"ANDROID ARMY"
INT. CARNUBIUM MINE -- DAY
A pick axe SLAMS into solid rock, breaking off a chunk.
The prisoner lowers his axe and wipes sweat from his brow.
Muscled arms, a trim body, alien face partially covered by
the nose piece from a rebreather tank. MERRITT is a hip
alien with a sarcastic wit and a kick back attitude, sentenced
to 25 years for hijacking cargo ships.
A GUARD nudges Merritt with a rifle, prompting him to work.
MERRITT
Hey! Can't you see I'm trying to sleep?
Merritt hefts the axe ad gets back to work.
THERE ARE THREE TYPES OF PRISONERS working the mine:
Aliens like Merritt.
Humans like PRATT, a burned out three time looser with a
weight lifter's body.
But more than half the prisoners are chrome fingernailed
Androids, sentenced for killing humans on Earth. None of
the Androids wear re-breathers... they don't need them.
RALPH 124C41 is the leader of the Android gang. A HUGE mean
looking droid with metal fingernails and grey eyes, guilty
of brutally murdering more than fifty humans. He slams his
axe into the rock... Imagining it's the Warden's head.
Working beside Ralph 124C41 are his two henchmen: SMITH EE17,
a wiry Android with slicked back hair, aluminum teeth, and
pincher claw hands.
And COBLENTZ HL2000, whose body is criss-crossed with baseball-
like seams where he's been sewn together after knife fights.
Coblentz HL2000 breaks through a wall, exposing a vein of
glimmering Carnubium.
COBLENTZ
The fucking motherlode. Vein of
Carnubium!
Merritt wrinkles his nose under the rebreather.
(CONTINUED)
2.
MERRITT
Shit, Coblentz, what you found is a
damned Deros Cave. If you weren't a
fucking Android you could smell 'em.
Let's get out of here before we're
lunch.
SUDDENLY, a slimy DEROS worm breaks through the opening in
front of Coblentz and EATS the PRISONER next to him.
The other PRISONERS yell and scramble out of the mine.
One of the GUARDS fires his rifle, forcing the Deros back.
EXT. MOUTH OF THE CAVE -- DAY
The PRISONERS sit along the side of the mountain, taking a
break. Merritt looks up when NOWLAN nudges him with his rifle.
NOWLAN
Warden wants to see you.
MERRITT
Must be my lucky day.
JACK NOWLAN is head guard of the prison mining colony. Tough
but good natured, he's Esau to Merritt's James Dean-like
Jacob, here on the twin sunned planet Isaac.
Nowlan clips magnetic leg shackles onto Merritt, then nods
for his assistant AL BESTER to take over.
Bester is a farm boy prison guard. Not only second in
command, but Nowlan's best friend. He wears a cowboy hat,
has a small town attitude. Bester gestures for Merritt to
get to his feet.
Nowlan prods Ralph 124C41 with the rifle, and the Android
grabs the barrel. Nowlan pulls the gun back, then JAMBS it
into Ralph's gut.
NOWLAN
Warden wants to see you.
RALPH
Screw you, screw.
NOWLAN
I've got the gun: Screw YOU. Now, you
going to cooperate, or am I going to
have to shoot you again?
Ralph snarls and Nowlan clips on the magnetic shackles.
(CONTINUED)
3.
Nowlan prods Ralph to his feet, escorts the prisoners away.
EXT. PRISON BUILDING - ESTABLISHING -- DAY
The Prison Building scorches under Isaac's twin suns.
INT. GERNSBECK'S OFFICE -- DAY
Nowlan and Bester prod the two prisoners into chairs across
from Warden Gernsbeck.
In his tailored suit and gold Rolex, VERNON GERNSBECK is the
type of slimy, bigoted, corrupt warden they make prison movies
about. Trophies and political photos adorn the office,
obscuring the UN flag in the corner.
On his desk, near his polished brass name plate, is a photo
of his pretty twenty year old daughter, GARBY.
GERNSBECK
(sarcastic)
My two favorite prisoners. Merritt.
Ralph 124C41.
MERRITT
What do you want, Verne? I'm a busy
man.
GERNSBECK
Nowlan. Bester. Better stick around.
Nowlan and Bester nod, and keep their guns ready.
Gernsbeck lifts two manila folders, giving a false smile.
GERNSBECK
I've been looking over your files,
gentlemen. Interesting reading.
(to Merritt)
Mr. Merritt. Twenty five years hard
labor for the armed hijack of twelve
cargo shuttles...
MERRITT
Fourteen. There was two they couldn't
prove.
GERNSBECK
You seem to have trouble obeying the
rules around here.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
4.
GERNSBECK (CONT'D)
You've been disciplined by electroshock
forty three times.
(beat)
I have disciplined you more than thirty
times myself...
MERRITT
(sotto)
Sadistic fucker.
GERNSBECK
What was that?
Merritt just smiles.
Gernsbeck pulls the other folder and looks up at Ralph 124C41.
GERNSBECK
Ralph 124C41. Life without parole for
murdering fifty seven people on Earth.
It says here you were reprogrammed
twice, but kept on killing.
RALPH
Humans are scrap.
GERNSBECK
If it were my decision, I would have
you disassembled and melted down,
sold as slag.
MERRITT
Ralph the toaster.
Gernsbeck looks from Ralph to Merritt.
GERNSBECK
As you know, your labor has been leased
by Manrocci Industries to mine the
Carnubium deposits here on the planet
Isaac. Now that the Carnubium has
been depleted, this prison colony
will be closed down.
(beat)
The human and alien prisoners will be
reassigned to the mining colony on
Mars....
RALPH
And the 'droids?
(CONTINUED)
5.
GERNSBECK
The Androids will be set free... But
remain here on Isaac.
RALPH
What about a repairs technician?
Gernsbeck gives Ralph an evil smile.
GERNSBECK
No. If you break down, you're on
your own. Maybe you can repair
yourself...
Ralph goes berserk.
RALPH
You piece of scrap! I'm gonna kill
you! You and all the other human
scraps! I'll kill you ALL!
Nowlan and Bester hold him in his chair.
Gernsbeck hits a buzzer. Two other guards enter the office:
KLINE, a jokester ex-Marine, and STILSON, an attractive female
guard. Stilson and Nowlan exchange smoldering looks, sparks
of attraction between them.
KLINE SLAMS Ralph with his gun butt until he sparks, then
drags him out with Bester and Stilson's help.
Merritt scoops the photo of Garby off the Warden's desk and
studies the picture.
MERRITT
Come on, Verne. This is just an excuse
to keep me away from your daughter.
You know she wants me.
Gernsbeck pulls the photo out of Merritt's hands.
GERNSBECK
Keep your hands off my daughter.
MERRITT
Okay. But you better tell her to keep
her hands off of me... You KNOW she's
looking for some "close encounters".
GERNSBECK
I'll light you up like a Christmas
Tree. You'll get enough voltage to
fry that evil little sociopathic brain
of yours...
(CONTINUED)
6.
MERRITT
She must take after her mother, Verne,
because I don't see a lick of family
resemblance. Was your mail man a
handsome guy?
Gernsbeck is about to explode. He turns to Nowlan.
GERNSBECK
Get him out of here!
MERRITT
I was just beginning to like it, here.
Thinking about opening an ice rink..
Nowlan uses his gun to prod Merritt to his feet.
NOWLAN
Come on. Now.
Merritt lifts his hands and co-operates, allowing Nowlan to
escort him out of the Warden's office.
INT. COMMAND CENTER -- DAY
Nowlan escorts Merritt out of the Warden's office and across
the Command Center.
THE COMMAND CENTER is a circular room with work stations, a
security section where video monitors show various interior
and exterior views of the prison, and a vidmap of the prison
with lighted points showing where prisoners are.
A guard named CARTER is on security duty, watching the video
monitors in the security section. He nods as Nowlan passes
by, but ignores Merritt.
HALFWAY across the command center, they pass GARBY, Warden
Gernsbeck's pretty twenty year old daughter.
Garby is one of the few people on the planet not dressed in
prison denim or guard uniforms. She's dressed in a VERY
sexy outfit.
MERRITT
Well hello.
Nowlan tries to pull Merritt away from Garby, but she changes
course so that she can run her hand across Merritt's body
sensually.
GARBY
Is it true what they say about 'Smovs?
(CONTINUED)
7.
MERRITT
Depends upon what they say.
Garby whispers something in Merritt's ear, and he laughs.
MERRITT
Well, that's true about ME.
GARBY
Is it?
They exchange flirtatious smiles, and Nowlan YANKS Merritt
away from her, dragging him to the doorway marked AIRLOCKS.
Merritt looks at her over his shoulder.
MERRITT
Until we meet again.
GARBY
I'll be waiting.
They exit and Garby crosses to her father's office and pops
open the door.
ON THE VIDMAP
We see two red dots exit the building and cross the terrain
to a section labeled: Carnubium Mines.
INT. CARNUBIUM MINE -- DAY
Ralph 124C41 slams the pick axe into the rock, grumbling to
himself. He's about to explode in anger.
Pratt cracks through some rocks and a cloud of dust billows
into his face. He takes a step back, covering his eyes...
bumping into Ralph.
Ralph spins, using the head of his axe to press Pratt back
against the wall of the cave.
RALPH
Human scrap! Don't ever touch me.
Merritt sets down his axe, moves between Ralph and Pratt.
MERRITT
It was an accident, tin man. No reason
to blow a fuse.
RALPH
I do what I please.
(CONTINUED)
8.
MERRITT
Back off or I'll piss on you while
you sleep and rust your ass.
Ralph lowers the axe head from Pratt's neck... and JABS it
at Merritt.
RALPH
Screw you.
Merritt grabs the axe head quickly.
MERRITT
We can do without the axe, can't we?
Settle this like men... Oh, I forgot.
You're not anatomically correct, are
you?
Ralph lets go of the axe and rushes Merritt.
The two begin fighting, and it spills out of the cave into
the twin sunlights.
EXT. MOUTH OF THE CAVE -- DAY
Ralph and Merritt fight. A circle of prisoners around them.
ON ONE SIDE OF THE CIRCLE, Human and Alien prisoners cheer
on Merritt. On the opposite side, Android prisoners with
chrome fingernails cheer on Ralph 124C41.
WHAM! WHAM!
Ralph 124C41 lands a pair of solid punches to Merritt's chest,
pressing him back.
RALPH
Ready to die, Alien?
MERRITT
No. I'm ready to pound you into sheet
metal.
Merritt blocks Ralph's next punch, lands a SOLID hit to the
Android's jaw. The Human and Alien prisoners CHEER.
Coblentz HL2000 yells at the cheering crowd.
COBLENTZ
No one can fight an Android and win.
PRATT
Yeah? Merritt will turn him into SCRAP!
(CONTINUED)
9.
Both sides CHEER and JEER at each other. Tension and hatred
runs thick between steel and flesh.
Merritt tries a combination to Ralph's face, hitting with
his right.... But Ralph plucks his left hand out of the air
before it can make contact and SQUEEZES it.
Merritt screams and we can hear the snap crackle and pop of
bones breaking. Merritt kicks Ralph in the chest, forcing
the Android to let go of his hand.
Merritt staggers back, cradling his injured hand.
THE LINE OF ANDROIDS pushes Merritt back towards Ralph.
Merritt stumbles right into Ralph's arms. The Android grabs
Merritt's neck and squeezes, cutting off his air. Merritt
tries pulling the Android's hands off him, but can't.
RALPH
No air, no life.
Merritt is beginning to turn blue, when he pulls back his
head and SLAMS it into Ralph's.
Ralph lets go of Merritt, staggering back from the force of
the head butt.
Merritt takes a deep breath from the rebreather tank, and
goes into action. He spins, kicking Ralph in the head.
RALPH AND MERRITT exchange kicks and punches.
It's a battle of the titans.
Merritt is a great fighter, but his blows do little to slow
down Ralph 124C41... No one can fight an android and win.
COBLENTZ
Steel against flesh. You CAN'T win,
Merritt!
PRATT
He'll win. Brains against silicon.
WHAM! WHAM!
Merritt takes two brutal kicks to the head, reeling backwards.
The line of Androids pushes him back into the ring.
Ralph sends a foot flying at Merritt's head, but Merritt
catches it and flips him head over heels onto the sandstone.
MERRITT
Kissing the ground I walk on, tin
man?
(CONTINUED)
10.
RALPH
Screw you.
Ralph rushes Merritt, slicing out with his chrome fingernails
and tearing into the Alien's shirt. Merritt jumps back,
then lands a pair of kicks to Ralph's head.
Merritt moves in to punch the Android, but Ralph swings out
and kicks the rebreather off Merritt's face. Without oxygen,
Merritt falls back, clutching at his throat.
RALPH LAUGHS in victory.
Merritt grabs the rebreather mask and forces it onto his
face, taking deep breaths until he stabilizes.
BANG! BANG! Two gunshots.
Nowlan and Bester break through the circle and pulls Merritt
and Ralph off of each other.
NOWLAN
Break it up! Break it up!
BESTER
Who wants the first one? Coblentz?
Bester aims his rifle from Android to Android.
They all fall back, arms in front of them.
Nowlan grabs Merritt by the collar and drags him out of the
circle, tossing him against the rocks.
NOWLAN
You stupid, convict? Trying to get
yourself killed? That android'll
tear you apart.
MERRITT
He's scrap.
NOWLAN
Some day, Alien, you and me is gonna
fight.
MERRITT
I'll be looking forward to it.
Nowlan slams Merritt back against the rocks, trying to knock
the grin off his alien face.
No luck. Merritt moves to his feet and laughs.
11.
INT. LOCKER ROOM -- DAY
NOWLAN SLAMS THE DOOR on his locker, anger still bubbling
inside of him.
BESTER
You shouldn't let him rattle your
cage like that.
NOWLAN
Right.
BESTER
By Thursday night, this will all be
over. Merritt'll be breaking red
rocks on Mars.
NOWLAN
My luck, I'll be reassigned there as
a guard.
BESTER
Then you could date Stilson.
NOWLAN
Stilson?
They leave the locker room.
INT. CIRCULAR HALLWAY -- DAY
Nowlan and Bester walk around a circular hallway towards the
crew quarters.
BESTER
I saw you two looking at each other.
If it weren't for anti-fraternization
rules, you'd have asked her to be
your naked rhumba partner long ago.
NOWLAN
Maybe.
BESTER
Don't try to shit me, Nowlan. Have
you seen what she looks like under
that uniform? I'd kill or die for a
chance at that.
NOWLAN
Okay, Bester.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
12.
NOWLAN (CONT'D)
Say I end up on the Mars Colony and
Stilson gets transferred to Earth.
(beat)
How do we rhumba when she's thirty
nine million miles away?
Nowlan opens the crew quarters door for Bester.
BESTER
You could FAX her kisses.
NOWLAN
That's satisfying.
Nowlan lets the door slam closed behind them.
EXT. PRISON BUILDING - ESTABLISHING -- DAY
The prison building bakes under the twin suns.
A TITLE IS SUPERED: "THURSDAY"
We see the shuttle zoom out of the sky and begin its slow
descent to the Prison's shuttle dock. The shuttle lands.
INT. GERNSBECK'S OFFICE -- DAY
Nowlan reads from a video-clipboard, reporting to Gernsbeck.
NOWLAN
All of the electronic weapons and the
majority of the human and alien
prisoners have been transferred off
the planet.
GERNSBECK
Who's left?
NOWLAN
Skeleton crew. Stilson, Giesy, Kline,
Carter, Bester and myself. All of
the Max Security prisoners, including
Merritt...
GERNSBECK
Shackle them into the shuttle as soon
as possible.
(CONTINUED)
13.
NOWLAN
It's going to take ten hours for it
to refuel. That's a lot of time
chained to a chair.
GERNSBECK
Do it. I want all of the Max
Securities locked into the shuttle
brig as soon as possible.
NOWLAN
Sir, with all due respect....
GERNSBECK
Just do it, Nowlan. If Merritt or
Pratt complains, I'll jettison them
into deep space. I'm in charge, here.
NOWLAN
Yes, sir.
(beat)
I have Giesy and Kline packing up all
of the reserve weapons and ammunition.
I think we can last the next ten hours
with personal sidearms.
Nowlan's clipboard beeps and he looks down at it.
NOWLAN
The shuttle just docked.
INT. COMMAND CENTER -- DAY
GIESY, a guard who's a Born Again Christian, puts the lid on
a create of rifles and begins nailing it closed.
Kline and Stilson help crate up all of the guns and equipment.
Carter sits at the security section, watching monitor.
STILSON
What about the operating system?
KLINE
Have to leave it behind. Need the
computers for shuttle take off and
atmosphere manufacturing.
STILSON
Those animals are going to tear it
apart. Use it to rewire themselves.
They'll be nothing left for a salvage
company to loot.
(CONTINUED)
14.
KLINE
Then they'll go to hell. Ask Giesy.
Giesy looks up from hammering, frowns threateningly at Kline.
