S2:E13 - Great Minds
Written by Chris Pearson (based on Legacy of War RPG by Simon Beal)
All characters are creation of JMS and are owned by him, Warner Brothers and Babylonian Productions.
TEASER
Excalibur orbits the asteroid base ("Mixed Blessings") they had recently been alerted to. V/O as Captain Gideon speaks.
SCENE 1
GIDEON:
"Captain Gideon's journal, May 27th, 2268. Having secured the surrounding region, with the help of the Rangers, I am now preparing to visit the interior of the base, which claims to be conducting research into Drakh and Vorlon technology under Earthforce authority. I am hoping my message to President Sheridan will provoke a response soon, as I remain suspicious of this whole setup at present. I meet with Commander Harker, the senior officer, within half an hour, when I hope to be able to gauge the man, and learn more about their sources of research…"
Gideon walks along the corridors towards Excalibur's (repaired) hangar bays. Lieutenant Matheson rushes to catch up to him.
GIDEON:
"John? Any word yet from Galen?"
MATHESON:
"Not yet sir… and he's normally so punctilious."
GIDEON:
"Well, when he can make a melodramatic moment out of it, yes. He'd also probably tell us he had pressing concerns regarding matters mortal men should know not of. Did we ever get to the bottom of who was with those pirates?"
MATHESON:
"All I know is he was spoiling for a fight. Galen implied he let him live though…"
GIDEON:
"Must have caught him on a good day… I just hope when he gets here he won't need anymore thorium particles."
MATHESON:
(delicately) "And… any advice from your… other confidant?"
GIDEON:
"When I have something more specific to address it with, I'll likely consult them, yes."
MATHESON:
(quietly) "Good – glad to hear you've found time away from it…"
GIDEON:
"Excuse me, Lieutenant?"
MATHESON:
"Sorry sir… it's just, that the last few weeks, especially since Eniba, you seem to spend more and more of your free time just… shut away. But you come back more, energised somehow?"
GIDEON:
"I'm not sure here and now is the right place for this John. If you must know though – I'm simply feeling more confident about finding things out now…"
MATHESON:
"About the base, huh, Matt?"
GIDEON:
(poker faced) "…Yes, about the base…"
They head into the hangar, Gideon joining a small squad of five Marines as escort. A last set of boxes is being loaded by a small lift into the Hestrel shuttle's rear section. Gideon halts at the ramp.
GIDEON:
"Keep the ship spick and span for me until I get back John – and be alert for possible attacks… even close to home."
MATHESON:
(taking the hint) "Aye sir."
GIDEON boards. We cut to EXTERIOR, as the shuttle departs the Excalibur, and heads on in. Then INTERIOR, on DUREENA's face popping round from behind a crate.
END OF TEASER
[Who Are You?] Matthew Gideon. Captain. Attached to the Earth Alliance Starship Excalibur. [What Do You Want?] To find a cure to the Drakh plague before it wipes out all life on Earth. [Where Are You Going?] Anywhere I have to. [Who Do You Serve and Who Do You Trust?] No one.
ACT 1
SCENE 2
Gideon strides out into a hangar, with a high rock ceiling and rough metal walls. A large double door rises behind the shuttle. Marines flank the ramp, and several officers in grey-green Earthforce uniforms approach them, before standing to. The lead one nods respectfully.
COMMANDER HARKER:
"Captain Gideon – welcome to our humble facility. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you more, but you must understand that everything here takes place in the strictest of confidentiality."
GIDEON:
"That's alright, Commander. I understand that research like this must be compartmentalised in case of enemy espionage. All the same though, I'm hoping that we can at least swap some notes, and maybe help each other along on our respective paths."
HARKER:
"Then I'd better arrange a tour for the both of us. I'd prefer you to come alone, however, Captain – if that is not too much trouble?"
GIDEON
(looks uneasy for a moment, then lightens) "Alright – that sounds reasonable. Although you should know I often consult with my senior officers on our progress with the plague, so…"
HARKER:
"Just your senior officers, I would advise captain. The civilian consultants I would recommend be kept out of the loop on this one. And preferably, as many officers as you can keep out of it also."
