INDEPENDENCE DAY

NIMZIKI
And just how do we infect the
"Mother Ship" with a virus?

David gestures to the alien attacker behind him.

DAVID
We'll have to fly their craft out
of our atmosphere and dock with
the mother ship.

Intrigued Steve turns and looks back at the alien attacker,
sizing it up.  David points to a satellite photo of the
underbelly of the Mother Ship.

DAVID (cont'd)
We can enter here, upload the
virus and set off an explosion
that could disable it.  This would
disorient the smaller ship below
and buy you some time to take them
out.

Constance reacts, realizing David's participation in the plan.

NIMZIKI
This is ridiculous.

GENERAL GREY
How long would their shields be
down?

DAVID
Once they discover the virus it
could be a matter of minutes.

NIMZIKI
You want us to co-ordinate a
massive world wide counter strike
with a window of only a few
minutes?

GENERAL GREY
With their shields down it might
be possible.

NIMZIKI
Please, you're not buying into any
of this nonsense, are you?  We
don't have the manpower or the
resources to launch that kind of a
campaign.
(gesturing to the alien
ship)
Not to mention that this whole
cockamamie plan is dependent on a
machine that no one in the world
is qualified to operate.

STEVE (O.S.)
I wouldn't say that, sir.

Everyone turns to Steve who steps through the crowd.

STEVE
I've seen them in action.  I've
watched their maneuvers.  With
your permission, sir, I'd like the
opportunity to try.

NIMZIKI
That thing's a wreck.  It crash
landed back in the fifties!  We
don't even know if it's capable of
flying.

David turns to the Technicians.

DAVID
Remove the clamps!

Technicians move to the large holding clamps on either side of
the craft.  With a loud CLANK, the clamps are pulled away.

For a moment the hulking craft TEETERS unevenly, but quickly
stabilizes, FLOATING ABOVE THEM.

DAVID
Any other questions?

Everyone stares at the floating ship with wonder.

PRESIDENT
Let's do it.

INT. HALLWAY - MOMENTS LATER

Constance, General Grey and the President are walking down the
hall.  Nimziki rushes to catch up.

NIMZIKI
I understand that you're upset
over the death of your wife but
that's no excuse for making
another fatal mistake...

The President whirls, grabs Nimziki and SLAMS him against the
wall.  Holding him tight, the President gets in his face.

PRESIDENT
The only mistake I made was
appointing a sniveling little
weasel like you Chief of Staff.

Constance is about to intervene when General Grey stops her.

PRESIDENT (cont'd)
But this is a mistake, I am
thankful to say, I do not have to
live with.  Mr. Nimziki, you're
fired.

The President releases him and turns to General Grey.

PRESIDENT (cont'd)
Organize every plane you can find
and get some Goddamned pilots
to fly them.

GENERAL GREY
Yes, Sir.

He storms off leaving everyone stunned.

NIMZIKI
He can't do that.

CONSTANCE
(amazed)
He just did.

CUT TO:

INT. MILITARY TENT - CONTINUOUS

Four BRITISH AIR PILOTS are gathered around a table going over
a map.  One pilot, REGINALD, is in charge.

REGINALD
...we've been told that there may
be additional re-enforcement in
hiding near the Golan Straights...

Suddenly the flap to the tent opens.  All the pilots draw
their pistols frightening the ARAB PILOT who stands in the
doorway.  The Arab Pilot speaks quickly in Arabic.

REGINALD
What the hell's he saying?

THOMSON
(explaining)
Seems they're getting a signal.
One Morse code.

EXT. DRY LAKE - SECONDS LATER

As they step out of the tent we SEE more than a HUNDRED
FIGHTERS PLANES from different nations parked around them.
They've all gone into hiding out here in the desert, divided
into many smaller camps.

Reginald and Thomson follow their Arab cohort, walking through
the many other campsites.  Thomson gets some stares from the
IRAQI PILOTS.

REGINALD
I still get believe this.

THOMSON
The Iraqis don't appear altogether
too pleased with this arrangement.

REGINALD
How do you think the Israelis
feel?

Sure enough a campsite of ISRAELI PILOTS sits very near by.

ANGLE - ARABIAN AIR FORCE CAMP

Dozens of Arab pilots are gathered around a large radio as the
Morse code comes through.  Thomson quickly kneels down, taking
notes.

THOMSON
It's from the Americans.  They
want to organize a counter
offensive.

REGINALD
It's about bloody time.  What do
they plan to do?

EXT. ICE PLATEAU - SIBERIA - DAY

Several Russian Pilots are gathered around a radio, their
dozen MIG FIGHTERS standing behind them.

RUSSIAN #1
(subtitled)
They claims to be able to bring
down their shields.

RUSSIAN #2
When do they want to attack?

