Buck Rogers in the 26th Century



Episode 208x "Red Skies"

Written by: Erin Weinstock


I don't hold any of the copyrights in this story, and this story was made 
without profit.


Teaser:

ext: Aries Shuttle Port Station:

The camera is moving down from the sky towards a checkpoint in front of a 
large transport spaceship that looks older than other ships we've seen 
before in the series. To give an idea it looks to have all the charm of an 
old cargo train head with larger windows in its front and wings for flight. 
Coming out of this ship in a straight line, all straight standing there are 
a stream of Red Bots, at the front of which stands a man dealing with the 
checkpoint security men and woman. As the camera moves closer to this scene...

Transporter (man with Red Bots behind him): "Why? Why not? I have an order 
for them HERE in Ariestes City; they're to provide help in the building of -."

Security Man One: "You must be mistaken sir, maybe for Galileo City, not 
this one."

Transporter: "I have the order, the papers on my ship! I can get them for 
you, proof I'm not lying!"

Security Man Two: "If you go back on board that ship, you're going back on 
board with your ambuquads. And you're not coming back to this city, this 
planet, till they're no longer in your presence."

Transporter looks to the female checkpoint officer dumbfounded. Security 
Woman: "It's the law."

Transporter shaking his head "no", downwards: "I don't believe this."

Turning to face the Red Bots, Cont: "Sorry boys, this town ain't 
welcoming us here."

Security Woman: "We'll be tracking your ship's ID till it leaves the 
atmosphere."

Transporter looking over his shoulder: "Only until I leave the 
atmosphere?"

Security Woman: "Your ID will be kept on record and your ship will be 
searched the next time it returns to Mars."

Looking back to the Red Bots and closing his eyes in pain, Transporter 
(softly): "Darn it."

Cont: "Everyone back in!" He motions his words by waving a hand towards 
the ship.

The camera focuses on the Security staff who stand back watching the Red 
Bots and their Transporter go into the ship. Security Woman: "Every other 
week."

Security Man One: "They never learn."

Security Man Two: "But it gives us our job."

Security Man One: "Maybe your guys' jobs, but not soon to me."

The two security staff that didn't just speak turn to look at Security Man 
One, wondering what he's talking about.

Security Man One smiles to both of them, then turns to look towards the 
ship. Cont: "They're back in."

Then Security Man One starts walking away from them and the ship towards a 
bench nearing the edge of the Shuttle Port. Motioning for his friends to 
follow, Cont: "I'll explain."

The scene cuts to a few seconds later with Security Man One sitting on the 
bench facing the Shuttle Port Station and his co-workers joining him. 
Security Man Two: "Your pay is good, you have benefits, you have us."

Security Man One hits his chest, Security Man One: "But I have Martian 
pride as well."

Security Woman to herself and holding her head: "Oh no, not you too."

Security Man: "IT'S DANGEROUS!"

Security Man One: "It's our legacy to the universe."

Security Woman: "You have family here. What do they think about you going 
off and braving the unknown with equipment that's over a hundred years old?"

Security Man One: "They know and they are with me on this. It's Duer's 
fifth moon, that's not the unknown, we know where that is. And it's not 
old equipment, it's brand new."

Security Man Two: "How much are they paying you to risk your neck in this?"

Security Man One: "Two thousand a month."

Security Man Two: "That's [beat] less than what you make now."

Security Woman pats Security Man One on the back. Security Woman: "We're 
with you on this."

Security Man Two (motioning angrily): "No we're not, he's about to throw 
his life -!"

Cut to: 

ext: Ariestes City:

The camera pans to an apartment building through a landscape of most 
buildings that look only a few years further into our time than the rest 
the of 26th century buildings we've seen on the Earth and the moon.

Cut to: Security Man One's Apartment:

The camera is resting on the floor as it watches the feet to Security Man 
One pass a sensor that once hit we hear music start up that's some form 
of modern rock.

The camera cuts up so we see Security Man One heading for his kitchen, 
which is set just off to the side of his living room. As he's doing this 
many projectors on the ceiling are trying their best to follow him with a 
floating TV screen following his movements to stay ahead of him.

TV (in an electronic voice): "Channel Two." The floating screen shows a 
view of a political meeting taking place. From the floating TV, the 
political meeting, a man: "We need better control of all shipments coming 
into us from elsewhere in the solar system!"

