Planet Despotism, page 9
ALDRON
The location of the murder is on your communicators and the information on the weapons specialists.
He tosses ten dinavion coins on the bed.
ALDRON (CONT'D)
These are for your guns.
The black inked imprint within the collar of the tunic reads "property of the zenar homeless shelter" as Gaius picks up the tunic and a pair of pants from the bed and walks back into the bathroom. Aldron walks toward the door when Jarthem talks from across the room at him.
JARtHEM
Excuse me, but are you taking these collars off our necks?
Palos, Sanquz and Ramalah look at Aldron as Jarthem waits for a response. He walks across the room, then stands face to face with Jarthem.
ALDRON
And if I don't, what will you do?
ALDRON (CONT'D)
NOTHING! But you are free and you will be after you do this for me. However, I feel no sympathy for any of you, the choices you made put you in this position.
They look at Aldron and sit in silence as he walks to the door.
ALDRON (CONT'D)
The temple workers are the only ones that can take that off. You can try but the acid inside will kill you and melt through your skin and bone.
Then he closes the door and walks down the hall as they look on.
ALLEYWAY.
Shagree hides in between two abandoned buildings, across the street from the homeless shelter. The helio-craft sail off the roof of the shelter and more than thirty minutes pass before Jarthem, Gaius, Palos and Sanquz emerge through the front doors of the shelter. Shagree follows them.
CUT TO:
INT. GENNAEUS CITY. BACK ALLEY/HOOKAH BAR. --NIGHT.
All five of the ex-constables meet a gunrunner in a dead-end alley. The gunrunner lays two titanium suitcases at their feet, stoops down, then unlatches the cases. Their eyes brighten in delight when they look down on a bevy of exotic guns, knives and explosives.
Gunrunner
I don't take Rodells so how much can you spend?
Jarthem drops ten dinavion coins in the palm of his hand. The gunrunner takes out five guns and lays out several boxes of bullets on the ground.
Gunrunner (CONT'D)
I'll throw this in for you, as well.
He hands them a sphere attached to a magnetic plate.
JARTHEM
What is this?
GunRUNNER
You take this off the back, stick it anywhere, and in five seconds it explodes!
CUT TO:
INT. GENNAEUS CITY. HOOKAH BAR.--NIGHT.
The ex-constables walk out of the alley, head up the street, and into the hookah bar. They take a seat at a table near a window. The male in black boots and fatigues passes by the window, enters the bar, and approaches their table saying...
SHAGREE
I see everyone here use to enforce the laws.
Shagree looks at the markings under their right wrist, showing them his wrist as well.
SHAGREE (CONT'D)
I was once Constable as well. Can I sit with all of you?
JARTHEM
For what?
Ramalah
Jarthem. He used to be one of us. Have a seat, friend.
Shagree pulls a chair from another table up, then squeezes into the crowded round table in between Ramalah and Palos.
GAIUS
Are you drinking anything?
SHAGREE
Uhhh--No, I came here to talk.
GAIUS
About what?
SHAGREE
I want to talk to you about your visitor.
JARTHEM
What do you mean?
SHAGREE
I was at the shelter with my friend and I saw Governor Aldron leaving your room when I passed. I wasn't sure if it was him because his head was covered, but when I extended my hand to greet him, he didn't shake it, and then I knew for sure it was him. He never looked at me. He looked past me when he left. He's the type that reminds everyone that they're not important. Did any of you feel that way around him?
Silence is the only answer as everyone at the table thinks.
GAIUS
Who are you?
JARTHEM
How did you know who he was?
SHAGREE
I'm an ex-constable like you.
SHAGREE (CONT'D)
Did the Governor tell you to look for this?
Shagree holds up an eight by ten holographic picture of the key as the entire table looks in astonishment.
JARTHEM
Where did you get that?
SHAGREE
The same place where I got this.
RAMALAH
What is that?
He takes an electronic rod, turns to Palos, then slides the rod into a slot in the back of the collar while they yell.
RAMALAH (CONT'D)
WHAT ARE YOU DOING!
GAIUS
HE'S GOING TO DI--!!!
Shagree lifts Palos' head up by his hair, then throws the collar on the table.
SHAGREE
Is that the lie he told you?
SHAGREE (CONT'D)
Bring the key to me and I'll do this for everyone. How can you trust someone that works at a house of lies?
GAIUS
What does this key unlock?
Why do you want it? Why do the both of you want it?
SHAGREE
What's more important, that I answer the question, or your freedom?
Shagree gets up from the table as he speaks.
SHAGREE (CONT'D)
Thought so. Bring me what I need and you'll get what you need.
He extends his arm to shake their hands. They shake his hand and Shagree walks off. Gaius shouts at him as he cracks open the back door.
JARTHEM
HOW CAN WE FIND YOU?
SHAGREE
I'll find you.
CUT TO:
EXT. FALLUZ FOREST. NEAR THE SECUNDUS REGION. --NIGHT.
The former constables hear the horns of the train whistling to a stop five miles behind them as they carve a path through the forest. Giant grasshoppers brush their legs into an annoying buzzing concert while resting camouflaged in the green moss of the forest trees. All five tread quietly, deeper into the forest as a couple of centipede pythons crawl up into the trees ahead of them. They hear the cracking of twigs as they continue to walk. As the sound of footsteps grow closer, they clamor to each other while looking in every direction. They take out their guns as they come to a stand-still in an open area of the forest. The darkness fragments their vision as they search the space in between the trees.
MALE'S VOICE
PUT YOUR WEAPONS ON THE GROUND!
Hearing a command at their backs, they slowly lower their guns to the ground.
MALE'S VOICE (CONT'D)
NOW TURN AROUND!
They turn around and look across the empty forest, expecting to see someone.
MALE'S VOICE (CONT'D)
What are you looking for?
The voice speaks out from behind them and they turn back around. The long horns and bull face of the four-legged equus stuns Gaius when he turns around. The rider pulls on the reins, turning the equus bridle to the side, then rubs down the side of the stallion's neck. Fifty gold-skinned males stand at the sides of the rider, pointing machine guns at Gaius and his company. Famine has robbed the militia of their health and weakened their arms, but pride holds the guns straight ahead. They hide their starvation behind tethered clothing and sackcloth bags on their backs that are filled with dented pots, pans, and blankets. The militia surrounds Gaius, Jarthem, Palos, Ramalah, and Sanquz as the rider repeats the question...
RIDER
Why are you here?
GAIUS
Looking for a good time at a brothel. We have no issues with the Claymoulus.
The equus rider looks them over for a few seconds. He looks them up and down, then jerks the reins on the bridle and the equus steps through Gaius and Jarthem. The militia lowers their guns then withdraw from them, following behind the rider. Gaius and the others pick up their guns as five hundred malnourished gold-colored males pour out from behind the trees and onto the path carved through the forest behind them. The rider spurs the four-legged animal and speeds through the path of the forest, yelling at the militia....
EQUUS RIDER
TOL ZOLO NOIT TE NOM.
(freedom or death)
CUT TO:
EXT. HAZAMAVETH BUILDING. DOWNSTAIRS LOBBY AREA. --NIGHT.
Burned flesh stings the air as the ex-constables walk out of the woods toward the large armored building. They glance at the exploded helio-ship on the far side of the property. They step over the dead soldier on the steps and walk through the bombed-out entrance of the building into a tomb.
SECOND FLOOR.
Pinching the bottom of his nostrils, Jarthem and the others head up the lobby stairs as Gaius walks around the first floor.
Gaius turns on the light from his communicator, then heads down the back corridor when he notices a faded footprint of an oily black substance on the linoleum floor. He follows the trail to the back wall of the building, then exits out of the back door.
REAR OF BUILDING.
Walking around the rear door of the building, Gaius picks up the trail of black footprints in the back of the building. Jarthem and the others join him outside and Jarthem walks to Gaius with a picture of Merizadad in his hand.
