[Eerie music fades in]

 

DEVLYN: Secrets. We keep them to avoid fear. In the hope, we may avoid emotions. We’re afraid what others will learn about ourselves. A wrong we may have committed in hopes of avoiding blame. Or even…the sickness of a loved one to try and avoid watching others feel pain as those they hold dear may be ripped from their grasp…forever.

 

[Eerie music fades out]

 

[A heartbeat monitor pulses in the background]

 

RILEY: Daddy, I’m scared.

 

PATRICK: It’s OK sweetheart. There’s nothing to be scared of.

 

DR. STRAUSS:  Stay still, Darling, we have to take a sample of your blood.

 

RILEY: Why?

 

PATRICK: We just want to make sure you’re healthy.

 

DR. STRAUSS: Now, this will just hurt for a second.

 

RILEY: Ow.

 

PATRICK: You’re doing great. Just a few more seconds and…Done. See. Nothing to worry about.

 

DR. STRAUSS: I’ll just put it into the computer and see how we’re doing.

 

PATRICK: Daddy’s going to go talk to the doctor for a moment.

 

PATRICK: How’s she doing, Doc?

 

DR. STRAUSS: Her vital signs appear to be normal. It seems that the Martian cells are, in fact, combining with your daughter’s leukemia cells to not only heal her but are actually making her stronger.

 

PATRICK: What does that mean?

 

DR. STRAUSS: It means, after all this time, I’ve finally had a breakthrough. Do you know how big this is for the colony? I’ve successfully spliced Martian and Human DNA. Your daughter is now, in fact, part Martian.  You must let me run more tests. We have to report this to the council.

 

PATRICK: No. These treatments were supposed to be kept confidential. No one is to know about it. Not even Devlyn.

 

DR. STRAUSS: But my work.

 

PATRICK: No one. I’m not letting my daughter become one of your freak shows. I asked you to help us, and you did, but I will not permit further testing.

 

DR. STRAUSS: No. You listen to me. This is my life’s work. After countless failures, your daughter is a hope for the future of mankind. She is the next form of human evolution! If anything, I did you a favor. You owe me.

 

PATRICK: I owe you nothing. You have a problem with it you can take it to the higher-ups, but I don’t think they’d like that you’ve been experimenting without proper colony authorization.

 

[An ALARM blares]

 

PATRICK:  What Now?

 

ALARM SYSTEM: Attention! Colony Breach! Please evacuate to the nearest evac-station immediately.

 

[A large CRASH followed by the roar of Ravagers ]

 

PATRICK: Stay here. I’m going to check outside.

 

RILEY: Daddy, what’s going on?

 

PATRICK: Nothing, sweetheart. Just stay there. 

 

[A HISS as the door opens]

 

[The Screams of colonists fleeing for cover and distant blaster fire]

 

PATRICK: We have to go. Come on, Riley.

 

DR. STRAUSS:  Wait. What about –

 

PATRICK: Lock the door. Don’t let anyone in.

 

DR. STRAUSS: I’m not about to stay trapped here.

 

PATRICK: Do as I say…I think we’re under attack.

 

DEVLYN: Riley? Is it really you? How?

 

MATHIAS: We found her during our attack on your colony.

 

DEVLYN: I don’t understand…Why? Wait. Something’s different. Her eyes. What’s wrong with her eyes?

 

MATHIAS: She is evolving.

 

DEVLYN: Evolving?

 

MATHIAS: I’m sure the all-righteous Corthynious told you all about me. How I am motivated by the radical thought of keeping Martian blood pure and protecting our delicate planet from invaders like yourselves.

 

DEVLYN: Sounds familiar.

 

MATHIAS: Rumors. Rumors to keep each side from finding out the true motives of both sides…Your daughter.

 

DEVLYN: What true motives?

 

THEO: She’s subject 501168 also known as Patient 0. The only successful human to splice with Martian DNA.

 

DEVLYN: You…knew about this?

 

THEO: I knew that a leukemia patient was admitted for the procedure with clearance from the higher ups. I was never told the identity of the girl. Only that her return was of the utmost importance.

 

MATHIAS: Just like yours, ours is a dying race. And having watched the human race multiply itself out of existence. I knew if your kind were to adapt to our planet, it would mean the end of our species. And so, we sought the child out. For survival.

 

DEVLYN: Riley. It’s me. It’s your Dad.

 

MATHIAS: I’m afraid we had to wipe the child’s memory. In order to adapt her to our kind she could have no memory of her human past.

 

DEVLYN: She’s my daughter!

 

MATHIAS: It was your own kind who did this to her. Do not blame us. Had the humans gotten a hold of her, I’m sure much worse would have occurred.

 

DEVLYN: We are not leaving without her. Stand in my way and I’ll see to it myself your entire planet is wiped from the solar system.

 

RAVEN: Devlyn, no!

 

[Devlyn FIRES his BLASTER]

 

[Ravagers SCREECH]

 

DEVLYN: Sarah, get them out of here. I’m getting my daughter.

 

SARAH: Yes, Sir.  Raven. Theo. Let’s book it.

 

THEO: No. I can’t leave without the child.

 

RAVEN: Devlyn’s handling it.

 

[Mathias returns blaster fire]

 

SARAH: We found the child. The mission’s complete. Time to get the fuck off this rock.

 

MATHIAS: Stop them.

 

DEVLYN: Theo. Take my daughter.

 

THEO: What about you?

 

DEVLYN: I’m going to hold them off. Now go.

 

RAVEN: Come on. We have to get back to the ship.

 

SARAH:  Where’s Devlyn?

 

THEO:  He’s not coming. And neither are you.

 

[Theo FIRES her blaster into Sarah]

 

SARAH: Why?

 

THEO:  You’ve served your purpose.

 

RAVEN: Sarah!

 

RAVEN: Not so fast.

 

[Raven fires her blaster]

 

RAVEN: Bitch. You’re not getting rid of me that easily.

 

[FOOTSTEPS as Raven chases after Theo]

 

[A THWACK as Raven punches Theo]

 

THEO:  Get. Off. Me.

 

[A THUD as Theo PUNCHES Raven]

 

RAVEN: The gun.

 

RAVEN: Gotcha.

 

[Raven COCKS and CHARGES the BLASTER]

 

RAVEN: Suck on this you cun—

 

[WHACK, Theo kicks the gun out of Raven’s hands]

 

THEO: That blaster is mine. Now stay down.

 

[Running FOOTSTEPS fade in the distance]

 

SARAH: Raven….Raven.  Get up. She’s…Getting away.

 

RAVEN: I think that bitch broke my nose.

 

SARAH: You…Must…Stop…Her.

 

RAVEN: Sarah! What did she do to you?

 

SARAH: It’s just a flesh…wound. I’ll be...

 

[Sarah COUGHS]

 

SARAH: Fine.

 

RAVEN:  You still have a mission to finish, soldier. I said, get up! Wake up. Please wake up, Sarah. I can’t go on without you.

 

[Raven CRIES]

 

[The HISS of the cargo door of the STARBREAKER lowering]

 

RILEY: Let go of me. No!

 

[Riley SCREAMS]

 

[Theo pushes some buttons]

 

SHIP COMPUTER:  Liftoff sequence engaged.

 

[STATIC as Theo activates the radio]

 

THEO: Mission control, this is The Star Breaker. Our mission is complete. Heading en route with the package in tow.

 

MISSION CONTROL: Roger that. Where is Captain Richards?

 

THEO: I’m afraid the captain and crew didn’t make it. I’m the sole survivor, Doctor Theo—

 

[THWACK. Theo receives a blow to the face]

 

DEVLYN: I lost my daughter once. I’m not losing her again.

 

[Another THUD as Theo punches Devlyn]

 

THEO: Humanity’s survival relies on your daughter. Look at her. She’s more Martian than human.

 

[Theo and Devlyn exchange punches]

 

DEVLYN:  I can help her!

 

THEO: No. The daughter you knew died with the rest of the colony, and now you get to join her.

 

[Theo COCK and CHARGES her blaster]

 

RAVEN: Not if I can help it.

 

[WHACK Raven punches Theo]

​

[Theo’s blaster misfires]

 

THEO: You have no idea what you’re dealing with. She could change the fate of mankind. She is the key to our survival.

 

[A ROAR as the thrusters of the Starbreaker activate. The ship rises into the atmosphere]

 

RAVEN: At what cost?

 

[A large EXPLOSION followed by BLASTER fire blows]

 

DEVLYN: It’s Mathias’ men. They’re firing on the ship.

 

RILEY: Daddy?

 

DEVLYN: Riley? Raven, she’s been shot. It’s OK, baby. Papa’s here. Theo, do something.