TV: "Channel Three." The floating screen shows a little kids show that 
has Humans and Aliens dressed up as large plush versions of themselves 
dancing around an over-sized flower to the backdrop of a red sky set 
against bright orange hills. From the floating TV: "We love this! We love 
that! We love this flower and that's -!"

TV: "Channel Four." The floating screen shows a space battle being 
broadcast out the window of a space station with a female reporter covering 
the whole thing holding a pen-sized mic. From the floating TV: "The Houten 
are at it again, but lucky for us the Thorcomen Defense Administration came 
to the scene just in the nick of time and it looks like we're being saved 
right now!"

TV: "Channel Five." The floating screen shows an ad showing a man in his 
late forties or early fifties, looking like he wants to brighten up the 
world with his smile, standing against the animated backdrop of a Martian 
flag which looks like a large red dot with five different color dots 
standing behind it, half hidden, the final of which is yellow. Now from 
this yellow dot half hidden reaching outwards in the background are, in 
rings that start with a pale nearly white pink to a deep red-orange on the 
flag's edges. From the floating TV: "I want you. Yes, I want every true 
Martian or just true Martian at heart to sign up for -."

TV: "Channel Six." The floating screen shows a soap opera taking place 
using an all-alien cast speaking in a language we can't understand. From 
the TV we hear the alien voices chattering in extreme highs and lows until...

Security Man One sits down in a chair with a small box of cereal. Security 
Man One: "Channel Five."

The TV switches the channel back to Channel Five. As it does so, TV: "As 
you wish."

As Security Man One eats his cereal, from the TV, (the man speaking) Bart: 
“It is our way, there are no easy paths in life believe me -." Bart's smile 
widens, Cont: "I should know."

End Teaser

Pre-Credits:

Beginning of Act One:

int: Security Man One's Apartment:

The scene here picks up right where it left off at the end of the teaser. 
Right now however the camera is focused entirely on the TV.

Cont: "It's my greatest hope for the people of Mars; this new colony on 
Duer's fifth moon, once its foundation has been made, will be our [ beat ] 
second greatest achievement in this galaxy's history."

The camera cuts back and still munching, Security Man One puts his little 
box on the counter and continues to have his attention fixed on the TV. 
Cont: "Don't worry about where you'll be staying. I wouldn't strand you in 
the middle of nothingness. You'll get, if you join Mars in this endeavor, 
a stay at Duer's finest four star hotel for the duration of your work 
period-."

There's a knock at the door which breaks Security Man One's attention from 
the TV. Cont: "All the pleasures of normal life are granted too, even -."

Security Man One: "Mute please."

Another knock hits the door and Security Man One gets up from his chair. 
Cont: "I'm coming."

Security Man One grabs the doorknob of a non-Phasoft-door. He opens it, 
neglecting to unlock its chain hooking it to the wall it's fixed into. A 
very cold-eyed woman is standing outside his apartment. Cont: "Yes?"

Woman (Paula): "Employee 189 dash 932 of the Aries Shuttle Port Station 
staff and also listed as employee 40 of the Martian Special Construction 
Unit of Duer's fifth moon, J-8?"

Security Man One: "I am, but you don't have to be so formal about tags. My 
non-work tags, my name is -." But she quickly shoots him with a small 
blaster, killing him before he can finish what he was going to say.

Without a show of any feeling for him she closes his apartment's door.

Cut to:

ext: Sky Over Ariestes City:

The camera is looking down on the skyscrapers, as three Z-87s fly into 
view and down into the cityscape below.

V.O. Fox: "They can't keep us up here forever, Colonel. We're going to 
have to land some time."

The camera cuts to being inside the cityscape but still a good height up. 
The three Z-87s sneak through, in-between the buildings with the camera 
fixed in one spot. V.O. Buck: "Come on Fox, this isn't so bad. How else 
could someone sightsee at this speed?"

V.O. Wilma: "Martian law is very strict about things like this, Fox, we 
can't land yet."

The camera cuts to another area of the city still high up among the 
buildings as the three Z-87s sneak to a higher elevation. V.O. Fox: "We 
could have gone to Pluto and back with what we're wasting here."

V.O. a commanding female voice (Roxy): "This is ground control of base 
Alpha-Maris one, troop leader response?"

V.O. Wilma: "Colonel Wilma Deering, ground control."

