TEASER

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

Open up in deep space, white stars glitter.

Camera pans around, showing a wide shot of what appears to be a solar system, but everything is enveloped in a haze of dust.

Pull in, we see a ship moving.

Camera pans and in the distance we see a huge space station.

EXT. – SPACE – SPACE STATION DOCK – DAY

We see clamps extend and attach to the ship.

INT. – SPACE STATION – CORRIDOR – DAY

Ten armed men walk down the corridor. Three in the front, two carrying a figure between then, three weapons are pointed at the carried figure, and two bringing up the rear.

They pass men, women, and children, who all have a slightly dirty, threadbare appearance. The people watch with slight interest, but then return to whatever errands they were doing.

The group enters a lift. The lift doors close.

EXT. – SPACE STATION – COMMAND CENTER– DAY

We see a KID pushing through men and women, all dressed in civilian clothing, but manning computer consoles and talking into comm units. They all look concentrated and busy.

The KID pushes into a group of men and women, who are standing around a table with what appears to be a map of the solar system. It shows no planets, only the sun and what appears to be several rings of asteroid belts and a haze marked “DUST” everywhere.

The KID walks up to a MAN who’s talking animatedly with another woman. The KID tugs on his sleeve and the MAN looks down.

KID
(whispering)
They’re back.

The MAN nods, excuses himself from the woman, and follows the KID out of the Command Center.

INT. – SPACE STATION – ROOM – DAY

The MAN enters a room, the ten armed men are there, the figure tied up in a chair in the center of the room. A black bag over it’s head.

HEAD SOLIDER
Hey, Norbert. How’s it going?
(they shake hands)

NORBERT
Hey, Paul.
(glances at tied up figure)
Been busy, it seems.

PAUL
Yeah, been busy.
A couple of miners out in Sector Seven got some
pixies on their scanners the past couple of days.
Figured we’d go in and have a look see, and
this here is what we came across.

NORBERT
Does it bite?

PAUL
You tell me, man.

PAUL signals to another man, who steps forward and pulls the black hood off the figure.

NORBERT stands a bit shocked.

NORBERT
How?

PAUL
Guy didn’t keep an eyeball on his scanners and we snuck up
on his arse. Gave a love tap to the ship, ginsued the hull, boarded,
and snatched up the bastard. Barely any resistance from the fella,
kinda a disappointment. Figured you wanted to see the prize.

NORBERT
(glances at the figure again)
We’re gonna have to call Ward.

Camera pans to the figure, we see it’s a gagged Neanderthal strapped to the chair. A red sun with a white hand upon the left best of the black suit it’s wearing gleams in the dim light of the room.

FADE TO BLACK.

An Alternatehistory.com Presentation:

COUNTERFACTUAL

“THE FIRST STRIKE”

Written By : PSYCHOMELTDOWN (Alex Claw)

ACT I

INT. – CF.NET – CORRIDOR – DAY

Opening scene

SCARECROW is running down the corridor.

SCARECROW
AHHHHHHH!!!!!
(runs out of the shot)

A moment late MIDGARD comes running down the corridor, a grim look on his face and a rifle clutched in his hand.

There is the sound of gunfire behind him… lots of gun fire. Camera pans down an empty corridor.

VOICE (OS)
Holy shit! It’s coming this way!
Run!
(a beat)
The other way, asshat!

Moments later we see BULGARKOTONOS round a corner, a weapon in hand. He points it down a corridor and begins spraying it with bullets.

A moment later a ragged looking MERRYPRANKSTER and FAEELIN run out of the corridor BULGARKOTONOS had just been shooting down.

MERRYPRANKSTER
(miffed)
Hey, couldn’t you have
waited until we got pass you?

BULGARKOTONOS
Sorry, sir.
Didn’t see you.
(grins)

MERRYPRANKSTER
(glaring)
Right…
(a glance back)
Does anything stop it?

FAEELIN
(panting heavily)
Aw, crap. I knew is should
have stayed in my quarters.

MIDGARD
(yelling)
Hurry up, damn it. It’s still coming!

The three glance back down the corridor and run off screen.

The camera stays put, suddenly from around the corner we see a huge Creature making it’s way down it. Snapping tentacles and slashing claws can be seen. It passes by the camera, making an evil hiss.

Pull out to:

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

WARD is standing, watching the now empty corridor on the view screen.

WARD
What do you think?

Camera pans slightly to the right, we see GRIMM REAPER.

GRIMM REAPER
I’ve seen prettier things.

WARD
That’s for damn sure.
Uglier than a pig’s ass during mosquito season.

GRIMM REAPER
Couldn’t have put it better myself, sir.

WARD
Figure we should lend a hand?

GRIMM REAPER
I left my scythe in my quarters. You know
how awkward that thing is to lug around?

WARD
I tell you what. You should get a gun.

GRIMM REAPER
I figure I’ll end up shooting a toe off or
something. I need all my toes.

WARD glances at him.

GRIMM REAPER (CONT.)
You never know when I’ll need to count to twenty.
(grins)

WARD laughs.

WARD
If it comes to that, then we can probably lop one off a
crewmember. I’m sure they’ll be willing to hand one
over, if asked nicely enough.

GRIMM REAPER
Surely such a move would only turn my otherwise pristine
and well pedicure foot into a Frankensteinian abomination.
Plus there is always the fear of Athlete’s foot.

WARD
We could always find an alternate.
(suddenly stern)
Dominus!

DOMINUSNOVUS is sitting at his science station, a mirror in one hand and a comb in the other. He startles, dropping both and lunges at the console before him, punching buttons.

DOMINUSNOVUS
Yeah?

WARD pulls out his .375 from his holster and tosses it at DOMINUSNOVUS, who drops it and dives for it. After a few seconds of clattering and a slew of curses, DOMINUSNOVUS comes up with the gun.

WARD
Go kill that thing.

DOMINUSNOVUS
(gaping)
Huh?

WARD
Kill it. Then bring me back the gun.
NOW.

DOMINUDNOVUS scurries out of the Control Room. GRIMM REAPER watches as he leaves.

GRIMM REAPER
I think I might feel a bit of sadness and empathy
for the Herculean mission you’ve just given him.
Yet I don’t.

WARD
Well, I’ll tell you this.
If he can’t kill something as small as that,
then he’s got no place on my ship.

GRIMM REAPER
Spoken like a true deranged commanding officer.

WARD
Thanks, it means a lot.

GRIMM REAPER
(glancing at the viewscreen)
I wonder what stations this viewscreen can pull up?

WARD
Had to get all the pay per view channels blocked,
seems someone was running up a bill.

GRIMM REAPER
I’ve told Rommy to stop ordering all the soft core porn, especially
not when we can just raid some off an unsuspecting planet. It sullies
our name, that we should have to pay for something, when we can
easily gain it though force and mayhem.

WARD
I figure his definition of being evil is running up people’s bills.
I gave a week in the Hole and cut his pay by 90%.

GRIMM REAPER
Very good, sir.

BANG!

The two glance to the viewscreen, which is still showing the empty corridor.

BANG!

GRIMM REAPER
Do I hear the shots of a .375?

WARD
Figured the kid didn’t have the balls to actually do it…
(shrugs)
Go figure.

BANG!

DOMINUSNOVUS runs across the viewscreen, the .375 in hand and a look of pure terror on his face. He fires another shot behind him, at something.

BANG!

The Creature, moves across the screen, following DOMINUSNOVUS.

GRIMM REAPER
Five gold dollars says he gets eaten by that thing.

WARD
I don’t want to take that bet.

GRIMM REAPER
Easy money?
(grins)

WARD
Let’s just say I figure most of these kids couldn’t
find their dicks even if it were stapled to their hand.

GRIMM REAPER
Ten gold dollars?

WARD
Deal.

BANG!

DOMINUSNOVUS is backed into a corner and the Creature is coming up on him

WARD
Who should we send to
fish my gun out of that thing’s gut?

GRIMM REAPER
Merry. He seems the responsible sort.
What was that saying?
“Shit rolls down hill”

WARD
(grins)
You just don’t like him.

GRIMM REAPER
What was the give away?
Me trying to kill him on a weekly basis?

WARD
It was the training of Pumpkin to claw out his eyes.

GRIMM REAPER
Who’d have thought he’d carry catnip around in his pocket?

WARD
Resourceful.

GRIMM REAPER just glowers.

Back to the Viewscreen, The Creature rears up upon what would with a stretch of imagination be called it’s back legs, exposing an underbelly of scores of small salivating mouths filled with razor sharp teeth.

DOMINUSNOVUS stares, gaped mouth.

GRIMM REAPER
Dark Salvik out did himself this week, didn’t he?

WARD
(watching Creature)
It’s got a horrid nightmarish quality to it.

GRIMM REAPER
I want one…

DOMINUSNOVUS shakily raises the .357.

BANG!

There’s a grunt and a wheezing sound, the Creature suddenly lets out a strangled cry and collapses, a thick tentacle knocking down DOMINUSNOVUS. The Creature shivers once and lies still.

GRIMM REAPER
I think it’s dead.

WARD
Well, at least I won’t have to have my gun cleaned.
Now, pay up.

Sighing, GRIMM REAPER digs in the folds of his robes and pulls out ten thick gold coins and drops them into WARD’s hand.

VOICE (on viewscreen)
NOOOO!!!!
My baby!
NOOOO!!!

DARKSLAVIK runs into the shot and hugs the dead Creature, sobbing.

WARD
Boy’s not right in the head.

GRIMM REAPER
Figured that was why you ‘recruited’ him.

WARD
He does make pretty damned ugly things.
But I reckon it’s costing us more than we really need.

GRIMM REAPER
Seen the requisitioning orders?

WARD
The idea of having a horde of murdering, scary cannon fodder
sounded like a good idea at the time. But who’d figure this
kid would br competent in making a lot of these things.

