First Command
Many, many thanks to KK60 for your kind, generous contributions to my script/story. If it were not for your patient input, things would be a lot shorter.
Disclaimers & Warnings: WEP owns them. I sneak over, take them, use them, dust them off when I’m done and put them back, good as new… The Esquire Alpha is mine, although it’s based mostly off of the Explorer from Vehicle Voltron. (Also owned by WEP) Some coarse language, violence (yay!) and that’s about all I can think of.
The Esquire Alpha
Class – Special Cargo Transport
Minimum Crew required - 30
Commanding Officer: Captain K. Masters
Bridge Crew – Head of Security/Tactical – Commander Keith Akira (age 16.)
- Helmsman – Jr. Lieutenant Sven Woolfson (age 18)
- Gunnery Master – Jr. Lieutenant Lancelot G. Richard (age 17)
A memo on the desk of the Captain:
Notice: New crewmembers to arrive Tuesday during routine stop over at Cygnus 5 Research Station.
Engineering, engine room supervisor – Jr. Lieutenant Hunk Harper (age 20)
Comp. Tech. Intelligence crew – Ensign Pidge Dewar (age 13)
A middle-aged man dressed in military uniform, captain’s hat seats himself at his desk. A computer screen juts out from the desk. He presses a button by the screen on the desk.
Captain Masters: Commander Akira? Get me a secure channel to the Garrison.
Commander Keith Akira: [over the intercom] Yes, Sir. [He sounds young]
[Pause. The Captain taps his finger on the desk impatiently.]
On the computer screen a message comes up: Link established. High Security Channel 16. Authorization Alpha Akira Delta.
Keith: Sir? I’ve cleared a channel. It’s all ready for you to go.
Masters: Thank you.
Space Marshal Graham’s face appears over the screen. He is smiling.
Graham: Kirk! What a pleasant surprise!
Masters: Graham. [Shaking a paper at the viewer] Is this some sort of joke? I’m not a dorm mother.
Graham: It’s a temporary assignment for all of them. You know that. They’re good soldiers.
Masters: They’re all kids, Thomas. If anything happens…
Graham: They did okay the last time.
Masters: [sigh] Well, yes. I admit, Admiral Akira’s son is quite impressive with tactical. But that was a minor skirmish with pirates. But you’re sending me a kid who’s barely out of diapers this time!
Graham: [laughing] He’s quite the whiz at programming. Just sit him in front of a terminal. You’ll be thanking me.
Masters: At least you had the sense in sending me a normal adult, not some super genius baby!
Graham: Harper? Oh, you’ll like him. He’ll have your ship running better than the Explorer!
Masters: I still think it’s dangerous to be sending kids so close to the front.
Graham: [laughter] You’re more than far enough. By the time anything comes within a hundred light years of you, our forces would be all over it!
Masters: Fine. You know what’s best, old friend. Take care.
Graham: You too.
On the screen: End-transmission.
The captain steps out of his room. A youth, dressed in a red and white uniform, similar to those worn by the Vehicle Voltron team except that his rank insignia is over his right breast, commander. His hair is long and unruly. He stands up and salutes. The others follow. The bridge crew (and any other crew is dressed similarly to Keith except that Keith has added a uniform jacket, he finds the uniforms lacking in warmth). Lance stands off to the side, blue and white, Sven, black and white. They look just as young as Keith.
Keith: Captain.
Masters: Jr. Lieutenant Woolfson. You have the bridge.
Sven: [saluting] Yes Captain.
The Captain motions for Keith to follow his off the bridge. They walk through the corridors.
Masters: Commander Akira. Have the new crew members come aboard yet?
Keith: Yes sir. [A nervous pause] Permission to speak freely?
Masters: [smiling as if he knows something] Granted.
Keith: [a look of concern on his face] The Ensign, sir. He’s kind of young.
Masters: Dewar. Yes. I’ve expressed concern myself. Your uncle seems to think otherwise.
Keith: [a slight look of surprise] Space Marshall Graham approves?
Masters: Yes, Keith. I suggest you not worry too much about age. After all, you too are quite young and it has taken a lot of time for the rest of the crew to get used to taking commands from a sixteen-year-old.
Keith nods in understanding.
Pidge and Hunk settle into their shared quarters: Hunk is slightly smaller, his hair in a crew cut. Pidge, also younger hops onto the bunk.
Pidge: This is exciting! My first assignment!
Hunk: [pulling out his things from a bag] I’m sure you’ll do just fine.
Pidge: Didn’t you feel this way on your first assignment?
Hunk: Uh-huh. [He is munching on an apple that he has pulled from his bag] I wonder what time they serve dinner. I’m starved.
