Wing Commander in Real Time - Day 1 - 2140 Zulu

Script

10 EXT. KILRATHI BATTLE GROUP

A ship, a Snakeir, enters the frame. Thing's huge,

ominous, deadly.

SUPERIMPOSE: KILRATHI BATTLE GROUP. ULYSSES CORRIDOR,

VEGA SECTOR. 40 HOURS FROM THE CHARYBDIS QUASAR.

11 INT. SNAKEIR BRIDGE - ADMIRAL's FLAGSHIP

The interior of the huge space vessel is nearly obscured

by a thick, almost viscous green fog: the nutrient

atmosphere for the Kilrathi officers and crew. They are

a biped, two armed race of beings nearly eight feet tall.

But their features are obscured by the thick mist. Only

their eyes, gleaming yellow, seem to penetrate the dense

atmosphere. There is something vaguely cat-like about

their silhouettes as they move lithely about the bridge.

It's almost as though they can see clearly...which they

can. Their vision is in the infrared spectrum.

A Kilrathi, this ship’s CAPTAIN, approaches the battle

group commander, a Kilrathi ADMIRAL.

12 CAPTAIN's POV, INFRARED BAND:

Through his eyes, the fog disappears as he comes up

behind the shadowy figure peering out into space through

a thick window.

The CAPTAIN, head bowed, s peaks in a low hiss--the

Kilrathi language--which we read in subtitles.

KILRATHI CAPTAIN

(Kilrathi; subtitled)

The Ulysses Corridor is clear. As you

predicated, the door to Earth is open.

ADMIRAL turns. It's face is scarred, distorted, one eye

missing. His plumes, indicative of rank, clan, and

battle fought and won, flow over massive shoulders.

Small smile creeps over his visage, exposes yellowed canines.

Human voices cuts through his reverie:

TRAITOR (O.S.)

And you have your prize.

ADMIRAL turns, looks. Dressed in a full atmospheric suit

a human shape stands in shadow at the edge of the bridge.

Around his neck hangs a PILGRIM CROSS. His voice is tiny

and filtered through his comm device.

TRAITOR (CONT'D)

The NAVCOM A.I. has been reconfigured

to your jump drives.

ADMIRAL's one good eye dilates, seems to flash. His

voice is tinny and slightly delayed as its filtered

through the a translation device.

ADMIRAL

You have betrayed your race on a scale

unimaginable, Pilgrim.

TRAITOR

(ignores insult)

I have lived up to my part of our

agreement. Live up to yours. Destroy

Earth.

ADMIRAL looks long and hard at the Traitor.

SC. 13-33 OMIT

Novelization

CHAPTER 3

KILRATHI BATTLE GROUP

SNAKEIR-CLASS CRUISER KIS GRIST'AR'ROC

MARCH 15, 2654 2140 HOURS ZULU TIME

ULYSSES CORRIDOR VEGA SECTOR

39 HOURS 20 MINUTES FROM CHARYBOIS QUASAR JUMP POINT

For the fourth time in the past five standard minutes, Captain Thiraka

nar Kiranka shuffled through the dense nutrient atmosphere that filled

the Grist'Ar'roc's bridge to check the radar screen as the immense cruiser

traveled at maximum drive toward the quasar. The attack on Pegasus

Station had gone exactly as planned. The absence of difficulties had

Thiraka wondering when those difficulties would arrive. His experience

fighting Terrans told him they always did.

Born of the most powerful clan on Kilrah, Thiraka had a reputation to

uphold, a fact that weighed upon him too heavily and preoccupied too

much of his time. His father did not believe him worthy of the clan. His

father did not believe he could present even a single Terran death as a gift

to Sivar, war god of the Kilrathi people. And his father's beliefs had

become public knowledge by way of servants' loose tongues. Thiraka

suspected that most of his crew doubted his capabilities. The presence of

Kalralahr Bokoth, the Kilrathi fleet's most revered admiral, underscored

those doubts. Thiraka considered how his own intimidation had become

heightened by the fact that he and Bokoth belonged to the same clan and

that Bokoth would undoubtedly report Thiraka's every move back to his

father. The emperor had not entrusted Thiraka with the mission and had

turned his cruiser into the kalralahr's flagship, thus relieving him of battle

group command. I am a lowborn peasant at the kalralahr's beck and call,

he thought. Thus, Thiraka's intimidation remained fused with contempt.

Commander Ke'Soick rested a heavy paw on Thiraka's shoulder. "Kal

Shintahr, our officers complain that you're oversupervising them. I've

watched you check this screen four times now. Should the third fang here

find a discrepancy, he'll report it directly to you."

Thiraka lowered his massive brow. "To me and not the kalralahr?"

"We've only served a short time together, but I already know your pain.

You can rely on my loyalty, Kal Shintahr. I'm oathsworn to you and you

alone."

Pursing his lips, Thiraka nodded. "A debt is owed. A debt shall be

repaid."

"Have you forgotten how your family strengthened my clan by killing

the weakest of us? Now we rise in power and serve aboard the empire's

deadliest cruisers and dreadnoughts. But my clan also believes that those

who bargain with the Terrans are the lowest of born, cowards despised

and condemned by Sivar."

Thiraka moved closer to his Ke'Soick, and with eyes capable of seeing

the infrared spectrum, he gazed through the green effluvium to see if

others watched. "Those opinions are better kept silent. But, dear Ke'Soick,

I agree."

Behind them, the lift doors parted to reveal Kalralahr Bokoth. Without

a word, the admiral paraded across the bridge, his armor flexing, the

colorful clan and battle plumes affixed to his shoulders fluttering behind

him. He paused at the forward viewport to gaze at the quasar.

"And thoughts become flesh," Ke'Soick said, eyeing the kalralahr with

unflappable contempt.

Second Fang Norsh'kal, tactical officer, approached them with a

computer slate. "Kal Shintahr. Sector report of Confederation ship

movements." He proffered the slate.

But Thiraka had grown weary of staring at holos and computer screens.

"Read them to me."

The Second Fang purred his acknowledgment. "One vessel remains in

the sector, the TCS Tiger Claw. Intelligence reports that she is still out of

communication range with her fleet and holding position."

"Very well," Thiraka said. "Your report tells me nothing new."

"But Kal Shintahr. One of our surveillance stations on the border of Sol

sector intercepted and decoded part of a long-range communication from

the Concordia to a merchantman bound for the Tiger Claw. An officer on

board that merchantman is delivering an encoded message to the carrier's

captain."

"ETA of merchantman to Tiger Claw?"

"We're not sure, Kal Shintahr. The merchantman is headed toward

Beacon One-forty-seven, just outside the Sol system."

"They're not headed toward Vega?"

"No. And we don't know why."

Drawing in a long breath that made his throat grumble, Thiraka

stepped away from his officers and crossed the bridge, heading toward the

kalralahr.

As he neared the old one, Thiraka bowed his head and spoke in a low

hiss of respect. "The Ulysses Corridor is clear. As you predicted, the door

to Earth is open. But new difficulties have arisen."

Kalralahr Bokoth turned his long, pale head toward Thiraka. Bokoth's

face bore the ravages of the battle at McAuliffe. He had lost an eye in that

ambush, and deep scars radiated from the gloomy socket like an

improbable form of black anti-lightning. "Difficulties, Thiraka?"

"Yes. One of our surveillance stations—"

"I know." Bokoth stroked the long, fine hairs on his chin and bared his

yellowed canines in a smile, as though over Thiraka's surprise. "I'm having

all intelligence routed directly to my cabin."

"Kalralahr, this is my ship. I've paid you tribute enough in turning over

command of the battle group. All intelligence will be routed to the bridge."

Bokoth's good eye widened. "I wondered how long I could push you

before you would behave honorably and defend yourself. There's hope for

you after all."

Thiraka frowned as he detected the musty stench emanating from

Bokoth, from the kalralahr's ornamental plumes, which he apparently only

donned on special days or missions. Repressing the desire to gag, Thiraka

considered several responses to Bokoth's chide, but thought better of

them. The wrong word might spark the killing-rage in both Kilrathi. That

all-controlling feeling dwelled just beneath the skin of every warrior, and

once ignited, the feeling would blaze until one or both Kilrathi lay dead in

its embers.

"What is it, Thiraka?" Bokoth asked, his tone a notch less

condescending.

"Nothing, Kalralahr. Nothing."

"Then let me address your supposed difficulties. Yes, it's unfortunate

that the Terrans have learned so soon of our attack on Pegasus. But it's of

no consequence. By the time that merchantman reaches the Tiger Claw,

our lead will be too great for them to intercept. If by some small miracle

they do reach us, we will finish them as efficiently as we destroyed

Pegasus. That complication has already been addressed. And even without

our contingency plans, one carrier is no match for this battle group. Even

the lowest of born can recognize that."

"But answer this: why is the merchantman not headed to Vega sector?

Doesn't that puzzle you?"

"It does. Which is why I've asked it to the bridge." Bokoth turned his

head toward the lift doors as they closed behind a human wearing an

atmospheric suit.

"Where's the celebration?" the hairless ape asked, its voice sounding

tinny through the translator attached to its suit. "The door to Earth is

open. And you have your prize."

As the human drew closer, Thiraka noticed a silver cross hanging

around the man's neck. He recognized that cross from history holos he had

been forced to watch during his training. It represented a clan of humans

known as Pilgrims.

"The NAVCOM AI has been reconfigured to your jump drives," the ape

continued.

"Excellent. Now answer me two questions," Bokoth said in his most

demanding tone. "Why was the Concordia alerted of our attack so soon?"

"That, I'm afraid, was unavoidable. Next question?"

Bokoth growled. "Explain unavoidable."

"I think the word translates clearly."

Raising a paw and extending long, jagged nails, Bokoth said, "If I

discover—"

"You're not in a position to threaten me—after what I've given you."

Slowly, Bokoth lowered his paw. "A merchantman has been ordered to

alert the Tiger Claw. Why isn't it headed to Vega sector?"

"I don't know. I'd worry about that."

"If you're lying—"

"There you go again. Haven't I already expressed what I want?"

"Yes. Most clearly. You have betrayed your race on a scale

unimaginable, Pilgrim."

The ape sniggered. "I've lived up to my part of our agreement. Live up

to yours. Destroy Earth."

Bokoth stared long and hard at the traitor. At last, he nodded.