FADE IN:
25. INT. I.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - BRIG CELL - DAY
Kara comes to, rubbing her head. She gets to her feet, and looks around.
She’s in the evil Endeavour’s BRIG, alone in her cell. In the distance, she can see two MIRROR SECURITY OFFICERS standing guard at the door. Figuring she won’t get anything out of them, she looks around.
WIDEN TO SHOW BOTH CELLS
There’s enough angle between the two CELLS that Kara can see Jaredan lying in the other.
KARA
Jaredan! Jaredan!
Jaredan stirs, then rolls over.
JAREDAN
Kara? Kara, where are you?
KARA
In the other cell.
Jaredan stands, looking around.
JAREDAN
(a statement)
They’ve taken us prisoner.
(to Kara)
Are you all right?
KARA
Nothing beyond a headache. You?
A VOICE interrupts.
M JAREDAN (OS)
Isn’t this touching?
M Jaredan and M Kara ENTER, and stand in view of both cells. M Kara hangs on him, as he looks over the prisoners smugly.
JAREDAN
Let us go.
M JAREDAN
(incredulous)
Why the hell should I?
JAREDAN
All we’re doing is trying to get back where we belong.
M JAREDAN
In a strange way, so are we.
(beat)
It’s been almost a hundred years since the words “Terran Empire” have
meant something, have inspired fear. It’s time they did again.
M Kara motions to her counterpart. Kara is staring at the half-dressed woman, unbelieving.
M KARA
What’s your problem?
KARA
What are you? You don’t look like a first officer.
M KARA
I am.
(proudly)
I also happen to be the Captain’s Woman.
Kara begins to protest, but M Jaredan interrupts sharply.
M JAREDAN
That’s enough, ladies.
(to Jaredan)
Captain Aquino, you will not be released, so you may stop asking.
KARA
If you’re not letting us go, then what do you want with us?
M JAREDAN
(sinister)
How good of you to ask.
M Jaredan turns around, and takes a small DEVICE off of M Kara’s sash.
M JAREDAN (CONT’D)
(to M Kara)
If you’ll just take a few steps back…
M Kara does so, standing about ten or twelve feet off. M Jaredan holds the device up to the prisoners.
M JAREDAN (CONT’D)
I doubt you know what this is. This device is a uniquely Terran
method of discipline. We call it…
(beat, melodramatic)
… an Agonizer.
JAREDAN
I’m shaking.
M JAREDAN
Soon.
(beat)
Anyway, we’ve improved it since they were first used. Now, not
only are they tuned to a specific individual’s neurological system, but
they no longer must be attached to that person to work.
M Jaredan stands in front of Kara’s cell.
M JAREDAN (CONT’D)
However, they still have only a limited range.
M Jaredan holds the AGONIZER up, and presses its single button. Instantly, Kara SCREAMS and begins writhing in pain.
It’s only a few seconds before Jaredan charges the FORCEFIELD of his cell. It SPARKLES, and he rebounds only an inch.
JAREDAN
That’s enough! Stop! Stop it, damn you!
M Jaredan releases the button. Kara leans heavily on the cell wall, panting. M Jaredan looks over his shoulder to make sure M Kara is unharmed.
M JAREDAN
(to Jaredan)
Ingenious, isn’t it?
JAREDAN
(ignoring him, to Kara)
Kara! Kara, talk to me!
(to M Jaredan, menacing)
Do that again and I’ll kill you.
M Jaredan taps the button, eliciting a short shriek from Kara. Jaredan again charges the forcefield, straining against it. Sweat begins to form on his forehead.
M JAREDAN
(taunting)
That’s it– keep pushing those dense Icaran muscles of yours.
Maybe you’ll make a dent in the field before you die of feedback.
Jaredan is thrown back by the forcefield.
M JAREDAN (CONT’D)
Now you really must stop that. You’re taking all of the fun out
of it for me.
KARA
(softly, in pain)
What… do you want… with us?
M KARA
Why, we’re simply curious. How many people get this opportunity?
(beat)
Besides, I’ll just bet you’ve got some technology on that lightweight
little ship of yours that we can take.
Jaredan slowly rises.
JAREDAN
(also pained)
Whose ship… are you calling… lightweight?
M Jaredan steps back without comment and motions to the two M Security Officers.
M JAREDAN
(to M Sec. Officers)
Take him out. Put them together.
The M Sec. Officers deactivate the forcefield, and charge Jaredan. He puts up a good fight, but the M Sec. Officers are big bruisers, and he’s too weak. They open Kara’s cell’s forcefield just long enough to toss him inside.
Inside her cell, Jaredan immediately starts examining Kara.
JAREDAN
Can you make it?
KARA
(nodding)
I think so.
From outside, M Jaredan chuckles.
M JAREDAN
I think not.
He presses the agonzier again. Inside the cell, Kara convulses while Jaredan holds her tightly, trying to keep her from hurting either of them.
Jaredan’s face is pained as he watches her cry out in agony. M Jaredan steps forward, and his words are punctuated by Kara’s screams.
JAREDAN
Make it stop, damn it! Stop hurting her!
M JAREDAN
(taunting)
You want me to stop?
JAREDAN
(pained)
Yes!
M JAREDAN
You can’t bear to see her in pain, is that it?
JAREDAN
(desperate)
Yes!
M JAREDAN
You’d give anything to take her place right now, wouldn’t you?
JAREDAN
(almost in tears)
Yes, damn you!
M JAREDAN
(enjoying this)
I even bet that you’d die for her in a second, wouldn’t you?
JAREDAN
(screaming)
Is that what you want?! You want to kill me? Then kill
me, you bastard! Stop torturing her!
M Jaredan takes his finger off the control. Kara collapses into Jaredan’s arms, unconscious.
