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"Partings" - screenplay by Derek Paterson
This is an excerpt (first 20 pages) of a completed screenplay.
"Partings" - screenplay by Derek Paterson.
FADE IN:
EXT. INTERSTELLAR VISTA - NIGHT
Unfamiliar stars litter the cosmos, scattered like silver
dust.
EXT. EARTH-LIKE PLANET - NIGHT
With unfamiliar continents and seas, and THREE MOONS in high
orbit, each larger than the other, all with cratered surfaces
and zero atmosphere.
EXT. INTERSTELLAR VISTA - NIGHT
Stars wink as something moves across the heavens, comes
closer, takes form...
A SPACESHIP. An old-fashioned rocket design with fins. The
control room is visible through triangular viewports in the
nose. Two people are inside, wearing helmets, looking out.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Questor is starting her run. Over.
MAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
Roger that Questor, we're standing
by to receive. Over.
Deep Space Supply Vessel QUESTOR fires maneuvering jets and
angles in toward the Earth-like planet's atmosphere.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Lying side by side on couches are Pilot-Commander JOSHUA
NAYLOR, 35, and Engineering Tech. GABRIELLE ACKERMANN, 25.
Both wear spacesuits and helmets, and look up at control
boards and viewscreens. Naylor's couch is fitted with a
joystick and throttle controls.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Pilot to Loadmaster, commencing
approach, make ready to drop.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
Loadmaster VANDA CAMBRIDGE, 30, wearing suit and helmet,
lies on her couch staring up at a viewscreen showing the
planet's continents, with a grid marking two target zones.
Across the bottom of her viewscreen are graphics of 8
miniature rockets.
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Roger. Got my finger on the trigger.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
Try not to miss.
Gabrielle grins at Naylor. He smiles at her. She reaches
across the distance between them, touches his gloved hand
with hers.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Never been known to happen.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Pilot to Engineer. You awake down
there, Chief?
INT. ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Engineer "MAC" MACLAINE, 40, and Specialist ANNA RICHTER,
30, lie side by side on couches, wearing suits and helmets.
MACLAINE (V.O.)
Dammit, must you always interrupt us
without knocking? Just give us a
second to get our clothes on.
Anna stares at her viewscreen, ignoring Maclaine.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Here we go.
EXT. UPPER ATMOSPHERE - NIGHT
DSSV Questor grazes the atmosphere, leaving a contrail.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Naylor's viewscreen shows a "corridor" ahead, and a graphic
of Questor right in the middle.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
We have ionospheric insertion. Your
play, Cambridge.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
On Cambridge's viewscreen the first target zone glows red.
She covers a button on her control board with her thumb.
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Commencing first cargo drop...
On her viewscreen the first target zone glows green.
She thumbs the button.
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
First cargo drop away.
EXT. UPPER ATMOSPHERE - NIGHT
A deltawing cargo sled drops from Questor's belly and falls
down into the atmosphere, powered by its own rocket motor.
And another, and another, and another. Disappearing almost
immediately as they fall out of sight.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
Four of the rocket graphics on Cambridge's screen turn green.
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
First cargo drop complete. Green
lights on four orbit-to-surface birds.
Making ready for second cargo drop.
EXT. UPPER ATMOSPHERE - NIGHT
DSSV Questor alters course, her contrail becoming a smooth
curve.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Course locked in for southern
continent, E.T.A. nineteen seconds,
Loadmaster please copy.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Loadmaster copies.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
MAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
Colony Base Three to Questor. We
have visual on four inbound
parachutes. Bang on target, recovery
crew is mobile. Over.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Thank you Base Three. Talk to you
again in six months. Over.
MAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
God bless. Over and out.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Colony Base One, receiving? Over.
WOMAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
This is Colony Base One receiving
you clear. Over.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
We're heading your way. Stand by.
Over.
WOMAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
Standing by. Over.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Pilot to Loadmaster--
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
Cambridge puts her thumb over the button.
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Commencing second cargo drop...
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
An ALARM beeps, fast and shrill.
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
Static charge building on the hull.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Mac, you hearing this?
INT. ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
MACLAINE (V.O.)
Capacitors should be taking the
charge!
ANNA (V.O.)
Criticial build-up. Recommend drogue
launch.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
Cambridge thumbs the button.
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Commencing second cargo drop.
EXT. UPPER ATMOSPHERE - NIGHT
A deltawing cargo sled drops from Questor's belly and falls
down into the atmosphere. It shimmers and crackles with
blue electricity. Its rocket motor doesn't fire. It topples
end over end before it disappears far below.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Wait one, wait one!
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Control room are you calling abort?
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
Static dissipated. We're on the
edge of the drop zone.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Continue -- Cambridge, dammit,
continue supply drop.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
Cambridge thumbs the button--
EXT. UPPER ATMOSPHERE - NIGHT
Another sled drops down. Its rocket motor fires. And
another, and another. Their rocket motors fire OK.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Cambridge, you lost one.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
The fifth rocket graphic on Cambridge's screen turns red.
The other three turn green.
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
I didn't lose anything. Talk to
your Engineer.
INT. ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
MACLAINE (V.O.)
We could have made another pass.
Why didn't we orbit the damn planet
and make another pass?
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Second cargo drop away, three green
birds, one dead bird.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
Dead bird is breaking up. It's gone.
INT. ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Maclaine slams his gloved fist against his control board.
ANNA (V.O.)
That doesn't really help...
MACLAINE (V.O.)
We shouldn't have made the drop.
One dead bird means a lot of hungry
colonists.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Hey, I didn't hear anyone call abort.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
NAYLOR (V.O.)
You didn't give me a chance, dammit.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
You've got an override control.
That's what it's for.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Naylor seethes with anger.
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
Okay people, we made a mistake.
Let's not make it worse.
WOMAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
Questor this is Colony Base One,
receiving? Over.
Naylor sucks in deep breaths.
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
You want me to tell them?
Naylor shakes his head.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Base One this is Questor. Over.
WOMAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
We have visual on parachutes. They're
on target. Recovery teams are on
their way. I need you to confirm
load? Over.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Base One... we had a bad launch with
one of our orbit-to-ground birds.
It was gone before we could recover.
Static on the radio...
WOMAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
Understood, Questor. Will you be
making another run? Over.
Naylor stabs a button.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Pilot to Loadmaster, Base One is on
the line, what have you got? Can we
make another drop?
Gabrielle frowns and looks away. She knows.
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
This is Loadmaster. We have two
spare sleds in the racks but they
are empty. Everything we had aboard
has been deployed. We're at the end
of our supply run. We have exhausted
our cargo. Over.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Thank you... Loadmaster. Base One...
WOMAN'S VOICE (V.O.)
Got the picture, Questor. Thanks
for dropping by, sorry you couldn't
stay. Safe journey home. Colony
Base One, over and out.
NAYLOR (V.O.)
See you again in six months!
No reply, just static...
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Loadmaster to Pilot. Thanks for
trying to put the blame on me, Naylor!
INT. ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
MACLAINE (V.O.)
You ever spent time on a colony
planet, Cambridge? You know what
it's like when food runs low, and
you're looking up at the sky every
day, praying the supply ship gets
there on time?
INT. CARGO HOLD - NIGHT
CAMBRIDGE (V.O.)
Spare me the drama, Maclaine. You
got a problem, talk to the Pilot.
Hey, Naylor? You got a problem,
talk to your Engineer. When we get
back you Earth, maybe you two should
take refresher courses. Learn how
to do your jobs. Bump up your
reaction times. You know?
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Naylor's fit to explode. Gabrielle puts her hand over his.
He snatches his hand away.
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
Let it go. It's done. We can't
undo it.
INT. ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Maclaine glances at Anna. She stares at him, expressionless.
MACLAINE (V.O.)
So what's on your mind? Spit it
out.
ANNA (V.O.)
I happen to think she's right.
MACLAINE (V.O.)
Then screw you too.
ANNA (V.O.)
Not if you were the last man alive.
MACLAINE (V.O.)
Damn, I forgot. Robots don't screw.
EXT. UPPER ATMOSPHERE - NIGHT
DSSV Questor's underjets fire, pushing her away from the
planet, up into space.
EXT. EARTH-LIKE PLANET - NIGHT
Questor leaves the shrinking planet behind.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
NAYLOR (V.O.)
Pilot to crew. We're cruising at
half a gee. Heading for the jump
point. Relax, people.
Naylor and Gabrielle take off their helmets and tie them
onto their suit belts.
EXT. INTERSTELLAR VISTA - NIGHT
Questor drifts among the stars.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
GABRIELLE
It wasn't your fault. It happened
so fast.
NAYLOR
Right.
He unfastens his couch safety belt and stands.
GABRIELLE
Don't go away mad. No one blames
you.
Naylor jerks a thumb back over his shoulder.
NAYLOR
Eighty-five colonists blame me.
GABRIELLE
They won't starve. We'd have to
lose half the cargo before that
happened. They just won't eat pudding
for the next six months, that's all.
Naylor tries to fight it, but loses. He chuckles.
GABRIELLE
That's better. And later? I'll
make you feel better still, I promise.
NAYLOR
Company regulations clearly state
that pilot officers must not
fraternize with warrant officers.
GABRIELLE
Is that in case you crash the ship
when we're giving you a Galactic Rim
job?
NAYLOR
I appreciate your kind offer, but I
must refuse.
Gabrielle indicates an instrument panel.
GABRIELLE
What's the autopilot for, if not to
allow you some time off?
She grabs the front of his suit, pulls him down, kisses him.
GABRIELLE
If we sleep together we'll save space.
And be more energy efficient.
NAYLOR
I'll bear that in mind.
He hits a button. The floor hatch opens. He climbs down
the ladder.
INT. UPPER ACCESS SHAFT - NIGHT
With two ladders on opposite sides. Naylor climbs down one
ladder while Anna climbs up the other. They pass each other
without speaking.
Naylor pauses and looks up. Anna climbs up through the
control room hatch. She looks down at him. The hatch closes
on her frosty expression.
INT. WAIST SECTION - NIGHT
A hexagonal arrangement, six cabins arranged around the
central access shaft. The floor hatch is closed. The ceiling
hatch opens and Naylor climbs down the ladder. The ceiling
hatch closes again.
Cambridge pauses at one of the cabin hatches and they exchange
cold looks. She enters the cabin, closes the door. Naylor
shakes his head. He hits a button. The floor hatch opens.
INT. ENGINE CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Maclaine's taken off his suit, he's wearing vest and fatigue
pants. He studies system displays, makes notes and ticks on
his clipboard. He doesn't look round when Naylor climbs
down the ladder. The ceiling hatch stays open.
NAYLOR
So what happened?
MACLAINE
I didn't hear the alarm till you
did. If I'd had a couple more seconds
I could have launched the drogue and
discharged the static.
NAYLOR
You should have had your thumb over
the button.
MACLAINE
And that bitch should have taken her
thumb off the button.
Naylor opens a fridge and takes out frosted glass and a
cocktail shaker. He opens the shaker and pours a drink.
NAYLOR
No argument from me. Everything
else is on the green?
MACLAINE
Damn right. Capacitors are charging.
He looks at his wristwatch.
MACLAINE
We jump in seven days, nine hours
and forty-two minutes.
Naylor sips his drink and relaxes on a couch.
NAYLOR
It's been a long tour.
MACLAINE
Six months, eleven star systems,
thirteen planets and four inhabited
moons.
NAYLOR
I bet you could name them all.
MACLAINE
I bet I could.
NAYLOR
This is what, your tenth tour?
Maclaine tosses his clipboard onto the second couch and lies
down, hands behind his head.
NAYLOR
You want one of these?
MACLAINE
They're pushing me to take a ground
job.
NAYLOR
Why the hell didn't you say?
MACLAINE
I haven't made my mind up yet.
NAYLOR
How hard are they pushing?
MACLAINE
Hard enough.
NAYLOR
They can't make you take it. You're
still young. Relatively speaking.
Naylor sips his drink, nods in appreciation.
NAYLOR
Never lose this recipe. Engrave it
on titanium plate and put the plate
into stasis. No matter what happens
to us, it must survive.
MACLAINE
Mars wouldn't be so bad. You know
what they're doing there?
NAYLOR
Cracking hydrogen and oxygen out of
the soil, aren't they?
MACLAINE
They're sinking thermonuclear rods.
They're melting the core.
NAYLOR
What the hell for?
MACLAINE
To re-establish a magnetic field
around Mars. They're creating Van
Allen Belts to protect the
terraforming project. Isn't that
something? Sure beats being cooped
up in an engine room for six months
at a time. Yes I will, thank you.
Naylor returns to the fridge, pours another cocktail, passes
this to Maclaine.
MACLAINE
You want the bad news?
NAYLOR
What bad news?
Maclaine holds up his glass.
MACLAINE
There's no more.
NAYLOR
You have got to be kidding me.
MACLAINE
Not a single drop.
NAYLOR
Shoot me now.
MACLAINE
Relax. In just over a week you'll
be back on Earth with a million bars
to choose from.
NAYLOR
Not one of them will ever make a
cocktail like you, Chief. So. Mars,
maybe?
MACLAINE
I'll flip a coin once we get back.
You?
Naylor stares thoughtfully into his glass.
NAYLOR
I'm contracted for another three
years.
MACLAINE
Do yourself a favor, get yourself
another crew. Get rid of Cambridge.
She's chasing promotion. Bitch
doesn't care whose record she craps
over.
NAYLOR
I thought your problem was with
Richter?
MACLAINE
The human computer? Forget it.
NAYLOR
I sense bitterness.
MACLAINE
Not from me.
NAYLOR
You never did tell me what happened.
MACLAINE
What's to tell? She likes machines
more than people.
NAYLOR
People? Or just you?
MACLAINE
There's no emotion behind those eyes.
Just equations.
NAYLOR
Warning, bitterness levels exceed
maximum safety parameters.
Maclaine drains his glass.
MACLAINE
You sound just like her.
NAYLOR
I assume you tried to climb the
glacier, and slipped?
MACLAINE
Didn't get higher than base camp.
By the time I figured coolant fluid
flows in her veins, you'd already
installed Ackermann in your cabin.
Isn't there some Company thing about
that, by the way? Pilots must not
dock with Warrant Officers?
NAYLOR
Yes. There's always Cambridge.
MACLAINE
That bitch. I'd rather catch my
genitals in moving machinery.
They laugh.
INT. WAIST SECTION - NIGHT
Naylor and Maclaine's laughter drifts up from below.
Cambridge stands at the rail, looking down. She's heard
everything. She scowls.
EXT. INTERSTELLAR VISTA - NIGHT
Questor drifts among the stars.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Gabrielle and Anna occupy the couches.
GABRIELLE
The autopilot agrees with your first
set of calculations.
ANNA
There's always a note of surprise in
your voice when you say things like
that.
GABRIELLE
Can you blame me? You're out-thinking
a machine that thinks a billion times
faster than most human beings.
ANNA
Processing power doesn't matter.
It's a question of philosophy.
GABRIELLE
Here we go again.
ANNA
Don't be so cynical. They have an
A.I. aboard the Nagasaki Orbital
built specifically to calculate fourth
dimensional hyperphysics. Part of
the A.I. actually exists in
hyperspace. And you know what?
GABRIELLE
First set of calculations locked in.
ANNA
It doesn't work. It loops for days
then shuts itself down as a safety
precaution. Isolate the autopilot
please.
GABRIELLE
Autopilot is isolated.
ANNA
And that's because Professor
Hartmann's original fourth-dimensional
elasticity theorem owes only part of
its existence to mathematics. Very
few understand its core is rooted in
philosophical concepts that are an
adjunct of abstract mathematics.
GABRIELLE
Thank you for talking down to me.
ANNA
But I'm not. I'm simply stating
facts. You know the difference
between the pure and the abstract?
GABRIELLE
I'm sure you're about to tell me.
ANNA
Spread butter on a slice of toasted
bread. Drop it on the floor. It
will either land on the buttered
side or on the dry side, yes? With
abstract mathematics modeled around
the Hartmann theorem--
GABRIELLE
It lands on its edge?
ANNA
It doesn't even reach the floor.
GABRIELLE
It just stops in mid-air?
ANNA
Oh no, it falls. The question is,
why doesn't it reach the floor?
GABRIELLE
All right, why doesn't it reach the
floor?
ANNA
Because there is no floor.
GABRIELLE
Have you ever wondered why you don't
have many friends?
ANNA
I have plenty of friends.
GABRIELLE
A.I.s and robots don't count.
ANNA
I have human friends too.
GABRIELLE
Come on. I'm the communications
tech. I get to see incoming mail
transmissions. One was from the
Alpha Centauri Colony A.I. The other
was from--
ANNA
If everyone aboard this ship paid as
much attention to their duties as
they do to other people's
correspondence, I'm sure efficiency
levels would rise exponentially.
Would you kindly look at the
magnometer and confirm we're in the
clear? If it's not too much trouble.
Gabrielle smiles as she operates controls.
Her viewscreen shows a moving 3-D grid. It's a computerized
map of space ahead. It's as if we're falling into the grid
as it advances toward us.
GABRIELLE
Zero variance. We're in the clear.
INT. CAMBRIDGE'S CABIN - NIGHT
A narrow cupboard of a room, wedge-shaped, with a folding
bed and a wash-hand basin.
Cambridge strips off her suit, she's wearing vest and panties
beneath. She hangs the suit on a wire frame in the "ready"
position, arms and legs outstretched, the helmet suspended
above the open neck and an air tank lying at the feet. It
almost looks like an astronaut standing there.
She strips off her vest, then steps out of her panties.
She sits naked and cross-legged on the bed. She opens a
metal case and takes out a set of disks connected with wires.
She puts the disks over her breasts and her crotch. She
connects their wires to the metal case.
She slips on a pair of gloves also connected to the case
with wires.
Lastly she puts on a metal helmet that completely covers her
eyes and ears but leaves the lower half of her face exposed.
She wiggles her gloved fingers in the air and "types" on a
virtual keyboard.
INT. CAMBRIDGE'S VIRTUAL REALITY WORLD - DAY
A soft focus fairytale forest. Along a winding path comes a
MEDIEVAL KNIGHT on horseback. He stops, and raises his helmet
visor. He's a handsome fellow whose smile would melt the
heart of any maiden.
KNIGHT (V.O.)
Hail, fair lady. May I escort you
to Camelot?
INT. CAMBRIDGE'S CABIN - NIGHT
Cambridge grins. She allows herself to fall back so her
head lies on the pillow.
CAMBRIDGE
No, but you may fuck me, Sir Knight.
INT. CAMBRIDGE'S VIRTUAL REALITY WORLD - DAY
The smiling Knight takes off his helmet and throws it away.
He climbs down off his horse.
KNIGHT (V.O.)
I shall do my best to please my lady.
INT. CAMBRIDGE'S CABIN - NIGHT
Cambridge's arms circle air as if she's cuddling an unseen
lover. She slowly opens her legs.
CAMBRIDGE
Oh baby.
INT. NAYLOR'S CABIN - NIGHT
Still wearing his suit, Naylor sits at a wall-mounted
viewscreen that shows the same 3-D grid Gabrielle saw.
NAYLOR
Diary.
The viewscreen clears and shows the message, "Personal diary:
Cmdr. Naylor, Joshua, CS-7483-2"
NAYLOR
Okay, we just completed our last
supply run, Epsilon Eridani 67 Three.
One bird didn't make it down due to
a technical problem. It was bound
for the Southern continent, Colony
Base One. Can't be helped. The
others got down okay.
He rubs his eyes, and sighs.
NAYLOR
We're heading back home soon.
Richter's calculating the jump math,
Maclaine says everything's on the
green. Another week and it's over.
Earth, here we come. Oh, we'll be
using the time until the jump to run
some system tests. If she has to go
out again with another crew she'll
be ready. Okay, I'm done.
He turns away from the viewscreen which shows the 3-D grid
again.
EXT. INTERSTELLAR VISTA - NIGHT
Questor drifts among the stars.
INT. ENGINE ROOM - NIGHT
Maclaine pops a mini-basketball into a mini-hoop stuck onto
a bulkhead.
INT. GABRIELLE'S CABIN - NIGHT
Gabrielle paints a model of a Spanish galleon, applying tiny
licks of paint with a tiny brush.
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
Anna's by herself. The hatch opens, Naylor climbs up and
occupies the other couch.
NAYLOR
Everything okay?
ANNA
Everything's fine.
NAYLOR
What's with the half-degree course
correction?
ANNA
It's nowhere near half a degree.
The correction was zero point zero
nine seven by zero point zero two.
NAYLOR
We were on course for the major jump
point. What happened?
ANNA
I detected a slight variance. Nothing
to be concerned about.
NAYLOR
Major jump points aren't supposed to
move.
ANNA
It's constantly moving.
NAYLOR
We had it pinpointed. You're telling
me it shifted that much over just a
couple of days?
ANNA
It is unusual, but hardly excessive.
Now we're on course again.
NAYLOR
Have you looked at the sun?
ANNA
Of course.
NAYLOR
There's minimal sunspot activity and
zero coronal mass ejection. The gas
giants are in the wrong position.
None of the inner planets has enough
mass to influence the jump point.
ANNA
I'm pleased you have some working
knowledge of astrophysics.
NAYLOR
Is that sarcasm? Because sarcasm is
one step away from insubordination,
which is one step away from mutiny.
ANNA
You know, Naylor, I wish I'd met you
as you are now when I was eleven,
maybe twelve.
NAYLOR
Why?
ANNA
I think we would have gotten on pretty
well together. Of course I would
have outgrown you quickly, but our
brief time together would have amuased
me, I'm sure.
NAYLOR
Did you actually have a sense of
humor back then?
ANNA
I have a sense of humor now. It's
just there's so little that makes me
laugh, unless I count the antics of
this excuse for a crew as slapstick
comedy.
NAYLOR
That's what I love about you, Richter.
Your wit and your honesty.
ANNA
I'll be watching the jump point
closely as we make our run. At that
stage any required course changes
will be almost microscopic, so there's
nothing for little boys to worry
about, okay?
NAYLOR
I feel safe in your hands.
ANNA
What happens to Ackermann when we
get back home?
NAYLOR
What about Ackermann?
ANNA
She's in love with you, you know.
It's a little old-fashioned, I
suppose, but I find it charming.
NAYLOR
Why bring that up?
ANNA
We don't get many opportunities to
talk. A ship this small, there's
always someone around, listening in.
NAYLOR
I'm not in charge of personnel re-
assignment.
ANNA
That's true. Sometimes you're barely
in charge of this ship. But will
you request that Ackermann be assigned
to your next crew?
NAYLOR
That's the problem. If I put in a
request they might be suspicious.
ANNA
The Company rotates its crews as a
matter of policy. If you don't put
in the request it's unlikely she'll
be assigned to you again.
NAYLOR
Rock, hard place.
ANNA
You don't love her as much as she
loves you, do you?
NAYLOR
I thought she was just using me for
sex.
ANNA
You'll notice I'm not laughing.
NAYLOR
That's standard operating procedure.
I'll think about putting in a request.
Let me know if the jump point shifts
again, won't you?
ANNA
Mmm.
Naylor heads for the hatch, opens it--
The control room shakes. A small but noticable fluctuation.
Naylor closes the hatch, returns to the couch.
NAYLOR
Hell was that?
ANNA
Magnometer reading?
NAYLOR
Showing clear.
ANNA
We just passed between two magnetic
fields. It can't be clear.
She studies her viewscreen and shakes her head.
NAYLOR
Talk to me.
ANNA
The major jump point shifted again.
I want to launch a torpedo.
NAYLOR
Then launch a torpedo. No objection
from me.
Anna taps controls, stabs a button.
ANNA
Torpedo away. Gabrielle?
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
Go ahead.
ANNA
Did you feel that?
INT. GABRIELLE'S CABIN - NIGHT
Gabrielle sits at her wall viewscreen checking readings.
GABRIELLE
Magnetic fields this far out from
the jump point?
INT. CONTROL ROOM - NIGHT
ANNA
Hold on. Data coming in from the
torpedo. It was an electromagnetic
pulse from the major jump point.
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
Can I come up?
ANNA
Too crowded.
NAYLOR
Come ahead, I'm coming down.
GABRIELLE (V.O.)
Roger that.
Naylor opens the hatch and climbs down the ladder.
INT. UPPER ACCESS SHAFT - NIGHT
Naylor climbs down one ladder, Gabrielle climbs up the other
ladder.
GABRIELLE
We have to stop meeting like this.
Naylor grins. Gabrielle climbs up into the control room.
She grins at Naylor before the hatch closes.
INT. WAIST SECTION - NIGHT
Naylor climbs down the ladder and steps off. He turns round
and bumps into Cambridge, wearing her helmet, suit and air
tank. She yells at him but all he can hear are muffled
noises. Naylor points at his ear. Cambridge unseals her
helmet and lifts it off.
CAMBRIDGE
What the hell's going on?
NAYLOR
E.M.P. from the jump point. Richter's
checking it out.
CAMBRIDGE
Christ, I thought we'd hit something.
NAYLOR
We didn't. Everything's okay.
CAMBRIDGE
"Okay"? The entire ship shakes and
we're "okay"? News flash, we're
light hours from the nearest planetary
mass. There are no magnetic fields
this far out. It's not okay.
Nothing's okay.
end excerpt
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