Fresh from a debrief with NASA's hierarchy, Matt closes his
office door and stares at media postings on his phone.
MATT
(whispers)
Cactus what?
He sends a digital beep, waits. Response is immediate.
He makes a call.
14.
KATE (V.O.)
(through phone)
Hey, Matt. You've escaped. What
held you up?
MATT
Two big things. A gruelling debrief
with our anal-retentive NASA
officials and extended quarantine
at Kennedy. Had to make sure I
wasn't carrying any... nasties.
KATE (V.O.)
Foreign nasties?
MATT
Kate, I need you to contact Amy
your SETI pal as soon as humanly
possible.
KATE (V.O.)
Matt, "As soon as humanly possible"
got complicated when I took the
oath. Why Amy? I have congress in
twenty minutes, and ...
MATT
(interrupts)
Kate, I had an encounter up there.
KATE (V.O.)
An encounter? What kind of—
MATT
The kind that changes everything.
Very close, very real, and I have
physical evidence. Which explains
the quarantine, the secure line,
and why I'm about to ask you to
clear your schedule.
Long silence.
KATE (V.O.)
Matt... are you telling me what I
think you're telling me?
MATT
I'm telling you that first contact
just happened, and your husband was
the welcoming committee.
15.
KATE (V.O.)
(long pause)
Jesus Christ.
MATT
That's what I said. Different
context, same sentiment.
KATE (V.O.)
I'll get Amy to Washington. This
cannot leak. Not a whisper, not a
rumour, not a classified document
accidentally left on a desk.
MATT
Ther've been sightings in Cactus
Loop. Nowhere else, just right up
in the north of Australia, some
media postings from a kid.
KATE (V.O.)
Easy to pass that off as cranks.
You'll figure it out. But, I gotta
go.
AMY WILKS (60s, six feet tall, disturbingly attractive)
sweeps in — stilettos, scarves, summer dress.
Small room. No windows. No distractions.
MATT
You made it.
They hug. Sit.
The DEVICE sits between them.
Closed. Silent. Annoying.
Amy circles it. Hands in pockets.
Doesn’t touch.
AMY
You’d be amazed how often people
assume the thing wants to be
opened.
MATT
Doesn’t it?
AMY
If it did, we’d be past this part.
16.
MATT
We threw everything at it.
Imaging, resonance, even tried
to force a response.
AMY
And it ignored you.
MATT
Pretty much.
AMY
Good.
She bends slightly. Watching the light catch markings.
AMY (CONT'D)
Huh. But I gotta say the photos
don't do this thing justice.
MATT
Good “huh” or bad “huh”?
AMY
Hopeful.
She straightens.
AMY (CONT'D)
You’ve been interrogating it.
MATT
Yes.
AMY
That’s why it’s still closed. It’s
not active. No emissions.
No change.
MATT
So?
AMY
So it’s not actually doing anything
you can detect. Yet
Matt studies the device.
MATT
Waiting.
AMY
Not passively.
17.
She finally looks at him.
AMY (CONT'D)
It was delivered. Not triggered.
Not activated.
MATT
Meaning it needs us, I guess.
AMY
It needs a decision.
MATT
That’s worse.
AMY
Usually is.
A beat.
AMY (CONT'D)
And not here.
MATT
Space.
She nods.
AMY
Somewhere failure doesn’t matter
as much.
Matt exhales.
MATT
And if we get it wrong?
Amy considers that.
AMY
Then it doesn’t stop.
MATT
It adapts.
She gives him a look — he got there.
AMY
Yes.
Silence.
MATT
You don’t know what it does.
18.
AMY
Not yet. But I will get there.
MATT
But you know what we’re supposed
to do.
Amy picks up her bag.
AMY
This thing is the key.
She heads for the door.
AMY (CONT'D)
Obligation.
MATT
To who?
A flicker of a smile.
AMY
Not who.
She opens the door.
AMY (CONT'D)
Put us where it can respond.
MATT
And if it doesn’t?
Amy pauses.
AMY
Then something else will.
She exits.
Matt sits with the device.
Closed.
Waiting.
