The Amalgamation (Episodes 1-5)

I'm keeping this here because I've always found it's safer to publish things than to constantly try and find them in your computer. This is Copyrighted for all intents and purposes - this is my original work and should not be used without my consent! 

CAST LIST

Captain Selenia Goulding (SELENIA)–

Captain of The Epicenter and then The Empress, Selenia is an Amalgamation officer who works on the shuttle of a surveillance ship and meets more trouble than she deserves. About in her 30s, she is middle-sized with blonde long hair she keeps in a ponytail and fierce personality. Gets frustrated a lot due to plot.

First Officer Fetcher Moores Jr (FETCHER)–

Newly assigned, First Officer Fetcher is not readily accepted because for some strange reason, he seems to have thoughts of his own. Stalwart and dependable, he is not always the kindest or weak-willed. Has simple brown hair, brown eyes and stands at a decent height. Has great knowledge of the galaxy, and chooses constantly between mind and heart.

Sergeant Shawn Motley (MOTLEY) -

Pretty passive, Motley is the only member of the crew who has seen some crime in his day, but intends to leave it all behind him. He always has his two faithful navvs with him, which are dog-like aliens, named Pippy and Cora. He is a specialist in his field, being the main and only gunner on Selenia’s ships, and is also the communications expert, charged with hailing other ships and locating and administering distress calls. Follows orders and keeps his opinions generally out of it. Broader than Fetcher, Motley is a largish man w/ light hair.

Pilot Carmen “Clutch” Sanders (CLUTCH)  –

Much more frequently just known as Clutch, the pilot of Selenia’s crew is a frequent flyer and knows what she’s doing behind the wheel of a ship. Feisty and temperamental, she is not afraid to get her hands dirty, and perhaps will eagerly do so. Fights well. Seduces pretty well too. Has short dark hair with light expressive eyes that narrow down a death glare within seconds. The tough girl.

Doctor Jenna McCusky (JENNA)  –

Actually one of Selenia’s close friends, Jenna is a gentle soul who just wants to heal people, in anyway she can. Always considerate, she is well skilled in her trade, and Selenia keeps her around for her gentle nature and calming ways.

Engineers Jan and Pheb (JAN, PHEB) –

Jan is a 69 year old carefree man who’s been working on ships longer than he’d been married to his now deceased wife, Octova. They had no children so no one can quite say where he picked up Pheb, the rambunctious 11 year old boy who now bounces off the walls of the engine room as much as he picks up on the tricks of the trade Jan teaches him. Both fun loving.

Other Characters:

Jace Stett – a castaway girl with something strange about her past and her abilities…

Lieutenant Liam – a Lieutenant usually dispatched on rescue missions, friends with Motley

Lieutenant Wesley – a Lieutenant usually dispatched on rescue missions

Lieutenant Corrin – a playboy whom Clutch uses to get things from higher ranking officials

Admiral Caluce – High ranking Admiral, woman with short hair and flowing outfits

Captain Cills – another captain who is recently going to be given an award for bravery

Keira Goulding – Selenia’s older sister

HAIL – the evil voice of the Chattellers

XAN, YAK and ZED – three Chattellers

Kipplington – a rude and sarcastic weapons technician, hands out weapons to officials in Amalgamation

QUINCE, OTTO and VAL – Amalgamation officers on the third floor who are scoundrels and have an illegal business

And many others

(Pilot/Episode 1)

Prologue:

Voice 1: You did not see any gunships.

Voice 2: … I did.

Voice 1: You did not. They were merely illusions of the deliria that you were experiencing.

Voice 2: (unbelievingly) Okay.

Voice 1: What made you think you saw gunships over the ridge?

Voice 2: I just… thought I saw them.

Voice 1: Well you didn’t see any gunships.

Voice 2: I guess I didn’t see any.

Voice 1: That’s right.

Voice 2: I didn’t see any gunships.

***

SELENIA: (roaring into cabin) Who turned us portward?

JENNA: Pardon?

CLUTCH: She means to the left.

SELENIA: Exactly! Who turned us left?

MOTLEY: That would be First Officer Fetcher, ma’am. He’s been giving directions from down in the engine room.

SELENIA: The engine room??

CLUTCH: Where you sent him to get rid of him.

SELENIA: And who’s obeying him from down there??

JENNA: Probably the boys.

FETCHER: (appears in doorway) Or anyone with ears and any shred respect for the Amalgamation on this pathetic little skiff.

SELENIA: Fetcher, you have no right to turn my ship behind my back!

FETCHER: (sarcastically) Cheer up, Captain Crunch. I only did it because we might get a better signal actually facing the Teshoon moons.

SELENIA: We were already receiving traces of a signal facing away!

FETCHER: But then we weren’t, and you know as well as I do that signals can just come and go out in this giant bungle of empty space. We can’t be too picky when we’re desperate.

SELENIA: (to some member of the crew) Is he still talking?

FETCHER: We don’t have time for negotiation-

SELENIA: We don’t have time for doing this the wrong way, Fetcher. Now if you knew anything about this “pathetic little skiff,” then you’d know an A4 model receives transmission better from the back. Not the front like those fancy satellite emission ones you used to play with in daddy’s backyard! We may have missed a life-saving signal and run out of backup power, stranded out here amongst Teshoon microbules bigger than your brain all because of your stuck-up attitude and your unauthorized commands!

MOTLEY: (his navvs sniffing and whining) Captain …we’re picking up a signal.

SELENIA: (annoyed) …really, Motley?

FETCHER: Funny.

MOTLEY: It’s ranging from between two asteroids. It’s a distress call, captain.

SELENIA: The last thing we need – another person to die with.

MOTLEY: It may not come to that, ma’am. The signal was sent four hours ago.

FETCHER: If we had just-

SELENIA: I don’t like you, so I don’t want to hear it. (walks off to get suited up) Jenna, come with. They’re most likely wounded.

MOTLEY: If they’re still alive.

SELENIA: Yes, thank you, Motley. If they’re still alive. Clutch, deploy a personal rover.

CLUTCH: Aye-aye captain.

SELENIA: And await my command. (leaves- then pops head back in) MY command. (leaves)

FETCHER: Well now that’s she’s gone -

CLUTCH: Nope.

MOTLEY: Don’t wanna hear it.

(JENNA and SELENIA climb into suits. SELENIA presses the intercom button in the rover hallway, which crackles below in the engine room. JAN is working on wiping down some blue powder that covers equipment while PHEB tumbles off pipes playfully)

SELENIA: (into intercom) Pheb, Jan, I cannot have you obeying the first officer on whimsical commands without my prior consent, acknowledge?

PHEB: (over intercom) I learned how to use the steering mechanism down here, captain!

SELENIA: No, Pheb -- 

JAN: (sort of old and Irish) He did a m’rvelous job too!

SELENIA: Jan, you can’t be encouraging this! (sighs) Don’t let it happen again.

JAN: (over intercom) (chuckles) Yes, cap’n.

PHEB: (over intercom) But Fetcher was right! We did get a signa-

(SELENIA violently pushes END on intercom so PHEB can’t finish - she’s still mad)

JENNA: Captain, rover’s ready.

(SELENIA climbs into rover with JENNA. The rover floats out into space and as it is propelled by its small thrusters, it rounds an asteroid to see a dilapidated floating ship. The rover releases a cable that grabs hold magnetically and pulls itself closer to the abandoned ship) (JENNA and SELENIA have cameras on their suits that broadcast to the deck on a split screen)

FETCHER: (watching on board The Epicenter) A magnetic cable? What year is this crew?

(MOTLEY and CLUTCH stare at him disapprovingly)

FETCHER: What? You don’t like me either? Surprise, surprise.

MOTLEY: (pulls out cigar and begins to smoke puffs of smoke) Not sure what I think of you.

CLUTCH: I don’t like you.

MOTLEY: All I know is the captain doesn’t like you. That doesn’t play too favorably in my eyes.

CLUTCH: I just don’t like you.

FETCHER: Your captain has old fashioned ideals of heroism. Almost as old as this ship.

MOTLEY: We like the decency.

CLUTCH: We like the pay. Motley, you know you’re not supposed to smoke in here.

MOTLEY: Captain’s gone.

CLUTCH: Oh, I see. So, the cat’s away the mice will suffocate us all, is that it?

FETCHER: (approaches MOTLEY, comes closer until MOTLEY eyes him, unamused, and navvs growl slightly) See, that’s the thing, Motley! In the new ships, they have higher tech ventilation shafts! (sarcastically) Revolutionary!

CLUTCH: (mocking FETCHER) Come with me, Motley, to the Emerald City! Where the streets are lined with gold and every paycheck is one your father puts in your account!

FETCHER: I am not only on this crew because of my father!

MOTLEY: Best watch your tread, Mr. Fetcher. (navvs growl) Or my navvs might indeed find something to… fetch.

(FETCHER backs away angrily and stares back at screen) (awkward silence) (awkwardly finds unoccupied chair and sits in it) (continues staring silently at screen) (more silence) (They watch as SELENIA and JENNA break open the door and board the ship, floating in anti-gravitationally)

JENNA: Hello?

SELENIA: They can’t hear you Jenna, and even if they could-

JACE: (frantically) Hello?? (JENNA rushes in)

SELENIA: (mumbling) But hey, what do I know? Turn the dang ship around for all I care.

JACE: (frantically) Hello?! Is anyone there?!

CLUTCH: (Watching from The Epicenter) Well I’ll be stopgapped. Looks like they were alive after all, Motley.

JENNA: We’re here, honey, it’s alright! Where are you?

JACE: Here, here, here! (clanging noises)

SELENIA: What the-

(JACE burst out of grate below them and grabs hold of JENNA’s leg, who initially shrieks, but then realizes there is no harm, as JACE is clinging fearfully)

JENNA: Oh, doll face, oh dear, how long have you been down here? (pulls her up and holds her)

JACE: A c-coupla weeks.

JENNA: We’re gonna take you back with us, that alright?

(JACE nods and buries her head in JENNA’s chest)

SELENIA: What happened to your crew?

JENNA: Selenia.

SELENIA: Oh, for cripes sake, Jenna, don’t go getting attached. She might have Cryptolupis or something for all we know. (grabs JACE a little roughly) Now, what happened to your crew?

JENNA: She’s not a stray dog!

JACE: (tougher than expected) They abandoned me.

SELENIA: What?

JACE: Our ship. It b-broke down. They went out to manually fix the engine and transmitter, but none of them came back. I’m the last one.

JENNA: So you sent the distress call.

JACE: Distress call?

SELENIA: Then your crewmates, they… drifted away?

JACE: I don’t know. They just went through the service exit on the port and I never saw them again. They mostly told me to stay hidden in case of-- (pushes away from JENNA and suddenly pulls electrified dagger, which she ignites) You’re not Freebooters, are you?

SELENIA: (laughs) No, haha! And even if I was, I would’ve gotten off that bandwagon long before Jan was born! That lifestyle stopped making any decent money years ago.

(JACE looks at them suspiciously)

SELENIA: (pushes JACE’s armed hand down) No, kid, we’re not space pirates. And if we were, would we have come looking for the people first when there’s all this cargo laying around?

JACE: (hesitates, but then relents) I guess not. (turns off dagger)

JENNA: Good point.

SELENIA: (looks around cabin) Speaking of cargo, we will actually be confiscating some of this. We’re not Freebooters, but cargo is cargo. The piratical side of me insists. Arrrr!

JENNA: Selenia!

JACE: No, no! Take what you need. I’m Jace. Jace Stett.

SELENIA: I’m Captain Goulding, and that is my starship, The Epicenter. This is Jenna, my doctor on deck.

JENNA: Are you wounded at all, sweetie?

JACE: No, just a little hungry.

JENNA: (pulls out some granola) I have some medicine for that. (smiles) (JACE scarfs it down)

(They load boxes and cargo onto the rover and push off from JACE’s ship. As SELENIA looks back, she notices the service exit that JACE had been referring to earlier is covered in frightening scratches about the size of human hands clawing at them. SELENIA says nothing.)

(Back on deck The Epicenter)

CLUTCH: (to radio) Captain, you’re coming in too fast.

SELENIA: (from radio) Slow us down.

CLUTCH: Will do. (pushes lever slowly)

(SELENIA comes out onto deck, taking off gear. FETCHER greets them, taking helmets and putting them away, but is shocked when he sees JACE. He stops and stares too long at her, and she stares back. JENNA leads JACE to doctor’s office and FETCHER watches them go)

SELENIA: Any more signals received?

MOTLEY: Only the first Teshoon moon station, ma’am. They want our CRN.

FETCHER: They’ll just spam us with Preservation propaganda. There’s no one actually manning that station.

MOTLEY: It does appear to be targeting us with an ion beam because we’ve been idling too long. I believe they may be preparing to fire.

CLUTCH: Then awaiting commands, captain.

SELENIA: (mostly to self – realizing) Wait.

CLUTCH: … waiting, captain.

SELENIA: (to self) That ship was a passenger frigate, and made about the same year we were.

MOTLEY: They’re preparing to fire.

FETCHER: What??

SELENIA: (thinking to self) They’re designed to pick up cargo and just move it across short distances.

MOTLEY: Captain?

CLUTCH: Captain!

FETCHER: Turn us around!

SELENIA: (to self) That’s why the crewmates knew how to manually fix the engine – it’s a simple machine!

FETCHER: (to MOTLEY and CLUTCH) Turn us around!!

CLUTCH: We take orders from Selenia!

FETCHER: Do you want to die? Don’t consider this an order – consider it common sense!

(MOTLEY has a moment of decision - and then nods to CLUTCH, whom powers forward) (whole cabin is jostled, everyone lurches forward)

SELENIA: (still focused on ship as it fades in distance) And service exits on frigates… don’t lock.

FETCHER: (grabs her arm) What the blazes are you doing mumbling to yourself like some gobbling madwoman?? Your ship needs you!

JAN: (from intercom) Everything a’right up there?

SELENIA: (trance breaks) Sorry.

CLUTCH: Captain, move us further away?

MOTLEY: We are running low on backup power.

SELENIA: Go another league, (gives FETCHER a thoughtful look) and keep tracing for a signal. Keep our distress signal up.

CLUTCH: It may be drowned out by the distress signal the frigate is giving off.

SELENIA: The more, the merrier, I suppose.

MOTLEY: It appears the frigate’s distress signal is no longer active, captain.

SELENIA: Strange. We didn’t turn anything off.

MOTLEY: Maybe it died on it’s own somehow.

FETCHER: So now, we wait?

SELENIA: For now…yes. We just wait.

(JACE and JENNA in her doctor’s office, JACE sits on the medical bed, being examined)

JENNA: How old are you, Jace?

JACE: Nineteen, ma’am.

JENNA; Do you mind me removing your vest?

JACE: (hesitant) Why?

JENNA: I’m just giving you a physical examination, honey, just mandatory to know you’re in good condition before we can have you wandering about cabins or even drop you off on the next good planet.

JACE: But you’re stranded just like my ship was.

JENNA: Now what makes you think that?

JACE: (points to box and wire in top corner of room) That.

JENNA: What? (looks at ceiling)

JACE: That. That internal corporator isn’t humming and the backup scanner up in the corner has no heat coming from it. I’d say it’s been off for eight hours. That means you’re running on backup power, which means its sourced to the front for more important things, like visuals or thrusters.

JENNA: Now, how did you know that?

JACE: (shrugs) I just do.

JENNA: Well you’re a very intelligent young girl.

JACE: I’m not that young. I’m nineteen.

JENNA: What were you doing on that frigate anyway?

JACE: Probably delivering cargo.

JENNA: Probably?

JACE: I can’t remember.

JENNA: You can’t remember?

(All this time, JENNA has been slowly unbuttoning JACE’s vest, and is now shocked to reveal a large gash in her side, which has been bleeding out, but couldn’t be seen on the black vest)

JENNA: Jace! When did you get this??

JACE: Get wha-

(JENNA touches the wound lightly and JACE doubles over, clutching it. She gasps for a moment and then looks under her fingers where the blood is spotting through and then back up at JENNA, very obviously frightened)

JACE: I don’t remember.

-(PHEB playing with Motley’s navvs in the hallway as SELENIA rounds the corner from the main deck with FETCHER next to her and CLUTCH behind)

FETCHER: What is the plan?

SELENIA: We wait until someone hears us.

FETCHER: That’s the plan?

SELENIA: I believe that’s what I said, yes.

FETCHER: We can’t just sit around and do nothing!

CLUTCH: We’re sending a distress signal. That’s not nothing.

FETCHER: It’s pretty close.

SELENIA: And contrary to your belief, first officer, sometimes ‘sitting around and doing nothing’ is defined as ‘patiently meditating on what you actually can do.’

(All three of them – CLUTCH, FETCHER, SELENIA round the corner into the breakroom. SELENIA and FETCHER stand in the doorway and face each other. CLUTCH is on the outside, in the hallway, facing them)

FETCHER: Or sometimes it’s sitting around and doing nothing! You’re insufferable.

SELENIA: And you’re intolerable.

CLUTCH: Ooh, whipping out the big words now.

FETCHER: (ignores her) Well I’d feel more tolerated if anyone actually listened to my plans!

SELENIA: …plans?

FETCHER: Yes! Plans! Contrary to your belief, captain, I do have a brain and sometimes, just sometimes, that brain comes up with an iota of circumstantial understanding. Or a plan.

SELENIA: (pauses) (eyes him) Clutch, please dismiss yourself so I and the first officer may discuss corporate business.

CLUTCH: Actually, captain, as much as I fawn on your every move and live for your every word, I was just trying to get to my sandwich and beets in the breakroom of which you are so conveniently in the way of.

SELENIA: Oh!

(awkward shuffling around – awkward waiting, CLUTCH retrieves food, FETCHER and SELENIA stare, CLUTCH leaves) (SELENIA and FETCHER sit at a table)

SELENIA: (to FETCHER) You have a plan?

FETCHER: I have several leads that might turn into a plan.

SELENIA: Let’s hear them.

FETCHER: First, we consider the life out here.

SELENIA:  There is none.

PHEB: (from doorway – randomly) There’s us!

FETCHER: There’s microbules, like you said.

SELENIA: Yeah, but of what use are they?

FETCHER: They could be of some use. Maybe even just to be noted. We’re not alone.

SELENIA: Oh, yeah, non-sentient single cell organisms floating around make me feel a lot less alone.

FETCHER: Just to be considered. Now how about how we’d like our signal to be received? Our methods?

SELENIA: How about we want it received? FULLY? I don’t understand!

FETCHER: But how are we going about it? Break it down, captain.

SELENIA: Are you sure you don’t just have a plan? Because you sound like you have a plan and you’re playing with me to sound smart.

FETCHER: Let’s consider this then-

SELENIA: You’re avoiding the accusation.

FETCHER: Why and how did we get out here in the Teshoon outer circle to begin with? Play dumb for just a second. It can’t be too hard for you.

SELENIA: We were on a job. From the Amalgamation. We were scouting out transportation routes and were taking an alternate path between two of the moons to make sure there were no illegal routes being forged when we lost all power and lost all signal.

FETCHER: At the same time?

SELENIA: Of course at the same time. You hardly get one without the other.

FETCHER: And why?

SELENIA: We’re in a dead range system! We knew the risks.

FETCHER: But did you oversee to them?

SELENIA: Listen, Fetcher, we’re doing the best we can! The Amalgamation, knowing that they sent us out here will be looking for distress signals, and their scanner will eventually pick us up. (standing up) A rescue fleet’ll be dispatched in no time.

FETCHER: (grabs her arm) What if the signals aren’t sending?

SELENIA: What do you mean, ‘what if they’re not sending’ – of course they’re sending.

FETCHER: I have a theory that -

SELENIA: (stands up – excited) The microbules are blocking our signal! But…how?

FETCHER: (annoyed) That wasn’t my theory at all.

SELENIA: (pulls her arm away from him smugly) I knew you had a plan, you ranker.

PHEB: (from down the hall again) Oh yeah! (FETCHER and SELENIA look) (PHEB comes around the corner) Captain! Jan and I found this! (empties pockets with handfuls of green-blue fine sand that slip onto the floor)

SELENIA: Where was all this?

PHEB: (stuffs most of it back into pockets) In the engine room beneath the coupler. Lots of it. Jan swept it up. Says it happens sometimes, but I wanted to show you.

SELENIA: It does happen sometimes, but that doesn’t look like exhaust granules.

PHEB: It feels funny. See, feel. Like skin or wet leaves. It smells funny too.

SELENIA: (FETCHER sighs impatiently) (SELENIA feels it) It feels... alive.

FETCHER: (stands up to look) (sifts sand in his hands too) We need a microscope.

SELENIA: (calls down hall) JENNA! (grabs handful – all three rushes down hall) (PHEB follows, oblivious, but excited)

(Inside the doctor’s office is JENNA, working on stitching up a sedated JACE, and looking startled as PHEB, FETCHER and SELENIA burst in)

JENNA: Captain!

SELENIA: I need you to look at these microbules!

JENNA: Microbules!?

FETCHER: Maybe!

JENNA; Ah- I have a microscope here.

(FETCHER shoves sand underneath)

FETCHER: They’re microbules!

PHEB: What?

FETCHER: (annoyed) … They’re microbules. She was right.

SELENIA: Pheb, was this… sand hurting any of the equipment?

PHEB: Yeah, but Jan rerouted two of the enablers and they got jammed too. It’s everywhere.

SELENIA: We found our problem! (she walks back to deck)  Motley, open the intercom to the engine room.

MOTLEY: Line open.

SELENIA: Jan, I need cleaning up that microbial mess to be top priority!

JAN: The sand, captain? Aye, ma’am. I’ll get right on it. (line cuts)

FETCHER: (following her) The microbules must have slipped into the cracks and because of the previous electrical signals that their bodies conducted, it must have created a siphon, or external electrical loop that short circuited our signal!

MOTLEY: Signal was received, captain!

SELENIA: What?

FETCHER: It was sending?

MOTLEY: No, but it began to, and they responded instantly, almost like they were looking for it.

SELENIA: Play response.

(MOTLEY hits a button and the screen blinks on with their response – Amalgamation emblem swirls with the message, whether oral/spoken or just printed on screen:)

Your message has been received by the Amalgamation and will be responded to soon!

