CRUSADE
VENGEANCE
Written by Martin A. Stihec TEASER
FADE IN:
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR
We SEE it move past CAMERA. CAMERA PANS AROUND to find the Excalibur moving towards a small orange planet.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
We SEE a CLOSE UP on Gideon's face - he's sitting in his command chair.
GIDEON Open a channel to General Charlton's office.
CAMERA PANS to the left to find Matheson at one of his consoles.
MATHESON Channel open.
CAMERA PANS back to Gideon's face.
GIDEON General Charlton, this is Captain Mathew Gideon of the EarthAlliance starship Excalibur. Your message said you were in immediate need of our assistance.
MATHESON (OS) We're getting video-feedback from the surface.
GIDEON Put it on screen, Lieutenant.
A beat later.
CHARLTON (OS) Captain Gideon.
MAIN VIEWER
We SEE the image of General Charlton - a human male in his late forties.
CHARLTON (CONT'D) This is General Max Charlton, commanding officer of the Tarkus IV Earth colony. Thank you for coming so soon, captain, I wasn't sure my message got through; we've been having more than a few technical difficulties lately.
GIDEON General, what's the nature of your emergency?
CHARLTON I'm afraid it would be a bit hard to explain everything over sub- space. If you and a few of your senior staff could come down to the colony, I'll show the emergency in person.
GIDEON (beat; thinking) Alright. We'll meet you down there. Gideon out.
Charlton's image disappears from the main viewer.
GIDEON Lieutenant, tell Dureena and Doctor Chambers to meet me in the flight deck ASAP.
MATHESON Aye, sir.
On Gideon's face, we DISSOLVE TO.
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR - LATER
As a shuttle EXITS the ship and heads for the planet's surface.
EXT. TARKUS IV COLONY - MINUTES LATER
From this distance we can only SEE a reasonably small colony around an oxygen dome - like the ones used on Mars. The colour of the planet's sky is a very unusual shade of green.
EXT. TARKUS IV COLONY - LANDING BAY - CONTINUOUS
We can SEE several small EarthAlliance ships behind Gideon, Chambers and Dureena as they walk towards CAMERA. They stop at the sight of Charlton and several other officers walking towards them.
CHARLTON Captain.
GIDEON General. (beat) This is my chief medical officer, Doctor Sarah Chambers. And my. special operations officer, Dureena Nafeel.
CHARLTON A pleasure. (beat) Now, captain, back to my request for assistance. If you'd all follow me I'll introduce you to him.
CHAMBERS Him?
INT. COLONY DETAINMENT ROOM - LATER
As Gideon, Chambers and Dureena are showed in by Charlton. We can SEE several containment cells guarded by half a dozen guards. The cells themselves are ceiled off with metal and a thick sheet of fire-proof two- way glass - letting us SEE the detainees without them seeing us.
CHARLTON (gesturing to a cell currently OS) Here.
ANGLE - GESTURED CELL
We can SEE a man - Thomas Bruiser, a Human in his late sixties. He is sitting in on the floor with his arms and legs restrained. He has a hollow, dead look to him - very freaky.
CHARLTON (CONT'D) His name's Thomas J. Bruiser. Last week he single-handedly murdered the crew of a passing commercial transport ship, using nothing but a curving knife.
CLOSE UP ON CHAMBERS
As she reacts to this.
ANGLE - ALL OF THEM
CHARLTON (CONT'D) He also killed three of my men. I checked his record; apparently he'd served in EarthForce during the Dilgar war and was reported as Missing- In-Action just prior to the war's end.
A long beat passes.
GIDEON And.
CHARLTON That's it. Until last week he was a ghost.
GIDEON But the Dilgar war was thirty years ago. There has to be something in there - or somewhere, an indication of where he's been since then.
CHARLTON I know. There should be, but there isn't. He's an Enigma. (beat) I've been in EarthForce for almost thirty years - served and lived through the Minbari war, Earth's civil war and the telepath crisis. this man scares me more than anything I saw in all those wars. In war people do what they do because they have to. But the way he murdered those people, he didn't just kill them. he butchered them. Cut them up, took his time arranging the bodies.
DUREENA Is he getting the death penalty?
CHARLTON He is.
Chambers flinches at this; she believes in the preservation of life - even murderers. Although we can, and will see later in the script, that she doesn't entirely disagree with his execution.
CHARLTON (CONT'D) It's all been approved by EarthGov. He'll be the first person to endure the death penalty since it was reinstated last year.
GIDEON Then, with all due respect, General, why the hell did you call us here. It seems to me that any emergency you might have had was over days ago.
CHARLTON (uncomfortably) I'm afraid EarthGov wants the execution to take place on a more. military run outpost, not a civilian one like Tarkus colony.
CHAMBERS Why?
CHARLTON To portray the feel of a more professional procedure, or some weak-ass excuse like that. Anyway, the nearest military outpost is Mc'kinley station - light-years away. Because there is currently no jump-gate near Tarkus it would take us four or five times as long to reach Mc'kinley station than a ship capable of jumping without the presence of a gate.
GIDEON I don't like where this is going, General.
CHARLTON Captain Gideon, I'm giving you a direct order, 'you will transport the prisoner to Mc'kinley station for his court-ordered execution.'
CLOSE UP ON GIDEON'S FACE
As he reacts. He stares at the hollow-man in the detainment cell.
CHARLTON (OS) I'm sorry, captain, I wish there were another way.
CLOSE UP ON THOMAS
On his hollow face, we
FADE OUT:
END OF TEASER
[pic] Matthew Gideon. Captain. Attached to the
Earth Alliance Starship Excalibur.
[pic]
To find a cure to the Drakh plague before
it wipes out all life on Earth.
[pic]
Anywhere I have to.
[pic]
No one.
CRUSADE
Starring
[pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic]
CREATED BY J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
VENGEANCE
Written by
Martin A. Stihec
Guest Starring
CLANCY BROWN as General Charlton W. MORGAN SHEPPARD as Thomas Bruiser
Co-Starring JOHN BILLINGSLEY as Doctor Smith MARK MOSES as Marine #1 MAGGIE EGAN as ISN Reporter As Hospital Shrink MARK HENDRICKSON as Guard #1 As Doctor Patterson As Technician #1 HARLAN ELLISON as Darwin ARMIN SHIMMERMIN as Bridge Crewman MICHAEL MC'KENZIE as Technician #2 ERNIE DINGO as Exercising Crewman #1 MARK ALLAN SHEPARD as Charles
[pic]
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR - LATER
Just to establish.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
We can SEE Matheson standing in front of the command chair as Gideon ENTERS. Matheson TURNS to face him.
MATHESON Captain, is it true?
Gideon walks up to Matheson.
GIDEON Is what true?
MATHESON (CONT'D) That we're transporting a criminal to McKinley station - almost five days away at maximum burn.
GIDEON Yeah, it's true. I don't like it, but it's true.
MATHESON Why don't they just transport him themselves? Don't they know the Excalibur has more important things to do -?
GIDEON Like saving Earth from the Drakh plague? I told him. But, at the end of the day, an order's an order. To be honest, I think the good General just wants him out of his jurisdiction. Can't say I blame him though, the guy did kill over forty people.
MATHESON He's a war criminal?
GIDEON Nope.
MATHESON You mean he.
GIDEON Yep. Forty people in cold-blood. (beat) I don't think anyone will be shedding tears at his funeral.
Matheson twitches his head - he's hearing something through his earpiece.
MATHESON Sir, Tarkus colony is ready to send up the prisoner.
GIDEON Okay. Assign a small squadron of marines to the flight deck. Tell the General he can send him up in a few minutes.
MATHESON Aye, sir.
EXT. SPACE - TARKUS COLONY - MINUTES LATER
We SEE a small military shuttle launch from the surface and head for the Excalibur.
INT. EXCALIBUR FLIGHT DECK - CONTINUOUS
As the main door opens and the military shuttle ENTERS and LANDS. As soon as the door closes and the computer says that "re-pressurization is complete," the shuttle doors open. A dozen marines walk down to the shuttle from the flight deck's Upper Section as General Charlton walks out of the shuttle with Thomas and several guards.
MARINE #1 We have been ordered to escort the prisoner to brig, General Sir.
CHARLTON Of course. My men will follow you and let you know of the security measures needed to detain the prisoner.
MARINE #1 Yes sir.
The marines and Charlton's guards move the prisoner out of the flight deck. Charlton looks back into the shuttle - at the pilot.
CHARLTON Go back to the colony as soon as Charles and Darwin return. I'll be staying here to oversee the prisoner's transfer - and execution, personally; wouldn't miss that show for the world.
The Pilot NODS.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - LATER
We can SEE Thomas behind bars in one of the cells. Outside several marines and Charlton's men are in the middle of a discussion.
DARWIN . And under no circumstances should he be allowed to leave his cell, not even if he is wounded and requires medical attention - he may look like an old man, but, given the chance, he could slit both our throats with a paperclip.
Thomas starts laughing to himself.
CHARLES (aggressively; to Thomas) What the hell do you thinks so funny?
Thomas shrugs his shoulders - with a semi-evil grin on his face.
MARINE #1 I think we can handle it from here.
DARWIN I doubt it. But we have a shuttle waiting for us. Godspeed to you and any guards your captain posts here.
CHARLES (aggressively; to Thomas) Catch ya later, Bruise.
Darwin and Charles leave the room.
MARINE #1 (to himself) What a couple of freaks.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - LATER
We SEE Gideon standing in front of his command chair as General Charlton ENTERS. Gideon TURNS to face him.
GIDEON (confused) General Charlton, your shuttle just left our flight deck a minute ago. What are you still doing here?
CHARLTON Thought I'd stay a while and oversee the prisoner's transfer to McKinley station. I might even stay there for a few days and watch the execution.
GIDEON (clearly doesn't want Charlton here) Thank you for your concern, General, but I think we can handle one prisoner. Your time would be much better spent on Tarkus colony where I'm sure you have duties to tend to.
