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TRIUMVIRATE (Final Installment)
By The Host
So here it is. The last installment. Of course, this isn't the end -- the final half-hour will be revealed when the entire reedited screenplay is posted in coming days. Meanwhilst, I'll get right to the story. . . (Eleven pages, ending at two hours and one minute.)
EXT. UNDERGROUND CITY –- LATER
Spotlights spread their fingers through the night, searching the sky above the underground city.
INT. LEENO’S TAVERN
The Black Aces – Steve, Jack, Willem, Macy, and Robert – are gathered around a table in the raucous bar playing cards, drinking and laughing.
JOHNSON
And so he looks at him and says, ‘I don’t know how you got here, Ian, but usually it takes two!’
The others laugh hysterically at Johnson’s punchline, except for Jack, who has heard this before. He takes another drink, gulps it down, and sits with a quiet smile.
WILLEM
Looks like you’ve got a contender for squadron jester here, Steve.
STEVE
(Mock seriousness)
Never!
JOHNSON
But, no, seriously, Jack and I have had some good times, eh?
Jack, still smiling, holds up his beer.
STEVE
I never knew you were so . . . cool, Jack. Till now I always thought you were kind of a dweeb.
They chuckle, even Davies.
JOHNSON
Oh, Jack can be a dweeb. I’ve gotta tell you about this one time, we were drunk at One One Four, and Jack says to me, ‘Follow me,’ right? So I go with him and he takes me to the simulator cockpit and—
Willem, who has had his attention elsewhere, suddenly trns to the group.
WILLEM
Guys, what’s this?
Everybody turns with him to peer at a holovision in the corner. Macy leans forward as the general din throughout the bar begins to quiet down. The President is addressing his nation on the holovision.
INT. DAWSON’S OFFICE –- CONTINUOUS
Dawson is speaking with Exler Joggins in his small, unassuming office as the President appears on a small display at Dawson’s hand.
DAWSON
We have to be sure the cure is being manufactured nowhere else—
JOGGINS
(Indicating display)
Sir.
Davies turns his head to the President, swiftly presses a button, and the Presdident’s visage grows suddenly larger and his voice becomes audible.
THE PRESIDENT
--And so the war is over, by order of the duly elected Senate.
INT. PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE -– CONTINUOUS
The President looks forward unblinking as he speaks.
THE PRESIDENT (CONT’D)
I am bound by virtue of my position to carry out this demand of the Senate. I am bound by my own will to defy it. And therefore I would like to announce my resignation as President of the United Star Systems effective immediately. I shall join Dawson and other admirals true to the union and I shall fight.
EXT. MAGNAPOLIS -– CONTINUOUS
Vehicles speed by in lanes through the air over the wide greenspace that divides Presidential and Corporate towers. Night has fallen and stars slowly begin to twinkle. The Presidential Tower, bathed in light, looms before and above us, a great spike searing the night sky.
THE PRESIDENT (CONT’D)
Night has fallen on Magnapolis for the first time in ninety-six years; in a week the sun shall rise again. I fear that, before the dawn, this city might become a war zone. In my final act as President, I have drawn up orders for evacuation. Transports will be arriving soon to carry civilians to safety. I urge you all not to panic but to leave your homes immediately in as orderly a fashion as possible.
INT. PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE -– CONTINUOUS
The President pauses, looks down at his desk, collects himself, and looks forward once again.
THE PRESIDENT (CONT’D)
May God be with you and bless us all.
And, with that, an EXPLOSION rips across the screen.
EXT. MAGNAPOLIS -– CONTINUOUS
Three simultaneous explosions tear through the base, the middle, and the peak of the Presidential Tower. Among the balls of orange flame slowly, surreally, the Tower begins to crumble and fall.
AT THE TOWER’S BASE CITIZENS run and vehicles swerve as a massive cloud of dust and debris spreads out from the tumbling building. A series of SMALLER EXPLOSIONS rock the city.
INT. SHOPPING CENTRE -– CONTINUOUS
Hundreds of SHOPPERS in a futuristic shopping gallery look up in horror through the glass ceiling as the Tower, which stands immediately above, begins to come down on them; suddenly the dust cloud obscures all sight through the window, and then another EXPLOSION brings the ceiling down, shattering glass falling upon the people below, skewering many and leaving others to die as the suffocating dust cloud rolls in.
EXT. MAGNAPOLIS -– CONTINUOUS
FROM ABOVE, the tower disappears into the ever-expanding dust cloud as it comes down. The lights of the city shimmer on.
