STARCALLED
book 1, chapter 4: the sands of edari
EXT. BISSON CITY DISTRICT
Sands blossom over the bleached towers of Bisson, setting a crimson haze across the city. Dark storm clouds tear across the horizon.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 1: Oot ekka dalla!
HOLKARI WARRIOR 2: Ratta kah maku!
HOLKARI WARRIOR 1: Maku dalla!!
Pulse rifle fire erupts. Blasts rip through a nearby stone wall.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 2: Oot ekka dalla!
More pulse rifle fire. Ricochets. A heavy thumb against the wall. The weathered stones explode out, and a colonial officer goes flying through the air. He bounces off another building and plummets to the street level.
He lands, hard.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 1: Kah lek maku! Kah lek maku!
It’s Commander Strakker Tygg. He stirs -- barely. A hatch slides open, and a holkari warrior emerges. It tucks its jaws, aiming its tusks at the colonial soldier.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 2: Oot ekka dalla!!
It charges.
Tygg rolls out of the way, and the holkari’s tusks spear into the stone wall. Tygg unloads a barrage of strikes on the trapped holkari, then slams his arms down on its neck, breaking the bones.
Three more holkari dash through the hatchway, plasma pikes leveled at Tygg. He draws his pistol and opens fire. He rolls into cover, dodging the barrage of blasts. He takes out two holkari, but takes a plasma blast to the thorax.
It punches him through the wall and into an adjacent city street. Lightning erupts in the sky above him. He bounces and rolls hard across the pavement.
COMMANDER TYGG: Ah… dralk…
He slowly pulls himself to his knees.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 3: Ratta kah maku!
At the end of the block, squads of holkari troopers escort imperial hover tanks down the city stonework. A fully armor holkari soldier steps forward, pointing at Tygg.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 3: Maku ah da smak! Maku dalla.
Tygg’s mandibles flex.
INT. SPACE STATION - COMMAND DECK
Aboard the colonial space station, Communications Officer Delerev monitors the situation from the command deck.
CONTROL: Sir, we still can’t re-establish radio contact with Commander Tygg or Acting Chief Zoren’s team.
COMMAND: There’s an incoming transmission from the planet, sir. It’s from the temple relay.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Patch me through to Captain Landris.
CUT TO:
The command deck doors slide away, and Captain Landris marches onto the bridge. He stands before the comm relay. Kron and Delerev stand beside him. They share a look.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Broadcasting.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: This is Captain Mor Landris, commanding officer of the 443rd Colonial Fleet Infantry.
Three shimmering images appear before the colonial officers. Two armored guards flank a holkari royalty.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Your eminence.
PRINCE OL-KEN: Captain.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Unless you have something pertinent to our investigation, our communications are to be facilitated through the council. This is a very serious breach of protocol, Prince Ol-Ken.
PRINCE OL-KEN: The surviving councilors have gone into hiding while your people investigate the assassination of Senator Oo’than.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: With all due respect, your eminence, that’s preposterous. How does the council intend to continue our negotiations?
PRINCE OL-KEN: The council has elected to cede me provisional governorship until the investigation is complete. They fear that their association with colonial forces has made them… targets. Targets of those who oppose peace between the Holkari Empire and the Colony. I do not believe this false.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: I need to hear this from the council.
PRINCE OL-KEN: I fear that is not possible, captain.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: You mistake me, your eminence.
PRINCE OL-KEN: Senator Oo’than was our most vocal advocate for your species, colonial. I honor the memory of Oo’than. I will summon the council. You will come to the palace at once, captain. Do not forget this favor.
The image shifts out and the comms shut down.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Abort the mission. Bring our people back. Now.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Captain, we’ve lost contact with the away teams. The storm came in faster than we thought.
Landris leans over the command console. His medical device administers another dose. He looks at Kron.
INT. THE BERENIAN
On Edari, Acting Chief Science Officer Elona Zoren runs down the primary corridor of the Berenian. She sprints down the cargo ramp and catches up with Flight Officer Drejen and the travorian soldier, Corvan.
EXT. THE BERENIAN
She skids to a stop -- they’re surrounded by a platoon of holkari troopers. The two Rider drones hover behind her.
ELONA ZOREN: Dralk!
