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SPACE PIRATES: THE ANDROMEDAN SON OF TECHNOLOGY PT. I

By

Dave Perry

Second Draft 10.08.2009 WGA #123456 c 2009

Dave Perry Petty Torture Productions 7564 Mayapple Court Avon, IN 46123 513-307-5370 [email protected] [email protected]

FADE IN

EXT. SPACE - NIGHT

The opening scene shows a distant view of a large glassdomed platform floating in space, with many small spacesemis and THE DREADKNOT docked around it's perimeter. It'sclearly a major event of some kind. There are news teamssurrounding the stage, and reporters everywhere. There areseveral people scattered inside wearing chef uniforms, andmany people in waiter and waitress uniforms. It's agathering including many different species from throughoutthe galaxy.

EXT. DREADKNOT'S DECK - INSIDE DOME - SPACE

THE CAPTAIN, 36, a maniac with the disposition of a fiveyear old, HEKTOR, 56, a cynical jewish psychotherapist,NOAH, 27, a rough and tough ex-con, SAM, 26, (female) atomboy greasemonkey knockout, ROCKO, 34, a one-armed baldgiant, SEBASTIEN, 45, a rotund french chef, EDDIE, 46, adisgruntled italian pizza chef, ELI, 24, a jumpy youngjewish chef, a REPORTER, 36, and her CAMERA MAN, 25, arepresent.

REPORTER

(Clearly a parody model ofGreta Van Susteran. Herjaw and teeth never open,she speaks through herteeth.)

This is FOX correspondent GretchenVan Lockjaw reporting. I'm herewith contestant number fifteen,"Sebastien le Magnifique," owner ofthe Dreadknot's La Corbeille aPain; the galaxy's first mobilegourmet restaurant to qualify forthe AICP's annual Culinary ShowcaseAwards. For those that areunfamiliar with the awards, thewinner of this prestigious showcaseaward ceremony are nominated to winthe James Beard Award, one of theculinary world's highestachievements.

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As I mentioned before, I'm herewith Sebastien, a French chef thatspecializes in European andMediterranean cuisines. Sebastien,how do you feel about the challengeof having to create culinary worksfor species outside of your own?How do you plan to overcome thisforeign obstacle?

SEBASTIEN

Ha ha, well I've not had quite asmuch experience working outside ofthe human stomach, but I've hadmany classes on the senses of tastefor most of the species generallyinhabiting our solar system. Ithink the real challenge will bethe language.

GRETCHEN VAN LOCKJAWHa ha, good news to hear from sucha unique contestant.

SEBASTIENYes, well I think La Corbeille aPain has a leg up over thecompetition.

GRETCHEN VAN LOCKJAWOh, really, and what might that be?

SEBASTIENWell, La Corbeille a Pain is basedaboard the Dreadknot, and so whilethe other contestants must make dowith setting a stage, when thejudges come to get a taste of LaCorbeille a Pain, they'll not justget a taste of the food, but the

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real atmosphere as well.

GRETCHEN VAN LOCKJAWAh ha, well that's fantastic.Unfortunately, I must move on tothe next interview, butcongratulations and good luck toyou.

The CAMERA MAN pulls down the camera.

GRETCHEN VAN LOCKJAWOh, thank God. Where's my danish!?I want my danish!

A young STAGE HAND hands her a plate with a danish on it.

GRETCHEN VAN LOCKJAWWhat? What is this? Why didn't youliquefy it! What kind of sick jokeis this?! You know I can't eatsolid food! You're fired! Get theHELL out of here!

GRETCHEN and the CAMERA MAN exit.

SEBASTIENAh, this is amazing. Captain, Imust thank you again for thisopportunity. I've been to so manyshowcases and contests before, butnothing like this. Not with theprestige and elegance of which theIACP demands. It is truly a dreamcome true to be honored by thepresence of so many wonderfulchefs, and to be cooking fornomination of the James BeardAward! Oh, this contest could notbegin soon enough. Thank you.

THE CAPTAIN

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(Blissfully.)Money!

NOAHHa. Sebastien, don't tell me youthought The Captain would be inthis for anything other than cold,hard cash.

SEBASTIENAh yes. Well, I may have felt lessobliged, if not for the idea thatThe Captain seems not understandthe value of money, only that it issomething a true pirate searchesfor. He knows what he wants,whether or not he knows why. Such athing can be commendable.

ELI approaches SEBASTIEN.

ELISebastien, the health inspector iscoming to look at the restaurant!

SEBASTIENOh! Eli, quickly now, go acquireEddie! It will be time to beginonce the inspector has completedhis walk through of La Corbeille aPain! Go, my friend, go!

ELI nervously scuttles off to find EDDIE.

The HEALTH INSPECTOR, 35, american, approaches SEBASTIEN.

SEBASTIENAh, monsieur inspecteur, welcome tothe Dreadknot. I will show you tomy restaurant, La Corbeille a Pain.Right this way, through our hotel,La Vue de Pont.

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HEALTH INSPECTORPlease, Mister... Le Magnifique?Only directions. I'm sure I willlocate the restaurant well myself.

SEBASTIENOh, of course, of course. Wellthen, through the hotel lobby, onthe left is the opening to LaCorbeille a Pain. Here, you haveentered the hall. Directly in frontof you lay the dining floor, to theright lay Le Connoisseur, ourlounge, and directly behind thedining floor can be found thekitchen. Please take your time, Iwish to know if anything is of poorsanitation, though I am confidentyou will find everything inperfectly immaculate order. And,please, call me Sebastien.

HEALTH INSPECTORThank you, Sebastien, and good luckto you.

The HEALTH INSPECTOR enters LA VUE DE PONT.

HEKTORWhy can't you go in there with him?

SEBASTIENThe showcase had an incidentinvolving a not well honest healthinspector a few years back, abribery issue, and since has beenthe rule that no member of therestaurant staff is permitted to bein the presence of the inspectorwhile he works.

NOAHOh, well, that's a great idea. You

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have an issue with a dishonesthealth inspector, and your solutionis to leave them alone in therestaurant.

...And now the French, with a punt.

INT. LA VUE DE PONT - CONDESCENT LIGHTING

BOMBA, 40, an uptight african manager, is at the CONCIERGECOUNTER. The HEALTH INSPECTOR enters.

BOMBAOh, hello. You must be the healthinspector. This is the concierge,and my name is Bomba. La Corbeillea Pain is to your left, as well asLe Connoisseur. To your right isthe entrance to La Vue's rooms.

HEALTH INSPECTOROh, uh... thank you.

The HEALTH INSPECTOR enters LA CORBEILLE A PAIN.

INT. LA CORBEILLE A PAIN - DINING AREA - CONDESCENT LIGHTING

The HEALTH INSPECTOR looks back at the concierge. BOMBA isstanding at the counter, picking bits of lint from histuxedo, and grunting every time he notices one.

The HEALTH INSPECTOR notices the entrance to the KITCHENacross the DINING FLOOR. He walks steadily toward theKITCHEN, looking around as if searching for another set ofdoors. Seemingly finding no other alternative, he enters theKITCHEN.

