INDEPENDENCE DAY

The room is quiet.  Constance runs her fingers through her
hair.  The door to the room opens and Lt. Mitchell enters with
Steve.

MITCHELL
Mr. President, this is Lt.
Colonel Steven Hill.

The President quickly gets to his feet, anxiously shaking
Steve's hand.

PRESIDENT
Lieutenant, congratulations.

STEVE
Thank you, sir.

PRESIDENT
Where is the prisoner now?

MITCHELL
We have him in isolation.  The
doctors are very hopeful he will
survive.

PRESIDENT
I'd like to see him.

MITCHELL
Yes, sir.

The General is concerned but the President is determined.
They head for the door.

STEVE
(to General Grey)
General, I'm anxious to get back
to El Toro.

GENERAL GREY
Didn't anyone tell you?  I'm
sorry.  El Toro was destroyed in
the attack.

Steve is shattered, he had no idea.

CUT TO:

EXT. EL TORO BASE - NIGHT

The injured are gathered around a small camp fire.  Jasmine
walks up, dumping a box full of charred can goods.

JASMINE
These should last us a while.

As Margaret tries to move, she winces in pain.  Jasmine rushes
to her aid.  The color from her face drained, Margaret looks
like she's taking a turn for the worse.

JASMINE
Don't move.  Stay still.

Jasmine adjusts the bandages as Margaret turns and see Dylan
curled up next to Boomer, too adorable.  Slowly he starts to
wake up.

MARGARET
Your son.

JASMINE
He's my angel.

MARGARET
Was his father stationed here?

JASMINE
He wasn't his father.  I was kinda
hoping he'd want the job, though.

Jasmine becomes sad, remembering.  Margaret changes the
subject.

MARGARET
So, what do yo do for a living?

JASMINE
I'm a dancer.

MARGARET
Really?  Ballet?

JASMINE
(laughs)
No.  Exotic.

MARGARET
Oh.  Sorry.

JASMINE
Don't be.  I'm not.  It's good
money.
(re: Dylan)
'Side, he's worth it.

The bandages changed, Jasmine sits down next to Margaret.

MARGARET
And when the dancing's over?  What
about your future?

JASMINE
Funny, it used to scare me when I
thought about the future.
(looking around)
Guess it doesn't really matter
anymore.

Dylan comes walking over.

JASMINE
Dylan, come here.  I want you to
meet the First Lady.

MARGARET
(surprised)
I thought you didn't recognize me.

JASMINE
Didn't want to say anything.  I
voted for the other guy.

CUT TO:

INT. CONTAINMENT LAB - NIGHT

Okun and two Medical assistants examine the alien creature.
His arms and chest have been strapped down to the examining
table.

For the first time we get a good look at the head of this
creature, long tentacled-type cords interlocked, covering the
face.  The doctors attach clamps to each of the cords.

OKUN
Everyone ready?

The doctors exchange nervous glances, nod to each other.  At
the same moment all they pull on the clamps, unraveling the
interlocked cords.  As the cords unravel, we SEE that this is
in fact a bio-mechanical SUIT as we REVEAL...

THE ALIEN

Beneath the cords lay the unconscious face of the alien, his
skin translucent, his body fluids, capillaries, muscle tissue,
alien's skin.

OKUN
Do we have life support monitors
recording?

MED ASSIST #2
Yes.  If we fuck up it'll all be
on tape.

OKUN
Can we get some ventilation in
here?  I can't take this smell.

MED ASSIST #2
They've conquered space travel but
not b.o.

As Okun begins to put on a pair of surgical gloves he suddenly
grabs his forehead.

MED ASSIST #1
You all right?

OKUN
Yeah.  It's just that stink gives
me a headache.

MED ASSIST #2
He's moving!

Instantly everyone's attention is riveted to the arm of the
alien as it moves beneath the sheet.  Unseen by the others the
alien creature's EYES OPEN.

Another SHARP PAIN hits Okun who SCREAMS, stumbling backwards
grabbing his head.  The others turn in surprise.

THE ALIEN

Suddenly SPRINGS up, the restraining straps SNAPPING.  Before
Med #2 can react, one of the alien's tentacles SMASHES her
across the face.  She is sent sprawling backwards.

LOW ANGLE - THE ALIEN

Standing before her.  In a wink of an eye, he ATTACKS, leaping
on her.

Together they TUMBLE back into a formaldehyde tank.  Hoses
are ripped from their sides and STEAM pours out.  We get quick
glimpse of their struggle as the steam engulfs them.

INT. HALLWAY - SAME

Mitchell leads the Presidential party down the hall.  They
turn and enter the Medical lab.

INT. CONTAINMENT LAB - CONTINUOUS

The group slows as they enter the room.  They see the
containment room through the glass is covered with white
steam.  Nothing can be seen.  It's eerily quiet.

Cautiously they approach.  Suddenly Okun is SLAMMED AGAINST
the glass partition, the creature's tentacles wrapped around
him.  Pressed firmly to the glass, his eyes are shut, his
expression pained, but when he speaks the voice is angry.

OKUN/ALIEN
Release...me.

MITCHELL
Open the door.  Get him out of
there.

Suspicious, General Grey stops him.

GENERAL GREY
Wait.
(to Okun)
Can you hear me?

OKUN/ALIEN
Will kill...release me.  Now!

They follow the tentacles with their eyes, up to the ceiling
of the containment tank.  Suddenly the alien LEAPS DOWN,
startling them, landing before them behind the glass.

We see he's holding Okun against the glass, speaking THROUGH
HIM.  This is the first real good look we get at the this bizarre
creature.  Everyone in the room is repulsed and compelled by
it at the same time.

EXT. AREA 51 - NIGHT

Through the hundreds of campers and trailers parked outside,
Steve runs past until he reaches the open tarmac.

A transport helicopter sits on the edge of the landing area.
Steve runs up to it and climbs inside.

INT. TRANSPORT HELICOPTER - CONTINUOUS

Steve quickly starts it engines, preparing to take off.  A
SOLDIER rushes over to the cockpit.

SOLIDER
(yelling)
What the hell are you doing?  Get
out of there!

STEVE
I'm just going to borrow it.

The Soldier pulls out his pistol, taking aim.

SOLIDER
No you're not, sir.

STEVE
You really want to shoot me?

Steve stares the Soldier down.  Reluctantly he lowers his gun.

SOLDIER
Shit.  I'm gonna catch the hell for
this.

Steve smiles and gives him a quick salute then TAKES OFF.
Quickly the bird RISES UP and darts off into the night.

INT. MEDICAL LAB - SAME

The President has moved closer to the glass and is talking
with the alien.  The alien uses Okun like a ventriloquist's
dummy.

PRESIDENT
Why did you people come here?

OKUN/ALIEN
Air...water...your "sun."

PRESIDENT
Where do your people come from?
(no answer)
Where is your home?

OKUN/ALIEN
Here...now.

PRESIDENT
And before here?

OKUN/ALIEN
Many worlds...

PRESIDENT
Can we negotiate a truce?  is
there room for co-existance?
(no answer)
Can there be peace between us?

OKUN/ALIEN
Peace?  No peace.

PRESIDENT
What do you want us to do?

OKUN/ALIEN
Die.

The Alien moves closer to the glass staring at the President.
Suddenly the President clutches his head in pain.

NIMZIKI
Mr. President?

OKUN/ALIEN
We kill you...all.

The pain becomes more severe and the President SCREAM OUT.
There is general panic as people rush to the President's side.

GENERAL GREY
(to Mitchell)
Is that glass bullet proof?

MITCHELL
No sir.

The General draws his pistol.  Mitchell and the other military
officers follow his lead.  Simultaneously they all begin to
FIRE!

The glass SHATTERS into a billion pieces.  The Alien is cut to
ribbons, falling backwards.

The President collapses.  So does Okun.  A STAFFER rushes over
to Okun, checks his pulse.

STAFFER
He's dead.

General Grey moves to the President who slowly recovers.

GENERAL GREY
Mr. President, are you okay?

Woozily the President sits up, a strange look in his eye.

PRESIDENT
He wanted me to understand.  He
communicated with me.
(turning to Grey)
They're like locusts.  They travel
from planet to planet, their whole
civilization.  After they've
consumed every natural resource
they move on.  And we're next.

The President stands with a new resolve.  He stares at the
dead alien on the floor.

PRESIDENT
(cold)
Prepare a nuclear strike.

INT. STORAGE LAB - MINUTES LATER

The research staff are working near the recovered alien
attacker.  Constance comes rushing in.  She looks around for
David.  Through the glass of one of the offices she sees him.

INT. OFFICES - CONTINUOUS

Holding a bottle of Jack Daniels, David fishes through a small
refrigerator as Constance enters.

DAVID
Just my luck, no ice.

CONSTANCE
I take it you've heard.

DAVID
A toast to the end of the world.

David toasts her with the bottle, takes a swig.

CONSTANCE
He didn't come to this decision
lightly.

David nods, he doesn't want to argue.  He smiles cynically.

DAVID
You still believe in him.

CONSTANCE
He's a good man.