Star Saga (2) FEDOS You may do the honors, my beloved. FEDORA Obliterate them! RAPHSIDY Firing...now. EXT. BULGATA - SUPER - BULGATA Bulgata's structures are mechanized and bathed in brown. Its sky sheds no light. A large cannon reveals itself from a sliding door on the ground. The cannon preps, and fires, releasing an extended red laser into the atmosphere. INT. INTIMIDATOR WARSHIP, BRIDGE Fedos, Fedora, Illzar, and Lord Dalaysis watch through the observation screen as the pulsing red stream travels through space. LORD DALAYSIS What is that? FEDOS That, my friend, is the end. Fedos and Fedora laugh hysterically. INT. OMEGA SQUADRON, LANGDON'S QUARTERS Langdon and Monafia sit at Langdon's desk. LANGDON So, how is it that you only contacted me? MONAFIA I focused on contacting someone pure of heart, someone...who would help us. LANGDON And this Bulgata... MONAFIA They're savages. Many worlds have fallen. LANGDON I see. Langdon contemplates. LANGDON I don't understand though, how is it that you are able to speak this language? That's probably one of the reasons the commander doesn't initally believe your story. Monafia looks at him confusingly. MONAFIA I...do not know. Perhaps my father has the answer to that question. Langdon stands. LANGDON (continuing) Well, in any case, I'd better inform the commander. But first, let's get you something to eat. You're probably starving. MONAFIA Food would be nice. LANGDON Follow me and stay close. MONAFIA OK. Langdon walks toward the exit and Monafia follows. The sliding door opens and Monafia stops. She observes the sliding door with a burning curiosity. Langdon stops. LANGDON What is it? MONAFIA It...it is nothing. The two head through the hall. INT. MESS HALL Students sit at elongated tables and benches as they eat their meals. A few students stand in line, waiting to serve themselves. Television monitors are mounted in the rooms corners. Langdon and Monafia enter. The students sitting stare at Monafia as she enters. Langdon escorts her to a desolate area of the Mess Hall. LANGDON I'll be right back, OK? She nods. Langdon advances toward the line. Monafia watches as students stare at her as they speak. She then turns away from them, looking lowly towards the ground. Gum chewing Jesse spots Langdon as he prepares a dish for Monafia and heads toward him. LANGDON What do you want? JESSE Hey man, I'm just checkin' up on things. So, what she tell ya? Langdon scoops up some shrimp. LANGDON She said that some aliens are trying to enslave her people and that they're coming after us next. JESSE That's one wack broad. LANGDON I don't know... JESSE Oh come on, you can't possibly believe that. Langdon picks up a small cup of shrimp sauce. JESSE (continuing) She's a spy man, I'm tellin' ya. When I was at Alpha Squadron we caught a lot of 'em who were really working for Delta. LANGDON Well then, why the front? Why go to all that trouble to dress and act the way she does? JESSE They're trained for that. They're like, chameleons. Jesse looks toward Monafia who's entrenched in her surroundings. JESSE (continuing) Man, she must be their best agent. Langdon drains a beverage from its filter into a cup. He then shakes his head. LANGDON I just don't believe it. The two head toward Monafia. Langdon sits beside her and Jesse from across. Langdon places the tray and beverage in front of her. LANGDON I hope you like it. It's called shrimp. Monafia smells it. Langdon picks one up and dips it in the sauce. LANGDON Here, like this. Langdon attempts to feed it to her. She hesitates. LANGDON Come on, you'll never know unless you try it. Hesitantly, Monafia accepts. Langdon and Jesse watch for a response. MONAFIA I...like it. Langdon smiles. Jesse shakes his head. Monafia picks up the cup and sips. She then drinks more. She repositions the cup and reaches for more shrimp. EXT. EARTH, EXTENDED VIEW OF AQUANATA The submarine travels toward the sparkling underwater palace Aquanata. INT. EARTH, AQUANATA DOCKING BAY/LOBBY Cadets exit the submarine with their belongings. Older peole, presumably parents, greet them upon their arrival. Iris exits the submarine. She then looks to and fro and spots two people of familiarity. A