CASEY, now wearing FLIGHT GEAR, enters with several ND pilots. ZERO and Hawk move past him and into the room. Standing in the doorway, CASEY notices the CAG and Blair still in a heated debate. MAESTRO enters behind him. MAESTRO: Good first day at work, honey? CASEY: Oh, sure. I've been on board less than an hour and already I've managed to piss off just about every Senior Officer in sight, including Commodore Blair. CASEY and MAESTRO head to the back, until ... STILETTO: Stop right there, Gentlemen! They freeze and turn slowly to see STILETTO standing behind them, arms folded. STILETTO: This is the Diamondback seating area, Lieutenants. Under her gaze, they walk back and take a seat by DALLAS and ZERO. CASEY's attention is again drawn to the heated conversation between the CAG and Blair, which now rises slightly above a WHISPER. BLAIR: Look around you. Most of these pilots are still green. CAG: Talk to the CAPTAIN BLAIR: And we don't even have a full complement of ships. CASEY: (mesmerized) Who's that talking to Blair? ZERO: That's the CAG--Commander Air Group. She's as hard as they corne. MAESTRO: We've met. It wasn't pretty. CASEY: Blair looks pissed. ZERO: Blair may have helped design this ship, but it's her command. BLAIR, still fuming, retreats to the bulkhead and leans against it. The CAG recomposes herself and addresses the group. CAG: Take your seats, people. We have a change in plans. (as everyone sits) As of now, the Midway's on Full Alert Status. (pause) At 0400 hours we received what appeared to be a Kilrathi distress call. Tactical has tried to verify this message fragment ... but whoever sent it has stopped transmitting. Since we're the closest vessel, HQ has ordered us to assess the "situation". The pilots murmur in concern. The CAG breaks off in surprise as CAPTAIN WILFORD (tall, imposing, silver-haired) enters with COLONEL DEKKER (tough, seasoned, a Marine's Marine.) CAG: Attention! CAPTAIN on the deck! The pilots rise to their feet. CAPTAIN: As you were. Sorry to interrupt, Commander, but a live feed is coming in from our SWACS patrol that jumped ahead to the H'rekkah system. This is need to know for all squadrons. (nods to ANDERSON) Open channel Three One. ANDERSON taps his console and the large VIEWSCREEN comes to life with an unbelievable sight--numerous Kilrathi warships adrift, most still ablaze. The Vaktoth's, Paktahn's, Strakha's, etc. are all just so much space junk. We HEAR crosstalk from the SWACS pilot and control. The pilots in the Briefing Room gasp quietly at the sight. Blair shoots a glance at the CAG. She feels his look, but stands her ground, eyes fixed on the screen. CAPTAIN: (CONT. ) As no contact can be established with any of the Kilrathi ships, on recommendation of Colonel DEKKER I have decided that this is now a Marine operation. Commander? The CAG steps forward. CAG: Before we begin ... (pause) Lieutenant CASEY? He looks up, startled. She looks directly at him. CAG: (CONT.) Lieutenant Talvert has recommended you lead the Diamondbacks--based on your "exemplary Academy record" ... He glances at STILETTO, who doesn't look at him. A smile barely plays on her. A couple of the older pilots snicker in BG. CAG: This is highly unusual, Lieutenant. This is not a training exercise. Don't disappoint her. ( to the others) Pilots, please check your ICIS for mission details and assignments. CASEY (et al) studies his console. It comes to life, mission data spilling onto the screen.
CAG: Before I dismiss you, I believe Commodore Blair has a few words. Commodore? BLAIR's expression turns from a frown to genuine surprise. He stands to address the pilots. BLAIR: As you may know, the Midway is not yet fully operational and for some this will be one of your first missions outside the Academy ... He glances at the CAG, who softens just a bit. This is Blair at his best. BLAIR: Keep in mind you're Confed's best ... and watch your butts out there. CAG: Good luck, People. Dismissed. They begin to stand and ...
INT. BRIEFING ROOM -- SPECIAL BRIEFING ENDER
... Make their way towards the door to the flight deck. CASEY comes up to STILETTO, who's gathering her gear. CASEY: Thanks for the opportunity. I won't let you down-- STILETTO: (cutting him off) Forget it, Lieutenant. Just don't make me have to come save your sorry ass. She exits as CASEY looks after her. MAESTRO comes up behind CASEY CASEY: Is it me? MAESTRO: (thinks about it) Yes. C'mon, lets fly. They exit.
EXT. SPACE -- JUMP SEQUENCE (CG)
Midway Jumps INTo H'Rekkah System.
INT. HALLWAY
Pilots run towards the flight deck with their helmets.
INT. FLIGHT DECK
Pilots come spilling out onto the deck, with ND TECHS moving to stations. CASEY enters frame and pulls on his helmet and steps onto the lift. He rises off screen.
CASEY walks up, looking a little lost. Several ND TECHS are scrambling with various equipment as Chief Tech RACHEL CORIOLIS works at an exposed wall panel surrounded by components. CASEY watches her as a warning ALARM goes off. RACHEL: ( to the techs) Damn, there goes the guidance system again. I need that working on the double. And tell 0'Niel to get number Two and Seven Hangar Rams back on line. We've got real problems here. Two TECHS leave, while another TECH hands RACHEL an ICIS. She checks the readout. RACHEL: Christ, doesn't anything work around here? (noticing CASEY staring at her) What's your damage, Flyboy? CASEY: Huh? RACHEL: Did you trash your fighter or are you just lost? CASEY: (in a little shock) Yes, I mean no... Well, I just landed ... and... where do I ... ? RACHEL: Don't they teach you numbnuts anything in school? When you land you check your stats, there. (indicates the station) Then you head to the chute. That leads to decontam. Got it? (pause) God, I hope you fly better than you take directions.
The shrill ALARM goes off again and steam pours from the opening. TECHS run in to help RACHEL. CASEY walks up to check his stats. Glancing over his shoulder at the mayhem behind him, he exits to the decontam chute.
CASEY seated at the table with his feet up. ZERO and MAESTRO are present. They're all wired, excited, scared. DALLAS is pacing. ZERO: Will you sit down?! DALLAS makes a time-out signal. DALLAS: Wait, hold it, stop. This wasn't part of the deal. They were actually shooting out there. We're talking live ammo! DALLAS parks at the bar MAESTRO: I don't want you to get your panties in a bind or anything, Mister, but when you signed on with confed didn't anybody happen to mention that getting shot at was part of the deal? CASEY: Of course, we're still not sure who "they" are yet ... ZERO: (conspiratorially) I heard one of DEKKER's men said the dead cats on board weren't just blown away. They were ... more like cut up into little pieces. DALLAS: (cringing) Cut up? ZERO: Dissected. Almost ritually ... FEATURE big hunting knife as Hawk enters and walks towards table. He hesitates ... until CASEY moves his feet to make room for him. HAWK: Science Division is still working on cracking the codes on the Black Box that DEKKER brought back? They've asked RACHEL to help, but since she still has her hands full bringing the ship on line, no telling how long that might take. CASEY: ZERO says the Cats were ... well, pretty cut up. Any truth to that HAWK: That's the absolute truth. Cut up into little cat chunks. DEKKER's men also found a single Kilrathi word scrawled in blood on the deck. Even they were pretty creeped out about it. The other pilots lean in with interest as DALLAS approaches from the bar. DALLAS: What word? HAWK: My Kilrathi ain't so good. Kn'thrak, I think. MAESTRO: Kn'thrak? What's that mean? HAWK: It's supposed to mean "night" or something like that. ZERO: Darkness, actually. Void. Evil. As they turn to look at ZERO, we hear a THUD in the BG--DALLAS has passed out. MAESTRO glances down at him. The SCRAMBLE ALARM SOUNDS, ("All Pilots" PAVO). They look up surprised and start for the door.
MAESTRO sits at the bar, looping. Other ND Pilots are there. AURORA FINLEY is there, but not obvious.
INT. REC ROOM
CASEY enters. MAESTRO, holding a wicked bottle, signals him from beind the bar. MAESTRO: Case! You've got to try this stuff. Pours and hands him a glass. CASEY: What is it? MAESTRO: Boom-Boom. CASEY drinks reluctantly, MAESTRO egging him on. And then he's hit with it: Boom-Boom. CASEY gags, turns and puts the glass on the bar. CASEY: That's disgusting. MAESTRO: Have another. (he pours) How's our little friend? CASEY: Maniac? Oh ... just the look on his face was enough for me. I thought for sure he was going to lose his lunch right there in his cockpit. They clink glasses and are about to drink when they hear ... FINLEY: (OS) Funny, you sound just like him. ND PILOTS criss-cross to REVEAL AURORA FINLEY behind them, a drink in hand. CASEY: Excuse me? FINLEY: Like Maniac. I'm still amazed at how fast you hotshots get full of adrenaline and testosterone ... you just set a new record, Stud. MAESTRO: ( into his drink) Sounds like a good mix to me. FINLEY: Wrong. It's a dangerous mix. MAESTRO is about to reply when he sees an attractive FEMALE PILOT enter. He grabs for his drink. MAESTRO: Case, duty calls. I'm sure you and Mrs. Freeze will be very happy together. Ciao. MAESTRO grabs the bottle and exits as CASEY moves closer to Finley. CASEY: Sorry, maybe we got off on the wrong foot. My name's CASEY. FINLEY: Science Officer Aurora Finley. I read your report. CASEY: Really, why would a science officer be reading a classified mission report? FINLEY: Ask yourself this question, Lieutenant: If you're not flying against Cats out there, what then? That's where I come in. CASEY: Well, maybe they're renegades or something? FINLEY: Hmm, think so? Well, right now we're analyzing all the data we can to find out. (A BEAT) Look CASEY, you seem like a nice guy. I'd just hate to see you crash and burn, that's all. FINLEY gets up and leaves. CASEY watches her go. He turnes back to the bar not pleased with what he's heard. He tries another taste of the Boom Boom.
RACHEL approaches behind CASEY RACHEL:I saw you fly out there. (a beat) Look CASEY, I've been thinking about the way I snapped at you the first time we met. And... It's just been hell around here and I... I'm RACHEL Corriolis. She extends a hand to CASEY and he shakes it. A tech approaches TECH: Good news chief! We cracked the code in the Kilrathi lock. the ??morning went?? back RACHEL: That's my queue RACHEL leaves, CASEY waits a moment before exiting
EXT. SPACE MIDWAY (CG)
The MIDWAY floats quietly in space
EXT. KILRATHI SYSTEM
MEANWHILE: Alien ships swarm. Worker drones move foundation pieces of the Gate Command Center into place.
INT. BRIEFING ROOM -- SPECIAL BRIEFING ENDER FOR B3B
BLAIR notices CASEY across the room and approaches. BLAIR: Mister CASEY, may I have a word with you? They move aside for a private moment as PILOTS continue to exit the room. BLAIR: I've been reviewing your mission stats. (gives CASEY a long look) At this rate, the Lieutenant's recent performance won't earn him any promotions or medals. In fact, he runs the risk of being dropped from the flight roster entirely-or worse yet, being sent home in a box. CASEY: But, Sir-- BLAIR: No buts, Lieutenant. You'd better get your balls under you and fly like lives depend on it ... because they do. BLAIR exits. CASEY looks after him, slammed. Then he exits to the Flight Deck.
