Virtue's Ploy Part II
This is part 2 of 3. If you want to download and own this in full as an ebook, please follow the links...
INT. MEDICAL BAY
SUPER: 40 MINUTES BEFORE
Two men, JACK and ELLIOT, and a woman, LOLA, burst through the doors of the medical bay practically unable to hold themselves up.
Dead bodies are strewn throughout the dark room. All is silent, unmoving.
Lola falls over and pukes across the floor as they try to stumble over to a store cabinet.
Elliot tends to her whilst Jack rummages in the cabinet. He soon picks up a bottle and pours a few pills into his hand.
He takes one himself and then offers one to the other two.
ELLIOT
We are going to die...
He coughs and splutters up some blood, he then swallows the pills.
LOLA
Fuck, I don't want to die.
JACK
We... we need some water.
He falls to the ground in a coughing fit.
Lola pulls herself up whilst Elliot leans against the cabinet, heaving.
LOLA
I'll see if there's any back here.
She staggers across the room and through a door.
Elliot wipes the puke from his face and breaks down.
ELLIOT
I want my mum, man. I've ever seen dead people before.
JACK
Fuck it, we're both going to be dead soon.
Elliot sobs and moans, groping his stomach.
There's a moment of this before Lola walks back in the room with a water bottle. She sits down beside Elliot and takes a sip. She passes the bottle to Jack.
They all sit against the wall. Elliot still sobbing. Lola exasperated, opening and closing her eyes slowly.
Jack looks down at his hands, then toward Lola.
She turns toward him as if to say something, but pulls away in shock.
LOLA
Your whole eyeball is going blue!
Jack just slumps down.
JACK
Who cares if my eye is blue? I feel like shit, I'm going to die. A blue eye doesn't mean shit to me right now.
Jack doubles over, holding his head.
JACK
FUCK!!
He reaches for the water bottle near the wall, but knocks it over.
He falls flat out and starts convulsing.
ELLIOT
He's starting again. Go get some more water.
Lola stumbles back out the room whilst Elliot comes to Jack's side.
He tries to stop Jack from convulsing by pulling his arms to his chest, but has to throw himself away to throw up.
Elliot heaves with his back to Jack.
Jack stops convulsing, lying completely still.
After a second he rolls over and groans, then picks himself up.
Elliot stands up holding his stomach.
ELLIOT
Oh, shit, how are you doing?
He reaches over to Jack and puts his hand on his shoulder.
Jack stares into Elliot's eyes whilst wiping his hand off his shoulder.
ELLIOT
Are you okay, do you still want some water?
JACK
No.
ELLIOT
How about your--
Elliot violently coughs up a bit of blood. A little goes on Jack.
Jack looks down at himself in disgust, then at Elliot who is doubled over.
A flash of rage sparks Jack's blank face to life.
BOOM
He kicks Elliot to the ground and begins stomping on his head.
BAM
BAM
BAM
Elliot's skull's continuously smashed against the floor until Jack hears his neck...
SNAP
He rolls the dead body over then continues to...
BAM
BAM
... stomp until Elliot's skull is in pieces, only stopping when something...
CRAAASHes
... in the next room.
Jack walks through the blood and skull paraphernalia to the door.
Next to the door are a pair of metal cupboards, in one he finds a scalpel.
He holds it close chest, listening to Lola's footsteps getting closer...
They stop.
Through the door Lola can be heard throwing up.
After a moment she stumbles through...
She throws up some more upon seeing the mess that was Elliot.
She falls to her knees and begins to sob.
Jack steps out from next to the door and...
BLAM
... stabs her in the left kidney again and again and again.
She screams in agony rolling around on the floor, Jack maniacally chasing after her, slicing and stabbing.
She hits a wall.
Jack grabs her hair, sits on her chest and methodically severs her throat open.
Blood oozes...
He stands up...
Jack wipes the blood from his eyes, calling out in pain.
JACK
Fucking... blood in my eyes... shit.
He looks at the blood on his hands in disgust and spits on Lola's dead corpse.
INT. PILOT'S COMPARTMENT
Brian sits annoyed. Ed yammers on about something.
BRIAN
Shut up. This shit is boring me. Get to the bit where you tell me why you've been wasting my time.
ED
(sighs)
A team is coming up to collect you right now. If you surrender to them, they'll--
BRIAN
Put me in cuffs and then shoot me in the head?
ED
If only. We need you tested to see if you were lying about that remote bullshit. If you weren't lying we cut you up then shoot you.
BRIAN
You know how in movies they shoot the guy in the shoulder, or hand and he drops the gun? Or they tranquillize him?
ED
Huh?
BRIAN
How reliable do you think that is? There's got to a moment after you're tranquillized in which you can just click. And, I mean, it's just a click. It's not like you'll be able to jump out on me without some elaborate, Robin Hood, stand and deliver surprise without that reaction time. I mean, what's the probability of you guys trying something like that when the whole world's at stake anyway? Really, what's stopping me from pushing the button right now?
ED
Push it if you must. I seriously doubt it works. I think the whole operation is bullshit.
Brian throws the remote over his shoulder.
BRIAN
Fine. Shit, neither of us really know what we're doing here. I mean, I tell you what I'm doing to get what I want, then you tell me what you're doing to stop me. I find this all pretty unbelievable, not in a good way. Let's start again. I'm Brian and I've killed everyone on this ship, apart from those guys outside the room.
ED
Fuck off, Brian.
The screen turns blank.
Brian hits a few buttons on the control panel, huffs, then walks out the room.
INT. MAIN BRIDGE
He sits, taking a breather at one of the computers surrounded by dead carcasses leaking all kinds of fluid.
BRIAN
What we're waiting for now is that whole sequence of the bomb squad, crowds, fast cuts, unnecessary guns and shouting commissioners, maybe a John McClane type. That's all going on around my house. Though, that's not the focus here. I'm much more interesting than all that. We've got to wait for them to discover that they're not going to be able to disable N-S-V-I-three and start getting desperate. Really, we're holding out and this is a waiting game.
(sighs)
We'll get back into it in a minute or two. I'm just going to sit for a while.
He sits back.
BRIAN
Jeez, it smells horrible in here.
INT. PILOT'S COMPARTMENT
Brian walks back in and sits down.
BRIAN
Time to get into character. Name the movie--oh.
The screen turns back on with Ed sitting in front of it.
BRIAN
Timing, huh? Right, Ed, I've had enough of you. Bring Eliza back.
He pulls out the second remote from his jacket pocket.
FLASH
BRIAN
Now!
Ed reads something on another screen, then, without question, gets up and Eliza sit back down.
ELIZA
Hi, Brian.
BRIAN
Hey, Eliza. As you've probably guessed: this is the real remote. If you've got computer guys better than mine, maybe that was a stupid mistake, but, I'm not afraid of the risk.
He covers the camera above the screen a moment to speak to us:
BRIAN
Those computer guys are actually quite funny. But, it'd hurt the pacing and we're staying within the one day. They're also a little racist. How's the pace doing by the way? I'm not--
ELIZA (O.S)
I'm still here. I can still hear you, you nut.
BRIAN
A minute.
He turns to us and inaudibly mocks her talking with stupid faces.
BRIAN
Didn't catch that one.
She just sighs. He uncovers the camera with a smile.
BRIAN
Back to it.
(holds up remote)
This is what will end life on earth if I don't get what I want. The good guys aren't really going to win today because we're going to make the world believe I'm one of them. I mean, you've seen Megamind.
Eliza shakes her head, no.
BRIAN
How did the bad guy win? He became a good guy. So, this is what's going to happen: the S.W.A.T team, or whatever the fuck they're called now, is going to come up and escort me and Scarlett to wherever the fuck you are. You will then accompany me to U-G-G headquarters where we'll all draw up some papers and all will be good again.
ELIZA
You're asking the impossible, there's no way the United Government will simply let someone run the world, you're nuts.
BRIAN
No. Not in my world I'm not. And I have a sneaking suspicion I'm not too nutty in this world either.
INT. DOCKING BAY 2 - SAME
A weapons team of eight men in yellow protective suits stand in a line in front of a jet black spacecraft.
