1

merkabah by Douglas Brodoff

©1992

by Douglas Brodoff contact: [email protected]

2

FADE IN: EXT. THE DUNES -- KITTY HAWK, NORTH CAROLINA -- DAY After descending from the sky, the CAMERA PANS slowly with a jerking motion across huge dunes. The curves are almost erotic like the curves of bodies as we DISSOLVE from dune to dune. Clouds seem to touch the tops of the dunes as they billow almost explosively. Streaks of bright white sky peak through here and there and sunlight refracts in fringes of rainbow. We hear the wind rise and the VOICE of NASA. NASA (voiceover) Control? Control, do you copy? This is Nasa. Do you read me? Wind, check. Sky, check. Sand, check. Air and space. Conditions, perfect. All systems go. Is that what I've been seeking? Perhaps the answers are here. Propulsion, thrust, guidance, dreamers like always. Seekers, not of beauty but of steady sea breezes. I am heavier than air. But what others call impossible, I know to be true. At the top of a dune we suddenly see a small figure. Soon we can make out that it is a woman in a southern red checkerboard frock running and dancing. She is whirling an umbrella above her head trying to catch the wind. She runs and leaps into the air trying to take off. NASA (voiceover) Sensors indicate an unidentified life form on the horizon. Must attempt to establish contact. MEDIUM CLOSEUP of NASA as he watches the woman in the dunes. Nasa is a boyish looking man of twenty-seven. He wears a bike helmet and a bright flowered Hawaiian shirt. He calls out to the woman but his voice is lost in the wind. NASA (calling out) Hello! Hello! MONTAGE of the umbrella sweeping through the air. The woman, Wendy is dancing and jumping, her dirty blond hair blowing. We hear Nasa laughing as Wendy mimics a bird. She looks directly at Nasa and yells to him. WENDY Catch me! Wendy runs over the top of the dune, jumps, and disappears. Nasa stands, holding on to the handlebars of his bike as he looks up at the top of the dune.

3 He drops the bike and runs up toward the top of the dune. CUT TO: Nasa reaches the top of the dune. He looks and shouts in all directions but the woman has disappeared. The wind blows in Nasa's puzzled face. Suddenly, some distance away, a hang glider appears from behind another dune and soars into the sky. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. KITE STORE -- DAY A CLOSEUP of a giant chinese kite shaped like a flying pterodactyl dinosaur blows in the breeze, a long tail streaming in the sky. LONG SHOT of a wooden building on stilts. A banner billows above the door with rainbow letters reading "KITTY KITES" and next to the words a cartoon cat with aviator sunglasses and white scarf. Colorful kites and windcatchers fly off the building, including the giant pterodactyl kite. Nasa rides a bicycle into the frame and parks, locking his bike to one of the building's stilts. An old red pick-up truck with racks of surfboards on the back and covered with colorful surfer decals, pulls into the parking lot. FONDUE, a blond surf bum leans out the driver's side window and yells at Nasa. FONDUE Hey, Nasa! Nasa! I'm heading down to the lighthouse. Word is the waves are reviving, hypersonicly torus! You up for it? NASA That's a copy. You're a life-saver, Fondue. Initiate countdown. Give me five to get my new supplies. FONDUE No prob, space dude. Hey, give me your keys, I'll load the bike. Nasa tosses the keys into Fondue's hands NASA Lift-off in five. FONDUE T-minus five minutes and counting. INT. KITE STORE -- DAY Many kites hang off the walls and ceiling. There are skateboards, surfboards, and racks of wild colored clothing. A few customers mill about. At the counter is KATE who greets Nasa as he enters the store.

4 Hey, Nasa!

KATE How's it going.

NASA All systems go. KATE You must be doing pretty good. you a few days ago.

Only saw

NASA Check. I'm sold out. I need a new payload. Lots of tourists. Lots of kids. How's biz at Kite Control? KATE Some new multi-cell boxes from Japan. Cool.

NASA Thinking I'll work the pier today.

KATE (joking) Well if the cops ask you where you got the stuff, you don't know anything. Come on in back. We'll set you up. INT. BACK ROOM OF KITE STORE -- DAY Kate and Nasa sit on piles of kite boxes. KATE So, it looks like you might be setting down some roots. NASA Unconfirmed. Looks promising, though. Say, maybe you can help me out, Katie. I just saw something really strange in the dunes. KATE (teasing) There are many mysteries in the dunes! NASA No really. There was this girl dancing at the top of Jockey's Ridge. KATE Ballet or modern? least?

Was she topless at

NASA It was more like she was trying to fly. Then poof! She was gone. I ran up to the top but she was gone. I mean, gone. KATE A ghost!

5 Come on.

NASA I may be crazy but I'm not...

KATE Relax, I was kidding. Sounds like you've had a close encounter with our local space-case, Wendy Wright. NASA Wendy WRIGHT? KATE She lives in Waves with her sister and mother. They all claim to be descendants of old Orville and Wilbur. NASA You're kidding.

The Wright sisters?

EXT. KITTY HAWK -- DAY IMAGES of the Kitty Hawk area. The Wright brothers monument. tower with the words "KILL DEVIL HILLS" in big black letters. houses on tall stilts.

A water Rows of

EXT. HIGHWAY -- DAY Fondue's red pickup flies down the thin two-lane highway between two bodies of water, Pamlico Bay and the Atlantic. INT. FONDUE’S TRUCK Nasa and Fondue sit in the front of the pickup. Through the back window, we can see Nasa's bike loaded with kites propped up between the surfboards. FONDUE The crazy chick who thinks she's a bird? Yeah, sure I know her. Her older sister too. The fabulous Wright Sisters. They're both crazy. NASA She have a boyfriend? FONDUE You're mining for unobtainium, man. She's a tease. And a goofball. Where'd you run into her anyway? NASA Well, I haven't actually made contact. Just a sighting. FONDUE (laughing) It was inevitable, I guess. You two are made for each other. You're both psychotic. The truck speeds by a milepost and the "WAVES" town sign.

6 NASA Retrofire, man. You sure?

Let me off here.

FONDUE O.K.

NASA Gonna rendezvous and dock.

Waves!

EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY Nasa crosses the road with his bike as the truck pulls away. Nasa walks down the street toward the beach looking at the names on the mailboxes of the cottages he passes. EXT. BEACH -- DAY A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa's day at the beach. Nasa wheels his bike down the beach, clearly looking for Wendy. backrack of the bike is piled high with kites. Nasa talking to a little boy. with Nasa for a kite.

The

The boy's father walks up and negotiates

Nasa teaching a couple how to fly a kite. EXT. DUNE ABOVE BEACH -- LATE AFTERNOON Nasa is sitting on a dune overlooking the beach. From behind him Wendy appears. She watches him for a moment as he works on a kite. WENDY Delta? Nasa is surprised by Wendy’s appearance but tries to play it cool. NASA Gusset Delta actually. Slightly different specs. New design I've been working on. Wendy, isn't it? WENDY (nods) And you're Nasa. NASA How'd you know? WENDY I'm psychic. Is that an arab name? NASA (laughs) No. My father named me. story. WENDY I've got time.

It's a long

7 NASA (finishing the kite) There, time for a test flight.

Coming?

Nasa stands and runs with Wendy down to the beach. EXT. BEACH -- DAY Nasa and Wendy launch the kite, their laughing and talking smothered by the surf and wind. The kite lies in a broken heap on the wet sand. his hand. Wendy stands next to him.

Nasa pokes at it with

WENDY What happened? NASA (picking up debris) Not sure. Must have measured something wrong. Oh well. Salvage operation complete. You hungry? INT. RESTAURANT -- DAY Nasa and Wendy sit eating. Wendy has an enormous vegetable salad in front of her and is eating with great relish. Nasa stares at her transfixed but even while responding with little nods, is lost in his own inner dialogue which we hear in the background as Wendy rattles on. From NASA's POV, it's like a lunar module is examining and preparing to land on Wendys face. NASA (voiceover) Pulse, steady but accelerating. Pressure, 170 over 85. Check. WENDY It's yummy. I don't know why but I sure can eat with you. I can't eat with other guys. Something to do with tables. NASA (voiceover, background) Meridians, maintaining equalization, lymph factor normal. Estrogen count rising. Check. WENDY Too many sharp corners. Makes me nervous. And some guy always getting romantic. NASA (voiceover background) Nostril dilation , sixteen centimeters. Eyebrow infestation...

8 WENDY Can’t relax. Who knows why. I pick at things usually. I mean, look at all this stuff. NASA (voiceover background) Releasing adrenaline. Hair follicle count commencing. We're picking up a copper deficiency... WENDY Earth to Nasa!

Hey! Oh.

NASA Sorry, I must have drifted off.

NASA How's your burger? Great.

NASA Juicy.

Nasa takes a huge bite. WENDY I don't know. Don't you think eating animals is kind of old- fashioned. It's kind of barbaric, don't you think. Nasa pulls out his wallet, opens it and pulls something out. NASA (as he chews) I know what you mean. It's like respecting other life forms and all but I just don't think I could ever give up burgers. It's solid fuel. WENDY Is everything rockets with you? NASA Rockets and burgers. WENDY The all american boy. NASA With lots of ketchup.

The right stuff.

WENDY A boy and his burger. NASA A girl and her... WENDY What? NASA Uh, her garnish.

A girl and her garnish.

9 WENDY High in trace minerals NASA Yeah if you can find them.

Look.

Nasa holds up the item he took out of his wallet. It is a miniature diamond kite, the size of a quarter. Nasa dangles the tiny kite by the fishing line it is tied to. He flies it with his breath and Wendy laughs. Here.

NASA For you.

He hands the little kite to Wendy. WENDY Needs a tail. EXT. BEACH PARKING LOT -- DAY Nasa and Wendy walk toward Nasa's bike. Wendy points to the car seatbelt that Nasa wears as a belt for his shorts. WENDY Why are you wearing that? This?

NASA It's the law.

WENDY You're loopy. They reach the post Nasa's bike is chained to. Wendy looks on. WENDY (cont'd.) That's some bike you have. it's seen a lot.

Nasa unlocks it while

Looks like

NASA Do you have a bike? WENDY Not like yours. It's an old beach cruiser. NASA Fat tires? WENDY Yeah. NASA I love those old clunkers. a lift?

Hey, you need

Nasa indicates his handlebars. WENDY Thanks anyway. I live right down the street.

10 NASA We should take a ride together sometime. WENDY I don't think so. NASA Maybe out to the lighthouse. WENDY I don't know. NASA How about tomorrow? Wendy walks away but turns and smiles flirtatiously. WENDY I've got a busted chain. NASA No problem. Ten minute fix. EXT. BIKE STORE -- DAY A LONGSHOT of a little cottage converted into a bike store. all kinds are on display on the sunny lawn.

Cycles of

Nasa rides his bike up to the quaint little bike store, parks and enters. A sign over the door reads - "E-Z CYCLES". INT. BIKE STORE -- DAY Nasa stands at the counter of the small and funky bike shop. owner, hold up a new bikechain.

EASY, the

EASY You wouldn't be horning in on my repair business, would you? NASA That's a negative, Easy. lady in distress.

Just helping a

EXT. PIER -- DAY Nasa walks up to Wendy who is standing next to a fishing pier with her beat up beach cruiser. She turns to see him coming. Nasa holds up the bike chain to show her and he gives her his best smile. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY MOVING with Nasa and Wendy as they ride down the two lane highway, between the bay and ocean. Nasa is showing off doing tricks and riding in circles around Wendy. Angry motorists honk their horns as they swerve to avoid them. They both laugh and yell. NASA Synchronize orbit!

11 WENDY Cool down cowboy! Now they ride side by side. WENDY (cont’d) You were going to tell me about your name. NASA Well, it's kind of a family tradition. Dad was born on the day that Lindy landed in Paris, so his father named him Lindburgh. I was born on October 28, 1958, the day Congress passed the National Aeronautics And Space Act, so my father named me Nasa. After the act, not the administration. WENDY It's better than Sputnik, I guess. NASA Or Sput for short. those pliers?

Could you hand me

WENDY Was he a flyer, your dad? Engineer.

NASA Bombers and rockets and stuff.

WENDY So you're an air force brat! NASA I guess so. WENDY Why aren't you in the service? NASA (laughs) Me and the military never really got along. WENDY I'm a pilot. NASA Umbrellas, I saw. WENDY That's just for fun. No, really, I'm studying for my license. I'll take you up some time. NASA Anytime.

12 WENDY I'm gonna be an astronaut. I applied for a job with the Shuttle Program. NASA Wow, you mean I could be talking to the first woman on the moon! EXT. LIGHTHOUSE GROUNDS -- DAY Nasa and Wendy drop their bikes on the ground and collapse onto the grass above a wall that faces the tall Cape Hatterras lighthouse. Propped up on their elbows, they stare at the lighthouse. Nasa hands Wendy a soda. WENDY I love this old lighthouse. You know the pirates used to hang lamps on their horse's necks to lure ships into shore. The ships would think the horses were lighthouses and run aground. NASA Screwing the pooch. Wendy gives Nasa a quizzical look. NASA (cont'd.) Pretty dumb sailors. WENDY Well they used to mistake manatees for mermaids. NASA Like I said. Reminds me of a Redstone or an Atlas. You know, one of the Mercury rockets. WENDY Wouldn't it be funny if it just lifted off right now? Nasa looks at his crotch and raises his eyebrows. WENDY You're impossible. The lighthouse. I mean the lighthouse. Let's try to launch it! NASA Come on... WENDY No, really. Let's go! Wendy jumps up and runs down toward the light house. WENDY Come on! Nasa jumps up and runs after her.

13

INT. LIGHTHOUSE STAIRWAY -- DAY From below, we see the stairs spiraling up the lighthouse. Nasa and Wendy laughing as they run up the stairs.

We hear

NASA (offscreen) This is crazy. WENDY (offscreen) Come on, slowpoke! INT. TOP OF LIGHTHOUSE -- DAY Wendy and Nasa enter the top of the lighthouse, flushed and out of breath. Nasa looks out at the view. Wow!

NASA This is incredible.

WENDY You ain't seen nothing yet. Wendy drops cross-legged to the floor. the floor opposite her.

Sit down. Nasa salutes and drops down to

WENDY (cont'd) If we concentrate hard enough, anything is possible. NASA Shouldn't we strap in? WENDY Don't make fun. NASA You're serious, aren't you? WENDY Sure. Look, close your eyes. Keep them closed. Now just visualize the lighthouse. Just see it in front of you. Do you see it? NASA With my eyes closed? WENDY Don't cheat. Do you see it? NASA Affirmative, now what? WENDY Just imagine it about to take off. Commencing countdown...

14 NASA & WENDY 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4...

EXT. LIGHTHOUSE -- DAY A LONGSHOT of the lighthouse. NASA & WENDY (offscreen) 3... 2... 1... Blast off! A PAUSE. The lighthouse is still there. A few gulls fly by. silence is finally broken by the voice of Nasa.

The

NASA (offscreen) Must be a dud. EXT. ABANDONED HOTEL -- NIGHT The abandoned motel that Nasa and Fondue live in is bathed in the purple glow of twilight. Nasa rides up to one of the rooms on his bike. INT. NASA'S ROOM -- NIGHT Nasa walks into the abandoned hotel room he shares with Fondue, who is working on his surfboard. FONDUE Hey stranger! Long time no see. NASA I'm in love. Sorry.

FONDUE I forgot.

NASA You ought to hear some of this stuff about her ancestry. FONDUE You believe all of that? NASA Why not? EXT. WENDY'S HOUSE -- SUNSET Nasa and Wendy stand in the front yard of her house. Nasa wears a jacket with flight patches, a skinny tie and greased back hair. There is an old biplane in the yard, a big tree growing up right through the cockpit, its branches twist around the wings. Flowers grow all around the plane and inside the cockpit. Hanging flowerpots hang off the wings. The sun is setting. NASA It's beautiful. the tree?

Did the plane crash into

15 WENDY No, the tree grew right up through the plane. NASA Amazing. WENDY It was my jungle gym when I was a kid. NASA I flew models when I was a kid. know, radio control.

You

Nasa and Wendy walk up to the porch steps of Wendy's house. WENDY You're nervous, aren't you? NASA Hey, I been to charm school. alright?

Do I look

WENDY There's nothing to worry about. fine.

You look

NASA Clear for takeoff. Nasa runs up the stairs.

Wendy follows.

NASA Okay, Wendy. I'm on the porch. WENDY There you go. Wendy knocks with the propeller-shaped knocker. The door opens and a woman in her sixties, EMELIA peeks out, then opens the door and looks Nasa over with disapproval. Hi momma. Emelia.

WENDY This is Nasa.

Nasa, this is

INT. WENDY'S DINING ROOM -- NIGHT Around the dining room table sit Nasa, Emelia, Wendy, and her older sister DAISY. The room is old fashioned and filled with flight paraphernalia. Butterfly collections hang framed on the walls. Daisy and Emelia are dressed in antique style high collar, floor length dresses. Everyone at the table joins hands and bows their heads to say grace. Nasa raises his head in surprise as he hears Emelia reciting a blessing in Hebrew. EMELIA Baruch atah adonai, elohaynu melech ha olam...

16 WENDY Dig in everybody! A SERIES OF SHOTS of everyone eating passing bowls of food around and exchanging various meaningful looks around the table throughout the meal. Nasa notices and stares at a large painting, apparently from a photograph, of a young woman dressed in old- fashioned flight gear. Wendy notices his gaze. DAISY Would you like some more potatoes? NASA (snapping out of it) Oh, no thank you. I'm stuffed. WENDY (refering to painting) That's Grandma Rose. She was a barnstormer. EMELIA God rest her soul. WENDY (reverently) Radar Rosie's Flying Fillys. The longest running and biggest female airshow in the country. EMELIA It was like having twenty flying mothers. NASA (to Wendy) Do you remember her? WENDY She died before I was born. DAISY She died doing a wing walk. EMELIA (to Nasa) She'll marry a flyer. DAISY Emelia, we have company. NASA (bragging) I fly kites. Daisy and Emelia exchange a glance and stifle a laugh.

17 WENDY (defensively) Nasa wanted to fly but he has a problem with his ears. NASA Eustachian tubes. DAISY How tragic for you. NASA Blackout at high G forces. I was a kid.

Happened when

EMELIA The women in this family have always married flyers. NASA Who's the butterfly collector? WENDY My sister. NASA I thought you were all vegetarians. EMELIA What's that got to do with it? Daisy gets up and moves to the wall. She takes down one of the butterfly cases and brings it over to Nasa, setting it down in front of him. DAISY Some of my favorite. NASA Butterfly trophies. WENDY Some people eat them. NASA I've heard that, too. Joni Mitchell. EMELIA That's ridiculous. butterflies.

Salvador Dali and

No one eats

Daisy begins to clear the table.

Wendy helps.

DAISY Africans eat ants, don't they? WENDY Chocolate-covered. NASA They put powdered sugar on butterflies.

18 WENDY I think if you kill a butterfly, you ought to eat it. DAISY Wendy tells us that you're quite an aviation enthusiast. WENDY I guess that means we should change the subject. NASA I've been visiting different sites on my travels. I visited Robert Godard's experimental rocket labs in Maryland. That was great. DAISY Excuse us. Wendy and Daisy leave the dining room with the dirty dishes. a small silence between Nasa and Emelia.

There is

NASA Let's see, where was I? Oh, and the Air and Space Museum in Washington. EMELIA And you are traveling by bicycle? NASA I get great mileage! INT. WENDY'S KITCHEN -- NIGHT Wendy and Daisy put dirty dishes into the kitchen sink. DAISY He flies kites? WENDY I don't want to hear it. DAISY I didn't say anything. INT. WENDY'S DINING ROOM -- NIGHT In the dining room Nasa sits uncomfortably with Emelia. EMELIA Keep the family name on the woman's side, that's what Mother always said, and her mother, and her mother before her. To Nasa's relief, Wendy and Daisy come back in from the kitchen.

