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FADE IN:

Panoramic view of a lush jungle clearing.  A narrow trail crosses the clearing.  There is a small movement under a leaf beside the trail.  A small flat circular bug peeks its head out.  Slow steady footsteps approach. The head disappears back under the leaf.

PATROLLER 1 in a protective suit enters the clearing.  He lifts his visor to reveal his face. He has a weapon in his hand.  He holds his hand up to stop those behind him.

PATROLLER 1 :  The wind has dropped off.

Patroller 1 fully enters the clearing.  He is half crouched and has weapon ready.  Other pattrollers emerge cautiously from the bush.

Pattroller 3 : Isn't there some sort of spray you could invent for these bugs?

Patroller 1 : Shhhh!

Patroller 1 is close to where the bug is hidden.  The bug darts from under its leaf and zips to Pattroller 1's foot.  A long barbed needle extends from where the mandibles should be.  The needle sticks into Patroller 1's foot.  He screams and falls to his knees.  The bug lets releases the barb and dissappears under leafs.  Shots are fired by the others and one hits the bug.  There is an explosion and another patroller falls down clutching her chest.

Patroller 1 falls flat on the ground.  His face turns purple then black.

Patroller 2 : I've never seen that kind of bug before.

Patroller 3: They are mutating fast.

Patroller 2: Hmm.  Evolving.

The survivors start dragging the two corpses back the way they came.
 
 

FADE TO:

Ext. Desert

VIKENA and company are trudging under the sun.  They move across the gently rolling landscape.

FADE TO:

They make a camp for the night.

FADE TO:

They leave camp.

FADE TO:

They move across the landscape in the early morning light.  The landscape is flat now.

FADE TO:

They see a dark line on the horizon.

FADE TO:

The dark line is a 10 mile wide canyon.  The group assembles on the sharp edge of the deep abyss.  Far below is green foliage.

Vikena stares down.  Evok looks slowly from side to side along the edge and then down.  Vikena studies the sun overhead. She looks left and then right.  She starts walking left.  Claude looks at Evok.  Evok shrugs indifferently and follows Vikena. Claude and the others follow. Shin-Lo is last and he picks up a stone and throws it into the canyon.  It fades out of sight without hitting anything.  He scratches his head.
 
FADE TO:
 
INT. Living habitat cubicle.  An armoured patroller enters in from the muted outside light  and sits on the brench.  ZIGGY removes his helmet and drops it on the floor.  He is bald and a pointed Robin Hood beard.  His face is lined and sweated. He leans back against the wall. He closes his his eyes.  He starts to fall asleep, but jerks back awake when the inner door opens.  There is a long hallway behind the female standing in the doorway.  Hovering over her left shoulder is a ball with an obvious lens.  A light in the hallway flickers and buzzes then stays out.  The ball whips around for a second to record the scene behind Andura then whips around back to view Ziggy.  Ziggy stands up straight with effort.  ANDURA sweeps in with her robes flowing in behind her.

Andura:  Did you bring back specimens?

Ziggy nods.  The two people stare at each other in a small contest of wills.  Ziggy speaks first.

Ziggy: And two corpses.

Andura: Hmm.  ..  Are they in the lab, yet?

Ziggy: The corpses or the bugs?

Andura: Spare me.

He holds out two plastic square containers. Smashed and scorched remains of the two bugs from the patrol are inside.

Andura does not reach for the containers.

Andura: Take them to the lab, dreg.

Ziggy: You.

Andura bats the containers from his hand.  They hit the wall and one falls open.

Andura steps back one step and hisses: Fool!  Can't you lock a specimen down correctly?

She turns her head towards the globe.

Andura: Record.  For endangering the Caliph, add one month to this dreg's sentence.

Ziggy roars: No!

He jumps for her throat.  A green beam from the globe zaps Ziggy back.  He lands on his back on the floor. He groans.

Andura smiles.  Andura: How do you like my enhanced Iago?  Very nice, I think.  She tilts her head.  Why the change?  You are usually so good.  Display!

A thin arm extends from the globe and a transparent glass flips out from the end.  She reads very tiny writing as it scrolls across.

Andura: Oh.  She frowns.  End. The display retracts.  Did you know one of the casualties? The female perhaps?  Or was it the man? No matter.  She leans down over Ziggy.  You should know not to care until your sentence is up, dreg.   She stands up.  Record!  Add two months to this one's sentence. Insubordination and refusing an order.  End.   Take the specimens to the lab. Now.

Andura whirls and flows out of the room. The door closes.

Ziggy struggles to his feet.  He picks up the container.  His tears make a quiet smack when they hit the floor. 

FADE TO:
 
 EXT.  Above a cliff face.  Vikena's party is looking for a way down.

Thorn: Let me go first.

Claude: Sure.

Vikena: Why?

Claude:  Why not?  He's the smallest.

Evok: I am.

Shin-Lo tosses another stone over the edge.

Shin-Lo:  I should.

Claude: You're the heaviest.

Shin-Lo: And if I fall, then you all will be able to hold me.

Shin_Lo begins climbing down.
 

(more to come)