CLUTCH: Huh. Not exactly encouraging.

SELENIA: But I was right! Not – (to FETCHER) not that that doesn’t happen often!

FETCHER: Yeah. Guess we were just supposed to sit around and do nothing.

-(Show JENNA treating JACE in doctor’s office – in which PHEB has returned to the cabin sitting on the opposite bed and fiddling with equipment)

PHEB: What’s this?

JENNA: That’s an emilator, sweetheart. It helps me see if anyone’s brain has any internal bleeding or bruising.

PHEB: (holds it to head funnily) Is my brain bruised?

JENNA: No, sweetheart, not at all.

PHEB: (holds it out towards her head) Is your brain bruised?

JENNA: (chuckles) I hope not, honey. (still all eyes for JACE – checks on bandaged gash)

PHEB: Is her brain bruised?

JENNA: I’m not sure.

(JACE begins to wake up – startled)

JENNA: Hey, there, honey, whoa there, it’s alright.

JACE: What happened?

JENNA: I just stitched you up, that’s all.

JACE: Stitched me up?

JENNA: It’s alright honey, it’s over now. Don’t worry about it.

PHEB: You had a gash the size of Jupiter!

JACE: What?! (sees stitching) (to JENNA) Why are you helping me? You don’t even know me.

JENNA: Just a doctor on deck.

PHEB: She’s a praying lady!

JACE: A praying lady? Oh, your garments. You’re an abnegationalist, a religious woman.

(JENNA smiles humbly and nods her head) (FETCHER enters – sees JACE)

FETHER: How is she?

JENNA: She’s fine, but she’s also sitting right there. You can ask her yourself.

JACE: I’m fine, thanks.

FETCHER: Jenna, Pheb, could I be left alone to talk to our guest in private?

(PHEB jumps off bed and starts leaving, but JENNA hesitates)

JENNA: I’m not sure that’s a good idea, she’s still recovering.

(FETCHER just looks at her patiently)

JENNA: It’s rather unceremonious kicking a doctor out of her own office.

(FETCHER still just looks at her)

JENNA: Just don’t stress her out. (leaves)

FETCHER: Ha! Since when do I stress people out?? (trying to joke – fails) (JENNA doesn’t reply, he is disgruntled, closes door. JACE watches him)

FETCHER: (sits on her bed) Stett, right?

JACE: That’s right.

FETCHER: Rather wealthy last name, “Stett.”

JACE: Not really.

FETCHER: No?

JACE: No.

(both pause)

FETCHER: Where are you from then?

JACE: Soram System. Planet Hexa.

FETCHER: You’re pretty far from home then. Why were you on that frigate?

JACE: (blinks as if remembering) I was apprenticed there.

FETCHER: As a…?

JACE: Engineer. (answers are suddenly quick as if barely recollected)

FETCHER: Were you good?

JACE: I was.

FETCHER: What happened?

JACE: What?

FETCHER: What happened to your crew?

JACE: I-

FETCHER: Did you do something to them?

JACE: (lying) I don’t know.

FETCHER: Did you hurt them?

JACE: N-No! I was scared -

(Both notice the corporator on wall that JACE had referred to earlier begins humming)

FETCHER: What was that? (large blast is heard from outside)

JACE: (intensely) Why can I remember things around you? Answer me.

SELENIA: (from intercom) First officer, for once - you’re needed on deck!

FETCHER: (stands up to leave, but pauses in doorway) You have one, don’t you?

JACE: (blankly) I don’t know what you’re talking about.

(Ship gets thrown to the side - everyone (mainly perspective of JACE and FETCHER) is thrown against the walls)

MOTLEY: Captain! Freebooters have discovered us and are firing!

SELENIA: Full thrusters!

CLUTCH: But the power!

SELENIA: What choice do we have??

CLUTCH: None, captain!

FETCHER: (runs in) What’s going on?!

SELENIA: We’re under fire!

MOTLEY: Two missiles coming in hot, captain!

SELENIA: Throw up shields!

CLUTCH: The power!

SELENIA: We either use it or we lose it!

(MOTLEY throws up shields)

SELENIA: The Amalgamation found us – they’ll come for us soon enough!

FETCHER: This is suicide!

SELENIA: No - sitting around and doing nothing – that’s suicide! This is the opposite! Fire torpedoes!

MOTLEY: Firing torpedoes, captain.

JAN: (over intercom) Captain – we’re out of power!

(Shows JAN down in engine room, PHEB throws in a handful of microbules from the swept-up piles – engine flares)

JAN: Look like we can buy ourselves a bit more time… (begins helping shoveling it in)

SELENIA: Clutch! Forward!

CLUTCH: I can’t, captain!

SELENIA: Do it anyway!

(CLUTCH roars and pushes throttle)

-(The Amalgamation has dispatched a rescue ship, Assistance 1 that is now finally gliding towards The Epicenter’s location. On board is a serene atmosphere)

RAY: (on radio) This is Assistance 1, hailing The Epicenter, requesting affirmative signal, over.

(Assistance 1 slowly rounds a planet)

RAY: This is Assistance 1, hailing The Epicenter, reques-

(The Epicenter roars above and over Assistance 1 and the rescue crew jumps – surprised)

WESLEY: That’s them, sir!

RAY: How-

LIAM: Freebooters, sir!

(Freebooter ships comes soaring over after)

RAY: But-

(Watch them soar off – followed by an awkward silence)

RAY: (frustrated) Well, they’re the security ship! We don’t have any guns worth anything! We were told they were abandoned, so we dispatched a PICK UP ship!

LIAM: Certainly seem to have more power than they told us they had.

WESLEY: Which was none…

LIAM: Captain? Orders?

-(Back to deck on The Epicenter)

CLUTCH: They’re gaining on us.

JAN: (emerges from engine room) We be once more out of power.

SELENIA: (sees small planet) Use that orbit to slingshot!

CLUTCH: Captain?

SELENIA: USE THE ORBIT NOW!

(CLUTCH races the ship rapidly towards the planet and swings the ship around the orbit)

FETCHER: I take it back - THIS is suicide!

CLUTCH: Keep saying that and I’ll make sure it is! (Crew starts to float/lose their footing)

-(JACE stumbling down hallway, also having a hard time staying on the ground as the ship twirls upward – she is grunting and holding her bandaged side. She sees the engine room, with a faint glowing light coming from it – she stumbles down the stairs) (Down in the engine room – PHEB spots JACE) (JACE looks around, observing equipment) (She sees a router box that is dim, and stoops down in front of it to grab a wire. The box lights up and starts humming at her touch) (JACE notices and steps back. The box stops humming. She steps forward, it comes to life again) (PHEB has stopped shoveling and is watching) (JACE grabs the sides of the box and yells. The power comes on, things light up)

-(Up on deck)

MOTLEY: We have power, captain!

FETCHER: What??

(JAN runs downstairs to the engine room)

SELENIA: Don’t question it – now Clutch – SWING!

-(Perspective from Assistance 1 as ship swings around orbit and Freebooters fly past)

WESLEY: Whoa.

-(The Epicenter deck, as the ship straightens out)

MOTLEY: They’re flying due north, captain. And they’re not… coming back.

SELENIA: Gave up the chase! (pause- and then happy scream) They gave up the chase! (FETCHER laughs – relieved)

MOTLEY: (to radio) Assistance 1, we will be requesting a pick up in-

(whole ship dies)

MOTLEY: Aaaand, there it is.

(Pause)

CLUTCH: I demand a raise.

-(JAN running downstairs – sees PHEB standing over JACE who has collapsed to the floor. JAN rushes to look her over)

(The Epicenter is shown being boarded, pulled in by Assistance 1) (JACE is rushed in on a gurney, everyone being boarded) (Assistance 1 towing The Epicenter)

(JACE wakes up in Assistance 1 hospital) (FETCHER is sitting beside her again)

JACE: … what happened?

FETCHER: You saved us, that’s what happened.

JACE: Was it because of my…?

FETCHER: (nods) Would you like it removed?

JACE: It scares me.

FETCHER: We can have it removed.

JACE: (pauses) … I want it turned off.

FETCHER: (nods) Okay.

JACE: Like yours.

FETCHER: (shocked) … Okay. (nods and leaves the room)

JACE: (to self) I just want it turned off.

(PHEB enters with JAN, PHEB is staring at her)

PHEB: Are you an angel? (reference)

JACE: What? No. (shot down)

JAN: Pheb tried to explain what you did. And … well, I can’t explain it. But I’m glad ye did it.

PHEB: Whatever it was!

JAN: Aye, whatever it was! Are ye a’right little lady?

JACE: (smiles) No. (laughs) I’m not. (starts to cry)

JAN: Oh, little lady, don’t cry. (sits next to her and sends PHEB to get some water)

-(shows JAN and JACE through window as camera pans away) (zoom around Assistance 1 to other side of ship, where FETCHER sits and SELENIA comes to sit next to him)

SELENIA: Fetcher, I don’t like you.

FETCHER: I had deducted.

SELENIA: I don’t think most of the crew likes you.

FETCHER: Also not hard to decipher.

SELENIA: (looks at him) But I respect you.

FETCHER: Yeah?

SELENIA: Yes, I think I do. Not enough to have to listen to your pathetic ramblings every time, but you want what’s best. And I respect that. Even if your father is the only reason you have a job.

FETCHER: What did you say?!

~END of Episode 1~

(Episode 2)

(MOTLEY is shown strolling through an Amalgamation Headquarters docks, his two navvs (alien dogs) following him) (He observes a pamphlet in his hands – just the front cover) (CLUTCH jumps out of a sideline to walk by his side)

CLUTCH: It is true what they’re saying?                                            

MOTLEY: About the new ship? (his two navvs sniff CLUTCH familiarly – she pats them)

CLUTCH: No, about the new sinks in the latrines. Yes, the new ship, you idiot.

MOTLEY: I’m pretty sure it is, unless they handed me this upgraded manual for nothing. (waves it around)

CLUTCH: (grabs for it) Don’t mind if I take a gander -

MOTLEY: Ah-ah-ah! Communications and weapons officers only!

CLUTCH: I have weapons! (holds up fists) Fisty and McCuff! Now give it here! (they tussle – navvs bark excitedly)

MOTLEY: (frees from her grasp) Why don’t you ask your boyfriend up in Command for your own manual! I’m sure pilots get one too.

CLUTCH: (stops wrestling) Naw. We mostly get simulators, but I don’t get coached until the beginning of the week. And he’s not my boyfriend. He’s just a good kisser, that’s all.

LIAM: (from a bay over) Motley! (starts heading towards them)

CLUTCH: Aw gees. I’m keeping company with a buncha rankers.

MOTLEY: (to her) You’re welcome to find better company.

CLUTCH: With pleasure. (leaves) (LIAM reaches MOTLEY)

MOTLEY: (shakes LIAM’s hand) Liam! How’s the old rescue team business been treating you?

LIAM: As long as we have butts like yours to save – not too bad. (they laugh)

MOTLEY: Where’s dopehead number two?

LIAM: Who, Wesley? Aw, don’t give him too much of a hard time. He’s a newbie (suddenly quiet) and just told me he apparently just lost a good pal of his on the frontlines. From a bombing, so I heard. He’s been… upset.

MOTLEY: (respectfully) I’m sorry to hear that. Can’t win them all, I suppose.

LIAM: No… Heard about your new ship though! That’s fantastic! The Empress –  quite a beaut.

MOTLEY: Is that what she’s called?

LIAM: You haven’t seen her?

MOTLEY: (holds up manual) Barely learned the model.

LIAM: Aw, pal. Let me do you a solid and let you see her from her good side.

MOTLEY: Aw, man, no, I don’t have clearance on my pass yet, and you know how antsy Customs gets around me-

LIAM: C’mon. I basically run Customs. They won’t mind if you’re with me. A gunner’s gotta know his ship!

MOTLEY: (hesitates, but then laughs) Alright. Can’t resist a plea from a friend.

(They walk down a dark backway which LIAM flashes a security card at it and it opens) (the dock with The Empress lights up)

MOTLEY: Oh, she is beautiful.

(A giggle and some shuffling is heard, CORRIN’s head pops around the ship, his shirt half unbuttoned and CLUTCH peers around the corner from under him, giggling)

CORRIN: You think so?

MOTLEY: Clutch?! Were you –

(CORRIN and CLUTCH bolt – hand in hand they race toward the door)

CLUTCH: We had to christen the new ship somehow, Motley! And I told you he’s a good kisser!

(They dash out)

MOTLEY: (curses – watches them) Good gravity. That was my no good pilot lip-smacking on Lieutenant Corn.

LIAM: That was Lieutenant Corrin?

MOTLEY: That’s what I said. Lieutenant Green Bean.

LIAM: (shaking his head, smiling) Let me show you the inside.

-(Show SELENIA opening a drawer and pulling out a satellite gun – from an upward view as if you are in the drawer) (KIPPLINGTON stands next to her, FETCHER stands behind her)

FETCHER: See, and this one will actually auto-aim, right?

KIPPLINGTON: That’s right.

SELENIA: I don’t need auto-aim.

KIPPLINGTON: I’ve seen you shoot.

SELENIA: Okay, so my specialty is ships – so what?

FETCHER: You can’t shoot?

SELENIA: I can shoot!

KIPPLINGTON: And the patterns you make at the shooting range are just constellation maps.

FETCHER: You’re a captain and you can’t shoot?

SELENIA: I can shoot! Just not entirely always … accurately.

FETCHER: You’re a captain.

SELENIA: Of a surveillance ship, Fetcher! I hardly get any action worth mentioning.

FETCHER: And I suppose the Freebooters…?

SELENIA: Happens all the time. It wouldn’t have been such a big deal if we hadn’t been running so low on power.

FETCHER: Right. Hardly worth mentioning, I guess.

SELENIA: And besides, I have Motley for the big guns, which we use much more frequently, and he’s an excellent shot. I will be taking this one Kipplington, thank you.

KIPPLINGTON: (waves) Good luck making it out the door without shooting yourself in the foot!

SELENIA: (under breath) Pleasant as always.

(FETCHER and SELENIA walk down hallway)

FETCHER: When’s the last time you practiced?

SELENIA: Probably back at the academy for the final exam. Why is this suddenly such a fascinating topic to you??

FETCHER: Because a captain needs to know how to shoot. Not just for practical reasons, but for ethics. A crew needs to know their captain can aim accurately to feel secure, otherwise they’re on their own when it comes to hand to hand combat and it doesn’t help when the captain is cowering behind her own chair.

SELENIA: I don’t cower. And I can shoot!

(ATTENDANT steps out)

ATTENDANT: Captain Goulding?

SELENIA: Yes, that’s me.

ATTENDANT: The Amalgamation will see you now.

SELENIA: Well, I best be off, first officer. Wouldn’t want the captain to be late to her meeting. (to ATTENDANT) Tell me, is it too late to appeal for a new first officer? This new one they’ve sent me is rather a drudge.

FETCHER: I don’t know! Is it too late to learn how to shoot?

ATTENDANT: (to SELENIA) You can’t shoot?

SELENIA: (irritated) Shut up, of course I can shoot. Now take me to the council.

(SELENIA enters council – it is four people sitting in chairs in a windowed room)

ADMIRAL CALUCE: Captain Goulding.

SELENIA: (bows and clicks heels) Admirals.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: It’s nice to see you and your crew arrived safely back.

SELENIA: Safe is relative, ma’am. Success is not.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: And your mission was successful?

SELENIA: Yes, ma’am. There were no alternate or illegal trade routes discovered in the Teshoon outer system.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: And these results were not skewed because of The Epicenter’s breakdown?

SELENIA: No ma’am. We scoured the area and were on our way back with our results when we lost all power.

ADMIRAL LAUN: And the girl you picked up on the way?

SELENIA: Of no danger. She’ll be dropped off soon enough.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: Well then, we thank you for your investigation of illegal activity in the Teshoon outer circle. Unfortunately, the rest of the galaxy is not as lucky.

SELENIA: (smiles wryly) More crime, ma’am? What a surprise.

ADMIRAL HESS: We’ve sent you your new mission file, you should find it in your inbox. We’re assigning you to a new quadrant of the galaxy.

SELENIA: My goodness. New first officer, new ship, new mission field. It’s like Christmas.

ADMIRAL LAUN: Read the mission. It should become apparently obvious what we are sending you for. You’ll be dispatched there at the beginning of the week. Have your crew ready.

SELENIA: Yes sir.

ADMIRAL LAUN: And you will be attending Captain Cill’s inauguration tonight, won’t you?

SELENIA: Wouldn’t miss it for the galaxy, sir.

ADMIRAL LAUN: (smiles) Then you are dismissed, Captain Goulding.

SELENIA: (bows and clicks heels) Thank you. (starts to leave)

ADMIRAL CALUCE: Captain.

SELENIA: Yes?

ADMIRAL CALUCE: Speaking of your new first officer, how’re the two of you getting along?

SELENIA: (pauses) “Getting along” wouldn’t quite be the words, ma’am. (leaves)

-(Out in the hall as SELENIA exits)

JENNA: Selenia!

SELENIA: Ah, Jenna! I was just going to come looking for you – Do you know where Jace is? The council asked about her, and I realized she does need to be taken care of.

JENNA: I admitted her to a HQ hospital. They’re stapling her gash and checking her vitals better then I can.

SELENIA: Always one step ahead of me. Now, you rushed down this hallway pretty quickly. How many male doctors wanting your room number am I protecting you from this time?

CAPTAIN CILLS: (rounding the corner) This time, that would be me.

SELENIA: Captain Cills!

JENNA: (bashfully) He’s been escorting me around.

CAPTAIN CILLS: And attempting to convince her to be my guest of honor at the ceremony tonight.

SELENIA: At your own medal ceremony? My, captain, that’s very generous of you. What about First Officer Tetna? Wouldn’t she be much more of an appropriate choice?

CAPTAIN CILLS: (sighs) She’s a plain woman whom I tolerate. Besides, it’s become cliché to take one’s own first officer. I’d much rather take a lovely lady like Jenna herself.

SELENIA: I see.

CAPTAIN CILLS: (to JENNA) I am afraid I have limited time to spend swaying you, my dear. I am required in the Grand Hall soon. Something about making sure my coat matches the color of the banners. Consider my offer?

JENNA: Perhaps.

CAPTAIN CILLS: Well, it is not a no.

SELENIA: I’ll be attending your inauguration tonight.

CAPTAIN CILLS: Oh, that’s excellent to hear! Though why they make such a fuss over trivial things, I’ll never know.

SELENIA: Over open firing and taking out nine Freebooter syndicates all while charging shieldless into their turf?

CAPTAIN CILLS: (chuckles) A serious exaggeration.

SELENIA: Well then, I will attend the celebration of this serious exaggeration with pride. 4:30?

CAPTAIN CILLS: Spot on captain. I’ll have Tetna save you a seat up front.

(They click heels and part ways, SELENIA takes JENNA’s arm)

SELENIA: You don’t like him.

JENNA: And I don’t know why! He deserves the promotion!  But as for being his guest of honor... I would feel so bad for Tetna. She deserves it, she’s always been a splendid first officer. He just doesn’t seem to see it that way.

SELENIA: Just tell him no!

JENNA: It’s not as simple as that.

SELENIA: It really is.

(They enter SELENIA’s dressing room, where FETCHER and JACE are sitting)

JACE: Thank goodness. He won’t stop staring at me.

SELENIA: Was it with those big cow eyes he makes when he’s certain things have gone wrong?

FETCHER: You’re an unregistered impostor in the middle of one of the Amalgamation’s biggest headquarters. It’ll be on our heads if you do anything stupid. I’m just making sure you don’t go anywhere.

JACE: A wounded imposter, thank you very much and it’s a bloody space station! Where would I go?

SELENIA: Fetcher, you are dismissed. I’m getting ready for the gala.

FETCHER: (mockingly, as he leaves) Oh, yes, you must powder your ceremonial wig.

SELENIA: Atleast that’s the only thing I have to powder, baby cheeks. Shut the door on your way out.

(FETCHER leaves, disgruntled and shuts door behind him)

JACE: Where were you guys?

SELENIA: (begins changing her clothes) Being briefed for our next assignment.

JACE: Which I’m coming with you on, right? This can’t be where you intend to get rid of me.

JENNA: (helping SELENIA change) Of course not, sweetheart. Have you read it yet, Selenia?

SELENIA: (pops open the file and scans it) Bayotta?

JACE: Bayotta? Where all the human trafficking is?

SELENIA: Apparently. (closes file)

JACE: Fantastic. That’s where you’re gonna dump me? A slave market?

SELENIA: You could commission a rescue ship – they could get you back within a month or two.

JACE: If I stay penned up in this place any longer, I’ll become as grumpy as Kipplington.

JENNA: You met him?

SELENIA: He leaves an impression.

JACE: I want to stay with you guys. What does it take to join the Amalgamation?

SELENIA: (suddenly invigorated) Well I’m glad you asked! To join the Amalgamation takes courage. A keen mind, an eagle eye, a swift foot, strong heart and you must know how to –

JACE: I meant paperwork.

JENNA: Not much. Just a few forms and a blood test. Getting drafted is simple. Do you like it here, Jace?

JACE: I could live with it.

JENNA: I’m sure they’d be happy to have you.

JACE: (thoughtful) Yeah…

SELENIA: Jenna, will you please take our potential ‘cadet’ back to the medical bay where she can remain well-rested.

JACE: What? I don’t wanna go back to there.

SELENIA: You can work on your paperwork in there. I’ll have them send in forms. Besides, you didn’t actually think they’d allow an alien to attend a captain’s inauguration, did you?

JACE: Well, no, but –

JENNA: It’s probably for the best, dear. I’ll take you back.

(JACE reluctantly lets JENNA lead her out – JACE limps a little and clutches side, still wounded) (They leave and pass the hallway FETCHER is walking down. The perspective shifts to him and a large figure that suddenly overshadows him)

GENERAL MOORES: First Officer Fetcher.

FETCHER: (quietly) Father.

GENERAL MOORES: You are still assigned to that surveillance crew even after that blunder of a mission?

FETCHER: Aye.

GENERAL MOORES: Say ‘yes’ like a civilized man.

FETCHER: Yes, father, newly assigned.

GENERAL MOORES: Are you aware there are criminals aboard that ship?

FETCHER: Criminals? If you’re referring to that Stett girl, she’s being handled.

GENERAL MOORES: Stett girl? I’m talking about your gunner.

FETCHER: Motley?

GENERAL MOORES: Your weapons specialist with the two dogs?

FETCHER: Yes.

GENERAL MOORES: That’s the one. He’s got some kind of blemish on his record.

FETCHER: Certainly not too bad.

GENERAL MOORES: Bad enough that he’s not allowed certain places anymore. I’m surprised they allow him to handle artillery. I, for one, wouldn’t trust him and I suggest you do the same.

FETCHER: (coldly) Thank you for this information.

GENERAL MOORES: You’ll be attending the inauguration?

FETCHER: Of course, sir.

GENERAL MOORES: Good man.

(GENERAL MOORES spots MOTLEY walking with LIAM & WESLEY and narrows his eyes)

MOTLEY: (leaves the other men to approach them) Fetcher. (smiles) How goes it?

(GENERAL MOORES spits on MOTLEY) (MOTLEY doesn’t respond, continues looking at FETCHER. His navvs snarl at GENERAL MOORES, but MOTLEY calms them down)

MOTLEY: (to navvs) Pippy, hush. (respectfully) General. (GENERAL MOORES leaves)

FETCHER: Good gall, I’m sorry. He can get like that. He’s a prideful old ranker.

MOTLEY: It’s alright. I’m used to it.

FETCHER: (wipes it off MOTLEY’s coat) Well, you shouldn’t have to be.

MOTLEY: (laughs) Don’t tell Jenna, she gets mopey. Or Selenia. She gets defensive.

FETCHER: I won’t. (finishes wiping)

MOTLEY: Thank you.

FETCHER: He just has to play rank, I suppose.

MOTLEY: No, he doesn’t. He chooses to. Just like how you choose not to.

(One of MOTLEY’s navvs nuzzle into FETCHER’s hand, signifying he’s been accepted)

FETCHER: Is it true?

MOTLEY: Is what true, sir?

FETCHER: Your criminal record?

MOTLEY: (looks down, pats a navv on the head) (He pauses, smiles weakly) Who’s to say, sir.

-(SELENIA posing in front of mirror, wearing nice captain clothes) (MOTLEY and FETCHER enter)

SELENIA: Ah, boys! I need an opinion. The girls with anything worth saying left me. How does it look if I tuck in my official captain shirt? Would that look too strange?

FETCHER: It makes your thighs look rather large.

(MOTLEY and SELENIA both stare at him)

SELENIA: I haven’t tucked it in yet.

FETCHER: … I will be in my dressing room.

SELENIA: (chases him out) WHO SAYS YOU’RE INVITED YOU SCOUNDREL – (MOTLEY catches her to calm her down) (He brings her back to mirror and straightens her coat, he has a gentle touch)

MOTLEY: You look nice, captain.

SELENIA: Thank you, Motley. (pauses) I am sorry you are not able to go.

MOTLEY: Don’t be. I’d rather not be crowded in a room full of people who always think they’re better than the person standing next to them.

SELENIA: Just like me.

MOTLEY: (teasingly) Just like you.

JENNA: (appears in doorway in a nice dress) You ready to go?

SELENIA: (takes her arm) With a date as pretty as you? I’d go anywhere.

MOTLEY: Will you be meeting Clutch and Fetcher there?

SELENIA: You know Clutch. Never attends if she’s not being paid. And Fetcher’s a big boy. He can pull up his own diapers. I’m sure we’ll see him there.

JENNA: (laughs and pats one of MOTLEY’s navvs) Have a good night, Motley.

SELENIA: Don’t be too lonely.

JENNA: We’ll see you later. (smiles)

(MOTLEY waves them goodbye. The perspective lingers on him a couple extra minutes – standing in dressing room, alone)

-(SELENIA and JENNA enter a fancy ballroom, hosting what appears to be a very nice gala. Everyone is dressed very nicely, and there are hundreds of people. Up at the front, there is a large curtain that hands behind a stage. There are banners hanging from large pillars, and many fancy decorations decking the halls) (TETNA emerges from the crowd)

TETNA: Captain Goulding and Dr. McCusky.

JENNA: First Officer Tetna.

TETNA: I’ve actually been asked to save you a spot in the front.

JENNA: How kind!

TETNA: Where is First Officer Fetcher?

SELENIA: Coming, I’m sure. Probably still grooming that little bald spot on the back of his head.

TETNA: (chuckles) I see you and the first officer are clammy.

SELENIA: As cold dead hands. (SELENIA, JENNA and TETNA are shown taking their seats in front)

ADMIRAL LAUN (announcer): Captains, first officers and crew members united. Please feel welcome to take your seats as we begin today’s medal ceremony, which will be hosted by me, Admiral Laun. We will first begin with the lesser ranking honors of the first officers and lieutenants.

-(Meanwhile, MOTLEY is shown, walking nonchalantly up and down the hallways with his navvs, reading his pamphlet. He waves at security guards amicably. They eye him. He wanders the building alone – it is very empty. Suddenly, he sees someone dash down a hallway. This catches his attention, and suspicious, he follows the figure down a dark hallway) (His navvs howl – and security guards watch him warily)

MOTLEY: Pippy. Cora. Stay. (They sit obediently)

(MOTLEY dashes down the hallway. The security guards notice and speak into their walkies, but what they are saying cannot be heard)

-(Back to ballroom, medal ceremony and gala)

ADMIRAL LAUN (announcer): And finally, a blue meteorite pin for Colonel Deadpen. (audience applauds) (Colonel Deadpen has a blue pin pinned on his chest and returns to his chair on stage) Now following our minor award ceremony, we will now have the honor to hear from Captain Cills this evening before his own award ceremony. Captain Cills. (audience claps)

SELENIA: (whispers to JENNA) Look who finally decided to show up. (points to FETCHER taking a front seat as CAPTAIN CILLS takes the stand)

CAPTAIN CILLS: Thank you Admiral Laun. I know every one of you out there deserves your awards whole-heartedly through the measure of your skill and bravery. Let’s give another round of applause to this auspicious crowd and their achievements! (He gestures toward the people on stage and the crowd applauds again)

-(MOTLEY is shown following the figure down the hallway – chasing them, calling after them and rounding corner to see figure laying something behind the curtain and then running off)

MOTLEY: Hey!

CAPTAIN CILLS: Let me just say it is an honor to-

(in the crowd – SELENIA catches a glimpse of MOTLEY running behind the curtain)

MOTLEY: (sees her through the curtain and stops) Captain!

(THE STAGE EXPLODES)

 (A deafening detonation. Debris flies everywhere, the front row is thrown back, people go tumbling. But it is the grand stage in front that takes most of the hit. It splinters and most of the people on it are thrown off and wounded instantly. The curtain goes flying, the entire wall behind the stage cracks) (The initial blow is thunderous. SELENIA stumbles to her feet, grasping her weapon. She sees, in her half delirious state that there is a bright yellow gas leaking from under the crooked curtain) (People around her are crawling away, or barely able to move. Some lay unconscious)

SELENIA: Gas.

(The gas builds up) (FETCHER stumbles to his own feet. He notices SELENIA’s wide eyed stare)

SELENIA: GAS!

(FETCHER is seen watching SELENIA as she looks up to see the banners hanging from the pillars. She holds up her gun and shoots the rope that holds the large banner, and FETCHER follows suit by simultaneously shooting the other rope on the other side. The large banner flutters down over the front section of the crowd. Some shriek in alarm. SELENIA grabs a corner and holds it down) (Panicked murmuring)

SELENIA: Three…two…

(A hissing can be heard. The gas builds up and the gas cloud that has collected is massive, the ones who are still alive on the stage are beginning to cough)

SELENIA: One.

(As if another explosion has been set off, or a massive jet engine has been suddenly activated, a giant gust of wind propels the gas cloud rapidly forward. Anyone on the stage who had struggled to their feet is thrown flat on their back, and the front row is then blasted. SELENIA grits her teeth and holds down her corner of the banner as best as she can. Other people under the banner join her, trying to fight off the gas that is blasting in. They struggle to hold it down, and the wind whips at them harshly. FETCHER is shown on the farther side of the banner, holding as well. For an entire moment or two, they are buffeted by the gas cloud. They clench their teeth and shut their eyes tightly. There is violent coughing. The wind stops)

(SELENIA lets go of the banner and falls gasping, to the floor. The majority of the gas floats up to the ceiling and lingers in a giant toxic cloud. TETNA lays next to her, twitching and bleeding. JENNA is propping herself up on a chair weakly. Everything is in slow motion as SELENIA watches people wander about – trying to get out. Eventually, men in gas masks come, with muffled slow voices, to help SELENIA and others up and lead her out) (There is a giant hose being sprayed up at the ceiling in the background as SELENIA is dragged out, half conscious)

~INTERLUDE~

(Show KEIRA running down the hallway of the wounded. KEIRA is blonde like SELENIA, but wears the same religious garments as JENNA)

KEIRA: Excuse me. I’m looking for Goulding, yes. Excuse me, hi, is there a Goulding? In here? No? Do you know where I can find her?

-(In SELENIA’s hospital bedroom. She gets own bedroom because she is a captain. SELENIA is sleeping when KEIRA enters)

KEIRA: Selenia! (races to her side)

SELENIA: (wakes up, has a groggy voice) Keira? (Her eyes are blood shot, and there are large bags under her eyes. She coughs. Her face has been bandaged where there are small cuts.)

KEIRA: Great gall, you’re alright! (presses SELENIA’s hand to her forehead) I came out as soon as I heard about the bombing-

SELENIA: (weakly) Bombing.

KEIRA: I had to planet hop two systems.

SELENIA: (croaks) My crew?

KEIRA: Probably in the main hall. There’s a lot of people out there. It’s horrible. This headquarters wasn’t built to be a medical facility. (SELENIA sits up) Selenia, are you sure you’re alright?

SELENIA: (licking her dry lips) Fetcher and Jenna. They were at the front with me

KEIRA: I hope they fared as well as you. The doctors said all you sustained was a sprained shoulder from the explosion and a feverous migraine from the nerve gas -

SELENIA: (holds head) And Tetna, she’s – and Motley! (jumps out of bed)

(SELENIA limps down the hallway – KEIRA follows, grabbing SELENIA’s hand to be trailed behind) (They enter the hallway, full of at least a hundred wounded and way too crowded)

CLUTCH: Captain!

SELENIA: Where’s my crew? Report.

(CLUTCH leads them to JENNA’s cot. JENNA also looks terrible in the same way SELENIA does)

SELENIA: Jenna!

JENNA: (delirious) Keira! How nice to see you here, Keira. (has a coughing fit)

(A nurse hustles over with a needle and syringe)

SELENIA: (takes needle and syringe) Here, let me. Don’t worry, I’m her captain and a registered medic. I know you have other patients to attend to. (Nurse scurries away, SELENIA administers the sedative to JENNA, whose eyes roll back into her head and her coughing decreases)

KEIRA: Poor sweet Jenna.

(A violent hurling noise is heard, aka throwing up, and ruins the moment)

SELENIA: (turns around) Fetcher?

FETCHER: (Is sitting on a cot. He pulls his head out of a garbage can) Captain. (He looks terrible – disheveled hair, blood shot eyes, crumpled clothes)

SELENIA: I see you finally discovered your own revoltingness.

FETCHER: No, I just saw you, captain. (hurls again)

CLUTCH: Oh, c’mon. That’s low banter, even for you two.

SELENIA: (holds up syringe and needle) (to FETCHER) You want some?

FETCHER: I’ll hold up. That was a smart thing you did at the front.

SELENIA: I told you I can shoot.

FETCHER: Don’t think I didn’t notice (herks like it’s coming up) the auto-aim. (hurls again) (pulls head out, and eyes the contents of the garbage can) I didn’t even eat this.

SELENIA: Where’s Motley?

FETCHER: They didn’t tell you?

(Others murmur and don’t make eye contact)

SELENIA: Well?

CLUTCH… He’s in accusatory.

SELENIA: Excuse me?

FETCHER: He’s being accused. Selenia… they think he’s the one who planted the bomb. They think he’s a Furnigationalist.

SELENIA: What?? That’s impossible! He was the one trying to warn us!

FETCHER: Tell that to his allegedly Furnigationalist record.

SELENIA: No. No, he can’t be – it’s not him. (FETCHER just looks at her)

(LIAM has been bandaged on one side his face and neck, he is bloodied up, but standing in the hallway of the wounded. He is talking angrily to a security guard)

LIAM: What do you mean they couldn’t find the body?! Where else would it be?!

SELENIA: (grabs him away from security guard) Where’s Motley?!

LIAM: Captain Goulding! He’s- I can’t – I tried to –

SELENIA: Do they think it’s him??

(LIAM nods helplessly)

SELENIA: IT’S NOT. (storms past him)

(SELENIA storms into the hallway - KEIRA follows. They walk to accusatory)

SELENIA: (she flashes her identification badge to guard) Captain Goulding. Grant me access.

GUARD: Afraid not, ma’am.

SELENIA: He’s my crew member! I have the right to defend my crew member!

GUARD: After we have interrogated him thoroughly, you may get your chance.

SELENIA: “May” isn’t good enough! LET ME IN! (tries to barrel past) (hears a sort of panicked yell from within) He’s not being interrogated – he’s being tortured! Now under the galactic ranking code of spectre thirty-four-

ADMIRAL CALUCE: (exiting accusatory) Captain Goulding.

SELENIA: Admiral Caluce, please, my crewmate needs me.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: Your crewmate is under heavy fire for what he did.

SELENIA: He was also under heavy fire when he tried to stop a terrorist bombing! (calms herself down) I’m sorry. He didn’t do it, Admiral, just please, let me in.

(ADMIRAL CALUCE nods to GUARDs and they step aside, allowing SELENIA and KEIRA to enter) (Inside is MOTLEY, laying on a bed and convulsing, obviously in a lot of pain. They are seizures caused by his close proximity to the nerve gas when it went off, but the INTERROGATOR and other men in the room ignore them. MOTLEY is strapped loosely to a chair, and an INTERROGATOR hovers over him bleakly)

INTERROGATOR: So you saw a figure running down the West Wing hallway – and you pursued?

MOTLEY: (twitching violently and through clenched teeth) Yes. (it’s all he can get out)

INTERROGATOR: And what made you follow him on your own and not alert the guards?

SELENIA: He’s in pain! Admiral, please. He was closes to the gas – he’s suffering!

INTERROGATOR: Captain Goulding – you say that he was closest to the gas? How do you know this?

SELENIA: (defensively) I saw him dash behind the curtain at the ceremony.

INTERROGATOR: And you also did not alert security?

SELENIA: Mainly because the place exploded! I was a little busy trying not to get killed!

INTERROGATOR: And this does not seem suspicious at all? That your main gunner, who was previously a world-renowned sniper for possible Furnigational societies, whom is purposefully not invited to these events, was at the West Wing, the exact time a bomb was set off?

SELENIA: But he was running towards the place where the bomb was set off! Why would he run towards it?

INTERROGATOR: A failed suicide attempt, perhaps.

SELENIA: No! This is wrong! This is absurd! Motley wouldn’t do this!

MOTLEY: (convulsing) W-West-

SELENIA: Motley?

MOTLEY: West-West

INTERROGATOR: Yes, the bomb was discharged in the West Wing. We know that already!

SELENIA: (gets closer to MOTLEY) What is it, Motley? West wing? West flank?

MOTLEY: West – (his eyes roll back into his head)

INTERROGATOR: What? What happened?

SELENIA: (turns around, holding syringe and needle) Guess he was in for a well-deserved nap.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: Captain Goulding!

SELENIA: (is scooped up by two security guards and dragged out) I’ll have you know, my crewmate will not remain unrepresented, regardless to his history! He can’t just be subject to this treatment! The Amalgamation is better than this!

-(SELENIA sits out in hallway, holding her throbbing head in her hands. KEIRA sits by her side. A few times, SELENIA attempts to get up and storm back to accusatory, but her headache prevents her, and KEIRA eventually leads her docilely back to her hospital room, where she falls limply and defeated on the bed and KEIRA covers her with blankets)

-(CLUTCH is seen, taking a dark elevator up to a high floor and obviously being covert about it. She appears to be mildly fiddling with her appearance) (The floor she comes to is well-lit, high up with big windows and manned sparingly, but still busy with the few that occupy it. She stands in the elevator door until CORRIN notices her, approaches and escorts her behind a corner)

CORRIN: What are you doing up here?? (leads her out of sight of the rest)

CLUTCH: I’ve come to ask a favor.

CORRIN: As if you don’t ask enough of me.

CLUTCH: (coyly) You know I have my rewards.

CORRIN: (nose to nose with her) Mm, I know you do.

CLUTCH: I need jack ash.

CORRIN: That’s on the third floor, sweetheart, you’re seven floors too high. (Goes in for a kiss – lips parted – CLUTCH stops him)

CLUTCH: I need your help getting it.

CORRIN: Since when do you actually need me?

CLUTCH: My influence only goes so far.

CORRIN: (hesitates) What do you need jack ash for?

CLUTCH: I know it’s uses.

CORRIN: (holds her by her hips and sways) Oh, so now you’re secretive.

CLUTCH: I know you’re a good gambler.

CORRIN: (still in the moment) Mm, I gamble with you everyday.

CLUTCH: No, Corrin. (slower) I need a good gambler.

CORRIN: (stops) Oh. That third floor. What’s in it for me?

CLUTCH: Me.

CORRIN: You’re always in it for me. (holds her tighter) I always get you in the end.

CLUTCH: Then secrets.

CORRIN: Secrets?

CLUTCH: Things I won’t tell your superiors you’ve given me.

CORRIN: Mm, I like it when you play dirty.

CLUTCH: I also have the location of a lesser known Plumonium smuggler. I’ll give it to you and you can either report the organization for the glory of it or use it to your own advantage. You’re good at that. Your choice.

CORRIN: I see – sour, then sweet. (Kisses her – just a peck) Deal.

CLUTCH: Fifteen minutes. Third floor. Bring your game pace.

CORRIN: Always have to walk like a winner around you, Clutch.

(They part ways) (CLUTCH takes the elevator back down – deep in thought)

-(SELENIA has been escorted back to her hospital bed, next to her, KEIRA plays with her fingers)

KEIRA: You can’t push yourself too hard. You were hurt too, you know.

(SELENIA doesn’t respond)

KEIRA: You know, I could take you back to Nigilla. My home is large and I’m sure the Amalgamation owes you a vacation by now. You could come see dad and all the kind little village children -

SELENIA: They were hurting him, Keira.

KEIRA: (softly) I know, sweetheart.

SELENIA: Why were they doing that?

KEIRA: I don’t know.

SELENIA: He’s not a bad man.

KEIRA: No, he’s not.

SELENIA: He’s not.

(They lapse into silence)

SELENIA: (looks at KEIRA) I’m glad you came out for me.

KEIRA: Sisters can’t be kept too far apart. (smiles)

SELENIA: How’s dad?

KEIRA: Still unresponsive. He… degrades…day by day. Called me Selenia the other day. Asked where mom was.

SELENIA: Oh, Keira.

KEIRA: It’s hard.

SELENIA: I’m sorry I can’t be there more.

KEIRA: I know what you’re doing out here is important.

SELENIA: What you’re doing is more important. You’re such a good older sister.

KEIRA: I am, aren’t I? (SELENIA kisses KEIRA’s hand that she’s been playing with hers with)

PHEB: (from doorway) Captain?

SELENIA: Pheb. You’re back.

JAN: Awful sorry, captain! Our little excursion took us away at such a crucial time.

SELENIA: I would never begrudge you a visit to family. And it was probably for the best.

JAN: Aye. There are some things young eyes cannot unsee.

PHEB: Was there a bomb?

SELENIA: Yes, Pheb, there was a bomb.

PHEB: Did it blow up?

SELENIA: Yes, it blew up.

PHEB: (curses and stomps the floor) Jupiter! We missed it! (JAN scolds him)

JAN: Keira, how are ya, m’dear?

KEIRA: Still standing.

JAN: Mighty good t’hear. We all must stand stalwart and sinless in this trying time.

-(Instantly cut to CLUTCH and CORRIN, crouched over a gambling table. There are men hollering and chanting. They are holding hands of cards and playing a heated game with three other scary looking men, QUINCE, VAL and OTTO. The game is obviously reaching it’s climax) (CORRIN has taken off his vest, loosened his collar and is focusing intently in the dim light)

QUINCE: Eight of spades! Eight of spades!

(VAL rapidly lays down card – CORRIN instantly plays on top of it – CLUTCH groans)

VAL, QUINCE and OTTO: Eat it! Eat it! Eat it!

(CLUTCH angrily takes the deck and shuffles it into her own hand)

CLUTCH: Corrin…

CORRIN: Working on it, sweetheart.

VAL: Ten of diamonds.

QUINCE: Alright, alright! No more small cheeses! On this hand, I’ll bet three hundred values. I’m feeling frugal.

CORRIN: (intrigued) Ooh.

CLUTCH: My, my, your eyes certainly are getting bigger than our budget. Don’t get greedy, honey bunches. We’re here for one thing.

CORRIN: You might be.

(lays down card, CLUTCH lays down card, QUINCE lays down a card, CLUTCH calls out of turn)

CLUTCH: Trump card! (lays down special card out of turn)

VAL: She’s right, it’s a spade. Eat it ranker. (Talking to CORRIN)

CORRIN: (begrudgingly takes deck into his hand) Aren’t we supposed to be working together?

CLUTCH: That’s more like it. (Lays down cards) Three aces.

OTTO: Excuse me?

VAL: Well I’ll be stopgapped.

CLUTCH: Nobody? Alright then. Quince, eat it on up. Atta boy.

(QUINCE takes cards angrily  - other men howl)

CLUTCH: Alright then. Two tens. Anybody?

VAL: Trump card! (lays down card) Can’t have you getting too close to actually winning, missie.

CORRIN: Higher trump card! (slams it down)

OTTO: Rankers got the king!

