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I want all non-essential personnel gathered and ready to Gate out someplace safe in 15 minutes. Camille Wray will organize you. Everyone else, you know what to do.
Understood. You had me convinced, tho. Good luck!
(hesitating?)
I'm essential, right? You need me here. You cannot do this on your own, can you?
Man wanna help, man can stay!
CHAIRMAN unpacks a fancy sophisticated JOYSTICK, a 'rubber' PAD decorated with concentric patterns, + their cabling.
Time we got this bucket flying right.
Excuse me, I gotta... be back ASAP.
He dashes out.
Permission to say my farewells, Colonel!?
Getting up:
(wink?)
I'll man the fort.
His speeches as President were... better.
(checks her PAD)
Meanwhile, there's something you need to see.
Even RUSH's got some protective GEAR on now (incl. gloves). Lost in thought, he absently caresses & pats the Ancient MACHINERY.
WHIP-PAN TO:
People (mainly civilians) going to the Gateroom. Some act as if it was a definitive farewell, others as if it were a short vacation.
They cross paths with Novans carrying big & small 'gifts' on their floating 'pallets'.
Vortex Area
INcoming
OUTgoing, etc.
Many of the crew already gathered. PARK with dark glasses + stick. VOLKER to her side. CHLOE's storming off the room. SCOTT watches her, apparently out-argued. GREER eyes PARK & VOLKER.
But I would be useful, Dale! I could...
Won't you hate missing it all?
(smiles? eyes kinos zooming everywhere)
No worry. Betcha there'll be more'n 1 recording of the whole thing.
YOUNG (to T.J. worried? pleading?)
I could order you to leave, y'know. Mandatory ashore training, or something.
(furious?)
If you force me to leave this ship without you, you can forget about ever seeing me again!
She STORMS OFF too. BROOKS, waiting nearby, follows, with her ASSISTANTS.
It's been ages since I've had proper vacations.
Eyeing T.J.'s retreat:
I could use a day outdoors, surrounded by nature. Hunting, maybe fishing. Some peaceful spot...
Be careful out there: Most Novans don't care much for Ancestor worship, but there's enough
(winks?)
'groupies' to make your life... interesting.
Dr. Rush, why I'm not surprised. You understand there's powerful reasons for doing it, do you?
Believe it or not, I do. But Destiny is too important and must not be endangered this way.
BACK TO:
BACK TO:
We're offered a fighting chance. Destiny will be restored to top operating condition. It's not just the greater good. Unless you have a better alternative? Something safe?
Let me care about that. I value this ship and our people as much as you do. You can Gate out if you want.
BACK TO:
As you wish, Dr. Rush. See you around.
(to no-one in particular)
The more you think you know him...
Among several Corporate Logos:
Star Industries Custom Build
and
Sponsored by
Pure Earth.
On the floor before it: several full TRASHBAGS, a water barrel, small oil bottles, 3-4 of Brody's medium-size alcohol containers.
(smiles)
Behold the Atom Chef 30000, "the pioneer's best friend". Isn't it something? Industrialized cities are buying 'em too. Soon they'll be ubiquitous.
T.J. just stares blankly: 'wtf'?
Brooks' ASSISTANTS enter with kitchen utensils, plates & glasses tall & short.
Eli, I wonder if Rush could go as far as...
(sotto)
to try and keep us from joining whatever party Mr. Chairman has in store for us?
Try...? What?
Well, he might have tried something back when every single critical system onboard was hanging by a thread, but not now that we're back to multiple redundancy everywhere. Thanks in large part to his efforts.
Checking Console:
Don't think so... Destiny's been testing every single thing we've fixed, and okayed them all so far.
Don't see why not. He sounds like the real thing... me. Whatever. I... he must have a good reason if he keeps some things to himself.
He might be putting us all in danger for his own motives. I might be forced to choose between keeping Destiny in one piece and, as he put it, the rest of the galaxy.
