when these side effects start occurring?
ALANA
It's possible but then a person would be
dependent on cell rejuvenation for the rest
of their life.
SEBASTIAN
They'd be immortal.
ALANA
True, they'd also lose more and more of
their memories until there's nothing left.
It'd be like de-evolving them.
Sebastian flashes his eye-brows.
SEBASTIAN
Not exactly progress for the human race
then.
Alana laughs, looking down at her glass.
ALANA
Exactly. But it's not about living forever,
it's about living now.
She sits up.
ALANA (CONT'D)
Imagine it. Stasis could allow ANYONE to
travel to anywhere in the galaxy, the
universe even. People are always
complaining about overpopulation, that
there aren't enough resources, it's all
nonsense. Everything's out there.
Everything we could possibly want. We
just have to grab it.
SEBASTIAN
You're talking as though habitable planets
are everywhere.
ALANA
Mars wasn't.
She smiles, sipping her wine.
ALANA (CONT'D)
(beat)
Things change. Nothing's ever permanent.
Sebastian slowly nods.
SEBASTIAN
Well.
He raises his glass.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
(smiles)
Here's to change.
CUT TO.
EXT. ROCKY COVE - MORNING
Waves crash.
Sebastian steps forward.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
(low, angry)
You stupid girl.
Drawn on a slab is a figure on a horse, the two flying over the ocean...
CUT TO.
EXT. SHORE - ROCKY COVE - DAY
Sebastian sits alone, waiting. Anger now replaced with concern...
DISSOLVE TO.
EXT. OCEAN - ROCKY COVE - EVENING
... The sun and galaxies set... Sebastian remains in the same position, concern now turning into fear.
ALANA (O.S)
I'm right here.
Sebastian turns his head.
CUT TO.
EXT. BALCONY - PENTHOUSE - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
Alana stands by the rail, still in her blue dinner dress.
Sebastian smiles, carrying two glasses of wine.
SEBASTIAN
What you doing out here?
ALANA
Just taking in the view.
Sebastian stands beside her, the city and skyscrapers before them.
SEBASTIAN (O.S)
Amazing isn't it?
ALANA
It sure is.
He glances aside and realizes she's not looking at the city but the sky.
SEBASTIAN
(beat)
What is it?
Alana looks at him and smiles.
ALANA
Can't see it?
Sebastian looks up but sees nothing.
SEBASTIAN
What?
Alana laughs, pointing to a patch of sky.
ALANA
There.
Sebastian squints his eyes but can't see anything.
SEBASTIAN
Stars?
Alana smiles, taking his glass.
ALANA
Here.
She sets down their glasses and guides his finger, their faces side by side.
Alana holds his arm steady, his finger in line with a pink star.
SEBASTIAN
Is that...?
Alana laughs.
ALANA
Yeah.
Sebastian smiles, staring at the once red planet.
ALANA (CONT'D)
(softly)
So far away.
Sebastian notices a light scar on her wrist. He draws back and looks at her, their faces still close.
SEBASTIAN
(beat)
How old were you when you left?
Alana stops and looks at him.
ALANA
Six.
Sebastian nods.
Alana lowers her head.
ALANA (CONT'D)
(beat, low)
I'm sorry.
SEBASTIAN
Sorry? For what?
ALANA
I don't know.
Sebastian touches her chin and lifts her face.
SEBASTIAN
It doesn't matter. I've still fallen for you.
Alana's blue eyes glisten in the moonlight. She feels his hand on her cheek. She raises her own hand, touching his.
Their faces draw closer, slowly.
Sebastian kisses her, delicately, her face trembling.
His hands settle on her waist, Alana's arms wrap around him... Another kiss follows, stronger, deeper... Alana closes her eyes, returning the kiss.
INT. BEDROOM - DIMLY LIT
Alana is laid down. She holds Sebastian face as he presses his lips against hers. She stares up at the ceiling as he moves to her neck and shoulder.