middle aged man and a middle aged woman. She waves as she approaches them. IRIS Mom, dad! MOTHER Sweetie, oh its been so long. Iris hugs her mother. IRIS I missed you both so much. Iris hugs her father. FATHER Come on, let's get you unpacked. MOTHER Wait a minute, where's Langdon? IRIS Well, they only let so many of us go this year, what, with the conflict and all. FATHER That's too bad. I really like that kid. Iris smiles. The trio make their way through the confusion. EXT. OMEGA SQUADRON, CONTROL ROOM The male Operator from before informs Commander Wecker of an occurence on the radar. OPERATOR I've got something on the radar, sir. Wecker heads toward him. WECKER Well, what is it? OPERATOR I don't know. Our readings are off the charts. Wecker looks at the radar and sees a long red stream. Other personnel begin enmassing toward the radar. OPERATOR It's flying past us. WECKER ...Whatever it is, it's heading for Earth. The personnel watch through the window as the pulsing read beam flys past them, causing the station to tremble. INT. MESS HALL Students move about cautiously as the mess hall quivers and the lights flicker. LANGDON What was that? JESSE Probably the generator acting up. EXT. EARTH, METROPOLIS - MIDDAY Vehicles fly above the ground as towering structures act as their protection. People walk along on sidewalks. EXT. EARTH, COUNTRY AREA - CONTINUOS In the distance, we can see the metropolitan area. A little girl sings to herself while playing in a sandbox. Her mother exits their cottage-inspired house. MOTHER Dinner's ready, ANGIE. Come on in and wash your hands. ANGIE OK. Angie stands and heads gingerly toward the house when she stops and turns toward the metro. A small humming noise can be heard. Its pitch gets louder, then louder, and louder still. Her mother exits. MOTHER Angie, you don't want it to get cold, do you? She approaches her daughter. MOTHER What is it? She looks toward the sky and wathces as the pulsing red beam splits the clouds and heads toward the metro. She gasps. EXT. EARTH, METROPOLIS - CONTINUOS The people on the sidewalk can do nothing but glance upward, when suddenly, the beam crashes straight into a building, producing a rippling effect that begins to spread incredibly fast, engulfing everything in its wake. EXT. EARTH, COUNTRY AREA - CONTINUOS Angie cries while holding on to her mother, as the aftereffect heads toward them. ANGIE MOMMY! INT. AQUANATA, DOCKING BAY Aquanata shakes and quivers from the impact. Screaming is heard. The lights go out. INT. OMEGA SQUADRON, CONTROL ROOM Personnel look on through the window in horror as the rippling effect makes its way around the world. A similiar effect caused by the impact flys from Earth and heads toward them. The space station shivers once again, this time with much more force, as the shockwave passes over them. WECKER Get me High Command. EXT. EARTH, RUINS OF METROPOLIS - MIDDAY The once mighty structures lay in ruin. Small streams of smoke billow from the blast. Movement of any kind is nowhere to be seen. INT. INTIMIDATOR WARSHIP, BRIDGE Fedos and Fedora look on through the observation screen as the rippling effect continues to travel around the world. FEDOS I'd say the weapon works perfectly. LORD DALAYSIS You...you murderers! FEDOS Murderers? We spared your people, didn't we? FEDORA We just had a message that we needed to get across. Now that the message has been delivered, they'll subjugate themselves unto us with little resistance. RAPHSIDY If I may intercede, my mistress, we just destroyed their home planet. I think they'll put up even more of a resistance. Perhaps we should prepare in case of a retailation? FEDOS In any case, I'm tired of these slaughters. I want a war, an interstellar war. Gather the entirety of our army here, Raphsidy. Fedos turns toward Illzar. FEDOS (continuing) You may get some action yet, Illzar. Illzar bows. ILLZAR (continuing) I live and die for the Bulgata, my lord. FEDORA In the meantime, let us keep them busy by sending an attack force toward their outpost near Earth. RAPHSIDY As you wish, my mistress. Raphsidy presses a button on the control panel. EXT. INTIMIDATOR, EXTENDED VIEW OF SHIP PORT A