Episode Three, Part One.

EPISODE THREE

“A Day at the Races”

By

Stephen J. Fennell

CHERNENKO

(V.O.)

Previously on Crossings.

A RECAP of THE STORY SO FAR. ENDING WITH THE LAST SHOT OF THE PREVIOUS EPISODE.



































1. INT. MOBILE COMMAND CENTRE MESS HALL. NIGHT.





PLAYBOY, HOTSHOT, CASPAR, NIGHTINGALE, CHERNENKO and JACKSON sit AROUND one of the MESS HALL TABLES. They are PLAYING POKER. No-one ELSE is in the MESS HALL apart from THE BARTENDER. PLAYBOY and HOTSHOT both have HUGE PILES of CHIPS in FRONT of them. CHERNENKO’S isn’t much smaller. NIGHTINGALE and JACKSON are HOLDING their own. CASPAR is LOSING, BADLY!



PLAYBOY, HOTSHOT and JACKSON are SMOKING CIGARS.



A RADIO plays SOME SWING MUSIC in the BACKGROUND.





CHERNENKO is DEALING the CARDS.

CHERNENKO

Okay, boys and girl, the game is, straight down the line, good old fashioned capitalist, Texas Hold’em Poker.

I’m assuming we are all okay with this?

HOTSHOT

Just deal the cards, old man. That way I can take your money quicker.

CHERNENKO

Ah! The arrogance of the decadent Yankee mind, obviously two hundred years of sustained capitalism leads to complacency.

HOTSHOT

But you’re still losing!

CHERNENKO

It can all change in an instant.

HOTSHOT

Not for Caspar.

CHERNENKO

Alas I fear you’re right.

CASPAR looks ANNOYED.

CASPAR

Okay, so how are you doing it?

HOTSHOT

Doing what?

CASPAR

Winning!

HOTSHOT

Skill, Caspar, and experience of actually having a life rather than living my life through a computer screen in mommy and daddy’s basement.

CASPAR

They don’t have a basement.

HOTSHOT

Whatever, I’ve been places you can only dream about. The women, the winnings,

NIGHTINGALE

The drunken memory loss.

HOTSHOT

That’s what I’m talking about.

CASPAR

So me losing is no trick?

HOTSHOT

Trick?

CASPAR

Last night somebody accessed my quarters and put my hand in a bucket of warm water.

Janitorial services made me wash the bedclothes myself!

PLAYBOY starts LAUGHING. He DROPS his CIGAR. NIGHTINGALE picks it up.

CASPAR

So it was you?

PLAYBOY

Might have been.

CASPAR

You are so pathetic.

CHERNENKO

Shall we return to the matter at hand.

NIGHTINGALE looks at her CARDS.

NIGHTINGALE

I’ll raise,

PLAYBOY

Playing on the edge, sister?

Because I live on the edge.

NIGHTINGALE

Don’t even try it. I’m way out of your league.

HOTSHOT

You know, Caspar? That was called being hit on and getting dropped like a hot potato at Fourth of July barbecue.

PLAYBOY

I’ll check your bet.

NIGHTINGALE

And nothing else of mine, ever.

HOTSHOT

I‘ll check.

So Kate? If you’re not interested in our eternally frisky young pilot here, who are you interested in?

Because I heard a rumour that you and Cal were seen kissing in the infirmary the other night.

NIGHTINGALE

You shouldn’t listen to rumours.

HOTSHOT

Even if they’re right, come on Doc! Are you getting back together with Project Bifrosts answer to the absent minded professor?

NIGHTINGALE

None of your business.

HOTSHOT

So that would be a yes?

JACKSON

Check.

Well, she can’t get a look-in with Dave always around. A fine little bromance those two have got going on. In fact where are they tonight, they’re normally up for a good game of poker.

NIGHTINGALE

They’re tracking down that lead on the Resistance that Fletcher gave us.

Otherwise you’d have the same winnings as Caspar.

PLAYBOY

Should we trust this Fletcher?

JACKSON

We trust you with a multi million dollar machine, so why wouldn’t we trust him?

PLAYBOY

That’s good.

Very funny.

But you’re Australian, so a million Australian dollars is what? 50 American Cents?

What’s the multi million dollar machine, my alarm clock?

JACKSON

At least our national debt isn’t the size of gross domestic product of the world.

CHERNENKO

Can we get back to the game and end this farcical conversation?

NIGHTINGALE

Of course.

I’ll raise.

CASPAR

I had to wash the whole bed!

CUT TO.

2. EXT. ARCADIAN VILLAGE. NIGHT.



MURRAY and DAVE are CROUCHING in A DITCH. NEXT to WHAT APPEARS TO BE a HEDGEROW. A TRACK runs PAST THEM.







FURTHER down the TRACK THE LIGHTS of A VILLAGE can BE SEEN. They are BOTH WEARING DARK COMBAT GEAR.

MURRAY

I don’t remember it being this cold last time we were here.

DAVE

Last time you turned up in the height of summer. We already heading into autumn by now.

And we’re near the mountains. Some say this part of the country never properly heats up.

MURRAY

So you know this village?

DAVE

Never heard of it. Arcadia’s dotted with little villages like this, you never remember all their names. The whole area is called The Isle though, Its so named because everything round here used to be marsh till they drained it.

Its quite difficult to talk to people round here.

Until they drained the marsh these people were isolated.

They keep mostly to themselves.

They’ve got a lot of the same technology as the big cities but they’re still seen as backward by many people.

MURRAY

You know for a seemingly enlightened civilisation you guys have some nasty prejudices.

DAVE

You can talk. I remember that film you made me watch. Mississippi Burning mean anything to you?

MURRAY

Why do I ever show you films?

So how long did he say he was going to be?

DAVE

Could be a little while. Its pretty up in the air whether they talk to him or not. And we’re outsiders so getting us in to talk with his source, next to impossible.

MURRAY

I see.

You couldn’t have mentioned this before you dragged me out here?

MURRAY PRESSES a COMMUNICATION UNIT on his ARM.

MURRAY

How are you doing back there sergeant?

The CAMERA pulls BACK from the DITCH to a HILLSIDE above the VILLAGE.





A TROOP of MARINES is LAYING DOWN on A HILLSIDE MEADOW.

SERGEANT

Just peachy, sir.

There’s nothing I like better on a near subzero night than to be laying face down in a frosty meadow.

MURRAY

Okay, Okay. What can you see?

SERGEANT

Village looks quiet. Nothing moving.

It looks like every other village in this place sir, a few houses, a forge and smithy, you know, the usual.

MURRAY

(distorted over radio)

Thank you Sergeant.

SERGEANT

One more thing sir.

MURRAY

(distorted over radio)

Yes, Sergeant?

SERGEANT

Could you get our new Arcadian friend to hurry up?

