FADE IN:

INT. UNITED CENTER -- DAY

Admiral Dawson sits upon a regal seat at the front of the
great room. He wears flowing white robes. HUNDREDS OF
SENATORS in red robes fill the seats. OFFICIALS IN MILITARY
UNIFORM stand at attention along the main entrance and
around the stage. Dawson is flanked by Exler Joggins, to one
side, and Admiral Copley to the other. A TALL SENATOR walks
to Dawson, who stands. The Senator ritually hands Dawson a
rolled up piece of parchment and places a longsword at his
feet. The Senator stands aside and the entire room stands to
its feet in applause. Dawson beams.

INT. UNITED CENTER -– LOBBY –- DAY

The grand entrance to the United Center is empty now – or at
least almost empty. Among the cold marble pillars strolls
Jack Davies dressed in a rich suit. Hawk Macy enters through
the main doors, guards to either side standing at attention.
He’s wearing the uniform of an officer. Davies turns to him.
They maintain distance, spatially and more so.

                           DAVIES
          Hawk. I’ve heard they promoted you
          Major. I must congratulate you.
          
                            MACY
          Don’t. I’m quitting. I won’t fight
          for Dawson.

A long silence.

                           DAVIES
          He’s made me his chief of staff.
          
                            MACY
          He’s made himself emperor.
          
                           DAVIES
          He was duly elected President by
          unanimous vote of the Senate.
          
                            MACY
          With emergency powers lasting
          indefinitely. If they hadn’t, one
          hundred billion people would have
          been dead by now. He held the
          nation for ransom with that
          disease of his.

Another long pause.

                        MACY (CONT’D)
          There have been reports of unknown
          ships, highly advanced, beyond
          anything we’ve got, storming the
          frontier. There are rumors aliens
          exist.

                           DAVIES
          You know that’s a fairy tale told
          to scare children.
          
                            MACY
          What happened in that office?

Another long pause.

                           DAVIES
          I lost a friend.

                            MACY
          And won an emperor.
               (Beat)
          Good bye, Jack. Good luck. I know
          you’ll go far.

                           DAVIES
          Say hello to Steve and Willem for
          me. I suppose I won’t be speaking
          to them again.

Macy nods and exits. Davies stands alone considering for a
moment and then slowly turns and walks through a set of
doors opposite those Macy exited through.

INT. UNITED CENTER -- CONTINUOUS

Davies walks along the corridor leading into the Senate’s
chamber and stands at the back of the room. On stage, Dawson
steps forth to the podium the President inhabited long ago.
The audience cheers.

                       FADE TO BLACK.

4/11/2003 10:41:03 PM
(Updated: 4/12/2003 5:58:26 PM)

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