ACT THREE   FADE IN   90  EXT. AREA OF SPACE SHIP - DAY   Most of the Gorillas are mounted, with the exception of two, who are putting the finishing touches on tying Virdon and Kovak, each to a separate horse. In addition to the bonds that tie them to the horse, there is a rope around the neck of each, which will be held by a mounted Gorilla. Galen and Ursus, both dismounted, stand by, watching.   91  URSUS AND GALEN   Watching.   GALEN  They’re different from other humans. I can feel it.   URSUS  (shakes head)  No difference. Not now.   GALEN  In that case, all humans must be more interesting than I thought they were.   Ursus glances at him with annoyance, then calls out.   URSUS  All right! Let’s go!   He mounts his horse, moves forward.   92  GALEN   About to mount his horse, sees something on the ground, bends down to pick it up. It is Farrow’s book. He glances at it with interest, keeps it as he mounts his horse.   93  FULL SHOT   As the entire group start to move off.   94  FARROW   Hidden in the underbrush at the edge of the clearing, watching sadly as the entourage moves away.   95  EXT. CAMPING AREA - CLOSE SHOT - PHOTOGRAPH - NIGHT   It is a photograph of Paris in Farrow’s book. CAMERA PULLS BACK slightly to reveal that Galen is seated on a rock, looking at the book with great interest. The entourage has broken their journey for the night, and camp has been set up. Galen turns the pages until he comes to another photograph. The book is obviously a school book for Grammar School. He reacts with great interest to this photograph.   96  INSERT - PHOTOGRAPH   It is a photograph of a man in the cockpit of an airplane, smiling and waving gaily at the camera. The page turns to another photograph, this one of a factory assembly line with many men working on the intricate manufacturing process.   97  GALEN   Looking with interest at the photograph, then off to one side.   98  VIRDON AND KOVAK - GALEN’S POV   Virdon and Kovak are some distance away, on the ground, still bound, guarded by a Gorilla.   99  GALEN   Looking at them, then at the book again. He flips past a few more photographs, and then one really startles him.   100  INSERT - PHOTOGRAPH   It is a photograph of a zoo, featuring a Gorilla behind the bars of a cage.   101  GALEN   Really troubled as he looks at the photograph, then glances up in a direction away from Virdon and Kovak.   102  URSUS - GALEN’S POV   As Ursus comes out of the darkness of the woods, crosses towards the Astronauts.   103  GALEN   Glancing from Ursus to the picture in the book, and then to Ursus again, following him with his eyes as he approaches the Astronauts. Galen is obviously greatly troubled.   104  VIRDON AND KOVAK   They glance up as Ursus comes up to them.   URSUS  (to Gorilla Guard)  Untie them.  (to Virdon and Kovak)  No reason for you to be uncomfortable during the night. -- But don’t try to escape. You’ll be watched.   He walks away, leaving Kovak and Virdon pleasantly surprised. The Gorilla bends down, starts to untie the ropes that bind them.   105  GALEN   Seated where he was with the book, watching this. He watches Ursus walk off, then rises, puts the book in his pack, glances once again in the direction Ursus has gone, makes a decision, and crosses towards Virdon and Kovak.   106  VIRDON AND KOVAK   The Gorilla has just finished untying them as Galen approaches.   GALEN  (to Gorilla)  I want to talk to the prisoners alone.   The Gorilla hesitates, glancing in the direction Ursus had gone, not knowing exactly what to do.   GALEN  (with sharp authority)  I’m Galen! Assistant to Chief Councillor Zaius! I want to talk to them alone!   He glares at the Gorilla, who finally must back down, and move away out of earshot. Galen watches until he is gone, then crouches down beside the Astronauts, who have been watching this with interest.   107  CLOSER ANGLE - GALEN, VIRDON, KOVAK   GALEN  (softly)  Don’t try to escape. That’s what they want. There are soldiers hidden in the woods, watching. They’ll kill you.   VIRDON  Thanks.   KOVAK  What’s your angle?   GALEN  (puzzled)  “Angle”?   VIRDON  An expression from our time. Why should you care what happens to us?   GALEN  It’s my responsibility to see that you’re brought back alive.   VIRDON  Then what?   