ACT FOUR
FADE IN:
EXT. SPACE - ORION SYSTEM
With a flash of light, Enterprise drops out of warp. In the background, we can just make out the gas giant.
INT. ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE
It's the first time we've seen Commander Tucker sitting in the command chair and he doesn't look entirely comfortable in it. Major Reed mans the Tactical board and LIEUTENANT RAKEE GARLA is manning the Science board.
TUCKER
Status?
Lieutenant Garla is silent for a BEAT as she studies the sensor readings before looking up.
GARLA
Increased sensor traffic. We've been detected.
TUCKER
Good.
(to Reed)
Battle stations. Let's get their attention.
As Major Reed sounds the alarms, we focus briefly on Trip's slightly concerned expression and...
CUT TO:
EXT. SPACE - ORION SYSTEM
Shuttlepods One and Two continue forward in a straight line toward the gas giant and the target moon, now much closer than before; Shuttlepod Two is now in the front. There is no indication of where the other two 'pods are and the engines on One and Two don't appear to be lit.
INT. SHUTTLEPOD TWO
Ensign Mayweather is intent on his flight controls. Behind him, at the science board on his left, Sub-Commander T'Pol is equally focused on the readings being displayed on her consoles. The rest of the pod is filled with SFs, including an uncomfortable-looking Lieutenant Chen.
Abruptly, T'Pol's board chirps.
T'POL
Now.
At her command, Mayweather applies acceleration.
EXT. SPACE - ORION SYSTEM
The engines of Shuttlepod Two ignite and the small craft surges forward, almost instantly followed by Shuttlepod One. They race toward the gas giant in what appears to be a synchronized action.
INT. SHUTTLEPOD TWO
T'Pol inputs commands into her console, lifting an eyebrow slightly at the results.
T'POL
Adjust heading to one-five mark three-six.
MAYWEATHER
Got it.
EXT. SPACE - ORION SYSTEM
The 'pods continue forward, entering a planetary ring that surrounds the massive gas giant. Small chunks of ice and rock begin pelting the 'pod as it maneuvers around the larger obstacles.
INT. SHUTTLEPOD TWO
As Travis does his thing at the pilot's station, we can see Lieutenant Chen with his eyes clenched tightly together. He appears to be whispering something under his breath and the other members of the SF team are hiding smiles at his actions.
MAYWEATHER
Stand by for turbulence!
EXT. SPACE - ORION SYSTEM
Darting from the planetary ring, the two shuttlepods suddenly race toward the Orion moon, engines glowing brightly. Disappearing around the terminator line of the moon, we can see an Orion frigate (one of the ones from the teaser).
EXT. ORION MOON - DUSK
Hulls bright red from the heat of re-entry, the two shuttlepods drop from the sky and dive toward a jagged chasm. Both level out almost instantly and continue their forward acceleration. They are flying low and fast, hugging the terrain.
INT. SHUTTLEPOD TWO
Now, Lieutenant Chen appears slightly green as the shuttlepod is rocked around by turbulence but several of the other SFs are also now and the lieutenant's problems with flying no longer appears to hold quite as much humor to them as it did earlier. T'Pol gives them a brief glance before returning her attention to her sensor display. It's very subtle, but she appears almost amused.
EXT. ORION MOON - DUSK
Engines whining slightly, Shuttlepod Two slows and lands softly under a large rocky outcropping. As the pitch of the engines dwindles to nothing, Shuttlepod One comes to a landing alongside it, also partially concealed by the outcropping.
Spilling out from the hatch of Shuttlepod Two in a tactical column, the SFs rush out to set up a perimeter. All of them are now wearing rebreathers. A BEAT later, the hatch on Shuttlepod One opens and the rest of the SF teams emerges and joins the other soldiers.
A rebreather covering her nose and mouth, Sub-Commander T'Pol emerges from Shuttlepod Two, followed closely by Ensign Mayweather, equally attired. The Vulcan is intent on her hand-held scanner as Captain Archer and Major Holmberg approach.
ARCHER
Well?
T'POL
There is no indication that our arrival was detected.
(beat, off of new data)
I am detecting a number of warp core signatures approximately 1.35 kilometers in that direction.
She points and Major Holmberg gives a hand signal to the SFs. Two of them leap to their feet and dart in the direction indicated. Archer frowns but says nothing.
