You can't outrun Death forever.
But you can make the Bastard work for it.

MAJOR KORGO KORGMR,
"Last of The Lancers" - AFC 32

[Corridor]

BEKA: So, according to Harper, repairs should be complete in the next couple of days.
ROMMIE: Sure, until the next time he needs to conduct repairs.
BEKA: Tell me about it. At this rate, he's going to run out of spare parts to cannibalise.
ROMMIE: Hopefully Dylan and Tyr's expedition will take care of that.
BEKA: I still don't like that. We might need weapons, but getting into bed with shifty army dealers? Never a good idea. Been there, done that, bought the t-shirt.
ROMMIE: Ooo, that explain your wardrobe.
BEKA: Don't even start with me. I've seen what's in your closet.

[Hildie]

(On a spaceship docked on a world somewhere, a young blonde woman is preparing her spiel for the tourists. She has what looks like a dataport on the right side of her neck.)
MOLLY: And finally, the last stop of our tour will take a visit to the Haukon Tau drift, where the only thing more unbelievable than the natives are the bargains you can pick up at Suka Guleil. Ship, do I really have to say that?
(The ship has a gentle female voice.)
COMPUTER: Affirmative.
MOLLY: Well, you wanted to be tour pilot, Molly. You got to ply the souvenirs. Okay, let's get ready for safety check. Okay, emergency EVA suits, check. Distress beacon, check. Cockpit escape pod breakaway charges, check. The most thankless piloting job in the know worlds, mark.
(Hunt burst in, forcelance in hand, and seals the door.)
MOLLY: Er, excuse me, buddy. I don't start loading people for at least other hour. How'd you pass the gate?
HUNT: It's my er, winning personality and good looks. Now, please shut the door behind you on your way out.
MOLLY: Oh, I get it. This is one of the security tests, right? Company wants to make sure I read the policy? Okay, I admit it. I didn't read it. I thought it was stupid.
(Weapons fire outside.)
MOLLY: Someone's shooting at us. Someone's shooting at us!
HUNT: No, they're shooting at me.
MOLLY: You are not from the Company, are you?
HUNT: Cargo? There are some not very pleasant people out there and I don't want you get hurt, so head out the cargo door and keep the ship between you and them until I lift off.
MOLLY: That's great, but you can't get anywhere without me. The ship is slaved into my implant.
HUNT: Good point. Then it looks like I'm booking a private charter. Seal the airlocks and start the launch sequence.
(The sound of heat cutting metal.)
HUNT: Laser torches. If we don't get off this pad, we are dead.
MOLLY: I've actually never flew this ship before. This was supposed to be my first tour.
HUNT: If you don't move, it will be your last. Now, get your butt in there!
(Molly runs forward to the pilot's seat.)
HUNT: Great.

[Command]

ROMMIE: It's depressing see myself in this condition again.
BEKA: You have seen worse.
ROMMIE: Yes, but is the repetition I am been shoot that I find so annoying. I would like just one day where I can build missiles and tweak fire control in peace.
BEKA: We definitively need to found you an hobby.
ROMMIE: That is my hobby.
(Trance enters.)
BEKA: Speaking of people need to find less dangerous hobbies.
TRANCE: You wanted to see me?
BEKA: Yeah. Harper's on deck fourteen trying to get fire control online. I think he could use your help.
TRANCE: You are still not used to it, are you. The new me.
BEKA: Honestly? It's not every day that you watch one of your best friends walk into the future, change places with their self and then walk out again, so no, I'm not used to it. But I'm getting there.
ROMMIE: Personally, I love the forcelance.
ANDROMEDA [on viewscreen] Beka, we've received a hail from the Eureka Maru. Tyr will be on deck in six minutes.
BEKA: Tyr? What about Dylan?
ROMMIE: Tyr is alone. He left Dylan behind.

[Corridor]

(An exhausted Tyr leaves the cargo bay and slumps down by the wall.)
BEKA: Tyr, what the hell happened? And where, may I ask, is Dylan?
TYR: He's not with me.
ROMMIE: I can see that. What have you done with my captain?
TYR: Would you like the long version, or the short one?

[Hildie]

MOLLY: Okay, we're out of orbit. Now where?
HUNT: Slipstream range. I need to get to Enkindu.
MOLLY: All right, that's good to know. There are few other things I need to know. Who are you, who are those guys shooting at you, and why did you steal my ship?
HUNT: In order?
MOLLY: Yes, please.
HUNT: My name's Dylan, those people shooting at me are the bad guys, and this was the best looking ship in the spaceport.
MOLLY: Really?
HUNT: Yeah.
MOLLY: Till today I was the maintenance crew captain.
HUNT: Congratulation on the promotion.
MOLLY: Thanks.
(Beep. Tactical shows three blips converging on them.)
MOLLY: Oh crap. Ogami?
HUNT: Afraid so.
MOLLY: Mercenary culture? Deadly killers, never break their word, always keep their promises and always fulfill their contracts? Those Ogami?
HUNT: Yeah, they're the ones.
MOLLY: We are so dead.
HUNT: I apologise for getting you involved, but if we stay calm
(Molly turns the Hildie so sharply that he is thrown against a bulkhead and then back again. The Ogami sail off the display.)
HUNT: Where did you learn to fly like that?
MOLLY: Er, simulators. We're supposed to do a low approach into the volcanoes of Haukon Venya. You know, give the tourists a good show.
HUNT: Sound good, great tour. I'm sorry I missed it.
MOLLY: Yeah, so am I.

[Eureka Maru]

TYR: Dylan and I went to Haukon Tau drift to meet with Ferahr Kalinka. He was one of my suppliers back when. Well, back in the day. Ferahr was supposed to have set up a meeting with a reputable arm dealer on Haukon Vora. However, when we arrived on Haukon Vora, we found several mercenaries lying in wait instead. They shot at us. We shot back.
ROMMIE: Fast forward to the part where you took the Maru and let Dylan to fend for himself.
TYR: We agree to split up in order to draw them off. I was surprised as he when the Ogami went after him. We had both assumed they had been hired by the Drago-Kasov to kill me. Apparently we were wrong.
ROMMIE: Apparently.
TYR: In any case, Captain Hunt ordered me leave him and return to the Andromeda and alert you of the situation, all which I have done. End of story.
ROMMIE: Tyr, it's no secret that you and Dylan are at odds. As I recall he still hold the keys to some of your property. Now, if he were to sudden disappear, your problem would be solved. I am wrong?
TYR: Consider this. If I wanted Dylan dead, or anyone else for what matter, he'd be a corpse already. If we find him alive, then I must be innocent, and you'll owe me an apology.
ROMMIE: And if we find him alive, I'll give you one. But if we find him otherwise, I'll give you something else entirely. Do we understand each other?
TYR: My lady, I imagine in all your years no one has ever accused you of being obscure.

[Conduit]

HARPER: How's that, my little pretty starship? Better?
ANDROMEDA [OC]: Much. You know, Harper, I've had six engineers in my service life, but you're the only one who actually enjoys damage control.
HARPER: Well, you know, a few months of waiting to be the main meal on a Magog menu can get a guy thinking.
ANDROMEDA [OC]: About what?
HARPER: About all the things I wanted to do but thought I would never get a chance to. And you know what? It made me realise the thing I love to do best, I'm already doing it.
ANDROMEDA [OC]: Fixing me?
HARPER: You better believe it, darling. Ain't nothing like it in the whole universe.
TRANCE: Harper. Beka send me here to help you?
HARPER: Er, it's okay. I got it covered. No, thanks.
TRANCE: It seems to me like this data link over here needs
HARPER: I said, I don't need any help.
TRANCE: Yes, I heard you, but this data link here
HARPER: Trance, would you just go? Please?
TRANCE: It's me, isn't it? The fact that I'm different than I used to be?
HARPER: Different? No. No, you're not that er. Look, the truth is, I got a lot of work to do and I just want to get it done, okay? Alone.
TRANCE: Fine. You know where I am if you want to talk to me.
(Trance leaves.)
ANDROMEDA [OC]: That wasn't very nice.
HARPER: Can it, would you? Or I'll really fix you.

[Hildie]

(The three dots return.)
HUNT: You know, they're really persistent.
(Bang!)
MOLLY: Oh, there goes courage. Say goodbye to secondary communications array.
HUNT: I don't suppose this ship has weapons?
MOLLY: Other than your forcelance? That would be a no.
HUNT: Could you vent fuel if you had to?
MOLLY: You want me to vent my proton and anti-proton tanks? What are you, an escaped mental patient?
HUNT: No, I'm just a guy who likes to put on a good light show. You know, the kind will blind the Ogami sensors so we can escape?
MOLLY: I love a good light show.
(She presses the appropriate buttons and creates a big purple cloud.)
HUNT: It worked?
MOLLY: We lost them. Oh. You know, you may be a gun waving maniac, but that was really, really cool.
HUNT: Oh, thanks. Now please set course for Enkindu, where this gun waving maniac's friends will happily reimburse you for your troubles and send you on your way.
MOLLY: These friends of yours, are they all as personable as you?
HUNT: Huh. They have their moments.
MOLLY: Well then, I can't wait to meet them. Stand by for slipstream.
(A brief distort then a creak.)
HUNT: That didn't feel like slipstream.
(A schematic of the engine comes up.)
MOLLY: Oh, brilliant. Just brilliant. That tricky manoeuvre of yours cracked the exotic matter lens and now we can't open a slip portal. We're going to be stuck here with the Ogami!
HUNT: Well, on the bright side, we still have each other.
(Later, away from the cockpit.)
MOLLY: Okay, let me get this straight. You are a three hundred year old High Guard Captain.
HUNT: I didn't technically age during those three centuries, but who's counting.
MOLLY: And you're on a mission to restore the fallen Systems Commonwealth and save the universe.
HUNT: It's a little over-simplified, but essentially it, yeah.
MOLLY: That's amazing.
HUNT: Pretty much.
MOLLY: You're insane.
HUNT: Ouch. That hurts.
MOLLY: No. Really. I mean, I guess I'd heard rumours about some wild-eyed zealot flying around doing what you're claiming to be doing, but as sure as hell I didn't think I was going to meet him. And I definitely didn't expected him to be so earnest.
HUNT: Earnest? Well, I like that much better than wild-eyed zealot.
MOLLY: Well, they both play.
HUNT: Then I'll take what I can get.
COMPUTER: Approaching Haukon Tau Drift.
HUNT: Haukon Tau?
(Molly contacts flight control.)
MOLLY: This is the tour ship Hildegard to Haukon Tau Drift.
(Hunt breaks communications.)
HUNT: What are you trying to do, lead me in an other ambush?
MOLLY: Why are you paranoid?
HUNT: A lot of people have been trying really hard to kill me today, and Haukon Tau Drift is where my day got started.
MOLLY: Listen, soldier boy, if you want to slip out of this system in one piece, we're going to need parts. And there's only one place to get those parts, and that's Haukon Tau Drift. Unless you want me to turn this bucket around and go back to the spaceport on Haukon Vora. It's where you scared away my customers, you stole my ship and you took me hostage.
HUNT: Okay, you're right.
MOLLY: You're damned right I'm right. What I am right about?
HUNT: We need to find parts.
MOLLY: Yes.
HUNT: And I know where we can make one hell of a deal.

[Warehouse]

(Hunt slams the dealer, Ferahr, up against a parts rack.)
FERAHR: It wasn't me, I swear.
HUNT: It wasn't you who did what?
FERAHR: What do you mean?
HUNT: I haven't even told you why I'm angry!
FERAHR: Then why
HUNT: Ogami mercs. Big, mean and ugly. Who sent them?
FERAHR: Er, let me think. Er, I know. It wasn't me. I swear.
MOLLY: Well, at least he's consistent.
HUNT: Fine. If you're innocent, prove it.
FERAHR: I'd be delighted.
HUNT: I want an exotic matter lens for class 2 slipstream drive. And I want it in one hour.
FERAHR: One hour? But that's not
HUNT: All the time you have.
MOLLY: And make it a Templar Industries Alpha stroke niner model, not one of those after market jobbies.
HUNT: The lady knows her parts.

[Eureka Maru]

TYR: You're quiet.
ROMMIE: When I'm in the mood for idle conversation I'll let you know. In the meantime, fly.
TYR: I think someone's taking her captain's disappearance harder that she'd like to admit.
ROMMIE: That doesn't sound like flying.
TYR: I'm sorry. Was I distracting you from your work?
(Tyr gets out of the pilot's seat.)
TYR: Were it your desire, you could run every system on this ship at once and still feel as you had nothing to do. Yet you can't seem to spare the attention required to engage in pleasantries with your pilot.
ROMMIE: I have nothing to say to you.
TYR: Would you like to hear a theory?
ROMMIE: No.
TYR: Impossible as it may seem, I believe you've become emotionally involved with your captain. I think you've lost your objectivity.
ROMMIE: I suggest, Tyr, that you fly more and theorise less.
TYR: As you wish.

[Spaceport security gate]

(Passengers are filing through a standard metal detector gate.)
TANNOY: Shuttle now boarding. All passengers must clear security at dock fifteen.
(Molly is carrying the lens as they join the queue.)
HUNT: Thanks for the assist back there.
MOLLY: Well, what was I suppose to do? The last thing I need right now is to start putting faulty components into the Hilde's systems. Plus, I'm the one who's going to have to answer for her when you're gone.
HUNT: Yeah, about that. I think we got off on the wrong foot. I really do regret getting you mixed up in all of this.
MOLLY: Oh, you do? What part you regret most? The aiming the gun at me part or the getting me shot at by psychotic mercenaries part?
HUNT: Okay, I deserved that, and the answer is both. But you've been remarkably good natured about it.
MOLLY: Well, I could see this called for case of diplomacy. And you know what they say about diplomacy. It's really the art of saying nice dog until you get a big enough stick.
HUNT: What are you talking about?
MOLLY: You see that two cops right there? They're my stick. Help! Please help me!
(Hunt grabs Molly and starts to run away, straight into a lady guard.)
MORGIANA: Is there any problem?
MOLLY: Yes, there is definitely a problem.
HUNT: You'll have to excuse my sister. She suffers from a rare disorder that inspires extreme paranoia and inconvenient emotional outbursts.
MORGIANA: How sad. What's she worth to you?
HUNT + MOLLY: Excuse me?
MORGIANA: You heard me. What is she worth? Rounded up to the nearest guilder.
MOLLY: This is a shake down? This is a kidnapping and you are a cop. You know, my tax money at work?
MORGIANA: Yes, taxes. That's the problem. Not enough taxes, too many criminals. What about you? Can you cover his incarceration fee?
MOLLY: I think I'd rather be a hostage.
MORGIANA: Oh, I get it. No incarceration fee from you and no mental health evaluation fee from you. Okay, then. We'll just skip right to the fine for filling a false police report.
HUNT: What if we can't pay?
MORGIANA: Then we take you both in, on the house.
HUNT: AH. Well, in that case, I think we can work out some kind of arrangement.
MORGIANA: Hmm. Like what?
MOLLY: Yeah, like what?
HUNT: Collateral.
(Hunt pushes Molly into Guard Morgiana. She staggers back. Hunt then takes out the other guards with his forcelance.)
MORGIANA: Freeze!
(Molly hits her with the lens. Another guard points his gun at Molly, then gets the end of the extended forcelance jabbed in his ear.)
HUNT: Hey. What's she worth to you?
(The guard puts down his gun and runs away. Hunt and Molly head to the boarding gate.)
MOLLY: Oh, my hero!
HUNT: Yeah, I get that a lot.
(The gate beeps and whoops as they run through.)

[Hildie]

(In flight again.)
MOLLY: So I guess that officially ends my welcome at Haukon Tau Drift, thank you.
HUNT: Whose fault is that?
MOLLY: No, really. Thank you for saving me from those corrupt cops.
HUNT: That's what kidnappers are for.
MOLLY: Yeah, I guess I should have believed in you from the beginning.
HUNT: As soon as we're clear we can start repairs on the slipstream drive.
(Three dots on tactical again.)
MOLLY: Uh oh.
HUNT: Uh oh?
MOLLY: Ogami.
HUNT: Ah. Uh oh.
(A short time later.)
HUNT: They're closing.
MOLLY: Thanks for the update. The Hildie wasn't build for speed. She's a tourist barge, remember?
HUNT: Fine then, tour director Molly, why don't you find us an nice planet and show me the sights?
MOLLY: Oh, you want to lose them in an atmosphere?
HUNT: Ah ha.
MOLLY: Okay, I know just the place.
(She throws the Hildegard sideways and Hunt hits the bulkhead again.)
HUNT: Oh, I thought you might.

