ACT TWO
FADE IN:
INT. ALIEN SHIP – BRIDGE
Keyla is still at the helm, turning now to see Danik lead T’Pol and Reed in. She’s definitely curious to check out the new arrivals, but they don’t look all that different from herself so she isn’t awestruck or anything.
Danik motions toward the station we’ve seen him sit in since we first saw him. T’Pol readies her padd, as does Reed.
DANIK
[This is the navigation console. I’ve been having trouble with navigation lately, but it doesn’t seem to be damaged on this end, so it must be somewhere else in the system.]
(indicating Keyla’s position)
[Keyla there is sitting at the flight controls, which still work, but ever since the engines got damaged she hasn’t had much to do.]
Reed and T’Pol read the translation on their padds, but Reed is a bit quicker to reply than T’Pol.
REED
[How did ship get damaged?]
Keyla looks nervously to Danik, but the Suliban man keeps his cool.
DANIK
[I suppose it’s only fair to tell you since you’re helping us.]
(beat, thinking)
[We were attacked by a Nausicaan privateer, and suffered heavy damage before we were able to evade them in an asteroid field.]
REED
[The blood?]
DANIK
(coolly)
[They were able to board us, and inflicted many casualties before we were able to repel them.]
Reed reads his padd and digests the information.
REED
[I see. My condolences.]
Danik bows his head out of respect for the dead. When he looks back up, T’Pol is already scanning the navigation console, which looks surprisingly complicated for such an old ship, with few labels, or at least few legible labels.
T’Pol sets her scanner down on the console itself and we can see a diagram of the console, with labels in Vulcan indicating each control’s function. T’Pol notes Danik tense up and checks her padd again.
T’POL
[I am checking the function of each control so I can operate this console.]
(off Danik’s still concerned expression)
[Do you have a course laid in for your home port?]
DANIK
[Not really. We don’t really have a “home port”, we simply seek work wherever it is.]
T’POL
Enterprise [contains a library of local systems in this area, if we could be of assistance…]
DANIK
(forcing a smile)
[I don’t think that will be necessary.]
For a moment, Keyla looks pleadingly at Danik, but when she notices that she has T’Pol’s scrutinizing eyes on her, she pretends to go back to her flight controls.
DANIK (CONT’D)
[We’d really appreciate it though if you could help find the damage to the navigation systems and repair it.]
T’POL
[I believe that is possible.]
T’Pol takes out her communicator and opens it.
T’POL
Sub-Commander T’Pol to Commander Tucker.
TUCKER (COMM. VOICE)
Tucker here, go ahead.
T’POL
I require assistance and equipment to diagnose this ship’s navigation systems. Could you or a member of your team report to this ship’s bridge?
TUCKER
(mildly annoyed)
Not at the moment, no. I’d tell you to come down here to get any tools you need, but I need to check out the propulsion systems first to get a better idea of what I need myself.
T’POL
Understood. T’Pol out.
T’Pol abruptly closes the communicator and puts it away.
REED
So what’s the plan, Sub-Commander?
T’POL
For now I will scan their systems for malfunctions that interfere with their navigation systems and catalog them for Commander Tucker’s team to inspect at a later time.
T’Pol retrieves her scanner from the navigation console and begins to scan the surrounding area, beginning the process she just laid out to Reed. Danik watches on with much interest, and perhaps even a little annoyance. Reed puts together a new translation on his padd to feign disinterest in what’s going on, but keeps a stealthy eye on everyone in the room.
REED
(to Danik)
[What species are you?]
DANIK
(distracted)
[What?]
REED
[Your people, I do not think my people have ever encountered yours before.]
DANIK
[I’m Suliban, and Keyla is Tandaran. Most of the others are Tandaran or Enolian.]
(beat)
[There are a few others who have kept the name of their species to themselves though, but it’s a very diverse crew.]
(beat, considering Reed)
[What did the other say you were?] Hew-men?
On what looks like a blossoming conversation we
CUT TO:
INT. ALIEN SHIP – ENGINE ROOM
The engineering team, all in radiation suits, takes equipment out of its carrying cases and arranges it in an organized manner. The SFs, led by 2ND LIEUTENANT AMANDA COLE, hang back and keep an eye on the alien engineers, trying to stay out of the way. Unfortunately, they look exactly like the military personnel they are and this causes many of the alien engineer's to appear uncomfortable around them OsMorri walks up to join them
OSMORRI
[Welcome aboard. I hope you know what you’re getting yourselves into.]
OsMorri’s mouth turns up at the corners, indicating his humor. Trip takes a moment to translate, but smiles as he understands.
TUCKER
[I’ve always liked a challenge.]
The engineer takes a moment to look at his surroundings, and is awed by the sight of the ship’s large warp core, which is every bit as large as the one in his own engine room, but without much of the external equipment. It’s plainly damaged, but still impressive to look at nonetheless.
TUCKER
Wow….
Tucker anxiously keys up several questions he wants to ask; OsMorri smiles at the human’s eagerness.
