SCENE: VALIDIAN WRECK - INT

The interior of the Validian shipwreck is barely visible - inky darkness breaking the curving outlines of what was once the main corridor of an elegant, sweeping vessel. Now, without power and left to decay amidst the surface of a planet-sized battlefield, the once-pefectly circular lines of the hall are now broken and jagged, pieces of crystalline superstructre punching through the ceiling and bulkheads like daggers left in torn flesh. Any trace of the serene blue color scheme has long since faded, giving way to dull greys and rust tones and making the interior reminiscent of looking through the ribcage of the corpse of a great animal. An eerie, cold silence pervades as we TRACK TO:

AN AIRLOCK, adorned with the ciphers of a long-lost race. We focus on it for a split second, when A RED LIGHT EMERGES FROM THE MIDDLE OF IT, sending a violent shower of sparks cackling through the dead corridor, illuminating the haze of dust inside like a bitter snowstorm. With the while of old gears and a sharp hiss the airlock opens we see

ASSET ZERO, pointing his laser multitool at the door in order to keep it open. He is a Time Lord warrior, clad in a black combat suit. His eyes are possessed of a nearly supernatural focus, timeless and subtly hiding a deep rage. He motions for the three men behind him to enter:

ZERO
(hushed, urgent) 
Hurry now - quickly!

In first is NAMOAI, a young Gallifreyan soldier, who is shouldering his wounded comrade EGRET. Both of their uniforms are unkempt and slightly tattered from battle. Egret's tunic is stained with blood and singed, the result of a nasty energy weapon wound. His skin has adopted a ghostly pallor. From outside a voice calls out:

GENN
Set him near the doorway, and gently now... Check his pulses!

Grasping at the side of the airlock, LIEUTENANT GENN steps in gingerly. A consumate member of the officer corps, he wears his haggard uniform with a degree of quiet pride. A portion of his beard is noticiably singed from a recent skirmish. His coat's lapel carries a sigil which identifies him as a member of Time Lord society. Though he is old and battle-worn, the look on his face reflects a degree of his nobility.

Zero steps through the airlock and deactivates his laser multitool. The airlock SLAMS behind him as he surveys his companions. There is an impassiveness to his face, a flash of concern - but his attention is patently on the situation at hand rather than the individuals involved. His eyes dart down to his wrist-mounted ship controls.

ZERO
The young one, how is he?

Genn, catching his breath. He looks at the two soldiers with a pained look.

Namoai has is one of his hands on Egret's neck, the other on his shoulder blade. A moment as he check for pulses from his comrade's hearts. Namoai closes his eyes and lets out a slow, distressed sigh.

NAMOAI
Only his left heart has a pulse. Very weak. (beat) He's lungshot. 


GENN
A mortal wound. Will he be able to regenerate?

NAMOAI
(concerned) 
Not likely. He's been in shock since he was wounded, unconscious. (to ZERO) Your ship... is there a doctor onboard?

ZERO
(midly distracted, fiddling with ship controls) 
No, the medical unit is fully automated. 

Genn looks around wearily, recognizing the derelict's origin.

GENN
This is a Validian ship, Commander. Will your signal be able to get out?

ZERO
(still fiddling)
The fact that this is a Validian ship is precisely why I led us here, Lieutenant. The crystalline exterior will attenuate the weaponry of our assailant's ship while keeping us relatively safe, while the interior structure of the vessel will help amplify my ship's temporal retrieval signal and materialisation specifications-

Zero's wrist computer beeps.

ZERO
(Cont'd)
...which it has. So now we wait. And, hopefully not die. (to NAMOAI) That goes doubly for him, soldier. Do what you can.

Zero allows himself a weary yet warm smile. Namoai returns in kind.

NAMOAI
Yes, Commander.

Genn strokes a portion of his beard. He looks at Asset Zero, a quesiton on his mind.

GENN
Our assailant's ship... if I were to guess who they are, would I be right?

ZERO
If I were to guess what you were guessing, Would *I* be right?

Genn frowns, dejected. He breaks his gaze with Asset Zero.

GENN
...Yes.

ZERO
Then you would be correct, Lieutenant.

GENN
(gravely)
Daleks... Have you ever met them in battle?

Asset Zero's eyes narrow. The answer is immediate, yet seemingly lost on him.

ZERO
(hesitant) 
Yes, and beaten them. Many times before. But... that was before The War.

Namoai's head perks up at the revelation. He looks over to Asset Zero.

NAMOAI
Really? How many Tin Cans have you taken out in your time?

ZERO
It's not as simple as that... not anymore. Before The War, the Dalek Empire was dangerous enough when they devoted their attention to conquering the known universe. But now, with their focus just on annihilating the Time Lords... they're infinitely more cunning. And infinitely more lethal.

GENN
Tell me, boy - have you ever actually seen a Dalek?

NAMOAI
Well... no, I haven't.

GENN
You wouldn't have. Not a single one, at least. They're a plague now.

ZERO
If you were to engage ten of them and managed to survive, eventually those ten would lead to a hundred of them. Then a thousand, then a million... On some worlds they blot out the sky and leave nothing below but ash. All you hear are the droning of their ships.

GENN
Like the screaming of the dead...

ZERO
Even retreat would make no difference. Anywhere you went - anyWHEN you went - they would be there. You would find Dalek outposts orbiting protostar formations trillions of years ago, and nebulas manufactured into whole planets' worth of Dalekanium in as distant a future as you can travel. Their mastery of time travel eclipses even that of ours...

Genn winces at the connotation.

NAMOAI
I refuse to believe that. That would mean they've already won!

GENN
They may very well have. I don't think victory is possible in this war... at least for us. Either we lose, or we go on fighting as we have. Forever.

ZERO
On Gallifrey they've started to call this 'The Last Great Time War...' our end of days.

Asset Zero glances wistfully beyond the walls of the wrecked ship, at something lost inside himself. As he does...

A WIND begins whipping through the ship, kicking the dust into an errant storm. A great sound begins echoing across the wreckage, imperceptibly high and quiet at first, but steadily growing in intensity and volume. In time, it begins BOOMING THROUGH THE SHIP

*VWOOOOOOOORP VWOOOOOOOOORP VWOOOOOOOOOORP*

Behind Asset Zero, A CYLINDRICAL OBJECT MATERIALSES. Military grey, it stands three meters tall and is featureless, save for a recessed area which serves as its entryway. The recessed portions glow a pulsing intense shade of red.

The door opens, bathing Asset Zero from behind in red. Edges of light follow his outline, making Asset Zero appear to be the dark end of a luminiscent crimson tunnel. He raises his hand, as if to beckon the trio of soldiers.

ZERO
Come.

ZOOM IN on Asset Zero and the light, as a SOUND OF DRUMS begins pounding louder and louder...

END