19 DAISY Wendy might have told you, we have a whole study filled with aeronautic books that might interest you, not to mention many of Wilbur and Orville's original papers. WENDY And the diaries. Emelia shoots Wendy a glare.

Wendy glares comically back.

NASA I am very interested. DAISY Well, you come by any time you like. You're welcome to come and study anytime. INT. LIBRARY IN WENDY'S HOUSE -- DAY Nasa is reading from one of Wilbur's old papers at a desk. letter on frail pastel paper in a feminine hand.

It is a

NASA (reading) "...These flimsy contrivances, based as they are, on fantasies as insubstantial, can never fly." Daisy appears in the door and watches him. NASA (cont'd) "I urge you therefore to give up these dreams, and keep your mind on the things that you know best, the sale and servicing of bicycles..." DAISY (reciting) "My heart, dear Wilbur, is with the earth, with the sea and soil. I am sorry but I cannot promise you the favorable winds you seek..." Nasa turns to face Daisy. NASA She broke his heart. DAISY There is little doubt of that. Daisy walks into the room and over to an old turn of the century photo of a young woman on the wall. NASA Your great great grandmother?

20 DAISY (nodding) She was the postmaster's daughter. Her name was Florence. Orville and Wilbur came here looking for the best winds for their experiments. But they stayed largely because of Florence. NASA I haven't seen her mentioned in his diaries. DAISY Much of Wilbur's diaries are in code. They speak of her as the great love of his life. Her family, alas, had other ideas. NASA But she had his child. DAISY He never knew about Grandma Rose. Florence was sent away to have the child. You see, she was only seventeen when she met Wilbur. NASA Seventeen? But she writes so beautifully. DAISY She was a poet. NASA (naively bragging) I write poetry! Daisy sits down close to Nasa. DAISY Nasa, I must tell you. I hope you have no serious intentions regarding my sister. NASA Did she say something to you? DAISY No, no. Not at all. It's just I know Wendy and I love her but she is not a serious person. NASA Well, I appreciate your concern but it's really not necessary. DAISY (a bit jealously) I just don't want to see you get hurt. Wendy appears in the doorway in a bathing suit and robe.

21 WENDY (to Nasa) Ready for a swim, bookworm?

EXT. BEACH -- DAY Nasa and Wendy walking down the beach in their bathing suits. holds out his hand to her.

Nasa

WENDY What's that? NASA My Mobile Remote Manipulator Arm. on automatic pilot.

It's

WENDY Not interested. NASA You know, I feel like one of those 747's in a blizzard, just circling the airfield, waiting for clear conditions. WENDY I suppose that makes me an airport. romantic.

How

NASA Just give me the word. I'll go down on my belly. My wing flaps won't open. I'm out of fuel... NASA (cont'd.) (holding hands to heart) I got a hole in my fuselage! Cabin pressure is falling... Nasa pokes himself in the forehead as if tapping a gauge to make it work. Wendy laughs. WENDY What are you doing? NASA I'm losing altitude! dive...

Going into a

Nasa spins around and falls into the surf. after him.

Wendy runs and dives in

Underwater we see Nasa and Wendy gliding around like fish. Wendy pops up out of the water and looks around for Nasa.

22 WENDY (concerned) Nasa? Nasa? Where are you? From underwater we look up at Wendy's treading legs. On top of the water again, Wendy screams as she feels something brush against her under the water. Nasa pops up behind her laughing. WENDY (laughing) Don't do that! Hey! They start splashing each other then swim towards shore. INT. LIBRARY OF WENDY'S HOUSE -- EVENING Nasa sits reading in an easy chair. Daisy picks a small antique book from the bookcase and holds it out to Nasa. DAISY I think you might like this. Wilbur's.

It was

Nasa takes the book and opens it. He smiles, seeing Wilbur Wright's signature on the inside cover. He turns the page. Next to the title page is an etching of Ezekiel's vision of the Chariot. He tries to pronounce the word on the title page, "MERKABAH". NASA "MER-KA-BAH..." (He turns to face Daisy) What is that? INT. NASA'S ROOM -- NIGHT Nasa sits with the open book in the abandoned motel room he calls home. Fondue waxes a surfboard in a corner. NASA It's the Hebrew word for "chariot" from the story of Ezekiel in the Bible. He was that prophet who had a vision of a great flaming chariot coming down from the sky. FONDUE Sounds cool. NASA Some people say that what Ezekiel really saw was a spacecraft of some kind. FONDUE Sort of like a UFO.

23 NASA Why not? Anyway, They based a whole type of mysticism on the story of the chariot. It's a branch of the Kabbalah. They had all kinds of meditation techniques and magic words and stuff. It's all in Wilbur's book. FONDUE So these dudes like... what? They identified with this Zeke dude? NASA They called themselves "MerkabahRiders". First they would create a vehicle for themselves in their minds, a chariot... FONDUE A Merkabah. NASA A model Merkabah. Then once they built it, they would ride it through barriers, and hallways and seven heavens seeking enlightenment. FONDUE Sort of like ancient astronauts. NASA Test pilots on the astral plane! FONDUE Breaking the envelope! NASA Catching a cosmic wave! The two friends laugh. EXT. KITE STORE PARKING LOT -- EVENING Nasa and Fondue are standing by Fondue's truck. against the truck.

Nasa's bike leans up

FONDUE You sure you can drive a standard? NASA No problem. You sure you can ride a twelve speed? EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- NIGHT Nasa and Wendy drive down the road in Fondue's truck. having Wendy as a passenger.

Nasa is enjoying

They pass over a bridge and a sign for "Roanoke Island". EXT. OUTDOOR THEATER -- NIGHT

24 Nasa and Wendy are sitting in the audience of an enormous outdoor amphitheater. On the cover of Nasa's program is the play's title "The Lost Colony". The CAMERA PANS down the audience sloping down to the stage. Behind the stage a huge cyclorama serves as a backdrop. Behind the cyclorama, the bay is visible. On the stage actors dressed as COLONISTS sit at a feast. A WOMAN sits in a prominent place cradling a newborn child. Her father, JOHN WHITE stands behind her. NATIVE AMERICANS enter carrying corn and other vegetables. COLONIST Welcome to you all. NATIVE AMERICAN We celebrate with you the birth of your colony's first child. JOHN WHITE (toasting) My granddaughter, Virginia Dare, will live in a New World of peace and prosperity. DISSOLVE TO: A MONTAGE of some of the scenes of the play with SHOTS of Nasa and Wendy's reactions to the story of the first colony on the continent. DISSOLVE TO: A later scene in the play. The COLONISTS are gathered to see JOHN WHITE and a group of SOLDIERS off. Sails rising up the masts of a great sailing ship can be seen above the top of the back cyclorama wall. JOHN WHITE We will return. With fresh supplies. And new colonists to share our paradise. Nasa and Wendy turn to smile at each other. DISSOLVE TO: A later scene in the play. JOHN WHITE wanders alone around the rubble in the now deserted settlement. A group of SOLDIERS enters. JOHN WHITE There is no one here. Not a trace. Could it be that they are all dead? Captain, sound the trumpet. Perhaps they have simply moved some way off. The TRUMPET sounds but there is a deathly silence. FADE TO the curtain call. Nasa and Wendy stand with the crowd applauding the large cast gathered on stage. EXT. THEATER GARDENS -- NIGHT

25 Nasa and Wendy stroll through the beautiful Elizabethan Gardens outside the amphitheater, lit by moon and lamp light. Statues, vases, and flowery bushes line the path. They walk in silence for a moment. WENDY What happened to her, do you think? NASA Who? The baby.

WENDY Virginia Dare.

NASA She was probably raised by aliens, I mean Indians. I mean Native Americans. Wendy laughs and the two suddenly are holding hands. slowly.

Nasa turns to her

They kiss deeply in the dark green of the garden. FADE TO BLACK: FADE IN: EXT. NASA'S HOTEL -- NIGHT Nasa rides his bike in circles singing in the moonlight. out of their room and laughs at him.

Fondue comes

INT. LIBRARY OF WENDY'S HOUSE -- DAY CLOSEUP of a drawing of ancient holymen studying in a garden. A WIDER ANGLE reveals the book the drawing is in, the Merkabah book, and then the pile of papers surrounding the book and then Nasa, who sits at a desk with a stunned look on his face. Daisy sits next to him with a tea tray in her lap. DAISY I thought you knew. NASA You put her up to this, didn't you? Nasa stands and rushes out of the room. DAISY Nasa! EXT. HATTERAS PIER -- DAY LONG SHOT of the Hatteras pier. Wendy is sitting on a bench on the big pier. She is holding her rolled up umbrella and reading a book entitled "How Things Fly". Nasa walks up to her with a very hurt look on his face and Wendy jumps

26 up. WENDY (cheerfully) I was gonna give you five more minutes. Nasa is silent and the two walk side by side up the pier toward the parking lot. Wendy is mugging and studying Nasa's face, trying to figure out what's bothering him. Suddenly she realizes. WENDY Daisy told you. I wish she'd mind her own business. NASA I'm curious. Were you planning on just disappearing? WENDY No, but it might have been better that way. NASA Did you think I'd try to make you stay? I'm not trying to hold on to you, you know. I mean, what were you afraid of? WENDY This conversation. NASA Okay, okay. Give me a little time to get used to this. Can I ask you where you're going, or is that a big secret? WENDY Florida. Cape Canaveral. I'm going to try to get a job with the space program. NASA You sent them an application, didn't you? WENDY I was rejected. Something about requirements. God, I hate that. NASA You never told me. WENDY I only got word a few days ago.I figure I might do better in person. NASA When are you planning to leave? WENDY Sometime next week.

27 NASA A week! Great. I can't believe this. How you gonna get there? WENDY I thought I'd take a train. NASA Spam in a can, huh? O.K. Look I'll help you. I'll drive you to the station. They have walked off the pier into the empty parking lot. WENDY You don't have to. NASA I want to. I want to spend as much time as I can with you before you go. Wendy suddenly runs away across the lot. Her umbrella flies open. Wendy leaps into the air, trying to catch the wind. Nasa looks on as Wendy hops and dances and whoops. Nasa, flushed and out of breath and glowing.

She runs back to

WENDY The wind's not right. A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa and Wendy's last few days together. On the beach, in a boat, in restaurants, riding bikes, and birdwatching. EXT. WRIGHT BROS. SITE -- DAY Nasa and Wendy stand at the site of the Wright Brother's first flight, at the take-off marker. On three.

WENDY One, three! NASA

Hey! Wendy jumps the gun and we MOVE with her and Nasa as they race across to the landing marker. EXT. BEACH -- NIGHT Nasa and Wendy dance at a beach party, swinging each other around, laughing and clowning in the sand. There is a desperate manic quality to Nasa's dancing. Wind jostles a line of paper chinese lanterns as Fondue dances by wearing a gigantic sombrero and holding some beers. He's a bit drunk. Nasa and Wendy sit huddled together at a big beach bonfire. obviously just told Nasa she loves him. NASA Don't say that unless you mean it.

Wendy has

28 WENDY It was when we were dancing. I realized...

That's when

With Wendy's head against his chest, Nasa stares into the glowing fire. EXT. TRAIN STATION -- DAY Wendy stands on the steps of the train. She jumps down and runs into Nasa's arms. They hug each other. Wendy turns to go and climbs back up onto the train. Nasa smiles bravely as she waves back at him. Nasa watches as the train pulls away and disappears. walks toward Fondue's red truck.

He turns and

EXT. BEACH -- DAY A bunch of comical little sandpipers run down to the waters edge and run back up as the wave breaks. Nasa watches the birds, a faint smile breaks over his sad face. Nasa walks up the beach with his bicycle with a slow melancholy pace. EXT. DUNE OVERLOOKING SEA

-- A FEW DAYS LATER -- DAY

A panorama of the ocean filled with surfers straddling their surfboards and staring out toward the horizon, waiting for the next big wave. Nasa observes the surfers thoughtfully from a dune above the beach. Nasa stands with his bike, looking over the sea. anyone on the beach.

There is hardly

A few fishing poles stand planted and unattended at the water's edge, the lines stretched out into the water. Nasa appears to have come to a decision and turns to go. Fondue runs up in a wetsuit, carrying his surfboard. FONDUE Water's getting pretty nippy. NASA Season's over. I haven't sold a kite in days. FONDUE They'll be back. Christmas break! NASA There's nothing for me here now. Nasa turns and wheels his bike away. FONDUE (yelling) Hey, wait up! Where you going? gotta let it go, Nasa. INT. NASA'S ROOM -- DAY

You

29 Nasa is in his room, haphazardly throwing his gear around. comes in with his surfboard and stands watching him.

Fondue

FONDUE Packing? NASA You know, I never once asked her to stay. I wanted to be supportive. What a joke. I can't believe it. I helped her leave. FONDUE She would have left anyway. You know, if she wanted to be with you, she'd be here. NASA You're probably right. FONDUE I know I'm right. You did the right thing. She'll always remember that. NASA If we'd have had just a little more time together. There just wasn't enough time. FONDUE There never is. It stinks. do?

What can you

Nasa is pulling up a secret floorboard and pulls out a cigar box. He sits on the bed and opens it. The cigar box is filled with money. Fondue enters. FONDUE What are you doing? NASA A whole summer's profits. I'll tell you what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna ride down there to Florida and find her. FONDUE You're gonna follow her? NASA It's perfect. Cape Hatteras to Cape Canaveral. Cape to cape. It's mythical! FONDUE I don't know. It sounds like a pretty funky flight plan to me. NASA I've got to talk to her. Face to face, you know?. I have to know for sure if there's something there or not. You think I'm crazy.

30 FONDUE Look, whatever you do, you know I'm with the program. NASA Thanks Fondue. I appreciate that. INT. KITE STORE -- DAY Kate stands behind the counter talking to Nasa. NASA I'll give you a general flight plan before I go. When I need more kites, I'll call you. KATE Sure you can sell them? NASA Most every big town has a flea market. INT. BACK ROOM OF BIKE SHOP -- DAY Nasa and Easy are working on Nasa's bike. The frame is suspended and Easy is preparing to do some welding. Nasa is at the bench working on a wheel. EASY She expecting you? Negative.

NASA I'm gonna surprise her.

EASY (shaking his head) Women don't much like surprises. NASA It's something I've gotta do. EASY (putting on goggles) Well, it's your life. You got it bad, that's for sure. NASA (changing subject) I'd like to do some customizing. EASY That'll run you extra. NASA No problem. This mission's fully funded. Low budget, but fully funded. I'm in sort of a hurry though. EASY Well, first things first, let's get this dent out of your top tube. Grab some goggles and give me a hand here.

31 CLOSEUP of torch flame as Easy ignites it. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. HARDWARE STORE -- DAY CLOSEUP of a rack of gold metallic stick-on letters. letters off the rack.

A hand is picking

A WIDER ANGLE reveals the hand to be Nasa's. EXT. HOTEL PARKING LOT -- DAY Nasa is applying the gold letters to the top tube of his bicycle. The letters spell out the word, "MERKABAH". see the full word.

Over Nasa's shoulder we

Nasa smiles as he takes one of the plastic water bottles out of its holder on the bike's frame, swings and bounces it across the top tube of the bike. NASA (to bike) I christen you "Merkabah"! NOTE: From this moment on, Merkabah the bicycle is an active character in the movie with a personality, changing moods and appearances. Souvenirs of every adventure show up on the bicycle in various forms. When Nasa talks to himself, he also addresses the bike. Nasa turns and nods to Fondue who we now see standing a few feet away with the open "MERKABAH" book. FONDUE (reading) Aspirants must meet a number of specific requirements,... EXT. SURPLUS STORE -- DAY LONGSHOT of the store with a comical fifties style rocket ship mounted on a pole rising above the roof above a sign that reads "SPACE SURPLUS". Nasa rides Merkabah into the FRAME. FONDUE (cont'd.voiceover, offscreen ) ...Undergo strenuous tests both physical and psychological... INT. SURPLUS STORE -- DAY Nasa walks down the long aisles of the store. From floor to ceiling it is crammed with instruments and dials and all sorts of junk. Nasa picks out different odd looking instruments and bounces them in his hand testing the weight.

32 FONDUE (cont'd.voiceover, offscreen ) ... and have extensive experience on a variety of planes, before assuming command of the Merkabah... EXT. BEACH PARKING LOT -- DAY Nasa kneels next to his bike adjusting the new panniers (bike packs). One set is on the back rack, and another set on low racks secured over the front wheels. The panniers are all half full and next to Nasa are rows of various supplies lined up on the pavement. FONDUE (voiceover, cont'd.) A strict screening process determines the worthiness and virtue of the candidate... Cloths, flashlight, sleeping bag, candles, silver foil packets of freeze-dried food, rope, a jar of TANG, a sewing kit, velcro strips, spare bicycle parts, a toolkit, a first-aid kit,etc. FONDUE (voiceover, cont'd.) Premature ascension can result in loss of reason and even death. Rigorous training must therefore be centered on preparing the voyager for any eventuality. Nasa is picking up each item, weighing it on a kitchen scale, and placing it in one of the panniers, trying to keep them all balanced. EXT. STREET -- DAY Nasa rides his bike on a deserted street. The panniers are full and it is clear that the Nasa is having some difficulty maneuvering the loaded down bike. The bike leans from side to side and vibrates. NASA (as if reporting) Testing payload integration. Experiencing pitch and roll on flight simulator. Nasa stops and switches the packs. He mounts and rides again. The front wheel swerves. Nasa dismounts again and switches the packs again. NASA (cont'd.) Adjusting payload. Obviously need a smaller ring on chainwheel. Out. EXT. WENDY'S HOUSE -- DAY Nasa knocks at the door.

Emelia peeks out.

EMELIA Wendy's gone away. NASA I know that. May I come in? DAISY (offscreen) Who is it, Mother?

33 EMELIA It's Ben Franklin. DAISY (offscreen) Let him in. Emelia reluctantly opens the door and Nasa enters.

INT. WENDY'S HOUSE -- DAY Nasa stands in the dining room facing Daisy. Emelia sits watching in a big chair in the corner. Nasa hands Daisy the "MERKABAH" book NASA I wanted to make sure I returned this to you before I go. DAISY You're not thinking of following her down there, are you? NASA No, no. I'd just like to keep in touch with her. Drop her a card or something. EMELIA She'll marry a flyer. DAISY I wish I could help you, but we haven't heard anything. I don't even know her address. Nasa stares at Daisy.

He knows she is lying.

INT. BACK ROOM OF BIKE STORE -- NIGHT Nasa and Easy are again working on the bike. This time Nasa is attaching new rings to the chainwheel as Easy strings bundled cables and wires to the frame. Fondue sits on a workbench reading a map. EASY You sure you need all these cables. NASA Spaghetti suit. It's all my basic life support systems. FONDUE You know, it's really not that far. If you pull a couple of centuries, you could do it in a week.

34 NASA I thought of that. I want to take my time though, you know, see the sights, play it cool. FONDUE Play it cool! EASY There's nothing about this trip that's cool. FONDUE (mimicking Nasa) Wendy! Gee, fancy meeting you here! I just happened to be in the star system. Must have taken a wrong turn somewhere around Andromeda. I always get lost in the Spiral Nebula. NASA (laughing) I'm not just going to see her. I want to have adventures. I want to do something I can be proud of. FONDUE (facetiously) Right! EXT. NASA'S HOTEL PARKING LOT -- PRE-DAWN Nasa silently tiptoes out of the door of his room wheeling the fully loaded Merkabah as quietly as he can. We can see the sleeping Fondue in the background. Nasa pulls the door quietly shut behind him. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAWN MOVING with Nasa as he rides the fully loaded MERKABAH down the beach highway. Nasa is looking more and more like an astronaut with his helmet and tubes running up and down his suit. The wind is blowing hard and the sky is threatening but Nasa is beaming. There is the SOUND of thunder and rain. INT. NASA'S ROOM -- MORNING Fondue sits in the room reading and listening to a RADIO. RADIO The tropical storm has been upgraded to hurricane status. The wind is currently forty miles an hour in Nag's head. The National Weather Service has issued small craft warnings for the following counties... Nasa comes through the door, his clothes soaked. NASA Mission's been scrubbed.

35 FONDUE I figured. NASA Easy's got a shelter.

We're invited.

EXT. BIKESHOP -- DAY Nasa, Fondue, and Easy are boarding up the windows of the bike store.

A SERIES OF SHOTS as the hurricane beats against the shore. Wind and rain bend the trees and sea grapes. Sand swirls around the tall dunes. Waves smash against the long pier. EXT. WENDY'S HOUSE -- EVENING Branches and newspaper fly against the boarded up windows of Wendy's house. In the garden, the wings of the biplane bend and creak with the wind. Plants and flowers are torn out of the ground and blossoms cover the drenched ground. INT. BIKESHOP BASEMENT -- NIGHT Nasa, Fondue, and Easy sit around a oil lamp in the dark shelter. NASA I thought I'd take a shoreline trajectory. FONDUE Assuming there's any roads left. EASY Shoreline means wind. hills.

Inland means

FONDUE Six of one... INT. DINER -- PRE-DAWN Nasa sits at in a booth with Fondue, Easy, and Kate from the kite store. They are all sipping coffee. It is a gray pre-dawn. FONDUE It's tradition. You got to. NASA I don't know. Seems a little heavy. about some pancakes?

How

FONDUE Very funny. Look, you need some good solid propellant. Waitress! Steak and eggs for my friend. NASA Still pretty wet out there, isn't it?

36 FONDUE Go no go. You can still scrub and liftoff in a few days. NASA That's a big negative.

I'm ready.

KATE A toast! To Nasa and Merkabah, and to their noble quest! They all raise their coffee cups. EASY May all your winds be tailwinds! NASA To the future of self-propelled interstellar space travel! FONDUE To the most bizarre bike I've ever seen! EASY My masterpiece. NASA The extraterrestri-cycle! FONDUE And it's multidimensional! The friends click their coffee cups. Daisy walks into the diner and walks up to the table with a strange, determined stride. There is a hush at the table. Nasa looks up and Daisy holds out a book to him, motioning him to take it. Nasa takes the book and turning it over in his hand, realizes that it is the "MERKABAH" book. NASA Are you sure? DAISY You need a travel guide, don't you? Daisy smiles, then turns and walks away. INT. DINER PARKING LOT -- PRE-DAWN Nasa and Fondue are standing by Fondue's truck. blue pre-dawn sky.

It is still a gray-

Fondue leans into the truck window and pulls a necklace with a medallion off of the rearview mirror. FONDUE Wait. I've got something for you. good luck.

For

37 Fondue hangs the medallion around Merkabah's handlebars. NASA Saint Christopher? FONDUE Saint Jude. The patron saint... NASA Of lost causes.

Gee, thanks.

FONDUE Hey, don't mention it.

Go get her, man.

Fondue and Nasa shake hands and then hug. Fondue watches Nasa as he rides off. FONDUE (calling out after Nasa) Go blow up! A CLOSEUP PAN down the tube of the bicycle frame. EXT. WRIGHT MEMORIAL -- DAWN ANGLE UP ON NASA standing mounted on the fully loaded Merkabah on top of a hill, site of the Wright Brothers Memorial Monument. A beautiful sunrise comes up over the dunes. Nasa is dressed warmly in a white jumpsuit which billows in the chilly morning wind. With his helmet, scarf and sunglasses, Nasa looks like an strange aviator/astronaut. Merkabah is fully loaded and looks more like a motorcycle than a bicycle. A postcard of a Shuttle cockpit's control panels is mounted on the handlebars. Nasa has also mounted pinwheels to the handlebars. They spin like little propellers. NASA Securing hatches. countdown.

Commencing final

A SERIES OF QUICK CLOSEUPS of Nasa's final adjustments. Rear view mirrors, gloves, pack straps, helmet, toe clips, all pulled tight and secured. NASA Solid rocket booster ignition! liftoff!

We have

Nasa stamps down on the pedal. LONGSHOT of Nasa pushing off and zooming down the monument hill on Merkabah. NOTE: All Nasa's travels for the rest of the movie are accompanied by snatches of rock music with space travel themes. A mixture of oldies like Rocket Man, Major Tom, Everyone's Gone to the Moon, Telstar, covered by modern bands, along with new original songs. EXT. HIGHWAY -- MORNING

38 Nasa rides Merkabah past a water tower with the huge black letters that read, "KILL DEVIL HILLS". NASA Clearing tower.

The clock has started.

Nasa rides past the Kitty Hawk kite store. Nasa rides against a stiff wind down the road, on the narrow strip of land that divides the bay and the ocean. Nasa rides by the "WAVES" town sign. EXT. WENDY'S HOUSE -- DAY Nasa rides his bike past Wendy's house. been cleared away somewhat.

The debris from the storm has

Emelia is replanting the flowers in the biplane cockpit. Slightly surprised, she notices Nasa and half politely smiles hello then turns her back to him. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY Nasa's POV as he swerves the heavily loaded bicycle to keep it on the thin shoulder of the road, and to avoid branches, dead fish, puddles, and debris from the recent hurricane. A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding past milepost signs and panoramic views of the beach and sea. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- LATER -- SAME DAY MOVING with Nasa down the Outer Banks beach highway. It in afternoon now and Nasa has taken off his jumpsuit and wears shorts and t-shirt. He rides by a huge souvenir shell shop. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding again past little towns and stores. Signs with the names of towns, "BUXTON", "FRISCO". MOVING with Nasa as he rides down the road, singing. over his head from one of his plastic water bottles.

He pours water

NASA (voiceover) (reciting from book) "When the creatures leave the ground, the wheels too leave the ground Where the spirit urges them, there the wheels go. When the wheels are in motion... SLOW DISSOLVE TO: A CLOSEUP of the two spinning wheels of the bicycle as it speeds down the road.

39 NASA (cont'd. offscreen) ...angels fly all around and between the wheels like streams of rainbow fire. When the wheels soar aloft, they sing with angels' voices and murmur blessings to the Merkabah..." EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY MOVING with Nasa as he pedals down the highway INTO FRAME, a racing bicycle pulls up beside him and slows down to keep pace. Nasa doesn't notice. The exotic woman on the bike, ANASTASIA points a camera at him. She speaks with a very thick Russian accent. ANASTASIA Excuse me, can I take your picture? Nasa swerves with surprise. ANOTHER ANGLE as he turns his head startled to find himself face to face with ANASTASIA. A picture?

NASA Sure.

Nasa wipes the water from his face back into his hair and poses. The Anastasia snaps some shots. The two bikes are still moving, keeping pace. ANASTASIA Where have you come from? Alaska.

NASA And you?

ANASTASIA Wow! I am from Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. I am Anastasia. She extends her hand for a vigorous handshake. NASA What's this for? ANASTASIA I am studying your country. Don't pose. I want this to look natural. NASA How's this? Nasa makes an effort to look natural. Great!

ANASTASIA Where are you headed?

NASA I don't know. Wow!

ANASTASIA That is great!

You are so lucky!

40 Anastasia pulls out in front of Nasa. load is too heavy. Wait up!

Nasa tries to keep up but his

NASA Let’s ride together!

ANASTASIA (yelling back to him) You could never keep up! We invented the bicycle! The road is quiet now and Nasa continues riding.

His eyes are tearing.

A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding Merkabah over a busy and skinny bridge. Cars angrily beep their horns at him. NASA (voiceover) Still trying to break free from lower atmosphere. First stage thrust, rocket booster. Fourteen lightyears to ferry. Should make the last run. EXT. SMALL TOWN STREET -- LATE AFTERNOON A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding through the quaint little town of Ocracoke. Nasa rides onto a ferry just as it is taking off. EXT. FERRY -- SUNSET Nasa stands with Merkabah on the bow of the ferry. EXT. CAMPGROUND -- NIGHT A campground filled with mobile homes, RV's, and crickets. At a little campsite, Nasa sets up his little tent. It looks like a Mercury capsule on its side. Merkabah stands nearby chained to a small tree. The stars sparkle in the night sky. A CLOSE SHOT mosquito net the hatch of at the stars

from directly above of Nasa's tent. There is a little covered skylight in the top of the tent. It looks like a space capsule. We can see Nasa's eyes as he stares out through the hatch.

NASA (voiceover) Control? This is Merkabah. Do you copy? As I leave the earth’s orbit, I think of friends and familiar surroundings. How small I feel in all creation, and how alone in this endless night...But then I fly over the horizon into the dayside. From starlight to starlight. The stars are my mirror. DISSOLVE to the same SHOT of Nasa's now closed eyes through the hatch.

41 The sunrise hits his face and he opens his eyes. Nasa climbs out of his tent. paces and groans.

Obviously very sore he stretches and

EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY MOVING with Nasa down the beach highway. It is hot and Nasa's t-shirt is wet with sweat Nasa steers into a driveway by signs that read "NO BEACH ACCESS" and “NO ACCESS” and rides down to the shore. NASA Solid booster burnout. Entering extreme shirt-sleeve environment. Stopping for some extravehicular activity. EXT. BEACH -- DAY Nasa jumps through the waves throwing water into the air. EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET -- DAY Nasa rides again, now he looks refreshed.As he rides, Nasa holds a map in one hand and looks at street signs, trying to figure out where he is. There is the SOUND of strange tinkling bells. NASA (voiceover) Targeting coordinates for trajectory adjustment and correction. Calibrating for Star Route 152. An ice cream truck drives by, jingling its bells, and stops at the next corner. Nasa rides up behind the truck and up to the DRIVER'S door. Excuse me. tell me...

NASA I seem to be lost.

Could you

The driver smiles at Nasa, reaches under his seat, pulls out a long machete, and holds it up. Nasa's mouth drops open.

He turns and rides away.

EXT. RESIDENTIAL STREET -- DAY Nasa rides up to an intersection where a STATE ROUTE sign points left. On the corner, there is a little house. A pretty WOMAN in shorts is mowing the front lawn. NASA (loudly) Hi! Nasa is surprised how the greeting seems to explode out of him. woman laughs.

The

A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding down beach highways. He passes by a lighthouse, a docked battleship, an ocean liner, and various other coastal sights.

42 SUPERIMPOSED is an INSERT of a bicycle map with Nasa's zigzag path highlighted in red and comically animated to trace his progress down the coast of North Carolina's Outer Banks. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY Nasa rides as he talks to himself in his rear-view mirrors. NASA (reciting to himself) Freedom, Friendship, Liberty Bell, Aurora, Sigma... Damn... You think you can do better? Let's see, Liberty Bell, Aurora, Sigma, Sigma, Sigma...Damn! Damn! Suddenly the bicycle starts making a CLUNKETY-CLUNK SOUND and he pedals with difficulty. A LOUD CRACK as the rear derraileur breaks and Nasa's feet slide off the pedals as they spin ineffectually. A FEW SHOTS of Nasa standing by the side of the road with Merkabah, hitch-hiking. MOVING with a pickup truck speeding down the beach highway. A WIDER ANGLE reveals Nasa as he sits huddled in the back of the pickup truck with Merkabah. The truck speeds off. INT. BIKE SHOP -- DAY Nasa stands in a tiny small-town bike shop with Merkabah, counting crumpled dollar bills. A BIKE MECHANIC kneels next to the bike installing a brand new rear derraileur with a screwdriver. NASA I tried to fix it myself. The Bike Mechanic looks up at Nasa. BIKE MECHANIC You know what they say about a little knowledge. EXT. BLOOD BANK -- DAY Nasa wheels Merkabah up to a parking meter in front of the white cement building with the words "BLOOD BANK" over the door in big red block letters. As he chains the bike to the parking meter, a group of kids in wild Halloween costumes walks by. One dressed as an ANGEL calls to Nasa. ANGEL I really like your costume! Nasa looks up and smiles in surprise.

43 NASA Thanks. INT. BLOOD BANK -- DAY Nasa enters and scans the room.

His chin drops.

From Nasa's POV, we see the room decorated for Halloween and filled with nurses, all dressed as vampires. The donors lie on cots, many of them in costume also. Nasa sits at a table eating sugar cookies and drinking milk. At the table with him is a man in a dog mask and a green woman in a martian costume with bouncing antennae. NASA (voiceover) While acting as a bearer of society's values, and carrying out his prescribed duties; at the same time the Merkabah rider seeks to disengage from the domination of the visible world... INT. TRUCKSTOP DINER -- NIGHT Nasa sits at a booth with an empty coffee cup. "MERKABAH" book.

He is reading the

NASA (voiceover, cont'd) ...and through that alienation ascend the circles of heaven into the rich fields of space. Nasa looks around the diner filled with truck drivers. get the attention of a WAITRESS.

Nasa tries to

NASA Could I get a refill on the rocket fuel? INT. DINER KITCHEN -- NIGHT Nasa is washing pots in the diner kitchen. is tying up the bags in huge trash cans.

Next to him another WORKER

WORKER I don't know which one you're missing. NASA Freedom, Friendship, Liberty Bell, Aurora, Sigma...that's it. That's where I get stuck. WORKER Now what was the one John Glenn was in? Give me a hand with this. Nasa and the worker drag the garbage can out the back door. EXT. RESTAURANT BACK ALLEY -- NIGHT

44 NASA That was Friendship. WORKER I know. How about that one that sunk. Maybe that's the one. No.

NASA Sigma sunk.

They stand at the dumpster catching their breath. WORKER I don't know. Maybe they used one of them twice! NASA That was before anyone recycled. They both laugh. WORKER Now if it was the seven dwarfs. I got that nailed. Ready? On the count of three. One, two, three. NASA Jettison! They lift the garbage can and spill it into the dumpster. cascades out.

The garbage

EXT. TRUCKSTOP PARKING LOT -- NIGHT A torrential downpour of rain.

Trucks fill the parking lot.

Through the sheets of rain we see Nasa sitting under a long truck trailer sad and shivering. ANOTHER ANGLE as he wraps his sleeping bag around himself and lays down on the wet pavement to sleep, Merkabah by his side. EXT. COUNTRY ROADS -- DAY BARKING dogs chase Merkabah.

Nasa tries to ward them off.

VARIOUS ANGLES of big dogs, little dogs, farm dogs, pampered yappers, all kinds of dogs. Nasa lifts his legs up to the handlebars to avoid one dog. He swings his air pump at another. water at another.

He screams at another.

He squirts

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- EVENING MOVING with Nasa past tobacco and bean fields as far as the eye can see. The sun is setting. As he rides, Nasa scans the horizon looking for something.

45 NASA Control, this is Merkabah. Still no visible place to dock. Over. EXT. CREEK BED -- LATE AFTERNOON ANGLE UP from a creek bank under a stone bridge. Nasa rides across the bridge over the creek. There is a PAUSE and then Nasa rides back into the FRAME, stops and looks down toward the creek. Invisible.

NASA Perfect! CUT TO:

Nasa sits on a tarp on the creek bank eating a burritto. His tent is set up next to him. Nasa hears a car going over the bridge, looks up and smiles, pleased with himself. Nasa notices a cropduster plane in the distance flying over the beanfields and across the sunset. The plane circles the horizon and turns toward him. Nasa pulls a pad and pen out a pack and starts writing. He doesn't notice the plane flying directly toward him. The cropduster dives down right over Nasa's head, blowing up dust and nearly knocking him over. Nasa is startled but thinking the plane is friendly, he looks up and waves. As the plane circles the horizon again, Nasa continues writing. The cropduster dives down over him again. above his head.

This time, only a few feet

Nasa jumps up in fright. He quickly starts to throw his gear together, muttering angrily. NASA You want me to go? I'm going. of here. I'm going...

I'm out

Nasa struggles to push the loaded Merkabah up the steep embankment up to the road as quickly as he can. The cropduster is again crossing the horizon which is now deepening into dusk. EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DUSK Nasa quickly rides down the road. but it doesn't work. Damn.

He tries to turn his headlight on

NASA Electrical system malfunction.

There is a mailbox up ahead. darkness.

He rides toward it through the deepening

Nasa reaches the mailbox. A sign on a post reads: "WE SHOOT FIRST AND ASK QUESTIONS LATER". Nasa continues on. The cropduster dives down right behind him, chasing him up the highway.

46 Nasa pedals furiously watching the plane in his rearview mirrors. NASA (screaming) What do you want from me? The cropduster finally pulls up and flies off into the gathering darkness. Nasa stops to catch his breath. NASA Now what? Nasa rides down the street into the starry night twinkling above him. He looks like he is flying through space. Headlights hit him from behind and Nasa looks back in fear, thinking it might be the cropduster again. Two cars pass and swerve to avoid him, BEEPING their horns angrily. Nasa turns off the road and feels his way down an embankment to the dirt road that runs parallel to the beanfield. Nasa rides down the bumpy dirt road, hugging the side of the field to guide himself through the darkness. The beanstalks brush against his right side as he speeds by. The SCREEN is filled with the dark rustling beanstalks. CROSSFADE TO: EXT. FIELD -- DAY A field of high grass rustling in the sunlit morning. Nasa rises up from the grass. He stretches and scans the horizon. MOVING SHOT brings a large red and white tent into view. Cars are driving up into the field by the tent.

A

INT. TENT -- DAY Nasa comes into the tent which is filled with people watching a fiery PREACHER who preaches to the crowd as Nasa wanders through the tent and watches. PREACHER ...in the brotherhood of prophets. And Elijah said to Elisha, "If you see me rise to heaven, if you see it, then your wish will be granted." For you know friends, it is said that seeing is believing but I say that believing is seeing. If you believe, you will see. If you have Faith... A woman, DONNA notices Nasa in his strange attire and walks up behind him. NASA (to himself but loudly) Faith!

47 DONNA Praise the Lord! The preacher's sermon is heard in the BACKGROUND of the other dialogue. PREACHER (offscreen, cont'd.) ...your eyes will be opened. That beam will be cast from your sleepy eyes and you will awaken to the miracles of God, to the wonders of nature and the supernatural. Open your eyes, brothers and sisters, open your eyes! Raise your eyes to heaven... NASA Freedom, Friendship, Liberty Bell, Aurora, Sigma, and Faith! DONNA Welcome Brother. NASA Oh, hi. I'm sorry. Something the preacher said answered a question I've been puzzling over for a long time. PREACHER (offscreen) God moves, God reveals himself every day. He rides on the clouds in majesty. Will you come halfway, brothers and sisters? Will you come halfway? He'll pull you up the rest of the way. DONNA Praise the Lord. NASA I've been traveling by myself so long, sometimes I forget when I'm talking to myself. DONNA (sweetly) That's fine Brother! Expressions of enthusiasm are encouraged here. EXT. FIELD -- DAY Nasa is riding away from the tent as fast as he can across the field. Donna stands by the tent waving a bible in the air. DONNA (yelling good-naturedly) Come back! I want to save you. You're on the devil's road! We'll pray for you! Donna lifts her arms and prays, wordlessly moving her mouth. Nasa stops for a moment and looks back at her in amazement, then turns and rides off. EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY

48 MOVING with Nasa as he approaches a moving banner that reads: "SOLAR MAX - Power to the People - World Tour”. The banner waves revealing a recumbent bicycle it is attached to. A recumbent bicycle is one on which the rider reclines, low to the ground, steering with handles at arm’s length just above the ground. On the bicycle sits SOLAR MAX, a young guy with coke bottle sunglasses who speaks very quickly as if his mouth is trying to keep up with his brain. On his head is a pith helmet with a solar panel on top. It powers a little fan, attached to the front brim, that blows air into his face. As he pulls up beside Solar Max, Nasa looks with amused interest at the assortment of solar panels and solar-powered toys that stick out all over the bike. The mirrored panels glare in the sun. Hi!

