The Battle of Serenity Valley

Captain Malcolm Reynolds :

We're close to gone out here. 

We get a job, we got to make good. 

Pvt. Zoe Washburn :

Sir, I don't disagree 

on any particular point. 

It's just... 

In The Time of War, 

we would've never left 

A Man stranded. 

Captain Malcolm Reynolds :

Maybe that's why we lost. 

“ Production came to an end 

on Buffy, Season 3 [1999], 

and over my Summer vacation,

I was reading 

The Killer Angels, 

about 

The Survivors of Gettysburg, 

and it immediately made me think 

of The Millennium Falcon.

You know, 

as most things do.”

— Joss Whedon

EXT. SERENITY VALLEY - NIGHT

We come into the middle of a battle. 

Soldiers are yelling and running, gunfire everywhere, 

stuff blowing up but good.

Camera focuses on a soldier in the silhouette 

of an explosion, running and dodging fire. 

He hits the dirt for cover. 

We PUSH IN and see that it's Mal. 

His face is dirty and he's breathing hard.

Mal's up again and running 

to rejoin his company in a makeshift foxhole.

RADIO OPERATOR

Sergeant, Command says air support is holding 

till they can assess our status.

MAL

Our Status is that we need some gorram air support.

Now get back on line and tell 'em to get in here.

ZOE

That skiff is shredding us, sir.

RADIO OPERATOR

They won't move without 

A Lieutenant's authorization code, sir.

Angry, Mal walks over and rips off the badge 

from a dead Lieutenant's uniform 

and gives it to the Radio Operator.

MAL

Here, here's Your Code -- 

You're Lieutenant Baker.

Congratulations on your promotion. 

Now get me some air support!

(to Zoe)

Pull back, just enough to wedge 'em in here. 

Get your squad to High Ground, start picking 'em off.

ZOE

High ground is Death  with that skiff in the air.

MAL

That's Our Problem. 

Thanks for volunteering.

(to Bendis)

Bendis, give us some cover fire. 

We're going duck hunting.

The foxhole is rocked by a huge explosion. 

Mal's group of soldiers are looking 

pretty young and scared. 

Time for a morale boost:

MAL

Just focus!

(beat)

The Alliance said they were gonna 

waltz through Serenity Valley 

and we choked 'em with those words.

We've done The Impossible 

and that makes us mighty.

Just a little while longer, 

Our Angels are gonna be  soaring overhead 

raining fire on those arrogant cod,

so you hold!

(yelling)

You hold! Go!

His soldiers take up their positions 

to lay down cover fire while Mal and Zoe 

prepare to take down the skiff.

ZOE

Really think we can bring her down, sir?

MAL

Do you even need to ask?

Mal pulls a necklace out from under his shirt 

and kisses the cross.

MAL

Ready?

ZOE

Always.

Mal takes off. 

Zoe prepares to follow, 

sees that no one's covering Mal.

ZOE

Bendis? Bendis!

She sees Bendis huddled across 

from her, scared stiff.

ZOE (cont'd)

(angrily)

Rut it.

Zoe grunts and stands up, laying cover fire for Mal as he moves down the hill. 

After a moment, she follows Mal down The Hill, 

taking cover with him behind some boulders. 

Mal fires into the bushes, 

causing the soldier guarding a bigass gun 

to move out of his cover and return fire. 

Mal shoots him dead.

Mal activates the bigass gun's targeting system 

while Zoe covers him. 

Mal locks a target on the skiff that's been 

killing them in the battle and fires. 

He makes a direct hit and stands back 

from the bigass gun.

MAL

Yeah!

(manly grunt)

Then Mal realizes that the skiff is outta control... 

and headed right for him. Oh, shit. Mal starts running.

MAL

Zoe!

Mal and Zoe run as the skiff hits the ground and plows past them, exploding. Mal and Zoe hit the ground flat on their backs. Mal starts laughing. Zoe looks long-suffering.

ZOE

(entering foxhole, to Bendis)

Nice cover fire.

MAL

Did you see that? 

Green, what's our  status on...

Mal trails off as he realizes Green is pretty damn wounded, 

possibly deader than a dead thing.

MAL

Zoe.

She looks up. Mal points. 

Zoe moves to check Green. 

Mal moves to sit near Bendis.

MAL (cont'd)

Hey, listen to me. Bendis, look at me! 

