Summary:

An inexplicable wave of violence afflicts the residents of the Miranda colony, a community dedicated to peaceful co-existance

Guest Starring:
Mimi Kuzyk	Dr. Laura Huxley
Robert Foxworth	Dr. Royce Shelton
Co-Starring:
Bill Welter	Jim Huxley
Keith Hudson	seaQuest Security Tyler
Steve Howard	seaQuest Security "Ricky" Enriquez
Carla Capps	Miranda Colony Arrival Hostess
Matt Davison	Richard Huxley
Donn Lamkin	Cafe Waiter
Chris Miles	Cafe Manager
Thomas Martin	Robert Bridger
Jennifer Sky	Shop girl
Butch Brickness	Looter 1
Jim Vickers	Looter 2

The twenty first century ... Mankind has colonized the last unexplored region on Earth -- the ocean. As Captain of the seaQuest and its crew, we are its guardians; for beneath the surface, lies the future.

 

Teaser

- Miranda colony -
- Depth 12700 feet

Arrival Hostess (a recording playing on a large vidscreen):

A community dedicated to the unity of our natural environment and all humankind. During your stay, we hope you celebrate with us the choice of nonviolence and mutual support, and to experience a cooperative society dedicated to the harmony of all life. (The image freezes with a burst of static. It jerks back and repeats the last phrase. It will continue repeating this for as long as it is in earshot.) Of all life

The camera pulls back from the vidscreen to show scenes of widespread devastation. Trash cans and furniture are overturned; fires are burning; belongings are thrown around, torn up. A child's toy has been strung up.

People carrying small bundles of what looks like clothing or bedding are furtively making their way from one place to another in semi-deserted hallways.

Jim Huxley steps in front of the image of the Arrival Hostess. He pauses, looks behind him. Like the others, he is carrying a cloth-wrapped bundle. There are mob cries behind him; he begins to run. He is being chased by a crowd of people; angry looking people carrying makeshift weapons. One person has single crutch that he is waving in a threatening manner.

Momentarily ahead of them, he stops at a door, banging on it and fumbling with the key touchpad on the left-hand side.

Jim Huxley :

Open the door! Laura!

The interior of the Huxley apartment. Laura goes to the door, pressed the keycode and lets him in.

Laura:

What's happening?

Jim Huxley (hurrying over to a table against the opposite wall and putting the bundle down to unwrap it):

They're burning down the government center. Now they're after me. (It looks like some piece of technology that been ripped from a larger piece of machinery.)

Laura:

What is that?

Jim Huxley:

A laser drill. I've modified so we can use it as a pulse rifle.

Laura:

You mean it's a weapon?

Jim Huxley:

You know how I feel at but we don't have a choice!

Laura:

You can fight this insanity. You can shut out of your mind.

Jim Huxley:

And be torn apart? I don't think so? Get out of the way.

He arms the weapon. Laura rummages through a large white bag, pulls out a medical device and arms that. He looks out the peephole, starts to unlock the door, she puts the medical device up against his neck.

Jim Huxley (looking betrayed):

You too? (He begins to collapse)

Laura:

I'm sorry but you need to sleep. Oh God, you need to sleep!

A beeping noise comes from the direction of the door. She goes to it and listens. Silence. She opens the door and looks out, first one direction, then the other. It is empty.

Richard Huxley:

(behind her) Mom?

Laura turns to find her son and daughter standing at the entrance to an inner hallway in the apartment. They are very close, the taller boy's arm is around his smaller sister. They both look apprehensive, afraid.

Richard Huxley:

What's happening?

Laura:

(goes to them, holds them both) I want you to lock yourself in your rooms and don't open the door for anyone. Not anyone. Not even me. Ok? Now go!

She gives them a small push, looks around as they leave and stops, her attention caught. She walks slowly toward it, whatever it is. There is an oval mirror on the wall. The image in it is of an old woman, white hair, wrinkled face, a look of horror on her face. She slowly puts a hand up to her face.
---

Cape New Quest, Florida
Scene: exterior, topside. Nathan Bridger is relaxing at a dockside open air café reading. A waiter is pouring espresso into a small glass mug and handing it to him.

Waiter:

There you go, captain. Real coffee.

Bridger:

I don't suppose the refill is free?

Waiter:

Not since beans are $250 a kilo. I'll run you up a tab.

Manager (coming to Bridger's table, carrying a small vidphone):

Captain, I have a call for you.

Bridger:

No, thanks. Bridger.

Tim (on a small vidscreen):

I'm sorry to interrupt your leave sir

Bridger:

That's all right how's the resupply going?

Tim:

Well be ready to sail in an hour. But that's not why I'm calling, sir. I'm receiving a priority transmission for you. Only they're using a code ten years out of date.

Bridger:

Whose it from?

Tim:

A Laura Huxley. She's the chief medical officer for Miranda colony.

Bridger:

Put her through.

Tim:

Aye sir.

Bridger quickly slicks his hair back, preening, looking pleased.

Laura:

(looking frazzled) Nathan.

Bridger:

Laura. Is that really you?

Laura:

I'm not sure. I don't know whether I'm hallucinating or whether it's really you. But if you can hear me, please, you've got to come and help us before we all die.

