The Amalgamation (Episodes 6-10)

Once again, private property of mwah. Do not use without explicit permission. Copyrighted. Original work.

The Amalgamation (Episodes 6-10)

CAST LIST:

Crew of The Empress:

SELENIA GOULDING – Captain of The Empress and tormenter of First Officer Fetcher. Blonde.

FETCHER MOORES JR – First officer of The Empress and (semi?) lover of Jenna

JENNA MCCUSKY – Doctor aboard The Empress, a woman of religion and Selenia’s good friend

SHAWN MOTLEY – Gunsman and communications aboard The Empress, previous sniper

CARMEN “CLUTCH” SANDERS – pilot aboard The Empress

JACE STETT – wealthy, has an implanted chip in her brain that allows her to access databases

JAN – Old Irish engineer, caretaker of Pheb

PHEB – young engineer, almost eleven

Other re-occuring characters:

CORRIN

ADMIRAL CALUCE

LIAM

KEIRA GOULDING

Other characters:

ANJO JARD

VEILA

VESPITE THE GRAND TRANSLUDER

DEPENDENT

CORNELIUS BUCKWILDER

Badguys:

THROTTLE

PISTON

KRUGER

Other voices needed:

BARTENDER

COMPUTER

wristCom

Selenia and Keira’s FATHER

VOICE – MAN

VOICE – WOMAN

HQ’s Assistance Desk

MONK 1, MONK 2, MONK 3, MONK 4

WALLABY and TIGER (+VIPER, RHINO)

ADMIRAL BENSHAW

CAPTAIN BELFAST

Furnigation Leader – Commander KAPES

Preservation Leader – Councilor WYNESS

Prologue

(A young sandy-haired boy (ANJO) walks willingly into a large tomb-like room with the only light filtering from the door – which closes with a sound of finality. The tomb is dark and ANJO sits and waits)

(Later – him being taken out of the tomb, the door opening and him walking out. He is then taken somewhere far away  to be pulleyed up to a large woven ball perched in a tree that he accesses through a small porthole. He crawls in and the porthole closes. He sits and waits)

(A bustling bar – in the back – behind the counter – hidden in a cramped closet – there’s ANJO)

(A leaky shack in the middle of the woods in the midst of the downpour – there’s ANJO)

(Hiding under a porch as a raucous redneck party continues up above)

(Hidden between computer consoles in a warehouse full of them)

(Stuck in a dark abandoned room at the top of a factory)

(A treehouse)

(A dome)

(A library)

(Under the elevator in the elevator shaft)

(In all of these places – ANJO is placed and stays there, hiding. The people who place him there are never seen)

(ANJO sits in an abandoned outhouse covered in cobwebs in the middle of the woods. He is slightly nodding off, just trying to get some shut eye while sitting on the wooden toilet)

(His wristCom buzzes on his wrist)

wristCom: Desiring area code 59.

ANJO: (rubbing his eyes) You know I can’t just give it to you like that without the emblem.

wristCom: Alright, I’ll get it when we come to relocate you again.

ANJO: (brushes a spider off his knee) Copy.

wristCom: You’re gonna like this one.

ANJO: What’d you say?

wristCom: I think you’re gonna like this one. Your dad’s gonna put you in one of the hidden villages under the protection of a Mr. Yinsen and his daughter – girl named Clemma.

ANJO: A girl?

wristCom: He wants you to hide out with them for a while.

ANJO: Is she … ?

wristCom: Pretty? Eeeeeh – she’s alright. But this is a once in a lifetime chance for you, kid.

ANJO: A hidden village… Will I be safe there?

wristCom: Of course. Now, I gotta go. Can’t waste too much battery.

(wristCom shuts off)

ANJO: (to himself) …”Clemma”…

(Episode 6)

(Close up on MOTLEY’s head buried in his arms, leaning on a bar counter, one empty mug and one half full mug in front of him. He is groaning)

SELENIA: (coming over) Found him.

CLUTCH: (takes one look and walks away) Good luck.

SELENIA: Atleast she’s dependable for never being dependable, am I right? Hey, Motley, hey, buddy. We’re about to start this undercover mission.

MOTLEY: (lowly-barely audible) She doesn’t want me.

SELENIA: (tries to prop him up) You know I can’t hear you when you mumble like that.

MOTLEY: (drunkenly raises his head) I said she doesn’t want me! (collapses back into his arms)

SELENIA: Who, Keira? Don’t be ridiculous – she loves you!

MOTLEY: (mumbles like a child) She hates me.

SELENIA: No! She loves you!

MOTLEY: She kicked me off Nigilla! Said she wants to be alone!

SELENIA: And she might – but that doesn’t mean she stopped caring for you!

MOTLEY: Yes it does.

SELENIA: No it doesn’t! Stop acting like a pouting child. Sit up.

(MOTLEY weakly sits up, wavering. His eyes are downcast and his mouth is ajar)

MOTLEY: But I proposed! She said yes! Why isn’t this going well? What if she doesn’t love me?

SELENIA: Do you love her?

MOTLEY: I thought I did.

SELENIA: Don’t be like that – of course you do! Okay, so you two are currently at odds – it’s not the end of the world.

MOTLEY: It’s the end of my world.

(MOTLEY lays back down on the counter)

CLUTCH: (coming back over) What a drama queen.

SELENIA: (to MOTLEY) She’s just not sure. She needs time!

CLUTCH: Speaking of which, we are running out of…

MOTELY: Leave me to drown my sorrows.

SELENIA: This ain’t the best stuff to drown it in, buddy.

CLUTCH: Debatable.

SELENIA: (to CLUTCH - a little annoyed) You got the password?

CLUTCH: I think so.

SELENIA: You think so?

CLUTCH: Stop it. I know so.

SELENIA: Okay… if you say so.

CLUTCH: I say so. I know so.

(MOTLEY groans)

SELENIA: C’mon Motley, I need you at attention. Or semi-conscious at the least.

(CLUTCH approaches the BARTENDER with SELENIA at her wing)

BARTENDER: Anything I can do for you folks?

(SELENIA looks at CLUTCH)

CLUTCH: Ah, yes, we’ll be having the indigenous special.

BARTENDER: Pardon?

CLUTCH: The impudent special.

BARTENDER: (understanding what she’s getting at) The indigo special?

CLUTCH: That’s what I meant.

SELENIA: (totally blowing cover) The password was INDIGO??

CLUTCH: The guy was mumbling!

BARTENDER: (clicks something on wrist) I believe I’m going to have to ask you ladies to exit quietly.

SELENIA: Gascaps, I hoped it wouldn’t come to this.

(SELENIA ducks as CLUTCH vaults over the bar to begin attacking the bartender. Four huge men, WALLABY, VIPER, TIGER and RHINO, come out of the sides of the bar. They customers gasp, shriek and start running out. FETCHER, JENNA, and JACE emerge from the patrons – armed) (SELENIA backs up from the counter to join them in circling the four men)

SELENIA: Four against four, eh?

JACE: You didn’t count Motley.

SELENIA: For good reason. Doubt he himself could count to five at this point.

FETCHER: That bad, huh?

SELENIA: A little worse.

FETCHER: Everyone armed?

SELENIA: No, Fetcher. We came to a rogue planet to uncover an illegal drug ring unarmed.

FETCHER: With your aim, I wouldn’t be surprised if you wanted to spare yourself the embarrassment.

WALLABY: Hey.

TIGER: Shut up.

SELENIA: Eloquently put boys. Let’s rassle.

(SELENIA leaps forward toward TIGER, FETCHER towards WALLABY, JENNA stands in front of VIPER, JACE takes RHINO) (CLUTCH continues beating BARTENDER behind the counter and MOTLEY lays on the table) (One of the ruffians still in the bar and eager to fight, shoots at SELENIA and misses)

SELENIA: Hey! This isn’t your fight! Back off! (TIGER punches a distracted SELENIA in the stomach, sending her to the ground and crawling under a table near where FETCHER is being shoved to the ground as well)

SELENIA: (groans) Why is it always in the stomach?

FETCHER: Perhaps they have an innate desire to trim the fat off their meals?

(SELENIA points her gun barely above FETCHER and shoots WALLABY in the face. WALLABY goes reeling) (TIGER throws the table SELENIA is under and grabs for SELENIA)

SELENIA: (before she’s dragged away) That was meant for you, you ranker.

(TIGER grasps SELENIA’s ankles and pulls her away)

(FETCHER aims and shoots TIGER in the chest, very similar to what SELENIA did to WALLABY. TIGER goes reeling and lets go of SELENIA) (SELENIA manages to get up to help JACE charge RHINO. JENNA is having trouble with VIPER, but is dodging successfully so far. FETCHER rushes to JENNA’s assistance, but gets grabbed by VIPER. JENNA aims at VIPER holding FETCHER)

FETCHER: (choking) Jenna!

(Meanwhile – behind them, RHINO shrieks as he is shoved into a large antler arrangement by SELENIA and JACE. JENNA aims shakily at VIPER, then shoots. She barely misses VIPER’s neck and he staggers back, but does not let go of or stop choking FETCHER. VIPER shoots back at JENNA who trembles and ducks but tries to fire feebly back. A chair appears to hover in the air behind VIPER and comes crashing down on him, knocking him out. VIPER releases FETCHER who goes sprawling at JACE’s feet)

 JACE: (laughing) And here I thought Jenna was going to be the damsel in distress. 

(FETCHER ignores her and staggers to his feet)

(VIPER falls, revealing MOTLEY holding a chair. MOTLEY looks down at VIPER, eyes unnaturally wide and staggers to catch himself on a table. His legs still aren’t the best, and the drunken state isn’t helping)

VEILA: STOP!

(On stage the green dancer lady that has up until now been in the background is now standing at the front of the stage, holding a blinking remote. There are two drummers on stage with her)

VEILA: Stop zis instance if you value ze way your limbz are attached to your body.

SELENIA: And who would you be?

VEILA: I have many namez.

SELENIA: Is one of them “put - the - bomb - down” ?

CLUTCH: (from behind bar) Captain! (CLUTCH throws SELENIA a fruit)

FETCHER: (sees it) Jillfruit, captain.

SELENIA: Mm, one of the most highly hallucinogenic drugs in the galaxy. Now what would you happen to be doing with baskets of it behind you bar?

VEILA: Business that is none of yours.

SELENIA: I just made it my business. Now, about putting the bomb down…

FETCHER: Jace.

JACE: (closes eyes) On it.

VEILA: My men are still stronger than you.

SELENIA: You mean Doodlieskootz and Gingerbread over here? (she gestures to WALLABY, RHINO, VIPER and TIGER, whom all lay groaning) I’ll take my chances.

VEILA: This isn’t over! I won’t go down like this!

JACE: Captain, the detonators are all mostly set on the north side.

(Everyone shuffles away from the north wall)

JACE: I mean, we’ll still sustain some considerable damage.

FETCHER: That’s the side the Plumonium mines and Furnigation ports are on.

SELENIA: (to VEILA) Interesting. Furnigation been trying to sway you over?

VEILA: I want no sides. Merely to run my business!! (She pushes the button on the remote)

(Everyone flinches, but nothing happens)

JACE: C’mon guys. Have a little more faith in me.

SELENIA: Gall, I love that she can do that.

(VEILA on stage becomes panicked. Her drummers begin to try to escape by running)

VEILA: The authorities! You have no right! I’ll call the authorities!

CLUTCH: Honey. We are the authorities.

~THE AMALGAMATION – EPISODE 6~

(SELENIA leads a droopy MOTLEY onto The Empress, CLUTCH and JACE escort VEILA aboard as a hostage)

SELENIA: (to MOTLEY) There you go big boy. Almost there.

MOTLEY: (moans) Keira.

SELENIA: That’s the spirit.

(On The Empress, JAN boards into the upper hallway to see FETCHER)

JAN: (to FETCHER) (Irishly) All set and ready to go, first officer! And… what… is that noise?

FETCHER: That racket is Ms. Stett’s doing.

JACE: (from behind a door) It’s music. (opens door and pokes her head out) It’s this stupid class Selenia’s making me take. I can easily download all the rest of the information for the tests into my chip, but music catches on really fast in the brain and I can get it literally stuck in my head.

FETCHER: It vaguely reminds me of a stampede of snoring buffalos.

JAN: Actually… it sounds Novocian.

JACE: (turning it off and exiting room) How did you know that?

JAN: You mean it actually ‘tis?

JACE: Well, yeah. For these new classes the Amalgamation is requiring me to take, I have to take a class on another culture.

JAN: And ye chose Novocian? Aye… that’s a strange one.

FETCHER: Does anyone know what breed our prisoner is?

JENNA: (coming up from the stairs) She is actually a rare breed of human from a farther galaxy.

JAN: With the tail and all?

JENNA: Tail and all.

FETCHER: (sort of relieved to see her) Jenna.

JENNA: (smiles) Fetcher.

(Show main deck, with SELENIA whining to the large screen in front of her)

SELENIA: (from elsewhere) Liam!

LIAM: (from computers intercom) I told you, this wasn’t my choice. It’s merely the mission the council provided.

SELENIA: But we are obviously better at the other thing!

CLUTCH: Kickin butts and takin names?

MOTLEY: More like getting paid peanuts and takin’ blame.

LIAM: Yeah, speaking of that – the plan was not to start a bar fight.

MOTLEY: (to CLUTCH) Yeah, the plan was to remember the password.

CLUTCH: I’m sorry, weren’t you the one who had basically drunk himself into a stupor?

SELENIA: Regardless, we got the job done. We have what it takes, Lieutenant!

LIAM: I’m not saying I disagree! I totally get where you’re coming from, Selenia! But I can’t go against the council.

SELENIA: But a temple, Lieutenant?

LIAM: There’s been suspicious activity.

CLUTCH: People believing in things they can’t see is pretty suspicious.

SELENIA: It’s probably just a bunch of crazies. They whack their heads against some rocks, call it religion and we get a call.

LIAM: Whether it’s crazies or not, I’m sending you the coordinates.

MOTLEY: Coordinates received.

(SELENIA groans)

CLUTCH: (to the tune of “We’re Off to See the Wizard”) We’re off to see some temple…

JENNA: (entering) Temple? What temple?

MOTLEY: (reading) It says… the Fourth Temple of Avin.

(JENNA looks shocked)

LIAM: Welp. Good luck Selenia.

SELENIA: Yeah, yeah.

LIAM: Motley – congrats on your engagement.

(MOTLEY says nothing)

LIAM: And, uh, Selenia, if I could just quickly ask –

SELENIA: Yes, yes, our acceleration systems are in check Lieutenant. Wouldn’t want another fiasco like the one at Teshoon. I know we’re famous for it back home.

LIAM: Ah, no, that’s not exactly –

FETCHER: The new C02 scrubbers were installed.

LIAM: Captain, regarding your schedule -

SELENIA: We will be back in time for the Superdistrict meeting.

LIAM: Nevermind. Have a safe trip. (hangs up)

CLUTCH: (to JACE) You owe me five values. (CLUTCH is pushing buttons and starting up the ship)

JACE: But he tried!

SELENIA: What are you two talking about?

(JACE swipes her card on CLUTCH’s valbray (value bracelet))

JACE: Nothing.

SELENIA: Alright, first officer, where are we in our relationship today?

FETCHER: Well –

SELENIA: Still good at irritating me. Excellent.

CLUTCH: To designated coordinates, captain?

SELENIA: Of course. We are Amalgamation dogs after all.

FETCHER: And our prisoner?

SELENIA: Apparently less important that checking out some temple. She’ll have to wait.

Until then – brush up on your prayers, boys, we have a holy site to poke some holes in.

(Meanwhile – below deck, PHEB races past VEILA’s cell, chasing Pippy and Cora)

PHEB: Cora! It’s a wrench! Not a stick! Give it back!

(PHEB stops to back up and look in the door that leads to VEILA’s cell. Pippy and Cora stop and back up to follow him – sniffing the air)

VEILA: Boy.

PHEB: I’m not a boy. I’m almost eleven.

VEILA: Man, then.

PHEB: (Intrigued) What?

VEILA: I require your aid.

PHEB: I’m not letting you out.

VEILA: Do you have a bond-assist?

PHEB: A band-aid?

VEILA: Yes, a bond-assist.

PHEB: Yeah.. why?

VEILA: Your people… in their haste and negligence … have neglected to treat me. (VEILA reveals a scar)

PHEB: We have a doctor.

VEILA: Fetch him.

PHEB: She’s a girl.

VEILA: Fetch her then.

