Scene 4.16 - Arrival
EST: INT/EXT. Orb of Doom.
TRUCK RIGHT: From the lit side to the dark side of the full moon.
(The face of the moon is unaltered, no evidence of habitation exists on the side facing the Earth. On the dark side, however, the moon is gutted and full of evidence of human habitation and exploitation. Three dominant types of habitat are seen: NEON CITY, which should look the way it sounds -- like a commercial district chock-full of lights for the Christmas shopping season; LUNA CITY, which has been diligently-housing most of the survivors from Earth's Big Shower for five centuries; and an interlaced CENTRAL COMMAND, the governmental network of buildings, space ways, space hangars and laser towers that keep the populated hemisphere safe from meteor showers, errant comets, foolhardy space pirates and most mad scientists. An atmospheric generator is slowly pouring a mix of oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, argon and ozone out of a huge smokestack at the horizon, giving the moon a small atmosphere -- slowly increasing -- that will eventually remove the need for domed housing. DIABLO careens to-and-fro within the ORB OF DOOM. All establishing shots are from her POV. Cutaways INT/EXT and CENTRAL COMMAND HEADQUARTERS are throughout the scene as DIABLO progresses inward and is forced to abandon ship and enter the only docking bay that can accommodate her mile-wide ORB OF DOOM, which is DOCKING BAY 69, next to the juvenile detention center.)
DIABLO
(Missing the piloting skills of her slotbots:) Central Command! Do you read me? Confounded computer! Is this thing on? Do you read me, Central Command?
CENTRAL COMMAND
We read you, Dr. Diablo, land immediately! You are in violation of Luna City and Neon City airspace! Follow your escort and land your craft, now!
DIABLO
Okay baby, ah, one, ah, two, ah one two three-
(Heavy vibratory bass sounds throughout Luna's thin atmosphere.)
SILICA
(Suddenly, jolted back in surprise-) Oh! Professor! What's going on?
DIABLO
It's their sonic defense system! We're going to have to bust our way in and hit them face-to-face! John Thomas and his cronies must have warned Central Command.
SILICA
(Helping DIABLO pilot with much more ease, pushing buttons expertly-) We're within the troposphere. I can keep those lasers off of us long enough to drop below their firing arcs...
DIABLO
Do that, my sweet. Find a hole for me to ram it into.
SILICA
Sixty-nine.
DIABLO
Pardon?
SILICA
They're sending a flight path to docking bay number sixty-nine. (Laughs.) They actually think we're surrendering.
DIABLO
Marvelous. (Clumsily finds public-address-system switch again.) Okay Central Command, I surrender, I’m out-gunned. I’m landing, as ordered, to docking bay number six-niner, so send all your cops there, cuz that’s where I’m giving up. All right?
CENTRAL COMMAND
Well Doctor, it sounds like you've finally come to reason. We're glad you decided to end this before anyone was hurt.
DIABLO
(Sees INDICA floating by-) Yes, I see that my escort is no worse for the wear. (To SILICA:) On my signal.
(Orb docks in bay number sixty-nine.)
CENTRAL COMMAND
Yes, they told us you were heading our way, and told us we might need our sonic defenses. We're not sure what you were planning, but we're all relieved that this didn't have to get ugly. Now step-from your hatch and proceed with the officers to Juvenile Detention Bay 17.
DIABLO
(Unaware the communications channel is still open, to SILICA:) What? Is this a joke? Minimum security? I am The Great Diablo! Has it come to this?
CENTRAL COMMAND
(Answers directly:) It's a place nearby where we can put you until we figure out where to keep you. Now step through the hatch with your hands behind your head.
(She steps out, leaving SILICA in the shadows, guards have their rifles trained on her. She is covered with red and green dots from laser sights.)
DIABLO
I suppose the high-and-mighty “Kaptain Kool” is among you, laughing about all this.
CENTRAL COMMAND
Kaptain K's still on Terra. But the other members of the team want to talk to you. (Pause.) And your robot. Where is she?
DIABLO
Robot? What robot?
CUT TO: CU SILICA
(SILICA slides across shadows to the hatchway, eyes glowing.)
CENTRAL COMMAND
Diablo! On the ground, now!
DIABLO
Now?
(A wailing, electronic-sounding noise permeates the air around them, leaving the men quickly-subdued and losing consciousness as the noise segues into a more-familiar-sounding disco beat.)
SILICA
You know, if we spring the chicks locked up in juvey and take them hostage, it might-make getting into H-Q a piece of cake.
DIABLO
(Adjusts her monstrous 1970s-looking headphones:) I like the way you think, my dear. Heh! Heh! Heh!
FTB