NASA I’m Nasa.

Solar Max.

SOLAR MAX But you can call me Solar.

As they continue riding Solar hands Nasa a letter size solar panel. SOLAR MAX That's a twelve volt. You could power anything you need with that. NASA But it's at night I need the power. SOLAR MAX (quickly) So you pick up a rechargeable battery. There's some pretty lightweight nautical models around. You mount a panel or two on your bike and all day you're charging your battery as you ride. NASA Then at night, I have headlights! SOLAR MAX With enough power to spare to run a radio or heat some water. NASA That's wild! An auxiliary power unit. That's my dream. To be a completely self-sufficient unit. Everything tiny and Japanese. SOLAR MAX Well, your dreams are within reach, my friend. INT. BAR & GRILL - DAY Nasa and Solar Max have already had a few glasses of wine. drunk.

Nasa is

49 NASA Will you join me in my quest? SOLAR MAX I’ve got my own quest. Corporate sponsorship, that’s the way to go, man. NASA (loudly) Ah! But if we joined forces! Like Flash Gordon! Buck Rogers! .Captain Kirk! They all had sidekicks! SOLAR MAX Well, I’m no Sancho Panza. NASA (loudly) Those knights in shining starships who roamed the universe righting wrong. Their future exploits are well known and forever fresh in our memories. Their courage and gallantry are legendary. I hope in my small way, I can live up to their example. Nasa is making a scene and others in the bar turn to watch. SOLAR MAX Have you eaten anything today? NASA To Wendy! My inspiration, my destination! Raise your glass, friend! O.K.

O.K.

SOLAR MAX To Wendy.

NASA (announcing to everyone) Friends! Join me in toasting my lady. Whosoever will not, sullies her name and I will challenge to a duel with lasers! SOLAR MAX That’s enough Nasa. You’re gonna get us in a fight. Nasa leans over to Solar Max drunkenly. NASA (conspiratorially) Will you ride with me? EXT. TWO LANE INDUSTRIAL HIGHWAY -- DAY Nasa rides alone down the road swerving back and forth. bit drunk.

He’s still a

From Nasa's POV on Merkabah we see the trash on the road he swerves to avoid. These include car fenders, empty soda cans, a busted car radio, candy wrappers, slabs of black tire rubber. Each item corresponds

50 comically to each item Nasa names in his speech. NASA (announcing to himself) Space debris! A dangerous threat to the safe and reliable operation of tomorrow's interstellar spacecraft. Haunted shipwrecks. The days of expendable launch vehicles is gone... Nasa passes by an enormous car junkyard, mountains of old cars and tires. NASA (cont'd) ...Fragmentation of rocket bodies, (fenders) inactive satellites... (radio) Nasa passes by a store called "HUBCAP HEAVEN". filled the yard.

Towers of hubcaps

ANOTHER ANGLE of the building polka-dotted with hundreds of mounted hubcaps shining and glaring like flying saucers in the late afternoon sun. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. SUBURBAN STREET -- DAY Again from Nasa's POV on Merkabah we see the trash on the road he swerves to avoid. NASA (announcing to himself) empty propellant cans, (soda cans) packing modules... (candy wrappers) From a VERY HIGH ANGLE we see Nasa riding down a southern suburban street complete with oaks and spanish moss. We still hear him announcing trash to himself. Nasa is approaching an intersection with a four-way stop sign. From the right a station wagon approaches the intersection and stops. At the bottom corner, a MAN stands at a bus stop. MOVING with Nasa and Merkabah down the street. Nasa is oblivious to the stop sign. He arcs over in a wide left turn. The station wagon pulls out into the intersection and hits Merkabah broadside. Nasa flies off the bike onto the street. The station wagon screeches to a halt. An attractive middle-aged woman, DIANA jumps out of the driver's side. A teenage boy, MARTY jumps out of the passenger side. The MAN runs over also. Oh my god!

DIANA Are you alright?

51 MAN I saw the whole thing. Nasa is struggling to his feet. He is a bit bloody and bruised. does not speak but surveys the scene looking for Merkabah. DIANA Maybe you shouldn't move.

He

Oh my God!

Nasa pushes Diana aside and moves in a daze to Merkabah which lies on the ground six feet away. One wheel is twisted and pointing to the sky. Some of the packs have busted open. Clothes and gear are strewn around the street. NASA Merkabah! DIANA He must be delirious. Nasa kneels and inspects Merkabah. with the bike than with himself.

He shakes his head, more concerned

DIANA Marty, help me get him up. I'm fine.

NASA I'm fine.

Nasa stands and brushes himself off. DIANA We've got to get you to a doctor. Negative.

NASA I'm fine.

DIANA I didn't see you turn. MAN I saw the whole thing. NASA I should have signaled. DIANA I should have seen you. NASA It was my fault. DIANA Don't argue. I'll pay for whatever repairs are necessary. NASA That's very generous.

Very generous.

DIANA You're not from around here.

52 NASA That's a negative. INT. DIANA'S KITCHEN -- EVENING Nasa sits, looking out of place, at a kitchen table in a cheerful suburban kitchen. Diana is cooking at the stove. DIANA (calling out to Marty who is not in kitchen) Marty! Marty, dear! Dinner is ready. DIANA (cont’d) (to Nasa) He hardly ever leaves his room. I worry about him. He's working on that computer day and night. It's beyond me. And if he's not staring at that screen, he's reading. I think he's read every science fiction book there is. That can't be good for his eyes. NASA Science Fiction kept me alive. DIANA What? NASA When I was growing up. DIANA I hope you like tofu. NASA I've never had it. DIANA Well, you're in for a treat. NASA How far away is the nearest bike shop? DIANA I think there's one at Oak Forest Plaza. We'll go first thing tomorrow. Marty! We're going to start without you! Oh, there you are. Marty enters and sits at the table, silent and sullen. Diana brings a large pizza to the table and sits. A kitten, FEATHER jumps into Nasa's lap. DIANA Tofu Pizza! Extra tofu. Feather.

Get down,

NASA That's okay. Hey there little fella. Nasa strokes the kitten.

Diana serve the food.

53 DIANA He seems to like you. feed Feather? MARTY He's not my cat.

Marty, did you

He's your cat.

DIANA You know the deal we made. MARTY (grumbling) Come on, Feather. Marty gets up, pulls Feather off Nasa's lap, and exits. DIANA I bought him two week's ago for Marty. Thought it might help bring him out of himself. That poor cat may die of neglect. (indicates food) Do you like it? Nasa has his mouth full and nods and makes yummy noises. INT. DIANA'S KITCHEN -- LATER -- EVENING Nasa is washing the dishes.

DIANA walks up behind him.

DIANA You don't have to do that. NASA I enjoy it. This is nothing to a pro. DIANA We have a machine. INT. BEDROOM -- NIGHT Nasa lies in the four poster bed in a flowery bedroom. There is a picture of Diana’s daughter on the night stand in a college cheerleader’s uniform. Nasa is reading the "MERKABAH" book by the nightstand light. He’s falling asleep as he reads. NASA (voiceover) With time, rider and vehicle become one. To ride means to travel, to leave one's natural place. The goal, to reach the objective. But to be seen, god must also ride, must also leave his natural place where he is unknowable, inconceivable, infinite, and invisible to allow himself to be seen by the rider... From Nasa’s POV, we see the letters in the Merkabah book blur and beyond them the ceiling covered with glowing decals of stars and planets. The book falls as Nasa drops off to sleep.

54 DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FOREST CLEARING -- FLASHBACK -- 1965 -- DAY CLOSEUP of a young boy. A WIDER ANGLE reveals the young boy, NASA as a child of seven, standing in the clearing, a floppy aviator's hat on his head and a white scarf around his neck. By Nasa's feet is a two foot high launch tower made from Tinker-toys and erector set girders. The tower props up a tin can. Nasa kneels and, pulling a bunch of cherry bombs and firecrackers out of his pockets, arranges them carefully under the tin can, attaching their fuses together into one fuse which he is about to unroll to a distant spot. Suddenly a bunch of little BOYS come running out of the woods. We hear their voices screaming as they dart out of the trees and jump off rocks into the clearing. Some have slingshots, they are out of breath from the chase. One boy, JOHN holds a frog up over his head with both hands. Nasa!

JOHN I've got one!

I've got one!

John holds the big frog out to Nasa in his cupped hands. boys come running up behind him.

The other

JOHN Froggy Glenn! Let's get him ready. CLOSEUP of the frog being stuffed into the tin can. Nasa covers the top of the tin can with tin foil and pokes holes in the foil with a pencil. JOHN What are you doing? NASA He's got to breathe, doesn't he? Nasa lights the fuse. NASA Everybody stand back. The boys stand in a circle expectantly. BOYS (counting down) Ten, nine, eight, seven, six... The tin can EXPLODES.

The kids scatter.

INT. BEDROOM -- NIGHT Nasa lies in the four poster bed in the flowery bedroom. Feather the cat is curled up right on his face. Nasa awakes with a startled GASPING SCREAM. Feather jumps.

55 EXT. SHOPPING CENTER -- DAY Nasa walks out of the front door of a bike store in a shopping center and walks into the parking lot looking around for Diana. Diana is pushing a full grocery cart toward him. NASA It's pretty minor. some parts.

They have to send for

DIANA Well, are you on some kind of timetable? They have reached the station wagon. into the back. Negative.

Nasa helps to load the groceries

NASA Just my own.

DIANA So relax. You stay with us. Help me eat all this stuff.

Recharge.

INT. INSIDE STATION WAGON -- DAY Nasa and Diana are in the front seat of the station wagon driving through the parking lot of the shopping center. NASA If I'm staying, I'd feel better if I contributed in some way. DIANA Look, I’ve got a lot of landscaping that needs to be done. But I would insist on paying you if you did that. NASA (sighing) I could use the cash, that's for sure. DIANA Then it’s settled. She reaches into a brown grocery bag in the back seat, pulls out a box and hands it to Nasa. NASA What is this? DIANA It's a little present.

For your trip.

Nasa pulls a little steel grinder out of the box. NASA A pasta maker? DIANA You need your carbos with all that riding. There's nothing to it. I'll show you how.

56 Little noodle cutting wheels spill from the box into Nasa's lap. NASA I don't know what to say.

EXT. DIANA'S HOUSE -- DAY A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa working in the overgrown yard of Diana's house with a pile of tools INTERCUT with SHOTS of life at Diana's house. Nasa riding a lawnmower. Nasa digging up weeds. Nasa pulling vines off the walls of the house. Feather the kitten plays in the tangled vines. INT. DIANA'S HOUSE -- DAY Nasa walks down a hall past Marty's room. The door is slightly ajar. Nasa can see Marty sitting in front of a glowing computer in the middle of messy piles of comics and science fiction paperbacks. Marty looks up and notices Nasa. NASA Wow! The Silver Surfer. That was my favorite. I didn't know he was still around. MARTY Why shouldn't he be? EXT. DIANA'S HOUSE -- DAY Nasa putting down mulch. Nasa planting a bush. a pitcher of pink lemonade.

Diana comes over with

INT. DIANA'S LIVING ROOM -- NIGHT Nasa and Diana sit on a couch in front of the fire, mellowing out and drinking wine. DIANA It's an old story. I wanted to be a stewardess when I was growing up. I had it all planned out. I'd be a sexy stew and I'd marry a handsome airline pilot. And guess what? That's exactly what I did. NASA So what happened...

57 DIANA To my ex? He drank. First the airline grounded him. Then I grounded him. Now I'm a gay divorcee. Can't you tell? What about you? What are you going to be when you grow up? NASA I wanted to be a pilot when I was growing up but I had an accident... (he stops himself) I grew up in a vacuum. DIANA What do you mean? The CAMERA slowly circles the room and Nasa's head, around and around as he gets carried away in his reverie. NASA It was what you might call a violent and inhospitable environment. There was no air, no oxygen at all. Just poisonous gases, ice and molten lava. Nothing to support life. DIANA I'm sorry. NASA And low gravity. float off.

Things just tended to

DIANA You've got quite an imagination. NASA Like me. I just floated away, you might say.. I've been lost in space ever since. You know, probing. Looking for some sign. I land somewhere that looks promising. I explore. Take soil samples. But something always happens. DIANA Have you thought of settling down here. I'm sure you could make yourself a good life. I could help you find a job. NASA Too safe and secure for me. I'm on a mission. DIANA That girl you told me about?

And anyway,

58 NASA You see, everyone to me is like a planet. There are different galaxies, different clusters, different star systems. There are so many bodies. Every one unique. Every one perfect. You could never classify them all. But someone like Wendy? She's a blue water planet and that's something very rare and very special! DIANA She's a lucky girl. NASA I hope she thinks so. EXT. DIANA'S DRIVEWAY -- DAY Nasa, dressed for traveling, is packing the newly fixed Merkabah. Diana stands next to him with Feather the cat in her arms. NASA Are you kidding me? DIANA You said you'd like to have a traveling companion, Nasa. NASA Maybe, but that's not quite what I had in mind. Besides, it's Marty's cat. DIANA Marty never pays him any attention anyway. You don't mind, do you Marty? MARTY It's your cat. Do what you want. DIANA You see? I think it's a great idea. (Feather meows) You see, Feather agrees. NASA It's a crazy idea. way.

I can't do it.

No

Feather leaps into Nasa's arms and starts to climb onto his head. laughs.

Nasa

DIANA You see, it's settled. EXT. SUBURBAN STREET -- DAY From head-on a CLOSEUP of Feather's terrified face. A WIDER ANGLE reveals the shivering cat in a basket made up as a little bed attached to the handlebars of Merkabah. An even WIDER ANGLE reveals Nasa struggling to control the bike as he

59 rides, while stroking the freaked-out Feather. NASA Don't worry, Feather. You've escaped your little domestic orbit. You're a wild space cat now. We're gonna have a good time together. You're gonna love Wendy. CUT TO: Nasa now rides down the street with Feather hanging in a net pouch around his neck. The kitten is still not very happy and clings to Nasa with his claws. NASA Ouch! Relax little fella, you'll get used to it. Ouch! Feather starts to wheeze.

Panicking, Nasa stops the bike.

NASA What's the matter? Calm down. Everything's fine, Feather. Feather is still wheezing and making weird choking sounds. a water bottle and pours it over Feather's head.

Nasa grabs

NASA Stop! Please stop. Don't die, kitty! Ouch! Don't croak on me, Feather. Don't you dare die on me. Breathe! Damn it breath! Calm down. Calm down. Breath into this. Nasa drops a small brown paper bag over Feather's head. EXT. BUS STOP -- DAY Nasa sits at a bus stop by the side of the road. Feather eats from a cat bowl looking up at Nasa now and then reproachfully. NASA What am I going to do with you? look at me like that.

Don't

Nasa is crossing the street with Feather in his arms. He walks Merkabah in a wide arc across and then climbs on to the bike with a sigh to head back in the direction he just came from. MOVING with the bike as Feather meows triumphantly, front paws perched on the front basket rim, his fur flattened as the wind from the flying bicycle flies into his face. EXT. DIANA'S HOUSE -- DAY Nasa stands holding Feather at the front door of Diana's house. opens the door with a look of surprise. DIANA Nasa, what happened?

Is something wrong?

She

60 NASA Feather's wrong. fit for flying.

This kitty's just not

Marty appears behind Diana and pushing past her grabs Feather from Nasa. MARTY Give me my cat! DIANA Marty! Marty runs back into the house. DIANA (cont'd.) I don't know what's got into him. Nasa turns to go and Diana stares after him, looking trapped in the doorway. EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY Nasa rides down a dusty country road. Nasa rounds a corner and sees PRISONERS in road crew blue shovel and clean on each side of the road. Nasa rides right through their ranks. NASA (voiceover) As I ride, ever vigilant of the dangers of deep space travel, I am reminded of the thousands of slaves who died in Pinemunde, Germany building the Vengeance missiles, the first rockets, prototypes of every modern spacecraft engraved with the Great Seal of the Rocket State... POLICE with shotguns smoke cigarettes and wipe their sweaty foreheads. The prisoners stare at Nasa and whisper to him under their breath as he passes. PRISONERS (whispering) Drop a joint. Drop it on the ground. Drop a joint. EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY Nasa stands roadside examining his map. Behind him is a cow pasture. The pasture has an eerie feeling to it. The cows are skinny and sickly looking. A huge billboard reads: "THIS LAND RECLAIMED! by FORTUNE MINING CO.". A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding down country roads and highways. A sign says "Welcome to South Carolina". Nasa rides Merkabah past a series of gas stations that double as firecracker stores, advertised by big brightly colored billboards. EXT. SIDE OF THE ROAD -- DAY Nasa sits fixing a flat tire.

He dips the busted tube into a can of

61 water.

Air bubbles up.

Closeup of a patch being glued to the tube. CLOSEUP of Nasa inserting the halfway blown up tube into the tire, and pushing it in all the way around. NASA The cold must make the rubber brittle. INT. HEALTH FOOD STORE -- DAY Nasa walks up the aisle of a health food store. He fills bags from a wall of clear plastic bulk containers marked: "WHEAT FLOUR, ALFALFA SEEDS, EGG POWDER, SOY FLOUR, LOVEBURGER, BRAN, etc.". Nasa sets the bags on the checkout counter. The CHECKOUT GIRL picks up one of the packages filled with what looks like square slabs of rubber. CHECKOUT GIRL Freeze dried tofu? I've never tried this. Is it good? NASA Never tried it.

Supposedly it expands.

CHECKOUT GIRL Cool. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY Nasa rides down the street. Hanging off Merkabah's packs are bags made of bridal veils filled with sprouting seeds. Nasa sprays the bags with a spray bottle as he rides. He sprays himself in the face and continues riding. NASA (panting with each pedal thrust) She loves me, she loves me not. She loves me, she loves me not... FURTHER ON Nasa is riding furiously. yells into the wind.

There is a good headwind and he

NASA (screaming) I'm transmitting blind, Wendy. you! Do you copy? A PAN across the bicycle reveals that tandem bike, a bicycle built for two. answers Nasa in his fantasy. WENDY I read you load and clear. NASA Advise intentions.

I love

Merkabah has extended into a Wendy rides on the back seat and

Over.

Over.

A bunch of COLLEGE KIDS laughing and playing around in a red

62 convertible come speeding up behind Nasa. Say again.

Nasa doesn't notice them.

WENDY Over. NASA

I love... One guy on the passenger side of the convertible leans out and stretches his arms way out to grab Nasa. The guy's fingers just graze Nasa. Nasa SCREAMS in fright and nearly falls over. disappeared.

