THX 1138 Screenplay by George Lucas and Walter Murch Shooting Draft BLACK: Barely audible, an organ plays a haunting theme. The title credits appear. They are simple green lettering on a black background. 1. BLACK T.V. MONITOR Point of view from inside a small medicine cabinet. The door is opened creating a low hum, and throwing light on THX 1138, a man about thirty-five years old. He has a closely shaved head: which makes him appear bald. The image is distorted as seen over a TV monitor. MALE VOICE What's wrong? THX takes a bottle of blue pills out of the cabinet and talks directly into the camera. THX Nothing.....nothing really. I just feel kind of lousy. I need something stronger. MALE VOICE If you have a problem, don't hesitate to ask for assistance. CALL 348-853 THX Yes.....Thank you, I'll be all right. I'm all right. He takes two of the pills and returns the bottle the cabinet. FEMALE VOICE For more rapid results use your new D code on your Mercicontrol card. Thank you. THX closes the cabinet. BLACK T.V. MONITOR The door to the cabinet begins to open - hesitates - then closes. MALE VOICE What's wrong? The door opens revealing LUH 3417, a 20 year old woman, also with a closely shaved head. She is nervous and struggle to maintain her composure. MALE VOICE What's wrong? LUH takes the bottle of pills THX has just consumed and becomes frightened. LUH ....never mind. I'll replace these later. She slams the door closed. BLACK HOLOGRAM ROOM CLOSE ANGLE A bald man dressed in white, huddles in a bare, dimly lit room, Two large leather clad policemen beat the man with long chrome nightsticks, making a dull thudding sound. BATHROOM LUH also dressed in white stands in the corner of a very small bathroom. It is very modern, with many fixtures not in an ordinary bathroom; outstanding of these is a small medicine cabinet with a small sign on the face which reads: SEDATION SP9, USE WHEN NECESSARY. CLOSE ANGLE She stands facing the wall. She is crying. The thudding sound of the policemen can be heard in the background. MED ANGLE LUH stops crying, drys her eyes and looks into the mirror. She regains her composure and pores the pills down the toilet. The camera TRACKS with her as she walks into the mainroom. She passes by the Hologram room where the thudding sounds of the policemen are originating. MAINROOM LUH enters the small, white, plastic looking room. One wall is filled with small compartments. She opens one of the cabinets and pushes a series of buttons; which light up. CLOSE ANGLE LUH sits for a moment having now regained control of herself. She takes a cellophane packet of pills out of one of the compartments and carefully removes the pills and replaces them with pills from her pocket. She puts the packet back into the compartment. She becomes aware of the sounds of the policemen in the Hologram room. HOLOGRAM ROOM FULL ANGLE The room contains two over-stuffed reclining chairs, with control panels on the arms. THX is sitting in one of the chairs watching the policemen beat the huddled man. LUH enters and stands by the doorway, slightly repulsed by the beating. THX is aware of her presence, but neither speak. CLOSE ANGLE Upon closer inspection, we see the policemen have smooth chrome faces and are actually robots. MED ANGLE THX reaches for the volume knob and twists it up one notch. Another robot appears beating the man. LUH walks over and sits in the vacant chair. She fidgets nervously. LUH You ought to eat. THX looks over to her, but does not respond. LUH reaches for the volume knob, and turns it down, one of the policemen disappears. LUH I started your dinner for you. It's probably ready by now. THX I'm not hungry. LUH Well it's fixed, so you'll have to eat it. LUH becomes angry. LUH No, your going to eat it, or it will go to waste. THX What's the matter with you? LUH turns back to watching the policemen. THX sits quietly, and after a few moments, he gets up and leaves the room. LUH immediately flips the switch on the arm of the chair. An intense flash of light fills the room and gives way to a naked negro female mannequin, with no genitals, dancing exotically to driving, sensual afro-electronic music. She flips the switch again, and the flash fades into a newscaster comfortably seated in a chair directly across from her. He is dressed in white, and his head is closely shaven; as are all of the people in this society. NEWSCASTER ....in the constant striving for perfection in the AIA.PB848's which have been built this year. Five felons have been caught fleeing rehabilitation center dd2. All five have been undergoing treatment for drug offenses, two of the felons were products of the sex act, the other three.... LUH What? NEWSCASTER Two of the felons are products of the sex act, the other three are from reproduction clinic nineteen. The quintet escaped from compound 545 and were all subsequently destroyed. Reports indicate.... THX returns to his chair carrying his dinner on a tray. The food looks like multi-colored foam rubber. THX What's this? Why did you change it? LUH You've seen enough. THX You know I don't feel well. LUH Eat your dinner. LUH flips the switch revealing a drama involving two male negro mannequins standing next to a low, sleek car with a massive, complicated jet engine on the back. MANNEQUIN ONE ....and then my request for new arms and legs finally came through. MANNEQUIN TWO Well that's great then. MANNEQUIN ONE No. It's terrible. I ordered two arms and a new leg, and they sent me two legs and a new arm. Raucous canned laughter is inserted as the two mannequin get into the autojet. CLOSE ANGLE THX is expressionless. THX That was very funny. LUH What? OBSERVATION CELL We view THX in an OPERATING ROOM via a TV monitor. He is working at an electronic control panel in a small glass boot. He manipulates two mechanical hands working on the disassembled body of a chrome policemen. The CAMERA PULLS BACK, to reveal several monitors which scan other operating rooms. In another row are sedation cabinets, mostly black, because the boxes are closed. FULL ANGLE We now see many rows of TV monitors, surrounded by gages, dials, and switches. Two workers are sitting at the control board facing the monitors. We recognize LUH as one of the workers. A man, SEN 5241, is the other operator. MED ANGLE This is an observation cell, where all phases of life are under continual surveillance. LUH operates the controls at her panel and types what she observes into a computer. On one of the monitors is a man in a bathroom alcove similar to the one we saw in THX's home. VOICE What's wrong? The man is hysterical and screams at the monitor. MAN Help me.....HELP me..... VOICE What's wrong? The man takes the pills out of the cabinet and begins to eat them a hand full at a time. CLOSE ANGLE LUH is tense and pre-occupied. She reacts by pushing a button which programs a new recording. VOICE Take four red capsules, in ten minutes take two more. Help is on the... LUH reports the incident into the computer. The image on the monitor observing one of the operating rooms is shaken, and turns white as though there has been an explosion. THX continues his work and is oblivious to what has happened. MED ANGLE LUH has slipped into a daydream. SEN notices the accident and studies LUH for a few moments. Suddenly a voice cackles over the intercom. INTERCOM VOICE Concourse 5.....Cross 3.....Monitor concourse 5.....3417 are you there? Relate....relate..... LUH awakens from her trance, and fumbles, to discover what has happened. She presses buttons that spread the accident among five monitors. CLOSE ANGLE LUH reaches for a container of yellow pills, she thinks for a moment, then returns the pills to the container. On the monitors there is much confusion in the destroyed passageway. People move along the corridor to get a better look at the accident. LUH pushes a button and a tape activates. TAPE VOICE Do not enter this area without consuming j23. This is a traumatic area. Do not enter this area without.... Policemen are seen carrying parts of bodies out of a destroyed operating room. INTERCOM VOICE Radiation suppress. Seal chamber 5G, seal chamber 5G. Exterminate occupant. On the monitors, LUH watches a man bang on the door to his work cell. Slowly he fades, collapses, and dies. As she watches the disaster scene, tears come to her eyes. She dries them quickly and glances at SEN to see if he has noticed her. He is busy typing a report. A voice brings her back to the monitors. MALE VOICE What's wrong? A man from an industrial section is on one of the TV monitors, screaming hysterically. There are flames and smoke in the background. MAN Fire in sub-station 35k, command 13, we've got 73 men down here... LUH quickly punches a button on the tape respond panel. VOICE You are a true believer, blessings of State, blessings of the masses Thou art a subject of.... LUH is taken by surprise, and fumbles for the retract button. There is a moment before the correct tape is heard, SEN looks up at LUH, who is unaware she is being watched. VOICE Stay calm, correct procedure is essential. Do not fail to remove auxiliary command circuit before evacuation. Vacuum detail and suppression units for your area have been notified and are on their Way. LUH finishes typing her report and becomes aware that SEN is watching her. She looks up at him, and he quickly goes back to work. PRAYER BOOTH THX sits in a small cube which features a desk facing a large photograph of the prophet OMM. The image is similar to a renaissance painting of Jesus. VOICE My time is yours, go ahead. THX mumbles a short prayer; which is cut short by the recorded voice. VOICE Very good, proceed. THX is uneasy, and fumbles for the right words. THX Well.... I slipped on a T5 transfer this morning. It's never happened before. I wasn't concentrating enough. Things haven't been..... VOICE Yes. THX ....going well. How could I be so wrong. (pause) SCO 1202 cross wired a 904. He's been receiving extra credit. He offered me some. But you must already know about that....Why do I bother you with such..... VOICE Yes THX I did not accept any. (Pause) I... I wanted... to. But I didn't. You know I didn't. Don't you? There is a pause as THX waits for an answer. VOICE Yes. THX My mate has been acting very strange. I can't explain it.....but. I haven't been feeling very well myself. I don't know, maybe it's me. I needed an SP9 last night. I feel as if something odd were happening to me. Something.... VOICE Yes. THX I can't understand. The sedatives.... THX pauses, and trys to think of what he wants to say. THX ....I'm taking SP5, but it doesn't seem strong enough. I have a hard time concentrating. Please forgive me, I slipped on.... VOICE You are a true believer. Blessings of the state, blessings of the masses. Thou art a subject of the divine. Created in the image of man, by the masses, for the masses. Let us be thankful we have an occupation to fill. Work hard; increase production; prevent accidents, and be happy. THX slumps, exhausted by the effort of communicating with OMM. SCHEDULING OFFICE THX is in a large hall, crossing over to a bank of small boxes along the wall. He attempts to open one of the boxes with a plastic badge from his lapel, and struggles for a moment before finally getting it open. He pushes some buttons inside the box, then closes it. He is very tired; almost unable to cope with the trivia of daily life. MED ANGLE THX turns around to leave and is confronted by LUH, who has been standing directly behind him. She is holding a punch card. THX What do you want?...... LUH stares at him without answering. THX (Glancing at the card) What did you get? LUH I have to see SEN. I've just been given a shift change. THX When? LUH Now. THX Now? LUH He wants me to come to his quarters. THX (Glancing at the boxes and pointing) A shift change should come through the scheduling office. Why should he want to see you? LUH I don't know. THX Don't go. LUH I have to... he's a G-34 THX You don't have to... I don't trust him. You ought to file a report. LUH No, don't make trouble. It's nothing. THX is becoming confused and exasperated. THX Then why did you bring it up? LUH I didn't. You asked me about the card. (Pause) You're going to get us into trouble. LUH starts to move off. THX I haven't done anything. LUH Don't be so sure. LUH quickly disappears into the crowd. THX rests against the wall; the noise and the crowding people are almost too much for him. A chrome robot and a man, both dressed in bright yellow, pass by engaged in conversation. A moment later, a man drops his computer card and is trampled trying to retrieve it. THX is seen on a TV monitor. He is unable to withstand the crowd and moves off screen down the passageway. REST PLAZA THX moves to a large door with a sign reading REST PLAZA. He opens the door and enters a small room lined with benches and filled with old people sitting and staring at one another. As THX enters, they all turn and stare at him. CLOSE ANGLE THX searches for a vacant bench and begins to feel very uncomfortable. Finally, he turns and leaves. 11. HOLOGRAM ROOM, THX'S QUARTERS The faint sound of a heartbeat grows louder as a pulsating, round, red blurr slowly appears in the center of the room. THX is sitting alone in the overstuffed chair. The red ball descends from the ceiling and surrounds THX's abdomen as he takes two capsules out of a compartment in the arm of the chair and swallows them. THX flips a switch on the arm of the chair; an intense flash of light fills the room and gives way to a naked negro female mannequin making erotic movements to the beat of a driving afro-electronic song. THX undergoes the physical movements of a sexual experience. After he reaches his climax, he relaxes, breathing deeply, resting for a moment as the mannequin continues to gyrate and the red ball fades away. THX flips the switch several times. A series of images flashes through the room: a chrome policeman beating a man to death; a newscaster; a matronly woman discussing drugs; a male mannequin; and finally two men sitting behind a long table. Only one man speaks, the other listens attentively, occasionally looking from THX to the speaker. MAN ....to stimulate the arithmetical and logical processes as an extention of the 5141. Never before have we been so contented, never before has life been so satisfying... there is a jump in the man's movement - a reminder that he is only a hologram. ...so satisfying. A referendum of bliss, a fabrication of gratification sustained by the benevolence of authority... THX What? The man disappears for a moment, then pops back. MAN a referendum of bliss, a fabrication of gratification sustained by the benevolence of authority... THX That's not what I meant. MAN ...the inadequacies of the human personality are rapidly being overcome by the social processes of advancing technology. Component lowness, a sophisticated stimulation is the answer. The humanity of authority is proudly contemporary. Control through companionship, combined with economic advantages of the mating structure far surpasses any disadvantages in increased perversions. A final... THX hears something in the other part of the house. He jumps up, standing in the middle of the silent man. THX LUH? MAN ...an infinite translate in mathematics of tolerance and charity among artificial memory devices is ultimately binary. Stimulating... THX flips off the hologram and the two men fade away, leaving the room dark and empty. THX LUH? is that you? THX walks into the main room, then into the bedroom THX LUH? He stands alone, disappointed and puzzled. He ponders the events of the day, makes a decision, and leaves. SEN'S QUARTERS A group of men are loading multi-colored boxes containing personal effects onto a cart. THX stops at the doorway, hesitant to go inside. The room is in a state of confusion as the effects are checked against a master list by an extremely mannish woman. THX finally moves past them and into the residence, looking for SEN. WOMAN sealed personal effects: 3 styrenes; an occupational syntax; a red magna base - old style; a box of neons; a variation; 23 hunter portapods. SEN is in his section of the bedroom, noticeably annoyed at the intrusion. THX enters and stands just inside the entry, staring at SEN. SEN becomes aware of THX and begins to stare back. THX becomes more and more uncomfortable. SEN Well? THX says nothing. SEN suddenly recognizes him and stands up. SEN It's you, come in, come in...you know, this is really odd. I was just thinking about you. What in the world are you doing here? THX does not answer. SEN studies him for a moment. SEN (pointing to the other room) For the moment, I thought you were one of the others. You look much... different - in person. SEN sits down. THX remains standing, staring expressionless at SEN. There is another pause. SEN Sit down, why don't you?....