TUCKER (CONT’D)
[Where are your injectors at? How do you control your reaction?]
OSMORRI
[Most of it is damaged, but I’d be happy to show you how it all works.]
OsMorri leads Tucker to the core itself and points at a part of it.
OSMORRI (CONT’D)
[The injectors are built into the core itself with extra reinforcement to help contain the reactants.]
Tucker pulls out a scanner and eagerly watches as OsMorri gives him the nickel tour.
OSMORRI (CONT’D)
[The reaction is controlled in here…]
(opening a portion of the core)
[…in its own magnetically contained chamber.]
We notice the lack of any kind of crystal in the chamber, the matter and antimatter swirling and mixing together as if by magic.
Tucker quickly types up something to say.
TUCKER
(reading carefully from padd)
[That is amazing, but how is the reaction itself….]
(having trouble with wording)
[How do you mix without a] dilithium [crystal?]
OSMORRI
(confused)
[Pardon?]
TUCKER
[On my ship. we use a] dilithium [crystal to control the reaction. Otherwise the reaction wouldn’t be stable.]
OsMorri grunts.
OSMORRI
[I know other ships that do that, but I’ve seen more engines that work this way.]
TUCKER
[That’s impressive; I’d like to learn more about this.]
OsMorri shrugs and looks cynical.
OSMORRI
[I’ll do my best, but I never was much of an instructor, even without the language barrier.]
(pointing at Tucker’s padd)
[I’m betting that toy of yours won’t work when we get into the more complicated stuff.]
(beat, sighing)
[For that matter we’ll probably have a hard enough time as it is repairing this worthless heap.]
TUCKER
(smiling)
[Maybe we can try after we’re done.]
OsMorri nods in agreement and perks up a little. Tucker takes this opportunity to look over some of the damage to the warp core, admiring the durability of the alien equipment.
TUCKER
[It took a lot of damage and didn’t breach. Not sure if my engine would do that.]
OSMORRI
[It didn’t hold up well enough though.]
(indicating their radiation suits)
[It’s spewing radiation into this compartment and the reaction is barely generating enough power to recharge emergency power.]
TUCKER
[How did it get shot up anyway?]
OsMorri is suddenly nervous. His body goes rigid and his face goes slack. His simply stares at a confused Tucker for a LONG BEAT before answering.
OSMORRI
(evasively)
[It’s a ... long story, and I’d rather not go into it.]
(beat, collecting himself)
[We lost a lot of good people.]
TUCKER
[Fair enough.]
(beat, pointing toward control consoles)
[We should probably get to work.]
OsMOrri nods and leads Tucker to the console. They join the rest of the engineering team, who now have various scanning devices in hand and are running them over the engine components.
INT. ALIEN SHIP – BRIDGE
T’Pol finishes her scan and types up a translation. When finished, she looks intently at Danik.
T’POL
[There does not appear to be any damage to your navigation systems on this level.]
DANIK
(grudgingly)
[I guess I’ll have to show you where the rest of the system is routed.]
T’POL
(raising an eyebrow)
[If you would like it repaired.]
Danik’s eyes change slightly as he glares at T’Pol. T’Pol stands her ground, but Reed can’t suppress a grimace at the Suliban’s strange appearance, especially his multi-pupiled eyes.
DANIK
[Follow me.]
Danik opens the hatch and leads them back out into the corridor.
INT. ALIEN SHIP – CORRIDOR
T’Pol pauses a moment, and Danik looks back at her.
T’POL
[I am curious; how is it you are all able to speak the same language? You are clearly of different species yet each of you appears to be fluent.]
Danik harrumphs.
DANIK
(sarcastically)
[You may have noticed the shiny pieces of metal we all have in our foreheads…]
(beat, off T’Pol’s minimal acknowledgement)
[They’re implants that tap into the language centers of our brain, so basically they process everything for us so we all hear and speak the same thing. There, is your curiosity satisfied?]
T’Pol gives him a look that lets him know that she acknowledges his rudeness, but refuses to be affected by it. She makes a point of being slower than normal in keying up a response.
T’POL
[Yes.]
Danik frowns hard and motions for T’Pol and Reed to follow him down the corridor.
INT. ALIEN SHIP – (ANOTHER) CORRIDOR
Danik impatiently leads his two “guests” down the corridor. T’Pol and Reed both eye the many burn marks and colored stains that cover the walls and floor. T’Pol pulls out her scanner and focuses it along one of the walls as she walks. Danik gives her a sour look, but says nothing as he continues to lead them down the corridor.
REED
(pensively)
Is that what I think it is, Sub-Commander?
T’POL
Readings do seem to indicate a copper-based hemoglobin, as well as samples of iron-based, and even lithium-based hemoglobin, all from different donors.
Reed grunts.
REED
So it is blood.
T’POL
I believe I just said that, Major.
Reed allows himself a small smile.
REED
That you did.
(beat, serious again)
I don’t suppose any of it is Nausicaan, is it?