GIDEON (frowning)
"That may be more difficult. I will advise them of your concerns though. It sounds like you are doing some very important work here…"
HARKER:
"Just so. I hope to tell you more shortly – we have some very important matters to discuss…"
The two walk off our of the hangar, flanked by guards.
SHUTTLE INTERIOR: Dureena stands up and heads toward the forward section, checking her outfit for lockpicks and other tools…
SCENE 3
INTERIOR – a corridor runs past a series of transparent windows into several laboratories, with various exotic items spread upon tables. Several have a mottled skin surface – a general sign of biotechnology.
HARKER:
"Right here, Captain, we have several items salvaged from the surface of Eniba, part of the fortifications and weapon emplacements you encountered there."
Strange tubing and valves are set upon the first table, along with a weird looking, pulsing pod or cell.
HARKER:
"We believe these are conduits and power systems for supplying the weaponry. They were displaced by the violent eruption of the weaponry from the planet's crust, suggesting a lack of maintenance since the Vorlon builders departed seven years ago."
GIDEON:
"And no-one encountered the planet back during the war?"
HARKER:
"We have no evidence to suggest so, no. It may be this was considered an old outpost even by Vorlon standards, considering how out of the way it is. The shed components appear to have been – replaced – by new ones; essentially grown, from what we can tell. Despite the damage, we have gleaned a lot of data from this about how their power systems basically function, and a glimpse into their nanotechnological self-repair systems."
GIDEON:
"That would be useful knowledge for the Excalibur."
HARKER:
"Yes, we feel that we are rapidly catching up to the expertise the Minbari had in integrating Vorlon technology into their Whitestars…" (he sounds very satisfied, and a little smug)
GIDEON:
"Well, this is certainly living up to my expectations, Commander."
HARKER:
"If you will follow me, Captain, you will find there is much, much more to see…"
SCENE 4
INTERIOR – hangar bay. A shadow creeps around the perimeter of the room, between various crates, and then leaps up a wall in a shaded corner. A panel hinges up, and feet disappear through an aperture. The panel soon flops down and fits back snugly into its former fitting.
SCENE 5
INTERIOR – Excalibur briefing room. Matheson, Chambers, Trace and Eilerson are sat around the main table. Eilerson speaks with voice raised.
EILERSON:
"I still would like to know more about why IPX were not informed, Lieutenant. We very likely provided a substantial amount of material for this base, if only in sourcing of locations for study…"
MATHESON:
"Doctor Eilerson, are you quite sure that Interplanetary Expeditions is not aware of this facility? Or at least has contact with some of its staff? There appear to be a number of unregistered researchers present, some maybe from existing Earth Alliance corporations."
EILERSON:
"Well, Lieutenant, I at least, have not been informed. I am quite prepared to question my superiors about their own knowledge of this facility, but I cannot guarantee how they would respond to it."
CHAMBERS:
"Max, you've been saying that you've been out of the loop with IPX executive office on a number of matters these past six months. Perhaps you should check with some of your other contacts first? You might get a better idea of what they'd be hiding about this place before consulting them."
EILERSON:
"And then would I be informing the rest of you, Doctor? I have my responsibilities to the company. They may genuinely not know, and value my perspective on this."
CHAMBERS:
"Max, we don't know a thing about this place – but we do know they appear to be working on biotechnology. Given how secret this whole thing is, it could be directly tied to those conspirators we encountered on Mars and elsewhere. They attacked Excalibur, endangered you. If IPX has a connection to them as well, then how far does your responsibility – your loyalty – to them go in these circumstances?"
EILERSON:
"I still don't like what you are insinuating, Sarah. I have friends in that company, who know me well."
CHAMBERS:
"But they aren't really the top level staff, from what you've told us."
MATHESON:
"Doctor Eilerson – Max – we have to know more. The Captain may be in terrible danger; we may all be. Not to mention our mission, and Earth."
EILERSON:
(sighing) "Well – for Earth then, and for those I now hold dear there," (he pauses, thinking of his goddaughter) "I will seek out certain contacts, people who I know to be reliable, and with links with the various megacorps seeking a cure – Jenson Biogenetics, Ka'Lynn Corporation, even ProZeta, if I can find my guy in there still. I'll see what I can dig up by tomorrow."
CHAMBERS:
"Thank you, Max. We have to take the long view here – vested interests have been at work here."
MATHESON:
"Yes – we need to know as much as possible."
EILERSON:
"I can certainly appreciate that. Nothing quite like being the class swot near exam time…"
SCENE 6
INTERIOR – the base, corridors. Harker leads Gideon onto a gantry above a larger chamber, with workbenches and machine tools below. More conduits, and some kind of capacitor like devices, resembling jellyfish or eels.
HARKER:
"This is one of our most promising projects. We recovered much of this from assorted battlefields from the final Shadow War, including at Coriana VI. Again, it's Vorlon, and it appears to be related to some kind of propulsion system. It has similarities with jump engines, but the math doesn't seem to work for ordinary hyperspace. Our theorists conjecture that the drive accesses some deeper layer of hyperspace, or even another realm altogether, by tightly controlled interaction of quantum fields. One of our boys tossed out the name 'quantum space', and it seemed to stick. We hope to test a rig with a low-yield projector by the end of the year."
GIDEON:
"That sounds great Commander – apart from anything else, the ISA's Whitestars could benefit greatly in their search for a cure with enhanced drive systems."
HARKER:
(looking slightly amused) "Hmm, that they could."
GIDEON:
(cautiously) "So, Commander, I see plenty of Vorlon technology you've salvaged; I'm surprised at how much, frankly. But I wonder… do you have anything from the Shadows?"
HARKER:
(pauses, looking slightly wary) "We did – a few years ago. Fragments of a Battlecrab, of a leg, recovered at Sector 83. We made some strides into reactivating the power systems back in '61. But then there was an – incident. It started assuming control of surrounding devices, put up resistance. In the end we had to flush the whole sample into space. There were a couple of… casualties."
GIDEON:
(stands there, absorbing this) "I'm very sorry to hear that, Commander. You are of course, aware that the Interstellar Alliance, in it's agreement with Earth for membership, requires strict controls on the study of Shadow technology, and that it be handed over for proper quarantine."
HARKER:
"That we are, Captain. However, this was prior to Earth's treaty with the ISA – when we were technically at war with the nations that would comprise the ISA. Since the treaty did not focus so much on Vorlon artifacts, we were given some waiver over our handling of those. I'm sure President Luchenko can fill you in on some of those details."
GIDEON:
"And since that incident, you have had no real interaction with Shadow technology?"
HARKER:
"Not really, Captain. There were a couple of minor samples we found, but we chose to destroy those, after evaluating the risks of holding them."
GIDEON:
"Glad to hear it – it would be disastrous if another 'incident' were to occur." (Speaking pointedly, looking for reactions)
HARKER:
(looking pensive) "On that, we are already agreed. Anyway Captain, we've been at this a while now. Perhaps we had better break for lunch, and then perhaps address some of your own findings of late."
GIDEON:
"Okay, but we don't have a lot that isn't public record already. And you've already shown me so much…"
HARKER:
"Captain Gideon, there is considerably more I can reveal – but I can only do so with your express cooperation, and an awareness of what the ramifications may be."
GIDEON:
(deep breath) "Sounds reasonable. Lead on then, Commander…"
ACT 2
SCENE 7
INTERIOR, the base. Dureena is creeping along a catwalk, high above one of the workshops. She takes in the Vorlon technology samples far below, currently unattended.
DUREENA:
(quietly) "My, someone's been very busy…"
She pauses to check for cameras or observers, and then begins moving slowly forward again.
SCENE 8
BASE INTERIOR – dining hall. Gideon is eating with Commander Harker. He wipes his mouth with a napkin.
GIDEON:
"Well Commander – I suppose I'm ready to rejoin you on your grand tour. And then we can get down to the real business here."
HARKER:
"Very good Captain. I'll just inform security and some of my other staff."
Gideon gets up. Suddenly, his wrist comlink BEEPS. He raises it to his mouth. "Gideon here."
LINK (MATHESON)
"Captain, its Matheson here. I need to speak to you about some of our inboard repairs from that last skirmish. I may need to send some technical specs via the shuttle also."
GIDEON (pauses, wondering why repairs are still ongoing)
"Alright Lieutenant. I'll be there in five minutes." He hits the link and deactivates it. "Sorry Commander, but I need to sort this out. Give me ten minutes or so."
HARKER:
"That's fine Captain. Gives me more time to prepare the show."
INTERIOR – Kestrel shuttle. Gideon activates a private channel via the ship's comm. array.
GIDEON:
"Gideon – go."
MATHESON:
"Captain – just letting you know we are done with repairs here, and are ready for anything – well nearly. But I thought you should also know that our scanners have picked up a faint signal from within the base. It isn't doing much, and may not be anything untoward, but it does bear a resemblance to the signal we tracked from your – your white whale, so to speak."
GIDEON:
"Didn't know you were a Melville fan John..."
MATHESON:
"I usually preferred Mark Twain. Anyway, shall we continue to monitor?"
GIDEON:
"Yes, but passively. Try to narrow down its location, but take no premature action."
MATHESON:
"Do you think we can trust these people, sir?"
GIDEON:
"I hoped so – I really did. But they've been doing so much in secret, and reporting to god knows who… but maybe I'm wrong."
MATHESON:
"I don't think you won many poker matches with 'maybe I'm wrong' sir. But understood – I'll be in touch. Also, Eilerson has been making correspondence – you may be interested later."
GIDEON:
"Alright Lieutenant – Gideon out."
SCENE 9
INTERIOR – Eilerson's quarters. Eilerson paces before a viewscreen, waiting for a response.
COMPUTER (female V/O) :
"Attention – incoming call."
EILERSON:
"Receive." (The screen lights up to show a familiar face – Shari Belafonte, playing Dr. Elizabeth Trent, last seen in 'Thirdspace')
TRENT:
"Well well, Maxwell Eilerson. How's it going? Got that raise yet?"
EILERSON:
(coolly) "Elizabeth – you're looking well. To be honest though, we don't have time for the easy rivalries and badinage today. I need to ask you a few questions about the Legacy group, and whether we supplied them with any ancient technology."
TRENT:
"Legacy – I'm surprised you heard of them Max. You were usually so intent on chasing the big score, nose down to your journal, you rarely noticed our partners or competition."
EILERSON:
"Or you, I'm guessing? Doctor, that city on Gigmos was found mainly by my cross-referencing work. It was my baby, and wanted to finish the work I'd invested in beforehand."
TRENT:
"Still eager to seize all the credit, Max? Or, speaking charitably, is there a little perfectionist control-freakery going on?"
EILERSON:
"Doctor – Elizabeth…"
TRENT:
"I'll tell you what Max – I'll fill you in on what I know on Legacy… and you can let me follow up one of your last locations from your voyage on that flying fishhook you're gallivanting about on."
EILERSON:
"Elizabeth – that is a glaring infringement on professional…"
TRENT:
"What's the problem, Max? You won't be going back to many of those sites – knowing Excalibur's busy schedule. You've been up close and personal at those places, and have notes on what to look for. If you share them, I promise I'll credit you with involvement in the discoveries I potentially – potentially, I add – could make."
(Eilerson pauses, looking torn between professional pride, and the need to find out what they are getting caught up in. He shifts his eyes for a moment or two, before speaking)
EILERSON:
"All right then, Doctor. I think I have two places that will be very much what you are looking for…"
SCENE 10
INTERIOR – a cave like passage, passing deeper into the asteroid. Dureena looks about, and spots a small recess. Eying it carefully, she finds a near invisible gap and depresses something. A section of rock slides away, and she slips inside.
She emerges into (CGI) a ledge overlooking a larger cavern. Steps wind their way down from further along. Below is a set of distant, black-coloured objects, resembling thorns or insects. She decides to move further down the ledge.
CLOSE UP – on a table with a set of tanks and test tubes. Within the tanks are swirling clouds of dark grey specks. A fluid-like material in light brown is pumped into the tank and begins to bond with the cloud. Slowly, it begins to break up.
DUREENA: (whisper)
"The Drakh plague…"
SCENE 11
INTERIOR – clean corridors again. Gideon walks briskly to keep up with Commander Harker. He leads them through a door and beside another lab.
HARKER:
"Now that you are committed Captain, I can reveal some of our most sensitive work. We were able to analyse a sample of the nano-tech shield you recovered for protection from the Drakh plague. We studied it extensively over about a year, as well as samples of the plague itself in isolation. We discovered key similarities between the two, including markers for the plague cells and activation of different concentrations."
GIDEON:
"That's remarkable progress Commander – Doctor Chambers will be very pleased to know that."
HARKER:
"But we did more as well. Working with much of the technology we already have stored – and with our research on the Vorlon nano-repair system we recently observed, we were able to begin assemblying something new. If you will follow me to the next area…"
They pass into another lab, this time through a small airlock. This time, Gideon finds himself on the main floor of the room, looking towards an isolation chamber with a woman prone on a bunk. Men in clean suits surround her, preparing sturdy injection needles and sutures.
HARKER:
"This woman has volunteered to be shipped from Earth to be part of our experiment. We begin by making sutures in key areas near major glands and around the endocrine system. We then inject or orally dispense large amounts of nanotechnological machines right into the bloodstream and onto the immune system centres. Over a period of an hour or so, the machines bond to the immune system, forming a new layer, and in time, knit together areas of impairment, and greatly increase efficiency. Using the markers we identified, they locate similar, unauthorised technology, and draw it in."
Gideon breaths deeply, observing very carefully. He also looks around the room to assess the other contents. A large tank containing a cloud of brown particles sits prominently, as does scanners, display screens and a machine coding worktop.
HARKER:
"If you will come stand over by the displays, you can watch the progress of the operation unfold."
Gideon nods, and moves closer.
SCENE 12
INTERIOR – cavern. Dureena picks her moment, and slowly works her way down the side of the rock into a shady corner. Using her sneak-thief skills, she slips around machines and beneath a table, then waits as various technicians continue to disperse to the far side of the room. A minute later, she scurries towards a larger table, and grabs a vial of the brown substance. As footsteps begin to sound faintly, she rolls back toward the first table, and then creeps back towards the cave corner after two people pass by.
DUREENA:
(in the corner) "Good – now for some data records."
SCENE 13
INTERIOR – Nanotech laboratory. Gideon watches the monitors displaying a map of the woman's circulatory and immune system. Major areas are lit up in a dull yellow, and occasionally black or purple spots flash up. Then a stream of dark colour migrates towards the lower organs – and encounters a luminescent barrier. They break up and scatter, before being propelled down towards the intestines and rectal channel.
On another monitor, a set of lifesigns start to fluctuate, at first alarmingly, with some red markers. Then the fluctuations begin to slow and drop, before rising slowly. Green text and bars indicate circulation, cell repair and oxygenation returning to optimal levels.
Inside the room, the woman awakes briefly, smiling.
GIDEON:
"Commander – is this what it looks like?"
HARKER:
"Yes sir, Captain Gideon, it is – a working cure."
ACT 3:
Gideon turns to Harker and a set of scientists surrounding him.
GIDEON:
"So let me get this straight: you've performed this operation five times, each with a full quarantine clearance, and with observation only confirming the positive results as time goes on."
HARKER:
"Yes, Captain – all the signs so far have been positive, and indicative of full recovery within two months. The progress of the plague itself is stopped very quickly – then it is held in check, and gradually erased. The nanotech also aids repair of the damaged tissue itself, shoring up cells in the process and preventing reinfection."
GIDEON:
"And the nanotech itself? Does that get flushed out in time, also?"
HARKER:
"We've decided not to take the chance. Also, the tech bonds to the immune system very closely, probably replacing a good deal of it, particularly if already compromised. In time it could be removed, but we want to avoid reinfection. Add to that the generally boostive effects on health and metabolism, and we could have a veritable panacea on our hands as we further perfect it."
GIDEON:
"You said you needed to discuss potential ramifications…"
HARKER:
"That I did Captain. We would need to carefully control distribution and implantation, to prevent riots, quarantine breaking and possible sabotage. We obviously need to keep this very secret from the Drakh themselves, but other species may also seek to capitalise." (he pauses, looking eager, speculative) "Imagine it Captain: a new, transformative advantage we have against potential enemies; lifespans doubled or tripled overnight, immunity from most major transpecies diseases, controlled influence over our evolution…"
GIDEON:
(fishing) "Immortality even?"
HARKER:
"You are the one raising that Captain, but… yes, it is a real possibility. Of course, that obviously affects our relations with the Interstellar Alliance, not to mention non-aligned, potentially hostile species like the Centauri. And despite being an Alliance member, the Narn are not without an expansionist arm."
GIDEON:
"Meaning people will be demanding access for their worlds, or use of your research to garner their own advantages – like what we just speculated on. Commander, could this 'panacea' be reprogrammed? As a bio-weapon perhaps?"
HARKER:
"I'm just base oversight Captain – I don't have that much knowledge on that matter. I think it is possible, but I would not be responsible for implementing those decisions. The Senate would obviously have to be involved in legislative action for the authorisation of such an action – say against the Drakh or another threat, like those beings from the so-called 'Thirdspace'."
GIDEON:
(half jokingly) "And do you have any artefacts of theirs, Commander?"
HARKER:
"Well no… not yet. That would be considered extremely high risk, Captain."
GIDEON:
"Well, am I glad to hear that."
HARKER:
"So as you can see, Captain, this is a very complex issue – but nevertheless, after presenting my initial findings to the Senate and the oversight committees, I have been given permission to continue the project here, with a very high fund ceiling. I suspect you will be made officially aware of this in days. In the meantime though, I suggest we take a break for a while, before discussing any further questions you might have."
GIDEON:
(nods) "Alright. I assume the Interstellar Alliance will also be informed?"
HARKER:
"President Sheridan will, yes, I'm sure."
GIDEON:
"Okay. Do you mind if I walk back via some of those labs, take another look at those Vorlon conduits?"
HARKER:
"Certainly Captain – I sure you'll find the potential in them most engrossing."
SCENE 14
INTERIOR – Excalibur, Max Eilerson's quarters. Eilerson sits at a vidscreen. An Indian doctor is visible.
DOCTOR:
"Max, I really don't have all that much. All I know is that much of the equipment shipped with something called the Legacy Group – supposedly a small research foundation focused on economic advancement drawn from analysis of older alien civilisations."
EILERSON:
"I think we can safely conclude this suggests they're a bit more than small, Dev. What about IPX links?"
DOCTOR:
"Several professional operatives have been 'consulting' with them. The first was a man named Morden, about ten years ago."
EILERSON:
"Blast – so we are helping."
DOCTOR:
"Anything else I can help you with, Max?"
EILERSON:
"No – better keep your head down and be quiet about this Dev – things may get dangerous."
DOCTOR:
(grimaces) "That bad huh? Okay – good luck Max," (he cuts the transmission)
EILERSON:
"Now how about the military end of this…" (punches in new keys)
SCENE 15
INTERIOR – asteroid base. Gideon is back in the laboratories, passing along a high tube above a lab. He gets to a junction. Suddenly, a panel rattles quietly to his left, down a short passage. Watching the walls slowly, he looks for cameras or microphones, and then edges his way towards the noise. He KNOCKS gently on the panel.
GIDEON:
"Is that who I think it is?"
DUREENA:
"Captain – wait, was that a bluff?"
GIDEON:
"I was pretty sure someone else was aboard the shuttle as we landed. No-one made a move on me, so that left someone not particularly hostile – and we all know how good you are at getting into places Dureena…"
DUREENA:
(lifts the panel; her pale yellow eyes shine faintly in the vent) "Guilty as charged. Captain, I need to get back to the shuttle unseen, and I want to time it with your departure. Are you leaving soon?"
