INDEPENDENCE DAY

TROY
Four days... five?

Troy looks really sick.  Miguel is shocked.

MIGUEL
But I gave you some this morning.

TROY
I didn't take it.  I thought I
didn't need it anymore.

EXT. DESERT HIGHWAY - SAME

The trailer, with Russell's Bi-wing in tow, pulls over.  Troy
rushes out, vomiting on the side of the road.  Miguel comes to
his aide.  Russell steps out and walks to the curve in the
highway.

RUSSELL
Miguel?  Come take a look at this.

Reluctantly Miguel leaves his brother's side.

POV - RUSSELL AND MIGUEL

Below an entire valley filled with campers, trailers and
busses.  An instant refugee city, if you will, for as far as
the eye can see.  Spectacular.

CUT TO:

INT. EL TORO - BRIEFING ROOM - MORNING

Thirty-five pilots are being briefed by their Commanding
Office, CAPTAIN WATSON who points to a fuzzy photograph of
the craft over Los Angeles.

WATSON
You will be the first wave in our
counter attack.  Though
surveillance satellite
reconnaissance has been impaired,
we have a fix on our primary
target.

Steve and Jimmy sit next to each other near the back of the
room

STEVE
(whispered)
You won't exactly need radar to
find it.

Jimmy chuckles.  Watson is annoyed.

WATSON
You want to add something to this
briefing, Lt. Hill?

Steve smiles confidently.

STEVE
Sorry, Sir.  Just real anxious to
kick some alien ass.

Everyone chuckles, including Captain Watson.

EXT. EL TORO MARINE CORPS AIR STATION - MOMENTS LATER

Huge hangar doors open revealing an F/A-18 HORNET, one of the
U.S.A.F.'s elite.

TARMAC - OVERHEAD SHOT

Thirty F/A-18s await take off on the tarmac as Technicians and
Flight Crews race for position.

ENGINE BLAST

The heat waves momentarily obscure our view as the F/A-18s
take to the air.

INT. AIR FORCE ONE - SAME

The President is deeply contemplative.  Constance sits down
next to him.  She knows what he's thinking.

CONSTANCE
You saved a lot of lives.

PRESIDENT
I could have evacuated the cities
hours ago.
(beat)
You know, when I flew in the Gulf
War everything is simple.  We
knew what we had to do.  It's not
simple anymore, Connie.  A lot of
people died today.  How many
didn't have to?

Constance realizes there's no comforting him.  She supports
him silently by being there.  General Grey comes over.

PRESIDENT
Any news on my wife?

GENERAL GREY
The helicopter never arrived at
Nellis and there's been no radio
contact.

The news rocks the President.  They both know what that means.

GENERAL GREY (cont'd)
The fighters are in the air.

Whitmore nods and follows the General to the back of the
plane.

COMMAND CENTER - AIR FORCE ONE

Military Command has been set up on Air Force One, a kind of
flying NORAD.  Military and technical crew are seated at the
controls.  Nimziki is already there.

GENERAL GREY
All satellites, microwave and
ground communications with the
cities are gone.  We believe we're
looking at a total loss.

Maintaining his composure, the President looks up at the many
tracking screens.

PRESIDENT
Where are they?

GENERAL GREY
(pointing)
ETA with target; four minutes.

EXT. BLUE SKIES - TACTICAL FIGHTERS - SAME

Five F/A-18 fighters move into frame.  As we WIDEN we REVEAL a
total of 30 F/A-18s in attack formation, destination Los
Angeles.

INT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME

Steve pulls a long cigar out of his breast pocket.

STEVE
(into radio)
Jimmy crack corn, do you have
victory dance?

INT. JIMMY'S FIGHTER - SAME

Jimmy pulls his cigar out.  Examines it.

JIMMY
(into radio)
That is an affirmative.  I have
victory dance. Mmmmmmm.

STEVE
(filtered)
Don't get premature on me, Jimmy.
We don't light up 'til the Fat
Lady sings.

JIMMY
I hear you.

INT. AIR FORCE ONE - PASSENGER SECTION - SAME

Air sick, David holds a "barf bag" as Moishe talks.

MOISHE
It's Air Force One for crying out
loud.  Still he gets sick?

DAVID
Moishe, please, don't talk.

Moishe pats his belly.

MOISHE
Look at me, like a rock.  Good
weather, bad, doesn't matter.
(motions with his hands)
We can go up and down, back and
forth, side to side...

