(INT.

) MALL - COMIC BOOKS STORE - NIGHT

JAKE (Adolescent) is hanging out with his friend, MARCO (Adolescent) in a book store in
a mall. Until TOBIAS (Adolescent) showed up.

TOBIAS:
What's up?

JAKE:
(re: Jake and Marco) Not much, we're headed home.

MARCO:
(kind of annoyed) Out of quarters, Certain people keep forgetting that the SleazeTroll
shows up right after you cross the Nether Fjord. So certain people keep losing the game
(BEAT) and losing our quarter.

TOBIAS:
(re: Jake and Marco) So, like maybe I'll walk home with you guys,

JAKE:
Sure. Why not?

(INT.) MALL EXIT - NIGHT

They were heading out to the exit when they spotted RACHEL (Adolescent) and CASSIE
(Adolescent). They both go up to the boys.

JAKE:
(concerned) You guys going home? You shouldn't go through the construction site by
yourselves. I mean, being girls and all.

RACHEL:
(re: Jake)(teasing) Are you going to come and protect us, you big, strong m-a-a-a-n?

CASSIE:
I'd appreciate it if they did walk with us, (BEAT) I know you're not afraid of anything,
Rachel, but I guess I am.

(EXT.) CONSTRUCTION SITE BETWEEN TREES - MINUTES LATER

TOBIAS:
(re: sky) Look.
 JAKE:
(interested) What?

TOBIAS:
(amazed and serious) Just look.

Jake looks up and sees a BRILLIANT, BLUE-WHITE LIGHT that scooted across the sky,
going fast at first, too fast for it to be an airplane, then slower and slower.

JAKE:
(confused) What is it?

TOBIAS:
(confused) I don't know.

Jake and Tobias looked at each other, with a conclusion but didn't say it. They figured
that Marco and Rachel would've laughed at them.

CASSIE:
(scared) It's a flying saucer!

MARCO:
(sarcastically) A flying saucer?

RACHEL:
(re: flying saucer)(scared) It's coming this way.

JAKE:
It's hard to be sure.

RACHEL:
(re: flying saucer)(definite) No, it's coming this way.

JAKE:
It's not exactly a flying saucer, (BEAT) That tail thing, it looks like a weapon.

MARCO:
Definitely.

RACHEL:
(re: flying saucer)(concerned) It's stopping.

The flying saucer gets nearer and nearer as they talked.

MARCO:
I think it sees us, (BEAT) Should we run? Maybe we should run home and get a camera.
Do you know how much money we could get for a video of a real UFO?

JAKE:
 (sarcastically) If we run, they might . . . I don't know, zap us with phasers on full power.

MARCO:
(disagreeing) Phasers are only on Star Trek.

(BEAT)

MARCO:
(shakey) What do you think it is?

TOBIAS:
(grinning with thrill) I think it's going to land.

Tobias always liked weird stuff. Which was probably why he wasn't scared of the flying
saucer.

JAKE:
(scared) It's coming right at us!

They were all stunned by the sight. They were scared but couldn't move, so they all just
stood there.

RACHEL:
(whispering) It isn't very big, is it?

JAKE:
(thoughtfully) It's about, (BEAT) about three or four times as big as our minivan."

MARCO:
We should tell someone, (BEAT) I mean, this is kind of major, you know? Spaceships
don't just land in the construction site every day. We should call the cops or the army or
the president or something. We'd be totally famous. We'd get to be on Letterman for sure.

JAKE:
Yeah, you're right, we should call someone.

RACHEL:
I wonder if we should try and talk to it. (BEAT) I mean, we should communicate. If that's
even possible.
Tobias then nods in agreement to Rachel's suggestion. He walks up to the ship and
holds his arm out to show that he has no weapons.

TOBIAS:
It's safe, we won't hurt you.

JAKE:
Do you think they speak English?

CASSIE:
(nervously) Well, everyone speaks English on Star Trek.

The alien then speaks in a low voice.

ALIEN:
I know.

TOBIAS:
(whispering) Did everyone hear that?

Everyone then proceeded to nod at each other slowly.

TOBIAS:
Can you come out?

ALIEN:
Yes. Do not be frightened.

TOBIAS:
We won't be frightened.

JAKE:
Speak for yourself.

Everyone chuckled nervously as Jake stated this. Then, came out a weird looking
creature. A hybrid of all types of animals, that it's almost indescribable.

TOBIAS:
(nervously) Hello..
 ALIEN:
Hello.

ALL:
Hi.

The alien then fell off to the dirt. Tobias tried to get him up but he fell again.

CASSIE:
(re: burnt right side of the alien) Look! He's hurt.

ALIEN:
Yes. I am dying.

MARCO:
Can we help you? We can call an ambulance or something.

CASSIE:
We can bandage that wound. Jake, give me your shirt. We can tear it up and make
bandages.

ALIEN:
No. I will die. The wound is fatal.

JAKE:
(upset) NO! You can't die. You're the first alien ever to come to Earth. You can't die.

ALIEN:
I am not the first. There are many, many others.

TOBIAS:
(demanding) Other aliens? Like you?

ALIEN:
(while shaking its head) Not like me.

(BEAT)

ALIEN:
Not like me, they are different.

JAKE:
Different? How?

ALIEN:
They have come to destroy you.