GIDEON:
"Could be, could very well be… Dureena, what are you doing here?"
DUREENA:
"I told myself more was to be gained by staying close to you this time. You nearly died once after visiting somewhere like this. And… there were so many rumours about what they were doing there, Captain – I had to know more. Do they really have…"
GIDEON:
"A cure? Yes, it does appear that way…"
DUREENA:
"One that's fully effective on humans? Because Captain – you know the situation with my people, back on Theta 49…"
GIDEON:
"Yes Dureena – I'm sorry, I should have known… but we still don't know how safe in the long term this treatment is…"
DUREENA:
"That woman in the recovery room seems pretty fit now – and four others before her…"
GIDEON: (helping her out the vent)
"Dureena, how much did you… wait. What's in your hip pocket?" (she looks dismayed) "Dureena…" (FADE)
ACT 4
DUREENA:
"I'm sorry Captain – but I needed a sample… badly."
GIDEON:
"Dureena, if you're caught with that on you – people here, they may see you finish face down in a dark room somewhere! And the rest of the crew may also be…"
DUREENA: (sternly)
"Captain: my people are also infected, and by some cruel twist of fate – as you well know - they have months at best, not three or four years. My contacts already tell me three people are desperately sick now – one may have died already! I have a team of professionals on hire who've made their own study of the plague, but this cure is tailored for humans! I must have a sample for them quickly, or they'll all be dead on Theta in two or three months! So get me off this dingy rock and back there – or for me, all that effort will go to waste."
GIDEON: (now quiet, tense)
"Dureena – I can't imagine what you're dealing with now…"
DUREENA: (draws a long object from her back)
"That – is precisely what I'd say to you or whoever else tries to stop me from leaving, Matthew… you will not know what you'll face." (The sword she found left with her last year slips into her hand. As she turns the blade toward him, it hums oddly…) "I… why does it do that? Always near you…"
GIDEON: (grabs the blade smoothly with a cupped hand, and holds it firm)
"Dureena – I'm not going to stop you… but please, work with me. We have to handle this carefully…" (he takes in her confused, wary gaze) "Dureena – you and I have both been marked, wounded, by the Shadows and their legacy. I think the sword knows that somehow. So today… please trust me."
HOLD – on her wary look, beginning to ease – and CUT.
SCENE 16
INTERIOR – base hangar. Ominious music as Gideon enters with an escort. As they near the middle of the bay, an ALARM sounds abruptly…
HARKER: (panicked)
"That alert – it's for Lab 11! Get a team down there right now! Seal the adjacent area! Remain here, Captain…"
Various guards hustle and dash out, with Harker following. Seconds later, a dark shape breaks cover and darts between boxes and fuel hoses. Gideon moves slowly towards the shuttle, putting a hand up to the lip of the hatch, and straining to see towards the exit – whilst occasionally eying the cameras, all solidly tracking him. Dureena darts past as he steps a little forward, coveying fretfulness. Dureena smirks at the performance, and vanishes within…
SCENE 17
INTERIOR: Excalibur bridge. Gideon sits in the command chair, watching Harker on the viewscreen.
GIDEON:
"So, Commander, I take it you've resolved your small crisis of yesterday?"
HARKER: (chagrined)
"Yes, Captain, we have: an alert indicating a potential lab quarantine trigger went off, in response to some of the artifacts I showed you. As far as we can tell, something just randomly triggered the alert systems, then stopped – perhaps the system is too sensitive…"
GIDEON: (feigning concern)
"Perhaps so Commander, but as you've made clear of your work here, you can't be too careful. Are the patients alright?"
HARKER:
"Yes – they are fine. Well, Captain, you are now clear to depart. We'll call you if we need anymore assistance or to intercept enemy scouts…"
GIDEON:
"Alright then – best of luck there, Commander: Earth is depending greatly upon your work here – I guess I'm counting on it now. Gideon out…" (the screen fades to stars, and Gideon lets out a breath) "I'll be in the computer library for a while Lieutenant – in the meantime, get us underway…"
MATHESON:
"Aye sir."
SCENE 18
INTERIOR – ship's computer lab, further back than the briefing room. Dureena waits inside, in shadow again.
