Ghost Signals, Episode 5: Part 2.2

After it finishes scanning, you can see one last beam with the acquired data up to the ceiling with the camera following it up to a rectangular modem box. From there, it moves at a super-fast speed within its small confines before heading downward to the Athena-5 where, moments later...

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INT. RAIVEN'S LABORATORY, ATHENA-5- Minutes Later

Raiven's lab minutes after that initial activation. She's standing in front of a flat iPad Pro-sized screen on a table that reveals a perfect 3-D projection of the mystery object from the center of the device.

She smiles briefly and quickly gets to work pulling apart the outer shell, examining the inner mechanisms from within as she speaks.

RAIVEN (as she examines each individual part) No explosive device or...long chamber for some type of firearm. I also don't see any sentient attack lifeforms or any type of containers holding deadly viruses or pathogens. As is, I think I can rule out this being military in...

Her train of thought is interrupted upon discovering the logo for the first time. She takes the section and zooms in briefly, examining each detail and wording behind it.

RAIVEN (Cont.) Okay, I might be wrong on that thought. Logo definitely has a military look to it. But it's still hard to see where the danger can be--"Hermes." (thinking) The language's just like what I heard in the Signals. Also familiar in a way that I can't quite--

After a few more beats worth of thought, it immediately pops into her head.

RAIVEN Hermes Conrad- one of the first Signals I examined! I thought he was a bureaucrat though....maybe he built it on his downtime. Or was some type of inspiration for it. (gently tosses the section of object aside, starts searching again) Let's see if there's a vid tacked on to this thing. Maybe shine a light on its origins somehow...

Her voice trails off a second later as her hands move to the left of the picture, searching carefully through it for a short time. Then, the good Doctor comes across a small port hidden deep inside the aforementioned area.

RAIVEN (encouraged) Here we go! (looking at the schematic) It might prove a bit of an issue trying to play it on an HV. But it's nothing that a solid adapter can't fix. I've got one of those around somewhere...

ARU (from the speakers, a second later) Is this a good time to speak, Doctor?

RAIVEN (glances up at Aru) Aru, I keep telling ya- call me Raiven. Also, we're a casual outfit here. You don't need to address me so formally.

ARU Many apologies...I have news from the Danverian. The fuel has finished creation and is ready to be placed in its respective receptacle.

RAIVEN Excellent! I'll pop down to the bay in a bit to pick it up myself.

ARU Have you found anything fascinating from your scan of the object Doc-- I mean, Mz. Raiven?

RAIVEN (nods) At least something with a shot at being important. I'd need a closer look at it to see if it's the real deal. (realizes something) Wait, couldn't Dez do it? She's already down there on security duty.

ARU Yes, but at the moment, she's currently embroiled in a personal matter she needs to address first.

RAIVEN How personal are we talking? Minor personal, or personal enough to want to get buzzed on Krakathoom and off multiple peeps in revenge. (clears her throat a beat later) Not that I've ever thought about such a thing...in case your boss happens to be recording all this.

ARU (unfazed) Personal in a romantic sense that I presume you might be familiar with in a fashion...

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INT. CORNER, CARGO BAY

The AC Second Class resting against the wall, talking on the comm to L'JAHNA a hairless waxy red-skinned humanoid with no hair and cube-like eyes.

AC SECOND CLASS DEZ-LEI (apologetic, to L'Jahna) I--I know we had tickets to go to MX-5 on holiday next weatt. But there's been a work thing that's popped up that--that is going to eat up my time considerably.

L'JAHNA (interjecting, translating from native Davillian) How much time are we talking about?

AC SECOND CLASS DEZ-LEI (in halting Davillian, subtitled) I'm not that certain. Could be weatts, maybe monats. It depends on a lot of different things I can't predict right now.

L'JAHNA I see...that's what I get for falling for a Buzzer (Dez-Lei chuckles off- screen) Please tell me you'll come back to me, when it's over.

AC SECOND CLASS DEZ-LEI (loving) Of course I will, mi-ama. There isn't a force in the whole of the Eye's blessed vision that'll ever keep me from your loving tentas.