Emerald Flight: "Rules of Engagement" (continued)

RUSTY

Because they’re mean and nasty and could.

HAWKES

Or they needed the material.

RUSTY

There’s less extreme ways to get at the ore.

HAWKES
(evenly)

Mass. For fuel.

RUSTY

Wait a minute. Aren’t you the one who’s supposed to see the destructive side of things?

HAWKES
(evenly)

It’s not always the most likely explanation.

RUSTY

It sure seems likely in this case.

ELIZABETH
(with calm urgency)

Chief, he might be right.

Rusty stares at Elizabeth, almost glaring.

Devereux and Hawkes turn their attention to Elizabeth as well.

ELIZABETH (CONT’D)

It would be more efficient for something like a ramscoop. Particularly in an area of space like this where there isn’t that much interstellar dust.

RUSTY

So they just blow up a planet or two for convenience’s sake?

Elizabeth starts to speak, but doesn’t. She is obviously frustrated with Rusty.

DEVEREUX
(matter-of-factly)

They may simply have been large moons or barren planets like Mars. (beat) There might be other explanations as well.

RUSTY

Well, we seem to be about three thousand years too late to ask them for one.

HOPE

Revenge.

There is a moment of surprised silence.

DEVEREUX

Hope?

HOPE

Their reason. Revenge.

RUSTY

Wait a sec there, Doc. You’re saying they blew a planet to bits to get even for whoever was fighting them?

HOPE

Yes.

HAWKES

An extreme tactical action.

DEVEREUX
(softly)

Yes.

ELIZABETH
(quietly, shaken)

Was this their home world?

HOPE

No.

There are visible expressions of relief from the others.

HOPE

Colony.

The relieved expressions vanish quickly.

RUSTY
(murmurs, almost inaudibly)

. . . Morris . . .

Reaction shot of Elizabeth. Elizabeth is pale as she considered the implications of the Hope’s statement.

Reaction shot of Hawkes. Hawkes’ expression is tightly controlled.

DEVEREUX
(softly)

Hope . . .

Hope stares expressionlessly back at Devereux.

ELIZABETH
(quietly)

At least it can’t any more.

There is a moment of quiet.

RUSTY
(with growing interest)

Are you sure?

DEVEREUX
(with concern)

I thought we established that there’s no working power sources over there.

RUSTY
(nods quickly)

We did. (beat) But we do have some.

ELIZABETH
(with disbelief)

We don’t have that kind of power.

RUSTY
(stares at Elizabeth)

Don’t we? (beat) Do you even know how much it takes?

Elizabeth holds Rusty’s stare for a moment before turning away. She is clearly disturbed by Rusty’s behavior.