The fantasy of Wendy has

The red convertible speeds away, the college kids laughing and yelling. Nasa has stopped and is trying to calm down. NASA (shouting after them) Jerks! EXT. CAMPGROUND -- NIGHT Nasa lies once more in his tent, his eyes shut, sleeping. There is the SOUND of GUNFIRE. Nasa's eyes pop open and he stares in fright as the SHOOTING continues. The wind blows through the tall night trees. EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY Nasa stands in front of a small shack by the side of the road talking to an old RAILROADMAN with a small brown paper shopping bag in his arms. Next to the shack, there is a gate. Behind the gate, a railroad corridor extends into the distance. RAILROADMAN They tie flashlights to their rifle barrels. Damn poachers. NASA You a farmer? RAILROAD MAN Naw! Used to be a switchman. This was my shack. Been no trains for years. But I'll tell you what. This track'll take you to town quicker than any road. Trail's pretty deserted except for the weekends. People from town come tramping through, they call it a park. Stop that, Zipper. By the Railroadman's feet, a very fat dog, ZIPPER, sniffs at Merkabah's wheels. Nasa eyes the dog suspiciously. NASA They come all the way out here?

63 RAILROAD MAN Just walked back from town, myself. and Zipper.

Me

NASA That's a pretty long walk. RAILROAD MAN Ran out of smokes a few days ago but I had to wait for my check. Hunting season's over. I don't have a freezer any more, though. NASA That's tough. RAILROAD MAN Yeah, well, Nurse comes twice a week. She wanted to sleep with me last week. She came right out and asked me. I told her no, of course. Never had nothing to do with women and I don't intend starting now. It's just me and Zip. NASA Well, Thanks for the advise. I think I’ll give it a try. I better be off though, I gotta make some time. Nasa presses down on the pedal and starts off. RAILROAD MAN That's some iron horse you got. NASA Triple chrome moly. Gets me there. Goodbye George. Bye, Zipper! Nasa waves as he rides off. barks.

The Railroad Man stands and waves.

Zipper

RAILROAD MAN Quiet, Zipper! (calling out to Nasa) Watch out for Injuns! EXT. RAILROAD TRAIL -- DAY Nasa laughs as he rides down a dirt path next to the abandoned railroad track. Nasa stops at a fork on the railroad trail. He looks from path to path. The smaller of the two trails leads off to the left. A fallen tree is stretched across that trail, blocking it. A large multicolored disc made of yarn and feathers hangs on one of the higher branches of the fallen tree. Smaller discs hang off other branches. Nasa is intrigued.

64 NASA (to Merkabah) What do you think? With great effort, he lifts Merkabah over the fallen tree and starts down the new trail. EXT. FOREST PATH -- DAY Nasa rides down a trail through the swampy woods. SOUNDS on either side of the trail.

He notices SPLASHING

CLOSEUP of a face peering out of the trees at Nasa. to BADGER.

The face belongs

A SERIES OF SHOTS of Merkabah bouncing over rocks and logs and branches and through puddles of mud. Badger follows Nasa silently cutting through the woods. Native American dressed in jeans and bare feet.

He is an

Rounding a curve in the trail, suddenly Nasa comes face to face with SHOCK CUT: A GIANT ALLIGATOR. Merkabah skids to a stop, nearly throwing Nasa off. right at the gator's nose.

The front wheel is

Nasa SCREAMS. The alligator GROWLS, it's jaws wide open, and flipping over backwards jumps into the swamp. Nasa is out of breath. He tries to calm himself. He hears the sound of someone laughing and is startled and almost falls again when Badger walks out of the woods. NASA You scared me. BADGER (laughing) I scared you? What are you doing way out here anyway? NASA I'm on a quest.

My name's Nasa.

BADGER A quest, huh. I'm sorry.

I'm Badger.

NASA Where'd you come from? BADGER This is Cherokee land.

I live here.

EXT. NATIVE AMERICAN SETTLEMENT -- DAY Badger leads Nasa into a sunlight clearing.

There are tepees and

65 trailer homes and CHILDREN playing. BADGER But first, I want to introduce you to Chief Soaring Eagle. Come on. NASA Take me to your leader. Nasa, Badger, and the chief, SOARING EAGLE sit around an unlit campfire. NASA It's been a crazy trip so far. If it's not a system malfunctioning. it's something breaking. And what doesn't break I lose. Every day I lose at least one thing. A kerchief. A ring. A hat. My toeclips. SOARING EAGLE The Spirit of Loss. You must lose this spirit. NASA There's a girl I have to find. Once I find her, everything is going to be fine. SOARING EAGLE Whatever you seek in the world outside is really inside you. What you find there you can never lose. NASA (an aside to BADGER) Is this when he gives me a feather? Badger shakes his head and frowns. Soaring Eagle stands to go. SOARING EAGLE I hope you will join us for this evening's sweatlodge. EXT. SWEATLODGE -- DAY LONG SHOT of a wire-frame round dome hut made of branches. Badger and others walk up and start to cover the wire frame of the hut with canvas and colorful blankets. There is a series of quick DISSOLVES, same SHOT but different light as different preparations are made. Branches and logs are piled into a pit outside the sweatlodge and set on fire. EXT. SWEATLODGE -- NIGHT The fire is blazing now. Nasa, Badger, and others, all cloaked in blankets, stand staring at the fire. A goat’s skull glows in the firelight.

66 CLOSEUP of Soaring Eagle's hand tossing corn into the fire. Soaring Eagle sings a prayer in a low voice as he tosses more corn and reaches into a pouch that hangs over his shoulder. Soaring Eagle tosses a handful of tobacco into the fire. INT. SWEATLODGE -- NIGHT Nasa, Soaring Eagle, Badger, and other Native Americans sit sweating in the dark in a circle around a pit of steaming red hot stones. Soaring Eagle sings a prayer in his native language. BADGER (whispering to Nasa) A prayer to the animal spirits of the four directions. A shovel with another red hot rock is pulled into the sweatlodge by one of the Native Americans and set onto the others. Soaring Eagle takes a tiny bottle of golden oil out of his little pouch, puts some on his finger and leaning over, touches Nasa on the middle of his forehead. CLOSEUP of Nasa's dirty face dripping with sweat. close to the sound of Soaring Eagle's singing.

His eyes droop and

DISSOLVE TO: CLOSEUP of a young boy's wide-eyed face. INT. AEROSPACE WAREHOUSE -- FLASHBACK -- 1969 -- DAY A lunar module stands alone in the center of the huge brightly lit antiseptic glass warehouse. NASA, as an eleven year old boy, stands with his father, LINDBURGH, staring at the lunar module. They both wear white jump-suits with large security clearance tags. Nasa's suit is rolled up to fit him. few TECHNICIANS wander around doing things. Lindburgh holds Nasa by the back of his neck. It’s clear that Nasa is intimidated by his father. NASA Wow! LINDBURGH The Eagle. The lunar module. In a few short months that baby's going to be sitting on the moon. And your father helped to put it there. Want to take a closer look? They walk over to the lunar module.

Nasa runs his hand against it.

NASA It looks like a weird monster bug. TECHNICIAN Hey, Lindy!

A

67 A TECHNICIAN comes over and whispers something into Lindburgh's ear. Lindburgh smiles at Nasa. LINDBURGH How'd you like to take a peek inside. NASA You kidding? Could I really? LINDBURGH Go ahead. Climb aboard. touch anything in there.

Just don't

Nasa climbs up the ladder and crawls into the module. INT. LUNAR MODULE Nasa crawls into the dark module and looks around in awe. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out some sticky jelly beans. He picks out the black one and tosses the remainder in his mouth. He crawls from one end of the module to another running his hands over everything, even dials and control panels. Nasa jumps into one of the cockpit chairs, knees facing the back of the chair. Feeling down where the back meets the seat, NASA finds a crack. CLOSEUP of Nasa's hand carefully stuffing the little black jelly bean into the crack of the cockpit chair. The jelly bean is now hidden. Nasa twists around to a sitting position, leans back and closes his eyes, smiling and still chewing his jelly beans. LINDBURGH (offscreen) Come on out. It's time to go. (increasingly angry) Nasa! Nasa! Get out here now! Nasa!

Young Nasa's face dreaming in the module DISSOLVES into the present day Nasa's sweat-drenched face sitting in a trance in the sweatlodge. Lindburgh's voice blends into the voice of Soaring Eagle. Nasa!

SOARING EAGLE (offscreen) Nasa! It's time to go!

The Native Americans all sit looking at Nasa who opens his eyes and turns to Badger. NASA (groggily) Have we landed? The Native Americans all burst out laughing and after a moment, Nasa joins in. EXT. FOREST CLEARING -- SAME NIGHT A big full yellow moon shines in the starry sky. Nasa stands wrapped in thought and an Native American blanket staring up at the moon. Badger walks up behind him.

68 BADGER (cryptically) For a string of beads.

Can you imagine?

Nasa turns to Badger with a serious blank expression. They both look up to stare at the stars and constellations in the sky. EXT. FOREST -- DAY A MONTAGE of different animal tracks in the dirt. BADGER (voiceover) Raccoon, possum, fox... Badger stops, motions for Nasa to be quiet, and points to the ground. There are animal tracks. He motions for Nasa to crouch down with him. BADGER (whispering) Deer. Suddenly in the woods in front of them appears a white deer. NASA (whispering) She's beautiful! BADGER (whispering) A white deer is very lucky. The deer sees them and darts away into the woods. EXT. CAMPFIRE -- DAY Nasa, Soaring Eagle, Badger and other Native Americans sit around a campfire. The campfire is burning even though it is day. Soaring Eagle holds an arrow and points it at the sky. SOARING EAGLE They are fire arrows. The white man shoots them into the sky. To frighten the mountains. To set fire to the jewels of heaven. BADGER The rockets red glare. SOARING EAGLE What does the white man hunt in such a way? NASA It's in man's nature to explore, isn't it? SOARING EAGLE It is the white man's nature to exploit. BADGER To murder and to plunder.

69 NASA I think you're exaggerating a little. SOARING EAGLE (slightly bitter) What will you do if you find something? You say, "We come in peace". My great grandfather heard that. Soaring Eagle tosses the arrow into the fire. The arrow burns in the fire. EXT. FOREST TRAIL -- DAY Nasa and Badger laugh as they ride bicycles between the long streamers of Spanish Moss that drape down from the huge oak trees. Nasa gets tangled in the moss and Badger stops beside him. NASA (laughing) Where does this Spanish Moss stuff come from anyway? BADGER From Spain, maybe. epiphyte.

It's an air plant, an

NASA Sounds religious. BADGER (laughing) No, no, you know what a parasite is, don't you? Like a tick or a flea on a dog. Anyway, it's like that except that an epyphyte doesn't feed off the host like a flea on a dog. It just relies on the host for support. It's just along for the ride. NASA I’m studying to be an epipyte. BADGER Get out of here. NASA No really. Like those people who live on air. There are people like that. BADGER Human bromiliads? NASA No really. They call themselves Breatharians. They live in complete harmony. They don't eat anything but air. INT. NASA'S TENT -- NIGHT

70 Nasa sits in a his tent lit by a candle lantern reading the "MERKABAH" book. From OVER THE SHOULDER, we see the open book. On one yellowed page is a diagram of the Kabbalah “Tree of Life”, a symbolic representation of the pathes of life. On the facing page the print glows in the flickering light. As he reads we see a SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa's life with the Native Americans, gardening, foraging, cooking, playing with children, chopping wood, carrying water, and riding bicycles through the forest with Badger. Weeks are passing. NASA (voiceover, reading) This is the daily cycle in harmony with the cycle of the spheres, so that he is attached ever, to the closest star. And this is the way which man can align himself always to the movements of heaven and live in harmony. These are the works of the Merkabah... The final SHOT in the SERIES is of Nasa and Badger laughing as they paint bright Native American markings on Merkabah and the bike's packs. EXT. NATIVE AMERICAN SETTLEMENT -- DAY Nasa is mounted on Merkabah ready to leave. are seeing him off.

Soaring Eagle and Badger

SOARING EAGLE Call on me if you ever need my help. I will come to you in the form of my animal spirit. Thanks. Eagle.

NASA For everything, Chief Soaring

Soaring Eagle turns and walks away. Nasa and Badger look at each other. Badger puts a leather necklace with a leather poach over Nasa's head. BADGER Good luck to you. Two little Native American CHILDREN run up. CHILDREN Wait! Hey!

NASA What's up?

You come to see me off?

FIRST CHILD We have a going away present. The children pull four flat plastic cartoon characters from their pockets and kneel to attach them to Merkabah's wheels, clipping the reflectors to the spokes.

71 NASA (puzzled) Thank-you. SECOND CHILD They're reflectors. For your wheels. NASA Wheels within wheels!. I love them. Where'd you pick these up? FIRST CHILD They came in our Cheerios! EXT. FIELD OF ELECTRIC TOWERS -- DAY LONGSHOT of Nasa riding out of the forest and down a long grassy field, a corridor of huge high tension wire towers. EXT. COUNTRY BRIDGE -- NIGHT Nasa rides slowly over a bridge past a paper mill, all steam and flashing lights sparkling like a fairy castle in the black night. NASA (reciting to himself) Shepard, Schirra, Glenn, Cooper, Grissom, Slayton, um, let's see, Schirra, wait, I said Schirra. Shepard, Schirra, Grissom, Glenn, Cooper... A SERIES OF SHOTS as Nasa passes by swamps, and various other sights. SUPERIMPOSED is an INSERT of a bicycle map with Nasa's zigzag path highlighted in red and comically animated to trace his progress through South Carolina. EXT. NASA'S CAMPGROUND CAMPSITE -- NIGHT Nasa kneels next to his little campstove tossing leaves into a wok filled with boiling water. A man, GEORGE walks by the campsite, stops and approaches Nasa. GEORGE Beautiful night. NASA That's affirmative. GEORGE If you don't mind me asking, what is that? NASA Well, it's a special stove. It's fueled by pine cones or branches. There's a little fan underneath here that blows air up the sides like a jet engine. Boils faster than gas. And this here's a wok. It's Japanese. Doubles during the day as a parabolic satellite dish.

72 GEORGE That's not what I meant. I mean that stuff you're fixing to eat. Are those leaves? NASA The Native Americans taught me how to forage and to live off the land in harmony. GEORGE They did, did they. Look, you come join us. We got some burgers and chicken up. CLOSEUP OF NASA NASA (his eyes light up) Burgers! EXT. GEORGE'S CAMPSITE -- NIGHT Nasa sits at a long picnic table with George, MARTHA, AGNES, EUGENE and a number of others. MARTHA You're a walk-in, aren't you? NASA A what? GEORGE Don't worry. You're among friends. AGNES We understand. We're visitors too. GEORGE We come from the Beta Pictoris star system. M-38. MARTHA The goat star. In Auriga. AGNES Except for Eugene. Pleaides.

He's from the

EUGENE waves with a goofy smile from the end of the table. A CLOSE SHOT looking down at Nasa's tent. We can see Nasa's eyes through the hatch as they droop and close. DISSOLVE TO: EXT. FIELD

-- FLASHBACK -- 1970 -- DAY

The CAMERA PANS across a number of fathers and sons knelling next to their model rockets making last minete adjustments. They tower over the little rockets. At the end of the row are Nasa and his father Lindburgh. Nasa’s model rocket is clunky and wooden compared to all the others and Lindburgh is obviously uncomfortable and not as helpful

73 as the other fathers. NASA (excited) It’s my turn! LINDBURGH I don’t think this thing will fly, Nasa. It’s badly made. CUT TO:

Nasa is in the middle of the field setting up his model rocket on the launch pad. Some forty feet back, under the tarp tent where the launch controls are, fathers and sons snicker and make fun of the rocket. An ANNOUNCER speaks into his microphone. ANNOUNCER Clear the launch area now son. what this big boy can do.

Let’s see

Nasa runs back to the tent area. He’s very excited. Everyone starts to yell the countdown. Nasa looks around for his father. Lindburgh is angrily heading for his car which is among the parked cars that circle the field. NASA (yelling) Hey Dad! Aren’t you gonna wait to see the launch? Lindburgh ignores him. As the countdown ends, Nasa’s eyes light up. Nothing can spoil this moment. He presses the ignition button. The model rocket fizzles and topples to the ground to the sound of raucous laughter. Nasa looks humiliated. EXT. NASA'S CAMPGROUND CAMPSITE -- NIGHT A CLOSE SHOT looking down at Nasa's tent. open as an EXPLOSION is heard.

We can see Nasa's eyes burst

Nasa crawls out of his tent, his face lit up by the EXPLODING sky. A SHOT of the starry sky EXPLODES with colorful fireworks. NASA stands and walks toward the fireworks. Other campers stand in small groups enjoying the display. The explosions get louder until it is a continuous roar. Nasa walks up to GEORGE and his group who stand huddled in funny pajamas starring at the spectacle. NASA Hey, George. What are they celebrating? GEORGE (excited) Gas station blew up.

74 NASA You're kidding! Sirens can now be heard over the explosive blaze. EXT. GAS STATION RUINS -- DAY Nasa stands mounted on Merkabah in front of the smoking ruins. rides through the ruins looking around and rides off.

He

Nasa stops below a huge billboard of smiling people smoking. The only legible word on the billboard is "Pleasure!". A large piece of the billboard picture has blown off and lies in the road at Nasa's feet. Nasa picks it up and folds it up and stuffs it into a pack. EXT. ANOTHER CAMPGROUND -- SUNSET Nasa stands in front of a campground entrance. TENTS ALLOWED".

A big sign reads: "NO

EXT. ROADSIDE FRUIT STAND -- DUSK Dusk on a quiet highway. The FRUITMAN, a large sweaty man, stands at the back of his pickup, loaded with boxes of fruit. Nasa walks out of the roadside fruit stand the truck is parked next to. He carries a large box of peaches which he loads into the back of the truck. NASA There's one more. FRUITMAN (handing Nasa some money) Those are about to turn. Help yourself. That should help get you down the road. Thanks.

NASA I really appreciate this.

FRUITMAN No problem. I had a Harley myself, about ten years ago. Rode it clear across country, to California. NASA Easy rider. FRUITMAN (laughs) Well I took my wife. She wasn't my wife then. Hung on my back for dear life. Got married in the redwoods. That's what you need, friend. Someone to ride with. The road can be a lonely place. NASA Well, I'm working on the Gemini project thing. There's a girl in Florida.

75 FRUITMAN There you go. Now all you need is a hog with some power. Well, I better get going. You gonna be alright? Nasa watches the pickup drive off. He smiles and walks over to Merkabah which has been leaning against a post and wheels the bike into the shack. INT. FRUIT STAND -- NIGHT Nasa leans Merkabah against a wall out of sight of the road. A few headlights pass and shine onto the box of peaches. Nasa squats down in front of the box and picks up a peach, holding it up to the moonlight that shines through an open-air window. He turns the peach around in his fingers and stares at it philosophically. Suddenly he stuffs it into his mouth and starts ravenously eating all the peaches with both hands, juice pouring down his chin. He closes his eyes and laughs with stuffed checks. EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE -- DAY Nasa rides up and leans Merkabah right against the window of the store, the packs cushion the bike. Nasa pulls his water bottles off of the bike and walks into the store. INT. CONVENIENCE STORE -- DAY Nasa stands in the middle of the store, his arms filled with his plastic water bottles. The CLERK eyes him with barely concealed amusement. NASA Can I fill my bottles? CLERK Sure, go ahead. NASA Thanks. CLERK Where you headed? NASA Florida. Nasa walks over to the soda machine. CLERK You're kidding! NASA (muttering) Sometimes I wish I was. CLERK The middle spout.

76 Thanks.

NASA Hey, how far am I from Savannah?

Nasa fills the bottles, turning to face the windows to keep an eye on Merkabah. CLERK You're in Savannah. Outskirts, anyway. Just two miles straight into downtown. NASA Great. CLERK I was in Florida once. I got a cousin down there in Homestead. Too hot for me. Nasa has finished and walks back past the counter. peer at the clerk's nametag.

He leans over to

NASA Is your name really Clark? CLERK Yeah, why? NASA You're Clark the clerk. CLERK Now that's interesting. that.

