Necrosis Episode 1

by Joseph Barlow

Joseph Barlow

EXT. PLANET HARPER 7, TRANSMISSION BEACON - DAY 1 [13.30] A large square grey building that suggests the pace of a meandering wet playtime in a classroom. Protruding towards the sky from the centre of the building is a beacon tower. INT. TRANSMISSION BEACON, OFFICE ROOM - DAY 1 [13.31] KT [fairly young and doesn't look angry enough to be holding a gun] enters an undeserted, but empty office. Papers lie across the desk, a cup of coffee remains steaming. The occupant is still nearby. KT steps cautiously into the room, gun raised. Alert. Her eyes dart around the room hopefully, before further exploration. She approaches a cupboard, conspicuously handysized for a human. As her hand reaches for the handle, the doors fly open, a man lurches out and clatters to the ground on top of KT. Her gun slides across the floor. Out of reach. BLOAK Please don't kill me! I don't want to die on this planet. KT Well since you have me pinned down and you knocked my gun over there, I've decided not to kill you. BLOAK glances over at the gun, glances back at KT and grins in slight relief. BLOAK Not really sure what to do at this point. KT You'll be killed if you keep me here. They'll come looking for me. BLOAK You're not Parliament, Parliament would have sent more. Why are you doing this? We're just a telecoms network, I'm not even allied withKT You work for the Parliament. Planet Harper 7 is Parliamentarian. Did you honestly try to tell me you aren't allied with them?

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BLOAK Are you listening to me? I never wanted to be on this planet I was captured by a Parliament ship, I escaped and ended up working here. It's safe from the Parliamentarians. Or it was. KT Nobody escapes the Parliamentarians. She's taken aback, BLOAK frowns. He seizes his chance. Suddenly he leaps across to the gun, stands up, pointing the gun at KT. BLOAK I'll get out of here alive, take me with you. I'll join your team, I can handle a gun. See? He waves it around like he's pretty sure he can handle it. He's breathing heavy, still scared. KT I can't do that, the boss would shoot you on sight. I can sneak you on the ship though, you can stow away, get off at the next planet. BLOAK As long as it's safe. KT It won't be safe, I'd forget about the idea of 'safe' if I were a runaway from the Parliament. For a moment they stare at one another before KT begins to stand up. BLOAK focuses the gun on KT threateningly, she holds up a hand like a footballer after a bad tackle. KT (CONTD) I'll be needing my gun, or else the guys will realize something's wrong. BLOAK pulls out the orange clip from the laser gun and tosses the gun to KT. BLOAK It malfunctioned, you'll have to improvise. I'll give you this back when I'm on your ship.

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KT Clever. Go and hide at reception, don't let anyone see you and don't go near the beacon, that's where we'll be. If you don't get killed I'll be back for you. KT jogs out of the room, BLOAK sighs. EXT. BEACON COURTYARD, FOOT OF THE BEACON - DAY 1 [13.32] Two men and a woman, ADAM, JOSEPH and VICTORIA stand around the metal door to an old, disused elevator at the base of the beacon. They pout or fidget like they're queuing at the post office. Silence. Complete lack of eye contact. KT jogs towards them from a door on the perimeter. KT That's everyone boss, lets go. ADAM points a gun towards KT's head as she reaches the entrance to the lift. ADAM You're absolutely sure that's everyone? ADAM takes in a deep breath. Narrows his eyes. It wasn't a question, he knows that not everyone's been killed. KT doesn't realize that it's because he sees a woman behind her. KT Boss? He pulls the trigger, hits the woman in the centre of her chest as she tries to escape through the door KT entered from. She clenches her fists over her chest as she hits the floor, unable to scream. KT however, is more than able to. KT (CONTD) I thought you were going to kill me! ADAM Why would I do that? You only missed one. We can't leave any survivors, the more we kill the less the Parliament have. You best stay down here with VICTORIA in case there are others though.

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KT Uh, my gun's malfunctioned, I'll sort it out back on the ship but I can't really do anything until then. I was hoping to have a word with you anyway. JOSEPH I'll stay down here then, you two need your alone time after all. VICTORIA nods noncommittally as JOSEPH winks at ADAM. ADAM Hmm KT enters the lift with ADAM and quietly gazes out of the window as they are noisily rocked upwards. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, MEDICAL BAY - DAY 1 [13.33] A room with the look of a student kitchen, drawers are left half open, books litter the floor and medical equipment is left on work surfaces. RICK [a greying man, wearing a white coat and glasses] sits at a desk in the corner in the only chair available in the room while GRAVY [his 'patient' who's young enough to still be obsessed with his appearance, without being young enough to be in awe of everything] stands. RICK Thanks for coming GRAVY, Adam tells me you aren't feeling up to it today. GRAVY Well you could've come to see me considering I'm ill. RICK Yes, but we both know you really aren't. So what's the real problem? GRAVY It's glandular fever. RICK You mean you don't want to have to shoot anybody in front of VICTORIA? GRAVY She's ruthless RICK, she's not going to be too fussed about me killing people.

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GRAVY clears some space on the floor and sits down crosslegged. GRAVY (CONTD) I don't want to not shoot anybody in front of her. RICK You don't want toGRAVY To not shoot anybody. Well I don't want to shoot anybody unless I really have to. I'm on board with taking down the Parliament, but what's she going to think if I'm scared to shoot them when she's so at ease with that sort of thing? RICK I wouldn't worry about it. Last week you were barely able to open that tin of beans! She knows you're not a tough guy already. GRAVY Oh, Thanks. RICK It's alright, you certainly ate them like a man. Great conviction. GRAVY Thanks a bloody lot! So now I'm fat as well as pathetic! RICK I don't know why you're interested in her GRAVY, she's unlike any of us. She's so distant. GRAVY So alluring. Rick frowns and hums. RICK Well you can't just do nothing all day every time you're heartsick, or I'll have to tell Adam. You can clean my office for me. GRAVY looks around the room for a few seconds and sighs.

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EXT. ROOF OF BEACON - DAY 1 [13:34] A metallic spire stands in the centre of the roof, a programming console beside it. The roof slopes downward, not built with maintenance in mind. The elevator opens just below the roof to a ladder to the top and a harsh drop. ADAM and KT climb the ladder, ADAM strides directly to the console and begins tinkering. Focused. KT stands by the ladder, close to the edge. One foot still on the ladder she shows no inclination of helping ADAM. KT Who was it that commissioned us for this job again? ADAM Lugenar, they're a telecoms company. My father works for them. Worked for them. Years ago. ADAM's attention remains on the console, clicking away. KT ignores the mention of his father's death, it's clear he wanted to talk about it. KT And we're the "Hostile activity emergency assembly unit" right? ADAM Yes. And? KT Well it wasn't an emergency, they weren't armed, they weren't even hostile. We were. ADAM takes a moment to look away from the console. KT demands his attention, he needs to put an end to it. ADAM I'm not always honest with you KT but that's the only way I can protect you. If you knew why we're installing this limiter the Parliament would destroy you. It's best that we destroy them first. KT Why are we killing them though? I'm not sure they even know about it. ADAM They work for the Parliament-

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KT But they don't, ADAM! This isn't a Parliament building, these people are innocent. ADAM How do you know it's not Parliament owned? KT It doesn't matter, why are we killing everyone? They thought they were safe from the Parliamentarians here, but they weren't safe from us. ADAM No more killing here. Okay. I didn't know. I don't enjoy killing people and I certainly don't enjoy asking you to kill people but we all do what we have to. We're all here because we have to be. So could you latch that TRAIL limiter over the beacon while I finish programming it? KT Pulls out a cylindrical metallic clasp and latches it over one of the thinner areas of the beacon's spire. ADAM goes back to programming the console for a second, this time less focused. He glances up at KT. Concerned. EXT. BEACON COURTYARD, FOOT OF THE BEACON - DAY 1 [13.35] JOSEPH and VICTORIA stand by the entrance to the lift, time is passing slowly and VICTORIA deals with this with more composure and patience than JOSEPH. JOSEPH He totally wants a slice of her doesn't he? VICTORIA raises her eyebrows, this is enough expression to give Joseph the impression that he can continue. JOSEPH (CONTD) That's why he brought her here of course. I keep the ship going, you have the killing sorted, but what's he picked her up for? VICTORIA He's protecting her, we don't need her. She needs us.

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JOSEPH ADAM never struck me as the charitable type. He's got ulterior motives for everything. Yeah I know his game. JOSEPH winks again. VICTORIA Lets just wait for the boss to get back. JOSEPH You know there's no chance of me waiting patiently, I'm a fidgeter. VICTORIA Well put a lid on it. JOSEPH Put a lid on it? I've not heard that in years. Where are you from? NMDAR? from when planets were still named with serial codes? VICTORIA Kain 8 actually. Joseph scoffs incredulously. JOSEPH Of course, you're from Kain 8 where even the poor people have two ships but you're living in a flying caravan with us layabouts. VICTORIA You're the only layabout. JOSEPH looks hurt. VICTORIA looks to the sky and a look crosses her face as if her work as a mercenary has finally caught up to her. VICTORIA unholsters a mobile phone from her waist and holds it to her ear without lowering her gaze, like a sprinter powering forward. VICTORIA (CONTD) Boss, looks like we have trouble, they landed right by the ship. I don't know if they saw it. You better alert RICK. Then get down here as soon as possible. Boss. JOSEPH Trouble? How do you know it's trouble?

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VICTORIA Those are parliamentarian ships, and we've just massacred half a transmission building. JOSEPH Oh, right. Yeah. VICTORIA reholsters the phone and unholsters her gun. Eyes to the sky she paces across to the courtyard door, turns the lock and stands back. She's more than impatient when it comes to the parliamentarians. JOSEPH (CONTD) Nice plan, that'll buy us like five seconds. VICTORIA Get your gun ready. JOSEPH unholsters his gun without comment - for once. He stares at VICTORIA and listens to the rumble of the lift. VICTORIA impatiently paces around the entrance. The doors open at last. ADAM GRAVY's going to pick us up at the entrance on the other side. LETS GO! INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT - DAY 1 [13.37] The cockpit appears as simple as a car, of course I don't know how to drive a car either, apparently it's harder than it looks. There's a joystick where the steering wheel would be, foot pedals for... something, probably. Blue touchscreen panels surround the pilot's seat all showing sliders, buttons and knobs. It looks more like a DJ's console than a spaceship's console. GRAVY sits in the pilot seat while RICK hangs one leg out over the arm of the passenger seat. RICK So how are you going to get around the beacon without being seen by the parliamentarians? GRAVY I'm basically going to fly on by and hope they don't follow. RICK Oh hell! You'll get us both killed.

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GRAVY Let's have your idea then, Genius. RICK How about we keep cover where we are, but we send out the scout vehicle. There was one battle ship, they carry forty men each. If we see forty enter the building we just fly straight off. If we see less we tank the scout on the windscreen of their ship. Escape in the diversion fallout. How's that, Brainless? GRAVY pauses and turns to RICK. GRAVY Well what are you waiting for? RICK jumps out of the passenger seat and sprints out of the room. RICK runs through the entrance bay, through the hallway and into the kitchen/living area, he pulls up a tile in the floor revealing a camera strapped to a remote control helicopter. A very basic scout. GRAVY pulls out a small black disk on an elastic wire from the console and holds it to his mouth. GRAVY (CONTD) How's the scout coming RICK? RICK (V.O.) Ready to launch, can you view the camera up there? GRAVY taps the ship's console bringing up the scout camera on the screen, currently showing RICK's face. GRAVY Yep. Load him up then, Let's get this thing going. GRAVY releases the microphone and it snaps back onto the console. RICK loads the scout into the launcher in the roof of the living area and GRAVY hits a button to release it, using the ship's joystick he gets a view on the parliamentarian ships. The scout watches the parliamentarians leaving their ships. Marching in pairs towards the beacon. GRAVY stops the frame still with full view of all the troops that left the ship. He grabs the microphone again.

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GRAVY (CONTD) Get up here RICK I need you. RICK Already here. What's the problem? GRAVY How many are there? I lose count too easily. Rick frowns and hums RICK Let's see... 2, 4, 6... could be forty. We'll have to ask Adam to get a better quality camera on that though. GRAVY Let's just go for it then. INT. TRANSMISSION BEACON, FRONT OFFICES - DAY 1 [13:40] It's like a cathedral without the pews, probably larger than that, enough space for an excellent echo. The PA system clicks in. PA ANNOUNCER (V.O.) Repeat. Evacuate the premises, we've been informed that there is a terrorist attack. Your lives are in danger. Evacuate the building as quickly as possible. A maze of cubicles fills the floor, screams fill the room right to the roof, people scramble towards the exit, anyone remaining in the building is right across the room. The team can't kill all of them, that mission's compromised now. They enter the room on the opposite side to the reception area. BLOAK is unseen as he trails them. ADAM Well That's not made things easy. Come on, let's get some cover. The team follow ADAM around the perimeter of the room as the hysteria dies down to silence. BLOAK quietly sneaks around in the opposite direction. They hear the oncoming parliamentarian troops entering and crouch low. The parliamentarians are wearing black armored riot gear and helmets, all carrying rather large guns. ADAM drags KT into the nearest cubicle, VICTORIA and JOSEPH follow suit.

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PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER They're hiding. Alpha team, search every single cubicle. Bravo team, block the entrances. PARLIAMENTARIAN TROOPS Yes sir. The troops do as told, half fanning out between the cubicles. The team crouch on the floor of a cubicle not far from where the parliamentarians are searching, KT and JOSEPH struggle to keep it together. KT takes out her phone, types in a text message and turns it around for the others to see. [WHAT NOW?] ADAM takes his phone out to do the same. [We wait until one of them walks by, kill them and move on before they find us.] One of the troops has already advanced as far as their cubicle. Adam sees his head over the edge, takes out a knife, stands up and takes care of the threat. KT and JOSEPH are wide eyed, but there's no time for panic, ADAM is already out of the cubicle and looking for the next hiding place, the team have to scramble out there with him, being pulled along by VICTORIA. Exposed in the corridor they can't go far, a few cubicles over they take refuge. KT is left breathing deeply and struggling to keep it at low volume. VICTORIA grasps her arm and scrunches her face at her, expressing 'keep calm' as best as she could. A loud gasp echoes into their new cubicle. KT covers her mouth and JOSEPH's eyes become wider than ever. ADAM and VICTORIA keep calm as usual, VICTORIA takes out her own phone. [Keep quiet, the only way we'll get out of this is if we follow Adam.] Hand remaining over her mouth, KT nods her head. The commander is at reception he's found the microphone for the PA system. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER It appears our terrorists haven't left the building. Alpha team, pair up, and if you're dieing, remember to make lots of noise so we know their position.

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KT and JOSEPH exchange glances, VICTORIA and ADAM have their eyes trained on their exit and over the edge of the cubicle wall. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (V.O.) Oh and to the terrorists: your exits are blocked. It's time to give yourselves up. ADAM types a message into his phone. [We'll drag them into the cubicle, and cover their mouths. You finish them off] JOSEPH [I don't think KT's gonna like that] ADAM [Well its literally kill or be killed, you got that KT?] KT nods. The sounds of boots on carpet breaks the silence. ADAM and VICTORIA take position either side of the cubicle entrance. The troops appear at the entrance, guns raised before being dragged to the floor face down, with a hand over their mouths. ADAM and VICTORIA tilt their heads back and JOSEPH takes his knife and stabs twice sharply into one of their necks, wincing each time. He looks to ADAM for approval, ADAM nods. The remaining troop starts to panic and wriggle. KT is still in the corner of the cubicle. ADAM, still holding his troop, blinks at JOSEPH who repeats his wincing stab attack to the remaining troop. ADAM holds up his phone which already says "Let's go!". EXT. TRANSMISSION BEACON, FRONT ENTRANCE - DAY 1 [13.42] The DESCHANEL is parked not far from the entrance, The parliamentarians inside are completely oblivious. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT - DAY 1 [13.43] RICK sits in the passenger seat, leg over the arm like earlier, this time GRAVY sits the same way in the driving seat. GRAVY kicks his leg rhythmically. GRAVY How long do you reckon they'll be? RICK How long? I'm not even sure they'll make it. (MORE)
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14. CONTINUED: RICK (CONT'D) There were forty of those guys. Well equipped, well trained, they know what they're doing.

GRAVY Well what if they don't make it? RICK I suppose we take the ship. We could sell it off, buy a small house on the tyrosine, live off the rest of the pot. GRAVY You don't much think big. What if we kept the ship. RICK Well then we'd be stuck doing the same shit jobs we always do but with a significantly greater workload. GRAVY I'd get to pilot her all the time. She'd need a new name of course, I'm not owning a ship called 'The Deschanel' not very cool. Let's go for 'The Freeman' GRAVY waves his hand over the name, glint in his eye. Maybe he really would like it if the team didn't make it back. GRAVY (CONTD) We could coast wherever the vacuum of space takes us. RICK Why don't we then? We could just fly away. GRAVY What? And have ADAM come after us? Did you know the day I met him he killed forty people and still didn't feel requited. Besides, we're a team, right? RICK raises an eyebrow both shocked that GRAVY believes in the team and surprised that ADAM had been so ruthless. GRAVY smirks. INT. TRANSMISSION BEACON, FRONT OFFICES - DAY 1 [13:44] Two parliamentarian troops drag another by his legs onto a pile of maybe ten other troops. The commander sits at reception, intercom in hand. Snarling.

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PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER It seems you've bested us in your little maze of workspaces. Your exits however are both blocked. The team have made it roughly halfway through the cubicle maze, on the right side. Bloak is in the left half, closer to reception than the team. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (V.O.) I'd like to offer you freedom for giving yourself up, I would like to tell you that you will be much better off if you turn yourselves in. The penalty for your numerous crimes however includes humiliation. Then execution. In BLOAK's cubicle. He's sat under the desk, knees tucked to his chest, edging his way closer to the corner. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (V.O.) Both broadcast on all frequencies, to every planet. They will know what you've done. Every single person will see you for what you are. In the team's cubicle, sat against the walls in the same way as BLOAK, KT and JOSEPH are under the desk, ADAM and KT adjacent. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (V.O.) Sub-human scum. And you will not escape. KT takes out her phone. They each lean in to read. [Can you PLEASE stop murdering now?] ADAM [How else can we get out of here? we're trapped!] KT [This is insane! Joe? Say something!] JOSEPH [You both have good points.] Everyone glares at JOSEPH.

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PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (V.O.) It's a brave move for a woman such as yourself to be in a Parliament friendly facility. It's your final move. The team look upwards while listening to the message, as if he's in the air above. JOSEPH [Woman? What's he on about?] Everyone glares at JOSEPH. [Smoke bombs?] ADAM [It's a start.] INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT - DAY 1 [13.45] Little has changed since last time. This time a nervous quiet chills the air. GRAVY Something's happened. RICK ADAM knows what he's doing. He once killed forty men right? GRAVY Well, I think some were mercy killings. Children. None of them were Parliamentarians. RICK Call him if you're worried. GRAVY Oh yeah. GRAVY chuckles as he holds the phone to his ear. Without a single ring he answers. GRAVY (CONTD) HADAM (V.O.) (whisper) Not a good time. I'll text. GRAVY looks reassured.

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GRAVY He's alive. No worries. The sound of a vibration is heard, GRAVY looks at his phone and his smile drops instantly. GRAVY (CONTD) Oh dear! INT. TRANSMISSION BEACON, FRONT OFFICES - DAY 1 [13:46] ADAM is tapping away on his phone. The others are perched around the cubicle entrance. JOSEPH and VICTORIA look like they're missing a pair of starting blocks, KT looks like she's missing a warm comfortable bed. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (V.O.) You cannot wait forever. We can. This is nothing but a game to us, but it will be the death of you and your accomplices. JOSEPH and VICTORIA keep low as they sprint to an adjacent cubicle, nearer the reception. This far away there's too much cover to be seen as long as they're careful. KT turns to see ADAM stow his phone and join her at the entrance. They watch JOSEPH and VICTORIA pass to another cubicle and make their own way into the one they'd just left. The announcement continues as this goes on. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (V.O.) How do you feel about live dissection? You might be skewered and displayed on this very building. Maybe you'd prefer we wrap you in foil and microwave you? We offer a wide range of humiliations. Perhaps you'd like to hear some execution options. His voice is grinding, he's enjoying the taunting. It's all he can do for the time being so he'll make it count. Perfectly calm but not without aggression. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (V.O.) You've heard of the classic ones. Lethal injections, the electric chair. We have some rather special ones for criminals to such a scale as this. The human centrifuge, every bone in your body will be crushed by the centripetal force of nothingness, you won't be flattened between two objects you'll be crushed onto one. Humiliating.

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The team get into place while he's monologuing, JOSEPH and VICTORIA behind a cubicle to the right of reception, ADAM and KT to the left. Peering around the corner of their respective cubicles for just a second, they see fifteen to twenty troops, as well as the commander leaning on the reception desk speaking into the microphone. The team turn around, backs to reception. ADAM holds his phone up. [When I set off the bomb make for the exit] JOSEPH squints at it, leans in with his neck. ADAM holds it out at arm's length and JOSEPH holds his hand above his eyes, still squinting then shakes his head. ADAM turns his phone around and starts tapping away. The commander is smiling. He's won. He shouts now. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER Oblivion is waiting, it's about time you were introduced. JOSEPH's phone buzzes loudly. The troops spin in his direction. ADAM, in a panic, rolls a smoke bomb between the Parliamentarians, some turn towards it and a cloud of smoke disperses around them. BLOAK watches on, one cubicle behind. The team make their way through the mist as the parliamentarians are blinded. In the confusion BLOAK runs after them, clasps his hand around KT's forearm and pulls her behind the reception desk and onto the floor on top of him, hand over her mouth. ADAM, VICTORIA and JOSEPH make it passed the disorientated troops as the smoke starts to clear and gunshots follow them. The Deschanel comes across the glass door entrance and takes them away as KT lies on top of BLOAK completely still. Completely silent. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, ENTRY BAY - DAY 1 [13:48] ADAM, VICTORIA and JOSEPH jump into the entry bay and fall forward onto their hands as the Deschanel takes off. ADAM springs to his feet immediately, before dragging JOSEPH, by the collar, to his feet. VICTORIA stays down. ADAM Your phone. Where is it? JOSEPH Here. JOSEPH holds it up and ADAM slaps it out of his hand across the room, shattering it on the wall. He steps closer to JOSEPH and points forcibly right between JOSEPH's eyes as he says:

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ADAM That could've had us killed! Why the fuck did you come back on my ship? JOSEPH I live here. ADAM No you fucking don't. I can have you off the ship quicker than you can shit a brick, which is lucky because I'm trying to keep the carpet clean. I've got to question your commitment after this. VICTORIA would take a bullet for me, would you? JOSEPH Of course not! They hurt. ADAM steps back, turns away, seeming to calm before he turns back to land a fist at JOSEPH's gut. He keels over, spluttering. ADAM takes JOSEPH's gun from its holster and paces away. ADAM Next rock we come across is your resting place. We leave you there with nothing but what you're wearing. ADAM, snarling, paces back and holds the gun to the head of JOSEPH who is still keeled over. ADAM (CONTD) Unless you want to die by your own gun. VICTORIA has been watching as this goes on. Now, in the silence, something clicks, she gives her head a quick shake for being so slow. VICTORIA There'll be time for that later. When we find out what happened to KT. And get RICK in here! Blood is dripping from her leg by this time it's sinking into the carpet. VICTORIA (CONTD) And a mop I suppose. ADAM's eyes shoot between VICTORIA's face and her bullet wound in her lower leg. The radius of red carpet slowly widening.

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INT. TRANSMISSION BEACON, FRONT OFFICES - DAY 1 [13:49] KT continues to lie on top of BLOAK, he hands her the orange clip from earlier. She smiles. He's not yet ready to smile back. The Parliamentarians have ceased fire at the doors, they stand scattered around the lobby, unorganized and unrallied before their leader shakes off his daze. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER We do not let them escape! Get to the ships and get us in the air. Clamp them, fire if they try to escape! MOVE OUT! PARLIAMENTARIAN TROOPS Yes commander! They shout this in perfect unison before stampeding, lead by the commander, through the offices and towards their ships. KT and BLOAK don't make a movement until the sound of footsteps dies away. KT stands on her feet before helping BLOAK up, he pushes himself up to sit on the desk. KT leans on the desk. KT Well now neither of us will get off the planet. They left without me. BLOAK It's okay. It was my fault. BLOAK puts his hand over KT's on the desk before she quickly retracts it. KT I know it was your fault. Suddenly she's less gracious. BLOAK They'll come back for you, you juggins. (Laughs) We just have to wait. KT They're being chased by the parliamentarians, they were lucky to even escape. BLOAK Well at least nobody killed us, which thanks to you none of my workmates can say.

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Dissatisfied with that comment, KT angers. KT You don't even know my name, you don't know why I'm here. BLOAK And you don't know mine, you don't need to if you're going to kill me. KT It's not like that, I never wanted toBLOAK BLOAK. He smiles, it seems to take the tension away. BLOAK (CONTD) That's my name. KT I'm KT, can we just get out of here? BLOAK Where to? You want to live with me on the worst planet in the universe? KT I mean get out of the building. We still need to get on the Deschanel. BLOAK We? KT Well I can't exactly leave you here. You might be useful. She grins. BLOAK jumps down from the desk. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT - DAY 1 [13:51] GRAVY sits in the driving seat, calmly flicking screen switches, tinkering. RICK sits in his relaxed position in the passenger's seat, looking almost bored. The door slides open and ADAM leans halfway in. ADAM RICK, get VICTORIA to the medbay, she's been shot. RICK gets up and rushes passed him.

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ADAM (CONTD) GRAVY, get us on ground, we've left KT behind. GRAVY Is it safe? There were parliament ships nearby. ADAM Of course it's not safe! And we left KT down there with them. So get us on the bloody ground NOW! ADAM is snarling, he's overcompensating for the silence earlier with some serious shouting. VICTORIA can be heard howling in pain from the next room. ADAM (CONTD) You know, insubordination I can tolerate. But do you have to all be fucking idiots on my ship? The ship jolts, knocking ADAM fully into the cockpit. GRAVY begins tapping on the consoles. GRAVY It's not responding, I can't get it working. ADAM She responds to me. ADAM is left unable to follow that up as the face of the Parliamentarian Commander appears on all 3 console screens. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER Your escape plan was impressive. Your getaway vehicle though, is ghastly. He cackles while ADAM steps forward. ADAM This is captain ADAM SILVA of said ghastly spaceship, she's called 'The Deschanel'. Now tell me, what have you done with her? PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER I am not interested in the name of your flying piss machine mister SILVA. As I told you inside, I aim to humiliate the woman. We have your ship couple clamped, your ship may not move until you surrender her to us.

