New Horizons Through the Interplanetary Medium

New Horizons Through the Interplanetary Medium

__________________________

by Larry Pontius

Larry Pontius1060 South Sherbourne Drive, #208Los Angeles, CA, [email protected]

Characters

Devika KewalramaniJordanMeg

WaitressDoctor TennantCarl Sagan

Doctor TomasiniDoctor Yang

TonyEllen Lewis

FatherBrihaspatiTycho BraheHypathiaKyle

God of DeathCharon

An Old CoupleShiva

Time

2006 to 2015

Locations

Various

The Cosmos is also within usWe're made of star stuff

---Carl Sagan

EARTH/MOON

DR. DEVIKA KEWALRAMANI, 30, South Asian-American, is a NASA Scientist. SHE stands in an eerie yellowish Pluto light with a thousands stars behind her and the great depths of space. She speaks with authority, because she is one.

DEVIKAPluto. The ninth planet in our solar system. For most of its orbit it is the farthest planet from the Sun. It is smaller than our moon and its atmosphere is most likely nitrogen and carbon monoxide. At its furthest point from the Sun-the nitrogen is frozen and most likely falls to the ground, as Pluto approaches the Sun, it thaws and becomes gaseous.

Long predicted, Pluto was discovered in 1930 by Clyde W. Tombaugh and named by an 11 year old girl from England named Venetia Burney, now Venetia Phair. She suggested the God of the Underworld, now associated with Darkness and Evil, but originally, Pluto and his Greek counter part, Hades, was associated with the cycle of Summer and Winter, Harvest and Death. Pluto. Hades... kidnapped Persephone and took her below. Her mother, the Goddess of the Earth, was grief stricken, and would not allow anything to be grown. Eventually, a deal was made with the God of the Underworld, for half the year Persephone would live with him, and the other half, she would return home...and the Goddess of the Earth would be so thrilled that Spring and Summer would occur.

In 1978, it was discovered that Pluto had a moon, Charon. And then, in 2005, two more were discovered.

Pluto is a distant planet. It takes almost 250 years for Pluto to make one orbit of the Sun. You or I will never live to see it make it all the way around. For all that we seem to know, there is so much more to learn, so many more questions, and not enough answers.

Lights change. Behind DEVIKA, it becomes daylight, a sky scattered with thick puffy clouds. And, as she continues to speak, a miniature launch gantry moves besides her. In the distance, we hear a countdown. We are now at Cape Kennedy, on the day of a launch.

New Horizons Through the Interplanetary Medium (D2)- Larry Pontius

Today, January 19, 2006, NASA is launching a deep space probe called New Horizons which will be the first spacecraft to fly by Pluto. In 2015. The primary mission of New Horizons is to characterize the global geology and morphology of both Pluto and Charon, it will begin observations six months before reaching the planet.

DEVIKA's cell phone rings. SHE takes it out of her pocket and continues to speak.

It will also map the chemical compositions of the surfaces of Pluto and Charon.

She pauses. Looks at the phone. She is deciding. It rings. It rings.

Excuse me.

She answers the phone.

Dr. Devika Kewalramani.

Yes. Dad. I know it's you. I have caller I.D. It shows your phone number. And your name. Yes. Well. I'm busy. It's a launch day. Launch day. I'm in Florida. New Horizons is...Listen. I can't talk.

The countdown is getting close. The launch gantry is next to her. She has become a rocket.

Dad. I need to go. I don't-Listen. I'm standing in front of people. Well. I was talking about Pluto. They asked me nicely. Because I thought it would be a nice thing to do.

Covering the phone.

I'm so sorry.

To her father.

Listen, can I call you back? Because, I'm standing.... I have to go. It's going to take off any moment. No, it cannot wait.

I'll call you later. I will. I promise.

Good bye.

The countdown is at twenty or so.

Sorry about that. Where was I? Yes. New Horizons. It will map the geology of the planet, the chemical compositions...um...

2.


DEVIKA (CONT'D)

10, 9

It will photograph the planet in detail.

8, 7

For the first time in history, we will truly see Pluto.

6, 5

New Horizons will spend 10 years in space

4, 3

And then....

2, 1

Pluto.

Liftoff. We hear the roar of the rocket, a deep bass that reverberates in your chest, DEVIKA looks up towards the sky.

January 2006, New Horizons leaves the Earth at 36,000 miles per hour. Venetia Phair, the little girl who named Pluto, is now 87 years old. Ten years isn't a long time. Maybe she'll get to see the pictures of her little planet. My little planet.

The lights begin to dim as DEVIKA leaves the Earth. Finally, only a dim light is on her face, and then...blackness.

3.


Late at night, Lowell Observatory, winter. Mars Hill.

DEVIKA comes in, wearing a thick winter coat, holding a thermos.

JORDAN sits at the desk, staring at the monitors. HE looks right at DEVIKA.

JORDANHey.

DEVIKAJordan?

JORDANYeah. Meg wanted to switch. How was Florida?

DEVIKAGood, great. She didn't tell me.

JORDANOh?

DEVIKANot that it's a problem.

JORDANGood. Good.

She sets her thermos on the desk, takes off her coat.

DEVIKACold outside.

JORDANYeah.

DEVIKADidn't think it could get this cold. Brought soup. You want some?

JORDANYeah. Yeah. What kind?

DEVIKAChicken noodle.

JORDANGreat. Good.

4.


DEVIKADo you have...a bowl?

JORDAN thinks, looks around. Grabs his coffee cup, drains the remainder. He hands it to Devika. She frowns.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Gross.

JORDANIt's fine.

DEVIKA pours some soup. She pours some for herself. She sits.

DEVIKASo?

JORDANProcessing data. The spectrographs should be ready soon.

DEVIKAPerfect. It's a great night for it.

JORDANShould get some great data.

DEVIKA nods.

JORDAN (CONTD)Do you want to go on a date with me?

DEVIKAExcuse me?

JORDANNevermind, nevermind.

DEVIKADid you just-?

JORDANNo-

DEVIKAYou did-

JORDANDoes that mean-

DEVIKAI don't know.

5.


Silence.

DEVIKA (CONTD)I'm really flattered-

JORDANBut.

DEVIKABut. You know...we're colleagues. Colleagues. We work together. And that...you know it's just-

JORDANMeg's dating Michael.

DEVIKAYes.

JORDANSo...it's me?

DEVIKAIt's not you. It's not. I just. Meg's Meg, right...she'sextraordinary. Me? It's. Listen. If we were to see each other, it would be...complicated.

JORDANComplicated.

DEVIKAYes.

JORDANYou're an astronomer, you deal with astro-physics and the geology of other planets.

DEVIKAYes?

JORDANDevika...

Silence. Whirring of the computer.

JORDAN (CONTD)The data should be ready soon and we'll be able to move on.

DEVIKAJordan.

JORDANHey. It was just. It's okay. No big deal. It would been just a movie. Or coffee.

6.


DEVIKAColleagues.

JORDANColleagues.

LIGHTS.

Devika at the Doctor's office.

Devika sits in front of the doctor's desk. She shifts around. Not sure what to do.

DOCTOR TOMASINI followed by his intern, DOCTOR YANG enter.

DOCTOR TOMASINISorry to keep you waiting Ms. Kewalramani-

DEVIKADoctor-

DOCTOR TOMASINIYes?

DEVIKAIt's Doctor Kewalramani.

DOCTOR looks at his paperwork. The Intern points. The Doctor nods, irritated.

DOCTOR TOMASINIYes, yes. Sorry. Doctor.

DEVIKADoctor.

DOCTOR YANGDoctor.

DEVIKADoctor.

DOCTOR TOMASINIThat done.

He stares at the Intern. The Intern and Devika share a smile.

The Doctor goes and sits.

DOCTOR TOMASINI (CONTD)Miss...excuse, Doctor Kewalramani-

7.


DOCTOR YANGDid you know the PhD came before the MD?

They look at him.

DOCTOR YANG (CONTD)It's true. I mean, this is centuries ago...but the Doctor of Philosophy is much older than the MD. In certain circles it's a much more prestigious degree.

DOCTOR TOMASINIAre you done?

DOCTOR YANGI just thought-

DOCTOR TOMASINIYou're here to learn, observe-

DOCTOR YANGWell, sure-

DOCTOR TOMASINIDoctor Yang, we will discuss this later.

DOCTOR YANGRight.

DOCTOR TOMASINIForgive, Doctor Yang, he's excitable.

DEVIKAThat's alright.

DOCTOR TOMASINIWe got your tests back. And quite frankly, they were exactly as we expected. The blood tests are quite clear, the abnormal high count of white blood cells...

DEVIKAOh.

DOCTOR YANGI'm very sorry.

DEVIKAYes. Thank you.

DOCTOR TOMASINIWe have caught this early... are you alright?

DEVIKA nods, but says nothing.

8.


DOCTOR TOMASINI (CONTD)Do you want a glass of water? Doctor Yang.

DOCTOR YANG goes.

DEVIKAThat's good. Right?

DOCTOR TOMASINIOf course. It's very good. It's very, very good.

DEVIKABut?

DOCTOR TOMASININever the less it doesn't lessen the risk-

DOCTOR YANG returns with a plastic cup of water. DEVIKA takes it, drinks it all in one gulp. She hands him back the cup. He isn't sure what to do next.

DOCTOR TOMASINI (CONTD)Cancer is cancer, Doctor. Yes, we've caught it early, but, there is much work to be done.

DEVIKAWhat are my chances?

DOCTOR TOMASINIVery good.

DEVIKAWhat are the numbers?

DOCTOR TOMASININumbers? I would hate to speculate.

DOCTOR YANGWe can't really be certain.

DEVIKAJust...try...with the available data.

DOCTOR YANG and DOCTOR look at each other.

DOCTOR TOMASINIDevika, we can't put a finite number on it. It's just too impossible. Listen. It will be alright. We've caught it early enough. We still have options.

She is silent. She takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly. She looks at the DOCTOR.

9.


DEVIKAWhat are the options?

A pause. HE looks at her. Nods.

BLACKOUT.

A caf. A table. MEG, 30's, sits across from DEVIKA.

MEGMichael wants to get a dog. A dog. A yapping, drooling, pooping dog. Three weeks after he's moved in, he thinks that getting a dog would be the best thing for our relationship.

I don't know how I have ended up dating such an idiot. By all appearances he's a smart guy. He lectures at BRILLIANT universities. He's published everywhere. But a dog?

I think his baby clock is ticking.

Dogs make poor analogues for babies.

A waitress, young, very Earth Mother, delivers two mugs.

WAITRESSChai?

MEG raises her hand.

WAITRESS (CONTD)And the mug of death of you.

DEVIKA looks up.

WAITRESS (CONTD)Caffeine kills.

DEVIKARight. Thanks.

WAITRESSIt is just another chemical. Right?

DEVIKASure. I'll think about that as I drink it.

WAITRESSRight on. Anything else?

MEG looks at DEVIKA, DEVIKA shakes her head.

10.


MEGGive us a minute.

WAITRESS nods, goes.

MEG (CONTD)What the hell was she on about? Mug of death? I got her fist of doom right here.

MEG laughs. DEVIKA is silent.

MEG (CONTD)Hey.

DEVIKAHm?

MEGWhere are you?

In the far distance...a million miles away...New Horizons floats through space.

DEVIKAHere.

Silent. Alone.

DEVIKA (CONTD)How's Michael?

MEG looks at her.

DEVIKA (CONTD)What?

MEGI was telling you about the dog.

DEVIKAYes. Yes. Sorry.

The Waitress returns.

WAITRESSHey. I'm sorry.

MEGExcuse me?

WAITRESSFor what I said earlier. I know I shouldn't like...youknow...jump down your throat for the choices that you make. You know. It's like.

11.


It's like we all gotta live with the choices that we make and no one should tell anyone like how to live, we gotta respect each other. You know?

MEG and DEVIKA look at her.

WAITRESS (CONTD)A blueberry muffin on me?

MEGUm-

WAITRESSLow fat, gluten free. Great for regularity.

MEGSure.

WAITRESSAwesome.

She goes.

DEVIKAAre we getting a muffin that has no gluten?

MEGWhat does gluten do?

DEVIKA shrugs.

MEG (CONTD)What's going on?

DEVIKA (perhaps to sharply)

Nothing.

MEGDidn't Jordan...

DEVIKAOh. Jordan. Yeah. Jordan. He's nice. I just don't think.

Silence. MEG nods.

MEGAlright.

DEVIKAHe works with me.

12.


WAITRESS (CONT'D)

MEGI said ok.

DEVIKAI just don't think-

MEGI said ok.

DEVIKAWe can't all be you and Michael.

MEGWhat's that mean?

DEVIKAMeg, it's-

WAITRESS returns, muffin on a plate.

WAITRESSJust baked today. The muffin.

She nods. Looks to both of them. Nods again. Leaves.

MEGDevika. It's. I. Listen. I want you to be happy.

DEVIKAI'm happy.

MEGYou just work.

DEVIKAWork makes me happy.

MEGDon't you miss, you know...

DEVIKAWhat?

MEGCompanionship?

DEVIKA is silent.

MEG (CONTD)Michael has made me happier than I have ever been. Except for the dog thing. That's a whole other-he has made me happier than I thought possible. And, it's something that I think-

13.


DEVIKAIt's kind of gross. The two of you. The way you make googlyeyes at each other, pass little notes during morning meetings. Giggle. It's unprofessional.

MEGDevika-

DEVIKANo, Meg, no. It's childish they way you two carry on. We're there to do work. Important work. We're there to discover how the Universe works. And that takes time. Energy. And focus. A boyfriend is a distraction from the work at hand. So, please, no more talk of this, alright?

Pause.

MEGAlright.

LIGHTS CHANGE.

14.


MARS

Devika under the reddish glow of Mars.

DEVIKAIn September 1877, Italian astronomer Giovanni Schiaparelli, used a 22 centimeter telescope to produce the first detailed map of Mars. These maps notably contained features he called canali, which were later shown to be an optical illusion. These canali were supposedly long straight lines on the surface of Mars to which he gave names of famous rivers on Earth. His term was popularly mistranslated as canals.

Visible by the naked eye, the planet had been a part of the mythology of many cultures.

To the Eyptians it was Horus the Red.

The Hebrews named the planet Ma'adim, "the one who blushes."

For the Hindus, Mangala, the celibate god of war, son of Shiva and Bhumi.

The Babylonians named it after their deity of fire, war and destruction: Nergal.

The Greeks followed suit and called it the planet Ares.

To the Romans it was stella Martis. The Star of Mars.

Mars' average distance from the Sun is roughly 230 million kilometers and its orbital period is 687 days. A day on Mars is slightly longer than an Earth day: 24 hours, 39 minutes, and 35.244 seconds. A Martian year is equal to 1 year, 320 days, and 18.2 hours. Mars has two tiny natural moons, Phobos and Deimos, which orbit very close to the planet and are thought to be captured asteroids.

Olympus Mons, or Mount Olympus, is the highest known mountain in the solar system. At a height of 26 kilometers it is three times the height of Mount Everest. The large canyon, Valles Marineris, has a length of 4000 kilometers, nearly 7 km deep. By comparison, the Grand Canyon on Earth is only 446 km long and nearly 2 km deep.

The Mars Global Surveyor, launched in 1996, made complete, extremely detailed maps of the surface. These maps are now available online.

April 7th, 2006: the New Horizons Spacecraft passes the orbit of Mars.

LIGHTS CHANGE.

15.


The office that Devika and Megshare. The desk is piled with papers, books, files, etc.

DEVIKA bursts into the room.

DEVIKA (CONTD)That mother fucker, that fucking fucker. Fuck, fuck, fuck.MEG comes in and closes the door.

MEGSlow down, slow down, Devika.

DEVIKA starts to pile things on her desk.

MEG (CONTD)You're not seriously quitting.

DEVIKAOf course I am. Why the fuck not-

MEGOk, ok, ok.

DEVIKAI am sick and tired of THAT MAN dictating to us what we can do when.

MEGHe's a bit old school.

DEVIKAOld school?

MEGHey, I don't want to see you make a rash decision.

DEVIKAI've been thinking about this. I don't need to take his shit. I can find another position.

MEGBecause of all the need for planetary astronomers in the country?

DEVIKAThat's not funny.

MEGI was making a point. Ironically.

DEVIKAAre you on my side?

16.


MEGOf course I'm on your side.

DEVIKAYou don't sound like you're on my side.

MEGThere's not really a side.

DEVIKAHis or mine.

MEGI'm somewhere in the middle.

DEVIKAYou think he's RIGHT?

MEGDevika-

DEVIKAIt was your idea to trade time with other-

MEGI didn't say he was right-

DEVIKASo you can't now side with him.

MEGI'M NOT ON HIS SIDE.

DOCTOR TENNANT walks into the room. MEG and DEVIKA become quiet.

DOCTOR TENNANTDoctor Kewalramani, your behavior at the meeting as just unacceptable.

DEVIKAAnd what about yours?

DOCTOR TENNANTAs director of this facility-

DEVIKA snorts.

DOCTOR TENNANT (CONTD)You do understand you are not the only person-

DEVIKAYes, of course, but you have to understand-

17.


DOCTOR TENNANTI don't have to understand anything. We all have to share the facility, each project gets time with the equipment as it needs require. And it seems that your project has taken more of its share of time.

DEVIKAIt's not like I'm stealing the time, I've just traded other projects-

DOCTOR TENNANTWe cannot allow-

DEVIKAThey have been perfectly fine with the trades.

DOCTOR TENNANTDr. Kewalramani, this is unacceptable.

DEVIKAIts bullshit is what it is.

MEGDevika!

DEVIKAWell it is.

DOCTOR TENNANTNever the less, this is how this facility is run, the administration decides who and when-

DEVIKABut we are still sharing-

DOCTOR TENNANTI will not be over ruled in this-

DEVIKABut it's fucking stupid!

DOCTOR TENNANTBe that as it may. You have a choice. You can either play by the rules or you can leave.

DEVIKAYou are an ass.

DOCTOR TENNANTIs that your resignation?

DEVIKA gives him the finger.

18.


DOCTOR TENNANT (CONTD)Ridiculous.

DEVIKAYou pompous-

MEGDEVIKA, STOP IT.

DEVIKA turns and plops into her chair.

MEG (CONTD)Doctor Tennant-

DOCTOR TENNANTI will not be spoken to in such a manner, by someone who is so young, so self-important.

MEGAbsolutely. I understand.

DOCTOR TENNANTPerhaps you can explain it to your colleague here. On her way out.

MEGDoctor, please.

DOCTOR TENNANTI'm sick and tired of this behavior-

MEGYes. Yes. I know. Please.

DOCTOR TENNANTShe has made her decision, she has to live with it.

DEVIKA pushes some papers off her desk.

DOCTOR TENNANT (CONTD)Like a child.

HE turns to leave. MEG stops him.

MEG(pulling him aside)

If I can get her to apologize, will you...

DOCTOR TENNANTDoctor-

19.


MEGJim. Please. Understand. This isn't like her. This isn't her. She's. Please. I'm begging you. Don't let her go for this. Don't let her hang herself.

DOCTOR TENNANT takes a breath, nods, then leaves.

MEG (CONTD)(picking up the papers)

Well, this is another fine mess...

DEVIKAI don't want to hear it.

MEG(dropping the pages on the desk.)

What the hell is going on, Devika?

DEVIKANothing is going on.

MEGYou've been-

DEVIKAI've been what?

MEGDon't take it out on me.

DEVIKAI've been what-you're about to call me something.