GRIMM REAPER
It’s so hard to find good help these days.
And when you do, they’re just annoying.
(shrugs)
Figure if he gets too out of hand,
we can just toss him out an airlock.

WARD
I like the way you think, Grimm.

GRIMM REAPER
Thank you, sir.

The lift door opens and MERRPRANKSTER, FAEELIN, and SCARECROW stumble into the Control Room. They all look a little battered, FAEELIN is bleeding from a gash on the arm.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Sorry about being late, sir.
We had trouble down the corridors.

WARD
I assume you did like any god officer worth his salt
would do and took charge of the situation?

MERRYPRANKSTER
Uh… No sir.
I figured it was more prudent to arrive at our duty stations on time,
than fight another one of Darkslavik’s creations that got a little out of hand.

There’s a rattle of gunfire from the viewscreen. MIDGARD is pumping bullets into the dead Creature and yelling something in Russian.

WARD
Gather those idiots down there and get that dead thing
out of my corridors. Then have another talk with Slavik
about keeping his damned lab locked and his creations
in cages. Either that or he gets to enjoy vacuum.

MERRYPRANKSTER
(nodding)
Yes, sir.

WARD
And get my gun from Dominus,
make sure it’s cleaned.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Yes, sir.

GRIMM REAPER
(to Faeelin)
You’re bleeding on my deck.

FAEELIN
Sorry, sir.
I’ll attempt not to bleed.

WARD
Scarecrow.
Make preparations to leave this universe.
I tire of bombarding a defenseless planet.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The CF.net is in high orbit and from it rains flashes of light striking the planet below.

INT. – CF.NET – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

SCARECROW
On it, sir.

There’s a beeping sound.

FAEELIN
Sir, we’re just received a message.

WARD
On screen.

FAEELIN
Sir, it’s a Private Message.

WARD
(nods)
I’ll take it in my ready room.
Grimm, you got the bridge.

GRIMM REAPER
Yay.

WARD stands up and heads for a door.

INT. – CF.NET – WARD’S READY ROOM – CONTINUING

WARD takes a seat behind a large desk and taps out a command on a console. A moment later he is reading a message, his face hardens.

WARD (on comm)
Grimm, set coordinates to Tradepoint.

GRIMM REAPER
(surprised)
Yes, sir.

WARD
(leans back in chair)
Finally. Some news.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – ENGINEERING – DAY

Open up in black, we hear some clanking, banging, and welding.

Fade up from black, into a corridor.

Camera moves down corridor, we see Neanderthal crewmembers hurrying by, busy on some errand.

Enter a large area, it’s filled with computer terminals, scores of Neanderthals working busily on something. In the center of the large room is a massive device, alien looking and obviously nothing like the other equipment that’s in the room.

Standing on top of it, hammer in hand and a look of concentration on her face is KILNGIRL.

KILNGIRL
Alright, try it now.

A Neanderthal hits a button on a computer console and there’s a coughing sound and the massive device begins to light up.

KILNGIRL
Yay.
(jumps off device)
Now that’s how us Homo Sapiens do things.
(grins)

A Neanderthal pushes his way forward, he’s big, mean looking, and is glaring at KILNGIRL, this is OLAR, the previous head engineer.

OLAR
We could have figured it out on our own!

KILNGIRL
Yeah, after ten years and
a lot of head scratching.
It’s all the bone in your foreheads,
leaves less room for problem solving.

OLAR growls and raises a fist, but before he can do anything, another big Neanderthal, this one dressed in battle armor and carrying a big gun, shoves the business end of the weapon in the back of OLAR.

DAKLAR
Back to your station, Engineer.

OLAR glares at KILNGIRL.

OLAR
(whispering)
Your little guards will not be there
to protect you every moment of the day.

KILNGIRL
(dismissively)
Watch as I shake in my boots.
I’ve been whispered quasi death threats
by people bigger and more uglier than you, caveman.
I won’t lose any sleep over it.

OLAR stalks off.

DAKLAR
You should not push him so.

KILNGIRL
(shrugging)
I like to.
(grins)
Call it the only fun I get.

DAKLAR
It just causes him anger.

KILNGIRL
Exactly. Plus your Holy Queen Mother of Dirt and Rock
won’t let anything untoward happen to me, she likes me.
(grins again)

DAKLAR
Mistress of the Worlds.
And you’re her prisoner.

KILNGIRL
If you want to believe that.
Now, let’s see if these thick foreheads know what they’re doing.
There’s a reason homo sapiens control the Multiverse.

DAKLAR only grunts and follows her deeper into Engineering.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – MISTRESS’ COMMAND CENTER – NIGHT

ATTA stands looking at a large viewscreen, on it is KILNGIRL dong various jobs upon shiny bits of technology that looks nothing like the rest of the Neanderthal tech. From her silhouette we can see she is heavily pregnant.

ATTA
She’s managed to do more in the last few weeks than
our engineers have been able to in the last few months.
(does not look pleased)

DAKLAR
Yes, Mistress. She does seem to have a knack for integrating
the captured technology into our systems.

ATTA
This puts us ahead of schedule.
This is good.

ADIKOR
We can begin the assault as soon as the rest of the ships arrive.
There has been some.. ‘resistance’ from the colonies that have
been out of the fold of the Empire for a while. They assume
since they’ve managed to rebuild and prosper since the Fall,
they do not need to kneel before the Mistress of the Worlds.

ATTA
When the greater evil is destroyed, then we will
resolve whatever problems that arise in the Empire.
(glances at Daklar)
Keep an eye on the human. If she does anything
to ruin our plans, throw her out an airlock.

DAKLAR
Yes, Mistress.
(bows and leaves)

ADIKOR
We are nearly ready for the strike.
(allows himself a grin)
and we shall be revenged.

ATTA walks to a porthole and stands, looking out it. Her eyes are far away for a moment. She sets a hand upon her stomach.

ATTA
An Empire untied and strong, for my child.
Something even my father could not accomplish.
Something that has not been since the destruction
of the Homeworld by those cursed humans.
(clenches fist)
Soon, they will be destroyed…

Pull back, out of the Command Center, out the porthole.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

We see a huge project going on, a massive ring shaped thing is being build in orbit around earth. We pull out even more and we see black ships as far as the eye can see. An armada of vessels preparing for an attack.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

A vortex opens, out comes the CF.net.

Pull out and we see it’s the Dusty Universe.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP- CONTROL ROOM – DAY

SCARECROW
Insertion complete, all green.
Arrival at coordinates given.

WARD is sitting in his command chair, GRIMM REAPER is standing beside him, he wears an expression of interest. WARD remains emotionless.

WARD
Bring us in, they’ll be sending a vector.

SCARECROW
Got it.
Message also received,
putting it on comm.

VOICE
Welcome to Tradepoint,
the center of the multiverse.

DOMINUSNOVUS
(scoffing)
Guess they never heard of the Hub.

VOICE
Disengage all weapons, power down any defensive screens,
this is a no weapons zone. Peace ships will be escorting you in,
your pilot has been given the coordinates and docking berth.
Welcome to Tradepoint.

SCARECROW
Receiving instructions.

MERRYPRANKSTER
We’ve got a dozen ships forming a holding pattern around us.

GRIMM REAPER
Seems we’re getting the welcoming committee.
Don’t they know we’re friends?

WARD
Norbert’s cautious.
I would be in his situation.

GRIMM REAPER
I would imagine. Get raided
enough times, it does get a little tiring.

WARD watches the viewscreen of the space station.

WARD
Looks a far sight better when we last were here.

GRIMM REAPER
(pursing lips)
I like it better filled with holes and chunks of ships and
debris around it. Gave it a ‘We’ve just got the
crap nearly stomped out of us’ look.

WARD simply nods.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The CF.net ships pulls into dock. Clamps extend, along with various tubes and lines.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – AIR DOCK – DAY

WARD, GRIMM REAPER, BULGARKOTONOS, and MIDGARD are standing in the airlock as it whirs and clanks. There’s a loud hiss and the heavy metal doors slowly slides open.

Standing before them is NORBERT and several other men, all armed.

NORBERT
Welcome, Admiral.
(grins)

WARD
Captian, now, Norbert.
Captain.

The two shake hands and clap one another on the backs. NORBERT glances at the others in WARD’s group.

NORBERT
See you’ve been keeping nice company these days.

GRIMM REAPER
I find that description of my demeanor totally
taken out of context. Just because I didn’t push
that old lady out of my way, does not mean I’m nice.
(grins)

NORBERT
See you’re still alive, Grimm.

GRIMM REAPER
It’s the redshirts, Norb.
They die so that I may continue to
produce my witty sarcastic banter.

WARD
Got you message, what’s up?

NORBERT
Let’s head to my office. I’ve got some beer, piss poor
home brewed kind, but it’ll still take off the edge,
and we’ll discuss this.

WARD
(to Midgard and Bulgar)
You two. Stay.

The three and the guards walk off into the station.

INT. – SPACE STATION – NORBERT’S OFFICE – DAY

The three men sit around a battered looking table.

NORBERT
Caught the bastard only a couple of days ago.

WARD
Have you interrogated him?

NORBERT
Well, we were gonna, but seeing how you’re the guy
who likes to make these things talk, decided to drop
you a message. We’ve been keeping him on ice for
now, feeding him our food, letting him breath our air…

WARD
How are things on station?

NORBERT
(sighing)
Tight.
The Guild is still proclaiming a blockade against us. They won’t
come right out and attack us, not after what happened, but there’s
more ways to kill a guy rather than coming right out and shooting
him. Blockades, bribes, political pressure, it’ll kill a place, sure
as shooting someone, but it’s a damned slow and painful death.
War’s been spreading across the universes, just about every place
we contact is either killing themselves or fighting off some wannabe
expansionist mulitverse empire. So we’ve been keeping a low profile,
best not lure in trouble. Not that we can’t fight off what comes our
way, just we’ve seen enough war, peace is all we want now.

WARD
Time was when you preferred a different approach.

NORBERT
Time was when I was a damned fool.

GRIMM REAPER
(running a hand across the arm of his chair)
You need to get some one to dust up here more.

NORBERT
(laughs)
If I could spare someone to clean and keep this place looking
pretty, then I wouldn’t be worrying about cutting back rations
again, wondering how long our air scrubbers gonna last, if the
power plant’s gonna go kaput on us soon or not.

WARD
We ran across some jackasses
who wanted to play pirate,
with us being the bait. Guess
they figured they could take on
anyone coming through their space.

GRIMM REAPER
It’s been a while since anyone
right out and tried to attack us.
Normally, it takes us lobbing a
few missiles at them before
they want to play.

WARD
They bit off more than they could chew.
But it seems like they had done a fair bit
of raiding before they got it into their
heads that we were prey.

GRIMM REAPER
I got a nice crate of chocolates from them.

WARD
Whatever you need, it’s yours.

NORBERT
Much obliged, sir.

WARD
No need to call me sir, anymore, Norbert. You aren’t under
my command anymore, though there were some times I
wished you still were. There have been some scrapes we’ve
been in where we needed some good men who knew what they
were doing and not these kids we’re practically babysitting.

NORBERT
I’d be lying if I didn’t say there were a few times when I
wondered how things would’ve been if I had stayed with you guys…
(sighs)
But things kinda changed after Samara.

WARD
(hard flat voice)
Would be nice if you wouldn’t
speak that name again, Norbert.

NORBERT
(apologetic)
Yes, sir.
Sorry, sir.

WARD
(clearing throat)
I’ll get one of them dumb asses to send over the stuff,
just send over a list of what you need to the ship. Grimm’ll
make sure you get it. Food and medicine we got plenty off,
machine parts we can probably hand out a few.

GRIMM REAPER
I’ll toss in a box of chocolates, too.

NORBERT
Mighty kind of you, Grimm.

WARD
(laughs)
It’s unheard of, Grimm parting with sweets.

GRIMM REAPER
I’m in a generous mood today.
I’ve got an odd sense of a lot
of shooting and killing in our future,
and well, that just makes me giddy
as a schoolgirl.

WARD
(nodding)
Best we get to find out what
the caveman’s got to say.

NORBERT
Right this way, sir.

INT. – SPACE STATION – CELL – DAY

WARD, GRIMM REAPER, and NORBERT are walking down a dimly lit corridor. You can hear the sound of machinery in the background, and several armed guards are standing before the cell.

They move when they see NORBERT.

GRIMM REAPER
Only the best accommodations, no?

NORBERT
It’s not often we get to entertain guests.

GRIMM REAPER
We set up some nice cells by the airlock, that way we
can easily toss ‘em out when we get tired of them.
It’s called efficiency.

NORBERT
Right…

NORBERT hits a pad by the door and it slides open, revealing a small room with the Neanderthal tied to a chair. The Neanderthal looks back definitely, but then pales when he sees WARD.

WARD
Guess he knows me.

GRIMM REAPER
I wish I could inspire fear like that in my fellow man.

WARD
Takes a lot of learning, boy.
One day when you grow up, you’ll get it right.

NORBERT
It takes a hard stare and you gotta
make sure your reputation proceeds you.
(grins)

WARD enters the cell, looking at the Neanderthal.

WARD
You know who I am?

The Neanderthal nods.

WARD
You know what I can do?

The Neanderthal nods, looking even more scared.

WARD
My friend out there says you might know a few things.
And I’m willing to believe him.

CAPTIVE NEANDERTHAL
I’ll tell you everything…

WARD
‘course you will.
‘course you will…

WARD digs in his pocket for a second and then pulls out a pocket knife. He slowly unfolds it.

WARD (CONT.)
But before you spill you guts.
I’d like to introduce you to
something called absolute hate.
(advances upon the Neanderthal)

Fade to Black

END ACT I

ACT II

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CARGO HOLD – DAY

MERRYPRANKSTER is standing on a large crate, checking off a clipboard.

GEDCA, FEDERATION X, and FORTYSEVEN are sitting around, half unloaded crates and supplies piled around them.

FEDERATION X
So what’s with this whole Neanderthal thing?

GEDCA
Guess the captain don’t
like anything that isn’t human.

FORTYSEVEN
Nah, it’s not like that. It’s more
like Captain Picard and the Borg.

GEDCA
(angry)
I told you before! DO NOT reference
The Next Generation when I’m around!

FEDERATION X
So, the Neanderthals like tried to make
him one of them to destroy humanity?

GEDCA
They invaded his universe and tried to
destroy it. He slagged their planet afterward.

FEDERATION X
Talk about holding a grudge, it’s like when Fortyseven
got all pissy because I wouldn’t give him that Captain Kirk
action figure from World 195235-X.

FORTYSEVEN
I did not get pissy.
Plus I called dibs on it and you still took it.

GEDCA
The point is that the captain goes out of his way to kill off
all the Neanderthals he finds. I guess you could call it some
sort of lame attempt to get revenge on them or something.
Whatever it is, he gets the ship damaged when he goes up
against those things. Remember the crazy cavewoman
who opened a vortex in the ship?

FORTYSEVEN
Yeah, took weeks to fix that.

FEDERATION X
You didn’t even help!

FORTYSEVEN
I was sick…

GEDCA
What was it again? Bad spinach?

FORTYSEVEN
Yeah…

Suddenly there’s the sound of crates moving and MERRYRANKSTER comes into view.

MERRYPRANKSTER
What are you guys doing?

FORTYSEVEN
We’re sitting around, plotting a coup to take over the ship
while the Captain’s away, then we’ll do an half assed attempt
to sells guns to savages, then we’ll lose half the cash we got,
because we’re threatened by some club waving primitives while
we, on the other hand, are armed with plasma rifles and
have a ship capable of slagging a continent.

FEDERATION X
Oh, wait, you already did that one.

GEDCA
Tell us again, what was it you said to N-red and the others
to get them to die so gallantly for you, Oh Fearless Leader?

MERRYPRANKSTER
(royally pissed off)
Get to work!

GEDCA
We’re waiting for the Glorious Leader
here to lead by example.

FEDERATION X
Plus we’re on break, half an hour every
two hours. Says so in the Contract we signed.

FORTYSEVEN
I think I might be coming down with a cold
(gives a fake cough)
Too bad we don’t got a medic on board…

MERRYPRANKSTER glares at the three before stalking off.

GEDCA
Prick.

FEDERATION X
He’s got a stick up his ass.

FORTYSEVEN
Oh, he’s been visiting Mistress Olga too?

The other two give him a look.

Fade out.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – ATTA’S CHAMBERS – DAY

ADIKOR enters ATTA’s chambers.

ADIKOR
Mistress, we are ready.

ATTA
Ready?

ADIKOR .
All the ships we can get our hands on are here.
The machine has been completed.

ATTA
Can we test the machine?

ADIKOR
From what the human says, you can test it, but it’s only
designed to open to one coordinates, therefore if we do
test it, then the humans will know there is a very large
vortex opening in their area. Plus the energy
requirements are beyond imagining.

ATTA
Then we get only one try.

ADIKOR
Yes, mistress.

ATTA
Prepare the fleet.
We attack!

ADIKOR
Yes, mistress.

ADIKOR leaves.

ATTA
A few days early.
(shrugs)
Too bad for the damned humans.

INT. – SPACE STATION – NIGHT

WARD is standing before a large window overlooking the beauty of the dust filled solar system. He’s got his hands behind his back.

NORBERT walks up to him.

NORBERT
There are moments, when you forget about the hunger,
the failing machines, and the worry of if you’ll see tomorrow,
when you just take in the sights.

WARD
Yeah, there are few and far between.

The two stand there for a moment, looking out.

NORBERT
What are you going to do, sir?

WARD
I’m going to make a species extinct.

NORBERT
Don’t think small, do you?

WARD
No.
First I’m gonna have to stop the bastards.

NORBERT
Figure if there’s anyone that can do it, its you.

WARD
I’ll need a man I can trust in this fight.

NORBERT
Call me flattered, sir.
But it’s no longer my fight.

WARD
These things nearly destroyed our world.
Don’t tell me you like ‘em now.

NORBERT
No, sir. I have no love for the bastards. After all they did kill
billions of us. But I also have no hate for them. I ain’t going
out of my way to see ‘em dead, nor am I risking what I’ve got
to see them erased from the multiverse.

WARD
(nods)
Figure simple revenge ain’t enough
to get you to change your mind?

NORBERT
There’s some things that
matter more than revenge.

WARD
Yeah? What’s that?

NORBERT
(long pause)
Was a time when you’d not have had to ask, sir.

WARD is quiet for a while, then turns to NORBERT, extending his hand.

WARD
Hope you and yours do well here.

NORBERT
Happy hunting, sir.

WARD
Reckon if we fail at this, I got a letter you could send
to my kin, if by some miracle you find a way back home.

NORBERT
Billions of universes out there, sir.
But if it does come to that,
I’ll find a way to get it to them.

WARD
If we do win, well, got anything
you need sent back home?

NORBERT
(shakes head)
Ties to back home were severed
long before we got lost, sir.
(a pause)
Can you really trust the bastard?
He could be telling you what you want to hear.

WARD
A possibility, but then again it could be the truth.
Either way, we got a coordinates to the bastards and
if the dead fellow’s right, we got them all in one
sweet spot, ready to be shot to hell and gone.
Like damned fish in a barrel.

NORBERT
Well, generally fish in a barrel aren’t
armed and ready for an invasion.

WARD
The won’t be expecting an attack.
We’ll catch ‘em with their pants down,
sow some chaos and destruction and
probably kill this bitch named Atta.
I still owe her for tearing out a chunk
of my ship, that one time.

NORBERT
Can’t believe that all this time
they knew the way back home.

WARD
Makes me kinda regret razing their cities and stations to rubble.
I could have at least taken a few moments to hack into
their computer systems before salting the earth.

NORBERT
Hindsight is always 20/20, sir.

WARD
Unfortunately too true.
Well, best we get going.
Thanks for the hospitality.

NORBERT
I should be the one thanking you.
With what you’ve given us, the future does look
indeed brighter than it did not two days before.

WARD
It’s no problem, Norbert.
You and yours ever need anything, just drop us a line.
You know how to get in contact with us.

NORBERT
Deeply appreciate it, Ward.
I wish you luck.
Kill a few of the bastards for me.

WARD
I intend to.
(grins)

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – MORNING

GRIMM REAPER’S pacing on the deck of the Control Room. He pauses and hits a button.

The ship’s intercom comes on.

GRIMM REAPER
Hear ye, hear ye.
This is Grimm.
You bothersome flotsam man your posts. We’ll be shifting
as soon as we clear of this dusty place and we’ll be heading
into a fight, so be on your toes of we’ll
be having a nice discussion later tonight.

WARD enters the Control Room, glances around.

WARD
We’ll be entering blind, the caveman we talked to had a lot to say,
but nothing specific as to locations and distance. So keep your eyes
peeled on the scanners, keep your trigger fingers ready, and if you
screw up in your job and we die, then I’ll be kicking your ass in hell.
Got it?

CREW
Yes, sir!

WARD
Now, lets go kill us some non humans.

EXT. – SPACE – MORNING

The CF.net disengages from the station and moves out, moments later a vortex appears and they vanish in it’s maw.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – ENGINEERING BAY – DAY

GEDCA is standing before FEDERATION X, MIDGARD, ROMULUS AGUSTULUS, BULGARKOTONOS, DARK SLAVIK and FORTYSEVEN.

GEDCA
We’ll be in the fight of our lives, form what the captain says.
They’ll be systems crapping out on us left and right. Cap says
we don’t need the teleporters and there won’t be any boarding
actions so you goons aren’t needed, so Forty, you’ll be down here.
I need you to watch the core, make sure that twitchy thing don’t
decide to go kaboom on us in the middle of the fight. Fed, you’re
on shield duty, keep the damn thing running or else we’ll just be a
tin plate ready for holes to be punched into. Bulgar and Rommy,
you two will be on emergency service, if there’s a fire, a breech, or
something, you’re the ones on it, Midgard you’re on weapons, make
sure those babies keep firing or Ward’ll be pissed, Slavik keep those
damn things you make in their cages, if any get lose and cause havoc
while we’re in a fight, Ward says I got permission
to toss you out the nearest airlock. Got it?

DARKSLAVIK
Sure.

GEDCA
Now get to your posts.

Everyone heads out. GEDCA stands for a moment and then walks to a bulkhead.

GEDCA
(patting bulkhead)
When this is all over, I’ll fix you up nice and pretty,
I’ll even dab on a nice coat of paint, okay?

INT. – CF. NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

SCARECROW
Entering normal space, sir.

WARD
Everything up and running, boys.
Shoot anything that shoots at us first.
Merry, look for that damned portal, we destroy
it first before we entangle in any real fights.

MERRYPRANKSTER
On it, sir.

SCARECROW
Insertion into normal space…

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The CF.net exits from a vortex.

Pull back and we see scores of ships near it. Pull back even more and we see more vortexes opening and closing, ships coming and going.

INT. – CF. NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

SCARECROW
Holy crap, that’s a lot of ships.

FAEELIN
Sir, we’re getting a lot of comm traffic. This place is an
organized mess. If we don’t get spotted, we can probably
get through undetected. Half these
ships aren’t even a standardized design.

GRIMM REAPER
Looks like they’re pulling in all the
ships they can get their hands on.

WARD
Their main fleet was destroyed when we burned
their homeworld. This must be those that were left over.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Got it, sir. A big portal contraption,
over what appears to be a dead earth.

An image comes on view, a large portal, It’s active and filled with swirling colors.

WARD
Damn, they’ve started the show early.
Can we tell if they’ve gotten a lot of ships through?

MERRYPRANKSTER
Unknown, sir, but something that big, I’m guessing it
takes a while to warm up, if you know what I mean.

WARD
Looks like our plans just went down the crapper.

GRIMM REAPER
Time to sow some chaos, sir?

WARD
Do it.

GRIMM REAPER happily moves to a console and hits a few buttons.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

We see a few shuttle bay doors open and from it fly a half dozen shuttles.

The shuttles head toward nearby ships.

INT. – CF. NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

GRIMM REAPER
(grinning)
It feels like that one time I got to kick Santa in the crotch.

WARD
For a fat guy in a red suit, he could take punishment.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The shuttles detonate in violent explosions, the six ships vanish, along with those surrounding it.

INT. – CF. NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

GRIMM REAPER
Its a good day when you start it
off with an antimatter explosion.
(grins)

WARD
Get us to the portal, Scarecrow. All haste.

SCARECROW
Yes, sir.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE- DAY

ADIKOR
We’ve just got reports of explosions.

ATTA
What?

ADIKOR .
It’s chaotic, but it seems nearly a
dozen ships went up in fireballs.

ATTA
An attack? Who?
(realization)
It’s Ward, I know it!
Find that ship and blow it up!

ADIKOR
Yes, mistress. Coordinating search.

ATTA
Damn you, Ward.
How did he find out?

ADIKOR
I’ve got an image, mistress.

ATTA
On screen!

ADIKOR
Yes, mistress.

An image of the CF.net is shown on the viewscreen.

ATTA
All ships, attack it!
Arm main cannons.
I’m itching to see what they’ll do.
(grins)

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The CF.net is begin attacked by surrounding ships, yet that barely slows it down. The attacking ships are outclassed and out gunned, they blossom in silent explosions around the CF.net. A swath of devastation is sliced through the armada.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

GRIMM REAPER
Looks like we’re getting the welcoming committee.

WARD
They seem pleased to see us.

GRIMM REAPER
Once again our reputation proceeds us.

WARD
No. If it did, they’d be al shitting their pants and running.

GRIMM REAPER
Got a high opinion of your reputation, no?

WARD
Hell yes.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE- DAY

ADIKOR
We got a lock, mistress.

ATTA
Fire!

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

Space flashes white and a bolt of energy slams into the CF.net.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

Everyone is thrown from their posts, only SCARECROW and WARD remain seated.

WARD
What the fuck was that?

MERRYPRANKSTER
We’ve got systems failing all across the ship.

GRIMM REAPER
Shields down to thirty percent.
One more hit and well be so much chucks of debris.

WARD
I guess the bastards have got a few weapons.
Fire main cannon!

GRIMM REAPER
Firing!

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE- DAY

The bridge is tossed about.

ADIKOR
Shields are holding.

ATTA
(grins)
Well, now it seems Ward
has a challenge on his hands.
Keep firing, destroy him!

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

GRIMM REAPER
I guess we’re not carrying the big gun here are we?

WARD
That bitch has been busy.
Evasive maneuvers, get to that portal.

SCARECROW
Got it!

WARD
When we get in range blow the shit out of it, understand?

GRIMM REAPER
My pleasure, sir.

WARD
You got any of those shuttles left?

GRIMM REAPER
One or two.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

Bolts of energy flash, we pull in and see the CF.net dodging and zig zagging, enemy fire grazing their shields or missing. Around them, ships detonate and are destroyed. The PONTER is moving after them, slower and bigger.

It fires a bolt of pure white light.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

Everything pretty much explodes on the bridge.

GRIMM REAPER
Weapons down!

MERRYPRANKSTER
Shields gone!

SCARECROW
We’ve still got propulsion.

FAEELIN
Reports coming in. Everything’s pretty much shot to hell.
Shift engines are down. We can’t get out of here.

WARD
Damn it.
Grimm can you still launch those shuttles?

GRIMM REAPER
Yes.

WARD
Do it, send them for the portal.

GRIMM REAPER
Got it sir.

WARD
Scarecrow, take us into the portal.
Everything we’ve got.

SCARECROW
Yes sir.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE- DAY

ADIKOR
They’re making a run for it, mistress.

ATTA
We’ve got them on the ropes.
Fire everything at them.
Get them before they reach the portal.

ADIKOR
They’re launching some shuttles.
(a beat)
I’m reading antimatter in them.

ATTA
Destroy them. They’re trying to destroy the portal!

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The CF.net vanishes into the portal.

A shuttle is shot down by a ship, the resulting explosion envelopes the ship, also destroying it.

The second shuttle hurtles toward the portal, but before it gets there is destroyed. The resulting explosion tears chunks from the portal.

A flash of light, the vortex collapses and everything is quiet, except for burning ships and the devastation caused by WARD

ADIKOR
The portal is down, Mistress.

ATTA
Damn.

END ACT II

TAG

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

Smoke fills the Control Room, there’s sparks sparking, and the view screen flickers, a blurred image of earth before them.

WARD gets to his feet, surveying the damage.

WARD
Did any of the bastards make it in before or after us?

MERRYPRANKSTER
Unknown sir.
We’re sitting blind.

WARD
Get the damned thing working.
And clean up this mess.

GRIMM REAPER begins shouting orders to the crew. WARD settles back into his chair.

FAEELIN
Sir, we’re getting a transmission.

WARD
Hostile?

FAEELIN
Don’t know sir.
Putting it on speakers…

VOICE
Unidentified ship.
You have entered Unity Space.
Power down and be prepared to be boarded.
You will not be warned again.

GRIMM REAPER
Get a visual on those ships.

SCARECROW
Trying…

The view screen flickers to clarity. We can see a score of large ships forming a wedge before the CF.net.

Pull in and we see blue and grey colors, a two hands cupping an earth, the words UNITY etched beneath it.

GRIMM REAPER
I… those…
I think we’re home…

FADE TO BLACK

ROLL END CREDITS