TEASER

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

We open up in a starry blackness, camera pans and shows a silhouette of what looks like to be a giant ring.

Pull in on the Ring and we see shapes moving about it, ships.

EXT. – SPACE – PORTAL RING – CONTINUING

We see figures walking upon the surface of the ring, space suited figures. They move toward a jagged part, blackened, twisted metal greet them.

Pull in.

KILNGIRL
Will you look at this?
And after all my hard work.

Another figure moves in the shot. A figure with a weapon.

DAKLAR
They did try to destroy the ring,
after they escaped into the portal.

KILNGIRL
It’s just rude. You don’t go about destroying other people’s
hard work.. well, at least you don’t when that person’s me.
Otherwise destroying other people’s hard work is pretty fun.
But this does not happen to me!

DAKLAR
Well, the Mistress of the Worlds
had your station destroyed.

KILNGIRL
(sighing)
Oh, thanks for bringing that up!

DAKLAR
Sorry.
(a pause)
Will it be able to be fixed?

KILNGIRL
You think I have a choice?

DAKLAR
(sadly)
No.

KILNGIRL
(forced happy voice)
It’s no problem.
I can fix it in a jiffy, just let me get my toolbox.

DAKLAR
There is no need for sarcasm.

KILNGIRL
Oh, but there is.

DAKLAR
I’m sure you can fix it, in a jiffy, as you said.

KILNGIRL
Oh, I’m sure I can fix it.
The thing I’m angry about is…
I’m not getting paid for this.

DAKLAR
Well, you are a captive. Forced to work on a giant portal
to allow an invasion fleet access to another universe.

KILNGIRL
You really know how to make
a girl feel better, y’know.

DAKLAR
i.. I was never good around women,
human or Neanderthal.

KILNGIRL
(mock shock)
Really? You? Why I’d never have guessed!
(sighs)
Did you bring my toolbox?

DAKLAR
Toolbox?
I thought you were joking about that…

KILNGIRL
(sighing)
Why would I be?

DAKLAR
I don’t know, you’re sense of humor is strange.

KILNGIRL
So that means I’d be joking about a toolbox?
When my life is on the line if I can’t fix this thing?

DAKLAR
I’ll go and get it.

KILNGIRL
You do that, I’ll just stand here, taking in the sights and
pondering how much I value my life.

DAKLAR
Right…

Heads to get toolbox. KILNGIRL watches him.

KILNGIRL
I’ll stand here and also think about how to escape
the clutches of your obviously unstable master or
mistress or whatever that undelightful woman
is called this hour.

FADE TO OPENING CREDITS:

An Alternatehistory.com Presentation:

COUNTERFACTUAL

“HOMECOMING”

Written By : PSYCHOMELTDOWN

ACT I

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

WARD is sitting in his command chair, his eyes are fixed on the screen.

FAEELIN
Sir, we’re getting incoming comm
signals from the approaching ships.

WARD is silent.

FAEELIN
They’re telling us to stop and prepared to be boarded.

WARD shakes his head and looks at FAEELIN.

WARD
No one gets on my ship unless they have my permission.
(stands up)
Put whoever is in charge of this ‘fleet’ on screen now.

A face appears upon the screen. There’s a moment of silence as the two captains look at one another, a look of recognition crosses their faces.

WARD
Captain Reynolds, good to
see you after all these years.

REYNOLDS
It’s Admiral now.
( a long pause)
Everyone thought you were dead.

WARD
People keep underestimating what would kill me.
I’m too damned stubborn to die.

REYNOLDS
(laughs)
It’s been a long time, sir.
(a pause)
We still gotta check you out, to make sure
that you are in fact this universes’ Ward.

WARD
(nods)
I never did run into an alternate of myself.
But get one of your medic’s ready and he can do the tests.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – MED BAY –DAY

A MEDIC glances at a screen.

MEDIC
From what I can tell, he’s this universes’ Admiral Ward.

REYNOLDS
(obviously relieved)
The Military Assembly will wanna see you, sir.
There’s gonna be a lot of questions they’ll want answered.

WARD
(nods)
I know.
I’m sending my first officer, along
with my logs to meet with the Assembly.

REYNOLDS
I’m thinking they’ll want to see you, in person, sir.

WARD
This is my first time back home in over eight years
and its not likely that I’ll want to spend those first hours
with a group of ugly sons of bitches. Hear me?

