TOWARD THE UNKNOWN
By
Ingunn Lára Kristjánsdóttir
The Characters
Michael Collins, astronaut aboard the Apollo 11, commander of the Columbia module.
Neil Armstrong, astronaut aboard the Apollo 11, first man to step on the Moon.
Edwin “Buzz” Aldrin, astronaut aboard the Apollo 11, second man to step on the Moon.
Margaret Hamilton, a software engineer and programmer of the Apollo 11. She is in love
with a Russian woman.
Bruce, a NASA employee.
Fred, a NASA employee about to drafted to Vietnam.
Pat,
wife of MC and mother of three. Hates not having control over her life, and sponge
cakes.
Janet, wife of Neil Armstrong. Proud to be a housewife.
Jean, wife of Edwin Aldrin. Not so secretly drinks.
Jaz,
young African-American woman, studying feminist theory. Married to a soldier.
Sara, leader of a University feminist club, thinks of herself as somewhat of a prophet.
Kary, a part of the University feminist club, experimental Space Jesus fanatic.
American Soldier, a soldier lost in a jungle in Vietnam.
Jack,
the coroner at St. Joseph’s morgue. Loves his job.
Steve, trains astronauts, New Yorker.
Other characters:
Woman, Nina, Houston, Astronaut, Martin Luther King Jr., President John F Kennedy,
President Nixon, Jack King, Mary-Anne, Martin, Recruiter, Press, Chinese girl, NASA
correspondent.
Notes for directors and designers:
The ‘beep’ sound heard through-out the play is a short high pitched sound, similar to the
sound of a heartbeat on a cardiac monitor. The final ‘beep’ should be at an octave below
the ‘beep’ note heard throughout the play.
The lines of Houston are portrayed by several actors who also play the roles of members of
the press, astronauts in training, soldiers, NASA staff, onlookers at the launching site, etc.,
depending on the size of the ensemble. If a smaller cast, some roles can be doubled like so:
Bruce and Steve,
Fred and Jack,
Janet and Sara,
Jean and Kary,
Pat and Nina,
American Soldier and NASA correspondent.
Martin and the presidents.
Actors playing Neil, Buzz, MC, and Maggie do not double as other characters.
In the opening, the video scenes can start overlapping after the sound of three gun shots.
Depending on budget, the video sequences can be displayed by all kinds of devices, ranging
from projections on to a wall to digital ‘imax style’ screens. The story and the imagination
of the audience will always power over graphics.
(Brackets indicate overlapping- and dashes indicate interruptions)
The story changes between scenes from 1967 and 1969. Although they flow and merge
together there should be some indication of difference of years through design or lighting
or something as simple as “1967” and “1969” on the screen. Unless specified there should
be no indicator of time of day in scenes.
ACT ONE:
SCENE I
Where it all began
Opening: Video
President John F. Kennedy appears on the screen, his words echoing the spirit that began
the age of the space race. Hope in the time of war.
JFK: We choose to go the Moon. We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and do
the other things, not because they are easy, but because they are hard.
[The video changes to bombs falling. Three gun shots are heard. Changes to rallies: “HEY
HEY! LBJ! HOW MANY KIDS YOU KILL TODAY!” Changes to:]
Mary Anne: The housewife of tomorrow makes good use of her lasagne and packs her
leftovers in plastic containers, exclusively with Mary-Anne’s best-make cooking supplies
and…
[Changes to Nancy Sinatra’s ‘Old Devil Moon’: “It’s that Old Devil Moon, that you stole from
the skies…” And then:]
Martin Luther King Jr.: We cannot walk alone. And as we walk, we must make the
pledge that we shall always march ahead. We cannot turn back…
[A video of a sprint race from the Olympics. It turns to an American soldier running
through a jungle in Vietnam.]
Jack King: 3, 2, 1, zero. All engines running, LIFT-OFF! We have a lift-off! 32 minutes
past the hour. Lift-off on Apollo 11!
[Video scene of lift-off, a cheering crowd as the scene changes… Silence and darkness in
space .]
SCENE II
First view of Earth
‘Beep’ from the Apollo 11. We see MC, Buzz, and Neil in Apollo 11 and Houston command
centre. Apollo 11 is in space with a view of the Earth. Houston has several desks and
computers, a large monitoring screen in the back, and a large NASA sign on the wall.
There are no windows or clocks in the command centre to give a sense of time.
Neil: Houston, you might be interested that out my left-hand window right now, I can
observe the entire continent of North America, Alaska, and over the Pole, down to the
Yucatan Peninsula, Cuba, northern part of South America, and then I run out of window.
Houston: Roger. We copy.
Buzz: I don’t know what I’m looking at, but I sure do like it.
Houston: Okay. I guess the view must be pretty good from up there.
MC:
I don’t have much outside my window.
Houston: We'll get you into the PTC one of these days, and you can take turns looking.
Neil: I can manoeuvre into better view, Mike.
MC:
Just for me?
Neil: You know it.
MC:
I’m blushing.
Neil: Houston, Apollo 11. We are manoeuvring into better view of Earth for Mike.
Over.
Houston: 11. Houston. We recommend that you save fuel. Over.
Neil: You got us just a little late there, Houston. Our manoeuvres already begun, so it’s
going to cost us about the same amount of fuel to stop it, no matter where we stop it, so
we may as well keep going.
Houston: Roger. Go ahead.
[The craft shifts.]
MC:
My God that little thing is so fragile out there.
Buzz: It looks so small.
MC: It’s funny; we’ve been so focused on the Moon. It’s beautiful, Houston. Blue and
White. Can’t really make out the borders. I reckon if the political leaders of the world
could see their planet from this distance of 100,000 miles… I think their outlook could
be fundamentally changed.
Buzz: That all-important border would be invisible, that noisy argument silenced.
MC:
This tiny globe continues to turn.
Houston: Copy that.
SCENE III
Morning news
The morning news is split between two characters, Bruce and Fred. During the sports
news, the screen at NASA shows images and silent videos of the games they describe, track
races, the Russian grandmasters at chess, and the American soldier running through the
jungle. It should distract but not overpower the focus on the actors.
Fred: Apollo 11, this is Bruce and Fred. If you have a minute or so free, we can read you
up the morning news here.
Neil: Go right ahead; let's hear it.
Fred: Roger. Hot from the wires of the MSC Public Affairs Office, especially prepared
for the crew of Apollo 11.
Bruce: Okay. First off, it looks like it's going to be impossible to get away from the fact
that you guys are dominating all the news back here on Earth. Even Pravda in Russia is
headlining the mission and calls Neil, "The Czar of the Ship."
Fred: I think maybe they got the wrong mission.
Bruce: West Germany has declared Monday to be "Apollo Day."
Fred: BBC in London is considering a special radio alarm system to call people to their
TV sets in case there is a change in the EVA time on the Moon.
Bruce: In Italy, Pope Paul VI has arranged for a special colour TV circuit at his summer
residence in order to watch you, even though Italian television is still black and white.
Fred: Mike, your son got into news. Couple of reporters asked him: “Is your daddy
going to be in history?” He was quoted replying “yeah” followed with “what is history?”
[They laugh.]
MC:
You tell Michael Jr., history or no history, he'd better behave himself.
Fred: Roger. We'll pass that along, Mike. And the big news around Houston today
concerns the Astros. In the sports world, the Houston Astros rallied in the ninth inning
at Cincinnati to dump the Reds 7 to 4.
[They whoop.]
Yes. Those Astros have really been catching those flies since they put a roof on the
stadium.
Bruce: Good work.
Neil: Hey! Roof or no roof, they’d still be catching those flies!
Fred: Roger, Neil, whatever you say, commander. In other games in the National
League, New York beat Montreal 5 to 2;
Bruce: Pittsburgh beat St. Louis 4 to 1;
Fred: And Atlanta over San Diego in the first game of a double header 6 to 2.
Bruce: In the American League, Detroit beat Cleveland 4 to nothing;
Fred: New York conquered Washington 5 to nothing;
Bruce: Baltimore outhit –
Fred: Boston outhit Baltimore to score 6 runs to the Orioles' 2;
Bruce: And Chicago beat Kansas City 6 to 1.
Fred: Okay. In golf world,
[Shouts and moans of disapproval.]
Bruce: All right, all right, no golf.
Fred: You might be interested in knowing, since you are already on the way, that a
Houston astrologer,
[laughter.]
Ruby Graham, says that all the signs are right for your trip to the Moon. She says that
Neil is clever, Mike has good judgment, and Buzz can work out intricate problems. She
also says Neil tends to see the world through rose coloured glasses, but he is always
ready to help the afflicted or distressed. Neil, you are also supposed to have "intuition
that enables you to interpret life with feeling."
Neil: Good to know.
Buzz: Your intuition is always compelling.
Fred: Roger. Buzz is to be very sociable and cannot bear to be alone in addition to
having excellent critical ability.
Buzz: It’s true, I’m an Aquarius.
[laughter.]
Bruce: Since she didn't know at what hour Mike was born, she has decided that he
either has the same attributes as Neil or he is inventive with an unconventional attitude
that might seem eccentric to the unimaginative.
MC:
Who said all that?
Bruce: Ruby Graham, an astrologer here in Houston.
Neil: Thank you very much there, Bruce and Fred Show, we appreciate that.
Fred: Roger. Over and out.
[Neil turns off the radio. ‘Beep’.]
SCENE IV
Morgue, part I
A morgue, 1967. A man walks in with the group of training astronauts from NASA.
Steve: So, here’s where they keep the bodies. Take it all in boys, breathe it in. Yeah, you
don’t really get used to the smell. Amazing work they do here. Here’s where the keep
the bodies, an’ here’s where they open’em up. No touching the knives, please! Now,
Jack’s going to be joining us in a minute, so feel free to have a look around, no touching
though! Look, don’t touch. Don’t be shy, don’t be shy, you’re allowed to be curious. Eh?
Eh? Naw, I‘m just messing with ya. Ah, here he is, boys! Mister Jack Harper himself!
[Steve introduces Jack ceremoniously, followed by one or two awkward applauses. Jack
rolls in a corpse covered in a white blanket.]
Jack: Yes, yes, thank you, thank you. My name is Jack Harper, I am the coroner at, uh,
St. Joseph’s Morgue. Now, I understand that there will be two exhibitions for you today,
yes? I thought I’d start with this lady here. If you could just, yes thank you.
[He rolls the corpse next to the other slab and lifts the blanket. They are shocked by what
they see; one runs out of the room to puke. The others look away, apart from two who
force themselves to look.]
Jack: Now this lady here suffered from an exploded bowel, as you can see it’s quite, it’s
quite a mess. We’ve already opened her up for you so you can take a closer look at the
intestines. This is, as you probably guessed, not a normal colour. And that’s a, oh, that’s
mine, let me just, yes there we go.
[He removes a watch from the corpse and puts it on.]
Must have left it in there, ah, before, when we…
Astronaut: Why are we here?
Jack: Ah. Yes. Why are we here… Well there are many theories; different religions have
their origin stories. For example, in ChristianitySteve: I don’t think he meant it philosophically, doc.
Astronaut: I meant why are we in this morgue? I thought we had a physical test or an
engineering class? And anyway it smells. I don’t like it. It’s like my great aunt’s
retirement home.
Buzz: Here, you can rub this under your nose.
Astronaut: What is it?
Buzz: It’s vinegar. Keeps the smell away. Pass it around!
[They pass it around.]
Astronaut: I can still smell it, but now it’s like my aunt’s retirement home has been
covered in vinegar. What are we doing here?!
Jack: Oh, well, I don’t know to be honest.
Steve: Yeah, it might seem a little weird, but hey, it was either this or a trip to Iceland to
study rocks. We figured this would be nicer. Now, who wants to do some digging? I’m
just messing with ya, relax fellas.
[One of the astronauts has pulled out a small television radio, the others start to notice
him.]
Astronaut: What? The game is on.
[Part of the group forms around him to get a glimpse of the game. Video of the game on
the screen.]
Steve: What’s the score?
Astronaut: 2-1, Astros ahead.
Steve: FUCK!
[They all look at him.]
Steve: Shit, ah, go Astros?
[They return to the game.]
All right all right, I get it fellas, I get it. I don’t want to be here any more than you do. But
mister man here is keeping an eye on you. And you’ve got to make an impression.
Jack: Yes, moving on. Here we have…
[He moves the other slab and unveils three infant corpses.]
Three recently deceased newborns. Quite small as you can see, these two came out too
early. This one had complications with the umbilical cord. Now, I’m not sure if they
wanted me to go into detail with you…
[He looks to Steve, who indicates he should go on]
Right, well. Death happens, ah, in many ways. Whether it is before an individual sees the
light of day, or whether it is in the middle of a food court as happened with the lady.
Sometimes it takes a while. Sometimes it happens quite quickly and unannounced as
with all four. It is natural and one of the few certainties in life. We may always expect
death. And taxes! Hah. Yes, well.
Space is supremely hostile to life. There’s no air in space, ah, obviously. Without the
proper functions of your space suit, you will choke to death. If you find yourself facing
the sun without proper protection, you will overheat and die. If you find yourself
floating in space without proper protection facing away from the sun, you will freeze to
death. If you find there is a leak in your suit, the vacuum of space will cause the liquids
in your body to vaporize.
If you find yourself trapped in confinement with a corpse, you will need to wrap it up in
an airtight suit and isolate it. The smell might be the main problem.
Any questions?
SCENE V
Apollo 1, 1967
The Radio plays the 12 second report from the last Gemini mission.
“Kennedy space centre, this is Gemini crew Roger, Gus, and Edward signing in for a
rocket test.
Start report.
[Silence.]
Fire! We’ve got fire in the cockpit!
We’ve got a bad fire…
Get us out. We’re burning up.”
[Sound of fire. Silence, ‘beep’, Maggie suddenly wakes and sits up, her naked back to the
audience. On the screen there is a large rust red orb. A hand reaches up from the sheets
and with one finger gently strokes down the line of her spine. After a moment she quickly
gets up, gathers her clothes, and puts them on. A young Russian woman, Nina, comes out of
the sheets and stretches.]
Maggie: Hold that. Venus in the morning light; A rare and beautiful sight.
Nina: What’s your name again?
[Maggie goes to her on the bed and kisses her.]
Maggie: Maggie.
[Nina gives her a sunflower.]
Nina: For you, Maggie.
[Weeks later at Houston.]
Bruce: We´ve run it a thousand times over. Electrical fault, the hatch, tower personnel.
It was considered a safe procedure. The fact that they died on the ground…
Fred: How long are we going to be frozen?
Bruce: Who knows.
Fred: I was supposed to be in the tower. I was having coffee.
Bruce: Everyone was having coffee.
Fred: It feels like we’re being mocked, you know?
Bruce: No, I don’t know.
Fred: Like we’re in this big race, right? We were winning, and we just gave our
competitor the finger and, and now we’re stuck in the mud.
Bruce: You’re worried about the Russians now?
Fred: No, no, when I say race, I mean metaphorically speaking, like against time. The
plan was to get a man on the Moon before the end of the decade. It’s not about the
Russians (it’s about scientific advancements).
Bruce: It is so about the Russians, jeez, you just said we’re in this race (and we were
winning).
Fred: I never said that.
Bruce: Yes you did!
Fred: You’re putting words in my mouth.
Bruce: I’m just giving it the proper names.
Fred: Yeah but when you give it names, when you put it like that, you’re making it out
like what we do here is... It’s cheap, it’s not pure.
Bruce: What, I’m not allowed to talk now? Voice my own opinion? News flash kid, this
aint news, kid!
Fred: Yeah, but you’re making it political, (we’re not political.)
Bruce: The Russians have left the Earth and the race for control of the (universe has
started.)
Fred: Come on, Bruce, you’re making me (nervous.)
Bruce: What, that’s what, that’s what you were saying, we’re in a race.
Fred: No, yes, I just meant 1.3 billion dollars and people (have certain expectations)
Bruce: 1.3 billion dollars is not a lot of money, they’ve put 10 times more into Vietnam.
[Fred goes silent, he hesitates, and then:]
Fred: Vietnam, Yeah.
Bruce: What?
Fred: Naw, it’s just, it’s been going on for, uh, for how long?
Bruce: Ah, a long time…
Fred: Yeah, you just get so desensitized, it’s so… normal, like you forget about it
sometimes, you know?
Bruce: Desensitized, big word.
Fred: I read it in a book.
Bruce: You read it in a book.
Fred: Yes, I like reading, you should try it sometimes.
Bruce: (beat) I read.
Fred: I got a letter today.
[Bruce gives Fred a grave look.]
Bruce: What kind of letter?
Fred: A card. Report to physical; time; date; location.
[Fred avoids Bruce’s eye contact with a downcast face.]
Bruce: The real deal?
Fred: Yep.
Bruce: Can you… Thought about an exemption?
Fred: Yeah, if I’m full time for NASA, but… well, like I said, we’re kind of stuck in the
mud at the moment.
Bruce: Then don’t go. Don’t go to the physical.
Fred: Ah well, you see, I have to. There’s a penalty if I don’t. I’m a rookie; I can’t have
that on my résumé. So it’s search and destroy, baby.
[Fred allows himself to look at Bruce.]
Bruce: Say you’re a communist.
Fred: Red’s really not my colour.
Bruce: You’re worried about a clean record?
Fred: No, well yeah, of course, I want to work for NASA.
Bruce: You can’t if you’re dead.
Fred: Thanks, buddy.
[Fred starts pushing buttons on the control board absent-mindedly.]
Bruce: The last Gemini mission, they’re calling it ‘Apollo 1’. One is usually followed by
two. They’ll need rookies.
Fred: Yeah… Yeah.
[Screen: American Soldier running in the jungle, he sees a church. He reaches for the door.
The image changes to the rust red orb. Maggie stands by the door looking at Nina. Nina
stands on the bed looking through a long telescope going through a ceiling window. Nina
is wearing Maggie’s NASA T-shirt.]
Nina: Nebula.
Maggie: Nebula, an interstellar cloud of dust.
Nina: It is beautiful.
Maggie: There had to be destruction for it to exist. A supernova explosion from the
death of a star.
Nina: I like that.
Maggie: Where did you come from?
Nina: Russia.
[Maggie smiles.]
Maggie: How did you get here?
Nina: I flew.
Maggie: Are you cold?
Nina: Maybe.
Maggie: You’re more than welcome to stay in my bed.
[Nina puts the telescope away and steps off the bed.]
Nina: So is that what you do? You gaze at stars for NASA?
Maggie: In my free time. The work I do for them is… it’s not something you’d call it
exciting. I might, you wouldn’t.
Nina: I’m sure it is fascinating.
Maggie: I create codes. I’m an engineer of sorts, a code-writer.
[Pause.]
Maggie: It’s just as exciting as it sounds…
Nina: Do you have to go?
Maggie: Yes.
Nina: Do you want to go?
Maggie: (beat) Yes.
Nina: You must really love your job.
Maggie: If you want to, you can stay.
Nina: Yes? I would like that.
Maggie: I won’t be long.
Nina: I can wait.
Maggie: Good.
SCENE VI
Press conference, 1969
NASA: So here we are, what a day, what a day. Two astronauts will land on the Moon
and one astronaut will stay in lunar orbit. And here they are, ladies and gentlemen: our
final candidates, Michael Collins, Edwin Aldrin, and Neil Armstrong!
[The three men stand side by side as the press takes photos, and then sit down by their
press conference table.]
Press: Who will be the first to step foot on the Moon?
NASA: That will be Commander Neil Armstrong.
Press: Neil, have you thought about what your first words will be?
Neil: Well, uh, I’m going to focus on getting there first. We don’t have much time to
stop and think about these things. But, uh, I think, when you go through the actions, the
words will come.
Press: Edwin Aldrin, I have a question, how long will you be staying on the Moon?
Buzz: As long as my wife can bear it. It’s three days to the moon, three days back. We’ll
spend a day on the Moon, rounding the mission to one week.
Press: Neil, a question for you, from the Swedish broadcasting, you are now taking the
trip of all trips of mankind, can I ask, which place would you like to take a vacation to
when you return to Earth?
Neil: I think, with the situation being what it is now, the place I would go immediately
is the lunar receiving laboratory. If I’m able to go there then we will have succeeded.
[Laughter.]
Press: What do your families think of you going on this historical mission?
[Silence.]
NASA: Anybody want to take a crack at that question?
MC:
Uh, I think that-
Buzz: Well my family has had five years now to come accustomed to this, uh, lifestyle,
and a few weeks now to get used to the idea of this mission. They look upon it as a great
challenge, and, uh, perhaps an invasion of their privacy. But they are immensely proud.
Press: Neil, Scottish press, I understand that you will be personally taking manual
control over the lunar landing. At what height from the surface will that happen?
Neil: Yes. It is an incredibly sophisticated computer that steers the craft. Eventually
someone has to land it. It will all depend on… there are many variables, but we think, I
think around 500 feet.
Press: Neil and Edwin, BBC, you have mentioned that your flight, like any other flight,
contains its risks. In view of that, what will your plans be in the event that the lunar
module does not come up from the surface?
Buzz: That’s an unpleasant thing to think about. I think, uh, that weNeil: We don’t like to think about that. It is possible all though extremely unlikely to
happen, at this time, we have not discussed it.
Press: Michael Collins, you will be flying all the way to the Moon only to circle it while
Neil and Edwin land. It’s tantalising how close you will get and not be able to touch it.
[There is silence, the press, Neil, and Buzz look at MC, noticing him for the first time.]
MC:
So what’s your question?
[Laughter.]
MC:
My role in this-
Neil: Can I answer that?
MC:
Sure.
Neil: A hundred years ago, Jules Verne wrote a book about a voyage to the Moon. His
spaceship, Columbia, took off from Florida and landed in the Pacific Ocean after
completing a trip to the Moon. Michael Collins will be flying the Columbia in orbit
around the Moon, ready to pick us up when we finish our mission. He is in charge of
bringing us home. Every single man counts. This is not a three man mission to the Moon.
Yes, two will step on the Moon, but three, and the thousand behind this will have
completed the mission.
[The press applauds Neil].
NASA: Thank you, I think we’ll stop there.
SCENE VII
A Gathering of Women, Part I
Three women sit together in the dark. There is a green neon cross high above them.
Sara: The three wise men following the stars to find their king. Sound familiar? Even
now as I close my eyes I can see them, forever reaching out. This is a time of change, my
sisters. No more will mankind reach inside for truth but will forever look out. God is
man and the man is American.
Kary: It is the end! I have seen it. I see a man. He will disappear into the abyss and find
truth. He is space Jesus with a helmet and a radio.
Sara: Space Jesus? Well now you’ve gone too far.
Jaz: It’s all very homosexual. Three men stuck in a closed confinement with nothing
but sudden death outside. What happens when they get bored? Men only care about
other men.
Kary: And why are there only men in space? It is because Woman is Space. Space is the
chaotic feminine, you cannot predict space. When man tries to control space, as he tries
to control the woman, he will fail.
Sara: And therein lies the sacrifice of space Jesus. I like it.
Kary: We need men to die, there are far too many of them.
Sara: Harsh. I like it, sister.
Jaz:
They will learn from this. They will learn not to constrain us.
Sara: Take off your chains, sister!
Jaz:
You’re not allowed to say that.
Sara: Oh my God, I’m sorry. Was that wrong?
Jaz:
That was so wrong.
Sara: This is so (embarrassing.)
Jaz:
It’s okay.
Sara: Sisters?
Jaz:
Yeah.
Kary: So let us pity. Let us admire. And let us pray.
Jaz: They´re only doing it so they can nuke the Russians! Man is obsessed with power.
You know, I bet they’re going to set up a military base on the Moon. By 1980 they’ll have
privatized the Moon, militarized it, put a big ol’ stamp on it: “Property of the United
States Government. No Dogs, No Women, No Russians.”
[Maggie opens a door and the lights turn on in the room. She knocks on the open door.]
Maggie: Hi, sorry. Are you nearly done here? It’s just that we have chem at five.
Sara: Yes, thank you Hamilton, we’ll be done in five minutes, thank you, close the door,
thank you, bye.
[As she closes the door.]
Kary: Oh no wait. Maggie!
Maggie: What?
Kary: You like space right?
Maggie: Uh…
Kary: You’ve got that little project, don’t you? For NASA?
Maggie: Little project?
Sara: I actually love everything about NASA.
Jaz:
You do?
Sara: Yes and I happen to be a big fan of Maggie’s work. So tell us Maggie. What’s it like
working with the big boys?
[Maggie looks at the cross.]
Sara: Your glowy sticks gave such a good vibe for our club.
Maggie: You know that’s highly radioactive…
Sara: Mhm. So tell us, Maggie. What’s the deal with the Moon? Why are there no female
candidates for the... uh…
Kary: Missions.
Sara: Yes thank you, Kary.
Jaz:
Is it because we have periods?
Sara: Periods, Maggie. The Russians sent a woman to space! Her name is Valentine.
Isn’t that romantic?
Kary: Valentina Tereshkova.
Jaz: American men can’t handle periods. They think our womb will start floating
around, making us hysterical.
Kary: Space Hysteria! There is a thing called ‘The Pill’. Hello?
Sara: Are we hysterical, Maggie? Are we not Astronaut material? Will woman ever
walk on the Moon?
[Maggie looks at them with a puzzled expression like a flustered politician.]
Maggie: I’m going to focus on getting a man on the Moon, then I’ll get back to you.
Kary: Doesn’t it bother you?
Maggie: What?
Jaz:
It’s a man’s world.
Maggie: Uh.
Kary: You’re only there to fill a quota.
Maggie: Okay, I’m leaving.
Jaz:
How does this not bother you?
Maggie: Of course it bothers me. But I’m getting the chance of a lifetime. I’m not an
astronaut! I’m a software engineer. I don’t know where the women are and I’m sure
they’d be just as capable as the men. I don’t know. I don’t know.
Jaz: Maybe it’s better to have the men try it out for the first time. It’s too dangerous to
risk the lives of women.
Maggie: That’s a horrible thing to say.
Sara: Thank you for that input, Maggie, you can leave now.
Maggie: Actually your time is up so you can leave now.
SCENE VIII
Second morning news
Bruce: 11, this is the Bruce and Fred show, just arrived with some morning news briefs
if you're ready.
Neil:
Go ahead.
Bruce: Roger. Okay. Church services around the world today are mentioning Apollo 11
in their prayers.
Fred: President Nixon's worship service at the White House is also dedicated to the
mission, and our fellow astronaut, Frank Borman, is still in there pitching and will read
the passage from Genesis which was read on Apollo 8 last Christmas.
Bruce: Buzz, your son, Andy, got a tour of MSC yesterday. Your Uncle Bob Moon
accompanied him on the visit which included the LRL. Among theBuzz: Thank you.
Bruce: Roger. Among the large headlines concerning Apollo this morning, there's one
asking that you watch for a lovely girl with a big rabbit. An ancient legend says a
beautiful Chinese girl called Chang-o has been living there for 4000 years. It seems she
was banished to the Moon because she stole the pill of immortality from her husband.
You might also look for her companion, a large Chinese rabbit, who is easy to spot since
he is always standing on his hind feet in the shade of a cinnamon tree.
Fred: The name of the rabbit is not reported.
Buzz: Okay. We'll keep a close eye out for the bunny girl.
MC:
When we’re not shaking hands with aliens.
Fred: Roger. You residents of the spacecraft Columbia may be interested in knowing
that today is Independence Day in the country of Colombia.
MC:
That is interesting!
Bruce: Roger, National League All-stars will be playing ball in Washington. Mel
Stottlemyre of the Yankees is expected to be the American League's first pitcher and the
Bruce and Fred show is all completed for the morning.
Neil: Thank you very much. We appreciate the news.
Bruce: Roger. Over and out.
[‘Beep’. The astronauts stretch, and start moving around freely aboard the Apollo 11. They
move to the window and float there suspended, looking back at Earth, ignoring the new
view of the Moon. The sun comes up behind the Moon shining on Apollo 11 through the
windows.]
MC: Houston, you suppose you could turn the Earth a little bit so we can get a little
more than just water?
Houston: Roger, 11. I don’t think we got much control over that. Looks like you’ll have
to settle for the water.
Buzz: You ready for the big day tomorrow?
Neil: I can’t decide which foot!
MC:
We better start preparing for separation.
Houston: Roger Mike, you ready for Columbia?
MC:
Everything’s set up. Let’s send off the Eagle.
[The Astronauts get to their seats in their respective modules.]
Houston: Apollo 11, we are ready for separation
MC:
Houston, Columbia.
Houston: Go ahead, Columbia.
MC:
We won’t be televising the undocking.
Houston: We concur, over.
Neil: Okay.
MC:
Columbia systems looking good, begin.
[Apollo separates into Eagle and Columbia.]
Houston: Eagle, we see you on the steerable, over.
MC:
Roger, Eagle is undocked. How does it look, Neil?
Neil: The Eagle has wings.
Houston: Roger.
MC:
Looking good.
Buzz: And there’s the Moon!
SCENE IX
Three
The Astronaut Wives: Pat, Jean, and Janet on the launch viewing site. They stand side by
side outside in the sun by the bleachers.
Pat: I made this beautiful Chiffon cake this morning. I don’t even like sponge cake, but
it’s Mike’s favourite. Three tries. First two looked all right, but they were raw on the
inside. You want it moist, not raw. Anyway, third try, perfect. Let it cool, then topped it
with salted caramel butter icing. Oh, it was divine! You simply cannot imagine! Then
Mike Jr. runs in yelling, One in thirty six! One in thirty six! I turn to him and say, what on
earth are you yelling about? Francis Moore says one in thirty six! One in thirty six what,
dear? That daddy will blow up. And that’s when it hit me. Mike’s in quarantine. He can’t
even have cake. So now I look like a fool, standing there in the kitchen with my perfect
sponge cake that I don’t even like. So what do I do? What I do is I eat the whole thing, I
shove it down my throat, piece by piece of tender, moist, buttery cake and Mike Jr.’s
looking at me like I’m some alien from space and all I can think about is: I should have
made chocolate icing.
[She cries.]
Jean: Hold it together and smile for the cameras, honey.
Janet: We’ve done this a hundred times before and I don’t see what the problem is. I’m
proud to be a housewife.
Pat:
I feel like such a failure.
Jean: These are changing times, the modern housewife is dead and it’s an open casket
funeral.
Pat:
I’m never having sponge cake again. Oh God, lipstick?
Jean: You’re fine.
Pat:
Did I remember to fold the laundry…
Jean: You are tied down to your stove and washer day and night. It’s not healthy,
honey. You should go out more. Do you need a drink, because I’ve got a bottle of vodka
in my purse…
Pat:
I’m calm, I’m calm. No I’m not. Give me.
Janet: For goodness sakes! Will you calm down? You don’t see me having a nervous
breakdown just because my cooking isn’t perfect or my laundry isn’t folded. If you ask
me, the washer and the dryer are the best thing to happen for women’s liberation. Get it
together ladies; the whole nation is watching us, so put on your best Mary-Anne and
wave.
[Pat throws up.]
Janet: Well, that’s unfortunate.
Jean: Come on, dear.
[She pats Pat on the back and gives her a drink of water.]
Pat:
I’m so sorry.
Jean: There is nothing to be sorry about.
Janet: Here they come!
[They wave as their husbands van passes them.]
Jean: That can’t be right.
Pat:
What?
Jean: One in thirty six.
Pat:
That’s what they say.
Janet: You’ve got nothing to worry about. Smartest guys in the world have been
working on that shuttle for a decade. Just smile and wave.
[Maggie stands close to them and scoffs. A strange voice is heard through the radio.]
Fred: Oh, wicked witch of the west!
[The women look at Maggie, a deer in headlights. She picks up her radio and walks away.]
Maggie: Fred, I told you to stop calling me that.
Fred: How’s it looking, Maggie?
[Maggie picks up binoculars and looks out towards the launching pad.]
Maggie: Suited up and ready to go! The Saturn V stands proud by the tower of Babylon!
Fred: Are you coming down to Houston after the launch?
Maggie: Assuming it goes well, I’m driving down tonight.
Fred: Couldn’t miss it, huh?
Maggie: My first launch, what are you, crazy? I wouldn’t miss it for the world!
Fred: Are you driving all the way down to Houston? Why don’t you catch a plane in the
morning?
Maggie: I don’t like flying…
Fred: Right. How’s the weather in Florida?
Maggie: Not a cloud in sight. Perfect day for a launch!
Fred: Beautiful. I’m needed in command centre. I’ll see you tomorrow! And
congratulations, Maggie. Enjoy the show, you earned it.
Maggie: Thank you, I will.
Jack King: Ladies and gentlemen, we are seconds away from lift-off. Our three
astronauts are strapped in, all engines on! We are in the final countdown. 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5,
4[The scene changes to a busy airport, 1967. Nina and Maggie stand at a distance looking
at each other. Nina is surrounded by men in overcoats whispering nervously among
themselves. Though they don’t acknowledge one another, they see only each other. Nina
lifts a hand to her heart. A man bumps into Maggie and she is left with a sunflower in her
hand. She looks at the flower, then back up to find that Nina is gone. She desperately fights
through the crowd to find her until Bruce grabs her.]
Bruce: Have you lost your mind?! [In a lower tone] You don’t know who could be
watching.
Maggie: It’s not her.
Bruce: They don’t know that. They don’t care about that. They only care about finding
what’s missing. Look at me, Maggie, look at me. If NASA finds out about you two, they’re
going to start asking some questions. This isn’t just your job on the line. You don’t want
people start whispering your name in the wrong light. Sooner or later they’re going to
start pointing fingers… Okay look, to be honest, I don’t think there was anything
important in that file. Probably, you know, some useless data. But I don’t know and they
don’t know. And they’re not taking any chances. Now listen carefully, Maggie. You don’t
know her. You’ve never seen her in your life. You’ve never heard the name Nina.
Maggie: It wasn’t her. She wouldn’tBruce: Repeat after me. I don’t know her-Maggie! I don’t knowMaggie: I don’t know her.
Bruce: I’ve never seen her in my life.
Maggie: I’ve never seen her in my life. I’ve never heard the name Nina. I don’t know her.
I’ve never seen her in my life. I’ve never heard the name Nina. I don’t know her. I don’t
know her. I don’t know her.
SCENE X
Landing
MC:
Talk to me boys, how’s it looking.
Neil: Got the Earth right out our front window.
MC:
How’s view on landing site?
Neil: I can’t tell from here… Houston, are you looking at DELTA-H?
Houston: That’s affirmative. It’s looking good to us, over.
MC:
It’s looking good from here; you can go ahead with landing.
Neil: Roger that, going ahead...
[PROGRAM ALARM.]
MC:
Report? What was tha-
[Columbia is cut off, lights on Columbia go out.]
Buzz: Houston, we have a program alarm going off.
Houston: Eagle, this is Houston. We are aware of the alarm.
Neil: My computer says 1202, can you confirm?
Houston: Affirmative, that is 1202. Over.
Neil: Do we continue?
Houston: Last readings looked good over here. Ask Columbia to affirm DATA. Your call,
Eagle. Over.
Neil: Eagle to Columbia. Eagle to Columbia. Columbia, Do you read? Mike? Mike?
Houston, this is Eagle, we cannot reach Columbia, over.
Houston: Eagle, he is out of radio contact. You are closing in on Tranquillity base. You
are all eyes.
Neil: Roger, we are go to land. Throttle down.
Buzz: Throttle down.
Houston: Roger Eagle, Throttle down. You are GO for landing.
Neil: Roger, understand. GO for landing.
[PROGRAM ALARM, Neil and Buzz look at each other.]
Neil: Houston, we have another program alarm.
Houston: Roger, Eagle. Code?
Buzz: That is code 1201.
Houston: We see it.
Neil: Anyone have a clue about what this is about?
Houston: Eagle, we are looking into it. Check engine and thrusters.
Neil: What are our options, Houston?
Buzz: [off radio] Neil, we are reaching the point of no return, we either abort or land.
Neil: [off radio] My call.
Buzz: [off radio] We are running out of fuel, there won’t be enough for lift off.
Neil: [off radio] Are you with me, buddy?
Buzz: [off radio] Until the end, pal.
Neil: [off radio] Ready to get some Moon rock?
Buzz: Go.
Neil: Houston, we will continue, GO for landing. Throttles down. Better than the
simulator!
[The Eagle shakes, there is dust rising. There is a roar of sounds and then a crash.]
Neil: Houston, Tranquility base here. The Eagle has landed.
Houston: Roger, Tranquility. Be advised there's lots of smiling faces in this room and all
over the world. Over.
Buzz: Well, there are two of them up here.
Houston: Roger. That was a beautiful job, you guys.
Buzz: I don’t know about beautiful…
[Columbia comes into radio contact.]
MC:
And don't forget one in the command module.
Neil:
Good to have you with us, Columbia!
Buzz: [off radio] Uh-oh. Commander?
[Neil takes a look at Buzz’s screen. A red light flickers. They stare it for a while before
speaking.]
Neil: Houston, we have a…
[Pause.]
Houston: What?
SCENE XI
Mike behind the Moon
MC: Report? What was that? Eagle come in, over. Eagle, this is Columbia. Guys? You
still with me?
[The view from outside starts to shift dramatically as Columbia disappears behind the
Moon. Its’ presence is defined solely by the absence of stars. MC takes in his new view of the
Moon. As darkness creeps over, the lights in Columbia come on.]
MC: Houston, come in, over. Houston, this is Columbia, come in, over. Eagle, this is
Columbia, radio check. Houston, I am alone now. Truly alone and absolutely isolated
from any known life.
[The lights flicker and go off. There is silence apart from MC breathing. ‘Beep’. He Laughs.
The lights come back on. He turns around seeing nothing but darkness.]
It’s cold.
[He knocks on the door.]
Hello?
[He laughs. There is knock back. He screams. The radio comes back on abruptly.]
Neil: The Eagle has landed!
[Radio interference.]
Houston: Faces in this room and all over the world. Over.
Buzz: Two of them up here.
MC:
And don't forget one in the command module.
Neil: Good to have you with[Radio interference.]
MC:
No!
Neil: Problem –
MC:
Oh no.
[He stares at the door in his command module. It opens abruptly and a brilliant warm
golden light shines into the module.]
MC:
That’s different.
[End of Act I.]
ACT TWO
SCENE I
Venus
The American soldier from the screen runs on stage from the jungle. He is wet from the
torrential rain. There is only the sound of rain. He sees the church. He looks to the jungle
and decides to approach the church. He opens the door, inside there is a desert and in the
middle a broken statue of Venus. All around scattered in the sands are statues of Roman
Gods, including Apollo and Mars.
His tired legs drag him into the church and he smears the statues with the blood from his
hands.
A roar of sounds and a crash, the stage goes dark and smoke fills the stage. We start to
notice a few stars, not twinkling, but eerily staring like eyes.
The Eagle is crashed on the Moon. Neil is pushing buttons to no end. Buzz is sitting down
reading a manual. The Radio comes on.
Houston: Stand by for the president.
[The screen shows President Nixon stepping up to a podium to deliver a speech.]
Nixon: Fate has ordained that the men who went to the Moon to explore in peace will
stay on the Moon to rest in peace.
These brave men know that there is no hope for their recovery. But they also know that
there is hope for mankind in their sacrifice.
These men are laying down their lives in mankind’s most noble goal: the search for
truth and understanding.
[Buzz turns off the radio and the screen goes off.]
Neil: I think I might go out for a walk.
Buzz: Don’t forget your helmet, Moon pie.
Neil: I’m good.
[He starts going for the door.]
Buzz: What? What are you doing? NEIL, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!
[Neil tries to open the door, Buzz jumps at him to stop him. They struggle and fight.]
Neil: What´s the point?
Buzz: There is none.
Neil:
Then let me go.
[Buzz lets him go.]
Neil: Alcohol?
Buzz: No. Water, Juice, Coffee. I could turn up the oxygen.
Neil: That’ll kill us.
Buzz: I thought you wanted to die. I’ll open it up. Just enough to relax.
Neil: That’s fine.
[Buzz turns up the oxygen valve. They breathe it in and settle down in their seats. The
radio comes on.]
Bruce: Is there anything I can do?
Buzz: Is that, uh, Bruce and Fred there?
Bruce: I’m here. Bruce.
Neil: That was a lovely speech. How thoughtful, how nice of them to honour our
sacrifice. Like we have a choice! This is bull shit!
[Neil kicks his chair which spins around with no end. He grabs the chair to stop it.]
Buzz: How about the morning news?
Bruce: Of course. Uh. Looks like all the headlines are focused on the Moon landing. St.
Peters square has been filled with people in prayer since the news... Queen Elizabeth
issued a statement of her respect and admiration for the brave Americans in their quest
for peace. She also sends her condolences.
In honour of your… sacrifice, most countries of the world have ceased any sporting
events and BBC has named this “The day the earth stood still… and united.” The weather
here in Houston is fine, temperature 78 degrees Fahrenheit. Clear skies. We might be
seeing some fog later.
Neil: Thank you, Houston.
Bruce: Roger.
[The radio goes out.]
SCENE II
Mike and Mother
Mike sits frozen in his seat in Columbia. A woman walks inside. The woman is played by the
same actor playing The American soldier.
MC:
Am I dead?
Woman: No.
MC:
Are you cold?
Woman: No.
MC:
It’s good to see you, all though I don’t think it’s a good sign for me.
Woman: You looked lonely. What’s on your mind?
MC:
It’s cold. How’s the Meadow?
Woman: It’s nice.
MC:
I didn't say goodbye to you.
Woman: I could leave now and you could try again.
MC:
No, please stay. Why are you here? What am I thinking about?
Woman: How was your father?
MC: My father. Looked like this shadowy figure of death had a grip on him. We got
into a fight, I ran out the door. For hours I ran until I came to the meadow. I didn't mean
to go there, but something gravitated me towards you. It looked peaceful; still. Instead
of snow, your grave was covered in green grass. I did this weird thing, I lay down and I
could feel it hold me.
Woman: Do you miss the grass?
MC: I miss the comfort. It grants the dead peace. Grass overcomes sand, fields of life
healing the Earth's wounds. Grass will never cover me if I die here. The duvet of spring
shall never protect my eternal sleep.
If I had skies I wish they would open. Beyond the stars I would see mountains, the rising
of light where time sleeps. I would venture into such a place to find peace and dream.
That's where I'd go. That's there I'd stay.
Woman: But that's not home, that's not real.
MC: What is home? I’m an American born in Rome. We never stayed in one place. But
I guess that’s dad’s fault.
Woman: Your father was a hero.
MC:
He killed people… Does that make him a hero?
Woman: I don’t know what you’re getting upset about. You joined the air force. You
always wanted to be a hero.
MC:
All Americans want to be heroes.
[The Woman walks around the module, inspecting it closely.]
Woman: Are you going to church this Sunday?
MC:
I don’t think so…
Woman: Why? You used to love going to the church.
MC:
I looked up and I saw stars.
Woman: So?
MC:
So… I stopped going.
Woman: I’m disappointed in you. And anyway, you need something to believe in.
MC:
Why?
Woman: Why indeed…
[She takes off a cross and puts it on his control board.]
Your little command module looks like the national cathedral. You remember, the one
you used to serve in. With that kid with the spots.
MC:
Henry.
Woman: Henry, right. And the priest used to smell like cinnamon. He’s still there, you
know. You should go to mass this Sunday. It’s nice and peaceful and you can clear your
head.
MC:
It’s peaceful here.
Woman: How are you friends doing?
MC: I don’t know. They’ve landed, I think. I lost radio contact when I disappeared
behind the Moon…
You know… If a count were taken for, I don’t know, whatever reason, the score would be
three billion plus two over on the other side of the Moon, and one plus God only knows
what on this side…
[Screen: Woman changes into American Soldier. He points a gun at a frightened Chinese
girl holding a rabbit.]
American Soldier: Hands up, maggot! English! Do you understand English? Show me
on this map where I am. My camp, do you understand? FIND. MY. CAMP. DO IT, NOW!
[She goes to put the rabbit down. He shoots her.]
SCENE III
I want you
1967, A table of army recruiters and few soldiers standing by the doors of the health
centre. Bruce walks in with Fred, who is looking fidgety. The morning light shines through
the windows. There is a poster of the American soldier “I want you.”
Bruce: Relax
Fred: I’m fine. I’m relaxed, what are you talking about?
Bruce: You’re shaking.
Fred: I had 4 cups of coffee. Look at these guys, I don’t stand a chance, I hope. Do you
know what would be great? Leaving. Let’s go.
Recruiter: Next.
[Fred hesitantly walks up to the table.]
Fred: Yeah.
Recruiter: Name.
Fred: Stevens, uh, Frederick Stevens. I’ve got a card, uh, letter, hang on.
[He gets the letter from his pocket and puts it on the table.]
Fred: If you’re busy I could always come back later.
[He laughs nervously. The recruiter looks at Fred, eyeing him up and down.]
Recruiter: Take a seat, please.
Fred: Do you know how long it will be?
Recruiter: Take a seat. Please.
[He sits down next to Bruce.]
Fred: Do you know what I just realised? It’s not like the movies. It’s not fun, it’s not, uh,
cool. I bet it’s hot in Vietnam. God, can you imagine? Hours and hours in the heat. And
the mosquitoes. I bet you do a lot of waiting. Trying to keep busy. I’ll sit around, do
nothing, help no one. No one’s a hero in these things. This is stupid, it’s pointless, it’s,
this is so, so… I’ve seen it! The screen. Isn’t that wrong? You can see, actually see war on
the screen. There was that one guy… Killer! That was his nickname. He looked proud,
looked so pleased with himself. “Killed a coupla gooks with claymores one night. Put a
few sixty rounds into ‘em. They was takin’ a bath.” Not really heroic, is it? Doesn’t
really... make a man, does it? I’ve got to get out of here.
[He stands up.]
Bruce: It’s going to be okay.
Fred: No, it’s not. They’re going send me over there. I can see it in their faces; they’ve
already made up their minds! I can’t do anything. I’m stuck, I’m choking, I can’t breathe!
[He looks at the door, trying to decide if he should run for it. The army men start to notice
him, one of them puts a hand on his gun. Bruce sees this.]
Bruce: Fred, kiss me.
[Fred looks at Bruce absent-mindedly, and then…]
Fred: What.
[Bruce grabs Fred and kisses him passionately. The army men looked stunned. The
recruiter writes something on a piece of paper. Fred realises what’s going on and goes
along with it. Most of the men in the room look uncomfortable, one guy in the line wolf
whistles, “Hey, lovebirds, get a room!”]
Army Guy: None of that! Hey, you there, break it up you two!
[They stop.]
Fred: Huh…
Recruiter: Stevens, Frederick.
Fred: Huh?
[He walks over to the table. The Recruiter hands him a sheet of paper.]
Recruiter: Exam room 4.
SCENE IV
The Eagle is staying
MC in Columbia. He is painting a picture of Venus on the walls of his module. The
Woman/American Soldier has disappeared.
Houston: Mike?
MC:
Mom?
Houston: This is Houston. We lost you for a while there. The Moon was interfering with
our radio contact.
MC:
How long has it been?
Houston: Uh, twenty, twenty two hours.
MC: Any news from the Eagle? That’s what you’re calling about, isn’t it? I’m ready
whenever they are.
[Houston is silent on the radio. MC puts the brush down and looks curiously at the radio.]
Houston: Have you had no contact with Tranquillity base?
MC:
I’ve been dark.
Houston: Roger that.
MC:
Roger that…
[The Radio goes out. He goes to the radio, turns a dial, and “don’t worry baby” by the
Beach Boys comes on. He continues to paint. The radio changes.]
Houston: Columbia, this is Houston. There’s been a development. The Eagle is staying.
MC:
Well, what about Columbia? What if we- What if I land and we could, we could
rewrite the program.
Maggie: Columbia, this is Margaret Hamilton, programmer of Apollo 11.
MC:
Roger, go ahead.
Maggie: I don’t expect you to understand the intrinsic nature of code writing, but the
code that helped them land took me 4 months to write. So unless you want to float
around space like some major Tom, I suggest you despatch straight from lunar orbit,
and set a course to Earth.
MC: I have extra fuel and supplies I can bring to them. I could steer close enough and
use the despatch thrusters to break the fall.
Maggie: You know that wouldn’t work. Columbia isn’t built to land, it’s built to orbit. We
can’t risk that. Over.
MC:
You’re blocking me here Houston, please give me some suggestions! This is not
the attitude that had us reaching for the stars.
Maggie: Columbia… Mike. We don’t like this any more than you do. But it’s come to this
and we need you to stay calm, focused, and alert. I know this is bad, we know this is bad.
Trust me when I tell you that we have done everything we can. But there is a time when
you have to admit to yourself that there just isn’t an answer. This is an equation that we
cannot solve. Not with the manpower we have, not with the money we have, and not
with the technology we have.
[MC sits in silence, the Radio still crackling. It dawns on MC that Buzz and Neil have to stay
on the Moon.]
MC:
What went wrong?
Maggie: The code. My code. They ignored it.
Houston: Mike, this is the green team. It looks like a combination of three things. Lack
of fuel, fault in the thrusters, and possibly, a faulty computer code.
MC:
How long?
Houston: They’re talking with their families as we speak.
MC:
How are they going to, uh, have they decided...
Houston: They’ve decided… not to drag it out.
MC:
When?
Houston: T minus… In their own time. They requested to speak with you.
MC:
Thank you, Houston.
[There is silence apart from the Radio still crackling. A moment.]
Houston: Mike… Then you’re coming home.
MC:
Roger.
[MC sits in silence, staring at the Radio waiting for the crackle to go out. It goes out. Lights
go out in Columbia. At NASA, Maggie sits down staring out into nothing. Martin, a man in
a business suit, walks in.]
Martin: Maggie.
[She looks at him, then back out. He sits down next to her.]
Martin: Maggie Maggie Maggie… This is, gosh, I don’t know what to say.
Maggie: Then don’t say anything.
Martin: You know how it is… I’m getting a lot of heat from the top. It’s not your fault.
Maggie: Why would you say that?
Martin: Because it isn’t your fault.
Maggie: Why would you say it… like you assume I would think it was my fault.
Martin: I know it’s hard not to get emotional, and being a woman, you can’t expect to
get everything right. I’m sorry, somebody has to go.
Maggie: You need to make an example of someone.
Martin: It’s not like that, Maggie. You made a mistake, and there are consequences.
Maggie: I didn’t (make a mistake.)
Martin: You’re still young. You still have your whole life ahead of you. Why don’t you
leave all this techno-mumbo-jumbo to the guys, huh?
Maggie: Excuse me?
Martin: Get settled down, start a family.
Maggie: (inaudibly) God, you’re such a cunt.
Martin: What was that?
Maggie: I said you’re such a cunt!
Martin: Whoa!
Maggie: No, you know what. You don’t get to be a cunt. That’s my word and I like it.
You’re a dick!
Martin: I see it, I get it. There’s some tension. A lot of feelings. Get them out. I know it’s
not directed toward me, personally. Listen, this doesn’t have to be a negative thing. I’m
sorry. What’s done is done. Just to remind you, Maggie. We have been more than
reasonable, your past mistakes is something we´ve allowed ourselves to, let’s say,
overlook… This time, however… we need to take action.
[She starts walking out the door, past all the men at NASA.]
Martin: Your badge, sweetie.
[She reluctantly takes off her work-badge and hands it to Fred, as she is leaving…]
Martin: Atta girl. All right, everybody, back to work, it’s time we[Fred punches Martin in the face. They fight. Maggie and Bruce intervene.]
Martin: Are you crazy?!
[Martin leaves the room with a bloody nose followed by a few NASA employees. Fred sits
down by his computer desk and starts laughing.]
Maggie: You didn’t have to do that.
Fred: Yeah, I did. You’re too proud.
Maggie: Don’t make this about me! I didn’t ask you to punch that guy.
Fred: Well, maybe you should have.
Maggie: Your shit life is no excuse for you to castrate my problems.
Fred: What the fuck does that mean?
Maggie: I don’t need your help! This was my fight.
Fred: Walking out, that’s your fight?
Bruce:What the fuck is wrong with you two?
Maggie: Forget it.
Fred: I’m sorry.
Bruce: What’s the next step?
Maggie: I don’t know.
Fred: What a mess…
[They look at the screen.]
Scene V
Last meal
[Neil and Buzz step out of the Eagle and bounce around the Moon. Buzz falls down, Neil
helps him up.]
Buzz: Magnificent desolation.
Neil: Could use some trees…
Buzz: Could use some trees? That’s something else…
Neil: What do you-Oh. Oh My God. Those were my firstBuzz: Yeah.
Neil: Shit!
Buzz: Well this is a great start.
Neil: I actually have something written down. It’s in the- It sounds stupid. After
everything… it sounds stupid. And stepping out here, I guess… I mean, it could use some
trees! I suppose it doesn’t matter now.
Buzz: Many men would give their lives to be in our shoes.
Neil: Huh…
Buzz: What?
Neil: That’s funny.
Buzz: Yeah?
Neil: I guess I never seriously considered the possibility that I might actually be doing
just that… Giving my life for this mission.
Buzz: No one chooses their place of death.
Neil: Some men do… Did you notice the smell? LikeBuzz: Gunpowder.
Neil: Perhaps we missed a great battle.
[Buzz takes out the American flag and they proceed to plant it in the ground.]
Buzz: When I have fears that I may cease to be
Before my pen has glean’d my teeming brain,
Before high-piled books, in charact’ry,
Hold like rich garners the full-ripen’d grain;
When I behold, upon the night’s starr’d face,
Huge cloudy symbols of a high romance,
And think that I may never live to trace,
Their shadows, with the magic hand of chance;
And when I feel, fair creature of an hour!
That I shall never look upon thee more,
Never have relish in the faery power
Of unreflecting love! – then on the shore
Of the wide world I stand alone, and think
Till love and fame to nothingness to sink.
Neil: Now, those are some great first words. Who is it?
Buzz: Keats.
[They take a look at the flag. It falls down.]
Neil: Well… that’s not too depressing.
Buzz: Should weNeil: No, leave it. It’s dusty, you can’t plant anything here. I’m hungry.
Buzz: What was the last thing you ate? On Earth, I mean.
Neil: Same as you, that, you know, toothpaste shit in quarantine.
Buzz: No, I mean, before isolation.
Neil: Gosh, let’s see…What did you have?
Buzz: Last thing I ate was a nice big juicy steak. Oh, no wait! There was one after that.
Lobster!
Neil: Jeez, you had a lobster?
Buzz: What did you have?
Neil: A pack of jelly beans.
[They laugh.]
Buzz: A meal fit for a king.
Neil: I don’t feel like a king right now.
Buzz: I kind of do…
Neil: Really…
Buzz: And for what it’s worth, I’m glad I’m here with you, commander.
Neil: Copy that.
Buzz: Copy that.
SCENE VII
A Gathering of Women part II
Two women sit in the darkness wearing religious garments. The green neon cross now has
a life-size Jesus wearing an astronaut helmet holding a radio in one hand and a miniature
sputnik in the other. Enter Maggie, lights on.
Maggie: Oh my God!
Sara: Don’t freak out! It’s not real!
Maggie: What is wrong with you!
Sara: I am a passionate woman!
Kary: It’s Space Jesus!
Sara: We’re starting a new religion.
Maggie: Where’s Jaz?
Sara: She’s an atheist.
Maggie: I don’t know why I haven’t taken that down. It’s radium! I feel like I’m talking to
myself! How long have you been exposed to that? This is wrong!
Kary: But oh so right.
Sara: Get on our level, Hamilton.
Maggie: I guess it doesn’t matter, it takes years to have any effect and it’s not like you
sleep next to it. Oh God, you sleep next to it! Okay, whatever, that’s not why I’m here. I
have a proposition for you. Sara, I need someone of your… passion. And Kary, someone
of your imaginationKary: Thank you.
[Space Jesus moans.]
Maggie: Oh my God!!
Sara: See, I knew she’d freak out.
Maggie: Are you okay?!
Kary: Yeah, he’s fine. It’s Kyle. We’ve been dating for a few weeks. He’s into this kind of
stuff.
[Maggie tries to get him down.]
Kary: Maggie, honestly, it’s fine! He’s just itchy! Look.
She scratches his leg. He moans in relief. Maggie stares at him in shock.
Maggie: Are you there voluntarily?
[He nods.]
Maggie: Okay. I guess, to each his own, right? Oh my God.
Kary: Hang on. Do you want to take a break, honey?
[He gives a “maybe” gesture. Sara and Kary lower him down. He puts on a coat and walks
out, still wearing the helmet.]
Maggie: You are unbelievable.
Sara: We’re still playing around with rituals, it’s in phase one. Trial and error.
Maggie: No, I think I get it.
Sara: I think you’d enjoy our discussion group. This is sort of our political statement on
the absurdity of the patriarchal form of western religions. That and Kary and Kyle
exploring their relationship. We like to mix it up.
Maggie: Few weeks?
Kary: He’s a beautiful soul.
Sara: So, what can we do for you?
Maggie: I never thought I’d say this but… I want to talk business, ladies.
Sara: I’m all ears.
Scene VII
Jealous/Last Goodbye
[The radio crackles back to life.]
Fred: Columbia?
MC:
Roger, Houston, this is Columbia.
Fred: It’s just Fred.
MC:
Are you here to convince me-
Fred: No, no it’s just Fred. The news guy.
MC:
The Bruce and Fred show.
Fred: Right, yeah.
MC:
Yeah.
Fred: How are you? That was stupid. Sorry.
MC:
No, it’s fine.
Fred: Are you… fine?
MC:
What can I do for you, Fred?
[Fred looks around to see if anyone’s listening before speaking.]
Fred: I’ve been scared too.
MC:
Okay.
Fred: Look, I’m not saying that I understand what you’re going through. But I’ve lost
friends too. I was about to be drafted when I got this job.
MC:
Okay.
Fred: I was scared of dying.
MC:
I’m not scared of dying.
Fred: You were trained not to emote. That’s crazy. It’s perfectly normal to feelMC: I feel. Trust me. I feel a lot of things right now. I haven’t lost my friends yet. The
Czar and his trusty side kick are still out there, bonding over their amazing quest for
humanity.
Fred: Are you jealous?
MC: What? No... Yes.... I’m not the hero, I won’t return a hero. I wish I could join them.
I don’t understand why I’m not down there, no, I mean, I know why. I should be the one
dying, not them. The world wouldn’t miss me. Anyway it doesn’t make sense, they’ve
done this a thousand times and they shouldn’t have crashed. I think they’re faking it. It
makes sense. He who controls the Moon controls the Earth. Neil purposefully burned up
the engine so he could be the king of the Moon. Glory to the dying king! I’M FINE. I’m
perfectly fine up here… You still there, Fred?
Fred: I’m here.
MC:
Maybe it’s space dementia.
Fred: I don´t think that’s a real thing. I want you to know, I understand.
MC:
Oh, you do? What are you, my therapist?
Fred: Yes. I knew seven guys who were drafted. Class of ’66. Three of them were in a so
called Company C of the 1st Battalion. You heard of them? They massacred over 370
people. Some say more than 500. 500 Men, Women, Children, infants… There are all
these stories about what they did before they pulled the trigger… Now as for the rest of
the guys, two were killed in their sleep. The army gave their moms all these medals and
flags. One was reported missing. He’s probably dead… The war doesn’t look so good. I
don’t want to think about the ones that return.
MC: This isn’t a war. I won’t be returning with a broken shield or a smashed sword. I
thought… In time, I’d be forgotten.
Fred: Have you spoken to them yet?
MC:
I think they’re talking with their families.
Fred: They’ll be in contact shortly.
MC:
Thank you, Houston.
Fred: It’s just Fred.
MC:
Thank you, Fred.
[Fred turns off his radio. MC waits in silence, until:]
Buzz: Eagle to Columbia.
MC:
This is Columbia.
Buzz: Hiyah Mike.
MC:
Hi.
BUZZ: How’s Columbia doing?
MC: All systems normal. O2 quantity 81. CO2 pressure rising. I guess that’s the stress.
How’s your reading?
Buzz: I cranked down the valve for O2. No use wasting it. [casually] Did you hear? Our
Eagle broke its wings.
MC:
I heard.
[A shared silence. A low ‘beep’ from control board in Columbia.]
MC:
I´ve got a beautiful view from here.
BUZZ: Yeah? I’m still waiting for another mission, another command. I’ve been staring
at this dead computer, haven’t been thinking about the view much.
MC:
The Earth is rising. How’s the Moon? How was EVA.
BUZZ: It was beautiful. Neil is still out there.
MC:
What?
Buzz: Yeah. He’s got his radio. One second. Come in, commander.
Neil: Hey.
MC:
How’s it looking out there?
Neil: Good.
MC:
Good?
Neil: I’m sorry, I can’t quite describe it.
MC: They should’ve sent a priest, a poet, and a philosopher to the Moon, ‘stead of
three test pilots.
NEIL: As crazy as it sounds, the Sea of Tranquillity is starting to look a lot like home.
BUZZ: Said the dying man to his slab.
NEIL: I’m being serious. Do you remember the dry lake?
BUZZ: Yeah, what about it?
NEIL: Look out of your window. Twenty-five miles of dry, hot sand. Wind, isolation,
sandstorms, Joshua Trees, rattlesnakes. An Earth Mother for pilots in distress. Every
single time I got caught in the sandstorms, I’d think. “this lake is going to be the death of
me!”. From all the rough landing that desert endured, must have been a couple of
hundred each month, come winter it seemed to heal itself, and before you knew it, that
ground was looking as sleek as any man-made landing strip. It was ready for us. Can you
see it? No matter how advanced the technology or sophisticated the flying machine, that
lake still called the tune, reasserting each winter the primordial dominance of nature
over puny impatient pilots. And here we are, back at that dry lake that’s still calling the
shots.
BUZZ: Home is now but a memory.
NEIL: At least we got a chance to see it one last time. Why don’t you come out here,
Buzz? Face the music. You’re inches away from death anyway.
BUZZ: Would you look at that.
[MC goes to the observation window in the floor. Earthshine lights up his face. ‘Beep’]
NEIL: What a beauty.
[Silence.]
MC:
with.
It’s been an honour serving with you both. I couldn’t ask for better men to fly
BUZZ: I’ll be cutting communications now, Mike. Goodbye.
[The Radio dies out.]
MC:
Home is now but a memory…
Houston: Houston to Columbia. Houston to Columbia. Do you read? Over. Columbia,
this is Houston. Set a course for Earth, Over. Mike, do you read.
[He goes to turn off the radio when:]
KSC: Kennedy space centre to Columbia.
[He waits, considering what to do, and then:]
MC:
Go ahead, Florida.
Pat:
Mike?
MC:
Pat? What-
Pat: When are you coming home? They’re saying that you… that you haven’t set a
course for home yet.
MC:
No. I haven’t
Pat: What’s stopping you? You’ve done this a million times, honey. God knows how
many space walks, simulators, landings... You know this! You’ve got this babe. Come on
home!
MC:
I’m sorry.
[Columbia shakes. NASA and KSC are not aware of this. Time seems to slow down apart
from MC and Pat. ]
Pat:
But… Our plans.
[She waits for him to answer, he doesn’t.]
We have plans. We… What about the summer house and, and the new car? What about
the plan where you come home and I can’t see you because you’re in isolation but then
you come out and I hug you and your kids come running, shouting, DADDY, DADDY’S
HOME. You can’t just walk away from that. Okay, so you don’t care about our plans, but
what about the other stuff? What about, what about our first kiss, our first date, our first
dance as husband and wife. Sunday drives in the car. Our honeymoon... Waking up to the
smell of coffee in the morning, the sun slipping through the curtains. An open balcony
letting in the music of the ocean.
So you might not care about that, but, but when that’s all gone and died down and quiet,
there´s, you know, our life together… And if you leave… What is there?
MC:
Pat, honey-
Pat:
Please don’t patronize me.
MC:
I have felt a heaviness growing in my heart.
Pat:
I don’t understand.
[Pause.]
MC: All kinds of strange and extraordinary things can happen when a star dies. The
most astonishing one of them all, I think, are the birth of black holes.
[Pat is lost for words, looking at the people working around her. She is alone in her world
with no one to fall back on. Lights dim around them as if nothing else exists in the world.
Not together, but two separate worlds.]
Theoretically, when approaching a black hole, there is a space called the Event Horizon,
the point of no return. A kind of doorstep, when stepped over, not even photons can
return. It separates the chaos from the relative safety of the endless gulf of space... Once
you step over this Horizon, you are faced with stillness in time, and left with the total
and utter annihilation of matter. Peace.
[MC looks out of his window. He speaks more to himself.]
Now the nearest stellar black hole is thousands of light years away and I would be long
gone before even reaching one. If I could, I would set a course, burn up my all my fuel,
get to the farthest reach of the solar system, far from the gravitational pull of Earth and
who knows, perhaps Jupiter could slingshot me into… I don’t know.
My friends now belong to the cold sea of eternal isolation.
And there’s the Moon…
[Pat clutches the radio like she’s holding on to her life. She shakes her head. He turns off
his radio and sets a course toward the unknown.]
SCENE VIII
Phoenix
Neil: Is that the oxygen?
Buzz: Mhmm. [Singing] By the time I get to Phoenix
She’ll be rising.
She’ll find the note I left hanging on her door
And she’ll laugh when she reads the part that says I’m leaving
Cause I’ve left that girl so many times before.
Neil: By the time I make
Buzz: Oklahoma
Neil: She’ll be sleeping
She’ll turn softly and call my name out low.
Buzz: And she’ll cry just to think I’d really leave her.
Though time and time I’ve tried to tell her so.
She just didn’t know I would really go…
Neil: Who’s that?
[They see rabbit ears outside the door. They put on their space suits and go outside. A
Chinese girl is standing outside with a rabbit. The rabbit hops away towards a cinnamon
tree, the girl follows. They look at each other and run after the girl and the rabbit.
Darkness. Nina and Maggie stand on opposite sides of the stage. The Rust red orb on the
screen.]
Maggie: Nina?
Nina: I’m glad you called.
Maggie: How close is Russia?
Nina: Ready for a manned mission in a few months.
Maggie: Did you take that file?
Nina: Does it matter?
Maggie: Yes, because as far as America is concerned, Russia is nowhere near sending a
man to the Moon. NASA was built on fear… of you. We haven’t been afraid recently… but
I’m starting to feel shivers. I need to know if I’m the fool that gave away government
secrets to the enemy.
Nina: Has heartbreak made us enemies?
Maggie: Lies and deceit made us enemies; heartbreak merely confirmed it for me.
Nina: I don’t want to frighten you. I want to give you dreams.
Maggie: I need to know. The night we met you took me home. It was like you dropped
out of the sky into my life. And after that drunken haze disappeared, you were still as
lovely. I fell in love with you and I haven’t fallen out. Can you give me some confirmation
that any of that was real?
Nina: Are you interested in joining my organization?
Maggie: Join the Russians? I don’t think so.
Nina: This is not one nation against another. What I have is a group of likeminded
people. Women and men working together. Blue and white, like the Earth. Not Capitalist
or Communist. Blue and white. One and one. I am not interested in sending a man to the
Moon.
Maggie: What then? You want women to step on the Moon?
Nina: Not the Moon. I am not looking at the Moon. What do you say?
[Pause. Maggie hangs up. She dials the phone.]
Sara: Hello?
Maggie: You still in?
Sara: Did you talk to her?
Maggie: Yes
Sara: And?
Maggie: It sounds good.
Sara: Good? Just Good?
Maggie: It sounds like it will work.
Sara: Are you ever excited? It’s like talking to a cheese.
Maggie: Sara. Are you in?
Sara: Yes. I’m in.
Maggie: Thank you.
Sara: Can I ask? What happened with you and that Russian girl?
Maggie: No. You can’t.
Sara: Oh... That´s a final answer.
Maggie: It was a stupid, stupid… thing.
Sara: Will you be able to work with her?
Maggie: Of course, it’s strictly professional.
Sara: So what happens now?
Maggie: I don’t know… But I hope something great.
[She hangs up the phone]
SCENE IX
Morgue, part II
Jack is examining a brain in a bowl. Pat walks in and stares at him. After a while.
Pat:
Is this where they keep the bodies?
Jack: It most certainly is.
Pat:
I’m looking for someone.
Jack: Aren’t we all? Hah. I’m sorry, that was inappropriate. So you’re looking for
someone… in a morgue.
Pat:
Yes. Male, 38 years old, Caucasian, dark hair, brown eyes-
Jack: What is the name of the deceased?
Pat:
Slightly receding hairline, a beautiful smile. Preferably no facial hair-
Jack: Preferably…
Pat:
Do you have someone that fits that description?
[He checks his chart.]
Jack: We have a Mr. Cusick.
Pat:
Okay.
Jack: Is that the one you’re looking for?
Pat:
Yes.
Jack: Okay. Just a moment.
[He leaves the room and comes back, rolling in a corpse of Mr. Cusick, the American
Soldier, covered in a white blanket.]
Jack: He just landed this morning.
Pat:
What?
Jack: It was requested that his body would be sent back here from Vietnam, by order
of, uh…
[He looks at his chart.]
Jack: By the request of, I’m assuming you are Mrs. Cusick?
Pat:
Mhm.
Jack: His wife... Cause of deathPat:
I don’t care.
Jack: I’m sorry, I just assumed, seeing as you’re here, that you wanted to know what
the cause-
Pat:
Can you give us a moment, please. Alone.
[Jack looks at her solemnly. Then with a sudden burst of energy.]
Jack: Yes, of course. Take all the time you need. I’ll be outside.
[He leaves the room. Pat uncovers the body and takes a long look at him. ]
Pat:
That will have to do.
[She runs to the door and checks to see if the coast is clear and quietly locks the door. She
removes an astronaut helmet from her bag and puts it on the corpse. She kisses his hands,
lies down on the slab and wraps the corpse’s arms around her.]
Pat: Oh God, here we go. It must be cold up there. You may be admired by the world
right now, honey… but I am left with pity. Mike Jr. is so scared and so confused. He keeps
asking his sisters what’s happening with history. He wants to know why they haven’t
mentioned you. He asks me when you’re coming back. I can’t give him any answers. He´s
so curious and he’s so persistent. You left me to face this alone. I can never forgive you.
They’ve already built you shrines on the streets of Houston. When they build a temple in
your name I still won’t forgive you. When Kate or Ann gets married and they walk down
that aisle alone, I’ll be sitting next to an empty chair, burning a hole into the alter
because I’m ignoring it. When the world stops turning and everything goes quiet I will
scream your name in resentment, I will curse the day you dared to leave me alone on
this Earth with nothing to face but my own reflection. I have no body to bury! I want my
husband and my children and my home in one place. My memories are our memories. I
can’t just rely on them to remake you. I need you here. I need you more than I want
you… Someone is pouring cement over me. What am I supposed to do now?
[She cries. She sits up.]
Thank you. I have a problem. I think you fell in love with your own sadness.
[Someone tries to open the door. From outside you can hear someone asking for keys. She
jumps off the slab and tries to hide in one of the cold chambers. She runs back and removes
the helmet. The real wife of Mr. Cusick, Jaz, walks in with Jack.]
Jack: I’m sorry, I think there’s been a mix up.
Pat:
I was just leaving. I’m sorry for your loss.
[She looks at his chart.]
Pat:
He did his country a great service. Excuse me.
Jaz:
I’m sorry, do I know you?
Pat:
No, I don’t think so.
Jaz:
You were on TV, weren’t you?
Pat:
Yes, I was.
Jaz:
Your husband, he’s on the Moon.
Pat:
No, he’s not.
Jaz: That’s right. He’s the one in orbit. It’s a horrible thing, isn’t it? The crash. He must
be so scared. Did you know my husband?
Pat:
No. I’m sorry. You must think I’m a horrible monster.
Jaz:
Mine’s gone. Yours isn’t. You must be anxious to have him back.
Pat:
I don’t think he’s coming back.
Jaz:
Oh. [Turning to Jack]Can you get us some coffee, please?
Jack: Uh, yes, sure.
[Jack leaves the room.]
Pat: I don’t know what’s going through his head. But I think you’re right about him
being scared. He’s alone and afraid. And fear makes a coward of us all.
[Jaz walks over to her and hugs her.]
Jaz:
Oh you poor thing. It’s a terrible ordeal you’re going through. No lie about that,
honey.
Pat: I don’t know how to go on. He’s leaving me in every sense of the word. No person
has ever left anyone as much as he’s leaving me.
Jaz: Everything is all right. Everything is fine. You will go on and your children will go
on. The world will keep on turning and you will turn with it and you will go on. Let’s dry
those tears, look at me. You might not be fine right now, but you will be.
Pat: I don’t think I will. He’s disappeared into the abyss and left me in the dark. I don’t
know what will happen.
Jaz: That’s okay. You can’t know everything. The world will still suck, with or without
him. I’m here for you, sister.
Pat:
You’re very kind to me. I’m sorry about your husband.
Jaz:
I know. Thank you.
[Jack comes in with three cups of coffee.]
Jack: Get it while it’s hot.
Jaz:
Thank you.
[Jack and Pat drink their coffee, Jaz walks over to her deceased husband.]
Jaz: I hate this country. I hate what they did to us. You’re so thin and you look so old.
Oh my baby, what did they do to you? You’re not there. I see your flesh, not your spirit.
Where has it gone? Did you leave it in the jungle? Come back to me, baby, come back. At
least I’ve got some part of you.
[Pause.]
Jaz:
I’ll be going now.
Jack: Let me show you out.
Jaz: No, that’s fine. Really. I know my way out. Thank you. [To Pat] It was nice
meeting you.
Pat:
And you.
[She is about to leave, she stops and turns around. To Pat]
Jaz:
What do you do for a living?
Pat: Do? As in, oh, I’m not working at the moment, Mike was the uh… you know, with
the bread. I cook and I clean…
Jaz:
Oh… Do you enjoy that?
Pat:
Mhm…
Jaz: Wow, uhm, it’s just... I’m in this group, we meet up every now and then, I thought,
if you ever want to talk to someone… I’ve got a card.
[She hands her a card.]
Pat: Oh, thank you. That’s very nice of you. I’m not miserable, well, I am right now. I’m
not, I’m not one of those hysterical housewives, is what I’m saying. I’ve just had a really
bad week. But thank you!
Jaz:
Okay, it’s there though, if you ever.
Pat:
Talk, yeah.
Jaz:
We could have a little mourning party.
[Jaz leaves.]
Pat:
It must be hard working in a Morgue.
Jack: Why do you say that?
Pat:
Dealing with death every day.
Jack: Well, business is good. I’m sorry. That was inconsiderate.
Pat:
It’s okay.
Jack: I keep saying these things. I don’t mean to offend. I don’t see many live people so
I sometimes forget to filterPat:
No, I can imagine-
Jack: Truth is, I like my job. It’s nice and quiet. There’s nothing as comforting as the
still silence of fact. And the fact is, well.
[He gives an indication to Mr. Cusick.]
Pat:
It scares me.
Jack: Right, well, uh, yes I suppose it is scary. But isn’t it nice? Isn’t it nice to know that
some things are and always will be, just that. It’s a certainty and it’s universal. I don’t
think that’s a bad thing. It’s really the only thing that we can all account for.
[Jack covers Mr. Cusick with the blanket and rolls the slab out. Pat takes out the astronaut
helmet, looks at it, smiles, and puts it on. ]
SCENE X
Fog
1967, Houston command centre. Bruce, Fred, Maggie, and Nina are drinking. They all have
dollar bills. The drinking game is about guessing the amount of certain serial numbers on
a dollar bill.
Nina: Okay, okay, here we go. I, uh, I say three three’s.
Bruce: Okay, I see how you got there. But the question is… I forgot the question.
Fred: My turn? My turn. I say you have one.
Bruce: One? How many one’s?
Fred: Naw, just one.
Nina: One one.
Bruce: One one, okay. Your turn.
Maggie: Wait, my turn? Really? What a gentleman. My turn, ladies. I say two five’s.
Bruce: Oh come on, no one is taking a chance here. Go bigger.
Maggie: Go bigger? You want me to go bigger? Okay seven five’s!
Nina: So here we go, here we go. Who’s got it? Who is drinking? Who is the loser?
Fred: Everyone’s a loser!
Maggie: You’re a loser!
Bruce: Okay, okay, okay. Here we go. There!
[He shows them his dollar bill.]
Bruce: So Maggie, that’s fourteen sips for you.
Maggie: What! How did you get there?
Bruce: Because there are no five’s so it’s double the, uh, the, uh, drink!
Fred: What about me? Me! Me!
Bruce: Okay, Fred. You were, uh, what was your number again?
Fred: One.
Bruce: How many?
Fred: One.
Bruce: Yeah, but how many.
Fred: One!
Bruce: Oh, yeah one one. Yeah. One. So you are, oh, you’re spot on! No drinks for you!
[Fred takes a sip]
Bruce: No, I said, you silly goose, no sip!
Fred: I wanted to take a sip.
Bruce: No! Oh, okay. So, one left. You are…
Nina: Three.
Bruce: How many of the three’s?
Nina: Three.
Bruce: You’re crazy.
Nina: How many?
Bruce: Five.
[They finish their drinks.]
Maggie: So, which one of you is taking me home? Nina?
Nina: Of course! It would be my pleasure!
Maggie: I'll get you, my pretty, and your little dog, too!
Fred: Oh, you wicked witch!
[Maggie and Nina leave together. Bruce and Fred down their drinks and open the doors of
the command centre. Outside there is fog and in the distance the veiled Moon shines down.
They can hear the crickets chirping.]
Bruce: I’m so happy you’re alive.
Fred: What? No, oh, no, man, it’s good. It’s good.
Bruce: No, but yeah, it’s like... You know?
Fred: Yeah!
Bruce: So, there you go.
Fred: It’s good to be alive.
Bruce: I’m going to do a cartwheel.
Fred: What! You can’t do a cartwheel!
Bruce: I can so do a cartwheel. Just watch, just watch me.
Fred: You’re crazy, I love this.
[Bruce does a cartwheel]
Fred: I love this. I love you, man.
[He sits down next to Bruce, they laugh.]
Fred: You saved my life.
Bruce: Don’t mention it, pal. It’s completely, uh, it’s foggy.
[Fred notices the fog.]
Fred: Yeah.
[They stand up with difficulty. They look out into the fog. Fred breaks down crying.]
Bruce: Hey, chin up, buddy.
Fred: Do you think I’m a coward?
Bruce: No!
Fred: Wasted. Completely wasted.
Bruce: Don’t say that. Look at me, man. You are worth, uh, you know, life is worth you.
Fred: It is foggy.
Bruce: Mhm.
Fred: What if there’s nothing beyond the fog?
Bruce: What do you mean? We know what’s beyond the fog. It’s just dark right now.
And foggy. But you know, in the day, it’s… there’s the, uh, road, and the bus stop, and the
place where we get things.
Fred: That’s during the day. What if there’s only night? What if we don’t go to sleep so
we don’t wake up and it never changes. And it's foggy and it's damp and it's dark. And
we don’t know what’s in the fog or beyond the fog.
Bruce: Well... I don’t know.
Fred: Would you step into the fog?
Bruce: Yeah, let’s go.
Fred: I knew what was in the fog; I’d seen it on the screen. And I chose not to go. I’m a
coward. And there it is again, taunting me. “Come on, maggot.”
Bruce: Then let´s go together. Let’s step into the fog.
[Fred looks at Bruce and smiles.]
Fred: That sounds like a great idea… Once I’ve sobered up.
Bruce: Yeah sure, however, life is just one drunk trip, isn’t it? Once you sober up, all the
great ideas will be stupid ideas. So… Let’s go.
[He extends his hand towards Fred.]
Fred: You got it, pal.
[He takes his hand and they step out into the fog.]
SCENE XI
Good night
Neil and Buzz in their suits on the Moon.
Neil: Houston, this is Tranquillity base.
Houston: Go ahead, Tranquility.
Neil: Your friendly astronaut going off for the night
Buzz: And going off for the last time.
[Buzz and Neil look out into the Moon’s horizon, seeing Earth in the distance as a small
half-lit marble. At Houston command centre, Maggie sits alone next to the radio with a box
of her stuff. She holds a glowing red Mars globe. Nina walks in and sits down next to
Maggie.]
MC:
I wish to bid you a good night and Godspeed.
[As Columbia speeds off into the unknown, Buzz and Neil reach for each others’ ‘oxygen
purge system umbilical” chords on their suits and turn it, venting out their oxygen. Their
death is not seen, only the gesture and warning signs at NASA. “Commander Armstrong:
Oxygen at critical.” “Colonel Aldrin: Oxygen at critical.” “Lt. Colonel Collins: Oxygen at
critical.” Maggie holds Nina’s hand.]
Houston: Stand by for the president.
[The president delivers the rest of the speech.]
Nixon: They will be mourned by their families and friends; they will be mourned by
their nation; they will be mourned by the people of the world; they will be mourned by a
Mother Earth that dared send her sons into the unknown.
In their exploration, they stirred the people of the world to feel as one; in their sacrifice,
they bind more tightly the brotherhood of man.
In ancient days, men looked at stars and saw their heroes in the constellations. In
modern times, we do much the same, but our heroes are epic men of flesh and blood.
Others will follow, and surely find their way home. Man’s search will not be denied. But
these men were the first, and they will remain the foremost in our hearts.
For every human being who looks up at the Moon in the nights to come will know that
there is some corner of another world that is forever mankind.
[The screen shows the perspective of the Apollo 11 journey going toward the Moon. The
Moon gets bigger and bigger until it covers the whole of the screen. Darkness. The screen
shows a fading grainy image of a baseball game.
Fading out. Almost inaudible:]
Bruce: “The Astros win this season!
Fred: And the crowd goes wild!”
Kennedy: “We choose to go to-.”
[‘Beep’. Darkness.]