TRIUMVIRATE SE Abandoned Ideas Part 4
By The Host
ROCKS ALONG THE WAY
Predecessors of Triumvirate Part IV
This installment looks at the final, completed version of Gemini's Redemption. Alas and alack, due to a hard drive failure, while I have the entire screenplay on-hand, I only have a little less than half of it in soft copy. It should still be interesting: the very beginning is very different from Triumvirate; much of the rest is similar in idea if not execution. The second half of the screenplay, which I might someday trnscribe for my benefit as well as yours, is completely different from Triumvirate -- and includes some pretty kick-ass actions sequences, IMO, that even blow Triumvirate's out of the water. You can look forward to many of these in Second Triumvirate.]
NOVEMBER 1998 (Plot description as originalle written):
GEMINI'S REDEMPTION
THE DISTINCTION BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL
IS NOT ALWAYS CLEAR
(REVISION FOUR; THIRD MAJOR RE-WRITE)
THE FUTURE.....
The film begins with a moving shot following a shuttlecraft through an amazingly beautiful city -- Athenai. The shuttle stops at a large building, the Athenai Spaceport, and its passenger disembarks -- the young and idealistic CAPTAIN HAROLD WILLIAMSON. He joins his older friend, DR. DAVID ROBBINS, inside the building, and the two leave on a history-making journey that will provide the basis of the film.
FIFTY-FOUR YEARS LATER.....
As it turns out, the previous action took place as a holographic re-creation. The man who is watching it is CORPORAL JACK DAVIES, barely in his twenties, straight out of The Academy and a new addition to The Navy, stationed on Starbase One-One Four. His new commander, and childhood friend LIEUTENANT ROBERT JOHNSON steps into Davies’ room, the two engage in small talk and Johnson asks what Davies was watching.
This and later sequences set the scene for the daily routine of Johnson and Davies, one of training and learning and being drilled and eating and sleeping and occasionally partaking in leisure activities or, even more rare, thinking. This routine would be greatly disrupted by Davies’ almost accidental acquisition of the file containing the first part of an investigative look at the events leading up to the fabled disappearance of the USS Gemini in local space five and a half decades ago.
There is also the matter of war: namely, the fact that it is about to be declared against the seemingly helpless but supposedly formidable Al T’Har.
The sirens of war soon sound, as THE PRESIDENT, a naive middle-aged man, under pressure from THE CEO (head of The Corporation, which has a complete monopoly over everything -- including, apparently, the government -- in The Union of Star Systems), declares his intentions of utterly destroying his enemies.
Thus Davies and Johnson are thrown into a long-expected war, and it is during a short hostage situation on the home planet of the Al T’Har -- humans of Arabian descent -- that the two uncover some deeper secrets concerning the now-more-mysterious-than-thought Project Gemini.
After the pair’s rescue, they are presented with medals, and with bribes. Johnson accepts. Davies doesn’t. And then another man arrives: GENERAL DAWSON.
Dawson is a slightly eccentric man, to say the last, and utterly strange to say the most. He warns Davies that an attempt on his life may be made, and gives him an ultimatum -- to transfer to Dawson’s fleet, with or without Lt. Johnson, and work with Dawson to uncover the truth about their government and its secrets. Davies considers it and, after an obvious attempt on his life, he grudgingly agrees to go with Dawson.
Davies arrives at Starbase One-Eleven, command center of General Dawson’s Seventy-Seventh Fleet. Life here is much different that elsewhere in the USS -- things are strict, but not necessarily as orthodox as other bases in the practices of training, strategy, duty and command. More importantly, the forces at One-Eleven are allowed a certain amount of individualism which, in actuality, brings the troops together. They function well as a team.
Davies is assigned to an elite squadron of fighters. However, Dawson seems to ignore him, and he is left alone (Johnson did not come with him) in a room full of complete strangers. Not all of them are nice.
There’s LT. DELARIA JONES, cursed by the tiny speck of Al T’Haran blood coursing through her English veins. Her parents expected a dainty lady (which explains why a woman with an unassuming surname such as Jones would have a rather un-fittingly glamorous first name as Delaria). They were sorely mistaken. Delaria grew to be one of the boys -- and, later, bitter towards many of those boys that mistreated her.
One of those boys is ‘HAWK’ MACY, who had been up for promotion to squadron command, but has instead moved down from his former position as second-in-command to make way for Davies. Thus Macy is bitter to Dawson in addition to his two immediate superiors.
One of those superiors is HAYDEN DOYLE, flight leader and squadron commander. Davies never quite gets to know his leader... Finally, there’s WILHELM BOYD, a cocksure young officer, who is equally boisterous and shy. He trained to become a science officer, in order to put his extensive intelligence to good use, but due to his amazing performance in dogfight training, he was transferred -- against his will -- to the legendary Black Angels division.
And so it is that Davies slowly begins to adapt to his new routine. Everybody in Dawson’s fleet seems to love, fear, and respect their general (most, at least), and it is obvious that they will follow him where ever he leads them. They owe greater allegiance to him than they do to The CEO, or even The President.
So when Dawson meets with his high-ranking officers -- and a ‘mercenary’ soldier from One-One-Four -- they quickly agree to aid in the dismantling of the USS.
Media leaks, disappearances, under-cover raids on key facilities of The Corporation, and a number of fabricated (or semi-fabricated) scandals: the USS is being attacked by an unknown and invisible force. Public support for the government and, more importantly, The Corporation, begins to falter. Change is wanted. Fast.
This is when Dawson takes an interest in Davies again. He shows the young pilot what will be the USS’s secret weapon -- the USS GEMINI II. He tells Davies the story of the destruction of the original Gemini (Davies already knows much of it, as he has become nearly obsessed with the history of Captain Williamson of the USS Gemini), and its role in the creation of a new Project Gemini: one which is manufacturing a doomsday weapon. A weapon which is being tested on the people of Al T’Har. A people who almost found a defense against it, before the USS declared war against them.
Dawson, inside the Gemini II, leads his mighty fleet into battle against the underwater MacAffee Base -- a huge, supposedly secret ship manufacturing center. His hope is that, if they capture it, they will be able to produce an army of Geminis.
Meanwhile, The President makes a stunning announcement...
In Athenai, seat of the United Star Systems, The President is making his State of the Union Address. During his speech he makes an incredible announcement -- he and his closest advisors have, after years of mistreatment and injustice, decided to cease in the war with the Al T’Haran people (who are nearly destroyed anyway), and declare war against The Corporation!
The Congress Hall erupts into applause, boos, and above all else the frantic and frenzied speech of a thousand politicians and reporters. In the midst of this, an attmpet is made on The Presiden’ts life; his aid takes the bullet (laser beam?) for him.
The President is rushed out and arranges a meeting between him and Dawson, whose forces have just captured MacAffee base. They meet in neutral space, where The President explains his position, with only minimal government backing, and warns that this rebellion now lies on the edge of a sword. Dawson agrees to officially end his rebellion and join the war against The Corporation. And so it begins.
The first order of business is to attain information on the whereabouts of the Corporation’s headquarters, suppossedly located on the fabled planet Earth. United forces engage Corporate ones while the man for the job -- young mercenary REXILLIAN GOEN -- disengages from battle (along with his escort, the now-reunited Johnson and Davies -- the latter of which is now squadron commander after the untimely death of Hayden at the Battle of MacAffee Base) and attaches onto the hull of the Corporation freighter Lion’s Den, one of those few ships with clearance to travel to the Earth.
Goen is allowed to see the location of Earth, though he believes it is by his own skill and prowess. He attains the info and escapes, just barely, only to be attacked by seemingly invisible fighters. When that adventure is over, the USS forces and Corporate ones alike disengage from battle and prepare for the coming one.
Eventually, the bulk of the United fleet sets sail for Earth. Once there, they engage a huge armada of Corporate forces, which is being led by The CEO himself. Meanwhile, two teams are sent to the Earth and to the Moon.
The team going to the moon consists of Hawk, Wilhelm and Rex; Davies and Johnson together head for the Earth. The former team finds the entire surface of the moon to be a city, a great fortress of steel. The descend into the depths of the moon’s complex infastructure where, due to the adventerous virtues of Hawk Macy, they crash. Fortunately, they receive help from a disgruntled Corporation mechanic and USS sympathizer.
On the Earth, Davies and Johnson see nothing but the ruins of an ancient civilization. That’s probably why the ultra-modern tower in Bavaria is so noticible. Inside, they find a high-ranking POW, who tells the two of the Corporation’snefarious plan to unleash the Doom’s Day viral weapon upon the entire universe. He infiltrates a Corporate workstation and launches a massive missile in order to destroy the moon before it’s too late. Fortunately, the POW knows where the one remaining vial containing a vaccine is stored outside of the moon. He leads the two to it, and there he is promptly executed and the cure is destroyed by Lt. Robert Johnson -- secret Corporation operative.
The missile streaks through the sky, and the entire battle ground is silent. USS ships are already preparing to leave; Corporation vessels scramble to follow. In Athenai, battle rages, and The President is assassinated. The finishing touches are placed on Macy’s ship, and Davies rushes to reach his fighter before his former friend does. Unfortunately for our hero, Johnson has already come and gone. Davies finds his own fighter tampered with: his computer is off-line and he has no time to repair it. He is forced to attempt a manual take-off -- something he was not trained to do -- and the clock is ticking.
On the moon, Rex, Hawk and Wilhelm find themselves pursued by Corporate drones as they escape from the moon. The Mechanic has already died to save them -- and now it looks as though they may die also, with an explosive wall of fire drawing ever nearer.
On the battlefield, alien ships -- aliens were thought to be non-existent -- arrive, and Al T’Haran ships begin attacking the fleeing United fleet. Seems the supposedly victimized Al T’Haran government officials had long ago cut a deal with the corporation long ago -- a deal that would mean the death of their own people, but life (and a substantial sum of money) for the cowardly government leaders. Delaria, refusing her Al T’Haran heritage, flings her fighter at the lead Al T’Haran ship kamikaze-style, dying for the life of her friends.
And amidst all of this the moon explodes. The Corporation ships are destroyed, the United ones escape. Davies lives, as do those who went to the moon. But our story is far from over: there’s the matter of Lt. Johnson, who has also escaped, and the aliens -- who (what) exactly were they? And then, in a stunning scene, we realize that The CEO is still alive.
The United Fleets rush to stop the freighters that have apparently already left carrying the disease -- but they’re too late. Now they must find a cure: but where?
The answer is to infiltrate the Alien Empire. Intelligence has discovered its location by following raiding alien vessels. A mission is quickly arranged -- while Dawson’s good friend CMMDR. HUDSEN engages the enemy, Dawson, Davies and Dawson’s aide EXLER JOGGINS will infiltrate the empire and find a cure.
They quickly find what they’re looking for. In an ironic twist of fate, vials of the cure are being kept on Starbase One-One-Four, Davies’ former home. Unfortunately, with this knowledge intact, they are suddenly captured and brought before the Alien Emperor and his faithful servant, The CEO. However, they meet with a timely rescue by Hawk and Rex; the four of them high-tail it to Starbase One-One-Four before the CEO can lead his army there.
The man who defends the vital location is Lt. Robert Johnson. The two opposing forces engage in a violent battle, ending in the death of both Johnson and his friend Davies. Finally the USS is triumphant, however, and Dawson, grief-stricken at the death of his protege, takes the base. The alien fleet arrives and walks into the USS trap. Only The CEO escapes; he returns to the court of his emperor where he suddenly passes out, victim to his own creation, victim to Project Gemini. The disease has now passed into Alien hands, the evil race that had (through use of The Corporation) controlled the Union government, and the cure has passed into the hands of the USS -- now restored, under the leadership of General Dawson and the memory of Jack Davies, to its former glory.
(DREAM CAST)
CPL JACK DAVIES Liev Schrieber
LT ROBERT JOHNSON Vince Vaughn
GENERAL DAWSON Pete Postlethwaite
and THE CEO Kevin Spacey
LT DELARIA JONES Linda Hamilton
‘HAWK’ MACY Skeet Ulrich
WILHELM BOYD Robert Duncan MacNeil
EXLER JOGGINS Edward Norton
REXILLIAN GOEN Matt Damon
CMMDR HUDSEN James Rebhorn
DANIEL GRANT Ben Affleck
THE MECHANIC Dennis Franz
HAYDEN DOYLE Mark Hammil
CAPT HAROLD WILLIAMSON Matthew Fox
DR DAVID ROBBINS William Hurt
ADM COPLEY John Lithgow
ADM PELLEY Anthony Daniels
and THE PRESIDENT Sam Neill
January 1999 (Excerpt from original screenplay -- first act):
“GEMINI’S REDEMPTION”
D. M. Boudreau
SUPER OPENING TITLES ON BLACK SCREEN
Darkness: inpenetrateble, still, silent.
That silence is suddenly dispatched as an object, perhaps
a vehicle of some sort, flashes by. We PAN DOWN AND LEFT
to reveal a fantastical scene.
An unbroken layer of grey clouds is below us; the sky
above is black, with no moon and no stars and only a
small, distant sun. The clouds stretch off endlessly in
all directions, entirely unbroken except for what appears
to be an expansive, wondrous city constructed upon the
clouds in the distance. The object that passed us by, now
discernable as some sort of shuttlecraft, zooms off
towards that very city.
MOVING SHOT, as we follow the vessel towards the
metropolis. After only a few seconds, the shuttle reaches
the tall, Art Nouveau-styled towers; it snakes between
them and around them at high speeds, descending lower and
lower, closer and closer to the clouds.
Then it disappears into the whitish-grey soup of water
and ice crystals; we follow and are engulfed. Now the
ship’s downward pitch increases as it continues to cut a
zig-zag path through the city. Visibility is near nil and
buildings seemingly rush up out of nowhere, but the
shuttle smoothly avoids them.
And then we’re free, and the city’s earthly base is
revealed. It is, although rooted on ground, not cloud,
larger and more wondrous than originally expected. It is
a beehive of activity, with several layers of several
thousand shuttles moving at a regular pace through the
megalopolis. Far below, trees grow in grassy parks, most
of which are placed artificially on low rooftops and
walkways. As for the natural ground, no indication can be
seen.
Soon, the shuttlecraft levels and heads directly for a
particularly large building, near the edge of a wide
space devoid of towers of any noteworthy girth or height.
A large platform extends from the side of this building
to a point in the middle of, and just above, a major lane
(or level, more rightly) of traffic. The shuttle makes
for this platform, and slowly docks. A procession of
about twelve men disembark.
NEW ANGLE, FAVORING one of the men. He is of slightly-
higher than average height; strongly built but with a
face that shows lines caused from years of laughter. His
forty-odd-year-old face is, however, at this moment
entirely devoid of any sort of visual emotion.
ANOTHER ANGLE, this one from behind, as the man enters
the glass doors to the building -- large, golden letters
above them read, ‘Athenai Intersolar Spaceport’.
INT. ATHENAI INTERNATIONAL SPACEPORT -- LOBBY -- DAY
He strolls slowly through the grand 800th floor lobby of
the building. It is a tremndous space, three-hundred feet
high and covering an immense area. There are multiple
levels to the room, with swift-moving escalators and
elevators connecting them. Many parts of the ceiling are
glass, revealing a view of the clouds not far above, and
the walls on either side of the room are also glass, for
the most part. Countless doorways and adjoining halls
connect to the room, and there are many information
booths, benches, large plants, fountains, and even small
gardens throughout the area. Thousands of people busily
and determinedly make their way to some unknown location
with some unknown purpose. The man we follow settles on
resting on the first bench he comes to.
He looks to the younger man beside him, who was asleep on
the bench before he sat down there. Almost immediately
the sleeping man wakes; he sits up disorientedly,
battling the last vestiges of slumber. The older man
turns to him.
OLDER MAN
I don’t know how you can sleep in
here.
SLEEPING MAN
You’re eight hours late.
OLDER MAN
Yeah, I know. It’s a long story,
actually.
SLEEPING MAN
The ship is waiting for us.
OLDER MAN
I suspected as much.
SLEEPING MAN
It’s been here three hours now.
They’re getting impatient.
OLDER MAN
Perhaps we should board it, then. If
you’re through sleeping.
The younger man jumps up and grabs a calculator-like
device, only with a large screen and no buttons, and
passes it to the older man.
OLDER MAN
What’s this?
YOUNGER MAN
I don’t know. I was told to give it
to you. Files of some sort, I assume.
OLDER MAN
More paperwork.
(Beat)
All right. I supposse it’s time we
made history, doctor.
The younger man nods, and the two walk off together into
the central throng of people.
PULL BACK TO REVEAL...
INT. BARRACKS -- DIM
...that it is indeed unreal, a recording playing on a
round, grey surface that is raised slightly above a sleek
counter at one end of the typical military barracks of
the future. A young man with set jaw dressed in military
garb watches the holographic action unfold upon the two-
foot wide surface. He is so engrossed in what he is
watching that he fails to see the other man approaching
him from behind. This man extends his head to within
inches of the other man’s, and loudly speaks.
MAN
Davies!
The sitting man, CPL. JACK DAVIES, starts, then relaxes
when he sees that it is merely his friend and commander,
SGT. ROBERT JOHNSON.
DAVIES
Robert.
Johnson peers closely at the holographic display, which
now shows the interior of a large and rather luxurious
spacecraft.
JOHNSON
What’s that?
Davies allows his forefinger to lightly tap a button on
the seemingly sheer surface of the counter, switching the
hologram off.
DAVIES
Oh, it’s for my thesis.
JOHNSON
It looked pretty old. Low-resolution,
ten percent transparency holographic
projection. Must be at least...
DAVIES
It’s fifty-four years old.
JOHNSON
Oh? You doing your thesis on the
Gemini?
DAVIES
Yeah.
JOHNSON
I thought your major was
psychohistory?
DAVIES
Well, it is. My proposal’s about the
way things would have been if the
Gemini survived her maiden voyage.
JOHNSON
Oh. So what was that you were
watching?
DAVIES
Some observation films of the lives
of key players in the project. I was
just watching the arrival of Captain
Williamson.
JOHNOSN
Why?
DAVIES
Well, there were some very
interesting characters on that
ship...
Johnson shakes his head and sighs.
JOHNSON
Well, if you can pull yorself away
from your studies for a moment, me
and some of the other guys were going
to have a game of ship-tilting, if
you want to join us.
DAVIES
Not now. Thanks.
Johnson regards his friend for a moment, then walks away.
Davies stares unflinchingly at the holo-display, which
now shows text. Davies presses a number of buttons,
perusing the text, searching for something.
DAVIES
Damn it, where’d that go?
Davies selects one of the files displayed on-screen. The
holographic display suddenly seems to disappear; there is
a slight humming noise. Davies waits for a moment, his
patience wearing thing.
DAVIES (CONT’D)
Come on, come on...
Just as Davies is reaching over to shut off the display,
it flickers back to life with a jarring noise. Displayed
is what appears to be a conference, already in progress,
with many men sitting around a shiny, black, perfectly
round conference table in a large office. One of the men,
wearing a grey suit, speaks.
GREY MAN
Don’t you think it’s rather premature
to declare war?
He is quickly answered by another man, this one bald.
BALD MAN
We have to think of our own interests
here. We can’t hold them off much
longer. Already they’re developing a
defense, and once they have that, all
we’ve got is one big, expensive,
utterly useless weapon.
A third man, with blonde hair, speaks.
BLONDE MAN
My question is why we waited so long.
Fifty-four years ... Christ.