M JAREDAN
(casually)
What makes you think I’m torturing her?
Jaredan looks at his counterpart incredulously for a second, then takes Kara to the stiff cot in the corner of the cell. He lays her gently on it, and begins stroking her head.
JAREDAN
(murmuring to Kara)
I’m sorry. I’m so sorry, Kara. It’s going to be all right.
I’ll get you out of here.
M JAREDAN
We’ll see about that.
CUT TO:
26. INT. U.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - BRIDGE - DAY
T’Ress is in the center seat, an extra SCI OFFICER has taken her place. T’Ress is heard in VO over frantic action all over the bridge.
T’RESS (VO)
Cadet Second Officer’s Log, supplemental: It has now been more than
two hours since Captain Aquino and Commander Lionetti were abducted.
Thankfully, our counterparts have neither attacked nor attempted any further
abductions. On a side note, we detected a flaring of the dimensional
wormhole precisely on schedule.
PARAN
(nervously)
Why aren’t they attacking? They know where we are.
T’RESS
They must have some kind of special plan for the Captain and the Commander.
ELENA
That doesn’t make me feel any better about it.
HIKARU
(impatient)
Me neither, but it’s just the way it looks.
T’RESS
Do we have a fix on their location?
PARAN
Yes. They’re holding station about a million kilometers off,
bearing 099 mark 23.
HIKARU
Is it good enough to get a weapons lock? One that’ll disable
them without risking the Captain and Commander?
PARAN
(checks his panels)
Ahh…
(curses under his breath)
No.
Hikaru turns to the Command Area.
HIKARU
T’Ress– can we transport through their cloak?
T’Ress answers so quickly, she’s obviously considered this already.
T’RESS
Negative. The chroniton interference is too high.
(beat)
Additionally, we are no longer receiving signals from their combadges.
Most likely, they have been removed and/or destroyed.
Hikaru shakes his head.
HIKARU
There has to be something.
(beat, to T’Ress)
They still need to drop their cloak to fire at us, right?
T’RESS
This is correct.
(beat)
Why?
Hikaru smiles a little.
HIKARU
Jaredan’s not the only one with a few tricks up his sleeve.
(to Paran)
Prepare a security detail for an away team.
PARAN
Armed?
HIKARU
To the teeth.
CUT TO:
27. INT. I.S.S. ENDEAVOUR - BRIG CELL - DAY
Kara lies on the hard cot. Slowly, her eyes flutter open, to find Jaredan looking over her. When he speaks, Jaredan’s voice comes out with a slight rasp.
JAREDAN
Don’t worry– it’s me. The real me, I mean.
KARA
(groggy)
I know.
(beat)
I’d know you anywhere.
JAREDAN
They left a little after you passed out. You’ve been out for
almost an hour.
KARA
Help me up.
He helps her sit up against the wall.
KARA (CONT’D)
Did they give you any idea as to… what they wanted out of us?
JAREDAN
(voice catches)
Other than just to watch us suffer, no.
Kara’s eyes narrow in question.
KARA
What’s wrong with your voice?
Jaredan holds Kara’s arm.
JAREDAN
Nothing, I–
Kara takes his hand and holds it up.
CLOSE - ON JAREDAN’S PALM
Four crescent-shaped cuts, where Jaredan has dug his nails into his palm are just barely dried.
KARA
(very concerned)
They’ve been torturing you, too.
Jaredan shakes his head.
KARA (CONT’D)
They have. When?
(beat)
Why didn’t I hear?
JAREDAN
A little while after you lost consciousness, and just for a while…
but it felt like forever.
(beat)
I wasn’t in here. I was over there–
He nods his head towards the other side of the room. There, we see a tall TRANSPARENT CYLINDER, complete with outside controls and circuitry.
JAREDAN (CONT’D)
(pained)
They called it…
A VOICE interrupts.
M KARA (OS)
The Agony Booth.
M Kara comes into view, the M Sec. Officers behind her. She nods, and the M Sec. Officers deactivate the forcefield, drag Jaredan out, and seal him into the AGONY BOOTH.
Kara watches from behind the forcefield while M Kara explains, nonchalant.
M KARA
It works on a similar principle to the Agonizers: pain by nerve induction.
The Agony Booth, though, is much more versatile.
(beat, admiring the booth)
With this, I can make a person feel any sensation I wish: extreme cold
or heat, high pressure or vacuum… even an itch that just won’t go away.
M Kara stands at the Agony Booth controls. She looks up at Jaredan. His eyes closed, he is breathing deeply and slowly.
M KARA (CONT’D)
So, what shall it be this time, Jaredan?
JAREDAN
(calmly)
You want to torture me? Just keep talking.
M KARA
You’ve been watching too many of those twentieth-century films, Jaredan.
(ruminating)
Let’s see… oh, let’s just go for some old fashioned electrical shock,
hmm?
She touches a control, causing the machine to HUM. Jaredan braces himself, still breathing slowly. Soon, the strain begins to show– he’s turning red and beginning to perspire.
M KARA (CONT’D)
Very impressive, Jaredan. Another few thousand volts?
She slides a LIGHT BAR up, and Jaredan begins to shake.
M KARA (CONT’D)
(over her shoulder)
Quite an impressive specimen, eh? Those wonderful Icaran genes–
strength, agility…
(suggestively)
… stamina.
KARA
(angrily)
Are you trying to make some kind of point?
M KARA
Honey, wouldn’t you like to know.
(back to booth)
All right, my dear, no more fooling around.
She slides the light bar almost to max. Jaredan doubles over, screaming. OFF Kara’s reaction (w/ Jaredan and the booth in BG)
FADE OUT TO COMMERICALS
END ACT THREE