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ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
INT. VILLAGE - BATH HOUSE
The scene is the same as previously. Apart from Mosh'Koka has emerged from the bath and is now just emerging from the changing rooms fully dressed...
Martel looks up at Mosh'Koka just as his COM link crackles into life and we HEAR,
SARAH (Over Comm.)
We've ######### Centauri ######### damage.
MARTEL
Sarah? Repeat your signal is barely getting through.
HADANN
She must be attempting to send a signal from orbit.
SARAH
David ########## ######### can't take ##########
The transmission the ends,
MARTEL
Sarah? SARAH?!
DULANN
David?
MARTEL
They're in trouble.
MALCOLM
You wouldn't even need Dulann's ability to know that Captain.
MARTEL
We must...
MAARN
Must what Captain? Unfortunately you're stranded down here same as we are.
MOSH'KOKA
And by the sounds of it your ship has been attacked by the Centauri.
HADANN
Unfortunately the Centauri Military isn't known for its mercy.
MARTEL
There must be something... on this world that can fly!
MAARN
Afraid not Captain. Everything that could reach orbit was on Janara when they bombed it.
HADANN
Maarn what about the..?
MAARN
Hush Hadann.
DULANN (Stepping forward)
(Forcefully)Allow Hadann to speak.
Maarn looks fiercely at Hadann then turns away.
HADANN
We don't have anything that can reach orbit. But we have a high atmospheric craft.
MALCOLM
Why didn't you tell us about this Maarn?
MAARN
I didn't see the point. Firstly it can't reach orbit. Secondly we've been diverting power from its core since the quarantine so I doubt it'd even have the juice to lift off.
MARTEL
It may not be able to reach orbit, but it might get us high enough to be able to get a signal to the Liandra.
MOSH'KOKA
And what good would that do Captain? Your ship is most likely destroyed. All this will do is make apparent we have the Jet and they will destroy it and you along with it.
We ZOOM in on Martel's reaction to the hopeless situation before we cut,
INT. LIANDRA - BRIDGE
The bridge is noticeably damaged. Bulkheads have fallen in the for and back ground. Kitaro has a small gash across his forehead. Firell has disappeared from the bridge, as has Bester.
Sarah is nowhere to be seen, and is in the Gunnery Pod. Kitaro and Na'Feel work the main console.
NA'FEEL
(Yelling)Neutron Cannons recharged. Fusion bolt battery power holding at 75!
We cut to,
INT. LIANDRA - GUNNERY POD
Sarah is suspended in midair, as seen in "To Live and Die in Starlight". The room is completely the view of outside. The Primus Class Centauri vessel can be seen in the background and two wings of three Sentri Class Centauri fighters are flying about the Liandra. Three are headed in for an attack and the other three are headed away ready to come around for another pass.
Sarah is flailing her arms and legs rapidly sending off Laser Charges against the incoming craft. As they pass over she scores a direct hit against one of the fighters and it explodes in a red mesh.
INT. LIANDRA - BRIDGE
SARAH
They just keep coming. It's taking too many shots to get through their fighter's armour. I'd hate to see what happens when we have to tackle the Cruiser itself.
KITARO
I'm hoping it won't come to that. Hopefully once they see we won't go down without a fight they'll come to their senses.
As Kit says "Senses" we cut to,
INT. CENTAURI CRUISER - BRIDGE
Layout and character placement same as previously seen. Apart from Varn who has descended from his Command Chair to stand behind his Helm Officer, Lieutenant Stratos, at the front of the bridge.
VARN
When will they come to their senses.
STRATOS
They might never sir. What then?
VARN
Then Lieutenant? We'll have to kill them all.
Varn turns back around,
VARN (CONT'D) (Mounting his chair)
I don't want to have to kill them all. But they've already cost the lives of 4 Centauri pilots. And further more they cannot leave this world.
Their is a BEAT before,
STRATOS
Sir. Priority signal coming in from...
VARN
Well where from?
STRATOS
Double checking sir.
(beat)
Confirmed. Signal is coming from the Centauri Royal Palace.
Varn's eyes widen.
VARN
Put it through immediately!
STRATOS
It's stated as for your ears only sir.
VARN (Rising)
Very well.
(beat)Walks towards the Bridge's exit
I'll take it in my Private Office.
INT. CENTAURI CRUISER - PRIVATE OFFICE
The room is roughly half the size of the Liandra's bridge. The room is classically Centauri, drapes cover the walls and the only exit/entrance is the one used by Varn. A table is set out in the middle and a console is laid atop it.
Varn sweeps powerfully into the room and touches the console's controls. The face of a Royal Imperial Guard appears on the screen, we know this because his uniform is different from the standard Centauri gown worn by Varn and has been seen in various episodes of "Babylon 5".
IMPERIAL GUARD
Commander Varn.
