Tag Archive for Neanderthal

Battles

Psychomeltdown / February 17, 2010 / No comments

TEASER


INT. – COUNTERFACTUAL.NET SHIP – CORRIDOR – DAY

We hear panting and oddly the sound of boots pounding unevenly upon the decks.

We pan down a corridor and see three beams of lights flashing about wildly.

We see it’s GEDCA, FEDERATION X, and FORTYSEVEN. They seem to be bounding about down the corridor in giant leaps.

FEDERATION X crashes into a bulkhead, bounces off of it, hits the deck and bounces up toward the ceiling.

GEDCA and FORTYSEVEN stop and watch, as they do, they begin to rise off the deck. They frantically look about.

GEDCA
Damn, the gravity’s going!

FEDERATION X
Help!
(scrabbles to clutch onto something)

GEDCA
Fortyseven, grab him.
We need to get to engineering!

FORTYSEVEN
I.. I think I can’t…

Pan to FORTYSEVEN and we see him floating in a gentle rotation, he attempts a swimming motion, but doesn’t move.

FORTYSEVEN
Look, it looks like I’m flying.

FEDERATION X
Awesome.
Watch me-

GEDCA
We don’t have time for this!
We’re in the middle of a battle
and we don’t have power.
To anything!

Suddenly the comm unit crackles.

GRIMM REAPER (on comm)
Engineers! You there?

GEDCA
Yes sir!
We’re getting the problem fixed, sir!

GRIMM REAPER (on comm)
You’ve got two minutes or else I’ll have to come
down there and show you how rough
I can be with my scythe. Got it, kid?

GEDCA
(gulping)
Yes, sir…

GRIMM REAPER (on comm)
Good, good. Now bring
me a cup of hot chocolate.

GEDCA
Hot chocolate, sir?

GRIMM REAPER (on comm)
You heard me.

GEDCA
Uh, sir. I think we have bigger problems than that.

GRIMM REAPER (on comm)
I don’t want to hear your blubbering of incompetence!
I wan-

WARD (on comm)
Damn it, Grimm.
We need that little bastard to get the engines back on line.
Afterward, you can do what you want with him.

GRIMM REAPER (on comm)
Heh. Anything?

WARD (on comm)
As long as it doesn’t leave him permanently maimed.

GRIMM REAPER (on comm)
Damn.

GEDCA
Can I get back to what I was gonna do, sir?

WARD (on comm)
Get your ass back to work, boy.
Or I’ll feed you to Pumpkin.

GRIMM REAPER (on comm)
(horrified)
But that would ruin Pumpkin’s diet!

GEDCA
Getting back to work, sir!

Comm clicks off.

GEDCA
Well, we need to flip that circuit breaker and stoke the shift engines.
Fed, you get ready to get the engines started.
(points to door marked ENGINEERING)
I’ll flip the circuit breaker with Forty.
(Points down a long long corridor)

FEDERATION X
Got it.
(floats off)

FORTYSEVEN
But why do we need two to flip the breaker.
It’s not that big..

GEDCA
Because we’re short on time.

FORTYSEVEN
I don’t get it…

GEDCA pulls out a gun and grabs FORTYSEVEN.

GEDCA
This’ll be fun…

CUT TO OPENING CREDITS:

An Alternatehistory.com Presentation:

COUNTERFACTUAL


“BATTLES”

Written By : PSYCHOMELTDOWN


ACT I


INT. – CF. NET – CORRIDOR– NIGHT

BANG!

BANG!

FORTYSEVEN
AAAAAHHHHHHHH!!!!

GEDCA
WHOOO-HOOOOO!!!!

We see GEDCA and FORTYSEVEN flying down the corridor, FORTYSEVEN take a spot in front of GEDCA.

They speed toward a large door marked: ENGINEERING: BREAKER ROOM.

FORTYSEVEN
Aw, crap!

BONK!

FORTYSEVEN smashes into the door, while GEDCA manages to use him as a cushion. He slaps a panel and the heavy door slides open.

GEDCA grins and enters the room.

INT. – CF. NET – CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT

WARD sits in his chair, watching as coffee cup slowly floats by. He adjusts the seat belt he’s wearing. GRIMM REAPER stands beside him, a glimmer of light reflected off his scythe, he looks bored.

There’s a crackle of static.

WARD
What is that?

FAEELIN
I think it’s the shortwave radio.
It runs off batteries.
(pulls out a flashlight)
I think we’re getting a message.

WARD
On comm.

FAEELIN
Umm.. comm’s off, sir.
You’ll have to talk into this.
(hands him microphone)

WARD
This is Ward.

VOICE
(static)
This is Reynolds.
I see your ship has suffered damage.

WARD
Unfortunately, the bastards have something
that knocked out our electrical systems.

REYNOLDS
Well, no worries, sir.
We’re coming to the rescue.

WARD
Don’t be damned stupid.
Leave us be.
We’ll take care of ourselves.

REYNOLDS
(static)
Sorry, sir? Didn’t catch that.

WARD
Damn it! I said-

FAEELIN
They’ve cut communications, sir.

GRIMM REAPER
Insubordinate, ain’t he?

WARD
He’s a damned idiot.

GRIMM REAPER
Well, at least we won’t die.

WARD
He should be attacking the Bastards.

GRIMM REAPER
But, he’s giving his life to save mine.

WARD
Ours.

GRIMM REAPER
Right, sir.

INT. – CF. NET – BREAKER ROOM – NIGHT

GEDCA floats toward a large yellow painted panel. He pulls off the cover and behind it is a large restart button.

GEDCA rubs his hands together and his the button.

Nothing.

GEDCA
What the hell?

WARD (on comm)
Gedca, what is going on?
We need the power back on.

GEDCA
Uh…uh…uh…
(terrified)
Sir. It’s not responding.

GEDCA begins frantically flipping switches and hitting buttons. Nothing happens.

WARD
What do you mean it’s not responding.
We can’t have it not respond.
We’re dead in the damned water here, boy!
In the middle of a god damned battle!
Get it friggin’ working or you’ll see what
space feels without a friggin’ suit!

GEDCA
I’m… I’m trying sir.
I think it may be something more than a blown fuse.
We’ve got gravity working and life support, but weapons,
shields, propulsion, they’re not coming back online.

WARD
I don’t give a damn what it is, just
get the damned thing working, got it?

GEDCA
I’m on it, sir.
I’m on it…

GEDCA bangs on the computer console in frustration.

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

WARD and GRIMM REAPER are whispering a conversation.

GRIMM REAPER
I think we’re in some deep shit, sir.

WARD
(long thoughtful pause)
I think you’re right.
But you know the standard operating procedure
when we’re in deep shit, right?

GRIMM REAPER
Screaming and trying not to get it in the mouth?

WARD
The other one.

GRIMM REAPER
Oh, you mean shoot everything and anything
until they bring you down.

WARD
Yeah. Go out in a blaze of murderous mayhem.

GRIMM REAPER
Excellent sir.
I’ll inform the cannon fodder they’re all gonna die.

WARD
Make sure to make it sound heroic.

GRIMM REAPER
Don’t I always, sir?

WARD
No. No you don’t.

GRIMM REAPER
Well… It’s just I don’t like them and
wish great harm upon their persons.

WARD
I know, Grimm. I know…

GRIMM REAPER
(sighs)
Well, I’ll break it to them gently.

WARD
Hold on a moment there, Grimm.

GRIMM REAPER
(sighs)
I’m sensing you’re gonna take my fun away from me.

WARD
We still got those canons we took
off that derelict shift super carrier?

GRIMM REAPER
(nods)
I think so. Gedca hadn’t gotten around to
integrating them into our systems yet.

WARD
(grins)
I think it’s time we got these slackers to work.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CORRIDOR – NIGHT

MIDGARD, ROMULUS AGUSTULUS, DOMINUSNOVUS, FAEELIN, DARKSLAVIK, BULARKOTONOS, and GRIMM REAPER are seen pushing large devices down a corridor. There are two men per machine and GRIMM REAPER paces behind them, a cat of nine tails in his hands.

GRIMM REAPER
Move it!
Move it!
Move it!

Crack of whip.

BULGARKOTONOS
Shit, does he have to keep hitting me?

MIDGARD
He just hates your guts.
Don’t worry about –arrrgh!

GRIMM REAPER
Quit talking!
Move it!

CREW
Yes sir!

GRIMM REAPER
Heave!

CREW
Ho!

GRIMM REAPER
Heave!

CREW
Ho!

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

GEDCA spreads out a diagram on a cleared space. He and FEDERATION X pore over it with flashlights.

GEDCA
We’ve reset everything. we’ve pulled out parts that
could technically possibly be affected by that blast,
but damned if I know why the ship’s not up and running.

FEDERATION X
Maybe there’s some kind of residual
energy causing the systems to fail.

GEDCA
Don’t’ be stupid, energy doesn’t leave residues behind.

FEDERATION X
It happened in Star Trek.

GEDCA
(thoughtful)
Well…
(shakes head)
No.

FEDERATION X
I got it!

GEDCA
What?

FEDERATION X
It’s those safety equipment.
The one that Ward had us install after the core nearly went critical
when we got hit by that plasma bombardment from that one ship
that one time. They allow for the critical systems, gravity and
life support to continue to function, but shut down the others,
propulsion, weapons, shields, communications, and sensors.
The main energy hogs.