[Warehouse]

(The Eureka Maru has arrived at the Drift. Fehahr is sitting behind his desk.)
FERAHR: I'd like to help you but I haven't seen Hunt since we made contact four days ago.
TYR: And I am the genetic reincarnation of Drago Museveni.
FERAHR: With that hair?
ROMMIE: Okay. You say you haven't seen Dylan, and we say that you have. Now, only one of us can be telling the truth, and I'm not lying. Are you lying?
TYR: I'm not lying.
FERAHR: Tyr, we've been doing business together for over a decade. And in all that time I have never lied to you. Ever.
(Rommie is stroking Fehahr's palm.)
TYR: You've never had a reason to before. You have one now.
ROMMIE: Here is a thought.
(Rommie twists Ferahr's wrist.)
ROMMIE: Let's play twenty questions.
FERAHR: Heavy gravity worlder?
TYR: Android.
FERAHR: She's very strong.
ROMMIE: More the point, I can peak up galvanic skin response and respiration changes. I can also analyse pupil dilations in real time. Which makes me a walking lie detector. So, tell me the truth, or I'll turn the bones in you hand into calcified gelatin.
FERAHR: Absolutely. Absolutely.
ROMMIE: What do you know? He's not lying.

[Conduit]

TRANCE: Harper? I brought you Sparky Cola. I thought it would make you feel better.
HARPER: No, thanks.
TRANCE: I know that I seem different to you, but everyone changes.
HARPER: Yeah, points of view, attitude, weight, underwear even, but you? It's like not even you anymore. And now I'm even sure you ever were you to begin with, if you know what I mean.
TRANCE: No. Explain it for me.
HARPER: All right. Over the past year we've run into so many nasty evil jerk-headed goofball pieces of work I've lost count. Kaldereans, Nietzscheans, Magog, crazy starships. You name it, it's attacked us. And I can't help wondering if that's all one big coincidence, or if maybe the biggest baddest bad guy or girl of them all hasn't been with us right here all along, watching and waiting and looking for any opportunity to manipulate us into serving whatever unspeakable ends might be knocking around at in her formerly purple noggin. Ring any bells?
TRANCE: You know, there was a time where I thought you were the smartest person I had never met, but listening to you now, if that is the way you think, then I am as wrong about you as you are about me. Enjoy your Cola.
(Trance leaves.)
HARPER: Thanks, I will.

[Warehouse]

ROMMIE: I'm very disappointed in you, Mister Ferahr.
(Rommie lets him go.)
FERAHR: I am not lying to you!
TYR: You haven't said anything!
ROMMIE: Which make me think that you've missed the point of the exercise entirely.
TYR: Ferahr, I will shoot you.
ROMMIE: Oh, I like that. Logical, efficient. Why, Tyr, I think that is the most practical course of action. Good show.
(Rommie puts a nerve pinch on Ferahr's neck.)
FERAHR: Okay, okay. The truth. The truth is, I saw Hunt less than a day ago. He was with a woman. They were looking for an exotic matter lens for their slipstream drive. A Templar Industries Alpha stroke niner.
TYR: Did you set up us?
FERAHR: Look, Tyr, the Ogami
(Tyr holds out his hand for silence.)
TYR: Are here.

[In orbit]

MOLLY: Haukon Venya, the hottest spot on the tour, literally. The tidal forces from that gas giant it's orbiting make Venya's volcanoes go off like clockwork.
HUNT: Creating a nice hot cloudy atmosphere for us to shake the Ogami in. I like it.
(Shudder.)
HUNT: That was close.
MOLLY: You know, if this was part of the tour, I could charge more.
HUNT: As long as the passengers survive.
MOLLY: Oh, yeah. I haven't have lost any yet.
HUNT: I thought I was your first customer.
MOLLY: Good point.
(Shudder.)
HUNT: Damn. The Ogami sensors are too good. They're picking up our wake.
MOLLY: Have you got a plan B?
HUNT: I always have a plan B. When I think of it, you were plan B.
MOLLY: Oh, great. You really know how to make a girl feel special.
HUNT: It's one of my many talents. You mentioned something about volcanoes.

[Warehouse]

(The Ogami are attacking Tyr by simply running at him. He deals with it while Rommie takes out two at once, then runs around the top of the wall to finish off two more. Ferahr comes out of hiding when an Ogami aims a weapon at Tyr's back.)
FERAHR: Tyr, look out!
(Ferahr gets shot. Rommie kills the shooter. Tyr slashes the throat of his attacker with his bone blades and Rommie shoots the last one. Then they go to Ferahr.)
ROMMIE: Who sent the Ogami, Ferahr? Who?
FERAHR: Tyr, I
(Fehahr dies.)
ROMMIE: Well, now we won't get any information out of him. He was definitely up to something.
TYR: Of course he was. He was my friend.

