VOID - SEASON 4, EPISODE 5
Written by
Sean McKnight With Jeni Miller
The Artifact Part 3
VOID PODCAST LLC
NARRATOR
Season 4, episode 5. Previously on VOID, the away team found themselves working their way through a series of challenges leading to the artifact in Gilban’s contract. More was revealed about the past between Regina and Gideon. And at the end of the episode, Gilban and his party found themselves in a desperate situation.
SOUND: DIRT/DUST RUSHING IN FROM ALL SIDES, PEOPLE STRUGGLING
INT. MARS UNDERGROUND - TEMPLE - CHAMBER 2 - BURIAL PIT - NIGHT
GILBAN TRICKEY
It’s no good, I can’t get through, comms keep cutting in and out.
ANKO LUMEN
(pushing stone buttons)
Screw the comms, we need to get out of here, they can’t help us!
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Well pushing those buttons is getting us nowhere!
ANKO LUMEN
At least I’m trying something!
JONAS ALDRIDGE
You could be making it worse!
SEREBELLA REON
All of you! Shut up and get out of my way!
SOUND: DIRT CONTINUES FALLING, GUN BEING UNHOLSTERED, POWER BUILDING UP, GUN BLAST, STONE DOOR BLOWING OUT, FOOTSTEPS RUNNING
SEREBELLA REON (CONT'D)
Move!!
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS IN NEW CHAMBER, DIRT STILL POURING DOWN IN THE BACKGROUND BUT STARTING TO DIMINISH
INT. MARS UNDERGROUND - TEMPLE - CHAMBER 2 - ARTIFACT CHAMBER
- NIGHT
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS SLOWING TO STOP, *EVERYONE CATCHING THEIR BREATH, LOW HUM IN THE BACKGROUND
JONAS ALDRIDGE
(*all out of breath)
I think we should just have Serebella shoot everything from now on.
GILBAN TRICKEY
Yeah, I could go along with that. Thanks Serebella.
SEREBELLA REON
My pleasure.
ANKO LUMEN
What’s that humming sound?
GILBAN TRICKEY
I believe that’s the reason we’re here. Hold on, I want to try comms again.
SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, BUTTONS PRESSED, WIND PICKING UP SLOWLY IN THE DISTANT BACKGROUND
INT. SHUTTLE - NIGHT
REGINA REX
Gilban! Report! (pause a beat) Come on Trickey!
GILBAN TRICKEY
(over speaker, finally catching breath)
Hey Captain. We made it, we’re ok.
REGINA REX
Made it from what?
GILBAN TRICKEY
I’ll tell you later. We’re in the artifact chamber.
REGINA REX
Great, about time! Hey, when you pick this thing up, get out of there quickly, ok? No sight seeing.
GILBAN TRICKEY
We weren’t planning on staying for the grand tour but why the hurry?
REGINA REX
There’s a storm heading this way.
GILBAN TRICKEY
How big?
REGINA REX
Big enough that you shouldn’t waste time asking questions.
GILBAN TRICKEY
Affirmative, Trickey out.
URSULA NASH
Do they have enough time to get out before it hits?
REGINA REX
I have no idea. It depends on what they have left to deal with.
URSULA NASH
Can we move the ship closer to where they went in?
REGINA REX
No, I thought about that too.
SOUND: BUTTONS PRESSED
REGINA REX (CONT'D)
Here’s the problem...See the topography? It’s all crags, pits, and lava canals. There’s nothing remotely level between where they went and where we are.
URSULA NASH
So? Can’t this land on uneven ground?
REGINA REX
Of course it can, but the degrees of how off balance we’d be are too extreme if we have to take off in the storm. The only thing we can do is hope they’re fast getting here.
SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, FOOTSTEPS, HUM GETTING LOUDER AS THEY APPROACH THE ARTIFACT
INT. MARS UNDERGROUND - TEMPLE - CHAMBER 2 - ARTIFACT CHAMBER
- NIGHT
ANKO LUMEN
This is an awfully big room for just this one thing. What do you think will try to kill us this time? Maybe the floor will open up with acid pits. And what was she saying about a storm?
GILBAN TRICKEY
Let’s not worry about that right now.
JONAS ALDRIDGE
I’m a bit more concerned about how we’re going to get out of here.
Anyone see a door other than the one Serebella made? I’m pretty sure we’re not going back that way.
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, MOVING AROUND
SEREBELLA REON
I don’t see anything over here.
ANKO LUMEN
Nothing here either. What now?
GILBAN TRICKEY
Let me collect this thing and then we can search the walls.
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Are you sure that’s safe?
GILBAN TRICKEY
No, but I honestly don’t know of any other move.
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Ok.
