TEASER
FADE IN:
INT. ALIEN SHIP – CORRIDOR
The corridor is dark and covered with grime. We begin to move through it, soon approaching one of the few working lights. This gives us a slightly better view of our surroundings, and we can see that the walls and ceiling are covered in burn marks; spatters of multi-colored fluids also cover the walls, and stain the floor.
Soon we approach a door at the end of the corridor, admitting us to….
INT. ALIEN SHIP – BRIDGE
…the equally dark and decrepit bridge of a ship that has definitely seen better days, many years ago. We pan, taking in as much of the alien bridge as we can, noticing the antiquated computer consoles, most of which are damaged by the same kind of burn marks we saw in the corridor, or just simply don’t work. Viewports line the front of the small room, and we can see the stars streaking lazily by. Panning further, we finally see the room’s only two occupants; a poorly-clad, middle-aged Suliban man named DANIK, and a barely-clad young Tandaran woman named KEYLA, both sitting at a large console that can only be the ship’s flight controls. Both have a curious piece of metal on their right temples.
Abruptly we change angles to see that this has all been a POV shot of a muscular young Enolian man named KURODA, who now impatiently waits for Danik to acknowledge him. He too has the strange metal object at his right temple. From their demeanor, we can tell that Kuroda and Danik don’t particularly like each other. With a sigh, Danik finally takes his eyes away from the flight controls to look at Kuroda with his strange yellow eyes, giving him his full attention. Keyla spares a moment to glance between the two of them, then goes back to the flight controls.
DANIK
(in Orion, impatiently)
[What is it?]
KURODA
(also in Orion)
[OsMorri wanted me to tell you to stop putting so much strain on the engines.]
(beat)
[This bucket wasn’t designed to go that fast to begin with, but with the damage we’ve sustained….]
DANIK
(interrupting, sarcastically)
[Is something wrong with the comm. system now?]
KURODA
(glowering)
[No….he just doesn’t want to talk to you….]
Danik shows a flicker of regret, but it is soon replaced by anger.
DANIK
[I can’t help what happened, just like I can’t help our situation now.]
(beat, sighing)
[I shouldn’t have to explain to anyone the importance of getting out of this area.]
Before Kuroda can answer, there’s a dull thunder, followed by a huge shudder, sending Kuroda sprawling to the floor and making Danik and Keyla cling on to their respective consoles to avoid doing the same. We quickly change angles to the front viewports, and watch as the stars suddenly stop streaking.
Embarrassed but otherwise unhurt, Kuroda picks himself up off the floor.
Danik exchanges a concerned look with Keyla, whose eyes are wide with fear. He pushes the comm. button.
DANIK
[Engine room, what happened?]
INT. ALIEN SHIP – ENGINE ROOM
Like the bridge, the ship’s engine room is dark and grimy. Broken parts lie scattered about, giving a cluttered feel, and just making the place look even more dirty and non-functional. Alarms are sounding, but they sound weak and pathetic. Sparks fly from what little equipment appears to be anywhere near functional. We pan, until we can see two younger-looking men working on what can only be this ship’s warp core, a tall, narrow, ungainly piece of equipment, which features the same burn marks and spatters of colored fluids that we’ve seen throughout the rest of the ship.
DANIK (COMM. VOICE)
(concerned, angry)
[Engine room, what’s going on down there!?]
Suddenly, a figure slides down a ladder leading to the upper part of the warp core. We see that he’s also an Enolian, but much older, with graying hair. This is OSMORRI, the man Kuroda mentioned to Danik, and he, like every other character we've seen, has the metal object on his temple as well.
OsMorri gives a frustrated sigh as he rapidly makes his way to the nearest comm. panel.
OSMORRI
(also in Orion, growling slightly)
[We’re a little busy trying to keep this ship from blowing up in our faces, Danik.]
DANIK (COMM. VOICE)
(annoyed)
[Are you going to answer my question or not?]
OSMORRI
(very angry)
[You want to know what happened!? Exactly what I warned you would happen!]
(beat, taking a deep breath)
[This worthless piece of excrement would have had a hard time keeping these kinds of speeds up when it was brand new and in perfect repair! It’s too old and too damaged!]
OsMorri takes another breath that almost sounds like a sob; in that moment, his face contorts, changing abruptly from anger to despair.
OSMORRI
(choking up)
[There’s nothing I can do! It’s damaged beyond repair!]
The two men in the background look up from what they’re doing and look at OsMorri at this, then exchange stunned looks with each other.
INT. ALIEN SHIP – BRIDGE
Danik looks like he’s completely lost in the situation. His expression tells us that the situation is very dire and hopeless. His hand hovers above the comm. panel for a LONG BEAT, and there is complete silence and stillness on the bridge. Finally, Danik’s finger depresses the button.
DANIK
[What about the sublight engines?]
OSMORRI (COMM. VOICE)
[The port impulse manifold is cracked. We sealed it, and it’s holding for now, but I don’t know how long it’ll hold. The starboard side….]
DANIK
(interrupting)
[Has been out for days.]
(beat, sighing)
[How long will the port engine last?]
OSMORRI (COMM. VOICE)
[Maybe a few more days….]
(growing angry gain)
[Just don’t push it, or it won’t even last that long!]
The comm. channel abruptly closes. Danik turns to face Keyla, who is just shy of a mental breakdown.
DANIK
[I need you to resume our course at one third engine power.]
Keyla’s breathing becomes more rapid; her hand reaches up and touches the strange piece of metal on her temple.
KEYLA
(also in Orion, hysterical)
[They’re going to find us. They’re going to catch us!]
(beat)
[They’ll kill us!]
Danik puts his hands on either of her arms and holds her, trying to calm her down and comfort her.
DANIK
[That’s not going to happen, Keyla; I won’t let it happen. I’m going to get you back to your family, just like I promised.]
We change angles and focus on Kuroda, who has finally come out of shock himself.
KURODA
[She’s right you know. They catch us; they’ll kill us, and sell our bodies for food.]
Danik glares over his shoulder at Kuroda.
DANIK
[Stop it…]
Kuroda is apparently still in a state of shock; he goes on like Danik never said anything, almost like no one else was even there.
KURODA
[If we’re lucky, they’ll even do it in that order, or at least kill us before they butcher us…]
DANIK
[Silence!!!!]
Kuroda finally shuts his mouth and looks at Danik.
KURODA
[But I’ve seen it happen, that’s what they did to my brother when he tried to escape. They made me watch…]
DANIK
(desperately)
[We all knew the consequences before we acted, but I’m not going to let that happen to us.]
Kuroda says nothing in reply, standing there listlessly.
DANIK
Don’t just stand there, go help OsMorri, or find something to do.]
Kuroda seems to regain his earlier attitude, and though he says nothing, he glares very intensely at Danik before turning and leaving the room.
EXT. SPACE
We finally get a look at the strange alien ship, now hanging dead in space. Its exterior is every bit as old and battered as the interior. We can tell that it’s been through a lot, with burns that could have only come from weapons fire, and other impact damage pockmarking the hull, including what can only be the ship’s warp nacelles. We zoom out, and pan slightly, showing that the small ship is all alone in the vastness of space as we…
FADE OUT.
END OF TEASER
Continue to Act One
