Starship Troopers

Starship Troopers 　 

Screenplay by Edward Neumeier

Based on the novel by Robert Heinlein

--------------------------------------------------------------------

1 FROM THE FEDERAL NET -- NOTICE -- JOIN UP NOW !

Proud YOUNG PEOPLE in uniform, the bloom of human evolution.

YOUNG PEOPLE

I'm doing my part... Me, too...

Are you ?

The mobile infantery logo: LIGHTNING BOLTS ON A BLACK SHIELD.

OFFICIAL VOICE

Join the mobile infantery and save the world !

Service guarantees citizen-ship.

Would you like to know more ?

2 BUG METEOR:

Behold actual pictures of a METEOR, this one a mile across, as it hurtles

past an observation ship.

OFFICIAL VOICE

The Bugs send another meteor our way !

A BRIGHT EXPLOSION in space out beyond the moon.

OFFICIAL VOICE

But this time we are ready !

Planetary defenses are better than ever !

Would you like to know more ?

3 KLENDATHU --- WHY WE HAVE TO FIGHT !

Klendathu, a fierce orange planet ringed by an asteroid belt,

orbits a double star.

OFFICIAL VOICE

Klendathu, source of the bug meteor attacks,

orbits a twin star system whose brutal gravitational

forces produce an unlimited supply of meteorites...

A "You are here" map of the KNOWN GALAXY shows the Earth in

relationship to the BUG PLANETARY SYSTEM and Klendathu.

OFFICIAL VOICE

To ensure the safety of our solar system,

Klendathu must be eliminated !

Would you like to know more ?

4 LIVE BROADCAST -- FROM ORBIT - THE INVASION OF KLENDATHU !

For BATTLE GROUPS, sixty STARSHPS strong, orbit the orange planet.

Graphics: KLENDATHU: THE INVASION

OFFICIAL VOICE

We break net now and take you live to Klendathu

where the invasion has begun !

5 EXT KLENDATHU -- NIGHT -- THE CAMERA

takes the Mobile Infantery CAP TROOPERS wearing fully armed Marauder

POWER SUITS as they move up the line, the pans to the

NET CORRESPONDENT

NET CORRESPONDENT

We 've just landes here on whar cap troopres are calling

"Big K" with the 6th Mobile Infantery division...

It 's an ugly planet, a bug planet, a planet hostile to

life as we iGKKKKKK !

Blood hits the lens as the Correspondent is cut in half.

The CAMERA catches a glimpse of HUGE CLAWS as Cap Trooper

JOHNNY RICO , 18, blows away SOMETHING BIG big with his pulse cannon.

JOHNNY

Com'on, let's go ! ON THE BOUNCE

The cap troopers move out, among them DIZZY FLORES, 18, ACE

LEVY, 19, and KITTEN SMITH, 18. The CAMERA pauses, unsure.

FED NET CENTRAL (O.S.)

FOLLOW THEM...! GO ! GO !

The CAMERA follows. The PULSE of BUG BATTERIES is blinding.

Cap Troopers scream as they are torn apart right and left by an enemy

seen only in disorientating glimpses.

JOHNNY

THIS WAY !

The group splits into two, and the CAMERA follows Johnny.

Something slices Kitten Smith, and he goes down screaming.

JOHNNY

KITTEN !

Johnny stops to help his comrade. A CLAW slashes into him.

JOHNNY

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !

Now something grabs the CAMERA, spinning it around.

We glimpse the hideous jaws of an ARACHNID WARRIOR.

CAMERAMAN (O.S.)

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA !

The CAMERA hits the ground. Johnny, badly wounded, bleeding

from the mouth, crawls into CAMERA, trying to get away from the

dark INSECT SHAPES that close in on him.

JOHNNY

Oh, God... Oh, God, help me...

please help me...

His eyes glaze over as he remembers

FLASHBACK:

6 INT NEW UNI HIGH - CLASSROOM - DAY - CARMEN IBANEZ

is beautiful, just 18, and quite pleased with herself because

Johnny Rico is clearly infatuated with her.

RASCZAK (O.S.)

The end of another school year, and for

me no doubt another failure...

Rico, pay attention !

The teacher JEAN RASCZAK, 38, a rugged veteran who proudly

displays his missing hand, scowls at Johnny, bemused.

JOHNNY

Sorry, Mr. Rasczak.