(CONTINUED)

23. CONTINUED: (2)

ADAM grits his teeth, speaks slowly and clearly. ADAM The woman. I asked you what you've done to her. We will not be surrendering until we have confirmation that she's alive. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (To someone off screen) He's not got her? End conference. The screens go blank for a few seconds before the controls reappear. ADAM begins to snarl. He's raging, he looks like he's not killed in days. ADAM Get out thereADAM pulls GRAVY forcefully from the seat and sits in the driving seat himself. During this, ADAM (CONTD) Help RICK with VICTORIA and send JOSEPH in here, he may just redeem himself. GRAVY walks into the next room. GRAVY No need for the man-handling. ADAM snarls at the console but that gets less response than tapping on it. He furiously wiggles the stick and slaps his hands on each screen individually in the hope of a response. JOSEPH sees this as he enters. JOSEPH You handle your ship like you handle your women ey ADAM? ADAM Do you people ever get off my fucking back? You can see what I give for the Deschanel, what I do for you people! I'm trying to save KT from parliamentarian humilibliviationJOSEPH Nice made up word. ADAM SHUT IT! They have her. VICTORIA's been shot up. So I need you to help me.

(CONTINUED)

24. CONTINUED: (3)

JOSEPH Have you spoken to them? Wait, I'm below her in the hierarchy? ADAM You're lucky to even be on the ship. They called us, asked us to surrender. We need to rescue her, but they couple clamped us, we can't speak to them anymore, can't do anything. JOSEPH Only 'cause it's illegal, but we've already broken enough laws for humilibliviation apparently. ADAM No, look. ADAM slaps the screens again ADAM (CONTD) She won't respond. JOSEPH Yeah, manufacturers have to have a default disabling feature thing. There's a voice override, watch. JOSEPH pulls out the ship's microphone and holds it to his mouth. JOSEPH (CONTD) Priority controls. All users. Open all channels. He lets the microphone snap back and demonstrates that the Deschanel is responding again. JOSEPH (CONTD) What would you do without me? ADAM Do they know we can do this? JOSEPH I'd have thought so, they wont expect us to though. They wont be able to tell until we move the ship. ADAM Well we need a plan. The console buzzes as the commander's face flickers back onto the screen.

(CONTINUED)

25. CONTINUED: (4)

PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER Do not try to deceive us any further mister SILVA, scans of the ship reveal you are holding her, now you can surrender her or we can send a ship to extract you. ADAM Surrender to you scum, ha! Keeping the universe under your thumb for centuries through fear, destroying planets because they disagree with you. It's not something that I care about, but I won't be an example. If I do not get proof of her life then we will come on your ship willingly and we will destroy every single one of you. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER You think your five men can take on all of my men on our own territory? Make my day. ADAM Your men however, we've picked apart once already. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER All dispensable. The furthest left screen on the console flickers off before KT's face flickers onto it. KT Hello? You know you left me on ground right? ADAM panics, he loudly shushes her. ADAM I'm sorry commander, we need a few minutes to talk this over. ADAM slaps the two screens showing the commander in the same way as before. This time it switches the view to KT's face. INT. TRANSMISSION BEACON, FRONT OFFICES - DAY 1 [13:53] KT stands facing BLOAK holding her phone out between them, which shows ADAM's face. They are stood up behind the reception desk. KT Hello. Boss? What's going on?

(CONTINUED)

26. CONTINUED:

ADAM I hear you KT, we're in a hold by the parliamentarians. We're coming for you but we need you to help shake them off. KT But. What can I do from down here? ADAM Not there. Get back up to the beacon I'll guide you through it. Don't worry. The phone goes blank before KT holsters it, she looks up at BLOAK who frowns. BLOAK Is it cold up there? KT hums and frowns. INT. PARLIAMENTARIAN SPACESHIP, CONTROL ROOM - DAY 1 [13:54] The semicircular room is filled with three long consoles arranged in a triangle with lots of blinking lights. The room is the menacing dark gray of the bad guys. At least, the obviously bad guys. The commander stands alone at the front console, five troops stand behind each of the other two, they are mindlessly flicking switches, chatting in the background like their friends haven't just been killed. Like it's their job. The commander stands up straight from being hunched over the console. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER Where's RAYMOND? Can someone get me RAYMOND? A very thin, nervous soldier in an ill-fitting suit jogs up from behind one of the consoles. RAYMOND That's me sir, that's me. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER Take off your helmet. RAYMOND does so, he's trying to smile but it's more of a grimace. His nerves are almost palpable. The commander reaches into the shelf below the console and retrieves a large glass bottle of whiskey and a not modest sized glass. He begins to pour the drink.

(CONTINUED)

27. CONTINUED:

PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (CONTD) Last week, on your first day, I arrived after a briefing from the minister to find you. Right here. In my seat. RAYMOND I'm sorry commander. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER It's all in the past now. Here. He holds out the glass and RAYMOND cautiously takes it and begins to drink. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (CONTD) It's my way of letting bygones be bygones. I like you, that's why you will be the first to know my plan. RAYMOND Are you surePARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER I feel like you deserve it, you need it. What are your plans RAYMOND? RAYMOND raises an eyebrow and takes the last sip from the glass, the commander immediately refills it. RAYMOND Thanks. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER I mean you don't want to stay on this ship. Do you want to stay on it for the rest of your life? RAYMOND My life? The commander hardens, no more games, he's done playing with his food. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER Yes, finish that drink. It's bait, like you. You accepted the bait and now you're mine, go and stand at the docking bay entrance, make sure they kill you. It's imperative to the plan. Pleased with himself, the commander can't help but laugh.

(CONTINUED)

28. CONTINUED: (2)

PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (CONTD) Everyone else, defensive positions. I want a border around the docking bay, nobody let RAYMOND here have a gun and make sure he doesn't try to escape. RAYMOND Come on! Surely it's not necessary! The commander turns around, facing away from the troops. Two of them take RAYMOND by the arms and move to drag him out of the room, he shakes loose of them and shouts. RAYMOND (CONTD) Alright! I wont struggle. Look at me! I can't be fighting you guys, at least I can see my life means nothing to my 'friends'. RAYMOND continues to leave, escorted, but not physically constrained, by the two troops. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, MEDICAL BAY - DAY 1 [13.55] The same incredibly messy room as before, now with a few of the books cleared into neater piles and a trail of blood leading from the door to the desk. The items on top of the desk are now on the floor beside it. VICTORIA is lying on the desk. A long loud scream as RICK stands over her, holding a long pair of tongs midway through her leg. He forcefully pulls out the tongs to a much louder scream. RICK winces at the sound. RICK urgh! Can't you just pass out? VICTORIA continues to scream as RICK drops the bullet to the floor. RICK (CONTD) Alright I'm going to sew you up then it's a few days of bed rest for you. RICK picks up a spool of string and finds a sewing needle on the floor. VICTORIA I need to help get KT back! RICK It's a gun shot wound, you could do serious permanent damage if you start walking. (MORE)

(CONTINUED)

29. CONTINUED: RICK (CONT'D) On top of that my equipment isn't exactly top of the line.

RICK begins to sew up the wound. VICTORIA Please. GRAVY enters. RICK ADAM and the others can handle it, I forbid you to move. GRAVY ADAM told me to come and help you. RICK Oh yeah, how exactly? GRAVY He just wanted to get rid of me, he's working on getting KT back. He's in one of those moods anyway. VICTORIA One of those "everything's gone to shit" moods. And it has. Help carry me to the cockpit. I'll be needed. RICK You cannot move! What did I just say? RICK finishes sewing up the wound. VICTORIA sits up on the desk, screaming all the while. She finally passes out and RICK catches her as she falls. RICK (CONTD) Now? GRAVY Ah sleeping beauty. RICK shoots GRAVY a stern look and lays VICTORIA back down on the desk. RICK Is there anyone else you can bother? GRAVY No. Can you give me something to go to sleep? I'll sleep next to her on your desk.