CHARLTON Nothing that my second officer can't take care of until I get back.
GIDEON
But still, I -
CHARLTON Captain, my mind is made up. I'm staying (and there's nothing you can do about it).
GIDEON (catching that last, unsaid part loud and clear) Okay. We'll assign you some quarters as soon as we can.
Charlton NODS.
CHARLTON Oh, and um, I'd increase security on the section your holding Bruiser by twenty five percent.
GIDEON
I don't think that's necessary; he's just one man. Granted, he's an extremely dangerous man, but I think we can contain him until we get to McKinley station - without turning Deck {DECK NUMBER} into a maximum security re-eduction center.
CHARLTON I suggest you pay Mr. Bruiser a visit before you make that decision. Five minutes alone with him and you'll have nightmares for the rest of your life.
On Gideon's face, as he thinks about Charlton's suggestion, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. DUREENA'S QUARTERS - LATER
We SEE Dureena sitting on a miniaturized chair twirling a dagger between her fingers. We HEAR her door BEEP.
DUREENA Come.
We HEAR the door open - but can't SEE who has entered.
EILERSON (OS) I hope I'm not interrupting anything important.
DUREENA Would it matter if you were?
ANGLE - DUREENA AND EILERSON
EILERSON No. I suppose it wouldn't.
DUREENA What can I do for you, Max?
Eilerson struggles to sit in one of Dureena's other miniature chairs - but eventually manages to.
EILERSON I heard we're transporting a convicted criminal to his firing squad.
DUREENA Yes.
EILERSON What did this guy do to deserve an execution? Mutiny? Treason? Murder?
DUREENA Murder. Why?
EILERSON How many people did he kill?
DUREENA You haven't answered my question yet. (beat) Why?
EILERSON (reluctantly) You're going to think I'm crazy.
DUREENA Too late.
EILERSON (CONT'D) But.
*FLASHBACK*
BLANK SCREEN
Except for Eilerson standing in front of CAMERA as it PANS AROUND him. He looks scared. We can HEAR the sound of his heartbeat, as a gloved hand comes from behind him and covers his mouth. We HEAR his heartbeat accelerate as a second gloved hand comes into view - holding a knife. We SEE Eilerson react, as this hand STABS the knife into Eilerson's side.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
ANGLE - DUREENA AND EILERSON - RESUME
We SEE a DISTANT look on Eilerson's face.
DUREENA Max. Max!
EILERSON ("waking up") Oh, I'm sorry, never mind. Thanks.
Eilerson gets up and EXITS Dureena's quarters.
DUREENA (confused) Your welcome. I think.
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - CONTINUOUS
As it forms a jump-gate and ENTERS it.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - LATER
As Gideon ENTERS and walks past the guards towards Thomas' cell. He stops three feet away from the bars. Thomas LOOKS UP and into Gideon's eyes - still with a hollow and cold look on his face. Gideon clears his throat.
GIDEON Mr. Bruiser, I'm Captain Gideon, commander of the Excalibur - the ship your currently on. (long awkward beat) I wanted to see you before we arrived at McKinley station. I wanted to -
THOMAS (overlapping) Have you ever killed anyone before, captain?
GIDEON In self-defence, or if ordered to, yes.
THOMAS The eyes are the first things to go, aren't they?
GIDEON Excuse me?
THOMAS When you kill someone. Your eyes lose something. An innocence disappears from them forever. I had beautiful eyes, you know. Beautiful blue eyes. They've turned grey now. (beat) Tell me, captain, when you kill do feel. guilty. remorseful for what you've done? Or is that just a cover - something you think you ought to feel so you convince yourself to feel that way? In the Dilgar war I must have killed dozens. hundreds of Dilgar troops. After a while, I can't remember when exactly, I stopped trying to convince myself I felt guilty for the things I did. Stoped trying to convince myself I didn't enjoy the sound of blood splatter when I silt their throats. Then the war was over. I couldn't believe it - I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to keep on killing. so I jumped on board the nearest transport and. well, you know the rest.
GIDEON The Dilgar war ended thirty years ago. You left out a few decades.
THOMAS When you kill, captain, are you. aroused?
GIDEON You sicken me.
THOMAS That's it, talk dirty. You know, captain, you remind me of Dilgar I once ate.
Thomas gives an evil smile and Gideon leaves the brig.
CLOSE UP ON THOMAS' FACE
And on his evil smile, we
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - CONTINUOUS
As it glides past CAMERA.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Thomas sitting in his cell - guards watching him closely. Thomas TURNS away from the guards and places his right hand in his mouth.
CLOSE UP ON THOMAS'S MOUTH
As his fingers find a piece of clear string stuck between his teeth. Once he has a firm grip, he starts to slowly pull the string out.
CLOSE UP ON THOMAS
As he continues to pull the string out - until a small dart-shooting weapon finally comes out of his throat.
CLOSE UP ON WEAPON
While being held by Thomas. On this, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - MINUTES LATER
Matheson is standing at one of his consoles when Gideon ENTERS - looking very annoyed.
GIDEON
How much longer til we reach McKinley station, Lieutenant?
MATHESON One hundred and eleven hours.
GIDEON Oh, Christ.
MATHESON
I take it your meeting with Mr. Bruiser didn't go too well. (beat) What happened?
GIDEON Don't ask.
CHARLTON (OS) Unless you've been vomiting for the last hour, I'd say he took it easy on you.
Gideon and Matheson TURN around and the SEE Charlton standing near the bridge entrance.
GIDEON General, I thought you were being shown to your quarters.
CHARLTON I was, and I have been. Look, captain, just because this is your ship doesn't mean that I have to stay locked up in my quarters for the whole trip. I promise I won't steal your command.
GIDEON Of course not, General. I was just curious as to why you came back here.
CHARLTON Just stretching my legs, taking in the sights. This is quite a ship you've got here captain.
GIDEON Thank you.
Charlton NODS and starts snooping around the bridge.
GIDEON (to Matheson; almost whispering) One hundred eleven hours. and how many minutes?
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - MINUTES LATER
We hold on the guards for a few beats, then another crewman ENTERS and NODS at GUARD #1 - signalling that his shift is over. Guard #1 NODS in agreement and leaves the brig.
INT. OUTSIDE OF THE BRIG - CONTINUOUS
As Guard #1 walks out of the brig and towards CAMERA.
GUARD #1 (to himself - about Thomas) God, what a freak.
INT. MESS HALL - LATER
Its dinner time so the mess hall is very crowded.
GUARD #1 (OS) This guy, I'm telling ya, he's evil. I mean, he eats Dilgar for Christ sake! He gets sexual gratification from killing people!
CAMERA PANS AROUND to find Guard #1 at a table surrounded by dozens of crewmen.
CROWD (overlapping each other) No way. No wander he's being executed. I'd hate to be alone with him. what a nut. hell I'd kill him myself if I could.
GUARD #1 And that's not all, I've been talking to General Charlton - he says that this Bruiser guy.
On this, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR CORRIDOR - ONE DAY LATER
Two maintenance crewmen are working on a broken computer terminal.
TECHNICIAN #1 Hey Jake, you hear about this, ah. Bruiser guy?
TECHNICIAN #2 You mean the criminal we've got locked up in the brig?
TECHNICIAN #1 Yeah. Well, apparently he's been.
On this, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR RECREATION ROOM - ONE DAY LATER
Two crewmen are working out on exercise machines together.
EXERCISING CREWMAN #1 So anyway, that's when Bruiser started killing the crew.
On this, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EILERSON'S QUARTERS - ONE DAY LATER
We can SEE Eilerson lying on his bed - looking rather DISTANT.
*FLASHBACK*
BLANK SCREEN
Except for Eilerson standing in front of CAMERA as it PANS AROUND him. He looks scared. We HEAR his heartbeat - as before in his prior flashback. While PANNING AROUND him, CAMERA is completely covered by Eilerson's back for a moment, and when CAMERA PANS past his back we find ourselves in.
EXT. MARS STREET - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Eilerson starts walking down the empty street - CAMERA follows him. As he passes a small shop with playing vid monitors behind a window, we HEAR.
ISN REPORTER .his last known location was at a local recreation area in Mars Dome one.
The picture of a man appears on the vid monitor.
ISN REPORTER (CONT'D) His name is David Shaman, he's an escaped convict. If you see him in the area please notify the police, he is considered dangerous - repeat - he is considered dangerous. Police are investigating the cause of his.
As Eilerson continues to walk down the street the ISN reporter's voice begins to fade away. Eilerson STOPS when he HEARS footsteps behind him. CAMERA starts to PAN AROUND Eilerson again. A gloved hand comes from behind him and covers his mouth. We HEAR his heartbeat accelerate as a second gloved hand comes into view - holding a knife. We SEE Eilerson react, as this hand STABS the knife into Eilerson's side.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
ANGLE - EILERSON LYING ON HIS BED - RESUME
On his troubled look, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - MORNING
We SEE Gideon and Matheson both standing to the left of the command chair.
GIDEON What the hells going on, Lieutenant?
MATHESON Sir, I don't know what your -
GIDEON I get out of my quarters this morning and there's a mob of angry crewmen waiting for me outside the door. Apparently news of our guest's offences has become common knowledge. I'll give you one guess at who I blame for this... breach.
MATHESON General Charlton.
GIDEON Got it in one.
We HEAR someone ENTER the bridge. Gideon TURNS - expecting to see General Charlton.
ANGLE - GIDEON, MATHESON AND BRIDGE ENTRANCE
As we SEE a very disgruntled Eilerson ENTER the bridge and walk down closer to Gideon.
EILERSON What the hell do you think you're doing?!
GIDEON And a 'good morning' to you too Mr. Eilerson.
EILERSON You let the bastard out of his cell!
GIDEON He injured himself. He needed immediate medical attention. What was I supposed to do? Let him bleed to death in the brig?
Eilerson gives Gideon a "Why not" look. Matheson twitches his head and touches his earpiece - he's HEARING something.
MATHESON Sir, MedLab reports that the prisoner has been treated and is being transported back to the brig.
GIDEON (to Eilerson) See, no harm done.
EILERSON This time. Next time we might not be so fortunate.
We SEE General Charlton ENTER the bridge and walk towards Gideon.
CHARLTON (annoyed) Captain Gideon, this is an outrage! My men gave specific instructions as to how the prisoner was to be handled. One of the first things they would have said was that under no circumstances whatsoever is he to be released from his cell. I don't understand why you would have -
GIDEON (overlapping) General, we've just gotten word that he's been treated for his - potentially fatal - accident, and is on his way back to the brig.
CHARLTON (overlapping) Accident! No. Bruiser doesn't have accidents, Bruiser has planned strategic occurrences. The purpose of his accident wasn't to escape - if it were then he would have already attempted something. So. it must have been for surveillance purposes only; he's searching the perimeter for weaknesses. We should change the guards' positioning throughout the deck, and reinforce the -
GIDEON (losing his patients) General Charlton! Perhaps you've forgotten, but this is my ship and it's under my command.
CHARLTON Can't you see what he's doing? He's taking control of his surroundings - getting ready for his final assault. Damn it captain, open your eyes!
EILERSON (to Gideon) It couldn't hurt to change the security roster.
A few long beats pass.
GIDEON Alright. (to Matheson) Lieutenant, make the appropriate changes.
MATHESON Aye, sir.
Matheson moves to one of his consoles.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - LATER
We can SEE Thomas in his cell and several guards around the room. Thomas is humming the words to Frank Loesser and Hoagy Carmichael's "Heart and Soul." His humming soon turns into words.
ANGLE - THOMAS IN HIS CELL
His eyes are closed; he's relaxing.
THOMAS (singing) Heart and soul, I fell in love with you. Heart and soul, the way a fool would do. madly. Because you held me tight. And stole a kiss in the night. Heart and soul.
CHAMBERS (OS) You have a lovely voice.
Thomas opens his eyes and reacts to this unknown voice.
ANGLE - CHAMBERS STANDING OUTSIDE THOMAS'S CELL
CHAMBERS (CONT'D) You should have been a singer.
THOMAS Thank you. But I'm afraid my little. hobby, would make that career choice impossible. Do you think people would have loved Elvis as much as they did if he murdered his fans?
CHAMBERS I don't see how you can joke about what you've done.
THOMAS It's surprisingly easy actually. (beat) Not that it hasn't been great chatting with you, but why did you come here?
CHAMBERS I need to understand why you killed all those people.
THOMAS No you don't. But if you're really interested then ask your captain; I gave him a brief overview on the matter - no details though, I didn't think he could handle them.
Chambers TURNS to leave. Thomas takes the small dart-shooting weapon out of his pocket and shoots the guards with it. Then, when Chambers TURNS back to Thomas, he puts his arms out through the bars and grabs Chambers' neck before she could react to the guards being shot. He starts strangling her with both hands as tight as he can. Just as it looks as though she's about to lose consciousness. Charlton walks through the door and - after seeing Thomas strangling Chambers - draws his PPG.
CHARLTON Let her go, Bruiser! Now!
After a long, dramatic beat, we
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - CONTINUOUS
Just where we left off. Thomas finally lets her go of Chambers and she drops to the floor. Thomas raises his arms (surrendering) and smiles at Charlton.
THOMAS (smugly) Don't shoot; I surrender.
CHARLTON You sick son of a -
We can SEE Charlton is about to shoot Thomas, when
ANGLE - BRIG ENTRANCE
Marine #1 ENTERS and SEES the bodies.
MARINE #1 Oh my God! (to Charlton) What happened here?
CLOSE UP ON CHARLTON
As he slowly lowers his PPG. Then, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR MEDLAB - MINUTES LATER
We SEE an unconscious Chambers being rushed through the room on a bio-bed by several medics - one is Doctor Patterson - a human male in his thirties. Her throat looks badly bruised.
PATTERSON (urgently) I want her setup and ready to resuscitate STAT!
They wheel her to the operating section of the MedLab and place small metal claps on her face. On this, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR MEDLAB - LATER
We SEE a CLOSE UP on Chambers lying on a bio-bed - her throat should still look badly bruised from the attack.
ANGLE - THE WHOLE ROOM
We can SEE Doctor Patterson standing next to Chambers with a very concerned Dureena.
DUREENA Is she going to be alright?
PATTERSON Yes. We managed to resuscitate her brain cells just in time. Another minute or two and it would have been too late.
Matheson ENTERS the MedLab and walks towards Chambers.
MATHESON (concerned) I got here as soon as I could. Is she.
PATTERSON She's going to be fine.
MATHESON The captain wanted to come too, but he's discussing the situation with General Charlton in the conference room.
CHARLTON (V.O.) This is madness!
On this, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR CONFERENCE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
We SEE a CLOSE UP on Charlton standing in front of, and leaning his hands against the conference room table.
CHARLTON (CONT'D) (furious) He's already claimed his first victims! He's taking over control of your ship and you can't even see it!
ANGLE - THE WHOLE CONFERENCE ROOM TABLE
We can SEE Gideon, Eilerson and Marine #1 on one side, and a steaming General Charlton on the other. Gideon also doesn't look to happy.
GIDEON No, General, the only one who's taking over my ship is you.
CHARLTON And what's that supposed to mean?!
GIDEON You've posted guards in areas of the Excalibur that weren't approved by myself or Lieutenant Matheson. You've ordered crewmen away from critical areas and into mundane sections of the ship - all to stop an imaginary invasion by a man locked up behind in our brig.
CHARLTON Now you see here captain -
Gideon's wrist-link BEEPS.
GIDEON (IN LINK) Yes.
BRIDGE CREWMAN (ON LINK) Sir, there's a message coming in for you from EarthGov. It's marked as priority Omega.
GIDEON (IN LINK) I'll take it in my quarters.
BRIDGE CREWMAN (ON LINK) Aye, sir. Rerouting message now.
GIDEON (IN LINK) Gideon out. (to Charlton) I think we're finished here.
Gideon EXITS the conference room. Eilerson EXITS a beat later.
INT. GIDEON'S QUARTERS - MINUTES LATER
We SEE Gideon ENTER and move over to his personal CPU console. He TURNS it ON.
GIDEON Display omega priority message from EarthGov.
Although we can't SEE the message that has appeared on screen from this angle, we can SEE the reflection of a text message on Gideon's face. Gideon reads the message.
GIDEON (stunned) No way.
EILERSON (V.O.) You can't be serious.
On this, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR CONFERENCE ROOM - LATER
We SEE Gideon, Matheson, Dureena and Eilerson sitting in their usual seats. Gideon has caused quite a stir with his news from EarthGov, Eilerson and Dureena are especially ticked off.
EILERSON (CONT'D) The man has admitted to mass murder! How in hell is he not getting executed?! Hell, he's not even going to prison; he's going to a damn nut-house!
DUREENA How can your people justify this? They're letting him get away unpunished!
MATHESON After what he's done to Doctor Chambers I don't see why EarthGov -
GIDEON I know. Nonetheless, the order is a valid one. We're still transporting him to McKinley station, but instead of being executed he'll be transported via EA Destroyer to Earth where he'll undergo treatment for his illness.
MATHESON Why? The psychiatric profiles taken on Tarkus colony all turned out fine. He has control over his own actions; he's not insane.
GIDEON Apparently Mr. Bruiser's lawyers have been very busy; they've convinced the Supreme Court that he's suffering from 'Dilgar war syndrome' - in theory it works just like Minbari war syndrome. When you become obsessed with the enemy, you become the enemy. They're arguing that because he was surrounded by Dilgar - a race he's been told is a vicious, murderous race - in battle everyday for over three years, he eventually became the very same type of person as the people he was killing. (beat) Who knows, maybe they're right.
EILERSON (covering his strong feelings on the subject) Or maybe they're not. Maybe he's just a cold-blooded killer, all he ever was and all he'll ever be.
MATHESON If they're not going to execute him then they should schedule a brain- wipe.
GIDEON They don't want to erase his personality; they want to treat his current one.
DUREENA If they can wipe his personality then why can't wipe his recollection of -
Dureena is stoped mid-sentence as we SEE Charlton ENTER the room.
GIDEON General, I -
CHARLTON Why wasn't I informed?
GIDEON General, this is a senior staff meeting. You may outrank all of us, but you don't serve on this ship and aren't a member of its staff.
CHARLTON I was talking about Bruiser, and you damn well know it.
GIDEON I was going to tell you after the meeting. How did you find out?
CHARLTON The prosecution is a good friend of mine. She's been keeping me informed on the trial. (beat) How could they let this happened? If he plays his cards right he could be back on the streets in fifteen years for good behaviour! That's not right.
GIDEON General, can I have a word with you in private.
Charlton NODS and they move into the adjoining room.
INT. ADJOINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
As Gideon and Charlton ENTERS and move to a corner.
GIDEON I know about Samantha.
Charlton's silence indicates that he knows what Gideon is talking about.
GIDEON (CONT'D) Your son's fiancée. She was among the crew of the commercial transport Bruiser attacked. She died three days later in intensive care. (beat) If I knew of your personal involvement with Bruiser I never would have let you on the Excalibur. Under the circumstances I don't think any involvement by you would be appropriate in -
CHARLTON (overlapping) Bullshit. If anything my personal involvement with Bruiser makes me the perfect -
GIDEON (overlapping) I didn't come here to argue with you, General. Just stay out of this until we reach McKinley station.
Gideon walks back into the conference room.
CLOSE UP ON CHARLTON
As he contemplates what to do next. On this, we
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - LATER
As it glides past CAMERA.
INT. EXCALIBUR MEDLAB - LATER
We SEE Chambers lying in a bio-bed - conscious but not looking too well. A beat later, Eilerson ENTERS the MedLab - looking very uncomfortable.
EILERSON Hey.
CHAMBERS Hey. (awkward beat) I suppose we'll be reaching McKinley station soon.
EILERSON In a few hours. (gestures to her neck) Hows the.
CHAMBERS Better. I should be able to leave in the morning.
EILERSON Are you going to be alright? It's a traumatic thing, being attacked.
CHAMBERS I've made an appointment to see Doctor Smith tomorrow.
EILERSON The ship's shrink.
CHAMBERS Yep. (beat) I think I'll be fine.
EILERSON Well, if you need to talk to somebody - besides a shrink.
CHAMBERS Thanks.
EILERSON Have you heard about sentence change?
Chambers NODS.
EILERSON It can't be easy knowing that the person who hurt you isn't getting the punishment he deserves.
CHAMBERS I can live with it, as long as he's far away from me.
EILERSON (beat) I'd better get going; I have to finish a report to IPX before we reach McKinley station.
CHAMBERS (genuinely flattered) Thanks for coming, Max.
Eilerson NODS and EXITS the MedLab.
CLOSE UP ON CHAMBERS
As she watches Eilerson leave.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Thomas sitting in his cell again - this time with a bandage around his head from his accident earlier. Six guards are now posted outside his cell - one of them is Marine #1. A beat later, we HEAR someone ENTER.
ANGLE - THOMAS
As he looks up to the face of.
ANGLE - MATHESON
As he looks down at Thomas with judgmental eyes.
MATHESON AND THOMAS
Matheson is standing in front of Thomas.
THOMAS And what do you want?
MATHESON Lots of things. I want to project in you the pain and suffering you've caused to others. I want to rewire your neural cortex to stop you from killing again. (beat) I want to hear that you're sorry, to know that you feel some remorse. anything that proves that if you die then God would be doing more than just cutting out a weed from the garden. I want you to prove to me that you have a soul.
THOMAS I like to sing before I kill. I've been told that I'm a good singer - Does that count?
Thomas forms an evil smile. Matheson stares blankly at Thomas for beat, then EXITS - he's gotten his answer.
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - LATER
As it glides past CAMERA.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Gideon sitting in his command chair and Matheson at one of his consoles.
MATHESON Approaching McKinley station.
GIDEON Prepare to jump out of hyperspace. Jump.
EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS
As a jump-point forms and the Excalibur EMERGES from it. CAMERA follows the Excalibur as it approaches McKinley station - a small EarthAlliance station orbiting a moon.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Gideon sitting in his command chair and Matheson at one of his consoles - as before.
GIDEON Is the prisoner's shuttle ready to depart?
MATHESON Yes sir.
GIDEON Then by all means, Lieutenant, get that son of a bitch of my ship.
MATHESON Aye, sir. (to console) Flight deck, the prisoner is cleared to disembark.
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR AND MC'KINLEY STATION - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Thomas's shuttle come out of the Excalibur and towards McKinley station.
CLOSE UP ON SHUTTLE
As is glides towards CAMERA. A beat later, BOOM - the shuttle explodes and debris flies everywhere.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - MAIN VIEWER - CONTINUOUS
As the explosion dies down.
GIDEON AND MATHESON
Both are shocked by what has just happened.
GIDEON What the hell?!
MATHESON Checking surveillance reports.
On Gideon's look, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. FLIGHT DECK - LATER
We can SEE General Charlton outside of a McKinley station shuttle. Gideon walks into FRAME.
GIDEON Leaving so soon?
CHARLTON I have a long trip ahead of me. I'll have to take a commercial transport back to Tarkus colony. All that trouble and I didn't even get to see him die.
GIDEON Thought you would have been pleased with the way things worked out.
CHARLTON I suppose it was better than the alternative; Bruiser walking away scot-free. (beat) You think I killed him don't you?
GIDEON The thought had crossed my mind.
CHARLTON Well, I didn't. Bruiser wasn't the only one on that shuttle. If I had blown it up then I would be no better than him.
GIDEON Yeah. I just have trouble believing that a man with so many enemies' shuttle can just accidentally malfunction.
CHARLTON I know what you mean; I have trouble believing it myself. (beat) You know, I wouldn't be surprised if Bruiser blew the shuttle up himself - taking a few innocent men with him; just the way he would have wanted to go.
GIDEON You seemed to know things about him - almost as if you and he were close. Did you spend much time with him on Tarkus colony?
CHARLTON Yeah. More than I probably should have. We were beginning to form a Moby/Ahab relationship. I was almost at the point where I would have done anything to harpoon my whale.
GIDEON I can understand that. He did murder someone close to you.
CHARLTON Well, I guess I ought to get going; don't want to keep you away from your mission any longer than I already have.
Gideon NODS and they shake hands.
CHARLTON See you around, captain.
GIDEON Hopefully under better circumstances next time.
Charlton NODS and ENTERS his shuttle. On Gideon's look, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EILERSON'S QUARTERS - MINUTES LATER
We SEE Eilerson sitting in a chair reading. We HEAR the door BEEP.
EILERSON It's open.
We SEE Dureena ENTER and move towards Eilerson. He puts his book down.
EILERSON Yes?
DUREENA You hear about Bruiser?
EILERSON Good riddens to unwanted trash.
DUREENA In my quarters a few days ago you were asking a lot of questions about Bruiser. But you never answered when I asked you why.
EILERSON So, let me see if I've got this straight, you came here to get an answer for a question you asked me four days earlier?
Dureena NODS. A beat passes.
DUREENA You gonna answer or not?
HOSPITAL SHRINK (V.O.) Well?
*FLASHBACK*
INT. EMERGENCY ROOM
We SEE Eilerson lying on a bed with bandages around his waist and small cuts on his face. Next to him we SEE a Hospital Shrink.
EILERSON I told you I don't need your help.
HOSPITAL SHRINK No, Mr. Eilerson, you don't want my help. But you do need it, trust me. I recognise many symptoms in you; if they aren't addressed then I fear they may result in violence.
EILERSON (overlapping) Leave!
*END OF FLASHBACK*
INT. EILERSON'S QUARTERS - RESUME
EILERSON No. I'm not.
DUREENA (she knows something's wrong) Max.
EILERSON Don't let the door slide into ya on the way out.
Dureena waits for a beat, then EXITS Eilerson's quarters. On Eilerson's look, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - MINUTES LATER
We SEE Matheson standing by the command chair as Gideon ENTERS the bridge and walks towards him.
GIDEON Maintenance crews finished searching the debris yet?
MATHESON Yes. It could have been an equipment failure, an accidental engine overload. Or.
GIDEON . Or Sabotage.
MATHESON It's a possibility.
GIDEON Not a very pleasant one.
Gideon sits down in his command chair and starts waiting impatiently for a few beats.
GIDEON C'mon, what's taking them so long?
MATHESON
They're still waiting for EarthGov confirmation on -
Matheson twitches - he's HEARING something.
MATHESON (CONT'D) Wait. they're finished, we're cleared to leave.
GIDEON About time. Lay in a course for Drimsara Prime and jump.
MATHESON Aye, sir. Setting course at mark five, three, nine point.
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR AND MC'KINLEY STATION - CONTINUOUS
As the Excalibur moves away from the station and jumps out. On this, we FADE OUT:
END OF ACT FOUR
TAG
FADE IN:
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - ONE DAY LATER
Just to establish.
SMITH (V.O.) Tell me about it.
CHAMBERS (V.O.) It's nothing.
INT. DOCTOR SMITH'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Chambers lying on a fainting-couch and a blurred figure next to her - the CAMERA's focus is on Chambers.
CHAMBERS (CONT'D) (clearly lying) It was just a dream. I'm fine.
SMITH Sarah, you know that if you keep repressing what happened to you, pretending that it never happened, then cannot move past it.
Chambers fights back a tear.
SMITH Whatever is said here between these walls stays here.
CHAMBERS I see him.
*FLASHBACK*
(Through these flashback scenes we HEAR Thomas singing the lyrics to "Heart & Soul" as before.)
THOMAS (V.O.) (singing) Heart and soul, I fell in love with you. Heart and soul, the way a fool would do. madly. Because you held me tight. And stole a kiss in the night. Heart and soul.
CHAMBERS (V.O.) I hear him singing.
Chambers TURNS back to Thomas, he puts his arms out through the bars and grabs Chambers' neck.
CHAMBERS (V.O.) He grabs me, starts hurting me.
He starts strangling her with both hands as tight as he can.
CHAMBERS (V.O.) Stop it! Stop hurting me. Let me go!
Just as it looks as though she's about to lose consciousness.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
INT. DOCTOR SMITH'S OFFICE - RESUME
Chambers starts to cry. On this, we DISSOLVE TO.
EXT. GRAVEYARD - EARTH - ONE MONTH LATER
We SEE a priest giving a funeral service - only one other person is present, and she's covered by a raincoat - its raining. In the background we can SEE a Hillside of gravestones. SUPERIMPOSE: New Zealand, Earth. One month later.
CLOSE UP ON THE GRAVESTONE
We can SEE. "Thomas Bruiser, 2201-2268" engraved on it. Although we can HEAR the priest talking in the background the focus is on the gravestone.
CLOSE UP ON THE.
Old woman in the raincoat, as she kneels down in front on the gravestone and places several white roses next to it.
CLOSE UP ON THE GRAVESTONE
As the roses are put next to it.
GIDEON (V.O.) I don't think anyone will be shedding tears at his funeral.
CLOSE UP ON THE OLD WOMAN
As a tear rolls down her cheek.
On this, we
FADE OUT:
END OF TAG
VENGEANCE
Written by Martin A. Stihec TEASER
FADE IN:
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR
We SEE it move past CAMERA. CAMERA PANS AROUND to find the Excalibur moving towards a small orange planet.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
We SEE a CLOSE UP on Gideon's face - he's sitting in his command chair.
GIDEON Open a channel to General Charlton's office.
CAMERA PANS to the left to find Matheson at one of his consoles.
MATHESON Channel open.
CAMERA PANS back to Gideon's face.
GIDEON General Charlton, this is Captain Mathew Gideon of the EarthAlliance starship Excalibur. Your message said you were in immediate need of our assistance.
MATHESON (OS) We're getting video-feedback from the surface.
GIDEON Put it on screen, Lieutenant.
A beat later.
CHARLTON (OS) Captain Gideon.
MAIN VIEWER
We SEE the image of General Charlton - a human male in his late forties.
CHARLTON (CONT'D) This is General Max Charlton, commanding officer of the Tarkus IV Earth colony. Thank you for coming so soon, captain, I wasn't sure my message got through; we've been having more than a few technical difficulties lately.
GIDEON General, what's the nature of your emergency?
CHARLTON I'm afraid it would be a bit hard to explain everything over sub- space. If you and a few of your senior staff could come down to the colony, I'll show the emergency in person.
GIDEON (beat; thinking) Alright. We'll meet you down there. Gideon out.
Charlton's image disappears from the main viewer.
GIDEON Lieutenant, tell Dureena and Doctor Chambers to meet me in the flight deck ASAP.
MATHESON Aye, sir.
On Gideon's face, we DISSOLVE TO.
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR - LATER
As a shuttle EXITS the ship and heads for the planet's surface.
EXT. TARKUS IV COLONY - MINUTES LATER
From this distance we can only SEE a reasonably small colony around an oxygen dome - like the ones used on Mars. The colour of the planet's sky is a very unusual shade of green.
EXT. TARKUS IV COLONY - LANDING BAY - CONTINUOUS
We can SEE several small EarthAlliance ships behind Gideon, Chambers and Dureena as they walk towards CAMERA. They stop at the sight of Charlton and several other officers walking towards them.
CHARLTON Captain.
GIDEON General. (beat) This is my chief medical officer, Doctor Sarah Chambers. And my. special operations officer, Dureena Nafeel.
CHARLTON A pleasure. (beat) Now, captain, back to my request for assistance. If you'd all follow me I'll introduce you to him.
CHAMBERS Him?
INT. COLONY DETAINMENT ROOM - LATER
As Gideon, Chambers and Dureena are showed in by Charlton. We can SEE several containment cells guarded by half a dozen guards. The cells themselves are ceiled off with metal and a thick sheet of fire-proof two- way glass - letting us SEE the detainees without them seeing us.
CHARLTON (gesturing to a cell currently OS) Here.
ANGLE - GESTURED CELL
We can SEE a man - Thomas Bruiser, a Human in his late sixties. He is sitting in on the floor with his arms and legs restrained. He has a hollow, dead look to him - very freaky.
CHARLTON (CONT'D) His name's Thomas J. Bruiser. Last week he single-handedly murdered the crew of a passing commercial transport ship, using nothing but a curving knife.
CLOSE UP ON CHAMBERS
As she reacts to this.
ANGLE - ALL OF THEM
CHARLTON (CONT'D) He also killed three of my men. I checked his record; apparently he'd served in EarthForce during the Dilgar war and was reported as Missing- In-Action just prior to the war's end.
A long beat passes.
GIDEON And.
CHARLTON That's it. Until last week he was a ghost.
GIDEON But the Dilgar war was thirty years ago. There has to be something in there - or somewhere, an indication of where he's been since then.
CHARLTON I know. There should be, but there isn't. He's an Enigma. (beat) I've been in EarthForce for almost thirty years - served and lived through the Minbari war, Earth's civil war and the telepath crisis. this man scares me more than anything I saw in all those wars. In war people do what they do because they have to. But the way he murdered those people, he didn't just kill them. he butchered them. Cut them up, took his time arranging the bodies.
DUREENA Is he getting the death penalty?
CHARLTON He is.
Chambers flinches at this; she believes in the preservation of life - even murderers. Although we can, and will see later in the script, that she doesn't entirely disagree with his execution.
CHARLTON (CONT'D) It's all been approved by EarthGov. He'll be the first person to endure the death penalty since it was reinstated last year.
GIDEON Then, with all due respect, General, why the hell did you call us here. It seems to me that any emergency you might have had was over days ago.
CHARLTON (uncomfortably) I'm afraid EarthGov wants the execution to take place on a more. military run outpost, not a civilian one like Tarkus colony.
CHAMBERS Why?
CHARLTON To portray the feel of a more professional procedure, or some weak-ass excuse like that. Anyway, the nearest military outpost is Mc'kinley station - light-years away. Because there is currently no jump-gate near Tarkus it would take us four or five times as long to reach Mc'kinley station than a ship capable of jumping without the presence of a gate.
GIDEON I don't like where this is going, General.
CHARLTON Captain Gideon, I'm giving you a direct order, 'you will transport the prisoner to Mc'kinley station for his court-ordered execution.'
CLOSE UP ON GIDEON'S FACE
As he reacts. He stares at the hollow-man in the detainment cell.
CHARLTON (OS) I'm sorry, captain, I wish there were another way.
CLOSE UP ON THOMAS
On his hollow face, we
FADE OUT:
END OF TEASER
[pic] Matthew Gideon. Captain. Attached to the
Earth Alliance Starship Excalibur.
[pic]
To find a cure to the Drakh plague before
it wipes out all life on Earth.
[pic]
Anywhere I have to.
[pic]
No one.
CRUSADE
Starring
[pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic] [pic]
CREATED BY J. MICHAEL STRACZYNSKI
VENGEANCE
Written by
Martin A. Stihec
Guest Starring
CLANCY BROWN as General Charlton W. MORGAN SHEPPARD as Thomas Bruiser
Co-Starring JOHN BILLINGSLEY as Doctor Smith MARK MOSES as Marine #1 MAGGIE EGAN as ISN Reporter As Hospital Shrink MARK HENDRICKSON as Guard #1 As Doctor Patterson As Technician #1 HARLAN ELLISON as Darwin ARMIN SHIMMERMIN as Bridge Crewman MICHAEL MC'KENZIE as Technician #2 ERNIE DINGO as Exercising Crewman #1 MARK ALLAN SHEPARD as Charles
[pic]
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR - LATER
Just to establish.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
We can SEE Matheson standing in front of the command chair as Gideon ENTERS. Matheson TURNS to face him.
MATHESON Captain, is it true?
Gideon walks up to Matheson.
GIDEON Is what true?
MATHESON (CONT'D) That we're transporting a criminal to McKinley station - almost five days away at maximum burn.
GIDEON Yeah, it's true. I don't like it, but it's true.
MATHESON Why don't they just transport him themselves? Don't they know the Excalibur has more important things to do -?
GIDEON Like saving Earth from the Drakh plague? I told him. But, at the end of the day, an order's an order. To be honest, I think the good General just wants him out of his jurisdiction. Can't say I blame him though, the guy did kill over forty people.
MATHESON He's a war criminal?
GIDEON Nope.
MATHESON You mean he.
GIDEON Yep. Forty people in cold-blood. (beat) I don't think anyone will be shedding tears at his funeral.
Matheson twitches his head - he's hearing something through his earpiece.
MATHESON Sir, Tarkus colony is ready to send up the prisoner.
GIDEON Okay. Assign a small squadron of marines to the flight deck. Tell the General he can send him up in a few minutes.
MATHESON Aye, sir.
EXT. SPACE - TARKUS COLONY - MINUTES LATER
We SEE a small military shuttle launch from the surface and head for the Excalibur.
INT. EXCALIBUR FLIGHT DECK - CONTINUOUS
As the main door opens and the military shuttle ENTERS and LANDS. As soon as the door closes and the computer says that "re-pressurization is complete," the shuttle doors open. A dozen marines walk down to the shuttle from the flight deck's Upper Section as General Charlton walks out of the shuttle with Thomas and several guards.
MARINE #1 We have been ordered to escort the prisoner to brig, General Sir.
CHARLTON Of course. My men will follow you and let you know of the security measures needed to detain the prisoner.
MARINE #1 Yes sir.
The marines and Charlton's guards move the prisoner out of the flight deck. Charlton looks back into the shuttle - at the pilot.
CHARLTON Go back to the colony as soon as Charles and Darwin return. I'll be staying here to oversee the prisoner's transfer - and execution, personally; wouldn't miss that show for the world.
The Pilot NODS.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - LATER
We can SEE Thomas behind bars in one of the cells. Outside several marines and Charlton's men are in the middle of a discussion.
DARWIN . And under no circumstances should he be allowed to leave his cell, not even if he is wounded and requires medical attention - he may look like an old man, but, given the chance, he could slit both our throats with a paperclip.
Thomas starts laughing to himself.
CHARLES (aggressively; to Thomas) What the hell do you thinks so funny?
Thomas shrugs his shoulders - with a semi-evil grin on his face.
MARINE #1 I think we can handle it from here.
DARWIN I doubt it. But we have a shuttle waiting for us. Godspeed to you and any guards your captain posts here.
CHARLES (aggressively; to Thomas) Catch ya later, Bruise.
Darwin and Charles leave the room.
MARINE #1 (to himself) What a couple of freaks.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - LATER
We SEE Gideon standing in front of his command chair as General Charlton ENTERS. Gideon TURNS to face him.
GIDEON (confused) General Charlton, your shuttle just left our flight deck a minute ago. What are you still doing here?
CHARLTON Thought I'd stay a while and oversee the prisoner's transfer to McKinley station. I might even stay there for a few days and watch the execution.
GIDEON (clearly doesn't want Charlton here) Thank you for your concern, General, but I think we can handle one prisoner. Your time would be much better spent on Tarkus colony where I'm sure you have duties to tend to.
CHARLTON Nothing that my second officer can't take care of until I get back.
GIDEON
But still, I -
CHARLTON Captain, my mind is made up. I'm staying (and there's nothing you can do about it).