INT. KITCHEN - LA CORBEILLE A PAIN

He makes his way through, and after short deliberation,opens the FREEZER DOOR.

HEALTH INSPECTOR(Pleasant shock.)

...You're kidding.

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EXT. DECK OF THE DREADKNOT - INSIDE THE DOME - SPACE

HEKTORHey, wasn't Bomba at the concierge?The inspector's been in there for awhile, I wonder why he didn't sendBOMBA out. He couldn't have-

CYBRUS, 56, an eight-armed four-eyed green spider/frog,enters the DECK from the below deck staircase on the left ofthe entrance to LA VUE DE PONT.

CYBRUSHey, hey, friends, where's thegrub?

(He lets out a sigh ofrelief.)

I've been transferring theblueprint adjustment data forhours. All those secret passagesThe Captain's been burrowingthrough the Dreadknot can't be goodfor its structural integrity.

HEKTORWell, if there's one great reliefwe can all count on, it's The'sability to defy physicseffectively, whenever the hell hefeels like it. Sometimes I dowonder whether his power would bemore dangerous or less dangerous inthe hands of someone in their rightmind.

INT. COMPUTER CONTROL ROOM - DREADKNOT - DIM NEON LIGHTING

The HEALTH INSPECTOR enters from a TILE on the floor. Hestands up. He puts on a strange looking GLOVE. He raises hisgloved hand and draws a diagonal line in the air. As he doesthis, a glowing RECTANGLE forms. It's a transparentTELESCREEN. The TELESCREEN opens a list of contacts. TheINSPECTOR clicks one named "Maksim." SERYOZHA MAKSIM, 47, aRussian military general for the planet Mars, appears on theTELESCREEN.

SERYOZHAAh, Dizh Kremmel, how are you

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progressing?

DIZH KREMMEL (HEALTH INSPECTOR)I've made it to one of the controlrooms. It was far easier than I hadimagined. Someone had created asystem of passages throughout theship. All the passages werelabelled by destination, almostlike a network of secret passagesfor an Alzheimer's patient.

SERYOZHAGood. Well, now that you've reachedthe control room, you may begin thedata transfer, yes?

DIZH KREMMELAbsolutely. I was simply updatingyou on the status of my mission. Wehaven't spoken since the briefing.

SERYOZHAExcellent, excellent. I can expectthe data within the hour, then?

DIZH KREMMELGive or take. It will depend onwhether or not the user deems thefiles sensitive enough to secure.

SERYOZHADo not underestimate the user. Theuser is the one I'm after, and Ican assure you of his proficiency.Take caution, and contact me whenyou are through.

The TELESCREEN goes dark, shrinks, and disappears.

DIZH KREMMEL takes the GLOVE off, and puts on two differentGLOVES. He approaches a WALL INSERT. Inside the INSERT is aglowing BALL that resembles a plasma ball. Its littlestrands of lightening are striking different receptors onthe walls of the INSERT.

DIZH KREMMELAlright, this delta port shouldwork.

He touches a small PANEL just below the INSERT with hisindex and middle finger, and drags his fingers through theair. As he does this, two glowing CORDS appear from the

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PANEL to his fingers. He then uses his other hand to createa SCREEN like he did before. Once the SCREEN is formed, aDESKTOP appears. He connects one CORD by touching his indexthe left side of the SCREEN, and the other by touching hismiddle finger to the bottom of the SCREEN. Then, in the samefashion with which he made the SCREEN, he creates aKEYBOARD. From here, he attempts to hack into THEDREADKNOT's memory core. He's able to access general data,such as images and basic unsecured text documents.

DIZH KREMMELAlright... basic stuff. Nothinghere. No surprise, he's not anidiot. Time to dive a littledeeper.

(He types more. He touchesthe SCREEN, moving windowsaround. He's opening fileafter file.)

Bah bah bah bah...hmm...hiddenfiles, perhaps? Let us see.

Clickity click, nudgety nudge...

He opens a WINDOW that says, "Enter password to access usershadow files."

DIZH KREMMELOoo, shadow files. Not the mostsecure method, but it could behere.

He drags the WINDOW to the right, and pulls up a TAB. Itopens a new transparent SCREEN. The SCREEN shows a blackWINDOW titled, "Programmer Decryption Codes for Shadow FileSoftware." He enters a few, none of them work, he entersanother, the SCREEN blinks and displays a small WINDOW thatsays, "Software decryption successful...Loading shadowfiles."

DIZH KREMMELMkay... Now is it straw, sticks, orbricks... Bricks.

He clicks on a file code set. It opens a WINDOW withchronologically dated files.

DIZH KREMMELHa. It's always bricks. Here we go.Do de doop, and load it to astandard data sphere. Espionagecomplete.

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He opens another, smaller SCREEN, and pushes the DATA SPHEREinto it. The SPHERE flattens to the SCREEN. He closes theSCREEN, then detaches the two plasma CORDS, and finally, hecloses the other two SCREENS and the KEYBOARD. He removeshis GLOVES and puts them in his back pocket.

DIZH KREMMEL exits through the TILE floor.

EXT. DECK OF THE DREADKNOT - INSIDE THE DOME - SPACE

NOAH, HEKTOR, and CYBRUS are present.

CYBRUSWell I'm too hungry to wait forSebastien to come back, I'm goingto go get some food.

NOAHSomehow I doubt it's supposed totake this long. Hektor, cover me,I'm gonna go check things out.

NOAH begins to walk toward LA VUE. Just as he takes a fewsteps, DIZH KREMMEL comes out.

DIZH KREMMELAlright! Well, I've finished theinspection, so where's Sebastien?

CYBRUSOh. Well, I guess since you're backI'll wait for Sebastien. He went tomeet the other chefs. He should beback soon.

DIZH KREMMELWell, unfortunately I have to be onmy way. Let him know that I foundno health code violations, and thatLa Corbeille a Pain is ofimmaculate working conditions.

CYBRUSOh, that's great, I'll let him knowwhen he returns.

DIZH KREMMEL puts his hand on his computer CLIPBOARD, andlifts his hand. As he does this, the text on the CLIPBOARDdigitalizes, and forms a DATA SPHERE. He inserts the DATASPHERE into a tiny floating BASKET. THE BASKET jets offtoward the IACP's ship, but TWO MEN, in conversation, are inits path. THE BASKET smacks one of them in the back of thehead.

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THE BASKET(Extremely loud.)

Unauthorized personnel rejected!

THE BASKET electrocutes MAN ONE.

DIZH KREMMELGood luck to you all, I have greatconfidence in your potential.

DIZH KREMMEL boards his personal POD and pulls away from theDREADKNOT. He exits the showcase PLATFORM.

NOAHHm. He seemed a little too rushed.I'm going to take a look at therestaurant.

NOAH exits the DECK into LA VUE.

SEBASTIEN returns to the DECK.

CYBRUSOh, hey Sebastien. The inspectorjust left. You've got a clean bill,I think you're ready to go.

SEBASTIENOh, wonderful! I must find Eli andEddie!

SEBASTIEN floats off.

CYBRUS' stomach growls, and he makes a face of impatientdiscomfort.

INT. DIZH KREMMEL'S POD - SPACE

DIZH KREMMEL opens a TELESCREEN to SERYOZHA.

DIZH KREMMELI've finished, and have the filesyou requested.

SERYOZHAFantastic. Send the event logs tome immediately.

DIZH KREMMELSure thing. These are the eventlogs for the Dreadknot dating backto the week following what we

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believe to be the beginning of theBoom. You've got The Captain,Hektor, and Noah's presence in thefirst log, and from there you havea daily log that includes how everycrew member joined the Dreadknot.

SERYOZHAYou've done well, Dizh Kremmel.Very well. I will make sure you areremembered as a hero.

DIZH KREMMELI see. Thank you, sir, it's been anhonor.

DIZH KREMMEL's POD implodes.

INT. SERYOZHA'S OFFICE - CITY OF BUHLINGRAD - MARS - MID DAY

SERYOZHA turns away from the TELESCREEN, it shrinks anddisappears. He opens two SCREENS. One is his INBOX, theother is a WINDOW with an UPLOAD FORM. He places his hand onthe INBOX, and pulls his hand away. This draws out a DATASPHERE. He pushes the DATA SPHERE into the UPLOAD FORM. TheINBOX SCREEN shrinks and disappears, while the event logsupload on the other SCREEN.

SERYOZHA flips through several files, with pictures of THEDREADKNOT's interior, text, etc. He stops. He flips back toa PAGE that had a PICTURE of a PERSONAL POD wrecked in theDOCKING BAY of the DREADKNOT. CYBRUS is shown in the seat ofthe POD, unconscious.

SERYOZHAAh ha. There you are, my arachnidfriend.

Close up on the FILE. A close up on the name "CYBRUS." Aclose up on the words "PERSONAL POD" and "WRECKED." A closeup on the sentence fragment, "RECALLS VERY LITTLE." A closeup on the sentence fragment, "BELIEVES HIS FATHER MAY HAVEBEEN." Close up of the words, "SCIENTIST OF SOME KIND."

SERYOZHAJust as I thought. Wonderful.

He opens a small TELESCREEN. A WOMAN, 32, a russianreceptionist, appears.

"Nadia, I need some items packedinto my suitcase. Also, tellPhenozhte to prepare the carrier

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for a trip. Set the auto pilot'sdestination to the planet Nimniad.The city of Daecron."

NADIA...Where?

EXT. CULINARY EVENT PLATFORM - SPACE

The news crews are packing, and there a only a fewrestaurant booths left.

INT. DECK OF THE DREADKNOT - INSIDE DOME - SPACE

SEBASTIEN, CYBRUS, EDDIE, and ELI are present.

ELISo when will we know how we did?

SEBASTIENWell the judges have decided forthis already, and will contact eachchef following their departure fromthe showcase. However, the awardceremony doesn't take place untilthe end of the year. The judgeshave several other showcases toattend before the James Beard Awardnominee can be chosen.

CYBRUSThe end of the year? Well, the factthat we're here tells me that TheCaptain didn't know that.

THE CAPTAIN enters the deck from LA VUE DE PONT. He'sslouched over, looking extremely menacing.

THE CAPTAINYOU. You lied to me. You lied, andfurthermore you lied further. Youlie further. You lie further thanme. And for THAT... for that youwill pay dearly...

EDDIE...

...What the hell did he just say?

NOAH chimes in over the PA.

NOAH

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Hey, the showcase crew has to closeoff the docking bays, we've got toset out. Everyone that isn't on theDreadknot needs to get back to theship.

THE CAPTAIN(Pointing at SEBASTIEN.)

This isn't over-(He quickly turns toEDDIE.)

-YOU ANSWER ME WHEN I SPEAK TO HIM!(He turns back toSEBASTIEN, then he backsaway, toward the MASTELEVATOR.)

See you in HELL!(He runs his hands downall the buttons.)

HA! We'll see how long it takes youto catch me now!

The doors close. The ELEVATOR dings. It goes up a floor. Itdings. It goes up a floor. It dings. It goes up a floor, thedoors open. THE CAPTAIN jumps out valiantly, falls, smacksthe DECK floor, then runs into LA VUE DE PONT.

A short moment passes. Inside LA VUE, BOMBA is heard.

BOMBANot in the silk rose bush, NOT INTHE SILK ROSE BUSH!

EXT. FRONT WALK OF THE CAPITOL BUILDING - CITY OF DAECRON -PLANET OF NIMNIAD - MID DAY

A MASSIVE NADEZHDAN CARRIER lands gradually upon the SQUARE.

(NADEZHDA is the Russian colony on MARS. NIMNIAD is the homeplanet of the INSIBIANS, which are creatures like CYBRUS.)

EXT. STEPS OF CAPITOL BUILDING

The entrance to TOWN HALL has ornate trim. It is a beautifulbuilding, and carries the character of the planet's blend oforganic matter and technological architecture. Theconstructs of NIMNIAD are made of massive TREES, that areextremely detailed in carvings. The STREET and STEPS aremade of an IVORY-like substance from a foreign creature.

Two GUARDS exit, and behind them, out steps MATTERIX, 153,an old insibian, similar to CYBRUS, but with massive

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mandibles like that of a spider. MATTERIX looks to the leftand to the right. Then he looks up at the carrier.

EXT. REAR OF NADEZHDAN CARRIER

A HATCH in the back of the CARRIER opens, sounding a bithydraulic. NADIA and PHENOZHTE, 37, a Nadezhdan secretary,exit the CARRIER, and walk down the HATCH. They stop at thebase. SERYOZHA MAKSIM steps out of the shadows, exits theCARRIER, and walks down the HATCH.

SERYOZHA(Shouting across theSQUARE.)

Matterix, I presume?

SERYOZHA walks up a bit to NADIA and PHENOZHTE, and thethree of them meet MATTERIX and his GUARDS in the middle ofthe SQUARE.

SERYOZHAMatterix. Good to meet you. I amGeneral Seryozha Maksim ofNadezhda. Division Four, WestHemisphere Ambassador of the planetMars.

(Here, it is important to note that when an INSIBIAN growsolder, it's split TONGUE begins to form into what can becompared to a spider's MANDIBLES. When this process reachesa certain point, it is no longer possible for an INSIBIAN tospeak recognizable human languages. Instead, they make arange of sounds, from clicks of the MANDIBLE teeth, rubbingof the MANDIBLES together, and even flapping of the LIPS andGUMS. The sounds are manipulated in a sort of "Morse Code"fashion. This is how INSIBIANS speak to each other. HUMANSare able to speak their language, and INSIBIANS are able tounderstand HUMANS. SERYOZHA has made himself familiar withthe language, and so it is henceforth to be understood thatSERYOZHA is speaking English, while MATTERIX speaks hisnative language, presented in English.)

MATTERIXHm. Yes, and I am General Matterixof Izel. Second son of Alphum,brother of the late Nexis. Defenderof Insibium, Keeper of the Script,and Ambassador for our State. It isto my understanding that you haveinformation regarding my nephew,Cybrus.

SERYOZHA

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You understand correct. Before Irelease the information, however, Imust insist upon two items ofnegotiation. I ask that you dictateto me the stipulations outlined forthe transfer of information, andthe assault on the vessel"Dreadknot" that I made mention ofbefore my arrival.

