Copyright 1995, 1999 Douglas B. Killings All rights reserved. ******** Episode One: Dark Reunion 001 SCENE: EXT, A futuristic city. Skyscrapers and aircars everywhere. It is approaching sunset, but the sky is still bright. CAMERA PANS DOWN, revealing elevated walkways filled with people. A caption appears on the lower part of the screen. CAPTION: Planet Kiera. Then, another. CAPTION: 1730 Local Time. 002: CAMERA SLOWLY ZOOMS INTO CROWD. The crowds are a general mix of people, some in good moods, some in bad; some obviously on business, others just having a good time. It looks like any average Street crowd... except that it is milling about on a pair of parallel walkways several hundred (thousands?) of feet above the ground. In between the walkways are a concrete-steel canyon extending far down. Below, other walkways are visible, equally crowded. It is daytime, although the skyscrapers cast such shadows that lights are still needed to illuminate. There are aircars of varying kinds passing through the canyon. Christmas decorations adorn the walkways. 003: CAMERA SETTLE ON ONE PERSON. The camera centers on one person in the crowd: a medium- height, slightly overweight, bearded man. He is dressed in multi-colored clothing, but the clothing does not suit him. He is looking around nervously, trying to look inconspicuous and not succeeding. 004: CUT TO: EXT., A slowly moving aircar, moving in canyon. The aircar is a sleek, cockpit-enclosed model. It is black and has a menacing look. 005: CUT TO: INT., the aircar. We see a futuristic dashboard, including several computer screens. One screen has a schematic display of this particular walkway area; another has a holo of the bearded man along with a list of statistics (height, weight, arrest record, etc.). A name is at the top: NATHAN DAWARS. A gloved hand reaches out to a control panel near the latter screen. The list of statistics disappears, to be replaced by a full-body hologram of Dawars. The word "TRACKING" flashes below. 006: CUT TO: EXT., the walkway. Dawars continues to look around nervously. He tries to move quickly, but the crowds prevent him. In the distance behind him, ominously, the aircar slides forward. 007: CUT TO: INT., the aircar. An electronic voice -- SELDON -- speaks. SELDON: Attention! Law enforcement units in vicinity. 008: CAMERA PULLS BACK, to reveal a figure strapped into the driver's seat. More of the cockpit is revealed, including controls that are obviously weapons-related. The pilot is dressed in a form-fitting black flightsuit; a black flight-helmet obscures his face. Pilot: How close? SELDON: One mobile unit moving our direction this level two thousand meters; one mobile unit passing three levels below... Pilot: Foot patrols? SELDON: Seven units this level within one thousand meters. Twenty-nine units on adjacent levels within one-thousand meters. Pilot: (mumbling to himself, shaking head) Sounds like the holidays to me. (to SELDON) Access police dispatch mainframe. Divert as many as you can from this area. SELDON: Affirmative. 009: CUT TO: EXT., the walkway. Dawars continues his nervous trek, suspicious that he is being followed. He looks over his shoulder and catches a glimpse of the black aircar; he starts to panic. So much, in fact, that he panics straight into a uniformed police officer. 010: CUT TO: Close-up of police officer. The police officer gets a good look at Dawars. 011: CUT TO: Close-up of Dawars. Dawars freezes. However, he does not run, but slowly turns away into the crowd. 012: CUT TO: Close-up of police officer. The policeman looks at him quizzically as he departs, then the officer's face changes in recognition. Pol. Off #1: Hey, you! 013: CUT TO: Close-up of Dawars. He starts to run, pushing people out of his way. From behind him, the police officer surges into pursuit. Pol. Off #1: (excitedly) This is unit three-four-one! Have spotted... 014: CUT TO: INT., the aircar. SELDON: Attention! Law enforcement officers have identified subject. Mobile units... Pilot: Merde! The pilot activates some controls. 015: CUT TO: EXT., the walkway area. The aircar begins to accelerate toward Dawars. Dawars, meanwhile, is now running -- away from both the police and the person pursuing him. 016: CUT TO: EXT., another walkway area. Many police officers (human and non-human) have join in the chase. Dawars starts to look desperate. He jumps over a railing onto a lower level. An ominous aircar shadow passes over him. 017: CUT TO: EXT., close-up of aircar. The pursuing aircar dips to that level, then hovers in one spot as Dawars ducks into a tight corridor. The cockpit swings opens, then the pilot jumps out, gun drawn. He joins in pursuit; the cockpit swings shut and the aircar slowly turns away. 018: CUT TO: EXT., a narrow corridor. Shops are on either side. There are a few people, some of them holiday shoppers, walking. Dawars runs into a few people. The pilot is running in pursuit. Farther behind are several police officers. 019: CUT TO: EXT., a walkway with a bookstore. As the pilot chases Dawars, a large bookstore is passed. In the window are several copies of recently published books (in hardcopy and various electronic, CD-Rom-type editions). The pilot pauses for a moment, then glances at one of the titles; he gives it a short, annoyed glance before continuing his pursuit. 020: CUT TO: Close-up of bookstore window. CAMERA ZOOMS toward one title: "Crying Havoc: The Flight of the Christobel", by Megen O'Connor-Schiller. For a moment, the camera lingers significantly on this title. 021: CUT TO: EXT., a deserted walkway. Dawars emerges from a corridor onto the walkway. It appears to be in a rather rundown area of the city. He starts to charge accross. Suddenly, the black aircar descends in front of him. Dawars turns around suddenly and sees the pilot emerging from the same corridor. Desperate, Dawars runs to one side of the walkway and looks down. 022: CUT TO: EXT., the deserted walkway, POV directly above. It is a VERY long drop. The sound of sirens can be heard in the distance, as can the approaching police, not too far behind. 023: CUT TO: EXT., the deserted walkway. Pilot: (pointing gun in his direction) Dawars! You're surrounded, asshole! Start talking! Dawars: Kek you, man! I ain't talk'in! You're as surrounded as I am! The man takes a few shots in Dawars' general direction. Pilot: Fug that, Dawars. The most they got on me are moving violations. You've got a price on your head -- and so help me I'll claim it if you don't talk! Dawars: What's the difference?!? Talk to you I'm dead; talk to the cops I'm dead! The pilot slowly advances on Dawars. His aircar also slowly advances toward the man. 024: CUT TO: Close-up of Pilot. CAMERA ZOOMS Toward the pilot. Pilot: Tell me what I want to know and I'll get you off-planet -- no tricks. Keep your mouth shut and I'll make sure it stays that way. Better deal than you're likely to get from the D.A. Take it or I'll write you off as a business expense. Dawars looks fearfully first at the pilot, then the aircar, then at the pilot again. The sirens and police sounds are now VERY close. The camera centers on his stricken face. 025: CUT TO: Exterior, the deserted walkway. The police reach the scene just as the black aircar speeds away. Officer #1 speaks into his comm-link. Pol. Off. #1: This is unit six-three-one... 026: CUT TO: Interior, the aircar. Dawars is bound and handcuffed behind the pilot. His mouth is shut with duct tape, and his facial expression is one of anger and rage; the pilot seems not to notice. Instead, the pilot has settled back into his cockpit. Outside, the city is shooting past at a rapid pace. Pilot: SELDON, scramble their tracking -- NOW! SELDON: Affirmative. 027: CUT TO: SFX, the city. The black aircar speeds past. Several equally sleek police aircars are now in pursuit. 028: CUT TO: Interior, the aircar. Pilot: (calm, but with urgency) Kal! Vik! I need a pick-up, now! I've got an emergency! 029: CUT TO: SFX, the hanger of a spaceport bay. There is a single, vaguely bird-like spaceship in the hanger. Although it looks beat and worn, looks can be deceiving. There are some very obvious energy-weapons along the sides. 030: CUT TO: Interior, the flightdeck of the spaceship. The flightdeck is cramped with controls, all of which are in varying stages of deferred maintenance. At front, surrounded by consoles, computer screens, and various flight and weapons-related controls, are two pilot seats, neither of which are at present occupied. Behind are two other stations, also surrounded by electronic gear. In one of these stations there sits a blonde woman (VIK), roughly late twenties or possibly very early thirties. Behind her is a man roughly the same age (KAL), who has apparently just hurried to the flight deck. Neither of them look amused. Vik: (mumbling to herself) Here we go again... (raising voice) Sir, what is your position? We cannot -- repeat, cannot -- get a fix on your position! 031: CUT TO: SFX, the steel canyons. There is a chase going, with an ever-increasing number of police aircars in hot pursuit of the black aircar. The black aircar avoids capture in rather spectacular fashion, but seems to carefully avoid causing either the pedestrians or the police any physical harm. 032: CUT TO: Interior, the aircar. The sirens of a rather large number of police aircars can be seen behind. The pilot does not look amused. Pilot: What do you mean, you can't get a fix on me? 033: CUT TO: Interior, the flight deck. Vik is leaning against one console and looking rather perturbed. Kal, meanwhile, has already jumped (literally) into one of the pilot seats and begun a rapid series of preflight checks. There is a dull but ever-increasing hum as the ship powers up. Vik: I mean I'm getting nothing everywhere I look. Your stupid computer tells me there's some kind of heavy-duty jamming going on... 034: CUT TO: Interior, the aircar. The pilot curses. Outside, he executes another hair- raising (hair-brained?) manoeuver. Pilot: (angry, strained voice) Damn it, SELDON!! I said scramble their tracking -- not ours!! SELDON: (calm, mechanical) As you are already aware, sir, I am incapable of selectively altering the laws of physics. If you wish... Pilot: Can it, SELDON!! (frantically looking around for some landmark) Vik! I'm in the vicinity of the University. Get over here NOW!!! 035: CUT TO: SFX, the hanger. The spaceship is powering up; dust flies as it gently lifts off and climbs into the air. 036: CUT TO: Interior, the flightdeck. Vik is strapping herself in as Kal brings the ship up. Kal: (shouting over shoulder to Vik) Where around the University did he say? Vik: Doesn't matter -- just get us there. (to herself) He won't be too hard to find... 037: CUT TO: SFX, the steel canyons. The black aircar shoots past. Behind it is a flying Blues-Brothers like parade of police vehicles. Other aircars are wisely getting out of the way, although maybe not as quickly as is safely possible. 038: CUT TO: Interior, the aircar. Dawars looks as if to say "Whatever the police do to me can't possibly be worse than this!" 039: CUT TO: SFX, the steel canyons. The chase careens along, with the black aircar always just one step ahead. From time to time, one of the police aircars tries to take a potshot at the black aircar, but none hit. The black aircar is trying to stay near the top of the city, although this is not always possible. The chase weaves around buildings, through canyons, and up and down great heights. 040: CUT TO: Interiors, the aircar and police aircars. Interspersed with the chase scenes are quick shots of both the police and the pilot of the black aircar. 041: CUT TO: SFX, the steel canyons. The black aircar careens through a construction site, weaving its way through. Some police aircars manage to as well. However, as the black aircar swings clear, it becomes obvious that it is fighting a loosing battle; from all around a number of police aircars are converging. 042: CUT TO: Interior, the aircar. The pilot slows down his aircar and looks around frantically. There is almost nowhere he can go now; he looks surrounded. Pilot: (to himself) Vik, where the hell are you? SELDON: Attention! I am receiving a transmission... Pilot: The ship? SELDON: Negative. Signal origination appears to be... Pilot: Can it, SELDON... tell them I'm not in. 043: CUT TO: SFX, the airspace just above the city. The aircar is now hovering. There are a huge number of police vehicles all around. Several individuals armed in battlesuits also converge, their weapons also aimed at the aircar. All police officers concerned look rather perturbed. Pol. Off. #2: (voice over radio) Attention! You are ordered to surrender your vessel immediately! Open your hatch and stand with your hands up!! 044: CUT TO: Interior, the aircar. The pilot curses. Dawars doesn't know whether to look relieved or not. Pilot: SELDON, any idea where Vik and Kal are? SELDON: Negative. I am unable to ascertain the current whereabouts of the ship, nor am I able to... Pilot: (irritated) A simple "no" would have been sufficient. The pilot sighs and looks around him. The police demands are heard again. 045: CUT TO: SFX, the aircars. Pol. Off. #2: (voice over radio) Repeat, you are ordered to surrender your vessel! You have until the count of ten to surrender or we will open fire! One! 046: CUT TO: Interior, the aircar. Pol. Off. #2: Two! Pilot: (to SELDON) Well, what do you think we should do? Pol. Off. #2: Three! Dawars: Mmmmmmphf! Pol. Off. #2: Four! Pilot: (to Dawars) Yeah? Well, who asked you anyway? Pol. Off. #2: Five! SELDON: I would point out that the law-enforcement official's current offer... Pol. Off. #2: Six! SELDON: ...is, under the circumstances, extremely generous. The pilot looks outside. Several of the battlesuit operators have advanced very close and have their guns trained eagerly on the troublesome aircar. Pol. Off. #2: Seven! The pilot sighs. Pilot: Oh well, quit while you've got a head, I suppose. Pol. Off. #2: Eight! 047: CUT TO: SFX, the aircars. Several of the police zealously wait for the count to end. Pol. Off. #2: Nine! 048: They seemed poised to open fire when, disappointingly, the aircar doors swing upward and the pilot, still wearing his helmet, stands with his hands up. The battlesuits close in and move forward to arrest the miscreants. They are almost there when a loud rumbling noise is heard and, much to their surprise, a spaceship materializes above the aircar. Several policebeings open fire on both it and the aircar, but their weapons blasts are absorbed by an energy shield. 049: CUT TO: Close-up of the pilot. Pilot: About bloody time... The pilot looks upwards toward the ship; there is a large cargo hatch sliding open on the underside. 050: CUT TO: SFX, the aircar and spaceship. The spaceship gently draws the smaller aircar into it, while frustrated police fire off energy shots to no avail. Several vehicles and battlesuits try to advance on the spaceship, but are unable to penetrate the energy shield. Finally, the aircar is inside the spaceship. The spaceship banks to one side, accelerates, and climbs into the evening sky toward space. The police are not pleased. 051: CUT TO: Interior, a room aboard the spaceship. The room appears to be something like a commons room for the ship's crew. It has a couple of tables, several chairs, a small kitchen area, perhaps a view of the outside. It has a very definite "lived in" look -- not necessarily dirty, but not exactly spiffy-clean either. Dawars is in the room, bound and handcuffed to a chair. Vik, Kal, and the mysterious pilot are there as well, interrogating the man, with Vik on one side and the pilot on the other. The pilot seems very serious, business- like. However, we do not see his face, only his back. Dawars looks frantically from Vik to the pilot, obviously very scared. Dawars: That's all I know! Honest! I haven't had any contact with him since then! Vik: Five weeks? It seems rather convenient that he hasn't even bothered to contact you. Dawars: Well, umm, I've sort of run into some difficulties since then... Kal: (sarcastically) Meaning you put a police officer in the morgue. Self defense, I believe you called it? Dawars: It was all a mis-understanding, I assure you! I really didn't mean to hit him... Vik: Seventeen times... Kal: ...from behind... Vik: ...with a crowbar... Kal: ...and a baseball bat... The Pilot looks annoyed at the other two. Pilot: (to Vik and Kal) Knock it off, you two. (to Dawars) What was the name again? Dawars: Cantrel. Julio Shelby Cantrel. Pilot: SELDON? 052: CUT TO: Close-up of a nearby computer console. SELDON: Scanning... A Kieran passport and several identification papers were issued to that name on or about the date specified. Physical parameters correlate with subject's known description. Kal: (to the Pilot) Looks like your man, sir. Pilot: SELDON, can you find out anything after he left Kiera? SELDON: Scanning... At present, I can only identify a reservation and boarding pass for a destination in the HEM 6214 system. Shall I continue inquiries? Pilot: (thinking) Find out what you can... but discreetly. I don't want anyone else tipped off. SELDON: Affirmative. Vik: (to the Pilot) It sounds like he's heading for the frontier. Making a break for Golian space? Kal: Possibly. Or maybe he just wants to lie low for awhile -- until things blow over. Pilot: (shaking head, still thinking) No... no, not lie low. He knows someone's onto him now. I know him too well -- deep down he's too much of a coward to face us head on... No, he's aiming toward the Golians, where he thinks he'll be safe. Dawars looks around at the others, suddenly realizing he's been forgotten. Dawars: Hey! What about me! I've given you what you wanted, haven't I? (indicating his restraints) When do you let me go? The Pilot looks down at Dawars. He motions to the others. Pilot: Get him to his feet. Kal and Vik untie him and bring him to his feet. The handcuffs stay on. The two push Dawars forward and follow the Pilot, who has stepped out of the room. Dawars is protesting vehemently. Dawars: Hey! What are you doing? We had a deal! 053: CUT TO: A Ship's corridor. The four enter a cramped corridor. The Pilot leads them to a hatchway, which he opens by tapping out a command on a touchpad control on the wall. The hatch opens to reveal a small, cramped compartment. Dawars: (gulping) What are you going to do? Pilot: Our deal was to take you off-planet. I've done that. I see no further reason to keep you around. Dawars: (sudden fear) But...but... Vik: (shoving Dawars into hatchway) Oh, don't worry. It's just an escape pod. You've got at least a month's worth of rations and oxygen recycling to boot. Kal: And if you're really lucky, the emergency beacon will go off and you'll be rescued. Vik: Of course, the only people likely to pick you up should be very pleased to find you. Kal: So much so they might not want to let you go. Dawars: (to Vik and Kal) Please!! You can't! I'll do anything! Anything at all! Vik: Not our department. Captain? Dawars: Mercy, please! I beg you! The Pilot (the Captain of the ship) considers. He touches some controls and the hatch slowly closes. 054: CUT TO: Camera angle from the escape pod out. Pilot: (cold, quiet) How much mercy did you give the police officer? The hatch shuts. Dawars: Noooooo! 055: CUT TO: SFX, the escape pod nestled inside the ship. The escape pod ejects from the ship. 056: CUT TO: Interior, the spaceship. The three crewmembers watch the escape pod accelerating away. There is not a hint of emotion in the Captain's voice. Captain: (to Kal) When did you set the beacon timer to go off? Kal: Three weeks from now. That should give us enough time. Vik's eyes abruptly go wide as realization suddenly strikes. Vik: Oh dear... I think it'll end up being a rather long three weeks for him -- especially if he isn't a good lockpick. The other two look at her questioningly. She reaches into a pocket on her outfit and pulls out the key to the handcuffs. Vik: I forgot to uncuff him... Eyebrows raised, Kal and Vik simultaneously slowly turn their heads in the direction the escape pod sped away. The captain remains stone-faced. FADE OUT for commercial break.