"Pilot": 10-03-08

INT. RAYNES LIBRARY – NIGHT

Establishing shot of library. Only a single lamp illuminates a large chair where Scott sits. He holds a book on his lap and there is a half-finished drink on the small table at his side.

Devereux moves into frame. She is shadowed, but there is enough light to let us know it is her. She is moving quietly, but not so softly that she might startle Scott.

DEVEREUX
(half-humorously, half-seriously)
Do you always drink alone?

SCOTT
(smiles)
Only when I can't sleep. (beat) Everyone else still working?

DEVEREUX
Only Hope. (smiles) Come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen her sleep.

SCOTT
(with a faint smile)
You would know.

Devereux returns his smile. She studies him for a moment.

DEVEREUX
(softly)
Nightmares?

Scott stares at her for a moment, saying nothing. He closes the book in his lap.

SCOTT
(quietly)
Sometimes.

Devereux quietly pulls one of the other chairs, placing it facing him. She sits down.

DEVEREUX
(gently)
I know.

SCOTT
(studies her)
You know everything, don't you? (swallows) Everything that happened?

Devereux nods, keeping her eyes on Scott's face.

Scott looks away, picks up the drink, but only toys with it.

SCOTT (CONT'D)
I guess the future's a better place?

DEVEREUX
(faint smile)
You might be surprised.

Her expression grows distant for a moment as memories come to her.

SCOTT
Let me guess, you can't tell me without changing the future.

DEVEREUX
(looks at Scott)
It's not something I talk about anyway.

Scott takes a drink.

SCOTT
That bad?

DEVEREUX
(nods)
That bad. (looks at Scott) Special Ops. I was a Lieutenant on a search and rescue mission that went bad--very bad.

SCOTT
Did they blame you?

DEVEREUX
(shakes her head slowly)
No. But the inquiry afterward wasn't pretty.

SCOTT
But you still ended up in command of a ship . . .

DEVEREUX
(chuckles softly)
The Emerald Flight isn't exactly the flagship of the fleet.

Scott stares at Devereux, wondering if he has managed to say something wrong.

SCOTT
Seems like a good crew, though.

DEVEREUX
(smiles)
The best.

They share a quiet moment of companionable silence. The quiet becomes awkward.

SCOTT
(rising)
So much for manners. (taps his glass) Would you like one?

DEVEREUX
(smiles)
Please.

Scott removes a bottle from a nearby cabinet, along with a glass. He drops a few ice cubes into the glass and then pours the drink.

SCOTT
It's not the best stuff. (hands her the drink) But it's several notches above the stuff we used to sneak into the dorm.

Scott returns to the chair.

SCOTT (CONT'D)
(raises his glass)
To good crews . . .

Devereux raises her glass in kind and then takes a quick sip. Her expression displays mild surprise that the drink is not as bad as she was expecting.

SCOTT (CONT'D)
(smiles)
Sorry. We seem to be out of little pink umbrellas.

Devereux chuckles. She takes another drink and then leans forward slightly.

DEVEREUX
(softly, gently)
Scott . . . tell me about it.

Scott looks at her carefully.

SCOTT
Professional curiosity?

DEVEREUX
Personal.

Medium reaction shot of Scott.

SCOTT
(hesitantly)
You know the story.

DEVEREUX
I know the official version. I want to hear yours.

SCOTT
(swallows, takes a drink)
It's pretty much as reported. We walked into an ambush. (grimaces) I should have known better . . .

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