Their TEAM LEADER paces in front of them reading from a piece of paper.
TEAM LEADER
Ok, we are to make our way to the pilot's compartment. On approach we are to split apart and provide surveillance on the condition of the situation. We will not be splitting far apart and will not be here long. This is not a hostage situation. The suspect isn't assumed directly dangerous to you so if he makes a move you take his legs out. Let's move.
The team moves toward the docking bay exit.
INT. CORRIDOR
Jack is wandering around the corridors poking at dead bodies. He walks around a corner to discover a load of dead bodies amassed in a pool of putrid liquids.
He cocks his head, intrigued.
Footsteps start coming up from the corner behind him.
Silently, Jack sneaks through a door to his right.
One of the men from the weapons team comes around the corner with his gun up at his shoulder and his face pressed against the sights.
Upon seeing the vile scene around the corner he drops his hands to his side and stares in both disgust and horror.
BLAM
Jack's foot comes flying out the door knocking the gun out of his hand.
BOOM
The door comes flying open, knocking the soldier over.
Jack bolts after the gun as it slides behind and away from the gunner.
Before the gunner can draw his handgun, Jack has hold of the gun and...
B-B-BANG
... shoots.
Silence...
Jack lies on top of the gun completely motionless.
Footsteps.
Another gunner runs around the corner.
Before he can comprehend the scene Jack points the gun out from below him and...
B-BANG
He scurries over to the dead body, excited, picks a grenade off of the soldier's belt and continues down the corridor he came from.
After rounding a few corners he hears the whispers of the Team Leader instructing his team on their approach.
Without hesitation Jack puts his back to the corner, pulls the pin on the grenade and tosses it toward the whispers.
BOOOOM
INT. PILOT'S COMPARTMENT
ELIZA
There is a team of governmental soldiers coming up now, Brian. You are not a threat to them, but they are to you. They will detain you and we will work from there.
BRIAN
(sighs)
Know that this isn't really directed at you.
Brian punches the screen and kicks the chair out from underneath him.
ELIZA
Are you five?
BRIAN
If I were five...
Brian's got nothing.
ELIZA
Yeah, you've got nothing.
Brian throws her a middle finger.
ELIZA
Well, fuck you too, Brian, but you're the bad guy here.
BRIAN
Maybe.
ELIZA
There's no maybe about it, you are a complete asshole.
BRIAN
Fine.
He walks out of the room.
ELIZA
Brian?
INT. SPACE STATION CORRIDORS
Brian walks about practically identical corridors, the only thing that sets apart the next turn from the last is the new faces and absurd death positions.
BRIAN
They always find ways to complicate things. Draw them out. Make the movie boring. Let's just hope we can get to the ship without running into them. From there I can--
Brian drops to the floor grasping his head.
In agonised cries he curses, pulling at his hair.
BRIAN
MOTHER...
His screams intensify.
He then stops, leaving a bone chilling silence for a couple of seconds.
Brian begins to sob and whimper, curling up into the fetal position.
BRIAN
(trying to suppress his pain)
Fuck... fucking fuck...
He lies still for a second more before getting his feet under himself.
He stumbles down the corridor and around a corner.
INT. SCARLETT'S COCKPIT
The cockpit is completely silent, a few lights flash, but all is calm.
Brian ambles in. All stays silent apart from his heavy breathing.
He makes it over to his seat and falls into it.
BRIAN
Don't you dare send out the emergency signal or I swear we are going to fall out, Scarlett. I need you to open up my luggage compartment and hand me the silver box.
SCARLETT
I'd love to help, Brian, but I'm a spacecraft. I'm not sending the emergency signal as of now but if--
BRIAN
Forget it. I was joking.
He throws himself out of his chair and crawls over to a small door in the base of the control panel.
BRIAN
This... was not planned... and, yes, the trip down...
(groans with pain)
... was uneventful. Just slow and painful. Thanks for your concern.
Brian pulls himself up against the control panel and wipes some drool from his chin.
He takes a deep breath, then pulls the door to his side open. From inside he picks up a silver box.
Inside's a clear plastic bag holding a vial of clear liquid and a few syringes.
BRIAN
Always plan ahead.
He pulls a syringe and the vial out.
BRIAN
I hate needles.
He draws a non-specific amount of liquid from the vial and plunges the syringe into his leg.
He sighs with ecstasy.
BRIAN
Shit, that felt good.
He groans and lies flat out on the floor.
BRIAN
Yes, that was a drug. No, it wasn't heroin. It's a synthetic and very powerful chemical that kind of acts like interferon, except this thing kicks ass. It's Bruce Lee to those dickheads on YouTube. Jackie Chan to--
Brian suddenly doubles over, cursing.
BRIAN
Fuck me, this shit won't go away.
He throws up then moans.
INT. ON-SHIP BATHROOM
Brian throws himself into the room and toward the toilet, violently hurling more than a lung.
He stands up, spits into the sink then looks in the mirror.
He puts his hand up to his eyeball which is slowly turning blue, not the iris or the white, but the whole eyeball.
BRIAN
What the fuck?
He keeps staring in pure intrigue at his left eye as a pale blue haze glazes it over.
BRIAN
This is new. Freaky, isn't it? Jesus... I've studied virology though. Don't think I haven't seen worse.
INT. STORE CUPBOARD
Brian reaches in pulling multiple bottles from the shelf.
INT. BATHROOM
Scanning the ingredients list on bottles Brian tugs at his ear.
He has set up two groups of bottles, once he finishes reading the back of the one in his hand he puts it into one group, pulls a few from the other and then dashes all the rest to the ground.
Brian runs the taps a second to clear the vomit then, pouring liquids into the sink, counts:
BRIAN
One Mississippi, two Mississippi, three.
He stops pouring the contents of one bottle and moves onto another.
BRIAN
One Mississippi, two...
INT. DOCKING BAY 1
Jack wanders through to the bay, uninterested in where he's going. He looks up at a huge spacecraft and thinks.
He walks around it looking for an opening, but sees nothing.
INT. BATHROOM
Brian stirs the concoction in the sink with a toothbrush then throws it away.
BRIAN
No, it's not specific, but remember...
(stops because of the pain)
... I'm a genius.
A bolt of pain runs through his brain, he clenches handfuls of hair and screams in the mirror.
The scream fades into manic laughter.
BRIAN
Me, get ill? Isn't this fucking ironic. Killed by my own weapon? Not fucking today, I'll tell you that!
He pulls a syringe from the clear bag and fills it with the solution in the sink.
The needle snaps.
BRIAN
Bitch.
He throws the syringe out the bathroom door and sticks his head into the sink.
SPLASH
Gasping for air, he quickly pulls his head away.
BRIAN
My fucking eyes!
He looks back into the sink.
BRIAN
My life.
SPLASH
He plunges his head back under.
INT. SCARLETT'S COCKPIT
Brian groggily walks in, dropping a towel over the puke in the corner, slumping down into his chair.
BRIAN
Chemicals. Can't stick your face in them, can't live without them. Nonetheless, I feel better, thanks for asking.
Brian, embellishing the effort, reaches for the draw below the control panel, talking out a notepad.
BRIAN
Scarlett, have your security cameras picked up any movement within the last forty-five minutes.
SCARLETT
No. Are you feeling better now?
BRIAN
Look at this, if you had a face I'd kiss it and if you had tits I'd squeeze them. Yes, I'm okay. Thank you.
(to us and Scarlett)
I used a chemical solution similar to that I use in the N-S-V-Is to slow down the virus or viruses I've contracted. I'm pretty sure I could die any time soon either because my metabolism screeches to a halt or this virus tears me a new one, but I've got work to do.
Brian starts scribbling on the notepad.
BRIAN
If my prosthetic interferon didn't work on this virus that means I'm in trouble. I'm not definitely sure, but I think one of my viruses has mutated. I've seen one mutate before, it fed off interferon, which is kind of awesome because that's the stuff that will take viruses down. Obviously it was just too dangerous so I've never used it. Now something like it must be airborne. Don't think I'm stupid, these diseases are engineered to overtake a body with no resistance capable of stopping it. There should be no need for them to mutate as they are perfect as is. Here I am though. Just got to do some math to--
SOLDIER
Freeze! Get your hands up, now!
Brian turns around and looks at the SOLDIER aiming an assault rifle at his chest.
BRIAN
Shit, Scarlett, you could have warned me.
SOLDIER
Shut up! Get your hands on your head and shut up!
BRIAN
(putting his hands on his head)
You said that already.
The soldier walks over and lifts him out of the chair.
BRIAN
I can manage.
He pushes Brian a few steps in front of him and pulls his gun back up.
SOLDIER
Walk, now!
BRIAN
Ok, you can stop shouting now, I can hear you.
SOLDIER
Move!
Brian rolls his eyes.
INT. DOCKING BAY 2
Brian walks down Scarlett's access ramp with the soldier following behind him.
SOLDIER
To the left!
BRIAN
Yeah, I get it, we are going to your ship.
SOLDIER
Say another word and I put a bullet in you!
Brian rolls his eyes.
He slowly paces toward the Soldier's spacecraft, sideways glancing us.
The soldier stops and coughs. Brian perks up.
BRIAN
Well, you're fucked then.
He stops, turns around and puts his hands down.
The soldier continues spluttering.
BRIAN
(to us and the soldier)
There's no protection in this place, it's a hostile environment no human in his right mind stays in. I'm just glad this didn't happen on the ship in the middle of nowhere with me locked up.
Still spluttering the soldier lifts the gun and sprays a few rounds past Brian.
B-B-B-B-BANG
He drops to the floor.
BRIAN
Jesus, fuck! What is wrong with you?
The soldier gobs then stands back up lifting his assault rifle to his shoulder.
SOLDIER
Move!
Brian gets to his feet and starts walking again with a few groans.
BRIAN
You look ridiculous by the way.
SOLDIER
Shut the fuck up!
BRIAN
Oh, hush, it's not like we're going to make it to the ship.
The soldier pops a few more rounds past Brian.
B-B-BANG
He jumps out of his skin.
BRIAN
I don't appreciate that. I'm not bullet proof here.
SOLDIER
Don't make me question that...
He coughs.
BRIAN
(whispers to us)
Shit joke incoming.
SOLDIER
... you don't want me to test if your lying.
Brian just rolls his eyes.
They continue walking to the edge of the bay where the soldier's ship is parked, all the way there the soldier coughs.
They get to the ship and the soldier pulls out his radio.
BRIAN
Shit that thing is old. You carry that and you don't carry handcuffs?
SOLDIER
How many times do I have to tell you to shut up?
After a few seconds of silence...
SOLDIER
These suits don't come fitted with anything better. The braces are on the ship.
BRIAN
So you look stupid and are poorly equipped.
SOLDIER
You're off C-C and I don't think so...
He pulls his gun up.
The soldier breaks into a coughing fit, getting speckles of blood all over the inside of his visor.
He throws the radio and pulls the visor off, gasping for air.
BRIAN
You're definitely fucked now.
The soldier falls to his knees, spewing blood over the place.
Brian walks away from him back toward Scarlett.
BRIAN
Some idiots? I believe C-C stands for close contact by the way. At least, that's what the cops on T.V say.
INT. DOCKING BAY 1
Jack wanders out of docking bay 1...
INT. CORRIDORS
... through a series of corridors without apparent direction before reaching docking bay 2.
INT. DOCKING BAY 2
Jack steps into this massive bay and looks up at the ceilings seemingly miles high. Continuing to walk forward he hums to the beat of his footsteps.
He meanders around a few spacecrafts before coming across the dying soldier.
He's lying flat out with his face to the ground, moaning and wailing, surrounded by puke and blood.
Jack starts to hum a little louder.
The soldier takes no notice. Jack kneels down and pokes him in the ribs.
Fighting paralysing pain the soldier rolls over, half expecting Brian and half hoping for another soldier.
SOLDIER
(barely making a sound)
Help... please.
Jack stands up, looks down at the man and cocks his head to the side, giving him a menacing smile.
In an instant the smile disappears leaving behind menace and pure malice.
Obsessively Jack repeatedly stomps on the soldier face.
BOOM
BOOM
BOOM
INT. SCARLETT'S COCKPIT
Brian saunters into the cockpit and takes his seat.
BRIAN
(imitating Jack from the Shining)
Honey... I'm home.
(to us)
P.S. Intertextualities aren't just pop culture references. This is art here people. Well... for the most part. You knew that though.
SCARLETT
There seems to be some activity going on outside the ship, Brian.
BRIAN
Lock us down.
SCARLETT
I already have.
BRIAN
Then switch off all external lights and then dim the one in here.
The lights dim. Brian leans forward in his chair.
BRIAN
Could you bring up the surveillance footage please, Scarlett?
The screen on the control panel lights up showing many shots of outside the spacecraft. Brian taps on the bay door camera causing it to enlarge to full screen.
Jack walks on camera and then off.
Brian swipes the screen, moving to the next camera, following Jack as he circles the ship.
BRIAN
Who the fuck is this and why isn't he dead?
Brian continues to follow Jack around the ship, swiping the screen until he moves away.
BRIAN
He'll probably die soon, he's got blood all over him, there's no way he's not getting infected.
INT. SPACE STATION
Silent images of various sections around the space station:
Masses of bodies sprawled across corridors seemingly having dropped where they stood.
A mess hall full of an array of personnel ranging from pilots, to nurses, to engineers, completely still, festering in putrescent, rancid filth.
There is vomit all across the floor, blood and mucus in food, dead faces in the vomit and blood soaked food.
A mass murder has been freeze framed leaving behind sadistic decay and vulgar pollution.
The air is thick, tinted with infection.
INT. SCARLETT'S COCKPIT
Brian scribbles on his notepad whilst rubbing his left eye.
BRIAN
If only this serenity would last a little longer. There's always shit stirring from below, unbeknownst, waiting to kill. But, from chaos will come some more of that serenity, just before shit hits the fan and we all get covered in the faeces of chance.
SCARLETT
Beautiful.
BRIAN
Thank you, Scarlett. I didn't know you were listening.
SCARLETT
We have been shut down, Brian.
BRIAN
Shut down, what does that mean?
SCARLETT
We have ceased all operation due to central control overriding the on-board computers.
BRIAN
(still scribbling)
I thought I replaced the on-board computers with encrypted--
SCARLETT
That's what's been overridden.
BRIAN
Does anything work?
SCARLETT
Nothing computerised, which means the emergency exit in the base of the hull can be manually opened.
Brian looks up, but then continues writing.
SCARLETT
The taps might work.
BRIAN
Thanks, Scarlett, but aren't you computerised?
SCARLETT
Who's going to tell you everything's been shut down but me?
Brian smiles then walks out the cockpit.
SCARLETT
Brain?
He comes back in.
BRIAN
Yep.
SCARLETT
Sorry, I've been fighting it for a while. My full function just came with the shut down.
BRIAN
It's fine. I still love you. Thanks for filling the plot hole by the way. Got to pee.
INT. PILOT'S COMPARTMENT
The room is completely silent as Eliza sits on screen, watching, waiting, bored out of her mind.
Jack walks into the room, playing with a soldier's security pass.
ELIZA
Hey! Are you ok?
Jack lifts his hands up showing her his blood drenched fingers.
Eliza looks on horrified as he licks the blood.
Ed pushes Eliza out of her seat.
ED
Sir, what is going on? Have you seen anyone else alive, any soldiers?
Jack nods, remissive. He then puts his arms to his side and sways a little.
ED
Sir... Sir? This guy's gone. Sir!
Jack snaps awake, completely animated.
JACK
What!?
A smile stretches across his face.
ED
You must have been through a lot...
JACK
Not much, I'd like to go through some more.
ED
... and I'm sure you've seen terrible things...
JACK
Glorious things.
ED
... but, I need you to focus. There's a madman on the space station, he goes by the name Brian. We've sent a team to collect him, but we haven't heard anything in a long time.
JACK
Can I help you?
ED
Have you seen anybody alive in the last hour?
JACK
Yes, a few, but they're all dead now.
He holds his hands and smiles.
ED
Listen, what's your name?
JACK
I'm sorry, I've got to go now, places to go, people to see.
He starts toward the door.
ED
Where are you going?
JACK
Places.
Jack leaves the room in silence.
ED
What the fuck?
INT. SCARLETT'S COCKPIT - SAME
Brian is still scribbling on a notepad, humming a similar tune to that Jack was. He puts his pencil down and rubs his eye.
BRIAN
Well, I'm done. I think this will really amaze you.
He leaves the room.
INT. SCARLETT'S CARGO BAY - LATER
Brian lifts up a door in the floor labeled emergency hatch and jumps down.
INT. DOCKING BAY 2
Brian lands on his feet, crouching below Scarlett. He gets out from underneath her and walks across the bay.
BRIAN
What I have done is figure out a way to make a machine that should be able to recognise my cells. There wasn't much to it, we practically have the technology already nowadays, but it's non-specific. There will be a scanner that can almost do this in security control.
He makes his way over to the massive bay doors of the space station.
BRIAN
Now, if I remember correctly there should be an access terminal around here.
He walks to the side of the doors over to a panel on the wall. He pushes a button, holding the janitors card to the scanner.
The bay doors slowly open up.
Brian goes through the doors into:
INT. AIRLOCK
This is a massive holding space where all ships go through security check.
Brian makes his way over to a set of steps that lead up to a control room.
INT. SECURITY CONTROL
Brian walks past a few desks until he reaches one occupied one. A woman sits with her face down on her desk.
Brian pokes her. No response.
BRIAN
Ok, then.
He wipes his finger on his trouser leg and walks to the end of the row of desks.
Brian shakes what looks like circular plastic door frame. It almost falls over on him.
BRIAN
Shit, this stuff is cheap.
He walks over to a computer next to the scanner and pulls out a few wires. Brian then drags the scanner out of the control room.
INT. DOCKING BAY 2
Brian continues to drag the scanner over to Scarlett's bay doors where he sets it down.
He leaves the scanner and crouches under Scarlett to access the hatch he came from.
INT. SCARLETT'S CARGO BAY
Brian pulls himself through the hatch and closes it.
BRIAN
The work I do.
INT. SCARLETT'S COCKPIT
In he comes.
BRIAN
Hey, Scarlett.
SCARLETT
Hello, Brian. Back so soon?
BRIAN
I've got to rewire a few bits under the control panel, is that all right?
SCARLETT
I'm pretty sure it's not.
BRIAN
Well, what can I do? I need the computers back on and the front doors open. I've got to do it.
He pulls the screwdriver from his pocket.
SCARLETT
Fine.
BRIAN
(unscrewing parts of the panel)
Oh, come on. If I don't do this before the virus reactivates I'm dead.
Scarlett sighs.
INT. MESS HALL
Jack takes a seat next to a pilot with his face in a bowl of bloodied rice.
Jack lifts the man's head by the hair. He looks at his face smeared in blood, spotted with red grains of rice and laughs.
Jack throws the man backwards by his hair and takes his bowl.
Eating from the foul concoction of grain and gore Jack hums his little tune.
INT. SCARLETT'S COCKPIT
Brian pulls at wires, stripping some of them with his teeth and winding them around each other, discarding others.
A few wires get knotted as Brian pulls at them. They won't budge.
He yanks, pulling a whole load loose.
Scarlett...
SCARLETT
AHH!!
... screams as if in pain.
Brian jumps out of his skin, but then starts laughing at himself.
SCARLETT
Brian, you dick, stop pulling my wires. Do you know how long it takes to get them this good.
BRIAN
You know I love your wires as they are and I would never want to change you, but do you want me to die?
SCARLETT
Seriously?
BRIAN
Seriously.
SCARLETT
Weeell...
Brian yanks at a few more wires.
SCARLETT
Ass.
BRIAN
And I love you.
Brian leaves the cockpit...
INT. STORAGE
... finds a soldering iron and some solder in an old engineering kit...
INT. SCARLETT'S COCKPIT
... and returns with them in hand.
