PRELUDE TO ATHENA: THE KNIGHT

PRELUDE TO ATHENA: THE KNIGHT ALEX BAMFORD EXT: SPACE, AN ASTEROID FIELD IN AN UNKNOWN AREA OF SPACE. ASTEROIDS SPIRAL AROUND THE SCREEN. TWO COLLIDE AND SHATTER AS THE CAMERA GOES THROUGH THE DEBRIS CREATED REVEALING 2 SPACECRAFT. ONE SIMILAR IN SIZE AND LENGTH TO THE SUPER STAR-DESTROYER FROM “STAR WARS” AND DESTINY FROM “STARGATE: UNIVERSE”. THE OTHER SIMILAR IN SIZE AND DESIGN TO A WHITESTAR FROM “BABYLON 5”, SERENITY FROM “FIREFLY” AND THE ENGINES AT THE BACK LOOK SIMILAR IN DESIGN TO THE PROMETHEUS FROM “PROMETHEUS” BOTH SHIPS ARE JUST HANGING IN SPACE AS IF WAITING. CUT TO: INT: LARGER SPACECRAFT THE INTERIOR IS METALLIC AND COVERED IN PLACES WITH CURTAINS WITH A ROYAL CREST IN THE CENTRE. AN EAGLE WITH SHIELDS FOR WINGS AND A SWORD BEHIND IT. WE SEE TWO PEOPLE FACING EACH OTHER. ONE IS A GUARD (HUMAN) WEARING A RED BODY ARMOUR AND A WHITE HELMET WITH THE FRONT PART COMING DOWN OVER TO THE END OF THE NOSE AND IS POINTED. WE ALSO SEE THE BACK OF THE SECOND PERSON (HUMAN). ALL THAT IS SEEN SO FAR IS A RED SHOULDER PAD AND A RED HILT OF A SWORD. GUARD 1: I do not trust you. The Monarch may. Only because of your relation to her. CUT TO: A WIDE SHOT FROM THE SIDE. MORE IS SEEN OF THE TWO PEOPLE. THE GUARD IS TALLER AND THAN THE SECOND PERSON. THERE ARE GAPS IN THE ARMOUR WITH EXPOSED SKIN AND HOLDING A STAFF WITH A BLADE ON THE TOP SIMILAR TO OLD ARAB SWORDS. THERE ARE SEVERAL IN SHOT THAT LOOK EXACTLY THE SAME. THE SECOND PERSON IS SPORTING BLACK ARMOUR WITH RED SHOULDER PADS. THERE ARE GAPS IN THE ARMOUR FILLED WITH A GREY JUMPSUIT AND A MOUTH GUARD, MID LENGTH BROWN HAIR AND BLUE EYES. ALSO A SHIELD IS ON THE RIGHT ARM AND BEING HELD ACROSS HIS CHEST. THE SHIELD AS CROSS BETWEEN CAPTAIN AMERICA’S AND OPTIMUS PRIME’S FROM “TRANSFORMERS 4”. And because of her position, you will treat her with the respect she deserves. Understand? PERSON: Yes. THE GUARD SNEERS IN DISGUST. ANOTHER GUARD APPROACHES. GUARD 2: Haraka! The Monarch approaches. HARAKA: ALL KNEEL BEFORE OUR GREAT MONARCH! ALL THE GUARDS KNEEL. THE PERSON REMAINS STANDING. HARAKA: Kneel before the Monarch. THE PERSON JUST STARES DOWN AT HARAKA. A GUARD APPROACHES FROM BEHIND, GRABS THE PERSON AND PUSHES DOWN ON HIS SHOULDER. GUARD 3: KNEEL BEFORE THE MONARCH! THE PERSON, GRABS THE GUARDS ARM, BREAKS IT AND THROWS THE GUARD TO THE FLOOR, KNEELS ON HIS BROKEN ARM AND POINTS THE SHIELD AT THE GUARDS HEAD. THREE GUN BARRELS APPEARS FROM THE END OF THE SHIELD. PERSON: I bow to no false monarch. 4 GUARDS STAND UP AND POINT THEIR BLADES AT THE PERSON. A VOICE IS HEARD OFF SCREEN. GETTING LOUDER AS IT APPROACHES. VOICE: (Laughs) You’re so full of yourself Knight. A FEMALE APPEARS BEHIND THE PERSON. WEARING SILVER AND DARK RED ARMOUR COVERING HER WHOLE BODY. Yet the question remains: Why are you here if you said you wanted nothing more to do with me, Son? THE PERSON STANDS UP AND TURNS HALF WAY TO FACE THE MONARCH. (NOTE THE NEXT TWO LINES OF DIALOGUE ARE MID SHOTS OF BOTH THE MONARCH AND THE KNIGHT) PERSON: Mother. MONARCH: Jack. You look well. JACK LOOKS DOWN AT HIS CHEST AND BACK UP. JACK: I do try to keep myself in shape. MONARCH: Indeed. THE MONARCH WAVES OFF THE GUARDS. TWO PICK UP THE GUARD FROM THE FLOOR AND THE OTHER TWO TAKE A STEP BACK. SHE THEN WALKES TO A CONSOLE AND TAPS A FEW KEYS. MONARCH: Why are you here? Missed your old Ma'? JACK: I’m looking for someone. MONARCH: Huh. I never had you down for a mummy's boy anyway. Now, tell me, are you looking or Hunting? JACK: Retrieving. JACK MOVES THE SHIELD TO HIS LEFT ARM AND STICKS OUT HIS RIGHT. CUT TO: MID SHOT OF THE MONARCH. A DIM LIGHT COVERS HER BODY AND HEAD. MONARCH: You’re going after her. Why now after so long? JACK: She went AWOL as of last month, I have no idea where she is. I have to find her. I said I would. Like I promised. THE MONARCH LOOKS IN DISGUST AND CHUCKLES MONARCH: You make so many promises how do you keep them all? JACK DROPS HIS ARM AND MOVES AROUND THE MONARCH JACK: I'm a man of my word. I don't make a promise I know I can't keep. Have you seen her? MONARCH: My spies say she’s still on Terra. The family you left her with has started a search of their own. JACK: Any success? MONARCH: No. TURNS AWAY The “League” is after her. They know where she is. JACK TIGHTENS HIS FIST AND GRIP ON THE SHIELD IN ANGER AND CONFUSION. JACK: How?! I left her on Terra! Away from The Leagues territory! Outside of the Republic’s control zone! How did The League find her?! THE MONARCH RETURNS TO THE CONSOLE AND CONTINUES TO TAP THE CONSOLES CONTROLS. WHILE DOING THIS NODDING TO HER SIDES. HARAKA STEPS FORWARD AND CIRCLES ROUND JACK. CAMERA CUTS BETWEEN JACK, HARAKA AND THE MONARCH. HARAKA: The League came to a star system inside the Royal Sector and requested an audience with the Monarch. They wanted a coalition with the Republic. To join her crusade. JACK: Wait?! Hang on?! MONARCH: The League believe in the prophecy. Therefore, they believe in me. SHE THEN TURNS SHARPLY AND SWIFTLY WALKS TOWARDS JACK. The League then began the hunt for her. I ordered them to Terra so I don’t have any competition. JACK REALISES WHAT SHE’S TALKING ABOUT. JACK: So you’re the reason she’s being hunted. You gave the order. SEVERAL GUARDS GRAB AND SERCURE JACK. MONARCH: And to think my own son doesn't have faith his Mother. Where did I go wrong with you? Ha. You know you can’t find her on Terra. If you knew what was good for you, you'd join the newly christened alliance between the League and the Republic, and heel at my side once more. As my son. JACK LOOKS DOWN AS IF CONTEMPLATING THE DECISION. LOOKS TO HIS SHIELD ARM. ITS EXTENDED. THEN LOOKS BACK AT HIS MOTHER. JACK: I’ve thought about it and I have a 4 word answer to your offer. (BEAT) Go to hell bitch! HE FIRES HIS SHIELD. KILLING THE GUARD HOLDING IT. HE KILLS ANOTHER AND ANOTHER. HIS BATTLE MASK EXTENDED’S TO A HELMET TO COVER THE REST OF HIS FACE AND THE GAUNTLETS ON HIS ARMS COVER THE EXPOSED SKIN. HE THEN DRAW THE SWORD FROM HIS BACK. IT’S LONG, THREATENING, YET SLEAK IN DESIGN WITH A HAND GUARD ON THE HILT ASWELL AS ONE STANDARD HILT. JACK LOOKS AROUND. HIS MOTHER AND HARAKA HAVE DISAPPEARED. JACK THEN ATTACKS THE REST OF THE GUARDS, KILLING SEVERAL. HE THEN THROWS SEVERAL SMALL BEHIND HIM AND THE WALL EXPLODES. EXPOSING IT THE ROOM TO SPACE SUCKING EVERYTHING AND EVERYONE OUT. CUT TO: SPACE CAMERA FOCUS’ ON JACK AS HE FLIES OUT OF THE SHIP. JET ENGINES ACTIVATE ON HIS ARMOUR TO STABILISE HIM. HE HOVERS