The grey man opens his mouth to speak, but is cut off by
a slim, balding man dressed all in black. He has, so far,
been paying no attention to the dialogue flying around
him, but has instead been reading a display on the table
in front of him.
SLIM MAN
Wait a minute...
The man in grey instantly shuts his mouth. All eyes turn
towards the slim man. There is a tense pause as he
presses some buttons on his display. After a moment, he
looks up. At that very second, there is another jarring
noise, and the image fizzles out. Davies sits for a
moment in stunned silence. Then an announcement is made
over the internal communications system.
INTERCOM (V.O.)
Flight group one-three-seven report
to simulator ... Flight group one-
three-seven to simulator.
Davies pulls himself out of his chair and leaves the
room.
INT. OUTER SIMULATION CHAMBER -- DIM
The outer simulation chamber is a long room which curves
slightly, as it wraps partway around a massive, spherical
chamber. Windows along one wall look into this central
space; the other wall is pierced by four or five
doorways. As for the rest of the room, it is sparsely
furnished, with a few comfortable-looking seats along one
wall, a long table along the same wall at the far end,
and a handful of computer terminals.
Jack Davies emerges from one of the room’s side entrances
to find three of his flight-mates already there, standing
in a small circle quietly talking. Sgt. Johnson stands
alone at one of the computer terminals.
Davies crosses the room towards his commander, brushing
past the others, picking up a piece of their dialogue
along the way.
WINGMAN #1
Why all this re-training all of a
sudden?
WINGMAN #2
I heard we’re about to go to war with
the Al-T’Har.
WINGMAN #3
Any day now...
Davies’ eyes, which have been following his wingmen as he
passed (a clear indication that he was listening),
suddenly dart forward again. He sets his jaw and strides
over to Johnson. He silently peers over Johnson’s
shoulder; Johnson turns, blocking the computer station’s
monitor.
JOHNSON
Jack, you know you’re not suppossed
to look at the full simulation
briefing until we’re in the
simulator.
Davies nods, allows his eyes to flit towards the blocked
monitor for a split second, his interest piqued, and then
speaks.
DAVIES
Why this all of a sudden?
JOHNSON
I don’t know. I guess they’re trying
to make sure we’re always ready.
DAVIES
But they didn’t do this this often
before ... did they?
JOHNSON
Well, no. And it’s kind of a pain in
the ass. I wasn’t even halfway to the
galley when I heard the announcement.
But, I guess they’ve got a reason for
it...
DAVIES
Do you think we might be going to
war?
JOHNSON
Probably not. That’s just a rumour.
There’re always lots of rumours
flying around this place.
(Looking past Davies)
Anyway, it looks like we’re all here.
We might as well begin.
Johnson reaches back and switches off the monitor, pats
Davies on the chest, secretly slipping a small piece of
paper into his breast pocket, and then shoulders past
him. Davies slowly reaches into his pocket and withdraws
the paper; he reads it silently to himself.
INT. JOHNSON’S COCKPIT -- SPACE
Johnson’s fighter flies between two of his wingmen’s own
vessels. The roar of their engines fills his cockpit.
JOHNSON
On my mark our vessels should be
making a calculated turn according to
flight plan to heading zero-niner-
four, ten degree inclination.
Johnson checks his flight plan to confirm this. He
silently counts down, then...
JOHNSON
Mark.
INT. SIMULATION CHAMBER -- BRIGHT
The simulation chamber is a massive, sphereical room,
empty save for eight huge spheres suspended in the air in
the room’s center. The spheres are each fitted with
complex hydraulics, and the walls of the room itself are
lined with sensors and projectors. A column runs through
the center of the space; the spheres are attached by
appendages to this.
The eight spheres immediately move in tandem.
INT. DAVIES’ COCKPIT
Davies’ fighter flies through simulated space with the
others in his formation. Johnson issues another command
over the comm system.
JOHNSON (VO)
All right. We’re approaching the jump-
gate. Coordinates are already locked
in.
Davies reaches down and presses a button on his terminal,
bringing up the GATE interface screen. A timer counts
down as Davies’s vessel appears to approach a large, gate-
like structure with sheer darkness inside.
JOHNSON (VO)
Prepare for jump.
INT. SIMULATION CHAMBER -- DIM
VARIOUS ANGLES as the spheres rotate into position again.
INT. JOHNSON’S COCKPIT
Johnson’s cockpit begins to shake, almost invisibly at
first but growing stronger and stronger, as he picks up
speed and moves towards the huge structure.
INT. SIMULATION CHAMBER -- DIM
The eight spheres shake in the center of the room, now
quite quickly.
VARIOUS ANGLES from inside the cockpits of each of the
flight members. The shaking is gradually becoming more
violent; the stars streak by faster and faster,
blueshifted. The gate has disappeared.
INT. DAN’S COCKPIT COCKPIT
Cpl. Daniel O’Shea is visibly on edge. He opens up
communications with Johnson.
DAN
What’s going on? Why haven’t we
jumped yet?
JOHNSON (VO)
I don’t know, Dan. Give it time.
The communications shut off. Dan is not comforted.
INT. DAVIES’ COCKPIT
Davies is no calmer than Dan. He is checking and double-
checking all of his instruments.
INT. SIMULATION CHAMBER -- DIM
The spheres are vibrating ever faster.
INT. WINGMAN #1’s COCKPIT
Wingman #1’s cockpit is shaking so violently he can’t get
a grip on his controls.
INT. WINGMAN #2’s COCKPIT
Wingman #2 is terrified, muttering to himself.
WINGMAN #2
Something’s wrong... Something’s
wrong... Something’s wrong...
His comm screen flickers on; he looks up to see Johnson’s
face upon it.
JOHNSON
I think something’s wrong. Don’t
worry, it’s probably just a minor
malfunction. Just hold tight.
INT. DAN’S COCKPIT
Dan is utterly terrified. He seems to be on the verge of
tears.
INT. DAVIES’ COCKPIT
Davies looks at the stars flying by his window.
DAVIES
Christ.
INT. VIEWING AREA -- DARK
A young ENSIGN, attracted by the flickering of lights,
runs across a darkened observation room. He comes up to a
row of large windows and looks out to see the spheres
vibrating in the simulation chamber. The lights in that
room flicker on and off; sparks fly.
INT. SIMULATION CHAMBER -- FLICKERING
The CAMERA moves forward into the simulation chamber as
the ensign turns to find a superior officer.
VARIOUS ANGLES of the spheres shaking so violently that
the hydraulics are beginning to give out. Then, with one
fnal burst of sparks, the lights go out in the room and
the spheres finally stop shaking -- except for one.
INT. DAVIES’ COCKPIT
The shaking has ceased and the stars outside have
completely disappeared, replaced by unbroken darkness.
Davies sighs as his monitor comes on. It’s Johnson.
INT. JOHNSON’S COCKPIT
Johnson’s brow is soaked with sweat.
JOHNSON
What the hell was that?
DAVIES (VO)
I don’t know. At least it’s over.
INT. DAN’S COCKPIT
Dan’s cockpit continues to shake. His voice quavers as he
speaks.
DAN
Wait, what do you mean, ‘over’? My
ship is still moving!
INT. JOHNSON’S COCKPIT
Johnson is alarmed by this news.
JOHNSON
Jesus. Try to end the program, Dan.
INT. DAN’S COCKPIT
Dan grits his teeth and grips his arm rests, knuckles
white.
DAN
I can’t end it! This thing can’t take
much more of this!
INT. JOHNSON’S COCKPIT
JOHNSON
Just hold on tight.
INT. DAN’S COCKPIT
DAN
I am holding on!!!
INT. SIMULATION CHAMBER -- DARK
Dan’s sphere is shaking too severly now. In a few
seconds, it will break away from the central column if
the quaking doesn’t subside. A cord connected to the
sphere breaks, showering sparks everywhere.
INT. DAN’S SPHERE -- DARK
Dan’s cockpit literally flickers away into non-existance,
with a short burst of colorful static before Dan finds
himself surrounded by darkness.
All that’s left is Dan in his chair, still shaking
violently. Dan looks up as his cockpit disappears with
fear in his eyes.
DAN
Oh, shit.
Suddenly, with a great jarring, everything tumbles upside-
down. Dan begins to scream.
INT. SIMULATION CHAMBER -- DARK
Dan’s sphere detatches from the central column and flies
through the air. It hits a side-wall of the chamber and
explodes into flame; the charred sphere then rolls down
the curved wall of the room and comes to a stop at its
very bottom, still burning. Silence descends.
INT. CONFERENCE ROOM SEVEN -- DARK
A huge room, almost entirely engulfed in darkness. One of
the room’s walls has a row of large windows set in it,
all looking out upon the uncomprehensable vastness of
space. Before these windows is a long, sleek table,
curving slightly inwards at each end; no less than
thirteen officials of the United Star Systems are seated
at this table, a dim lamp at each of their spots shedding
the only weak light in the room.
A door opens on the room’s opposite wall, allowing a
shaft of bright light to peep in. A secretary,
shilouetted against the light, allows Jack Davies to pass
through the doors, closing them after he enters the room.
Davies slowly crosses the room to a chair set before the
great table, the only other visible furnishing in the
room. A tall man at the center of the table, whose place
is raised slightly above the others, stands and speaks,
his voice echoing in the cavernous space. His name is
Admiral Hiram Pelley.
PELLEY
State your name, rank, division and
security code for the record, please.
DAVIES
John Lyell Davies, Corporal, flight
group one-three-seven, security code
number one-one-four-seven-three-four-
eight-one-point-one-six. Sir.
Admiral Pelley sits down again, and calls up a file on
his table-monitor.
PELLEY
Corporal Davies, do you know why
you’re here?
DAVIES
I suppose it has something to do with
the incident in the simulation
chamber.
PELLEY
That’s correct, Corporal Davies. It
has come to our attention that
Corporal Daniel O’Shea of flight
group one-three-seven, deceased, was
at the time of the incident utilising
the simulator cockpit registered to
you, Corporal Davies. Is this
information correct?
There is a short pause. Then--
DAVIES
Yes.
PELLEY
You can understand, I am sure, that
it would appear suspicious: the fact
that Corporal O’Shea would die while
in a simulator cockpit you were
suppossed to be using.
DAVIES
Yes.
PELLEY
So you can understand why we would
ask the question, why was Corporal
O’Shea using your simulator cockpit?
DAVIES
He asked me. Just before the
simulation started. He asked me if he
could use my simulator.
PELLEY
And you said?
DAVIES
Well, yes.
PELLEY
Why?
DAVIES
Because -- well, I saw no reason not
to.
PELLEY
Did Corporal O’Shea outrank you?
DAVIES
No. Same rank, sir. He had seniority.
PELLEY
Who is your commanding officer, then?
DAVIES
Sergeant Robert Johnson, sir.
PELLEY
Did you tell him you were changing
simulator cockpits?
Another pause.
DAVIES
No.
PELLEY
Why not?
DAVIES
Because--
(Beat)
Because I didn’t think it would be
that important. Not really.
PELLEY
It would appear, in retrospect, to be
a matter of utmost importance, would
it not?
DAVIES
Yes.
There is a long, tense silence, eventually broken again
by Admiral Pelley.
PELLEY
You are dismissed, Corporal.
Davies sits unresponsively for a moment, then quickly
rises and begins away at a brisk pace. One of the
officials at the far end of the table, an aging fellow
called ADMIRAL COPLEY, calls to him.
COPLEY
Davies!
Jack halts and turns to his superior.
DAVIES
Yes?
COPLEY
I’d like to see you in my office.
Five hous from now.
Davies nods, turns, and walks out.
INT. CORRIDOR -- BRIGHT
Davies turns a corner in a corridor, walking quickly,
determinedly, perhaps even angrily. He bumps immdeiately
into Sgt. Johnson.
JOHNSON
Whoah, Jack! Survive the firing
squad?
Jack Davies is not in a joking mood. He pushes Johnson
into the wall, his arm across his commander’s throat, his
voice fierce but controlled.
DAVIES
You knew. You goddamn bastard, you
knew.
JOHNSON
Knew what?
DAVIES
You knew he was gonna die.
JOHNSON
What the hell are you talking about?
Davies withdraws the scrap of paper Johnson had secretly
given him before, shows it again to his friend. Upon it
is scrawled ‘Don’t go in your cockpit.’
DAVIES
This.
JOHNSON
I didn’t know what it meant. I just
gave it to you.
DAVIES
What do you mean you didn’t know what
it meant?
JOHNSON
I didn’t know he was gonna die.
DAVIES
So, what, you didn’t write it?
JOHNSON
No! It was given to me!
DAVIES
And what about Dan? Did you give him
one too? Was he supposed to die? Or
was I?
JOHNSON
No, no, I didn’t give one to Daniel.
I just -- I just had the one, for
you.
DAVIES
Who gave it to you? Who wanted to
save my life? Or end it?
JOHNSON
I don’t -- I don’t know...
A moment passes, and then Davies lets go of his wingman,
who instantly begins massaging his throat.
DAVIES
I lied for you in there, Robert. I
didn’t tell them about the note. But
no more. You hear that? I’m not
goddamn picking up for you anymore!
