Where's your Jacket?

[Clementine_Lafleur]

FADE IN:

INT. GURISTAS BAR. VENAL.

A smoke-filled bar filled with several Guristas Pirates. Two men in their mid-30s sit in a booth drinking beer. KAAL is showing SAITO his data pad.

KAAL - Look at those numbers Si! Those State salaries don’t even compare to the scrip we’re making now.

SAITO - Right, we’d most likely still be in the brig with your antics.

K - Hey, what’s that su’pose to mea…

S - You know

K (laughing) – Ha, yeah, I know. Now we get paid more if I do cause a scene. So, what should we do with all this honest cash?

He trails off as CLEMENTINE enters wearing a Guristas jacket. She sits at the bar and orders a drink.

K (with distain) - Would you look at that.

S - Look at what?

K- Her with the jacket. Who in the spirts does she think she is?

S - Cut it out Kaal, she’s just here to make some money, just like us.

K - She’s not just like us. What is it you said about ‘em?

K (Mimicking Saito’s voice) - They’re just whack jobs with a death wish.

S- I don’t say that. Besides, would you rather them shoot at us?

K - No!

He pauses, rubbing his chin.

K - ‘Course not. But it’s not my point. My point being they come in all high a mighty, put on a jacket and think they’re one of us. It’s not that simple.

S - It was for us, wasn’t it? I mean we just went AWOL, stole a shuttle, full speed burnt up here to find work.

K - No way man! We told the State to do one and fought tooth and nail be here. Like really put the work in.

He sits up, narrowing his eyes.

K - Hey, why are you defending this so much? You don’t normally care much beyond the number of digits on the pay check?

S - I’m not.

Saito shrugs, looking more intently at the newcomer.

S - Just leave it Kaal. How ‘bout we enjoy our beers yeah?

K - Hey Si, where’s your jacket?

He looks Saito up and down and then towards Clementine, then back to Saito.

K - No effing way. You didn’t?!

S (lowering his voice) - I said leave it Kaal, I mean it.

K (Laughing) - That explains that huh?

He downs his beer and while still holding it between two fingers, raises both hands up openly.

K - No judgement, I swear. Who you sleep with is your own choice, bad idea or otherwise. You want another?

S - Sure.

[Clementine_Lafleur]

INT. BAR COUNTER. GURISTAS BAR. VENAL (CONTINUED)

Kaal makes his way the bar. Slouching heavily on the bar counter next to the Clementine.

KAAL (Growling) - So, where’d you get that lovely jacket girly?

Clementine remains silent looking straight ahead as she drinks.

K - I asked you a question egger. Who do you think you are coming into a place like this wearing that that jacket? Think you can just daytrip over and play make believe. Think you’re some hard-ass pirate huh?

CLEMENTINE - How about you bugger off before you hurt yourself.

K - Bah! Like you could do anything. Now take it off before YOU get hurt.

Kaal goes to reach for her shoulder but as he does Clementine swivels on her stool to throw a punch. It connects with his face causing Kaal to stumble back. He then swings back, the punch lands but it’s not clean as Clementine rolls with the momentum. She drops and sweeps Kaal’s legs from under him, causing him to fall onto his back. She presses a knee to his chest. She produces a scalpel-shaped fixed blade knife with a jet-black handle. There is a lasered inscription on the blade proper reading “REMILIA MALITIA”. She presses it to his neck.

C - I don’t pretend anymore.

Clementine gets up and walks out of the bar, leaving Kaal still on the floor rubbing his neck.

FADE OUT:

[Clementine_Lafleur]

FADE IN:

EXT. DOCKYARD ON A GURISTAS SPACE STATION. VENAL

Several cargo containers are being loaded onto a deep space transport ship. KAAL and SAITO are watching the procedure while appearing to be in an argument.

KAAL – Are you ■■■■■■■ crazy!?

SAITO – I know what I’m doing Kaal, it’s one job and then I can stop for good.

K – One job because you’ll be dead. Do you know how long capsuleer crewed ships last? Don’t ya wonder why they are always recruiting? It’s because they fly off into the arse end of nowhere, get themselves blown up and then jump into a fresh clone. We don’t get that Si, we get to be frozen corpses for some whack job collector, one and done.

S – This is different, I know her.