GEDCA
You may be right…

FEDERATION X
I am right!

GEDCA
Now…
(looks at a large metallic box)
We just have to find a way to open it…

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

WARD
Situation.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Still no power to main combat systems, sir.

WARD
Any word from out saviors?

MERRYPRANKSTER
Sorry, sir.
We don’t have outside communications.

WARD sighs, tapping the armrest of his command chair.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – SHUTTLE BAY – NIGHT

We see the CFers push the large devices onto the cargo ramp of three shuttles. They are all wearing spacesuits and wrapping chains around the devices.

GRIMM REAPER
Well, hopefully this’ll work.
They were designed for this.
Most likely you’ll all die, I won’t because I’m important and
that means I get to survive. Most of you are expendable, especially
you, Romulus. You hear me? Until the grease monkeys can get
the ship up and running again, we’re gonna go on a little joy ride.
Now pick a shuttle and hang on tight, you fall out. We’ll forget
you were ever apart of the crew and divide up your belongings
after I’ve taken the more valuable stuff from it first. Got it?

CREW
Yes, sir!

DARK SLAVIK
I am a creator of genetic abominations, sir!
I am not a goon to go out and shoot things.
I have my work!
My glorious sickening work!

GRIMM REAPER
Shut up.
You’ll do as I say or you’ll be fired across the bow
of one of those cavemen’s ship to make them see
we’re not afraid of killing our own, therefore we
are definitely not afraid of killing them.

MIDGARD
You think they’ll understand the
subtext of that action, sir?

GRIMM REAPER
No. they have thick brows, that means
they have limited intelligence.
All subtlety is lost on them.

BULGARKOTONOS
(touches brow and hangs head in shame)
He’s right…

The crew clamor onto the carious shuttles. The shuttle pod bay doors barely slide open, jetting out the last remaining air from the bay then the shuttle shoot out.

GRIMM REAPER (over radio)
Shoot anything that comes near the ship.
Except for those on our side.
You can graze them.

MERRYPRANKSTER (over radio)
Good hunting, gentlemen.

GRIMM REAPER (over radio)
Shut up, Merry.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

We see the three shuttles flying out of the CF.net ship, they move into a wedge formation.

Pull out and we see several grey and white ships surrounding the CF.net ship, they’re all taking a pounding as the Neanderthal fleet converges upon them.

Pull even more and we see the Flagship PONTER moving lazily toward the planet.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

Neanderthals are hustling about, in the middle of the chaos is a heavily pregnant ATTA and standing beside her is ADIKOR.

ADIKOR
I had thought you would want to do
the killing stroke upon the CF.net, Mistress.

ATTA
It would be a pleasure to see the face of Ward as he dies, but this is
not the battle we came for. We are here to destroy humanity, as they .
nearly destroyed us. Let the captains and the men and women of the
fleet, those that had lived under the fear for years that Ward would
find their worlds and destroy them, have he pleasure of destroying
him and his cursed ship. It is similar to when soldiers of the Empire
are trained, when one soldier is picked from a squad and his squad
mates gather around and kill him. The group killing of that unlucky
solider solidifies their bond with one another. They killed the Destroyer,
they killed the man who lead the forces of weak humanity and burned
our Homeworld. It is revenge and it is a bonding that will transcend
mere loyalty, once this is over, once he is dead, then these captains
will be mine. Not merely loyal to me, but mine heart and soul. If we
kill him, then it will only be another use of the stolen technology to
get what we want from the Empire.

ADIKOR
So we destroy the planet while the rest of the human fleet
foolishly tries to save their beloved Destroyer?

ATTA
Exactly.

ADIKOR
You are most wise, Mistress.

ATTA
Of course I am.
Now, I have to go pee.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

We pull in on a shuttle, it’s cargo hold open and the snout of a cannon sticking out.

GRIMM REAPER (voice over)
Looks like the Fleet’s taking a pounding.
(pause)
Oooo, pretty explosions.

WARD (VO)
Mind on the attack, Grimm.
Take some pressure off those ships.

GRIMM REAPER (VO)
They just have to die heroically to save our hides don’t they?
Not that I’m complaining, I like my hide intact and
well moisturized, but this makes no tactical sense at all.

WARD (VO)
Misguided sense of loyalty to the guy who saved the world
from ravaging murderous asshats from another universe.
Damned brave fools.

GRIMM REAPER (VO)
I wish all the worlds we went to had this same reaction.

WARD (VO)
They probably would, if we didn’t immediately begin attacking t
hem or pillaging them for tech, supplies, and the such things.

GRIMM REAPER (VO)
Well, that’s the fun part.

WARD (VO)
Keep pressure off the other ships. We’ll be getting up and
running soon enough, either that of you can fire Gedca
from one of those cannons.

GRIMM REAPER (VO)
Oooo….

Pull out.

We see GRIMM REAPER’s shuttle shoot toward the larger black ships of the Neanderthals, the other two shuttles taking up position behind him.

ROMULUS AGUSTULUS (VO)
This is Fox Trot Charlie to Red Leader,
commencing attack run.

GRIMM REAPER (VO)
Someone, please shoot him.

MIDGARD (VO)
On it sir!

FADE OUT

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

GEDCA and FEDERATION X are using a pair of sledgehammers to open a metal control box.

GEDCA
Come on, damn it!

FEDERATION X
My arms hurt.

GEDCA
Keep at it.
It’s bound to give…

CLANK!

The metal casing falls off, FEDERATION X swings wildly and smashes the sledgehammer on his foot. He drops to the floor screaming.

FEDERATION X
My Toes!

GEDCA ignores him and begins pulling out wires and other electronic equipment.

GEDCA
This is why I don’t like safety equipment on my stuff.
When you need something to push to the utter limits
and beyond what they are capable of, the friggin’
safety features refuse to let you do it.
(yanks at a cord that showers him with sparks)
Alright that should do it.
Fed, hit the restart button and we’ll see what happens.

FEDERATION X
My toes!

GEDCA
Oh, geez.
(gets up)
Must you complain about every little scrap you suffer?

FEDERATION X
My toes!

GEDCA hits a big red button, it lights up for a moment and then suddenly the roar of the engines fills the room. Light flickers back on, computer consoles light up, and showers of shorted wires spark and flash.

GEDCA
(grinning)
Damn, I’m good.

FEDERATION X
My toes!

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

Lights come back on and the computers beginning lighting up.

SCARECROW
All systems, coming back on line, sir.

WARD
(nodding)
Open comm to the shuttles

MERRYPRANKSTER
Comm open.

WARD
Grimm, time to do a culling on the cavemen.
We’ll get you out.

GRIMM REAPER (on comm)
Understood.

WARD
Fortyseven, get to your station.

FORTYSEVEN (on comm)
Getting there, sir!

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

We see the shuttles, lobbing out what seems like slow moving balls of energy, that shred and tear up the hulls of ships as they hit, they move quickly, spreading out and each heading directly toward a large Neanderthal ship.

GRIMM REAPER (VO)
I like war.

We see each of the shuttle smash into the Neanderthal ships. There’s a enormous flash and explosion, the three ships vanish in a cloud of debris, damaging surrounding Neanderthal ships, and relieving several Unity ships that are being hammered.

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

GRIMM REAPER and FAEELIN enter the Control Room,

GRIMM REAPER
Well, sir. That was fun.

WARD
Strap yourselves in boys, we’re going for a ride.
Contract Reynolds.

FAEELIN
On it, sir.
On screen.

REYNOLDS
Damned good to see your ship up and running, sir.
I think we might need some help dusting these thick brows
off our ships. They do seem fairly thick on the ground.

WARD
Appreciate the making sure we weren’t
destroyed by the cavemen, Reyonlds.
Get your ships reformed and ready to make a
counter attack. We’ll show them what the Unity is made of.

REYNOLDS
(grinning)
Yes sir!

WARD
Ward out.
(to Grimm)
So what do you think our chances are now?

GRIMM REAPER
If we don’t get hit by that beam again, I’d be fairly
certain we’d get out of this with only ten years
worth of damage to our ship.

WARD
Always the pessimist.

GRIMM REAPER
I learned from the best, sir.

WARD
Scarecrow, plot heading..
332.2 by 235.1 by 558.

SCARECROW
Got it, sir.
(a beat)
Uh, that takes us right into the thick of things, sir.

GRIMM REAPER
(grinning)
Oh, ignoring ten thousand years of military tactic, sir?

WARD
(smiles)
Power up main cannon.
(Grimm giggles)
Fire on my mark.
(long pause)
Mark!

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

Pull out.

We see the scores of Neanderthal ships swarming the Unity Fleet and the CF.net ship.

There’s a brilliant flash.

All white.

The screen fades out of white.

We see a ragged line sliced through the swarm of ships.

Pull in on a Neanderthal ship, it’s broken, torn, and spewing debris and fire, then it silently explodes.

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

Tight on GRIMM REAPER.

GRIMM REAPER
(dreamy expression)
God, I love that weapon.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

The CF.net powers forward, it’s particle cannons slashing at everything around it, missiles and torpedoes flash out, slamming into ships. The Unity Fleet begins to gather, firing and fending off the Neanderthals that are becoming frayed and chaotic as the CF.net attacks them.

The CF.net tears the hole in the Neanderthal line bigger, the ship flies forward clearing the chaos of the battle. It then turns around and plunges back in, firing all weapons and missiles.

The Unity fleet manages to gather into a wedge, the CF.net tears the outer fringe of the ships, slashing and destroying the Neanderthal ships.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

CREWMAN
Mistress, preparing to fire main cannon.

ATTA
Excellent.

ADIKOR
Mistress!
The CF.net has regained power.
It’s attacking the fleet!

ATTA
What?

ADIKOR
The Invasion fleet is beginning to unravel.

ATTA
Those ships will not be able to fight off the CF.net.
(glares at the view screen)
Turn the ship around!
Prepare to fire the main cannon!

CREWMAN
Yes, Mistress.
Inputting new course heading…

ATTA
I should have destroyed Ward myself.
That man is a tricky one.

ADIKOR
Will his ship be able to defeat the fleet on it’s own?

ATTA
Unlikely, but combined with the human fleet,
they would tear at our fleet and leave us too
weak to do anything afterward. Command all
captains to descend upon the CF.net, it must
be destroyed!

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

MERRYPRANKSTER
Sir, looks like all the Neanderthals have
decided that we have to be destroyed first.
All ships heading toward us.

GRIMM REAPER
It seems we are popular tonight.

WARD
It’s the size of our cannon, Grimm.

GRIMM REAPER
(grins)
I’ve always heard that it’s not the size of your
cannon that matters, but how you use it.

The ship suddenly rocks.

WARD
The hell was that?

MERRYPRANKSTER
Sir, the Neanderthal Flagship is attacking.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

We see the PONTER plowing forward, several Unity ships fire upon it, but are riddled with particle cannon fire. The scattered and chaotic Neanderthal ships begin for reform behind it.

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

REYNOLDS
Jesus, sir. What the hell is that thing?

WARD
Just some crazy bitch obsessed with revenge.
I’ll take care of it, you reform and get your ships ready.

REYNOLDS
(hesitant)
Got it, sir.

REYNOLDS cuts communication.

GRIMM REAPER
What’s the plan sir?

WARD
We shoot at it.

GRIMM REAPER
Tactical Genius, sir.

WARD
Let’s just see who’s cannon’s bigger, eh?

END ACT I


ACT II


INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

ADIKOR
The CF.net ship is coming forward.
Cannon range in a minute.

ATTA
Excellent. Ward thinks he can take us on?
The fool. He and his damned planet will be nothing
but a memory by the time this day is over!

The crew cheers.

ATTA
Prepare to fire on my signal.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – ENGINEERING TUNNEL – NIGHT

THUNK!

The noise echoes down a long dark tunnel, we see a flash of light coming from what looks like a small lantern. We pull in on a figure with a hammer and a chisel. It’s KILNGIRL and she’s standing before a heavy duty blast door.

Delicately she pries a control panel open with the hammer and chisel. It open and she is faced with a lot of wires and circuits.

KILNGIRL pauses, then shrugs. She pulls out her handgun and aims.

BANG!

The shot ears up the electronic equipment. There’s a click and KILNGIRL walks to the blast door.

She shove the chisel into the bottom of the door, and uses it to pry a small opening.

KILNGIRL
Man, this is a lot of work.
(sighs)
Shouldn’t have killed Daklar just yet.

She pries the opening wider and crouches before it, slipping her fingers in the small opening.

KILNGIRL
One.
Two.
Three..
(lets out a grunt)

Straining and grunting, KILNGIRL pulls up the blast door enough so that she can crawl underneath it.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – MACHINE ROOM – CONTINUING

KILNGIRL rises to her feet, looking around

Surrounding her are machinery, lit up and chugging away.

She grins.

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

WARD
Scarecrow, be ready to begin evasive maneuvers if there’s
a slightest hint that they’re gonna fire their cannon. Faeelin
tell Reynolds to hold back the fleet until we’ve got a handle
of this ship.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – MACHINE ROOM – NIGHT

KILNGIRL stands before what appears to be scores of glowing red tubes connected to several machines. The tubes run across the room, hooked to a variety of machines and head out through another set of machines.

KILNGIRL pauses contemplating this.

KILNGIRL
You’d be surprised how delicate the most
dangerous cannon in the multiverse is

KILNGIRL begins smashing the tubes.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

ATTA
Fire main cannon!

ADIKOR hits the firing button with some bit of glee.

Nothing happens.

ATTA
Fire!

ADIKOR
It’s not responding.

Suddenly a beeping noise comes on.

ADIKOR
The main cannon is down.

ATTA
Then fix it!

ADIKOR
The CF.net is in firing rnge.

ATTA
Brace for impact!

ADIKOR
They are firing!

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

GRIMM REAPER
Firing main cannons.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

The CF.net fires.

The PONTER is hit, it’s shields flash and flare.

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

WARD
that got their attention.
Now pour it on.

GRIMM REAPER
Oh, joy.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

The CF.net begings firing conventional weapons, the PONTER returns fire.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – MACHINE ROOM – NIGHT

Fire erupts. KILNGIRL jumps back from it.

KILNGIRL
Okay.. I don’t think that was supposed to happen.
There’s a humming sound.

KILNGIRL walks to a computer screen.

On it reads: MAIN CANNON POWER OVERLOAD.

KILNGIRL
Oh, damn.
(runs)

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRDIGE – NIGHT

ATTA is gripping her command chair, the bridge is bathed in red light,a nd occasionally it rocks as it’s attacked.

ADIKOR
Mistress, we’re reading a
power overload in the main cannon.

ATTA
I thought the damn thing wasn’t working.

The ship shakes and alarms keep blaring.

ADIKOR
The power was building up, before it wasn’t able to work.
Now it seems the safety release is not working.
We’re looking at a possible explosion.

ATTA
Well, send people to fix it.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – ENGINEERING TUNNEL – NIGHT

KILNGIRL is running.

There’s the sound of running feet, but not her’s.

She stops and sees a group of engineers racing toward her.

They stop.

OLAR
YOU!

KILNGIRL
Me.

OLAR
You are supposed to be
under guard in your quarters!

KILNGIRL
How do you know that?

OLAR
The main cannons..
You’ve sabotaged the main cannon!

KILNGIRL
You can’t prove anything!

OLAR
Get her!

The Engineers pull out big wrenches and advance.

KILNGIRL sighs and pulls out her handgun.

KILNGIRL
This is just too easy.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

ADIKOR
I’m reading a power overload.

ATTA
I thought I told you to get that fixed?

ADIKOR
I di-

The ship shakes violently, lights go out, and another alarm begins blaring.

ADIKOR
A massive explosion has just occurred.
We’ve lost shields.
Main weapons are down.
Life support is failing.

ATTA
We’ve lost…

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – ENGINEERING TUNNEL – NIGHT

KILNGIRl runs, behind her is a raging fire.

Everywhere alarms are blaring and crew are running about. She is easily ignored as she makes her way to a hatch that reads, ESCAPE HATCH.

KILNGIRL
Well, it was fun while it lasted.

She his a button and it opens, revealing a long tube. She jumps in, it seals up after her.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

We see a silver pod shoot out of the PONTER, it is not the only one. Scores of pods are launching from the ship.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

ADIKOR
Mistress, the crew are abandoning ship.

ATTA
What?

ADIKOR
The explosion has devastated deck nine and ten.
The starboard sides are practically burning. The
crew in those sections cannot get out.
They are abandoning ship.

ATTA
Get emergency crews there now!
Get those fires put out.
Get the main batteries back online.
We’ve still got an enem-

The ship staggers, ATTA nearly falls out of her chair.

ATTA
What?

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

GRIMM REAPER
A hit, sir.

Viewscreen shot: The PONTER is burning fiercely on one side, the mian cannon explosion and now the CF.net cannon shot have shredded it’s starboard armor and tore up it’s hull.

But the ship is still firing and slowly maneuvering.

WARD
Damn, it’s strong.

GRIMM REAPER
Let’s see how much damage it can take.

FAEELIN
Sir, there are scores of escape pods in the area.
What shall we do.

WARD
Ours or theirs?

FAEELIN
The Neanderthal’s, sir.

GRIMM REAPER
Shoot at them.

WARD
(a beat)
No, teleport them aboard.
If anything we can toss ‘em out later, if not.
then they may know some interesting things.

GRIMM REAPER
No fun.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

ATTA
We have lost.

ADIKOR
Your orders, Mistress.

ATTA
Pull the ship back.
Tell the other captains to pull
forward and cover our retreat.

ADIKOR
(shocked)
we are retreating?

ATTA
There’s no other way.
We cannot win in the situation we are in.
We need to retreat. Rebuild…

ADIKOR
Signaling all ship to retreat.

ATTA
Are the shift engines still working?

ADIKOR
Yes, mistress.

ATTA
Spin up the engines. Once we are at
a safe distance, open a vortex.

ADIKOR
Yes, Mistress.

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

GRIMM REAPER
Well, this is no fun.
All this hype to this great big battle between us and them
and they get hurt from inside their own ship. I should file a complain.

WARD
Be happy that it ain’t firing it’s big gun. Or how’d
you like to know what it feels like to be shot up
when you’re defenseless.

GRIMM REAPER
Well, it’s fun being the shooter, but not the shoot-ee.

WARD
Full ahead, don’t let that damned bitch escape.
We kill her and these ragged bastards will be mince meat.

GRIMM REAPER
Mmm.. minced meat.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

ADIKOR
Mistress, the CF.net is coming after us.

ATTA
Tell the other captains to fire upon it.

ADIKOR
They are.. but they are ignoring them.
They are coming straight for us.

ATTA
Damnation. He is determined
to kill us, if it even kills him.

ADIKOR
What are we to do, Mistress?

ATTA
Open up the portal.

ADIKOR
In the middle of the fleet, it-

ATTA
Do you prefer to die?
Open the damned portal!

ADIKOR
Yes, mistress.

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

The Control Room has taken some damage, the Neanderthal ships are firing upon the CF.net as it chases the PONTER. WARD sits calmly watching the viewscreen.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Sir, they are opening a vortex.

WARD
They are escaping.
(clenches his fists)

GRIMM REAPER
the Neanderthals have entered the vortex.
The Ponter has shifted.

WARD sits there watching the screen.

The vortex is beginning to close.

GRIMM REAPER
What are we going to do, sir?

MINI FLASHBACK FX.

EXT. – THE WARD HOUSE – PORCH – EVENING

WARD is standing on the ground, MRS. WARD is standing on the porch, hands on hip, watching him.

MRS. WARD
Tell me. Are you gonna be leaving again?
Because you can stay right where you are,
if you’re gonna be leaving again.

WARD
(moment’s pause)
Wife, I’ve been gone for nearly eight years.
I’m home, Wife. I ain’t going anywhere.
Not without a fight, and not without
kicking and screaming.

MRS. WARD
(smiling)
Then welcome home, Husband.
Welcome home.

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

GRIMM REAPER
What are we going to do sir.

WARD
(hesitation)
Follow them.
We can’t let them escape again.
(standing up)
When we get a lock on them, fire at will.
Don’t let up until that damned bitch is
Nothing but a smear, got it?

SCARECROW
Plotting course for vortex.

WARD
(still standing)
We’ll destroy them, once and for all.

EXT. – SPACE – NIGHT

The CF.NET plunges into the vortex.

The battle between the Unity and the Neanderthal fleets continues.

Fade out.

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

The ship is shaking slightly.

WARD
What is that?

GRIMM REAPER
The shaking?
I don’t know.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Sir, Gedca says that we suffered some damned to the man
heat vents, we’ll be riding a bit rough until he can fix it.

WARD
As long as it don’t cause us
any trouble in this upcoming fight.

GRIMM REAPER
We’re in weapons range of the Ponter, sir.

WARD
Begin firing.

EXT. – TRANSIT SPACE –

We see the CF.net pulling in on the PONTER and begins firing.

INT. – FLAGSHIP PONTER – BRIDGE – NIGHT

TECH
Mistress, the CF.net’s particle cannons
are interfering with our shift.
We’re dropping out of transit space.

ATTA
Brace for immersion!
All hands, brace for immersion!

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

The CF.net control room is shaking badly. WARD grips his armrest.

MERRYPRANKSTER
Our particle cannons have caused the Ponter to be kicked
out of transit space. We’re also caught in the wake.

GRIMM REAPER
Well, at least we’ll get to shoot ‘em up in another universe.

WARD
Strap in, Grimm.
This is gonna be rough.

GRIMM REAPER
Nice.

EXT – SPACE – NIGHT

The vortex opens and the PONTER flies out of it, the CF.net on it’s tail. It continues to fire upon the PONTER.

We pull out and we see another ship, a ship similar to the CF.net. The AH.com.

INT. – AH.COM SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

DOCTOR WHAT glances at GBW.

DOCTOR WHAT
What the hell is the CF.net doing here.

GBW
They do show up in the darndest places…

KIT
Doc, we’re getting a com
signal from the first ship.

DOCTOR WHAT
On screen.

The face of ATTA appears.

ATTA
Doctor What?

DOCTOR WHAT
Uh.. Atta?
What’s going on here?

ATTA
The Destroyer has found us. They are trying to
kill me and my people Please help us

DOCTOR WHAT
Why am I not surprised?
Lee, weapons up, shields to maximum.
If he wants a fight, we’ll give him one.

WEAPON M
Damn straight.

KIT
Doc, we’re getting a signal from the CF.net

DOCTOR WHAT
On screen.

WARD appears upon the screen.

WARD
Boy, you have the shittiest luck
in coming to worlds, don’t you?

DOCTOR WHAT
Hey, we were here first!

WARD
You’ve got something running toward you that I want dead.
I’ll let you and your pathetic mockery of a crew leave without
being harmed, if you ignore that ship and leave. .

DOCTOR WHAT
I think I’ve seen enough assholes who think they can go about
killing a lot of people for their own fucked up reasons.

WARD
Well, you’ll be interested to know
that the little lady you’re protecting is-

DOCTOR WHAT
You know what? I don’t’ give a damn.
Like I’d believe anything spewed from your mouth, Ward.
I’m not that stupid.

WARD
You’re be making a big mistake, boy.

DOCTOR WHAT
The mistake is letting you continually
getting away when we run into one another.
It’s time that this ended.

WARD
I’ll make sure to send your remains home when
I’m finished killing you and that damned bitch.

DOCTOR WHAT
I’ll make sure to piss on yours, when this is all done.

WARD cuts communications.

WEAPON M
That could have turned out better.

DOCTOR WHAT
When he gets in range. Fire everything we’ve got.
It’s time we got rid of this asshat and all the
damned trouble and destruction he’s causes.

GBW
What about the other ship?

DOCTOR WHAT
Put us in front of it and the Cf.net, when th-

GBW
CF.net’s firing!

EXT. –SPACE – NIGHT

The main cannon of the Cf.net fires. With a direct hit tears a hole completely through the PONTER, the Neanderthal ship is wracked with explosions.

INT. – AH.COM SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

WEAPON M
Holy crap.

DOCTOR WHAT
G.Bone get as many people as you can out of there.

GBW
The CF.net’s coming at us.

DOCTOR WHAT
Evasive maneuvers.
G.Bone you’d best hurry.

The ship shakes as it’s struck.

GBW
We’ve got damaged, direct hit to our starboard thrusters.
We need shields!

DOCTOR WHAT
Damn it.
Shields up!
Move into a defens-

The PONtER suddenly detonates on the viewscreen. The massive ship vanishes into a flash of brilliant light and is reduced to debris.

WEAPON M
Holy shit.

DOCTOR WHAT
Fire everything at the CF.net!
Fire!

WEAPON M
Got it.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The AH.com, although slightly crippled, moves and fires upon the CF.net. they both begin maneuvering and attacking one another.

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

GRIMM REAPER
We’re taking a pounding.

WARD
This is our chance. We killed one
piece of crap, time to kill another.

GRIMM REAPER
Two on one day, that’ll leave tomorrow boring.

WARD
We’ll find someone else to become our most hated enemy.

GRIMM REAPER
Ooo, I have a list in my quar-

The ship suddenly shakes badly, the lights flicker.

WARD
Gedca, what the hell is going on?

GEDCA (on comm)
Sir. We’re taking damage.
The first battle with the Neanderthals did not do anything to
help us repair, now this… We’re getting some odd reading
from the engine. Better end this battle quick or else we’ll
be be facing some problems.

GRIMM REAPER
(sardonic)
You heard the grease monkey,
best we end this fight quick, sir.

WARD
Well, if he says so…

There’s another shudder and things begin to rattle.

GRIMM REAPER
I think we really need to end this fight…

WARD
Understood.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The CF.net is spiraling and dodging the blasts from the AH.com. It’s moving, but the AH.com keeps coming after it.

The shields flare and flash.

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

MERRYPRANKSTER
We’ve just lost shields.
Main power is fluctuating.

INT. – CF. NET SHIP – ENGINEERING ROOM – DAY
‘
GEDCA, FEDERATON X, and FORTYSEVEN are racing around Engineering, sparks shower, smoke fills the room, they pound at non functioning computer consoles.

FORTYSEVEN
We’re red lining it in the reactor,
Heat vent isn’t working a damn.

FEDERATION X
Emergency overrides aren’t working.

GEDCA
Damn it, we just tore up the emergency overrides.

FEDERATION X
Well, that was a damn brilliant idea.

GEDCA
Time to go manual. The damn reactor’s gonna spew
radiation in a few moments, if we don’t get those vents open.

FEDERATION X
It’s always going critical, those damn engines.

FORTYSEVEN
Must be cuz we’re always in fights.

GEDCA
There’s an observation.
(a moment’s thinking)
Alright, Fed and I are gonna hit the manuals, Forty,
stay back here and when it’s green, open up the vents.

FORTYSEVEN
Why do I always have to do the crappy button hitting thing?

GEDCA
Because your engineering skills are on par with Fed’s fighting skills.
Now shut up and get ready to hit that button.

More sparks and smoke fill the engine room.

FEDERATION X
Best we get moving.

GEDCA
I think you’re right.

The two head into the engineering room, FORTYSEVEN wrings his hands and glances at the computer console.

INT. – AH.COM SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

Viewscreen shot: the Cf.net is dodging and weaving, the particle fire from the AH.com missing.

WEAPON M
Damn, they’re quick.

A lance of light strikes the CF.net, we can visibly see hull tear off.

WEAPON M
But not quick enough.

DOCTOR WHAT
I think we might actually be winning this.

WEAPON M
That’s something new.

DOCTOR WHAT
Pour it on, don’t let them escape.
We destroy them completely, now.
No more Mr. Something Fucks Up And They Escape.

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

A fire rages in a shattered console.

GRIMM REAPER uses a fire extinguisher upon it.

MERRYPRANKSTER
We can’t take much more of this, sir.

WARD
Then get this damn ship moving.
(a pause and clenching of fists)
Get a damn vortex open, get us the hell out of here.

SCARECROW
Sir, the shift engines were taken offline,
Gedca said they had to fix the heat vents.

WARD (into comm)
Gedca, get those damn shift engines back on line!
Now!
(silence)
Gedca?

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

GEDCA ducks as a piece of metal goes flying by his head. Behind him FEDERATION X hits the floor.

FEDERATION X
Damn it, I wish I were incompetent like Forty.

GEDCA
Yeah, me too.
Its just over there.

FEDERATION X
On three?

GEDCA
Yeah.
One.
Two.
Three!

The two run toward a set of mechanical valves and grab them.

FEDERATION X
Ah, shit!
They’re hot!!

GEDCA pulls off his shirt and wraps them around his hands and begins pulling. FEDERATION X follows suit. The cloth begins to smoke, but they slowly yank down one valve, only three more to go.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

Lances of particle fire are traded with both ships, but the AH.com’s shields protect it from the worst of the damage. The CF.net’s hull is riddled with holes and damage, but the ship still keeps going, dodging a large a majority of the fire.

A lance of fire strikes the engineering section of the ship.

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

GEDCA and FEDERATION X pull down the third lever. The pause for a moment, rewrap their hands and begin pulling on the last.

There is an explosion, a wave of debris and fire shower the two. GEDCA ducks. He gets to his feet again, looking around. Fire is beginning to rage, he coughs as smoke fills the room.

GEDCA
Fed you there?

No answer.

GEDCA
Federation X?

He steps forward and sees FEDERATION X half buried by falling debris.

GEDCA
(shaking head)
Ah, damn. Damn.
Damn.
(begins coughing)
The vent.

He staggers back to the levers and begins pulling down on the last one.

Smoke fills the room.

GEDCA begins coughing raggedly.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The CF.net is still chased by the AH.com. We see a visible exhaust of something.

The two ships still maneuver and fight.

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

SCARECROW
Shift engines back online!

WARD
Get us the hell out of here!

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

A vortex opens, swirly colors and the CF.net ship plunges into it.

Before the AH.com can get there, the vortex closes.

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

FORTYSEVEN stands in the engineering room fidgeting. Fire rages in the engine room, he grabs a extinguisher and rushes in.

FORTYSEVEN
Damn it, where’s Gedca?

There is a suddenly explosion and fire engulfs the engineering room.

Fade out:

INT. – AH.COM SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

WEAPON M
They got away.

DOCTOR WHAT
(sighing)
They’ll be back. They always do.

WEAPON M
We’ll we managed two fights in one day, without much loss.
That I think is a record.

DOCTOR WHAT
We still loss more than we should have.

WEAPON M
I’m sorry about Anna, she was nice.

DOCTOR WHAT
(shakes head)
He’ll pay for this.
I’ll make sure he does.

WEAPON M
Who?
Ward?

At that moment G.BONE enters the control room.

G.BONE
Sorry, Doc, but they were the only ones I could get off.

DOCTOR WHAT looks up and sees ATTA and ADIKOR.

ATTA rushes to him.

ATTA
Twice you have risked your life to save mine.
(a beat)
Not only my life, but the life of OUR child.

DOCTOR WHAT
(shocked)
What?

WEAPON M
Dude. With a Neanderthal?

END ACT II

TAG

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

WARD, GRIMM REAPER, and MERRYPRANKSTER survey the damage to the ship. MIDGARD, DARKSLAVIK, and BULGARKOTONOS are beginning the process of cleaning up.

WARD
Any survivors?

MERRYPRANKSTER
Fortyseven’s the only one who made it through.
Minor burns, a slight concussion, but he’ll be fine.

GRIMM REAPER
The others?

MERRYPRANKSTER
They were lost. The fire and the debris.

GRIMM REAPER
We’ll need to find replacements.

WARD
Damnation. It was hard enough finding
a good engineer in the first place.

GRIMM REAPER
We did it before, sir.
We’ll do it again.

WARD
(clenching fist)
And we’ll get the AH.commers for this…

MERRYPRANKSTER
Yes, with a broken ship.

GRIMM REAPER
Is that a mutiny I hear you plotting.

MERRYPRANKSTER
No, It’s suicide to think that we can go after the AH.com
in the state we’re in. We’ve suffered major damage
to our ship and that can’t be fixed overnight.

GRIMM REAPER
It sounds like insubordination to me.
It sounds like you don’t have faith in the
ability of the Captain to kick the AH.com’s arse.

MERRYPRANKSTER
(glaring)
It’s not insubordination.
It’s-

WARD
Shut up the two of you.
Merry is correct in that we can’t take the AH.com on,
in the state we’re in. And the only engineer we have
left happens to be unconscious. Unless we fix up our
ship, we’re shit out of luck in doing a damned thing.

There is silence.

Suddenly there is a sound, the sound of footsteps.

Pan to a figure walking through the mass of scattered debris and shattered machinery.

VOICE
I think I can help you in that respect.

The figure steps into the light.

It is KILNGRIL.

KILNGIRL grins.

FADE TO BLACK

ROLL END CREDITS

Category: Uncategorized / Tags: , ,

Homecoming

Psychomeltdown / January 31, 2010 / One comment

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

Category: Series / Tags: , , ,

The First Strike

Psychomeltdown / January 24, 2010 / No comments

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

Category: Uncategorized / Tags: , , ,

Enemy Mine, Yours, or Ours

Psychomeltdown / June 17, 2009 / 5 comments

TITLECARD-ENEMYMINE

TEASER


INT. – AH.COM SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – NIGHT

A light on GBW’s computer console begins blinking.

Pull in on the light, we see a piece of masking tape with a name scribbled on it.

DOCTOR WHAT – BEACON

GBW looks at it, confused.

GBW
Hey, Grey…

EXT. – SOMEWHERE – DAY

Labored breathing.

We fade in on a wide shot of a jungle like area, thick plants and sunlight streaming in from heavy foliage from above.

A crashing sound, the plants shake. Labored breathing.

A figure bursts out of a wall of plants, stumbling and nearly collapsing. Pull in on the figure.

It’s DOCTOR WHAT. Dressed as he was when we last saw him, space suit and whatnot.

Now he looks about frantically and dodges off screen.

Behind him we here a noise. Barking of dogs and the sound of footsteps.

Camera stays still and a few moments later several dozen figures march into view.

Camera pulls in on them, they are short and stocky, they wear black armor and helmets. One of the figures pauses and removes it’s helmet. We see heavy dark hair, a thick wide face, and a heavy brow…

NEANDERTHALS!!!!

There’s a buzzing sound. The un-helmeted Neanderthal lifts a device to his head.

NEANDERTHAL MAN
Grunting Noise
(Subtitle: Report?)

VOICE ON TALKIE
Grunting Noise
(Subtitle: We’ve got him in our sights.
He won’t get away…)

NEANDERTHAL MAN
Grunting Noise
(Subtitle: Excellent.
Cut him off and capture him.)

VOICE ON TALKIE
Grunting Noise
(Subtitle: Yes, sir.)

The Un-helmeted Neanderthal gestures to the men and the dogs to follow him, they’re heft their weapons and move off screen.

EXT. – SOMEWHERE – DAY

DOCTOR WHAT burst through a wall of plants again and stumbles into a clearing. He looks about confused and begins heading toward where more trees are, stumbling.

Suddenly from the air there is a roar and a sleek black machine appears. We pan in and see a stocky figure sitting in a small cockpit. DOCTOR WHAT turns and begins running, then suddenly something shoots out and DOCTOR WHAT stumbles, falling to the ground.

The vessel continues to hover, raising a small cloud of dust. We pan across the sleek machine, taking it end. We come to an image painted upon its hull, a red stylized sun with a white hand in the center, upon the black hull.

Pull out

FADE TO OPENING CREDITS:

An Alternatehistory.com Presentation:

AH.COM: The Series


“ENEMY MINE, YOURS, OR OURS”


Written By : PSYCHOMELTDOWN


ACT I

OVER BLACK:

Grunting, guttural speaking.

The voices are loud and angry sounding.

They continue.

Suddenly what seems to be incomprehensible noise begins to be interspaced with familiar words.

It continues.

Soon the words begin to form sentences that are comprehensible.

Fade up from black.

INT. – GRAND PALACE – AUDIENCE CHAMBER – DAY

DOCTOR WHAT opens his eyes and blinks…

VOICE 2
Listen, I don’t know.
Maybe the damned thing evolved
on this planet or something.

VOICE 1
Evolved? Are you kidding me?

VOICE 2
Listen, I just kill things.
If you want and explanation,
go ask someone who cares.

VOICE 3
Quiet!
I think it’s awake…

DOCTOR WHAT quickly closes his eyes.

VOICE 1
It looks asleep to me…

VOICE 3
I saw it’s eyes open.

VOICE 1
Are you sure?

VOICE 3
Do you doubt me???

VOICE 2
No, Your Greatness.
I’ll wake up the damned thing.

THUMP!

DOCTOR WHAT lets out a strangled cry as he is kicked.

VOICE 1
Now, it’s awake.

DOCTOR WHAT scrambles back, looking wide eyed at the three gathered figures. All are thick, stocky, and short. Their faces are wide, hairy, with a thick brow. One dressed in rich clothing steps forward, this is PONTER the leader.

PONTER
(sneering)
Human!
How did you get here?

DOCTOR WHAT stares blankly.

PONTER
HUMAN!

DOCTOR WHAT stares blankly.

PONTER .
Adikor, kick him again.
Mayhaps that will jog his memory.

A thicker and bigger Neanderthal walks forward, grinning.

ADIKOR
Be my pleasure, Your Greatness.
(cracks knuckles)

DOCTOR WHAT
Hey! I don’t know how I got here!
I don’t know anything!
Don’t hurt me!

ADIKOR
(surpised)
The thing knows our language!

PONTER
Then it must be a spy or something.
We must destroy it!

ADIKOR
I’ll fetch my club and dispatch it, Your Greatness.
By tonight you can suck the marrow off it’s bones
and not worry about spies and such ilk!

The Third figure speaks, by it’s dress and voice, it’s a female, though still heavy, stocky, hairy, and thick browed.

ATTA
(scornful)
You asked it a question in our language
and you are surprised that it answered?

PONTER
Get back, Atta. This thing may bite.
The Gods only know what diseases it carries.

DOCTOR WHAT
Hey, I carry no diseases…
Not that I know of.

ATTA
What is this creature doing here?
I had thought this planet did not evolve its kind?

ADIKOR
That’s what we are trying to
find out, Your Second Greatness.

PONTER
This thing was found wandering
on the outskirts of the City.

DOCTOR WHAT
I was lost… confused.
I don’t’ know- Hey, where am I?

ADIKOR
Quiet, human scum!
You are in the presence of
the Great Lord of the Worlds!

DOCTOR WHAT
What’s that?

PONTER
Kick him.

DOCTOR WHAT lets out a yelp as he is kicked

ADIKOR
How did you get here human?

DOCTOR WHAT
(long silence)
I-I don’t know…

PONTER
Kick him.

DOCTOR WHAT
Really! I don’t know!

ATTA
I believe him.

PONTER
You believe a foul and disgusting human?

ATTA
Yeah.

PONTER
I am sickened!

ATTA
We have been scanning continuously
for as long as we’ve been here.
We have not detected any signatures
that might belong to any ships or
vessels that we know of.

PONTER
Then how did this creature arrive here?

ATTA
We shall question it and determine
what or who brought it here.

PONTER
(dismissively)
Do so.

ATTA snaps and waits impatiently.

ATTA
Well?

DOCTOR WHAT looks around

DOCTOR WHAT
Huh?

DOCTOR WHAT lets out a yelp as ADIKOR kicks him.

Fade out:

EXT. – LORD OF THE WORLDS CITY – DAY

A wide shot of a city, pale stone towers rising to the sky and buildings with rounded domes dotting the landscape. Flying machines and vehicles move about, along with thousands of people.

Pull in on the huge stonework palace the dominates the landscape.

INT. – INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY

We see DOCTOR WHAT strapped to a wall, a variety of painful looking objects set up on a table beside him.

ATTA walks in, pulling on a pair of rubber gloves.

ATTA
Now, Human.
You will tell us what you know.

DOCTOR WHAT
Look. I don’t know anything.

ATTA
Liar!

DOCTOR WHAT
I-I really really don’t.
Watch ask me for my name!

ATTA
What is your name, Human Scum!

DOCTOR WHAT
I don’t know!
I really don’t!

ATTA
Liar!

DOCTOR WHAT
Look. I woke up in the jungle out there.
I don’t know who I am, I don’t know where I am.
I don’t know why I’m here or how I got here.
I just woke up there this morning.

ATTA
Liar!

DOCTOR WHAT
(rolling eyes and muttering)
Oy, Vey.
(pause)
What does that even mean…

ATTA
Liar!

DOCTOR WHAT
What?

ATTA
I will not hear more of your lies!
Tell me how you got here!

DOCTOR WHAT
Look, man-

ATTA
I am a woman!

DOCTOR WHAT
Woman??
(long pause)
Oh…
I’m sorry…

ATTA
Sorry?

DOCTOR WHAT
Errr.. Is it possible that I could be let go?

ATTA snaps rubber gloves and grins.

DOCTOR WHAT
I don’t like the look of that…

INT. – GRAND PALACE – AUDIENCE CHAMBER -DAY

PONTER and ADIKOR are in the Audience Chamber, looking over a map.

A screaming is heard echoing down the halls, they both look up.

PONTER
Ah, Atta. She knows
how to make them scream.

They both laugh

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

A small ship with the sun and hand icon moves across the screen.

A moment later it is destroyed.

Something vast and dark dominates the screen, moving upon the planet below. Ominous music begins playing.

INT. – INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY

TIGHT on DOCTOR WHAT’s face. He looks a bit confused.

PULL OUT and we see him and ATTA in a tangle of clothing and limbs.

DOCTOR WHAT
Well…
(clears throat)
This was unexpected…

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

A blackness dominates the screen. Ominous music begins to swell.

INT. – INTERROGATION ROOM – DAY

The heavy wooden door is kicked open and ADIKOR and several burly guards barge in. They point weapons at ATTA and DOCTOR WHAT.

For a moment they stare.

ADIKOR
What the…

DOCTOR WHAT
Look. I can explain.
It seems I enjoy a bit of pain…

Silence.

ATTA
(pulling on clothes)
What’s going on!

ADIKOR
(sickened)
With a human?
Especially with this human?
Have you no shame!

DOCTOR WHAT
Hey. I’m not so bad…

ATTA
What is the meaning of this knocking
down of my door and barging into my
chambers? I will tell His Greatness
about this!

ADIKOR
We were sent by His Greatness!

ATTA
What is going on?

ADIKOR
A scout ship was destroyed in orbit.
We’ve been losing satellites and
we don’t know why. We believe
a ship is destroying it.

ATTA
(frightened)
A ship?

DOCTOR WHAT
What’s this mean?

ADIKOR
This means, that you, little human,
have some questions that need answering.
Get him!

The burly guards march forward and drag DOCTOR WHAT to his feet.

ADIKOR
Aggh! Gods!
Put some clothes on him!

GUARD 1
(muttering)
What did she see in him?
He’s so small…

GUARD 2
But did you see how
long his tongue is?

The two look at DOCTOR WHAT, who sticks out his tongue at them.

GUARD 1
(shuddering)
Disgusting humans.

INT. – GRAND PALACE – AUDIENCE CHAMBER – DAY

ATTA, ADIKOR, and DOCTOR WHAT all enter the Audience Chamber, PONTER is pacing about looking frazzled.

ATTA
Father, what is going on?

PONTER
Ah, Atta. My sweet child.
I fear we may be in danger.

ATTA
What’s going on?

PONTER
We have lost our communication satellites
and there seems to be a ship in orbit.

ATTA
Why did out scanners not spot it?

PONTER
We can only assume that the ship has
some kind of device that makes our
scanners useless.

ADIKOR
(pushing Doctor What forward)
Demand answers from this creature.
It knows what’s up there!

DOCTOR WHAT
Hey, look. I keep saying this, but
I. Don’t. Know. What’s. Going. On.

ADIKOR
Liar!
This human scum knows!

DOCTOR WHAT
Anyone else getting tired of
being called human scum?

PONTER
Tell us, human scum.
What ship is this?
What vessel did you arrive upon!

DOCTOR WHAT
Look I don’t know.

PONTER
Then you are of no use to us!
(to Adikor)
Kill him!

ATTA
(throwing herself upon Doctor What)
Nooo!
I can not let you!

PONTER
What is the meaning of this!

ATTA
I-I love him!

Shocked silence

PONTER
(terrible anger)
You what?

DOCTOR WHAT
Aw, shit.

PONTER
You love this human scum!

DOCTOR WHAT
Look, Atta. You’re a great girl and all.
And sure we had a good time…

ATTA
What are you trying to say?

PONTER
Adikor! Kill the Human Scum!

ADIKOR
Gladly, Your Greatness!

ATTA
NOOOOO!!!

PONTER
YEEESSSSS!

DOCTOR WHAT
Oh, Shiiiiiit!!!

BOOOOM!

The castle suddenly shakes.

PONTER
What was that?

EXT. – LORD OF THE WORLDS CITY – DAY

A vast ship is hovering over the city, raining down destruction.

INT. – GRAND PALACE – AUDIENCE CHAMBER – DAY

ADIKOR
We’re being attacked!

PONTER
To the defenses!
We shall repel these Attackers!
We shall win the day!

BANG!

PONTER gasps, looks down to see a burn mark in his robes.

PONTER
What??
(falls over dead)

Shocked silence descends upon the Audience Chamber and then a figure steps into view.

WARD.

He looks down at PONTER and grins.

ADIKOR
Ye, gods…
Help us…

DOCTOR WHAT
Who’s that?

ATTA
The Destroyer has come!
(faints)

People begin screaming in terror.