A knock on the door startles Pidge.
Pidge: Come in.
The door slides open. Lance stands in the doorway.
Lance: Omigod. They’re recruiting them out of the womb!
Hunk steps up, menacingly, glaring at Lance.
Hunk: Watch it, flyboy. He’s good at what he does.
Lance steps back, hands up, apologetically.
Lance: Whoa! Just a little joke. I’m Lance. Looks like we’re neighbours. [He extends his hand]
Hunk: I’m Hunk Harper. This guy’s Pidge Dewar. It’s his first assignment.
Lance: [smiling] Wow! You must be excited, squirt.
Pidge: [frowning] Don’t call me that. I’m thirteen!
Lance: [looking honestly surprised.] Whoa! I thought you were younger. You look eight!
Hunk looks angrily at Lance.
Pidge: [smiling] Oh I get that all the time! I’m blessed with eternal youth!
Lance: [smiling, impressed, looking at Hunk.] The kid’s quick. I’ll give him that.
Keith appears at the door, with Sven.
Keith: Hi guys. I see you’ve met Lance, resident pest.
Lance punches Keith in the shoulder.
Lance: Very funny.
Sven: Velcome to the Esquire Alpha. I’m Sven, this is Keif.
Pidge: You’re Keith Akira? [his eyes widen.]
Keith: [smiling shyly] Yes, why?
Pidge: You’re like a legend already at the Academy. You’re the youngest person to get the rank of Commander. But you’re no longer the youngest to enter the Academy.
Keith: [recognition crosses his face] So you’re the guy who stole the record I set. [he extends his hand] Pleased to meet you, Pidge.
Pidge shakes his hand enthusiastically, obviously surprised that Keith knows who he is. He pulls Hunk forward.
Pidge: This is my pal, Hunk.
They all make a noise of greeting and shake hands. After a few moments of idle chat, Sven and Lance leave to return to duty. Keith lingers.
Keith: Guys, I need you to do a couple of things for me later on tonight, if that’s okay.
Hunk: Sure.
Pidge: Sure. Why wouldn’t it be?
Keith: Because it’s off the record. No one is to know about what we’re doing, okay?
Pidge: What are we doing? [Excited over the prospect of being part of some secret mission]
Keith: Think of it as a security test. I need to know how easy it is for you two to break into a secured area on the ship. Like the cargo hold, for instance.
Hunk: Sure thing, commander. You just tell us when to meet you there.
Keith smiles, and nods before walking out.
The Captain is sleeping in his sparsely decorated quarters. A slight knock at the door awakens him
Captain: Who is it? [annoyed]
Keith: Captain, there’s a high priority message for you.
Captain: [grumbling] send it in here.
The Captain reaches for the monitor, flicking it on. A message appears on the screen. His face goes from tired to sharp concern.
Captain: Damn. [pushes a button on the desk] Akira?
Keith: Yes Sir?
Captain: Meet me in my ready room, with a secure channel to the Garrison.
The Captain is seated in his ready-room. Keith stands at attention behind the Captain. Space Marshal Graham’s face appears on a larger view screen in the room. He looks worried.
Graham: I’m sorry Kirk. You’re the only ship in the quadrant. And you’re carrying the medicine the Arusian ship needs. They’re all sick from the contaminant released in their ship by the Drule attack. The Drule ship has been destroyed. Insofar as we can tell, they were not able to get a distress call out. By the time any of them would arrive we’d have back up for you.
Masters: But the crew is not prepared to go that close to the front!
Graham: Captain Masters, there are people on that ship dying. The Arusian Queen is on that ship. You are the only ship in the area.
Masters: I thought the Arusian Queen was dead.
Graham: Maybe her daughter has been crowned. Who cares! [he snorts]
Masters: [looking at Keith] Well, you understand what’s going on. We have valuable cargo aboard. Something that is at high risk of being targeted by the Drule Empire. I want your honest assessment of this crew. You know them best. Are they prepared?
Keith: [swallowing nervously] Yes, sir. I honestly believe we are capable of what may happen on the front. We cannot allow those people to suffer!
The ship changes course to intercept the disabled Arusian ship. Keith is pacing the bridge nervously. The crew looks excited but nervous. Except for Lance, who is clearly excited.
Lance: [whispering to Sven] Finally! Some action and excitement!
Sven: Da! But I vould hardly call this exciting.
Lance: You know what I heard. There’s supposed to be royalty on that ship. Maybe even a beautiful Princess.
Sven: [smiling] Only you vould tink sometink like that in a time of crisis.
Keith: [looking annoyed] Guys, can the chatter.
Meanwhile, on a large Doom battleship, hidden behind an asteroid near the drifting Arusian ship, a young Prince Lotor is pacing on the bridge. At his feet two bridge droids lay destroyed from an earlier fit of rage. The Prince’s hair is red and he looks to be in his teens. Yurak sits nearby, amused at the Prince’s agitated state. Yurak still has both eyes intact.
Lotor: How dare my father send me on some useless errand!
Yurak: Perhaps he feels you are not prepared for something bigger, Prince Lotor.
Lotor: [indignantly] Silence you ingrate! You are simply here to observe, not talk!
Lotor: [he is thinking this to himself] I can’t believe my father sent him to baby-sit me on this ridiculous outing! This silly transport is not worth my talents. I’m wasting precious wenching and aleing time! I only have a week of freedom from that wretched Academy.
Yurak: [he is smiling with much amusement at the strain on Lotor’s face] Strange that your father would send you to fetch something and not tell you exactly what you’re supposed to get.
Lotor: [snarling] I thought I told you to be quiet, Commander Yurak!
Yurak: [angrily, his patience at an end] I outrank you!
Lotor: [a dry smile] But I’m still Prince.
Yurak swallows nervously and remains quiet, staring at the floor.
Lotor: I knew you’d understand.
An alarm sounds. The droids run to check.
Droid1: Sire, the transport is approaching.
Lotor: Good. Wait until they are close enough to see the decoy. Then hit them directly on the bridge. Make sure their communications are blocked. If anyone tries to escape, you are to retrieve them. It would be nice to bring some slaves home.
Droid2: Aye, Sire.
The Esquire Alpha nears the decoy.
Keith: Captain, they’re not responding.
Masters: They might all be sick. Keep trying and keep your eyes on the radar. [he looks at Sven] at the first sign of trouble you are to hyperspace this ship out of here, understood?
Sven: Yes Captain.
Keith notices something strange about the placement of debris and asteroids on the screen. He leans over to Sven.
Keith: [whispering] Does this look weird to you? [He is pointing at the radar view screen. A large asteroid is drifting but something seems to be peeking from behind it, and disappearing again.]
Sven: [whispering back] Yes. [pauses] But it might just be a smaller asteroid behind it. There’s a lot of magnetic interference around.
Captain: Prepare a boarding team with both medical staff on it, Commander Akira. You’re going to have to go over and-
On the Doom battleship:
Lotor: Fire!
Before the Captain can finish, a missile rips into the lower part of the ship, setting of a small chain reaction that sends a series of smaller explosions throughout the ship. One of the blasts rips through the bridge, knocking everyone down.
On the Doom ship:
Lotor: You fools! You missed! Keep firing at the bridge!
Droid1: Sire, their auto-shield has surrounded the bridge. We cannot blast through. The ship has lost its engines, though.
Lotor grabs the droid roughly, ripping its arm away from the body. Wires and sparks everywhere. He shakes the arm at the droid.
Lotor: I don’t care if they’ve lost their engines, you idiot! I wanted that bridge destroyed and you failed!
The droid deactivates. Lotor makes a sound of disgust and tosses the droid and its arm aside.
Lotor: Get over to that ship! If you haven’t secured it in five minutes I will have you all melted down for scrap!
The droids scramble.
On the Esquire Alpha:
Keith staggers to his feet, blood running down his head from a small wound. The alarms are blaring around him. He peers through the smoke filled bridge. He sees Sven and Lance first, they have injuries from the blast as well. He shakes them desperately.
Keith: Guys! Get up!
Lance: [mumbling and groaning]
Sven: Oog! Vhat happened? [ he sits up slowly]
Keith, satisfied that his friends are okay rushes to where the captain was standing. He finds him seriously injured from the explosion. It takes Keith a moment to recover from the sight. Keith feels around for a pulse, he finds one and sighs in relief. He looks up at the screen and sees the blip on the radar almost on top of them. He then hits a button on a nearby console, watches for a second and scowls.
Keith: [slamming his fist on the console] Damnit! [he turns to Sven] Sven, are you okay? [He quickly removes the pins designating the captain’s rank, and removes his own.]
Sven: Ja. Vhat are you doing? And vhat’s wrong?
Keith: The enemy won’t know which one of us is not important enough to keep alive. [he holds his hand out, waiting for Sven to hand his rank insignias over.] If they can’t tell us apart, they’ll have to keep us alive, hopefully. This was a set up. They’ve got our signals blocked. Bastards!