(THX does not sit) Anyway... I must apologize for all this chaos. They materialized this morning and it's been going on all day. Well, it's cross I have to bear - the roommate was destroyed, you know. SEN looks at THX, but sees no reaction. SEN No...I guess you wouldn't. Terrible inconvenience. I could never understand why it all must be created and filed if it's going to be destroyed anyway. When I pass on, I certainly don't want anyone going through my things.... It's a strange life. (Pause) I really cannot understand why you don't sit down. SEN goes into the bathroom alcove and takes a pill. THX sits on the edge of the bed. SEN (off-screen) You never answered my question. SEN returns to the bed and sits down on the other end from THX. SEN Well, at least you're sitting down... You must excuse my going on like that.... with ONA gone I feel as if I have no one to talk to. You're perspiring, aren't you? My goodness, it's not very hot in here. Are you sick? SEN backs off a bit. SEN I'm sure it's warmer in her than outside, though. I haven't been out yet, but it usually is...the control is fouled... (Pause) THX Where is LUH? SEN What? The woman taking the inventory interrupts their conversation. WOMAN Count concluded. SEN hands her the plastic badge on his lapel. She slips it into a small box and returns it, with a slip of paper. WOMAN You must keep this. SEN (taking the slip) Yes, of course. The woman leaves. SEN They really smell. It's disgusting. Did you notice it? THX glares silently at SEN. THX Why did you have LUH come here? SEN Why are you so concerned? THX What's going on? SEN I want you for my roommate. THX Where's LUH? SEN It will be good for both of us. I've got it all arranged. THX is having difficulty dealing with this turn of events. THX I don't understand. Living....selection is computed. You can't... What have you done to LUH? She was here.. SEN We had a long talk and she agreed that it would be a good idea for you to switch. She felt that you had not been accurately mated to her in the first place... You're upsetting yourself. Would you like something? THX You're in violation. SEN Don't say that. You look... You're not well. THX is confused and preoccupied. SEN I know what you're thinking... Program shifting isn't that major a crime is it? (pause) LUH is a problem for you. I've watched her during work. She's been acting very strange. THX stands up and starts for the door. SEN I won't have another mate like ONA. You rate very high in sanitation. I've checked. In fact, I am surprised that you were ever matched with LUH. Her ratings are very erratic - you know what I mean. We'll be happy. THX I don't feel well. THX leaves. PRAYER BOOTH THX is in a city plaza prayer booth. The face of Jesus stares down at him. THX ....with me? What am I to her or she to me? Nothing. She's an ordinary roommate. I..I share... VOICE Yes... THX ...rooms with her. Our relationship is normal, conforming. We share nothing but space. What is she doing to... VOICE Yes... THX ...to me. I think I'm dying. THX is experiencing extreme stomach cramps. VOICE You are a true believer. Blessings of the state. Blessings of the masses. Thou art a subject of the divine. Created in the image of man, by man, for man. Let us be thankful we have commerce. Buy more. Buy more now. Buy more and be happy. THX throws up on the floor of the booth and seems to feel better for it. The Mercicontrol card appears, and the concluding voice is heard as THX feebly gets up and leaves the booth, allowing another man to enter. COMMERCIAL PLAZA THX is in a store. He buys a bright colored three- dimensional hexagon, pays for it with his legal badge placed in a machine. In the next stall man is banging on the credit card machine. THX pays no attention. MAN Idiot machine! Someone ought to fix this machine! A chrome policemen comes and takes the man away. THX is suddenly hit by another wave of nausea, and leaves the plaza quickly. THX'S QUARTERS THX enters, holding the hexagon in one hand. The rooms are dark THX LUH? He turns on the lights and pauses, waiting for an answer, then continues in and places the box on the kitchen table. THX enters the bathroom and closes himself inside a rectangular glass box. Air rushes in through a series of nozzles, and he is dry-cleaned, clothing and all. MED ANGLE THX enters the kitchen, notices the hexagon, and places it inside the product consumer - small, oven-like appliance that destroys it instantly. He moves slowly, trying to keep from becoming sicker. He opens one of the kitchen cabinets, presses some buttons inside, and sits down at the table. He is shivering uncontrollably and breathing hard. THX (to himself) I need help. He stumbles out of his chair and feebly makes his way into the bathroom alcove. As he passes the hologram room, we see a figure standing in the shadows. THX is extremely ill and on the verge of losing consciousness. He reaches for the sedation cabinet, but collapses just as he opens it. TV IMAGE The bathroom alcove appears empty. VOICE What's wrong? LUH APPEARS ON THE SCREEN LUH Nothing. I was looking for my tenser. I'm sorry. VOICE If you have a problem.... CLOSE ANGLE LUH closes the sedation cabinet and drags the unconscious THX into the bedroom and puts him on the bed. She sits, quietly, looking at him. Cautiously, she brings his hand to her cheek. A slight smile crosses her face. 16. MAIN ROOM, THX'S QUARTERS THX is laughing hysterically. As soon as he starts to gain control of himself, he breaks out laughing again. LUH has taken a spherical piece of food from her tray and is bouncing it on the table. She is laughing, herself, but still trying to keep control of the ball. THX (laughing very hard) Violation...violation...You're bouncing in...violation.. This makes them laugh even harder and LUH loses the ball. They both dive for it and wind up face to face under the table. Eventually, they stop laughing. THX I've never been under the table before. LUH (pointing at the underside of the table) Look,dirt! THX (mocking) That's not dirt...Can't be dirt.. Dirt is a violation. LUH Looks like dirt. THX picks up the red food ball and holds it up at LUH. THX Look, food! LUH That's not food. Can't be food. THX Looks like food. THX takes a bite out of it and grimaces. THX Tastes like food. He scrambles out from underneath the table and tosses it in the product consumer. It disappears instantly. THX Produced to be consumed! LUH goes over to the table and scoops up the rest of the food. She begins tossing it into the product consumer. THX Hey! Wait a minute. Not all of it. I'm hungry. She begins to break out laughing, throwing the food into the consumer as fast as she can. THX starts for her and she begins throwing the food at him. THX catches her by the foot and pulls her to the floor. They roll around playfully, laughing hysterically all the time. Slowly and subtly, their play becomes more violent and sadistic, although they keep on laughing. LUH (laughing) The pain, no...the pain, I can't stand it. LUH turns on THX, pinning him to the floor. She sits astride him, holding his arms. They are both out of breath and panting heavily, confused by a slowly increasing awareness of each others sexuality. LUH slowly releases THX's arms and sits up. She gives a last, embarrassed giggle and then falls silent. They stare at each other. THX Why? LUH sits silently, showing no response. THX Why did you do it? It's wrong.... we're wrong. We're felons now. You know it can't last very long; they will discover us, and they will destroy us. LUH is hurt and begins to cry. THX Now...now, I'm sorry...don't - don't....please. It's just... I was happy. Why get me involved? You told SEN that you weren't satisfied with me. LUH What?...Oh, no, THX. That's not true. (she embraces him) Not satisfied? THX, I need you so much. THX attempts to comfort her. He is awkward and uncomfortable. LUH I was so scared...I didn't know what would happen with you...once I started. I almost let you go on so many times. It will be worth it, together. When I was alone, I knew. THX But it's so hopeless...you're so beautiful. LUH smiles and sniffles. They kiss: an awkward first kiss. THX What time is it? LUH What? THX I said what time is it? How long was I out? LUH It's 3+27 hundred THX Three! I'm going to be late for my shift. LUH (holding him) No! Don't go. THX (getting up) They'll come for me right away if I'm not there. I have to go. LUH Don't take anything. THX I'll try. LUH Promise...please don't THX leaves the room. PASSAGEWAY LUH is frightened as she hurries down the endless white hallways. When she reaches the corridor exit for THX's operating room, she stops. She feels conspicuous waiting in the hallway. A group of men, carrying little white boxes, are leaving the operating room. THX is in the group. He sees LUH and goes over to her. THX What are you doing here? Is anything wrong? LUH No....I though (Pause) I'm afraid. THX You're not cleared for this precinct. Let's cross over first. THX motions her down the hallway, and he falls in step a few paces behind her. LUH speaks to her without turning around. LUH You slipped on a T297 transfer just before lunch, didn't you? THX (not wanting to talk) What? LUH On the cervix transfer, you almost lost the T297. Some men in colored uniforms pass them walking in the other direction. THX is silent until they are gone. THX and LUH pass through a series of doors and into another precinct. THX is angry. THX What do you think you're doing? You're going to get us arrested. LUH But...you... She falls silent as they walk through the empty cold hallways. THX I can't work this way. I need something. I'm losing control. LUH struggles to remain calm. THX I can't go on like this. I can't.... I don't just sit around and watch people. If I make a mistake, it's all over. You see it every day. (Pause) Do you want to see me taken away in pieces? LUH I don't want to lose you. BLACK 18. CATHEDRAL A yellow eight burns through the blackness. A low voice is heard performing a ritual. VOICE ....and it all happened so slowly that most men failed to realize that anything had happened at all. The interior of a cathedral is slowly revealed. Many people are kneeling before the eight, and a monk in white robes is performing a rite. VOICE They had never known what all know within, that to know is not to know, not to know is to be known. To change is to circle without end. THX and LUH are kneeling, solemnly involved in the service. VOICE To remain still is to flow with the will of OMM. The breath of OMM is infinitely slow, yet he breathes. Avail thyselves! OMM moves! OMM flows!....Let us pray. CLOSE ANGLE The voice recites a chant, and the congregation repeats it. THX watches LUH as she repeats the chant. He is moved. VOICE/CONGREGATION Before OMM was OMM, after OMM will be OMM, within OMM is OMM, without OMM is OMM. OMM is one. We are one, Mass is one, All are one.... THX leans over and whispers in LUH'S ear. THX I don't want to lose you. LUH turns and smiles, taking his hand. There are tears in her eyes. He smiles back, and she cannot stifle a rather loud giggle. They are both embarrassed. FULL ANGLE No one in the cathedral seems to notice. VOICE Unity of minds, unity of thought, unity of occupations, unity of OMM A man. Blessings of the state. Blessings of the masses, Thou art subjects of the divine. When the ceremony is over, THX goes over to a chair in the corner and flips a switch on it's arm. The cathedral, monks, and congregation all fade away, leaving LUH kneeling in the empty HOLOGRAM ROOM. THX What are you doing? LUH I don't know. She rises, walks over and sits in the second hologram chair. They are both strangely contemplative, and sit quietly in the darkened room for a long while. THX What am I going to do? There is a long pause. LUH (quietly) If you....if you go back on sedation, you won't feel the same way about me. You'll report me for drug evasion. THX I've got a slip movement to install on my next shift. I'll never make it the way I am now. There have been three explosions already this.... His argument is more to himself then to LUH. He looks to LUH, who is on the verge of tears. He realizes his logic is of no help, and he goes over to her. THX I couldn't turn you in, not now. I....I know I wouldn't! LUH You don't know. You don't.... THX If I take something, you suffer. If I don't, I stuff.... LUH (with growing excitement) I know you can do it without sedation, You can, I know you can. THX Then what? It can't go on forever. You know it can't. LUH We could leave, and live in the superstructure.... There is a pause as THX ponders this. LUH ....My series is over, you only have one shift left, don't you? We could be gone before our next series started. THX is sitting on the floor, holding his head in his hands. LUH goes over to him, and begins to caress his neck. She is crying. THX It's all right now, shhhh it's all right. LUH Don't let them separate us. Their love-play slowly becomes more and more passionate. They are awkward and unsure as they begin to disrobe one another. LUH is embarrassed, and she begins to giggle, then laugh uncontrollably. CLOSE ANGLE They are like children experimenting for the first time..There is something lyrical and new as they make love. There is a moment of fear for THX as LUH achieves orgasm; something neither has experienced with another person before. THX Are you all right? LUH AH UGH. She smiles at him and they embrace, and rest. THX is asleep when LUH wakes him with a start. LUH They know. They've been watching us. I can feel it. THX They don't know. LUH They're watching us now. THX No one can see us now we're alone. THX momentary glances into the camera, seemingly at the theatre audience. PREOPERATING CHAMBER THX enters a preoperating chamber. He nervous, but tries to appear matter of fact. He is cleansed, and follows a religious preoperating ritual. An intercom voice is heard softly in the background. VOICE .....This is a reminder of the precision which must be taken at this stage. Three operating cells have already been destroyed in this shift. Mercicontrol is supervising all operations during this phase. Prevent accidents, and be happy.....This is a reminder of..... A door to the chamber opens, and SEN enters. THX is somewhat shaken by this. THX What are you doing here? You're not cleared for this area! SEN You know I have a way with the computers. I can clear myself for any area.....almost. THX I'll report you. It's.... SEN Listen to me....You have no need to distrust me. We're going.... THX Get out of here, Leave me alone. THX starts for the operating room. SEN I've taken care of LUH..... THX stops short in fear. SEN ....I've programmed her to level 5450. Her transfer should go through by the next series. You're going to need a new roommate. Everything..... A buzzer sounds. THX is forced to leave the preoperating chamber. SEN stands alone. OPERATING CELL CORRIDOR As THX walks to his operating cell, He stops at a small red box on the wall. Over the box is a sign which reads: PERSONAL VIOLATION REPORTS CLOSE ANGLE THX takes a small card from the box and punches holes in the marked areas which read: S,E,N,5,2,4,1. He runs down a list of violations and finally punches: ÒIllegal programming.