REYNOLDS
Where will you go, sir?

WARD
(glances toward a porthole)
There’s someone I have to see.

INT. – CF. NET. – SHUTTLE POD BAY – DAY

WARD, GRIMM REAPER, and MERRYPRANKSTER are in the Shuttle Pod Bay.

WARD
Alright, Merry you will be in charge
of the ship while I’m gone.

GRIMM REAPER
Merry?
You want o leave him in charge of the ship?

MERRYPRANKSTER
I can handle it, sir.

GRIMM REAPER
Yes, handle it right into a mutiny.

MERRYPRANKSTER
I can assur-

GRIMM REAPER
And then get the ship destroyed in the process.

MERRYPRANKSTER
I would never-

WARD
Shut up. Both of you.
Merry will be in charge of the ship.
Grimm you will take the logs of the Assembly and
you will answer any questions they have.

GRIMM REAPER
But I don’t wanna go see some stuffy old people.

WARD
This is final.
(to Merry)
Do not let anyone off the ship.
Hear?

MERRYPRANKSTER
Yes, sir.

WARD and GRIMM REAPER enter the shuttle pod. They buckle in and GRIMM REAPER gets the shuttle going.

WARD
Take me home, Grimm…

INT. – CF.NET – MESS HALL- DAY

MIDGARD, SCARECROW, DOMINUSNOVUS and FORTYSEVEN are in the Mess Hall.

DOMINUSNOVUS
This is boring.
We’re at a planet.
We should be pillaging and thieving.
And getting laid by the willing
and terrified womenfolk.

FORTYSEVEN
Ward said no one off the ship.

SCARECROW
Plus why do we need to go down planet?
It’s not like it has anything we really need.
I mean, what would we do down planet
that can’t be done up here?

DOMINUSNOVUS
Have sex.

SCARECROW
Sure you can. If you’re willing to settle
for something not female.. or human..

Everyone moves away from SCARECROW.

MIDGARD
I will tell you this.
I’m bored.
I need a drink.

MIDGARD gets up and walks to the fridge, he opens it and stares for a long time.

MIDGARD
Who drank my vodka?

SCARECROW
We had a celebration the other night.

MIDGARD
There were nine cases.

SCARECROW
It was a big celebration.

DOMINUSNOVUS
What was the celebration?

SCARECROW
Fortyseven hit on a girl.

DOMINUSNOVUS
Well, that’s a definite sign of the apocalypse.

FORTYSEVEN
She had to leave.

DOMINUSNOVUS
Probably a lesbian anyway.
I always seem to run into those.

Everyone glances at him.

DOMINUSNOVUS
What?

MIDGARD
We have a problem here, gentlemen.

SCARECROW
Don’t worry, I’ll pay you back.

FORTYSEVEN
You still haven’t paid me back!

SCARECROW
That was a quarter I borrowed.

MIDGARD
We need vodka.
And we need it fast.

FORTYSEVEN
And how are we supposed to do that?
Huh?

Everyone looks at FORTYSEVEN

FORTYSEVEN
What?

INT. – CF.NET – TELEPORTATION TUBE ROOM – DAY

MIDGARD, SCARECROW, FORTYSEVEN, DOMINUSNOVUS, and ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS are standing in the teleportation tube room. MIDGARD looks pissed.

MIDGARD
Don’t you have anyone else to bother?

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
No.

SCARECROW
Anyone else to hang out with?

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
No.

DOMINUSNOVUS
Man, get a girl.

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
I can get a girl if I want to. But I don’t
want one now, because I just had sex.

DOMINUSNOVUS
With what?
There’s no females on board.

Everyone shifts away from ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS.

FORTYSEVEN
You know Ward won’t be happy.

MIDGARD
It’s just for some vodka, we’ll be back quickly.

FORTYSEVEN
I’ll just say you threatened my life if I didn’t let you go.

MIDGARD
Fine. Fine.

FORTYSEVEN
Buy me some gum, would you?
You owe me a quarter, Scarecrow.

SCARECROW
Just shut up and hit your buttons.

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
You know my bio chemist-

There’s a pop and the four vanish.

EXT. – OUTSIDE A LARGE FARMHOUSE – SHUTTLE – DAY

WARD exits the shuttle pod looking around.

GRIMM REAPER
Join you, sir?

WARD
No, Grimm.
You need to get to the Assembly.

GRIMM REAPER
Right sir.
Uh.. good luck?

A woman steps out on the porch, watching them.

WARD
I think I might need it.

GRIMM REAPER
(nods)
Call if you need anything.

WARD nods and the shuttle takes off, leaving WARD behind.

EXT. – MILITARY BASE – LANDING AREA – DAY

GRIMM’s shuttle lands on a pad.

INT. – UNITY MILITARY ASSEMBLY – DAY

GRIMM REAPER sits in a waiting room, looking bored.

A WOMAN walks in.

WOMAN
(a bit taken back by Grimm’s clothing)
Uh, we can take the logs now, sir.

GRIMM REAPER
I am supposed to give it to the Military Assembly.

WOMAN
Unfortunately the Assembly is not convened yet.
We can take the logs and we’ll call you back when they get here.

GRIMM REAPER hands the logs over to the WOMAN and looks around.

GRIMM REAPER
Now, what am I supposed to do?

INT. – WARD’S HOUSE – DAY

MONTAGE

See WARD and his family together.

See them talking.

Laughing.

Hugging.

Children, grandchildren flocking about.

WARD looks happy.

Everyone is happy.

EXT. – STREET – DAY

GRIMM REAPER is walking down a street, humming to himself. He pauses and looks about, catching people quickly looking away from him. We see that he stands out in the crowd of normally dressed people.

Some point and gawk at his outlandish clothing.

GRIMM REAPER pulls his cloak around him and continues walking down the street.

He passes a group of kids.

LOUDMOUTH KID
Hey, Freakshow!
Nice dress.
(group giggles)

GRIMM REAPER stops and glares at them.

FX THINGY/FLASHBACK

WARD
I don’t want any trouble on the planet, y’hear?

GRIMM REAPER
Err.. just trouble, sir?

WARD
And none of those things you call ‘fun’ too!

GRIMM REAPER
(pouts)
Awwww….

END FLASHBACK

Focus on GRIMM REAPER, head cocked and still lost in his flashback.

There’s a woman screaming.

Pull back and we see GRIMM REAPER holding LOUDMOUTH KID by the shirt collar, LOUDMOUTH KID is barely conscious and bleeding from a broken nose and busted lip.

Pull back more and we see the group with LOUDMOUTH KID are lying upon the ground, in various states of consciousness and pain.

GRIMM REAPER lets go of LOUDMOUTH KID and sighs.

GRIMM REAPER
I claim self-defense.
(hurries off)
(pauses)
Oh, a candy store…

INT. – SEEDY BAR – DAY

MIDGARD, DOMINOUSNOVUS, ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS, and SCARECROW enter a seedy looking bar. There’s a juke box in the corner blaring 80’s rock, and a long bar filled with men and women in various states of drunkenness.

MIDGARD
(bobbing head)
Nice music.

DOMINUSNOVUS
If you’re into the crappy 80’s rock.

MIDGARD
Good thing I am, no?
(cracks knuckles)

DOMINUSNOVUS
Err… Hey look a decent looking chick.
(hurries off)

SCARECROW
So, what kind of beer do you Yanks serve?

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
Pfft. Beer.
I only drink straight vodka, from the bottle, and
occasionally with a little umbrella in it…even
though it does nothing for me. My biochemistry
makes it so that I don’t get drunk the way normal people do.

SCARECROW rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

SCARECROW
(muttering)
Not this shit again…

MIDGARD
You mean the piss water you call vodka?
A damned newborn couldn’t get drunk off that.
What you need is some good Russian Vodka.

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
Alcohol does nothing for me.
My biochem-

MIDGARD
Fuck your biochemistry.
(grabs ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS)
Hey, fat guy serving the booze!

They head into the bar.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – ENGINEERING BAY

MERRYPRANKSTER is walking down a catwalk, watching as GEDCA, FORTYSEVEN, and FEDERATION X are huddled around a device.

MERRYPRANKSTER climbs down a short ladder, walking up the trio.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Aren’t you guys supposed to be at work?

The three look startled for a moment.

FEDERATION X
We are at work, can’t you see?

FORTYSEVEN
Yeah, we’re working, open your eyes.

MERRYPRANKSTER
(demanding)
What are you doing?

GEDCA
Best keep a moving, sir.
Kinda hard to dumb down something
this complicated to hired goons. Leave
the big thinking to us who can handle it.