David can't take any more of this story and takes off running
for the bathroom.

MOISHE
What I say?

Constance comes over, sits next to Moishe.

CONSTANCE
He still gets air sick, huh?  In
all of this I didn't get the
chance to thank you two.

MOISHE
Think nothing of it, Spanky.

Constance smiles, corrects him.

CONSTANCE
Spunky.  He told you about that?

MOISHE
(nods)
All he could think about was
getting to you.  There's still
love there I think.

CONSTANCE
(sadly)
Love was never our problem.

MOISHE
All you need is love.  John
Lennon.  Smart man.  Shot in the
back, very sad.

EXT. SKIES - SAME

In the distance we can see the devastated Los Angeles, the
space craft still hovering above it.  The Fighters zoom into
frame.

INT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME

Steve looks down, becomes worried.

STEVE
I shouldn't have left her.

JIMMY
(filtered)
Don't worry, big guy.  I'm sure
she got out of here before it
happened.

Steve nods absently.

STEVE
Let's lock and load.

INT. AIR FORCE ONE - SAME

The center F/A-18 on the radar map begins to FLASH yellow,
just under its image.  We SEE a video display of its FLIR
(forward-looking infrared) targeting system, locked on.

TECHNICIAN
Los Angeles attack squadron has
AMRAAM missiles locked on target.

TECHNICIAN #2
Washington and New York squadrons,
reporting lock on.

GENERAL GREY
Fire at will.

EXT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME

An Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) DROPS
down from the underbelly of the fighter, DARTING OFF.

Radar targeted, the missile BANKS hard, adjusting.  We SEE it
is joined by FOURTEEN other missiles, all rocketing towards
their target.

EXT. ALIEN SHIP - SECONDS LATER

The missiles are headed straight for the alien ship.
Suddenly about a quarter mile before they reach it, they
EXPLODE, as though blown out of the sky.

When the smoke clears we see there has been zero damage.

INT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME

STEVE
Damn it!

JIMMY
(filtered)
I didn't even see them fire!

STEVE
Command, Eagle One.  Switching to
"sidewinders."  We're moving in.

EXT. SKIES - SAME

In unison these amazing birds DIVE together, realigning
themselves into six groups of five, spreading out to attack
different areas of the ship.

STEVE'S GROUP

The first attack group, Steve's, are the first to near the
colossal alien craft. Simultaneously they drop their AIM-9
sidewinder missiles.

PACK OF AIM-9 SIDEWINDER MISSILES

They reach the same quarter-mile proximity and EXPLODE.

INT. STEVE'S FIGHTER - SAME

STEVE
They must have some kind of
protective shield surrounding
their hull.  Pull up.

Most of the fighters do, but one is too late and SMASHES into
the ship's protective shield.

EXT. SKIES - SAME

Steve's squadron BANKS hard, skirting the edge of the ship's
protective shield.

As the fighters approach, the alien ship's enormous ATTACK BAY
doors OPEN.  Suddenly DOZENS OF ALIEN ATTACKERS dart out
towards our fighters.

STEVE
(filtered)
Evasive maneuvers!  Check Six!

Just moving away in time, our Fighters barely dodge the
oncoming enemy Attackers as they FIRE a HAILSTORM of FIREPOWER
(tracker bullet-like lasers) showering the sky.

As Steve's plane DIVES, an Attacker follows.  Jimmy's plane
pulls up behind the attacker.

HEADS UP DISPLAY - HUD

Jimmy's HUD has the alien attacker in his sights.

JIMMY
(filtered)
Got you covered, Stevie.

Jimmy FIRES, another AIM-9 Sidewinder TAKES OFF.

ALIEN ATTACKER

The Sidewinder overtakes the attacker as Steve ROLLS AWAY out
of position.  Five yards before the sidewinder can get to the
Attacker, it EXPLODES.

JIMMY
Shit!  They've got shield too.

STEVE'S FIGHTER

Banks back around to get a shot.  Just as he turns, three
American Fighters are BLOWN TO RIBBONS from Attacker tracer
fire.

The Attackers are in hot pursuit of Jimmy's fighter.  The
Fighter flying next to Jimmy is DEMOLISHED.

STEVE
Jimmy, roll right.  I'll cover.

Jimmy's fighter narrowly rolls away from the tracer fire as
Steve fires another Sidewinder, momentarily distracting the
Attacker.