CORRIN: And I know how to use it too. (Lays down rest of hand) Aces, spades and a set of twos. I believe, gentleman, I’m out.

QUINCE: By gall! Ranker won!

CORRIN: Rankers always win. That’s how they become rankers. Now I believe on top of those delicious three hundred values, we were promised a little something extra.

(QUINCE begrudgingly reaches into his vest and pulls out a small clear baggie of yellowish-orange powder which he tosses onto the table)

CLUTCH: That’s hardly enough!

CORRIN: (standing and pocketing baggie) Thank you gentleman. I expect the values transferred into my personal account soon enough.

CLUTCH: (standing angrily/abruptly) This isn’t about the values! We were promised a sackload! Not some pimple of a pack! Don’t make me report this underground trash heap!

QUINCE: You’re, uh, lady friend is getting pretty nasty there, ranker. Perhaps you should just take your socket and go.

CLUTCH: … What did you just call me?

QUINCE: I believe I just told your “honey bunches” over there to take you back to your hole, socket.

CORRIN: (warningly) Clutch.

(CLUTCH turns around and composes herself, takes a deep breath. With CORRIN’s hand on her lower back, she begins to walk away. Suddenly and ferociously, she turns around with her gun drawn and one fist raised and runs madly back towards the men, yelling crazily. It goes black)

-(With a few new bruises and scratches, but invigorated nonetheless, CLUTCH is seen marching down hallway to SELENIA’s room) (She enters determinedly)

CLUTCH: I come bearing drugs.

KEIRA: Pardon?

SELENIA: Pardon?

CLUTCH: (holds out baggie) This, captain, is jack ash. It’s a drug, mostly illegal, but it’s a neurosubsider. It’ll put Motley and anyone with any nerve damage to ease, atleast for a time.

KEIRA: (alarmed) Illegal??

SELENIA: Is this true? Will it work?

CLUTCH: Aye, captain.

SELENIA: …Take it to Motley.

KEIRA: But the guards!

SELENIA: Clutch.

CLUTCH: Captain.

SELENIA: I know you can get it to him.

CLUTCH: (Smiles devilishly) Aye, captain.

(As CLUTCH is shown walking, determined, down the hallway, an ANNOUNCER is heard over the speakers to the entire ship)

ANNOUNCER: Attention, all military and government personnel aboard Galactic Quadrant One. The Furnigationalist that has committed this horrendous act of violence has been discovered and taken into custody. There is no further need for alarm.

SOLDIER 2: (from the hallway) (bitterly) Serves him right!

SOLDIER 3: I hope they skin the brute! (SELENIA can hear and visibly stiffens)

-(CLUTCH swerves her way between attendants all preparing food for the wounded and sneaks her way into the kitchen. She looks around, sees a tray with a single dish and access card and deduces it is bound for the accusatory. She zeroes in on it)

ANNOUNCER: If there are any who are still seeking medical care, please contact the medical bay immediately. A funeral service procession will be held in the Grand Hall for all those who wish to attend. Bodies will then be shipped home.

(Someone has left an apron hanging on the handle of the oven, so she removes her vest stealthily and replaces it with the apron. CLUTCH makes sure no one is watching and sprinkles jack ash on the trays. She takes the accusatory tray and exits the kitchen. She comes to the entrance of the accusatory with the food, but the guards eye her suspiciously)

CLUTCH: Unless you want to be the ones to spoonfeed him, all jerking around like that.

(Guards look grim)

LIAM: (suddenly is there from hallway) Let her in. I’ll go with her.

(Guards move aside)

ANNOUNCER: Our deepest condolences to any persons or people suffering from the loss of any of these brave men and women. This act of terrorism was as vile as it was cowardly.

(MOTLEY is alone in accusatory and is kept in a shabby cell, which LIAM opens with his pass) (He is still having minor seizures and is obviously still in a lot of pain, CLUTCH approaches him)

MOTLEY: C-C-C-

CLUTCH: Shhh… (feeds him)

MOTLEY: Clutch – (slowly, MOTLEY begins to relax, as the drug begins to take effect. The seizures subside)

CLUTCH: Calm down.

MOTLEY: West- west-

LIAM: (from behind her – suddenly realizes it) Wesley.

MOTLEY: (not without difficulty) It was Wesley.

LIAM: But they couldn’t find the body!

(CLUTCH looks at him)

LIAM: (realizing) They couldn’t find the body.

MOTLEY: (exhausted) I s-swear on my life, my captain and my crew, that I am not a Furnigationalist. It was Lieutenant Adam Wesley. Liam, you have to d-do this for me.

(LIAM thinks)

MOTLEY: I know I st-still owe you for the last one but please - do me a solid.

LIAM: (exits – calling on his personal radio) Admiral Caluce. I have a re-evaluation request.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: (over radio) Lieutenant?? (Liams leaves the accusatory)

CLUTCH: Then Wesley was killed?

MOTLEY: He ran away like he didn’t intend to be blown up-p. If he was hiding, he’d be- he’d be in the maintenance hall behind the st-stage.  

(CLUTCH dashes out)

-(WESLEY is shown sneaking through hallway, popping his head out of hidden passageways, he shoulders a cumbrous looking backpack and keeps his head down as he heads directly for the rovers)

WESLEY: (flashes his badge to guards) Lieutenant Adam Wesley. I’ve been given a reassignment. 

(Guards let him pass)

(CLUTCH books it around the corner)

CLUTCH: (monstrously) WESLEY!

(WESLEY frantically tries to dive into rover, but CLUTCH kicks his legs out from under him and tackles him out) (ADMIRAL CALUCE and LIAM round the opposite corner to see the attack)

WESLEY: Liam! Ach - Help!! (CLUTCH has him in a choke hold)

LIAM: Clutch, unhand him. (CLUTCH releases him)

WESLEY: (shakily) Thank you. Now, as I was on my way, all this noise and lights got my PTSD going, so just step farther away, Lieutenant, so I can crawl in here-

LIAM: The bag, Wesley.

WESLEY: What?

LIAM: The bag, Wesley. I demand an inspection.

WESLEY: There’s nothing dangerous in it.

LIAM: Then let me see.

WESLEY: You don’t need too.

LIAM: Prove it.

(From behind, CLUTCH kicks it out of his hand. It spills open and three large objects roll out)

CLUTCH: (picks one up) Gas capsules sir. With Furnigationalist emblems.

LIAM: (To WESLEY) (betrayed) I thought I knew you better.

(WESLEY suddenly fumbles for a pin on his jumpsuit. He pulls it. He and the jumpsuit both burst into flames) (LIAM jumps back and falls – CLUTCH watches, standing protectively in front of ADMIRAL CALUCE)

WESLEY: MAY THE FURNACE BURN BRIGHTLY! (WESLEY burns to ash within seconds and dies)

(There is a long silence as the body crackles and pops)

ADMIRAL CALUCE: (softly) More and more lives lost to this pitiable and self-righteous cause.

CLUTCH: (hardly phased) Permission to free Sergeant Motley from accusatory, ma’am.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: Granted. (CLUTCH runs off) Lieutenant Liam.

LIAM: (Shakily gets to feet) A-Admiral.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: Please inform the rest of command that the Furnigationalist has been … taken care of. Clear Sergeant Motley’s record of any of the accusation.

LIAM: Yes, ma’am. (leaves)

(ADMIRAL CALUCE stands over body and dismisses the guards. She takes one last sad look at the piled of charred man and then leaves, alone)

-(A few days later, the crew and a few others are gathered The Empress’s dock)

CLUTCH: (to JACE) And you can just place a drop on your tongue, or sniff it up, like this.

PHEB: Can I have some?

JAN: (pulls him back) Abs’lutely not. (leads PHEB away to ship)

JACE: You know how to utilize herbs really well, Clutch.

CORRIN: (grabs her from behind) Not the only thing she knows how to utilize.

CLUTCH: Don’t get used to it. We leave in two days.

CORRIN: Mm, can’t I have my fun? (they kiss)

(FETCHER is approached by JENNA)

JENNA: (gently) Fetcher…?

FETCHER: Yes, Jenna?

JENNA: I know you’ll tell me straight.

FETCHER: Alright.

JENNA: (gets a little emotional) … did Captain Cills… (gets teary) I mean, was he – (can’t finish) FETCHER: (pauses) Almost instantly.

(JENNA looks down)

FETCHER: It was probably painless. Unless there was debris that lodged in his chest or back, causing him to bleed to death or nerve gas choked him to- ah. (realizing he’s gone too far)

(JENNA sways, and puts a small white hand to her forehead)

FETCHER: Do you need, uh, do you need, ah-

SELENIA: (from farther away) It’s called a hug, first officer.

 (To FETCHER’s shock, JENNA buries herself in FETCHER’s chest. After a moment, he slowly wraps his arms around her)

JENNA: (into his chest) Just a little one.

FETCHER: (clears throat awkwardly) I will admit that I am not entirely sure of the measurement or, ah, scale of embracing. But I will try to apply the appropriate amount of physical affection.

JENNA: (kind of giggling wetly) Thank you. (FETCHER looks down at her and tightens his arms)

(The door opens and MOTLEY is shown limping with LIAM down the hallway that leads to the dock The Empress is kept in. He now walks with a cane because of some minor, but permanent nerve damage to his legs. The crew cheers and is happy to see him. He limps toward KEIRA and SELENIA)

SELENIA: How’s my Furnigationalist gunner? Eh?

MOTLEY: Certainly learning how to navigate my new sea legs. (to KEIRA) I don’t believe we’ve had the pleasure of meeting. Sergeant Motley.

KEIRA: Keira Goulding. I’m Selenia’s sister.

MOTLEY: Ah.

KEIRA: I, ah, came because of the bombing.

MOTLEY: Of course. (Likes looking at her)

KEIRA: Beautiful ship.

MOTLEY: (Pats one of his navvs) She is, isn’t she? Pity you won’t get to see her fly.

SELENIA: Actually, Keira, why don’t you just come with us? We can drop you off on Nigilla, I can see dad and you don’t have to worry about finding an expensive way home. I owe it to you. You came all the way out here, I’ll get you back.

KEIRA: Thank you.

MOTLEY: Would you like to see her? (offers his arm) I’ll show you around. (they leave)

JENNA: (comes up behind SELENIA) Well I’ll be. Chivalry’s not dead.

SELENIA: Nope. It’s just suffering from nerve damage due to mildly traumatic seizures while the entire Amalgamation accuses it of being a Furnigationalist. (yells) C’mon crew! Tea party’s over! Get back to training! We better actually be able to get this model out of port come next week. Clutch, get your hands out of his shirt – I’m looking at you, Colonel Cucumber. Let’s move it! Move it! (Everyone parts their separate ways to train, still laughing)

Epilogue:

(The place where WESLEY has burned himself to death is closed off, and darkened. No one enters but a lone figure, a broad figure, who swipess his authentication badge silently, sneaks his way past the red tape and closed gates and comes to stand above the pile of char that was WESLEY. He stares down at it, and as the perspective pans up, you see him rubbing a Furnigationalist pendant between his fingers, and his face is revealed. It is GENERAL MOORES)

GENERAL MOORES: (whispers) May the furnace burn brightly with your sacrifice.

(He slowly and quietly walks away)

~End of Episode 2~

(Episode 3)

(At the dock where we last left our characters, the dock holding The Empress is now full of life and light and is beginning to whir as if starting up)

SELENIA: (hangs out of cockpit door) All aboard that’s going aboard!

JENNA: It’s beautiful! (Wandering around the inside of The Empress) So high tech!

SELENIA: Enough! You’ve all had your fun!

FETCHER: You heard the captain! Stations, everyone! Stations!

SELENIA: Clutch – on the throttle!

CLUTCH: It’s called a directional driver, captain.

SELENIA: Motley, man your station!

MOTLEY: (he stands from where he and KEIRA were sitting to limp to his station) You sure you’ll be alright, Ms. Goulding? I’m not sure how you’ll cope since I’ll be ten entire feet away

KEIRA: (laughs) I think I’ll be fine.

MOTLEY: If you’re sure… (he moves from where KEIRA and he were sitting together and limps to his station. His two navvs stay behind with KEIRA)

SELENIA: (into an advanced intercom) Jan, Pheb – everything ready down there?

JAN&PHEB: (from intercom) Ready, captain!

SELENIA: And Jenna, my sweet?

JENNA: (laughs) Ready, captain.

SELENIA: Then blast off! Let’s go!

FETCHER: (talking on radio) This is The Empress requesting bay door twenty two be opened and mission be set into motion, acknowledge.

RADIO GUY: (from HQ) Affirmative, Empress. Mission is now active and bay door twenty two is in being unbolted.

FETCHER: (to radio) Thank you, over. (door opens)

SELENIA: Look at those stars! Clutch – everything ready?

CLUTCH: Aye, captain.

SELENIA: Then pedal to the metal in point six seconds.

CLUTCH: Aye, captain.

JAN: (from intercom) All power up, captain!

SELENIA: Oh, she’s a beaut. Ain’t she a beaut, Fetcher?

FETCHER: (amused) She’s a beaut, captain.

SELENIA: Oh, she is, isn’t she? Who knew one could fall so in love with one of these new fancy ships so quickly!

FETCHER: Who knew.

SELENIA: Computer!

COMPUTER: Captain Goulding.

SELENIA: (to FETCHER – giddily) See, it does that.

FETCHER: Yes, I see it does.

SELENIA: Computer, chart assigned mission.

COMPUTER: Charting.

CLUTCH: We’re all gonna be out of a job soon with this kind of tech.

MOTLEY: I wouldn’t mind. (Catches himself/ glances at KEIRA) N-Not that I want to be out of a job and not be able to provide for myself, or, of course, other, potential … people—

SELENIA: Keep it up, Ace.

(MOTLEY shuts up and looks embarrassed, it is the only time he has been truly flustered)

SELENIA: Forward to Bayotta!

JACE: To Bayotta!

SELENIA: Jace, what are you doing up on deck – aren’t you supposed to be taking those online classes the Amalgamation signed you up for?

JACE: Are we going to see the pancake nebula?

SELENIA: No, we’re taking a side route to drop off my sister, so we’ll be entering from the east side of the system. We’ll miss it completely. Now, the computer lab is downstairs.

JACE: What can I learn down there that I can’t learn up here in the real life? Besides, if I find a replacement for my apprenticeship, I basically wouldn’t have to go to any kind of school because then I’d actually have some kind of marketable skill.

SELENIA: And where do you expect to find any sort of master, huh? On Nigilla? It’s an agriculture planet. So unless you want to catch seeds and plant birds, you’re out of luck.

KEIRA: That’s not how it works.

SELENIA: (defensively) I just got it reversed. I haven’t been on a farm in a while, okay?

JACE: I’ll find someone. I’ll find someone in this very crew.

SELENIA: Oh, really?

JENNA: I’ll take her.

SELENIA: Good gall, Jenna. Can you be mean and miserly like the rest of us for just one second, please??

JENNA: C’mon, you can be a medic’s apprentice.

(JACE looks smugly at SELENIA and follows JENNA)

SELENIA: (annoyed) Computer – estimated time of arrival?

COMPUTER: Four hours from current time, captain.

SELENIA: Even at this light speed? Clutch -

CLUTCH: If you say ‘pedal to the metal’ one more time – I swear I will kill you.

(KEIRA comes to sit next to MOTLEY at his station, the navvs follow her)

KEIRA: So how does all this work?

MOTLEY: Well, I typically take orders from your sister, who in turn, reports back to the Amalgamation –

KEIRA: No, I meant how does this work? (refers to panel in front of him)

MOTLEY: Oh, this? (surprised) You want to know how this works?

(KEIRA smiles and nods)

MOTLEY: Ah, well, okay. Up here is my thermal scanner. It keeps track of whether we’re being shot at or not. (Inspects it too closely) Oh good, we’re not. Here are my controls on our own weapons. You have your missiles, torpedoes, cannons and then just plain richoteters, ah, that’s slang for space guns. These dials are how I can tell how much power Jan and Pheb have routed each one, and this one here is for sending out or receiving hails or distress signals.

KEIRA: Pretty fancy.

MOTLEY: (mockingly) Oh yeah. I’m a ‘specialist.’

KEIRA: I can see that.

MOTLEY: So, uh, what do you do back on Nigilla?

KEIRA: (sighs) Mostly farm. I do take care of my aging father but that’s pretty much it.

MOTLEY: Sounds pretty peaceful. You have animals?

KEIRA: Oh yes, I’m no stranger to animals. (laughs)

MOTLEY: I can tell. (pats navvs) They like you.

KEIRA: I like them. Things tend to care for you when you first care for them.

MOTLEY: Would you say it’s easy for two things to care for each other?

KEIRA: (laughs nervously and looks at him shyly) Sometimes too easily.

CLUTCH: Captain, an unnatural force is pulling us from the left.

FETCHER: Unnatural force?

COMPUTER: Minor black hole identified.

SELENIA: Veer away!

CLUTCH: Aye, captain.

COMPUTER: Course being altered.

CLUTCH: Thrusters at 3.5 altered speed, captain.

SELENIA: Keep ‘em blazing.

FETCHER: We’re back on course.

SELENIA: See? Minor scare. Nothing to worry about. Clutch, set thrusters back to normal. Full speed ahead.

MOTLEY: (concerned) Captain.

SELENIA: Sergeant?

MOTLEY: There’s another ship emerging from around a small planet. THEY’RE FIRING CAPTAIN!

SELENIA: Throw up shields! Can we identify their model? Clutch, amp our speed.

FETCHER: It’s an older model, captain. Looks like it was stolen from the Preservation. It’s ID has been seared off.

SELENIA: Motley, prepare to fire.

(Ship takes some shots)

SELENIA: (pouts) My new ship.

(Takes more hits – half of the cabin goes dark)

MOTLEY: Captain, they’re using some kind of untraceable missile.

SELENIA: Return fire, Motley and don’t you dare hold back.

MOTLEY: (Grins) Aye, captain.

(epic space battle – the two circling and firing)

MOTLEY: They have reinforcements, captain!

SELENIA: Keep firing! We’re not easy to take down.

FETCHER: Two more ships from the back.

CLUTCH: It’s an ambush!

SELENIA: Keep firing!

(The Empress takes more shots)

MOTLEY: They’re hailing us, captain.

SELENIA: How are our vitals?

MOTLEY: Still stable captain.

SELENIA: Then answer, but keep weapons at the ready. Let’s see what they have to say for themselves.

FETCHER: This could all just be a misunderstanding.

(HAIL’s voice is heard over the radio, it is low and menacing.)

HAIL: Please, captain, please. We treasure our stolen ships just as much you don’t want to skuff your shiny new one.

SELENIA: Then in future ambushes, perhaps you should consider not firing first. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking to.

FETCHER: He comes in under the ID of Moen Jard.

HAIL: The last owner of this ship, but you may call me if it makes you feel any better. I allow you your last condolences.

SELENIA: What do you want?

HAIL: Just to do business.

SELENIA: What kind of business.

HAIL: Economics. Putting some items into circulation.

SELENIA: I don’t understand.

HAIL: We want something you have and we’re willing to do just about anything to get it.

FETCHER: There’s nothing valuable aboard this ship!

MOTLEY: Captain! One of our rear engines is being tampered with!

SELENIA: Tampered with? What do you mean?

MOTLEY: I think it’s somehow being unscrewed from our main body!

FETCHER: What? That would require masterful ship dexterity!

(HAIL laughs maniacally)

CLUTCH: It’s a distraction, captain! This call is a distraction! We have to break while we can!

JENNA: (comes into cabin with JACE) What’s going on!?

SELENIA: (angrily to HAIL) What do you want?!

HAIL: BODIES. (ends call)

MOTLEY: Call ended, captain.

SELENIA: Clutch – get us out of here!

CLUTCH: I’ll try, captain. (pushes throttle)

MOTLEY: The engine is nearly off.

FETCHER: They’re human traffickers! Chattelers, captain!

MOTLEY: Captain, large missile coming in from –

(Entire cabin pitches to one side and all goes black)

(The Empress floats, seemingly lifeless. The chattel ship sidles up to board The Empress, their ship connects and they enter through one of the port doors. They are three enormous men, three or four times the size of usual men, XAN, YAK and ZED. XAN and YAK creep forward first. There is something eerie about the silence of the dark cabin)

XAN: Find a light.

YAK: We took out the power.

ZED: They’re in here somewhere.

XAN: (to ZED) Go downstairs. Find the engineer. They go for a good price.

YAK: We want them all though.

XAN: And we’ll find them all. Fan out. We’ll have our cargo soon enough.

YAK: (snickers) Economic items in circulation. Good one.

XAN: I heard one over there.

YAK: I hear them too. (shines light on JENNA and JACE, slinking down previously dark hallway)

JACE: (Electrifies dagger) Come no closer. (JENNA has some makeshift weapon as well)

XAN: You wanna fool with us, you little chattel?

JACE: I’m not chattel of yours, you hippopotamus!

XAN: Not yet, you’re not.

