit 
		your target, it will shoot you...

	Fifty blackened AUTOMATED TARGET DRONES fitted with pulse guns
	are presently visible along a gauntlet of low walls, gullies, and three-story
	building facades.

				ZIM
		The Marauder power suit will prevent
		serious injury, but if you are hit, you
		will be non-operational and your team 
		score will suffer accordingly. Rico,
		has each member of your squad completed
		a weapons safety check ?

				JOHNNY
		Sir, yes, sir !

	On a signal from Zim, the Live Fire Combat Range comes to life
	as the target drones take cover and disappear from view.

				ZIM
		Perfect score for this exercise is 300.
		B company came through last week
		with 285. I expect you to do better.

74	EXT	LIVE FIRE COMBAT RANGE - DAY - THE RECRUITS

	take out the target drones as they appear. Halfway through the course,
	a recruit takes a hit and goes down, immobilized. Djana'd has a clear
	shot, but Breckinridge gets in her way.

				DJANA'D
		You're in my line of fire, Breckinridge

	Before the others can react, a second drone appears.

				JOHNNY
		CROSSFIRE ! EVERYBODY DOWN !

	Everyone kisses dirt. Pulses from the two drones fly thick overhead.
	Shujumi rises to fire, a round slams him back to the ground.
	Johnny and Djana'd knock out the two drones.

				JOHNNY
		Alright, no more screw ups. Ace takes
		point. Diz, you and Kitten Smith cover
		the flanks. Djana'd, you're rear guard.
		Move out.

	The squad resumes ist advance. Breckinridge bangs on his helmet.
	There is something wrong with his "head up" display.

				JOHNNY
		What's the problem ?

				BRECKINRIDGE
		Dunno. Display's fritzed.

				DJANA'D
		Lose another rifle, we're gonna mess up
		our score...
			
				JOHNNY
		Let me see.

	Breckinridge takes off helmet, hands it to Johnny. Djana'd turns on
	Breckinridge. Her "head up" zeroes him.

				DJANA'D
		How come when something goes wrong,
		it's always you, Breckinridge ?

	That's when Djana'd trips on a loose stone. She fumbles her rifle and
	it discharges. The round tears the top of Breckinridge's head off.
	The recruits stare in horror.

				JOHNNY
		Oh, God... uh... MEDIC !

	Zim arrives with Bronski on the bounce.

				ZIM
		Rico, you are relieved of squad command.
		Levy, McIntire you will escort private Rico
		to the C.O.'s Office.

	The recruits watch Johnny leave, stare aghast at their dead comrade.
	No one looks at Djana'd, who stands alone sobbing.

75	INT	C.O.'S OFFICE - DAY - JOHNNY

	stands before the C.O. braced by Katrina and Ace. Zim and the C.O.  are
	both saddened by the proceedings.

				C.O.
		Rico, did you give the recruit permission
		to remove his helmet ?

				JOHNNY
		Sir, yes, sir. Breckinridge reported a
		helmet malfunction, and I asked him
		to show it to me, sir.

				C.O.
		Are you rated to repair a Marauder
		power suit, Rico ?

				JOHNNY
		Sir, no, sir.

				C.O.
		Then why did you order your man to 
		remove his helmet during a live fire
		exercise ?

				JOHNNY
		Sir, I needed everyone in my squad
		operational, sir... I... I wanted to win,
		sir.

				C.O:
			(sigh)
		You disobeyed safety regulation 21-404.
		You may, of course, demand trial by 
		court martial.

				JOHNNY
		Sir, no, sir !

				C.O.
		Do you freely admit to the charges
		made against you ?

				JOHNNY
		Sir... I guess I do, sir.

	Zim looks out the window. Djana'd, dressed for travel, in civilian clothes,
	crying as she heads off down Washout Lane.

				C.O.
		Sergeant, we've lost two recruits
		over this incident already...
		is there any possibility of salvaging
		this man ?

				Zim
		I believe so, sir.

				C.O.
		Alright. We'll try administrative
		punishment. Until then you are 
		confined to your quarters, Rico.

76	INT	BARRACKS - SUNSET - JOHNNY

	looks out the window to the parade ground where a POST has been
	erected. The recruits look up as Zim enters.

				ZIM
		Alright, let's go, Rico.

	Johnny takes off his shirt. Ace who now holds the chevrons of squad
	leader, watches, feels bad for his pal.

77	EXT	PARADE GROUND - SUNSET - THE RECRUITS

	stand with recruits from other platoons. Johnny is led to the post and 
	strung up as the C.O. reads the charge.

				C.O.
		For incompetence of command, for
		failure to abide by safety regulations
		in a live fire exercise, for negligence 
		which contributed to the death of a
		teammate...

	Zim steps up to Johnny, offers him a red rubber mouthpiece.

				ZIM
		Bite on this. It helps. I know.

				C.O.
		... recruit trainee John Rico is sentenced
		to administrative punishment. Ten lashes.

	Johnny takes it in his mouth. His tear away shirt is torn away. Johnny
	stands at the post alone. Corporal Bronski, a big man with an unhappy
	task, unrolls his whip.

				C.O.
		You may carry out the sentence.

				BRONSKI
		One.
	
	CRACK !	Johnny's face wrenched by pain, spontanous tears, a terrible
	sound stifled by the bright red mouthpiece.

				BRONSKI
		Two.
	
	CRACK !	Again. Dizzy flinches for Johnny.

				BRONSKI
		Three.

	CRACK !	Ace looks away.

				BRONSKI
		Four.

	CRACK !	Zim watches without any apparent emotion.

				BRONSKI
		Five.

	CRACK !	Johnny faints, sagging against his tether.

								FADE OUT

78	EXT	OUTER SYSTEM - STARSHIP ATHENA

	cruises past, 600,000 metric tons of star class destroyer, FIGHTERS
	and LANDING BOATS lining her open hangar deck.

79	INT	ATHENA - COMMAND AND CONTROL - NIGHT CYCLE - CARMEN

	works alone on the empty bridge. She yawns. Zander brings coffee for himself
	and Carmen.

				CARMEN
		Thanks. You read my mind. Third watch
		always seems to last forever.

				ZANDER
		Oh, I don't know... Depends on who you
		are spending it with.

	He caresses her hair. She kisses his hand. Zander notices the plot map.

				ZANDER
		Profile's wrong... there.

				CARMEN
		No, I replotted the course. It's more
		efficient this way.

				ZANDER
		Three weeks aboard a starship and you
		know it all, huh ?

				CARMEN
		Hey, check it.

	Zander slides into his chair, runs a check.

				ZANDER
		You know I was talking to Captain,
		Deladier, and she said...

				CARMEN
		Don't change the subject. Am I right ?

				ZANDER
		Well, whad'ya know...

				CARMEN
		Don't mess with the boss. So what'd
		the captain say ?

				ZANDER
		She got a command... and she thinks we 
		oughta team up officially and crew for her.
		She thinks we're good together.

				CARMEN
		You and me, huh ?

	Zander turns his chair so they are very close, moves a finger along
	her hand, up her arm and playfully around her breasts.

				ZANDER
		I have a feeling about us. We're good
		together, way ahead of the curve in 
		every department. I seem to be able to
		anticipate your needs. 
		You know what I want...

	Carmen grabs him between his legs.

				CARMEN
		No, what do you want ?

	Zander pulls her to him and they kiss passionately. She brteaks it off,
	gets serious for amoment.

				CARMEN
		I want to be part of the best flight team 
		in the Fleet...

				ZANDER
		Me, too... Day and Night-Cycle.

	They start to caress again when suddenly ALARMS sound. Captain 
	Deladier appears on the hot screen, still waking up.

				DELADIER
		Report.

				ZANDER
		Captain, we are in the path of an unidentified
		object moving at near light speed...

	Carmen and Zander frantically check their displays.

				CARMEN
		WHERE IS IT ?

				ZANDER
		THERE !	GRAVITY FIELD... IT'S BIG !

				CARMEN
		It looks like an... asteroid.

				DELADIER
		In this part of the system ?

	Carmen and Zander see it through the front screens:		A huge
	ASTEROID tumbles directly towards them at terrific speed.

				ZANDER
		Sweet Jesus...!

	Carmen breaks glass that reads EMERGENCY RETROS, arms the switch 
	within and fires the rockets.

80	EXT	OUTER SYSTEM - STARSHIP ATHENA

	torques to one side. The asteroid grazes the ship, cutting ahuge gash
	in Athena's hull. Ice and rock travelling in ist wake shreds
	COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT.

81	INT	COMMAND AND CONTROL - NIGHT CYCLE - CARMEN AND 

	Zander brace themseves as diamond hard particles pound the front screens.
	The ship continues to tumble.

82	EXT	ATHENA - FLIGHT DECK - A FIGHTER

	loses it's mooring, tumbling into other craft, explosions ripping the deck.

83	INT	ATHENA -VARIOUS - NIGHT CYCLE - CREWMEN

	are sucked into space. Others hang on frantically as automatic doors
	seal Athena's wound and their fates.

84	INT	COMMAND AND CONTROL - NIGHT CYCLE - CAPTAIN

	Deladier arrives on the bridge, now crowded as other FLIGHT OFFICERS
	rush to their stations. Zander's going through star charts.

				DELADIER
		Where'd it come from ?

				ZANDER
		Trajectory indicates it came out of 
		the Arachnid Quarantine Zone.

				DELADIER
		Number 4, contact Fleet and tell 'em
		there's a loose asteroid headed their way.

				COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER
		Communications are down, ma'am.

				DELADIER
		Engineering. Damage assessment.

				ENGINEERING OFFICER
		Hull's compromised. 
		We're lucky to be alive, ma'am.

	Deladier notices Carmen staring at a monitor, stunned. A DEAD
	CAP TROOPER trails in the wreckage of the flight deck.

				DELADIER
		Good work, Number 1. You'll do.

				CARMEN
		Thank you, ma'am.

85	INT	BARRACK'S - DAY - JOHNNY

	wears his civilian clothes, pcks as the other recruits get ready for the
	day's training. No one says anything. He moves stiffly, careful of his
	back.

				DIZZY
		It stinks, you goin.

				JOHNNY
		I don't stay where I'm not wanted.

				DIZZY
		If they didn't want you, they woulda
		kicked you out, amigo.

				JOHNNY
		Hey, they humiliated me in front of
		everyone ! I'm just supposed to take
		it, huh ? Well, I'm not gonna, and I 
		guess that proves I just can't cut it.

	Corporal Bronski leans in, impassive.

				BRONSKI
		Your call's going through, Rico.
		Take it there.

	A nearby VU-PHONE lights up. The screen flashes:		RINGING
	His mother appears when she picks up the other end.

				MOTHER
		Hello... Oh, Johnny...!

				JOHNNY
		Hi, mom.

				MOTHER
		Bill... pick up... it's Johnny ! You 
		little rat. You haven't called, you
		haven't written. It's been so lonely
		here without you...

	The screen splits as Johnny's father activates an extension.

				FATHER
		Johnny ! Where's your uniform...?

	Johnny's mother makes a face to shut him up.

				FATHER
		Well, it's just good to hear from you.
		What's up, son ?

				JOHNNY
		It's not really working out for me here,
		dad. I was thinking... I was hoping it 
		would be alright if I came home.

				MOTHER
		Well, of course you should come home
		immedietly !

				JOHNNY
		I've made a mess of things. I've been
		so stupid...

				FATHER
		Don't talk like that. Get yourself home
		as fast as you can.

				MOTHER
		We'll all have dinner. I'll fix your favorite.

				FATHER
		Yeah ! We'll talk it out and have a good
		glass of wine ... and... well, we love you,
		son.

	The sky in Buenos Aires seems to darken perceptively. Johnny's
	mother looks out the window.

