Buck Rogers in the 26th Century Episode 101x “Time and Again” Written by: Erin Weinstock I don’t hold any of the copy rights in this story, and this story was made without profit . Teaser: int: Cockpit of a jet: it’s loaded with buttons and switches. To the sides, over head, and the front of Buck. He’s holding the steering handle with one hand. His eyes search over his controls for something. In the glass window of the cabin, we can see the earth rushing up at us. He holds out his free hand over the controls, in his search. He presses a button off to his far right in the cabin. He smiles at finding what he needed, but that changes one moment later. A computerized sound of the boom filled his ears. He closes his eyes, and the smile drops. Then a female voice enters the cabin, “That reaction time needs some improving Captain Rogers.” He takes off his head set, and starts to move Cut to: ext: It’s a mock-up, half jet: Buck is climbing out of the door hatch. V.O. (it’s the female voice that was heard in the cabin ), “I’m guessing the great captain has more important things on his mind right now?” Buck still climbing down off the mock-up jet, answers the voice without turning back to look. “Jennifer, you know what’s on my mind right now”. He gets to the bottom of the latter, and hops down. Now he turns to see Jennifer walking up to him. He tries to hug her, and she pushes him back. Jen: “Not now Buck, you need to do this again, at 2100 hours.” Bucks trying to be a little affectionate with her, they should be acting boy friend/girl friend like, only they’ve known each other for some time. Buck: “Do I really need to?” Jen: “William Buck Rogers, the air force needs you. Pilots are needed now more than ever and you need to be brought up to date on the latest high tech fighters.” Buck: “I’m no bird Jenny, I love the water, and you know that. Besides I’m fully up to date on the whole air force flock.” They’ve started walking away from the mock-up. Jen: “The only reason you’re not a bird, and you love the sea is that mistake you made on the U.S.S. Highstone in your landing.” Buck: “Larson told me after he’d helped get me out of the jet. I’d taken him back to his days of recovering mercury astronauts from their capsules.” Jen: “And you haven’t flown since, your not up to date on the latest birds in the flock.” Buck: “So I haven’t been in the air a few years, the NAVY loves me. Can’t you just tell them to find somebody else?” Jen: “The NAVY thinks if you can weather the oceans with flying colors, surely you can return to the air, and do the same.” He puts his head down a little, and rubs his forehead with two fingers. Buck: “Thomas, Penner, Reinking, Cook, Vigil -.” She turns to him, then gives him the kind of hug he was looking for earlier. Jen: “They want you, your friends on the water have to wait their turn. They’ve never been up in the air like you have.” She pauses in her speech, then gets closer to him. Jen: “I need you.” Buck: “Oh Heaven is a Pizza on Earth at 7:00 pm tonight?” She breaks her hug, and recontinues walking. Jen: “Stuffed shells in your company, I can’t wait.” Cut to: ext: Chicago, sunset partly cloudy, just outside of Oh Heaven is a Pizza on Earth. V.O. TV: “And in national news U.S. tensions heated up even more with the oil bearing countries in the middle east.” Cut to: int: Buck and Jennifer are sitting at a table, multiple tables off to the side at a bar we can see the TV. The two already have bread sticks, water at their table plates with food on them, most of the way eaten. They’re trying to talk, but the TV is being too loud. TV: “The president is due to have talks with the top representatives in these countries tomorrow, but many doubt he’ll make good head way in the talks due to the accidental bombing of fifty civilian homes, near to what the military had believed was a nuclear weapons manufacturing base.” This is being said while the two are talking, in the background we can hear the restaurant’s music playing faintly. It’s the symphonic version of the late 70’s & early 80’s Buck Rogers TV show. Buck: “I don’t see how that’s going to help things, Jen. There’s no way I’m going to this guinea pig program they’ve set up.” Jen: “Bucky, the scientists are sure there will be no harmful effects from this. It will boost your stamina, sharpen your concentration, give you a good night’s rest.” Buck: “I’ll”, a beat, “I’ll do it if you’ll wake me with a kiss.” Jen: “Tomorrow at the base, I’ll confirm it with your commander -" He’s getting annoyed at the TV. Buck: “One second, Jen.” He shouts across to the bar : “Will you turn that down, god damn it! Some of us don’t want to hear about world’s suffering right now.” He returns to speaking low, Cont: “You were saying?” Jen: “I’ll set it up, I’ll even wear that red dress you like when I wake you up.” A waiter brings the bill to the table. Buck: “You make me look forward to being put under.” End of teaser: Beginning of Act one: int: A doctor’s office Buck is sitting straight up on the patient bed, looking around the room. A man enters the room, this is the doctor. Buck looks at his watch. Buck: “Not bad, that only took just over an hour.” Doctor: “You not the only person on my list mister -” The Doctor grabs up the chart. cont: “William Rogers.” Buck: “Please call me Buck.” Doctor: “So “Buck” have you ever participated in drug testing before?” Buck: “No, I’m only doing this because I’m told this will help me in flight.” Doctor: “The drug should. You know when you sleep, that’s your body’s time of recharging. What this stuff does is it pushes the brain into producing more of the chemicals. You need throughout the day to think straight, to stand on your feet longer.” The Doctor is holding up one of the pills in a bag for Buck to see. Buck: “But pilots sit.” Doctor: “Hogwash Rogers, you know what I mean. Besides I bet you have another reason for doing this.” Buck: “And that is?” Doctor: “That girl I saw that came in with you. She had such a sound of worry in her voice for you. She’s your girlfriend right?” Buck can’t answer back. It looks like he wants to blush. Doctor: “I thought so, doesn’t want to see her man get hurt now does she?” Buck: “You say this will put me out for just two hours?” Doctor: “Just two hours, and after that when you wake up and you’ll feel more awake ‘n live then any bear that’s been asleep a full long winter.” While the Doctor is saying this, he’s filling up a cup he just grabbed with water. Cont: “Drink it, I’m told you don’t wanna taste how that pill is going down.” Both are handed to Buck, who gulps a little water, then takes in the pill. Next he drinks the full cup. Doctor: “Good, now to bed. It’s going to be in the room just before the end of the hall.” Buck: “You mean I don’t get to sleep here?” Doctor: “Of course you can’t sleep here. What made you think you could?” Buck: “- I waited in here for over an hour, sleeping before taking that horse pill you just gave me, did occur to me.” Buck is getting off the patient bed, and heading for the door. Doctor: “I hope sweet dreams for you, the others said they would have been nice.” Buck leaves the room, shutting the door behind him. int: Hallway, he moves slowly down it, till reaching the door the Doctor had mentioned. He opens the door, and goes inside. Cut to: int: Room with monitoring machines in it, and a bed. He enters and we see a nurse. Nurse: “If you’ll just lie down here, I’ll begin with your preparation.” Buck: “Preparation for what?” He lifts off the bed covers and gets onto the bed. Nurse: “I’ll need to hook you up to these machines for monitoring while you sleep. They’ll take record of your breathing, pulse, and amount of brain activity. Could you please take off your shirt?” He smiles. Nurse: “I can’t well hook your shirt up to the monitors, I need your skin.” He takes off his shirt. Buck: “I don’t think my girlfriend would like this too much.” Nurse: “All this is, is a job to me. You’re just another fly boy who needs some much needed rest, Rogers.” While she’s saying this she’s attaching lines to him from different machines. These are the kind of lines, with stickers on them that you’d find in a hospital. He lies down after this. Cont: “I’m going to leave now, and when I do, I’m going to turn out the lights to help you go to sleep faster. The machine on your left hand side has a round blue button on it. When you awake, I need you to press it. That will tell me it’s time to come and get you. Any questions?” He pulls up the covers getting comfortable, and looks off to the machine with the button. Buck: “None.” The light turns off, and we can hear the door shut. Buck is lying on his side, and he slowly shuts his eyes. Blackness Buck: “Ow”, his eyes open, but he’s in full darkness. He tries to move but can barely manage it. White flashes before him one moment, and he feels more pain. Suddenly above him he sees his name, his age 34, his birth date July 08, 1972, his race ( I’m leaving that up to casting ). Then darkness again, which quickly changes to a picture of a mushroom cloud above him. Darkness again. He feels his forehead, this is where the pain is coming from. Two lines are on it, but instead of stickers at the ends, he finds pressing metal stuck. He rips them off, and the pain goes away. After a few moments in the darkness two green squares of light, and a red triangle of light appear once more above him. The lights are formed out like a face. It should be noted that every time Theopolis is speaking the red triangle of light blinks. Theopolis: “Hello Captain Rogers, why have you disconnected the information transmitters?” Buck: “What? Where? You are, what are you?” Theopolis: “My name is Doctor Theopolis. I am the supervising intelligent computer of Earth’s Defense Directorate. You are in a health regeneration chamber.” Buck: “What? You’re a doctor? Supervising computer of Earth’s? Regeneration chamber?” Theopolis: “I’m sorry. You must have many questions that need answering. If you had left on the information transmitters, you’d have known about what I had just told you. I have been told by some humans that the information transmitters can cause a very sensitive amount of pain. That must have been why you removed them. Your body has been returned to what we at the Directorate believe a good state of health for your species. I will release you now from the health regeneration chamber.” Light cracks open below Buck’s face, a door is opening at his feet. Suddenly he starts sliding backwards. Cut to: int: A room with a very morgue-like feel. There are many small white closed hatches on the wall, just large enough for a body to be fitted inside. Buck comes sliding out of a open hatch. He shields his eyes from the bright light of the room. The tray he’s on stops moving when he’s fully out of the chamber. When he starts to get off the tray, he realizes he’s in a medical gown. Feet on the floor, he walks round the room, looking around. The room aside from looking morgue-like, also has a very sterile look to it. There’s a door on one side, but it really doesn’t look it much. There’s no door knob, or latch, sensor. The door is white. All that is near this door is a panel with light behind it. He walks over to this, and touches it. Nothing happens. On another wall there are a set of three light panels set into the wall, once more set up in a face lay-out. Theopolis talks again, only this time coming from this place. Theopolis: “Since you do not want to use the information transmitters to be brought up to date on the current state of the world, I have sent for Doctor Huer. He will provide you with an ambuquad, who will bring you up to date. Do you wish to have me send for a set of clothes to replace the medical gown you’re currently wearing?” Buck: “Yes, I’d like some clothes! What kind of joke is this? Why can’t I speak to you in person, where are you?” Theopolis: “You’re already speaking to me directly. Remember I am the supervising computer at the Directorate.” Buck: “Who’s playing me? What’s going on?” At this the door changes its color