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"Titans" -Warriors of Virtue

Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

Well, I know *you're* reading, Obsessed. *wide grin* Ok, let me post one more time before you do anything. The pieces are falling into place.

------------------
The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

Hey ; I was only gone 24 hrs - so I'm posting this in the hopes that no ones gone and contradicted what I've written.

I've had this in mind since I introduced the CCS SHADOWS back on Pg 2 of this topic.

Oh yeah, perhaps we could rename the 'series' WARRIORS OF VIRTUE instead of TITANS: WARRIORS OF VIRTUE for a reason I'll explain tommorow
smile.gif


EXT. DEEP SPACE

The wreckage fields of both the TITANS and the SHADOWS, some time has passed and both fields have begun to spread.

The shuttle from the SHADOWS, unharmed, is weaving through the debris towards ... well, we're not entirely certain ...

LANGLEY
(VO)
Crap.

INT. SHADOWS SHUTTLE

LANGLEY looks at the wreckage field through the window ; we can see that there's about fifteen people, besides her, in the shuttle, several injured, including Langley herself whose vest now has a spreading crimson patch on the left stomach area.

CO-PILOT
Captain ?

LANGLEY
The Shadows has been blown
to tartacus and back, Sorj.

Langley closes her eyes and massages her temples.

LANGLEY
(with eyes closed)
Everything's going to hell
in a nicely decorated floral
handbasket, Officer.

Then, with sudden realisation, she leans forward in her chair and stairs out the window, grabbing the controls and swinging the shuttle round, always keeping watch out of the window ...

CO-PILOT
Sir ?

LANGLEY
What do you see ?

CO-PILOT
A debris field. _Two_ debris
fields, Captain. Why ?

LANGLEY
Look closer.

CO-PILOT
I don't get this.

LANGLEY
(very excited)
Look ! Dammit, Sirj. Look !

EXT. SHADOWS SHUTTLE

Pull back from the window of the shuttle to reveal the entire shuttle, then further to reveal the debris field and then ...

... the front of the TITANS and the rear of the SHADOWS. Massive hull chunks, from the same classes of ship ...

LANGLEY
(VO)
If the company doesn't come
looking for us. And trust
me, they won't, then we can
build our own way home !




------------------
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

Oh, Lord. The following is SO Basil Exposition, but I couldn't help it... please forgive me! I tried my best.

--

INT. TITAN - SHUTTLE

As before. Chenei, determined to be heard, speaks out, even over Reg, as Daly and the others bend to hear him.

REG
Captain...

DALY
Reg. Talk to me.

REG
Not... Reginald.

CHENEI
Rotten eggs, Captain. I should have realized it when I saw the crew roster for this mission. You, and Keller - present at the incident at the Trevayne facility.

DALY
Name. Position.

REG (inhumanly, dry, disoriented)
...Lee. Ishnu.

And then, as if he were fascinated by the faces around him, he pushes himself up on his elbows. Downey reaches down to help him up.

REG (incredulous)
Ishnu... calls.

Mar draws her pistol, and points it directly at Chenei's head.

MAR
I'm getting tired of you.

CHENEI
You need me.

DALY (looking up at Chenei, after offering his hand to Reg, who takes it, to sit against the wall)
I don't have anything to lose, do I? No. Your call, Mar.

CHENEI
No!

REG (strong, looking at Mar)
DEATH!

CHENEI (hurriedly)
Downey, your record - less than exemplary - Mar, you were on Callenegra's personal staff -

MAR
You're not helping your case -

REG
Ishnu calls death! Calls!

DALY
Reg, quiet. That's an order.

CHENEI (explosively)
Kaheel - was at the front line of the Vai Offensive. Henderson's father created the Vai key sequence.

An eerie silence descends. Reg, black eyes wild, seems to still be acclimating.

REG
He calls.

Daly slowly turns to Chenei. With a slight nod, he indicates that Downey should hold Reg, and turns to Chenei.

DALY
Mar, drop it.

Mar acquiesces.

DALY
We were told the key sequence the Vai asked for hadn't been developed.

CHENEI
You were lied to.

Daly, words prepared in his mouth, looks from the slightly-conscious Reg to Chenei. He rocks back on his heels.

DALY
The last living record of their misdeeds, blown out of the sky. They rid themselves of blame while creating a reason to finish what they started.

CHENEI
Our deaths were necessary.

Reg, at this, looks to Chenei. One hand rises and reaches for her.

REG
Enemy.

He then looks to Daly.

REG
We know you. Regula. You watched our brothers die.

DALY (looking to Chenei, utterly serious)
Who has the key sequence?

CHENEI
We - never knew that, Captain - it was lost with David Henderson.

He looks at Reg, with a disgusted look on his face.

DALY (indicating Reg)
Who has the key sequence? It's obvious someone does. This THING exists.

CHENEI
It died with David Henderson.

REG
Let me return.

DALY (to Reg)
Not until we get some answers.
(to Chenei)
Who has the key sequence? You?

CHENEI
No!

MAR
Kate.

Three heads look towards Mar.

MAR
Kate.

------------------
The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

INT. KAHEEL'S CELL - Continued:

Hell is an eight-by-twelve room.

Seizing his last opportunity for vengeance and a possible escape, Kaheel had lunged unexpectedly in the direction of KRRZKADD, sheltered in the gloom behind the semi-organic bars that separated them. Before it had been confiscated, he'd used his hidden blade to inflict a deep arterial wound in his right arm. Now, as he threw himself toward the barrier, he tore off the tourniquet that had been holding back the flow of blood. The result was instantaneous. Light green blood spurted from his half-numb arm in a graceful arc and splattered across the bars. Bubbling and smoking, they split apart and began retreating back into the floor and ceiling from which they had come. They too were vulnerable to the Calderans' lethal chemical composition.

The room was fast opening up - shadows retreating like living things until at last KRRZKADD was revealed.

The creature was huge and hideous. Dark and mottled with hundreds of legs and arms, all of various sizes and articulated for individual purposes. And at the top of it's partly insectoid and slug-like body sat a remarkably small head with three rows of black eyes. Those eyes showed no emotion at all, but Kaheel could read body language - even on a body as terrible and alien as this one.

KRRZKADD was terrified.

Kaheel advanced. His body was a weapon. His sole purpose: the kill. KRRZKADD reared up, raising half of his two-ton body off of the floor and tried to press itself farther into the corner than it would go. The entrance through the wall was to Kaheel's left. He darted in that direction and barreled forward, cutting off his captor's escape. He flailed out with both hands and blood sprayed forward, hitting the Vai monstrosity dead center. KRRZKADD's flesh split open as if sliced by a laser where the blood made contact with it. It shrieked and howled louder than anything Kaheel had ever heard. Kaheel realized it was not unlike the "Bloodsong".

Only this time he was the hunter.

He flailed at it again, spraying the beast with a gout of green death that rended KRRZKADD with the efficiency of a butcher's knife. Smoking organs and fluid rushed out of the gaping wounds. Articulated limbs melted at mid-joint and fell to the floor spasming in mindless agony. Rancid, deep purple smoke billowed out of KRRZKADD as if it were being cooked from the inside. Impossibly, even as it was writhing and smashing against the floor, the voice issued once more from the translator.

KZRRKADD
STOP! BARGAIN! WE CAN OFFER YOU MUCH!

The thought of KRRZKADD trying to make a deal in his last moments of life only served to anger Kaheel more. He would silence that booming electronic voice once and for all. He drew back his fist like a sword.

KAHEEL
For Chellah!
For Keevon!
DIE!

He thrust his bloodied arm right into KRRZKADD up to his shoulder until it was immersed in the burning heat of it's internal destruction.
An multi-segmented arm tipped with a claw as black and sharp as an twin obsidian blades slashed at Kaheel's face. More blood sprayed from a deep wound on Kaheel's cheek. The blood soaked limb withered and fell off. KRRZKADD could not even fight back. To do so would only cause greater pain and sufferering. It shudders and smokes and belches and growls as Kaheel stands face to terrifying face with it. He stares into those black eyes and waits for the life to go out of them. The translator speaks once more.

