ACT TWO
FADE IN:
EXT. SPACE – ABOVE IDOB
Enterprise orbits high above the alien planet we now know as IDOB, a Minshara class planet with a ring system rather than a moon.
ARCHER (V.O.)
Captain’s Log, 2 December 2152, 1847 hours. I’ve assigned Lieutenant Picard to investigate the events leading up to the Orion attack. To his credit, he’s done an exceptional job.
(beat)
He’s still putting the pieces together, but it appears that while someone from Idob did contact the Orions, it was not a government sanctioned act. Still, it’s unnerving to learn that Enterprise has a Syndicate bounty on it.
INT. ENTERPRISE – BRIDGE
T’Pol and Mayweather are nowhere to be seen – LIEUTENANT GARLA and ENSIGN CHATHAM take their places at their usual stations. Lieutenant Picard stands next to SERGEANT MAJOR HAYES at Tactical, both men already immersed in conversation with Captain Archer.
PICARD
Are they going to extradite, sir?
ARCHER
No, seems he committed a crime against the Idobre by contacting the Orions. Something tells me that they’ve had the same experiences with the Syndicate that we have.
Picard frowns at that.
PICARD
With all due respect, sir, I’d like to have him in our brig.
(beat, off Archer’s negative reaction)
He’s responsible for all the injuries caused by the Orion attack on this ship, and quite possibly the deaths of four of our people.
HAYES
I agree with him, Captain. This man, whoever he is, committed a crime against this ship and its crew.
(beat)
Besides, for all we know, they could be just scapegoating someone.
ARCHER
His name is Imod Avan, and he was one of the engineers at the power plant Trip was getting a tour of the day of the attack.
Hayes looks to Picard for confirmation, which he gets in the form of a curt nod.
ARCHER (CONT’D)
I’d like to think that I can get a pretty good bead on people. I think I’ve been working with Minister Relet long enough to have a pretty good feel for what kind of person she is. I don’t think she’s lying to us.
(beat, grows darker)
But when I met Mister Avan, his only concern seemed to be that he wasn’t going to be able to retire early anymore.
PICARD
All the more reason to have him in our brig, sir.
Archer lets out a frustrated sigh.
ARCHER
I agree, but unfortunately it isn’t as straightforward as that.
(beat, off Picard and Hayes’s annoyed expressions)
I’ve talked to Admiral Forrest, and, in light of the fact that the Idobre government helped us, the Senate wants to push the trade agreement forward. Whether we like it or not, we just have to accept it and take what little comfort we can from knowing that Mister Avan is going to be spending the rest of his natural life in prison.
Picard and Hayes both seem to take a little bit of comfort from learning of the heavy-handed sentence. Archer looks between the two soldiers and seems satisfied with their reaction.
ARCHER (CONT’D)
We’ll have to return to help work out the finer details of the trade agreement, but in the meantime, I think we have more important things to do.
(beat)
That’ll be all.
Archer turns to make his way to the turbolift.
PICARD
(resentfully)
Is what Earth is getting out of this worth it, Captain?
Archer turns back and carefully considers his words.
ARCHER
Senate seems to think so.
Before he can be asked another question, Archer makes his way to the turbolift and exits.
INT. ENTERPRISE – SCIENCE LAB 01
T’Pol works at one of the small computer terminals that line two of the walls in the small room, which is about the same size and layout of the “Command Center” seen on ENT. Mayweather works at the table in the center of the room, which resembles the navigator’s “pool table” on the Bridge. Both T’Pol and Mayweather are concentrating completely on their work when Captain Archer enters the room, but turn to face Archer at the sound of the door.
ARCHER
So what do you have for me?
T’Pol leads Archer to the large monitor that dominates the front of the room and enters a few commands into the console. A three dimensional perspective map of Idob and the surrounding space appears on the screen. Entering a few more commands, 30 different red vector paths appear on the map, with their origin in Idob’s ring system.
T’POL
(indicating vector paths)
After conducting a survey of the debris field and reviewing the data from the sensor logs of the explosion, we were able to extrapolate these possible trajectories.
Archer eyes the map, but he’s clearly disappointed.
ARCHER
I was hoping there wouldn’t be as many of them.
(beat, thinking)
That’d probably take us…
T’POL.
…Sixteen days, ten hours, thirty-two minutes.
Archer is slightly taken aback by both the suddenness and accuracy of T’Pol’s calculation.
ARCHER
Right…
(beat)
But the air supply on the shuttlepods will only keep them alive for ten days, and that’s under ideal conditions.