GIDEON:
"So, what was really in that lab that had Harker so spooked?"
DUREENA:
"Shadow technology, I think, from what I could see of it."
GIDEON:
"Must say I'm not really surprised… dammit Dureena. This was obviously too good to be true, but I started to hope that…"
DUREENA:
"The cure does work Matthew… I'm convinced of that. So I'll take the risk, if it will prolong my people by even a year."
GIDEON:
"And now we just… drop you off, in hyperspace?"
DUREENA:
"It's for the best – my team will be able to home in on a signal. I set it all up months ago, before Vorlon space. Thank you."
GIDEON:
"Dureena – do you think I'm still touched by the Shadows?"
DUREENA: (ponders)
"Right now, I think we all are…"
TAG
SCENE 19
EXTERIOR – five days later, the Excalibur thrusts through red hyperspace purposefully. CUT to interior, conference room:
EILERSON:
"And so that's what I've got so far, Captain. I also found some fairly strong, but not conclusive links to Earthforce New Technologies Division also."
CHAMBERS:
"Like our friend General Thompson and his sideline on Theta 49." (S1 "Patterns of the Soul")
GIDEON:
"That figures too."
CHAMBERS:
"But we can assume they all want a cure to the plague on Earth also…"
GIDEON:
"Sarah, you should have seen the way Harker was talking back there, the thrill of power behind what he was saying. I don't think this will stop at just a cure. And they have Shadow tech."
EILERSON:
"So what do we do now?"
GIDEON:
"Find out who else is involved, and try to work up something from the scan I… obtained, of the cure. And maybe we go back towards Eniba also. Let's get to work."
EXTERIOR – Excalibur exits hyperspace and heads towards a pale brown world, unpromising, but not unlike many prior destinations.
GIDEON:
"Captain's Journal, June third, 2268. We are investigating a couple of planets still on our list that are on the way back toward Eniba, but I can't help but feel the rug is going to get pulled from under us very soon…"
SCENE 20
INTERIOR – Gideon's quarters. He lifts out the Apocalypse Box, his ominious prize in gambling, and opens the outer yellow case.
GIDEON:
"The cure that my people have – what is it, really, you think?"
BOX: (sounding even more like Gideon)
"PERVERSION… CONTROL – FEAR."
GIDEON:
"That your opinion, or just my own feelings right now?" (silence) "As for your earlier questions – who am I? I'm not so sure anymore."
BOX:
"Who do you serve, and who do you trust?"
GIDEON: (startled, recognising Galen's words)
"…No one – right now… no one."
DOOR chimes. Gideon closes the box and puts it back in the wall compartment.
"Coming."
He seals the panel and goes to the door. Matheson is outside.
MATHESON:
"Sir, it's ISN, early bulletin – I think you should see."
Gideon activates his vidscreen and punches up some commands. VOICEOVER – JANE or an alternative female anchor…
"This is Interstellar Network News, with all the news between the stars – with a breaking special: an elite team of Earthforce scientists, working in secret, have developed a cure to the Drakh plague. A panel of experts have estimated that once treatment is underway, quarantine will be lifted within a year.
"Working under the command of special projects leader Major Lee, the team have been studying organic technology for the last eighteen months developing their own counter to the effects of the virus, and working to eradicate it systematically with a new treatment geared toward enhancing the immune system. A manufacturing facility on Mars is being prepared to dispense the treatment en-mass a few months from now. President Luchenko has issued a formal congratulations to Major Lee and his team, as well as the crew of the EAS Excalibur for their own early contributions toward…"
GIDEON: (looking shocked)
"Off."
(He rises angrily) "Lee! That bastard Lee and his team of butchers! And now they're rushing this, giving us little time to react…"
MATHESON: (grim)
"Should we return to Earth, sir?"
GIDEON (determined)
"No – not yet. Pull up that list of Ranger findings again John. We keep at this as long as we can bend the authorisation we have. This mission is not over yet – no way in hell…"
VOICEOVER, BOX –
"Who do you serve, and who do you trust?"
FADE - CREDITS