"Departure II"

ACT FOUR

 

CUT TO INT. THE BRIDGE-SPACE

 

DECKER and WALSH are at their stations, monitoring their respective duties.  DECKER is chewing gum and he blows a bubble. The pop echoes through the nearly empty bridge.  WALSH winces each time he hears that stupid pop.

 

 

WALSH

You’re not supposed to chew gum on duty.

 

 

DECKER pops the gum again, on purpose this time.

 

 

DECKER

I’m sorry, (emphasizes) Crewman, but I believe I’m the one in command of the bridge here.

 

WALSH (through gritted teeth)

I’m sorry, sir. But you’re not supposed to chew gum.

 

 

DECKER pops the gum, just to spite WALSH.  WALSH rolls his eyes, goes back to his console.  There’s a beep, he looks confused.  Another beep, WALSH attempts to get DECKER’S attention.

 

 

WALSH

Hey Decker?

 

 

DECKER ignores him.

 

 

WALSH

Martin! Damn it!

 

 

DECKER continues to ignore him.

 

 

DECKER (sing songy)

That’s not the proper way to address me…

 

WALSH (angry)

Fine! SIR, I NEED YOUR ATTENTION!

 

 

The whole ship shakes and the bridge crew struggles not get thrown from their seats.

 

 

DECKER

What the hell is going on?

 

WALSH (panicked)

That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you, the warp field is failing.

 

DECKER

Don’t be ridiculous! (checks the helm, stunned) The warp field is failing!

 

WALSH (sarcasm)

You don’t say.

 

 

SARA stumbles out of the ready room just as the ship begins to shake even more violently then before.

 

 

SARA

What the hell is going on?

 

 

Another shake.

 

 

DECKER

Something’s drawing power from the external generators and now the Warp field is starting to degrade.

 

 

SARA taps her comm..

 

 

SARA (to Comm)

Give me good news, Chief!

 

 

 

CUT TO INT. ENGINEERING-SPACE

 

RAND’S running through the sliding doors, watching as everything goes to hell.

 

 

RAND

I just got here, sir, but I’ll tell you right now it’s not a malfunction.

 

 

He runs to a console near the warp core.  His jaw drops.

 

 

SARA (over comm.)

Do we need to eject the core? Chief?

 

RAND (stuttering)

I-it’s not the core. (taps the console) It’s the computer.

 

RAND’S typing frantically, trying to keep up with a cascade of crashing systems.

 

 

RAND

The computer is shutting down, system by system.

 

SARA (over comm.)

Is there anything you can do?

 

RAND (scared)

No…I can’t do anything.

 

 

 

CUT TO EXT. NELSON-SPACE

 

The lights begin to flicker and the warp field starts to dissolve.  The ship stops cold and suddenly everything goes black.

 

The Nelson begins to drift in space.

 

 

 

CUT TO INT. BRIDGE-SPACE

 

It’s completely dark but panicked sounds of yelling voices cut through the black.

 

DECKER snaps on a fancy looking glow stick.

 

 

DECKER

Commander?

 

 

Another glow stick snaps on, it’s SARA

 

 

SARA

I’m alright Mr. Decker, where’s Mr. Walsh?

 

 

Third glow stick.

 

 

WALSH

Here, sir.

 

SARA

Can I get a damage report?

 

WALSH

Negative, the console is completely dead.

 

 

More glow sticks snap on from other bridge personnel. Everybody looks a little scared.

 

 

SARA

Helm?

 

DECKER

Same here.

 

 

SARA pinches the bridge of her nose, annoyed.

 

 

SARA

Can anybody tell me anything?

 

WALSH

Life support and Gravity still work.

 

SARA

Since we’re not floating or suffocating, I figured that out Mr. Walsh, is there anything else?

 

 

She taps her badge, but it doesn’t chirp.

 

 

SARA

Chief? (another tap, no chirp) Anyone?

 

 

 

CUT TO INT. HARD DRIVE STORAGE BALCONY-SPACE

 

There’s a steel walkway over looking the warp core, just a metal floor suspended in air and connected to small alcove. The warp core emits a light glow, still powering down.

 

RAND is deep inside the alcove, trying desperately to re-power the ship’s hard drive. He’s got a tiny lcd flashlight between his teeth and a laser spanner in both hands. Gel pack storage drives are everywhere.

 

WOLFE appears on the other end of the catwalk with his own flashlight.

 

 

WOLFE

Chief? You up here? I was passing by engineering…Chief?

 

 

RAND tries to talk with the flashlight in his teeth.

 

 

WOLFE

Huh?

 

RAND

(takes his flashlight out of his mouth) I’m over here.

 

WOLFE

Need any help?

 

RAND

Do you know how to reboot a 900 trigabyte computer using only basic tools and no lights?

 

WOLFE

Uh…no.

 

RAND

Then just stand there and shut up.

 

 

RAND goes back to his work; WOLFE tries to watch without looking like an idiot.  There’s a “vimming” sound and WOLFE’S head snaps around, he recognizes it instantly.  RAND stops working again and looks up at WOLFE.

 

WOLFE’S body is tensed like a coiled snake.

 

 

RAND

Something wrong?

 

WOLFE

(pulls disrupter) Proton stream from a D’deridex-Class transporter, probably built at the M’era Shipyards, heavily modified. We’ve got visitors.

 

RAND

You got all that from a little ‘vimm’ sound?

 

WOLFE

Shhh!

 

WOLFE goes to investigate…

 

….reaches the end of the walk way.

 

Out of nowhere, a heavy club smashes down on WOLFE’S head.  He goes tumbling over the railing to the floor of the engine room twenty feet below.

 

RAND watches in horror as seven of the meanest looking Romulan pirates and Reman thugs appear on the other end of the walkway.  He stands up but there’s really no point. There’s nowhere to run.  RAND hears a hideous breathing sound and turns to see VYRX holding a knife to his throat.

 

 

VYRX

Come with me, human.

 

 

 

CUT TO INT. BRIDGE-SPACE

 

SARA and WALSH are hunched over SARAH’S comm badge, fiddling with the exposed guts.

 

 

WALSH

Yeah, this thing is dead. Most of the communicators and tricorders work using a broadcast power signal. The computer transmits a signal into the inner mechanism and powers them independently from the rest of the ship. A comm badge will work as long as the computer it’s connected to is still functioning. (Makes an adjustment then starts closing the badge) But if Rand was right, our computer has completely shut down and that means everything it was connected to shut down as well.

 

SARA

What could do that?

WALSH

A virus? Maybe some kind of pulse? Strictly speaking, it’s supposed to be impossible to shut down our computer remotely. We’ve got so many backups and fail-safes, those hard drives are designed to keep functioning even without atmosphere. Even trying to shut it down remotely means you’d have to submit your command pulse through a piggybacked peripheral signal…

 

 

Across the room, DECKER chimes in.

 

 

DECKER

You said your badge was broken on Feron Prime, Koloth must’ve done something to it when you were unconscious.

 

WALSH (shakes his head)

He would have to be brilliant, and I mean savant level brilliant, to reprogram a comm badge like that.

 

SARA (dismissive)

The “who” isn’t important right now. Are there any communicators on the ship that don’t use broadcast power?

 

 

WALSH shrugs.  The turbolift doors are yanked open using a manual crank and PAUL FROST steps on to the bridge.

 

 

FROST

Marine communicators don’t.

 

 

WALSH hands SARA her comm as she walks to meet FROST on the other side of the room.

 

 

SARA

So their comms are still working but we can’t talk to-

 

 

FROST holds up the personal comm system he was using to talk to his wife.

 

 

SARA (smile)

Now who’s a showboat?

 

 

 

CUT TO INT. BRIG-SPACE

 

Two Marine guards stand nervously at attention in front of KOLOTH and WEI’S cells. Only the light from a single flashlight keeps the room illuminated.  WEI is angry and upset but KOLOTH seems completely at peace.

 

 

WEI

What’s going on?

 

BRIG MARINE 1

Shut up.

 

WEI

Are we under attack?

 

BRIG MARINE 2

He said shut up.

 

 

MARINE 1 looks at MARINE 2

 

 

BRIG MARINE 1

Maybe we should go find some body.

 

BRIG MARINE 2

Provix said stay put, we stay put. Last thing I need is some blue guy screaming at me.

 

 

There’s a cranking sound and the door opens manually.  RAND walks into the room holding his own flash light.

 

 

BRIG MARINE 2

Chief! Thank god, do you know what the hell is-

 

 

Before RAND can open his mouth to warn them, VYRX leans into the room from the hallway and fires two quick shots.  The MARINES hit the deck, stunned.  VYRX and his team run into the room and start bringing bags of tools into the room.

 

 

RAND

Damnit, you didn’t need to do that!

 

VYRX

Calm down human, they are only stunned.

 

KOLOTH

Ever the soft hearted, eh brother?

 

VYRX

(pushes RAND against the bars of WEI’S cell) Stand there, stay quiet. (to Koloth) You are a most troublesome companion, my brother.

 

KOLOTH (smile)

Why stay out of trouble, when I have such friends to get me out?

 

 

VYRX and KOLOTH shake hands through the bars.  The PIRATES get to work on the force bars in KOLOTH’S cell.  WEI tries to listen in on the conversation

 

 

KOLOTH (worried)

Does the Master know of this?

 

VYRX

Fear not, old friend, he does not blame this on you. (scowls) Though that worm Grox shall suffer dearly for this.

 

 

WEI raises his hand through the bars.

 

 

WEI (big, salesman grin)

Uh, hey. How’s it going? While you’re down there springing people from jail, mind helpin’ me outta this fix I’m in?

 

REMAN PIRATE

Silence dog!

 

 

VYRX motions towards WEI with his head, as if to ask KOLOTH “who’s this jerk?”  KOLOTH gives a slight shrug.

 

 

WEI

Look, I get it; you’re a real tight crew of scum. But perhaps you might just do me just one little favor and take me with you?

 

VYRX (annoyed)

We are not criminals, why should associate with one?

 

WEI

If you’re not criminals, why break this many laws?

 

VYRX (intimidating)

Then perhaps we should stop while we’re ahead and keep you here!

 

 

WEI searches his mind for a good answer.

 

 

WEI

I can help you find Grox, I know-

 

 

VYRX rushes the bars, snarling.

 

 

VYRX

We don’t need your help, human!

WEI

I can do things for you, I can be useful!

 

VYRX

Things? What things?

 

 

In a flash, WEI reaches through the bars and grabs DANNY RAND by the neck.  WEI locks his forearms around RAND’S neck and…

 

RAND knows what’s happening, his eyes go wide…

 

…snap. CHIEF PETTY OFFICER DANNY RAND falls to the floor, dead.

 

VYRX and KOLOTH are a little shocked.

 

There’s a cold, evil look in WEI’S eyes. This is the true face of HUANG WEI, he’s a monster.

 

 

WEI (growl)

Cut…the fucking…bars.

 

 

Zoom in on the eyes…

 

Continue on to ACT FIVE...