plethora of fighters continuously fly out of the Intimidator ship port and head toward the atmosphere. INT. MESS HALL The students are in dissaray thanks to the last shockwave. MONAFIA What is happening? LANGDON I don't know, but I don't think it's the generator acting up. Langdon stands. LANGDON (continuing) I'm going to go see the commander. JESSE Relax man, everything's gonna be fine. You worry too much. The monitors in the corners of the room turn on. We see the beginnings of a news program highlighted by the words SPECIAL REPORT. The students turn and head towards the nearest monitors. The same Female Reporter from Wecker's quarters reports. FEMALE REPORTER We're taking you away from your regularly scheduled broadcast to report something most tragic. We have received reports from officials at the Omega Squadron Academy and High Command itself that... The reporter chokes. FEMALE REPORTER An advanced alien race has laid waste to... The reporter chokes again. FEMALE REPORTER I...I can't do this... The Reporter begins crying and leaves. Langdon and Jesse exchange glances. Another reporter, this time a man, takes her place. MALE REPORTER We apologize for that. LILY is just a little shaken up from the news. What she meant to say was...humanity has been attacked...by an advanced alien race. Earth has been...annihilated, reduced to rubble. This is truly the darkest day we have ever known. The representatives of Earth and the other colonies have however, united once again, and promises everyone that retribution will be collected, at all cost. Unfortunately, that's all we know, and as more news develops, rest assured, we'll break in with it. Lastly, we just want to extend our condolence to everyone who may have lost someone. May God be with you...may God be with us all. The news program concludes. The looks on the cadets faces are expectedly grim. Some of which cry in the background. Langdon looks lowly and takes a seat. Jesse and Monafia follow. LANGDON Iris... JESSE I...can't believe this is happening. MONAFIA I'm sorry...if I had only gotten here sooner maybe... LANGDON No, it's not your fault. If you all don't mind, I'd...like to be alone for a while. Langdon stands and heads for the exit. EXT. MARUNE, EXTENDED VIEW OF HIGH COMMAND - NIGHT Similar to Earth's former spralling metropolis, Marune's structures stand as high as the sky. INT. HIGH COMMAND, CONFERENCE ROOM - CONTINUOS The conference room is shaped in the form of a dome and packed with officials from Earth, Marune, Sordaan, and Dorridion. The seats which they occupy take up two floors and when looked upon from above are in the form of a horseshoe. A sliding door on the floor of the room opens and a lone man, who appears to be in his mid 30's, enters. He is Czar Shepard. He walks toward the center of the room toward a circular pattern housing a chair. However, he doesn't sit. SPEAKER All stand for Czar Shepard. The diplomats do as they're told. Sheperd motions for them to sit. CZAR SHEPARD Please, sit. They sit. CZAR SHEPARD Ladies, gentlemen, what do we know about these...aliens? DIPLOMAT # 2 Close to nothing, sire. CZAR SHEPARD Nothing? How can that be? They all but destroy Earth, and nothing was picked up on radar? DIPLOMAT # 3 We assume that they've engineered some sort of cloaking device, thereby making our radars useless. CZAR SHEPARD Well I'm sorry, but I can't make an informed decision based on misinformation. Just the facts please. Who informed us of Earth's destruction? DIPLOMAT # 4 Commander Wecker of Omega Squadron. CZAR SHEPARD And they didn't see anything? No star cruisers? No fighters? DIPLOMAT # 3 He did inform us of a woman claiming to be of alien origin who arrived there shortly before the incident. CZAR SHEPARD Anything else? Diplomat # 2 looks over some papers. DIPLOMAT # 2 (continuing) Yes, eh...according to Wecker, her world has fallen victim to another alien race, and she came to us for help. Shepard contemplates. CZAR SHEPARD I want to see her. Meanwhile, I want an armada to gather near Earth. They may try to wipe out the Omega Squadron, and that would be a crippling blow. And to the rest of humanity, continue to propagate our battle cry for revenge, retribution will be collected. INT. OMEGA SQUADRON, ELONGATED HALL Langdon stands alone in an elongated hall that houses elongated windows on both of its sides, allowing for a view of Earth and the stars of the universe. He stares. Monafia enters the hall from a sliding door. He doesn't look toward her. LANGDON I felt your presence again. Is that how you found me? MONAFIA Yes. She heads toward him. MONAFIA (continuing) You had...family down there? LANGDON No, just a friend. A friend that I...cared a lot about. MONAFIA I'm sorry. LANGDON No, it's not your fault. I allowed her to go in my place. I should've been the one who...perished. MONAFIA But, you did not know. It's not your fault either, it is the Bulgata's. They're the ones who did this. Silence engulfs the hall as they stare at Earth. MONAFIA (continuing) If they did this to your world then...my people will surely suffer. Langdon shakes his head. LANGDON No, they won't. I'm going to do everything in my power to make sure of that. MONAFIA Thank you. Langdon puts on a small smile. LANGDON It's getting late. Let's get some rest. I'm sure they'll come up with something in the morning. You can sleep in my bed. MONAFIA OK. The two head towards the sliding door and exit. INT. AQUANATA, DOCKING BAY/LOBBY The lights of Aqaunata resume operation. People speak nervously amongst themselves. IRIS What happened? FATHER I don't know. MOTHER Could it have been an earthquake? A male UNIFORMED EMPLOYEE of Aquanata appears before the nervous people. UNIFORMED EMPLOYEE People, may I please have your attention? They quiet down. UNIFORMED EMPLOYEE (continuing) The news is reporting that Earth has been attacked. Nervous chatter resumes among the people. Iris speaks up. IRIS Was it an unprovoked attack? The employee shakes his head. UNIFORMED EMPLOYEE No, it wasn't from the colonies, they're reporting that it was alien. The nervous chatter is now even louder. Iris' Father speaks to himself. FATHER Aliens? Iris speaks up again. IRIS I'm a cadet for the Omega Squadron, I need to get back. Her mother tugs at her. MOTHER Iris. UNIFORMED EMPLOYEE Everything on the surface is gone, and we're trying to get our communications equipment back online. Until we can establish contact, everyone is going to have to stay here. The nervous chatter escalates. UNIFORMED EMPLOYEE (continuing) Please, remain calm. Iris turns toward her parents. IRIS I have to get back, they need me. Iris' father shakes his head. FATHER If they destroyed Earth this easily then...Omega Squadron proabably has all ready been... He looks toward Iris, who then begins to cry. Her parents comfort her. EXT. SPACE, EXTENDED VIEW OF THE OMEGA SQUADRON An enormous star cruiser, being escorted by a swarm of fighters and smaller star cruisers, head toward the Omega Squadron. INT. OMEGA SQUADRON, DOCKING BAY The large star cruiser enters the docking bay and positions itself near other smaller star cruisers. Two rows of cadets, equipped with laser guns and in uniform, stand opposite each other. Commander Wecker stands on the end farthest from the cruiser. The hatch to the star cruiser opens and Czar Shepard, being escorted by two aids, exit. Wecker heads toward him. COMMANDER WECKER Your Excellency, it is good to see you again, sir. Shepard nods and begins walking. Wecker walks along with him. CZAR SHEPARD Have you picked up any movement on radar since the attack? COMMANDER WECKER No, sir. CZAR SHEPARD And what about a rescue team? For Earth? COMMANDER WECKER We're in the process of doing that now, sir. CZAR SHEPARD I understand you're housing an alien here. COMMANDER WECKER An alien? You mean the girl, sir? CZAR SHEPARD Yes. I want to speak with her. COMMANDER WECKER I'll summon her for you personally, sir. INT. LANGDON'S QUARTERS Monafia sleeps in the bed while Langdon covers up on the floor. A buzzing sound awakens them both. Langdon goes to answer. It is, of course, Commander Wecker. LANGDON Commander Wecker? COMMANDER WECKER I apologize for waking you so early, but Czar Sheperd wishes to speak with the girl. LANGDON Czar Shepard? Here? Wecker nods. COMMANDER WECKER Follow me Mona...Mona... MONAFIA Monafia. COMMANDER WECKER