GIDEON (catching that last, unsaid part loud and clear) Okay. We'll assign you some quarters as soon as we can.
Charlton NODS.
CHARLTON Oh, and um, I'd increase security on the section your holding Bruiser by twenty five percent.
GIDEON
I don't think that's necessary; he's just one man. Granted, he's an extremely dangerous man, but I think we can contain him until we get to McKinley station - without turning Deck {DECK NUMBER} into a maximum security re-eduction center.
CHARLTON I suggest you pay Mr. Bruiser a visit before you make that decision. Five minutes alone with him and you'll have nightmares for the rest of your life.
On Gideon's face, as he thinks about Charlton's suggestion, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. DUREENA'S QUARTERS - LATER
We SEE Dureena sitting on a miniaturized chair twirling a dagger between her fingers. We HEAR her door BEEP.
DUREENA Come.
We HEAR the door open - but can't SEE who has entered.
EILERSON (OS) I hope I'm not interrupting anything important.
DUREENA Would it matter if you were?
ANGLE - DUREENA AND EILERSON
EILERSON No. I suppose it wouldn't.
DUREENA What can I do for you, Max?
Eilerson struggles to sit in one of Dureena's other miniature chairs - but eventually manages to.
EILERSON I heard we're transporting a convicted criminal to his firing squad.
DUREENA Yes.
EILERSON What did this guy do to deserve an execution? Mutiny? Treason? Murder?
DUREENA Murder. Why?
EILERSON How many people did he kill?
DUREENA You haven't answered my question yet. (beat) Why?
EILERSON (reluctantly) You're going to think I'm crazy.
DUREENA Too late.
EILERSON (CONT'D) But.
*FLASHBACK*
BLANK SCREEN
Except for Eilerson standing in front of CAMERA as it PANS AROUND him. He looks scared. We can HEAR the sound of his heartbeat, as a gloved hand comes from behind him and covers his mouth. We HEAR his heartbeat accelerate as a second gloved hand comes into view - holding a knife. We SEE Eilerson react, as this hand STABS the knife into Eilerson's side.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
ANGLE - DUREENA AND EILERSON - RESUME
We SEE a DISTANT look on Eilerson's face.
DUREENA Max. Max!
EILERSON ("waking up") Oh, I'm sorry, never mind. Thanks.
Eilerson gets up and EXITS Dureena's quarters.
DUREENA (confused) Your welcome. I think.
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - CONTINUOUS
As it forms a jump-gate and ENTERS it.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - LATER
As Gideon ENTERS and walks past the guards towards Thomas' cell. He stops three feet away from the bars. Thomas LOOKS UP and into Gideon's eyes - still with a hollow and cold look on his face. Gideon clears his throat.
GIDEON Mr. Bruiser, I'm Captain Gideon, commander of the Excalibur - the ship your currently on. (long awkward beat) I wanted to see you before we arrived at McKinley station. I wanted to -
THOMAS (overlapping) Have you ever killed anyone before, captain?
GIDEON In self-defence, or if ordered to, yes.
THOMAS The eyes are the first things to go, aren't they?
GIDEON Excuse me?
THOMAS When you kill someone. Your eyes lose something. An innocence disappears from them forever. I had beautiful eyes, you know. Beautiful blue eyes. They've turned grey now. (beat) Tell me, captain, when you kill do feel. guilty. remorseful for what you've done? Or is that just a cover - something you think you ought to feel so you convince yourself to feel that way? In the Dilgar war I must have killed dozens. hundreds of Dilgar troops. After a while, I can't remember when exactly, I stopped trying to convince myself I felt guilty for the things I did. Stoped trying to convince myself I didn't enjoy the sound of blood splatter when I silt their throats. Then the war was over. I couldn't believe it - I didn't want to believe it. I wanted to keep on killing. so I jumped on board the nearest transport and. well, you know the rest.
GIDEON The Dilgar war ended thirty years ago. You left out a few decades.
THOMAS When you kill, captain, are you. aroused?
GIDEON You sicken me.
THOMAS That's it, talk dirty. You know, captain, you remind me of Dilgar I once ate.
Thomas gives an evil smile and Gideon leaves the brig.
CLOSE UP ON THOMAS' FACE
And on his evil smile, we
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - CONTINUOUS
As it glides past CAMERA.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Thomas sitting in his cell - guards watching him closely. Thomas TURNS away from the guards and places his right hand in his mouth.
CLOSE UP ON THOMAS'S MOUTH
As his fingers find a piece of clear string stuck between his teeth. Once he has a firm grip, he starts to slowly pull the string out.
CLOSE UP ON THOMAS
As he continues to pull the string out - until a small dart-shooting weapon finally comes out of his throat.
CLOSE UP ON WEAPON
While being held by Thomas. On this, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - MINUTES LATER
Matheson is standing at one of his consoles when Gideon ENTERS - looking very annoyed.
GIDEON
How much longer til we reach McKinley station, Lieutenant?
MATHESON One hundred and eleven hours.
GIDEON Oh, Christ.
MATHESON
I take it your meeting with Mr. Bruiser didn't go too well. (beat) What happened?
GIDEON Don't ask.
CHARLTON (OS) Unless you've been vomiting for the last hour, I'd say he took it easy on you.
Gideon and Matheson TURN around and the SEE Charlton standing near the bridge entrance.
GIDEON General, I thought you were being shown to your quarters.
CHARLTON I was, and I have been. Look, captain, just because this is your ship doesn't mean that I have to stay locked up in my quarters for the whole trip. I promise I won't steal your command.
GIDEON Of course not, General. I was just curious as to why you came back here.
CHARLTON Just stretching my legs, taking in the sights. This is quite a ship you've got here captain.
GIDEON Thank you.
Charlton NODS and starts snooping around the bridge.
GIDEON (to Matheson; almost whispering) One hundred eleven hours. and how many minutes?
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - MINUTES LATER
We hold on the guards for a few beats, then another crewman ENTERS and NODS at GUARD #1 - signalling that his shift is over. Guard #1 NODS in agreement and leaves the brig.
INT. OUTSIDE OF THE BRIG - CONTINUOUS
As Guard #1 walks out of the brig and towards CAMERA.
GUARD #1 (to himself - about Thomas) God, what a freak.
INT. MESS HALL - LATER
Its dinner time so the mess hall is very crowded.
GUARD #1 (OS) This guy, I'm telling ya, he's evil. I mean, he eats Dilgar for Christ sake! He gets sexual gratification from killing people!
CAMERA PANS AROUND to find Guard #1 at a table surrounded by dozens of crewmen.
CROWD (overlapping each other) No way. No wander he's being executed. I'd hate to be alone with him. what a nut. hell I'd kill him myself if I could.
GUARD #1 And that's not all, I've been talking to General Charlton - he says that this Bruiser guy.
On this, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR CORRIDOR - ONE DAY LATER
Two maintenance crewmen are working on a broken computer terminal.
TECHNICIAN #1 Hey Jake, you hear about this, ah. Bruiser guy?
TECHNICIAN #2 You mean the criminal we've got locked up in the brig?
TECHNICIAN #1 Yeah. Well, apparently he's been.
On this, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR RECREATION ROOM - ONE DAY LATER
Two crewmen are working out on exercise machines together.
EXERCISING CREWMAN #1 So anyway, that's when Bruiser started killing the crew.
On this, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EILERSON'S QUARTERS - ONE DAY LATER
We can SEE Eilerson lying on his bed - looking rather DISTANT.
*FLASHBACK*
BLANK SCREEN
Except for Eilerson standing in front of CAMERA as it PANS AROUND him. He looks scared. We HEAR his heartbeat - as before in his prior flashback. While PANNING AROUND him, CAMERA is completely covered by Eilerson's back for a moment, and when CAMERA PANS past his back we find ourselves in.
EXT. MARS STREET - NIGHT - CONTINUOUS
Eilerson starts walking down the empty street - CAMERA follows him. As he passes a small shop with playing vid monitors behind a window, we HEAR.
ISN REPORTER .his last known location was at a local recreation area in Mars Dome one.
The picture of a man appears on the vid monitor.
ISN REPORTER (CONT'D) His name is David Shaman, he's an escaped convict. If you see him in the area please notify the police, he is considered dangerous - repeat - he is considered dangerous. Police are investigating the cause of his.
As Eilerson continues to walk down the street the ISN reporter's voice begins to fade away. Eilerson STOPS when he HEARS footsteps behind him. CAMERA starts to PAN AROUND Eilerson again. A gloved hand comes from behind him and covers his mouth. We HEAR his heartbeat accelerate as a second gloved hand comes into view - holding a knife. We SEE Eilerson react, as this hand STABS the knife into Eilerson's side.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
ANGLE - EILERSON LYING ON HIS BED - RESUME
On his troubled look, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - MORNING
We SEE Gideon and Matheson both standing to the left of the command chair.
GIDEON What the hells going on, Lieutenant?
MATHESON Sir, I don't know what your -
GIDEON I get out of my quarters this morning and there's a mob of angry crewmen waiting for me outside the door. Apparently news of our guest's offences has become common knowledge. I'll give you one guess at who I blame for this... breach.
MATHESON General Charlton.
GIDEON Got it in one.
We HEAR someone ENTER the bridge. Gideon TURNS - expecting to see General Charlton.
ANGLE - GIDEON, MATHESON AND BRIDGE ENTRANCE
As we SEE a very disgruntled Eilerson ENTER the bridge and walk down closer to Gideon.
EILERSON What the hell do you think you're doing?!
GIDEON And a 'good morning' to you too Mr. Eilerson.
EILERSON You let the bastard out of his cell!
GIDEON He injured himself. He needed immediate medical attention. What was I supposed to do? Let him bleed to death in the brig?
Eilerson gives Gideon a "Why not" look. Matheson twitches his head and touches his earpiece - he's HEARING something.
