SC 0010A

SC 0010A
Production	Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom
Type	Plot
Series	Introduction
Disc	CD1 (PC), CD1 (PSX), Side A (DVD)
Run Time	8m47s
Choice A	Help him out.
Choice B	Straighten him out.
Scenes	1-8, 12A-13
Locations	Space (Nephele), The Great Assembly, Nephele III Bar

SC_0010A is a cutscene from Wing Commander IV: The Price of Freedom. It is part of the introductory series of cutscenes. It shows a Black Lance attack on a medical ship, the debate over war in the Great Assembly and Colonel Blair's meeting with Maniac at the Nephele III Bar.

• Download: SC_0010A.mp4

Choice A: Help him out.		Choice B: Straighten him out.

Transcript

RUSSO: Home stretch, boys. Status report?

SPARKY: Green 2 to Green Leader: All clear.

VINMAN Green 3: Sleepy time.

RUSSO: Roger that. Just the way we like it. Green Leader to Control.

CONTROL Control here: Whaddya got for me, Russo?

RUSSO: Clear sailing. It's an awfully lonely little corner of the galaxy. �Wish you were here beside me.

CONTROL In your dreams, Green Leader. Been some trouble in these backwaters lately, so don't let the space dust lull you.

SEETHER: Let's do it.

CONTROL: Green Leader: We're reading... something out there: sector niner.

RUSSO: Ghosts in the machine, Control, but I'm checking here. No. Nada. Nothing. You're letting your imagination run wild.

SPARKY: What the hell? Control, Russo's off my scope! Moving in.

CONTROL: Green 2: something is definitely out there!

SPARKY: I got nothing! Russo? It can't be!

CONTROL: Green 2? Respond! Green 3? Are you under attack?

VINMAN: Sparks? Russo? I got bandits swarming me!

SEETHER: You're all mine.

VINMAN: Can't shake him! He's got lock! He's got lock! I'm hit! Full systems failure! Need help!

CONTROL: Eject, Vinman!

BLACK LANCE PILOT: �He's all yours, Dragon Leader.

SEETHER: Goodbye.

CONTROL: To unknown contacts: This is an unarmed Confederation Medical Transport evacuating civilian refugees! We will heave to and prepare to be boarded. You must break off your attack! �

SEETHER: The Border Worlds take no prisoners.

CONTROL: MAYDAY! This is the transport Amadeus. Destination: Megaron. Border Worlds forces have destroyed our escort! MAYDAY! MAYDAY! This is an extreme emergency!

SEETHER: Lighting the Flash-Pak.

CONTROL: Mayday! Confederation transport Amadeus MOD-SB71, issuing Class A distress call! MAYDAY!

SEETHER: Pulling out. Rendezvous at Sigma 3 as planned.

CONTROL: Wait! They seem to be pulling back. To Border Worlds forces: We appreciate your withdrawal.

SEETHER: Well, I'd call that a successful test. Let's go.

-

MAJ. JAMES "PALADIN" TAGGART: Order! Order! Order! The house will come to order! You'll shortly have an opportunity to voice your opinions of the recent horrific occurances that have taken place near the Border Worlds. But, before we do that, I thought it fit to invite the commander of the Strategic Readiness Agency to address the house. Admiral Tolwyn.

ADMIRAL TOLWYN: Thank you. Thank you, Senator. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Great Confederation Assembly. �As commander of the S.R.A., I'm charged with many duties. Foremost of these is the protection of the frontiers of our galaxy. Unfortunately, I stand before you today with very few answers.

SENATOR #1: What do you mean 'few answers?'

ADMIRAL TOLWYN: The random acts of violence taking place in the Border Worlds still remain a mystery.

SENATOR #2: It's renegade pirates I tell you!

SENATOR #3: No, it's worse. The Border Worlds militia is behind it!

ADMIRAL TOLWYN: Let me remind you that, during the long war with the Kilrathi, the Border Worlds were a loyal ally.

SENATOR #4: And now they attack us!!!

MAJ. JAMES "PALADIN" TAGGART: Order! Order! Order! !

ADMIRAL TOLWYN: Let us not allow lust for revenge to cloud our thinking. We mustn't forget who our friends are. However, we must also keep in mind that, during the War, certain social and political changes were taking place along the frontier. Now, whether or not these changes relate to the senseless acts of terrorism remains to be seen. But see to it, I will. I can promise you that!

MAJ. JAMES "PALADIN" TAGGART: Admiral, you are aware that the increase of these incidents has raised the tensions between us and the Border Worlds to a dangerous level. But before this august body commits itself to a grave and irrevocable action, I have asked the Admiral to investigate and report back to us in two weeks. Admiral, you go with the blessing of this Assembly and every peace-loving person in the galaxy. In two weeks, we shall vote on war or peace.

-

BOB: This concludes our live coverage of Admiral Tolwyn's address to the Great Assembly. Barbara?

NEWS ANCHOR: Thanks, Bob. These next two weeks will tell if we have any hope of resolving the tensions that are growing at the very fringes of our society. Good Evening. This has been the TCN Nightly News. I'm Barbara Miles.

CANTEEN BARTENDER: What can I get ya?

COL. CHRISTOPHER BLAIR: Oh, give me a Hell's Kitchen.

CANTEEN BARTENDER: I haven't served one of those since the War ended.

CANTEEN VET: Hey, pal. Can you spare the price of a drink for an old vet?

COL. CHRISTOPHER BLAIR: You were a flyer?

CANTEEN VET: Hell, yeah. I flew off the TCS Liberty.

Characters

Speaking

• Senator James Taggart
• Senator 1
• Senator 2
• Senator 3
• Senator 4
• Admiral Geoffrey Tolwyn
• Colonel Christopher Blair
• Control
• Russo
• Sparky
• Vinman
• Black Lance Pilot
• Evan Bean
• Bob
• Barbara Miles
• Canteen Bartender

Vehicles

• TCS Amadeus
• Lance (5)
• F-86 Hellcat V (5)

DVD

The DVD Version of Wing Commander IV includes much higher resolution versions of almost every cutscene from the CD-ROM release.

• Download: SC_0010A.mp4

PlayStation

• Download: SC_0010a.mp4

Translations

Wing Commander IV's cutscenes were dubbed for the French and German releases.

French

PC

• Download: SC_0010A.mp4

PlayStation

• Download: SC_0010a.mp4

German

PC

• Download: SC_0010A.mp4

PlayStation

• Download: SC_0010a.mp4

Script

Shooting Script

A Wing Commander IV shooting script has been digitized from the collection of the University of Texas at Austin. A digital version (extracted below) was posted to Origin's Wing Commander IV website in 1996.

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MIDGAME: DEEP SPACE (NEPHELE SYSTEM)

The Nephele System is a lonely, half-forgotten

system at the outer fringes of civilization.

Nothing much happens here... Until now...

We see a small convoy of Confederation civilian

transports ... being escorted by

several lightweight fighters.

Not far away, a group of SLEEK FIGHTERS closes

in on the convoy. These ships are like nothing

we've ever seen before in the Wing Commander

universe: glowing forward intakes; ultra state-

of-the-art; but ... devoid of any insignia.

We have no idea who or what they represent.

We don't have a clue who they're fighting for ...

or against.

We'll find out these ships are designated

"Dragons" and are an outgrowth of the Excalibur

program. Their design brings to mind only one

word: Death. We will eventually learn that

this group is a wing of an elite and extremely

secret force called The Black Lance...

MIDGAME: INT. DRAGON FIGHTER COCKPIT

A PILOT WE'LL COME TO KNOW AS SEETHER IS AT THE CONTROLS.
WE CAN'T SEE HIS FACE BECAUSE OF HIS HELMET, BUT HIS EYES
ARE COLD AS ICE. HE RADIOS ONE OF HIS WINGMEN WITH A
VOICE JUST AS CHILLING AS HIS EYES:

SEETHER

The old man was right. Targets

sighted. Let's do it.

MIDGAME: DEEP SPACE

The Dragons suddenly swoop down on the convoy

and OPEN FIRE. The Confed fighters are no match

for these demons, who pick them off as if they

were just swatting down gnats.

The transports are next. The civilians inside

them never have a chance as the Dragons UNLEASH

their MISSILES. One transport after another

disintegrates in huge EXPLOSIONS -- until there

is just one left...

Seether's Dragon loops around and begins an

attack dive on the remaining transport...

MIDGAME: INT. SEETHER'S COCKPIT

SEETHER'S EYES GLINT WITH DEATH.

SEETHER

I'm lighting the 'Flash-Pak'.

HIS GLOVED HAND FLIPS THE SAFETY OFF A SPECIAL FIRING
BUTTON AND HIS THUMB HOVERS OVER THE RED DISC...

MIDGAME: DEEP SPACE

We might be expecting a torpedo, missile, or

even a strange sci-fi beam to emanate from

Seether's craft...

Instead, a thin, convex-shaped disc spews forth

and latches onto the hull of the transport...

At first, nothing happens...

But the disc itself seems to vibrate and

shimmer...

Then the transport begins to RUMBLE...

Suddenly a giant, malevolent flash explosion

BLOWS OUT from the transport's interior -- as if

being destroyed by a bomb from the inside.

In seconds there's nothing left but a charred,

blackened husk listing onto its side in space.

MIDGAME: INT. SEETHER'S COCKPIT

SEETHER'S CHUCKLE SOUNDS LIKE DICE ROLLING AROUND IN A
CUP.

SEETHER

I'd call that a successful 'test', wouldn't you?

HE YANKS BACK ON HIS FLIGHT STICK AND --

MIDGAME: DEEP SPACE

Seether's Dragon goes into an absolutely uniq'ue

and death-defying maneuver -- dropping a mine,

hitting his afterburners, and being propelled by

the resulting explosion -- out of which he leads

his squadron off. The Dragons are gone in an

instant, as if they were just a hallucination...

MIDGAME: HALL OF THE GREAT ASSEMBLY - EARTH

WE'RE ASSAULTED BY THE CLAMOR OF EMINENT SENATORS IN
HEATED DEBATE. MEN AND WOMEN FROM ALL OVER THE GALAXY ARE
HERE, AND THEY ALL WANT TO BE HEARD.

THE ASSEMBLY MASTER, SENATOR JAMES TAGGART -- BETTER KNOWN
AS PALADIN -- BANGS HIS GAVEL.

PALADIN

Order! Order!

(the crowd quiets)

You will all have opportunity to

voice your opinions on the

hideous occurrences near the

Border Worlds. But we will now

hear from the Commander of the

Strategic Readiness Agency.

Admiral Tolwyn?

ADMIRAL GEOFFREY TOLWYN STEPS UP TO THE PODIUM, HIS EYES
COOLLY APPRAISING THE POLITICIANS BEFORE HIM.

TOLWYN'S STAR MAY HAVE TAKEN A TUMBLE IN THE LAST DAYS OF
THE WAR WITH THE KILRATHI, BUT IT'S BEEN ON THE REBOUND
EVER SINCE. HIS DEDICATION AND THE GRAVITY OF
THE SITUATION ARE APPARENT AS HE SPEAKS.

TOLWYN

Ladies and gentlemen of the Great

Confederation Assembly: as

Commander of the SRA, I am

charged with many duties.

Foremost among these is the

protection of the frontiers

of our galaxy.

(beat)

Unfortunately, I stand before

you, a humble servant ... with

few answers. Despite the efforts

of Confed Intel, the random acts

of violence taking place in the

Border Worlds remain a mystery.

THE SENATORS REACT

SENATOR #1

(shouting)

It's renegade pirates, I tell

you!

SENATOR #2

No! It's worse! The Border

Worlds militia is behind it.

