Copyright 1997 by Rob Perry and NorthStarr Productions
All Rights Reserved
NorthStarr Casting Copyright 1997 by Rob Perry and NorthStarr Productions
Ed Harris
Billy Zane
Dr. Arnold Nelson
Project Scientist
Department of Energy
United States of America
Judd Alan
Deputy Project Scientist
Department of Energy
United States of America
Synopsis: A team from the Department of Energy are
about to test a doomsday weapon in the Nevada Desert. They find Dinasaur bones
and have to stop the project.
But .........
FADE IN
EXT. MERCURY NEVADA MORNING
EXT. MERCURY NEVADA MORNING
EXT. AREA 37 GLASS BUTTE
INT. DUGAS 4 DISPERSION SHAFT
The Discovery team is inspecting and removing very
large bones found in the ancient stream bed. They
are stacking them on the work table just outside of
the new dispersion shaft.
NELSON
Dr. Goldberg, what extinction time
period are we looking at here?
Dr. Goldberg stretches and lays a newly found bone on
the table and sits down.
GOLDBERG
Mass Extinction's, let's see there are
five "Big Ones" that paleontologists
agree on as mass extinction's. In
these, a large number of unrelated
families disappeared from the fossil
record at about the same time, many
more than at other times. The Five
Big Ones took place at the end of
the following periods. Let's see
Cretaceous, 65 million years ago,
Triassic, 208 million years ago,
Permian, 245 million years ago,
Devonian, 360 million years ago,
Ordovician, 438 million years ago.
So far, we are looking at this dig
at a range somewhere between 65 to
150 million years ago!
ALAN
Dr. Goldberg, I think you
lost me.
ORION
Over the long periods of geological
time, many groups have become
extinct. Mass extinction's are
something else. A lot of extinction's
of individual species don't
necessarily add up to a mass
extinction. In a mass extinction
A great many different kinds of
forms of life become extinct.
The total diversity of life is
reduced.
Dr. Goldberg shows a chart to everyone depicting the
timeline of extinctions.
GOLDBERG
This chart pretty much tells the
whole story, piece by piece
The extinction's happen in a
"short" time, in geological
terms. During the Mesozoic Era
there was a sudden reduction in
diversity in a relatively short
time. Few dinosaur fossils have
been found in rocks from the
last part of the Cretaceous era.
ORION
This might be because dinosaurs
declined gradually or because
excavations of large and rare
fossils can "disappear" from
the fossil record long before
the living animals or plants
disappeared from the earth.
GOLDBERG
A three-year field study of
dinosaurs in the Hell Creek
Formation of Montana and
North Dakota used large-scale,
statistically accurate survey
and collection procedures.
It examined all the fossils,
including small fragments.
Many families of dinosaurs
continued to exist near the
end of the Cretaceous Era.
ORION
Yes, and the findings are consistent
with dinosaurs' becoming extinct
suddenly and not in a gradual
decline in diversity.
GOLDBERG
There is some evidence that is
not consistent with a sudden,
violent cause of the mass
extinction's. The latest dinosaur
fossils in New Mexico are in
layers of rock that have "normal"
magnetic orientation. The latest
microfossils in the Italian rock
occur in layers with "reversed"
magnetic orientation. Since the
orientation of magnetism at any
one time is the same worldwide,
this suggests that extinction
of the dinosaurs and the extinction
of the marine plankton did not
happen at the same time.
Dr. Goldberg picks up a large bone and shows it to
the group.
GOLDGERG
This bone is from a MONOLOPHOSAURUS
a meat-eating dinosaur from the
JURASSIC PERIOD. So this Dinosaur's
remains that we found in the sand and
rock layers in which other fossils
have been found were deposited in
the JURASSIC PERIOD. Also in the
same deposit a foot bone of what
appears to be a BRACHIOSAURUS.
Dr. Orion what was that other
bone you found?
ORION
I identified it as a CAMARASAUR
leg bone from the bone bed. A
bone bed is a channel cut by
ancient streams where bones
pile up or are washed up
together. And this is what we
have here a very important
BONE BED.
