Episode Four, Part One.

CROSSINGS

Created

By

Stephen J. Fennell

Episode Four

“Tin Man”

By

Stephen J. Fennell.

1. BLACK SCREEN.

A SERIES of BLACK and WHITE IMAGES FLASH.

It is DIFFICULT to see what the IMAGES are at FIRST but SOON it BECOMES APPARENT that THEY are OF A FIGHTER COCKPIT.

IT is AN 80S ERA MiG COCKPIT.

The FIGHTER APPEARS to be IN TROUBLE.

THE FLASHES increase IN SPEED and FREQUENCY until the SCREEN GOES BLACK.

2. BLACK SCREEN.

A MECHANICAL WHIRRING can be HEARD.

LIGHT FLASHES into the DARKNESS. A SOOTHING COMPUTER VOICE can be HEARD. Less HARSH than the STAR TREK COMPUTER VOICE.

THE VOICE SAYS

COMPUTER VOICE

Technologically assisted sleep cycle, complete.

R.E.M. Sleep Disturbance, detected.

Possible recalibration of bio-organic components required.

Please report to Chief Medical Officer as soon as possible.

SLOWLY a ROOM comes into BLURRED VIEW. We SEE from CHERNENKOs P.O.V.

The ROOM blurs in and out of VIEW.

3. INT. CHERNENKO’S QUARTERS. MOBILE COMMAND CENTRE. DAY.

CHERNENKO’S QUARTERS are SIMILAR to the OTHERS. His is EMPTIER THOUGH, more of a BARRACKS ROOM. On the WALL hang RUSSIAN MILITARY FLIGHT INSIGNIAS. CHERNENKO lies ON A SIMPLE BUNK UNIT, RECESSED into the WALL. The ROOM feels MORE OLD FASHIONED than THE OTHERS, in A WAY, that, AT FIRST, should be DIFFICULT to WORK OUT. It is has the FEEL of A RUSSIAN COLD WAR BUNKER. STARKER and MORE UTILITARIAN than the OTHER QUARTERS. IT REFLECTS CHERNENKOS ORIGINS and the time he felt MOST at HOME.

THE CAMERA TRACKS AROUND the ROOM. AGAINST ONE WALL, a STILL is SET UP. On ANOTHER, RIFLES HANG. ABOVE the DOOR is the RED STAR WITH HAMMER AND SICKLE of the SOVIETS.

CHERNENKO SLOWLY HEAVES himself out of the BUNK. He is SLEEPING in A VEST and SHORTS. Across his PECTORALS, MEDICAL MONITORING DEVICES are STUCK, AS IF for an ECG.

HE SHAKES HIS HEAD and THEN RUBS the BIO-ELECTRIC CIRCUITRY that EXISTS where the RIGHT SIDE of HIS HEAD SHOULD be.

THE SOOTHING COMPUTER VOICE SPEAKS AGAIN as IF OVER AN INTERCOM.

COMPUTER VOICE

Major Vasily Chernenko,

Your sleep cycle was disturbed, your readings are erratic. Please report to Dr Kelley, immediately.

CHERNENKO

It was just a dream, Mo.

MO

With respect, Major, with your physical condition and bio- mechanical circuitry, a dream is not just a dream. Any psychological instability could lead to problems with your bio-mechanical interface.

CHERNENKO lifts HIMSELF off his BUNK.

CHERNENKO

Yes, thankyou, Mo, I’m aware of the medical repercussions.

CHERNENKO pulls ON a PAIR of COMBATS and MAKES HIS WAY OUT of the DOOR of HIS QUARTERS.

CUT TO.

4. INT. CORRIDOR. MOBILE COMMAND CENTRE. DAY.

MURRAY and JENSEN are RUNNING DOWN a CORRIDOR, WEARING JOGGING TROUSERS and US COLLEGIATE STYLE shirts which say “PROPERTY OF THE SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION”

This is OBVIOUSLY SOME FORM of DAILY EXERCISE. They SPEAK in SLIGHTLY OUT OF BREATH WAY.

DURING the SCENE they RUN through DIFFERENT CORRIDORS on the SHIP. WINDOW in the CORRIDORS let in EARLY MORNING SUNLIGHT OR SHOW GLIMPSES of COMPLEX AREAs of MACHINERY ASSOCIATED with the MCCs OPERATIONS.

MURRAY

You know, it’s at times like these that I wished that I’d fought harder to remain in command of this expedition.

JENSEN

Why at times like these.

MURRAY

Because I would have had meetings in a proper way, you know, a way that involved seats and the sitting on those seats of the people involved. Not running a 5k while you get down to business. I mean who does that, I mean apart from Bill Clinton, who always seemed to be jogging when he was being interviewed.

JENSEN

I do that.

MURRAY

I mean obviously my comment was loaded with a heavy dose of rhetorical positioning.

Although to reiterate, you are psychotic.

JENSEN

Just trying to get the blood flowing.

By the way, I want you to meet with Lieutenant Commander Ranallo today.

MURRAY

Rose is here? I thought we needed her in New York.

JENSEN

So did I, but she requested to be reassigned here with the rest of Project Bifrost.

MURRAY

Why, we still need her to watch what Star Chamber are doing.

JENSEN

I don’t know. But she felt her job was complete in New York and that she could do more good here. She said that she would tell us the reason for her assignment when she got here.

Browning approved the reassignment and I need you to meet with her, I need to know why she’s here.

Not that I’m that bothered, she’s a fantastic lawyer.

MURRAY

And a good soldier, well sailor, whatever..

JENSEN

Indeed, but you know she wouldn’t be coming here unless it was important.

MURRAY

Roger that, Colonel. I will debrief the Lieutenant Commander as much as it pains me.

It will be hard being stuck in a room alone with a beautiful, buxom, Italian American woman.

JENSEN

Do you want to derail your relationship with Kate any more than you already have?

MURRAY

I really don’t but it doesn’t matter. You don’t much about Ranallo’s past do you?

JENSEN

Just what’s in her jacket.

MURRAY

She grew up with Kate. They’re from the same neighbourhood. Their parents are very friendly. Their relationship goes back way before mine and Kate’s. If I even made a pass at Rose, I wouldn’t be walking straight for weeks.

JENSEN

You better not then.

MURRAY

Just one thing. Who’s flying her shuttle?

JENSEN

Playboy.

He requested the assignment.

MURRAY

Will he never learn.

CUT TO.

5. INT. SPECIAL OPERATIONS DIVISION EARTHSIDE FACILITY. DAY.

PLAYBOY is STANDING with a SQUAD of BIFROST TACTICAL OFFICERS in the SECRET ENTRANCE TUNNEL to THE FACILITY. He LOOKS IMPATIENT.

PLAYBOY PACES.

PLAYBOY LOOKS at HIS WATCH.

BIFROST SERGEANT

Is there a problem, Lieutenant?

PLAYBOY

Did I give you permission to speak Sergeant?

BIFROST SERGEANT

Wasn’t aware I needed it, sir!

Just never thought I’d see you get this worried about a girl.

PLAYBOY

Does my rank mean nothing to you, Sergeant?

BIFROST SERGEANT

It does. I just like knocking you off your game.

PLAYBOY

For your information, Sergeant, it ain’t possible to knock me off my game.

No woman stands a chance before me.

BIFROST SERGEANT

So that’s why your constant flirtation with Valkyrie is getting absolutely nowhere.

PLAYBOY

First, Sergeant, she’s my direct CO, secondly, I’m biding my time, thirdly, I didn’t give you permission to speak Sergeant, let alone trash my skills with the fairer sex. So can we shut it?

BIFROST SERGEANT

Yes, sir! Shutting it, sir!

PLAYBOY

Just wondering why women always have to be late.

BIFROST SERGEANT

Or why they have to make an entrance.

A PLYMOUTH PROWLER has ENTERED the FAR END of the TUNNEL. It COMES SPEEDING towards THEM.

The CAMERA ZOOMS in ON PLAYBOY’S FACE, THE BIFROST SERGEANT walks UP to HIM.

BIFROST SERGEANT

Isn’t that…?

PLAYBOY

1997 Plymouth Prowler, part of the original production run.

BIFROST SERGEANT

Mr Browning’s pride and joy.

Being driven by…

The CAMERA flips back to the CAR. It is BEING DRIVEN by LIEUTENANT COMMANDER ROSE RANALLO. She is an ITALIAN AMERICAN woman in HER LATE TWENTIES. She has LONG BROWN HAIR and BROWN EYES. She is WEARING JOGGING TROUSERS AND A T-SHIRT.

PLAYBOY

Lieutenant Commander Ranallo.

Something’s wrong.

Get ready to move.

BIFROST SERGEANT

Aye, Sir.

Alpha Squad, on me! We’re moving out.

ANOTHER CAR screeches into the TUNNEL. A MAN REACHES out OF A WINDOW and STARTS SHOOTING at THE PROWLER.

PLAYBOY

Belay that last order, Sergeant, Tactical positions.

BIFROST SERGEANT

You heard the Lieutenant! Defensive Positions, lets lay down some covering fire.

The TACTICAL SQUAD OPEN FIRE.

CLOSE UP of the WINDOW of the ENEMY CAR, IT COMES down and A HAND HOLDING AN UZI REACHES OUT.

 The PROWLER is STILL HEADING TOWARDS PLAYBOY and the SQUAD.

A COUPLE OF the GUNSHOTS RICHOCHET of the PROWLER.

PLAYBOY

Okay, Dudes? Can we watch the car?

BIFROST SERGEANT

You want covering fire or not?

PLAYBOY

If we can just try to hit the bad guys rather than our boss’s car, that would be just great.

BIFROST SERGEANT

I don’t think it’s our shooting you have to worry about rather the Lieutenant Commander’s driving. Does she even know how to drive?

The PROWLER is STILL HEADING TOWARDS THEM. It STARTS to ACCELERATE. PLAYBOY looks SERIOUS.

PLAYBOY

Trust me, she knows.

BIFROST SERGEANT

Well, she’s not slowing down, in fact she’s speeding up.

PLAYBOY

Oh, I think that’s a very deliberate course of action on her behalf.

Brace yourselves!

PLAYBOY and the SQUAD THROW THEMSELVES against the CORNERS of the TUNNEL.

The PROWLER ACCELERATES STILL more, EXECUTES HALF A HANDBRAKE TURN and COMES TO A SUDDEN STOP SPANNING the TUNNEL. THE DOOR opens and RANALLO THROWS HERSELF out of ONTO THE CONCRETE FLOOR of the TUNNEL.

The OTHER CAR STOPS, MEN GET OUT, THEY START SHOOTING at OUR HEROES.

RANALLO TURNS and PULLS A BRIEFCASE off the PROWLER’S FRONTSEAT, she CRAWLS TOWARDS PLAYBOY.

PLAYBOY

Thanks a lot, Ranallo. I think we’re all in one piece, no thanks to you!

RANALLO

Honestly, Playboy, you are still such a wimp. You’re alive aren’t you?

PLAYBOY

I have no idea how!

RANALLO

Are you this squeamish when you’re flying that overgrown crop duster of yours?

PLAYBOY

There I’m in control. I think you nearly gave the Sergeant a coronary with that little stunt! What are you doing with Browning’s car anyway? And why are you dressed like that?

RANALLO

Had to leave New York in a hurry, I’m sorry I didn’t have time to make myself beautiful for you.

AS THEY SAY THIS, BULLETS WHIZZ PAST THEIR HEADS. PLAYBOY PULLS OUT HIS SIDEARM and STARTS to SHOOT at the OTHER CAR using THE PROWLER as A BARRICADE.

PLAYBOY

I’m not sure you’ve noticed our situation but sarcasm isn’t exactly helping!

RANALLO

No, really?!

PLAYBOY

Really not helping!

RANALLO

And since when did I care about what you think Playboy?

MORE BULLETS HIT the WALL CLOSE to RANALLO’S HEAD.

RANALLO

We need to go, now!

RANALLO starts to CRAWL TOWARDS the DOOR to the CORRIDOR.

PLAYBOY

And there was me thinking I was going to sit back, chill, have a cigar.

PLAYBOY says THIS HALF to HIMSELF as HE FIRES BACK at the ENEMY. RANALLO has REACHED the DOOR.

RANALLO

Now who’s being sarcastic?!

Come on, let’s go.

The SOLDIERS drop BACK from their POSITIONS one by one until PLAYBOY is the ONLY ONE LEFT. He RETREATS, FINALLY THROWING himself through the DOOR. The DOOR SLAMS SHUT behind him. On the OTHER SIDE of the DOOR, RANALLO looks DOWN at him.

RANALLO

Nice One, Flyboy!

If, a little needlessly dramatic.

PLAYBOY

Did you not see that, there was shooting!

RANALLO

I was there.

PLAYBOY

There was gunplay!

RANALLO

Oh, suck it up, hero. The Blast doors will hold them now get me through the incursion rift. And you can stop grovelling around on the floor!

She STRIDES OFF further into the BASE. PLAYBOY STAGGERS to his FEET and DUSTS himself down. He LOOKS at the TACTICAL SQUAD.

PLAYBOY

What?

6. CREDITS SEQUENCE.

The CREDITS SEQUENCE NOW has A VOICEOVER. As THE VOICEOVER CONTINUES SCENES which ILLUSTRATE what is being SAID PLAY until THE CREDITS PROPER START.

MURRAY

(V.O.)

The Stars have always fascinated mankind. Since the time of the Ancients we have sort to understand them, feeling that if we could reach them we would understand where we came from. There are indeed those who believe that life here began out there. But what if the answer to all the mystery that is life was to be found on this world?

With a gateway to another world. A world of intrigue, adventure, myth and legend. We have found that gateway. Now we are the only force that stands in the path of secret forces pledged to destroy both worlds. We stand on the bridge and no man may pass. For even in the darkest night, a light still shines.

6. INT. MCC. INFIRMARY. DAY.

SUNLIGHT STREAMS INTO THE INFIRMARY THROUGH ITS WINDOWS. The INFIRMARY IS QUIET and MOSTLY EMPTY. CHERNENKO is SEATED on a DIAGNOSTIC BED. HE is WEARING the SAME THING he was WEARING EARLIER. A PROFECT BIFROST NURSE is BUSYING HERSELF CHECKING him OVER.

As she does so, CHERNENKO STARES OFF into the DISTANCE. He SHOWS NO EMOTION.

AT LENGTH she FINISHES WHATEVER it is SHE is DOING. She SMILES POLITELY at CHERNENKO and LEAVES.

CHERNENKO CONTINUES in his SEEMINGLY EMOTIONLESS STATE. We SEE a FIGURE, OUT OF FOCUS, walk into SHOT BEHIND his HEAD.

NIGHTINGALE

Major Chernenko?

CHERNENKO DOESN’T RESPOND.

NIGHTINGALE

Major Chernenko? Major?

Vasily!

CHERNENKO TURNS to acknowledge NIGHTINGALE.

CHERNENKO

Yes, Doctor. I can hear you.

     NIGHTINGALE

Really? Are you sure? Because I was thinking that perhaps you had difficulty understanding simple instructions.

CHERNENKO

I’m sorry?

NIGHTINGALE

Or are you having a problem understanding English? It’s not your first language.

CHERNENKO

Of course I understand. Is there a point you’re trying to make?

NIGHTINGALE

Just checking that when I told you to inform me whenever you had a disturbed sleep cycle, you understood my meaning completely.

CHERNENKO

I did.

NIGHTINGALE walks into the INFIRMARY. She is HOLDING a METAL CLIPBOARD. She STANDS in FRONT of CHERNENKO.

NIGHTINGALE

Then why haven’t you come to me already?

CHERNENKO

I don’t know what you mean.

NIGHTINGALE

You do know that the monitors you wear at night do actually monitor your condition, they’re not there just for effect. The clue’s kind of in the word. A monitor monitors. Which means I know when you have an interrupted sleep cycle, do you understand?

CHERNENKO

It was just a bad dream, a slightly unsettled night’s sleep.

NIGHTINGALE

There is no such thing as “just a bad dream” with your medical condition. Do you understand that? Any slight variation in your brain wave patterns could affect your bio neural circuitry.

CHERNENKO

Yes thank you Doctor. I am fully aware of the restrictions of my … condition. You don’t have to remind me, trust me!

NIGHTINGALE SITS DOWN on the BED ACROSS from CHERNENKO.

NIGHTINGALE

What’s wrong?

CHERNENKO

Nothing.

NIGHTINGALE

Major, Despite my relative youth, I’ve seen a lot in this job. I’m also not stupid. According to your telemetry, you’ve had irregular and elevated levels of essential neurotransmitters for the last couple of weeks until this morning when you finally awoke before your sleep cycle was complete. I was a combat medic in Afghanistan.

You really think I don’t recognise a person with potential PTSD when I see one?

And although I might not have been part of the original medical team who operated on you after your crash, I was in an intimate relationship with one of the military scientists who discovered you after it. Now I can’t hope to understand what you’re going through. But I am warning you, don’t lie to me!

I can suspend you from active duty and I will unless you tell me what’s wrong.

CHERNENKO

You got anything to drink in this place?

NIGHTINGALE

 No, Dr Kelley’s Bar and Grill is closed for the night.

CHERNENKO

Don’t you keep some around for medicinal purposes?

NIGHTINGALE

Vasily, you have a still set up in your quarters!

CHERNENKO

And?

NIGHTINGALE

No, I am not giving you alcohol! You could always try drinking some of the disinfectants but then I really will have to suspend your ass from duty.

Now stop avoiding the question. What’s wrong?

CHERNENKO gets OFF HIS BED and WALKS to the WINDOW. He LOOKS OUT.

CHERNENKO

I see it. The… accident, In my mind, when I sleep, not all the time, Not every night but enough to remind me.

NIGHTINGALE

Remind you of the crash?

CHERNENKO

     That and what happened after.

Being trapped, caught, frozen, like a fly caught in amber. It wasn’t like the trip through the rift. Over in a seemingly a second. It lasted years and I felt every moment of them.

Never getting any older but still feeling every second, every minute, every hour, every day, every month, every year.

Life passing but not passing, slipping past in a dream state, never able to escape the slow inexorable passing of time.

And at the same time, it was over in the blink of an eye.

A paradox, the paradox of my life.

What’s wrong with me?

What’s wrong with my dreams?

My life was a dream.

And when I dream, I am back there.

Are you satisfied now?

NIGHTINGALE

Satisfied? Vasily, this isn’t about satisfaction. This is about my job as your medical officer, your doctor. Your brain is kept going by your bio neural circuitry, said circuitry can be brought down by a serious inbalance of neurotransmitters. Your heart is kept beating by a high end pacemaker, which is directly locked in to your artificially aided nervous system.

If you keep having these sleep disturbances you could die. Do you understand that, Major?

CHERNENKO

Maybe that would be a good thing! I should have died in the crash after all.

NIGHTINGALE

Now you can’t say that. No one knows what “should” have happened. What happened, happened. There’s no point in second guessing life like that.

CHERNENKO

If there had been no incursion rift present that day, I wouldn’t have survived. I would have died, my plane blown up in some gigantic fireball. My name consigned to the Red Army’s history.

NIGHTINGALE

How poetically fatalistic.

CHERNENKO

If you say so, I just think of it as realism.

Dr. Kelley, what use am I?

Does it really matter if I’m suspended from duty?

Who would notice?

NIGHTINGALE

You command Bifrost’s commando strike forces, you have more combat experience than anyone on the project, you distill illicit alcohol. A lot of people would notice.

CHERNENKO

But I’m a pilot. I always wanted to be a pilot. From the days when I laid back in the collective farms cornfield, looking at Sputnik flying across the sky, I longed to be a pilot, to tread the steps of the ascents in the mighty chasms of air in wonder.  I’m a pilot not a commando. I’m good in hand to hand combat, sure but in a dogfight, I am supreme.

NIGHTINGALE

And the regulations won’t allow you to fly with your circuitry or implants.

CHERNENKO

They won’t trust me with a multi-million dollar machine if I can just shut down at any moment. My implants saved me after the crash and took away everything I ever dreamed of.

I am saved and doomed at the same time.

And so I find myself wishing that I had just died.

NIGHTINGALE

Well that’s not a request I can honour. I will keep you alive, no matter that you are one of the worst patients I know, because I took an oath. “First, do no harm.” And I will not let you get in the way of me fulfilling it. Physically you are fine, or as fine as can be expected. I do want you to go see Dr Birch though.

CHERNENKO

I do not need psychological analysis, Doctor Kelley.

NIGHTINGALE

Your alcoholic beverage creation scheme suggests otherwise…

Look, I think it might help to talk things through with someone better equipped to answer than me. It might help.

CHERNENKO

May I go, Doctor?

NIGHTINGALE

Yes, but I want you to tell me if you have difficulty sleeping again.

CHERNENKO nods and WALKS out of the INFIRMARY. NIGHTGALE STANDS, WATCHING him go. The NURSE from the beginning of the shift COMES BACK.

NURSE

What happened to him?

NIGHTINGALE DOESN’T LOOK at the NURSE.

NIGHTINGALE

He was a MIG pilot when the Russians went into Afghanistan in ’79. He got shot down and nearly crashed.

NURSE

1979? He’s not that old surely?

NIGHTINGALE

He was born in the USSR in February, 1950.

 His crash was caused by a malfunction in his equipment caused by the appearance of an incursion rift. His plane got trapped inside it. He ended up trapped in the incursion rift for nearly 25 years. Effectively frozen in time. He was found by British forces in Afghanistan in 2003. They managed to get him out but… well, you can see.

NURSE

Poor guy.

NIGHTINGALE

We’ve tried to do our best to help him adjust, now it’s up to him.

Now have you got the chart on Sergeant Michaels.