Chain of Command
Chain of Command is the sixth episode of Wing Commander Academy aired and the seventh produced.
| Lords of the Sky | |
|---|---|
| |
| Episode Number | 1x06 |
| Production Code | 74707 |
| Story | Mark Edens |
| Writer(s) | Brooks Wachtel |
| Air Date | November 2, 1996 |
| Run Time | 20m56s |
| Animation Studio | Madhouse |
| Theme | Version 1 |
| Previous | Lords of the Sky |
| Next | Expendable |
Summary
Act One
| Terran Confederation | Empire of Kilrah | |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | ||
| 3 CF-105 Scimitar medium fighters | 34 Dioscuri Dralthi medium fighters | |
| Losses | ||
| 1 Scimitar destroyed | 8 Dralthi destroyed | |
Act Two
Act Three
| Terran Confederation | Empire of Kilrah | |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | ||
| 4 CF-105 Scimitar medium fighters 1 Shuttle |
12 Dioscuri Dralthi medium fighters | |
| Losses | ||
| command and control installation destroyed | ||
Characters
Speaking
Commodore Geoffrey Tolwyn
2nd Lt. Christopher "Maverick" Blair
2nd Lt. Gwen "Archer" Bowman
2nd Lt. Todd "Maniac" Marshall
2nd Lt. Hector "Grunt" Paz
Dioscuri Chieftan
Kilrathi Commander
Kilrathi Sensor Operator
Kilrathi Soldier
Kilrathi Soldier
Nonspeaking
Tiger's Claw Bridge Crew (5)
2nd Lt. Lindsay "Payback" Price & 2nd Lt. Yulan "Hyena" Chang
Guards (3) and Medic
Medics
Dioscuri Child
Dioscuri Pilot
Dioscuri Priest (left)
Dioscuri Raiding Party
Dioscuri Raiding Party (3)
Dioscuri Raiding Party
Dioscuri Raiding Party (2)
Dioscuri Temple Guard
Dioscuri Search Party
Dioscuri Search Party (5)
Dioscuri Torch Bearers (2)
Dioscuri Ceremony Attendees (3)
Dioscuri Musicians (2)
Prince Thrakhath nar Kiranka
Kilrathi Soldier
Kilrathi Soldier (right)
Kilrathi Soldier
Kilrathi Soldier
Kilrathi Soldier (3, right)
Kilrathi Soldier
Kilrathi Soldier
Kilrathi Soldier (center)
Kilrathi Soldiers (2)
Alien Skulls (3)
Alien Skulls (3)
Alien Skulls (2)
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Locations
Tiger's Claw
Briefing Room
Hangar
Bridge
Observation Deck
Dioscuri 2
Environs
Sky
Canyon
Crash Site
City
Temple
Mountain Path
Kilrathi Base
Dralthi Crash Site
Cockpits
Scimitar
Fauna
Discurian Ovizard
Ships
Terran Confederation
Fighters
Capital Ships
Empire of Kilrah
Fighters
Vehicles
Terran Confederation
Scimitar Ejection Pod
Small Arms
Terran Confederation
Pistol
Shotgun
Empire of Kilrah
Rifle
Dioscuri
Axe
Ceremonial Axe
Bolas
Club
Spear
Trivia
Animation Errors
Credits
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Story by | Mark Edens |
| Written by | Brooks Wachtel |
| Producer | Larry Latham |
| Executive Story Editors | Mark Edens |
| Michael Edens | |
| Executive Consultant | Ralph Sanchez |
| Executive Story Consultants | Richard Hilleman |
| Adam Foshko | |
| Starring | Mark Hamill (Maverick) |
| Tom Wilson (Maniac) | |
| Malcolm McDowell (Tolwyn) | |
| Dana Delany (Archer) | |
| Also Starring | Jessica Walters (Bergstrom) |
| Kevin Schoen (Thrakhath) | |
| Pat Fraley (Grunt, Gharal) | |
| Music by | Alexander Van Bubenheim |
| Voice Direction and Casting | Susan Blu |
| Pre-Production Sound by | Screenmusic Studios, Inc. |
| Pre-Production Sound Mixer | Pete Elia |
| Recording Assistant | Mark Caballero |
| Storyboards | Bob Smith |
| Sean Bishop | |
| Ian Freedman | |
| Tim Eldred | |
| Storyboard Cleanup | Judy Nielson |
| Timing Directors | Carole Beers |
| Brian Ray | |
| Zeon Davush | |
| Al Wilsbach | |
| Gerard Baldwin | |
| Character Design | Larry Latham |
| Tim Eldred | |
| Prop Design | Lee Go |
| Background Design | Derek Carter |
| Background Color Key | Kathryn Yelsa |
| Computer Color Key | Cynthia McIntosh |
| Studio Production Manager | Alex Johns |
