SKY PEOPLE

Story and concept © Jon Davison 2024.

Komodo, a top secret defence company has developed an experimental time travel device. Nobody knows of its existence except those with a need to know. It is operated under the code name ‘Dragon’, created by aerospace engineer Peter Lucas. But the company CEO, and the one who overrides its development, is Sir Gordon ‘Monty’ Montague. Unknown to anyone is his hidden agenda to use Dragon to alter the outcomes of past conflicts by ‘changing’ pivotal moments in time. Whoever pays the highest fee can use the device, albeit with caveats as to what aspects of wars or events they can interact with. This means it’s Monty’s world view of history. Monty has secretly installed a small nuclear device on board that the two crew are to release over the South Australian outback desert. He will know by checking daily satellite imagery whether or not it has been successful as there will be a new crater. Monty set the route for the device. Peter is oblivious to this.

But on its initial trial flight into the past, something goes wrong and it and its two crew are lost in time. Komodo doesn’t know when in time, or where on the planet it is. But it is programmed so that it will ‘wake’ and send a signal if it senses daylight. As there is no signal, they assume quite rightly that it is either destroyed, under the water or underground. Monty is furious and threatens to fire Peter. Komodo does not know it landed in Sydney Harbour, and is under the water near the Opera House. In reality it has been there for probably a week, yet in time it has been there for thousands of years. Close proximity to it causes all electronic instrumentation to fail, it also affects all wildlife, who avoid the area.

Independently, three people find that there is an anomaly under the waters of Sydney Harbour

1. Marine scientist, 40 year old Michael van Graan heads a research team studying the waters of Sydney harbour, checking for evidence of climate change. They use underwater drones, but their equipment continually fails near the Opera House.

2. Claire (Baudelle) Kameraigal is a local is a well known indigenous 34 year old photographer. Whilst shooting an aerial drone sequence for her up-coming exhibition, her drone fails and  crashes into a right-wing senator who is giving an impassioned speech near the Opera House. The collision sends him toppling backwards into the harbour, with only his ego being dented. But he publicly humiliates her and she gets hauled over the coals about safety when flying drones, yet she is adamant the drone hit something invisible, but she is laughed at by some. Nobody has bothered to look in detail at the footage showing the drone stopping in mid air.

She also shoots an Aboriginal dreamtime dance called ‘The Sky People’ from above with her drone. She wants to see what the marks left in the sand would show, if anything. But what the film shows is a very distinct reptile-like outline made in the sand.  She sends the puzzling results to her uncle Dr Maurice ‘Mo’ Kameraigal, an anthropologist at the University. Maybe he will know what it represents. A few years back Mo and his team discovered a hand painted symbol in a newly opened cave following a hill-side collapse. In the cave they find strange reptilian shapes painted on the walls. Mo puts the discovery to one side until his team can have time to research what the paintings may mean. He is therefore dumbfounded then when he sees Claires film, yet feels it is impossible because the dance and the cave painting are thousands of years apart. But seeing the dance and the cave paintings are linked, he feels there must be something in it. But what?.

3. Taronga Zoo have found that a ten year pattern shows that all wildlife avoids this area. Especially bird migrations.

It’s only when these groups accidentally share their findings that they realise that the ‘anomaly’ is to blame.

A thousand years ago
In a spectacular lush, foliage covered cove by the sea, an aboriginal hunting party witness something terrifying falling from the sky. The object tears through the trees and crashes onto a nearby beach. The party find that inside they find two creatures, both with globe-like things on their head. One of the crew is dead, the other is dying, but before he dies he hands the hunters a diagram, as he has to tell someone what happened. He does not know that they are a thousand years in the past. The hunters have no idea what the diagram is, but they feel that it must be important, so they commit it to paintings, song and dance as a way of remembering it. The dance is played thousands of times and never changes. They call the dance the Sky People. The paintings show the same thing as well as stick figures with globe-like heads (helmets).

Present day
Claire has made a name for herself as an outspoken indigenous photographer, as well as running her own podcast with thousands of followers. Her topics, related to her photography, are controversial and she is seen as a bit of a hot head. P

Michael
Michael witnesses through binoculars, the event from his boat and knows that something is amiss. He contacts her saying to sit on it a while until he has some evidence. He and his team, due to their research in the harbour, are the only people who know exactly where the anomaly is underwater. He subsequently dives on the anomaly to explore it. His team agrees not to tell anyone the actual location and to keep it under wraps. Unknowingly during his dive, he disturbs something. Back on board ship his crew notice that the anomaly has just started sending out a signal. Worse, they see that the signal has been intercepted by an RAAF surveillance plane. They know they are being watched and sooner or later someone will start snooping. On her show Claire blurts out that she and Michael believe that the anomaly in the harbour represents alien intervention. Michael is angry at her for spilling the beans.

Her viewers are divided in her claim but nevertheless interest grows and it eventually goes viral. By chance the people at Taronga Zoo see the show and realise their research relates to this anomaly. So everyone is now on the same page.

TV panel
Due to the viral nature of Claire’s podcast, and sensing a great story, the same TV station fronted by 25 year old Jade Sinclair, invites Claire and Michael to present their findings to a panel of scientific and aerospace experts, including the zoo and palaeontologist Mo, to try and understand the ramifications of their claims. During the show Claire and Michael outline their thoughts and research. The facts seem to add up yet some of the panel are still not convinced. It seems too coincidental yet it makes sense somehow. Then Claire shows the reptile like photo, but unfortunately it is on its side. She attempts to show it the right way up, but Mo jumps up suddenly, realising what it is they are all looking at. He covers one half of it and asks everyone what they see. Nobody really understands, some say it looks like orange peels. He throws open the studio curtain to reveal the gleaming white Opera House opposite and points. The reptilian shape now on its side, is an exact profile or outline of the Opera House visible outside. Everyone is stunned. Further, Michael sees that the reptiles tail actually points to the exact spot in the water.

A debate ensures about who would own it, what it may contain. Should the anomaly be located and should it be raised? A parallel is drawn between the anomaly and the plagues from diseases bought by the early white explorers into foreign lands. Could the anomaly potentially do the same thing? The Komodo company gets wind of the TV show and watching it, wonder if it is their device. They have not seen the signals being transmitted by the transponder on the device as it is underwater, but the RAAF aircraft has seen it and sent it to the US base at Pine Gap. Komodo knows that an entrance into a busy public place like Sydney Harbour, is going to be difficult. Their stance is that if the world thinks it is an alien, then let’s keep it that way. They just need to infiltrate the operation and sideswipe it somehow, before it is found out to be man made.

OUTCOME (maybe)
Within the government is is proved that the explosive devise was to blame for the accident. Its weight and systems were not calculated correctly. Peter discovers this. Monty is stripped of his rank and court martialled. They raise the Dragon and expose Komodo. All sorted. But at the celebratory party on his ship, Michael sees that the pulse is still active. There is something else down there. An alien craft crashed there thousands of years ago. It still has a pulse field around it, but it has never been detected until now, where different professions requiring specific technology, correlate their findings. But it was this same pulse field that made the Dragon crash nearby. Its ‘erratic’ flight path is the diagram given to the hunting party.

CHARACTERS
Claire (Baudelle) Kameraigal - 34. Aboriginal photographer and podcaster ‘Camera girl’.
Outspoken, radical ideas, creative photographer, passionate about her heritage.
Jules McDonald - 32. Claires colleague, a bisexual Scot. Secretly adores Claire.
Michael van Graan - 40. South African underwater Marine biologist. A gambler and broke.`
Robert Salvado - 50. Extreme right wing Australian politician, outspoken yet charismatic.
Francis deQueribus - 73. kind but bumbling eccentric French Zoologist. Doddering but likeable character, does not grasp digital technology.
Dr Maurice ‘Mo’ Kameraigal - 60. Claire’s uncle, Aboriginal University professor head of anthropological research.
Peter Lucas - 40. brilliant aerospace creator of the Komodo dragon
Sir Gordon ‘Monty’ Montague - 65. Antagonist, head of Komodo. Hidden agenda.
Jade Sinclair - - 29. Australian TV anchor woman. Focused, nervous, engaging.
Sqn Ldr Miriam Geller - 30. RAAF aerial surveillance officer. Just doing her job.

TV PANEL - hosted by Jade Sinclair
Peter Bentine - US SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) organisation.
Mitchell Frank - Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC)
Dr Ruth Petersen - NASA, via a live link from Florida
Dr Maurice ‘Mo’ Kameraigal, Sydney University lecturer, Eora elder.
Francis deQueribus - Taronga zoo.
DF representative - have they been briefed yet? What do they know that the rest don’t.

The following scenes / chapters are not in any chronological order yet, I am adding them as I invent them.
They will of course change as the plot changes, so some may seem out of context.
They are therefore just visual pastiches to pad out the characters and worlds they occupy.

THE CAVE (two years previous)

KUR-ING-GAI CHASE NATIONAL PARK - traditional lands of the Guringai Nation just north of Sydney

A recent landslide has revealed an ancient undiscovered cave. It is being seen for the first time by an anthropologist, DR MAURICE ‘MO’ KAMERAIGAL a sixty year old Aboriginal University professor and Eora elder, his assistant JANICE HART and his team. The area has been roped off and a tent covers the entrance. Beneath them, where rubble from the landslide has gone across the road on its path down the hill, Police are uncovering a crumpled car and its unfortunate occupants caught in the slide.

Everyone is wearing high vis health and safety clothing. Inside the cave, tripod mounted LED lights illuminate the craggy limestone space, whilst the team with their LED head lamps cast crisp dark shadows as they move about the space. The bearded Maurice with arms folded, his face illuminated by the reflection on the wall from his headlamp, looks up at a distinctive red painted symbol on the wall. His business like colleague Janice takes notes and measurements. A couple off to one side are testing the location with electronic equipment to determine dates. Laptop screens run tests. Voices, though hushed, echo off the walls. The only sounds are the dripping of water through the surface earth and the crunch of boots on the gravel.

MAURICE - shaking his head, stroking his beard and looking up to where Janice shines her torch
Thank god it’s cooler in here hey Jan, what have we got then ….?

JANICE - shining her torch up at the wall
Dunno mate … looks like a reptile to me. Unusual though.

MAURICE
Sure and very clear, iv’e never seen sharp angles like this on any ancient wall art.

Mmmm I guess … any luck with those dates Andy?

ANDY - with the electronic equipment
Sure Mo …. we have a tentative date on that dye mate….. around 12’800 years at the outside.
I’m gonna run some more tests to be sure. But I reckon it’s around that date.

THE DRONE INCIDENT - Sydney Harbour, present day

A slowly moving aerial view shows the magnificent sweep of the harbour. In the near foreground is a drone about 1000 feet in the air. As the drone gets lower, we close in on the stark outlines of the Sydney Opera House (SOH) and are soon along side it. We pass a man standing on a wooden platform beside the sea wall in front of the SOH. He is animated, waving papers as he talks to a crowd of people in front of him, they are cheering at what he says. We cut to a pov from behind him as he remonstrates. Posters around him tell us he is a politician, SENATOR ROBERT SALVADO.
His aide Jane, stands beside him.

SENATOR
We simply cannot allow any more refugees on to our shores, we are overloaded as it is.
Our destiny is to be a proud nation … just as we are.
Trust me, you know my stance … I can make it happen

REPORTER - JADE SINCLAIR with hand up
Senator Salvado, sir. Don’t you think we are a greater nation now because of
our mixed races….did the Vietnamese diaspora not only colour our culture … make it richer?

Jeers from the crowd, but she does not move. She raises her wind shielded microphone higher towards the senator.

SENATOR - talks to the crowd, sighing
No… let her talk, we need to hear and know these views …

then whispers to Jane
… warped as they are.

SENATOR - in response to Jade, he changes like a Chameleon
Hello Jade…let me address your question….

CUT TO
Two Aboriginal women 500 metres away are standing on the grassed area looking towards the SOH, operating the drone. Claire (Beaudelle) Nijamawarra is flying it, whilst Jules McDonald guides its progress with her ipad. Labels on the flight cases on the ground ‘CBN photography’. The drone is directly over the senator, at about two hundred feet. They watch him talking.

CLAIRE
Bloody idiot …Yep, dunno how can anyone take him seriously? Shall we close in on him?

JULES
Nah, it’ll only piss him off ... he dislikes you anyway …

CLAIRE - laughing
.. yeah, I do tend to spout off a bit, usually in the wrong places. But yeah nah, he is a twat.

JULES - she has more common sense than her friend
You do need to watch that you know … tread carefully with these people.
They have power and one day you might need it babe.

CLAIRE - laughing, oblivious to the advice
Yeah I guess you’re right ….. but ….

The image on the iPad screen suddenly fragments in multiple colours, as if torn apart.

CLAIRE - bangs it for good measure
… Wtf?

Claire leans over to look at the screen. Then looking up at the drone they see it stop violently in mid flight like hitting a wall.
It tumbles out of control.

JULES
Shit …

It all happens in slow motion. The senator is in an animated dialogue with Jade.
The crowd, shielding their eyes from the sun, look up to see the tumbling drone falling towards the senator.
He frowns, then tries to turn to see what they are looking at

CLAIRE
Fuck …. it’s gonna …..

The senator only sees a black blurred shape, before it collides with his forehead,
whipping off his wig. For a second he is stunned, then topples backwards off the
wall into the ocean directly beneath him.

JULES
That’s done it ….

The crowd race to the wall and peer over to see him bobbing in the water. The drone, its blades entangled with his wig floats beside him. He coughs and splutters and holds on to a seaweed covered rock for support. He picks up the drone, its ‘BP’ label tells him instantly what has just happened. He tosses it up to Jane his assistant, who also helps him climb up one of the rusting sea ladders. She scurries around trying to pat his suit dry and comfort him, but he is angry and humiliated and brushes her off. He pulls out his dripping phone and tries to make a call, but it is useless.

SENATOR
Call my lawyer …. fuck it she’s going to pay for this

Cut to Claire and Jules
Jules is focused and in control, she stops Claire from going to the crowd

JULES
Lets NOT go over there right now, Claire…okay? He has the drone … he will know who did it and he
will be well pissed, plus I don’t think his audience will be pleased to see you!
We can address this later, okay?

CLAIRE - shaking her head reluctantly
Yeah, okay….fuck it..

They both slide unseen into the bushes and away from the park towards the CBD

A few hundred metres away on the deck of his ship, and having witnessed the event, Michael reviews what he has just filmed.

TARONGA ZOO RESEARCH LAB - present day

A senior zoologist FRANCIS ROBERTS sits by a window. Beside him is new electronic equipment still in its plastic covering. A large monitor displays a blank screen awaiting a start prompt. He looks at the screen, shakes his head and carries on using his pen, reading from some printed information beside him. He picks up his empty coffee mug and shrugs.

An middle aged woman LENA JOHANSEN, taps on his open door as she enters. She is casually dressed but smart and is his colleague. With two coffees in hand, she clears a space and places one in front of him. He looks up, smiles and nods, looks at his empty cup and gives it to her.

LENA - ignores him and puts the cup and empty mug down, with a knowing smile. She has a Swedish accent
May I Francis … I’d like to show you something?

He nods and waves for her to carry on, whilst seemingly engrossed with his paper.

FRANCIS
Sure … yeah

She types on his keyboard, it awakens and brings up a display of the harbour and the course created by migrating pelicans over the course of one year. The path goes from Palm Beach, over Kiribilli then onto the harbour towards the SOH. Francis strokes his beard and carries on writing.
We see he is actually doodling but with an eye on the screen.

FRANCIS - waves his pen at the screen
How did you do that so quickly?
I’m not bored you know … it’s just this… you know.. this new stuff…

MICHELE - taps his shoulder in a matronly way
I know you old fart, but …. this might interest you

LENA
I was puzzled by the direction the birds had taken on last years
flight over Kiribilli to the bridge. You know that last turn was really abrupt.
It’s as if they stopped, then thought ‘oh bugger’

FRANCIS - turns and faces the screen interested, he points to the plot
Yeah I remember but I figured there was no reason for it, it was just a turn

LENA
True, on it’s own you would be right. But I ran the course over the last ten years.
Look at this…… The path they take is a straight line until it gets near the SOH,
then they do an abrupt 90 degree turn … every time.

Francis frowns, rubs his eyes under his glasses and looks at it again.

FRANCIS
Really? … you’re sure about this?

LENA
There’s more. I have even put in all bird activity and look, from every direction,
birds do not approach this sector. I just wondered why that’s all .…
maybe you have a take on this?

FRANCIS
You can do all this with your equipment? that’s…..
This is very perplexing to be sure. Let me think about this will you?

He leans back in his chair and stretches, bumps his coffee and it spills over his papers..

FRANCIS
Shit….

LENA - leaves the room raising her eyebrows as if she’s seen it a hundred times and grins.
Bon chance!

ENCOUNTER - Bennelong Point, Sydney Harbour 1000 years ago

Amidst lush, sub tropical foliage overlooking a spectacular bay, a group of twelve painted Aboriginals with spears and other weapons walk through verdant bush leading down to a small tidal island surrounded by a beach, crystal clear water laps gently at the sand. The men are at ease, laughing as they carry the results of their days hunting. Birds, lizards and a small rock wallaby are slung over their backs. On the small island, a group of women are chatting noisily, playfully shucking oysters. Discarded shells litter the water’s edge, a sign that this has played out many times.

Excited waves are exchanged when the women see the men exiting the bush towards them. Then, almost at once the lead man stops, something is not right. The women are looking up at something happening behind him that he cannot see. His muscles flex as he grips his spear tightly. He crouches low, turning around holding his spear high, expecting a threat. He and the other men look in every direction but there is nothing there. The women yell urgently, pointing to the sky behind him. The men all look up. There above them about a thousand meters away, something has come out of the clouds and is travelling very fast towards them. They are frozen, not comprehending what they are seeing, then they run in all directions. When the object is about one hundred metres away, flocks of birds, rise as one and screech away from the trees. Then, a blinding white light with violent short flashes is accompanied by loud claps of thunder and massive vibrations. Tearing into the trees, a large gleaming object screams low over them, and impacts the beach, thrashing its way towards the women, amidst a cacophony of sounds. The women can’t run anywhere, so they turn and dive into the water. The craft’s nose digs in the sand at the waters edge, it rears up then falls back down into the shallow water just in front of them. Torn branches, dead birds and leaves litter the beach. Hot escaping gases hiss furiously from the craft. The scattered men lie where they fell, watching the enfolding drama in fear. Then, after an age it seems, the hissing stops, slowly birds return, and the only sound is the lapping of the water. The women nervously stand up in the clear knee deep water, hands over their mouths, not comprehending. Nothing in their culture has prepared any of the them to comprehend what they are seeing. Is it a great spirit bird? is it the spirit of the creator?

After collecting their nerves, one, then more of the men cautiously approach the vehicle with spears held high. The women slowly walk from the sea. Then a sudden hiss, as a clear glass-like canopy cracks open, scattering broken branches and leaves, everyone stops. A trail of acrid smoke curls upwards. A figure, in intense pain, tries to exit the craft but falls back, then stillness. The Aborigines gingerly peer inside to find two crew. One looks like it has melted and is obviously dead. The other is trying to talk but dying. Before he dies, he points to the machine’s computer and beckons to the nearest Aborigine to look at the screen. It depicts an unusual yet simple clearly defined shape, almost reptilian, rather than written text. As the power dies, so too does the occupant. The unusual image on the now black screen has been indelibly imprinted on the Aborigine’s mind. Feeling it is a sign, he creates a sequence of steps so that he can remember it. He goes over the steps a number of times so it is ingrained, they all do then they repeat it. We see the shape from above. It is the Sky People graphic.

THE UNDERWATER ANOMALY - Sydney Harbour present day

MICHAEL VAN GRAAN and his crew have been working on board ship in the harbour for three weeks. They are using two underwater remote vehicles (ROV’s), called Little JIMI and Big JIMI (Joint In-water Maritime Inspections - 1 & 2). They look something like a porcupine on steroids, crossed with a dolphin, and are packed with a bewildering array of highly sensitive sensors.

He leans on the wooden rail of his ship drinking in the vista, coffee in hand. On a chair beside him is David Hill’s book ‘1788 - the arrival of the first fleet’. It is July, hot and humid. The sharp screech of the seagulls wheeling in circles around his ship, morph with the metallic clattering of the trains going over the Harbour Bridge, fusing into a familiar soundscape. He sits down, the sound and the imagery become one and he starts to drift.

A voice beside him breaks his reverie, snapping him with a jolt into the present.

TOBY
Boss…..hey boss

MICHAEL - shaking his head in a daze
Yeah Tobes … what?

TOBY
… never seen you asleep on the job mate

MICHAEL
I was wide awake … this had better be good …

TOBY
… mate, but I called you a few times just now, anyway no probs.

MICHAEL
Yeah well … you must be imagining things.
So whaddaya got…

TOBY - frowns puzzled and looks over the harbour
You’d better come and see this …. not a problem… just well…..

Below decks in the control room Mike adjusts his eyes to the darkened interior, the coolness always surprise him.
Crew mates Toby and RICHARD are watching a large screen and scratching their heads.

MICHAEL
Christ have you got the aircon on full or what?

RICHARD
Nah mate … ts’normal

TOBY - points to a remote underwater drone (JIMI) on the screen
See this … when Little J goes past this sector, he just goes nuts!

MICHAEL - moves closer to the screens
Whaddaymean?

TOBY
Look, we’ll do a pass

Toby flies the plotted course, then when he goes to the next grid to the right of the SOH steps, JIMI-1 turns upside down and sinks to the bottom, spinning in circles, creating a small mud storm.

TOBY
See….. told ya, little shit. I can get him back pronto, but he fucking does it every time

MICHAEL
What the hell?….

TOBY
Yeah, no, dunno mate, beats me

MICHAEL - puzzled
…it happens ALL the time, yeah? …. Okay lets take a look, so turn him off for now,

TOBY - frowning
Whaddaya, you mean look? SCUBA … or big JIMI?

Looking at Toby, Mike shakes his head smiling to himself. Michael has to guide him every step of the way.
He taps Toby on the shoulder as a gentle reminder about having low visibility in the harbour.

 MICHAEL
Given the location mate, lets get JIMI 2 loose eh….? Whaddaya reckon Tobes….don’t want any curious
tourists wondering what the hell divers are doing this close do we?

TOBY - pretending he knew it all along
Nah … fuck that boss….yeah nah sure thing

Mike winks to Richard, grinning at Toby’s response and nods for him to go ahead. Richard puts on his Virtual Reality glasses.

CREWMAN #2 - RICHARD
Lets see what’s going on Mike, JIM’s in the water anyways

Mike sits down beside them both and they wait for the screen vision from JIMI-2 to appear.

Richard steers JIMI 2 out to the grid area with his VR glasses. The HD vision is superb, clear as a bell as the water is only a few meters deep. The settling sand storm comes into view and the now stationary upside down lifeless belly of JIMI 1 fills the screen. They all crane their heads closer to the screen. The camera glides past a large smooth mound on the harbour floor.

RICHARD
What’s that … ?

But just as JIMI 2 gets closer to the mound, it too goes berserk, hits the bottom with its camera pointed to the surface. The screen is filled with the rippling, yet unmistakable shape of the Opera House as it towers above the green blue surface. Then the screen goes black.

MICHAEL
Fuck, that’s bloody odd, lets bring ‘em both back and run some checks, then run the same sequence again.
If it’s something else, then we have a problem … anything visible on Google Earth for that mound, by chance?

RICHARD
Nah mate, just checked, zilch

MICHAEL
Okay, but do some scans of that mound will you mate?

RICHARD
I reckon it’s just a mineral deposit of some sort, they do this ya know.

MICHAEL
Mmmm, yeah, probably mate, but it is pretty uniform don’t you think?

THE DESERT DANCE - present day

A TV documentary crew are setting up filming beside a camp fire in the Australian outback. It is a typical Aussie desert scene, with red earth and gnarled trees set against a limitless horizon. The setting sun acts like an orange spotlight, backlighting the fire in the foreground. Burning twigs pop with loud cracks, sending sparks shooting up to become one with the sun’s red orb. A few flies lose their wings as they fly over the flames and fall into the fire below. Around the fire the crew stand behind their cameras, their faces illuminated by the telltale blue glow of their monitors and screens, contrasting with the general redness of the scene. In the background a group of painted Aboriginals are preparing a dance sequence for the film, stirring up the fine soft red earth in clouds of dust.

Native Australian, photographer and star of the documentary CLAIRE BAUDELLE, sits by the fire in a camp chair while the program anchor woman PETA lights up a cigarette. Her insect like hands, hold the cigarette from the front. She draws the smoke back with her eyes closed then shakes her head to focus from the hit, whilst offering Claire the pack. As the dancers start, Claire’s assistant JULES starts to follow them in the air with a drone.

PETA - offering her the pack
…. want one? God, I needed that….

CLAIRE
No … thanks, gave it up a while ago

Peta flings her hair back, now feeling composed and professional, then turns to her crew.

PETA
Hey guys can you bounce a couple of spots to light her off-side … too much in shadow, cheers

Two lighting technicians, silhouetted by the fire like stick insects, place two tripods and lights then switch on the power. The shadow side of Claires face glows like the fire in front of her.

PETA - Without looking up from her ipad monitor that is linked to the cameras.
…so Claire, I will count you down from five …5….4….3….2….1….

CREW MEMBER
….. okay Peta ….. ROLLING

PETA - turns to face Claire
Thank you for taking the time to do this interview Claire. Can I start by asking what you are doing here tonight?

CLAIRE
Um, yep, sure. Well it’s the last in a series of frames for my photography exhibition on tribal dances
and their meanings. I had wanted to do a shot like this for ages but the technology wasn’t ready, now it is.

PETA
How has the technology changed so you can do it now Claire?

CLAIRE
I can do a real time-lapse now, from above using a stationary drone. I want to see what a dance looks like from above, meaning the tracks left in the sand by the dancers. Maybe there is a code in the steps, crazy I know. This was impossible even a few years ago.

PETA - looks to camera, doubting
…… really? so you think there may be something left in the sand by their footprints. mmm, thats interesting.

CLAIRE
Well It’s just a thought, you know…

PETA
and the dance tonight ‘the Sky People', what does the name mean?

CLAIRE
It’s a Dreamtime story about our ancestors who were given this dance by the spirits of the sky.
They came down and gave us these steps before they passed on.

PETA
Passed on or over … you mean died?

CLAIRE
I guess, maybe

PETA
Which is it?

CLAIRE
They died

PETA
And came down, from where … Uluru?

CLAIRE - pointing up
Uluru? no no…. the stars

PETA - also looks up
The stars, really? Is this written anywhere? How do you know?

CLAIRE
No, nothing is written, just what has been handed down over hundreds of years in song and dance

PETA
But Sky People? Did they actually come from the stars Claire?

CLAIRE
All we know is this dance

PETA
But surely it must have changed in all that time. I mean it must have been reinterpreted?

CLAIRE - leans forward with intent
No, you don’t understand. it has not changed since we were given it.
It can’t change, that’s the point,  otherwise it would not be a dreamtime story.
It would be something else, a different dance entirely

PETA - nods to the ground, getting the point
Ah, okay, I get it

In the background the dancers having finished their sequence return to where they were.

CLAIRE - beckons to her assistant
Excuse me Peta for a sec. Hey Jules, reckon you could download the footage?
We need to show to them the results

JULES
Sure Clairabel, no probs. … good as done

PETA - unrelenting
Okay Claire, then what did the Sky People do …  go home?

CLAIRE
No they died

PETA - she really has no idea about what Claire is talking about
Oh really, where, here? On earth, in Oz?

CLAIRE
… yes near here I believe

PETA
And what killed them, old age … dingoes … crocs?

CLAIRE - sighs, getting restless
No it wasn’t dingoes ….

PETA
Where exactly….?

JULES - sits down beside Claire and gives her an iPad, then to Peta
it’s just a story you know

PETA
Sure, but you must know where ….?

CLAIRE - to Peta
Okay here is what the drone shot, just to let you know I’ve never seen this before either.

PETA - turns to the camera
Okay viewers, we can’t show you the results of this yet as it’s for Claire’s exhibition.
So you’ll just have to to go see it.

CLAIRE - peering at the iPad screen, frowning puzzled
Oh wow I definitely wasn’t expecting that

PETA
That shape is made from their feet? Wow so cool, it looks so odd …
… what’s the matter Claire, you recognise something?

CLAIRE
…. I think I should know this, but I’m not sure mmm ….

JULES - sensing that the footage is important
We’d better go and edit this now Claire, don’t you think?

CLAIRE
Ah, yeah, okay, good idea. Peta, let’s wrap for today, sorry I need to see this ……
can you call me tomorrow

With that, Claire and Jules go off to check the footage

PETA - bangs the microphone into her palm.
Sheeit…..damn, okay guys cut, we will pick up in the studio I guess

Inside Claires dusty but sophisticated VW photo van on site. She takes the card from the drone and she and Jules check the material on the monitor. Jules clears away papers, cans and camera lenses from the cluttered desk.

JULES
Hey it’s great to be able to do this Claire, you must be well stoked?
I mean it’s all here for you, this is your show

CLAIRE
Yeah, it’s great eh

JULES
Listen you shouldn’t get too worked up about these TV people, they just need material,
they don’t think, they just want to get you worked up enough so that they can see
that you really believe in your stuff. They want to wow their audiences you know,
and it’s about you.

CLAIRE
Yeah I know, I just find it hard to know what to say and get all tied up. I hate direct questions,
it makes me super nervous.

Jules plays the time-lapse from the complete dance again as a single 20 second movie.

CLAIRE
Holy shit, its so clean, look at the pattern!

JULES
What did you see when we showed Peta? You seemed confused a bit.

CLAIRE
Dunno, just thought it seemed oddly familiar that’s all.

JULES
Hang on i’ll rotate the image….wow, that is so cool, it’s a…..face, no, it’s a lizard,
um…..dunno mate

Me neither, but it is cool. It does look kinda reptilian though, don’t you think?
Iv’e seen that somewhere I’m sure….

JULES
‘Mmmm, sorta, not sure, but yeah, it looks kinda like a lizard……no…mmmm

CLAIRE and JULES
Mmmmm….mmmm

they both laugh.

JULES
I’ll print it out Claire.  I reckon that may be THE pic, I mean it’s got attitude right?
How about a wine?

CLAIRE - deep in thought
Mmmmm, yeah. Bugger … I know this thing….

CLAIRE
I’m going to send this to Uncle Mo at the Uni, he’s an Eora elder, so he will know what this is.

THE EMAIL - present day

The sign on an open polished wooden door reads; Sydney University - Department of Indigenous Studies
Professor Maurice Najimawara - Senior lecturer in Anthropology.

Inside, a bespectacled middle aged aboriginal man, wearing a colourful short sleeved shirt and denims,
is seated at a large wooden desk, looking through a large magnifying glass at a plastic model WWII
Boomerang aircraft. He is painting the finishing touches to its camouflage.
His associate JANICE, enters and stands by the desk picking up one of the many aircraft models.
Windows behind them look out over the harbour.

JANICE
Hey, I like the Boomerang Mo. Did you know my grandfather flew these in New Guinea during the war?
it’s why we ended up in Oz.

MAURICE
Wow, I never knew that, so you know about the Boomer then? Great little aeroplane that.

JANICE
Anyways, I have an update on the print delivery … ready this afternoon.
Want me to use the courier, or are you gonna pick it up?

MAURICE
Sure, mm… I’ll do it Jan so no problem. I need to go out later anyway.
Hey, how about lunch? I’m bloody starving…so..

The phone interrupts them, Maurice nods for her to put it over the speaker

SPEAKER
Good afternoon Professor Najimawara. This is Jade Sinclair from TCN Channel Nine.
How are you today? good I hope.
No doubt you have heard about the recent harbour discovery?

MAURICE - handing the Boomerang to Janice who flies it around in circles
Yeah I’m fine thanks … I’ve heard a little …

JADE
Well we are interested in following up on this and wondered if you would be prepared to sit
in on a panel to look at what they claim to have found? We need some people who are
authorities in their field.

MAURICE
Who else will be on the panel, and what is it exactly she has found?

JADE
I am emailing you the list we have compiled.
We are not sure what they have found, but they say it is compelling evidence
… for some sort of ancient interaction …

MAURICE
What, with early explorers?

JADE
um…no older … .
ur …um no, extraterrestrial intervention I believe…

Maurice looks to Janice, they both raise their eyebrows

MAURICE - seeing her email and its list of speakers
Is that so. Ah can I get back to you this afternoon?

JADE
Sure, I look forward to it, thanks Maurice

Maurice is taken by another email and moves closer to the screen staring at it, his eyes widen with surprise.

MAURICE
What …. speak of the devil, it’s from Claire, must have got here yesterday and I didn't see it

Janice peers over his shoulder

EMAIL
Hey Uncle Mo, look at this. I did a time-lapse from the air of some dancers. I wanted to see what tracks they made in the sand
looked like, just as an image you know, for my exhibition. Cool aint it, but strange tho? I mean its a reptile! what do you make of it?
I reckon it’s a record of an ancient memory, I mean it must have been a bloody big reptile to be committed to dance don’t
you think? Anyways I reckon it’s something important. Call me xx

MAURICE
Interesting for sure, but probably a coincidence …… not the path she is going on anyway

JANICE
Sure … I guess you are right, she does go off on a tangent!
But i’ll print it out anyway

MAURICE - holds the Boomerang again and looks at it admiringly
Interesting for sure, but probably a coincidence. I’d better call her.

MAURICE - stops, frowns and gets up
Hey Jan, remember that cave painting we found a couple of years ago?

JANICE
Sure, it fell behind the settee there. It’s still there I think. Why?

MAURICE - pulling the settee away and picking up a large framed photograph
No, can’t be … it’s the same

JANICE - brings over the print she has just done. They both compare.
She must have seen this. It’s a scam Mo

MAURICE - rubbing his beard in confusion
Nah, why would she do that? makes no sense.
I’ll call her.

LATE BREAKING NEWS - present day

Inside a darkened television studio, soft light illuminates a young, attractive blonde presenter Jade Sinclair. She checks herself in a small mirror
and turns off her phone. A red LED counts down beside her from 10 to 0, lights and theme music comes on. Black curtains behind her pull back
through dark tinted windows, revealing the stark lines of the Sydney Opera House. The illuminated faces of a panel of guest speakers are to
her left. To her right, two people sit relaxed, looking at their laptops and papers spread out before them. The softened daylight spills onto the
studio floor silhouetting two cameramen, making them and the cameras look like alien creatures.
A large screen with the station logo faces the panel. Jade puts away her papers, turns and looks to the camera.

JADE
Good evening, I’m Jade Sinclair…welcome to this special edition of Sydney in Focus.
We believe the content of tonights news is unprecedented, it will make you think.

Jade turning to the two people
Firstly, I would like to welcome two remarkable people who have some startling news to share with us.
Sydney photographer Claire Baudelle, and South African environmental scientist Michael van Graan.

She turns to the stony faced guest speakers, looking superior in their amassed knowledge.

Secondly - because of the global nature of what you are about to hear - we have assembled a panel of
specialists to look at Claire and Michaels story.

The guests all nod and smile at each other in acknowledgement.

JADE - going from guest to guest
I would like to welcome Dr Bruce Nash, historian from the University of Sydney.
Peter Bentine from the US SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) organisation
Mitchell Frank from the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC) in the ACT
Dr Ruth Petersen who joins us via a live link from NASA, in Florida
and Dr Maurice Najimawara, a Sydney University lecturer in aboriginal culture and also an Eora elder.

With her pen to her lips, Jade ponders.

To start this in motion, I would like to ask Dr Nash his views on the possibility of extraterrestrial life?

DR NASH
That’s a leading question in light of why we are here, so my answer is …. firstly I will say that personally
I have not seen any proof that there is any form of life anywhere. It would be interesting to ask this
same question of Peter Bentine.

Peter sits up straight and looks to Nash

JADE - approaching Nash
Peter…?

PETER
Okay …um…it’s true that we do not have any solid proof…yet….but I have to add that at SETI, although it is
what we are searching for, we are looking into space for answers, not here on earth. So like you Dr Nash,
I cannot answer this question.
But to be fair it may well be that we have been looking in the wrong places … just maybe.

JADE
Wrong places? can you clarify that Mr Nash

PETER
Well at SETI we look to the stars, BUT if we HAVE been visited then
maybe we should be looking for evidence on earth … ?

after a pause

Of course I would like to believe that we have been visited.
I think the historical record hints at visitations, possibly, but because it tends to fall into the
‘conspiracy / wierdo’ category, then we cannot seriously begin to research.

JADE
Why not? what is the problem in researching this Peter? a ‘category’ shouldn’t stop you …

PETER
Well …. um … I mean we would probably not get any funding for it … it’s complex

JADE - cuts in, sensing he has no answer
Sorry Peter …. but do any of you in the panel feel that we have been visited in the past?

The panel all look at each other for answers or mutual support, shrug, frown and shake their heads.

JADE
Okay, I take that as a no … .interesting.

Dr Nash is the first to start the questioning. He peers over his glasses in a superior way and looks down at
Claire and Michael. The subtext is not lost on Michael, who smiles to himself.

DR NASH
Are we led to believe that you have proof of an extraterrestrial visitation Mr Van Graan?
if so can you describe what you have found please?’

Michael looks to Claire, leans back in his chair and smiles, then taps a key on his laptop,
and clasps his hands behind his head

MICHAEL
Michael, please. Sure, here goes. There are four aspects to this, all related so please bear with us

He leans forward as if to reinforce his next line. He turns to the screen and points.

But firstly I gotta tell you that we have not seen it yet, apart from this image from my underwater camera.
The points we are presenting here are just what led us to our beliefs.

A muffled ‘cough’ from one of the panel

Michael turns to Claire

MICHAEL
Firstly, as you well know, last month Claire’s camera drone went apeshit and collided with Senator Montague.
It was all over the news right? You remember….? Well of course we assumed it was a blunder, and Claire got the
wrap. I was as much to blame for this as anyone, I gave her a bollocking for it.
Well truth is, as it turns out it, it appears that it may not have been an accident ….

He brings up another image from his laptop.

MICHAEL
We detected an electromagnetic pulse emanating from the seabed near the SOH, and it was this that well and truly fried the drone.
It was as Claire stated, ‘it felt like the drone had hit a brick wall’. I have all the supporting information to verify the source of this pulse.
Either it has always been emitting a pulse, or maybe something has initiated it.
It could well be some frequency in our new technologies have done this, we don’t know.

CLAIRE
That’s right, I had no control over it. This is a Mavic Pro drone and stuff like this does not happen without a reason, all four props
don’t just stop and shatter at the same time for no reason. But mine did’

Michael points out the window to a bright red ship in the harbour

MICHAEL
Next, as you may be aware my ship has been on the harbour for a while now, we have been doing underwater and aerial research
on sea and wind currents, specifically with regards to climate change differences. So, I use aerial and underwater drones quite a
lot….big ones…..with HR cameras and very high tech equipment. But my drones go berserk, under the sea, at the precise spot that
Claire’s drone crashed. You can see it here on the screen, on this plot, it is very accurate.
They just stop functioning, turn upside down and sink to the bottom. The circuits are usually fried - overloaded.
They do not return home as normal.

So at first we thought this a coincidence. But it has happened ten times now, see here are the plots. It is an area of about
50 square metres, that takes on a cone shape that heads out over Lady Macquarie Drive for about 100 metres.
Then it stops, so it is a precise area.

CLAIRE
Thirdly, Taronga Zoo has been watching and recording the pelican formations for some time now…for different reasons.
We now know….again you can see it on this plot so it can be verified….that the pelicans turn AWAY from their path at EXACTLY the
same location as the drones. We have both independently recorded this over and over again. So three things are affected by something
beneath the water. Something that has a very specific pattern. See this image here? they pass here, and here, and here, but NOT here,
ever. They avoid this area and fly around it. You can almost see the dimensions of whatever it is reflected in their flight path.

MICHAEL
And it’s not just the pelicans. In fact NO bird will enter this zone. The zoo has the figures guys, it’s weird.

RUTH PETERSEN
Sorry for interrupting you, but these things are conjectural, they are coincidences, surely you have more than this…..?

MICHAEL
I’m sorry, but how on earth can this be conjectural? when we have the figures, look at them. It’s happening.

CLAIRE
Yes, of course we do have more, but lastly, and to me, this is is the key that holds it all together,
it also points to the same place that the drones malfunction. For my exhibition I shot a series of aboriginal dances,
and one of them at Michaels suggestion, was shot as a time lapse, from a birds eye perspective with a drone.
We recorded the steps left in the sand of a particular dance for the first time, you can see the footprints made by
dancers over a period of an hour. It has created this shape in the sand.

MICHAEL
And here is where it gets interesting….

CLAIRE - projects image on screen
This is what we saw, and it looks a little like, what …..a creature, right?

MICHAEL
A cross between a reptile and a trilobite maybe…

RUTH PETERSEN
So….so? … this proves nothing. Sure it’s an interesting shape, maybe what you say,
but it’s not proof of anything ….. if this is your ‘theory’ then I have seen enough.

JADE
Please, we’re not finished yet … Dr Petersen, if you don’t mind ….

MAURICE
To ad to this mystery. We conducted research in a cave that was revealed after a landslide, long
before they filmed this dance, two years ago in fact. This cave had not seen daylight for thousands of years.

He takes a drink of water

RUTH
So? what has that got to do with any of this?

MAURICE - He reveals a large framed photograph and presents it
We found this etched on the wall, a painted carving thousands of years old.

MAURICE
It is the same shape as the dance Claire has just shown you

The panel look at each other, it has had an effect.

CLAIRE
We did not know what this shape was, intriguing as it is. But remember that this dance has been the same
for maybe 2000 years, or longer. It has not changed, it can’t, otherwise it would be a whole different story.

MICHAEL
And I will let Maurice tell you what the name of this 2000 year old dance is….? Just think about
what we are showing you guys, this is research, it is not made up, this is what we have found
and it’s 2000 years old….really it is. Hey, I’m a scientist, I would be the first to deny any of this.

MAURICE
Yes…….um….we call the dance ‘the Sky People’. It’s a dreamtime story that we have committed to
dance as a way of remembering its origins.

JADE
Wow, this is incredible, Can you tell us something about the story Maurice?

MAURICE
Sure…….the story goes that our people were given this dance by the sky people at the end,
and that we had to remember it, keep it intact forever.

MITCHELL
What do you mean by the end? did they die, did they return home….it all sounds a bit ambiguous.

MAURICE
You will have to study the dance sometime Mitchell.

Claire comes to the slide she is looking for, but it is on its side.

CLAIRE
Bugger I’ll need to flip it back again

MAURICE
We discovered this last year by sheer chance in Kuringai Chase National Park.
It was a group of paintings deep inside a cave that had partly collapsed. The
paintings have been Carbon dated to 10’000 years. …..
…. Hang on a minute …no…. this is impossible.
Oh my god!

Maurice gets up and goes to the projected image on the screen.
He places a card over the top half of the image so that the lower mirrored half shows.

MAURICE
No thats not it.

PETER BENTINE
The peels of an Orange upside down, scales…..?

MAURICE - takes the card and reverses the action so that just the top half is visible.
……well I’ll be damned!…..I don’t believe this. It’s been on my wall for two years, and I …..

CLAIRE
Oh my god, it’s …..

DR NASH
What!…what is it…..

MICHAEL - brushes back his hair in recognition of what he is seeing
LOOK! Look outside the window, what do you see?

Heads turn outside then back a number of times, then to each other.

RUTH
So….what am I missing?

She, like the others obviously do not trust their eyes.

MICHAEL
Don’t you get it? it’s an outline of the Opera House…see, it’s the same. Think about it, this dance ‘shape’
is over 2000 years old! It’s one and the same, everything leads to this spot.

CLAIRE
That’s it folks, that’s what we have. Make of it what you will

MICHAEL
Look we all know that Jørn Utzon designed the SOH, it’s a given right? no contest for sure.
All we are saying is that it’s an interesting coincidence don’t you think?

CLAIRE
….. more than this. Imagine if this ‘thing’ without him being aware of it, in some way influenced his
design, through his dreams, his imagination in some way….who knows. But whatever the answer is, there
is SOMETHING there that is very old, it’s been there for 2000 years or longer, we don’t know.
But we intend to find out. Are you with us or not?

Lots of sighing and shuffling from the panel, turning to each other, frowns, hand clasped behind heads etc.

DR NASH
Well I don’t know, it seems convincing and as you say, they do seem to correlate with each other.
But I would like to see your research.

MICHAEL
It’s all yours, you can read it. It ads up to the same thing. You cannot fault it. It is stating that
there is something in the water that has possibly been there for thousands of years,
and it emanates a frequency that disturbs equipment and living things. The fact that it
has never been discovered before is probably just circumstantial. I bet you we will find
correlating evidence over the next few days from hundreds people who have
had odd experiences here, but there has been no reason to connect the dots…..

JADE
Let me ask you a question Dr Najimawara. What do you think this means.

Claire studies the image intently, makes a sketch on her notepad, then her eyes widen in disbelief. She interrupts Maurice

CLAIRE
Sorry Maurice … look! the tail of the creature….it points to where it is!. It’s not a tail at all

MICHAEL
Oh lord, this is incredible

MAURICE
We consider this dance sacred and everything associated with it. But sacred can mean different things.
It may mean it is linked to our dreamtime and we can’t change it. It may mean that we don’t understand it, or even need to.
Or lastly, it may mean we do know what it is and it must NEVER be disturbed.
I tend to go for the last one in this case. But we have always known this thing is there because we have
danced it a thousand times. So of course there is a code there, that’s WHY we have committed it to dance.
These two people here are the first to stumble across one of these codes.
Frankly I don’t know what will happen if we disturb it, it conflicts with our Dreamtime story.

Some of the panel shake their heads, and laugh inwardly.

MAURICE - looks directly at the panel
Look at their evidence. This is very old, perhaps thousands of years old. The Dreamtime dance proves this. The dance
has never changed, it’s impossible to do so. It has a power that can be recorded or felt. I don’t need a drone to feel it!

MITCHELL - still to Maurice
How do YOU know this if you have never seen it? Just because it is recorded in your dreamtime as a dance?
Where is the proof…?

MAURICE - turns to Claire
No, I have never seen it, but believe me….

MITCHELL
Believe you?, no sir, that’s not how science works.
If there is a craft there, it needs to be located and quarantined in order to research it.
That’s the ONLY way forward. Do we agree on this?

The panel all nod in agreement. Michael and Claire swap looks and reluctantly agree.

RUTH
I’m sorry for not trusting your research. This does seem to change things I admit.
If it is as old as you say it is, then we have something important happening.
It is time we researched this don’t you think?

PETER - to everyone and pointing to the harbour
Yes I agree we should, but let me just say this my friends. If we follow our history, we should
know what may happen if we try and find it…. Our forefathers bought their diseases
with them on their ships when they colonised these lands. What if this thing is loaded,
how may it be any different from then? what it may be carrying if it is a ‘they’ ….
could well prove to be our undoing?

JADE
Okay, lets assume that this all adds up and leads to an alien craft. What then? What do we do….

THE GENERAL

A uniformed middle aged General, SIR BRUCE DOWNING stands looking out the window with hands behind his back, in a pose reeking of authority, and he knows it. The oak panelled room like the man, reeks of authority. Paintings of military leaders and famous battles adorn the walls. But he is a
nervous man, constantly twitching and fiddling. A secretary enters the open door with his appointed guest. He turns holding out his hand to greet GORDON ‘MONTY’ MONTAGUE.

GENERAL
Gordon, good to see you. How is the family… good? 
you must be enjoying home turf for a change eh? 

GORDON - looking very uncomfortable
Yes thank you sir …. yes, it’s is good to be home again. 

Sits down beside Gordon on a settee and spreads out his arms behind him.

GENERAL
Lets cut to the chase shall we? hows our ‘baby’ … on track?

GORDON - breathes heavily, leans forward, whispering
I’m sorry sir …  but I have some bad news.

GENERAL - gets up and walks to his desk and lights up a cigarette.
Go on…..should I be sitting down for this?

GORDON
Sir, I know we said it was controllable and safe, but it’s gone. 
We don’t know where it is.

GENERAL - leans forward blowing smoke
Sorry, am I missing something … what’s lost?

GORDON
Ah … the Cronus mission device sir, ‘our baby’

GENERAL - looking like he has seen a ghost, but controls himself
…..um ….. explain lost to me …

GORDON
Lost sir .… after the successful launch, it simply vanished. 
We can’t explain it sir

GENERAL - trying to grasp the issue, his temperature rises
What? ….. Jesus Christ man stop saying Sir, What’s the worst case scenario?

GORDON
Yes sir …. the nuclear power drive is not an issue. It’s the transfer.
If it’s damaged, it will leak, and if it dries out …. well that could get nasty.
Contingency……sorry, there is none.

GENERAL - now well pissed off
Why the hell did you even send this thing off without a contingency?

GENERAL - gets up and opens the door
Fuck it Montague, I stuck my neck out for you, now your’e telling me your machine is lost! 
Find it … or I’ll make your life unbearable! … comprendo?
If this gets out, we’re all fucked. Now get out!

The General slams the door, then stubs out his fag and bangs the table.

THE INTERCEPTION - Sydney Harbour, present day

A dripping Michael has just come back on board ship after a dive to inspect the underwater ‘device’.
A group including Irishman RICHARD is on deck chatting

RICHARD
Wow, why back so soon, did something happen?

MICHAEL
Whaddayamean, I was down for two hours

RICHARD
Your’e kidding me right? you’ve been gone twenty mins tops

NOTE:
Need to establish that Richard is a tech wizard, capable of hacking any transmission anywhere, including monitoring any military frequency.
He has alarms set up on all his devices, including phones and tablets.

RICHARD - gets an important alert on his phone and turns to go.  

RICHARD
Sorry mate ….back in a tick

MICHAEL - trailing off as Richard goes inside
Hey mate, got some info…….

Michael turns to the others on deck as if ‘what’s going on’

AMANDA
Well it was a short dive Mike that’s for sure

MICHAEL - checks his watch and taps it
What the fuck ….can’t be? I was there for two hours …..

Richard sits at his monitor in the operations room and starts his tracking software.
He finds a signal is being broadcast, originating from the seabed where the team just were.

RICHARD - frowning, yells to the open door
Hey did you guy touch anything down there Mike?

Michael comes in to the ops room, drying his hair and gets a beer from the fridge, still tapping his watch.

MICHAEL
… want one Rich…what’s the problem mate?

Richard is taken with what he is discovering, going deeper into the system.

RICHARD
Wot the fock! …. check this out.

MICHAEL - walks over to the monitor and pulls up a chair
Whassup….?

RICHARD
… just picked up this signal, loud and clear … like a transponder. It’s transmitting out a ‘here I am signal’.
But the ting is … It’s coming from the ting you just dived on… did you leave anything there?

MICHAEL
What, no…. How is that possible that it’s transmitting, it wasn’t before? …

RICHARD - looks to Michael concerned
Yeah … hang on, there’s more … it’s just got a handshake, which means it’s being intercepted.
I’ll do a trace. Your’e sure you did nottin down there?

MICHAEL
Nah mate, just cleared some of the sediment away so we could see more of it. Its big, that’s for sure.

RICHARD - fine tunes the signal and picks up the handshake
Holy shit Rich, it’s being picked up the Air Force. An early warning plane off Queensland.

The both look at each other.

RICHARD
Dis is massive mate … you know wot dis means? …. we’re being wortched.
At least, if we weren’t before, we are now. Tink, what the hell did you do down there?
come on, you musta disturbed sometin….

MICHAEL - leans closer to the monitor, then looks to Richard
No, for sure mate, nothing. What the hell have we stumbled into?

RICHARD
Dunno, but It looks like it’s being directed to ASIO (Australian Security Intelligence Organisation).
I’m gonna try and shroud it for a bit, like chaff, you know? so that’s gonna confuse the issue.

RICHARD - turns to Michael and shows him the scree with the dive log
And dis ting with the dive, you WERE down for twenty minutes, really. There is summat going
on mate, look at the trace …. So there’s something weird with time here.

MICHAEL - is stunned but nods accepting the evidence
Wow, shit that’s crazy, okay, lets follow that up.

A realisation dawns on him.
If that’s the case, maybe we’d better get off the ship to have meetings?

RICHARD
That means they know it’s here … it won’t take them long.
We’ll have visitors soon, guarantee it mate….

MICHAEL - looking around as if being watched
But do they know that we know?

RICHARD
Dunno, maybe …

MICHAEL
Can you make us invisible with all your techno stuff … yeah?
If so, lets go off line now and see what bubbles up!

RICHARD
Sure, yeah, lets play a waiting game.
Wanna have that beer now mate?

THE AIRBORNE INTERCEPT - present day

At 30’000 feet above the Great Barrier Reef, twelve warfare officers sit at monitors in their state-of-the-art Boeing 737 ‘Wedgetail’ early warning aircraft. The moving colours from their screens give an unearthly glow inside the darkened aircraft.
A TV crew is aboard filming a documentary about the RAAF’s latest aircraft.

TV CREWMAN
Can you tell us Mission Commander what a typical sortie entails?

MISSION COMMANDER SQN LDR MIRIAM GELLER
Sure. We have been airborne for nearly six hours and it’s a typical training mission to monitor
and record the day to day traffic from ships and aircraft over the east coast of Australia over an area of 600 kms.

TV CREWMAN
Is every day pretty much the same then?

SQN LDR MIRIAM GELLER
Once in a while they pick up traffic that was not where it should be, or on the wrong route, or the wrong call sign.
If that happens and the craft does not alter course or respond, then a call is put through to an RAAF airbase to scramble
their F/A18 jets for an intercept. But so far today, nothing out of the ordinary has occurred.

That is, until MISSION COMMANDER SQN LDR MIRIAM GELLER who is watching her officers at their workstations, sees a red light flashing ‘Code One - for the ‘Prime Ministers eyes only’. The monitors are showing that a strong transmission is emanating from somewhere in Sydney Harbour.

She slides into a empty seat beside SURVEILLANCE CONTROL OFFICER LT RUTH WILLIAMSON and looks closer.

RUTH
This is unusual sir, I have not seen one like this before …. shall I just redirect it.

MIRAM
Nor me … but somethings up for sure. Lets just wait a minute shall we…..

MIRAM - then to everyone on board
Can we have multiple scans please everyone, you know what to do. Sector seven.

She takes a deep breath, hesitating about hitting the alert redirect button, sending what they were seeing to Canberra.

MIRIAM - to the pilot, out of view
Captain … you see this Code One…?

CAPTAIN (V.O)
Affirmative …. it’s for ASIO, so somethings up, any intel yet?

MIRIAM
Mmm….no, but lets have a look over Sydney Harbour so Pine Gap
can clear it. Whatever it is, it’s in the water, near the Opera House sir.
I want as much intel as poss before I pass it to Canberra.
It’s kind of strange don’t you think?

CAPTAIN (V.O)
Copy that … will do

MIRIAM - to a sensor officer
Mitchell, activate ELINT, and the FLiR please, and in HD for detail. Also get eyes for Pine Gap.

The aircraft banks steeply towards the harbour. The area comes up on a big screen, then
multiple sensors relay their information to other screens. Soon the interior is alive with activity.

SENSOR STATION ONE
It’s underwater sir, at five metres and stationary. Dimensions are fifty metres by ten, by five high.

STATION TWO
Yep, not moving …. it’s actually under mud

MIRIAM
Any internals? is it friendly ….. ?

STATION FIVE
Can’t penetrate sir ….It’s like an energy field over it, maybe it’s covert…

MIRIAM
If it is, it’s not one of ours … it’s not a known signature

STATION FIVE
It’s a shield and it’s scrambled, so we can’t get in.
Any electronic gear near there will get fried that’s for sure.

MIRIAM
Baffling. Pine Gap confirms it’s definitely not an ADF asset. They agree it’s not a sub,
but it is man made that’s for sure. OKAY, that’s all we need to know …
… we’re off air, thanks everyone..

She wonders what may be going on but the moment she hits the
Prime Ministers downlink button, all information will be scrambled in code.

THE MIGRATION - present day, end of story

The grass embankment on Lady Macquaries Drive, Sydney Harbour, close to the SOH

Claire and Michael sit on a picnic blanket, surrounded by many others on the grass, amid an air of excitement. People check cameras, TV crews set up tripods, water stands, ice cream kiosks and t-shirt vendors line the drive. People check their watches or phones. Large LED screens offer different views of the Harbour, where cameras pan, seeking something. Something important is about to occur. Large speakers on stands like alien sentinels are by the water front.

The voice of an anchor woman is heard. The views on the screens cuts to a close up of Jade Sinclair holding a microphone. Her hand to her ear, she listens to a message relayed through her ear phones.

JADE
Mmm….good, thanks guys. Well ladies and gentlemen it’s time.
I just heard they are over Manly beach, so they will be here in a
few minutes. But lets hear a few words from Francis at Taronga Zoo.

She turns and passes the microphone to Francis off screen. The camera then turns to him.
An older, warm, bearded man wearing green dungarees takes the mic.

FRANCIS
Thank you Jade. Yes, well I can tell you I am really excited by this migration.
They have not made this journey for quite a few years now, in fact I think it’s
been 10 years Jade. We are researching but the jury is still out on exactly why.

JADE
But now they’re back! … and there are more than normal is that right Tony?

FRANCIS - nearly speechless
Iv’e never seen anything like this….oh lord, they are so big….they are passing
me now, going over Fort Denison…wow, there must be twenty of them.…..
they will be over you in a few minutes.

JADE
So cameras at the ready folks….oh my God this is amazing, here they come….

Michael jumps up and runs into the sea wall to get a closer look, others follow him. Claire points her camera, shaking with excitement and takes photos as the formation gets closer. People run to get a better look, but the formation, as one, suddenly turns towards where Michael and Claire are standing. They are transfixed. In a mixture of panic and excitement everyone tumbles and falls as the formation comes closer, others at the sea wall, turn and run back up the grass as the huge creatures turn towards them.

CLAIRE
…Michael, this is unbelievable…….God they are huge!

The twenty prehistoric Pteranadons, each with a forty-foot wingspan, turn a few feet above the water as they approach, creating a white wall of swirling spray. Their lower beaks trail in the water catching fish disturbed by their passing. The late afternoon sun silhouettes their massive razor like teeth. They lift above the sea wall and fly low over the crowd. People scatter suddenly in panic as the aircraft sized beasts rise as one just a few feet above them, causing the creatures themselves to panic. The huge leathery wings beating, push the air with deep audible thumps. The confused creatures speed up, looking for a direction. The downdraft sends everything on the ground in all directions. Papers, chairs, clothes tumble and whip through the air, grass and insects spiral in vortices outwards. Frightened children scream and run, seeking their parents. One creature flying so low, its brightly coloured eyes darting, takes in everything as it passes, it seizes the contents from a bbq in its orange beak and swallows it in an instance. The downdraft hurls the bbq across the grass, its burning gas scorching everything it touches. Another creature grabs a small child in its beak and crushes it, then throws it into the air and with head back, catches it and swallows it. Burning grass ignited by the gas of other bbq’s mixes with the pandemonium creating a vision of utter confusion.

Scores of wind whipped Seagulls try to keep formation behind them, screeching as they would behind a fishing trawler, hoping for scraps.

Deep within the complex fabric of time, a ripple has occurred. Something is not right.

DEVICE MISSING
‘Black Ops’ Cronus Time-Travel Test Facility - present day

Cronus is a high tech aerospace facility, with blacked out lighting and a highly polished floor. Men in white coats stand in groups congratulating themselves. The empty space where ‘the device’ stood a second ago means that the transfer into time has worked as predicted. A pulsing blue white glow left over from the transfer of the time travel craft slowly starts to fade from the room. The men wonder how it is possible that light can still be visible, even though there was no source for it, and it seems to cling to everything. Scanning the room it is all around them, slowly dissipating, bathing them all in a dull eerie blue purplish glow. An all encompassing low humming slowly fades.

Aerospace designer PETER LUCAS activates the automatic force field protection around the perimeter to prevent anyone or anything entering the empty space. Just in case the craft comes back unexpectedly. The team all draw a sigh of relief, and shake hands nervously, wiping their brows.

PETER
Hey Tim, ever wondered what would happen if it returned if the field wasn’t there?.

TIM
Mush mate, we’d be mush or liquid, can’t imagine …

PETER
Thanks Tim, for putting it so succinctly

PETER
That glow’s awesome ... I think I understand it … but it still incredible.

TIM
Bunnies away…..! you finally did it, I knew you would

PETER
Thanks Tim, I dunno about you, but I need a drink

TIM
Yes, whew that was close

A bright blue revolving light starts flashing accompanied by an alarm

PETER
What"? … check the trajectory

Tim looks at the timeline that monitors the journey of the craft. He frowns, stands back and leans forward again shaking his head.

PETER
What …?

TIM
…. can’t see it

PETER
What do you mean…?

TIM
Christ I don’t know …. it’s just vanished! … I don’t know any more than you

PETER
Well it’s certainly done that…..must be the monitor, this things failsafe

TIM
Fuck, we’d better find it, quick smart

PETER
But how, we don’t know where it’s gone, what time, or even where?

TIM
But you programmed the trajectory and time coordinates didn’t you?

TIM
Um ….. sure, I mean yes of course …. unless? oh fuck, fuck.

PETER
Oh no, that’s damn smart that is. How the fuck can this happen?

PETER
Okay, okay, lets all calm down. There’s gotta be a trace. This cannot happen.

PETER
Find it quick! … don’t call Gordon just yet.

SYNOPSIS (present day)

The story opens with the annual Pelican migration over Sydney harbour, monitored by Francis d’Queribus, a kind but bumbling 73 year old eccentric French Zoologist at Sydney Zoo. Something is not right, but what? The birds violently avoid a particular area of the harbour and fly around it. He has been studying the harbour fauna and finds that over a ten year period something has consistently made bird migrations and marine activity avoid a certain area of the harbour. He has no idea what it means.

Claire (Baudelle) Kameraigal, is an aboriginal personality photographer and live wire. She is launching a new exhibition of her work about Aboriginal myths and legends and has the attention of the media. She is outspoken. She has a weekly tv show portraying the work of aboriginal artists, funded by the Aboriginal Heritage Commission. One of her shots in the exhibition is from an aerial drone shoot. It recorded tracks left in the sand from an hour long traditional dance called the ‘Sky People’. The tracks show a definite reptilian like shape. She believes it must mean something important. She sends her uncle Maurice an email of it asking his opinion. On the day of the exhibition opening, one of her drone flights was affected by the pulses and crashes, colliding with 50 year old Antagonist Robert Salvado, an outspoken and charismatic right wing Australian politician. He was delivering a rally when the drone knocked him into the harbour. Claire had previously slammed him on her show for his right wing racist views. He knows who the drone belongs to and he swears revenge.

Michael van Graan is a pragmatic 40 year old South African underwater Marine biologist, who’s underwater equipment malfunctions due to the pulses. He is a compulsive gambler and is nearly broke. He witnessed Claire’s drone stopping as if hitting a wall, then colliding and knocking the humiliated senator into the harbour. Michael meets with Claire and after comparing stories, they realise they are talking about the same specific area of the harbour. They agree to keep it quiet while Michael tries to discover what it may mean. She is convinced that it is proof of alien intervention in our past. He dives on the spot, finding a large unmovable mud covered object on the sea bed. He analyses the sediments and material, and finds it is over 1000 years old. He also finds that it appears to be man made. He keeps this to himself as he feels the ramifications are possibly huge. During his dive he unknowingly disturbed something on the craft and it started transmitting a signal. Only Michael and his team know exactly where the device is.

But to complicate things, a high flying Air Force aircraft picks up an ‘for official eyes only’ signal emanating from beneath Sydney harbour, obviously triggered by Michaels dive. They don’t know what it means and It is relayed to the Prime Minister. Michaels IT crew intercept the signal, and realise they are now being watched, but by whom?

60 year old Dr Maurice ‘Mo’ Kameraigal Claire’s uncle, an Aboriginal University professor and head of anthropological research, also an Eora tribe elder, discovers a hand painted shape on a cave wall that was exposed during a rock slide in a local national park. The odd reptilian shapes not seen daylight for 1000 years.

All this leads to a belief by Claire of alien intervention and she professes this during one of her shows, forgetting about her agreement with Michael to sit on it until we figure it out. The cat is let out of the bag and it is made public. Francis seeing the show now realises it is the same area he has been studying. Maurice urges Claire to hold back on her beliefs in public as it dishonours tribal protocol.

Because Claire’s show is on a major network, her allegations go viral. Michael has to somehow contain his find and deflect the publics attention.
Michael cold shoulders Claire and does not trust her. But he knows they are on to something bigger than the both of them.

The tv story is picked up by international syndication and by now everyone knows about it. The network decides to host a initial private fact finding panel in Sydney with prominent people in their respective fields to try and analyse what the discovery means. Should they retrieve it? should research be done? should it be handled by a military or government level department? who’s is it? is it alien?
So a panel of guests including an astronomer, archaeologist, SETI, Sydney University, NASA, Australian Defence Force and Taronga zoo are bought together. Claire and Michael are grilled, but their evidence stacks up.

Claire projects the ‘reptile’ image during the debate, but it is shown on its side. She starts to rectify it. Maurice, in a moment of realisation sees the shape for what it is. He covers one half up and shows everyone. One half of the reptile is a perfect graphical depiction of the Sydney Opera House in silhouette. Then Michael further realises that the tail of the reptile is pointing to the spot in the water where he knows the craft is.

The reality of discovering alien technology for the first time slowly begin to hit home. Yet Michael does not know what to do with his knowledge that it may be man made. He poses it as a question only, but nobody goes so far as thinking about time travel.

A high tech research company Cronus, has covertly developed a device that allows a crew of two to travel back in time. It has been agreed that the faster we evolve, our view of ancient history in particular our origins, becomes more and more clouded. Often getting incorporated into myths and legends. Therefore there is a need to resolve this by seeking factual historical information separating it from fictional legends in order to get a clearer historical view. The only way to do that is by actually being there, going back in time. It is a sound and revolutionary world changing mission. It is funded in secrecy by governmental and religious bodies, all of course hoping that their view of the past is the right one. But within Cronus others perceive a very different role for the craft. A role where it can actually change pivotal moments in the past that need ‘adjusting’.
Due to the missions secrecy, it must never fall into the wrong hands, as it will change time to suit their version of the past. (The moral being of course being has anyone the right to do this).

Unfortunately, on its first ‘operational’ flight, something goes horribly wrong and it is lost in time. The race is on to locate and retrieve it. But they have no idea what time it is in, nor its geographical location. It could be anywhere. But it will send a signal through time if it senses daylight. Therefore they assume that it is presently covered by earth or water, somewhere. The pressure to find it is paramount. They don’t know if it has been intercepted and stolen, or really lost.

Meanwhile, the tv show is seen by the antagonist from Cronus, who thinks it is their lost craft. If so, they need to retrieve it fast. They decide that if the media and the world believes it is proof of an alien intervention, then it would be best to keep it that way. It is the perfect cover. They just have to find a way to intervene seamlessly and take over.

But the media exposure has bought up the issue of what it may be carrying. The public response becomes divided. Some want to know if it poses a threat? what do we do with it? and like our ‘age of discovery’ will it cause a contagious pandemic if opened? Public concern gathers momentum causing the whole process to grind to a stop. Some just want to find it and learn from the technology. Others believe in a more religious meaning. Cronus can’t burst in to a public harbour like Sydney and simply retrieve it in daylight, and an operation under cover of darkness would be even more suspicious. Nor can the military really intervene with public attitudes the way they are. Apart from those in the know, the powers that be don’t know the real reason for the crafts mission, yet even at their level of understanding they can’t allow the secret to get out, the public and worldwide governmental reactions would be devastating and destabilising.

But eventually, despite the public concern, and knowing that it could all backfire, something has to give. When enough money is thrown at something, and enough power is bought in, and humans the way they are, will want to retrieve it. Even if it means it could end in a global catastrophe.

This is where I have got to so far.

But I feel the twist at the end is that they do somehow retrieve it, and life goes on, only to find that the signals are still emanating from the harbour, now clearer than before. Something else was there all along!

OR

In the course of the craft being retrieved, something in the complex fabric of time changes. The Pelican formation we see in the very start flying over the harbour, are now huge Pteranodons. PLOT THREADS

Claire assumes it to be proof of alien intervention in the past, and she advocates this more and more. Others counter her belief and the dynamics leave us wondering who is right.

Michael decides to have a detailed underwater look at the area, only to find an odd dome shaped object covered in sediment. He can find no opening, but realises it is not a natural object. It was put there. His team analyse the sediments and other elements and shows that whatever it is it has been there for over 1000 year.s. The only way to know for sure is to retrieve it, but it is in a very public place, Sydney harbour, so they have to first find out what it is and prove that it is worth the effort. But in a subsequent dive he finds proof that it is in fact man made. He does not tell anyone, he needs to work out what it means.

Michael was on deck and was videoing the area, when he witnessed the drone crash. Replaying the film it looks like her drone hit an invisible wall, as the rotors tore off. He seeks Claire out, given that she was ridiculed on air by the senator. After discussion and showing her the film, he reveals his own problems with his malfunctioning underwater ROV’ . After studying a Google Earth map they both realise that they are referring to the exact same location in the harbour. He suggests they keep it to themselves for now until they find out more about it. They shake hands on it and part.

Next day Michael gets a visit from a debt recovery company, he has 48 hours to cough up some funds. The pressure is on.

During another TV segment about Claire’s work, she lets the cat out of the bag, divulging what Michael had just told her, making it public. The show is seen by Lena at the zoo, who now knows there is something to her bird plots as it is the exact same area.

Michael is called by the channel and reluctantly confirms what Claire had stated. He is pissed off with her. He knows now that it is all on, the press will want to know more. He calls Claire and blasts her for going public when they shook hands on it not to, and that it might be uncontrollable what happens next.

THE CHARACTERS

Protagonist Claire (Baudelle) Kameraigal is obsessed with finding answers to the riddles of the past and makes connections where possible, some of these are accurate and some not. She is passionate about creating change within the accepted historical record of her peoples, a view not shared by her professor uncle Maurice. She is assisted by the more pragmatic Jules McDonald, a 30 year old bisexual Scot. For her new exhibition Claire shoots a birds eye perspective of the steps left in the sand by an ancient Aboriginal dance called ‘The Sky People’ with her drone. The processed image of the dancers path reveals a shape that seems decidedly reptilian.
She suggests the dance shape may represent a memory of some event from our past and because of its name, who knows, it may suggest alien intervention. She suggests this during a TV interview about her work and exhibition. Her uncle, 60 year old anthropologist Dr Maurice ‘Mo’ Kameraigal from Sydney University sees the show feels she has gone too far. He does not accept her thinking and questions her use of technology and the image it has produced, saying it disrespects aboriginal protocols and that the technology must have misinterpreted the dancers steps.

Michael van Graan is a pragmatic 40 year old South African underwater Marine biologist, currently doing research work on Sydney harbour from his ship near the Opera House. At a particular spot underwater, his ROV’s constantly malfunction and he and his team have no idea why. He is pragmatic by nature, and only accepts what he can prove through empirical research, yet believes his eyes. Odd events keep occurring with time whilst in this location. The team finds that the ‘spot’ is only about 100 square metres in area, outside of that the ROV’s work fine.
But Michael is broke and desperate to find a way to stop his endless obsessive gambling. He has huge debts and is on the edge of bankruptcy.
He is assisted on ship by Toby and Richard, a computer expert and ROV operator respectively.

50 year old Aantagonist Robert Salvado an outspoken and charismatic right wing Australian politician. He wants change and he wants it now. With a strong will and charm to influence others, he usually gets what he wants. He garners a strong and passionate following by his supporters, but is seen as an idiot by his opposition. But like all powerful leaders with a consuming drive, he is flawed.

For another exhibition image, Claire shoots an aerial image of the Opera House. At the same time the senator is giving an impassioned speech to his audience. The event is covered by a TV news crew, led by Jade. Claire’s drone mysteriously stops in mid air directly over the crowd, falls and collides with the senator, knocking him into the harbour. He is deeply embarrassed and swears to get even.

Francis deQueribus is a kind but bumbling 73 year old eccentric French Zoologist. He is well respected in his field but he does not have a grasp on technology, and knows he cannot really process his findings much further without it. But he is not worried, as he feels he has ‘seen it all’. He is aided by 50 year old Swede Lena Johansen, who has the investigative eye and the skills to manifest information via technology.
She can link the dots in any scenario. But it is Francis’ name that gets the department its funding.

Research currently being undertaken by Francis and his team, show that paths taken by birds always avoid a particular area of the harbour. In particular the annual Pelican migration perform an elaborate flight path around it never flying over the spot. Ten years of records show the same pattern. In fact is found all birds do the same thing.

60 year old Dr Maurice ‘Mo’ Kameraigal as well as being Claire’s uncle, is an Aboriginal University professor head of anthropological research. He is also an Eora tribe elder. He is passionate about preserving his culture and keeping it intact just the way it is recognised as a leader in his field. He is stubborn and does not like change. His assistant is 45 year old Kiwi, Janice Hart.

In nearby Kuringai Chase National Park, Maurice and his assistant inspect a cave that has been opened up following a landslide. Inside a 1000 year old wall painting is revealed for the first time. They are baffled, it is identical to the shape recently emailed to him by Claire. He has to admit there is more to Claire’s thinking than he thought.

Peter Lucas is the brilliant 40 year old aerospace creator at Cronus, and designer of the craft. He believes he has created the machine for scientific research and study. He has no idea as to what others have in mind for its ultimate use. He is brilliant but naive. He is assisted by Tim and his team. Peter still lives at home, with his mother. He is answerable to the shifty Cronus CEO GORDON ‘MONTY’ MONTAGUE.

Antagonist 60 year old retired GENERAL SIR BRUCE DOWNING works in an advisory capacity in military matters and is the conduit between civilian defence contractors such as Monty and the military. He has many connections and is in the process of selling the benefits of the ‘craft’ for an astronomical figure. He has no conscience over any repercussions about what the craft may do, in fact he knows many battles that could benefit from different outcomes. He is driven by this. He has seen one too many wars and believes at heart that lives can be used to get what you want then discarded. He is possibly a psychopath, mad or both, and his value and moral wires are out of sync.

Q&A Panel
Jade Sinclair - 25 year old TV anchor woman. Aust.
Peter Bentine - US SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) organisation
Mitchell Frank - Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex (CDSCC)
Dr Ruth Petersen - NASA, via a live link from Florida
Dr Maurice ‘Mo’ Kameraigal, Sydney University lecturer, Eora elder
Francis deQueribus - Taronga zoo.

Boeing Wedgetail aircraft
SQN LDR MIRIAM GELLER, a Mission Control Officer working in an RAAF airborne intelligence aircraft, is assisted by Surveillance Control Officer LT Ruth Williamson. They and the rest of the crew are just doing their jobs and have no knowledge about what they discover during their mission, they simply pass it on. They pick up signals from the underwater object following Michaels dive on it and pass it on to their superiors. This sets the whole situation in conflict and has to flesh out what direction the story will take and how the antagonist will be revealed.

Jade Sinclair is a 25 year old Australian TV anchor woman. She is very conscious of her stunning looks, and has a typical reporters approach in getting to the bottom of things, yet she has no firm beliefs of her own. To her it is all just part of the stuff she has to do and as such it all passes before her eyes and is not really absorbed. Following Claires TV revelation, Jade suggests that a panel of experts are convened to discuss the ramifications and look for options. If it is not of this world, how long has it been there, what was it doing, what is inside it, is it safe or a threat? Red tape intervenes and nobody knows what to do about it. It becomes almost too big a thing to contemplate. What if, as some say, it has a similar effect on humanity that occurred to native races during our ‘age of discovery’. What if it causes a plague? how do we contain it. Has anybody told the government or military? do we need to? They will surely know by now.

Maurice now accepts that Claires sand image of the aboriginal dancers and his cave discovery are one and the same, but does not know what it means. She is even more convinced now that it refers to alien intervention of some kind. He reluctantly confirms the sand and cave shape are the same, but it does not prove her theory.

During the TV panel discussion, Claire and Michael are grilled about their ‘discoveries. Francis deQueribus tells about the birds avoiding the area. All their evidence seems to stack up and everyone has to conceded reluctantly that they are probably right. During the show Claire projects the image on its side by mistake, she is about to correct it when Maurice realises with a shock what the shape is. He covers one half and shows them. Everyone is gobsmacked, it is the shape of the Sydney Opera House.

This shape has been here for 1000’s of years, is it a coincidence? nobody knows. Michael then makes the connection to the ‘tail’ of the painting, it points to the exact spot in the harbour where the pulses are emanating from. Now everyone is convinced. But Michael is the only one to have seen the underwater mound close up. Does he know more and does he have an agenda?

Meanwhile, out of sight, others are following the events with interest.

To place somewhere in the story?
One thousand years in the past.

A group of Eora aboriginals witness an object crashing through the trees, having fallen from the sky, and finally coming to rest near them on the beach at Bennelong Point. They are given a glyph, or diagram by the dying occupants. They have no idea what it is, but it must be important. They commit the event and the diagram to song and dance to be remembered.
One thousand years later, a magnificent world famous building will occupy the exact spot where the craft crashed. The outline of the building will reflect the glyph that they committed to dance.

THOUGHTS

THE ENDING COULD COULD BE

Maybe it is an alien craft. But the whole process gets bogged down in red tape, meaning will it ever be raised?. Nobody knows where it came from, why it is there, why it crashed, and what may be in it. It may contain a virus that could wipe out the Human race, in much the same way as the early white explorers conquering native lands, brought their ‘civilised’ diseases in the ‘age of discovery’, and wiped out whole island populations with Measles, SmallPox and Cholera and Influenza to name a few.

Meaning, it is a valid precedent and it needs to be a major factor in any future encounter with an alien race. So the ‘drama’ could be the discussion as to how to resolve the dilemma. We need to see how catastrophic our diseases were to third world countries. So is the crux that for the sake of humanities future the ‘thing’ is left where it is. Is this plausible? and can it be dramatic enough to end a story? Not sure about this. I like it but wonder if it will hold together.

CHAPTERS - more to come

• Plot Threads • The Cave • The Incident • Encounter • Underwater Anomaly • The Desert Dance
• The Email • Late Breaking News • The Migration • Device Missing • The Deeplake Project. • The General
• Interception • The Airborne Intercept • Taronga Zoo lab • Story Outline