Listen, we're holding this valley no matter what.

BENDIS

We're gonna die.

MAL

We're not gonna die. 

We can't die, Bendis.

You know why?

(beat)

Because we are so very, very pretty. 

We are just too pretty for God to let us die. Huh? 

Look at that chiseled jaw. Huh? 

C'mon.

There's a roaring sound overhead. 

Zoe is listening on the radio.

MAL (cont'd)

If you won't listen to me, 

listen to that. 

Those are Our Angels comin' 

to blow The Alliance to The Hot Place.

(to Zoe)

Zoe, tell the 82nd --

ZOE (stunned)

They're Not Coming.

(beat)

Command says it's too hot. 

They're pulling out.

 

We're to lay down arms.

Mal's stunned, in denial. 

He looks at Bendis.

MAL

But what's...

Slowly, Mal stands and peeks over the top of the foxhole. 

His face is lit from their air support rising and retreating. 

Bendis stands next to him. 

Mal's in shock, watching 

His Last Hope pull out of The Fight.

Beside him, Bendis is hit by Enemy Fire 

and Falls. Mal doesn't notice.

PUSH IN on Mal's bloody face. 

On the disbelief.

Have Faith in Us

John Quincy Adams :

One tries to govern wisely, strongly. 

One tries to govern in a way that betters 

The Lives of one's Villagers. 

One tries to 

Kill The Lion. 

Unfortunately, one isn't always 

wise enough or strong enough. 

Time passes and The Moment is gone. 

Now, listen, 5, listen, we're about - 

We're about to bring Your Case before 

the highest court in Our Land. 

We're about to Do Battle with A Lion 

that is threatening to rip 

our country in two. Huh? 

And all we have on 

Our Side, is A Rock.... 

Of course, you didn't ask to be at the centre of 

this historic conflagration anymore than I did; 

but, we find ourselves here, nonetheless, 

by some mysterious mix of circumstances 

and all The World watching. 

So, what are we to do? Huh?

5 : [in Mende]  

Is He Going to Help? 

He has far many more 

questions than answers.

John Quincy Adams :

What did he just say?

Ens. Covey :

(being discreet) I - I - 

Sorry, I didn't catch it.

John Quincy Adams :

5, look, I'm being honest with you — 

Anything less would be disrespectful. 

I'm telling you — 

I'm preparing you, 

I suppose... 

I'm explaining to you — that 

The Test ahead of us is an 

exceptionally difficult one.

Ens. Covey :

[translating for 5]  

We won't be going 

in there alone.

John Quincy Adams : 

Alone? Indeed, not. 

We have RIGHT at our side. 

We have Righteousness at our side! 

We have Mr. Baldwin, over there.

Ens. Covey : 

[translating for 5]  

I meant My Ancestors. 

I will call into 

The Past — FAR back 

to The Beginning of Time 

and beg them 

to come and Help Me 

at The Judgement. 

I will reach back and 

Draw them INTO Me, and 

They MUST come. 

For at This Moment, 

I am The WHOLE Reason 

They have existed AT ALL.

John Quincy Adams :

Your Honors, I derive much consolation from the fact that my colleague, Mr. Baldwin, here, has argued the case in so able and so complete a manner as to leave me scarcely anything to say.

 

However, why are we here? How is it that a simple, plain property issue should now find itself so ennobled as to be argued before the Supreme Court of the United States of America? I mean, do we fear the lower courts, which found for us easily, somehow missed the truth? Is that it? Or is it, rather, our great and consuming fear of civil war that has allowed us to heap symbolism upon a simple case that never asked for it? And now would have us disregard truth, even as it stands before us, tall and proud as a mountain? The truth, in truth, has been driven from this case like a slave, flogged from court to court, wretched and destitute. And not by any great legal acumen on the part of the opposition, I might add, but through the long, powerful arm of the Executive Office.

Yea, this is no mere property case, gentlemen. I put it to you thus: This is the most important case ever to come before this court. Because what it, in fact, concerns is the very nature of man.

   Now, these are -- these are transcriptions of letters written between our Secretary of State, John Forsyth, and the Queen of Spain, Isabella the Second. Now, I ask that you accept their perusal as part of your deliberations.

Thank you, sir. [handing the transcriptions to the Clerk of the Supreme Court]

I would not touch on them now except to notice a curious phrase which is much repeated. The queen again and again refers to our incompetent courts. Now what, I wonder, would be more to her liking? Huh? A court that finds against the Africans? Well, I think not. And here is the fine point of it: What her majesty wants is a court that behaves just like her courts; the courts this 11-year-old child plays with in her magical kingdom called Spain; a court that will do what it is told, a court that can be toyed with like a doll; a court -- as it happens -- of which our own President, Martin Van Buren, would be most proud.

Thank you. [retrieving a document from Mr. Baldwin]

 

Now, this is a publication of the Office of the President. It's called the Executive Review, and I'm sure you all read it. At least I'm sure the President hopes you all read it. This is a recent issue, and there's an article in here written by a "keen mind of the South," who -- it's my former Vice President, John Calhoun, perhaps. Could it be? -- who asserts that:

There has never existed a civilized society in which one segment did not thrive upon the labor of another. As far back as one chooses to look -- to ancient times, to biblical times -- history bears this out. In Eden, where only two were created, even there one was pronounced subordinate to the other. Slavery has always been with us and is neither sinful nor immoral. Rather, as war and antagonism are the natural states of man, so, too, slavery, as natural as it is inevitable.

Now, gentlemen, I must say I differ with the keen minds of the South, and with our President, who apparently shares their views, offering that the natural state of mankind is instead -- and I know this is a controversial idea -- is freedom.

Is freedom.

And the proof is the length to which a man, woman, or child will go to regain it, once taken.

He will break loose his chains.

He will decimate his enemies.

He will try and try and try against all odds, against all prejudices, to get home.

5, would you stand up, if you would, so everyone can see you.

 

This man is Black. We can all see that. But can we also see as easily that which is equally True? That he is the only true hero in this room.

Now, if he were white, he wouldn't be standing before this court fighting for his life. If he were white and his enslavers were British, he wouldn't be able to stand, so heavy the weight of the medals and honors we would bestow upon him. 

Songs would be written about him.

 The great authors of our times would fill books about him. 

His story would be told and retold in our classrooms. 

Our children, because we would make sure of it, would know his name as well as they know Patrick Henry's.

   Yet, if the South is right, what are we to do with that embarrassing, annoying document, "The Declaration of Independence?" What of its conceits? 

“All men...created equal," "inalienable rights," "life," "liberty," and so on and so forth? 

What on earth are we to do with this?

 I have a modest suggestion....

[ He Rips up The Bill of Rights ]

The other night I was talking with my friend, 5. He was over at my place, and we were out in the greenhouse together. And he was explaining to me how when a member of The Mende -- that's His People -- how when a member of The Mende encounters a situation where there appears no Hope at all, he invokes his ancestors. It's a Tradition. 

See, The Mende believe that if one can summon the spirits of one's ancestors, then they have never left, and The Wisdom and Strength they fathered and inspired will come to his aid.

James Madison; Alexander Hamilton; Benjamin Franklin; Thomas Jefferson; George Washington; John Adams — 

[John Quincy is now speaking directly to the marble bust of His Father, President John Adams, in the corner of the Supreme Court Chamber of The United States]

We've long resisted asking you for guidance —Perhaps we have feared in doing so we might acknowledge that our individuality which we so, so revere is not •entirely• our own. 

Perhaps we've feared an -- an appeal to you might be taken for weakness. 

But we've come to understand, finally, that this is not so.

We understand •now•. We've been •made• to understand, and to embrace the understanding, that Who We Are -- •is• Who We Were.

We desperately need your Strength and Wisdom to triumph over our fears, our prejudices, our selves.

Give us The Courage to do 

What is Right. 

And if it means Civil War , 

then LET IT COME. 

And when it does, may it be, finally, 

The Last Battle of The American Revolution.

That's all I have to say.”

https://www.americanrhetoric.com/MovieSpeeches/moviespeechamistadjqadams.html

Game : The Sport of Kings

LORD: 

Welcome, Fool. 

You have come of your own Free Will to the appointed place. 

The Game is over. 

POLICEMAN :

Game? What Game? 

LORD :

The Game of The Hunted leading The Hunter. 

You came here to find Rowan Morrison, but it is WE who have found YOU and brought You Here and controlled your every thought and action since You arrived. 

“They both had a particular way of yelling. The Northern troops made a sort of hurrah — it was called by one soldier ‘the deep, generous, manly shout of the Northern soldier.’ 

The Confederates of course had what was called 

The Rebel Yell.

We don’t really know what that sounded like. One Northerner described it by describing the peculiar corkscrew sensation that goes up your backbone when you hear it. 

And he said, ‘

If you claimed you’ve heard it and weren’t scared, that means you’ve never heard it.’

It was basically, I think, a sort of fox-hunt yip mixed up with a banshee squall, and it was used on the attack. 

An old Confederate veteran after the war was asked at a UDC meeting somewhere in Tennessee to give the Rebel Yell. 

The Ladies had never heard it. 

And he said, 

‘It can’t be done, except at a run, 

and I couldn’t do it anyhow with a mouthful of false teeth 

and a stomach full of food!'”

Dr. Zaius :

Have you forgotten your Scripture? 

The Thirteenth Scroll?

(quoting from memory)

'And Proteus brought the upright beast

into The Garden, and chained him to a tree,

and the children made sport of him.'

CORNELIUS

(impatiently)

No sir, I haven't forgotten.

ZAIUS

Well? For a time the ancients kept humans as household pets.

Until The Lawgiver proved that man could not be tamed. 

Keep digging Cornelius. 

You'll find evidence of The Master of This House: an ape.

326EXT. ARCHEOLOGICAL CAMP - ESTABLISHING SHOT - DAY

Sand bars and two narrow beaches are in evidence here. The camp itself

consists of several lean-tos against the cliff wall. Above the camp,

reached by ladders connected to scaffolding, is the mouth of a cave.

Zira is cleaning up the breakfast things; Zaius and Lucius are sorting

out equipment.

A-326CLOSER ANGLE - TAYLOR AND ZIRA

A small bowl of water rests on the ground in front of Taylor He has

nearly finished shaving himself with a sharp hunting knife. Nova

watches, a look of fascinated approval on her face. Taylor rinses off

his knife, starts to dry it. Nova reaches out, gently strokes his

smooth -- if nicked -- chin.

TAYLOR

(smiling)

You like it?

Lucius and Cornelius come up, Zira with them.

LUCIUS

(disapprovingly)

Why did you do that? Scrape off your

hair?

TAYLOR

In my world -- before I left it -

only youngsters of your age wore un-

scraped hair.

CORNELIUS

(to Taylor, quizzically)

It makes you look somehow ... less

intelligent.

Taylor grins wryly at Cornelius, picks up his rifle.

TAYLOR

When are you going to show me what's

in the cave?

CORNELIUS

Right now, if you like.

They cross the beach to the ladders, when suddenly they hear the sound

of horses. They look o.s.

B-326WHAT THEY SEE:

Dr. Zaius and five armed and mounted apes have come around the corner

of the beach and ride toward them through the rocks.

C-326MEDIUM - THE GROUP

Taylor scrambles up onto the lower scaffold. Lucius runs to a lean-to,

scoops up his rifle.

CORNELIUS

Lucius -- don't fire at them.

The party rides up.

ZAIUS

You're all under arrest!

(to Lucius)

You seditious scoundrel. Drop that

rifle.

327-OUT

348

349FLASH SHOT - LUCIUS

He wavers, lowering his piece.

350WIDER ANGLE - TO INCLUDE BOTH GROUPS

Zaius' gorillas ride forward a few paces, but halt again as Taylor

shouts:

TAYLOR

Stop right there.

ZAIUS

Don't be a fool. You're outnumbered

and outgunned.

Taylor aims at Zaius and calls out:

TAYLOR

If there's any shooting, Dr. Zaius,

you'll be the first to die. Depend

on it.

CORNELIUS

(protesting)

Taylor, you're not in command here.

Put down that gun.

TAYLOR

Shut up.

Silence.Zaius knows Taylor isn't bluffing.

ZAIUS

Very well.

(to his followers)

Lower your weapons.

They obey. Taylor calls again:

TAYLOR

(pointing)

Tell them to move around the point.

Out of range.

Zaius turns and whispers to his apes. They rein about and ride away

through the rocks. Zaius dismounts and approaches the fugitives alone.

He is unarmed.

351CLOSER ANGLE - THE GROUP

As Zaius draws nearer) Lucius lowers his rifle. But Taylor keeps his at

the ready.

CORNELIUS

(uncertainly)

How did you know we'd come here?

ZAIUS

It wasn't difficult. Only an apostate

or a lunatic would flee to the Forbidden

Zone.

(a glance at Taylor)

I see you brought along the female of

your species.

(Taylor nods)

I didn't realize a man could be monogamous.

TAYLOR

On this planet -- it's easy.

Zaius laughs derisively, then turns to the apes.

ZAIUS

(evenly)

I ask you to reconsider the rash course

you've taken. If you're convicted of heresy,

the most you'll get is two years. But if

you persist in pointing guns in my direction,

you'll hang for high treason.

CORNELIUS

(respectfully)

We've never meant to be treasonable, sir.

(pointing off)

But up there, in the face of that Cliff,

is a vast cave -- and in that cave a

fabulous treasure of fossils and artifacts.

ZAIUS

I've seen some of your fossils and artifacts.

They're worthless.

TAYLOR

(derisively)

And that's your Minister of Science. Honor-

bound to expand the frontiers of knowledge.

ZIRA

(worried)

Taylor, please --

TAYLOR

Except that he's also the Chief Defender

of the Faith.

ZAIUS

(loftily)

There is no contradiction between faith

and science. True science.

TAYLOR

(suddenly angered)

All right, let's see if you're willing

to put that statement to a test.

CORNELIUS

Taylor, I'd rather you -

TAYLOR

No. You saved me from this fanatic. Maybe

I can pay you back.

ZAIUS

(calmly)

What is your proposal?

TAYLOR

When were the Sacred Scrolls written?

ZAIUS

Twelve hundred years ago.

TAYLOR

Very well. If Zira and Cornelius can prove

that those scrolls don't tell the whole

truth of your history; if they can show you

definite evidence of another culture from an

unrecorded past -- will you exonerate them?

ZAIUS

Of course.

TAYLOR

Okay.Up to the cave.

He gestures toward the path leading to it. Zaius, Zira, and Cornelius

start upward. Lucius starts to follow them.

TAYLOR

Sorry, Lucius. You'll have to stay here

and guard the horses.

LUCIUS

Always giving orders. Just like every

other adult.

TAYLOR

Relax. You'll see it all later.

He pats the barrel of Lucius' gun, in the manner of a stern but

benevolent non-com, then starts up the trail with Nova at his heels.

Lucius, unused to taking commands from an animal, scowls after him,

then shrugs, adjusting to the Idea.

352-

355OUT

356 EXT. WESTERN WALL OF GORGE - LONG SHOT - ANGLING UP

AFTERNOON

The sun hovers over the lofty rim of the lake like a great red balloon.

The wall of the gorge, in shadow, is a darker hue.

357EXT. EASTERN WALL OF GORGE - LONG SHOT - ANGLING UP

The crenelated east wall, looking like a red cathedral, is aglow with

sunlight. So is the mouth of the cave as the three apes, Taylor and

Nova pass through it and o.s.

358INT. CAVERN - BOOM SHOT - DAY

Nature has formed a vaulted room here. It need not be enormous, but

should be as weird and fantastic as production capabilities permit.

There is an ape-made excavation in the floor of the cave, some ten feet

square and eight feet deep. Some small objects lie on the rim of the

excavation. Zaius, Cornelius, Zira, Taylor and Nova enter from the

outside.

(AUTHOR'S NOTE: The effect should be an eyeful. I wish to create an

illusion of sunlight penetrating this cave, flooding it with direct,

refracted illumination, transforming it into a kaleidoscopic cavern.)

ZAIUS

Present your evidence, Cornelius.

Cornelius clambers down into the pit, followed by Zira. Taylor bends

down, examines some of the artifacts lined along the edge of the

excavation. Nova sits beside him.

CORNELIUS

(pointing)

It was at this level I discovered traces

of an early ape creature -- stage of

primitive barbarism, really -- dating back

roughly thirteen hundred years. It was here

I found cutting tools and arrowheads of

quartz and the fossilized bones of

carnivorous gorillas.

CAMERA (ON BOOM) MOVES IN SLOWLY as Cornelius continues:

CORNELIUS

But the artifacts lying at your feet

were found here, at this level. And

that's the paradox. The more ancient

culture is the more advanced. Admittedly,

many of these objects are unidentified,

but clearly they were fashioned by beings

with a knowledge of metallurgy.

CAMERA KEEPS MOVING IN on the group in and around the excavation as

Cornelius continues:

CORNELIUS

Indeed, the very fact that these tools

are unknown to us could suggest a culture

in certain ways almost equal to our own.

Some of the evidence is uncontestable ...

ZAIUS

(interrupting)

Don't speak to me in absolutes. The

evidence is contestable.

CORNELIUS

I apologize.

ZAIUS

To begin with, your methods of dating

the past are crude, to say the least. There

are geologists on my staff who would laugh at

your speculations.

TAYLOR

Perhaps that's why they're on your staff.

Zaius flicks a hostile glance at Taylor, then looks down at the

artifacts. He nudges them with his foot.

ZAIUS

Secondly, if these 'tools' as you call

them, are unidentified, why are they

introduced as 'evidence' of anything?

ZIRA

(promptly)

But there's the doll, sir.

ZAIUS

What?

CORNELIUS

(pointing)

Right there. The human doll.

Zaius deigns to stoop and pick it up.

359CLOSE ON DOLL - IN ZAIUS' HAND

It is only a porcelain fragment, but the head is intact, and it is

unmistakably the form of a human child.

ZAIUS

What does this prove? My grand-

daughter plays with human dolls.

360FULL SHOT - THE EXCAVATION - INCLUDING TAYLOR

Exasperated, Zira turns to the man for confirmation.

ZIRA

Taylor! Tell him.

TAYLOR

He has a point. On my planet children

often play with ape dolls.

Zaius idly tosses the doll to the ground near Nova. She picks it up,

studies it.

361GROUP SHOT - THE THREE APES

Cornelius tries again.

CORNELIUS

A doll alone proves nothing. True. But

the doll was found beside the jawbone

of a man -- and no trace of simian fossils

has turned up in this deposit.

ZAIUS

Your conclusion is premature. Have you

forgotten your Scripture? The Thirteenth

Scroll?

(quoting from memory)

'And Proteus brought the upright beast

into the garden, and chained him to a tree,

and the children made sport of him.'

CORNELIUS

(impatiently)

No sir, I haven't forgotten.

ZAIUS

Well? For a time the ancients kept humans

as household pets.Until the Lawgiver

proved that man could not be tamed. Keep

digging Cornelius. You'll find evidence of

the master of this house: an ape.

A-361ANOTHER ANGLE - TO INCLUDE TAYLOR AND NOVA

As Zira again appeals to the man.

ZIRA

Are you going to let that pass without

an answer?

Taylor, who has been toying with objects in the dirt, looks up.

TAYLOR

Yes. I have to agree. From all you've

found so far, his position's as good as

yours.

CORNELIUS

(annoyed)

What are you doing there?

TAYLOR

Reconstructing a life. Care to have a

look?

Cornelius and Zira cross the pit and Zaius walks around the rim of the

excavation.

B-361MED. CLOSE SHOT - FAVORING TAYLOR AND NOVA

As the apes come close. A number of artifacts have been arranged in

front of Taylor.

TAYLOR

(to Cornelius)

These were found near the human doll,

right?

(Cornelius nods)

Well, whoever owned them was in pretty

bad shape.

He picks up the twisted fragment of a pair of spectacles.

TAYLOR

Defective eyesight..

As Taylor continues his monologue, he picks up the other objects one by

one.

TAYLOR

He wore false teeth.

(pause)

He suffered from a hernia and used

this truss to hold up his insides ...

(pause)

And toward the end, these little rings

of stainless steel enclosed a prefab-

ricated valve in his failing heart.

Taylor pauses. Zaius picks up two of the steel rings, studies them.

TAYLOR

I don't say he was a man like an Earthman,

but I'd call him a close relative, for

he was plagued by most of man's ills.

(to Zaius pointedly)

Yet, fragile as he was, he came before you

-- and was superior to you.

ZAIUS

(a calm smile)

That's lunacy. I can give an alternate

description for everyone of those objects

that's equally as inventive as yours. But

it would be conjecture, not proof.

362WIDER ANGLE - TO INCLUDE TAYLOR AND NOVA

She is poking her finger inside the decapitated head of the doll. From

it comes a distorted SOUND.

DOLL'S HEAD

Mamma! Mamma! Mamma!.