Davies throws the scrap of paper at Johnson’s feet, then
turns and walks away.
INT. COPLEY’S OFFICE -- DIM
Admiral Copley sits at his sleek, black desk in his
expansive, and darkly empty, office, a view of the stars
at his back. An opened bottle of Scotch on a tray lays
upon the table; a small shot glass is to his lips as he
drinks the warm liquid. There is suddenly a light beep
followed by the sound of his SECERATARY’s voice.
SECERATARY (VO)
Sir, General Dawson is requesting a
personal communications uplink with
you. What shall I tell him?
Copley quickly places the shot glass on the tray and
hides it under his desk. He wipes his mouth with his
sleeve and then answers.
COPLEY
Uh, patch him through, okay?
There’s another series of beeps, and then the life-sized
holographic image of GENERAL DAWSON appears on the floor
in front of Admiral Copley.
COPLEY
Ah, Dawson, my good fellow, how goes
the battle?
In contrast to the voice of Copley, which is slightly
slurred by Scotch, General Dawson replies curtly with
great articulation.
DAWSON
Well, the battle has yet to begin,
Admiral, but it will soon, I hear. I
suppose that’s why I’m here.
COPLEY
Oh, then are you our backup, eh? Your
whole fleet?
DAWSON
One of my fleets.
COPLEY
One of your fleets? Quite a lot of
power for a general, correct? I used
to command a few fleets myself,
before I was confined to this
godforsaken desk job, watching over
this godforsaken station in this
godforsaken corner of the galaxy.
It’s modern, yes, but so far from the
real action. Or at least it was. But
I suppose we’ll soon be right in the
thick of it, won’t we?
DAWSON
You will, at the very least. I plan
on returning to Starbase One-Eleven
in a few days, and leaving control of
my men in your capable hands.
COPLEY
Well, that’s debatable, I’m sure some
would say. My hands being capable,
that is. But I must say I’m
disappointed to hear that you won’t
be staying long. I guess we’ll have
to make a good time of it while you
are here. When will you be here, now
that I think of it?
DAWSON
We are here now. We should be docking
in a few moments, with your
permission.
Copley looks over his shoulder to see, indeed, a large
fleet of capital ships slowly approaching his station.
COPLEY
Yes, yes, of course. I’ll be down
there to greet you personally, as
soon as I clear up a little business
of my own up here. All well and good,
general?
DAWSON
Quite excellent, sir. I will see you
then.
Copley nods, and the holographic image of Dawson
disappears. Copley reaches down and withdraws a full
shotglass from beneath his desk; he downs the drink and
replaces the glass.
COPLEY
Damn.
INT. COMMUNICATIONS ROOM -- DAWSON’S FLAGSHIP --BRIGHT
General Dawson steps off of the holopad. The room behind
him is large and crowded, a flurry of activity. Dawson
turns to one of his aides, a young, charismatic man named
EXLER JOGGINS.
DAWSON
Your impressions, ensign?
JOGGINS
He’s an incompenent drunkard long
past his prime. I can’t see why
they’d give him control of a station,
even one so far out...
DAWSON
Perhaps.
INT. COPLEY’S OFFICE -- DIM
Copley is shuffling towards the door of his office, a
stack of papers haphazardly held under one arm, when the
familiar beep and equally familiar voice of his
seceratary wafts through the room. Copley drops some of
his papers, moans, and looks up.
SECERATARY (VO)
Sir?
COPLEY
What, Mona?
MONA (VO)
There’s a young corporal here to see
you named Davies.
Copley thinks to himself, quietly repeating the name
several times to himself, then snapping his fingers. He
turns to move back towards his desk, then remembers the
dropped papers, sighs again, and bends over to pick them
up.
COPLEY
Give me a moment, Mona, okay? Then
send him in.
A series of beeps signaling Mona’s sign-off. Copley drops
all of his papers on the floor, sighs again.
COPLEY
Damn.
INT. COPLEY’S OFFICE -- MOMENTS LATER
Copley motions the young man standing before him towards
a chair.
COPLEY
Have a seat, Corporal--
(Stammering)
Corporal -- Davies.
(He repeats the name quietly to
himself)
Davies...
Jack Davies sits down, looking towards the Admiral
expectantly. There is a moment of silence as both men
look towards each other. Just as Davies moves to say
something, Copley sits back in his chair and begins to
speak.
COPLEY
Well, Corporal Davies, I have called
you here for a reason. I believe you.
What you told us, anyway. I’m sure
that Corporal O’Shea did approach you
to change sims.
There is a pause. Copley seems to be waiting for a
response, so Davies gives him one.
DAVIES
Why -- why is that?
COPLEY
Because of this.
Copley smiles and, with a flourish reveals a scrap of
paper, similar to the one Davies had. It reads: ‘Go in
Davies’ cockpit.’ In the same scrawled handwriting that
marred the slip Johnson gave Davies.
COPLEY (CONT’D)
This was found on Daniel O’Shea’s
person at the scene of his
unfortunate accident. I’m wondering
if you might have seen one similar to
this, or maybe had one of your own?
Perhaps you could even tell me who
might have given this note to
Corporal O’Shea?
Davies examines the note for a moment, turns it over,
weighs it in his hand, then passes it back to Copley.
DAVIES
No. I’ve never seen anything like
this.
Copley gives Davies an odd look; shrewed and suspicious
and certainly appraising.
COPLEY
Are you sure?
Davies nods. Copley continues to look at him in his odd
way for a moment, then turns his gaze elsewhere.
COPLEY
Well, then, I suppose this has been
simply a waste of your time, and
mine. That’s all right. I’ve got more
than enough time to waste these days,
it seems.
Copley stands and begins to walk away; Davies follows him
with his eyes. After a moment the old Admiral turns back.
COPLEY
You are dismissed. And if you, ah,
decide to remember anything -- well,
you can tell me.
Davies nods.
COPLEY (CONT’D)
Any sort of remembrance may lead, of
course, to certian rewards: a medal
or perhaps promotion, something of
the like. With the provision that you
keep this and all other matters of
similar importance under wraps, okay?
Davies nods again, stands, salutes, and leaves the
office. Copley watches him go, that assaying visage once
again crossing his face.
INT. BARRACKS -- DIM
Davies lays on his bed, holding a DataPADD in front of
him. He is not reading it, however. He sighs, turns over,
places the PADD on a table beside the bed and stares into
nothing for a moment. He closes his eyes. Then, suddenly,
he loudly exhalesa and springs up from the bed --
obviously restless. He looks around for a moment, and
back at the DataPADD. Finally he strides over to the
holographic display in the rear corner of the room and
sits down. He places his right hand upon a black pad,
there is a beeping noise, and a three-dimensional message
pops up in front of him: ‘You have mail. View now?’
Davies sighs, reaches out and touches the floating word,
‘yes’, and settles back into his seat.
An envelope appears before him, the words, ‘From THE
GUARDIAN’ written in bold on the front of it. The
envelope opens and a holographic video seemingly flies
out of it, enveloping the viewing area. The video is set
into motion.
ON THE HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAY:
INT. CORRIDOR -- USS GEMINI -- BRIGHT
A wall. The display shows a wall, a simple wall; no
ornamentation, no decoration, no activity of any kind.
Just a shining, metallic wall.
There is also a sound -- a low rumbling, a vibration.
Then another sound, this one louder, more distinct: the
boom of a heavy door closing, or a large object slowly
colliding with another. The rumbling disappears and is
replaced by a muffled, high-pitched sound. A small spot
on the wall grows red. This spot extends into a line
which moves right, the down, then left, then back up to
its starting position, forming a perfect rectangle. Then
the reddish, glowing line reaches its starting point and
the rectangle of wall falls away and the muffled high-
pitched sound becomes a scream. Four men in bio-suits
carrying what look to be blowtorches jump down into the
hall and move aside as dozens of troops pour out of the
whole in the wall.
NEW ANGLE, this from the side, showing more holes further
down the slightly-curved hall with more white-suited
troops leaping out of them.
VARIOUS ANGLES of the soldiers entreing through hundreds
of similar holes. Finally, they stop. They set up a
defensive position just as a young couple turns around a
bend in the corridor, chattering and laughing. When they
see the stragne soldiers they stop dead in their tracks.
They stare at the soldiers for a moment; the soldiers
stare back at them. Finally, the young man whispers to
the woman and they slowly turn around to walk away. They
are promptly shot and killed by the lead soldier. He
jumps up and motions to his underlings.
LEAD SOLDIER
Come on, let’s go!
They jog past him down the hall.
A SERIES OF ANGLES as chaos ensues. Thousands of soldiers
march through the halls, shooting all who stand in their
way, or those who are caught in the cross-fire.
WATCHING THE ACTION, Davies is horrified. His eyes are
wide.
ON-SCREEN the action unfolds. Now a soldier speaks, his
voice amplified, as he walks through a hallway that has
become a warzone.
SOLDIER
Crew of the United Systems Ship
Gemini, stand down!
IN ANOTHER CORRIDOR, a group of crewmen are being led at
gun-point by two of the soldiers in bio-suits. They pass
by other soldiers dragging screaming crewmen along the
halls, and dropping mangled bodies into large sacs, which
immediately seal themselves with a loud hiss. Scientists
scrape corridor walls and collect samples from the
uniforms of dead crewmates.
THE CENTRAL CORRIDOR is a beehive of activity. The grand,
five-storey room, whose ceiling is a huge skylight
looking out into space, now resembles a war zone. Tables
are overturned, bodies litter the floor, the walls are
scorched. White-suited soldiers are in a firefight with
defendors of the ship they are invading on the floor as
people tumble from balconies above.
Suddenly everything stops. The white suited soldiers
leave. The scientists re-board the shuttles. The
survivors watch silently as they are once again and very
suddenly left alone, without word or explaination as to
what just happened.
IN THE CORRIDORS there is a sudden loss of air pressure
as the invading starship breaks away; papers and bodies
and everything else littering the floors flies out
through the recently-created holes into the vacuum of
space. As the boarding vessel pulls away, it can be
discerned to be actually a small shuttle, one of hundreds
that attatched themselves to the hull of the boarded one.
As it moves farther into the distance, more shuttles can
be seen following it from various attatchment points.
Beyond is an incomprehensibly large ship; the shuttles
seem to be heading towards it. As they draw near, a
small, brightly-shining orb leaves the larger ship and
flies towards us. It nears and passes out of sight to the
left. Then there is a jarring explosion, and the image
flickers off.
JACK DAVIES WATCHES, stunned. Suddenly a computer-
generated replay appears before him: a massive starship,
a smaller one some distance away, and hundreds of tiny
shuttles flying towards the larger one. The orb,
highlighted, suddenly shoots out of the large ship and
approaches the smaller one. The image of the smaller ship
grows larger, showing it in more detail, as the orb slams
into it. The ship breaks apart and explodes, all in slow
motion, until there is nothing left but text: ‘DETERMINED
CAUSE OF DESTRUCTION [USS GEMINI - CASE 1078-1-273-6.0B]:
IMPACT OF ORB-SHIELD CONCUSSION BOMB; CLASS BARQ/108-3.
CLASSIFICATION OF DETAILED WEAPON: UNITED STAR SYSTEMS
MILITARY/SPACE FLEET ISSUE. SPECIFIC ORIGIN: TORPEDO
SHOOT 17A, UNITED SYSTEMS SHIP GLORY.’
Davies reads the last few words with a sinking feeling in
the pit of his stomach. The words on-screen suddenly
disappear, replaced by a large, revolving ‘United Star
Systems’ logo. There is a crackling noise and the screen
disappears. Davies curses and tries to bring the screen
back up, but he is once again interrupted. There is a
loud beeping noise and davies swings around in time to
see a man leaving his barracks. Davies jumps up.
DAVIES
Wait!
But the man is already gone. Davies runs out into the
corridor and sees the man ducking around a corner further
down the hall. He seems to consider giving chase, but
quickly thinks better of it. He re-enters his barracks,
the door silently closing behind him, to see a piece of
paper dropped on the floor. He bends over and picks it
up. It reads: ‘Above hangar 14 in three hours.’ Davies
looks up and stuffs the paper into his pocket.
INT. HANGAR FOURTEEN -- BRIGHT
Far below, on the floor of the massive and near-empty
hangar, a batallion of troops practices drill, their
sergeant’s commands echoing throughout the cavernous
space.
PULL BACK to reveal Jack Davies crouching at the edge of
balcony two-hundred feet above them, silently watching.
He hears a soft sound behind him, and simultaneously
stands and turns around. A tall man engulfed in shadow
stands on the catwalk facing him. After a moment, the man
speaks.
MAN
Come out of the shadows so that I can see your face.
Davies follows the man’s orders, and steps forward. The
man recedes into a more brightly-lit area at the edge of
the large hangar. Davies now sees the man’s face clearly;
he immediately salutes.
DAVIES
General.
DAWSON
There is no need for formality, Corporal.
DAVIES
Yes, sir.
There is a moment of silence. Then Dawson speaks again.
DAWSON
Your life is in danger, corporal. That is why I have
summonned you here.
DAVIES
Then it was you that summonned me?
DAWSON
(Ignoring Davies)
You have seen something which is upsetting many important
people. They want you dead. Already one attempt has been
made on your life.
DAVIES
The simulator?
DAWSON
Yes. They have failed the first time, and that is being
investigated as we speak. I’m am not certain why you have
been spared for so long. But you cannot hope that it will
be spared much longer.
DAVIES
Who’s ‘they’? Why do they want to kill me? What have I
seen?
DAWSON
‘They’ are the United Fleets, the government, the
Corporation, you name it. They want to kill you because
of what you have seen. As to exactly what that was: I’m
not certain. I believe you may be able to better answer
that than I.
DAVIES
So what should I do? Keep whatever I know or see to
myself?
DAWSON
No, no, you can’t do that!
DAVIES
So you want me to expose them.
DAWSON
They’ll kill you if you do.
Davies is frustrated, impatient.
DAVIES
So what do you want me to do?
DAWSON
I want you to some with me. Transfer to my fleet. I can
protect you there -- and what you know.
DAVIES
What do I know?
DAWSON
The truth.
DAVIES
(Skeptically)
The truth.
DAWSON
Not all of it, of course. But enough to warrant their
interest -- and mine.
Davies considers all that he’s been told before
answering.
DAVIES
So, what, you just want me to leave everything and go
with you?
DAWSON
I will give you time to decide, and will not pressure you
one way or the other. But be warned -- wait too long and
it may already be too late.
DAVIES
I might die.
DAWSON
Yes.
DAVIES
Sounds like you’re pressuring me, general.
DAWSON
I was merely stating a fact.
DAVIES
A fact.
DAWSON
The offer stands.
With that, the general turns and leaves Jack Davies alone
with his thoughts.
EXT. ATHENAI -- DAY
Athenai seems relatively unchanged fifty-four years after
we first visited it. The vehicles flying along the
corridors of buildings are perhaps sleeker, faster; some
buildings are taller, but for the most part it is
unmodified.
A black transport shuttle flies towards a tall tower in
the center of the city. This shuttle is marked with a
grey three-pronged logo, under which reads ‘THE
CORPORATION.’ In fact, many holographic billboards and
signs, not to mention buildings and shuttles, are
emblazoned with similar logos.
The vehicle lands on a docking platform at the tower’s
peak. It is, indeed, the highest building in Athenai,
dwarfing all of those around it -- it’s top stands an
amazing 30 000 feet above what appears to be the ground.
INT. HALLS -- BRIGHT
A procession of stolid guards uniformed in black cap-a-
pie, their only mark of identification a small, grey
corporation logo over their left breast, emerges from a
set of doors leading to the landing area. They march
through brightly-lit halls and offices, many soldiers
departing their ranks to assume defensive positions. Near
the rear of the ranks is a shorter, balding man,
impeccably dressed, with a set face and a keen eye. He is
one of the men that Davies saw in a broken transmission
of a secret conference.
He makes every attempt to stare forward, but cannot help
but skirt his gaze to the right as the dark company moves
alongside a row of wide windows looking out over the city
thousands of feet below. Then they arrive at a set of
doors; the well-dressed man steps into them.
INT. GRAND OFFICE -- BRIGHT
He finds himself inside the Grand Office of the President
of the United Star Systems. It is similar to Admiral
Copley’s office in size and dimension, and, like the
admiral’s workspace, has a set of grand windows at the
rear. Unlike Copley’s office, the Grand Office is bright
and splendid; the floor is an intricate mosaic of the
official symbol of the USS, the walls have a real oak
base; marble pillars line the two sides of the room. The
windows show a breath-taking view of the city below.
The well-dressed man, who sports the symbol of The
Corporation and, indeed, the title of THE CEO, crosses
the room to the desk of the President. THE PRESIDENT is a
man of medium height and build, sporting dirty blonde
hair parted on one side. He is a very ordinary-looking
man, in contrast to the splendor surrounding him. His
desk is of a beautiful oak design; atop it is nothing
save for a small card with his title -- ‘THE PRESIDENT’ -
- neatly but simply written upon it.
The President looks eager, unlike the methodically calm
man now seated before him.
THE PRESIDENT
(Indicating his office)
Do you like it?
THE CEO
Very nice. Not unlike Admiral
Copley’s office, but of a much nicer
design.
THE PRESIDENT
Copley, eh? Does he have a larger
office than I?
THE CEO
Roughly the same size. Why?
The President presses a button on his desk, bringing up a
screen in the wood’s surface. The visage of his
secretary, GLORIA, appears upon it.
THE PRESIDENT
Glo, have them knock out a few walls
here if you can. I need my breathing
space.
On-screen, his secretary nods. The President turns off
the monitor and smiles broadly at the man seated before
him; then he stands and walks light-heartedly over to the
window.
THE PRESIDENT
Hell of a view, isn’t it?
THE CEO
With all due respect, Mr. President,
we have a slight situation on our
hands.
THE PRESIDENT
(Turning)
You mean that pilot from the edge of
the empire? What does he know,
anyway?
THE CEO
Enough.
THE PRESIDENT
Always so pessimistic. And ambiguous.
You know I hate that. Plain and
honest is what I am, and what I’ll
always be. That’s how I got this
seat, and this desk, and, hell, the
whole damned office.
THE CEO
Sir. Please. We are about to go to
war, and what this boy knows could
mean the ruin of the project.
The President becomes suddenly serious; he returns to his
desk, leaning towards The CEO and lowering his voice.
THE PRESIDENT
What do you think we should do about
it?
THE CEO
I think -- I think we should wait. We
should handle this situation before
moving ahead with the plan.
THE PRESIDENT
The plan, the project, I don’t really
know anything about it.
THE CEO
You will.
THE PRESIDENT
(Leaning back)
So, what exactly can I do for you?
THE CEO
I would like to have your support to
use whatever means necessary to quell
any rebellion that may form.
THE PRESIDENT
Do you think a rebellion will form?
THE CEO
It is a possibility.
The president considers this for a moment. Finally he
pushes himself away from his desk, stands, and returns to
the window.
THE PRESIDENT
Very well, you have my full support.
THE CEO
Thank you.
The CEO stands, turns, and walks away; The President does
not watch him leave. As The CEO passes one of his aides,
he makes a quiet aside.
THE CEO
Sometimes I let him think he’s
actually in control of his nation.
After The CEO is gone, the President turns to a nearby
ADVISOR who has silently observed the entire
conversation.
THE PRESIDENT
Well, I think I handled that very
well.
MAIN MENU
4/12/2003 4:16:30 PM
(Updated: 4/12/2003 6:17:24 PM)
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