Title: Big Surprise
Series: Picnic six
Writer: P E Leody
SYNOPIS:
PAGE 1
HETTLE: SECURE STATUS UPDATE
HETTLE: SAFE PERIMETER ENGAGED AND HOLDING
HETTLE: NO ATTEMPTED BREACHES LOGGED
PAGE 2
HETTLE: STATUS UPDATE
HETTLE: NO ATOMIC TRANSPORT WITHIN 12 HOURS RANGE
HETTLE: NO NON-ATOMIC TRANSPORT WITH WITHIN 12 DAYS
PAGE 3
HETTLE: STATUS UPDATE
HETTLE: NO ACTIVITY REPORTED WITHIN PERIMETER
HETTLE: TIME ELAPSED 7 DAYS
PAGE 4
HETTLE: COMMUNICATION RANGE LIMIT REACHED
HETTLE: SIGNING OFF
HETTLE: YOU ARE ON YOUR OWN
PAGE 5
JIGIN: ALONE
JIGIN: ALWAYS WILL BE
JIGIN: NOW
PAGE 6
JIGIN: AM GETTING TOO OLD FOR THIS
JIGIN: FAR TOO OLD
PAGE 7
HABITE: HIA
JIGIN: WHAT THE
JIGIN: DON'T PANIC, LOOK I'M NOT ARMED, YOU'RE NOT ARMED, BOTH OF US UNARMED, PANIC NOT
PAGE 8
JIGIN: HOW DID YOU GET PAST
HABITE: THE SECURITY BLANKET ? DIDN'T HAVE TO I WAS HERE ALREADY
JIGIN: BUT YOU'D HAVE TO HAVE BEEN HERE UNDETECTED FOR 7 DAYS
PAGE 9
HABITE: 12 DAYS BUT YOU SOON GET USED TO IT
HABITE: ACTUALLY SELF INDUCED PETIT MORT, JUST TO PLAY IT SAFE
JIGIN: WHY
PAGE 10
HABITE: MODEST AREN'T WE
HABITE: YOU'RE QUITE INFAMOUS AND IT'S NOT OFTEN YOU SURFACE
HABITE: I'VE A FRIEND WHO'S A FAN, I WAS PASSING, LAID DOWN AND THE NEXT THING, US TOGETHER
PAGE 11
JIGIN: THIS IS NOT REALLY THE TIME OR THE PLACE
HABITE: OH YES SORRY TO INTRUDE ON YOUR GRIEF. THAT'S THE LOCKET OF BETRAYAL ISN'T IT ?
HABITE: IT WON'T BRING HER BACK TO LIFE OR REVERSE THAT DAMAGE SHE DID
PAGE 12
HETTLE: SECURITY PERIMETER BREACH UNKNOWNS CLOSING
JIGIN: YOU
HABITE: HEY, NOTHING TO DO WITH ME, TIME'S UP ON THIS ROCK
JIGIN: YOU SAID YOU WEREN'T ARMED
HABITE: GOTTA MOVE WITH THE TIMES
PAGE 13
HETTLE: STATUS PERIMETER NULL AND VOIDED. RECORDED BREACH
HABITE: WOW ! IS THAT HETTLE ?