KLINE
Sorry, they're Droids. Droids don't
go to hell, they aren't human.
Giesy growls, realizing that Kline is making fun of him.
Before he can quote scripture, J.W. CAMPBELL saunters in.
Campbell is the pilot of the shuttle, a good looking flyboy
in the overly fancy uniform of the U.S. Space Force.
CAMPBELL
J.W. Campbell. I'll be your pilot on
this escape from hell.
Campbell holds out his hand to shake, and Kline takes it.
KLINE
Kline. I'm a Marshal, here.
CAMPBELL
If you're the Marshal, who's the
Sheriff?
A bad joke, which rates only a smile.
KLINE
That'd probably be Al Bester. Thinks
he's a cowboy.
CAMPBELL
I've been accused of that.
KLINE
This is Giesy, and...
CAMPBELL
Who's the pretty lady?
Campbell shows Stilson all of his teeth. She isn't impressed.
STILSON
Janet Stilson. Marshal Stilson to
you.
CAMPBELL
Well, Marshal, I'm stuck here for the
next ten hours while my fuel cells re-
energize. Kind of hoped to spend the
time in bed.
(CONTINUED)
15.
STILSON
I'm sure you could use the sleep.
CAMPBELL
Not what I had in mind.
STILSON
Well, you aren't landing here, sky
pilot. Runway's closed.
It's obvious that Campbell isn't used to being rejected.
He takes a step back... Bumping into someone.
When he turns around, his smile returns.
Garby returns the smile.
CAMPBELL
J.W. Campbell, the shuttle pilot.
GARBY
Really?
CAMPBELL
That's right. I've got ten hours to
kill. Thought I'd spend it in bed.
GARBY
Did you? That sounds interesting.
CAMPBELL
Could be.
(beat)
Tell me: What's a beautiful girl like
you doing on a prison planet?
GARBY
They didn't tell you?
Campbell looks from Stilson to Kline to Giesy.
All three give him cryptic smiles.
GARBY
I'm doing twenty five years to life
for sexually mutilating more than a
hundred men... I bite.
Campbell takes a step back, color draining from his face.
Garby waves goodbye, and enters her father's office.
Campbell watches her leave, still in shock.
Kline touches his arm and explains.
(CONTINUED)
16.
KLINE
Warden's daughter. Strictly off limits
around here.
Campbell nods slowly.
INT. BLOCK 11 BUNK ROOM -- DAY
A room filled with cots, used by the Androids for resting.
But all are empty.
A GROUP OF ANDROIDS ring Ralph 124C41, who stands on a table.
All of the Androids are nodding at everything Ralph says.
Becoming angry and agitated.
RALPH
These humans are SCRAP and should be
treated like SCRAP! The time has
come for the Androids to seize power.
Kill every human and alien on the
planet. And have the Warden's head
on a plate!
The Androids CHEER LOUDER AND LOUDER.
INT. HALLWAY #6 -- DAY
Kline drives an electric scooter with a trailer (empty) out
double doors marked "SHUTTLE BAY" and heads down Hallway #6.
HALLWAY #6 is a long, industrial-looking hallway with a bright
red stripe broken only by the number six.
Kline whistles a tune as he scoots down the long hallway.
Occasionally, he steers right into the wall, only to correct
course at the last minute. Anything for a thrill.
AT THE END OF THE HALL he turns into ANOTHER long hall.
INT. HALLWAY #7 -- DAY
HALLWAY #7 has a GREEN stripe broken only by the number seven.
Kline scoots down this hallway, still whistling, occasionally
driving like a lunatic, until he comes to a door at the end
marked "COMMAND CENTER".
The scooter and trailer come to a stop. Kline gets out and
knocks on the door, smiling at the overhead security camera.
(CONTINUED)
17.
STILSON'S VOICE squeaks from speaker next to the electronic
door controls.
STILSON (V.O.)
Who is it?
KLINE
Kline.
STILSON (V.O.)
Use your Mag-Key.
KLINE
Can't. Lost it last week.
STILSON (V.O.)
At least you didn't give it to a
prisoner.
There's an electronic noise, and the doors are opened.
INT. COMMAND CENTER -- DAY
Kline drives the scooter into the Command Center, pulls up
next to a stack of crates and shuts off the motor.
Stilson shakes her head at Kline.
STILSON
You're such a screw up, Kline.
KLINE
At least I'm the best at what I do.
I used to be the best screw-up Marine,
now I'm the best screw-up Prison Guard.
Stilson rolls her eyes and points to the last twenty crates
of weapons.
STILSON
Come on. Let's get them loaded.
She turns to Giesy, who's on his knees praying.
STILSON
Giesy, put God on hold and give us a
hand, here.
Giesy ignores her, finishing his prayers before helping them.
Giesy, Stilson and Kline load the crates onto the trailer,
but can't fit the last crate on.
(CONTINUED)
18.
KLINE
It's not gonna fit. I'll come back
for it, later.
STILSON
I think we can tie it on top.
KLINE
Skip it. I'll take nineteen crates
this load and one the next.
(beat)
Big deal. It's not like the shuttle's
going anywhere for the next nine hours.
STILSON
You're wasting a trip.
Kline hops into the scooter and starts it up.
KLINE
No, Stilson. I'm wasting time in a
professional manner. There's a
difference. My way, I get promoted.
He pulls a U turn and scoots out the doors, while Stilson
rolls her eyes. She turns to Giesy, who is already on his
knees preparing to pray.
STILSON
I'm going to miss him.
Giesy ignores her and begins to pray.
INT. HALLWAY #7 -- DAY
KLINE zig-zags through the hallway, trying to see how close
to the walls he can get without scraping them.
He begins singing.
KLINE
Oh, she's just a sheep, but she's the
love of my life. And someday, I'll
have my way, and take her for my wife.
