That's when Djana'd trips on a loose stone. She fumbles her rifle and it discharges. The round tears the top of Breckinridge's head off. The recruits stare in horror. JOHNNY Oh, God... uh... MEDIC ! Zim arrives with Bronski on the bounce. ZIM Rico, you are relieved of squad command. Levy, McIntire you will escort private Rico to the C.O.'s Office. The recruits watch Johnny leave, stare aghast at their dead comrade. No one looks at Djana'd, who stands alone sobbing. 75 INT C.O.'S OFFICE - DAY - JOHNNY stands before the C.O. braced by Katrina and Ace. Zim and the C.O. are both saddened by the proceedings. C.O. Rico, did you give the recruit permission to remove his helmet ? JOHNNY Sir, yes, sir. Breckinridge reported a helmet malfunction, and I asked him to show it to me, sir. C.O. Are you rated to repair a Marauder power suit, Rico ? JOHNNY Sir, no, sir. C.O. Then why did you order your man to remove his helmet during a live fire exercise ? JOHNNY Sir, I needed everyone in my squad operational, sir... I... I wanted to win, sir. C.O: (sigh) You disobeyed safety regulation 21-404. You may, of course, demand trial by court martial. JOHNNY Sir, no, sir ! C.O. Do you freely admit to the charges made against you ? JOHNNY Sir... I guess I do, sir. Zim looks out the window. Djana'd, dressed for travel, in civilian clothes, crying as she heads off down Washout Lane. C.O. Sergeant, we've lost two recruits over this incident already... is there any possibility of salvaging this man ? Zim I believe so, sir. C.O. Alright. We'll try administrative punishment. Until then you are confined to your quarters, Rico. 76 INT BARRACKS - SUNSET - JOHNNY looks out the window to the parade ground where a POST has been erected. The recruits look up as Zim enters. ZIM Alright, let's go, Rico. Johnny takes off his shirt. Ace who now holds the chevrons of squad leader, watches, feels bad for his pal. 77 EXT PARADE GROUND - SUNSET - THE RECRUITS stand with recruits from other platoons. Johnny is led to the post and strung up as the C.O. reads the charge. C.O. For incompetence of command, for failure to abide by safety regulations in a live fire exercise, for negligence which contributed to the death of a teammate... Zim steps up to Johnny, offers him a red rubber mouthpiece. ZIM Bite on this. It helps. I know. C.O. ... recruit trainee John Rico is sentenced to administrative punishment. Ten lashes. Johnny takes it in his mouth. His tear away shirt is torn away. Johnny stands at the post alone. Corporal Bronski, a big man with an unhappy task, unrolls his whip. C.O. You may carry out the sentence. BRONSKI One. CRACK ! Johnny's face wrenched by pain, spontanous tears, a terrible sound stifled by the bright red mouthpiece. BRONSKI Two. CRACK ! Again. Dizzy flinches for Johnny. BRONSKI Three. CRACK ! Ace looks away. BRONSKI Four. CRACK ! Zim watches without any apparent emotion. BRONSKI Five. CRACK ! Johnny faints, sagging against his tether. FADE OUT 78 EXT OUTER SYSTEM - STARSHIP ATHENA cruises past, 600,000 metric tons of star class destroyer, FIGHTERS and LANDING BOATS lining her open hangar deck. 79 INT ATHENA - COMMAND AND CONTROL - NIGHT CYCLE - CARMEN works alone on the empty bridge. She yawns. Zander brings coffee for himself and Carmen. CARMEN Thanks. You read my mind. Third watch always seems to last forever. ZANDER Oh, I don't know... Depends on who you are spending it with. He caresses her hair. She kisses his hand. Zander notices the plot map. ZANDER Profile's wrong... there. CARMEN No, I replotted the course. It's more efficient this way. ZANDER Three weeks aboard a starship and you know it all, huh ? CARMEN Hey, check it. Zander slides into his chair, runs a check. ZANDER You know I was talking to Captain, Deladier, and she said... CARMEN Don't change the subject. Am I right ? ZANDER Well, whad'ya know... CARMEN Don't mess with the boss. So what'd the captain say ? ZANDER She