(BEAT)
 ALIEN:
They are called Yeerks, they are different from us. Different from you, as well.

RACHEL:
(demanding) Are you telling us they're already here on Earth?

ALIEN:
Many are here. Hundreds. Maybe more.

MARCO:
Why hasn't anybody noticed them? I think someone would have mentioned it at school.

ALIEN:
You do not understand. Yeerks are different. They have no body, like yours or mine. They
live in the bodies of other species. They are…

(BEAT)

Screen shows a picture of a green slimy creature, a picture that was brightly shown onto Jake's
head. This was because of the telekinetic powers of the alien.

MARCO:
I'm guessing that was a Yeerk, either that or a very big wad of slimy chewing gum.

ALIEN:
They are almost powerless without hosts. They-

Suddenly, they feel a burst of pain. As if they felt what the alien was feeling.

ALIEN:
The Yeerks are parasites. They must have a host to live in. In this form they are known as
Controllers. They enter the brain and are absorbed into it, taking over the host's thoughts
and feelings. They try to get the host to accept them voluntarily. It is easier that way.
Otherwise the host may be able to resist, at least a little.

RACHEL:
Are you saying they take over human beings? People? These things take over their
bodies?

JAKE:
Look, this is serious stuff. You shouldn't be telling us. We're just kids, you know.
This is like something the government should know about.

ALIEN:
We had hoped to stop them.

(BEAT)
 ALIEN:
Swarms of their Bug fighters were waiting when our Dome ship came out of Z-Space. We
knew of their mother ship and were ready for the Bug fighters, but the Yeerks surprised
us - they had hidden a powerful Blade ship in a crater of your moon. We fought, but… we
lost. They have tracked me here. They will be here soon to eliminate all traces of me and
my ship.

CASSIE:
(wondering) How can they do that?

ALIEN:
Their Dracon beams will leave nothing behind but a few molecules of this ship, and…
this body.

(BEAT)

ALIEN:
sent a message to my home world. We Andalites fight the Yeerks wherever they go
throughout the universe. My people will send help, but it may take a year, even more, and
by then the Yeerks will have control of this planet. After that, there is no hope. You must
tell people. You must warn your people!

MARCO:
(hopelessly) No one is ever going to believe us, no way.

RACHEL:
I don't care if he thinks he's going to die, we have to try and help him. We can get him to
a hospital. Or maybe Cassie's parents…

ALIEN:
(disapproving) There is no time. No time… Perhaps…

JAKE:
What?

ALIEN:
Go into my ship. You will see a small blue box, very plain. Bring it to me. Quickly! I have
very little time, and the Yeerks will find me soon.
They all look at each other. They all agreed, but Jake was a little hesitant.
 TOBIAS:
(while kneeling by the alien with a hand on it's shoulder) Go ahead, I want to stay with him.

Jake looks at the doorway of the ship, and glances back to Cassie.

CASSIE:
Go ahead, you're not scared.

Jake went in and surprisingly, there was not much inside. But a few technological stuff
that was straight out off a science fiction movie. He sees a picture of the Andalite with it's
family, which made him a little angry at the Yeerks.He finds the boc and goes back
outside to his circle of friends.

JACK:
Here's the box.

ALIEN:
Thank you.

JACK:
I, um... was that your family? That picture?

ALIEN:
Yes.

JAKE:
(sad) I'm sorry.

ALIEN:
(shrugging off the sadness) There is something I may be able to do to help you fight the
Yeerks.

RACHEL:
(demanding) What?

ALIEN:
I know that you are young. I know that you have no power with which to resist the
Controllers. But I may be able to give you some small powers that may help.

They all looked at each other, except for Tobias who never took his eyes off the alien.
He was really concerned.

ALIEN:
If you wish, I can give you powers that no other human being has ever had.

JAKE:
(curious) Powers?
 ALIEN:
It is a piece of Andalite technology that the Yeerks do not have. A technology that
enables us to pass unnoticed in many parts of the universe - the power to morph. We
have never shared this power. But your need is great.

RACHEL:
Morph? Morph how?

ALIEN:
To change your bodies, to become any other species. Any animal.

MARCO:
(laughs in disbelief) Become animals?

ALIEN:
You will only need to touch a creature, to acquire its DNA pattern, and you will be able to
become that creature. It requires concentration and determination, but, if you are strong,
you can do it. There are… limitations. Problems. Dangers, even. But there is no time to
explain it all… no time. You will have to learn for yourselves. But first, do you wish to
receive this power?

MARCO:
(asking Jake) He's kidding, right?

TOBIAS:
No, he's not kidding.

MARCO:
(trying to process everything) This is nuts. This whole thing is nuts. Yeerks and spaceships
and slugs taking over people's brains and Andalites and the power to change into
animals? Give me a break.

JAKE:
Yeah, it is beyond weird.

RACHEL:
We're off the map of weirdness by this point, but unless we're all just dreaming, I think
we'd better deal with this.

TOBIAS:
(reminding) He's dying.

CASSIE:
I'll do it.
This shocked everyone, she usually was a scaredy-cat. But now she has courage, she
probably understood the truth of what the Andalite was saying.

JAKE:
I think we should all decide together, one way or the other.

RACHEL:
(confused) What's that?

Bog bright red lights shone amongst the stars and shoots across the sky.

ALIEN:
Yeerks.