We appear to be sharing this meadow with what look like sheep but I don’t trust the way they’re looking at me.

The CAMERA TRACKS to A COUPLE of SHEEP STARING AT THE SOLDIERS.

MURRAY

(distorted over radio)

I’m sure you’re fine Sergeant.

SERGEANT

I don’t know sir, there was this time on class field trip when…

MURRAY

(distorted over radio)

I’m sure it was very traumatic even if whatever happened did involve sheep. We’ll be really quick just don’t make any sudden moves.

The CAMERA ZOOMS BACK down the HILL to MURRAY and DAVE’S POSITION.

DAVE

Everything okay?

MURRAY

Yes, except it turns out our battle hardened soldier is scared of sheep.

DAVE

They’re not sheep.

MURRAY

Well he doesn’t need to worry though, does he?

DAVE

I would.

FLETCHER comes RUNNING DOWN the TRACK TOWARDS THEM.

MURRAY

Well, I told them not to make any sudden moves.

DAVE

Let’s hope they don’t.

FLETCHER

Scarlet!

DAVE

Black!

FLETCHER

Okay, I’ve persuaded the village council to meet with you.

But go slow okay, they’re not the most trusting of people.

DAVE

I have the scars from the last time we were in this area.

FLETCHER

I did warn you about the wildlife.

MURRAY

(into radio)

Sergeant, we’re going in.

SERGEANT

(distorted on radio)

Roger that, sir.

MURRAY

And Sergeant, be careful of the sheep.

CUT TO.

3. INT. ARCADIAN VILLAGE COUNCIL ROOM. NIGHT.

The INTERIOR of A VILLAGE HALL. A LONG THIN ROOM with a LOW ROOF. The WALLS are MADE OF ROUGH HEWN STONE BLOCKS.

TORCHES HANG in HOLDERS on the WALLS. A CHANDELIER of CANDLES HANGS from the ROOF.



The VILLAGE COUNCIL is made up of FIVE PEOPLE. They STAND NEXT TO A LONG TABLE at ONE END of the HALL.







A VILLAGER lets FLETCHER, MURRAY and DAVE into the HALL. THE LEADER of the COUNCIL is A MAN in MIDDLE AGE. He is CALLED ELDER SAMUEL.

ELDER SAMUEL

Thankyou, Thomas.

THE VILLAGER leaves the ROOM.

ELDER SAMUEL.

Lord Bloodhelm.

You have been allowed this audience with our council despite the standing orders of every single level of government within this kingdom.

Sergeant at Arms Fletcher has vouched for you. I trust you understand the risk he has taken and that we ourselves are taking by granting an audience to a alleged traitor and the soldier of a foreign power.

DAVE

I understand. You are taking a massive risk and I hope we do nothing to make you regret it.

ELDER SAMUEL

I hope so also.

However, despite the risk, we feel we must hear what you have to say and possibly give you the intelligence that you require.

Another ELDER, A WOMAN in MIDDLE AGE BEGINS to TALK.

FEMALE ELDER

Over the last two years we have becoming increasingly disturbed by the actions of our kingdoms highest officials. The Liberation Chambers, the dismissal of Parliament, the total transformation of our nation, all of these things lead us to mistrust many of the edicts handed down by the Kingdom.

And so we have had contact with individuals claiming to represent a resistance against the Kingdom.

ELDER SAMUEL

However if your aim is to ferment rebellion against the rightful government of our nation as a prelude to invasion then you will leave empty handed.

MURRAY

Excuse me, I don’t know the proper protocol in this situation, but may I speak.

ELDER SAMUEL

You may.

MURRAY

Thank you. Elders, I know that many things have been said about myself, my men and my dimension as a whole. But I must argue that we have been misrepresented.

FEMALE ELDER

In what way.

MURRAY

We are not the vanguard of an invasion and we aren’t here to sow the seeds of rebellion.

FEMALE ELDER

You have arrived here in machines of war, you come armed for combat, you have troops trained in all forms of combat, you don’t help your case.

MURRAY

I am first and foremost, a scientist. When I originally discovered the inter dimensional incursions, we merely entered them for exploration, to understand the universe, to see what was beyond that which we knew.

We arrived when your nation was in the midst of turmoil. The original Liberation Chamber had just come online. I came with an original team of just 15. Not a force to invade anywhere.

We walked straight into the Battle of Five Vales, I was arrested, interned and escaped along with Lord Bloodhelm, my intention was only ever to get home.

And when Lord Bloodhelm got trapped in my dimension as a result of problems in my dimension, my only aim was to get him back home.

However when we finally located another incursion, we were attacked by the Obsidian Guard, they slaughtered over 100 innocent people.

So we came here to protect ourselves. We are not invaders, our technology is inferior to your own, we never would prevail in an invasion.

FEMALE ELDER

Did not the incursion lead to a military installation in your world?

MURRAY

Is that what they’re saying?

ELDER SAMUEL

That’s the rumour.

MURRAY

It was a factory.

The only military personnel there was myself and Dave, I mean Lord Bloodhelm. Everyone else was a simple working man or woman. Many of them only young.

They slaughtered them, leaving a few women to use as servants and possessions, goods and chattels, to be bartered and sold like so much cattle. All the males were killed. And I watched as De Morte tried to fry information out of a 19 year old boy.

We are not the aggressors here, we’re the victims.

And I wish we weren’t here because if we weren’t, if would be because that second incursion had never opened and many of my friends would still be alive.

A YOUNGER MALE ELDER STARTS TO SPEAK. This is ELDER THOMAS.

ELDER THOMAS

But isn’t that exactly what we’d expect you to say?

Aren’t these exactly the lies we’d expect you to speak.

Your story sounds to me like complete fabrication, merely a pretext for invasion.

FEMALE ELDER

Thomas, you forget your place.

This council agreed to hear what these men have to say and we will do that with respect and honour as we always have.

ELDER THOMAS

Maybe the way we have always behaved is wrong.

Are we expected to believe these outsiders over our own monarchy, our own kingdom, are we to trust them over our own people.

ELDER SAMUEL

And what if our own people no longer behave like we expect them to.

At some point, we have to stand up for what we believe, when our kingdom gives up the very things that we were brought up to revere. When they act against helpless people, slaughtering people who never even knew that we existed.

ELDER THOMAS

You believe this outsider?

ELDER SAMUEL

I believe the evidence of my own eyes, we have seen the changes that have occurred over the last two years. We know what this new order is capable of. So, yes, I believe him.

FEMALE ELDER

As do I.

ELDER SAMUEL

But the question is, why don’t you?

Have you fallen in love too much with the new order?

ELDER THOMAS

They are the way forward.

Why can’t you see that?

ELDER SAMUEL

The way forward?

Giving up common human decency? Falling on the poor and broken down like vultures? Giving up everything that makes us Arcadian?

If that is considered a way forward, I rather spend all the days of life being seen as backward.

Lord Bloodhelm, we will give you and your allies the intelligence you require.

I can’t accept what is happened to my beautiful nation anymore. Especially when it corrupts even amongst our own council.

FEMALE ELDER

I concur. How does the rest of the Council stand?

The TWO NON SPEAKING ELDERS NOD at ELDER SAMUEL.

ELDER THOMAS

I can’t understand you.

Can’t you see. They are coming for us.

He STARTS to REACH INSIDE HIS ROBES.

MURRAY

What’s he going for?

ELDER THOMAS

As the Council has obviously taken leave of its senses, I have to restore order.

HE brings out A COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE.









DAVE and FLETCHER rush at ELDER THOMAS and TRY to GRAB THE COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE. They KNOCK him to the GROUND.

MURRAY

Did you stop him?

DAVE

I don’t think so.

DAVE holds ELDER THOMAS down. FLETCHER is HOLDING the COMMUNICATIONS DEVICE.

FLETCHER

He definitely got a message away.

MURRAY

Any idea what it said.

FLETCHER

I don’t think it said anything.

It was just a signal.

MURRAY

Prearranged?

FLETCHER

Possibly.

MURRAY radio crackles INTO LIFE.

SERGEANT

(distorted over radio)

Colonel, you’ve got incoming.

MURRAY

What?

Sergeant, report!

CUT TO.

4. EXT. ARCADIAN HILLSIDE MEADOW. NIGHT.





A SERIES of JET BLACK FLYING CRAFT are FLYING OVER the CREST of the HILLS and DOWN TOWARDS the VILLAGE.







The SOLDIERS are ON THEIR FEET. The “SHEEP” are DISTURBED by the DOWNDRAFT of the CRAFT.

SERGEANT

We’ve got at least four unknown craft on the way in.

Totally black, no markings. Definitely high military Arcadian.

You need to get out of there now.

CUT TO.

















































5. INT. ARCADIAN VILLAGE COUNCIL ROOM. NIGHT.

EVERYONE is STILL STANDING in the SAME POSITIONS as BEFORE. DAVE is STILL HOLDING ELDER THOMAS DOWN.

MURRAY

Black, no markings?

DAVE

Obsidian Guard.

MURRAY

We need to get out of here now.

DAVE

No argument there.

MURRAY

Elder Samuel, the Obsidian Guard are coming for us. We need that intelligence now.

ELDER SAMUEL

All we ever received was a meeting place and another contact.

MURRAY

That’s fine, we’ll take from there.

ELDER SAMUEL

Okay.

He walks to the BACK of the HALL, Behind the COUNCIL TABLE, and PUTS his HAND on ONE of the BLOCKS of STONE in the WALL. The STONE slides UP REVEALING a HI-TECH SAFE. He REMOVES a CRYSTAL.

ELDER SAMUEL

You have a way of reading this information?

MURRAY

We’ve manage.

I am sorry that we’ve brought this upon you.

ELDER SAMUEL

This has nothing to do with you.

None of this is your fault, it seems that you and your people were just in the wrong place at the wrong time.

I have no doubt about that.

In my mind we should be apologising to you.

In our traditions, there is nothing worse than taking from the poor and helpless, especially taking life from them.

MURRAY

We have brought all this upon you.

How will you survive.

FEMALE ELDER

This is not the first time we’ve had to hide from officials.

The ground beneath this village is full of tunnels.

We will survive.

MURRAY

What about him?

DAVE has DRAGGED ELDER THOMAS to his FEET. He HANDS him to TWO VILLAGERS.

ELDER SAMUEL

We will lead him where his masters can find him

He can explain to them why we are nowhere to be found.

Now you need to go!

He MOVES a CANDLE HOLDER. A SECTION of the WALL SLIDES OPEN. A TUNNEL LIES behind it.

MURRAY

You have no idea how important this is.

ELDER SAMUEL

I have an inkling.

MURRAY NODS and then RUNS into the TUNNEL.

DAVE

Thankyou, Elder Samuel.

ELDER SAMUEL

Lord Bloodhelm.

DAVE RUNS into the TUNNEL.

ELDER SAMUEL

Sergeant at Arms Fletcher.

You were right to bring them here. But next time could you find someone else to bother.

FLETCHER

Will do.

HE RUNS into the TUNNEL.





CUT TO.























6. EXT. ARCADIAN VILLAGE. NIGHT.

EFFECTS SHOT.











The OBSIDIAN GUARD CRAFT land in the MARKETPLACE of the VILLAGE. Doors OPEN and OBSIDIAN GUARD TROOPS run OUT.











CUT TO.





































































7. EXT. ARCADIAN VILLAGE DITCH. DAY.



The TUNNEL brings MURRAY, DAVE and FLETCHER out into the DITCH that they WERE in SCENE 2.



They CLIMB out and START TO RUN DOWN the TRACK.

MURRAY uses HIS RADIO.

MURRAY

Sergeant, time to go, link up at the RV point for evac.

SERGEANT

(distorted over radio)

Will do.

MURRAY

Do you think the villagers will survive?

FLETCHER

I think they were all gone from that village before we even exited the tunnel.

Trust me, the Obsidian Guard will find noone other than Elder Thomas.

MURRAY

Well luckily we got we came for.

We’re getting somewhere old friend.

DAVE

I hope so.

Now how far is it to the RV?

MURRAY

15 klicks.

DAVE

Wonderful.

I am going to need a whole vat of Chernenko’s Rocket Fuel after this.

MURRAY

I thought it was Chernenko’s Engine Oil.

DAVE

Whatever, its strong that’s all that matters.

CUT TO.























8. EXT. ARCADIAN VILLAGE. NIGHT.

THE CAMERA pans ACROSS THE VILLAGE. We SEE OBSIDIAN GUARD breaking INTO BUILDINGS and SETTING UP TECHKNIGHT TECHNOLOGY. The CAMERA COMES to REST on the ENTRY RAMP of a CRAFT. LADY ERIS is walking down it. LADY ERIS has LONG HAIR, RAVEN BLACK, her EYES are COVERED by what APPEAR to be SUNGLASSES. She is DRESSED COMPLETELY in BLACK and has INCREDIBLY PALE SKIN.



She REACHES the BOTTOM of the ENTRY RAMP and LOOKS AROUND.



DE MORTE MEETS HER THERE.

ERIS

Report!

DE MORTE

The village is empty, my lady.

ERIS

Empty?

DE MORTE

With the exception of Elder Thomas.

We found him bound in one of the outbuildings.

ERIS

He must have showed his hand too early.

We should not have trusted him. We will not make that mistake again.

Bring him to me.

A QUICK WHITE FLASH.



ELDER THOMAS is THROWN to the GROUND in FRONT of LADY ERIS. She approaches him.

ERIS

You have failed us.

ELDER THOMAS

No, No, I did exactly as you said.

ERIS

If you hadn’t failed us then Bloodhelm and the humans would be in custody by now.

You have failed us. And as such your life is forfeit.

ELDER THOMAS

But you said that I could join the new order.

ERIS

We would not sully ourselves by allowed such a snivelling wretch to join us.

Your life is truly no more.

Yet even in death you can still be of use.

Hold Him.

TWO GUARDSMEN hold ELDER THOMAS DOWN.



LADY ERIS REMOVES HER SUNGLASSES.

WE DON’T SEE what HER EYES LOOK LIKE.













SHE STARES at ELDER THOMAS who tries to LOOK AWAY.

He STRUGGLES, but APPEARS MESMERISED.

The CAMERA PULLS OUT to SHOW THE VILLAGE from A DISTANCE.

ELDER THOMAS SCREAMS!



The SCREAM SEEMS TO ECHO around the VILLAGE.

Episode Two, Part Five.

DAVE and MURRAY walk THROUGH A DOOR and into the INTERROGATION ROOM.









They sit DOWN in FRONT of FLETCHER.

　

MURRAY

What you’re about to hear is totally secret and known by no-one on earth outside the UN Special Operations Command. That means fewer than 1000 people out of a population of 6 billion.

　

And most of them only know a fraction. Just what they need to know to do their jobs.

　

Only fifteen people know the full account of what happened two years ago. You’re the sixteenth.

　

You understand that we’re trusting you with everything we have.

　

　

　

FLETCHER NODS.

MURRAY

Okay.

　

　

　

　

DAVE

Okay, Fletch, do you remember Brother Aidan’s experiment?

　

　

　

　

FLETCHER

The Liberation Chambers, of course.

They’re all over Arcadia now.

　

　

　

DAVE

Well after you were transferred, Brother Aidan remained as concerned about the security of the project as he always was.

　

Especially on the day the first chamber went online.

　

　

The CAMERA passes DAVE’S HEAD





WHITE FLASH.













































17. INT. BROTHER AIDAN’S LABORATORY. DAY.



FLASHBACK SCENE. BLEACHED OUT LIGHTING.





A CAVERNOUS ROOM in the CATACOMBS of the ARCADIAN PARLIAMENT BUILDINGS.





Exposed BRICKWORK is EVERYWHERE.





A MAKESHIFT BED lies in ONE CORNER of the ROOM.





TECHNOLOGY fills the ROOM. Like ALL ARCADIAN TECHNOLOGY it is FUTURISTIC TECHNOLOGY like A MEDIEVAL PERSON might have BUILT.





IN THE CENTRE of the ROOM stands the LIBERATION CHAMBER. It is a LARGE CAGE made out of the SAME MATERIAL as the WEAPONS DAVE MAKES. LIGHTS shine into the CENTRE of IT.



A MAN stands in the CENTRE of it. HE is PARTIALLY CLOTHED.







MEN in MONK STYLE HABITS tend to the TECHNOLOGY taking READINGS. A OLDER MONK WEARING A SILVER HABIT APPEARS to be in CHARGE. This is BROTHER AIDAN.







DAVE walks QUICKLY into the ROOM.

DAVE

Okay, Brother Aidan, I have a very busy day so can we please get this over with so that I can get on with more important things.

　

BROTHER AIDAN

Sometimes, Lord Agricola, I get the feeling that you do not hold my project in high esteem.

　

　

　

DAVE

Really, now, whatever gave you that idea.

Could it be my reference to have to do things that are more important?

Such as sleep.

　

　

　

BROTHER AIDAN

Lord Agricola. The technology I’m working with could lead to the greatest single advancement of the human race ever.

I would ask that you didn’t treat it with such levity.

　

　

　

　

DAVE

No insult was intended, Brother Aidan.

But you have had me down here at least twice a day for the last six months.

　

　

　

BROTHER AIDAN

To upgrade the security. It wasn’t adequate.

　

　

　

DAVE

Its perfectly adequate.

　

　

　

　

BROTHER AIDAN

This project is the greatest…

　

　

DAVE

Single advancement in the history of the human race, yeah, right I know.

　

But look at it, Aidan, there is no way its going to get thieved.

　

　

　

　

BROTHER AIDAN

Who knows the dark forces that could be seeking to claim this research as their own?

　

　

　

DAVE

Aidan! Its massive. It would take me and a whole squad of the guard an hour to just get it to end of the corridor.

　

　

　

　

BROTHER AIDAN

They have ways and means.

Word has gone out. Brother Aidan of the Order of the Mercian Brothers has finally discovered the answer to true purity.

　

　

　

　

DAVE

You are completely paranoid.

No-one knows about this.

　

No-one cares about this.

　

I’m the only person outside you and your little crew of acolytes who even comes down here.

And only because I’m told too.

　

BROTHER AIDAN

And you will be witness to the final vindication of my theories.

　

　

DAVE

(Under his breath)

Or witness to the final erosion of your sanity.

　

　

BROTHER AIDAN

What was that?

　

　

DAVE

Nothing.

　

Okay, so how is this machine supposed to work and why do you have one of the guards best men strapped into it?

　

　

　

　

BROTHER AIDAN

The greatest barrier to true perfection in this world is ourselves. It is when we fail in the battle with our darkest feelings that we slip from perfection.

This Liberation chamber will remove the negative emotions totally. Opening the way to true perfection.

　

　

DAVE

You okay with that, soldier?

　

　

　

CRIMSON GUARD

You know me Sven, I’m always looking for perfection.

This way I get it with none of the work.

The ladies will love it.

If it works.

　

　

　

DAVE

If it works.

　

Okay, Aidan, are you ready?

　

　

　

BROTHER AIDAN

Indeed.

　

　

　

　

DAVE

(V.O.)

It was routine. The same sort of experiment that Brother Aidan had done all our lives.

Only this time, it was anything but routine.

　

　

　

AIDAN MOVES TOWARDS a CONTROL PANEL.





He PRESSES A BUTTON. The LIBERATION CHAMBER fills with MIST. ELECTRICITY STARTS to CRACKLE THROUGH IT. The CRIMSON GUARDSMAN starts to SCREAM.

DAVE

That doesn’t sound good Aidan, get him out of there!

　

　

BROTHER AIDAN

The removal of negative emotions will obviously take some pain.

　

　

DAVE

Some pain! I’ve heard men dying in battle make less noise. Get him out now.

　

THE ELECTRICITY starts to ARC out of the CHAMBER. CRACKLING OFF the WALLS and EXPLODING CONSOLES.

DAVE

Aidan, Stop it now!

　

　

AIDAN moves to a CONSOLE. He WORKS at it FRANTICALLY.

AIDAN

It won’t stop!

　

　

DAVE

It must do!

　

AIDAN

Only once the programme has run its course.

　

　

The MIST is CREEPING out of the CHAMBER.



A MONK/TECHNICIAN is CAUGHT BY IT and STARTS to SCREAM.



Other MONKS run OUT or are CAUGHT by the MIST and LIGHTENING.

AIDAN

We need to get out of here.

　

　

　

DAVE

No, I won’t leave them.

　

　

AIDAN

We don’t have a choice. We can’t get to them without going through the fog and it seems to be having a detrimental effect on people coming into contact with it to say the least.

Once the experiment runs its course we’ll come back for them.

　

　

DAVE

We’d better.

　

　

They RUN out of the LAB. As they get to the DOORWAY of the LAB AIDAN presses a BUTTON and a BLAST DOOR comes DOWN.

They STOP RUNNING.







They TURN and LOOK through A WINDOW in the DOOR.





The CAMERA shows their POV. A Monk RUNS TOWARDS the DOOR and STARTS BANGING on the WINDOW. The MIST CATCHES him and HE FALLS. HIS HAND is the LAST THING WE SEE as it SLIPS DOWN THE GLASS. EXPLOSIONS CAN BE SEEN as THE LAB IS DESTROYED.

　

　

DAVE

(V.O.)

The experiment was a disaster, but worse was to come.

It took two hours for the experiment to run its course and the mist and vapour it had caused to dissipate.



























18. SCENE MONTAGE.

AS DAVE describes WHAT HAPPENED next, we see what he is describing, but without sound.

　

DAVE

We went into the lab.

　

　

DAVE and BROTHER AIDAN wearing ARCADIAN PROTECTIVE SUITS along with OTHER CRIMSON GUARD.



ALL that is LEFT STANDING in the LAB is the LIBERATION CHAMBER. The MONKS like UNCONSCIOUS on the FLOOR. The CRIMSON GUARDSMAN is STILL STRAPPED into the LIBERATION CHAMBER.

DAVE

Miraculously, they were still alive.

We took them to the infirmary of the Sisters of Wessex.

And it was there that we finally started to realise something had gone terribly wrong.

　

The INSIDE of A MONASTERY-LIKE BUILDING is SHOWN.



THE MONKS and THE CRIMSON GUARDSMAN lie ON SIMPLE COTS. COVERED up. A NUN walks in with a BOWL with a CLOTH in it. She SITS DOWN next to ONE OF THE COTS and STARTS to MOP A MONKS BROW. SUDDENLY HE GRABS her HAND and TRIES TO GRAB HER HABIT. SHE GETS UP and TAKES a STEP BACK, RIGHT into ANOTHER MONK who is NOW OUT OF BED.

HE makes a GRAB for HER. A LEER ON HIS FACE.



She BACKS AWAY. Only to REALISE THAT SHE is SURROUNDED BY THE MONKS.

She TRIES to RUN TO THE DOOR.



The MONKS stop HER.



They ADVANCE in on her.

The DOOR OPENS and SEVERAL CRIMSON GUARDSMEN GRAB THE NUN and fight their WAY back out.



The CRIMSON GUARDSMEN EXPERIMENTED UPON watches from the BACK OF THE ROOM.

DAVE

Everyone exposed to the mist experienced a violent mental reaction. Not only did the Liberation chamber not do what it was meant to do, it appeared to do the very opposite, ramping up negative emotions rather than quelling them.

　

　

Within the space of a few hours it became obvious that many of the experiments subject had become little more than animals, driven by the basest human desires and emotions. Lust, anger, hunger, envy.

　

Also their strength seemed to have been greatly increased.

　

The CRIMSON GUARDSMAN APPEARS to INSTRUCTING THE MONKS in SOMETHING. THE DOOR OPENS and THEY MAKE A BREAK FOR IT.



THEY PULL THE NUN AND CRIMSON GUARDSMAN OUTSIDE into the INFIRMARY. Then THEY RUN OUT.

DAVE

They escaped.

And headed straight for the Liberation Chamber. They easily subdued the men I had guarding it

　

A SHOT of the MONKS STRAPPING CRIMSON GUARDSMEN INTO THE LIBERATION CHAMBER.

DAVE

The result was the same.

　

　

　

A SHOT of the CRIMSON GUARDSMEN RECOVERING from the CHAMBER.

　

DAVE

They cut off all communications out of the Capitol.

　

　

A SHOT of the COMMUNICATIONS EQUIPMENT OF THE CAPITOL being TRASHED.

　

　

　

DAVE

Within a day, they had “liberated” a third of the Capitol’s population. And our first test subject was installing himself in a position of power. He took a new name, Erebus.

　

　

A SHOT of EREBUS ordering LIBERATED ARCADIANS AROUND.

　

　

　

　

　

DAVE

I realised that the situation was dire to say the least. I decided to get Athena and regroup outside the capitol.

　

A SHOT OF DAVE, ATHENA and an ASSORTED GROUP OF ARCADIANS MAKING THEIR WAY THROUGH ARCADIAN TUNNELS.

DAVE

That was the last time I saw Orion, our Capitol and its shimmering towers.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

19. INT. MCC INTERROGATION ROOM. DAY.



WHITE FLASH.



The INTERROGATION ROOM again. DAVE is STOOD LOOKING at TWO WAY MIRROR and MURRAY is SAT OPPOSITE

DAVE

And that is all we know for sure.

I left Arcadia a couple of weeks afterwards.

　

I found Murray’s expeditionary team and escaped through the incursion during the battle of Five Vales.

　

　

　

FLETCHER

Where’s Athena

　

　

　

　

DAVE

We lost her at the battle of Five Vales.

　

　

　

FLETCHER

I’m sorry.

　

　

　

　

DAVE

Well that is everything we know.

　

　

　

FLETCHER

Its kind of light on information isn’t it?

　

　

DAVE

It took barely the space of a day from the experiment going wrong to Erebus breaking back into the Liberation Chamber.

I wasn’t exactly taking notes.

　

　

So do you believe me or was this all for nothing.

　

　

　

　

　

FLETCHER

I believe you, if for nothing else it explains where the new head of the Regent’s Council came from.

　

　

　

DAVE

Erebus?

　

　

　

FLETCHER

Appeared from out of nowhere after Liberation Day.

Also I’ve seen the results of the Liberation Chambers myself. In fact one of the kids in my unit just lost his future wife to some Crimson Guard creep with a Chamber.

　

I presume you’re here to take back Arcadia from them.

And the soldiers from Earth?

