Star Saga: A Clash Of Empires (7)
RAPHSIDY As you wish, my lord. Raphsidy presses a button on the control panel and a clear and crystal like force field envelops him, blocking any chance for the three cadets to kill him. Fedos and Fedora approach them. The Command Center is spacious, computers lining a portion of the walls and man sized military figures occupying other areas. Langdon leads the charge as both he and Jesse go after Fedos and Iris battles Fedora. Iris enters into a fierce display of sweeping high kicks, back flips, punches, blocks, and avoidance maneuvers with Fedora. The two very much fight as if they hadn’t engaged in any kind of conflict earlier. Iris jabs her Killimari weapon towards Fedora’s mid section, and Fedora parries the attack and counters with a stiff blow to Iris’ head using the metallic staff portion of her weapon. Iris staggers. Iris recovers just as Fedora brings the serrated portion of her weapon to swipe at Iris’ throat, crouching out of the way and managing to sweep Fedora in the process. She comes tumbling down and Iris brings her weapon up then down to strike while Fedora manages to block the attack using her serrated staff. The two stay in this position of wills for a time until Fedora plants a swift kick into Iris’ stomach and sends her backwards a bit, giving her a chance to stand again. They approach each other once more and the metal of their weapons clash on. Langdon and Jesse’s battle with Fedos is a great display of martial arts perfection. In the beginning, the two opposing forces manages to get in small nicks and bruises, but for the most part nothing major happens. Fedos finally spins kicks Jesse, sending him spinning and crashing away from him, and then punches Langdon with his free hand and follows up with a swift kick in the stomach. The both of them try to recover near one another. Fedos looks towards an area high and up on the wall and an idea introduces itself unto him. He points towards the wall where sharp weapons are on a rack and speaks to the duo. FEDOS A little something for your...insolence. He guides the weapons towards them and they begin to block them with their Killimari weapons, knocking them off course. Fedos roars and roars at their attempts to survive. Many jagged and deadly weapons pepper the floor, and others of which come at the pair wildly. Suddenly, Langdon rushes towards him and manages to deflect any and all weapons that comes his way and jump kicks Fedos in the face, sending him crashing into the ground. Fedos wipes the blood from his lip, looking at the set and determined Langdon and Jesse with contempt and derision and addresses his queen, who has Iris on the defensive on the floor. FEDOS Fedora, let’s take this to the throne room, where we can pronounce judgement. Fedos stands, and has a calming look on his face, as he disappears from where he is. Langdon and Jesse look at each other shockingly. Iris rushes towards Fedora and Fedora smiles and disappears just before Iris swipes her. They all stand bewildered. LANGDON Let’s go. JESSE What about him? Langdon pulls out his laser gun and tries to blast Raphsidy, but it won’t pierce the shield. Raphsidy just looks at them. LANGDON We can come back for him later. Hurry. The trio hustle out of the corridor. INT. CONFINEMENT HOUSE, HALL LEADING TO CELL BLOCK Simon, Simone and their troupe come hustling around a corner with their laser guns propped up along their shoulders. The ones in the back of the infiltrating advance ensure that Myrmidions don’t try to sneak up behind them and attack them from their rear. They get to the sliding door and are impeded by the keypad requirement. They stand perplexed, while the other cadets stand guard down both sides of the aisle. SIMONE Well? What now? Simon considers. SIMON Let’s just blast our way in. The two step back and let loose unwavering laser fire on the door. It blackens in some areas, but when Simon tries to kick it down it remains. SIMONE It must be reinforced with some kind of metallic material. SIMON I know. We have to think of something else. Suddenly, the door slides open before them and Lajets stands in surprise flanked by two Myrmidions who are armed. They draw their weapons and Simon and Simone immediately fire at them before they can do the same, dispatching them. LAJETS Wha...what is going on? Who are all of you? SIMON We are cadets of the Earth Empire. And we’ve come to liberate the captives here. You’ll be doing the honors, or you’ll pay with your life. Lajets has a sneer on his face, but begrudgingly turns back the way he came, leading them deeper into the cell. Simon turns and speaks to several cadets who were stationed near the entrance. SIMON Wait here. They nod to one another. Simon and Simone follow after Lajets. The slaves look at them in utter curiosity, murmuring to one another. Wynn and Atla speak to one another. WYNN What is going on? Who are they? ATLA I...don’t know. Finally, they make it to the mounted computer terminal and Lajets begins pounding away at the panel. The lights barring the slaves in flash out of existence and they all move outward as a unit, hesitantly, wondering at the latest happenings. Simon turns and faces them. SIMON (loudly) We’re cadets from the Earth Empire. You’re all free people now. You don’t have to live your lives in slavery anymore. The alien peoples look towards one another and begin celebrating, jumping for joy and the like. Simon addresses Lajets. SIMON We’ll be needing your help to free the slaves on the other levels. Lajets looks towards him despairingly, but eventually nods. Gindred holds Samnel in his arms after a recent beating and he looks up towards the pair in awe. Samnel has his eyes closed and appears unconscious. Wynn and Atla approach Simon and Simone, hugging the both of them. WYNN (CONT’D) I...can’t believe it. ATLA Is this a...dream? Simon and Simone look at one another amidst the celebration and smile to themselves. INT. BULGATA PALACE, COMMAND CENTER Raphsidy still stands alone orchestrating the offensive against the Earth Empire, with the giant energy shield barring him in. He flips a few switches and continues to bring up differing results via the Deep Scanner showing that the Bulgata are losing the battle (such as an occupied Command Center here, a capital ship being blown out of the sky there). He shakes his head and speaks to himself. RAPHSIDY We are going to lose this battle, and Bulgata along with it. He looks around the room, with the fallen weaponry clattered all over the place, and the cadets strewn about. RAPHSIDY (CONT’D) I have to get out of here... He presses a few buttons on the console and deactivates the shield. He looks about him sourly, and heads for the exit. The sliding door opens before him. He looks down both aisle ways and hustles down an empty pathway. EXT. HIGH ORBIT OVER BULGATA, HEART OF BATTLE Jason and Matt continue their piloting exploits from before, taking down the enemies capital ships, with a little help of course. They fly side by side and lasers from a capital ship try to bring them down but they manage to evade out of harm’s way. Matt sends a photon torpedo the capital ships way and a portion of its backside begins to crumple. MATT Woo-whoo! We’re sendin’ em’ to the land of the Dinos, boys! Yee-haw! JASON Hey, don’t get too carried away. I don’t want to have to explain to Simon and Simone that you were shot down because you lost your focus. MATT Relax, Jason. I’m about as laid back as a frog chillin’ on a lily pad. I’m about as focused as a sniper perched in a tree, with prey in sight. Besides, what could possibly go wrong now that we’ve pretty much... An alarm buzzes and blares, letting Matt know that he has been locked on. MATT (CONT’D) Oh, for Pete’s sake. JASON What? A Myrmidion locked on to you? Tra...try to get out of his cross hairs. MATT I’m trying, Jason, geez. Matt storms his way through space, all in an effort to lose his pursuer. The buzzing lessens at times as Matt manages to dislocate himself from his aim, but it seemingly always comes back. The Myrmidion remains on his tail, chasing after him like a shadow through chaos. JASON Hold him off a bit longer, I’ve got him in my sights. Matt angles past an Earth Empire cruiser, hoping the firepower from the capital ship will destroy his pursuer. But the Myrmidion manages to evade the cannon fire. MATT Persistent bast... Now the craft pursuing Matt explodes into smithereens. JASON I took care of him. Maybe now you won’t get so bigheaded. MATT Yeah, yeah. The two cadets go