Wing Commander II Script Outline

Wing Commander II Script Outline
Creator	Ellen Guon
Download	Download
Filesize	80182095 kB
Date	November 29, 1990
Pages	31

Wing Commander II Script Outline is a development document created during the making of Wing Commander II: Vengeance of the Kilrathi. It is dated November 29, 1990 and is an early outline of the game's story. The document is part of the Warren Spector Papers at the University of Texas at Austin's Briscoe Center for American History (box 2008-091/6).

See Also

• Wing Commander II Art List
• Wing Commander II Characters

Text

WING COMMANDER II

Script Outline: Prologue

November 29, 1990

---

ORIGIN F/X SEQUENCE, then FADE TO BLACK

FADE TO:

ESTABLISHING SHOT - TIGER'S CLAW FLOATING IN SPACE

BEGIN MUSIC: "Mission Briefing" from WC1

NARRATION:	CSS TIGER'S CLAW
	Six months after the Vega Sector Campaign...

CUT TO:

ESTABLISHING SHOT - INT. TIGER'S CLAW - BRIEFING ROOM

We can't tell yet who the commander is...

BLUEHAIR:

Okay, everyone, settle down.

CUT TO C/U BLUEHAIR

Now we see that Bluehair is in Col. Halcyon's familiar position.

BLUEHAIR:	Pilot's, I'd like to welcome you to the Tiger's Claw. I'm Lieutenant Colonel "Bluehair" OurHero, your new commanding officer.
	I hope everyone's recovered from the farewell party for Paladin, Angel, Spirit, Iceman, and General Halcyon....

CLOSE ON HUNTER

HUNTER:

An' don't forget that blo ody lunatic, Maniac! They finally transferred 'im to the psych 'ospital.

RESUME ON BLUEHAIR

BLUEHAIR:	Sad but true, Hunter. Now pay close attention, pilots.
	We've just been assigned a top-priority mission, to spreadhead a major raid deep into Kilrathi space...
	...to their sector command post in the K'Tithrak Mang system.
	The plan is to jump in with a few carriers and Marine transports, hit the starbase hard, then jump out.
HUNTER:	'Nother bleedin' starbase, eh?
BLUEHAIR:	(smiles) You got it, mate.
	Let's just hope it's as easy as the last one.
	Now listen closely, everyone. Knight and Bossman are Alpha Wing...check for enemy fighters at Nav 2 and 3. Kilroy and Sabra are Beta Wing...

CUT TO MEDIUM SHOT

NARRATION:	You assign all the wings...
	...all but one.
BLUEHAIR:	I saved the most important wing for last. Computer, display Kappa.

CUT TO CHALKBOARD SEQUENCE (Can we skip this animation? --Ell)

BLUEHAIR:	On our way to the starbase, the Claw will pass close to the asteroid field at Nav 1.
	We don't know what's out there, so Hunter and I are going to sweep the rocks as the Claw begins its approach.
	We'll either take out whatever we find...
	... or hightail it back here to warn the Claw.

CUT TO C/U BLUEHAIR

BLUEHAIR:	Any questions, pilots?
	(looks around) Good.
	The Claw will complete her last jump in approximately seven minutes. Get ready for immediate launch.

CUT TO MEDIUM SHOT

BLUEHAIR:

Dismissed.

ANIMATION OF CROWD RISING - DIFFERENT BACKS!

DISSOLVE TO:

3SPACE ANIMATION OF TIGER'S CLAW JUMPING

NARRATION:	K'Tithrak Mang system
	Deep within Kilrathi space

CUT TO:

ANIMATION OF LAUNCH-TUBE SEQUENCE

[FLY MISSION 0]

This really should be a basically easy mission-Hunter put on his red shirt this morning, but other than that the mission is a cake walk. However, just as Bluehair is returning ot the action sphere that contains the Claw, we cut to a canned scene:

BEGIN MUSIC: "Boy, did you fuck up!" theme.

C/U BLUEHAIR, INSIDE RAPIER

BLUEHAIR: (look of utter horror) No!