(Very swiftly, XAN disarms JACE by hitting her arm and sending her dagger flying. He trips her instantly as well, catching her under his arm and scoops up JENNA effortlessly. They both scream and struggle. FETCHER emerges from the shadows, gun raised)

FETCHER: Let them go! (shoots) (XAN slams himself against the wall so FETCHER misses)

XAN: (to YAK) Take care of him! (XAN exits and boards their chattel ship to drop off JENNA and JACE. Halfway down the hall, he meets ZED with PHEB and JAN under his arms, and they head back together) (YAK is alone in hallway to deal with FETCHER) (YAK swings a beefy arm, but FETCHER dives and elbows him in the gut. YAK is completely unfazed and kicks FETCHER who is already down and FETCHER hits wall, gasping. FETCHER dives underneath and between the YAK’s two large legs and rolls up so he’s now on the alternate side of the hallway. FETCHER throws a square punch right to YAK’s face as YAK turns around. Just as YAK is reeling from the punch, SELENIA leaps from the shadows and grabs YAK around the neck from the back. YAK grabs at her arms. He is three times her size, but she tightens her arms around YAK’s throat and locks her legs around his torso. FETCHER delivers several punches and kicks to YAK’s exposed belly and groin. YAK tries to fend him off with one arm while trying to pry SELENIA off with the other, grunting and gasping. FETCHER continues delivering punches to YAK until XAN re-enters the hallway. XAN charges FETCHER, who pulls his gun out again and begins firing at XAN down the hallway. YAK, with SELENIA still hanging around his neck, kicks FETCHER from the side, which sends FETCHER sprawling. YAK then smashes SELENIA against the wall by backing up rapidly against the wall and crushing her between. XAN charges FETCHER, who is still getting up from being kicked by YAK, and XAN kicks FETCHER harder as he reaches him – sending him bashing against the end of the hallway. SELENIA falls to the floor from YAK’s smash – her ribs temporarily crushed and gasping. YAK scoops her up and SELENIA fights back, but still holds her ribs. CLUTCH and MOTLEY suddenly surge from doorway near end of hallway. MOTLEY shoots at SELENIA’s captor (YAK) from the doorway, KEIRA stands behind him. CLUTCH rushes XAN, who is still attacking FETCHER. XAN sweeps CLUTCH off her feet and her head instantly hits the floor – she is out like a light. MOTLEY backs up, protecting KEIRA)

MOTLEY: Keira. Run. Run down the passage. (tries to limp backwards) (leans down and picks something up off the floor)

KEIRA: (terrified) I can’t!

MOTLEY: Keira – run down the passage. Send a distress signal!

(KEIRA runs down the passage to the MOTLEY’s panel, where she frantically pushes distress)

(XAN has collected CLUTCH and FETCHER – both passed out. YAK picks up SELENIA. XAN hands ZED CLUTCH and FETCHER and turns toward MOTLEY) (XAN charges MOTLEY) (END/BLACK)

-(Next scene: The crew of The Empress is tied up and tossed in a dark base of a ship. KEIRA rests on MOTLEY – very scared. KEIRA sees JACE waking up and turns to MOTLEY, who is currently in a numb state. She pulls something out of MOTLEY’s pocket/bag and hands it to JACE. It is JACE’s dagger. JACE thanks her with her eyes. Only a few of the crew are conscious. If others wake up – they just look at each other. Silence and darkness – comforting touches, hopeless eyes)

~INTERLUDE~

(A large mansion is shown at night, seemingly peaceful. Very wealthy looking house. Has Preservation crest on it’s door) (To the side, four women creep through an orchard)

MAID 1: Please hurry, Mistress. We can’t stop now.

(it is three maids and a nicer dressed lady, who they seem to be attempting to usher through the forest)

VANA: (stops and licks her lips, panicked) I taste blood.

MAID 2: Come, now, mistress. We must get you to Sir Vandohbok.

VANA: He can’t know! He can’t know!

MAID 2: (frantically) I’m sure he already does, m’lady!

(a lantern shines in the distance)

SERVANT: Found them!

MAID 1: Mistress, please, this will be our last chance! You must find it in you to run!

MAID 3: Mistress!

VANA: Oh, the world, how it swirls.

(NEIL BEALJISS emerges from the woods with two servants who have been helping him search) (He glares down at VANA, who looks down, terrified)

MAID 3: Master Bealjiss…

NEIL BEALJISS: Are out in this god-forsaken wood for what I suspect you are?

VANA: Father…

NEIL BEALJISS: You’ll never see that scoundrel again so long as I’m alive!

VANA: Father, please!

MAID 1: He may know a cure, master! He wouldn’t leave his lady like this!

MAID 3: Have pity! (NEIL BEALJISS slaps MAID 3 violently, throwing her to the ground)

VANA: Father!

NEIL BEALJISS: There’s more where that came from if you don’t swear to return to the house immediately.

VANA: (crying) I swear it, father, I swear it.

NEIL BEALJISS: Good. We must look like the respectable Preservative family for our guest of importance arriving tomorrow.

MAID 1: (desperately – pleading) She will die, master! She will die!

(NEAL BEALJISS stares coldly at VANA, then turns his back to her and walks away)

(The four women huddle together and cry)

-(Aboard the chatteler ship - the crew of The Empress is being stripped rudely of their outer clothes (no nudity – only outer))

YAK: (to JACE) Nice vest.

ZED: Four, five! (plucking medals off FETCHER’s chest)

(The crew stands helplessly, mostly in undershirts and looking a little worse for wear)

XAN: Let them keep their boots. Most slavers don’t wanna have to bother with supplying a new pair. (looks them over, and looks down at clipboard) (points to FETCHER) Him. (ZED grabs FETCHER and ushers him roughly to the side) (XAN eyes MOTLEY, but sees cane. Sees JAN and how he is too old. Sees PHEB and how he is too young) What? Only one decent man amongst the lot? Her, the blonde. (YAK grabs SELENIA and thrusts her to ZED, whom clasps FETCHER and SELENIA together) And her. (grins at JENNA) Mister Bealjiss always likes himself a maiden or two on hand. Rest of ‘em go to Plumonium mines and make sure they don’t jip us again. Tell them these are people who have been in the service. (mockingly)

(XAN and YAK corral the rest of them off to one side while ZED drags SELENIA, FETCHER and JENNA to the other side)

YAK: What about the dogs?

XAN: You mean those meals on legs? Sell ‘em.

SELENIA: (desperately) Keira! (doors shut menacingly)

ZED: Quiet! (shoves her forward) Now.. time for the funnest part. Insertion. Any chattels going to market over at the Bealjiss’s have got to be nice and secure. Now lift up them shirts.

FETCHER: What?

ZED: I said lift em! (grabs at JENNA) (JENNA shrieks)

FETCHER: Let her go! Here is mine! (he lifts his shirt to expose his torso)

ZED: That’s more like it. (Takes a large machine and presses it up against FETCHER’s belly. The machine clicks and FETCHER suddenly gasps and stumbles back against the wall. He lifts his shirt up, trembling, and there, where his bellybutton should be, is now inserted a tiny dial. A trickle of blood comes from it, and it is obviously painful and uncomfortable, but otherwise simply placed in.)

JENNA: Abdo-dials.

ZED: Pretty easy going in. Not so easy coming out. (grins) You’re next. (To SELENIA)

(Clicks machine into SELENIA, then into JENNA. They all gasp, and JENNA holds her hand over her mouth)

ZED: They’ll keep you obedient enough. Into the vessel, c’mon, let’s go. (He hustles them all into smaller ship that beeps on their entry. He pounds a simple button and then goes around to each chattel and adjust the dial in their torso. They each look sick)

ZED: Comfy? Perhaps just a little reminder that from here on out, you’ll either be captured (Twists JENNA’s too hard, she shrieks) or dead. (FETCHER pushes him away from a trembling JENNA and stands in front of her protectively. ZED just looks amused)

(The four sit alone in this vessel that is hurtling through space. The cabin shakes. They all sit in silence, maybe a few of them holding their abdomens) 

-(The mansion is shown – and the vessel carrying them all hurtling towards it)

(NEIL BEALJISS stands at the window and stares out at it landing)

NEIL BEALJISS: Ah, the work has arrived.

MRS. BEALJISS: The work?

NEIL BEALJISS: I acquired the promise of three new people of assistance after the last three disappointed so badly. Come, Lady Bealjiss, and welcome our new property. (offers his arm)

(MRS. BEALJISS and NEIL BEALJISS come out into the yard to speak to ZED)

NEIL BEALJISS: That adds up to three thousand values.

ZED: We want more for the man.

NEIL BEALJISS: Then you should have brought more men to compare him to. I’m already paying nearly equal for the females.

ZED: Three thousand two hundred.

NEIL BEALJISS: Three thousand.

ZED: Three thousand one hundred.

NEIL BEALJISS: You will take the three thousand willingly, or you will pick the pieces of your bloody nose from out of the grass. Am I clear?

ZED: Mighty generous of you, sir. (Takes values, hands him the keys, vessel and ZED leave)

FETCHER: Captain Bealjiss! My name is Fetcher Moores, and this is Captain Gouding and Dr. Jenna McCusky from the Amalgamation. I can tell from the crest on your house and your dress that this is a fine family that upholds the standards of the Preservation. The Preservation and the Amalgamation are not enemies! We are no chattel of yours! We are allies in combat and brothers in philosophy!

MRS. BEALJISS: (Suddenly a little frightened) Neil… the Amalgamation…

NEIL BEALJISS: (closes the gap between him and FETCHER) I’m sorry, dear, what was that? I couldn’t hear you over the sound of this gutter rat running of his mouth. (slaps FETCHER)

SELENIA: Hey! (barrels into him)

(Without missing a beat, NEIL BEALJISS shoots SELENIA in the stomach. She falls, gasping)

JENNA: Selenia!

NEIL BEALJISS: I suggest you put them to work, dear. I’m sure there are odd jobs no one else wants to do. (walks away)

MRS. BEALJISS: Of course, dear.

FETCHER: I refuse to do any work that is assigned to me.

MRS. BEALJISS: Then I suppose I refuse to serve any food that is prepared for you. Attend to your friend, then meet me inside the house. It’s rather drafty out here. You have five minutes.

(MRS. BEALJISS leaves)

FETCHER: We should run!

(JENNA drops to her knees and desperately begins wrapping/pressing SELENIA’s wounds with anything she has, namely her own dress) (There are tears in her eyes and a waver in her voice)

JENNA: We don’t have anywhere to run!

FETCHER: That mountain! Those trees! Any direction – we could run!

JENNA: (teary and trembling, tending to SELENIA) You’re mad, you’re mad.

(FETCHER takes a moment to finally take it all in, and decide what to do. He too drops to his knees and helps hold the fabric against SELENIA’s wound.)

SELENIA: (gasping) I see you haven’t lost your charm, first officer.

FETCHER: With all due respect, captain, I don’t want Jenna to have to tend to the blood my ears will bleed if you speak another word.

(SELENIA grins but continues gasping)

(FETCHER, SELENIA, and JENNA are shown hobbling into the house, SELENIA behind held up between the other two, still gasping. MRS. BEALJISS waits for them, her back towards them)

MRS. BEALJISS: (as they enter) How fortunate the guns my husband carries are never deadly. How useless it would be to kill something for which we have already paid quite a considerable sum for. You will heal eventually. (turns around) But as for now, we do not care who you are or where you are from. Merely what you can do. You will begin with the simple chore of clearing the entire west front of brush.

FETCHER: And if we run?

(MRS. BEALJISS clicks a button on a small slender remote, and all three clutch their abdomens and groan terribly)

MRS. BEALJISS: Get to work.

-(JENNA and FETCHER are shown out in the forest, picking up any and all dry and dead branches and twigs around the area. SELENIA is propped up against a tree. They all wear less than supplementary coats that were provided, with holes and tears and hardly any cover, shivering)

FETCHER: The vessels that took us here are called bi-landers. They basically have a beginning and end point, and that’s it. They have no recall address. So if they’re not on the actual planet, they’re really of no use to us.

SELENIA: (painfully) So not that way.

JENNA: We’ll need a ship.

FETCHER: We have to be on an outer planet of the Stree system’s southern edge.

JENNA: Oh, here, honey! Look what luck! (brings SELENIA a plant) It’s a pain reliever, dear. It is going to taste awful – but you must chew it.

SELENIA: I’m a terrible captain.

JENNA: What? Of course not.

SELENIA: All I do is get us into danger. I can’t even lead properly. I just boss people around and then get them hurt.

JENNA: No, Se-

FETCHER: Yeah you are. (JENNA and SELENIA look at him) You’re the worst captain I’ve ever seen. You lead your crew into deserted and risky places just because you have ‘faith’ in them and your situation, which is ridiculous. Then you celebrate your own rank by attending some prestigious gala that because someone else can’t attend, nearly gets blown up and blamed for the destruction which he worked hard to try to stop. But hey, you only tried to defend him. And the Furnigationalist actually responsible - that was your fault, wasn’t it? And then, after you cheer us on and encourage us to press onward – we stayed strong and board our new ships within days of the devastating act. And we go out to do our jobs. Heaven forbid. And as we’re going to the route assigned to us – we get captured, by the exact thing we were trying to stop. But it was your fault that black hole was there, right? And your fault they laid a trap for us. And your fault we’re clearing brush as some lady’s slaves, and your fault we’re all failures, right? Gall, Selenia, you really need to get it together, because if all of this is your fault, the world must just be continuously crashing down around you! I mean, look at that giant crack in that mountain! Was that you, too Selenia, was it?? Is everything your fault??

(SELENIA and JENNA look at him dumbfounded)

FETCHER: Life happens. And sometimes, it spits tar. That hasn’t seemed to stop you yet. Keep fighting, captain. Sometimes it seems the only thing you’re good at.

SELENIA: You’re awfully forgiving for a man who lost all his medals to a chatteler who will probably just use them as buttons on his overcoat.

FETCHER: (shrugs) Maybe I’m just in denial. But hey, if you’re such a bad captain, you deserve a punishment. Right, Jenna?

JENNA: I agree with the first officer. Here’s an idea, how about chewing a bitter root I pulled from the dirt?

SELENIA: (taking root) I still dislike you, Fetcher. This doesn’t change that.

FETCHER: I know, captain. But maybe for an instant, I can possibly get you to like yourself.

SELENIA: (looks at him deeply as she starts chewing on the top of the root) Ugh, that is awful.

(Suddenly MRS. BEALJISS’s voice comes from the three’s abdo-dials. Abdo-dials also scan area)

MRS. BEALJISS: (from Abdo-dial) This is hardly sufficient. Come home and to bed, there’ll be no supper for you. And what is that one doing lying down? It seems all she’s been good for today is causing a bloody mess. Return immediately. (Abdo-dials blink/beep off)

FETCHER: Did those just come from our stomachs?

SELENIA: Efficient and disturbing.

FETCHER: How nice.

JENNA: (helping SELENIA up) C’mon. (FETCHER helps)

SELENIA: Hey, I can almost feel my legs!

FETCHER: I can’t feel mine with you hanging off me like that.

-(Cut to night, and JENNA and SELENIA have been quartered in a small outdoor shack, in which the door is just shutting. It is small and cold and probably has a few other female servants within, but mostly all keeping to themselves. JENNA and SELENIA’s bed is near a window which shines moonlight on them)

SELENIA: We’ll find a way out.

JENNA: Yes, we will. But first, you rest. And then we think. Just let tomorrow come.

SELENIA: You’re always so good to everyone, Jenna. If we don’t make it out of here, I want you to know that.

JENNA: You said yourself we will.

SELENIA: Right, right, we will.

(They go to sleep)

(Show FETCHER at the same time of night – being shown in and around the house)

MRS. BEALJISS: As much as my husband has been trying to convert the household servants to male, we have no quarters explicitly for them, and I want to keep an eye on you. You shall spend the remainder of the night in the basement. No bedroll or blanket will be provided until you earn it.

(She points him to some stairs and FETCHER begins to descend when hears NEIL BEALJISS come out and speaks to his wife. FETCHER presses himself against the stairway wall to listen)

NEIL BEALJISS: Madeleine! (he is coming/shouting from the top of the grand stairs in the entrance room) Did our guest ever come? I’ve been waiting all day in my office for him!

MRS. BEALJISS: Oh, no, dear! I thought I sent a porter to tell you! He’s been delayed til early tomorrow morning!

NEIL BEALJISS: (curses) Stopgap it all! I had all the papers ready! Now I’ll have to put them back in the lockbox!

MRS. BEALJISS: Is it that same particularly important guest you were expecting?

NEIL BEALJISS: (still frustrated) The very same.

MRS. BEALJISS: How frustrating.

NEIL BEALJISS: Frustrating doesn’t even begin to describe it! (storms off)

(FETCHER descends stairs to the dingy basement. There is one guy – MEAT LOCKER GUY – sitting protectively in front of a large stone room with a plastic curtain for a door)

MEAT LOCKER GUY: Ey, stay away from my meat locker! You sleep over there!

FETCHER: That’s mighty large for a meat locker.

MEAT LOCKER GUY: That’s a mighty large nose you got there. Mind sticking it someplace that is your own galdurn business?

FETCHER: Keep your filthy meat locker.

(FETCHER finds a place to lie down, a cold bench or flat surface between crates. He attempts to sleep. The night becomes late, the small window becomes dark, and FETCHER is still wide awake and shivering slightly. MEAT LOCKER GUY has leaned back in his chair and is snoring loudly. FETCHER sits up stiffly to look at him, frustrated. FETCHER notices some kind of cloth poking out from under a crate near MEAT LOCKER GUY. He creeps over quietly to retrieve it, and spends a minute or two pulling what appears to be some kind of furry wrapper, but he takes it. As he begins to walk away, a gust of wind, whether from the blanket or the window, pushes the curtain to the meat locker aside just a tiny bit. FETCHER sees a glimmer of metal come from within. Curious, he pushes aside the curtain and his eyes widen)

-(Meanwhile, we finally get a look at where the rest of the crew has gone. Down in a dark Plumonium mine, stand MOTLEY, KEIRA, JACE, JAN and PHEB, being observed and manhandled by the other WORKERS in the mine)

WORKER 1: She’s a scrawny woman!

WORKER 2: And what of these other three?? An old man, a one-eyed boy and a young girl with no callouses on her hands! Plus to boot – the only man can hardly walk! What a motley crew!

MOTLEY: (pulls KEIRA to himself) Stop pulling on her!

WORKER 3: They’re worthless!

MOTLEY: This is my family! My wife, my children and my father. Do not touch them – or you will have to me to answer to.

WORKER 1: That some kinda threat? Whose turf do you think you’re on?

WORKER 2: Boss- boss! We could use ‘em as canaries in the lower zones!

WORKER 1: Not a bad idea.

KEIRA: (Quietly, to MOTLEY) Where’s Clutch?

MOTLEY: (whispers quickly back) I don’t know, they took her to another zone.

WORKER 1: Alright, canaries, come with me to your cages! (grins slyly)

WORKER 3: Don’t waste em all! One at a time! Take the youngest first! (throws him PHEB)

MOTLEY: Let him go! I’ll go! Stop!

WORKER 1: Idiot. You ain’t no family now, you each is an individual not worth your own spit. Get that through your heroic head.

(MOTLEY struggles, but is held back)

(WORKER 1 takes PHEB into a chamber glowing with purple patches. PHEB whimpers. WORKER 1 dons a large mask and pushes PHEB in front to a dark area of the mine. There are other miners present)

WORKER 1: Break it open!

(There is an explosion, and the wall disappears into a thick black cloud. It pummels PHEB and sends him falling to the floor, coughing violently. The masked miners watch and step aside. PHEB hacks on the thick air and no one does anything but observe. They wait. PHEB tries to cover his mouth, they wrench it away and force him to breathe the polluted air. He chokes. They wait and watch)

WORKER 2: (clicks stopwatch) That’s thirty seconds.

WORKER 1: Hold him here for another minute or two, but it’s most likely got no poison. Move in and work in gear until kid can breathe normally.

WORKER 3: (chuckles) That might be never after this job.

WORKER 1: Give the others tools. They’re weak, but whatever work they can do is one less chip we have to make ourselves.

(The rest of the crew is forcibly handed pickaxes. PHEB runs behind JAN, still hacking)

WORKER 3: Give ‘em enough protection for their faces. Wouldn’t want to lose our canaries in one go, would we now.

(The crew sets feebly to work)

-(JENNA is suddenly woken up by SELENIA shaking her awake)

SELENIA: Jenna.

JENNA: (wakes up) What? The sun hasn’t even risen… Are you alright? What’s wrong?

SELENIA: (peering out backward through window) There’s a ship here.

JENNA: (peers out – eyes widen) That’s an Amalgamation ship. (SELENIA looks at her)

-(Perspective is now down in the basement where FETCHER lies, wide-eyed. Point of view pans over him to curtain, where it peeks behind curtain that the MEAT LOCKER GUY sleeps in front of. Behind the curtain, the viewer can see rows and stacks of gas capsules – all with Furnigational emblems emblazoned on their sides)

~End of Episode 3~

 (Episode 4)

(SELENIA walks down the hall of the Bealjiss mansion, holding some kind of tray, dressed like a servant, she sidles up next to JENNA who is also walking)

SELENIA: They haven’t allowed us to see Fetcher.

JENNA: You went and tried?

SELENIA: It’s ridiculous! And the ship is still parked in the yard! If we can’t get to him now – we might lost our only chance!

MRS. BEALJISS: Any particular reason you two ladies are conversing?

SELENIA: None whatsoever.

(MRS. BEALJISS stares at her)

JENNA: None, ma’am.

SELENIA: None, mistress ma’am. (too much)

MRS. BEALJISS: Stoke the fire and look pretty – our guest will be staying for dinner and I want him to see the ladies of the household in case one might be of his choosing. (leaves)

SELENIA: Ew.

JENNA: Well it might be kind of a compliment. She did say look pretty.

SELENIA: Implying that we weren’t already. Why is the poker so high – (reaches for the poker high up and cringes when her belly is stretched) (JENNA catches her as she falls)

JENNA: Whoa, hey, hey.

SELENIA: Forgot you operated last night. Was barely starting to heal too.

JENNA: Shh, we successfully managed to remove our Abdo-dials, but I don’t know long it will be until they notice.

SELENIA: Well you did operate with an broken piece of a pipe of an old faucet, so kudos to you.

JENNA: And you had no painkillers, you stubborn goose. What I’m saying is we don’t have a lot of time. We need to get Fetcher.

SELENIA: Or leave without him.

JENNA: (sadly) or leave without him.

SELENIA: (gets up, rejuvenated) You give it a shot. I’ll stay here and ‘look pretty’ and you go give those coy eyes to the weird basement warden. He’s the one who won’t tell me what happened.

JENNA: (smiles) Will do. (They both stand) Just… (JENNA reaches out and pulls the tie out of SELENIA’s hair, letting it fall from it’s previous ponytail to a waterfall around her shoulders)

JENNA: There. Pretty. (smiles and runs off)

(SELENIA is initially shocked, but pleasantly surprised) (She spends a minute looking after JENNA but then returns to the fire place, spreading her hair on her shoulders and playing awkwardly with poses, leaning on the mantle, very mockingly. She says things like, “c’mere lover boy,” and “wanna bite of this?” pushing her butt and breasts out much too far)

-(JENNA trots down the stairs, FETCHER is finishing buttoning up a coat in front of MEAT LOCKER GUY, whom is watching him angrily)

FETCHER: Jenna!