from white to gray. Doctor Huer walks in followed by Twiki. Dr. Huer looks about ten years older than Buck. Twiki is just a foot higher than Buck’s waist. The robot or ambuquad is very sleek looking. The head is “T “shaped with a mesh looking eye near the end to each side of the “T.” There’s a mouth hole near the bottom of the “T.” The arms are not all intact, the lower halves are separate but are connected by fluttering electricity. Huer: “Captain Rogers I presume?” Buck: “How did you do that?” Huer: “Do what?” Buck: “You walked through a wall!” Huer: “Oh forgive me. I forgot the fact you are not familiar with how doors work. Am I right Rogers?” Buck: “Call me Buck, I know how to work a door! That, that wasn’t, it, there was no way of opening it!? No door knob, no handle, no nothing!” Huer: “Door knob?” a beat Cont: “- hold out either of your hands to me if you please.” Buck: “Why, what do you want?” Huer takes a device out of one of his pockets. It looks something like a store-scan gun only wider. Huer: “I need to scan your hand print into Earth’s population database. When this is done, you’ll be able to open any door that will permit access when the time for it is allowed.” Buck: “What?” Huer: “Just hold out one of your hands to me please. Theopolis are you here?” Theopolis: “I am integrated into almost every location of this complex, Dr. Huer.” Huer: “I need you talk to you about our coming guests, it is of the utmost urgency that -.” Theopolis: “I think you have more pressing matters already here, doctor.” Buck unsurely and slowly does as he was commanded. Huer scans in the hand given to him once Buck flips the hand to the side with the finger prints. Huer: “I must apologize again to you, I do not have the time needed to answer all your questions. “Twiki”, this ambuquad here, is the one who is here to do that for me. He’s also here because as of today he’s been assigned to you as your companion. He’ll help you with anything within reason you could want.” As Huer is scanning Buck’s hand, he points with his free hand to Twiki. Huer: “Say hello, Twiki.” Twiki: “Biddi biddi biddi.” By this time Huer is done with his scan, and has replaced the device back into his pocket. Huer: “Again,” he sighs, “Twiki - is fresh off the assembly line. He’s only programmed with what the company that made him gave him. He may be a Crichton series ambuquad, knowing all that there is to know. But he knows nothing whatsoever of how to interact with others. I’m afraid you’ll have to teach him how to do that.” Huer walks over to the door, turning to Buck. Huer: “Just place your hand on the lit panel, and you’ll be able to leave here.” Huer now turns to Twiki. Huer: “Twiki, will you show Captain Rogers, I mean Buck to his living quarters.” Twiki grabs the nearest of Buck’s hands to him, and starts to move to wards the door. Buck talking to Huer. Buck: “I’ve touched that before, it doesn’t do any thing.” Huer: “It didn’t work before because you weren’t in the populace database. That’s why I scanned your hand.” He’s at the light panel pressing his hand. Buck: “My living quarters? Listen I was told the drug would have no ill effects, I can drive home. I don’t need some robot to show me the way.” Huer: “I don’t know of what drug you’re speaking of, but trust me when I say this, without Twiki you won’t know how to get home.” Before Buck can answer he’s started moving through the door way, Twiki pulling him along. He’s in shock as he passes through it. Cut to: exterior of the Defense Directorate building. Camera pulls back, we see more buildings. Camera pulls forward again but not as close as the first shot. It then jerks downwards to a large building just beside it, then zooms in on this building. ext: Door in a hallway: int: Buck’s living quarters: Buck is moving around his living room. There is very little furniture in this room, just a couch, a table, and a picture of a woman in a dress holding a flower. She looks like a hippie. He’s upset and his moving around is fast paced. Raising one of his arms into the air fast and then dropping it he asks, Buck: “What is going on here?” Twiki who’s still near the doorway replies. Twiki: “What do you mean by “What’s going on here”?” Buck: “This place, Doctor Theopolis and Doctor Huer, the Defense Directorate whatever?!” Twiki: “This building is used for the Defense Directorate’s staff of operators and fighter pilots as a place of residence. Doctor Theopolis is the supervising intelligent computer of the Directorate. Doctor Huer is Director of the Defense Directorate.” Buck: “And what is the Defense Directorate?” Twiki: “It is the establishment of this planet meant to serve as it’s protector from outside aggressive forces.” Buck: “How come I’ve never heard of it?” Twiki: “Because it was established in 2258 on March 17, 252 years after you were put into stasis.” Buck: “Come again?” Twiki: “Because it was established in 2258 on March 17, 252 years after you were put into stasis.” Buck is taken back a little but then he laughs. Buck: “Good joke, great joke where’s the camera?” Twiki: “Biddi what joke? What camera?” He walks over to the little robot still amused by what he thinks is false information. He starts looking over Twiki. Buck: “Come on, where’s the antenna?” Twiki: “Biddi what is “antenna”?” Buck: “Some one is controlling you, robots don’t talk. Robots make cars, they roam around Mars and hump rocks, they’re overpriced metal dogs.” Twiki: “I am an ambuquad, not a robot.” Buck: “Can’t seem to find it.” He gets up staking his head at the bot. Buck: “Who made you? You don’t look like you were manufactured in the Untied States.” Twiki: “I was manufactured in the Northern American Continent,country of The New States of United America, in the city of New Fort Worth, Texas.” Buck: “Cute” beat “What’s with this “New” United States of America, and this “New” Fort Worth?” Twiki: “In the year 2006, The United States of America was bombed into a nuclear waste land when talks failed between the country and another that had in a