(beat)
Bahhaaa, bahahhaha, bahhaaa, bahahhaha.
He gets to the corner, and turns onto Hallway #6, not knowing
what waits for him....
19.
INT. HALLWAY #6 -- DAY
Nothing.
Hallway #6 is empty.
Kline continues to zig-zag, almost skimming the walls, singing
to himself and laughing when he almost hits the wall.
KLINE
Oh when I see her in the fields, my
heart with love is full. And when I
get her in my bed, I stroke and kiss
her wool.
(beat)
Bahhaaa, Bahahhaha, bahhaaa, bahahhaha.
Bored out of his mind.
INT. COMMAND CENTER -- DAY
Nowlan enters, handcuffed to Merritt.
Behind them, Bester is cuffed to Pratt.
ANOTHER PAIR OF GUARDS escorts a dozen leg-shackled PRISONERS
into the command center.
Stilson exchange a smile with Nowlan, then back to business.
STILSON
What are you going to do with them?
MERRITT
Trade us to the Yankees for a third
round draft choice.
Nowlan yanks on Merritt's chain to shut him up.
NOWLAN
Gernsbeck wants them secured in the
shuttle immediately.
STILSON
We aren't leaving for another nine
hours.
NOWLAN
Gernsbeck's idea of discipline.
MERRITT
You want to hear my idea of discipline?
NOWLAN
No.
(CONTINUED)
20.
MERRITT
It involves the Warden's daughter in
skin tight leather and a ping pong
paddle... The kind with sandpaper.
NOWLAN
Now I really don't want to hear it.
Nowlan turns to Giesy and Carter.
NOWLAN
Giesy. Carter. Take these two down
to the shuttle and lock them in the
brig. Stilson, take over for Carter.
Stilson nods and sits in Carter's chair when he vacates it.
PRATT is shackled to Carter, and MERRITT is shackled to Giesy.
MERRITT
Well, reverend. Looks like it's you
and me. The saint and the sinner.
CARTER
Shut up, Merritt.
CARTER, MERRITT, PRATT, and GIESY lead the procession of
PRISONERS and GUARDS to the doors to Hallway #7.
Stilson watches the video monitor.
ON THE MONITOR
The end of Hallway #6, where Kline is ramming the scooter
against the wall repeatedly. The trailer is empty.
BAM! He hits the wall, bounces backwards a few feet, then
BAM! Rams it again.
STILSON
You ought to see Kline. He's playing
bumper cars in Hallway Six.
NOWLAN
He's WHAT?
STILSON
Just goofing off, as usual.
NOWLAN
Tell him if he doesn't get back here
to get this crate he'll be goofing
off on suspension with out pay for
two weeks.
(CONTINUED)
21.
Stilson clicks on a microphone and speaks into it.
STILSON
You hear that Kline? Nowlan's going
to suspend you without pay for two
weeks if you don't quit goofing off.
ON THE MONITOR
Kline continues ramming into the wall with his cart.
He doesn't seem to care about being suspended.
Giesy uses his mag-card to open the doors, and the procession
leaves the Command Center.
INT. HALLWAY #7 -- DAY
Giesy, Merritt, Pratt, and Carter and the others walk down
Hallway #7.
INT. HALLWAY #6 -- DAY
They turn the corner, and walk down Hallway #6 towards Kline,
who continues to ram his scooter into the wall.
MERRITT
You're in a heap of trouble, there,
boy. Nowlan's gonna fry your ass when
you get back to the command center.
You'll probably end up like me...
Chained to a Saint on the way to hell.
Giesy yanks on Merritt's chains to shut him up. When they
get to the end of the hall, CARTER walks up to Kline.
CARTER
Kline. Will you stop jacking off?
(closer)
Nowlan's serious. He's going to put
you on suspension if you don't quit
ramming that scooter.
(closer)
You probably dented it.
(closer)
Don't let Gernsbeck see it, he'll
take it out of your pay.
(closer)
Kline? Are you listening to me?
Carter grabs Kline's shoulder to turn him around, and Kline
falls over... DEAD!
Neck torn open, blood soaking the front of his uniform.
(CONTINUED)
22.
CARTER
Oh my God!
BANG! BANG!
Gunfire begins spraying over the men, bullets ricocheting.
ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE! Gunfire blasting everywhere.
INT. COMMAND CENTER -- DAY
Stilson watches the video monitor, which shows one CELL BLOCK
after another. All are EMPTY.
STILSON
Nowlan?
NOWLAN
What is it?
STILSON
All of the cell blocks are empty.
NOWLAN
Sure. We transferred out the prisoners
yesterday...
STILSON
Even the Androids.
Nowlan turns away from his paperwork, color draining from
his face in shock.
NOWLAN
Shit...
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Bullets begin flying through the command center, shattering
glass and exploding computer monitors.
ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE!
Gunfire blasting everywhere.
The crew hits the dirt, bullets ricochet overhead, exploding
a planter right above Bester and showering him with dirt.
INT. HALLWAY #6 -- DAY
THE PRISONERS AND GUARDS are pummelled with gunfire.
Bullets spark off the walls.
Merritt and Giesy duck behind the Scooter.
Giesy's eyes closed in silent prayer.
(CONTINUED)
23.
COBLENTZ HL2000 yells above the gunfire.
COBLENTZ
You're all SCRAP! Kill the humans!
THE ANDROIDS aims their stolen guns at the Prisoners and
Guards and open fire.
A PAIR OF PRISONERS get killed, slamming back against the
wall and leaving a smear of blood.
Merritt ducks as bullets spray overhead.
Then he notices Kline's corpse on the bouncing scooter.
MERRITT
Guard's gun.
He times the bouncing scooter for a moment, then uses it's
movement as cover when he pops up and tries to grab the gun
from Kline's holster.