GOLDBERG
I saw some other bones that could
be from a DIPLODOCUS, a four-footed
plant-eating SAUROPOD, also a
Stegosaurus, known for the bony
plates across its back and its
spiked tail, and a CAMARASAURUS,
similar to a BRACHIOSAURUS but
slightly smaller, and also an
IGUANODON, a large plant-eating
creature with a spiked thumb and
hoof-like fingers, which probably
walked upright. It is unusual to
find so many species of dinosaurs
in such a small area. We believe
that the area may have been a
watering hole along a migratory
path. Perhaps this was an inland
lake or slow flowing river.
CUT TO:
NELSON
Dr. GOLDBERG, what's the bottom line,
how long will we be shut down?
GOLDBERG
I don't know , I really don't.
Two weeks, two months.
NELSON
What if I don't let you in here
because of security clearance?
ORION
Our Security Clearance is higher
than yours. Look, Arnie if you
don't comply, I will personally
call the Justice Department and
have your access to this facility
denied. You play hard ball, we
play hard ball.
NELSON
What are we suppose to do while
you and your people are in here
digging?
ORION
Gosh, I don't know, what do you
usually do when no one is watching?
GOLDBERG
Ok, Ok,….. look, Arnie if you
you back off and let us do what
we want, you and Judd can stay.
You can even help us if you want.
But any bullshit and I call the
Secretary of the Interior, and
believe me we can get United
States Marshals to throw you
out faster than you can spit.
NELSON
Ok, what do you want my crew to do?
GOLDBERG
Dr. Orion and myself are the only
two people at this facility that
have the security clearance to
be down here, so we will need
help, digging, moving, packaging
and cataloging the bones. Do we
have a deal?
NELSON
What do you think Judd, yes or no?
ALAN
If we stay, do we get the same pay?
GOLDBERG
Yes, I will authorize your time,
and will pay overtime if you work
over 40 hours.
ALAN
(Smiling)
You are my kind of guy, hell yes
let's do it, show me the coins!
CUT TO:
EXT. MERCURY NEVADA NIGHT
EXT. AREA 37 GLASS BUTTE
INT. DUGAS 4 DISPERSION SHAFT
Dr. Nelson and Dr. Orion are sitting at the lunch
table, cataloging bones. Dr. GOLDBERG and Judd Alan
are brushing, sifting and digging in the ancient
stream bed. Dr. Orion is looking at Dr. Nelson and
he looks up and sees her staring at him.
NELSON
What?
ORION
How old are you?
NELSON
How old are you?
ORION
I just turned thirty-five last
month.
NELSON
I just turned forty-three this month.
Why?
ORION
How come you've never been married?
NELSON
Never found anyone I wanted to support
the rest of my life. Why haven't you
been married, by most grandmas and Aunts
standards you're a spinster.
ORION
A what?
NELSON
You know, an old maid!
ORION
(Pissed)
Hey Arnie, bite a big one.
By most Grandpas and Uncles
standards you're a faggot!
Both are startled when they hear shouting coming
in the direction of the new shaft. They both get
up and run over to see what the problem is. When
they get there they find Judd shouting and
pointing to a large hole in the bottom of the shaft.
NELSON
What the hell happened, where is
Dr. GOLDBERG?
ALAN
(Coming unglued)
I don't know , I really don't.
A second ago he was there, I
turned around for a minute and
I heard this crashing noise and
he was gone, through a hole in
the ground!
The all point their flashlights down into the hole
resembling a large well and see something moving
at the bottom of a fifteen to twenty foot deep hole.
They all start shouting trying to get a response from
Dr. GOLDBERG.
NELSON/ALAN/ORION
Dr. Goldberg! ,,,,, Dr. Goldberg!!!!
After several attempts they pull back away from the
hole and try to regain their composure.
ALAN
Don't get too close to the edge
or maybe more crumbling will
take place and we'll all go down
there too!
NELSON
Let's shore up the opening so
it will provide safety for us
when we're near it. Alan bring
the small hoist so I can go
down there.
ORION
Shit, what happened?
NELSON
Sandstone has no strength.
ORION
What do you think, is he
still alive?