In a sudden movement, MERRYPRANKSTER draws his sword and shoves GEDCA against the bulkhead, the sharpen blade millimeters away from GEDCA’s neck. A look of fear flashes across GEDCA’s face.

MERRYPRANKSTER
You will address me with the respect my rank deserves,
grease monkey, or we’ll see how many chunks I can carve off you.

FEDERATION X yells, charging MERRYPRANKSTER, a heavy looking wrench in his hands. MERRYPRANKSTER, nimbly dodges out of the way and as FEDERATION X goes flying by, smashes him in the back of the head with the hilt of his sword, knocking him unconscious.

FORTYSEVEN launches himself at MERRYPRANKSTER, a heavy pipe in hand. MERRYPRANKSTER slaps away FORTYSEVEN’s weapon away with his sword and slams his foot into his stomach. FORTYSEVEN crumples to the floor, raggedly coughing and gagging.

The sword goes up against GEDCA’s neck again. This time MERRYPRANKSTER nicks him with it, a small bead of blood forms.

GEDCA
AHHHH!

MERRYPRANKSTER
Next time, I’ll sever the artery.
(sheaths sword)
I seriously hope there’s never a next time.

GEDCA nods dazedly.

MERRYPRANKSTER walks off.

INT. – CANDY STORE – DAY

People give GRIMM REAPER a wide berth as he wanders about the Candy Store, looking at all the sweets and yummies in jars and colorful wrappers. In his arms he precariously carries a large burden of sugary goodness.

He stops by a large display case and picks up a box, reading it slowly.

GRIMM REAPER
Chocolate Enema: for that all day pep.
(shocked)
That’s disgusting!
(looks around)
Very disgusting…
(packs a few boxes on his already large pile)

He wanders over to a large glass case of candy, peering into it.

CANDYMAN
(cheerfully)
Can I help you, sir?

GRIMM REAPER
I want that one.
(points)

CANDYMAN
Ah, you have a good eye.
The Sugary Lick Stick.
A favorite of Children of all Ages.

GRIMM REAPER
Did you just call me a child?

CANDYMAN
Uh.. no?

GRIMM REAPER
Good…
Now, gimmie candy.

CANDYMAN
Sorry, sir. It seems we’ve run out.

GRIMM REAPER
Run out?

CANDYMAN
Like I said, the Sugary Lick stick is a popular item.
Sometimes…

GRIMM REAPER
(coldly)
I said I want it.

CANDYMAN
Sir, we don’t have any more.
Maybe tomorrow.

GRIMM REAPER
(deadly)
I want it now.

CANDYMAN
I’m sorry, but I just sold the last one to that kid over there.
You’ll have to wait until tomorrow.

GRIMM REAPER
What kid?

CANDYMAN
(points)
That kid over there.

Pan to a big eyed, tow headed kid looking at the Sugary Lick Stick with awe. He slowly unwraps it.

GRIMM REAPER sets down his load on the counter.

GRIMM REAPER
Sorry, Ward, but some things just can’t be helped.

From beneath his robes, GRIMM REAPER, pulls out a deadly looking scythe.

GRIMM REAPER
(bellowing)
Kid! Gimmie that Lick Stick!

END ACT I

ACT II

EXT. – CANDY STORE – DAY

There’s screaming and a horde of people burst out of the Candy Store.

GRIMM REAPER walks out of the Candy Store a moment later, happily licking the Lick Stick and a large bag of candy over his shoulder.

In the background we can hear the wail of sirens.

Fade to Black.

INT. – SEEDY BAR – DAY

A shot glass slams down.

Pull back and we see MIDGARD grinning a crazed grin.

MIDGARD
Another!

Pan to ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS who looks both sick and woozy.

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
No.. more…

MIDGARD
Another!

SCARECROW sits leaning back in his chair, sipping a beer.

SCARECROW
Never seen a guy get drunk off the fumes only.
(sips beer)

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
I am not drunk.
Alcohol does not get me drunk!
My biochem-
(begins puking)

SCARECROW
Hey, do that away from my shoes.

MIDGARD
Another!
Where the hell is that damned waitress?

Pan to a corner where DOMINUSNOVUS is grinning and talking with a pretty young woman. She looks both scared and sickened.

DOMINUSNOVUS
(very drunk)
You think I’m handsome, don’t you?
All the girls think I’m handsome.
I bet you just wanna tear off my clothes
right here, right now. Right?

