INT. CONFERENCE ROOM
Medium shot of the room.
Hawkes and Elizabeth are seated at the conference room. Rusty stands, leaning against one of the bulkheads between two viewing ports. They are silent and look both stricken and uncomfortable.
Devereux and Hope enter the scene.
Devereux and Hope seat themselves at the table.
She notes that Elizabeth does not respond as expected to the praise.
Elizabeth looks down at the table. Rusty meets her eyes, but says nothing. After a moment, Hawkes hands her a data tablet.
Devereux takes the tablet, but looks at Hawkes. His expression betrays nothing. She looks down and begins reading the information on the tablet. Her expression grows more and more controlled.
Her gaze remains fixed on the tablet for a moment, even though it's evident that she is through reading it. Finally, she looks at Hawkes.
Hawkes looks over toward Rusty and Elizabeth, deferring to their expertise.
Elizabeth looks mildly abashed.
Devereux looks toward Rusty.
Rusty and Elizabeth exchange a quick look.
This elicits a quick smile from Elizabeth and a scowl from Rusty.
Devereux rises and walks to the window and stares out.
Devereux fixes Rusty with a stare, but his cheery expression does not fade much.
Elizabeth reacts with a mixture of surprise and reluctance.
Reaction shot of Devereux as the realization sinks in.
Elizabeth nods, but it is Rusty who answers.
CUT TO:
Medium shot of the room.
Hawkes and Elizabeth are seated at the conference room. Rusty stands, leaning against one of the bulkheads between two viewing ports. They are silent and look both stricken and uncomfortable.
Devereux and Hope enter the scene.
DEVEREUX
(as she walks in)
Well, the good news it looks like we suffered no serious casualties among the crew. (looks toward Rusty) The ship, however, seems to be a different matter.
(as she walks in)
Well, the good news it looks like we suffered no serious casualties among the crew. (looks toward Rusty) The ship, however, seems to be a different matter.
Devereux and Hope seat themselves at the table.
RUSTY
(oddly subdued)
Other than the slipstream core, there's nothing that we can't be or hasn't already been repaired.
DEVEREUX
(pleased smile)
Good, work, Chief . . . Lieutenant.
(oddly subdued)
Other than the slipstream core, there's nothing that we can't be or hasn't already been repaired.
DEVEREUX
(pleased smile)
Good, work, Chief . . . Lieutenant.
She notes that Elizabeth does not respond as expected to the praise.
DEVEREUX (CONT'D)
(frowns)
There's something you're not telling me.
(frowns)
There's something you're not telling me.
Elizabeth looks down at the table. Rusty meets her eyes, but says nothing. After a moment, Hawkes hands her a data tablet.
HAWKES
(expressionlessly)
I thought it unwise to transmit this over the ship's systems, Captain.
(expressionlessly)
I thought it unwise to transmit this over the ship's systems, Captain.
Devereux takes the tablet, but looks at Hawkes. His expression betrays nothing. She looks down and begins reading the information on the tablet. Her expression grows more and more controlled.
Her gaze remains fixed on the tablet for a moment, even though it's evident that she is through reading it. Finally, she looks at Hawkes.
DEVEREUX
(tightly, quietly)
You're certain?
HAWKES
Yes, Captain. The readings have been confirmed by several departments.
ELIZABETH
Everything checks out, Captain. (sighs) The lack of orbiting stations, no lunar colony, no recognition codes, no space dock . . . And all the transmissions we're picking up further confirm it. (leans back) We can even tell you the exact date.
Reaction shot of Devereux as she looks mildly stricken.
DEVEREUX
How . . . ?
(tightly, quietly)
You're certain?
HAWKES
Yes, Captain. The readings have been confirmed by several departments.
ELIZABETH
Everything checks out, Captain. (sighs) The lack of orbiting stations, no lunar colony, no recognition codes, no space dock . . . And all the transmissions we're picking up further confirm it. (leans back) We can even tell you the exact date.
Reaction shot of Devereux as she looks mildly stricken.
DEVEREUX
How . . . ?
Hawkes looks over toward Rusty and Elizabeth, deferring to their expertise.