MEGListen, I just want to know what's going on.

DEVIKA thinks for a moment.

DEVIKANothing. Nothing. Well. I'm unemployed.

MEGStop that. Deflecting.

DEVIKA refuses to look at MEG.

MEG (CONTD)How's treatment going?

DEVIKATreatment. Treatment is going fine.

20.


MEGJust fine.

DEVIKAI said its going fine, it's going just fine. Alright?

MEGYou don't have to get pissed at me.

DEVIKAI've just quit my job and you're asking about my cancer?

MEGYeah. I am.

DEVIKAIt's fine.

MEGThat's all you can say?

DEVIKAWhat more do you want?

MEGIs it...

...searching for the words

MEG (CONTD)...getting better.

DEVIKAYes. Maybe. They think so.

MEGThink?

DEVIKAIt's fucking CANCER, Meg. They can only THINK they know. They don't KNOW for certain.

MEGBut what are they telling you-

DEVIKAI HAVE CANCER. I'm a thirty two year old woman with breast cancer.

MEGYes. But what-

21.


DEVIKAI shouldn't have cancer, there's no reason for me to have cancer. I don't smoke, I barely drink, there's NO history-

MEGHey, hey-

DEVIKAWHY DO I HAVE CANCER?

MEG embraces DEVIKA, DEVIKA begins to cry.

DEVIKA (CONTD)I don't want to have cancer, I don't want to have cancer.

MEGAnd you won't. The doctors are doing their best, you're going to make it.

DEVIKAMeg, Meg, Meg. I'm tumbling.

New Horizons...passes Mars, heading into space.

MEGIt's ok, baby. It's ok.

DEVIKAGod. Meg. What am I going to do?

MEGKeep going. Just keep going.

A knock at the door. JORDAN sticks his head in.

JORDANHey. I just heard about the meeting. What the hell-?

MEGIt was nothing. Just her time of the month.

JORDAN, looks at them, confused.

DEVIKADon't listen to her. It's early menopause.

JORDANHuh?

MEG

IT'S NOT SENILITY?

22.


JORDANWho are you people?

JORDAN leaves.

DEVIKAOn a scale of 1 to 10, how big of an ass did I make of myself?

MEGAbout 100.

DEVIKAShit.

MEGI don't think I have ever seen the finger used so elegantly.

DEVIKAOh, god. What do I do?

MEGTell him. Everything. He'll understand.

DEVIKAYeah. Yeah.

SHE takes MEG's hand. SHE swallows hard, takes a breath.

MEGI know, I know. It's ok. You gotta keep going.

DEVIKAIt's just not fair, Meg. It's just not fair.

MEGYeah.

LIGHTS CHANGE.

The couch at Jordan's house.

DEVIKA and JORDAN are watching a horror film. JORDAN enjoys the movie while, DEVIKA...

DEVIKAOh. Oh.

SHE covers her eyes.

DEVIKA (CONTD)What is this?

23.


JORDANIt's a horror film.

DEVIKAWhy are you showing this to me?

JORDANYou said you liked movies-

DEVIKAMovies, yes.

JORDANWait. This part is great.

DEVIKA uncovers her eyes. Screams, the sound of flesh being burned away.

DEVIKAThat's horrible.

JORDANBut, look how they rendered his eyes, the CGI looks so real.

DEVIKACan we turn it off?

JORDANBut it's not over yet.

DEVIKAI don't want to see-

JORDANIt gets good-

DEVIKAThis isn't good?

JORDANWell, I mean-

Screams, running, things being smashed. DEVIKA hides, using JORDAN.

JORDAN (CONTD)Ok. Alright. You're missing out.

DEVIKAI am not missing out.

JORDANIt's a classic.

24.


HE turns the TV off. They sit and look at each other.

JORDAN (CONTD)You want to...um...I got an X-Box.

Devika shakes her head.

JORDAN (CONTD)Play Station? Nintendo?

DEVIKAI'm not interested.

JORDANAlright.

Pause. Then.

DEVIKAI'm sorry if I've been. Difficult. Lately.

JORDANYou haven't-

DEVIKAI have-

JORDANIt's been-

DEVIKAJordan.

JORDANSorry.

DEVIKAPlease. Just. Let me finish. I've been. It's. There's some stuff going on-

JORDANStuff?

DEVIKAIt doesn't matter-

JORDANYou can tell me.

DEVIKAYou. It doesn't-

25.


JORDANYou don't want to tell me?

DEVIKAJordan, I'm trying-

JORDANWhy can't you tell me?

DEVIKABecause it doesn't matter.

JORDANIf it doesn't matter-

DEVIKA(getting up)

Ok. You know--

JORDANAre you leaving?

DEVIKAYes. Yes. I am. This. This wasn't a good idea. I just thought, it would be great to spend some time with you. Maybe. I was wrong. What I said...that maybe we could be more than colleagues. But. No.

JORDANI don't understand.

DEVIKAI'm being impulsive. I shouldn't be impulsive.

JORDANThis was a date?

DEVIKA...yeah. Didn't you think it was a date?

JORDANI wouldn't have shown you that movie if it was.

DEVIKAI thought-

JORDANI just thought...

DEVIKAI'm sorry. I. I thought. Maybe. We could be more than...friends. But. There's stuff that I don't want...thatI dread telling you, right now. It's stupid. I know. But.

26.


But, I can't do anything about that. I just...there's stuff that I don't want to tell you and I don't want you to ask.

JORDANOk.

DEVIKAOk?

JORDANYeah.

DEVIKAI need a friend right now.

JORDANYes.

DEVIKAJust a friend.

JORDANAbsolutely.

DEVIKAI'm not watching that movie anymore.

JORDANI have lots of DVDs.

DEVIKAHow about a comedy?

JORDAN nods, stands, looking for a comedy.

LIGHTS.

Doctor's Office

The New Horizons spacecraft speeds through space. But...toour eye, it floats.

Doctor Yang enters.

DOCTOR YANGDoctor Kewalramani, how are you?

The probe speaks with Devika's voice...from a million miles away...it is a faint radio broadcast.

NEW HORIZONSI'm fine. Where's Doctor Tomasini?

27.


DEVIKA (CONT'D)

DOCTOR YANGDoctor Tomasini is with another patient. He said I could give you the results. I think he's finally beginning to trust me.

He wonders.

Do you think it's a race thing?

NEW HORIZONSI don't know.

He decides.

DOCTOR YANGNo. No. It's not a race thing. That would be. Well, that would be stupid.

I think it's an age thing. He doesn't like young doctors. He thinks we care too much. That we. That we spend so much time getting to know the patient, care for the patient, we aren't critical enough, that we become subjective in our approach to treatment rather than objective.

Cold, I would say. We aren't mechanics. We have to treat the human being in front of us, right? Am I right?New Horizons doesn't answer.

Right. So, you're feeling fine?

NEW HORIZONSWhat about the test?

DOCTOR YANGRight. The test.

HE opens the folder.

New Horizons floats in spaces as...

LIGHTS FADE.

In front of a computer, DEVIKA sits, flipping through fuzzy photos of Pluto.

CARL SAGAN, the famous (dead) astronomer, steps into the room. HE holds a cup of coffee.

CARL SAGANNew photographs? Wonderful.

DEVIKA looks.

28.


CARL SAGAN (CONTD)Humanity peering further and further out into the Universe.

DEVIKACarl Sagan?

CARL SAGANIt makes one wonder. What did early man, when he first gazed up into the heavens and saw billions upon billions of stars, what did he think? What did he imagine those points of light to mean?

I brought you coffee.

HE puts the coffee on her desk.

DEVIKAYou're dead. You died. You're.

CARL SAGANTrue. But with some current thinking, all that I am, all that I was, may still exist, if there was only a way to pluck the information, recover it from the very fabric of the Universe. The idea of a holographic Universe is a very intriguing idea. If it weren't for its voodoo qualities.

I didn't know if you wanted cream and sugar.

From his coat, cream and sugar.

DEVIKAIt's the radiation. From the treatment.

CARL SAGANOr perhaps the long hours. Billions upon billons of-

DEVIKAI'm hallucinating you. This is a hallucination.

CARL SAGANOr, perhaps, I am hallucinating you.

DEVIKAThat gives me a headache.

CARL SAGANTime travel?

DEVIKALets stick with hallucination. You're dead.

CARL SAGANIndeed.

29.


DEVIKAIt's a little hard for me to get past. I don't dream of dead people. I'm not prone to this sort...thing. I'm a fan. I used to watch your show.

CARL SAGANThank you.

DEVIKAIt's why I am who I am.

CARL SAGANI am a collection of water, calcium and organic molecules called Carl Sagan. You are a collection of almost identical molecules with a different collective name. But is that all? Is there nothing here but molecules. I'm made up of Billions upon-

DEVIKACan we stop with the Billions upon Billons stuff?

CARL SAGANIn our business, accuracy is important.

DEVIKAIt is. But...

He nods, agreeing. Then...

CARL SAGANHow are you feeling? I would understand if you dont want to talk about it.

DEVIKAI cant believe you would be interested in it.

CARL SAGANWhy wouldnt I be? We are all made of the same stuff. Matter forged in the explosions of stars billions upon... Years ago. You and I, we are made of star stuff. Unique, but the same. Of course I want to know.

DEVIKA doesn't say anything. Finally.

DEVIKAIm dying.

CARL takes her hand.

DEVIKA (CONTD)I have--

30.


CARL SAGANI know what you have. But it doesnt mean its the end. Many people survive. And with research, the rate of survival climbs.

DEVIKAWhat if thats not me? What if Im not one of the lucky ones? What if in a year Im dead?

CARL SAGANAnd what if in a year, youre not? What then? Think about the next year? Spend every year, every moment thinking about the end?

Devika looks at him.

DEVIKAIts not like that.

CARL SAGANIt isnt? The evidence seems clear. How you are treating your friends, your work? As scientists, we ask questions, we look at the evidence, we form theories.

CARL looks at his watch.

CARL SAGAN (CONTD)Look at the time...a blip in the Cosmos...but...preciousminutes to you and me.

HE begins to go.

DEVIKAWait. Is that it? How am I doing? A lecture?

CARL puts a hand on her shoulder.

CARL SAGANYoure not alone, Devika. Not alone. You dont have to act as if you are.

HE turns to go, again.

DEVIKAWhats it like? Death?

HE thinks, then.

CARL SAGANExtraordinary.

DEVIKAThats not very accurate.

31.


He is gone.

Devika thinks for a moment, then picks up her cell phone. She dials. Then she hangs up. Shes still. She doesnt want to cry.

She puts the cell phone down, and turns back to her work.

The cell starts to ring, she looks at it. Not answering.

LIGHTS.

32.


THE ASTEROID BELT/CERES

A dusty light.

DEVIKA (CONTD)The Asteroid Belt, the region of irregular shaped objects between Mars and Jupiter, was discovered in the early 19th Century.

Based on earlier observations...and quite frankly, shaky theory, many astronomers believed there was an undiscovered planet between Mars and Jupiter.

On Janurary 1st, 1801, Giuseppe Piazzi, of the University of Palermo, found a tiny moving object moving in the position predicted. He named the object: Ceres, the Roman goddess of the harvest, brother of Pluto.

She shrugs. These are Gods, what are you going to do?

As more and more objects were discovered, and the telescope technology at the time couldn't resolve the images further than points of light, the astronomers needed to classify these new heavenly bodies. In 1802, William Herschel suggested Asteroids, after the Greek asteroeides...meaning'star-like.'

Thought to be left over matter from the creation of the solar system, hundreds of thousands of asteroids are known to exist. Even though they are spread out over a large volume of space, collisions are possible. They occur frequently. On the astronomical time scale. They are expected to occur once every 10 million years.

The Empire Strikes Back it is not.

From May until October of 2006, New Horizons passes through the asteroid belt, with a fly by of 132524 APL on June 13th, 2006.

LIGHTS CHANGE

Outside of a community center. DEVIKA looks through her purse for keys.

TONY, 50s, African American walks up.

TONYHey, um.

33.


DEVIKA (surprised)

Oh, hi.

TONYHey. Sorry. Sorry, I didn't mean to-

DEVIKAYou're from the group.

TONYTony.

DEVIKADevika.

TONYRight.

Silence.

TONY (CONTD)I just wanted to check: are you alright?

DEVIKAEveryone keeps asking-

TONYThe first time-

DEVIKAYou meant-

TONYThe cancer circle.

Pause. Light laughter.

TONY (CONTD)It's my little nickname for it. Cancer Circle. Sit 'n Bitch. Whatever.

DEVIKAIt was fine. The meeting. It.

TONYNot what you were expecting?

DEVIKAExactly what I was expecting.

TONYYou mean Nancy. Yeah. Nancy and her skin cancer. She just sort of whines about it.

34.


Devika smiles, laughs.

TONY (CONTD)It's true. Everything is a problem for her. Meantime, Betty, dying of lung cancer, barely able to walk, nicest human being on the planet.

DEVIKAYeah.

TONYWould you like to get a drink?

DEVIKAI have work in the morning.

TONYSo?

DEVIKAI have to wake up early.

TONYWe're grown ups. We can go out on a school night.

DEVIKAYou don't take no for an answer, do you?

LIGHTS.

TONY and DEVIKA at a bar. Its busy, lots of chatting, the beat of music.

DEVIKA (CONTD)An astronaut. Really?

TONYRetired.

DEVIKAThat's amazing. I feel bad for saying this: I don't remember you.

TONYDon't. I flew on the Space Shuttle. No one remembers us. Unless something happens.

DEVIKADoes that upset you?

TONYNo. No, it doesnt. At first, I thought it would. But.

35.


The Earth Mother Waitress comes in.

WAITRESSRight. So. You two need anything more?

TONYAnother round?

DEVIKA nods.

TONY (CONTD)Two more.

WAITRESSUp in a sec.

TONYI see her everywhere. Anyway. I realized, I was there to do a job. Fly a really expensive piece of equipment into one of the most dangerous places on Earth-

DEVIKAAbove the Earth-

TONYAbove the Earth and then bring everyone back down.

DEVIKAThey don't even show the launches on TV anymore.

TONY (shrugging)

But let me tell you, it still impresses an 8 year old.

DEVIKA laughs.

TONY (CONTD)I'm serious.

DEVIKAI know you are. Eight year olds are terribly impressed by astronomers too.

TONY(laughing)

Maybe eight year olds are impressed by everything.

DEVIKAI think so.

Waitress returns with a couple of drinks. She goes.

36.


DEVIKA (CONTD)I can't imagine what it's like in space.

TONY thinks for a moment.

TONYWeightlessness is fun. Until you puke or have to go to the bathroom. Space walks are hard work. Lift off...it'sa...treat. But the best part is the view. The Earth. How it curves. Mountains. The way a river moves across the land. Seeing the edge of the atmosphere, where the air ends and space begins...

DEVIKAWow.

TONYYeah. Wow.

LIGHTS.

Parking lot.

TONY (CONTD)This was nice.

DEVIKA kisses him. HE returns the kiss.

They part.

DEVIKAWow.

TONYWow.

DEVIKATake me home.

TONYYour place?

DEVIKAYeah. I've had a little too much to drive.

TONY nods.

DEVIKA (CONTD)But not to do anything else.

TONYWhat about work in the morning?

37.


DEVIKA kisses him again.

LIGHTS.

DEVIKA and MEG'S office.

The desk, piled with papers.

MEG sits behind it, looking at the pile.

JORDAN stands on the other side looking at MEG, looking at the pile.

JORDANWhy don't you...you know...organize.

MEGIt IS organized. Just not in a way that one can see at first glance.

JORDANYou have a system.

MEGI have a system.

JORDANBut you can't find-

MEGIt's a complicated system. Sometimes, it takes a little longer to find what I am looking for.

DEVIKA enters. Sunglasses, cup of coffee.

JORDAN and MEG turn, look.

DEVIKAWhat?

JORDANWhat happened to you?

DEVIKANothing. Nothing happened, why do you think-

MEGYou had sex.

Devika says nothing. But, yes, she did.

38.


MEG (CONTD)You did, you did.

JORDANWhat?

MEGYou scored at your group. Way to go!

DEVIKANo. No.

JORDAN looks at DEVIKA.

DEVIKA (CONTD)No.

MEGWhy the sunglasses?

DEVIKAIt's bright.

No one really believes this answer.

DEVIKA (CONTD)We talked. That's it.

MEGHuh.

DEVIKABesides-

MEGAh. Here.

MEG finds the article she was looking for and hands it to Jordan. He takes it and goes.

DEVIKADammit.

MEGWhat?

DEVIKAJordan.

MEGSo. Whose the guy?

LIGHTS.

39.


Outside of the city.

TONY brings out a blanket, sets down a smaller cooler. HE unfolds the blanket.

TONYAre coming?

DEVIKA (off stage)

Yes. It's. Just. I'm coming.

TONYDid you have to bring-

DEVIKA (off stage)

Stop asking.

DEVIKA enters with a rather heavy telescope.

TONYDo you want me to carry-

DEVIKANobody touches this but me.

TONYIt's a telescope.

DEVIKAIt's MY telescope.

TONY opens a beer, lays down.

DEVIKA begins to set up and focus the telescope.

TONYWhen I suggested looking at the stars, I thought it would be just, you know, us staring up.

DEVIKAYou would think in such simple terms.

TONYSimple?

DEVIKAYou're just a fly boy.

TONYI do have a doctorate in aeronautical-

40.


DEVIKAI was making a joke.

TONYOh.

DEVIKAIt was just a joke.

TONYYeah.

DEVIKAI don't think you're stupid.

TONYI heard you.

DEVIKAWhat's the matter?

TONYNothing. Really. Nothing. I know. I just. I misunderstood. Ok.

DEVIKAOh. Because I know what it takes to be-

TONYRight. I know.

Uncomfortable pause. Then some laughter.

TONY (CONTD)Is that ready yet?

DEVIKAAlmost.

TONYI wish the moon was out.

DEVIKAOh. No. You don't.

TONYI don't?

DEVIKAIt's bright.

TONYUh-huh.

41.


DEVIKAIt'll cause-

TONYLight pollution. Harder to see the stars. I was an astronaut, remember?

HE comes up behind her.

TONY (CONTD)I just thought it would be more romantic.

HE nibbles at her neck. SHE gently pushes him away.

DEVIKANot yet, not yet.

TONYDon't worry about the telescope.

DEVIKAI want to show you the stars.

TONYI've seen the stars.

DEVIKAYes, yes, I know. You were an astronaut. Do you want a fucking medal?

TONY moves away, back down onto the blanket.

DEVIKA (CONTD)I'm sorry.

TONYI want to spend time with you-

DEVIKAI know.

TONYIt's important.

DEVIKAI know.

TONYYou don't. Or you wouldn't be setting up that thing.

DEVIKAThing?

42.


TONYI'm right here, right here. Flesh and blood, muscle and bone.

DEVIKAThis is just going to take a second.

TONYYou're here. In front of me. Right now.

DEVIKAI want to show you the stars. How I see them.

TONYI don't care about the stars anymore. I don't. They are millions and millions of miles away.

DEVIKABut I do. I do care.

TONYIts just a fucking telescope!

Beat.

DEVIKA (turning back to the telescope)

DEVIKA (CONTD)I want to go home. Take me home. I'm sorry. I just. I just want to go home. I have a headache-

TONYA headache-?

DEVIKADoes it matter-?

TONYDon't walk away-

DEVIKAI want to go home, take me home. Now.

TONYFine.