JENNA: (descending the stairs) No need. I am here.

PHEB: She needs a bond – assist.

JENNA: I have one.

VEILA: (eyes widen) A withdrawer.

JENNA: (unwrapping bond-assist) Pardon?

VEILA: (panicked) You – are one- who carries – the light!!

JENNA: The light?

VEILA: The burden!

PHEB: What’s she talking about?

JENNA: I’m not sure.

VEILA: Come no nearer!

JENNA: But your wound –

VEILA: Let me bleed out! Let me die! Come no nearer!

PHEB: She’s crazy!

(JAN suddenly emerges from hallway and protectively scoops both JENNA and PHEB up and away from VEILA)

VEILA: COME NO NEARER!

JAN: Jenna, m’dear, you best do as she says.

JENNA: But her wound!

(JAN takes the bond-assist and tosses into the cell)

JAN: Assist yeself. (He protectively ushers PHEB and JENNA out. VEILA hisses and shakes)

-(Back to SELENIA, FETCHER, MOTLEY and CLUTCH on main deck. SELENIA sits dejectedly in her main captain chair)

SELENIA: Am I a good captain, first officer?

FETCHER: By low standards, yes.

SELENIA: And I complete my missions?

FETCHER: Aye.

SELENIA: I eat my leafy greens?

FETCHER: Aye, captain.

SELENIA: Then why in Andromeda do they always give me the low end of the stick?? They always do this to me!

MOTLEY: To be fair, the Amalgamation hasn’t quite been giving out wild card missions to anyone recently. The Furnigation has been quiet and crime has been too. Maybe we should consider ourselves lucky.

CLUTCH: Or maybe we should consider this the calm before the storm. It’s not like the Furnigation just quit. They’re like toddlers – the only noise you don’t want to hear is silence. That means they’re up to something.

MOTLEY: Can’t we just count ourselves lucky … ever?

SELENIA: Our luck seem to dry up too fast to do so. But I mean, really, a temple? It’s like killing a spider with a cannon.

CLUTCH: I’m assuming we’re the cannon?

SELENIA: It’s overkill! We’re a massive surveillance ship! With guns!

MOTLEY: Big guns.

SELENIA: With big guns!

FETCHER: Well, all I can say –

SELENIA: Nothing, Fetcher. You can say nothing. I don’t need this day to get any worse.

MOTLEY: We do what the Amalgamation orders.

SELENIA: That we do, Seargent. That we do.

(A silence)

SELENIA: Soooo, Motley… you just gonna do that thing where you go all silent and don’t tell us what’s on your mind?

MOTLEY: What thing? I don’t do a thing.

CLUTCH: Everyone does the thing.

JACE: Yeah, Motley. Start talking. You and Keira…

MOTLEY: There is no talking. I don’t – there’s nothing to talk about.

JACE: Seemed to be plenty to talk about when you were drunk last night.

SELENIA: Yeah, and if you don’t start telling us the real story, we’re going to start drawing conclusions on what you babbled about, and there’s nothing scarier than women drawing conclusions.

MOTLEY: I didn’t babble!

CLUTCH: (to SELENIA) He did?

SELENIA: He totally did.

MOTLEY: I didn’t do it! Wait – what didn’t I do?

FETCHER: You better just give them what they want.

CLUTCH: Gossip with us!

SELENIA: We’re on a mission to a temple for Teshoon’s sake.

JACE: C’mon Motley, we’re boooooored

MOTLEY: (begrudgingly) What do you want to know?

CLUTCH: (cheerily) How’re wedding preparations going?

MOTLEY: (grumbles) They’re not.

CLUTCH: (feigning surprise) They’re not?? What a surprise.

SELENIA: Hey now, no bile. What’s up, Motley? What’s happening between the two of you?

MOTLEY: She’s… calling it off.

SELENIA: Forever?

MOTLEY: For now.

JACE: The whole engagement or-?

MOTLEY: No, just the wedding, like I said – for now.

SELENIA: Ah.

MOTLEY: I’m trying to convince her to go through with it – or even consider going through with it – but she –

SELENIA: Won’t.

MOTLEY: (a little exasperated) Yeah. And she won’t tell me why! I know there’s a reason. And – and it’s driving me insane! How can I fix what’s wrong if I don’t know what’s broken?

CLUTCH: (to JACE) Men, am I right?

JACE: Mm.

CLUTCH: Always wanna fix the problem.

MOTLEY: I’m not telling you this for your sympathy!

CLUTCH: Well, you’re getting it.

JACE: What has she said – exactly?

MOTLEY: Exactly?

SELENIA: Yeah, like her exact words.

MOTELY: I dunno. Uh – “We both need space to think” – uh –

CLUTCH: Ope.

JACE: Oh no.

SELENIA: Oh dear.

MOTLEY: What?

JACE: A real shame- that.

CLUTCH: Pity.

MOTLEY: What? What is it?

(JACE, SELENIA and CLUTCH shake their heads)

MOTLEY: (pleading) First Officer?

FETCHER: I must confess, I am also quite confused…

CLUTCH: It’s the death penalty, Motley. Saying she needs space is like saying she wants to kick you into outer space.

MOTLEY: So it’s over??

SELENIA: (to CLUTCH) Well, not exactly, I mean, if she said it like, “We both need space.” – it’d be bad. But if she said it like “We both need space” – then there’s something she’s hoping he’ll do.

CLUTCH: That’s true.

JACE: So which was it, Motley? Did she say it like the first one or the second one?

MOTLEY: The first one! No, maybe it was the second one? Can you repeat them again?

FETCHER: This is ridiculous. Motley – you have to learn to take a woman on her word – not her pronunciations!

CLUTCH: Oh yeah, take it from the man who’s had a single girlfriend his entire middle-aged lie just because she’s too nice to say no to a charity case.

FETCHER: Have you seen Jenna?

MOTLEY: Yeah, have you seen Jenna?

SELENIA: (to MOTLEY) Hey there, partner. That’s my sister you’re not talking about over there.

FETCHER: I’m just saying. I may have scored once – but I scored big.

CLUTCH: Still doesn’t qualify you as a relationship councilor.

FETCHER: Can you even count the number of guys you’ve broken it off with?

CLUTCH: The number resembles the candles on your birthday cake.

SELENIA: Okay! OKAY! I think it’s been a long day and everyone should consider retiring. CLUTCH: Only a couple more years for old gas cloud Fetcher over here.

FETCHER: (angrily) If I had - !

SELENIA: (sternly) First Officer. Retire.

FETCHER: (ignoring CLUTCH and looking SELENIA dead in the eye) Aye, captain.

(FETCHER leaves)

SELENIA: (to CLUTCH) What was that about?

CLUTCH: I’m a cranky woman driver on her period – what can I say?

SELENIA: Obviously a lot more than I think you intended to.

CLUTCH: I regret nothing.

JACE: That’s not what your parents said.

SELENIA: (shocked, but amused) Jace! Don’t you go getting her started too! Go to your quarters! The lot of you! It’s too late to take this kind of banter. I’ll be driving for a while. I’ve missed piloting and remember how good I am at it.

(CLUTCH, MOTLEY and JACE begin leaving)

CLUTCH: Alright, alright, we’ll go. Just don’t get too scared without us.

MOTLEY: Night, captain. (MOTLEY leaves)

SELENIA: Night, seargent. Good night, Jace.

JACE: Night captain. And… captain? (JACE pauses in the doorway)

SELENIA: Yes, Jace?

JACE: Next time Lieutenant Liam calls… any way you would consider just calling him Liam? Drop the formalities?

SELENIA: Any reason … why?

JACE: Oh … just to loosen the guy up.

CLUTCH: Cheater.

JACE: I work with what I have.

(JACE and CLUTCH leave)

(SELENIA sits alone at CLUTCH’s pilot station. She turns off almost all of the main deck’s lights except for the panel below her. She sits in the low harsh glow and seems pensive. The scene shifts to a flashback. It is her and KEIRA in a pastoral kitchen – both much younger)

SELENIA: Soooo, Keira… you just gonna do that thing where you go all silent and don’t tell me what’s on your mind?

KEIRA: What thing? I don’t do any thing like that.

SELENIA: You’re cute.

KEIRA: (sighs) It’s that barley boy. He’s been giving me the eyes.

SELENIA: What eyes? These eyes? (SELENIA makes a funny googly – eyed face)

KEIRA: (laughing) No!

SELENIA: Or these eyes? (SELENIA pulls another funny face)

KEIRA: (laughing) No! He wasn’t! Stop it!

FATHER: (calling from the other room) What’re you two up to?

SELENIA: Nothing, papa!

FATHER: (calling) Have either of you seen my belt?

KEIRA: Hanging by the front door, papa!

FATHER: (calling) Thank you!

SELENIA: So, the barley boy? What’s his name?

KEIRA: I’m not sure. I just know he works for the barley fields.

SELENIA: Why don’t you talk to him? Make eyes back?

KEIRA: (embarrassed) Talk to him? About what? What would we talk about?

SELENIA: “My, my, the barley is fine this year! Just like youuuuuu.”

KEIRA: (laughing) Gascaps, Selenia, stop!

SELENIA: “You know what would make it more fine? If you took off your shirt!”

KEIRA: (laughing) Selenia!

SELENIA: “That’s some mighty fine threshing! I’d let you thresh my barley!”

FATHER: (comes in – frustrated) Girls! I asked you a question! Have you seen my belt??

(Both girls are a little shocked)

SELENIA: It’s by the front door, Papa. We told you.

FATHER: (confused, a little quieter) You did? I could’ve sworn – Well… thank you…

KEIRA: Papa.

FATHER: (turning back around) Yes, Keira, darling?

KEIRA: It’s around your waist, papa.

(All look at FATHER’s waist – on which there is indeed a belt)

FATHER: Now when did I –

(A silence)

KEIRA: Are you going out, papa?

FATHER: Yes… I suppose I was… (He leaves)

SELENIA: (seriously) He’s been doing that for months now.

KEIRA: I suspect he’ll do it for forever.

SELENIA: You think?

KEIRA: It does run in the family. You and I might get it.

(A silence – KEIRA and SELENIA stare after their father, looking worried)

KEIRA: Of course, it won’t hit you until you finish pilot school.

SELENIA: Let’s hope. I’ll be piloting and then (makes falling plane noise) “baaaaaaah---“ and I won’t remember which one’s the accelerator!

KEIRA: (laughs softly) No, you won’t. You’ll be strong. And smart. As for me – I’ll probably always be here – so it won’t matter if it hits me.

SELENIA: What? That’s not true.

KEIRA: No, I want to stay here. It’s safe here. Dad and I can’t hurt anyone here. We can both just lose our minds together.

SELENIA: Don’t say that.

KEIRA: (Losing it a little bit) What do you want me to say, Selenia? That me and the barley boy will skip into the sunset with fourteen children and dad is sensible and aware of them all? Remembers their names? Lives to be 104? Is that what you want me to say?

SELENIA: (quietly) I’d love it if you could say that.

KEIRA: You know I can’t. You know I will probably never be able to.

SELENIA: I liked it better when we could dream about the barley boy.

KEIRA: I did too.

(They continue their chores – SELENIA thrashes a small bundle of wheat on an opposing countertop while KEIRA unloads a basket on the other)

(The view shifts back to SELENIA in the present. In her bed – her alarm going off. She rises, realizes she is still in her uniform and brushes off to glance in the mirror before bursting out and marching to the main deck)

SELENIA: Alright crew, it’s a new day and that means our dearly beloved first officer hasn’t said anything stupid yet.

FETCHER: Good morning, captain.

SELENIA: Blast it, Fetcher, you ruined our streak.

MOTLEY: Coming up on planet Unas, captain.

SELENIA: Where our precious temple is located – excellent. Let’s make it the roughest landing yet. See any large rocky surfaces, Clutch?

CLUTCH: Aye, captain.

SELENIA: Aim for those! We have to do something to make this trip more interesting.

(She is kidding – and CLUTCH lands them in a safe and flat area)

JACE: Anyone for breakfast?

(She and PHEB and JAN come in with ration packet breakfasts)

SELENIA: (taking a sausage ration) Has anyone seen Jenna?

MOTLEY: Not this morning, no.

SELENIA: First Officer. I’m giving you your first order.

FETCHER: Well, it’s hardly my first –

SELENIA: Please fetch the better half of you.

(FETCHER rolls his eyes and leaves – CLUTCH lands The Empress)

SELENIA: All ashore that’s going ashore. That’ll be Motley, Jace and I. Clutch you stay here until Fetcher comes back with Jenna, then call me on the Com.

CLUTCH: Aye, captain.

PHEB: What about me?

SELENIA: What about you, Pheb?

PHEB: Do I get to come?

SELENIA: You stay here with Jan and watch the ship. Like always.

PHEB: I don’t want to stay. I want to go.

SELENIA: You’re an engineer-in-training, Pheb. You can come with us on missions when you’re older. You’re young.

PHEB: Jace is young.

JACE: I’m almost 20.

SELENIA: Pheb. Stay here. This mission will be an easy in and out. There’s no reason to come. We’ll be back before you can miss us.

JAN: Which is why it might be a good starter for ‘im, cap’n.

SELENIA: Oh come on, Jan. You too?

JAN: Give the boy some memories, cap’n.

SELENIA: For Hulgarias sake. Fine. C’mon. Hop to it. (gestures to PHEB – PHEB beams) Come see some blasted temple.

(JENNA enters with FETCHER)

JENNA: (a little sternly) Selenia. Have no doubt of my love for you – but please refrain from slandering the name of Bartyl Avin and his temple.

CLUTCH: Your deity or something?

JENNA: A great saint of our people.

SELENIA: It’s your religion – this temple?

JENNA: It is.

SELENIA: Then I apologize.

JENNA: Thank you.

SELENIA: Do you know much about this temple?

JENNA: Only that the most devout Abnegationalists make the pilgrimage. This temple is said to have strong influences on the mind.

MOTLEY: Captain, we’ve arrived.

SELENIA: Let’s dock and get this over with then.

CLUTCH: Preparing to land.

(The Empress lands – the dust clears – the setting is a Western desert with red stone faces and red sand. The temple is built into the side of a red stone plateau – the front of it is intricately carved. A cluster of pale orange figures huddle close to the front door – shielding themselves)

(SELENIA opens the digital holographic file while JENNA helps her suit up inside The Empress)

SELENIA: So we have here – a mildly inconvenient group of individuals – exhibiting a large amount of heat – last located at the plateau into which the temple is built. You copy that, first officer?

FETCHER: Copy that, captain.

SELENIA: Is everyone prepared to disembark?

MOTLEY: Aye, captain.

JACE: Aye, captain.

PHEB: Aye, captain.

SELENIA: Then disembark we shall. Jan – open the doors. (The doors open)

MOTLEY: Should we bring the survival kit, captain?

SELENIA: Highly doubt we’ll need it – but if you want to be the one to schlepp it – be my guest.

PHEB: I’ll carry it! I’ll do it!

MOTLEY: Good man. (he hands it to him – PHEB beams at being called ‘man’)

(SELENIA, FETCHER, MOTLEY, CLUTCH, JACE, JENNA and PHEB all exit. They take a moment to walk off and look around – SELENIA addresses the bundle of orange figures as they approach)

SELENIA: Hail and well met, my dudes.

MONK 4: Hail!

MONK 1: Ho there!

MONK 2: Hail.

MONK 3: A fellow abnegationalist!

SELENIA: Oh! How convenient! You’re the same religion as our Jenna then?

JENNA: Oh, no.

MONK 1: No.

FETCHER: But you are both abnegationalists?

MONK 4: It is merely a term used by the governments regarding any religious affiliation.

JENNA: But we are still brothers and sisters in many of our beliefs.

MONK 4: Agreed.

JACE: Wait – I know I’ve already chosen and I hate to pull a Joseph Smith here-

CLUTCH: A who?

JACE: But which one is the right church?

MONK 2: They are all true – in their own way.

JACE: Okay, that seems like a way to avoid an explanation…

MONK 1: It’s true.

JENNA: Each denomination has pieces of truth.

JACE: That seems confusing.

JENNA: It is for our comprehension.

SELENIA: (to Monks) You guys camped out here for any particular reason?

MONK 4: A pilgrimage.

MONK 3: The temple called to us.

SELENIA: Called to you, eh? You guys been exerting any heat?

MONK 2: We had a campfire.

MONK 3: We had a campfire last night.

MONK 4: Are you from the Amalgamation?

SELENIA: That we are, my good sir.

MONK 2: Have we done something wrong?

FETCHER: Under the Amalgamation Agency act individuals and denominations are free to act of their own derision so long as it does not hinder the free will of others.

SELENIA: That’s robot for ‘no.’ We’re just here to investigate suspicious activity. How often is the pilgrimage made in your religion?

MONK 4: Once or twice a year, depending on the year.

MONK 3: And schedule.

MONK 1: Cycles of the moon.

MONK 3: Whenever it feels necessary.

SELENIA: And do you enter the temple?

MONK 2: To perform our ceremonies. But we leave at night.

SELENIA: Interesting. You getting all this down, first officer?

FETCHER: (doing nothing) Taking studious notes, captain.

SELENIA: (to MONKs) And is there anything, persay, barring me from entering said temple?

MONK 4: It is not a temple man owns. All are free to walk it’s halls.

JENNA: (hesitant) Selenia…

MONK 1: But I would not recommend it, irreligionist.

MONK 2: Wait til day. The temple hosts different entities at night. Ones I would not think you would be pleased to encounter.

MOTLEY: Captain. Report.

SELENIA: Go.

MOTEY: There’s another source of heat – a much larger one – coming from the opposite side of the platuea.

SELENIA: A-ha. We have our villains. Maybe we won’t have to go in at all.

PHEB: (disappointed) Aw.

SELENIA: Around the mountain then. Forward march.

(Crew starts walking)

JENNA: (to Monks) Thank you for your words.

MONK 2: No problem.

MONK 3: Our pleasure.

MONK 4: We live to assist.

MONK 1: (after she’s gone) Man, why can’t we have cute girls like that in our religion?

(Show crew walking away)

-(On the other side of the plateau, show THROTTLE wearing a construction hat and pointing at the mountain where a giant drill is burrowing. THROTTLE is a platinum blonde man, probably in his late thirties. He has finger-shaped indents on his neck, and an eyelid that droops, but he is generally good looking, if not thin. He has a sharp face and narrow eyes)

THROTTLE: (to his crew of four or five, he gestures) Harder, you idiots!

(The giant drill intensifies. THROTTLE continues to look down and examine a blue print he has on a clipboard. He dusts dirt off of it – wanders away from the site and keeps peering. He takes off his construction hat, mops his brow, checks his watch and looks up. THROTTLE spots SELENIA and her crew)

THROTTLE: (to his crew – running back) Hey! ‘Eeey! We got inspectors on the horizon! Papers out! Papers out!

(The view shifts back to SELENIA and her crew as they all breach the plateau. They are tired, hot, sweaty and panting)

JACE: That’s it. I’m moving to the ice planet Nigeria.

MOTLEY: The one that freezes the water in a person’s bloodstream in a fraction of a second?

JACE: That’s the one.

PHEB: (whines) I’m melting.

CLUTCH: (looking down) Ugh. I’ve heard of these kind of idiots. Construction dopies. Temples and sacred sites must be all the rage to over-renovate.

JENNA: This is horrible.

FETCHER: It appears they are only drilling into the mountain. Them being this indirect in their attempt to reach the temple leads me to believe they mean the temple little harm.

JACE: Only one way to find out.

MOTLEY: One things for certain  – we found our heat source.

(THROTTLE approaches them as they make their way down)

THROTTLE: (too friendly) Good afternoon, ma’am!

SELENIA: Captain Goulding of the Amalgamation.

THROTTLE: Thomas Leatherby, captain, of Edgeman Works and Company.

(On seeing THROTTLE and hearing the said name – CLUTCH noticeabley stiffens)

SELENIA: I’m going to need to see your permits and a detailed description of your assignment and quota.

THROTTLE: Of course, captain. Right this way.

(THROTTLE leads them down the rest of the way to a small tent)

FETCHER: (to CLUTCH) Is something the matter, officer?

CLUTCH: (sharply) You best get back to miscalculating and leave me alone.

THROTTLE: (to SELENIA) Here we have the operation quota – to drill a hole in the face of the mountain for opus oil. Here’s the blueprints, the license and registration.

SELENIA: Who is funding this operation?

THROTTLE: Carl Edgeman himself, captain.

SELENIA: And you are aware that this planet is under the jurisdiction of the Amalgamation?

THROTTLE: Yes, ma’am.

SELENIA: Then why did these files not get properly sorted to our reconstruction department? You have authorization, that’s clear. But we had no prior notification, and that is as close to ‘not actually authorized’ as you can get, Mr. Leatherby.

THROTTLE: I apologize, captain. Our parent company thought it would be a fairly simple in and out job, but it appears that was not the case. I’ll make sure to hail them tomorrow and finish off the permissions so that no further pressing legal matters will arise. (THROTTLE smiles greasily)

SELENIA: See that you do.

PHEB: The sun’s setting!

SELENIA: What?

FETCHER: The planet Unas has a shorter day and night cycle. Since it spins slightly faster and it’s alternating sun actually spins the opposite direction.

THROTTLE: Ah, yes, day and night only last about eight hours.

JACE: But gall, it’s finally colder.

SELENIA: Which will make our walk back that much nicer.

THROTTLE: Wait, captain. If you wanted, you could wait out a portion of the night with us. We usually stop due to the lack of light and roast a couple of smorgasdogs.

MOTLEY: Gascaps, I haven’t had a smorgasdog in years.

PHEB: Look! They already have a fire.

THROTTLE: We have plenty to go around.

SELENIA: (observes crew for a while) Alright. I see no harm in loitering until we cool down. Spend valuable Amalgamation time on their valuable temple missions.

MOTLEY: (to THROTTLE) Do you have the kind with cheese?

THROTTLE: Of course! Feel free to join my crew. We’ll supply.

(THROTTLE gestures towards the firepit where the other three of his men are roasting smorgasdogs. MOTLEY, JACE, JENNA, PHEB head over)

THROTTLE: Oh, and we have a few more roasting sticks if you want to take them over while I and the captain finish discussing – (THROTTLE hands them to CLUTCH to take over to the pit when he catches a glance of her face and also noticeably stares)

THROTTLE: My, my captain. You didn’t tell me you brought attractive women.

SELENIA: (looking down at maps and seals) Us staying here does not give you permission of any kind to hit on my crew, no matter how lovely. Besides, Dr. McCusky is not single.

CLUTCH: (while she watches THROTTLE closely) He wasn’t talking about Jenna, captain.

(THROTTLE reaches around CLUTCH’s waist and CLUTCH allows him to do so. She continues keeping hard eye contact with him, possibly glaring, as she slips her arms over his shoulders.

THROTTLE: Captain, allow me to take your co-worker for a … walk.

SELENIA: I can’t explain to you how unprofessional that would be.

CLUTCH: We weren’t asking.

(THROTTLE and CLUTCH walk off)

SELENIA: (calling after her) This doesn’t show up on the paperwork!

CLUTCH: (calling back) Never does!

(SELENIA is used to her antics, and continues examining the papers on the table while she munches a smorgasdog) (FETCHER has stayed to examine papers as well)

FETCHER: You surely can’t be allowing this.

SELENIA: Couldn’t stop it if I wanted to. Like clockwork that woman.

FETCHER: It’s basically illegal.

SELENIA: Her antics don’t cost us anything. In fact, they usually gain us benefits.

FETCHER: You’re unbelievable.

SELENIA: You wanna explain her to a council, be my guest.

FETCHER: (shakes his head) Uncanny.

SELENIA: She does what she does, first officer. I’ve learned not to stifle that in people.

(Show CLUTCH leading THROTTLE around corner. He looks sleazily back at his men, but at the last moment, CLUTCH turns furiously and slams him against the wall)

THROTTLE: (unphased) You look good, Clutch. You been eating something new?

CLUTCH: (furious) Probably all the lies you’ve been feeding me, you ranker. You told me you were in Semane! And then in Balway! You said you gave this up and then you never sent another message!

THROTTLE: You should know me better than that, Clutch. I knew you’d gone soft – but I didn’t know you’d gone soft in the head.

CLUTCH: I thought you were finally dead. I thought I was finally rid of you.

THROTTLE: To be fair to you – you were. You were the one who found me. So kudos to you.

(CLUTCH punches him straight across the face. THROTTLE takes it well, catching himself on the rock)

CLUTCH: Of the thousand answers I feel I deserve at this moment – I’ll ask one – and I will feed you to a black hole worm if you don’t answer. What. Are. You doing here??

THROTTLE: Working.

CLUTCH: I swear to Avin, Throttle –

THROTTLE: (gestures to temple) Swearing on sacred ground, feeling up a foreman on duty, and then threatening him with assault? How many laws are you gonna break tonight?

CLUTCH: Depends. How many bones do you have in your body?

THROTTLE: I see you still have your intimidation factor down pat. How about you release the thought of burying me under this temple and my shirt and I might think about it. 

(CLUTCH lets him down reluctantly)

THROTTLE: I guess you think I owe it to my old partner.

CLUTCH: I was so much more than that, and you know it.

THROTTLE: Don’t flatter yourself. And here’s some advice when bringing up the past – don’t.

CLUTCH: But posing as a construction crew? What’re you after, Throttle?

THROTTLE: What I’m always after – the goods and the getaway.

CLUTCH: You’re disgusting.

THROTTLE: Oh, like you’re any better. An Amalgamation pilot?

CLUTCH: And I’m not posing as one, Throttle. I really did start over.

THROTTLE: Left us behind in your precious past?  Good. That’s where we wanted to stay.

CLUTCH: I left, Throttle. And you said you did too.

(CLUTCH is, weirdly enough, hurt. She takes a few paces away from him, looks back at him at which he gives her a “what can I tell ya?” look)

CLUTCH: What’s in the temple, Throttle.

(THROTTLE stands up and begins circling CLUTCH)

THROTTLE: You think I owe you something? You think I owe you some great unpaid debt for leaving us all behind? For betraying us? For giving us up to that “all-inclusive” government of yours. I lost everything, Clutch. So let me make this clear. Leave me and my operation alone, or I promise that’s where you’ll find yourself in this godforsaken desert – alone.

(THROTTLE leaves and CLUTCH is left leaning against the plateau, looking rather helplessly up at the stars)

-(Back at the fire pit)

SELENIA: (hails THROTTLE as he approaches by standing) Foreman Leatherby.

THROTTLE: Haha, no need for formalities captain.

SELENIA: Might as well leave a lasting impression. We really appreciate your hospitality. Are you, ah, done with my pilot?

THROTTLE: I believe so.

FETCHER: (looking at MOTLEY’s tracker) It appears she is halfway back to The Empress herself.

SELENIA: Well then thank you foreman. We apologize for the encroachment and will expect to see your official request for authorization at Amalgamation Headquarters soon.

THROTTLE: As you will, captain. Well wishes.

SELENIA: Well wishes, foreman.

(SELENIA, MOTLEY, FETCHER, JENNA, JACE and PHEB leave)

JACE: He seemed nice.

FETCHER: And the papers appeared to be in order.

SELENIA: Indeed. All accounted for?

MOTLEY: Pheb?

PHEB: Still here.

JACE: (to PHEB) You trekkin’ okay?

PHEB: I’m okay.

MOTLEY: Report, captain.

SELENIA: It is over this ridge, isn’t it?

MOTLEY: Captain, it appears that pilot Sanders is taking an alternate route. Or is lost.

SELENIA: Clutch – lost? Do you hear yourself, seargent?

MOTLEY: Her tracker is tracking at the head of the temple.

SELENIA: Jace?

JACE: (closes her eyes) The distance is too expansive There’s not enough signal for me to be able to tell…

FETCHER: They might’ve attached her tracker to a rogue animal or vehicle. We never truly saw Clutch leave. It was a little foolish to take them on their word.

MOTLEY: She’s entering the temple.

SELENIA: What?

MOTLEY: She’s entering the temple.

SELENIA: I heard you the first time! Are you sure??

(They all breach the plateau to see CLUTCH halfway through the archway of the temple)

SELENIA: (calling) Clutch!

(CLUTCH looks up at them for a  split moment – and then turns and walks into the temple)

SELENIA: Gascaps. Where is she going?

(The crew starts booking it down the hill)

MOTLEY: Clutch!

(They make it to the front of the temple. MOTLEY and JENNA rush in)

MOTLEY: Clutch!

FETCHER: (grabs SELENIA’s backpack strap) Captain! I can’t let you go in there!

SELENIA: Let me go, first officer – I command you to let me go!

(JACE rushes in)

FETCHER: But Captain-

(SELENIA struggles free – FETCHER and PHEB follow as they all enter the darkness)

(show CLUTCH running)

(show MOTLEY running)

MOTLEY: Clutch!

(show JACE running)

(show SELENIA running)

(show PHEB running)

(show FETCHER running)

(Many close up shots of each individual character wandering – seemingly lost from each other. The rooms they all wander appear to be the same, but each of them is alone – some more panicked than others. CLUTCH wanders with a determination, MOTLEY becomes confused, FETCHER becomes hesitant, PHEB becomes scared, JENNA is pensive and observant)

SELENIA: Motley!

MOTLEY: Captain?

SELENIA: Motley! (runs to him – they are together)

JENNA: Fetcher?

FETCHER: Jenna? (they are together)

JACE: Hold my hand, Pheb.

PHEB: (scared) What happened?

JACE: I don’t know, buddy. All I know is I have a splitting headache. Stay close to me.

PHEB: Where’s the captain?

JACE: I don’t know.

PHEB: I don’t like this temple.

JACE: Me neither. Keep walking.

PHEB: (stops) But what if the others are back this way?

JACE: They aren’t.

PHEB: How do you know?

JACE: I don’t! Okay?? I usually know everything, okay?! I can walk into a room and always come out on top. But this place is different and I’m freaking out a little bit. If we go that way – then we’ll be convinced the right way is a different way. So we stick to one – or we don’t move at all.

PHEB: I want to move.

JACE: Me too.

(They start walking)

PHEB: I’m scared.

JACE: Me too.

~ End of Amalgamation Episode 6 ~

Episode 7

(The rooms in the temple are vast. They usually consist of a large open room full of pillars and many rooms and doorways off to the sides. Everything is made up of a pink stone. The temple is dark and many passageways lead into shadow. It is quiet)

MOTLEY: Status report, captain.

SELENIA: Freaking out. Status report, sergeant?

MOTLEY: About the same.

SELENIA: What just happened?

(to FETCHER and JENNA)

FETCHER: It appears that upon our entry that we each individually got lost in … separate directions?

JENNA: It’s the temple.

FETCHER: Pardon?

JENNA: It’s the temple. It wanted us here.

FETCHER: Jenna … that’s rather…

JENNA: Creepy?

FETCHER: I was going to say … obscure … but that works as well. With your religious knowledge, is there any possible way you know how to get us out?

JENNA: (quietly – to herself) But why does it want us here? Why does he want us here?

FETCHER: There is a man involved?

JENNA: Not a man. An angel.

FETCHER: Shall we develop a … plan?

JENNA: If you wish.

FETCHER: I do.

JENNA: Then by all means.

FETCHER: Are you going to … help me?

JENNA: I follow one plan. Yours will do no good.

FETCHER: (a little frustrated – but he’s trying to hold it back) Jenna, your religious … obscurities … can be very frustrating! (pause) What do you suggest we do?

JENNA: (looks up reverently) I am not sure.

FETCHER: Then why are you so sure that my plan will not work?

JENNA: (suddenly – gently) Fetcher, calm down.

FETCHER: Jenna, give me some reason to calm down.

JENNA: Let what must happen – happen.

FETCHER: But what is supposed to happen?

JENNA: I’m not sure.

FETCHER: Then how do we know it hasn’t already happened?! Jenna – I don’t believe in pre-destination. What happens is dependent on us.

JENNA: And that is true up to an extent. While our choices determine our fate, our fate will be achieved through any means to reach the same end. It doesn’t care if you believe in it – it will happen anyway.

FETCHER: Are you suggesting we sit and wait, then?

JENNA: If that is what must happen.

FETCHER: (visibly frustrated) Jenna. I do have … feelings for you and so I do not wish to be abrasive or hurt you in any way, but you are being difficult. I will not leave you. And if you say something must happen, then I suppose I will wait with you for it – for a time. If nothing has changed in a while – I will insist we take our own course of action.

JENNA: Change demands patience, first officer. Before it begins and after it has started.

FETCHER: (sitting down - grumbling) I think my test of patience has already begun.

(A pause)

FETCHER: Jenna?

JENNA: Yes, Fetcher?