FOR A SECOND THEN TWO SMALL FIGHTERS FLY OVER THE TOP OF THE MONARCH’S SHIP AND HEAD STRAIGHT TOWARDS JACK. HE STARTS TO SHOOT A THEM. THEY SUDDENLY EXPLODE AND THE SECOND SHIP FROM EARLIER FLIES OVER THE TOP OF JACK. THE CAMERA FOLLOW AND FOCUS’ ON IT AND ZOOMS IN ON THE NAME IN BIG BOLD LETTERS IT READ “AMELIA” JACK WATCHES THE SHIP FLY AROUND AND THE FORWARD OPEN AND A FEMALE VOICE IS HEARD. VOICE: Jack! Hurry! She’s launching more! JACK FLIES INTO THE SHIP AT GREAT SPEED, CRASHES INTO THE FLOOR. THE DOOR CLOSES. CUT TO: EXT “AMELIA” FLYS AWAY AND THE FIGHTERS GIVE CHASE. CUT TO: INT JACK IS LAYING ON THE FLOOR. PANTING. HIS ARMOUR RETURNS TO THE LOOK IT WAS AT WHEN HE WAS FIRST SEEN BUT ALSO THE MOUTH GUARD IS RETRACTED REVEALING AND AVERAGE GOOD LOOKING GUY WITH A STUMPY BEARD. A DOOR OPENS AND A BLONDE GIRL, SAME AGE AS JACK, AND IN A YELLOW AND BLACK JUMPSUIT RUNNING TO HIS SIDE. GIRL: Jack! Jack! you ok? JACK: I’m fine Lucy. I’m fine. LUCY: How did it go? JACK GETS UP, SHEATHES SWORD AND SHIELD ON HIS BACK AND WALKS TOWARD THE DOOR. LUCY DOES NOT FOLLOW JUST WATCHES HIM. JACK: I always had this notion of having a Sunday roast with my Mother, y'know, catching up on old times in her garden... So baring that in mind, and considering you had to pick me up, pretty shit! LUCY: LAUGHS So, I take it you're off her Christmas card list then?! JACK: I think so! FADE TO: EXT A GREEN RED PLANET TAKES UP THE MAJORITY OF FRAME AND AMELIA FLYS TOWARDS IT. LUCY IS HEARD SPEAKING. LUCY: We managed to lose the fighters chasing us and get into a non republic controlled system. CUT TO: AMELIA INT BOTH JACK AND LUCY ARE DISCUSSING AND WALKING DOWN A CORRIDOR OF THE SHIP. JACK NOW IN BLACK SHOES AND TROUSERS AND A DONE UP RED TRENCH COAT. The locals here should protect us for the time being. JACK: Any word from Belle and her team? LUCY: They say the raid was a success. I can get them on the horn for you. JACK SPEED UP HIS PACE TO PASS LUCY AND DISAPPEAR THE CORNER. JACK: Yes Please. LUCY TURNS AND MUMBLES TO HERSELF; LUCY: To think, I had feelings for you at one time, now you’re just like an older brother. Funny how time changes things. JACK: I wouldn't have our relationship any other way. Our bond is too strong to be warped by love. LUCY: LAUGHS I wouldn't tell that to Belle, if I were you! JACK: ROLLS HIS EYES JOKINGLY I just mean certain people have relationships that would break under the pressure of romance. Like any relationship, some work out, some don't. Ours just happened to become one of the strongest friendships I've ever had, whereas Belle and I were just destined to be, in a romantic capacity. She's my world. LUCY: I know what you mean. We wouldn't have worked out anyway. After all, I like my men like I like my Baileys; smooth and sweet. You're a little rough around the edges! LAUGHS JACK: Definitely wouldn't worked then! CUT TO: JACKS QUARTERS JACK WALKS INTO HIS QUARTERS. TAKES HIS COAT OFF AND THROWS IT OFF SCREEN AND CRASHES ON A SOFA. HE HITS A BUTTON ON THE TABLE IN FRONT OF HIM AND A BRIGHT BLUE LIGHT ELUMINATES HIS FACE. JACK: Where are you? CUT TO: TITLE CARD THE WORDS “THE KNIGHT” COME TOWARD THE SCREEN SIMILAR TO THE “GOTHAM” TITLE CARD. THE END PRELUDE TO ATHENA CONTINUES IN: THE RENEGADES