EXT./INT. – OUTSIDE A LARGE, ORINATE BUILDING – INSIDE THE GARAGE

An earth-shattering explosion rocks the air. Pieces of glass fly through the air as the skylight on the building explodes, heavy black gas pumping through it.

Zoom in to show PROFESSOR GOTEL, a short and scrawny man with flyaway white-blond hair and blackened glasses. He wears a heavy leather apron.

He stomps once, frustrated, before pulling off the apron and taking off his glasses, cleaning them off on the hem of his shirt. There is a glasses shaped ring around his eyes where the explosion hit.

GOTEL
Damn! Another faulty hypersensitive explosionified external combustion motivator (mutter mutter) down the drain!

He kicks the engine-like device in front of him.

GOTEL
Damn you!

It explodes. Far more mildly, of course.

GOTEL
Gah!

He hops back, swatting at the flames on his pants, getting the sparks to vanish. He’s covered in black soot and char. The state of the garage isn’t much better.

WOMAN’S VOICE, OFFSCREEN
(inaudible)

GOTEL
What was that, honey?

He picks out his earplugs, rubbing at the side of his face and eyeing the soot on his hands.

The door to the garage flies open. A red-head teenager, SHELINA GOTEL, pops her head in and glances around for him.

SHELINA
Supper’s ready. Ooooo!

GOTEL
I’m afraid I’ve discovered nothing more world-changing than another faulty motivator, hun.

He hugs her.

SHELINA
But it sure looks cool. Mom’s gonna kill you!

GOTEL
Convince her that the missing skylights are the cause of aliens, not my fault!

SHELINA
You’re dead!

She grins and hugs him back

SHELINA
But it is supper time, Dad.

GOTEL
(glances down at his clothing)

SHELINA
Oh. Yeah. Haha. Hey, can I blow up the engine next time?

GOTEL
It’ll work next time!

He glances back gloomily at the engine. There’s a small airship covered in canvas in the back of the garage, but it’s no longer hidden. All the explosions over the past have charred it and incinerated it to near oblivion.

He heads after Shelina.

GOTEL
(murmurs)
It’ll work.