FETCHER: Who was Bartyl Avin? What did he do?

JENNA: It is too sacred to say.

(FETCHER runs his hands through his hair – once again visibly frustrated by her vagueness, but he keeps it together)

FETCHER: Surely there must be… stories that are told about him.

JENNA: Oh yes. Many.

FETCHER: What about telling me one of those?

JENNA: (sits next to him) Well, now, let’s see. There is the tale of Bartyl Avin and the bleeding books.

FETCHER: Yes! Tell me that one.

JENNA: Well, it all began when the abnegationalists were first learning their truths.

(Show JACE and PHEB wandering with JENNA’s voice still running over them)

JENNA: The abnegationalists were so passionate about their newfound truths that they began to become ignorant in the ways of the world.

(JACE and PHEB enter a library and marvel at the books)

JENNA: And so, using a large stash of the best books that he had found hidden, Bartyl Avin slashed open the spines -

(JACE and PHEB round a corner)

JENNA: And made the books bleed their information.

(Sure enough – JACE sees across the spines of the books a large gash that stretches from one end of the bookshelf to the other- and once leaking from it – now dried and crusty – is what appears to be a waterfall of blood. As they look over – the same has been done to every other shelf – a giant gash crusted over with dried blood. JACE touches the book spines gingerly)

(JACE takes a book down and sits to read it. PHEB wanders around, but comes back to JACE)

JENNA: The abnegationalists drank the blood of the books and from thenceforth kept educated of their own accord thanks to Bartyl Avin’s mystical power.

(Back with PHEB and JACE, PHEB hears the rumbling)

PHEB: (crying) What’s that?

(JACE has a book open in her lap. She looks up and then back down at her book)

JACE: I don’t know.

PHEB: What’re you reading?

JACE: Also don’t know.

PHEB: That’s not English.

JACE: No, it’s not. Look at this. It’s the same phrase repeatedly on almost every page.

PHEB: (opens another book) On this one too.

JACE: But I can’t make out what it says.

PHEB: And this one! And this one! They’re all the same!

JACE: But look at the titles – all different. Here’s “The Philosophy of Man” and “Etymology of Latin” but … all the same phrase in the same writing.

PHEB: What’s it say?

JACE: I don’t know.

PHEB: What’s it say?

JACE: Pheb, I don’t know!

(A rumbling)

PHEB: Does it say, “Pheb and Jace are going to die here”?

JACE: I mean –

PHEB: Does it say that?

(PHEB points up at four lines carved high up in the hall. There are handprints of book blood under it – but just two. A right and a left)

JACE: (reading) “Those who look will not see

And those who listen will not hear

The thing that blinds us is the light

And the thing that kills us is the air.”

PHEB: What?

JACE: I have no idea. C’mon, let’s go. It’s getting too supernatural in here for me.

(JACE puts the book back on the shelf and PHEB and JACE leave the library)

(As they walk – JACE begins to think)

JACE: (suddenly) Those who look will not see.

PHEB: Huh?

JACE: And those who listen will not hear. Pheb! We can’t look for a way out. We have to look for a way further in.

PHEB: What? But we’re already really far in! We’re lost!

JACE: Then we go in further. This temple – it’s dependent on our actions and motives. If we want something for ourselves, we first have to seek for others first.

PHEB: I don’t wanna!

JACE: C’mon Pheb. Don’t be scared. It’s just a big beautiful temple. If nothing else, a place like this should have our respect.

(Instantly cut to MOTLEY and SELENIA blasting the roof of a room with both their firearms – guns blazing – ear shattering. They stop to peer up)

MOTLEY: More stone.

SELENIA: I mean, what did we expect – it’s built into a mountain.

MOTLEY: Keep wandering, captain?

SELENIA: What else can we do?

MOTLEY: Stop wandering, captain?

SELENIA: It was rhetorical, seargent.

(A scuffling is heard)

MOTLEY: Did you hear that?

SELENIA: Yes, shh.

(They listen – more scuffling, mumbling)

ANJO: (moaning) Clemma. Clemma.

MOTLEY: (peers around corner) Ho there! Is somebody in here!

(ANJO appears, staring at the ground and shuffling)

MOTLEY: A man, captain.

SELENIA: A boy, more like.

MOTLEY: Ho there! Your name, sir!

(They jog up to him)

(ANJO is young – probably early twenties and is very good-looking. Though at the moment, his sandy hair is greasy, unkempt and his eyes have dark circles under them. He looks up – shocked)

ANJO: (coming out of a stupor) Who – How-  How did you find me?

SELENIA: We’re lost. Just like you.

ANJO: I’m not lost.

SELENIA: You’re not?

MOTLEY: Then how’d you get down here?

ANJO: Why do you have those guns?

SELENIA: We mean no harm.

ANJO: (escalating) Why do you have those guns??

(ANJO bolts away in panic)

MOTLEY: Gascaps.

(They chase him farther into the temple)

MOTLEY: Permission to shoot his legs out from under him, captain!

SELENIA: What? Sergeant, no!

MOTLEY: I won’t miss!

SELENIA: That’s not the issue!

ANJO: Clemma!

(MOTLEY shoots)

SELENIA: Sergeant!

MOTLEY: It was a warnng shot! I told you – I don’t miss!

(They hit a dead-end)

SELENIA: You’re scaring the bajeebies out of our only chance we have out of here!

MOTLEY: All we need is his mouth!

SELENIA: Sergeant!

ANJO: Clemma!

SELENIA: Stop!

ANJO: I will kill myself before you do it! You can’t have any of it!

MOTLEY: We don’t … want any of it?

SELENIA: What is he talking about?

MOTLEY: I think he’s crazy.

ANJO: Even if you have the emblem, I won’t give you any of it.

MOTLEY: We have the emblem.

SELENIA: Sergeant?

(ANJO looks at MOTLEY)

ANJO: You do?

MOTLEY: We do. It’s right here.

(MOTLEY extends a hand, closed in a fist. ANJO creeps forward)

ANJO: Where did you get it?

MOTLEY: It was given to me.

ANJO: By who?

MOTLEY: You know who.

ANJO: Who are you?

MOTLEY: Andrew Fernon.

ANJO: I’ve never heard of you.

MOTLEY: I’m trusted. You should trust me.

ANJO: You have the emblem?

MOTLEY: Here.

(MOTLEY extends his fist further – ANJO reaches out to place his hand below. Instantly, when ANJO’s arm is in position, MOTLEY grabs it with an empty palm and twists it behind ANJO’s back. ANJO grunts in shock)

MOTLEY: Listen kid, we don’t have much time. We’ve already lost most of our crew and if we don’t find a way out, then we can’t rescue the others who went in. So either loosen your tongue – or I will loosen your jaw.

CLUTCH: (emerging from behind a pillar) Hey now sergeant. You gave up being intimidating long ago. It doesn’t fit you anymore.

SELENIA: Clutch! You found us!

CLUTCH: Only because you found what I’m looking for. And he’s telling the truth – he’s not lost. He’s in hiding.

MOTLEY: (suspiciously) What is he? (MOTLEY releases ANJO)

CLUTCH:  A secret. And a well kept one at that. You are staring at the epitome of Preservationalist logic and mistrust in modern technology. They figured any kind of computer could eventually be hacked, so they crammed this poor kid full of confidential information and hid him around the galaxy. This boy is a database of thousands of memorized codes and information. His name is Anjo Jard and he’s the son of Moen Jard – a preservationalist espionagist.

SELENIA: So, a spy. Like you.

CLUTCH: So a spy like me. I figured he was what Throttle was after.

MOTLEY: Who’s Throttle?

ANJO: (threateningly) I’ll kill myself.

CLUTCH: Don’t doubt he’ll do it. He’s trained to commit.

MOTLEY: You’re doing a terrible job of keeping yourself safe, kid.

SELENIA: Does he know the way out?

(A large crash is heard)

CLUTCH: We might not need the way out here in a second.

MOTLEY: That must be the construction crew.

CLUTCH: That’s the undercover operation looking for this boy that would like you to believe that they are a construction crew, yes.

SELENIA: Are they trying to get in?

CLUTCH: At this point – it looks like they are succeeding.

(A humongous all-encompassing rumble)

CLUTCH: Captain, we need to run. (CLUTCH grabs ANJO’s arm)

SELENIA: What? Why??

CLUTCH: Really? I thought the giant earth-shattering rumble was convincing enough.

MOTLEY: But there’ll be a way out!

CLUTCH: Did you miss the part about them being an undercover operation willing to do literally anything to get to this boy? Including, but definitely not limited to, driving a drill through an ancient temple wall?? They. Will. Kill. You.

SELENIA: This boy isn’t our affair. We’ve done nothing to provoke them. They have no reason to harm us.

CLUTCH: You’re thinking too much like government officials!

(The rumble gets louder – now they are yelling)

CLUTCH: You have to come with me!

MOTLEY: Not when you’re not making any sense! I can’t go back and face Keira if I don’t do everything in my power to make sure her sister gets out of here safely – and if an opportunity presents itself – I’m not running away.

CLUTCH: I don’t have time for your romantical ratcrap, Motley. Either run now and save both of yourselves, or stay like the halfwits you are.

(The rumble is getting scarily close. SELENIA looks troubled)

MOTLEY: We’re staying.

CLUTCH: Captain?

SELENIA: I –

(A pause)

CLUTCH: Finally. Speechless.

(CLUTCH exits quickly with ANJO. MOTLEY and SELENIA look out after them as they leave. The rumbling grows louder) (SELENIA and MOTLEY hide behind a pillar as the wall comes crashing through. The wall smashes and in comes the drill)

SELENIA: (coughing) It’s like a mine shaft down here.

MOTLEY: (coughing) Déjà vu.

SELENIA: Ho there! Ho there!

MOTLEY: They can’t hear you, captain.

(MOTLEY fires his gun into the air – the drill stops)

MOTLEY: There are some languages all people speak. Ho there!

(Coming down from off the drill, THROTTLE removes his dirt-covered goggles)

THROTTLE: Hello?

SELENIA: Yes! Mr. Thomas Leatherby!

THROTTLE: (feigning happy surprise) Is that you, Captain Goulding?

SELENIA: It is indeed good sir!

THROTTLE: What are you doing here?!

SELENIA: Investigating the temple for any other signs of disturbance. Though I do believe bursting through the wall of the temple is a breach of contract…

THROTTLE: Ah, yes, it would be – wouldn’t it? (THROTTLE pulls out a gun)

MOTLEY: Captain!

(Diving – MOTLEY nearly takes a bullet to the shoulder as he pushes SELENIA out of the way and they both hit the ground. Quickly, MOTLEY pulls out his own gun and begins firing – which THROTTLE only barely manages to dodge. MOTLEY ushers SELENIA to crouching and they duck and run)

THROTTLE: (to his men) They’ve got a gunsman!

(The four members of THROTTLE’s crew dismount the drill and chase SELENIA and MOTLEY into the rubble. SELENIA and MOTLEY use the rubble as a fortress. MOTLEY shoots one man down and ducks back behind)

MOTLEY: (to SELENIA amidst the firing) I don’t have much ammo.

SELENIA: I have reloads.

PISTON: (mounting the rubble) (tauntingly) We ain’t got time for hide and seeeek!

(SELENIA fires over the rubble – then ducks. MOTLEY fires – and clips one of the men in the leg – he falls and MOTLEY ducks. SELENIA hands him a canister and they both reload) (Neither of them see THROTTLE crawling up the rubble on the other side. He is eerily swift and silent)

MOTLEY: (breathlessly) On the count of three- we make a break for those pillars. One – two –

THROTTLE: Three. (he holds a gun to them)

(MOTLEY tries to shoot, but THROTTLE attacks him and quickly disarms him with a well-placed jab to his shoulder. MOTLEY’s gun goes clattering. SELENIA attacks from behind, attempting to shoot at THROTTLE’s exposed back, but already bent over, THROTTLE plants a vicious and well-aimed kick at SELENIA’s face, whom goes reeling and hits the ground, groaning and currently down for the moment)

MOTLEY: Captain!
THROTTLE: (holding a gun to MOTLEY’s head) Just you and me, gunsman.

(The other two crew members (PISTON and KRUGER) grab SELENIA’s body and begin tying her up – upon which she begins to wake up and struggle – but is subdued again and dragged away. PISTON is a small faced but lithe woman, KRUGER is a large muscular brown-haired man)

THROTTLE: Where’s the boy?

MOTLEY: What boy?

(THROTTLE smacks MOTLEY hard across the face with the flat of his gun)

THROTTLE: Do I need to repeat myself?

MOTLEY: Possibly, considering I don’t know what you’re talking about.

(THROTTLE smacks him again)

THROTTLE: And you’ll get one of those for every syllable of lies you tell me.

MOTLEY: Then I shouldn’t have received a single one. I’m telling the truth.

PISTON: He’s lying.

THROTTLE: Shut up, Piston. I’ll do my own interrogating.

MOTLEY: I don’t know a boy!

THROTTLE: You were in this very room – you had to have seen him! This is where he was!

MOTLEY: He was taken then!

THROTTLE: By who?

MOTLEY: Someone like you, I guess!

(THROTTLE bites his lip and curses)

THROTTLE: Clutch took him.

MOTLEY: (surprised) … Yes.

THROTTLE: Where did she take him?

MOTLEY: That - we honestly don’t know. We refused to follow.

PISTON: That socket.

THROTTLE: She won’t go anywhere I could predict.

KRUGER: You know her better than any of us. There’s nowhere she can’t go that you won’t know about.

THROTTLE: It’s been years. She has a new life.

KRUGER: (looks at MOTLEY) A new life which these two know.

(THROTTLE looks at PISTON and KRUGER)

THROTTLE: We’re taking ‘em with us.

(PISTON groans but doesn’t object. She grabs MOTLEY’s arm and drags him back to the drill with a gun pressed to his back)

(Show JACE and PHEB emerging into the same room with JENNA and FETCHER. FETCHER is happy to see them, and JENNA smiles knowingly. The four of them wander the temple until they find a miraculous way out. All of them are shown stumbling out into the sun as JAN races across the desert towards them)

Episode 8

(Back at Amalgamation Headquarters – Admiral CALUCE is on the phone with the crew of The Empress)

CALUCE: You must face facts, first officer, we have probably lost three good members today. Yes, I understand. We’ll send a reconnaissance team to later excavate the temple and make sure to find a body. All three of them, for the meantime, will need to be presumed dead or either reported as missing in action. You must follow protocol and return to Headquarters as soon as possible. You still have a hostage on board after all. Until then, you, of course, are captain in her stead, and we will appoint a temporary captain when you arrive. Is that understood? Thank you, first officer. Until then… my condolences.

(Admiral CALUCE ends the call)

CALUCE: You’re quiet, Lieutenant.

(LIAM is shown to be in the room – just sitting on something, holding his hat and looking distraught)

LIAM: They don’t know she’s dead, do they?

CALUCE: We receive calls of fallen soldiers daily, Lieutenant.

LIAM: Yes.

CALUCE: But this one was different for you, wasn’t it?

LIAM: (quietly) Yes.

CALUCE: I’m sorry, lieutenant.

(Admiral CALUCE leaves. LIAM looks at the hat in his hands and places it back on his head. He rushes out after her)

LIAM: Admiral!

CALUCE: Lieutenant?

LIAM: I want to be their captain. I apologize. Let me rephrase that. I would like to apply as temporary captain for The Empress. With all due respect.

CALUCE: (smiles) Granted, Lieutenant.

LIAM: I’ll still apply for it through the customs division.

CALUCE: Lieutenant.

LIAM: Admiral?

CALUCE: Granted.

LIAM: (smiles) Thank you, Admiral.

-(Show ANJO and CLUTCH crammed into a small dark space, both faces lit by the light that CLUTCH is using to observe a map) (ANJO’s been silent up until now)

ANJO: Why’re you doing this?

(CLUTCH flicks her eyes up at him and then back down at the map)

CLUTCH: Why do you care? You’ve been passed around your entire life.

ANJO: Not like this. Usually they sedate me first. Sometimes beat me. Don’t you want the information?

CLUTCH: Couldn’t care less for the information.

ANJO: Then why are you doing this?

(CLUTCH doesn’t answer)

ANJO: What happened with Throttle?

(CLUTCH looks at him)

CLUTCH: I think the best thing you can do with those pretty little lips is to button them.

ANJO: (persistently) What happened?

CLUTCH: What happens to the best of us, kid. I got demoted.

