Scene 20: The Heist (Part 1)

The crew flies across the night-side cityscape of Janriel in that taxi that delivered them from Orelius.  Esben slips a fallen sleeve back in his satchel. Valory playfully elbows his ribs.

Rune catches Nicodemus' attention
by constantly turning his head.

NICODEMUS:  Something I should know?

RUNE:  That so-called competition of ours... 

I'm starting to think they can show up anywhere they like.  

NICODEMUS:  Well they are machines aren't they?  

Attack drones are expendable.  They also have 

to be sourced by a command-and-control.  If they were 

after me and we weren't on our way out I'd say the first 

priority is to search and destroy their base of operations.  

But they're not after me so it doesn't matter.

Safe chimes from Rune's feet.
He gives it a half-hearted kick
and Safe disappears beneath the seat.

The ride continues in silence with the wind whipping and whistling passed the open windows.  Esben leans into the breeze while Valory tugs his arm with every passing sight that glimmers in her eye.  Ross, on the other hand, sits stiff with his eyes closed, tightly.  He murmurs to himself regarding "the taxi is just as safe as the shuttle was," but he has become largely white in the arms over the thought of flying with an open canopy.

Tulia glances down and observes Aaron's own
nervousness in the form of repeatedly removing
and replacing the battery cartridge to one of his pistols.

TULIA:  You know that's not good for the gun.  

You're going to need that in a minute.

AARON:  I know.  

TULIA:  I know you're a soldier now.  

AARON:  I was.

TULIA:  And you still get nerves?

AARON:  Every time I know I'm going into a big fight.  

Most are over too quick.  But I don't think this 

one's going to be quick.

TULIA:  Hmph.  Something must be wrong with me.

SWEETS:  What makes this different than the station?

ROSS:  Some of us don't want 

to live through all that again.

AARON:  Before, it was a couple hired guns who 

didn't know what they were protecting.  We're talking 

about the last ship off Janriel.  Do you really 

think that's going to come easy?

The taxi banks and Aaron holsters his weapon.

NICODEMUS:  We're coming up on it.

Valory leaps forward and leans between
Aaron and Tulia's backward-facing bench
seats and over Clemence's left shoulder.

NICODEMUS:  Can I help you with something?

VALORY:  I've never been this close before.  

That's the Steelgazer.  It's one of the largest 

structures you can see from Orelius.

NICODEMUS:  Yeah.  That's Mr. Vincent's estate.

VALORY:  Estate?  You mean he owns all that?  

Formally mesmerized by the structure,
now her thoughts cloud with soon being there.

VALORY:  Wow.  I never imagined one day 

I'd be shooting up the Steelgazer.
That's just... surreal.

Tulia yanks her up and shoves
Valory back into her seat.

Esben barks a growl.

TULIA:  Ah, calm down big guy.  

Look, you're not shooting up anything.  

You'll help us bypass the security alarms.  

And you're going to stick close to Ross and Sweets.

VALORY:  No way.  Esben and I are going with Aaron.  

These two draw way too much shooting.

Ross gulps.

AARON:  Trade you jobs.

Ross shakes his head.

NICODEMUS:  You just make sure 

Mr. Vincent buys your act.  

The fighting doesn't start 

until after he leaves.

VALORY:  What's the big deal about that?

NICODEMUS:  I don't just call anybody mister.

Aaron turns his head at the admission,
but Clemence remains stoic with
his eyes locked forward on their
intended destination he has
set them all towards.

The Taxi arrives at the 30th floor landing platform; a little less than halfway.  The crew disembarks with Mr. Clemence leading the way.  There is already a loan figure standing beneath an ornate archway with the backdrop of the polished interior of the skyscraper.  Aaron senses Nicodemus' demeanor in not showing his back to this character and also assumes the same stance for Mr. Clemence.  So he then leans slightly to Valory for her to retrieve Safe from beneath the seat.

Aaron and Nicodemus approach their host with
the remainder of the crew staying several paces behind.

MR. VINCENT:  Nicodemus.

The old man greets them with a warm smile.  He places one of Nicodemus' hands in his own and folds his second over Nicodemus' hand.  His face is deeply creased from having lived under a bright sun.  Janriel's star is moderate and could not have been Mr. Vincent's first home.  These same creases turn to shadowy canyons, apparently bottomless, beneath the addition of Mr. Vincent's grin.  The gentleman's teeth are synthetic and therefore quite naturally white.  His silk purple robe is among the finer things that can no longer be carried to Janriel.  Nicodemus thinks he notices a few stray strands.

NICODEMUS:  Mr. Vincent.

He smacks the top of Nicodemus' hand
to continue to clasp it and breathes a deep sigh.

MR. VINCENT:  I hope you have come to bring 

me good news.  Does all go well?  Who are these... 

people that you have brought to my home?

Nicodemus clasps Mr. Vincent's arm with
his other hand and leans in to whisper,
much to Mr. Vincent's widened eyes.

NICODEMUS:  I know what 

happened at the Black Vault.

MR. VINCENT:  How could you?  

I never told you-

NICODEMUS:  Because I have 

come across an informant, Mr. Vincent.  

MR. VINCENT:  What good are informants 

without the facts?  Did you break him, 

Nicodemus?  Or are you slipping?

NICODEMUS:  He says the 

Republic raided your station.

MR. VINCENT:  Impossible.  

I would know-

NICODEMUS:  How else could I have 

learned about the station?  I wish I 

could say I was surprised by it.  

Mr. Vincent lets go and waves his
hands in front of his face.

MR. VINCENT:  What is his credibility?

NICODEMUS:  He is ex-military.  He learned about 

the raid through some old contacts.  And I learned 

that while the informant was on his way to you 

that the Republic was initiating a drone strike 

to stop him.  There was no time.  I dispatched 

this band of mercenaries to recover him.  

Valory glances questioningly at Tulia who
ever so slightly shakes her head.

MR. VINCENT:  Them?  Why do they have a child with them?

VALORY:  Me?

MR. VINCENT:  Yes, you.  What business do you have with me?

VALORY:  Well- I- I pull my weight Mr. Vincent.

MR. VINCENT:  How nice that must be for you.

Sweets needles Esben's side
to halt his building growl.

VALORY:  But I did always dream of 

coming here one day, Mr. Vincent.  

All lit up with gold.  You can see the 

Stargazer really well at night from Orelius.

MR. VINCENT:  The star...

VALORY:  Stargazer.  

That's what we call it back home.  

You don't call it that here?

MR. VINCENT:  The Stargazer... 

That name is... Well that's rather quaint.  Miss?

VALORY:  Valory.  Uh- I mean, 

Ms. Valory Adhama at your service.

She offers up her hand.

NICODEMUS:  If I can get 

back to the business at hand-

He tries to shove her to one side.

MR. VINCENT:  Mr. Clemence, we 

must show some manners to our guests.

He takes hold of one hand and wraps an arm around her waist.
With a flash of concern she glances to Esben who bares his teeth.

NICODEMUS:  I'm sorry, but we weren't 

here about the station.  The Republic is 

preparing another raid on you.

MR. VINCENT:  Where?

NICODEMUS:  Here.

Mr. Vincent shoves Valory to the
side leaving her reeling for balance.

MR. VINCENT:  Why did you not tell me sooner?

NICODEMUS:  I knew you wouldn't 

believe me unless I brought you proof.  

MR. VINCENT:  Which one is the informant?

AARON:  I am, Mr. Vincent.

MR. VINCENT:  Well, out with it!

AARON:  The raid will be tomorrow night.  

It was delayed because they're still cleaning up

what they can from the station.

MR. VINCENT:  Am I supposed to believe 

that this is some neighborly warning?

AARON:  Well, no.  Mr. Clemence

 promised you would pay well for this.

MR. VINCENT:  And yet you forgo negotiation.  

Almost as if he had no interest in bargaining with me.

AARON:  (to Clemence) You gave your word.

NICODEMUS:  I did, Mr. Vincent.  

MR. VINCENT:  Who authorized you to do that?

NICODEMUS:  I am second only to you, Mr. Vincent.

MR. VINCENT:  And?

NICODEMUS:  The threat is credible.  

Just as I told you in the past, this estate 

is not above reprisal from the Republic.  

Mr. Vincent speaks into one ear.

MR. VINCENT:  Who are these strangers 

you have brought to my home?

NICODEMUS:  I have told them nothing

about the Shadow's Heart.

The Republic is coming, Mr. Vincent.

Mr. Vincent leans out of his close conversation
with Nicodemus and stares him down with clenched jaw.

MR. VINCENT:  You expect to be paid?

AARON:  Yes(?)

MR. VINCENT:  How did you come by this information?

Who are you, Mr. Ex-military?

AARON:  I am Lieutenant Aaron Miles 

of the Imperial 8th Spiral Arm Infantry.  

I currently serve in the mercenary 

role of local law enforcement.

MR. VINCENT:  Bounty hunter.

AARON:  You could say that.

MR. VINCENT: Your empire fell 

under your watch, Mr. Miles.

AARON:  Not from any of the

battles I was there for.

Mr. Vincent strikes him across the face.

Aaron draws his right pistol for Vincent's
head and the left for Nicodemus.
After a breath of thought, Tulia draws
on Aaron and the others follow suit.

MR. VINCENT:  Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha.

He wags a finger.

MR. VINCENT:  I really had you going there.

He continues to laugh and Aaron keeps
his weapons raised, but looks back
to see his friends pointing weapons at him.

MR. VINCENT:  Relax, relax.  Put those away.  

So then serving under the Republic did not 

sit well with you, I take it.

AARON:  It was best for that time in my life to end.

MR. VINCENT:  Come now, you can be honest here.

AARON:  I still have superiors in the service.

MR. VINCENT:  Oh... I understand entirely.  

Nicodemus, you could not have chosen better.  

Clemence clears his throat and assumes
casually looking off into the distance.

MR. VINCENT:  I will, still, need to, of course, 

verify your story with my own sources.  

You all will stay here as my guests tonight.  

He waves past them to the taxi
with an immensely friendly grin.
The taxi folds away into traffic.

MR. VINCENT:  Please rest assured that our 

security is most adequate here at the... Steelgazer.  

Though, in the event of a breach, we shall endeavor 

to see all my guests to safety.  I trust your 

mercenaries will be up to the task?

NICODEMUS:  Yes, Mr. Vincent.

MR. VINCENT:  Excellent.  Now that this matter has been

brought to my attention, please see our guest to his

quarters, put the mercenaries up, and make sure 

the staff serves them well.

NICODEMUS:  Yes, Mr. Vincent.

The old man walks gingerly up an imperial staircase.

VALORY:  (amplified whisper) Now what?

Tulia muffles her with a hand
while Valory also suffers
beneath Nicodemus' glare.

AARON:  Any room that you know isn't bugged?

NICODEMUS:  Follow me.  By the way, I'd say he 

just ordered me to kill you if the Republic came early.

The walls shimmer with polish the same as the floor.  But whereas the walls are gold the floor is dark ebony wood.  Valory delights in detecting a creak in the floor.  She bends to listen close to the ground and Esben hooks a paw under her arm.

ESBEN:  The petrified floor will 

betray you.  Don't listen to it.

VALORY:  I won't draw attention to us.  

I just never walked on real wood before.

ESBEN:  You still must wait.  

This tree is long dead.  

RUNE:  (whisper) Come on guys.  

We need to keep up here.

They leave the open area for a narrower series of hallways.  Under their chaperone, they amiably pass sporadic pairs of guards.  Esben has fallen toward the back and Valory quick-walks at a steady pace around the middle of the pack.  Coming to a intersection, she glances up at those gleaming walls and spies a terrible sight.  Without word to the others, she turns back, takes Esben's hand and guides him a short distance back where they came to duck into a vacant state room.

She watches from the doorway and Tulia quietly alerts the others to their missing companions with a grab of Aaron's arm and in turn a tap on Clemence's shoulder.  They stop and four Noclysis pass them.  They glare at Sweets who averts his gaze.  Ross cranes his neck and spots Valory peeking out from the doorframe.  They all gather around the open door with Valory looking at them sheepishly.

TULIA:  What were you thinking?

Esben steps into the light, behind her.

VALORY:  You want to move around quietly?  

Not a single Noclysis can see Esben.  

Don't ask me how, but they always 

know he doesn't belong.

AARON:  Sweets?

SWEETS:  I'm not exactly on good terms with 

other Noclysis myself, as a matter of fact.  

That would speak to why I ended here with 

all of you.  But she's right.  No other Noclysis will 

tolerate the sight of Esben.  I'm honestly surprised any are here.

NICODEMUS:  Good guards.  Smart enough to use a gun.  

Dumb enough to get saturated with a lot of hits.  

SWEETS:  I suppose I resemble that.

TULIA:  How many would Vincent have hired?

NICODEMUS:  I haven't done business with them.

I'm told they come pretty cheap.

RUNE:  Maybe we toughened Sweets up.

These guys could go over more easily.

NICODEMUS:  I'd sooner guess

that you softened him up.  

RUNE:  Hey, I'm just trying to get

my head in the game here.

NICODEMUS:  I don't care about your 

petulant need for optimism.  I have quarters

here and the equipment we'll need is there.

Keep that thing out of sight until then.

AARON:  Stay here.  Lock the door.

NICODEMUS:  I thought the kid

was along for fancy locks.

TULIA:  Is your room going to need lock picking?

VALORY:  I ain't leaving Esben.

AARON:  We'll double back.  It'll be fine.

NICODEMUS:  We're all going to get shot

skulking around this place long before

we ever catch sight of the Shadow's Heart.

Clemence stomps off without the rest of them.
Everyone follows in line and Aaron is the last.

AARON:  We'll be back.  

It's going to be alright.  We'll be back.

Valory seals the door and slides the lights up to a brighter illumination.  The walls are pink and genuinely soft to the touch.  There is an impression of a hand.  The bed is white sheets with pink frills.  The floor is a cherry wood.  Esben stands before a full length mirror; several paces back so that he fits into frame.  He stands still for a time and then starts tweaking hairs and matting portions down in a meek effort to self-groom.

VALORY:  Hey... you look good, don't you buddy?  

He moans.

VALORY:  You thinking about home?  

Do you think we might be able to get there?

ESBEN:  I cannot make a place for you there.

There is no place for me there.

VALORY:  Don't talk like that.  

We're going to fix you up real good

for seeing all your friends again.

There has to be someone who would

be happy to see you again.  I've seen

too much from you to think otherwise.

He moans again.

VALORY:  Why do you look so sad?

You don't look like you've seen a

mirror before, to me.

ESBEN:  The water does not pool

except in places too dark to see.

VALORY:  You've never seen yourself before?

ESBEN:  Not until I met you.

She will not be allowed to contemplate this.
There is a nock at the door.  They share a
panicked glance to each other for a brief
moment.  Then Esben snarls down at Valory.

VALORY:  Who is it?

MAN:  Don't by coy, darling.  Open the door.  

I can see your light's on.

VALORY:  Damn it.

Esben scowls.

VALORY:  Really?  You want to 

complain about that now?

MAN:  What?

VALORY:  Look, I'm... taken.  

MAN:  Fine.  Then remember 

to change your light.

She bounds across the room
and presses to listen at the door.

VALORY:  Look, I can't see what light 

he's talking about.  Let's just get out of here.

She turns down the room light, takes Esben by the paw and they creep to the door that connects to an adjoining room.  Having glanced beneath the doorframe, Valory believed that this other room was dark as well.  But opening the door they both find ribbons of light in reds, greens, blues.  And in the otherwise silent dark room there strewn about are a body of mesmerized Noclysis.  They duck back and close the door.

VALORY:  What's wrong with them?

ESBEN:  The changing colors 

excite their sensitive eyes.

VALORY:  I never saw them 

behave that way on Orelius.

ESBEN:  One-time drug.  Dealers let 

them stay until broke or starve.

VALORY:  That's horrible.

ESBEN:  Good for us.  

They won't be up to fighting.

VALORY:  So we could sneak 

passed them if we had to?

ESBEN:  Not up to fighting.  

Doesn't mean they won't try anyway.

Valory slumps down to the floor and Esben rocks her on his lap.
He rests his hairy cheek on the top of her head and she holds his arms.

VALORY:  I hope the others come back soon.

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Scene 19: Inside Man

Aaron's apartment is spartan with a gentle orange glow cast across the window blinds creating the shadow of black bars over the whole room.  When the apartment doors part company, a phosphorus light fills the room with a spotlight on the floor shaped by the opening.

Valory dips her head into the light, which casts an aura of shadowed lines behind her.  There is a wall immediately to her right.  She bobs her head to the left, scanning the room, and skulks on inside.  She leaps from one place in the apartment to the next with immense curiosity.  She leaves no drawer unopened, the few that there are.  And she scrutinizes the wall for secret places.

Aaron is next in the apartment and the others follow behind.
He commences closing the drawers that Valory has opened.

Tulia is not abrupt, but her right hand rises to rest just above her hip; anticipating the need for her laser pistol.  She has locked eyes in the far left corner of the room.  In a chair next to the one and only set of closed blinds is the soft burning glow at the end of a cigar.

Only now Valory draws close enough to notice him.
She is face to face with the stranger.

VALORY:  Hi!  Aaron didn't mention a roommate.

Aaron stands next to the darkened window
and opens the blinds.

AARON:  I don't have one.

VALORY:  Oh.

He puffs a little smoke in the space of her retreat.
And she backs away with suitable concern.

RUNE:  Don't you know those things will kill you?

VALORY:  I wasn't thinking about taking it up.

RUNE:  I wasn't talking about the cigar.  

You don't happen to have an extra 

one on you?  Do you, friend?

Nicodemus removes his cigar and
studies Rune with contempt.
He takes his cigared hand and points.

NICODEMUS:  You're fired.

AARON:  Everyone, allow me to 

introduce our latest business partner.

NICODEMUS:  How did you trigger-happy 

idiots manage to stay alive this long?

ROSS:  Some of us just can't help ourselves.

NICODEUMS:  I mean, it had to be him shooting 

off his mouth at the vault that gave you away.

TULIA:  Actually, that was a rare 

occasion of radio silence on his part.

NICODEMUS:  Well imagine that.

TULIA:  Did you have business with us or not?  

Aaron said something about another job.

NICODEMUS:  That's hardly a generous tone 

coming from you after I taxied everyone down here.

TULIA:  What's the job, Nick?

The chair creeks, relieved of his weight.
He rises and by rough approximation is a
match in height for Esben.  He takes one
step and leans down to Tulia.
He studies her.

NICODEMUS:  You spent time 

around Prestmoors.

TULIA:  Quite a bit, yeah.

NICODEMUS:  Then I can only assume 

that you know better and are 

trying to sour the deal.

He extinguishes the cigar in a glass behind him.

NICODEMUS:  I've clearly wasted my time here.

TULIA:  We didn't get paid for the last job. 

 Someone's been gunning for us.  

We'd still like to hear about who that is.

Why should we take another job from you?

NICODEMUS:  Didn't he explain it to you?  

You didn't get paid because you didn't 

complete the job.  It's not my concern 

that you ran into competition.  

I only knew about you.

SWEETS:  What's to stop it 

from happening again?

NICODEMUS:  Mr. Vincent's no one you 

send a hit squad after.  But he also thinks 

no else can get away from Janriel.

And I'm betting he's right.

So we get in and out.

VALORY:  I'm sure security

will be a breeze.

NICODEMUS:  And then we go way out.  

We blow passed that blockade and 

beyond the reach of anyone 

working out of Janriel.

RUNE:  A ship?

AARON:  According to our mystery client, 

this might be the only long-range 

vessel that avoided confiscation.  

We take it.  Everybody gets a new life.

NICODEMUS:  On top of that, you get paid for doing it.

TULIA:  If he has the ship, why hasn't he left already?

NICODEMUS:  It's a big empire to leave behind.  

