The CAG appears behind CASEY. She knows he feels badly. CAG: I thought you should know--the CAPTAIN has recommended you be transferred to the Black Widows squadron ... and promoted to First Lieutenant. CASEY barely acknowledges her. We can see the agony in his face. CASEY: I don't deserve it, Sir. CAG: I'm sorry, Lieutenant? CASEY: (strongly) I said, I don't deserve it. CAG: And why is that, exactly? CASEY: --Blair ... I-- CAG: Blair knew the risks. Your team takes that same risk every time you go out there. There was nothing else you could have done. Nothing. (beat) Thanks to you--and Blair--the relay transmitter has been repaired and we've sent a warning to Confed HQ. CASEY still doesn't look convinced. CAG: Now, Mr. CASEY, what I want you to do is stow your gear and head to Pilot Country. You need a break. CASEY tries to object. She cuts him off. CAG: It's either that or Medical ... That's an order. (beat) Please? CASEY nods and exits. The CAG watches him go. Once he's gone, we can see how much she misses Blair. CAG: Damn you, Christopher Blair.
INT. REC ROOM (THIS MOVIE PLAYS REQUIRED)
A cork flies off a bottle of champagne. Rack focus to the Rec Room doors opening. MAESTRO, wearing sunglasses, sees CASEY enter. MAESTRO approaches, puts his arm around CASEY and escorts him through tne crowd, talking all the way. MAESTRO: There he is ... my little boy. CASEY: What? MAESTRO: Making his mama MAESTRO so proud. CASEY: WHAT!!?? MAESTRO: Obviously you haven't heard yet. We've been promoted to the most coveted Black Widow squadron. Casey catches Maniac's eye on the other side of Rec Room. It's the first time they've seen each other since their run-in. Maniac takes a step towards him--then RACHEL crosses towards CASEY--and Maniac abruptly steers for the bar. RACHEL, carrying a bottle of old Brandy, reaches CASEY. CASEY: (smiling) Rachel? MAESTRO: She popped in as soon as she heard. And brought us this kind offering. (re: bottle) TA-DA! He hands CASEY an empty glass. RACHEL: (filling their glasses) Allow me gentleman. MAESTRO: To good friends . RACHEL: To very good friends. CASEY catches a glint in her eye. They raise their glasses together. CASEY: Where's STILETTO? MAESTRO: Sharpening her claws, no doubt. Who cares? She's not our boss anymore. RACHEL: (not taking her eyes off of CASEY) MAESTRO, all right if I "borrow" CASEY for a little while? MAESTRO: Enjoy! RACHEL leads CASEY off. We follow MAESTRO over to the Bar, where he joins Maniac, who notices CASEY and RACHEL, talking closely and laughing. MANIAC: I don't get it, I'm a great guy. Best pilot in Confed. People look up to me. So why is it I never, ever get the girl? I ask you, do some guys have all the luck? Or is it just me? MANIAC takes a drink. MAESTRO looks off for a second, pondering this, turns back and then-- MAESTRO: It's you. MANIAC sprays his drink. This was not the answer he was looking for. In the BG, Hawk enters the room, then heads for RACHEL and CASEY. HAWK: Chief, sorry to interrupt. The CAG would like your analysis of the spy eye data that came in from T'lan Meth. She sighs and cuts a look at CASEY. RACHEL: And just when it was getting interesting ... (to Hawk) I'm on it. HAWK nods and heads to the bar. CASEY: Spy eye data? RACHEL: From the probes we've launched into the nearby systems in this sector. They're our eyes and ears right now. CASEY: Can I help? RACHEL: (shakes her head) You're sweet. Besides, tonight you should stay with your friends. Another time. {whispers) I'm proud of you, Flyboy. She kisses him on the cheek and leaves. He watches her go for a moment, then his gaze goes out the window.
They all look up from their ICIS. CAG: Oh, and one thing more. Major Marshall--{beat) MANIAC wakes up with a start. MANIAC: Present! CAG: (shaking her head) Major, you are now in command of the Black Widows Squadron. I expect your Bravo Wing to provide backup for Alpha. A shocked-looking Maniac nods numbly. MANIAC: Y-Yes, Sir. CAG: You're dismissed.
INT. MIDWAY BRIEFING ROOM (BRIEFING ENDER)
As pilots begin to exit, Hawk hangs back and angles for where Maniac is still sitting. HAWK: What's the problem, Major? MANIAC: After all these years to finally have my own squadron. HAWK leans down behind Maniac, right by his ear. In BG, pilots continue to leave the room, singly and in small groups. HAWK: (working it) To finally be in charge. MANIAC: (Dreamily) Yeah. HAWK switches to Maniac's other ear. HAWK: To be in command. MANIAC: Yeah! HAWK switches again to Maniac's other ear. HAWK: To be the one they string up if your squadron screws the pooch on a mission! Maniac thinks about this for a moment, while Hawk leaves, laughing. MANIAC: Yeah ... Hey! HEY, wait a minute. MANIAC chases after Hawk, as the last of the Pilots file out of the room.
CASEY comes up the ramp and checks his stats. STILETTO walks up the ramp a moment later and pushes a button to call the Decontam Lift. STILETTO: Rough mission, CASEY? CASEY: Yeah. STILETTO: So you let one get past you. It happens. Besides ... (smiling) ... I found the buoy anyway. Just dropped it into Science Division's lap. They seem excited. STILETTO enters lift. STILETTO: Coming? CASEY: Uhhh, I'll wait for the next one. STILETTO: Suit yourself. See you in Pilot Country. Elevator door closes.
CASEY enters and joins Hawk at the bar. Hawk nods to him, as CASEY pours himself a drink. CASEY turns and notices Maniac and several ND PILOTS at the Black Widow table. They appear downcast. CASEY: What's up with Major Happy Feet? HAWK: Bravo Flight got cut up pretty bad out there. One of 'em didn't come back. CASEY: Ohhh. Anyone we know? HAWK just shrugs it off. Maniac crosses to the bar next to CASEY and pours himself a stiff drink. Hawk keeps sharpening his knife ... trying to keep from putting it in Maniac's back. Hawk peels away from the bar and on the way past Maniac-- HAWK: (acid--but cool) How's life on the edge, Mister Squadron Commander? Heard you lost one of your adoring fans. HAWK walks off on Maniac's scowl. MANIAC: I've got a good pilot MIA and I come back to this! CASEY: Has SAR got a line on your pilot? MANIAC: (shakes his head) He ejected into the asteroids ... no sign of him. And the CAG has taken my boys off rotation to get a straight eight. That means me, too. (beat) I can't even get out there to look for my guy. CASEY takes this in. Maniac lowers his voice, glancing at the other pilots to make sure they can't hear him. MANIAC: (CONT.) Oh, it gets better. Word is the aliens have been scooping up our pilots whenever they can. Wanna bet they're not giving 'em milk and cookies? As Maniac loads up on a mouthful of pretzels, CASEY begins to sniff the air. CASEY: Whew ... Maniac, what's that smell? MANIAC: (surprised, mouth full of pretzels) What? What smell? Is it me? He checks his armpits. CASEY leans in. Maniac is hooked ... CASEY: I'll tell you what it is, Major. It's the "Plebe" that's going out into the asteroids to find your wingman. MANIAC's too astonished to speak. CASEY: Be right back. As CASEY walks out, Maniac ponders this turn of events. He nods. He's beginning to like CASEY.
A gurney is being carried by two MED TECHS, carrying an unconscious, tattered PILOT. They come up the ramp and are met by ND SHIP PERSONNEL, then move to a staging area just behind RACHEL's console. CASEY stands alone, looking after the young pilot. Then he checks his stats
CASEY checks his stats. RACHEL appears behind him. RACHEL: Pretty slick flying, Ace. (as CASEY faces her) I'm sure he's happy to be home. You know ... you're developing quitea reputation around here. PAVO: Chief Coriolis to the Briefing Room. RACHEL: Never a moment's peace. (reaches over and hits switch) Chief here. On my way. She looks at CASEY and they both laugh. She exits through the main door. He looks after her and exits to decontam.
INT. BRIEFING ROOM MISSION E4A/E4B -- SPECIAL BRIEFING OPEN
CASEY enters and sits just as the CAG steps up to the podium. CAG: Thanks to new reconnaissance data, Tactical is now certain that a large enemy fleet is massing in this system. undoubtedly their prime target will be the Midway. (raising her voice over murmurs from pilots) Reports indicate the enemy hasn't spotted us yet, so we may have the element or surprise on our side. Let's get to work. CASEY et al look down at their ICIS. CG data spills out.
INT. BRIEFING ROOM -- MISSION E4A/E4B SPECIAL DISMISSAL
The assembled pilots look up ... more murmuring. CAG: Now I suspect what I'm about to say will rub sorne of you the wrong way. (beat) The squadron you are rendezvousing with ... is from the one of Feudal Planets of Kilrathi Empire--manned by the T'Agg A'Bren Clan. The murmuring grows even louder. MANIAC: Oh great, now were flying with Cult of Sivar! Why don't we dig up Tolwyn, while we're at it?! HAWK: Sir, you can't be serious! Those religious zealots have been raiding our colonies ever since we nuked Kilrah. They'd love to get another crack at us. The CAG glares them down. CAG: That will be quite enough out of you both ... unless you'd like to do your belly aching in the brig? (the room falls deathly quiet) Look around you ... we don't have the luxury of picking and choosing our allies right now. We either work with the Cats or we die. Is that understood? Do it! Dismissed. She exits frame, heading for the flight deck.
