Copyright 1997 by Rob Perry and NorthStarr Productions
All Rights Reserved
Agiss III Bio-Center
FADE IN
EXT. MARS COLONY AGISS III DAY
EXT. AGISS III BIO-CENTER - COLONY TARMAC
INT. CONTROL CENTER ROOM
Frank and Myra are having a discussion over the
late news from Earth.
FRANK
I don't believe it, they found out
about us using a nuclear device and
now it's all over the evening news.
MYRA
I know. One Senator is talking
about bringing us up on charges
because we didn't get WHITE
HOUSE approval before we used
NUKES.
Rolf walks into the room and makes his presence known.
ROLF
(Pissed)
I guess you heard the news?
MYRA
(Concerned)
Rolf, can they really court-martial
us for using the Nuke without
the presidents permission?
ROLF
(Still pissed)
You and Frank were under orders
from your commander, me. So I
will get shot for this not you
people!
MYRA
(Cagey)
Don't throw something when I say
this but,,,,, I guess you're not
in such a hurry to get home now?
ROLF
(Smiling)
You know Myra, your timing is
impeccable, by instinct you know
just when to cut a mans balls
off and not even flinch when
you do it! (A beat)
(Frank is laughing)
The answer to your question is,
right, I'm not in a hurry to
get back!
MYRA
(Still Cagey)
Well then, why don't you call
Fleming and cancel the Space
Station Rescue and just wait
out the two months for Earth's
rescue?
Rolf's patience with Myra is at the point of
exploding, so he walks out of the room.
FRANK
(Shaking his head)
You know Myra, I got to hand it
to you, your bed side manner is
out of an Assassins cook book.
I don't know of anyone that
pisses him off as easy as you
do. If you were a man he would
kick your ass!
MYRA
Well I'm sorry I piss him off
so much,,,,, what the shit is that!
The whole room starts to shake violently and both
are thrown to the floor. Frank pulls himself up
in the watch chair and sees the Wood-Allen
Seismographs going wild. Rolf comes running
into the room and is yelling!
ROLF
What the shit was that?
Frank and Myra are reading the graph and a close-up
shows 8.2.
MYRA
I thought Mars was lacking Teutonic
plates, so how the hell can we have
a Mars-Quake?
A long-range telescope is mounted in the bell-tower
of the Bio-Center and is coupled to Spectrographs
and video-cams. Rolf adjusts the joystick to do a
sweep of the MARS-SCAPE. In one continues sweep
he zeros in on a large plume of smoke coming from
the direction of where the nuclear device was
detonated. He registers extreme trauma.
ROLF
Oh my God, I think we have
triggered a volcanic eruption
with the detonation of the
nuclear device. Damn, what
next.
MYRA
I guess we shouldn't have set
off the device.
FRANK
No shit!
Another shock is felt and they see an extreme
eruption and they all fall to the floor.
MYRA
You know on second thought,
I changed my mind, I want
to go home.
FRANK
Myra, shut the fuck up!
CUT TO:
EXT. MARS COLONY AGISS III NIGHT
EXT. AGISS III BIO-CENTER - COLONY TARMAC
INT. CONTROL CENTER ROOM
Frank and Myra are watching the late news
from Earth on the large TV monitor.
NEWSMAN
WASHINGTON - Cancer experts Wednesday
accused the government and the
National Cancer Institute of playing
down studies that show millions of
Americans were exposed to radioactive
fallout from nuclear tests in the
Nevada desert in the 1950s.
FRANK
How timely, is he the one you learned
your assassins skills from?
MYRA
You know Frank, fuck you and the
horse you rode into town on.
NEWSMAN
They told a Senate subcommittee that
many cases of cancer could result
from the fallout, much of which
contaminated milk which was drunk
by children.
MYRA
I can see what's coming,,,,
NEWSMAN
The Senate Appropriations Subcommittee
on Labor, Health and Human Services
was hearing a final report from the
National Cancer Institute on the
fallout and its possible effects.
