TYGER BRIDGE

(AMBIENT SOUND FROM LAST PART)

REG MACORUM
All right, Vosky, since they’re trying to flank us, we have to let them believe it’s working.

AIDAN
We’re going to have to make a break for it before they get too close, captain.

REG MACORUM
I know. Patience, keep the Tyger’s nose away from the first ship. The one at One Nine Two by One Seven Eight.

SOUND: THRUSTER ADJUSTMENTS

AIDAN
Got it, one eight zero all around.

REG MACORUM
And watch the vector on the second ship.

AIDAN
She’s coming in high and fast, trying to cut us off. I’ve got a slag we can scoot under along our escape path. It’ll block any shot from the second ship.

REG MACORUM
Just about 100 seconds more, maybe less.

AIDAN
That slag is moving too. We’ll lose our cover if we wait too long.

REG MACORUM
I told you to improvise, we might need a second escape vector.

AIDAN
Easier said than —

SOUND: ECHOING PING

REG MACORUM
Damn. One of them’s gone active.

AIDAN
(ALARM)
They want a lock.

SOUND: SWITCH CLICK

SOUND: ALERT SOUND

REG MACORUM
Tormar, this is it.

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
The rock is ready.

SOUND: ECHOING PING

AIDAN
First ship dead astern captain!

REG MACORUM
Escape vector. Full thrust!

SOUND: ENGINE THRUST

SOUND: IMPACT ALERT

AIDAN
Second ship’s firing!

REG MACORUM
Get under that slag. Tormar?

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
First ship in range.

REG MACORUM
Hit it.

(ALL OF THE FOLLOWING SFX SOUND DISTANT)

SOUND: MASSIVE EXPLOSION

SOUND: BENDING METAL

SOUND: ELECTRICAL ARCING

AIDAN
Geheim…

REG MACORUM
Keep on course.

SOUND: IMPACT AND EXPLOSION (DISTANT)

AIDAN
So what was —?

REG MACORUM
We planted an explosive with a high-yield pulse on the rock we just left. With any luck, we knocked out the navigation on both ships.

AIDAN
We’ll be free of the belt in 20 seconds.

REG MACORUM
Adjust so you’re parallel. Keep moving away from the blast vector, but don’t lose that cover just yet.

AIDAN
We might get free of the gravity well and be able to jump before —

REG MACORUM
Let’s see what we’re jumping from.

SOUND: SWITCH CLICK

SOUND: ALERT SOUND

REG MACORUM
Tormar!

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
The amount of debris prevents an accurate scan. One ship appears to be drifting.

AIDAN
So we still have one ship out there?

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
The evidence would suggest —

REG MACORUM
Right. Thanks, Tormar. Stand by.

SOUND: SWITCH CLICK

REG MACORUM
Don’t ask him those kind of questions in these kind of situations, okay?

SOUND: SWITCH CLICK

REG MACORUM
So we’re ready on surprise number two?

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
When you are, Captain.

REG MACORUM
Well, give us a minute and we’ll have plan B.

AIDAN
What is plan B?

REG MACORUM
I’d usually be asking Grainne for plan B right about now.

SOUND: HAIL SOUND

ENLING
(INTERCOM)
Please tell me that got the bad guys.

REG MACORUM
We’re still here.

ENLING
(INTERCOM)
Speak for yourself.

AIDAN
We got one ship, Enling.

ENLING
(INTERCOM)
See, there’s a straight answer. So why don’t we just jump?

REG MACORUM
There’s the possibility he could get a shot off before we clear the gravity well.

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
Captain! I have the second ship closing fast.

REG MACORUM
There’s the certainty he could get a shot off before we clear the gravity well.

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
We do not simply need to run.

AIDAN
Huh?

REG MACORUM
I don’t want to waste our surprise until we’re certain, Tormar… and we only get one shot at that.

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
Technically, four.