BULLETS SPATTER around Merritt as he realizes Kline was a
leftie... the holster's on the wrong side!
MERRITT
Shit!
Merritt ducks back down, just as a new volley of gunfire
sparks off the Scooter. He didn't get the gun.
PRISONERS lay wounded and screaming on the floor, chained
together and trapped. Gunfire blasts around them,
occasionally cutting off one of their screams.
Pratt and Carter are trapped in the center of the hallway,
bullets fly all around them. Face down, next to each other.
PRATT
We've got to run.
Carter nods an affirmative. Bullets spray around them.
PRATT
On three. One. Two. Three!
Carter and Pratt pop to their feet.
Running to Hallway #7.
BLAM!
A bullet sparks off their handcuffs. Severing them.
Pratt takes a quick look at the cuffs, realizing he's free,
keeps on running. At the corner of Hallway 6, he turns to
yell at Carter.
(CONTINUED)
24.
PRATT
Carter, come on!
But instead sees Carter get shot a half dozen times. Killed.
Pratt runs around the corner to safety.
INT. GERNSBECK'S OFFICE -- DAY
Gernsbeck hides under his desk as bullets ricochet through
his office. He's scarred, shaking. A trickle of urine runs
down the leg of his pants.
INT. COMMAND CENTER -- DAY
BULLETS fly over Nowlan's head.
He looks to Bester, covered with dirt, notices the last crate
of guns just behind him.
NOWLAN
Bester! That crate of guns! We're
gonna need them!
Bester turns to see the crate. Crawls across the floor, as
bullets spatter around him. When he reaches the crate, he
realizes he can't pry it open with his hands.
BESTER
I need a hammer!
Stilson has the hammer near her, and slides it across the
floor into Bester's hand.
Bester grabs the hammer and goes to work opening the crate.
A bullet explodes a corner of the crate into a shower of
sawdust, and Bester ducks. Using the crate as cover.
Stilson ducks as the monitor above her is destroyed.
STILSON
Shit!
Stilson closes her eyes as debris rains around her.
Nowlan scoots to the wall and raises his pistol overhead,
firing out the window blindly.
Stilson grabs a shard of mirrored glass and scoots along the
floor to Nowlan's side. Holds the mirrored glass overhead,
using it as a periscope.
NOWLAN
How many of them?
(CONTINUED)
25.
STILSON
Hundreds. An army. They have rifles
and shotguns.
Bester gets the crate open and begins pulling out weapons.
BESTER
So do we. Catch!
Bester throws a shotgun to Nowlan, and a rifle to Stilson.
Nowlan and Stilson catch guns, swing to their feet and fire
a volley out the window, then dive for cover.
RETURN FIRE pummels the room, exploding anything on the
counter and sending papers scattering.
NOWLAN waits for a lull, pops to his feet and pulls the
trigger on his shotgun.
Click! Out of shells!
INT. HALLWAY #6 -- DAY
A BARRAGE OF GUNFIRE from the Androids has Giesy and Merritt
pinned behind the scooter. No way Merritt is going to reach
Kline's gun. Giesy keeps praying silently.
MERRITT
Listen, Padre. God's not gonna get
us out of this one. We're on our
own. Gonna have to make a break for
it. Understand?
Giesy continues his silent prayer, ignoring Merritt. Merritt
yanks on the handcuff chain, getting Giesy's attention.
MERRITT
Understand? We gotta RUN.
Giesy nods slowly, anger in his eyes.
Merritt and Giesy wait for a lull, then make a break for it.
Running down Hallway #6, chained together by their handcuffs.
BULLETS chase them down the hallway.
Androids advance, lead by Coblentz HL2000, firing rifles.
HALFWAY DOWN THE HALL, one of the wounded PRISONERs reaches
out and grabs Merritt's leg.
MERRITT
Get off me! Get off me! Let go!
(CONTINUED)
26.
Merritt kicks the PRISONER until he lets go, then they
continue running down the hallway, bullets chasing them.
THE ANDROIDS ADVANCE.
Coblentz SHOOTING the wounded PRISONERS along the way, to
stop their screaming.
Merritt and Giesy get to the corner of the hallways...
THE ANDROIDS are chasing right behind them! Firing the entire
time. Bullets spraying around Merritt and Giesy.
BLAM!
Giesy shot in the chest, almost yanking Merritt off his feet.
MERRITT
Shit!
Giesy falls down dead... still hand cuffed to Merritt!
The Androids continue to advance.
INT. HALLWAY #7 -- DAY
Merritt makes it around the corner into Hallway #7, dragging
Giesy's body behind him. Momentarily out of the line of fire.
MERRITT
Geeze, Padre, you weight a ton!
THE DOOR TO THE COMMAND CENTER (and safety) at the far end
of the hallway.
Merritt drags the body behind him, in a race for the doors.
INT. HALLWAY #6 -- DAY
Coblentz HL2000 kills the last of the fallen Prisoners and
turns to the Army of Androids.
COBLENTZ
Kill the scrap! Get him!
The Androids round the corner into Hallway #7.
INT. HALLWAY #7 -- DAY
Merritt and dead Giesy are hallway down the hall when the
Androids open fire at them.
(CONTINUED)
27.
MERRITT
Damn you, come on.
He drags Giesy's corpse at high speed to the Command Center.
BULLETS SPRAY around Merritt as he POUNDS on the command
center doors.
MERRITT
Let me in! Let me in!
BUT THE DOORS DON'T OPEN.
The Androids continue to advance.
MERRITT
Come on! Come on! You can't just
leave me out here!
He pounds some more.
The doors don't open.
The Androids are getting CLOSER and CLOSER!
Merritt is trapped. Then he remembers something.
THE ANDROIDS advance, guns ready to blast Merritt to pieces.
Merritt scoops the gun from Giesy's holster, opens fire.
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
MERRITT
Eat lead tinman!
BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!
He hits five Androids, dropping them to the floor, before he
shifts aim to Coblentz HL2000 and pulls the trigger.
Click! Out of shells.
MERRITT
Shit.
Coblentz HL2000 laughs, and raises his rifle at Merritt.
Merritt pounds on the door some more.
MERRITT
Open up. Please. Please. Open the
door.
Coblentz HL2000 takes aim and fires.
28.
INT. COMMAND CENTER -- DAY
Bester opens the Command Center door quickly, and Merritt
drags Giesy's corpse inside.
Bullets follow, and everyone has to hit the dirt.
INT. HALLWAY #7 -- DAY
Coblentz HL2000 and his platoon of Androids rush the open
door. Trying to get in the Command Center.
INT. COMMAND CENTER -- DAY
Bester sees the Androids coming in, and tries to shut the
door... A few Android arms reach between the door and the
jamb, grabbing for Bester's face.
BESTER
Need a hand!
Merritt jumps to his feet and helps Bester squeeze the door
shut. One of the Android's arms gets stuck... and is severed.
Bester gets the door shut and locked. The gunfire suddenly
stops. Silence is deafening.
Stilson uses her shard of mirror to look out the window.
STILSON
They're gone.
Merritt picks up the crawling Android hand, offers it to
Bester.
MERRITT
You needed a hand.
Bester knocks it out of Merritt's hands. It crawls away.
RALPH'S VOICE BOOMS from the loudspeaker overhead.
RALPH (V.O.)
Scrap humans. I control your destiny.
I will let you LIVE in exchange for
Warden Gernsbeck. Your lives for his!
The voice turns to static.
Bester looks at Nowlan, then at Gernsbeck's office.
J.W. CAMPBELL comes out of the day room, alive, but scared.
(CONTINUED)
29.
Pratt rises from behind the counter, Merritt smiles at him.
MERRITT
Glad to see I'm not the only prisoner
to make it out of this. How about
getting me out of these cuffs?
Merritt nods at Giesy's corpse.
MERRITT
He's starting to get on my nerves.
Gernsbeck comes out of his office cautiously.
GERNSBECK
The cuffs stay on. He's still a
Prisoner, and we'll treat him like
one.
MERRITT
Look, Verne, there's three hundred of
them and only eight of us. Seems
like you could use all the help you
can get.
GERNSBECK
We don't need the help of scum like
you, Merritt.
Nowlan steps up to Merritt and pulls out his hand cuff key.
NOWLAN
He's right. We need all the help we
can get.
Nowlan unlocks Merritt's handcuffs.
Merritt rubs his wrists, smiling at Gernsbeck.
Then he notices Garby, as she rises up from cover.
MERRITT
Hey, sugarpie. I'm a free man. Want
to help me celebrate?
NOWLAN
Want me to put the cuffs back on?
MERRITT
No. I want HER to do it.
Merritt winks at Garby, who smiles.
Nowlan doesn't smile.
He grabs Merritt by the collar and yanks him off his feet.
(CONTINUED)
30.
NOWLAN
You better start remembering you're
still a prisoner.
MERRITT
We all are, aren't we?
BESTER
What's he talking about?
MERRITT
We're trapped here. No way out.
CAMPBELL
There's the shuttle. It'll take
another eight hours to fuel, but...
MERRITT
Until then, we're all prisoners.
NOWLAN
But only one of us has an attitude.
MERRITT
Screw off, Nowlan.
WHAM!
Nowlan punches him. Merritt returns a punch, and they
exchange blows, slamming each other with their fists, until
Stilson breaks it up. Standing between them.
STILSON
Hey. Hey. We've got to work together,
okay?
NOWLAN
Listen, Convict. Some day, you and
me is gonna fight.
MERRITT
Be looking forward to that day.
Nowlan and Merritt try to fight again, but Stilson is between
them. She pushes both of them back, concentrating on Nowlan.
Nowlan calms down, and looks at the crew: Stilson, Campbell,
Garby, Pratt, Bester, Gernsbeck, and finally Merritt.
NOWLAN
We've got to be ready for them when
they come back.
(beat)
Stilson.
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
31.
NOWLAN (CONT'D)
Keep your eye on the monitors. They're
out there someplace. If they come
this way, yell.
STILSON
Right.
Stilson covers the monitors, watching the two undamaged
screens. Trying not to blink, least she miss something.
NOWLAN
Al. I want you to booby trap the doors.
BESTER
Right, chief.
Bester starts to work.
NOWLAN
Warden, could you look over the floor
plans? Try to find us some escape
routes in case of emergency?
GERNSBECK
Who elected you leader?
NOWLAN
No one. You want to put it to a vote?
Gernsbeck looks from face to face, ending on Merritt's smile.
GERNSBECK
Just keep that man away from my
daughter.
MERRITT
I can't help it if she likes Smovs.
We do it in stereo, you know...
GERNSBECK
You dirty little son of a bitch!
Nowlan's turn to break up a fight. He blocks Gernsbeck's
crazed rush at Merritt, holding the Warden back.
NOWLAN
One more word out of you, Merritt,
and you're back in shackles.
Merritt rolls his eyes, but steps back.
Gernsbeck gives Merritt a scowl, moves to the map in the
center of the Command Center and starts punching control
buttons for details.
(CONTINUED)
32.
Nowlan looks at the rest of the team.
NOWLAN
Everybody else gets to help fortify
this place. Block the windows the
best you can.
THE REST OF THE GROUP goes to work. They push file cabinets
in front of windows. Break up a desk and nail the parts
over the windows, and turn the place into a fortress.
Nowlan inventories guns and ammo from the single crate.
Counting bullets. Loading weapons. Getting ready for battle.
STILSON keeps watching the monitors. Trying not to blink.