got a command... and she thinks we oughta team up officially and crew for her. She thinks we're good together. CARMEN You and me, huh ? Zander turns his chair so they are very close, moves a finger along her hand, up her arm and playfully around her breasts. ZANDER I have a feeling about us. We're good together, way ahead of the curve in every department. I seem to be able to anticipate your needs. You know what I want... Carmen grabs him between his legs. CARMEN No, what do you want ? Zander pulls her to him and they kiss passionately. She brteaks it off, gets serious for amoment. CARMEN I want to be part of the best flight team in the Fleet... ZANDER Me, too... Day and Night-Cycle. They start to caress again when suddenly ALARMS sound. Captain Deladier appears on the hot screen, still waking up. DELADIER Report. ZANDER Captain, we are in the path of an unidentified object moving at near light speed... Carmen and Zander frantically check their displays. CARMEN WHERE IS IT ? ZANDER THERE ! GRAVITY FIELD... IT'S BIG ! CARMEN It looks like an... asteroid. DELADIER In this part of the system ? Carmen and Zander see it through the front screens: A huge ASTEROID tumbles directly towards them at terrific speed. ZANDER Sweet Jesus...! Carmen breaks glass that reads EMERGENCY RETROS, arms the switch within and fires the rockets. 80 EXT OUTER SYSTEM - STARSHIP ATHENA torques to one side. The asteroid grazes the ship, cutting ahuge gash in Athena's hull. Ice and rock travelling in ist wake shreds COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT. 81 INT COMMAND AND CONTROL - NIGHT CYCLE - CARMEN AND Zander brace themseves as diamond hard particles pound the front screens. The ship continues to tumble. 82 EXT ATHENA - FLIGHT DECK - A FIGHTER loses it's mooring, tumbling into other craft, explosions ripping the deck. 83 INT ATHENA -VARIOUS - NIGHT CYCLE - CREWMEN are sucked into space. Others hang on frantically as automatic doors seal Athena's wound and their fates. 84 INT COMMAND AND CONTROL - NIGHT CYCLE - CAPTAIN Deladier arrives on the bridge, now crowded as other FLIGHT OFFICERS rush to their stations. Zander's going through star charts. DELADIER Where'd it come from ? ZANDER Trajectory indicates it came out of the Arachnid Quarantine Zone. DELADIER Number 4, contact Fleet and tell 'em there's a loose asteroid headed their way. COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER Communications are down, ma'am. DELADIER Engineering. Damage assessment. ENGINEERING OFFICER Hull's compromised. We're lucky to be alive, ma'am. Deladier notices Carmen staring at a monitor, stunned. A DEAD CAP TROOPER trails in the wreckage of the flight deck. DELADIER Good work, Number 1. You'll do. CARMEN Thank you, ma'am. 85 INT BARRACK'S - DAY - JOHNNY wears his civilian clothes, pcks as the other recruits get ready for the day's training. No one says anything. He moves stiffly, careful of his back. DIZZY It stinks, you goin. JOHNNY I don't stay where I'm not wanted. DIZZY If they didn't want you, they woulda kicked you out, amigo. JOHNNY Hey, they humiliated me in front of everyone ! I'm just supposed to take it, huh ? Well, I'm not gonna, and I guess that proves I just can't cut it. Corporal Bronski leans in, impassive. BRONSKI Your call's going through, Rico. Take it there. A nearby VU-PHONE lights up. The screen flashes: RINGING His mother appears when she picks up the other end. MOTHER Hello... Oh, Johnny...! JOHNNY Hi, mom. MOTHER Bill... pick up... it's Johnny ! You little rat. You haven't called, you haven't written. It's been so lonely here without you... The screen splits as Johnny's father activates an extension. FATHER Johnny ! Where's your uniform...? Johnny's mother makes a face to shut him up. FATHER Well, it's just good to hear from you. What's up, son ? JOHNNY It's not really working out for me here, dad. I was thinking... I was hoping it would be