ARCHER
What about the situation in orbit?
T'POL
Unknown. The range of my scanner is limited.
Major Holmberg touches her helmet and we can hear muffled communication but are unable to understand it.
HOLMBERG
(to helmet comm)
Copy.
(to Archer)
Sir, we have confirmed visual on Lieutenant Cole and Ensign Sato. They're in the camp.
Archer draws in a sharp breath before nodding.
ARCHER
(terse)
Let's go get them.
(to Mayweather)
Travis-
T'POL
(interrupting)
Captain.
(off his look)
Sir, I recommend that Ensign Mayweather accompany our team.
(off his surprise)
This is an unexplored moon with unknown dangers. It is illogical to leave a single officer behind.
Archer frowns for a BEAT, then nods.
ARCHER
Travis, you're with me.
(to Holmberg)
Let's move out, Major.
As the team begins to move out, we PAN UP and focus on the darkening sky. The distant stars twinkle and we...
DISSOLVE TO:
EXT. SPACE - ORION SYSTEM
Weapon systems deployed and nacelles armored up, Enterprise continues to cruise toward the gas giant.
INT. ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE
Commander Tucker is leaning forward in the chair, unconsciously emulating Captain Archer's habit. Prominently displayed on the main viewer are four Orion frigates approaching in a combat formation.
REED
Weapons range in two minutes, sir.
Trip nods before glancing to the communications officer.
TUCKER
Inform Lexington that they have a green light.
EXT. SPACE - ORION SYSTEM
As the four ships continue to accelerate, a streak of light announces the arrival of the UEM Lexington. As before, the ship begins transitioning into a combat mode the moment it drops out of warp.
Within a BEAT of Lexington's arrival, the four frigates peel off and begin accelerating away from the Earth ship. The warship doesn't even get the opportunity to fire a single shot before the four craft begin jumping to warp.
INT. ENTERPRISE - BRIDGE
Trip leans back in the command chair, a satisfied look on his face, and gives Major Reed a smile.
TUCKER
I guess they don't like it when we fight back.
Off of Reed's amused snort, we...
CUT TO:
EXT. ORION MOON - DUSK
The fortified town is a scene of complete chaos. Aliens of various species (although most of them are Orion) run through the "streets" and we can see starships lifting off of the planet with regular frequency. The sound of firefights can be heard as we focus on a single, familiar individual: Harrad-Sar.
He is storming through the streets with fury on his face and is heading toward the sound of fighting. A pair of armored SFs enter his view and he quickly ducks into a convenient shadow as the rest of the team begins to appear. We focus briefly on his face as he measures something and then turns away, quickly disappearing down the "alleyway".
Instead of following him, we focus on the approaching team of UEM SFs as they continue to fan out, using cover as appropriate. Captain Archer and Ensign Mayweather scramble forward, keeping low as they dart from place to place. As members of UESPA, they frankly look just a little silly as they attempt to move tactically when it's clear that they have never been trained to do so. Sub-Commander T'Pol appears much more at ease with this sort of movement, however, indicating that she has been trained to do this sort of thing.
ARCHER
(in a loud hiss)
Sub-Commander!
From the flicker of annoyance that briefly crosses her face, T'Pol would have rolled her eyes if she were human, but she dutifully consults her scanner and points.
T'POL
Twenty-one meters in that direction.
Archer is up and moving before anyone can give the command and Major Holmberg shoots him a quick look of frustration before giving hand and arm signals.
EXT. ORION MOON - SLAVE PENS
The SF teams rapidly approach the enclosed pens to discover that there is a squad of burly Orion males attempting to secure one of the pens to a ground vehicle of some sort. One of the Orions sees the approaching humans and they scramble for weapons.
Almost instantly, the area is crisscrossed with energy beams as the UEM SFs return fire. Archer, equipped with a plasma pistol himself, takes a couple of shots at the hostiles but only hits the cover. There is a flash of movement to one side of him and he whips his head around see a green-hued figure disappear behind a building. Without thinking, Archer springs after the figure. Only T'Pol, several meters distant from him, seems to notice in the chaos of battle.
T'POL
Captain!
