Wings of Wax: Sublimation

INT. HOSPITAL - HALLWAY TO OPERATING ROOM - DAY

POV of Minerva laying face up on a stretcher as it's moved swiftly down the hall.

INT. HOSPITAL - OPERATING ROOM - DAY

Minerva on operating table, undergoing anaesthesia. She closes her eyes. Fade out.

INT. HOSPITAL - WAITING ROOM - NIGHT

Poseidon enters and sees Jupiter sitting pensively.

POSEIDON

I came as soon as I heard. Where is she now?

JUPITER

Still in the operating room. She's been in there for 12 hours.

POSEIDON

I'm sorry, man.

JUPITER

God damn it!

Jupiter has tears in his eyes. Poseidon attempts to comfort him by giving him a hug, but Jupiter rebukes the attempt with an incredulous look.

POSEIDON

What is a human body anyway?

JUPITER

What the fuck are you talking about?

POSEIDON

It's (beat) it's just a shell for the mind, man.

JUPITER

I don't want to lose her.

POSEIDON

We don't have to.

JUPITER

You (beat) sick bastard! You're suggesting she be your (beat) guinea pig?

POSEIDON

No, I'll test it on myself first.

INT. OLYMPUS - IMMERSION ROOM - NIGHT

Vulcan and Pluto are working feverishly to ready a new experiment. An obviously specialized immersion tank sits in the middle of the room with many cables and tubes connected. Poseidon is immersed in it.

An image of Poseidon, floating in a void, is on the largest screen in the room. Vulcan and Pluto complete their work, check the immersion tank once more, and then take respective seats at the consoles.

VULCAN

Ok, every-thing's in place. You're sure you want to go through with this, man?

POSEIDON

I'm sure.

PLUTO

This is insanity.

POSEIDON

Do it!

Both Vulcan and Pluto take on a stern countenance, and Vulcan enters commands at the keyboard. New metrics display. The immersion tank begins to bubble and steam. A fierce, blinding light begins to emanate from the tank.

INT. OLYMPUS - MINERVA'S QUARTERS - NIGHT

Minerva sits in a wheelchair, connected to a respirator and IV. Jupiter sits adjacent to her, a man overcome with despair.

MINERVA

So, Poseidon has forsaken his body. He has his own great discovery, after all.

JUPITER

I visited him myself there. He exists wholly in the Ether now.

MINERVA

How widely was he able to replicate himself?

JUPITER

Across five hundred geographically distinct nodes, not including the replication to our own cluster. But, by design, copying will intensify over time.

MINERVA

Immortality?

JUPITER

In some (beat) fashion.

MINERVA

I'm ready.

INT. OLYMPUS - IMMERSION ROOM - DAY

Jupiter wheels Minerva into the room. She looks weaker than ever, but determined. Everyone but Poseidon is there this time: Vulcan, Pluto, Apollo, and Hermes.

They all say their goodbyes and turn in modesty as Minerva disrobes and begins to enter the sublimation tank. Jupiter begins to cry and holds and kisses her one last time. She enters the tank and appears on the big screen. She can be seen talking to Poseidon who is apparently there in the Ether with her, though he cannot be seen on the monitors.

VULCAN

Ok. Ready when you are, Minerva.

Minerva looks over at the invisible Poseidon, smiles, and closes her eyes.

MINERVA

You all must visit us as soon as you can.

JUPITER

We will, baby.

MINERVA

I love you, Jupiter.

JUPITER

I (beat) love you too.

Jupiter bows his head and puts his hand to his eyes.

MINERVA

Let's do this.

Vulcan punches a few commands into his keyboard.

VULCAN

Sublimation routine launched.

We see an outline of Minerva's body in the sublimation tank. The tank bubbles and steams, and the same blinding light appears and then fades. We now see an outline of a skeleton, apparently writhing in shock. The blinding light remains in its eye sockets. The skeleton slowly fades away.