alright if I came home. MOTHER Well, of course you should come home immedietly ! JOHNNY I've made a mess of things. I've been so stupid... FATHER Don't talk like that. Get yourself home as fast as you can. MOTHER We'll all have dinner. I'll fix your favorite. FATHER Yeah ! We'll talk it out and have a good glass of wine ... and... well, we love you, son. The sky in Buenos Aires seems to darken perceptively. Johnny's mother looks out the window. MOTHER Oh, my, what's that ? FATHER Looks like rain. MOTHER This time of the year...? The transmission ends abruptly. A phone company logo appears: TRANSMISSION TERMINATED. VU-PHONE VOICE Your transmission has been terminated due to atmospheric interference. Please try your call again later. Johnny zips his duffel, hefts it gingerly over his shoulder. JOHNNY Well, see ya. DIZZY You take the stroll down Washout Lane, you're only proving one thing, Johnny. JOHNNY What's that, Diz ? DIZZY That you don't have what it takes to be acitizen ! Dizzy turns on her heel and marches away. 86 INT THE C.O.'S OFFICE - DAY - JOHNNY signs form 1240/A. Zim stands as witness. C.O. Now you, Sergeant. Zim signs bitterly. The C.O. sighs. C.O. That's it, son. You can go. The C.O. and Zim turn to other things. Johnny picks up his duffel and heads out the door. 87 EXT PARADE GROUND - DAY - JOHNNY walks alone, sad. A skimmer hums by overhead and he looks after it. Out across the parade ground he sees the glint of Marauder power suits as recruits tumble the obstacle course. 88 EXT WASHOUT LANE -- DAY - JOHNNY reaches the little white fence that leads to the transporter. He turns back for one last look and notices people running to the Comminications shack. Kitten Smith runs by. JOHNNY Hey, Kitten, what's going on ? KITTEN It's war ! 89 EXT COMMUNICATION - DAY - JOHNNY joins others to see what's on the Federal Net. Recruits, non-coms, and officers gather without any sense of military decorum. People cry openly, among them Corporal Bronski. OFFICIAL VOICE ... early estimates. Millions dead, a city in ruins... On screen, the smoldering ruins of what was once a huge city. JOHNNY Oh, jeez, is that Geneva ? KATRINA Goddam bugs whacked us, Johnny. OFFICIAL VOICE ... Buenos Aires has been wiped of the Earth. Nothing lives in what was once called the Latin Paradise... Johnny is horrified. Dizzy is suddenly standing next to him. DIZZY Aw, Johnny, geez... It's home. OFFICIAL VOICE The Federal Court met moments ago and voted unanimously for mobilization to destroy the Arachnid threat. Johnny sets his jaw, turns and runs for the C.O.'s office. 90 INT C.O.'S OFFICE -DAY - THE C.O: AND ZIM and other staffers watch the grim news unfold. Animation illustrates the insect treachery. OFFICIAL VOICE The meteor derived from here, near Klendathu, in the Arachnid's home system... ZIM I'm serious, sir. I'll go anywhere. I want combat. C.O. Forget it, Zim. We're gonna need you here. The only way you'll get a combat assignment is if you bust yourself to private. You get me ? ZIM Yes, sir, I get you. C.O. What can I do for you, Rico ? JOHNNY Sir, I wish to reconsider my request to drop out, sir. C.O. Sorry, son. I can't do it. You signed the 1240/A. It would be illegal. JOHNNY Sir, i know it was wrong. I didn't learn from one mistake and I made another, sir. (then) Sir, my family... my whole family was in Buenos Aires, sir. Zim picks up Johnny's 1240/A off the C.O.'s desk. ZIM Is that your signature, Rico ? JOHNNY Sir, yes it is, sir. ZIM Doesn't look like it to me. Zim gives the C.O. a look. The C.O. shrugs, turns away, watching the news of the coming war. Zim tears up the 1240/A. ZIM Get outa here, private. 91 FROM THE FEDERAL NET - HUMANKIND GOES TO WAR ! Actual pictures of Buenos Aires: SURVIVORS pick through rubble, people wail, kids play tag in the ruins. OFFICIAL VOICE Out of the ashes of Buenos Aires comes first sorrow, then ANGER ! ANGRY PERSON The only good bug is a dead bug ! OFFICIAL VOICE Would you like to know more ? 