ALANA
(low)
Go slowly.
Sebastian stops and reads her face.
SEBASTIAN
Am I your first?
Alana looks at him, embarrassed.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
We don't have to.
Alana shakes her head.
ALANA
I want to.
She touches his lips.
ALANA (CONT'D)
This feels right.
She pulls him close and slowly kisses him. Sebastian kisses her back, moving to her neck and shoulder.
Alana closes her eyes, opening herself.
CUT TO.
EXT. SHORE - ROCKY COVE - MORNING
The tethered raft bounces on the light waves. Hope shakes Sebastian awake, bow over her shoulder.
HOPE
Papa! Papa, get up!
Sebastian opens his eyes. He sees Hope looking down at him.
HOPE (CONT'D)
You have to come with me!
SEBASTIAN
Hope! What the Hell were you thinking??
Hope grabs his hands and pulls him up.
HOPE
-We have to go! Now!
The horse is behind her.
SEBASTIAN
-Hold on...
HOPE
-There's no time!
SEBASTIAN
-Wait!
He grabs her shoulders.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
What's over there?
Hope grins.
HOPE
People!
She laughs.
HOPE (CONT'D)
There's OTHER people!
Sebastian stops.
CUT TO.
EXT. OCEAN - DAY
The waters roll by.
Sebastian nervously looks down, holding on to Hope's waist.
The horse flaps its wings, struggling under their combined weight. Hope kicks its side, pulling on the antler-handles. The horse grunts and rises.
Sebastian looks ahead.
Mist clears, revealing an island.
HOPE (O.S)
Yah!
The horse dives down towards the sandy shoreline.
Sebastian looks around. There doesn't seem to be any sign of life.
HOPE (O.S) (CONT'D)
Sebastian leans forward. He sees something on the shore.
... A white pod.
CUT TO.
EXT. SANDY SHORE - DAY
The horse nibbles on some berries.
Sebastian and Hope stand in front of
the pod.
SEBASTIAN
Did you see any others?
Hope feels over the pod, eager.
HOPE
No, but I didn't go far inland.
Sebastian looks at the pod again, it's face down in the sand.
HOPE (CONT'D)
You and mama came from something like
this, didn't you?
Sebastian nods, still staring at the pod.
Hope tries to push it over but it's too heavy.
HOPE (CONT'D)
How do we get it open?
Sebastian pauses, then looks to the horse.
CUT TO.
EXT. SANDY SHORE - LATER
A thick vine is tied to the side of the pod. Hope sits on the horse, the other end of the vine fastened around its waist.
SEBASTIAN
(backing up)
All right give it a go.
Hope pushes the horse forward, pulling on its antlers.
HOPE
Yah!
The horse opens its wings and begins to rise, tugging on the pod. Sebastian also pulls, using all his strength.
The horse grunts, struggling.
Hope looks back. The pod is slowly turning.
HOPE (CONT'D)
It's working!
Sebastian clenches his teeth, pulling harder.
... The pod finally rolls over with a low “thump”.
HOPE (CONT'D)
Down, down.
Hope jumps off the horse and runs back to the pod.
Sebastian steps forward and wipes mud and grime off the glass cover.
Hope stops beside him and stares in amazement. Inside is a young man in his early 20s, wearing a familiar white jumpsuit.
She smiles, touching the glass.
HOPE (CONT'D)
It's a boy.
Sebastian pauses, recognizing his face.
INT. BRIEFING ROOM - BRIGHT LIT (FLASHBACK / MUTE)
Alana and the young man sit by a table, the two going over some papers...
EXT. SANDY SHORE
Hope pries the edges of the glass cover.
HOPE
How do we get him out?
(struggling)
How do we get it open?
Sebastian looks over the pod. None of the lights are on.
HOPE (O.S) (CONT'D)
Papa, how do we get him out?
The young man is completely still.
Sebastian slowly turns to Hope.
SEBASTIAN
Sweetheart. I don't think he's alive.