KRRZKADD
YOUR FAMILY....

Kaheel stops in his rage, almost bewildered and and waits.

Nothing.

KAHEEL
What of my family?!

Silence

Kaheel beats on KRRZKADD's body with his other hand for a response, but the creature has gone still. Kaheel draws his fist out of the steaming carcass and surveys the room. His eyes are wild. He wears the face of a madman.

His family. Dead? Alive?
Was there hope? He didn't dare think it.

ARI KELLER moaned in the corner and Kaheel, dazed from battle and bloodloss, staggers over to her - blood streaming down his arm and face. The machine connected to her. He had to get it off! At his feet he sees the claw that so easily slashed his face.

KAHEEL (panting)
This will have to do.
****************************************
I had more to write, but I'm really out of time! Just about done here.

------------------
"Draal gave Zathras list of things not to say.
This was one. No.... *tsk tsk*
No. Not good.
Not supposed to mention... "one", or... THE one.
Hmmmm.
You never heard that."

[This message has been edited by B5_Obsessed (edited December 11, 2001).]
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

You... you can't do this to me... *blinks* Now I have to wait? How evil!

------------------
The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

Did you have plans for Keller too? I was gonna take her with me.

------------------
"Draal gave Zathras list of things not to say.
This was one. No.... *tsk tsk*
No. Not good.
Not supposed to mention... "one", or... THE one.
Hmmmm.
You never heard that."
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

Nope, you can take Keller from now on.

A hint, while you're scheming: Daly's not going to leave the planet without knowing what happened to Henderson, Kaheel, and Keller. Or, at least, he's gonna try. Writing as we speak.

------------------
The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

Yes, I'd say our characters should meet up again soon.

------------------
"Draal gave Zathras list of things not to say.
This was one. No.... *tsk tsk*
No. Not good.
Not supposed to mention... "one", or... THE one.
Hmmmm.
You never heard that."
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

(reread the end of this post - it's changed.)

INT. SHUTTLE

The scene so far: Reg, transformed, wild-eyed and half-stable on the floor, Downey holding him fast around his shoulders and underneath his arms. Mar kneels directly next to him, gun cocked and ready at her side. Next to Mar is Chenei, supported against the wall, still dizzy. Next to her, rounding out the circle, is Daly, half-kneeling, one hand supporting himself with his gun, the other on Reg's leg.

The tension is so thick you could knot it around the characters' necks, cut off their breath, and leave them gasping on the floor. Mar's suggestion is ludicrous, but at this point - it rings with a strange truth.

MAR
She was the only one to survive the attack against Alpha Team. We know the Vai have her.

DOWNEY
I can't believe Henderson's a traitor.

DALY (sharply)
I agree with Downey. We don't have the facts. But he does.

With a cock of his head, he indicates Reg.

REG
Death.

Daly's head swings to regard Reg, or the thing that has taken his place. There's not much of the eager recruit left, laying on the ground. After, the short, lilting sound of a gun charging, Daly's eyes briefly flicker down to his side and the metallic comfort of his weapon. Fair warning for Reg.

DALY
Last time I looked, officer Lee, you worked for me.

REG
Look again.

DALY
No, I think you work for me.

REG
You know nothing.

DALY
Maybe not, but I do know Reg. Poor kid's not all that keen on risking his life. You want to return? Fine. We'll come with you. (He raises his gun) Or, I'll take my chances that this new body if yours takes bullets just like the old one.

Reg's eyes flicker with a deep blueness. Reaction shots on Mar and Downey, who aren't all that comfortable with this Daly, this departure from their level-headed leader. A small, knowing smile crosses Reg's face.

REG
All right.

Downey hauls Reg to his feet, and shoves him against the wall. With Mar's assistance, he is secured. Daly, moving swiftly to a storage locker in the wall, opens it and begins to haul out more gear - pausing just one moment, his eyes close as if he were fighting a headache and we CUT TO -

FLASHBACK -

Smoke. Terror. A trench-like hillock, dirt in the midst of battle and fire everywhere. There's hell, and a younger Daly, smoke twisting around him, with his foot on the throat of a young man in a Earth Council uniform.

DALY
You'll take me! You'll take me to the bunker!

YOUNG MAN
Screw you!

DALY
Where are they holding my team?

The young man lets out a gurgle filled with derision.

DALY
Where are they holding my team? Tell me, or they won't recognize your body when they come to clean up the battlefield!

YOUNG MAN
When the sun fries, Regulan dog!

CLOSE UP on the younger Daly, as he fulfills his promise with the sound of rapid fire.

CUT TO -

Real-time. Daly shuts the door to the locker with a click, haunted. He's reliving Regula, reliving the horror that was the Trevayne minefields, and once again Ari Keller and the rest of his team is missing, presumed dead at the hands of the enemy.

CHENEI
Captain, you're ashen. Are you all right?

DALY (hoarse)
Fine.

CHENEI
How many stims have you taken since the beginning of the mission? Are you remembering? Hallucinating?

DALY
Screw it tight, Doctor.

Chenei moves away. Downey approaches.

DOWNEY
I don't like this.

DALY
You like to gamble, don't you, Leo? Think of this as Russian Roulette.

With that, Daly brings a hypo to his wrist. A stim. He hands it to Downey, who repeats the gesture on himself.

With that, they move.

EXT. ISHNU FOREST - NIGHT

Just before dawn. The party makes its way through the forest, Reg in the center, Mar and Downey trained on him.

The forest sparkles with otherworldly beauty, softly moves in the wind as the light begins to break - but not quite, not yet. The five members of the party are a blight - black, dirty, human.

Only Reg seems to blend, to meld.

He stops, turns, and looks up at the sky, opening his mouth.

The sound is horrible, like he's channeling Krrzkadd.

And, almost in slow motion, the impossible happens. Black shapes break out from all sides, moving in quickly. Gunfire. A lot of it. Inhuman screams. The terror lasts for a few seconds.

And then, the sun breaks over the horizon.

Life resumes it's normal speed. Immediately, we realize what's gone on - the Vai have reclaimed their errant son.

Reg is gone. What's left is his scanner. Mar is mauled, down one arm, but otherwise unharmed. Downey is in front of Chenei, weapon brandished.

MAR
Oh, God. I've never been so glad to see dawn.

DALY
Where's the Va - where's Reg?

DOWNEY
With his new friends. Looks like he left us a present.

He leans forward, and picks up a scanner.

DALY
Reg's scanner.

DOWNEY
Look at this -

Daly joins him. Mar takes point, looking into the forest, ready just in case.

DOWNEY
That energy signature looks like the shuttle - and that, alien. The city?

DALY
The city.

DOWNEY
A trick.

DALY
I don't think so. Whatever that thing is, I saw Reg in there. He's still there.

DOWNEY
You -are- hallucinating.

DALY
No, Leo. I know my people.

DOWNEY
Yeah. He also knows us, if he's in there. He'll know what we're going to do, how we think...

The two exchange a troubled look as they set out again...

------------------
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 11, 2001).]
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

INT. KAHEEL'S CELL - Continued

Kaheel picks up the dismembered claw and kneels before Ari Keller, black motes clouding his vision.
He's finding it hard to focus, yet with one swift motion he slashes through the tendrils binding the alien device to her neck. Some greenish fluid leaks from device which slips from her prone body to the floor, tendrils curling inward like a dying arachnid.

Satisfied, Kaheel falls back. Laying on the floor, he stares at the ceiling as a widening pool of blood grows around him.

Time to sleep.

But just as he is drifting off, Keller's face is silhouetted above him. She's tying off his wound. Death will have to wait.

KELLER
Kaheel! Can you hear me? Stay with me!

As she's reapplying Kaheel's tourniquet, she spies the remains of KRRZKADD. It looked as though it had been used as target practice for a cruise missile

KELLER
Jesus Christ.... What did that?

KAHEEL (almost unintelligible)
.....closing......

KELLER
What?

KAHEEL (a little louder)
*gasp*
Closing.