GALEN  You’ll be questioned.   KOVAK  Then what?   GALEN  (hesitates, doesn’t want to answer)  Is it true you’re from this planet...but from another time?   KOVAK  (aware the question hasn’t been answered)  Yes.   GALEN  How is that possible?   VIRDON  It happened. That’s all we know.   KOVAK  We’ll be killed, won’t we? After the questioning.   Again a pause, as Galen avoids the direct answer. Both Kovak and Virdon notice.   GALEN  In your time, you kept apes in cages.  (Virdon and Kovak glance at each other, puzzled)  I found a book near your ship. There were pictures.   VIRDON  Apes were wild animals in those days. They weren’t as intelligent as you are.   GALEN  And humans?   KOVAK  You saw the book.   GALEN  Yes, I saw pictures of humans building things and running strange machines.  (almost a plea)  None of it can be true, can it?   VIRDON  It’s all true.   GALEN  You’re lying to me.   VIRDON  Not so. Humans built great cities. They built machines that flew through the air, and…   GALEN  (bursting out)  You’re lying to me, I said! Apes have always ruled the world! Always!  (rises, very tense, looks tightly at Kovak)  Yes, after questioning you’ll be killed. -- As you should be.   And he turns and walks tensely away, leaving Virdon and Kovak to absorb the last statement with a sense of helplessness.   108  INT. ZAIUS’ STUDY - ANGLE ON GLASS-FRONTED CABINET - DAY   A key is being fitted into the lock on the cabinet door. ANGLE WIDENS to reveal Zaius unlocking and opening the cabinet door. He reaches in and takes out an object that looks like a futuristic hand grenade. He holds it, looks at it with distaste.   109  INT. COUNCIL ROOM - VIRDON AND KOVAK - DAY   Hands bound behind their backs, the Astronauts stand in the Council Room.   URSUS’ VOICE  Dangerous enemies of the State must be put to death!   110  ANOTHER ANGLE   Revealing the Council in session...as before. Galen standing behind Zaius’ seat, as before, intensely interested.   URSUS  That’s always been our law, and the law must be obeyed.   VIRDON  What makes us enemies? We haven’t done anything.   URSUS  Your ambitions are enemies! Your thoughts are enemies!   KOVAK  (to Virdon)  Which one is he? Hitler, Stalin, or Mussolini?   ZAIUS  (overriding)  Silence!  (to Astronauts)  Do you believe humans and apes are equal?   VIRDON  In this world or ours?   PROTO  In any world.   VIRDON  I don’t know about any world, but I believe all creatures of equal intelligence should learn to live and work with each other as equals.   A general uproar, punctuated by shouts.   PROTO  Sacrilege!   GRUNDIG  Heresy!   111  GALEN   He doesn’t join in the outcry, simply watches the Astronauts.   112  ZAIUS   Trying to quiet them down.   ZAIUS  Silence! Silence!   URSUS  They’ve convicted themselves, Zaius! Do you want them to spread this sacrilege and heresy to other humans?   ZAIUS  Certainly not, Ursus. Neither sacrilege nor heresy nor destruction.   VIRDON  Destruction?! We don’t intend any destruction.   ZAIUS  You’re human, and you can’t avoid it!  (reaches to the floor, brings up the grenade puts it on the table before him)  Do you think any ape would create an instrument such as this?   KOVAK  You would if you knew how.   ZAIUS  (ignoring that; to the others, indicating grenade)  This is the real danger. This is the threat. The mind of humans bringing such destruction to our world.  (to Virdon and Kovak, with great intensity)  I assure you, we will not allow it to happen.   113  INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - DAY   A rough-hewn prison corridor, probably constructed of rock. About three cells off this corridor, each with a solid door broken only by a small barred opening allowing the guard to look into the cell. One of the cell doors is open. Virdon and Kovak are ushered rudely along the corridor by two Gorilla GUARDS, a Gorilla LIEUTENANT, and Ursus. When they reach the open door of the cell, the Guards shove them into the cell.   114  INT. CELL - DAY   A crude cell, a small barred window too high up to be useful, straw on the floor. Virdon and Kovak stumble into the cell as they are pushed. They manage to keep from falling as the cell door is slammed closed.   