ANJO: But you guys were-

CLUTCH: Unstoppable? The dream team? “Clutch and Throttle”? Tell that to him.

ANJO: Where are you taking me?

CLUTCH: Somewhere Throttle won’t find you.

ANJO: And then where will you go?

CLUTCH: Somewhere no one can find me.

(They both lapse back into silence)

-(Show MOTLEY and SELENIA sitting on the back of a giant drill as it plows through the desert. MOTLEY has tied a strip of cloth around his forehead and rolled up his sleeves. SELENIA has unbuttoned her shirt to cool off, exposing her tank top beneath. They look dehydrated and miserable. PISTON is sitting directly behind them, with a gun resting on her thigh)

THROTTLE: They talking?

PISTON: You want me to get them talking? I can get them talking.

THROTTLE: Did I ask you to make them talk?

(PISTON goes silent)

THROTTLE: Kruger, how’re we making on time?

KRUGER: We’re making time.

PISTON: Would’ve been faster if we hadn’t had to bury a body.

KRUGER: You complaining that Odaris gave his life for the cause?

PISTON: I can dodge my own bullets.

THROTTLE: I believe that day will come when you can actually pick your own fights.

(KRUGER laughs)

PISTON: (standing up – furious) I didn’t ask for your –

THROTTLE: Hey. Quiet. I asked you to do one simple thing.

PISTON: I don’t need my mouth to watch your prisoners.

(THROTTLE leaves KRUGER at the wheel to join MOTLEY, SELENIA and PISTON on back)

THROTTLE: They’re not our prisoners. They’re our guests. It’s nothing held against them.

MOTLEY: Except your guns against our backs.

THROTTLE: Hey now. The only way we’ll get through this is as friends. Comrades. (SELENIA and MOTLEY don’t speak) Now, your job might be very easy once we get to town. You simply tell me where you think Clutch would’ve gone and I’ll compare to where I think she went and we’ll go from there. We find her – you’re free. We don’t find her – we get to keep looking. It’s that simple. It’ll be fun. Think of it as a game – one where you see how well you know your friend and how well I like your answers.

(MOTLEY and SELENIA glare) (THROTTLE frowns)

THROTTLE: Not every game has to be enjoyed to be played. Kruger, take her to full.

(The drill speeds up and continues racing across the desert, kicking up a massive sand cloud)

(The drill pulls into a small desert city. It is not even glanced at from its various inhabitants since it is already hosting a vast array of strange traveling devices, from cars that look like bugs to giant flying globes. KRUGER parks the drill where THROTTLE tells him to and then jumps off, ushering MOTLEY and SELENIA off as well)

PISTON: I’ll stand behind them and keep them in line.

THROTTLE: (laughs) No need, sweetheart.

KRUGER: Yeah. They run – where they gonna go?

(MOTLEY and SELENIA survey the outskirts of the city and it’s true – the desert stretches for miles and reaches out over the horizon)

(Despite the discouragement, PISTON keeps an eye on MOTLEY and SELENIA as THROTTLE leads them through the crowd. They come to a ship port full of docked spaceships. THROTTLE finds a higher vantage point to observe the city and sidles up to MOTLEY and SELENIA)

THROTTLE: So this is where our game begins. These ships don’t take off until noon. Otherwise, their engines have a higher chance of overheating in the beating atmosphere. Now, I want you to take a good look at these ships and tell us which one you think Clutch would choose.

(SELENIA and MOTLEY look out over them)

(SELENIA takes MOTLEY’s hand. MOTLEY looks down, a little startled by the gesture. THROTTLE misses the movement because SELENIA is already pointing)

SELENIA: She’d want something covert.

THROTTLE: Ah, yes. (paying attention) See, this game is not too hard to play, eh, gunsman?

SELENIA: But something fast. Something that would go far. We just have to look for the perfect mixture of the two. (Suddenly) There! (as if it’s perfect)

(As soon as SELENIA points abruptly – THROTTLE, KRUGER and PISTON instantly look toward what they believe to be their answer – far to the right. Instantly when they do – SELENIA throws MOTLEY’s hand back to swing up and backslap PISTON in the neck while SELENIA drops to the ground and sweeps her legs under THROTTLE, knocking him to the ground, whom crashes into KRUGER on his way down. At that – she grabs MOTLEY’s hand again and rushes into the crowd)

THROTTLE: GET THEM!

(SELENIA and MOTLEY shove their way through the crowd. MOTLEY pulls a gun with his free hand from a passing man’s holster, which man tries to chase him while yelling but is then shoved out of the way by KRUGER who bulldozes toward them)

SELENIA: Run!

MOTLEY: Hadn’t planned on doing anything else!

(They book it towards a large tent, which they burst into. They discover they have found the backside of a magic act in which the magician is now making a member of the audience disappear in a large plastic capsule of which MOTLEY and SELENIA see the back of. The magician is called a transluder and wears large pointy shoulder that are the symbolic mark of a transluder. He has purple skin and is a couple feet taller than an average human. He is making a big deal to the audience and getting applause as he helps a small man into the box)

(SELENIA and MOTLEY hear shouts from outside the tent)

VESPITE: I shall now make my victim – disappear!

SELENIA: Perfect!

MOTLEY: What??

(Within the seconds the audience applauds for the trick, SELENIA swiftly runs up to the back of the box and dexterously pries it open, gesturing to MOTLEY to jump in. They go in mostly unnoticed and manage to set the door back in just as the applause dies down)

CORNELIUS: (in the box) Oh, hello! Are you the scary men here to take me away? Make me disappear? (laughs jovially) Who knew this trick took so many people to pull off, eh? So what do we do next?

(They hear the muffled shouts of the VESPITE (the transluder) outside the box)

MOTLEY: Selenia! You literally walked us into a trap!

SELENIA: You didn’t seem to argue!

(Outside the box – THROTTLE, PISTON and KRUGER emerge from the backside of the tent- looking around but not disturbing the show)

VESPITE: And now – (magic word) Sulfiminate Aoxidite!

(The interior of the box becomes static-y)

SELENIA: (panicked) Motley?

MOTLEY: I don’t –

CORNELIUS: What fun!

(They zap out of existence)

(VESPITE the transluder opens the box)

VESPITE: Diminished!!

(The crowd cheers. PISTON, KRUGER and THROTTLE are peering out at crowd)

VESPITE: But do not worry – my intergalactic friends! Our young man is safely stowed away.

(A holographic receptor screen appears from his wrist and shows CORNELIUS sleeping – it is at an angle that is very close up to his face and in a very dark area)

VESPITE: He is safe and sound and shall be kept there until the end of the show!

(The camera on the receptor pans around and MOTLEY and SELENIA are spotted passed out behind CORNELIUS – to which THROTTLE rushes out and grabs VESPITE by his shirt front)

THROTTLE: Where are THEY?!

VESPITE: (unphased – even laughs) A transluder never reveals his secrets!

-(Far away in a dark place)

MOTLEY: Ow.

SELENIA: Ow ow ow ow ow.

MOTLEY: Ow, ow.

SELENIA: Ow ow ow ow ow.

MOTLEY: OW.

SELENIA: Is your body stinging??

MOTLEY: My whole body is stinging.

SELENIA: Gascaps. Feels like I’m swimming in bleach.

MOTLEY: (groans) Everything is tingling.

SELENIA: What was that?

MOTLEY: Expensive technology, that’s what.

SELENIA: Teleportation?

MOTLEY: I see no other answer, captain.

SELENIA: That’s incredible.

MOTLEY: And painful.

SELENIA: Yes, incredibly painful.

MOTLEY: And incredibly lucky. Ow.

SELENIA: Can you move your limbs without the stinging?

MOTLEY: No. But I’m gonna do it anyway.

(SELENIA and MOTLEY get to their feet – gripping some kind of chairs to stand)

SELENIA: Where are we?

MOTLEY: We got away.

SELENIA: Yeah, but where’d we get away to?

(CORNELIUS coughs)

SELENIA: Are you alright, sir? (she gropes around in the dark)

CORNELIUS: I’m afraid I have the strangest sensation that I am sleeping on a pile of dead bees.

MOTLEY: Stinging, sir. We know – we experienced it too.

CORNELIUS: Well, atleast my hiccups are gone.

SELENIA: Where are you, sir?

CORNELIUS: Where am I? My dear girl, I’m afraid I was entirely under the impression that you and your male friend were the ones who would enlighten me to the exact same question.

MOTLEY: We don’t work for the transluder.

CORNELIUS: My goodness – you mean you climbed in there without his prior knowledge?

MOTLEY: Yes, sir.

CORNELIUS: Willingly?

MOTLEY: Willing is relative.

CORNELIUS: My goodness! Such a man can perform such a trick even when he is not aware of all the factors! Incredulous! The magic truly is real!

SELENIA: I think we’re in a large dome or cave.

MOTLEY: (reference) Caves. Why does it always have to be caves.

SELENIA: There’s an echo, but it’s distant.

MOTLEY: I’m going to find a wall.

SELENIA: No, don’t. You might wander down and away.

MOTLEY: I won’t wander down and away.

SELENIA: It’s dark – you can’t tell.

CORNELIUS: I must say, it’s actually pleasantly warm in here.

MOTLEY: I’m just finding a wall.

(Shuffling as MOTLEY stumbles toward any direction. He grabs at something)

MOTLEY: Are these … chairs?

(He keeps moving – SELENIA listens)

MOTLEY: The walls have deco. And … wallpaper.

SELENIA: So we’re in a building.

MOTLEY: Looks like it. (a pause) Well, I mean, feels like it, considering I can’t –

SELENIA: (interrupting) Is there a light?

MOTLEY: Let’s see. (More shuffling) I mean, not see – more feel –

SELENIA: I get it, Motley.

MOTLEY: Make sure the old man is alright.

CORNELIUS: I am – quite! To imagine we live in a world where real magic actually exists!! This old man feels like a young man again!!

MOTLEY: Found a corner.

CORNELIUS: I have so many priorities to change!

MOTLEY: Another wall.

CORNELIUS: So much research to re-evaluate!

SELENIA: Are you a scientist?

CORNELIUS: Partially, m’dear!

MOTLEY: Still wall.

SELENIA: How can you be a partial scientist?

CORNELIUS: Because I only discover things partially! (Laughs at his own joke) Ah- but no – it’s actually because I receive no government funding and sometimes pick up projects that are a little bit I-L-L-E-G-A-L.

SELENIA: Illegal? Like what?

MOTLEY: Found it.

(MOTLEY throws a switch and a massive power system buzzes to life – lighting up eight massive chandeliers in what appears to be a giant abandoned dome theatre)

SELENIA: Whoa!

CORNELIUS: I say!

MOTLEY: Gascaps.

SELENIA: It’s gorgeous!

(They stand in awe – just looking around)

MOTLEY: It looks like some abandoned theatre that Vespite uses to hide his victims.

CORNELIUS: To kill them??!

(SELENIA and MOTLEY look at CORNELIUS)

SELENIA: No … to make them disappear…

MOTLEY: In the box? Remember the box?

SELENIA: The magic trick?

CORNELIUS: Oh yes, oh yes, how foolish of me. How we got in here. Of course.

MOTLEY: But the question is – how do we get out?

SELENIA: I mean – there’s a door.

(MOTLEY opens the side theatre door to reveal a whistling desert)

MOTLEY: Looks like a one-way in, captain.

SELENIA: Do we have any tracking devices left on us?

MOTLEY: I’ve already checked both of mine.

CORNELIUS: I’m sorry – did you just call her captain?

SELENIA: Both jammed?

MOTLEY: Both jammed.

SELENIA: Mine too.

CORNELIUS: Are you a captain?

SELENIA: I am indeed.

CORNELIUS: Of a fleet of any importance?

SELENIA: An Amalgamation fleet – so I would say so.

CORNELIUS: And I do believe I have confessed to illegal activity…

(An uncomfortable silence)

(CORNELIUS bolts out the door out into the whirling desert)

SELENIA: Whoa – WHOA!

(They rush out after him. CORNELIUS has instantly collapsed out in the sand, holding his hands over his face. Able-bodied MOTLEY even struggles to help him stagger back the couple of feet at which SELENIA struggles to hold the door open. On emerging – both men fall to the floor – coughing)

SELENIA: Are you crazy, old man?!?!

CORNELIUS: (babbling) Most of my research has been innocent! It is only the pieces procured that possibly make it prohibited! It has mainly been minor malfunctions in memory medicines that make me mistakenly malevolent!

SELENIA: Memory medicines?

MOTLEY: We’re not gonna arrest you, old man. We don’t have the proof of suspicion anyway.

SELENIA: Though let me assure you – I am a highly competent captain and am capable of doing so, given proper reason – so have no doubt about that! You see anything when you were out there, seargent?

MOTLEY: (sarcastically) My vision was a little impaired, but no, I didn’t see anything.

SELENIA: No oasises?

MOTLEY: Not that I saw. But this theatre must be made of something ridiculously resilient – it’s the only thing for miles. Must be the metal in the dome. It’s gotta be polished clean by now.

SELENIA: Whatever it is, let’s be thankful we’re on the inside.

MOTLEY: There’s no way Vespite takes his victims here and then leaves them. He must come back at the end of the show. I suggest we wait until retrieved, captain.

SELENIA: Agreed – it might be our only way out. But until then – we scavenge. Make use of whatever we can find in whatever’s left of this place. You up for this, Mr-  Ah – Mr –

CORNELIUS: Buckwilder. Cornelius Buckwilder.

SELENIA: Good to have you aboard, Mr. Buckwilder. Now let’s do what humans have been doing since the dawn of time and explore to find resources.

MOTLEY: Aye, captain.

CORNELIUS: (awkwardly) Aye, captain.

(They start moving throughout)

-(Meanwhile, back on The Empress, headed back to the Amalgamation Headquarters – FETCHER, JENNA, Pippy and Cora are solemn)

FETCHER: Jenna.

JENNA: (glumly) Yes, Fetcher?

(FETCHER looks as if he’s about to say something else and then changes his mind)

FETCHER: Where’s Jace?

JENNA: I believe in your office, Fetcher.

JAN: (from intercom) Did ye buzz me to be pilot for a while, captain?

FETCHER: Yes, Jan, if you would.

(JAN ends call)

FETCHER: Captain. How foreign it feels.

JENNA: It’s just the natural order of things.

(A silence)

JENNA: I think I will draw to my quarters if you no longer need my assistance.

FETCHER: (weakly) I always need your assistance, Jenna. (but then boldly) But you may go.

(JENNA leaves)

(FETCHER stands alone on the deck for a few minutes – watching their path on a screen – then begins wandering around the room, looking at each station. He looks over at MOTLEY’s dashboard and notices a blip on the communication board. He throws it up onto the main screen. It is addressed to “Fetcher Moores”)

FETCHER: (quietly – to himself) A message to my father?

(There is nothing but a video attached. FETCHER hesitates, but presses play. The upper screen lights up FETCHER’s face and audio plays)

AUDIO: (seriously) Fetcher Moores, Jr. We come to you on a very serious and pressing issue regarding your father and his continued influence in the Furnigation.

(FETCHER watches)

Episode 9

(Clanking comes from the backstage of the abandoned theatre)

SELENIA: Careful.

MOTLEY: I got it.

(A clank)

SELENIA: Careful!

(Another clank)

MOTLEY: I told you, I got it.

CORNELIUS: What a marvelous contraption! A rigged pulley in order to relay larger pieces down safely!

SELENIA: Yep.

(The view rounds the tattered curtain to see exactly that – MOTLEY is holding a small sharp-ended I-beam that SELENIA has relayed down to him with a makeshift pulley system)

MOTLEY: This I-beam could either be a good pry or a good weapon.

SELENIA: We already have the slingshot you pieced together earlier.

MOTLEY: True. You found anything in the audience seats, Cornelius?

CORNELIUS: Ah – each seat has rotating pinions we could extract – but otherwise – ah- no.

SELENIA: Nothing else?

CORNELIUS: Well, the cushions are quite soft.

MOTLEY: Well, between that, the adapters we found in the tech booth and all the pieces we’re finding back here –

(A boom is heard and then a loud voice)

VESPITE: Tis I! Vespite the grand transluder – here to collect my willing and very helpful subjects!

(VESPITE has burst open the door with a grand puff of smoke and glitter and is followed by two alien assistants)

SELENIA: (hisses to MOTLEY) Hide!

(SELENIA, MOTLEY, and CORNELIUS hide)

SELENIA: (kicking CORNELIUS out of their hiding spot) No, not you!