Lance: Ow! My head! [ he has finally woken up]
Keith: Lance! Are you okay? [removes Lance’s insignias and throws them all away]
Lance: I guess so [he groans]
Keith: Take the captain to the nearest escape pod. We’ll catch up with you later.
Lance nods and drags the captain off the bridge. Keith pulls Sven over to one of the control terminals. He starts punching in commands.
Sven: Vhat are you doing?
Keith: We have to lock the cargo just in case anyone tries to get in. I need you to voice authorize it.
The screen blinks, waiting. It’s obvious by the look on Sven’s face that he’s curious to know why the cargo is so important.
Keith: Acting Captain Keith Akira. Authorization Alpha Akira Delta.
Sven: Acting Commander Sven Woolfson. Authorization Gamma Woolfson Beta.
Keith begins punching in random numbers.
Sven: Vhat are you doing?
Keith: If it comes down to it, and we’re captured, there’s no way either of us will be able to give the access codes to the cargo bay.
Sven: Goot tinking. [he smiles]
The ship suddenly shakes violently. Keith and Sven both look up.
Keith: We’re being boarded! [he runs to the intercom] All hands abandon ship! [he runs back, pulling Sven towards the pods and stops at the terminal nearest them.]
Sven: Now what?
Keith: [talking to the computer] Acting Captain Keith Akira, authorizing self-destruct sequence thirteen. Countdown to begin at fifteen minutes.
Sven: Acting Commander Sven Woolfson, authorizing the same.
The screen flashes the numbers.
Sven: Vhat’s sequence thirteen?
Keith: It jettisons the cargo hold ten seconds before the countdown ends, instead of-
Sven: Instead of vhat?
Keith: The lazon chambers. It implodes them instead.
Sven: [total shock] That vill take out the people on the Arusian ship and the radioactivity vill reach every escape pod vithin four light years of here!
Keith: [looking serious] I doubt there’s any Arusians on that ship. But I gotta make sure the cargo stays safe.
Sven: Vhat about the crew!
Keith: [head bowed, he’s trying not to think about the consequences if he’s wrong] I’m betting on the fact that Garrison’s already sent out a medical vessel. They’ll be here before the radiation sickness becomes irreversible.
Sven gives Keith a look of shock before Keith pushes him into an escape pod. The hall is filled with shouting and screaming. Keith runs off, blaster in hand. Unbeknownst to Keith, Sven has come back out and is trying to follow Keith to help, but is quickly gunned down by the approaching battle droids. Keith cautiously turns the corner, seeing the crew who did not get to the pods in time being led away. Pidge is being dragged unceremoniously by one of the droids. He looks badly injured. Hunk is nowhere to be seen. Keith follows cautiously, and takes his shot when he gets a chance, taking out three of the five guards before they return fire.
Droid: There’s another one! Down hallway 5. [into a receiver]
Keith dives across the crossroads and runs off, turning down several corridors, trying to get a lead. He finds a good place to hide and waits, hoping the prisoners will be led down the joining hall. Just as they turn the corner, Keith jumps out, blasting away, taking a blast in the leg, sending him to the ground, but he continues firing relentlessly until someone comes up behind him, holding a blaster to his head. Keith drops his weapon and raises his hands. Yurak pistol-whips him.
The guards have gathered the remaining crew in the galley of the ship. Only eleven of them remain. They have piled bodies in the corner. Sven and Lance, arms bound behind their back sit against the wall, guards’ weapons trained on them. Hunk and Pidge are tied, unconscious nearby. Keith is dragged and thrown on top of Sven and Lance, still unconscious. It is obvious that the remaining crewmembers who are conscious are horrified at the sight of the bodies. Two of them are quietly sobbing to themselves.
Lotor walks in, cape trailing behind him.
Lotor: This is the crew?! [a look of disgust]
Yurak: This is all we could find.
Lotor: My father sent me to capture a shipload of happy daycare students! [Lotor kicks Keith in the ribs viciously, moderately satisfied at the snapping sound.]
Lotor notices the terminal counting down the self destruct sequence. It is at five minutes.
Lotor: Which one of you is in charge?
The crew remains silent, regarding Lotor fearfully.
Lotor: [looking at Yurak] Perhaps they’re too young to speak yet, eh? [grunts a laugh then turns to back to the crew] You know, it doesn’t matter to me which one of you dies first. Tell me or I will start killing you one by one.
Lotor allows a few seconds to pass before taking the blaster from one of his guards and pointing it at one of the crew, firing immediately. There is a collective gasp before Lotor points the blaster at his next target, Sven.
Keith: I’m in charge. Put down the blaster. [the kick had woken him up.]
Lotor: [snorts in disgust, handing the blaster back to the guard] Turn that damn thing off.
Keith: [struggling to sit up] I don’t know how.
Lotor: [backhanding Keith] Liar! Don’t toy with me little boy. I’m not stupid. If you’re in charge, then you must know how. [Lotor looks around, and grabs Pidge by the hair, holding his laser sword at his throat] Do it or I will kill this insignificant vermin.
Keith: [staring at Lotor, emotionless] Fine. Just let everyone go.
Lotor: [amusement] Little boy, you are in no position to bargain.
Keith: You’re going to have to untie me.
Lotor: [nods to one of the droids] Don’t try anything rash. [he adds some pressure to Pidge’s neck, the laser shielding burns him slightly. Pidge squirms a little, but makes no sound]
A droid unties Keith. He stands up slowly, his hand covering his ribs. He goes over to the terminal, and begins typing in commands under Lotor’s watchful glare.
Keith: That’s all I can do. [he points to the screen, indicating that he’s reset the timer for a three-day countdown.]
Lotor: [he glares hatefully at Keith] Don’t try my patience, boy!
Pidge gasps as the sword just breaks the skin.
Keith: Only the Captain can terminate the countdown. I’ve done all I can. I’ve reset it as far back as it would let me! I swear it. Let him go!
Lotor eyes Keith carefully before he tosses Pidge, who lands beside Hunk with a loud thump.
Lotor: And where is, pray tell, the Captain of this pre-school bus?
Keith: [glaring at Lotor] Gone.
Keith makes a sudden dive for Lotor, catching the Prince off guard. Keith is trying desperately to disarm him. Lotor’s sword lands on the floor. Lotor kicks it away before Keith can grab onto it. Lotor and Keith struggle for a few moments, rolling across the floor, before the wall stops them. Keith manages to throw in a few good punches, leaving Lotor’s lip bloody, and the beginnings of a black eye, but his lack of experience in real combat and the added shock of everything that has happened are impeding him. Lotor is able to fend off some of the blows, but remains in shock that anyone would be stupid enough to dare strike at him. The droids go to help Lotor, but stop as Yurak steps before them, shaking his head.
Yurak: Surely the Prince can handle one child on his own. [he snickers] Leave them be.
Lotor deals Keith a well-placed upper cut into his injured ribs, sending Keith into a heap on the floor, winded. Lotor kicks Keith viciously. He retrieves his sword and angrily slices across Keith’s back, leaving a deep, but not fatal wound. As Keith cries out, Lotor kicks him, rolling Keith over onto his back. Keith breathes heavily, not moving. Lotor places his sword at Keith’s face.
Lotor: [licking the blood of his lips, a smile creeping across his face] I should finish you off right now, but I won’t. You’ve been the most challenging creature I’ve met to date. Definitely more courageous than Yurak and probably a lot smarter.
Yurak: [his eyes widen at the insult] Hey!
Lotor shoots Yurak a look to silence him. He motions to the guards to pick up Keith so that he can talk to him face to face.
Lotor: Consider the fact that I haven’t killed you outright a reward. I think father will be happy to have you as an addition to his gladiatorial arena.
Keith glances up at Lotor and spits on his face. Sven and Lance both cringe and shake their heads at Keith’s stubbornness. Lotor growls and grabs Keith by the throat, crushing it slowly.
Lotor: I could kill you so easily, little boy. [Lotor smiles, enjoying the sound of Keith’s choking]
Lance: Don’t kill him, please!
Lotor: [amused smile] And why not?
Lance: He knows- stuff! [Lance cringes]
Sven manages to elbow Lance.
Sven: [harsh whisper] Idiot! Now they’ll just torture him!
Lance: [whispering sheepishly] I couldn’t think of anything else!
Lotor: [laughing evilly] He knows – stuff. Hmm. [drops Keith to the floor. Keith backs away, trying to breathe] Guards, lock these children up somewhere while we unload the cargo.
In the brig, the ten remaining crewmembers are locked up. Keith looks at them after the guards leave. Already some of the crew, being so young, have started crying.
Keith: Lieutenant Baker! See what you can to for the injured crewmembers.
Baker: Yes sir. [He tends to Pidge first.]
Keith goes over to Hunk and tries to wake him. Hunk comes to, shaking his head.
Hunk: Ow. What the hell happened?
Keith: Way too much to explain. Do you know if there’s any way to override the lock from in here?
Hunk: This is the brig.
Keith: Yes.
Hunk: [A thoughtful look crosses his face] Well by rights no one should be able to unlock a jail cell from the inside. The only way to override the lock is if there’s a hull breech or fire… some kind of emergency in here.
Keith: [sighing] So it’s impossible.
Hunk: [a smile crossing his face.] I never said that. Leave it to me, Commander. [He catches sight of Pidge] Pidge! [he makes a move to go to his friend]
Keith: [grabbing Hunk’s arm] Don’t worry about him. Lieutenant Baker’s the best field medic in service right now. Take care of the locks. [he pauses at the worried look on Hunk’s face] Pidge will be fine. I promise.
Hunk: That’s not something you can just promise. But you’re right. He’s a tough kid. [Hunk heads to the panel and begins prying it open]
Lance: [comes over to stand next to Keith] Keith, you should relax. You’re hurt.
Keith: [holding his ribs] Lance, I’m fine. We’ve gotta get you guys off this ship…[Keith shivers a little, still unused to the cold of space] and we gotta make sure they don’t get the cargo.
Lance: What do you mean? What’s so important about a bunch of spare parts? [He gives Keith his jacket]
Keith: [Keith pulls Lance closer and lowers his voice] They’re key components for the power arrays in an atomic disrupter.
Lance: [a look of shock crosses his face] What the hell are we doing carrying that kind of thing?! I thought disrupter technology was outlawed!
Keith: It has been. But the Alliance has been working on one because of the Drule threat. We need something that will give us the upper hand.
Lance: And now those bastards have it. [Lance punches a wall in frustration]
Sven: [who walked into the conversation a few lines back] Vat are ve supposed to do now? Even if ve get out of da brig, ve still have to get to the escape pods undetected. Und, on top of dat, ve have to get the cargo.
Keith: No, you guys get out of here. I’m responsible for the cargo.
Sven: Ve aren’t leaving you here to die.
Keith: You don’t have a choice.
Lance: Don’t pull rank on us. It won’t work.
Keith: [glaring at both of them] Like hell it won’t. I have explicit orders telling me what to do. I’m responsible for the cargo, since Captain Masters is dead.
Sven: Da Captain is dead?
Keith: [staring at the floor] Yes. I recognized him in the pile of bodies. [pauses and he looks around the brig] Guys, I don’t know what to do. [He slowly sits down, staring off into empty space.]
Lance and Sven look at Keith in puzzlement.
Keith: [sounding distant] We had a crew of thirty-five. We have ten people left. Ten people who aren’t dead. Half of them weren’t much older than us! Guys, we’re only kids. We were never prepared for this. [Keith looks pale]. And it’s my fault. I was the one who made the decision to come out here. I should have said we weren’t ready…
Sven: But ve are ready for this. You didn’t know it vas going to turn out this vay. You couldn’t have known that the Drules vould send anyone out to come after us.
Lance: Keith, it’s not your fault. You honestly believed we were ready. Sorry to have disappointed you. But what’s done is done. C’est la vie. Now let’s start working on a plan to get out of here before Prince Redhead out there decides to use us for target practice or something.
Hunk: [walking over with a panel in hand] Whenever you give the command, that door will fly open.
Keith: [looks at Hunk absently] Okay.
Hunk: [whispering to Lance] What’s up?
Lance: [whispering] Bad day.
Hunk: [whispering] You’re telling me.
The shock of seeing battle for the first time finally hits Keith. He turns very pale and moves away from the others, getting very sick, then passing out.
Meanwhile, Lotor and Yurak have ordered their soldiers to penetrate the cargo hold. They stand off to the side, watching impatiently as the droids and soldiers try blasting through.
Lotor: [stands up, and pushes at the closest guard] Come on! You can’t tell me that door is holding up against our blasters! I want to get off this stinking ship now! I want to go home and rest. I never wanted to spend my reading week running silly little errands for my father!
Yurak: [mocking Lotor from behind him.]
Lotor: [whips around to catch Yurak. He draws one of his swords and has it at Yurak’s throat in the blink of an eye.] Piss off, dogface. I never wanted you to come along in the first place!
Yurak: [eyeing the sword carefully, but not moving] And you think I wanted to baby-sit you?
Lotor: [in a quick move, spins around, leaving a small mark on Yurak’s chest, he grins at Yurak who remains unfazed.] And do you think I really need babysitting?
Yurak: [snarls something incoherent] Prince Lotor, your schooling has taught you well, but pray tell, why have you not asked the Commander to open this door? Perhaps you missed that lecture on interrogation of higher-ranking prisoners?
Lotor: [red with anger] Do you honestly think that stubborn little ass will help us get to his precious cargo? I can’t be bothered dirtying my hands torturing the bastard! If you think it’s such a good idea, you do it!! [Lotor searches around for the closest thing to throw at Yurak, angry because he didn’t think of the idea first.]
Yurak: [smiling devilishly at having frustrated Lotor] Is that a command, sire? [he sounds mocking]
Lotor: [snarling] Get out of my sight you freak! Get that brat to give you the code if you want! I don’t care! I want to go home!
Yurak: [salutes and turns to leave.] I wanna go home! [he says in a mocking tone when he knows he is far enough from Lotor to outrun him if necessary.]
Lotor: [grabbing a blaster off one of the droids, and firing it so that it hits just inches from Yurak’s face] When we return to Doom, be assured that I will convince my father to have you patrolling the coldest chunk of ice in the universe, on foot!
In the brig…
Lance: [shaking Keith gently] Keith, wake up!
Keith wakes with a start, immediately embarrassed for fainting.
Sven: Are you alright?
Keith: [pushes them away] I’m fine. I’m alright…
Hunk: Maybe you should let Baker take care of those broken ribs and that cut.
Keith: [scowling at the unwanted attention, and at the sound of crying. He is in shock from seeing battle for the first time and decides, unwisely, to just block it off and deal with it later.] Lance! Go grab some tape off Baker and tape my ribs up. Hunk, you wait until I give the signal and open the door. [he leans over to see Baker at the other end of the room] Baker!
Baker: Yes Commander?
Keith: How is everyone?
Baker: Other than a little shaken, bruised and cut, they’re fine.
Keith: Good. [he looks at the rest of the crew, as Lance begins taping up Keith] Guys! Shut up! We’re going to get out of here, alright? Snivelling about it isn’t going to help! Ow! [Keith glares at Lance, who was a little rough in his medical care. Lance shrugs innocently] Now when that door opens I want you guys to make your way to the launch area. There’s a small fighter there. Enough room for all of you. Cynthia, I want you piloting, got it?
Cynthia: Check.
Keith: You’re the only one who’s quick enough on the controls to make the hyper jump without getting hit. Once you get out of the launch bay, make a break for the field.
Cynthia: [gasps] I’m good, but I’m not that good.
Keith: Keep the shields on full. Those battle cruisers aren’t going to be able to follow you for too long. Once you’ve cleared it, set a course for mark seven point fifteen.
Cynthia: That’s empty space.
Keith: There’s a base there.
Cynthia: But it’s not on any of the charts…
Keith: Trust me, its there. It’s Alpha Two base. Don’t ask me anything else about it, okay?
Cynthia: [nodding] Classified? [Keith nods in response]
Sven: But that’s only enough room for eight people.
Keith: Nine. Pidge’s small enough to squeeze in, [looks at Pidge] no offence.
Pidge: [cracks a smile] None taken.
Lance: But that still leaves one… [realization dawning] Keith, you’re not staying behind. I don’t care about this Captain going down with the ship crap. You’ve gotta come.
Keith: I’ve got Phantom with me.
Sven: You brought your F-16 jet? How’d you manage that?
Keith: [smirks] Being a Vice-Admiral’s son has its perks, don’tcha know.
Hunk: Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s get out of here! [Hunk steps over to the open panel by the door, ready to hotwire it open]
Pidge: Wait a second! Quiet! Someone’s coming!
Keith: Hunk! Close the panel and get back over here! We don’t need them realizing we’re not stupid little kids!
They hear the locks hiss open from the other side of the door.
Hunk: Crap! [Slams the panel shut and leaps back, sitting between Pidge and Cynthia, trying to look innocent]
Yurak steps in followed by two armed guards. There are two more armed guards at the entrance to the cell. The doors slam shut behind Yurak and the guards with a loud echo. Yurak nods to the guards, who begin to herd the prisoners into the corner. Just as Keith begins to move with them, Yurak steps in front of him, blocking his way.
Yurak: No, not you kid. I need to have a word with you. [Yurak cracks his knuckles, and punches his fist into his hand, trying to intimidate Keith]
Keith swallows involuntarily, and looks up at Yurak nervously.
Yurak: You’re going to tell me the code to unlock the cargo.
Keith: But I don’t know it…
Yurak: [picks up Keith by the shirt and slams him against the wall violently.] Don’t try my patience boy. You’re the only one who could have locked down the cargo.
Keith: [straining not to cry out in pain] I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Yurak: [he punches Keith across the face] Look. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. It’s entirely up to you. I know you locked it down. It’s obvious you did.
Yurak hold’s Keith’s face up so he can look at him in the eyes. Keith remains silent for a moment, then spits in Yurak’s face. Sven and Lance both shake their heads sadly from the other end of the room.
Yurak: [laughing] This one has spirit. I’m going to enjoy breaking it. Guards take him into the next cell and chain him up.
One of the guards takes Keith from Yurak and half leads him, half drags him out.
Lotor has since abandoned supervising the soldiers trying to weld open the door. He finds a computer terminal that wasn’t affected by the attack, and begins a search. He finally comes across a set of the ships schematics. His eyes light up, clearly happy.
Lotor: [smiling] [he is thinking to himself] Finally. Something interesting to look at… [he frowns as he scans through the blueprints] Five sets of titanium alloy doors?! It will take us weeks to cut through them! Argh! [his eyes scan through the next set of blueprints quickly] Interesting… this ship’s cargo hold is a separate entity. It’s held down by clamps and electromagnetic fields. Hmm, maybe…Damn! What kind of imbecile would lock down the hold with that many computers? Stupid Alliance engineers! They don’t realize how inefficient that really is! If one computer malfunctions during a detachment, then the cargo hold will not release! It would be far more efficient to have one computer control with several security codes… oh well…hmmph! It would be easier to just blow this ship up and tell father we misfired! I wish I knew what the hell is so damned important about this cargo that he needs me to bring it back intact. Hmm. [something has caught his eye] Interesting. The cargo-hold records have a glitch in them. That usually means someone has been doing some unauthorized changes to the records…
Lotor sighs loudly, getting up from the terminal, and walks back to the cargo hold doors. He glares hatefully at them.
Lotor: Guards! Are any of you competent enough to understand the computer?
Soldier: [stepping forward nervously and saluting] Aye sire! I do.
Lotor: [looking very bored] Fine. You try breaking the code to open the doors while the others continue to cut through.
Soldier: Aye Sire.
Inside the first cell:
Hunk: We just can’t leave him in there! We’ve got to get out and help him!
Sven: But the guards are right outside the door. There are at least four armed guards out there. How are ve going to get past them?
Lance: They’re not expecting us to be able to open the door from this side…
Pidge: Yeah, but once we’re out, how are we going to save Keith?
Cynthia: Shhh! Listen…
They hear Yurak’s muffled voice through the walls. A moment passes before they hear the cracking of a whip and a cry of pain from Keith.
Sven: [looks pained.] Hunk, get that door open!
Hunk: [opening the panel] Oh crap… Pidge, I need you on this one… [Pidge starts to head over to the door]
Lance: What happened?
Hunk: When I slammed the panel shut, the computer reset itself… I need Pidge to convince the computer that everything’s cool, and then I can do it… Besides, we’ve got to give those guards a surprise when these doors open…[Hunk smiles mischievously.] I can’t be working on that and reprogramming the computer at the same time.
Lance: [cringes as another muffled scream is heard] Well hurry up!
Pidge: I’m hurrying! [starts reprogramming the computer as Hunk begins rewiring the panel controls]
Lotor walks away from the cargo area, quite bored. He wanders aimlessly around the ship, as if he were inspecting the workmanship in the design. A rather loud howl of pain brings him out of his revere (He is utterly surprised that this ship is still holding together). He has walked into the detention block. He peers into the open cell curiously. Yurak is red with anger, the whip is soaked in blood. Keith has been chained to a wall, barely conscious.
Yurak: Tell me you little runt, or I swear I’ll rip you to shreds!
Keith: [in a lot of pain, whispering] I told you already! I don’t know the code! I just put in a random alphanumeric sequence.
Lotor: Oh please! Don’t tell me you can’t get a simple code off a little boy! [he sneers]
Yurak: [turns around quickly, not having heard Lotor enter the cell] Hmph! I can so!
Keith: [looking up at Lotor] I don’t have a code! I just pushed all the keys at once!
Lotor: [Turning to look at Keith] So you randomized the code, hmm? You’re definitely smarter than you look. [Yawns, very bored] So do you know anyone on this stinking heap of space junk that would know how to crack the code? Surely you have a programmer on board this ship.
Keith: [in extreme pain and very upset at this whole thing] Nope. You killed him along with the Captain.
Lotor: [sighs] Well, this bores me. Yurak, leave this one alone. I don’t want to bring father a gift that’s useless. If you keep beating on him, he won’t have the energy to play with the robeasts for father’s amusement.
Yurak: [snarling] You can’t be serious! Bringing this child into the arena would prove to be nothing more than robeast fodder and a waste of the King’s time.
Lotor: [glaring at Yurak, his eyes have gone a shade towards red, in anger] Yurak, you’re a fool if you can’t see the potential in this creature. Go away. Leave me with him. I am seriously beginning to doubt that you have the brains to do anything right!