HE quickly starts to gather the blanket, cooler.

DEVIKAAre you mad?

43.


TONYHow stupid are you? Of course I'm mad.

HE exits.

LIGHTS.

The sound of a phone ringing.

The New Horizons spacecraft passing by an asteroid.

The voicemail picks up.

TONY (CONTD)This is Tony, at the Beep...leave a message.

Beep.

DEVIKATony. It's me. I just. I'm sorry. About the other night. I just. Yeah. Well. Call me.

Beep.

It's me again. Are you there? Of course, you're not there, I'm leaving a message. On voice mail. You can't hear it. Stupid voice mail. Look. Give me a call.

Beep.

Alright you know what? I should have expected this. Fine. Fine. Whatever. It doesn't matter. Maybe I'll see you at the next meeting. If not, have a great life.

Beep.

LIGHTS.

After work, Tony waits outside by Devika's car. He's drinking a cup of coffee, and holding another one.

Devika enters. Seeing Tony, she stops.

TONYHey.

He offers her a cup of coffee. DEVIKA takes it.

44.


TONY (CONTD)I'm the one that should apologize. I shouldn't. I shouldn't have said what I said. It was stupid. I got...I got stupid. Sometimes I am just a fly boy.

DEVIKAThanks.

MEG enters. She sees DEVIKA and TONY, she comes over.

MEGIs this him?

DEVIKATony, Meg. Meg, Tony.

TONYI was just apologizing to Devika.

MEGAs well you should.

MEG looks at DEVIKA, DEVIKA nods, MEG leaves.

TONYTough crowd.

DEVIKAProtective.

TONYDo you want...dinner?

LIGHTS.

DEVIKA's apartment.

TONY and DEVIKA plummet onto her couch, furiously making love. Kissing, clawing at their clothes.

DEVIKAYou smell like pizza.

TONYSo do you. God, I missed you.

DEVIKAShut up.

She bites at his neck. She comes up for air.

45.


DEVIKA (CONTD)It was only a week.

TONYOnly?

DEVIKAA blip in the cosmic scale of things.

TONYI don't live at a cosmic scale, Dr. Kewalramani.

DEVIKAMaybe you should try.

She moves back down. HE stops her.

TONYI ain't got the time.

She stops.

TONY (CONTD)Neither of us do.

She pushes away from him.

TONY (CONTD)It's true. Sooner or later. For us sooner than later.

DEVIKAThat's cruel.

TONYIt's the truth.

DEVIKAI am not-

TONYSooner or later-

DEVIKAWe're not going to die tomorrow-

TONYWe just might. We just might. A meteor could just-

DEVIKAThe chances of that are-

TONYAstronomical, yeah, you and I both know-

46.


DEVIKAThen what are you-

TONYI thought you of all people would understand-

DEVIKAUnderstand-

TONYBut obviously-

DEVIKATony-

TONYI'm qualified to fly some of the fastest planes on the planet, I have flown into space, I have held the life of me and my crew in my hands. I was the guardian between life and death, between a life ending accident and survival. Me. And now I'm dying, dying and there's nothing I can do.

DEVIKAYou're not-

TONYSTOP IT. Just stop it. This is what I get for dating someone twenty years younger-

DEVIKANot this again.

TONYYou just don't have the perspective that I do-

DEVIKAI have plenty of perspective-

TONYYou dying and you don't even know it.

DEVIKAI am not-

TONYYou're so stupid.

DEVIKAYou've given up.

TONYEven the stars will fall out of the sky.

47.


DEVIKAThat doesn't mean we stop looking.

TONYIt all means nothing, all of it.

DEVIKAGet out.

TONYWe only have-

DEVIKAI SAID GET OUT.

TONYDon't do this-

DEVIKAGet out. Don't call me. I don't want to see-

TONYYou'll be alone. You'll be all alone when you die.

DEVIKA pushes him. HE falls to the ground. He begins to cry.

TONY (CONTD)(to himself)

You'll be all alone when you die, you'll be all alone when you die, you'll be all alone when you die...

HE repeats as...

LIGHTS BEGIN TO FADE.

48.


JUPITER

DEVIKA stands beneath this great planet.

DEVIKAJupiter. King of the Gods. A gas giant. The largest planet in our solar system, having a diameter of 142,984 kilometers at its equator. 318 times the mass of the Earth

Jupiter is perpetually covered with clouds composed of ammonia crystals and possibly ammonium hydrosulfide. The interactions of conflicting circulation patterns cause storms and turbulence.

Jupiter's most famous feature is the Great Red Spot. It is a persistent anticyclonic vortex on the south border of the South Equatorial belt. It appears to be a remarkably stable feature, and most sources concur that it has been continuously observed for 300 years.

Jupiter has 63 named natural satellites. Of these, 47 are less than 10 kilometers in diameter and have only been discovered since 1975. The four largest moons are Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. Discovered in 1610 by GalileoGalilei, with a simple telescope.

Visible to the naked eye in the night sky, the planet is linked to many different cultures. For the Babylonians, it was Marduk. The Romans, Jupiter. For the Hindu astrologers, it was Brihaspati, the teacher of the Gods, often called Guru, which literally means the "Heavy One."

Jupiter is associated with the principles of growth, expansion, prosperity and good fortune; and a person's inner sense of justice and morality and their ideals and higher goals. It is also associated with the urge for freedom and exploration, humanitarian and protecting roles.

February 28, 2007, at a distance of 2,304,505 kilometers, New Horizons makes its closet approach to Jupiter for a gravity assist. Leaving nothing to waste, it's on board camera's measure the plasma output from volcanoes on Io and studies all four Galilean moons in detail, as well as making long-distance observations of the outer moons Himalia and Elara.

49.


Devika sits on the couch of a home office.

ELLEN LEWIS, 70s, comes in, using a cane, gripping two mugs in one hand.

DEVIKA leaps up to help.

ELLENSit, sit, sit, I got it.

DEVIKA sits.

ELLEN steps to DEVIKA. DEVIKA takes a mug. ELLEN goes and flops on her favorite chair.

ELLEN (CONTD)It's good to see you.

DEVIKAI wouldn't miss this for the world.

ELLENYou look like shit.

DEVIKAIm in remission, actually.

ELLENOh. Sorry.

DEVIKAIts alright, Dr. Lewis.

ELLENEllen. Please. It's been long enough. My boyfriend-

DEVIKAFiance.

ELLEN (rolling her eyes)

Fiance, if you must, has been pestering me to clean up my office. Says its not good enough for guests.

DEVIKAI think its just fine.

ELLENYou were always my brightest student. How are you feeling?

50.


DEVIKAIts good to be in remission. Starting to feel myself again.

ELLEN takes note.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Now. This wedding... What is going ON? Why is this happening?

ELLEN moans.

ELLENIt was his idea. His. Not mine.

DEVIKAHis?

ELLENOh, Devika, it's going to be a big drop of sugary candy is what it's going to be. One big dollop of diabetes. Who wants to watch two dried up prunes make googly eyes at each other? Bleh.

DEVIKAThen why?

ELLEN tapes her wooden cane on the floor, thinking, remembering.

ELLENHe's been after me to settle down for...thirty years. He thought it would cease my philandering ways.

Devika is surprised.

ELLEN (CONTD)I used to sleep around. You didn't know?

DEVIKAWith who?

ELLENOther professors mostly. I would never sleep with students, especially graduate and post-docs...they were just so... needy. No. I preferred the professors. And. Well, the occasional dean. And, alright, I would meet a few business people.

DEVIKAEllen.

51.


ELLENIt was like I was a completely different person with each one. Sometimes I was the naughty one, then I was the submissive, no, no, no, yes, yes, yes, I was devious, hot, cold, untouchable, I ravished and I was ravishing. In other words, I felt sexy. Am I making you uncomfortable?

Pause.

DEVIKAYes.

ELLEN shrugs.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Why did Stanley stay with you all this time?

ELLENHe's an idiot.

She begins to smile.

ELLEN (CONTD)He says, and this is why I think he's an idiot, Stanley believes that he loves me and that I'm a good person.

DEVIKADo you love him?

ELLENBut of course. I adore him. I didn't marry him all this time because I didn't want to hurt him.

DEVIKAAnd now?

ELLENNow I really want to hurt him.

ELLEN laughs, Devika crosses her arms.

ELLEN (CONTD)Im joking, darling. Joking.

DEVIKAIs this whole thing a joke? Youre not going senile, are you?

ELLENI am so very glad that you could come for the wedding.

DEVIKAYou and Stanley have been together for thirty years without marriage, why now?

52.


ELLENDevika, darling, he asked me in a moment of weakness.

DEVIKAYou? Weak?

ELLENMy mother passed away last year. 95.

DEVIKA95?

ELLENHad to happen sooner or later.

DEVIKAWell. Yes. Of course. 95 years, it's a long time.

ELLENNot for my mother. She was pissed, I think. She couldn't get enough of it. Life.

DEVIKAI'm sorry.

ELLENHm? Yes. Yes. She was...

ELLEN thinks for a moment.

ELLEN (CONTD)Amazing. After the funeral. On the way home. Stanley asked me. He really asked me. He turned away from the road and asked.

DEVIKAWhat made you say yes?

ELLENOh. Devika. I wish I had an easy answer. But. I dont. Maybe Im just being foolish.

DEVIKAMaybe you are.

Ellen looks at her.

ELLENAnd what do you mean by that?

DEVIKANothing.

53.


ELLENLet's cut through the bullshit, Devika. I'm old, I'm getting married and my knee hurts, so I have a lot of my plate. What do you mean?

DEVIKAI just. Now. Now, youre going to get married?

ELLENWhy be foolish, you mean?

DEVIKAYes.

Ellen chuckles.

DEVIKA (CONTD)You could be doing something useful. Writing your memoirs.

ELLENWho would want to read about an aging astronomer who never won any major awards? I wouldnt. And I AM an aging astronomer who never won any major awards.