INT. DAWSON’S OFFICE -– CONTINUOUS
The image of the tower flickers out; the holodisplay is momentarily empty, then replaced with rotating words: ‘PLEASE STAND BY’. Dawson presses a button and the words disappear. He looks up at Joggins, who is shocked speechless.
JOGGINS
Was this part of your—
Dawson’s jaw is set.
DAWSON
It’s time.
He strides out of the room, leaving Joggins alone in his astonishment.
INT. LEENO’S TAVERN -– CONTINUOUS
Pandemonium reigns as SOLDIERS try to make their way out of the crowded bar en masse and CIVILIANS talk and cry and comfort and run. The Black Aces seems still to be in a collective state of shock. Hawk Macy, drink still in hand, stands and kicks over a small table beside him, snapping the others to attention.
MACY
Fuck!
INT. CORPORATE TOWER –- CEO’S OFFICE –- NIGHT
The CEO stares out the window of his lofty office at the city of Magnapolis. Life continues on in the dark city despite the destruction surrounding what had once been the Presidential Tower across the wide greensward below. We hear the soft voice of a female REPORTER faintly behind the CEO; he does not turn, however, from his gaze.
REPORTER (O.S.)
The President of the United Star Systems is dead.
EXT. MAGNAPOLIS –- CONTINUOUS
The reporter stands superimposed before the twisted wreckage of Magnapolis’s centerpiece, addressing us.
REPORTER (CONT’D)
A right-wing terrorist group quickly came forward admitting to the assasination, which left tens of thousands of others dead and injured, in a statement released just hours ago. The hunt is now on to find te terrorists and bring them to swift justice.
ANOTHER ANGLE FROM ABOVE shows small explosions and the burst of laser fire occurring in alleyways and on street corners below. Then VARIOUS ANGLES of street violence and shoot-outs.
REPORTER (V.O.) (CONT’D)
Fighting, meanwhile, has broken out in other parts of the city. Pro-Corporate forces face off against vigilante thugs across the nation’s capital in fights that have left an untold number of casualties.
ANOTHER ANGLE as a train of dark vessels prowls throughout the air lanes of the city. On the ground below, COLUMNS OF TROOPS wheel and march.
REPORTER (V.O.) (CONT’D)
In response to other terrorist bombings this night martial law has been invoked in Magnapolis and the United Senate has escaped into hiding. Corporate troops are aiding the United Army in maintaining order.
GREAT HANGAR DOORS open somewhere in the city and a massive starship slowly pokes through. A NEW ANGLE reveals literally dozens of ships emerging from similar hangars across the landscape and slowly moving into the night sky.
REPORTER (V.O.) (CONT’D)
The evacuation of Magnapolis continues as above the city fleets prepare for what seems like an inevitable battle between Corporate and Senatorial forces, and those loyal to the now-dead President of the United Star Systems.
EXT. SPACE -– CONTINUOUS
United and Corporate fleets begin to assemble above the dark planet as the city, occupying almost a quarter of the planet, shines below.
REPORTER (V.O.) (CONT’D)
It is now only a matter of time before the city itself is engulfed in flame. All parties prepare for war.
INT. GAULIEUS BASE –- BRIEFING ROOM
The small briefing room at Gaulieus Base is dimly lit. There is a large screen at the fore, upon which is displayed an architectural elevation of the Corporate Tower, a Corporate logo underneath. Admiral Dawson stands below this, addressing the tiny assemblage. The Black Aces sit together carefully listening to what Dawson tells them; the only other person in the room, sitting quietly at the back, is Exler Joggins.
DAWSON
We shall attack Magnapolis poste haste. We will engage them in space; we shall engage them on the ground. Even as we speak United forces are defecting to our cause in great numbers. The battle will not be easy but it will almost certainly go our way. That said, all will be lost if you should fail in your task.
(Beat)
As you know, the Corporation has for some time been secretly manufacturing a deadly biological weapon that it presumably intends to unleash upon the peoples of this nation. It is being manufactured in highly secure underground facilities beneath the Corporate Tower; there, in the middle of the greatest military and civilian center in the USS, the CEO feels it is safe from attack. He is mistaken. Your mission is to destroy these manufacturing centres.
The image behind him zooms to the underground facilities and highlights them as Dawson speaks of them.
DAWSON (CONT’D)
There are dozens of massive weapons caches strewn throughout the lower levels of the Corporate Tower. Not just lasers, but bombs. If they go up, the tower shall come down.