He picks up a bunch of wires and fixes them to a terminal within the control panel.
He stands back impressed at his work.
SCARLETT
Great job... too bad you fucked up.
Brian kicks the control panel.
The screen lights up, reading: SYSTEM RESTART.
BRIAN
Ha!
INT. DOCKING BAY 2 - LATER
Brian drags the scanner into Scarlett, up the access ramp.
INT. SCARLETT'S COCKPIT
Brian sets down the scanner and plugs it into a socket under the control panel.
Bulbs on the inside of the scanner glow lime green. He unplugs it and the lights go out.
He pulls some more wires from the control panel, taking them over to the scanner.
He pops of an access panel and solders the control panel wires to the scanner.
BRIAN
Hey, Scarlett?
SCARLETT
Uh-huh.
BRIAN
Is that fingerprint and genome data on this computer?
SCARLETT
You mean in my hard drive. Yes, it is.
BRIAN
Could you please bring that up on the screen here. Thank you.
Brian switches the scanner back on, then goes to work on the screen.
BRIAN
Ok, using his data, my genomic stuff, the scanner will now be able to recognise my cells. It does this by bouncing electrons of skin and passing small amounts of gamma through my body. As is, the machine is pretty useless, it knows who I am and can recognize me. To cure myself of this virus I will have to physically extract it out of my body. To do this I am going to need a lot of energy, some luck and a few high school physics lesson facts.
INT. CORRIDORS
Brian power walks down the corridors dodging dead bodies whilst trying to avoid slipping on blood and other miscellaneous bodily fluids.
BRIAN
In high school you are taught about fundamental quantum physics and how the electron likes to behave. They still don't teach special relativity, but whatever. The electron, from what I remember, is a bit of a dick. It doesn't like to sit still and does whatever it wants. This bastard had physicists wrapped around its little finger for centuries. This was until some guy figured out this astoundingly simple equation. What it was, I don't remember, I never understood it. But, I do remember some of the theory behind it. If you excite electrons in the right way, they attach themselves to an entity and sort of become its bitch, it'll go where it's told. Entanglement or something. This gave birth to teleportation. Two groups of electrons will be paired and swapped over. Old technology. Everyone knows about it. If done right, a whole atom will be taken with it. With a bit of smarts: whatever you want. This technology is very simple and would be incredibly useful, but was never used because of how dangerous it could be. Still, it's really easy to make a teleporter, but, if you do you rot in prison. I don't know how, but on Earth the U-G-G is aware of practically everything that happens. So, if you do use one, you will be caught. Anyhow, out in space you probably won't be, so I've got that on my side.
Brian passes the mess hall.
Jack, still at his bowl at the back of the room, catches a glimpse of someone passing the open doors and cocks his head.
INT. ENGINE ROOM
Brian comes in the into the room, pocketing the janitor's card.
BRIAN
In here the engine energy source can be found.
He pulls open a cabinet labeled FUEL CELLS and takes what looks like a glass cylinder.
Brian looks to all the dead engineers, then walks out the room.
INT. CORRIDORS
Brian sprints with the fuel cell jumping over dead bodies.
He jumps over a large pool of blood, slips and falls and...
BLAM
He laughs, picking himself up, then carries on.
BRIAN
Believe it or not, that was another reference. Guess who to?
(waits for answer)
Whatever you said, no. It's a tough one. Try again.
(waits for answer)
I'm not going to pretend I heard you, but your wrong. The answer is Tarkovsky. You should be ashamed if you don't know who that is. He has the protagonist fall over in every one of his movies. Why? I'm not sure. Who can be with Tarkovsky? Maybe it's humanising? Maybe the guy liked to laugh?
(thinks)
The atmosphere he creates though... Yeesh. Masterful. Anyway...
He speeds to a jog.
INT. CORRIDORS - SAME
Jack wanders, searching for Brian.
INT. DOCKING BAY 2
Brian comes to a stop before Scarlett.
He turns around, suspicious, checking the area.
BRIAN
Let's hope if there's someone out there, it's more imaginative than a zombie, huh?
He crouches, taking the access hatch below the ship.