DEVIKAIt was an example.

ELLENA piss poor example.

DEVIKAEllen, I just dont understand--

ELLENYour cancer, its in remission.

DEVIKAYes. Thats right.

ELLENChemo?

DEVIKARadiation.

54.


ELLENMM. Stanley had a bit of chemo about ten years ago. Prostate. Nasty stuff. He didn't like it.

DEVIKAIt worked.

ELLENAnd so youre back to work?

DEVIKAYes. For the first time in... years, Im trying to lead my life normally. For the first time, I dont feel lost. I can make plans again. I can go to a conference, I can plan research. I dont have to wait around for my body anymore.

ELLENBack to work.

DEVIKAYou make it sound like its such a bad thing.

ELLENNo, no, work can be important. Its not a foolish thing.

DEVIKAThats right its not.

ELLENYou dont like the foolish?

DEVIKAI dont understand your point.

ELLENIm old, dont I have a right to be foolish?

DEVIKAI dont know. But, I dont have the luxury.

ELLENIts a luxury. I see. Im getting a sense of what youre trying to say. You dont approve of my marriage.

DEVIKAWell. With your track record...

55.


ELLENIt would be foolish of me to commit to one man.

DEVIKAYes.

ELLENHave you thought about religion?

A pause. DEVIKA laughs. ELLEN smiles.

DEVIKAIm sorry?

ELLENI'm not trying to convert you.

DEVIKAI would be surprised as hell if you did.

ELLENI've been thinking about it recently.

DEVIKAReligion?

ELLENMy mother was a religious woman. Episcopalian. Well. She was as a child and then...she dropped out for a while. Didn't go. And then...for the last twenty or so years of her life she went back to church.

DEVIKADid she say why?

ELLENIt's a mystery.

DEVIKAShe didn't explain?

ELLENThat's what she said, "it's a mystery." Back then, I thought she was being cheeky. But, now, now I think she was talking about life.

DEVIKA (smiling)

The mystery of life?

56.


ELLENAh, you scoff. But, what did you and I do with our lives but plumb the depths of the mystery of the Universe. Why do stars form? How does gravity work? What is Dark Matter?

And then there is the mystery. And it's more profound than: why are we here? The mystery isn't something than can be spelled out on a bumper sticker. It's...the mystery. Something that we've forgotten. We are always so desperate for answers we forget how important the hanging question is.

Can I ask you a question?

DEVIKAI think you should.

ELLENWhat are you afraid of?

DEVIKAAfraid of?

ELLENYes.

DEVIKAI'm not twelve.

ELLENAnd I don't expect that you're afraid of the dark. Fear doesn't go away just because you're older. What are you afraid of? Right now?

DEVIKA moves to a window and looks out.

DEVIKAIt's stupid.

ELLENYoure a cancer survivor. Who cares?

Finally.

DEVIKADying before Ive done everything that I want to do.

ELLEN laughs.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Whats so funny?

57.


ELLENThat fucking bucket list crap. Jesus. Were all afraid of death. I fucked physicists all across this country because I was terrified of dying. But this bucket list... doing everything before you die... like you can make a list of the important things you want to happen to you...

DEVIKAIm not going to die tomorrow, but, you know, it shook me--

ELLENAnd it should--

DEVIKAI am throwing myself into my work. I am going to--

ELLENWhy?

Pause.

DEVIKAIm sorry?

ELLENWhy are you throwing yourself into your career?

DEVIKABecause its important to me.

ELLEN stands slowly and makes her way to DEVIKA. For the first time we see how fragile ELLEN might be.

ELLENI'm almost 70 years old. I have a heart flutter. I have a restricted diet. I get winded on the stairs. And I take pills to help me shit. But god help me, Im going to marry the man that I love.

DEVIKA turns away.

ELLEN (CONTD)Dont let life pass you by as you grip your plans by the balls.

DEVIKAIm not--

58.


ELLENDevika.

DEVIKAWhat do you want from me?

ELLENTo live a long and happy life. Without regret. Dont just follow the road you have mapped out for yourself. Nothing fantastic will come from that. And life is meant to be fantastic.

Ellen is breathing fast. She sits.

DEVIKAHow are you feeling? You dont look...

ELLENOur work isn't just about what we see. What we see is so often...misleading. Seeing should be the beginning of the investigation. Next come questions. Then perhaps we can have understanding.

I was wondering if you could do me a favor. Would you be my maid of honor?

DEVIKAMe?

ELLENYes. Well. This old broad didn't make too many girl friends over her almost 70 years. Philandering doesn't encourage tight female companionship. And so, I seem to be missing a component of the wedding.

DEVIKASurely, there has to be someone else.

ELLENI know only old people. And I don't want to start the next phase of my life with a bunch of old people.

DEVIKAI don't know...what am I going to wear?

ELLENWhat ever you want. The whole thing is a little looseygoosey anyhow. Well?

59.


DEVIKAYes. I'm honored.

ELLENI am.

Pause.

ELLEN (CONTD)Devika. Live a foolish life. Youll be the happier for it. That said, lets go shopping... find you something scandalous to wear.

Ellen smiles, Devika laughs.

Ellen makes her way out of the office, as Devika sits, thinking.

LIGHTS CHANGE.LIGHTS.

Devika sits in the middle of a row of three airline seats. At the window, a woman sleeps. The seat next to Devika is empty.DEVIKA reads.

Upstage, at the Flight Attendants area, stands a flight attendant with yellow skin...this is Brihaspati. He speaks with a lush voice. On his lapel is a lotus.

BRIHASPATIGood evening, ladies and gentleman, my apologies for disturbing you. I just want to point out that on the left side of the air craft you can see the moon Io and it's beautiful volcanic eruptions.

DEVIKA strains to look.

BRIHASPATI (CONTD)Io is the most volcanically active object in our solar system and a sight NOT to be missed. For those of you on the right side of the plane...my apologies. There will be a meal service in about twenty minutes. In the mean time, don't forget to take a look through our air mall catalog for anything that might catch your eye. Thanks for flying New Horizon Air.

He goes.

60.


TYCHO BRAHE, the 17th Century Astronomer, enters and sits in the seat next to DEVIKA. A part of his nose is missing, and replaced with a silver prosthetic.

TYCHOThe line still hasn't moved.

DEVIKA turns a page.

TYCHO (CONTD)Four bathrooms in coach and all of them occupied. What are the chances? I have to urinate. I have to urinate rather badly. I really need to urinate.

DEVIKA looks at him.

DEVIKAExcuse me?

TYCHOI need to piss.

DEVIKAYou look familiar. Are you famous?

TYCHO pushes the call button. Ding.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Are you on TV?

TYCHONo. No, I am not.

DEVIKAI know you.

BRIHASPATI walks down the aisle.

BRIHASPATIYes?

TYCHOI need to use the facilities. I need to uriate.

BRIHASPATI thinks for a moment.

BRIHASPATIThere are several--

TYCHOAnd all of them are taken.

61.


BRIHASPATIMr. Brahe, I'm not sure-

TYCHOI am called Tycho.

DEVIKATycho Brahe...yes. Of course.

TYCHO looks at DEVIKA, he could care less about being recognized.

BRIHASPATIMr. Brahe.

TYCHOIt's Tycho.

BRIHASPATII appreciate your need-

TYCHO

DO YOU?

BRIHASPATIBut we only have so many bathrooms--

TYCHOWhat about First Class?

BRIHASPATI says nothing.

TYCHO (CONTD)I could go to the bathroom in First Class.

BRIHASPATII'm afraid that isn't possible.

TYCHOI'm supposed to have a first class ticket. I was supposed to be flying first class. There was a mix up.

BRIHASPATIYes, sir.

TYCHOI should be allowed to go into First class and-

BRIHASPATII'm afraid that just isn't going to happen. I'm sure the lines will open up very shortly.

62.


TYCHOBut I really need to piss!

BRIHASPATISir, I understand. And you will have to wait in line.

TYCHOI have waited over four hundred years!

BRIHASPATIMy apologies for the long line, but there's nothing I can do.

HE goes.

TYCHO REALLY needs to go to the bathroom.

DEVIKAAre you alright?

TYCHO doesn't reply.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Do you want to-

TYCHOIf it doesn't involve urination, I don't want to do it.

Silence.

DEVIKAI'm an astronomer too.

TYCHO rocks back and forth, rolling his eyes.

DEVIKA (CONTD)I have to admit, I'm surprised to be seeing you on this flight.

TYCHO closes his eyes. His legs do a little dance.

DEVIKA (CONTD)I'm having a dream. Aren't I?

TYCHOWell aren't you just the smartest scientist in the plane?

DEVIKAExcuse me?

TYCHOOh, wait that's ME. I'm the smartest in the plane. God in HEAVENS...Isn't it completely obvious?

63.


You're in a plane traveling around IO with the BRILLIANT Tycho, who has been dead for a few hundred years!

It wasn't enough to distract him. He still has to piss.

TYCHO (CONTD)OH! Mercy. What is taking these people so long!

DEVIKAYou don't have to-

TYCHOBut of course I do! Look what you are doing right now, sitting in a plane on your way home, dreaming of ME! Of course, I do take that as a compliment. But what a WASTE of your time!

DEVIKAWhat would you rather me do?

TYCHOYou know how I became the greatest mathematical genius in the Universe-

DEVIKAThe Universe?

TYCHOThe Universe! I didn't get this nose hacked off in a duel because I was the greatest painter or poet! I did something important! My work describes the Universe!

DEVIKAThe solar system.

TYCHODont nitpick.

DEVIKAAnd you kept insisting on a Geo-Centric model of the solar system.

Pause.

TYCHOAnd your point?

DEVIKAWell. You were wrong.

HE pushes the call button. Ding.

64.


TYCHO (CONT'D)

DEVIKA (CONTD)It's clearly not a geo-centric solar system-

TYCHORegardless-

DEVIKAIt is a pretty big mistake.

