Now Or Never By Chris Warren First draft PROLOGUE Night. Ext. Dark streets; it's wet like a storm's just passed. The only light is a solitary streetlight in front of an apartment complex, reflecting orange off puddles. There are multiple shots of the dark alleys looking dreary and menacing, another street light flickering in the distance, hardly visible beyond the buildings. The only sound is an occasional drip or a far-off car passing as opening credits roll. Far-away footsteps sound, drawing nearer in a hurry. A woman comes into view; she's in her mid-thirties and has long, straight, brown hair. She's hurrying through the streets. Her foot lands in a puddle with a soft splash as she approaches the aforementioned complex. She's holding a bundle and reaches out with her free hand to ring one of many bells next to the door. The peeling label beside the bell reads SAYLA LEXIS. As the woman waits for someone to answer, the sound of a baby fussing comes from the bundle. She shushes the baby within as the door opens. SAYLA, early 20s, looks vulnerable and alarmed. She recognizes the woman immediately. SAYLA Charity, what are you doing here? What's been going on? I've been worried. CHARITY Don't speak. This is important and I don't have much time. I'll explain what I can. They got to Kyran already and they're on my tail. I need you to take Tsumara. Raise her as your own daughter. Please; I can't run forever. When they find me, I don't want her to be in danger. SAYLA (breathless in fear) Where will you go? CHARITY I'll take the next flight to Europa. While I lead them in that direction, go to Earth as soon as possible. Change your name. SAYLA But -- CHARITY Here's the money. (hands her a large handful of gold) Lay low until the danger's past. SAYLA When will that be? CHARITY To tell the truth, I don't know. Maybe never. But please, don't try to contact me. (gives her the baby) SAYLA How will you get there without the money? This must be your life's savings! CHARITY It'll get the three of you to Earth. I can sneak on a ship. SAYLA But that's -- CHARITY I'm screwed as it is, Sayla. Look, that money only gets you one way. There's no turning back. If you can't do this, tell me now. SAYLA I'll do it. We'll leave very soon. CHARITY (nods) I trust you. Thank you. I have to go before I put you in any more danger. (turns) SAYLA (scared) Charity...! CHARITY (turns back and hugs her tightly) I love you, little sister. SAYLA (shakily) I love you, too. CHARITY (looks at the baby, whose face peeks out of the bundle; whispers) Goodbye, Tsumara. (runs off, turning a corner, her footsteps dying into the night) SAYLA (watches her go fearfully, clutching the baby close) Sayla runs back inside, not daring to let go of the child. She shakes her husband awake, her voice panicky. SAYLA Leric, we have to go. Get up. (she looks out the window; a dark figure moves quickly through the shadows on the street below, running in the direction Charity was headed) Sayla is transfixed for a moment in fear, then turns away and the screen goes black. SCENE ONE Title sequence: NOW OR NEVER "Black Bullet" starts to play. (Only part of it; it starts abruptly 1 minute and 26 seconds into the song when the beat really kicks in and stops at the end of the first "alone, alone in this all".) 20 years later - Earth While the music plays, a young woman is moving through her house in the darkness, grabbing some clothes and a box which jingles softly, full of what seems to be money. She sneaks into a bedroom across the hall, opening the drawer beside he bed and pulling out a gun. She puts it all in a bundle and sneaks through the house, passing a man asleep on the couch, and goes outside in the darkness as the song fades. VOICE We're not supposed to be outside at night during the war. The young woman looks up, our first clear view of her face. She has layered, shoulder-length, red hair and piercing blue eyes. She is alarmed for a moment, then sighs frustratedly at the sight of her younger cousin, ZATCHI, who is in her mid-teens and has dirty blonde hair and brown eyes. ZATCHI Tsumara, don't tell me you're serious about this. TSUMARA How'd you know I was out here? ZATCHI You told what time you were leaving. You're smart enough to know that I'd follow you. TSUMARA You're not coming with me. Go back inside and go to bed. If Uncle Leric asks, you don't know where I am. ZATCHI But I'm coming with you. TSUMARA This isn't a debate, Zatchi! Go inside! This is an adult's business and it'll be dangerous. ZATCHI You can't even shoot a gun. And how do you expect to find this guy? You don't even know where to start looking. TSUMARA It's none of your business. Go back to bed. ZATCHI I won't. I'm coming with you. TSUMARA (sighs, frustrated) Fine. But whatever happens, I'm not responsible. ZATCHI (triumphantly) Good! Let's go. (turns) TSUMARA Zatchi. One more thing. ZATCHI (looks back) Yeah? TSUMARA I call the shots. (pushes past her and walks down the street, Zatchi at her heels) ZATCHI Where are we going? TSUMARA It doesn't matter. ZATCHI Yeah, it does! I'd like to know. TSUMARA Far away, for a long time. ZATCHI That doesn't tell me anything. (pouts) TSUMARA (doesn't answer) ZATCHI Hey, answer me! Are we going around the world or something? TSUMARA (walking towards a fence) Further. We're going to Io. ZATCHI (surprised, stops) I-Io...? But... That's... one of Jupiter's moons! TSUMARA (stops as well, looking at her) I didn't rush cluelessly into this, Zatchi. It's for real this time. I did my homework and I'm really leaving. I'm going to find the bastard who killed my parents. (turns, continuing to the fence, and begins to climb it) ZATCHI B-but this is ... dangerous! TSUMARA (without looking back) If you can't handle it, then don't come! ZATCHI (looks helpless for a moment and then sighs frustratedly and leaps onto the fence, climbing to the top, where Tsumara is looking over what is before them) The large space they're overlooking is a dumping ground; broken ships and computers and other electronic parts are mixed in with unrecognizeable things. ZATCHI The... junkyard? TSUMARA I've been building a private space pod out of things I've found in this junkyard. I tested it already. According to my calculations, it should get us to Uranus in a few days. ZATCHI ...You're serious... (speaks as if this has dawned on her for the first time; amazed again by her cousin) TSUMARA Let's go. (moves to climb over) ZATCHI But... But it's illegal! We don't have passes! A-and Io is so close to Titan! TSUMARA Titan's not even on the same planet. ZATCHI (ignores this) It's a war zone! The regulations have to be even stricter over there and... We're not even supposed to be out right now! (Tsumara's not even listening; she's climbing over the fence) Tsumara! What makes you think we can just leave the planet legally and get away -- Tsumara swings her legs over the top of the fence, but part of her clothing gets caught on it and her balance is thrown off. She falls awkwardly and lands in the strong arms of a man. MAN Leaving the planet illegally, huh? Tsumara looks up nervously at her rescuer/accuser. He has black hair and dark eyes, but his face is cloaked by darkness. TSUMARA Wh-who are you? MAN Carias Blocke, galactic space officer. (brings her to her feet and flashes a small, metallic badge) TSUMARA Great... ZATCHI (still at the top of the fence) Ts-Tsumara...? CARIAS Come down here, if you would, miss. ZATCHI Um... I... I can't... TSUMARA (under her breath) Oh, for the love of... CARIAS What do you mean, miss? ZATCHI It's high...! TSUMARA Get your ass down here! (under her breath) I knew I shouldn't have let her come... CARIAS That was uncalled for. (to Zatchi) Jump down. I'll catch you. ZATCHI O-okay... (jumps) CARIAS (catches her before she hits the ground and sets her on her feet) There you go, miss. ZATCHI Th-thank you... CARIAS Now, can you ladies explain to me just what you were doing out here? TSUMARA (coldly) It's none of your business. CARIAS (casually, in a "we can do this the easy way or the hard way" kind of tone) Well, I'm afraid you're breaking the law, so technically, it is my business. ZATCHI W-we were -- TSUMARA Shut up! CARIAS Let her speak. (Tsumara folds her arms angrily, but says nothing) ZATCHI (is making no sense) She wants to get her revenge so she built a space pod and she wants to go to Io and we'd get shot and stuff...! CARIAS (raises eyebrow) Revenge? On who? You? ZATCHI (shakes her head) On the killer! CARIAS (patiently) What killer? ZATCHI The guy who killed her parents. CARIAS Mmhmm. Okay. So he's on Io? ZATCHI Yeah, and she said she was gonna take daddy's g-- TSUMARA Shut up! CARIAS Your father's what, miss? ZATCHI (quietly) His gun. CARIAS (looks at Tsumara) May I see your bundle, miss? TSUMARA (holds it out, purposely keeping it far enough away so that he has to walk a few paces and take it) CARIAS (looks through it and pulls out the gun, examining it; looks up at her skeptically) I didn't think you looked the type to carry a firearm, miss. TSUMARA (snaps) Think again. CARIAS You do know it's not loaded, don't you? You don't get very far off an unloaded gun. TSUMARA (mouth falls open indignantly) Are you telling me how to go about committing a crime? CARIAS (levelly) What crime did you intend to commit? Is this a confession? TSUMARA (looks away, getting a tad pissy) Hell no. CARIAS Why don't you show me this pod of yours, hmm? TSUMARA (doesn't react) CARIAS (warningly) Miss.