MATTERIXOnce the Dreadknot is in ourpossession, the crew is for us todeal with, with the exception of,both name and title, "The Captain."He is to be detained until aNadezhdan representative arrives toIzel to transport him back to Mars.Also, any data confiscated from theDreadknot's computer databaseregarding The Captain is to bedetained in a secure file until aNadezhdan representative arrives toIzel to retrieve it.

SERYOZHAVery good. Now, on to my end of thebargain.

He reaches out his hand toward NADIA. She hands him aDIGITAL CLIPBOARD (DIGIBOARD).

This clipboard contains theinformation you desire. It ispreloaded to a data sphere.

...Now, though I enjoy the beautyof your planet, I must return toNadezhda. My business isrelentless, as I'm sure you, afellow General and Ambassador,understands.

MATTERIXOf course. Thank you for informingme of the whereabouts of my nephew.I will contact you once theDreadknot has been subdued.

SERYOZHAThank you, General Matterix. Goodluck to you. I do not expectdisappointment.

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MATTERIXI do not accept disappointment,General Maksim.

SERYOZHA turns around and walks to the CARRIER. NADIA andPHENOZHTE turn and follow. The three board the CARRIER, theHATCH closes, and after a moment, the CARRIER lifts from theground and makes its way toward DAECRON's LAUNCH PORTAL.

MATTERIXGuards, prepare a battleship.Contact Cectrum and have him readyas much fuel as can be transportedon the battleship. Tell him toinclude the weight and space ofthree hundred foot men, fiftyagents, four guards, and myself.

INT. BRIDGE OF THE CARRIER

SERYOZHA, NADIA, and PHENOZHTE are present. SERYOZHA lightsa CIGAR.

PHENOZHTEGeneral? Could not you have senthim the data through Tmail? Thatexchange could certainly have takenplace over intervision. Why did youchoose to travel such a distance?

SERYOZHAMy boy, a fine general always makesfirst acquaintance in person,especially when engaging inexchange of information.

...Especially regarding a planetsurrounded by one's insurgents.

...Quid pro quo is never left fordistance to sort out.

INT. DREADKNOT - LA CORBEILLE A PAIN - DINING AREA - SPACE

SAM and CASSANDRA are sitting, drinking WINE, and eatingPASTA.

ELI, dressed in a waiter's UNIFORM, approaches the tablewith the CHECK.

ELIHere you go.

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(He hands CASSANDRA theCHECK.)

Sorry the food took so long, it's amess back there. Since Sebastienleft, Eddie's taken over thekitchen. I can't even touch thefood unless I'm carrying it to atable.

SAMYeah, it's getting a little old.

CASSANDRA(Chiming in.)

Like this alfredo.

SAMWait, so Eddie won't let you cook?The restaurant has plenty ofwaiters and waitresses, why isthere only one chef?

ELII don't know, he just doesn't seemto like me, I guess. I mean, I'mhappy that Sebastien won theshowcase, but I wish he didn't haveto go with the showcase crew forthe next month.

CASSANDRAEli, I can promise you it hasnothing to do with him liking you,and everything to do with hisunfounded ego. Here, I'll go inthere and talk to him right now.Sam, let's go. We'll fix thisimmediately, Eli.

As the two begin to walk toward the kitchen, the ROOMrumbles violently. Glass can be heard crashing, and PEOPLEmutter to each other.

ELIW-What was that?

SAMI don't know,

(Turning to CASSANDRA.)do you think we've cut the asteroidshoulder?

Just then, NOAH chimes in over the PA.

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NOAHWe're being attacked, every ass onthis ship had better be in a turretin five minutes. Move it, people!

SAMShit, we've got to go, now.

SAM and CASSANDRA rush out of LA CORBEILLE A PAIN.

INT. DREADKNOT - ATTACK SAILS - THIRD FLOOR

SAM and CASSANDRA rush through the door. They both slideinto neighboring TURRETS, and put EARPIECES in.

SAMSam, on 376.

CASSANDRACassandra, 375.

NOAH(Over the EARPIECES.)

Sam, Cassandra, I'll update you.Four minutes ago, an unidentifiedvessel approached the Dreadknotfrom south starboard. We couldn'tcommunicate with it, so we sent theMonkey on auto pilot to try to makecontact with the pilot. When theMonkey rounded the bow of thevessel, the vessel shut down theMonkey with some kind of plasma EMPspherical missile. The missile wasfired from what appeared to be arail gun beneath the shell of thevessel's hull.

SAMWait for the hull to open, and fireat the rail gun.

NOAHIt's the only conceivable option atthis point in time, because, as youcan see, our ammunition isn'tbreaching their force field. Cybrusis working on getting past theintegument, but for now we have tohit it when we know it'svulnerable.

(To the GUNNERS, over the

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PA.)...Gunners! Fire sporadically, butavoid the hull.

(To SAM and CASSANDRA.)If we stop firing, they'll knowwe're waiting for something, but ifour fire continues to hit theirforce field covering the rail gun,it'll never open. Fire away fromthe rail gun, and when the hullopens, attack it. When it opens,I'll fire a Highball* between theopening and the force field. If itworks, it'll debilitate theseassholes, and we can take theirship.

*HIGHBALL was the codename for a British WWII era BOMB thatwas created to be dropped from a combat AIRCRAFT. It wasmade to bounce off the surface of the water, hit the SHIP,and sink to explode beneath the HULL. Here, it's used as aCODENAME for any BOUNCING MISSILE.

SAMCopy.

CASSANDRACopy.

The GUNNERS release heavy fire from the DREADKNOT'sturret-harboring SAILS. A HATCH begins to split open on theHULL. Inside, a RAILGUN can be seen.

NOAHThere it is. Hold your fire until Itell you to hit the rail gun.

...Wait for it. Wait for it...Fire!

EXT. DREADKNOT AND BATTLESHIP - SPACE

SAM and CASSANDRA fire at the RAILGUN, and NOAH fires alarge spherical energy MISSILE. The MISSILE is made up of aplasma ENERGY that works similar to a RUBBER BALL. Theenergy keeps the MISSILE round. When it strikes an OBJECT,the OBJECT redirects that ENERGY back at the center of theMISSILE. The center then forces the ENERGY back in order toregain its shape. This is an extraordinarily effective toolfor debilitating a SPACE VESSEL without destroying it.

The TURRETS hit the RAILGUN, and do a small amount ofdamage. The HIGHBALL works somewhat properly. It first hits

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the inside of the FORCE FIELD, and loses some of it's sizeand power. It then hits the BATTLESHIP pretty powerfully. Itbounces and hits the FORCE FIELD again, and it loses muchmore size and much more power. After the third hit, theFORCE FIELD absorbs the remaining PLASMA from the HIGHBALL.

INT. BRIDGE OF THE DREADKNOT

NOAHWhat the hell?! The force fieldabsorbed the Highball! The damnforce field's made of electricallycharged plasma! It's... it'sactually a reflective force field!How the hell can that battleshipproduce enough energy to power it?!

Sam, Cassandra! We're in deep shit,we have no weapons that areeffective against this thing.Unless Cybrus comes through, ourweapons are useless!

Cybrus! We're in trouble, how'reyou coming down there?

CYBRUSNot good. The technology thebattleship is using is entirelyincompatible with our computer.It's using some other power source,it's not digital. It'salmost...it's almost like thebattleship is, itself,... Well, I'mnot sure how to say this, but thebattleship is...alive...

NOAHThat's ridiculous, Cybrus, this isa battleship, not a fucking jellomold. Is there any way to accesstheir mainframe? Any computer inthe damn thing, the mainframe, thenavigation program, the-thecaptain's naughty folders, afucking toaster oven, anything?!

CYBRUSI'm sorry, Noah, but there'sliterally no possible way to hackthat ship from this, or anycomputer I've ever seen. It'smemory is stored on something

21.

unfamiliar. That ship's computer,or whatever it is that powers it,is not digital. It's organic.

NOAHOrganic? Organic?! Like a tree, ora bug, or-or a-

CYBRUSA human? Yes. That battleship is aliving organism.

NOAHWell then how the hell do we stopit? That force field iselectrically charged plasma, itreflects our ammunition!

CYBRUSRight now? I don't know. I don'tthink we can. That force fieldisn't simply electrically chargedplasma. Electrically charged plasmawouldn't do much but look pretty.Their force field is a series oflasers that are powered by someincredible source of energy. Theymove in layers, at an extremespeed, in circuits around thebattleship. The intense speedallows the lasers to give off aradiated plasma field. It willdestroy anything that touches it.It only appears to reflect the firebecause when our laser ammunitioncomes into contact with the plasmafield, it gives off a burst of anaurora-toned bolt of electricity inthe reverse direction of the laserbullet's path."

NOAHWell shit.

CYBRUSYeah.

My suggestion is we turn tail and-

Suddenly, a TELESCREEN in front of NOAH, and a securityTELESCREEN in front of CYBRUS open. On both TELESCREENS,MATTERIX sits in the BRIDGE of the BATTLESHIP, about tospeak.

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MATTERIXCybrus. I wish to speak to Cybrus,immediately.

CYBRUS watches, but only NOAH can be seen by MATTERIX.Recall that MATTERIX cannot speak English, and is speakinghis native language that uses clicks, flaps, etc. tocommunicate.

NOAHWho are you, and why are youlooking for Cybrus?

MATTERIXMy name is Matterix. I have come totake your ship and retrieve yourcaptain, The Captain.

NOAHSpeak, damnit!

CYBRUSHe is speaking.

CYBRUS reaches to his left and opens a TELESCREEN. On theTELESCREEN is a list of languages. CYBRUS clicks one.

CYBRUSThis language doesn't pick up verywell, but I'll have to try.

From this point on, as MATTERIX speaks, his words aretranslated and restated using the program CYBRUS activated,though the translation is weak and picks up few words.

MATTERIXCybrus! You may not remember who Iam, but I have been searching foryou for eighty years.

CYBRUS(Stern.)

Who are you? How did you find me?

MATTERIXHow I found you is irrelevant. Youhave information in your possessionthat I require. And you will giveit to me. This ship is soon to bein my control. You will prepare theinformation on a data sphereimmediately.

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CYBRUSInformation? What information areyou talking about? I don't know whoyou are or what you want, but Idon't know about any information.

MATTERIXYou have fifteen minutes to handRomulus over to me, or your shipwill be erased from the space inwhich it stands. While you decideyour fate, I suggest you ready yourcaptain for exchange. Your time hasbegun.

MATTERIX hangs up.

NOAH(To Cybrus.)

Cybrus, who was that? Why the hellis he trying to destroy our ship?

CYBRUSI have no idea. He seems to knowme, but I couldn't possibly besure, I don't remember that farback. I haven't been home since Iwas a child. He says he wants TheCaptain, but I couldn't understandanything else.

NOAHAlright, well we have to find outwhat information he's talking aboutimmediately. If you can't rememberfar enough back, start by pullingup the Dreadknot's event logregarding your entrance to the crewup to the present. How quickly canyou run through it?

CYBRUSIt would be a stretch in fifteenminutes, but I will try.

NOAHDo it.

...Sam, Cassandra!

SAMWaiting for orders.

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NOAHThe Captain is our bargaining tool.If Matterix is planning to captureThe Captain, then he won't destroythe Dreadknot until he finds him.Find The Captain, and put him inthe panic room. In the meantime,I'll try to figure out how to breakfree from this assault.

SAM, CASSANDRAGot it.

INT. BRIDGE OF THE DREADKNOT - SPACE

NOAH, HEKTOR, and CARDNAL are present.

HEKTORIf that ship is a living thing,then there's no way the Dreadknotcan outmaneuver it.

NOAHWell then we'll have to fightsmarter, not faster.

...Cardnal, how far is the closestspaceway from here?"

CARDNALWell 430 is ten milesnorth-north-west, but why would youwant to jump on the spaceway? Thenext exit isn't for another fivehundred thousand miles, we'd besitting ducks.

NOAHGood, then we're close enough. Wemay not be able to outmaneuver it,but we can for damn sure causeenough damage to slow it down.

INT. DREADKNOT - NUCLEOX (CYBRUS' MONITORING STATION)

CYBRUS is sitting in his NEST, reading quickly through theevent logs regarding himself. He pulls up a few differentSCREENS. He's reading back and forth over them.

CYBRUSDamnit!

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CYBRUS(To NOAH, over atelescreen.)

It's no use, Noah, there's nothing here. No informationregarding any data about the Dreadknot when I arrived.

NOAHDamnit.

...Sam!

SAMYeah?

NOAHThe pod that Cybrus crashed in whenhe got here, did you salvage any ofit? Do you have anything stored inthe cargo bay?

SAMSorry, but the crash destroyed thepod's dashboard. The CPU for theon-board computer was completelyunsalvageable. All that's left area few pieces of the pod's shell.They're in the cryogenic freezer inthe cargo hold, but there wasnothing useful, just decaying organtissue.

NOAHDamn. Well how are you coming alongwith The Captain?

SAMWell... Rocko found him...

INT. ENGINE ROOM HALL - DREADKNOT - FLASHBACK

ROCKO is walking toward the ENGINE ROOM, carrying a largeCRATE with a hazard symbol on it. It also has arrowspointing to each side, and TEXT that reads, "In ZeroGravity, This Side Up." The LIGHTS flicker out. ROCKO stops.

ROCKOHm.

He hears a short sound, like the straining of METAL. Helooks up. A DARK FIGURE is hanging upside-down from a septicPIPE near the CEILING. It opens its EYES wide. It opens what

26.

appears to be its left WING. Then it's right. Then ithisses, and drops from the CEILING. It's THE CAPTAIN. Helands on Rocko's head, and bites his head viciously, butdoes little damage. ROCKO looks questioning, but notconcerned.

INT. BRIDGE OF THE DREADKNOT - END FLASHBACK

SAMHe tired himself out. Left a fewbite marks on Rocko's head, soCassandra took him back to theinfirmary to disinfect. Right nowI'm carrying The Captain to thepanic room.

NOAHAlright, good. Hektor... I knowthis is going to sound abit...pointless...but while we havea few minutes remaining, I want youto rush down to the panic room andsee if there's any conceivable wayto manipulate The Captain into...Idunno, imagining, I guess...us outof here.

HEKTORHA! Alright, but I hope you've gota Plan B.

HEKTOR exits the BRIDGE.

NOAH(To himself.)

I do. But you're not going to likeit.

INT. MATTERIX' BATTLESHIP - DOCKING BAY

MATTERIX and CECTRUM are present.

MATTERIXCectrum, in three minutes, fire aplasma torpedo beneath theDreadknot's hull. Destroy theengines. I'm preparing to board.

CECTRUMYes, General.


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NOAHCybrus, don't worry about theinformation, get to the panic room,now. We're out of time.

CYBRUSBut I-

The plasma TORPEDO is fired, it explodes beneath THEDREADKNOT and shakes the ship furiously.

NOAH(Shaken.)

Damnit! Cybrus, panic room, now!Cardnal, deactivate the auto pilot,I'm taking the helm!

NOAH runs out of the BRIDGE.

The view follows NOAH as he runs from the BRIDGE to thePILOT PANIC ROOM. He sits in the PILOT'S SEAT, and puts theCOM HELMET on. The STEERING for manual is accessed using aflat motion-directive SCREEN BOARD on the DASH. NOAH putsthe COM GLOVES on.

Another plasma TORPEDO is fired, and explodes directlybeneath the HULL. After the pressure of the explosion, thevacuum of its retraction tears a hole in the HULL of theDREADKNOT. The DREADKNOT shakes.

NOAHDamnit to hell! Alright! I'mgetting us the fuck out of here!

NOAH begins piloting THE DREADKNOT, which looks likepantomime over the SCREEN BOARD.

EXT. THE DREADKNOT AND BATTLESHIP - SPACE

THE DREADKNOT turns away from the BATTLESHIP, and shoots offin the opposite direction.

INT. MUD ROOM OF THE BATTLESHIP

MATTERIX is preparing to board a POD. MATTERIX can see THEDREADKNOT turning.

MATTERIXDamnit! Cectrum, destroy theirengines, immediately! I don't carewhat damage it does, I have todestroy that data!

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CECTRUMYes, General.

INT. PILOT PANIC ROOM OF THE DREADKNOT

NOAHHektor! Any luck with The Captain?

INT. PANIC ROOM OF THE DREADKNOT

HEKTOR, THE CAPTAIN, and SAM are present. THE CAPTAIN issitting on a TABLE, wrapped in a BLANKET. All that can beseen of him is from the middle of his nose up. His brow isangry, his eyes are wide. HEKTOR sits in a CHAIR by theTABLE. He has large bite marks all over his face. He looksangry.


NOAHHektor!

HEKTOR(Visible by NOAH'sTELESCREEN.)

No, damnit! The son of a bitch justruns around waving that damnblanket and biting me!

THE CAPTAIN can be seen in the background. He raises hishead a moment and hisses.

NOAHDamn. Alright. Everyone hold on,this isn't going to be pleasant.


THE CAPTAIN jumps off the table.

THE CAPTAINI AM THE BAT!

THE CAPTAIN begins running around the ROOM.

EXT. BATTLESHIP - RAILGUN - SPACE

The RAILGUN charges.


NOAHOh hell...

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NOAH moves his hands around, looking strained.

EXT. THE DREADKNOT - SPACE

THE DREADKNOT turns rapidly, and tilts drastically.


The RAILGUN fires.


THE CAPTAIN runs toward SAM. He jumps, about to attack her.SAM clocks THE CAPTAIN in the face and sends him to theFLOOR.


The PLASMA TORPEDO stops in its tracks. It floatsmotionless.

INT. THE DREADKNOT AND BATTLESHIP - SPLIT SCREEN

NOAH, CECTRUM"What the hell?!"


NOAH comes on the PA.

NOAH"Whatever you just did down there,do it again when I tell you to!"


At this point, THE DREADKNOT is racing toward the SPACEWAY,the BATTLESHIP close behind.

INT. BRIDGE OF THE BATTLESHIP

MATTERIX enters.

MATTERIXWe can't waste our fuel chasingthem, we have to immobilize themnow! Fire the torpedoes,immediately!


The RAILGUN is charging.

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NOAHGet ready down there!


The RAILGUN fires.


NOAHNow!


SAM clocks THE CAPTAIN again.

EXT. THE DREADKNOT AND BATTLESHIP - TORPEDO - SPACE

The TORPEDO stops and shoots off in a different direction.


MATTERIXAgain! Fire again!


HEKTORNoah, I don't think we can keepthis up for very long. If The goesunconscious, we can't do anythingto stop the torpedoes.

NOAHI know, I know, I just need you tostall for a little more time!


The RAILGUN is charging.


NOAHOne more time, Sam, we're almost tothe spaceway!

...Get ready!


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The RAILGUN fires.


NOAHNow!


SAM clocks THE CAPTAIN again. She knocks him out.

HEKTORThat's it, Noah, he's out!

NOAHAlright, hold on!


MATTERIX rushes in.

MATTERIXDamnit, Cectrum, hit the ship! Fireagain!

CECTRUMWe can't, General, the railgun istoo hot, it has to cool down!

MATTERIXDamnit!

MATTERIX rushes out of the BRIDGE and to the DOCKING BAY. Heenters a POD, and sets off from THE BATTLESHIP.


THE DREADKNOT enters the SPACEWAY.

SPACEWAYS are basically SPACE HIGHWAYS that use HYPERSPACEtechnology to speed up every VESSEL that enters it. Insidethe SPACEWAY, the VESSELS appear to be moving at normalspeed, in relation to each other, but you can see outsidethe SPACEWAY, and STARS are moving by very quickly.

THE BATTLESHIP and MATTERIX' POD follow.


NOAHAlright everyone, this is where itgets a little tricky. Grab onto

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something, because as soon as thebattleship falls into our colm, I'mstopping the Dreadknot.


HEKTOR, SAMWhat?!

NOAHDon't get uppity just yet. This isthe easy part!


THE BATTLESHIP edges into the same COLM as THE DREADKNOT.

A COLM is a LANE, only on a SPACEWAY, the LANES are split toutilize the third-dimension, so it looks a bit like a HONEYCOLM.


NOAHHere we go, grab onto something!

EXT. THE DREADKNOT AND BATTLESHIP - SPACEWAY COLM - SPACE

THE DREADKNOT makes a loud clicking sound, then the BACKENGINES black out, and the FRONT ENGINES burst on. THEDREADKNOT falls back quickly, and THE BATTLESHIP rear-endsTHE DREADKNOT. THE DREADKNOT shakes furiously.


HEKTORDamnit, Noah, what the hell are youdoing?!


CARDNAL(Over a TELESCREEN.)

Noah, the docking and cargo baysare completely destroyed. Three ofthe engines are damaged, andthere's a hole in the hull, soRocko can't get in the engine roomto assess the severity of thedamage.

NOAHThat's about to be the least of

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this ships problems. Everyone...prepare to exit hyperspace.

HEKTOR(Over the TELESCREEN.)

What?! No! You can't just exithyperspace, the Dreadknot willbreak up under the pressure! Thisis suicide, you idiot!

NOAHIf the captain of this ship doesn'tlike my plan, let him rebuttal now.

...That's what I thought. Preparefor turbulence.

INT. MATTERIX' POD

MATTERIXCectrum! What have you done to theship?!

CECTRUM(Over TELESCREEN.)

We'll be alright, we're just alittle jumbled. The impact shook upthe nervous system, but the plasmafield absorbed most of it. Weshould be back online in a fewseconds.


THE BATTLESHIP is still. THE DREADKNOT thrusts its BACKENGINES on again, and it turns a complete 180 degrees. Itbolts in the wrong direction on the SPACEWAY.


HEKTOR(To Noah.)

You'll never gain the necessaryspeed to neutralize the pressurebetween hyperspace and dead space!

NOAHYou got a better idea?

I didn't think so, now I wanteveryone to curl up into a ball.Protect your torsos. No questions,there's no time, just do it.

34.

HEKTOR and SAM grab THE CAPTAIN, and create one large BALL,hugging each other.


NOAH reaches over and clicks a BUTTON.


HEKTOR, SAM, and THE CAPTAIN start to float.

INT. THE BRIDGE OF THE DREADKNOT

CARDNAL begins to float.

CARDNALHe turned off the gravity? Oh!...Oh no...

EXT. THE DREADKNOT - SPACEWAY COLM - SPACE

THE DREADKNOT is going incredibly fast, and dodging oncomingTRAFFIC. The ENGINES on the outer sides of the HULL blaston, and THE DREADKNOT shoots up and out of HYPERSPACE, intoDEAD SPACE.

EXT. THE DREADKNOT - OUTSIDE SPACEWAY - SPACE

THE DREADKNOT is twisting and spiraling out of control, andbreaking apart in places.


HEKTOR, SAM, and THE CAPTAIN are moving slightly, while theroom around them spins violently.


The same is happening to CARDNAL.

EXT. THE DREADKNOT - OUTSIDE SPACEWAY - SPACE

THE DREADKNOT begins to slow down. Finally, it stops. It'sfloating sideways.


NOAH looks disheveled, but relaxed. He reaches over andactivates the ENGINES in such a way that turns THE DREADKNOTright-side up.

NOAH

35.

...Is everyone alright?


HEKTOR...Yeah. Sam and I are fine, andThe is still out.


CARDNALYeah, I'm good. A little nick fromsome spiraling debris, but I'll bealright.


NOAHAlright, good.

(He sighs.)Ground yourselves, I'm going toreactivate the gravity. Cassandra,head to the bridge and aid Cardnal.

NOAH activates the GRAVITY.

NOAH exits the PILOT PANIC ROOM.

INT. LA CORBEILLE A PAIN - DINING FLOOR - DREADKNOT - SPACE

NOAH, HEKTOR, THE CAPTAIN, SAM, CASSANDRA, ROCKO, CARDNAL,ELI, EDDIE, DEBBIE, 22, a prissy phone secretary, CYBRUS,and LIN, 50, (female) a spunky little orientalalterationist, are present. The DINING FLOOR is a mess,there are TABLES and CHAIRS everywhere, broken DISHES, etc.The CREW is standing around. NOAH pulls up a TABLE, and afew of them grab CHAIRS. HEKTOR, SAM, CASSANDRA, CARDNAL,ELI, and EDDIE sit in their CHAIRS.

NOAHAlright. Matterix has become aserious threat. Our ship is barelymobile, and everything inside needsrehabbed. First things first.Cybrus, we need to get you and TheCaptain somewhere safe. The panicroom is still in good condition, Isuggest you two return there untilwe can-

CYBRUSNo. No, this happened because ofme. I can't sit in a room while the

36.

rest of the Dreadknot's working onhow to fix a problem that haseverything to do with me.

SAMWait, though, he was also lookingfor The Captain. What could Cybrusand The Captain be involved intogether that no one here would'veknown about?

HEKTOR(Harsh.)

Whatever it is, we don't have timeto sit around thinking about itjust yet. We need to get this shipsomewhere safe until we can eitherget somewhere with an atmosphereand work on repairing the engines,or somewhere that can repair it forus. For basically free.

NOAHHektor's right. We need to work ongetting the Dreadknot to thenearest civilized location.Cardnal, how close are we toGanymede?

CARDNALWell we're about four exitssouth-south east of Thebe. There'sa few small towns there, we mightbe able to at least get to anatmosphere.

NOAHAlright. If it's still functioning,set the auto pilot to the town ofPhorma. Cybrus, what's your plan?

CYBRUSI'm going back to Nimniad. I haveto. I have to find my father. He'sthe only chance I have at figuringout why Matterix has been searchingfor me, and what "Romulus" is. Ihaven't seen him since I was achild. I don't even remember whathe looks like...

NOAHAlright, then, you can take one of

37.

the personal pods. If you need anyhelp, call us. Sam, take TheCaptain to the panic room. Hektor,go with Cardnal to the bridge.Eddie and Eli, you two can start bycleaning up the restaurant....Start with the bar. Lin, youcan...hell, I don't know, work onmending the curtains or something.

LIN(In stereotypical old,oriental woman fashion.)

Fat, smoking shit-head.

ROCKOI'll work on cleaning up what I canof the hull.

Everyone starts off in their respective directions.

INT. DOCKING BAY - DREADKNOT - SPACE

CYBRUS and NOAH are present, both wearing SPACE SUITS,because the DOCKING BAY was destroyed. NOAH pushes a BUTTONand pulls a LEVER. A PERSONAL POD lowers from its storagespace to its BAY. The BAY is busted, so the POD slides offits TRACKS and floats in the zero-gravity of the DOCKINGBAY, which is exposed to SPACE.

NOAHAlright, well good luck. Don't runinto Matterix on your way. If theDreadknot can't hold up to hisship, this pod's a deathtrap.

CYBRUSI know. I'll update you when I makeit to the interstellar medium.

CYBRUS enters the POD. The POD turns and exits the exposedDOCKING BAY.

INT. BRIDGE OF THE BATTLESHIP - SPACEWAY COLM - SPACE

COXEL, 46, insibian, CECTRUM, 60, insibian, and ZETHEM, 80,insibian, are present.

MATTERIX enters the bridge.

MATTERIXWould you like to explain to me whyyou failed to destroy a ship that

38.

had a less efficient fuel source,less manpower, lessmaneuverability, less speed, and NOARMOR?! For God's sake, Cectrum,you're supposed to be heavyartillery! Get out of that seat,now, I cannot trust you to do yourjob. I suggest you think long andhard about your position in mymilitary, because I'm seriouslyconsidering re-staffing it.

...Tekmon Coxel, replace him. Learnfrom his mistakes.

COXELYes, General.

MATTERIXZethem, where is the nearest craftmechanic?

ZETHEMUnfortunately, General, due totheir technology being incompatiblewith our own, we have no map ofthis solar system. All we had wasthe IGPS tracker that GeneralMaksim planted on the Dreadknot,but the signal disappeared whenthey jumped hyperspace.

MATTERIXDamnit. Is there any way we cantrack the Dreadknot or Cybrus?

ZETHEMNot with our technology. If Cybruswere using any of our technologythat he might have had when he leftthe planet, then it's possible, Isuppose.

MATTERIXThat's it! Zethem, is there any waywe can track a Dart-4 OrthoPod?

ZETHEMSir, we haven't used orthomotivetechnology for forty years... Notsince Provision 6 of Point 12 onthe Treatise of InsibiarianCoexistence. That document only

39.

allows us to use cadavers now, andby the time they're harvested, thedecay isn't worth the financialinput. The military Dart Systemtracking stations have since beenupdated, and even if the oldterminals hadn't been destroyed,they'd be so decayed by now as tobe useless.

MATTERIXZethem, this battleship is fourhundred years old. It's made ofNimniade Brondebus. A creaturewho's longevity outlasts everyother living organism on ourplanet. If there still exists thetechnology on Cybrus' escape pod,then I can assure you it stillexists on this ship. Find it.

ZETHEMYes, General.

MATTERIXCectrum, this may be youropportunity to redeem yourself.Search this ship's programdatabase. The program you'relooking for should be codenamed"DarTrack." Find it, and TekmonCoxel remains your assistant. Ifyou do not, consider yourselfTekmon Cectrum.

Never mind, Zethem, I've gotCectrum searching for the program.For now, I want you to turn thisship around at the next exit andhead back toward the spaceway deltawe entered hyperspace from.

FADE WIPE

EXT. HULL OF THE DREADKNOT - SPACE

Two MEMBERS of the crew are in SPACE SUITS floating aroundthe ship's HULL. It's SAM and ROCKO. Also present isJANIToR, carrying SAM's TOOLS. SAM has a small PALM PILOTwith a CABLE that reaches out to a CONNECTOR attached to aTERMINAL just inside the HOLE where the HULL was blown out.

SAM

40.

(To Rocko.)I see what you mean. We need tocall Noah and tell him the reactorisn't receiving uranium, and thatwithout Cybrus to go through theprograms and figure out theproblem, we won't be able to getour primary engines online.Whatever plutonium-239 is left inthe computer reactor can be movedto the manual back-up reactor,along with whatever natural uraniumwe have in the nuclear hold...andwhatever DU we have in the wastebailer, as a last resort. Doeverything you can to avoid usingthe DU.

ROCKOWell this morning's audit of thenuclear hold quoted a low count ofMOX fuel rods. We've ran throughthe enriched materials, and thereprocessed materials have beenfiltered through past their maximumoutput. This would've been our weekto resupply. We don't audit thewaste bailer until we take it tothe burn-up compound, so I don'tknow how much DU we have.

SAMDamn. We're going to have to movequick on these engines.

They BOTH enter what's left of the ENGINE ROOM, and exitthrough the HALL, into the HULL'S OFFICE. ROCKO takes of hisHELMET, and runs his finger over a PANEL on the WALL. Itopens a TELESCREEN.

ROCKONoah.

The TELESCREEN brings up NOAH, who is in the DEFENSEDEPARTMENT OFFICE, running through a status report of theTURRETS of the SAILS, and moving the malfunctioning TURRETCODES to a LIST of TURRETS that need maintenance.

NOAHWhat is it, I'm dealing with theturrets.

ROCKO

41.

It's the reactor. The computerreactor. The uranium isn't beingfed in, and we don't have enough235 to continuously feed the manualreactor. We've got enough to get usto Amalthea, if we're lucky. Thatdoesn't include whatever UD wehave, but the waste bailer wasemptied at the burn-up less than aweek ago. Without Cybrus to gothrough the reactor's programming,there's no way to even assess theissue. Sam and I looked it over,and whatever damage there is to theactual reactor was done through itsprogramming. Probably from theminor EMP created by the hyperspacewall. With the hull breached, it'sthe only conclusion we can figure.

NOAHFan-fucking-tastic. Alright, I'llbuzz Cardnal and see if there's acraft mechanic on Amalthea. Fornow, just make sure the computerreactor isn't leaking any 235 intothe core. We need every toxic dropof that miserable shit.

ROCKOGot it.

INT. THE BRIDGE OF THE DREADKNOT - SPACE

CARDNAL is placing POINTS on a large SCREEN with a STYLUS.Then he pushes a BUTTON, and waits for a LIST of COORDINATESto appear. A TELESCREEN pops up, and NOAH is on the line.

NOAHCardnal, we got a problem.

CARDNALOnly one around here, then. Thenavigation system seems unharmed.

NOAHWell that's damn good news, 'causewe need to use it, pronto. Thecomputer-based nuclear reactor ison the fritz, and we're low onfuel. We only have enough to get usto Amalthea. I need to know ifthere's a craft mechanic there.

42.

CARDNALOoh, that's not likely. Amalthea'salmost entirely devoid ofcivilization. The generator for themining operation in the GaianCrater had a radiation leak. Themoon's been almost entirelyevacuated.

NOAHWell at this point, we don't have achoice. We have to land. Put us asclose to civilization as you can.If we pick up potent radiationreadouts, we'll have to take thepods out and restock on fuel thatway.

CARDNALUnderstood. I'll set the auto pilotto land on Mons Lyctas. There was asmall town of miners that nested inthe western caves.

NOAHDo it. I'll get back to you when Iknow more about the fuel situation.No promises, I don't understandmuch of all that nuclear crap.

INT. BRIDGE OF MATTERIX' BATTLESHIP - SPACEWAY COLM - SPACE

MATTERIX, ZETHEM, and COXEL are present. CECTRUM enters.

MATTERIXYou'd better have good news.

CECTRUMYes, General, I do. I was able tolocate DarTrack. The only issue Iwould advise you of, is that theDarTrack program that's on thisship was cryogenized within thememory bank. Because of this, itsdecay was minimal. However, if thepod's processing unit was nevercryogenized, it's extremely likelyit decayed to, by this time, almostnothing.

MATTERIXThat is of no consequence to you,

43.

you've done your end.Congratulations, Cectrum, you liveto work another day.

...Now, get that program running,and bring it up on the telescreen.

CECTRUM opens a small KEYBOARD beneath his lower arms. Hemoves his fingers around on the flat SCREEN BOARD. DarTrackopens on the SCREEN BOARD. A BEEP is heard. On the SCREEN,the words in SCRIPT are foreign SYMBOLS. SUBTITLES indicatethe SCRIPT reads, "Pods Located - 1."

INT. CARGO BAY - DREADKNOT - SPACE

A close up of a SIGN on a LARGE DOOR in the CARGO BAY. TheSIGN reads, "Cryogenic Freezer."

A view to a lightly frosted, transparent COMPARTMENT. Insidethere is a strangely shaped OBJECT. It's a pinkish color,has small PANELLING on its face, and is slightlyblood-stained. The PANELLING lights up. It beeps once. Closeup. It beeps again. Closer close up. It beeps a third time.Closer close up.

FADE TO BLACK

Text reads, "To be continued..."

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