The following are scene segments from the Ashes of Tsalon, a science fiction comedy based on interdimensional travel. In this scene, Lord Tesalon sends some inter-dimensional travellers to locate nikolai tesla, a human who possesses the unique power of the archon. When the travellers fail, he himself travels across the transdimensional grid- to earth, one of the densest planets in the multiverse.

EXT. A FIELD IN KARLSTADT, CROATIA. PLANET EARTH.-- VERY EARLY MORNING

TITLE: KARLSTADT, CROATIA

The SHIFTER, a dimensional spacecraft, appears in field in Croatia. Two Travelers step out, their bodies PHANTOM, TRANSLUCENT FORMS without much density.

TRAVELER I

Readings are coming from over there.

HIGH WIND. NIKOLA TESLA, future scientist, now twelve, eyes closed, is perched on BARN ROOF, holding LARGE UMBRELLA. 

TRAVELER II

Is that the being?

TRAVELER I

Yes.

TRAVELER II

He's standing on a roof during a high air disturbance. What's he doing? Why's he carrying that thing over his head?

 

TRAVELER I

I've no idea. But there's a bird group over by him. Can you blend with one of them?

TRAVELER II

I'd be glad to. I hate walking around in these phantoms. I wish we could take our bodies with us.

TRAVELER II'S PHANTOM BODY flies upwards, entering into body of SPARROW, now swooping around Tesla. MONTAGE: DIAGRAM OF FLYING MACHINE WITH SMALL TURBINE; LIGHTNING SLICING STORM CLOUDS OVER GREEN HILLS. Tesla flies through air with UMBRELLA; now lies unconscious, as MOTHER races to him. SPARROW flutters on ground as TRAVELER I kneels beside it, trying to cradle it, his PHANTOM HANDS passing through it.

SPARROW (V.O.)

He was- trying to fly. His presence was- more than 40 pkc's. Too much. 

SPARROW dies. CHILDREN stare wide-eyed as they see Traveler I's footsteps in SNOW as he trudges back to SHIFTER.

EXT. HILLY SLOPE NEAR SHIFTER LOCATION -- AN HOUR LATER

SHIFTER becomes visible and takes off.

INT. SCHOOL. KARLSTADT, CROATIA -- AFTERNOON

MRS. TESLA is talking to TESLA'S SCHOOL MISTRESS.

SCHOOL MISTRESS

Your son startles us with his abilities. I write something on the chalkboard and he announces the answers before I put down the chalk.

MRS. TESLA

I can imagine. Young Nikola is full of surprises.

SCHOOL MISTRESS

He's like an idiot savant without being an idiot.

(pause)

I'm sorry. Perhaps I've offended you.

MRS. TESLA

(laughing)

No. Not all. I know exactly what you mean.

INT. COUNCIL CHAMBER. MAZ. HUB CITY-- AN HOUR LATER

LORD TESALON interviews the Traveler upon his return.

LORD TESALON

That's ridiculous. You left Earth- and came back, without the Archon.

TRAVELER I

I couldn't even approach the being. Its psychokinetic forcefield over-whelmed my companion, whose power was much greater than I. Maykra died in the body of an Earth animal, my Lord.

LORD TESALON

My deepest consolations. What was the Archon doing when you first found it?

TRAVELER I

It was trying to fly. A ridiculous feat, given Earth's gravitation. It was standing on a roof with a rain protector.

LORD TESALON

Ah, but that is promising! The desire to fly is overwhelming in young Archons. It suggests a sensitivity to subtle plane activity, which fades quickly when adolescence begins.

TRAVELER I

I've never seen a being quite so powerful.

LORD TESALON

Who then shall we send next?

TRAVELER I

Maykra had the highest psionic ratings in Grid Command. There's no one else with that capacity.

LORD TESALON

I will go, then.

TRAVELER I

A Dimension Master going to Earth? The Council would never let you.

LORD TESALON

The Council has shrunk to almost nothing. The boundaries between the dimensions will close if we don't act soon. If they close, how will we make our magic flights? No, you must prepare the Shifter. 

TRAVELER I

Your daughter will be angry.

EXT. SHIFTER. FIELD IN CROATIA -- NIGHT

SHOT OF SHIFTER in the middle of wheat field.

INT. SHIFTER -- NIGHT

Tesalon stands by REVELATOR, a form of holographic projector. 

LORD TESALON

(talking to himself)

Tesla, I've tried endlessly to communicate with you in a waking state. The revelation protocol should work in all states of consciousness. Perhaps the density of this planet interferes with the projection process. Of course these beings, with their primitive belief systems, are ideal for this type of indoctrination... 

(speaking into communicator)

Tesla!

INT. TESLA'S BEDROOM. CROATIA -- NIGHT

Tesla hears Tesalon calling him and Tesla moves restlessly in sleep. Tesalon appears to him as BEARDED MON, DRESSED IN BLACK ROBES.

LORD TESALON

Nikola Tesla, attend thou to me!

Tesla opens eyes. HIGH-PITCHED NOISE.

TESLA

Go away! I'm sleeping. What is that high-pitched sound?

LORD TESALON

It is the sound of two Archons meeting for the first time. The phenomenon is called harmonic sybiosis. The sound will fade shorts as our etheric envelopes make the necessary adjustments.

TESLA

I really can't stand pseudo-science this early in the morning. Who are you supposed to be? St. Nicholas? 

LORD TESALON

I'm St. Simeon, called Nemanja in my first life as warrior and conqueror. I've prayed for you, my son.

TESLA

All you are is a transparent personification of peristaltic malfunction. Go away, thou gaseous emission.

LORD TESALON

But God-

TESLA

God has nothing to do with you. I've already pointed that out. Let me sleep in peace.

INT. SHIFTER. FIELD IN CROATIA-- A MONTHS LATER

Lord Tesalon is communicating with Maz.

GRID CONTROLLER

Grid Command. Maazport.

LORD TESALON

I've studied Tesla for a month now. I can't communicate with him directly. The protocols don't work. He has no trace of superstition. He laughs at my apparitions. 

GRID CONTROLLER

Very advanced. Have you tried thought projection?

LORD TESALON

Somewhat. But he's too ego-blocked for anything but a take-over.

GRID CONTROLLER

You know that walk-ins are forbidden.

LORD TESALON

Of course. I created the law myself. It's too easy to get trapped in a container.   

GRID CONTROLLER

What is your agenda, then, Tesalon? 

LORD TESALON

I'm going to communicate with him indirectly. I'm going to buy some credit with him. I'm going to help him further some of his objectives.

EXT. OFFICE. CENTRAL TELEGRAPH COMPANY. BUDAPEST, HUNGRY-- YEARS LATER

TWO WORKERS, from balcony, watch Tesla, laboring at his desk.

WORKER I

How's Nikola doing?

WORKER II

He's a hard worker. First one in, first one out. He's from the sticks. Budapest is all new to him.

While they watch, Tesla walks to window. POV Tesla. LORD TESALON'S PHANTOM BODY approaches him.

LORD TESALON

You ought to appreciate my efforts, Tesla. But your ego is so big you can't hear a thing. Still, to have any kind of beneficial influence on you, I'll have to be physically near you. See that thing on your wrist.

Tesla looks at his WATCH.

LORD TESALON (CONT'D)

I think it's a primitive chronometer, calibrated solely for your planet. I'm going to enter it so I can, at the very least, get inside your etheric manifold.

TESALON'S PHANTOM vibrates rapidly, forming into GLOWING FLAME which darts into TESLA'S WATCH. CUT TO: Miniature Tesalon inside WATCH'S BATTERY CASE. POV Co-workers. Tesla falls down. CUT TO: TESALON'S TINY BODY,   sliding past BATTERIES down HOLE leading to MACHINERY OF WATCH. He grabs onto different COGS AND WHEELS, in fear of being crushed. Finally in safe corner, he covers ears to protect himself from DEAFENING TICKING within WATCH. Slowly, Tesalon uncovers his ears and looks upwards. CUT TO: Co-workers rush to Tesla.

BRILLIANT FLASH OF LIGHT. Tesla covers his eyes. Co-workers, however, see nothing. One puts his hand on his Tesla's wrist.

WORKER I

Oh my God, his pulse is racing. Herdic, get a Doctor.

EXT. OFFICE. CENTRAL TELEGRAPH COMPANY. BUDAPEST, HUNGRY-- MOMENTS LATER

DOCTOR kneels over Tesla, conscious, but groggy.

TESLA

What is it, Doctor?

DOCTOR

Overwork. A breakdown, perhaps. Did anything unusual happen to you recently?

TESLA

(groggily)

I'm saturated with ideas, with inventions. That's all.

DOCTOR

Strange symptom, but scarcely fatal. Go home now and rest.

INT. TESLA'S ROOM -- EVENING

Tesla sleeps. Hears PERSISTENT TICKING NOISE. Wakes up and tries to hunt down NOISE. It's his WATCH, placed by his bedside, CLICKING LIKE GIGANTIC METRONOME. Annoyed by SOUND, he takes out its BATTERIES. Tries to sleep. Hears MOSQUITO HUMMING. Follows it. LOUD THUD when it lands on table across room. CLOSE-IN on MOSQUITO, peering at him.

INT. TESLA'S ROOM -- MORNING

Tesla wakes abruptly. He notices WATCH STILL TICKING. Looks at it, puzzled. Opens CASE. The batteries are still missing. Puzzled look comes over his face. WATCH CONTINUES TO CLICK.

INT. LADY TESALA'S LABORATORY. MAZ - AFTERNOON

General Zarkon abruptly enters Lady Tesala's laboratory. 

GENERAL ZARKON

Lady Tesala, I'm sorry to tell you that all communication with your father has been abruptly terminated.

LADY TESALA

Why?

GENERAL ZARKON

We don't know. Still, Earth's vibrations are so dense, it's a wonder there was any communication at all.