VOID - SEASON 3, EPISODE 4

Written by

Sean McKnight With Jeni Miller

The End of the Beginning

NARRATOR

Season 3, episode 4. During the last episode of VOID, while Gideon confronted Yehuda Salazar, Serebella and Nova discovered something very disturbing about the Genesis Fountainhead. Having left the facility, the crew now face a difficult decision.

INT. THE CHING SHE - BRIDGE - NIGHT SOUND: CHING SHE INTERIOR - BRIDGE

SEREBELLA REON

We need to make a decision now, we’ll be out of range soon.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Slow down, we need to talk this out. What did you do?

SEREBELLA REON

I told you. While Nova and I were checking the place out I found a vulnerable spot and planted a thermite charge. I have the remote detonator right here. I just press this button and...

URSULA NASH

Stop! Stop! Isn’t the explosion going to kill a bunch of people?

SEREBELLA REON

Those aren’t people! They’re manufactured things!

URSULA NASH

I not interested in killing anyone!

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Yeah, those people still have a right to their lives no matter how they were born.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Captain Rex, can we stop the ship for a bit so we can talk this out?

REGINA REX

Yeah, but not here though. Let me get us out of visual range from the outpost. I’m having a problem with the scopes anyway. Speaking of which...

SOUND: BUTTONS PRESSED

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Hey Gilban, you busy?

GILBAN TRICKEY

(over speaker)

Always! What can I do for you Captain?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

The scopes are malfunctioning. I’m going to be bringing her to full stop shortly, I need you to take a look at the navigation electronics.

GILBAN TRICKEY

Roger that, I’ll run diagnostics and get back to you.

REGINA REX

Alright, we’ll be stopping shortly, feel free to continue your philosophical debate.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

How bad is the explosion going to be?

SEREBELLA REON

Bad enough to shut the place down.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Will people be hurt, or killed?

SEREBELLA REON

Probably.

URSULA NASH

Can they at least escape?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I didn’t see any escape pods or other ships in their docking bay except for a small shuttle. So, maybe not.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

How can you be ok with this Nova?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I wasn’t sure either, but then we saw, we saw...

JONAS ALDRIDGE

What?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

We found their waste disposal area Jonas. There were thousands of bodies and parts of bodies. It was horrible.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Innocent people work there Nova.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Are they innocent? You didn’t see what we saw.

URSULA NASH

I didn’t sign up for murder.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Neither did I. I came out here to save life, not destroy it.

SEREBELLA REON

This isn’t murder, it’s mercy. What kind of life do they have? Either born as slaves to that place or born to be sold for what? Labor?

Rape? Servitude? The only “free” person there is that prick Salazar.

URSULA NASH

I’m not discussing this.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, HATCH OPENING/CLOSING

JONAS ALDRIDGE

What about you Gideon? You’ve been awfully quiet, this is your mission.

GIDEON JUDGE

While I doubt Dr. Salazar is going to do the right thing and give credit where credit is due...

JONAS ALDRIDGE

(cutting him off)

I can’t believe credit is what you’re focused on!

GIDEON JUDGE

If you’ll allow me to continue, while Dr. Salazar is in the wrong, the 5 would not condone destroying the outpost.

SEREBELLA REON

The high members of the 5 from the station? Who cares what they think out here?

GIDEON JUDGE

I do. I serve in the best interests of the station; we still live there, it’s our home.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

(tense)

So Captain Bayflower, it appears we’re at an impasse.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Yes, Captain Aldridge, we are. Captain Rex, we’ll need you to be the deciding vote.

REGINA REX

Awww, isn’t this cute? It’s your first captain’s squabble.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

This isn’t a joke.

REGINA REX

Calm down; if you’re going to learn to be a captain, you better figure out how to take your emotions out of it.

GIDEON JUDGE

Your decision Captain Rex?

REGINA REX

Fine. Objectively, the place is bad news. I plan on leaving the station anyway so I don’t really give a damn what the 5 think. Take the place down. Do it now, no more discussions.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Are you sure we shouldn’t...?

SEREBELLA REON

Yes Captain Rex!

SOUND: BUTTON ON REMOTE BEING PRESSED, VERY DISTANT CONCUSSION SOUNDS

Wow, ok.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

REGINA REX

You better learn to think decisively Captain Aldridge. You make the decision, you take responsibility for it and you live with it.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Tell me Captain Rex, how do you live with the decision you just made?

REGINA REX

Drinking helps.

GIDEON JUDGE

I’m sorry that you felt that was necessary Captain Rex.

REGINA REX

I’m not. You’ll get over the whole credit thing Gideon. It’s about time you let go of all that anyway.

GIDEON JUDGE

(sounding upset)

Very well Captain, I’ll be retiring to my cabin now to meditate.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, MECHANICAL SOUNDS, STEAM, TOOLS BEING USED, KEYBOARD SOUNDS

INT. THE CHING SHE - ENGINEERING DECK - NIGHT

REGINA REX

(over speaker)

Hey Gilban, any progress?

GILBAN TRICKEY

Yeah, I just finished diagnostics and there’s something weird going on.

Go ahead.

REGINA REX

GILBAN TRICKEY

Technically, I can’t find anything wrong. All systems are running at optimum levels, no component failures, no shorts. No indication of faulty wiring either. But, I am finding traces of electrical interference.

REGINA REX

Where’s it coming from?

GILBAN TRICKEY

That’s the mystery. I have no idea. There’s no way to trace anything since the computer is analyzing the system as running perfectly. I don’t know where to start. I was working on figuring that out now.

REGINA REX

Can we still operate the ship?

GILBAN TRICKEY

We can, you’ll just have to fly blind without scopes until we can trace the problem.

REGINA REX

Roger that. Shit, now I’ve gotta do some math. Thanks Gilban.

GILBAN TRICKEY

I’ll let you know when I find something. Trickey Out.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, CREW QUARTERS, KNOCKING, HATCH OPENING/CLOSING, FOOTSTEPS

INT. THE CHING SHE - URSULA’S CABIN - NIGHT

URSULA NASH

Hi Jonas, you can come in.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I’m sorry, is this a bad time?

URSULA NASH

No. It’s fine.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

You were crying.

URSULA NASH

They blew it up, didn’t they?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Yes, they did.

URSULA NASH

Is this what our missions are going to be like?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I don’t know. I don’t think they’ll all be like this but it looks like we’ll have to make some hard decisions from time to time.

URSULA NASH

I never expected I’d be part of something that killed people.

That’s the complete opposite motivation to why I became a doctor.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I studied geology for similar reasons. I wanted to know how the earth and life on it formed. What was the history of that process? How can we foster it again?

URSULA NASH

I’m not so sure I made the right decision coming along Jonas.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

With the nature of just being out in space like this, I’d imagine it’s going to continue to be challenging. We’re both going to have to get used to that. It’s too late to drop you off somewhere.

URSULA NASH

It looks that way.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Which means we’re going to be stuck in this situation until the missions are done. We might as well both get tough and accept it.

URSULA NASH

(sighs)

You’re right. This is normally the kind of speech I would’ve gotten from my brother. Tense situations always brought us close together.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I’m sorry he’s not here.

URSULA NASH

So am I.

(closer, more intimate) But I’m glad you’re here for me Captain.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

(more intimate)

Maybe we can support each other through all this.

URSULA NASH

Sounds good to me.

SOUND: KISSING, TRANSITION SOUND, BRIDGE INTERIOR

INT. THE CHING SHE - BRIDGE - NIGHT

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Don’t you ever sleep? I’m exhausted.

REGINA REX

Sometimes. Any time I’m feeling a little tired I just have another energy drink or coffee.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Coffee is enough?

REGINA REX

Well yes; the cocaine it’s laced with helps.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Do you have any of those energy drinks handy?

REGINA REX

Yeah, grab one out of the mini fridge right there.

SOUND: FRIDGE HATCH OPENING/CLOSING, CAN OPENING

NOVA BAYFLOWER

(takes a sip) That’s better.

(pause a beat, HUGE jolt of energy)

Wow!! I feel that already! What’s in this stuff?

REGINA REX

A ton of synthetic vitamins along with enough meth amphetamine to keep you awake for 3 days.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

What? There are drugs in this too?

REGINA REX

I keep forgetting the whole drug thing is new for you. Look, there are some things you’ll have to get used to that are part of a deep space lifestyle.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

We saw addiction on the colony that really led to terrible things happening.

REGINA REX

If you feel an addiction coming on, just talk to Ursula. She has pills for addiction, don’t worry about it!

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Ok. Speaking of getting used to things, I was wondering if you’ve made a lot of decisions like that.

REGINA REX

Like what?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Like where we just destroyed an outpost and killed a bunch of people?

REGINA REX

Oh, that. Well, there are decisions made out here all the time that are life and death. Sometimes it’s your life in the balance, sometimes not. In my mind, I agreed with Serebella’s point about them being born into slavery or sold as whatever. The whole process is dehumanizing, it makes them nothing more than a product. It was an easy decision for me.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I wasn’t sure which way you were going to go.

REGINA REX

If you put the decision in my lap, you will get my instincts leading the way. You’ll agree with me at times, other times you won’t. Best to accept that.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

There’s a lot of things I need to learn to accept.

REGINA REX

Now accept that I need your help with some math since we’re flying blind.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

What do you mean?

