INT.

INSTITUTE OF APPLIED SCIENCES - RESTRICTED FLOOR -

NIGHT
The scene opens on a long, unlit corridor, a closed elevator
at the end. The sound of grunting can be heard.
SUPERIMPOSE: INSTITUTE OF APPLIED SCIENCES, SYDNEY, 2020.
The doors of the elevator move apart slightly. More grunting
can be heard, and the elevator doors gradually open up.
Only the top of the elevator carriage can be seen, the rest
is the elevator shaft.
A pair of hands appear on the floor, but disappear just as
quickly. A thud is heard, then a groan. A moment later, the
hands appear again, and a woman pulls herself up and out of
the elevator.
The woman, GEMMA WOODS, 29, is a physicist at the INSTITUTE.
She dusts herself off and looks around in confusion.
GEMMA spots a sign that reads UGL2 - RESTRICTED ACCESS. She
checks her lanyard. It does not give her access to this
level.
GEMMA looks at the sign in concern, looks back at the
elevator then shrugs before heading down the corridor.
GEMMA reaches the end of the corridor and rounds a corner. A
door labelled STAIRCASE is up ahead at the end of the hall.
She starts heading towards it when she hears a door open
further up.
The PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF APPLIED SCIENCES comes out
the door, dressed in an expensive suit. Another person
follows immediately, dressed in a hazard suit.
GEMMAS eyes widen, and before they can notice her, she ducks
behind the wall of the corridor she started from, peering
around the corner.
The PRESIDENT turns to the person in the hazard suit.
PRESIDENT
Get the power started in 15
minutes, I need to inform the PM
its ready.
The HAZARD SUIT PERSON nods and goes back through the door.
The PRESIDENT smiles in satisfaction and heads for the
staircase.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
As soon as hes gone, GEMMA steps out from behind the wall
and checks around her to make sure no one else is there. She
slowly approaches the door the HAZARD SUIT PERSON went into.
GEMMA looks through the glass window and appears confused.
The door leads to an expansive room that looks like a
docking station.
Half the lot is empty, the ground is scorched. In the other
half of the lot, skinned cow carcasses hang from the ceiling
in three groups. The first two contain 50 carcasses, and the
last contains 100.
A cannon-like device, half a metre in width and twice as
long, sits in the middle of the room, manned by the HAZARD
SUIT PERSON.
A WOMAN, sealed in a glass booth at the back of the room, is
taking notes on a computer, surrounded by other monitors
showing different readings.
The cannon-like device lights up, pulses and releases an icy
blue light, which flashes across the room to the first group
of carcasses. They become engulfed in the light and in the
blink of an eye, the carcasses are gone, the floor where
they had been scorched black.
GEMMAs mouth drops open and she immediately whips out her
phone. With the phones amazing zoom and photographic
capabilities, she records the scene as the HAZARD SUIT
PERSON turns the device to the next group and obliterates
the carcasses.
The device is finally turned on the last
group, whirs loudly, and shoots a wider beam at the larger
group.
GEMMA stops recording and runs for the stair case. She
reaches the ground floor and runs past the lobby, out the
glass doors and down the front steps. She sprints down the
driveway, past the two guards stationed at the gate, who
watch her in bewilderment as she disappears around the
corner.
DISSOLVE
3.
INT. TRAIN CARRIAGE - DAY
THE TRAIN is full of people, the lights bright.
SUPERIMPOSE: TWO WEEKS LATER
GEMMA leans against the carriage door, her eyes glued to a
MOBILE PHONE. GEMMA is carrying a messenger bag, her lanyard
around her neck. She squints and pushes a button on the
screen, causing a holograph to pop out.
GEMMA is looking through her emails. She opens an email from
the AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PHYSICS.
The email reads:
RE: JOB APPLICATION
To Dr Woods,
Thank you for your email. Unfortunately, we have no
positions available at the current time.
Best of luck, Tom Baker (Sydney Recruitment Officer, AIP).
GEMMA sighs dejectedly and swipes the holograph to the next
email. It says:
RE: JOB APPLICATION
To Dr Woods,
We regret to inform you that your application has been
unsuccessful.
Regards, Samantha Harding (HR Manager, CSIRO).
GEMMA, upon reading the email, slumps further against the
door, her head falling against it in defeat. She taps the
phone again, the holograph disappears, and she returns the
phone to her pocket.
Behind GEMMA, through the carriage door, we can see the
Opera House. The sky is permanently filled with dark grey
clouds, bright white lights flashing behind them.
Suddenly, an unusual bright red light flashes in the sky.
The train comes to a stop and GEMMA alights the train.
4.
EXT. TRAIN PLATFORM - DAY
A strong gust of wind hits GEMMA, sending her hair flying
around her face uncontrollably. Frustrated, she pushes her
hair away from her face and puts it up in a bun.
Out of the corner of her eye, GEMMA spots a person reading
the news from a holograph projecting from their watch. She
stares for a moment before rolling her eyes and walking
away.
A picture of the PRESIDENT OF THE INSTITUTE OF APPLIED
SCIENCES is shown on the holograph. He appears to be
attempting to get past protesters with police officers
assisting him. The headline reads:
POLICE ON STAND-BY AS TENSIONS OVER PLASMA WEAPONS BECOME
WHITE-HOT.
In the corner sits a hyper-link labelled:
The physicist who leaked the IASs best kept secret.
OFF SCREEN SOUND OF SHOUTING begins.
CUT TO
EXT. INSTITUTE OF APPLIED SCIENCES - DAY
The grounds of the Institute are expansive, an artificial
lawn surrounding a white, pristine building. A twisted spire
protrudes from its middle, edged with pale blue lights which
glow dimly. A tall fence surrounds the INSTITUTE, outside
which protesters are picketing.
Some PROTESTERS are brandishing signs such as SAY NO TO
PLASMA WEAPONS and chanting.
GUARDS stand inside the gates of the Institute, observing
the protesters.
The first guard, STEVE, stares resolutely forward, watching
for potentially dangerous protesters. The second guard, PAUL
appears distracted, his gaze wandering.
Suddenly, the PAULS face lights up in recognition.
GEMMA is walking briskly along the footpath on the other
side of the tall fence.
GEMMA reaches the protesters and tries to get through the
group. She is shoved and knocked back. A man turns to glare
at her when she falls against him.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
GEMMA ignores the man and pushes past. Just when shes about
to reach the front, someone bumps into her, sending her
slamming into the gate. GEMMA groans and straightens up,
throwing a dirty look over her shoulder.
GEMMA reaches for her lanyard and taps it against the card
reader. The screen on the reader lights up with the words:
ACCESS DENIED.
GEMMA removes her ID from the lanyard and taps it against
the card reader again. Once again, the screen on the reader
says:
ACCESS DENIED.
GEMMA sighs and looks to the guards.
GEMMA
Hey! HEY! Can you let me in? I was
fired and Im here to pick up my
stuff.
PAUL looks to STEVE, unsure, but STEVE shakes his head. PAUL
rolls his eyes defiantly and strides over to the gate.
PAUL
What did you think was going to
happen?
GEMMA
I wasnt expecting for them to find
out it was me.
He looks unimpressed as he unlocks the gate and pulls it
open wide enough for GEMMA to come through.
The PROTESTERS surge forward as GEMMA slips through the open
gate. Their chants turn into yells. TWO PROTESTERS barge
through the gate.
PAUL slams the gate shut before any more can come through as
PROTESTER 1 lunges at him and PROTESTER 2 ducks past towards
STEVE. PROTESTER 1 jumps up onto PAULS back and puts him in
a choke hold.
GEMMA looks horrified as PAUL scrambles at PROTESTER 1s arm,
his face slowly turning red. She frantically looks around
for STEVE, who she realises is chasing down PROTESTER 2.
GEMMA yanks on PROTESTER 1s other arm, and he turns to look
at her. She pulls her fist back and punches PROTESTER 1 in
the face.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.
PROTESTER 1 releases PAUL, almost slipping off his
back. PAUL throws PROTESTER 1 off, spins around and wrestles
him to the ground. He keeps PROTESTER 1 pinned to the ground
with one arm and presses a blue botton on his belt. A few
seconds pass before a police SIREN is heard.
TWO POLICE CARS come zooming around the corner of a side
street.
POLICE OFFICERS get out of their cars, brandishing TASER
SHOTGUNS. The shotguns are stamped with lettering on the
side: IAS.
PROTESTER 3
Shit, theyve got taser shotguns!
The PROTESTERS begin running from the scene. Two of the
OFFICERS begin firing, sending blue bolts of electricity
through the PROTESTERS as they stun them.
The other two OFFICERS approach the gate.
GEMMA opens the gate to let them through, just as STEVE
returns with PROTESTER 2 in tow, handing him over to the
OFFICERS.
STEVE and the OFFICERS whisper to each other indistinctly,
before the OFFICERS cuff the two protesters and lead them
out into the police cars.
PAUL shuts the gate after them and then turns to GEMMA,
smiling. He opens his mouth as if to say something but he is
interrupted by STEVE.
STEVE
We cant let you enter the building.
STEVE returns to his post, where a large, sealed cardboard
box sits on the ground. The box has GEMMA WOODS written
across the side. He picks up the box and brings it over to
GEMMA. He looks stoic as he hands GEMMA the box.
GEMMA buckles under its weight, the box slipping from her
hands.
PAUL grabs the box before it falls and places it more firmly
into GEMMAS hands, his own lingering on hers. They both grin
at each other. There is clearly something between them.
STEVE clears his throat. He is holding the gate open. PAULS
smile turns sheepish and he lets GEMMAS hands go.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 7.
GEMMA exits through the gate and it clangs shut behind her.
She looks over her shoulder at PAUL, who waves at her. STEVE
is already at his post.
GEMMA smiles sadly at PAUL and heads off across the street.
A COUPLE OF KIDS whiz past on bikes, almost toppling over
people coming out of the gates of the UNIVERSITY opposite
the INSTITUTE.
Some UNIVERSITY STUDENTS are pointing up at the sky, which
is still filled with dark grey clouds with bright white
light flashing behind them.
Suddenly, the sky flashes red, and more people begin to
notice. The sky flashes red again and the ground starts to
shake, the sound of vibrations gradually getting louder.
GEMMA looks up at the sky, alarmed.
A massive spaceship appears in the sky, hovering about 300
metres in the air. It is in the shape of a giant wasp with a
needle-like structure sticking out of the front. The ship is
the colour of gunmetal, red lights clustered on its sides.
PAUL and STEVE look up at the ship in horror.
STEVE
What the hell is that?
A pulse of red light begins to spread from the base of the
needle structure, to its tip. The ship shudders for a second
and from the needle structure, a red light suddenly flashes
through the air. The light abruptly cuts off after a second.
GEMMA staggers back, her box crashing to the ground. She
looks frightened.
This time, its needle structure is aimed at a statue near
the students. It lets out another flash of red light, which
blasts the statue, leaving a blackened hole in the ground.
The STUDENTS scream and start running in the other
direction. GEMMA doesnt move, transfixed on the ship.
PAUL throws open the gate and sprints towards GEMMA. STEVE
looks after PAUL, terrified, before turning around and
running for the Institute building.
PAUL reaches GEMMA and shakes her arm.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 8.
PAUL
GEMMA, COME ON, LETS GO!
GEMMA looks at PAUL and together they run away from the
ship.
The ship emits a rumble, as if struggling for power. The
needle structure lights up brighter than before, pulsing
violently. The ship turns towards the Institute, and blasts
the entire building, leaving behind a smoking, black crater.
GEMMA and PAUL stop at the sound of the blast, looking back
at the building, shocked.
PAUL
NO! STEVE!
PAUL tries to run towards the crater, but GEMMA pulls him
back, looking up at the ship.
A panel on the base of the ship slides open and five huge
reptilian-like MONSTERS jump out, crashing to the ground in
seconds.
The MONSTERS stand in a circle, five metres tall. They emit
clicking noises at each other and then turn in different
directions.
One MONSTER turns to GEMMA and PAUL. Its lips appear to
stretch into an evil smile, revealing sharp rows of teeth.
The MONSTER gives a deep, throaty laugh and lifts a large,
gun-like device at them.