ALAN
Ok, Ok,….. look, Arnie if you
want to go down there, fine
but I think we need to get
more people down here with
ropes and stuff, so we don't
have any more accidents
NELSON
Ok, Dr. Orion, get on the
phone and get emergency
people down here on the
double, use code name
Genesis!
Alan comes rushing over with the portable hoist and they
start setting it up. Dr. Nelson straps on the Harness/
belt, hooks the end of the hook from the wire on the
triangle hoist and Alan grabs the crank and starts to
let Dr. Nelson down into the hole.
CUT TO:
EXT. MERCURY NEVADA NIGHT
EXT. AREA 37 GLASS BUTTE
INT. DUGAS 4 DISPERSION SHAFT/FRACTURE
Dr. Nelson is seen rotating on the cable as he's
being let down, his large lamp is flashing on the
walls of what appears to be a cavern. When he
finally feels the bottom, he unhooks himself from
the cable and shines his light in a circle trying to
locate Dr. GOLDBERG he finds nothing. Following the
sound of rushing water he discovers a small river.
He sees the body of Dr. GOLDBERG laying face down
in a pool of water near the edge of the river. He
attempts to revive him with mouth to mouth but fails
to get him breathing again. He grabs his communicator
and calls Alan.
NELSON
JUDD, JUDD this is Dr. Nelson, over!
ALAN (V.O.)
I hear you Arnie, over!
NELSON
Dr, GOLDBERG is dead. I'll hook
up again to the hoist and you
can bring me up.
He walks over to the dangling hoist/hook and clamps
it on. His lamp catches something in the corner of
the cavern, shining his light on it he sees the head
of a donkey covered in blood, startled he starts
calling for Judd to bring him up.
NELSON (Cont.)
Judd, bring me up hurry, hurry!
As he starts up he notices several large animal
footprints in the wet sand.
NELSON (Cont.)
Shit! Those were Raptor footprints!
CUT TO:
EXT. MERCURY NEVADA NIGHT
EXT. AREA 37 GLASS BUTTE
INT. DUGAS 4 DISPERSION SHAFT ROOM
Dr. Nelson and Dr. Orion are sitting at the lunch
table with Judd Alan reviewing the events of the
trip down the hole. They're all suffering trauma.
NELSON
I know what I saw and those
footprints were not from
this world!
ORION
Oh come on, like Bear or Lion
paws?
NELSON
No, more like VELOCIRAPTOR,
footprints?
ORION
Yeah right, are you sure they
were not "T" Rex?
NELSON
Oh they were Raptor footprints
alright. And also how do you
explain the head of the wild
donkey?
ORION
What donkey?
NELSON
There was a severed head of
a donkey down there. It looked
like someone had used a buzz-saw
when they cut it.
ORION
All raptors were gone 65
million years ago.
NELSON
No shit!
ORION
(Pissed)
Hey Arnie, kiss my …..!
They're startled when they hear a very loud roar
coming from the direction of the new shaft. They
both get up and run over to see what kind of
animal was making such a terrible noise. They
shine their lights into the hole and see
something moving around in the sand near the
river. A large animal has Dr. Goldberg's body
in it's mouth and is ripping it to pieces.
Dr. Orion starts screaming and Judd pulls her
away from the hole. He places his arm around
her and they walk away from the shaft.
CUT TO:
EXT. MERCURY NEVADA NIGHT
EXT. AREA 37 GLASS BUTTE
INT. DUGAS 4 DISPERSION SHAFT ROOM
The discovery team is sitting at the table
reviewing the events of the evening with
CAPTAIN SAM STEVENS a young black man in
his early thirties, the Air Force Security
Officer. He has two Air police SWAT members
standing by with M16 ASSUALT rifles.
NELSON
I know what I saw and those
were Dinosaur footprints!
STEVENS
Look Dr. Nelson, my men are going
down into the shaft to check this
out, I think an M16 can handle most
animals.
NELSON
Not a VELOCIRAPTOR!
ORION
Yeah right!
STEVENS
Dr. Nelson I want you and all
your people to go top-side.
We'll take it from here and let
you know what we find.
ORION
When everything is clear, I want
to go down there!
NELSON
You're a sick lady, but I guess
that's your business, I'm out
of here. Let's go Mr. Alan!
ALAN
He's right Dr. Orion, you have to be
a sick person to go down in that hole
where someone or something tore Dr.
Goldberg's body to pieces.
They all get in the elevator and the door closes.
CUT TO:
EXT. MERCURY NEVADA DAY
EXT. AREA 37 GLASS BUTTE
INT. DUGAS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
The discovery team is sitting at the
conference table watching the morning
news. The newscaster is talking about
an outbreak of Anthrax in Nevada.
NELSON
Looks like they have a problem
at PAHRUMP!
NEWCASTER
An ANTHRAX epidemic broke out in
in humans in the city of PAHRUMP
North/West of Las Vegas. While
Government officials attributed
this outbreak to contaminated
meat, the State of Nevada maintains
its position that the outbreak
was due to a leakage from a
biological weapons from a Top
Secret facility near NELLIS AIR
FORCE BASE. Anthrax in humans
occurs as a acute, pulmonary,
or intestinal infection, the
most common type occurs as a
primary localized infection of
the skin in the form of a wart
bacteria. It usually results
from handling infected material,
lesions occurring mostly on the
hands, arms, or neck as a small
pimple that develops rapidly
into a large vesicle with black
necrotic center, then a malignant
pustule. A commercial breaks
in and Alan lowers the sound on
the TV
Judd Alan looks at Dr. Nelson then Dr. Orion.
ALAN
Pahrump, is where the second
and third shift boys go on
Friday night for fun and games.
NELSON
I sure hope none of the Pahrump
girls are infected.
ORION
If they are and the boys get it
serves them right for hanging
with prostitutes!
The commercial finishes up and Judd turns the
sound back on.
NEWCASTER
Should this condition become
generalized, a fatal blood
poisoning may ensue. The
pulmonary form affects the
lungs and pleura and results
from inhaling anthrax spores
in areas where hair and wool
are processed in a slaughter
house. This form of the
disease usually runs a rapid
course and terminates fatally.
The intestinal form of the
disease, which sometimes
follows the consumption of
contaminated meat, is an acute
inflammation of the intestinal
tract, vomiting, and severe
diarrhea. Anthrax is also
transmitted to humans by spore
contaminated leather goods.
Prompt diagnosis and early
treatment are of very great
importance. Anti-anthrax serum,
and antibiotics are used with
excellent results. Anthrax is
an acute disease that primarily
affects domesticated and wild
herbivores and is caused by the
spore forming bacterium BACILLUS
ANTHRACIS. Anthrax outbreaks among
humans usually occur as skin
infections resulting from touching
contaminated hides, leather, and
animals. It is rare that that an
infection results from inhalation
or ingestion but it does happen.
Dr. Orion looks at Dr. Nelson and Judd Alan and gives
them a funny look.
NELSON
What?
ORION
If your night shift boys are infected
you may never open this place again!
ALAN
That's very reassuring.
NEWCASTER
According to Government sources,
people became sick, from eating
bad meat they bought from local
butchers. According to a report
given by visiting State doctors,
the crisis began last week when
State Officials were notified of
a spate of deaths over the week.
DR. JAMES HELLSTROM, infectious
diseases chief at the State
Institute in Reno was flown out
to PAHRUMP and treated suspected
victims with near-toxic doses of
antibiotics when they determined
it was anthrax. The epidemic ran
intensely for a week. There were
96 victims in all, according to
State Officials. Seventeen had
skin infections and survived.
Seventy-nine had intestinal
infections, of these, 64 died.
The government source believes
the outbreak was traced to a
single 29-ton lot of bone meal
cattle feed sold in BEATTY,
72 miles Northwest of PAHRUMP.
ALAN
I'm getting a bad feeling.
NEWCASTER
The State of Nevada officials said
most people who contracted anthrax
worked, lived, or attended daytime
military classes during this week
in a narrow zone, with its northern
end in a military microbiology
facility in a super secret military
base and its other end near the
city limit 4 miles to the south.
ORION
Shit!
NEWCASTER
Livestock died of anthrax in an area
located along the extended axis of
this same zone, out to a distance
of 90 miles. They said that the
outbreak resulted from the wind
born spread of an aerosol of anthrax
pathogen, and they believe that the
source was at the military secret
microbiology facility, and that the
escape of pathogen occurred during
the week.
