Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue
Hmm. The best way to read this is to try to "watch" it in your brain... otherwise you'll get lost following it as text.
I didn't edit this much, 'cause I don't have time. I had a lot of fun writing it. Let me know what you think.
--
INT. ISHNU - SHUTTLE
More of a bumpy ride. Daly and Mar try to keep the craft stabilized; in the soft Ishnu dawn we can see the shuttle skimming the trees in a very worrying fashion.
DOWNEY
Captain! We have to set down!
DALY
Hold your horses, Leo, we're slightly busy -
EXT. ISHNU - FOREST - DAWN
The shuttle hovers above the trees for a moment, and drops quickly into a clearing. There is a slight rustling among the trees, but nothing more. The thick vegetation swallows the craft.
INT. ISHNU - SHUTTLE
As before. The shuttle's mechanical cries recede to a minimum as Reg's cries of pain crescendo and the boy writhes on the ground, victim to the strange light consuming him.
MAR
We're going to barely be able to fly this thing out of here, Captain.
Daly rises as soon as he can, as does Mar; Mar immediately begins to tend to Chenei, while Daly moves to assist Downey in Reg's stabilization.
DOWNEY
What's happening to him?
Daly's eyes darken at the question.
DALY
Vai.
Downey reacts - how does he know this?
DOWNEY
Should we sedate him?
Reg moves violently. Flashes of light and of color, of darkness and of starlight, move across his features and through him.
DALY
We need Chenei.
MAR
I'm trying.
Mar holds a hypo in front of her face, and closes her eyes for a moment, muttering a silent prayer. She then raises it to Chenei's wrist, and presses the release. There's a SOUND as we CUT TO -
INT. HENDERSON'S CELL
The quiet, soft sounds of the building are a contrast to the interior of the shuttle. We only focus on the Old Man's face, as he looks down at Henderson. We see nothing of her.
OLD MAN
See. It's not so bad. It's almost over.
His eyes are tender, almost as if he's looking down at a baby, a father comforting a child. A moment later, he moves.
Seeing things from a wider angle, the Old Man has now lain Henderson on the floor and is busy removing something from her neck. The device comes off in his hand, charred at the edges. We see nothing of Henderson's face, or skin. Just her hair, in disarray. Funny - it seems to be almost - translucent.
The Old Man shifts, and places the device in his pocket. Sitting on his haunches, he watches in great interest as she stirs. He offers a hand.
Henderson, whose face or skin we still do not see, moves, shudders. After a moment, she pushes herself up onto her elbows, then her hands.
Her hands are nearly translucent. Within a barely recognizable framework of silver skin run veins of a thousand different colors - veins, conduits, call them what you will. Henderson, tentatively, is helped to her feet by the Old Man.
OLD MAN
You see now, don't you?
Henderson doesn't answer, as she stands - and the camera moves to view her face.
The features are still Henderson's, but the apricot, soft humanity is gone. Quicksilver skin flashes with a thousand colors, conduits briefly visible. She resembles the exterior of the Vai city in every way.
She looks up, expressionless, at the Old Man - and reaches out a finger, to touch his hand.
OLD MAN (exuberant)
It's glorious, isn't it?
HENDERSON
Yes.
Her voice has remained the same. Upon hearing this, the Old Man shakes his head, face falling.
OLD MAN
No, we can't have that. You must be able to communicate with -
He moves to take her by the forearm. She refuses, knocking his arm aside. He reacts in surprise.
HENDERSON
Why?
OLD MAN
They are dying. As you did.
HENDERSON
I'm very much alive. I feel the power here.
She raises her hands, looking at them. They flash with impossible blackness.
OLD MAN
Yes. You are alive. But Katherine is dead.
HENDERSON (slightly unconvinced)
I am Katharine.
OLD MAN
You know the truth.
Close on Henderson - whose black, alien eyes betray nothing. No fear, no trepidation, no happiness.
INT. ISHNU - SHUTTLE
As before. Mar screaming into Chenei's face, Downey and Daly holding Reg still - Reg, who is lit like a torch and pouring out light like a small sun. The scene should be shot jaggedly, in utter chaos.
Downey reaches for Chenei's fallen scanner.
MAR
DOCTOR!
DOWNEY
Life signs weakening.
DALY
MAR!!
MAR
DOCTOR!!
Chenei stirs.
DOWNEY
I'm losing him!
MAR
DOCTOR!!
Chenei comes awake. Disoriented, she looks around. Reg makes one more convulsion and is silent. There is a large FLASH OF LIGHT and Daly closes his eyes in reaction. When it's over - Reg lays still on the floor, and his appearance is amazing, mirroring Henderson's.
DOWNEY
No life signs!
DALY
Don't do this to me, Reg!
He puts the body on the floor, and moves to do CPR. Chenei shakes her head.
CHENEI
No - no!
DALY
I'm not taking orders from you, Lynn!
CHENEI
You're not looking - in the right place! Because there won't be any human life signs!
Shaking cobwebs from her head, the blood still running, she snatches the scanner from Downey's hands, adjusts it, and shoves it to Daly. Her eyes crossing a little, she then dizzily falls back into Mar's arms.
Daly takes in what's on the screen. And swallows.
DALY
Vai.
CHENEI
Vai - life signs.
DALY (enraged)
You expect me to believe that he was human fifteen minutes ago - and now he's Vai? I'm not swallowing tripe like that, Doctor.
CHENEI
True.
Daly looks down at the quiet, otherworldly Reg. Downey is still holding him. The next exchange is done rapid-fire, no breaks. The four conscious members of the crew are close. Very close.
DALY
You knew what we'd find here.
CHENEI
I had an idea.
DALY
That's why you're here.
CHENEI
It's a punishment. I'm a leak, a liability.
DALY
I don't believe you.
CHENEI
They put me here because they knew I wouldn't come back. You're a liability, too. You're expendable, all of you, that's why -
MAR
I'm not listening to this -
CHENEI (at Mar)
Shut up!
MAR
That's the last time!
She moves forward, at Chenei - to be restrained by Daly, shoving her back.
DALY
No, Natalie! That's an order.
There's an uncomfortable silence.
CHENEI (slower)
The Company - and the government - became aware of Vai movements three months ago. I was made aware.
DOWNEY
You're the one behind the Vai Offensive - of course they'd tell you.
CHENEI
Ten years can make you think about your actions -
MAR
Like hell.
CHENEI
I was responsible for -
MAR
The reason we didn't hear from the Vai? The reason expeditions found a dead world? What the hell -
CHENEI
Nearly everything.
MAR
They wanted you dead, didn't they?
DALY
Natalie -
MAR
We're cannon fodder!
DALY (roaring)
NATALIE!
Another uncomfortable silence as Mar's respect for her Captain overcomes her rage.
CHENEI (bitterly)
They didn't want me to come back. I'm the last piece of evidence. Give me to the Vai, a human sacrifice, if you wish.
Her eyes raise to meet Daly's, where the terrible truth is reflected.
DALY
We're all meant to die here, aren't we?
CHENEI
Put all the rotten eggs in one basket, get rid of them at once.
DALY
Like hell we're going to die here.
CHENEI
There's nothing we can do - look at us! One shuttle, damaged. We'd never break away from the atmosphere without being fired at.
DALY (fatalistically)
Then we find the others. I'm not leaving without them.
CHENEI
Captain, we're not leaving here alive.
DALY
Not if I have anything to say about it. I have a bonus to pick up when I get home.
There's a stifled moan. Reg, almost forgotten, is moving. His eyes flicker open, and he looks up. A voice, unmistakeable Reg's, calls out.
REG
Captain...
--
Whoo. That was a lot. Damn. I just got carried away... my. If that was overboard, do let me know. Don't let Channe have too much fun...
------------------
The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
[This message has been edited by channe (edited December 10, 2001).]