But as soon as Rasczak turns back to the class, Johnny begins to sketch

a cartoon on his desk's touch screen.

RASCZAK

Here in History and Moral Philosophy

we've explored the decline of

Democracy when social scientists brought

the world to the brink of chaos, and how the

veterans took control and imposed a stability

that has lasted for generations since...

You know these facts but have I taught you

anything of value ? You.

Why are only citizens allowed to vote ?

Rasczak points at LANNY, 17, with his stump

.

LANNY

It's a reward... what the Federation gives you

for doing Federal Service.

Rasczak is crestfallen, makes a big show of patience.

RASCZAK

No. Something given has no value !

Haven't I taught you dimwits anything ?

I guess they ought to revoke my

teaching credential...

Laughter. Johnny's cartoon, meanwhile, is taking shape:

Johnny and Carmen flying round planet Venus in a space ship.

RASCZAK

When you vote, you're exercising political

authority. You're using force. And force, my

friends, is violence, the supreme authority

from which all other authority derives.

CARL JENKINS, 18, a superintelligent geek, jumps in.

CARL

Gee, we always thought you were the

supreme authority, Mr. Rasczak.

Laughter. Rasczak grins.

RASCZAK

In my classroom, you bet. Whether it's

exerted by ten or ten billion, political

authority is violence by degree. The

people we call citizens have earned

the right to wield it.

DIZZY FLORES, 18, athletic, pretty, no nonsense, chimes in.

DIZZY

My mother always says that violence

never solves anything.

RASCZAK

Really ? I wonder what the city fathers of

Hiroshima would have to say about that.

You.

Rasczak points at Carmen.

CARMEN

They probably wouldn't say anything.

Hiroshima was destroyed.

Johnny presses ?SEND" on his desk, and the cartoon appears

across the way on Carmen's screen.

RASCZAK

Correct. Naked force has settled more

issues in history than any other factor.

The contrary opinion 'violence never

solves anything' is wishful thinking

at its worst.

While Rasczak looks away, Carmen throws Johnny her wonderful

smile, and Johnny's gone, checked out, flying round Venus.

RASCZAK

People who forget that always pay...

They pay with their lives and their

freedom.

Dizzy notices the dreamy look on Johnny's face.

So does Rasczak. He points at him with his stump,

snaps Johnny to.

RASCZAK

You. Tell me the moral difference,

if any, between the citizen and the civilian ?

JOHNNY

The difference lies in the field of civic

virtue. A citizen accepts personal

responsibility for the safety of the body politic,

of which he is a member, defending it,

if need be, with his life.

The civilian does not.

RASCZAK

The exact words of the text. But do

you understand it ?

Do you believe it ?

JOHNNY

Uh, I don't know.

RASCZAK

Of course you don't. I doubt if any

of you here would recognize 'civic virtue'

if it bit you in the ass.

A bell rings. Rasczak shrugs, indifferent.

RASCZAK

Well, that's it. Have a nice life.

7 EXT NEW UNI HIGH - HALLWAY - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

walk with their friends. Several COUPLES hold hands. Johnny

tries to take Carmen's hand, but she demurs. Johnny broods.

CARMEN

C'mon, let's see if they've posted the

math final test yet.

STUDENT

Hey, Rico, we gonna take Tesla ?

JOHNNY

How should I know ?

STUDENT

You're captain of the team !

8 EXT QUAD - DAY - JOHNNY AND CARMEN

join other students around a MULTI-SCREEN KIOSK.

CARMEN

First thing Fleet Academy looks at

is your math scores.

Wish me luck !

Carmen enters her name, receives her score: 97% ! She beams.

JOHNNY

Good for you.

CARMEN

Your turn...

Then she spots Carl across the way talking with MARCO, 17.

CARMEN

Hold on... I wanna talk to Marco.

His sister's at Fleet !

Carmen rushes off. Johnny checks his score: 35% ! Crushed, he

makes sure no none else has seen. Carl walks up to him.

CARL

You still haven't kissed her yet ? Don't lie.

JOHNNY

What's the hurry ?

CARL

Others are waiting.

Carl points out Dizzy, talking with friends.

JOHNNY

Did you read her mind ?

CARL

Don't have to... Some mating semaphore

is pretty hard to miss.

It's true. You can tell by the way she looks at Johnny.

JOHNNY

Yeah, but I want Carmen.

CARL

You got it bad.