The camera cuts to above the cityscape as the three Z-87s halt in mid-air 
after zooming up into the scene. V.O. Roxy: "Colonel Deering, you and your 
troop have been given clearance to land on pad Beta and you're to remain 
there until further notice."

V.O. Wilma: "Understood ground control."

The three Z-87s zip out of camera view off to one side.

Cut to:

ext: Base Alpha-Maris One:

From above we're given a wide-angle shot of a complex with many dome-shaped 
buildings cuddling up to the station like landing pads. This complex on the 
whole could be seen as bubbles half-formed and grouped together among a 
plain of Martian landscape devoid of any other sight.

V.O. Cont: "This is Beta right?"

Cut to:

int: Base Alpha-Maris One / Landing Pad Beta:

The camera is focused on Roxy entering this place from the interior of the 
base, which is a wide entrance of which the doors are so far back we can 
barely see them. Roxy has a business look to her in a dress with a short-cut 
shirt, and looks almost around Buck and Wilma's ages.

Roxy: "Welcome to Mars."

The camera cuts to a larger view of this scene to see behind Buck, Wilma 
and Fox. Their Z-87's look like they've been parked in a half-assed manner. 
Only a couple of other small spaceships can be seen off in the further 
background. Wilma puts out a hand for Roxy to shake. Wilma: "It's nice to 
be here, although I wish we weren't here for the reason we are."

Roxy shaking Wilma's hand: "We've lost 36 at this point, we need outside 
help."

Wilma: "You sound familiar."

Roxy: "Ground control, my name is Roxy."

Wilma: "Nice to meet you Roxy."

Roxy: "Same." Roxy looks at Fox then Buck, her attention stays on Buck.

Roxy walking over to Buck, Cont: "Are you a general?"

Buck: "A Captain."

Roxy to herself: "I see," looking Buck up and down.

Wilma noticing where Roxy's attention is: "We need to be presented with 
the details of the situation."

Roxy sighs and moving turning around and walking back towards the entrance 
to the interior: "Follow me."

As they start to follow Roxy, Fox looks to Buck and says without saying, 
"you've got it." Buck gives a grin back, and Wilma taking notice of the 
men gives them a mean look.

Cut to:

int: Hallway:

We're in a hallway that leads to Bart's office. Its floor is a pale marble 
and walls are white moving up to a wooden divider that before the next 
wooden divider is reached paintings run into each other, giving this place 
an odd look of culture. After the second wooden divider is more white. 
Roxy is in the lead of Wilma followed by Buck and Fox. As they approach a 
Phasoft-door which leads to Bart's office...

V.O. Bart: "IT'S BEEN A HARD DAY'S NIGHT AND I'VE BEEN WORKING LIKE A DOG."

Wilma: "What is that?"

Buck smiles, Buck and V.O. Bart: "BUT IT'S WORTH IT JUST TO HEAR YOU SAY, 
YOU'RE GOING TO GIVE ME EVERYTHING."

Fox to Wilma: "The Beatles."

Wilma: "Insects?"

Roxy hits the access panel at the door.

Cut to:

int: Bart's Office:

Bart's Office is decorated with old-time pictures, a Martian flag hanging 
behind his desk and off to one side a pirate flag with to long swords hung 
under it. Bart's feet are propped up on his desk as the quartet walks into 
the scene.

Buck still enjoying the duet, which now it shows to a surprised Bart 
seeing another singing, he's enjoying the duet too. Buck and Bart: "BUT 
WHEN I GET YOU ALONE."

Bart breaks out into laughing, Bart: "Who are you and where did you find 
that disk!" He gets up and leans towards Buck.

Buck: "I used to hear the Beatles on the radio and my mom had a few of 
their records."

Bart (confused): ""Radio?" "Records"?"

Buck taking on a sheepish look: "Before your time."

Bart: "You're younger than me."

Buck: "Make a bet."

Wilma towards Bart: "We're the team sent here from Earth's Defense 
Directorate."

Bart: "Then you must be Colonel Deering."

Wilma: "That's right sir."

Bart: "And the rest of your troop, who are they?"

Wilma, turning to the right men when stating who they are: "Hieronymous 
Fox and Buck Rogers."

Bart looking to be in control of the room: "I now know from meeting in a 
duet who Buck Rogers is." [ beat ] 

Bart looking towards Fox, Cont: "Hieronymus Fox, YOU and the rest of the 
troop could be heard here talking in your fighters."

Fox now looks ashamed.

Bart walks over to Fox, looking very serious and making people wonder if 
he's angry or not.

Then catching Fox off guard and shocking him, Bart puts a hand on one of 
Fox's shoulders, smiles and says: "I run this place; take as much water 
as you want to compensate."

Fox stares at Bart, not sure what to say, and Bart after a beat walks 
away and gives a single laugh before sitting back at his desk.

Wilma: "Have the deaths all been occurring close together or over months 
or years?"

Bart: "[ beat ] Within the last few months, shortly after recruiting 
began."

Wilma: "Is the rumor true you don't know who's behind the deaths?"

Making a "cross my heart and hope to die" gesture across his chest, Bart: 
"I swear to my grandmommy."

Wilma takes on an air that looks like she's ready for a fight: "Black 
Bart."

Bart: "That's behind me."

Buck: "Black Bart?"

Wilma (drawn out): "Pirate."

Bart: "Former pirate."

Wilma: "And Elected president."

Bart: "Earth affairs and Martian affairs don't normally mix, Colonel."

Wilma: "You're still from Earth."

Bart: "No not really."

Fox whispering to Buck: "I think we should leave the room now."

Both Buck and Fox start to move but Roxy takes hold of them. Roxy 
(whispering) to Buck and Fox: "You're not going anywhere."

At the same time Buck and Fox look to Wilma and Bart with a look of they 
wish they weren't here.

End of Act One: 

Beginning of Act Two: 

int: Bart's Office:

The scene here picks up right where it left off at the end of Act One.

Bart: "Colonel, I really don't like when people dig up things not 
considering the moment, not considering the matter. I had nothing to do 
with those deaths; my concern is the new colony, the pride of Mars. If you 
have an issue with my past I can always ask you to leave and bring in 
others to replace you and your troop."

Buck as best he can gets between Wilma and Bart. Buck: "Pride of the 
Defense Directorate, Wilma."

Wilma backs off some.

Bart: "Thank you Rogers, um can I call you Buck?"

Buck: "You can call me Buck."

Bart: "Then refer to me as Bart or Barney but never Black Bart."

Buck goes back to where he was standing and Wilma stands at attention. 
Cont: "I don't want this matter going public. With the deaths or getting 
help from Earth, understood?"

Wilma: "Understood."

Buck: "A pirate."

Bart: "That's a surprise to you?"

Buck: "[ beat ] Someone with a criminal background having a high political 
office? That does shock me, just in this day and age though, not for years 
ago."

Bart: "Does it bother you?"

Buck: "No."

Bart: "Good, cause that's where things like that song you heard came from."

Buck: "How so?"

Bart: "I raided a cargo ship bound for Tierick's Central Archive Library 
back in 2489, got a lot of nice stuff from it."

Wilma: "Any old enemies you think might be behind this?"

Bart (grinning): "I don't have any old enemies."

Wilma: "Are there any profiles available to help us for the killer or 
killers?"

Bart: "If there are, the police in Borguida and Ariestes City haven't 
notified me of any."

Wilma: "Which city has the higher rate of death?"

Cut to:

ext: Underbelly Z-87:

In the darkness of the ship's shadow a man's hand gently places a domed 
device on the ship. Through a clear casing we can see it's some complex 
machine that faintly resembles the internals of the mobile Doctor 
Theopolis. Its tightly bunched body blinks mildly before touching the Z-87. 
Although now on the Z-87, it blinks madly and the tightly bunched body 
begins to squirm.

V.O. Rob: "How long?"

V.O. Carl: "At the max 24 hours, it all depends how tough these Defense 
Directorate guys really are."

The screen cuts to black.

Cut to:

int: Base Alpha-Maris One / Landing pad Beta:

Buck, Wilma and Fox are in their Z-87's but Buck has the canopy on his up 
due to Roxy leaning on its edge.

Roxy: "You don't have to leave with them, do you? I've never been to Earth 
before and I bet you could teach me a thing or two about it."

Buck: "When this is over I'll teach you about Earth, but I have to leave 
with them now for Ariestes."

Roxy: "Too many of you fighters together might look bad for why you're 
here. [ beat ] You could just -."

Buck: "This isn't a wise thing you're doing here."

Roxy: "What isn't?"

Buck: "My girlfriend is riding shotgun in a ship with a massive blaster in 
it and you're within earshot of her."

Roxy backs away from Buck's ship. Roxy: "I'm backing off, I'm backing off!"

Cut to:

ext: Sky Over Base Alpha-Maris One:

In less than a beat the camera goes from being stationary to moving 
(blurred) at the speed of light towards Ariestes City.

The camera stops moving the moment the three Z-87s are in good sight on a 
rooftop which has a small shuttle park covering it. A Man and a Woman 
stare out at the Z-87s. They're dressed in black uniforms that aren't of 
our time.

Man: "Earth's Defense Directorate?"

Woman: "I bet they won't tell us why they're here."

The Man turns to the Woman and says: "Those murders, the ones to the 
Martian Special Construction Unit."

The camera cuts to the underbelly of one of the Z-87s.

Then the camera pans in on the domed machine placed on the ship earlier. 
Something is worming out of the tightly bunched body twisting around with 
lights going off.

The camera pans in deeper to see this scene and we see a firefly-like robot 
break its way free of the domed machine.

Following the insect the camera watches it zip to and through the opening 
to the door that leads to the interior of the building as the Man and Woman 
go inside. Woman: "Hurray for the government's confidence in us."

Cut to:

int: Police Station:

As cops around the station stare, Buck and Wilma and Fox are led into a 
shut-off office away from the main floor of the room by an officer looking 
to be of higher rank than the two seen on the roof.

Lead Cop (the one pushing our trio): "For as long as you're here, you're 
back here."

Buck to Wilma: "My, this is a friendly place."

Lead Cop opening the door to the office for the trio to go through, 
looking at Buck: "This station and I will be as friendly to you as we have 
to be. We like to think we're good at our own jobs."

Fox: "We never said you didn't do a good job."

Lead Cop in body language indicating for them to move in the office. Lead 
Cop: "Inside now."

Cut to:

int: Police Station Office:

As Buck is shutting the normal door that serves as the entrance to this 
place, Wilma is turning on a 26th century style desktop computer and 
sitting down in a chair at it, while Fox stands off to the side of the two 
of them.

Buck looking towards the door: "I have the feeling I'm missing something 
here that either I haven't been told or I've forgotten."

As Wilma accesses information on the computer. Wilma: "About what?"

Buck: "About how we're being treated. I have the feeling it doesn't really 
have to do with us working for the Defense Directorate entirely."

Wilma working on the computer gives a "huff" of a laugh.

Fox: "Do you want to hear the full deal why?"

Buck: "Never hurt a situation before."

Fox: "Hundreds of years ago when Earth began looking to the stars for its 
new hope,  about 30 percent of the population aware of us colonizing the 
moon starting with a full ambuquad workforce, didn't like the idea of no 
manpower behind it. And right after the first atmospheric generator tested 
out OK, the third one built was sent here to Mars. No ambuquads, only men 
and women with the bare bones of what they needed for building a colony 
were sent here. They were that 30 percent that didn't want help provided 
by ambuquads. [ beat ] These Martians believe the harder root is the 
better root to doing things right. That's why they look down on us. They 
think we think we're higher than them."

Wilma: "That's why I told you not to bring Twiki."

Buck: "But they're using technology."

Fox: "They only have issues with robotic help."

The lights in the room dim then brighten again.

Wilma to herself: "Wonderful Martian technology."

The computer she's working on turns off.

Acting flustered Wilma crosses her arms and begins once more talking to 
herself. Cont: "Ten nine eight seven -."

Wilma's counting to herself has now caught the attention of Buck and Fox. 
Cont: "Six five -."

Fox: "Brown out?"

Wilma: "Four three -."

Buck: "One hell of a time for it to happen."

Wilma: "Two one."

Wilma stares at the computer looking shocked before rolling her eyes and 
giving it a good slap.

The computer turns back on and begins booting up again.

Cont: "I love Mars."

Buck: "I take it you've been here before."

Wilma (not in the nicest of tones): "Years ago."

Then all the power goes out, the computer, the lights. People off camera 
can be heard talking about it. In the background V.O. ...

Female Cop One: "Is the power out everywhere?"

Male Cop One: "It better not be on the jail floor."

Male Cop Two: "Do you think it's city wide?"

Female Cop Two: "I'm going to hook up the generator."

Female Cop three: "Both of you might need blasters."

Now inside the office after the trio has heard the goings on outside where 
they are.