THE ASSEMBLY IS CLEARLY DIVIDED. PALADIN TRIES TO BRING
ORDER WITH HIS GAVEL. TOLWYN IS MORE EFFECTIVE BY SIMPLY
RAISING HIS HAND --

TOLWYN

Well, I'm sure we all have our

little theories... But let me

tell you -- it will not be a

mystery for long.

THIS BRINGS SOME CALM TO THE ASSEMBLY.

TOLWYN

As most of you know, my lifetime

of service to the Confederation has

included many journeys to the

galactic frontier. And I can

assure you that the Border Worlds

is indeed enigmatic territory --

full of rogues, privateers, and

the Border Worlders themselves.

SENATOR #2

Scoundrels! That's what they

are!

SENATOR #3

Hoodlums! Rebels!

AGAIN, TOLWYN IS THE VOICE OF REASON.

TOLWYN

Let me remind you that during the

long War with the Kilrathi, the

Border Worlds were a strong ally.

SENATOR #4

Now they attack us!

TOLWYN

Do not allow lust for revenge to

cloud your thinking... We

mustn't forget who our friends

are.

MOST OF THE SENATORS MURMUR ASSENT.
TOLWYN SMILES WITH SATISFACTION...

TOLWYN

However, we must also keep in

mind that during the War, certain

social and political changes were

taking place along the frontiers.

(beat)

Whether or not these changes

relate to these senseless acts of

terrorism, remains to be seen...

But see to it ... I will.

THE ASSEMBLY REACTS POSITIVELY. AGAIN, PALADIN BANGS HIS
GAVEL.

PALADIN

Admiral, the increase in these

incidents has given rise to great

tension between The Confederation

and the Border Worlds. Thus,

time is of the essence...

WE BEGIN TO PULL BACK TO REVEAL THIS SCENE IS PLAYING ON A
NEWSVID MONITOR...

MIDGAME: STAR PORT CANTEEN

BLAIR ENTERS AND IS STRUCK BY THE DIN OF THE NOISY CROWD
-- A STRIKING CONTRAST TO THE PEACEFUL LONELINESS OF HIS
FARM. HE TAKES IT ALL IN: TERRANS, ALIENS, BORDER-
WORLDERS, MIXED RACES -- ALL ON THE MAKE; ALL TRYING TO
SCORE. BLAIR'S EYES REFLECT THAT A LOT HAS CHANGED SINCE
HE RETIRED TO HIS LITTLE PATCH OF LAND.

IT'S A CHAOTIC SCENE OF HOMELESS PEOPLE, CARD HUSTLERS,
MONEY CHANGERS, DRUGGIES, PIMPS AND WHORES. SOME WEAR
REMNANTS OF CONFED UNIFORMS: VETERANS OF THE KILRATHI
WAR. OF COURSE, THERE'S NO SIGN OF MANIAC.

MIDGAME: STAR PORT - BARTENDER

BLAIR MOVES TO THE BAR WHERE THE BARTENDER SETS OUT A
GLASS AND POURS HIM A STIFF ONE WITHOUT EVEN ASKING.
BLAIR GIVES HIM A LOOK.

BARTENDER

Only serve one kind of hooch

here. Figured that's what you

came in for.

BLAIR

I'm just passing through.

BARTENDER

(snorts)

You're better off, then.

BLAIR IS SUDDENLY JOSTLED BY A DOWN-ON-HIS-LUCK CONFED VET
WHO SIDLES UP NEXT TO HIM AT THE BAR.

VET

Hey, kid, can you spare the price

of a drink for an old vet?

Blair turns to the man.

BLAIR

Were you a flyer?

VET

Yep. Flew off the TCS Liberty

for 20 years.

Blair looks at the vet and decides...

Storyboards

A collection of Wing Commander IV storyboards has been digitized from the collection of the University of Texas at Austin. Additional lower resolution storyboards have been preserved from Origin's Wing Commander IV website.

University of Texas

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Origin Website

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Shooting Schedule

A Wing Commander IV production notebook from the Origin Museum has been digitized from the collection of the University of Texas at Austin.

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