(cin) introduction...the letter slot clatters loudly. scout almost jumps. a pink envelope hits the...
TRANSCRIPT
2.
Excerpt from ”Scout’s Journey” © Copyright 2018J.N.Nicolaisen
(CIN) IntroductionINT. A CHEAP ONEROOM APARTMENT, DAY
SCOUT (V.O.)They built a prison in my mind.I’ve been living in it ever since.
UPSIDEDOWN CLOSE ON SCOUT in bed, waking up. She’s about30 years old and has red hair. TIMMY, her puppy, is licking her face and whining. THE FRAME TURNS THE RIGHT WAY AROUND. She opens her eyes. Smiles. Sits up.
KNOCKING on the door. Scout grabs the puppy, putting a hand over his snout. She stares at the door. The knockingdoesn’t come again. Scout is relieved and lets the puppy go. She gets up. Sneaks barefoot a few steps. She is wearing boxers and a pale sports body suit.
The letter slot CLATTERS LOUDLY. Scout almost jumps. A pink envelope hits the floor. She looks upset, as if the letter might try to bite her. She approaches the door on tiptoe, sideways, and takes the envelope. On it is no stamp, only a EUFOR logo with a circle of stars and in red print:
ACTORD
She exhales. She finds a kitchen knife and takes it to the envelope. Unfolds the letter.
ACTIVATION ORDER... YOU ARE TO REPORT... THIS LETTER IS VALID AS A TICKET
Scout is alarmed. She looks at the kitchen clock. Back tothe letter.
SCOUTThis can’t be right.
CUT
3.
She noisily shovels things from a cupboard into a messenger bag. Breathing quickly. Opens a medicine cabinet. Pills and boxes go into the bag. She is panicking now. Stomach cramps.
SCOUTOh shit. Shit.
She winces. She gropes around, finds a pill bottle, puts a handful into her mouth and washes them down. She drinksmore water from the tap. Closes her eyes. Breathes more calmly.
SCOUTOh. Fucking panic.
CUT
She fumbles with a key. Unlocks an extra compartment of the cupboard. Pulls out a RIFLE.
CUT
CLOSE ON Army dog tags dangling from a chain. She puts iton and tucks them under her shirt.
CUT
She is dressed streetready, in washed out jeans and a seafoam green padded jacket, carrying the messenger bag and a rifle bag. She opens the door. Looks back. The puppy...
CUT
She jams her last paper money into a small bag of dog food. Grabs the puppy and kisses him. Leaves with the dogfood and the puppy. Locks the door.
Taped to the door’s inside is a movie poster of a fawningstarlet.
BRIGITTE BAUDELAIRE INHERE’S TO THE LOSERS
4.
CUT TO
EXT. A BUS STOP
A young girl, maybe nine, looking at her phone.
SCOUTExcuse me?
The girl takes out an earplug.
GIRLYes, miss?
SCOUTCan you hold my puppy for a moment?I can’t take him into that shop.
The girl smiles.
GIRLSure.
Scout hands over the puppy and the small bag of dog food.
SCOUTIf he gets hungry, you can give him this.His name is Timmy.
The girl nods, already taken up with the puppy.
SCOUTI’m back in five minutes, tops!
Scout turns away. An inner fight. Tears well up. She walks away.
CUT TO
INT. HERDBASE, EXCAVATION SITE
A large underground cave with several floor levels and a circular ramp winding upwards along the wall. At the bottom is a busy excavation site lit by electric work lights like a stage.
5.
SCIENTISTS are examining broken columns and a decorated circular stone arch. There are computers, scaffolds, worktables, portable generators to power the lights, and there are EUFOR SOLDIERS. They appear on routine duty. Some of them are smoking cigarettes.
A female Lieutenant, a stout looking woman in her 40s, ESPERANZA DEGAS finishes assembling her rifle. She’s the only soldier to carry one. She SLAPS the magazine in and RACKS the bolt.
JIAOYou won’t need that down here.
CHEN JIAO is a young AsianEuropean. She beams at Esperanza. The older woman slings the rifle across her shoulder. Jiao pokes the soldier next to her.
