Scene 3.19 - Contamination
EST: INT. Eliza - Afternoon
(SIMAK is seen displayed on the black-and-white monitor, holding up a limp CLARKE, looking up at the camera. AZALEA is in the sick bay.)
AZALEA
(Zooming in on the pair, to herself as she answers the hail:) Talk about taking the wrong pill...
SIMAK
Lassie, let us in! It’s a medical emergency! Lassie!
AZALEA
No. He’s got a Tellusian Stomach-Pumper and until you drum up the doctor with his hypo and some plasmic near-matter, I’m not letting that thing aboard. No one in here is THAT constipated. What were you doing in the lowlands, anyway?
SIMAK
We’re looking for Ensign Asimov, he’s fallen overboard.
AZALEA
(To SIMAK:) Where is Ensign Asimov now?
FEMALE COMPUTER
Ensign Asimov is in the Delta Corridor, Ms. Azalea.
AZALEA
Wait. Hold on. The ship says he’s on-board. (Clicks SIMAK off.) Computer, where did you say Asimov was?
FEMALE COMPUTER
There are eight women, two men and one ectoplasmic phantom detected in the Delta Corridor.
AZALEA
Azalea to Delta Corridor.
FEMALE COMPUTER
Ms. Azalea, the intercom is not directly linked to the Delta Corridor. You must call someone directly by name.
AZALEA
Azalea to Ensign Asimov.
FEMALE COMPUTER
Mr. Asimov is not wearing a regulation uniform, Ms. Azalea. He is unable to respond.
AZALEA
Who is in uniform, then? Bring up their heat signatures.
FEMALE COMPUTER
(Highlights and identifies blip:) Mr. Heinlein is still working in the Delta Corridor, Ms. Azalea.
AZALEA
Why didn’t you say so?
FEMALE COMPUTER
You didn’t ask.
AZALEA
(Quickly rolls her eyes:) Azalea to Heinlein.
HEINLEIN
Heinlein here.
AZALEA
Do you see anyone else in there?
HEINLEIN
Nope.
AZALEA
There’s a mob of the crew moving in unison toward you. Computer, how would you describe the irregular movement of that mob?
FEMALE COMPUTER
They’re walking like lust-crazed, drunken zombies, mam.
AZALEA
Heinlein, look out, there’s a mob of girls coming at you, led by Asimov, looking like lust-crazed, drunken zombies. See anything that fits that description?
HEINLEIN
Nope.
AZALEA
You should get away from there. They’re either hopped up on Tellusian joy-juice or they’re tripping from the pollen from the Fellopian Cactus!
HEINLEIN
I don’t see anything.
AZALEA
They’re coming right at you! Get out of there! Heinlein, get out of there!
HEINLEIN
(Looks again in both directions.) There’s nothing here.
AZALEA
They’re right there! They’re right there! Heinlein! Get out!
(Exasperated, HEINLEIN climbs up a level where the mob awaits; turns his flashlight and gets a cloud of pollen in his face. Reference: Alien.)
LUST-CRAZED DRUNKEN ZOMBIES
New... meat!
CUT TO: POV AZALEA
(We cutaway to see his blip fall on the holographic display, then bounce and cut back to him at the bottom as if he just bungee-jumped. He has fallen, but is tethered.)
CUT TO: Below Mob
HEINLEIN
Aaaaaaah! Ahhh! Oh! Oooooh! Hey, Isaac, hey man, give me a hand and pull me up.
(They quickly pull him up.)
CUT TO: AZALEA
AZALEA
Oh no, Heinlein!
CUT TO: Mob
ASIMOV
How are you feeling, Robert?
HEINLEIN
(Wide-eyed, all smiles, spacey:) Dreamy, just dreamy.
ASIMOV
Azalea izz in ze seek bee. She kinnot lick iss out from zere. She’s ze only von lift on-board who kin stippiss.
CUT TO: AZALEA
(AZALEA listens as the channel is open.)
HEINLEIN V.O.
Yes. We’ll get her. Then the ship is ours.
(AZALEA toggles the button.)
AZALEA
Azalea to Smokey.
SIMAK
Are you going to let me in or not, lass?
AZALEA
Okay, but you’ve got to bring him here, directly to sick bay.
SIMAK
Where else would I take him, the latrine?
AZALEA
Then you got to hide. The crew is crazy. They’ve been contaminated.
SIMAK
Contaminated?
(AZALEA hears the hatch in the hallway that leads to the Delta Corridor open.)
AZALEA
I can’t explain, I’ve got to go! Wait until I get to the bridge!
(AZALEA ducks-out through a secret, ventilation hatch only known by her, VERNE and WELLS.)
SIMAK
Lassie! Lassie!
(ASIMOV enters. He talks into the intercom.)
ASIMOV
Smokey, iz thit you?
SIMAK
Asimov, let us in, Laddie! Clarke’s been attacked by a hostile creature! The thing’s doing heaven-knows-what to his face now. Let us in, Issac, lad! Mr. Clarke is injured!
ASIMOV
(Pushes button, letting them in.) Thin ye bitta git ip tee seek bee reet away, sear. Vill vait for you here, to help.
SIMAK
Finally, some sanity. Thanks, Isaac, you’re a life-saver. Simak out.
(ASIMOV turns toward the girls and HEINLEIN, they all nod.)
SOFT WIPE TO: