Star Saga: A Clash Of Empires (2) EXT. SPACE, IN VIEW OF DORRIDION. A line of dropships are cruising from the planet Dorridion towards a MOON BASE. A repairs-in-progress Delta Squadron can be seen as they pass. One-fourth of the space station is completely repaired, and the rest is in progress. EXT. MOON BASE, SHIP PORT The Moon Base is like a mini city. It extends sweepingly across the surface of the moon, a jumbled mass of interconnected structures. The dropships land and out comes many youngsters who are Initiates, but our point of interest lies on Simon Bridges (white male, late teens) Simone Bridges (white female, late teens), they are twins. Out also comes the characters we know as Jason (black, curly haired) and Matt (white, freckle faced, red haired). Both of which are also in their late teens. The Initiates look about wideyed. Commander A. P. Holton approaches them as they gather their luggage and orient themselves. COMMANDER HOLTON Welcome, young Intiates. Or should I say my soon-to-be cadets? The transition from Initiate to cadet is a tough one, I will not mislead you, but you are all aware of the dire circumstances that Delta Squadron has been faced with. We need to replenish our system, and you were chosen. Any questions before we begin the precedings? Nobody seems to want to air concern, until Simon speaks. SIMON Yeah, I have one. Will having my genes manipulated, hurt? COMMANDER HOLTON There is some slight nausea and lightheadeness but apart from that there aren't any sideffects. Now, if there are no more questions, let us get started. The Initiates all gather their things and head for the large sliding door. �� EXT. BULGATA HOMEWORLD, VIEW OF BLOCK A Block A is a technological wing near a Bulgata Confinement House. It is a multi tiered structure being spread out and covering much land. INT. BACK OF TESTING FACILITY, ARID FIELD Gray skinned Gindred Falcos along with a Myrmdion exit the Testing Facility through the sliding door. Gindred is about to demonstrate how to operate a newly designed weapon to the Myrmidion named SAMNEL near an expansive open field. The field is sweeping, extending far beyond where the eye can see. The sun's light scarcely penetrates through the thick dark clouds of a very industrialized Bulgata homeworld. The weapon is similar in shape to any two handed sub machine gun, though it carries with it a very alien aura. The two stride away from the sliding door leading back into the facility. � GINDRED We haven't decided on a name for it yet. But it's certainly one of the most powerful weapons that we've ever created. Gindred now begins to prep the weapon. GINDRED (CONT'D) I'll just set THE ANNIHILATION METER, adjust the pitch, and... The weapon begins to seemingly draw energy in unto itself. Suddenly, it fires and a great ball of energy is arched high into the sky. It takes a while for it to strike, but when it crashes into the ground it expands into a dome of energy and sends sand flying everywhere. The wind from the impact makes its way back towards Gindred and Samnel, whipping at their loose clothing. ��� �� SAMNEL (in awe) You-you could take out whole multitudes of enemies with that thing. GINDRED I know. The only thing is, it's so powerful, we haven't been able to produce one that doesn't overheat. Samnel takes it in his hands lightly and holds it reverently. SAMNEL (in reflection) Maybe--maybe it's a good idea if you all kept this to yourselves. The commanding couple have enough instruments of terror as is... Gindred observes Samnel while he is in deep reflection, and seems to be on the cusp of responding but it never comes. Samnel aims the weapon and scopes his eyes. SAMNEL (CONT'D) Because of Fedos and Fedora's arrogance, they haven't employed some of the more potent weapons in our arsenal. But I think they're starting to see just how strong of a resistance these Earth peoples pose. Gindred considers. GINDRED (CONT�D) So you're telling me that colony called Dur--Dur-- SAMNEL (looking up) Dorridion? Yes, the commanding couple were beaten back on that planet as well, after occupying it. Imagine that. Gindred considers once more with a hand to his chin. Samnel stops aiming the weapon and brings it to his side, looking towards Gindred. SAMNEL (excited) How about we call her THE LITTLE INTIMIDATOR? Samnel breaks Gindred's reverie as he hands it back to him. GINDRED A fine name. I'll pass it along to the others and see what they think. SAMNEL (sighing) Well, we should probably get back to work. Samnel heads for the sliding door and Gindred hefts the weapon and follows him. INT. ALPHA SQUADRON ACADEMY, LIGHTED HALL Langdon walks through the lighted hall along with both Iris and Jesse. Other cadets careen past them, going separate ways. Langdon lags behind, with seemingly something on his mind, until Jesse confronts him. JESSE Are you coming? LANGDON (looking up) Yeah, I am. Hol-hold the drop ship for me, will you? I just want to talk to Monafia for a bit. Iris looks at him, her eyes revealing much. Langdon glances towards her, and then looks away. LANGDON (CONT'D) I'll be right back. He turns back the way he came. INT. ALPHA SQUADRON, DORM QUARTERS Langdon walks through the hall until he makes it to a gray sliding door. He enters a code on a panel and the door slides open. Langdon goes through the apartment until he finds Monafia in the bedroom. She stands from a sitting position on the bed as Langdon stands in the entrance. MONAFIA Langdon, you are ok. She rushes towards him and they embrace. Langdon appears in deep reflection. Monafia pulls away from him. MONAFIA (CONT'D) I had not heard from anyone that you had survived. I was very worried. LANGDON (pausing) Things were a little touch and go for a moment, but--we managed to repel the Bulgata. MONAFIA (concerned) You do not look well though. In truth, you haven't in some time. I did not want to say anything at first, but is there something the matter? Langdon considers, and then paces the floor a bit. MONAFIA (considering) Does it have anything to do with your friend Iris? Langdon speaks while looking away from Monafia. LANGDON (CONT'D) I feel, confused. Like I'm being pulled through two different and magnetic paths. It's all, just so very difficult... Monafia somehow brightens. MONAFIA You will find your way in time. I believe in you. Langdon looks at her. LANGDON Listen, we're going to take a dropship and see how badly the Bulgata damaged the surface of the planet, and to check on Czar Shepard. Do you want to come? MONAFIA I would very much like to get out and get some fresh air, if I could. LANGDON Ok. Follow me to the dropship. The two exit through the sliding door and walk over us, heading for the ship port. EXT. MARUNE, ENDLESS CITY - AFTERNOON A somewhat wounded High Command stands crippled in the midst of a much wounded city. Great structures have been toppled, trapping many individuals under the rubble. Dust billows towards the clouds. A few individuals move about on the ground, looking around with great apprehension in their eyes. INT. HIGH COMMAND, HALLWAY Czar Shepard is walking through an extended hall, being escorted by Commander Stanfield, Wecker, and TWO MALE AIDES. They speak on the circumstances of the attack. CZAR SHEPARD Has there been any estimation on how much damage was caused? COMMANDER WECKER All of the cities were attacked. Early estimates hover somewhere around a thirty five percent surface catastrophic rate. COMMANDER STANFIELD Whatever weapon they used, it was very potent. They turn a corner to a rising ramp. CZAR SHEPARD We must quickly respond to the needs of those trapped in the rubble. AIDE #1 Rescue units are in the process of being dispatched. COMMANDER WECKER We also have cadets and other, traditional soldiers who will assist in rescue operations. CZAR SHEPARD Good. I will address the public. They need to know that leadership has not been crippled. Commander Stanfield stops. COMMANDER STANFIELD (CONT�D) Sire, if I may? The others stop and stare. COMMANDER STANFIELD (CONT�D) I think we need to consider presenting amendments to the Constitution that allows you to stay in office longer than your term permits. Czar Shepard considers. COMMANDER STANFIELD (CONT�D) We are facing a crisis. We must be allowed to have continuity in government. CZAR SHEPARD PRESIDENTIAL NOMINEE ANDERSON of the NORTH AMERICAN ZONE will not take this sitting down. COMMANDER STANFIELD Yes sire, but it is for the good of the Empire. AIDE #2 Allow me to draw up the amendments, sire. The Earth Empire could scarcely handle an election during this chaos. Czar Shepard looks towards Wecker. CZAR SHEPARD What do you think, Wecker? COMMANDER WECKER I think the Commander is correct. We only need to run the proposition by the Congress. I�m sure we can get Anderson and the others from Earth to listen to reason. Shepard considers one final time. He turns towards the Aide who spoke up as he resumes walking. They follow. CZAR SHEPARD Draft the proposals for presenting to the Congress. They enter the adjoining structure of the ship port of High