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SPACE HUNTER
BY
BILLY TUCKER
Billy Tucker
431 Tonbridge Road
Maidstone
Kent ME16 8NJ
UK
TEL:(+44)7757043141
EMAIL:
FADE IN:
EXT. RUBEUS. VOLCANIC MOON - DAY
The dense, unforgiving thorn forests of the volcanic moon Rubeus, a wild place known as “Satan’s Garden.” Steep, ragged canyon walls are half hidden by the thick amber mists.
The MAIN TITLE is followed by:
RUBEUS – VOLCANIC MOON
8924 A.D.
We see a narrow trail across the hostile face of the canyon. A group of creatures make their way along it. At the head of the party is a human, JAXON GAZE. He wears an armoured space suit, a holstered laser-gun, and a light weight breathing mask. Following close behind is a VIRGESE BOUNTY HUNTER, (a frog-like humanoid)named RANA. Bringing up the rear are five WRECKING DROIDS. They act as porters and are wrangling the two heavily packed PIGMY MAMMATHS.
The Wrecking Droids become increasingly erratic. They communicate to each other in bursts of binary jargon. The human who is known to his friends as Jax, glances back at them.
RANA
(anxious)
Their power cells are failing.
Rana turns and yells at the droids in Virgese, his anger gives an indication of his own fears. The party reach a break in the canyon wall and they follow the trail through it.When they emerge, their destination is revealed. In the distance, beyond a tangled wall of thorns, is the wreckage of a 2000 year old Space Freighter, ANDRETTA 3.
The party are struck by this image. The Wrecking Droidshalt, power down, and then collapse to the ground. Rana charges at the powerless droids, yelling in his native tongue. He kicks at their metallic corpses in frustration, but Jax restrains him in a muscular grip.
JAX
No.
Rana looks evilly at Jax’s hands upon him. Jax releases him and smiles in a friendly way.
JAX
We don’t need them.
RANA
I told you it was a scam. They were cheap for a reason.
JAX
Just leave them. Once we’ve got it we’ll reach the shuttle by night fall.
He turns back to the trail. Rana cuts loose the Pigmy Mammoths, and silentlyindicates his desire to kill Jax.
Jax and Rana fight their way through the entwined vegetation that guards the Space Freighter. Visibility is cut to ten feet in the heavy dust. Rana discovers a tuft of long, course fur on the ground, and examines it gingerly.
RANA
(showing Jax)
Rubian Wolfmen. It’s fresh… a few hours. They’re hunting us!
JAX
No! If they had our scent, we’d be dead already.
The Virgese Bounty Hunter starts to croak, near hysteria. He starts perspiring slim profusely, eyes darting.
Jaxand Rana, clearing the brambles, all turn to face the Space Freighter.
The Space Freighter is dark, immense and awesome. Vegetation curls from every ancient bolt, over each welded panel. The entrance is sealed by a round, thick, airtight door, and the growth upon it makes it look like open jaws.
JAX
She’s been lost for over 2000 years.
RANA
And her bounty will be mine.
JAX
You’ll get paid as agreed, when it’s safe with my people.
RANA
These cargo vessels have ancient anti-looting security, impossible to escape, why should Iput my trust in you?
Jax takes a piece of screwed up parchment from inside his glove. They both kneel as Jax spreads out the parchment. On it is the blue print of the space freighter Andretta 3, but it has a large section missing.
JAX
Because we’re partners… Right?
Jax fixes at him with an expecting stare. Rana produces the missing section of the blue print and lays it next to the other piece on the floor. It has some kind of numeric code upon it. They both regard it for a moment, then Jax stands and walks toward the space freighter.His eyes suspiciously sweep the surrounding thorn forest.
INT. ANDRETTA 3. SPACE FREIGHTER – DAY
Jax and Rana walk along a passage way from the main entrance. The interior is haunting and dark, hanging with broken wires and twisted metal. Their ECHOING footsteps intermittently overpower the sounds of loud dripping, whistling air drafts and scampering claws.
Jax begins to examine the corridors monitors and dials, making readings of the ancient vessels technology. He continues to do this as they penetrate the freighter. His readings are quick and expert, never stopping his forward progress.
They are in a high, straight passageway 50 feet long. The doorway at the end is flooded with sunlight.
RANA
Human, I think we are very
close.
Jax stands still looking at the doorway.
RANA
(Impatient)
Let’s hurry. I see no danger here.
JAX
That’s what scares me.
INT. ANDRETTA 3. ENGINEERING ROOM – DAY
Ten evenly spaced portals send their shafts of sunlight down to a unique metal floor: Black and silver metal tiles are laid out in a chequered pattern. Jax and Rana stand at the doorway and look across the engineering room at the Space Freighters power reactor. Encased in the heart of the reactor is the power core, Jax’s real objective.
They both cautiously walk across the tiled floor. Jax reaches the reactor. The power core looks both powerful and beautiful. It is securely locked within the reactor. Jax assesses the whole situation very carefully. From an inside pocket he takes the small piece of parchment, and enters its six digit pin code into the reactors security panel. The reactor shuts down and the power core is unlocked and exposed. Jax reaches for the power core, placing his arm inside the reactor. His hand is almost upon it, when he stops, takes a breath and loosens his shoulder muscles. Jax sets himself again and steadily removes his bounty. The power core is now in his hand, both Jax and Rana relieved, exchange smiles.
Suddenly they are startled.
SECURITY COMPUTER (v.o.)
Power down security active. Electrical discharge imminent.
Rana’s eyes widen in terror. The frog-like creature hurls himself at Jax, and with both feet lands a powerful flying kick into his chest, sending the surprised human tumbling. Rana grasps the power core, then turns and runs.
SECURITY COMPUTER (v.o.)
Power down security active. Electrical discharge imminent.
Jax lies upon the cold metal floor and he is startled by the extremely loud pulsing that booms from within the reactor. He climbs to his feet, and hesitates, eyeing the bright electrical build up that is due to be released through the ship. Jax knows it will paralyse all in its path.
Jax grimaces. He had a feeling that Rana could not be trusted. He fires a grappling cable from his armoured sleeve, it shotsback down the corridor from which he had just approached. He steers it expertly with the sleeves control panel. Jax navigates the flailing cable along the corridor, past the frantic Rana, and all the way back to the entrance. The cable embeds itself into the Space Freighters open door frame.
Just as the reactor discharges its lethal pulse, Jax presses a button on his armoured sleeve and is instantly whipped through the air. The cable is powerfully recoiling, and it pulls Jax by the left arm toward the exit.
Jax catches Rana in an instant, and as he rockets past him, he snatches the valuable power core from his hand, causing Rana to stumble. Rana turns to see that he cannot escape the reactors electrical shock wave. Rana is instantly electrocuted.
Jax rips along the hallway, toward safety. The shockwave is very loud and almost upon him, he clutches the power core tight. Jax is fired out of the Space Freighter just in time.
EXT. RUBEUS. VOLCANIC MOON - DUSK
Jax lies on the ground, he gasps for air. A sinister shadow falls across him and he looks up.
JAX’S P.O.V.
Looming above him are three ghastly figures. RUBIAN WOLFMEN, drooling and snarling, fiendish deadly jaws.
JAX
I’m getting too old for this.
FADE OUT.