Fox: "No force fields."

Buck pulls out his blaster for Wilma and Fox to see. Buck: "But we're 
prepared."

Buck opens the door to the office looking ready to move out.

End of Act Two: 

Beginning of Act Three: 

int: Police Station:

Most of the cops last seen here have disappeared from sight while the ones 
remaining on the floor have a look of readiness to them for anything. As 
this scene begins our trio is just leaving the office.
"
Lead Cop: "Get back in there; we're having a situation out here!"

Buck: "We know you have a situation out here! That's why we're out here!"

Cop One: "We can handle this; we don't need your help!"

Wilma (harshly): "Take that up with your government, don't argue with us!"

Both Buck and Fox look to each other in reaction to Wilma's behavior.

Wilma noticing Buck and Fox, Cont: "What are you two complaining about!"

Buck (timid and fearful): "Nothing, nothing Wilma."

Lead Cop: "The Defense Directorate grunts are here to help, nobody argue 
that point."

The camera cuts on to Fox who's moving to talk with the nearest cop to him. 
Fox: "The inmates being held here. How many of them should we be worried 
about?"

Cop Two (the one Fox just spoke to): "We have only eight here that are 
really dangerous, the rest are only here for things like theft and DWI."

Buck starts moving into camera frame when Fox asks: "What floor has the 
jail cells?"

Wilma off camera, V.O.: "You get right back here Buck!"

Cop Two and Fox watch as Buck with a melancholy look moves back out of 
camera range.

Cop Two to Fox: "Is this normal with you guys?"

Fox: "Ever since she first informed us we were coming here."

Fox looks back to Cop Two, Cont: "She's normally quite pleasant, [ beat ] 
even in battle."

Cop Two: "The basement."

Fox: "What?"

Cop Two: "That's where the jail cells are located."

Fox: "Thanks."

Cut to:

int: Basement:

The camera moves in this darkened area into a jail cell that's force field 
is gone. A man that looks like a bum is sleeping.

Moving around can be heard off camera.

The bum wakes up startled and slowly looks around blinking at the darkness 
around him and noticing the lack of a force field on his cell.

He gets up from where he's been and peers out from his cell to see what's 
been causing the noise. It's another man out of his cell, at first a 
distance from Bum, but once seeing Bum moving towards him.

Other Man (a strong whisper): "Do you have a blaster!?"

The Bum shakes his head "no".

Other Man walks across the front to the cells and asks in a stronger tone, 
Cont: "Do any of you have a weapon?!"

V.O. Inmate Woman: "If I had you wouldn't get it."

Other Man: "You shut up!"

Other Man once more noticing the Bum staring at him, Cont: "And you get 
back inside your cell!"

Stumbling to obey the command fast, Bum moves back into his cell and 
crashes on to the floor.

The firefly-like robot zips past the front of his cell and the Bum's eyes 
go wide with shock.

Bum: "Intruder! We have an intruder in here!"

A thump can be heard followed by a whine of pain from Other Man. 

V.O. Inmate Woman: "Hurray you killed a bug."

V.O. Other Man (growling): "I'm getting out of here, [ beat ] can't believe 
none of you want out."

V.O. Inmate Man: "We have the common sense that the cops are right outside 
there waiting for us!"

V.O. Other Man: "Then rot till doomsday!"

Other Man in a fast walk moves past Bum's cell.

V.O. Inmate Woman: "Only till next Thursday on me."

V.O. Other Man: "Shut up!"

Cut to:

int: Stairwell:

This is the kind of place that is closed off from the rest of the Police 
Station. Sets of stairs wind back and forth with only an open gap of a 
yard open between them for air and room, every other set of stairs 
connecting with a floor by a platform and door leading to the further 
interior of the level. As this scene starts Buck is peering down at the 
camera, which is a good distance away from him.

Before turning his head away from the opening, Buck: "All clear."

The camera cuts up to the level of the stairwell Buck, Wilma and Fox are 
standing on. Fox: "Are you sure? I mean I can barely see a thing."

Buck: "One or two of the inmates could be on part of the stairwell we don't 
see, but if not, ya we're in the clear."

Wilma to Fox: "How about you stay behind us."

Fox: "[ beat ] I'm sure I could handle the danger if it arose, I'll be 
fine with being in fro-."

Wilma: "Behind Buck and I."

Before moving behind Buck and Wilma, Fox opens his mouth like he wants to 
say something but stops himself.