lesser matter been attacked.” Buck is taking this in. Eyes changing from disbelief to, maybe this is true. End of Act One: Beginning of Act Two: Twiki: “Once the United States had fallen into a state of total dilapidation due to the bombing, life changed for all of its citizens. They no longer cared for land and energy the way they once had. All that mattered to them was survival, nothing else. It was many years later in the year 2141, that the New States of United America gained recognition as a present country to be accounted for.” Buck: “We didn’t strike back?” Twiki: “The United States launched an assault to counteract the missiles. As a result of the bombing, other countries allied with the United States also took action against the one who had been the aggressor. The result was World War three, where none the winner. Most of the world fell into the same state as the U.S.” Under his breath. Buck: “This isn’t real.” beat “Twiki, what year is it now?” Twiki : “2518.” Buck: “I need to get some air.” He heads for the door, Twiki starts to follow. Without turning his head back, Cont: “You stay.” Twiki stops his pursuit, and Buck uses the light panel, then exits. Cut to: int: Huer’s office he’s at his desk. A woman about Buck’s age stands before Huer. Wilma: “I don’t see why I’m the one who has to go get him.” Huer: “It’s been a rough day for him and a rough day for me. Our uniting with the Draconian Empire is just two days away. I have miles upon miles of paper work that need doing. Not to mention talks between their transmissions with the computer council. He’s just woken up after 500 hundred years of stasis. And from what I’ve been told by Twiki, he’s not taking the news of his new predicament well. I need you to talk to him, he needs to see a human face right now. I doubt hearing of his whole world destroyed by an unfeeling machine really has him in a good state of mind at this moment. You’re his squadron leader, he needs to build a respect for your command.” She gives in. Wilma: “Where was he last seen?” Huer: “Heading for the old ruins, just outside of town. Thanks for this Wilma, I wish you good luck.” Wilma: “And I you Doctor.” Cut to: ext: A very dirty street, cracked cement, wreckage from miscellaneous things. Buck is leaning against the corner of a marble wall. He’s looking outwards at a worn looking street sign. Beyond that nothing but small grouping of nearly dead trees and bushes. Twiki comes running up to him from behind. Twiki: “Buck Buck!” Twiki is followed by Wilma. The little robot stops when he’s come to Buck’s side. Buck: “Why?” Twiki: “The United States launched an assault to -.” Buck: “No, that wasn’t what I was asking.” beat “Why was I put in to stasis? Why was I brought back?” He looks like he wants to cry. Wilma speaks up, and Buck turns back to see her when she does this. Wilma: “I’m told by Dr. Theopolis, that the air force had put you under some type of sedation. And that some time shortly into this, at the request from another within the air force, you were put into stasis to keep you from harm during the bombing.” Speaking softly, Buck: “Jenny.” The trio stand in silence for a moment then Wilma continues, as Buck recontinues his stare out towards the sign. Wilma: “The Defense Directorate is in dire need of new fighter pilots. Not many have come forward because of what some believe to be a high casualty rate. Because of your rank as captain, it was decided that you already had enough flying experience to serve in sort missions.” Buck just shares at Wilma after hearing this. Then he motions them to follow him, they go into the area across the street. He moves his arm around in pointing. Buck: “My home, 1039 Sir Kay Avenue. You want new pilots? Well you can tell the Defense Directorate they can sit on it. I’m not your man!” Wilma: “Captain Rogers, the peace of the world is at stake. Your planet needs you.” Buck: “I don’t care, because you know why? I have nothing left to care for! Everyone and everything I ever cared for is gone! Why didn’t you just leave me in stasis?! I bet I could have been happier there!” Wilma: “You were nearly dead when you were found. The stasis chambers that were in use back in the early 21st century tended to fail really easily, you’re lucky to be alive!” Buck: “Tell me how this is luck?!” Wilma: “You’re a survivor, and window for the rest of us into a more simpler time.” beat Cont: “The world is not what it once was, maybe you’ll find this life better, Captain Rogers.” Buck: “Do you know how I gained the title “Captain”?!” Wilma: “Well being a member of the air force -.” Buck: “No! It did not have to be with my being in the air force! I gained the title of Captain on the sea in the NAVY! The only reason why I was listed in the air force at the time I went to sleep was because they needed pilots, and I had a small background in the air! Now just back off my case, lady! While I go off and try to find something of a life. Not in service to some government!” At this he starts walking off, heading further into the wilds of the woods mixed into the ruins of his former home. Wilma: “You leave me with no choice, Rogers.” She pulls out of one of her pockets a 26th century version of a stun-gun, and shoots him. Cut to: int: Buck’s living quarters. Once more there’s not much to this room, just a bed, dresser and mirror. A wall that Dr. Theopolis is set into. We get the feeling again no one has lived here before. Buck is on his bed, waking up. He slowly gets off his bed, once up Theopolis speaks. Theopolis: “Feeling better today, Buck?” Buck: “Just tell me one thing, what year is it?” Theopolis: “Why it’s 2518. What an kind of odd question is that?” Buck: “Because the last time I was put to sleep I didn’t wake up for 500 years, and I was hoping this was just all a dream.” Theopolis: “Oh none of this is a dream, Buck. You begin your flight training at 08.00 hours today, might I have Twiki come and bring you some breakfast?” Buck: “Training? Dear God in heaven, you won’t give up on making me one of