Ó He puts the card into a slot in the box, and continues to his operating cell. OPERATING CELL THX slides into his control panel as the operation begins. A component is picked up by the mechanical hands. THX strains as the hands begin to move toward the half assembled chrome man. FULL ANGLE In another cell of the operation chamber is a supervisor. He sits in front of a computer readout, TV monitors, and many electronic graphs and gages. SUPERVISOR 1138 retract. SB4 talmod contract, retract to 220. Buttons are clicking, lights flashing, and gages near their warning marks as THX struggles to manipulate the mechanical hands. Sweat forms on his forehead. THX moves the hands back and makes another attempt at placing the component. CONTROL CENTER A control officer, dressed in yellow, sits in a large room filled with ten men, various radar scopes, TV monitors, and large clear plastic maps. The control officer is receiving all forms of reports as two observers, below and in front of him watch TV monitors. An observer reports to the control officer. OBSERVER We are receiving an extreme respiratory count from a Magnum Manipulator in operating cell 94107. Erratic visual behavior. CONTROL OFFICER Transfer control information. Instantly, information on THX is flashed on a large screen in front of the control officer. Photos flash on and off the screen. They are taken from all possible angles, including various types of X-rays, etc. OBSERVER 1138 files a violation report on SEN 5241 immediately prior to..... CONTROL OFFICER Violation type? OBSERVER Illegal programming. CONTROL OFFICER Check into it. (Pause) Current brain wave confirmation on 1138. Adrenal off point 74 or minus 6. No doubt of severe sedation depletion......Inform Magnum supervisor 9410 of procedure to mindlock and arrest. (Pause) Request MINDLOCK for operating cell 94107; subject 1138 prefix THX. One of the observers releases a special safety lock on his control panel. The switch under the lock reads: MINDLOCK, danger: PRIORITY 3AA. OPERATING CELL THX successfully survives several minor crisis. The stress and effort show on his face. The Supervisor receives a report. CONTROL VOICE Magnum Manipulator 1138 prefix THX, operating cell 94107, suffering severe drug violation. Extent pending. 1138 subject to immediate arrest. MINDLOCK pending. MINDLOCK pending. The supervisor is greatly alarmed by this information. SUPERVISOR Priority shift, repeat, priority shift. The situation here is critical. 1138 involved in critical mass maneuver. DELAY MINDLOCK, DELAY MINDLOCK situation white, repeat, situation white. HOLD...HOLD..... A high whining Anthem-like piece of music is heard in THX's operating cell. The sound staggers him , and he freezes at the controls of his panel. The component THX was guiding, continues to creep slowly closer to the chrome man. CLOSE ANGLE The supervisor slams s series of relays in disgust, and reports into the computer. SUPERVISOR Who permitted this priority??? This shouldn't happen. (pause) Immediate transfer of disaster responsibility to control officer 626, as of time mark: 12/32/581. Repeat; official obligation of responsibility..... He reaches for more sedatives in a bottle near his panel. MED ANGLE The critical mass component enters the open skull of the chrome man. Sparks fly, and the gages are now in the danger zone. The intercom voice is alive with panicked dialogue. VOICE Clear....Clear....4444,4445, 4446....EJECT...EJECT...EJECT.... All of the men in the operating room evacuate; leaving THX alone, frozen at the controls. THX is aware of the situation, and struggles to break the power of the mindlock and stop the component. VOICE Near destruct....Near destruct. CONTROL CENTER The observers are switching relays as the control officer trues to get the situation under control. CONTROL OFFICER .....MINDLOCK! release MINDLOCK! relapse to command monitor. Release MINDLOCK. Transfer obligation for responsibility to central monitor 898. This center received no evaluation of stasis. Control center 626 holds no responsibility..... The MINDLOCK Anthem is replaced by the voice of OMM. OPERATING ROOM The component is at the point of destruction as THX is released from the mindlock. OMM Everything is going to be all right. You are in my hands. I will protect you. Everything is going to be all right. Cooperate, stay calm, I am here to help you. (Pause) Everything is going to be...... THX carefully operates the controls, and returns the critical mass to it's container. CONTROL VOICE Relax your controls. Relax your controls. Report to Con 5 immediately. Relax your controls..... The voice of OMM and controller blend in an hypnotic double talk. THX sits quietly in shock as the voices on the intercom die off. CITY PASSAGEWAY The supervisor, and all the other workers from THX's unit are standing around in the passageway. A door opens and THX emerges accompanied by a Chrome policeman. They pass silently through the crowd of workers, who watch them disappear down the corridor. The workers start to file back into the operating cell. INTERIOR TRAM The interior of the tram looks much like the interior of a very modern jet liner. There are about 50 people sitting in high backed seats. A few are talking to themselves. THX is seated next to the policeman, still in shock. CLOSE ANGLE Slowly THX begins to tremble and then suddenly stops. THX LUH! He looks wildly around the tram, and at the policeman. No one is paying any attention to him. He jumps up and runs for the emergency door at the end of the aisle. The policeman slowly get ups and walks down the aisle to THX trapping him against the door. FULL ANGLE THX suddenly slams open the escape hatch. The tram is moving at supersonic speeds through a vacuum tube. THX is sucked out into the tube. The open escape hatch seals itself immediately. CLOSE ANGLE THX is caught in a loud rush of sound and air as he floats in free fall through the vacuum gravity-free tube. He begins to slow down. As he does, amber lights on the side of the tube become more visible. Suddenly THX is sucked into a smaller tube. OBSERVATION CELL A control observer is monitoring the interior of the tram. People are confused, hysterical. A chrome-policeman tries to calm them. The policeman reports the situation, which is typed by a computer. More information appears on the readout, and is relayed by the observer. OBSERVER 1138 prefix THX on warrant. Drug evasion. Fled tram in transit. Surmise destroyed. DEBRIS RECEPTACLE TV monitors light up rooms filled with scrap metal and other waste product from the tram tube. The monitor scans room 444, then moves on, leaving the room lit only by a few blue guide lights. CLOSE ANGLE THX lies unconscious under a pile of scrap waste. He slowly picks himself up, makes his way toward the wall. A low hum is heard and THX drops into the waste as the monitors light up the room. FULL ANGLE When it is dark again, THX follows the wall until he sees a hatchway high up the wall. He jumps for the hatch..but misses it and falls to the floor. He groans, rolls over, revealing a bleeding back. Again there is a low hum and the room lights up. OBSERVATION CELL Debris receptacle 444 is seen on a monitor. The screen goes black, then another room appears, 562. A control observer watches the monitor. CLOSE ANGLE As the observer makes adjustments on the control panel, he sees something, flips on another monitor for a closer view. He switches over to heat transmission. FULL ANGLE The observer sees a moving hot spot on the screen, marks it, blasts it with a laser beam. A loud screech is heard. MED ANGLE The control observer switches back to light transmission, sees a dead animal the size of a large dog. He continues his scanning. Another room lights up, goes dark. DEBRIS RECEPTACLE THX gets up from the rubble, begins building a pile of scrap metal up to the hatch. Waste continues to be sucked into the room with a great rush of noise. CLOSE ANGLE As THX dislodges a large piece of twisted metal, a trapped animal, like the one killed by the observer, is released and attacks THX. They fight rolling through the debris. MED ANGLE THX strangles the beast. The hum of the monitor is heard as THX tightens his grip on the animals neck. The light goes on. THX freezes, clutching the now quiet beast. OBSERVATION CELL The observer scans the room, thinks he sees something..switches to a closer shot, then to heat transmission. But he spots nothing moving. DEBRIS RECEPTACLE The light goes out. THX relaxes, releases the dead animal. He places a final piece of junk on the pile and attempts to climb to the hatch. CLOSE ANGLE THX is exhausted. He can't turn the wheel on the hatch. He climbs down and finds a long bar in the rubble. The TV light goes on. THX freezes. The light goes out and he climbs up the hatch, putting the bar between the spokes of the wheel. FULL ANGLE THX hangs on the bar, rotating the wheel as the hatch slowly opens A muffled buzz is heard as THX climbs out and closes the hatch. The TV light monitor goes on. OBSERVATION CELL Debris receptacle 444 is seen on the TV monitor and the buzz becomes louder. The observer flips to a closeup monitor and scans the room. The buzz is now very loud, becoming an alarm system. OBSERVER Seal break. VAC debris receptacle 444. Entrance on con 65. Investigation in process. CITY SUPERSTRUCTURE THX stumbles through the concrete superstructure, obviously in pain. He reaches a door, opens it, revealing an individual modual express tube. Low, sleek, auto-jets whiz by at incredible speeds. They appear out of the blackness, shoot past THX and disappear. FULL ANGLE THX rests in the express tube doorway. He is seen on a TV monitor as faint intercom conversations are heard. He waits, trying to get the courage to cross the tube as the auto-jets flash past him. CLOSE ANGLE THX takes a breath, sees his chance, races across the roadway. He is on the verge of unconsciousness. An auto- jet can be heard approaching. He barely makes the other side as the jet rushes by. He drops into unconsciousness at the side of the roadway. OBSERVATION CELL A control observer is monitoring the expressway. OBSERVER Maintained visual contact with THX 1138 until 5.34. Lost contact at express tube 929. Surmised destroyed. The observer continues to scan he area with no results. KITCHEN - THX'S QUARTERS The kitchen table is covered with a large pile of food. LUH is operating several of the food cabinets, pushing buttons in some, taking food out of the others. Some of the colored food spheres fall off the table, and bounce across the floor. She picks them up, humming tunelessly to herself. CLOSE ANGLE She hears something in one of the other rooms, but continues piling up the food. LUH I'm in the kitchen, come and see! There is no answer, and after a moment, she stops and listens. LUH THX? She steps into the MAINROOM and sees that the front door is open. She is immediately frightened. LUH THX, Please..... Very timidly, she steps over to the bedroom and looks in. LUH ....answer. A figure steps out of the shadow in the foreground. LUH turns around and sees him. She screams and becomes hysterical. It is THX, clothes torn, bleeding, and so distorted he resembles a wild beast. THX No...no...LUH, help me....help.... LUH faints. THX is barely able to stand, but he goes to her. THX LUH!...Help us..OMM, OMM help us. He pulls her into his arms and rocks her. He is crying. THX OMM forgive us for our sins. Save us. We are one, mass is one, OMM is one. OMM Help us..... FULL ANGLE The front door opens, and two chrome policemen enter the room. POLICEMAN (voice of OMM) I am here to help you. Relax. You have nothing to fear. I am here. The policeman pull them apart. THX's hands are taped behind his back. (Fade out) CUT IN: 38. PRISON CHAMBER SILENCE A small black dot appears on a white background. It is THX huddled in a white limbo prison chamber. He is fresh and clean. All of his cuts and sores are gone. CLOSE ANGLE THX is in a state of extreme terror. Suddenly he flinches, shrinks further into a ball, and peers out into the white void. Slowly he relaxes, then tenses again as he thinks he sees something. CLOSER ANGLE THX has not slept in a great while; which shows in his eyes..He slowly drifts into a light sleep. FULL ANGLE THX wakes with a start as he hears footsteps. Panicked, he looks in all directions trying to discover where the sound is coming from. The footsteps become louder, and louder. THX rises in trembling horror. OVERHEAD ANGLE THX runs around in circles. He stops short as a chrome policeman appears holding a long electronic pole. THX continues to run in circles as two more policemen appear with poles, and surround him. They slowly close in on him, occasionally prodding him with the long poles; which make an electronic sound, causing THX extreme pain. MED ANGLE The policemen close on THX until he is again a huddled, quivering ball. They stand over him, prodding him every few moments, until he begins to weep in desperation. FULL ANGLE Momentarily the prison chamber goes blue, and the policemen return into the white void. THX sits alone, cowering in fear. T.V. IMAGE The screen is filled with a TV monitors long shot of THX in the white limbo prison. He is sitting with his feet spread out in front of him. We hear an off screen voice speaking quietly with clinical authority and disinterest. OS VOICE Increase. The image changes instantly to an extreme long shot. THX is merely a dot in the center of the screen. OS VOICE No... here... hold this down. The image changes instantly to a close shot of THX. He is in shock staring into the white limbo. He is talking quietly to himself. We cannot hear what he is saying. OS VOICE. Audio... 2ND VOICE Audio is already on. THX continues to speak soundlessly. 2ND VOICE I can't hear him. 1ST VOICE Cortex bonding....possible temporary. Before you report a possible equipment malfunction, you check the subjects....? 2ND VOICE Stress category. 1ST VOICE Correct. (pause) Origin? 2ND VOICE Birth born....UMMM...Sexact. 1ST VOICE Violation? The numbers 3278-927 still appear on the bottom of the screen. 2ND VOICE Drug evasion with.... 1ST VOICE triple three, triple three! easy..... 2ND VOICE Drug evasion with assorted perversions 1ST VOICE Correct. Now secure a sinex drop reading. We hear a low throbbing sound, but THX shows no reaction. The word psynix -4675 appears on the bottom of the screen. 1ST VOICE A sinex drop reading of less then 2000 degrees with an accompanying loss of greater then 350 degrees since admission may indicate....? 2ND VOICE Permant cortex bond. 1ST VOICE Correct. THX is still talking silently to himself. 1ST VOICE This really isn't a very good subject because with a cortex bond, we're restricted to about a quarter of the boards potential. .....All this over here is wasted on him. See, we could run a system H.....Watch. A pause, and then a high frequency sound is heard. THX begins to twitch uncontrollably, becoming more and more violent, slamming up and down against the floor. He looks terrified, but there is nothing he can do about it. 1ST VOICE Normally, there would be no visual evidence of a system H. We're not even getting a reading. The numbers on the bottom of the screen read 0000. The sound changes pitch, and THX immediately huddles up in a ball. 1ST VOICE HUMMMM..... 2ND VOICE What happened? 1ST VOICE See if you can get a reading on tactal retention. Try to estimate it without a meter reading. The numbers disappear from the screen, and we switch to a closer shot of THX. There is a pause. 1ST VOICE Be careful, now..... THX immediately slams to the floor, paralyzed. His face turns bright red, and he appears to be in extreme pain. 2ND VOICE UMMM..Let me see..... THX opens his mouth to scream, but makes no sound. 1ST VOICE Hurry up. 2ND VOICE 4732...? 1ST VOICE Too low. The number 6949 appears on the screen. 2ND VOICE Control ON. 1ST VOICE No, evidently you reversed the polarity on his lobal travel. Secure another sinex drop. THX collapses into a heap, and starts to quiver. The word psynix appears, but the degree rating is rapidly climbing upward, approaching 4000. 1ST VOICE 4000 degrees is usually the point of....? 2ND VOICE Vocasity 1ST VOICE No, Tetanty. THX begins to scream soon after the numbers pass 4000. The numbers keep moving steadily until they stop; oscillating between 7980 and 8040. 1ST VOICE It's very rare to see a nurl bond dissolve like that. The numbers stabilize at 8020. THX is contorted into a very odd position on the floor. He is released, and he crumples into a heap..(trembling, and screaming.) 1ST VOICE He's back to normal now. ORGANALYSIS THEATRE THX is strapped and clamped to an analysis table, mounted on gimbles, similar to an operating table. He looks dazed, but fearful, and is extremely clean and well scrubbed; almost raw. His head has been freshly shaved. What we can see of the room around him is full of mechanical and medical apparatus - chrome and white enamel. We are in the midst of an examination, although no other people are seen. MED ANGLE A mechanical arm tipped with a cotton pad is rubbed in THX's armpit. It retracts, and another arm descends, injecting a needle into his armpit. Simultaneously, blood samples are being obtained from the finger tips, and forearm. The armpit needle has obtained a sample of clear limph fluid, and is retracted into the ceiling. All these movements are accompanied by the small, whirring, mosquito-like sound of tiny torque motors. CLOSE ANGLE The arms descend again and fasten two strips of cellophane to THX's biceps. Then a clear plastic tube is inserted into one of his nostrils, and his mouth is sealed shut with a large black plastic clamp. THX's breathing becomes very difficult and he tries to resist, but is powerless. We hear the sound of a pump and a pink fluid is pumped through the tube and into THX. CLOSER ANGLE Tiny clamps are placed around THXÓs eyes and his eyelids are retracted. Two cups on long stems of colored wires are lowered and placed on his eyeballs. There is a slight pause and then the cups begin to vibrate. They stop then vibrate again. STILL CLOSER ANGLE The pump stops, and THX's other nostril is sealed. We hear the pump again, only this time air is sent through the tube. THXÓs chest begins to distend, and keeps distending until it seems his lungs can hold no more. The pump stops, and THX exhales with one huge sigh. The cups on his eyes also stop vibrating, and retract into the ceiling. The pump starts up again filling his lungs with air. This time the pump passes the where it stopped before, and begins to strain. Finally it stops and lets THX exhale. The tube is retracted and his mouth is unclamped. His lips are quivering. EXTREMELY CLOSE SHOT Two wires are placed deep into THX's chest, and his heart begins to beat very fast. An arm with an extremely sharp stylus starts to scrape a strange pattern on the inside of THX's forearm. Little beads of blood appear where the line was traced. A long flat needle descends and penetrates THX's solar plexus. When fully in, it rotates in eccentric circles for a few moments, and then retracts, leaving only a small drop of blood where it has been. CLOSE SHOT Another arm with a razor-sharp scalpel moves to THX's forearm and delicately incises an almond shaped pattern on the skin. His heart, which has been beating rapidly, suddenly slows to almost nothing. The scalpel moves beneath the skin and frees the almond shaped section, lifting it into a small vile, and lifting it away. The two wires in THXÓs chest retract and his heartbeat returns to normal. MED ANGLE The entire process has been continually typed into a computer. At this point, a read out activates; which reads: 1138thx Diognosis-compatable. Rate: Excellent. Exceptions: Left kidney. (See detailed index 24-921) PRISON CHAMBER THX lies sleeping. The sound of footsteps wakes him, and he jumps up, crouching, staring into the white limbo. As THX stares, a figure slowly appears out of the whiteness. It is LUH. When she sees THX, she stops walking and stares at him. They watch one another for a long while; finally THX stands. THX Are you...are you real? LUH?...LUH? She rushes into his arms and they spin in an embrace. They kiss. THX Are you all right? LUH looks at him, frightened and unable to answer. THX What did they do to you? There is a long pause. LUH I'm going to have a child. THX is alarmed. THX no...no, no. LUH Oh, THX... hold me, hold me, THX holds her tightly, tears in his eyes. They kiss, and LUH hides her head in THX's chest. THX It's the end. LUH I'm not afraid...I'm not afraid. THX It's wrong; so wrong, what we've done.... He drops to the floor, clinging to her legs. He is crying. THX I didn't want this. How did it happen? Don't leave me... stay here with me. She goes down to him, embracing and comforting him. LUH You have to be strong. (pause, softly) You're going to have a son. They both sit silently. She is rocking him in her arms. EXTREME LONG SHOT They lie huddled together in the vastness of the white limbo. LONG SHOT They kiss MED ANGLE They become passionate and begin to take off each others clothes. CLOSE ANGLE They begin to make love. CLOSER ANGLE They make love. The same image appears over a TV monitor. VOICE Neron activity has risen to +942 Carbon rating +22.3. Tri-base off .732. Contrast..... The image returns to the white limbo. THX and LUH are sleeping, cuddled next to one another. Faint footsteps are heard, slowly getting louder. LUH wakes with a start. Muffled voices are heard. LUH shakes THX awake. A man dressed in yellow appears with two chrome policemen. THX and LUH freeze in terror, still half asleep. The robot grab them and pull them to their feet. MAN No person held to service in one section under the laws thereof, escaping into another, shall, in consequence of any law or regulation therein, be discharged from such service, but shall be delivered up on claim of the party to whom such service may be due. LUH is held as THX is taken away. LUH (crying out) THX! THX (screaming) No!...No!... He is struggling as he disappears into the whiteness. COURTROOM THX is escorted by two chrome policemen down a hallway and into a courtroom. It is rather dim and small - the twenty or so people in the room are lit with narrow beams of light. THX is seated in a large, highbacked chair. The Proctor reads the charge in a ritualistic, sing-song voice which is only occasionally understandable. PROCTOR 1138 prefix THX charged with violation index 3278.927, appendix 445 to 613. Drug evasion, malicious sexual perversion, unconditional response and transgression. Justice proceed. Pontifex 606 presiding. The Pontifex is sitting behind a high dais, with a large portrait of OMM in the background. He makes a ritualistic gesture. PROCTOR Begin. PROSECUTOR Mercicontrol respectfully places its evidence before you. He places four rolls of computer tape before the Pontifex. PROSECUTOR 9198,5116, and 1447. These negative documents are certified by A.N.- O,T.O. and registered at files, tomb 34. The Defense, sitting in front of THX, jumps up and blurts out a quick sentence of partially inaudible phrases. DEFENSE ....nondrug, nondrug total excuse. 1138 is unstable condition...not responsible for acts. Nondrug, asylum....asylum. THX sits quietly, with his head hung low. PROSECUTOR Mercicontrol respectfully submits a 5254, immediate destruction, on the basis of an ECO TR-X 314; totally incurable chemical imbalance with socially deteriorating consequences. DEFENSE Reject, reject. Inefficient unwarranted destruction. Must be saved...mass is one... can be productive. Name of economics; cure this soul...malignant cure. There is a heritage of good and economic efficiency.... net gain. PROSECUTOR Insane. PONTIFEX Granted. PROSECUTOR Immediate destruction is the only efficiency. The crimes are of secondary importance. The issue is one of genetic inferiority. This man is of womb. There is slight pause as a murmur goes through the courtroom. PROSECUTOR He is the product of an illegal sexual perversion and should have been destroyed at the moment of conception. What is in question here is a concept in economic efficiency and procedure that has allowed these erotics to exist and dilute this great society. DEFENSE Inane...inane... PONTIFEX Rejected. PROSECUTOR The services performed by these erotics must be automated. If sexual perversion is to be stamped out, the products of this perversion must... DEFENSE Reject...reject...reject... What is the prosecution doing? This is not a race issue....not here. Remember sanctity of the individual regardless of race. A nonresponsible act...simple case. Birthborn citizens are physically compatible with clinic types and must be consumed, not destroyed. Econ equilibrium status 542 through 691 apply to case. Defendant used, not destroyed. Case rest. He takes three computer cards and places them before the Pontifex. PROSECUTOR The perversions committed by this obsolete race have a definite corrosive effect on our society. If he is not destroyed, his deviate characteristics will be transmitted to others. We must not continue to consume these erotics. We must exterminate the source of sin. Economics must not dictate situations which are obviously religious. PONTIFEX Conclude. PROSECUTOR If 1138 is consumed and not destroyed, this perversion will spread. He must be destroyed. It is the only logical, efficient, and righteous verdict which can be reached. The defense says nothing, only shakes his head in dissent. The Pontifex scans the room, then gives the Proctor a nod. PROCTOR Concluded. PONTIFEX Proceed. The Proctor types the last bit of information into the computer. Moments later, the computer readout activates. The Proctor tears off the sheet and hands it to the Pontifex. The Pontifex silently reads the verdict and then stands. PONTIFEX (solemnly) OMM be praised. All are One. Praise be to the masses. The Pontifex hands the verdict to the Proctor as two chrome policemen drag THX before the Pontifex. He makes a sign over THX and mumbles a prayer, then looks at the Proctor, who reads the verdict. PROCTOR 1138 prefix THX stands convicted of index 3278.927 appendix 445 through 613. Drug evasion 321, 399, and malicious sexual perversion. Everyone in the courtroom is unmoved and unconcerned. THX sits in a trance-like shock. PROCTOR ...1138-THX is pronounced invaluable. The subject shall be consumed as economics dictate. The defense gives the prosecutor a triumphant glance. Two chrome policemen take THX out of the courtroom.. As he leaves, LUH is escorted into the room by another door. They do not see one another. PRISON CHAMBER THX is escorted through a white limbo area by a chrome policeman with a long electronic pole. Shortly, they reach a group of nine other felons. The area is defined by ten blue beds - each bed is actually a rectangular box equipped to provide all the necessities for human existence. Some felons are asleep, others are sitting on their bed modules, and a few are grouped together in a discussion. The policeman take THX to an empty bed module and pounds his long pole on the floor three times. A few of the prisoners turn and look. POLICEMAN THX 1138. The policeman turns and walks into the whiteness, leaving THX sitting on his bed. The other nine men are: SEN 5241, PTO 0340; NIN 1969; TWA 7070; DWY 1519; NCH 0066; IMM 9472; JOT 1288; and TRG 3442. PTO - a withered old man - walks over to THX and puts his hand on THX's shoulder. PTO It's all right...you're safe now. THX is totally depressed and completely ignores PTO, who goes back to his bed after a moment. THX watches the other felons. NCH is doing exercises on his bed module. IMM, a retarded woman, sits huddled in a trance, mumbling incoherent phrases. Her clothes are torn to shreds and she is almost naked. A thin, delicate-looking man is slightly removed from the group, painting large, red designs on the floor; he is JOT. TRG, an imbecile, sits on his bed module and every few moments breaks out with a hysterical, ear-piercing laugh. As THX scans the group, he notices SEN asleep on one of the modules. THX turns in disgust and tries to sleep. DISSOLVE TO: 45. PTO is involved in a discussion with two of the other prisoners. One is NIN, a middle-aged man who is trying to organize the rest of the felons in an escape. The other man in DWY - sad, nervous, and about the same age as NIN. PTO Then why are they holding us here? Why don't they destroy us right away? Economically, it's not sound at all. Very much unlike.... NIN I've said many times before, and I guess I'll have to repeat it again for your... DWY They're mad...mad... PTO It is incalculably more destructive for you to believe you are about to be destroyed then if you actually were destroyed. We've got many residents on the verge of hysteria! It's got to stop....your unpleasant.... DWY We're just waiting to die! NIN Calm down! Nothing can be accomplished in an... Suddenly, a scream is heard, and the group turns to see NCH huddled over IMM. TRG and DWY both start over to rescue IMM, but\ TRG reaches her first. NCH backs off a short distance, making huffing noises. TRG is laughing triumphantly at DWY, who goes back to his bed and sits down. TRG takes IMM in his arms and tries to calm her. PTO You always manage to avoid the issue: What's wrong with our present condition? We're COMFORTABLE and we have plenty of food...I feel absolutely no threat because there is no threat. Why incite trouble? You should examine your emotions. It is senseless... NIN What are you talking about? When did you sleep last? Do you know what your trouble is? You're blind. You've been here so long you can't see what is happening. We must unite. We need unity. We need action. (pause)) We have come to a time when we must.... TWA, a rather fat man in his thirties, is pacing around the area, measuring the distance between the bed modules. With no warning noise a policeman appears out of the whiteness, walks over to TRG, picks him up by the scruff of the neck and takes him away. TRG is laughing as he disappears into the distant white. THX has fallen asleep; DWY goes over and attempts to comfort IMM. NIN and PTO are still engaged in their argument. DISSOLVE TO: 46. JOT is on his hands and knees, pushing a red, doughy lump around the floor. It leaves a smeary trail behind it, and JOT has worked theses red smears into a baroque design. The ball occasionally sticks to the floor, and JOT is having a difficult time with all the effort involved. Suddenly, someone walks into frame and stands on the design, close enough to JOT so that he has to stop working. All we can see are this person's feet and legs. JOT is exasperated and angry. JOT Please... There is a pause. VOICE Hi, buddy. JOT Look, will you please get off. You're standing on my work. Another pause. The person nudges JOT with his knees. VOICE Hi, buddy. JOT sighs, resigned and disgruntled. JOT Hello.... VOICE ......buddy? JOT Buddy. The person gets down on one knee and puts his arm around JOT. squeezing him hard. It is NCH. NCH I want to learn about what you're doing, huh? Tell me something nice about what you're doing. JOT winces and struggles, but is caught even tighter in NCH's grasp. He begins to be afraid. JOT .....doing? NCH Yeah, what you're doing, you know. The thing about you perverts is, you're always running around doing things. I want to hear something really nice. JOT I'm doing....working....a space... viable.... NCH bends JOT's arm behind him and gives it a twist. NCH Naa...that's not nice. You know that's not nice. He slams JOT against the floor and falls on top of him, whispering harshly in his ear. NCH Tell me something nice. JOT is terrified now, and he is finding it difficult to breath. JOT ......doing...... NCH Pervert! He pronounces this sweetly, with a great deal of pleasure, but also a certain amount of menace. He becomes increasingly excited. NCH Damn insidious malicious pervert! JOT BARELY MANAGES A GASP: JOT Help! NCH Pervert. Pervert. Pervert. NCH starts tearing off JOT's clothes. DWY is sharpening a small spoon with loving and tender care. He is trying to conceal it from everyone else. NCH and JOT can be seen struggling in the background and we can still hear NCH mumbling. NCH Pervert! Pervert! Pervert! Suddenly JOT screams, and DWY looks up. A chrome policeman appears, leading a well-built, intelligent-looking youth of 14. He stops, strikes his pole on the ground three times and announces: POLICEMAN CAM 5424. He turns and leaves. CAM looks around. Everyone is silent except for JOT and NCH who are still fighting. DISSOLVE TO: THX is awakened by a figure standing over him; it is SEN. SEN You're real! Where did you come from? There is a pause and THX doesn't answer. SEN I know you turned me in. THX is sitting, expressionless. SEN I'm doing quite well here anyway. (pause) What's wrong with you?...Don't be like that. (pause) You're a stupid man! THX is sullen and annoyed at SEN's presence. They sit silently for a long while. Finally, SEN returns to his bed module. NIN and the new arrival, CAM are engaged in conversation. NIN is trying to get CAM to sign a petition. IMM is sitting slapping her hands on the floor. NCH is asleep and snoring very loudly. DWY has been watching JOT paint chases away. DWY goes over to comfort IMM. TWA has constructed a crude sextant, and is looking with it into the vast whiteness. SEN sits on his bed counting stacks of foam rubber food and multi-colored capsules. THX goes back to sleep. DISSOLVE TO: PTO, TWA, and CAM are engaged in discussion. PTO and TWA look the same as before, but CAM has begun to grow a stubble of hair. THX is sitting on his bed module not far away, listening. He is ALSO STILL COMPLETELY BALD. JOT IS WORKING OFF IN ONE CORNER - his design has begun to encircle the group of bed modules, and he quickly works his way off screen. CAM is speaking excitedly, as if he were making a series of demands. CAM .....without pity! There is a pause, and TWA shrugs his shoulders and looks away. PTO rubs his head. PTO But..... CAM Without pity! He lies on his bed, as if to conclude the discussion. Suddenly, TWA notices something off screen and whips up the sextant that had been lying beside him. He holds it out and tries to get a fix. Everyone turns to see except PTO. TWA Too fast! If only I could see a fixed point. He puts the sextant down and exchanges a disgruntled glance with PTO. A chrome policeman walks into the area and goes off screen. There is a pause and then the policeman returns, leading JOT away. JOT is silent, but turns a number of times and looks back as he is taken into the distance. TWA has taken up the sextant again and is following them as they disappear. NCH has woken up. PTO Umm..... He waves, trying to catch CAM's attention. PTO ....my friend? Your point of view.... CAM is still looking out after JOT and PTO finally leans forward and tugs his sleeve. He turns to PTO. PTO (remembering CAM's name) Yes, CAM. That's it....Your point is well taken...CAM, but it lacks the balance that a broader and a deeper range of experience can lend it. When I first arrived here, I saw things as you do now. I was confused and anxious about my predicament. I longed to thrash out, to tear down, to destroy and annihilate; to ravage, wreak havoc, and plunder. Being basically level- headed, however, I realized that my first goal should be to study this place, where what seemed blind circumstance had placed me. To follow the train of events and the ever-changing display of characters that I saw before me - of which I am of course a part - and to try to discern a pattern within the confusion. TWA puts down his sextant and listens, although it seems he has heard this speech many times before. CAM is gradually fascinated by the old man - more by his air if calm assurance and the rhythm of his language than by anything he is actually saying. In the background, THX has begun to shave his head. DWY goes over and tries to help but THX turns him away. NCH has moved over to the sleeping IMM and, without waking her, removes her last piece of clothing and lays her down on the floor. He quietly lies down beside her and starts moving rhythmically. PTO I set forth on a program of study which continues up to this very day and which has afforded me a few glimpses - if not actual insights - into the nature of the world around us. I never regretted my youthful passion - quite the contrary, it provided me with the original spark which has since settled down to a comforting and enduring glow. But I would caution you that spark - if uncontrolled - may leap into flames of senseless and disastrous action and consume what you are endeavoring to conserve. He has addressed this last bit of advice to NIN as well as CAM. PTO Listen to the mumblings of an old man and bank those flames with earnest inquiry and honest observation. NIN suddenly breaks in. NIN Mumblings is right! He turns to CAM. NIN Do you know how many times we've had to listen to that speech? He jumps up, excited and at a loss for words. NIN Do you know how many times? ....We've had to listen to that speech? He thinks everyone's as stupid as he is. (turning to PTO) You know what you are? You make me sick. If we all thought like you they could come in here and...and... do whatever they wanted! PTO smiles and shakes his head. NIN stomps off in a rage, turning and yelling at PTO. NIN Sooner or later, you'll be taken away and destroyed just like the others. He sits down on his bed and sulks. PTO continues with his speech, completely ignoring NIN's interruption. PTO In the years to come you will be grateful for what may now seem like senseless sacrifices. With a passion such as yours, I don't think it would be foolish to say that you might see further and deeper than any of us, right to the heart of Truth herself! PTO emphasizes his point by placing his hand on CAM's knee.. There is a loud screech, and everybody turns to see IMM sitting on the floor howling like a two-year old. NCH, who had been lying beside her, is slightly embarrassed and tries to cover this up with bluster. He gives IMM a shove and struts over to his bed; he begins his exercises. DWY gets up from his bed and goes over to comfort IMM> DISSOLVE TO: 49. IMM, still completely naked, walks out into the whiteness accompanied by a chrome policeman. The prison chamber momentarily goes blue, and food trays appear at the base of the bed modules. The men go to their food and begin to eat. SEN goes over to TWA, and DWY goes over and sits next to THX. THX is not eating his food. DWY You're frightened. You're frightened that at any moment you'll be taken away. I know, I've felt that way. I couldn't eat. I still have trouble. It goes right through, all the time. I know all right, but I'm better now. I can more or less regulate it. (pause) I don't think you can understand. .....Terrible, terrible, terrible.... I've been thinking about you. DWY waits for a reaction, but THX continues to pick at his food, paying no attention to him. DWY You seem alone. I know. I've felt that way. At work...they told me I was a first class transport regulator. Yes, a tram pilot. What do you think? Between level 3472 and level 3500, module center 55 - the big one. A toilet: it's a toilet. Still, bad air is better than no air. And the time- tables. Shall I tell you? TWA has given SEN part of his meal, and SEN returns to his bed with it. DWY watches him as he passes them, then turns back to THX. DWY What? (referring to SEN) He's not very friendly, is he? He said you were roommates. Was he always so...strange? All he does is save his food. He eats a little.... very little. He may die. (pause) Of course, he may change. Things do change. I'm the same... (DWY offers THX some of his food) Have my plycron...what do you want me to say? (He sits, watching THX eat) Could we be friends? (whispering) We could leave together. I have a plan. See this? (He takes a spoon out of his shoe) I'm making it sharp. We'll dig.. A chrome policeman arrives with another felon and DWY hastily hides the spoon in his pants. He seems to feel that THX had something to do with the appearance of the policeman and he watches THX suspiciously. POLICEMAN OUE 6662. The policeman leaves OUE standing with a totally blank expression on his face, saliva dribbing from his mouth. He is in a deep catatonic trance. THX lies on his bed and turns his back to DWY. DWY I should have known...You're with them. You want.... DWY gets up and goes over to OUE, who is still standing where the policeman left him. He sits him on a bed and begins to talk to him. Most of the other felons are asleep. DISSOLVE TO: THX is sitting on his bed, looking as if he just awoke from a deep sleep. PTO and CAM are in the middle of a history lesson and CAM is reciting from memory with a certain amount of difficulty. His hair is now moderately long. CAM Then SLE and RNH, who came between PRT and MNH, but not before ALF, FRG, and MLK. ALF, FRG, and MLK went before SAM, RNG, NUR, and KLM. Then RRG, STK, OUN, and FLT. And after them came....came.... PTO Four quick felons prepare the bed modules to be cleaned. CAM is perplexed by what PTO has just said. CAM Huh? PTO repeats, emphasizing each word carefully and separately. PTO Four quick felons prepare the bed modules to be cleaned. Four: F; Quick: Q; Felons: F..... He looks delightedly at CAM, who repeats the sentence to himself. CAM Four....quick....felons prepare. (understanding) FRK, QUM, FLN, PSK, and TEL; BGL, MLT, TRN, BRK, and CLS. THX looks up and watches NIN, who has begun to stride around. PTO Yes, fine! You see, history is not only important, it can be fun as well. NIN suddenly bursts in. NIN I can't believe it! (mocking) MRK CRK TRK SRK BRK..... What do you think happened to MRK and CRK and TRK? Where are they now? I'll tell you where....no where. NCH wakes up. NIN You know what I want? Ideas.... One idea, One idea could get us out of here if it was the right idea. You know what I mean? Not a bunch of facts. Who even knows if they're facts? He probably makes them up in his sleep. The time has come to act. THX gets up and starts to wander aimlessly about. No one notices him. NIN We've just got to be sure it's the right idea. But we'll find it. We'll know it when we see it. I'll know it when I see it. Clear and straight forward and plain as the nose on your face. NCH walks over and punches NIN in the face. NIN falls down, holding his nose in pain. NCH returns to his bed module and uses the toilet. THX is slowly moving further away from the group. PTO (to CAM) Of course it is true that no one has ever returned once they were taken away, history tells us that, but it is idle to speculate about the reasons why and absurd to torture oneself over an idle speculation as NIN is doing. NIN has in fact destroyed himself many times over with worry. LOO 3122, who has taken away not long before you arrived, believed that he was going to a wonderful place where he would be happy, and in so believing he created a veritable paradise for himself right here. Unfortunately, not all of us can have the positive conviction of LOO, but thankfully not all of us are burdened with the ominous forebodings of NIN. I myself have found that concentrating... PTO stops speaking as a chrome policeman appears out of the white. The policeman walks past THX, who has wandered quite a distance away, and heads for the group. He stops at NCH's bed module and takes NCH by the arm. NCH suddenly gives the policeman a crumpling blow and knocks him to the floor. He then jumps gleefully on his head, partially caving it in. When he finishes, he returns to his bed and watches the immobile body. Another policeman appears almost instantly and takes NCH by the arm, leading him quietly away. NCH grins triumphantly as he passes THX. NIN That's what I mean by the wrong idea. PTO and CAM resume the discussion, unconcerned by the presence of the policeman's body. THX listens for a while. PTO I am not going to try to prove the usefulness of history, it is genuinely too obvious to need proof. We see before us innumerable scenes, like what we just witnessed, that succeed each other in endless repetition. Where we see the same faults followed regularly by the same misfortunes, we may reasonably.... He pauses and points at CAM's long head of hair. PTO Don't you think you could do something about that? It's very distracting. CAM is a little embarrassed and runs his hand through his hair. PTO ...we may reasonably think that if we could have known the first we could have avoided the second. The past should enlighten us on the future, knowledge of history is no more than an anticipated experience. SEN, with great effort, has dragged the body of the policeman out to the edge of the beds and left it there. THX has ventured further and further away from the group. The voices have been becoming less and less audible until we hear only fragments: NIN (shouting) You're wrong! They're going to destroy him! And then we hear nothing at all. A chrome policeman enters the group of beds from the opposite side and takes the body of the first policeman away. THX is puzzled that there is no device stopping him from going further. He becomes increasingly frightened but decides to continue. The group of beds is only a small dot in the distance. DISSOLVE TO: 51. NIN and TWA are standing looking off into the distance. NIN I can just barely see him. I think he's leaving. TWA Impossible! PTO comes over and peers into the whiteness. PTO I don't see anything. DWY and CAM join the gathering at the edge of the group of beds. PTO I can't see him at all. He's been destroyed. TWA No, look! Three degrees from the central azimuth. NIN He's free! Can't you see: he's free! CAM I can see him. He's coming back. PTO Where? Oh...there he is. He must have been stopped. (to NIN, sarcastically) Don't you think? DWY He was stopped. He was stopped. Now what are we going to do? NIN He's coming back for the rest of us. He can't make it alone. TWA I wonder how far he went. He's gathered invaluable information out there. PTO The reckless fool. I'm not responsible. THX approaches the group. NIN What happened? DWY What stopped you? TWA How far did you go? Was it cold? PTO You have nothing to fear. You're safe again. THX walks past the group, ignoring them, and lies down on his bed. They all start for him. NIN Wait! I'll talk to him. TWA Ask him about the air. He looks out of breath. NIN goes over and sits on the edge of THX's bed. THX does not acknowledge his presence. The other felons return to their beds. NIN Can you speak? Can you hear me? THX lies quietly, trying to sleep. NIN I want to help you. You can help us. Here, take a biscuit. THX gives him an annoyed look. NIN You understand me, can you speak? DWY comes up to the bed. DWY I think he's deficient. NIN I don't think so. Why don't you go find something else to do? DWY Then why doesn't he speak? Can't he hear? I don't think he knows. Loud yelling is heard and DWY and NIN turn to see SEN and CAM struggling on the floor. They roll against OUE's bed, knocking him on the floor, where he lies motionless. TWA pulls CAM away and SEN scrambles back to his bed. CAM He took my food. He stole it. TWA Now, now. DWY goes over and lifts OUE back onto his bed. NIN turns back to THX. SEN (yelling at CAM) I thought you were through with it! NIN We cannot stay here and allow ourselves to be destroyed. You can work with us. An organized plan of escape must be devised first. Could you see anything? (pause) You want to leave. You're not like them. You must have left something, or someone. THX winces at the question. NIN A plan.....an organization. I will see to it that we all get out of here safely. As soon as you give us a detailed description of the barrier, we can begin. Information is the key. We must concentrate on gaining information. You're