ECOSPHERES
by
James R. Jaeger II
Copyright 2002
by James R. Jaeger II
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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FADE IN:
EXT. LOCAL SATURN SPACE - DAY & NIGHT
CAMERA pans from a star field to a surveyor's sextant on a huge
survey ship. Below, a small expeditionary shuttle is headed up
from Titan, the 6th "moon" of the beautiful planet Saturn.
INT. SURVEY SHIP - BRIDGE
COMMANDER JOHN B. GODARD IV, head of the exploration division of
the planetary science agency, known as E1S2, is a prominent
theoretical scientist and frequent visitor to the Solar System's
planets and satellites. Godard is taking final degree readings
on a nefarious looking object to triangulate-in on its exact
direction and distance from Earth.
INCERT - SPHERICAL OBJECT
On a telescope screen, we see a deep, reddish-purple object which
looks like a red-hot ball of glowing iron. In fact, it's a burned
out neutron star, reduced, at the end of its carbon cycle, to a
glowing sphere of iron - 1,500 miles in diameter.
BRIDGE
The large cabin is busy with SPACE TECHNICIANS everywhere.
GODARD
That last light-minute we went
out was worth it because we now
can plot the cosecant of this
thing's exact orbit. Who would
have dreamt we were actually a
binary star system!
COMM TECHIE
Well, now I guess we're going to
have to tell everyone what's been
going on out here for millennia.
GODARD (touch of despair)
Yep. And decades.
(beat)
Please set up a commline with
Delacroix at E1S2.
COMM TECHIE
Yes Sir, Commander Godard.
INT. E1S2, INTERMEZZO STATION - DAYBREAK
E1S2, short for Earth Science Systems, is the massive control
center for all science and security systems of the Federated
Nations - the world governing body.
Judging from the looks of things, this is Earth, circa 2175 anno
Domini. 150,000 UNIFORMED MEN AND WOMEN whirl about their
assignments in a 309 story glass-structure headquartered in low
earth orbit, and known as InterMezzo Station.
E1S2's major divisions are Exploration, Vehicle Manufacturing,
Solar System Geology, Astronomy, FACtual DATa Research and
Security - all under the control of VICE MARSHALL DELACROIX.