44 S

44_S
Production	Privateer 2: The Darkening
Type	Cinematic Mission
Series	Xavier Shondi 1
Disc	CD1
Run Time	2m18s
Choice A	Why Not...
Choice B	Better Give it a Miss...
Scenes	308-314
Locations	Surgeon's Blunder Bar

44_S is a cinematic mission cutscene from Privateer 2: The Darkening. It is part of Xavier Shondi 1. It is accessed by selecting Xavier Shondi at the Surgeon's Blunder Bar on Crius after the player has received an e-mail. The player must choose whether or not to escort Shondi's shipment.

• Download: 44_S.mp4

Choice A: Why Not...		Choice B: Better Give it a Miss...

Transcript

XAVIER SHONDI: I hear you've got yourself a ship.

LEV ARRIS: You must have good ears.

XAVIER SHONDI: You've got a little time on your hands.

LEV ARRIS: Who's asking?

XAVIER SHONDI: Xavier Shondi, with an X.

LEV ARRIS: Lev Arris, with a why?

XAVIER SHONDI: Why?

LEV ARRIS: Why do you want me and my ship?

XAVIER SHONDI: I've got a shipment in. All nice gear. Requires a bit of escorting.

LEV ARRIS: I don't usually do escort work. It's something sensitive.

XAVIER SHONDI: I wouldn't say sensitive. A little moody, maybe.

LEV ARRIS: I charge extra for arms shipments, they tend to attract unwanted attention and I've got to know what it's for, otherwise no go.

XAVIER SHONDI: There's a nice little uprising on Karatikus.

LEV ARRIS: What, the mutants, eh?

XAVIER SHONDI: I prefer to think of them as genetically challenged. You got something against muties?

LEV ARRIS: Not if I can help it. So come on, Xavier with an x, what's the score?

XAVIER SHONDI: Guns, a transport.

LEV ARRIS: What are we talking, credit-wise?

XAVIER SHONDI: 8,000 up front, ditto on completion.

Characters

Speaking

• Lev Arris
• Xavier Shondi

25th Anniversary

On May 20, 2020, Privateer 2: The Darkening director Steve Hilliker released The Darkening 25th Anniversary Restoration which featured footage restored from Betacam tapes. The footage has been edited down into a cinema cut but where available it is of much higher quality than the game's files.

• Download: 44_S-P2_25th_ANNIVERSARY_Hilliker_Cut.mp4

Origin Museum VHS

A VHS tape digitized by Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum included versions of edits 7 through 74.

• Download: 44_S-P2_OM_Tape.mp4

Script

A The Darkening Script Draft 7 used during the game's shooting has been provided by Erin Roberts.

• 
• 

SC.308 INT. SURGEON'S BLUNDER BAR CRIUS - DAY

Some kind of gambling game is going on there: people are
crowded around a table.

CROWD

Cheat! / Double my bet! / Hey,

gimme that!

(etc, ad lib)

When the player activates XAVIER SHONDI:

SC.309 ON ARRIS

He's standing off to one side, leaning against a wall,
nursing a drink and watching the crowd.

SC.310 WIDER

A tall, somewhat sinister-looking man comes toward him,
also holding a drink. This is XAVIER SHONDI. He gestures
at Arris in a "do-you-mind-if-I-lean-here-too" gesture.
Arris shrugs, nods: the man settles in beside him.

SC.121 CLOSER - ARRIS, SHONDI

SHONDI

I hear you've got yourself a ship.

ARRIS

You must have good ears.

SHONDI

Got a little time on your hands?

Arris looks down at his palms.

ARRIS

Dunno. Maybe it's just dirt. Who's

asking?

SHONDI

(holds out his hand)

Xavier Shondi. With an X.

ARRIS

Lev Arris. With a Y.

SHONDI

A why?

ARRIS

Why do you want me and my ship?

SC.312 ANOTHER ANGLE

As the two of them discuss their business while acting as if
they're much more interested in the game of [alleged] chance
going on in the middle of the room.

SHONDI

Got a shipment, ain't I? All nice gear.

Requires a bit of escorting.

ARRIS

I don't usually do escort work.

Something sensitive?

SHONDI

I wouldn't say sensitive. A little moody,

maybe.

ARRIS

I charge extra for arms shipments.

They tend to attract...unwanted

attention.

(beat)

And I have to know what it's for.

Otherwise, no go.

SC.313 NEW ANGLE - FAVORING SHONDI

SHONDI

There's a nice little,

uh, uprising on Caracticus.

ARRIS

The mutant thing?

SHONDI

I prefer to think of them as genetically-

challanged. You got something against

muties?

ARRIS

Not if I can help it. So what's the

score, Xavier with an X?

SHONDI

Guns. Transported.

ARRIS

What are we talking, Cred-wise? ARRIS

SHONDI

Eight thousand up front. Ditto on

completion.

SC.314 FAVORING ARRIS

As he considers it.

CHOICE 1:      ARRIS		CHOICE 2:      ARRIS
Good enough way to pick up a few quick ones. Why not?		Pretty good chance of pirates out that way. Better give it a miss