HETTLE: UNIDENTIFIED VOICE PATTERN
HABITE: BIT JUMPY ISN'T IT BUT OH SO CUTE
PAGE 14
HETTLE: VOICE ANALYSIS IN CURRENT VICINITY INDICATES A HOSTILE
HABITE: WHAT GAVE IT AWAY THE SINCERITY IN MY VOICE OR THE CONTENTS OF MY BACKPACK
HETTLE: LIKELY TO BE ARMED AND DANGEROUS
HABITE: NOW YOU'RE TRYING TO FLATTER ME
PAGE 15
HABITE: CAN YOU GET HETTLE TO IDENTIFY THE HOSTILES
HETTLE: I HAVE, TO WHIT, YOU AND THE MASS OF CRAFT APPROACHING, FAST
HABITE: HOSTILE TO WHO, YOU, ME, IT OR ANY COMBINATION THERE OF
PAGE 16
HABITE: LISTEN I KNOW YOU BY REPUTATION
HABITE: YOU CAN GET TO KNOW ME BY ME TRUSTING YOU WITH THIS
JIGIN: DID MY REPUTATION SAY I WAS A NON VIOLENT
HABITE: YEAH LETS SHELVE THAT AND MOVE WITH THE TIMES
PAGE 17
JIGIN: I DO NOT BEAR WEAPONS
HABITE: LISTEN EVEN YOUR JUMPED UP BADGE HASN'T A CLUE WHOSE COMING TO VISIT
HABITE: CHANCES ARE WE AINT LEAVING THIS PLANET BREATHING
HABITE: YOUR REPUTATION ENDS HERE
HABITE: RELAX YOU'RE ABOUT TO BECOME A LEGEND, ALBEIT NON LIVING
PAGE 18
HABITE: YOU MUST OF COME HERE WITH A WAY OFF
JIGIN: IT HAD TO STAY OUT OF THE PERIMETER FOR FAIRNESS
HABITE: HONESTLY WILL BE THE DEATH OF YOU
HABITE: BUT I'M CHARMED IF IT'S GOING TO BE THE DEATH OF ME
PAGE 19
JIGIN: IT'S CSERVICE
HABITE: IS IT TUESDAY ? IT'S TAKEN CSERVICE 12 HOURS TO GET HERE AND HETTLE DIDN'T WARN US
HETTLE: IT SOMETIMES SERVES THE GREATER GOOD
HABITE: WHAT'S IT GOING TO SAY NEXT. ALL IS NOT AS IT SEEMS ?
PAGE 20
JIGIN: ARE YOU GOING TO PUT UP A FIGHT ?
HABITE: AGAINST THAT LOT, WHY IS IT TUESDAY
JIGIN: CONSIDER ME A CONVERT TO NON VIOLENCE
PAGE 21
HABITE: WHOSE THAT
JIGIN: NEW COMMANDER I BELIEVE
HABITE: WHAT HAPPENED TO ?
JIGIN: THE USUAL
PAGE 22
JIGIN: THAT'S TATE WITH HIM
JIGIN: AND AMWHIST
JIGIN: IF IT'S GAME OVER I'LL AT LEAST GET ONE, WHAT YOU DO FANCY RINGS OR STEAK
PAGE 23
HABITE: HEY HOLD ON WHATEVER HAPPENED TO NON VIOLENCE ?
JIGIN: YOU YOUNGSTERS NEVER NOW WHERE TO DRAW THE LINE
HABITE: IT'S JUST THEY'RE IMPORTANT
JIGIN: TO WHOM, YOU ?
HABITE: TOO IMPORTANT TO APPEAR SO EASILY EXPOSED
PAGE 24
HETTLE: SUGGESTION LAY DOWN ARMS AND SURRENDER
HABITE: I'M WITH THE BOSSY BADGE
JIGIN: JUST WHO ARE YOU ? PERHAPS I SHOULD TAKE YOU OUT INSTEAD
PAGE 25
NISH: YOU HAVE ARRIVED
WRIGHT: ANY SIGNS OF LIFE ?
NISH: NONE
GAUCHE: WRONG QUESTION, ARE THERE ANY CORPSES ?
PAGE 26
NISH: NO SIGNS OF LIFE LIVING OR RECENTLY EXPIRED
WRIGHT: STORMS PROBABLY COVERED IT UP
GAUCHE: THAT'S NOT TURBULENCE THAT'S CRAFT WAKE
WRIGHT: BUT THAT WOULD MEANS
MEUTH: YES A LOT OF CRAFT
PAGE 27
NISH: TERTIARY ANALYSIS COMPLETE, RESULT UNCHANGED
WRIGHT: NOT MUCH TO DO HERE THEN
GAUCHE: HOW RELIABLE WAS THE SOURCE
WRIGHT: THE USUAL, COME ONE LETS STAY BACK
PAGE 28
MEUTH: NO
GAUCHE: BEEN VISITED BY THE BACKBONE FAIRY ?
