Landstar: Origins

Here is a script I wrote in college. This was before Landstar was a thing I came up with, but it was a major part of the beginning building blocks for the world that you have all fallen in love with~

INT. UNION SENATE MEMORIAL CHAMBER - MORNING

In a pitch white blooming room, only two things are visible. A  SMALL FIGURE standing in front of a large and royal looking portrait.

We see a close-up of the figure looking nervously and desperately and can tell that he isn’t human.

He is the new GRAND LEADER PHEN, a Gul-Matelyon from the planet Jin. He looks to be in his early 30s, with glorious hair and mane covering his neck. He is dressed in the same formal yet ceremonious outfit as the Gul-Matelyon in the portait.

-Phen sighs and slowly puts his head down in either thought, mourning, contemplation, or all at the same time.

The portrait shows a proud Gul-Matelyon significantly older than the one standing before the portrait.

A LARGE DOOR CREAKS OPEN. Grand Leader Phen snaps to attention as soon as he hears it. The bloom around the room dies down.

A large wooden door opens, revealing the head of ADVISOR TORIUS, a True Gregorian from the planet Orrery.

Torius has brown, curly hair and almost marble white skin.

TORIUS

(cautiously)

Sir?

Grand Leader Phen is quick to put on a brave face.

GRAND LEADER PHEN

(with courage)

Ah, Advisor Torius. I wasn’t expecting you. Is there a problem?

TORIUS

(less nervously)

Oh, err, no sir.

Torius walks with slightly more confidence into the room.

TORIUS

It’s just that some of the planet officials are outside and they aren’t being very patient and...

The door is then vigorously opened and 3 beings walk into the room with pride and gusto.

OFFICIAL1 puts his arms out and walks up to Grand Leader Phen.

OFFICIAL1

(Booming)

Grand Leader!

Official1 is an Ultradaam from the planet Socani, a race known for partying, heavy drinking, and expressing violent tendencies.

Ultradaams have bulky builds with smooth skin colored white with black lines on their cheeks just above and below their horns, which protrude backward from their cheeks and vary in size depending on their genetics.

The first official has longer horns than the others.

OFFICIAL1

I’ve been looking everywhere for you and my new friends here were too.

Official1 gestures to Official2 and Official3, who are looking around; one out of boredom, the other out of intrigue.

OFFICIAL1

(enthusiastic)

You see now that the formalities are out of the way, we can get down to what’s really important!

Official1 outs his arm around the Grand Leader, who looks at the Ultradaam with slight contempt and suspicion.

GRAND LEADER PHEN

(suspicious)

Oh? And what would that be?

OFFICIAL1

The GGP of course!

GRAND LEADER PHEN

(surprise)

The Galactic Grand Prix?

OFFICIAL1

Well you don’t have to spell it out. We all know what it stands for, ha ha!

GRAND LEADER PHEN

Isn’t your planet banned?

OFFICIAL1

Sure but that doesn’t mean we can’t have a party!

GRAND LEADER PHEN

I’m afraid I’ll have to pass. You know, as Grand Leader, I have to stay at my best at all times...

OFFICIAL1

Yes, yes, yes, I’m aware of your duties, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t live a little every now and again.

GRAND LEADER PHEN

Its not that I don’t appreciate the offer, really I do, but as of right now, it’s just not possible.

The Grand Leader brushes off the Ultradaam.

OFFICIAL1

Alright then, I guess. You are the boss after all.

The Ultradaam begins to walk away.

OFFICIAL1

Come friends! We will find more to join us!

OFFICIAL2

(bored in background)

Well that was pointless.

They become distant mumbles in the background. The only two people left in the room are Phen and Torius. The Grand Leader puts his head down, sighing.

GRAND LEADER PHEN

(commanding)

Torius.

Torius’ body jerks, not expecting the command.

TORIUS

(scared)

Y-yessir?

GRAND LEADER PHEN

You have a family right? Go home for today. I’d like to be alone for a while.

TORIUS

Oh. Well yes sir. Thank you sir.

Torius turns to leave.

TORIUS

(somber)

He was a good leader sir, but he also new when to relax.

Grand Leader Phen looks up wide-eyed as Torius runs away, expecting the Grand Leader to yell at him.

The DOOR SLAMS behind Torius.

Grand Leader Phen looks from the door to the portrait. He turns to face the portrait and then looks down thinking. He smiles and chuckles slightly.

