FADE IN:
16. INT. U.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - BRIDGE - DAY
MIRROR JAREDAN sneers, visibly irritated.
Jaredan’s log entry is heard in VO.
JAREDAN (VO)
Captain’s Personal Log, Stardate 52043.99: They’ve run us through a
hell of a lot of simulations and tests in the Academy. Not a single
one of them mentioned anything like this.
M Jaredan “leans” forward.
MIRROR JAREDAN
Come out, come out wherever you are…
He turns to the MIRROR TACTICAL OFFICER, a human, who shakes his head.
M JAREDAN (CONT’D)
All right, then.
(beat, almost puffing himself up)
This is Captain Jaredan Aquino of the Imperial Starship Endeavour.
I know you can hear me. You are advised to surrender your ship immediately.
(beat, sinister)
Don’t make us come after you.
The broadcast snaps off abruptly.
Jaredan closes his eyes, trying to force the image from his vision. All other eyes are on him.
JAREDAN
(softly)
Damn.
(harsher)
Damn.
Jaredan turns to T’Ress.
JAREDAN
T’Ress– anything on detecting the ship?
T’RESS
Not yet…
(beat)
Ah. A few years ago, a Starfleet task force utilized a grid of
tachyon beams to detect Romulan cloaked ships.
Paran pipes in.
PARAN
That won’t do us much good. If we start sending out tachyons,
we might as well put out a welcome light.
JAREDAN
(tapping his fingers on the controls)
There’s got to be an answer…
CUT TO:
17. INT. I.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - BRIDGE - DAY
M Jaredan sulks in the center seat of the I.S.S. Endeavour.
This ship is much more utilitarian and spartan than her sister. The colors and lighting are darker, and the control panels and architecture stark and angular. It’s also got the feel of being much less “fancy” than the other Endeavour. M Jaredan’s chair is still raised, maybe a little more than his counterpart’s, but doesn’t have the auxiliary panels, and neither do the other command area seats. It’s still a bridge, and so the other CREWMEMBERS, all human, are bustling about.
We hear his log in VO.
M JAREDAN (VO)
Captain’s Log: Despite our best efforts, the Endeavour from the
other dimension continues to elude us. But not for long.
(beat)
I have decided not to inform Imperial Starfleet Command about this
newest incursion into our dimension until they are in custody– my custody.
And I will see what kind of man I have become there.
M Jaredan looks pretty angry. His eyes are harder and more sunken, his hair and sideburns longer. He wears the captain’s vest open and without an undershirt, and the Terran Empire’s logo is tattooed on one arm. M Jaredan plays absently with a long, sharp dagger.
Soon, a hand brushes his shoulder– a long, graceful female hand with long, polished nails. Distractedly, Jaredan takes the hand and strokes it.
PULL BACK TO REVEAL:
MIRROR KARA who looks down at her captain quite adoringly. She wears her hair longer and is very carefully made up. Between her low cut and cropped vest and miniskirt, she reveals a good bit of skin. M Kara also sports the Terran Empire tattoo.
With her free hand, she tugs at a lock of M Jaredan’s hair.
MIRROR KARA
(a softer, smokier voice than the real one)
You’re wondering what he’s thinking, aren’t you?
M JAREDAN
(hard and sharp)
I know what he’s thinking. He’s trying to think like me.
(beat)
Or like he thinks I would.
M KARA
Humph. No wonder you’ve got a headache.
She leans forward.
CLOSE - ON M JAREDAN AND M KARA
She whispers in his ear.
M KARA (CONT’D)
(softly)
I can think of a few ways to relieve it. Your cabin’s two minutes
away.
She stands again.
WIDEN TO PREVIOUS ANGLE
M KARA (CONT’D)
(still only loud enough for M Jaredan to hear)
Well?
WIDER ANGLE: OVER M JAREDAN’S SHOULDER
M Kara slinks toward the TURBOLIFT DOORS. M Jaredan doesn’t move for a moment, then rises slowly.