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

Well I just wanted to get Dave home, but every time one of these things opens a whole bunch of lust crazed animalistic nutcases will come through and kill everyone. And sooner or later they could end up bringing a Chamber through. We’d like to neutralise the threat if its all the same with you.

　

　

　

FLETCHER

Okay, I’m satisfied.

If there’s anything I can do to help you, I will.

　

You see it never made sense for me to take sides until I knew for certain what had happened.

　

　

　

MURRAY

Take sides?

　

　

　

FLETCHER

I’ve been hearing about a Resistance movement for a while now. I wasn’t going to join them even with the Chambers doing what they’re doing. Not until I knew what was going on. But I also didn’t tell anyone else about them.

　

　

　

DAVE

You know where they are?

　

　

FLETCHER

I can find out.

So do you trust me?

　

　

　

MURRAY

At the moment its not like we have much choice.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

20. INT. MOBILE COMMAND CENTRE CONFERENCE ROOM. DAY.

BROWNING is on the CONFERENCE COMPUTER SCREEN. JENSEN, MURRAY and DAVE are SAT AROUND the CONFERENCE TABLE.

BROWNING

You’re right, we don’t have much choice.

　

　

JENSEN

What’s going on back there?

　

　

BROWNING

Aird and Waysell have been quietened down for a while. Try as they might they couldn’t explain away invading the facility with armed Star Chamber Officers with shoot to kill orders on you.

You’ve got some time, not much, but some, before they can find some way to get over there.

　

　

So you better get this sorted quickly. For the moment the facilities ready to receive you back at anytime.

　

Check out the Resistance lead that Dave’s friend’s given you.

　

I’m not sure we can entirely trust him but we don’t have a choice, we have to trust someone.

　

Get comfortable.

　

The Special Operations Committee has dropped all charges against you.

With everything that’s happened over the last couple of days I think they’d rather have you out there causing trouble for the Liberated Arcadians than back here getting caught up in turf warfare with Star Chamber.

　

　

　

　

DAVE

Only because they know we’d win.

　

　

MURRAY

He’s got a point.

　

　

　

BROWNING

You got off easy, but don’t get cocky. Because if you pull another stunt like this I’ll come after you and then nobody will be able to save you.

Let me make this clear, Star Chamber have been humbled but we’re still just one step away from them getting operational control.

　

So, go easy will you?

　

　

　

　

JENSEN

Yes, Sir.

　

　

　

BROWNING

Okay, I’ve got a meeting. Can I trust you to not cause an inter dimensional incident for five minutes.

　

　

JENSEN

Yes, sir.

　

　

　

BROWNING FROWNS.

THE CONFERENCE COMPUTER SCREEN goes BLACK.

DAVE

Well, Chernenko wants me to share some vodka with him.

So I’m going to go.

　

　

JENSEN

Okay, dismissed.

　

　

DAVE walks out of the DOOR.







JENSEN starts to pick up FOLDERS and FILES from the CONFERENCE TABLE.

JENSEN

Is he really going to share some vodka with Vasily?

　

　

　

MURRAY

Well theres not going to much sharing going on.

Vasily will have drunk him under the table within four hours. And he’ll carry on drinking for another twelve hours after that.

Trust me, I know. The one time I tried to share some vodka with him, I was in bed with for 48 hours, Kate even had me put on a saline drip.

　

　

　

JENSEN

Talking about Kate, I hear you two were all loving kindness in the infirmary yesterday.

　

　

MURRAY

Don’t you start too.

　

　

JENSEN

You decided to talk to her about you two in the middle of an emergency situation.

　

MURRAY

Yes.

　

　

JENSEN

You have lousy timing.

　

　

They walk out of the CONFERENCE ROOM and into the CORRIDOR.



They WALK DOWN the CORRIDOR.

　

　

MURRAY

So I’ve been told.

　

　

JENSEN

You really mucked up there you know.

　

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

Thanks for your, oh so enlightened opinion. Unsolicited I might add. I’ll just add it to everyone else’s.

　

　

　

　

JENSEN

Yeah, whatever. Seriously get it sorted, because you getting into slanging matches with the Chief Medical Officer isn’t helpful.

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

I wouldn’t call it a slanging match exactly.

More raised voices, than slanging match.

　

JENSEN

Cal!

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

Okay, I’ll get it sorted.

　

　

　

　

JENSEN

You know something, you’re so smart, how come you’re so useless at relationships.

　

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

I ask myself that all the time.

　

　

　

　

　

JENSEN

Also, why did Dave hold back earlier?

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

What do you mean?

　

　

　

JENSEN

Don’t act all innocent with me.

Why didn’t he tell Fletcher everything about what happened that day. Why didn’t he tell him exactly what happened to you two and what happened to Athena.

　

MURRAY

Because I told him not to.

　

　

　

JENSEN

We’re expecting this guy to trust us, if he finds out you lied to him…

　

　

MURRAY DRAGS JENSEN into a DOORWAY.

　

　

It is the WOMENS LOCKER ROOM. A PARTIALLY DRESSED WOMAN is KISSING PLAYBOY. She SEES THE TWO MEN and SCREAMS.

MURRAY

Playboy, how many times have I told you, if you must systematically work your way through the enlisted females can you do it outside the female locker room. There’s nothing more likely to blow open a top secret military division than a legal claim for sexual harassment.

　

　

　

PLAYBOY

To be honest, Cal, she invited me in. She didn’t invite you two.

　

　

MURRAY

First off all, Playboy. Its sir, not Cal. Especially when I catch you in flagrante with enlisted personnel. Secondly, look at my face, do you think I am in any mood to put up with your usual levity.

Clear off. Find Hotshot. I’m sure you two are running a book on something.

　

PLAYBOY KISSES the GIRL.

JENSEN

Lieutenant!

　

PLAYBOY STORMS OUT.





MURRAY TURNS back towards JENSEN. HE is ABOUT to talk when he REALISES the GIRL is STILL in her PARTIALLY DRESSED STATE.

MURRAY

Excuse me, Corporal.

　

　

He DRAGS JENSEN out of the DOOR and ACROSS THE CORRIDOR. He OPENS a DOOR DIRECTLY OPPOSITE the FIRST ONE. This is the MALE LOCKER ROOM.

MURRAY

I am perfectly aware of what happens if he finds out we lied to him. But its not exactly like we can explain what happened.

And how could he trust us if he knew what really went down?

　

　

　

JENSEN

What went down? Who talks like that?

　

　

　

MURRAY

Sorry, gangster movies.

　

　

　

JENSEN

I trust you and I know what went down.

Now you’ve got me doing it.

Look, why am I so different to him?

　

MURRAY

Your society hasn’t been torn apart by the Chambers over the last two years. I think he’s had enough revelations for the day.

　

　

JENSEN

Okay, fair enough. But if he proves himself, you’ve got to tell him.

　

　

MURRAY

Tell him what exactly?

　

　

JENSEN

You know what.

　

　

　

MURRAY

I’m not sure I really do.

I still can’t explain how we survived and I’m spent two years trying to work it out.

　

　

　

JENSEN

Yeah, well you may not have a choice. When Dave kicks into one of his Berserker rages his old friend is going to start asking questions.

　

　

　

MURRAY

Okay, sure. But lets table the discussion till then, okay? I think we’ve all had enough for the moment.

　

　

　

JENSEN

Fair enough.

All in all, not bad for a days work.

　

MURRAY

Yeah, lets just hope tomorrow works out just as well.

　

　

　

　

HE WALKS OUT of the ROOM.



CUT TO.















































































21. INT. CHERNENKOS QUARTERS. NIGHT.



CHERNENKO’S QUARTERS are IMPOSSIBLY SPARTAN. NOTHING within it seems to be DESIGNED for COMFORT. MACHINERY lies STACKED in any AVAILABLE SPACE.



DAVE sits at A TABLE MADE of A CHUNKY METAL CRATE. He is SITTING on what APPEARS to be, an OIL BARREL. CHERNENKO is FIDDLING with a MACHINE on a WORKBENCH. A TUBE LEADS to a GLASS he HOLDS in HIS HAND.

DAVE

When I said I’d join you in a shot of vodka, I didn’t think it would be homemade.

　

　

　

　

CHERNENKO

Best way.

Only way in fact,

Yes, indeed the only way to truly enjoy vodka.

　

My family have been distilling vodka for nearly 500 years.

Of course, I have made my own special contributions to the overall recipe.

　

The TUBE discharges A CLEAR LIQUID into THE GLASS. CHERNENKO places IT onto A “TRAY”, which of course isn’t really a TRAY but what looks like A PANEL of AN ARMOURED VEHICLE. There is already ONE GLASS THERE.

He BRINGS the TRAY to the TABLE.

CHERNENKO

Chernenko’s Patented Engine Oil.

Drink up.

　

DAVE looks SLIGHTLY ILL already and HE HASN’T TOUCHED a DROP YET.

HE takes it GINGERLY.



CHERNENKO knocks HIS BACK and then LAUGHS.



DAVE knocks HIS BACK and THEN COUGHS.

　

DAVE

Very smooth, once you get past the taste of diesel fumes and pesticide.

　

　

CHERNENKO

And there was I thinking Arcadians had no sense of humour.

Another?

　

DAVE nods.



CHERNENKO walks back to the DISTILLING MACHINE.

CHERNENKO

So how does it feel to be home?

　

　

　

DAVE

Lousy. What do you think?

I’m back but I’m not back.

　

I still have no idea what’s really gone on here, Fletcher doesn’t really know anything more. He’s been stuck out on the frontier and all he knows is Erebus is now head of the Regent’s Council, Parliaments been dismissed and Liberation Chambers are everywhere.

Oh, and an unconfirmed rumour about some Resistance cell.

Its so little to go on.

It feels like I’m in the middle of one of those tv series back on Earth where people advance on the flimsiest of intelligence simply because the writer can’t be bothered to come up with anything for them to go on.

　

　

　

　

CHERNENKO

I like those kind of series. It reminds me of some of the generals I’ve served under, who needs intelligence when you have cannon fodder.

　

HE brings THE REFILLED GLASSES to the TABLE.

　

　

　

CHERNENKO

Anyway, it’s the end of only our first day here. Look on the bright side, we survived Aird’s little assassination attempt, came through the Incursion okay, neutralised the immediate military threat in the area, stopped the MCC from being blown sky high and throughout it all Caspar didn’t shoot himself in the foot.

　

　

　

　

　

DAVE

But it still leaves me no closer to Athena, to finding out what’s happened to her, if she’s even still alive.

My world is destroyed and I have done nothing to save it.

　

　

　

　

　

　

CHERNENKO

These things take time, my friend. There are always a process of attrition. I was in Afghanistan in 1979, who would have thought that the Afghans would beat back the might of the Soviet army but they did and we did the same thing to the Nazi’s in the Second World War.

　

　

　

　

　

　

It all starts with small steps my friend, small steps.

　

In 1943, we were fighting running battles in the streets of Stalingrad and Shostakovich was writing his symphony in the besieged Leningrad. By 1945 we rolled into Berlin the victors. It takes just the smallest steps to start something like this.

　

And you will find your sister I’m sure. If my father could find his sister as a child in the ruins of Stalingrad then so can you within the ruins of your society.

　

Now drink up! For tomorrow is a new day.

　

　

　

DAVE

But you’re a career soldier like myself, we both know that things seldom change for the better.

　

　

CHERNENKO

True, but there is always hope, for tomorrow is always new and yesterday has long gone and today’s worries are only fleeting shadows.

　

　

CUT TO.





















22. INT. MCC CONTROL ROOM. NIGHT.



The LIGHTS are LOW. TINKERBELL is AT HER CONSOLE. CASPAR is ASLEEP AT HIS CONSOLE. Another FEMALE OFFICER is AT A CONSOLE in the BACK OF THE ROOM.



TINKERBELL gets up FROM HER SEAT and STARTS to GATHER up HER THINGS.



She NOTICES CASPAR is STILL AT HIS CONSOLE.





She WALKS OVER and GENTLY SHAKES HIM.

TINKERBELL

Hey, what are you still doing here?

Your shift ended hours ago.

　

　

　

CASPAR

What? Oh, just catching up on something.

What are you still doing here?!

　

　

　

TINKERBELL

I’m asking the question and I’m not going to exchange insults with you like Dave or Murray do. I really can’t be bothered.

So what are you still doing here?

　

　

CASPAR

I don’t know.

　

　

　

　

　

　

TINKERBELL

Yes you do. You’re worried that if you’re not here and something goes wrong, you won’t be able to forgive yourself.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

CASPAR

Its not that, its just… Okay, I suppose you might have a point.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

TINKERBELL

A tip from someone who’s been there. Let it go. You’re going to see some pretty difficult things in this job. Things that nothing in your life could prepare you for.

　

　

　

And there’s going to be days in your life when you’ll close your eyes and all the sights you’ve seen in that day will threaten to overwhelm you.

So when it comes to the easier days when we get where we’re meant to go and we don’t lose anyone along the way, you get to the end of the day and you go off duty and you let it go.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

Tomorrow has enough worries of its own. Today is almost over. And you can’t prove yourself to Cal, or Dave, or Jensen if you’re tired out from staying up all night in front of a computer screen that in all likelihood isn’t going to change.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

And if something happens, there’s always alarms and personal communication devices in all colours of the rainbow.

And you did well today, so take it as a win.

　

Come on, I’m going down to the Mess Hall. Hotshot and Playboy are meeting Jackson and I down there in a few minutes. Beers and banter, the perfect way to let go.

　

　

　

　

　

　

CASPAR

What even if you’re the butt of the jokes.

　

　

　

　

　

　

TINKERBELL

Well you are the newbie, is that correct hacker jargon?

And you give as good as you get.

And who knows Cal might pop in later.

He’s got something to sort out.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

CASPAR

If he’s still working what’s wrong with me still working.

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

　

TINKERBELL

He’s been doing it for a long time and never listens to me when I give him advice like that. And who said he was working.

　

He’s just got something to sort out.

　

　

FADE INTO.









































23. INT. MOBILE COMMAND CENTRE INFIRMARY. DAY.





The LIGHTS are DOWN LOW. NIGHTINGALE is SAT at HER DESK WORKING, her DESK LIGHT BRIGHT in the DARK ROOM.



SOMEBODY COUGHS BEHIND HER.



She TURNS, it is MURRAY.





He is HOLDING a BUNCH of WILDFLOWERS.





The NURSE from the PREVIOUS SCENE is WORKING in a CORNER of the ROOM.

NIGHTINGALE

Hannah, can you give us a minute.

　

　

　

　

HANNAH

Of course, Doctor.

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

So I’ve been informed, by a number of people including yourself that my timing leaves a lot to be desired.

　

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

That sounds like something I might have said.

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

You did say it, quite eloquently in fact.

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

Yes, because eloquence was what I was aiming for.

　

　

MURRAY

Sarcasm, nice. I suppose I deserved that.

Okay, I KNOW I deserved that.

But I’m hoping I’ve judged the timing better this time

　

I even brought flowers.

　

　

HE WALKS towards HER.



She LAUGHS.

NIGHTINGALE

Where did you get those?

　

　

MURRAY

I made Caspar pick them when we out there today.

I told him they were for a botany experiment.

　

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

Are you going to let up on him sometime soon.

　

　

MURRAY

At some point. I mean you have no idea what it was like working with him in that factory for two years. Believe me I’m not stopping until I get some payback.

　

MURRAY gives HER the FLOWERS.

MURRAY

And I may have seemed a little self-centred before.

For the record I do know that the last couple of years weren’t just hard on me.

　

And I know I should have found a better time and place to try to talk to you about it.

　

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

I’m not going to disagree with you on that account.

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

You’re not going to make this easy for me either are you?

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

No, I wouldn’t be worth the effort if I let you off easily.

　

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

Can’t argue with that.

Okay, here goes, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have just left and I should have listened to you.

　

Its just I felt responsible.

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

I know.

　

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

I was the one who discovered the Incursion. I was the one who trapped Dave on Earth.

　

　

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

I knew you felt responsible.

　

I just wish you’d let me know about it.

　

Openess is generally considered a sign of a good relationship.

　

And if I you had told me, I would have come with you.

　

　

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

I know. And I love you but I couldn’t ask you to do that. It was bad enough I’d trapped Dave here, I couldn’t mess your life up either.

　

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

Don’t you think that’s my decision.

　

　

　

MURRAY

That’s exactly what I’d thought you say.

I knew you’d say that and you’d be stubborn and follow me no matter what.

　

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

You’re full of yourself you know that.

　

　

MURRAY

I think you’d told me that once or twice before.

　

Look can we start again?

　

　

　

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

I must be mad.

I would have gone with you, not because I’m stubborn but because from the very first moment I saw you, I’ve loved you.

　

My career is not more important than you.

　

How can I not forgive someone who nearly gave up everything to help out a man he barely knew.

　

Sometimes you make it so difficult to hate you.

　

So yes we can start again but lets take it slow okay.

　

I’m still pretty mad at you.

　

　

　

MURRAY

Okay, so you fancy going for a drink?

Its just that you know the guys are meeting at the mess hall and I was wondering…

　

　

　

NIGHTINGALE

I didn’t quite mean that slow.

　

　

　

　

　

MURRAY

I know.

　

HE kisses HER.



She kisses back.

NIGHTINGALE

Just one thing.

　

　

　

MURRAY

What?

　

NIGHTINGALE

Next time, you get the flowers.

I’m worth it after all.

　

　

She KISSES him again.





An ACOUSTIC SONG starts to KICK in.







FADE into.





































24. MONTAGE SCENE.



An ACOUSTIC SONG plays OVER SCENES of the CREW. The sort of MUSICAL MONTAGE BELOVED by AMERICAN TEEN PROGRAMMES.













MURRAY and NIGHTINGALE still KISS.





CHERNENKO and DAVE DRINKING.











CASPAR and TINKERBELL ARRIVE at the MESS HALL. The OTHERS GREET THEM.











CHERNENKO is NOW DRINKING ALONE. DAVE is SLUMPED AGAINST A MACHINE PART.







MURRAY and NIGHTINGALE COME into the MESS HALL and SIT down with the OTHERS.





IT TAKES A THREE MINUTE SONG TO GET THROUGH THE MONTAGE.





The SONG FADES OUT



CUT TO.





25. INT. OBSIDIAN GUARD HEADQUARTERS. NIGHT.



A COMPLETELY BLACK ROOM. NOTHING can be SEEN APART FROM A SINGLE SHAFT of LIGHT which is CAST DOWN onto a THRONE LIKE CHAIR. A FEMALE FIGURE sits in IT, partially IN SHADOW.





CLEAR CRYSTAL DOORS open and GUILLAME DE MORTE WALKS INTO the ROOM.





AS he WALKS THROUGH the ROOM LIGHTS PICK out HIS WAY and the FADE AFTER HE’S WALKED PAST.



IN the END he KNEELS BEFORE THE FIGURE on the THRONE. A LIGHT IS STILL on HIM.

DE MORTE.

My Lady.

　

　

　

LADY ERIS

Speak.

　

　

　

　

　

DE MORTE

The forces from Earth have arrived. They are lead by Murray and Bloodhelm as we expected.

They easily routed the Crimson Guard garrison nearby.

　

　

　

LADY ERIS

So did Erebus give the job of their apprehension to us?

　

　

　

　

　

DE MORTE

(Nervously)

No, my lady, he decided to give the Crimson Guard another opportunity to prove themselves.

　

　

　

LADY ERIS

That man has no spine. He is weak, weak do you hear me, De Morte.

　

No matter, the Crimson Guard will fail and then I will get my revenge on Murray and that pathetic traitor Bloodhelm. Oh yes! Bloodhelm. I will take special pleasure in watching him beg for his life as my sword rips the lifeblood out of him.

　

　

Her HAND CURLS around A SWORD by the SIDE OF HER THRONE.

　

LADY ERIS

They will pay for what they did to me!

　

CUT TO





END CREDITS.