TRIUMVIRATE SE Deleted Scene 4
By The Host
This is an alternate version of the briefing. It’s quite a
bit longer, and it adds a small vignette in which Johnson
and Steve talk about Jack’s relationship with the Admiral.
The last part reveals a bit of Steve’s character, but isn’t
vital, and interrupts the flow of the scene. The briefing
itself is quite a bit too long, and so I cut out about half
of it in the new version. Especially with Dawson’s added
address to the people in the new version, I had to speed up
the drive toward the finish.
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.
SCENE ACCESS
MAIN MENU
4/12/2003 3:23:39 AM
(Updated: 4/12/2003 6:10:25 PM)
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