Kaheel's head had lolled to one side and now Keller followed his gaze. He was looking over to the left of KRRZKADD. The opening in the wall was beginning to seal. She could see the bars trying to reshape themselves again as well.

KELLER
Dammit! We're outta here, NOW!

First aid could wait! Keller hauls up Kaheel with a strength born of emergency and closes the distance between them and their only chance at escape. The opening is shrinking rapidly.

Six feet wide, five feet, four...

Keller shoves Kaheel fully into the opening and dives in on top of him. In another circumstance it might have been amusing. Did Kaheel like aggressive women? She scoots up a little farther to get her legs completely inside the tunnel - she doesn't know what would happen to her legs if the orifice closed on them. Would it seal around them or sever them completely? Either would be very bad. She drags her feet over the threshold just as the wall seals behind them.

She lay raggedly gasping on top of Kaheel, who was frighteningly silent in the impenetrable blackness of the tunnel.

------------------
"Draal gave Zathras list of things not to say.
This was one. No.... *tsk tsk*
No. Not good.
Not supposed to mention... "one", or... THE one.
Hmmmm.
You never heard that."

[This message has been edited by B5_Obsessed (edited December 12, 2001).]
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

( going away for a few weeks on holiday ; I will be able to read this but perhaps not to answer, so be kind to our 'friends' here ) !


EXT. ISHNU NEARSPACE

The shuttle from the SHADOWS soars towards the planet, heat illuminating the hull in cosmic patterns of red and orange ...

SMASH CUT TO:

EXT. TITANS SHUTTLE

LANGLEY stands in the huge gash in the hull and looks in - to find no inhabitants. She humphs and prepares to rapel back down the side of the shuttle ... and then she notices something. A POC ( portable onboard computer ) in the back of the shuttle, it's message recieved button flashing in the dark.

LANGELY picks up the POC and activates it ...

DALY'S VOICE
These are the logs of Captain
James Daly. Mission Leader of
the CCS Titans. If you don't
find our body then you might
want to know why ...

LANGLEY stares as the report continues.

DISSOLVE THROUGH TO:

CHENEI, DALY, MAR, DOWNEY clomping through the forest towards the Vai City-Being. MAR stops, then ...

MAR
Why ?

DOWNEY
Why what ?

MAR
The Vai destroyed the Titans
with the first energy pulse.
Why the second ?

CHENEI
Survivors ?

MAR
I don't think so. Both shuttles
are lost, they would've died in
a few hours anyway ...

DOWNEY
I get what you're saying.

CHENEI
So do I.

DALY turns to regard the other three.

DALY
Help ... arrived.

CHENEI
But were there any survivors ?

DOWNEY shrugs.

DOWNEY
Doubtful.

MAR
One of us should go back to the
shuttle.
(re: everyone else's looks)
Just in case.

DOWNEY
Agreed.

CHENEI
Yes.

DALY
But who ? Any volunteers ? I'd
much rather get the others out
of that monstrosity ...

MAR
I will.

DALY
Huh ?

MAR smiles.

MAR
Never did like jungles really.
Did anyone wonder why I've never
served on ground support ?

DALY
Not really.

MAR
Is it settled ?

DALY
(grudgingly)
If you insist.

MAR takes on of the guns from DOWNEY and marches back through the forest, back towards the TITANS shuttle and, unknowingly the team from the SHADOWS.


a

------------------
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

*thinks* I will plot better! I will plot better! I will throw more monkey-wrenches! I will not be Basil Exposition!

--

EXT. ISHNU - JUST AFTER DAWN - SHUTTLE

The expedition from the Shadow, three-strong, mills around the torn shuttle raggedly. Langley exits the shuttle, and is seen sitting on a rock, loading her gun and watching a POC, which she places at her feet. Novakovich and another crewmember, Jaron, are bare silhouettes inside the shuttle, crouched over something inside.

We PAN to the edge of the forest, where Mar is stock-still behind a large tree, daring not to breathe. We see things from her perspective - she sees dark forms, nothing more.

MAR (whispered, to herself)
Go back, volunteer. Great, Natalie. They've mutated and you're alone...