We keep our focus on Archer as he rounds the corner of the building just in time to see the figure disappear around another corner. From his expression, he's running on pure adrenaline now and darts after the figure, weapon out. As he ducks around the corner, a massive fist connects with his chest and sends him sprawling to the ground. His weapon is knocked loose and is sent skittering away.
Harrad-Sar steps forward and hefts Archer off of the ground with one meaty hand,
HARRAD-SAR
(in Orion, furious)
[You!]
Archer's eyes widen in recognition even if he doesn't know what Harrad-Sar actually said, and he kicks the Orion squarely in groin. A loud CLANK can be heard and Archer yelps in pain as his foot strikes a metal codpiece.
HARRAD-SAR
[I'm going to kill you, hoo-man!]
Almost effortlessly, the hulking Orion throws Archer into a nearby wall with bone-jarring force. The captain hits the ground with a loud thud and tries to get to his feet. Harrad-Sar is there almost instantly and kicks Archer in the chest, knocking him back a meter.
Gasping in pain, Archer rolls onto his back as Harrad-Sar looms over him. Reaching down, the Orion grabs the captain's neck with both of his meaty hands. Archer gasps as he tries to fight the crushing grip.
HARRAD-SAR
(snarling)
[Now, you die.]
As Harrad-Sar begins to choke Archer, a slim hand snakes into view and applies pressure to the Orion's shoulder in a very familiar manner. His eyes roll backward and the Orion falls forward, unconscious, revealing a calm-looking Sub-Commander T'Pol behind him. With little visible effort, the Vulcan shoves the unconscious Orion off of Archer.
Archer gives her an odd look that is half-gratitude, half-annoyance at having to be gratified.
T'POL
Are you injured, Captain?
ARCHER
(muttering as he stands)
Only my pride.
T'Pol quirks an eyebrow at his response as we...
CUT TO:
EXT. ORION MOON - SLAVE PENS
...the firefight. It's mostly died down now as the SFs have established a semi-circular perimeter around the entrance to the pens. We FOCUS on Travis Mayweather as he and three enlisted SFs quickly advance toward the pen containing the humans in it. Travis the first person to the gate of
the pens and he speaks to the first of the women he sees.
MAYWEATHER
Hoshi!
The surprise on Ensign Sato's face is amusing as Travis uses his sidearm on the lock to the cell gate and quickly blasts it to pieces. The three enlisted SFs are covering him with their rifles.
SATO
You sure took long enough!
Travis' grin is widening by the second and he's caught off guard by Hoshi's sudden embrace of him. To one side, we FOCUS on Nora as she looks at the two ensigns with a sad expression that she quickly hides.
Lieutenant Cole relieves Mayweather of his sidearm and, when he starts to complain, she spears him with a dark look that quickly causes him to reconsider his complaints. Instead, he glances around the pen, brightening at sight of Nora. To his obvious confusion, she blushes slightly at his evident happiness to see her.
An annoyed expression on her face, Lieutenant Cole glances at Travis.
COLE
What's the evac plan, Ensign?
Mayweather starts to reply but it interrupted by Lieutenant Chen as he approaches.
CHEN
Pods Three and Four are en route to begin shuttling our people back to Enterprise.
(beat)
Which has taken up a geo-synchronous orbit above us alongside Lexington.
(annoyed, to Travis)
Did you see where the captain went this time?
As Travis is shaking his head, Captain Archer and Sub-Commander T'Pol approach, the former looking a little worse for the wear.
ARCHER
I'm right here, Lieutenant.
(beat, to Hoshi)
Good to see you again, Ensign.
SATO
(grinning)
It's even better to see you, sir.
COLE
Captain...
At her comment, Archer shifts attention to her and she straightens slightly under his gaze.
COLE
We're taking the Boomers back to Enterprise?
ARCHER
That's right, Lieutenant.
(with a reassuring smile to the frightened-looking Boomer women)
And then, we'll arrange for them to rejoin their families and ships.
His words draw out a couple of smiles from the women but Cole frowns.
COLE
But what about them, sir?
She points to the other slave pens that still hold captives, all of whom are non-human and most of whom bear beaten expressions. There are familiar-species here: Andorian, Denobulan, Suliban, Tellarite, but just as many unfamiliar (to Archer) species. We FOCUS on the disgust and despair on Archer's face as he takes in the sheer number of captives.
And off his expression, we...
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT FOUR
Continue to Act Five