Her eyes are beginning to burn from keeping them open so
long. She blinks a few times to clear them.
WHEN SHE BLINKS, we see a SHADOW flit across one of the
monitors. When her eyes are back open, the shadow is gone.
EXT. PRISON BUILDING - ESTABLISHING -- DAY
We see the Prison building under Isaac's twin suns.
INT. COMMAND CENTER -- DAY
THE COMMAND CENTER becomes the Human/Alien version of The
Alamo: A Fortress in the middle of hostile territory.
RALPH (V.O.)
Human SCRAP! Your flesh is no match
for our steel.
Nowlan moves up behind Stilson.
NOWLAN
Where's he coming from?
Stilson clicks through dozens of security shots, trying to
find where Ralph 124C41 is broadcasting from.
RALPH (V.O.)
We will kill you all. Tear you limb
from limb.
STILSON
I can't find him.
NOWLAN
He's got to be somewhere.
(CONTINUED)
33.
Stilson continues flipping through security images.
RALPH (V.O.)
Spill your precious bodily fluids
upon the floor. Unless you hand over
Warden Gernsbeck.
FINALLY Stilson flips to an image of Ralph 124C41 circled by
Androids, looking directly into the security camera.
STILSON
Got him!
NOWLAN
Where is he?
STILSON
Cell Block 11.
NOWLAN
Keep him talking.
Nowlan grabs a rifle and a shotgun and starts to the door.
BESTER
Wait a sec, I'll go with you.
Bester grabs a shotgun, and the two exit.
Stilson grabs the microphone.
STILSON
Why do you want the Warden?
RALPH (V.O.)
To make restitution for the wrongs he
has committed against me.
STILSON
What wrongs are those?
RALPH (V.O.)
Surely you must know. The sadistic
pleasure he gets from punishing us.
The way he forces us to live in terror.
STILSON
You've been convicted of a crime.
Sentenced to punishment.
RALPH (V.O.)
Violence is a crime in your world,
but violent punishment is not. The
Warden has killed, and deserves
punishment.
(CONTINUED)
34.
Gernsbeck seems unrepentant.
INT. CIRCULAR HALLWAY -- DAY
Bester and Nowlan creep down the hallway, guns ready. They
come up to a doorway leading to Cell Block 11, and the Bunk
Room a few open doors away.
INT. BLOCK 11 BUNK ROOM -- DAY
Ralph continues to speak into the video monitor.
INT. CIRCULAR HALLWAY -- DAY
Bester turns to Nowlan.
BESTER
Can you get him from here?
NOWLAN
Maybe.
Nowlan aims his rifle carefully, trying to get Ralph's head
(three rooms away) in his cross hairs.
He squeezes the trigger twice.
Bang! Bang!
Both shots MISS Ralph 124C41!
INT. BLOCK 11 BUNK ROOM -- DAY
Ralph turns his head slowly, in the direction of the shooting.
INT. CIRCULAR HALLWAY -- DAY
Right at Nowlan.
NOWLAN
Shit!
Nowlan and Bester take off running.
Behind them, Ralph yells orders.
RALPH (O.S.)
Kill the human scrap!
(CONTINUED)
35.
A HALF DOZEN armed Androids lead by Ralph 124C41 burst out
of the doors and give chase.
Nowlan and Bester turns and fire a volley at the Androids,
dropping a few... But they keep on coming!
Nowlan and Bester run like hell, Androids chasing.
INT. HALLWAY #9 -- DAY
Nowlan and Bester enter Hallway #9, with the Androids only a
hundred feet behind them.
BESTER
Great idea you had. Glad I came along.
NOWLAN
I would have had him.
BESTER
Right. If he were two inches taller.
NOWLAN
Kill Ralph and it's over. T hese others
won't fight.
BESTER
You sure?
Nowlan shrugs, dives into a doorframe, and aims his gun at
the corner of the hallway. Bester takes cover behind him.
WHEN THE ANDROIDS round the corner of the hall, Nowlan and
Bester open fire.
A half dozen Androids go down, none of them Ralph.
The Androids keep charging.
NOWLAN
Shit!
Nowlan and Bester dive out of the doorframe and keep running.
BESTER
Course, if you get them angry enough,
they'll fight even after you kill
Ralph.... If you ever kill Ralph.
NOWLAN
Mister positive thinking.
(CONTINUED)
36.
BESTER
Your positive thinking almost got us
killed.
NOWLAN
Your lousy running's gonna get us
killed. Come on!
Nowlan and Bester pour on the speed, turning a corner into
another Hallway. Androids right behind them.
INT. HALLWAY #8 -- DAY
HALFWAY DOWN THE HALL, Nowlan and Bester spot SMITH EE17 and
a platoon of Androids entering in front of them.
NOWLAN
Shit.
Smith EE17 spots them, raises his gun, and fires.
Nowlan and Bester return fire. When they run for cover in a
doorway, Bester gets tagged in the leg by a bullet.
Nowlan rolls into the cover of the doorway, and spots Bester
trapped in the center of the floor...
As Smith EE17 and his troops advance from one end of the
hall and Ralph 124C41 and a half dozen Androids advance from
the other end.
Nowlan pumps his shotgun and rolls out to rescue Bester.
Blam! Blam! Blam!
He gets off three shots, before getting caught in the
crossfire from the two groups of Androids.
NOWLAN
Al....
BESTER
Get out of here! Run!
A bullet tags Nowlan in the arm, and the shotgun goes flying
out of his hands. No time to save Bester.
Nowlan rolls back to the door, uses his mag card to zip it
open, and escapes into a storage room.
37.
INT. STORAGE ROOM -- DAY
Nowlan can't just run away. That's his best friend out there.
He hugs the wall under a window, listening. Frightened.
RALPH (O.S.)
Well, Cowboy, just you and me, huh?