your new fly boys will you?” beat Cont: “I’ll have some scrambled eggs, maybe some pancakes too.” Theopolis: “I don’t know about scrambled eggs and pancakes, but I’ll see what can be done.” Buck: “So who are we at war with?” Theopolis: “No one, why do you ask?” Buck: “Some lady I was speaking with yesterday. She said the Directorate had some great need for fighter pilots, and that there was so much risk in the job that many didn’t want the job.” Theopolis: “There is a great need for fighter pilots because of what has become said regularly to Earth’s Transportation Directorate, pirates have been attacking their unarmed cargo crafts for years now, and we are in such need of supplies that the Defense Directorate has been called upon to escort the cargo craft to ensure them safe passage.” Buck: “ “Pirates”, you’ve got to be kidding me?” Theopolis: “ I am not kidding you.” Buck: “Real Pirates in this day and age, I’ll be darned. Who said the past was dead.” Thinking for a moment, Cont: “What’s the name of Ms. Ray-gun by the way?” Theopolis: “Excuse me?” Buck: “The lady I was speaking with yesterday, who shot me. What was her name?” Theopolis: “Her name is Colonel Wilma Deering, she is your new squadron leader.” Twiki comes through the doorway. Theopolis: “Hello Twiki, did you find anything for the good Captain to eat, to his liking?” Twiki: “Poached eggs with a side of hash browns.” Twiki hands Buck the plate, and a cup of water. Holding the plate now, Buck: “Thank you Twiki.” Buck sits back down on his bed with the food, and picks up part of it. It doesn’t look like eggs, or hash browns. In fact Buck isn’t sure what to make of it, as he looks at it. Both pieces of food look like really flat rice cakes. Twiki: “Will there be any thing more?” Buck: “Yes, if you don’t mind my asking.” His brow is furrowed in thought. Twiki: “I don’t mind, ask me.” Buck holds up both his food disks in each hand to Twiki. Buck: “Could you tell me which one of these is the hash browns, and which one of these is the poached eggs?” Cut to: int: flight hanger: Wilma is walking across a line of men, women, and aliens. Dressed in flight suits, she also is wearing a flight suit. Along with Major Dantin, who’s standing before the line watching. There’s also a line of doors off a small distance behind the line of trainee pilots. While she’s walking she’s checking off a list in her hand. Wilma: “Well that’s all except for -.” Buck comes walking into view. Buck: “Did I miss anything?” He’s looking to Wilma, he hasn’t taken notice of the other fighter pilots. Wilma: “You’re just in time.” She makes another check mark on the list. Buck turns around from her to see the other pilots. Upon running his eyes down the row, he comes to his first alien. It’s a Saurian; its scales look like green/blue beads. The top of the head is loaded with many crocodile-like ridges. The chin sticks out forward some, and the eyes have a glassy pearl-blue look to them. Buck: “Godzilla! Godzilla!” he says laughing. No one gets this, and so no one else laughs with him. Dantin: “Get in line Rogers.” Buck does as he’s told, moving to the end of it. Dantin: “Now then that you’re all here, I’d advise you to put on these gas masks Wilma is going to hand you before entering the holographic training simulators. Any questions?” Wilma once more heads along the line, handing out what almost looks like tight-fitting surgical masks to each trainee pilot. Buck raises his hand. Dantin: “Yes Rogers?” Buck: “Holographic training simulators?” Dantin: “Their rooms contain solid holograms that through an intercom system into the room. I’ll tell you and the others how to pilot and control your ships.” Buck: “Ships?” beat Cont: “Never mind.” Dantin: “Training begins now. I want you all to find an unoccupied holographic training simulation room. Located behind you along that wall.” Dantin points behind the trainees so they know where he’s talking about. The trainees start heading off towards where they were pointed to, some of them putting on their mask while walking. One heads towards Buck who’s moving along with the others. It’s a man that looks a few years younger than him. He looks bright eyed and full of life. As he comes up on Buck, Fox: “You’re that man from the 20th century aren’t you, Captain Buck Rogers?” Buck looks over to Fox. Buck: “Well I was born in the 20th century.” Fox: “Right, and you were put into stasis just before the War. It is so cool meeting you. Is “cool” the right word? It meant neat, or keen in your day?” Buck lifts his eyebrows at Fox. Buck: “And what may I ask is so cool about meeting me, mister?” Fox: “Fox, Hieronymous Fox. But everybody just calls me Fox.” Buck: “With that mouthful of a first name like that I can see why.” Fox: “My father is a historian, and one before that. It’s not what I plan for my future as you can tell. But meeting you is like meeting one of the pages from the history files they have and had been making all these decades. You’re a walking file folder of history.” Buck: “Whatever kid.” Buck puts on his mask and goes inside an air lock which leads to the holographic training simulator. He closes the door behind him. Cut to: int: Airlock: Bucks standing inside it, a door opens before him. Not the one he entered through. This newly opened door shows another flight hanger. Only this one has a strange looking space ship inside it. The ship looks like the paper part of a Japanese fan folded into a half cone. With another half cone coming up the rear, there’s an opening into rear. Meant for space as the jet-rocket propellant hole. There’s a window in the middle of the large half cone, with latches. This is where the pilot climbs in. Also there’s two small fins coming out to both sides of the ship. In the front of the ship there’s a hole cut into the dead center. This is for when the ship fires. These fins come more out of the ship when it’s in space. When they’re out, they show two more jet-rocket propellant holes. In front of the space ship there’s a long tunnel. It’s a launch