But make no mistake, he'll leave us all stranded 

here when things get bad enough.  

Too many transients got caught up 

with no place to go when the blockade formed.

ROSS:  I think I like it.

RUNE:  Yeah.  I'm in.

Esben sighs a pleasurable growl.

Tulia shivers at Clemence's smile.

TULIA:  What's the plan?

NICODEMUS:  I introduce you all as new hires.  

I'll play up that street fight you had with that 

mechanical competition of yours.  I don't see 

your bounties here.  Just as well you got rid 

of them.  Less to explain.  We bypass security, 

nock a few heads, and are home free.

TULIA:  (skeptical) Doesn't sound 

too different from the last plan.

ROSS:  Is there any way that 

you could get him to move it?

NICODEMUS:  What would I need you for?  

The Shadow's Heart is locked down tight.

Aaron's interest is heightened.

NICODEMUS:  It's newly acquired.  And he's 

paranoid about word getting out about it 

or even risk it being seen.  And Mr. Vincent 

won't let anybody tell him any differently.

VALORY:  Hey, what's this?

Valory holds up a dress uniform she
removed from a foot locker on
the other side of the room.
It is a dyed ruddy leather.

AARON:  Put that back.

VALORY:  But what is it?

Rune takes a shoulder of the uniform.

RUNE:  It's an imperial era dress uniform.  

They were all supposed to be destroyed.

TULIA:  You're a loyalist?

AARON:  It's not what it looks like.

NICODEMUS:  This is exactly the break we needed.  

Now our friend here can go in as a turncoat.  

His dissatisfaction with the Republic regime 

coupled with his claim to have old contacts 

who informed him about a raid about to take 

place on Mr. Vincent will be a sure way in.  

VALORY:  You hate the Republic?

RUNE:  Of course he does.  

They made him change careers.  

ESBEN:  Stranding him 

here with the rest of us.

RUNE:  Yeah.  No wonder 

he agreed to work with this guy.  

AARON:  Now hold on a minute.  

Just for the record, I do not hate 

the Republic.  I served and did 

my duty and now that's over.  

But I won't sell out the uniform.  

NICODEMUS:  You servicemen always avowed 

high ideals as the face of the Empire, but even you 

got your hands dirty alongside us from time to time. 

 Prestmoors will always be remembered as the real 

backbone of the Empire.

AARON:  The Prestmoor's methods are 

precisely why the Empire fell.  I'm nothing

like you.  I don't miss the old days.  And I 

never turned my back on the Republic.

I'm right here trying to make a difference.

NICODEMUS:  And look how your

precious Republic has rewarded you.

You live in squalor.

AARON:  Maybe you're the

reason for the blockade.

NICODEMUS:  I never swore loyalty to any Republic.  

We would have conquered all of the Empire's enemies 

for the asking.  But we were kept in reserve.  For our 

so-called methods.  You extend the suffering of the 

weak among Janriel.  You ease the occupation of the 

blockade and thereby enable it.  Without you, 

a leader would rise up to rebel against the

regime even among these cowards.

AARON:  You, I suppose?

NICODEMUS:  The senators have bowed

to appease the masses.  I do not need the rabble.

I only want to stop suffering because of them.

AARON:  You were at the head of every conquest

the Empire ever led.

NICODEMUS:  Precisely.  This stalemate would be finished.

All opposition would be crushed and Janriel would be

free under our protection.  

AARON:  The Republic fosters peace.

NICODEMUS:  The Republic fosters ingratitude.

It is too weak to control its own people.  This last

desperate show of force is to stave off invasion.  

I suppose you never considered that before.

None of us will want to be here when that

invasion begins.  Come to think of it,

maybe I will.

TULIA:  Look, the Empire's dead and gone

and no one here has a special loyalty for

the Republic.  And if I'm going to be 

honest I don't hear any other ideas

about how to get out.  So we go 

with his plan.  We do this right.

Everyone can go their own 

ways once we're beyond 

the reach of the Republic.

AARON:  I don't wear the uniform.

I can provide credible evidence

of the raid.  And I sought you out.

NICODEMUS:  Deal.

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Scene 18: The Meet

The back half of the police hover craft lies open and the officer casts an inviting hand inside with a ceremonious bow as Aaron marches on inside and the officer follows behind.  Rune and Tulia initially attempt to follow, but are quietly obstructed by two guards several feet from the open hatch; too far away to hear.

NOAH:  I don't believe that I'll 

be needing to impound that.

Aaron begins to pour a drink from a
private cupboard and hands the first
glass to the officer before pouring another.

AARON:  Circumstances have 

changed since we last spoke, Noah.

NOAH:  I'd say they changed 

rather dramatically just now.

He nocks back the glass.

NOAH:  I let you come to my moon and 

in that time you blow up a hospital, 

pick a fight at the Grim Grip, leave, 

and then not only come back, but try 

to destroy a refugee encampment.

AARON:  Are you going to give me

 a chance to explain all that?

NOAH:  I would be very pleased to learn 

there is a reason why my patrol craft 

has a liquor cabinet, Aaron.

Aaron pours Noah another drink.

NOAH:  You're enough to 

drive all your friends to drink.

AARON:  Yeah.  I can see that I'm the 

one who really fowled up paradise.

NOAH:  You've been rogue 

ever since Drusus Gaul.

AARON:  That was a fair bounty.

NOAH:  You were grandstanding 

going into the ring alone like that.

AARON:  Tell me nobody else would have 

gotten killed going up against 

that grenade-happy maniac.

NOAH:  And things have only gotten 

worse since then.  Do you realize how 

much trouble you have to cause for 

you to get noticed in Hell?

AARON:  I'm still looking for a way out.

NOAH:  I bet.  You probably want that 

whole blockade to come down on us.  

You're taking a sledge hammer to a very 

delicate situation for everyone.
I'm responsible to the people here.

AARON:  It's really not me, Noah.  

You're talking to the wrong guy.

NOAH:  I just want to put you on notice because 

we're friends, Aaron.  You have officially piqued 

my professional interest.  And I intend to make it 

my person mission to get to the bottom of whatever 

it is you're doing.  You make a run on the blockade 

if you really want.  But you don't have to burn 

down the whole star system before you do it.

AARON:  You want to investigate something?

Noah cocks an eyebrow.

AARON:  Here.  You can help me with this.

He hands the dead stone to Noah.

NOAH:  What's this supposed to be?

AARON:  I don't know.

NOAH:  Funny.

AARON:  I'm very serious, Noah.  

What I just gave you is important. 

 Do you mind calling in some 

non-mutual acquaintances 

to help get a bead on it?

Noah weighs it in the palm of his hand.

NOAH:  Maybe I'm talking to 

the right man after all.

AARON:  One more thing, Noah.  

Someone's already killed for that.  

And we are friends.  If I had any idea 

who was behind it I would tell you.

NOAH:  Okay, Aaron.  I believe you.

I'll help you with this.

He clutches the stone and it disappears into his fist.
Unseen to Aaron, he casts his eyes to a darkened
corner of the room before nocking back the
last of his drink and turning to leave.

NICODEMUS:  You weren't supposed to 

show that to the authorities.  Much less, 

hand it over to your friend there.

Aaron peers into the darkness and sees
a large form rise from his seat.
Nicodemus lumbers on over to
the bar and pours himself a drink.

AARON:  Noah's a good man.  I respect him.  

He maintains some semblance of order on Orelius.

NICODEMUS:  Your friend is the vestigial arm 

of a subsumed government.  I keep order here.  

The Grim Grip is the true capital of Orelius.  

If you're looking for someone to 

respect then look no further.

AARON:  I take it that you're the one who hired.

NICODEMUS:  Not quite.  I'm just the middle 

man in this little affair.  I'm being paid a handsome 

amount to turn on my employer.  And that crew 

of yours is going to help me.  

AARON:  Depends on the job.

NICODEMUS:  You had the job.  He gave me 

a test to come up with the right crew.  

That lump isn't what you were 

supposed to deliver.  You blew it.

AARON:  Then why is the job still on?

NICODEMUS:  Because it confirms 

a suspicion I had.  It looks like you 

had the same idea.  You know what it is.

AARON:  I've only heard rumors.

NICODEMUS:  I've seen it... first hand.  

You want to get passed the blockade, 

that's the ticket you need to punch.

AARON:  So what's our take of the cut?

NICODEMUS:  Ha!

He puts down the glass.

NICODEMUS:  1%... each, of what I'm getting.

Out of my expense.  My risk.

AARON:  You must be joking.

NICODEMUS:  No.  1% of a very generous offer.  

You don't want to let something like this pass you by.

AARON:  You still have to make the offer to my crew.

NICODEMUS:  Not here.  We need someplace 

more private to bring them in.  No one can 

know we're planning this thing until it's done.

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Scene 17: Any Landing That You Can...

RUNE:  Okay, new people.  This is for you.  

Tulia made me sell the navigational computer

 awhile back since we used to have the 

sensor drone.  I always said making it 

pull double duty was dangerous.  

So I'm going to have to go in 

by sight and feel.

TULIA:  You know I was trying 

to avoid cutbacks.  I had a big 

crew to keep paid.

RUNE:  All I'm saying is take it 

nice and easy back there.  Just relax and 

strap in long before we touch down because 

this one might get a little rough at the end.

The shuttle tremors.

RUNE:  That friendly suggestion's
not so friendly anymore.  

Everyone hang on!

TULIA:  Mr. Starling, I'm not used to 

Orelius being so excited to see me.  

The surface is coming up a little fast.

RUNE:  Trust me.

TULIA:  Right.  Not nearly as far 

as I could throw you out in 

that vacuum.  Ease off a bit.

No reply.

TULIA:  Ease off!

RUNE:  I already did.  Trajectory is off. 

 Gravity has us in a bad way.  If I so much as 

let go of these controls we'll miss the canyon.  

You glad I told you?

VALORY:  Not really.

RUNE:  Tulia, I'm going to need you 

to transfer breaking thrusters 

to the vertical thrusters.

TULIA:  What are you planning on breaking with?

RUNE:  How does friction grab you?  

Proximity alarm starts to sound.

RUNE:  Look, you need to do it or 

I won't be able to break out of this dive.

VALORY:  Have you done this before?

Tulia seals off the cockpit.

The shuttle careens into traffic bound for the moon's canyon, but causes the other ships to scatter due to it plummeting too fast.  The harsh sun light disappears over the canyon wall and the shuttle is doused in darkness.

Next, they drop below the flow of traffic and the shuttle's nose remains pointed directly at the ground.  Tulia casts a sideways glance at Rune, but doesn't dare distract him from the crucial moment.  Finally, he reaches up to rest his thumb against a button on the overhead control panel and just before the shadowy rock rises up to meet them he compresses.

The chin of the shuttle roars with fire
and leaving a trail of glowing hot rock
in its wake the shuttle levels out.
The thrusters shut off.

RUNE:  B38 is an abandoned 

landing strip, isn't it?

TULIA:  (horrified) Only officially.

RUNE:  Maybe ground control 

should clear that runway for us.

TULIA:  B38 landing strip, this is shuttle craft... 

this is your black flight on approach.  

We are lacking a navigational computer.

RUNE:  (leans over) Because she sold it.

TULIA:  And we have just 

exhausted our breaking thrusters.

RUNE:  (leans over) Because I had to over-correct 

because I don't have a navigational computer.

TULIA:  Please be advised you may 

wish to evacuate the airfield.  

Thank you.

Tulia presses back into her seat with a sigh.

RUNE:  I think that sounded 

very official.  I'd believe you.

She scowls.

The shuttle emerges on the other side of the tunnel with a large open cavern before them, which is occupied by a tent city.  The denizens look up in disbelief at their walled sky to hear the screeching whistle of the engines shutting down and smoke coming out of the back end of the craft.

They scream and scatter in an attempt to be clear of the impending crash.  The only light that Rune has before him is the orange glow of the various lanterns throughout the extensive encampment.  He pushes down on the control stick, not even sure that he is over the smooth surface of the runway, but absolutely certain that he can't maintain the altitude to fly over the village.

The shuttle dips, sparks and skips before crashing down to drag heavily across the surface with all the momentum of a freight train.  They smash through the outlying tents, which splash across the cockpit windshield with the hapless clatter of support beams.  All the while the ground tears up before them and finally mounds upon itself to bring the shuttle to a halt.

As the people slowly begin to gather, the aft end of the shuttle rises slightly beneath the steady cranking of a manual release for the shuttle's ramp.  The ramp makes it down about half way before the shuttle occupants start to crawl out.  The shuttle continues to have interior lights, which adds an alien glow to their intrusion, but outside there are only the orange lanterns that people are holding.

Most of the crew stand self-conscious of their surroundings within the trench created by the shuttle.  Rune and Tulia are the last to emerge.  Shaken, and scanning their surroundings, they both climb to the top of the rocky trench.  Rune forces a smile on his face.

RUNE:  Anyone want a ship?

Aaron bounds up the trench and seizes his shoulder.  Just then the whole of the village is cast in dozens of spotlights from overhead.  Aaron looks up into their spotlight with a knowing smile and casts a purposefully forced salute to the officer scowling from the cockpit of the hovercraft.








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Scene 16: Let The Dead Speak

TULIA:  Took them long enough.