Yeah, I hope so too. But we need to be cautious. Can you keep an eye on him too? I'd like to trust him as I trust you, but our priority is survival.
Turning away:
Inspecting the TRASHBAGS:
Plenty of vegetable matter, bones and other from a big animal, water, oil, and alcohol mix. Will do for starters.
(to ASSISTANTS)
Go ahead. Load it.
Largest screen of the machine plays a PROMO video:
...next evolution of the blockbuster seller the Atom Chef 20000, with twice the customizable options, and 33% more library space, the Atom Chef line is the undisputed leader in molecular arrangers for the pleasure and comfort of the most demanding...!
(defiant)
I'm essential!
JAMES looks alarmed.
(hesitant)
Huh... Would be my 1st.
CHAIRMAN switches ON both JOYSTICKS & matching slightly GLOWING PADS. The 'circles' in their middle INFLATE slightly to become hand-sized 'leathery' DOMES.
He guides CHLOE's hand over the PAD to her side. She plays her hand inside its GLOW, caresses the 'dome'.
Her Console displays a MODEL DESTINY mimicking her moves: Roll, pitch, yaw, & everything in between.
(smiles)
Cool!
JAMES quickly checks her own Screens: The real Destiny isn't actually moving at all.
Reviewing Console & PAD:
Good. You can use the stick if you feel better with it. Now, James, can you try the other one?
JAMES (shrugs?) complies. Her hand movements are different (more pilot-like?). She GRABS her stick firmly, pushes harder on her dome.
CHAIRMAN KEYS something. MODEL DESTINY plays along in the screen.
Reviewing/keying PAD:
CHLOE and JAMES eye each other briefly, start COMPETING/playing. MODEL DESTINY doesn't move along except when their hands, by chance, happen to move more-or-less in sync.
JAMES' experience shows as she takes control. CHLOE, the apprentice, follows James' hand moves. MODEL DESTINY plays along, not very differently from the 1st time, if perhaps more smoothly.
KEYING again:
PADs stop glowing. MODEL DESTINY vanishes from screen.
What was that about?
PAUSING the promo:
In essence, it splits into constituent molecules anything you feed it. Hydrocarbons get special treatment, being part of most outputs. Chairman Wallace says ain't nothing like it on Earth.
Okay, what we have there are more like toys compared to this... But, shouldn't we be doing something useful, like readying the infirmary?
INSERTING 'memory stick' into Atom Chef:
Plus, it's voice-activated.
(to machine)
Check status.
(as DISPLAY rolls up with data)
Good. Not great, but we'll fix that later.
(to machine)
Cheeseburger Supreme "warm" with Dom Perignon "chill".
Eli Wallace's special!
Lots of AutoCannons by the sidelines, gathering, waiting to Gate the other way.
VOLKER and PARK stroll away (with a neo-kino following them) from the Novan Gate Control POST (a few TECHS + computers linked to the RING).
(smiling)
It's amazing! They got Caller ID and can switch off the different circuits at will to prevent unwanted usage! Even mid-transit!
Hand on his arm for guidance:
A trick worth knowing!
I guess their Eli learnt it from Destiny's Database. Guy's a serial tinkerer. And wealthy as sin. No wonder they all love working for him.
It's their world they're saving, after all.
As their kino ZOOMS ahead, softly BUZZING:
Or worlds. We better not lose our kino guide!
WRAY and VARRO exit the PUDDLE, stroll downramp to the same broad ROAD the others are walking. It is flanked by small factories, other buildings (none too permanent-looking), vehicles, cranes, equipment, workers, more AutoCannons, etc.
At its far end, visible in the sunlight streaming from the cave's wide entrance, another RING suspended by cabling from scaffolding.
A second Stargate!?
A small cluster of well-dressed people EXIT an 'office' building.
NOTICING 'em:
Trouble?
Approaching:
I can't believe it! Camille Wray!? The Mother of our original Constitution!?
(extends hand)
Respectfully taking her hand:
Everett Taylor, Federation Senate.
(re: the others)
I'm with some friends, just visiting...
(grins)
More or less. But this, this is better! Our Carta Magna needs to grow up, and...
In that case, I'll beg you to accept the hospitality of my countryside summer home by lake Concordia. It has all the comforts, but the one I most value of them is the quiet.
Console SCREEN: live kino feed following a REPAIR CREW as they (in protective gear) OPEN one of the sealed rooms.
Reading Console:
TURNING to the Ring:
On it!
Now what?
TURNING to exit:
Now we do what must be done.
Following:
Damn right!
The 3 exit. RING ACTIVATES, STARTS SPINNING.
(routinely)
Incoming! Clear the vortex! Incoming!
PAD in hand:
Now, everybody stand back. No, I said back.
(as the TECHS retreat to better safety)
I don't care what your simulations said,
(herds some playful? TECHS further away)
this thing's way too dangerous. C'mon! Back!
After he's visually reviewed everything one last time:
Okay, Eli: we're ready to try again.
(pause)
No, that's been checked. Just route 10% power.
The big machines LIGHT UP bathing everyone in pale 'Ancient' lights & HUMMING sound. The cabling emits smallish SPARKS, then nothing.
Alright. Let's go for 20.
Everything seems ok. More 'lights'. Louder humming.
How's it looking from there?
(pause)
Yeah? Push it further, then.
Lights become brighter. Humming's faster.
Hold it. We're gonna run diagnostics again.
(happy?)
C'mon, boys, it ain't gonna fix itself!
SCOTT, GREER and YOUNG enter, take their seats.
SCOTT and CHLOE eye each other. Nope, not ok.
(grim)
We're ready for 'em.
That's the plan, anyway.
(as the others REACT none-too-happily)
As you know, Destiny can be guided, or piloted, from several places at once.
GREER inspects the new gear, not daring touch it yet.
And the Chair. That we know.
Right. The Ancients had the brains and the training to make the most of it. Plus, most manoeuvering thrusters weren't blown out or outta juice. We ain't Ancients, nor have enough time for all the needed repairs.
As he switches ON all 3 'manoeuvering' Joystick/glowing PAD sets:
(salesman)
They're durable, adaptive, multi-function, with built-in redundancy, on-the-fly command mapping, and everything. The best the market has to offer!
GRABBING his Joystick:
JAMES chuckles.
(smiles, licks fingers)
Y'know, that's the best 'burger I've had since I enlisted. And the champagne...!!
Glad you liked it. We paid top juice for state-of-the-art with all the specials. Or, we'd have if Chairman Wallace wasn't their 'taste consultant' for all things Earth.
(cool)
Watch, and learn:
(to machine)
Advanced menu: Pharmaceuticals: Classical: Uni-doses: Morphine, codeine, lidocaine, ketamine, aspirin, penicillin, cortisone, adrenaline, heparin, insulin.
Can't go too fancy for a quick demo.
T.J. is IMPRESSED.
1 of them labeled:
Toilet repair
& upgrade kit.
WARNING: chemicals
HANDLE WITH CARE
Reading it:
(not getting the joke?)
That's coming with the next batch...
MARSHALL checks the manifest on his PAD, starts unpacking 1 very big POWER RELAY. A Novan tech's PAD receives a list.
Shop List TECH (confirming, to mic)
Vegetable biomass, animal fat, protein, oil, iron, copper, aluminum, silicon, gold...? Right, ma'am.
That'll be for the Atom Chefs.
Re: MANIFEST:
Molecular arranger. Mid-industrial strength. 3 units: Military, medical, and cuisine.
But you come from the future, right? So we've been told...
Are those the XXXXL Relays Rush requested? He's waiting for 'em!
One less weak spot. Gotta be good.
6 Drone Command Ships MATERIALIZE around Destiny, waste no time DEPLOYING their swarms, all quickly CONVERGING on their target at the same time.