JENNA: We were wondering where you’d gone!

FETHER: Merely slept in. Don’t worry I’ve been reprimanded. (MEAT LOCKER GUY nods)

JENNA: This is your meat locker?

MEAT LOCKER GUY: Is indeed.

JENNA: It’s very nice. (to FETCHER) The mistress wants you for… logs?

FETCHER: Logs?

JENNA: Logs.

FETCHER: Ah, yes … log… duty. (nods to MEAT LOCKER GUY, whom lets him go, follows JENNA)

JENNA: What’s up with him?

FETCHER: He thinks I went inside his meat locker.

JENNA: So?

FETCHER: (looks at her) He’s right.

-(Back to SELENIA at the fireplace, still in a ridiculous position, but suddenly hears voices and footsteps on the stairs and startles back to reality)

MRS. BEALJISS: We’re so you glad you could join us, Mr. Moores.

GENERAL MOORES: Business demanded it, Mrs. Bealjiss.

MRS. BEALJISS: Well then business has done us a great favor. Would you like to tell our guest what we’ll be having for tonight for dinner, dear?

NEIL BEALJISS: Roast duck with pudding.

GENERAL MOORES: I won’t argue. (NEIL BEALJISS laughs forcibly)

(SELENIA instantly recognizes him as FETCHER’s father (Fetcher Moores Sr) She is absolutely shocked to see him and is not sure what to do, so whirls back around and leans against mantle)

MRS. BEALJISS: (they have reached the bottom of the stairs) Ah, servant. Bid our guest hello.

(Awkwardly, and without turning around, SELENIA (seductively) waggles her hips, smacks her butt and flicks her wrist – something suggestive, but her face remains turned away)

GENERAL MOORES: The lovelier side of a woman, I see.

MRS. BEALJISS: My apologies. To the dining room? (They exit)

(SELENIA is still shocked and leans against the fireplace)

MRS. BEALJISS: (returns to entryway) (smacks SELENIA with her fan) I hope that taught you a lesson, you pig! Now stand in front of the General and let him be pleasured by your features, not your wiles! (Smacks her again)

SELENIA: (mumbles) Sorry, ma’am.

MRS. BEALJISS: (shrewdly) Remember your place – and stoke the fire! (leaves)

(SELENIA holds hand over mouth as she absentmindedly stokes the fire. She suddenly drops the poker and dashes for the staircase – at which she is met abruptly by JENNA and FETCHER in the doorway)

(All three speak over each other hurriedly)

JENNA: (to FETCHER) There’s an Amalgamation ship!

            FETCHER: (to SELENIA) They’re smuggling Furnigation gas capsules!

                                    SELENIA: (to JENNA) The guest of honor is Fetcher’s father!

All three: Wait, what?

FETCHER: My father??

-(Back at Amalgamation HQ, Admiral Caluce is busy responding to the distress signal sent out by The Empress and dispatching a rescue squadron)

ADMIRAL CALUCE: (over microphone) Send out four more squadrons! (rubbing hands together worriedly and consulting LIAM) This problem is much larger than one ship could handle. We were fools to send them alone as a scout, and now we’ve lost all trace.

LIAM: A tragedy, Admiral.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: A tragedy perhaps we can reverse. Trace the last signal we received. We’re on the hunt.

-(MOTLEY, KEIRA, JACE, JAN and PHEB working in mines. Some large workers bustle past with a heavy/dangerous load. JAN pulls PHEB out of harm’s way and closer to him)

WORKER 4: (comes in at mouth of cave with WORKER 12) Head signet, sir, we have a big new cave we’ll be opening that we wanted some canaries for.

WORKER 1: (absent mindedly) Take a few.

(WORKER 4 grabs JACE and JAN while WORKER 12 grabs MOTLEY) (they leave and take them down into a deep dark cavern, where there are are atleast fifteen masked men waiting, two of them handling explosives and ready to detonate)

WORKER 11: Three canaries?

WORKER 4: I got a spectrum. It’s a big cave anyway. Masks on!

WORKER 9: They’re on.

WORKER 4: Open ‘er up!

(Wall explodes in black dust and hits MOTLEY, JACE and JAN who vainly attempt to cover their mouths – but cough violently. JAN staggers and MOTLEY attempts to catch him – but they both go tumbling. Masked men watch. JACE suddenly and slowly starts walking toward the cave. She is coughing and crying but trudges forward steadily. MOTLEY, in his attempts to help JAN and retrieve his own cane, only notices JACE as she’s already entered the new cave and he watches, shocked as JACE is swallowed by the black cloud)

WORKER 6: (annoyed) Well that’s a sure way to lose a canary!

WORKER 7: Also a sure way to check for poison. If she goes straight in there and still comes out – ain’t no way it’s poisoned.

WORKER 8: True that. (others nod)

(outer dust is clearing and MOTLEY and JAN have finally stood up. MOTLEY peers into dust and shuffles forward, looking for JACE) (JAN holds on to MOTLEY for support, they stumble forward)

WORKER 6: (grumbles) Great way to lose three canaries.

WORKER 5: Quiet, you! They’re doing their job.

WORKER 8: (clicks stopwatch) Well, their times up. If they haven’t died yet, it’s been a minute and a half – we should be clean.

WORKER 4: Let’s get to work.

(They start entering the cave, but a rumbling begins and all look up, shocked – some back away)

WORKER 10: Cave in! It’s a cave in!

WORKER 4: Stand back!

(The top of the cave cracks and crumbles down and covers a very large portion of the front of the cave. WORKER 5 is crushed and WORKER 8 is struck by a large boulder on his head and he falls. The explosive box is buried. The workers jump back. WORKER 9 attempts to drag WORKER 8 away and trips over a rock. The rumbling stops)

WORKER 6: Good gall.

WORKER 7: He’s alive, but he’s wounded! (They attend to their own, namely WORKER 5 and 8, and two run out of the cavern to get help)

WORKER 6: What did I say? What-did-I-say? Three canaries.

WORKER 12: Oh shut your gob. They come cheap anyway.

WORKER 6: (mumbles) Not cheap enough…

(Perspective pans into small hole to show dark cavern where JACE, MOTLEY and JAN are trapped. Only shapes and voices can be made out)

MOTLEY: (coughing) Jace?

JACE: I’m here (coughs)

JAN: Ms. Stett?

JACE: I’m here, Jan.

JAN: Ah. There y ‘are.

JACE: Let me take your shoulder.

JAN: I can nay see a thing.

MOTLEY: Our eyes’ll adjust.

JAN: IF we still have the use of ‘em.

JACE: You think we lost our sight without our notice?

MOTLEY: Well, you certainly charged in here with les than a bit of notice!

JACE: I felt a draft. (silence) Here’s a wall. (shuffling)

MOTLEY: Try not to touch any Plumonium.

JACE: Why bother avoiding the stuff? We’ve probably been breathing it the entire time.

(A large glowing purple patch of Plumonium suddenly lights up their three faces dimly)

MOTLEY: Jace, you may have killed us all.

JACE: I didn’t ask you to follow me in here.

JAN: She’s right tho! I can feel a draft!

JACE: Jan?

(Scuffling noises, JAN’s face leaves the illuminated spot)

JAN: Here!

JACE: Where?

JAN: Follow m’voice.

MOTLEY: Jan? (Scuffling) Found you. Jace has got me.

JAN: Feel here. (silence)

MOTLEY: Good gall – it is a draft!

JACE: Feel down here! There’s a larger crack! (shuffling)

MOTLEY: I can almost see it!

JACE: I think our eyes are adjusting to the glow.

JAN: I left m’pickaxe in the other cave.

MOTLEY: They don’t let us take them out. I only have my cane. (hear rapping)

JACE: Don’t go swinging that around blindly! It’s probably doing a fat lot of nothing anyway. I have weapons – but we might not need them.

MOTLEY: What do you mean?

JACE: Grab my feet. I may just barely be able to squeeze through the hole. Grab my feet. (shuffling – grunting – shuffling – breathing)

MOTLEY: Sorry.

JAN: What’s it look like? Are y’through? (sliding noise) Ms. Stett! I can’t find yer foot! Ms. Stett!

MOTLEY: Jace!

JACE: (muffled) Let go. (more sliding, shuffling. Muffled breathing)

JAN: Y’see anything?

JACE: (very muffled) I’m not sure where I am.

MOTLEY: Are you standing?

JACE: No, but there’s still room to scoot forward.

JAN: Keep scooting. (sliding noises – breathing, huffing)

MOTLEY: Still going?

JACE: (a little farther away) Yep. (scooting – breathing)

(MOTLEY fingers the break in the rock and traces the hole with his hand)

MOTLEY: I’ll never fit.

JAN: (feels hole too) Aye, you’re much too broad a lad.

MOTLEY: But you might.

JAN: (softly) Aye.

JACE: (farther) I’ve hit a wall!

MOTLEY: Blast!

JACE: (scuffling – moment of silence) Wait! (scuffling – scooting) It’s a turn! And it all feels hand carved!

MOTLEY: (loudly) Hand carved?

JACE: (distantly – muffled) Like it’s all the same size. No crags or outjutting rocks. There’s almost handholds to pull on too. There’s even a few strategically placed plumonium patches to light the way. It looks hand made – like it was scooped out.

MOTLEY: Alright, Jan, that’s enough proof for me. In you go. (grabs JAN’s shoulder)

JAN: No, sir, I ain’t bein’ goin’ in there sir.

MOTLEY: I’ve never known you to be a man who frightens easily.

JAN: I’m not frightened for my own sake, sir. There are those who need the little that’s left of me life more than I be needing it. I’ll be staying here, if you don’t mind. (show PHEB in cave)

MOTLEY: I’ll be with you then.

JAN: They need us.

MOTLEY: Aye.

JAN: (gestures toward hole) Atleast she got out.

MOTLEY: If she gets out.

-(Close up on JACE’s face, it is close quarters, scooting down darkness, scrambling, she scoots past perspective, and we are left in tunnel, listening to her slide forward)

-(In the cavern she left MOTLEY and JAN, a lantern comes out at the top of the rubble pile that blocks the entry) (MOTLEY and JAN look up, blinking)

WORKER 4: Well lookie there, number six! Two canaries accounted for! Two outta three ain’t bad!

WORKER 7: (breaching wall) (to MOTLEY) Where’s your daughter?

MOTLEY: Gone.

WORKER 7: Sorry to hear that. (Throws some gloves through the hole) Start diggin’.

(JAN and MOTLEY begin working on the rubble – glancing at each other frequently)

-(Back to the Bealjiss masion, Lady VANA Bealjiss’s upstairs bedroom)

VANA: (calling downstairs) Jenna! Jenna!

JENNA: (hurries into room looking flustered) My apologies Lady Vana.

VANA: No matter. Can you check my hair from the back? I can’t see it in the mirror.

JENNA: (comes up behind her – fixes the back of her hair gently) It looks lovely.

VANA: Fetch me a shawl. And my stone necklace from the box on the dresser.

JENNA: (Kind of in a hurry and a little distressed, but obeys. She opens the closet) You are preparing for the dinner, correct, Lady Vana?

VANA: Yes.

JENNA: I must wonder aloud… May I borrow some of the least of your fine clothes for the dinner?

VANA: (a little surprised, fastening jewelry and tightening hair) I mean, of course, help yourself, but I must ask – what about your religious gown?

JENNA: Oh, no matter, I do so want to impress our guest.

VANA: (smiles) As you should. (comes up behind her and lays pretty jewelry or vest over her clothes) Mm, very fitting.

JENNA: (enters closet) I was thinking something more like… (Pulls out vest, cargo pants, fancy scarf, a pin on red collar) (Comes out looking closely at each, still on their hanger)

JENNA: Your father –  (Notices Lady VANA has crumpled against her bed, and is licking her lips, looking frightened)

VANA: (holding her hand to her mouth) Blood.

JENNA: Lady Vana?

VANA: My shoulders are so cold.

JENNA: (places clothes she has selected on the bed) Let me see. I’m a doctor.

VANA: Don’t go making up grand delusions for my sake.

(JENNA removes VANA’s shawl to look and traces with her finger what appears to be tiny scales on VANA’s shoulders)

JENNA: You said you tasted blood? Lady Vana, pardon my frankness- but do you have a lover?

VANA: (ashamedly) I did. He as from Rhoro Courte.

JANA: (slowly) Lady Vana… you have syphilosonemia. It’s a rare STD, and it’s… deadly.

VANA: I though I had longer.

JENNA: How long ago was your last…encounter?

VANA: Merely a month ago. My father finally caught him and chased him off. I have not seen him since.

JENNA: Lady Vana…

VANA: (lifting up her head suddenly and standing) Come, let us forget this trivia. We have a guest to impress.

JENNA: Are you frightened of your father beating you if he knew I had found out?

VANA: (appalled) Now that frankness I cannot pardon.

JENNA: Your hair is up, Lady Vana, I can see the marks on your slender neck.

VANA: (hastily unpins her hair so it falls in the back and hides her neck) Put those clothes back in my closet, you zealot. I do not want to see you or my clothes at that dinner. (leaves angrily)

JENNA: (sadly) You won’t.

(JENNA scurries downstairs, still carrying the clothes to SELENIA who is hiding in a hallway around the dining room. SELENIA is peering through the crack between the door and the wall)

SELENIA: He’s had four glasses of wine. It’s gotta be soon.

JENNA: Where’s Fetcher?

SELENIA: Making himself indispensable in the kitchen for as looooong as possible. What’s that?

JENNA: (holds out clothes) Perhaps a worthy disguise.

SELENIA: Jenna, you’re brilliant. (Starts stripping/changing into clothes. JENNA takes her post – watching through the crack in the door)

JENNA: Fifth glass of wine?

SELENIA: Fifth glass of wine. Keep pouring, Fetcher. He doesn’t even look like he’s having a good time! If I were him, I’d wanna get out of there. And I love awkward dinner parties.

JENNA: He does seem to be sitting uncomfortably.

SELENIA: That’s promising. (has finished changing) How do I look? Is there a hat to go with it?

(JENNA pulls a big fancy hat off a nearby rack and places it on SELENIA’s head)

JENNA: There is now.

SELENIA: (peeks through door) Ope! He’s rising! He’s coming! (JENNA dashes off to hide)

(GENERAL MOORES pardons himself, lays his napkin on his seat and shuffles out of the dining room. He crosses the hallway – finds the bathroom, enters and locks it) (SELENIA peers from around the corner) (FETCHER runs in)

FETCHER: (whispering) Is he out? Are we ready? Are we doing this?

SELENIA: Shhh! (Points violently to bathroom)

(FETCHER nods like he understands) (silence as they wait)

FETCHER: … nice hat.

SELENIA: Thanks.

(bathroom unlocks)

FETCHER: Go, go, go! (pushes her)

(SELENIA stumbles into hallway, but rearranges herself before GENERAL MOORES turns around)

SELENIA: Oh! (stands, looks completely “surprised”) What are you doing here, General Moores!

GENERAL MOORES: I’m sorry, and you are?

SELENIA: No matter, no matter. (begins to walk away hastily) I assure you I have no business worth any note around here.

FETCHER: (whispering to self) What is she doing?

GENERAL MOORES: (realizes) You’re Captain Goulding! Fetcher’s captain!

SELENIA: (turns around, “embarrassed”) Ah, yes.

GENERAL MOORES: What on earth are you doing here?

SELENIA: No matter, no matter. Only to do business with the lord of this manor.

GENERAL MOORES: The lord of this manor only does one kind of business… (eyes widen) captain… could you be a…

FETCHER: (rounds corner) We are all set to carry out the plan, captain. I told our ship to take off and ask no questions. (“confused”) Father??

GENERAL MOORES: Fetcher?? Why, how-

FETCHER: Father – perhaps your allegiance lies somewhere… beyond the Amalgamation?

(GENERAL MOORES suddenly pulls a gun on the both of them, violently panting and scared)

FETCHER: Father, please! There is no need to be hasty!

GENERAL MOORES: What are you doing here? Tell me now!

SELENIA: Peace, sir! We came unarmed as requested!

FETCHER: (slowly) Perhaps… father… our allegiance lies with yours…

GENERAL MOORES: …may the furnace…

FETCHER: … burn brightly. (SELENIA looks at FETCHER, concerned, but covertly)

GENERAL MOORES: (eyes widen) You’re one of us!

FETCHER: (“relieved”) How easy it would have been to tell you if I had know you too were one of the faith!

GENERAL MORES: (uncharacteristically giddy) Fetcher! My boy! (embraces him – FETCHER is shocked, but snaps back to himself and pats his father lightly on the back) How I longed to convert you and your mother – but you were seemingly so stuck in your Amalgamation ways, I thought I could never reveal that I was a Furnigationalist, not in such close quarters. Oh, this is a wonderful day! Let us show Neil the relationship between his two customers, eh? Won’t he have a jolly laugh then? (starts to lead FETCHER to the dining room)

FETCHER: Ah – no, in fact, I think we have come at a rather bad time.

GENERAL MOORES: What do you mean?

FETCHER: I suspect Lord Bealjiss has gotten carried away with your business and has forgotten his engagement with us.

GENERAL MOORES: Nonsense! Maid servant! Bring me champagne! And call your master!

SELENIA: (hastily) I do believe our shipment can wait another couple of days…

FETCHER: The polite thing to do would leave and just come back…

GENERAL MOORES: But your ship has flown off! (snaps fingers- happily) I know! You can reside in my own ship until Bealjiss has time for you later tonight. Wouldn’t want to make you jealous over how much cargo I’m purchasing. (Gives SELENIA the card key to his ship) It’s entirely unmanned, I do all my business alone, but you’ll find it comfy enough. It’s one of those specialized vessels with two destinations. We’ll speak after dinner is through – how marvelous! I’m a leader at large in the Furnigation community. You’d be very proud, and I’ll be very giddy to show you some of my work. Perhaps my flock can meet with your very own! (pats FETCHER on the back too hard)

FETCHER: Thank you, Father. This is … violently emotional for me as well.

(SELENIA and FETCHER race down the hallway, towards the front door)

SELENIA: (racing down hallway) It seems almost a sin to rob a man who so happily gave us what we were robbing him of. (FETCHER remains silent)

(A MAID approaches GENERAL MOORES with champagne)

MAID 4: Are they troubling you, sir?

GENERAL MOORES: No, not at all. In fact, my heart is no longer troubled. Thank you, dear maid. (takes champagne) That will be all. May I add that you look quite perky today?

(SELENIA and FETCHER dash to a secret meeting place with JENNA, somewhere in the house, where she has prepared a place for FETCHER to lay down and is holding a kitchen knife)

SELENIA: We have to hurry.

JENNA: (to FETCHER) (holds up knife) Are you ready?

FETCHER: (dreading) Yes. (Removes shirt and lies down)

SELENIA:  (Keeping watch at door) Don’t worry, I’ll hold your hand.

FETCHER: (sarcastically) I’m deeply comforted.

JENNA: You will need something to bite.

SELENIA: Other than my head off? (inserts rag/rod into his mouth)

JENNA: (grabs his hand, which startles FETCHER a bit) Ready?

(FETCHER nods – JENNA begins operating, slowly inserting the knife into the edges around the Abdo-dial – FETCHER’s nostrils flare, he clenches his eyes shut and begins to sweat)

JENNA: Be ready with the towel, sweetheart.

(SELENIA retrieves rag, and holds it at the ready)

JENNA: (to FETCHER) Here, honey, I’m gonna keep talking – you focus on the sound of my voice – okay? Just listen to me. The only reason they think this Abdo-dial is an effective slavers mechanism is because they think if you try to tear it out without training, you’ll tear this crucial artery – and it’s connected to this nerve cluster, so it’d be painful the entire time-

SELENIA: Jenna, maybe not the best topic.

JENNA: Oh, sorry, dear. I’m sorry, I got medical there. Let me see, almost done with the first part.

SELENIA: Why don’t you sing? Would you like that Fetcher? For Jenna to sing?

(FETCHER panting and tearing up – nods)

JENNA: Alright then, let’s see… (starts singing)

By, the waters, the waters of Babylon

We laid down and wept, and wept for thee, Zion

We remember thee, remember thee, remember thee Zion

(FETCHER looks at JENNA – stunned, as if he sees her in another light, but JENNA stays focused on her work as she sings. When the song is over- she gently pulls out the Abdo-dial and shows it proudly to FETCHER, smiling adorably) (SELENIA wraps the towel around FETCHER’s wound)

SELENIA: (ruins moment) That’s not how she yanked mine out.

MEAT LOCKER GUY: (from somewhere) I hear something!

SELENIA: We have to go.

(Clutching the rag to his waist, FETCHER grabs his shirt and runs out with SELENIA and JENNA. All three book it to the front yard and SELENIA waves GENERAL MOORE’s key card wildly, until the ship opens up and lets them in) (They dash inside)

(For a few moments, they all stand, bent over and huffing, but eventually, they start looking at each other and slowly begin laughing uproariously, relieved)

SELENIA: (laughing) We did it!!

FETCHER: (laughing too hard) Ow, ow, ow, ow. (All go back to serious mode)

JENNA: Lay down, honey. (Leads him to a padded bench) Can you pilot this, Selenia?

SELENIA: “Can I pilot this?”

(She dashes to controls, they look complicated, but SELENIA smiles cockily)

SELENIA: Piece of cake.

(The Amalgamation ship blasts off and GENERAL MOORES, from within the Bealjiss mansion, startles up from his meal (in which he had actually become quite cheerful) and watches aghast as his ship takes off against the sky. He watches, shocked through the window)

FETCHER: (laying down) What was that song?

JENNA: (shyly) An old prayer. (tends to/looks at his wound)

FETCHER: It was beautiful.

JENNA: Thank you.

FETCHER: As are you and your religion.

JENNA: (shyly/quietly) Thank you.

FETCHER: I don’t even know what your religion is about. You never speak of it, but you wear the garments like Selenia’s sister.

JENNA: We believe a religion is better shown than spoken. It’s why we don’t put emphasis on preachers, teachers, or organizations. Our ways are taught to us internally.

FETCHER: I bet the world would benefit from the teachings. You’re so kind.

JENNA: Thank you, dear, but I think that’s just the adrenaline speaking.

(FETCHER suddenly kisses JENNA, but then startles away, as if he too is shocked by what he’s done – there is a moment of them staring at each other)

FETCHER: That was.. adrenaline too…

JENNA: (shocked) Ah, I see.

FETCHER: I-I best get some rest.

JENNA: (shocked) Yes, you best.

(FETCHER rolls over towards the wall, but his eyes are wide and he does not look restful at all)

SELENIA: (completely oblivious) (yells over her shoulder) You’re both in good hands!

(SELENIA laughs and mutters to herself about what a good pilot she is while JENNA sits, her hands in her lap and her back to FETCHER, and FETCHER lies, wide awake, facing away from JENNA) (The ship continues to blast away)

-(JACE is still maneuvering the cave tunnel. Light now shines on her face dimly. The tunnel curves upward and she stands. She is standing half upright in a cavern. She electrifies her dagger for light, it makes a terrifying crackling noise, but she keeps it on. It illuminates the cavern in a jagged light) (JACE takes a step out of the tunnel and ventures into the cavern – periodically brightening her dagger to look around. She sees a small white plaque on the wall and approaches it. She holds the dagger up closer to it and reads what’s written)

JACE: Justin Eenver. (The dagger fizzes and dims, it’s not meant to remain active for so long) (She notices one to the side of the first)

JACE: Beqa Eenver. (one below) Octavia Gunnett. (electrifies dagger, and whole wall lights up with plaques) (JACE’s eyes widen)

-(JAN and MOTLEY walking back down hallway)

JAN: (To MOTLEY) I hope we didn’t send her to an early grave. (ba-dum-tss)

(MOTLEY and JAN are being taken back to their original work in the cavern and given pickaxes to begin working. They look around)

MOTLEY: (to WORKER 9) Where is my wife and son?

WORKER 9: Your friends got taken.

MOTLEY: Taken? What do you mean, taken?

WORKER 10: (rudely) What do you think we mean?

JAN: (grabs WORKER 10 roughly by the collar) Where in tarnation did they get taken to??

WORKER 10: We told you!

JAN: ALLITERATE!!

MOTLEY: Where did they go??

WORKER 6: (pries JAN off WORKER 10) They got sold!! (stands between JAN and other men)

MOTLEY: Sold??

WORKER 6: Sold! That’s what happens when you’re-a-slave.

JAN: Who were they sold to?!

WORKER 12: An anonymous buyer.

WORKER 8: We’re as much in the dark as you are.

MOTLEY: Well, why them? Wouldn’t they want workers like you??

(Men shrug and go silent – staring at them)

WORKER 11: (said quietly) There are many kinds of slaves.

(MOTLEY’s eyes widen and he rushes up the cavern – JAN follows) (WORKER 1 is on the mine above them and he and another big man catches them before they can go any further)

WORKER 1: (stops them) Where do you think you’re going??

MOTLEY: She’s my wife! You have to let me go!

WORKER 1: That’s life, chattel! Get back to work! (shoves pickaxes into Motley’s chest and pushes him and JAN back into the cavern. MOTLEY and JAN glare menacingly at the workers and the guards who stop them, but know there is nothing they can do. WORKER 1 just smirks and returns to his work, the bigger man just stand in front of the opening, guarding it. Slowly, and still glaring, MOTLEY and JAN return to work)

-(Show PHEB and KEIRA, frightened, being shown the way down a sketchy hallway by an ESCORT. They are stopped in front of a large doorway, which the ESCORT pushes open)

ESCORT: (to whoever is inside) The chattels you requested, sir. (presents the two)

~End of Episode 4~

 (Episode 5)

(A pile of rocks is shown on a desolate black planet. It shifts, and fingers can be seen emerging from it. Rocks tumble. The hand retreats, then comes back – pummeling with a rock – battling back the rocks, the hole widens. JACE’s head appears and she squirms out – finally fully emerged. She blinks in the light, even thought it’s just the light of the three moons and the stars. She dusts herself off, tests her electrified dagger and sheaths it back in her pants) (JACE sits for a while, with a ‘now what?’ expression. She stands up, begins walking, exploring. There is slight brush and forest, but she walks out of it and sees some kind of factory lights. She heads towards them) (There is a shack at the front of the factory and she approaches it. She peers in the window – it is empty. She tries the door – it is locked) (JACE wanders the factory – searching for anything useful. She hears voices and hides behind a large furnace. The voices disappear, and she spots the men they were coming from. She watches as they go and how they exit carefully. When she looks up and around at all the equipment, she notices a large Furnigation emblem emblazoned on a lot of the walls)

JACE: The Furnigation?

(JACE looks around at the furnaces, and suddenly gives a knowing cock of her head)

JACE: (grins) Hm. (grabs some nearby makeshift tool and sets to work)

-(JENNA, aboard the stolen Amalgamation ship, brings FETCHER a crude looking black soup in a bowl)

JENNA: They didn’t have much, but I was lucky to find this. (hands it to him)

FETCHER: Thank you. I – (tries to say more, but JENNA leaves too quickly) (FETCHER is looking shirtless and sorry for himself. He is bent over his brew – staring at the wall when SELENIA enters)

SELENIA: What’s going on?

FETCHER: What do you mean, captain?

SELENIA: (points at him) That. That’s what I mean. You just called me captain and not ironically and not in that annoying bossy tone you always use. You’re trying to smooth something over, or make me forget I asked, I think, because, deep down, you know you’re going to have to eventually tell me anyway. (sits down next to him) C’mon. Spit it out like a sore tooth.

FETCHER: I need no counseling.

SELENIA: Your quivering tea cup says differently. (takes the bowl from him) What’s up, buttercup?

FETCHER: I just have a lot to take in right now.

SELENIA: I’ll say! Your father being the leader of a Furnigationalist faction! What a messed up man! Hey, like father like son, eh?

FETCHER: Please, Selenia, I’m in no mood to banter.

SELENIA: (goes quiet and looks at him) (hands him brew again and leaves) Drink.

(FETCHER is left alone, looking sad again, when he suddenly hears a chair being scraped against the floor from the closet. SELENIA pulls a chair in front of him, and places it, facing backwards, towards him. She sits on it backwards, her head resting in her arms on the back of the chair.)

SELENIA: Talk to me.

FETCHER: (takes a deep breath) My father is a Furnigationalist. For all we know, he was the one who made Lieutenant Wesley plant the bomb in the first place. He could’ve been the one who detonated it. He could’ve been the one that killed all those people and thousands more I don’t know about. He’s a murderer, a madman and the first time he ever treated me like a human was when I was telling him I was a terrorist. I should’ve seen it so much sooner, I’ll beat myself up about that for the rest of my life. Like when he tried to make me believe it was Motley, or when he used his power to amp my rank, even though I was completely qualified for the job anyway! Or when he and my mother – (stops) There were so many signs. And because I didn’t see them, because I didn’t want to see them, he continued to destroy homes and kill innocent people. (shakes his head) I still can’t believe he teaches that crazy doctrine – that all the galaxy should be burned of that is which is deemed unworthy by the Furnigation itself. It’s terrorism and my own father has his thumb on top of a large part of it. And then there’s Jenna-

SELENIA: (too loudly) A-ha! (covers mouth self-consciously as soon as she says it)

FETCHER: (snidely) Yes, captain, I happen to find your doctor on deck somewhat attractive – am I fired? Can we get this over with?

SELENIA: No! (touches his shoulder sincerely) I didn’t mean it ironically or cruelly – I’m sorry. I could just tell something was strange between the two of you.

FETCHER: (awkwardly) It is.

SELENIA: What happened?

FETCHER: I may have – (touches lips with fingers)

SELENIA: You –

(FETCHER blushes, nods and looks away – consternated)

SELENIA: Well, you move fast there, first officer! I’ll give you that.

FETCHER: (awkwardly) Th-thank you.

SELENIA: (Clears throat, takes his empty bowl) It was because she sang – wasn’t it?

FETCHER: She was radiant.

SELENIA: She’s a rare soul. A kind soul. So you better take good care of her, you hear?

FETCHER: Pardon?

SELENIA: I’m giving you a captain’s blessing! (stands with the bowl, and mockingly waves her arm in the air above him – imitating a priest) I approve of the match. I could marry you if you wanted, when I get back on my own ship. I have that authority. … If I knew how.

FETCHER: You hate me!

SELENIA: (looks at him) So? You make Jenna happy.

FETCHER: There are very few people who make Jenna unhappy! Wait – (a little flustered) Did she talk about me?

SELENIA: Not really. As you’ve probably noticed, Jenna is a woman of good works, not good words. Her whole religions based on it. But trust me, Fetcher, a girl as pretty as that knows how to reject men kindly. And I haven’t seen any signs of that sweet, sweet rejection towards you.

(SELENIA leaves and drops off the bowl in a basin. She takes her seat in the pilots cabin, where JENNA is sitting, waiting)

JENNA: Where are we headed, captain?

SELENIA: (nervous laugh) So it seems that this specialized vessel is actually very similar to the bilander Fetcher mentioned earlier and that’s because it only has two destinations – where it comes from and where it’s going. They’re pre-programmed into the ship and I can’t… change them. Which means, in order to even hope of getting the opportunity of altering them, we will have to get close enough to the final destination to have it reset to be able to chart our own course. Only one problem.

JENNA: It’s taking us back to a Furnigation base.

SELENIA: Exactly. We’re probably also running on limited time between when General Moores is going to be able to alert them. We don’t know how or when he will, but you can bet he’s going to be working on it heartily. If they’re tipped off to this ship by the time we get there – flying close enough, to reset but not land miiiiight be tricky if they’re firing at us.

JENNA: Oh dear.

SELENIA: I have us circling around an orbit right now, but the reset plan is currently the only one I have.

JENNA: I’m with you, captain.

SELENIA: (smiles) Always good to hear (pushes throttle) We’re out of orbit. To the Furnigation base!

JENNA: What about the rest of the crew, captain? Is their rescue a possibility?

SELENIA: That’s where we’re headed as soon as we reset this stupid machine. The mines. I have a sneaking suspicion that the Furnigation itself was behind the employment of the chattelers who captured us. They took no bids and took us to no market. They merely planted us in the nearest Furnigational allied locations. Us in gas capsule smuggler’s house and the others in a Plumonium mine, which are primarily owned by the Furnigation. So tell First Officer Fetcher I want him working full time mapping out possible Plumonium mines they could’ve been taken to depending on our course and location. He can use this ship’s simple software, it should be enough. No more bedrest for him. (JENNA hesitates) Go, Jenna, he won’t touch you again. I assure you I’ve scolded him. (JENNA blushes and walks out) (SELENIA smirks)

-(KEIRA and PHEB are led into a large room with BLORN sitting in the middle of a large chair. He is a repulsively scrawny and ugly man, and makes way too many arm movements and winks his eyes too often, but seems very excitable. He’s like a nasty leprechaun)

ESCORT: The chattels you requested, sir.

BLORN: These are the very ones! (turning to another figure in the room) These are the very ones, oh aren’t they, just aren’t they?

(CLUTCH turns around – decked in a sexy pod racing costume and a techie choker to go with it) CLUTCH: That’s them.

PHEB: Clutch!

ESCORT: These were the only two available when I went down.

CLUTCH: Hm. Weird.

BLORN: She can’t afford the rest anyway. Not yet. (winks)

CLUTCH: I will be able to by tonight.

BLORN: Don’t get cocky.

CLUTCH: I can get cocky if I’m good.

BLORN: (winks and laughs) That’s my girl! Put those two near the sofas.

CLUTCH: I want them in my quarters.

BLORN: (winks and thrashes around) Then that’s where they’ll go! In her quarters then!

(ESCORT takes KEIRA and PHEB out into the hallway and rounds a corner to CLUTCH’s lavish room. CLUTCH follows behind. When the ESCORT has left, CLUTCH closes the door)

CLUTCH: (they stare at her) What? They like pod racing here. When they capture and sell a pilot that they know is a pilot, they test ‘em out. They find out they’re good, which I am, one of the higher ups buys the ‘rights to your talent’ and you race. They bet on you. You even make money. It’s not rocket science. I’ve already won four races, which is uncanny around here, but the rest of the racers are just pitspitters. I earned enough to buy you two – I’ll earn the rest at the Grand Prix tonight to get the rest.

KEIRA: So we’re slaves of a slave.

CLUTCH: (grins) You thought you couldn’t get any lower?

PHEB: When you get Jan, Motley and Jace – then we bust out.

CLUTCH: Then we bust out.

KEIRA: How?

CLUTCH: (scratches ear) Still coming up with that bit. Can’t be hard.

KEIRA: I beg to differ.

CLUTCH: Take your begging elsewhere. For now on, you two need to play the part of my slaves, understand?

PHEB: I don’t wanna.

KEIRA: It’s pretend, Pheb, so we can bust out, remember?

PHEB: I want Jan.

CLUTCH: I have practice in ten minutes. Have my beet juice prepared for me here when I get back.

KEIRA: (a little defensively) We’re your friends. Careful where you exercise your authority.

CLUTCH: Atleast I have authority to exercise. (looks at watch) And relax, Mother Mary, it’s only for look’s sake, and is it really such a sin to get your friend who’s working hard for you a drink? (her choker blinks and beeps) That means it’s time. I have to get to the ring early. Stay here unless something terrible happens. (she opens a chute in her room, buckles on some kind of pack) I mean, more terrible than what’s already happened. (She slides down – the chute locks behind her)

PHEB: Where’d she go?

KEIRA: Back to pilot hell. I’m not sure how much I trust her. (goes to fridge to start preparing beet juice) I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that.

PHEB: (climbs onto the big plush bed/couch) Clutch is good, but she’s scary.

KEIRA: Yes, Pheb, I suppose she is.

PHEB: Can I take a nap?

KEIRA: Of course, darling.

PHEB: (suddenly) I don’t have a mommy.

KEIRA: And I don’t have any children.

PHEB: Do you want little kids?

KEIRA: Yes, I do.

PHEB: Well I want a mommy. (He crawls over to lay his head down on her thighs) Is this how a little kid acts?

KEIRA: Yes honey. And I will act like a mommy and protect you

PHEB: From what?

KEIRA: Anything that will give you bad dreams.

PHEB: (Closes eyes and whispers) Too late.

(KEIRA strokes PHEB’s head as he falls asleep, the room is dim)

-(JACE is bending an antennae at the refinery when she stumbles back into BARTYL Avin) (JACE immediately arms herself – pulling her electrified dagger) (BARTYL Avin wears male religious garments, tinted like JENNA and KEIRAs)

BARTYL: Whoa! Whoa! (puts his hands up) Easy there.

JACE: Are you maintenance? Where you looking for me??

BARTYL: No, but I can’t say I’m unhappy I found you.

JACE: What?

BARTYL: Jace, right? Jace Stett?

JACE: How did you –

(BARTYL taps his head)

JACE: You-

BARTYL: Have one too?

JACE: I turned mine off!

BARTYL: Doesn’t mean a thing if it’s not meant to stay off.

JACE: It’s untested technology and I hate it!

BARTYL: You hate the fact that your father put it in your head without your consent.

JACE: How – (scared, still brandishing dagger)

BARTYL: And you probably hate it because it killed an entire crew.

JACE: Stop.

BARTYL: But you probably don’t hate it because it helped save an entire crew as well. (winks)

JACE: (firmly) How did you know that.

BARTYL: (looks behind her) Were you building a distress signal transmitter?

JACE: Who are you?! Answer the question!

(BARTYL is seemingly completely unphased by her dagger, he absent-mindedly passes her and begins fiddling with her machine)

BARTYL: My name is Bartyl Avin. I’m here to help.

JACE: (circling him from behind) Did my father send you to retrieve me??

BARTYL: Not really. (finishes fiddling) Well, it was almost done anyway, but it’s finished now. That signal should reach the galactic frequency in about eight minutes. (stands up – wipes hands – looks at sky)

JACE: How did you know about my chip? And my past? I demand you tell me!

BARTYL: (approaches her) Perhaps a past so delicate and a power so strong should be the ones to allow the truth to be revealed. (touches her head)

(JACE goes reeling, and falls to the ground. There is a reboot/powering back up noise) (She is passed out for an instant, and then sits back up. BARTLY is gone. She touches her head)

JACE: (quietly – shocked) He turned it back on.

(JACE stands up, looks around for him, and after a while, sits back down next to her machine. She holds her head in her hands and groans slightly)

-(LIAM aboard a ship part of an enormous Amalgamation rescue squad flies through space)

CM1: Lieutenant! A distress signal!

LIAM: From The Empress?

CM1: No, Lieutenant, from a mine!

LIAM: (looks at what CM1 is seeing) We don’t have time for that. Search for The Empress’s CRN.

CM1: But, sir – there’s a further message coming through!

LIAM: From that primitive distress signal? It looks so weak it could’ve been built out of spare parts and old cans!

CM2: Knowing the mining colony…

LIAM: It can’t actually have a message

CM1: Well, it does sir, and it reads “I – am – Jace- Stett – I – was –aboard – The – Empress - crew – members – here – slaves – in – mines”

LIAM: (shocked) Can you verify it’s authenticity?

CM1: No, sir. That is all we received. No authentification.

LIAM: Admiral? (on radio – ADMIRAL CALUCE is aboard the largest ship in the middle of fleet)

ADMIRAL CALUCE: I don’t know how they’d have that name otherwise.

LIAM: (over radio) Send just my ship, Admiral. I can go investigate.

ADMIRAL CALUCE: (over radio) Take a few gunners.

LIAM: (over radio) Yes ma’am.

(LIAM’s ship and three gunners dispatch from the main fleet and fly towards the signal)

ADMIRAL CALUCE: (over radio) Be careful.

LIAM: (over radio) Yes ma’am.

CM1: The signal is coming from the back of the planet, sir.

LIAM: Take us there.

-(Meanwhile, in a tinier ship, but headed the exact same direction, CORRIN and his best friend, pilot and first mate, DANTE, are trying to covertly fly through space)

CORRIN: To the left.

DANTE: The coordinate’s say it’s right there. (points to screen)

CORRIN: Which is exactly why we wanna park a little to the left. Clean getaway.

DANTE: Okay.

CORRIN: C’mon man. (punches him playfully) Tell me you’re not excited! We could be rich if we walk away from this right.

DANTE: Just because your capricious lady friend gave you these coordinates for some favor does not mean I have to be happy about what we’re going to do with them. Or wonder what the favor was. (grimaces)

CORRIN: It’s no reason to be upset either! We’re not doing anything illegal.

DANTE: Except withholding information.

CORRIN: Which isn’t illegal if you pretend you didn’t know it in the first place. C’mon! (shakes him) Rich!

(DANTE grins a little) (Their radio crackles on)

LIAM: (over their speakers) This is Lieutenant Liam of the Amalgamation. Identification requested.

DANTE: Schnike.

CORRIN: (leaps to microphone) Hi! Hi! It’s me, Lieutenant – it’s Officer Corrin from the upper floor. How are you? (winces) (point of view remains on CORRIN’s ship)

LIAM: (pause) (over radio) Corrin? What are you doing here?

CORRIN: (to radio) Oh, you know, same as you – my job.

LIAM: Is it possible you dispatched your own personal rescue mission for the crew of The Empress?

CORRIN: … yeah! That’s exactly what I did!

LIAM: I did not know you knew about this mining planet’s location!

CORRIN: (mutters to self, not over radio) And I didn’t know you did either. Clutch.

LIAM: And I did not know you cared for Officer Carmen Sanders that much! I thought you two merely used each other!

CORRIN: Who? Clutch? Oh, no, lieutenant! She’s like my own flesh and blood! Care for her very much!

LIAM: Well then, join me! We’ve received a distress signal – and we will need more gunners if fired at. Why did you bring such a pitiful vessel?

CORRIN: … covertness, Lieutenant. It’s all the rage.

DANTE: (to CORRIN, frustrated) And obviously we’re not on the trend. (CORRIN shoots nasty look at DANTE)

LIAM: (laughs) Not with us! Follow my ship. (LIAM’s ship turns toward the mining planet)

(CORRIN collapses on whatever chair or structure is nearest)

CORRIN: Great.

(DANTE steers ships and follows LIAM)

-(JACE is shown sitting alone by the distress signal. A close up on her eyes as they flicker open. She traces the ground with her eyes – sounds slowly start to emerge – one on top of each other – first small beeps – and clicks as she looks around – then voices, noises as if being transmitted over a radio – there is a faint hint of a ship powering up – a voice says “You did not see gunships”- there is the noise of someone reciting a large list of facts – there is the sound of a mother singing – she can hear men talking roughly - footsteps. More and more noises pile up, on top of each other – some growing louder – others fading out. JACE’s eye movements become more rapid, more frantic. Finally, she squeezes them shut and the noises fade except for a single solitary beep – to which she narrows in on and opens her eyes – shocked) (She bolts up and looks up at the starry sky and sees LIAM’s ship, with CORRINs and three gunner ships)

CM1: Lieutenant, a new message.

LIAM: What does it say?

CM1: It just says, “X D Yaaaaaay!”

(LIAM smiles) (The ship lands and JACE races up – LIAM and CORRIN disembark from the ships and JACE greets them)

JACE: We don’t have long. I already have turned off the security for landing.

LIAM: (unbelievingly) You turned off the security.

CM2: (points out) There was no verification port.

CM1: Yeah, but it’s a mining planet.

JACE: Owned by the Furnigation – so you’re welcome. Now, in order to make the least amount of fuss possible – I need one of you to place a bet on a pod racer.

CORRIN: (without missing a beat) What pod racer?

LIAM: Is this a joke?

JACE: It’s Clutch.

CORRIN: (laughs and pulls out wallet) Ha! I’ll bet on that!

LIAM: Corporal Corrin!

JACE: Lieutenant, please. You have to trust me. I don’t have enough time to explain because the race is already halfway through. We have to hurry. (starts walking away)

SOLDER 1: Do we follow her, sir?

(CORRIN begins to follow, but then stops – waiting for LIAM’s order)

LIAM: Why not just buy them back or demand they be returned to the Amalgamation?