				MOTHER
		Oh, my, what's that ?

				FATHER
		Looks like rain.

				MOTHER
		This time of the year...?

	The transmission ends abruptly. A phone company logo appears:
	TRANSMISSION TERMINATED.

				VU-PHONE VOICE
		Your transmission has been terminated due
		to atmospheric interference. Please try your
		call again later.

	Johnny zips his duffel, hefts it gingerly over his shoulder.

				JOHNNY
		Well, see ya.

				DIZZY
		You take the stroll down Washout Lane,
		you're only proving one thing, Johnny.

				JOHNNY
		What's that, Diz ?

				DIZZY
		That you don't have what it takes
		to be acitizen !

	Dizzy turns on her heel and marches away.

86	INT	THE C.O.'S OFFICE - DAY - JOHNNY

	signs form 1240/A. Zim stands as witness.

				C.O.
		Now you, Sergeant.

	Zim signs bitterly. The C.O. sighs.

				C.O.
		That's it, son. You can go.

	The C.O. and Zim turn to other things. Johnny picks up his duffel and heads 
	out the door.

87	EXT	PARADE GROUND - DAY - JOHNNY

	walks alone, sad. A skimmer hums by overhead and he looks after it.
	Out across the parade ground he sees the glint of Marauder power
	suits as recruits tumble the obstacle course.

88	EXT	WASHOUT LANE -- DAY - JOHNNY

	reaches the little white fence that leads to the transporter. He turns
	back for one last look and notices people running to the
	Comminications shack. Kitten Smith runs by.

				JOHNNY
		Hey, Kitten, what's going on ?

				KITTEN
		It's war !

89	EXT	COMMUNICATION - DAY - JOHNNY

	joins others to see what's on the Federal Net. Recruits, non-coms, and officers gather	without any sense of military decorum. People cry openly, among them Corporal
	Bronski.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		... early estimates. Millions dead, a city in 
		ruins...

	On screen, the smoldering ruins of what was once a huge city.

				JOHNNY
		Oh, jeez, is that Geneva ?

				KATRINA
		Goddam bugs whacked us, Johnny.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		... Buenos Aires has been wiped of the Earth.
		Nothing lives in what was once called the
		Latin Paradise...

	Johnny is horrified. Dizzy is suddenly standing next to him.

				DIZZY
		Aw, Johnny, geez... It's home.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		The Federal Court met moments ago and
		voted unanimously for mobilization to
		destroy the Arachnid threat.

	Johnny sets his jaw, turns and runs for the C.O.'s office.

90	INT	C.O.'S OFFICE -DAY - THE C.O: AND ZIM

	and other staffers watch the grim news unfold. Animation
	illustrates the insect treachery.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		The meteor derived from here, near Klendathu,
		in the Arachnid's home system...

				ZIM
		I'm serious, sir. I'll go anywhere.
		I want combat.

				C.O.
		Forget it, Zim. We're gonna need you 
		here. The only way you'll get a combat
		assignment is if you bust yourself to
		private. You get me ?

				ZIM
		Yes, sir, I get you.

				C.O.
		What can I do for you, Rico ?

				JOHNNY
		Sir, I wish to reconsider my request
		to drop out, sir.

				C.O.
		Sorry, son. I can't do it. You signed
		the 1240/A. It would be illegal.

				JOHNNY
		Sir, i know it was wrong. I didn't 
		learn from one mistake and I made
		another, sir.
			(then)
		Sir, my family... my whole family was
		in Buenos Aires, sir.

	Zim picks up Johnny's 1240/A off the C.O.'s desk.

				ZIM
		Is that your signature, Rico ?

				JOHNNY
		Sir, yes it is, sir.

				ZIM
		Doesn't look like it to me.

	Zim gives the C.O. a look. The C.O. shrugs, turns away, watching the news
	of the coming war. Zim tears up the 1240/A.

				ZIM
		Get outa here, private.

91	FROM THE FEDERAL NET - HUMANKIND GOES TO WAR !

	Actual pictures of Buenos Aires:	SURVIVORS pick through rubble,
	people wail, kids play tag in the ruins.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Out of the ashes of Buenos Aires comes first
		sorrow, then ANGER !

				ANGRY PERSON
		The only good bug is a dead bug !

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Would you like to know more ?

92	COMBAT - VICTORY ON DANTANA !

	A wounded CAP TROOPER, grim smile, flashes "V" for victory as his
	weary comrades carry him off the field.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Cap Troopers establish a foothold on Dantana,
		a planet system at the outer edge of the
		Arachnid Quarantine Zone. Casualties are high,
		but casualties won't stop the Mobile Infantery !
		Would you like to know more ?

93	HOME FRONT - KIDS KILL BUGS AND MOM IS GLAD !

	MOM smiles as her CUTE KIDS stomp insects in the garden.
	FACTORY WORKERS turn out ordnance. PEOPLE line up 
	to enlist.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Everyone's doing their share. Are you ?
		The war effort needs your effort at work,
		at home, in your community.
		Would you like to know more ?

94	LEADERSHIP - SKY MARSHALL ANNOUNCES OFFENSIVE !

	SKY MARSHALL DIENES, 72, addresses the FEDERAL COUNCIL.

				SKY MARSHALL DIENES
		We are a generation commanded by fate to defend
		humankind ! We must meet the threat with our valor,
		our blood, with our very lives, to insure that human
		civilization, not insect, dominates this galaxy now
		and always.

	The council rises to its feet for a standing ovation.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Sky Marshall Dienes announces plans for an
		offensive against Klendathu, source of the 
		bug meteor that destroyed Buenos Aires.

95	LIVE BROADCAST - AQZ - FLEET BATTLE STATION TICONDEROGA

	is a sprawling pre-fab structure covering several square kilometers of space
	where STARSHIPS are stacked in berths.
	Super title:	COUNTDOWN TO VICTORY.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		We now break net and take you live to
		Fleet Battle Station Ticonderoga deep
		inside the Arachnid Quarantine Zone.

96	INT	BATTLE STATION - NIGHT CYCLE - THE CAMERA

	follows the Net Correspondentas he works a corridor crowded with 
	MOBILE INFANTERY and FLEET PERSONNEL.

				NET CORRESPONDENT
		No one here in the AQZ knows when the 
		invasion of Kendathu will occur, but
		everyone's talking about it, and the talk says
		tomorrow !

	Newly minted cap troopres Johnny, Dizzy, Ace, and Kitten Smith happen along.

				NET CORRESPONDENT
		Here's a bunch of M.I. kids who look like they
		eat bugs for lunch !

				DIZZY
		Yum, yum yum ...!

				NET CORRESPONDENT
		So you're not to worried about fighting the
		Arachnids...?

				ACE
		Hey, shoot a nuke down a bug hole, 
		lotta dead bugs, am I right ?

				KITTEN SMITH
		I just hope it's not over before we get in it !

				NET CORRESPONDENT
		Some say the bugs were provoked by human 
		attempts to colonize within the AQZ, that a
		"live and let live" policy is preferable to
		war with the bugs...

				JOHNNY
		Yeah, well, I'm from Buenos Aires, and
		I say kill'em all !

97	INT	RECREATION DECK - NIGHT CYCLE - JOHNNY

	and his friends drink at a crowded bar. Around the room there's 
	singing and dancing, a mad sort of revelry bred of fear and
	excitement, but nearby a VETERAN drinks alone.

				KITTEN SMITH
		That guy's been in it.

				JOHNNY
		How can you tell ?

				KITTEN SMITH
		The eyes. He's got the 1000 meters stare.

	He's hard and humorless, all wised up. Ace admires his LASER CUT TATTOOS.
	Dizzy eyes his skull and crossbone earring.

				ACE
		Great scars.

				DIZZY
		I like the jewelry. Hey, amigo, where can
		I get an earring like yours ?

				VETERAN
		Port Joe Smith, Outer Rings, Dantana...
		Every time I come back from a drop, my
		gunny gives me a bone. I got three now.
		You don't see a lot of guys with three.

				JOHNNY
		Waht's it like... combat ?

				VETERAN
		I guess it's not so bad. I mean as 
		long as you don't get any on you.

				KITTEN SMITH
		Get any what on you ?

				VETERAN
		Oh, you'll know when it happens.
		See you on the bounce.

	The veteran pays his tab and heads out.

				ACE
		I say we all go to the laser parlor
		and get cut together.

				JOHNNY
		What do I want with a scar ?

				DIZZY
		What, your skin's too pretty ?
		C'mon, everyone's doing it !

				CARMEN (V.O.)
		Hey	Johnny !	Johnny Rico !

	Johnny looks up and sees Carmen. She lloks graet in uniform with 
	the hat and the lieutenant's bars on her shoulders.

				JOHNNY
		Carmen... ?

	Johnny remembers himself, snaps to attention, salutes. Dizzy and the others 
	follow suit. Carmen salutes back, sheepish.

				CARMEN
		Oh... at ease. Guess I oughta lose the hat
		when I'm off duty, eh ?

	Dizzy, disgusted, turns back to Ace and Kitten Smith. Carmen tucks her hat
	under her arm. Her hair is very short.
	
				JOHNNY
		What happened to your hair ?

				CARMEN
		What do you think ? Everyone did it when 
		we got our wings. You don't like it, do you ?

				JOHNNY
		It's alright, I guess. You hear from anyone
		made it out of B.A. alive ?

	Carmen shakes her head, sadly.

				CARMEN
		It's funny. Sometimes I forget. Then it
		hits me, and I can't stop crying.

				JOHNNY
		I try just to be happy I'm still alive.

				CARMEN
		You don't look very happy to see me.

				JOHNNY
		Should I be ?

				CARMEN
		Johnny... Life is so different from the 
		way it was. One day you'll see what
		I did was best for both of us.

	Zander leaves a group of FLEET OFFICERS to join them.

				ZANDER
		Everything coposetic, Lieutenant ?

				CARMEN
		Zander, you remember Johnny ?
		Zander and I are a flight team now.

	Zander puts his arm around Carmen, gives her a squeeze.

				ZANDER
		Best in the Fleet !

				JOHNNY
		I get it. This is the part that's best
		for both of us.
		Don't do me anymore favors, eh ?

	Johnny turns to leave.

				CARMEN
		Johnny, wait...

				ZANDER
		Forget it, Carmen. The Mobile Infantery
		does a thankless, dirty job, so they 
		naturally tend to be short-tempered,
		thoughtless and rude.

	Johnny turns back to face Zander.

				JOHNNY
		You got something to say about the
		Mobile Infantery ?

				ZANDER
		You heard me. Wanna make something
		out of it, private ?

				JOHNNY
		Not with an officer, no, sir.
		The M.I. doesn't mint stupid cap
		troopers.

	Everyone can see what's about to happen. A circle is forming,
	Fleet on one side, Mobile Infantery on the other.

				ZANDER
		Let's disregaed rank... Everybody hear
		that ? Rank is not an issue here.

				CARMEN
		Zander, please... Let's go !

	Zander takes off his hat.

				ZANDER
		It's alright. What's he gonna do ?

	WHAM !	Johnny punches him right in the nose. Zander goes down,
	bleeding. Ace and Kitten Smith grab Johnny.

				ACE
		Whoa, easy there, buddy... Nice punch.

	Zander staggers to his feet, ready to fight, but Fleet Officers pull him
	back. Carmen looks at Johnny, the hate in his eye, the blood on his fist.

				CARMEN
		What's wrong with you ?

				JOHNNY
		Hey, it's just a vestigal response to 
		procreation... bitch.

	Carmen turns away, stung. Johnny immediately regrets. Dizzy,
	for her part, couldn't be happier.

				DIZZY
		Forget it, Johnny. Cap Troopers and
		Fleet weren't meant to mix !

98	INT	LASER PARLOR - NIGHT CYCLE - JOHNNY
	
	grinds his teeth as a laser mounted on a robot arm finishes slicing an
	intricate pattern into his arm.

				JOHNNY
		It hurts...!

	Dizzy, Ace, and Kitten Smith awtch, grinning, passing a bottle.
	Ace pours booze directly into the fresh wound.

				ACE
		No, this hurts.

				JOHNNY
		YAAAAAAAA !

				KITTEN SMITH
		Well, here's to it ! We're gonna fightn, and
		we're gonna win !

	They put their arms side by side. Each has a similiar scar:
	Lightning bolts on a shield and the words:	DEATH FROM ABOVE.

				ACE
		Mobile Infantery rules !

				JOHNNY
		Death to all bugs !

				DIZZY
		Don't get any on you !

99	EXT	KLENDATHU - FROM SPACE - FLEET STARSHIPS

	of every class maneuver in tight orbit around the orange planet.
	The "Mobile Infantery Anthem" plays loke Holst, pounding and
	relentless. The invasion has begun !

100	INT	BULL RUN - DROP ROOM - JOHNNY

	and his platoon, wearing fully armed MARAUDER POWER SUITS, 
	wait to drop with other cap troopers. Their mood is grim.
	LIEUTENANT WILLY, 35, easy-going and confident, enters.

				ACE
		Officer on deck !

	Everyone snaps to attention.

				LT. WILLY
		At ease. Alright... we got hot poop straight
		from the top:
		Willy's Wildcats is in with the first wave.
		Means more bugs for us to kill...

	This does nothing to break the tension. Lt. Willy reassures.

				LT. WILLY
		Now if you follow orders and remember
		your training, I guarantee you'll make it
		back alive. Any questions ?

	There are none.

				LT. WILLY
		Alright... next we got a little last minute
		briefing from Military Intelli-gence I
		think you're gonna like...

	The briefingplays on "head up" displays and the ready room screens. A
	captive BUG WARRIOR clicks and shrieks as FEDERAL SCIENTISTS
	torture it. The troopers cheer.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Everyday Federal scientists are looking for
		new ways to kill bugs and you can help...

	The head scientists turns and speaks to camera. It's Carl.
	Johnny and Dizzy share an amazed grin, noticing a difference in
	their old friend, something that speaks of... authority.

				CARL
		To defeat the enemy, we must know the
		enemy. Take for instance your basic
		Arachnid warrior. Minimal IQ, armored, 
		completely lethal. You can blow a limb off...

	Carl picks up apulse gun and blows one of the bugs legs off.
	The insect screams.

				CARL
		... and it's still 86% combat effec-tive.
		But here's a tip: Aim for the nerve stem
		and put it down for good.

	Carl fires again. The bug kicks and squeals as it dies.
	Carl tosses the pulse gun aside.

				CARL
		Now while you are out killing bugs,
		we want you to be our eyes and ears.
		The bugs use some kind of plasma burst
		to divert meteors and aim them toward Earth.
		We need to know how they do this. If you
		encounter any plasma, report it immediately
		to your superior. Good luck and good hunting !

	The briefing ends as klaxons sound.

				P.A. (O.S.)
		This is the Captain speaking.
		All personnel prepare for drop.We
		are at D minus three and counting.

				LT. WILLY
		Move out !

	Johnny and the other troopers climb into capsules on the port track.
	Dizzy gives him "thumbs up". The capsule seals as it moves with 
	the others down the firing tube.

101	INT	CAPSULE - JOHNNY

	gets the shakes as the capsule bumps and booms toward the firing
	tube. Lt. Willy appears on the "head up" display.

				LT. WILLY
		Smash the entire area, kill anything that
		has more'n a couple legs , and don't any
		of you loafers come back aboard with
		unexpended bombs. Get me ?

				JOHNNY ET AL
		Yes, sir !

				FIRE CONTROL (O.S.)
		Five seconds...

	Sweat rolls down his face, hyperventilation... WHAM !

102	EXT	SPACE - KLENDATHU ORBIT - SILVER CAPSULES

	stream toward Klendathu from the rear tubes starships of Bull Run.
	We move down the line past Mannerheim, Dauntless, George Marshall,
	and Yamamoto to the Rodger Young.

103	INT	RODGER YOUNG - COMMAND AND CONTROL - CARMEN

	holds Rodger Young in tight maneuver. Suddenly, a burst of BLUE BUG PLASMA
	rips past the starboard bow.

				CARMEN
		Plasma, ma'am... from the planet.

				DELADIER
		Bug Batteries... According to Military 
		Intelligence, it'll be random and light.
		Drop status ?

				ZANDER
		Drop is 35% complete, ma'am.

	Two more bursts of bug plasma streak past.

				DELADIER
		Steady as she goes, Number 1.

104	EXT	KLENDATHU - HIGH ATMOSPERE - NIGHT - THE CAPSULES

	burn when they hit atmosphere, outer skin tearing away in big silver sheets.

105	INT	CAPSULE - NIGHT - JOHNNY

	takes in ENTRY DATA from the heads up display.

				GUIDANCE COMPUTER (V.O.)
		...surface in twenty-fivr seconds
		...LZ has been identified
		...beacon is in place...

106	INT	RODGER YOUNG - COMMAND AND CONTROL - CARMEN

	watches nervously as deadly bursts of bug plasma fill the heavens around the
	battle group. Below, the surface of Klendathu fairly bistles with outgoing
	defensive fire.

				DELADIER
		This isn't random or light.
		Someone made amistake...!

				ZANDER
		That's it, we're empty ma'am !

	Out the front screens, a blast from below hits George Marshall amidships
	and it reels into Yamamoto. Both starships begin to burn.

				DELADIER
		Someone made a big goddam mistake !
		Get us out of here, Number 1 !

	Carmen dodges past burning ships, avoids collision with Dauntless,
	and then KA-WHAM !	they're hit. Carmen flies out of her
	station and into CAMERA hard.

107	EXT	KLENDATHU - CLOUD LAYER - NIGHT - THE SECOND SKIN

	tears away. Johnny is sitting on air.

				GUIDANCE COMPUTER (V.O.)
		...surface in fifteen seconds...
		deploying chute now...

	The chute pops. Across the sky, lit by outgoing bug plasma, he can see hundreds
	of cap troopers in ordered rows drifting down into the cloud layer. 
	It's quiet in the clouds, then:

108	EXT	KLENDATHU - NIGHT - FROM THE AIR - JOHNNY

	looks down as he passes out of the clouds and sees the battlefield.
	Plasma blasts exploode into the sky. THOUSANDS OF BUGS boil
	out of the ground to defend against the invader.

				GUIDANCE COMPUTER (V.O.)
		...surface in five... four ... three...

	Johnny burns his chute off, drops the last hundred feet and lands 
	on the bounce.

109	EXT	KLENDATHU - NIGHT - JOHNNY'S POV - THE FLASH PULSE
	
	of bug batteries, screaming voices on the com, concussions shaking the ground.
	None of it compares to the sound of his own racing HEARTBEAT.
	Lieutenant Willy shouts.

				LIEUTENANT WILLY
		Up there on the ridge ! We'll nuke those bug positions
		from theAAAAAAAA !

	A HOPPER (an airborne Arachnid warrior with powerful rear legs and "pop out"
	wings for gliding) lands on Lieutenant Willy and cracks his head like a nut.

				ACE
		KILL IT !

	Johnny and Ace open fire, backing away. Pulse rounds tear it apart, bug guts
	gushing.

				JOHNNY
		Lieutenant's bought the farm.
		Where's the Sarge...?

				ACE
		I didn't see him !

	Now comes a flood of WORKERS building ever advancing fortifications,
	and with them, hundreds of deadly ARACHNID WARRIORS.

				KITTEN SMITH
		Here they come...!

				DIZZY
		Ace, what're we doing ?

				ACE
		I uh... uh...

	Dizzy and the others open fire simultanously. The whole area goes white hot
	in the magnesium flash of so many pulse cannons. Shujumi fires wildly at 
	advancing insects.

				SHUJUMI
		You want some ? Here's some !
		C'MON !

				JOHNNY
		Don't waste your ammon on the 
		workers !

	Shujumi can't hear. A warrior finds him, rips his leg off, hurls him back
	into the waiting jaws of the oncoming bugs.

				SHUJUMI
		AAAAAAAAAAAA !

	He fights, screaming. A claw reaches for his face, ripping the top of his head off.

				KATRINA
		Let's get out of here !

	Now the ground opens behind her and a huge (6 meters) TANKER BUG 
	lumbers out of the ground, it's funnel-shaped snout extruding above
	multiple eyes.

				DIZZY
		Look out !

	The tanker bug sprays and hits Katrina. She screams, as her legs melt out
	from under her.

				KATRINA
		AAAAAAAAAAAAA !

	Warriors converge to feed on her. Ace wants to help her, but Johnny blocks him.

				JOHNNY
		C'mon, Katrina was right. We 
		gotta get out of here !

110	EXT	KLENDATHU - NIGHT - JOHNNY

	and the other survivors on the bounce. The entire surface of Klendathu seems
	to be churning with insects as more and more bugs come to the surface to
	repel the invasion.

				JOHNNY
		It's a general retreat ! The boats are
		coming down.

	They come to the rear lines where the Net Correspondent and his
	CAMERAMAN are doing live coverage of the invasion.

				NET CORRESPONDENT
		We've just landed here on what cap troopers 
		are calling the "Big K" with the 6th Mobile
		Infantery Division. It's an ugly planet, a bug
		planet, a planet hostile to life as we kow iGKKKKK !

	The Correspondent is cut in half by a warrior. Johnny blows it away.

				JOHNNY
		C'mon, let's go ! ON THE BOUNCE !

	The cap troopers move out. Kitten Smith looks up as a purple beacon
	 streaks acroos thr sky.

				KITTEN SMITH
		I can see the beacon...!

				ACE
		Retrieval !

	A hopper pounces on Kitten Smithm, and he goes down screaming.

				JOHNNY
		KITTEN !

	Johnny touches down, stares in horror as Kitten Smith's head rolls past his 
	fee. Johnny opens up with his pulse cannon. The hopper attacks, puts a claw
	right through Johnny's thigh.

				JOHNNY
		AAAAAAAAAAAAA !

	Crushing jaws close around him, crushing, cutting his flesh. Johnny brings the muzzle
	of the pulse gun under the hopper's nerve stem and SPLAT !	blows its head apart.

				DIZZY
		Johnny !	JOHNNY !	WHERE ARE YOU ?
		JOHNNY !	Johnny...!

	But Dizzy can't find Johnny, and soon she's lost in the smoke. Johnny looks
	down at the terrible hole in his leg where bright arterial blood gushes.

				JOHNNY
		Medic... MEDIC...!

	Now two more Arachnid warriors close in on him through the enveloping
	smoke. He fires his pulse rifle empty, and dropping it, crawls desperately,
	dragging his useless leg.

				JOHNNY
		Oh, God... Oh, God, help me...
		please help me...!

	A third Arachnid warrior rears up in front of him, deadly jaws slashing down
	toward him, when suddenly it is blown to pieces in the blinding blast of a
	point-blank pulse cannon.

				VOICE (O.S.)
		Take my hand !

	Johnny reaches out. A STEEL HAND takes his, dragging him back as bugs
	attack. His rescuers's pulse cannon thunders overhead. Bug parts fly as 
	insects swarm in for the kill.

								FADE OUT

111	FROM THE FEDERAL NET - 100, 000 DEAD IN ONE HOUR !

	Actual pictures of the battlefield, man and insect lying dead together on the blood
	drenched plains of Klendathu.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Crsisis for Humankind ! Fleet official 
		admit they underestimated the 
		Arachnid's defensive capability.
		Would you like to know more ?

112	SKY MARSHALL RESIGNS !

Retiring Sky Marshall Dienes salutes incoming SKY MARSHALL TEHAT MERU, 75,
	bfore a gathering of the Federal Council.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Accepting responsibility for Klendathu,
		Sky Marshall Dienes resigns. His successor,
		Sky Marshall Tahat Meru, outlines her new
		strategy.

				SKY MARSHALL MERU
		Until we understand the bug better, we 
		must proceed with caution...
		We can ill afford another Klendathu.

113	SCIENTISTS SUSPECT MYSTERIOUS BRAIN BUGS !

	FEDERAL SCIENTISTS display an organizational chart of the 
	Arachnid species topped by a QUESTION MARK.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		To explain the intelligent military actions
		of the Arachnids, Federal Scientists postulate
		the existence of a leadership caste...BRAIN BUGS !

114	SOMETIMES LOVED ONES DIE FOR A GOOD REASON !

	Names scroll by designated KIA, WIA, and MIA accordingly.

				OFFICIAL VOICE
		Families oof those who have died or become
		incapacitated by Federal Service are entitled 
		to benefits ! If you see the name of a loved one,
		please do not call. A Federation official will call
		you. Would you like to know more ?

115	EXT	FLEET BATTLE STATION TICONDEROGA - THE RODGER YOUNG

	limps to port, a huge chunk ripped out of its mid-section. Although stable,
	she flies inverted.

				CARMEN (O.S.)
		Ticonderoga, this is Rodger Young requesting
		approach vector...

				TICONDEROGA C&C (O.S.)
		Affirmative, Rodger Young...one zero zero 
		niner five two... welcome back.

116	INT	RODGER YOUNG - COMMAND AND CONTROL - ZANDER AND
	CARMEN

	stare at the BATTLE-SCARED STARSHIPS and BURNT-OUT HULKS that line the 
	docks of Ticonderoga.

				CARMEN
		You know, we're lucky to be alive.

	A bloody bandage wraps Carmen's head. Zander nods grimly.

117	INT	RODGER YOUNG - GANGWAY - THE DEAD BODIES

	of CREWMEN and CAP TROOPERS are being off-loaded via conveyer belt.
	Zander and Carmen make their way up the steep companionway beside the
	ghastly conveyer belt.

				ZANDER
		Give me hand, willya ?

	Carmen takes his hand. Zander kisses her.

				ZANDER
		I was thinking. Maybe we should get
		married, Carmen.

				CARMEN
		You weren't thinking...you were dreaming !

				ZANDER
		If we're gonna be a team, why not be a
		real team ?

				CARMEN
		There's a war on. I want a command,
		I want my own ship, you do, too...

				ZANDER
		So ?

				CARMEN
		So who's got time to get married ?

	Carmen lets his hand go and leaps through the hatch. Zander falls back 
	onto the conveyer belt, finds himself eyeball-to-eyeball with a horribly
	maimed trooper, scrambles to get off.

118	INT	BATTLE STATION TICONDEROGA - COMMON AREA - ZANDER

	joins Carmen in the crowded common area where dead bodies compete for space
	with wounded awaiting triage. Survivors watch casualty lists scroll ba on a 
	Federal Net terminal.

				ZANDER
		Fleet encourages marriages among flight
		officers. You'd probably get a promotion
		out of it.

				CARMEN
		Funny...

				ZANDER
		I'm not kidding. Marriage is -

				CARMEN
		No, funny there's almost no wounded at all.

				ZANDER
		Hey, bugs don't take prisoners.

	Carmen looks at the words at the Net terminal: WOULD YOU LIKE TO KNOW 
	MORE ? She bites her lip, enters Johnny's name. In an instant, she has the news:
	RICO, JOHN D. - KIA

				CARMEN
		Oh no.

	Tears fill her eyes.

				ZANDER
		Carmen...?

				CARMEN
		Excuse me...!

	She rushes away. Zander looks at Johnny's name on the screen, shrugs, presses
	the ERASE button.

119	INT	TICONDEROGA - CORRIDOR - ZANDER

	finds Carmen, sagging against a wall, weepimg.

				ZANDER
		I'm sorry, Carmen.

				CARMEN
		Please, I... Everybody's lost someone
		by now. This shouldn't be any
		different...

	Zander puts an arm around her. She holds on tight.

				CARMEN
		No, I... Oh, Zander, I'm a fool.

				ZANDER
		You're upset, that's alright.

	Zander kisses her hair. Tears roll down her face.

				CARMEN
		No, don't you see ? No one can wait for
		anything anymore... You're right...
		We should get married...

	Zander holds Carmen as she sobs, feeling lucky.

							DISSOLVE TO:

	120	INT	STASIS TANK - DAY CYCLE - JOHNNY'S BODY

	floats, suspended in fluid, mouth hanging open, his skin white as death.
	A low underwater KNOCKING wakes him. He opens his eyes and sees
	Ace and Dizzy outside the tank.

	Ace holds up a KIA list, pointing at Johnny's name, laughing: Rico, John V - KIA.
	Their voices are distant and garbled. Dizzy cups her hands against the side of the
	tank.

				DIZZY
		Two more days.

	Johnny's wounds are now mostly scars except for his leg where delicate robotic
	arms culture layers of new tissue. Johnny gives a weak thumbs up. The knocking
	sound continues.

	Johnny turns. A STEEL HAND taps the side of the tank. Johnny grins, astonished.
	The man wearing it is his former high school teacher, now a Lieutenant, Jean Rasczak.

121	EXT	SPACE - AQZ - A BATTLE GROUP

	consisting of STARSHIPS, their tender, FREIGHTERS and other SUPPLY CRAFT.

122	INT	TROOP TRANSPORT - M.I. QUARTERS - JOHNNY

	stows his gear along with Ace and Dizzy. Acroos the room, a collection of
	battle-hardened vets check out the newcomers.

				ACE
		Dizzy says you two knew this Rasczak
		character in Buenos Aires...

				JOHNNY
		He was our teacher...
		He was great.

				ACE
		Yeah, well, I hear he's a real
		nutbuster.

				DIZZY
		The Roughnecks killed more bugs than
		any other outfit in 2nd Brigade...
		Only took 15% casualties on Big K.

	They size up the Roughnecks. There are scars, power prosthetics, and one,
	big SUGAR WATKINS, 26, wears a bug claw on a chain around his neck.

				JOHNNY
		Seeing as how we're about all that's
		left of  1st Brigade, you'd have to call
		that an improvement.
			(to Sugar Watkins)
		You top kick ?

				SUGAR WATKINS
		Are you kidding ? They always get killed.
		You want the job ?

				JOHNNY
		I wouldn't mind.

	CORPORAL BIRDIE, 24, turns, gives Johnny the once over.

				BIRDIE
		I would. Nice earring.

	Dizzy looks her over. Not too big, but she's tough.

				DIZZY
		Where you been besides Big K ?

				BIRDIE
		Outer rings. Zegema Beach.

				JOHNNY
		I always wanted to go to Zegema Beach.

				SUGAR WATKINS
		Good luck. It's not there anymore.

				ACE
		Is your Lieutenant as bad as they say ?

	Birdie belts him, and Ace goes down.

				BIRDIE
		No one talks about the Lieutenant that way.
		He saved my life !

	Ace jumps up, ready to fight, but other Roughnecks block him.

				SUGAR WATKINS
		Mine, too.

				OTHER ROUGHNECKS
		Same for me... me, too...

	Johnny and Dizzy shrug. Ace's on his own.

				ACE
		Sounds like he is quite a guy.
	
	SERGEANT GILLESPIE, 28, steps into the room.

				GILLESPIE
		Attention !

	Everyone snaps to. Rasczak enters.

				RASCZAK
		This is for you new people. I only 
		have two rules. Rule one, everyone
		fights. Rule two, no one quits.
		If you don't do your job, I'll kill you
		myself. Do you get me ?

				JOHNNY, DIZZY AND ACE
		We get you, sir !

	He points at Johnny's earring with his steel hand.

				RASCZAK
		Get rid of the jewelry. I hate it.
		Welcome to the Roughnecks.

				BIRDIE
		Rasczak's Roughnecks !

	The Roughnecks cheer. Rasczak smiles vaguely.

				RASCZAK
		Alright. There's a new Sky Marshall and
		a new plan. We're gonna clean out the
		systems outlying Klendathu one planet
		at a time. Tomorrow we hit Tango Urilla.
		After Fleet glasses the planet, M.I. mops up.

123	EXT	TANGO URILLA - DAY - BUG WARRIORS

	stand sentry on earthworks that tower the entrance to their colony where an
	endless line of WORKERS enter bearing foodstuff appropriate to this exotic
	jungle planet.

	A distant sound. A warrior looks up, curious. Suddenly a FORMATION OF TAC 
	FIGHTERS screams down from high orbit and a white hot nuclear firestorm burns
	consumes the landscape.

	Bugs scream as they twist and kick in the wall of flame. Heat melts the dirt into 
	dark glass. Ash turns the sky red. The out of the smoke come Rasczak and his
	Roughnecks.

				RASCZAK
		Spread out, teams of three. When you 
		locate a bug hole, secure it, gas it,
		and close it.

124	EXT	TANGO URILLA - FLATS - DAY - TAC FIGHTERS

	streak by overhead. On the ground, Johnny, Dizzy and Ace are on the bounce.
	Ace spots a bug hole where workers and warrors have broken through the
	glassed surface.

				ACE
		There.

	Rockets take out warriors. Bug guts go flying. Dizzy sets workers on fire.
	Johnnx and Ace step over burning bug carcasses to the rim of the hole and
	fire their gas rounds.

				JOHNNY
		Fire in the hole !

	Johnny drops an H.E. round, and they're in the air when the explosion collapses
	the entrance to the bug city.

				BIRDIE (O.S.)
		You new guys over there...
		WE could use some help...

125	EXT	TANGO URILLA - MOUNTAINS - BUGS

	boil out of the ground. Birdie, Sugar Watkins and other Roughnecks are about to be 
	overrun when Johnny touches down wuth Ace and Dizzy.

				JOHNNY
		Looks like you've got a little bug
		problem, ma'am...

				BIRDIE
		Stow it, trooper. Give it verything
		you've got !

	The cao troopers let the bugs have it, but the insects keep coming, the living
	crawling over the dead, and now, trudging up out of the ground, comes a
	TANKER BUG.

				JOHNNY
		WATCH OUT !

	The tanker bug starts to spray, creating a toxic perimeter around the hole.
	Rasczak arrives just as Birdie takes a chemical hit, falling to ground minus
	an arm, screaming.

				BIRDIE
		AAAAAAAAAAAAA !

	Johnny jumps, landing behind the tanker bug in the mouth of the hole. It turns 
	with surprising speed. Johnny flips up onto its back, cracks its armor with his
	pulse cannon.

				RASCZAK
		Sugar, in for pick up !

	Rasczak and Sugar Watkins pull Birdie to safety. Johnny fires a rocket into 
	the hole he's made in the tanker bug's back, and jumps clear. KA-WHAP !
	The big bug explodes.

				RASCZAK
		Gas that hole and close it !

	The Roughnecks fire gas rockets into the bug hole. Johnny touches down
	beside Rasczak.

				RASCZAK
		Where'd you learn to do that, soldier ?

				JOHNNY
		Uni High Tigers, sir. Don't you
		remember ? I was captain of the
		team.

				RASCZAK
		I'm not interested in nostalgia, Rico,
		I need a corporal. You're it until you're
		dead or I find someone better.

	Rasczak turns away, gives Birdie prosthetic thumps up as she is carried past
	to meet an arriving skimmer.

				RASCZAK
		Don't worry, Birdie, your next arm comes
		with a factory guarantee !

	Dizzy and Ace gather around Johnny, clap him on the back.

				DIZZY
		Way to go, amigo !

				JOHNNY
		I'm gonna need a squad leader.

				ACE
		No way. Big K taught me I ain't executive 
		material.

				JOHNNY
		What about it, Diz ?

				DIZZY
			(a snappy salute)
		Looks like I'm your girl, sir.

	Tac Fighters reel by over head. WOMP ! Suddenly, BUG PLASMA shoots skyward
	from the flatlands below. Several Tac Fighters are blown out of the air.
	Flaming debris rains down.

				RASCZAK
		Saddle up, Roughnecks. That's
		our trash !

	Roughnecks head out on the bounce.

126	EXT	TANGO URILLA - RIDGE - DAY - JOHNNY

	and the others look down a sheer cliff on the bug battery, a charred circular
	pit some ten meters across. Inside, something is moving.

				JOHNNY
		What kind of stinkin' bug is that ?

	Johnny jumps the magnification on his "head up". Down in the pit, a giant
	translucent PLASMA BUG rears out of one of the subterranean tunnels
	that ring the battery.

				SUGAR WATKINS
		You never seen how they do it before ?

	Johnny shakes his head. Swollen BREEDER BUGS gather around the 
	plasma bug to inject it with their catalytic jelly.

				ACE
		Agghh ! It's making me sick...!

	The plasma bug writhes in pain and begins to swell, color changing from
	yellow to blue in accordance with some violent internal chemical reaction.

				SUGAR WATKINS
		It's gonna pop !

	WOMP ! The plasma bug explodes in its cauldron. A blast of bug plasma
	streaks past them towards the heavens. Now a new plasma bug crawls into
	the pit to begin the cycle anew.

				GILLESPIE
		Sir, look !

	Sergeant Gillespie points. A hole opens near the battery and dozens of warriors
	rampage out of the ground and up the cliff face toward the Roughneck position.

				RASCZAK
		We must be right over the colony.
		Let's get some air support, eh ?

				GILLESPIE
		Yes, sir ! Fleet, this is Roughneck
		patrol, over ...?

	Rasczak moves off down the line giving orders.

				RASCZAK
		Corporal, I want pulse cannons there
		and there ! Rifle teams, spread out
		along the ridge ! Sugar, bring up that
		flame thrower !

				GILLESPIE
		Fleet's pulling the battle group back
		to safe distance... They'd like us to
		knock out those batteries, sir.

				RASCZAK
		They'd rather spend our lives than
		risk their ships. Who's got the nuke ?

				DIZZY
		That'd be me, sir.

				RASCZAK
		Heat it up.

	Dizzy activates a tactical nuke. It makes a distinctive HIGHPITCHED SQUEAL.

				RASCZAK
		Roughnecks, you may fire at will.

	The Roughnecks open fire. Bugs are blown to pieces but they keep climbing. A 
	warrior breeches their line. Sugar Watkins torches it. The nuke's ready light flashes.

				DIZZY
		I'm hot, sir !

				RASCZAK
		FIRE ! BLAST SHIELDS DOWN !

	Johnny blows a warrior away from the edge. Dizzy leans over and fires. The rocket 
	streaks down toward the battery.

				RASCZAK
		HIT THE DIRT !

	An explosion in the two kiloton range turns the world black and white. When color
	returns Johnny and the others look down on the smoldering crater which was once the 
	bug battery.

				GILLESPIE
		Now comes the part I hate the most.

				JOHNNY
		What's that ?

				GILLESPIE
		We go down into the colony and make
		sure all the queens are dead.

127	INT	TUNNELS - DAY - THE ROUGHNECKS

	fight their way down gassed-out tunnels into bug city. They meet warrors at
	every turn and kill them. Helmet lamps make weird shadows of dead bugs 
	piled everywhere along the way.

				SUGAR WATKINS
		You knew the Lieutenant before the war...
		What was he like ?

				JOHNNY
		He was a teacher , kind of a know it all...
		Always had this little smile.
	
				SUGAR WATKINS
		Geez, I don't think I've ever seen him 
		smile.

				JOHNNY
		Must fill your bottle up real quick
		when your wife and kids get smeared.

	Johnny joins Rasczak, Ace and Dizzy and they blow away several warriors
	guarding the entrance of a large chamber.

128	INT	BUG NURSERY - DAY - THE QUEENS

	are eight meters long with corpulent bodies and tiny heads. Only one survives,
	and though she is herself dying, her abdomen, rippled by life within, continues to
	undulate.

				JOHNNY
		All dead except one, sir.

				RASCZAK
		Kill the bitch.

				JOHNNY
		Yes, sir.

	Johnny signals. Dizzy's pulse cannon rips open the dying queen. Thousands of
	wriggling premature bugs come spilling out. Horrified, knee-deep Roughnecks
	set them afire.

129	EXT	TANGO URILLA - BASE CAMP - DAY - FLEET ENGINEERS

	unload PRE-FAB BARRACKS from HERCULES CARGO BOATS. 
	Roughnecks eat. Rasczak stands, banging a spoon on his mess kit.

				RASCZAK
		Tango Urilla is now bug free. Means
		the Roughnecks have killed  a
		helluva lotta bugs...!

	Roughnecks cheer. Rasczak kicks open a CARGO MODULE. Beer kegs
	rool out. He kicks open a second module. Inside, musical instruments.
	Ace picks up a violin.

				RASCZAK
		I expect the best, but I give the best.
		Habve some fun. That's an order !

130	EXT	BASE CAMP - NIGHT - LATER - ACE

	leads a little quartet, plays a sweet fiddle. Roughnecks laugh and dance.
	Dizzy tries to pull Johnny into the fun.

				DIZZY
		C'mon...

				JOHNNY
		Nah, I don't do that anymore...

				DIZZY
		You used to dance...

				JOHNNY
		I said no. Want me to pull rank ?

				DIZZY
		Well, excuse me, sir...

	Dizzy heads back to the others. Johnny turns and finds Rasczak regarding him 
	with an odd, sad smile.

				RASCZAK
		Yopu asked me some advice once, Rico.
		Want some now ?

				JOHNNY
		Yes, sir...

				RASCZAK
		Never pass up a good thing, eh ?

	Gillespie appears.

				GILLESPIE
		Lieutenant, Brigade's on the com...

	Rasczak heads away. Johnny joins Dizzy.

				JOHNNY
		Hey, Diz...

				DIZZY
		What ?

	Johnny takes her hand, bows implishly.

				JOHNNY
		May I have the honor ?

	He pulls her out among the others and they begin to dance. Ace watches
	with a grin, puts some spirit in his fiddle.

131	INT	COMMUNICATIONS - NIGHT - RASCZAK

	is in holo conference with an INTELLIGENCE OFFICER

				INTELLIGENCE OFFICER
		At 0821 we received a distress call from 
		Planet P, priority code, requesting
		reinforcement...

				RASCZAK
		I thought 4th brigade cleaned out P. 

				INTELLIGENCE OFFICER
		Owen reported the eradication of a low
		generation colony a month ago. That's why 
		MICOM wants onsite assessment.

				RASCZAK
		Sounds more like some idiot at
		Military Intelligence Command
		wants to get me and my cap troopers 
		killed...

	The Intelligence Officer reddens.

				INTELLIGENCE OFFICER
		Take your group down to P and have a 
		look see. Leave the thinking to us,
		Lieutenant. That's not your job.

				RASCZAK
		My job is to protect the lives of my
		soldiers so they can kill bugs, Major,
		and if you're walking me into a trap-

				INTELLIGENCE OFFICER
		Bugs don't lay traps... They aren't
		intelligent ! Unlike you, they're stupid
		enough to follow orders !

				VOICE (O.S.)
		That'll be all, Major. Dismissed.

	The Intelligence Officer disappears abruptly. A new hologram appears.
	Rasczak's jaw drops. It's his former student Carl Jenkins, now a Colonel,
	weary and pissed off.

				CARL
		This conference is over. Do your duty,
		Lieutenant. That's an order.

	Rasczak recovers, salutes stiffly.

				RASCZAK
		Yes, sir.

132	INT	PRE-FAB SLEEPING UNIT - DAY - JOHNNY AND DIZZY

	are making love. The door pops open. Rasczak stands there. Dizzy ducks under
	the covers. Johnny manages a salute.

				RASCZAK
		Corporal, the Roughnecks are moving
		out for Planet P immediately. Get
		yourself squared away and report to
		Gillespie for logistics.

				JOHNNY
		Yes, sir !

				RASCZAK
		Who's that with you ?

	Dizzy shows herself, grinning.

				RASCZAK
		Report in ten minutes.

	Rasczak slams the door shut on them. They fall back into one anothers arms,
	laughing as they resume lovemaking.

				DIZZY
		Planet P ? What kind of name is that ?

				JOHNNY
		They ran out of names a long time
		ago in this part of the galaxy.

133	EXT	PLANET P - BAD LANDS - DAY - THE ROUGHNECKS

	move through canyons of towering wind-carved rock formations.
	Gillespie carries the communications package.

				GILLESPIE
		I don't understand it, Lieutenant.
		It's not getting anything from 4th
		Brigade...
		not even their transponder.

				RASCZAK
		Keep trying, Sergeant.

134	EXT	CANYON FLOOR - CONTINUING - DAY - THE ROUGHNECKS

	walk in a column far below. Something is watching from the above... HOPPERS,
	lots of them, moving from rock to rock for better position.

135	EXT	CANYON FLOOR - CONTINUING - DAY - ACE
	
	sees something out of the corner of his eye.

				JOHNNY
		BUGS...!

	The hoppers hit. Several Roughnecks go down. Everyone opens up. 
	Dive-bombing bugs are blown to bits. Roughnecks set them on fire 
	when they hit the ground.

				DIZZY
		Johnny, watch out !

	A burning bug hurls itself at Johnny. Johnny jumps out of the way as
	Dizzy fires, blowing it apart. The deadly hoppers seem to be everywhere
	above them in the rocks.

				RASCZAK
		LET'S GO ! ON THE BOUNCE !

136	EXT	FLAT LANDS - DAY - THE ROUGHNECKS

	move out into the open. In the distance they see 4th Brigade HQ, a walled 
	compound and partially constructed landing pad.

				RASCZAK
		Gillespie, put in call for retrieval.
		We're off this rock.
		Gillespie, do you read me ?

				GILLESPIE
		AAAAAAAAAAA !

	Two hoppers are pulling Gillespie up into the rocks where other bugs
	join to feast.

				RASCZAK
		Throw a rifle !

	Dizzy tosses her Morita to Rasczak. Gillespie writhes in the hopper's
	claws. Rasczak fires, killing Gillespie.

				RASCZAK
		I expext any one here to do the same
		for me... Rico, Watkins, Flores, Levy
		prepare for rear guard action. The rest
		of you make for 4th Brigade.

	Johnny and the others cover the Roughneck retreat as hoppers soar down
	on the flat lands from the canyon walls.

				RASCZAK
		FIRE...!

	Johnny and the others blast bugs out of the air.

				RASCZAK
		FALL BACK 100 METERS...!

	A second wave of hoppers come in.

				RASCZAK
		AND FIRE...!

	For now, the sky is clear.

				RASCZAK
		4TH BRIGADE HQ ! ON THE BOUNCE !

137	EXT	4TH BRIGADE HQ - DAY - THE OUTPOST

	is 50 meters by 100, standard issue pre-fab. The Roughnecks land on the
	compound wall. Inside, WORKER BUGS graze on the remains of 200
	dead cap troopers strewn over the complex.