Never thought of

NASA Over and out. Nasa walks out leaving the CLERK smiling to himself. CLERK You take 'er easy, dude. clerk. I like that.

Clark the

EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE -- DAY Outside the store, Nasa stands in momentary shock. Nasa drops all the bottles of water.

Merkabah is gone.

The bottles all pop open and spill into the street. Nasa runs into the parking lot, looking frantically in all directions, including up in the air.

No.

NASA (screaming) No! It can't be.

INT. CONVENIENCE STORE -- DAY Nasa rushes into the store yelling to the CLERK. NASA Call the police! hijacked!

My vehicle's been

77 EXT. SAVANNAH STREET -- DAY Nasa running down the street, looking in all directions. EXT. CONVENIENCE STORE -- DAY Nasa, back at the convenience store, stands talking to two police officers who are shaking their heads. NASA Do you have a helicopter? The policemen look at each other concealing amusement. POLICEMAN This is a lost bicycle we're talking about, not a lost child. EXT. SAVANNAH STREETS -- DAY A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa trotting down the streets of the city searching for Merkabah. The streets are mysteriously free of car traffic. One bicycle passes by, then another and another and another. Then a unicycle and some odd antique high wheel bikes. Nasa turns a corner and comes into a large square filled with bicyclists and hundreds of bikes. Many carry protest signs with slogans like "PEDAL POWER", “INTERNAL COMBUSTION SUCKS” and "BAN THE CAR". NASA Oh no! PROTESTERS (chanting) No more cars! No more cars!.. One PROTESTER chases a passing car and yells at the DRIVER. PROTESTER Get a bike! The Driver jumps out of his car and yells at the Protester. DRIVER (frustrated) If...If God had meant us to walk, he would have given us feet! Nasa is swept up with all the bicyclists in what feels like a parade. He scans the crowd for Merkabah. Suddenly Nasa sees his old friend Solar Max among the protesters. pushes his way up to him. Solar! here.

NASA I should have known you’d be

He

78 Nasa! bike?

SOLAR MAX How’s it going. Hey, where’s your What the hell happened to you?

NASA I got robbed. Some kids. Come on.

SOLAR MAX Get on!

Nasa jumps on the back of Solar Max’s bike and balences himself on Solar Max’s back. He stands on the back of the bike like a charioteer. A SERIES OF SHOTS as Solar Max riding with Nasa perched behind him ridings through the streets of the town looking for Merkabah. Birds circle overhead. One larger bird, in actuality a hawk, flies into view. Nasa glances up, then stiffens and points. An eagle!

NASA Follow that eagle!

SOLAR MAX Anything you say. A SERIES OF SHOTS as Solar Max riding with Nasa ride through the streets of the town following the path of the eagle/hawk as it soars up above. Suddenly Solar Max and Nasa round a corner and run into a large empty lot. To their amazement, a gang of young skateboarding kids stand in the center of the lot in a circle around Merkabah. NASA (shouting) Hey! Get away from there! me!

Get away from

Nasa jumps off the back of Solar Max’s bike. The kids scatter clutching some of Nasa's packs and belongings, screaming and yelling in all directions. Nasa runs over to Merkabah and sits on the ground inspecting the damage and picking up the strewn cloths. He whips one piece of clothing to the ground in anger. EXT. SMALL TOWN STREET -- DAY Nasa and Solar Max ride their bikes down the street of the town. Nasa's belongings are now strapped in a messy pile to the back of the bike with bungie cords and rope. Three old men on a bench in front of a general store eye them suspiciously as he passes. EXT. REST STOP -- DAY Merkabah is upside down, standing on it's seat on a picnic table. Nasa and Solar Max are leaning over the bike, working on it. They speak with a quick clipped professional manner. The feeling is like a hospital operating room. Nasa hands Solar Max tools when he calls for them.

79 SOLAR MAX The photovoltaics will end up supplementing the generator. Vise? NASA The only problem with the generator is you have to maintain a good speed or the lights dim. Here it is. Vise. SOLAR MAX We'll hook them both up to the battery. Socket wrench? That way, you'll be collecting sun power and wheel power. Don’t you think you should call her?. NASA Who? Wendy? I wouldn't know how to reach her. Wrench. This may sound dumb Solar, but what about the pinwheels? Could we hook them up, too? SOLAR MAX Baby windmills? We could try. Screwdriver?

Why not?

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY Nasa and Solar Max ride down a country road. The newly refurbished Merkabah looks even more like a strange spacecraft. New packs and solar panels stick out front and back on either side.Nasa presses a button on a control panel that is now mounted on Merkabah's handle bars. A retractable arm pops up with a tube that Nasa sucks water out of. Nasa presses another button. A wire frame springs up in front of his face holding a harmonica. Nasa blows into the harmonica and the wind blows into the harmonica the other way. NASA (singing) Well, If you get to heaven before I do. Coming for to carry me home. Just cut a little hole and pull me up through. Come on, Solar! Coming for to carry me home. Swing low, sweet chariot... Solar Max joins in singing as.. A SERIES OF SHOTS show Nasa and Solar Max riding down various country roads and highways. They pass by by grain silos, pecan stands, and various other sights. They look like they’re having a great time together. SUPERIMPOSED is an INSERT of a bicycle map with their zigzag path highlighted in red and comically animated to trace their progress through Georgia. EXT. NUCLEAR POWER PLANT -- DAY Nasa and Solar Max ride their bikes past a nuclear power plant.

80 NASA On screen. SOLAR MAX Sensors detect no life forms. NASA We must stop and engage. Nasa butts Merkabah angrily against the chicken wire fence. SOLAR MAX Captain! It’s no use. power. Disengage!

We’re losing

Nasa pulls the “Merkabah” book out of his bike pack and starts thumbing through it. NASA There must be a spell against giants in here. EXT. COUNTRY ROADS -- DAY Nasa and Solar Max ride side by side down a country road. An armadillo scurries across the road in front of them. NASA Hey, it's another self-contained reaction device! EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY Nasa and Solar Max ride down a country road past a farm. to something moving beyond the trees.

Solar points

A figure dressed in a white body suit with hoods and netting over her face walks among rows of square white beehives by a beautiful oak tree. SOLAR MAX Let’s check it out. NASA I don’t know. EXT. BEE FARM -- LATE AFTERNOON Nasa and Solar ride up the driveway very slowly keeping a wary eye on the bees. The beekeeper moves toward them in the white jumpsuit and pulls off the netting and hood to reveal a young woman, Susan, the HONEY LADY. HONEY LADY You boys look like you could use some lemonade. I’m Susan. They call me the Honey Lady. Nasa and Solar Max look at each other in surprise. INT. BEE FARMHOUSE PORCH -- LATE AFTERNOON

81 Nasa, Solar Max, and the Honey Lady sit sipping lemonade. There is obviously some electricity between Solar Max and the Honey Lady. HONEY LADY There’s a real good flea I do here every Saturday. NASA This is delicious. HONEY LADY You’re welcome to camp out here if you like. SOLAR MAX Sounds sweet to me. INT. POST OFFICE -- DAY Nasa picking up a large package at the post office counter. A knife cuts through the top of the box. Nasa pulls the box open. On top of all the rolled up kites is are a small number of envelopes. Nasa picks up the envelopes and looks at them with surprise. He rips one open. FONDUE (voiceover) Dear Nasa, here it is. Your final gravity assist. Still no luck calculating precise coordinates of Planet Wendy. Daisy refuses to supply sufficient data. EXT. FLEA MARKET -- DAY The CAMERA looks down at a large colorful flea market. and vendors are still setting up.

It is morning

FONDUE (voiceover cont’d) Somehow though I'm sure your orbits will intersect. May the mass times acceleration be with you. Fondue. The CAMERA MOVES down and across to eye level in front of a booth with a banner that reads: "SOLAR MAX - Alternative Energy Toys" and a small hand painted sign beside it that reads: “KITES”. Behind the table sits SOLAR MAX and Nasa. The end of the table is covered with jars and bears of honey. The HONEY LADY stands behind the table labeling jars under a sign that reads: “HONEY”. HONEY LADY It's gonna be a good day.

I can feel it. CUT TO:

Nasa, Solar Max, and the Honey Lady sit side by side behind the booth's table happily counting money. It is now late afternoon and a few kites

82 hang from the banner above the booth. EXT. BEE FARM -- LATE AFTERNOON Nasa, Solar Max, and the Honey Lady are all dressed in white body suits with hoods and netting over their faces. They walk among rows of square white beehives as if in slow motion. There is some flirting between Solar Max and the Honey Lady, and general horsplay among the three of them. Nasa mimes playing golf. EXT. BEE FARM -- LATE AFTERNOON Nasa and Solar Max tune up their bicycles by the barn. The Honey Lady can be heard in the house OFFSCREEN as she prepares dinner. NASA We could make better time if maybe we did some night riding. SOLAR MAX Nasa, I need to tell you. My tour is over. I’m going to stay here for awhile. NASA (disappointed but sincerely happy for his friend) You and the Honey Lady?. I had a feeling. That’s great, man. Really. Alternative energy, alternative sweeteners. You two are made for each other. INT. BEE FARM KITCHEN -- NIGHT Nasa, Solar Max and the Honey Lady sit around the dinner table as the Honey Lady anounces the dinner. HONEY LADY Honey chicken, honey glazed potatos, salad with italien honey dressing, and for dessert, honey vanilla ice cream. NASA Do you have anything without honey? The friends all laugh. EXT. DIRT ROAD -- DAY FOLLOWING Nasa as he rides alone through the pouring rain. EXT. GENERAL STORE -- DAY Nasa stands drenched and shivering under an store awning watching a downpour of rain. He looks like a wet dog. EXT. DIRT ROAD -- DAY FOLLOWING Nasa as he rides. The rain has now stopped. splashing up his back from the wheel.

Mud comes

83 MOVING with Nasa as he rides down the muddy dirt road. The puddles are deep, sometimes up to his knees. The red clay mud splashes all over him. Suddenly Nasa loses his balance and Merkabah flops into a big puddle. Nasa struggles to his feet. He is covered head to toe with mud. EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY The sun shines now. Nasa and Merkabah are caked with dried mud as Nasa rides down the street.

EXT. GAS STATION -- DAY Nasa is at a gas station hosing down the muddy Merkabah. He finishes and then turns the hose onto himself, showering off dirt and mud to the amusement of the GAS STATION ATTENDANTS. Nasa wheels Merkabah over to the air pump and is dismayed to see a coin slot. He walks by the pumps, past the pillars with “SELF” painted in big block letters, and over to one of the ATTENDANTS. He pulls a dollar from his pocket. NASA Change for air? CUT TO: Nasa kneels by the air machine reverently oiling his bike chain with a little oil can. It is like an anointment. INT. LAUNDRYMAT -- DAY Nasa sits next to Merkabah in a hot sunny laundrymat dressed only in skimpy shorts and staring at his wash. CLOSEUP of the wash sloshing in the machine with Nasa's staring reflection in the circular window. MONTAGE of the sloshing wash DISSOLVING into the starry night sky which DISSOLVES instantly into Nasa's face staring at the stars through the mosquito net roof of his tent. NASA (voiceover) Control? This is Merkabah. Mission elapsed time, unknown. But here in deep space, time has little meaning... A SERIES OF LONGSHOTS of Nasa's tent set up in different locations DISSOLVE into each other as if the tent is traveling through time and space. Nasa's tent on a church lawn, in an abandoned shopping center store, on a village green, a roadside rest stop.

84 NASA (voiceover, cont'd.) From galaxy to galaxy. Uncharted, unknown. My final destination ever closer. And space is truly the only home I’ve ever known. With the friendship of the stars, I am never really alone. INT. ANOTHER CONVENIENCE STORE -- DAY Nasa is inside a convenience store filling his water bottles. a wailing siren alarm is heard.

Suddenly

Nasa rushes outside.

EXT. ANOTHER CONVENIENCE STORE -- DAY Merkabah is the source of the alarm. The bike stands safely parked by the window. Nasa rushes out the door then stops and breathes a sigh of relief. A couple of kids stand nearby looking guilty. Nasa walks over to Merkabah and switches off the alarm speaks.

The FIRST BOY

FIRST BOY We didn't do anything. SECOND BOY I just patted it. NASA Don't worry. The alarm's got a motion trigger. Wow!

FIRST BOY Cool!

EXT. COUNTRY ROAD -- DAY Nasa rides through a downpour of rain. with joy. Nasa rides down a country road. rainbow spans the horizon.

He is laughing and screaming

The rain has stopped.

A beautiful

EXT. CITY ROAD -- DAY Nasa stands mounted on Merkabah at a walled off dead end looking at his map and scratching his head. Nasa stands mounted on Merkabah at the on ramp of an interstate highway. A sign reads "No Hitchhikers. No Pedestrians. No Bicycles.". Nasa sighs and rides up the ramp. EXT. INTERSTATE HIGHWAY -- SUNSET MOVING with Nasa as he rides on a huge interstate eight lane highway. He is clearly terrified, flinching as cars speed by. He is nearly knocked over by the draft when a sixteen-wheeler barrels by.

85 NASA (voiceover) Entering asteroid belt. caution.

Proceeding with

A whole line of sixteen wheelers barrel by blowing their steam horns. Nasa struggles to continue, then stops and bows his head until they all pass. EXT. CLOVERLEAF CONSTRUCTION SITE -- NIGHT LONGSHOT of a cloverleaf under construction. Tall pillars hold up nothing and huge concrete overpasses are cut off in mid-air. Underneath we can see Nasa's tent and a tiny fire where Nasa sits. CUT TO: A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding down beach highways. He passes by a sign that reads "Welcome to Florida", palm trees, and various other coastal sights. SUPERIMPOSED is an INSERT of a bicycle map with Nasa's zigzag path highlighted in red and comically animated to trace his progress down the coast of northern Florida. EXT. BEACH -- SUNSET Nasa stands on the beach at sunset. Beach patrollers driving little go-carts criss-cross the beach. Nasa crouches so they don't see him. They pass by and Nasa wheels Merkabah under a large sea grape bush. Nasa sleeps under the hanging seagrapes. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY A CLOSE PAN across the tubes of a bike frame. One SHOT DISSOLVES into another, more and more tubes criss-cross and merge into a huge scaffold-like structure. NASA (voiceover) There are many paths. Between the joints. Between the brackets. Between the neurons. Between the stars. MEDIUM SHOT of Nasa riding Merkabah against a bright cloudy sky. We see only Nasa's upper body. He pedals away with an almost furious joy. A WIDER ANGLE slowly reveals that Nasa is pedaling on top of a huge scaffold at least thirty feet high and taking up the whole road. Soaring Eagle, Easy, Diana, and Solar Max are perched inside the scaffold, like monkeys hanging off a jungle gym. They face out from the four corners of the moving scaffold, swinging and climbing around. And suddenly the imposing figure of his father, Lindburgh screaming at him soundlessly. Hey you! EXT. BEACH

PATROLMAN (offscreen) Get up. You can't sleep here.

-- NIGHT

Nasa is again seen sleeping under the sea grapes and awakens, startled.

86 The last scene has been a dream. He sees the PATROLMAN standing over him, straddling his go-cart. Nasa sleepily rises to his feet. NASA Where can I go. PATROLMAN I don't know. I just know you can't sleep here. NASA Since when is sleeping a crime? It's not like a sleeping person poses any threat to anyone. PATROLMAN Look, I can take you in and book you. Then you'd have a place to sleep. NASA That's okay. I'm going. EXT. SUBURBAN STREET -- NIGHT Nasa rides down the empty suburban streets of the beach town. Nasa is punchy tired and the doorbell lights of the bedroom community swirl as he weaves drunkenly down the street. Suddenly the houses are all covered with Christmas lights. He passes a Santa on his sleigh with reindeer on one green lawn. NASA (voiceover) Illuminated doorbell buttons explode into distant galaxies. But sleep, it seems, is a crime in this sector. MOVING with Nasa he sneaks between two houses down to the beach. EXT. BEACH -- DAWN Nasa is again seen sleeping under more sea grapes in the glowing dawn. He awakes startled and tries to focus on the PATROLMAN TWO who stands above him blocking the sun. PATROLMAN TWO Hey, get up. I thought I told you, no sleeping on the beach. NASA But I'm sunbathing, sir. EXT. TOURIST TRAILER PARK -- DAY Merkabah stands upside down on a picnic table. Nasa is repairing and tuning up the bike. Facing him, MYRA and MANNY, an old couple sit under the awning of their mobile home in beach chairs and dressed in bright Florida clothes.

87 MYRA You're too young to be thinking about such things. Seventy years we go to Temple, Manny and I. I never heard of such things. The Kabbalah and the what... Meshuginah? NASA The Merkabah. MYRA Merkabah, Meshuginah. It's crazy just the same. You'll make yourself crazy with that. You should have a nice girl, a boy like you. A nice home. Am I right, Manny? Manny shrugs. NASA You're probably right. (a realization) You are right. Thanks. MYRA Me and Manny, we're retired. But we're very active. We have a nice motor home. We visit the children. Sure. But we come down here every year. We should freeze? We should worry about the outer space and why are we here and all that? This is Florida! NASA This is my R.V. MYRA You're a good boy. Isn't he a good boy, Manny? You'll have some dinner with us. Some southern fried chicken soup you never had. Tell him, Manny. NASA I can make fresh noodles! MYRA You hear that, Manny. He makes noodles. Don't trouble yourself. Noodles we got. NASA I've got sprouts, too. Nasa holds up the white veil bags now bulging with sprouts. MYRA So we'll make a nice salad. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY A gigantic swamp buggy with twenty foot high wheel zooms by Nasa as he rides.

88 EXT. ORANGE GROVES -- DAY Nasa rides through the hills of twisted orange trees. EXT. FORT MANTANZAS BEACH -- DAY Nasa stands in wonder among the twisted formations of porous Cochina stone, which makes up the entire shore in weird natural statues and crater-like basins. Nasa notices a figure down the rocky beach taking pictures and moving toward him. It is the Anastasia, the Russian cyclist who Nasa met on the first day of his journey. She has become very americanized, acts a little bored, and is dressed in punky rock and roll surf duds. She sees Nasa. ANASTASIA Alaska! NASA Hey, I remember you. ANASTASIA How is your adventure going? Great.

NASA What are you doing here?

ANASTASIA I am heading back up north from the Keys. I love this place, don’t you? It's like being on the moon. Yeah.

NASA Hey, Watch this.

Smile.

Nasa presses a button on Merkabah’s control panel. A retractable mechanical arm pops out of Merkabah with a camera at its end. Nasa presses another button and the camera starts taking pictures of Anastasia. ANASTASIA (looking through her bag) Oh Wow. That’s great. Hey, I've got something here for you. Did you see the fort? Negative.

NASA Where's that?

ANASTASIA No silly, a print! A car horn beeps. Nasa turns and is surprised to see up in the parking look overlooking the ocean, the red convertible filled with college kids that had many miles ago tried to knock him off his bike. They are yelling and carrying on as before. ANASTASIA My new American boyfriend! I have to go. Where is that? Here...here it is.

89 She hands Nasa a photograph and turns to go. NASA Thanks. ANASTASIA It's down the road a little ways. The Spanish explorers built it completely out of this rock. Cochina.

NASA Hey, thanks!

