Wing Commander in Real Time - Day 3 - 1315 Zulu

Script

318 EXT. EARTH'S SOLAR SYSTEM - JUMP POINT

From nowhere, a huge Fralthi appears. But several moments

later, it receives DIRECT HITS from a dozen cannon blasts.

REVERSE ANGLE: The Confed fleet, in attack formation,

launches A HALF- DOZEN TORPEDOES. The powerful cannon

fire pummels the Kilrathi ship before it can react.

RESUME JUMP POINT: The Kilrathi carrier breaks apart, and

explodes. A second, smaller ship appears. It too is

destroyed in the ambush.

SC. 319 - 320 OMIT

321 EXT. CONCORDIA - SOLAR SYSTEM / JUMP POINT

The great ship seems surrounded by a fireworks display as

it fires torpedoes and missiles, and uses its massive

cannon array.

322 INT. CONCORDIA - BRIDGE

Bellegarde approaches Tolwyn, who watches grimly.

BELLEGARDE

The Kilrathi fleet is coming through

the jump point one ship at a time,

Admiral. They have no chance to defend

themselves or warn the ships behind.

TOLWYN

And the Snakeir?

BELLEGARDE

She's disappeared from our scanners.

TOLWYN

Launch two Rapier wings and a squadron

of Broadswords. We've got to find her.

BELLEGARDE

Aye, aye, sir.

EXT. BLAIR's RAPIER

The darkened fighter tumbles slowly through space. Off,

way in the distance we can see Earth. Safe, at least for

now.

324 INT. RAPIER COCKPIT - BLAIR

All the instruments are dark. Blair trembles violently.

BLAIR

Hey, you were right all along.

Merlin appears in hologram.

MERLIN

I was?

BLAIR

We're doomed.

Merlin has a change of character -- a sudden burst

compassion in his circuitry.

MERLIN

Don't say that. You're a fighter. So

fight! We're going to make it.

BLAIR

Cold got to you Merlin? You sound

downright optimistic.

MERLIN

Let's just call it intuition...

Suddenly, the Rapier is jolted.

BLAIR

What the hell...?

325 EXT. RAPIER & BROADSWORD

A Broadsword bomber has captured the drifting Rapier in

its tractor beam.

MERLIN (O.S.)

Or a working array of scanners.

A strong spotlight illuminates Blair inside the cockpit.

As Blair looks up, the bomber pilot salutes him. With

badly trembling hand, Blair grins and returns the salute.

DISSOLVE TO:

325A EXT. TIGER CLAW - EARTH SPACE

The battered old lady pulls into low earth orbit, joining

the rest of the Confed fleet -- the blue planet spinning

gracefully below her.

SC. 326 - 329 OMIT

329A INT. BRIDGE - CONCORDIA

Tolwyn looks out through the windows -- we can see the

Tiger Claw -- and Earth.

Blair comes on deck, looking very tattered himself.

He salutes Tolwyn. Tolwyn offers his hand and smiles.

TOLWYN

Your father would have been pound.

Blair takes his hand.

BLAIR

I have something for you.

Blair takes Tolwyn's Ring from his pocket and hands it to

Tolwyn.

BLAIR (Cont'd)

Sansky asked me to return it.

Tolwyn takes the ring. Behind the mask of command we can

see the memories of past battles - friends and enemies

lost.

TOLWYN

The wounds of civil war run deep. He

was a good captain despite everything.

BLAIR

Did they locate Lt. Cmdr Deveraux?

TOLWYN

Paladin went out to search for her. We

haven't heard from him since the Tiger

Claw arrived in Earth space.

The comm chirps.

BELLEGARDE

The Diligent reporting. Commodore

Taggart requesting permission to land

on the Tiger Claw, sir.

Bellegarde is listening to the transmission.

BLAIR

Is she with him?

BELLEGARDE

Lt. Cmdr Deveraux is on board.

BLAIR

I knew she'd make it!

BELLEGARDE

Taggart is requesting an emergency

medical team to meet him on the flight

deck immediately.

The celebration ends quickly.

BLAIR

What's wrong?

BELLEGARDE

I'm sorry. The rest of the transmission

got cut off as they entered the Tiger

Claw's air lock.

Tolwyn looks at Blair

TOLWYN

I think you're on the wrong ship.

Blair salutes and leaves. Fast.

329Aa EXT. TIGER CLAW

Blair's Rapier is on it's final approach. It blasts

through the airlock.

329B INT. FLIGHT DECK- TIGER CLAW

Paladin emerges from the Diligent carrying a limp

Deveraux. The medical team rush over to them. Paladin

places Deveraux on an emergency gurney. The medical team

furiously starts to work on her. Maniac and Gerald are

all ready there.

Blair runs up, watching in horror as they medical team

tries their best to revive her.

MANIAC

(happy, relieved)

You made it!

Blair looks over to Paladin who looks very somber.

PALADIN

Pure luck that I found her at all. She

must have turned off her beacon so as

not to tip off the Kilrathi. Brave

girl.

The Medical team continues to work on her. Blair drops to

a knee to get right beside her. Maniac puts a comforting

hand on Blair's shoulder. Gerald and Paladin exchange a

hopeless look.

BLAIR

Come on, Angel. Come back. Don't you

die on me.

Blair clutches her hand.

BLAIR (Cont'd)

Come on, angel.

MEDIC

I got a pulse!

Deveraux starts to cough a bit. Her eyes begin to open.

She looks up at Blair. She doesn't look good but she

manages to smile.

DEVERAUX

What did you say?

BLAIR

I said don't you die on me.

DEVERAUX

Is that a suggestion or an order?

Blair manages a small laugh.

BLAIR

That's a definite order.

Blair goes in for the kiss. The Medic stops him.

MEDIC

We have to get her down to sick bay.

Don't worry she'll be fine.<?span>

GERALD

We stopped the Kilrathi.

PALADIN

They'll be back. The only question is

when.

BLAIR

We'll be ready for them this time, sir.

No more surprises.

MANIAC

Maybe it's just me, but I didn't think

they were all that tough.

Blair, Gerald, and Paladin all exchange a look.

MANIAC (Cont'd)

What? I mean it.

They all break up laughing.

The CAMERA pulls back, our heroes gathered around

Deveraux's gurney, sharing this moment of victory and

relief as people go about their business on the flight

deck.

THE END

Novelization

CHAPTER 31

CONCORDIA BATTLE GROUP

MARCH 17, 2654 1315 HOURS ZULU TIME

SOL SYSTEM PERIMETER KILRATHI JUMP POINT

Admiral Tolwyn held his breath as the Concordia decreased

thrust and the battle group dispersed into attack formation.

"What do you think, sir?" Bellegarde asked as they stared

ahead. "Are we too early or too late for the party?" Tolwyn

squinted at a flickering gleam in the distance, a gleam that

quickly burst into a ringlet of light. "We're right on time." He

favored the radar officer. "Identify that ship."

"She's a Fralthi-class cruiser," Abrams said. "Fire all

batteries."

Laser bolts and guided missile exhausts sewed a hundred

translucent trails into the gap between the Fralthi and the

battle group. Tight-lipped, Tolwyn observed the bombardment

and noted another ship flashing through the jump point.

Even as he faced Abrams, the young man shouted,

"Ralari-class destroyer in our sights, sir."

"Take her out."

Pummeled by a surprise attack, the Fralthi got off only a

half-dozen salvos of return fire, then emitted a spectacular light

show as it broke apart. The destroyer plowed into the Fralthi's

wreckage, then took a score of torpedo strikes to her stern.

"They're coming through one ship at time," Bellegarde said.

"They have no chance to defend themselves or warn the ships

behind."

Tolwyn nodded. "But where's that Snakeir?"

"She's disappeared from our scanners."

"Launch two Rapier wings and a squadron of Broadswords. We have to find her."

"Aye-aye, sir."

* * *

The status light on Blair's life support panel faded. He

probably had a couple, maybe three more minutes of oxygen left

if the cold didn't kill him first. The shivering had come, grown

worse, and now he sat with chattering teeth, rocking himself

toward death.

His Rapier had glided well past Pluto. Far beyond the gas

giants and beyond Mars lay that precious planet, homeworld of

humans, the only home, some said. He wanted to go there and

see the legendary beauty that everyone fought so fiercely to

preserve. Too late now.

"Hey, Merlin. You there?"

With the fighter's systems down, the little man took

holographic form, his image flickering on Blair's knee. "Here,

Christopher."

"You were right all along."

"I was?"

"We're doomed."

Merlin folded his arms over his chest and glared like a drill

sergeant. "Don't say that. You're a fighter. So fight. We're going

to make it."

"Cold got to you, Merlin? You sound downright optimistic."

"Let's just call it intuition—"

Blair fell forward as the Rapier lurched.

"—or a working array of scanners."

"What the hell…" A powerful spotlight shone on the cockpit.

The light panned away, and behind it floated a Broadsword

bomber that literally brought tears to Blair's eyes. The pilot

snapped off a salute, and Blair managed a shaky reply.

A tube extended from the bomber's belly and locked onto the

Rapier's primary external coupling. Blair threw back a row of

toggles, and systems blinked on. One screen showed his Rapier

firmly locked in the Broadsword's tractor beam.

"Good afternoon," the pilot said, his masked face now on

Blair's VDU. "I'm Lieutenant C. W. McCubbin of the TCS

Concordia. Who's Saranya Carr?"

"She's the star of Luna Jones, Jumpscout."

"That's good. But even the cats know that."

"C'mon, buddy. Do I look like a Kilrathi to you?"

"Well, Lieutenant, you're pretty damned ugly." The pilot

chuckled, then fired thrusters, towing Blair off.

* * *

"TCS Tiger Claw entering low Earth orbit," Abrams said.

"Jesus," Tolwyn muttered as he surveyed the old carrier's

shattered and blackened hull. When Gerald had made his

report, he had obviously understated the ship's condition. As

expected, the commander had spent more time discussing his

disappointment and disbelief over Captain Sansky's actions.

Tolwyn had taken the news with only mild astonishment.

Sansky wasn't the first or last traitor to wear a Confederation

uniform.

The lift doors opened, and a familiar young man hurried onto

the bridge, looking about as tattered and battle-weary as the

admiral himself. Lieutenant Blair brightened as he met gazes

with Tolwyn, then steered himself to the viewport.

Tolwyn returned the boy's salute, then proffered his hand.

"Your father would've been proud."

"Thank you, sir. And it's an honor to finally meet you." He

stood starry-eyed a moment, then jolted. "Oh, I almost forgot. I

have something for you." He removed a ring from his breast

pocket. "Captain Sansky asked me to return it."

Tolwyn took the ring, eyed it with a deep affection, then

slipped it on. He tried to mask his sorrow over Sansky's

betrayal, but Blair's reaction said he had failed. "The wounds of

civil war run deep. He was a good captain, despite everything."

"Yes, sir. And sir? Did anyone locate Lieutenant Commander

Deveraux?"

"Paladin went after her. No word yet."

Bellegarde, who had been sitting at an observation station,

went to the comm console. He conferred a moment with the

officer there, then slipped on a headset. "We're monitoring the

Tiger Claw's transmissions. She's been in contact with the

Diligent. Commodore Taggart's requesting clearance to land."

The young lieutenant hastened toward Bellegarde. "Is she

with him?"

"Lieutenant Commander Deveraux is on board," Bellegarde

said, concentrating on the signals.

"I knew she'd make it," Blair said with a hearty nod.

"Taggart is requesting an emergency medical team to meet

him on the flight deck immediately."

Blair froze. "What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry." Bellegarde pursed his lips and removed his

headset. "The rest of the transmission got cut off as they

entered the Tiger Claw's airlock."

The lieutenant's expression harbored more than simple

worry over a comrade. Tolwyn smiled inwardly. "Mr. Blair? I

think you're on the wrong ship."

"Sir, if I can borrow—"

"Get down to the flight deck. I'll have a fighter waiting for

you."

He raced toward the exit, remembered his salute, then knifed

through the lift doors before they had fully opened.

"Well," Tolwyn said, hearing the melancholy in his voice,

"there we go, just yesterday, his age."

Bellegarde's face reflected his own yearning. Then his gaze

settled upon Earth, and he studied the planet with an odd

intent. "Sir? I've a leave coming up. Maybe it's time I go to

Scotland. Have a look around, as it were. With your

permission—"

"Granted, Richard," Tolwyn blurted out in surprise. "I think

you'll find a lot more there than you've expected."

"I hope so, sir."

Blair switched off the comm in his borrowed Rapier,

silencing Boss Raznick's tirade. The boss would have to forgive

Blair's reckless approach. He plowed through the energy

curtain and blew the canopy as the Rapier came to a wailing

hover and abruptly descended. Landing skids slapped hard on

the deck.

Standing in his cockpit, Blair spotted the Diligent across the

hangar. A crowd had gathered near her loading ramp. He

jumped from the fighter, then sprinted toward the commotion.

Taggart, Gerald, and Maniac stared over the shoulders of two

medics as they struggled to revive Deveraux. She lay on a

lowered gurney, and her back arched as one medic waved a

pen-shaped defibrillator over her heart.

Maniac broke away from the group. "Son of a bitch, you made

it."

Blair's gaze returned to Deveraux. "What about her?"

"Pure luck that I found her at all," Taggart said. "She must've

turned off her beacon so as not to tip off the Kilrathi. She had

eight seconds left on her self-destruct when I nudged the pod,

woke her up, and got her to deactivate. She passed out before I

got her moored. Brave girl."

He slipped past Taggart and dropped to his knees beside

Deveraux. Her ashen face made him tremble. "Come on, Angel.

Come back. Don't you die on me." He took her cold, limp hand

in his own. "Come on, Angel."

Maniac hunkered down and placed a comforting hand on his

shoulder.

The grim-faced medics continued waving their instruments

over Deveraux. One placed a small disc on the base of her neck

and studied readings on a palmtop scanner. "Hold on now.

Wait. Yeah, there it is. I got a pulse."

"That's right, Angel," Blair said, squeezing her hand. "Don't

you die on me."

Her eyelids fluttered and finally opened. She coughed a little,

then turned her head and smiled through her grogginess.

"What did you say?"

"I said don't you die on me."

She licked her parched lips. "Is that a suggestion or an

order?"

"That's a definite order," he said with a stifled laugh.

Their gazes locked, and she did not look away. Her lips

welcomed him. He learned toward her, going in for the kiss.

"We have to get her down to sickbay," one of the medics said,

blocking Deveraux's face with his arm. He winked. "Don't

worry. She'll be fine."

Blair stood as the medics raised the gurney and wheeled

Deveraux toward the lift doors. He kept his eyes on her until

she rounded a cargo container, out of sight.

"So, Mr. Blair," Gerald began. "I heard you single-handedly

took out a Snakeir. Lured the ship into that gravity well at

One-four-seven."

"That's correct, sir."

"Well, despite that, despite everything, I still don't like you."

The commander flicked an ugly stare at Taggart's cross.

"However, you've earned a little of my trust. In all likelihood,

I'll be assuming command of the Tiger Claw, and I want only the

best wing commanders I can find."

Taggart rolled his eyes. "The commander's trying to promote

you, Lieutenant. I understand he's got a short list of

command-approved wing commanders. You want the job or

what?"

Blair grinned at the joke. "Wing commander? Me?"

"I can use you, Lieutenant," Gerald said. "We stopped the

Kilrathi—"

"They'll be back," Taggart cut in. "The only question is when."

"We'll be ready for them this time," Blair said. "No more

surprises."

"He'll take the job," Taggart told Gerald with a wink.

"I don't know," Maniac said, having been remarkably silent

until now. "Maybe it's just me, but I didn't think they were all

that tough."

Gerald and Taggart looked at Maniac as though he had finally

lost his mind. Even Blair could not repress his frown.

"What?" Maniac asked, feeling the heat. "I mean it."

That drew hoots and guffaws from everyone, then Polanski

pulled Maniac away while the deckmaster flagged down Gerald.

Taggart gestured toward the lift. "C'mon. I owe you a drink."

"And I owe you this." Blair tugged the cross from his chain.

After withdrawing his own chain from beneath his vest,

Taggart clipped on the cross. "I assume the admiral has his

ring?"

"He does. Can I ask you something, sir?"

Taggart smiled. "You'd like to know about Amity."

"How did you know?"

"The way you just looked at the cross."

"I'm sorry if I—"

"No, it's okay," Taggart said. "Let's get that drink. I'll need it

to tell that story."