Ghost Signals, Episode 3: Part 2.1
RAIVEN Couldn't you just whip up something on the spot, like that time bubble thing you found back at the base?
STEGGY (chuckle, walking away from the chair) I'd love to find some type of magical muffin to make a good cover story for the Borderguard. But it might be best to keep our nose dry, in case we run into more trouble.
RAIVEN (reaching the end of the railing) Fair enough. (realizing) What is our story anyway? I don't think we've talked about.
STEGGY We haven't? (Raiven shakes her head) 'Kay. It starts with...
CUT TO:
INT. BORDER BEACON, THE EDGE OF TA SPACE- Minutes Later
A border guard, stiff and crackly with skin like the abrasive side of a sponge, sitting in the waiting area of the border beacon, which resembles the interior of a cashier stand in a parking garage. The guard is dressed in light brown TA Army gear with a standard issue bowler hat that has the TA logo on the center of it.
He's watching a soap opera on the HV set placed on the top of the console to the left. It's a telenovela-esque story starring two sentient smoke clouds, speaking a language that's a blend of Sanskrit, Spanish and Binary.
The guard chuckles after a little bit of dialogue between the two characters, as if he understood what they were saying. A few moments later, after the laughter has died down, there's a dinging sound that comes from the right side of the screen.
BCST (robotic, to the guard) TASF Class-S cruiser approaching the Beacon for examination.
GUARD (surprised, to BCST) I didn't know the M.o.D. was sending personnel todat.
BCST Could be a Readiness Test from the Brass- see how secure different Beacons are.
GUARD We are due one... (pauses the program, grateful) Prep the welcome mat for them, BCST ["Beast"].
He stands up from his chair and walks over to the right of the screen view, dusting off his uniform shirt in order to look more proper.
CUT TO:
A separate section of the booth moments later with the guard (back to the audience) standing in front of a thin glass screen that momentarily shows the beautiful expanse of space as well as the border.
GUARD Screen on, please...
A split second later, we see a shot of Raiven seated at the captain's chair. There's a delay on her end, till the Guard speaks, that she reacts to him on-screen.
GUARD (steady, to Raiven) State your name, and your means of business.
RAIVEN (clears her throat, to Guard) Uh, the name's Dr. Raiven O'Ozahl, with the Science Consortium. I'm here on an expedition to...to, umm...
STEGGY (helping Raiven out) To collect a pocket of free- range Ferbonium. She spotted it on a meteroid 500 metros past the border.
GUARD Who is this?
RAIVEN That's my assistant, Steggy. Helps me keep things in order.
GUARD (curious, to Raiven) I see, Doctor. You have an S&S detail assigned to you?
RAIVEN (shakes her head) No, ser. It wasn't deemed truly necessary, given the project's brief time table. So they granted me a standard Science cruiser and left me to my devices.
GUARD (typing on a keyboard) I see...
A window pops up on the Guard's side, showing a readout of the ship on his end. He looks at the data coming in for a few moments before enlarging it into full-screen to get a better look.
GUARD (Cont., warning) Are you aware your cruiser's engines are a bit dinged up?
The good Doctor freezes up in a brief moment of panic at the question, fearing the series of questions that might follow behind that depending on how she answers.
RAIVEN Ummm... (shakes her head) Must've--dinged it on one of those pop-up balls above MX-3. You know how annoying those bett'n things can be to nav around.
GUARD (chuckles) Indeed! I'd be happy to get them back to 100 before you set off. You're gonna need to be at your lev best in case you end up tangoing with some pirates.
RAIVEN (pleasantly surprised) Uh, yeah- sure! That would be brilliant. Thanks.
GUARD No worries, Dr. O'Ozahl. (just as he's about to start typing) Before I do that, I'd like to see some identification. Not off a presumption of guilt, just-- standard procedure.
RAIVEN Of course, no problem... (stands up off the chair; nervous) Gimme one moment to snag it, okay?