9 EXT. FRAZIER WOODS - CONTINUOUS
ISABEL
Earth's atmosphere was the most compatible, and they considered colonizing here, but long term exposure to Earth's atmosphere makes them sterile.
ALEX
Hence the experiments?
Cut to:
10 INT. MAX'S POD CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
MAX
Hybrids, half Antarian and half human, seemed the best solution for them. The ship that crashed in '47 was a shuttle. The crew was on a reconnaissance mission for sperm and egg donors.
LIZ
(disturbed)
You mean abductions?
Cut to:
11 INT. MESALIKO CAVE - CONTINUOUS
MARIA
(upset)
So all those stories are true?
Michael responds in such a way that it's unsure if he's trying to convince Maria or himself.
MICHAEL
Ed said no one was harmed. They just needed sperm and eggs from humans. They weren't experimented on. Many were volunteers.
Maria seems suspect, but drops the argument for now.
MARIA
OK, I don't know much about biology, but how do two different species produce offspring?
Cut to:
12 EXT. FRASIER WOODS - CONTINUOUS
ISABEL
It turns out Antarians and humans aren't that different, biologically, but they didn't have any real success until they discovered that some humans had some sort of ... anomaly in their genes that made their DNA truly compatible to Antarian DNA.
ALEX
"Truly" compatible?
Cut to:
13 INT. MAX'S POD CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
MAX
They needed a way to maintain Antarian abilities ... memories ...
LIZ
Memories?
Cut to:
14 INT. MESALIKO CAVE - CONTINUOUS
MICHAEL
Memories are passed from one generation to the next, genetically.
MARIA
(enthusiastically)
Ooh, ooh I read an article about that. How they think some schizophrenics, like that guy John Nash from the book "A Beautiful Mind", are actually accessing someone else's memories, which drives them crazy cuz they can't handle it; they think they're hallucinating. They call it—
Cut to:
15 EXT. FRAZIER WOODS - CONTINUOUS
ISABEL
Ancestral memory is very important to Antarians. Ed says it's how you learn who you are and what you can do.
ALEX
But you didn't know who you are. Is your ancestral memory not working?
Cut to:
16 INT. MAX'S POD CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
MAX
Some ancestral memory sort of ... leaks out. Like how I knew how to heal without knowing what I was doing.
LIZ
And the rest?
MAX
(hesitantly)
Intimate contact ... with the right person ...
LIZ
Intimate?
Cut to:
17 INT. MESALIKO CAVE - CONTINUOUS
MICHAEL
Apparently even making out with the right person creates this connection that releases these memories.
MARIA
You mean like when Liz and Max were getting all hot and bothered and she saw the visions?
Cut to:
18 EXT. FRASIER WOODS - CONTINUOUS
ISABEL
It has something to do with chemistry and DNA. And since Antarians put so much importance on ancestral memory, they choose their mates based on that connection—who can best help them release their memories.
ALEX
(anxious)
Mates?
Cut to:
19 INT. MAX'S POD CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
MAX
They wanted to make sure we would perpetuate the species, and the memories, so they determined in advance which of us would be the most compatible, biologically.
LIZ
(upset and worried, but trying not to show it)
So ...
(deep breath)
... with whom are you most compatible? Isabel? Tess?
Max cups her face in his hands.
MAX
You. I am most compatible with you and nothing Nasedo or Ed, or whatever he's calling himself, can say is going to change that.
They kiss.
Cut to:
20 INT. MESALIKO CAVE - CONTINUOUS
MARIA
(upset)
You always said Isabel was like a sister to you, so how can you think of her ... that way ... without the ick factor.
MICHAEL
(uncomfortable)
I don't think I can.
(beat; under his breath)
Although there was that one time ...
MARIA
(concerned, not sure she heard correctly)
One time?
Cut to:
21 EXT. FRAZIER WOODS - CONTINUOUS
Isabel is pacing in front of Alex, who is still seated on the rock. She is extremely agitated.
ISABEL
How dare he think he can turn me into a baby-making machine. What about my plans! I was going to be a supermodel ... I was going to travel ... I was going to have fun ...
The enormity of the situation hits her and her attitude changes from angry to overwhelmed. She sits on the rock next to Alex, defeated. Her voice becomes small, tremulous.
ISABEL (cont'd)
... not be the salvation of an entire species.
Alex wraps his arms around her and she responds in kind.
Dissolve to:
22 INT. CRASHDOWN – MAIN DINING AREA - LATER
The Crashdown is closed for the night. Isabel and Alex are seated on one side of a booth, holding hands, and Maria is seated on the other side. There are a bunch of half-empty and empty glasses on the table, indicating that they've been there a while. Liz is behind the counter filling a glass with cola and Max is seated across from her on a stool. Michael seems agitated, pacing between the door and the booth. He's distracted, not really focused on the conversation the others are having.
LIZ
OK, so Antar's trying to build a hybrid race to preserve their ancestral memories; they can't seriously expect to do that with just the four of you.
A low hanging flying saucer decoration brushes against Michael and he yanks it down. The others glance at him warily.
ISABEL
No, there were others. We were just the first deployed.
Liz hands the glass she was filling with cola to Max and starts filling another. Max shakes some Tabasco into his cola and stirs. As he's about to take a sip Michael, walking by and not paying attention, takes the glass from Max and drinks. Max gives him an irritated look, Maria rolls her eyes, gets up from the booth and pushes/directs Michael into it, then slides in next to him. Michael seems puzzled and annoyed but resigned to sitting there.
LIZ (cont'd)
(handing Max another cola)
So if you're not part of the '47 crash, when were you deployed and how did you get separated from Nasedo—I mean Ed?
MAX
Their shuttle crashed in 1958; a few miles from the pods.
MARIA
(musing)
Antar's NASA really needs to work on quality control.
Michael, noticing he's still holding the flying saucer starts making zooming and crashing noises as he zooms it around and crashes it into the items on the table. Isabel glares at him but he ignores her. Alex notices the look on Isabel's face and jumps in quickly.
ALEX
(to Max)
You said their. How many were on board?
Michael waves his hand over the flying saucer and eight grayling alien heads appear in windows on the side. Isabel rolls her eyes but Maria smiles, and getting into the spirit of the visual aids, leaves the booth, heads for the souvenir section of the diner, grabs eight silver alien dolls (similar to the one she used as a voodoo doll once) and brings them back to the table. Michael waves his hand and names appear on four of the dolls: Michael, Max, Isabel and Tess. He waves his hand again and Mentor 1, 2, 3 and 4 appears on each of the other dolls.
MICHAEL
Two are hurt.
(he puts mentors 1 and 2 aside.)
Two take us ...
(he has mentors 3 and 4 move the four named dolls to another part of table)
... and hide us in the pod chambers. They came back …
(moves mentors 3 and 4 back to the spaceship)
to find the military swarming all over the ship.
Maria arranges forks and knives around the ship.
MICHAEL (cont'd)
These two
(holds out mentors 3 and 4)
get caught.
MARIA
(pointing to mentors 1 and 2, the "injured" dolls)
And the others?
MAX
(quietly)
They died.
Liz takes his hand.
ALEX
So that's why there was no one to look out for you?
All three nod.
LIZ
But if Antarians are shapeshifters how did they get caught? Did they look...alien?
ISABEL
They looked like humans but the military thought they might have seen something or been exposed to something.
ALEX
Why didn't they use their powers to escape?
MAX
After excavating the caves for the pods, they were too weak to use their abilities. They were taken to the Eagle Rock military base, where they did blood tests ...
(sighs)
ISABEL
(voice strained; this is difficult for her to relate)
After that it was one test after another. They drugged them, to keep them docile, and unable to defend themselves. Then they discovered the effects even small amounts of alcohol has on us; with the loss of their inhibitions the military became aware of some of our abilities.
LIZ
(concerned)
Which ... abilities?
MAX
Just small stuff, because the drugs kept them from doing anything major, but enough to pique their curiosity.
MARIA
That must have been so awful for them.
MICHAEL
Ed said, and I quote, "Their narrow-minded, insular desire to learn what we could do, turned them into pig-headed despots who forgot they were dealing with sentient beings."
LIZ
(concerned)
Did they suffer permanent damage?
MAX
Because of the constant use of his powers and the alcohol, Ed said he lost a lot of his memories—short term, long term, and ancestral—and he may never get them back.
LIZ
(worried)
Could that happen to you?
MAX
(hesitates)
No. Those were extreme circumstances. The stuff we do isn't harmful.
Liz does not see Isabel's narrowed-eyed look at Max.
ALEX
But they got away?