NCI Director RICHARD KRASNER said
radioactive iodine reached almost
everywhere in the country, with
heaviest deposits downwind of the
Nevada Test Site. (A Beat). We now
have an Editorial from our Science
representative at GBS, Vincent,,,
PATERNOSTER
Good evening folks, this is Vincent
Paternoster from Washington. The
concern in the scientific community
is with the current Nuclear explosion
on our nearest neighbor Mars. Is Mars
now also contaminated with Radioactive
fallout, and if we ever expected to
establish a permanent city on Mars,
is that now impossible. Why must
man continue to destroy our world and
other worlds in the quest for power.
First the Nevada Desert, then the
Japanese then Mars, what's next?
Well this is the official reply
from Washington. "Despite the Federal
Governments investigation of this and
other events in the Nevada Desert the
study has not found an obvious
correlation between thyroid cancer
cases and exposure to radioactive
iodine.
MYRA
I say bullshit to that!
PATERNOSTER
It is well known that consumption
of milk from cows grazing on
contaminated pastures is the principal
route by which I-131 , radioactive
iodine is incorporated into human
tissues, especially for children,''
FRANK
Now we're children killers?
PATERNOSTER
The U.S Agriculture Department compiled
information about where cows grazed
and how much of the radioactive iodine
they might have eaten. But they found
minimal problems.
FRANK
The FED'S really know how to cover
their ass.
MYRA
Yeah, by shooting us for setting
off the Nuke up here. They will
have a trial that will be on TV
and last for years, but in the
end we will all be shot!
PATERNOSTER
They also said, In addition, other
exposure pathways such as the
consumption of contaminated goats'
milk, eggs, leafy vegetables and
cottage cheese were considered,
as well as the inhalation of
contaminated air, but found
nothing to be concerned about.
The FED'S also used mathematical
models to estimate how much people
were exposed to. This information
was published in full Wednesday,
including on the NCI's INTERNET
web page. http://www.nci.nih.gov.
They also noted that studies had
shown a clear link between increased
thyroid cancer cases in Europe and
fallout from the 1986 Chernobyl
nuclear accident.
MYRA
I don't frigging believe it, the
USA is 'A" ok but the Russians
suck!
PATERNOSTER
But, they said the Russians report
was not designed to assess what
cancer risk there might be from
the fallout from Chernobyl. The
members of congress have pledged to
fully punish the Agiss II team for
setting off a nuclear device on
our close neighbor Mars. We have
a late breaking report ,,,,,
Sensors on our space station Alpha
have picked up what appears to be
a Volcanic eruption on mars and by
all clear indications, the location
is where the Agiss III crew set the
Nuke! Oh god what have we done now?
Frank gets up and turns off the TV and walks out
of the room.
MYRA
Shit!
Rolf is seen coming back from the Captains room
and climbs back into the watch chair.
ROLF
Hate to interrupt the love-in but
I need to notify Command about the
Volcanic eruptions.
MYRA
Too late sir, it was on the
ELEVEN O'CLOCK NEWS!
ROLF
(Upset)
ELEVEN O'CLOCK NEWS?
MYRA
ELEVEN O'CLOCK NEWS. They already
know about the Volcanic eruptions
that were triggered by the Nuke.
ROLF
Shit, I wish this were a dream and
I could just wake up.
MYRA
Rolf, maybe this is just a little
volcanic eruption. This area is
like a CALDERA back on Earth, after
a few days the lava tube shuts
down and everything is quite again..
ROLF
If it doesn't shut down on it's
own I will shut it down with
another Nuke.
CUT TO:
EXT. MARS BETA DIG CAVE NEXT DAY
EXT. UNITED ALLIANCE SHUTTLE CRAFT
The shuttle craft is seen slowly hovering over
the site of the Beta Dig. Large plumes of smoke,
ash and fire-stones are seen near the open Lava
Vents.
MYRA (V.O.)
(Very upset)
Shit the sensors show several
new lava vents have opened!
INT. UNITED ALLIANCE SHUTTLE CRAFT (INSIDE)
Myra and Frank are peering down at the bubbling Lava
and Rolf is controlling the craft and making wide
circles.