Bridger looks very puzzled and scene fades out.

---End of Teaser---

ACT ONE

An exterior view of seaQuest underweigh through open ocean, escorted by three WSKRS.
seaQuest bridge

Miguel:

I have the colony. Zero degrees at 10,000 meters.

Bridger:

Any answer to our hail?

Tim:

No one's picking up the phone

Miguel:

It looks like their com system's fried.

Bridger (to Brody):

I want you to form a boarding party but brief them carefully. I don't want anyone getting trigger happy.

Brody (scoffing):

The biggest crisis Miranda colony's ever had was running out of herbal tea.

Bridger:

Let's not take any chances.

Brody:

Yes sir!

Ford:

Captain are you sure you want to go in there blind?

Bridger:

I don't think we have any choice. You see years ago I knew Laura Huxley I asked her to marry me before I met Carol. She turnedit down flat. I think I know her well enough to know she wasn't exaggerating when she called.

Ford:

Very well. Henderson, land us on the collar.

Henderson:

Aye-aye sir

seaQuest approaches the Miranda colony. There are three domes visible on the ocean floor, lit up like christmas ornaments half buried in the sand.
---
Interior SeaQuest bridge

Ford:

O'Neill set condition two.

Tim:

All hands. Crew to stations. Secure all hatches. Condition two. ( The forward screen shows the Miranda colony)

A view of the seaQuest corridors, crowded with crewmembers rushing to their stations.

PA address:

Security detail Bravo , report to docking bay 3.

---
Interior seaQuest docking bay 3 - It is a scene of organized confusion. Bridger looks up, notices Dr. Smith nearby.

Capt. Bridger (to Wendi):

Excuse me?

Wendi:

I'm sorry. I'm going to go in.

Bridger:

Why? You sensing something from the colony?

Wendi:

Yes. Fear. Despair. A lot of rage. It's like a Cannuck hockey game without a referee.

Piccolo talking now

Computer:

Docking collar pressurized.

seaQuest docks to one of the colony domes.
---
The seaQuest airlock opens into the Miranda colony welcome lobby
Brody is in the lead, weapon drawn. Behind him enter Bridger, Wendi and seaQuest Security members.

? (Wendi?):

If this is a non-violent community, I hate to see a boot camp.

Colony person:

You've got to get us out of here. You've got to get me aboard.

The colonists mob the people from seaQuest, all shouting to be rescued. The security team rush into protecting positions.

Bridger:

Form a perimeter. Seal off the air lock.

Laura (coming from off-screen left):

Nathan! Thank God you're here. You don't know what we've been going through.

Bridger:

I've got some idea.

Laura:

This is Roy Shelton, chairman of the colony.

Bridger:

Can we go someplace and talk?

Shelton:

The medical complex. We can show you further problems. (The colony people lead the way back the direction they came from. Bridger, Wendi and Brody. SeaQuest security tries to stop people from getting to the airlock.) ---
Miranda colony corridor

Shelton:

About 10 years ago, during the last solar flare crisis, several of us started talking. There were fears about food rationing and another wave of greed was sweeping the financial markets.

Bridger:

About the time I quit the service and went to the island.

Shelton:

So we decided to move here. We only have one rule; everyone had to pledge to cooperate in creating a non-violent community

Bridger:

Did that work?

Shelton (handing over a report):

These are the rates for criminal activity and psychological disorder since the founding of the colony.

Brody (flipping through the pages, his eyebrows rising with amazement):

Must not be much to do here on Saturday night.

Laura:

Until four weeks ago then the rates took off.

Wendi:

This all happened in four weeks?

Laura:

We first started to see it in domestic abuse cases. Then it escalated; muggings, shop lootings, rioting.

Bridger:

Now a quarter of the colony's confined to psychiatric cases and criminals.

Wendi:

But why?

Laura:

I don't know. I've tested everything. First I thought it was some bizarre case of mass psychosis. But then mutation started to happen.

Bridger:

What kind of mutations?

Laura: (stops at a door to gesture them through)

I'll show you.

---
Miranda colony medical complex - An oasis of calm sanity. It is sterile white, walls, curtains, lab coats. Medical personnel are moving around without emotion or panic, doing their jobs.

Laura (going to one bed adn pulling back the curtain):

These are some of our earliest patients and the most violent ones. (She to pulls back a curtain and looks. The man writhing and snarling in the bed has horns coming out of his head and his teeth are fangs.) Now look at them!

The man looks perfectly normal.)

Bridger:

Laura , this patient looks normal.

Laura:

He does? (She looks at him again. He looks like the Devil. She sighs.) No signs of transformation?

Bridger (looks again and shakes his head slowly):

None.

Laura:

I was afraid of that. We can't tell any more whether we're hallucinating or not and we're the sanest people on the colony.

Bridger:

I'm declaring a state of martial law. Put guards in the corridors.

Brody:

Yes sir. Shelton looks stunned.
---
seaQuest seaDeck - Brody handing out security gear

Brody:

Stun batons and riot gear only. Pair up and move out. (The Model K Dagger approaches)

Dagwood:

Brody, can I help?

Brody (handing him some small gear of some sort):

Guard the oxygen valves on C12. If anyone goes near them, call for help.