REGINA REX

Some of the electronics are acting up. Gilban’s on it but our scopes are out for the moment so we can’t see anything except for what we see out of the windows.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

How do we navigate?

REGINA REX

We’re going old school rookie. We’ll be using our eyeballs and that thing right next to you. Can you grab that for me?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Sure, what is it?

SOUND: HANDING SOMETHING OVER

REGINA REX

If you’ve ever heard of sextant, it’s the fancy space version.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Oh wow. That’s so cool.

REGINA REX

Let’s see how well you know your stars.

SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, HATCH OPENING/CLOSING, FOOTSTEPS, SHIP CORRIDOR

INT. THE CHING SHE - CREW DECK CORRIDOR - EARLY MORNING

ANKO LUMEN

Good morning Dr. Aldridge. Visiting Dr. Nash I see.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

It’s morning? I have no idea how you can tell what time of day it is. My visit with Dr. Nash is no concern of yours by the way.

ANKO LUMEN

I’m not here to judge. Oh, and it’s called a time piece, you know, a watch?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Yeah, thanks I’ll write that down.

ANKO LUMEN

I heard about your mission. So you killed a renowned scientist and a bunch of his workers, how heroic.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Renowned? For what? For selling people? As for the rest, that wasn’t my decision, I was opposed to the final call that was made.

ANKO LUMEN

Oh. Well, congratulations on a successful mission.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

What are you talking about? How is any of this a success?

ANKO LUMEN

The crew completed a mission, that’s a success. The results are secondary.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

You have an interesting philosophy on how you view success.

ANKO LUMEN

I’m not the only one who thinks that way Dr. Aldridge. We quantify success in different ways, sometimes it’s merely about progress in one way or another. The end result is just a byproduct of the process.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Seems the result would have more importance.

ANKO LUMEN

Only if you think in the most narrow, primitive ways Dr.

Aldridge. It might be time you catch up.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS WALKING AWAY, TRANSITION SOUND, HATCH OPENING AND CLOSING, BRIDGE SOUNDS

INT. THE CHING SHE - BRIDGE - MORNING

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Uh, good morning I guess?

REGINA REX

You might want to just say hi.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Hi Jonas.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Yeah, hi. When did you start your shift?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Shift? I never went to my cabin.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

You never slept?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

No, I don’t really need to with these energy drinks. The meth helps too, right?

SOUND: NOVA AND REGINA LAUGHING

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Ok. Are you sure the whole meth drink thing is a good idea?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Yeah, don’t worry about it, I can always get a pill for my addiction.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Wait, what?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

What are you doing here Jonas?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I just came by to check in to make sure we’re ok.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

What do you mean?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Things got a bit tense and I’m sorry we disagreed.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Oh. I’m fine, we won so it all worked out.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

You won?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Yeah, we won the decision and it went in our favor.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

People died, don’t you think you’re being callous?

NOVA BAYFLOWER

I think I made a tough call as a captain and the final outcome went in the direction I thought it should go. Are youthe one actually upset about it? Is that why you’re really here?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

No, I mean, yes, I’m upset but I’ve accepted the decision. I was just surprised by the decision you made.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Why? Because I don’t think the way you think?

JONAS ALDRIDGE

I just thought, I’m not, shit, I don’t know what to think right now.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Things have changed. We’re in a whole new life in space Jonas, we’re not in the colony anymore.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

That seems to be a recurring theme for me right now.

NOVA BAYFLOWER

Now if you don’t mind, Captain Rex and I were working on the navigation of the ship.

JONAS ALDRIDGE

Sure. I’ll leave you to it then.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, HATCH OPENING/CLOSING, TRANSITION SOUND, CREW QUARTERS

INT. THE CHING SHE - GIDEON’S CABIN - MORNING

GIDEON JUDGE

Astrid, compose encrypted message for the high members of the 5, New Hope station. Encryption key 32, 12, H, 7, V.

ASTRID

Encryption key confirmed. Composing encrypted message in 3, 2, 1...

GIDEON JUDGE

Exalted 5. I humbly pass along my first report. While I made contact with Dr. Salazar at the Fountainhead I’m afraid the end result was unexpected. I was in the process of coercing Salazar back to giving the station it’s proper dedication but I’m afraid he was uncooperative. Following our confrontation a decision was made to destroy the facility. To note, this decision was not mine and I was overruled by the captains in charge. As per your instruction, while I greatly disagreed and could have intervened, I accepted the decision and continued my support. I understand the Fountainhead was not a primary concern but this all happened against my better judgement. I will continue on with the end goal as the only goal that matters. I just wanted to make sure that you all understood that the Genesis Fountainhead was destroyed against my wishes. As to the fate of Dr. Salazar, that is undetermined. Astrid, end message and transmit.

END OF EPISODE 4