ACT ONE
FADE IN:
INT. BRIDGE
CAMERA fixed at the front of the bridge, focused on Gideon.
Gideon is in his chair. Matheson has disappeared from shot. Galen and Dureena are stood on either side of the command chair.
Galen is looking down at Gideon disapprovingly.
Gideon looks up at Galen.
GIDEON
Relax. Remember we're not in your usual Earth Alliance ship.
GALEN
Even with Minbari technology you could not hope to stand against any of the First Ones.
Gideon smirks.
GIDEON
I believe they may have said the same thing to President Sheridan, before…
CAMERA cuts to close on Galen's face from the right, allowing you to see Gideon as well.
Galen blinks slowly and looks to the viewscreen.
The CAMERA swings round to be behind Galen, Gideon and Dureena and to see the viewscreen displaying the Vorlon homeworld.
Galen looks once more back to Gideon, then turns and leaves.
Gideon looks to Dureena
GIDEON
Was it something I said?
Dureena gives no expression and also leaves, following Galen.
CAMERA cuts to show Matheson standing near the computers on Gideon's left.
MATHESON
Sir, we've completed our initial scans of the area. Signs of any sort of booby-traps is negative.
GIDEON
Take us into orbit.
Cut to,
EXT. EXCALIBUR
CAMERA follows ship from behind as it heads towards the Vorlon homeworld.
INT. BRIDGE
CAMERA on Gideon's reaction as Eilerson enters the bridge.
EILERSON
Captain, I presume I'll be on the team to the surface.
GIDEON
How did you…
Gideon hadn't informed Eilerson yet.
EILERSON
My contacts have many names Captain.
GIDEON
Like Dureena and Galen?
Slight pause.
EILERSON
When will we be headed planetside Captain?
GIDEON
We have orders to wait for Whitestar 78 before proceeding.
EILERSON
A Ranger ship? We don't need them Captain. I AM quite capable of doing what has to be done myself.
GIDEON
Do you even know EXACTLY needs to be done Mr. Eilerson? Do you have a map of the Vorlon world for instance that you have, up to this point, failed to share with either me or EarthGov. Or perhaps you have been here before and can tell me exactly where the Vorlons will have the cure stored?
Eilerson pauses, unsure of what to say.
EILERSON
Well orders are orders Captain. I will prepare my things for the mission. I hope these Rangers don't take too long.
Eilerson then leaves. Gideon watches him go with one eye, glad to see him leave.
CAMERA pans out to show the entire bridge, including Matheson on the right hand side.
MATHESON
How long are we going to wait sir? The orders said the Whitestar would be waiting here for us.
Close up on Gideon's face as he says,
GIDEON
I guess we wait as long as we have to wait.
INT. SHUTTLE BAY, JUST OUTSIDE GALEN'S SHIP
Galen and Dureena have stopped just short of reaching the Technomage ship.
GALEN
I dislike this entire ordeal.
DUREENA
In the thieves guild it is one of the first things you learn. Do not even think about stealing from a Vorlon.
GALEN
Sometimes I believe this grand crusade we are on consumes Matthew all to much.
DUREENA
Maybe a dedication to his work is the only thing that keeps him from thinking about more – unpleasant – things.
GALEN
If the mind cannot dwell upon what is important, despite it's level of… unpleasantness – then any related task will go unaccomplished.
DUREENA
Another wise old technomage saying Galen?
GALEN
It's Drazi actually. But it still has relevance to the plight of humanity and the crusade we aboard this ship have embarked upon.
DUREENA
If you dislike this place so much, then why do you stay?
GALEN
Dislike which place? The Excalibur or our current cartographic location?
DUREENA
Both.
GALEN (sighing first)
The answer to both is the same. I stay, and I go, where I am needed.
INT. EXC. GIDEON'S QUARTERS
CAMERA opens very close up on a clock on the bedside cabinet. It reads 19:03.
Gideon is sat on his bed staring towards the wall, behind which the Apocalypse box is concealed.
Gideon shakes his head and lays back onto his bed. His link then goes off.
MATHESON (Over the Link)
Matheson to Captain.
Gideon sits up and answers link.
GIDEON (Speaks into Link)
Gideon here.
MATHESON (O. Link)
Sir, I just received a segment of what appears to be a distress call.
GIDEON
I'm on my way.
Gideon closes link, as CAMERA switched to close up on Matheson's face, he looks concerned.
A door opening and closing is hear in the background and Matheson moved away from fixed CAMERA to reveal that Gideon has arrived on the bridge.
GIDEON
I'm here.
MATHESON
Just a second ago we received a garbled message from grid 54. After we ran the fragment of the message we received through several filters we have managed to ascertain that it was a distress call.
GIDEON
Have you be able to find out who sent the message?
MATHESON
Well we did a full scan of grid 54 with the long range sensors. We picked up nothing, even as far away as Grid 54 with the Excalibur's sensors should have been able to pick up something as large as a ship. But we found nothing. But we have an idea who sent it.
GIDEON
Don't keep me waiting Lieutenant.
MATHESON
What we received was encoded with a Ranger imprint…
Close in on Gideon's reaction as we,
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
FADE IN:
INT. BRIDGE
CAMERA fixed at the front of the bridge, focused on Gideon.
Gideon is in his chair. Matheson has disappeared from shot. Galen and Dureena are stood on either side of the command chair.
Galen is looking down at Gideon disapprovingly.
Gideon looks up at Galen.
GIDEON
Relax. Remember we're not in your usual Earth Alliance ship.
GALEN
Even with Minbari technology you could not hope to stand against any of the First Ones.
Gideon smirks.
GIDEON
I believe they may have said the same thing to President Sheridan, before…
CAMERA cuts to close on Galen's face from the right, allowing you to see Gideon as well.
Galen blinks slowly and looks to the viewscreen.
The CAMERA swings round to be behind Galen, Gideon and Dureena and to see the viewscreen displaying the Vorlon homeworld.
Galen looks once more back to Gideon, then turns and leaves.
Gideon looks to Dureena
GIDEON
Was it something I said?
Dureena gives no expression and also leaves, following Galen.
CAMERA cuts to show Matheson standing near the computers on Gideon's left.
MATHESON
Sir, we've completed our initial scans of the area. Signs of any sort of booby-traps is negative.
GIDEON
Take us into orbit.
Cut to,
EXT. EXCALIBUR
CAMERA follows ship from behind as it heads towards the Vorlon homeworld.
INT. BRIDGE
CAMERA on Gideon's reaction as Eilerson enters the bridge.
EILERSON
Captain, I presume I'll be on the team to the surface.
GIDEON
How did you…
Gideon hadn't informed Eilerson yet.
EILERSON
My contacts have many names Captain.
GIDEON
Like Dureena and Galen?
Slight pause.
EILERSON
When will we be headed planetside Captain?
GIDEON
We have orders to wait for Whitestar 78 before proceeding.
EILERSON
A Ranger ship? We don't need them Captain. I AM quite capable of doing what has to be done myself.
GIDEON
Do you even know EXACTLY needs to be done Mr. Eilerson? Do you have a map of the Vorlon world for instance that you have, up to this point, failed to share with either me or EarthGov. Or perhaps you have been here before and can tell me exactly where the Vorlons will have the cure stored?
Eilerson pauses, unsure of what to say.
EILERSON
Well orders are orders Captain. I will prepare my things for the mission. I hope these Rangers don't take too long.
Eilerson then leaves. Gideon watches him go with one eye, glad to see him leave.
CAMERA pans out to show the entire bridge, including Matheson on the right hand side.
MATHESON
How long are we going to wait sir? The orders said the Whitestar would be waiting here for us.
Close up on Gideon's face as he says,
GIDEON
I guess we wait as long as we have to wait.
INT. SHUTTLE BAY, JUST OUTSIDE GALEN'S SHIP
Galen and Dureena have stopped just short of reaching the Technomage ship.
GALEN
I dislike this entire ordeal.
DUREENA
In the thieves guild it is one of the first things you learn. Do not even think about stealing from a Vorlon.
GALEN
Sometimes I believe this grand crusade we are on consumes Matthew all to much.
DUREENA
Maybe a dedication to his work is the only thing that keeps him from thinking about more – unpleasant – things.
GALEN
If the mind cannot dwell upon what is important, despite it's level of… unpleasantness – then any related task will go unaccomplished.
DUREENA
Another wise old technomage saying Galen?
GALEN
It's Drazi actually. But it still has relevance to the plight of humanity and the crusade we aboard this ship have embarked upon.
DUREENA
If you dislike this place so much, then why do you stay?
GALEN
Dislike which place? The Excalibur or our current cartographic location?
DUREENA
Both.
GALEN (sighing first)
The answer to both is the same. I stay, and I go, where I am needed.
INT. EXC. GIDEON'S QUARTERS
CAMERA opens very close up on a clock on the bedside cabinet. It reads 19:03.
Gideon is sat on his bed staring towards the wall, behind which the Apocalypse box is concealed.
Gideon shakes his head and lays back onto his bed. His link then goes off.
MATHESON (Over the Link)
Matheson to Captain.
Gideon sits up and answers link.
GIDEON (Speaks into Link)
Gideon here.
MATHESON (O. Link)
Sir, I just received a segment of what appears to be a distress call.
GIDEON
I'm on my way.
Gideon closes link, as CAMERA switched to close up on Matheson's face, he looks concerned.
A door opening and closing is hear in the background and Matheson moved away from fixed CAMERA to reveal that Gideon has arrived on the bridge.
GIDEON
I'm here.
MATHESON
Just a second ago we received a garbled message from grid 54. After we ran the fragment of the message we received through several filters we have managed to ascertain that it was a distress call.
GIDEON
Have you be able to find out who sent the message?
MATHESON
Well we did a full scan of grid 54 with the long range sensors. We picked up nothing, even as far away as Grid 54 with the Excalibur's sensors should have been able to pick up something as large as a ship. But we found nothing. But we have an idea who sent it.
GIDEON
Don't keep me waiting Lieutenant.
MATHESON
What we received was encoded with a Ranger imprint…
Close in on Gideon's reaction as we,
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT ONE