Episode 1 – Breakaway

Cast: Scarlett Johansson as Commander Joan Koenig

Ian McKellen as Doctor Victor Bergman

Michael Shanks as Doctor Hendrick "Hank" Russell

George Clooney as Captain Alan Carter

Noah Wyle as Paul Morrow

Guest Starring: Sean Bean as Commissioner Peter Simmons

TEASER

FADE IN:

1 - EXT. SPACE – Establishing Shot with caption: 9 September 2029

Earth with the moon above it. The camera zooms in, skimming over the surface until it reached a skyscraper in New York City. We pass through a wall, entering a luxurious office.

2 – INT. OFFICE

Sitting behind a desk is a man in a business suit. He is typing on a keyboard that is attached to a personal computer. A knock at the door makes him look up.

[Simmons]

"Enter."

The door opens and a woman enters the office. She is wearing a green flight suit with a patches on her shoulders representing NASA, JAXA, ESA, the Russian Space Program and the Chinese Space Program. Her blonde hair is in a practical pixie cut. She is not wearing any make-up and her body language makes it clear that she does not want to be here.

[Koenig - tense]

"Lieutenant-Commander Joan Koenig." [Pause] "You wanted to see me, Commissioner ?"

[Simmons]

"Yes," [Simmons gestures towards a chair across from him.] "Please, have a seat, Lieutenant-Commander." [Koenig sits down before Simmons continues.] "Tell me, Lieutenant-Commander, what do you know about Doctor Victor Bergman ?"

[Koenig]

"Just what every school kid knows. That he invented artificial gravity in 2009, which was the breakthrough that allowed the creation of the Mark-One Eagle and the construction of Moonbase Alpha. And then he spent three years working on the Queller Drive under Ernst Queller. Until the FTL-Drive disaster of 2012. After that, he fell off the radar. I don't even know if he's still alive."

[Simmons]

"What every schoolchild does not know…" [Pause] "Because they do not have the proper security clearance, is that Doctor Bergman is very much alive. Four years ago, we began work on the Mark Two Faster-then-light engine. Unofficially, it's being called the Bergman Drive."

[Koenig - angry]

"Are you crazy !?" [Glares at him furiously] "We lost five-hundred people, two ships ! We were lucky we didn't annihilate the planet. And you want to try again !?"

[Simmons]

"We are not doing this lightly, Lieutenant Commander. That is why the prototype vessel, the Astro Probe Nine, is being constructed at Moonbase Alpha under much stricter conditions. Which brings me to why you are here…" [Opens drawer and reaches in, taking out a small box.] "Doctor Bergman knows that you are current testing the Mark Five Eagle…"

[Koenig]

"Which is months away from mass production."

[Simmons]

"…And he wants you on the project as Chief Pilot for the shakedown cruise. The post…" [Opens the small box to reveal a silver disk with the word Commander engraved in black letters.] "…comes with a promotion. You will be allowed to take one person with you as an assistant."

[Koenig]

"Did Doctor Bergman say why he wanted me ?"

[Simmons]

"He said something about thinking outside the box. And repaying an old favor." [Pauses, curious.] "Do you know what he was talking about ?"

[Koenig – Cold]

"No."

[Simmons]

"Your Eagle will leave from Pad New York Eighteen at oh-eight-hundred tomorrow." [Closes box.] "That is all, Commander Koenig."

[Koenig]

"Yes, Commissioner."

Koenig stands up, picks up the box and walks out of the room.

3 – EXT. SPACE

We get our first view of the redesigned Eagle transport. The craft is shaped like a bullet, with three sub-light engines at the rear end. A large window near the tip indicates the location of the cockpit. Halfway the craft is a round airlock. The whole craft is painted white, with the large window being black.

4 – INT. EAGLE

The inside of the Eagle is like the inside of a private jet, minus the windows. Koenig is sitting just in front of the airlocks, which are on both sides of the craft. She had traded her flight suit for her Moonbase Alpha uniform. The jacket is the same as the original series uniform, but the belt is the department color instead of white. The non-department color parts of the jacket are not beige, but white. The disk/pin she got from Simmons is attached to the jacket collar on the right side. Underneath the jacket are white, tight fit pants with a colored band at the very bottom. Koenig's department color is orange. Completing the uniform are desert colored unisex army boots.

Next to Koenig is the only other passenger. In his sixties, with brown eyes and grey hair. He wears the same color as Koenig. This man is reading a file, it is a briefing on their assignment. The file is on an electronic pad.

[Carter]

"So, what do you think Simmons is really up to ?"

[Koenig]

"You think there's something he didn't tell us, Alan ?"

[Carter]

"Come on, Joan, you know the guy is a snake. You know he's up to something. Speaking of which…." [Pauses to look at Koenig] "…why would you dust off an old fossil like me ?"

[Koenig]

"You're not a fossil." [Koenig smiles.] "Hell, you outrank me, Captain. And you were the best flight instructor the US Navy ever had. Besides, it's a civilian base, I could you use another pair of military eyes."

[Carter]

"And you need somebody to run interference with McKinley."

[Koenig]

"How that guy ended up in charge of Moonbase Alpha, is beyond me."

[Carter]

"Nepotism. Zachary McKinley uses the name of his biological father. His mother remarried to Alexander Simmons. As in the brother of Peter Simmons, our beloved commissioner."

Koenig only rolls her eyes in reply, while the PA system comes on.

[Pilot]

"Commander, Captain, we are on finally approach. Touchdown in one minute."

Carter and Koenig exchange a look.

END TEASER – OPENING CREDITS