(CONTINUED)

30. CONTINUED: (2)

RICK So VICTORIA's been shot, KT's been caught by the parliamentarians and you want to sleep? GRAVY ADAM doesn't need me, I may as well have a nap. RICK Come on! There's one way we could help. EXT. BEACON COURTYARD, FOOT OF THE BEACON - DAY 1 [13.56] KT and BLOAK enter, already bickering. They make their way towards the lift. KT There's no way that would work! Smoke bombs are not subtle. BLOAK At least I'm coming up with some ideas. KT But you don't even know the ship, let me think about it for a second! KT reaches the door to the lift, pushes the button to open it and they enter. KT (CONTD) Well there's two doors so you could hide outside somewhereINT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, RICK'S ROOM - DAY 1 [13.57] The room is much cleaner than the medical bay ever was, RICK has very few possessions. A bed, a mirror and a wardrobe keep the room from being empty, GRAVY flops onto the bed while RICK opens the wardrobe and takes out two black armored parliamentarian suits. GRAVY Does ADAM know you were a parliamentarian? RICK They're fancy dress. GRAVY Bloody good fancy dress, they look just like them. Do you have the helmets?

(CONTINUED)

31. CONTINUED:

RICK Yeah actually, but only you have to wear it. GRAVY gets suspicious, something isn't quite right but he isn't bright enough to piece it together. GRAVY Why do you have this many suits? RICK It's not important. RICK holds up the suits to measure, hands the smaller one to GRAVY and returns the other to the wardrobe. RICK (CONTD) Here, this one will fit you, it was always too small for me. Gravy strips down to his underwear before putting on the armored suit. During this, GRAVY So what exactly is the plan? RICK You're our hostage. They have KT, we make them think we've kidnapped you. GRAVY So what if you've kidnapped me? RICK They don't know it's you. So we use you as bargaining power to get her back. GRAVY Like a trade? RICK Yeah a trade. GRAVY is halfway through zipping up the jacket when he hears this and decides to zip it back down. GRAVY No way! RICK Just do it, ADAM won't actually let them take you.

(CONTINUED)

32. CONTINUED: (2)

GRAVY Like I'm going to give him the chance! RICK Do it for KT. GRAVY sighs and zips up the jacket. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT DAY 1 [13:59] ADAM remains in the driving seat, a little more relaxed now. JOSEPH now sits in the passenger seat looking bored. JOSEPH Anything else I can do for you? ADAM Can you do a Boston tea party? JOSEPH You want us to throw their tea in the sea so they get angry and attack us? ADAM No, the ocean actually. I meant the escape plan. JOSEPH Yeah I know the move. ADAM We already have them angry, they'll try to attack us if we run away, so we lure them onto the trap. JOSEPH What's the trap? ADAM The beacon. JOSEPH What, we're going to somehow impale them? ADAM Not quite. GRAVY enters dressed as a parliamentarian, carrying his helmet by the waist. He does his best commanding parliamentarian voice. GRAVY Nobody move, you're under arrest.

(CONTINUED)

33. CONTINUED:

Unconvinced, ADAM and JOSEPH turn around. ADAM Where did you get that? GRAVY It's RICK's. Fancy dress apparently. ADAM looks skeptical, he stands up. ADAM And what fancy dress party do we ever go to? More importantly, why are you wearing parliamentarian armor? GRAVY Bargaining power, if they think you kept a hostage they might give us KT back. JOSEPH They don't have KT, she's still on the ground. GRAVY's face drops. GRAVY Then what the HELL am I wearing this for? ADAM GRAVY, you will come in handy. It may keep us from getting blown to pieces. JOSEPH get up, we'll tie him to that seat. EXT. ROOF OF BEACON - DAY 1 [14:01] KT and BLOAK have made it to the roof. KT stands facing the console holding her phone in front of her. BLOAK sits cross legged, his back to the console, at the feet of KT. The Deschanel and the Parliamentarian ship are visible in the air, tiny above the clouds. KT Right, just shut up now, I'm calling him. KT taps on the phone screen until ADAM's face appears. KT (CONTD) Hi, I'm up on the top again. What am I meant to do from here?

(CONTINUED)

34. CONTINUED:

ADAM Can you see us? KT looks up to the sky. KT Yeah just about! Why aren't they attacking? ADAM They want a surrender. Are you on the console? KT Yes. ADAM From the main menu I want you to go into ADAM's program, I created it earlier. Once you're in there I want you to turn the power down to just under a quarter for single use and save it. The rest I can do from the ship, if we don't get shot out of the air I'll pick you up from where you are. KT Actually, can you pick me up from the reception? It's pretty cold up here. ADAM Fine. ADAM turns away from the camera ADAM (CONTD) Pick her up at reception when we're safe guys. ADAM addresses KT again. ADAM (CONTD) Look, I've got to go, get on that and I'll see you later. The phone goes blank and KT reholsters it. BLOAK stands back up. BLOAK Let's get back down there, it's freezing. KT taps on the icon for ADAM's program and pulls a slider down most of the way.

(CONTINUED)

35. CONTINUED: (2)

KT You aren't going to like my plan then. You have to hide outside. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT - DAY 1 [14:03] JOSEPH pulls the rope tying GRAVY to the chair tight, ties a gag to his face and places the helmet over his head. ADAM stands by the door. JOSEPH All set, I'll get out so you can call. ADAM No. I need you here. JOSEPH raises an eyebrow at ADAM. JOSEPH Now you don't want me off the ship all of a sudden? ADAM Don't read too much into it. I need you to fly the ship for a quicker getaway. JOSEPH Stop, you'll have me welling up. JOSEPH sits back in the driver's seat, pulls the microphone out and hands it to ADAM. JOSEPH (CONTD) Well I'm not talking to them. ADAM takes the microphone as Joseph presses a phone symbol on one of the screens. ADAM talks over the telephone rings. ADAM Can you get a visual on their ship, I need to know when they're over the beacon. JOSEPH taps the left screen to bring up a view of the beacon with the parliamentarian ship in the background. The ring sounds one final time before the Parliamentarian commander appears on the other screens. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER I see you're ready to surrender at last.

(CONTINUED)

36. CONTINUED:

ADAM Look closer. We kept a little souvenir for our time on planet Harper seven. Say "hi" souvenir. GRAVY emits a muffled noise from beneath the helmet. ADAM (CONTD) Yes, we kept a parliamentarian. What do you think of that commander? PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER Kill him, our men are disposable. ADAM You don't understand commander. ADAM smirks, toying with the commander. ADAM (CONTD) We're planning some Parliamentarian inspired humilibliviation. Just try and stop us. (To JOSEPH) NOW GO! JOSEPH fires the ship up, which jolts ADAM backwards. EXT. PLANET HARPER 7, ABOVE THE BEACON - DAY 1 [14:04] The two ships hang in the air in silence. The rear thrusters of the Deschanel spaceship glow blue then fire red as the ship begins to edge away from the parliamentarian ship. INT. PARLIAMENTARIAN SPACESHIP, DOCKING BAY - DAY 1 [14:05] RAYMOND stands alone at the entrance on his knees, hands tied together behind his back as well as his feet tied together. All remaining parliamentarians stand in a semi-circle at the other side of the room pointing their guns at him in silence. They wait. The signal finally comes but it's the wrong one. The commander speaks over a loudspeaker. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER (V.O.) All troops to the control room NOW! The troops congregate at the entrance before marching out of the room two by two.

(CONTINUED)

37. CONTINUED:

RAYMOND Come on guys! He didn't ask you to tie me up and leave me here! EXT. PLANET HARPER 7, ABOVE THE BEACON - DAY 1 [14:07] The Parliamentarian ship gives chase to the Deschanel which is already some way ahead when the gigantic thruster jets power the ship forwards. A single bright red lightning bolt zaps out of the tip of the beacon. The Parliamentarian ship has already passed the strike zone and escapes undamaged, able to give chase. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT - DAY 1 [13:08] JOSEPH holds the joystick still, keeping the ship balanced. ADAM sees the lightning bolt miss the enemy ship on the console screen while holding his phone. ADAM SHIT! Missed them, can you bring them back over the top of it? JOSEPH How exactly did you turn a comms tower into a gun? ADAM Never mind that, just get them back over it! The ship rocks after being hit by lasers from the Parliamentarian ship. The console screen shows constant fire, not always hitting the target but periodically shaking them. Still gagged, GRAVY makes a muffled sound each time. ADAM (CONTD) If they wanted to kill us they'd just use the canons. They want GRAVY alive! JOSEPH And they think they can still catch us. ADAM If they carry on like this they will! Take us up. We're gonna loop round passed them and back across the beacon. JOSEPH Yes Boss! JOSEPH pulls back on the joystick and ADAM braces himself on the passenger seat.

38.

EXT. PLANET HARPER 7, ABOVE THE BEACON - DAY 1 [14:09] The flaring red engines on the back of the Deschanel fire ferociously, powering the ship in a curve upwards. Behind, the parliamentarian ship follows suit, still firing lasers. Once the Deschanel is thundering directly vertically, still in the sights of the parliamentarians, it curves it's flight more rapidly to nosedive passed the parliamentarian ship. Down towards the beacon. INT. PARLIAMENTARIAN SPACESHIP, CONTROL ROOM - DAY 1 [14:10] Every troop available is in the control room pressing console buttons. The commander stands alone at the front console, which is only there for show apparently. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER What are they doing? Someone get their captain on a visLink! TROOP 1 Right there boss. A large black rectangular projection appears on a wall at the side of the room. ADAM's face appears on the screen, periodically shaking from the gunfire. ADAM Is this the best time for a phone call? PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER What's the matter? You have to fly your own ship, I have a whole team dedicated to following you and another whole team dedicated to attacking you. ADAM A whole team? Even after we killed half of them? Perhaps if you really had a whole team they'd have shot us out of the air by now. ADAM is calm, despite the Deschanel juddering around him. He knows he's won and he enjoys toying with Parliamentarians whenever he can. He's smirking. Unbelievably. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER Your manner is inappropriate for someone who's about to die. You won't escape, SILVA.

(CONTINUED)

39. CONTINUED:

ADAM You're clutching straws commander, exactly the manner of someone who's about to die. The projection cuts out as ADAM hangs up, the Parliamentarian commander turns to the troops. PARLIAMENTARIAN COMMANDER Time for the rockets, just destroy them! EXT. PLANET HARPER 7, ABOVE THE BEACON - DAY 1 [14:11] The Deschanel floors it towards the beacon tower, a rocket from the Parliamentarians shoots by them and creates a massive explosion as it hits the ground of Harper 7. The Deschanel takes evasive maneuvers to swerve away from the next one. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT - DAY 1 [14.12] The ship is now constantly shaking from the evasive manoeuvreing, JOSEPH is struggling to keep composed. JOSEPH You just had to provoke him didn't you! My phone might have gotten us killed but this very definitely will get us killed! ADAM It's just a bit further, get them near the beacon and we're safe. JOSEPH It's not the beacon that's the problem. It's getting blown to pieces by the canons! ADAM Just get them near it! EXT. PLANET HARPER 7, ABOVE THE BEACON - DAY 1 [14:13] The red glowing engines of the Deschanel leave a smoking trail across the sky and over the beacon as the ship passes. Following not far behind is the Parliamentarian ship, still firing rockets at the Deschanel, it is about to come into firing range of the beacon. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT - DAY 1 [14.14] ADAM is intent on the rear camera screen, focused in a way that only he can.

(CONTINUED)

40. CONTINUED:

ADAM Nearly there, don't let them hit us! JOSEPH I wasn't planning on it! The Parliamentarians aren't directly over the beacon and it's impossible to tell from this high up anyway but they're close enough. ADAM I was hoping I wouldn't have to do this. ADAM holds up his phone and taps the screen in angry defiance. EXT. PLANET HARPER 7, ABOVE THE BEACON - DAY 1 [14:15] The sky lights up a deep red, only the Deschanel is visible as it escapes the shocking lightning. The full power beacon fire engulfs the parliamentarian ship, it's radius more than wider than the size of the ship. The light passes after a few seconds leaving the ship visible, glowing red. Bulges in the ship's hull appear, they fuse and grow larger until the ship splits in half and comes crashing to the Harper 7 ground. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, COCKPIT - DAY 1 [14:16] ADAM cheers and reholsters his phone. He gets to work untying GRAVY, first taking the helmet and gag off him. GRAVY Why did you wait till now? ADAM They might have called back, we couldn't risk it. JOSEPH What the hell was that? It could've blown up a planet! What did you do to that beacon? ADAM takes a condescending approach to conceal ADAM It couldn't have blown up a planet. There's probably not even a planet close enough. Besides, I only installed a limiter, the necrosis beam is just a secondary function.

(CONTINUED)

41. CONTINUED:

GRAVY Necrosis beam? ADAM Companies use it as a defensive mechanism, if the comms tower gets attacked they can shoot back. JOSEPH Let's just get KT back, she'll have no idea what the hell's going on! ADAM You take us down, I have to talk to RICK. ADAM finishes untying GRAVY from his seat then leaves the room. GRAVY I hope we don't get chased by parliamentarians every time we do this. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, MEDICAL BAY - DAY 1 [14.17] VICTORIA still lies on the desk, RICK stands at the other end of the room looking in a cupboard. He takes out an unused hypodermic needle, syringe and an unlabeled bottle. RICK Well, if it doesn't wake you it'll kill you. RICK turns around to see ADAM in the doorway. ADAM Wouldn't be your first kill would it? You told me you were a medic, not a soldier. RICK I am a medic. ADAM walks towards RICK, aggressive, he can't keep his fury under wraps. He's right in RICK's face but RICK stays composed. ADAM What kind of medic has a full soldier's uniform? RICK The kind that is also a soldier.