FLIGHT OFFICER DREJEN: I don’t think they expected to find us here!
RIDER 1: I am detecting holkari movements across the city.
RIDER 2: Atmospheric interference is inhibiting station connection.
COLONIAL SERGEANT (COMMS): Perimeter team in position and await your orders, Chief Zoren. Tower, confirm?
COLONIAL SOLDIER (COMMS): Tower confirmed.
CORVAN: Orders, colonial?!
The holkari troops shuffle, agitated.
ELONA ZOREN: I’m Acting Chief Science Officer Elona Zoren, 443rd Colonial Fleet Infantry. Is anybody here fitted with a translator probe? Translator probe? Your leader. Step forward.
A holkari trooper steps forward. The colonials draw their weapons.
ELONA ZOREN: That’s far enough!
FLIGHT OFFICER DREJEN: Watch it!
HOLKARI WARRIOR: Etta. Lek. Lek. Bidigo.
HOLKARI SOLDIER: Etta maku dalla!
BEN OSBORN: They’re moving around behind us!
Osborn watches from the Berenian’s cargo ramp, hands shackled.
HOLKARI SOLDIER: Cata lo ekka lek! Bidigo dalla!
BEN OSBORN: Come on, Osborn, what are you doing…
ELONA ZOREN: Go, go!
Drejen rotates back, covering the team’s rear flank with his pulse rifle.
The holkari soldiers tighten their formation around the two ships.
HOLKARI WARRIOR: Oot ekka dalla!
CORVAN: Kral drammak, colonial, what are your orders!
Elona turns to the Rider drones.
ELONA ZOREN: Rider, get above the storm and broadcast a distress beacon to the station!
Rider chirps affirmative. The two drones rocket into the hazy red sky.
Holkari troopers point, some in shock, toward the military drones and raise their plasma pikes.
HOLKARI SOLDIER: Aht lek maku! Etta! Etta!
HOLKARI WARRIOR: Ekka ta maku! Oot ekka dalla!!
The holkari fire plasma bolts at the ascending drones. One of the drones is struck -- its engines fail.
RIDER 1: Catastrophic dam -- oh.
It bursts in a cascade of sparks and debris, then plummets.
ON THE GROUND:
ELONA ZOREN: Rider!!
The colonials open fire, and the streets become a warzone.
INT. HOLKARI TOWER
From a tower window, a colonial soldier shoots down at the advancing holkari.
COLONIAL SOLDIER: Engaging multiple hostile holkari agents --
EXT. BERENIAN
The damaged Rider drones falls out of the sky and smashes apart on the ground.
ELONA ZOREN: Rider!! Rider!
She takes off running, but Corvan grabs her and steps in front of her.
CORVAN: Get down, colonial!! Argh!
The travorian withstands an onslaught of plasma blasts, protecting Elona with his mechanical frame. He cycles his cannon core and fires into the attackers.
ELONA ZOREN: Corvan! I’ve got to get to that drone!
CORVAN: Impossible!
ELONA ZOREN: There’s a viable copy of Rider on its drive core!
Corvan vents.
CORVAN: Damn you, colonial!
Across the way, Drejen shoots down two holkari troopers. More take their place.
FLIGHT OFFICER DREJEN: There are too many!
A warrior takes aim from behind. Osborn sprints through the crossfire, tackling the colonial to the ground. Plasma bolts sling past. Drejen rolls over and shoots down the tusked warrior.
He composes himself, then pulls Osborn to his feet.
FLIGHT OFFICER DREJEN: Get back to the ship, human! Grekking move!!
Osborn hesitates for a moment, then breaks away for the Berenian. Plasma bolts sling past, ricocheting under his feet.
BEN OSBORN: Argh! Should’ve grabbed that grekking gun!
He sprints up the cargo ramp.
EXT. BISSON AIRSPACE
The second Rider drone looks back briefly at the fray below, then continues to climb through the storm clouds.
The drone zips out of the top of the storm column. Dark clouds extend far over the high plateau of Edari, washed in the corrosive light of the planet’s sun. The asteroid ring arcs overhead.
The drone’s optic sensors digest the view. Its pulse engines flicker. It begins to transmit a distress signal.
INT. SPACE STATION - CORRIDOR
Captain Landris and Lieutenant Kron march down a crowded corridor. Soldiers mill around them.
COLONIAL SOLDIER: Captain on deck!
Soldiers salute the officers.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: As you were.
Kron affects a stoic facade.
INT. SPACE STATION - ARMORY
A door slides open. The officers step into the armory.
SARANUS KRON: What now, captain?CAPTAIN LANDRIS: For now… I’m commuting your suspension. It might be too late to salvage any of this anyway, so I might as well have you helping me.
He straps a pulse pistol to his side.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Make no mistake, lieutenant. You should be in the brig. I consider us unnaturally fortunate you haven’t jeopardized our relationship with the zaridian already. Step out of line again and I’ll drop you back down to cadet. You’ll be processing travel visas in the core systems before the jump relay spins down. (then) Don’t disappoint me, lieutenant.
He hands Kron a pulse rifle. Kron nods.
SARANUS KRON: Understood, sir. What’s the plan?CAPTAIN LANDRIS: I have no choice but to go planetside and meet with the prince. You’re coming with me.
Kron slides the action back on his rifle.
INT. SPACE STATION - DECK 61 CORRIDOR
A sign reads: Deck 61. The lift doors slide open and Kron emerges, decked out in tactical armor. His pulse rifle is slung over his shoulder. Delerev chatters in the distance.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: ... single shuttle, light armament. Confirmed, Hangar 3-9. Thanks. Delerev out.
He turns to Kron. They clasp their tarsal claws together.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Ready to go planetside again?
SARANUS KRON: Actually I was starting to look forward to my suspension.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: The captain’s already inside.
His comms shirp.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Delerev here. Go ahead, control. Wait, repeat?
INT. DECK 61 HOLDING CELLS
The door slides open, and Kron enters the holding cells. Captain Landris stands before Oddie Konidarian’s cell. The warden sergeant mans the control console.
Kron approaches cautiously, and watches from a distance.
Oddie clings to the ceiling of his cell. Orange light washes over him rhythmically. Oddie’s scales are pallid.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: Back again? Sounded like it was getting serious out there.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: We never got to formally speak. I’m Captain Mor Landris.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: I know who you are. I shot you.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: I’m aware.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: It’s nothing personal, colonial. Just the sort of contracts you come by in the frontier.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: You’ve built a substantial criminal record taking on work like this, Konidarian. You and the rest of your family. (then) You should’ve killed me on Edari, zaridian.
Oddie watches nervously.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: You have to know that your saga ends here. Unless you have something extraordinarily valuable to tell me in the next thirty micreks.
The reptilian alien drops down and approaches the door. His skin crackles, and desiccated scales fall. Kron unslings his pulse rifle.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: I’ve been amenable to getting vocal, I just haven’t heard any questions yet.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: How much contact did your team have with the holkari?
Oddie’s yellow eyes dart between Captain Landris and Kron.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: We didn’t deal with the holkari.
Captain Landris shakes his head.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: This is your last chance, zaridian.
Oddie stares at Landris. Six insectoid eyes stare back. Oddie’s mouth gapes.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: What -- what else can I tell you?! We were hired out by a broker on Veristan. Dorgo got everything else from the local contact.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Tell me about the local contact.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: It’s Dorgo’s contact. Here in the system. I thought they were on Edari but we never met them. Gave us a map of the city, told us where to find the senator.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: How could it not be holkari? Give me a name. A description.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: I don’t know. Dorgo’s the only one who does. Like I said… it’s Dorgo’s contact. Keeps it all very secretive.
He leers at Kron.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: Maybe you can ask him when he sees you next.
Landris turns away.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: That will be all for now, zaridian.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: Wait! There’s lots more stuff I could tell you about!
The warden dials up the console. The orange light intensifies in Oddie’s cell. He drops to all six limbs and vomits. His tail curls up.
ODDIE KONIDARIAN: Agh! Urgh!!
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Lieutenant, let’s move.
Oddie raises his head weakly, eyes squeezed shut. Kron looks away.
INT. SPACE STATION - HANGAR
Colonial boots race across the hangar deck. The engine bays of a military shuttle flare up.
HANGAR COMMS: RV-285 clear for departure. Stay clear of exit lanes.
INT. MILITARY SHUTTLE
Kron and Captain Landris sit at the controls of a shuttle. Delerev stands between them, referencing digital readouts.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Explain this again, Delerev.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: I know it sounds ridiculous, sir. Control picked it up broadcasting a distress code from Edari’s thermosphere. The ID matches one of the drones Chief Zoren’s team took planetside.
Kron looks over at Landris.
SARANUS KRON: Orders, captain?CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Chart a course for intercept, lieutenant.
Kron adjusts the course chart.
SARANUS KRON: Coordinates locked in. Engaging thrusters.
INT. SPACE STATION - HANGAR
The shuttle’s engines flare up and it zips out of the station.
EXT. ASTEROID FIELD
The shuttle shoots past into the asteroid ring of Edari.
EXT. EDARI EXOSPHERE
Silhouetted against the bright red planet, the military drone drifts in orbit. Rider watches through the machine’s optic sensors. The colonial space station glints in the distance through a screen of lithic debris.
She adjusts her drift, lightly pulsing the drone’s engines. The sensors focus on a narrow window through the asteroid field. Open space, and beyond.
A shadow drifts over the machine. The colonial shuttle approaches.
INT. MILITARY SHUTTLE
Delerev seals the hatch to the shuttle cockpit behind him. His helmet seals shut. Captain Landris waits by the cabin hatch. The atmosphere is sucked from the cabin.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Atmosphere purged. On your mark, Delerev.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Stand by. Docking clamp engaged.
EXT. MILITARY SHUTTLE
A mag beam emitter deploys under the shuttle. It locks onto the drone and pulls Rider aboard.
INT. MILITARY SHUTTLE
The cabin hatch seals shut and atmosphere floods the cabin. Kron enters. The drone’s engines spin down and it descends to the cabin floor.
SARANUS KRON: Rider?RIDER: I am here, Lieutenant Kron.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Report.
RIDER: I have collected significant tactical data regarding the Holkari Empire.
SARANUS KRON: What about Elona?RIDER: Acting Chief Zoren and her team are currently engaging holkari forces.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Damn it. Delerev, extract Rider’s drive core and upload it to the shuttle computer. Kron, get us to that palace.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Yes sir.
SARANUS KRON: Yes sir.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Captain Landris to command. I need an extraction team deployed to Acting Chief Zoren’s last observed location. Combat priority zero-toren-alpha.
The drone’s optic sensors stare at the cabin wall.
INT. THE BERENIAN - CARGO HOLD
Osborn seals shut the Berenian’s cargo hold. The wind howls outside.
BEN OSBORN: I ain’t dropping this ramp until someone gives me a grekking gun.
Elona and Drejen drag the blown out drone to the center of the floor. Corvan turns his attention to the cargo hatch.
ELONA ZOREN: Ground team, report in.
COLONIAL SERGEANT (COMMS): Making my way to the shuttle now, ma’am.
ELONA ZOREN: Tower?
COLONIAL SOLDIER (COMMS): Visibility dropping to 20%. The storm is driving off the survivors, or they’re advancing to a new location. I’ll stay in position.
ELONA ZOREN: Affirmative, ground team. Zoren out.
Osborn stares at Corvan.
BEN OSBORN: Hey. You’re hurt. Look, I don’t know anything about travorians but --
Corvan vents.
CORVAN: I am aware.
BEN OSBORN: Hey, look, just trying to help. I got some tools, I might have some parts. Do you need… do we need to download your memory…
CORVAN: I am organic.
Osborn looks over the travorian’s hulking mechanical body.
BEN OSBORN: You sure about that?
Corvan points to the pilot’s eye.
CORVAN: No less than you.
Osborn turns away.
Elona opens the drone’s damaged chassis. She ejects the drive core -- a piece of shrapnel is lodged in its center.
ELONA ZOREN: Grek! Dralk. Grekking holkari. Dralk! Grek!!
She looks up at Drejen.
ELONA ZOREN: We’ve got to get this back to the shuttle.
FLIGHT OFFICER DREJEN: What? There’s no way we’re going out there right now. There could be more holkari on patrol. Besides --
ELONA ZOREN: I’ve got to run a repair diagnostic on this drive. Rider’s viability depends on it.
