Ghost Signals, Episode 8: Part 4.1
Before she can react, the bug flies back over to Jaryd with the vial of bright yellow blood.
JARYD (as the bee lands) Apologies, Doctor. Forgot I left it on auto-pilot after the previous test subject. (walks over to a corner of the room) Hope it didn't hurt too much.
RAIVEN (rubbing her arm) No worries- pretty high pain tolerance...it did scare me a little though. (pause) You sterilize these Buzzers prior to use?
JARYD (smirks) Of course! What kind of scientist would be that reckless?
RAIVEN (chuckles) If you only knew some of my- well, former colleagues now...
Jaryd chuckles a split second before placing Raiven's blood into the machine that would create the next iteration of the serum. With each command, you can hear the machine slowly come to life like a washing machine revving up between cycles.
JARYD Starting Experiment #088-injecting new genetic material into the base serum...calculate efficacy of success in human subjects...
As the machine settles into its personal groove, Jaryd turns their head back in Raiven's direction.
JARYD (Cont.) And now we wait. Does your culture have dieties of science by chance?
RAIVEN (nods) Silently gabbing to her now, Mayor.
Jaryd chuckles and flashes a slight grin before turning their gaze back to the console of the machine, carefully observing the readings as they come.
RADAR WORKER (V.O.) We've got a situation, Captain...!
CUT TO:
INT. THREE ANGELS INTELLIGENCE- A Moment Later
A shot of a lone radar worker looking at a radar display from ground level showing a pale yellow cloud coming from the east toward their compound.
RADAR WORKER (Cont. worried, to Captain Riggs) A massive dust flood's heading right for us from the east.
CAPTAIN RIGGS (unfazed, to Private Poehler) Unless our shielding's flatlined, Private, I fail to see the problem.
PRIVATE POEHLER It's also carrying precip with high acidic content. It starts falling while the cloud's above us...won't be more than half hour before the gates start to collapse and leave holes in the cargo bay and any poor schmuck left down there.
Convinced of the dire nature of the event, standing behind Private Poehler's shoulder as she's been speaking, the Captain looks up toward the ceiling at the news for a few beats before turning behind to the Private.
CAPTAIN RIGGS How long till the cloud hits us?
PRIVATE POEHLER At current pace, about 60-90 minutes. Before then though, we should know if it'll hit us.
CAPTAIN RIGGS (as she heads to the exit) Keep me updated...I'll brief the Mayor.
BACK TO:
INT. JARYD'S LABORATORY- Half Hour Later
A wide shot of the laboratory half hour after we last left the others. Jaryd is still standing in front of their machine, watching over the readings like a hawk as they slowly get calculated.
The AC Second Class and Dr. O'Ozahl, meanwhile, are doing their best to keep excited amongst the lull in action. Dez-Lei is barely keeping herself awake, while Raiven uses the stack of Renee-Mina documents to help pass the time. As this goes on, you can hear concert footage from Beyonce playing from the good Doctor's Signal stream.
RAIVEN (curious looking up from the papers, to Jaryd) Is it close to completion, Mayor? Mayor? 'Cause I'd very much love to find wherever your quarters are and call it a day.
AC SECOND CLASS DEZ-LEI (yawns, to Jaryd) Agreed. I'm an absolute grouce if I haven't gotten four horuts of sleep each nacht.
JARYD (reassuring, to Raiven and AC Second Class Dez- Lei) I'm quite close, actually. All I need is a few minutes more. You're welcome to rest your feet and read in the guest bedroom. It's to the...
A beat later, Jaryd's communicator starts to ring. They answer it after a few rings. As the conversation goes on, you can see the Mayor's demeanor slowly but surely move toward concern as the full weight of the news hits them.
JARYD Captain. I thought you were at Intel for your usual...The gates should be strong enough to handle a sand cloud, regardless of the size of it...Acid rain? She's sure of this?...How long till it hits us?...Right. I'll initiate lockdown for the civilians, you clear the cargo bay. Talk soon.
Jaryd hangs up and immediately starts to head to the entrance doors.
RAIVEN (concerned) I'm not a soldier, but I know the word "lockdown" isn't a good omen.
JARYD (stops, to Raiven) Lockdowns only happen when we have belief a Class 1 contaminant may breach the town. In this case- the acid dust cloud.
RAIVEN How long do these "Lockdowns" last?