Siege

[The ship is exiting a giant purplish energy-mass, and it has opened up collectors at the bottom of the ship to let it in. Bren, Reb, Gret and Yuna are on the Command Deck, and Reb closes the collectors. The ship continues on its course. Bren picks something up on his tactical sensors.]

Bren: Hold it. There's something out there. It's...two metres across and it's artificial.

[We see it--it looks like a twisted prism wrapped in aluminum foil.]

Reb: Gen? [She appears.] Any data on this object?

Gen: [frustrated slightly] I have nothing in my historical records. I detect no seams, or openings. Spectographic analysis indicates an obelian-neptunian alloy--something human science has never produced. [She goes away.]

Yuna: A good reason to put a few light years between us and it.

Bren: And to arm the weapons systems.

Gret: I wonder if it's some kind of beacon, or a relay.

Reb: OK. Let's send some basic math equations, see if it responds.

Gret: OK... [She starts typing.] Here we are. Ready to send.

[As the ship powers up, the crew notice that they're not moving.]

Reb: What happened? Did we hit something?

Yuna: No. We just came to a dead stop.

Gret: [looking at the screen] And there's why.

[Instead of the teeny-weeny object, the object has grown to twice Deepwater's height.]

Reb: Where did that come from?

Bren: I'm locked onto it, it's the same object. Just a thousand times bigger.

Yuna: How is that possible?

Reb: It's not. At least not according to our physics.

Gret: Gen, is there life aboard this thing?

Gen: I don't detect organic life, but it is focusing an extremely powerful forcefield on Deepwater.

Reb: Define field.

Gen: All wavelengths--except gamma waves.

Reb: Everything but gamma waves--that's good, they could kill us. All right, I've heard enough--Yuna, get us out of here.

Yuna: Full thrust. [She powers up the engines again.]

[We can hear the engines getting more and more fired up, but there are no signs of movement.]

Yuna: We're not budging. Not a millemetre.

[It gets more powerful still; and yet, no movement. The field holds steady. Yuna's console beeps.]

Yuna: If I don't power down, the engines will melt.

Bren: Divert power to the weapons bay--I'll make this thing back off.

Reb: Right. [He checks his engineering console.] Well, hostile or not, this field is stressing our hull nearly to the breaking point.

Gret: Their technology is so far beyond ours--maybe they'll realize how vulnerable our ship is. Why don't we try to establish communication?

Reb: Well, math doesn't seem to be their favorite language. OK... Gen. [She appears again.] Send pictures and words in binary code.

Gen: Affirmed. Coming up on Gret's screen.

Reb: Go ahead.

[Reb goes over to Gret's console. On the screen, we can see that pictures are being scanned and sent--images of a woman, a man, the earth, the sun, etc.]

Yuna: What are you getting?

[A bunch of colourful, geometric images appear on Gret's screen, flipping one by one.

Gret: I'm getting a stream of images...we could be in business. Why don't we send something historic, like 'One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind'?

[While she is talking, she doesn't notice that the images are flipping faster, until the screen can't keep up and shows an error symbol. Gen, who's still hanging by the doorway of the Command Deck, suddenly flips-out--her image goes negative. She looks around, confused. Everyone stares at her, shocked.]

Reb: Disconnect. Disconnect!

[Gret breaks the connection. Gen fizzes back into a positive modem, distortion on her image.]

Bren: Gen, what happened?

Gen: [small voice] Intense power surge. But...my damage can be repaired. However, you must use extreme caution when communicating with the object. It is extremely powerful.

Gret: And none to careful.

Bren: No, they knew what they were doing. Once can be a mistake, but twice is an attack.

Gen: I'm not so sure, Bren. I detected power levels that were strong enough to vaporize Deepwater in a microsecond.

Yuna: In other words, if they wanted us dead, we'd be gone already.

[Bren's weapons console shuts down. He tosses off his headset in frustration.]

Bren: Well, there's no point arguing about it now, 'cause they just shut down the weapons systems.

Yuna: Great. No fight or flight.

[Reb's console beeps again. He goes to it.]

Reb: We have to do something--our thrusters are starting to buckle.

[Outside, a small clump of energy comes off the object and heads towards Deepwater. It passes right through the outer hatch of an airlock, without opening it or cutting it--just drifting right through. On the Command Deck, alarms ring.]

Gen: Airlock 5 has been breached--from the outside.

Yuna: We're being boarded.

Yuna & Reb: Seal and disable the inner hatches...

[They glance at each other, then grin slightly.]

[Meanwhile, back at the airlock, it is now going through the inner hatch--again, no cutting or prying required. Bren rushes to Gret's console as she reports.]

Gret: I'm not getting anything on the airlock cameras...and nothing on the heater motion sensors.

Reb: OK, we're going to have to check it out in person.

Bren: That's me. [He heads towards the lift and grabs his gun.]

Gret: Bren, don't go being a hero, OK--if you need help, call.

Bren: I will--if I need it.

Yuna: I'll go with you. [She starts getting up, but Reb stops her.]

Reb: Uh, maybe you should stay at the helm.

Yuna: [smiles, slightly mocking] Thanks for your concern, but I'll be OK.

[As Yuna and Bren go the lifts, Reb looks like he's mentally scolding himself.]

[The creature moves on, going through more doors and drifting through the corridors. It takes human shape and starts "walking", all the while surrounded by the field.]

[Bren and Yuna go to the weapons lockup and get a couple of guns, then go towards the airlock. They go in a very organized manner, getting a good look ahead before signalling each other forward and they slowly advance toward the airlock.]

[Back on the Command Deck.]

Gret: Why didn't they respond when we tried communicating with them?

Reb: Maybe they did, and we're just too slow to recognize it.

Gret: Well, they don't seem totally hostile, but they're not all that friendly either. I have the feeling they're a bit clinically detached.

[Bren and Yuna are really close now. They're now in the corridor, in front of a door. Yuna starts ahead, then stops suddenly when she sees something rippling in the door and slams back against the wall.]

Yuna: What the--

[Bren shakes his head slightly. Yuna holds up her communicator.]

Yuna: Gret? Gret, do you read me? [Only static comes back.] Channel's jammed.

[The thing is now through the door and starts walking in its humanoid form again.]

Yuna: It's heading for Gen's biocore.

[Bren is still evaluating the situation; quickly, he makes his decision and steps out from behind the side of the corridor.]

Bren: Fire!

[Yuna does the same. The energy comes blasting out of their guns, but the being simply deflects it harmlessly away and interrupts the beam before expanding and knocking Yuna and Bren against the wall. They fall, unconscious; and the being continues on.]

[Outside, the turmoil continues. Gret and Reb on the Command Deck try and contact Yuna and Bren.]

Gret: Bren? Yuna? [Static.] Bren? [Still nothing.] I can't raise them.

[Reb starts toward the hatch, but Gret stops him.]

Gret: No, you stay here--you have to get us loose. I'll go get Lise. We'll check it out.

[They arrive to see Bren and Yuna on the floor, and start checking their vitals.]

[Zak finally arrives on the Command Deck. He rushes in.]

Zak: I just heard there was an intruder on board... [spots the object on the screen] Whoa, look at that thing.

[The energy is at the biocore--alarms inside are yelling. The being looms over the biocore, then goes in, blows out a few circuits and interrupts the power flow.]

[Reb's console screen suddenly goes blank with an error message: "The Genesis computer is now down."]

Reb: They just cut the power to Gen's biocore.

Zak: Wait, that's on Deck 5--Gret and Lise are down there.

Reb: I know. [He leaves the Command Deck and starts out the side of the Habitat, Zak on his heels, but he stops when he sees Gen is there.]

[Gen is not her usual self--her image is dotted with green and red spots, and she looks like there is something swimming around inside her and she's a bit bloated. Her voice has a lower, menacing undertone to it.]

Gen: Stop.

[Zak looks at her, shocked.]

Zak: Oh, Gen...what happened to you?

Gen: We have taken control of the Genesis unit; we now control this spacecraft.

Reb: We've been trying to communicate with you. Your forcefield is damaging our ship.

Gen: We know.

Reb: What do you want?

[She appears to think for a short moment before answering.]