92 COMBAT - VICTORY ON DANTANA ! A wounded CAP TROOPER, grim smile, flashes "V" for victory as his weary comrades carry him off the field. OFFICIAL VOICE Cap Troopers establish a foothold on Dantana, a planet system at the outer edge of the Arachnid Quarantine Zone. Casualties are high, but casualties won't stop the Mobile Infantery ! Would you like to know more ? 93 HOME FRONT - KIDS KILL BUGS AND MOM IS GLAD ! MOM smiles as her CUTE KIDS stomp insects in the garden. FACTORY WORKERS turn out ordnance. PEOPLE line up to enlist. OFFICIAL VOICE Everyone's doing their share. Are you ? The war effort needs your effort at work, at home, in your community. Would you like to know more ? 94 LEADERSHIP - SKY MARSHALL ANNOUNCES OFFENSIVE ! SKY MARSHALL DIENES, 72, addresses the FEDERAL COUNCIL. SKY MARSHALL DIENES We are a generation commanded by fate to defend humankind ! We must meet the threat with our valor, our blood, with our very lives, to insure that human civilization, not insect, dominates this galaxy now and always. The council rises to its feet for a standing ovation. OFFICIAL VOICE Sky Marshall Dienes announces plans for an offensive against Klendathu, source of the bug meteor that destroyed Buenos Aires. 95 LIVE BROADCAST - AQZ - FLEET BATTLE STATION TICONDEROGA is a sprawling pre-fab structure covering several square kilometers of space where STARSHIPS are stacked in berths. Super title: COUNTDOWN TO VICTORY. OFFICIAL VOICE We now break net and take you live to Fleet Battle Station Ticonderoga deep inside the Arachnid Quarantine Zone. 96 INT BATTLE STATION - NIGHT CYCLE - THE CAMERA follows the Net Correspondentas he works a corridor crowded with MOBILE INFANTERY and FLEET PERSONNEL. NET CORRESPONDENT No one here in the AQZ knows when the invasion of Kendathu will occur, but everyone's talking about it, and the talk says tomorrow ! Newly minted cap troopres Johnny, Dizzy, Ace, and Kitten Smith happen along. NET CORRESPONDENT Here's a bunch of M.I. kids who look like they eat bugs for lunch ! DIZZY Yum, yum yum ...! NET CORRESPONDENT So you're not to worried about fighting the Arachnids...? ACE Hey, shoot a nuke down a bug hole, lotta dead bugs, am I right ? KITTEN SMITH I just hope it's not over before we get in it ! NET CORRESPONDENT Some say the bugs were provoked by human attempts to colonize within the AQZ, that a "live and let live" policy is preferable to war with the bugs... JOHNNY Yeah, well, I'm from Buenos Aires, and I say kill'em all ! 97 INT RECREATION DECK - NIGHT CYCLE - JOHNNY and his friends drink at a crowded bar. Around the room there's singing and dancing, a mad sort of revelry bred of fear and excitement, but nearby a VETERAN drinks alone. KITTEN SMITH That guy's been in it. JOHNNY How can you tell ? KITTEN SMITH The eyes. He's got the 1000 meters stare. He's hard and humorless, all wised up. Ace admires his LASER CUT TATTOOS. Dizzy eyes his skull and crossbone earring. ACE Great scars. DIZZY I like the jewelry. Hey, amigo, where can I get an earring like yours ? VETERAN Port Joe Smith, Outer Rings, Dantana... Every time I come back from a drop, my gunny gives me a bone. I got three now. You don't see a lot of guys with three. JOHNNY Waht's it like... combat ? VETERAN I guess it's not so bad. I mean as long as you don't get any on you. KITTEN SMITH Get any what on you ? VETERAN Oh, you'll know when it happens. See you on the bounce. The veteran pays his tab and heads out. ACE I say we all go to the laser parlor and get cut together. JOHNNY What do I want with a scar ? DIZZY What, your skin's too pretty ? C'mon, everyone's doing it ! CARMEN (V.O.) Hey Johnny ! Johnny Rico ! Johnny looks up and sees Carmen. She lloks graet in uniform with the hat and the lieutenant's bars on her shoulders. JOHNNY Carmen... ? Johnny remembers himself, snaps to attention, salutes. Dizzy and the others follow suit. Carmen salutes back, sheepish. CARMEN Oh... at ease. Guess I oughta lose the hat when I'm off duty, eh ? Dizzy, disgusted, turns back to Ace and Kitten Smith. Carmen tucks her hat under her arm. Her hair is very short. JOHNNY What happened to your hair ? CARMEN What do you think ? Everyone did it when we got our wings. You don't like it, do you ? JOHNNY It's alright, I guess. You hear from anyone made it out of B.A. alive ? Carmen shakes her head, sadly. CARMEN It's funny. Sometimes I forget. Then it hits me, and I can't stop crying. JOHNNY I try just to be happy I'm still alive. CARMEN You don't look very happy to see me. JOHNNY Should I be ? CARMEN Johnny... Life is so different from the way it was. One day you'll see what I did was best for both of us. Zander leaves a group of FLEET OFFICERS to join them. ZANDER Everything coposetic, Lieutenant ? CARMEN Zander, you remember Johnny ? Zander and I are a flight team now. Zander puts his arm around Carmen, gives her a squeeze. ZANDER Best in the Fleet ! JOHNNY I get it. This is the part that's best for both of us. Don't do me anymore favors, eh ? Johnny turns to leave. CARMEN Johnny, wait... ZANDER Forget it, Carmen. The Mobile Infantery does a thankless, dirty job, so they naturally tend to be short-tempered, thoughtless and rude. Johnny turns back to face Zander. JOHNNY You got something to say about the Mobile Infantery ? ZANDER You heard me. Wanna make something out of it, private ? JOHNNY Not with an officer, no, sir. The M.I. doesn't mint stupid cap troopers. Everyone can see what's about to happen. A circle is forming, Fleet on one side, Mobile Infantery on the other. ZANDER Let's disregaed rank... Everybody hear that ? Rank is not an issue here. CARMEN Zander, please... Let's go ! Zander takes off his hat. ZANDER It's alright. What's he gonna do ? WHAM ! Johnny punches him right in the nose. Zander goes down, bleeding. Ace and Kitten Smith grab Johnny. ACE Whoa, easy there, buddy... Nice punch. Zander staggers to his feet, ready to fight, but Fleet Officers pull him back. Carmen looks at Johnny, the hate in his eye, the blood on his fist. CARMEN What's wrong with you ? JOHNNY Hey, it's just a vestigal response to procreation... bitch. Carmen turns away, stung. Johnny immediately regrets. Dizzy, for her part, couldn't be happier. DIZZY Forget it, Johnny. Cap Troopers and Fleet weren't meant to mix ! 98 INT LASER PARLOR - NIGHT CYCLE - JOHNNY grinds his teeth as a laser mounted on a robot arm finishes slicing an intricate pattern into his arm. JOHNNY It hurts...! Dizzy, Ace, and Kitten Smith awtch, grinning, passing a bottle. Ace pours booze directly into the fresh wound. ACE No, this hurts. JOHNNY YAAAAAAAA ! KITTEN SMITH Well, here's to it ! We're gonna fightn, and we're gonna win ! They put their arms side by side. Each has a similiar scar: Lightning bolts on a shield and the words: DEATH FROM ABOVE. ACE Mobile Infantery rules ! JOHNNY Death to all bugs ! DIZZY Don't get any on you ! 99 EXT KLENDATHU - FROM SPACE - FLEET STARSHIPS of every class maneuver in tight orbit around the orange planet. The "Mobile Infantery Anthem" plays loke Holst, pounding and relentless. The invasion has begun ! 100 INT BULL RUN - DROP ROOM - JOHNNY and his platoon, wearing fully armed MARAUDER POWER SUITS, wait to drop with other cap troopers. Their mood is grim. LIEUTENANT WILLY, 35, easy-going and confident, enters. ACE Officer on deck ! Everyone snaps to attention. LT. WILLY At ease. Alright... we got hot poop straight from the top: Willy's Wildcats is in with the first wave. Means more bugs for us to kill... This does nothing to break the tension. Lt. Willy reassures. LT. WILLY Now if you follow orders and remember your training, I guarantee you'll make it back alive. Any questions ? There are none. LT. WILLY Alright... next we got a little last minute briefing from Military Intelli-gence I