SOUND: HUM GETTING LOUDER AS GILBAN APPROACHES THE ARTIFACT, FOOTSTEPS APPROACH AND STOP
SEREBELLA REON
Why does it hum like that?
GILBAN TRICKEY
It’s made of an element no human has ever come in contact with. It’s vibrational frequency is different from other elements. It’s also why some believe that it’s cursed.
There’s always a scientific explanation for curse phenomenon, but you can’t tell Gideon that.
Still fun to think about though. Hang on a sec, I’ve been waiting for this moment a long time.
SOUND: PICKING UP THE ARTIFACT AND PLACING IT IN CONTAINER, CONTAINER CLOSES AND HUM BECOMES MUTED, LARGE STONES MOVING IN THE BACKGROUND
ANKO LUMEN
Great, now what?
SOUND: LARGE STONE SLAB DOOR SLIDES OPEN
JONAS ALDRIDGE
An exit!
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS
SEREBELLA REON
Whoa, that is a lot of stairs.
GILBAN TRICKEY
This is the only way. Let’s go!
SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, WIND OUTSIDE GETTING LOUDER AND FASTER, LIGHT DUST BEING BLOWN AROUND IN THE BACKGROUND
INT. SHUTTLE - NIGHT
URSULA NASH
Hey! It looks like they’re ascending!
REGINA REX
Good, keep an eye on them.
SOUND: BUTTONS PRESSED
REGINA REX (CONT'D)
Gideon! Storm status.
GIDEON JUDGE
(over speaker)
Really building, wind speeds are at 40km an hour. It’s heading right for your location.
REGINA REX
How long before it’s on us?
GIDEON JUDGE
I’d say 20 minutes at most. I’m starting to lose scopes on your location up here.
REGINA REX
Yeah, the electromagnetic fields of the dust are most likely causing interference. Mark our coordinates and keep passing along updates as best you can. We’re not moving from this spot until they reach us.
GIDEON JUDGE
Roger. Rex out.
REGINA REX URSULA NASH
Does that mean we’ll lose our scopes here too?
REGINA REX
Not until the storm is on us. But once it is, probably.
SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, FOOTSTEPS UP STAIRS
INT. MARS UNDERGROUND - TEMPLE - STAIRWELL - NIGHT ANKO LUMEN
(*ALL out of breath) I need a damn break!
GILBAN TRICKEY
We don’t have time for one!
JONAS ALDRIDGE
I hate to do it, but I have to agree with Anko. We’ve been sprintingup these stairs Gilban, I need a second too.
GILBAN TRICKEY
You get 2 minutes. We can’t screw around with this storm coming.
SEREBELLA REON
We understand that Gilban. But we’re close to the top and don’t want to exhaust ourselves and then slip on...
SOUND: FOOTSTEP WALKING THEN SLIPPING, SEREBELLA FALLING DOWN A FEW OF THE STEPS
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Grab her Gilban!
GILBAN TRICKEY
(reaching to grab Serebella)
Got you!
SEREBELLA REON
(embarrassed) Well, that was ironic.
SOUND: GETTING SEREBELLA BACK ON HER FEET, LOW HISS
ASTRID
Warning, there is a puncture in the breathing unit. There are 19 minutes and 37 seconds left of oxygen.
Shit!!
SEREBELLA REON
GILBAN TRICKEY
Break’s over!! Get moving!
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS SCRAMBLING, TRANSITION SOUND, OUTSIDE WIND SOUNDS LOUDER, DEBRIS BLOWING AROUND
INT. SHUTTLE - NIGHT
URSULA NASH
This is getting worse. It’s bad enough that it’s dark but now I can’t even see through the dust.
REGINA REX
Yeah, not ideal out there.
URSULA NASH
How are they going to see through this?
REGINA REX
They’re not. They’re going to rely on their suit displays and follow their GPS units back.
URSULA NASH
Through this?
REGINA REX
It’s that or we wait it out, but I’m afraid waiting isn’t very practical since a storm like this can last a month.
SOUND: BUTTONS PRESSED
REGINA REX (CONT'D)
Hey Gideon, give me an update.
GIDEON JUDGE
(over speaker)
Black out conditions up here I’m afraid. Lost all scans of the temple and your location as the storm is settled in on top of you; it’s massive. The storm’s movement has slowed but it’s wind-speeds are averaging about 58km per hour. I have your coordinates marked but I can’t see anything.
REGINA REX
Ok, we may lose comms with you at some point too, we’ll have to wait and see.
GIDEON JUDGE
Roger, I’m not leaving my command post so I will be monitoring the situation at all times until your return.
REGINA REX
Thanks Gideon. Rex out.
SOUND: BUTTONS PRESSED, BEACON SOUND
REGINA REX (CONT'D)
The beacon should help. Let me check in with them.
SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, FOOTSTEPS LABORING THROUGH HIGH WIND CONDITIONS, WIND AND DEBRIS BLOWING
EXT. MARS SURFACE - NIGHT
REGINA REX
(over speaker)
How are things looking Gilban?
GILBAN TRICKEY
(talking over high winds) We’re out of the temple and on the surface, making our way back now.
REGINA REX
Good to hear. The ship’s beacon is on, you should be able to see it soon.
GILBAN TRICKEY
We’ll keep an eye out for it. Thanks. Trickey out. Serebella, run a status check on your suit.
ASTRID
There are 9 minutes and 11 seconds of oxygen left.
GILBAN TRICKEY
Don’t say anything Serebella, conserve your oxygen however you can. And try not to breathe heavily.
SEREBELLA REON
(under her breath)
Yeah, I’ll get right on that.
GILBAN TRICKEY
Keep your tethers in your hands and make sure you’re firmly connected to the person in front of you at all times! We need to keep moving as quickly as we can. Just keep following my lead, I have the coordinates on my display. We’re heading straight for the shuttle.
ANKO LUMEN
We’ll never make it! You do remember it took us longer than 10 minutes to get here, and that wasn’t with a storm on top of us!
GILBAN TRICKEY
I know, that’s why we’re taking a shortcut. There’s a spot up ahead where we can go up the side of this canal and cut across.
ANKO LUMEN
You want us to climb that wall in this?
GILBAN TRICKEY
Yes, it’s over here! Look, the way it’s crumbled, we can go right up at that spot.
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS RUNNING, THEN STOPPING FOR A MOMENT, WIND AND DEBRIS CONTINUE
GILBAN TRICKEY (CONT'D)
Ok, we have to untether here.
SOUND: CABLES BEING UNTETHERED
GILBAN TRICKEY (CONT'D)
Up this way.
SOUND: CLIMBING
GILBAN TRICKEY (CONT'D)
(out of breath) Made it! Come on!
SOUND: PULLING OTHERS UP, CLIMBING FINISHES
GILBAN TRICKEY (CONT'D)
There, that’s everyone.
SOUND: WIND AND DEBRIS SUDDENLY GET MORE FIERCE, GROUND SLIPS BELOW ANKO, ANKO SLIDING BACK DOWN INTO CANAL
ANKO LUMEN
Ahh!!
Anko!!
GILBAN TRICKEY
SOUND: INTENSE WIND AND DEBRIS, FOOTSTEPS SCRAMBLING
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Anko!! Do you see him??
GILBAN TRICKEY
No!
SEREBELLA REON
I can’t see anything!
GILBAN TRICKEY
I’ll try to climb back down!
JONAS ALDRIDGE
No! I’ll do it, you and Serebella go back to the shuttle! She’s running out of time! I have the coordinates on my display.
SEREBELLA REON
No! I can go back on my own!
JONAS ALDRIDGE
You have a much better chance being tethered together. Go with Gilban! That’s an order! Just try not to leave without us.
SOUND: WIND AND DEBRIS BLOWING STRONGLY, TRANSITION SOUND, WIND BLOWING IN BACKGROUND
INT. SHUTTLE - NIGHT
URSULA NASH
I don’t see anything on these scopes anymore.
REGINA REX
We’re in the thick of it now. We won’t be able to see until the storm lets up.
URSULA NASH
I wish we could run out to help guide them in.
REGINA REX
And get lost in this? Not a good idea. You can’t see past your helmet out there.
URSULA NASH
I’ve never seen a storm before. At least not in person.
REGINA REX
Growing up on the station does have it’s advantages...Wait, there they are! Let’s get back to the airlock.
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, HATCH OPENING, BUTTONS PRESSED, OUTSIDE HATCH OPENING, WIND GETTING LOUDER, FOOTSTEPS, OUTSIDE HATCH CLOSING, INNER HATCH OPENING, EQUIPMENT BEING UNDONE
REGINA REX (CONT'D)
Where is everyone?
GILBAN TRICKEY
Anko got caught in the storm, Jonas went after him.
URSULA NASH
What? Where are they?
REGINA REX
Why aren’t you together?
GILBAN TRICKEY
Serebella’s breather was damaged. She had limited oxygen so we had to come back without them.
SEREBELLA REON
I can get a new breather and go back after them.
REGINA REX
No, everyone stays here, the storm is too strong right now to risk anyone going back out.
URSULA NASH
Are you serious?
REGINA REX
Yes, we have no choice but to wait.
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, BUTTONS PRESSED
REGINA REX (CONT'D)
Jonas? Anko?
GILBAN TRICKEY
I don’t think you’re going to get through. I tried a couple of times on the way back but you didn’t respond so I’m guessing the interference from the storm is too much right now.
URSULA NASH
Keep trying!
SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, FOOTSTEPS, HIGH WIND AND DEBRIS
EXT. MARS SURFACE - NIGHT
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Anko!! Anko!!
ANKO LUMEN
(from a distance) Over here!
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS PICKING UP SPEED, WIND AND DEBRIS CONTINUE
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Oh man, there you are. I can’t believe how far down you fell.
ANKO LUMEN
Yeah, thanks for noticing. Can you help me free my foot? I got wedged in here.
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Yeah, hang on a sec.
SOUND: STRUGGLING WITH ROCK AND ANKO’S LEG, LEG IS FREED
JONAS ALDRIDGE (CONT'D)
There! Got it!
ANKO LUMEN
I guess I owe you. Thanks.
JONAS ALDRIDGE
That must’ve been hard to say.
ANKO LUMEN
You have no idea.
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Don’t thank me yet, we still have to make it back to...
SOUND: WIND INTESIFIES AGAIN, LARGE CHUNKS OF ROCK BREAK APART AND START TO CRUMBLE DOWN ON TOP OF THEM
ANKO LUMEN
Look out!
SOUND: TRANSITION SOUND, BUTTONS BEING PRESSED
INT. SHUTTLE - NIGHT
REGINA REX
Nothing, I can’t raise them on comms at all.
SOUND: OPENING CONTAINER, HUMMING SOUND
REGINA REX (CONT'D)
What the hell are you doing?
GILBAN TRICKEY
I just wanted to look at it for a minute.
URSULA NASH
Are you seriously playing with that thing right now?
REGINA REX
There are more pressing priorities at the moment Gilban.
URSULA NASH
Yeah, this is your mess, why don’t you volunteer to go out and look for them?
REGINA REX
We discussed this Ursula, no-one is going out there.
URSULA NASH
I know! I just want himto care about something besides his precious prize!
REGINA REX
Gilban, put it away right now! The humming is driving me nuts and I don’t want an unknown element out of a containment field until you know more about it.
PAUSE A BEAT
REGINA REX (CONT'D)
Gilban?? Are you listening to me?
GILBAN TRICKEY
Wait, what? I zoned out for a moment.
REGINA REX
I noticed! Put it away, now!!
GILBAN TRICKEY
Sorry.
SOUND: ARTIFACT BEING PUT BACK IN CONTAINER, CONTAINER CLOSING, HUM STOPS
SEREBELLA REON
What was that all about? You ok buddy?
GILBAN TRICKEY
Yeah, I’m fine, I just...
URSULA NASH
There! I see them!
SOUND: FOOTSTEPS, BUTTONS PRESSED, OUTSIDE HATCH OPENING, FOOTSTEPS COMING IN, OUTSIDE HATCH CLOSING, INNER HATCH OPENING, FOOTSTEPS IN, HELMETS COMING OFF
URSULA NASH (CONT'D)
Oh, thank goodness, you made it back.
SOUND: URSULA HUGGING JONAS
JONAS ALDRIDGE
(out of breath)
Yeah, we’re back, thanks for the warm reception.
REGINA REX
Are you both ok?
JONAS ALDRIDGE
I’m fine, Anko might be hurt though. I had to rescue him.
ANKO LUMEN
Starting already I see.
URSULA NASH
I did notice you limp in here Anko. I should take a look.
ANKO LUMEN
Yeah, whatever.
REGINA REX
Alright. Jonas, Serebella and Gilban, get situated and strapped in for takeoff. Ursula, take a look at him quickly and then I need you both ready for launch as soon as possible.
URSULA NASH
No problem. Anko, sit down right there. Let me take a look.
SOUND: CREW IS CHANGING GEAR, GETTING SITUATED AND READY FOR LAUNCH, FOOTSTEPS, BUTTONS PRESSED, ENGINES WARMING UP, WIND AND DEBRIS BLOWING AROUND HEAVILY
REGINA REX
Gideon, not sure if you can hear me but we’re getting ready to launch from the surface to make our approach back. Will call again when we’re off the ground. Rex out.
JONAS ALDRIDGE
Can you take off in this?
REGINA REX
We’re about to find out. Ursula?
URSULA NASH
Anko has a severe sprain, I’ve applied an elastic bandage for support until we get back. We’re both seated and ready for launch.
REGINA REX
Fine, everyone else good to go? Ok, let’s get the hell out of here.
SOUND: WIND, DEBRIS, ENGINES FIRING UP
End of episode 5