EXT – SPACE – DAY

Camera travels downward through the layers of Earth’s atmosphere and settles on a space observatory.

EXT – SPACE OBSERVATORY – DAY

Super up: United Sovereign State Space Agency Observatory

INT – SPACE OBSERVATORY HALLWAY– DAY

Scientists and astronomers are going about their usual daily routines, plotting stars, transmitting messages into deep space, and listening for some communication from outside the solar system.

INT – OFFICE – DAY

DR. MICHAEL BLACKMAN, tall and dark-skinned, is sitting in front of an outdated and dusty Wang computer. DR. WILLIAM BLAKE is sitting in front of a desk with newer equipment. DR. BOWMAN is sitting by himself against the far wall in front of a computer. As Michael jots notes from the day’s data on a neon green clipboard with a Uniball pen, he reacts to an anomaly on his monitor. Onscreen is a giant green dot and several dozens of smaller dots in a wedge formation.

                MICHAEL

Damn! This cockamamie thing! I should have replaced you along with all the other equipment when I had the chance.