with us, I know. I have a contract.. He takes a piece of paper out of his shirt. THX lies silently, apparently asleep. NIN All it says is: you're with us. We can only make it together. We must convince the others. (pause) Well, later, then. NIN leaves. THX opens his eyes and ponders the incident. DISSOLVE TO: SEN is busy cleaning his bed area. CAM is helping TWA build a crude telescope on the edge of the bed area. DWY is sharpening his spoon. THX is sitting on his bed with his head in his hands.. NIN and PTO are involved in discussion. PTO's mind is wandering as he trys to follow NIN's train of thought. NIN Without most of us realizing it, a "new alignment" has been formed... and it is an exciting, healthy development.. this alignment is already a new majority; it will effect the future of us all for generations to come. We need a new unity, but not a unity which discourages dissent. We Need dissent. He touches PTO to emphasize the point. There is a pause. NIN But we need a creative dissent. Our voices are not joined in any harmonious chorus, but the differences are differences of emphasis, not of fundamentals. Now, the new alignment's greatest need is to communicate with all its elements, rather than march along in parallel line that never converge. Tomorrow as we focus the new movement more clearly, we will gain a new unity. PTO What? A policeman appears out of the white with a three foot high, hunch backed, long-haired freak. The policeman pounds his staff three times. All the felons are dumb-founded at the sight of the freak. POLICEMAN A nondescript: 364-1399284 The policeman exits; the freak stands helpless and frightened. SEN What is it? NIN Good Lord! PTO (proud of his knowledge) A shelldweller. They live in the outer shell of the city. Quite unique, there have been two here before. They smell. TWA Interesting.... TWA cautiously goes over to it to get a closer look. When he gets close enough he pokes it. The freak lets out a shrill screech and hobbles as fast as it can away from TWA. It jumps up and lands on DWY's lap. DWY is paralyzed with fear as the freak clutches to him with all his strength. The freak looks at DWY with sad, helpless eyes. DWY comes out of his shock and throws the freak onto the floor. DWY Get....get away, get, get, get, get away.... The freak hobbles off to an empty bed and huddles in a ball at its base, quaking with fear. TWA starts for it again. CAM Leave it....for a while. CAM and TWA go back to the telescope. NIN and PTO return to their conversation. THX lies quietly on his bed. SEN continues to clean his area. DWY sits on his bed. He is crying. DISSOLVE TO: 53. CAM is at the telescope, aiming it into the whiteness, in an apparently futile search for some concrete object. TWA is at his side. TWA There! TWA points and CAM moves the telescope in that direction. CAM No, nothing. TWA points again. TWA There! CAM Nothing. THX is also standing at the edge of the limbo, not far sway, staring out at nothing. TWA and CAM conclude their search after a few more fruitless attempts at sighting something. NIN and PTO are having another discussion. NIN I think that a leader must, whenever he possibly can, make the decision for more knowledge rather than less, but he must also have the wisdom to limit freedom so as to insure freedom. That is what will keep us strong and give us direction. TWA and CAM come over and sit down. PTO Well? TWA Out of a random selection of 150 locations with 150 possible sightings, there were 146 absolute negatives and four conditionals, most of which occurred in the early familiarization stages of the experiment and can be largely discounted. PTO Not very encouraging. TWA On the contrary! It absolutely proves what I have always felt. We are located in an apparently uniform space with no visible limits. We are just now beginning to push back the clouds of ignorance and perceive the truth. We must continue the search. NIN I have always tended to believe that this kind of knowledge is all well and good in its place, but anything can be taken too far, and when you've got everyone looking off into telescopes and not tending to business right here, then, I believe, we have gone too far. THX has noticed a policeman approaching the group. He turns and goes back to his bed module. TWA The sighting of a fixed point beyond our confines is fundamental to all other problems and issues. It would instantly determine whether we are, whether this world is, in fact, moving or standing still. The policeman enters the area and walks over to DWY, who has been sitting quietly on his bed. TWA leans over and whispers to CAM, and as the policeman leads DWY quietly away, they return to the telescope. NIN I have been thinking seriously recently about the role we are expected to play as individuals and as a unit within the broader outlines of society. He addresses himself to the whole group. NIN Each of us, of course, feels very strongly as an individual, but I think we could all agree that there is something here that binds us all together. In this way, we are a whole made up of different parts. But in the way that each of us relates to all of us together, all of us together are but a part of society as a whole. No one is really listening to him. NIN Now I come to my point: each one of us can be in unity with the rest only if there is a leader who can the unifying. When Posterity judges our actions here it will perhaps see us not as unwilling prisoners, but as men who, when faced with the choice, preferred, for whatever reason, to remain as non-contributing individuals on the fringe of society. We must not let this happen, gentlemen. The choice is there, make no mistake about it! NIN looks around, trying to elicit a response. NIN We must first choose a leader to unite us together, and then venture out and return once more as contributing and vital members of the greater organism of society. NIN's speech has been increasingly passionate, and ends on a note of triumphant exhortation. The freak begins to cry; everyone else is silent. TWA, who has not been listening to the speech, is still sighting through the telescope. TWA Aha! DISSOLVE TO: 54. CAM is shaving his head while PTO is giving him a history lesson. The Freak is crouched in the background. PTO ......because of the great pressure and bad air, they never attain a height greater than four feet although some of them are ferocious fighters and show great courage and skill. Whether they are descendants of those who lost them- selves in the superstructure, or whether they are actually a separate race, no one can tell. They depend on their strange appearance and peculiar smell to fend off any intruders, and they make the city shell a most unpleasant place in which to be lost. The authorities tolerate a moderate amount of them at any one time, but they must be kept under control with occasional sweep campaigns, which is probably where this one came from. CAM (repeating the lesson) Because of the great pressure and bad air, they never attain... TWA, who has been busy making calculations, suddenly bursts in: TWA I've got it! Astounding! PTO What? TWA No one could have imagined anything one-thousandth as fantastic as the sober facts uncovered by patient inquiry. This world is in a state of static-mobility: we are at the same time moving and standing still. NIN That's the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard. TWA It may seem ridiculous to the untrained mind, but if you were able to interpret the calculations you would see that an apparent paradox is actually a perfect and elegant system in concept and design. A policeman approaches the group. TWA However, for myself there is a great deal more that I would like to know. Why is this world as it is and not something else. Why is this world here at all. It is true that at present I have no clue to the answers to questions such as these, but.... The policeman enters the group and walks over to CAM, leads him away without a word. NIN (to PTO) There goes another of your disciples. PTO It seems I am destined to endure many frustrations....but at the same time I am secure in the knowledge that the thrust of my studies has been in the right direction, and that even if it remains incomplete, my search has not been in vain. PTO watches CAM being led off by the policeman. PTO Our life is brief and powerless. On all of us, the slow, sure doom falls pitiless and dark. Blind to good and evil, reckless of destruction, omnipotent authority rolls on its relentless way. Condemned today to lose our friends, tomorrow ourselves to pass through the gate of darkness, it remains only for us to cherish, before the blow falls, the lofty thoughts that ennoble this little day; disdaining the coward terrors of the slave of fate, to worship at the shrine that our own hands have built; undismayed by the empire of chance, to preserve a mind free from the wanton tyranny that rules our outward life; proudly defiant of the irresistible forces that tolerate, for a moment, out knowledge and our condemnation, to sustain alone, weary but unyielding, the world that our own ideals have fashioned despite the trampling march of unconscious power. THX looks into the void. There are tears in his eyes. DISSOLVE TO: 55. The blue meal buzzer goes off and the men eat. DWY tries without any results to get OUE to eat something. The Freak is very protective of his food, and is very sloppy when he eats. SEN eats only a small portion of his food, and puts the rest in his bed module. He then goes over and sits with THX. SEN What is the Freak doing? He chews, but he doesn't seem to eat. The longer it stays, the greater the mess. Nobody lifts a finger. Isn't anybody going to get rid of the damn thing? (pause) All of its leavings are piling up. THX is eating, unconcerned with SEN's problems. SEN I can't do a good job. As soon as I get things cleaned up....it's hopeless, a hopeless task. (pointing to the others) I'm going to tell them I've had it. They don't know any better. Countless diversions. Deciding where we are. Arguing about leaving. Trying to determine the future. Ridiculous. What about keeping things livable here? Now? (pause) can't hide anything. I can't put anything aside. Nothing can be saved, nothing....can be hidden. They're beginning to go into my corner and look for things. Their things. They're my things..... They're going to take it all. I know what they're planning. After all my saving, starving...there must be something else. Don't you agree? You're calculating... SEN is stopped by the banging of a policeman's staff. POLICEMAN LUH 9998 THX is startled by the felon's prefix. THX (quietly, almost involuntarily) LUH! ....... He turns to see an older, quiet-looking man. The policeman leaves and THX slumps in depression. SEN (casually interested) What happened to her? Do you know where she is? Why isn't she here... (pause) What are you thinking? THX is obviously thinking about something important. He seems to have made a decision. NIN is sitting with OUE, trying o get him to sign his petition. THX I'm leaving. SEN What? THX turns to SEN with a very determined look. THX I'm leaving. SEN When?.....How? THX Right now. SEN But you can't...you. THX starts to walk out of the area and into the whiteness. SEN Wait, I'm coming too. SEN runs over to his bed and starts stuffing surplus food into his shirt. NIN comes over to him, pointing out at THX. NIN (agitated) What's going on....what are you doing? SEN We're leaving. NIN What? SEN We're leaving. NIN Who? Who's leaving? SEN THX and me. NIN But you can't. We must escape. The new alignment. The plan. The organization. SEN's shirt is bulging with food. He has wrapped more food up in a piece of cloth. As he starts to go after THX, NIN grabs his arm and tries to restrain him. NIN Wait....sit down, let's talk about it. You can't just do this on your own. We must present a united front...gather more pertinent information... plans have to be made. SEN breaks away from him, and some of the food spills out of his shirt, bouncing across the floor. He runs after THX. NIN Think of the new alignment. What are you doing? (yelling) You can't do this! PTO, TWA, and LUH join NIN on the edge of the white limbo. They watch SEN and THX walking off. NIN We must escape. We have plans. We can leave. We must wait until... TWA Incredible! NIN's yelling fades as SEN and THX venture further from the group of modules. Eventually, the beds disappear completely. THX and SEN are alone in the white. WHITE LIMBO EXTREME LONG SHOT THX walks briskly through the white. SEN follows a short distance behind, occasionally dropping a cube of food. LONG SHOT THX and SEN are sitting, resting in the vast void. SEN is eating. THX is thinking. MED SHOT They are walking. SEN seems to be having a difficult time. SEN The air is getting thinner. (pause) Or the pressure is getting greater. It's the pressure. How do you feel? THX is not listening to SEN SEN My ears feel funny....are you sure this is the right direction? They walk until SEN drops on the floor, out of breath. SEN It's the air. It's closing in. I can't stand it any longer. There's no room. No air. THX goes over to him. THX I haven't got time. You can stay here if you like. THX starts off into the white. SEN No! SEN gets up and follows after THX. SEN It shouldn't be this far. They walk on. Suddenly THX stops short. SEN What? THX Look! He points to a black dot in the distance. SEN Oh No! They stand for a moment, watching the dot. THX It doesn't seem to be moving. They start walking in the direction of the dot. SEN Look, he's waving...It's a man. He's waving. Soon, they are close enough to see the man is a negro mannequin, SRT 5555. He begins to walk toward THX and SEN. They are frightened, and stop walking. SRT approaches them. SRT Hello...hello. Where did you come from? Both THX and SEN are speechless. SRT Well, it doesn't make any difference, I guess. He notices SEN's food. SRT What's that? Food? Good, I'm starving. Do you mind? He takes a piece of food from SEN's shirt. SEN is frozen with fear. SRT begins to eat. THX What are you doing here? SRT I was lost. THX ...and you're not lost now? SRT (mouth full) No, I... SEN You know the way out?! SRT (chewing) Um hmm... THX Which way? SRT (swallowing) That way. He points in the direction from which THX and SRT have just come. SEN That's where we were. SRT Maybe you were traveling in circles. That's the way out. THX How do you know? SRT Look more closely. Out of the whiteness a row of faint beacons flash. The men start off in that direction. As the beacons become more distinct, the men break into a trot, then into a run. SEN trips and falls, sending food bouncing in all directions. SEN Wait, help. SRT stops to help him up. THX waits until they catch up. The three of them run out of the white limbo into a dark side area. They stop to catch their breath. SEN There was nothing there. SRT looks at THX and smiles. They walk along the edge of the white until they reach a door. SRT It could lead anywhere... THX puts his ear to the door. He hears nothing. SEN No...Let's not... SRT opens the door, revealing an extremely crowded hallway. The roar is deafening. CITY MAINWAY The men stand looking into the river of people. THX points to a red door on the opposite side. THX (shouting) Let's head for that door. The three men are engulfed by the moving people. Fearful of being noticed, they are tense as TV cameras scan the crowd. They struggle to fight the swift current. SEN begins to panic as he becomes separated from THX and SRT. The shuffle of feet is so loud that SEN's crys are not heard. THX sees SEN drifting further and further away, but he is helpless to do anything. THX yells at SRT who is directly ahead of him in the stream of people. THX We've lost SEN! SRT What? THX Lost SEN! He'll never find us. SRT Too late....stay close. THX and SRT make it to the opposite side of the hallway. They move along the wall until they reach the door which reads: "Reproduction Center 35 No Entrance" SEN helplessly disappears in the distance. He screams, but cannot be heard as he floats through the hallways. THX and SRT enter the reproduction center. CONTROL CENTER A row of observers sit at their monitors, as a control officer, ELC 3433 (dressed in yellow), enters the room. He walks over to one of the observers and is handed a stack of report tapes. He take the reports to his desk and begins to listen to them. The control center seems relatively calm. REPRODUCTION CENTER SRT and THX are sitting in a large room illuminated by blue lights and filled with large jars. The jars contain human embryos. SRT ...it doesn't matter. The rest of it just didn't happen. THX What are you talking about. How do you know? I need her! (to himself) I need her. She needs me. I've got to get to her. SRT Maternity ward, huhh! THX We'll never make it through that mainway...I wonder what happened to SEN. (pause) I'm crazy! This whole thing is crazy...What am I doing? My mind is full of so many things I can't think of anything, anymore. (annoyed, to SRT) Who are you? SRT Who? Me?...I don't know. THX What kind of answer is that? SRT I don't know. THX (VERY FAST) You have to!....I'm 1138 THX Magnum manipulator 347 cell 94107 Precinct 3 Residence: Level 6421 Complex 12 Ramp 5. Roommate 3417 LU...H. SRT Oh, That! I'm 5555 SRT Entron.. THX (angry) I don't care. SRT gets up and looks around the embryo room. He takes one of the jars and removes it from the shelf. THX It's all her fault!...She put orinase in my sedation. SRT looks at THX and puts the jar back in its niche. THX How can I love her? SRT goes over to a control panel and begins to inspect it. He discovers a maintenance entrance to the computer. A small sign on the door reads: "REPRODUCTION CONTROL COMPUTER MAINTENANCE." No entrance. Use no electrodevices beyond this point." SRT Look! THX goes over to the computer. SRT pulls the door open. THX No! An alarm goes off, and a recorded voice is heard. VOICE You are engaged in an unauthorized procedure. Check cybernetic manual F-45. If you do no have an F-45, you are in violation. This is a double A restricted precinct. Remain where you are. Authorities will arrive shortly. THX You should know better than that! THX looks up at a TV camera. The two felons are seen on a TV monitor. CATHEDRAL The Cathedral is a vast, dark, and empty hall. Dimly perceivable are strange-looking cameras on large dollies; cables are strewn across the floor. At one end is the portrait of OMM and the huge figure eight. A door open slowly at the far end of the hall and lets in a shaft of light. The air is filled with dust. SEN enters through the door, marked "SAG - 68Y Personnel only." His bag of food hangs limply and he is exhausted. Slowly and cautiously he moves down the rows of strange shadowy devices. From the dark background there is occasionally a glint of polished metal or glass. Amber safety lights are spaced evenly along the unseen walls. Every sound he makes echoes throughout the empty space. He stands for a long while in front of the portrait of OMM. In the background, only dimly seen, are huge cards reading: "Before OMM was OMM, After OMM will be OMM, Within OMM" etc.. He tosses the bag of food on the floor; one red sphere rolls out and comes to a stop. He looks at it and smiles wryly. SEN They took everything...and then they were going to take my food. He says this as a matter of fact, not trying to excuse anything. SEN My food....I was afraid and I ran away. The portrait of OMM looks down silently. SEN I know it was wrong, OMM. I want to go back...I want to do the right thing. I want to go back. The sound of footsteps is heard, and SEN turns in panic to see who it is. COMPUTER INTERIOR THX and SRT run through the labyrinth of electronic circuit panels. THX begins to show signs of exhaustion as they run through the rows of electrodes. CLOSE ANGLE THX stops to catch his breath. SRT disappears around a corner. THX runs to catch up, but when he reaches the corner, he discovers SRT has disappeared. He goes alone. CONTROL CENTER In the control center ELC receives a report. VOICE .....and two inmates have fled detention block R, habot 92. They have been missing for approximately 3:32.16 hours. The report is simultaneously typed into a computer. VOICE 1138 THX and 5241 SEN. Relay current position. ELC appears calm and unconcerned as he speaks over the intercom. ELC We have a U65 on a K8. Transfer all unauthorized contacts in precient 688 CON-G to this center. Mode 7. Instantly, the computer readout activates. ELC reports into an intercom. ELC Request two PB848's: officers 1999 and 2187. Proceed with recovery operation of felons 1138thx and 5241sen. Current position reproduction center 35, precient 688, CON-G. Report when felons are in custody, revised position: HOLD.... Felons have entered maintance area of reproduction control computer 35-B4. Transfer. ELC turns to watch an assembly accident on one of the monitors. CATHEDRAL SEN is peering into the shadows. Just barely visible, standing on the other side of the cathedral, is a white robed figure. VOICE (echoing through the hall) This is not the place for prayer. SEN shows no surprise and says nothing. VOICE If you want to speak with OMM you must go to a UNICHURCH, you know that. SEN (to himself) Yes.... VOICE What?....Are you in any trouble? SEN No...No...I'm all right. I'm going now. SEN picks up his bag and starts for the door. The white robed figure, which we can now see is a monk, stops him. MONK Are you SAG?....What is your number and prefix? I'm going to have to put this in your record. SEN No...I'll just leave. MONK (holding him) I'm sorry, I have to report all intruders.....Where is your identification badge? SEN (looking at his lepel) I lost it. MONK You're in violation. I'm going to notify the authorities. This is beyond my jurisdiction. The monk turns to leave, and SEN grabs him, knocking him to the floor. SEN No! Give....Give me time. SEN begins to beat the unconscious body of the monk. Slowly, he stops and then slumps, holding his face in his hands. SEN OMM...OMM What have I done? He takes the body in his arms, and then goes through the monks pockets. He finds some pills and takes them. COMPUTER INTERIOR THX is standing at the intersection of three computer hallways: puzzled. He turns to see a chrome policeman come around the corner at the other end of the hallway. MED ANGLE THX runs down a corridor away from the policeman. Exhausted and trapped, he discovers an opening between two electronic panels, and squeezes into the cramped hiding place. FULL SHOT The robots stop a short distance from where THX is hiding. Another policeman joins him. POLICEMAN We need assistance. Electroscan impossible. Must rely on visual sighting. Request three additional officers. ELC Assistance priority request filed. Continue with operation. The policeman move off down the hallway. When their footsteps fade, THX pokes his head out of his cubbyhole. MED ANGLE THX runs through the electronic hallways. He stops at an exit; a hole high in the ceiling with a ladder in it. Suddenly he hears someone coming. He jumps for the ladder and misses, landing on a heap on the floor. CLOSE ANGLE He is about to make another leap when someone grabs him from the rear. THX faints and collapses on the floor. CONTROL CENTER Photos and file histories of THX and SEN are projected on the large screen. ELC is speaking into a dictaphone, and his request is instantaneously typed into the computer and onto the screen. ELC ....and both felons were located in reproduction center 34. Apprehension pending. Priority shift for 3 additional officers delayed. Subjects will be returned to..... He breaks off his dictating as a report comes through on his headset. VOICE Priority shift granted. Officers 5254, 9696 and 1970 dispatched to Con G. ELC It's about time (into intercom). Three additional officers enroute to assist in operation. Advise at time of apprehension. TRAM STATION SEN is riding in an almost empty tram. There is only one other passenger - a man asleep about four rows behind him. The tram comes to a stop and an announcement is made over the PA system. ANNOUNCER Termination of exurban link-DD NECK 08. This tram will return to central web in five minutes. There is a soft hiss and then silence. The man in back of SEN wakes up, looks around, then falls asleep again. SEN gets up and cautiously leaves the tram. FULL SHOT Outside, the tram station is deserted and only partially completed. There are corridors leading from the station, but these too, are unfinished. The station is lit only by dim work lights. The sound of running water is heard. CLOSE SHOT SEN very timidly begins to explore one of the corridors. The walls are solid, uneven rock, covered with plastic sheeting. Many tubes and wires are lying on the floor, leading off into the distance. Occasionally there is a strange-looking tool dropped against the wall. MED SHOT SEN comes to a section of rock that is steaming. There is a strong draft blowing past him toward the tram station. As he rounds a corner a strange volcanic sound comes from the depths of the unfinished corridor. Suddenly a large rat scampers past him and into the uncompleted shaft. CLOSE SHOT SEN is terrified and at the same time intrigued by what he is seeing. He stops and listens. He hears the sound of the trams pressure valves closing up. FULL SHOT He looks back, he cannot see the tram and he is instantly overcome with fear. He runs madly around the corner and down the corridor. The tram is till there. He reaches the tram just as the door begins to close. CONTROL CENTER One of the observers reports to ELC. On his TV monitor two chrome policeman fuss over the body of the slain monk. OBSERVER I have an unusual report - a nonaccidental death. Are there any felons reported in section 692 CON F? ELC No, the closest thing I have is in CON G, they couldn't have done it. Relay to analysis. He thinks to himself for a minute. ELC (to the observer)...Let me recheck ....(he typed into computer)... Backlog on case 6178821150. The computer readout activates. ELC I have an unexplained discrepancy. A description of one of the felons trapped in reproduction center 35 doesn't match his Harris profile. Transfer any unauthorized contact for a radius of 30 sections. Relay. The computer readout activates. NARROW PASSAGEWAY THX lies unconscious on the floor of a hallway, filled with pipes and tubes. SRT is looking down through the ladder hole watching a policeman pass under him. THX begins to regain consciousness. SRT I'm sorry...I didn't mean to frighten you. THX looks around and realizes he has been moved out of the computer. THX How did you get me up here?... It is very hot and sweat forms on THX's forehead. There is a large rumble and the entire passageway vibrates. SRT What was that.... THX Must be an expressway.... You don't have to stay here, you know.... SRT What have you done, Cut your hand? THX I'm all right THX rises and they begin to walk along the passageway. At the end of the hall is a small metal door, a sign read "Level 842CON G, Division of Plastic, Vendable manufacturing stations" the door is jammed and it is difficult to open. Finally the latch snaps and the door swings open. SCHOOL PLAZA SEN is sitting with his head in his hands. Along one wall is a school with windows facing the plaza. Children are playing various games in the center of the plaza. One group forms a human labyrinth and tow children play tag in it. Two children are standing apart from the others, one is adjusting a strange device of the other's arm. After a few moments one child approached SEN. CHILD My inducer fell off. SEN (Looks up) What...? The child holds out his arm to SEN. A small blue plastic pouch has detached from the underside of his arm. He points at the other child standing in the background. CHILD 3114 knocked it off. SEN (Confused) Oh?.... CHILD He didn't mean to. SEN takes the pouch. Printed on it are the words "Advanced primary economics 5867H" It is filled with a creamy fluid which is dripping slowly out of the plastic tube. CHILD Look out! He grabs the pouch from SEN and pinches the tube shut. CHILD (Angry) What's the matter with you? The other child has come over and is watching. SEN I'm sorry...let me see it again. The child reluctantly gives him the pouch and SEN is careful to keep it upright. Sticking out of the child's arm is a small plastic receptor tube. SEN fits the pouch's tube into it. The child looks at SEN. CHILD What are you doing here? Where's your badge? SEN (Busy with the pouch) I'm an escaped felon. The two children look at each other wide-eyed. The second backs off a little. FIRST CHILD You are not! Why aren't you arrested? SEN looks up and smiles and motions the other child closer again. SEN I'm waiting to be picked up. Here, hold this... He hands the second child the first's pouch and tears a strip of cloth from his shirt. He ties it around the arm holding the pouch secure. SEN There! The two children are fascinated, knowing whether to believe SEN or not. SECOND CHILD What's your name? SEN SEN 5241 SECOND CHILD I'm 3114 and he's 1112 SEN Hello.... (Looking at the pouch) How is that? Any good.... FIRST CHILD (Shrugs) O.K. SEN When I was in school it was all different. We had to lie in bed all the time. ADVANCED PRIMARY ECONOMICS was a bottle about this big.... (he indicates a football sized object) It took a week. CHILDREN Wow! PLASTIC FACTORY THX and SRT pass by large stacks of the three dimensional hexagons that are sold in the commercial plazas. Eventually, they enter a cold, blue-lit room filled with dead bodies lying on metal slabs. The eyes and torsos of many of the bodies are covered with a blue plastic film. MED ANGLE THX sits quietly on one of the empty slabs. SRT wanders through the dead bodies, occasionally lifting the covers and looking underneath. THX takes a cube of food out of his shirt. He considers the possibility of not offering any to SRT. THX Would you like part of this? ....It's not much. SRT (referring to the bodies) All the insides are gone! THX Begins to eat. SRT Did you know all the insides are gone from these people? THX continues to eat, not responding to SRT. CLOSE ANGLE On one of the slabs is a body with a particularly large head. SRT This one must have been a genius! SRT inspects the head. SRT ...Yes, definitely smarter then the rest. He moves along to another body which we recognize as DWY. He has no cloth over his eyes. SRT This one has eyes. ((Sardonic) Why did they leave your eyes? Could you ever.... THX (recognizing DWY) No!.... THX goes over to DWY. THX (Saddened) I knew him. SRT Soon he'll be a plastic cube. THX (angry) Shut up. SRT goes over and lies down on one of the slabs. THX remains with DWY's body, pondering his fate. SRT Your a fool.....If you continue after LUH, you'll end up here. Forget her. You can't go back. THX wearly climbs onto a slab, just as a door opens and a figure enters. Both THX and SRT freeze in terror. MED ANGLE The figure begins to staple plastic tags on the ears of the bodies, checking a list as he goes. As he works, two more figures enter with a cart and lift the tagged bodies into it. CONTROL CENTER A TV monitor focuses on SEN sitting in the school plaza. ELC We've lost contact with 1138. An unidentified felon is traveling with him. Will transfer further information when available. OBSERVER Visual contact with 5241SEN. ....Habot 25 CON-H, PS947. ELC switches to another intercom. ELC Request PB848: officer 1088 proceed with recovery of felon 5241SEN. Current position Habot 25, CON-H, PS947. OBSERVER Negative sweep of CON-J, section H. ELC Try closer to the reproduction center. SCHOOL PLAZA SEN is still sitting with the two children. He listens to them attentively. 2ND CHILD (correcting) No...impresses on each of us. 1ST CHILD That's not how it goes. 2ND CHILD Yes it is.... SEN Go on. 1ST CHILD .....There are no other rational alternatives in this way. We eliminate the economic function generated by the contrast of separate but compatible energies. 