ISABEL
The other mentor died. Eventually Ed's immune system fought off the drug's effects and he was able to gather enough energy to use his powers to escape.
Maria reaches for a fork, turns it so it faces the Mentor 4 alien doll.
MARIA
How? Weren't they watching him at all times? How did he do that without them seeing him?
ISABEL
(distractedly)
We don't know. We don't even know why Tess grew up with him, but we didn't.
Isabel gets up abruptly from the booth and goes through the swinging door to the back room. Alex, surprised, hesitates only a second then follows her.
MICHAEL
He said we had a lifetime to learn everything; there was no need to learn it all in one day.
(beat)
I think he was tired. You know, like when you are running on adrenaline and then when the need to keep going is no longer there, you just collapse. Now that he's found us, he can rest.
Michael becomes very quiet, pensive. Maria reaches out and puts her hand on his.
MARIA
(compassionately, and softly so only he can hear)
I'm sorry.
MICHAEL
(confused)
For what?
MARIA
That there's no spaceship coming to rescue you.
MICHAEL
It figures I screwed up once again.
(off Maria's questioning look)
I bet on the wrong horse and now I'm stuck here ... with no future.
MARIA
Then change horses.
(beat)
Bet on you.
Cut to:
23 INT. CRASHDOWN – BACK ROOM - CONTINUOUS
Isabel seems agitated and Alex has his arm around her; comforting her.
ALEX
(sensing what's wrong)
This isn't anything like what you imagined, is it?
Isabel, lips pursed, shakes her head in a resigned manner.
ISABEL
(sighs)
We'll learn more tomorrow, after school. We're all meeting again at Michael's.
(beat; steps out of his embrace to look directly at him)
I wish you could be there.
ALEX
(placing his hands on her arms)
If you want me there, then I'll be there.
ISABEL
(smiles gratefully and strokes his cheek with her hand)
Thanks ... but it's probably best if you don't. Don't want to rock the boat just yet.
ALEX
(placing his hand on her cheek)
Then I'll be with you in spirit.
They kiss.
Cut to:
24 INT. CRASHDOWN - COUNTER - CONTINUOUS
Max and Liz are holding hands over the counter, talking privately.
LIZ
So you, Michael, Isabel, and Tess were all created to save the Antarian species?
MAX
Apparently.
(beat)
If we can believe anything Nasedo ... Ed tells us.
LIZ
You think we can't trust him?
MAX
I don't know. There are still too many unanswered questions, and it's not like we can stroll into Eagle Rock military base and ask them to verify his stories.
The camera pans out and over to include the Crashdown front window. We see a figure there, watching them.
Cut to:
25 INT. EAGLE ROCK MILITARY BASE - CO'S OFFICE - MORNING
A picture of Larry Trilling on a desk. The camera pulls back to reveal the desk is in a military office. Seated behind the desk is a major; standing on the other side, holding some folders, is a lieutenant.
MAJOR
(picking up picture)
Are you sure this is the man our loquacious private was talking to?
LIEUTENANT
(crisply)
Yes, Ma'am! Lawrence Trilling. Lives in Roswell. Works at the UFO Museum.
MAJOR
(reacts to information; not happy)
Tell Captain Perez I want him to do a threat assessment.
LIEUTENANT
(saluting)
Yes, Ma'am!
The lieutenant leaves as the major continues to contemplate Larry's picture.
Cut to:
26 INT. HARDING KITCHEN - MORNING
Tess and Ed are at the kitchen table having breakfast.
TESS
I'm so glad we can finally stay in one place for a while.
ED
Don't get your hopes up. We won't be staying.
TESS
(in mid-bite, shocked)
What do you mean?
ED
It's not safe here. It was bad enough with what the military knows about me, and now the FBI is suspicious of Max.
TESS
But we've been searching for them for years. Are we going to abandon them now that we've found them?
ED
I'm not abandoning anyone. They'll be coming with us.
TESS
What if they don't want to leave?
(puzzled)
They don't seem ... coopertive.
ED
They have no choice.
(beat)
I can't believe he risked so much healing that girl ... and then to leave the bullet hole and the blood on the uniform ...
TESS
He said he didn't think of it ... it all happened so fast ... he was only thinking of Liz.
ED
I know. That's what I don't understand. Why?
Cut to commercial.
END OF ACT I
Original contents copyright © 2009 by Roswell: What Might Have Been
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