DROITE: WHAT HE MEANT WAS WE THOUGHT WE'D HAVE A LOOK AROUND
WRIGHT: MORE THE ALCO ELF
GAUCHE: I'LL COME WITH YOU
PAGE 29
GAUCHE: OPEN THE DOOR NISH
NISH: NO
MEUTH: MANUAL OVERRIDE HAS BEEN OVERRIDDEN
GAUCHE: LAST WARNING NISH
NISH: NO
BUNNEE: THERE YOU GO
PAGE 30
MEUTH: FOUND IT
BUNNEE: WHAT
GAUCHE: HETTLE
MEUTH: HOW DID YOU KNOW ? ...
GAUCHE: WHAT WOULD INTEREST YOU TWO APART FROM A SOUPED PDA WITH NEAR ORACLE LIKE PROPERTIES
BUNNEE: WHAT ARE GOING TO DO WITH IT
MEUTH: PARTY THEN PROFIT
PAGE 31
COMMANDER: YOU HAVE DONE WELL
HABITE: EXCEEDED EXPECTATIONS ?
COMMANDER: DON'T PUSH IT
PAGE 32
COMMANDER: HERE'S YOUR PAYMENT
HABITE: SHOULD I COUNT IT ?
COMMANDER: ONLY IF YOU WANT TO COMPOUND YOUR IGNORANCE,
COMMANDER: AMWHIST'LL ARRANGE FOR YOUR TRANSPORT
PAGE 33
TATE: WELL WELL WELL
HABITE: I NEED A LIFT
TATE: TAKE IF FROM ME YOU DON'T WANT TO GO WHERE I'M GOING
AMWHIST: MAAM, THE COMMANDER IS INSISTENT WE DO THIS PROPERLY
PAGE 34
COMMANDER: WELL, WELL, WELL
COMMANDER: WELL, WELL, WELL
COMMANDER: YOU HAVE DONE WELL
PAGE 35
COMMANDER: YOURS I BELIEVE, YOU CAN KEEP THE CHEAP COPY
JIGGIN: NO I INSIST DON'T WANT YOU TO OWE YOU ANYTHING
COMMANDER: WAIT UNTIL YOU SEE THE PLANS WE HAVE FOR YOUR
PAGE 36
COMMANDER: HANG ON, WHAT'S THIS ON THE LOCKET
COMMANDER: SOME KIND OF
COMMANDER: LOCATOR
PAGE 37
WRIGHT: WELCOME BACK.
GAUCHE: ALL THAT TIME ALONE CAN TWIST THE MIND
DROITE: YOU SEEM TO HAVE PICKED UP A STRAGGLER
PAGE 38
GAUCHE: TWISTED INDEED
Sfx: BANG
PAGE 39
HABITE: YOU SHOT HIM
GAUCHE: AND YOU'RE NEXT HABITE UNLESS YOU CAN CONVINCE US, AND CONVINCE ME YOU'VE NOT BEEN TWISTED
HABITE: HE'S TURNED .. SATISFIED
PAGE 40
MEUTH: SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT, THIS HETTLE IS JUST A RECEPTION BOOSTER,
MISH: ALERT HOSTILE DETECTED ON BOARD
GAUCHE: BIT LATE FOR THAT, HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN ON THEIR SIDE
PAGE 41
BUNNEE: GAUCHE THIS LOCKET AND THE HETTLE RECEIVING UNIT ARE IN A CRITICAL MASS LOOP
MEUTH: THAT'S BAD
WRIGHT: NOT UNLESS I SAW SO
PAGE 42
Sfx: KERBANG
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