JIAO(mockingly)
This is my rifle, this is my gun!
She grins. The third soldier is NKOYO ADEYEMI, an AfricanEuropean woman as tall as any man, with traditional Yoruba scars. Nkoyo scowls at Jiao. Jiao rolls her eyes.
ESPERANZABe in the army as long as I have, and it’ll soon be second nature.
Nkoyo sudddenly points.
NKOYOWhat’s that?
CUT
ZAP! In the stone arch, a GLOWING PORTAL flickers into existence like an old TV set.
CUT
PUSH IN: People look up in surprise.
6.
CUT
PUSH IN on a SCOURGE ABBOT appearing from the portal, dressed in a black, hooded cloak, its face hidden by a silver fluted helmet. It wears two oversized armoured gloves, palms turned upwards. The feet are nowhere to be seen. It just floats.
CUT
SCIENTIST 1(whispers)
What is that?
SCIENTIST 2It’s from another world!
CUT
CLOSE ON the Scourge Abbot’s slotted visor, then TILT onto his hands. Light and particles swirl between them. PULL BACK. He readies the spell inside his oversized steel gauntlets like forming a snowball.
CUT
Esperanza is the only one who reacts in time. She pushes Jiao and Nkoyo to the floor with her.
ESPERANZATake cover!
BOOM! The spell impacts with a FLASH, an EXPLOSION and a GRUESOME TEARING SOUND, as if the fabric of space itself were ripped open. A RINGING SOUND, like a guitar on feedback, hangs in the air. Chaos breaks loose.
CUT
SCOURGE FOOTSOLDIERS stream from the portal. They wear dark armour with glowing cybernetic parts. The abbot speaks hoarsely, and deeply, in Sinet, the Scourge language.
7.
ABBOTShas nika idye.Watch the flank.
They take position to the left and right like clockwork and launch Holy Marks – floating targets in preparationfor Scorpio attacks. A SCOURGE SERGEANT fires his aura gun. KAZAP! Screaming and general chaos. The footsoldiers raise their Scorpios and begin FIRING.
CUT TO
A ROOM WITH A MIRROR
A quiet, halfdark room. Radio chatter from off screen, over the muted chopchop of helicopter blades and increasing turbine whine.
PILOT (O.S.)Preflight check sequence complete.This is Black Rose. 051221. Radio check.
More chatter. Inaudible.
CUT
Scout is putting on military clothing: boots, a faded, slate grey flak jacket labelled LOGISTICS, fingerless gloves. THE CAMERA CIRCLES HER. Strapping on her bag. Adjusting the gloves. She looks up into the mirror.
CUT
A redhaired woman with freckles and grey eyes that seem somehow far away. Roundish face. Ponytail. A look that says, this isn’t real.
THE CAMERA LERPS TO FIRST PERSON PERSPECTIVE
Tutorial
THE PLAYER IS IN CONTROL
The basic commands are displayed for the player.”W A S D to move...” etc.
8.
SCOUT(whispers)
I’m not back in the army. I’m not.I already did my turn.I filed all the papers...
Her RADIO HEADSET comes on with the voice of BIG BEAR, the mission operator.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)Sweetie, I’ll tell you up front, I don’t like you and I don’t want you on my team. Someone higher up decided that. So apparently, you’re somehow special.Let me make it clear as day: You screw up, you’re on your own.
SCOUTI was a warehouse clerk!I barely ever touched my rifle!Someone made a mistake!
BIG BEAR (V.O.)Listen up, just get to the chopper. I’ve got... more important people on the line.
SCOUTThis is a nightmare.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)And don’t forget your rifle.
The rifle can be picked up nearby. More basic tutorial for the player; the inventory, equipping tools, etc. The player may also try out the flashlight and so forth.
If the player fires shots,
BIG BEAR (V.O.)Are you mad? Don’t fire that thing indoors!You’ll just hurt yourself.
9.
The player gets familiar with the controls and probably checks out the clipboard containing objectives, inventory, skill tree, status effects, relations, and journal.
There are some items to be found around the dressing room, a hallway and downstairs, a couple more rooms. The player learns more basic commands; crouch, etc. There aresoda cans scattered around; shooting all of them unlocks a skill slot.
The heli is through a pair of doors right by the stairs. The doors are guarded by two soldiers.
SOLDIER 1Thunder!
SCOUTI’m sorry?
SOLDIER 1The watchword, dummy. The parole.
SOLDIER 2Come on, don’t be so hard on her.Didn’t you get the blue envelope?
SCOUTI must have missed that.
SOLDIER 1Parole or bust!
SOLDIER 2Sorry to make this hard on you.But we’ve got our orders.
The player has to find the blue envelope in order to proceed to the helipad.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)Say, were you born with that special silver spoon in your mouth?
10.
SCOUT(angrily)
Actually, it was inserted right after.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)I hope you choke on it. Get on, strap in, and shut the hell up.
THE CAMERA CHANGES TO THIRD PERSON. TURBINE WHINE. The heli’s side door SLAMS shut behind Scout.
CUT TO BLACK / FADE IN
WIDE ANGLE. THE CAMERA LINGERS while the heli drifts away. Offscreen, a phone RINGS twice and is picked up.
GENERAL (V.O.)This is General Nicholson speaking.
CALLER (V.O.)Eric? We’ve lost Area 16.
GENERAL (V.O.)(beat)
Lost? What do you mean, lost?
CALLER (V.O.)There was a mutiny.
GENERAL (V.O.)Mutiny? What... Hastings’ men?
CALLER (V.O.)Six hundred fuckin’ snake eaters.
GENERAL (V.O.)My God.
CALLER (V.O.)It gets worse. You know what’s in there?
GENERAL (V.O.)In there? Wait, it’s that installation?
11.
CALLER (V.O.)We’re getting abnormal readings.They must have found a way to activate the portal.
GENERAL (V.O.)(beat)
This is the worst day of my life.
CALLER (V.O.)I know. Fix it, General.Fix it before it gets out of hand.
The phone is hung up with a “ding”.
CROSSFADE TO
EXT. HERDBASE, MOUNTAINSIDE, DAY
Early morning. Rain. Helicopter noise. PAN ONTO a person holding binoculars to her eyes. When she takes them down,we see it is Chen Jiao, the young Asianlooking soldier. She puts them back to her eyes.
PULL BACK. Nkoyo, the tall woman with the scars (INTO FRAME), speaks into her wristmounted radio.
NKOYOMother Goose, Scorpion. We’ve got company.
ESPERANZA (V.O.)So be it. Place my marker. I will deal with it.
Nkoyo gives a few hand signals to more women, all in blackandwhite composite armour with a black, stylized goat’s head on the front. They’re all carrying a huge, very strange looking weapon slung over their backs. Theseare Tempest energy rifles. The women are HERD BANSHEES.
CUT
Jiao rolls a teleport beacon into place with an underarm throw. The Banshees vanish into the base.
12.
CUT
The helicopter is now hovering in place. Spotlights are blooming from its underside, turned into a blur by the weather.
CUT
Esperanza steps out of the shadow and peers up into the rain. ANGLE UP AND CLOSE ON HER FACE
CUT TO
INT. HERDBASE EXCAVATION SITE
CLOSE ON Esperanza popping up out of cover, face spattered with blood, rifle at the ready. She starts firing. CRACK! CRACK! CRACK!
CUT
Two SCOURGE MARTYRS appear from the portal, hunched figures with curved energy blades, followed by a ten foottall apparition wearing a grotesque mask and carrying a huge twohanded sword. This is a Scourge Executioner, a servant of their dark god, Naruuk. It has a red glow about it.
CUT
Scourge footsoldiers are firing their Scorpios. The Holy Marks guide their slingshotlike attacks behind EUFOR cover. The Abbot hasn’t moved at all. He is preparing another spell.
CUT
The excavation cargo lift arrives, SCREAMING to a halt. Its jawlike doors spring open to reveal a tall, sinewy man in uniform. This is COLONEL HASTINGS, the battalion leader. He sprints in between the factions, stands on a ledge facing the portal and raises his arms.
HASTINGS(yells)
HOOOOOLD FIRE!
13.
An improvised black goat’s head logo is stencilled onto his breast. Blooddrenched soldiers stare at him. He putshis hands to his mouth.
HASTINGS(at the top of his lungs)
Etoye, ido ota’a dulzug, ashide sharug’a!Listen, we are not enemies, we are allies!
ANGLE ON the Scourge, who stop attacking.
CUT
Hastings, panting, shows the palms of his hands.
HASTINGSNaruuk’a gosiden.Praise Naruuk.
CUT
CLOSE ON the Scourge Abbot, light reflecting from the polished visor. Then, in a hoarse whisper,
ABBOTHasuka’a gise gosiden.Praised be the Eater of Stars.
The Abbot crosses his arms and bows. The Scourge retreat through the portal in complete silence. Only the groaningof the wounded is heard. CAMERA PAN across the scene, which is lit by the portal’s TV glow and a couple knockedover work lights. Everyone stares at Hastings.
HASTINGSI know what you’re all thinking.I don’t have all the answers.But I know we’re at war.
You saw what came through that portal. The way I see it, we’re gonna be the ones dealing with it. We can’t have some desk clerk decide what to do, it’ll take weeks. We don’t have weeks.
14.
We must unite now, under my command, and secure that portal. Only then will we be safe. We, and everybody else.
CUT
Esperanza’s face is sheated with blood.
ESPERANZA(hoarse)
What did you say to them?
CUT
HASTINGSSomething that made them go away,Lieutenant. It worked, didn’t it?
No one objects. They’re all under shock.
CUT
Esperanza looks overwhelmed. She shakes her head.
CUT
HASTINGS(energetic)
Now let’s not waste any time. We must organize. Come on, guys. Who is with me?
Hands are showing. First a few, then many.
CUT
ESPERANZAWait, what are you trying to pull here?
CUTHASTINGS
Pull? I’m not trying to pull anything, Lieutenant! I’m trying to survive.Have you not seen what came from the portal?We are confronted with a neverbeforeseen threat.And I’m trying to deal with it.
15.
CUT
Esperanza looks at Nkoyo, her longtime friend, who shrugs. Men are moving to join Hastings.
CUT
HASTINGSCaptain Cutter. You should be field commander until further notice.
ANGLE ON DAVE CUTTER, who is a bear of a man, a grizzled veteran. He nods.
DAVEAye, sir.
That does it. Almost everybody is on Hastings’ side now.
HASTINGSI need to know who’s loyal to me.Lieutenant Degas?
CUT
Esperanza looks around, incredulous. Dave is nodding at her. What’s more, many of the female soldiers are lookingtoward her.
ESPERANZA(whispers)
Get the wounded to infirmary.
CUT
Hastings nods. A few people start moving.
CUT
NKOYOColonel Hastings...If we’re talking leadership now, I’d want a female officer on there.
CUT
16.
Men start grumbling, but Hastings is on the ball.
HASTINGSExcellent idea, Sergeant Major.
He turns toward Esperanza.
HASTINGSLieutenant, there is no one better suited than you.Will you not share responsibility with Captain Cutter?
Some women now have a pleading look in their eyes. Young Chen Jiao’s eyes are saying “Please”. Even Nkoyo nods.
DAVEEssie...
CUT
Less than convinced, Esperanza drops her head and raises her hand.
DISSOLVE TO
EXT. HERDBASE EXTERIOR
CLOSE ON Esperanza. Her eyes are closed as if deeply lostin painful thought. Her head is lowered.
CLOSER. She looks up. Dark eyes. She raises the Tempest rifle. Some kind of internal struggle on her face.
CUT
INSIDE HELICOPTER
PILOT (V.O.)This is Black Rose. LZ looks green.
The side door is open despite the rain and wind.
17.
CREWMAN(yelling over the noise)
Some weather, eh? Sure you don't need a puke bag, missy?
Scout is in the back of the chopper, holding on to a handgrip. She shakes her head, looking slightly nauseous.
CUT
WIDE ANGLE on the helicopter! BOOM! The chopper is speared by a ray of light!
CUT
INSIDE HELICOPTER
Beeps and blinking lights. WILD SPINNING AND TILTING.
PILOTWe've been hit! I can't hold it!
CREWMANPull the fucking rip panel!
PILOTWe're screwed! Get out!
CREWMANHoly mother.
He moves toward Scout.
CREWMANGet out, kid!
He yanks her toward the side door.
CREWMANJump!Now!
He pushes her through the door. The ground isn’t far below.
CUT
18.
Scout isn't seriously injured. She gets up, sees the spinning heli come down and flees – into the open lock leading into the installation. The heli CRASHES into the concrete behind her, blades spinning and breaking, CHURNING into the ground. INFERNAL NOISE.
CUT
On instinct, Scout punches the emergency close button. The heavy security door slides shut. On the other side, CRASHING, BURNING, and people yelling for help.
A moment of Scout staring at the door, gripping her head,her mouth, looking horrified and struggling for breath.
SCOUTOh my...
Her radio headset comes on.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)You’re alive? Which one are you?
SCOUT(panting)
Oh my god.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)The female? Excellent. We’re in business.
SCOUTThe people in the helo...
BIG BEAR (V.O.)They’re fine. Get going.
SCOUTWhat?!
BANG! Something EXPLODES on the other side of the door. She flinches.
SCOUTOh. Oh no.
19.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)Get a move on!
SCOUTAre you insane? We just crashed!And all my stuff was on the helo!
BIG BEAR (V.O.)You’ll find plenty of stuff where you’re going.
Someone screams for help from the other side of the door.
SCOUTI've got to help them!
She grabs the emergency open handle and pulls it a coupletimes.
SCOUTNNGH! Rragh!
The door won’t budge.
SCOUTPlease...
(gasping)Damn it!
FWOOSH. Another explosion is heard. Scout jumps.
SCOUTAh.
She pants heavily.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)You done flipping your lid?Get going or I’ll throw you to the sharks. You fancy going it alone?
Scout, quite out of her mind, closes her eyes and moves away from the door, steadying herself on the walls.
SCOUTO... Okay...
20.
She turns and SCREAMS, muffling it with both hands acrossher mouth. SWISH PAN! HORROR STAB! Esperanza watching hercuriously, less than three meters away. Then the chamber’s inner door closes between them. ANGLE ON SCOUT.
SCOUTThere’s someone in here... there’s someone in here... there’s someone in here...
BIG BEAR (V.O.)You’re imagining things.It’s the adrenaline.
After a moment, Scout manages to open the door. There is no one there. She starts down the corridor. Another security bulkhead SCREECHES closed behind her, making herwhip around, startled. A FIRE ALARM is sounding. She wipes her nose on her sleeve, then looks around.
THE CAMERA LERPS TO FIRST PERSON PERSPECTIVE.
THE PLAYER IS IN CONTROL.
SCOUTI don’t believe this.This isn’t happening.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)Let's get to know each other. My name doesn't matter. My callsign is Big Bear. I'm the one who gives the orders.
SCOUT(very quietly)
I'm Elin. They call me Scout.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)Are you armed?
SCOUTNo. It's... it was... in the helo. I've only got my bag.
21.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)OK. That’ll have to do. Proceed according to the briefing.The excavation site is roughly one click...
SCOUTWho was that?
BIG BEAR (V.O.)What?
SCOUTThere was somebody there. They said this was a green zone.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)As a rule, we operate on a strict needtoknow basis.
SCOUT(to herself)
This is bollocks. I know this is bollocks. None of this was in the briefing.
She breathes rapidly.
SCOUTI’ve only ever had basic training!I shouldn’t even be here!This is a job for a combat team!
BIG BEAR (V.O.)Don't go crappin’ out on me.I know exactly what to do.
Some noises sound over the radio.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)Listen? I've got a map here. I want you to look for the cargo lift.That's your first rally point.
SCOUTBollocks.
22.
BIG BEAR (V.O.)That's ”yes, warrant officer, sir.”
SCOUTYes, warrant officer, sir.
(whispers)I’ve got to get out of here.
Back at the security lock, the fire alarm is still sounding.