Scene 4.20 - Hyperdrive
ANIMATION STYLE 2
EST: INT. Sacred Hall of Rock - Day.
(JOHN THOMAS is in the exact same position before the commercial break. PATCH is barking.)
GUARDIAN OF ROCK & ROLL
You have made an unlawful entry! This is private property! Please drop your weapon and prepare to be restrained. If you fail to comply, I can and will use force with extreme prejudice!
JOHN THOMAS
Easy boy! (Lowers weapon.) Look, Guardian, I can explain.
GUARDIAN OF ROCK & ROLL
I am not authorized to take statements or confessions, please save all explanations for a human law-enforcement representative.
JOHN THOMAS
Look around you, you bucket-of-bolts! This place is in ruins! There are no humans here! They all moved! (Points in the general direction of space.) Earth is a wildlife refuge! No one's lived here for over two-hundred years!
GUARDIAN OF ROCK & ROLL
(Pause, processors whirring-) Yes, yes, there will be plenty of time to explain yourself at the precinct, now show me your hands and do not resist.
PATCH
Bow-wow! Bow-wow! Wooooooooooooo! Bow-wow!
GUARDIAN OF ROCK & ROLL
What? What’s that sound? That noise! Stop immediately! Stop, or I will-
JOHN THOMAS
(Hitting the ground, like before-) The chip! It's working! Aaaagh!
(Rock music echoes from PATCH'S artificial vocal chords, the GUARDIAN OF ROCK AND ROLL begins to sputter and smoke.)
GUARDIAN OF ROCK & ROLL
I order you to desist! Your sonic waves are disrupting internal processors. Stop! (Pause.) I must sleep to repair. I must deactivate before I ... overload.
(The robot goes to sleep.)
JOHN THOMAS
(Recovers.) Good job, Patch! I thought he was actually going to take me in -- to where I don't know. Remind me to give you a treat when we get back to the ship. Good-Boy!
(JOHN THOMAS pats his head.)
PATCH
Bark!
JOHN THOMAS
(Inspecting him-) I'm glad to see the memory-chip is working with your neural interface. Fighting fire with fire, I guess. (Remembering:) We've got to get to Luna! To the Sativa! We haven't a moment to lose!
(They jump into the craft. JOHN THOMAS readies the ship for take-off.)
PATCH
Bark!
JOHN THOMAS
You're right, Patch, we don't have enough time. We'll be too-late. It will take several minutes to get to Luna, even in this ship. (Half-pause. Inhales.) It's a little risky, but I might just have to use the hyper-drive.
PATCH
Mmmm? (Physically protesting:) Bark!
(PATCH gets between JOHN THOMAS and the dashboard.)
JOHN THOMAS
Oh, get out of the way, Boy. I know I promised, but this time there's nothing to worry about! I've got the coordinates all set for headquarters. We'll be there in a flash!
PATCH
(Doesn’t take his eyes off-of JOHN THOMAS.) Bark! Bark! Bark! Bow-wow-wow-wooo.
(PATCH starts to growl, showing puppy teeth.)
JOHN THOMAS
Look, I know last time I hit the button, we nearly... well... left the galaxy... but this time it's different! This time we're starting in our own solar system, on Earth even! I know this space-lane like the back of my hand! It's a really, really small jump! Come on, it will be over before you know it.
PATCH
Bow-wow-wow-woo. Bark!
ECU: JOHN THOMAS has an idea, looks down and to the left. He smacks the side of a panel, it opens.
JOHN THOMAS
(Pulls an unusual-looking doggy-treat from the panel and tosses it aft.) Who wants a treat? Here it is, Boy! Go get it!
(PATCH falls for it. As he looks up with the treat in his mouth, skidding to the back of the cockpit, his eyes grow wide.)
PATCH
Hmmmm?
ECU: Hyper-drive Button
(A warning is written over and under the button -WARNING! HYPER-DRIVE!)
JOHN THOMAS
Here we go!
(JOHN THOMAS flips the cover and pushes the button, they immediately become a blurry, multicolored streak across the sky as they depart for Central Command.)
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