T’Pol quirks an eyebrow, as she’d already known that.
T’POL
Indeed…
(beat, indicating Mayweather)
Which is why Ensign Mayweather and I have been conducting further extrapolations based on his … intuition.
MAYWEATHER
Explosions make predicting how an object travels difficult, but based on the debris from the shuttlepod we found, we were able to make better estimates about how the shuttlepod might act with a new center of mass.
Mayweather starts entering commands into the table console. After a BEAT, the display changes slightly, as all but 6 of the red vector arrows disappear, and all of the remaining vectors are in about the same direction. Archer brightens slightly.
ARCHER
Now that’s more like it.
MAYWEATHER
(regretfully)
Unfortunately we can’t narrow it down any more than that, Captain. There are just too many variables.
ARCHER
I guess that’ll just have to do.
(beat)
How far away would they be by now?
The ensign enters in a few more commands and dashed lines expand outward from the original vector lines, until ending in points. The points are a considerable distance apart. Archer’s mood sours.
ARCHER
Then there’s no time to waste.
(beat, to T’Pol)
Have the remaining three shuttlepods prepped for launch and assign crews to act as search teams.
Mayweather perks up a little.
MAYWEATHER
Captain, I…
Archer cuts him off by shaking his head.
ARCHER
I want my best pilot at the helm.
(beat, off Mayweather’s disappointment)
When we find them, there’ll be some pretty tricky maneuvering involved to get them back on board.
Both men force a smile.
MAYWEATHER
Aye, sir.
ARCHER
(to both officers)
Join me on the Bridge when you’re ready.
And with that, Archer makes his way out of the room.
INT. SHUTTLEPOD 01
We focus on Tucker in a familiar position, lying on his side, working on equipment that’s been pulled from the wall at the front of the shuttlepod. The engineer goes through several of the tools from his small toolkit to work on his current project. He becomes more and more frustrated as he trades one tool for another, obviously not meeting with any success. Trip finally gets frustrated enough to growl as he tries on last tool, slamming the tool he was using down hard enough to make a satisfying racket.
This draws Reed’s ire. The SF glares at Tucker from his sitting position next to Cutler. We notice that Cutler is now covered with a blanket, and that Reed looks cold himself.
REED
(irritated)
You’ve been working on that for over an hour, Commander. I think it’s plainly obvious that you aren’t going to be able to get the heat back.
Tucker glares right back at Reed.
TUCKER
(furious)
Maybe not, but if I can’t stop life support from failing completely, we’ll be dead in hours!
(beat)
You think you’re cold now!? Just wait until it really gets cold in here! Hell, just wait until you can’t breathe because the air pumps and recyclers aren’t workin’!
Reed picks up a PADD that’s on the floor next to him and tries to look as dignified as he can.
REED
It’s a foregone conclusion that we’re not going to be rescued, Commander. If I were you, I’d spend my time more constructively, like writing some letters to your loved ones so they will have some closure at least, or drafting a will for that matter.
Reed starts typing on the PADD, presumably to write a letter. Tucker shakes his head and mutters something under his breath that we can’t hear. He tries to resume work on the exposed equipment. The sound of Reed typing seems to become louder and louder as Tucker works. He grits his teeth and tries to concentrate, but after a BEAT, he can take no more.
TUCKER
You wanna do somethin’ constructive!? Maybe you should help me try to keep us alive instead of writing your last will and testament!
REED
And just what am I going to do!? I’m a soldier, not an engineer!
TUCKER
I don’t know, maybe you could hold the flashlight or something!
(beat, sarcastically)
Or is that too hard for ya?
REED
You seem to be doing well enough on your own!
(beat, getting ready to write again)
Now if you don’t mind…
TUCKER
I do mind! The sound of your typing is drivin’ me up the wall!
(beat, before Reed can respond)
Why do you always have to be so damn cynical!?
REED
Why do you have to be so treacly optimistic!
TUCKER
I’ve never heard of a soldier just giving up without a fight before! You have some kind of a death wish or somethin’!?
This has a visibly draining effect on Reed. Tucker sees this and shows some alarm and sympathy, thinking that he’s gone too far.
REED
(softly)
This isn’t about giving up without a fight, and I certainly don’t want to die.
(beat, looking Tucker right in the eyes)
I may not have that many people close to me, but I’d still like them to have some closure, something to remember me by.
(beat, forcing a slight laugh)
It’s strange. I always thought I’d get cut down on some alien planet, or die with my ship during some battle; you know? Something quick or instant, something I wouldn’t really see coming. And now that this has happened, and there’s time before the end, I want to make sure that I say some things that I should’ve said a long time ago, while I still have a chance.