Command, heading for a dropship. CZAR SHEPARD (CONT�D) If it takes all the wherewithal I have within my being, we will win this conflict. Czar Shepard, his Commanders, and his Aides get more distant as the skyline of the partially crippled endless city comes into view. EXT. BULGATA, VIEW OF FEEDING HOUSE - NIGHT Night has fallen as we get an extended view of the Feeding House. A variety of multi-hued and altered faced slaves are being rounded up to feed, with Myrmidions spaced regularly about them. INT. FEEDING HOUSE A Myrmidion stands in the midst of the elongated, grimy room, holding a handheld terminal, as slaves await their names to be called. Tinted blue Wynn Glynn picks up her tray of food and heads towards the grimy and elongated table and the congregated gray skinned Gindred Falcos and green tinted Atla Borges. She sits across from them. ATLA So, Gindred, you had something to tell us? Gindred appears lost in thought as he twirls through his vegetables. GINDRED Huh? Oh, right, right. Well, I told you both that the Bulgata was an occupier of an Earth colony called Dorridion. WYNN Yes, that was some time ago. Do you have the latest intel? GINDRED I do in fact. It seems that the Bulgata were driven back, forced to retreat, at the hands of these united peoples. Atla appears lost in thought as she hovers her fork over her food. ATLA That is, quite the revelation. WYNN (hunched over) Do you two have any idea what this foretells? The two stare at her. WYNN (CONT�D) This could finally be it. The time that we have been waiting for. The Bulgata, it seems, have met their match. Gindred takes a bite of bread that crunches and speaks with a mouthful. GINDRED (CONT�D) I�m not so certain of that fact. The Myrmidion I spoke with, Samnel, mentioned that the commanding couple has not relied on some of their more potent weaponry in this conflict. It�s almost as if they...believe they can win using the more primitive fair. WYNN Exactly! Their arrogance is beyond imagining. Listen, I know that some of my proclamations have been a little...out there... GINDRED To say the least... Wynn stares at him for only a moment. WYNN ...But what I propose now is something that I think we could accomplish, given your connections, Gindred. Why can�t we use the contacts you have and worm our way to an escape? Silence engulfs the table as both Atla and Gindred consider. Atla almost speaks to herself. ATLA It�s far more practical then rallying together and liberating ourselves and others from the hands of those who enslave us. GINDRED Not to mention assassination plots. ATLA I actually like this idea. Wynn looks hopeful. GINDRED Atla! ATLA What? Gindred, you of all people should be able to understand the import of the current happenings. The Bulgata has not lost not just one conflict, but two, two in a row, one of which saw them as occupiers. Occupiers! Have you ever thought you would live to see such a day? Gindred considers with a piece of meat on his fork. He hesitantly bites it and cringes. GINDRED Admittedly, I never thought I�d live to see such a day, but still... ATLA But still what? Atla looks around to make sure no one is watching. ATLA (CONT�D) You could get the locations of Earth and its colonies, we could escape, give the Earthlings the location of the Bulgata home world, and they could liberate everyone else. WYNN Everything hinges on whether or not Gindred has enough favor won with his Myrmidion contact. Well? Do you, Gindred? Gindred considers, and every time he looks to be on the cusp of speaking he stops. Finally he does speak. GINDRED I�ll admit, that I have been thinking more and more about doing...if not this, then something. But what you two are proposing is that I risk my life in confiding with my Mymidion contact? That could have...grave consequences for me. ATLA Gindred... GINDRED No. I do see that this is a very rare opportunity that has presented itself before us. I so terribly want to see my family again, and that can only happen if everyone everywhere is liberated. This is...a very sound plan. And I will do what I can to see if there are any substantial chinks in this Myrmidion�s armor. Wynn is visibly enthused. Atla simply smiles. Gindred (CONT�D) But don�t get your hopes up. I�ll have to be very, very crafty with Samnel. I can�t just come out and say it. But I will try. That�s all the assurance I can give you. ATLA Truthfully, Gindred, that�s all we ever really wanted from you. Gindred smirks and re institutes the task of eating his meal. Atla and Wynn do so as