Expendable
Expendable is the seventh episode of Wing Commander Academy aired and the sixth produced.
| Expendable | |
|---|---|
| |
| Episode Number | 1x07 |
| Production Code | 74706 |
| Story | Mark Edens |
| Writer(s) | Ted Pederson & Francis Moss |
| Air Date | November 9, 1996 |
| Run Time | 20m53s |
| Animation Studio | Koko |
| Theme | Version 1 |
| Previous | Chain of Command |
| Next | Recreation |
Summary
Act One
| Terran Confederation | Empire of Kilrah | |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | ||
| 3 CF-105 Scimitar medium fighters | 1 Jump Buoy | |
| Losses | ||
| 1 Jump Buoy destroyed | ||
Act Two
| Terran Confederation | Empire of Kilrah | |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | ||
| 2 CF-131 Broadsword bombers | 5 Sartha light fighters 3 Grikath heavy fighters 2 Fralthi destroyers 3 carriers 1 dreadnaught | |
| Losses | ||
| 1 Broadsword destroyed | 1 Sartha, 2 Grikath and 1 Fralthi destroyed | |
Act Three
| Terran Confederation | Empire of Kilrah | |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | ||
| 15 CF-105 Scimitar medium fighters 1 CF-131 Broadsword bomber 1 Bengal class strike carrier |
7 Dralthi medium fighters | |
| Losses | ||
| 7 Dralthi destroyed | ||
Characters
Speaking
Commodore Geoffrey Tolwyn
Commander Nelson
Major Arnold Blair
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
2nd Lt. Yulan "Hyena" Chang
Tech Specialist Maya McEaddens
Communications Tech
Doctor Guthrig Andropolos
Ship's Address
Prince Thrakhath nar Kiranka
Lord Gharal nar Hhallas
Destroyer Captain
Dralthi Pilot
Nonspeaking
Bridge Crew (4-5)
Ground Crewman
Fauna
Space Pig
Locations
Tiger's Claw
Flight Deck
Bridge
Briefing Room
Sick Bay
Agon'Ra'Sivar
Throne Room
Initial System
Pulsar Node
Seti Beta System
Pulsar Node
Jumpspace
Icarus Colony
Icarus Colony
Cockpits
Scimitar
Broadsword
Dralthi
Grikath
Ships
Terran Confederation
Fighters
Capital Ships
Empire of Kilrah
Fighters
Capital Ships
Vehicles
Terran Confederation
Broadsword Ejection Pod
Recovery Vehicle
Trivia
Animation Errors
- Prince Thrakhath tells Gharal that he "will send a squadron of Grikath after the Terrans" while Dralthi are used in the final act instead.
Credits
| Role | Name |
|---|---|
| Story by | Mark Edens |
| Written by | Ted Pederson |
| Francis Moss | |
| 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, Communications Tech) |
| Tom Wilson (Maniac) | |
| Malcolm McDowell (Tolwyn) | |
| Dana Delany (Archer) | |
| Also Starring | Lauri Hendler (Payback, Maya) |
| Kevin Schoen (Thrakhath, Hyena) | |
| Pat Fraley (Grunt, Guthrig, Gharal, Ship's Address) | |
| 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 |
| J.C. Ponce | |
| Dave Williams | |
| Storyboard Cleanup | Judy Nielson |
| Timing Directors | Mike Milo |
| Tim Walker | |
| Zeon Davush | |
| Bill Reed | |
| Brian Ray | |
| Donna Mouliot | |
| John Cataldi | |
| Carole Beers | |
| 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 | Koko Entertainment Co., Ltd. |
| Produced in Association with | USA Network |
Transcript
Act One
SCENE - Flight Deck
Ship's Address: Attention all personnel, prepare to exit jump space. brace for node deceleration.
Maverick: We're coming out of jump space.
Tolwyn: We have an unknown contact near the jump node. Scramble and identify.
Maniac: Alright! Let's hit it, boys and girls.
SCENE - Jump Node
Maverick: Maverick to Maniac, I've got contact. Magnifying. It's a jump buoy. Looks like Kilrathi.
Maniac: Kilrathi for sure. Any sign of life aboard?
Maverick: No, negative sensor scan.
Maniac: Maniac to Tiger's Claw. We got a jump buoy here. Uploading sensor data now.
SCENE - Bridge
Nelson: Sir, that buoy might be useful. We could rig it track Kilrathi passage through this jump node.
Tolwyn: It's already useful to the Kilrathi. This is Tolwyn, destroy the buoy.
SCENE - Jump Node
Maniac: Yes sir. Well, you heard the man. Now Archer, you're wing, Maverick you fly backup.
Archer: Understood.
Maverick: Alright and keep your shields up, folks. Kilrathi jump buoys are equipped with automated defenses.
Maniac: Just sit back and watch the show, Maverick, maybe you'll learn something.
Archer: Probably too late for you to learn anything, Maniac.
Maniac: Hey, can the chatter Archer, we got a job to do. Oh man, I'm targeted. It's got a lock. One down, launch decoys.
Archer: My bogey took the bait. I'm clear.
Maniac: I've got two hot for my bod. Hang on, one more to go. But I can't lose it. It's almost on my tail. Aw, ejecting.
Maverick: Hang on Maniac, I've got you covered.
Archer: Continuing attack run. This time I got you.
Maverick: Nice work, Archer.
Archer: Thanks, I needed that one.
Maverick: Well now I know why you kept me in reserve, Maniac. You knew you'd need somebody to save your tail.
Maniac: (laughs) The day I need you to save me is the day I hang up my wings, Maverick.
SCENE - Briefing Room
Tolwyn: Well let's see who was paying attention in astrophysics class. We'll start with what you know. When you jump through the gravitational node of an ordinary star it takes you to a neighboring star. So, where does the supernode generated by a pulsar take you?
Archer: Uh, that depends, sir. With the right velocity and approach angle you can jump past nearby stars to a pulsar with a corresponding frequency.
Maverick: Which could put you on the other side of the galaxy.
Tolwyn: And what's the only way to discover where the supernode leads?
Maniac: You jump through, sir.
Tolwyn: Exactly. Of course the Tiger's Claw is too important to risk on a node reconnaissance. But our Broadsword bombers are jump capable.
Maniac: I'd like to volunteer, sir.
Payback: So would I.
Maverick: And me, sir.
Archer: Me too.
Tolwyn: What about you, cadet Paz?
Grunt: I learned one thing in the marines. Never volunteer.
Tolwyn: Spoken like a veteran.
Grunt: Well, thank you, sir.
Tolwyn: I'm sending two Broadsword bombers into the pulsar node. Blair will command the flight, cadet Price will be his wingman.
Maniac: Sir, I... sir, I can handle the Broadsword better than Maverick. I'd like to...
Tolwyn: Are you questioning my orders, cadet?
Maniac: No, sir. I guess not.
Tolwyn: Good. Now remember, this is a reconaissance mission. You are to avoid contact with the enemy, engaging them only if necessary. You're no good to me reduced to atoms.
Maverick & Payback: Yes sir.
SCENE - Flight Deck
Maya: These control the wing plasma guns and the quad lasers linked to your heads up computer. Now this is your real firing particle cannon. That sets your dumb fire and image recog missiles.
Maverick: (laughs) Uh, I've checked out in Broadswords before.
Maya: Sorry, but I hear you're doing the long jump. I, uh, I equipped the Broadswords with extra life support packs.
Maverick: Oh, well, thanks Maya.
Maya: I work hard to keep these things flying, you bring them back, okay.
Maverick: Downloading jump coordinates.
Maniac: (huffs) I can't believe Maverick is going on this mission, it should've been me.
Archer: I'm sure the old man had his reasons.
Maniac: Yeah, like the Blair family connections. It takes more than a silver spoon in your m outh to put silver wings on your chest.
SCENE - Bridge
Guthrig: Commodore, some of the cadets have been complaining.
Tolwyn: Cadets always complain, doctor, its their secondary mission.
Guthrig: They seem to think you're showing undue favoriatism towards Maverick.
Tolwyn: They do, eh? (laughs) Well, tell them I'm not doing Maverick any favors sending him on this mission.
Communications Tech: Sir, jump data has been transferred to the Broadswords computers.