GRAND LEADER PHEN

Well there is a reason the GGP exists after all.

Grand Leader Phen looks back up at the portrait once again in pride and admiration.

GRAND LEADER PHEN

(appreciation)

Looks like you got me again.

FADE TO WHITE.

EXT. NEW MERCURY - DAY (2 WEEKS LATER)

A bubble-like shield covers the settlement of a bustling new colony of the human race. A large ship capable of carrying thousands of people is grounded. People are coming and going with and without supplies.

In the center of town is an auto-crier which displays recent news and upcoming events to the people around the area.

One of these people is a child named KELTER (16 years old, white, short blonde hair). He looks up starry-eyed at one of the auto-crier’s events that reads: “Signups for the Galactic Grand Prix are ending in Three Days!”

The sign also says: “All Entrants must have 1 Pilot and 1 Engineer present!”

Unable to contain his excitement, Keller starts sprinting out of the town square and down to a small repair shop.

EXT. REPAIR SHOP - DAY

Despite the run being exhausting, Keller lets out a call to his friend.

KELTER

(shouting)

Juli!

Kelter stops to catch his breath.

Juli (17 years old, black, burly) steps out of the garage area of the repair shop shading his eyes.

Kelter looks up and smiles.

KELTER

(excited)

Hey Ji-guy!

Kelter begins to walk up when Juli puts up his hand, gesturing for him to stop.

JULI

(worried)

Wait! Don’t come any closer!

KELTER

Why? Juli what’s...

Kelter now realizes there is a distinct smell of some kind of fuel and sweat emanating from Juli’s shop.

KELTER

(disgusted)

What the hell is that smell?

JULI

(exhausted)

I was gonna warn you. It’s Gasoline.

KELTER

(coughing)

That’s what that smells like? No wonder no one uses it anymore! Where’d you even get it?

JULI

My dad found some barrels of the stuff back on Earth. I thought we could make use of it.

KELTER

Make use of it? The only use I see is us going up and down each house with stink bombs made of that stuff.

JULI

Bad idea. It’s super flammable.

KELTER

(surprised)

Then why did you bring it if it’s that dangerous! It’s practically useless to us and everyone here!

JULI

Well it’s supposed to last longer than the stuff we get from asteroids.

Kelter walks towards Juli.

KELTER

(cunning)

Well in that case we might have a use for it.

JULI

You talkin’ about the GGP?

KELTER

Hell yeah. You down for it?

JULI

I am but it’s not gonna matter if our folks aren’t “down with it.” Also I need to sleep. Can I go and do that?

KELTER

Oh, we can convince them easy.

JULI

So is that a no?

CUT TO:

INT. KELTER’S PARENTS HOUSE KITCHEN - EVENING

VEE, a 38-year-old mother with white skin and black hair, isn’t having it.

VEE

(angry and concerned)

Did you honestly believe it would be that easy?

KELTER

(annoyed)

Why?

VEE

Why? Do I really need to explain why? New Mercury isn’t a fully registered planet. We’ve literally been here for half an Earth month, and on top of that, you aren’t eligible to qualify. But you’re still asking why?

Vee turns to Juli.

VEE

And as for you, I don’t know where or how you got gasoline here, and you may think you’re exempt from the law until it’s completely established, but I suggest you get rid of it as soon as you can.

JULI

(exhausted)

What? But I...

VEE

I don’t want to hear it. Just get rid of it. I should talk to your dad about this too, but I trust you have the common sense to do the right thing yourself. Now go.

Juli leaves the house, his head hanging low.

JULI

(mumbling, inaudible to Vee)

I didn’t bring it.

KELTER

(sulking)

Dad would let me do it.

VEE

(hesitant)

No he wouldn’t and he’s...

Vee thinks about her husband for a moment before Kelter interrupts.

KELTER

(shouting)

Dad would tell me to go out there and live my life!

VEE

Your father grew up on the street! When he was your age he wasn’t some wannabe teenager, he was borderline suicidal!

Kelter goes quiet and begins sulking again.

VEE

Look, I know you love racing and this means everything to you. I see that, but sometimes you’ve got to slow down. Think things through. Don’t just say, “Oh I’m going to be in the biggest race ever now.”

Vee tries to get closer to Kelter, but Kelter runs away. Off-screen, a DOOR SLAMS.

Vee sighs and looks at the electrical signs through a window outside displaying a poster for the GGP.

Just then, the front door opens. BARD, a 40-year-old man with short brown hair and a full beard, walks in with a brown bag.

VEE

(sadly and calmly)

Hi honey, how’d the job go?

BARD

(proudly)

Pretty well. Those heat converters aren’t gonna die on us anytime soon that’s for sure.

Bard set the bag on the floor and kisses Vee.

BARD

(concerned)

What about you? Are you okay?

VEE

Kelter wants to be in the GGP.

BARD

(happy)

Well good for him! I’ll be rooting for him all the way!

VEE

(annoyed)

He can’t join!

BARD

Oh yeah that’s right. Not fully registered in the GU, got it.

VEE

Still that’s not the point. He’s too young!

BARD

(surprised)

Oh. Sorry. I thought you’d be okay with that.

VEE

Well I’m not.

Vee turns away in realization.

VEE

Oh god, I’m turning into my mother.

BARD

(trying to calm her down)

Its okay, Vee, it’s completely natural.

VEE

(panicking)

It’s that same rebellious streak I had. Am I doing it wrong? Should I let him participate? I mean, I was younger than him when I...

Bard grabs hold of Vee’s shoulders.

BARD

Vee, stop. You’re thinking too much about it. Just because you made some mistakes in the past doesn’t mean you should send our son off to repeat them. You’d just be making more mistakes in an attempt to stop making them.

VEE

(slowing down)

Okay, okay you’re right, but what do I do now?

BARD

Have you told him yet? About The Red Arrow and your friend Jess?

VEE

(hesitant)

No.

BARD

Tell him.

Vee slowly walks out of the kitchen.

On her way to Keller’s room, she glances at a model of a small red ship sitting on the windowsill, as well as a picture of herself and someone else: a young girl with straight light brown hair. Both are around the age of fourteen.

INT. MYSTERIOUS ROOM - NIGHT

The room is dark, with the only source of light being a spotlight from a workbench.

Hanging from the ceiling are different ship parts.

S-9001, a robot, is hunched over the workbench.

Suddenly a computer CHIMES and the screen lights up.

From S-9001’s POV, we see the computer.

S-9001 moves one of its arms into the light, adjusts its metallic wrist, and the wrist opens.

S-9001 takes a computer chip out of its arm and slips it into the computer. The wrist snaps shut and S-9001 looks back at the workbench.

On the workbench is a drawing of a familiar looking starship.

There is a clock in S-9001’s eyes.

9:30 P.M.

The name “J-719” appears in the top left of S-9001’s line of sight and its VOICE is heard.

J-719

So what’s the big secret?

S-9001

How do you feel about races?

J-719

The GGP?

S-9001

You must be slowing down. I may need to fix that.

J-719

I’m more surprised you want to be part of it.

S-9001

I get bored building and repairing ships for the others on Gondamous.

J-719

So you’re building a race car for yourself?

S-9001

I’m building you into a race car for us.

J-719

I didn’t agree to that.

S-9001

You will when I show you this.

The text reduces in size as S-9001 looks at the picture he drew. Some text pops up.

COMPUTER

Vision share? Yes/No

The “Yes” icon plinks three times and the text from the conversation expands.

J-719

Voyager? Really?

S-9001

What can I say? I know you.

J-719

What, so you’re going to put me into a starship from Star Trek? You know how rough the GGP tracks can be right?

S-9001

Well how else was I going to convince you?

J-719

Touche, but I think you’re forgetting a few things.

S-9001

I knew you were going to ask some questions so let’s get this out of the way.

J-719

1. Cyberines are banned.

S-9001

Cyberines are “limited”. It’s different. We can’t scan the track or create a program designed specifically to complete the track flawlessly. That is all.

J-719

Whatever. 2. Voyager is massive.

S-9001

Well obviously I’m going to adjust the size to compensate.

J-719

3. The second part of the stage requires wheels or for the ship to be “grounded”.

S-9001 looks away from the drawing of voyager and up at the ship parts. Through S-9001’s eyes, the room gets lighter.

J-719

Treads!?

S-9001

I like treads.

J-719

You know what? I think you’re insane. Even if you could make it work and go fast enough, I’m pretty sure assembly will take longer than we have time for.

S-9001 walks over to a lever on the wall and extends a robotic arm and pulls it. A clunk is followed closely behind a whirring noise as S-9001 looks up at the ceiling.

The ceiling has opened up to reveal a dark blue sky, which starts glowing.

The ship parts around the room start flying around the room, connecting and forming at the point between the two halves of the opened ceiling.

When the pieces stop moving, a smaller scale but fully formed Voyager hovers over S-9001.

J-719

I have too many questions.

S-9001

If one of them is how did I make the hull shape of Voyager in less than 5 seconds, the answer is magnets.

J-719

Magnets? I don’t think the Great Storm Dulaban is going to have a tough time destroying us.

S-9001

Oh well I am actually going to properly seal this thing. Magnets are magic, but they won’t hold against space lightning.

J-719

You really are insane, but I love it. So when are you going to put me in?

S-9001

Whenever is convenient.

The chat window closes.

S-9001 walks over to a window in the room.

We now see his reflection: S-9001 is a completely robotic organism from head to foot. Metal plating covers his entire body. He takes a deep breath and looks at his reflection with a pleased grin. [****If this entire scene plays out without your wanting to actually *show* S-9001 until this reveal, I would simply keep him being introduced by his name but maybe making a note at the very beginning of the scene that “we don’t actually see what S-9001 looks like” or something like that!]

S-9001 notices the time in the corner of his eyes.

9:31 P.M.

FADE TO:

INT. MAMMA’S HOUSE EARTH - DAY

A grandfather clock reads: 9:31.

A TV is on and slowly becomes more audible from the background.

TV ANNOUNCER (O.S.)

(raving)

Welcome back folks to the GFNN. Today we’re gonna talk about those Fool-Matelyons and let me tell ye they ain’t foolin’ me! They’re foolin’ everyone else but NOT ME GODDAMMIT!

The TV is being watched by an elderly woman in a recliner, referred to as MAMA by everyone she’s ever met. She is black, late-70s, and really getting excited by the man on the TV.

TV ANNOUNCER  (O.S.)

They go around pretending our problems are like stolen lollipops! What REALLY happened to Mercury, HUH? I’ll tell you what, those bastards at the Galactic Union they’ve done it folks! They made that super weapon, that project planet buster I was tellin’ y’all about!

A screen door opens.

GERR, a mid-30s black man walks into the house wearing a biker jacket and jeans with a bright red shirt underneath.

GERR

Mamma? You here?

Mamma doesn’t respond.

Gerr walks into the TV room and sees Mamma watching TV.

TV ANNOUNCER (O.S.)

We haven’t been in contact with the Martians lately have we? What’s that Gully boy hidin’ from us that we don’t know huh? They’re genocidin’ ‘em folks and WE’RE NEXT!

Gerr sighs.

GERR

(disappointed)

Oh Mamma, I told you to stop watching that guy. He’s just gonna get you all wound up.

Gerr walks over and grabs the remote off a table next to Mamma’s recliner.

TV

AND WHY DOES EVERYONE SPEAK ENGLISH!?

The TV turns off.

MAMMA

(angry)

I knew it. They all doin’ somethin’ fishy up there.

Mamma starts to cry.

MAMMA

(crying)

And my only son is too dumb to see through all the lies!

Gerr stands in front of the TV and folds his arms.

GERR

(trying to calm her down)

The guy on the TV’s just some nut who got popular online and managed to snag a job gettin’ people to believe in his BS.

MAMMA

(angry)

And what aboutchu, huh? You’d rather go play race cars with those politicians than help out with the bigger issues.

GERR

C’mon Mamma, it ain’t like that. I’m in the GGP to help everyone take their mind off the politics. Don’t you think you should too?

MAMMA

No! We need to deal with these issues now  before we get Trojan Horse’d or 9/11’d! I don’t wanna be in another world war let alone a galactic scale one! Who knows what that could mean!

Gerr rubs his temple with his hand.

MAMMA

(paranoid)

The Martians were right. I can already see it now. The crazies erupting on all sides trying to ban everything leads nukes in the middle-east with America looking like the bad guy, the internet goes down, over a billion people die...

GERR

Mamma please stop.

Mamma suddenly stops and reaches around for a laptop.

MAMMA

I have to contact PoodleQanon and...

Mamma starts shaking vigorously.

Gerr quickly gets closer and grabs hold of her.

GERR

(shocked)

Mamma? Mamma! It’s okay, it’s just me! Look at me!

Mamma shakes a moment longer and then slows down. She looks at Gerr.

MAMMA

(happy)

Oh Gerr! How is Mamma’s boy?

Mamma kisses Gerr on the cheek. Gerr slowly puts on an awkward smile.

MAMMA

Are you going to be a part of this year’s race?

Gerr looks at her thinking on what to say.

EXT. MAMMA’S HOUSE - DAY

As Gerr walks through the screen door we see the house is small yet homely and surrounded on all sides by woods. Gerr sighs and sees CHAR, a white girl, early 30s, short blonde hair, smiling and standing in front of him.

EXT. FOREST - DAY

Gerr and Char are walking together in the forest.

GERR

(curious)

How’d you find me here?

CHAR

(joking)

Lover’s intuition?

Gerr rolls his eyes. Char jabs him.

CHAR

(laughing)

I’m kidding man! Your phone has a locator in it. I tracked that.

GERR

(surprised)

You tracked me? What am I prey to you?

CHAR

Are you offering to be?

Char laughs it off but Gerr is too distracted to care.

CHAR

Well?

GERR

(somber)

It happened again. I don’t know how, but I think that damn TV has to go.

CHAR

(annoyed and under her breath)

I think she has to go.

GERR

What was that?

CHAR

Ugh, nothing. Just can we please get back to the trial runs?

Gerr stops.

GERR

(annoyed)

Actually I think I’m gonna stay here.

Char stops and turns.

CHAR

(angry)

What did you say?

GERR

You heard me. I’m staying with Mamma. You can agree that family is more important than some stupid race right?

CHAR

Not when this is your life we’re talkin’ about and the family you’re with is seconds from dying!

GERR

More reason for me to stay.

CHAR

Gerr, this wasn’t some one time thing! You’re a GGP vet! This is like you’re giving all that glory up! Millions would kill to be where you are! And for what? Some dying hag?

Gerr looks shocked, his eyes stare with a piercing gaze at Char.

CHAR

(realization)

Oh shit Gerr I...

GERR

(angry)

I know she wasn’t easy for you to get along with, but she’s still my Mamma and I care about her more than anyone.

CHAR

Gerr really I’m sorry, okay? I get like that when I’m heated, and she really gets me heated y’know? She just won’t let the politics go.

Gerr turns around.

GERR

(mind made up)

Forget the race. If you can’t, then find someone else.

Gerr heads back to Mamma’s house.

Char watches Gerr leave.

CHAR

(sighing)

Shit.

The sky darkens and then FADES INTO a light blue sky.

[I DEFINITELY DIDN’T NAIL THIS BUT I WOULD STREAMLINE THAT SKY TRANSITION!!!]

INT. COLOSSEUM TRACK ORRERY - AFTERNOON

A circular racing track housed in a colosseum. 

A True Gregorian, APIAS, a woman in her late-20s with long white curly hair and marble skin, is wearing a suit and tie and holding a stopwatch.

A ship suddenly appears from nowhere and GRINDS to a halt.

The ship has very dull colors and looks like a rocket with 3 retracting fins.

The side of the ship opens to reveal YURA.

Yura is an Abherand from the planet Raseli. She looks to be in her 30s, has light blue skin and long blue hair, is fairly tall and lanky, has barely visible pupils, and wears a brown racing suit.

YURA

Apias, how was that?

APIAS

(pompous)

Exactly 4.4 seconds, Madam. Impressive as always.

YURA

(unimpressed)

Hmm. But not good enough.

APIAS

Madam, you’ve been at this for hours. It’s already impressive enough that you can withstand such an incredible force without your body collapsing.

YURA

All Abherands can withstand that kind of force, Apias. It’s expected of all of us when we go through military training. It isn’t important right now anyway. What’s important is the stopping speed not being fast enough.

An ERUPTION OF NOISE is heard nearby and smoke starts billowing from outside the colosseum.

Yura’s eyes widen and her pupils become more visible as she looks up at the smoke.

YURA

(shock)

Ostrim...

Yura breaks into a run out of the colosseum.

Apias follows.

EXT. COLOSSEUM TRACK - AFTERNOON

OSTRIM, a burly Abherand appearing to also be in his 30s and wearing overalls, walks out of the smoke coughing.

YURA

What the hell are you doing over there?

Ostrim looks up and smiles at Yura.

OSTRIM

(grinning)

Oh, nothing. Just, err...

Ostrim looks back at the smoke.

OSTRIM

Cooking.

YURA

(hands on hips)

Cooking? Honestly you really are a giant man-baby if you think I’m gonna believe that.