searching for their next target. INT. BULGATA PALACE, THRONE ROOM Langdon, Iris, and Jesse come storming into the throne room, and spot Fedos and Fedora sitting in their twin thrones, seemingly ready to pronounce judgement. The throne room is expansive, insanely long, with giant warrior statues populating its sides and friezes depicting ancient Bulgata glory its high ceiling. The trio of cadets approach them, set and determined. A mounted and mini computer terminal stands in the midst of both Fedos and Fedora. Fedos teases them with the pressing of a red button on the terminal, bringing his hand and finger from his head, then snatching it away again. He does it once more, and all the while the cadets continue to advance, hesitantly. Now he finally presses the button and encircled pits begin to reveal themselves sporadically throughout the throne room. The trio stop to consider what the bottoms hold. They see jagged and serrated fork-like instruments in the company of skeletons in water pits. They collectively look up towards the commanding couple, who are standing and descending their throne, taking their jagged and serrated staffs with them. FEDOS Consider it a kind of amusement that we choose to partake in. Warriors from all over the Empire clash before us, in a game of life, and death. One lives, and finds glory, the other capitulates, under the forces of destruction. FEDORA It is, quite simply, extremely entertaining. IRIS (disgusted) You two are sick. The two smile to themselves, and Fedos shrugs. FEDOS What is unhealthy to one may yet prove healthy to another. FEDORA Competition. We simply thrive on it. And now, you three shall see for yourselves just how much we hate losing. The two of them suddenly disappear before them and reappear right in front of their faces. The cadets are shocked at first, but they quickly begin to reorient themselves and engage in battle. Iris and Fedora’s opposing weapons at first clash and connect with speed and grace. Now Fedora seems willing to show off. Iris swipes and swipes at Fedora while Fedora manages to duck, dodge, and evade each and every one of Iris’ attacks, not even bothering to use her serrated weapon, moving at lightning speed in the process. Iris continues with her offensive and sees that she is pushing Fedora unconsciously towards one of the pits. She turns up her aggression and just as Fedora is about to fall through the pit, she spins and spins, rather effortlessly out of harms way. Iris looks about frustrated and faces her from a distance. FEDORA Unfortunately for you and your two comrades, it will take your deaths before you learn of this axiom: the Bulgata have no equal in the known Universe. She puts on a small smile as Iris charges her, screaming at the tops of her lungs. Now Fedora begins using the serrated edge of her weapon and the two become locked in weapons combat once more. Fedos displays a similar level of adeptness. He manages to block, parry, and counter each and every one of Langdon and Jesse’s attempts at his life. Langdon after a brief exposition with him is punched squarely in the stomach, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to collapse to his knees, a good deal away from him. Jesse now rushes towards Fedos, and swings his Killimari weapon about wildly in an effort to connect with something of Fedos’ possession. Fedos manages to block and counter each of his moves, but instead of using the serrated edge he uses the metallic staff portion of the serrated weapon, and pops Jesse in the head, shoulders, arms, all over. Fedos draws back, punching Jesse in the stomach and high kicking him away from him, Jesse crashing into the ground. Now a smile comes across Fedos’ face, and he points towards Jesse, and Jesse is lifted up off the ground. He slowly leads him to the nearest pit, and has a satisfied expression on his face. Suddenly, Langdon sideswipes Fedos, causing him to drop Jesse, who holds on by a thread from falling into the pit. LANGDON Hang on, Jesse! FEDOS You won’t be saving anyone! Fedos backhands Langdon and sends him falling a good deal away from him. Now he calmly walks towards where Jesse is hanging on by a thread. Jesse looks down while Fedos smiles. FEDOS Looks like you’ll be the first. Fedos raises his