She pauses, waiting for a response. She does not receive one.
JAMISON
Computer. Locate Lieutenant Tulon.
COMPUTER VOICE
Lieutenant Tulon is not aboard the ship.
Jamison shares a worried look with Choka, then marches toward the conn, where Versailles is seated.
JAMISON
Bring us about, Mr. Versailles. Don't let that podcraft out of your sight.
(calling to tactical officer at Tulon's post)
Get a grappler beam on the podcraft and bring it in.
TACTICAL OFFICER
Too late, Captain. The podcraft's gone to grav speed.
JAMISON
Stay with him, John.
VERSAILLES
Aye, Captain.
JAMISON
Put me through to Tulon.Lim operates some controls.
LIM
No response to hails, Captain.
Choka moves to stand beside Jamison.
CHOKA
(sotto)
What's going on here? Why would he take a podcraft?
JAMISON
(sotto)
Var zegg.
(beat)
I thought he'd be all right. I just spoke with him, and he seemed perfectly lucid.
CHOKA
You never know with var zegg.
LIM
Captain. I've made contact with the podcraft.
JAMISON
Put it on screen.
*****
4 ANGLE - VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL)
The starfield visual gives way to an image of Tulon at the controls of the podcraft. He looks as calm as ever and speaks with his usual unflappable evenness.
JAMISON
Tulon, are you all right?
TULON
Yes, Captain.
JAMISON
Why did you take the podcraft?
TULON
I should think the answer would be obvious, Captain.
(beat)
I am going to Hephaestus.
Tulon's image vanishes from the screen. His last words resonate through the stunned bridge crew.
FADE OUT.END OF TEASER
*****
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
(NOTE: Episode credits fall over opening scenes.)
5 INT. BRIDGE
Jamison, Choka, Lim, Versailles, tactical officer, and supernumeraries.
VERSAILLES
Captain, the podcraft has increased its speed to grav six.
JAMISON
Bring us to grav six as well, Mr. Versailles.
CHOKA
Any idea where he's headed yet?
LIM
His present course intersects a nearby system with seven planets...one Temperate Class.
CHOKA
And that Temperate Class planet, to him, is Hephaestus.
JAMISON
If we're lucky. As delusional as he is, he might think the system's sun is Hephaestus.
Suddenly, the ship is rocked by a powerful blast.
TACTICAL OFFICER
We're under attack!
JAMISON
Shields up. Red alert.
Red alert is activated.
LIM
Our port nacelle is damaged! The grav field is buckling!
JAMISON
Drop us out of grav now.
VERSAILLES
Dropping to half impulse.
JAMISON
What hit us?
Choka has joined the tactical officer at his post. Both of them are operating controls and checking readouts on the consoles.
CHOKA
We were fired on by a vessel of unknown origin. It's half our size.
(beat)
It's coming about...moving to ram us!
JAMISON
Evasive maneuvers, Mr. Versailles.
Versailles' fingers flash over his console...and he frowns.
VERSAILLES
Captain, we have a problem. I took us out of the ship's path, but it's directly in front of usagain. It's still trying to ram us.
Versailles manipulates controls. His frown doesn't fade.
VERSAILLES
More of the same, Captain. We moved...they moved. That ship is fast.
JAMISON
Whatever you have to do, keep us out of its way. Ready emanators. Target the ship's engines.
CHOKA
Locking emanators.
VERSAILLES
Captain! They've ducked around behind us!
CHOKA
They're firing!
*****
6 EXT. SPACE - SOJOURNER AND THE ALIEN SHIP (OPTICAL) as the alien vessel, positioned behind Sojourner, fires a beam of energy at the ship. The beam is deflected by Sojourner's shields.
*****
7 INT. BRIDGE
The ship is rocked by the force of the blast.
CHOKA
Shields are at sixty percent.
LIM
Minor damage, Captain...but I'm reading a dangerous plasma buildup in the port nacelle.
Jamison calls out over the communication system.
JAMISON
Bridge to Lieutenant Juarez.
There is no response. Jamison tries again.
JAMISON
Brellora.Again, no response.
JAMISON
Engineering. Where is Lieutenant Juarez?
MARTINSON'S VOICE
I wish I knew, Captain! We've got problems down here!
JAMISON
Computer. Where is Lieutenant Juarez?
COMPUTER VOICE
Lieutenant Juarez is not aboard the ship.
*****
8 EXT. SPACE - THE PODCRAFT (OPTICAL) as the podcraft races off at grav speed.
*****
9 INT. PODCRAFTOn the floor of the podcraft, Brellora regains consciousness. She shakes her head to clear it...looks around...and quickly assesses the situation.
*****
10 INT. PODCRAFT - STARFIELD SEEN THROUGH WINDOWS (OPTICAL) Tulon is piloting the podcraft, operating controls on the consoles before him. Brellora gets to her feet and slowly creeps toward him.
As she nears him, he springs from his seat and grabs her arms. For an instant, the two are locked in a battle of wills; then, with a sudden twist, Tulon spins her around and applies another neck pinch. Brellora again slumps to the floor.
Unruffled, Tulon returns to his seat.
TULON
Computer. How long until we reach Hephaestus?
COMPUTER VOICE
Ninety-three years, six months...
TULON
How long until we reach the Temperate Class planet in the system directly ahead of us?
COMPUTER VOICE
At present speed, we will reach the planet in fourteen minutes.
Tulon frowns briefly, as if he has regained his senses. Then, his face again shifts to an implacable calm. His fingers play over the control console.
TULON
Increasing speed to grav eight.
*****
11 INT. BRIDGEJamison, Choka, Lim, Versailles, tactical officer, and supernumeraries. Sojourner is still under red alert. Jamison is leaning over the conn, working closely with Versailles.
VERSAILLES
Here they come again, Captain. Whoever they are, they've got their hearts set on ramming us.
JAMISON
Ready maneuvering thrusters. When they get close, I want to drop right out of their path. As soon as they pass, we'll move out at full impulse.
VERSAILLES
Aye, Captain.
JAMISON
(watching readouts)
Ready...ready...now.
*****
*****
13 INT. BRIDGE
VERSAILLES
They missed us.
JAMISON
Ahead fu
ll impulse.
Versailles plays the console again. Jamison calls out over the communication system.
JAMISON
Engineering. How long until the grav engines are back on line?
MARTINSON'S VOICE
An hour, Captain...half hour at best. We've just managed to vent the plasma buildup from the port nacelle.
JAMISON
(to Choka)
What about the shields?
CHOKA
Down to fifty-three percent.
Versailles checks his readouts, then shakes his head disappointedly.
VERSAILLES
They're back! They're on another collision course!
JAMISON
All stop.
VERSAILLES
Here they come!
JAMISON
Ready grappler beam. Let's pull them in and then swing them away from us.
CHOKA
Grappler engaged.
(he pauses, checks readouts)
We can't hold on to them! They don't have shields...but the grappler beam won't adhere to their hull!
VERSAILLES
(alarmed)
They're closing fast!
JAMISON
Back us away, full impulse.
LIM
Captain, I'm detecting an energy overload in the alien ship's engines.(beat)It's a self-destruct...and they'll take us with them if they get much closer!
JAMISON
They're not leaving us much choice, are they?
CHOKA
They're answering our hails, Captain.
JAMISON
On screen.
*****
14 ANGLE - VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL)
The image of a male alien -- KLASHAR ZULE -- appears...humanoid, with distinctly alien features. He looks as if he is very old and haggard. His dark uniform is threadbare and tattered.
KLASHAR ZULE
And so it ends. At last, our war is over, Sojourner.
JAMISON
(surprised)
What war? Who are you? How do you know of our ship?
KLASHAR ZULE
(hatefully)
How could I not know, you ravagers? You destroyed my life...took from me everything that I held dear!
VERSAILLES
(sotto)
Captain, he's closing. We can't outrun him.
JAMISON
You say we destroyed your life. Please, tell us how. Perhaps we can make amends.
KLASHAR ZULE
(laughing spitefully)
Too late, Captain Jamison. It is time for an ending. We have battled two times already...but this will be the last! I will have the vengeance I deserve!The alien's image disappears from the screen, revealing his oncoming ship.
LIM
Captain, he's increasing his speed! The overload in his engines is spiking!
JAMISON
(grimly)
Ready emanators. Target his engines.
LIM
We're out of time!
JAMISON
Fire.
*****
15 EXT. SPACE - SOJOURNER AND KLASHAR ZULE'S SHIP (OPTICAL) as Sojourner's emanators lance out at the onrushing ship's engines...and Klashar Zule's ship explodes.
*****
16 INT. BRIDGE
Shock waves from the explosion rock Sojourner.
CHOKA
The alien ship has been destroyed, Captain.
Minor damage to decks eight through twelve...but we're still in one piece.
As he manipulates the conn, guiding Sojourner through the explosion's shock waves, Versailles shakes his head in disbelief.
VERSAILLES
Now what was that all about?
JAMISON
I wish I knew.
(beat)
Let's find Tulon. Resume our earlier course, full impulse.
*****
17 INT. PODCRAFTAgain, Brellora wakes on the floor of the podcraft...but this time, the craft is in disarray. Equipment is strewn about; smoke drifts from various panels. Rising, Brellora sees that the podcraft's door is open, admitting sunlight. She realizes that the podcraft has crashed on a planet.At the main control panel, Brellora triggers a distress signal homing beacon. Retrieving an emanator and scanalyzer from storage, she walks to the door and peers out.
*****
18 EXT. PLANET'S SURFACE, A DENSE JUNGLE - DAY
Warily, Brellora looks around. She steps out of the podcraft.
BRELLORA
(calling out)
Tulon! Tulon!
Pushing aside leaves, she enters the riot of foliage surrounding the podcraft, setting out in search of her shipmate. She uses the scanalyzer to track his communication signal; her emanator is at the ready.
*****
19 INT. CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM.
Jamison is seated at her desk. Choka and Lim stand before her.
JAMISON
I'm at a loss, gentlemen. The alien who attacked us claimed that he'd battled us two times before. He knew the name of the ship. He knew my name...yet we've never met him or any of his race before. Could he have gotten the information from our computers?
LIM
No, Captain. During our encounter, the alien ship never scanned us once.
CHOKA
He might have learned about us from another race with whom we've had contact. We have been earning quite a reputation in this quadrant...and not much of it good.
JAMISON
I'm well aware of our "reputation."
(beat)
Does anyone have any...
Jamison is interrupted when a blast shakes Sojourner. Leaping to her feet, she follows Choka and Lim to the bridge.
*****
20 INT. BRIDGEEveryone assumes their posts in a hurry and begins monitoring consoles and operating controls.
Choka replaces the tactical officer at his post.
VERSAILLES
We're under attack again, Captain.
JAMISON
Red alert. Evasive maneuvers.
Red alert is activated.
CHOKA
It's another ship of the same design as the one that attacked us earlier.
JAMISON
On screen.
*****
21 ANGLE - VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL)
A ship is displayed on the screen. It looks the same as the first attacking vessel.
JAMISON
Hail them.
CHOKA
No response.
LIM
Captain...you're not going to believe this. According to sensors...that is the same ship that attacked us before.
JAMISON
The same design, you mean.
LIM
No! It's the exact same ship! Right down to the molecular level, it's identical to the first ship!
JAMISON
What?
CHOKA
They're answering our hails.
JAMISON
On screen.
The image of the ship on the screen is replaced by a familiar face. It is the same being who had attacked Sojourner the first time...but now, he looks younger than he appeared to be in his prior contact. He seems to be at an age approximating middle age in humans. He looks less haggard than before; however, he is clearly just as angry, if not angrier.
Everyone stares at the screen in amazement.
LIM
It's the same guy.
VERSAILLES
A little less long in the tooth, I'd say. In fact, he looks pretty good for a dead man.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT ONE
*****
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
22 INT. BRIDGE - ANGLE - VIEWSCREEN (OPTICAL)
Jamison, Choka, Lim, Versailles, and supernumeraries. The pilot of the alien vessel glares at the bridge crew.