 

THEO: I can’t.

 

RAVEN: She’s your science project.

 

THEO:  She’s progressed further than any patient. I could kill her.

 

DEVLYN: She’s starting to remember. You have to do something.

 

THEO: I’m afraid I can’t.

 

[The HISS of an access door opening]

 

RAVEN:  Then you’re of no use to us.

 

[THWACK, Raven kicks Theo, launching her out of the Starbreaker]

 

[Theo’s screams fade as she plummets back to the groun]

 

RAVEN: That was for Sarah.

 

[A HISS as Raven closes the access door]

 

[BLASTER FIREcontinues]

 

[Another EXPLOSION from inside the ship followed by an ALARM]

 

 

RAVEN: Devlyn, I need your help. We won’t make it past the atmosphere if we keep taking damage.

 

[Raven CLICKS a button and the ALARM CEASES]

 

DEVLYN: Goodbye, baby.

 

[Another CRASH]

 

RAVEN: Devlyn!

 

DEVLYN: How bad?

 

RAVEN: We take another direct hit we’re done for.

 

DEVLYN: Can she go any faster?

 

RAVEN: If we go any faster, we risk burning out the fuel cells.

 

DEVLYN: Then we burn the fuel cells and once we’re clear of the atmosphere we grab an escape pod out of here. Now hit it!

 

[Raven pushes a button. The engine POWERS UP causing the thrusters to ACCELERATE]

 

[CREAKS and GROANS throughout the ship as it raises into the atmosphere]

 

RAVEN: Almost there.

 

DEVLYN: She’s not going to hold.

 

RAVEN: She’ll hold.

 

DEVLYN: We’re rising too fast.

 

RAVEN: She’ll hold.

 

DEVLYN: That doesn’t sound good.

 

RAVEN: Almost there.

 

 

[Devlyn and Raven let out a SIGH of relief]

 

RAVEN: I told you, she’d hold.

 

DEVLYN: Maybe, but now fuel’s at 2%.

 

RAVEN: I’ll use the last of the fuel to turn the ship and line the escape pods up. That way, when we jettison, we’ll be on a straight shot home. Let’s get to the pods. We’ll only have a few minutes to set course properly.

 

RAVEN:  Oh no. Where are the other pods?

 

DEVLYN: Looks like that crash we heard was them breaking off into the atmosphere.

 

RAVEN: We’ll have to share. Hope you’re not claustrophobic.

 

[The BEEPING of a keypad]

 

RAVEN: I’ve set the timer for 30 seconds. More than enough to get comfortable.

 

DEVLYN: You know what they say, ladies first.

 

RAVEN: It’s going to be tight, but I think we’ll both fit. Devlyn?

 

DEVLYN: I’m sorry.

 

[The BEEPING of the keypad is followed by the HISS of the pod door closing]

 

RAVEN: Devlyn, no. What are you doing? Are you crazy?

 

COMPUTER: Ten seconds till launch.

 

[An ALARM BLARES]

 

RAVEN: No. Devlyn. Come back with me. There’s still time.

 

DEVLYN: Not for me.  Goodbye, Raven.

 

RAVEN: No!

 

COMPUTER: Launching in three…two…

 

[The evac-pod powers up. There’s a HISS as it is launched into space]

 

DEVLYN: I wish you could see it out here, Riley. It’s beautiful.

 

[Devlyn CLICKS a button on the counsel]

 

DEVLYN: Captain’s log. This is Devlyn Drax. The only surviving member of Mars Colony MR-54821. This will be my last broadcast. The Star-breaker has run out of fuel. We are adrift. If anyone gets this message. The colony is compromised. Stay away. Do not attempt recolonization. Hell, we should have never been here to begin with. This is Space Ranger, SR-421, signing off.

 

[Another CLICK as Devlyn ends his broadcast]

 

DEVLYN:  That’s the last of the fuel. Looks like I’ll be seeing you soon, Riley.

 

 

DEVLYN: As Rangers, we swore to protect the last of humanity from the unknown dangers of space. In that I had always kept my oath the best I could. What they don’t tell you is just how much out there is unknown. No training could prepare me for the encounters I would face, but in all my experience I know this, I should’ve kept my oath as a father. To protect my family.  At least for one moment, I got to set things right. At least for one moment, I got to see her alive…for one last time.

 

 

[END OF EPISODE 8]

 

{END OF SEASON 1}

​