Nasa looks at the black and white photo. INSERT of the photo. It seems from a long gone time. The Nasa in the picture is less tan, less road-weary. Merkabah is less elaborate, less run-down. ANASTASIA Keep your nose up! Anastasia waves from the red convertible. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY BRIDGE -- DAY Nasa rides Merkabah over a view of the old Spanish fort built entirely of Cochina bricks. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY Nasa rides down the beach highway past huge condos and condo development billboards. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- DAY Nasa passes by a roadhouse with a parking lot filled with big black motorcycles. A bunch of bikers in the parking lot wave at Nasa. EXT. DAYTONA BEACH -- DOWNTOWN -- DAY Nasa rides through the deserted downtown streets of Daytona Beach. the distance he see the lights of the busy beachfront strip.

In

EXT. DAYTONA BEACH -- BEACH -- DAY A LONGSHOT of the huge beach crowd of students. Nasa rides Merkabah into the front of the SHOT. Merkabah is loaded down with kites. Nasa stops for a moment, then turns to enter the fray and disappears into the crowd. The same SHOT in a TIMELAPSE. One kite appears in the sky. Then another and another until the sky is crowded with kites like a reflection of the colorful crowd below. EXT. SUGAR PLANTATION -- DAY Nasa rides through the ruins of a sugar plantation, with it's giant stone vats. Nasa stops at a display with a drawing of a giant slave ship with slaves cramped coffin-like shoulder to shoulder and the words "SUGAR

90 AND SLAVES" in big letters. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- AFTERNOON MOVING with Nasa. over the trees.

He does a double take as he sees a lighthouse rising

NASA (voiceover) Control? This is Merkabah. On the final approach. Anticipating rendezvous. I can feel the effects of her gravity.

EXT. TITUSVILLE -- EVENING A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding into a town, signs revealing the town to be Titusville. One large sign exclaims: "Welcome to Titusville SPACE CITY U.S.A." Tourists fill the streets. They eye Nasa with amusement as he passes. Nasa watches as neon "NO VACANCY" signs light up on the hotels he passes. NASA (voiceover, cont'd.) Exiting blackout, adjusting reentry attitude, initiating deorbit burn, initiating preflare. INT. BED AND BOARD HOTEL LOBBY -- EVENING Nasa is at the front desk counting crumpled wads of dollar bills. DESKCLERK You're lucky. I just got this cancellation. NASA It seems like I've been everywhere in town. I really didn't count on spending so much. DESKCLERK Big launch this weekend. NASA Yeah, I heard. By the way, is there a vegetarian restaurant in town? INT. NASA'S HOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT Nasa struggles into the door of the efficiency. He drops everything and flops on the bed with a deep sigh, but bounces back up again as if he has thought of something. He walks to a door, swings it open, and clicks on a light switch. From Nasa's POV, we see a gleaming bathtub in a bright bathroom.

91 CLOSE on Nasa's beaming face. NASA A real shower! EXT. TITUSVILLE STREETS -- DAY A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa zooming down Titusville streets on the lightened Merkabah, now relieved of the load of traveling packs. Nasa takes advantage of the new speed and maneuverability by careening around corners, flying off curbs, etc. EXT. N.A.S.A. ADMINISTRATION BUILDING -- DAY The front of a large N.A.S.A. Administration Office building. Nasa rides up and parks Merkabah. He adjusts the security clearance badge pinned to his shirt that we saw in the lunar module flashback. He bounds up the stairs and walks into the building. INT. N.A.S.A. ADMINISTRATION BUILDING -- LOBBY -- DAY Nasa walks up to a large reception desk where a woman RECEPTIONIST sits, dressed very officially. She eyes Nasa's getup and the ancient security clearance badge suspiciously. RECEPTIONIST Can I help you? NASA Hi! That's affirmative. I'm looking for a friend of mine who works here. RECEPTIONIST I'd be happy to check personnel for you. What is his name? She picks up a phone and presses a button. NASA It's a her and her name is Wendy Wright. RECEPTIONIST (into phone) Hello June, can you see if you can pull up a Wendy Wright? (to Nasa) Do you know which department she works in? Negative.

NASA I'm not sure.

RECEPTIONIST (into phone) I'll ask. (to Nasa) Is that with a "W" like the Wright Brothers. NASA Affirmative.

92 RECEPTIONIST (into phone) Same spelling. I'll hold. NASA She's related, actually. The Receptionist does a double take. RECEPTIONIST And what might your name be? Nasa.

NASA Nasa Johnson.

RECEPTIONIST Now, let me get this straight... (into phone) June? Uh-huh. Uh-huh. Okay. She hangs up the phone and turns to Nasa. RECEPTIONIST (cont’d) I'm sorry Mr. Nasa but there's no one here by the name of Wendy Wright and if this is your idea of a joke, I don't find it very funny. NASA It's not a joke. RECEPTIONIST Let me get this straight. You're related to the Wright Brothers and your name is Nasa. NASA I was named after the act, not the administration. Hey, would you know of a vegetarian restaurant in town? EXT. N.A.S.A. ADMINISTRATION BUILDING -- DAY Nasa, visibly disappointed, is unlocking his bike when two military security guards come out of the building and slowly start down the stairs toward him. Nasa rides off. EXT. TITUSVILLE STREET -- DAY A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding down various sunny Titusville streets looking for Wendy. Nasa stops in front of a health food restaurant. Nasa stops in front of a synagogue. Nasa sees an umbrella and a WOMAN walking underneath it and rides up, thinking it's Wendy. Hey Wendy!

NASA It's me...

93 The woman turns around and it is not Wendy. EXT. TITUSVILLE STREET -- NIGHT Nasa rides Merkabah past the picture windows of a large busy restaurant. He stops and uses the light to look over a map. Behind "Belly riding heads. starts

Nasa, the name of the restaurant is painted on the window: of the Whale". In the restaurant, the WAITRESSES can be seen around on roller-skates. They have high-tech headsets on their One of the waitresses rides up to a table by the window and taking an order. NASA (voiceover) Perhaps tracking systems are malfunctioning...

Suddenly the waitress turns her head and we see that it is Wendy! is oblivious, still inspecting his map.

Nasa

INT. NASA'S HOTEL ROOM -- NIGHT The fancy bed and board style hotel room is covered with his gear and looks like a campsite. Nasa sits propped up on the bed searching a phone book in his lap. bed is covered with maps and clothes and papers.

The

NASA (voiceover, cont'd.) Not a trace of life. Yet absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. Nasa takes a sip from his bike water bottle. spills all over his face and onto the bed.

The top pops open and

He leaps off the bed with a start and a yell, grabs all the papers and sweeps them off the bed. NASA Damn it! The "MERKABAH" book lies open soaked on the bed. NASA picks it up and starts to wipe the water off with the sheet. He opens the cover to wipe the inside cover and notices the smeared “W. Wright” signature and below it in different ink the address “1122 Banana River Drive”. NASA That's strange. (reading) W.Wright, One, one, two, two, Banana River Drive. Suddenly Nasa grabs the local phone book, turns to the map in the front and excitedly runs over it with his finger.

94 NASA (excitedly) Banana River Drive. Banana River Drive. (he finds it) Banana River Drive!

Banana River Drive. Thank you, Daisy!

He lifts the “Merkabah” book to his lips and kisses it.. EXT. BANANA RIVER DRIVE -- DAY Nasa rides his bike past a street sign that reads “Banana River Dr.”. He turns down the street scanning each side for the house numbers. EXT. WENDY'S COTTAGE -- DAY Nasa stands in front of a quaint cottage nervously holding the “Merkabah book. He checks the address on the inside cover just to reassure himself. It matches the number on the mailbox. He walks up to the door and knocks. He looks over at a clothsline by the side of the house where sheets billow in the wind. No one answers the door. He knocks again. Hello!

NASA Anybody home?

Nasa sighs and walks back toward the street. He notices a black waitress apron blowing on the clothesline behind the sheets and walks over to look at it. A logo is imprinted on the apron,

"Belly of the Whale"

EXT. BELLY OF THE WHALE RESTAURANT -- DAY Merkabah leans against the picture window of the restaurant. We look through the window of the empty restaurant as Wendy sets up tables. Nasa appears in the background and approaches her. He sits at a table like an ordinary customer and calls to her. She turns in surprise and skates over. We watch their awkward reunion but don't hear anything through the glass. INT. NASA'S HOTEL ROOM --EVENING In FAST MOTION, Nasa runs around the room he has rented in a comical flurry of activity. He grabs clothes off the floor and bed on them and stuffs them into a drawer. He sweeps a pile of bicycle tools off the dresser top into the drawer. He grinds pasta. He cooks. He decorates, too. He puts a tall candle on the nightstand and pulls a wine bottle out of a grocery bag. He runs to the boiling over pots. INT. NASA'S HOTEL ROOM -- BALCONY -- DAY Nasa stands on the balcony of his third story room. He searches the street below for Wendy's expected approach. Merkabah leans against the railing. NASA Well Merkabah old buddy, I hope we don't get stood up. Suddenly Nasa spies Wendy riding a bike down an alley toward the hotel.

95 He stands and leans over the balcony. NASA (to himself) Recovery! (calling down to Wendy) Hey! Up here! EXT. NASA'S HOTEL -- DAY Wendy has stopped and is chaining her bike to a pole. WENDY Hello, Nasa. You found me. INT. NASA'S HOTEL ROOM -- DAY Nasa comes back into the room from the balcony. He looks around, checking that everything is perfect. He looks into the mirror. NASA (to his reflection) Wheels down! Light the candle! Nasa runs over to light the candle on the dresser. There is a knock at the door. He lights the candle and blows out the match. NASA Come on in. Wendy enters with a tentative smile. Nasa moves toward her with open arms, but sees no embrace forthcoming. WENDY Nice tan. NASA I've got some pretty bizarre tan lines. WENDY I'll bet. NASA Wanna see? WENDY I think I'll pass. NASA No, really. Check this out. Nasa holds out his hands face down. There is a checkered pattern of tan and pale skin on the back of his hands. INT. NASA'S HOTEL ROOM -- BALCONY -- EVENING Nasa and Wendy sit eating dinner on the balcony of his room at a little table on wheels. NASA I made the pasta myself.

96 WENDY I'm impressed. NASA So, will you stay. WENDY (shaking her head) Nasa. NASA I'm only asking. We could put on some music. Wanna dance? WENDY Nasa, I'm seeing someone. NASA You're what? WENDY I'm seeing someone. interfering.

And I don't want you

NASA Who's interfering? NASA Just you being here... NASA (disappointed) You're a free woman. want.

You do what you

Wendy starts to get up. WENDY I think I should go. NASA You don't have to go. Look, I'm sorry. I made dessert. Tofu pudding! With honey. EXT. NASA'S HOTEL -- NIGHT Wendy is unlocking her bike as Nasa looks on. WENDY Thanks again for the dinner. NASA So do you have any launch day plans? WENDY Well I'm working that night. NASA It's a morning launch. WENDY That's what I heard.

97 NASA (hopefully) So, you want to see it with me? CUT TO: Blurred binocular circles of greenery across the SCREEN. WENDY (offscreen) Shhhh! I think I see something. The blurred circles merge and focus into a SPLIT SCREEN of two identical side by side circular views of a colorful bird. WENDY (offscreen, cont'd.) It's a purple gallinule.

EXT. BIRDWATCHING PARK -- DAY TWOSHOT of Nasa and Wendy both with binoculars facing the CAMERA. NASA It's like a rainbow bird! WENDY Look at him go! Oh well. From behind we see Nasa and Wendy crouching side by side in the trees of a park. The purple gallinule flies off. Nasa and Wendy stand up and start walking through the trees. NASA It's almost launch-time. Nasa and Wendy come out of the trees into the clear area of the park that slopes down to the river. Groups of people stand waiting for the launch. NASA There's a radio.

Wait here a second.

Nasa walks away, over to a group by a picnic table. Wendy stands watching. She looks at her watch. She takes a piece of gum out of her pocket. She chews it. She fiddles with the silver wrapper. She is not comfortable. A groan travels though the crowd. Nasa walks back over to her. WENDY Something wrong?

98 NASA It's been scrubbed. They may try again tomorrow. Maybe we can sneak onto the beach to get a closer look! WENDY Maybe. NASA So what else is there to do in Space City? EXT. TITUSVILLE STREET -- DAY Nasa and Wendy ride their bikes through the streets of Titusville. Nasa clowns around trying to get Wendy to laugh. She smiles politely but appears annoyed. EXT. ROCKET GARDEN

--

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER -- DAY

The tops of rockets in a row pointing to the sky. Nasa and Wendy walk side by side among the rockets on a brick path. Nasa tries to take Wendy's hand. She pulls away. He points instead. NASA There's the lunar module. WENDY What do you want from me, Nasa? NASA Did I ever tell you the story about me and the first lunar module? WENDY (annoyed) About a million times. The first jelly bean on the moon. One giant jump for jelly beans! Wendy dances away and sits on a bench.

Nasa follows.

NASA (pausing first) Look, I don't want anything from you. just want to be with you.

I

Wendy stands and faces him. WENDY What about what I want? Do you ever think about that. Here you are. Did I have a choice about that? NASA Sure you do. We're having fun, aren't we?

99 WENDY (matter-of-factly) Speak for yourself. I have fun with lots of people. NASA Look, I just came here to talk to you. To explore some things with you. WENDY To explore? What did you expect to find. NASA Wendy the astronaut, for one thing. WENDY Yeah. Well, the best laid plans. works for Astrotech though.

Hank

NASA Hank? Nasa stands and walks again.

Wendy follows.

WENDY My new friend. He's going to help me get a job there as soon as there's an opening. NASA They're space weapons contractors, aren't they? WENDY So? NASA So, nothing. I just thought you were a pacifist. You know, being a vegetarian and all. WENDY I serve meat at the restaurant. NASA That's a little different. WENDY You're one to judge. What have you done for the world lately? We can't all live in a dreamworld. Nasa stops and turns to her. NASA I don't understand what's happened to you. We used to have such fun at Kitty Hawk. WENDY Yeah well, that was then.

100 NASA It wasn't that long ago. WENDY It was a lifetime ago, Nasa. I could hardly breathe in that house with mother and Daisy. I was like a prisoner there. But I escaped. Maybe you had something to do with that, I don’t know. I just know it took me a long time to get out and you know what? I like being on my own. NASA Alone with Hank, you mean. WENDY (irritated) Look Nasa, this just isn't happening. I'm going home. I've got to get ready for work. NASA I'll ride with you. WENDY (dismissive) That's okay. You stay. great exhibits inside. NASA How about tomorrow? launch. WENDY I’ve got to work.

There's some

They rescheduled the

I'm opening tomorrow.

Wendy starts to walk away. NASA So when will I see you again? WENDY I don't know, Nasa. Nasa stands crestfallen watching her walk off the path and cutting across a lawn through the rocket displays. NASA (to himself) So how was your trip, Nasa? thanks.

Fine,

EXT. TITUSVILLE STREET -- DAY A HOMELESS MAN sits in his wheelchair on the streetcorner. He wears a cap fashioned from tin foil and a red school band uniform. The wheelchair is covered with junk and bags of ragged clothes and soda cans. Flags and pieces of ribbon and a broken kite hang off the chair. A small smashed television sits in the man's lap and he yells at the broken screen.

101 HOMELESS MAN Don't do that. Turn around. Why don't they stop?

Stop. Stop.

Nasa is wheeling Merkabah up the street and stops when he sees the HOMELESS MAN. Nasa turns to cross the street to avoid him but is intrigued and stops to listen. The Homeless Man sees him and directs his tirade at him. HOMELESS MAN Look at them damn fools. Once they light it, it's gonna be too late. They wouldn't accept my phone call. I've tried but they won't listen. NASA Are you okay? HOMELESS MAN What the hell does that have to do with purple snow? It's too late. That's it. I can't take it anymore. He's still breathing. Damn it, they're still alive. The Homeless Man jumps up, swings to the back of his wheelchair and pushing it, charges Nasa. HOMELESS MAN (yelling) Why me? Why are they doing this to me? Why are you doing this to me? Nasa leaps onto Merkabah and rides off. EXT. BELLY OF THE WHALE RESTAURANT -- AFTERNOON Nasa wheels Merkabah into FRAME just up to the edge of the restaurant picture window spying in looking for Wendy. He leans back against a wall out of sight with his eyes closed. trying to decide what to do.

He is

He turns to go, stops, turns back and walks across the window to the entrance with determination. INT. BELLY OF THE WHALE RESTAURANT -- AFTERNOON Nasa enters the restaurant, his eyes darting anxiously back and forth. He approaches the HOSTESS. NASA Wendy's section please. The hostess leads Nasa to a table. fingers nervously.

Nasa sits and drums with his

Wendy notices him and roller-skates over. WENDY (sarcastically) Long time no see. What are you doing here, Nasa?

102 NASA I need to talk to you, WENDY Look, this is not the place. NASA Why not? Wendy leans over the table toward Nasa. WENDY In case you haven't noticed, I'm working. NASA Look, just give me five minutes. WENDY (reluctantly) Wait here. Wendy stands and skates over to another WAITRESS. WENDY Listen, I've got a little situation over here. Could you cover for me for five minutes. WAITRESS I'm really in the weeds, Wendy... Wendy gives her a pleading look. WAITRESS (cont'd.) Oh, go on. INT. RESTAURANT KITCHEN -- DAY Wendy drags Nasa though the kitchen out to the back door. stands holding a microphone. Hey!

The COOK

COOK Where do you think you're going?

EXT. RESTAURANT ALLEY -- DAY Nasa paces back and forth as Wendy leans against a wall by a dumpster looking at her watch. NASA (really worked up) You know, I always thought I could discover something special. You might think it's crazy...it is crazy. You know, that I would be the one out of all mankind to discover the secrets of the universe. And the farther out I could get, the closer I thought I was to those answers. But you know, I'll never have those answers, no one ever will. There'll just be new questions...

103 WENDY (patronizing) You're just figuring that out? NASA (without pausing) And then you, you know. I thought you were the answer. To fill this emptiness, you know that you would complete the picture. And I've got to get to you. And then there's nothing between me and the traffic but a bicycle. And it's raining and cold and I'm exposed, you know to the elements. I mean, I'm out there. And I'm thinking sometimes I may not make it. I mean this next truck may just squash me. And I'm left with me and nothing between me and the world but my vehicle. Not Merkabah. Not even my bike. (more) NASA(cont’d) I mean my body, my rocket body. The me inside, the astronaut, the spirit, whatever you want to call it, you know, flying that baby, you know. Not just along for the ride. That's what I'm discovering. And then I touch down and you're as far away as everyone else. And I don't know, maybe I misunderstood. Maybe I misinterpreted the data but I thought... WENDY Nasa, I'm sure this is all very fascinating but five minutes is up and I have customers. Wendy walks to the door and starts to go back in. her to stop her.

Nasa moves toward

NASA Wait. Look, I came here to tell you I love you. Wendy turns back to him, still standing in the doorway. WENDY Don't say that. NASA I love you. WENDY And what am I supposed to do about that?

104 NASA Do about it? Hell, I don't know. feeling, not a demand.

It's a

WENDY Well, I'm sorry but it's nothing special to me. Lots of people like to be with me. NASA That's nice. Lots of guys, you mean. guess it's nice to be popular.

I

Wendy shrugs. WENDY Now don't blame me for being popular. NASA Well, its understandable. You're pretty. You're fun. Let's face it, you're a star. WENDY (bowing dramatically) Thank-you very much. NASA You radiate. You like to send out all this energy. Wendy steps out from the doorway and moves toward Nasa. finally lost her temper.

She has

WENDY (angrily) I radiate. I radiate? Come on, Nasa. You don't love me. You want me. You said it yourself. You want to explore me. You came here to win me, to conquer me, to possess me. You came to claim me, like some kind of great discovery. Well, you have no right. You didn't discover me. And I don't need you to validate who I am. I've got my own eyes. NASA When I first set out, there might have been a grain of truth to that, but not now. I’ve changed. WENDY Give it up Nasa. It’s a fantasy. Just go away. Go home. Go to Mars, to Venus. Go to Pluto. I don't care where you go, just as long as it's far away from me. Wendy pulls open the back door of the restaurant and goes in. SLAMS shut. Nasa runs to the door but it is locked.

He bangs on it.

The door

105 NASA Open the door, Wendy.

Open the door!

INT. RESTAURANT KITCHEN -- DAY COOK So good of you to join us. is that banging?

What the hell

Wendy ignores him and rushes by him and into the dining room. other waitress follows and stops her.

The

WAITRESS Hey, are you alright? WENDY I'm just fine. EXT. RESTAURANT ALLEY -- DAY Nasa stands paralyzed in the alley, a stunned look on his face. stares at the door fighting to hold back tears.

He

NASA (to himself) No joy. He starts to move slowly as if through water toward Merkabah. EXT. BELLY OF THE WHALE RESTAURANT -- DAY Through the picture window we see Wendy back at work taking an order. We see a reflection in the window of Nasa riding Merkabah across the SCREEN on the other side of the street. Wendy stares out the window a bit regretfully as Nasa's reflection rides off. Her customer touches her on the arm and snaps her out of it. EXT. TITUSVILLE STREETS -- LATE AFTERNOON A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa riding through the streets in a depressed state as the sun sets. The streets are filled with tourists in a festive mood. EXT. BEACH HIGHWAY -- LATE AFTERNOON Nasa rides his bike up to the fence which blocks the road. reads: "BEACHES CLOSED DUE TO LAUNCH"

A big sign

Nasa turns around and rides back. He checks up and down the road to see that no cars are in sight. Nasa rides off the side of the road into a wooded embankment. EXT. SWAMP -- EVENING A SERIES OF SHOTS of Nasa struggling to push Merkabah through the swamp underbrush.

106 An watching owl is startled and flies off into the sky. EXT. BEACH ACCESS HIGHWAY -- DUSK Nasa comes out of the woods onto the deserted beachfront highway as the final rays of sun disappear. He crosses the street and continues down to the beach. EXT. BEACH -- NIGHT Nasa sits on the beach in his white jumpsuit staring up at the moon and sky. His face is tear-stained and he shivers in the cold. He takes long sips from a bottle of wine. NASA (crying) Control, this is Nasa. I don't understand. I don't copy. Why can't I be with her? Why is this happening? Do you copy? Why? Nasa pull a small square of folded silver foil from his pocket and starts to unfold it. The lights of the Space Center glow down the beach in the distance. INT. WENDY'S BEDROOM -- NIGHT Wendy lies in bed reading the "Merkabah" book by candlelight. WENDY (voiveover, reading) The Merkabah rider, in his quest for heavenly visions must first seek a resolution with the Shekinah, the female principle, the feminine aspect of God, his own female side... Wendy shakes her head. She starts to nod off and the book drops. The photo of Nasa that Anastasia took falls out of the book. Wendy picks up the photo and looks at it a bit wistfully. EXT. BEACH -- DAWN Nasa lies curled up in the thin silver foil thermal blanket next to Merkabah. The sun hits his frosty tear-stained face. The beach is covered with icy puddles, the dune grass white with frost. Nasa sits up shivering and turns to Merkabah. He sips from last night’s bottle of wine. NASA Well Merkabah, I guess we won't be launching this morning. It figures. INT. BELLY OF THE WHALE -- MORNING Wendy distractedly pours coffee for morning customers. She looks out the window as if expecting someone. A man on a bicycle passes by and she stares after him , thinking it might be Nasa.

107 EXT. TITUSVILLE STREETS -- DAY A SERIES OF SHOTS of various excited people, tourists, natives, police, children, all over Titusville, all bundled up in warm clothing and all looking up at the sky in expectation. SOUNDS of radios and televisions blend unintelligibly. EXT. BEACH -- DAY Nasa stands getting his bicycle ready to go when... Suddenly there is a LOUD EXPLOSIVE ROAR. looks at the sky.

Nasa turns with surprise and

EXT. BELLY OF THE WHALE RESTAURANT ALLEY -- DAY Wendy and her fellow waitresses stand in a row looking up at the sky, their headsets on. WAITRESS TWO There it goes! WENDY There it is! WAITRESS ONE I don't see anything. WAITRESS TWO Are you blind? It's right in front of you. WAITRESS ONE Oh yeah. A SERIES OF SHOTS of various people's faces looking up excitedly at the sky as the launch goes up. Tourists, storekeepers, police, children, all congratulate each other. A television ANNOUNCER is heard offscreen. ANNOUNCER (voiceover) There appears to have been a malfunction. EXT. RESTAURANT ALLEY -- DAY The WAITRESSES stand all in a row staring at the sky. WENDY That's a funny cloud. WAITRESS ONE Where'd it go? Pause. WENDY (concerned) Something's wrong. ANOTHER SERIES OF SHOTS of various people's faces looking up at the

108 sky. Tourists, storekeepers, police, children, all turn to each other in mounting confusion and distress. The homeless man we saw in his wheelchair shakes with sad manic laughter. EXT. BEACH --DAY Nasa knows what has happened and has sunk to his knees in shock. There is a strange silence as if the cosmos has cracked open like an egg. Nasa sees a figure in uniform standing legs astride down the beach in the distance. The figure walks toward Nasa through the shimmering air and Nasa can see it is a tall man in an air force uniform. Nasa starts to get up to flee but then sits back down, resigned to whatever happens. The man walks closer as if coming from another dimension and Nasa, with a look of shock, recognizes his father Lindburgh, as young as he was when Nasa was a boy. NOTE: Throughout this scene, Nasa acts like a little boy. It is as if he has regressed and his memories have come to life. It is a flashback played out in real life. NASA Oh my god. LINDBURGH (angrily) Get up. Get up before I break your neck. NASA Leave me alone.

I can't.

LINDBURGH Go on. You wanted to learn how to ride a bike. You're not going to learn by sitting around crying. Lindburgh now stands above Nasa and tries to lift him up. struggles against him. NASA Leave me alone.

I can't do it.

LINDBURGH (furious) Get up. Right now, soldier. before I break your neck. Nasa is standing now. LINDBURGH (cont'd) (pointing to bike) Now, pick it up. Get on.

Get up

Nasa

109 Nasa picks up Merkabah and gets on. He tries to ride but sinks into the sand and falls. His helmet and some of his packs fly off. You see.

NASA I told you.

LINDBURGH Stop whining! Get back on that bike. NASA I won't. LINDBURGH Are you deliberately defying me? Lindburgh stands over Nasa and starts to slap him violently around the head. Nasa tries to protect himself with his arms. NASA (crying) Stop it! Stop it!

Lindburgh lands a solid blow to Nasa's ear. Nasa SCREAMS in pain. Blood starts dripping out of Nasa's ear. He stumbles and falls into the freezing surf. LINDBURGH Stop crying! Get back on that bike. NASA I can't... As Nasa struggles to his feet, Lindburgh delivers another solid blow to his other ear. Nasa SCREAMS again. Nasa breaks free and runs away down the beach. LINDBURGH (yelling) Get back here! Do you hear me? here!

Get back

Gulls criss-cross the white sky INT. RESTAURANT KITCHEN -- DAY The kitchen of the restaurant. Wendy weeps uncontrollably and her fellow waitresses huddle around her. They are sad but nowhere near as upset as Wendy. The radio is BLARING out a steady stream of the bad news. RADIO ...tragedy before in the history of space exploration, in our nation's history, or indeed in the history of humanity. The Challenger exploded seventy-eight seconds after... The cook sees unclaimed dinners sitting on checks in front of him.

110 COOK Orders up, ladies! My god.

WENDY My god.

You had your break.

I can't believe it.

WAITRESS TWO It's okay, honey. It's gonna be fine. COOK Ladies, I'm sorry. I know how you feel but we have orders up. The waitresses flash him dirty looks. WAITRESS TWO Can't you see she's upset? WAITRESS ONE You ought to shut down for the rest of the day. That's what you should do. WAITRESS TWO No respect for the dead. COOK The hell with ya. The COOK picks up the plates himself and exits to the dining room. WAITRESS TWO Jerk! WAITRESS ONE Wendy, maybe you ought to go home, hon'. I can cover for you. There's not gonna be a lunch rush today, not now. WAITRESS TWO That's a good idea. Are you okay? give you a lift.

I can

WAITRESS THREE (holding out a glass) Here. Drink some water. WAITRESS TWO Do you want someone to come with you? WENDY (angrily) Stop fussing over me! Wendy pushes the glass away.

Leave me alone!

It SMASHES on the floor.

WAITRESS THREE Hey! The cook comes back in.

111 WENDY (mumbling under her breath) Sorry, it was an accident. WAITRESS TWO We're just trying to help, Wendy. COOK Can we dispense with the memorial service? We've got more customers, ladies. WAITRESS ONE I feel bad but you know, when you gotta go, you gotta go. WAITRESS THREE At least it was quick. WAITRESS TWO Shut up you two. WENDY (screaming) Shut up all of you! The cook and waitresses stare at Wendy WENDY (cont’d.) Nobody understands. I've got to get out of here. Wendy jumps up and runs out the back door. EXT. TITUSVILLE STREET -- DAY -- MOVING Wendy rides her bike through the streets of Titusville. She is trying to fight back the tears and brushes the hair and tears from her eyes. The streets are filled with people huddled together in small groups and speaking together in shocked whispers. Wendy looks from side to side at the grieving faces. A MONTAGE of the faces as Wendy's bike passes them. The faces, all ages and types are filled with the sorrow of the day. Families and strangers comfort each other. CLOSEUP of Wendy's face as she rides. Something has occurred to her. The shock and grief has opened something up in her heart and she mouths a word and then again it breaks out in a whisper... WENDY Nasa. EXT. BEACH -- DAY Nasa is striding aimlessly through the breaking surf. The pants of his jumpsuit are soaked and cling to his legs, tripping him up. His head is bowed and he doesn't even look where he is going. He is overcome with grief and muttering deliriously. It is as if he is struggling into the full force of a powerful wind that does not exist. The vision of Lindburgh has dissappeared.

112 Nasa is unconcerned as he stumbles and falls into the surf. He struggles to his feet and continues on, soaked now, and covered in wet icy sand. Blood trickles down his face and his jumpsuit has torn at his knees. NASA (yelling) Abort. Condition red. you copy!

Do you copy?

Do

A SERIES OF SHOTS of Wendy riding all over town looking for Nasa. Wendy looks across the birdwatching park. Wendy rides up to Nasa's hotel. Wendy speaks to the deskclerk of the hotel who is shaking his head. EXT. TITUSVILLE ROAD -- DAY Wendy rides her bike up to a roadblock. Police hold back a curious and hysterical crowd. The road is lined with cars. Wendy look from left to right for a place to sneak through. EXT. BEACH BOARDWALK -- DAY Wendy rides her bike up to a small beach boardwalk. She leans her bike up against a sign that reads, "NO ACCESS" and runs up onto the boardwalk. EXT. BEACH -- DAY LONGSHOT of the empty beach. Gulls circle but are strangely silent. Running down the boardwalk over the dunes is Wendy, her waitress dress disheveled. She cups her hands and yells. Nasa!

WENDY Nasa!

She continues down the beach. A SERIES OF SHOTS of the empty beach. lone desert traveller. Nasa!

WENDY Where are you?

Wendy crossing the SCREEN like a

Nasa!

A MEDIUM SHOT of Nasa's bicycle, Merkabah, lying on it's side in the sand. Wendy walks toward the fallen bicycle, sees it suddenly, and runs to it. She examines the bike quickly. She picks up the silver foil blanket and drops it. She scans the horizon and the water anxiously. She sees something down the beach. She runs to it. It's Nasa's helmet. She picks it up, drops it and continues on down the beach in that direction. CLOSEUP of Wendy's face as she sees something.

113 WENDY Nasa! SHOCK CUT of Nasa sitting crosslegged facing the water, rocking back and forth, teeth chattering and mumbling to himself. His breath is a cloudy vapor in the cold air. His eyes are tightly shut. His hand are clamped tightly over his blood-caked ears. Wendy runs up to him and kneels down next to him. WENDY It's me, Nasa. It's Wendy. Can you stand up? Try and stand up. Nasa doesn’t respond. WENDY Can you hear me?

Nasa, DO YOU COPY?

Nasa slowly turns to face her, a wan smile flashing across his face at hearing her use flight lingo. But quickly he remembers himself. He's not quite sure if Wendy is real, or a vision, like the one of his father. NASA (angrily) What do you want? me up some more? WENDY I was wrong, Nasa. said those things.

Are you here to beat

I never should have

NASA Oh, that’s funny. Look, why don’t you just go away. Disappear! WENDY Nasa, please… Wendy pauses, noticing caked the blood on Nasa’s ears. WENDY Nasa, what happened? NASA Don’t you know what’s happened? Yes I do.

WENDY It’s all over the radio.

NASA Then it’s true… Up until this moment, Nasa hasn’t been really sure if the explosion was real or not. It sinks in, the anger replaced by a calm grief.. NASA My God, the teachers.

114 WENDY (comforting) I know, baby. I know. here.

I’m here.

I’m

Wendy wipes sand from Nasa’s face. WENDY (CONTD) Can you stand? Wendy helps Nasa stand up. Nasa leans on Wendy and the two walk slowly back up the beach following their own tracks. Wendy picks up Nasa's helmet where he had dropped it. Wendy picks up Merkabah when Nasa had dropped it. She picks up the silver foil blanket and drapes it around Nasa. Wendy and Nasa wheel Merkabah up the beach. EXT. TITUSVILLE STREET -- DAY Wendy picks up her own bike and she and Nasa wheel the two bikes slowly down the street, Wendy leading the way. Nasa is still in a daze. EXT. WENDY'S COTTAGE -- DAY Wendy leads Nasa up to her cottage. Sheets still hang, now stiff and frozen on the clothesline. Wendy leans her bike against the house and Nasa leans Merkabah against her bike. Wendy opens the door and pulls Nasa in. Nasa hesitates and looks at the bikes, concerned for them. Wendy assures him with a pat of the hand that the bikes will be okay. A SONG, the ethereal MENDER OF HEARTS by the group CRIMSON, begins to play through the rest of the scene. INT. WENDY'S COTTAGE -- DAY Inside the cozy house, Wendy leads Nasa to the bathroom. She turns the shower on and peels Nasa's clothes off. His pants are so tangled and muddy, she has to cut them off him with a pair of scissors. She helps him into the shower. The water streams down Nasa's face. Wendy leads Nasa to the bed. She helps him in and covers him. a bit more aware but he is shivering. He tries to speak.

Nasa is

NASA I thought you'd never... WENDY Shhhhhh... Wendy puts a finger to his lips to quiet him. to Nasa and wraps herself around him.

She climbs into bed next

Nasa and Wendy sleep peacefully. Face to face, their eyes open simultaneously.

The room is dark.

It is

115 evening.

They kiss.

Nasa and Wendy tenderly make love. like the curves of dunes.

The curves of the bodies and sheets DISSOLVE INTO BLUE:

Puffy clouds in a bright blue sky. A SUPERIMPOSED TITLE appears: "Five Years Later" EXT. HOUSE -- DAY MOVING DOWN from the clouds to a cute little house on a sunny treelined street. We DOLLY UP and can see on the front lawn, lying on its side, a neon colored plastic tricycle shaped like a rocket ship. Above the front door of the house a wood sign with carved letters reads: "Tranquility Base" DOLLYING up the driveway into the garage. INT. GARAGE OF HOUSE -- DAY The garage has been converted into an office and bicycle workshop. Signs of a car are noticeably absent. There are a number of bicycles, one covered by a Native American blanket. Nasa is sitting at a desk covered with an elaborate computer setup. Nasa is noticeably older and has a funny old-fashioned moustache. He types on the keyboard. NASA (voiceover) In years to come, knights in shining starships will speak their names... He is interrupted by a woman's voice shouting from inside the house. WENDY (offscreen, shouting) I’m home! I hope you're getting ready in there. Nasa! Do you copy? NASA (shouting back) Powering down. Initiating vehicle rollout! Nasa powers down the computer, swivels around and pulls the blanket off the bicycle, revealing Merkabah. He caresses the bike fondly. Nasa stands and starts to attach something to the top of the bicycle. EXT. HOUSE -- DAY A little five year old boy in a helmet is now riding the spaceship shaped tricycle in circles on the driveway. This is Nasa's son, CHALLENGER.

116 Nasa wheels Merkabah out into the driveway. We see now that the apparatus that Nasa has attached to the top of Merkabah are two baby seats, one in front and one in back. NASA (to CHALLENGER) Challenger! Are you ready for liftoff? CHALLENGER (cutely) All systems go! Out of the front door of the house comes Wendy, a baby in each arm. The twins, two little girls have tiny helmets strapped on their heads. WENDY Here come the payload specialists! She hands off one of the twins to Nasa. sniffs.

He feels the baby's bottom and

NASA No payload! WENDY Just changed them. A SERIES OF QUICK SHOTS of Wendy and Nasa strapping the twins, CHRISTA and JUDITH into Merkabah's baby seats. NASA There you go Judith.

You ready, Christa?

Baby Christa gurgles. WENDY We are go for launch. Nasa mounts Merkabah and Wendy gets onto her bike which has a big picnic basket mounted on the back. NASA Challenger, commence countdown. CHALLENGER Ten, nine, ten, eight, six, two, three, one. WENDY Blast off! The family sets out happily down the quiet street side by side. Nasa, with the babies, then Wendy, and coming from behind, Challenger on his tricycle. They pass by a sign on the side of the street shows a drawing of a car with a red circle around it and a red slash across the circle and through the car drawing. A TWOSHOT of Nasa and Wendy riding.

117 WENDY (mysteriously) So Nasa, did you bring the binoculars? NASA Negative, honey. picnic mission.

This is strictly a

WENDY And you’re the picnic mission specialist. By the way, I just received a report of a Mycteria sighting. NASA (puzzled) Mycteria...mycteria... A stork? so special about... Suddenly it dawns on Nasa. smiles and nods.

What's

He looks at Wendy questioningly.

Wendy

NASA A jellybean aboard the earth module? Nasa starts to whoop and holler. The family rides down the street toward a lake, laughing and joking as they ride. EXT. LAKE FRONT PATH -- DAY LONGSHOT of the lake as the family bicycles into the SHOT and begins to circle the lake. Swan boats float by and the fountain in the middle of the lake shoots higher. NASA (voiceover) In lightyears to come, knights in shining starships will speak their names with glowing reverence. The names of the great teachers, the prophets, the riders, the masters of the Merkabah. Tomorrow's constellations like letters spelling their names in the stars and illuminating all creation... Suddenly we are seeing the SHOT in TIMELAPSE. The bicycles fade in the distance behind the fountain spray. The laughing of the happy family fades into the music. The SONG is MENDER OF HEARTS by the group CRIMSON. The TIMELAPSE accelerates. Afternoon shadows fall, the sun sets, the colored lights of the fountain come on, and the rainbow spray leaps up toward the sparkling starry sky.

118 NASA (voiceover, cont'd.) In orbit around roaring starfires charioteers will trade tales of their daring, their love and their sacrifice. And starblazers will ride out as always into the great unknown. Between the galaxies, between the wheels, through the deepest chambers of the heart, where the voices of angels murmur the holy names of Spirit. And beyond. Beyond the barriers... The CAMERA rises to the starry sky. NASA (voiceover, cont'd.) Beyond the boundaries of heaven. Beyond imagination. Beyond... Control. Control? This is Nasa. Over. Out. Beginning. In. As we fly through the star field, the CREDITS ROLL. THE END