WARD
I love it when they do that.
(grins)

END ACT I



ACT II

EXT. – LORD OF THE WORLDS CITY – DAY

DRACONIS NOIR and DOMINUSNOVUS are riding in a huge mechanical tank, every now and then they stop, fire a shot and watch a building be destroyed.

DRACONIS NOIR
You know, this is kind of fun.

DOMINUSNOVUS
Beats nearly getting killed trying to play hero.

DRACONIS NOIR
Plus we get to blow shit up!

DOMINUSNOVUS
And we get our pick of all the hot chicks!

DRACONIS NOIR
Though, there’s none on this planet…

DOMINUSNOVUS
That’s where you’re wrong, my friend.
This planet is teeming with hot babes!

DRACONIS NOIR
(long pause)
Uh…

DOMINUSNOVUS
(points to a group of running people)
See? Just watching them run,
makes me want to shag ‘em!

DRACONIS NOIR
(long pause)
Uh…
They’re hideous creatures.

DOMINUSNOVUS
(staring at Draconis Noir)
Man, you’re so gay!

INT. COUNTERFACTUAL.NET SHIP – CAPTIAN’S READY ROOM – DAY

WARD is at his desk, when the door chime rings.

WARD
Enter.

GRIMM REAPER enters.

GRIMM REAPER
Sir. Looks like we’ve got all the local ruling
elite. The administrators and the “nobles”.

WARD
Good. Sound a recall and
prepare for ascent to space.

GRIMM REAPER
Gotcha, sir.

WARD
And bring the Doctor What alternate.
They’re so fun to kill.

GRIMM REAPER
(long pause)
Uh.. sir.
That’s not an alternate.

WARD
What???

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – DUNGEON – DAY

The gathered leaders and nobility of the PLANET are huddling and moaning in the dank chamber. DOCTOR WHAT is sitting near ATTA who’s rocking and sobbing, even ADIKOR has that deer in the headlights look.

DOCTOR WHAT
What’s going on?

ADIKOR
(rocking back and forth)
The Destroyer has come.
The Destroyer has come.
The Destroyer has come.
The Destroyer has come.

DOCTOR WHAT
Who the hell is the Destroyer?

ATTA
The Destroyer. The Creature who destroyed
our world and scattered the People….
Ward the Destroyer…

DOCTOR WHAT
That guy did that?

ATTA
Many years ago. We fought against a terrible enemy.
A relentless race that destroyed our fleets and
then turned our world into radioactive slag,
killing billions.

DOCTOR WHAT
Ye, Gods.

ATTA
Those that survived fled, to our colonies and
from there we prayed that we would be safe.
Eight years has passed and now the Destroyer
has returned to finish his work.
(begins sobbing)
We are doomed!

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – MED BAY – DAY

GRIMM REAPER
Quantum signatures match up.
This is no clone or alternate of Doctor What.
This is the real deal.

WARD
How can that be?

GRIMM REAPER
(shrugging)
Maybe he didn’t die in the explosion?

WARD
That boy’s got more lives than a damned cat.

GRIMM REAPER
What are you going to do?

WARD
Get the job done right.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – DUNGEON – DAY

DOCTOR WHAT
Maybe we can find a way out of here.
Escape.

ATTA
No. We are doomed.
We will suffer greatly first.
He will throw us out of the airlocks
and watch as we die. His hate for
us overwhelms him.

DOCTOR WHAT
Why?

ATTA
He is the Destroyer…

The thick door slid open and in walks WARD, flanked by GRIMM REAPER and NRED, both heavily armed. A wailing goes up among the gathered men and women.

WARD
(pointing to Dr. What)
You. Come with us.

DOCTOR WHAT
No!

WARD
Get him.

NRED pulls out a baton and shocks DOCTOR WHAT.

DOCTOR WHAT
Ouch!
Fine. I’ll come.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – MED BAY – DAY

WARD, GRIMM REAPER, and DOCTOR WHAT occupy the room. DOCTOR WHAT is chained to a chair, while WARD paces about.

DOCTOR WHAT
What are you going to do?

WARD
Kill you.
(continues pacing)

DOCTOR WHAT
What are you going
to do to those people?

WARD
(stops)
People? What people?

DOCTOR WHAT
The people in the dungeon.

WARD turns to GRIMM REAPER and they both begin laughing.

WARD
They are not people, you damned fool.
Even you should know that.

DOCTOR WHAT
I don’t know what you mean?

WARD
After what they did to our world?

DOCTOR WHAT
I don’t know what you’re talking about.

WARD
Don’t play stupid. These Bastards are murderers,
genocidal evil fuckers. Wherever we find them,
we destroy them.

DOCTOR WHAT
You can’t destroy them.
They haven’t done anything to you.

WARD suddenly stops. He looks at DOCTOR WHAT with pure disgust.

WARD
I’m tired of this game.
Tell me something, What.
Why the fuck are you
with these Bastards?

DOCTOR WHAT
Doctor What? Who’s that?

WARD
Don’t play games with me, boy!

DOCTOR WHAT
Damn it. I’m not playing game!
I don’t know who I am.
I don’t know what’s going on!
All I know is that I was captured by
those guys and now some old crazy
bastard has me chained up. So if you’re
going to kill me, do it! I’m getting really
sick of people demanding information
from me I don’t know.

WARD looks at GRIMM REAPER.

GRIMM REAPER
Could be memory loss?

WARD
Check it out.

MOMENTS LATER….

GRIMM REAPER
Looks like the Doc’s got a memory block
on his brain noggin. Should be easy to remove.

WARD
Who put it there?

GRIMM REAPER
Lords only know. Could be whoever
saved his ass from that fiery inferno.

DOCTOR WHAT
Someone’s blocking my memory?
Guess that would kind of explain why
I can speak the language of the other guys…
(pause)
What fiery inferno?

GRIMM REAPER
(pulling out a device)
Hold still. This will hurt like hell.
(sticks it to his head and hits a button)

DOCTOR WHAT
(flinches)
Ouch!

GRIMM REAPER
Just kidding on the hurting part.

DOCTOR WHAT
What happened?

GRIMM REAPER
I’ve just removed the memory block.

DOCTOR WHAT
What now?

GRIMM REAPER
We wait for your memory to come back.

Silence descends as they continue to wait.

DOCTOR WHAT
Mind if I go to the bathroom? I need
to take a piss like you wouldn’t believe…

GRIMM REAPER
Shut up.

WARD (in com)
Merry, engage Omega Plan.
It’s time we clean this place.

EXT. – CF. NET SHIP – SPACE – DAY

MERRYPRANKSTER (voice over)
Initiating Omega Plan. In:
3…
2…
1…
Initiating.

PULL BACK, we see a brilliant flash of light lance form the ship.

EXT. – LORD OF THE WORLDS CITY – DAY

Light flashes down upon the city. The remaining inhabitants scream in terror before everything is washed out in white.

INT. – CF. NET SHIP – MED BAY – DAY

A monitor shows the destruction of the city and the surrounding landscape.

DOCTOR WHAT
Ye, Gods…

WARD
They’re like cockroaches. They’ve
had thousands of years to spread out
and you run across them every
now and then.

DOCTOR WHAT
How could you…

WARD
Because they did it to us.

DOCTOR WHAT
Us?

WARD
Yes. Me. You. And Grimm there.

DOCTOR WHAT
I don’t…I don’t get it.

WARD
These Bastards turned our planet into rubble
and killed billions of our people. What we
do to them is merely interest due on the
payback they deserve.

DOCTOR WHAT
(shaking head)
But… you’re the Destroyer.

WARD
(grins)
Yes I am.
They nearly destroyed our world; we in turn
showed them how it’s done. We turned their
world into slag and we called it peace.

DOCTOR WHAT
How…

WARD just laughs.

SUDDENLY!

BOOOM!

The ship rocks and alarms begin blaring.

BULGAROKTONOS (on com)
Sir! We’ve got company!
It’s the AH.com!

AH.COM SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

GREY WOLF is sitting in the Command Chair, Weapon M is at the weapons station.

GREY WOLF
Show those bloody buggers
we mean business.

WEAPON M
Got it, sir.

GREY WOLF
G.Bone.

G.BONE
Sir!

GREY WOLF
How’s that Teleportation Tube coming along?

G.BONE
Just crack open their shields
and I can get the Doc out.

GREY WOLF
Weapon M…MATT.

WEAPON M
(grinning)
On it!

MATT
Kicking some CF.net ass,
is what we do, baby!

AH.COM SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

The ship rocks and shakes from the attack.

GRIMM REAPER
A bit late saving
the day, aren’t they?

WARD
They’re here for What.
(to NRED)
Secure him. Grimm, we’ve got
a fight on our hands…

GRIMM REAPER
Yippee.

The two head out of the Med Bay.

DOCTOR WHAT
(to NRED)
So. I’ve never fought a girl before.
Not that I can remember anything…

NRED
What?

DOCTOR WHAT suddenly launches himself forward, dragging chair and chain with him. He and NRED collide, the girl dropping her gun and bashing her head against the bulkhead. She falls to the floor unconscious.

DOCTOR WHAT
(panting)
Easy. Now.
Where are those keys…

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

WARD and GRIMM REAPER walk in, WARD take the command chair.

WARD
Report.

MERRYPRANKSTER
The AH.com is firing upon us, making evasive
maneuvers, they’re looking for a weak spot.