				RASCZAK
		Jeez, Command really humped the bunk
		on this one...

	Rasczak turns away. Roughnecks engage in the sport of methodically
	killing the workers.

				RASCZAK
		Rico, you're acting Sergeant now.
		My last Sergeant lost the com pack.
		Put together a search team and find
		the radio shack.
		We need retrieval.

				JOHNNY
		Yes, sir.

138	INT	4TH BRIGADE HQ - OFFICE COMPLEX - DAY - JOHNNY

	surveys the aftermath of the last stand with Rasczak, insect and human dead
	everywhere.

				DIZZY (O.S.)
		It's here, sir.

139	INT	COMMINICATIONS - DAY - RASCZAK AND JOHNNY

	enter the radio room. A DEAD MAJOR is slumped over the console with
	hole in the back of his head. Johnny checks the equipment. 
	It' dead, too.

				JOHNNY
		Diz, see what you can do.

				DIZZY
		I'm on it !

	Dizzy goes to work. Rasczak checks the wound in the back of the dead major's
	head.

				RASCZAK
		What's that look like to you, Rico ?

				JOHNNY
		Looks like a bug was in his brain, sir.

				ACE (O.S.)
		Lieutenant, I think you're gonna
		wanna see this, sir.

140	INT	MESS HALL - DAY - A BUG HOLE

	in the middle of the floor is surrounded by carnage.

				ACE
		Dirty bugs came in right when they 
		were having chow !

				RASCZAK
		Gas that hole and seal it.

	Then they hear a sound. Tap tap tap. Rasczak signals for quiet. Tap tap tap tap.
	It's coming from the kitchen.

141	INT	KITCHEN - DAY - THE ROUGHNECKS

	enter cautiously. The noise is coming from a freezer. Ace stands ready to fire.
	Johnny levers open the door, jumps back as GENERAL OWEN, 60, tumbles out
	face first.

				ACE
		Officer on the deck, sir.

				RASCZAK
		Pick up the general !

	Roughnecks prop him up. General Owen tries to talk, but no words come out.
	Rasczak bends down to listen.

				GENERAL OWEN
		Get out... you gotta get me out...!

				RASCZAK
		General Owen, sir ?

	The old man grins, hugely relieved.

				GENERAL OWEN
		At ease, Lieutenant. Thank God for you,
		for all of you...this is grand...
		so where's the boat ?

142	INT	COMMUNICATIONS - HALLWAY - DAY - JOHNNY AND RASCZAK

	help the old General, now wrapped in a blanket, rambling.

				GENERAL OWEN
		I was forced to hide, of course. The security
		of the Federation in this theater of operations
		was at stake !

				JOHNNY
		Diz, what's with the uplink ?

	Dizzy lokks up from where she is working on the radio controls.

				DIZZY
		Workin on it...!

				GENERAL OWEN
		They get in your mind... they make you do
		things ! Look here... They did it to Farley...!

	He points at the hole of the dead major's head.

				RASCZAK
		The distress call... The bugs wanted us 
		to rescue you...!

				GENERAL OWEN
		Oh, you can be sure of it ! They were
		biding their time... waiting for the most
		opportune moment !

	Rasczak's lost interest in the general. He's on the com.

				RASCZAK
		To all Roughnecks, this is Rasczak.
		Prepare for attack. Repeat. We are
		going to be attacked...!

				GENERAL OWEN
		They weren't gonna do it to me.
		Oh no ! I know too many secrets !

	Rasczak looks at General Owen with contempt.

				SUGAR WATKINS (O.S.)
		Fire in the hole !

	An explosion in the mess hall closes the bug hole.

143	EXT	OFFICE COMPLEX - DAY - GENERAL OWEN

	blinks as he steps out into the light. Roughnecks snap to attention. 
	General Owen looks at the carnage that was once his command and
	begins to keen, collapsing to his knees.

				GENERAL OWEN
		Oh God...! My soldiers...! All of my
		boys and girls...!

	The Roughnecks are shocked. They've never seen a general break down before.
	Lieutenant Rasczak slaps Owen hard.

				LT. RASCZAK
		Shut up ! Your soldier's dead and
		you're not !

				GENERAL OWEN
		I know... I wish you'd shoot me...

				LT. RASCZAK
		I oughta !

	And it looks like Rasczak just might, but just then Ace touches down
	next to Johnny and Rasczak.

				ACE
		Lieutenant, we got trouble !

144	EXT	RAMPARTS - DAY - RASCZAK

	and Johnny join other stunned Roughnecks to see THOUSANDS OF BUGS on
	the march from every direction. Bug batteries open up in the distance.

				RASCZAK
		Warm it all up ! Everything you got !
		Levy, collect the big guns from the 
		towers. Watkins, put General Owen 
		with the wounded. Rico, where's my 
		communications ?

				JOHNNY
		What's going on, Diz ?

				DIZZY (O.S.)
		I got power ! Gimme a minute !

	Johnny runs for the communications room.

				JOHNNY
		We don't have a minute !

145	INT	COMMUNICATIONS - DAY - DIZZY

	has the board up. Outside the battle has begun. Nukes go WOMP ! and
	pulse guns chatter.

				DIZZY
			What frequency ?

				JOHNNY
			All bands.

				DIZZY
			Roughneck patrol to battle group...
			Roughneck patrol to battle group...

				RODGER YOUNG (O.S.)
			This is Rodger Young... What's going
			on down there ? We're taking plasma !
			We have Orion P-11 as clear !

				JOHNNY
			SHUT UP, SIR ! We need pick up now !

				RODGER YOUNG (O.S.)
			What is your position ?

				JOHNNY
			Landing zone is extremely hostile.
			Come down on this transmission !

				RODGER YOUNG (O.S.)
			Inside 4th brigade compound ?
			That's crazy !

				JOHNNY
			Then I hope you have a crazy 
			pilot ! Keep the line open, Dizzy !

	Johnny races out the door.

146	EXT	4TH BRIGADE HQ - DAY - THE COMPOUND

	is white hot as Roughnecks on the walls unload nukes. Johnny crosses 
	the compound, lands next to Rasczak on the wall.

				JOHNNY
		Boat coming down, sir !

	The Roughnecks stop firing as they run out of nukes.

				ROUGHNECKS
		I'm empty...all nuked out... Me, too !

	Johnny scans the battlefield. Nukes have turned the surface into dark glass.
	Now, out of the smoke, come the bugs, steaming glass cracking beneath 
	millions of marching feet.

				ACE
		Jeez, we musta killed a million already...!

				JOHNNY
		Not enough, I guess.

	Sugar Watkins sees Genera Owen in the compound below,
	stumbling aimlessly among his dead soldiers.

				SUGAR WATKINS
		General ! GENERAL, stay with the wounded...
		Sir, the general...!

				RASCZAK
		Ah, the hell with him...

	Hoppers sweep into the compound. The Roughnecks open fire. General Owen
	make easy pickings for ones that get through.

				RASCZAK
		Fall back... form a circle ! If no 
		living bug comes over that wall,
		we cannot be harmed.

	Dizzy arrives on thr bounce as the Roughnecks fall back into the compound.
	Bugs pile in over the walls. The circle affords them 360 degrees of kill zone.

				RASCZAK
		Rico, Flores, Watkins, Levy ! We 
		control the sky until retrieval !

				JOHNNY ET AL
		Yes, sir !

	Rasczak, Sugar Watkins, Johnny and Dizzy stand back-to-back in the center
	of the circle, sweeping the skies with the heavy guns from the towers.
	Hoppers are blown to pieces.

				ACE
		Getting low here, sir !

				DIZZY
		300 rounds and counting, sir !

				RASCZAK
		Make every shot count !

	Johnny looks up. A RETRIEVAL BOAT hurtles down through bursts of 
	bug plasma, takes a grazing hit, rights itself with retros and lands within 
	the circle. Roughnecks cheer, saved !

				RASCZAK
		Sergeant, secure the boat !

				JOHNNY
		Yes, sir !

	Roughnecks move to protect the boat. The hatch blows open.

				RASCZAK
		Board the wounded !

	Dead bugs ring the compound walls, forming ramps for living insect
	soldiers to enter the compound in greater numbers.

				RASCZAK
		Move to retrieval on my command !
		First group, now...!

	The circle shrinks as Roughnecks fall back and board the boat.
	More and more bugs pile in over the compound walls.

				RASCZAK
		Alright, Flores ! Levy ! Rico...!

	Suddenly, the ground collapses under Rasczak. He falls in to his waist,
	vomits blood as something chews on him from below.

				RASCZAK
		AAAAAAAAAAAA !

				JOHNNY
		Cover us, Ace !

	Ace and the others fire from the boat. Johnny and Dizzy fire at the ground
	around Rasczak. Rasczak stops screaming. They try to pull him free.

				JOHNNY
		Hit your jets, sir !

				RASCZAK
		I can't My legs are gone...
		Get on the boat...

	The compund wall collapses. A wave of bugs charges in.

				RASCZAK
		Rico, tell'em to glass this goddam planet.
		I've never seen so many bugs upstairs at
		the same time...

				JOHNNY
		We're not leaving you here, sir !

	Weakly, Rasczak picks up his pulse gun, checks the power.

				RASCZAK
		This is my farm. Get on the boat,
		NOW ! That's an order, Sergeant.

				JOHNNY
		Give'em hell, sir !

	Johnny and Dizzy run for the boat. Rasczak opens fire, picking his shots,
	but soon the bugs are all over him.

				RASCZAK
		C'mon you sons of bitches !
		There's no bug alive can kill a
		real mAAAAAAA !

	At the boat, Dizzy turns to look back at Rasczak. A hopper swoops
	down on Dizzy, it's claws ripping into her abdomen.

				DIZZY
		AAAAAAA ! GET IT OFF ME 
		GET IT OFF GET IT OFF 
		GET IT AAAAAAAAAA !

	Johnny blows the bug off her back. Blood sprays from a deep gash in 
	her neck. Johnny picks her up, tries to stop the blood with his hand.
	The life is leaving her eyes.

				JOHNNY
		Hang on, Diz... don't die on me...

	A TANKER BUG breaches the broken wall. Ace jumps out to help his
	friends. The hatch closes just as the tanker bug sprays. The boat blasts
	off, dripping metal.

147	INT	CARGO BAY - DAY - JOHNNY

	holds Dizzy in his arms, drenched in her blood, fighting G-forces as the 
	boats heads for orbit.

				DIZZY
		I bought the farm, didn't I,
		Johnny ?

				JOHNNY
		No, you're gonna be alright, Diz !

				DIZZY
		It's alright 'cause I got to have you,
		Johnny...

	MEDICS push Johnny aside, go to work on Dizzy.

148	INT	BOAT - COCKPIT - DAY - JOHNNY

	slams into the cockpit. Out the front screen, violent bursts of BUG PLASMA
	fill the sky as they break atmosphere.

				JOHNNY
		Get on the com and tell Fleet to
		glass that rock...!

	The co-pilot turns around. It's Zander. His eyes narrow.

				ZANDER
		On whose authority, Corporal ?

				JOHNNY
		This would be mine, sir. Acting 
		Sergeant John Rico. I've assumed
		command on this mission.

	The pilot turns around. It's Carmen.

				CARMEN
		Johnny...! I thought you were dead !

				JOHNNY
		I'm not, but alot of my soldiers are.
		Glass the planet !

	Johnny leaves. Carmen punches up Fleet Command.

				CARMEN
		Rodger Young, this is inbound shuttle
		De Ruyter with an official request from
		the Mobile Infantery to bombard
		Planet P-11...

149	INT	BOAT - CARGO BAY - DAY - JOHNNY
	
	returns to Dizzy's side as the medics struggle to save her. Blood pours
	out of her mouth. Her body thrashes.

				DIZZY
		JOHNNY HEH HEH CAN'T HEH
		BREATHE GOD JOHNNY CAN'T
		HEH HEH HEH HEH...!

	Dizzy dies. A Medic slaps her. Her head lolls, mouth open, eyes blank.
	They drop her and move on to the next casualty. Johnny sits there,
	stunned. Carmen enters from the cockpit.

				CARMEN
		Negative on your request. Fleet 
		Command has the battle group 
		on standby...

		Carmen sees Dizzy lying dead on the deck.

				CARMEN
		...I'm sorry.

				JOHNNY
		We gotta choke on the mud and the
		blood and Fleet can't be bothered to
		spit.

				CARMEN
		No, I think something's up. The Sky
		Marshall's here.

	She points out for a viewing port. Johnny looks. Fifteen battle groups, 
	100 ships strong, lay off Planet P, all of them dwarfed by the Sky
	Marshall's flagship, Buenos Aires.

				CARMEN
		I thought you were KIA, Johnny...

				JOHNNY
		That was just a mix up.

				CARMEN
		You look so... I don't know, you 
		look like you've really been in it.

				JOHNNY
		What happened to your eye ?

	Carmen touches the scar over her eye.

				CARMEN
		Almost got knocked out of the sky 
		over Big K.

				JOHNNY
		I like it. It's kinda...you.

150	EXT	BATTLE GROUP - ORION SYSTEM - THE BOAT

	lands on the flight deck of the Rodger Young in the midst of the 
	flotilla.

151	INT	OFFICERS QUARTERS - DAY CYCLE - ZANDER

	enters, watches Carmen dress. She hums as she checks herself in the
	mirror, touches thr scar over her eye, smiles.

				ZANDER
		Where are you going ?

				CARMEN
		A funeral.

				ZANDER
		That girl who died on the way up
		...his girl ?

				CARMEN
		Yeah.

				ZANDER
		How do you feel about him now ?

				CARMEN
		I don't know, Zander.

				ZANDER
		I do.

152	INT	RODGER YOUNG - GUNNERY DECK - CARMEN

	enters as Johnny speaks. Dizzy is laid out in dress gray. The surviving
	Roughnecks have gathered to pay final respects.

				JOHNNY
		Dizzy bought the farm. She was my
		good friend, and friens are the best 
		luck anyone gets... But in war, we must
		go on without our friends. We take
		with us their memory, and we are left
		to wonder if there is meaning in their
		death. Let me tell you what it is:
		Dizzy bough the farm so we can keep
		on fighting.

	Several INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS march into the bay.

				JOHNNY
		Officer on deck !

	Everyone snaps to attention. Colonel Carl Jenkins strides into the room.
	His eyes are hollow, and he looks grim. He returns Johnny's salute, 
	nods to Carmen.

				CARL
		Please continue, Sergeant.

				JOHNNY
		Dizzy wouldn't want our tears. She'd
		want us to remember her... with a
		vengeance. So go out and kill a bug 
		for Dizzy. Kill as many as you can.
		You are her revenge, and every bug 
		you kill honors her death.

	Johnny nods to the GUNNERY CREW. They load Dizzy's body into a
	tube. Johnny steps back, salutes Dizzy. Everyone salutes.

				JOHNNY
		Womb to tomb, cap trooper !

				ROUGHNECKS
		Womb to tomb !

	The CREW CHIEF fires the tube. Out the viewports, A PULSE OF LIGHT 
	disperses into space. The Roughnecks file out. Carl approaches.
	Carmen takes Johnny and Carl by the hand.

				CARMEN
		Well, look at this. The three of us back
		together again.

				JOHNNY
		How are you, Carl ?

				CARL
		Johnny, I'm sorry it had to be your
		unit on Planet P. That mission had
		a very low survival probability...

				JOHNNY
		Bugs laid a trap, didn't they ?

				CARL
		Elegant proof of intelligence, 
		isn't it ? We thought there might
		be a brain on P.

				CARMEN
		You knew and you sent them
		anyway ?

				CARL
		A colony has to reach a certain size
		before it produces a Brain... we think
		300 generations. Woulda too expensive
		to launch an operation if there wasn't a
		Brain...

	Carl sees the way Carmen is looking at him, like he's a bug.

				CARL
		You don't approve. Well, too bad.
		We're in this for the species, boys
		and girls. It's simple numbers, they
		have more, and everyday I have to
		make decisions that send hundreds of
		people like you to their deaths.

				JOHNNY
		Didn't they tell you, Colonel ?
		That's what cap troopres are good
		for.

	Carl allows himself a tiny smile.

				CARL
		Hope you're ready for more. We're
		going back to P to capture that Brain.

				JOHNNY
		The Roughnecks are always ready, sir.

				CARL
		I hear they need a new Lieutenant...
		Want the job ?

				JOHNNY
		I'll take it... until I get killed
		or you find someone better.

	KLAXONS sound. Suddenly, everyone has someplace to go.

				CARMEN
		Hope you get your Brain Bug, Carl.

				CARL
		It's good to see you two. It reminds
		me of the way things were before...

	Carl turns abruptly and heads away. His entourage follows.

				CARMEN
		Take care, wilya Johnny ?

				JOHNNY
		See you on the bounce !

153	INT	RODGER YOUNG - COMMAND & CONTROL - CARMEN

	steps onto the bridge. There's a new NUMBER 2 sitting in Zander's chair.
	She's right out of Tereshkova, and she looks scared. 
	Carmen turns to Captain Deladier.

				CARMEN
		Where's Lieutenant Barcalow ?

				DELADIER
		He requested a combat assignment.
		There's always a need for experienced
		pilots on the ground.
		I had no choice but to let him go...
		He said you'd understand.

	Carmen bites her lip, takes first chair. Deladier feels bad for her, knows
	she's made a painful decision.

154	INT	RODGER YOUNG - DROP ROOM - ROUGHNECKS

	are suiting up. Ace enters.

				ACE
		Officer on the deck !

	Roughnecks fall in. Johnny steps into the room. There are many new and
	much younger faces.

				JOHNNY
		I only have two rules. Rule one,
		everyone fights. Rule two, no one
		quits. If you don't do your job,
		I'll kill you myself.
		Do you get me ?

				ROUGHNECKS
		We get you, sir !

				JOHNNY
			(to Ace, sotto voce)
		Who're all these kids ?

				ACE
		We got reinforced. Most of'em
		just got outa boot...

				JOHNNY
		We're the old men, Ace.

155	EXT	PLANET P - 4TH BRIGADE HQ - DAY - CARGO SHIPS

	have landed. Cap troopers set fire to huge piles of dead bugs. BULLDOZERS
	push bodies into a mass grave, among them Rasczak. 
	Johnny walks past with his team.

				JOHNNY
		We'll take this high ground. Lookouts
		there and therte and up there. If the
		bugs come upstairs in this neighbor-hood,
		we'll be the first to know.

				ACE
		Got it. Fleet tactical wants to know
		where they can deploy the skimmers.

				JOHNNY
		Down there on the flats, eh ?
		Listen up, Roughnecks ! Our
		primary objective is to assist
		our friends from the Fleet...

	Roughnecks boo.

				JOHNNY
		Alright, cut it out. We will deploy
		from skimmers in teams of six.
		If the bugs open up a battery,
		we put it out of business.
		Any questions ?

	A HERCULES CARGO BOAT hurtles out of the sky and lands on the high
	ground Johnny has intended forb his H.Q. Johnny scowls, marches over
	to the boat and confronts a FLEET OFFICER.

				JOHNNY
		Would'ya mind moving your boat ?

				FLEET OFFICER
		Better talk to the boss.

	The cargo bays open to deploy FLEET SKIMMERS. Zander jumps down
	to oversee the operation.

				JOHNNY
		You're standing on my H.Q., 
		Lieutenant !

				ZANDER 
		This is a Fleet-driven operation, son,
		and the Fleet thinks my boat will be 
		safer on the high ground.
		You can have everything else, eh ?

				JOHNNY
		You heard the Sky Marshall...
		Move it all down -

	Suddenly, in the distance, bug batteries open fire, not one but twenty.
	Zander and Johnny share a look of concern.

				ZANDER
		Rodger Young, prepare to receice 
		outgoing fire...!
			(to his crew chief)
		I'll take the first group.

				JOHNNY
		Saddle up, boys, that's our trash !

156	EXT	SPACE - PLANET P ORBIT - BUG PLASMA

	begins to take a toll on the battle group as the orbiting ships lay their eggs.
	Cap Troopers are scliced as they drop.

157	EXT	RODGER YOUNG - BRIDGE - CAPTAIN DELADIER

	turns to Carmen.

				DELADIER
		Evasive action !

	Carmen dodges other starships, turns to her new number 2.

				CARMEN
		Prepare for warp !

				NEW NUMBER 2
		Yes, ma'am ! Warp in 5... 4...
		3...!

	KA-WHAM ! The Rodger Young takes a direct hit.

158	EXT	RODGER YOUNG - PLANET P ORBIT - THE RODGER YOUNG

	is cut in two. The rear section explodes, the forward section begins to burn towards
	the bridge.

159	INT	RODGER YOUNG - BRIDGE - CAPTAIN DELADIER

	calmy evacuates the bridge. Power fails and so does the gravity.

				CARMEN
		This is Rodger Young, we're going
		down... Repeat, this is Rodger Young,
		we're going down...!

				DELADIER
		Ibanez...LET'S GO !

160	INT	RODGER YOUNG - ESCAPE CORRIDOR - CARMEN

	and Captain Deladier run for the lifepods. An explosion flips the corridor.
	Captain Deladier's leg is crushed when an airlock closes on her.

				DELADIER
		AAAAAAAAAAA !

	Carmen hits the release, pulls her free. Deladier pushes Carmen away.

				DELADIER
		Leave me, Lieutenant ! That's an order !

				CARMEN
		No way, ma'am !

161	INT	RODGER YOUNG - LIFE POD BAY - CARMEN

	pushes into the chaotic life pod bay. PANICKED CREW shoving, screaming,
	fighting. The ship pitches. They tumble, landing near a pod. Carmen jumps
	for it, pulls Deladier in after.

162	EXT	RODGER YOUNG - PLANET P ORBIT - THE RODGER YOUNG

	disintegrates as lifepods shoot away toward the planet.

163	INT	LIFEPOD - PLANET P ORBIT - CARMEN

	navigates through a graveyard of floating wreckage, dead cap troopers,
	someone's trombone. She sets her beacon and the pod plummets 
	downward.

				CARMEN
		Mayday, mayday ! This is 
		Lieutenant Carmen Ibanez in 
		lifepod RY63... I'm going in...

164	EXT	PLANET P - BASE CAMP - DAY - ROUGHNECKS

	board the Skimmers. Zander approaches Johnny, upset.

				JOHNNY
		What's your problem now,
		Lieutenant ?

				ZANDER 
		The Rodger Young just burned up...

	Johnny's face falls.

				JOHNNY
		Any survivors ?

	Zander points. Far in the distance, a glowing pod plummets toward the planet.
	Johnny tracks it on his "head up".

165	INT	LIFEPOD - ATMOSPHERE - DAY - CARMEN

	is shaken violently as the pod hits atmosphere.

166	EXT	PLANET P - DAY - CARMEN'S POD

	hits and goes straight through the crust of Planet P.

167	INT	BUG CITY TUNNELS - DAY - THE POD

	comes to rest. Carmen blows the hatch, pulls Deladier out, grabs a Morita
	pulse rifle. Tunnels lead in every direction.

				CARMEN
		This is Lieutenant Carmen Ibanez.
		Is anyone receiving ?

168	EXT	BASE CAMP - DAY - JOHNNY

	grabs the handset from Ace.