Gen: One of you.

Reb: What?

Gen: You will select one of your member to come with us.

[Zak stops Reb, who looks like he's ready to come forward.]

Reb: What for?

Gen: Irrelevant question--select one; the rest will proceed.

Reb: And if we refuse?

Gen: That is not an option--choose one now.

[Bren, Yuna, and Lise are in cryo; Gret, Reb and Zak on the Command Deck. They are conversing through their communicators (which miraculously work despite Gen's takeover). Lise is tending to Bren and Yuna's injuries.]

Bren: They want us to do what?

Reb: They want one of us to go with them.

Bren: Do you think Gen could tell them the meaning of the phrase 'STUFF IT'?!?!

[Everyone gives small grins at his outburst.]

Gret: How long do you think they're going to wait for an answer?

Zak: I got the impression we're not supposed to sleep on it.

Reb: Yuna--any idea what this intruder is made of?

Yuna: Uh, hard to see--it seemed to be cloaked in some kind of huge energy field.

Bren: Well, I'll tell you one thing--lasers don't stop it. [He slams his gun down on the cryo table.]

Reb: Zak--can you restore Gen or not?

Zak: I need more time--they used our own code to rewrite Gen's instructions. I'm writing a counter-virus to undo their additions.

Gret: What we need is something to distract them.

[Reb is leaning over the lift shaft as he thinks when he gets an idea.]

Reb: OK. Maybe we can use the intruder. Yuna, meet us in Habitat, ASAP.

[Bren, Yuna, Lise, Gret and Reb are in the Habitat.]

Bren: So, from what I saw this thing is way too big to use the magnets.

Reb: Any idea where it is now?

Yuna: It could still be on Deck 5.

Reb: So, it has to rip through two decks to get to us.

Yuna: Which it will have no problem doing, I can assure you of that.

Reb: OK, if we can somehow attack this intruder before it gets to us, it may draw their attention away from Zak working on Gen's biocore.

Bren: Suppose, we divert full electrical power to the metal grids on Deck 4.

Lise: That'll either kill it, or make it really mad, neither of which is a very good idea.

Bren: Either way, it's a message they can't ignore.

Reb: Electricute it...that should be enough to distract them. I'll go set it up. [He starts to leave.]

Yuna: Now wait, if this thing doesn't pick up on the sensors, then how are we going to know when to pull the switch?

Gret: I think I can answer that. [She gets up and walks to one of the terminals at the side of the Habitat.] I can locate it by its energy field. [She taps a few keys on the terminal and a low buzzing sound comes out of it.]

Bren: Where's that coming from?

Gret: I opened up a mic in the biocore--I think I can track this thing by listening to its static on the mic.

[Zak storms in frustratedly from the Command Deck, slamming his laptop on the table of the Habitat.]

Zak: For some reason, the counter-virus won't upload.

Reb: I know there's a fried conduit in the biocore relay--maybe that's the problem.

Zak: Oh, man, that's probably it. Why didn't you tell me that before? [He shakes off the question and gets up.] Just give me a minute to replace it; it's easy.

[Reb stops him.]

Reb: No, it's not easy--it's on Level 4, the only deck where we can set the trap.

Zak: [sarcastically] Like I said, let's not make it easy--there's no challenge.

Reb: Let's go.

[He throws a frustrated fist in the air as he leaves the Habitat, Reb and Bren behind him.]

[Meanwhile, the being in the biocore is still lingering and controlling Gen.]

[Reb, Bren, and Zak are in a room, where they're gathering supplies. Reb outlines the details to Bren and Zak.]

Reb: Right. It should take me about five minutes to finish wiring the deck. [He holds up a small pad.] Now this is the remote trigger. To arm it, flip this switch and press the middle button; that'll send two million volts through deck, and you, if you're not clear of it.

Bren: You know what--Zak has his hands full. [He takes the trigger.] It's my deal to D, I'll back him up.

Reb: Zak... [he turns to leave] If the intruder breaks through before you're finished...

Zak: I know. Either way, I'm toast. But I have to try.

Reb: All right, let's go. [To his communicator.] Gret, where's the intruder now?

Gret: Still in the biocore.