Yes, that's it. LANGDON Sir, may I go too? COMMANDER WECKER Langdon, this will be a highly classified... LANGDON I understand that, sir. But...she might feel a little awkward if she's surrounded by people she hasn't been in contact with. Wecker contemplates. COMMANDER WECKER OK, both of you, let's go. INT. OMEGA SQUADRON, CONFERENCE ROOM The sliding door slides and Wecker enters, followed by Langdon and Monafia. The Omega Squad's conference room is much smaller than High Command's. Its ceiling is almost touchable and windows populate its front and sides. An elongated table sits in the middle of the room. The two aids from earlier sit at the end of the table closests to the sliding door, while Czar Shepard stares out of one of the windows. Notepads are positioned in front of them. Shepard turns toward them. CZAR SHEPARD So this is the alien girl? What about him? Why is he here? COMMANDER WECKER This is Langdon Hughes, sir. A member of Omega Elite and the one who I put in charge of the girl. We felt that she might feel somewhat akward if she came in here alone. Shepard contemplates. CZAR SHEPARD Fair enough. Everyone, please sit. They do as they're told. Sheperd remains standing. CZAR SHEPARD Young lady, what is your name? MONAFIA Monafia, Monafia Dalysis. CZAR SHEPARD Monafia, we're going to ask you some questions that might help us deter this alien threat. You don't mind that, do you? Monafia nods. AID #1 speaks up. AID #1 When these aliens attacked you, was it similar to how they attacked us? MONAFIA No, there was a ship. AID #2 You mean there were ships? MONAFIA No, just one. The aids exchange glances with Shepard. They then jot down notes in their pads. CZAR SHEPARD Is there anything else that you remember about them? MONAFIA I remember seeing soldiers. They surrounded my father. AID #1 Can you describe them? MONAFIA They were very bulky...and they had weapons. AID #2 Why did they attack you? MONAFIA We had never seen them up to that point...but, I remember hearing something about manual labor. AID #1 Manual labor, that must be what they're after. CZAR SHEPARD Well if that's what they want then why did they destroy Earth? Why not harvest it? MONAFIA Their leaders are driven by war. It excites them. AID #2 How do you know that? MONAFIA I heard it from a conversation they had with my father. AID #1 And this was before you escaped? MONAFIA No, after. The aids exchange glances with Shepard again. CZAR SHEPARD You're contradicting yourself, Monafia. How could you have heard their conversation if you weren't there? MONAFIA My father contacted me telepathically. Shepard squints. LANGDON It's true. That's how she contacted me. MONAFIA My people are born with telepathy. When they sieged my father, he allowed me to see through his eyes. CZAR SHEPARD What else can you tell us? MONAFIA This is all I know. CZAR SHEPARD OK gentlemen, what do we have? AID #1 An alien race who's driven by war and labor. CZAR SHEPARD That would partially explain the attack on Earth. AID #2 Uses weapons of mass destruction, soldiers, and star cruisers. COMMANDER WECKER What, no fighters? CZAR SHEPARD At least we now have an idea what we're up against. It's a start. Thank you for cooperating, Monafia. You may be excused. LANGDON Wait a minute, aren't you going to go after them? CZAR SHEPARD First off, we don't know where they are. LANGDON Monafia knows. She flew here, remember? MONAFIA I could show you. Please sir, you must save my people. CZAR SHEPARD We will save them. But our actions have to be pre-planned. I don't want to send everyone we have into the unknown. LANGDON But if we wait too long it'll be... COMMANDER WECKER That's enough, Langdon. You may take Monafia back to your quarters now. Langdon glances to and fro at their faces. LANGDON Let's go, Monafia. Langdon and Monafia head toward the exit and leave. COMMANDER WECKER I apologize on his behalf, sir. CZAR SHEPARD No need. The boy has a big heart. I commend him for it. INT. OMEGA SQUADRON, HALL Langdon and Monafia walk through a hall. MONAFIA What are we going to do now? Langdon sighs. LANGDON I wish I knew. Jesse approaches them from behind. JESSE Langdon, Monafia. He catches up to them. They