INT. AIRPORT.

EARLY MORNING
A MAN in his late twenties walks through an abandoned
airport. The building is derelict and shows remnants of
people leaving in a hurry, like abandoned suitcases and some
lights and billboards still flickering. The air is dusty and
stale and everything is covered with a layer of dirt.
He wears a uniform that consists of a light blue one-piece
coverall with some motifs stamped on the arms and chest, and
heavy duty black boots. His tread is slow but determined.
As he walks past a line of empty airline counters, he
reminisces through a series of short flashbacks told in jump
cuts.
FLASHBACK TO:
INT. SUBURBAN KITCHEN. LATE AFTERNOON
In the kitchen of a typical suburban home, a BABY sits in a
high chair at a table. His MOTHER coos at him and feeds him
baby food, zooming around the spoon and making noises like
an airplane. The baby giggles happily.
INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE HALLWAY. LATE AFTERNOON
The same BOY, now three to four years of age, sits on his
FATHERs shoulders as they run down a hallway. The boy waves
his arms out and makes noises like an airplane, while the
father laughs.
EXT. SUBURBAN BACKYARD. AFTERNOON
Now six to seven years old, the BOY stands in front of his
father on the footpath of a backyard. His FATHER crouches in
front of him with a smile and brings out a toy from behind
his back.
It is a TOY FIGURINE of a pilot, and as the father pulls a
string which comes out the back of the toy it plays a
pre-recorded message in the fathers voice.
TOY PILOT (RECORDED MESSAGE)
Ladies and gentleman, this is
Captain Dad speaking! On behalf of
the flight crew, let me welcome you
abroad this flight. Please sit back
and enjoy the ride.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
The boy grabs the toy with a delighted smile as it talks and
the scene dissolves into laughter.
BACK TO PRESENT
INT. AIRPORT. EARLY MORNING
The MAN continues walking through the airport. A TV which
continues to flicker on and off plays a news program
interlaced with static.
NEWS REPORTER (ON TV)
Ten years ago, a failed science
experiment released deadly nanobots
into the atmosphere, corroding all
metals above 32,000 feet and
grounding all planes.
A last attempt to destroy the
nanobot re-generator leaves today,
using the last of the rare material
arcadium.
As the news report fades out, a wide shot shows the man
walking past a floor-to-ceiling wide window showing many
planes on the tarmac. He stops at the middle and turns to
face the window.
FLASHBACK TO:
EXT. SUBURBAN FRONT YARD. LATE AFTERNOON
From the same angle as the previous shot, a TEENAGER of
seventeen to eighteen years runs onto the street with his
back to the camera. As he watches, planes drop out of the
sky in front of him, with huge gaping chunks missing. They
crash and burn on impact.
BACK TO PRESENT
INT. AIRPORT. EARLY MORNING
The scene cuts back to the MAN standing at the wide windows.
He turns and continues walking until he gets to the exit.
3.
EXT. AIRPORT TARMAC. EARLY MORNING
The MAN exits the airport building and walks past abandoned
airplanes and vehicles until he reaches a cleared area of
tarmac.
There, FIVE PEOPLE dressed in white coats stand in a line in
front of something which looks like a SMALL JET PLANE but
has obviously been built in a newer, streamlined design
using advanced technologies - it looks like something from
the future. The jet is white, with smooth edges and
contours. The plexiglass top is open, and it can be seen
that there is room for a person inside.
As the man walks past the group of people, they say things
to him but he only hears muffled words. They clap him on his
shoulders as he passes.
He stands at the end of the line and turns, nodding solemnly
at the group.
He turns back around and enters the jet.
INT. PLANE. EARLY MORNING
The MAN enters the jet through the open glass cover. There
is only space for one person inside, but he is calm. He
buckles himself into the chair and straps a helmet on his
head, fixing an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. From on
top of his helmet, the man pulls down a thick pair of
sunglasses over his eyes. He pulls the glass cover closed.
There is barely any room for him to move inside. In front of
him is a control panel made up of a large touch screen, with
various buttons and levers represented on it. In the middle
is a physical joystick controller.
He pushes some buttons and switches to start a power up
sequence. He looks outside at the GROUP OF PEOPLE who have
moved some distance away and are watching him.
He turns back and pulls a virtual lever up slowly to take
off. The jet starts rolling along the ground slowly,
gradually gaining speed. The man takes hold of the
controller and pulls it.
The jet takes off at a high speed, flying at a steep
diagonal up into the sky and leaving a thin white contrail
behind.
FLASHBACK TO:
4.
INT. SUBURBAN LIVING ROOM. AFTERNOON
A TEENAGER and FATHER stand in their living room, shouting
at each other. Their expressions and tones are angry,
although most words cant be heard.
TEENAGER
(angry)
Youre never here anymore!
INT. SUBURBAN HOUSE. AFTERNOON
A door slams.
INT. SUBURBAN BEDROOM. AFTERNOON
A TEENAGER sits on the side of his bed. His expression is
sullen and his back faces the door. His FATHER stands behind
him.
FATHER
(softly)
Ill be home in a few days, son.
The father smooths the teenagers hair down, turns around
and leaves. The teenager doesnt move.
BACK TO PRESENT
INT. PLANE. EARLY MORNING
The MAN is jolted from his memories by the jet beeping and a
message flashing on the screen in front of him.
TEXT ON SCREEN
WARNING: EXTERNAL DAMAGE 87%
The percentage continues to drop as the man watches. He has
flown quite a distance up already, approaching the cloud
cover. The jet starts to shake and jerk as nanobots begin to
eat through the metal exterior. The man tightens his grip on
the controller.
From outside, small holes start to appear in the plane like
it has been dosed with acid. The beeping continues and
gradually increases in volume.
5.
EXT. AIRPORT TARMAC. EARLY MORNING
The GROUP OF PEOPLE stand silently on the ground and watch
the plane as it hurtles upwards. Holes start to appear in
the exterior, and small chunks of the plane start falling
off.
INT. PLANE. EARLY MORNING
Suddenly, the plane passes through a layer of clouds to a
very still, quiet place, punctuated only by the continued
beeping inside the jet. The MAN pulls back on the
controller, slowing the plane down and bringing it to
horizontal.
He pulls his sunglasses back on top of the helmet, looking
around frantically, and spots a cluster of buzzing black
dots in the distance, which seem to be grouped around an
unidentified object.
He quickly sets his course towards the cluster on the
control pad using a targeting scope system. The warning
message flashes at 24%.
The planes shaking and jerking increases. The beeping is
very loud and almost unbearable now. From inside his
uniform, the man brings out the obviously old, well-worn
PILOT TOY and holds it in his hands. He draws the string,
listening to the message one last time...
TOY PILOT (RECORDED MESSAGE)
Ladies and gentleman, this is
Captain Dad speaking!
The sound of the beeping fades into periphery as the man
listens to the message, staring at the toy. He puts the toy
down on the control pad with shaking hands.
He pushes a series of buttons which makes a light beside the
description SELF-DESTRUCT turn on...
TOY PILOT (RECORDED MESSAGE) (contd)
On behalf of the flight crew, let
me welcome you abroad this flight.
The man holds the controller again with a tight grip that
turns his fingers white. With his other hand, he rips off
the oxygen mask and helmet with jerky motions. His breathing
is fast and he starts to sweat.
He stares forward with hard eyes, his thumb hovering over a
red button on top of the controller.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.
TOY PILOT (RECORDED MESSAGE) (contd)
Please sit back and enjoy the-
The plane flies straight into the middle of the cluster.
The man pushes the button.
There is an explosion near the front of the plane.
He closes his eyes.
CUT TO BLACK.