The shuttle departs from the condemned station.  Planet-side, the escape pods are being sought out by local police patrols.  Now that they are occupied, the sleek black shuttle disappears into the short void of space between the unmarked station with a treasure trove of blighted secrets and Orelius, which could do with some secrets rather than have all be known.

Esben tinkers away at his prize for the adventure.  Safe is coming along.  Its shell has been restored and foot is currently being repaired.  Esben slaps away Valory's loving hand probing as if to tickle the brave contraption.  She has not forgotten the favor it did her.  And all the attention has turned Safe's beeps into chortles.

Aaron begins to wander up the ladder into the cockpit and Ross passes the ladder and reaches up to his shoulder with a long grey finger.

ROSS:  Can I speak with you?

AARON:  Sure.

Aaron takes a quick glance to scan the compartment and finds everyone preoccupied from their seats.  The two of them slip into a small computer room on the chin of the ship below the cockpit.  The ceiling is low here and they are forced to kneel down or stand bent over for the duration.

AARON:  What's on your mind?

ROSS:  How did you know 

that water would do what it did?

AARON:  Well... the memory of it is fading away.  

I have some things that I could try to explain.

ROSS:  Hit me with it.

AARON:  I saw a woman.

ROSS:  Yeah?

AARON:  At first nothing was clear.

Then all at once it seemed really

clear that I was supposed to save

you.  But even that stopped being

so clear afterwards.  I'm sure it's 

like asking you what you saw.

ROSS:  I was lying on the floor in engineering 

and then the next I knew I was in the station infirmary.  

There was the sensation of being carried between 

these two times.  Something was wrapped around me, 

but it felt like I was in zero gravity.

AARON:  That could have just been 

Rune carrying you.  He already said you 

didn't die until he got you in the shuttle.

ROSS:  Yeah.  Maybe.

AARON:  I don't know what 

else it could have been.

ROSS:  So you're all sure I 

was dead then?  I mean, really sure.  Right?

AARON:  Rune cried.

ROSS:  Damn.

AARON:  So... you're feeling better.

ROSS:  Yeah... yeah. 

 Even my ears have improved.

Silence falls between them.

AARON:  Good.

He tries to leave then and Ross grabs his arm.

ROSS:  What if I'm still dead?

AARON:  Ross...

ROSS:  Well who the hell are you to

 bring me back from the dead?  

I must have been (gulp) unconscious, 

let's say, for several hours.  

And I'm supposed to believe that 

you came along with this magic water?

AARON:  Because I knew it would work.

ROSS:  How could you, though?

AARON:  Because it did the 

same for me.  It brought me back.

ROSS:  (fascinated) Really?

AARON:  While you were dead we 

hung around and the drones that 

have been trying to kill all of us 

sabotaged the station.  A lot of people 

were hurt.  I needed to go close 

a hull breach somewhere to save

 everyone else.  It was supposed to be 

a simple job.  But in the end... I didn't make it.

ROSS:  So... maybe we're both dead.

AARON:  Now don't start up again.

ROSS:  Why?  Because I'm supposed 

to believe in your magic water?

AARON:  Life after death?  

Neither one's looking like a settled issue.

Ross falls silent with downcast eyes.

AARON:  What is it?

ROSS:  (timid) How do I know what 

heaven looks like?  All my friends were 

there to greet me when I woke up.

AARON:  You don't have anyone else?

He shakes his head slowly.

AARON:  I don't think we're dead, Ross.  

I doubt we're going to come across anyone 

to tell us what did happen.  Maybe we 

should just be grateful and leave it at that.

ROSS:  Okay.

AARON:  But... if it's at all possible, 

I do intend to be on the lookout for 

any answers that come our way.  

We've all been thrown into the middle 

of something here.  Before they killed Ellan, 

she said something about failing 

to procure a Shadow's Heart.

ROSS:  Do you know what that is?

AARON:  Not at all.  When I first met her 

and Kanon they were treading pavement 

having had their ship just stolen.  

Or, so the said.  We ran into 

all of you right after that.  

ROSS:  If she's dead then where is she?

AARON:  I told you to stop starting.

ROSS:  Alright, alright.  I'm sorry.  

We keep an ear to the ground for 

this Shadow's Heart.  

What do we tell the others?

AARON:  Tulia knows as 

much about it as we do.

ROSS:  She knows you came back too?

AARON:  No.  I left that part out.  

She was there when Ellan 

mentioned the Shadow's Heart.

ROSS:  What do you want to do with this?

He holds up the smooth stone.

AARON:  I don't know.  Do you want it? 

 I doubt our mystery benefactor is going to 

be doing much benefacting over it now.

Ross turns it in his fingers and studies it.

ROSS:  No.  You can have it.  

It's looking funny at me.

AARON:  It's dead.

ROSS:  Well we can't be too sure 

about things like that now can we.

AARON:  Alright, I'll take it to the meet.

ROSS:  If we find out about the mystery 

person who wants this it could 

answer a lot of questions.

AARON:  You ready to follow 

this wherever the trail leads?

ROSS:  I'm with you all the way.  

I still need to know whether 

I'm alive or dead.  Might as 

well knock about the afterlife 

awhile and take in the sights.

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Scene 15: Small Miracles

Ross is mummified.  His dried blood stains the front of his shirt and the back is burned through.  The stars in the black of his eyes (where a human's is normally white) are out and so too the blue nebula of his iris.  That nebula is now a faded stone grey to match the tone of his skin.

Tulia's red hair drapes his face and several of Rune's tears fall off onto Ross' cheeks.

Sweets has been huddled with them, but now quietly rises, takes up his rifle and stands guard at the base of the shuttle's ramp.  Esben removes his arm from Valory and assumes the same posting to keep him company.  After a moment, Valory holds the pistol on loan to her against her shoulder and joins the other two giants over their silent vigil.

That leaves Aaron and the hobbled robot to look upon the ever-dwindling crewmates.  There is a nagging sensation at the back of his mind.  It would not take very much to reach inside and take out the contents concealed by the harmless machine.  Yet, despite himself, Aaron could not help but detect a desire from this mechanical being.  It did not wish to yield up the vial that it itself had stolen from the vault.  And while on that thought, Aaron had to confess his suspicion that the robot had acted independently of anyone controlling it.  Perhaps the first example in all of the natural world of a machine expressing independent thought and it turns out to be a glorified trash can.

Whatever its motivations (now suspected to have them) Aaron's was to attempt to see the vision again.  In this period of calm that amounts to the whole of his desire.  But there are the extenuating circumstances to consider.

Tulia would likely fly into a rage at the first provocation and examining the prize that her friend just died for is likely to count.  Then there is the machine that beeps rhythmically in his hands.  If there is a mind contained within then it is no more than a child's.  What then would it mean to force it to hand over the vial?  How are children best handled in such dangerous undertakings?

