291. The Captain's Mate - Leslie

• FADE IN:


• INT. THE HELENE: CAPTAIN'S QUARTERS - MORNING


• CAPTAIN LYDIA HEMMINGS rolls out of bed and looks around the small room.


• It is a spartan room, with just a few traces of personality.


• A messy desk, a small lily suspended in a stasis case, and a few warm lamps to counter the industrial lights that hum overhead.


• Her uniform, deep blue with carefully polished buttons hangs on the wall next to a flight suit and helmet worn with the scars of war.


• She stands and carefully makes the bed, tucking in each sheet just so, folding and creasing.




• TI'AN
• Captain, we're here.


• She fluffs her pillow, pats it into place, then turns and looks at the uniform, then the flightsuit, then the uniform again.


• EXT. ERONA - MORNING


• THE HELENE floats above moon Erona, a cloud-covered sphere in the shadow of HELIA, a massive gas planet.


• A space elevator extends from the moon's clouds and down into the depths of Helia's gassy surface.


• The ship, a Mongoose class warship, is tiny speck against the two worlds.


• The ship has the sleek angles and curves of a craft designed for stealth, the stern of the ship terminating in an array of metal blades that can fold into the ship; the hull of the ship is lined with openings for the heavy gun arrays.


• With a crew of 100 people, it is small enough for quiet missions into enemy territory and powerful enough to fend for itself, if necessary.


• INT. THE HELENE: CAPTAIN'S DECK - MORNING


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS, dressed in her flight suit, her helmet under her arm, steps onto deck and the crew stiffen.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS
• At ease.


• She peers out of the large windows at the moon below.


• The deck is filled with stations at which crew carefully contemplate buzzing screens.


• A large strategy table sits behind the main captain's chair.


• TI'AN, the first mate steps into the room.


• He is a tall, bald man with blue circuitry glowing just under his skin on the right side of his face.


• The Captain turns at his entrance and sees his face drop as he sees the flight suit.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS
• Disappointed?


• TI'AN
• Every year I hope.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS
• So do I.


• TI'AN
• It's been seven years, Captain. We come back every year and nothing.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS
• Get my Ray prepped.


• TI'AN
• Yes, sir. Just a reminder, the Imperials are close.


• EXT. THE HELENE - MORNING


• A bay door slides open on the side of the craft and a small Ray ship launches towards the moon's surface.


• INT. CAPTAIN'S RAY - MORNING


• Captain Hemmings pilots the ship towards the moon.


• The cockpit of the ship is small, her helmet and environment suit giving her the appearance of an armored warrior as she skillfully navigates the craft.


• EXT. SURFACE OF ERONA - MORNING


• The sun's rays barely penetrate the thick cloud cover that envelops the moon.


• Abandoned towers rise out of the mist, hints of a city lost to the clouds.


• A fiery spot appears in the clouds as the Ray plummets through the atmosphere.


• Hemmings' ship plunges through the mists and slows as she descends.


• The surface is primarily ocean, the abandoned city built on both an island and the water around it.


• The ship breaks through the mist and a massive metropolis appears below the ship.


• Hemmings turns on the flood lights, illuminating the streets below as rain pounds on the canopy.


• The ship begins searching the city, beacons blinking.


• It is a city lost, with no soul, the empty streets and crumbling buildings shadows of a former beauty.


• The Ray scours block after block.


• INT. THE HELENE: CAPTAIN'S DECK - DAY


• Ti'an leans over his view screen, monitoring the ship.


• A CREWMEMBER walks over to him and whispers in his ear.


• He nods and touches his tiny earpiece, speaking softly.


• TI'AN
• Captain, it's been four hours. It's time. There are Imperial scouts at the edges of the quadrant. We have to be careful. We're too far from the Federation to expect any help.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS
• Why do you feel the need to repeat this conversation every year?


• TI'AN
• Respectfully, sir, nothing changes.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS
• Are you implying I won't find him?


• TI'AN
• It's been seven years, if your husband was alive, he would have made contact.


• There is silence.


• The comm crackles again, Hemmings voice suddenly tired.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS


• Prep the deck.


• EXT. ERONA - MORNING


• The Ray turns away from the city, its floodlights shutting off and folding into the wings.


• With a roar, it races upwards, disappearing into the clouds, leaving the empty, rain-swept streets below.


• INT. THE HELENE: CAPTAIN'S DECK - DAY


• Captain Hemmings steps onto the deck, dignified in her uniform; her hair still damp.


• The crew freeze.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS
• At ease.


• They resume their work.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS
• XO, plot a course for the Rose Nebula, I hear Captain Egwake's been having some trouble with raiders.


• TI'AN
• At once, sir.


• He turns to the NAVIGATOR.


• TI'AN
• Plot a course for the Rose.


• NAVIGATOR
• Plotting a course to the Rose Nebula, sir.


• Captain Hemmings stares out the window at Erona as The Helene picks up speed, gaining distance on the shrouded moon.


• Ti'an walks up beside her.


• TI'AN
• Next year.


• CAPTAIN HEMMINGS
• Same time, same place.


• FADE TO BLACK.