talk as they walk. JESSE Where have you been? I've been lookin' everywhere for ya. LANGDON We had a meeting with Czar Shepard. JESSE Oh really? What he say? LANGDON Nothing. At least nothing that we wanted to hear. The buzz of the alarm startles them. The Female Voice from earlier returns. FEMALE VOICE All cadets report to your ships immediately. This is not a drill. All cadets report to your ships immediately. JESSE Hey, I'm not falling for this again. LANGDON Monafia, go to my dorm and wait there, OK? Mona nods and heads down the hall. LANGDON Come on. Jesse sighs and follows. INT. OMEGA SQUADRON, CONTROL ROOM Shepard and Wecker enter the control room and hurriedly make their way to the radar. OPERATOR We've got a lotta things popping up on the radar, sirs. The two look toward the radar and see a swarm of small objects. CZAR SHEPARD Fighters. They must be fighters. EXT. SPACE, EXTENDED VIEW OF OMEGA SQUADRON A swarm of fighters head toward the Omega Squadron. INT. OMEGA SQUADRON, SHIP PORT Cadets scramble to get to their ships. Langdon and Jesse strap up. We watch as Langdon flips a few switches and his ship begins to hover. He, along with Jesse and a few other fighters, fly out of the port. INT. OMEGA SQUADRON, CONTROL ROOM Shepard and Wecker stand over the Operator. Shepard speaks up. CZAR SHEPARD I need to speak with them. OPERATOR Yes, sir. The Operator hands Shepard a headset equipped with a microphone. He puts it on. EXT. SPACE, EXTENDED VIEW OF OMEGA SQUADRON The cadets fly out of the ship port. Shepard speaks to them. During Shepard's address, we periodically see the faces of nameless cadets and then make our way to Jesse and Langdon in that order. CZAR SHEPARD All right pilots, listen up. This is the first time we actually get a chance to fight back, so I want you to go out there and fight like you've never fought before. Let's show these aliens that humanity doesn't take kindly to strangers. JESSE In other words, let's kick some ass! EXT. SPACE The first wave of fighters from both groups shoot relentlessly at one another, but to no avail. LANGDON They're heading toward the academy. The Bulgata fighters get within firing range and let loose a flood of attacks from their lasers. They then fly around and in between the exterior of the structure with cadets not far behind. We watch as Langdon chases after a Bulgata fighter. The station's own cannons attempts to destroy the fighter but comes up short. Langdon fires shots from his cannons but the fighter weaves in and out of the station's crevices. Langdon accidentally hits the station. LANGDON Shoot. Can I get some help here? JESSE I'm on it. Langdon continues chasing after the fighter when lasers descend from above us and blow the fighter into smithereens. Langdon flys through the exploding remains. LANGDON Thanks, Faundoo. JESSE Hey, like I said, I'm the...whoa...shi... A laser from a Bulgata fighter scars Jesse's craft. LANGDON Are you all right? JESSE Yeah, nothin' serious. I can make it. The fighter follows Jesse religiously through space. Lasers coninuously deploy from it towards Jesse, and he finds himself constantly having to manuever around them. Lasers from another Bulgata fighter charge toward him from in front. JESSE Good God! Miraculously, Jesse manages to evade attacks from them both. The fighters continuously fire their lasers and Jesse descends his craft. The fighters destroy one another. JESSE Idiots. LANGDON I've got two on my tail. JESSE Head for Earth. Langdon flies away from the chaos of the battle and heads toward Earth, with Jesse joinining him on his side. EXT. EARTH, RUINS OF METROPOLIS The two fly through thick clouds and over the blue sea when they behold the tarred ruins of the Metropolis, which looks like something out of a Tim Burton film. LANGDON I can't believe they did this. JESSE These guys are gonna pay! The two fly close to the water and lasers descend from above them, splashing water around them. Langdon's ship does an array of twists to avoid the blast. The two fly onto the scarred mainland, weaving in and out between burnt fallen structures, all while being chased by the Bulgata fighters.
Copyright © 2004 Michael Harris |