Hope stops.
HOPE
No. No he's just sleeping.
SEBASTIAN
This thing isn't working.
HOPE
-No! He's alive.
She pushes at the glass.
HOPE (CONT'D)
He's just sleeping!
Sebastian touches her shoulder.
SEBASTIAN
Hope, it's too late.
HOPE
NO!
She grabs a rock and pounds at the glass.
HOPE (CONT'D)
He's alive! He's alive!
SEBASTIAN
Hope, stop it! Stop it!
HOPE
He's alive!
-“HISS!”
SEBASTIAN
Hope!
A side panel sparks up, Sebastian pulls Hope aside just as the glass guard retracts with a soft “hum”.
Sebastian holds a moment then cautiously steps forward.
He looks down at the young man.
He still isn't moving.
Hope looks over his shoulder.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
Hello?
The man's skin turns pale white, his flesh aging and rotting like a vegetable in time lapse.
Hope screams, hiding her face in Sebastian's shoulder. Sebastian turns her away, shielding her eyes.
SEBASTIAN (CONT'D)
It's all right. It's all right.
He slowly looks back at the man.
There's nothing left but a white jumpsuit and a skeleton.
CUT TO.
EXT. SANDY SHORE - SUNSET
Hope sits on a large rock, staring at the ground. Sebastian kneels down in front and takes her hands.
SEBASTIAN
He was gone long before we got here. There
was nothing we could have done.
HOPE
(beat)
Papa.
SEBASTIAN
Yes sweetheart.
HOPE
I'd like to be alone.
Sebastian looks at her and slowly nods. He lets go of her hands and gets up, kissing her forehead. Hope continues to stare at the ground, her face blank.
CUT TO.
INT. DINING ROOM - COUNTRY HOUSE - NIGHT (FLASHBACK)
Alana stares at the table, wearing a formal dinner dress, her face blank.
SEBASTIAN (O.S)
(low)
You all right?
Alana glances aside and forces a smile.
Around the table are a dozen men and women, all smartly dressed.
TAYLOR (early 30s) laughs.
TAYLOR
Seriously why should Martians be given
such an easy ride? If they wanna be
successful they gotta prove themselves, get
off their skinny red asses.
Laughter. Alana plays with her glass.
An ENGLISH WOMAN shakes her head.
ENGLISH WOMAN
They're leeches, all of them, especially
these illegals.
TAYLOR
What's curious to me is why doesn't Mars
have industry, private industry. The
potential's there, the resources. They
haven't got it because we keep throwing
charity at them, and the moment there's
talk of withdrawing any of it we have these
Red2Green fanatics threatening war.
JENNINGS (40) shakes his head.
JENNINGS
It's all talk. Mars has no legitimate
government. They couldn't start a war with
anyone.
JENNING'S WIFE
Martians are different, they really are. It's
the low gravity. I read that it's done
something to their brains.
Sebastian glances at Alana, still looking at the table.
TAYLOR
Interesting you raise that point. I mean
what are the Martians? Seriously, what
are they? What can they ever be?
Alana slowly looks up.
TAYLOR (CONT'D)
(beat)
Workers.
(smiles)
The majority of Martians spend their lives
in mines and factories. They are
psychologically, and perhaps even now
physiologically, a working class.
SEBASTIAN
You mean lower class.
TAYLOR
No, I don't mean that. And this doesn't
have to be a bad thing. Look at India, here
we had a civilization that was intact for
thousands of years. Why? Because they
had a clearly defined social structure. A
society where everyone knew their place,
from top to bottom.
SEBASTIAN
So children are doomed by the place in
society they're born into?
TAYLOR
“Doomed” is a bit harsh. Why not...
content?
ALANA (O.S)
How can you be content if you have
nothing?
Everyone stops and looks at Alana. Taylor glances at Sebastian.
TAYLOR
Well...
ENGLISH WOMAN
They have an entire world. If they feel they
have nothing here then perhaps Mars is