FINNEGAN'S SQUAD: "The Pilot"

               BEGIN OPENING ACT:

               EXT. OPEN SKY OVER VALLEY - EVENING

               SUPER: WEST CHINA, NEAR RUSSIAN BORDER - 22350604.151752 

               The valley is a narrow ugly little break in the mountain
               ranges that cross Asia from Afghanistan to Siberia but from
               this height all we can tell is that the region is not
               farmland.  

               A moments pause and then from the far distance a small, sleek
               and very futuristic aircraft rushes past.

               The vehicle is a Recon Fighter, capable of Low Earth Orbit
               combat under normal circumstances, but despite it's speed
               these circumstances are anything but normal.  

               For one thing, a rippling effect that would make the craft
               invisible keeps trying to form around it, but fails each
               time.

               INT. RECON FIGHTER COCKPIT

               The PILOT is in his early 30's, French, and distressed.  His
               visor is up, he's sweating hard while trying to keep control
               of the craft.  Around the cockpit various displays are either
               flashing or BEEPING at him.

               The one we draw our attention to shows a graphic
               representation of the Recon Fighter and it's transparency
               field which is unable to stabilize.

                                   PILOT
                         Come on!

               The graphic shows the field forming again, like a wave of
               pixels almost engulfing the craft, building up in power only
               to collapse again.  The Pilot slams the controls.

                                   PILOT (cont'd)
                         Merde!

               An alert tone, one that he recognizes as a proximity alarm,
               begins to BLEAT repeatedly.  He looks up and around, then at
               one of the displays before grabbing the throttle and pushing
               it full forward while banking.

               EXT. OPEN SKY - AT RECON FIGHTER - EVENING

               The small craft does a flip as it banks, drops altitude very
               quickly and then accelerates at an even higher speed out of
               frame.

               A moment later two larger, BOXY AIRCRAFT charge through this
               space but at slower speeds.  On each of their wings is the
               Yellow Star of the People Republic.

               INT. BOXY AIRCRAFT - COCKPIT - EVENING

               The ASIAN PILOT flying this craft is distressed at how close
               they came to being in range of their target.  She curtly
               reports in her microphone their status.

                                   ASIAN PILOT
                         Negative Base.  Target has
                         accelerated again...

               INT. WEST CHINESE COMMAND POST

               The West Chinese Command Post is a small space packed tight
               with very industrial looking equipment.  A SENIOR CAPTAIN of
               the West Chinese Defense Force moves to stand behind the
               COMMAND COORDINATION OFFICER watching the display very
               intently.

                                   ASIAN PILOT (V.O.)
                         ...and dropped below visual.

                                   COMMAND COORDINATION OFFICER
                         You have instructions to intercept.

                                   ASIAN PILOT (V.O.)
                         We are unable to comply.  The devil
                         is too fast for us.

               The Senior Captain puts his hand on the Command Coordination
               Officer's shoulder to get his attention.

                                   SENIOR CAPTAIN
                         What is it's heading?

                                   COMMAND COORDINATION OFFICER
                         It is difficult to say, it keeps
                         fading from our track.

               The Senior Captain looks at the Status Display Board.  

               It shows a dotted line, an indication they cannot maintain a
               solid track on their quarry but the dotted lines also form a
               pretty clear path.

                                   SENIOR CAPTAIN
                         Tell them to pull back.

                                   COMMAND COORDINATION OFFICER
                         Sir?

                                   SENIOR CAPTAIN
                         You heard me Comrade Lieutenant.

                                   COMMAND COORDINATION OFFICER
                         Yes Senior Captain.

               The Senior Captain turns from the Command Coordination
               Officer and moves to the DEFENSE OFFICER.

                                   SENIOR CAPTAIN
                         The devil is coming in through the
                         Ulungar Valley...

                                   DEFENSE OFFICER
                         Using the radiation as cover.

                                   SENIOR CAPTAIN
                         Then it is safe to say they do not
                         know about the ARC WEAPONS.

               A nod to the Defense Officer is all that is needed.  Quickly
               the order is made.

                                   DEFENSE OFFICER
                         Green Line Batteries, this is
                         Command, you are ordered to power
                         up and FIRE AT WILL.
                             (A pause, then to the
                              Senior Captain)
                         They can't lock onto the vehicle!

                                   SENIOR CAPTAIN
                         We may not be able to see it
                         Comrade, but Lightning will find
                         metal all on it's own.

                                   DEFENSE OFFICER
                         Green Line.  Blanket fire.  All
                         stations.

               EXT. WEST CHINESE VALLEY - EVENING

               Various WEAPONS BATTERIES dot the valley.  The Senior Officer
               shrugs at the order and then passes it on.

               The Operators charge up the Battery and then, with a nod from
               the Senior they begin to fire.  

               From multiple sources powerful bolts of Lightning erupt
               streaking skyward in the haphazard way lightning does.

               But physics hold true as more and more of the bolts begin to
               converge on the Recon Fighter. 

               At the first impact the stealth shielding fails completely. 
               Then as more and more bolts converge on it things get
               progressively worse for the small craft.

               INT. RECON FIGHTER COCKPIT - EVENING

               The Pilot is now wrestling with systems crashing, coming back
               up quickly and crashing again.  ALARMS nearly spell the end
               for the small craft.

               EXT. OPEN SKY - AT RECON FIGHTER - EVENING

               The vehicle begins to pitch and sway.  Each of the bolts
               cease as their emitters overheat but not soon enough for the
               small craft as it spirals into a near powerless dive.

               INT. RECON FIGHTER COCKPIT - EVENING

               The Pilot fights the control while transmitting distress.

                                   PILOT
                         Mayday, repeat Mayday.  Flight X
                         Ray-Tango-Eleven losing power Nemo
                         47-10-nadazero, Čtang-87-50
                         nadazero.  I repeat, Mayday,
                         Mayday.  Flight X-Ray-Tango... 

               EXT. WEST CHINESE VALLEY - EVENING

               The nearly powerless craft drops quickly from the sky.

               END OPENING ACT: