3 Proxima b: a screenplay

ISAIAH: a 29 year old human who has spent his twenties trapped in an office aboard an intergalactic corporate enterprise.

When Isaiah was a baby he was adopted into a very wealthy and famous family; we’re talking “dollar bill” toilet paper levels of rich. However, this families greed and selfishness only matches the height of their bank accounts. They only adopted Isaiah in an attempt to look good in the public eye. When that didn’t work, they sent him off to a boarding school and during the summer he was sent to live with the family’s estranged Grandmother who chose to distance herself on the planet Proxima Centauri b. Over the next 18 years this became somewhat of a routine for Isaiah: boarding school for most of the year and Grandma’s during the summers. Over time, Isaiah becomes really close to his Grandmother; she acts more like a mother figure than his adopted grandmother. Unfortunately, when Isaiah turned 18, his family tricked him into working for their company, C.O.R.E (Computer Operating Registered Enterprise). For the next 11 years, they have him working in the mail room. During this monotonous time, his office space and a tiny apartment become all too familiar.

One day, Isaiah’s Grandmother sends out message to the family announcing her 100th birthday. Isaiah gets the message before anyone else and promises to get there before his family to collect his inheritance and finally get out of this rotten situation. Before he leaves, Isaiah falls head over heels for a girl named Kitty, who suggests they travel in a small ship to see a few places along the way. Despite him fighting the clock to beat his family, Isaiah agrees to this plan in order to prove his love for her. Little does Isaiah know, Kitty is actually a rookie undercover agent working for an elusive activist group known as A.R.C — the Activist Resistance Community, which is aiming to bring down C.O.R.E. She poses first as a love interest to pump him for information on the family biz, but over time she learns that Isaiah isn’t a lost cause like the rest of his family. Eventually, she leads Isaiah onto a better path. Along the way they meet a wisecracking space monkey named Scott. The giant ape comes with a wild attitude and a mysterious past.

Isaiah’s story is about discovering the  beauty of friendships, understanding what it means to be truly alive, and that the journey is more important than the destination.

KITTY: a 21 year old human who spent most of her years in the education system is trying to find meaning to her life.

After escaping an abusive relationship, she and some friends took a summer trip to a few nearby planets. She was shocked at what she saw. Almost all of the planets had been thrown into an economic depression because C.O.R.E had grown so large that it had put smaller industries out of business. Kitty finally finds her calling and joins an elusive activist group A.R.C with intentions of bringing down C.O.R.E. When she first joins the group, most of them treat her like a child and don’t realize her true potential. To prove herself to the others, she begins observing the company’s centre of operations; she meets Isaiah and reluctantly begins to pose as a love interest. When Isaiah tells her about him traveling to his Grandmother’s 100th birthday, she convinces him to take her along, so she can secretly pump him for information about the family company. Kitty hates herself for doing this as she herself was a victim of emotional manipulation but convinces herself that it’s for the greater good. In fact, she almost gets something out of Isaiah before they encounter a stowaway Scott on their ship. With Scott now in the picture, things just got a lot harder for Kitty. However, the question remains: how long can she keep up this act?

Kitty’s story is about forgiveness, seeing the best in people, and self discovery.

SCOTT: Not much is known about the traveling space monkey.

From a young age, Scott traveled the cosmos where he joined a band of traveling hippies. He perfected the art of combining herbal mixes from different planets and becomes infamous for making some of the craziest and trippiest concoctions in the galaxy. One day, Scott is chased around the intergalactic space port by a gang known as “The Daughters of Anarchy,” run by a rival mixologist. Scott stows away on the first ship he sees, which just so happens to belong to Isaiah and Kitty. However, it isn’t until days later that they find him.

THE STORY:

Isaiah and Kitty discover their new stowaway, Scott the Space Monkey. They realize it’s too late to ditch him because they’ve left the oxygen zone. Scott comes to the conclusion that he has to keep moving if he is to stay ahead of the gang that’s chasing him. After eavesdropping on Isaiah’s plan to go to Proxima Centauri B, he sees his opportunity to escape. When they reach the next space station, Isaiah and Scott have a misunderstanding with a cop.