FLIGHT OFFICER DREJEN: What?! We can’t go out there in this storm. This is the storm.
She looks at Osborn.
INT. THE BERENIAN - COCKPIT
In the cockpit of the Berenian, Elona slots the drive core into an adaptor. She nods to Osborn, who flips a switch on the flight console. Power activates at the ship computer interface.
She plugs in the drive core, then plugs in her suit’s computer. She taps at her wrist controls. A screen pops up: defragmenting. A progress bar ticks up slowly. Power dips across the ship and the process shuts off. She flips the switches again. Nothing.
ELONA ZOREN: What’s wrong with now?
BEN OSBORN: I don’t know. Can’t really do much with these on.
FLIGHT OFFICER DREJEN: This? This is not protocol.
ELONA ZOREN: It doesn’t matter, because it’s not working anyway.
Elona stares at the dark screen.
BEN OSBORN: What exactly is Rider, anyway? Some kind of… virtual interface?
ELONA ZOREN: It’s too complicated to explain to you right now.
BEN OSBORN: Okay…
ELONA ZOREN: We’ve got to get this… (a beat) We’ve got to get this drive to the shuttle. It might be Rider’s only chance.
EXT. BISSON CITY DISTRICT
Outside, the wind rips sand down the stone avenues of the city. Dark clouds settle in overhead, masking the skyline.
Battalions of holkari troops march against the wind in sand scarred suits of armor. The wedge shaped hover tank holds steady against the onslaught. The imperial palace towers over the temple district.
EXT. BISSON CITY STREET
A squad of holkari troopers runs down a city street, disappearing into the sandy miasma. Commander Tygg emerges from an alley, and walks in the opposite direction.
He ducks behind a column for cover. Two holkari troopers emerge from the blowing sands.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 1: Catta ka raku mer ak ak.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 2: Ekka ek bidigo. Mal gor ak.
Tygg slips out of sight.
EXT. HOLKARI BACK DISTRICT
Tygg scrambles up to a perch overlooking the palace. He taps his comms.
COMMANDER TYGG: Tygg to Zoren. Tygg to Corvan. Tygg to control. Commander Tygg broadcasting on all channels, confirm.
He taps his helmet. A glitchy overlay of the city’s infrastructure is projected over his visor, illustrating his view of Bisson. He studies it.
His helmet tracks a colonial military shuttle’s turbulent descent toward the palace.
COMMANDER TYGG: Hmm… Captain Landris…
Something moves behind him.
Tygg spins and draws his pulse pistol. A young holkari watches him from around a corner. Its eyes are protected by thick goggles. Tygg beckons it out with his weapon. It steps forward.
The juvenile holkari’s face is reflected in Tygg’s featureless visor.
EXT. IMPERIAL PALACE - LANDING PAD
The colonial military shuttle comes to an uneasy landing at the imperial palace. Two holkari guards approach, aiming their plasma pikes at the vessel. The holkari prince, Ol-Ken, watches from a distance. His royal robes flutter in the wind.
The shuttle hatch slides open. Captain Landris, Lieutenant Kron, and Officer Delerev step off the shuttle.
INT. IMPERIAL PALACE
The colonials follow the holkari prince into the palace. The guards enter behind them and take positions by the door. Kron glances back at him, pulse rifle cradled in his arms.
PRINCE OL-KEN: You will find you have no need for your weapons here, colonials. In spite of all that has transpired, I intend to continue treating you as allies.
Landris nods to Kron. Kron and Delerev sling their rifles over their backs. The guards pay no attention to the colonial officers.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: We’ll meet with the council now, your eminence.
PRINCE OL-KEN: In time, captain. But first…
The colonials follow the prince.
INT. IMPERIAL PALACE - VIEWING CHAMBER
They enter a large viewing chamber. A collection of glassware filters and distills a variety of colorful decoctions. Elaborate tapestries adorn the high walls of stone. On a raised metal bed, the pale corpse of Dorgo Konidarian. Deep slashes run across his scaly belly and throat. His skull is cavitated. Kron approaches the body with a solemn expression.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Oh dralk…
Captain Landris frowns.
PRINCE OL-KEN: A patrol collected this offworlder from an alley near the Prime Courtyard. What is it. A demon? From the beyond-all?
