EPISODE TWO
“Just this side of eternity”
By
Stephen J. Fennell
DAVE
(V.O.)
Previously on Crossings.
A SELECTION of scenes from EPISODE ONE “CROSSOVER”. They RECAP the STORY. THEY END with the MCC FLYING through the INCURSION.
DAVE
(V.O.)
And now the conclusion.
1. INT. INCURSION FACILITY/MCC DRYDOCK. DAY
MR. BROWNING is sitting in HIS CAR with his DRIVER. STAR CHAMBER PERSONNEL are GUARDING THEM. An HONOUR GUARD is STANDING in TWO RANKS facing each other.
A LARGE LORRY DRIVES DOWN THE LONG TUNNEL TOWARDS THE FACILITY
The BACK of THE LORRY OPENS UP.
AIRD and WAYSELL step out of it.
AIRD is DRESSED IN A WAY GENERAL PATTON MIGHT HAVE DRESSED.
AIRD has BROUGHT A BUGLER WITH HIM.
THE BUGLER starts to PLAY A MILITARY TUNE.
The CAMERA TRAVELS with him as HE WALKS through the HONOUR GUARD towards BROWNINGS CAR.
THE STAR CHAMBER SERGEANT salutes AIRD.
AIRD
At ease, Sergeant.
Report. I trust we are operational control of the facility and the renegades have been subdued?
SERGEANT
Facility is under our operational control.
AIRD
Excellent, Sergeant, you’ve done very well.
I see a shiny commendation in your future.
SERGEANT
However, I have to report that the MCC escaped into the incursion.
AIRD
What!
SERGEANT
We were unable to apprehend them. They knew we were coming.
We were also waylaid.
Two STAR CHAMBER SOLDIERS DRAG BROWNING and his DRIVER out of the CAR.
BROWNING
I’m sorry, Bertie did I spoil your fun?
AIRD
A minor setback. With a pleasant benefit. I will finally be able to remove you from your position. And then bring your pathetic team back from the incursion.
BROWNING
And on what grounds are you going to have me removed?
AIRD
Interfering with an authorised Star Chamber operation. Facilitating the escape of fugitives wanted by the Oversight Committee.
You shouldn’t be here.
Because you are. You’ve put yourself in an impossible situation.
BROWNING
I was doing my job and acting within the confines of it.
I was meant to be here.
And I also happen to have checked the wording of the ruling from the Oversight Committee.
It makes interesting reading
My team aren’t classed as fugitives to begin with.
Your mandate was simply to halt the launch and take temporary control of this facility until the Oversight Committee could make a final determination on the Bifrost Project’s behaviour of the previous two years.
The ruling also questions your behaviour during this period as well as the behaviour of your little lap dog.
I wonder what they’d say when they’d find out that the units on the ground were authorised to use lethal force in taking this facility.
Eh? Bertie.
AIRD
I’m sure they’d be understanding.
BROWNING
I see.
Understanding? I don’t think you understand the situation.
I know you think that whatever it is you have on certain members of the committee makes you Teflon coated when it comes to your position.
But if I start digging into your actions, I guarantee you won’t be able to get a military position helping children cross the road.
Do you understand me?
I find out you’ve been trying to influence a committee finding again. I will find so much dirt in your past and bury you down so deep they’ll need a mineshaft to find the remains of your career.
AIRD
And I don’t think you fully appreciate just how understanding they can be.
BROWNING
Moscow, 1992.
I wonder how understanding they would be if I revealed just what you were doing in the ruins of Soviet Russia.
Or what about in the Balkans in the mid 90s. There are some things that stink so badly that once they’re out in the light there’s no way you can put them back in the box.
Now matter what you have on anyone else.
Now get your dog and pony show out of my facility.
And trust me, if there is anything suspicious about a ruling that comes down from the committee. I will so much as a whiff of inpropriety. The whole world will know your history.
Now, run along Bertie and take Weasel with you.
AIRD LUNGES at BROWNING. HAS to be RESTRAINED by WAYSELL.
WAYSELL drags him back towards the truck.
WAYSELL
Leave it, sir. Its not worth it.
AIRD
I’ll have his job Waysell.
I’ll have his head on a platter.
He will rue the day he crossed me.
WAYSELL
Well, you might have to wait a while if he really does have dirt on you.
Lets get back and petition the committee to let us go after them.
AIRD
You’re right.
Of course.
(shouting)
This isn’t over Browning.
You haven’t seen the last of me.
