Colbert leads out Brooks, and spots Massey. He gives him a 
knowing nod.

INT. COLBERT'S HUMVEE - NIGHT

Colbert drives, popping glances up at the rear-view mirror.

 BROOKS
 Well, shit-a-doodle-doo. We've got 
 little more than two hours left.

 COLBERT
 Yeah...not a lot of time.

 BROOKS
 Wanna start now?

Brooks slips a hand between Colbert's thighs. Colbert takes 
her hand firmly.

 COLBERT
 No. Not tonight.

 BROOKS
 What?

 COLBERT
 We're not going back to my place. I'm 
 going to drop you off at the base.

 BROOKS
 (hard)
 What?

 COLBERT
 Listen, it's happening again. The 
 Colonial government has found more of the 
 aliens.

 BROOKS
 The ones from Rim? But I thought you 
 said you killed them all?

 COLBERT
 We didn't. 
 (beat)
 All my life I've tried fighting off the 
 nightmares, to forget what happened. I 
 can't any longer. I'm going to put an 
 end to this permanently. You know where 
 are people went? 

 BROOKS
 Yeah, but...

Colbert triggers his phone console.

 COLBERT
 Call them.

INT. JOY CLUB - NIGHT

Opposite of what we saw at the opera. Bodies writhe to the 
heavy beat of techno-music. Mix jungle and underground. A 
throng of MARINES with gorgeous WOMEN wearing nothing but 
thong bikinis.

Pulaski emerges from the crowd with a wild brunette over his 
shoulder, slapping her jiggling ass. 

Two girls doing the bump and grind with Jesus. He kneels 
down, caressing their flatboard stomachs, teases their 
bellybuttons with his tongue.

Herman, Butch, Jess, Teape and Stokes are at the bar. A hot 
honey BARTENDER serving drinks there. Another girl enticing 
Teape to come out to the floor.

 TEAPE
 I really shouldn't...

 JESS
 Shee-it, what are you? A little girl?

 HERMAN
 Get in there, Private!

Herman gives Teape a good hearty shove off the bar.

 PARTY GRUNT #1
 You guys got a real tight crew?

 STOKES
 Real tight.

 PARTY GRUNT #2
 You lucky. My squad freaked after our CO 
 told us we're shipping out. They all 
 pissed in their pants and I been smelling 
 that since.

Beer jugs CLANG. The bartender leans over to the men.

 CLUB BARTENDER
 Which one of you big boys is Sergeant 
 Herman?

 STOKES
 It ain't the skinny black man for sure.

 JESS
 Suck air.

Herman wags a finger. The bartender hands him the receiver. 
He covers a ear and listens in. Garbled voice.

INT. TILLER'S QUARTERS - NIGHT

Tiller is sitting with his CHILDREN, four of them in all. He 
adjust his son's collar. A woman appears at the doorway, 
his WIFE.

 MRS. TILLER
 Come on, honey. We're going to be late.

 TILLER
 Be a sec. I need my marines looking 
 sharp.

His pager goes off. He grudgingly snaps it off his belt, 
looks.

 MRS. TILLER
 Business?

 TILLER
 Yeah.

 MRS. TILLER
 (claps hand)
 Okay, kids. You know the drill.
 
Tiller kisses each of his children on the forehead as they 
walk by. Then comes the eldest, the daughter, EVELYN, who 
brushes him off.

 EVELYN
 Daddy, please. The make-up.

She leaves. Tiller gets up and stands with his wife.

 TILLER
 When did that happen?

 MRS. TILLER
 Last year. I think you were storming 
 Grenada at the time.

 TILLER
 I'm sorry.

 MRS. TILLER
 (a little bit of guilt)
 We're used to it.

 CUT TO:

INT./EXT. BLACK SEDAN - NIGHT

The car pulls to a stop.

Inside, the two TIA Agents watch in the distant Colbert 
leaving his Humvee, and heading up the stairs to his 
apartment.

One of the agents dials in a number on the phone console. 
The line connects. The face of Orona appears.

 ORONA
 Yes?

 TIA AGENT #1
 Colbert dropped off his date, and then he
 went home. We're at his place now.

 ORONA
 Keep an eye on him.

 TIA AGENT #1
 Yes, sir.

The image fades to a blip. Both Agents lean back against 
their chairs, prepping for the night. One of them pulls out 
a sandwich, the other grabbing a cup of coffee.

A car pulls up next to them. The doors opens and out steps 
Massey. He taps the window.

 TIA AGENT #2
 Get rid of him.

The other Agent waves him away. Massey taps the window 
again.

 TIA AGENT #1
 Christ.

The window rolls down. Massey takes a PISTOL from beneath 
his coat. No hesitation. Shoots each one. Colbert rushes 
up to Massey. He looks at the two Agents.

 MASSEY
 Tranq darts. They'll be out cold for the 
 night. We have a transport?

 COLBERT
 I made a few calls. I don't know what's 
 available at the base until we get there.

 MASSEY
 We have a way in?

 COLBERT
 I can get us in.

 MASSEY
 You ready?

 COLBERT
 No. Considering what we're about to do.

 MASSEY
 Considering what we've been through, 
 maybe we should have died on Rim.

Colbert pauses, regards him for a moment.

 COLBERT
 Yeah. Right. We'd better get going.

INT. OUTSIDE/AROUND HANGAR #10 - NIGHT

Tiller moves down the metallic hallway, hands in pockets. He 
hears the CLICK-CLACK of high heels, looks up to see Brooks 
now in a long overcoat over her dress.

 TILLER
 We're rolling?

She shrugs. The bay doors SLIDE OPEN, and they ENTER into --

INSIDE HANGAR #10

The rest of the platoon are there clustered around a dormant 
APC. Stokes takes Brooks, twirls her once. Activity still 
going strong in the b.g.

 STOKES
 Whoo-whee! Damn if I weren't married.

 BROOKS
 I heard that before.

A gigantic HEAVY LOADER on treads rumbles into view. On it's 
lift is a steel container easily ten feet high and six feet 
deep. Something huge inside. 

ANGLE OVER THE CONTAINER as the lift lowers. Pistons WHINE. 
We see Lara behind the wheel. 

 JESUS
 You droppin' with us, Kat?

Lara winks, drives the tractor up into the ramp of the 
awaiting transport, the CMS DAEDALUS. Herman waves everyone 
up the ramp.

 HERMAN
 Awright, cut it out, people. I want 
 everyone up in that ship, now. 

The platoon fall out into the ship.

 WHIP PAN TO:

TWO MEN working on a service loader. Their heads are tilted 
slightly down so their hat bills block their faces from view. 
Both wearing engineer overalls.

 GROUND LEADER
 Take that to Bay Six.

The lead man nods, drives the loader away quickly. After 
some distance, the driver suddenly changes direction and 
heads for the Daedalus.

INT. CMS DAEDALUS - NIGHT

The door to the lockers slide open, and in steps the two men 
from the loader. The lead man removes his cap.

Michael and everyone are in attendance.

 MICHAEL
 Colonel?

 BUTCH
 Tench-hut! Officer on deck!

The troops snap to.

 COLBERT
 At ease.
 (to platoon)
 All right, everyone. Listen up. We 
 don't have a lot of time here, so I'll 
 make this quick and precise. Exactly 
 three hours before this time, a Colonial 
 vessel was dispatched with the intention 
 of retrieving a bio-weapon to return to 
 Earth. A weapon which poses a tremendous 
 threat to the welfare of every living 
 creature in this system. Now some of you 
 know I was part of a botched mission 
 thirteen years ago. Well we are in the 
 same situation now. And I find it 
 unacceptable. I will use whatever means 
 necessary to stop this.

Colbert walks among his troop.

 COLBERT (CONT'D)
 I will need help so I am asking each of 
 you. I will let you know, whether you 
 come with or not, this mission continues. 
 As of tomorrow I will no longer be 
 Colonel of the Colonial Marine Corps. 
 So, if you do choose to come with me...
 (beat)
 ...in return, I can grant each of you six 
 month leave of absence without notice 
 effective as of today.

The platoon all stare at each other, already considering.

 COLBERT
 More details will be given once we're on 
 our way. 

 STOKES
 Six months, Colonel? No questions asked?

 COLBERT
 You people won't hear anything. 

 LARA
 You're throwing away your career, Jason?

 COLBERT
 You wanted an explanation, Katherine. 
 Here it is.
 (looks at his CO's)
 Sergeants?

 HERMAN
 Hey, your problem is my problem, too, 
 Colonel. It ain't fly-fishing season 
 anyhow.

 TILLER (O.S.)
 I'm in.

CUT TO TILLER, standing up, throwing in his chip.

 TILLER (CONT'D)
 For six months. The war could be over by 
 then. I'll go.
 
 PULASKI
 You got kids, brother. Stay. Colonel, 
 you're giving him the leave if he 
 staying, right? 

 TILLER
 If you go, I go.

 COLBERT
 This mission will be dangerous. I can't 
 stress that enough. But you people are 
 the only ones I can trust. I know you, 
 and you know me.

 STOKES
 It's important to you, right, Colonel? I 
 mean this is big. Big or else you 
 wouldn't call us?

 COLBERT
 Yeah, Cowboy. It's pretty big.

A grin spreads from cheek to cheek.

 STOKES
 Fuck it. I'm in then, Colonel. 

 TEAPE
 This is some deep shit.

 JESS
 You're in? You are in, kid.

 PULASKI
 He's in.

 TEAPE
 Yeah, guess I'm in.

Colbert looks at Brooks.

 BROOKS
 Whatever, Jason. I roll with you. 

 COLBERT
 No, this isn't an order, Sammie. You 
 come with me at your choice. 

 BROOKS
 Then I am going.

Adlibs 'Hell yeah' from the platoon.

 COLBERT
 All right, let's get moving. Semper fi.

Michael watches them leave, moves to Colbert.

 MICHAEL
 That big?

 COLBERT
 How's the ship, Michael?

 MICHAEL
 (shrugging)
 Pretty solid cruiser. One of the latest 
 ships to be integrated with the stealth 
 technology and the ATDMC intercept. We 
 can probably catch that ship through 
 their navigations.

 COLBERT
 Good.

 MICHAEL
 Wasn't easy for Lara to secure several 
 hundred tons of nuclear weapons like you 
 wanted. 

 COLBERT
 That's why I have you great kids. 

 MICHAEL
 Yeah right. Just drop Hell into my life 
 anytime.

They do a gentle fist dap and smile warmly at each other.

 COLBERT
 Let's get this ship into space.

And they leave.

 FADE TO BLACK.

 TO BE CONTINUED...