?Empire Star?
Pilot Episode: ?Magic?
Production Code: 001
Rough Draft 01 ? 27 August 2011 ? Saturday
K2323
http://shatteredplanes.comAct One: The Captain Is Coming
Scene One: Opening (?Delay?)
[Our scene fades in from black to the emptiness of space. A few stars may shine brightly in the distance, but for the most part, all we see is the darkness that is space. The camera slowly PANS to the left, and as it does, a giant planet comes into view. As we FOCUS on this planet, we soon realize that this planet is Earth. Soon after we focus, the static of radio can be heard in a voice over, before a voice starts to talk.]
SKYDOCK OPERATIVE (v.o.):
Come in, Empire, come in, this is
Skydock. We are experiencing some minor
Weather interference here, it seems that
We will not be able to launch for another
Few hours. Over.
EMPIRE OPERATIVE (v.o.):
Rodger that, Skydock. This is Empire.
We read you loud and clear. Over.
[Slowly, from off screen, the form of a giant spaceship comes into view, blocking our entire screen. We are immediately at E.C.U. with the spaceship, and as it slowly moves across the screen, we start to see the sheer enormity of it?s size. It is rather sleek and in a wonderful condition as it rides across smoothly. We catch a name inscribed clearly on the spaceship. It reads ?Empire?. After the name disappears from sight, we slowly start to zoom out to get a bigger picture of the spaceship as a whole before we cut.]
CUT TO:
Int. Skydock Overhang Observatory Deck ? Day
[We are now in a building which seems to be, by all accounts, much like an airport, only without the hustle and bustle. We slowly move into a terminal-like area, full of seats overlooking a large window which takes up an entire wall. A man is sitting in a chair by the window, dressed in a full business suit. A brief case sits on the floor next to him. He looks.. Quite nervous. We follow his gaze outside the window, where we realize that we are floating in the daylight sky, several miles above the ground. We focus on the man once more. We hear footsteps from behind him. He stands to greet the man approaching him, an African American man dressed in an outfit much like that which you might find a pilot wearing. He comes up to the man and shakes his hand.]
PILOT:
Mr. White, we would like to thank you
For waiting. Unfortunately, it looks like
Some bad weather is headed our way.
We?re going to have to delay take off
For at least another hour, until the storm
Passes.
KOTA WHITE:
Yes, I thought I saw some rain clouds out
There? Are we safe here?
PILOT:
Oh, yes. Certainly. The Skydock is designed
To withstand storms of all kinds, mister
White. I assure you, you are safer here
Than you would be on the ground. You?ll
Be on the Empire in no time.
KOTA WHITE:
Thank you, pilot.
PILOT:
It?s a pleasure, Mister White.
[The pilot takes his leave, turning and walking out of frame. We focus on Kota once more. He sits down, picks up his brief case, and sets it in his lap. He opens the case, pulls out a few papers, closes the brief case, and sets it back down on the floor nest to him. He proceeds to nervously look over the papers. His foot can be seen tapping slightly.]
Scene Two: ?Preparations?
CUT TO:
Int. Empire ? Sector RCBC ? Corridor
[A young woman with auburn colored hair who stands tall and proud can be seen marching fiercely down a small, white corridor, rather empty, passing several doors along her way. We follow her as she walks, until she stops at a door which she faces. The door automatically slides open, and she enters. The room she enters is:]
Int. Empire ? Sector RCBC ? Captain?s Quarters ? Foyer
[The young woman, Cara Tyre, is now standing, arms on her hips, in the foyer of this room which, by all accounts, seems to be a foyer to a nice suite, rather devoid of furniture. There are a group of strong men who come into the foyer from the living room to her left. She turns to face the men, who are carrying a couch to some other part of the suite.]
CARA:
There you all are! Hurry up!
The captain will be arriving in half
An hour! Do you really want to be the one
To blame when his room?s not ready?
MOVING MAN 1:
Yes, ma?am! Yes, ma?am! Our apologies!
MOVING MAN 2:
Rest assured, we?ll be all ready by the time
The captain arrives! We give you our word!
CARA:
You better be right.
[From behind Cara, there is a cough. She turns to see a young woman, just a little younger than her, standing at the doorway to the room. This young woman is AMY COLE, personal assistant to Cara Tyre. She has bleach-blonde hair and a very nice, slender figure. She has a slightly nervous look on her face.]
AMY:
Miss... Miss Tyre, um?
CARA:
Yes, Amy? What is it?
AMY:
The Skydock just called ? rain delay.
CARA:
How long?
AMY:
At least another hour before
They can take off, maybe longer.
CARA:
What else could go wrong today?
AMY:
Ma?am? There?s something else. Everyone?s
Ready for the briefing in Conference Room C.
All they need is, um?
CARA:
Right, of course ? they need me before we
Can begin. Tell them I?ll be right there.
AMY:
Yes, ma?am.
[Amy turns to leave, and Cara once more faces the movers who are now carrying an expensive glass table to another room.]
CARA:
CAREFUL WITH THAT!
Scene Three: ?Elevator?
Int. Empire ? Sector ERH1 ? Elevator Lobby
[Outside an elevator, patiently waiting, is a man who stands at a very firm posture, wearing jeans and a cotton wool shirt. This man is NICK OREEN, twenty seven, who is in charge of ship agriculture. Behind him, a young lady of about 24 comes rushing up, dressed in a cute skirt and top. This young lady is LUNA, part of Nick?s staff.]
LUNA:
Mister Oreen, wait up!
[Nick turns to face her.]
NICK:
Luna, please. If I?ve told you once, I?ve told
You a thousand times. Call me Nick.
LUNA:
Sorry, uh? Nick. Are you on the way
To the briefing?
NICK:
Sure am. Why do you ask?
LUNA:
Oh, no reason. What do you
Think about Captain White?
NICK:
I don?t know. Can?t wait to meet
The guy, but I really don?t see why we
Need this guy as our captain. Cara
Tyre?s had her eyes on the Captain
Chair a lot longer than this guy has.
LUNA:
I hope he?s not a bad captain. Like?
Someone who bosses his crew around.
NICK:
I don?t think so. They wouldn?t assign
Him here if that was the case.
LUNA:
But he?s military! The military is
Always intervening!
NICK:
Yeah, well ?
[He is interrupted by the soft ?ding? of the elevator?s doors opening. Nick waves to Luna as he steps into the elevator.]
NICK:
We?ll talk later, Luna!
LUNA:
Okay, Mr. Ore- I mean.. Nick!
P.O.V. ? Inside elevator, facing outward to Luna on the outside of the elevator, waving her hand to Nick as the door to the elevator closes.
[Nick presses a button on the elevator, which lights up.]
Scene Four: ?Briefing?
Int. Empire ? Sector CBC ? Briefing Room
[The briefing room is, as the name suggests, an office room designed for conferences. A large conference table is housed by the quite plain room, and several office chairs surround the table itself. In the center of the table, a large, metal plate is bolstered into the table for holographic projections. Each seat?s armrests have command buttons on them. The room is, at present, full of people. We focus for a moment on a French-Canadian scientist who sits confidentially in his chair, wearing a lab coat, patiently waiting for the meeting to begin. This man is Gaeser Laeke, age twenty two. To his left, see two twins, not identical but a lot alike in appearance, sitting next to each other, both wearing camoflauge pants and tank tops. These twins are Kyle ?Kic? and Cal Tyre, younger brothers of Cara Tyre. Next to Cal sits a young lady in a dress who has a very patient look on her face. This is Emma Teese, age twenty five. To her side is a man who is dressed in a suit with a proud look on his face, arms folded on the table. This man is Alexander Tepper. Sitting across from Alexander is a fashionable young man named Jay Stryder who seems to breathe confidence. Next to him is Ashton Viccone, a wiser man who has an expression of absolute tire on his face. Several more people fill more seats around the table, but we do not focus the camera on them as long. At the head of the table, there is an empty seat. The room is quiet. Finally, the silence is broken when the door to the room opens, and in steps Cara Tyre, a look of mild amusement, mixed with less mild anxiety, on her face. She takes a seat at the head of the table and faces ?her? crew.]
CARA:
Alright, let?s get started,
Shall we? As you all know, in a
Few hours, Kota White, our new captain,
Will be arriving. As department heads,
You will all answer directly to Mr. White
About the activities of your department.
When Captain White arrives, we want,
Quite obviously, to have our crew
Functioning at the best possible level.
As such, it is your responsibilities as
Department heads to maintain your staff.
Let?s try to not screw this up, okay?
GAESER:
Miss Tyre, if I may have the floor.
CARA:
Recognized. Proceed, mister
Laeke.
[Gaeser stands up, looking around at all those who surround him.]
GAESER:
Thank you? As the head of Research
And Development, I deal with a lot
Of? Interesting technological devices. Each
One holds more hope than the last of fulfilling
Our mission of finding a suitable planet to habitat
Off of Earth and traveling to that planet. Still,
Each one fails to meet that goal in the end. I
Would ask the fare acting captain, miss Tyre, to
Tell us all what this new captain will bring to the
Table that can change this.
[Cara has a ?oh-boy? look upon her face as she stands and Gaeser sits.]
CARA:
Mister White carries with him some
Number of years experience as an active officer
Of the military. U.S. Space Command picked him
Of all candidates. Why? I don?t know. But
If U.S. Space Command picked him, there must be a
Reason. With that said, I urge you all to treat
Him to the best of your abilities? We will meet
In 03:00 hours in the Auditorium Hall for orientation. Are there any other questions?
(a beat)
Alright. Dismissed.
Scene Five: ?The Empire?s Purpose?
Int. Skydock ? Transport AX-Abiding
[The transport vehicle, on the inside, is much like a limo. It is lined with comfortable seats, a small cooler built into the console, and several luxury controls. A sliding door is situated at the front of the room, leading into the captain?s pit. The room is rather dark and empty. After a few moments, a hatch door opens, and light shines into the transport fighter. Standing at the door are the pilot and Kota White. The two step comfortably into the fighter, and the pilot closes the hatch door behind them. The moment they step foot in the transport, systems come online, and the transport lights up.
TRANSPORT COMPUTER:
Welcome to the AX-Abiding Diplomatic
Transport Vehicle. Please enjoy your flight.
PILOT:
Well, here we are. If you need me, just turn on the ship communication radio, and you?ll patch right
In to my system. The flight should take about
Thirty minutes, so?
KOTA:
Thank you.
[The pilot walks through the sliding door and into his pit. The door closes behind him. A few moments later, a loud hum fills the ship as engines come online. The hum quickly dies down to a quieter level. Kota takes his seat. He looks at the cooler console next to him, pulling out a bottle of wine, and then he reaches for a glass, pouring himself some. He puts the bottle back in the cooler and sips his glass. After a moment, he patches in to the captain?s radio.]
KOTA:
I?m technically on duty, so this
Little glass will be our secret, if that?s
Okay with you.
PILOT:
Not a problem, sir? Say, if you don?t
Mind me asking, what?s the deal with this
Empire starship we?re flying to?
KOTA:
It?s a military-civilian vessel, looking for
Another planet that the people of Earth can
Inhabit. It was built about fifty years ago, in
2013, by the division of the U.S. Air Force
That is today referred to as Space Command,
Along with several private companies.
PILOT:
Sounds like a fun place to command.
KOTA:
Hardly. I have much bigger things on my
Mind than babysitting a bunch of scientists.
PILOT:
Then why did they pick you, sir?
KOTA:
That? that?s classified.
PILOT:
I see. Sorry for asking, sir.
KOTA:
It?s quite alright.
Scene Six: ?Holo-meeting?
Ext. Washington D.C. ? Bush Park - Day
[Kyle ?Kic? Tyre, one of the twins from earlier, is sitting on a park bench with another man, older. The man is dressed in a suit, Kyle is still in his military uniform.]
KIC:
Mister Malik, I?d like to thank
You for taking the time to meet with
Me today. I trust everything?s going
Well at Baudyment Corporations today?
MALIK:
Everything?s going just fine, Kyle. Or
Are you going by ?Kic? these days?
KIC:
Either will do, sir.
MALIK:
Right. I hope you and your brother
Are ready for what will be expected of
You in the near future. The new captain
Will be arriving within the hour. We
At Baudyment want you two to keep a close
Eye on him. We spend way too much money on
This ship. It doesn?t need to be at risk.
KIC:
Yes, sir. Is this Kota White guy
Really that big of a threat?
MALIK:
Well, he?s got a bit of a? past.
KIC:
A past, sir?
MALIK:
He was on assignment to protect
A diplomat, Logan Zant. Their convoy was
Attacked and Zant was lost.
KIC:
I see. And what should we do if
This new captain does prove to be a
Problem, sir?
MALIK:
You and your brother control the
Only major military force on that ship.
Your marines will be more than enough
To take care of things if it comes down
To it. Let?s just hope that it does
Not? We need to know that we can
Trust you, Kic.
KIC:
Of course, sir.
MALIK:
We know that your sister has a little
Bit of a past with this guy. Is that
Going to effect things?
KIC:
Of course not, sir.
MALIK:
Good. We will be in touch.
[The park suddenly becomes a dark room, lined with wires all across walls and the floor, leading to a single chair in the middle of the room. In the chair sits Kic with a pair of holographic glasses over his eyes, emitting light from the lenses. The light cuts off, and Kic takes the glasses off, looking around the room, slightly disoriented.]
Scene Seven: ?Revelation?
Ext. Empire ? Sector RSS ? Revelation Department ? Observatory Deck - Space
[The Observatory Deck is a deck, elevated at the highest point of the ship, on the outside of the ship itself. It is much like an observatory deck that you might find on Earth, in that it is very wide and spacious. Instead of being lined with telescopes, it is lined with holocomputer consoles all up and down the walls, with one master console in the center of the room. At the center of the room stands Cara Tyre, interacting with the holo-console, which shows a picture of a group of stars. She is well at peace until the sound of feet clanking across the floor startles her. She turns to see Cal Tyre moving across the deck. She relaxes.]
CARA:
What brings you to the Revelation
Department, Cal? Never thought FTL research
Would interest you enough to come all the way
Up here.
CAL:
Aw, come on, sis. What?s wrong with a little
Broadening of my interests? Besides, what
Does a bunch of holo-telescopes have to do
With breaking the speed of light?
CARA:
You wouldn?t understand.
CAL:
Try me.
CARA:
Okay? In order to break through
The speed of light, we have to find
A way to break down our own mass,
And reconstruct it in a form suitable
For FTL travel, before reconstructing
The mass once we?ve reached terminal
Velocity, all without damaging the
Cells in our bodies. At the same time,
We have to account for E=MC squared,
And the theory of relativity, and various
Obstacles we may run into when plotting
An FTL Course.
CAL:
You?re right. I didn?t understand
A word of that.
CARA:
Stick to your marines, Cal.
CAL:
Will do? The captain?s about
To be here. You may want to come
Down to join the welcoming party.
CARA:
Of course? Just give me
A moment, will you?
CAL:
Whatever you say, sis.
[Cal turns to leave. Cara faces the edge of the observation deck, glancing out into space. A green tint is barely visible, surrounding the ship. That tint is the ship?s shields, maintaining artificial gravity for the observatory deck. The transport ship that the captain is arriving in, a small dot in size from Cara?s place and the size of the ship, passes through the green barrier unscathed.]
C.U. on Cara, glancing at the transport, a fierce look in her eyes.
END Act One.
Act Two: The Emperor?s Vast Domain
Scene One: ?What Happened In The Past?
Int. Empire ? Sector RCBC ? Captain?s Quarters ? Foyer
[Cara is standing in the foyer to the Captain?s Quarters, facing the door. She sits in silence for a moment, waiting. A serious expression is painted on her face, of expectation. After a few moments, the door to the foyer softly opens. Cara grimaces for a moment, before returning to her expressionless stare. On the other side of the open door is a young assistant with glasses and a very slender figure. Behind him is Kota, still dressed in his suit. He thanks the assistant and enters the room, walking up to Cara. They stand there in silence for a moment before Cara finally snaps out of her trance, offering her hand to the captain. He shakes it.]
CARA:
Captain, I?d like to welcome you aboard
The Empire. I?m sure we can make this transition
As easy and as comfortable as possible. I?d like to just briefly run over the events planned
For today. In approximately 01:00 hours,
You will commence orientation for the department
Heads. At 07:00, diplomat Zant?s son will deliver
His speech. At 08:00, dinner will be served in the-
KOTA:
Cara!
CARA:
- mess hall. The chef has prepared a ?
KOTA (smiling):
Cara! Calm down! How are you?
CARA:
Good, sir. If that is all the captain
Will require of me, I will take my-
KOTA:
How?re your brothers? I know that
They?re aboard the ship now too. I
Haven?t seen them since they were young.
I can?t believe their doing so well!
CARA:
My brothers are good, sir.
KOTA:
Right, well? I know that a lot
Of stuff happened between us
In the past, but I?m willing to
Put our past in the past if you
Are. I think it?d be best for
The crew if we just started over.
CARA:
Permission to speak freely, sir?
KOTA:
Of course.
CARA:
The past happened, sir. We can?t
Change that?
[Kota grimaces. He begins to reply, but stops when he sees that Cara isn?t done.]
CARA:
However? I am willing to act
Professionally for the best of the ship.
I just? I don?t think we can rekindle our
Personal relationship, sir. It wouldn?t be
Appropriate.
KOTA:
Of course? Alright, if we?re done
Here, could you show me to the bridge?
I want to see where I?m going to be working.
CARA:
Of course, sir.
[He sets the bag that has been in his hand down on the floor, neatly against a wall, and follows Cara out the door.]
Scene Two: ?The Five Families?
Int. Empire ? Sector RCBC ? Corridor
[Cara and Kota are walking down the corridor. Kota runs his hand across the wall, admiring the architecture. As the two round a corner, Kota bumps into someone. That someone is LUCAS REZEE, a rather handsome man of twenty-four who has dirty blonde hair and a muscular body. He is dressed, at present, in a polo shirt and khaki shorts. Both he and Kota fall to the ground. Lucas quickly stands and helps Kota up.]
LUCAS:
I?m terribly sorry!
KOTA:
No, it was my fault. I?m sorry.
CARA:
Lucas, this is Captain Kota White.
Captain, this is Lucas Rezee. His father
Was Rayson Rezee, one of the executives
Of a division of Mecore Industries,
The contractor who provides us
With most of our technology.
LUCAS:
It?s an honor, sir.
KOTA:
Likewise. I once met your father.
He was a great man. I was so
Sad to hear of his passing.
LUCAS:
Thank you. He was a great
Man.
KOTA:
He was.
LUCAS:
A pleasure meeting you, again.
I have to be off. I have a video
Conference with some business associates
That I have to be getting to.
KOTA:
Nice meeting you.
[Cara and Kota continue walking in the opposite direction to Lucas. We follow Lucas down the corridor, to it?s end, where he walks through a door into a staircase room. We follow him down a series of steps and through another door, another corridor. He walks down this corridor until he gets to the door he?s looking for, and then, he stops, entering the room. The room is a holoroom, similar to the room that Kic was in earlier. Lucas walks over to the chair in the center of the room and sits down.]
Ext. Tiki Hut Bar ? Beach ? Mexico ? Day
[Lucas is suddenly sitting at a tiki hut, sipping a fruity cocktail. In the background, the sounds of the waves of the beach, and the various Mexicans partaking in fun upon it, can be heard. A man wearing a tropical shirt, half unbuttoned, and a baithing suit comes up to the bar and sits down next to Lucas. He speaks to the bartender.]
JOHNSON:
Un cerveza, por favor.
BARTENDER:
Un momento.
[The bartender gives Johnson a large glass of beer. Johnson takes a gulp, setting the pitcher back down on the bar, before finally speaking. When he speaks now, he is speaking in English, and no longer has a Spanish accent.]
JOHNSON:
We were starting to think that
You weren?t going to contact us again.
LUCAS:
Well, I don?t really have
A say in the matter, now do I?
JOHNSON (chuckle):
Well, no, I suppose you don?t.
How are things on board the Empire?
LUCAS:
What do you care?
JOHNSON:
Watch your tone. You know
As well as anyone that you
Answer to us, not the other way
Around.
LUCAS:
I?m tired of playing your stupid
Games. When are you going to hand
Over what?s mine?
JOHNSON:
Soon. Your father?s assets will
Be released as soon as you complete
One last task for us.
LUCAS:
My father would be ashamed to know
That the families of the five advisors
He trusted most are taking advantage
Of his son.
JOHNSON:
Your father?s dead, son. We need
You to finish what you started, and
Then we will leave you alone? Do you
Understand?
LUCAS:
What do you want me to do?
JOHNSON:
There?s a Communication Switch
Which controls all live communications
To and from Earth. If it?s not functioning,
Empire can only send and receive messages
At 2 A.M. ship time every day, when Earth
Sends up it?s transmission burst. Earth
Can only send up a burst once every twenty
Four hours, which is why the ship relies
On real time communication. Any more frequent
Than that would kill Earth?s transmission
Satellites.
LUCAS:
What does this have to do with me?
JOHNSON:
We need you to disable the ship?s
Communication switch. A little C4
Should be more than enough to do
The trick.
LUCAS:
Why?
JOHNSON:
That?s all you need to know. Do
This and your father?s assets are
All yours. We?ll leave you alone.
Understood?
LUCAS:
Fine? Where is this Communication
Switch?
JOHNSON:
The engine room.
LUCAS:
Alright? I?ll do it.
JOHNSON:
Excellent. Now, if you?ll excuse
Me, there?s a lovely holographic
Simulation seniorita waiting on me.
Good day, Lucas.
LUCAS:
Good day.
Scene Three: ?The Bridge?
Int. Empire ? The Bridge
[Cara and Kota enter the bridge, at the center of the ship. It is a wide, spacious area, very similar to a lecture hall of sorts. Several levels of platforms surround the room, lined with computer consoles, all of which have busy technicians working on. The back walls are lined with servers and various machines, coated in glass casing. At the center of the room, surrounded by the raised platforms that fill the room, there sits a captain?s chair, behind a center console. Holographic displays are everywhere, presenting information to various crew members. At the captain?s chair, Kota is admiring the chair itself, with Cara standing at his side. Kota sits in the chair, relaxing for a bit. He fools with the holomenu in front of him for a bit.]
KOTA:
Oh, yes. I could get quite
Used to this.
CARA:
Glad you like it, sir.
KOTA:
The ship?s operating on a standard
Platform, am I right?
CARA:
SpaceOS, sir, modified for Military
Use by Mecore Industries, and supported
By the USSC Software Engine Layer.
KOTA:
Good, shouldn?t be too hard to learn.
CARA (astonished):
They picked you as a captain, without
Giving you training in how to operate
The ship?
KOTA:
Of course not. I told them
I knew how to operate it already.
(a beat)
Kidding, kidding. Lighten up, Cara.
Alright, it?s time for orientation.
Mind escorting me to the
Gymnasium hall? You?re a department
Head, after all. I?m orientating you
Too.
CARA:
Of course, sir.
Scene Four: ?Orientation?
Int. Empire ? Sector DATPQ ? Corridor
[In a corridor in another part of the ship, Emma Teese, the businesswoman who was in the dress at the briefing, is walking steadily. Her heals create a clank against the ground, but she still walks with grace. Lucas comes rushing up from behind her and starts to walk with her.]
LUCAS:
Emma! Wait up!
EMMA:
What is it, Lucas? I?m
Kind of busy.
LUCAS:
I know, that?s why I need to
Talk to you? Have any of the higher-ups
Tried to contact you today?
EMMA:
Lucas, I?m the Senior Representative of
Mecore Industries aboard this ship. They
Contact me every day. Why?
LUCAS:
Have they mentioned me recently?
EMMA:
No, not at all.
LUCAS:
Oh.
EMMA:
Believe it or not, Lucas, the world
Doesn?t revolve around you. We?re not
Kids anymore. Grow up.
LUCAS:
You?re right, it was a stupid
Question. I?m sorry?
EMMA (giggle):
You?re lucky you?re cute.
[The two stop, engaging in a quick kiss.]
LUCAS:
Talk to you later?
EMMA:
Well, naturally!
[Emma smiles before walking around the corner of the corridor into an elevator lobby. The elevator opens as she walks up to it, and someone else steps out. She nods her head at the other person before stepping into the elevator, pressing a button on it. The doors of the elevator close, with the camera remaining outside the elevator, watching the metal doors seal shut. The camera moves forward closer to the metal doors and goes right through them, into the elevator hatch. It tilts up, among the cables that work the elevator, and focuses on the bottom of the elevator, quickly rising higher and higher away from the camera. The camera moves upward towards the elevator, eventually catching up with it and moving right through it as the camera tilts back down to it?s normal tilt. We are now in the elevator, watching Emma as she taps her foot idly to the elevator music which plays softly in the background. A ding, and the elevator door opens. We follow Emma out of the elevator and into a carpeted hall, through two double doors, into the gymnasium area. The gymnasium area is a spacious area, lined with several chairs which face a stage. In the chairs, already, there are several other department heads and parties of interest. Emma takes a seat next to Alexander Tepper, one of the businessmen who was in the briefing earlier. She sits next to him, smiling politely.]
EMMA:
Alex, you?re looking rather dashing
Today, if I do say so myself.
ALEXANDER:
You?re looking quite lovely yourself.
EMMA:
Why, thank you.
[Cara walks into the gymnasium, smiling diplomatically as she walks up to the stage, taking a seat in a chair which is placed on the stage. A few moments later, Kota walks in, stopping at the double doors that he entered through, and looking out at the audience before him. Everyone, including Cara, stand and salute the captain. The captain walks up to the stage, and over to a podium, where he speaks into a microphone.]
KOTA:
At ease.
[Everyone relaxes, taking their seats.]
KOTA (con?t):
I would like to thank you all
For such a warm welcome. I?ll try
To make this as brief as possible. I
Know we?ve all got work to do, and I?ll
Try to not delay us for very long. There
Comes a time when a man must reorganize
His life, recreate his environment? That
Time will come for all of humanity. This
Ship will be the shining jewel that helps
Us get there? A new Earth. We will find
It? And we will find a way to go there.
And some day, we will live there, a colony
Of Earth. That is our mission. We will
Not make light of it. As such, there are
Some exciting policies which I will
Be implementing. The first of
Which is a-
[A loud bang echoes throughout the gymnasium, shaking everything. Kota falls to the floor, but immediately hops back up. Everyone stands, at alert.]
KOTA:
Everyone, remain calm. Return to your
Stations, check to see if everything?s in
Order, and then report your findings to
The bridge. Dismissed!
[Everyone takes off. A worried Kota walks off stage, on his way to the bridge.]
Scene Five: ?Something In The Distance?
Ext. Empire ? Sector RSS ? Revelation Department ? Observatory Deck ? Space
[A worried Cara is standing at the edge of the observatory deck, staring out into space. From a ladder hatch on the other side of the deck, Kota emerges, closing the access door to the hatch behind him. He calmly walks across the deck to Cara, who turns to face him.]
KOTA:
Nothing to be alarmed about. Seems
The Communication Switch exploded. Probably
An overheating, though Cal suspects sabotage.
We have a team down there now checking it out.
I?ll send a long transmission down to Earth
in a bit, they?ll receive it in 20:00 hours.
Hopefully, we can get a crew up here tomorrow
To fix the damage. What did you have to show
Me?
CARA:
We found? an anomaly.
KOTA:
In the ship?
CARA:
No. It?s in space, headed right
Towards us.
KOTA:
What is?
CARA:
Right here, sir?
[Cara accesses one of the holo-telescopes, zooming through the solar system, just past mars. Kota watches, interested. From beyond the horizon of mars, several red lights start shooting through space, coming closer and closer to the holo-telescope, but still remaining a considerable distance away.]
KOTA:
What? What is it?
CARA:
We don?t know, sir.
KOTA:
Alright, I?m sure Earth
Sees it already, but I?ll let
Them know in my transmission. You?re positive
That it?s coming towards us?
CARA:
Defiantly. Should reach us, then reach Earth
Soon afterwards? Whatever it is.
KOTA:
ETA?
CARA:
Probably a half a day, sir.
KOTA:
Alright, get down to the bridge. We?ll
Move the ship out of harm?s way until
We receive orders on what to do. We
Can?t do much with our live communications
Down, so for now, we?ll just do our best
To not get in the way.
CARA:
Understood, sir.
Scene Six: ?Setting A Course?
Int. Empire ? The Bridge
[The bridge is fairly busy now, with people moving in every which direction. Kota is at the captain?s chair, and a technician is standing next to him.]
KOTA:
So, uh? Now what do I do?
TECHNICIAN:
Just talk, sir. You?re recording.
KOTA:
Oh? I guess it?s too late for a do-over?
Thank you, technician? Come in Skydock, this
Is Empire, we are sending this long transmission
Because our Communication Switch has been disabled.
We?ll need repair teams to bring up some supplies.
For now, though, I?m moving the ship to Alpha Coordinates. Several unidentified flying objects have been spotted coming towards Earth, as I?m sure you?re all aware. We will return in 24:00 hours and will, at that time, come up with a new course of action. We await your reply. Over, and out.
[Kota presses a button on the arm rest of his chair, and the holomenu closes. He stands and turns to face Cara, who is walking down the steps of the platforms towards the center of the bridge.]
CARA:
Captain, we?re all set for thruster
Engage, on your mark.
KOTA:
Proceed.
CARA:
Yes, sir. Also, Cal wants to see
You in the Engine Room. He says it?s
Urgent, sir.
KOTA:
Thank you, Cara.
Scene Seven: ?It Wasn?t An Accident?
Int. Empire ? Sector CF ? Engine Room ? Observatory Room
[In a small observatory room, Kota and Cal stand side-by-side. They are looking out a small window into the large engine room. Most of the space of the room is taken up by the large structure which is the ship?s engine, some several feet wide and tall, and weighing tons. Several technicians are running around the room, and GENESIS Marines, decked out in full military uniform, are walking around as well.]
KOTA:
So, what?ve you found, Commander
Tyre? This was an overheating, right?
CAL:
Afraid not, Captain. Seems to have
Been sabotage, probably preformed by
A plastic explosive.
KOTA:
I see? Any ideas as to who would
Want to shut down our communications
With Earth?
CAL:
No, sir. Security footage went blank
Right before the switch was destroyed.
It could be anyone, sir.
KOTA:
What do you recommend?
CAL:
Sir, there is a test that we
Could run to determine who was
Responsible, some DNA evidence that
We can gather. My marines can perform
The tests, they are equipped and trained.
KOTA:
Do it. In the meanwhile, lock down
The engine room. Only those with priority
Clearance are allowed to enter.
CAL:
Yes, sir.
KOTA:
We will get technicians from Earth
Up here soon, but? There is an urgent
Matter that I need to discuss with
Earth as soon as possible. Are repairs at
All possible without assistance from Earth?
CAL:
We need some equipment that?s not exactly
Standard in stock. I already asked R&D, they
Can?t help. However; you could ask around in
The FH Sector, sir. Someone there might have
What we need.
KOTA:
The FH Sector?
CAL:
The city sector, sir. It?s where our
Passengers that are not crew members reside
And work. It?s basically a city, sir. It?s
Even got artificial Earth atmosphere. Our..
Uh? Business partners and contractors reside
There, sir.
KOTA:
Right? Well, then, you know your
Way around. Can you assist me with this?
CAL:
I would be glad to, sir.
END Act Two.
Act Three: In The Dark
Scene One: ?Drazen?s Suite?
Int. Empire ? FH Sector ? Delegate Hotel ? Drazen?s Suite ? Living Room
[We are in an eloquent living room (which is openly parallel to the kitchen), finely decorated, inside a hotel suite. On a smooth, black, leather couch, sits a man of some twenty seven years, wearing only boxers and a T-Shirt, with his feet on a wooden coffee table. He is watching a flat screen television which is mounted on his wall. We focus on his television. It is a news program from a channel called ?FHN? which presents news from the FH Sector.]
NEWS ANNOUNCER:
In a speech which Representative Alexander Tepper
Gave earlier today, he publicly announced
His full support for the Captain. He says that
He believes that he can work closely with the captain to lower the tax rates illegally put in place by Drazen last year.
DRAZEN:
Oh, please.
[A doorbell rings, and Drazen stands, grabbing his pants off the floor and sliding into them. He walks over to the door, answering it. Before him stands Cal and Kota, patiently waiting at his door. Drazen stares out at them, a bit surprised.]
CAL:
Drazen, my old friend. How are things?
DRAZEN:
Excellent. I just wish you would have
Called and told me before bringing the
New captain over. I would have tidied up a bit.
Come on in, the both of you.
KOTA:
Thank you. A pleasure to meet you.
DRAZEN:
Likewise.
CAL:
Is Katherine out this morning?
DRAZEN:
She spent the night at a friend?s
House? How can I help you two
Today?
CAL:
We need? parts. Specifically Black Level
Communication parts with military encoding
Scramblers.
DRAZEN:
And you were hoping to find some
Being traded on the black market here.
CAL:
Exactly. We would have asked Tepper,
But ?
DRAZEN:
He wouldn?t know.
KOTA:
Exactly. And would you?
DRAZEN:
Depends. Are you looking to raid
These sites?
KOTA:
No? Actually, we need to buy
Some parts.
DRAZEN:
I might be able to help. I can
Connect you with a group of local
Troublemakers known as the Black Guard.
They?re usually running operations like
This, so you can ask them.
KOTA:
I can?t thank you enough, Mr. Drazen.
DRAZEN:
Don?t thank me? I?m just doing what?s
Right? That?s something that no man
Should be thanked for.
Scene Two: ?Tepper?s Intentions?
Int. Empire ? FH Sector ? Tepper?s Mansion ? Master Bedroom
[In the grandly designed master bedroom of the Tepper Mansion, Alex and his wife-to-be, Eve Summers, lie watching their television. The report on Tepper?s announcement to the public is being aired. Tepper smiles, looking over at his fianc? as the report airs.]
ALEX:
Isn?t it great? The media?s playing
Right into my hands. Once we lower
The tax rates, we?ll restore the public?s
Faith in the economy, and then, business
Will prosper.
EVE:
Don?t count your chickens until they hatch.
ALEX:
I?m getting a little too excited, I know.
EVE:
A little? That?s an understatement.
ALEX:
Have I ever told you how much I love you?
EVE:
Only every other second.
ALEX:
I just can?t help it? I can?t envision
Spending the rest of my life with anyone
But you.
EVE:
Soon, darling. The wedding?s only a
Few months away.
ALEX:
I know? I think I?m going to go take
A shower. Care to join me, dear?
EVE:
Sure, go ahead. I?ll be there in just a
Minute, okay?
ALEX:
Sure.
[Alex stands and walks across the room, towards the master bathroom. Once he?s gone, Eve stands, a content look on her face as she walks across the room, to the door of the bedroom. We follow her out into the hallway, which is lined with red carpeting and decorated with various pictures. Standing outside next to her, waiting, is a young boy, somewhere in his late teens. This is ANDREA, personal assistant to Alex.]
ANDREA:
Miss Summers, you called?
EVE:
Yes. I want you to go find Jake. Tell
Him that I have a job for him to do.
ANDREA:
Yes, ma?am. At once.
Scene Three: ?Warehouse Three?
Int. Empire ? FH Sector ? Warehouse Three
[In an old warehouse, rather empty, two chairs are set in the middle of the room. In one chair sits Drazen. In the other sits a boy who can?t be any older than nineteen, dressed in street clothes, with a mean scowl across his face. This is MARCO STONE, leader of the Black Guard.]
MARCO:
I never thought the day would come that
Forrest Drazen would be buying contraband
From me.
DRAZEN:
Shut up, Marco. Can you supply me
With what I need or not?
MARCO:
Yeah, I got what you want? But it?ll
Take a few hours to get my hands on it.
DRAZEN:
How long?
MARCO:
Six hours, tops.
DRAZEN:
How much?
MARCO:
Eighty-four ship credits, in person.
Bring it with you. Six hours from now.
We?ll meet at The Cosmic Palace Casino.
Deal?
DRAZEN:
Deal.
[Drazen stands up, walks across the warehouse, and leaves. Marco remains in his seat for a few moments, still as can be. He looks up after a few moments when someone else, off screen, enters the warehouse. He smiles as the person, a lovely woman of unimaginable beauty, walks across the warehouse, entrancing Marco. This woman is KEREENE NISEA. She leans in over Marco?s chair, giving him a passionate kiss, before breaking it and sitting in his lap.
KEREENE:
Who was that?
MARCO:
Forrest Drazen. He needs some
Contraband.
KEREENE:
You don?t think it?s a setup?
MARCO
Not a chance. Drazen?s low-key.
He?s no more involved with the government
Now than you or I. Trust me, I know.
KEREENE:
I don?t know, Marco. It seems kind of
Risky, don?t you think?
MARCO:
Trust me, Kereene. I?ve got this.
KEREENE:
Okay, Marco. I know you do.
Scene Four: ?The Speech?
Int. Empire ? Sector EC ? Concert Hall
[The seats of a large concert hall are gathered with flocks of people, watching a man on stage ? Zak Zant, son of diplomat Logan Zant. He is standing behind a podium. On stage behind him stand Cara and Jay Stryder, the event manager of the ship. They are smiling, while whispering to each other softly so they are not overheard.]
JAY:
Where is he?
CARA:
I don?t know. He knows how important
This is.
ZAK:
And I assure you all that my father?
JAY:
Then why isn?t he here?
This is a disaster.
ZAK:
Would be most proud of the developments
On board this ship which he helped
Fund. As such, we will be continuing?
[The camera transitions to a raised boxed VIP booth, housing Cara?s assistant from earlier, Amy Cole, and a friend, NOLE TENTHE. They are dressed in their best, watching the presentation with great interest as they whisper to each other.]
NOLE:
Jay looks nervous, doesn?t he?
AMY:
I suspect he?s worried because the
Captain?s not here.
NOLE:
Yeah? Probably so.
ZAK:
?To fund the research, the development, the lighting?.
[We transition to another box seat, housing Ashton Viccone (the wise man from the briefing) and another man, similarly middle-aged, who has a very stearn look on his face. This man is DEAN AIDA, a politician and friend of Ashton.]
ASHTON:
Where do you suppose the captain is?
DEAN:
Dealing with the explosion. I heard
That our communications were breached.
ASHTON:
Really. By who, do you imagine?
DEAN:
A trouble maker? Someone who we need
To take care of.
ZAK:
?everything that makes this ship
What it is. As such, I hereby pledge to
Donate 50 million credits immediately.
[The crowd, Dean and Ashton included, clap at Zak?s announcement.]
Scene Five: ?Emotions?
