COLD OPEN
PILOT'S DEN
Long across the Den as the ship rumbles, most displeased. John is behind the console with Pilot. A couple of glowing green blobs sit on the console shedding a nice light on the situation. Some few sparks fly from the edges of the console.
JOHN:
That do it?
PILOT:
Elack's senses a planet... but the erratic weather patterns are interfering...
NEURAL CLUSTER CORE
Sikozu, Chiana and Rygel attend to issues in the central core. An explosion of sparks startles Rygel.
RYGEL:
Oh, frell!
Shot cuts back and forth between the Den and the core as the crew, such as it is, works on keeping things... working.
JOHN:
Sparky, can you fix... scan?
RYGEL:
I'm trying!
SIKOZU:
Come here and hold this!
RYGEL:
Hold 'em yourself!
( laughs )
Sparks fly and Sikozu ducks a bit, still trying to affect a repair of some kind.
SIKOZU:
Ah!
PILOT'S DEN
PILOT:
Crichton... why are we searching for this planet? Arnessk is uninhabitable.
JOHN:
No. Jool told us every few cycles the magnetics drop low enough for the dig team to remain there for a while.
NEURAL CLUSTER CORE
SIKOZU:
Help me! My hand is still too weak.
RYGEL:
Right. Pull the other one and I'll whistle "Felanusen". ( laughs )
Chi chuckles.
PILOT'S DEN
PILOT:
No life-forms are registering on Elack's senses, but I'm so weak, I can't be sure.
JOHN:
Shh. Rest. You rest, sweetheart. We're gonna go check it out.
CHIANA:
Hey, Crichton. Don't go down without me.
NEURAL CLUSTER CORE
CHIANA:
I don't wanna be here when Psycho zaps the final zalk.
[ and Chi's incomprehensibility just keeps on coming ]
EXT. PLANET
Moya's semi-crippled transport pod makes atmospheric descent, coming onboard the planet over a blue ocean. In the distance a rugged coastline, with a plateau at the top, barren save for a alien structure. Oh, and those dual trails of white smoke cannot be a sign of a healthy transport pod. The pod turns, heading for the alien structure.
EXT. PLANET - DIG SITE
Shot is long and wide on the site of an ancient temple; the main structures seated in a hollow, the backside sitting flush against the wall of the hollow, the front a broad sloping decline which extends from ground level down to the floor of the temple proper. John's black clad form walks the temple floor to camera.
Cut to long on Chi, the beam of her flashlight cutting through the semi-darkness of a recessed area, the open air, and a wall forming one side of the recessed temple proper behind her. She backs slowly, and--
Cut to John, walking up the sloping decline to a large blue platform at the near side of the recessed area. At the center of the blue platform is a stained reddish oval.
Cut to close on John as he steps up to the platform. Chi's voice emanates from the structure below and behind him.
CHIANA:
I don't see anyone. You see anyone?
He turns toward the structure, shouting his answer, his voice like hers, bounces across the empty spaces.
JOHN:
No!
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Uh, yeah, kinda dark in here despite the two small illumination devices on either side of the entrance behind Chi. She removes the small pistol from her belt as John enters behind her, his own huge frellin' flashlight providing slightly greater illumination.
He moves quickly past her, glancing back at her nervous posture at the corner, pistol at the ready.
JOHN:
Whassamatter?
CHIANA:
I just got a feeling.
John's forward progress falters.
JOHN:
Well... Is that a "feeling" feeling, or...
CHIANA:
Just a feeling.
JOHN:
Okay.
They move further down the tunnel, now wading through shallow water soaking the tunnel floor.
Jump cut to long on another tunnel, sometime later-- the water now above their ankles, John pauses, turning about.
JOHN:
Okay, now I'm gettin' a feeling. You're not gettin' a feeling?
CHIANA:
No, no feelings.
He unholsters Winona, and closes the small distance between them.
JOHN:
Hang on. Take this-- take this.
She takes the light.
JOHN:
My chakkan oil's low.
CHIANA:
Right.
Following her as she continues down the corridor, he removes the cartridge from the butt of the pistol. Chi exits shot as she takes a turn in the tunnel, John following, quickly catching up as she is stopped in the next tunnel.
CHIANA:
Then again, I-- might have had a feeling.
Taking the turn in the tunnel, John steps up out of the water and staggers a bit, surprised by the male Interion holding a weapon on Chiana. With a chakkan oilless pistol, he does what he can, and holds his hands up in the air.
TARNAT:
( to Chi )
Get back.
The guy turns the weapon strapped to his arm on John.
TARNAT:
Peacekeeper, drop your weapon.
JOHN:
Uh, that's a common mistake. I'm not a Peacekeeper.
TARNAT:
Drop your weapon or the female dies.
He turns the weapon back on Chi.
CHIANA:
He's not a Peacekeeper.
Cut to a point further down the tunnel, Jool leaps out from a junction in all her leather glory; still with the cheesecloth bodice, but at least the rocking horse hips have been scaled back.
JOOL:
Wait! Tarnat, stop!
Another familiar figure enters from the junction and it is a purely joyous reunion. Jool squeals over a subdued Chiana while D'Argo dodges around the traffic jam, heading to John.
D'ARGO:
Ha-hah! John!
JOHN:
D'Argo!
Grinning, John gets taken into a huge bear hug and spun in a circle.
JOHN:
Oh! You're breakin' my back, leggo!
JOOL [O.S.]:
We didn't know it was you, so we hid, but it's you! It's really you!
D'Argo sets him back on his feet, and John staggers, but grins happily. D'Argo takes his face in both his huge paws.
D'ARGO:
Look at you!
[ well, gosh, D. Just can't stop doin' that, but that's anyway. ]
Brief cut to Tarnat watching dubiously, while behind him a less than enthusiastic Chi pries herself out of Jools hug.
CHIANA:
Yeah, it's really me, Princess.
Cut back to John and D'Argo, shouting simultaneously, and hugging again.
JOHN:
D'Argo!
D'ARGO:
John!
JOOL:
Chiana!
The ever suspicious Tarnat flings a wet blanket while John tries to recover some male dignity from too much man huggin'.
TARNAT:
Who is this Peacekeeper?
Cut to John, breaking away again, doin' the guy dance.
JOHN:
How 'bout them Bears.
TARNAT:
Why is he with the tralk?
John and Chi leap to mutual defense, John forgetting he's got a chakkan oiless pulse pistol, points it emphatically at Tarnat in the process.
CHIANA: ( simultaneous with John )
He's not a Peacekeeper.
JOHN: ( simultaneous with Chiana )
She's not a tralk!
Jool puts a hand on Tarnat's arm, pulling him off guard point.
JOOL:
Forgive Tarnat. He's new security here, and he's just a little gung-ho... about protecting the dig.
TARNAT:
You've been warned. There are races who would kill for what we've discovered.
Guy's just a little too intense for John and D'Argo, they turn their backs on him, discussing what they are most interested in.
JOOL [O.S.]:
Tarnat! These are my friends.
D'ARGO:
So, are... Aeryn and Rygel with you?
JOHN:
Rygel, yeah. Aeryn, we haven't heard from. Has she contacted you?
D'ARGO:
No, not yet. But, ah... you know, she will.
JOHN:
Right.
He nods, jams the chakkan oil cartridge back in the pistol and moves out of shot, D'Argo turning to watch him go.
Cut to John, holstering his pistol as he walks up a sloping tunnel floor toward a blue-green light flooding from archways at the far end of the tunnel.
He stops at an archway, looking outward; the shimmering surface of water beyond reflected on his face. On his right side is a wall covered in symbols.
Cut back to Chi, Jool and Tarnat.
CHIANA:
Is Moya here? We didn't detect her when we came aboard.
JOOL:
No.
Cut back to John, still and quiet. A tiny critter jacks itself up the wall in the FG on its single leg. John turns toward the wall painted with glyphs.
Cut to D'Argo, deciding to follow John. Jool natters on in the background.
Cut to John, his hand tracing across the wall and settling palm down over a five-fingered representation of a hand. The fit seems perfect. Above that is another painted symbol which looks annoyingly like the Eye of Horus.
[ of course the eye we saw was the 'right' Eye of Horus, sometimes refered to as the Eye of Ra, the eye of the sun. Can't help but be tantilized by it's inclusion here. ]
JOOL [O.S.]:
...you've got to come with me!
TARNAT [O.S.]:
I don't think the Instructor would want that.
JOOL [O.S.]:
Tarnat...
John turns away from the wall, looking back down the tunnel.
Cut back to Chi, Jool and Tarnat.
JOOL:
...just put it back in your pants and calm down.
Cut back to John, looking out through the archway again as D'Argo arrives. The big guys claps a hand on his friends shoulder.
D'ARGO:
Cheer up, John.
Cut to lovely two-shot of John and D'Argo, standing side-by-side in the archway.
D'ARGO:
I have a lot to tell you about my travels.
He urges John away from the arch, and back toward his friends.
Cut to the ever enthusiastic Jool. Happy as a clam.
JOOL:
Can you believe it? We're here! We're here and we're alive, and nobody... is tryin' to kill us.
( happy squeal )
Come on.
Cut to long and wide on the archways from within a subterranean chamber, the water disagreeing with the air temperature to the point that the shadows of John and D'Argo's retreating figures waver in the light as they move away.
At the glowing green surface of the water, something surfaces. The something turns its boney ridged skull and the creature from the green lagoon faces camera. And close on the critter, looking all yellow and black in this light. Scary.
Shot follows the critter beneath the surface as it submerges, pulling back smoothly as it turns away and strokes off through the water. Technicolor glo in the dark beasty with conchshell head. Cool.
END COLD OPEN
ROLL OPENING CREDITS
ACT I
DIG SITE
JOOL [O.S.]:
Check this out.
John stands, back to shot, hands braced on opposing walls of a tunnel entrance, facing out toward a wooded area. Jool cuts on a large bank of lights and turns it toward him. She walks into the tunnel and he turns, trying to follow her and take in her unbridled enthusiasm.
JOOL:
This is the most important planet in the Universe!
JOHN:
Jool, Moya got spat out like a furball. How the hell does that happen?
JOOL:
Stop! That's all I remember.
They exit the tunnel and emerge to an open air atrium. Roughly circular, although we only see 'one' side, and open to the sky. Chiana lurks at the end of the tunnel, peering cautiously around the corner before following.
JOOL:
Please! D'Argo's gone to find the weird old lady, and she'll explain what happened. She spoke to Pilot for arns, okay?
John sighs, heading toward a stone bench at the center of the open space. Standing by the curved wall, Jool points out a small black device mounted there.
JOOL:
These sensors are for the magnetics. When it's blue the levels are safe. Red is bad. Red means don't pack... fly.
She prances over to another tunnel opening, this one slopes downward from the level of the atrium.
JOOL:
But this...
Cut to John and Chi, neither one paying too much attention. John sitting on the stone bench, focus elsewhere. Chi perched at his side. John looks up at her and somehow manages to nearly crack her up; giving us the weirdest looking smirk in the history of smirks.
JOOL:
...this is what I was talking about. This is the greatest archeological discovery of the last one thousand cycles.
CHIANA:
This?
JOOL:
Yeah. I mean, it may not look like much to the untrained eye, but--
CHIANA:
My eye's okay, Princess.
Chi stands and steps to the floor, moving back toward the tunnel opening.
CHIANA:
Hey, is that valuable?
Meaning the odd shaped ceramic piece in John's hand, she gestures to same and we get a nice closeup. Looks like a bird.
JOOL:
I'm not sure, but I'll run some tests and check--
A quick side arm motion and Chi hurls the rock in her hand at Crichton's, shattering the object in an explosion of ceramic. Jool screeches a bit.
Shot pans up from his dust coated hand to close on his face, he gives her a side long glance and a veiled compliment.
JOHN:
Nice arm.
JOOL:
What are you doing?!
CHIANA:
As fantastic as this is... I'll take the tour later.
Chi bolts. Jool moves to the bench. For his part, John looks contemplative, his left thumb coasting over his lips; Chi's a problem, requiring a solution. Jool sits down in front of him, there's very little room behind him, making me wonder just where Chi was perched earlier.
JOOL:
What is her problem? What did I do?
JOHN:
Nothing. You did nothing. She just had a rough time away from Moya.
JOHN:
Jool, if it's all right... I'm going to find Grandma.
He moves to stand but she half turns, taking his hand.
JOOL:
No, no, no! Stay here, D'Argo's getting her.
She stands, tugging him toward the downward sloping tunnel.
JOOL:
Please, just wait here and let me show you all this. Please, please!?
He allows himself to be led at her urging.
DIG SITE - CHAMBER
Chiana prowls, on the hunt. A medium sized open chamber, much rubble about. This 'could' be the temple proper, but hey, DK... not too big on establishing a sense of place.
CHIANA:
D'Argo?
( beat )
Wrinkles?
She moves away from the center of the room, investigating a design imbedded in the wall. Cut to a large bank of lights as they switch on, throwing a broad blanket of yellow light over the startled Nebari... I think that's a whispered 'frell' on her lips as she turns toward the light.
Shot pans 180 to D'Argo, emerging from behind the lights.
D'ARGO:
It's remarkable, isn't it?
CHIANA:
You scared me.
( beat )
I don't know...
The lights switch off.
CHIANA:
I thought you were gonna go find Wrinkles?
D'ARGO:
I was. I couldn't find her down by the cliffs, so I thought she might have come here.
( beat )
It's... it's good to see you again, Chi.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Close on the technicolor beastie, peering out from behind a pillar. Jool's voice initially over the shot.
Cut to Jool and John descending a flight of stairs to an intersecting tunnel. [ more walkin' and talkin', and Jool's still got his hand. ].
JOOL:
Twelve thousand cycles ago, Arnesskan priests worshipped. Mystics. Somehow they maintained a truce with the Scarrans and the Peacekeepers for five hundred generations.
At the bottom of the steps, John turns back to look up. Cut to close on technicolor beastie, who then darts out of shot without a clue where it might be. Jool continues the briefing as they follow a series of twists and turns in the tunnels.
JOOL:
Imagine... imagine if we could discover their secret for peace. No one knows how they achieved it because... one day they just vanished. And it's like everyone just left. In a microt. And no one knows why.
JOHN:
( simultaneous with Jool )
...knows why.
His pleased smile cut short as a huge bank of lights cuts on, bathing the semi-darkened corridor in blazing yellow light. Winona leaps into his hand on her own volition and he points her, blindly, into the light. A shadowed figure stands in the doorway of an adjoining tunnel, a soft voices speaks.
VELLA:
I know why.
Jool moves away from John, standing near the shadowed figure.
JOOL:
This is Instructor Vella.
Ah, our second female Interion. Dark curly hair. She steps into the hazy yellow light of the tunnel, pulling off her gloves while John holsters his weapon.
VELLA:
You're John Crichton.
JOHN:
Yes.
A small smile and he peers at Jool in the bright light.
VELLA:
Tarnat said I'd find you here. I see why he mistook you for Sebacean.
She circles him as though anticipating bidding on a piece of Grade A Prime american beef.
VELLA:
Same size, weight, coloring...
Finishing her circuit, she offers one final 'observation'.
VELLA:
Though the brain cavity appears smaller.
JOHN:
Yeah, but my choppers are first class, and I do an excellent turn my head and cough.
Demonstrating, he turns his head and coughs. Jool coughs as well, but for a different reason, you can't see in this light but she 'must' be arching an eyebrow at him. He looks her way. Innocent protest.
JOHN:
What?
VELLA:
I see you're not interested in any of this.
JOHN:
I just have some unfinished business to attend to.
VELLA:
( scoffs )
This is more facinating than any business you might have.
Vella walks away and Jool steps close again, standing by his side.
VELLA:
Believe it or not, this planet was once a paradise. Virgin water, panoply of life-forms.
Cut to close on John, just barely tolerating this lesson. He shoots a look Jools way, by way of thanking her for the field trip, but she misses his annoyed displeasure, listening intently as Vella rattles on. The older female removing a odd shaped object from a recessed panel in the wall.
VELLA:
But three of these probes, which formed the Darnaz Triangle, were launched by enemies of peace. They created magnetic summers that killed the priests and drove civilization away.
( beat )
Are you understanding any of this?
John affects a lovely a southern-yokel accent. He cannot conceal his scorn.
JOHN:
Well... I missed a couple of the big words so maybe I should just--
He makes a little 'trotting' motion with his fingers, a little 'trotting' noise with his tongue and tries to motor; Jool snags his arm, holding him back. [ And oh geez, he is just 'so' adorable. That arched eyebrow, barely concealed-- annoyance? Doesn't know whether to laugh or just walk away. I love all this light. You can see everything, but lovely shadows as well. Oy. ]
JOOL:
Instructor Vella has found two of the probes.
VELLA:
Legend has it, if I find the third probe... I can reverse its damage and so reactivate the Darnaz Triangle.
She puts the probe back into the recess.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
D'ARGO:
Jool started to drive you crazy yet?
CHIANA:
She... she just keeps going on and on about this place.
D'ARGO:
Well, it, ah, can be like an obsession. We've been working from dawn til dusk.
He walks back to an adjoining chamber, crouching on the floor, fiddling with something. Chi follows him.
CHIANA:
What, you and the Princess?
D'ARGO:
( Looking up )
Mm-hm.
Chi moves closer, sitting beside him.
CHIANA:
You and the Princess...
He looks up again, waiting on her point.
CHIANA:
Did the Peacekeepers capture you, and steal your brain, and replace it with whatever you're using now? What's the matter?
D'Argo finds whatever he was looking for, and standing, walks further down the enclosed area. Chi pursues him.
CHIANA:
They were always this far away from getting me. How come they didn't get you?
D'ARGO:
Lo'La hid me.
CHIANA:
Lola?
They stop at an open doorway, sunshine increasing the light at the opening.
D'ARGO:
Lo'La.
Looking out, D'Argo speaks a short gutteral sentence of Luxan.
Cut to long across a rocky plateau, D'Argo and Chiana standing to the right in the open doorway. From nothing becomes something, and the cloaking device makes an appearance, as the Luxan fighter appears, parked on the plateau.
CHIANA:
Your ship can disappear.
D'ARGO:
For a short time.
The ship fades from view again, cloak reengaged.
CHIANA:
And you named her... Lo'La?
D'ARGO:
It's short for Lo'Laan. In memory of my wife.
And he walks away again.
EXT SPACE - ELACK
The dull gray hulk of the dying Leviathan cruises past.
ELACK - HANGAR BAY
Head and shoulders inside the module, Sikozu stands up, sighing as she eyes the interior of the small vessel. An idea strikes and she steps down, crossing the open area to the wall, rising on tiptoes she pops open a small access panel, and peers inside.
EXT. PLANET
Walking on a narrow dirt trail in a forrested area. It's sunny and bright.
JOHN:
Ryge. D'Argo and Jool are here, and D'Argo's got his ship back. They expect that Moya's gonna be back sometime soon.
ELACK - PILOT'S DEN
Rygel is perched before the Pilot's console, a deep continuous throbbing hum in the background-- Rygel shouts to be heard.
RYGEL:
Well, she better hurry. I can barely hear you and the heat's naqued in here.
EXT. PLANET
John listens while Rygel whinges.
RYGEL:
( over comms )
Crichton, this Leviathan is dying.
ELACK - PILOT'S DEN
RYGEL:
We've gotta get off it soon!
ELACK - HANGAR BAY & PILOT'S DEN
In the hangar bay, Sikozu yanks a huge bundle of wiring. Sparks shower.
In Pilot's Den, Crichton's return comm is broken with static and unintelligible.
RYGEL:
Crichton?
Cut to the hangar bay, Sikozu hauls the length of wiring back toward the module.
Cut to Pilot's Den.
RYGEL:
Crichton!?
Cut to the hangar bay, Sikozu wrangling some heavy wiring. Shot continues to cut back and forth between the hangar bay and Pilot's den.
SIKOZU:
Were you still talking? Sorry.
RYGEL:
Connect me back to Crichton!
SIKOZU:
Cannot do it. External comms are dead. This ship is entering termination shutdown. In case we need it in a few arns... I want to get this module started.
She climbs up a step out side the module, dragging a heavy wire with her.
EXT SPACE - COMMAND CARRIER & ESCORT
Familiar close shot of the side of a Command Carrier cruising by with attendant smaller escort vessel.
COMMAND CARRIER
Close on small full length holo-representation of Vella. Shot cuts to Grayza, sitting in a lovely little chair, smirking as she listens.
VELLA:
( hologram )
Pilot and Moya. Crichton and the others are here on Arnessk. Their presence is a source of irritation.
Cut to wide on the Commandant's chamber, Braca also listening as she speaks.
VELLA:
( hologram )
Retrieve them now, or we'll have to take our own steps.
Braca switches the display off, moving closer to Grayza.
BRACA:
We intercepted this transmission to Moya sixty microts ago.
GRAYZA:
You were right. They did follow the Interion to the planet. How long will it take for our Command Carrier to get there?
BRACA:
Ten arns.
She stands, heading out of the room.
GRAYZA:
Make it five.
( beat )
Captain.
She pauses on the other side of the room, turning back to look at him.
GRAYZA:
But first... come and see this.
COMMAND CARRIER - AURORA CHAIR
Piecemeal images of Scorpius's childhood, courtesy of 'Incubator'.
Cut to three shot on Grayza and Braca looking forward at the display screen, and Scorpius strapped in the Aurora Chair [ hm, must come standard on all Command Carriers now. ]
SCORPIUS:
I find your amateur attempts at... torture, to be quite pleasurable. I could resist it for cycles.
GRAYZA:
Maybe you can. Or maybe you can't.
She taps a control on the side of his head and the cooling rod chamber cycles out.
GRAYZA:
But this rod will make it a little more difficult.
Braca removes a rod from a small tube, familiar in shape, but not in color. This one is filled with a sickly yellow liquid.
SCORPIUS:
Don't do this, Braca. I made you.
Braca places the rod in Grayza's outstretched hand.
BRACA:
No.
Braca pats Scorpius on the shoulder, leaning in close.
BRACA:
I made you.
GRAYZA:
I think, now, you will finally tell me... all you know about John Crichton.
Grayza removes the old cooling rod.
SCORPIUS:
I told you everything about John Crichton!
GRAYZA:
No... Scorpius...
Replacing it with the yellow rod, pressing a control, the chamber cycles closed while she speaks.
GRAYZA:
You hold onto secrets because you fear that when you finally do tell me everything, you will die. And you're probably right.
Braca powers up the chair and Scorpius howls!
DIG SITE - TUNNELS AND ATRIUM
John walks out of a tunnel into the atrium, calling for the old woman.
JOHN:
( calling )
Oh, Grandma?
He walks toward the opening of another tunnel. Above him the muted voices of Vella and Tarnat.
VELLA [O.S.]:
I studied his responses as I told him about the Darnak Triangle.
TARNAT [O.S.]:
I still dont' trust Crichton.
VELLA [O.S.]:
He has no interest in it.
Shot pans up above John's head as they walk by between the edge of the forest and the upper rim of the open atrium.
VELLA:
Oh, don't worry. It'll be over soon. Our last vector test will reveal the third probe.
Shot pans down again as they walk into the forest, to John looking up as though he may have heard something. Cut to tunnel access, the old woman popping out as John attempts to enter. Startled, he steps back.
JOHN:
Oh, damn! Grandma!
and then startled again by the technicolor critter, poking its head around one of the temple support pillars.
JOHN:
Ho!!
John dodges away, his back to the open air atrium.
JOHN:
Damn! The creature from the black lagoon, sorta.
Seeing no menacing moves from the critter other than a preliminary hiss, John turns his attention to the old woman.
JOHN:
Grandma, how ya doin'?
She gives him a blank look.
JOHN:
You remember me?
The continuing blank look suggests she doesn't.
JOHN:
Me, Crichton, you, Grandma--
He touches his own chest with the 'me, Crichton' remark, but the critter takes offense when he touches the old woman with the followup identification. It leaps from behind the pillar hissing and growling. John dodges backward a bit, but Winona doesn't make an appearance, as the old woman seems to have it in hand, shooing the critter away.
WRINKLES:
Get away, Oo-nii. Go. Scat. Go on. Go on. Scat. Go on.
The critter gits, back to cowering behind a pillar in the background, and John relaxes a bit, further reassured by the welcoming smiling on the old woman's face.
WRINKLES:
I remember. You're hoo-man!
JOHN:
( smiling )
Right.
WRINKLES:
Crichton!
She leaps into his arms givin' him a big 'ol hug, but he winces, drawing back almost immediately.
JOHN:
Oh, ah! Damn. You need a bath.
WRINKLES:
Never bathe, never bathe. It washes off the juice.
JOHN:
That's... more than I want to know.
( beat )
Listen, Jool said... that you guys got spat out of a wormhole. She said that only you knew what happened.
Oh, dear, and bothersome that we keep getting closeups of Oo-nii, some of them with thoughtful expressions, as he/she/it listens in.
WRINKLES:
Ask Pilot. Pilot knows. I talked to Pilot.
She makes to exit, but John insists.
JOHN:
But, now, Pilot knows what?
WRINKLES:
No, no, no. Ask him. I must follow Vella.
She tries to leave again, and he's 'more' insistent.
JOHN:
Hey, I need to know about wh--
WRINKLES:
How old are you? How old?
Before he can formulate a response to that incredible segue...
WRINKLES:
I am two-hundred and ninety-three cycles. Anytime there is goodness it will be destroyed, by-by a cause, a weapon...
She gasps, clapping her hands to her substantial ears, the sound of chanting voices slowly building.
WRINKLES:
Oh! Yes, yes, this is Holy Land. Yes. Oh, no, I won't let Vella have any of it.
She briefly turns her attention to John.
WRINKLES:
It's the voices, the voices. They scream to me. The Darnaz Triangle must never be used again!
John takes her arms in his hands, pulling hers away from her ears.
JOHN:
I don't hear... your voices.
Once more Oo-nii takes exception to John touching the old woman and leaps howling from behind the pillar. This time Winona makes an appearance.
JOHN:
Back off! Get back! Go on! Get back.
Critter sees the sense of that and returns to cowering behind the pillar.
JOHN:
I'm not...
He reholsters Winona.
JOHN:
...interested in your voices. You know what I'm interested in.
WRINKLES:
( chuckles )
Aeryn's child. You pierced my subliminal message.
JOHN:
Yeah. And I might have stopped her if I'd known sooner.
WRINKLES:
Why would you want to stop her?
JOHN:
She's carrying my child, my DNA.
WRINKLES:
Oh, I didn't keep that secret from you, she did. I just wanted you... to accept Aeryn's decision. But now, I can help you forget.
John's looking more annoyed and less angry, which is probably a good thing. The old woman plucks a icky looking one legged grub off the wall, placing it in her hand she squeezes it til the guts poke out.
WRINKLES:
Laka. It's all over this planet. Squeeze the juzemize out of it and stick it up your nose! You'll get a jolt-- wham! And for five hundred microts nothing bothers you. No think of Aeryn, nothing--
JOHN:
Get that thing away from me.
WRINKLES:
Okay, away-- away.
She turns away, then turns back; with sudden strength and certitude.
WRINKLES:
Ask Vella-- if all the Priests died here... why are there no bones?
( beat )
Why are there no bones?
Back to confused and erratic, she scurries off. Oo-nii snarls once more and follows her.
JOHN:
O-kay.
The old woman's a weird place to visit, he shakes his head.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Elsewhere in the network of tunnels, Jool gives D'Argo a lesson.
JOOL:
Do you feel that?
She's holding his arm steady as a device strapped to it emits a beam against a wall, stripping dirt and debris from a colorful pattern.
JOOL:
Just let the tug of energy tell you... how fast you need to work. I guess-- now that Crichton's back... you'll head off with him again soon.
D'ARGO:
Yeah. I mean, uh, perhaps. I've, ah... being here, I've... really enjoyed it.
JOOL:
Yeah?
D'ARGO:
Yeah.
[ oh, yeah. He's really enjoyed it alright. ]
Cut to med on Vella, entering the tunnel from a junction behind Jool and D'Argo.
D'ARGO:
You know, I think we've really found something here. We should, uh, clean it up and show Vella... and stick it up her nose.
They both laugh as his little joke.
VELLA:
That's a prayer wheel. Found on every wall in the site... and it would never fit up my nose.
D'ARGO:
Yeah, well, I didn't actually mean that--
VELLA:
Now... why are you using that?
D'ARGO:
Well, for this...
VELLA:
In unskilled hands, a carver can be perilous.
Vella removes the carver from D'Argo's arm and straps it onto her own. Jool stands up against the wall like a school kid caught makin' faces at the teacher.
VELLA:
You see, Luxan... the process that strips away cycles of age, when it hits living flesh, absorbs the molecular signature of whatever it touches. Thus, that Laka...
She points the carver at a crawling Laka just over D'Argo's shoulder, and with a burst of light transforms it to rock.
VELLA:
...is now rock.
COMMAND CARRIER
Grayza soaks in a huge frellin bath, the water an ill looking milky color, safely opaque. Standing far behind her, Braca delivers a briefing.
BRACA:
Magnetic pulses surrounding the planet make it impossible for the Command Carrier to land... but Marauders, with less sophisticated electronics, can make it through.
GRAYZA:
How much longer will the dig site remain habitable?
BRACA:
Fourty to fifty arns.
GRAYZA:
Closer.
BRACA:
Well, that's Chief Scientist Taylik's best estimation, ma'am.
GRAYZA:
No. You, closer.
Braca gets the hint and steps up on the platform, standing behind her left hand side. Grayza rolls her eyes slightly.
GRAYZA:
Down. On your knees.
Hands still tucked neatly behind his back, Braca kneels beside the tub, eyes still averted decoriously.
GRAYZA:
Are there any other vessels near the planet?
BRACA:
Just a dead Leviathan in decayed orbit. I'm prepping a squadron now.
Grayza strokes her fingers across the bared flesh of her chest, tiny beads of, what; perspiration, flecking her skin [ can I get an, ew! ].
GRAYZA:
Closer.
Braca leans in fractionally closer, hands braced on the sides of the tub. But she needs him a bit
GRAYZA:
Closer...
Braca leans down and she reaches up with that hand that stroked her chest, Braca senses it and leans in closer. Her fingers stroke across his lips; and his eyes roll in a fairly emotional display.
GRAYZA:
Braca... does it bother you... what has happened to Scorpius?
Braca, looking down now, smiles.
BRACA:
No.
Satisfied, Grayza looks away, smiling herself.
Unobserved, Braca looks a little startled.
GRAYZA:
We won't need a squadron. We'll go to the planet together.
Braca's gaze is drawn to her hand as it moves along the shelf of the tub.
GRAYZA:
You and me, three Marauders, twenty soldiers.
He plucks her hand from the edge of the tub, cradling it in both of his. He's pretty confused.
BRACA:
Wh-why?
She ignores him, giving out her thoughts while Braca lifts her hand to his lips, licking her fingertips.
GRAYZA:
I always assumed John Crichton was just an outlaw. An excuse for Scorpius's mistakes. But he destroyed a Command Carrier. The Scarrans desire him. Perhaps...
Giving up on the hand, he moves closer, leaning down to snatch a kiss.
GRAYZA:
Somehow... I can use him. Perhaps... Scorpius's enemy will be my... friend.
She turns into his lips at the last word, but raises a hand and pushes him away. He staggers back, very surprised at his impropriety.
Fade to black.
END ACT I
ACT II
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Jool and Vella are alone in a tunnel. Vella works on loosening a large panel from the stone wall of the tunnel. Both hands gripped firmly on a protruding object on the panel.
VELLA:
Grave robbers leave snares.
She loosens the panel with a sharp tug, sound of stone grating on stone.
VELLA:
Ah! This has been opened. Here...
She steps back and draws Jool close, instructing her where to grip the panel, how to loosen it.
VELLA:
Make certain you turn your face away...
Cut to long on the tunnel and pan slightly left to reveal D'Argo lurking at an intersection, and the two women standing at the panel.
VELLA:
...and open it.
Jool braces herself and slightly averts her face, dropping the panel open slightly. A brief flash of light accompanies a slight explosion.
VELLA:
Just a primitive Jarnass flash.
Vella steps forward again, replacing the panel with a slight shove.
VELLA:
Only if it hits your eyes will it cause damage.
She turns toward Jool and they begin to walk and talk, down the tunnel toward the junction where D'Argo lurks.
VELLA:
You're brave and listen well. Do you plan to keep studying when we leave the dig?
JOOL:
If I'm allowed, yes.
D'Argo backs off, lurking at a further junction, still listening in.
VELLA:
And the Luxan?
JOOL:
He is... he's my friend.
VELLA:
But not your equal! Intellectually, Luxans are a sub-species. He will make mistakes... you will be blamed for them!
Vella stalks off. Her role as 'not a nice person' firmly in place. Shot is wide and 'we' can see D'Argo lurking just around the corner.
JOOL:
( softly )
I know.
She turns and walks back down the corridor.
EXT PLANET - CLIFF EDGE
Shot is close on John's upraised palm. Cut to long and angle up on John standing on what appears to be the edge of a cliff, arm upraised palm outward-- touching the sky, before slowly lowering his hand.
Cut to extreme long and wide on the site of the ancient temple, placed in a recess in the ground, walls that slope gently downward to the floor of the temple proper. The far side of the temple is flush against the wall on the back side of the recess, likely where the tunnels lead into the subterranean chambers. The ruins in fairly good condition, although the portion of the temple which is above ground seems relatively small. On the near side, at ground level is a large platform, slightly bluish with a reddish oval in the center. On the far side of the temple proper in the far background, Crichton's black clad figure is silouetted against the sky.
Cut to close on Crichton as the silence is abruptly broken by the arrival of the old woman and the male Interion.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
Crichton, he's arrested me!
John turns toward the voice. Reacting mildly to the approach of the armed male Interion as he brandishes the carver strapped to his arm. John flings up his hands.
JOHN:
Oh, yo, yo! Hey! No need for-- no need for guns.
Tarnat brandishes the carver with his right arm, the old woman's head trapped in the curve of his left arm.
TARNAT: :
The old lady told me how you planned to stop us.
JOHN:
I didn't plan to do anything.
The old woman sinks her teeth into Tarnat's hand. He howls and she drops to the ground.
WRINKLES:
He's one of the defilers. They lie! They will not use the probes for good. Kill him!
John doesn't even remotely seriously ponder the possibilty.
JOHN:
No.
TARNAT:
Vella may not fear you, but I know you're their leader. I've heard about you.
The old woman scurries behind John.
WRINKLES:
Get him, Crichton. I helped you! I showed you Aeryn.
JOHN:
You didn't show me squat! Sit. Just sit!
The old woman drops to hands and knees behind Crichton at his urging. He turns and heads back to Tarnat.
JOHN:
Listen to me...
Tarnat raises the carver at John's approach. John stops, holding his hands up, he's harmless... really.
JOHN:
I don't even know... this old lady's name. She came on board our ship like a really bad smell that won't go away. I'm not a threat to you. I just want Moya to come back... so I can get the hell outta here. That's it.
He turns away slightly, pondering something, hands still upraised.
JOHN:
Except one thing.
Turning quickly, his upraised right arm directing the carver away and down while the left delivers an efficient pantak jab that drops Tarnat like a stone. Before the guy hits the ground, John has Winona out and aimed at the fallen man.
JOHN:
Do not point guns at people!
WRINKLES:
That's right, hit him again!
The old woman stands.
JOHN:
No!
WRINKLES:
Oh, go on, Crichton. Let me show you. Like this. And...
She scurries over to the fallen Tarnat and slugs him in the jaw. Then clutches her hand with a grunt of pain.
WRINKLES:
Oh! See?
JOHN:
What the hell are you doing? What-why are you telling me... to shoot people!?
WRINKLES:
'Cause you have to.
John reholsters his pistol, turning away, his reply generally ignored.
JOHN:
( softly )
No I don't.
WRINKLES:
Vella will take the Darnaz Probes and use them as a weapon. Why do you think she sent the rest of the dig team away?
JOHN:
I have no idea.
WRINKLES:
There was peace here once.
John sees that the old woman is all cranked up and he puts a gentle hand on her shoulder, his voice softly reassuring under her frantic words.
JOHN:
( softly )
Okay...
WRINKLES:
You must see what was lost here!
JOHN:
( softly )
Hey...
WRINKLES:
I can't let this happen anywhere else!
JOHN:
...would you--
His words are cut off by a shout of pain as the old woman blows a palm full of white powder directly into his eyes. Groaning, he staggers about, hands futily shielding his eyes.
WRINKLES:
There. See... see the ancient world. See...
Blindly, he staggers to the edge of the plateau [ and here I admit, I shrieked 'oh, no!' but, ]
Cut to long across the plateau, John's silouetted figure in the far background, a heavy mist overlies the temple proper but slowly thins to reveal the structure. John's figure fades from the plateau to reappear on the floor of the temple proper, walking to camera. The sound of chanting voices quiet in the background.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
See...
His figure fades again, reappearing closer to FG, walking up the sloping decline between the ground level and the floor of the temple proper. All around him appear figures dressed in red robes. Before him, the large bluish platform fades in, a small body curled at the top of the reddish oval. The chanting swells slightly.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
...what I see...
He fades out and in again, now standing at the edge of the platform, all else remains in place; including the mist which thins no further.
Cut to close on a red robed priest, a colorful mask over his face. A long wicked knife in upraised hand. He lowers the blade slowly and shot pans down to include the small figure on the platform, a small alien critter with four curling horns and four eyes. The blade of the knife moves over its throat. The chanting voices growing louder.
Cut to wide and long on the temple proper; John now leaning on the near side of the large platform, a bloodstained altar holding a ritual sacrifice before the red garbed priests of the temple. John wavers and looks about as the chanting reaches a peak.