WAITRESS
Please, just let me get back to my job.

DOMINUSNOVUS
Oh, I got a job for you.
(grins)

Pan back to the table with MIDGARD, ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS, and SCARECROW.

SCARECROW
(watching the Waitress)
A week’s supply of booze says Dominus strikes out.

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
Alcohol.. does… not… effect me…
(passes out)

MIDGARD
Damn it, I’ll just get the booze myself.
(staggers to feet)
Booze!

PATRON
Hey, shut up, asshat!

MIDGARD
What?

PATRON
I. Said. Shut. Up.
You deaf as well as loud?

SCARECROW
(to himself)
That doesn’t make much sense.
(sips beer)

MIDGARD
You die now!
(charges Patron)

Immediately the bar becomes chaotic scene of fighting, screaming, and yelling. DOMINUSNOVUS grabs a cue stick and begins attacking a guy, MIDGARD begins swinging a bar stool, knocking down several others, SCARECROW smashes the bottom of his beer bottle on the table and attacks a man with the jagged remainder, a group of men begin beating up the already unconscious ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS.

Fade out.

INT. – WARD’S HOME – DINING ROOM – EVENING

The family is gathered around the a large table, WARD sitting at the head. He is smiling slightly.

MRS. WARD
It’s been a long time since there has been a family dinner.

Everyone at the table agrees.

WARD
It’s good to be home.
There is so much that-

Suddenly there’s a droning noise that fills the air.

WARD gets up from his seat, heading toward window.

A shot out of the window shows several large looking vessels heading toward the Ward House, spotlights flashing beneath them.

MRS. WARD
What’s going on?

WARD
I don’t know.

WARD walks to a closet and pulls out a plasma rifle, he is watched by his family.

KID
Dad, those are Unity ships.

WARD looks down at the plasma rifle in his hands and softly shakes his head, setting it back into the closet.

MRS. WARD
What do they want?

WARD
(looking at his family)
I’ll take care of this.

He walks to the front door.

EXT. – WARD HOUSE – YARD – NIGHT

Two large transports are in the air, circling the house, and two more are on the ground, a squad of troops clamor out from one and two men from another. They all wear the Unity military uniform.

A man walks forward.

MAN
Admiral Ward. You will come with us.

WARD
I’ll be damned if I’m gonna be dragged
away from my own house during dinner..

The squad of soldiers aim their weapons at WARD.

MAN
That was not a request.

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

FAEELIN and MERRYPRANKSTER are the only ones in the Control Room.

FAEELIN
Uh, Merry?

MERRYPRANKSTER
What?

FAEELIN
What are we gonna do next?

MERRYPRANKSTER
What do you mean?

FAEELIN
Now that the Captain has found the
world he was looking for all this time…

MERRYPRANKSTER
Ah.

FAEELIN
Are we just going to stay here now?

MERRYPRANKSTER
I don’t know.

FAEELIN
Why not?

MERRYPRANKSTER
Because.

FAEELIN
Aren’t you supposed to be in charge?

MERRYPRANKSTER
But that doesn’t mean Ward fills me in with every
bit of information and plans he has for the future.

FAEELIN
Well, I don’t want to stay here.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Yeah? And what do you want me to do about it?

FAEELIN
Well… you’re in charge now…
I guess you can keep staying in charge.

There’s a heavy silence in the Control Room. MERRYPRANKSTER glances at FAEELIN.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Get back to work.

INT. – JAIL HOUSE – BOOKING – NIGHT

Doors burst open and MIDGARD, SCARECROW, DOMINUSNOVUS, and ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS are shoved through, a horde of police officers pushing and shoving them in.

SCARECROW
I didn’t do nothing!
I didn’t do nothing!

MIDGARD
Get off me!
Get your hands off me!

DOMINUSNOVUS
I’m too pretty to be taken to prison!
Do you know what they’ll do to me?!

ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS
Ow. They hurt me.
They hurt me so much.

OFFICER
(talking to another officer)
Jesus, haven’t seen anything like that.
I mean these guys tore apart that bar.

OFFICER 2
The Aussie kid nearly gutted me
with that bottle he was waving about.

OFFICER
Well, it’s gonna be a long night.

INT. – JAIL CELL – NIGHT

There’s weeping. Sobbing.

Pull in on a figure sitting upon the bottom bed of a bunk, It’s GRIMM REAPER.

GRIMM REAPER
Now, now, I did say I didn’t wanna talk.

The sobbing grows louder.

Pan to a large figure curled up in the corner.

SOBBING GUY
Please, I’m sorry. I won’t bother you again.

GRIMM REAPER
(grinning)
See, this was just a learning experience.

INT. – MILITARY ASSEMBLY – COUNCIL ROOM – NIGHT

A group of five men and two women sit in at a crescent shaped table. They all have the same grave and pale expression.

HEAD COUNCILOR
We have gone over you logs.
(long pause)
We need for you to explain it.

WARD
What is there to explain.
It’s all in the logs.

HEAD COUNCILOR
You know this is unacceptable.
The things you’ve committed…
(looks pale)

WARD
I had to do what I had to do.

HEAD COUNCILOR
But some of these things…

WARD
You have to understand that there have been some
situations that called for an excess of violence.

HEAD COUNCILOR
Genocide. Murder. Destruction of ships,
property, attacking advanced civilizations.
Do you know how much danger
you’ve put our world in?

WARD
I had to do what I had to do.
Survival was the main thing.
And to survive we needed higher tech, better weapons,
better supplies than the next guy who was looking to
attack us. Sometimes there were worlds that had what
we needed, there were people who didn’t want to give
us what we needed. So we took them.
We got what we needed. We survived.

WOMAN
You sir are a monster.

WARD
I will have to agree with you on that part.
I have done some terrible things, but I do not have to apologize or regret
those decisions. I did what was needed when it was needed. I killed people,
I destroyed worlds, I raided, pillaged, sold weapons, stole weapons, pirated,
you name it and I did it. The multiverse is not a pretty happy go lucky place.
It is a place filled with people who want power, who got power, and those
who want to do what they want to whoever they want. Our fist encounter
with a culture from another universe was that of a conquering empire of
cavemen. A power that is still out there. That at this moment is repairing the
damage we caused to their fleet and their portal. You want to discuss that or
the other small details of what I have done in the last eight years since my
ship got was left to fend for itself, with nearly all it’s crew dead or do you
want to talk about the fact that at this moment there is a fleet of hundreds
of ships ready and willing to cross over to our universe and finish the job
they began over a decade ago?

HEAD COUNCILOR
You are an officer in the Unity.
You full know well what that stands for,
what ideals you are supposed to aspire to.

WARD
The Unity was formed by the fear and terror of the Invaders.
It was cobbled together out of desperation and a need to survive.
I know full well the ideals that a Unity officer aspires to, for the last eight years
I have lived them. I have been attacked, I have had crew killed and murdered by
powers stronger then me, I have been nearly killed, my ship nearly destroyed, I
have gone up against things and people far stronger than I. And I have defeated
them. I have grown stronger than they, I have fought scores upon scores of ships,
people, and worlds and I have not been defeated by them. While you and yours
have grown fat and soft on this world, made peaceful and happy by the first victory
over the Invaders, I have been under continuous attack by people from hundreds of
universes. Be it me attacking them or them attacking me. So you can judge me by
the morals of people who have forgotten what war is about and who look on down
from a pedestal of high ideals and dreams, because I do not give a damn about what
you think. I did what I needed to do.

A long silence falls.

WARD (cont.)
You can quote me laws and articles, you can say what I did was wrong,
immoral, against humanity and all that. But I will tell you this. I do not
care. Its been years since I stopped caring about nonsense as those.

HEAD COUNCILOR
You know the laws, even if you do not care about them.
You have done a lot for the Unity, your past service
is not forgotten, but how can we just drop this? How
can we overlook all the things you have done since?

WARD
I have come home.
I have my family I have not seen in eight years.
Just leave me and mine alone and
we can all live happily ever after.

HEAD COUNCILOR
The people still adore you, Admiral. They still remember what
you did for them. If this comes to light, there’s a good chance they
might forgive you and let you be. But that does not cover what
your crew has done? We’ve got four of them in jail right now.
They tore up a bar pretty badly.

WARD
They like to rough house.

COUNCILOR
This was not ‘rough housing’.
This was dismantling a bar and it’s patrons.

WARD
They are not of this universe.
They do not factor into this.