He GETS in the TRUCK. THE TRUCK MOVES OFF. The HONOUR GUARD and the UNIT GUARDING THEM MARCH after it.
DRIVER
What do you reckon?
BROWNING
I’ve brought them some time.
Who knows how long.
DRIVER
Are they going to be okay?
BROWNING
I hope so.
But whatever happens.
They’re on their own now.
Just them and their wits.
OPENING CREDITS.
OLD SCHOOL STYLE CREDITS.
NONE of this TITLE CARD and then CREDITS OVER THE ACTION RUBBISH.
SCENES FROM THE SERIES with the EACH MEMBER OF THE MAIN CAST FACE APPEARING with THEIR NAME.
THE FINAL SHOT OF THE CREDITS IS THE MCC DISAPPEARING INTO THE INCURSION.
2. INT. MOBILE COMMAND CENTRE CONTROL ROOM. DAY.
BLACK AND WHITE SHOT.
THE CONTROL ROOM APPEARS FROZEN IN TIME.
SUDDENLY the SHOT turns to a COLOUR ONE.
EVERYONE is THROWN FORWARD.
HOTSHOT
(radio distorted)
That’s it we’re nearly through.
5 minutes till we arrive in Arcadia.
As JENSEN asks the STATUS of each OFFICER, the CAMERA CUTS to where they are in the MCC and then BACK AGAIN. DURING the QUICK CUTS JENSEN IS HEARD ON THE RADIO or COM-UNIT.
JENSEN
Okay
Tinkerbell, get down to the fighter bay.
I’m going to need your eyes in the sky.
Dave, what’s your status?
QUICK CUT: DAVE and CHERNENKO with the COMMANDOS in the HANGAR BAY GEARING UP.
DAVE
I’m with Chernenko and his commandos.
We’re ready to deploy the moment we land.
CUT BACK
JENSEN
Cal, I want you to get down there and be ready to go in straight after they’ve got the initial area secured.
MURRAY
Aye, sir.
JENSEN
And take boy genius with you.
We’ll need signals up straight away.
CASPAR can be heard RETCHING.
JENSEN
And a stop past the infirmary on your way would probably be a good idea.
MURRAY
You think so?!
Come on, Caspar.
CASPAR
I tried to keep it in, but the ideas kept on falling out.
Coming up like memories, nostalgia overcoming.
I like pie.
MURRAY
Yeah, I‘m sure you‘ve got some very deep philosophical points to make. But shall we go see Doc Kelley first? The disorientation will wear off soon.
HE drags CASPAR out the DOOR.
We hear the SOUND of retching again.
MURRAY
(Out of shot)
I can’t believe you!
JENSEN
Lets have maintenance up here and get this mess cleaned up.
Hotshot, I need to know what we’re up against can you see anything beyond the incursion termination?
QUICK CUT: HOTSHOT and HALLIDAY IN THE COCKPIT.
HOTSHOT
That’s a big old negatory there, chief.
I’m getting nothing on any of my screens.
Luckily we’re still following the automatic heading or we’d be flying blind.
CUT BACK.
JENSEN
Infirmary?
Nightingale, you there?
QUICK CUT. NIGHTINGALE IN THE INFIRMARY, NURSES AND MEDICS WALK AROUND BEHIND HER.
NIGHTINGALE
Nightingale receiving.
JENSEN
Status report.
NIGHTINGALE
Infirmary prepared to receive multiple casualties.
Field medics are ready to deploy with Chernenkos commandos.
Initial triage will take place on the ground.
Superficial injuries will be treated on the ground.
More serious cases will be ferried back up here.
CUT BACK.
JENSEN
Thankyou, Dr Kelley.
Valkyrie are your fighters ready to go?
QUICK CUT: VALKYRIE, THE MCCs FIGHTER CHIEF IN THE FIGHTER BAY. VALKYRIE IS A WOMAN IN HER LATE TWENTIES WITH BLONDE HAIR AND A GERMANIC OR NORDIC ACCENT. SHE LOOKS LIKE A MODEL OR SIMPLY A BLONDE BIMBO. SHE IS NOT.
VALKYRIE
At your command, my colonel, we will rain fire from the skies.
JENSEN
That’s a little strong don’t you think, Christina?
VALKYRIE
Maybe. But they cost us some good friends last time out. Lets not forget that. These guys don’t take prisoners.
JENSEN
I’m aware of that.
I’m sending Tinkerbell down to you now.
VALKYRIE
Thankful for the help.
CUT BACK.
JENSEN
And now we wait.