EXT. VOLCANO BASE - FUJI - DAY

At the base of a large Volcano in Fuji, several Japanese
attack helicopters stand near their pilots, gathered around a
radio.

JAPANESE PILOT
(subtitled)
The attack begins in thirteen
hours.

CUT TO:

INT. AREA 51 - WAR ROOM - DAY

A large world map has been constructed.  Several sites are
marked with stickers reading: COMBAT READY.  Another sticker
is put onto Mr. Fuji.

Striding in, the President surveys the war room.  General Grey
rushes over to meet him.

PRESIDENT
How're we doing?

GENERAL GREY
Better than we thought.

General Grey leads the President over to the wall map.

GENERAL GREY
We have confirmed divisions of
troops from different armies all
around the world.  Most of Europe,
the Middle East and Asia are
battle ready.

PRESIDENT
And our troops here?

GENERALE GREY
We've been collecting planes from
all over but...

PRESIDENT
But what, General?

GENERAL GREY
Pilots, sir.  We don't have enough
people to get them in the air.

PRESIDENT
Then find them.

CUT TO:

INT. BRENNON TRAILER - NIGHT

Troy is sleeping peacefully in his bed.  Russell sits at the
kitchen table as Miguel enters.

MIGUEL
How' he doing?

RUSSELL
Just fell asleep.  He's gonna be
just fine.  Join me in a little
celebration?

Russell holds up his bottle of Jack Daniels.  Clearly he's
been drinking again.  Miguel is crestfallen.  Pissed he turns
and storms out.

RUSSELL
Miguel.  Don't be mad.  Miguel!

Drunkenly, Russell chases after him.

INT. AREA 51 - REFUGEE CAMP - CONTINUOUS

Making his way through the campers, Russell SEES a group of
refugees around some MILITARY OFFICERS who addresses them.

OFFICER
(through megaphone)
...We're planning to launch a
counter offensive...

Russell wanders over towards them.

OFFICER (cont'd)
...with our depleted manpower we
must ask that anyone with any
flight experience come forward.
Military training is preferable
but anyone who can fly a plane
could be useful...

Russell pushes his way through the crowd.

RUSSELL
(slurred)
I can fly, I mean, I'm a pilot.

The officer just stares at the bottle of Jack Daniels still in
his hand.

OFFICER
Sorry, sir.

Russell gets into his face, desperate.

RUSSELL
You don't understand.  I've gotta
be part of this.  This is
important to me.  They ruined my
life.

OFFICER
Why don't you go somewhere and
sleep it off.

The Officers move on, taking a few volunteers with them.
Russell watches them go, dejected.  Angrily, he throws the
bottle of Jack, SMASHING it.

INT. STORAGE LAB - NIGHT

A large MISSILE slides back into a LAUNCHER that has been
attached to the top of the alien attacker.  Some workers PAINT
over the patch-work repairs.  Below, Mitchell briefs Steve and
David.

MITCHELL
We've hid the launcher in the
ship's manifold.

Mitchell takes a small black box from a table near by.

MITCHELL (cont'd)
This will be attached to the ships
main console.

STEVE
It's just like an AMRAAM launch
pad on the stealths.

MITCHELL
Exactly.  Use it the same way.
Only the nuke won't detonate on
impact.  You'll have another
thirty seconds to get as far away
as you can.

DAVID
I'll see how they're doing with
the radio transmitter.

STEVE
(checking his watch)
Oh shit, we're late.

DAVID
We'll meet you there.

Steve dashes off as David moves toward the attacker.
Constance has been eavesdropping.  She walks to David.

CONSTANCE
Thirty seconds?  Isn't that
cutting it a little too close?

DAVID
We'll be well on our way out of
there before we shoot that thing
off.

David leans under the attacker where a TECHNICIAN is attaching
another device.

TECHNICIAN
It's the strongest SHF transmitter
we could get.  It'll tell us when
you've uploaded the virus.

DAVID
Then cross your fingers the
shields go down.

David turns and walks away, Constance following.

CONSTANCE
With you?  I don't understand why
you can't just show someone how to
plant the virus, somebody trained
for this kind of mission?

DAVID
If anything goes wrong I'll have
to think quickly, adjust the
signal, who knows?

David stops, picking up a small trash can labelled "recycle."

DAVID
(smiling)
You know how I'm always trying to
save the planet.  This is my
chance.

David rushes off.  Constance watches him leave.

CONSTANCE
(to herself)
Now he gets ambitious.

INT. SMALL GATHERING HALL - SAME

Jasmine is kneeling as Dylan tries to zip up the back of her
dress.

DYLAN
It's too tight.

JASMINE
I had to borrow it.  I guess
that's good enough.

Jasmine stands, turns to Dylan.

JASMINE
How do I look?

She looks great.  But Dylan only gives her the "so-so" hand
gesture.

JASMINE
You're a lot of help.