— ④
INT. MATT'S OFFICE - DAY
Fresh from a debrief with NASA's hierarchy, Matt closes his
office door and stares at media postings on his phone.
MATT
(whispers)
Cactus what?
He sends a digital beep, waits. Response is immediate.
He makes a call.
14.
KATE (V.O.)
(through phone)
Hey, Matt. You've escaped. What
held you up?
MATT
Two big things. A gruelling debrief
with our anal-retentive NASA
officials and extended quarantine
at Kennedy. Had to make sure I
wasn't carrying any... nasties.
KATE (V.O.)
Foreign nasties?
MATT
Kate, I need you to contact Amy
your SETI pal as soon as humanly
possible.
KATE (V.O.)
Matt, "As soon as humanly possible"
got complicated when I took the
oath. Why Amy? I have congress in
twenty minutes, and ...
MATT
(interrupts)
Kate, I had an encounter up there.
KATE (V.O.)
An encounter? What kind of—
MATT
The kind that changes everything.
Very close, very real, and I have
physical evidence. Which explains
the quarantine, the secure line,
and why I'm about to ask you to
clear your schedule.
Long silence.
KATE (V.O.)
Matt... are you telling me what I
think you're telling me?
MATT
I'm telling you that first contact
just happened, and your husband was
the welcoming committee.
15.
KATE (V.O.)
(long pause)
Jesus Christ.
MATT
That's what I said. Different
context, same sentiment.
KATE (V.O.)
I'll get Amy to Washington. This
cannot leak. Not a whisper, not a
rumour, not a classified document
accidentally left on a desk.
MATT
Ther've been sightings in Cactus
Loop. Nowhere else, just right up
in the north of Australia, some
media postings from a kid.
KATE (V.O.)
Easy to pass that off as cranks.
You'll figure it out. But, I gotta
go.
INT. MATT'S OFFICE - DAY
AMY WILKS (60s, six feet tall, disturbingly attractive)
sweeps in — stilettos, scarves, summer dress.
Small room. No windows. No distractions.
MATT
You made it.
They hug. Sit.
The DEVICE sits between them.
Closed. Silent. Annoying.
Amy circles it. Hands in pockets.
Doesn’t touch.
AMY
You’d be amazed how often people
assume the thing wants to be
opened.
MATT
Doesn’t it?
AMY
If it did, we’d be past this part.
16.
MATT
We threw everything at it.
Imaging, resonance, even tried
to force a response.
AMY
And it ignored you.
MATT
Pretty much.
AMY
Good.
She bends slightly. Watching the light catch markings.
AMY (CONT'D)
Huh. But I gotta say the photos
don't do this thing justice.
MATT
Good “huh” or bad “huh”?
AMY
Hopeful.
She straightens.
AMY (CONT'D)
You’ve been interrogating it.
MATT
Yes.
AMY
That’s why it’s still closed. It’s
not active. No emissions.
No change.
MATT
So?
AMY
So it’s not actually doing anything
you can detect. Yet
Matt studies the device.
MATT
Waiting.
AMY
Not passively.
17.
She finally looks at him.
AMY (CONT'D)
It was delivered. Not triggered.
Not activated.
MATT
Meaning it needs us, I guess.
AMY
It needs a decision.
MATT
That’s worse.
AMY
Usually is.
A beat.
AMY (CONT'D)
And not here.
MATT
Space.
She nods.
AMY
Somewhere failure doesn’t matter
as much.
Matt exhales.
MATT
And if we get it wrong?
Amy considers that.
AMY
Then it doesn’t stop.
MATT
It adapts.
She gives him a look — he got there.
AMY
Yes.
Silence.
MATT
You don’t know what it does.
18.
AMY
Not yet. But I will get there.
MATT
But you know what we’re supposed
to do.
Amy picks up her bag.
AMY
This thing is the key.
She heads for the door.
AMY (CONT'D)
Obligation.
MATT
To who?
A flicker of a smile.
AMY
Not who.
She opens the door.
AMY (CONT'D)
Put us where it can respond.
MATT
And if it doesn’t?
Amy pauses.
AMY
Then something else will.
She exits.
Matt sits with the device.
Closed.
Waiting.