Gravity Page #5

MATT ENJOYS THE VIEW

THE EARTH, with its ever-changing surface of blues and whites,

greens and browns, is massive and serene below him.

RYAN:

Mm-hm.

MATT:

“Mmm?” So what do you like about being

up here?

She hesitates -- trying sincerely to articulate her feelings as

we GAZE down at the silent planet below.

RYAN:

The silence.

(beat)

I could get used to it.

Matt laughs softly.

We arrive back on him as he turns back to look at Earth.

Something flickers briefly in Matt’s eyes-- something

complicated-

MATT:

Hmmmm. Terrific.

Ryan inspects a panel inside the telescope, studying it with a

small mirror.

RYAN:

Houston, from first inspection comms

panel appears to be dead. Am I a go

to cut link to auxiliary?

MISSION CONTROL:

You’re the expert, doctor. It’s your

call.

Ryan takes out the small mirror and Matt stretches his arm,

offering assistance, but-

She does not want any help and puts the mirror away in her

toolbox, leaving Matt with his arm outstretched.

Ryan starts looking for another tool, but Matt is one move ahead

of her, offering her a pair of tweezers.

Ryan hesitates and takes the tool. She starts working on the

panel.

MATT:

Houston, I have a bad feeling about

this mission.

MISSION CONTROL:

Please elaborate.

MATT:

It’s the same feeling I had at Mardi

Gras in 1987...?

He waits, letting the moment hang knowingly. Then:

MISSION CONTROL:

That is affirmative. Surprisingly,

control hasn’t heard the Mardi Gras

story. Please proceed.

MATT:

Well, it’s day one and I’m bumping my

way down Bourbon Street looking for

the sister of a friend of mine. The

streets are swimming with people, I’m

thinking there’s no way I’m finding

this girl...

Ryan rolls her eyes and mumbles to herself-

RYAN:

Proceeding to over ride.

Matt continues his story without missing a beat-

MATT:

Then all of a sudden I look up and -there

she is.

(MORE)

MATT (CONT'D)

I am about to yell out when I notice

she’s holding hands with a short hairy

guy in board shorts and a

Margaritaville T-shirt. Then I

realize, the guy’s no guy. My sister’s

friend is holding hands with a--

Mission Control interrupts on the radio.

MISSION CONTROL:

(on radio)

ISS, this is Houston.

SPACE STATION CAP

(on radio)

Zlotze Houston.

Ryan inserts the plate into the Hubble.

MISSION CONTROL:

(on radio)

Explorer, this is Houston.

EXPLORER CAP:

(on radio)

Go ahead Houston.

MISSION CONTROL:

(on radio)

Mission abort. Repeat: mission abort.

Initiate emergency disconnect from

Hubble.

All the astronauts stop what they’re doing and anxiously await

further instructions, except for Ryan who keeps working.

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