FINNEGAN'S SQUAD: "I, Team"

               BEGIN OPENING ACT:

               EXT. SPACE - NEAR STATION 5

               The medium sized craft of Cimarron approaches the giant
               colony Station 5 complex which rests in the stable Lagrange 5
               orbital position, some 60 degrees behind the Moon.

               INT. CIMARRON - COCKPIT

               Major ACKERS is at his console, one row behind the two
               forward Pilot seats.  On one of the displays beside him a
               24/7 News channel is playing.  The top story is on a peaceful
               rally occurring somewhere in Central Africa.

               FINN enters, stopping in the doorway and watching as the two
               pilots bring the four thousand tonne vessel on final approach
               to it's hangar in the much larger station's lower hub.

               Ackers glances casually over his shoulder at Finn.

                                   ACKERS
                         Do you want the honours?

                                   FINN
                         You must be joking.

                                   ACKERS
                         You are rated for this craft,
                         aren't you, Captain?

                                   FINN
                         It has been six or more years since
                         I parked a craft this large.

               Finn moves forward until he is hovering over, and between,
               the Pilot and Copilot.  He looks out the forward cockpit
               window as the Cimarron closes in on it's home bay.

                                   FINN (cont'd)
                         And contrary to popular belief, it
                         is nothing like riding a bicycle.

                                   PILOT
                         A what?

                                   FINN
                         A bicycle.
                             (beat)
                         Let me guess, you were born out
                         here, correct?

                                   PILOT
                         So?

                                   FINN 
                         A bicycle, Ensign, is a self
                         propelled, single-person, two
                         wheeled vehicle used by some to get
                         around large open spaces.

                                   PILOT
                         With all due respect sir, you need
                         to get some 23rd Century metaphors.

                                   FINN
                         Right.

               Finn returns to the view as the Cimarron's nose enters the
               threshold of the bay.

                                   FINN (cont'd)
                         It's been quite a while since I was
                         last stationed here.  It's good to
                         see the place aga...

               Ackers bolts upright reproachingly cutting Finn off with both
               his display and rapidly wagging finger.

                                   ACKERS
                         Ah! Ah! Ah!

               Finn is taken aback.  

                                   PILOT
                         Major doesn't want to jinx it, sir.

                                   FINN
                         Jinx?

                                   ACKERS
                         Every time someone says something
                         wistful like that BEFORE we're
                         parked, we get another mission
                         right away.  I haven't been in my
                         quarters in almost three weeks so
                         belay those comments Trooper!

               Finn smiles.

                                   FINN
                         Aye sir.

               Ackers watches him warily as he retakes his seat.  The focus
               of the news image shifts from the Presidential Palace in the
               center of the courtyard to an imposing quiet man in the
               middle of the crowd.  That person is BISHOP M'BARTO (Black
               50's male).

                                   ACKERS
                             (muttering)
                         I want one shower in a real
                         bathroom for a change.  That's all
                         I'm asking for.

                                   REPORTER (V.O.)
                         And here is the person expected to
                         be the next President of the Sudd. 
                         He is Bishop M'Barto.

               M'Barto has his back to the camera, speaking with someone
               over his shoulder.  

               That someone sticks out rather well because he is the only
               white person in this sea of black people but at no point do
               we get a clear picture of the white man's face.

               EXT. PRESIDENTIAL PALACE - NIGHT

               The white man nods, understanding M'Barto's instructions, and
               then he turns, quickly squeezing through the crowd, away from
               the camera's limelight.

               M'Barto turns to the floating camera before him and begins to
               speak in his deep resonating, James Earl Jones-like voice
               about the return of peace and prosperity to this region.

               The white man slips out of the crowd and quickly moves around
               behind the large gathering, making his way toward the
               Presidential Palace while trying to avoid the glare of the
               camera lenses covering this event. 

               His name is TOPPER and we shall hear more of his story later.

               END OPENING ACT: