127    INT. STARFISH – THE CREW                                                                                  127

 

At the controls is Gunther.  Beck peers at the depth gauge and the magnetometer.  Northacker is at the sonar.

 

GUNTER

Here goes nothing.  How we going?

 

BECK

(at the depth gauge)

Twelve thousand two hundred.  All

systems functioning.

 

NORTHACKER

My system’s not functioning.  I

fell like a guinea pig.  If they

want to k now how deep this thing

will go they should send down the

guys who designed it.

 

BECK

You’re getting five meals a day. 

What more do you want?

 

NORTHACKER

A lot more.  By the time I see a

woman again I’ll need a diagram to

get a kiss.

 

Suddenly a high, shrill HISS pierces the submersible.  A spray of water, like a pressurized burst from a

fire hose, spurts across the compartment.  Great force.  The compartment starts to flood.

 

128    ANOTHER ANGLE – CREW                                                                                     128

 

The men gag, cough, splutter, try to find the source of the leak.

 

129    EXT. UNDERWATER – STARFISH                                                                          129

 

Unstable and erratic in its descent.

 

130    EXT. BRIDGE OF LSD – BURKE AND PITT                                                          130

 

At the Captain’s elbow the INTERCOM SOUNDS.

 

BURKE

(picking up the transceiver)

Bridge.  Captain Burke.

 

WATCH OFFICER (V.O.)

(on the intercom)

Captain, this is sonar.  We’re

getting strange noises from the

Starfish.  And a weak signal on

the underwater telephone.

 

BURKE

Keep trying.

(slams down the phone and turns to Pitt)

Starfish is in trouble.

 

131    INT. STARFISH – CREW                                                                                           131

 

Noise, fog and smoke.  Water spray shorts out the equipment.  The water is just above the deck plates. 

Beck cries out like an animal in a trap. Northacker strains toward the control panel.  The water creeps

higher.  Gunther’s hands grope toward the underwater telephone.

 

GUNTHER

(into the phone without preliminaries)

This is Starfish.  We’re flooding. 

Trying to surface.

 

132    INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – MODOC – PITT                                       132

 

At the phone, Giordino to one side, Burke on the other.

 

PITT

(into the phone)

Have you released your batter pod?

 

133    INT. STARFISH – BACK TO GUNTHER                                                                 133

 

In b.g. Northacker fights to reach the release switches.

 

GUNTHER

We’re trying to.

 

Suddenly the phone is shorted out by a spray of water.  He squints through the mist at Northacker.

 

134    CLOSER SHOT – NORTHACKER                                                                            134

 

He is still groping for the battery release switches.  He exhales hard, shakes his head and keeps trying.

 

135    INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – MODOC – PITT, BURKE AND               135

          GIORDINO

 

PITT

We’ve lost contact.  Where’s the

Turtle?

 

GIORDINO

In the water.  Eleven thousand

feet.  Heading for the Starfish

position.

 

PITT

Good.  Let’s get some divers

ready.

 

Giordino hurries out of Communications Center.

 

136    INT. STARFISH – NORTHACKER                                                                           136

 

Northacker’s hand fumbles across the console.  He find the button and trips the switch.  A LOUD CLICK

as the battery pod releases.

 

137    EXT. OCEAN DEEP – STARFISH                                                                             137

 

We SEE the batteries release and drop clear.  For a moment the Starfish hangs motionless.  Slowly it begins

to rise.  Then it angles sharply and starts to sink again.

 

138    INT. STARFISH – CREW                                                                                           138

 

NORTHACKER

Oh God . . . what happened?

 

GUNTHER

We took in too much water.  Hit

the panic switch.  Release the

sphere.

 

The compartment is filling with mist and smoke.  Beck reaches behind the control panel, probing for the switch.

 

139    INSERT – PENETRATOR                                                                                          139

 

Water is pouring through the broken pipe.  Beck’s fingers is reaching for the emergency switch.

 

GUNTHER (O.S.)

Release the darn thing!

 

140    BACK TO BECK                                                                                                          140

 

He takes a deep breath and extends his arms and probes for the emergency switch.  He can’t reach it.  He

sags, gasping for air.

 

BECK

(weak)

I can’t.  I can’t reach it.

 

141    EXT. WELL DECK – LSD – DIVERS                                                                        141

 

In wet suits, spilling into the water.  In b.g. the ship’s crane swings out over the sea.

 

142    EXT. UNDERWATER – STARFISH                                                                          142

 

Relentlessly descending.  The ocean goes from deep blue to violent to black.  The Starfish sinks now like a

dead thing.

 

143 ANOTHER ANGLE – UNDERWATER – THE TURTLE                                           143

 

Approaches the Starfish, stays with it as it sinks.

 

144    INT. TURTLE                                                                                                              144

 

SPENCE, DRUMMER and KLINK, their faces are glued to the viewports.

 

144A THEIR POV – EXT. UNDERWATER – THE STARFISH                                     144A

 

Suddenly it implodes.  

 

144B INT. TURTLE                                                                                                            144B

 

SPENCE

(a hoarse whisper)

Oh God . . . no . . .

 

KLINK

Dear God . . . why?

 

Klink picks up the phone.

 

145    INT. COMMUNICATIONS CENTER – MODOC                                                    145

 

Pitt, Burke, Giordino  Pitt is on the telephone.

 

PITT

Yeah, Klink.  Yeah . . . come on up.

 

He hangs up the phone in deep shock.

 

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