MATHESON Sir, MedLab reports that the prisoner has been treated and is being transported back to the brig.
GIDEON (to Eilerson) See, no harm done.
EILERSON This time. Next time we might not be so fortunate.
We SEE General Charlton ENTER the bridge and walk towards Gideon.
CHARLTON (annoyed) Captain Gideon, this is an outrage! My men gave specific instructions as to how the prisoner was to be handled. One of the first things they would have said was that under no circumstances whatsoever is he to be released from his cell. I don't understand why you would have -
GIDEON (overlapping) General, we've just gotten word that he's been treated for his - potentially fatal - accident, and is on his way back to the brig.
CHARLTON (overlapping) Accident! No. Bruiser doesn't have accidents, Bruiser has planned strategic occurrences. The purpose of his accident wasn't to escape - if it were then he would have already attempted something. So. it must have been for surveillance purposes only; he's searching the perimeter for weaknesses. We should change the guards' positioning throughout the deck, and reinforce the -
GIDEON (losing his patients) General Charlton! Perhaps you've forgotten, but this is my ship and it's under my command.
CHARLTON Can't you see what he's doing? He's taking control of his surroundings - getting ready for his final assault. Damn it captain, open your eyes!
EILERSON (to Gideon) It couldn't hurt to change the security roster.
A few long beats pass.
GIDEON Alright. (to Matheson) Lieutenant, make the appropriate changes.
MATHESON Aye, sir.
Matheson moves to one of his consoles.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - LATER
We can SEE Thomas in his cell and several guards around the room. Thomas is humming the words to Frank Loesser and Hoagy Carmichael's "Heart and Soul." His humming soon turns into words.
ANGLE - THOMAS IN HIS CELL
His eyes are closed; he's relaxing.
THOMAS (singing) Heart and soul, I fell in love with you. Heart and soul, the way a fool would do. madly. Because you held me tight. And stole a kiss in the night. Heart and soul.
CHAMBERS (OS) You have a lovely voice.
Thomas opens his eyes and reacts to this unknown voice.
ANGLE - CHAMBERS STANDING OUTSIDE THOMAS'S CELL
CHAMBERS (CONT'D) You should have been a singer.
THOMAS Thank you. But I'm afraid my little. hobby, would make that career choice impossible. Do you think people would have loved Elvis as much as they did if he murdered his fans?
CHAMBERS I don't see how you can joke about what you've done.
THOMAS It's surprisingly easy actually. (beat) Not that it hasn't been great chatting with you, but why did you come here?
CHAMBERS I need to understand why you killed all those people.
THOMAS No you don't. But if you're really interested then ask your captain; I gave him a brief overview on the matter - no details though, I didn't think he could handle them.
Chambers TURNS to leave. Thomas takes the small dart-shooting weapon out of his pocket and shoots the guards with it. Then, when Chambers TURNS back to Thomas, he puts his arms out through the bars and grabs Chambers' neck before she could react to the guards being shot. He starts strangling her with both hands as tight as he can. Just as it looks as though she's about to lose consciousness. Charlton walks through the door and - after seeing Thomas strangling Chambers - draws his PPG.
CHARLTON Let her go, Bruiser! Now!
After a long, dramatic beat, we
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT TWO
ACT THREE
FADE IN:
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - CONTINUOUS
Just where we left off. Thomas finally lets her go of Chambers and she drops to the floor. Thomas raises his arms (surrendering) and smiles at Charlton.
THOMAS (smugly) Don't shoot; I surrender.
CHARLTON You sick son of a -
We can SEE Charlton is about to shoot Thomas, when
ANGLE - BRIG ENTRANCE
Marine #1 ENTERS and SEES the bodies.
MARINE #1 Oh my God! (to Charlton) What happened here?
CLOSE UP ON CHARLTON
As he slowly lowers his PPG. Then, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR MEDLAB - MINUTES LATER
We SEE an unconscious Chambers being rushed through the room on a bio-bed by several medics - one is Doctor Patterson - a human male in his thirties. Her throat looks badly bruised.
PATTERSON (urgently) I want her setup and ready to resuscitate STAT!
They wheel her to the operating section of the MedLab and place small metal claps on her face. On this, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR MEDLAB - LATER
We SEE a CLOSE UP on Chambers lying on a bio-bed - her throat should still look badly bruised from the attack.
ANGLE - THE WHOLE ROOM
We can SEE Doctor Patterson standing next to Chambers with a very concerned Dureena.
DUREENA Is she going to be alright?
PATTERSON Yes. We managed to resuscitate her brain cells just in time. Another minute or two and it would have been too late.
Matheson ENTERS the MedLab and walks towards Chambers.
MATHESON (concerned) I got here as soon as I could. Is she.
PATTERSON She's going to be fine.
MATHESON The captain wanted to come too, but he's discussing the situation with General Charlton in the conference room.
CHARLTON (V.O.) This is madness!
On this, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR CONFERENCE ROOM - CONTINUOUS
We SEE a CLOSE UP on Charlton standing in front of, and leaning his hands against the conference room table.
CHARLTON (CONT'D) (furious) He's already claimed his first victims! He's taking over control of your ship and you can't even see it!
ANGLE - THE WHOLE CONFERENCE ROOM TABLE
We can SEE Gideon, Eilerson and Marine #1 on one side, and a steaming General Charlton on the other. Gideon also doesn't look to happy.
GIDEON No, General, the only one who's taking over my ship is you.
CHARLTON And what's that supposed to mean?!
GIDEON You've posted guards in areas of the Excalibur that weren't approved by myself or Lieutenant Matheson. You've ordered crewmen away from critical areas and into mundane sections of the ship - all to stop an imaginary invasion by a man locked up behind in our brig.
CHARLTON Now you see here captain -
Gideon's wrist-link BEEPS.
GIDEON (IN LINK) Yes.
BRIDGE CREWMAN (ON LINK) Sir, there's a message coming in for you from EarthGov. It's marked as priority Omega.
GIDEON (IN LINK) I'll take it in my quarters.
BRIDGE CREWMAN (ON LINK) Aye, sir. Rerouting message now.
GIDEON (IN LINK) Gideon out. (to Charlton) I think we're finished here.
Gideon EXITS the conference room. Eilerson EXITS a beat later.
INT. GIDEON'S QUARTERS - MINUTES LATER
We SEE Gideon ENTER and move over to his personal CPU console. He TURNS it ON.
GIDEON Display omega priority message from EarthGov.
Although we can't SEE the message that has appeared on screen from this angle, we can SEE the reflection of a text message on Gideon's face. Gideon reads the message.
GIDEON (stunned) No way.
EILERSON (V.O.) You can't be serious.
On this, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR CONFERENCE ROOM - LATER
We SEE Gideon, Matheson, Dureena and Eilerson sitting in their usual seats. Gideon has caused quite a stir with his news from EarthGov, Eilerson and Dureena are especially ticked off.
EILERSON (CONT'D) The man has admitted to mass murder! How in hell is he not getting executed?! Hell, he's not even going to prison; he's going to a damn nut-house!
DUREENA How can your people justify this? They're letting him get away unpunished!
MATHESON After what he's done to Doctor Chambers I don't see why EarthGov -
GIDEON I know. Nonetheless, the order is a valid one. We're still transporting him to McKinley station, but instead of being executed he'll be transported via EA Destroyer to Earth where he'll undergo treatment for his illness.
MATHESON Why? The psychiatric profiles taken on Tarkus colony all turned out fine. He has control over his own actions; he's not insane.
GIDEON Apparently Mr. Bruiser's lawyers have been very busy; they've convinced the Supreme Court that he's suffering from 'Dilgar war syndrome' - in theory it works just like Minbari war syndrome. When you become obsessed with the enemy, you become the enemy. They're arguing that because he was surrounded by Dilgar - a race he's been told is a vicious, murderous race - in battle everyday for over three years, he eventually became the very same type of person as the people he was killing. (beat) Who knows, maybe they're right.
EILERSON (covering his strong feelings on the subject) Or maybe they're not. Maybe he's just a cold-blooded killer, all he ever was and all he'll ever be.
MATHESON If they're not going to execute him then they should schedule a brain- wipe.
GIDEON They don't want to erase his personality; they want to treat his current one.
DUREENA If they can wipe his personality then why can't wipe his recollection of -
Dureena is stoped mid-sentence as we SEE Charlton ENTER the room.
GIDEON General, I -
CHARLTON Why wasn't I informed?
GIDEON General, this is a senior staff meeting. You may outrank all of us, but you don't serve on this ship and aren't a member of its staff.
CHARLTON I was talking about Bruiser, and you damn well know it.
GIDEON I was going to tell you after the meeting. How did you find out?
CHARLTON The prosecution is a good friend of mine. She's been keeping me informed on the trial. (beat) How could they let this happened? If he plays his cards right he could be back on the streets in fifteen years for good behaviour! That's not right.
GIDEON General, can I have a word with you in private.
Charlton NODS and they move into the adjoining room.
INT. ADJOINING ROOM - CONTINUOUS
As Gideon and Charlton ENTERS and move to a corner.
GIDEON I know about Samantha.
Charlton's silence indicates that he knows what Gideon is talking about.
GIDEON (CONT'D) Your son's fiancée. She was among the crew of the commercial transport Bruiser attacked. She died three days later in intensive care. (beat) If I knew of your personal involvement with Bruiser I never would have let you on the Excalibur. Under the circumstances I don't think any involvement by you would be appropriate in -
CHARLTON (overlapping) Bullshit. If anything my personal involvement with Bruiser makes me the perfect -
GIDEON (overlapping) I didn't come here to argue with you, General. Just stay out of this until we reach McKinley station.
Gideon walks back into the conference room.
CLOSE UP ON CHARLTON
As he contemplates what to do next. On this, we
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT THREE
ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - LATER
As it glides past CAMERA.
INT. EXCALIBUR MEDLAB - LATER
We SEE Chambers lying in a bio-bed - conscious but not looking too well. A beat later, Eilerson ENTERS the MedLab - looking very uncomfortable.
EILERSON Hey.
CHAMBERS Hey. (awkward beat) I suppose we'll be reaching McKinley station soon.
EILERSON In a few hours. (gestures to her neck) Hows the.
CHAMBERS Better. I should be able to leave in the morning.
EILERSON Are you going to be alright? It's a traumatic thing, being attacked.
CHAMBERS I've made an appointment to see Doctor Smith tomorrow.
EILERSON The ship's shrink.
CHAMBERS Yep. (beat) I think I'll be fine.
EILERSON Well, if you need to talk to somebody - besides a shrink.
CHAMBERS Thanks.
EILERSON Have you heard about sentence change?
Chambers NODS.
EILERSON It can't be easy knowing that the person who hurt you isn't getting the punishment he deserves.
CHAMBERS I can live with it, as long as he's far away from me.
EILERSON (beat) I'd better get going; I have to finish a report to IPX before we reach McKinley station.
CHAMBERS (genuinely flattered) Thanks for coming, Max.
Eilerson NODS and EXITS the MedLab.
CLOSE UP ON CHAMBERS
As she watches Eilerson leave.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIG - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Thomas sitting in his cell again - this time with a bandage around his head from his accident earlier. Six guards are now posted outside his cell - one of them is Marine #1. A beat later, we HEAR someone ENTER.
ANGLE - THOMAS
As he looks up to the face of.
ANGLE - MATHESON
As he looks down at Thomas with judgmental eyes.
MATHESON AND THOMAS
Matheson is standing in front of Thomas.
THOMAS And what do you want?
MATHESON Lots of things. I want to project in you the pain and suffering you've caused to others. I want to rewire your neural cortex to stop you from killing again. (beat) I want to hear that you're sorry, to know that you feel some remorse. anything that proves that if you die then God would be doing more than just cutting out a weed from the garden. I want you to prove to me that you have a soul.
THOMAS I like to sing before I kill. I've been told that I'm a good singer - Does that count?
Thomas forms an evil smile. Matheson stares blankly at Thomas for beat, then EXITS - he's gotten his answer.
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - LATER
As it glides past CAMERA.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Gideon sitting in his command chair and Matheson at one of his consoles.
MATHESON Approaching McKinley station.
GIDEON Prepare to jump out of hyperspace. Jump.
EXT. SPACE - CONTINUOUS
As a jump-point forms and the Excalibur EMERGES from it. CAMERA follows the Excalibur as it approaches McKinley station - a small EarthAlliance station orbiting a moon.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Gideon sitting in his command chair and Matheson at one of his consoles - as before.
GIDEON Is the prisoner's shuttle ready to depart?
MATHESON Yes sir.
GIDEON Then by all means, Lieutenant, get that son of a bitch of my ship.
MATHESON Aye, sir. (to console) Flight deck, the prisoner is cleared to disembark.
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR AND MC'KINLEY STATION - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Thomas's shuttle come out of the Excalibur and towards McKinley station.
CLOSE UP ON SHUTTLE
As is glides towards CAMERA. A beat later, BOOM - the shuttle explodes and debris flies everywhere.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - MAIN VIEWER - CONTINUOUS
As the explosion dies down.
GIDEON AND MATHESON
Both are shocked by what has just happened.
GIDEON What the hell?!
MATHESON Checking surveillance reports.
On Gideon's look, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. FLIGHT DECK - LATER
We can SEE General Charlton outside of a McKinley station shuttle. Gideon walks into FRAME.
GIDEON Leaving so soon?
CHARLTON I have a long trip ahead of me. I'll have to take a commercial transport back to Tarkus colony. All that trouble and I didn't even get to see him die.
GIDEON Thought you would have been pleased with the way things worked out.
CHARLTON I suppose it was better than the alternative; Bruiser walking away scot-free. (beat) You think I killed him don't you?
GIDEON The thought had crossed my mind.
CHARLTON Well, I didn't. Bruiser wasn't the only one on that shuttle. If I had blown it up then I would be no better than him.
GIDEON Yeah. I just have trouble believing that a man with so many enemies' shuttle can just accidentally malfunction.
CHARLTON I know what you mean; I have trouble believing it myself. (beat) You know, I wouldn't be surprised if Bruiser blew the shuttle up himself - taking a few innocent men with him; just the way he would have wanted to go.
GIDEON You seemed to know things about him - almost as if you and he were close. Did you spend much time with him on Tarkus colony?
CHARLTON Yeah. More than I probably should have. We were beginning to form a Moby/Ahab relationship. I was almost at the point where I would have done anything to harpoon my whale.
GIDEON I can understand that. He did murder someone close to you.
CHARLTON Well, I guess I ought to get going; don't want to keep you away from your mission any longer than I already have.
Gideon NODS and they shake hands.
CHARLTON See you around, captain.
GIDEON Hopefully under better circumstances next time.
Charlton NODS and ENTERS his shuttle. On Gideon's look, we DISSOLVE TO.
INT. EILERSON'S QUARTERS - MINUTES LATER
We SEE Eilerson sitting in a chair reading. We HEAR the door BEEP.
EILERSON It's open.
We SEE Dureena ENTER and move towards Eilerson. He puts his book down.
EILERSON Yes?
DUREENA You hear about Bruiser?
EILERSON Good riddens to unwanted trash.
DUREENA In my quarters a few days ago you were asking a lot of questions about Bruiser. But you never answered when I asked you why.
EILERSON So, let me see if I've got this straight, you came here to get an answer for a question you asked me four days earlier?
Dureena NODS. A beat passes.
DUREENA You gonna answer or not?
HOSPITAL SHRINK (V.O.) Well?
*FLASHBACK*
INT. EMERGENCY ROOM
We SEE Eilerson lying on a bed with bandages around his waist and small cuts on his face. Next to him we SEE a Hospital Shrink.
EILERSON I told you I don't need your help.
HOSPITAL SHRINK No, Mr. Eilerson, you don't want my help. But you do need it, trust me. I recognise many symptoms in you; if they aren't addressed then I fear they may result in violence.
EILERSON (overlapping) Leave!
*END OF FLASHBACK*
INT. EILERSON'S QUARTERS - RESUME
EILERSON No. I'm not.
DUREENA (she knows something's wrong) Max.
EILERSON Don't let the door slide into ya on the way out.
Dureena waits for a beat, then EXITS Eilerson's quarters. On Eilerson's look, we CUT TO.
INT. EXCALIBUR BRIDGE - MINUTES LATER
We SEE Matheson standing by the command chair as Gideon ENTERS the bridge and walks towards him.
GIDEON Maintenance crews finished searching the debris yet?
MATHESON Yes. It could have been an equipment failure, an accidental engine overload. Or.
GIDEON . Or Sabotage.
MATHESON It's a possibility.
GIDEON Not a very pleasant one.
Gideon sits down in his command chair and starts waiting impatiently for a few beats.
GIDEON C'mon, what's taking them so long?
MATHESON
They're still waiting for EarthGov confirmation on -
Matheson twitches - he's HEARING something.
MATHESON (CONT'D) Wait. they're finished, we're cleared to leave.
GIDEON About time. Lay in a course for Drimsara Prime and jump.
MATHESON Aye, sir. Setting course at mark five, three, nine point.
EXT. SPACE - EXCALIBUR AND MC'KINLEY STATION - CONTINUOUS
As the Excalibur moves away from the station and jumps out. On this, we FADE OUT:
END OF ACT FOUR
TAG
FADE IN:
EXT. HYPERSPACE - EXCALIBUR - ONE DAY LATER
Just to establish.
SMITH (V.O.) Tell me about it.
CHAMBERS (V.O.) It's nothing.
INT. DOCTOR SMITH'S OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
We SEE Chambers lying on a fainting-couch and a blurred figure next to her - the CAMERA's focus is on Chambers.
CHAMBERS (CONT'D) (clearly lying) It was just a dream. I'm fine.
SMITH Sarah, you know that if you keep repressing what happened to you, pretending that it never happened, then cannot move past it.
Chambers fights back a tear.
SMITH Whatever is said here between these walls stays here.
CHAMBERS I see him.
*FLASHBACK*
(Through these flashback scenes we HEAR Thomas singing the lyrics to "Heart & Soul" as before.)
THOMAS (V.O.) (singing) Heart and soul, I fell in love with you. Heart and soul, the way a fool would do. madly. Because you held me tight. And stole a kiss in the night. Heart and soul.
CHAMBERS (V.O.) I hear him singing.
Chambers TURNS back to Thomas, he puts his arms out through the bars and grabs Chambers' neck.
CHAMBERS (V.O.) He grabs me, starts hurting me.
He starts strangling her with both hands as tight as he can.
CHAMBERS (V.O.) Stop it! Stop hurting me. Let me go!
Just as it looks as though she's about to lose consciousness.
*END OF FLASHBACK*
INT. DOCTOR SMITH'S OFFICE - RESUME
Chambers starts to cry. On this, we DISSOLVE TO.
EXT. GRAVEYARD - EARTH - ONE MONTH LATER
We SEE a priest giving a funeral service - only one other person is present, and she's covered by a raincoat - its raining. In the background we can SEE a Hillside of gravestones. SUPERIMPOSE: New Zealand, Earth. One month later.
CLOSE UP ON THE GRAVESTONE
We can SEE. "Thomas Bruiser, 2201-2268" engraved on it. Although we can HEAR the priest talking in the background the focus is on the gravestone.
CLOSE UP ON THE.
Old woman in the raincoat, as she kneels down in front on the gravestone and places several white roses next to it.
CLOSE UP ON THE GRAVESTONE
As the roses are put next to it.
GIDEON (V.O.) I don't think anyone will be shedding tears at his funeral.
CLOSE UP ON THE OLD WOMAN
As a tear rolls down her cheek.
On this, we
FADE OUT:
END OF TAG