2ND CHILD Elements! Compatible elements. 1ST CHILD Energies. As the children argue, SEN notices a policeman approaching them. He stands up, and the children stop arguing and look on in wonderment. CLOSE ANGLE The policeman tapes SEN's hands behind his back. SEN looks at the first child.... SEN You're right. 1ST CHILD (to second child) See! 2ND CHILD He doesn't know. The policeman tapes SEN's mouth and eyes and leads him off. The children continue to argue about the word. PLASTIC FACTORY CLOSE ANGLE The figure with the staple gun approaches the slab on which SRT is lying. A death tag is stapled to his ear. He doesn't even flinch. The figure continues along the row of bodies, nearing THX. FULL ANGLE The figure staples a tag on THX's ear. His body jerks with pain, the figure jumps back with a yelp. FIGURE WITH CART What's wrong? THX and SRT jump up and run to a side door making a quick exit... The figures stand in shock.. MED ANGLE THX and SRT run furiously down a long hallway; there are two doors at the end, one of which is locked. CLOSE ANGLE Four or five men enter from the end of the hallway, THX tries the second door, which opens and they rush inside, closing and locking the door behind them. OBSERVATION CELL They are in a small cramped observation cell. THX We're trapped. SRT takes a tool from one of the control panels and smashes a TV monitoring eye which has been observing them. CLOSE ANGLE THX is fumbling desperately at the controls of the master board. A series of images flash rapidly across the TV screen: trams in transit, people eating, factories, hallways. FULL SHOT SRT is feeling along the walls for a removable panel. SRT That's a waste of time. THX continues pushing buttons, and a medical operation appears on the screen. THX (To himself) That's not it. SRT (Unconcerned) No? THX adjusts some dials and more images appear on screen. THX There!......There! He locks in a wide angle view of a maternity ward and starts switching close shots to close shot, searching. SRT Come here and help me, we have no time..... SRT is unscrewing one of the small panels. He manages to get it off and looks inside, (a mass of wires and circuit boards.) obviously not an escape route. Staring back from the circuiting is a pair of small red eyes. A hiss and scuffling sound is heard as the eyes disappear. SRT turns to THX, but THX is completely absorbed in the monitors. SRT gets up and continues to prowl about the small room, examining things, pushing an occasional button, unscrewing various controls. SRT The only way out seems to be the way we came in. SRT pushes another button and the voice of OMM is heard. OMM This is OMM. Everything is fine. You are in my hands. I will protect you. Co-operate with Mercicontrol. They only want to help you. Everything is going to be all right. SRT manages half a smile and shakes his head. THX finishes his examination and slumps back in his chair, dazed. THX She's not there SRT No...... (Long pause) She's dead THX........ THX (shouting) You don't know that! SRT All right... SRT goes over to panel and looks at the controls. SRT Get up for a second.... THX gets up, not knowing what SRT is up to. SRT pushes some buttons and dials in an image. SRT There... The image on the screen is a bottled human embryo about three months old. It is alive moving slightly. THX is speechless. SRT Remember this...? THX Where's LUH? SRT Look more closely. On the bottle we can see printed: 8888 Sexact. Maternal: LUH 3417. Paternal: (surmised) THX 1138. SRT That's all that's left of her besides something like what's in the next room. There's a long pause. The embryo turns its head.. THX (Quiet but intense) No...no you're wrong. SRT I'm only trying to help you. THX jumps up, pushing SRT across the room and into a panel of monitors. There are tears in THX's eyes.... THX (shouts) You're wrong. THX slumps into his chair. SRT get sup and goes over to him. The embryo is still on the monitor. SRT I'm sorry. THX What do you want? SRT Save yourself.... SRT retracts the monitor to a full wide angle view of the reproduction center. THX's son is lost among thousands of embryo bottles. SRT ...life seems very natural, once you have been born, but, for the unborn it is a frightening mystery. It is not easy to choose life if you have never lived. CONTROL CENTER ELC receives a report over the intercom... VOICE Observation booth 649, Division of plastic, CON H He flips to another channel. ELC Request 2 PB848's: Officers 4242 and.... (He checks his computer readout.....) ...2284. Proceed with recovery of felon 1138 Prefix THX and unidentified companion. Current position: Vendable manufacturing Center 92. Observation booth 694. Precinct 331. CON H. Report when felons are in custody..... OBSERVER No visual contact in OB 649. ELC That's allright. They're not going anywhere. (He speaks into his dictating machine...) ...research into advanced relay systems must be given more attention if any....... OBSERVATION CELL Various human dramas play themselves out over the TV monitors. On one of the screens, and operation is in process. VOICE Heart 6G, lungs 35OR, liver defective, kidney-right-641A... On another monitor we see a small crowd of people standing in the morgue. SRT Just look at all those people. THX I thought of something..... They are interrupted by an intercom voice. POLICEMAN VOICE Gentlemen, you have nothing to fear, everything will be all right.... FULL ANGLE We see two policemen outside the observation cell talking into a small intercom on the door. A group of about five or six people are gathering at the end of the hallway to observe the scene. POLICEMAN Stay calm, the door seems to be jammed or locked; please check the lock on your side. We are not going to hurt you. Everything will be all right. The policemen try the door again, but it does not open. One policeman takes a pen-sized tool and begins to burn a hole around the latch. POLICEMAN Stay calm........ CLOSE ANGLE THX madly typing into the computer, he speaks into an intercom.... THX repeat..fire in observation 649 ..... all systems.... He turns to SRT; they smile at each other. THX Get ready... SRT goes over to the door and grabs the lock. Over the intercom a recorded voice is heard. VOICE Discontinue all operations.... The robots stops and look at one another puzzled. VOICE Repeat..discontinue all operations. Correct procedure is essential... Stay clam..evacuate this complex... The onlookers begin to panic. SRT yanks the door open and one of the policemen tumbles into the booth SRT and THX run head-long into the other policeman, pinning him against the wall; he falls to the floor, dazed from the jolt. CONTROL CENTER A row of lights on ELC's panel light up. ELC Report! POLICEMAN'S VOICE Felons now fleeing section.. ELC Hold....(to an observer) mindlock Precinct 331 CON H general area... MINDLOCK..... PLASTIC FACTORY As THX and SRT run toward the onlookers, the crowd starts to disperse, panicked. The high whinning score is heard and suddenly everyone freezes in motion, THX and SRT continue running, slowing slightly, but they are not affected by the mindlock. FULL SHOT One of the policemen is helping the other to his feet and reporting to ELC .... POLICEMAN Mindlock stabilized, felons unaffected. Pursuit instructions. We have been informed to discontinue operations, is this correct..confirm.. CONTROL ROOM A man places more reports on ELC's desk. ELC (to policeman) Continue pursuit, disregard previous instructions, proceed. ELC flips to another channel. ELC Mindlock impossible. Subjects suffering...total chemical imbalance. Mindlock completely disrupted. Request destruction clearance. Stand by. The computer readout activates. ELC (to policeman) Proceed to dispersal center 21. Projected route of flight will be transferred. MODUAL DISPERSAL CENTER THX and SRT make their way into a large, cavernous room. It is a transport center at peak hour, and many people are pouring into the area. CLOSE ANGLE THX and SRT thread through the crowded dispersing center as the policemen struggle to locate them. The felons are swept toward the tram system. SRT signals to THX. SRT This way! They fight their way through the crowd, away from the tram and toward the individual autojets. TV monitors scan the center. CLOSE ANGLE THX and SRT become separated in the pushing crowd. Individually, they reach a row of the massive jet-powered vehicles. A policeman begins to move toward the autojet area. FULL ANGLE THX gets into an Autojet. SRT is at the other end of the parking area and a policeman is between him and THX. SRT climbs into an autojet, careful not to be noticed by the policeman. MED ANGLE THX starts his car with an ear-deafing roar. He turns the car out of its parking space and begins to coast out of the center, past SRT's car. CLOSE ANGLE SRT is having difficulty starting his car. On the dashboard, a red light flashes: ENGAGED. He is slightly comic as he tries to deal with the incredible array of switches and buttons. FULL ANGLE The policeman is approaching as SRT continues his struggle to start the car. Suddenly, the powerful jets star and the car uncontrollably lurches forward at great speed, crashing head-on into a wall. The car begins to smoke. CLOSE ANGLE THX has been watching in his rear view mirror. He put on his breaks and turns to look back. FULL ANGLE SRT cannot be seen in the smoking car. The car lights go on and then off. The car explodes into a ball of flames. CLOSE ANGLE THX buries his head in his hands. EXPRESS TUNNEL THX's autojet roars through an express tunnel. Two policemen on sleek, exotic jetbikes round a corner with beautiful precision. Calmly, relentlessly, they pursue THX. MED ANGLE Over his headset, THX listens for police reports. The messages on the channel are routine. THX must constantly fight to maintain control of his car. He can see the two policemen following on his radar scope. CLOSE ANGLE THX hears a strange noise coming from his car. He tries to find the source of the sound, and momentarily loses control of the car. FULL ANGLE The car swerves and scrapes the wall of the tunnel. CLOSE ANGLE THX sees the policemen gaining on his radar scope and pushes his car even faster, making it even more difficult to control. The policemen momentarily drop back. The loud noise in his car begins to get worse, and he checks his gauges. The policemen slowly begin to gain on THX. FULL ANGLE The car bobbles as THX has more and more difficulty keeping it under control. A part flies off, causing one of the jet-bikes to swerve. The policeman lose control of his bike, tumbles across the roadway and bounces off the wall, parts flying in all directions. CLOSE ANGLE As THX's speed increases, the engine heats up, moving the indicator into the danger zone. THX looks for a switch to cool the engine. He is now experiencing serious mechanical trouble. One of the engines is making a very loud screeching sound. Finally THX flips the right switch, and the temperature needle moves out of the danger zone. The struggle for THX to maintain control of the machine almost becomes more terrifying and important then the pursuing policeman. FULL ANGLE Tension builds as the jet car and the jet bikes race at incredible speeds through the maze of tunnels. As the car passes level markers, we realize THX is rising up through the city. Finally he reaches level 10. CLOSE ANGLE THX picks up a new object on his radar scope coming from the opposite direction, heading directly toward him. Suddenly a control voice breaks in over radio head set. VOICE Stop your vehicle. Officers are approaching from both directions. Stop your vehicle. You have nothing to fear. OMM Everything will be all right, you are in my hands. You have nowhere to go. I am here to protect you. You have nowhere to go. You have nowhere.... THX continues ahead, as the dots on the radar scope begin to close. FULL ANGLE THX rounds a corner and sees a faint light ahead of him. His autojet continues to blast along the tunnel roadway. CLOSE ANGLE THX begins to panic as he watches the dots ahead of him and behind him close on the scope. CONTROL CENTER ELC watches his radar scope as the dots converge. ELC I don't understand. He's not stopping. (into another intercom) Is scope 621 giving an accurate reading?....fine. Just checking. Officer 3333, Abort....Abort....Abort... EXPRESS TUNNEL The policeman gets his new orders too late and THX's autojet collides with the on coming bike. The jet bike is thrown over the top of the car. THX loses control of his car and skids to a stop against one of the walls of the tunnel. CLOSE ANGLE THX is shaken, but no hurt. FULL ANGLE The jet bike which was following THX hits the wreckage of the first bike and tumbles end over end through the tunnel. CLOSE ANGLE THX gets out of the car and runs down the roadway. Lights appear in the distance. THX presses against the wall as an autojet rockets past him. He begins to run again as a crash is heard in the distance. FULL ANGLE Two policemen pass the wreckage on their jet bikes. THX finds a door on the side of the tunnel and enters. CITY SUPERSTRUCTURE THX runs through the concrete superstructure. One of the policemen stops at the entrance of the superstructure and the other one continues through the express tunnel. The policeman enters the superstructure and begins to search for THX. CLOSE ANGLE THX is becoming weary as the policeman methodically searches for him using a thermoviewer heat detector. THX stops to rest for a moment. He is cold, shaking. He hears something. FULL ANGLE Out of no where, something jumps on THX's back and knocks him to the pavement. It is a long-haired dwarf freak, similar to the one in the prison chamber. MED ANGLE They fight violently and THX eventually gets the freak by the neck and begins beating his head on the concrete until it is dead. THX is exhausted, and lies on the pavement trying to catch his breath. CLOSE ANGLE THX is lying next to the carcass of the freak. He hears a sound and looks up to see more freaks approaching, staring at him through the darkness with firey eyes. THX scrambles to his feet and runs as fast as he can. The freaks attack the carcass he has killed. FULL ANGLE The policeman is joined by another and they methodically search through the superstructure. THX runs until he reaches a metal ladder which works its way up into the city shell. He begins to climb, each footstep echoing as his foot hits the metal rungs. CLOSE ANGLE The policemen hear THX and immediately get a fix on him. They head for the ladder. THX reaches the top of the ladder and is stopped by a large metal hatchway. He struggles to get it open. FULL ANGLE The policemen begin to climb the ladder, their feet resounding throughout the superstructure. CONTROL CENTER ELC reads a computer readout. ELC Officers 9641 and 2242 discontinue operation. Report to Thermal station 62. Present operation computed to be economically unfeasible. It is predicted that 1138 THX will self-destroy. Repeat: Abandon present operation. Dispatch to Level 56 CON-R thermal station 62, investigate toxic chemical leak. One of the monitors shows an industrial accident. ELC becomes involved in another case. CITY SHELL The policemen are stopped at the head of the ladder. They look at THX, who has opened the hatch, and they acknowledge the message. He watches them disappear, their footsteps echoing in the distance. CLOSE ANGLE THX goes through the open hatch and continues on until he reaches a small chamber with a circular door, slightly ajar. An unnaturally bright light floods through the crack in the door. MED ANGLE THX is obviously afraid of what lies beyond the door. There is a moment when it looks as if he may turn back. Eventually, he makes a decision and throws the hatch open. FULL ANGLE He stands bewildered, virtually buried in sunlight. THX climbs out of the hatchway and stands shielding his eyes from the sun. END CREDITS: FADE OUT: THE END