[Lise sits down beside Gret.]

Lise: I'll give you a hand with the mics.

Reb: If it starts to move, let us know. Yuna, keep the fusion generators at max.

Yuna: Don't worry, I'm about to give it a hotfoot it won't forget--if it has a foot.

Lise: [sigh] I don't get it. Why are these beings asking us to choose? If they wanted one of us, they would have taken one of us by now.

Gret: Maybe it's our choice that's the point. You know, the remind me of zoologists on Earth researching apes. They just sit there, watching everything they do.

Yuna: Well, if we're apes, then we can't figure out the scientists. All we can do is bite 'em in the butt and run for the jungle. [quietly] And I'm going to bite hard.

[Zak and Bren are in a narrow crawlspace going toward the conduit. Bren signals Zak through. They're both on high alert, creeping by the corners, on the lookout for any sign of the intruder. Elsewhere, Reb is finishing up the re-wiring.]

Reb (comm.): OK, Bren, it's set. Whenever you guys are ready.

Bren: We're almost there. [They're just metres from the spot when the intruder senses their movement and starts to move...]

[They've arrived. Bren dangles down by his legs and looks around to make sure it's not there.]

Bren: OK, it's clear--come on up.

[He lets Zak down. Zak slips into the space, all the while looking around. Bren gives him the flashlight, and Zak searches frantically before starting the job.]

[Back on the Command Deck, Gret and Lise are still listening. It's very little, but there is a slight change in the distortion coming from the mic. The intruder starts moving out of the biocore. Gret picks up on the change.]

[Back at the conduit...]

Bren: Gret, we're patching the conduit now.

Gret (comm.): Bren, the intruder's on the move--it's heading right for you!

Bren: We just got here, how did it... [The channel starts to fizz.] Gret? Gret, you there?

[The intruder has taken on human form again and is walking down the corridor.]

Bren: Zak, that thing's getting close--how long?

Zak: Just one minute, OK--two if you distract me.

[The intruder is getting even closer...]

Zak: You got the detonator?

Bren: Ready.

Zak: OK. Just don't press that thing until we're clear, OK--I really don't want to become a scorch mark.

[Bren grins at his nervousness. He can hear the intruder below his feet.]

Bren: Zak, that thing's right under us--come on!

[Zak does a last-minute check of all the connections to make sure he's got it, and then he's done.]

Zak: 'kay, 'kay, I got it!

[Zak tosses his bag up to the deck above, and starts up the hole, Bren nudging him up. The intruder starts to drill.]

Zak: Bren, it's coming through the deck. [With Zak clear, Bren is crawling up. The energy field licks his feet as he scrambles up the opening.]

Zak: Now, do it now!

Bren: Go, go, go!

[Bren slams his finger on the button as he runs way from the thing. The opening to the conduit is completely scorched, and the intruder's "arms" are reaching up for them when electric shocks rack the intruder. Zak and Bren run out into the corridor.]

[Zak, Bren and Reb return to the Command Deck.]

Reb: Yuna, fire up those engines--I want to be ready to make hyperspace in a moment's notice.

Yuna: [nods] Soon as you get rid of that forcefield, we're gone.

[Zak hastily types at his terminal to see how it worked.]

Zak: Come on, Gen, talk to me, talk to me...

[She appears at the mouth of the Command Deck, looking completely normal.]

Zak: Gen--good to see you.

[Apparently, Gen doesn't feel the same way and hurriedly tells them.]

Gen: Reb! Emergency Protocol 4C!

[The intruder's back into Gen and takes over her image again, with the same sinister tone.]

Gen: Your time is up--choose now!

[Her image shatters into a billion pieces and she disintegrates.]

Zak: Gen! [He starts checking the directories and the files hastily...] There's no trace of her anywhere in the system. All her files have been erased... [He stops typing, and collapses numbly into his chair.] They destroyed her.

Gret: Reb, what did she mean by Protocol 4C?

[The mics are still on, and they start buzzing loudly. The intruder is walking again...]

Lise: It's on our level. It's coming for us.

Reb: OK, everybody out!

[Everyone starts piling out of the Command Deck, Reb putting in a few last-minute instructions. Zak is also still there.]

Reb: Zak, out!

[They gather at the mouth of one of the exits in the Habitat.]

Gret: Look, I'll be the one. I'll go with them.

Reb: No.

Gret: I am the logical choice--Lise can take my part in the mission.

Zak: Before they murdered Gen, I would have gone with them. But now I say don't give in.

Reb: All right we don't comply, everyone agreed? [Everyone does.] Good--then follow me.

[Reb leads the way as everyone jogs down the corridors, the intruder nipping at their heels. Bren follows up at the back, holding his gun out (even though he knows it doesn't work). Reb wrenches a hatch with a 'radioactive' symbol on it.]

Reb: In here!

[He gets everyone in, then Bren shoves him in before going in himself and slamming the hatch shut.]

Bren: OK, that'll hold it for 20 seconds, now what?

Reb: We're drawing a line in the sand. But we don't do this unless we all agree.

[The door ripples threateningly as the intruder starts to come through the hatch.]

Yuna: To what?

Reb: Gen already gave us the clue--the alien artifact operates on every wavelength but one band--gamma rays. They're probably as lethal to them as they are to us.

Yuna: Emergency protocol 4C is a...gamma radiation leak. You want to open the reactor shield.

Reb: Right. [He turns around and hastily punches in the code, which opens it.] I think it's time we take a gamble with all our lives, and see if they stop us.

Gret: What happens if they don't stop us or won't stop us--we all die.

Bren: Well, at least we take one of them with us.

Gret: It's a futile gesture.

Reb: No. We know there are other Deepwaters. If, this doesn't succeed, then the aliens may give them a wide berth.

[The door fluctuates again--it's close.]

Reb: Does anyone want to give up now?

Lise: No.

Yuna: No.

Bren: Not me.

[The others also shake their heads.]

[The door ripples again--and the intruder is through. Its half-energy, half-solid body comes walking through the door toward them.]

Reb: NOW! [He hits the control panel and the gamma radiation slowly fills the small chamber, going from the ceiling down. All six huddle down near the floor at the corner. Once the intruder senses the radiation, it extends its energy field around the entire crew before the entire room is drenched in the gamma radiation.]

[The Deepwater is on its normal course again. On it, the crew are all passed out on the floor of the corridor, out of danger. They start waking up.]

Lise: They stopped us.

Bren: Saved us and themselves.

Zak: Either that or the afterlife is just like Deepwater.

[Gen appears, completely normal--to the surprise of everyone.]

Gen: On the latter question, I have insufficient data--but you are definitely alive.

Zak: Gen!

[She just smiles serenely.]

Zak: How did you survive? Your files were erased!

Gen: I am unable to explain it, but my former functions have been restored.

Reb: Gen--what about the intruder?

Gen: Gone. And so is the object.

Bren: It worked, Reb, they backed down.

Yuna: I'm not so sure, Bren--it's gotta be deeper than that.

Lise: Yeah, I think it is.

Gret: You know, I was on a site course on Mars. And we had this rat that wouldn't run the maze; and then she stopped eating. So I took her out to the biosphere and let her go.

Reb: You mean your donor did. But, you're implying that these aliens exhibited a sense of higher morality.

Bren: I don't know. Maybe they're just toying with us, you know. Entertainment for a day. Scary thought.

Review

It was fast-paced. It was an edge-of-your seat thriller. It had character stuff (sort of). Well, OK, maybe it wasn't THAT good, but it still was one of the better episodes (then again, not many to choose from!). The ending was a bit too contrived for me--I was almost expecting it to be a two-parter when I looked at the clock and saw there were only 5 minutes left. While I thought it was pretty clever that they engineered this plot to get out, and then it didn't work, I don't think they had enough time to let the "backup" plan grow. I realize, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision; but more time could have been nice.

Those writers will take any oppurtunity to sneak something in for the 'shippers, won't they? But it is beginning to get a little repetitive--Gret/Reb concerned for the adventurer (Bren/Yuna)'s safety. Zak seemed to be going at it a little much in this ep also.

Otherwise, it had a pretty good story, some character on the side, and a bit of action.

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