3. INT. MOBILE COMMAND CENTRE INFIRMARY. DAY.
NIGHTINGALE is WORKING at A COMPUTER CONSOLE. NURSES and MEDICS run PAST GRABBING MEDICINES and EQUIPMENT.
CASPAR and MURRAY come WALKING IN.
MURRAY
Hey, Doc.
Need some help here if you don’t mind.
MURRAY and NIGHTINGALE MOVE CASPAR ONTO A GURNEY.
NIGHTINGALE
Incursion sickness?
MURRAY
What do you think?
NIGHTINGALE
How bad?
MURRAY
Remember Dave when he first came through to Earth?
NIGHTINGALE
Yeah.
MURRAY
Ten times worse than that.
NIGHTINGALE begins to PERFORM an EXAMINATION ON CASPAR.
CASPAR
Oh, that’s right talk about me like I’m not here.
MURRAY
Sorry, kid, wasn’t sure you were in the land of the living.
CASPAR
I’m fine.
I don’t know what all the fuss is about.
I’m perfectly okay.
MURRAY
You say that now but not so long ago you were calling mummy!
CASPAR
That’s ridiculous
MURRAY
You’re right. I’ve seen your mother. I’ve met your mother, she’s deranged!
NIGHTINGALE SMILES.
CASPAR
Not really.
MURRAY
She tried to stab me at your kitchen table.
CASPAR
Well you and Dave had nearly got me killed.
MURRAY
Don’t exaggerate. You were perfectly safe and you got a good job out of it.
Which I need you doing. So can you stop claiming that the last five minutes didn’t happen and let the doctor do her work.
CASPAR
Cool story, bro.
MURRAY
Oh, you don’t want to start that with me right now, okay.
Okay. You called me mummy, your mother’s a psycho and you puked on my boots. And no amount of “cool story bro” is going to make up for it.
NIGHTINGALE
Will you both just stop!
Right. You’ll be fine, the dizziness should have mostly worn off by now.
MURRAY
Look I’m sorry, kid. Get down to the hangar bay. We’re going in with the second wave.
I’ll be right behind you. I just need a word with the doctor here.
CASPAR walks OUT.
MURRAY SITS ON THE GURNEY.
NIGHTINGALE
What was all that about?
MURRAY
I don’t know.
Scratch that. Yes I do.
NIGHTINGALE
What is it?
MURRAY
We were in that factory for 18 months. I had no idea to start with when the next incursion was going to occur. It was difficult. After a while you start to forget what you’re there for. Days melted into weeks, weeks into months. It was mind-numbing. Banter is sometimes all you can do to keep yourself occupied.
And I suppose it wasn’t really that long ago. And having Caspar here doesn’t help matters.
Its hard not to slip into the habit of winding people up over silly little things. And I have to remember I’m back here now. You’ve got to be able to rely on each other.
For 18 months I’ve worked towards one thing. I’ve done nothing outside of it. I gave up everything it seemed just for it.
And we’re on the cusp of finally achieving it. And I don’t know maybe I just realise that I have to pick up the pieces of my life.
NIGHTINGALE
Why do you always do this?
MURRAY
What?
NIGHTINGALE
Get me listening to your troubles and then try to come at me sideways.
MURRAY
What, Kate, I didn’t mean it like that.
NIGHTINGALE
You never mean anything.
Always anything but the direct approach.
And I always fall for it.
You make me feel sorry for you, give you a shoulder to cry on. And then you start it all of again.
Well I’m not doing it. Not this time.
Just so you know, Caleb, I am not a piece of your life you can just drop and pick up when you feel like it.
And this is a damn stupid time to try and talk about it.
MURRAY
You asked me what was wrong?
NIGHTINGALE
You didn’t have to answer!
You could have said everything’s fine, “tickety boo thanks for asking Kate,”
Instead you try and dig this up again.
GENERAL QUARTERS STARTS TO SOUND.
MURRAY
Look I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to bring it up again. That wasn’t why… I didn’t think that… I’ll just be glad when this crate’s down safe and secure.
HE stands UP QUICKLY.
I have to go.
He STARTS to WALK OUT.
NIGHTINGALE
Caleb?
He stops at the DOORWAY.
He doesn’t turn AROUND to her.
NIGHTINGALE
You’re not the only one those 18 months were hard for.
MURRAY
I know.
NIGHTINGALE
Look, be careful out there. I don’t want to see you on my operating table.
CALEB LEAVES the ROOM.
NURSE
Are you okay Dr?
NIGHTINGALE
I’m fine, Kim. Men, who’d have them.
NURSE
Yes ma’am.
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