VARN
Speaking. Too what do I owe this honour?
IMPERIAL GUARD
You are to cease all hostile actions against the Ranger Vessel.
(beat)
A vessel will be reaching you shortly. It will deliver a cargo to the Liandra. At this point after making sure the cargo arrives you will depart the area and return to Outpost 471 and await further instructions. Is this understood? These orders come from the Emperor himself...
VARN
I understand what you are ordering me too do. What I don't however is the reason why.
IMPERIAL GUARD
The experiment on New Haven is of the utmost importance to the Royal Court. Its progress is being monitored constantly and several of the Emperors's most trusted advisors have a vested interest in the project. You are endangering this. The Liandra must be allowed to leave.
VARN
But if they're infected with the virus they may spread to amongst other worlds...
IMPERIAL GUARD
That is a circumstance we are not yet prepared for.
(beat)
If the Liandra is destroyed. More Rangers will come. If the Liandra is allowed to leave the area can be officially claimed as Centauri territory once again and the Rangers will be forced by Interstellar law to leave this world alone.
(beat)
The virus inflicting those members of the Liandra's crew will be dealt with by the package aboard the incoming vessel.
VARN
We have a cure?
IMPERIAL GUARD
It is not my place to say and it is not your place to question. It is our place to follow orders, and that is what we will both do.
VARN (Saluting)
Understood. I will order the return of my fighters and await the arrival of the Centauri vessel...
Varn begins to turn away believing it is the end of the transmission but,
IMPERIAL GUARD
It is not a Centauri vessel coming with the delivery.
VARN
Not Centauri? I wasn't aware we employed other races to do our work?
IMPERIAL GUARD
Ha! Commander you don't know how humorous that is.
(beat)
It is infect us that are doing the work of the others the majority of the time.
The transmission is then cut and Varn is left wondering...
INT. LIANDRA - BRIDGE
SARAH (Over Comm.)
Hey... they just broke off and returned to their mothership.
NA'FEEL
They are employing some sort of trick. Perhaps they plan to use their main ship instead of fighters -
Kitaro gets a transmission and Varn appears on the holographic display, in the background we can SEE Sarah coming back through to the bridge from the Gunnery Pod.
VARN
We would like to apologize for the misunderstanding.
SARAH
Misunderstanding is an understatement! What the hell do you think you were doing firing on a Ranger ship!
VARN
We were unaware that your vessel was part of the Ranger Fleet. It isn't a Whitestar, nor does it bare any Ranger markings. We believed you to be the group of Raiders that had been operating in this area.
KITARO
Then why did you refuse to acknowledge our hails?
VARN
It's been common practice for these Raiders to send Computer Viruses through open comm. frequencies, we couldn't risk it.
NA'FEEL (Standing forward furiously)
URGH! He's lying; I can smell a lying Centauri even this far away.
SARAH
That is a point Mister...
VARN
Commander Varn.
SARAH
Right, Varn. Why have you suddenly come to your senses?
VARN
That is a question even I do not have the answer for.
At this point Bester enters the room,
BESTER
But I do.
Everyone turns to Bester,
BESTER (CONT'D)
I have a passing acquaintance with a member of the Centauri Imperial Court. So when they began to attack us, I thought I'd slip him a call.
SARAH
Totally free of the Liandra's controlled communications array?
BESTER
Ha-ha. You don't need to do things independent from your main array when you have the access codes.
NA'FEEL (Rising)
What?! How did you...
Bester removes the piece of equipment that is attached to the side of his head, as he does his Kitaro leaps to his feet and extends his Minbari fight staff.
SARAH
Hold on a damn minute!
BESTER
This device has done nothing from the beginning I'm afraid. I haven't been without my psychic powers. You President should really develop better equipment? This is a relic from before the War.
Bester moves forward and places the device on the table before taking a few steps away and then turning back,
BESTER
Regardless the end result is preferable for us both.
SARAH
We've kept our lives. But what's your deal with all of this? Why come forward with the information about the Isaahi here? Why put us all through this? What's your profit?
BESTER
Ha! My dear I didn't get this far in life giving away everything I know.
Bester turns and begins to head towards the bridge exit. Sarah chases up behind him and reaches out her arm to grab him but she is stopped in her tracks before her arm can touch his.
Bester turns around.
BESTER (CONT'D)
That wouldn't be the smartest thing to do now my dear. I suggest we speak as little from now on.
SARAH
They'll lock you up when we get back to Minbar you know.
BESTER
That may be.
Bester walks away towards the exit, as the door slides open the CAMERA shifts to outside facing back onto Bester's face with the bridge in the background.
BESTER (Under his breath)
But who says I'm going back to Minbar?
Bester steps forward and fully engulfs the CAMERA as we,
FADE OUT:
END OF ACT FOUR