This is the eighth and final scene of ORBITUS. Catch up on previous scenes: one, two, three, four, five, six & seven.
Int. Orbitus Kaltrone Spaceship, Research Laboratory 2, Level A1.
The doors to the lab tear open. The glass cabinet smashes into sharp fragments as the military push past and rush inside.
They surround the room in seconds, weapons aimed at the scientists standing in the middle.
Dr Glynn and Kamon have their hands in the air. Albertan is doubled over, his head against the creature’s. He whispers something inaudible and the creature’s eyes snap open.
CAPTAIN PAE
Hands where we can see them, Doctor.
No one moves.
Albertan slowly stands and lifts his hands in the air. A smile creeps at the corner of his lips.
Int. Orbitus Kaltrone Spaceship, Meeting Room 4, Level A3.
The meeting room is lit by a sole pendant lamp – a spotlight on Major Lovas, Captain Pae and Lieutenant Holbrook, who sit in the middle of the mahogany table. Major Lovas leans back in her seat, her eyes fixed on Lieutenant Holbrook’s drumming fingers. Captain Pae stares out of the glass wall windows, arms crossed.
CAPTAIN PAE
[Impatient]
Where is Dr Rune?
LIEUTENANT HOLBROOK
[Sits to attention]
He must be running late, Captain. I believe he was still finishing up in the lab. He has been examining Dr Larsson’s notes for further analysis. And he still needed to tend to the creature’s wounds.
MAJOR LOVAS
No bother. We must kill it.
CAPTAIN PAE
[Surprised]
The creature is innocent, Major.
MAJOR LOVAS
We cannot confirm nor deny that the creature has been compromised.
The door to the meeting room swings open. Dr Rune pokes his head in.
DR RUNE
Permission to enter?
Captain Pae raises an eyebrow.
CAPTAIN PAE
Granted.
Dr Rune enters and stands by the end of the table.
LIEUTENANT HOLBROOK
What did Dr Larsson do to the creature, Doctor?
DR RUNE
What didn’t he do? His research was so intensive. I spent the last twenty-four hours combing through everything. It looks like he’d been planning this infiltration for years. Just waiting for the right time to get his hands on a compatible subject. He’d tried before, with creatures from Planet I and Planet II; he was using echinoderms, but the creature from Planet III was a mammal and reflected a similar DNA structure to our own. By taking DNA samples from staff on the ship, I believe he was trying to blend the two DNA types together. Ms La Fleur can obviously attest to this.
LIEUTENANT HOLBROOK
So, what? Create a hybrid between our two species? Unify the mind and body of separate entities?
DR RUNE
More like, create life in his own image, if you will Lieutenant.
MAJOR LOVAS
And how dangerous is this creature, Doctor?
DR RUNE
Dangerous? I think the real danger was that idiot Larsson. Thinking he could create ‘life’ by editing the DNA structure of another creature. I’ve run my own tests. The creature is uncompromised, Major. That, I would bet my life on.
Int. Orbitus Kaltrone Spaceship, Prison cell, Level D5.
Albertan is kneeling; he is without his glasses, dressed in burgundy prisoner attire and chained to the wall of the small, windowless cell.
The metal cell is hot, with steam pumping into the room through pipes in the corners of the ceiling. Sweat drips from Albertan’s face, pooling at his knees.
Major Lovas and Cadet Jewel-Bird stand over Albertan, unaffected by the heat. Cadet Jewel-Bird holds a copper spray bottle in thickly gloved hands.
MAJOR LOVAS
I want to avoid further dishonour, Doctor. I need to know. What alterations were made to the creature?
Albertan says nothing. His hands, scattered with small blisters, ball into fists.
MAJOR LOVAS (CONT’D)
You and your team are facing multiple charges of espionage, treason and murder. You will return home for prosecution. And yet, you still say nothing?
Albertan takes a shallow breath.
MAJOR LOVAS (CONT’D)
Very well.
Major Lovas nods to Cadet Jewel-Bird. She holds out the copper bottle and sprays Albertan with the fine mist. He cries out as the mist sears his skin.
ALBERTAN
[Breathless]
Do you know who I am?
MAJOR LOVAS
I know who you think you are, Doctor. But believe me, there is much left to be desired.
The door to the cell opens.
NOVA (O.S.)
Major.
Albertan looks up and sees Nova. She stands in the doorway, only partially in view. She uses an electronic touch screen to turn off the steam, causing the room to cool.
NOVA (CONT’D)
The shuttle is ready for the final prisoner. Lieutenant Moreau will be here in a moment as an official escort.
MAJOR LOVAS
Is Captain Pae ready for his return home? Have you supplied him with the transfer papers for Capital Prison?