115  INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - DAY   As the Lieutenant locks the cell, turns back to Ursus.   URSUS  You know what I expect you to do?  (Lieutenant nods)  After dark.   Ursus walks off, followed by the two Guards. The Lieutenant remains outside the cell.   116  INT. ZAIUS STUDY - DAY   Zaius and Galen. Zaius is glancing at the grenade on his desk. Galen is watching him, troubled, something bothering him.   ZAIUS  (picks up grenade)  A bit dramatic, this, but it made my point effectively, don’t you think?  (he crosses to the cabinet to put the grenade back)  Now there’ll be no interference in my questioning of these two humans.   He opens the cabinet door, puts the grenade back.   GALEN  (hesitantly)  ...Zaius...   ZAIUS  (closing the door)  ...Yes..?   GALEN  Was there ever a time when humans controlled the world, and apes were kept behind bars?   Zaius tenses just briefly, manages to control it, and forces his calm as he locks the door of the cabinet, then turns back to Galen.   ZAIUS  (trying to play it lightly)  I said you had much to learn, but that didn’t include heresy.   GALEN  Maybe they were right, Zaius. Maybe the world would be better if no creature controlled another, if all worked together as equals.   ZAIUS  I could have you imprisoned for that.   GALEN  You haven’t answered my question.   ZAIUS  (stiffly)  I never heard the question.   He turns his back deliberately on Galen, obviously dismissing him. Galen looks at him for a beat, then turns and exits. Only then does Zaius turn back, glancing with concern in the direction Galen has gone.   117  INT. ZAIUS’ ENTRANCE HALL - DAY   As Galen crosses towards the front door. Ullman is there, dusting. He crosses quickly to the front door, opens it for Galen. Galen is about to exit, glances at Ullman.   GALEN  Ullman...   ULLMAN  Yes, sir?   GALEN  What’s it like, being a human?   ULLMAN  (totally puzzled)  What’s it like, sir?   GALEN  Never mind.   ULLMAN  Yes, sir.   Galen exits. Ullman shrugs, closes the door.   118  INT. PRISON CELL - GALEN - DAY   Galen is troubled.   GALEN  Everything I saw in that book was true, wasn’t it?   ANGLE WIDENS to include Virdon and Kovak.   KOVAK  We told you it was.   GALEN  (anguished)  It’s so hard to believe!   KOVAK  (dryly)  You can say that again.   GALEN  I was always taught...I mean, it’s so...Where you come from, were all humans as intelligent as you?   KOVAK  Right now, I think they were all twice as smart.   VIRDON  Aren’t there any humans in this world that build things? Machines? Anything?   GALEN  No.   VIRDON  What about the grenade?  (in response to his puzzled glance)  The thing your head Councillor showed us.  (to Kovak)  It was a grenade, wasn’t it?   KOVAK  A little off-beat, but...yeah...probably.   VIRDON  (to Galen)  Do you know where it came from?   GALEN  No.   VIRDON  Are you sure? We know it didn’t come from our ship, but he said it was made by a human.   KOVAK  (shrugs)  Probably dug into a hill and found an old armory.   VIRDON  Maybe. Maybe not.  (to Galen)  Do you know where it’s kept?   GALEN  In a cabinet in Zaius’ study. Why?   KOVAK  Good question, Alan. What difference does it make?   VIRDON  I’ve been thinking. The input record of our flight is still on the spaceship. Everything that happened from the time we left home until we landed back here on Earth was recorded on that (small) magnetic disc. All we have to do is run it through a computer, analyse what went wrong, reverse the process, and maybe we can get back home again.   KOVAK  (staring at him)  You’re out of your mind.   GALEN  What’s a computer?   VIRDON  (ignoring him; to Kovak)  Maybe...just maybe...there are humans on this Earth with enough technology to have built that grenade.   KOVAK  (incredulously)  And a spaceship? And a computer?   VIRDON  Maybe.   GALEN  (puzzled and fascinated by this conversation)  What’s a computer?   KOVAK  (dryly)  Answer his question, Alan, while I get myself moved to another cell.   Kovak turns away. Virdon grabs his arm, swings him back.   VIRDON  Look, I know it’s wild. But it’s a hope, isn’t it?   KOVAK  Sure, Alan. Sure it is.   VIRDON  You want to get home, don’t you?   KOVAK  Home?! All I’m worried about is staying alive!   VIRDON  (to Galen, anxious to grab at anything)  Look, you’d like to visit our time period, wouldn’t you?   GALEN  (startled by that)  Well, I....don’t know. It...sounds interesting, but....   VIRDON  All you have to do is help us get out of here.   GALEN  (outraged by the suggestion)  Certainly not!   VIRDON  (protesting)  But it can’t be....   GALEN  (overriding, indignant)  The fact that I would bribe a guard does not mean I would also commit treason!   VIRDON  (resigned)  All right....all right...   GALEN  (softening, with a sense of compassion)  I’m sorry.   Virdon shrugs. Galen glances at him, crosses towards the door, glances back.   GALEN  I’d like to talk to you again about the book. I’ll try to come back tonight.   KOVAK  Be our guest.   GALEN  (through barred window in door)  Open the door.   The GUARD unlocks the door, opens it. Galen hesitates, glances once more at Virdon.   GALEN  I’m sorry.   He exits. The Guard closes and locks the door. Kovak glances at Virdon.   KOVAK  Nice try.   VIRDON  (low, disconsolate)  Yeah. Nice try.   DISSOLVE TO:   119  INT. PRISON CELL - ANGLE ON WINDOW - NIGHT   We are CLOSE on the barred window high in the cell. A dark night. PAN DOWN to reveal Virdon and Kovak both seated on the floor, their backs against the wall, both feeling lost and forlorn. We HEAR the sound of the door being unlocked. They barely glance up as the door is opened by the Lieutenant, holding a bowl with their dinner, his rifle in his other hand.   KOVAK  It’s about time.   But he doesn’t move. The Lieutenant puts the bowl down just inside the door, starts to close the door.   120  INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - NIGHT   As the Lieutenant closes the door, being careful to leave it just slightly ajar. Then, carrying his rifle, he moves quickly down the corridor towards the door leading to the outside. He starts to open that door.   121  EXT. PRISON - ANGLE ON GALEN - NIGHT   Galen is crossing towards the prison for his visit, carrying the book with him this time. He hesitates when he sees something.   122  PRISON DOOR - GALEN’S POV   The Lieutenant emerges, closes the door behind him, takes up a position near the door, but in the shadows.   123  GALEN   Watching, worriedly.   124  LIEUTENANT   Holding his gun ready, he settles down to wait.   125  GALEN   Puzzled but concerned, he moves to one side to the shadows, to watch the Lieutenant.   126  INT. PRISON CELL - NIGHT   Kovak and Virdon just finished eating.   KOVAK  I’m still hungry.   Virdon glances at him, says nothing. Kovak rises, crosses to the door.   KOVAK  (shouting)  I said I’m still hungry! How about....!   He breaks off as he notices that the door is ajar, glances excitedly back towards Virdon.   KOVAK  (softly)  Alan!   Virdon glances at him, reacts as he sees Kovak slowly and cautiously start to push the door open. Quickly, he scrambles to his feet, joins him.   KOVAK  A trap?   VIRDON  We’re dead either way. Let’s try it.   127  INT. PRISON CORRIDOR - NIGHT   As they emerge cautiously from the cell, glances up and down the empty corridor, then move swiftly towards the door leading to the outside.   128  AT DOOR   Virdon in the lead now. Slowly he opens the door.   129  EXT. PRISON - ANGLE ON DOOR - NIGHT   As it opens slowly. Virdon and Kovak emerge.   130  THE LIEUTENANT   Tensing in the shadows, getting his gun ready.   131  GALEN   Watching tensely.   132  ANOTHER ANGLE   Kovak and Virdon close the door behind them, start to cross away from the prison. The Lieutenant raises his gun to fire.   GALEN  Watch out!   Kovak and Virdon hit the ground as the Lieutenant fires, missing. The Lieutenant raises the rifle to fire again. Galen jumps for him.   GALEN  Run! Run!   Galen lands on the Lieutenant, struggles with him.   133  VIRDON AND KOVAK   Scrambling to their feet, racing away into the shadows.   134  GALEN AND LIEUTENANT   Struggling for the gun. It goes off. The Lieutenant slumps down to the ground, Galen holding the gun, stunned. He whirls at a sound from the door.   135  ANGLE ON DOOR   As Ursus and two Gorilla Guards come rushing out, rifles ready. They come up to Galen, surround him.   136  GALEN   Looks from one to the other, then down to the dead Lieutenant on the ground. Dismayed, he lets the rifle slip to the ground.   FADE OUT   END OF ACT THREE