ACT TWO

RAKELLA PRIME – EA BASE

We join Galen again with a PPG to his head.

GUARD

Hey! How did you get in here! IDENTICARD! NOW!

Galen turns and smiles, as if he doesn't have a care in the world.

GALEN

This won't hurt a bit.

GUARD
What? Identicard! NOW!

GALEN

Well, I lie. . . it may hurt a fraction.

The Guard suddenly anguishes in pain. He is holding his temple and speaks from now on through gritted teeth.

GALEN (CONT'D)

See. Not that bad is it. And well, any pain you do endure you can think of as retribution for making the mistake to hold a gun to the head of a technomage.

(beat)

Especially this technomage.

(beat)

Now if you could just tell me a few things about this place

GUARD
Yes. I can do that.

GALEN

Good. Good. Tell me, what is this place?

GUARD
This is the Earth Alliance Rakella Prime Research Facility.

GALEN

I could've told me that. Come now, what is this facility's purpose? Why is Earth Alliance holding a presence here?

GUARD
The ancients.

GALEN

What ancients?

GUARD
The darkness, they left their ships behind here. Earth Force wanted to establish a base – to – to – study their technology. Their weapons.

GALEN

The Shadows? YOU ARE MEDDLING WITH SHADOW TECHNOLOGY?

GUARD

Yes! YES!

GALEN

FOOLS! Tell me this then Guard, is this facility capable of building ships? Maybe even just designing ships? Vessels that match Shadow technology with your own?

Before the Guard can answer his "headache" becomes so intense he falls to the floor yelping in pain before passing out.

Galen looks disappointed, but he's got the information he wanted.

Galen steps over the body and continues on his way.

INT. EXCALIBUR – BRIDGE

Gideon is watching a member of the Du'Marti clan on the monitor. This race is almost humanoid, but with a variety of subtle differences. Their appearance isn't vital to plot so let the make-up guys go crazy.

GIDEON

Thank you Warlord Ha'Mok. Our team's shuttle will touch down in the coordinates you've provided.

HA'MOK

Guests amongst the Du'Marti are always well received. If you had visited the home of the Du'Curta you would not have been welcomed so warmly.

GIDEON

I'd rather make up my own mind about others thank you Ha'Mok.

HA'MOK

But they fired on your ship! Surely your people would side with our people!

GIDEON

We're not out here to side with either of you! Besides, if you're from Earth you know that even though they'd fired first doesn't mean you've got hostile intents. We learned that the hard way.

Ha'Mok simply nods and the link is cut.

MATHESON (Concerned)

I sensed hostility from him Captain.

GIDEON

So did I. And I'm not even a telepath!

(beat)(Notices Matheson looks concerned)

They're just on edge. You would be too if we were at war.

MATHESON

Maybe. But I'd keep an eye on them Captain.

GIDEON

Noted.

INT. EXCALIBUR – MEDLAB

Chambers and Nurse Hemming are grabbing their gear and readying to go. Dureena enters.

DUREENA
What's the good word?

CHAMBERS

The word is "you're lucky".

DUREENA
That's two, but I'll let you off with poor math because you're a good doctor. They didn't notice my name on the roster?

CHAMBERS

Well. The funny thing is. . . the computer must have jumbled your name up or something, because it didn't come out right.

DUREENA

Yes. Funny that.

(beat)

Shall we head to the docking bay?

EXT. EXCALIBUR

Establisher. Pauses for a moment and we SEE the shuttle leaving.

INT. EXCALIBUR - BRIDGE

Gideon is watching as the shuttle heads down towards the planet.

EILERSON

Captain.

GIDEON

Not now MAX!

EILERSON
Captain, I'm just wondering if you'd seen Dureena. She seems to be missing and she owes me quite a lot of money.

(beat)

It seems to me like a pretty big coincidence.

GIDEON

We're on a starship Mister Eilerson, there's only so many places a person can hide. Unless. . . .

(beat)(To Matheson)

Lieutenant, what personnel are listed as going down to the planet?

MATHESON

Doctor Chambers, Nurse Hemming and a crewman by the name of Felena.

GIDEON

Felena? We don't have a Felena aboard.

MATHESON

You're quite right sir. But if I'm not mistaken Felena is an anagram of NAFEEL.

EILERSON
What an extreme measure to take to avoid paying her debts.

EILERSON exits after a look that expressed "get the hell off my bridge before I throw you out" from Gideon.

GIDEON (To Matheson)

Remind me again why we took her onboard.

MATHESON

If I remember rightly it was your call sir.

GIDEON

Don't remind me.

EXT. TITANS

Establisher.

INT. TITANS – BRIDGE

Bridge is a redressed Excalibur bridge. The computer terminals are the same standard Earth Force, but the bridge is more oval to match the their Omega Class bridges we've seen.

Various techs are running all over the place. Ivanova is in the Captain's chair signing off a report when,

TECH #1

Captain! We've got a jump point forming in Sector Niner-Fourteen.

IVANOVA

Is it the Excalibur?

TECH #1

Negative. I'm detecting alien ships. Four, Five – no six. Carrying fighters.

IVANOVA

Oh hell.

INT. EXCALIBUR – BRIDGE

EXCALIBUR TECH

Sirs! We're receiving a call from the Titans.

GIDEON

Maybe you're right Lieutenant, I seem to be very popular with the female Babylon 5 staff.

(beat)

Put it through.

IVANOVA (Over Comm)

Excalibur are you reading me? We're under attack again! We've scrambled fighters but they out number us three-to-one. Sure could do with the pride of the Earth Alliance navy rolling to our rescue right about now.

GIDEON

(To tech)

Contact the team on the surface, tell them we're breaking orbit.

(To Matheson)

Tell Ivanova we're on our way, at our best speed.

EXT. EXCALIBUR

We can SEE the Du'Marti homeworld in the background. The Excalibur turns, a jump point opens and the ship leaps into the mist.