NELSON
Damn!
NEWCASTER
Most or all infections resulted from
the escape of anthrax pathogen on
that day. A single date of inhaled
infection is consistent with the
steady decline of onset of fatal
cases in successive days of the
epidemic. Accepting last week as
the only date of inhaled exposure,
the longest incubation period for
fatal cases was 10 days and the
shortest was 2 days. Experiments
with non human primates have shown,
however, that anthrax spores can
remain viable in the lungs for many
weeks and that the average incubation
period depends inversely on individual
incubation periods ranging between
2 to 10 days.
ORION
I'm afraid this is very bad news!
NEWSCASTER
While the medical personnel at the
time had difficulty identifying the
cases of inhalation anthrax, the
secrecy surrounding the release has
served to prevent another outbreak
from being less lethal. According
to the same report, ACUTE anthrax
infections reported at the same time
could conceivably have come from
animals infected by the same airborne
anthrax spores as humans.
NELSON
Why do you say that Dr. Orion?
ORION
Because the CDC will be all over
this place like rash!
NEWSCASTER
While it may not be entirely clear
whose account of the outbreak is
correct, it is certain that if
indeed the source was airborne
anthrax spores, the medical
community has gained little from
the events in southern Nevada.
Medical personnel must undertake
to diagnose mass casualties with
pneumonia like symptoms carefully,
especially during warfare. In
order to prevent digestive tract
anthrax infection, the monitoring
of food sources must remain precise
and consistent. Lastly, any outbreak
in an infectious disease must be
monitored and reported openly,
despite the potential embarrassment,
in order to further science and
the human conditions.
Dr. Nelson turns off the TV and sits looking at Dr.
Orion.
NELSON
Dr. Orion, if the CDC has people
here it would help us a lot if
you didn't tell them about our
boys visiting Pahrump!
ORION
Don't get me involved in any of
your cover-ups!
Dr. Orion gets up and storms out of the room.
ALAN
Well here's another fine mess
you got me into Arnie!
CUT TO:
ONE WEEK LATER
EXT. MERCURY NEVADA AFTERNOON
EXT. AREA 37 GLASS BUTTE
INT. DUGAS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
The discovery team is sitting at the
conference table listening to Dr. Orion
describing the bones found at the site.
NELSON
So what did you find out about
them bones?
ORION
Most of the bones were from the
Jurassic and Cretaceous period,
but the real find was an Ancient
hominoid Skull!
ALAN
Like in Caveman?
ORION
Yes, looks like we may have found
the missing piece of the puzzle.
NELSON
Explain.
ORION
We performed a morphological study,
based on the shape and function of
teeth and jaws, since these formed
most of the fossil evidence. By
studying human and modern ape fossils,
we came up with a list of eleven
consistent differences between humans
and apes. This skull is human!
NELSON
Oh please!
ORION
Do you want me to go on or not? We
named him DUGAS. One of the most
fundamental beliefs of evolutionism
is that man has evolved from beasts
through time, chance and natural
selection. Some scientists insist
that evolutionism doesn't teach
man evolved from apes but rather
from ape-like ancestors. This is
very plausible as virtually any
of the presumed hominoid ancestors
of man would be classified as apes
were they alive today. An ape is
defined as a tail-less monkey. The
research dealing with mans evolution
from the apes begins with the basic
assumption that man evolved from the
apes and transitional stages from
ape-like animals to man.
NELSON
Ok, your saying we found the latest
missing link?
ORION
Transitional forms have proven as
elusive here however, as between
other class of plants or animals.
The missing links remain missing.
One would think that the very best
PALEOANTHROPOLOGIST would have to
begin with some idea of what sort
of structural features may be
assumed to prove that an ape is
becoming man. Since mainly skulls
are found in the fossil record,
and especially teeth, we can
reasonably expect that criteria
used to judge transitional forms
will pertain largely to these.
ALAN
You know this is really crazy.
We all become Professor LEAKEY
et al in the middle of the
Nevada Desert!
ORION
I think we're just seeing the
tip of the iceberg here!
NELSON
Tell us more!