(CONTINUED)

42. CONTINUED:

ADAM Or the kind that's also a spy! Am I supposed to trust you? RICK I SAVED YOUR LIFE! Silence follows RICK's shout. The two study each other. A narrowing of RICK's eyes indicate that he's not entirely happy about saving ADAM's life. ADAM We were in a gunfight with them, there was no way we could win. I got hit and passed out from the pain. Tell me again how I came to wake up in my own medbay with A parliamentarian soldier and VICTORIA standing over me. RICK can't answer, he looks away. This only serves to aggravate ADAM, he clenches his fists, ready to eliminate his spy. VICTORIA chooses this moment to sit up and speak. VICTORIA He's the one who shot you. ADAM spins around, in disbelief he raises an eyebrow. He's holding his shoulder, where he was shot. VICTORIA (CONTD) Right there, just below the shoulder. You did nothing but bleed, couldn't shoot. We were down and out. I saw you pass out and I thought you were dead. I fled, left you for dead, I made it back to the Deschanel with them still tailing me. Only they weren't shooting at me. He was carrying you ADAM. They were shooting at him. He brought you here and he saved your life. RICK When I saw what I'd done to you, I just couldn't leave you to die. I didn't even know why we were after you. They wanted everyone they had to back them up. That included the medics. It was the first time I'd worn that armor.

43.

EXT. PLANET HARPER 7, TRANSMISSION BEACON - DAY 1 [14.19] The Deschanel comes to a landing not far from the building's entrance, the doors open out and JOSEPH and GRAVY leave the ship. As the two make their way into the building BLOAK creeps out from around the corner of the building and boards the ship unseen. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, ENTRY BAY - DAY 1 [14:20] BLOAK slides through the closing door. Staying close to the wall he sees nobody in sight. To his right is the cockpit, to his left the bedrooms. Silently he steps out into the hallway. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, BEDROOM CORRIDOR - DAY 1 [14:21] The corridor is narrow, at most two people wide, they'd have to go side-on to cross each other. All the doors but one look the same, this one has a large poster of a yellow cartoon robot on it. BLOAK knows that it is KT's room and slips inside quietly. INT. TRANSMISSION BEACON, RECEPTION AREA - DAY 1 [14:22] KT leans on the reception desk, JOSEPH and GRAVY enter and jog to KT each in turn giving her a hug. GRAVY Are you all right? What happened to you? KT I'm good. One of them grabbed me before I could make it back. They tried to take me back to the ship but I escaped and hid. I guess they thought it was more important to chase you guys. JOSEPH Thank God! We were so worried about you. ADAM nearly killed us all panicking over you. KT smiles, it's good to have people looking out for you. KT Well that probably wasn't necessary. JOSEPH Let's get back, I want to let ADAM know my plan.

(CONTINUED)

44. CONTINUED:

The three begin to walk back to the Deschanel. KT Oh what's the plan for? JOSEPH For hiding from the parliamentarians, wait 'till we get on the ship. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, KT'S BEDROOM - DAY 1 [14:23] Posters of these cartoons seem to line the walls, mostly differently coloured robots. She has a desk, a bed in the corner and a body-length mirror. There is a single stuffed toy on the bed - her favorite yellow cartoon robot. The desk is uncluttered despite having an awful lot on top of it, perfectly organized. BLOAK walks to the desk and sits down, he picks up a small plastic robot and shakes it. He's disappointed when this has no result. He replaces the plastic robot and waits. Eventually KT returns. She closes the door immediately behind her. BLOAK stands up and steps closer so she can hear his whisper. BLOAK It's a big place. A small family could live in this room. A small family could not live in this room, they'd probably run into some problems with the limited bed-space. KT Except there's only one bed BLOAK A small family of 2? BLOAK gives a hopeful glance towards the bed. KT Yeah, you're on the floor though I'm afraid. I'll bring you some food later, I need to see the guys. If anyone comes, get under the bed. KT taps BLOAK's shoulder as she speaks. Then she bounces on out of her bedroom. INT. DESCHANEL SPACESHIP, KITCHEN/LOUNGE/CONFERENCE ROOM -

45.

DAY 1 [14:24] The team are sat around a table in the centre of the room, all but KT. They are each eating from a bowl of cereal. Around the edge of the room are kitchen cupboards, a microwave stands on one of them, however there is no oven. ADAM What went so wrong on this mission? He waits for a response, there isn't one. It's like a classroom. ADAM (CONTD) We can't leave it that close again. KT enters, she skips to the cereal cupboard and starts to pour herself a bowl. RICK They wont let it go, destroying a fighter ship. If we don't keep running they'll track us down. After something like that it's going to be harder than ever to stay safe. ADAM It should be a lot easier if we all leave our phones on vibrate next time. JOSEPH I don't always feel it. ADAM Well you won't be needing to anymore, would you rather we leave you on a desert planet or an ice planet? JOSEPH You need me! VICTORIA We need you like we need a hole in the head. JOSEPH I'm the only one who can see that ADAM's trying to blow up a planet and lying to us about our job. ADAM clatters his spoon into an empty bowl, time for some shouting.

(CONTINUED)

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ADAM I told you before it's a standard defense function. JOSEPH Which you haven't limited, you've BOOSTED! KT He just loves to kill JOE someone needs to stop him. VICTORIA Let's not forget he's kept us all safe for the last year andADAM AND, the real enemy is Parliament, I'm taking you to a slave planet so we can all learn who the real enemy is. KT The enemy who's not trying to blow up a planet. VICTORIA looks scared as ADAM stands up, she'd never push him like this. ADAM The enemy who blew up MY planet. My parents. Dead. My Sister. Dead. Everyone I know. Dead. This conversation is exactly what I wanted to avoid but I'm planning to blow up the planet of Lords. I need boosters on two more beacons and then it'll be strong enough to take out a planet thirty lightyears away. The only reason is revenge. I don't care about the slavery, I don't care about rebellion or overthrowing the power. If any of you care about that then that's fine, but if you'd rather die in slavery or on a wasteland I have no problem leaving you in one. Nobody has a response to this, all they can do is exchange glances. Eventually GRAVY breaks the silence with the clink of spoon against bowl. RICK They'll stop us, our cards are marked, there's no way we can do that again, and they'll send more next time.

(CONTINUED)

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ADAM I'll die fighting them RICK, and so will all of you if you stay, but my life's worth nothing unless that's the way I die and I don't know what else is left in this universe. RICK I'm staying, I'd fit in better nowhere else after defecting. Nobody else is quite as willing to concur until: KT Take us to a slave planet like you mentioned. I want to see it for myself.