Scott stages a fight with Isaiah and it ends with both of them in court. Isaiah is assigned to be Scott’s caretaker which coincides with past history, when Scott bribed the Judge with one of his famous herbal remedies. As the trip goes on, everyone becomes friends. While Isaiah is taking care of some outside ship repairs, Kitty and Scott take this time to have meaningful discussion. Scott discovers that Kitty has been part  of A.R.C and agrees to keep her secret. Eventually, Isaiah becomes aware of Kitty’s allegiance and has trouble forgiving her for emotionally manipulating him. For a short time, Isaiah locks himself in his room to vent his anger and process what has happened. During his few hours of solitude, he reflects on all the times he’s spent with the people he called friends.

Meanwhile, Kitty runs to a meeting point organized by A.R.C. She feels ashamed for what she did to Isaiah and thinks it’s best to let him continue without her. After his flash of anger subsides, Isaiah feels like he is being pulled into a metaphorical hole and realizes it’s depression. Part of him wants to climb out of this hole but another part of him wants to sink deeper. Isaiah planned to use the inheritance money he was to receive from grandmother to create a new life with Kitty. Now he thinks a life in an office is better than a broken heart.

An anxious Scott, storms into Isaiah’s bedroom. He feels strongly that Isaiah needs to forgive Kitty. Who knows what Kitty will do while she’s in a state of emotional distress? A conflicted Isaiah, is initially cold towards Scott for lying to him but eventually he listens to what Scott has to say. 

Isaiah: You’re still here?

Isaiah: Why didn’t you go with that liar, Kitty?

Scott: Does it look like I’ve got anywhere else to go?

Isaiah: Why not, you were in on her lie to and you both kept the truth from me.

Isaiah: If you ask me, you two seem like the ideal match.

Scott: (pause)…

Scott: Look! I’m sorry but right now there’s important things at hand.

Isaiah: Heh… (a sarcastic chuckle). 

Isaiah: What could possibly be more important then the revelation that my best friend and girlfriend were manipulating me for the past month for their own personal gain?

Scott: Fine, you can hate me all you want. I deserve it!

Scott: (quietly) I’ve done things I’m not proud of.

Scott: But Kitty…, she is so much more than just a liar.

Isaiah: Why should I believe anything you have to say?

Scott: Then don’t. (holds out space herb)

Isaiah: What the hell is that?

Scott: It’s a special herb that I infused with Kitty’s hair.

Isaiah: Why do you have her hair?

Scott: (ignores that question)

Scott: You infuse this herb with someone’s DNA and when you inhale it, you will see that person’s memories.

Isaiah: (impatiently) Why would I would I want to see her memories?

Scott: Just take it!

Scott wrestles Isaiah to the ground and forces him to inhale the herb. Reluctantly Isaiah takes a deep breath and passes out, his reponse is…

Isaiah: Scott, yoooou pri-i-i-i-ck…

While in this intoxicated state of mind, Kitty’s memories unfold before Isaiah. He discovers that Kitty regrets the way she treated him and wished there was another way.

While this is happening, the gang, Daughters of Anarchy have finally caught up to Scott and a rivalry ship chase ensues. After a few moments of planning his next moves, Scott baits the gang into a nearby town. Here they are recognized by the local police and are arrested. With that out of the way, Scott waits for Isaiah to wake up from his dreamy state of mind.

When Isaiah wakes, he finally understands Kitty’s reasons for doing what she did and forgives her. Isaiah understands that although Kitty tricked him, she also set him free from the corporate prison he was trapped in. From meeting Kitty, Isaiah made new friends, traveled the galaxy and for the first time in years felt truly alive.

With Isaiah ready to welcome her into the group again, he and Scott take a brief detour to find her. When the group is finally reunited, Kitty is boarding a ship operated by A.R.C. Initially Kitty doesn’t want to go with Isaiah and Scott; she expects them to shun her because of her disloyalty. Instead, Isaiah voices his understanding, their friendship is amended but their romantic relationship is over.

Disillusioned by C.O.R.E’s lies, Isaiah promises to help Kitty and her activist group A.R.C bring the company down. Will C.O.R.E ever be brought to its knees? Will Isaiah ever escape his corporate prison and will we ever learn anything about Scott’s past?

Only time will tell…