Cut to close on John standing on the plateau; he kneels and reaches for an object on the ground.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
The children's tiles.
He lifts the small golden pyramid in both hands, all four sides etched with symbols.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
The peaceful thread within us all. It started here.
He looks up again.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
See.
Standing, he continues looking around, the ocean and coastline a backdrop to past events. He looks up at the sound of an explosion. A bright burst of light which spreads to a wide halo. Three bright objects spaced evenly around the edges of the halo drop toward the ground.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
See the Darnaz probes.
He watches as the three probes drop toward the ground with the halo of energy. Cut to long on the shoreline as the probes strike with a thundering explosion, the halo of energy spreading outward, the wave front passing through him.
Cut to close on John, flinching back from the suggested explosion.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
See it all.
Cut to long on John, stumbling and sitting abruptly at the top of the plateau, legs dangling slightly over the edge. The old woman approaches slowly. She crouches beside him as he settles a bit, coming to himself.
JOHN:
( softly )
I saw priests... and a goat... probes falling from the sky. I saw where they landed.
She leans in, whispering in his ear. And extreme close up on this, it's just not a pretty sight.
WRINKLES:
Like a wormhole... back to the past... see... see the peace.
And more white powder in the face. John falls back, arms flailing, late in the protection maneuver again.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
Now... sleep. Sleep, Crichton.
Close on John, flat on his back, eyes rolling up into his head.
EXT PLANET - SHORELINE
Close on John, face down and floating, submerged in water. His eyes pop open and he flails, pulling back.
Cut to the surface as his head rises above the waterline, gasping for breath, hands flailing wildly. Sharing the ocean with him, in very close proximity, Oo-nii. The camera bobs beneath the surface as he turns and makes an only slightly panicked swim for the shore a short distance away.
OO-NII:
Crichton, wait, wait! I just had to wake you!
Oo-Nii swims after him, diving beneath the surface to do that cool mermaid swim.
Shot surfaces in time to see Crichton stumble out of the water, over the rocky shore.
OO-NII:
Wait! Wait, Crichton, stop! I'm not going to hurt you!
John takes an impromptu seat on one of the large boulders, then stands and staggers a bit further inland. Oo-nii climbs out of the water behind him. He turns toward the large brightly colored critter as it approaches.
JOHN:
Oh! Hell! You scared the hell outta me. I thought you were a... sea monster, creature, critter... somethin'.
Oo-nii takes a position behind a large rock, while John gathers his wits, looking up at the sky, water rolling down his face.
JOHN:
What's with this weather? I must'a been out for a long time.
OO-NII:
Not long. You must stop old woman.
Still gasping for breath, John isn't in shape to stop anyone right about now.
JOHN:
Will you just let me... clear the antifreeze outta my head.
OO-NII:
Vella. She has found the third probe. It's still under the ground. Your old lady, she swears she will kill Vella so she cannot use it as a weapon.
JOHN:
No, no... she's just nuts, she's not gonna do anything.
OO-NII:
She take your gun.
John's hand goes immediately to the holster, finding it empty.
JOHN:
Granny!
And, he bolts. Oo-nii sniggering slightly behind him.
PILOT'S DEN
Eyes closed, Pilot chants quietly. Rygel emerges with a green bag 'o light from under the console, patting it into place it brightens, significantly increasing the light level in the area.
PILOT:
( stirring )
Wha- who's there?
RYGEL:
( softly )
It's all right. There's no one here. No one at all.
DIG SITE
Jool enters as D'Argo's indulging in a bit o' the liquid refreshment.
JOOL:
Hey.
He tosses the empty container across the room, Jool glances at it, a bit concerned.
JOOL:
Hey, what are you doing?
D'Argo turns to face her, one shoulder braced against the wall... just a tiny bit drunk.
D'ARGO:
Why didn't you stand up for me?
JOOL:
D'Argo... most Interions think Luxans are inferior, that's just the way it is.
D'ARGO:
What do you think?
JOOL:
Don't ask me that.
A long pause and a very grim look from D'Argo as he moves a bit closer.
D'ARGO:
What do you think?
JOOL:
I think... that you're unusual for a Luxan.
D'ARGO:
Yeah. Yeah, I am that.
Exit pissed Luxan, brushing past her on his way out.
ELACK - PILOT'S DEN & HANGAR BAY
Rygel's hangin' in the Den and Sikozu is messin' around with Crichton's switches.
RYGEL:
Sikozu... have you finished with that module? Sikozu!?
Pilot mumbles quietly. Getting no response from Ms. Handyman, Rygel turns to comfort Pilot, shushing her tenderly.
In the hangar, Sikozu looks triumphant as the module cranks over, engines firing.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Jool's followed him around the corner.
JOOL:
D'Argo... you can't blame Vella if she thinks she's smarter than you.
D'ARGO:
No, but I can blame you.
JOOL:
I never believed that any of you... cared what I thought.
D'ARGO:
I care.
He moves closer. [ Good look at sleeker costume, lightweight material in the robes, foreshortened shoulder guards, shiny metal bracers from wrist to elbow. And good god, do I hear chains rattling when he walks? Yep, there's something on his boots... spurs? Chainmale, er, chainmail boxers? ]
D'ARGO:
And just so you know... if someone had... criticized you, or insulted you. Called you a stuck up, arrogant little Princess... I'd have defended you.
Exit surly Luxan, bent feelings and all.
EXT PLANET
Shot is angle up and wide through the scrawny treetops of the scrawny wood which manages to thrive on the planet. John's voice loud over all, angrily seeking.
JOHN [O.S.]:
Granny?!
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Long on a well lit tunnel, the old woman lurking in the FG.
JOHN [O.S.]:
Granny?!
EXT PLANET
John, pacing slowly through the wooded area, still calling out for the old woman.
JOHN:
Granny, I just want Winona so I can get the hell out of here!
Stops and turns toward camera.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Close on the hold woman, Winona held firmly in her grasp.
WRINKLES: :
( whispering )
Receive the spirit.
EXT PLANET
Close on John, pressing knuckles to aching eyes. The old woman's voice over the shot, echoes slightly on the final word.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
( whispering )
Recieve the spirit.
JOHN:
Granny!
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Close on the old woman, still peering around inside the tunnel, Winona raised in her right hand. The sound of water trickling in the BG.
Cut to John, jogging down a ramped tunnel, past an open barred gate. He pauses, turning to look back as the light behind him changes slightly, perhaps a shadow of someone passing by.
JOHN:
( whispering )
Granny?
He runs back up the stairs at the far end of the ramp, heading back out into the open.
Cut back to the old woman, somewhere in the depths of the tunnels.
WRINKLES:
Must stop Vella.
She turns to camera, and we still hear her voice but her lips most definitely are 'not' moving.
WRINKLES:
Not let her destroy another world.
Cut to D'Argo maneuvering himself down the tunnels, using his hands to brace himself-- he may be a wee bit drunk. The last few of Wrinkle's words are over shot. He's got his Qualta Blade out, drooping in his right hand.
D'Argo stops, spotting something on the ground.
D'ARGO:
The carver.
He bends down, picking up the perilous archeologists tool.
Cut to Wrinkles, entering a tunnel from an intersection near an exit, behind her is the open air of the forest.
WRINKLES:
( whispering )
Have to protect.
Cut to long on Vella, crouched on the floor in another tunnel, chanting voices of the priests in the background becoming ever louder, although completely unnoticed by all.
Cut to close on the old woman.
WRINKLES:
The voices. The voices say... don't let them use it. Don't let them!
She hurries on her way, and...
Cut to Vella moving down a tunnel, shot pans right as she passes and follows as she continues down the tunnel, shot peering around the corner as she stops at the far end.
Cut to close on Vella, angle up and through a shelf containing a few artifacts; she somehow gains an awareness that she's being watched. Or maybe she's just paranoid.
VELLA:
Who's there?
She turns her head quickly, and cut to long on her, someone peering from behind a recess point in the corridor-- peerers pov.
VELLA [O.S.]:
Show yourself!
Following shot moves into the open and around the corner to 'confront' Vella, who seems unsurprised.
VELLA:
What are you doing here?
EXT PLANET
Angle up on John, circling about aimlessly, the sun above his head casts his figure in a hazy bright light.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Close on Vella, some slight tinge of fear overlying annoyance.
VELLA:
Is this some sort of joke?
EXT PLANET
John makes his way down a trail, ducking past overgrowing vegetation.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Vella raises her hands in fear against her unseen agressor, screams in fear.
VELLA:
No!
EXT PLANET
John's attention is drawn to a partially concealed tunnel opening by an echoing shout and a bright burst of light. He clambers down a slight decline to the opening.
JOHN:
Grandma?
Bracing his hands against the top of the tunnel opening, John peers inside before dropping down to enter.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Walking the last distance on the ramped entry, bright light of the open air just behind, John enters the tunnel, walking a short distance before discovering an 'odd' formation in the walls.
The head and shoulders of Instructor Vella, solid stone and sticking out of the wall, one arm still reaching out. The scene brightly illuminated by the large bank of lights just behind him. He taps the head of the frozen figure, muttering a mild oath.
JOHN:
Oh, boy.
A large hand grips him by the neck, hauling him backward.
JOHN:
G-oh!
D'Argo presses him against the wall of an adjoining tunnel, out of sight for the moment.
JOHN:
Damn!
Just a bit frightened out of his wits, John's fist balls reflexively before he can get it to drop quiet by his side.
D'ARGO:
Shh! Shh!
JOHN:
Wh-what happened here?
D'ARGO:
Quiet!
JOHN:
I turned my back for like, five minutes, and--
D'ARGO:
Shh!
JOHN:
What is Laura Croft doin' in the wall?!
D'ARGO:
Quiet! Quiet!
JOHN:
( quietly )
Don't shush me!
New arrival interrupts them.
TARNAT: :
Instructor Vella... are you all right? We saw--
D'Argo leaps out of hiding and Tarnat gets out one accusation before D'Argo fells him with one blow.
TARNAT:
What have you done!
Tarnat goes down and D'Argo steps over him, grabbing the lurking Oo-nii by the scruff of his... uh, scruff, flinging him against the far wall and holding the carver menacingly to the critters gasping face.
D'ARGO:
Now, don't say a word. Not... a word.
Freeze and fade to black.
END ACT II
ACT III
EXT PLANET
The old woman, sitting behind a small cairn of rocks, speaks softly, a prayer for the dead.
WRINKLES:
Receive the spirit... of Instructor Vella... no matter how selfish... how evil.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Close on the alien fish-guy, Oo-nii; bowing and scraping, seems to also be muttering a sort of prayer in an undetermined language. Shot pans up and wide, Chi standing behind him, alternately examining Oo-nii and the petrified Vella. Behind her stands John, one hand braced against the near tunnel wall. Behind him, D'Argo is propped, shoulder against an intesecting tunnel wall. And behind him, Jool is crouched over the fallen Tarnet.
JOOL:
D'Argo... you knocked him out.
John's glaring at the remains of Vella. Chi is simply facinated, Jool stepping up behind her.
CHIANA:
She's like... in the wall. What happened to the rest of her?
D'ARGO:
She told me that if the carver hits living flesh it alters the DNA.
JOHN:
Nobody cares about the DNA. Why did you knock that guy out?
D'ARGO:
If he'd seen me with her, he would have attacked and then he would be dead. I saved his life.
Oo-nii continues a groaning chant, kneeling on the floor below Vella.
EXT PLANET
The old woman still sitting behind the rock cairn, still praying.
WRINKLES:
Receive... her spirit.
INT DIG SITE - TUNNELS
JOHN:
We're still missing one person.
CHIANA:
Who, Wrinkles?
JOHN:
Yeah.
CHIANA:
You think she did this? She can't even take a bath.
JOHN:
She's been actin' weird.
ELACK - HANGAR BAY
Close on the exhaust of the Farscape. Cut to Sikozu, sitting in the pilot's seat. Rygel worms up the side of the craft, peering in at her.
RYGEL:
If you're planning to escape in that, I'm going with you.
SIKOZU:
Does all your species have truncated spines?
RYGEL:
Don't play 'arky-arky' with me. I promise, I'm smarter than you'll ever be.
SIKOZU:
( scoffs )
Then, you should realize... even with the combustion liquid I've synthesized, this module would not travel for more than an arn, so... no. I am not trying to escape in it.
A static filled dissonance fills the cockpit, drawing the attention of both.
RYGEL:
What's that?
SIKOZU:
It's Peacekeeper code. Three Marauders are heading to the planet.
RYGEL:
That receiver has never picked up coded transmissions.
SIKOZU:
I know. I modified it.
RYGEL:
Oh.
SIKOZU:
Go to Pilot's Den.
( nods forward )
Get that hangar door open. Then hide in the neural cluster. That will shield your life signature should the Peacekeeper's scan.
RYGEL:
What are you going to do?
SIKOZU:
I'm going to warn the others so they can hide.
RYGEL:
You're lying!
SIKOZU:
I told you, I would not last longer than an arn in this. Now get those doors open. Move!
Rygel worms his way out of sight.
SIKOZU:
Then send a secure comm to Moya. Stop her from coming until the Peacekeepers have gone!
Sikozu closes the canopy, ready for flight.
EXT PLANET - CLIFF TOP
Back at that same familiar rock plateau, on the ocean side of the ancient temple. Sunbaked and bright. John and Tarnat walk into shot around the large stone statue. Sans pulse pistol, John has the carver strapped to his right arm; his hand rests on Tarnat's shoulder, but given the proximity of the carver, I'm sure it's not a 'buddy' thing.
JOHN:
Do you smell Granny?
TARNAT:
No.
John stops, looking around, squinting in the bright light. Tarnat continues walking.
JOHN:
She's not here.
Cut to long on the plateau, lovely four-shot; pillar, statue, Tarnat and John. Pillar and Tarnat in FG.
JOHN:
Weird.
TARNAT:
What?
JOHN:
I-I've been here. Deja Vu. This...
He raises his right arm, pointing at a spot near Tarnat.
JOHN:
There.
He crosses the intervening space, fiddling with the controls of the carver-- pointing it in Tarnat's general direction.
JOHN:
How's this thing work? It's point and click, right?
TARNAT:
Keep it away from me.
JOHN:
Hey, it's not a problem.
Engaging a control, he points the device at the ground near his feet, a wavering golden beam is emitted, striking the ground, which steams as though being burned away.
JOHN:
Under here there's something that has, I think, symbols on it. Most of them alien, one... maybe I recognize. Maybe.
Under the beam of the carver, the ground is eaten away, revealing a small pyramid shaped object. John crouches, pulling the object from the ground.
TARNAT:
How could you know that was here?
Close on the object as he turns the small golden pyramid, etched in strange symbols on each of its four sides, in his hands. Examining it closely.
JOHN:
Holy crap, it's real.
TARNAT:
What is it?
JOHN:
A child's tile.
He stands, handing the object to Tarnat as he runs back to the top of the plateau, looking back and forth along the coastline from that vantage point.
JOHN:
You know any of these.
Tarnat examines the object, flipping it from one side to the next.
TARNAT:
This one's Interion. That one... might be early Sebacean. Never seen the others.
JOHN:
What do they mean?
TARNAT:
The symbol is peace... security.
JOHN:
Peace.
TARNAT:
Do you recognize any of the symbols?
JOHN:
One. Maybe. Egyptian. From my home world.
He rushes back down the few layers of the plateau, taking the object from Tarnak.
JOHN:
Come on. Got a change of plan. Let's go.
At John's urging, they head back the way they came.
INT. LO'LA
Inside his ship, D'Argo powers up systems while comming Chiana.
D'ARGO:
Chiana, can you hear me? Chiana, I'm prepping for a fly over to see if I can find the old lady, can you hear me?
Wild blare of alarms in the cockpit.
D'ARGO:
Chiana, I'm getting some sort of proximity warning, can you hear me? Chiana!?
D'Argo snarls and makes to move out.
EXT PLANET
Nice hero shot for D'Argo, stepping down from his ship, wind whipping tentacles, Qualta Blade at the ready-- as seen in promos for S4.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Long on a tunnel, John and Tarnat enter from a doorless doorway, walking rapidly to camera. John still holds the small triangular object in hand.
[ walkin' and talkin' so it must be exposition. And another tee-hee moment, 'cause now the carver is strapped to his left arm-- the tiny pyramid in his right hand-- but I'll give 'em that. He could have unstrapped it from his right arm to put it on his left arm-- yeah, that could'a happened. ]
JOHN:
Do you know what this means? It means there's a link between my world and this one. Somehow they're connected.
Cut to Chi, stepping into the tunnel, hands primly behind her back.
JOHN:
Pip...
John hauls Tarnat to a stop, and he's so wrapped in the moment, he didn't notice the dark figures seen through the open doorway behind him as he passed it and stopped just beyond it.
CHIANA:
Peacekeepers.
Finally turning his head, John sees them as one steps out of the doorway, placing a firm hand on John's arm. John releases his hold on Tarnat, raising both hands, a gesture of surrender.
Cut back to Chi, the PK behind her has received no instructions regarding her care and feeding and so takes her to the ground with a rifle butt to her back.
Cut to Tarnat's frightened expression. John stands against the tunnel wall, a pulse rifle at his head.
TARNAT:
Peacekeepers.
Tarnat turns to flee, but there are PK's in the tunnel behind him, he stops and turns. A PK steps out of the room behind John and his captor, and blows Tarnat away with a pulse rifle shot to the midsection. Tarnat flops to the ground.
DIG SITE - ATRIUM
Qualta Blade upraised, D'Argo cautiously creeps from the mouth of one of the many tunnels which branch out from the open air circle of the atrium, the overgrowth of greenery above his head, festive in the bright light. He quietly comms for Chiana.
D'ARGO:
Chiana, if you can hear me, I think the ship's...
SIKOZU:
The Peacekeepers already have them.
Shot pans right and slightly up to show familiar red boots perched on the edge of the rim of the atrium, body extended outward, defying gravity.
SIKOZU:
Stop... the comms.
Cut to long and angle down. She stands on the top of the open wall, blythly defying gravity, her pulse pistol aimed directly down on D'Argo's head. His features twist in mild anger at having the drop gotten on him.
[ this must be why the disney-loli hairdo-- so her hair doesn't hang into her face and spoil her aim ]
SIKOZU:
We must come up with a plan.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
Long on a tunnel well lit by the large fixture at the far end. PK's and their prisoners enter from an adjoining tunnel on the near end. John is flung to the ground by the Peacekeeper propelling him ahead of the group that follows with Chiana, hands cuffed behind her back.
John collects himself on the ground, turning to sit with his back braced against the wall as the PK holding Chiana enters the tunnel and backs slightly toward the far end before forcing her to her knees. Some forward thinking PK has divested him of the carver and so it is now on neither arm.
Grayza enters the tunnel from a junction at the far end and John turns his head briefly to watch her slow approach, turning away with a sigh as she and her escort of two pass Chiana and stop. Grayza's focus is entirely on John, sitting silent on the floor.
GRAYZA:
Remember me?
JOHN:
Oh, yeah. I remember a couple of things.
