FINNEGAN'S SQUAD: "Jeu Parti" - teaser/opening act
COPYRIGHT © 2004 | TITAN-RAINBOW Media Productions | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED
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FINNEGAN'S SQUAD: "Jeu Parti"
BEGIN OPENING ACT:
EXT. SURFACE OF MARS - DAY
The barren landscape of the red planet under a dull sun. A
moment later a small vehicle, gliding some fifty meters above
the surface, flies by.
The vehicle is a Mars-sled, an anti-gravity, futuristic
version of a semi-truck, ferrying supplies from the Argyre
Exchange space port to various posts around the planet.
INT. MARS-SLED - COCKPIT
The cockpit of the vehicle is narrow but high. A thin aisle
runs down the middle of the space linking the two fore
consoles of the cockpit to a sealed hatch at the far aft end.
The hatch leads to the airlock and cargo deck.
Between fore and aft on the port side are two Sleepbunks,
stacked one on top of the other. On the starboard side is an
entertainment cubicle (room for one) behind which is the tiny
lavatory.
We know this is the lavatory because we can hear the FLUSH as
the COPILOT comes out of it, pulling his britches up
(actually the bottom half of his sealed atmospheric suit) on
his return to his seat.
PILOT
Told you not to try the vindaloo.
COPILOT
It's not the vindaloo!
PILOT
Smells like it to me.
EXT. SURFACE OF MARS - DAY
The Mars-sled continues along its path.
In the foreground, one, two and then five dark clad figures
appear peering over a ridge at the approaching craft. These
are ZIZU RAIDERS, evidenced by the dark cloth rags they wear
over their tight fitting environmental suits.
Even up close to these beings there are no features to be
made out. We know they're bipeds but that's about it.
One of them suddenly stands, holding something that looks
suspiciously like a bazooka on his shoulder. He/She aims it
at the approaching Mars-sled and then fires.
A bolt of high Arc energy careens out of the nozzle, crossing
the distance between the Raiders and the craft in an instant.
As with all other such impacts the Mars-sled begins to lose
power at the strike.
INT. MARS-SLED - COCKPIT
Both are working hard to maintain control.
PILOT
What the hell was that?
COPILOT
We're losing power!
PILOT
Routing reserves to Grav-Plates.
COPILOT
Oh Pete!
EXT. SURFACE OF MARS - DAY
The Mars-sled descends faster than anyone inside would like,
falling short of a crash thanks only to the overcompensation
of the anti-gravity technology to the sudden approach of the
surface.
After a mild rebound the Mars-sled slides into the dirt
coming to an abrupt stop as the final erg of power is
consumed.
The spray of Mars dust settles.
INT. MARS-SLED - COCKPIT
The only light now comes in through the forward viewport, a
view mostly obscured by the dirt the vehicle has pushed ahead
of it on landing.
Pilot pushes himself back in his seat. His head lolls about
as he regains his senses. He reaches up, touching the blood
on his forehead. It could be worse.
He looks over at Copilot who is just now, groggily coming to.
Pilot cocks his head listening for air hissing.
COPILOT
What happened?
Pilot unbuckles his belts and climbs out of his seat, moving
up the slightly inclined deck for an overhead compartment
from which he pulls out two helmets.
PILOT
We crashed.
He returns, handing one of them to the Copilot who takes the
helmet groggily and looks at as though it's still a foreign
object. Once his eyes focus and he sees what it is he
becomes concerned.
COPILOT
Did we decompress?
The pilot puts his helmet on and seals it with a click as he
starts back up the incline toward the Aft Hatch pausing only
long enough to grab a Comm-Unit.
PILOT
No but we're going to have to do
repairs and I don't know about the
rest of the ship...
The Copilot nods, slides his helmet on and then unbuckles
himself to follow the Pilot.
The Pilot repeats the keying sequence again to open the Aft
Hatch, to no effect.
He smashes the override glass and pulls the safety and then
reaches for a grip to manually pull the hatch open.
It suddenly springs open but that's more because of the rag
clad figure on the opposite side than anything he did.