CUT TO 3SPACE SCENE:

The Tiger's Claw floats in the medium distance. Close to us, three Kilrathi stealth fighters in a chevron uncloak, launch missiles, then peel off in different directions. The missiles impact the Claw and blow it to Kingdom Come.

FADE TO BLACK AS MUSIC FADES OUT

CUT TO STARFIELD - dust motes are zooming past us, as if we were headed into the starfield

BEGIN MUSIC: Main WC2 theme-this music needs to be as stirring as the WC1 theme, but at the same time it should somehow reflect the more jaded attitude of this game.

As the music plays, the following titles zoom in from the upper left, hold at full size, then zoom to the lower right, corkscrewing slowly. SFX SPACESHIP ZOOM while this happens.

TITLES: Chris Roberts presents

WING COMMANDER II: CLOAK AND DAGGER

Written by Stephen Beeman and Ellen Guon

Programmed by Two Guys We Haven't Even Hired Yet

Art by Denis Loubet and Glen Johnson

Soundtrack by the Fat Man

Produced by Jeff Johannigman

Directed by Stephen Beeman

Now a space station appears in the far distance, rapidly getting closer. We zoom in on this until we start moving around the station; as we do so, the planet Earth comes into view on one edge of the screen. The station itself remains center frame.

NARRATION:	Confederation High Command, Terra System
	Six months after the destruction of the Tiger's Claw...

ESTABLISHING SHOT-COURTROOM:

Admiral Tolwyn presides over Bluehair's court martial. A very formal-looking bench with seven dress-uniformed figures (Tolwyn in the middle) is in the back plane; Bluehair and hi counsel pan are sitting at a table that pans across the front plane. Spot animations of, say, camera drones with Klieg lights will help convey the information that this trial is based more on media image than justice. Somewhere in the shot is a window, reinforcing the implication that this room is on the starbase we just saw.

HOLD ON THIS SHOT

TOLWYN: Lt. Col. Ourhero, stand at attention

ANIMATION: Bluehair rises

CUT TO C/U OF SPEAKERS AS APPROPRIATE

TOLWYN: Lt. Colonel OurHero...you stand accused of neglitence, incompetence, and cowardice under fire.

TOLWYN: Your actions resulted in the death of 61,000 Confederation defenders. Despite your plea of Not Guilty...

TOLWYN: ... and your ridiculous claim that the Kilrathi used some non-existent stealth technology, flying invisible ships past your position...

BLUEHAIR: It's true, sir.

TOLWYN: ... you are obviously guilty of these crimes against the Confederation.

TOLWYN: But, fortunately for you, this court cannot prove your guilt. Our primary evidence, your black-box flight recorder, is missing from the Confed Security offices.

TOLWYN: Because of this lack of physical evidence, this court is required by law to dismiss your case. We find you not guilty of crimes against the Confederation.

CUT BACK TO FULL COURTROOM SCENE

TOLWYN: This court is adjourned. Lt. Colonel OurHero, report to my office at once.

DISSOLVE TO:

ESTABLISHING SHOT - GENERIC OFFICE (TOLWYN'S)

CLOSE ON TOLWYN

TOLWYN: I wanted to talk to you in private, Bluehair. The court couldn't convict you because of a technicality....

TOLWYN: (glare) But we all know the truth, OurHero. You're a coward, and a traitor…

TOLWYN: ... and I'll personally guarantee that you'll never fly again. Your career with the Navy is over.

TOLWYN: As I assumed that you have some small amount of honor left, my secretary has drawn up your resignation papers....

BLUEHAIR: I won't resign, Admiral.

TOLWYN: (glare) WHAT?

BLUEHAIR: I'm not guilty, sir, I refuse to resign.

TOLWYN: Then I'll offer you one more option, just because I never want to see your face again.

TOLWYN: I have a request from Insystem Security for a mid-ranked pilot. If you'll accept a demotion to Captain, it's yours.

TOLWYN: Otherwise, pilot, you're grounded for life.

BLUEHAIR: I'll accept the demotion, sir.

TOLWYN: Very well. Get out of there…and you'd better hope we never meet again, traitor.

FADE TO BLACK