CHIANA:
Tell her to shove it up her tork, Crichton.
Grayza lifts her hand, a silent command, and Chi's guard slams his rifle butt into the girl's back, driving her forward. She rests there, forehead pressed to the floor while Grayza speaks, uninterrupted.
GRAYZA:
I can make things easy for you.
John turns an incredulous look on her.
GRAYZA:
And to prove my goodwill... Braca?
Braca steps into the tunnel, Scorpius crawls on hands and knees behind him, a long chain secured around his neck leashes him to Braca. John can barely force a glance in that direction. Scorpy drools on the floor while Grayza reassures John.
GRAYZA:
He'll never bother you again.
Chi's recovered and is taking this in as well. A brief reaction shot from John that looks vaguely like gorge rising.
GRAYZA:
Scorpius?
John's grinding his teeth now, it's hard to tell what he's finding harder to deal with.
GRAYZA:
Scorpius...
Scorpius isn't responding to Grayza, just struggling to breathe and not drool too much. She runs out of patience and kicks him. He falls to the floor. At the sound John can't help but risk a quick direct look. He does not look happy. Scorpius quickly struggles back up, cowering back a bit.
John looks away again, on edge but quiet; internal struggle going on. Grayza looks over, evaluating his response. She puts a hand on Braca's shoulder and lifts the sole of her boot toward Scorpius. Balancing there unsteadily while Braca cuffs the recalcitrant Scorpius forward. Scorpy scuttles forward under the blows raining down on his head, and extending his tongue, laps enthusiastically at the sole of her boot. [ and I just gotta titter at that every single time. ]
John peers over from the corner of his eye, disgust warring with other emotions before looking away again.
Grayza lowers her foot and steps closer still, Braca dragging Scorpius behind her on his leash.
GRAYZA:
Do anything you want to him, anything at all.
John risks another quick look as Scorpius tries for enough control for a plea.
SCORPIUS:
( gagging )
Cricht...
Looking away again, a disgusted smile tinged just slightly with Crichton patented hysteria.
JOHN:
No, thanks. I don't think I can come up with anything better than that.
Grayza turns a look on Braca, who hauls Scorpius away. She crouches beside him, closer yet. He looks, briefly, into her eyes before turning away.
JOHN:
( softly )
What do you want from me?
GRAYZA:
What I want...
Her fingers stroke across her bared flesh, ending on the inside curve of her breast.
GRAYZA:
May not be as bad as you think.
She reaches out with that same hand, and John flinches away slightly.
GRAYZA:
You might even like it.
Her hand drifts closer and he stops trying to draw away, sitting utterly still as her fingers drift just below his face, her thumb slightly stroking his chin. She extends her fingers, holding out her hand, and John turns toward her, looking down as her fingers rise, nearly brushing his lips before his gaze, now intense, locks with hers.
A sudden explosion of movement and his hand locks around the back of her neck, holding her at arms length. The PK's start forward, pulse rifles up.
CHIANA:
What are you doing?!
Grayza, her eyes still locked on John's, raises a hand, holding the PK's back.
Close on John, massively struggling with an inner compulsion; his features tense, twisting in anger. His eyes blazing with what looks to be anger or hate. He rocks minutely forward and back, being drawn forward into her while pulling back with all of his strength.
He's in a losing battle and he drifts closer yet while still struggling to break away. Behind them, Chi tries to see beyond Grayza's back, pulling against her captor.
CHIANA:
Crichton... what are you doing?
Giving up in the last small distance, his eyes close as he's drawn to her, his lips sealed on hers, and they kiss, long, lingering, and deeply.
Grayza places a free hand on his chest, pressing him back slightly as she disengages from his lips. Close on his fogged expression as she pulls away.
GRAYZA:
Wait an arn...
His hand slides from her neck to her shoulder as she pulls slowly away, and his body relaxes slightly forward, drained of energy.
GRAYZA:
...then we'll meet.
As she stands his hand trails down her bare flesh, from throat to waist before dropping to her leg. She walks away, giving a final command to her soldiers, and his hand falls away entirely, almost tipping him forward at the loss of support.
GRAYZA:
Secure the site.
Grayza exits and Chi's guard hurls her to the floor again. Close on John, trying to reorient himself, his hand rubbing restlessly against his nose and lips, shaking his head as the fog lifts.
Fade to Black.
END ACT III
ACT IV
PILOT'S DEN
Close on the somnolent face of the aged Pilot. Silence broken as Rygel's tiny paw reaches up and slaps the massive face.
RYGEL:
Wake up! Wake... up!
Panting with the effort, Rygel hovers higher and sinks his teeth into Pilot's upper lip, she moans in pain but the ploy works.
PILOT:
Ah! I'm awake! What's the matter?
RYGEL:
Peacekeepers! We have to get a secure comm to Moya!
PILOT:
Elack's transmission core is corrupted. Everything's dying, I can't do it...
RYGEL:
No, no... Pilot...
Pilot starts 'chanting' unintelligibly again.
RYGEL:
Stay with me... Pilot. Pilot!
PILOT:
I'm finished, Dominar, I'm sorry. Please forgive me.
Her eyes close and she drifts off again, chanting weakly.
RYGEL:
Please... Pilot.
DIG SITE - TUNNELS
The chained Scorpius kneels in the FG as Braca circles him, heading toward Commandant Grayza, standing in the BG beside an open doorway, hand propped against the doorframe. On a wall nearby is one of the Interion magnetics sensors.
BRACA:
The orbiting Leviathan is empty. At present we've captured the Interion, a Nebari, and an old Traskan.
GRAYZA:
What about the Luxan and the Peacekeeper traitor?
BRACA:
Uh... nothing.
She nods to the magnetics sensor, now humming blithly in the BG.
GRAYZA:
And this?
Braca examines it closely. The tiny light is still blue but it buzzes loudly.
BRACA:
The magnetics have spiked. According to this, we've got approximately twenty arns left, and under these circumstances I think we should leave.
In the FG, Scorpius looks a bit... 'healtier'. Behind Grayza a PK Soldier appears, handing over one of those cool yellow rods.
GRAYZA:
He's regaining motor stimulus. Change him.
Braca smiles, accepting the rod. His expression a bit more grim as he moves to Scorpius, still having a bit of difficulty on the floor, and engages the cooling chamber.
Scorpius's hand shoots out, gripping Braca's face in one hand, fingers digging into his jaw.
SCORPIUS:
No more, Braca!
Braca grins, plucking out the yellow rod from within the open chamber. Brandishing the rod before placing it in the chamber.
BRACA:
This is for all the times I've had to say yes.
Scorpius spits on his former toady before whipping his head about and sinking his teeth into Braca's wrist.
Braca's mouth contorts in silent agony, but Scorpius releases his grip, eyes locked on his former flunky. Braca pauses a moment, then engages the chamber and it cycles closed. Kicking Scorpius against the wall, he rebounds against it before falling to the floor, twitching heavily.
DIG SITE - SUBTERRANEAN CHAMBER
Long on the creature from the black lagoon swimming through the greenish water in the subterranean chamber. Surfacing, he makes his way to a large tile in the floor, lifting it and propping it against the wall.
OO-NII:
Good. They're still here. The two probes are safe.
He lifts one of the odd shaped 'probes' from the hole beneath the tile, examining it briefly before putting it back. When he stands we see the wall painted with symbols that Crichton noted earlier.
DIG SITE - HOLDING CELL
In another area of what was once a temple, Chiana, Jool and the old woman are now being held behind the ornate bars of an alcove; a makeshift holding cell. PK Essentials. Plenty of light within the barred alcove, the remainder of the space is cloaked in darkness.
Shot is long across the space moving toward the alcove, the light from above as if open to the sky. Chiana stands near the bars with the old woman. A PK Soldier stands at guard to one side, another across the open space in the darkness.
WRINKLES:
He found a tile?
CHIANA:
Yeah. Th-That he saw or something with that powder that you whacked him with.
WRINKLES:
A real tile?
CHIANA:
Yeah, that's what he said, from the vision.
Cut to two shot on Chi and the old woman at the bars.
WRINKLES:
Oh no.
CHIANA:
What?
The old woman turns and wanders away to stand against the far wall of the open alcove.
CHIANA:
What's the matter?
JOOL:
Chi?
Cut to wide on the alcove, Chi still standing against the bars, the old woman facing the wall a few steps away. Jool sits on a block in the corner, her back resting against the wall.
CHIANA:
Yeah?
JOOL:
When we first met... did you know I was on the run? Accused of stealing from a Noatian gem mine.
CHIANA:
Okay. We've all gotta cheer up, okay? Because you... are drivin' me nuts.
Chi crosses the space to sit beside Jool, and the shot is 'all' foreground through the lovely spokes of the bars.
JOOL:
I stole things from digs, but things that I needed... to study, to learn more, you understand?
CHIANA:
I don't have a problem with that Jool.
JOOL:
But I never stole from here. There is this legend... of this glorious temple. Here. That touched the sky, and no one's ever found a trace of it. And I dreamed of discovering it, and... now I'll never discover any of it.
CHIANA:
Thanks for sharing.
Annoyed, Chi stands and returns to stand by the bars.
WRINKLES:
No... the priests... will help us. You'll see. You'll see. I'll get Crichton.
CHIANA:
Crichton is nally-whipped!
WRINKLES:
Give me a distraction, and I'll save us all.
CHIANA:
All right-- Okay, Wrinkles... follow my lead.
She moves to the end of the bars, hailing the PK Soldier.
CHIANA:
Hey. Minya. Hey, ah... the old lady, she's, uh... she's got a problem. ( whispering ) Down below!