Pleased to have a job to do, Dagwood accepts the item and rushes off.
---
seaQuest bridge - The forward screen on the bridge shows the mob at the airlock is even bigger than before.

Bridger:

Anyone got a theory on this? I'd like to hear about it.

Ford:

We've seen violent colonies before. Are we sure they're not just cracking under the pressure of a crime wave?

Wendi:

I don't think so. Maybe Dr. Huxley's patients aren't mutating into demons, but I'm still getting incredibly violent feelings off them.

Ford:

How do you know that's due to illness? We keep giving people excuses for their actions. They'll never change.

Wendi:

But if there's a medical reason people are going crazy, we can do something about it.

Bridger:

We need a complete analysis of the colony; pathogens, radiation. And we need yesterday.

Wendi:

I'm right on it.

Tony:

You wanted to see me?

Bridger:

Will your gills work at this depth?

Tony:

if I get out of night duty, you bet!

Bridger:

I want to make sure no one's sabotaging the colonies outside environmental systems.

Tony:

Yes sir, captain, sir! Right away!

Bridger:

(to Lucas) And you check their data banks.

Lucas:

You got it. (Forward screen showing the mob at the airlock.)
---

Miranda colony corridor - Dr. Shelton walking along one of the colony corridor, Wendi catches him up from behind.

Wendi:

Things look much calmer, Dr. Shelton . You know I studied your work on utopian societies in school.

Shelton:

I thought you might have.

Wendi:

Something bothered me today.

Shelton:

Yeah? What's that?

Wendi:

The rates of public order you showed us for the colony historically only happen in police states.

Shelton (laughing):

Maybe you've been living too much in the past, Dr. Smith, instead of the future. You see, we selected good people for the colony and worked very hard to help them give up their fears and anger. But if you'll forgive me now, I've got to go back and try to save that dream.

He walks away. Wendi watches him, somewhat disturbed. She is not satisfied with his explanation.
---

seaQuest, Bridger's quarters - Laura looking at her reflection in a mirror in Bridger's quarters, he appears behind her.

Bridger:

May I come in?

Laura:

Nathan! I was just thinking about us. Remember how you almost got court martialed because you snuck me into restricted area at Annapolis?

She goes close to him; she's very affectionate, too affectionate. Bridger reacts with puzzled apprehension. She puts her hands on his chest, he captures them with his own and puts them away.

Bridger:

Yes, I remember that very well. So did my commanding officer.

Laura:

But you're commander here now and we can do anything we want.

Bridger:

What are you doing?

Laura:

I'm in love with you. I can't help it, Nathan. I made a big mistake. I should have say yes when you asked me to marry you. (She leans against him, her head on his shoulder.) I wanted to.

Bridger:

No. No. You were very angry. You made that perfectly clear.

Laura:

I lied. (She kisses him. He pushes her away.)

Bridger:

There's something wrong here.

There's a piercing noise and he reacts with pain.
---

Exterior view: seaQuest and the colony as a wave of energy washes over them both, like a curtain passing over.

Miranda colony corridor, Area C12 - two seaQuest security members, Tyler and 'Ricky' Enriquez react to the ear-drum piercing burst. It stops.

Tyler:

You feel something?

Ricky:

Yeah. Now that you mention it I'm feeling great!

Tyler nods agreement. An agitated young woman appears, sees them and waves them down.

Shopgirl:

Help me! They're looting my store! Behind her, two looters are leaving a storefront, their hands full of merchandise.

One guard:

seaQuest security! Freeze!

The two looters look up with surprise. Tyler and Ricky fire, targeting the goods in their hands, which they drop. Both looters hold their hands up in surrender.

Looter 1:

OK! OK! No please.

Ricky (with an evil grin):

Not sincere enough.

Tyler agress and they shoot again. Both guys go down, stunned. One stumbles to his feet, pulling the other back up.

Looter:

Come on Nick! Run!

Tyler (laughing):

Yeah, run!

Ricky (cat-calling):

Catch ya, later.

Shopgirl:

You're just letting them go?

Tyler:

Yeah. Why? You got a problem with that?

They exchange glances, holster their sidearms and start moving toward her purposefully. The shopgirl backs away until she hits the corridor wall.

Shopgirl:

No. I ...

Ricky:

We just risked our butts here. An attractive girl like you oughta take that into account, don't you think.

She's boxed in, with a guard's arm on each side of her against the wall.

Shopgirl:

What are you talking about?

Tyler (pulling her shoulder strap out suggestively):

I think you know what we mean. Ricky is fondling her face. She is afraid.

Dagwood (out of sight behind them):

Tyler? Ricky? What are you doing?

Tyler:

Get out of here you stinking Dagger. You don't even know about women. Both guards laugh unpleasantly.

Ricky:

Hey Dagwood!

He hits Dagwood on the chin. The blow hurts him more than Dagwood, who only looks a little puzzled rather than in pain.

Dagwood :

Don't.

Taking one in each hand, he tosses them away from the frightened colonist. Dagwood takes out his PAL and calls.

Dagwood :

Area C12. I need help. Everybody's going crazy.

