2 S

2_S
Production	Privateer 2: The Darkening
Type	Main Plot
Series	Introduction
Disc	CD1
Run Time	6m41s
Previous	CREDIT_S
Next	SINN_S

2_S is a live action cutscene from Privateer 2: The Darkening. It is part of the introductory series of cutscenes. It follows CREDIT_S and is followed by SINN_S. It shows the assassination attempt on Lev Arris at Crius Hospital.

• Download: 2_S.mp4

Transcript

FREVEL: Ser Arris, if you can hear me, blink. Excellent. I think our patient's coming around, Douglas. You've been in an accident, Ser. Your ship crashed while landing here on Crius. Luckily you were in a cryopod at the time so your injuries weren't extensive.

ARRIS: Accident? How?

FREVEL: We'll deal with that later. Our first job is to get you back on your feet. You need to stay with us for some rehab, it's plenty of time.

ARRIS: Yeah, but I don't remember... anything. What ship? What's happening?

FREVEL: The Canera, Ser Arris. We know that's your name from your cryopod. It may take a while for your memory to return. In the mean time, just relax. Everything's going to be fine.

--

COMPUTER: Exercise...

FREVEL: And how's Ser Arris this morning?

ARRIS: He's okay.

COMPUTER: Gyro session commencing.

ARRIS: I just wish he would tell me who he was.

FREVEL: We'll get your memory back eventually.

ARRIS: Do you talk to all your patients as though they were children, Dr. Frevel, or is it just me?

FREVEL: I'm sorry. We find that usually people in your condition appreciate a gentle approach.

ARRIS: Yeah, well I'm not usual people.

FREVEL: No, I don't believe you are. We wouldn't normally divulge this information to patients but we did a record search on you and it wasn't good.

ARRIS: Make my day. I'm a mass-murderer.

FREVEL: I wouldn't joke about that if I were you. You could be almost anything. Prior to two weeks ago, you don't exist. Either someone's erased your records or else there was an accident in your home planet's data net.

ARRIS: My home planet. Geez, where is home? Where's my family? Do I have a family? Am I married? Do I have children? Who the hell am I, Doctor Frevel?

FREVE: It'll come, Lev. This is all quite normal with trauma sustained in cryo.

COMPUTER: Gyro ending.

ARRIS: Just how long was I in that icebox for?

FREVEL: We're still working on that. But you could afford to stay in one for as long as you liked.

ARRIS: Meaning?

FREVEL: Meaning one thing that did come down from your data check, your account. Only registered about a week ago. You have an exceptionally attractive credit rating, Ser Arris.

Arris: Nice.

COMPUTER: Gyro session commencing, please stand clear.

ARRIS: If only it wasn't overdrawn in the memory bank.

--

NURSE: Can I help you, Sers?

ASSASSIN #1: We're looking for Ser Lev Arris.

NURSE: He's in physio at the moment. Can I ask who wants him?

ASSASSSIN #1: New Crius Examiner. We're here to interview him about the Canera crash.

NURSE: His consultant would have to clear it first.

ASSASSIN #2: Clear this, Mister Nurse.

NURSE: Argh!

ASSASSIN #1: You know something? I think I could really get to enjoy this journalism thing.

--

FREVEL: Cryo-associated memory loss may take months to resolve itself. But when it does some patients are a little disappointed. The reality of someone's past often fails to match up to what they'd imagined it might be.

ARRIS: Right now I'd settle for disappointment.

FREVEL: You may have to. In time your memory is likely to recover completely.

ARRIS: But how do I know that? How will I ever be sure there's not one more nasty little memory just waiting to jump me?

COMPUTER: Gyro session.ending.

--

ASSASSIN #3: I like hospitals. So clean. So sterile.

ASSASSIN #4: Getting all hot and bothered, huh?

ASSASSIN #3: I never get hot. Nor bothered.

RECEPTIONIST: Yes, Serras?

ASSASSIN #3: We're here to visit a man. I mean, a friend who is a man. Ser Lev Arris.

RECEPTIONIST: 5A, Serras. First line walk on your left. Follow the... huh.

--

FREVEL: Try and take it easy for the time being. If you overstress yourself it could only prolong the problem.

AUTOPILOT: Rear door locked. Autopilot activate. Course two, go, go.

Characters

Speaking

• Lev Arris
• Female Space Communications (v.o.)
• Canera Captain
• Raj ("Canera Helmsman")
• Canera Communications Officer

Non-Speaking

• Canera Crewman #1
• Canera Crewman #2

Ships

• CR3A Ilia MK II (Canera)
• KN01 Drakkar (2)

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. 1_S is cut down and appears slightly later as a flashback in the 25th Anniversary Restoration cut.

• Download: ANNIVERSARY_Hilliker_Cut.mp4

Betacam

A pair of Betacam SP tapes recovered from Digital Anvil have provided high quality versions of much of Privateer 2: The Darkening's Main Plot. These cuts are not final and digital effects are missing.

• Download: 1_S-Priv2-betacam-roughcut.mp4

Images

Marketing

• 

  Frame Render

• 

  Frame Render

• 

  Drakkar cinematic model

• 

  David McCallum as Canera Captain (web site)

• 

  David McCallum as Canera Captain (press kit)

Behind the Screens

• 

  Canera render by Michael Cottam

Press

• 

  PC Zone supplement

• 

  PC Zone supplement

Storyboards

A collection of Privateer 2 Storyboards has been provided by Joe Garrity of the Origin Museum. They cover the Main Plot cutscenes.

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

Script

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

• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 
• 

SC.17 BURN IN TITLES

Slowly, as titles run, the background can be seen to be lightening from black. Vague forms (toward the end of titles) can occasionally be seen moving in it, but all in shades of black and white and grey. The muffled SFX: SOUND OF VOICES starts to be audible as well. The background beneath it fills in: becoming very white and bright, and other color fills itself in as well. Plainly this is a hospital. The face resolves itself into that of a DOCTOR (female).

DOCTOR

Ser Arris? If you can hear me, blink.

She shines a hand-light into camera. Picture BLINKS, going black, for a spilt second. Doctor smiles. She has a slightly Idoctorish' condescending tone.

DOCTOR CONT

Exellent. I think our patient's

coming round, Douglas.

DOUGLAS, a nurse, joins her in shot. They both look down AT CAMERA.

DOCTOR CONT

You've been in an accident, Ser. Your

ship crashed while landing here, on

Crius. Luckily you were in a cryopod

at the time so your injuries weren't

extensive...

SC.18 NEW ANGLE

CLOSE on the awakened patient's face. This is LEV ARRIS, (or at least that's the name of the manufactured identity he's been found with): He is the central character of the game. He blinks at the doctor and nurse who are leaning over him, taking his pulse, etc.

ARRIS

(Confused)

Accident? How...?

DOCTOR

We'll deal with that later. Ou: first

job is to get you back on your feet.

�

THE DARKENING main game sequence, draft 7 -- page 8

DOCTOR (CONT)

You'll stay with us for rehab.

There's plenty of....

ARRIS

(Interrupting, rising panic)

But I don't remember. Anything.

What ship?

DOCTOR

The Canera. Ser Arris - we know

that's your name from your cryopod -

it may take a while for your memory

to return. In the meantime, just relax.

Everything's going to be fine.

SC.19 ANOTHER ANGLE

Favoring Arris. His face works a little as he tries to remember anything at all.

DOCTOR

That's not surprising. It may

take a while. You'll need to

stay with us for a while, for some

rehab. There's plenty of time.

The Doctor pats Arris's hand and leaves the nurse with him: the nurse gets busy with some equipment, etc. CAMERA PUSHES IN ON ARRIS as he pushes up in the bed a little, looks at his surroundings. There's an uncomfortable, wondering look about him....

CUT TO:

SC.20 EXT. CRIUS. DAY - ESTABLISHING (COMPUTER GENERATED

: NO VIDEO)

A good look at the planet under daylight. A nice-looking place. CAMERA PUSHES IN on the big medical center where Arris is being treated. Various skycraft come and go.

PUSH IN on part of the medical center, a solarium-cum- exercise area. This is elevated five or six storeys above ground level, and there's a railed, open terrace outside it.

SC.21 INT. SOLARIUM

Various PEOPLE working on pieces of rehab equipment. We PAN past them and CAMERA HOLDS on Arris, working on something like a treadmill (except it's recessed right into the floor, with just a small T-bar for him to hold onto as he walks). The DOCTOR comes up beside him.

DOCTOR

And how's Ser Arris this morning?

ARRIS

He's okay. I just wish he

would tell me who he was.

DOCTOR

(She finds Arris amusing)

We'll get our memory back eventually.

ARRIS

Do you talk to all your patients

though they were children, Doctor

Frevel? Or is it just me?