OSTRIM

Professional man-baby, that’s me!

YURA

(angry)

Ostrim! You could have died!

Ostrim points finger guns at Yura.

OSTRIM

Yeah, but I didn’t so...

Ostrim walks backwards into the smoke.

OSTRIM

Take that, I guess.

Yura face-palms. 

YURA

Ugh.

Yura looks sadly back into the smoke.

Apias looks at her clipboard and stopwatch.

APIAS

(uninterested)

I’m sure your husband will be fine, Madam. If you yourself have the high mental and physical fortitude to withstand a light speed to 0 in less than 5 seconds, I can only imagine what his is like.

YURA

(sarcastic)

You would think that wouldn’t you Apias. Do you even know anything about Abherands?

APIAS

(uppity)

True Gregorians only record data relevant to the universe, not data relevant to species that will ultimately achieve nothing, but I shouldn’t have to tell you, of all people, this now should I, Madam?

YURA

(frustrated)

Apias, shut up. Honestly, why did Ostrim ever want to come to Orrery of all places to do trial runs? The tech here isn’t designed for high velocity ships, the landscape isn’t representative of anything we’ll encounter on the course, there isn’t even a good place to eat here!

Apias looks at Yura.

APIAS

Sounds like you have some unresolved issues.

Yura turns to Apias.

YURA

(sighing)

Not really. End of the day he finds a reason as to why he’s right to do anything. Even if that reason is “because why not?”

APIAS

And now it sounds like he’s got you under his thumb.

Yura rolls her eyes.

YURA

As usual Apias, you wouldn’t understand.

APIAS

No, I suppose I wouldn’t.

Apias goes back to her clipboard and stopwatch.

OSTRIM

(from the decaying smoke)

I couldn’t help but overhear a small part of that conversation.

Yura turns back to the smoke and gasps.

Ostrim stands outside the smoke on a glowing car-like frame with large glowing wheels.

OSTRIM

(grinning)

There is another reason to being on Orrery besides “why not?” Oh, and by the way, that is a good reason, okay?

YURA

(surprise)

Ostrim, what is that?

The wheels and frame are suddenly sucked in towards Ostrim and are gone in an instant.

OSTRIM

(proud)

This...

Ostrim holds up a metallic square.

OSTRIM

Actually I don’t know what I’m calling it yet. “Light wheels” is just too generic.

Apias walks passed Yura wide-eyed staring directly at the object Ostrim is holding.

APIAS

(shock)

I-I w-what?

OSTRIM

Ah, see Apias knows what’s up. Anyway Yura this is the reason we came to Orrery.

APIAS

H-How could... no how DID you...

OSTRIM

Wheels made with a mix of Gregorian hard light and force fields.

YURA

Well Ostrim you’ve surprised me and...

Apias starts drooling and lightly caressing the object.

YURA

Clearly you’ve enticed Apias, but what does this do for us?

OSTRIM

You know about Vanz right?

YURA

The desert planet with high gravity we’ll need to cross? I am aware.

Ostrim moves the object away from Apias in an unsuccessful attempt to get her to stop.

OSTRIM

These wheels should be more than capable of traversing that terrain.

YURA

Wow! So it can support the weight of the ship?

OSTRIM

Without a doubt.

Ostrim shoos away Apias who starts to snap out of her daze.

APIAS

But our hard light is brittle! How did you account for that?

OSTRIM

Well obviously I had to melt it down and...

APIAS

(gobsmacked)

Melt? You don’t just melt Gregorian light! No True Gregorian has ever done that!

OSTRIM

(shrugging)

First time for everything?

Apias back away speechless.

YURA

(happy and proud)

Ostrim, how do you do it?

OSTRIM

Well I’d be lying if I said it was easy. I did actually almost die back there.

Yura walks up to Ostrim and smacks him.

OSTRIM

(surprised)

Ow!

YURA

(annoyed)

Oh don’t act so surprised. You know exactly why you deserved that. I’m not having my husband...

Yura starts crying and hugs Ostrim.

Ostrim drops the object in surprise.

YURA

If you ever do that again I’ll kill you!

Ostrim returns the hug.

OSTRIM

(calmly)

I’ll hold you to that.

Apias starts buzzing round the object on the ground like a moth to a flame.

FADE TO BLACK.

FADE IN:

STARS, CROWD AUDIO, MUSIC.

EXT. SPACE RACE STARTING LINE - DAY