ACT TWO
FADE IN:
INT. ENTERPRISE – MESS HALL
Commander Tucker and Sub-Commander T’Pol continue to sit at the table in the far corner of the mess hall, but they’ve been joined by Major Reed. He has a meal tray in front of him, which looks partially eaten, but he isn’t eating as we enter the scene.
REED
So the captain blames the Vulcans for his father’s death?
T’POL
(before Tucker can answer)
Commander Archer died as a result of an accident. There were no Vulcans involved.
TUCKER
Actually, yes, the cap’n does blame the Vulcans for his father’s death.
(beat, off Reed and T’Pol’s looks)
He figures that if the Vulcans hadn’t turned paternalistic on us all of a sudden and deleted all our information on the original test ships that the accident never would’ve happened. I actually agree with him for the most part, though I’m not as passionate about it as Cap’n Archer is.
(beat, hesitantly)
Plus, they never did find the flight data recorder, so all they had to go on was the last bit of telemetry they got from the test ship before it was destroyed. So between that, and Soval’s surprise visit to the lab the day of the cap’n’s graduation, it looked mighty suspicious to him for quite a while after that. I think he still harbors some suspicions about that day.
T’POL
(bristling slightly)
Vulcans are not assassins, nor are they saboteurs.
(beat)
Ambassador Soval was simply carrying out the wishes of the High Command; there was nothing malicious intended.
Tucker gives T’Pol a mildly irritated look.
TUCKER
Hey, I’m just tellin’ you what you wanted to know.
(beat, as T’Pol resumes a more neutral expression)
It probably was just coincidence, but it looks pretty suspicious when you’re hurt because you just lost someone you care a lot about. I might’ve felt the same way if I was in his shoes.
(beat, reminiscing)
Henry Archer was a great man. He managed to reverse engineer the test vehicles that we’d built with the Vulcans’ help, and even made a bunch of improvements on the design. The man was an inspiration.
Reed cracks a small smile.
REED
You speak as though you knew him.
Tucker is a little embarrassed at that.
TUCKER
Well no, not really.
(beat)
I met him once when I was in the International Science and Engineering Fair during high school, but it was mostly a couple of encouraging words and a handshake before he went on to talk to the next exhibitor.
(beat, smiling fondly)
Still, it pretty much sealed the deal as far as me taking up Astronautical Engineering in college.
(beat, more serious)
No, pretty much everything I know about the man comes from when I got to know the cap’n. He told me all about him.
(beat, sad)
Still eats him up inside, after all these years.
REED
I guess that’s understandable.
Trip slowly nods his head as we
FADE TRANSITION TO:
EXT. LARGE CEMETERY
Ensign Archer stands with five other uniformed UESPA officers, the pallbearers. They’re next to the canopied gravesite of Henry Archer, whose coffin is still being supported directly above its final resting place. The young ensign watches as people file by his father’s empty casket to pay their final respects, most leaving flowers on its closed lid. We can tell that Ensign Archer is wracked with emotion as he watches this, barely keeping his sorrow in check.
TUCKER (VO)
He very nearly dropped out of the program.
(beat)
Grief can make someone do some pretty rash things.
COMMODORE FORREST (OS)
(heavy with emotion)
I can’t express my condolences enough, Jonny.
Ensign Archer’s brows furrow slightly as he turns to face COMMODORE MAXWELL FORREST.
ENS ARCHER
Don’t call me that.
(beat)
Sir.
The commodore looks at the son of his departed friend with slight confusion painting his face, not expecting that reaction.
COMMODORE FORREST
(heavy with emotion)
I can’t imagine what you must be going through, Ensign, but your father and I were friends going back to long before you were born.
(beat, composing himself)
I’ve known you all your life, son, so if you need someone to talk to…
ENS ARCHER
(with growing anger)
What’s there to talk about? My father is dead! Vaporized and spread over thousands of kilometers!
(beat, cynical)
And here we are, still pretending to bury him.
The ensign’s outbursts are beginning to draw attention from the other mourners.
COMMODORE FORREST
(defensively)
What’s wrong with wanting a little closure?
ENS ARCHER
What isn’t?
(beat)
I carried an empty casket out here, dammit!
Ensign Archer turns and briskly walks away before Commodore Forrest can respond. From the expression on the commodore’s face, it doesn’t look like he can respond. We follow Ensign Archer as he makes his way through the gathered crowd. All eyes are on him, including Ensign Hernandez’s as he passes by her without even looking at her as we
FADE TRANSITION TO:
INT. ENSIGN ARCHER’S QUARTERS
Ensign Archer, dressed now in civilian cloths, pulls several civilian shirts out of his now empty standard issue wall locker in what are clearly UESPA dormitory quarters. We follow him as he brings the shirts to his twin-sized bed and starts to fold them next to an open suitcase, which is nearly full.
There’s a chime at his door. He pauses and straightens slightly, clearly upset at the interruption.
ENS ARCHER
I don’t want to talk about it, Commodore!
We hear the door open. Ensign Archer’s eyes go wide with his shock and anger. He quickly turns, ready to snap at the intruder, but stops when he sees that it’s Ensign Hernandez. She looks at him with concern.
ENS ARCHER
(shocked)
You!?
She nods in reply, but waits a BEAT before replying, noting the nearly packed suitcase on his bed.
ENS HERNANDEZ
I came over as soon as I heard.
(beat, hurt)
When were you planning on telling me?
Ensign Archer hesitates for a BEAT, then turns to finish folding his shirts.
ENS ARCHER
When I was back home…
(beat, with a sigh)
Before I headed off someplace else from there.
(beat)
I knew you’d try to talk me out of it.
ENS HERNANDEZ
(sternly)
You’re damn right I am!
(beat, concerned)
What are you going to do? You’ve been waiting your whole life to do this, and now you’re just walking away?
ENS ARCHER
(aggravated)
I just can’t do it anymore, Erika!
(beat, forcefully packing away his shirts)
Am I just supposed to finish flight school and join the project like nothing happened!?
ENS HERNANDEZ
No one expects you to pretend like nothing happened! But you can’t just resign and walk away like it never even mattered!
(beat, softer)
You practically grew up on the project…
This strikes a chord in Ensign Archer, and he pauses for a BEAT before closing his suitcase and zipping it up.
ENS ARCHER
(softly)
That’s why I have to go, Erika.
(beat, heavy with emotion)
I’m never going to be able to look at the project or UESPA the same way. Too many memories.
He hefts his suitcase and turns to face Ensign Hernandez. She looks at him with pleading eyes. They look at each other for a BEAT; we can tell that there’s something special between them.
ENS ARCHER
Goodbye, Erika.
He starts to walk toward the door.
ENS HERNANDEZ
(pleading)
Jonny…please…
His face twists in anger.
ENS ARCHER
(harshly)
Don’t call me that!
Irritation overcomes Ensign Hernandez’s features. She is clearly hurt by that, and says nothing more as he walks out the door. After he’s gone, she slowly sits on the neatly made bed, running her hand over the covers as she looks at the closed door with sadness. We focus on her face as we
FADE TRANSITION TO:
EXT. YOSEMITE VALLEY – MEADOW – EVENING
We’re in a meadowy area, close to some pine trees. The aptly named Cathedral Rocks can be seen in the distance, the evening sunlight playing off of their granite surfaces as the sun sets. It’s already dark in the valley, the sun having dipped down below the level of the mountains that surround the picturesque valley. Suddenly, a loaded back-pack drops down heavily from above the frame.
We change angles to watch Ensign Archer as he starts unpack his camping supplies. Unstrapping a bag from his back-pack, we can soon see that it’s a tent. He unfolds it and the tent practically forms itself; all he has to do is stake it down using a small rubber mallet he pulls out of the tent bag.
We watch Archer set up his lonely campsite in brief snippets, finishing with a small fire circle that he’s dug out with a small shovel and lined with stones. He adds wood from a pile that he’s gathered and lights it with something similar to a small butane lighter. The fire soon takes off, illuminating Ensign Archer and the immediate area with a warm glow.
By now, the sun has set and the stars are out. The moon has also risen, and casts its eerie light over the valley. A lone coyote howls. We focus on young Archer as he sighs heavily. He looks like he’s close to breaking down, but he holds it in as he looks at his surroundings.
ENS ARCHER
(softly, heavy with emotion)
Wish you were here to see this with me, Dad.
We focus on the moon again. The coyote howls again as we
FADE TRANSITION TO:
EXT. YOSEMITE VALLEY – MEADOW – DAY
The sun is already high in the sky. Squirrels and chipmunks scurry about, chittering excitedly at each other.
We change angles and focus on the small tent that Archer set up the night before as the door suddenly zippers open. Ensign Archer looks like hell, with unkempt “bed head” hair and red eyes that are a testament to a lack of sleep (and/or something else). He pulls his backpack outside with him and drops it next to his now extinguished campfire. He wanders off for a BEAT as we watch the local wildlife go about its business.
When the ensign returns, he carries with him three small dead tree limbs of nearly equal length and diameter. Taking a length of rope from his backpack, we watch him lash the limbs together, fashioning a tripod, which he then sets up over the fire ring. He makes a loop out of some more rope, and it soon becomes apparent what it’s for when he pulls out a small coffee pot and fills it with some water from a canteen. After mixing it up, he promptly rebuilds the wood into a campfire and relights it. He waits a BEAT for the fire to build up, then hangs the coffee pot from the tripod.
EXT. YOSEMITE VALLEY – FORREST – LATER
Ensign Archer hikes through a forested area, loaded with all his gear. He takes his time, admiring the scenery and the small animals that are out and about among the trees.
We follow his progress as he walks on a clearly defined trail through short snippets. He pauses on occasion for a BEAT to take in deep breaths of the fresh air, but we can tell that it isn’t because he’s winded. He’s enjoying himself, his thin lips forming the smallest of smiles.
We follow him until he comes to a clearing on some bare rock. He takes his pack off and sits down on a fallen log. He digs around in his back-pack for a snack. We watch from a distance as a pair of feminine legs clad in shorts and hiking boots steps into the frame.
ENS HERNANDEZ (OS)
I thought I might find you here.
Ensign Archer looks up in absolute surprise at Ensign Hernandez’s sudden appearance. The surprise soon wears off though, and he hangs his head in disappointment.
ENS ARCHER
(bitter)
What are you doing here?
ENS HERNANDEZ
I could ask you the same question.
(beat)
I’m actually a little surprised that you ended up coming here after all.
ENS ARCHER
Thought you said you knew I’d be here.
She gives him a shy smile.
ENS HERNANDEZ
That’s half true, actually.
(beat)
I stopped by your mom’s place. Thought I might catch you before you left.
(beat)
She told me that you came out here.
ENS ARCHER
(sourly)
I told her not to tell anyone.
ENS HERNANDEZ
Don’t be too hard on her, Jonn…Jon. She cares about you, and so do I.
(beat, concerned)
So why are you out here of all places?
ENS ARCHER
It holds enough good memories…
(beat)
Thought I’d try to relive a few of them before I decided on a new career.
She takes her pack off and sits down next to him on the log.
ENS HERNANDEZ
So how’s that going?
He doesn’t answer her. Instead, he digs around in his pack and produces two energy bars. He offers one of them to Ensign Hernandez, which she accepts with a smile.
ENS ARCHER
I’m sorry about snapping at you…
(beat)
Back in San Fran.
ENS HERNANDEZ
Don’t worry about it. I know you’re hurt, so you don’t mean everything you say.
The two of them unwrap their energy bars and proceed to eat them. They say nothing for a LONG BEAT.
ENS ARCHER
I just need some time, that’s all.
They finish their snack, and dispose of the wrappers. Ensign Hernandez gives Ensign Archer an understanding look.
ENS HERNANDEZ
I know, but when you’re ready, I’m here for you.
He says nothing, simply standing and hefting his pack back onto his shoulders. She watches him but remains seated, thinking that he’s going to go off on his own again. He takes a step away, then stops and looks back at her, a hint of mischief in his expression.
ENS ARCHER
You coming?
Ensign Hernandez smiles and gets up, accepting his invitation. She shoulders her own backpack and the two of them hike off into the forest as we…
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT TWO
Continue to Act Three