DOCTOR

(Taken aback)

I'm sorry. We find that....usually

people in your condition appreciate

a....gentle approach.

ARRIS

Well I'm not usual people.

DOCTOR

(She looks at him differently)

No. No, I don't believe you are.

(Smiles, continues in a more

natural tone)

We wouldn't normally divulge this to

patients....but we did a record search

on you. It wasn't good.

SC.22 ARRIS. THE DOCTOR

Arris steps off the treadmill, reaches for a towel, wipes sweat away.

ARRIS

Make my day. I'm a mass murderer?

DOCTOR

I wouldn't joke about that. You could

be almost anything. Prior to two weeks

ago, you don't exist. Either someone's

erased your records...or there was an

accident in your home planet's data net.

ARRIS

My home planet? Jeez, where is home?

Where's my family? Do I have a family?

SC.23 WIDER

ARRIS

Am I married? Do I have children?

Who the hell am I Dr. Frevel?

DOCTOR

(compassionate)

It'll come Lev. This is all quite normal

with trauma sustained in cryo.

ARRIS

Just how long was I in that icebox for?

SC.24 ANOTHER ANGLE

As they walk toward one side of the solarium, where there's a mirrored wall: other patients are using it to help them work out.

DOCTOR

We're still working on that.

(slight humor)

But you could afford to stay in one

for as long you liked.

ARRIS

Meaning?

DOCTOR

Meaning one thing did come down with

the data check. Your account, only

registered about a week ago. You have

an exceptionally...attractive credit

rating Ser Arris.

SC.25 CLOSER - THE TWO OF THEM

As they come up in front of the mirror. Arris looks closely at himself. A good-looking man, now fit again, in his late twenties...but with eyes haunted by the lack of self- knowledge.

ARRIS

Nice. If only I wasn't overdrawn

at the memory bank, huh?

CUT TO:

SC.26 INT. HOSPITAL RECEPTION AREA -- DAY

Two neatly-dressed men with satchels come to the main desk. One is looking around him alertly, as if watching the other man's back. The receptionist at the desk looks up at them.

RECEPTIONIST

Yes?

FIRST ASSASSIN

It's new right?

The receptionist doesn't quite understand. She smiles. First Assassin leans on the desk, looking at her hair, like a professional.

FIRST ASSASSIN

The hair style. I love it.

RECEPTIONIST

(Touching hair, thrown off-

balance but flattered)

Oh, it's fairly new I suppose...

FIRST ASSASSIN

It's perfect. I do a little....

fashion reporting, you know, when

I ain't covering more serious stuff..

RECEPTIONIST

Are you guys...journalists?

FIRST ASSASSIN

(To second Assassin)

Brains as well as beauty.

FIRST ASSASSIN (CONT)

(To Receptionist)

We're with the New Crius Examiner.

Here to interview a Ser Lev Arris.

Is he around?

The Receptionist seems a little unsure. First Assassin gives her a winning smile.

RECEPTIONIST

I'll just check.

SC.27 CLOSER

From her side of the desk. She looks up at them.

RECEPTIONIST

Section five A, gentlemen. First

slidewalk on your left, follow

the beacon.

A little green "tinkerbell" light pops up out of the surface of her desk, hangs in the air in front of the men, wobbles a little as if to get their attention, then heads off and OUT OF SHOT. As they leave

RECEPTIONIST

(Coy)

See you.

FIRST ASSASSIN

(Winking at her)

Not unless I see you first.

They follow the light OUT OF SHOT.

SC.28 WIDER

As they go after the light. The SECOND ASSASSIN continues to look around himself as they go, intent on making sure where every other person in the area is. The FIRST ASSASSIN forges on ahead, speaking softly into a device like a tiny cellphone, with the other man following.

SECOND ASSASSIN

(Unimpressed)

Fashion reporting?

FIRST ASSASSIN

I thought it was a nice touch.

SECOND ASSASSIN

Yeah, well we'll get a nice touch

from Rhinehart if your flirting

screws things up.

FIRST ASSASSIN

It ain't flirting. It was just adding

a little color to the performance.

SC.29 INT. SOLARIUM - DAY

Arris and the Doctor again.

DOCTOR

Cryo-associated memory loss can take

months to resolve itself...but when

it does some patients are a little..

disappointed. The reality of someone's

past often fails to match up to what

they imagined it might be.

ARRIS

Right now I'd settle for disappointment.

SC.30 ANOTHER ANGLE

Arris starts pulling on his clothes over his workout gear.

DOCTOR

You may have to. In time your memory

is likely to recover completely.

ARRIS

But how will I know that? How will

I ever be sure that there's not one

more nasty little memory...just

waiting to jump me?

CUT TO:

5C.31 INT. WARD RECEPTION AREA - DAY

The green light zips up to the reception desk, glows, then vanishes. The nurse at the desk looks up at the two men who approach.

NURSE

Can I help you?

FIRST ASSASSIN

We're looking for Ser Lev Arris.

NURSE

He's in physio at the moment. Who

shall I say wants him?

FIRST ASSASSIN

New Crius Examiner. We're here to

interview him about the Canera crash.

NURSE

His consultant will have to clear it

first--

SC.32 ANOTHER ANGLE

As the two men pull out blasters and level them at the nurse.

SECOND ASSASSIN

Clear this, Mister Nurse.

The nurse opens his mouth to shout. Before he gets a chance, they blast him, and he collapses over the desk like a limp doll. SFX: SUBDUED WEAPONS NOISE, a sound like the buzz of many angry wasps.

After they blow him away...

FIRST ASSASSIN

(Grinning)

You know something...I think I

could really get to enjoy this

journalism thing.

The two men hurry off in the direction of the solarium.

CUT TO:

SC.33 INT, HOSPITAL RECEPTION AREA - DAY

As before: same receptionist. A THIRD and FOURTH ASSASSIN talk among themselves as they approach.

THIRD ASSASSIN

I like hospitals. They're so clean.

So...sterile.

FOURTH

Getting all hot and bothered, huh?

THIRD

(shooting her a withering look)

I never get hot. Nor bothered.

They've reached the desk.

RECEPTIONIST

Yes, serras?

THIRD ASSASSIN

We're here to visit a man. I mean, a

friend, who's a man. Ser Lev Arris.

RECEPTIONIST

My, he's popular today.

SC.34 CLOSER

As another little light, blue this time, pops up out of the desk and heads off slowly.

FOURTH ASSASSIN

Popular?

In the midst of the next speech they exchange glances, head hurriedly after the blue light.

RECEPTIONIST

A couple of reporters just went

through. Five-A, sers, first slidewalk

on your left, follow the --

(realizes she's talking to empty air)

Oh.

SC.35 WIDER

They run down the slidewalk, jostling people. The light heads after them, trying rather pathetically to keep up.

CUT TO:

SC.36 INT. SOLARIUM - DAY

Favoring the doctor and Arris, as they step away from the mirror.

DOCTOR

Well...take it easy for the time

being. If you overstress yourself,

you may prolong the problem --

She looks up in surprise, and then Arris does, at the SFX: COMMOTION OF VOICES near the main doors to the solarium. Behind her (and totally unnoticed by her and Arris), a largish scoutship-type craft is rising above the terrace level beyond the doors to the outside.

SC.37 ANGLE ON THE SOLARIUM WINDOWS - THE SHIP

It pauses -- then BLASTS the outer structure of the solarium with some kind of force weapon, blowing a large hole in it. Glass scatters inward, people start to run in all directions, screaming.

SC.38 ON THE DOORS

As the two men who have just shot the nurse burst in through the doors. People all around the solarium stare at them. Both of the men look around hurriedly at all the people -- then one of them sees the Doctor and Arris, points. The other follows his gesture, points his gun at them: so does the first. They FIRE.

SC.39 CLOSE - ARRIS AND THE DOCTOR

A blast from one of the weapons hits the doctor in the forehead, damaging her as messily as possible for the optimum for the game. She falls OUT OF SHOT. Arris stares as she goes down -- then looks up and dives sideways, also OUT OF SHOT. A beam from a blaster stitches through the air where his head just was.

SC.40 WIDER

Arris rolls and rolls in an attempt to avoid the beams lancing out at him. Several hit the floor as he rolls, but don't damage it --

SC.41 ANOTHER ANGLE

The First Man takes more careful aim, fires --

SC.42 ON ARRIS

A beam hits him as he's scrambling to his feet. He stares in horror as it hits his chest -- but this is a stun. Arris crumples to his knees, almost unconscious. The two attackers run INTO SHOT and grab him under the arms, haul him away.

SC.43 WIDER

He struggles feebly with them, but to no avail. They haul him toward the hole in the windows which leads to the outdoor terrace: in the air over the terrace, their "getaway" craft is hovering gently. One of them points a remote control at it: its door slides open.

SC.44 EXT. TERRACE

They're out the doors now. They haul him toward the waiting craft, into it.

SC.45 CLOSER ON THE SHIP DOOR

Arris is bundled forward and out of sight. Then one of the men comes out, jumps down to ground level again, looking around him warily --

FIRST MAN

Uhhh  !

He collapses to his knees, staring at the large burn hole which has appeared in his chest.

SC.46 WIDER

He pitches forward. His companion, in the ship, ducks behind one side of the open door as more shots come sleeting past: peers out.

SC.47 ON THE HOLE INTO THE SOLARIUM

Two other assassins -- the second pair whom we saw enter the hospital -- are shooting at the remaining man of the first pair.

SC.48 BACK TO ANGLE - THE SHIP

The man still inside it leans out a bit, fires at the others.

SC.49 ANGLE FROM INSIDE THE SHIP

Arris, dumped unconscious in the pilot's seat. In b.g. the remaining man fires at his attackers: they return fire. Sparks and SFX: RICOCHETS all over the place.

SC.50 THE SINGLE MAN

From outside. Still firing -- he leans out too far. Various shots miss him -- one doesn't: he falls out of the ship, mortally wounded.

SC.51 CLOSER - THE WOUNDED MAN. ON THE IERRACE

His small cellphone-looking remote has fallen a little distance from him. He hauls himself along to it -- reaches out a shaking hand -- grabs it -- brings it up to lips now frothing blood. Behind him, we can see the door of the ship closing in reaction to his command.

FIRST MAN

Door seal. Lock. Autopilot --

activate -- preset course two --

go, go, go -- !

The remote falls from his hand: his eyes glaze over, wide open. He's dead. SFX: ENGINE SCREAM from behind.

SC.52 WIDER

The ship lifts up out of its cradle, soars up horizontally for a few seconds: then its nose tilts up and its rear jets light. It accelerates powerfully up into the atmosphere, swiftly diminishing.

SC.53 BACK TO ANGLE,- THE DEAD MAN WITH THE REMOTE

CAMERA HOLDS ON HIM as we hear SFX of APPROACHING FOOTSTEPS. Booted feet walk INTO SHOT. One boot nudges the man, turns him over.

SC.54 ASSASSINS THREE AND FOUR

Looking down at the corpse, their weapons drawn.

THIRD ASSASSIN

A clean, surgical strike, that was

our brief, wasn't it?

FOURTH

The Old Man's gonna go ballistic.

The 'dead man' groans a little...the last glimmer of life...

Third Assassin methodically puts one more blast into him: then another, a strange SMILE coming over her face...

Then she looks up...

SC.55 WIDE - THE TWO MEN. THE SKY

As the escaping ship vanishes from sight in the high stratosphere.

THIRD ASSASSIN

There goes my beautiful career.

They turn and walk OUT OF SHOT. CAMERA HOLDS

CUT TO:

SC.56 INT. ARIUS'S SHIP (COMPUTER GENERATED: NO VIDEO)

Dark except for the telltales of the ship's computer and control panel, and the starlight outside the front windows. FADE IN SFX: SHIP'S COMPUTER as it speaks: a female voice, growing more urgent.

COMPUTER

There is a critical condition in

the D-space anomaly. Drop-out

is imminent. -- There is a

critical condition in the D-space

anomaly. Drop-out is imminent.

Pilot intervention is required.

ARRIS (VO)

-- Where are we?

COMPUTER

The question is not answerable

in terms of physical location,

since this vessel is irrelevant.

We will emerge from D - space within

approach distance of planet Hermes

within three point five minutes.

(beat)

Diagnostics show a catastrophic

failure in the gravitic shell

which will render the D-drive

inoperable after emergence. Repair

will require the services of an

authorized 'Arstan' dealer, or other

facility equipped to UTRA standard.

SC.57 INT. SHIP (COMPUTER GENERATED: NO VIDEO) -

VIEW THROUGH THE FRONT VIEWPORT

There are (seemingly) no single stars out there: but there are many packages of six, each single point of faint light arranged on the vertices of a hexagon. Now, with a slight shuddering motion, they begin to converge --

SC.58 EXT. SHIP (COMPUTER GENERATED: NO VIDEO)

As this convergence of stars starts happening all around it, the ship itself seems to start to flower out into a series of ghost images, six of them, radiating symmetrically outward from the body of the "central" craft. The image is somewhat like that of a flower opening.

The ghost-images of the ship continue to rotate outward from the "real" ship at their heart, until they reach the 90- degree point. At this point another "ship" appears at the heart of the "flower", a mirror image of the first one, and this one starts becoming more solid as the original one fades: while all around, the converging stars get brighter and brighter --

SC,59 EXT. SHIP - ANOTHER_ANGLE (COMPUTER GENERATED: NO

VIDEO)

As the first image of the ship starts to fade away, while the other ships constituting the "petals" of the flower close in around the second, rotating "into" it. The stars converge, getting brighter and brighter -- and then fuse into a single blinding glare which whites out the screen --

SC.60 WIDER (COMPUTER GENERATED: NQ VIDEO)

The "normal" stars reassert themselves, and a very bright star in far b. g., the sun of the Hermes star-system. In nearer b.g. is the planet Hermes itself. Six ghost-images of Arris's ship rotate into a central point with a slam of light and SEX: THUNDER,- leaving one ship, in normal space, and everything very quiet after all the ruckus.

SC.61 INT. SHIP

COMPUTER

Gravitational wave compression of

nearest mass identifies it as planet

Hermes.

(beat)

Anomaly envelope has failed. Local

field suppressors have failed. These

failures constitute a class two emergency.

Automatic situation logics will now be

implemented. Please secure yourself and

prepare for emergency landing sequence.

SC. 62 InT. SHIP (COMPUTER GEBERATED: NO VIDEO)

COMPUTER

Default landing location is Ilij

Spaceport. Advising Hermes

approach control. Alerting

emergency services.

SC.63 EXT. SPACE (COMPUTER GENERATED: NO VIDEO)

As the ship changes attitude, firing its ion thrusters to push it down into the planet's gravity well. It drops away from POV at speed.

HERMES CONTROL (VO)

RD eight one two six, confirming

emergency services on standby,

ingress path three five to Ilij

port is being cleared for you,

expect docking tractor shortly...

SC,64 EXT. HERMES UPPER ATMQSPHERE (COMPUTER GENERAZED: ::::NO VIDEO)

Re-entry: the ship's shields glowing as they divert the heat from the ship itself. It noses down and streaks past POV.

COMPUTER

Losing attitudes, Hermes control,

approach will be on ions only...

HERMES APPROACH CONTROL

Understood, RD, emergency personnel

advised, abort landing to cradle,

skirt markers on...

SC.65 EXT. HERMES LOWER ATMOSPHERE (COMPUTER GENERATED:

NO VIDEO)

The ship is coming in at an angle which is very "flat" compared to the planet, so that the atmosphere will soak up a lot of the ship's speed. The shields are still diverting heat away from it.

SC. 66 EXT. HERMES SPACEPORT - HIGH ANGLE (COMPUTER ::::GENERATED: NQ vIDEco

As the ship plummets down toward it --

SC.67 CLOSER - THE SPACEPORT'S BLAST SKIRT (COMPUTER ::::GENERATED: NO VIDEO)

The ship skims down toward it. Now the ion drivers come on, a great flat splash of light and power under the ship's bottom surface.

SC.68 LOW ANGLE - FROM THE BLAST SKIRT (COMPUTER ::::GENERATED: NO VIDEO)

The ship comes crashing in, onto the cushion of energy produced by its iondrivers. The effect is as of someone skidding along the ground on a large thick mattress.

SC.69 WIDER ( COMPUTER GENERATED : NO SIDED)

The emergency services are waiting for it -- vehicles hovering ready to either side of the ship's approach path: between them, a big glowing field stretched like a net, to catch the crashing ship.

SC.70 FROM BEHIND THE "NET" ( COMPUTER GENERATED : NO ::::VIDEO)

The crashing ship, already slowed by its iondrivers, plows into the "net" and comes to a halt. It does the cradle some damage.

SC.71 INT. ARRIS'S SHIP (COMPUTER GENERATED: NO VIDEO)

COMPUTER

Landing sequence complete.

Shutting failed systems

down. Damage status report:

landing has damaged this ship

past 709d repair-salvage make/break

ratio. Please evacuate.

SC.72 GAME ONLY - (COMPUTER GENERATED: NOT ::::VIDEO)

(Normal gameflow starts here, showing the interior of the spaceport, including the data booths and accesses. When the player clicks on them:)