M JAREDAN
(to no one in particular, it seems)
You have the conn.
He walks to the turbolift, and enters, the doors closing behind him. The remaining CREWMEMBERS don’t bat an eyelash at their captain taking a quickie. The M CONN officer takes the center seat.
18. INT. I.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - TURBOLIFT - DAY - CONTINUOUS
M Jaredan and M Kara watch the turbolift doors close. The second they’re shut, M Jaredan wraps his hand around the back of M Kara’s neck, pulling her to him almost roughly, then kissing her. They go at it passionately.
CUT TO:
19. INT. U.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - BRIDGE - DAY
Kara and T’Ress are both leaning over the Science station displays.
Jaredan’s VO is heard as they do some work, Kara straightens and heads around the bridge towards the READY ROOM DOOR.
JAREDAN (VO)
Cadet Captain’s Log, supplemental: Commander Lionetti and I are
in agreement. Our only possible course of action is to find a way
back to our own dimension– any way. If Captain Jaredan Aquino and
the I.S.S. Endeavour of the Terran Empire are in our way…
CUT TO:
20. INT. READY ROOM - DAY
Jaredan sits behind his desk, intently studying his monitor. The DOOR CHIME sounds
JAREDAN
(not looking up)
Come.
Kara ENTERS.
KARA
Captain, we detected what may have been another flare-up of the wormhole
two minutes ago.
JAREDAN
(barely acknowledging her)
Do you believe it to be a periodic event?
KARA
Quite possibly. The flare-up was similar to the one we experienced,
but without long-range sensors on-line, it’s hard to tell. We’ll
know for sure in another 1.25 hours.
Kara stands there, silent.
JAREDAN
(finally looking up)
What can I do for you, Commander?
KARA
How are you holding up… Jay?
Jaredan’s head jerks up, almost ready to tell her off. A moment later, his expression softens. Kara takes the second and sits on the edge of the desk.
JAREDAN
(at a loss)
What do you think he’s like, Kara? How did he grow up?
As a rebel? A slave?
Jaredan stands, gazing out the window.
JAREDAN (CONT’D)
Is he just a soldier, following orders?
(beat)
Or is he as cruel as he looks?
Kara looks up, addressing Jaredan’s reflection.
KARA
I don’t know.
(beat, sadly)
I don’t know.
Kara gets up, takes two steps closer to Jaredan, and places a hand on his shoulder.
ANGLE: WINDOW REFLECTION OF PREVIOUS
KARA
But I know this– he isn’t you.
Kara’s head moves slowly down, almost laying it on Jaredan’s shoulder. There is a long, silent pause.
It’s broken by the CHIRP of a combadge. Jaredan taps it as Kara straightens.
T’RESS (VO)
(over comm)
Captain, this is T’Ress.
JAREDAN
Go ahead, Lieutenant Commander.
T’RESS (VO)
(over comm)
I believe I may have found something useful in the archives, Captain.
JAREDAN
I’ll be right there.
Jaredan clasps his hand over Kara’s.
JAREDAN (CONT’D)
Thanks.
KARA
Anytime.
They HEAD OUT the door.
21. INT. BRIDGE - DAY - CONTINUOUS
Kara and Jaredan EXIT the READY ROOM DOOR, all business. The CAMERA TRACKS, FOLLOWING them across the bridge.
Jaredan and Kara stop at the Science station. T’Ress starts pulling up displays.
JAREDAN
Report, Commander.
T’RESS
I have been comparing our sensor readings of the other Endeavour against
past readings of Romulan cloaking devices.
KARA
(almost impatient)
And…?
T’RESS
And it’s not a very good copy, Commander.
T’Ress calls up a pair of SIDE-BY-SIDE DISPLAYS, both seemingly of empty, identical starfields.
T’RESS (CONT’D)
(indicates right hand screen)
This is a starfield from the archives, completely empty.
Kara rolls her eyes at Jaredan, who shushes her with a look. T’Ress doesn’t notice.
T’RESS (CONT’D)
(indicates left hand screen)
This is the same starfield, but…
She taps a few more controls. The outline of a ROMULAN WARBIRD appears.
T’RESS (CONT’D)
A tachyon grid detected this Warbird.
She taps again, and the Warbird disappears.
T’RESS (CONT’D)
Without the tachyon detection data, there is absolutely no deviation
in the starfield.
The two images are SUPERIMPOSED, showing them to be identical.
T’RESS (CONT’D)
Here are two starfield scans from our encounter with the other Endeavour.
Again, TWO IMAGES APPEAR, seemingly identical as well. They SUPERIMPOSE, showing subtle differences that are marked out in bright lines.
KARA
And these variations can be detected passively?
T’RESS
By simple optical sensors. However, it is limited to line-of-sight.
The asteroid we are next to is currently obscuring our image.
JAREDAN
(banging his fist on the counter)
It’s all we need.
He turns, visibly thinking. Jaredan walks to the center seat, nearly sitting on Hikaru, forgetting he’s there.
Jaredan turns to Paran.
JAREDAN
Mr. Tor– begin analyzing the records of our engagement with the other
Endeavour. Look for any recognizable patterns or tactics.
PARAN
Aye, sir.
He turns to his panels, studying them intently. Jaredan taps at some controls. A HOLOGRAPHIC IMAGE of M Jaredan appears beside him. Jaredan stares, as if to stare him down.
JAREDAN
Where would I be right now?
CUT TO:
22. INT. I.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - M JAREDAN’S QUARTERS - BATHROOM - DAY
M Jaredan stands before the mirror, sans vest. He is combing his hair, and looking much calmer. From inside the BEDROOM, there is a COMMUNICATOR’S CHIRP.
M KARA (OS)
Jay?
M JAREDAN
(Absently)
Go ahead and take it, willya?
He continues combing a moment, until Kara is heard RUSHING UP.
M Kara APPEARS in the doorway, wearing only an oversized dress shirt of his. M Jaredan raises an eyebrow suggestively, until he sees the serious expression on her face.
M KARA
(urgently)
We’ve found them.
CUT TO:
23. INT. I.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - BRIDGE - DAY
M Jaredan is in the center seat, with M Kara just beside him. MIRROR HIKARU is at the CONN.
M JAREDAN
(sharply)
Report, Mr. Takani.
M HIKARU
As soon as I came on duty, we started getting funny readings inside
the asteroid belt. We moved in a few thousand kilometers, and found
them.
The VIEWSCREEN shows the location of the U.S.S. Endeavour, partially hidden by the large asteroid.
M Hikaru turns.
M HIKARU
Should I plot an attack vector?
M Jaredan opens his mouth to agree, then rethinks.
M JAREDAN
Are their shields up?
M HIKARU
Only barely, Captain.
M KARA
They’re trying to reduce their energy signature.
M JAREDAN
(nodding)
Low shields, huh?
A SMILE forms on his lips, frighteningly similar to the real Jaredan’s, but sinister.
CUT TO:
24. INT. U.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - BRIDGE - DAY
Jaredan, Kara and Paran are all crowded around the Tactical station, reviewing the records.
JAREDAN
(pointing)
There. That’s a variation on an Immelman Loop. He does
it three times, with very little variation.
A SOFT SOUND of a TRANSPORTER OVERLAYS the last few words.
M JAREDAN (OS)
I’ll have you know I like to think I’m quite original.
Everyone turns.
Jaredan and M Jaredan face off.
JAREDAN
Get the hell off my bridge.
M JAREDAN
(with venom)
Gladly.
M Jaredan, Jaredan and Kara are ENVELOPED by the TRANSPORTER EFFECT, and DISAPPEAR.
FADE OUT.
END ACT TWO