The apes stare at the doll in astonishment. Taylor snatches the doll

from Nova, brandishes it at the astonished Zaius.

TAYLOR

Dr. Zaius! Would an ape make a human

doll that talks?

Zaius looks at him, speechless. At that moment the CRACK of a distant

rifle shot reverberates through the cavern. All present freeze,

listening.

ZIRA

Lucius....

363-

364OUT

365FULL SHOT - THE CAVERN - REVERSE ANGLE

Taylor alone is armed. Raising his rifle, he glowers at Zaius.

TAYLOR

You louse!

Cornelius is already crossing the pit. He climbs out arid races toward

the mouth of the cave. Taylor runs after him. Zira and Nova hurry after

Taylor.

366MED. SHOT - ZAIUS

Expressionless, he looks down at the doll, then moves toward the mouth

of the cave.

367EXT. TRAIL FROM CAVE TO CAMP - ANGLING UP

Cornelius emerges from mouth of the cave and runs down the trail toward

CAMERA. He halts in f.g., looking down at:

368THE CAMP SITE - AS SEEN FROM THE TRAIL

Two of Zaius' gorillas have disarmed Lucius and are clubbing him with

their rifle butts. Two other mounted apes are driving the scientists'

horses back beyond the trees.

369EXT. THE TRAIL - AS SEEN FROM THE BEACH

Cornelius, Taylor, Nova and Zira (in that order) can be seen high

above, descending the trail. CAMERA PULLS BACK TO DISCLOSE A GORILLA

SNIPER in immediate f.g., crouching behind a boulder near the water. He

sights his rifle at the man on the trail. Taylor is still too distant

to make a sure target, and so the sniper waits.

370CLOSER ANGLE - TAYLOR ON THE TRAIL

This portion of the trail has no cover or concealment. Unaware of the

sniper, Taylor looks down at the camp as he makes his descent.

371LONG SHOT - TAYLOR - AS SEEN IN THE SNIPER'S SIGHTS

The gorilla fires.

372CLOSE SHOT - TAYLOR

The bullet ricochets off the rock wall a foot above his head. Taylor

scans the terrain bewlow, looking for the sniper. Nova comes to his

side, pointing at:

373THE SNIPER - FROM THEIR P.O.V.

His head is visible behind the boulder as he reloads his piece.

374FLASH SHOT

He aims and fires.

375FLASH SHOT - THE SNIPER

Taylor has missed him, but the sniper ducks behind the boulder.

376THE TRAIL - PANNING WITH TAYLOR AND NOVA

Taylor takes her hand and they race back up the trail to where Zira is

standing. Outcroppings of rock offer some cover here. Taylor pushes

Nova down behind a rock and signals for Zira to follow suit.

377CLOSE GROUP SHOT - TAYLOR, NOVA AND ZIRA

The sniper's SECOND SHOT rings out. Instead of returning the fire,

Taylor looks up the rail at:

378ZAIUS - FRO14 TAYLOR'S P.O.V.

He is standing impassively on the trail a short distance below the

mouth of the cave.

379FLASH SHOT - TAYLOR

Bent low, he comes charging up the trail toward Zaius. The sniper's

THIRD SHOT splatters rock fragments around him.

380REVERSE ANGLE - THE TRAIL - ANGLING UP

Zaius starts to retreat to the cave, but stumbles and falls on some

loose shale. No sooner has Zaius regained his feet than Taylor

overtakes him. Seizing the ape around the neck with his left arm.

Taylor drives the muzzle of his pistol into Zaius' kidney. He spins

Zaius around, using him as a shield.

381CLOSE TWO SHOT - ZAIUS AND TAYLOR

Taylor releases the pressure on Zaius' throat but keeps the gun pointed

at his back.

TAYLOR

Tell him to pull back!

ZAIUS

(a hoarse cry)

Cease fire! Withdraw!

His command echoes from the west wall of the canyon.

382LONG SHOT - THE FLOOR OF THE GORGE - FROM THEIR P.O.V.

The sniper emerges from behind a boulder near the shore, and walks off

along the beach.

383BACK TO TAYLOR AND ZAIUS

Taylor lift's the muzzle of his rifle and presses it against the back

of Zaius' head.

TAYLOR

I ought to kill you right now.

(nudging him)

Let's go.

They move off down the trail.