Ghost Signals, Episode 4: Part 2.3
Raiven sighs, going through a great deal of thought as she weighs the offer in her head.
AC SECOND CLASS DEZ-LEI (Cont.) I promise a meritorious word on your behalf during the sentencing portion.
RAIVEN What makes you certain that your superiors will listen to you? Given the length of time before we're back in Capitol, they could've already come to the conclusion you were offed or turned by the "criminal pirates."
AC SECOND CLASS DEZ-LEI (with certitude) They won't abandon me. The SkyCorp are every bit my brethrin and sestrin. I have faith my fourteen rohtlas of service would provide trust to my loyalty and add sufficient weight to my words regardless of the scenario.
RAIVEN (inner monologue) She's not really convincing me the head Brownies won't screw me over. But on the other hand, I gotta respect the stubborness. Probably would grow to love it to, if she weren't a cog of boom-happy strong men. Besides, I could use the muscle once we end up landing. (shrugs, accepting) Alright, Brownie- er, Mz. de Caar. You've got a deal.
AC SECOND CLASS DEZ-LEI (smiles) Excellent! So, when do I get to see my living quarters? I haven't had a good rest, or food for that matter, since leaving base.
RAIVEN (scoffing laugh) The fyrst of never! I do want to be open and civil. But anything deeper's gotta come from a place of trust. (standing up) Also- I genuinely have no clue where the other rooms are.
AC SECOND CLASS DEZ-LEI Ah. I see.
RAIVEN (as she walks away) Don't worry, I'll send you some food from the DC in an horut or so.
CUT TO:
INT. DC, ATHENA-5- Half-Hour Later
A similar looking shot of Dr. O'Ozahl in the DC, waiting in front of the ship's replicator for the meal to be completed; the sound of humming from within the machine in the background as they speak.
STEGGY (Off-Screen, to Raiven) Did I miss a cranial injury when ya came back onboard, Doc?
CUT TO:
Steggy relaxing on a table six feet away from her friend, albeit with an incredulous look on her face in terms of the plan she's heard to now.
STEGGY (Cont.) You seriously gonna surrender to the Brownies when we get back? Without any hope you won't rot in a prison sat, save for the words of someone we barely know.
RAIVEN (shrugs, to Steggy) It was the only way I could get her on-side without having to go the tough route.
STEGGY I thought we were groovy with the tough route.
RAIVEN (correcting) As a Plan B. I'm still hopeful, even with the battling and hand- to-hand fisticuffs, that I can get things to a less antagonistic state.
STEGGY Hmmm...well, I'm still keeping the faux device I'm making- JIC.
At the end of her line, we hear a "DING!" from the replicator behind her signaling the completion of the order.
RAIVEN (as the two plates appear) Perfectly fine by me. We can use it for a backscratcher, or maybe as a meal if the creatures on the source planet happen to have a taste for metal.
STEGGY Backscratcher? Come on- my fake device's at least on the lev of a Goza!
CUT TO:
A shot of a map of a section of the Borderlands with the Athena-5 moving through at a quick pace, past a collection of planetoids and moons and planets proper, representing the passage of time; music ranging from Bach to the Beastie Boys to Tom Waits playing throughout said montage. At the end of it, we see the appearance of Pluto for the first time.
CUT TO:
INT. RAIVEN'S QUARTERS- Few Days Later
Raiven standing in front of the bed in her quarters a few days later, looking over a 3-D layout of a map of the path to carefully examine what'll come next. The camera catches a view of the path and the blip representing the ship, showing that it's reached the point of being quite close to running out.
A few moments later, we hear a spark of sound emanating from the speakers.
STEGGY
(from the speakers) Hey, Doc. We got a bit of a sit.
RAIVEN (unworried nod, to Steggy) Whatever the sit is, Cap, we should be fine. We're good structurally, radar's clean...
STEGGY (from the speakers) You checked the fuel cans?
The question stops Dr. O'Ozahl's calm demeanor. She glances up and to the left with a confused look on her face.
RAIVEN Fuel cans?
CUT TO:
INT. COMMAND CENTER, ATHENA-5- Minutes Later
A close-up on the ship's fuel gauge readout back in the command center. You can see the needle perilously close to the empty section; the upper corner of the screen showing a percentage layout of that data- 25% and dropping.