HEAD COUNCILOR
I would agree with you on that, but it seems that in the
past several hours they have committed some of their
exploits here in Unity soil. Then there is the matter of
you first officer, Grimm Reaper.

WARD
What did he do?

HEAD COUNCILOR
He tore up a candy store.

WARD
(laughs)
He does have a sweet tooth.

HEAD COUNCILOR
This is not a laughing matter.
In less than five hours on the surface, your crew has already
committed murder, attempted murder, assault, and arson. And
your first officer is a Unity citizen, subject to Unity laws. Not
even your fame can protect him from the legal repercussions
he will have to face.

WARD
(looking grim)
I would suggest you let him go.

HEAD COUNCILOR
Fortunately we do not have that power.
There are plenty of witnesses, there is video of him doing what he did.
People like him should not be allowed amongst the peaceful populace.

WARD
He is an officer who has served me well for over a decade.

HEAD COUNCILOR
Then it would be best that he learn restraint. But according
to your logs, it is this unrestraint nature in him you have
cultivated. In fact all your crew share the same qualities,
violent, psychotic, and deadly.

WARD
I would suggest that you let him go.

HEAD COUNCILOR
We cannot.

WARD
Then this is a decision you will regret.

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

FAEELIN looks at a monitor.

FAEELIN
Uh, sir? Check this out.

MERRYPRANKSTER looks at the monitor.

MERRYPRANKSTER
That what I think it is?

FAEELIN
Yes sir.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Get Ward on the line.
The Neanderthals are coming.

INT. – MILITARY ASSEMBLY – COUNCIL ROOM – NIGHT

WARD sighs and puts away his communicator.

WARD
Unfortunately it looks like we’re gonna have to cut this short.
Our greatest fear just dropped by for a bit of a war.

HEAD COUNCILOR
What?

WARD instead of answering, just vanishes.

The Councilors are confused.

INT.- CELL – NIGHT

GRIMM REAPER vanishes from the bed he’s sleeping on.

The large figure begins sobbing again, this time in relief.

INT.- CELL – NIGHT

MIDGARD, SCARECROW, DOMINUSNOVUS, and ROMULUS AUGUSTULUS vanish from their various cells. The guards look about in confusion.

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

WARD enters the Control Room, followed by GRIMM REAPER.

WARD
What’s the situation?

MERRYPRANKSTER
We’ve just got contact on the ships, looks like a lot of
them. Numbering about.. 225 ships and more coming.

WARD
Get Reynolds on the horn.
Tell him to get his fleet up and running, it’s time to show
these bastards what there’s to fear in the multiverse.

GRIMM REAPER
Oh, good. I was getting kinda bored in
this whole peaceful existence thing.

WARD
How was prison?

GRIMM REAPER
I don’t get why people complain about it.
Sure the food is crappy, but it’s pretty fun.
(grins)

FAEELIN
We’re getting confirmation from
Admiral Reynolds and the Unity Fleet.

WARD
Tell ‘em to form up on our ass and get ready for a hell of a fight.
Thrusters, full ahead. Arm all weapons, shields up.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

ATTA sits upon a command chair, looking at the screen. The CF.net is centered in the middle of it.

ATTA
Arm the main cannon. We’ll see what it can do.

ADIKOR
Armed.

ATTA
Fire.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

A lance of red light flashes from the PONTER and hits the CF.net. the CF’s shields flare and it suddenly goes dark and goes adrift.

END ACT II

TAG

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – KILNGIRLS’ QUARTERS – NIGHT

DAKLAR shoves KILNGIRL into her quarters.

KILNGIRL
What the high mucky muck don’t
want my technical expertise anymore?

DAKLAR
Not that, just she wants you
away from the engine room
when it’s battle time.
Doesn’t trust you.

KILNGIRL
I feel shocked by that.
But she’s not wrong.

DAKLAR
(laughs)
Best not let anyone hear you say that.

KILNGIRL
There’s something I value about as much as my life.
That’s my freedom.

DAKLAR
What?

KILNGIRL pulls out a gun.

DAKLAR
Where did you-

BANG!

KILNGIRL
I also don’t like it when people don’t pay me for the work I do.
That big cannon y’all are firing is my work. So unless I get some
money for it, I’m just gonna have to take it away…

KILNGIRL shoves her gun into her pocket, pulls on a complicated looking toolbelt, and begins whistling as she walks out the door.

FADE TO BLACK

ROLL END CREDITS