| Production Manager | Patty Jausoro |
| Production Coordinator | Estrella Capin |
| Production Assistants | Aaron Justman |
| Scott Huml | |
| Manuel Cano | |
| Monte Alexander | |
| Junior Gonzalez | |
| Danik Thomas | |
| Executive in Charge of Post Production | Barbara Beck |
| Editors | Jay Bixsen |
| Paul D. Calder | |
| Assistant Editor | Michael Trueba |
| Track Reading | Glenwood Editorial |
| Negative Cutting | Executive Cutting |
| Post Production Video | Unitel Video, Hollywood |
| Post Production Sound | West Productions Inc. |
| Supervising Sound Editor | Rick Hinson |
| Re-Recording Mixers | John Boyd |
| Stuart Calderon | |
| Overseas Animation Studio | Madhouse Animation |
| Overseas Animation Director | Masao Maruyama |
| Produced in Association with | USA Network |
Transcript
Act One
SCENE - Bridge
Tolwyn: You've covered standard Kilrathi jump node tactics in class. First, scout ships come through followed by a larger reconnaissance force. Only then do they commit their fleet's main body. We'll destroy the Kilrathi scouts as they come out of the node before they can report. We can't let them know they're up against one lone carrier. I asked for reinforcements from fleet command weeks ago. There's too much Kilrathi activity in this sector. They're up to something, I can smell it.
Maverick: Sir, why was I ordered to remain onboard? I'd rather be out there with my squadron.
Tolwyn: We don't always get what we want, cadet. You're here to learn what it means to command.
Maverick: Shouldn't a leader share the dangers of the people under his command, sir?
Tolwyn: Any fool can be brave. The hard thing is to be right. War doesn't forgive mistakes, Mr. Blair. Scout ships, just as I expected. All fighters, power up and attack.
SCENE - Jump Node
Maniac: Thank you very much. Afterburners on my mark, now.
Archer: Looks like a corvette and two heavy fighters.
Maniac: I'm getting scanned. They've seen us and they're running for home. (laugh) Must have heard I was here.
Archer: Maniac, we're going for the corvette. Cover us.
Maniac: Woo-hoo!
Archer: Can't let them get to the jump node. Concentrate on the engine ports. I got his engines!
Hyena: Target lock. Launching torpedoes. Hah! Torpedoes away!
Archer: I got his engines. No! He wasn't going anywhere, I got his engines.
Hyena: Aw man, did you see that shot? I should do this for a living.
Archer: Can the chatter. Today it was the Kilrathi, next time it could be one of us.
Hyena: Man, what got your flight suit in a wad? We've got flashes coming from the jump node, more bogies coming through.
SCENE - Bridge
Tolwyn: Oh, the recon force shouldn't have jumped through so soon. It's not how the Kilrathi do it. Order all fighters to attack, immediately.
Nelson: Sensor probe indicates seven ships coming through.
Scene - SPACE
Archer: Looks like heavies, I think one's a carrier. And escorts.
Maniac: Hey Archer, you guys hit the carrier's laser turrets. I'll fly through the hangar deck and blast the guts out of it.
Archer: When are you going to grow up?
Maniac: I can do it. I ran it in the simulator in tactics class.
Archer: This isn't a simulation. Understood. Maniac, I just got orders from Tolwyn, abort the attack.
Maniac: Aw, no, that catbox was mine.
Archer: You mean it's ours. They're Confederation.
SCENE - Bridge
Nelson: I read carrier Trafalgar, light cruiser Manassas, three Achilles-class destroyers and two Byrd-class recon ships. Signal from the Trafalgar. Admiral Bergstrom requests permission to come aboard.
Tolwyn: Rhea Bergstrom?
Nelson: You know Admiral Bergstrom, sir?
Tolwyn: I used to. A long time ago.
SCENE - Flight Deck
Tolwyn: Welcome aboard the Tiger's Claw.
Bergstrom: That's ten credits you owe me.
Tolwyn: I'm afraid I don't understand, Admiral.
Bergstrom: Our bet, when we were cadets at the Academy. Who would make Admiral first.
Tolwyn: yes. (laughs) We were young, so ambitious. (clears throat) Congratulations on your promotion.
Bergstrom: Thank you, Commodore.
SCENE - Briefing Room
Tolwyn: I'm sorry Admiral, but you're wrong. Letting the Kilrathi through the node and using the Tiger's Claw to lure them into an ambush is...
Bergstrom: A calculated risk. Our two carriers have a combined strike group of nearly 140 fighters. That ought to be enough.
Tolwyn: For what? We'd be retreating into an unsecured system. For all we know half the Kilrathi fleet could be out there waiting for us.
Bergstrom: (scoffs) The Kilrathi won't commit major units to this sector. That's why you were sent here, Tolwyn, to babysit a bunch of wet nosed cadets. There's nothing in this sector the Confederation can't afford to lose.
Tolwyn: The last time we met you still called me Geoffrey.
Bergstrom: You said it before, we were young then. You have my orders, now carry them out.
SCENE - Flight Deck
Archer: Nice job, Maniac. You almost bagged that carrier.
Maniac: Yeah, maybe next time I'll stay on the 'Claw and polish Tolwyn's brass.
Bergstrom: Cadet Blair, I understand you lead the recon through the jump node that discovered the Kilrathi fleet.
Maverick: Yes, Admiral. Cadet Price flew wing.
Bergstrom: We'll talk in my shuttle.
SCENE - Bergstrom's Shuttle
Bergstrom: What's your opinion of Commodore Tolwyn?
Maverick: Cadets aren't supposed to have opinions of commodores.
Bergstrom: Very proper, but let me tell you mine. Geoffrey Tolwyn is always competent and often brilliant. But fleet command doesn't rust him. Our forces have to act as a team but Tolwyn is fighting his own war.
Maverick: Why are you telling me this, Admiral?
Bergstrom: I don't trust him, either. I want you to report to me if Tolwyn fails to carry about my orders.
Maverick: Admiral. you're asking me to spy on my commanding officer?
Bergstrom: I'm not asking you to spy on him, I'm ordering you to.
Act Two
SCENE - Space
Grunt: I've lost the ships and I've lost all contact with both Maverick and Maniac.
Tolwyn: Understood. Hold your position. We'll vectoring a flight of Scimitars to Dioscuri 2 to help with the rescue, but it'll be a few hours before they can get there. Do not, repeat, do not attempt a solo rescue.
Grunt: Yes sir, Grunt out. The Marines had one rule when I was with them at Repleetah: nobody gets left behind.
SCENE - Crash Site
Grunt: (groans) And I thought I was through with all that behind enemy lines crud when I transferred out of the marines.
Dioscuri: (yelling)
Grunt: (cheering) Don't mess with the marines.
SCENE - Dioscuri City
Maniac: They could at least let us stand up. I think my feet are getting numb.
Maverick: Yeah, like your head.
Maniac: Oh hah hah. Ow.
Maverick: I've still got the personal transponder from the ejection pod. The rescue flight will be able to hone in on it.
Maniac: Well turn it on, Grunt can track it, he'll get us out of here.
Maverick: Oh, it's in my pocket.
Maniac: (groans) If I wasn't tied up.
Maverick: quiet! Look! It's okay, we won't hurt you.
Maniac: How can we, tied up like this?
Maverick: Oh, now look what you did! What, is that your goal, to get this whole planet ticked off at us?
Maniac: Oh hey, what did I do? I was just, you know...
Chieftain: Do you hear the drums? It mourns for the riders of the chariots that fly. Many will not return.
Maniac: (laughs) Hey, you bite, we bite back.
Maverick: We were only defending ourselves. We didn't expect you to have fighters like that.
Chieftain: The lords of the sky gave us the flying chariots to protect ourselves from the lords of darkness.
Maniac: Look, we're the lords of the sky. Those things are the lords of darkness.
Maverick: No, we're not lords of anything. We're beings like you, only from other worlds. The ones that gave you the fighters, or chariots, we're at war with them. They said they were the lords of the sky to trick you. That's the difference between us and the Kilrathi, they lie to you, we tell the truth.
Chieftain: The mouths of the dark lords... are a well of lies! You will be sacrificed to the Llords of the sky
Maniac: Great job, Maverick, you sure convinced him.
SCENE - Dioscuri Temple
Grunt: (groans) Now I remember why I left the infantry. (grunts)
Chieftan: Oh lords of the sky, accept these offerings, your sworn enemies. Feast on their spirits and grow strong.
Maverick: Maniac, I want to apologize. You know, for getting you killed.
Maniac: Ah, it's my fault, Maverick. You were my wingman, we should've stuck together.
Maniac: Pretty high tech ceremony these guys put on.
Maverick: Yeah, Kilrathi high tech!
Act Three
SCENE - Dioscuri Temple
Commander: Great Shaman, the lords of the sky are pleased with these noble offerings. Yes, very pleased. Now go, leave us to accept your offerings.
Maniac: Uh, pardon my curiosity but what are you going to do with us?
Commander: The Dioscurians believe we are going to devour you. The reality will not be that present.
Maverick: The Kilrathi mock Sivar by pretending to be lords of the sky.
Commander: Sivar is exalted when the Kilrathi trick their enemies.
Maverick: (grunts)
Commander: Look what we have done with this planet. With a mere handful of warriors we control it. We've armed the primitives with our discarded weapons and turned this planet against the Confederation.
Maverick: What if they turn those fighters against you?
Commander: This mountain is taboo, forbidden. The primitives are afraid to fly near it. And if they do fight us, the ships won't fly without enabling codes which we transmit. (laughs) You see, we are truly lords of the sky. If you would be so kind as to carry the offerings. The food is simple here, but sufficient.
Maniac: Hah, carry it yourself. And I hope you hock up a furball when you eat it.
Maverick: Uh, Maniac, this isn't the time.
Maniac: Sure, heh, why not. Maybe I got a future in food services.
Commander: Hmm. For the moment you seemed to have the heart of a Kilrathi.
SCENE - Mountain Path
Maniac: (groans) Remind me never to fly with you again. Ow!
Soldier: On your feet, Terran.
Grunt: Stay down!
Soldier #1: (grunts)
Soldier #2: (screams)
Grunt: (grunts) Come on, move it!
Commander: I want them alive.
Maverick: We won't be able to outrun them, the Kilrathi are born hunters.
Grunt: Yeah, well I'm no bunny rabbit.
Soldier #1: (scream)
Commander: Fall back to the mountain top. The hunting karrigle has more than one talon in which to catch its prey.
Grunt: Looks like they're pulling back. Maybe we can reach the fighters. Mine's in the canyon not too far from Maniac's.
Maverick: No, that's no good. We've got to knock out the transmitter that sends the enabling code to the Dioscurians or the rescue team will fly right into an ambush. There's not much time.
Maniac: Well I say we join the marines.
SCENE - Kilrathi Base
Commander: The Terrans must have reached their ships by now. Shoot them down as soon as they left off.
Sensor Operator: Three contacts coming in from space.
Commander: More Terrans. Transmit the enabling codes. Our Dioscurian friends can handle them.
SCENE - Dioscuri 2
Archer: Grunt, do you copy? Come on Grunt, answer me. Look sharp, we've got company. Lock on targets and prepare to fire on my signal. Proximity bursts only. No casualties unless we have to.
SCENE - Kilrathi Base
Commander: We're under attack, reinforce the perimeter.
Grunt: Man, we could use some air support.
Maverick: Wait, my transponder! (grunts)
SCENE - Dioscuri 2
Archer: A transponder signal, yes! Way to go Maverick! Payback, Hyena, hold off those fighters. I'm going down for a closer look.
SCENE - Kilrathi Base
Sensor Operator: One of the Terran fighters is approaching. Target lock confirmed.
Archer: Woah, too close. Can't evade.
Grunt: One... shot.
Archer: I have to do it. I have to.
Maniac: Hey Grunt! How'd it feel to be a ground pounder again?
Grunt: I think I'll stick to flying. But for a couple of pampered fighter jocks, you two made pretty good marines. Uh but don't ever call me a ground pounder again okay.
Maverick: (laughs) You rest up, the wing needs you.
SCENE - Dioscuri City
Maverick: Forget the lords of the sky and the chariots that fly. Return to your old ways. The Confederation will watch over your planet. If the Kilrathi return, so will we. Uh, anything else I should say, Maniac?
Maniac: Tell 'em... (laughs) the real lords of the sky have spoken! (laughs)