With Wilma in the lead and blasters at ready, they move down the stairs 
at a normal pace.

Cut to:

int: Basement Buffer Room:

Other Man looks like he's about to reach for the doorknob on the door's 
entrance, when unheard to us, he detects sound.

He presses his ear against the door and listens with a look of deep thought 
on his face.

Then Other Man takes hold of the doorknob and looks around himself in the 
near darkness of the small room; the room's use being a weapons and tech. 
checkpoint where a cop would rid an inmate of bad belongings. But to the 
dismay of Other Man there's nothing here he can use.

Carefully and hugging the wall he opens the door at a crack just big enough 
for him and slips out of the room to the stairwell beyond.

Cut to:

int: Stairwell:

Not where Buck, Wilma and Fox are, but at the bottom floor Other Man 
breaks away gently from hugging the wall.

Balling a fist and with his attention directed upwards he begins to ascend 
up the stairs softly.

The camera cuts to our trio continuing their journey down the stairs. 
Buck gently puts a hand on one of Wilma's shoulders.

In a snap Wilma turns her gun on Buck's interaction, but realizing who 
she's pointing her blaster at...

Wilma: "Don't touch, not now."

Buck (softly): "We need to talk, I think it's important."

Wilma: "Not now."

Buck: "Yes now."

Wilma: "Why is it important?"

Buck: "Wilma I'm worried about you."

Fox: "Me too."

Buck: "You've been angry ever since you heard we were coming here. More so 
since meeting with Bart. Please before you blow off the head of an inmate 
tell us what's wrong. [ beat ] Maybe we can fix it."

Wilma (eyes down): "I don't want to be here."

Buck: "Well that much is obvious, now tell us why."

Wilma: "I've encountered Black Bart before. Not face to face, but he's 
caused me to have a brushed record"."

Buck: "In regards to what?"

The camera cuts to elsewhere and far down the stairwell. Other Man is 
still slowly making his way up the stairs, listening to our trio's 
echoing voices.

V.O. Wilma: "The first mission I ever flew on was to stop him and his gang 
at the time from completing a heist. [ beat ] After a major battle and more 
lives lost to the Defense Directorate than his band of thieves, we lost."

V.O. Fox: "So you dislike Mars because he's become its ruler?"

V.O. Wilma: "It's more than that. It's because - it's because of that but 
I voted against him."

V.O. Buck: "I thought Earth and Mars didn't connect on things like voting."

At this point by looks Other Man is giving while listening, he's really 
taking this in. V.O. Wilma: "That's part of my point. I went to this planet 
to vote against him but was turned away from the booth after the volunteers 
saw the data file on me. [ beat ] He won, he won even with being public 
knowledge he's a rat!"

V.O. Buck: "I understand this is an upsetting position to be in, but we 
don't have to interact with him, now that's over."

The camera cuts up to where our trio is, still descending the stairs. 
Wilma: "I know, I know, but the fact people like him are respected here."

Other Man comes into view and our trio draw their blasters on him.

Other Man: "Our fists please! I'm unarmed!"

Wilma: "Are there any others?"

Other Man: "No, but I still think you should get out of my way."

Buck: "We won't, but we will escort you to the cops upstairs."

Other Man (looking away): "Rats, they were right."

Other Man looking back at our trio, Cont: "Rats -rats, I don't like the 
president either, we agree on that. Maybe we can also agree you guys never 
encountered me eh?"

Buck: "We'll escort you upstairs to the cops."

Other Man: "Rats."

Wilma moves Other Man into between them, with Wilma in the rear, Other Man 
in the middle and Buck and Fox in the lead.

As they begin their trek up the stairs, Other Man: "It's something you 
didn't know I was alone with that little anbe-bug you sent downstairs to 
spy on the prison."

Buck: "Anbe-bug?"

End of Act Three:

Beginning of Act Four:

int: Police Station:

The camera is focused on Other Man sitting in a corner with bent legs, arms 
crossing the legs and not looking in the best of moods.

V.O. Lead Cop: "What did it look like?"

Other Man: "Ask the Terrans, even though they denied knowing of it, 
they're the only ones that could have known of it."

The camera quickly pans over to a small crowd of cops, Lead Cop and our 
trio which have Other Man surrounded. One of the cops is pointing a 
stun-gun like last seen in Episode One forward, towards where Other Man is 
sitting. Lead Cop and four others turn to give an expecting look towards 
Buck, Fox and Wilma.

Wilma, not looking like she wants to say something nice, opens her mouth 
to speak. But Buck beating her to the punch: "We may be from Earth, they 
are legal back home, but we had nothing to do with it, honestly."

Lead Cop: "Then you'd know best what type of quad it was."

The camera swiftly pans back to being on Other Man. Other Man: "Like a 
metal lightning -." He gets cut off by the lights turning back on in the 
room.

Observing the new change of atmosphere, Cont: "Bug."

V.O. Female Cop Two: "And that's what caused our little blackout."

The camera cuts back to a widened view of the Police Station and we see 
Female Cop Two moving towards Lead Cop, holding out one balled fist for 
him to see. Lead Cop: "How?"

Female Cop Two unballs the hand to show the camera snippets of finely cut 
wire and metal. Female Cop Two: "Human or alien, this can't be the work of 
any organic being. These were found below the power base."

The camera cuts back to being a wider view and we see Buck trying to get a 
closer look at what Female Cop Two is holding. Lead Cop: "Is this any of 
your business?" he says looking at Buck.

Buck backs away a little. Buck: "If you'd like us to help find out the why 
to this, it is."

Lead Cop: "Earth's Defense Directorate isn't needed for this matter. [ beat ] 
Before the blackout did you find the information you needed on the deaths 
in our network files?"

Wilma: "It gave not much more than what was transmitted to us before we 
came here. It only added in better detail how the bodies were found."

Lead Cop: "Then you have no more use of this place. PLEASE tell that to 
the president."

Cut to:

ext: Police Station / Shuttle Park:

In a montage of shots we watch at close-up many of the firefly-like robots 
use pinpoint-sized blasters, damage our trio's Z-87s, making a buzzing 
noise all along like loud bees. In nipping fashion they work away at this 
for a series of five shots.

The montage completes on the sight of the domed machine busted open. 
Metallic ripping can be heard.

As we listen to the noise the camera pans slowly over a Z-87 to a robot: a 
robot that looks like a dragonfly from hell with eyes cut like a snake's, 
sticking out to either side of its head, a foot in length with wings that 
look a size too big for its body. The robot snaps and rips at the hull and 
guts of the ship with a set of pincers moving out to two inches in length. 
Electricity flares from its mouth, this is what we saw in the dome, tightly 
bunched and moving.

The camera cuts back for us to see this scene better. To reveal Buck, Wilma, 
Fox and Female Cop Two watching this scene, well most of it. Some of one of 
the Z-87s is off camera. Female Cop Two: "Then again our matter could be 
your matter too."

Buck turning to Female Cop Two, giving an over-joyful look when speaking: 
"Yuh think?"

Fox: "Someone wants us out of the way and they're willing to destroy our 
ships to do it."

Buck: "And possibly dead."

Wilma to Buck: "Why do you say that?"

Female Cop Two: "Whoever sent these after you might have suspected this 
station was filled with people more treacherous than they really are. 
That they'd, the criminals, would take care of you once out of their cells."

The camera cuts in closer on the group. Wilma: "They wanted us out of the 
way, but not by our mystery killer. Hell on this day, I'm taking them out." 
Wilma starts reaching for her blaster.

Buck: "Wilma, we don't even know who yet. You're jumping the gun," he says 
as Wilma unholsters her blaster.

Wilma aiming outwards with her blaster: "Not our would-be assassins. Our 
little pests -."

The camera cuts on to the Z-87s as Wilma, best described as uses a sledge 
hammer to kill flies. We see her blaster fire take out the robotic bugs, 
even the dragonfly one. Cont: "Our ships are already damaged; I don't want 
our little gremlins doing any more damage elsewhere."

The camera cuts back to our group. Female Cop Two: "You might not get a 
warm welcome back inside but you need to get in. Make a transmission to 
the government about this and needed new ships." They start turning around 
to go back inside the building.

Hearing loud buzzing, Buck starts to turn to look back at the damaged ships.

The camera cuts back to the ships and from behind the ship we couldn't see 
fully on a rear view, one of the dragonfly bots quickly makes its presence 
known.

And in a bolt of an action, in a flying leap, pincers open and flaring with 
life, it lunges towards the camera.

End Of Act Four. 

To be Continued... 

Roll Credits.