Lieutenant Moreau appears in the doorway next to Nova.
NOVA
Yes, Major. Is there anything else you need from me?
Albertan looks to Nova and desperation settles over him.
ALBERTAN
Nova, please, Nova! You understand why I did it, don’t you?
Nova stands still, her eyes fixed straight ahead.
Major Lovas nods to Lieutenant Moreau, who walks forward and begins to unlock Albertan’s chains. She replaces them with electronic handcuffs, keeping his arms behind his back.
ALBERTAN (CONT’D)
You don’t understand! None of you will ever understand. I have created something beautiful. I have created life in thy own image!
CADET JEWEL-BIRD
[Spitefully]
You and Kamon failed, Albertan. Dr Rune cleared the creature. You failed.
Albertan begins to laugh hysterically. He has a manic look in his eye.
MAJOR LOVAS
Remove him.
Lieutenant Moreau and Cadet Jewel-Bird drag Albertan away. He is still laughing, but his voice fades as the electronic doors of the cell close, leaving Major Lovas and Nova standing in the warm room, alone.
MAJOR LOVAS
Are you okay to continue, Ms La Fleur? We have a long journey ahead of us. Our quest for an uninhabited planet does not waver with this setback.
NOVA
[Resolved]
I don’t see my future going any other way, Major.
Int. Orbitus Kaltrone Spaceship, Office, Level A1
Dr O’valim struts down the hall towards Albertan and Dr Rune’s office. Her heels click ceremoniously as she marches forward.
She reaches the final door in the corridor and swings it open to find Dr Rune, leaning on his desk, his face in his hands.
DR O’VALIM
Dr Rune. I sent you a memo this morning. Does this department not hold anything sacred anymore? We are seizing all of Dr Larsson’s work as evidence for the trial. I needed you out of here.
Dr Rune sloppily sits up and wipes his mouth with the back of his hand.
DR RUNE
I heard no such thing, Supervisor-man.
Dr O’valim leans forward and smells Dr Rune’s half-empty mug.
DR O’VALIM
[Shaking her head]
You can’t be serious. Walbert, you’re drunk.
DR RUNE
Drunk? I’ll tell you what’s drunk.
Dr Rune falls off of his chair, taking the mug down with him. It shatters on the floor.
DR O’VALIM
[Unimpressed]
Are you about done?
Dr Rune stays on the ground on all fours. He hangs his head.
DR RUNE
[Defeated]
You think you know, but you don’t know until you know.
Dr Rune hiccups and wipes his chin with the back of his hand.
DR RUNE (CONT’D)
He was smarter than me. The asshole knew what he was doing.
DR O’VALIM
[Concerned]
What are you talking about?
DR RUNE
Larsson! And that creature. I thought … I thought I was reading the data. I wanted to do right by Dr Amundsen. But it turns out …
Dr Rune sits back on his heels and reaches up to roughly grab at a pile of papers scattered on his desk. The papers crumple in his closed fist.
DR RUNE (CONT’D)
I-I … I misread the data. I was looking at the molecule order again this morning and it seemed unaffected by Larsson’s gene-editing. But then I saw it. He moved the sequence of one – just one – nitrogen base. The creature’s genetic code was altered. I missed it.
DR O’VALIM
[Suddenly breathless]
What do you mean? You approved the creature’s release.
Ext. Planet III, Ground Zero, Night.
The Pod unsteadily lands in what was once the military’s campsite. The grass is still indented where tents, Pods and equipment once stood.
As quickly as the Pod lands, it relaunches, flying off into the distance as if it had never been there at all.
The creature stands in the now-empty grass field. It holds a tentative hand in the air, pointing to the stars, and watches as the Pod shoots away like a comet. A cool breeze rustles the creature’s fur. It peers out into the shadows of the nearby forest. The tree line is dark, but eyes begin to emerge from within the shadows.
Another creature appears out of the forest. Its body is hunched over, knuckles dragging across the ground. It grunts and sniffs the newly landed creature, who takes a step back. Pausing, Albertan’s creature straightens and looks the other in the eye.
Placing a pointed finger to its chest in acknowledgement, the creature speaks, struggling with the raspy sound caught in its throat.
CREATURE
Edim.
Orbitus was written by Olivia Hides and was presented in instalments throughout 2019 at the Antithesis Journal blog.
Scene 1 was published on 16 April 2019
Scene 2 was published on 13 May 2019
Scene 3 was published on 12 June 2019
Scene 4 was published on 29 June 2019
Scene 5 was published on 31 July 2019
Scene 6 was published on 1 September 2019
Scene 7 was published on 8 December 2019