EXT. ISHNU - SHUTTLE - DAY

Langley slides ammunition into her weapon, angrily, while Daly's voice emanates from the POC laying at her feet.

DALY (V.O.)
This message is meant for Captain Hiro Sakura of the CSS Shadows. In his absence, the passcode of two operations officers must be present.

LANGLEY (yells)
NOVAKOVICH!

She loads another cap. Novakovich, breathlessly, comes up behind her.

NOVAKOVICH
Yes, Captain?

LANGLEY
Passcode.

Novakovich picks up the POC, and places her thumb on the unit. It beeps. She hands it to Langley, who does the same. It goes black, and then comes up with Daly's harried visage.

DALY (V.O.)
Hiro, hello. It's been a while. Sorry we couldn't meet under better circumstances. If you're recieving this message, than we have abandoned the shuttle and are moving eastward on course eight-six-two towards our target.

EXT. ISHNU - FOREST - OUTSIDE CITY

Just outside the city, Daly, Chenei, and Downey move closer, ever so closer, the stress and the sweat evident on their faces. Daly has the haunted countenance of someone who has seen too much, remembered too much, with eyes darkened in a need for revenge - eyes that we last saw in the flashback as he killed the Earth officer. Chenei, here, is very much a fish out of water. As a doctor and the mastermind behind the Vai Offensive, she's seen her share of death and caused her share though her actions: but she's never held the gun, never been on the front lines like this, and it's scaring her. Downey, for whom such things are a matter of the next paycheck, has set his jaw, loaded his gun, and is ready for anything.

DALY (V.O.)
Our target is an established Vai presence, a large mobile base currently located at 458 Beta on the northern continent, about two klicks from here on current estimation. We were uninformed of the Vai presence upon our arrival on Ishnu.

They clear a few trees and come upon the large, glorious, radiant Vai city; it reflects on their gear, glimmering like fire.

DALY (V.O.)
I don't have time to do a full run-down for you. I know you have access to things I don't, and at this point I don't have a choice but to trust you. Hiro, the Vai were not eradicated in the Offensive fifteen years ago. They've been waiting here, on Ishnu. They've done something to one of my officers. They're holding three of my people hostage, including Ari. (pause, a tremor coming into his voice) I failed - I failed her at Trevayne, Hiro, and I'm not going to let that happen again. I can't do that to her.

Downey scans, and points to the ceiling of one of the "buildings." Keeping to the darkness, the team makes their way there with the air of a funeral party and the tension of a taut rope. Daly, taking out a grapple, aims, and fires - it catches. Grimly, he nods, indicates for the other two to follow, and begins to scale the side of the gently curving wall, coming up to the air vent Henderson escaped from - still open. Something's fishy here, and Daly pauses for just a moment before dropping in,

DALY (V.O.)
Trust me on this one, Hiro. We were never meant to come back from Ishnu. And it doesn't look good for us right now, even though we've come this far. Do something for me - get out of here.

INT. ISHNU CITY - CELL

Daly is already at the door of the cell, and Downey follows, working the mechanism quickly, as Chenei falls through the air duct opening behind them, unbalanced and almost keeling over.

DALY (V.O)
I don't know what the Vai have planned. But I do know one thing. The Company doesn't want anyone to know what happened here. They want us dead, want to eradicate every last shred of evidence of their complicity when the Vai attack, which they will. They will. (pause) Get out of here, Hiro. It may be too late for us, but it's not too late for you to find out, to tell someone, to stop the juggernaut before it destroys us all.

Downey converses silently with Daly. Daly nods, and he and Chenei clear the lock. Downey slides a small, screwdriver-like machine into the lock mechanism, and with a shower of sparks, he's rewarded with a burn on his left hand - and the door opening. He moves back, in pain, but picks up his gun and moves out behind Daly and Chenei.

DALY (V.O.)
I can't say anymore, or we'll lose precious time. Don't come after me.

They find themselves in a dark, badly lit alien hallway - making their way down, slowly, tautly, every sense heightened. They pass an intersection.

Five seconds after they pass, a figure appears from the shadows, an old, robed figure with an infinitely sorrowful look on his face. The Old Man.

EXT. ISHNU - FOREST

Langley watches Daly's face blink out with an unreadable expression. Novokavich is stunned.

NOVOKAVICH
…Should we head out, Captain?

Langley laughs, a short, barking laugh. She looks up at Novokavich.

LANGLEY
And go where? Negative. I want the coordinates of that Vai base.

JARON (off-screen)
Captain!

CUT TO: ANGLE ON JARON

Jaron, looking just a little roughed up and a bit more bruised since the last time we saw him, is standing just inside the clearing, supporting a limping Mar.


------------------
The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

Top O' the list!

------------------
"Draal gave Zathras list of things not to say.
This was one. No.... *tsk tsk*
No. Not good.
Not supposed to mention... "one", or... THE one.
Hmmmm.
You never heard that."
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

And here you get me all excited, thinking somebody posted more story!
smile.gif
I've got some more coming - but I have to finish a few things for work before I post more.

Obsessed, I think you and I are on the same page, here... or getting there, at least!

I like this universe. I'd like to write more in it.

------------------
The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

<BLOCKQUOTE><font size="1" face="Verdana, arial">quote:</font><HR> I like this universe. I'd like to write more in it. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Well, you guys DID threaten to take all this and turn it into a REAL novel once it was wrapped up here.
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Having Warren's participation would also make it easy to sell.
Even better is the fact that Warren will Really be participating in the writing.
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Peter Jurrasik and Bruce Boxleitner have novels out with their names on them already.
I don't know if they reeally wrote them or if it was a ghost, though.


BUT, I Have Met the Ghost who REALLY writes "Shatner's" books at a couple Cons.
He's a pro, with much Better stuff published under his Own name.
Of course, when he does his own stuff, he's not trying to rescue the story from Shatner's lack of talent.

He's also got a Gag clause in the contract, so he doesn't talk about it much. You have to catch him at the bar...



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The 3 most common elements in the Universe:
Hydrogen, Greed, Stupidity!
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

bakana -

A third of what I do to make my living involves ghosting for others. LOL - unlike other writers I know, I hold no illusions about any part of the publishing field, especially in today's ever so slightly difficult SF market. I already have more than a couple rejections underneath my belt (but then, everyone starts out that way).

That said, I have full faith that this little interactive ditty of ours, when cleaned up, fixed up, changed around, fleshed out, and converted, could really be impressive. I'm up for it, at least.

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The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

I can't say for sure, but I don't think our combined writing would be more than 25 properly formatted pages at this point. We might have to shoot for a novella.

Give Warren hell tonight, will ya?
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"Draal gave Zathras list of things not to say.
This was one. No.... *tsk tsk*
No. Not good.
Not supposed to mention... "one", or... THE one.
Hmmmm.
You never heard that."
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

Hee hee! Well, I'm not going to private-message the guy, as he's probably using a typist (and it's not good chat etiquette anyway to private-message the object of the chat when his attention is elsewhere), and I think working the question into the chat itself is... ehm, not tactful (and it wouldn't get past the moderator, anyway!) So... hmm. We'll see!

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The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

We have a *lot* of pages racked up in script form. A lot. Right now, there's much I think we should cut (they spent a lot of time tramping through the forest back and forth, for example), and some we could flesh out. Prose would allow us to look further into the mind and motivations of Callenegra and Co., too.

But, 'till then:

--

EXT. ISHNU - CLEARING - TITANS SHUTTLE

Jaron stands, holding Mar by the arm. Langley, Novokavich flanking with her hand on her pistol, looks Mar over.

LANGELY
Jaron?

JARON
Captain, this -

MAR
Officer Natalie Mar, late of the Titans. Ship duty.

Langley's eyes slip past Mar's shoulders, and return to her as quickly.

LANGLEY
What happened, Jaron?

MAR
I - mistook him for the enemy, ma'am.

Langley lets out a long breath. After giving Mar the once-over one last time, her shoulders relax.

LANGELY
Jaron, go fix the shuttle's transciever. We're going to need it. Novakovich, I want the comm system in this thing working yesterday.

JARON and NOVOKAVICH (nodding)
Yes, Captain.

Mar has stood here, stock-still, waiting. She almost can't believe what she's seeing - humans, alive, on Ishnu, and she's speechless. Langley indicates for Mar to follow her, and she returns to where she dropped the POC. She picks it up, examines it in her hands. Businesslike, professional, and with an acid edge to her eyes, she looks back up to Mar. Mar jumps first, the questions on her lips finally coming to fruition.

MAR
...Where's Captain Sakura?

LANGLEY (sharp, acid)
No. You'll answer my questions, first.

MAR
No, ma'am. I-

Langley pauses, switches on the POC, to a still photo of a torn-faced, blood-stained Daly.

LANGLEY
I've seen it. Is Daly alive?

Mar gulps.

MAR
That message was meant for Captain Sakura, ma'am.

Langley uses the POC to punctuate her movement, as she walks, circling Mar. As she speaks, Mar's face falls further and further, from sadness to despair to desolation.

LANGLEY
Officer Mar, there are two Company research vessels dead in the water in the skies above us. The debris field is practically unnavigable. The Titans crew has been lost, and I've seen my crewmates on the Shadows eat space, freezing into grotesque parodies of living beings. I want answers, Mar, for when I get off this godforsaken rock and have to answer for the destruction of Company property.

She shoves the POC into Mar's hands, her voice low and dangerous.

LANGLEY
I'm accountable for thirty dead people, Mar. And what do I find here, on Ishnu, a proven uninhabited planet - ship officers, playing commando on what should have been a straightforward intelligence-gathering mission, leaving behind what I see as a hack fantasy excuse! Tell me the truth, or by God, I don't care what kind of charges are levied on me for hurting you - I will make you pay for each life you and your crewmates are responsible for because of your negligence.

Mar puts together what shreds are left of her dignity, and stammers out the next sentence.

MAR
Captain Daly is tracking... the Vai target. With Downey and Chenei. What you saw was true. Unbelievable, but true.

LANGLEY
Lynn Chenei? Doctor Lynn Chenei?

MAR
Yes, ma'am.

Langley turns, her back slightly to Mar. Her face twists from the angry mask, replacing it with something ten times more haunted.

LANGLEY
Officer Henderson. Katharine Henderson. What is her status?

MAR
In - in Vai custody -

This was the last thing Langley wanted to hear. She swings around, her demeanor relaxing considerably.

LANGLEY
You did not just tell me that, Mar.

MAR
I did, ma'am.

Langely stops. Inhales. On the exhale, she lifts her gaze.

LANGLEY
I believe you. I'm sorry I had to put you through that. I had to be absolutely sure.

You could have hit Mar with a ton of bricks - and she wouldn't have been more surprised than she is now.

MAR
...What?

LANGLEY
I bear Sakura's memory and legacy. He died so I could see what he carried, concealed. He was murdered to keep the secret of this planet - ordered not to run a rescue mission. I'm here to help.

MAR
Ma'am, excuse me, but -

LANGELY
I'll be coming along. Novokavich and Jaron can handle things here. You'll need me. I know Daly. He's gonna get himself killed for those people. And I need him alive. For evidence. (pause) And you don't have much choice in the matter, do you?

MAR (quietly)
Why should I trust you?

LANGLEY (a small smile on her face)
...After that speech of mine? I needed to be sure you were yourself convinced... And I'm sharing this with you. In case one of us is killed.

Langely taps the POC, turns, and calls back to the others, legging it back to the shuttle.

LANGLEY
NOVOKAVICH! The comm system, now! I don't have all year!

Mar follows her gaze, and then flips the POC on. Images fall across the screen. Sound. The sound of a Vai screaming. The sound of a thousand Vai screaming. The images reflect on her horror-stricken face, as we -

go to BLACK.

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The writer's life is not meant to be a happy one. We all accept that going in. -JMS
 
Re: \"Titans\" -Warriors of Virtue

I'm sorry if my entries to the story have seemed a bit less than excellent lately! Next week's vacation, though - so I have some great time to sit back, relax, and do better. 'Till then, readers, enjoy...

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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 13, 2001).]
 

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