ORION
The evidence most often sighted to
show that an ape is in the process
of evolving into man is the shape
and cranial capacity of the skull.
The average for the human is 1,350
cc for a woman and 1,500 cc for a
man. The normal range is from 830cc
Australian aborigines to the largest
brain ever recorded, about 2,800 cc.
By comparison, modern apes have a
brain capacity of 500cc. Brow ridges
are small Dome shape of skull Eye
sockets broad and spaced relatively
far apart Dental arcade parabolic
for man and U-shaped for apes Teeth
morphology, small incisors and also
canines compared to molars in ape
Position of the foramen magnum Shape
of jaws Angle that canine teeth enter
maxilla Do we have a consistent basis
for determining if an ape like
creature really is near man or
becoming man?
NELSON
So how old is Dugas?
ORION
I think he's over three million
years old, but I wont know for
sure until I have him dated.
NELSON
This is a major find!
ORION
It most certainly is, because
RAMAPITHECUS is an animal long
believed to be the first branch
from that line of apes which
evolved into man about 14 million
years ago. This extinct primate
is the earliest hominid or man
like, member of man's family
tree. The finding of many new
specimens of it has clarified
its place in human evolution.
The pathway can now be traced
with little fear of contradiction
from generalized hominids to the
GENUS HOMO. So, Dugas is ideally
structured to be an ancestor of
hominids. There is no compelling
evidence for the existence of
any distinct hominid species
during this interval PLIOCENE
14 Million Years Ago, unless the
designation hominid means simply
any individual ape that happens
to have small teeth and a small
face. The case for RAMAPITHECUS
as a hominid is not substantial,
and the fragments of fossil
material leave many questions
open. But with Dugas, I believe
we will have our final missing
link!
ALAN
What about AFARENSIS?
ORION
In 1974 at HADAR, a desert in Ethiopia,
an American and French team discovered
a skeleton which they estimated to be
nearly 3 Million Years Old. That happens
to be the presumed age of AFARENSIS.
The LAETOLI footprints that MARY LEAKEY
discovered in Tanzania were made by
another more human species of ape-man
that coexisted with AFARENSIS about 3
million years ago and that it was this
unknown hominid that is the direct
ancestor to man. And now we have Dugas!
ALAN
What about HOMO HABILIS? Where does he
fit into this puzzle?
ORION
RICHARD LEAKEY found a skull that was
given the name KNMER 1470 for its
registration at the Kenya Museum in
East Rudolf. The skull capacity of
1470 was difficult to estimate
because of the condition of the
specimen but was estimated to be
800 cc later measured to be 750 cc,
much larger than most ape-men
skulls. There were only small
eyebrow ridges, no crest and a
domed skull typical of a human.
A mistake was made during the
dating and he was thought to be
over three million years old,
in the end he was really only
1 million years old.
ALAN
So now were back to our Mr. Dugas!
ORION
I should have the dating completed
in the next couple of weeks.
CUT TO:
EXT. MERCURY NEVADA AFTERNOON
EXT. AREA 37 GLASS BUTTE
INT. DUGAS ADMINISTRATION BUILDING
The discovery team is sitting at the conference
table listening to Captain Sam Stevens covering
the results of the accident.
NELSON
So what did you find out about
Dr. Goldberg?
STEVENS
We had people go down in the hole
and recover DR. GOLDBERGS body.
We found he'd been attacked by
a wild animal, but what kind we
don't know.
NELSON
What about the Donkeys head?
STEVENS
We checked the immediate area and
we were unable to locate any
Donkeys head. We are listing this
as an accident and mutilation by
a wild animal. The case is closed.
NELSON
Can we go back to work?
STEVENS
I checked with the base commander and
the Department of interior and they
said you can go about your work, but
only if Dr. Orion is down here with
you.
NELSON
Oh well that's very reassuring!
STEVENS
I'm sorry but that's the best I could
do for you under the circumstances.
NELSON
Well Dr. Orion are you ready to work
three shifts?
STEVENS
The base commander said day shift only!
Open at 0800, close at 1700 hours!
NELSON
Ok, since we have no choice, we'll
take it.
CUT TO:
TO BE CONTINUED …
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