VESPITE: (loudly) Now, I apologize for the wait, but I was approached by some very persuasive friends and – ah! There you are!

(CORNELIUS has rounded the stage curtain to stand in front of VESPITE)

CORNELIUS: Ah – yes – very kind of you to include me in your incredible magic trick – but ah – I must ask – whatever friends do you mean?

VESPITE: Ah! I apologize! It appears I actually sent two stowaways to this place along with you! (laughs heartily) And they seem to have been taken out of the care of some of their friends. If you did not notice them transmogrified in with you, then perhaps they have been taken to another level. Surely, they are lurking about here somewhere… (he makes a clicking noise with his mouth and his alien assistants begin moving throughout the theatre – looking)

(Meanwhile, as MOTLEY peers behind the curtain at the situation and notices as the smoke clears behind VESPITE – the door behind him reveals a relatively peaceful city apartment that is alarmingly different than the raging desert storm out the opposite door)

(MOTLEY watches VESPITE glance up at the painted ceiling and notices his intent look)

MOTLEY: (quietly – to himself) This theatre isn’t made out of something resilient to the desert.

SELENIA: (hisses) What?

MOTLEY: (quietly) This theatre probably isn’t even in the desert.

(MOTLEY races off – clattering iron as he goes – which leads the assistants right to the noise)

VESPITE: Ah – there they are! (to CORNELIUS’s worried expression) Fret not – my assistants have numbing tentacles. They’ll be immobilized within moments and can do us no harm.

(MOTLEY races towards the opposing door backstage – he fumbles with something in his hands – SELENIA follows and they emerge from backstage behind the curtain)

SELENIA: Desert storm! Desert storm! That’s the desert storm door!!

MOTLEY: Not anymore.

(MOTLEY pulls out a crude makeshift slingshot that he has put together during their scavenging. He takes aim and fires some pieces of metal to hit the eyeball of the painting at the top of the cavernous ceiling. It turns out to be a mechanism hidden in the painting, and is instantly smashed when MOTLEY hits it) (VESPITE sees this)

VESPITE: (screams) NO!!!

(MOTLEY throws open the door and scene after scene flickers by as the portal malfunctions. MOTLEY and SELENIA jump in. VESPITE screams. MOTLEY and SELENIA fall)

-(FETCHER turns off the dashboard as The Empress reaches Amalgamation Headquarters)

FETCHER: All engagement systems at the ready?

JACE: Aye, captain.

JAN: Aye, captain.

FETCHER: (awkwardly) Then … ready … them…

JAN: … Aye, captain.

(The Empress prepares to dock at the Amalgamation – slowly and steadily extending it’s landing gear – when all of the sudden an explosion sends them rocking slightly)

FETCHER: Status?

JACE: There’s a green dot on the – oh wait, I think that’s us. Then there’s a red-  no, wait, that’s them. Blue dots approaching, captain.

FETCHER: Blue dots? That doesn’t tell me anything.

JACE: (a little helpless) Well, they are approaching, captain.

(A hail noise)

FETCHER: Answer that.

JAN: (fumbles) I – I don’t – (JAN get lucky – the hail is answered)

LIAM: (over Com) Captain Fetcher?

FETCHER: Lieutenant, is there some kind of problem on the west quadrant?

LIAM: (over Com) The west quadrant is under attack by a fleet of Novocians whom we believe have Furnigation allegiances.

JACE: Novocians? But they’re peaceful!

LIAM: (over Com) Until given weapons.

JACE: (sighs) That’s true…

FETCHER: How can we aid?

LIAM: (over Com) We need all the help we can get, but I doubt your ship is in any way manned appropriately …

FETCHER: We are more than willing.

(LIAM thinks)

LIAM: (over Com) I could direct you through the com, and you are close enough to the base that if given your internal code – I can guide your ship manually.

FETCHER: I will man the gunner station, and Jan will spot piloting.

LIAM: (over Com) Sounds like a plan.

(A small screen showing LIAM wearing a headset appears in the upper left corner)

LIAM:(Commands) Empress. Prepare for battle.

(The Empress interior turns dim and red and the screen changes to have a target on it)

JACE: Forgot it did that.

FETCHER: Ready, captain. I mean, lieutenant.

LIAM: (over Com) Captain will do just fine, first officer.

(FETCHER grins slightly)

LIAM: (over Com) Now, Jan - round the bend. Fetcher - I’ll need you to open fire on any of these. (A blueprint model spaceship flashes on the screen - then disappears) I’ll then help Jan bolt away, then dive in for another attack and we will repeat, am I clear?

FETCHER: Aye, captain.

JAN: Aye, captain.

LIAM: (over Com) That’s what I like to hear.

(The Empress turns the corner to revel at least twelve small blue ships storming one dock, shooting as they compress inward, wing to wing, shoulder to shoulder)

LIAM: (over Com) Now, first officer!

(BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM BLAM)

(Ship dives upward and a couple Novocian ships scatter)

JACE: I wonder who gave them weapons.

LIAM: (over Com) Your guess is as good as mine. (urgently) Now!

(FETCHER fires. They repeat multiple times – swooping in and out of the fray as FETCHER shoots and JAN dodges. There soon are only five Novocians ships still banding together before they all disperse. LIAM and the crew cheer)

FETCHER: Some fine piloting, you two!

JAN: Thank ye!

LIAM: (over Com) And some fine shooting done yourself, my good sir!

JACE: (to LIAM) Is it true you’re going to be our new captain?

(A pause)

LIAM: (over Com) Jace we told you to stop accessing confidential files with your chip.

JACE: Hey, you created the link between the databases.

PHEB: Our captain?

LIAM: (over Com) Yes, Empress crew. I am in line for the throne, so to speak.

JACE: Are we getting a new gunner and pilot?

LIAM: (over Com) I don’t think there’s any need. Jan’s a registered pilot and Fetcher’s proved himself an excellent gunner.

JACE: What about the engines?

LIAM: (over Com) I’m no dummy, I’ve seen Pheb run those things by himself, and you know enough to help, Jace. And I’m not a bad pilot myself. If things ever get really bad, I can always cover for Jan while he takes care of it.

JACE: Aye, captain.

FETCHER: Why the understaffing?

LIAM: (over Com) Because I have faith in you. So, I believe you still have a drug-dealing alien aboard that needs to be taken into custody, but other than that, I’m ready to come aboard and be your captain, if you’ll have me.

(The crew looks at each other)

JACE: (to LIAM) We’ll have you.

-(A hand knocks on a door – a large white door)

(CLUTCH and ANJO are on the doorstep – ANJO looking around)

(CORRIN, wearing a white bathrobe, opens the door)

CORRIN: Well, well, well. Look what the intergalactic cat dragged in.

CLUTCH: Save the formalities.

CORRIN: I figured you’d notice I skipped them. Let me guess, you’ve come crawling back to ask me for more favors. What is it this time? Money? No- wait – ooh! He’s your son and – (playful tone vanishes) oh, gascaps, he’s not my son, is he?

CLUTCH: He’s too handsome to be your son. Can we come in?

(CORRIN lets them in and leads them to a kitchen. On the way over, ANJO notices the mansion is expansive, massively white and ornate – a little shocking that CORRIN is the one who lives here alone, but CLUTCH doesn’t seem surprised)

(CORRIN is unpacking food, mainly cereal boxes, from cupboards)

CORRIN: (begins peeling a peach in his hands) So what do you want?

CLUTCH: Doesn’t matter.

CORRIN: Kinda does.

CLUTCH: I need to hide. From an enemy.

CORRIN: Knowing you, honey, that could mean anything.

CLUTCH: Special enemies.

CORRIN: Yeah, the vagueness is not cute. And it’s not making me want to help you anymore than I already don’t. So you wanna tell me what’s going on?

CLUTCH: Anjo.

(ANJO immediately looks up and rushes CORRIN, whom he instantly takes out, punching him in the gut and swiveling around to kick him in the head. CORRIN hits the opposite counter and collapses. The peach and knife go clattering at CLUTCH’s feet)

ANJO: Why didn’t we do that sooner?

CLUTCH: Needed the right opportunity. You’ll learn that a lot in our line of work.

(ANJO scoops up a cereal box and starts scooping out handfuls)

(They stand over CORRIN’s unconscious body – ANJO starts pouring cereal into his mouth)

ANJO: So do we –

CLUTCH: You hide. I’ll take care of him.

ANJO: In his house? There’s atleast eight empty bedrooms. The man lives like a ranker.

(ANJO hugs a couple more boxes of cereal to his chest and leaves the room, munching. CLUTCH squats down so she’s hovering over CORRIN’s head)

CLUTCH: I could’ve killed you.

(She gets up)

CLUTCH: Consider that your favor.

-(Show MOTLEY and SELENIA lying numbly on the ground in a small patch of forest at the base of a mountain)

SELENIA: Bleach.

MOTLEY: Bees.

Both: Owwwww…

SELENIA: Motley … status report …

MOTLEY: Why do you keep doing that?

SELENIA: Coping mechanism.

(SELENIA grunts as she props herself up)

SELENIA: Where’d we get sent to this time?

MOTLEY: Away from them, and that’s all that mattered at the time.

SELENIA: It could be Resplo.

MOTLEY: The war planet? Doubt it. It’s full of lava geysers and even the grass will attack you.

SELENIA: Nigeria.

MOTLEY: Ice planet. (grunts) We’d be Amalgamation-sicles.

SELENIA: Gall, that’s a mouthful.

MOTLEY: Ain’t that the truth.

(SELENIA stands painfully)

SELENIA: So then where are we?

MOTLEY: I truly don’t know. Shall we wander?

SELENIA: I believe we shall.

(They start walking out)

MOTLEY: (instantly) What on Resplo...

(A sight is seen – a peculiar one –a giant creature floating above the ground. It is long, with multiple legs, like a Chinese dragon, but looks more like a fat cat, or Gaara’s bijuu from Naruto. It floats only about ten feet from the ground and living and moving below it is a tribe of people. The sun is setting)

SELENIA: What the –

MOTLEY: (after a pause) Orders, captain?

SELENIA: Hey! Now you’re doing it!

MOTLEY: We all have our coping mechanisms.

SELENIA: Let’s just follow it… from a distance.

(SELENIA and MOTLEY climb over some rolling hills. The tribe and the floating animal are moving slowly, so it is fairly easy to follow. They follow for a couple of hours until the sun finally sets all the way below the horizon. The animal stops floating and the people look up, mechanically. The animal doesn’t move. The people below begin setting up their tents)

(All night long, SELENIA and MOTLEY watch the people, whom build multiple fires along the belly of the best. They sit with their backs to the fires in perfect circles and eat rhythmically. Then they fall asleep. All of them are unnaturally calm and sort of stare blankly. They sleep strangely)

SELENIA: Do they seem … odd to you?

MOTLEY: Yeah.

SELENIA: What if they don’t speak English?

MOTLEY: Of course they won’t speak English.

DEPENDENT: Hail.

(SELENIA and MOTLEY jump)

SELENIA: Ah!

MOTLEY: Whoa!

DEPENDENT: Is there something we can … help you with?

SELENIA: Are you with them?

DEPENDENT: When I am not gathering, yes.

SELENIA: You gather?

DEPENDENT: We would starve without it, yes.

MOTLEY: What is your … tribe?

DEPENDENT: A long forgotten entity. We follow and obey the great Pulav, and in return, he rewards us.

SELENIA: The giant animal.

DEPENDENT: The great Pulav, yes.

MOTLEY: What does the great … ah … Pulav, give your people?

DEPENDENT: Alleviance.

(SELENIA and MOTLEY look at each other and dismiss it as religious mumbo jumbo)

DEPENDENT: Do you want to join us?

MOTLEY: Do you pass any means of civilization?

DEPENDENT: You mean the structures built by man?

MOTLEY: Yeah, but like a bunch of them together. In one place.

DEPENDENT: We can ask Pulav to lead us around the mountain. He will assist.

MOTLEY: Ah, thank you.

DEPENDENT: Though in order for him to help you, you must be willing to scale.

SELENIA: Scale? Scale what?

MOTLEY: You mean like, to climb?

DEPENDENT: It involves climbing, yes. They will rise, and you will see soon. It is a simple task. Come. Have a grape.

(Both SELENIA and MOTLEY are very hungry and they each take a grape)

SELENIA: So sweet!

MOTLEY: Reminds me of cotton candy, as absurd as it sounds.

SELENIA: No, I taste it too! Gall, I barely remember cotton candy.

DEPENDENT: The land is kind and offers us food that pleasures us where other pleasures have been lost.

SELENIA: Oookay.

MOTLEY: Yeah, we’ll follow you.

DEPENDENT: (as they walk towards the shadow) Ah! They rise! See now how we scale and serve the great Pulav!

(It is still early morning, but the people are stirring and begin to extract surprisingly cleverly made ladders and sap-covered ropes which they shoot upward to access the belly of Pulav. They climb upward and begin peeling away the sheddings of octagonal scales from his velly. They do appear to be more thick and scaley down below on his belly than on his sides, and the creatures seems to enjoy having them peeled off)

DEPENDENT: The scales create the alleviance. Come, I’ll show you.

(DEPENDENT takes SELENIA’s hand and leads her closer to the shadow – MOTLEY follows)

DEPENDENT: Now the transition can be a little painful and strange for the first time.

SELENIA: (shocked) Ah - !

MOTLEY: Selenia?

(SELENIA stares, shocked, down at her hand which DEPENDENT has extended towards the shadow)

SELENIA: Uh…

MOTLEY: Hey! Don’t hurt her!

SELENIA: No … I feel … nothing…

MOTLEY: What’re you doing??

DEPENDENT: Giving her the blessings of Pulav.

MOTLEY: (demanding) And what are those, exactly??

DEPENDENT: The alleviance of emotion.

(As he talks, SELENIA trembles and her eyes start to dull)

DEPENDENT: And with it – the alleviance of pain.

(The shadow has now drifted over MOTLEY, who looks up – obviously feeling something happening to him as well)

DEPENDENT: Because though there are deep pleasures that come with emotion …

(MOTLEY’s eyes dull)

DEPENDENT: There are also insufferable pains that Pulav offers to remove.

SELENIA: Seargent?

MOTLEY: Captain?

SELENIA: I feel nothing.

MOTLEY: (weakly) Keira.

SELENIA: The numbness… it’s … I forget what it was to care.

DEPENDENT: Isn’t it freeing to have such an empty mind?

SELENIA: I remember our purpose for being here, I just … don’t remember why we cared so much.

MOTLEY: All I do is stand. I just … stand.

DEPENDENT: Then begin walking, my friend. Walking into your new life. We will take you to civilization, unless you tell us you believe you’ve found true civilization already.

MOTLEY: Walk?

DEPENDENT: Yes.

MOTLEY: …Walk?

DEPENDENT: Yes.

MOTLEY: Keira.

DEPENDENT: Walk.

(SELENIA and MOTLEY walk with the tribe under the shadow as Pulav glides on)

-(In his kitchen, CORRIN wakes up)

CORRIN: What in the galactic –

(He looks around)

CORRIN: Was … was Clutch here? Ach – (He grabs his throbbing head) I could’ve sworn that fink was back.

(He hears footsteps from overhead)

CORRIN: Something about hiding –

CLUTCH: Corrin?

(CLUTCH is elegantly coming down a large set of stairs. Dressed in a silky, but scanty, night robe – she has a look of concern on her face)

CLUTCH: Did you fall?

CORRIN: (caught off-guard by her appearance) No, no, I mean, well, maybe I did. What’re you doing here?

CLUTCH: What do you mean what am I doing here? I’m repaying my favor from last time. Also, kind of hiding.

CORRIN: (stands, but still faintly holds his head) Right. Hiding. That’s what that was. (He mounts the stairs to greet her halfway) Who is it this time, love?

(CLUTCH comes down the couple of steps to him and throws her hands sympathetically around his neck, as CORRIN takes her around the waist)

CLUTCH: (cutely) Meanies.

CORRIN: What’re they after you for this time?

CLUTCH: Parking violation.

CORRIN: (laughs) For The Empress?

CLUTCH: Yeah.

CORRIN: That’s hilarious. You park on top of an asteroid??

CLUTCH: (whispers – amused) On top of a church.

CORRIN: Are you serious?

CLUTCH: Yeah!

(They have a good laugh)

CORRIN: (suddenly – sincerely) It’s good to see you, Clutch.

(CLUTCH smiles)

CLUTCH: It’ll all blow over in the morning. For now, Caluce wants my head.

CORRIN: (not really listening) Mm.

CLUTCH: So I’m hiding.

CORRIN: (sexily) I know somewhere where we can lock the doors and shut the windows and no one’ll find you.

CLUTCH: (sexily) Sounds like the best kind of hiding.

(They leave up the stairs)

(ANJO is shown peering out and around from another banister. He pulls out a small device and speaks into it)

ANJO: I’ve been relocated.

wristCom: Copy.

-(Aboard The Empress)

LIAM: What the heck is all of this?

JAN: What do ye mean, sir?

LIAM: These systems! They’re so – personalized!

JAN: Aye, Selenia liked her systems to be to her taste.

LIAM: So many passwords.

FETCHER: They’re mostly “betterthanFetcher” and “b3stp1L0t”

LIAM: b … three … best pilot?

FETCHER: Clutch set most of those, actually.

LIAM: Figures.

JACE: So what’s our mission, cap?

LIAM: Normal protocol. Admiral Caluce is sending us on basic surveillance missions. Had some disturbance over in a new sector. Some Furnigation resistance or mine riots or something like that. (calling) Computer.

COMPUTER: Active.

LIAM: Pull coordinates from Amalgamation arsenal 804.

COMPUTER: Password needed for identification.

LIAM: (Looks around - embarrassed) “Caluce’s Pet”

PHEB: Caluce’s pet?

JACE: (laughing) Knew it.

LIAM: Shut up. One of the guys in customs set it up and I don’t know how to change it.

COMPUTER: Welcome, Lieutenant Liam.

(They blast off)

-(Back at Amalgamation Headquarters, Admiral CALUCE is up in a watchtower, she is there with Admiral BENSHAW)

CALUCE: A little overwhelming, isn’t it?

BENSHAW: What – running an intergalactic government? Preposterous.

(They have a good laugh)

BENSHAW: Though I do have unfortunate news.

CALUCE: Seems to be the only kind I get.

BENSHAW: So you’re used to it.

CALUCE: Never seem to be, no.

BENSHAW: The Superdistrict meeting is soon, and we need a representative. We need multiple representatives. We had Captain Cill lined up for the docket, playing the veteran war hero, and then Captain Goulding was lined up as the peppy soldier, but with the ironic and coincidental death of both of them, we seem to be continuously at a loss for participants.

CALUCE: Almost like it’s an unlucky position.

BENSHAW: They’ve chosen Captain Belfast to replace Cills, but the council wants you to go in Goulding’s place.

CALUCE: I’m no peppy soldier.

BENSHAW: Seems they’re going for more of a sage councilor feel.

CALUCE: The Furnigation are rumored to attempt a sabotage at the meeting.

BENSHAW: Those rumors only go around because the Furnigation threatens to sabotage everything. We attempt peace. We attempt negotiation. If they can’t see that , we cannot be to blame.

CALUCE: They consist of madmen.

BENSHAW: But they are men nonetheless, and must not be discredited before an attempt at persuasion.

CALUCE: (rubs her temples) I’ll go.

BENSHAW: Knew you’d be a good sport.

CALUCE: Don’t have much of a choice, do I?

BENSHAW: Not really, no. You’ll have to prepare a dictation.

CALUCE: I’m no stranger to speeches. Though… Benshaw?

BENSHAW: Yes?

CALUCE: (sincerely) We’ve done well, all things considered, right?

BENSHAW: We’ve done the best we can.

CALUCE: And that’s all we can do.

-(A jump to the Superdistrict meeting, the perspective of a massive dome-like conference room. The view is from behind CALUCE as she speaks. The other leaders are seen watching)

CALUCE: The intentions of the Amalgamation therefore has never been to harm, but only to protect what has already been lawfully gained by us on our own. All planets and systems that ally with the Amalgamation not only ally through contract – but contracts that are revised and agreed upon by both parties. Nothing is hidden from the other, and we try to make as few loopholes as possible by using blunt and well-meaning terms. These contracts create a bond of trust and mutual respect between allies that emphasize the meaning of what the Amalgamation is truly about – and that is the bringing together and acceptance of people. We offer our assistance and our protection to anyone who offers theirs to us, and I urge any undecided leaders of planets here today to side with us. Thank you.

(The audience applauds politely as CALUCE sits down)

(Commander KAPES stands, he is a Furnigationalist representative)

KAPES: (stands – into the mic) It seems then that your hand is extended towards us as well in this endeavor.

CALUCE: (leans toward the microphone) I believe our ideals differ far too significantly.

KAPES: That is where you’re wrong. We too desire a unified galaxy through mutually beneficial means.

CALUCE: (stands up - boldly) “Mutually beneficial” does not seem to be the term I would use for destroying those you think not “worthy.”

BELFAST: (chidingly) Admiral…

CALUCE: I apologize Commander Kapes. We are more than open to any “mutually beneficial” alliances so long as both parties actually benefit.

KAPES: Then I see no better time to extend our hand back.

CALUCE: Pardon?

KAPES: The Furnigation would like to form an alliance with the Amalgamation.

CALUCE: (completely dumbfounded) What?

KAPES: You said your hand was extended.

CALUCE: Yes, but only to –

BELFAST: (interrupting quickly) We’re overjoyed to hear such a proposal and will seriously consider it tin the next Amalgamation council. (hissing to CALUCE) What’re you doing??

KAPES: Wonderful. We will then come to some sort of compromise on pending time. Meanwhile – Councilor Wyness of the Preservation – do you have anything else to add?

WYNESS: The Preservation will stay to it’s own ways.

KAPES: As they always have. See, Admiral? That’s what both the Furnigation and Amalgamation are both about – bettering today for a brighter future. I do hope you will consider our proposal favorably. (KAPES sits down)

BELFAST: Thank you, Commander.

(See Admiral CALUCE storming into the back of the complex after the meeting gets out)

CALUCE: (to BENSHAW) That meeting would’ve gone much differently had it been Cills and Goulding out there.

BENSHAW: That meeting couldn’t have gone better!

CALUCE: What are you talking about?

BENSHAW: The Furnigation has offered an alliance!

CALUCE: Do you hear yourself?

BENSHAW: Caluce – you have to remember what the Amalgamation is all about – and that’s bringing separate entities together. Whether they’re people, planets or entire governmental organizations. We celebrate individuality! This is a good thing for us!

CALUCE: The Furnigation has always been trying to sabotage our operation. For years – the only way we saw the Furnigation was behind the barrels of space guns and in the echoes of kamikaze explosions.

BENSHAW: Which is precisely why an alliance with them would highly benefit us. Once we form an alliance – neither of us will be able to take a shot at the other! Without the Furnigation opposing us – who will? Either way - the board wants to discuss it – and they’d like your opinion.

CALUCE: (firmly – menacingly) And trust me, they will have it.

(Admiral CALUCE storms off)

Episode 10

(The interior of a factory is shown, with an assembly line below hustling their product along – CLUTCH is sitting on a top banister, dressed like an assembly line worker to blend in, but merely watching. She seems pensive as she wanders into a backroom)

(A flashback to a time when CLUTCH was much younger and the factory much cleaner. Young CLUTCH emerges from the room dressed like a factory worker and sneaks along the railing – watching the assembly line with caution and scanning for security guards. She reaches a room at the end of the banister and ducks inside – there she pulls out of her pocket what appears to be a mold or cast for a specialized gear)

THROTTLE: (from her wristCom) I give them fifteen seconds.

CLUTCH: Before they notice it’s missing?

THROTTLE: (from her wristCom) Before general chaos.

(A distressed shout from downstairs)

CLUTCH:  You’re never wrong.

THROTTLE: (from her wristCom) It’s a curse, really.

(CLUTCH pockets the mold again)

CLUTCH: Method of escape?

THROTTLE: (from her wristCom) I thought I was your method of escape.

CLUTCH: Right again.

(A loud bang is heard downstairs – followed by multiple pops as the distraction that THROTTLE had set up – goes off. The general panic below grows louder – but seems to be farther away. THROTTLE appears in the doorway of the room CLUTCH is hiding in)

THROTTLE: Where is it?

(CLUTCH holds it out proudly, but then backs off suddenly)

CLUTCH: Who says I can trust you?

THROTTLE: Certainly not me. (He takes the mold expertly) Ha. Bet those suckers won’t be able to manufacture for weeks.

CLUTCH: Which should be enough time to busy Edgeman to take him off the jury long enough to make his vote null and void. He might miss the summons altogether if we’re lucky.

THROTTLE: Oh good, someone read their paperwork. You ready to go, rookie?

CLUTCH: If you’re ready to catch up.

THROTTLE: Atta girl.

(CLUTCH and THROTTLE bolt quietly down the stairs to round the downstairs corner and open the emergency exit. There was already reasonable panic – but as the alarm goes off – the entire factory freaks out)

(CLUTCH and THROTTLE are already booking it across the grass)

THROTTLE: Well, you know what they say. If you can’t make an entrance- make an exit.

CLUTCH: And we can be certain that even if Edgeman isn’t distracted enough by the manufacture decrease you can bet he’ll be busy hiring new employees after this renovation.

THROTTLE: Hey now, rookie. Forget the quota. The ends ain’t our issue, only the means. Just enjoy the ride. Speaking of which – where is ours?

CLUTCH: Hid it in the forest.

THROTTLE: First off – that’s sloppy, not to mention cliché. And second off – how you gonna find it??

CLUTCH: Don’t have to. I hooked the control panel to the wristCom’s network and then looped it through Edgeman’s own satellite. If anyone had noticed it, they could’ve locked it and we’d been S-O-L. But luckily –

(CLUTCH presses her wristCom and the SKEETO emerges and hovers above the bushes)

CLUTCH: They were too busy being stolen from.

(THROTTLE looks at CLUTCH – semi-impressed)

(There are multiple shouts heard behind them as the factory door opens, the alarm blares and the secretary guards pile out)

THROTTLE: Welp. Time to go.

(THROTTLE and CLUTCH mount the SKEETO – which is a hovery space bike. CLUTCH is in front, driving, while THROTTLE takes back, preparing a weapon) (The guards swarm closer)

THROTTLE: Now we get to play a little game I like to call “bowling pins”

CLUTCH: Now?

THROTTLE: Now is always the best time, sweetheart.

(CLUTCH hits the gas and the SKEETO goes barreling forward, knocking straight through a group of security guards like a bowling ball through bowling pins)

CLUTCH: (shouting) They’re shooting! (panicked) THEY’RE SHOOTING!

THROTTLE: (shouting) That’s why I’m shooting back!

(True to his word – THROTTLE is covering them marvelously – firing at each security guard – sometimes only moments before the guards have an open shot at them. You can tell this is not his first rodeo. He is an excellent shot)

(They are now through the worst of the guards and coming up fast on the outer gate)

CLUTCH: (shouting) Gate!

THROTTLE: (shouting) Yellow button!

CLUTCH: (shouting) What?

THROTTLE: (shouting louder) YELLOW BUTTON!

(CLUTCH smashes in the first yellow button she sees and the SKEETO goes torpedoing upward, almost as if it has been ejected from the ground. CLUTCH goes rigid the entire way up – but mid-air and right at the peak of ascent – THROTTLE throws a small circular beeping bomb toward the factory. As THROTTLE and CLUTCH land safely on the ground outside the compound – the bomb explodes and THROTTLE shields CLUTCH. Then they both lay panting)

CLUTCH: Looks like Edgeman will be hiring for more than just a breach of contract.

THROTTLE: (rolls over onto his back) (panting – exhilarated) What’re they calling you, kid?

CLUTCH: They stuck me with you – so I figured I’d go by “Clutch.”

THROTTLE: Clutch and Throttle. Can’t have one without the other, am I right?

CLUTCH: (looks at him) I’m hoping you are.

THROTTLE: I always am.

(They look at each other)

(This scene fades into present-day CLUTCH feel a shadow pass over her. She looks up to see present day THROTTLE with PISTON and KRUGER in the door. She doesn’t even seem surprised)

CLUTCH: (to THROTTLE) The Edgeman factory. The home of our first mission together.

THROTTLE: Sentimental, much?

CLUTCH: (ignores him) Owned by the same man who convinced you to attempt to take me out to in order to nab a bigger piece of the cut for yourself. It was some kind of destiny that we started and ended up in the same place, wouldn’t you say?

THROTTLE: More like a cruel irony. Besides, there wasn’t much persuasion needed. You were always weighing me down.

CLUTCH: Tell that to the countless times I saved your life.

THROTTLE: Where’s the boy?

CLUTCH: Always the cynic.

THROTTLE: I said - where’s the boy?

(CLUTCH glares at him)

CLUTCH: Are you stupid enough to think that I’m actually going to tell you?

THROTTLE: Alright. You wanna play nice? You wanna play the whole “daddy’s got favors” – fine. You can do that on you own time. But we’re on my time now, because it’s my trigger finger that’s doing the ticking. So I suggest you do the TOCKING.

PISTON: We could take her tracking device and rewind it –

THROTTLE: Quiet, Piston.

CLUTCH: The boy is hidden, like he’s supposed to be. And my lips are locked, like you trained them to be.

(THROTTLE goes to hit her – but CLUTCH blocks expertly)

CLUTCH: Violence won’t get you your way this time, Throttle.

THROTTLE: Funny. It’s always worked in the past.

(THROTTLE kicks hard – CLUTCH blocks it but stumbles. THROTTLE jabs at the opening, CLUTCH barely manages to block but stumbles backward)

CLUTCH: Edgeman was a Furnigationalist – and we both knew it!

THROTTLE: Still bringing that up?

(THROTTLE kicks once more – CLUTCH gains her footing and almost gets a kick in herself before THROTTLE blocks)

PISTON: Clear a way, boss! Give us a clear line of fire! (THROTTLE ignores her)

THROTTLE: (to CLUTCH) If you would stop living in the past – then maybe you could live in the present long enough to give me a good fight!

(THROTTLE lands a kick square into CLUTCH’s chest and she falls against the wall, but manages to use the momentum to hook his left jaw. At his opening of shock, she kicks him hard in the ribs and he hits a wall, but comes back up instantly – swinging hard)

KRUGER: Boss! We don’t have time for this!

THROTTLE: We have time for anything I say!

(The assembly line below has noticed the fighting and are now hurriedly pointing the security guards towards the balcony. The guards race toward the commotion)

THROTTLE: WHERE’S THE BOY??

PISTON: (angrily) Throttle! We have to go!

THROTTLE: Quiet, Piston!

PISTON: (furious) YOU BE QUIET!

(CLUTCH instantly notices the fire in PISTON’s eyes as PISTON shoots THROTTLE directly into the back. THROTTLE gurgles and falls over, eyes wide. He hits the floor, partially coming down on CLUTCH’s legs and dying almost instantly. CLUTCH watches, shocked. PISTON instantly turns around and begins firing at the writhing mass of security guards that have now breached the stairs. Shocked, KRUGER begins assisting her as well, shooting at the guards on the stairs, but is then shot down by the security guards that are shooting down below. KRUGER hits the floor and dies as well)

(CLUTCH is shocked, but does not miss much of a beat, already sheltered mostly behind PISTON. She turns over THROTTLE’s warm body and rips a necklace from off of his throat while simultaneously taking his gun. CLUTCH takes out a few guards as she clambers to her feet. Then she leaps over the banister and successfully out the door before looking back to see PISTON, guns blazing, still firing, until CLUTCH can’t see her anymore)

-(Show SELENIA and MOTLEY with the tribe of Pulav. MOTLEY is at the top of a ladder, tearing off worn scales and dropping them down below. SELENIA is holding another ladder steady for another scraper. The tribe completes their task and begins packing up to continue walking) (Pulav is pleased)

DEPENDENT: (dully) Friends.

(DEPENDENT grabs SELENIA and MOTLEY by the shoulder and leads them to the edge of the shadow)

DEPENDENT: Civilization is just around that mountain.

SELENIA: Civilization.

(Almost mainly out of duty, SELENIA steps forward out of the shadow and instantly clutches her chest)

SELENIA: (painfully) Ach!

(She stays doubled over for a while, grunting and groaning)

SELENIA: (painfully) Motley?

MOTLEY: (stares blankly) Captain?

SELENIA: (to DEPENDENT) Why does this – hurt – so badly?

DEPENDENT: There is no more refining feeling than having passion enter back into your heart.

SELENIA: (again) Motley?

MOTLEY: Captain?

SELENIA: Are you coming?

MOTLEY: (pauses) I’m not sure.

SELENIA: What do you mean you’re not sure?

MOTLEY: There was a burden… such a burden… on my heart regarding your sister. And now … it’s gone. I don’t know… if I want it back.

SELENIA: (grunting) That burden was love! C’mon, Motley, step out of the shadow – you can’t live like this.

MOTLEY: (pauses) Why should I go back? After all the pain my emotions cost me. After all the thinking, overthinking, loss of control, desires – why make it continue? There was so much pain that came with the disappointment.

SELENIA: (still a little out of breath) Because there was pleasure that came with the pain, Motley, don’t you remember that? Such immense pleasure and satisfaction that came from knowing the risks and taking them anyway. We can’t live without pain, Motley, or there’d be no pleasure and that’s not life at all!

(MOTLEY hesitates – but eventually begins stepping towards the edge of the shadow when DEPENDENT grabs his arm)

DEPENDENT: Pulav will not accept you into his graces twice. This symbiotic life that alleviates all sorrow will not be an opportunity easily found again.

(MOTLEY has stepped far enough out that a portion of his face has now been hit by sunlight. His eyes widen as they awaken to a realization)

MOTLEY: Keira.

(MOTLEY steps out of the shadow and clutches his heart. SELENIA catches him and holds him steady as he groans)

SELENIA: (to DEPENDENT) Fare thee well, friend. I know you meant us no harm and have only offered the lifestyle you thought would make us happy.

DEPENDENT: And now you must feel the downfalls that come from happiness and all other like virtues. Fare thee well.

(Pulav and the tribe glide on)

MOTLEY: (painfully) Selenia?

SELENIA: Yes, seargent?

MOTLEY: Thank you.

SELENIA: Don’t mention it.

(SELENIA and MOTLEY begin to stumble towards the mountain, leaning on to each other for support)

(Show SELENIA and MOTLEY in a small stone and overgrown ivy mountain village. They rest in an alleyway, MOTLEY leaning against a wall and looking a little forlorn and worn out. SELENIA has rerouted a wire from a cable strung along the building into the com on her wrist)

HQ: Come in, Captain Goulding.

(SELENIA keeps her eyes on MOTLEY and almost forgets to answer)

SELENIA: (half-heartedly) Captain Goulding here. Code Delta.

HQ: Initiating emergency rescue procedure.

SELENIA: Thank you.

HQ: Dragging coordinates now.

SELENIA: (quietly) Thank you.

(SELENIA turns off her com. She looks at MOTLEY, who is still staring blankly off into the distance. She leans on the wall next to MOTLEY)

SELENIA: She still loves you, ya know.

MOTLEY: I know.

SELENIA: Then why don’t you act like it?

(MOTLEY doesn’t answer)

SELENIA: Motley, she’s scared, just like you.

MOTLEY: What’s she scared of?

SELENIA: What’s she scared of? What do you mean? What is there not to be scared of?

MOTLEY: I’m not scared.

SELENIA: Well, you’ve faced assassins and gang bosses. You used to be a universe-class sniper.

MOTLEY: Used to be?

SELENIA: My point is, you’ve already faced some unfavorable odds.

MOTLEY: Impossible odds.

SELENIA: Right! But marriage is a whole other lottery!

MOTLEY: (persistently) But what’s she scared of??

SELENIA: (suddenly) She’s scared of losing her mind, Motley!

(A silence)

MOTLEY: Losing her mind?

SELENIA: Motley, my sister and I are both at high risk of inheriting severe memory loss from our father. We’ve been lucky enough that we haven’t had any symptoms so far – but – that’s – I don’t know – that’s why we’ve kind of avoided men this far in our lives.

MOTLEY: Memory loss?

SELENIA: Yes. A lack of memory retention. It’s a severe form of Alzheimers.

MOTLEY: Alzheimers?

SELENIA: Yes.

MOTLEY: Why didn’t she tell me?

SELENIA: She’s scared you’ll resent her. If I know my sister, which I do, I think she’s chasing you away to protect you.

(MOTLEY goes silent)

SELENIA: She’ll lapse into it eventually. She’ll forget things. It doesn’t matter how important. Like where you keep the broom. Or if you have any milk. She’ll forget your birthday, your favorite song, your name. (SELENIA’s voice wavers a little bit – you can tell she has already been through a lot of this with her father – and the wound is still fresh)

(MOTLEY is still silent)

SELENIA: I think if you wanted to break it off –  I think she’d understand. I’m sorry I had to be the one to tell you like this.

(Still silence)

SELENIA: Motley?

MOTLEY: I’m not scared.

SELENIA: You’re not?

MOTLEY: I’m not. Because … I mean … yes. Something like that is a serious challenge.

SELENIA: It really is.

MOTLEY: But I’m not scared. And you know why?

SELENIA: Why?

MOTLEY: Because even though she may be forgetting things, it’s Keira Goulding that helps me remember who I am.

(SELENIA is a little shocked)

MOTLEY: And above anything – I don’t want her to be scared. If this is going to happen to her no matter what – than so be it. But I never want her to feel alone or … or… forgotten.

SELENIA: You want to be there for her?

MOTLEY: Every step of the way.

(SELENIA is shocked, but is pleasantly surprised)

SELENIA: You should tell her that.

MOTLEY: (determinedly) I will.

SELENIA: Howsabout after this whole hullabaloo blows over, you and I take a few of those well-deserved vacation days and head back to Nigilla. You be as honest to Keira as you were with me – and I can guarantee there’ll be a wedding.

MOTLEY: (smiling) I’d like that.

(They’re both pleased. They both stare – don’t talk – just stare – into the sky)

-(Meanwhile, an alarm clock goes off in CORRIN’s bedroom in his mansion)

(CORRIN lets it go for way too long, rolling over and ignoring it for far too long – in fact, an almost impressive amount of time)

(Then suddenly – abruptly – the alarm clock stops)

(This wakes CORRIN up more than the actual sound of it – and he rolls over to see the alarm clock has not only stopped – but is completely dead)

CORRIN: What the –

(CORRIN checks the futuristic outlet and sees no issue with it, but plugs and unplugs it to see if the results differ. They don’t)

(Suddenly, he hears a thump from overhead. Startled, he looks up and stares at the ceiling. Slowly, he slides a gun out from under his pillow and continues listening with it in his lap)

(No more noises occur)

(CORRIN lets it go and steps over CLUTCH’s silky bathrobe on the floor to start getting ready for work. He buttons up his uniform and looks in the mirror briefly to give himself a quick wink before running down the long flight of stairs and dashing out the door)

(The large house is quiet for many moments)

(Until suddenly, there is a slow creak of a door as an attic railway is lowered down. Looking around skeptically, ANJO’s head emerges and he slowly creeps down the ladder)

(He wanders the home – cautiously at first, but more comfortable once he realizes how empty it is. He peeks his head into living rooms, offices, grand open spaces)

ANJO: (mutters to himself) Such a space for one small man.

(ANJO finally finds the kitchen, where he tries to indulge as much as possible without actually leaving any kind of trace. He nibbles on the sides of cakes and just finishes the top off of sodas)

ANJO: Does this man have any vegetables?

(He continues eating and is startled by a noise that seems to be coming from another room and is approaching fast. He panics and drops the cake he’s nibbling on and flings open the nearest door to find it is a flat pantry with no space to hide in. He throws himself into a defensive position just to discover a small automatic motorized vacuum machine round the corner. He drops his guard and watches curiously as the Roomba heads straight for the cake crumbs and vacuums over and over again to pick them all up. Anko watches intently, even a little fascinated and delighted by the little creature. He stoops down to affectionately pat it)

ANJO: Just you and me lil’ friend?

(The Roomba zooms away)

(ANJO continues wandering, and finally ends up sitting on a large white plush couch in the middle of a vast and expansive white room. His wristCom begins to speak)

wristCom: Anjo?

ANJO: (startled – but ready) I’m here.

wristCom: Good. I wouldn’t want you anywhere else.

ANJO: Orders?

wristCom: Stay put. We’re coming. Stay undetected.

ANJO: (bitterly) It’s all I ever do.

(The communication ends)

(ANJO continues wandering the large house alone)

-(Show FETCHER knocking on JENNA’s door aboard The Empress, which he eventually just swings open)

FETCHER: May I come in?

(JENNA looks up at him. She is restocking a dispenser by unwrapping cotton balls)

JENNA: Yes.

FETCHER: (awkwardly sits down) How are you feeling …?

(JENNA doesn’t answer for a moment)

JENNA: Lost.

FETCHER: I guess … I can understand that…

(A very awkward silence)

FETCHER: Anything I can do?

(JENNA doesn’t answer for a moment)

JENNA: No.

FETCHER: … Okay …

(Another very awkward silence)

FETCHER: Do you want me to leave?

JENNA: (quickly this time) No!

(They look at each other)

JENNA: I want you to stay.

(FETCHER obeys, slowly coming over to sit next to her on the hospital bed and reaches for a wrapped cotton ball to help her unwrap it)

FETCHER: Am I correct to say you are in mourning?

JENNA: Of course I am.

FETCHER: She was your best friend?

JENNA: All three of them were very good friends, yes. We started this crew together. But we knew the risks.

(FETCHER remembers JENNA’s storytelling in the temple)

FETCHER: Tell me about that.

(JENNA looks at him, then back at her unwrapping as she begins talking)

JENNA: Well…  you already know Motley’s story. A world class sniper. One of the best hired guns in the system Tuwelva and many more beyond. He turned himself in to the Amalgamation when he was in too deep, and they offered to hire him with many conditions. He became pretty well-trusted, but his reputation always proceeded him. It wasn’t until Selenia met him while she was training as a pilot, that she personally requested him that he got a position on a crew, a title, and a chance at a future.

FETCHER: Selenia did that?

JENNA: (continues) Jan had been a warehouse worker for many long years until his wife, Octavia, died. He hadn’t had the money to buy her medicine or afford the doctor bills, and with her being the only thing he had in the world, he was left devastated. So using his vast knowledge of a lifetime in the delivery and manufacturer business, he joined a rebel gang of pirates and helped them sabotage many companies he had worked for in a sort of outlash against the society that had let his wife die. Him and his wife were never able to have children, so no one really knows where Pheb came from, but it was as soon as Jan took him in that he turned himself around and became a father figure to that boy. He discovered he had a knack for engines and Selenia agreed to take him, Pheb in tow.

Clutch was a whole other story. Everyone knew she was a previous espionagist, but she’d never admit it. She was caught by the Amalgamation but was so helpful in turning over her entire underground operation they offered to take her on in their academy, in which she excelled, and she’d been working odd jobs for the Amalgamation when she started the pilot program and got drafted into Selenia’s crew. She’d been here ever since.

FETCHER: And Selenia? What was her story?

JENNA: A simple one.

FETCHER: What is it?

JENNA: Selenia was a farm girl on Nigilla, with nothing to her name but her land and a father with a failing memory. She left her sister to take care of him so she could get an education at the pilot school in the hopes it would help bring in more money. She was a natural and they eventually made her captain of The Epicenter.

FETCHER: And … your story?

JENNA: My story?

FETCHER: I must confess, it is probably the one I’m most interested in.

JENNA: My story …

(FETCHER waits)

JENNA: My story is one of quiet rage and silenced pain. I knew a life of sustained temper and fear before I ran from it all and fell in love with Selenia and her life she offered.

FETCHER: Love?

JENNA: She was the only one to show me kindness with the strange truths I possessed. She loved me. Was my friend. So I followed her like the disciple I was.

(FETCHER and JENNA have unwrapped all the cotton balls and the dispenser is now full to bursting. FETCHER has inched very close to JENNA)

(JENNA looks at him. Their faces are inches apart)

JENNA: Please … don’t tell anyone.

LIAM: (over the Com – angrily) First Officer Fetcher, report to the brig immediately.

FETCHER: (laughs softly, still focused on JENNA) I suppose it’s back to being abused by my captain.

JENNA: His tone worries me.

(FETCHER stands, and JENNA grabs his hand to come with him)

(On entering the main deck, JAN immediately seizes FETCHER)

JAN: Sorry, lad. Captain’s orders.

FETCHER: What’s going on here?

LIAM: That is what I would like you to explain.

(LIAM hits a control on his dashboard and a video begins playing)

Voice: Fetcher Moores, Jr. We come to you on a very serious and pressing issue –

(LIAM stops it)

LIAM: Regarding your father.

FETCHER: What is the accusation?

LIAM: That you are in alliance with the Furnigation.

FETCHER: That was a message sent personally to me.

LIAM: Then why are you using Amalgamation lines to not only receive it, but also to reply to it.

PHEB: He replied?

JENNA: (a little panicked) Fetcher, what’s all this about?

JAN: What did he reply?

LIAM: Jace is working on decoding it.

(JACE has her hands on a dashboard, eyes closed and lights flickering)

LIAM: (angrily) This suspicious activity will not be had on my ship!

FETCHER: (even angrier – loudly) This isn’t your ship! This is SELENIA’S SHIP!

LIAM: (loudly) Tell us what the video is!

(FETCHER glares at LIAM)

LIAM: Why is it addressed to you personally and regards your fathers “continued influence” in the Furnigation?

JACE: Captain.

LIAM: You have it?

JACE: I can play you the rest of the video.

(The video flickers onto the big screen)

(A man and a woman are shown, sitting in a dark room with dim lighting so that it is almost impossible to see their faces)

MAN: Fetcher Moores Jr. We come to you on a very serious and pressing issue regarding your father and his continued influence in the Furnigation.

WOMAN: We were part of his flock, and we wanted to reach out to you, Fetcher.

MAN: We know you must be going through a lot with the loss of your father, and we wanted to add our condolences to your own. Your father was a good leader, almost an Archrabbi, and we appreciated his counsel and wisdom.

WOMAN: We loved him.

MAN: Janet!

WOMAN: No need to make it impersonal, Isaac!

MAN: Anyway. We wanted to extend an open hand to you to join our flock for consolation or if you need to mourn, or if you just need … answers.

WOMAN: We’re here for you.

MAN: Being one of the Appointed is not an easy burden to bear – and we just want you to know that when the rest of the world burns – we’re with you.

(The video ends) (There is a silence)

JACE: Fetcher’s only outbound reply was this.

(On the screen – an email appears with the contents of two words:)

(“Thank you”)

(JAN lets go of FETCHER)

LIAM: I didn’t – I mean –

(FETCHER looks at him – waiting for him to finish)

LIAM: (weakly) I’m sorry.

FETCHER: (bitterly) We all lose things, Lieutenant. We all lose real things in the course of this duty.

LIAM: I know.

FETCHER: Please don’t make my losses any less valuable than anyone else’s because of my father and his affiliations.

LIAM: Yes, of course.

(FETCHER leaves – the deck is tense. LIAM is burning, ashamed)

LIAM: Back to stations. Please.

(JAN and JACE man a station. JENNA leaves to follow FETCHER down the hall)

JENNA: Fetcher. (sternly) Fetcher.

(FETCHER keeps walking and ignores her completely, storming around the corner, leaving JENNA in the dust)

(LIAM – back on deck. A hailing noise is heard and JACE answers it)

LIAM: A message?

JACE: Selenia and Motley have been found!

LIAM: They’re alive?

JACE: They’re alive!

JAN: What about wee miss Clutch?

JACE: Doesn’t look like it…

LIAM: She’s alive!

JACE: They’re alive!

LIAM: Right! They’re alive! Any orders regarding them?

JACE: Might want to check.

LIAM: Computer.

COMPUTER: Online.

LIAM: Any status change in our mission?

COMPUTER: Negative.

LIAM: So we continue on to our destination?

COMPUTER: Avouched.

JACE: Does that mean yes?

LIAM: That means yes.

COMPUTER: Pod activated by First Officer Fetcher.

JAN: Fetcher?

COMPUTER: Pod discharging from The Empress.

JACE: He’s leaving.

(LIAM watches the screen and tracks FETCHER’s pod until it can’t be seen anymore. JACE goes to comfort JENNA. The Empress sails on)

-(CORRIN’s office, up in the Amalgamation headquarters. CORRIN files paperwork. He receives a buzz on his phone)

DENISE: Lieutenant Corrin?

CORRIN: Yes, Denise?

DENISE: There’s a lady friend here to see you. You certainly have a type.

CORRIN: (smiles) Send her up.

(The doors slide open)

CORRIN: Clutch! To what do I owe the –

(In the door stands PISTON – well dressed and holding a file)

PISTON: (smoothly) I’m not Clutch. But I’m betting I can still rev your engine.

~End of Amalgamation Episodes 6-10~