ROLF
Myra, check and see what the
censors are saying now.
Myra and Frank push a few buttons on the censor
control board and lights are flashing and
indicators are making sweeps.
MYRA
(Yelling)
Rolf, this place is ready for
a very large eruption I think
we should move as soon as
possible.
FRANK
Every instrument is going off
the maximum reading mark.
The CALDERA looks like it's
ready to let go.
Rolf maneuvers the shuttle away from the plumes
of smoke and ash.
MYRA
Ok Rolf it looks like the
main Lava flow is within
200 feet of the surface.
FRANK
Rolf, why don't you let me drop
one of the thirty kilo-ton Nukes
that we brought, and we'll put
a mountain on this and plug it
for good.
ROLF
We don't know for sure if we
will be able to plug it or
make it worse.
FRANK
Rolf, let's get back before this
thing blows up underneath us.
MYRA
Let's go Rolf, this place is going
to blow any minute.
ROLF
Ok let's go home!
A huge eruption takes place and the blast rocks
the shuttle. A huge plume of smoke and fire
comes out of the Caldera. The Shuttle plows
through it and comes out on the other side.
FRANK (V.O.)
(Excited)
Shit Rolf that was a close one!
Rolf steady's the craft and maneuvers it through
the huge billowing cloud of fire and brimstone
and the craft is seen headed for home.
MYRA (V.O.)
Punch it CHEWY!!
Rolf aims the craft for home at full speed ahead.
FRANK (V.O.)
Damn, it seems like we keep
getting deeper in the shit!
CUT TO:
EXT. MARS COLONY AGISS III DAY
EXT. AGISS III BIO-CENTER - COLONY TARMAC
Frank, Myra and Rolf are in their Bio-Center control room. They have a long range video pointing at the
volcanic activity some twenty-five miles away and
are all watching the TV monitor.
ROLF
It looks like the whole frigging
world is coming apart!
A huge volcanic cloud is seen at a distance and
the blast is heard a few seconds later. The Bio-
center vibrates, but holds together. Everyone in
the room is violently thrown on the floor. Rolf
pulls himself up and looks at the TV monitor and
is in total shock when he sees the Lava flow
dumping into one of the Martian canals.
ROLF
Myra, Frank, the lava flow is
dumping into one of the Martian
Canals and they all end up at
the south pole. The carbon dioxide
at the south pole will extinguish
the lava, I hope!
CUT TO:
EXT. MARS COLONY AGISS III DAY
EXT. AGISS III BIO-CENTER - COLONY TARMAC
The shuttle craft is seen landing on the tarmac
and a few moments later the crew exits and goes
through the main door of the bio-center.
INT. AGISS III BIO-CENTER - CONTROL CENTER
Frank and Myra are watching the tremendous eruption
of the CALDERA when they see Rolf coming into the
room.
Rolf walks into the room and makes his presence known.
ROLF
I just got off the secure line with
Captain Fleming on the Alpha Space
Station and have informed him about
our current volcanic activity. He
said he will not dispatch the rescue
craft until the activity clears up.
MYRA
Fleming is such an ass-wipe!
FRANK
You know Rolf if it wasn't for
bad luck we wouldn't have any
luck at all!.
ROLF
Yes, this is like living out your
worst nightmare!
MYRA
Did you mention to Fleming about
using a larger NUKE to stop the
eruption?
ROLF
Yes I did, and he told me to stop
fucking around with nature and to
just leave it alone and ride it
out!
MYRA
He is such a pussy!
ROLF
(Really pissed)
You know Myra, it's really easy
to make a decision but the hard
part is sticking with the
results, good or bad.
Frank gets up and leaves the room.
MYRA
Rolf, you have stainless steel
balls. I guess that's why I
have always had the greatest
respect for you.
Myra places her arms around Rolf and gives him
a very passionate kiss. Rolf responds with a very
tender embrace and kiss.
CUT TO:
INT. AGISS III BIO-CENTER - CONTROL CENTER
Frank and Myra are watching the evening news
from Earth.