Tolwyn: Launch the ships.
SCENE - Jump Node
Maverick: Jump coordinates locked into guidance system.
Payback: What do you think we'll find on the other side?
Maverick: Well it could be nothing. Or we could be flying into the whole Kilrathi fleet.
Act Two
SCENE - Seti Beta System
Maverick: Begin node deceleration.
Payback: Whew! Some ride, huh?
Maverick: Multiple contacts, all around us. At least two carriers. No, no, three. And something bigger.
Payback: We've been spotted. Bandits at 10:00, two of 'em.
Maverick: Keep them busy, I'll plot a course back to the jump node.
Payback: My pleasure. Say hello to your ancestors, furballs.
Maverick: Got it. Payback, I've got the jump coordinates. Break off pursuit, now.
Payback: There's no way I'm turning back now, Maverick, I've waited a long time for this.
Maverick: What? We're under orders, Payback. Do not engage, I repeat, do not engage.
Payback: Try and stop me. Just jump through to the 'Claw, I 'll catch up.
Maverick: I'm not leaving without you.
Payback: Torpedoes away. YES! That's the first payback.
Gharal: This is Gharal. Our brothers shall be avenged.
Payback: Ugh, I'm not that easy, Kilrathi!
Gharal: You should have stayed on your home planet, Terran.
Payback: (groans) My shields are down.
Payback: Go ahead, furball, take your best shot. At least I got your destroyer.
Gharal: Wait, do not fire. We will take the Terran prisoner. Prepare magnetic grappler.
Maverick: Nobody messes with my wingman.
Gharal: (groans) Engines! Oh, can't restart. Ah, those who live among the stars, die among them.
Maverick: You in one piece, Payback?
Payback: Affirmative, thanks for the rescue.
Maverick: We'll talk about it later, right now we've got to scramble. Hang on.
Gharal: We Kilrathi say mercy is a weakness. Perhaps we are right, Terran.
Maverick: More Kilrathi between us and the node.
Payback: Just ditch my pod, you might be able to fight your way through.
Maverick: What? No way, we came together we're going back together. Arming torpedoes for timed flight detonation. Hang on, it's going to be a bumpy ride. Torpedoes away!
Payback: (grunts) Ow!
Maverick: Node entry... now!
Thrakhath: This is Prince Thrakhath. I will send a squadron of Grikath after the Terrans. Report to me on the Agon'Ra'Sivar.
SCENE - Jumpspace
Payback: You're ticked off, I can tell. Look, I'm sorry. I wouldn't have blamed you for leaving me back there.
Maverick: What do you think you were doing back there? You know Tolwyn ordered us to avoid a fight. You cost us a Broadsword, you endangered the mission, sorry doesn't cut it. YUou know I would have expected something like that from a, from a glory seeking hot dog like Maniac but not you.
Payback: Are... are you going to tell Tolwyn that I disobeyed orders?
Maverick: (sighs) I have to.
Payback: They'll wash me out of the Academy.
Maverick: I know.
SCENE - Throne Room
Destroyer Captain: Lord Prince, we have driven off the enemy and destroyed one of his ships, your highness.
Thrakhath: Hmm. Some say I promoted you too fast, Gharal. If I have it is because I see in you the courage and the ability that I knew in your father. He was a great warrior, the glo ry of the Hhallas clan. You must hate the Terrans for taking his life.
Gharal: My father was a soldier.
Thrakhath: He was my friend, almost a second son to my father, the Emperor. I have decided to make you the captain of the destroyer Ras Nik'hra.
Destroyer Captain: But Prince Thrakhath, I am the captain of the Ras Nik'hra.
Thrakhath: Two destroyers guarded the jump node. One captain died with his ship, that is honorable. But to fail and still live, that is not honorable. Go and redeem your honor.
Destroyer Captain: (sighs) As you command, my lord.
SCENE - Jumpspace
Payback: What's the damage?
Maverick: (sighs) That last laser hit took out our life support. I've patched us into the emergency backup in your pod but that's all we've got.
Payback: Will it... will it last till we're through the node?
Maverick: It'll be cutting it close.
Payback: How close?
Maverick: Well let me put it this way. If the Claw's not there to pick us up when we come out of the node well, we won't have long to worry about it.
Act Three
SCENE - Jumpspace
Payback: How, how long?
Maverick: Three hours. One to go. (coughs) Oh boy, the air's getting bad.
Payback: I thought if I... if I could get away from my family, I'd be free. (laughs) I ran away when I was a kid, took a job with a mining company. Learned to fly ore shuttles. Oh it's so hard to be alone. Family is so much... if I'd known. They, they were on Icarus colony. On my way back, for the first time in years when the Kilrathi attacked. All gone. I don't ever want to be alone again. I saw the Kilrathi destroyer and thought maybe it's the one that dropped the bomb on Icarus. (coughs)
Maverick: (coughs) I joined the Academy because of my family. A Blair, worthy of the family name. First to volunteer, first to serve. (laughs) There was a Blair, a general, in the civil war.
Payback: Which civil war?
Maverick: (laughs) All of 'em.
Payback: We made it!
Maverick: (coughs) Checking sensors. The Claw! They're not out there.
Payback: I knew we'd never make it. No luck.
Maverick: Payback! Payback? (groans)
SCENE - Bridge
Nelson: We're getting no life support telemetry from the Broadsword. We could try hailing them.
Tolwyn: You have your orders, maintain communication silence.
Nelson: Yes, sir.
Guthrig: There might still be someone alive aboard that ship.
Tolwyn: I'm aware of that, doctor, but only one ship made it back. That means there are Kilrathi on the other side of the node. They'll be sending fighters in pursuit. If we power up, the Kilrathi will detect us when they come through. We'll lose the element of surprise.
Guthrig: Well what about the pilots out there, Payback or Maverick?
Tolwyn: A pilot is expendable. We all are. That's what it means to be a soldier.
SCENE - Jump Node
Maniac: That's Maverick out there. I know it's him. Archer, this is Maniac, I'm powering up and going for that Broadsword. Maverick's alive.
Archer: Get off this commlink. You know your orders, hold this position. I don't like it any better than you do.
Maniac: I wanted to beat you, Maverick, but not like this.
Archer: There they are, just like Tolwyn said.
SCENE - Bridge
Tolwyn: Open a commlink. Power up and engage the enemy.
SCENE - Jump Node
Dralthi Pilot: Commencing attack run.
Archer: They're heading for the jump node.
Hyena: We're on it!
Maniac: This one's mine! Woo-hoo!
Archer: One of them's still making a run on the Broadsword.
Hyena: I'm out of position, I can't stop him.
Arnold Blair: Christopher? Wake up, Christopher. It's time to get up.
Maverick: Dad?
Arnold Blair: If you die, forty generations of Blairs die with you.
Maverick: Oh, dad. I'm too tired. I want to sleep.
Arnold Blair: Now son, you're a Blair, you've got no right to let go of a life it took so many to create. Just take my hand, Christopher...
Maverick: (sighs) (groans)
Maniac: That's from the Broadsword. Maverick's alive back there.
Archer: Go ahead, Maniac, we've got things under control.
Maniac: I knew it was you, Maverick. That was some shot. Let's go home.
SCENE - Sick Bay
Maverick: Huh, lack of oxygen must have gotten to me. First I imagined I saw my dad. Then I thought Maniac (laughs) rescued me.
Maniac: (laughs) Yeah, fat chance. Next you'll be dreaming you're a better pilot than me.
Maverick: (laughs)
Tolwyn: Don't you have duty, cadet?
Maniac: Oh, uh, yes sir.
Tolwyn: Then I suggest you get to it.
Tolwyn: I'll expect a full report when you're up and about, cadet. But tell me, what happened to your Broadsword? You were ordered to avoid contact with the enemy.
Payback: Sir, I, uh.
Maverick: Sir, the Kilrathi were on us as soon as we came out of the node. Cadet Price was hit as we fought our way back.
Tolwyn: Disobeying orders or lying to a commanding officer can get you expelled from the academy. We are all expendable. We each have to answer for our own mistakes. Is that really what happened? You were intercepted by the Kilrathi?
Maverick: I'm a Blair, sir. The Blairs never lie.