PK SOLDIER:
What do you mean?
CHIANA:
( whispering )
She needs to go to the nooley!
PK soldier 1 turns his helmeted head, looking across the room; Chi's head turns to follow his gaze. Pan to the far side; PK Soldier 2 stands in darkness, nodding slightly.
PK SOLDIER 2:
Okay. Go.
EXT PLANET - CLIFF SIDE
Close on Grayza's fingers, stroking through beads of perspiration on her chest. [ okay, this isn't sexy, is it? ] Cut to med, two-shot, Grayza lifts her hand to John's lips. Cut to close on John, reacting to whatever it is in the lovely Commandant's biochemistry; he starts slightly, eyes rolling up as he sinks slowly to a seated position against an outcropping. Grayza leans across him, pressing close as she places a large pulse pistol on the rock shelf beside him. His hand immediately reaches for it but can't quite close on the weapon, instead his hand drifts back toward the woman in front of him.
Shot pans up from his hand to his face, straining against compulsion, he turns a slightly unfocused gaze in her direction. Cut to long and angle down on the pair, the ocean crashing against the rocks below them. Grayza reaches out, stroking his face, his lips. [ yike ] She curls around him, nuzzling his neck and he shudders, eyes closing.
She raises her head, looking up and sees Braca with chained Scorpius in tow peer over the top of the ledge. Grayza smiles slightly before turning back to John.
GRAYZA:
Do you like that?
JOHN:
( softly )
It's better than what Scorpius used to do.
Yikes, looking slightly upward as she leans over him, his eyes are locked on hers.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
Peace can only be maintained...
Cut to close on the old woman, sitting somewhere outside, trees surrounding her.
WRINKLES:
...if there is sacrifice.
Cut back to close on John, Grazya curling around him again, lips seeking his throat. He shudders again, eyes rolling up until the irises disappear.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
Peace. Sacrifice.
GRAYZA:
Do you like that?
No nodding or anything, but he drags her forward onto his lap, one hand pressed against her back. She's sitting astride him now, one hand stroking the back of his head, down his neck, and he's shivering, a fire burning.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
Peace. Sacrifice.
JOHN:
( softly )
Whatever you want. Whatever... you can have it.
Grayza takes his head in her hands, fingers slipping across his temples and into his hair; she tips his head slightly while he waits, mouth slightly open.
Cut to long on the ocean, the waves bursting against the rocky shore.
Cut to long, angle slightly down on them as John falls slowly backward against the rock shelf, taking her with him. Their arms pressing bodies close as the ocean rages and the pulse pistol sits within easy reach, forgotten.
Cut to close on the old woman.
WRINKLES:
Peace can only be maintained... if there is sacrifice.
Fade to black.
[ geez, get the woman a name already. ]
END ACT IV
TAG
EXT PLANET - CLIFF TOP
Okay, back at the overlook vista, large stone statue perched on the shelf behind where Crichton huddles on the edge furthest from the drop. Knees drawn up under crossed arms, his head lowered to his forearms. Kinda whipped. The old woman approaches and stands nearby, speaking softly.
WRINKLES:
Never been real before.
John speaks to her without looking.
JOHN:
What are you doing here, old woman?
She moves to sit beside him. Cut to close on them, John is rocking himself slightly, a comforting gesture.
WRINKLES:
In the vision I enhanced, you saw a tile, a child's tile.
Again, he speaks without looking up, her whispered answer is more to herself than to him.
JOHN:
Yeah, just like the one I found. What did you do to me?
WRINKLES:
Must be the magnetics... pushes the vision further. Somehow the suggested turned real.
They sit silently for a bit, the wind whipping at her hair. She glances as him, still huddled and rocking on the edge.
WRINKLES:
Does Grayza know you saw the Darnaz probes?
JOHN:
No.
WRINKLES:
Good. I have seen the carnage weapons of mass destruction bring. For Vella to have had one was awful to consider... but, the Peacekeepers... they must never have it, Crichton.
She glances at him again, but he's unmoving, his gaze fixed on some point far away.
WRINKLES:
Do you know where the final probe landed?
JOHN:
Yeah.
WRINKLES:
This is my fault. I wanted only to show you the peace they had achieved. Somehow I showed you... what you must not know.
Cripes, and she blows more of the white powder in his face. John gasps and staggers to his feet.
JOHN:
No!
WRINKLES:
The vision I showed you...
Flash cut to earlier vision of the exterior temple proper, many red garbed priest standing about. John leaning against the bloodstained altar.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
...became real.
Flash cut to closeup on John, still and eyes open.
Flash cut to John standing at the clifftop, arm extended to the sky, palm flat and facing perpendicular to his body, thumb inward, as though drawing a line from the sky.
Cut to subterranean chamber, John places his hand flat on the hand symbol painted on the wall.
Flash cut to closeup on John, cut to close on the old woman, blowing white powder outward.
Flash cut to close on John, standing on the cliff's edge, he looks upward as a burst of light spreads outward. Cut to close on red garbed priest, holding a long wicked looking knife upraised. Cut to close on John's hands, holding the small golden pyramid tile. Cut to long on John, standing at the cliff's edge, the probes hit ground and the halo of energy flares outward.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
Grayza can never know where the final probe is.
Flash cut to close on John. Cut to close on the old woman blowing the powder outward.
Flash cut to long across the temple proper. Many red garbed priest stand about, three clustering around the bloodstained altar; the now unmoving goat lying before them. In the far background, John's black garbed form. The priests, all, turn slowly toward him.
Cut to close on John, backing away slightly.
Cut to long across the temple proper, all the priests moving to intercept him as he backs away; the bloodstained altar now vacant; no sacrifice other than John, still slowly backing away in the distance.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
You cannot tell her.
Cut to close on John, still backing slowly away as a red garbed priest slowly approaches him.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
You must die.
WRINKLES:
Oh, forgive me.
Cut to Braca, stepping out of the undergrowth, onto an open path; looking around.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
Forgive me.
Cut to close on John, he staggers backward.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
No other way.
Cut to Braca, heading to camera on the trail, a PK Soldier following him. Shortly he starts to run.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
Forgive me.
Cut to long on cliff top; John backing slowly from two red garbed priests; the old woman huddles on the ground, what she must do she cannot watch; looking away as she instructs him.
WRINKLES:
Walk to the cliff. To the cliff, go now!
Quick cut and the red garbed priests disappear, but John continues backing as though they are there. Which, of course, they are; in his own mind.
WRINKLES:
Forgive me.
Cut to Braca, still jogging along the trail, the armed soldier close behind; he's keeping an eye out, searching as he runs.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
Forgive me.
Cut to close on the old woman, looking utterly miserable.
WRINKLES:
Receive his spirit.
Cut to long across the cliff top, John, now very near the edge, struggles with the two red garbed priests. He pushes them away--
Quick cut and John staggers forward, pushing away unseen priests.
WRINKLES:
Forgive me.
John turns, bolting away, heading toward the cliff edge.
WRINKLES:
Receive the spirit of John Crichton.
Cut to long and down on John at the cliff's edge; the ocean crashing against the rocks far below. He wheels about at the edge, facing the two red garbed priests again, the old woman still cowers on the ground.
The scene quick cuts a couple more times, the red garbed priests appearing and disappearing as John seeks out an avenue of escape.
WRINKLES:
He has to die. Oh, forgive me, he has to die. Has to!
Cut to reverse shot, angle up, on the trio at the cliff's edge. John standing at the edge, the two red robed priests facing him, both the image of the old woman.
Cut to close on the old woman's aggrieved expression, her gaze sliding reluctantly to the man standing on the edge of the cliff. Braca runs into shot behind her, drawing to a stop.
Cut to what Braca can see... John standing alone near the edge of the cliff, slightly wavering.
Cut to reverse shot, slightly angle up. The double image of the old woman in the red robes of the priests, raise their hands, blowing the white powder outward. Close on John has he staggers anew, arms flailing to protect, or to block what he sees.
And we get a lovely series of rapid flash cuts--
Close on the red cowled old woman; cut to close on John, head falling back as his eyes roll up; cut to long and up on John, standing at the cliff's edge, arm outstretched to the sky, palm flat and facing outward as he touches the sky; Cut to John in the subterranean chamber, placing his palm flat against the hand-like rune painted on the wall; obligatory closeup on John's eye, rolling about, seeking focus; cut to long on the cliff top, John stands on the edge as the Darnak probes strike the surface and energy flares outward; eyeball closeup again; cut to close on the red robed and masked priest, knife upraised; cut to close on John's hands, holding the golden pyramid shaped tile; cut to close on John, near unconscious, the ocean beckoning far below as he leans precariously backward before recovering slightly.
Cut to long and angle up on the red robed old woman duo, standing before John, palms raised before their lips. John turns to flee.
Cut to long across the cliff top, no sign of the red robed figures, just John fleeing to the cliff's edge and the old woman nearly prostrate on the ground, watching.
Cut to Braca and PK Soldier as they run toward John.
Cut to John, long and angle down as he hits the edge and leaps out over nothing-- hurtling downward.
Cut to Braca arriving at the cliff edge, looking down as John falls.
Cut to long on John, falling into frame, arms and legs flailing. He hits the ocean, the rocks nearshore in close proximity, attendant splash, and he disappears beneath the surface.
Cut to close on the old woman.
WRINKLES:
He had to die.
Cut to close on Braca, an 'ah, hell, I'm screwed' look on his face, before turning back to the now empty sky, empty waters.
WRINKLES [O.S.]:
He'll never tell you now.
Cut to close on the old woman.
WRINKLES:
Never.
Fade to Black.
TO BE CONTINUED
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