Dagwood:

Don't. (He tosses them both away, one in each hand and looks at them. Taking out his PAL, he calls.)

Shelton:

(watching out of sight from around a corner and looking very disturbed.) My God! What have I done? (A piercing noise strikes them, he holds his ears, trying to keep quiet but it's too much and he screams in pain.)

--- END OF ACT ONE ---

ACT TWO

Exterior view seaQuest at Miranda
Interior seaQuest Bridge, WSKRS chief

Miguel:

Tony, anything?

Tony:

(outside swimming) Everything's on line, in line, and straight down the line.

---

Interior seaQuest, seaDeck

Bridger:

What the hell were your men doing with that shopgirl?

Brody:

So my guys are a little stressed out. Maybe she was asking for it.

Bridger:

Asking for it? What is that supposed to mean? Are you some kind of barbarian?

Brody:

I don't have to take that from you. In fact, I don't have to take that from anybody. (He starts to storm away.)

Bridger:

Arrest him!

Wendi:

Captain, wait. There's something going on here.

Bridger:

You're damned right! His career's coming to a close.

Wendi:

No. You don't understand.

Bridger:

Don't understand?

Wendi:

I've been analyzing the ocular dilation readings and voice stress profiles from the crew.

Bridger:

You're not authorized to do that.

Wendi:

I know that. I couldn't help it.

Bridger:

You're invading everyone's privacy.

Wendi:

What I'm trying to tell you is, this is my greatest weakness and I gave into it. We all are.

Bridger:

Giving into what?

Wendi:

Look! (Goes over to a computer monitor.) Look! They're the same profiles you get from criminal psychopaths. But I'm finding it in our own crew. Whatever is infecting the colony is infecting us. It's making us behave this way.

Bridger:

But you haven't found the source of the contamination.

Wendi:

I know. That's what's frightening. I mean, look at your self. Your agitations what you've always holding back yet you're expressing it blindly.

Bridger:

Agitated? I'm not agitated.

Wendi:

No. Just practically out of your mind.

Bridger:

You're on the first boat out.

Wendi:

You can't do that.

Bridger:

Oh, yes I can. I'm the captain. (Darwin squeals for attention. Bridger goes over to the open pool) What do you want?

Darwin:

I'm scared. People bad.

Bridger:

Yes. They are aren't they? It's something to be scared of, isn't it?

Darwin:

No. Bridger scare Darwin. Bridger mad, say angry things. (Bridger holds him, hiding his face against his melon as he strokes the dolphin)

Wendi:

Captain, it's happening to you.

Bridger:

You take any of those readings on me?

Wendi:

Yes. All of us, including me. We're all at dangerous levels.

Bridger:

We've got to take a breath here. We've really got to take a breath. Brody come here. (Brody approaches.) I think we have to look each other, remind each other what we meat to each other. Now look, take care of your men. Disarm them if you have to. We're going to stay docked to the colony in case you need reinforcements.

Brody:

Yes sir. Right away. (hesitates) I'm sorry sir.

Bridger:

(soothingly) That's all right. That's all right. Anyone heard from Piccolo?

---

The waters outside Miranda colony - Piccolo is swimming around the colony structures

Tony:

I'm coming in and you may not believe this, but I'm getting thirsty.

---

seaQuest bridge, WSKRS chief

Miguel:

(laughing) I've got one chilling for you Tony.

---

Outside the Miranda colony domes - Tony stops and reacts to some noise, somthing like static.

Tony:

Whoa! What was that?

The noise comes again. ---

Interior seaQuest bridger, WSKRS chief

Miguel:

Tony, what's going on? The power plant's fritzing your transmissions.

---

Outside the Miranda colony domes - Tony swimming upward to the top of a tower. He sees a man in a DSL, working on an antenna.

---

Interior seaQuest bridge, WSKRS chief

Miguel:

Tony? Can you hear us?

---

Ouside the Miranda colony domes - Tony confronts the man.

Tony:

What the hell are you doing? (The man turns, showing the faceplate. It is Shelton.)

Shelton:

No! Let go of me. You don't understand.

Tony:

Hey, Ortiz? Can you read me? Somebody's trying to tap into our power. Ortiz?

He takes off swimming after Shelton, who has lifted away. Another wave of energy hits, blue arcs of energy play over his body. His gills disappear.

Tonhy:

Oh my God! No!

---

Interior seaQuest bridge

Ford:

Tony? What's going on, Tony?

---

Outside the Miranda colony domes - Tony writhing in the water

Tony (panicking):

My gills are gone.! I'm drowning!

---

Interior seaQuest bridge, WSKRS chief

Miguel:

Tony. Tony, where are you? Speak to us. Captain, we've lost Piccolo.

Bridger (to Darwin, in the moonpool):

Listen, Piccolo's missing out there somewhere. Go find him. Go find him!

Darwin takes off, diving down into the pool.

Exterior view of him leaving seaQuest. Switch to Tony falling bonelessly through the water.

---

seaQuest bridge - anxiously waiting for news

Lucas:

(speaking into the vocoder) Darwin, go to port bow. That's where he would have drifted.

---

Exterior ocean - Tony continues his descent toward the ocean floor, Darwin grabbing him by the slack of his equipment belt and lifting him

Lucas:

(on the bridge) He's got him! Miguel grins with relief.

Wendi:

Medical team to sea deck.

Miguel:

Captain, you'd better see this. (Captain stops in tracks off bridge, goes up to WSKRS station. Lucas is also there.)

Bridger:

What's going on here?

Miguel:

WSKR number 3. I positioned it where Tony was when he started yelling. It's so tightly polarized, you can't see it unless you're directly aligned.

Lucas:

That's because it's a chaos path.

Ford:

What?

Lucas:

Shockwaves passing through water are actually causing water molecules to luminesce.

Ford:

But we aren't detecting any shock waves.

Lucas:

We're not detecting anything at all.

Bridger:

Except our minds. Dr. Smith, what's your status? How's Piccolo doing?

Wendi (on comm):

He's unconscious but he's breathing.

Bridger:

All right. Detach from the colony. Follow the path. Sound general quarters.

Tim:

General quarters. General quarters. All hands man your battle stations. General quarters. General quarters. (Scenes of people rushing past one another in the corridors, the lights are red signifying battle stations)

---

seaQuest starts to pull away from Miranda colony

seaQuest bridge - Brody on the forward screen looking frazzled

Brody:

Captain? You're leaving? You promised to back me up.

Bridger:

I know. I think we're onto something.

Brody:

I'm glad for you but we're crashing and burning here. I mean... My God. I don't know what I mean.

Bridger:

Whatever you say, I'll forget it tomorrow so just hold on.

Brody:

I'll try, captain, but things are getting dicey.

Bridger:

Brody. Brody?

---

Exterior ocean, seaQuest sailing - it looks like the boat is flying through the air. They pass through some sort of barrier and the water darkens

Lucas:

We've passed through some sort of energy barrier.

Ford:

There's a trench ahead. Must be a mile deep. (seaQuest hits a shock wave, everyone holds to their ears as if in pain. There is an explosion on the bow of the ship outside, ribbons of the chaos path are rippling against the hull of seaQuest, caressing it. SeaQuest encounters another shock wave.)

Miquel:

My head. It's inside my head.

Bridger:

Prepare lasers and torpedoes. We're over the trench in ten, in five... (As they approach the trench, more luminescing water swirls upward.)

Tim:

(awestruck) It's the face of God.

Lucas:

No. It looks like a chaos cloud. A total reversal of all physical laws. Only they're not supposed to exist.

Henderson:

(at helm) It's drawing us in. Our speed is accelerating. (Ribbons of energy entwine seaQuest, pulling it toward the trench.)

Bridger:

Are you tracking this?

Ford:

The sensors say there's nothing there.

Bridger:

Veer off. (Electricity arcs crackle over Henderson on the helm. She screams.)

Henderson:

Help!

Bridger:

It's just an illusion. Hold on!

Henderson braces herself, grabs the helm with determination to stay the course.

Bridger:

Blow the main ballast.

Ford:

I'm trying. We don't have any buoyancy.

Bridger:

It's just a trick. Close your mind and do it.

Ford (closes eyes, takes a deep breath):

Ok. It's working. We're rising. The distance is opening.

Lucas:

We've passed through the energy barrier.

Ford:

Systems are on line. We're back to normal.

Wendi:

I don't think so.

Bridger:

What do you think that is?

Wendi:

Evil. And it's growing.

The crew react accordingly, camera on Wendi and Bridger and fade out.

---END OF ACT TWO---

ACT THREE

Exterior view: seaQuest once more docked to Miranda Colony

seaQuest bridge.

Tim (at his station, typing) :

All divisions have reported. Damage has been contained, sir.

Bridger:

Does Piccolo remember anything about it?

Wendi:

He's got total amnesia about it. His short-term memories never fixated.

Ford:

Our data banks aren't going to help either. Look at these charts. It's a completely featureless trench. It's way past time we notified UEO.

Bridger:

You know what their first impulse will be. Send a nuclear fleet. We don't want that.

Lucas:

You know, you're right. It's featureless. It's too just featureless.

Ford:

What are you saying? You think someone's altered the charts?

Lucas:

Yes. That's exactly what I'm saying. I mean, look at the repeating pattern. Somebody has erased what's really there.

Bridger:

Back-track it. See what they're hiding.

Lucas:

It will take me a while.

Tim:

Captain, I've got Brody on TAC 1.

Brody:

We're getting near the edge here, captain. If someone doesn't get these people on decaf, we're all history!

Bridger:

How long can you hold out?

Brody:

I don't know. Somebody tried torching us with a home-made flame thrower. Lots of my people are down, injured, crazy.

Bridger:

We aren't thinking any more clearly than you. Has it affected your Model K?

---

Miranda colony - a scene of confusion, hysteria, upset.

Brody (looking over to Dagwood, who is a calm presence in the midst of hysteria):

No. Not in the slightest.

Bridger:

This might be off the wall, but try asking him for some advice. Maybe that cloud's not affecting him.

Brody:

All right. I'll give it a shot. Out Captain. (goes over to Dagwood). Hey! You heard him.

Dagwood:

Yeah.

Brody:

What would you do?

Dagwood:

Me?

Brody:

Yeah.

Dagwood:

I would get everyone together in the same place and tell stories and sing songs. That would make me feel better, Brody.

Brody:

Like church, huh?

Dagwood:

What's church?

Brody:

You're about to find out. (to the seaQuest peacekeeping detail) You heard him! Get everybody into the town meeting hall. Go! Go!

Dagwood:

Wait! Brody? Can I ask you a question?

Brody:

Yeah? What?

Dagwood:

This thing that I'm not feeling. It means I'm not human, doesn't it?

Brody:

No wonder they didn't make any more of you. You're not even close to being a soldier.

Dagwood:

I try to be.

Brody:

When they put you together, they didn't include any mean bones. Someone did that for the rest of us, we'd be better off.

Dagwood:

No mean bones?

Brody:

Yeah!

---

seaQuest and Miranda Colony are hit by another wave of insanity.

Interior Miranda colony - Brody and the peacekeeping detail are collecting the people of the colony together when the wave hits. Everyone reacts with pain, holding onto their ears in a vain attempt to cut the noise.

Brody:

Come on. Let's go! We've got to hurry.

---

Interior seaQuest medical lab - Wendi is working, trying to figure it out. Laura comes to the door and tentatively enters.

Laura:

You're a psychic, aren't you?

Wendi:

Yes.

Laura:

I know the privacy laws won't allow you to probe anyone without prior consent, but if it will help you figure out what's happening to us, I want you to probe me. (Wendi nods. The two women clasp hands, the screen begin to fade, merging one into the other, back and forth. The camera focuses on a much younger looking Laura.)

Laura:

(dreamy voice) Nathan, all I want to say is ...

Wendi:

(same dreamy voice, repeats): All I want to say is...

Laura:

Yes.

---

Time cut - Wendi, looking shocked, backs out into the seaQuest corridor. She is troubled by what she has just learned. Bridger comes along, sees her and is concerned.

Bridger:

Everything all right?

Wendi:

Laura found out I'm telepathic. She asked me to do a probe.

Bridger:

And?

Wendi:

She doesn't know what's in the trench.

Bridger:

(taking her arm as he turns and walks with her back the way he had come) There's something you're not telling me.

Wendi:

(smiling weakly) I shouldn't, but I don't know if we'll be alive tomorrow.

Bridger:

Well then, tell me.

Wendi:

Laura was raised in a very violent family. It made her afraid of marriage. When you asked her, she pushed you away. But what she was telling you today was the truth. She was always very much in love with you. She still is.

Bridger:

All right. I think we should find Dr. Shelton. It's time we submitted him to a probe.

Wendi:

(nodding) I'm on it. (She goes, leaving Bridger to mull over the revelation she just handed him. He looks bamboozled.)

---

seaQuest docked to Miranda colony, another energy wave hits them. There is a piercing noise

seaQuest bridge - Lucas hard at work

The noise goes through his head. He holds his hands over his ears, as do others. The noise stops. Ford goes behind Lucas, grabbing the back of Lucas' neck in a gesture of support.

Lucas (disheartened):

The more I look at this, the more I wonder if I'm not supposed to figure this out. Maybe none of this is real.

Ford:

That thing is making you doubt yourself.

Lucas:

But how do you now that? Maybe this is just virtual reality and I'm a program told to believe I exist when nothing exists at all.

Ford:

No. Lucas believe me and so are you. Come here. (He urges Lucas up and away from the forward console where Lucas has been working on the problem, over to the pool on the bridge. Darwin is there.) Darwin, what do you say to Lucas?

Darwin:

Lucas friend. Play with Darwin. (He squirts Lucas from his blowhole, catching him in his face. Lucas wipes his face with the tail of his shirt, smiling reluctant agreement.)

Lucas:

Ok, I get the picture. Virtual reality wouldn't be this wet.

Ford:

But you know what? Maybe you're feeling uncertain because you're getting close and that thing's trying to stop you.

Lucas:

That's crazy.

Ford:

Is it? What's the opposite of what you've been doing.

Lucas:

A frontal assault. I've been looking for service entrances, but a frontal assault is way too easy.

Ford:

Who says? Show me. How would you do it?

Lucas:

(looking thoughtful, leads the way back to the computer console) Well, ahh,yeah! Normally, I'd try all the simple passwords first. Then shoot the dictionary at it at high speed, with adjustments, of course. (growing excitement) I don't know why I didn't try this before. This could work.

---

Time cut

Lucas:

Captain, I'm getting a data base. Ten years ago, there was a research facility at the bottom of that canyon. Deepfire Project. It was secretly funded by the same account that set up the colony.

Bridger:

Whose name was on the account.

Lucas:

You're not going to believe this. Dr. Shelton was the sole owner and project director.

Bridger:

Where is he?

Wendi:

Nobody can find him. Brody's team did find something else. The airlock in the colony's power dome was used in the past couple of hours. Somebody tried diverting the power into an undersea line.

Bridger:

It's got to be Shelton. How far can he get in a DSL suit?

Ford:

The nearest land is Hamilton Island. Sixty kilometers.

