Thundarr
Superhero
- Joined
- Sep 4, 2008
- Messages
- 7,577
- Reaction score
- 70
- Points
- 73
Act One: Scene One
Location: The NASA space observatory, present day.
Two scientists are working at the observatory, a man and a woman, looking at the images taken by the giant telescope, checking the data on the computers, comparing information to previous days data, etc. The man's name is Doctor Harris. He's an older gentleman with grey hair, a full beard and mustache, and receding hairline (more like bald), greatly resembling the actor Sean Connery. The woman is Doctor Kraft. She is younger than Doctor Harris, with long black hair and an attractive figure. She greatly resembles the actress Catherine Zeta-Jones.
Dr. Harris: Have you completed your scans of sector 7G, Dr. Cheddar?
Dr. Kraft: You know, Dr. Harris, I know my last name is "Kraft", but those cheese jokes got old back when I was in the first grade. And by the way, they weren't funny then either.
Dr. Harris: Well, Dr. Mozzarella, if you'd find yourself a good man to marry and take on his last name, maybe you wouldn't be teased so much.
Dr. Kraft: I like my name, thank you. I just don't like the jokes. And as for my analysis of sector 7G, I've finished that 20 minutes ago. I'm just finishing up sector 8G now.
Dr. Harris: Fair enough.
*The two of them work silently for several minutes when Dr. Kraft starts flipping back and forth between the previous days data and what she has on the screen right now.*
Dr. Kraft: Dr. Harris?
Dr. Harris: Yes, Dr. Gorganzola?
Dr. Kraft: Dr. Haris, I think you better come take a look at this.
Dr. Harris: (Quickly walking over to his coleague) What is it, Dr. Tex Mex?
*Dr. Kraft punches a few keys on the computers keyboard and then points to a spot on the monitor.*
Dr. Kraft: Is that what I think it is?
*Dr. Haris takes a closer look at the monitor.*
Dr. Harris: That looks like a comet.
Dr. Kraft: Yes, I know. But look at this from yesterday (Dr. Kraft takes out the previous days data and shows it to Dr. Haris). And the day before (She shows Dr. Haris more data).
Dr. Harris: Are you sure these are accurate?
Dr. Kraft: As far as I can tell, yes.
Dr. Harris: Let's go over everything with a fine tooth comb. I don't want to leave anything to chance. If we're wrong, we could start a panic over nothing. If we're right . . . We're in big trouble.
Act One: Scene Two
Location: The Oval Office at The White House
*The President of The United States is sitting at his desk, going over some documents which require his attention. He is an older white male with a receding hairline, looking very much like the actor Jack Nickolson. One of his presidential aides, a blonde haired young woman named Samantha, comes into the room.*
Samantha: Mr. President?
President: Yes, Samantha? What is it?
Samantha: There are two scientists from NASA here to see you, sir. They say that it's urgent.
President: Why? Are Martians attacking Earth?
Samantha: They didn't say, sir. But they made it quite clear that they believe it's a matter of great importance.
President: I suppose I can spare a few minutes. Some of these affairs of state have been sitting on my desk for weeks. A few minutes more won't make much difference. Show them in.
Samantha: Very good, sir.
*Samantha leaves to fetch the two scientists. A moment later she returns with Dr. Kraft and Dr. Harris in tow.*
Dr. Kraft: Mr. President. Thank you for seeing us on such short notice. I'm Doctor Kraft, and this is my coleague, Doctor Harris.
President: Pleased to meet you (*Shakes their hands*). It sounded like it was important.
Dr. Harris: It is very important, sir.
President: What? You discovered 'little green men'?
Dr. Kraft: Hardly.
President: So what is it?
Dr. Harris: A comet, a big one, corkscrewing through space and heading towards Earth.
President: (Now very seious) Just how big of a comet are we talking about here? As big as the one that killed the dinosaurs?
Dr. Kraft: Bigger, sir. This one is roughly the size of Pluto. Maybe even as large as Earth's moon. It would be more accurate to call the thing a runaway planet than a comet.
President: A runaway planet? Have either of you ever heard of such a thing?
Dr. Harris: Not outside of science fiction stories and Saturday Morning cartoons, no. But that doesn't mean they don't exist, just that no one on Earth has witnessed them yet.
President: And you say that it's corkscrewing through space?
Dr. Kraft: Yes, much like a rollercoaster ride. That's why we didn't discover it sooner. Its irratic movements made it difficult to detect from so far away.
President: How is that even possible?
Dr. Haris: We don't know, sir. But it is true.
President: And it's going to collide with Earth?
Dr. Kraft: We're not sure, sir. We figure there's about a 30% chance that it will collide with us. It may collide with our moon. Or it could even pass us by. Either way, it's going to be close.
President: So what are our options?
Dr. Harris: If this runaway planet misses us, it will give us our best chance of survival. However its gravitational pull will still create all sorts of cosmic destruction.
President: Such as?
