"Risks" - screenplay by Derek Paterson.
This is an excerpt (first 20 pages) of a completed screenplay.
"Risks" - screenplay by Derek Paterson.
FADE IN:
EXT. SPACE STATION "NAGASAKI" -
ESTABLISH. A starfield, dazzling and beautiful.
PAN AROUND and HOLD on a space station in high orbit above
Earth. A slowly spinning wheel design, with docking bays
located on either side of the zero gee central Hub.
Title: ORBITAL RESEARCH STATION NAGASAKI
WIDER. A deltawing transport approaches the space station,
firing its braking jets. Careful, slow motion maneuvering.
CONTROLLER (V.O.)
Delta Five, continue on your present
vector. Reduce to 5 meters per second.
Stand by for further corrections.
INT. DELTAWING CONTROL CABIN -
Two seats, one empty, the other occupied by the PILOT, male.
He's wearing a starsuit and helmet (the visor is open).
PILOT
(into radio)
Control, copy. Green vector, 5 m.p.s.
The HATCH behind him opens. The CO-PILOT enters the control
cabin. He's also wearing a starsuit and helmet (with the
polarized visor down so we can't see his face).
(Later in the story, we'll discover the Co-Pilot is actually
a woman. But the audience won't know this yet, so
throughout this scene we'll treat her as a "him.")
PILOT (CONT'D)
Where the hell have you been? Sit down
and strap in.
The Co-Pilot doesn't answer. Instead, he extends his hand.
C.U. a weird kind of WEAPON appears in the Co-Pilot's hand,
seemingly growing out of thin air. It's a futuristic energy
wireframe, composed of a series of GLOWING circles connected
by straight lines. The wireframe weapon emits a high-
pitched WHINING noise as it charges.
The Co-Pilot points the weapon the Pilot. The Pilot stares
at the weapon, astounded. The weapon CRACKLES with energy.
BZZT! The Pilot JERKS like he's been SHOCKED by high
voltage and slumps in his seat, dead.
C.U. the energy weapon disappears, the Co-Pilot's hand is
empty again.
The Co-Pilot ducks through the hatch, moving back into the
passenger cabin.
EXT. SPACE STATION "NAGASAKI" -
The transport moves steadily closer to the station's Hub.
A beat.
CONTROLLER (V.O.)
Delta Five, check your vector. You're
moving off the green.
A beat. No response.
CONTROLLER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Delta Five, I say again, check your
vector. You're off the green and coming
in too fast. I will order abort in ten
unless you comply.
No response.
INT. DELTAWING PASSENGER CABIN -
The Co-Pilot enters the passenger cabin, a sterile
environment with rows of seats, like a small aircraft.
There is only one passenger aboard. Scientist ALEX PETROV
looks up from his laptop, curious.
The Co-Pilot lifts his hand.
C.U. once again the energy wireframe takes form out of thin
air, becoming a glowing weapon that WHINES as it charges to
full power.
Petrov is ASTONISHED at the sight of the weapon.
SHOT: from behind the Co-Pilot.
The Co-Pilot opens his helmet visor. We don't see his face,
but Petrov sees it and REACTS. He KNOWS who this is!
C.U. the energy weapon CRACKLES with energy.
BZZT! Petrov JERKS like he's been shocked by high voltage
and slumps in his seat, dead.
C.U. the energy weapon disappears, the Co-Pilot's hand is
empty again.
EXT. SPACE STATION "NAGASAKI" -
The transport continues to move closer to the space station.
Seconds pass -- counting to ten.
CONTROLLER (V.O.) (CONT'D)
Delta Five, you are ordered to abort
your approach. Take vector zero nine
zero. You must comply immediately.
No response.
INT. DELTAWING PASSENGER CABIN -
The Co-Pilot moves to the back of the cabin, to the
transport's airlock hatch. He punches a code into the
control panel. The panel BEEPS and lights turn RED.
The panel display reads: "DEPRESSURIZING CABIN"
A count of 10. We HEAR a HISSING noise, which slowly fades.
The panel display reads: "DEPRESSURIZED"
The hatch silently OPENS. The Co-Pilot braces himself
against the door frame, then LAUNCHES himself out into space
like some crazy skydiver!
EXT. SPACE STATION "NAGASAKI" -
Near the station's Hub.
We pick up on the Co-Pilot as he drifts toward the Hub in
freefall. Ahead of him, an airlock hatch slides OPEN.
WIDER. The incoming transport is getting uncomfortably
close to the space station!
CONTROLLER (V.O.)
(deadly serious)
Hub Control is declaring an emergency
situation! Delta Five is hard inbound
and refusing to alter course. Defense
stations are clear to open fire!
Two missiles STREAK from the space station, homing in on the
transport. They hit the transport and EXPLODE, destroying
the target. Pieces spin off in all directions.
The free-falling Co-Pilot passes through the airlock hatch.
It closes behind him.
A shower of tiny, spinning fragments strikes the space
station's hull, but that's nothing to what would have
happened if the transport had hit.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. STARFIELD -
A starfield, dazzling and beautiful... and alien.
PAN AROUND until we see two binary suns of different size
and color... huge angry orange and tiny yellow... and then
we graze the edge of an ASTEROID BELT composed of rocks that
range in size from automobiles to small mountains.
A spaceship flies through the asteroid belt. It's a RED
SPHERE bristling with SPIKES, like an old World War II sea
mine, or a virus seen under a microscope. One glimpse is
enough to convince us that it's an ALIEN spaceship.
We FOLLOW the spike-ship as it skims big rocks and evades
smaller rocks, using an unknown propulsion system. Finally
closing in on...
A WRECKED BATTLESHIP. This ship has taken some serious
damage, its hull is riddled with gaping holes. No lights
are showing, there's no evidence of life aboard.
As we examine the wreck closely we see the ship's name
painted on the scarred hull: LYSANDER
And on the hole-riddled solar fin, a YELLOW SUN EMBLEM
surmounted by the legend: "STARGUARD".
The red spike-ship orbits the wrecked battleship. It emits
beams of light that play over Lysander's hull, probing the
dead battleship from end to end.
The light beams snap off. The red spike-ship is satisfied.
It breaks away and leaves Lysander behind, returning to
wherever it came from.
AN ASTEROID some distance away. A small spaceship of
obviously human design moves away from the rock, fires its
maneuvering jets and closes on the dead battleship.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. PORT MARS, PLANET MARS - DAY
Establish. The pink-red Martian surface. A scarred DOME
stands firm in the middle of a vicious DUST STORM.
Title: PORT MARS, MARS COLONY
CONTROLLER (V.O.)
Ambassador Svenson. Paging Ambassador
Svenson.
INT. SVENSON'S CABIN - NIGHT
A darkened cabin. The same message is repeated via the
cabin's intercom system:
CONTROLLER (V.O.)
Ambassador Svenson. Paging Ambassador
Svenson.
There's MOVEMENT in the dark. Something gets knocked over.
We hear a muttered CURSE. Then a LIGHT gets switched on.
KURT SVENSON, 50s, lies on his bed, propped up on one elbow.
Distinguished, elegant, self-assured -- but not right at
this moment. He peers owlishly at the bedside digital clock
display.
C.U. the clock reads: 03:12 (MARS LOCAL)
SVENSON
Jesus!
He gets a grip on himself. Sits up in bed, rubs his eyes.
SVENSON (CONT'D)
Lights.
(lights come on)
Intercom.
A wall VIEWSCREEN activates, showing the face of the
CONTROLLER, male, wearing a uniform.
CONTROLLER (SCREEN)
I'm very sorry to disturb you, Mister
Ambassador. We're receiving a priority
signal from United Earth Government
Headquarters. Originator is Chief
Ambassador Andersen. Coming in via
tachyon beam, zero time delay.
SVENSON
(wearily)
Pipe it through.
He runs his fingers through his unruly hair. Takes a couple
of deep breaths. Glances at the clock again, wishing he was
still asleep.
Chief Ambassador FRIDA ANDERSEN appears on the viewscreen.
She's an attractive woman, but she didn't get to be Chief of
Diplomatic Corps by fluttering her eyelashes. She's tough
as boot leather and takes no prisoners.
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
(smiles)
Hello, Kurt. I hope I haven't disturbed
your beauty sleep?
SVENSON
You'll forgive me if I don't split my
sides laughing.
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
We received a message from the lobsters.
I thought you'd want to know.
SVENSON
(still irritated)
You must mean the Arj ambassador. What
does the message say?
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
If we translated correctly, they've
agreed to our proposal to extend the
cease-fire.
(beat)
And they want a meeting, just like you
said they would. They've chosen a
location in Red Sector 12.
SVENSON
(with realization)
Is this what I think it is?
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
I've got all my fingers crossed, and my
toes, too.
(beat)
You might have noticed the arrival of a
Starguard gunship. It's been placed at
your disposal.
Svenson touches a switch on his bedside CONTROL PANEL. The
viewport HATCH on the wall of his cabin slides open,
admitting light. Svenson gets out of bed, wrapping the
sheet around his waist. He peers through the open viewport.
SVENSON'S POV: a warship, the WYATT EARP, sits on the flat
spacefield behind the dome. She's big, functional-ugly and
bristling with guns, like a porcupine with attitude.
Svenson returns to his bed and sits down.
SVENSON
Suddenly we don't have any ships of our
own available?
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
Come on, Kurt, you didn't really expect
to keep Starguard out of this, did you?
Red Sector was a battleground until you
negotiated the cease-fire. They still
have a heavy presence out there.
SVENSON
I know that.
(beat)
I also know who was responsible for Red
Sector becoming a battleground. So do
you. Any news on that front?
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
(wearily)
Last I heard, Starguard Command was
reviewing your report. No decision has
been announced yet. As far as I know,
Colonel Falklan is still in command of
military forces in Red Sector.
Svenson activates his bedside control panel display and taps
keys...
SVENSON'S POV: a 3D graphic of Red Sector, showing major
star systems and the dispositions of Earth's forces in that
volume of space. Several markers bear the subtext, "FLEET
DESTROYED" while others read, "FLEET AT REDUCED STRENGTH" or
"FLEET UNDERGOING REPAIR" -- the aftermath of several
vicious space battles.
On the wall viewscreen, Andersen looks off to one side, as
if she's able to see the same information.
SVENSON
What military forces? Falklan barely
has enough ships left to hold his
current position. Not that that will
stop him from throwing his weight
around.
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
You foresee a problem?
SVENSON
I'd like some assurance from Starguard
Command that Falklan will not be
permitted to interfere. This is a
Diplomatic Corps mission, not a military
campaign.
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
Okay, I'll submit a request to Starguard
Command. But Red Sector 12 does fall
under Falklan's jurisdiction. We can't
conceal what's happening from him.
SVENSON
Just put the request through as quickly
as you can.
(beat)
What about my team?
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
Already taken care of. Richard Bono is
en route to Mars aboard a Lunacorp
transport, E.T.A. three hours. You'll
be seeing Micha Lombardi a lot sooner
than that. When you're ready, contact
the gunship for pickup. They'll arrange
to rendezvous with Bono's transport.
SVENSON
Why Bono? Why not Petrov?
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
(solemnly)
Alex Petrov was killed in a tragic
accident, Kurt. Something went wrong
just as his transport approached the
Nagasaki Orbital. It was destroyed by
the station's defense system. The
incident is still under investigation.
SVENSON
(shocked)
Good God.
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
Bono worked with Petrov. He knows as
much about Pandora as Alex did.
SVENSON
I damn well hope so.
(beat)
You've thought of everything.
ANDERSEN (SCREEN)
(dry humor)
What are ex-wives for? Good luck with
the mission, Kurt.
SVENSON
Thanks, Frida. Love to the kids.
Andersen nods. The wall viewscreen BLACKS OUT.
Svenson yawns and heads for the john, waddling like a man
who's just been wrenched from sleep and has a full bladder.
His cabin DOORBELL stops him. He changes direction and
waves his hand over the viewscreen (TV) beside the door.
SVENSON'S POV: The viewscreen shows MICHA LOMBARDI -- young
(she's half Svenson's age), beautiful, full of life. She
GRINS at the camera.
Svenson opens the door. Micha walks into his arms. They
kiss, then draw apart.
MICHA
(licking lips)
Interesting mouthwash flavor.
SVENSON
I'm sorry, Frida just woke me up to tell
me the news.
(curiously)
When did she contact you?
MICHA
About twelve hours ago, give or take.
One moment I was aboard the Brittania
Orbital talking to Mom and Dad, the
next, I'm being dragged aboard the
biggest damned spaceship I've ever seen.
SVENSON
The Starguard gunship? I saw it.
(amused)
Frida told me I'd be seeing you soon.
MICHA
(laughs)
You think she timed it so she woke you
up just before I got here? Wow, she's
good. Why'd you divorce her?
SVENSON
Every day was a clockwork schedule. I'm
glad you're here. How's the family?
MICHA
My parents aren't happy with me for
breaking off my engagement. Nick's
taking it a lot better than they did.
SVENSON
(beat)
You didn't have to.
She rises on her tip-toes and kisses him on the cheek.
MICHA
(softly, in love)
Yes, I did.
SVENSON
(grinning)
Make yourself comfortable, I'm going to
freshen up. Won't be long.
MICHA
Brush your teeth. You never know when
we might kiss next.
Svenson takes the hint and heads for the john. We follow
Micha to the open viewport. She looks out.
MICHA'S POV: C.U. of the Wyatt Earp -- the gunship's hull
is scarred, her solar fin has been holed, sections of
plating have been hastily repaired; at least a couple of her
gun turrets are gaping, melted pits.
Micha frowns at this graphic reminder that a war has been
raging somewhere Out There, and Svenson's team is heading in
that direction.
Svenson continues talking from the bathroom.
SVENSON (O.S.)
Richard Bono is on his way. As soon as
he gets here, we'll be leaving.
MICHA
Did you say Richard Bono?
SVENSON (O.S.)
That's right.
MICHA
Where's Alex Petrov?
SVENSON (O.S.)
(beat)
Alex won't be coming.
Micha's serious expression is unreadable, but we know she's
thinking something we're not privy to.
We HEAR splashing water O.S. as Svenson runs his shower.
SVENSON (O.S.)
Water's hot! Room for two.
Micha reluctantly tears herself away from the viewport, and
heads for the bathroom.
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. MARS FROM ORBIT -
Mars, the Red Planet, viewed from orbit.
WIDER so we see a deltawing transport in orbit above Mars.
WIDER STILL -- the gunship Wyatt Earp approaches the
deltawing transport from behind -- a shark bearing down upon
a tiny goldfish.
WYATT EARP CC (FILTERED)
Transport G-29, prepare for docking.
Tell your passenger to get ready for
transfer.
TRANSPORT (FILTERED)
Acknowledged, Wyatt Earp. Passenger is
ready in the aft airlock.
INT. GUNSHIP AIRLOCK -
A brightly lit airlock compartment with hatches at either
end. LIGHTS above the far airlock hatch glow RED.
The airlock SHAKES as the two ships come together. We HEAR
a dull, metallic CLUNK that echoes throughout the ship.
A beat.
The LIGHTS at the far end turn to GREEN.
A beat.
The far hatch opens and the passenger from the transport
steps through. He's wearing a starsuit and helmet with the
visor closed; we can't see his face. He's weighed down by a
bulky EQUIPMENT PACK. The hatch closes behind him. He
heads for the inner hatch, dragging the pack.
INT. GUNSHIP CORRIDOR -
The inner airlock hatch OPENS and the incoming passenger
finds himself confronted by a pair of armed Star Marines.
He puts down his pack, then takes off his helmet.
RICHARD BONO, early 20s, just on the wrong side of handsome,
a computer geek who made good.
RICHARD
(grins)
Don't shoot, I'm on your side!
The unsmiling Star Marines fall into escort position on
either side of him. One of them snatches up Richard's pack
like it weighs nothing. They march down the corridor.
Richard almost has to run to keep up with them.
INT. GUNSHIP GUEST QUARTERS -
A central compartment, giving access to several adjoining
cabins. A kind of common social area, with couches and
tables.
The entry hatch slides open. Richard steps through,
dragging his equipment pack after him. The entry hatch
shuts behind him.
RICHARD
Hello?
Svenson sticks his head out one of the cabin doors, sees
Richard, comes out to meet him. They shake hands.
SVENSON
Richard, good to see you. No problem
with getting here, then?
RICHARD
I think I'm six inches shorter. The
transport punched three gees constant
acceleration the entire journey.
(indicates entry hatch)
What's with the guards? Am I under
arrest or what?
SVENSON
Like it or not, Starguard is involved in
this. I think we'll be seeing a lot
more uniforms before it's all over.
(beat)
I'm sorry you've been pulled into this
on such short notice, Richard.
Svenson invites Richard to sit on one of the couches. They
sit down. (There's a control panel and display on the wall
behind their couch, used later.)
RICHARD
I heard about Alex Petrov. I couldn't
believe it. Do they know what happened?
SVENSON
Chief Ambassador Andersen said the
accident is being investigated.
(re: equipment pack)
Just how up to speed are you on the code
machine?
RICHARD
I helped Petrov build the prototype.
Sat with him through the testing phase.
I'm confident I can operate the machine
successfully, Mister Ambassador.
SVENSON
Is it as good as Petrov claimed?
RICHARD
Well, at the moment, Diplomatic Corps
has an Einstein Class A.I. handling
translations. Each translation can take
hours to process, depending on its
complexity.
SVENSON
(chuckles)
If you're going to tell me that thing
you brought with you can do it any
faster, you've got a hard sell. I was
one of the original Einstein system
architects.
RICHARD
I'm aware of that, sir.
(takes a deep breath)
The fact is, we first encountered the
Arj twenty years ago, when one of our
robot scoutships entered a star system
containing an Arj outpost. It took a
further ten years to develop the radio
code, and it's taken until now to build
up any kind of useful library. That
library is what the Einstein uses.
SVENSON
You're not telling me anything I don't
already know.
RICHARD
What you might not know is that we
combed the records kept by the deep
space monitoring stations positioned
along the edge of what is now Red
Sector. These stations were essentially
remote radio astronomy observatories,
but they did a pretty good job of
collecting other data. For instance,
every transmission that ever came from
that volume of space. Those records go
back fifty years or more.
SVENSON
(interested)
And you used this, how?
RICHARD
We built up a second-stage lexicon that
hangs off the library compiled by the
Einstein. There's a whole new suite of
compression/expansion utilities sitting
alongside logical comparison tables.
The Einstein A.I. is fast, but Pandora
is smarter and more intuitive.
MICHA exits Svenson's cabin, into the common area.
MICHA
Pandora?
SVENSON
Richard, this is Doctor Micha Lombardi.
I don't think you two have met. Micha,
Richard Bono.
Richard and Micha formally shake hands.
RICHARD
Pandora is the name Doctor Petrov gave
to the project.
Micha sits beside Svenson.
MICHA
Does it have any significance?
RICHARD
I'd love to tell you it stands for
PANDimensional ORAtorical device or
something like that, but the plain fact
is, Doctor Petrov may have called it
Pandora simply because it fits into a
box.
Micha smiles; no reaction from Svenson.
SVENSON
Smarter, how?
RICHARD
Pandora was built for a specific task.
By comparison, the Einstein is a general
artificial intelligence that's being
asked to perform a job it wasn't really
designed for. It wrote itself a set of
algorithms that are simply no match for
Pandora's purpose-designed core.
A beat, while Svenson ponders this.
RICHARD (CONT'D)
Mister Ambassador, perhaps you can tell
me why Starguard is involved in what's
supposed to be a diplomatic mission?
SVENSON
Aside from the fact they're providing
transport, we'll be meeting with the Arj
ambassador in a Red Zone. Expect to see
some posturing from the military.
RICHARD
(concerned)
The cease-fire is still holding up,
isn't it?
SVENSON
Absolutely. The Arj have asked for an
extension, which is a good sign. If we
can stop certain parties from rattling
their sabers, we're in with a chance.
That's assuming you can perform on cue.
RICHARD
I can guarantee full interactive
communication with the Arj. Pandora
cranks out radio code as quickly as you
can type.
SVENSON
(surprised)
Type?
RICHARD
You want voice-activated, you'll have to
give me another couple of weeks. We
were on schedule -- then this happened.
SVENSON
You'll be doing the typing, right? I
can't remember the last time I touched a
keyboard.
RICHARD
Sure. Where is the meeting, exactly?
SVENSON
Red Sector 12.
MICHA
Why there? Why not some other volume?
RICHARD
I can answer that question. Red Sector
12 is closest to Earth in astronomical
terms. That's probably why Starguard
has been so determined not to lose it.
Svenson turns around and touches a switch on the control
panel, activating the intercom. PING!
SVENSON
This is Ambassador Svenson.
WYATT EARP CC (FILTERED)
Go ahead, Mister Ambassador.
SVENSON
Are we under way yet?
WYATT EARP CC (FILTERED)
We've been under way since your team
member came aboard, Mister Ambassador.
Constant acceleration will take us to
point zero two lightspeed in just over
five hours.
SVENSON
What happens then?
WYATT EARP CC (FILTERED)
We phase into negative space, Mister
Ambassador. E.T.A. for Red Sector 12,
seventeen days.
SVENSON
Thank you. What is our actual
destination?
WYATT EARP CC (FILTERED)
Full details have been dumped to your
terminal, sir.
SVENSON
All right. I'll check it out. Thank
you.
Svenson turns off the intercom. He activates the control
panel's viewscreen. When it lights up, he presses his hand
against a sensor pad.
C.U. the viewscreen displays the message: "RECOGNIZED"
The message is replaced by a 3D graphic image of Sector Red
12, similar to the one we saw in Svenson's cabin on Mars.
Cross hairs mark a specific location.
Svenson touches a finger to the cross hairs. The image
changes to: A star system, showing binary suns and the
orbital paths of several planets. Two of the planets have
adopted a figure-8 orbit around both suns. There's also a
visible asteroid belt. Cross hairs mark a location in the
asteroid belt.
Svenson touches a finger to the cross hairs. The image
changes to: A view of the dead battleship Lysander drifting
through the asteroid belt (make sure it's not at the same
angle as before, so it looks different).
MICHA
What is it?
RICHARD
It looks familiar, but I'm not sure...
SVENSON
It's the Lysander. She was the
flagship... the pride of STARGUARD.
SVENSON
Good God, the Lysander. She engaged the
Arj fleet just before we signed the
cease-fire. Over a thousand men and
women were aboard... A senseless loss
of life.
MICHA
I don't understand. Where is the
meeting with the Arj ambassador going to
take place?
SVENSON
You're looking at it.
MICHA
You mean, aboard that ship? But it's a
wreck.
SVENSON
It's an ideal neutral location. The
control and weapon systems are dead.
Engines have been shot to pieces.
They've probably scanned it to make
sure. I should imagine that restoring
life support to a single compartment
will prove simple enough.
RICHARD
It would be just as easy to land on one
of those planets, or a moon, or even a
big asteroid. Setting up an environment
dome is child's play.
SVENSON
Possibly you're right. But you could
conceal an entire fleet behind such a
physical mass. Hold the negotiations
aboard a dead ship like the Lysander, on
the other hand, and you can be sure the
other side isn't planning on springing a
surprise. No one can even approach
without showing up clearly on radar.
A beat.
RICHARD
Do you think they chose the Lysander as
a symbolic meeting place? To rub our
noses in it?
SVENSON
If we were dealing with humans, I might
think that. But applying our thoughts
and concepts to the Arj is a dangerous
game. I think that's how the war got
started in the first place -- we
imagined they'd think like us, react
like us. They don't.
(beat)
We have seventeen days in which to
prepare for the meeting. Richard, I
want you to show Doctor Lombardi how to
operate Pandora. I think you'll find
her linguistical analysis abilities are
second to none.
RICHARD
All right. Although I'm not sure--
SVENSON
(interrupts)
In case you're in any doubt, Micha and I
are together. We shall be together when
this mission is completed and we return
to Earth. Do we understand each other?
Richard glances at Micha. She stares back at him, not in
the least embarrassed.
RICHARD
(to Svenson)
We do, sir.
SVENSON
Excellent. I wish to make my position
clear in order to avoid any tedious
misunderstandings that may arise. Now,
to work. Let's have a look at Pandora.
Then we'll see what culinary delights
the galley has to offer, shall we?
They get up off the couch and gather around Richard's
equipment pack. Richard starts opening the pack up...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. ASTEROID BELT -
The asteroid belt in the binary star system.
Title: RED SECTOR 12 ON THE EDGE OF HUMAN SPACE
PAN AROUND and HOLD on...
The battleship Lysander, dark and lifeless, drifting through
the asteroid belt.
The Wyatt Earp (lit up) moves into shot, much SMALLER than
the Lysander (dark), giving us an idea of how big the
battleship truly is.
INT. OBSERVATION GALLERY -
An open viewport shows the battleship Lysander, brightly lit
by the blazing radiance from the binary suns.
Svenson, Micha and Richard stare at the battleship. It's
close enough that they can read LYSANDER on the hull, and
see the terrible damage the battleship took.
RICHARD
(thoughtfully)
They could have jumped into negative
space and got away, but they didn't.
SVENSON
Assuming their phase drive was still
operational...
RICHARD
It was.
SVENSON
How do you know?
RICHARD
Their final hyperwave transmission
contained system status reports. They
could have jumped...
MICHA
Why didn't they?
SVENSON
(irritated)
Because Starguard never retreats. They
stayed to satisfy some absurd concept
called "honor."
RICHARD
(tersely)
It wasn't absurd to them.
SVENSON
Do you really imagine the crew of that
ship wanted to die? That given the
choice, they wouldn't have turned and
run? Their officers denied them that
option. Believe me, they weren't
thinking about "honor" when they died.
They were thinking how senseless this
war is. And they were right.
Svenson exits, angry.
A beat. Richard doesn't saying anything but he's no less
angry than Svenson.
MICHA
Ambassador Svenson understands the Arj
better than anyone. If anyone can
negotiate a lasting peace, it's him.
RICHARD
I'm glad to hear it.
Richard exits.
Micha continues to watch Lysander as they approach the
wrecked battleship. Her intense expression betrays her
trepidation for what lies ahead. She finally turns away and
follows Svenson and Richard out.
EXT. ASTEROID BELT -
The gunship lines up to dock with the huge battleship.
INT. GUNSHIP AIRLOCK -
Svenson, Richard and Micha gather in the airlock. They're
wearing starsuits, helmets and backpacks. Richard carries
his equipment pack containing the Pandora translator unit.
They wait for the OUTER HATCH to open so they can enter the
umbilical tube. The INNER HATCH opens behind them instead,
causing them to turn around...
Two STAR MARINES wearing camouflage pattern starsuits and
helmets enter the airlock. SERGEANT LEE is built like an
armored assault vehicle. MARINE DENNY looks attractive
behind her visor, but she's no soft pushover. They're armed
with formidable AR-1900 assault rifles fitted with grenade
launchers, laser sights and flashlights.
Because everyone's wearing helmets and breathing suit air,
all conversation in this scene is FILTERED.
SVENSON
What's going on here?
LEE
We're your escort, Mister Ambassador.
It's safety protocol. We go in first.
SVENSON
(irritated)
You've scanned the Lysander, haven't
you?
LEE
From nose to tail, sir. I'm pretty sure
there's nothing unexpected waiting for
us. But we will go in first, and you
will wait here for our signal before you
proceed.
Lee and Denny push past them to stand at the outer airlock
hatch.
SVENSON
(to Richard)
It doesn't look like we have much choice
in the matter.
LEE
(without turning)
That is the case, sir.
The LIGHTS above the airlock hatch flash RED.
LEE (CONT'D)
Airlock is depressurizing.
Lee and Denny ready their AR-1900s, aiming at the hatch.
The lights stop flashing and glow solid RED. The outer
airlock hatch slides OPEN, revealing the empty umbilical
tube. Lee and Denny step through...
INT. LYSANDER CONTROL ROOM -
The battleship Lysander's auxiliary control room lies in
darkness.
An airlock hatch opens, admitting a flood of light. Lee and
Denny enter. They play their flashlights about the control
room -- left, right, ahead. Lee's flashlight shows the
outline of some vaguely human shapes in the middle of the
room, but we don't get to see what these are yet.
Denny plugs a powered device into a slot in the wall. The
control room's LIGHTS flicker, then hold steady, revealing--
A central control console in the middle of the room, manned
by four CORPSES wearing starsuits and helmets. They're
still in their chairs, slumped forward over their boards.
§
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