TYCHODo I KNOW you? Have I ever heard of you?

DEVIKAI've been published.

TYCHOOooo. Published. I have places on the MOON named after me. THE MOON. Where is the steward!?

DEVIKAI've had several papers published, I've lectured-

TYCHOPlaces on the moon. Right here. Me. You know how I did that? I fucking worked my ass off. I spent night after night, over the course of decades, staring up into the sky and charting heavenly body after heavenly body, I created the most accurate table of the heavens to that time. Me. I did that.

BRIHASPATI comes down the aisle.

BRIHASPATIYes, sir?

TYCHOHave you built more bathrooms?

BRIHASPATI(smiling)

I'm afraid not. Unfortanutely, it seems, well...the previous meal service...well...we served something that seems to have disagreed with those in coach. It's really awful. Always have the veg plate, I'm telling you both now, always have the veg plate.

TYCHOThis is a real emergency. I think I could die from this.

BRIHASPATI(smiling)

I'm sure that won't happen.

65.


TYCHOI am going to consult a lawyer!

BRIHASPATII'll get you a soda.

BRIHASPATI goes.

DEVIKAHow did you do it?

TYCHOWhat? What?

DEVIKAHow did you do it?

TYCHOYou do prattle on...It WHAT?

DEVIKAYour work.

TYCHOI simply did it.

DEVIKAYour work, the star charts that you created, helped Kepler-

TYCHO(bitterly)

Kepler.

DEVIKAHe was able to describe the shape of the solar system. You spent years creating those charts.

TYCHOI wanted to know. I wanted to unlock the secrets of the Universe.

DEVIKAYou didn't even have a telescope. You just watched the skies. Night after night.

TYCHOIf that's what it took, yes. What are you looking for?

DEVIKAInspiration. I guess.

TYCHOI could say things like: it was easy to stare up into the night sky, it's a wonderful beauty, a job made simple. OR.

66.


If I could unlock the mystery of the universe, I could be one step closer to God. OR if I figured it out before all the others, then I would become a legend. If you hadn't noticed, I'm a bit of an egotist. But, really when it comes down to it: Ne frustra vixisse videar!, Let me not seem to have lived in vain. I don't want to leave this Earth without having done something with my time. Time is short and death is a good motivator.

DEVIKAYes, see. Thats what I was trying to tell a good friend of mine. A professor, actually, she thought--

TYCHOOh. Shit. I think I finally pissed myself.

Ding.

LIGHTS.

67.


TYCHO (CONT'D)

SATURN

A ghostly yellow light.

DEVIKASaturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System.

The planet is composed of hydrogen, with small proportions of helium and trace elements. The interior consists of a small core of rock and ice, surrounded by a thick layer of metallic hydrogen and a gaseous outer layer. Wind speeds on Saturn can reach 1800 kilometers per hour, significantly faster than those on Jupiter.

Saturn is probably best known for its system of planetary rings, which makes it the most visually remarkable object in the solar system. The rings were first observed by GalileoGalilei in 1610 with his telescope.

In ancient times, it was the most distant of the five known planets in the solar system and thus a major character in various mythologies. In ancient Roman mythology, the god Saturnus, from which the planet takes its name, was the god of the agricultural and harvest sector. In Greece, he was Cronus, who devoured his own children out of fear of over throw.

In Hindu astrology, there are nine astrological objects, known as Navagrahas. Saturn, one of them, is known as "Shani," the Judge among all the planets.

He is depicted dark in color, clothed in black; holding a sword, arrows and two daggers and variously mounted on a black vulture or a raven.

He is the cousin of Yama, the Hindu God of death.

Shani is considered to be the strongest malefic and a stern teacher who represents patience, effort, endeavor, and endurance; and who brings restrictions and misfortunes.

June 8, 2008, New Horizons passes the orbit of Saturn.

LIGHTS CHANGE

68.


The Coffee shop.

FATHER and DEVIKA sit at a small table. SHE has a cup of coffee in front of her. HE is finishing a sandwich.

The Earth Mother Waitress enters, she hands him a mug.

WAITRESSAnd a chai.

FATHERIt's very good chai.

WAITRESSThank you.

FATHERVery traditional.

WAITRESSOh?

FATHEROh, yes. It's very good. Who ever made it, they should be complimented.

WAITRESSIt's from...a package. We just. Heat it up.

Silence.

FATHERI see.

WAITRESSIt's kind of a bummer. But. You know. It's like hard to make it right.

FATHERA good cup of chai, yes.

WAITRESSWhen I was in India-

FATHERYou were in India?

WAITRESSYeah, yeah, it was-

69.


FATHERWhere?

DEVIKA sighs. Noticeably.

WAITRESS looks at DEVIKA, realizing, but, then...

WAITRESSOh. Um. Mumbai. Delhi. Agra. Of course.

FATHERThe Taj Mahal! And what did you think-?

DEVIKAShe thought it was beautiful, poppa. Everyone always does. It's the Taj Mahal.

WAITRESSYeah. It was. Beautiful.

FATHERIt's a national treasure!

WAITRESSWe went and saw it in the morning.

FATHERIt was built as a symbol of love.

WAITRESSIt's very romantic.

DEVIKACould I get some more coffee?

WAITRESSOh. Yes.

FATHERHow long were you in India?

WAITRESS (trying to get away)

Just about a month.

DEVIKAAnd a muffin. Blueberry.

FATHERYou went off the...beaten path? You didn't just do the tourist things.

70.


WAITRESSOh. No.

FATHERSo you saw the real India.

WAITRESSYes. Excuse me, let me get that muffin.

DEVIKAAnd coffee.

WAITRESS goes.

FATHERI wanted to hear about her trip to India.

DEVIKAIt's going to be like every other person's trip to India. It was great, the people are great, it's just so beautiful. And it's, wow, like a spiritual place.

FATHERShe could take a few minutes-

DEVIKAPoppa.

HE stops.

FATHERYou're looking well.

DEVIKAThank you.

FATHERAre you eating enough? You're looking a little thin.

DEVIKAYes. I am.

FATHER says nothing. Just nods.

DEVIKA (CONTD)I'm glad you were able to come for the weekend. No more summer school?

FATHERWe finally found someone to take those classes.

DEVIKAHow was the school year? How are the students?

71.


FATHERGetting dumber every year, I swear.

DEVIKAThey can't be that bad.

FATHERI don't know what this country does to their children, but by the time they reach me they are dumb. Unable to learn. Unwilling to even try.

DEVIKA laughs.

FATHER (CONTD)I'm not making a joke.

DEVIKAI didn't think you were.

FATHERIt's very discouraging.

DEVIKAI know.

FATHERThen why are you laughing?

DEVIKABecause I'm very certain you said the same thing when I was your student.

FATHERNot about you.

DEVIKAAbout my fellow students.

FATHERWell. Your fellow students were dumb.

DEVIKA laughs. FATHER does as well, a little bit.

DEVIKAIt's so good to see you.

FATHER shrugs.

WAITRESS brings coffee and the muffin, and departs quickly.

DEVIKA (CONTD)How are you?

72.


FATHERFine.

DEVIKAFine?

FATHERYes.

Silence. Then.

DEVIKAI have an appointment to see my oncologist.

FATHEROh? I thought everything was fine.

DEVIKAIts a check up. But.

Pause.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Do you want to ask any questions?

FATHERYou're telling me about it.

DEVIKAI know, its just--

FATHERWhen I do, I'll ask.

DEVIKAYou've never asked. When I was undergoing treatment, you never asked, and now...

FATHER is silent.

NEW HORIZONS tumbles through space.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Why don't you ask?

FATHERThis isn't the place-

DEVIKADon't.

FATHERThis isn't something we talk about-

73.


DEVIKAI want to.

FATHERI wish to go. I'm tired.

DEVIKAYoure not tired.

FATHERWhy do you insist about talking about these things in public. You know how I feel--

DEVIKAActually, I dont.

FATHERI will not be dragged into this conversation now. Not here. Somethings are meant to be private, kept within the family.

DEVIKAThis is within the family--

FATHERI have driven many hours to see you and I am tired, I would like to go to your apartment and sleep.

He stands and puts money down on the table.

DEVIKANo. Let me.

DEVIKA digs through her bag.

FATHERI can pay.

DEVIKAYou don't have to.

FATHERI will pay and that's final.

HE goes. DEVIKA closes her eyes.

LIGHTS.

Office.

MEG searches for a file.

DEVIKA stands in the middle of the room.

74.


DEVIKAWhere did you last see it?

MEGIf I knew that, then I would know where I left it.

DEVIKAJust think.

MEGI can't think, I'm looking. Shouldn't you be with your father?

DEVIKAHe's napping at my place. Just take a moment.

MEGDevika.

DEVIKAMeg. Take a moment. Think it through.

MEG stops. She sarcastically thinks it through.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Well?

MEGI don't remember.

DEVIKAYou're not trying hard enough.

MEGI knew I should've made copies of those notes. I knew they would disappear into the black hole that is this office.

DEVIKAI've been trying to get you to clean up our office-

MEGNow is not the time for a lecture.

DEVIKAOh, god. I sounded like my father.

MEGI'm sure you did. Can you look for the file?

DEVIKAIf you would just retrace your steps, think-

75.


MEGYou do sound like your father.

DEVIKADammit. He just. When ever he's around...it's like, I get so consumed by his personality. He just takes over.

MEG(closing her eyes)

If I was a file, where would I be.

DEVIKAYou're not doing it right.

MEGShush you.

MEG wanders the room with her eyes closed.

DEVIKAHe's just so...it's clich.

MEGWhat?

DEVIKAReserved.

MEGNo, he's not. When I met him...he wouldn't shut up. Talk talk talk.

DEVIKAEmotionally.

MEGOh.

MEG reaches out. She touches something. She opens her eyes. No. It's not the file she's looking for.