Two other figures behind the nearest Raider raise their
weapons, ugly looking powerful rifles, at the Pilot and
Copilot.
As one of the Raiders appears to be moving aft, deep into the
craft, another Raider, the Leader of the group, steps between
the two that are armed.
When he speaks, his voice comes out like Darth Vadar's, had
Vadar made his own thing from stuff bought at Canadian Tire.
ZIZU RAIDER LEADER (V.O.)
We do not wish to harm you but this
craft is now ours.
PILOT
What?
ZIZU RAIDER LEADER (V.O.)
This vehicle is now the property of
the Zizu.
PILOT
Now see here!
The Leader reaches out and smacks the Pilot in the forehead,
then as quickly, replaces his gloved fist with the muzzle of
a small pistol that he presses directly against the same
spot.
ZIZU RAIDER LEADER (V.O.)
Do not mistake our desire not to
harm you for a promise that we
won't. You have thirty seconds to
vacate this craft.
COPILOT
But we're a thousand clicks from
anywhere!
PILOT
We can't survive out here!
The Leader reaches out and grabs the Comm-Unit from the
Pilot. He holds it up to another device and sparks fly from
the connection. The Comm-Unit beeps a series of failing
tones as it runs out of power. The Leader hands this back to
the Pilot.
ZIZU RAIDER LEADER (V.O.)
The power cell on your
communication device will recharge
in a day, you can call for help
then.
PILOT
But?
The two flanking Raiders roughly dig the muzzles of their
weapons into the Pilot's torso. The point is made clear.
The Pilot and Copilot are guided out of the Cockpit. They
raise their hands in surrender as they are guided to the side
hatch and then outside to the Martian surface.
EXT. SURFACE OF MARS - DAY
Their hands still up the two move a few steps away from their
Mars-sled as the hatch is closed behind them.
INT. MARS-SLED - COCKPIT
The Leader is the first to reach up and remove his headgear.
It is ETHAN (from FSQ/0A: "SHUTTLEDOWN"). He looks back at
the Raider who went aft.
ETHAN
Give me the word Chucky!
From the aft end of the craft, at the exposed panel of the
driver, at a point where the interior mechanism of the Mars
sled has been connected to an external device, a suitcase
sized and powerful device to say the least, CHUCKY looks
back, still in his outer gear, and gives the thumbs up.
Ethan enters the cockpit, moving to the Pilot's seat and
flicking a switch as he sits. The entire craft comes alive.
Beside him, helmet off, sits CHESTER. A burly mountain of an
individual who takes the controls of the craft, with the
grace of a lumberjack trying to ride a child's tricycle, and
begins to reverse their course.
The third individual, TOIMEE, a bookish, Harry Potter sort of
young snot, particularly when his helmet is off, stands
between them.
TOIMEE
So what's this beast carrying
anyway?
ETHAN
Oxygen scrubbers. Twenty three of
them, all industrial grade.
TOIMEE
Crim! That's not going to go
unnoticed Chief.
ETHAN
I know.
TOIMEE
I mean they'll send someone after
us for this, you know that?
ETHAN
Know it. I'm counting on it kid.
The nose of the Mars-sled crests from under the dirt.
Chester clumsily starts to angle the craft forward.
EXT. SURFACE OF MARS - DAY
With the environmentally clad Pilot and Copilot as their
witness, the high-jacked Mars-sled ungracefully lumbers off,
slowly gaining altitude.
COPILOT
Walk or wait?
Pilot glances at the powerless Comm-Unit as the recharge
indicator flashes on and off. He leans back as far as he can
staring skyward.
PILOT
You want to walk, go for it. I'm
waiting.
EXT. SURFACE OF MARS - HIGH OVERHEAD SHOT - DAY
The camera is looking down on the two of them with a slow
pull back to emphasize their isolation.
Then abruptly it zooms away, rapidly ascending to orbit.
Past the Space Station in orbit here and out into space.
END OPENING ACT:
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COPYRIGHT © 2004 | TITAN-RAINBOW Media Productions | ALL RIGHTS RESERVED