[Hildie]

MOLLY: Well, you've got what you wanted. We have three Ogami on our tail.
HUNT: Have you factored in the eruption schedule?
MOLLY: Yeah, I've done the math three times.
HUNT: Good, because if we screw this up, we are going to have a very, very bad day.
MOLLY: And this changes our situation how?
HUNT: Would you just take us in.
MOLLY: Okay.
(Molly kisses Hunt.)
MOLLY: For luck.
HUNT: Hmm. Okay.
(Molly skims the seething caldera. An eruption takes out one Ogami ship, then a second, but the debris hits the Hildie.)
MOLLY: Oh. Oh, damn.
(Lots of things go bang and throw them to the floor. A short time later Hunt awakens. The Hildie has set down by a caldera.)
HUNT: Molly. Come on. Molly!
(He starts to give her the kiss of life. She strokes his hair.)
MOLLY: Wow. The fireworks.
HUNT: Actually, we, we crashed.
MOLLY: Oh, yeah. Ouch.
HUNT: Let me help you.
MOLLY: No, I'm okay.
HUNT: You're sure?
MOLLY: Yeah. I'm tougher than I look. The Hildie and I have a lot in common.
HUNT: It's like I said, best looking ship in the spaceport.

[Eureka Maru]

(In flight.)
TYR: We know from Ferahr that Dylan has a broken exotic matter lens. He's had no time to repair it, so he must be in this system somewhere.
ROMMIE: Space is big, Tyr, but we'll find him.
TYR: Hopefully before the Ogami do.
ROMMIE: You mean that, don't you?
TYR: I see your vaunted artificial intelligence has finally managed to grasp the obvious.
ROMMIE: Tyr only does things that benefit Tyr. So, if you really didn't abandon Dylan, what's in it for you?
TYR: Let us, for the sake of argument, assume that Dylan and I having opposing agendas. At this time neither of those agendas are far enough along for either of us to safely dispose of the other. And, in fact, there are several scenarios wherein our respective agendas are mutually beneficial. In such a case, why would I fight an unnecessary battle with a man who is not and may never be my enemy? You're a machine. Surely you can see the logic in that.
ROMMIE: I also know humans well enough to recognise a massive rationalisation when I hear one. The true is, Tyr, I think you've grown to like Dylan. Perhaps even view him as a friend. Going to war with him doesn't just mean risking your life, it means be alone again. And if there's one thing Tyr Anasazi out of Victoria by Barbarossa is afraid of, it's being alone.

[Hildie]

(Hunt has started on repairs.)
MOLLY: Oh, look at this place. The Company is going to be docking my pay for the next ten years when they see this.
COMPUTER: Data port piloting system disengaged. Switching to manual system.
MOLLY: Hey, what are you doing to my ship?
HUNT: I'm rigging the Hildie so I can fly her myself.
MOLLY: Excuse me. I'm the pilot.
HUNT: You're staying here. You've got distress beacons, survival cocoons and a week's rations. You'll be fine until a rescue party comes for you.
MOLLY: Like hell. I'm not going to let you go off and fight the Ogami while I eat freeze dried rations.
HUNT: I won't see you die because of me. This isn't your fight.
MOLLY: Excuse me. Maybe you didn't notice they were shooting at my ship.
HUNT: Yeah, only because I was on it. You're a hell of a pilot, Molly, but this is one job I can't let you take.
MOLLY: Listen. I'll admit that some of this run and jump stuff is a little new to me, but I really want to do this. I do. I just want to fly. My mom was a career pilot, and she used to let my stow away on her short hops. And sometimes she'd let me take the controls and I loved it! But I don't have the connections to get into the military, and I certainly can't afford the bribes to the FTA, so I took this job. Ferrying tourists. And I haven't even done that yet. What do I have to look forward to? I want adventure!
HUNT: This is not that bad of a job, Molly. And it's a lot safer than having every bad guy in the known worlds chasing after you.
MOLLY: I don't want safe. I never wanted safe. And now here you are, and you're a genuine hero, and you have a genuine quest, and you expect me to sit on the side lines because it's not my fight? I want to make it my fight. I don't want to get left behind again. Please.
COMPUTER: Data port piloting system restored.
MOLLY: Thank you.
HUNT: You're welcome.