HEALTH NEWSMAN
Dr. JOSEPH LYMAN, an expert in family
medicine and epidemiology at the
University of Utah, said he was
appalled at the NCI's conclusions.
Do these scientists not believe
their own research? LYMANN said
his studies had found the fallout
caused leukemia deaths and accused
the then-government of a cover-up.
FRANK
No shit!
HEALTH NEWSMAN
A 1990 study found children under the
age of 19 who lived in the fallout area
had a nearly eight-fold risk of dying
from leukemia. A 1999 study found a
threefold risk of thyroid cancer among
those most exposed to radioactive iodine
from the tests. LYMAN recommended that
all responsibility for research on
radioactive fallout be given to the
Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention.
MYRA
Right, if you can't trust the fox
with the chickens anymore, you
might as well get a family of wolves
to watch them for you!
HEALTH NEWSMAN
He said I would not be willing to accept
a grant to conduct another round of
thyroid examinations on our Utah study
group if the administration of the funds
was handled by the current radiation
staff at the NCI.
FRANK
I don't frigging believe this, nobody
within the government trust's any member
or organization in the government anymore.
HEALTH NEWSMAN
DR. ROBERT PEREA, senior scientist at
the group Consulting in the Public
Interest, said there were reasons
to believe current estimates on how
many people were exposed, and by how
much, might be low. Dr. PEREA said
doctors should be alerted to watch
for symptoms including mild thyroid
disease, triggered when the body's
immune system turns against the gland.
MYRA
Turn it off Frank I can't take it
anymore, it's going against my
programmed response to "Moms Apple
Pie" and the American flag.
HEALTH NEWSMAN
Such effects were not identified in
the A-bomb survivors ... until 40
years after the bombing of Japan,
Dr. PEREA said, calling for a national
surveillance program to watch for
signs of cancer stemming from the
fallout.
FRANK
Just a minute.
HEALTH NEWSMAN
Also, Andrea Colla, a cancer
specialist at the Veterans
Administration Hospital in Des
Moines, Iowa, begged for more
information. ``What do I tell
my patients and my other family
members regarding areas that
have this increased radioactive
fallout?'' she asked. ``I don't
have enough information to tell
them.'' What's really bad is that
we have a run away government
taking no responsibility for
anything they do. As an example
look at what the group of Bimbos
on Mars did, first they Nuke a
few seasonal insects then they
blow a hole in the molten core
while they're doing it. If you
bimbos are watching this newscast
shame, shame on you!
Frank slams the TV console off and leaves the room.
MYRA
Fuck it!
CUT TO:
EXT. MARS COLONY AGISS III NEXT DAY
EXT. AGISS III BIO-CENTER - COLONY TARMAC
The shuttle craft is seen landing on the tarmac
and a few moments later the crew exits and goes
through the main door of the bio-center.
INT. AGISS III BIO-CENTER - CONTROL CENTER
Frank and Myra are examining samples removed
from the eruption site at the CALDERA site.
Rolf enters the room and sits down next to MYRA.
ROLF
What have you and Frank found out
about our volcanic activity.
MYRA
The samples Frank and I took from
the Beta Dig site have given us
some good information. This Caldera
is a large DACITIC volcano with a
long history of volcanism that
began 200 thousand years ago and
produced PHREATIC eruptions as
recently as 500 ± 200 years ago.
Seismicity, ground deformation,
and changes in FUMAROLE gas
composition suggested an episode
of shallow dike intrusion in that
time period.
FRANK
Incidents of near ASPHYXIA in
confined spaces, prompted a
search for diffuse flank
emissions of magmatic CO2.
MYRA
Here we report on our soil-gas
survey, that revealed heavy CO2
concentrations of 50-96%. We
estimate a total CO2 flux of
1200. The conspicuous surface
manifestation of magmatic
processes at Beta Dig, which
hosts very heavy FUMAROLIC vents
and summit activity. Although
the onset coincides well with
shallow dike intrusion, the
magnitude and duration of the
CO2 flux indicates that a larger,
deeper magma source and or major
reservoir of high-pressure gas
is being tapped.
ROLF
(Pissed)
Oh that's reassuring.
MYRA
Analyses of CO2 sampled at several
thermal areas with FUMAROLES at or
below boiling temperatures, including
the vents that showed increased
daily values.
ROLF
Shit!
FRANK
The southern terminus of the Beta
Craters volcanic chain, a set of
domes and PHREATIC explosion craters.
Carbon dioxide concentrations along
transects Symbols at the top of
each plot denote relative degree
of activity. By the way we have
named this area the Beta Ridge
Caldera. We collected about 100
soil-gas samples at 30-60 cm
depths within high activity areas
finding very high Carbon dioxide
concentrations. A gas chromatograph
ranged from <80% to >90% at several
locations Where CO2 exceeded 60%.
Other lethal agents were heavy
concentrations of METHANE GAS.
ROLF
Methane Gas?
FRANK (Cont.)
Results from analyses of a subset
of soil-gas samples were summarized.
And yes, very high concentrations
of Methane Gas. Also, there were
heavy concentrations of SULFUR GAS.
High temperatures, to 90°C and
ACIDIC conditions, but without CO2
have become prevalent in the soil
around a geothermal vent. The diffuse
discharge of CO2 has raised concerns
over potential health hazards and
impacts to our survey. Our preliminary
survey of confined spaces in areas
of known high CO2 discharge near
one of the depressions. We found
inhibit gas transfer from the soil
to the light atmosphere or, possibly,
by increased discharge rates from the
source region. This demonstrates
the presence of some magmatic gas.
This activity confirms that the CO2
in this sample is BIOGENIC. Then
those of FUMAROLE MMF origin, show
magmatic characteristics.
ROLF
In a nutshell, things are getting
worse. I noticed heavy clouds of
volcanic ash working its way to our
Bio-center, do we have a problem
with out Bio-filters in our
atmosphere generator.
FRANK
Not at this time, but I see
us changing the filters
daily rather than monthly.
MYRA
The gas composition also identify
a component of MAGMATIC CO2
boundaries. The CO2 in soil gas
at 60 cm depth was 60%. A flow of
160 hr was measured using an
ACCUMULATION CHAMBER placed on the
bare soil surface. A nearly
identical flow was obtained in
this same area at the base of a
1 m-deep mud pit.
ROLF
It sounds like this place is shit
canned!
FRANK
This flow is significantly higher
than that reported for diffuse CO2
emission from the flanks of the
Earth Mediterranean volcanoes.
A total flux of 1,200 CO2 is
obtained by assuming the measured
CO2 flow is characteristic of 20
of the >30 total. Considering
that some outflow of MAGMATIC CO2
can reasonably be expected in areas
where this flux estimate is likely
conservative for the entire
BETA RIDGE CALDERA. At other
volcanoes with known diffuse CO2
fluxes, voluminous high-temperature
summit crater emissions provide a
more noticeable indication of
volcanic hazard. We have heavy,
heavy FUMAROLIC activity which
produces total gas flux. Thus
the most obvious indicators of
possible magmatic unrest at depth
is increasing at over 100% daily!
ROLF
Fuck!
MYRA
Interestingly, the 1200 t/d estimated
CO2 flux is comparable to the summit
crater fluxes reported for KILAUEA,
AUGUSTINE, and MT. ST. HELENS during
recent periods of HIGH-LEVEL eruptive
activity.
Frank has been watching the video monitors as
he and Myra are reporting to Rolf and out of
the corner of his eye he sees a gigantic fire
and ash cloud coming from the Beta Caldera.
FRANK
(Screaming)
Hang on guys, we just blew a
brand new asshole over at the
CALDERA!
The entire Bio-Center building is violently shaken
with loose articles hitting the floor. Myra is
trying to hang on to Frank and he's anchored to a
large rail and hanging on for dear life. Rolf has
been thrown clear across the room and slides from
one side of the room to the other. The MARS QUAKE
finally stops and everybody is in the state of
recovery.
CUT TO:
TO BE CONTINUED
Copyright 1997 by Rob Perry and NorthStarr Productions
All Rights Reserved