WARD
And they won’t find any.

INT. – AH.COM SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

GBW
I’ve found a weak spot.

GREY WOLF
Pray tell.

GBW
I’ve been scanning the ship and it seem their
Port shield grid is weakest just before the
Vortex Array. If we hit that spot continuously ,
we can take out the shields and then
teleport Doc out of there.

GREY WOLF
Do it.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – CORRIDOR – DAY

DOCTOR WHAT stumbles down a corridor, weapon in hand.

DOCTOR WHAT
Damn. Need a map.

He stops and looks at a bulkhead. On it is a large sheet of paper marked: MAP OF SHIP – EMERGENCY USE ONLY. He looks about, shrugs and tears it off.

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

The com buzzes.

WARD (into com)
What is is?

NRED (on com)
Sir, Doctor What’s escaped.

WARD
Damn it.
Grimm, take command.
I’ll deal with What.

GRIMM REAPER
Yes, sir.

WARD leaves the bridge.

INT. – CF.NET SHIP – DUNGEON – DAY

The ship shakes and the gathered men and women moan in fear.

ATTA
What is going on?
Has our fleet arrived?

ADIKOR
I don’t see how.
We didn’t send out a distress beacon.

Suddenly the doors open and DOCTOR WHAT walks in, grinning.

DOCTOR WHAT
Rise and shine, boys and girls.
We’re getting out of here.

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

The heavy doors to the shuttle bay open and the Neanderthals hurry in. DOCTOR WHAT is firing at someone, there’s a yell and the firing stops. He scans the area outside the bay and then hits a button closing it.

ATTA
Where now?

DOCTOR WHAT looks about. Then he sees a shuttle, something flashes in his mind quickly.

Quick scenes, the Hub, GRIMM REPAER, Porn.

DOCTOR WHAT
(shaking head)
This way.

ATTA
We can’t escape in this. The Destroyer
will simply be able to shoor us down.

DOCTOR WHAT
(grinning)
No he won’t.

DOCTOR WHAT walks to the shuttle, we pan across it and see the words EXTERMINATOR upon it’s hull.

DOCTOR WHAT (cont.)
This one’s got a shift engine in it.

ATTA
Impossible.

DOCTOR WHAT
Trust me.

ATTA
(looking at Doctor What)
I do.

ADIKOR
Controls seem familiar.
I can fly this.

DOCTOR WHAT
Go. Flee.

ATTA
What about you?

DOCTOR WHAT
I’m staying. I’ll keep them off your back.

ATTA
Why?

DOCTOR WHAT
Because.
(looks at the gathered Neanderthals)
What Ward has done is a great and terrible evil.
He’s killed untold thousands on the planet below.
He was going to kill each of you slowly. If that
doesn’t describe something evil, then I don’t know
what does. My memory may be shot and I may
be doing something wrong, but I know this. I know
what is good and what is evil. And Ward is not good.

ATTA
Thank you.

DOCTOR WHAT
I seem to have a soft spot for the underdogs…

The survivors hurry into the shuttle.

DOCTOR WHAT looks around and smiles at ATTA.

Suddenly. DOCTOR WHAT drops to his knees and groans, his eyes clenched shut tightly.

Flashes, a Montage.

BLACK SHIPS RAINING DOWN DEATH

NEANDERTHAL STORMTROPPERS CUTTING DOWN CIVILIANS.

HUGE GLITTERING CITIES TURN TO RUBBLE.

THOUSANDS OF DEAD LYING IN THE STREETS.

NEANDERTHALS EATING HUMAN FLESH,

HUGE BLACK SHIPS DISGORGING THOUSANDS UPON THOUSANDS OF TROOPS.

THE BLACK FLAG, STYLIZED SUN AND WHITE HAND.

DOCTOR WHAT stumbles about, collapsing upon the floor.

ATTA
(running to Dr. What)
What’s wrong!

DOCTOR WHAT
(horrified)
Get away from me!

ATTA
What’s wrong?

DOCTOR WHAT
You! You’re murderers!
You nearly destroyed my world!
(lifts gun)
You killed billions!

The Neanderthals all stare at him, DOCTOR WHAT holds the gun, shaking.

DOCTOR WHAT
You’re the Invaders.
The Bastards!
The Killers who laid waste to my world!

ATTA
Please listen.

DOCTOR WHAT
No!

ATTA
That was not us.

DOCTOR WHAT
Lies!

ATTA
Our people waged war on your planet, yes.
But not us. We were not a warrior people.
We only wanted to live in peace.

DOCTOR WHAT
Lies!

ATTA
Our culture is divided into castes.
The Warrior Caste made war upon your planet.
We are not warriors.

DOCTOR WHAT and ATTA stare at one another. DOCTOR WHAT still holds his gun, hands shaking. Suddenly he lets it drop, looking tired.

DOCTOR WHAT
Go.

ATTA
What?

DOCTOR WHAT
GO!

The Neanderthals flee onto the ship.

WARD
Sentimental fool!

WHACK!

DOCTOR WHAT gets hit by WARD and stumbles to the deck, dropping his rifle.

He turns just in time to roll away from WARD’s kick.

WARD
You had a chance to destroy our enemy
and now you just let them run off?

DOCTOR WHAT
They were not the ones
who attacked our earth!

WARD
Bullshit, boy!
That hairy love monkey of yours
is filling your head with lies.
They’re all killers and murderers.

DOCTOR WHAT
(glaring)
The only one I see is you!

The two charge each other and collide in a fury of fists.

Behind them the Exterminator comes to life, ADIKOR at the controls.

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

BULGAROKTONOS
Sir. We’re reading an energy spike,
it’s interfering with our sheilds.

GRIMM REAPER
What is is?

BULGAROKTONOS
It looks like someone’s trying to
open a shift vortex within the ship…

GRIMM REAPER
Impossible…
(realization)
The Exterminator!

BULGAROKTONOS
The shift shuttle?

GRIMM REAPER
Get some people with big guns down there now!
If they open a vortex inside the ship,
they may destroy us all!
More power to the shields!

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

DOCTOR WHAT shoves WARD against the bulkhead, they’re both bloody and beaten, but still fighting. DOCTOR WHAT punches WARD, bashing his head against the steel of the bulkhead.

The older man collapses to the deck as DCOTOR WHAT staggers back, equally exhausted.

WARD
This fight’s not over!

The two launch themselves at each other again.

INT. – AH.COM SHIP – CONTROL ROOM – DAY

GBW looks at a monitor.

GBW
Sir. We’re reading fluctuations in
the CF.net’s shields.

GREY WOLF
Keep firing!

WEAPON M
Got it!

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

WARD hits the deck with a wet splat, DOCTOR WHAT standing over him, equally beaten and bloodied.

DOCTOR WHAT
How does it feel to lose?
Come on, old man!

WARD rolls over and DOCTOR WHAT staggers back as WARD points the rifle at him.

WARD
Never take the time to gloat, boy.

DOCTOR WHAT
Hmm.
I’ll have to remember that..

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

GRIMM REAPER grabs the armrest of the command chair as the ship rocks.

MERRYPRANKSTER
We’ve just lost port shields!
Trying to divert power!

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

WARD fires, but just as he does, DOCTOR WHAT vanishes in a pop.

Sparks begin to fly as the Exterminator’s Shift Engines finish charging.

WARD gets up, sees it, and begins running for the door.

There’s a loud explosion as WARD launches himself out of the Shuttle Bay. He clamors and hits a button, the huge doors slam shut.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

A brilliant red flash is seen and a chunk of the CF.net ship vanishes as a vortex forms. For a brief moment it claws at the ship and suddenly vanishes. The CF.net badly mauled.

INT – AH.COM SHIP – TELEPORTATION ROOM – DAY

DOCTOR WHAT looks about and realizes he’s in the Teleportation Tube Room. G.BONE looks at him grinning.

G.BONE
Welcome back, Doc.

DOCTOR WHAT
(pats himself)
Good to be home…

He grins and then collapses to the floor.

EXT. – SPACE – DAY

The AH.com ship turns and vanishes in a vortex, leaving the CF.net behind.

TAG

INT – AH.COM SHIP – MESS HALL – NIGHT

A huge party is in the works, everyone laughing and everyone drinking.

INT – AH.COM SHIP – MESS HALL – NIGHT

WARD dabbing the blood off his lip with a piece of cloth while staring intently at a slide show playing. All is quiet then:

GRIMM REAPER
What are we going to do, sir?

WARD
(looking at blood on cloth)
We repair.
We hunt down Doctor What.
Then we kill him.
We make sure he’s deader than dead.

GRIMM REAPER slowly nods.

INT. – EXTERMINATOR – NIGHT

The glow of a monitor shows the face of ATTA.

ATTA
The Lord is dead.

Another face appears beside ATTA, ADIKOR.

ADIKOR
All hail the Mistress of the Worlds.
What is your bidding, my mistress.

ATTA
Gather the fleet. We
have found the Destroyer.

ADIKOR
Ye, Gods…
What are your plans, Mistress?

ATTA
We hunt him down and destroy him.
Then we find Earth and destroy it.

ADIKOR
The Empire will be reborn.

ATTA
And Humanity will be
erased form all Universes.

FADE TO BLACK

ROLL END CREDITS

Category: Series / Tags: , , ,