[Conduit]

BEKA: Ahem.
HARPER: Oh. Hey, boss. What er, what brings you down here?
BEKA: Well, I'd like to know why you shooed Trance away after I specifically asked her to come down here and help you with repairs.
HARPER: I was just doing fine without her.
BEKA: Did you hear me say pretty please with sugar on top? I have work on my own, I really don't have time to referee some sibling squabble between you and Trance.
HARPER: It's not a squabble. I just, I thought I knew Trance, okay? Now the way she has changed, it's just. I could handle quirky and mysterious, but cosmically terrifying? It's too much. I can't take it. No way.
BEKA: Harper, she saved your life, and that's enough for me. Look, you don't have to like new Trance, and you don't have to blindly accept what's happened to her. But you will work with her. No questions asked.
HARPER: But I
BEKA: What part of no questions asked do you not understand?

[Hildie]

MOLLY: You're quite the High Guard handy man there, aren't you? You've turned the nav-laser to a point defence system and you've reinforced the hull with the fluorium meshing from the cabin doors and the gang planks. You know what I think? I think with the modifications you've made, we could probably fly the Hildie into hell and out the other side.
HUNT: Well, we just might have to.
MOLLY: You still wish you were leaving me behind?
(He answers her with a passionate kiss.)
HUNT: For luck.
MOLLY: We need it.
(Later, in flight.)
HUNT: No sign of the Ogami.
MOLLY: Well, maybe our luck's changing. Okay, we're at slipstream distance. Next stop, the Enkindu system.

[Eureka Maru]

ROMMIE: I've got a slipstream event three light minutes out. Looks like it come from the Templar Industries Alpha stroke niner exotic matter lens.
TYR: The same type Dylan acquired from Ferahr on Haukon Tau.
ROMMIE: It may be a coincidence, maybe not. I'll take that chance. Do you think he's headed home?
TYR: It's a long way to run with the Ogami on his tail. Most likely he's trying to reach the nearest friendly world.
ROMMIE: Enkindu.
TYR: Streaming.

[Hildie]

MOLLY: The Enkindu system. We made it!
HUNT: You sound surprised.
MOLLY: What, that we're not dead? Geez, I can't imagine why.
(Bang, alarms. Four dots on tactical.)
MOLLY: Oh, yeah. That's why.
HUNT: The Ogami. They've got us surrounded.
(Molly flies through explosions in space.)
MOLLY: Okay, the nav-laser is picking off the Ogami missiles. We're going to make it. Tell me we're going to be okay.
HUNT: Stay focused on getting us to Enkindu Three. I'll do the rest.
MOLLY: Are you sure the reinforcements you bolted to the hull are going to keep us together?
HUNT: We're about to find out.
MOLLY: Oh God, we're alive.
HUNT: You're welcome.
MOLLY: No, that wasn't a thank you, that was disbelief. A spiritual awakening.
HUNT: You'd better start praying because this one's going to hurt.
(Missiles hit from all sides. A rear bulkhead blows in. Hunt seal off the cockpit just in time.)
MOLLY: That was the engine compartment. If I don't shut us down, the whole ship will blow.
HUNT: No!
MOLLY: What do you mean, no?
HUNT: Maybe exploding engines aren't such a bad thing.
MOLLY: Oh, I hate you.
HUNT: I know.

[Eureka Maru]

(Comes out of slipstream.)
TYR: Four fighters, one barge.
ROMMIE: I see them. The Ogami must have set an ambush, which means it's probably Dylan. Bring us closer. We have to take the pressure off or they will never get to Enkindu. Maru, open a comm channel. I want to talk to Dylan.
COMPUTER: Comm line open.

[Hildie]

ROMMIE [OC]: Dylan, is that you?
MOLLY: Who's that?
HUNT: It's my ship.
ROMMIE [on monitor]: Dylan, the Ogami are shaken up. We've bought you some time.
HUNT: Not enough. Our engines are about to go critical and there's nothing we can do. Now cut your comms and stop broadcasting on this channel.