SOUND: CONTROLS AND SWITCHES

AIDAN
Captain, would Grainne’s charts have something else we can use? I went through her plotted courses, but maybe —

REG MACORUM
Of course. I’m so used to her keeping it all in her head, but here —

SOUND: SWITCH CLICK

REG MACORUM
Let’s take a look at the Haapsalu system.

ENLING
(INTERCOM)
Check for something called “kron.”

REG MACORUM
What?

AIDAN
Kron!? That’s what Grainne said before in sick bay.

ENLING
(INTERCOM)
And she muttered it again just after your half successful explosion.

REG MACORUM
So what are you saying, Doctor?

ENLING
I’m saying, in my expert medical opinion, does that word mean anything in her charts?

AIDAN
I’ve got it! Kron 2-15. That’s what she said.

REG MACORUM
So what is it?

AIDAN
It’s a comet. I’ve — I’ve never heard of it.

REG MACORUM
It looks like it doesn’t come near your planet, Vosky… but it does pass close by this one. Tormar, you getting this?

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
The ion tail is very long.

REG MACORUM
And the magnetic field…
(BEAT)
Tormar, prepare a solution. We’re going to do a Giustra Reverse.

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
I will be ready.

AIDAN
Uh, I don’t know what that is, Captain.

REG MACORUM
Don’t worry.

SOUND: BODY SITS DOWN

REG MACORUM
And don’t be offended. I’m not leaving this all up to you.

AIDAN
None taken. But what do you need me to do?

REG MACORUM
On my mark, punch out towards the comet to pass through the tail… as close as you can vector to the rock without making us a part of it.

AIDAN
But the wake! The magnetic field will mess up the jump calculation.

REG MACORUM
And everything else. That’s why I’m going to cut the main power right before we hit the tail.

ENLING
(INTERCOM)
What? Reg, you know Grainne’s medbed is on main power.

REG MACORUM
We don’t have a choice, Enling.

ENLING
(INTERCOM)
(RESIGNED)
Okay, I’ll rig something up, but don’t keep the power off any longer than we have to.

AIDAN
Um, sir. About the power. We need to steer. That comet’s big enough to have gravity of its own.

REG MACORUM
Manual pressure thrusts like I’m sure you’ve done in simulation. You handle the roll and pitch and I’ll handle the yaw. Ready?

AIDAN
Okay.

REG MACORUM
Got your vector?

AIDAN
Yes.

REG MACORUM
Punch it.

SOUND: ENGINE THRUST

AIDAN
On course.

REG MACORUM
We’re out into the open.

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
They see us and they are pursuing.

REG MACORUM
Excellent. With any luck they’ll think we’re trying to make a quick jump.

AIDAN
Aren’t we?

REG MACORUM
Not exactly. A tyger has teeth, Vosky.
(BEAT)
Tormar, we may not get the intercom up before you need to take the shot.

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
You can count on me.

AIDAN
We’re almost to the ion tail.

REG MACORUM
Okay, cut engines.

SOUND: ENGINE POWERING DOWN

AIDAN
Cut, gauges locked on the same course.

REG MACORUM
Cutting main power.

SOUND: COMPUTER POWER DOWN

AIDAN
Oh, that is a big comet.

SOUND: AIR JET

REG MACORUM
Just make sure the gauges stay within those settings.

SOUND: AIR JET

AIDAN
Wow. It works.

SOUND: AIR JET

SOUND: AIR JET

REG MACORUM
Easy, don’t overcompensate.

AIDAN
We’re almost through.

REG MACORUM
All right. Make sure you’re locked in.

SOUND: AIR JET

AIDAN
Ready.

REG MACORUM
Here we go.

SOUND: AIR JET

SOUND: AIR JET

SOUND: AIR JET

AIDAN
[Hurk!]

REG MACORUM
No vomit on my bridge, now.

SOUND: AIR JET

SOUND: AIR JET

REG MACORUM
There we go.

SOUND: AIR JET

REG MACORUM
And now we play.

SOUND: COMPUTER RESTART

AIDAN
I don’t see them.