T’Pol checks her scanner briefly, typing in a few commands.
T’POL
No.
REED
(grimly)
Didn’t think so; it always left a pretty unique stain.
We change angles to view the trio from the front as Danik leads them to a hatch with a label written in Orion on it. Danik grunts with effort as he pulls on the latch and pushes the hatch open. There is an odd rush of air as the pressure equalizes between the room and the corridor, an obvious sign that the door hasn’t been opened in a long time.
INT. ALIEN SHIP – NAVIGATION ROOM
What little light there is in the corridor filters through the door. Danik fumbles along the wall for a BEAT, until he finds what he’s looking for. The lights come on suddenly, brightly at first, but soon most of them go out, and the few that remain on only glow dimly. Both T’Pol and Reed squint against the sudden brightness, and again at the sudden darkness as their eyes try to adjust to the different levels of light in the strange room.
DANIK
[This is the main processor for the navigation system. It links the raw feed from the sensors to the console on the bridge after it’s been processed.]
T’Pol and Reed take in their new surroundings. The room itself isn’t very large, and the computer equipment takes up most of the room, making it seem that much smaller.
Danik punches a few buttons on the attached console, bringing the attached monitor to life.
T’Pol trains her scanner on the equipment, running a few diagnostics on it before placing the scanner on the processor’s console. As on the bridge, we see a diagram of the console in appear on the screen. T’Pol works the console, and diagrams begin to appear on the monitor.
T’POL
[There does appear to be a discrepancy in the system, but I am having difficulty isolating it.]
Danik nods, only half-interested. He appears more concerned with watching exactly what it is that T’Pol does to the console.
Reed takes a place close to T’Pol’s right side, and she appears to grow slightly uncomfortable at his proximity. Reed remains oblivious, other things on his mind.
REED
(whispering)
Something isn’t right here.
(beat, off T’Pol raised eyebrow)
There’s too many discrepancies between what they’ve told us and what we’ve seen for ourselves.
T’POL
Agreed.
REED
I think we need to do a little investigating here.
T’POL
It is not our place to do so, Major.
REED
(growing angry)
It is if we’re helping pirates or murderers repair their ship.
T’Pol stops working the console to give Reed an icy look, but he stands his ground. After a BEAT, her expression softens slightly.
Danik is growing concerned at watching the display, partly because he can’t understand what Reed and T’Pol are saying, and partly because they are trying to whisper while obviously having some kind of disagreement.
DANIK
[Is there a problem?]
T’POL
[No. The major and I are discussing what to do next.]
DANIK
(not buying it)
[I see.]
Danik turns and heads back for the door as Reed starts to resume his conversation with T’Pol; this time, however, they are clearly conspiring. Their discussion fades into the background.
Danik activates the comm. panel on the wall.
DANIK
[Kuroda, I need you in the navigation room.]
KURODA (COMM. VOICE)
[On my way.]
INT. ALIEN SHIP – (ANOTHER) CORRIDOR
T’Pol takes the lead this time, following her scanner. Danik follows behind, concern on his face, and a grimly determined Reed brings up the rear, keeping his hand near his sidearm.
DANIK
(panicked)
[But none of the navigation systems are down this way!]
T’Pol ignores his plea.
Soon they round a corridor and come to another hatch, just as Kuroda comes running down the corridor.
KURODA
[What’s going on?]
DANIK
[I don’t know; they suddenly stopped working and came here!]
(beat, eyeing the hatch)
[I think they know.]
Kuroda’s eyes grow wide, and he stands in front of the hatch just as T’Pol reaches for the handle.
DANIK
(aggressively)
[You’re not allowed in there!]
(off T’Pol’s icy glare)
[You're going to have to leave now.]
T’Pol starts to read off her padd to translate what was just said when Reed suddenly pulls his plasma pistol.
REED
Back up! Move away from the hatch!
Both Danik and Kuroda are dumbstruck and freeze, not sure what to do, and afraid.
KURODA
[Look, we don’t want any trouble here…]
Reed pulls out his communicator with his free hand and opens it.
REED
Major Reed to Security Forces, I need reinforcements at my position straight away.
PICARD (COMM. VOICE)
Deploying Bravo Team to your position now, sir.
REED
Alert Delta Team too; tell Lieutenant Cole to be on her guard.
ARCHER (COMM. VOICE)
What’s going on, Major?
REED
We’re about to find out, Captain.
Kuroda and Danik are still frozen in place. T’Pol eyes both of them.
T’POL
[I advise you to move.]
Reed motions for them to do so with his plasma pistol and the men comply, defeated expressions on their faces.
T’Pol opens the hatch and walks inside. She disappears off to the side momentarily, and suddenly the lights come on, revealing dozens of bodies. Some of the species within we recognize, but the ones that stand out are the strangely dressed green men.
T’Pol steps back into view, scanning the bodies.
REED
(sarcastically)
And to think, you didn’t even want to look into this.
Off T’Pol’s raised eyebrow, we…
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
Continue to Act Three