Suddenly, Aaron's bones shake violently.  Metal bends and groans in the distance.  Fire flashes and breaks the windows of the airlock leading out of the hanger bay.  Rune and Tulia are roused from their mourning and everyone rushes to investigate what has happened within the station.

Esben forces open the broken airlock doors.  He can only open them just enough so that they can each pass into the station single file as the doors have been badly warped.

Immediately inside, the walls are charred black, support beams are exposed and torn, and it is hard to breathe due to the emergency decompression employed to suppress the explosion.  The crew proceeds through the rubble on the floor with gingerly steps.  Rune incidentally kicks one wall-slag and it goes flying off like a frisbee before crashing back down at the other end of the corridor.

AARON:  Artificial gravity's been damaged.  

Who's had formal zero-g training?

Sweets steps forward.

SWEETS:  It looks like it's just you and me.  

AARON:  We'll probe ahead for bad grav-plating.  

Everybody else hang back.

Given Rune's kick off down the right side of the corridor, Aaron takes up the left wall and Sweets goes down the middle of the hallway.  Sweets notices some dust caught in a beam of light that floats fixed in place.  He reaches down for a larger piece of rubble and marks the place by having the fragment float in mid-air.  He then proceeds to round the place he has marked, pivoting on the bridge of his snout, and then turns to continue on.

Aaron is down at the other end of the corridor and is confronted with a couple of guards falling all over each other, desperate to be able to stand.  Sweets can see their weapons are drawn and risks rushing the remaining distance to catch up with Aaron.

AARON:  No, no, wait.  

He keeps a hand raised to Sweets even as he crouches down
to get closer to eye level with the guards.

AARON:  It's okay.  Just take a minute.  

An explosion is bad enough to shake anybody up.  

Add to that it happening in a confined space 

and an emergency fire decompression will 

screw with your head real bad.  I should know.  

You got time.  No one's going to hurt you.  

Just relax.  Can you tell me what happened?  Do you know?

GUARD:  (Struggling to catch his breath) There were drones.

AARON:  Yeah, we saw some of them.  Where are they know?

GUARD:  They... they... self...d-e-s-t-r-u-c-t-e-d?  

Yeah.  They self-destructed.  I think they all did it at once.

AARON:  All of them?

GUARD:  I... really hope so.  They took out the 

whole compartment they were in.  

I think engineering is gone.

AARON:  I want you to stay calm now.  

Focus on your breathing.  My friends are going 

to come up the hall.  And we're all 

going to the infirmary together.  

Both guards pass out.

AARON:  Or... that will have to do.  

Rune, break out some emergency respirators.

The next moment the crew is carrying the two men into the infirmary.

NURSE:  Who the hell are you?

Tulia takes her aside and attempts

a low soothing tone.

TULIA:  Look, we didn't bomb your station.  

Beyond that, you don't really need to know.

She looks from Tulia to Valory's friendly smile

who is flanked by Esben's tall demeanor.

NURSE:  Then you can start by
lending me a hand on Bed 3.

RUNE:  Here we go again.

TULIA:  This is nothing like old times.

I must be going soft.

SWEETS:  You said it, not me.

VALORY:  I guess the best thing we can do 

is just get out of the way, huh, buddy.

Esben stands with a slight sway and then leans
one shoulder against the nearest wall and starts
to crumble down into a ball.

NURSE:  Hey, hey, it's not safe for anyone 

to go to sleep right now big guy.

VALORY:  He wasn't anywhere near 

the explosion.  This is just like...

She holds his mask to his face with his own paw.
She watches a moment and his eyes begin to flutter.

VALORY:  You watch him.  Okay?  I'll be right back.

Aaron follows her out to a corridor interface.

AARON:  What are you thinking?

VALORY:  I think Esben's home planet is more 

oxygen rich than most places.  I learned he got faint if 

we went too far down in the lower levels on Orelius.  

I knew he didn't feel well here, but he was doing okay.  

This shouldn't be happening that fast.  There it is.

AARON:  What?

She brings up an atmosphere gauge on the monitor.

VALORY:  The station's not sealed off someplace.  

We're venting atmosphere.

AARON:  Mr. Starling, we need that 

sensor drone of yours or we're all dead.

He walks out already pressing buttons on his gauntlet controller.

RUNE:  Alright.  So no pressure then.

His face loses color.

AARON:  What is it?

RUNE:  The sensor drone's gone.

VALORY:  You lost it?

RUNE:  I don't know what to tell you.  It's not there.  

Even if it's just not accepting my commands it 

should at least show up as a ping on my scan for it.

AARON:  Could it have been caught in the 

explosion when the station went up?

RUNE:  I couldn't say.  

All I know is it's not there anymore.

AARON:  How do we go about finding 

the section that needs sealing off?

The custodial drone rolls up to them while
it's tread catches badly on its bad foot.

RUNE and VALORY:  Not it.

Aaron lets out an exasperated sigh.

Aaron carries the small robot under his arm as it chirps happily with each pivot of its head, which is accompanied by a blink of green in the eye.  This section of corridor happens to show no sign of damage and Aaron walks quite casually with his precocious hull breach detector.

It abruptly becomes animated and agitates in his arms so as to be allowed to scan a section of wall he has missed.  Aaron momentarily figures out where it wants to be pointed and extends it out with both hands.  It makes one pass with the scanner.  Another happy chirp and he tucks it under his arm once more.

AARON:  What am I supposed to call you?

He lifts it over his head to see if there is any name or serial labeled on the bottom.  This opiniated canister squeals its displeasure with a solid red light glowing in the eye.  Aaron tucks it back under the arm again.  It resumes scanning as if nothing happened.

AARON:  You are a fussy little safecracker.  

It produces a rude beep.

He stops walking and untucks the thing and holds it out in front of himself.  Aaron attempts to turn the robot's body once, but the head pivots to match this motion and continues scanning the floor.

AARON:  Hey.

The head stops with just looking at him in its periphery.

AARON:  Look at me.

The head turns up to face him.

AARON:  I might be crazy, but I'm starting 

to think that there might be something to you.  

You sure are temperamental enough to make me wonder.  

You got something you're keeping safe for me.  

I don't know where this job will end.  

I don't know if what all we already suffered 

through is going to lead to anything good.  

But you keep that vial safe for me.  

And from now on I'll call you Safe.

Aaron stares into the soulless lens for a heart beat and then Safe scans a slow, green, grid-pattern across his face.  It chirps with another green blinking light and turns its head away to continue scanning the hallway.  Aaron tucks it back under his arm.

They come to an elevator, which Aaron considers using.  Safe interrupts his thoughts with another rude chirp and pivots its head in an attempt to indicate a stairwell.

AARON:  Right.  Like that's any 

better under the circumstances.  

