TRIUMVIRATE SE Chapter Eighteen
By The Host
EXT. UNDERGROUND CITY
The towers of the Underground City sparkle like diamonds
placed in the yawning cavern.
INT. GAULEIUS BASE –- QUARTERS
Steve lounges on a couch in quarters reading quietly from a
monitor. Willem busies himself in the kitchen. Macy enters
from the hall holding a monitor with him; Steve rolls over
to see what it is.
MACY
Just got our orders, guys.
Steve flips himself over the couch, flopping onto the floor.
Willem turns around, watching intently, as Steve scrambles
to his feet and grabs the monitor from Macy’s hands. He
pores over it.
MACY (CONT’D)
Good news. They’re not breaking us
up.
Willem is incredulous.
WILLEM
But that’s crazy! We can’t have a
unit with four men.
STEVE
(Reading from the screen)
Five.
WILLEM
Four.
MACY
Five.
WILLEM
Five?
MACY
We’ve got a new wingmate coming
in. Should be here any minute.
Transferred from One One Four,
Jack’s alma mater. Wait a minute,
where is Jack?
Willem smirks, rolls his eyes.
WILLEM
Out for another stroll with the
Admiral.
INT. GALLERY
Jack Davies strolls with the Admiral along a curving glass-
walled gallery hanging from the roof of the great cavern.
The city sprawls out below them; CITIZENS AND SOLDIERS
shuffle past – many, as usual, taking a moment to greet
Dawson.
DAVIES
Then what’s your first move?
DAWSON
We’re making strikes at Corporate
outposts across the known galaxy
as we speak. But those are mere
pot-shots, storms in teacups.
We’re placing our first pieces.
Then we move for endgame.
DAVIES
Which is?
DAWSON
Magnapolis, probably.
DAVIES
The city?
DAWSON
It’s also The Corporation’s
primary manufacturing base. There
they’ve built their terrible
weapon, their great disease, in
the roots of our nation’s capital.
There, I suspect, we shall strike,
and soon.
DAVIES
But so many civilians could die...
DAWSON
So many more will die if we do
nothing. But now it’s too early to
say what the future may bring,
what choices we will have to make,
and what sacrifices. As long as
our ends remain clear and
sacrosanct – unsullied by whatever
means we should have to employ –
all will be well.
An ATTENDANT runs up to the two men, breathless. He salutes
Dawson, who salutes back.
ATTENDANT
Admiral, sir, you have an urgent
communication waiting.
Dawson nods and turns to Davies.
DAWSON
I’m called for, Jack. I suppose I
won’t be seeing much of you in the
coming weeks. That’s all right. I
suspect you might soon meet an old
friend.
DAVIES
Who?
DAWSON
You’d best retire to quarters,
Jack. Get some rest.
Dawson disappears into a side door, following the attendant.
Davies thinks a moment, then turns and moves back the way he
came.
INT. QUARTERS – MOMENTS LATER
Steve, Macy, and Willem sit together talking to none other
than Robert Johnson when Davies enters the room. Johnson
stands, beaming.
ROBERT
Jack!
Jack pauses a moment just inside the doorway.
DAVIES
Robert.
He steps forward. Robert stretches out his hand and grabs
Jack’s. Jack forced a smile; they embrace.
AUTOR'S COMMENTARY:
Not much to say. Some basic exposition – just a bit more as
the film rushes head-long toward the action-packed final
act. The others seem to have a bit more respect for Macy
now. Davies and Dawson are still friends. I decided upon
editing this, however, to make Jack and Johnson’s reunion a
little more cold. Davies is kind of bitter about their
parting still. I think he blames Robert for not coming with
him and, therefore, for his being largely friendless and
alone for the first while at Gaulieus. By now Davies has
moved on. He’s finally finding favor among his peers, for
which he’s long hoped. He’s in with the Admiral. He’s doing
the right thing. Here comes Johnson, a ghost from his past:
I think Jack is afraid that Johnson might upset the balance
and threaten his new friendships. It’s also more difficult
to feel morally superior to Johnson now that they’re
fighting on the same side.
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4/11/2003 10:22:02 PM
(Updated: 4/12/2003 5:45:20 PM)
(Updated: 4/12/2003 5:47:16 PM)
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