Bridger:

We're taking the shuttle. (He, Ford, Lucas and Wendi leave the bridge)

Exterior view of seaQuest with a shuttle departing

Hamilton Island - Shelton is loading up a speedboat. He comes back on the dock to pick up some yellow carry cases, when Bridger, Lucas and Wendi appear.

Bridger:

You going someplace?

Shelton drops the containers and bolts for the speedboat. He is stopped by several seaQuest security men in wetgear, holding weapons. He comes back up to face Bridger, Wendi and Lucas, looking defeated.

Shelton:

I was hoping to sail as far away as possible from the cloud.

Wendi:

And then?

Shelton:

Blow myself to kingdom come.

Lucas:

Why?

Shelton:

Because I made a pact with the devil and now there's nowhere to hide. (takes out some papers) These are the plans for the Deepfire lab.

Wendi:

It's a parapsychology center.

Shelton:

Yes. As you know, telepathic powers barely work on the surface. Too much human static.

Wendi:

So you isolated your lab in the deepest canyon.

Shelton:

We made great strides. Until my staff started killing each other.

Wendi:

What were you building down there?

Shelton:

A sort of transceiver. We were trying to beam thoughts of cooperation and nonviolence into the colony. INn a way, we did.

Bridger:

This machine actually worked?

Shelton:

Yes, but not exactly as planned. It couldn't beam anything into the colony, but it was able to draw something away from it.

Bridger:

What?

Shelton:

Call it what you want. The dark side of the force. Evil. Those energies that feed our fears and angers.

Wendi(shocked):

A hundred years ago, Freud and Jung warned that if we separate the shadow side from our self, it will destroy you.

Shelton:

True enough. But I told myself that they didn't have my technology.

Bridger:

You had the arrogance to try and separate them.

Shelton:

Why not? We know about matter and anti-matter, why not life and anti-life? How do you explain genocide or religious wars fought by fanatics pledging their lives to a loving God and committing every atrocity imaginable in his name? There's a power that despises life. For ten years, I drew that power away from the colony. For ten years, the colony enjoyed unparalleled peace.

Lucas:

So what went wrong?

Shelton:

Containing those forces required increasing amounts of electrical energy. Four weeks ago, the power failed.

Bridger:

Then you tapped into our power, so you could regain control.

Shelton:

At least long enough to destroy the transceiver. But I failed. And now that energy is coming alive. It's going to keep growing until it consumes everything.

Bridger:

No. No, it's not. We've been inside that cloud. We can fight it. You can too.

Shelton:

You don't know what the center of it's like.

Bridger:

Well, there's only one way to find out.

Shelton (shaking head) :

I'm not that brave.

Bridger:

Do you have any children? Grandchildren?

Shelton (bewildered by the non sequitor) :

Yes.

Bridger:

Do you really think you have a choice?

Shelton:

All right. Prepare yourself. You're about to meet the devil and believe me, we're all going to die in the attempt.

--- END OF ACT THREE ---

ACT FOUR

Exterior of Miranda colony, seaQuest still in dock. Another wave of energy hits

Interior view: the town meeting hall - Brody has collected the entire colony there. As the wave hits, they hold their heads and ears and scream. Brody and Dagwood are standing on a dais in front of everyone.

Brody:

Ignore it! And sing! Just anybody. Come on, somebody. Sing!

A woman in the crowd begins to sing Amazing Grace. A young oriental man joins in, then, one by one, others do also. Dagwood, looking lost, joins in, about half a word behind.

---

Interior seaQuest bridge, looking from above

Bridger (sitting in the command chair, addressing the crew):

This is an opportunity for each of you to decide whether you want to stay with seaQuest or leave before we enter the energy field. If you decide to stay, I want you to remember this; if we believe the core of our being is life-affirming, we will not fail each other and we'll be able to oppose whatever is out there that we will be facing. All right. This is your chance.

Everyone looks around to see who will speak up.

Ford:

We discussed it, captain. We're all going to stay. We want to fight this thing together. (Tim, looking determined, nods agreement)

Bridger:

All right. Take us through the cloud.

Ford:

Set course 2 2 9. Take us to 20,000 feet. All ahead emergency now. (pause) Switch all systems to isolated power. Cut all connections to hull.

Miguel:

The sea's growing colder. Too cold. It should be frozen solid.

Henderson:

Hull fittings are separating. We can't take this turbulence.

---

Interior Miranda colony town meeting hall - People are cracking under the strain. One woman stands up, hysterical.

Hysterical woman:

The Angel of Death is coming. The Angel of Death is coming!

Brody:

Don't let her hurt herself.

Dagwood nods and he puts his arms around her. It looks more like a close hug than a restraint. The expression on his face is one of deep compassion.

Brody:

Stay calm. You're going to be fine. Hold onto your loved ones and pray.

---

seaQuest sailing toward the trench

Internal view: seaQuest bridge

Lucas:

It's growing stronger.

Shelton:

It's like a psychic black hole. The more it draws in, the powerful it becomes.

Tim reacts to this statement, growing more determined to do his job in spite of his religious fears. The cloud boiling up from the trench fills the forward screen. A data screen behind Lucas blanks and resolves into the image of a young man.

Robert Bridger:

Dad? (Bridger looks up and sees him. The image shakes his resolve momentarily.) You've got to turn back. I need you.

Bridger (hopeful):

Robert? (coming to his senses, denying his hopes) You're not there. (to Ford, for reassurance) He's not there, is he? (Ford reaches across to lay his hand on Bridger's.)

Henderson (struggling to hold the helm steady) :

I can't hold it! We're going in!

Shelton:

It's reaching out. It's reaching critical mass. It's becoming conscious.

Ford:

We're losing power.

Bridger:

No. We've still got momentum. We're going to ram the lab. Our bioskin will regenerate.

Ford:

Bow planes full down. Emergency. Brace for collision.

Lucas (speaking into the vocoder to Darwin) :

Dive to the bottom of your tank! We're going to crash.

Darwin reacts and dives down into the water of the tank. Henderson is struggling to hold their course steady.

---

seaQuest rams the Deepfire facility. There is penetration and a burst of bright light.

seaQuest bridge - Electrical discharges play over all of the equipment, the crew is tossed, grab onto whatever is available to keep in place.

Bridger:

(jumping up) Let's go! (he grabs Shelton and pulls him off the bridge through the ship's corridors to docking port 2) All right. Blow this lock and seal it after us.

---

Deepfire facility - Fires are burning and there is a strong air flow opposing them, one that they must struggle against to make forward progress.

Bridger:

Where is it?

Shelton:

Beyond the containment wall.

Bridger:

All right. Hold on. Hold on. (pulling Shelton behind him, he heads for the indicated wall.)

Shelton:

(afraid) Bridger, we go in there, we'll burn alive.

Bridger:

No. No. It's an illusion. Come on.

They are approaching the heart of the Deepfire project. It consists of a cylindrical set up, two halves, top and bottom, connected by a glowing blue crystalline rod.

Shelton:

We've to break the connection. Smash the rod.

Robert Bridger:

No Dad. Don't do it. (Bridger looks around. Robert is standing near one of the walls.) It's the only way I can stay alive. Don't. (Bridger looks back at the assembly, then up again. Robert is gone.)

Shelton:

(screaming) It's real! (the flesh has been burned from the bone, only a white skeleton of his arm remains, grasping the blue glowing rod. Screaming.) My hand!

Bridger reaches past him, takes the rod and pulls it out. Turning around, he throws it to the floor, smashing it.

---

Miranda colony town meeting hall - The piercing noise stops. People lower their hands, look around in amazed wonder.

---

Interior seaQuest bridge - The crew of the ship react to the cessation of pain. Wendi's hands fold together as if in prayer.

Wendi:

It's dying.

---

A view of the Chaos Cloud. It seems to be foldingdown on itself, diminishing.

Interior seaQuest bridge, Miguel Ortiz's station

Miguel:

We've got full power.

Ford:

Captain? Get out of there. The dome's giving way.

Bridger pulls Shelton up and away from his creation. They head back to the ship.

Bridger:

(as they stumble over the open lock onto seaQuest) Get him to sick bay. Seal this lock.

Ford:

All CK emergency. Blow all tanks.

Bridger:

(back on the bridge) Fire the laser. Fire everything. Right down to the magma bed. I want this destroyed forever.

---

seaQuest fires all weapons. The facility collapses, melts, magma bubbles up to engulf it

Bridger:

All right commander. Take us back to the colony.

---

seaQuest sails away from the trench, WSKRS in attendence

Interior seaQuest Medbay

Wendi wearing a surprisingly fetching labcoat over her zip-up top is leading Bridger toward one of the beds, pulling back the curtains. They both pause, looking down at the occupant, out of camera sight. Camera pans down, it is Shelton, he looks much older.

Wendi:

It's not an illusion.

Bridger:

Why not me?

Shelton:

Because your soul wasn't at the heart of that thing. Mine was. But at least I won it back.

Interior Miranda colony welcoming lobby - Everything is calm. Jim Huxley is holding onto the hands of his two children, smiling. Laura is walking behind them, with Bridger. Laura and Bridger stop to let the others pull ahead.

Laura:

Thank you for not letting me make a fool of myself. I want you to know that before all the years passed; before my marriage, my family; I did love you, Nathan, more than I can tell you.

Bridger:

(taking her hands in both of his, pulling her close, he gives her a friendly kiss) I loved you too, Laura, and we'll always have that. (She hugs him and turns to rejoin her family. Bridger watches them, a look of sorrow on his face for the family he lost.)

---

seaQuest undocking from Miranda colony

Interior seaQuest bridge, Ford at his console. He looks up as Bridger approaches

Ford:

The ship is all secure. All present and accounted for.

Bridger:

Take us home commander.

Ford:

Aye sir.

Exterior view, seaQuest sailing, accompanied by its attendant WSKRS -

The End

---

Sea Facts Hi! I'm Jonathan Brandeis. On seaQuest, I talk to Darwin using this (holds up the vocoder) but in reality humans communicate with dolphins using hand signals. Dolphins also use sound to see things underwater by sending out clicks through this part of their head (he strokes the large forehead on top of the dolphin's head) the melon. When the clicks hit objects or land formations, they bounce back to the dolphins like an echo or sonar. In this way, dolphins are aware of the world around them even in the darkest waters. See you on the next adventure of seaQuest.

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