				JOHNNY (O.S.)
		Affirmative ! Carmen, this is Roughneck
		base camp... What is your present 
		location ?

169	INT	BUG CITY TUNNELS - DAY - CARMEN

	sees a warrior coming at her from out of the shadows. Carmen fires a burst
	and kills it. Now there are two. Carmen backs up firing, but there are 
	too many.

				CARMEN
		My present location is 42 degrees 
		South by 176 degrees East...
		situation is extremely hostile...
		I...AAAAAAAAA !
	
	They have her. She puts the barrel of the Morita in her mouth, but a claw 
	cut her trigger finger off at the knuckle.

170	EXT	PLANET P - ROUGHNECK BASE CAMP - DAY - JOHNNY

	and Zander are horrified by what they hear.

				CARMEN (O.S.)
		AAAAAAAAAAAAAA !

				JOHNNY
		We've gotta go get her !

				ZANDER
		You know as well as I do she's
		probably already dead.

	Johnny knows it's true, swallows bitterly, turns away. That's when he sees it. 
	Nearby, the ground shifts, a claw breaks through, a hole opens up and bugs
	boil up out of the ground.

				SUGAR WATKINS
		Here they come !

	They turn and see a second bug hole open up.

				JOHNNY
		We're outa here. Lieutenant, get
		your men into the skimmers. This
		real estate's about to go buggy.

				ZANDER
		Hey, just calm down, I'm giving
		the orders here-

	The entire area underneath the base camp collapses to form a huge new
	canyon. The Hercules boat topples, crushing Skimmers and unfortunate
	Fleet personnnel.

171	EXT	NEW CANYON - DAY - JOHNNY

	and the surviving Roughnecks pick themselves up. The are now 30 meters
	below the planet's surface. Above them, bugs line the wide rim of the
	newly formed canyon.

				JOHNNY
		Form a perimeter !

	Through the dust, exposed bug tunnels can be seen in the canyon walls and
	piling out of them by the score, deadly Arachnid warriors. Johnny throws
	Zander a pulse cannon.

				JOHNNY
		Make yourself useful, fly boy...
		PREPARE TO REPEL BUGS !

	The Roughnecks open fire at the charging bug horde. Warriors are blown to 
	pieces. Gas grenades fly and H.E. rounds close tunnels. A maimed warrior 
	gets through and heads for Zander.

				ZANDER
		AAAAAAAAAAA !

	Johnny and Ace team up to blow it away. Zander takes a deep breath,
	loos around, impressed. The Roughnecks have killed a great many bugs.

				JOHNNY
		Ace, get on the com. Tell Fleet we
		need retrieval... Sugar, salvage some
		armor and suit up Lieutenant Barcalow.

	Sugar Watkins tosses a bloody jump boot his way.

				ZANDER
		Thanks.

				ACE
		Fleet Command says retrieval's no go.
		The battle group's at safe distance...
		and we got another problem.

	Ace points out a Tanker bug that's been brough up to the rim. 
	Johnny sees another.

				JOHNNY
		Looks like they're gonna hose us down...

	Johnny chews on this.

				JOHNNY
		Alright... Listen up, Roughnecks.
		We're gonna head west down through
		bug city, pick up any Rodger Young 
		survivors we run across, and join A
		Company. Get me ?

				ROUGHNECKS
		We get you, sir !

	Zander, awkward in a power suit, confronts Johnny.

				ZANDER
		What do you think you're doing ?

				JOHNNY
		I'm gonna save Carmen.

				ZANDER
		That would mean a comlete disregard
		for the mission objective. They hang
		you for that, Rico.

				JOHNNY
		Yeah, that's right.

	Johnny and Zander stare each other down.

				ZANDER
		Let's go.
		
				JOHNNY
		Move out.

	Johnny starts for the gaping mouth of an exposed bug tunnel and
	the others fall in behind him.

				ACE
		Bug hunt !

				ROUGHNECKS
		BUG HUNT !

172	INT	TUNNEL - DAY - JOHNNY

	leads his deadly force through enemy territory. The Roughnecks kill
	everything that gets in their way. Zander lends his inexperienced hand.

				JOHNNY
		Mr. Barcalow, save power, don't
		waste it on workers...
		Ace, tell Aardvark we're on our
		way...

				ACE
		Yes, sir !

	Warriors appear in the tunnel behind them.

				JOHNNY
		Sugar, close the tunnel...!

				SUGAR
		Fire in the hole !

	Sugar Watkins fires an H.E. round and seals the tunnel.

173	INT	BUG CITY - FEEDING PIT - DAY - CARMEN

	opens her eyes. She can hear BUGS CLICKING. She's in a pit filled 
	with human dead. A nearby carcass wears a uniform from 4th Brigade
	Off in the dark she hears HUMAN MOANING.

	She crawls over rotting corpses toward the sound. The moaning turns
	to SCREAMING. It's coming from outside the pit. She pulls herself
	up to peer over the edge. 

174	INT	BUG CITY - THE ROYAL COURT - DAY - CARMEN

	sees hundred of bugs at work, WARRIORS, WORKERS and dozens of 
	small (2 meters) CHARIOT BUGS. Aworker walks pas, stepping on her,
	but pays her no attention.

	She sees the source of the screaming:	Captain Deladier is hold
	between two warriors, and she's screaming because of what she sees,

				DELADIER
		NAAAAAAAA...! OH PLEASE...

	The BRAIN BUG is huge (5 meters) and pulpy. I has vestigial legs that
	cannot support ist weight, and so it must be moved by a shifting carpet of
	chariot bugs.

				DELADIER
		...OH GOD AAAAAAAAAAAAA...!

	A thorn-like PALP unfolds out of the brain bug and strikes, driving deep into
	Deladier's head and sucks her brains out.

				DELADIER
		AAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !

	Carmen watches horrified as Deladier dies. The suddenly a warrior grabs her
	from above and drags her out of the pit. She screams as its claws slice into 
	her limbs.

				CARMEN
		AAAAAAAAAAAAAA !

	Now the brain bug comes for her. She sees the palp unfold, the thorn-like
	spike coming toward her. Carmen is no longer looking for escape.
	All she wants to do is die.

	Suddenly, every bug in the chamber stops as though to listen. Carmen hears it.
	A HIGH-PITCHED SQUEAL, getting louder. 
	Johnny enters the chamber alone.

	The warriors move toward him. He holds up a NUKE, source of the high-pitched
	tone. The ready light flashes. The Brain Bug emits a series of harsh clicks.
	The warriors freeze.

				JOHNNY
		You know what this is...?

	Johnny makes an explosive sound. The Brain Bug slowly withdraws its palp.

				JOHNNY
		Sure you do... You're a big fat smart
		bug, aren't you ?

	Johnny moves toward Carmen. The Brain Bug's multiple eyes track him.
	The warriors holding Carmen threaten. Johnny turns on the brain bug, 
	his finger on the nuke's trigger. 

				JOHNNY
		I'll take you with me.

	The Brain Bug clicks. The warriors back off. Carmen collapses.
	Johnny reaches for her.

				JOHNNY
		Take my hand !

	Chariot bugs move the Brain Bug down a hole. Workers seal the hole
	behind it with amazing speed. Johnny drags Carmen back toward the 
	tunnel he entered from. The warriors charge.

				JOHNNY
		Roughnecks...NOW !

	Johnny throws himself on top of Carmen as the Roughnecks burst into
	the chamber, guns blazing. The fight is furious, point blank, deadly to
	bug and Roughneck alike. 

	Sugar Watkins screams as a warrior rips his arm off. Zander takes a
	claw through the gut.

				ZANDER
		AAAAAAAAAAAAA !

	He blows it away, sees his intestines hanging out of the wound, shoves
	them back inside and keeps on fighting. A warrior rears up over Johnny
	and Carmen.

				JOHNNY
		Weapon !

	Ace throws him a Morita. Johnny catches it, pumps three rounds into the 
	bug's nerve stem. He struggles out from under the dead warrior.
	Every bug in the chamber is dead.

				JOHNNY
		Are you hurt ?

	Carmen throws her arms around Johnny.

				CARMEN
		Johnny...!

	Zander takes this in. Carmen sees him, then his wound.

				CARMEN
		Zander...! Oh, you're hurt.

	Ace takes a look at his wound, makes a face.

				ACE
		Ah geez...

	Zander pushes him away, struggles to his feet.

				JOHNNY
		Can you walk ?

				ZANDER
			(clenched teeth)
		Not a problem.

				JOHNNY
		Let's get some armor on her, and
		the we'll get outa this stinkin 
		bug hole !

	Various components are gladly passed forward. Johnny and Ace 
	help her putting it on.

				CARMEN
		I thought I was dead. Lucky for
		me you jokers showed up, eh ?

				ZANDER
		It wasn't luck. Rico ignored the
		mission objective to rescue you...

				CARMEN
		Is it true ?

				JOHNNY
		Yeah, if I live through this, 
		they'll probably hang me.
		Now com'on, let's move out !

175	INT	BUG CITY TUNNELS - DAY - THE ROUGHNECKS

	double-time it, racing for the surface. They come to a fork.

				CARMEN
		Which way ?

				JOHNNY
		Up. We gotta be near A Company 
		by now.

	The tunnel floor drops out. FIVE ROUGHNECKS disappear into the hole.
	WARRIORS climb up into the tunnel.

				JOHNNY
		FALL BACK !

	The Roughnecks bachk up fast, shooting. Zander staggers, collapses.
	Johnny drops to his side, rolls him over.

				JOHNNY
		How bad are you, pal ?

				ZANDER
		Been better, buddy.

	Johnny sees warriors coming up into the tunnel by the score.

				JOHNNY
		Alright, we're gonna carry you...

				ZANDER
		Nah, I figureyou folks oughta get 
		upstairs before it's too late...
		Gimmee the nuke.

	Zander checks his pulse cannon's available power.

				JOHNNY
		Don't be a hero...

				ZANDER
		This is my farm. Now c'mon, give
		me what you got and get out of
		here...

	Johnny nods, hands him the nuke. Carmen sees what's happening.

				CARMEN
		Zander, what are you doing ?

				ZANDER
		Just giving you something to
		remember me by, baby.

				CARMEN
		Zander, no...!

	He grabs her and kisses her. Johnny drags Carmen away. Zander opens 
	fire as the first warriors reach his position.

176	INT	BUG CITY - INCLINED TUNNEL - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	race desperately for the surface. They hear the chatter of Zander's pulse cannon
	and the screams of dying bugs.

				JOHNNY
		GO.GO GO GO GO...!

	Tears stream down from Carmen's face.

177	EXT	PLANET P - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

	and the surviving Roughnecks make it to the surface. 	WOMP !
	A subterrenean nuclear explosion blows a column of earth and stone
	into the air.

178	EXT	PLANET P - A COMPANY BASE CAMP - JOHNNY

	and the others enter A Company's perimeter. No one notices their arrival
	because everyone's gathered in a big circle watching the Brain Bug.

				CARMEN
		Look... they got it.

	Several of its delicate legs were apparently broken during the capture.
	Carl approaches it without fear, puts his hand on the thing.

				GENERAL
		What's it thinking, Colonel ?

	Carl smiles in a cruel way.

				CARL
		It's afraid.

	Johnny and Carmen approach the General.

				JOHNNY
		Sir, I'd like to turn myself in.
		Dereliction of duty by an officer
		during wartime.

				GENERAL
		And you freely admit to it ?

				JOHNNY
		Yes, sir.

				GENERAL
		Is what this man says true,
		Lieutenant ?

				CARMEN
		To the best of my understanding,
		i

Starship Troopers



Writers :   Robert A. Heinlein  Edward Neumeier
Genres :   Sci-Fi  Action


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