Conflicts of the last progenitors

Two transports descend toward the planet; Armadillo-3 and Armadillo-5. Pink coolant HISSES off of the crafts’ surfaces as they penetrate the atmosphere.

INT. ARMADILLO-3 - SAME

Thirty Bullets- all of whom are quiet and grim- sit in the shaking, planet-bound transport.

INT. VISTA CELLAR - LATER

Carved into the stone of the circular room is the image of over one million sculptors standing amidst monstrously large trees from which bloom spiky fruit and coiled tentacles.

121.

The depicted sky is covered with myriad stars and moons and planets; the celestial bodies are sculpted in glowing, differently-colored crystals. The floor of the cavern is ocean water.

The Tall One leads the white-flecked elders inside; the humanoids give scale to the immensity of the enclosure-- the space is three-hundred feet high and twice as many wide.

On CLACKING toes, the sculptors walk down the spiraling ramp which threads the circular wall. The Tall One stops before a lavender crystal; with the seven skeletal talons of its left hand, the humanoid presses the lunar crescent into the relief, CHUNK.

EXT. OPTION-1 OCEAN - EARLY NIGHT

The blue-green water that covers most of the planet has begun to ice over. Squidfish and LONG LANCERS swim beneath the surface, lit by the three moons above.

The fish disperse.

The surface SHATTERS; from the depths emerges a conical missile made of lavender ice. The projectile hurtles toward the moons.

INT. COMESTIBLE QUADRANT - SAME

The eating area is nearly empty; amongst the eighteen enervated eaters are Abacus and Mlissa, both silent. Sven, drained, enters the quadrant and walks toward the duo.

SVEN

Mlissa.

Mlissa’s eyes fill with tears the moment she hears Sven’s voice; she bounds up and hugs him, fervently.

ABACUS

Hey. Where’s Kenneth?

Mlissa releases Sven and steps back, smiling and wiping tears from her eyes.

Sven looks down at Abacus; the Bio stares back up at the tall Swede.

ABACUS (CONT'D)

Is he hurt or...is he...did he...?

122.

Sven nods. Abacus flings a vial of oat paste against the foam wall; the contents SPLAT. He shakes his head angrily.

ABACUS (CONT'D)

Goddam this lousy planet.

MLISSA

What happened down there? All they keep saying is that there was an

“incident.” Weren’t the sculptors

friendly?

SVEN

They were.

Titlecard: Five Days Later

INT. MULTI-STAR COUNCIL ROOM - MORNING

The Seniors have convened: Graynose, Lo-Cheun, Florida and Jesca sit in the front row. A polypillar stands at the head of the room, lenses extruded, eyes dilated. The diminutive leader wipes sweat from his face, stands up and walks before the multi-stars.

GRAYNOSE

Before I speak, I would like for

the Bullet Chief Senior to

articulate the status below.

Lo-Cheun stands up and faces the polypillar.

INT. GLASS-DOMED AMPHITHEATER - SAME

The Elysabeth passengers watch the panorama; the face of Lo-Cheun is centered amidst shots of Graynose, the council, the amphitheater, the sculptors’ metropolis and the human settlement.

Seated in the second row of the arena are Abacus, Sven and Mlissa.

From upon the screen, Lo-Cheun eyes the crowd...his gaze filled with contempt.

LO-CHEUN

There have been no attacks since

the initial skirmish.

(MORE)

123.

LO-CHEUN (CONT'D)

We’ve held the perimeter so that

construction could be

recommenced...and it has. I know

many of you are critical of our

continued presence there, but if

the choice is between us or those

things- and they are things, don’t personify them- if the choice is

between us and them, any debate on

the matter is offensive. I’m done.

Lo-Cheun sits out of frame.

In the amphitheater, Abacus leans over to Sven.

ABACUS

(whispered)

Hate that guy.

INT. MULTI-STAR COUNCIL ROOM - SAME

The polypillar refocuses on the four-star leader, Graynose.

GRAYNOSE

Biobranch believed that the

sculptors’ illness was an allergic

reaction to us or our dust, but we

now know otherwise.

The little man wipes beads of perspiration from his pink face and gray proboscis.

GRAYNOSE (CONT'D)

Fleischwerk, plastics, gritfoam and other polymers are not toxic, but

they do somehow affect the

properties of the underground

canals, in particular the trillions upon trillions of microscopic

crystals contained therein. These

luminous gemstones have no affect

on us- we excrete them as waste-

but we believe that they sustain

the lives of sculptors for

tremendous periods-- possibly

thousands of years.

Graynose shakes his head and frowns.

GRAYNOSE (CONT'D)

The damage has been done. We

damaged the water and now the

sculptors are aging, rapidly.

(MORE)

124.

GRAYNOSE (CONT'D)

The medical groups we’ve sent them have all been chased off.

Communication with the sculptors-

what little there was- has ended.

Graynose nods and CLEARS his throat.

GRAYNOSE (CONT'D)

Today we vote on whether we should

continue to build our settlement or simply withdraw from the planet.

Final speakers?

Jesca stands; she faces the polypillar; lenses refocus; irises dilate.

JESCA

Individually, any sculptor could

overpower any human being, but

conquest is almost always

determined by technological

superiority...and ruthlessness.