ELIZABETH
(quietly, with some hesitation)
It's only a theory, Captain.
DEVEREUX
Seems like a fact now to me . . .
(quietly, with some hesitation)
It's only a theory, Captain.
DEVEREUX
Seems like a fact now to me . . .
Elizabeth looks mildly abashed.
Devereux looks toward Rusty.
DEVEREUX (CONT'D)
I'm listening.
I'm listening.
Rusty and Elizabeth exchange a quick look.
RUSTY
Well, Captain, you know that FTL travel messes with the Einsteinian laws a bit. The gravity wells of the slipstream corridors essentially bend time as well as space . . . we just don't normally notice it because we end up arriving at the time we expect to.
DEVEREUX
Except this time . . .
RUSTY
(nods)
Except this time.
DEVEREUX
I got the basics, Chief. (weak smile) I did take the required courses at the Academy.
Well, Captain, you know that FTL travel messes with the Einsteinian laws a bit. The gravity wells of the slipstream corridors essentially bend time as well as space . . . we just don't normally notice it because we end up arriving at the time we expect to.
DEVEREUX
Except this time . . .
RUSTY
(nods)
Except this time.
DEVEREUX
I got the basics, Chief. (weak smile) I did take the required courses at the Academy.
This elicits a quick smile from Elizabeth and a scowl from Rusty.
RUSTY
Something went wrong this time . . . that "bump" we felt in transit, probably.
DEVEREUX
(frowning)
Any idea what caused it?
RUSTY
(shakes head)
We're still checking it out. It might take a while.
Something went wrong this time . . . that "bump" we felt in transit, probably.
DEVEREUX
(frowning)
Any idea what caused it?
RUSTY
(shakes head)
We're still checking it out. It might take a while.
Devereux rises and walks to the window and stares out.
DEVEREUX
Which means we can’t get home until we do know.
RUSTY
(nods)
We could try and end up home. Or we could end farther away, but still in this time. Or in some other time entirely.
DEVEREUX
I don't like either of those options, Chief.
RUSTY
(strained grin)
I think you'd like a core explosion even less.
Which means we can’t get home until we do know.
RUSTY
(nods)
We could try and end up home. Or we could end farther away, but still in this time. Or in some other time entirely.
DEVEREUX
I don't like either of those options, Chief.
RUSTY
(strained grin)
I think you'd like a core explosion even less.
Devereux fixes Rusty with a stare, but his cheery expression does not fade much.
DEVEREUX
Can we manage to make repairs?
RUSTY
Not a chance, Captain. Some of our systems aren't even theoretical yet. We're lucky only the slipstream system has to be repaired.
DEVEREUX
(mildly puzzled)
I'm afraid I don't follow you, Chief.
RUSTY
(casually smug)
You tell her, Lizzie.
Can we manage to make repairs?
RUSTY
Not a chance, Captain. Some of our systems aren't even theoretical yet. We're lucky only the slipstream system has to be repaired.
DEVEREUX
(mildly puzzled)
I'm afraid I don't follow you, Chief.
RUSTY
(casually smug)
You tell her, Lizzie.
Elizabeth reacts with a mixture of surprise and reluctance.
ELIZABETH
The news isn't entirely bad, Captain.
DEVEREUX
(listens intently)
I'm glad to hear it. (weak smile)
ELIZABETH
(glances uncertainly at Rusty)
I checked the records, Captain. We've arrived about six months before the first successful FTL drive experiments.
The news isn't entirely bad, Captain.
DEVEREUX
(listens intently)
I'm glad to hear it. (weak smile)
ELIZABETH
(glances uncertainly at Rusty)
I checked the records, Captain. We've arrived about six months before the first successful FTL drive experiments.
Reaction shot of Devereux as the realization sinks in.
DEVEREUX
(softly)
The Raynes brothers?
(softly)
The Raynes brothers?
Elizabeth nods, but it is Rusty who answers.
RUSTY
The same. (grins) They're probably running wires and tightening screws right now.
The same. (grins) They're probably running wires and tightening screws right now.
CUT TO:
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