We're gonna find out.
At work:
Rock and roll!
... can build any 'recipe' you feed it. Gotta mind energy usage, tho. And complexity drives up time, of course.
T.J. dips a fingertip into one of the glasses, tastes it, closing eyes.
Oh, yeah... Mmmhh... Good stuff!
DRONE POV:
ZOOM OUT:
The drone-grinder in action. DESTINY barely visible under so many defensive BEAMS. Like a hurricane (the spherical-ish deep-space-y kind) drones SWOOP IN. A target-rich scenario where most BLASTS hit a target and debris poses a 'traffic' problem to the attackers. Still, there's lots & lots of them. They're far from finished.
The Command Ships (some with old/patched-up BATTLE SCARS from who knows what fights and enemy weaponry) slowly circle the scene like vultures.
As they CLICK the 2nd one in place, it SPARKS like mad. They all retreat while SMOKE builds up.
A faraway explosion RUMBLE is felt. 1 of the original Ancient Relays FRITZES out.
Shields getting hit harder, Colonel!
What happened?
(eyes everyone, wondering)
Nothing. It's just...
(re-checks Console)
I think it's routing power by itself.
Never did that before.
Chairman?
Checking Console:
We've got bigger problems!
Some of our blasters ain't blasting no more!
Only half the big crates still around. Several smaller ones labeled:
Ancient-compatible
multiphase switches.
FRAGILE.
'Things that
make it go.'
qty: 150
WARNING: polarity
must be checked!
DRONE POV:
Still, some drone fire's getting thru, at times REACHING the hull, others hitting AutoCannons and making them (moderately) EXPLODE.
DRONE HIT & OUT.
Brody's arranged a blanket + a backpack against a corner.
Comfortably half-sitting, half reclining back:
(closes eyes, cool)
Wake me up when it's over.
Several TECHS can't help smiling at his act.
...full scans of all the Ancestors, not just DNA samples. My peers at the Faculty will be so thrilled!
A good alternative to retirement, at the time. Then I met Chairman Wallace: His partners were building colonial Hospitals, recruiting top talent, trying new ideas. One thing led to another...
I was just newly-wed, Destiny and the Ancestors just myths, Futura the only danger, when Eli Wallace gated in, alone, and changed everything.
FLASHBACK:
SCREEN-CAPTION:
A Live Ancestor! (Tenara Broadcast System)
I remember him in the news, claiming he'd suffered some freak accident when using the...
SWITCH TO:
They've come! (Futura News Network)
END FLASHBACK
You bet. Before anyone noticed, he was making money consulting for the 'Pure Earth' hippies, and building his own techie company.
DRONE FIRE HITS the mostly-completely-welded hullmetal plates, BURSTS all scaffolding keeping everything in place, SENDS the 8 people & their tools/robots FLYING backwards like bowling pins amid fiery EXPLOSIONS.
Re: joysticks & faintly-glowing PADs:
Sir?
Let's roll!
As GREER makes a 'rolling' motion with his hand over the PAD's dome, SCOTT catches up quickly with his STICK.
LOUD hullmetal GRINDING and STRAINING is heard. SCREENS show the exterior view (stars, drones & all) as it starts ROTATING, accelerating fast.
Almost TOO fast: Some drones cannot EVADE on time, SMASH against the hull.
(cold, ears straining?)
No sense in worrying. If the ship splits in half, we'll be dead in seconds. Meanwhile,
(gestures 'back to work')
let's work on keeping that from happening.
ELI calls up Destiny's MODEL on the Console.
EYEING floor, walls, ceiling:
Don't think so. Sounds... different.
Reminds me of my first big 'quake. A real wake-up, continent-wide. The rogue Black Hole was still unconfirmed; many people stayed despite the renewed colonization waves.
(sips wine)
Eli Wallace and his business partners were financing new settlements, building more off-world factories, and encouraging anyone who'd listen to flee before it was too late.
(beat)
It was my turning point too: I switched from BioChemistry to Medicine, and never looked back.
More RUMBLES.
If only Novus had had that! But what we most needed then was a good shake. When rumor-mongers started linking 'Star Industries' to a Futuran conspiracy, Eli Wallace and his 2 teenage second-chancers packed up and Gated out, leaving us to our fate.
But Destiny's still ROLLING, reaching then abandoning 'verticality', showing the UNDERSIDE. And it keeps rolling.
DRONE POV:
SWERVE. FIRE. TAKE HIT. GYRATE MADLY. OUT.
(feigning calm)
Can't get a decent nap in this junkyard!
Nervous smiles at that.
We're overshooting! Stop! Stop!
(countermands)
Keep going! Slow down a bit. Keep it going.
I'm on it!
(grins)
We're rolling 'em!
Fast-keying PAD:
I'm toning torque down. Reaction time's still good. We're too close to structural integrity limits.
Console shows Destiny's color-coded STRAIN MAP with plenty REDDISH areas.
(stern?)
Let's respect those limits.
Adjusting his hand moves:
My speed meter ain't working, officer!
Some chuckles.
ADJUSTING moves:
This something we just fixed?
No way. Must be something else.
Re: her own STRAIN MAP with less/smaller/contracting REDDISH areas:
The AutoCannons!? All those flying spheres! They don't just sit on the hull, they can push too!?
Less talking, more shooting!
Chairman Wallace, we got a... situation at Depot 3: a group of Firsters gated in, they have weapons, and demand we let 'em board Destiny!
TOUTING rifle as a neo-kino approaches:
We're tired of seeing our best people and resources devoted to wealthy dilettante fantasies, when we should be concentrating our energies on the new colonies and creating more opportunities for everybody! Destiny, if it exists, must serve the Novans and not the other way around!
CHAIRMAN (O.S, thru neo-kino, muffled battle SOUNDS)
Allright, I'll see 'em. Dial Destiny.
TOUTING machete:
We'll Dial ourselves!
Neo-kino POV:
As people watch, the Firsters GATE OUT, followed by another neo-kino.
THEIR POV:
EXIT AT:
NEO-kino (turning) POV:
The Firsters GATE IN.
Supply boxes & TENTS on a nearby prairie. Lots of TREES & GREENERY farther away. Mountains. A gorgeous waterfall. SOUNDS of small & big animals.
Nobody else in view.
As they LOOK around, surprised/confused:
CHAIRMAN (O.S, thru neo-kino, not-so-muffled battle SOUNDS)
Here's what you wanted. Hope you like it! Destiny's busy right now, but you'll soon be joined by other eager volunteers and some survival experts. Be careful out there: the megafauna's dangerous. Black vines too.
(they REACT none-too-happily)
And watch out for drones. Your access to the Gate network will be restored in 3 months, if all goes well. Until then: good luck!
As they start to (angrily) answer, GATE DEACTIVATES.
What did you just do?
Well, they value new settlements above the war effort and, unlike others, are ready for action. So we put their asses where their mouths were. Don't worry: there's legal precedent. And eventually their families will be allowed to join 'em, [+]
No: they Dialed the right Address, yet they traveled somewhere of your choosing. How?
Y'know, decoupling the visible interface from the dialing routines wasn't too hard, compared with keeping a straight face thru the entire charade.
Chairman Wallace, the Lucian Brotherhood confirms one of their teams will arrive in 2 hours, as they weren't warned with enough time to prepare.
As CHAIRMAN nods/confirms:
What Brotherhood?
Not actual Lucians, of course: Varro's family spread lots of useful knowledge and training, along with a penchant for theatrics, and the military always valued 'em. Nowadays, many civilians preparing to be colonists spend a few months at a Lucian Arts & Crafts Camp, and most people agree it improves their odds. We employ the best of 'em as instructors and guides where we want to make sure a new pioneer group succeeds.
Half the Command Ships are circling CLOSER.
They get started with another, STRAINING under its bulk & weight in the confined space.
ELI reviews his Console, where a crowd of RED DOTS keeps REVOLVING around DESTINY.
After the last MK.II AutoCannons gate IN, GATE DEACTIVATES.
Peeking from ELI's side:
When I'm back, sure! (pause) Bye bye!
(to the others)
Sorry, Dronenarok's no reason to neglect social contacts!
(re: drone DOTS)
Wanna bet how long they last, at this rate?
Ring ACTIVATES.
It was hell. It had to be. How else could Novus finally face and overcome its deep divisions? There were talks of imposing a police state, of militarizing the colonies, before we lost our Gate. We couldn't even agree on how best keep it safe! And he knew what would happen all along.
What?
Chloe, report.
Are they getting closer?
Yeah, they are!
Ready main guns.
We're gonna show 'em!
The swarm's suffering heavy LOSSES, yet they keep at it.
4 of the 6 Command Ships ACCELERATE towards their slowly revolving beam-spraying target.
It's closing fast!
Reviewing enemy ICONS on Console:
C'mon, c'mon!
Firing away!!
MAIN CANNONS FIRE several big BEAMS.
FOLLOW BEAMS: Command Ship getting squarely HIT, explodes into BRIGHT CONFETTI. Its drones lose speed, some get rear-ended/SMASHED by others.
C'mon, man!
On it! Almost!
The Command Ship tries to evade, to no avail. 1 HIT. ANOTHER. HUGE EXPLOSION. More deactivated drones. A COLLISION-fest.
...then, just as the Evacuation Compacts start really improving things, and the first batch of Sleeper Arks nears completion, who pops out of the black with a working FTL freighter?
FLASHBACK:
SCREEN-CAPTION scrolling marquee:
He's back! * Savior or businessman? * Honeymoon in Hyperspace * FTL Drive prompts historic Market rally. (Novus Broadcast Corp.)
FTL engines and an offer to join the Federation of Planets, created by our own colonies in the years we were cut off, that's how he saved us. Novus' newfound harmony the last ingredient to get the Federation itself where it is today.
END FLASHBACK
(grim?)
And the rumors of drones coming. Many dismissed a then-faraway danger, but we've learnt with blood that the threat was real: Our Ancestors sent Eli Wallace to save us from evil, but the flying demons came too, to kill us all.
RUSH launches himself forward/sideways, INTERCEPTS the unfortunate tech, FALLING with him to the floor in a heap, clear of further harm.
The tech's not BREATHING.
As the fleeing Command ship is HIT from behind by a series of MAIN SHOTS, the 2 'observers' farther away are simultaneously BLASTED close-quarters each by a dose of the same kind of grouped 'surgical' BEAMS seen before coming out of nowhere. Both become DORMANT and their swarms too.
Battle over. CLOUD of drone debris (+ intacts) slowly expanding outwards.
SCOTT and CHLOE eye each other. Awkward smiles.
Yes, sir!
Get 'im online! Get 'im online NOW!!
They all get into the Lift. T.J. ACTIVATES it.
BROOKS (O.S. thin, from all mics)
Cardiac arrest!? What happened? Everybody clear!
Everybody starts getting away from the fallen tech.
Is everybody clear? Get clear NOW!
The fallen tech body's CONVULSES/STRAINS from a remotely-operated DEFIBRILLATOR zap. Again, longer.
All the others, including RUSH, watch in dread.
Another ZAP. The victim just ARCHES lightly, barely convulsing.
As the zapping ENDS, breathing RESUMES. The others approach.
Good. Cardiac and pulmonary activity. Brain's a mess...
(louder)
Nobody touch him! Don't move his head! We're arriving!!
CLOSER TO Destiny: a bigger, darker, much LONGER version of a Novan AutoCannon (thinner and not as long as Destiny's own MAIN GUNS, but they'll never fit thru corridors / hull breaches) has appeared from nowhere, starts FLOATING towards Destiny.
Another APPEARS next as if from behind an invisible curtain. Each has 4 secondary barrels WRAPPED around the main one, riding a CLUSTER of 5 big kino-like spheres [+].
GINN (from wristPAD, singsong?)
I know!
Chairman, are those yours?
(agrees)
A single main gun's not enough.
Hear, hear!
(smiles?)
Just a dozen?
(worried?)
We got a casualty. A Novan.
Re: floating LONGBOWS on Console:
Bolting to exit:
Someone's injured!
MARSHALL receives a mic call:
(Novan 'biotech' bandages may appear in colors / textures other than white cotton)
T.J. with the people (YOUNG, CHLOE, RILEY, Novans, RUSH, ELI, CHAIRMAN among them) at the door.
Dr. Brooks says he'll recover. She also wants a quiet Infirmary. There's a kino feed you can check for news. Now please go. It's all under control.
Anymore close friends?
You too? Well, everybody else go now.
YOUNG and CHAIRMAN wait by the door. RILEY & the Friend TECH enter the restricted space, while little by little the others LEAVE.
On reaching the injured TECH's bed, they notice the 4 beds at the far end of the room occupied by 4 INJURED welders (burns, cuts, concussions, broken bones, etc) also under initial treatment. And the 4 darkgray BODYBAGS laid on the floor.
(alarmed)
What happened to them?
Enemy fire. Non-lethal vacuum exposure. Nothing that can't be fixed at the Hospital, Dr. Brooks says. No permanent damage. The other 4 weren't so lucky.
BROOKS (to CHAIRMAN and YOUNG)
We shouldn't move 'em until initial procedures have had time to guarantee no further injury. It could be hours, or
(points)
in the case of this young man here, days.
I will. And it's my duty, sir.
She retreats.
(worried)
Was bound to happen. How could I not have foreseen this?
War's messy, Chairman. That's why there's professionals. Don't take it too hard. The enemy's to blame.
They're all volunteers. They believe in their Federation's future. Their right to fight for it. So do I, but ...
You go rest too, Colonel. You'll need it if the fight is gonna keep going.
(grim)
Soon as they gather enough forces, yeah.
He leaves, walks past RUSH (still in the corridor, hands in pockets, frozen in place). RILEY notices.
(uncomfortable)
It was noth-- Was... instinctive.
Unfreezing:
She said he'll be ok. I'm useless in here. And there's still a lot of work to do.
He goes.
He retreats into the Infirmary.
Shaking hands:
I know. We all knew before coming. Everyone wanted to help. I've been working with uncle Wally all my life, designing and building all kinds of consumer gadgets and systems. Even weapons and all, though he tried to dissuade me. But here I am! The opportunity of a lifetime!
Oh, no! Most Novans dream of getting rich, or founding their own colony, or meeting friendly aliens... Me, I think this is important. Uncle Wally's always worked to improve the life of people, but that'll be for nothing if we don't get rid of the drone armada once and for all. I can help with that. So it's my duty to do so. I... I hope my... the first Hunter Riley... would approve of it.
(happy)
Uncle Wally says the same! He also says I'm incorrigible, tho. But hey, life's short, man's gotta make the most of it he can, ain't he?
Yeah. Everybody should do that. The Hunter Riley I knew... he made good use of his time. He was one of the best people under my command. His life was... too short. We... miss him here.
Uncle Wally doesn't talk much about these things. He once said they were best friends here, tho. That's true?
Deal! And speaking of that,
(eyes T.J. & BROOKS working together)
I thought you and Dr. Johansen would be married by now. You don't seem married yet.
I see. Mind if I ask her out to dinner? Or perhaps spend a day showing her the wonders of the Novan Federation? Most people love Gating around the planets. Think she'd like that?
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