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: No, your eminence. This is a zaridian. His name was Dorgo Konidarian. We believe he was one of the assassins who murdered Senator Oo’than.
PRINCE OL-KEN: You know of him? Then he is colonial?
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: No. Zaridians… no. No. Zaridians are a registered species under the Queen’s rule, but they are not colonial.
PRINCE OL-KEN: There are voices among us who suspect that this zaridian operated under colonial direction.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: I’m afraid I have to discuss this with the council, your eminence.
PRINCE OL-KEN: I hope, captain, that you mean to assure me this attack was not of colonial design?
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Your eminence.
He touches the medical device mounted to his thorax.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Your eminence, there was an attempt on my life. My people were attacked, the same as the holkari. I assure you that the Colony is not an enemy of the Holkari Empire. Our losses on Edari are shared. We have nothing to gain in sabotaging our own efforts at peace.
PRINCE OL-KEN: The council will be pleased to hear of this, I am sure.
Kron spots Dorgo’s communicator peeking out from under his jacket. He glances around the room, then slips it under his belt. He diverts his eyes from the zaridian’s wounds.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: And we will be meeting with the council, your eminence?
PRINCE OL-KEN: Yes, captain. Of course.
The prince strokes his tusks.
PRINCE OL-KEN: Let us go.
INT. IMPERIAL PALACE - CORRIDOR
They step out into the corridor.
PRINCE OL-KEN: The councilors await you in court, Captain Landris.
SARANUS KRON: I’m going back to the shuttle for a micrek.
Landris and Delerev look at Kron.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Kron, I think -- Kron, I think we should stick together.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Forgive us, your eminence. (then) Lieutenant, I didn’t bring you planetside to wander the lamphredite gardens of the imperial palace.
Kron discreetly shows Landris the zaridian’s communicator. Landris studies his lieutenant.
SARANUS KRON: Their contact might still be on Edari. We might be able to track them down. At the very least, we can start running decryption on it.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Not bad, lieutenant.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: I still think we’re better off sticking together.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: This could be worth the risk. The sooner we find out, the better. Go, Kron. Let Rider handle the analysis, then regroup with us. Try to establish contact with Zoren’s team while you’re out there.
SARANUS KRON: Yes sir.
The officers share a tense look.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Delerev.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Sir.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: The council awaits. Stay alert, lieutenant.
Landris and Delerev follow Prince Ol-Ken down a sweeping staircase. Kron unslings his pulse rifle.
EXT. IMPERIAL PALACE - LANDING PAD
Through the storm, Kron navigates his way to the landing pad. He glances back. Two holkari guards watch him from the deck.
INT. MILITARY SHUTTLE
Kron leans into the cockpit and starts a number of internal systems. He dismantles Dorgo’s communicator and plugs the data core into the shuttle cabin computer.
SARANUS KRON: Rider, are you there?RIDER: Of course, Lieutenant Kron.
SARANUS KRON: I’m uploading a new data set to the ship computer. It’s a flash of everything off Dorgo Konidarian’s communicator. I need you to analyze it and trace any communications made within the system over the last 20 solar days.
RIDER: I currently lack the processing resources to run a decryption of this communicator.
SARANUS KRON: What?RIDER: This platform has limited functionality.
SARANUS KRON: Rider, you’re in the shuttle computer.
RIDER: Yes. The auxiliary cabin system. With access to the primary computer system, I can most efficiently leverage the full power of the shuttle to manage strenuous processes.
SARANUS KRON: That would give you access to the flight controls. And the weapons.
RIDER: Diverting power from these currently non-essential sub-systems may increase our processing capacity.
SARANUS KRON: Is this even going to work?RIDER: Based on my most current projections, I estimate the probability of success at 62.1%.
Rider’s drive core lights up. Kron reaches out and ejects it from the ship console.
INT. MILITARY SHUTTLE - COCKPIT
Kron enters the cockpit. Red sand swirls outside the forward window. He slots the drive core into the primary computer. The power and systems swell for a moment, then go dark.
SARANUS KRON: Rider?The systems power on again, this time with stability. The ship lights up around Kron.
RIDER: Fascinating.
SARANUS KRON: Did you find something on the communicator?RIDER: No, lieutenant. This ship.
SARANUS KRON: Is it enough power?RIDER: Yes. (then) Decryption protocol complete.
SARANUS KRON: Run the trace.
RIDER: Stand by.
Kron activates the shuttle comms.
SARANUS KRON: RV-285 to RV-281, come in. RV-281, respond. Kron to Zoren. Zoren, respond. Kron to Drejen. Kron to Tygg. Damn it!
RIDER: Trace complete.
SARANUS KRON: Show me.
The shuttle computer projects a hologram of Edari. Transmission vectors radiate from Bisson, converging on a single point in the planet’s asteroid field.
RIDER: This communicator established repeated channels of communication to a device hidden in orbit.
Kron studies the projection.
SARANUS KRON: Scans have never indicated anything was out there besides asteroids. What is that?
RIDER: I am unable to determine that from the available data.
SARANUS KRON: Could be a comm buoy… or a ship… Get a lock on those coordinates, Rider, we might have a bigger problem than we --
Rider chirps affirmative. A fist pounds on the shuttle hatch. Kron grabs his pulse rifle.
INT. IMPERIAL PALACE - COURT OF RED STONE
Prince Ol-Ken leads Captain Landris and Officer Delerev into the Court of Red Stone. Some of the holkari council sit around a curved table.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: They’re not all here.
PRINCE OL-KEN: Yes, captain. I’m afraid not all of the council members were able to traverse the storm. I hope this attendance will still bring you sufficient peace of the mind. (then) Revered council of the Holkari Empire, I bring Captain Mor Landris, of the Colony. Servant of their Queen.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS (under his breath): Dralk...
SENATOR DEL-MAK: Again you summon us before the colonial, your eminence. Now at a great and needless risk of our lives during this storm.
PRINCE OL-KEN: The captain insisted upon discussing the council’s decision to remove themselves from colonial politics.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Councilors, I understand your immediate concerns, but colonial forces have the situation under control. The off world provocateurs have been apprehended and our investigation is eliminating the gaps in our security of this system. I hope we can continue discussions in earnest…
SENATOR CA-BLAG: As far as the Colony and its captain may be concerned, his eminence, Prince Ol-Ken, now is the voice of the Holkari Empire. Let him be considered at the very level of your Queen!
SENATOR JORGEL: Enough talk! The Colony wishes control over Edari’s natural resources. You wish to control the empire. I will not allow it. Senator Oo’than gave his life for us!
CAPTAIN LANDRIS (under his breath): Grekking holkari…
SENATOR DEL-MAK: And more, Captain Landris, our own investigation suspects that the offworlders used the translator probe that your people provided Senator Oo’than to track his movements through Bisson. We believe our own probes make us now similarly vulnerable.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: This is absurd. We can guarantee your protection on our station.
SENATOR DEL-MAK: Senator Oo’than was in the protective custody of the Colony when he was killed, captain. We can no longer place ourselves in such a position of exposure. For the time being, we will return to hiding. And Prince Ol-Ken has our blessing to take responsibility for any matters which we may have overseen.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: I… accept the council’s decision.
SENATORS: Thank you captain.
SENATOR JORGEL: I trust no colonial!
The senators speak in their native tongue.
SENATOR JORGEL: Very well, prince.
PRINCE OL-KEN: May we now speak of other matters of concern.
The holkari councilors murmur to themselves.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: I don’t like this, sir.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: Yes, well, it’s grekking carag dralk.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Yes sir. What do we do?
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: We do what they ask for now and hope Zoren and Tygg can get back to the station before the holkari find them.
He glances back at the councilors.
CAPTAIN LANDRIS: I need a master list of every holkari with a translator implant.
COMMUNICATIONS OFFICER DELEREV: Yes sir, as soon as we’re back on the station --
SENATOR CA-BLAG: One last matter, Captain Landris.
SENATOR JORGEL: A request your people may not refuse.
SENATOR DEL-MAK: Your eminence, you may tell the captain.
PRINCE OL-KEN: Captain, a final request from the council. For the benefit of the morale of the citizens of the Holkari Empire, the Colony will remove all of its soldiers from Bisson until the Holkari Imperial Army has secured the city. The council begs you to grant this final favor so that we may embark on a new path of peace, unified.