Safe extends an arm to plug into the wall.
A maintenance door slides way to indicate
a ladder.  Safe blinks its green light chirp.

AARON:  You're going to regret this.  

I'll end up dropping you.

Safe answers with another rude tone.

AARON:  You asked for it.

Listen to me.  I asked for.

I'm talking to myself and

using a trashcan as 

my star chart.

Aaron steps out onto the ladder.  He descends and eventually Safe turns to him with a solid yellow light in its eye.  Aaron looks down and sees a maintenance hatch that as far as he can tell is closed, but as he draws closer he feels the slight rush of air.

Once they are standing over this floor hatch then Safe projects a light on the wall, which shows a schematic of a section in red that indicates the portion of the station that is gone and then also how there are a series of these same hatches which have failed to seal, but are mitigating the decompression.

AARON:  You got a repair kit?

Safe replaces the original projection with a question mark.

AARON:  What if I just use the sealant on 

this hatch and close the others behind us 

and we call that good until we get 

everyone evacuated?

Safe deactivates the projection and chirps a green light.

Aaron shifts to balance Safe on his knee while his feet are braced against the walls and unclips a small sealant gun that he had intended for a minor hull breach.  The sealant does not appear to be curing perfectly along the lip of the hatch and Aaron has already used up the spray gun.  He dabs a foot, not wanting to risk his fingers, and both parties hear the hatch creak.

The hatch shears away beneath them and both plummet down and then sucked off to the side.  Aaron tumbles violently as a rag doll and will not need to suffer the vacuum of space to die.  He is caught up by an exposed support beam along the wall and breaks his back against it.  His last breath is nocked out of him by the impact.

Safe similarly bounces like a beach ball and finally is impaled on the jagged end of a ceiling pipe and cracks open like an egg.  There, his mysterious cargo slowly leaks out.  The substance cannot miraculously procure more volume than what was in the vial, but what it does do is inch across the pipe.  Each individual droplet resists the onslaught of air escaping into the vacuum of space.  Simultaneously, it does not inch as a worm does but maintains a natural flow toward the breach while not being ripped away from the surface of the mangled corridor.

Finally the droplets coalesce on what used to be the ceiling at the very mouth of the gaping breach in the station.  In gathering they grow noticeably brighter and become as impossible to stare into as the sun.  In this state they slide down and warp the hull of the station with them to seal the breach.

Their light fades once on the floor and what remains of the hallway has been restored.  In a pool of liquid now it flows patiently over to Aaron who floats freely in the zero gravity.  The pool then climbs the support beam that might turn out to be his salvation.  It comes parallel to his upper back and arches the distance between Aaron and the support beam and infuses through his clothes and skin.

First they glow orange between his vertebral column and repair the damage there.  Then they migrate, some to his heart and others to the brain to perform internal compressions or incite neural activity.

On the cusp of consciousness, Aaron now sees his sought-after vision more clearly.  He sees a young woman near to him whose voice heralds from a distant place and the distance has imparted an echo to it.  At first he can only hear the voice.  There are no discernible words.

AARON:  Wh- what did you say?

In a brief culmination of many gentle
voices the echoes are overcome.

VOICE:  Save your friend.

Aaron's eyes burst open.  Amidst the weightlessness, he feels something pooling in the palm of his hand.  And whereas the substance merely glints instead of continuing to glow it seems as if now it would fall away like water if he were to un-cup his hand.

He looks up to see Safe miserably impaled.  Aaron kicks off from the wall and soars on up to the ceiling.  Carefully removing Safe, the small creature droops with no will behind the motors.  As an experiment, he attempts to dab his liquid-filled hand beneath the unfortunate device, but nothing happens.  Aaron goes in search of the ladder shaft and ascends carefully with both weary companions in company.

Aaron passes by the infirmary and drops Safe in Esben's lap at the door.

VALORY:  Hey, where you going?

Tulia hears Valory and sticks her head out the door.

TULIA:  Aaron's back.

Rune and Sweets follow suit and pursue Aaron out the door.

The entire crew find themselves returning to the hanger bay.  They all stand around and watch from just in front of the airlock as Aaron marches into the shuttle with one raised hand.  Tulia charges up to the shuttle first when she sees Aaron dragging Ross out onto the shuttle ramp.

TULIA:  What the hell do you think you're doing?

I'm not leaving him behind!

AARON:  (Gasping for breath) 

I'm hoping you won't have to.

He pours the water into Ross' mouth.  Tulia rushes up and shoves Aaron aside to study Ross' face.  The others quietly gather at the bottom of the ramp.

TULIA:  (Angrily) What was supposed to happen?

AARON:  (Distant) They told me he could be saved.

RUNE:  Who did?

Ross begins to change.  He does not glow, but his paling skin turns to a light shade of blue.  Then his eyes blink closed and stare open again.  The stars in the black of his eyes begin to illuminate.  The blue nebula therein is restored to a brilliant deep sea blue.  His body begins to absorb the various wounds.  Ross blinks his eyes closed once more.  Everyone recoils back when he sits up, Aaron included, but apart from Tulia.

TULIA:  Take it easy.

He opens his mouth and there lies a bright white glow that Tulia stares into.  A ghostly moan comes forth and Ross closes his mouth again.  He rises and walks stiffly toward the airlock to exit the hanger bay.

Ross suffers traversing the rubble and the crew commences clearing a path for him.  He eventually reaches the infirmary and the medical staff take notice of the stranger, but the nurse from before has given up on surprises.

NURSE:  So who might you be?

She does take notice of his lack of response and
stretches out a probing hand as he passes.
Aaron slowly grasps her wrist and pulls her hand away.

AARON:  Don't touch him.

NURSE:  What's happening now?

AARON:  I'd tell you if I knew.

Ross proceeds to go to each head-wrapped guard and lays a hand on their face.  When he lifts his hand and moves on to the next each one rises in bed and removes the gauze themselves.  And they each test their eyesight with their hands and look over at their fellow companion who has also been restored.

Finally the last of them have been healed.  Ross begins to convulse and he collapses in the middle of the ward.  The crew clamor around him and the recently healed jump to their feet.  Tulia cradles Ross' head and a thick black sludge pours from his ear and Aaron catches this in his hand.

NURSE:  Now we have to put 

you through decontamination.

RUNE:  If you have any airlocks left.

Esben gleefully strikes his 

appreciation on Rune's back.

ROSS:  Hey...

TULIA:  Ross... welcome back.

ROSS:  Did I go somewhere?

SWEETS:  We were hoping you could tell us.  

I didn't get as far as you did.

ROSS:  I'll try not to make you jealous.

VALORY:  What is that stuff?

Aaron examines the smooth stone that has solidified in his hands.

AARON:  I don't know.  I think it just wanted 

to take back some of the trouble it caused.

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