"Space Cases multimedia with a quirky attitude."

On the Road to Find Out

[Teaser] [Opening Credits] [Act One] [Act Two]

Initial Credits:

Producer: Irene Litinsky
Production Designer: Real Proulx
Director of Photography: Marc Charlebois
Original Music Score: Jeff Fisher
Editor: Jean Beaudoin
Written by: Peter David and Bill Mumy
Director: John Bell

[TEASER]

(Outside shot, then cut to the Command Post. Harlan, Catalina, Radu, and Commander Goddard are there as the ship is shaking back and forth. Thelma is standing beside Commander Goddard, and Miss Davenport is standing over by the jumptubes. Everyone is being shaken along with the ship.)

Goddard: What's going on?

Harlan: It's not us, Commander! The Christa's gone crazy! It's not responding at all!

(Harlan pulls at his controls, but they won't move.)

Radu: But all the systems are online!

Catalina: Now the hyperdrive engines are kicking in!

(Everyone gets thrown back into a lean, then cut to an outside shot as the ship goes into hyperdrive, then back inside.)

Goddard: Thelma!

(Thelma hops up behind him, startling him as she usually does.)

Thelma: Yes, Commander Goddard.

Goddard: What's wrong with the Christa?

Thelma: (after scanning) I do not know, sir. Sometimes the Christa has a will of her own.

Radu: We've entered another solar system!

Catalina: We're coming out of hyperdrive.

(Everyone is thrown back forward as the ship slows to normal speed and is back under control. We then cut to outside, where we see the Christa approaching a part of space where there is another Christa with the pieces of a Spung Killcruiser strewn around it.)

Harlan: Look! On - on the screen!

Catalina: It's - another Christa!

(The viewscreen shows the same shot of the sister ship surrounded by the debris. Everyone looks at each other in amazement.)

[END OF TEASER]

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Opening Credits:

Narration: The Eye of the Future sees them. Five clever space cadets, snuck aboard an alien ship, flung through a weird hole in space, thousands of light-years from the Academy. Yeah, it seemed like a good idea at the time, but will they ever get home? Or are they forever destined to be... Space Cases?

Starring:

Walter Emmanuel Jones as Harlan Band
Jewel Staite as Catalina
Kristian Ayre as Radu
Rahi Azizi as Bova
Paige Christina as Rosie Ianni
Anik Matern as Thelma
Cary Lawrence as T.J. Davenport

and

Paul Boretski as Commander Seth Goddard

Created by: Bill Mumy and Peter David

Guest Starring: Katie McIninch as Elmira, George Takei as Warlord Shank, and Marcel Jeannin as the Lumanian

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[ACT ONE]

(Outside shot as the Christa floats by the other ship, then back to the Command Post. Everyone is still in their usual spot, except Thelma, who is now sitting at one of the consoles.)

Harlan: There's tons of debris floating around out there. Looks like it could be from another ship!

Goddard: Catalina, see if you can I.D. it.

Davenport: Imagine running into a ship designed by the same aliens who created the Christa!

(Goddard nods, and Thelma looks up and smiles.)

Catalina: Wow, this is incredible! I think those ship fragments used to be the Spung killcruiser Kazada!

Radu: If that was the Kazada, then Warlord Shank must be space dust by now.

Harlan: Man, that was one spooky Spung.

Radu: Shank was ready to blow us out of space...

(We see, in flashback, Warlord Shank's face, then his Killcruiser firing on the Christa. We then see Elmira kiss Radu, her ship firing on his Killcruiser, then the flashback ends.)

Radu: If it hadn't been for Elmira... She was willing to sacrifice herself to save us.

Catalina: I hope she survived somehow. I guess we'll never know!

Harlan: If that ship, the one that looks like the Christa, destroyed the Kazada, then that means -

Goddard: The Christa herself might possess weapons systems we've never found! Weapons capable of destroying a Spung killcruiser! Thelma, see if you can contact the other ship!

Thelma: I have been hailing the sister ship on all known frequencies. There has been no response.

Harlan: From the looks of things, I'd say that most of its systems were down.

Goddard: Harlan, extend the airlock passage. Miss Davenport, bring Bova and Rosie up here to keep an eye on things. The rest of us, let's check out that ship.

(Commander Goddard, Harlan, Catalina and Radu go down the jumptubes. The next scene is of the Airlock Passage, extended between the two Christas, with the four of them going through it. Corridor of the sister ship. The four crewmembers and Thelma are tentatively walking down the corridor. Everything's dimly lit and there is wires and debris hanging everywhere.)

Radu: This ship is almost identical in design to the Christa!

(Harlan motions toward a portion of the ceiling that is hanging down.)

Harlan: Whoa, look at this!

(Radu pushes the piece back up.)

Harlan: Man, there was definitely a major battle here.

Catalina: Yeah, but where's the crew? I mean, we've checked several decks already... There's no sign of anyone.

(Goddard picks up a rifle left on the ground.)

Goddard: I've never seen a rifle like this before. These weapons are energy-depleted... no fight left in them! Thelma!

Thelma: Yes, sir.

Goddard: Have you been able to access any information from this ship's computer?

(Thelma shakes her head.)

Goddard: Any clue as to the whereabouts of the crew?

Thelma: Negative, sir. None of the systems that I have scanned are on-line.

Goddard: Keep trying. In the meantime, let's continue searching for survivors.

(We see Warlord Shank hidden in a corner, watching the crew, but they don't see him. The crew enters the Command Post. Most of the posts are ripped from the floor - everything is destroyed.)

Radu: Wow. Look at this!

Harlan: I'm not cleaning this up.

(Radu walks around to the far side of the central control console and sees Elmira there.)

Radu: Elmira?

(He runs over to her. She's lying, apparently unconscious, on the ground.)

Radu: Elmira, what happened? Are you okay?

Elmira: (semi-conscious) Please... no more. I can't... I can't see anymore.

Radu: Commander, we've got to help her!

Goddard: Take her back to the medlab on the Christa. And watch your back. We still don't know if this ship is completely deserted.

(Radu nods, then picks her up and goes to leave. When Harlan calls his name, he turns around.)

Harlan: Hey, Radu! Good luck.

(Radu nods, then hurries off.)

Goddard: OK. Harlan, you and Cat check out the cargo hold. If this ship is really deserted, there might be some supplies we can use. Then, check out the engine room, see if the engines can be salvaged. You got that?

Harlan: Got it, all right. (to Cat) Hey, see if you can keep up.

Catalina: Oh, puh-lease, Harlan. The day I can't keep up with you is the day I'm space dust.

(The two of them leave. Cut to an outside shot of the two ships hooked together, then cut to the Command Post of the Christa. Bova, Rosie and Miss Davenport are standing there.)

Bova: You know why he left us behind? For the same reason we never get to pilot this ship. He thinks we're too young to do the job!

Davenport: Bova, it is times like this when I am reminded of the Earth poet, John Milton, who once wrote, "They also serve who only stand and wait."

Rosie: What was that name of that Earth poem, Miss Davenport?

Davenport: It was called "On His Blindness."

Bova: Wow - blindness. What an upbeat topic!

(Bova laughs, but sobers up when Miss Davenport motions him back to the controls. Back to the Command Post of the sister ship. Commander Goddard is picking up a data crystal.)

Goddard: Thelma! I think I found the ship's log. These systems are all fried up - we could never get them to work.

Thelma: I believe I can reroute the log through the power junction to our own computer! Then we could watch it back on the Christa.

Goddard: Good thinking, Thelma! Do it.

Thelma: Right away, Commander.

(Thelma walks off with the data crystal. Cut to Radu still carrying Elmira down the corridor. We hear a strange whoosh and pop noise, and as he turns, we see a dart sticking into his arm.)

Radu: Huh? What's that?

(Radu falls over backwards, unconscious, sending Elmira toppling as well.)

Elmira: (semi-conscious) Please. No more.

(Command Post of the sister ship.)

Thelma: Downloading complete. The ship's log is now transferred to the Christa, ready to be viewed.

(A tranq-dart hits her in the butt, then another and another do the same. They have no effect on her, other than making her jump slightly, but merely bounce off and fall to the ground. She bends over and picks one up.)

Thelma: How odd! A tranquilizer sphere. I wonder where this came from? It appears to be a design unique to the Sp -

(A tranq-dart hits her memory crystal, and she deactivates and falls over. We see two large, three-fingered, scaled hands grab her legs and pull her away. Cut to the Cargo Hold of the sister ship. Catalina picks up a strange component.)

Catalina: Boy! Even the cargo hold got trashed. Must have been some fight! You know, I bet the Commander's right, we could probably use lots of this stuff.

Harlan: Cat, look at this!

(Cat goes over to where Harlan is standing. He's holding a sheet of clear plastic with lines all over it.)

Harlan: It's a map of this ship's jumptube network. But it's different from ours - it's got more entrances and exits.

Catalina: Exits to places ours don't even go!

Harlan: What if they do? What if there's rooms, even levels on the Christa that we don't even know about yet? Oh, man, this is great!

Catalina: (off to the side) I'm not gonna tell him that, you're just embarrassing yourself.

Harlan: Oh, you're talkin' to Suzee. Your ima - invisible friend again. About what?

Catalina: Wow, Harlan. You're talking like you finally believe she's real!

Harlan: Well, I haven't made up my mind yet. Although I have decided that you're not as crazy as I thought when I first met you.

Catalina: Why, thank you, Harlan. That's one of the nicest things you've ever said to me.

(She turns, bumping his shoulder slightly with hers, and starts to walk off. He follows her.)

Harlan: Hey, uh, the suspense is killing me. What did she say?

Catalina: That when you find something new, you get this look on your face that's really cute. In a crazy sort of way.

Harlan: Explain it to me again - I mean, why is it that you can see her and no one else does?

Catalina: Suzee's in a parallel dimension. And her brain waves are in tune on the exact same sonic vibrational frequency as mine.

(They enter the new area of the Cargo Hold and stop and stare in wonder.)

Harlan and Catalina: Whoa.

(Overhead shot of the two of them walking through the Hold, then another whooshing and popping sound.)

Harlan: Hey, did you hear that? Some kind of "fft" sound. Eh, it's probably just my imagina -

(He turns and sees Cat slumped against the wall, with a dart sticking out of her shoulder.)

Harlan: Cat! Cat!

(As he runs over to her, another dart whizzes by and hits the wall above his head. He does some fancy gymnastics to avoid others, but eventually one hits him. He falls back on the ground, and Warlord Shank enters the room.)

Warlord Shank: Oh, good. More friends to chat with.

Harlan: Warlord Shank!

(Harlan falls back, unconscious, and Warlord Shank laughs. Cut to another shot of the Airlock Passage, then back to another room on the sister ship. We see Harlan just coming out of the tranq. He realizes he's tied and tries to pull loose. As the camera backs up, we see Radu on his left, and Catalina, still unconscious, on his right. Thelma and Elmira are on the other side of the room.)

Radu: Don't bother. A handy Spung trick - unbreakable castridenium cable, tied with special knots. The more you pull, the tighter they get.

Harlan: We've got to do something!

(Warlord Shank enters the room, sporting what looks like a large cattle prod, with an ominous glowing red sphere on the business end of it.)

Warlord Shank: Quite correct, Earther. What you have to do is tell me everything I want to know about this ship.

Radu: We're not gonna tell you anything, Shank!

Warlord Shank: Warlord Shank does not recall asking you. Spung do not question Andromedans. Spung enslave Andromedans!

(We see a flash of hatred on Radu's face.)

Warlord Shank: Besides... (he laughs) Earthers are easier to interrogate.

Harlan: Oh, yeah? Do your worst.

(Warlord Shank points the cattle prod at Harlan.)

Warlord Shank: This carries enough electricity to peel the skin off your body, Earther. Trust me - you do not want my worst.

(Warlord Shank leans down into Harlan's face, menacingly. Harlan and Radu glance at each other questioningly as he talks.)

Warlord Shank: When we first encountered this ship, it turned and ran. We thought you were weaponless. And yet, this time we met, and you destroyed my beautiful killcruiser, with weapons the likes of which I've never seen before! You will tell me what I want to know...

Harlan: You can torture me with that joy buzzer from now 'till doomsday, and I still won't tell you anything!

Warlord Shank: Who said anything about torturing you?

(He points the cattle prod towards Catalina.)

Harlan: All right. All right! Don't hurt her.

Warlord Shank: Yes... (moving the prod away from Cat) Earthers are less brave when it comes to watching others suffer. Now then, tell Warlord Shank about the weapons systems.

(Command Post of the Christa.)

Rosie: I've got that transmission from the other ship loaded into the computer, Miss Davenport. Screen on.

(The screen comes on and shows an alien, a Lumanian, sitting in a Command Post similiar looking to the Christa's.)

Bova: What is that? Is that the alien race that built the Christa?

Davenport: It might very well be. Rosie, can you -

(Suddenly the log activates. Miss Davenport, Bova, and Rosie stare in wonder as the alien speaks.)

Lumanian: First officer's log, final entry. The alien ship calling itself the Spung Killcruiser Kazada was more powerful than we suspected. We've destroyed it, but our own ship is dead in space beyond repair. Most of our crew have already evacuated on escape vessels. Apparently, an escape pod was jettisoned from the Spung ship just before it blew up and is heading this way. When they arrive, they will find this ship deserted.

Davenport: There are escaped Spung on that ship?

Lumanian: They do not know I've set this ship to self-destruct in just under thirty nimulae. A final gift from the Lumanians. First officer out!

(The message ends.)

Bova: Miss Davenport? Sometimes standing and waiting isn't enough to serve.

[END OF ACT ONE]

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[ACT TWO]

(We see Harlan and Radu still dealing with Warlord Shank in the room where the two are held captive. Harlan is talking, and Radu is looking back and forth between him and Warlord Shank like he's at a tennis match.)

Harlan: - so then the plasma should induce with the phased server transbyral generator. Targeting is done with a combination of laser-quadroblast sighting and - and thermal - You understand what I'm sayin', right?

Warlord Shank: Of course I do! In fact, you're wasting my time with such simplistic instructions! Warlord Shank has no time to waste talking to children!

(He leaves.)

Harlan: Well, don't think it hasn't been a little piece of heaven for us, too!

Radu: Transbyral generators? Quadro-blast - what was that all about?

Harlan: I don't know. I was making it up as I went.

Radu: Now, did you hear what Shank said? He doesn't realize there's two ships - he mistook this one for the Christa!

Harlan: Which means we have to hurry up and get outta here before he realizes there's a working ship connected to this one.

(We see three more people crossing the Airlock Passage to the sister ship, then cut to Commander Goddard, still poking around in the Command Post with his foot. He picks up a huge metal rod. Warlord Shank enters the room and laughs, and Commander Goddard turns around at the noise and sees him.)

Warlord Shank: You'll have to excuse me. I'm out of tranq-darts. You will have to be pacified through more painful means. I am Warlord Shank!

Goddard: Commander Seth Goddard.

Warlord Shank: Commander Seth Goddard.

Goddard: You've heard of me?

Warlord Shank: No. But when I add your name to my list of victims, I want to get it right.

(The two of them begin fighting, crashing and pushing their cattle prod and metal rod against each other as if in a sword duel. Warlord Shank gets the upper hand and starts to press the prod down on Commander Goddard, but Commander Goddard stomps on Warlord Shank's foot and runs off. The momentum of Warlord Shank jumping back in pain sends his prod crashing into a console, momentarily dazing him. He chases after Commander Goddard, but when the corridor reaches a branch point he goes in the wrong direction. He then turns a corner and runs right into Rosie and Miss Davenport. Bova is hiding off to the side. Miss Davenport screams and yanks Rosie closer to her. Cut to the sister ship's Command Post where an alarm is beginning to go off. We then see the Engine Room, where the engine is starting to go haywire with electricity. Cut to the sister ship's Team Room, where everyone is still tied up. Harlan is standing, and we see him jump backwards through his arms so they are now in front of him.)

Harlan: Did it!

(Airlock. Miss Davenport and Rosie are talking to Warlord Shank. Bova is still hiding out of sight.)

Davenport: I am telling you the truth! This ship has been set for self-destruct!

Warlord Shank: You would say anything to avoid being tortured.

Rosie: We're not afraid of you. We laugh at threats of torture! Don't we, Miss Davenport?

Davenport: (lauging nervously) That's not really the point, dear!

Warlord Shank: Quite true! This is -

(He points the cattle prod at them, then "zaps" the floor right next to them, near where Bova's hiding.)

Warlord Shank: This is Warlord Shank's last warning!

Bova: Twenty thousand volts? Baby food!

(Sister ship's Team Room. Harlan is untying his feet. He hears someone coming, and goes to stand beside the door to jump on them. He leaps on Commander Goddard as he comes in, throwing his still tied hands around Commander Goddard's neck.)

Goddard: (through his teeth) Harlan!

Harlan: Commander! Oh, are we glad to see you!

Goddard: A little more enthusiasm, you'd have broken my ribs!

(Harlan pulls his hands off of Commander Goddard's neck with some effort. Cut to the sister ship's Airlock.)

Warlord Shank: Where has your cowardly captain run off to?

(Miss Davenport looks insulted.)

Warlord Shank: And give me full operating information on this ship!

Davenport: Are you completely daft? This ship is going to blow up. Now what part of that sentence did you not understand?

Warlord Shank: I'm warning you -

Davenport: Nooo! I am warning you. Now you have two choices. Either zap me with that cattle prod, or get out of my way!

Warlord Shank: Very well. If those are my only two choices!

Davenport: Did I say two? I meant a few - hundred, perhaps -

(Rosie glances over to where Bova is, then shoves Miss Davenport aside.)

Rosie: Miss Davenport, move!

(The two of them jump out of the way, and Bova jumps out, takes the full charge and sends it back at Shank, who screams, falls backwards to the floor, and conks out for the moment. Cut to the rest of the crew leaving the sister ship's Team Room.)

Catalina: Harlan?

(He turns around to face her.)

Catalina: While Radu was untying me, he told me about how you stopped Warlord Shank from hurting me.

Harlan: Oh, it was no big deal.

(He starts to leave, but she grabs his arm and pulls him back, kisses him on the cheek, then walks away. He smiles, then follows her. Some moments later, we see Commander Goddard running out into the corridor, where he encounters Miss Davenport.)

Davenport: Commander, thank heavens!

Goddard: What are you doing here? Warlord Shank is running around!

Davenport: This ship! We have got to get out - it's going to blow up. That's what was in the ship's log!

Goddard: People, we are leaving!

(They run through the door. Cut to the sister ship's Command Post. Elmira is standing there, looking around, confused. Suddenly, Warlord Shank grabs her in a headlock.)

Warlord Shank: After all the time we've spent together! After all the glories of the Spung empire you've witnessed! Still you resist me! Haven't you learned anything?! What kind of daughter are you?

(She bites him, then uses her tail to push him down the jumptubes. Catalina and Harlan enter.)

Catalina: There you are!

(Harlan takes Elmira's arm and puts it over his shoulder.)

Harlan: Come on, let's move! Let's go, come on!

(They rush out. Cut to the alarms still going off, and the protomix still flashing. Then we see two people going through the sister ship's Airlock, and cut to inside the Christa's, where they are boarding. Radu, Rosie, Bova and Thelma are already inside as Commander Goddard and Miss Davenport come in.)

Goddard: Catalina and Harlan, where are they? They were right behind us!

Thelma: Commander, the Christa is preparing to break off from her sister ship! Destruction is imminent.

Goddard: I'm going after them! If I'm not back in thirty seconds, get this ship clear!

Davenport: Seth -

Goddard: That's an order, T.J.

Thelma: Here they come!

(We see Harlan helping Elmira into the sister ship's Airlock. Catalina is right behind him, but suddenly Warlord Shank grabs her and pulls her back.)

Warlord Shank: Not so fast!

Catalina: (screams) Harlan!

Harlan: (as the Airlock door is closing) No! Cat!

Catalina: Harlan!

(We see Warlord Shank pulling her away.)

Goddard: Hurry, hurry!

(Harlan and Elmira come through the Airlock.)

Harlan: Get her!

Goddard: Thelma!

Harlan: Cat's still in there!

Goddard: (as airlock door is closing) Cat!

(Harlan bangs helplessly on the Airlock controls.)

Harlan: The controls are not responding!

Goddard: Thelma! Emergency override!

(Thelma is holding Elmira, who is unconscious again.)

Thelma: I cannot, Commander. The Christa has sealed off the airlocks because she is moving away from her sister ship. It is about to blow up.

(Outside shot as the Christa pulls away. We see Harlan throwing himself at the Airlock door, screaming Catalina's name. The controls on the Command Post of the sister ship are still flashing brightly. As the Christa swoops away, we see the sister ship's engine flash brightly, and the sister ship blows up. Harlan starts crying, and finally Commandard Goddard hugs him and pulls him away. Cut to the Command Post some time later. Everyone is there - they're all crying. Commander Goddard is standing at Harlan's post. Miss Davenport, Bova, and Rosie are standing against the wall - she has a hand on each of their shoulders. Radu is at his post, playing with the tips of his gloves. Harlan is standing in front of the screen.)

Goddard: Team. There are so many things to say at a time like this. But not one of them will do a bit 'a good. Th-there's no worse feeling than losing a crew member. And no cure for it - but time.

Bova: Time? You mean like we'll forget?!

Goddard: Oh, you know that's not what I mean. I have lost so many crewmates. More than you could believe. But I've never - I've never felt any loss as deeply as this. But we have to go on. We have to be brave! She would have wanted that.

Harlan: What she would have wanted is to live! What she would have wanted is for me to - stop picking on her, and to - to be nice to her. To know how much - how much I liked her.

Rosie: She knew. I'd hear her whispering to Suzee at night. She knew how you felt about her. How we all felt.

Harlan: But I should have told her. I should have - I mean, she was the - she was the best.

(We see Commander Goddard now looking all choked up as well.)

Harlan: And, um -

Radu: - an honor to serve with.

(We hear Suzee's voice as she comes in, but we only see her from the back. She's wearing a shimmering blue robe with the hood pulled over her head.)

Suzee: There! I told you it would work. When the protomix blew I knew it would tear the dimensional fabric just enough to pull you through!

(Everyone goes over to where Suzee is standing.)

Harlan: Who the heck are you?

Suzee: You... you can see me?

Goddard: Yes, of course we can see you.

Suzee: Harlan? Rosie? You can -

Rosie: Sure, you're standing right there!

Suzee: Cat! They can see me!

Harlan: Cat? Cat? She's - she's safe? She's alive? She's alive!

(Everyone gets very excited, and looks around trying to see where Catalina might be.)

Harlan: Oh, Cat, come on, where are you?

Suzee: Cat, she's - she's right here, why can't you - Oh, no.

Harlan: No. No, don't - don't tell me you're -

Suzee: That's right, genius. I'm Suzee!

(Everyone stares in amazement as we fade out.)

[END CREDITS]

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