She closes her eyes again.

DEVIKAIt's. Very. It's a typical Indian man.

MEG(opening her eyes)

Really?

DEVIKAYeah. It's the ego thing. Indian men.

76.


MEGI've never heard you talk like that before.

DEVIKAOh.

MEGIt's kind of...weird.

DEVIKAWhat?

MEGI mean. Cause, it's not like racist for you to stereotype Indian men-

DEVIKAIt's also true-

MEGSo, it's weird. You don't normally...talk like...Where the FUCK is that file?!

DEVIKAI was hoping...

MEGWhat?

DEVIKAMy father. I was hoping I could. I think I can get to him.

MEGGet to him?

DEVIKAGet him to open up. He was always...but when mom died... I think I can get him to open up. I think. I need him to open up, I need him to express-

MEGFUCK FUCK. FUCKITY FUCK FUCK. It's gone. Shit. It's gone. The notes. FUCK. I should've just. Dammit.

DEVIKAIt's alright.

MEGIt's not alright. I should've typed them up right away. But. Mike wanted to...dammit. It wasn't even a good fuckingmovie.

DEVIKAJust calm down.

77.


MEGDammit.

DEVIKAIt'll be alright. You just have to do them again.

MEGDammit. It's going to take hours, I got a fucking meeting-

DEVIKAExplain what happened-

MEGI'm going to look stupid, like I'm in high school.

DEVIKAIt'll be fine.

MEGNo, it won't, Devika, no, it won't. It's going to be unprofessional. That's what it is.

DEVIKAYou're upset. Just...take a deep breath.

MEGDeep breaths and rational thinking isn't going to bring my notes back.

DEVIKAIt's going to make you feel better.

MEGI have work to do.

MEG storms out of the office.

LIGHTS CHANGE

Home.

FATHER sits on the couch, newspaper in lap, TV on. DEVIKA stands nearby. THEY are arguing.

FATHERYou must not remember-

DEVIKAI think I would remember something like this.

FATHERI distinctly remember telling you.

78.


DEVIKAThat you're retiring.

FATHERYes.

DEVIKAThat's something I would have remembered.

FATHERThen maybe I didn't tell you.

DEVIKAYes.

FATHERAre you sure-?

DEVIKAQuite.

FATHERWell. I'm retiring.

DEVIKAWhen exactly?

FATHERThis upcoming school year will be my last.

DEVIKAAnd then what?

FATHERI retire.

DEVIKAWhat are you going to do?

FATHERDo?

DEVIKAWith your time?

Pause.

FATHERI thought I would move back to India.

Silence.

DEVIKABack?

79.


FATHERYes.

DEVIKAYou haven't lived there for thirty years.

FATHERSo?

DEVIKAIt's a rather strange place to retire to.

FATHERI still have family there-

DEVIKACousins-

FATHERIt's my home.

DEVIKAWhy didn't you tell me this?

FATHERI thought I did-

DEVIKAYou didn't.

FATHERDon't get upset.

DEVIKAI'm not upset.

FATHERYou sound-

DEVIKAYou're moving away-

FATHERNot for another year.

DEVIKAYou didn't ask me.

FATHERI didn't know I needed your permission.

DEVIKAYes. But-

80.


FATHERIt's my life.

DEVIKAYou're going to be on the other side of the planet.

FATHERYes.

DEVIKAI will barely see you.

FATHERYou barely see me as it is.

DEVIKAThat's not my fault. You're the one-

FATHERBut it is. It is, Devika. You're the one that left-

DEVIKAI was going to school, I was pursuing my career, something which you encouraged.

FATHERI wanted you to succeed. It kept you very busy. And you have what you wanted. So what is the problem?

DEVIKA takes a moment.

DEVIKAThe problem is...I want to know what's going on in your life.

FATHERAnd I'm telling you.

DEVIKABut.

FATHERBut what?

DEVIKANothing. I'm sorry.

FATHERFor what?

DEVIKA shakes her head. FATHER frowns. But it's the end.

Pause.

81.


DEVIKAI thought we could go to a temple tonight. There's going to be some-

FATHERA temple?

DEVIKAYes. It would be nice. There's going to be some classical Indian dance. Afterwards-

FATHERI would rather not. A temple, it just...I think it would be better to stay at home. We could catch up.

DEVIKAOh. Alright.

FATHER raises the newspaper, covering himself, going back to reading.

DEVIKA is unsure what happens next.

LIGHTS CHANGE.

Night. At work.

As NEW HORIZONS flies through space, DEVIKA sits before a screen, which shows the planets. She adjusts some buttons, knobs, the screen moves. She's doing the work of an astronomer.

It's quiet. Still. She scribbles in a notebook.

JORDAN comes in, handing her a cup of coffee. He looks at the screens for a moment. He turns.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Hey, Jordan.

JORDAN stops.

DEVIKA (CONTD)Work?

JORDANOf course.

82.


DEVIKAUm. Hey.

NEW HORIZONS and SATURN. Rings. Moons.

JORDANHuh?

DEVIKAUm. I was. What ever happened between us? You know? What. I mean, I know what happened, but. I was just. I miss what we were. And I was wondering...

JORDANWondering what?

DEVIKAI'm sorry. I guess that's what I should say. I'm sorry. It was...when we tried to-

JORDANListen, I have some results I need to look at.

DEVIKAJust hear me out.

JORDANReally, I can't. I need to go.

DEVIKAJordan.

He goes.

DEVIKA picks up the cup of coffee, holding it with both hands. SHE looks deeply into the cup. SHE touches the surface of the coffee with a finger. She watches the ripples. And again. And again.

LIGHTS CHANGE.

DEVIKA and MEG's office.

FATHER leans against the desk. MEG stands at the door, files in hand.

FATHERTell me.

MEGIt's a little technical.

83.


FATHERI'm a chemistry teacher.

MEGOh. Sure. Right. But, maybe you should have Devika explain it to you. She would like that.

FATHERI'm asking you.

MEGShe'll be right here.

FATHERWhile we're waiting, please, tell me about your work.

MEGIt has to do with the atmosphere of Pluto, the chemical composition, we can only tell so much from the ground here, the equipment, but, well, with New Horizons, that's going to answer a lot of questions, but it's going-

DEVIKA enters.

MEG (CONTD)Oh. Hey.

DEVIKASorry, I got caught in the hallway-

FATHERUm...Meg, she was just telling me about her work.

MEGOur work.

FATHERYes. Please, Meg, go on.

MEGUm. Actually. I have some work to attend to. So. Um.

FATHEROh. Yes. Of course. We will continue to the conversation another time.

MEGI would like that Mr. Kewalramani.

DEVIKADoctor.

MEGRight. Dr. K.

84.


FATHERIt was a pleasure.

MEG goes.

A chill.

FATHER (CONTD)Devika.

DEVIKAPoppa.

FATHERMeg is a very bright woman.

DEVIKAYes. She is.

FATHERWell. I should go. No sense in waiting any longer. Not quite the weekend I had wanted.

DEVIKAWhat kind of weekend did you want?

FATHERDon't get smart with me.

DEVIKAI'm asking you a question.

FATHERYou're my daughter, I wanted to see you.

DEVIKAYou sound like it's an obligation.

FATHERYou're family.

DEVIKAYes. Your daughter.

FATHERYou keep saying that!

Pause.

DEVIKAI think its back. My cancer.

FATHERWhy do you think that?

85.


DEVIKAI havent been feeling well, I just... Ive been tired again. Its--

FATHERThis is all in your mind.

DEVIKANo. Its not.

FATHERYoure seeing your doctor?

DEVIKAI told you, I have an appointment.

FATHERHe will put your mind at ease.

DEVIKAPoppa...

FATHERWhat do you want from me?

DEVIKAYou're my father! Be a father. Be here for me.

FATHERI have always been there-

DEVIKAI'm scared. Are you?

FATHEROf course.

DEVIKASay it.

FATHERI don't know-

DEVIKAYour daughter has cancer and she might die. Its okay to say it.

FATHERWhy do you say things like that? You must think positively, you must-

DEVIKASay it.

86.


FATHERI won't.

DEVIKAPlease.

FATHERDevika, I will never understand why you insist...You'resmarter than that, you've got a good brain in you, I've always been jealous of your brain.

DEVIKAI don't care about my brain!

FATHERI don't know what else to do. This is going nowhere. I will call you when I get home and you can tell me what the doctor has told you.

DEVIKAWhy is it so hard for you to just tell me how you're feeling?

FATHERI don't understand the question.

DEVIKADon't lie to me. Even when mother passed away-

FATHERLeave your mother out of this. Don't you dare bring her into this. She has nothing to do with it.

Silence.

FATHER (CONTD)I need to go. I'm sorry for what you are going through, truly I am. But only you can go through it. It is your experience. I will pray for you.

HE goes to the door.

DEVIKADon't go back to India.

He stops.

FATHERDevika, it's already been decided. Plans have already been set in motion.

DEVIKABut what about me?

87.


FATHERI really don't know what you mean.

He does his best to smile.

FATHER (CONTD)You really need to lighten up. And not think so...dramatically. A positive spirit and not thinking about your troubles, you'll feel much better. I will call you when I get home.

HE quickly kisses her on the cheek and then turns and goes.

DEVIKA takes a breath and closes her eyes.

LIGHTS.

DEVIKA lies in a reclining chair. SHE'S getting her chemo. SHE reads from a magazine. It's boring. She flips through pages. She closes it. She tosses it aside. Nothing. Just nothing to do.

DOCTOR TOMASINI enters.

DEVIKA (with a smile)

Doctor.

DOCTOR TOMASINI(without one)

Doctor. How are you feeling today?

DEVIKAThe usual. You know, cancer and all.

DOCTOR TOMASINIYes. Quite. Any symptoms?

DEVIKABesides the cancer r

Documents

New Horizons Through the Interplanetary Medium