weapon high into the air, giving Jesse just enough time to withdraw his laser gun. He does so, and blasts Fedos in the hand, causing him to cry out shrilly in pain, dropping his weapon in the process, it coming down with a clang. Iris is situated with her back against the floor a good ways from Fedora. Fedora turns around to see what happened to her husband. FEDORA Beloved? She begins to approach him, taking her eyes off Iris. Iris sees her opportunity. She leaps to her feet and rushes behind Fedora and plants her Killimari weapon inside her back. Fedora exhales deeply, and has a look of shock on her face. Fedos looks up and sees this, and a torrent of emotions begin to display themselves on his visage. Fedora reaches out to Fedos. FEDORA My...love... She falls in a heap and Iris removes her Killimari weapon, it slushing in the process, Iris breathing heavily afterwards. Langdon and Jesse observe from a distance. Fedos is on his knees. FEDOS Fedora? Fe-dora? FE-DOR-A! He suddenly stands and raises his arm high into the air and Iris’ feet leave the ground instantly. She struggles and struggles in mid air, until he sends her cruising along the great length the throne room, crashing near a pit, barely managing to stay afloat. FEDOS You took my queen. MY QUEEN! There is nothing left in me but despair. Now you’ll bear witness to unbridled fury! Langdon and Jesse charge after him, Fedos sees this, and stops them dead in their tracks. He uses both arms to lift them high into the air, and flings them a great deal across the throne room. The two come crashing down with a thud. Iris has recovered her faculties and starts rushing towards Fedos. Fedos sees this, and recalls his serrated staff and the two become locked in combat. Fedos parries everything that she attempts to do with ease, with violence even, staggering her a great many times, leaving her open for attacks, then he begins to hit her along the face with metallic portion of his staff. Now she appears dazed and he lifts her up again using the Bulgata’s Gift and she kicks and scrambles in mid air. Langdon now comes from behind Fedos and crashes into him, Fedos managing to send Iris a good deal away from him. The two go down in a heap. While on top of him, he begins to punch and punch Fedos in the face, Fedos looking at him angrily and disgustedly. Fedos flips Langdon off of him, and regains his serrated staff when Jesse from behind blasts him with the laser gun in his back. He screams out in pain, turning towards Jesse. Langdon now comes rushing towards him, jumps up into the air, and takes off Fedos’ head. It falls to the ground and rolls a good deal away from the body, the body now crumpling towards the ground. He breathes heavily. LANGDON It’s...over. Langdon goes to where Iris is, while Jesse moves to inspect the deceased Fedos. Suddenly, the large double doors of the palace swing open, and a FEMALE RETAINER along with Fedos and Fedora’s son, Feros, enter in. He speaks in the alien language, but what he says appears onscreen. FEROS Mother, father...there are strange people outside... He gasps, beholding his dead father and mother, and those standing in the room. The Female Retainer puts a hand over Feros’ eyes and leads him back out the way he came. Langdon and Iris exchange glances. LANGDON Their son? IRIS Most likely. It’s...not right that he had to see this... LANGDON I know. But...it had to be done. Let’s...get out of here. With much effort, the two begin heading for the exit, Jesse catching them and following behind. EXT. HIGH ORBIT OVER BULGATA A lone craft heading away from the planet of Bulgata begins flying into deep space. There is no military conflict on this side of the planet. Inside we see Raphsidy. He speaks to himself. RAPHSIDY Forgive me, my lord and mistress. He enters hyperspace, causing the universe to bend. EXT. BULGATA, SKY VIEW OF CZAR STAR CRUISER The Czar’s Star Cruiser hovers over the Bulgata Palace and palace district. INT. CZAR STAR CRUISER, BRIDGE Czar Shepard, Commander Wecker, and Commander Stanfield discuss among themselves what is to happen now. CZAR SHEPARD So what now? COMMANDER WECKER We’ll liberate the slaves on the rest of the Bulgata colonies and they’ll all go back to their homes. Czar Shepard paces about. CZAR SHEPARD (CONT’D) There is also the matter of the remaining resistance who will be loyal to the end to the will of the assassinated commanding couple. We need to be prepared for swift reprisals. COMMANDER STANFIELD Agreed. We also have to be cognizant of the fact that we have just gained access to a multitude of different cultures and races. Nothing will ever be the same. CZAR SHEPARD Indeed. Czar Shepard reminisces for a time. COMMANDER WECKER Sire, no matter what happens next, it has been an honor to serve under you. He salutes, Stanfield doing the same. Czar Shepard smiles, and places his hands on the both of their shoulders. CZAR SHEPARD Come, gentlemen. I am eager to hear Omega, and Delta Elite’s mission briefings. Commander’s Wecker and Stanfield follow after Czar Shepard. EXT. MARUNE, HIGH COMMAND - NIGHT The wounded structure of High Command has been somewhat repaired. The whole of the structure stands in the night sky. INT. HIGH COMMAND, AUDITORIUM Cadets Langdon, Iris, Jesse, Simon, Simone, Jason, and Matt stand on the stage and receive medals for their heroic efforts in the battle on Bulgata. Heroic music plays on in the background. After the last medal down the long line of cadets is presented, those in attendance break out in applause, and give them a standing ovation. INT. CZAR STAR CRUISER, CABINS Langdon walks alone through the cabins of the Czar Star Cruiser. He makes it to one gray sliding door and punches in through the keypad, the door sliding open before him. Iris sits alone on the sofa watching holographic television. He approaches her. LANGDON Hey. IRIS Hi. LANGDON I just thought I’d come to tell you... IRIS ...You’ve decided to take the assignment on Unisee? To watch over and train those that are willing to embrace fighting? Langdon is speechless. He approaches her. LANGDON Iris, I want you to know that it took me forever to come to this decision. It has been, just as hard on me as it has been on you. Iris stands. IRIS (CONT’D) You don’t have to worry about me, Langdon. I...accept your decision. LANGDON (in surprise) You...do? She places a hand on his cheek. IRIS (CONT’D) Yes, it was hard at first, but...I may have already found someone to help to...soften the blow so to speak. LANGDON Really? Anyone I know? Iris shakes his statement away. IRIS It’s...not important. But I don’t think I will ever fully be able to get over you. Langdon cups her cheek in his hand. LANGDON (CONT’D) I told you before that whatever happens I will always care for you. You know I meant that, right? Iris nods. Langdon, still cupping her face, kisses her on the lips, ever so softly. He then rearranges her hair. He turns, and goes back the way he came. LANGDON Don’t fret. You’ll see me again. IRIS (with tears) I certainly hope so. Langdon smiles, he then exits the room. EXT. HIGH ORBIT OVER UNISEE A plethora of dropships deploy from the gigantic Czar’s Star Cruiser and begin heading for the planet of Unisee. EXT. UNISEE, PALACE SQUARE Many dropships land in the sizable palace square. Cadets from all four academies (Omega, Alpha, Delta, and Sigma) exit the dropships, carrying luggage with them. We focus on one where Langdon exits, with Monafia by his side. Iris and Jesse remain in the dropship, strapped in. Langdon and Monafia turns towards them. IRIS I...guess this is goodbye. LANGDON (smiling) For now. Iris smiles. JESSE Hey, Langley, you take it easy on these would be Uniseeian warriors. Try not to push them too hard. They’re just rookies. LANGDON I won’t, Jesse. And, you take it easy on Iris. Treat her right, otherwise you’ll have some answering to do, to me. Jesse has his mouth gaped wide open. Iris’ mouth moves but nothing comes out. Langdon winks at the both of them. The dropship begins to ascend, and that breaks Jesse and Iris’ spell of bewilderment. The two couples begin to wave and wave at one another, until Jesse begins holding Iris and Langdon begins holding Monafia. The dropship, along with others, begin heading back to the Star Cruiser. Langdon and Monafia observe until it supersonics its way out of the atmosphere. They then turn towards one another, and kiss, ever so softly. They put on small smiles, and Monafia accompanies Langdon into the Uniseeian Palace. FADE OUT:
Copyright © 2008 Michael Harris |