Agiss III

 		 
	FADE IN
	EXT. MARS COLONY AGISS III   ONE WEEK LATER
	EXT. AGISS III BIO-CENTER - DAY
	INT. AGISS III CONFERENCE ROOM  

	ROLF LANDERS reads his log book and looks
	at the list of the AGISS III staff remaining,
	Himself ROLF LANDERS COLONY CHIEF, FRANK MAY 
	DEPUTY CHIEF and MYRA JENKINS HEALTH OFFICER. 
	Deceased crew, JON ODIN CHIEF ENGINEER, ANDREA
	LONG ASTRO-BIOLOGIST and SKIP OMEIR CHIEF 
	MECHANIC.

					FRANK
			Rolf, stop looking at that list.
			There's nothing that's going
			to change what happened. Shit
			happens, we just have to live
			with it!

					ROLF
			That sounds funny coming from
			you, remember you're the worry
			wart! Myra, have you come up 
			with anything on the Virus?

	MYRA looks at the reams of computer printout
	she has generated looking for the data 
	covering the virus. 

					MYRA  
			Yes, what we have is a virus 
			so infectious it has the 
			ability to go through anything
			looking for a host!?

					ROLF
			We have to be able to go to
			our storage bio-tents to get
			supplies, can we do that 
			safely. 

					MYRA
			The air samples say it's ok
			as long as we stay on the
			Tarmac?

					FRANK
			Well that's reassuring.

	During the time Landers, May and Jenkins were in the 
	Space Alliance Academy they were best friends. Only 
	when Landers became Chief that May felt a strong break 
	in their relations. May and Jenkins had dated for a 
	while but nothing ever came of it. Landers was always 
	attracted to Jenkins but he felt he just couldn't date 
	his best friends ex-girlfriend. Jenkins was always 
	attracted to Landers but was afraid to show affection.


					FRANK
				(looking at Landers)
			How soon do you think it'll
			be before the rescue ship
			is here? 

					ROLF
			Two weeks after they get
			the ok from Earth Command.

	May looks at Landers and Jenkins appearing very upset.

					FRANK 
			Rolf, we need to talk privately.

					MYRA
			Boy talk hey, look guys I'm
			going to the powder room,
			see ya!

	Andrea walks out of the room and closes the door.

					ROLF
			Well what is it? 

					FRANK
				(May stares at 
				 the wall)
			What is this bullshit about
			the Alpha Space Station crew
			needs to have permission from
			Earth command before they can
			rescue us? We both know that's
			bullshit! Now tell me the real
			truth why they haven't sent the
			rescue ship?

					ROLF
			There's no rescue ship.

					FRANK
			What?

	May bolts up out of his chair and grabs Landers by the
	throat and yells at him.

					FRANK
			You son of a bitch, what do you
			mean no rescue ship?

					ROLF
			Captain Fleming from the Alpha
			space station is afraid of 
			contamination and has forwarded
			the rescue effort to Earth.

					FRANK
			Bullshit that will take months!
			Why didn't you tell me about
			this earlier, when did you find
			out?

					ROLF
			Early this morning while 
			everyone was sleeping.

					FRANK
				(releasing Landers)
			You bastard when were you 
			going to tell me, next 
			month?

					ROLF
			You worry so much, I felt
			I would wait and see if I
			could change Fleming's 
			decision.

					FRANK
			Do you plan to tell Myra?

					ROLF
			I'll tell her but I don't
			know how she's going to
			take it?

					FRANK
			Ok, I'll tell her.  

					CUT TO:


	EXT. MARS COLONY AGISS III     AFTERNOON
	INT. COLONY BRIEFING ROOM

	Frank and Myra have just finished a discussion
	and Myra is in tears.

					MYRA
			I just don't understand why 
			they won't send a ship from 
			the space station, shit they
			can get here in two weeks!

					FRANK
			They're afraid of our bug.

							CUT TO:

	EXT. MARS COLONY AGISS III         EVENING
	INT. COLONY DINNING ROOM

	Rolf has grouped all of his remaining staff for
	an urgent communiqué received from his commander
	at Earth Command.

					ROLF
			I was just told by Commander 
			JULES LE BLANC they're sending
			a rescue ship from Earth and
			they will be here in about two
			months. However we must remain
			confined to our quarters until
			the rescue craft arrives.
			
					MYRA
			Rolf, two months, shit it 
			may as well be two years.

					ROLF
			I'm sorry Myra, but that's the
			best they can do.

					MYRA   
			What if we get infected too!

	Frank looks at Myra as she's clutching his
	hand and crying.

					FRANK
			Please don't cry Myra, it
			could be worse, they could
			not come at all.

					ROLF   
			He's right, who knows they
			could change their mind.

						CUT TO:

	EXT.	MARS COLONY AGISS III     NIGHT
	INT.	BIO-CENTER RECREATION ROOM

	Frank and Myra are sitting on a large couch in
	front of a large picture window with a view of
	the barren Mars landscape.

					MYRA
			I don't think we'll ever
			get home. 

					FRANK
			Have faith my dear, they will
			rescue us, but when I don't 
			know. 

	Frank Is looking at the wind gauge mounted on the
	wall and it indicates winds from the south at 165
	miles per hour, with gusts to 195. Temperature is
	is -126 degrees. Both Frank and Myra have fallen 
	asleep and are awaken when a Klaxon starts to
	sound. Rolf is seen running into the room as he
	exits the Centers control room.

					ROLF
			Frank I need your help, we have
			something the size of a horse
			on the outer perimeter of the
			tarmac.

					FRANK
			Are you getting an image on
			the scope?

					ROLF
			Yes, but it doesn't make sense!

	Frank gets up and runs into the control center and
	braces himself in front of the large color monitor
	showing the electrical image of several large 
	African Lions.

					FRANK
			No, this can't be, African Lions
			on Mars, no way, this is a trick!

					ROLF
			At least the laser fences are 
			stopping the intruders!

	Myra is looking at the monitor and is showing extreme
	shock when she sees the images of what appears to be
	African Manned Lions.  Rolf wakes up and finds he's
	been dreaming. He quickly checks the monitor and 
	finds everything is clear so he relaxes back in his
	large leather chair. He calls Myra from the other room.
	Myra enters the control room and sits down next to Rolf.

					MYRA
			Yes, what is it Rolf?

					ROLF
			Command want's us to check our
			findings to see if this Virus
			could have been brought back 
			from Earth on one of our probes.

					MYRA
			The first spacecraft to visit Mars
			was Mariner 4 in 1965. Several 
			others followed including the two
			VIKING LANDERS in 1976. Ending a
			long 20 year hiatus, Mars Pathfinder
			landed successfully on Mars on 1997
			July 4.  The Probes are sanitized
			before launch so no, no way are they
			a form of contamination.

					ROLF
			They also wanted to know if the 
			physical makeup of this planet
			is conducive for micro-organisms.

					MYRA
			Mars orbit is significantly elliptical.
			One result of this is a temperature 
			variation of about 30 C at the sub-solar
			point between aphelion and perihelion.
			This has a major influence on Mars
			climate. The VIKING LANDERS found that
			Martian temperatures vary from -220 F 
			to 70 F. Though Mars is much smaller 
			than Earth, its surface area is about
			the same as the land surface area of
			Earth. Except for Earth, Mars has the
			most highly varied terrain of any
			of the terrestrial planets.

					ROLF
			Any special points of Mars that
			could indicate a reservoir for 
			the Virus.

					MYRA
			Well lets see . . . OLYMPUS MONS
			the largest mountain in the Solar 
			System rising 78,000 ft. above
			the surrounding plain. Its base 
			is more than 300 mi. in diameter 
			and is rimmed by a cliff some
			20,000 ft. high. THARSIS, a 
			huge bulge on the Martian 
			surface that is about 4000 
			mi. across. 

					ROLF
			How about deep Canyons?

					MYRA
			VALLES MARINERIS a system of 
			canyons 4000 km long and from 
			2 to 7 km deep. 

					ROLF
			How about Craters?

					MYRA
			HELLAS PLANITIA, an impact
			crater in the south is 
			over 6 km deep and 2000 km
			in diameter. Much of the Martian
			surface is very old and CRATERED,
			but there are also much younger 
			rift valleys, ridges, hills and
			plains. 

					ROLF
			How about old ancient craters?