JACE: Because it’s a sure way to get us all noticed and thereby killed. You want to win – you have to actually play the same game these dogs play. And the name of the game is sneaky.

DANTE: (nudges CORRIN) A game I guess we already lost.

CORRIN: (shoves him and whispers) Would you shut up.

LIAM: (sighs) Lead the way.

JACE: Lose the badges. And the hats. You have to look like hoarders and you look like honor students. And only a few of you come.

LIAM: I hardly think –

CORRIN: She’s right. (starts taking off clothes)

LIAM: (sarcastically) Always hasty to strip, Corporal Corrin. (begins also changing and signals to a few of the other men to do the same. Signals to the rest to return to the ship)

JACE: Hide your weapons and follow me.

-(LIAM, CORRIN, DANTE, JACE and three soldiers, all disguised as no-goods, enter the pod arena, where people are screaming and chanting. The pods race around the center)

JACE: (to Bet Taker in a lowered voice) Five thousand values on Pod Racer One, please. (Scrunches up one eye too – for effect)

(Bet Taker’s eyes widen, but he jots it down and takes JACE’s money) (JACE returns to group, who has found a place to sit)

LIAM: This is an awful lot of faith in a single pilot. If she loses, we’re not only out five thousand values, but also five other crew members and probably our safety.

JACE: (sitting with her eyes closed) As if a giant Amalgamation fleet hasn’t already attracted their attention.

LIAM: They know we’re here?

JACE: How could they not? It’s on every surveillance channel.

LIAM: Well, if they knew the fleet was out there – why haven’t they attacked?

JACE: If you saw a shark in the water twice your size – would you kick it? They’re just keeping it on the down low so as not to cause any fuss. They have no fight to pick with you – yet. Your ships here on the other hand are cloaked – once again, you’re welcome.

LIAM: How do you know all this?

JACE: (ignores question) As for our pilot, lieutenant (she grips the armrests on her chair) Faith ain’t got nothing to do with it.

-(CLUTCH sits in her pod, currently in the lead, goggles strapped to her face, her hair blowing back and her hands gripping the controls. You see BLORN standing in the top tower with the other owners. BLORN speaks to her through an earpiece) (each pod is connected to a giant gear below the tower by a cable) (CLUTCH’s pod hovers behind another)

BLORN: (over earpiece) Avoid him! Avoid him!

CLUTCH: Why?! He’s got a leaking gas cap! He’s practically begging to get crash landed! Imagine the explosion!

BLORN: His company supplies a large sponsorship to my charity. You crash him – it reflects badly.

CLUTCH: (frustrated) How am I supposed to win this thing if I can’t actually take out the other opponents?

BLORN: (cheerfully) I know you’ll find a way! You’re the best investment I’ve had!

CLUTCH: (mumbling to self) I’m good, but I’m not that good.

(Pods continue to speed around the pit – screaming and cheering)

JACE: (eyes still closed) She’s still in the lead.

LIAM: Let’s hope it remains that way.

CORRIN: It will.

(JACE clenches her eyes. An electrical signal can be felt and is followed through the perspective – through her chair, down the stadium, to the tower, to the giant gear, and through CLUTCH’s cable to her pod)

CLUTCH: Blorn, you reboot my machine?

BLORN: No! I’d never!

CLUTCH: My pod is lilting!

BLORN: What?! You’re in the lead!

CLUTCH: (panicking) Lilting, sir! (banging on controls) Her dials are spinning like crazy!!

(from outside of the arena, CLUTCH’s pod can be seen catching air just before it begins to dive)

CORRIN: (stands) No! (DANTE, LIAM and the gunners also begin to look scared)

JACE: (clenching eyes shut) C’mon, c’mon.

(Intense scene – BLORN watching, panicked from the window, winking madly – the troupe from the Amalgamation watching – CLUTCH’s pod falls in slow motion – JACE clenches her eyes shut)

-(Instantly cut to scene of JENNA and FETCHER, both sitting awkwardly in the close quarters cabin with SELENIA, both avoiding eye contact with each other)

FETCHER: Orders, captain?

SELENIA: (nonchalantly) None.

FETCHER: Permission to attend to other pressing matters in the other room, captain.

SELENIA: Denied.

FETCHER: Permission to ask why, captain.

SELENIA: Mmm… also denied.

JENNA: Selenia, this is ridiculous.

FETCHER: I had the maps up that you requested until you pulled me so rudely away-

SELENIA: (holds up finger) Sh. (slowly turns a dial on the roof and a radio voice crackles on – two men conversing) I need you up here in the cabin because we’re getting close.

(quieter) Also, I like to watch you squirm.

JENNA: What?

FETCHER: What?

SELENIA: What.

FETCHER: (standing up – pointing out window) That must be it, there.

SELENIA: That pathetic collection of meteor fodder?

FETCHER: Why spend effort hiding somewhere large and grand, when you could just assume they overestimate you and hide in the sparse?

JENNA: Rather brilliant, actually.

FETCHER: Thank you.

JENNA: No, I meant the Furnigation, but, ah, you as well. (awkward again)

(Beeping increases – radio gets louder)

SELENIA: We’re getting closer.

JENNA: Do you really think this is going to work? Won’t we have to land to be able to reset it? And even then – won’t we have to somehow get the Furnigation themselves to reset it?

SELENIA: I don’t think so. I believe it naturally resets when it reaches it’s destination. Saves on time and money – and, when they’re not blowing themselves up, the Furnigation is all about efficiency.

FETCHER: It’s true. When my father parked it at the mansion, there was no special process we had to go through to then reset it again. It naturally resets when it reaches Point B.

JENNA: I hope you’re right.

(They glide closer)

SELENIA: That’s it. Right there. That signal tower.

JENNA: Selenia…

SELENIA: If I can just get a little closer…

(Ship swings violently and very closely to tower. A bing is heard)

SELENIA: Yes!

FETCHER: It’s reset?

SELENIA: It’s reset! We can go wherever we want! Sweet home Alaba-

(The ship suddenly goes tumbling into space)

FETCHER: We’ve been hit, captain!

(SELENIA grunts as she attempts to steady the ship, throwing all the thrusters to one side)

FETCHER: And we have no means of firing back!

SELENIA: Always the optimist. Start programming new coordinates. (FETCHER rushes to station, and the ship swerves violently) (JENNA mans the communication/weapons station and puts on the headphones)

JENNA: Still firing, captain.

SELENIA: (tensely piloting) Talk to me. I have limited visuals.

JENNA: Two from the left!

SELENIA: The port?

JENNA: No, the left!

SELENIA: So, port!

JENNA: (points) That way! (Two shots hit the ship and it goes curveballing again)

SELENIA: (steadies the ship again) This is why Clutch and Motley do this.

FETCHER: (while programming) This ship isn’t meant for any kind of battle!

SELENIA: It typically carries precious cargo so it’s armored enough. We’ll last. But any speed put towards those coordinates would be greatly appreciated.

FETCHER: Where do we want to go?

SELENIA: Anywhere! Just get us out of here! This ship isn’t actually meant to be piloted.

JENNA: The mines! Take us to the mines!

FETCHER: Yes, ma’am.

SELENIA: Who’s to say the Furnigation won’t just find us there?! They own the place!

FETCHER: Here’s to hoping! (hits button and the cabin lights up) Coordinates set – captain!

SELENIA: To Neverland! (they blast off but are suddenly hit violently once again from the side – all three are thrown against the wall – every dashboard goes dark ,the cabin goes dark - silence) (The ship floats out in space – seemingly lifeless)

(There is a humming noise and the ship begins being pulled in by another large ship. It is the Amalgamation, tractor beaming the tiny vessel up. In the background, you can see an entire squadron of tiny gunners charge the Furnigation base and completely destroy it. The vessel holding SELENIA, FETCHER and JENNA is pulled into a lower docking bay on the bottom of the main ship. The ship is tilted so it is sitting on it’s face, and the Amalgamation crew pries open the back door. Light spills in. All three lie on the glass of the front window, JENNA is unconscious. FETCHER’s brown eyes squint. He crawls over and protectively lays halfway on top of JENNA. SELENIA’s hazel eyes squint. Both can hear distant voices. Both look at each other and slowly pass out) (black)

-(CLUTCH’s blackness fades, she startles awake from her momentary blackout and smashes the pedal with her foot – the pod roars to life – she soars upward – the crowd cheers)

JACE: (eyes clenched) YES!

BLORN: Yes!

CORRIN: Oh thank Avin.

(Clutch’s pod soars above the other pods, passing the one in front of her and uses her cable to take him out. One by one she passes or beats the remaining flyers – until she comes to the last one. It is the same one BLORN told her to avoid earlier. She hovers above him, the shadow of her pod coming to rest on him. She looks like an eagle, soaring above her prey. She has a venomous look)

BLORN: (desperately/warningly) The sponsorship.

CLUTCH: (bears down as she speaks) You can take your sponsorship and shove it up your -

(Before CLUTCH can finish, the crowd sees the pod below her explode and they cheer as CLUTCH rounds the finish line – winning the match)

CORRIN: I’ll collect the winnings! (dashes off with DANTE) (LIAM gestures to two of his solders to follow him)

JACE: (eyes still shut) Oh no.

LIAM: Relax, Jace. She won. You’d know that if you just opened your eyes for second. Have a headache?

JACE: No, no, no.

LIAM: What’s wrong?

JACE: There’s – (trying to make it out in her head) There’s a leader here. A great leader – of the Furnigation. He was here for the satellites, to communicate something. (scrunches eyes tighter) No wait, to look for something. He’s scanning for something.

LIAM: Where is he?

JACE: Where you found me. Back at the refinery. He’ll find the ships! He’ll know you’re here! We have to buy the others –

ANNOUNCER: ATTENTION. THIS ARENA IS NOW UNDER FEDERAL LOCKDOWN.

Jace: (opens her eyes) We’re out of time.

-(CLUTCH is walking down the hall, surrounded by a cheering crowd. BLORN is there, if not looking a little uncomfortable. CLUTCH has a wreath around her neck. She calls the ESCORT over and hands him the values)

CLUTCH: Go buy the rest of my slaves. (ESCORT nods and leaves) (CLUTCH notices a soldier standing in the crowd. She sends the rest of them away, and calls him into her personal chamber) (KEIRA and PHEB are still there, but mostly sitting quietly in a corner)

CLUTCH: You. C’mere. You one of Liam’s boys?

(Soldier 3 nods)

CLUTCH: Were you sent here to keep an eye on me?

SOLDIER 3: Yes, ma’am. To protect you.

CLUTCH: You armed?

(Soldier 3 nods)

CLUTCH: Let me see.

(Soldier 3 pulls out a very large and impressive looking gun. CLUTCH looks it over and nods approvingly)

PHEB: (notices) Whoa.

CLUTCH: You stay here with me.

(Soldier 3 nods)

-(CORRIN, DANTE and two soldiers return to LIAM and JACE with the values they won)

DANTE: (worried) What do we do?

LIAM: Are the exits blocked?

SOLDIER 1: Entirely, sir.

LIAM: Check for other exits.

SOLDIER 2: Yes, sir. (SOLDIER 1 and SOLDIER 2 start to march away)

JACE: There are none. I’ve checked.

CORRIN: You’ve been sitting right there this whole time!

JACE: (ignores him) Though the bet taker’s window is still open.

CORRIN: What?

LIAM: (catching on) It’s a plan. (Calls his men back)

JACE: (standing up) We’re gonna have to charge him.

LIAM: Understood.

JACE: It’ll be chaotic, attract attention and there might not even be an exit.

LIAM: I’ll go first.

JACE: I like you, lieutenant. Let’s go.

(At Bet Taker’s window, there’s murmuring, but men are still greedily collecting their spoils)

LIAM: Men?

SOLDIER 1 and SOLDIER 2: Sir!

LIAM: Charge!

(The three jump the counter and  bust through the window – people scurry out of the way – LIAM takes care of Bet Taker, slamming him against the wall. The Bet Taker cowers. CORRIN and DANTE hop the counter and help JACE over. There is a back door – they all dash out and can be seen running across blackened fields while the locked down stadium disappears behind the horizon)

-(In CLUTCH’s room, the ESCORT returns with MOTLEY and JAN) (ESCORT leaves)

MOTLEY: Clutch?!

JAN: Well I’ll be stopgapped! Yer our new master, eh?

PHEB: Jan!

JAN: (they embrace) Ah! The relief to mah sore heart

CLUTCH: (ignores them) Motley, remember that criminal background you’ve spent years hiding and making up for?

MOTLEY: (confused) Hard to forget…

CLUTCH: I need you to dig it back up. (holds up gun)

MOTLEY: Excuse me? (takes it)

CLUTCH: (to SOLDIER 3) Guard them. (SOLDIER 3 nods)

(CLUTCH leads MOTLEY out into the hallway and he follows her up some stairs)

CLUTCH: There’s a bad man here, a Furnigational leader. If we don’t get to him first – he’ll get to us. We have men here – who will take us away if we can first get out. (They enter a high up chamber, full of windows)

MOTLEY: How many yards?

CLUTCH: About two hundred and forty.

MOTLEY: What?

CLUTCH: It’s also over a pit where the air pressure is constantly fluctuating.

MOTLEY: What??

CLUTCH: I didn’t say it’d be easy! That’s why I’m asking you. You’re the best I know.

(CLUTCH leads him to a window – where they can see the entire arena. Far out, on the middle tower, GENERAL MOORES is emerging with a microphone)

GENERAL MOORES: (over speakers) I know there are many of you who remain confused – CLUTCH: There he is.

MOTLEY: General Moores?! (curses) Of course! (sets up gun)

CLUTCH: Furnigationalist through and through.

MOTLEY: But Fetcher…

CLUTCH: Fetcher already knows. He has to! And besides, what’s daddy son issues when there’s no daddy to have issues with?

(slowly – almost seductively – CLUTCH lowers herself to MOTLEY’s level and whispers in his ear)  CLUTCH: C’mon. Bring me back Motley the sniper.

(MOTLEY looks through the scope. His eyes narrow)

GENERAL MOORES: (on stage) I assure you, these Amalgamation spies will be –

MOTLEY: (quietly) dealt with. (shoots)

-(JACE, LIAM, three soldiers, CORRIN, DANTE, CLUTCH, JAN, PHEB, KEIRA and MOTLEY all sit on a ridge of a blackened cliff on the mining planet – waiting) (MOTLEY is holding KEIRA’s hand)

JACE: (to LIAM) My father is Dooren Stett.

LIAM: (nods) The rich and powerful one?

JACE: (sarcastically) No, a different Dooren Stett. Yes, that one. He’s a… Preservationalist to  everyone’s knowledge, but he does some shady business on the side, including fueling and hiding warships and armies for both sides. It makes him a lot of money and it makes him a lot of allies. One day while I was wandering around, being rich and bored as usual – I saw something over the ridge I guess I wasn’t supposed to see. Some gunships – fully armed and ready for battle. I had no idea of my father’s side hobby, so I rushed home to tell him. He told me I hadn’t seen them. He insisted I hadn’t seen them. For a while, I went along with it, but when I started asking about acquiring some kind of apprenticeship outside the house, he became worried my mouth might run. So, without my consent, he put the Datagram chip in my head. (taps head) It was actually trendy amongst the wealthy at the time – he thought I might brag about it to my peers, and maybe even become popular. But I knew he had mainly put it in my head to alter my memories. I forgot about the gunships for a while and went to work as an engineer’s apprentice on a frigate. The chip’s technology is new and highly untested. One of the main reasons of it’s popularity among the wealthy was its risk factor. Though it’s main purpose is to access available data and make life simpler, it began to malfunction. I think it was the highly developed chip meeting the old model of frigate I was boarded on, but something synced that shouldn’t have been able to sync. I began to be able to control the frigate with my mind. Just small things at first, unconscious things, like blinking lights that annoyed me would turn off, or a strange tilt in the way the pilot would drive us – I’d correct. But then the frigate broke down –  in my panic, I began forgetting what was important to remember. My friends were suddenly my enemies and anything on the outside of the ship was coming to get me. So when my crew members went outside to manually fix the engine, in my state of hysteria, the chip re-activated and somehow locked doors that shouldn’t have been locked and killed people that should have survived. It was because me each of my crew members couldn’t get back in and eventually drifted away. I’m a murderer. I must’ve somehow also been injured and at some point sent out a distress signal which was how The Epicenter found me. Their crew was kind, so they put me at ease. But the way I could feel circuits and hear the ship was still active. I still could not remember important details when most of the crew spoke to me, but when Fetcher spoke to me, things became recalled. Fetcher is the son of a rich father as well, so it is highly probable that he too has a chip, and the presence of his chip most likely stabilized mine, though I sensed his was efficiently turned off. (laughs bitterly) Serves us rich kids right.

LIAM: But it’s turned back on now. That’s how you could access all that data and that’s how you saved all our lives. But how?

JACE: It was inactive when I arrived here. (looks at KEIRA) It was one like her. One of her kind reactivated it.

KEIRA: My kind…?

JACE: He was a man. Dressed in your same garments and speaking kindly as your people so often do. His name was Bartyl? Bartyl Avin? I don’t know why I remember that.

(KEIRA’s eyes widen)

SOLDIER 2: Sir, they’ll be coming shortly.

SOLDER 1: There they are! (pointing)

(The Empress comes soaring around and lands – the Amalgamation fleet hovers in high space behind it)

LIAM: (to MOTLEY) She really is a beaut.

MOTLEY: Especially when she’s coming to pick us up from a desolate planet where we were enslaved.

SOLDIER 2: Anything would look pretty then.

MOTLEY: (shakes KEIRA’s hand playfully, which he’s holding) Everything alright?

KEIRA: (looks at him) That man Jace spoke of…

MOTLEY: Yes? Bartyl Avin?

KEIRA: He’s dead.

MOTLEY: What?

KEIRA: In our religion, we believe that there are certain beings who died in our faith and who will come back and visit those who need their assistance. Our scriptures tell us of many miraculous visits. And Bartyl Avin, he is one of these souls, who appears to have visited Jace. I’m sure she couldn’t make it up. It’s a sacred name that she had to have learned from him himself.

MOTLEY: That’s astounding. So you’re saying a ghost visited her to help her?

KEIRA: Not a ghost. In your terms – an angel.

(SELENIA bursts out of The Empress with FETCHER and JENNA on her heels. She skips giddily down the ramp and looks around)

SELENIA: My crew!

(SELENIA greets JAN and PHEB – pats them on their head, or grabs their shoulders)

JAN: Well I’ll be stopgapped! How did you get this hunk of metal back?

SELENIA: Our kind employers the Amalgamation picked it up when they came onto our trail. We’re back in business, boys!

PHEB: We should get a vacation!

SELENIA: That we should!

JENNA: Anyone wounded?

(SELENIA notices KEIRA and MOTLEY holding hands and approaches them)

SELENIA: Well, well, well. Going to make an honest man out of my weapons commander, dear sister?

MOTLEY: (looks at KEIRA) Let’s certainly hope so. I’ll be returning with your sister to Nigilla on our vacations to court her.

SELENIA: Forward, Motley! Very forward!

MOTLEY: Keira Goulding is a woman worth being forward for.

KEIRA: He’ll help me take care of father and the farm. You won’t have to worry anymore.

SELENIA: I couldn’t pick a better person. Wow! A brother-in-law!

MOTLEY: Ah- not yet-

SELENIA: I can’t believe you’re going to marry my sister!

KEIRA: Selenia, not quite –

SELENIA: (Takes MOTLEYs hand) Take good care of her.

MOTLEY: I intend to.

KEIRA: Nigilla is lovely this time of year. I think you’ll enjoy it.

SELENIA: Well, don’t start daydreaming too soon! We have a ship to run! (leads crew back onto ship) (everyone enters and takes their seats) Welcome everyone! Back to The Empress! (Crew cheers) Except you, Lieutenant, you’re less than welcome.

LIAM: (teasingly) Ever charmed.

SELENIA: Man your stations! Start the engine!

FETCHER: First off to join the Amalgamation fleet again.

MOTLEY: And then where?

SELENIA: Wherever fate may take us!

CLUTCH: Aw, that sounds boring.

JACE: Then where are we off to?

SELENIA: Adventure!

~End of Episode 5~

~End of The Amalgamation~

EPILOGUE

(A few months later)

(Back at HQ, SELENIA is shown on a stage, being awarded a medal. It is a large procession, almost identical to CAPTAIN CILL’s medal ceremony. There are parts of the hall that are obviously still under repair, but the hall is jovial and happy.

(After being awarded her medal, SELENIA jokingly runs to look behind the curtain and pretends to get blasted backward. The crowd laughs awkwardly. As she sidles up to MOTLEY, who is also on stage, she whispers to him:)

SELENIA: Too soon?

MOTLEY: (smiling for crowd) WAY too soon.

(They applaud as FETCHER is also awarded a medal and then CLUTCH. KEIRA and the rest of the crew is sitting in the front crowd with First Officer TETNA.

(Suddenly, at the end of the ceremony, MOTLEY pulls KEIRA onto stage with him and kneels down to propose. The crowd cheers and KEIRA says yes! SELENIA pushes her way to the microphone standing next to the happy couple)

SELENIA: I can’t believe you’re gonna marry my sister! (to MOTLEY) Still too soon?

MOTLEY: (smiling and holding KEIRA) Not soon enough. (He kisses KEIRA)

-(LATER, JACE is shown in JENNA’s dressing room, wearing a small male version of the religious garments that JENNA and KEIRA wear. She seems pleased and hugs JENNA)

-(Later as MOTLEY and KEIRA exit the stage hand in hand, LIAM is standing outside, arms folded. MOTLEY looks at him, happily but a little confused. LIAM whistles, and around the corner come barreling Pippy and Cora, MOTLEY’s two navvs. MOTLEY and KEIRA kneel down to accept them rejoicefully, letting them lick their faces and put their paws up on their chests)

LIAM: (smiling) Consider it a wedding present.

(JACE emerges in her new religious garments, and the crew accepts her joyously. SELENIA, FETCHER, CLUTCH, MOTLEY, KEIRA, JAN, PHEB, JENNA, JACE, and LIAM all sit around in the hallways, hugging, congratulating, chatting happily as the camera fades to black)