REG MACORUM
He’s almost through — Now, Tormar!

SOUND: MISSLES FIRING

SOUND: MASSIVE EXPLOSION

AIDAN
I thought you said we didn’t have weapons.

REG MACORUM
We don’t have Wessex weapons. Those would be noticed. But what Tormar and I installed we’re some carefully concealed missle tubes. That was actually your job, Vosky, but I’ll let it go this time since you proved to be a capable backup pilot.

SOUND: SLAPPING BACK

SOUND: HAIL SOUND

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
A positive hit captain.

SOUND: SWITCH CLICK

REG MACORUM
You’re too modest, Tormar — we vaporized them.

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
Four of a kind beats a pair.

REG MACORUM
I do believe that was a joke.

TORMAR
(INTERCOM)
Please do not tell the doctor.

REG MACORUM
(LAUGHS)
All right. You’ve earned it. We’ll be jumping presently.

(A PAUSE. WE HEAR AIDAN SIGH)

REG MACORUM
(WARNS)
You’re not still nauseous are you?

AIDAN
No.
(BEAT)
We had weapons.

REG MACORUM
You gotta use what you have and it doesn’t always pay to advertise what you have.

AIDAN
Not like the tri-vids at all, is it?

REG MACORUM
Do you feel responsible for whomever, whatever was on that ship?

AIDAN
I don’t know.

REG MACORUM
You know they were trying to kill us. They nearly succeeded.

AIDAN
I know. Believe me, I know.

REG MACORUM
So what? Afraid we’re not the good guys? Sorry you came out here?

AIDAN
No, good or bad, I wanted to come out here.

REG MACORUM
You had to.

AIDAN
(BEAT)
You spoke to Enling.

REG MACORUM
A little.
(BEAT)
There aren’t so many good guys and bad guys out here, Aidan. It’s dangerous all across the Span. There’s surviving. And for that you need to pick a side.

AIDAN
I guess I didn’t know that. I guess I didn’t know how… It’s true isn’t it? The Span is cold.

REG MACORUM
It doesn’t always have to be. Don’t regret picking a side, Aidan.

SOUND: AIRLOCK OPENS

ENLING
So are we making the jump or you waiting for Grainne to do it for you?

SOUND: AIRLOCK CLOSES

REG MACORUM
Is she awake?

ENLING
Not yet, but I’m sure she can take the controls by the time we reach Flatrock.

AIDAN
We’re going to Flatrock?

ENLING
I guess the captain didn’t get around to telling you where we’re headed.

REG MACORUM
We have been a little busy, doctor.

ENLING
As have I. I could use a break.

REG MACORUM
So could our backup pilot.

AIDAN
Sir?

REG MACORUM
Why don’t you get some rack time. I’ll make the jump.

AIDAN
But…

REG MACORUM
We’ll call you well before we approach Flatrock. I won’t deny you your first glimpse of another spaceport.

AIDAN
Okay.

REG MACORUM
Get some rest.

SOUND: AIRLOCK OPENS

ENLING
And Aidan.

AIDAN
Yeah?

ENLING
The days aren’t always like this.

AIDAN
(A TIRED SMILE)
Well, if you can just warn me for next time.

SOUND: AIRLOCK CLOSES

REG MACORUM
You’re going to give him a false sense of hope.

ENLING
Maybe I’m giving myself a false sense of hope. You ever consider that?

REG MACORUM
We’ve been at risk for something like this for some time. It just caught up with us here.

ENLING
So where’s it going to end? You think this delivery at Flatrock is really going to settle things? Set us down a new path to respectability?

REG MACORUM
It might. Danger’s still there though.

ENLING
And what about Aidan? You still need him for his original purpose?

REG MACORUM
I don’t know. He worked out quite well, didn’t he?

ENLING
Better than you were planning for.

REG MACORUM
Don’t get sweet on him Enling. My plans haven’t changed, but maybe Vosky doesn’t have to die after all.

(CLIFFHANGER MUSIC PLAYS)