well. EXT. MARUNE, RUINED ENDLESS CITY A line of dropships touch down in varying points on the depopulated streets of a sparsely ruined endless city. Langdon, Jesse, Iris, and Monafia exit a dropship and are greeted by a traditional uniformed SOLDIER, a man who looks to be in his middle years. SOLDIER Welcome, cadets. As you can see, things are looking pretty grim. I�ll lead you to some of the more devastated areas. If you�ll follow me. Iris and Jesse begin to follow. Langdon lags behind and begins speaking to Monafia. LANGDON Would you feel better waiting in the dropship? Monafia appears as if in reflection. MONAFIA I feel, as if there are people crying out to me. I can sense them. Langdon, I could help you locate them. Langdon considers. LANGDON Alright. Let�s get moving. The two follow on after Iris, Jesse, and the Solider. INT. DELTA SQUADRON MOON BASE, GENE SPLICING LAB Simon, Simone, Jason, and Matt enter through the sliding door into the Gene Splicing Lab to have their genes altered. They wear tight and white garments. JASON Well, this is it, guys. I don�t know about any of you, but I�m all creeped out. SIMON Commander A. P. Holton said there wouldn�t be any side effects, so there�s nothing to worry about. A MALE SCIENTIST that was standing near them speaks. MALE SCIENTIST They�re used to be side effects: loss of vision, trouble sleeping, impotence. But we�ve had this science perfected to the tee for more than fifty years. MATT Did you say impotence? Oh man, I don�t know if I want to go through with this. Simone elbows Matt. SIMONE Come on, Matt. Don�t be such a wuss. MALE SCIENTIST If you youngsters will take your places we can begin. There are four man sized open cylinders lined against the wall and a bevy of complex computer terminals shielded by a wall of glass with scientists on the other side. The foursome head towards and enter into their separate open tubes and FOUR ASSISTANTS hook them up to wires connected with needles on the end of them that penetrate flesh. Jason and Matt flinch upon penetration. They then pull down breathing masks from above and fasten them in place. The Assistants back away, and they along with the Male Scientist leave through the sliding door. The tubing comes down, encapsulating them in. The lights dim. The tubing begins to fill up with a blue liquid that rises to the top of the cylinder. Bubbles spring up all about them. Scientists on the other side of the glass huddle together and track their gene advancement looking at computer modeled diagrams that map the inside of their bodies. After a time, the bubbling stops, the lights flash back on, and the blue liquid recedes. The Four Assistants return with the Male Scientist and the shielded tubing retreats to the ceiling. They uncouple the wires and take off the masks and the foursome come stumbling out of the tubing, all with their hands on their heads. MALE SCIENTIST So, how do you feel? MATT I feel dizzy. SIMONE Nauseated. JASON Lightheaded. The Male Scientist smiles. MALE SCIENTIST The price for having your genes manipulated. Now come, you must rest, and begin your mentoring as cadets. The foursome trail after the scientist, all generally swaying but managing nonetheless. EXT. MARUNE, RUINED ENDLESS CITY - EVENING The sun is soon to set in the sparsely ruined city. Langdon, Iris, Jesse, and teams of TRADITIONAL SOLDIERS dig through the rubble in hopes of finding people who are trapped. Langdon with his team of soldiers has Monafia stationed to the very back of them, away from the rubble, while Jesse and Iris with their team of soldiers is some ways away from them. Langdon turns towards Monafia and approaches her. LANGDON Are you absolutely certain that someone is buried down here? MONAFIA (nodding) I�m positive. I can, feel her presence. She�s unconscious. Langdon turns back around and continues digging through the rubble. Suddenly, one of the soldiers (a male) screams at the top of his lungs. MALE SOLDIER I�ve found a hand! Both teams converge on the spot and those at the forefront begin to dig the woman out. Soft moans escape out of her mouth as the Male Soldier and another FEMALE SOLIDER hold her up. Jesse and Iris observe from some ways away, while Langdon approaches the woman. LANGDON Let�s get her to a hospital. The Male Soldier picks her up in his arms and takes her to a flying ambulance that�s out of the way of the rubble. Langdon looks towards Monafia and she puts a hand to her head. She speaks to Iris and Jesse�s team, and points. MONAFIA
Copyright © 2008 Michael Harris |