Dr. Kraft: Earthquakes, tidal waves, volcanic eruptions, freak storms. You name it.
Dr. Harris: Things will be worse if it collides with our moon. The impact may be enough to destroy both the runaway planet and the moon. But then the debris will all come crashing down to Earth. They will range in size from golf balls to small continents. In short, we'll be in for the worst meteor shower in Earth's history.
Dr. Kraft: And then if the runaway planet collides with the Earth? We can all just put our heads between our knees and kiss our butts goodbye.
President: So what should we do?
Dr. Harris: Sir?
President: Can we shoot nukes at it! Land a shuttle on it and drop a nuke inside it to blow it up from the inside out?
Dr. Harris: Sir, I don't think you understand. This isn't a Hollywood disaster movie. In Asteroid the problem was political. The U.S. And Soviet governments didn't want to launch their entire nuclear payloads at the asteroid, even though the only other option is extinction. In Armageddon, the asteroid was the size of the state of Texas. In Deep Impact, it was the size of Mount Everest. Our comet is the size of Pluto. There's not a nuke on the entire planet big enough to blow this up.
Dr. Kraft: And then there's the radiation that has to be accounted for.
President: What radiation?
Dr. Kraft: The only reason we can even see this comet yet at this distance, even as large as it is, is whatever it's made of is highly radioactive. It is giving off its own light. If a shuttle were to land on it, I don't know if the astronaughts would survive.
President: This just keeps getting better and better.
Dr. Harris: Even if the planet passes us by, its radiation is still something we need to be cautious of.
President: Oh?
Dr. Harris: A comets tail is made up of debris, smaller pieces of whatever makes up the comet. Some of the debris is no bigger than a grain of sand. Others can be the size of basketballs. If a comet were the size of The Pontiac Silverdome, it could have debris in its tail that's the size of buics or small houses. With this comet being the size of a small planet, some of its debris is likely the size of The Silverdome, or even small continents.
President: So . . .
Dr. Kraft: So even if the runaway planet passes us by, Earth's gravitational pull will draw some of the drebris from its tail and we will be subject to a highly radioactive meteor shower.
President: Meaning?
Dr. Kraft: Meaning that the best case scenario is that anyone who survives this disaster is going to be exposed to various levels of cosmic radiation.
President: What would the effects of this radiation be?
Dr. Harris: Unknown, sir. We're not even sure what kind of radiation we will be dealing with. It could cause instant death, sterility, birth defects, genetic mutations. Who knows?
President: How long do we have?
Dr. Kraft: Our calculations estimate that the runaway planet will be within striking distance of Earth in about fourteen years.
President: So what should we do? How are we going to survive this?
Dr. Harris: Start building fallout shelters immediately. Lots of them, gigantic ones, each capable of keeping thousands of people safe for a decade or more. Fill them with canned goods, frozen meats and vegetables, clean drinking water, livestock, seeds and seedlings. Modern day "Noah's Arcs".
Dr. Kraft: And contact the other world leaders. Advise them to do likewise.
President: And what should I tell the American people?
Dr. Kraft: That's up to you sir. I would prefer you told them the truth. Fourteen years is a long time. That will give those with the means to do so to build their own fallout shelters. Those who don't can perhaps move to areas where they're less likely to be killed by the destruction unleashed by the runaway planet should it pass us by. It at least gives them a chance for survival.
President: I see. Thank you. Please, leave copies of your discoveries with me. I will speak with my advisors on this matter. I will let you know what I decide as soon as possible.
Act One: Scene Three
Location: The White House, in The War Room
*The president of The United States is sitting at a table with various military and scientific leaders. They have obviously been discussing the upcoming disaster for some time. The ash trays are overflowing with cigarette butts, the coffee pot is empty, as are most of the coffee cups, everyone has their jackets draped over the backs of their chairs, and the air is thick with the bluish smoke of the numerous cigars and cigarettes that are constantly being smoked as everyone is trying to figure out what to do.*
President: Don't any of you have any ideas on how we can keep this thing from wiping us out?
Scientist #1: I'm sorry Mr. President, but I think Dr. Haris and Dr. Kraft are right. Our best bet is to dig in and hope for the best.
President: What about you General?
General: I'm sorry sir, but we just don't have enough firepower to destroy an entire planet. There isn't a nuclear missile big enough to destroy anything that size. We could launch every nuke we have at it and I doubt it would even notice.
President: Can't we just build one?
Scientist #2: Theoretically I suppose it is possible. But you have to understand, Mr. President, that it would take up an enormous amount of resourses. The amount of plutonium we would need alone would be astronomical.
President: But it could be done?
Scientist #2: Possibly. But even if we do build it and launch it at this "runaway planet", there's no guarantee that we can destroy it.
General: It'll still be better than hiding in our basements and hoping it'll pass us by.
President: Then let's do it then.
Scientist #1: What of Dr. Haris and Dr. Kraft's recomendation that we build massive fallout shelters, arcs, to wait out the coming destruction?
President: We will do that too. But like the General said, I can't just sit around and wait for the end to come.
Sandy: Mr. President? What are you going to tell the American people?
Act One: Scene Four
Location: The White House, in The Oval Office
*The President Of The United States is sitting at his desk in front of the television cameras, preparing to speak to the people.*
President: My fellow Americans (*Scene changes to show people across the country watching the broadcast at home*). It has recently come to my attention that there is a giant comet corkscrewing through space and heading in the general direction of Earth. This comet is estimated to be roughly the size of the planet Pluto, and as such has been referred to by NASA scientists as a "Runaway Planet". There is a significant probability that this runaway planet will collide with either the Earth itself, or with our moon. If either of these events occur, it will surely be the end of the human race, and all life on this planet. To prevent our total destruction, The United States Of America will be working in a joint effort with the governments of Russia, Japan, and North Korea to build the largest nuclear weapon ever built. The rocket will be taken out into orbit in pieces by American astronaughts and Russian cosmonaughts, and will then be assembled out in space. Once the runaway planet is within range, we will attempt to blow it out of the sky.
In the even that this plan fails, all major nations around the world will be building mass fallout shelters, in which people, livestock, seeds and seedlings will be stored for our future survival. They will be our own Noah's Arcs. There will be several of them throughout the United States, as well as all other developed countries around the world. We will be holding a lottery to determine who will be joining the thousands of soldiers, doctors, teachers, and scientists who will be needed in helping to rebuild our civilization after the catastrophe. The lottery will be held tomorrow night at midnight, using your Social Security numbers. Only those who are healthy and of child bearing age will be in the lottery, as are their immediate families, spouces and children. To those of you with the financial means to do so, I urge you to build your own fallout shelters. For those of you who are not chosen to join us in these shelters, we urge you to attempt to flee to higher ground. With luck, the devestation that dooms so many within the cities will not reach the mountain tops. This runaway planet is not due to reach Earth for aproximately fourteen years. You all have this much time to get your affairs in order. To plan for your survival. Or to come to terms with your demise. Good night, good luck, and God bless.
(*The cameras shut off. People around the country are clutching each other, crying, falling to their knees in prayer, or picking up the telephone and calling their families.*)
Act One: Scene Five
*A musical montage showing the building of the arcs. The construction of the super rocket. The rich and the powerful building their own private fallout shelters. And the less fortunate packing up whatever survival equipment they can carry and heading out into the mountains.*
Act One: Scene Six
Location: NASA Space Center, Fourteen Years Later
*Former President of the United States is sitting there with current president, who greatly resembles Clint Eastwood, and the entire NASA staff. On the monitors are images of the approaching runaway planet and the giant nuclear missile waiting to launch from orbit. They are communicating with the Russian and American astronaughts who are stationed on the launch platform to target and launch the weapon.*
Astronaught: This is Anvil Of God to Houston. We have visual confirmation on the upcoming planet.
NASA: We read you, Anvil. Release The Hammer Of God whenever you're ready.
Astronaught: Copy that, Houston. Launch in T minus 60 seconds.
*All the NASA staff and the former and current presidents watch the monitors nervously as they await the launch. The countdown gets down to ten.*
Computer: Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. Five. Four. Three. Two. One.
*The Hammer Of God launches.*
Astronaught: The Hammer Of God has launched!
*The people at NASA all chear. The current and former presidents stand and watch nervously. Hours go by as they await the rockets results. Finally there's a blinding explosion in the sky as the giant nuclear missile, Hammer Of God, explodes into the runaway planet. There's another round of cheers at NASA as the light from the explosion reaches Earth. Then the telescopic cameras at the space station/launching pad, Anvil Of God, pick up the image of the runaway planet, still heading towards Earth unimpeded.*
President: Damn it!
Ex-President: I was so sure that was going to work.
Secret Service Agent: Sir! If we're to get you two to Ark One, we're going to have to leave now.
*The Secret Service Agents usher the two US Presidents out of the building and into a waiting helecopter, which takes off towards Ark One. A musical montage of people locking themselves into their storm cellars, their own fallout shelters, their log cabins in the mountains, etc. The astronaughts on Anvil Of God sit and watch as the runaway planet hurtles towards Earth at breakneck speed. The runaway planet passes between the Earth and the moon, splitting the moon in two. The Anvil Of God is thrown into Earth's atmosphere, burning up and incinerating the astronaughts inside. The San Andreus fault line shifts creating a massive canyon along the length of California. A massive tidal wave whipes out the city of San Francisco. The city of New York is rocked with massive earthquakes. Mountains which had never shown the slightest hint of volcanic activity erupt, spewing ash and lava into the air. Rock formations force themselves up out of the ground as tactonic plates shift unnaturally. Various cities and wilderness areas are pelted with meteors from the runaway planet's tail. Man's civilization is cast in ruin.*
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