K – You mean that crazy ■■■■■ who has your jacket? She doesn’t give a damn about you. If she did how come you’re not sipping champagne with her now? Listen man, think about this, like really think about it. We got a good thing going on here. Why’d you wanna throw it away?

Saito stays silent looking at the ground.

S – Look, I’ve made my mind up on it. I’ve already signed the papers to board one of her ships to head out to Pochven.

K – Poch…

Kaal begins to choke and then steadies himself.

K – Pochven?

S – Yeah, that place. This crew she’s putting together is big scrip, I mean big. The kind of pay outs capsuleers consider big.

K – So your minds made up?

S – Yeah.

K – Well damn. You made me do it huh.

S- What?

K – I’m coming with you, you soppy git. Can’t let you go skipping off into space hell chasing tail without someone watching your back. And besides if the pay is as good as you say, I don’t want to miss out of that either!

The pair laugh as the camera zooms out skywards.

FADE OUT:

[Clementine_Lafleur]

FADE IN:

INT. NIGHT, UNKNOWN STATION IN KRAI VELES, POCHVEN

The station interior lighting has dimmed to simulate night time; CLEMENTINE is walking down a station corridor. She is being followed by UNKNOWN MAN. She turns a corner, as the unknown person follows, he is shoved against the bulkhead, a handgun thrusted under his chin.

CLEMENTINE – (with a growl) Why the ■■■■ are you following me?

UNKNOWN MAN – Woah! Woah it’s not wha’ ya think!

C – And what do I think?

UM – I… I don’t…

C – Well?

UM – Can you just point that thin…

Clementine pushes the handgun higher into his chin, lifting his face.

C – Not until you tell me who you are and why you were following me?

UM – I… I just wanted to make sure you were a‘right.

Clementine loosens the grip, letting the man sigh, before she smashes the butt of the handgun around his head, knocking him out. A knife spills from his grip.

FADE OUT:

FADE IN:

INT. INTERROGATION ROOM, UNKNOWN LOCATION

KAAL sits in a chair handcuffed to a metal table. Two guards in combat suits flank him.

KAAL – Hey, let us out, I’ve done no’hing wrong.

Kaal rattles the handcuffs once before the door opens behind him. CLEMENTINE walks behind and leans into his ear.

CLEMENTINE – (whispering) Who are you?

K – I ain’t tell you ■■■■ lady.

C – We’ll see about that.

Clementine takes a seat in the opposite chair. She begins to idly flick the data pad. The silence lingers. Kaal’s frustration builds until he slams his fists on the table.

K – What the hell do you want with me?! I tried to kill you, I should be meat popsicle like you did Si!

C – So it’s revenge. Who’s Si?

K – You don’t even know? ■■■■■■■ capsuleers, all the same; whack jobs with a death wish. Spinning dits in the heads of gullible sots like him. ■■■■ you.

C – And putting a knife in me would have solved that?

K – No. He’d still be dead, and you’d just spin ‘nother clone up.

Clementine clicks her fingers. One guard uncuffs Kaal and the other places his knife on the table.

C – There we go, try it.

K – (shaking his head) No, No, nope. This is a trick. I’m not touching that thing.

C – You see what happened there? You made a choice, and the outcome was good for you. Unfortunately, some people make bad choices, and end up dead. (She snaps her fingers again and the knife is removed.)

C – So let’s start again. An easier one; Name, rank, and number?

K – Don’t you know this.

C – Very well, your choice. (She begins to stand up)

K – Alright, alright. Kaal Hariti, Weapons Engineer, 66249123.

C – That wasn’t so hard, was it? (Sitting back down) Now, why did you join my crew?

K – Si convinced me to, it was good scrip, better than we’re on up in Venal.

C – Good, now we’re having an actual conversation. Says here you still have family back in the State. Father deceased, mother and younger sister repaying corporate debt. Is that your debt by chance?

Kaal begins to jump up but is held down by the two guards.

K – (shouting) You leave them out of this!

C – All depends on you. Maybe we can help each other out, what do you say?

K – Like I have a choice, you’re blackmailing me.

C – Of course you have a choice. You can always say no? Call this, motivation. It’s a simple job in fact, join this person’s crew (She slides the data pad over the table). And feed me as much information as possible.

K – How? I don’t even know where to start.

C – Already sorted. You leave tomorrow to Assiettes.

FADE OUT: