by Avalon (avalon99@telusplanet.net)
http://members.dencity.com/avalon_online
Skinner, Scully, R, 12/12
ODYSSEY XII
FRIDAY AFTERNOON
WASHINGTON D.C. SKINNER'S OFFICE
Skinner is seated at his desk, one arm in a sling, leafing through
a file with his other hand. His intercom buzzes.
Agent Scully is here, Sir.
SKINNER:
Send her in.
Scully enters, her arm in a matching sling, with a sheaf of papers in her other hand. Carefully keeping a professional demeanor, she takes the seat opposite him, not meeting his gaze.
SKINNER:
Where's Agent Mulder?
SCULLY:
He was delayed. He'll be here in a minute.
SKINNER:
(Pauses) Agent Scully...Dana...I...
SCULLY:
Let's not...
Mulder enters, slightly out of breath, another report in his hands. He notes the tension in the air and gives them both a quizzical look. Skinner leans back, a mask of cool professionalism on his face.
Agent Mulder. Good of you to join us.
MULDER:
(Glances at their matching slings) You two
look like bookends. (Skinner glowers at him.
Mulder continues more formally.) Sorry. But
I was waiting for this to come through. (He
gestures to his papers.)
SKINNER:
What are those?
MULDER:
Answers.
He hands them to Skinner who leafs through them awkwardly.
SKINNER:
(Looks up) Where did you get this?
MULDER:
Ah...an unimpeachable source.
SKINNER:
(Warningly) Agent Mulder...
MULDER:
(Changing the subject) I finally found some
background on Josef. Turns out he used to be
with German Intelligence.
SCULLY:
You're kidding.
MULDER:
I kid you not. He was with them for about 8 years
before he was thrown out...Seems he was doing a
little gun-running on the side. When the GPD threw
him out, he took some of his team with him.
SCULLY:
How did he find out about the Odyssey?
MULDER:
No one's sure. He must have found a
leak somewhere.
SCULLY:
Senator Caine?
MULDER:
Maybe. Perhaps the good Senator
had a few skeletons in his closet.
SCULLY:
Such as...?
MULDER:
Ah, well, that's where my sources started
to run dry. No one's talking. As far as
anyone is concerned, the book on the
Senator's death is closed. Just one more
unexplained tragedy...
SCULLY:
Henderson told me that Caine spearheaded
the funding for the project...
MULDER:
If he did, it's buried so deep that I don't think
anyone will ever be able to dig it up.
SKINNER:
And Victoria Mason?
MULDER:
(Looks at his file again) I had a bit more
luck with her. Turns out her real name was
Lisl Strauss. She was Josef's right hand...
person...and his lover.
SKINNER:
Your instincts were right, Agent Scully.
They share a long look. Mulder squirms uncomfortably and clears his throat. Skinner looks away then slides a fax across his desk.
SKINNER:
This just came in.
MULDER:
What is it?
SKINNER:
Read it.
Mulder skims through the fax, Scully reading over his shoulder. Scully looks up first.
Sunk?
SKINNER:
That's what it says. According to official channels,
the Odyssey was lost at sea during Hurricane
Matilda with all hands and, not so incidentally,
the terrorist prisoners being transported to
Nassau.
MULDER:
(Dryly) What about unofficial channels?
SCULLY:
(Interrupting) But we know the ship wasn't lost.
It sailed to Eleuthera, disembarked the
passengers...and us...then set sail for Nassau.
SKINNER:
According to that (waves his hand at the fax) the
Odyssey sank several hours out of Nassau.
SCULLY:
But the storm was blowing itself out. It couldn't
have sunk...What about Henderson? And
the rest?
MULDER:
(Bitterly) So that's it. Another professional
cover up. The whole thing gets swept under
the carpet and we're just expected to go on
with our lives as usual...
SKINNER:
There's nothing else we can do.
SCULLY:
(Angrily) People died. Those sailors had families,
friends...and nobody seems to care.
SKINNER:
(More gently) There are some battles you can't win,
Agent Scully.
SCULLY:
(Coldly) Come on Mulder. We've got work to do.
Together they rise and start to leave. Skinner watches them through hooded eyes. As they are almost at the door, he speaks.
SKINNER:
Agent Scully.
They both stop. Scully glances at Mulder.
Go on. I'll catch up.
Mulder nods, gives Skinner a questioning glance, then exits, closing the door behind him. Scully turns to Skinner, but does not walk back toward him.
Yes, Sir?
Skinner rises and crosses over to her.
I'm sorry.
For a moment it seems as if she will argue, then her shoulders
sag and she looks away.
So am I. All of those sailors...
Henderson...
SKINNER:
I know.
SCULLY:
(Looks up at him) Do you believe
they're dead?
SKINNER:
(Hesitates) The facts...
SCULLY:
Forget the facts. Do you believe
they're dead?
SKINNER:
No. I don't. But I also believe you have to
focus on the battles you can win, not lost
causes.
SCULLY:
Is that all the Odyssey was? A lost cause?
SKINNER:
(Shakes his head) No. It wasn't. Look...
we need to talk...
She presses her back against the door.
There's nothing to say.
SKINNER:
There's something I need to say.
You were almost killed.
SCULLY:
So were you.
SKINNER:
But I feel...responsible.
SCULLY:
Why?
SKINNER:
If I hadn't pushed Josef so hard...
SCULLY:
Look -- we both made mistakes, but we survived.
(She puts a tentative hand on his uninjured arm).
We won.
He stares down at her for a long moment. Then, after an endless moment, both pull away.
SCULLY:
(Flustered) I should be going...Sir. (she puts her
hand on the doorknob behind her).
Skinner hesitates, then finally nods and steps back. She breaks the eye contact and turns to go.
SKINNER:
Dana...
SCULLY:
Yes?
SKINNER:
We...made a good team, didn't we?
SCULLY:
(Smiles slightly) Yes. We did.
Then she turns and leaves. In the outer office, Mulder is hovering,
waiting for Scully.
Waiting for me, Mulder?
MULDER:
What did he want?
SCULLY:
(Pauses again) He...uh...he wanted to
sign my cast.
She walks past him to the outer door. Mulder looks down at her arm, then back at the inner door where Skinner stands on the threshold, watching Scully leave. As Mulder meets his gaze, Skinner turns and re-enters his office, closing the door firmly behind him. Mulder hesitates, frowns, then follows his partner out into the hallway.
EPILOGUE
Camera pans over a dry dock facility. There are no signs or flags to indicate the location, but the port appears to be somewhere in Eastern Europe.
Slowly the camera zooms in on a large ship that is being repainted. One man on a scaffolding begins to cover the letters "S-S-E-Y" with plain grey paint.
CUE X-FILES THEME