					MYRA
			The southern hemisphere
			of Mars is predominantly ancient
			CRATERED highlands somewhat 
			similar to the Moon. In contrast,
			most of the northern hemisphere 
			consists of plains which are much
			younger, lower in elevation and
			have a much more complex history.

					ROLF
			Are there any recent earthquakes
			or Volcanic eruptions where maybe
			a rift was opened and the virus …

					MYRA
			No recent Earthquakes or Volcanoes.
			But, An abrupt elevation change of 
			several kilometers seems to occur
			at the boundary. The reasons for 
			this global dichotomy and abrupt
			boundary are unknown.

					ROLF
			How about in the interior, like
			deep caves or?

					MYRA
			The interior of Mars is known
			only by inference from data 
			about the surface and the bulk 
			statistics of the planet. The 
			most likely scenario is a dense 
			core about 1700 km in radius, a 
			molten rocky mantle somewhat 
			denser than the Earth's and a 
			thin crust. Mars' relatively low
			density compared to the other 
			planets indicates that its core 
			probably contains a relatively 
			large fraction of sulfur in 
			addition to iron. 

					ROLF
			No Earthquakes or Volcanoes?

					MYRA
			Like Mercury and the Moon, 
			Mars appears to lack active 
			plate tectonics, there's no 
			evidence of horizontal motion 
			of the surface such as the 
			folded mountains so common on 
			Earth. 

					ROLF
			With no lateral plate motion, 
			hot-spots under the crust stay 
			in a fixed position relative to 
			the surface.

					MYRA
			Exactly, and this along with the 
			lower surface gravity, may account 
			for the THARIS BULGE and its 
			enormous volcanoes. There's no 
			evidence of current volcanic 
			activity, however. 

					ROLF
			And even though Mars may have been 
			more volcanic active in the past, 
			it appears to never have had any
			plate tectonics. 

					MYRA
			There is very clear evidence of 
			erosion in many places on Mars
			including large floods and small
			river systems. 

					ROLF
			I think at some time in the 
			past there was clearly water on 
			the surface and there may have 
			been large lakes or even oceans.

					MYRA
			But it seems that this occurred 
			briefly and very long ago. The 
			age of the erosion channels is 
			estimated at about nearly 4
			billion years. VALLES MARINERIS
			was NOT created by running water. 
			It was formed by the stretching 
			and cracking of the crust 
			associated with the creation of 
			the THARSIS bulge. 

					ROLF
			Early in its history, Mars was much
			more like Earth. As with Earth almost 
			all of its carbon dioxide was used
			up to form carbonate rocks. But lacking 
			the Earth's plate tectonics, Mars is 
			unable to recycle any of this carbon 
			dioxide back into its atmosphere and 
			so cannot sustain a significant
			greenhouse effect. The surface of
			Mars is therefore much colder than
			the Earth would be at that
			distance from the Sun. 

					MYRA
			Mars has a very thin atmosphere 
			composed mostly of the small
			amount of remaining carbon dioxide 
			plus nitrogen, argon, and traces 
			of oxygen and water 

					ROLF
			The average pressure on the surface 
			of Mars is only about 7 millibars 
			less than 1% of Earth's, but it varies 
			greatly with altitude from almost 9 
			millibars in the deepest basins to 
			about 1millibar at the top of Olympus 
			Mons. 

					MYRA
			But it's thick enough to support 
			very strong winds 

					ROLF
			And vast dust storms that on 
			occasion engulf the entire 
			planet for months. 

					MYRA
			Although its atmosphere is mostly
			carbon dioxide, the greenhouse 
			effect on Mars is strong enough
			to raise the surface temperature 
			by only 5 degrees.

					ROLF
			Mars has permanent ice caps at 
			both poles composed mostly of 
			solid carbon dioxide.

					MYRA
			The ice caps exhibit a layered 
			structure with alternating layers 
			of ice with varying concentrations 
			of dark dust.

					ROLF
			In the northern summer the carbon 
			dioxide completely sublimes, leaving
			a residual layer of water ice. It's 
			not known if a similar layer of 
			water ice exists below the southern
			cap since its carbon dioxide layer 
			never completely disappears.

					MYRA
			Yes but the mechanism responsible 
			for the layering is unknown but may 
			be due to climatic changes related 
			to long-term changes in the current
			inclination of Mars' equator to 
			the plane of its orbit. 

					ROLF
			You know Myra, there may also be 
			water ice hidden below the surface 
			at lower latitudes. The seasonal 
			changes in the extent of the polar 
			caps changes the global atmospheric
			pressure by about 25%.

					MYRA
			Also the Mars atmosphere now 
			seems to be both colder and 
			dryer than measured by the 
			VIKING LANDERS. 

					ROLF
			The VIKING LANDERS performed 
			experiments to determine the 
			possibility of sustaining 
			life on Mars. The results
			were negative.

					MYRA
			Yes but who cares, with our 
			atmosphere generators we can 
			go anywhere.. 

					ROLF
				(Excited)
			Myra, I think the location of
			the virus is in the deep chasm,
			the Grand Canyon of Mars
			VALLES MARINERIS !

					MYRA
			So if we can prove that and 
			can further isolate the Virus
			then we can convince Fleming
			to come and pick us up!

					ROLF
			Frank, Frank come in here, I think
			we've found a plan, to get us
			out of here in ten days!

						CUT TO:

	EXT.	MARS  -  VALLES MARINERIS      DAY
	INT.	UNITED ALLIANCE SHUTTLE CRAFT

	Rolf, Frank and Myra are sitting on the large chairs in
	front of a large observation window with a view of
	the barren Mars landscape. The United Space
	Alliance Shuttle Craft is used for short trips and 
	is not cpable of space travel.

					ROLF
			We are hovering at about one 
			thousand feet. Why don't you 
			drop the probe.

					FRANK
			Why don't we wait until we
			get over the deep chasm and
			we'll drop the probe about
			three miles down below the
			surface of mars. This is
			the exact location the LYRANS
			said the Aliens killed their
			three women.

					MYRA
			He's right Rolf, if any organism
			is toxic it usually tends to keep 
			itself in an inaccessible place.

					ROLF
			Ok, we're within ten miles of 
			the deepest part of that chasm.
			Hang on here we go.

	The Shuttle Craft is seen descending down into 
	the deep chasm.  The walls of the deep canyon
	show levels of where water or ice have stained
	the stone walls. The outside temperature is
	dropping rapidly and the crafts heater goes 
	into high heat range. The outside temperature
	shows two-hundred-ten degrees below zero. Myra
	is bracing herself against the side of the 
	shuttle cabin. Frank is trying to peer down 
	into the dark abyss as Rolf is controlling the
	craft as it sinks deeper into the heavy haze
	and mist of the chasm. The instruments show 
	the bottom is another two thousand feet down.
	Ice is now visible on the walls of the stone
	canyon they are following down. The craft 
	bumps a few time as pockets of heavy ice mist
	is encountered during the descent. The crafts 
	instruments now show the bottom is one 
	thousand feet more. Rolf starts to slow the
	craft down and MYRA keeps closing her eyes
	as she expects the ground to come up suddenly.
	Rolf comes to within one hundred feet of the
	bottom when he stops the descent of the craft
	and starts a hover.

				ROLF
		Frank, go ahead and release the
		probe.

	Frank pulls up a release handle and a small door
	opens on the bottom of the craft and a device the
	size of a football is seen descending down into
	the abyss. They switch on the panel marked probe
	monitor and it lights up. Several readouts are 
	seen showing toxicity readings, the instrument 
	payload includes an X-ray/gamma ray
	spectrometer, near-infrared spectrograph, laser
	 rangefinder, magnetometer and etc.

				FRANK
		Shit, the only thing toxic 
		down here is the dirty 
		black water in the pit
		below. Everything is more
		normal down here than at
		the bio-center.

				MYRA
		I was so sure we would find
		the virus down there in that
		slime and filth.

				FRANK
		Let's get out of here and go
		to the area near the cave
		where the time capsule was 
		found. (A beat). What's wrong?

				ROLF
		I don't know, the shuttle is
		not responding to my commands!

				MYRA
		Shit!  That's all we need, to be
		stuck down here in this shit-hole
		for the rest of our lives!

				FRANK
		Calm down Myra, it's probably just
		a temporary thing,,,,, right ,,,
		Rolf?

				ROLF
		Looks like I'll have to set it down
		 on that sand bar, over there.
	

			TO BE CONTINUED