MACY
Sir, you want us – alll five of us – to plant detonators in each of these caches? They’ve gotta be heavily guarded.
DAWSON
They will be, but to answer your question, we don’t want you to go to each cache and detonate it, no. We aren’t exactly sure where they lie; neither are we certain where the manufacturing centres lie – just that they’re somewhere beneath the tower.
MACY
So what, then?
DAWSON
We have some codes. Hack their system – that will be your job, Mr. Boyd – and modify atmosphere. Fill the place with methane, raise the temperature; eventually something will spark.
MACY
But there must be safety systems that can prevent that sort of thing?
DAWSON
Safeties that can be overridden by one man alone – the Chief Executive Officer. So, too, will he be able to override any attempts made by anybody else to override this process. Find him and you will prevail.
MACY
That won’t be easy.
DAWSON
You might be surprised, Mr. Macy. The CEO is a good captain. He knows he will lose this battle, and he is prepared to go down with his ship. You will find him in his office atop the highest floor.
MACY
But only five of us?
DAWSON
You’ll attract less attention. Sending five into that building would be safer than sending an entire war-ready batallion should it be discovered. If there are no other questions at the moment, I’ll release you. More detailed briefings will be relayed en route.
(Beat)
All right then. Dismissed.
They all get up to leave, save for Joggins and Dawson. Then—
DAWSON (CONT’D)
Mister Davies, a word?
As Jack leaves the others to meet Dawson in the far corner of the room, Johnson sidles up alongside Steve.
JOHNSON
(Indicating Davies and Dawson)
This happen often?
STEVE
All the time. Jack and the Admiral go way back.
JOHNSON
Not that far.
WILLEM
(Falling back with them)
You used to think he was a squeal, didn’t you, Steve?
STEVE
Don’t say ‘used to’.
Steve smiles as they leave the room. Meanwhile, Admiral Dawson pulls a small bullet-shaped object out of his pocket and holds it to Davies. Joggins, in the rear, silently watches.
DAWSON
For you, Jack. It will keep us in constant communication.
Davies takes the object, looks at it.
DAVIES
I put this in my ear and I can her you?
DAWSON
And I can hear you.
DAVIES
The others have one of these?
DAWSON
Just you, Jack.
DAVIES
Why?
DAWSON
So that I can help you, Jack. The CEO didn’t gather his power to him through luck or through stupidity. He is a canny man, and persuasive. He might try to persuade you. But you know his nature, and you must remember it: he is a liar. I can help you to remember this, and I will, but ultimately I cannot make your choices for you.
(Beat)
We are all forced to make choices, Jack. Not all of them are easy. When it comes down to it, when it comes down to a decision of life or death, what would you do? Would you choose life and personal gain? Or would you choose death for the freedom of us all?
DAVIES
Sir, I—
DAWSON
No—
(Placing his fingers to Davies’s lips)
-need to answer now. You might be forced to soon enough. If you are, you must be prepared to make the right choice, and you must therefore know what the right choice is.
(Smiling a fatherly smile)
I have the greatest confidence in you, Jack. Speed forth to victory.
Jack Davies solemnly nods, weighs the bullet in his hand, drops it in his pocket, and salutes. Dawson, still smiling, salutes him back. Davies turns to leave when Dawson calls to him again.
DAWSON (CONT’D)
Oh, and Jack?
Davies turns.
DAWSON (CONT’D)
I want you to bring the CEO to me. Alive, please.
Jack nods, turns, and leaves. Dawson sighs and turns around as Joggins approaches from the rear.
JOGGINS
Why him? Why not send in that war-ready batallion?
DAWSON
Davies has something in greater measure than any other soldier in the Fleets. Something that might occasion the downfall of nations and the rise of emperors.
JOGGINS
What?
DAWSON
Trust, Exler Joggins. Absolute, unadultered trust.
So that's it for now. Sorry to keep you hanging. In a few days I'll post the entire thing again from beginning to end in two sections. For those who have been following along, I'm sure you'll be looking forward to the ending. I have a few pages left to write -- it looks like the final thirty pages will be almost wall-to-wall action. Wanna know what to expect? Well, there'll be a massive space battle, a chase through Magnapolis on the wing of a gunship, lots of big shiny explosions, the strangest car chase of all time, a fall up an elevator shaft, and a final confrontation between Davies, Dawson, Johnson, and the CEO. The conclusion will be stunning -- I guarantee it!
Now, I beg you, please comment! Thanks!
The Host
12/24/2002 10:32:54 PM
Comment on this fan fiction!
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