Captain Landris glares.
INT. HOLKARI HOMESTEAD
The wind howls outside the shuttered windows of a holkari homestead. Two holkari soldiers organize a pile of colonial pulse rifles. In the far corner, a stack of dusty colonial body armor and helmets. Their tusks are painted elaborately with brown and red paint.
A knock at the door.
One soldier snarls and grabs a plasma pike. The other approaches the shuttered door and slides it open. A young holkari with thick goggles braces itself against the wind. The holkari soldier scowls.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 1: Et etta buh maku da?
YOUNG HOLKARI: Beh. Dikka beh damada.
The soldier leans out the door way. A pulse blast rips through its head. It falls.
HOLKARI WARRIOR 2: Oot dalla beh ekka da --
Another pulse blast rips through the doorway, killing the other soldier. Commander Strakker Tygg slinks into the homestead. He scans the room. It’s still.
He turns back to the young holkari.
YOUNG HOLKARI: Etta beh… Etta beh maku dalla --
COMMANDER TYGG: Shut up.
Tygg shoves the juvenile to the ground and shuts the door in its face.
He raises his pulse pistol and stalks across the homestead. He stares at the stack of weapons and grabs a pulse rifle.
A trail of green blood leads through a doorway along the far wall.
INT. HOLKARI HOMESTEAD - HALLWAY
Tygg stalks down the dark hallway. He clears rooms as he passes. Something stirs beyond a doorway at the end of the hall. He pauses, composing himself.
INT. HOLKARI HOMESTEAD - AVIARY
Tygg enters a cavernous room. A shaft of light illuminates the center of the room. Tygg steps forward, pulse rifle raised.
His boot steps in something squishy. He freezes, and activates the light on his rifle. The room is littered with the remains of holkari soldiers. Colonial hematic lymph congeals on the floor. Tygg’s shoulders slump.
COMMANDER TYGG: Oh dralk…
Something splats behind him. He whips around. Nothing.
A creature snorts above him. Tygg looks up slowly. An edarian petrel sits perched on the rafters overhead. It snaps it gnarly beak together and stretches its leathery wings.
COMMANDER TYGG: Dralk!
It sails through the air, and Tygg unleashes a volley of pulse blasts.
COMMANDER TYGG: Grek! Grek! Grek!! Grek!!
It flies directly toward him.
INT. THE BERENIAN - ENGINE ROOM
In the engine room of the Berenian, Osborn and Flight Officer Drejen scramble to complete repairs.
FLIGHT OFFICER DREJEN: How do I get the compressor off?
BEN OSBORN: You just -- no -- no!
Something breaks and falls to the ground. Sweat runs down the human’s face.
BEN OSBORN: Argh! We are so screwed, grek me.
EXT. THE BERENIAN
The Berenian’s cargo hatch drops.
CORVAN: Ready, colonial?
ELONA ZOREN: Let’s make this quick.
They wade out into the storm and make their way toward the colonial shuttle. Elona is pelted by an onslaught of sand and terrible gusts of wind.
ELONA ZOREN: Sergeant, do you read me? Sergeant?
COLONIAL SERGEANT: Acting chief! I’m barely receiving you! Opening the shuttle hatch now!
A light is barely visible through the storm. The shuttle.
ELONA ZOREN: Almost there! Whoa!!
A gust of wind knocks her over. Corvan catches her, bracing against the wind.
ELONA ZOREN: Thanks.
Corvan vents. The travorian’s optic sensors scan into the storm. Holkari voices carry on the wind. He freezes and draws his pulse cannon.
A plasma pike tears out of the haze and lances through Corvan.
CORVAN: Argh!! Kral drammak!
Another pikes spears through him. Then more. Holkari warriors precipitate from the red blur.
CORVAN: Ahhh!!
Elona ducks out of the way and scrambles into the shuttle cabin, sealing the door shut behind her.
INT. MILITARY SHUTTLE
Elona huddles against the cabin wall, clutching the damaged drive core in her tarsal claws. She stares at the hatch. Corvan’s cries can be heard as his body is savaged against the hull. The muffled sounds of fighting filter through.
The storm howls outside.
END