[Eureka Maru]

HUNT [OC]: You're making yourself a target.
ROMMIE: Understood. But Dylan
(Static. KaBOOM goes the Hildie.)
TYR: The Ogami are breaking off.
ROMMIE: Dylan's ship. It's gone.

[Hildie]

HUNT: That's good timing. The Ogami think we're dead.
MOLLY: I think I'm deaf. Those cockpit break away charges are loud.
HUNT: Yeah. On the bright side, welcome on Enkindu.
MOLLY: Engaging brake thrusters. Hello, brake thrusters?
HUNT: This is why I hate being a back seat pilot. Slowing down would be a really good idea.
MOLLY: The brake thrusters aren't responding. We're not slowing down.
HUNT: At this speed we'll burn up on re-entry.
MOLLY: Don't supposed you have any other cool tricks up your sleeve?
HUNT: Open a comm channel.

[Eureka Maru]

HUNT [OC]: Rommie.
ROMMIE: Dylan?
HUNT [on monitor]: Rommie, we don't have a lot of time. We need an emergency brakes now and you're elected.
ROMMIE: On our way.
(Tyr gets out of the pilots seat.)
ROMMIE: What are you doing?
TYR: You're planning on getting in front of them, matching speeds, linking up, and braking for us all. That will require perfect timing and excellent reflexes. Mine are good, but yours are better. Now get over here and sit down!

[Hildie]

HUNT: Come on, Rommie. Try and intercept. It's going to be close.
MOLLY: Okay.
(Kisses.)
MOLLY: For luck.
HUNT: Yeah, for luck.

[Eureka Maru]

ROMMIE: Matching course and speed.
TYR: We're nine seconds from re-entry.
(The Maru dives underneath the Hildie and catches her in the open cargo pod. Hunt and Molly are still having their snog.)
ROMMIE: Got them. Braking.
(Rommie pulls up the Maru's nose.)

[Hildie]

(Hunt and Molly come up for air.)
MOLLY: They did it. They actually did it.
HUNT: Sometimes all you need is a little luck.
MOLLY: I couldn't agree more.
(And back to the snogging.)

[Eureka Maru]

TYR: Nice piloting.
ROMMIE: I couldn't have done it without you.
TYR: So, peace between us for now?
ROMMIE: For now.

[Command]

HUNT: So, is there any news on who hired the Ogami to kill me?
ROMMIE: No, but it's a safe bet we'll see them again some day.
HUNT: Well, yeah, at least it's nice to know someone out there really cares.
ROMMIE: Hmm. Your friend is waiting for you in your quarters, and er, you wanted that.
(Rommie hands Hunt a flexi.)
HUNT: Thanks, Rommie. I don't know what I'd do without you.

[Conduit]

HARPER: Beka send you again?
TRANCE: Yes.
HARPER: Thanks.
TRANCE: Looks good. Just like new.
HARPER: Not really. Some of the parts don't exactly match, so there are some microscopic stresses. I had to mix little human engineering with alien technology. Who knows if that can work. You know, that's the problem when you try to fix things, Trance. No matter how hard you try to put something back together, it'll never be quite the same.
TRANCE: You're right. But maybe if something was important enough, and you try really hard at it, it can turn into something different. Maybe even something better.
HARPER: Maybe. You want to double check my welds while I reattach these links?
TRANCE: Yes. Let's get to work.

[Hunt's quarters]

(Under a black satin sheet.)
HUNT: I have something for you.
MOLLY: Yes, I know you do.
HUNT: No, that's not what I meant.
(He rolls off her and reaches for the flexi.)
MOLLY: What's this?
HUNT: It's a letter of recommendation for the Military Academy we've established on Mobius.
MOLLY: A Military Academy?
HUNT: Yeah. They're training soldiers, engineers and pilots for the new High Guard, and I thought you might like to be a part of that. You said you wanted adventure.
MOLLY: This is, this is amazing. Thank you so much. I won't let you down.
HUNT: Well, that thought never crossed my mind. We can have you on station in twenty four hours.
MOLLY: Oh, that soon, huh?
HUNT: Well, maybe we could take the scenic route. You know, like a three week tour of the restored Systems Commonwealth signatory worlds, if you'd like.
MOLLY: Yes, I'd like that.
HUNT: Okay. Is that for luck?
MOLLY: Well, you can never have enough luck.