JARTHEM
This is who we're looking for, she had help when she got out of here.
GAIUS
His tracks give him away, he came from the muddy black shores. We have to go that way.
Gaius walks toward the forest and they all follow behind him.
CUT TO:
INT. SECUNDUS REGION. RAJAIRUS' HOME. BEDROOM. --NIGHT.
Rajairus is in the middle of a metal pulley, splicing open a wire inside the hip area of a pair of strapped-in robotic legs. Twisting the new wire into the old he caps it off, then presses the remote on the pulley to lower the legs gently on the floor. Unstrapping the legs, he takes a seat on a bucket next to the pulley machine, then picks his computerized tablet off the floor. Pressing a button on the tablet's screen, the carbon fiber legs start to walk out of the pulley and across the room. Its mechanical boots run into the wall, then take a step back in Rajairus' direction. Jumping up from the floor in excitement, Rajairus walks it back into the middle of the tower-shaped pulley. He then grabs a computerized carbon fiber pole off the dresser, then connects the pole into a hole buried in the middle of the hips.
KITCHEN DOWNSTAIRS.
Pieces of charcoal burn inside the box of cemented bricks, and an iron skillet of simmering rice sits atop the brick stove. Samair turns off the faucet and pours the cup of water into the skillet, then joins Merizadad at the table.
SAMAIR
How long were you living there?
MERIZADAD
I was raised there.
MERIZADAD (CONT'D)
I was sold to the owner at a very young age because my father couldn't pay his debts. When I was younger I escaped many times but Hazamaveth, the owner, always found me and would beat me for leaving. And as time would have it, I became pregnant by him with Yalena. Shortly after I gave birth he introduced me to the Chief Governor, Covaniah. He took a possessive interest in me. He wanted to take me on a journey with him, but I couldn't bring my daughter because she wasn't his. I told him that I'd never abandon her. She's the only joy I've ever known. I found out that he bought me from the brothel and Hazamaveth was to look the other way while Covaniah stole me away from her. I couldn't let that happen. I couldn't let my daughter live my life.
She wipes the tears from her eyes.
So he entered my room and planned on beating me until I left with him, but I wasn't fighting for my life, I was fighting for hers.
That's when Rajairus found me. In a moment when I needed someone to help me. And somehow we made it out of there. We were outnumbered and I was terrified, but we got out of there alive.
Samair clutches her hands in Merizadad's.
SAMAIR
I'm so sorry those things happened to you. But everything you've been through happened so that you would be strong for her in that moment.
Back to:
INT. SECUNDUS REGION. RAJAIRUS' HOME. BEDRROM --NIGHT.
A small welder, a couple of wrenches, and a set of screwdrivers clutter the wooden floor. Sitting on a stool in front of the pulley, Rajairus connects a series of wires into the robot's hips. He connects them into the wires in its upper torso and caps them off as the mechanical pulley holds up the robot's torso. Rajairus stretches around the back of the robot and opens the hatch in its back, then pulls down on a lever buried deep inside its torso. The tiny bulbs in its motherboard light up within its torso. Its fluorescent green lights power on as its eyes dilate, adjusting to the brightness of the room. Closing the hatch, Rajairus lowers its slight, six foot dark gray frame to the floor, then walks around the front of the robot.
RAJAIRUS
Corvus, can you hear me?
CORVUS tips its oval face up slowly, then down.
RAJAIRUS (CONT'D)
Can you take a step?
Corvus pivots forward to take a step out of the pulley and walks across the room.
CUT TO:
EXT. SECUNDUS REGION. AUSNUH'S BACKYARD/OPEN FIELD. --NIGHT.
Ausnah walks out of the back opening of his home with his trashcan. Dumping the trash into the garbage bin, he walks back to his home as Jarthem and the others stare from behind the helio-craft.
GAIUS
You think that's him?
JARTHEM
Only one way to find out!
CUT TO:
INT. SECUNDUS REGION. AUSNAH'S HOME. DINING ROOM. --NIGHT.
Ausnah walks through the rear door of his pyramid and into the dinning room, then kisses his six year old son on the cheek as he sits at the table. Two bowls of hot water rest on the table as Ausnah walks to the kitchen.
KITCHEN.
Ausnah walks into the kitchen as his wife, Hadiya, pours a pot of hot water into a bowl. Ausnah touches her hand, then looks up and spreads her closed mouth in pleasant acknowledgement. He takes the bowl and walks out of the kitchen. She pulls out a wooden spoon and drizzles the water over the cemented bricked oven to put out the fire. Then she places the pot into the old, rusty sink and walks out of the kitchen into the dining room to join her family.
Hadiya stops in the doorway of the dining room, her eyes twitching in disbelief at what she sees. Her shoulder sways into the corner of the doorway as three intruders stand on the other side of the room. A gun is glued to the top of her son's head as Jarthem holds his chin in the fold of his elbow. Ausnah's head is pinned into the puddle of hot water spilled across the table as Gaius twists his arm behind his back with a pistol lodged deeply into his jaw. The other males stand guard at the opened back door of their pyramid. Gaius' eyes roll off Hadiaya and onto Jarthem....
GAIUS
That's not her.
HADIYA
Please don't hurt them.
JARTHEM
THAT DEPENDS ON YOU!
JARTHEM (CONT'D)
YOU CAN SAVE THE BOTH OF THEM, JUST TELL ME WHERE SHE IS!
Sliding the pistol down her son's head, Jarthem presses a button on his armband, then lifts the picture off his armband with his finger. He throws the virtual eight by ten three dimensional file of Merizadad at her.
HADIYA
She's next door.
As she points to the left side of the room, Gaius beckons for Sanquz to enter the pyramid. Sanquz walks in, spikes the tip of his pistol into Ausnah's forehead, then twists his arm up even higher. Gaius walks to Hadiya and strikes her across the face with the stock of his gun, surrendering her to the floor. Ausnah flares and lifts his head in anger. Sanquz strikes him across the back of his head with his gun and it accidentally fires into the table. Their son screams out for his mother and Jarthem shoves the side of the barrel across the child's mouth so fast, his teeth rattle across the table. Jarthem takes the child into the front room of the pyramid.
JARTHEM
Bring him in here!
He commands Palos when he passes by him.
AUSNAH
Don't hurt my boy.
Sanquz presses the pistol between his teeth as Gaius steps behind him and locks a handcuff around his wrist. Gaius lifts him up, holding his arm behind his back. Sanquz holds him under the stomp of his severed arm and they step over an unconscious Hadiya while walking to the front of the pyramid.
LIVING ROOM.
Gaius and Sanquz prop Ausnah up against the spiral staircase. They pull his arm through and up the wrought iron of the stairs, handcuffing him to his bloodied, crying son on the steps above him.
CUT TO:
INT. SECUNDUS REGION. RAJAIRUS' PYRAMID HOME. --NIGHT.
Narellia rests up against the lip of the sink, wondering up at the ceiling while her food grows cold in front of the empty seat at the table. Merizadad and all the children eat quietly at the table as Narellia sniffles back her tears, then storms out of the kitchen.
LIVING ROOM.
She steps into the living room, then slouches into a depression as she falls into the chair. Gaius, Palos and Sanquz stalk around the side of the house, moving toward the rear of the building. Jarthem and Ramalah rush in through the front opening on an unsuspecting Narellia. Jarthem smothers her with a rag as she kicks and moans to a frightened halt when he places the barrel under her jaw. Jarthem points his finger in the air and Ramalah quietly rushes up the spiral stairs. Merizadad hears the scuffle and rushes to a halt when she sees a stranger standing behind her.
JARTHEM
I want to use it so bad. Go head and scream.
KITCHEN.
Merizadad drifts back toward the wall as she hears the children gasping in the kitchen. Gaius lifts his index finger to his closed lips while tapping the gun on the table as the children sit.