(beat)
What about you?
TUCKER
I never really imagined how I’d die, but I always hoped it would be as an old man, warm in his bed. I’ve been in plenty of close scrapes before, even as a kid, but I always fought my damnedest to get out of them, and I always did.
(beat, reflecting)
I don’t … have that many people close to me either. Pretty much just Jon and my little sister Lizzie really.
(beat, becomes slightly emotional)
And while I could write them some final letters like you’re doing, I think I’d rather live to see them again. And even if I don’t, I’d want them to know that I died, fighting the good fight.
Reed thinks about what Trip has said for a BEAT, then carefully sets the PADD down.
REED
(tersely)
Alright, I’ll help you with the life support system, but if it doesn’t work…
TUCKER
Then I’ll be sitting right there next to you writing a couple letters of my own.
Satisfied, Reed nods his acceptance of the “deal” and joins Tucker at the front of the shuttlepod.
REED
So… where’s this flashlight of yours?
Tucker lets out a short laugh.
TUCKER
(slightly embarrassed)
I was actually hoping you might be able to do a bit more than that, Major.
Reed gives the engineer a wry smile.
REED
I do know a fair bit about blowing things up, Commander, and that usually requires at least some knowledge of mechanics and electronics.
Tucker relaxes slightly, relieved.
TUCKER
Good. You think you’d like to try your hand at the environmental systems, or the air pumps?
Tucker points toward a panel that’s been opened in the floor, exposing a pump-like device. Reed looks between the two.
REED
I think I’d have a better chance with the air pumps.
Tucker nods and goes back to the electronic device he’s been working on while Reed digs in the toolbox for an appropriate tool. With this we
TRANSITION TO:
EXT. SPACE
Enterprise slides gracefully though space as it searches for its lost shuttlepod.
INT. ENTERPRISE – BRIDGE
Archer is focused on the small computer console next to his chair, looking intently at sensor readouts. PANNING, we see that T’Pol is also focused on the sensor readouts displayed on the various monitors of the Science station. There’s beeping from the console and she checks it. As if to verify what’s displayed, she looks into her holo-viewer for a BEAT before turning to Archer.
T’POL
Captain, sensors have registered a contact, bearing one-five mark two-five, at a distance of ten thousand kilometers.
ARCHER
(hopeful)
The shuttlepod?
T’POL
Possibly. The object appears to match the hull composition, and it is close to the mass and volume estimated by myself and Ensign Mayweather.
(beat)
If it is the missing shuttlepod, it is without power.
Archer’s face becomes hard.
ARCHER
Helm, lay in an intercept course and engage at full impulse.
Mayweather looks worried as he begins to adjust the helm.
MAYWEATHER
Moving to intercept, aye.
EXT. SPACE
We watch from aft of the ship as Enterprise approaches a small, distant object. The object’s metal hull glints in the light of the system’s star.
INT. ENTERPRISE – BRIDGE
Archer leans forward in his chair, burning holes in the viewscreen with his focused stare. We see the same object on the viewscreen, glinting dully.
T’Pol raises her head form looking into the holoviewer, and it’s obvious that she doesn’t have good news.
T’POL
The object is not the missing shuttlepod.
Archer’s face twists with his anger.
ARCHER
Magnify. I want to make sure.
T’Pol inputs a few commands into her console and the image of the metal object enlarges. It becomes clear that it is just a piece of SPACE JUNK, and not the remains of Shuttlepod 01.
ARCHER
What is it?
T’POL
It appears to be the remains of an Idobre vessel.
ARCHER
(enraged)
You mean we wasted...
(beat, composing himself)
Let’s move on to the next search area.
T’POL
Helm, lay in a new course, three-oh-five mark one-two-five.
MAYWEATHER
Course laid in…
T’POL
Engage at full impulse.
MAYWEATHER
Aye, Sub-Commander.
Archer watches as the space junk slides out of view, his chin resting on his fist.
ARCHER
And Lieutenant Picard?
PICARD
Sir?
ARCHER
Destroy that thing so no one else mistakes it for the shuttlepod.
Picard hesitates a moment, then keys in the proper commands into his console.
EXT. SPACE
We focus on the space junk as Enterprise turns away from it. Suddenly, one of the plasma turrets activates, and a bolt of white energy lashes out, destroying the space junk. Enterprise cruises away at full impulse as we….
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
Continue to Act Three