tube, but Buck doesn’t know that yet. Buck: “What is that?” V.O. Dantin: “That’s your training ship.” Buck: “That’s a ship?” V.O. Dantin: “That’s an Z-87 Wolf fighter space ship. The latest from the Defense Directorate’s top engineers. Get in it Rogers, we don’t have all day to do this.” Buck: “Put a sock in it, I’m going.” V.O. Dantin: “What?” Buck doesn’t answer as he heads for the Z-87. Then climbing on to it he finds the latch on the cabin window, and enters the space craft. After he’s put down his cabin window door, int: the Z-87, He looks over the controls of the Z-87. Buck: “Wow, it’s like a Curtiss A-3.” At this Dantin speaks up again, even though Buck was talking to himself. V.O. Dantin: “What is a Curtiss A-3?” Buck: “It’s a plane my grandfather used to fly back in the 1920’s. I got to take a look at it once. The controls in the Wolf are like the Curtiss’s.” V.O. Dantin: “Except this isn’t some antique air craft. It’s state-of-the-art and I want to see you fly it out that launch tube this minute.” Buck: “Which button?” He moves one of his fingers around the Z-87’s dash board. V.O. Dantin: “It’s the one most near your center, and by the way where “do” you want me to “put a sock in it”?” Buck smiles at this. Buck: “Forget it teach.” He presses the button. int: holographic training simulator One moment later the Z-87 goes rushing forward into the launch tube. int: Z-87 Buck is in stock at the speed of the rush. He sees the tube moving further back, as the image of space quickly comes forward. Once out of the tube, and in space, he takes off his mask to get a breath. Only to find he can’t. End of Act Two: Beginning of Act Three: int: Flight hanger. We see a few trainees moving out of the air locks that lead to the holographic training simulators. Wilma and another woman are walking side by side. The other woman is Princess Ardala. She’s wearing as business-like dress, only the ends have a very fancy trimmed lace to them. As they’re walking, a team of people wearing medical clothes rush over to the air lock that leads to Buck’s holographic training simulator. All of the people rushing into this air lock are wearing masks like we have seen on the trainees. Ardala: “So all of these pilots are fresh recruits?” Wilma: “No, there is one that has logged some flight time in the past.” Ardala: “Oh and which one is that?” Ardala looks around at the other trainees that are out in the flight hanger. Wilma see watches the team of people wearing medical clothes run in to were I mentioned earlier. Wilma: “This isn’t good.” Wilma starts walking over to the air lock door that leads to the holographic training simulator Buck is in. Ardala follows Wilma. Wilma peers into the open doorway. Wilma: “What happened to him?” O.V. person inside the air lock: “He took off his mask! Clear out, we need to get him out for medical attention!” Wilma moves out of the way of the door, Ardala keeping her distance too. The team comes rushing out, holding up Buck. One is holding an air mask over Buck’s mouth. They take him away. Wilma: “Buck Rogers.” Ardala: “He took off his mask in a holographic training simulator. I don’t see how that makes him any better than all the others.” Wilma: “I should have told him not to . He didn’t know that was dangerous.” Ardala: “It’s common knowledge that the Rarcom particles don’t fully contain the gasses that build the images, how can he be so dumb?” Wilma: “He’s not dumb. He’s a man out of his element. Princess, that man is from the 21st century.” Ardala: “That isn’t possible, Colonel Deering, I am not dumb. I have been - " Wilma: “He was found in a stasis chamber nearly dead. We brought him back because he held the rank of Captain back in his day.” Ardala: “Captain, really? A commander of the sky.” Wilma: “Actually he’s told me his rank of Captain has to do with the sea, not the air.” Ardala: “How interesting. Colonel, I’d most like to meet with this man later. When he’s recovered from the gas.” Cut to: int: Dr. Huer’s office. Buck is standing before Huer. Buck: “I should have been told!” Huer: “I’m sorry Buck, all of the other trainees knew of the danger. We’re not used to people being unaware of the gases seeping out of containment.” Buck: “And another thing, there must be something of some kind of great importance going on soon. I doubt you would have woken me up if there was just some common need for fighter pilots.” Huer: “There is, do you know what Therbidian Crystals are?” Buck: “No, should I know?” Huer: “Therbidian Crystals make energy. They power almost every kind of electrical and mechanical device we use.” beat “Until recently the only way to get these crystals was mining on foreign planets. A job considerably dangerous, but now there’s new technology that lets us make Therbidian Crystals artificially.” Buck: “They power everything, even the Z-87 Wolfs?” Huer: “Almost everything; the Z-87’s are powered by water.” Buck: “Water powered vehicles, that was on the start back in my day.” beat, Huer: “In order to make these artificial crystals, and ensure new safety on Earth’s shipping routes, an alliance has been formed between Earth and the Draconian Empire. Both sides are needed to provide technology for the artificial crystals. And the Draconian Empire has agreed to help the Transportation Directorate in defense against the pirates.” Buck: “So then why does the Defense Directorate need new pilots if the Draconian Empire is doing the protecting for us?” Huer: “The alliance has not been made solid yet. When we bring our half of the equipment to the Albersay Space Station it will be.” beat Cont: “We need the fighters to act as an escort for the ship carrying the technology to the station. We need to ensure this happens because otherwise we stay in a big lot of trouble we’ve been in for the longest time now with supplies reaching Earth.” Buck: “So what does the Draconian Empire get out of all this? Aside from cheap power.” Huer: “We give them landing clearance on Earth and all of its colony planets for trade.” Buck: “I’m not so sure that’s a good idea . You might be opening your doorway wide open to let termites eat your home. The name “Empire” doesn’t strike me as a friendly guest.” Huer: “Buck, they’re not here to conquer, they’re here to help . Besides one of them, one of the Emperor’s 30 daughters, Princess Ardala, wishes for you to be in her company on board the flagship of the Empire, the Draconia.” Buck: “And just why does she wish me? Oh ya it’s because I’m so special.” Huer: “I don’t know why she wants to have a meeting with you, although that could very well be the reason. One of the pilots of the Defense Directorate will be taking you to the Draconia soon.” Buck: “Nice to know I have a say in what I do with my free time.” Cut to: ext: Space, we see Earth and a bordered into space. Then the camera swiftly moves over to the Draconia, and settles on it. int: The Draconia, Buck is in the company of a fighter pilot from the Directorate. A few of the Dranconia’s workers are passing by. Note about the Draconia, the doors slide open when someone is close . Ardala comes forward to meet Buck. Tigerman is with her. Tigerman has tiger-like tattoos on his forehead, leading back into black hair. His nose and mouth have a small animal-like looks to them, he is also about 6.7 to 7 feet in height. Buck is intimidated by him. Buck turning to the pilot, Buck: “Listen you wouldn’t happen to have any animal tranquilizers on you, would you?” The pilot says nothing in return to Buck, but Ardala speaks up for him. Ardala: “I wouldn’t worry about him, he’s just my bodyguard. He does nothing more than what I tell him.” Buck: “Really.” Buck is still looking at Tigerman in a type of awe . Ardala: “Well most of the time, he’s tame for the most part.” Buck: “You’re Princess Ardala aren’t you?” Ardala: “That’s correct my dear Captain, I must say I’ve been looking forward to meeting you greatly.” Buck: “I wasn’t looking forward, I was actually dr-” The pilot gives Buck a little hit in his side. Cont: “I was actually dying to see the technology you’re putting in for the crystals.” Ardala: “Then after that I think we should spend some time alone. There is much I’d like to know about you, and the world you come from.” Buck: “Oh brother, listen, I know this guy named Fox who I’m betting knows a great deal more history than I do; besides I don’t date younger women.” Ardala: “We’ll take it slow; what do you say, dinner and a movie?” The pilot looks to Buck like he’ll hit him again if he doesn’t answer right. Buck: “As long as the movie isn’t about a doom’s day plot I’ll be fine.” Cut to: int: Ardala’s living quarters: We see a scene from the 1997 version of Titanic. Rose DeWitt Bukater is lying down while Jack Dawson is painting her on a canvas. The camera pulls back and we see it’s a TV screen hovering in the air .Note Tigerman is not in the room with them. Changing where we’re looking in the room we see Ardala nearly on Buck, she’s with one hand playing with Buck’s shirt. Ardala: “Does that give you any ideas, Captain of the seas?” Buck couldn’t be less interested in her or the movie. Buck: “No.” She starts to unzip her top. Buck: “No!” He jumps up from where they were lying. Ardala: “Why not?” Buck: “Listen I don’t like fast women, well no that’s a lie. But I just lost my girlfriend, and everything else in my life. I need time, hold your horses will you!” Ardala: “I’m a princess Rogers! I can have whatever I want, and right now I want - " V.O. Kane: “Princess Ardala, I need to talk to you, there’s a emergency on “L “deck that greatly needs your attention.” Ardala: “I’m busy!” V.O. Kane: “Whatever you’re doing it will have to wait. I need you on “L “deck now!” Ardala: “Fine, I’m coming . You stay here Captain.” Buck: “Have fun.” She exits the living quarters. Buck: “Love of pete, thank goodness.” He sits back down. A ringing/buzzing whatever kind of sound starts up. Buck looks around to find the noise. Getting up again he finds it. It’s coming from a half dome looking machine . The sound continues on until finally we hear Ardala’s voice. It’s an answering machine. Ardala V.O. on the machine: “This is Princess Ardala of the Draconian Empire. I am out at the moment, but if you’ll leave a message telling me of your business with me, I’ll return your call if I see fit to.” A screen comes up from the answering machine. It’s the face of some unknown man. V.O. Lacrow: “Princess Ardala, it gives me great pleasure to tell you that operation “Greek Horse” is still going right on schedule, after the alliance has been made solid. Your forward has his forces waiting behind the sun which the Albersay Space Station orbits. They’ll take the station within their hold with no resistance from the Defense Directorate. Just think, just within a few hours we’ll have the technology to make all the Therbidian Crystals the Empire will ever need. Plus we’ll be able to land our forces on Terra and its many colonies. This is a great day in our history, Princess. Lacrow out.” And with that the screen stamps out then down. Tigerman enters the room just as this is happening. Tigerman growls at Buck. Buck turns to him. Buck: “What a nice place you’ve got here.” Tigerman is coming forward towards Buck. Buck: “Did you know about what that guy just said, cause I sure didn’t know.” Tigerman grabs the front to Buck’s shirt then throws him against the wall. After the backwards crash, Buck gets up and rams Tigerman. At this the fight turns into their fists, and feet. Ardala reenters the room. Ardala: “What’s going on here!?” They stop fighting. Buck: “I need to go Princess!” Buck runs out the open doorway. Ardala speaking to Tigerman, Ardala: “You scared him off, bad boy! There’s going to be nothing but bones in your food bowl tonight!” Cut to: ext: water, the camera slowly moves up out of it. We see a Z-87 Wolf bobbing on its surface. There’s nothing else around this scene, only sky and water. Music can be heard. Looking into the Z-87 we can see Buck inside, the music is coming from the ship. It’s Walking on the Sun . int: Z-87: V.O. Wilma: “It took some time to track you down! What are you doing out there, and what is that noise?” Buck: “That noise is some music I got Fox to give me. What I’m doing out here is refueling.” V.O. Wilma: “Well turn it down. I know you can’t be refueling the Z-87’s; don’t come with saltwater converters.” He turns off the music, Buck: “You’re finally going to listen to me?” V.O. Wilma: “Buck, they would never do such a thing. Whatever you heard, you heard it wrong.” Buck: “I didn’t hear wrong, it’s called “take the money and run”, that’s what they’re going to do. You know what gets me about all this is in 2006 there was an energy crisis. War happened, and now it’s 2518, there’s another energy crisis, and war will happen if no one does anything about it.” V.O. Wilma: “That won’t happen, they’re giving us a gift of peace, Buck.” Buck: “Remember I told you part of what I heard was operation “Greek Horse” ?” V.O. Wilma: “I remember, but what does that have to do with anything?” Buck: “Everything!” V.O. Wilma: “I have no idea what some animal from or living in Greece, has to do with this. Listen, the whole squadron is ready to head up and out to escort the ship carrying the technology needed in making the artificial crystals, needed for making this alliance.” Buck: “There won’t be an alliance, at least in Earth’s favor.” V.O. Wilma: “I don’t have the time for this, are you coming with us?” End of Act three: Beginning of Act Four: ext: Space, we see a troop of Z-87’s moving alongside the cargo ship. int: a Z-87: Pilot: “I don’t think he’s coming.” V.O. Wilma: “Neither do I.” Just as she says this a Z-87 out of formation flies past. int: Fox’s Z-87: Fox: “Buck is that you?” ext: Space, following the fast moving Z-87: V.O. Buck: “You lemmings do what you want, I’m going ahead of squadron to flush out the game.” The ship speeds off into the distance. int: Fox’s Z-87: Fox: “Where is he going in such a rush?” V.O. Wilma: “Forget him, he’s just chasing a shadow of fear that isn’t there.” ext: Space: We see Buck’s Z-87 rush behind the sun, turn camera to the troop and the cargo ship. Turn camera again to the Albersay Space station, with the troop coming towards it. Buck’s Z-87 is now face to face with a fleet of Draconian fighter ships. int: Fox’s Z-87: One dot on Fox’s radar screen comes out of an even larger dot. Looking at the radar screen, Fox: “Didn’t any one else just see that?” V.O. Wilma: “See what?” Fox: “Something just came out from behind that sun, then went back in. Checking now to see what it was.” Fox hits a few buttons, then information comes out on a screen. Fox: “A pirate ship!” V.O. Wilma: “That’s why we’re out here, in case they attack.” Fox: “Maybe the pirates are Draconian, Buck did say they were going to attack. Colonel Deering, I’m going in for a look.” ext: Space: Fox’s Z-87 breaks off from the others running a long the cargo ship. Back view of his Z-87 moving towards the sun. Elsewhere behind the sun Buck is in battle with the Draconian ships. His attacks are wide and spread out, he’s trying to keep himself from being boxed in. A few ships have been destroyed. Buck is coming about for another strike. As Fox starts to come around the sun. int: inside Fox’s Z-87: Fox is watching Buck in battle, talking to himself. Fox: “That’s sui-” beat Cont: “That’s suicide!” ext: Space: Fox’s Z-87 is heading into battle. V.O. Fox: “Colonel Deering, Buck was right, I’m heading behind the sun now to help him fight off the Draconian pirates. Any help you could give would be much appreciated.” The battle wages as Fox enters it. V.O. Buck: “Nice to see a friendly face, who goes there?” V.O. Fox: “It’s me, Fox.” V.O. Buck: “Here to help me in a good old-fashioned dogfight?” V.O. Fox: “You bet.” The whole time they’re talking they’re also fighting. Turn camera to see most of the troop coming in. We see one Z-87 give a blast close to the camera, at this we Cut to: int: Green house: Moving past leaves of large plants we come to Buck who is sitting cross-legged on a patch of grass. There’s a bag behind his back. Twiki is standing up beside him talking. Twiki: “In 2360 Nqiy of the Brazilian government handed his royal crown over to J-tal in Argentina. In 2361 Germany and France united, becoming the current power known in Europe as Espergenin. In 2362 -.” Twiki just keeps going on like this, telling Buck in a summed up version of all the world and galaxy history around Earth that’s happened in the last 500 years. While this is going on Wilma and Fox are walking over to the two. Fox sits down beside Buck, while Wilma stands in front. Wilma: “You’ll be a commissioned captain again.” Buck: “I told you I didn’t want to be a pilot again.” Fox: “You saved us all, if you hadn’t flushed out that ship from behind that sun I would have never noticed what was going on. You may have been a sea captain but the way you handled your Z-87 with very little flight experience.” Wilma: “Maybe you could teach us a thing or two about the tactics of war . The Draconian Empire will be more at neck with us now that we know they hold the pirate ships.” Buck: “Fox, do you know what soccer is?” Fox: “It’s a sport that was played by kicking or hitting a ball without hands into a goal to score points.” Buck: “I had a feeling you’d be asking me to come back.” He gets up and grabs a bag behind his back. Cont: “Tell you what.” He takes out a soccer ball from the bag. Cont: “Thanks to your dad by the way.” Fox is smiling. Fox: “No sweat.” Buck: “- A game a of soccer. Trainees versus pros, trainees win I stay, pros win I go. What do you say?” Wilma: “I say you’re on.” Shot from above of them all walking off. Play ending music, the shot is pulling back out of the green house, out of New Chicago, the North American continent. This moving back is getting faster and faster as the camera a moves back. The planet, solar system, galaxy, stars shooting back wards from when the scene pulls out of the galaxy. As the stars move back wards . . . End of Act Four: The End Roll credits