Jimmy falls in line with Steve as the attackers turn on them.
Both fighters jerk downwards at a ninety degree angle at MACH
ONE.  Narrowly missing the ground, they bank away.  The
Attackers can't follow.

INT. AIR FORCE ONE - SAME

Fighter after fighter begin to disappear from the display
screens.

CONSTANCE
We're losing them.

PRESIDENT
Then get them out of there.

Suddenly one of the large radar display maps FIZZLES OUT.

TECHNICIAN
We've lost the satellite.

Before he can adjust, another monitor FIZZLES AWAY.

EXT. LOS ANGELES - SAME

One by one we SEE the fighters getting TAKEN OUT.  Fireballs
litter the laser-tracer fire covered skies.

STEVE
Maybe we can out run them.  Follow
my lead.

Jimmy and Steve bank away from the craft, hit the supercruise,
BOLTING AWAY at Mach 2.

Both  Jimmy and Steve are held tight against their seats,
straining against the G-Force.

Two Attackers spot them and follow in hot pursuit.

Steve and Jimmy are flying at breakneck speeds, the attackers
slowly gaining on them.

STEVE
Jimmy, kick it!  They're gaining.

JIMMY
We're already over Mach 2!

STEVE
So push it!

Readouts show the  planes flying beyond measurement.

INT. JIMMY'S FIGHTER - SAME

As the  planes accelerate, Jimmy fights to remain conscious.

JIMMY
Stevie... I can't...

STEVE
Jimmy, stay with me.

Jimmy slowly loses consciousness.  His fighter slows, drifting
off to the right.

STEVE
JIMMY!

ALIEN ATTACKERS

gain on them.  One catches up with Jimmy's fighter and FIRES.

JIMMY'S FIGHTER

Laser-tracers SHOWER the Fighter.  It EXPLODES.  Job done, his
Attacker banks away, returning to Los Angeles.

STEVE
No!!!!

Steve's Attacker stays right with him, slowly gaining.  Steve
kicks his harder, keeping the distance.

CUT TO:

INT. EL TORO - AIR TOWER - SAME

A radar OPERATOR spots something on his screens.  He turns to
Captain Watson.

OPERATOR
We have incoming.

WATSON
Friendly?

OPERATOR
I don't think so.

Watson hits an alarm which ROARS.

EXT. EL TORO - TARMAC - SECOND LATER

A dozen PILOTS race out onto the field, running for their
planes.  Before anyone can reach them, the sky darkens with
ALIEN ATTACKERS who STRAFE the runway.

INT. TOWER - SAME

Through the front glass of the tower we SEE the Attackers
firing.  One fires directly at the tower.  Watson DIVES for
cover as everything around him erupts into a gigantic
FIREBALL.

WIDE ANGLE - EL TORO

The entire base goes up in flames.

CUT TO:

EXT. SKIES - FIGHTER & ATTACKER - SAME

Steve looks down over the side of his fighter.

STEVE'S POV - THE GRAND CANYON - SAME

Steve HITS THE BRAKES.  Surprised, the Attacker SAILS PAST.

Taking the moment, Steve DIVES down INTO THE GRAND CANYON.

STEVE
(to himself)
Okay, jerk-off.  Let's have some
fun.

The Attacker recovers, dives after Steve who flies dangerously
close to the canyon walls.  The Attacker has trouble keeping
up with him but does.

Steve puts on a clinic in advanced aerobatics, banking,
diving, swerving.

The Attacker seems to be improving, following closer and
closer.

Steve ducks into smaller canyons, twisting sideways.  Still
the Attacker follows close.

FUEL GAUGE - RUNNING LOW

Near empty.  Frustrated, Steve gets pissed.

STEVE
Damn it!

Steve turns down a dead and side canyon.  The Attacker is
right on his tail.

STEVE
Let's see if you're fully
equipped.

The Fighter is on a collision course with the end of the
canyon wall.  Suddenly Steve yanks his ACES II - EJECTION
SEAT.

Stave SAILS UPWARDS into the air.

The Fighter CRASHES into the canyon wall.

The Attacker can't turn in time.  He tries to pull up, over
it, just misses the top of the canyon wall.

As the nose of the Attacker hits the tip of the canyon wall
the Attacker is FLIPPED OVER, ROLLING END OVER END over the
top of the canyon.