Price of Victory

Price of Victory is the twelfth episode of Wing Commander Academy.

Price of Victory
Episode Number	1x12
Production Code	74712
Story	Mark Edens
Writer(s)	Steve Cuden
Air Date	December 14, 1996
Run Time	20m53s
Animation Studio	Madhouse
Theme	Version 1
Previous	Invisible Enemy
Next	Glory of Sivar

Summary

Act One

Terran Confederation	Empire of Kilrah
Strength
2 CF-105 Scimitar medium fighters	5 Dralthi medium fighters 1 Grikath heavy fighter 1 Naukar carrier
Losses
2 Scimitars destroyed	1 Dralthi destroyed

Act Two

Terran Confederation	Empire of Kilrah
Strength
2 CF-105 Scimitar medium fighters	13 Sartha light fighters 4 Dralthi medium fighters 1 Grikath heavy fighter
Losses
	5 Sartha destroyed

Act Three

Terran Confederation	Empire of Kilrah
Strength
6 CF-105 Scimitar medium fighters 2 CF-131 Broadsword heavy bombers	1 Sartha light fighter 4 Dralthi medium fighters 1 Naukar carrier
Losses
1 Scimitar destroyed	1 Sartha, 1 Dralthi and 1 Naukar 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

• 

  2nd Lt. Lindsay "Payback" Price

• 

  "Clipper"

• 

  "Razor"

• 

  Gharal nar Hhallas

• 

  Bhok nar Ragitagha

• 

  Princess Zukara nar Kiranka

• 

  Kilrathi Pilot

Nonspeaking

• 

  2nd Lt. Yulan "Hyena" Chang

• 

  Pilots

• 

  Carrier Ground Crews #1-#3

• 

  Carrier Ground Crews #4 & #5 (left)

• 

  Search Party #1 & #2

• 

  Search Party #4

• 

  Search Party #5 & #6

• 

  Pilots #1 & #2

• 

  Pilot #3 (left)

• 

  Pilot #4

• 

  Pilot #5

• 

  Pilot #6

• 

  Pilot #7

• 

  Snow Cats (GREY 1, GREY 2, three background)

• 

  Snow Cats (PISTOL 1, PISTOL 2)

• 

  Snow Cats (RED, BROWN)

• 

  Snow Cats (GREEN, RED)

• 

  Snow Cats (wide shot)

• 

  Search Party Remnants

• 

  Gharal's Final Wingmen (3)

• 

  Scrambling Pilot 1

• 

  Scrambling Pilot 2

Locations

Tiger's Claw

• 

  Briefing Room

• 

  Flight Deck

• 

  Tolwyn's Office

Ring Planet

• 

  Asteroid Field

• 

  Surface

• 

  Cave

• 

  Landing Site

Temperate Planet

• 

  Moon

• 

  Surface

Kilrathi Carrier

• 

  Bhok's Quarters

• 

  Flight Deck

Cockpits

• 

  Scimitar

• 

  Dralthi

• 

  Grikath

Ships

Terran Confederation

Fighters

• 

  CF-105 Scimitar

• 

  CF-131 Broadsword

Capital Ships

• 

  Bengal

Empire of Kilrah

Fighters

• 

  Sartha

• 

  Dralthi

• 

  Grikath

• 

  Shuttle

Capital Ships

• 

  Naukar

Small Arms

Terran Confederation

• 

  Pistol

Empire of Kilrah

• 

  Pistol

• 

  Rifle

Credits

Role	Name
Story by	Mark Edens
Written by	Steve Cuden
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	Lauri Hendler (Payback, Maya)
	Jeff Bennett
	Pat Fraley (Grunt, Guthrig)
	Jennifer Hale (Zukara)
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	Dan Nosella
	Ian Freeman
	Rick Estrada
Storyboard Cleanup	Judy Nielson
Timing Directors	Tim Walker
	Al Wilsbach
	Zeon Davush
	Bill Reed
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	Harry Andronis
	Stuart Calderon
Overseas Animation Studio	Madhouse Animation
Overseas Animation Director	Masao Maruyama
Produced in Association with	USA Network

Transcript

Act One

SCENE - Planetary Rings

Maverick: Running planetary sensor sweep. Stay frosty, Clipper, the Kilrathi can't be far away. I can feel it.

Clipper: Roger that Maverick. Hope we find that Kilrathi carrier. I've got a score to settle.

Maverick: Oh come on, Clipper, destroying a Kilrathi carrier won't bring back the Trafalgar.

Clipper: No sir, but it sure will make me feel better.

Maverick: Contacts, stay on my wing. Kilrathi fighters, coming out of the ring.

Clipper: They're on my tail. More bogeys, nine o'clock.

Maverick: Stay with me, Clipper.

Zukara: Cut them off. If we lose them in the rings, someone will pay.

Maverick: Great, there's your carrier.

Clipper: Missile incoming.

Maverick: Break right, now.

Clipper: It's on you Maverick, get out of there.

Maverick: (grunts) Come on baby, give me the juice. (screams) I'm hit. Shields down, power failing, I'm down.

Clipper: Hang tough Maverick, I 'm coming.

Maverick: Negative, get back to the 'Claw, that's an order, do it.

Clipper: Good luck, pilot.

SCENE - Ice Moon

Maverick: That's good enough for landing. Come on, set it down.

SCENE - Space

Clipper: Repeat, Maverick is down. We were ambushed by Kilrathi fighters from a carrier orbiting the planet. Bogeys, they're still coming after me.

SCENE - Briefing Room

Clipper: I'm targetted. Breaking right. I got him, I got him. He is locked. (static)

Tolwyn: We tried to re-establish contact, we could not.

Maniac: Sir, Maverick's down on that planet, I'm volunteering for the rescue mission.

Archer: That makes two of us.

Payback: Three.

Tolwyn: There won't be any rescue mission, that's precisely what the Kilrathi want us to do. You'll be flying into a trap.

Maniac: But, but sir.

Tolwyn: The Kilrathi carrier will move now that its position has been reported. I want you on patrol to find it before it finds us.

Archer: What about Maverick, sir?

Tolwyn: He's on his own.

SCENE - Ice Cave

Maverick: (sighs) Wonderful.

SCENE - Ice Planet

Zukara: The Terran, I want him destroyed now.

Bhok: Highness, sensors indicate a large metallic object hidden in the snow.

Zukara: Ah, perhaps the Terran. Let's just see, shall we? Find the Terran pilot! I want his life for Sivar.

SCENE - Kilrathi Carrier

Bhok: Your highness.

Zukara: Spare me, Bhok, I'm in no mood.

Gharal: Highness, Prince Thrakhath has ordered me to convey you to the planet Dolos. It is almost time for the festival of Sivar. The Dolosians have been gathered for the sarcrifice.

Zukara: The Terran pilot down there is mine. I will not leave this pilot until he is found.

Gharal: But Prince Thrakhath ordered...

Zukara: I do not take orders from my brother. I too am of the Emperor's blood. Take your fighters down to the planet and help capture the Terran.

Bhok: At once, highness. Prepare to take off.

Pilots: (walla)

Gharal: I see Zukara has not changed.

Bhok: You are lucky you no longer fly with us. The sacrafice on Dolos, is it trueh that the hrai will swear allegiance directly to Prince Thrakhath?

Gharal: As the chosen Claw of the Emperor, yes. A blood oath, stronger even than a warrior's oath to his clan.

Bhok: Then it is true, Thrakhath intends to destroy the clans. When he becomes emperor, the warriors will owe their allegiance only to him.

Gharal: What do you mean, Bhok?

Bhok: The war against the Terrans is just an excuse for the imperial family to take more and more power.

Gharal: Perhaps. The independence of the clans might be the price of victory. But the life of a warrior is to obey.

Bhok: Yes, it is our lives.

SCENE - Ice Cave

Maverick: (sighs) Not exactly how I had my day planned. Huh, cozy. Just like home. The Kilrathi!

Pilot: I've found the Terrans fighter.

Maverick: (groans)

Bhok: It's over, Terran.

Act Two

SCENE - Ice Cave

Bhok: Be silent if you wish to live.

Pilot: Bhok, have you found the Terran?

Bhok: Not yet, continue searching.

Maverick: What? Why didn't you tell them about me?

Bhok: I wish to join you, to help you defeat Prince Thrakhath.

Maverick: Why? The Kilrathi don't even surrender, they sure don't defect.

Bhok: I have my reasons, reasons you would not understand. You do not know what it is to find the meaning of your life in your clan. To be Ragitagha, not just K ilrathi. Now, do you want to live or not?

Maverick: Can you get me off this planet?

Bhok: We could never make it to my fighter. But here is cold weather survival clothing, a transmitter, a weapon. Your hrai, your comrades, they will comefor you, yes?

Maverick: Maybe.

Bhok: My carrier will soon leave to deliver a geological research team to the next planet in this system. If your commander will conceal his carrier in the sensor shadow of the planet's moon I will fly there and surrender.

Maverick: Yeah, and maybe bring a few squadrons of your closest friends with you. That'd be quite a coup, destroying the Tiger's Claw, you might even get a promotion.

Bhok: I do not lie.

Maverick: Why should I believe you? You let one pilot escape and you bag a whole carrier. I'm not going to help you set up a trap for the Tiger's Claw.

Bhok: There is not much time. The planet Dolos is to be sacrificed to the glory of Sivar. The Kilrathi hrai will swear an oath of allegiance to Thrakhath.

Maverick: What? I don't understand.

Bhok: The oath will mean that the Hrai must fight with Thrakhath even against their own clans. I will deal even with the Terrans to stop that, to save my clan. Thrakhath and the Emperor, they are Kiranka. My clan is Ragitagha, I will not let them destroy it.

Pilot: Bhok, the Terran ape is not here, we are moving on to the next passage.

Bhok: On my way! I will look for you on the hidden side of the moon.

SCENE - Ice Planet Landing Site

Bhok: Bhok to Princess Zukara. Highness, there is no sign of the Terran pilot. He could hide for a thousand years in these caves.

Zukara: Keep searching until he is found.

Bhok: He is probably perished from the cold by now. Terrans aren't as strong as we Kilrathi.

Zukara: Then find his frozen body!

SCENE - Space

Archer: Any sign of the carrier, Maniac?

Maniac: Negative, not a peep on my screens. Say, why don't we tak ea closer look at that planet? You know, check it out?

Archer: You know Tolwyn's orders, no rescue attempts.

Maniac: Hey, I, I'm looking for that carrier, okay?

Archer: Look, I want to find Maverick as much as you do.

Maniac: Hey, don't go getting soft on me again. I want to save his worthless hide so I can remind him of it every day of the life. (laughs) And it'll make him mad even more if I do it myself. See ya later.

Archer: Maniac!

SCENE - Asteroid Field

Zukara: (growls) Foolish Terrans, I knew it. You risk everything for one life. Come to me.

SCENE - Ice Planet Landing Site

Kilrathi Pilots: (walla)

Maverick: Maverick to rescue flight, do you read me?

Maniac: I knew you'd still be alive.

Maverick: (laughs) I never thought I'd say it but it's good to hear your voice. Home in on my signal and when you move in, do it fast. I've got Kilrathi fighters a hundred meters away. I'll slow them down as much as I can. Heads up, furballs!

Maniac: that's as far as you get, furballs.

Archer: Where'd you get those clothes?

Maverick: (sighs) I'll give you the name of my tailor later. Let's go.

Archer: I got Maverick, let's get out of here before more Kilrathi show up.

Maniac: Yeah, yeah, yeah, just when it was starting to get fun.

Bhok: We cannot catch the Terran fighters. He has gotten away.

SCENE - Kilrathi Carrier Flight Deck

Zukara: You let the Terran escape. You dishonored the Emperor. You dishonored your clans. You should all commit Zu'kara and offer the life in your throats to Sivar. And I will take your lives myself.

Gharal: You cannot do that, Princess Zukara.

Zukara: You presume too much on the protection of my brother, Gharal.

Gharal: I presume nothing, highness, but this carrier cannot complete its mission without pilots. For the sake of victory, they must life.

Zukara: (sighs) The price of victory is high. My duty to Sivar requires my presence on Dolos. That alone has saved you. Prince Thrakhath has shown you great favor, Gharal. But remember, my brother is not emperor... yet.

Bhok: Farewell, Gharal. It may be that we will not see each other again.

Gharal: There is that in every farewell.

SCENE - Tolwyn's Office

Tolwyn: And you actually believe this Kilrathi intends to surrender?

Maverick: Yes sir, I believe him. There was something about him, something desperate.

Tolwyn: No, it's a Kilrathi trick, oldest one in the books. They're only trying to locate the Tiger's Claw.

Maverick: But sir...

Tolwyn: It won't be your pilot who comes to meet us but a Kilrathi attack force. No, I think we'll turn the tables on the Kilrathi with an ambush of our own. While the Tiger's Claw stays safely away from the planet we'll land a force of fighters on its surface. They'll wait until the Kilrathi carrier arrives. Then we'll spring a surprise of our own.

Maverick: I... I think you're making a mistake sir. This is a real opportunity to...

Tolwyn: Destroy a Kilrathi carrier!

Maverick: Sir, I lead that man to believe..

Tolwyn: He's not a man! He's a Kilrathi, the enemy. It's your duty to destroy him. Now will you obey my orders cadet, or do you want to sit out this action in the brig?

Act Three

SCENE - Hangar

Payback: You still think that furball was telling the truth about wanting to surrender?

Maverick: Well, yeah, that's what I told Tolwyn. I still believe it.

Payback: Yeah, we all know how much we can trust the Kilrathi. How's the old man expect you to command the attack force feeling like that.

SCENE - Bhok's Quarters

Bhok: I'have given my life to Sivar. He doesn't exist.

SCENE - Kilrathi Carrier Flight Deck

Bhok: We will fly reconnaissance over the planet first. Then you three will remain behind to escort the research team down to the surface. I shall fly alone to scout the planet's moon.

SCENE - Planet Surface

Bhok: Sensors show no unusual contacts. Return to the carrier to escort the research team.

Maverick: Alright, let's power up.

SCENE - Sensor Shadow

Bhok: Where are you, Terran? If you believed me, your carrier should be here.

Pilot: All fighters, targets rising through the planet's atmosphere. We are under attack.

Bhok: No, I kept my bargain! Why couldn't you act with honor?

SCENE - Planet Orbit

Maverick: Okay people, let's get in fast. Watch out for those laser turrets.

Payback: Bogeys at nine o'clock.

Maverick: Hold 'em off, Payback.

Payback: Understood Maverick, we'll smoke 'em.

Maverick: Knock out that carrier before it can scramble its fighters. Archer, go for the turrets.

Archer: Targeted, I'm going in.

Maverick: Hyena, Grunt, make the attack run.

Grunt: You got it, Maverick, on our way.

Maverick: We gotta knock out more of those laser turrets.

Maniac: Razor, cover me, I'm going through that catbox.

Razor: With you, Maniac, I'm your wingman.

Grunt: Maverick, we're going in for another run.

Maniac: Come on, baby, almost there.

Razor: I'm hit, losing my shields, gonna pull out. Good luck, Maniac.

Maniac: Razor! You furballs are gonna pay. (screams)

Grunt: I'm hit, losing power. You're on your own, mano.

Bhok: Maverick, this is Bhok! What have you done? What have you done?

Maverick: I read you, Bhok.

Bhok: I trusted you. It was my life I offered you, not that of my ccomerades.

Maverick: I'm sorry. I tried, but I had my orders. Bhok, it's not too late for the others, for your clans. you could still help end this war.

Bhok: What? No!

Payback: I got target lock.

Maverick: Alright people, let's get back to the Tiger's Claw. Let's go home.

SCENE - Briefing Room

Maverick: The Kilrathi was trying to defect sir, it wasn't a trick.

Tolwyn: Well then, the information he gave us about the sacrifice on DOlos might be true. This could be our chance to strike directly at Prince Thrakhath.

Maverick: Then maybe Bhok didn't give his life for nothing.

Tolwyn: Who?

Maverick: The Kilrathi pilot. His name was Bhok nar Ragiatagha.

Tolwyn: (laughs) Well don't trouble yourself over one Kilrathi traitor. The price of victory is paid in lives.