The Saga of Seven Suns: Veiled Alliances (18 page)

Ildiran soldiers march with Corey’s people (a lot of them, many families) toward a batch of waiting shuttles.

11. CAPTION

LATER…

12. COREY KELLUM

WE CAN MAKE IT ALL IN ONE TRIP. OUR PEOPLE TRAVEL LIGHT.

13. ENGINEER

THAT’S BECAUSE WE DON’T HAVE MUCH
LEFT
AFTER SO MANY SETBACKS. . . .

PAGE 25

Full page with three large insets.

FULL PAGE

The Ildiran shuttle approaches the big skymine, something like Cloud City in EMPIRE STRIKES BACK. This is our first sight of a skymine and it looks impressive, though a bit old and rickety. The skymine is not “smooth” but has all sorts of add-ons and duct-tape repairs.

1. SHUTTLE

AN AWFULLY BIG FACTORY, ALL RIGHT.

INSET 1

One of Corey’s engineers looks through the shuttle window, his expression showing clear dismay.

2. ENGINEER

WHAT A WRECK! HOW MANY CENTURIES HAS IT BEEN IN FLIGHT?

INSET 2

The Ildiran pilot looks over his shoulder at the engineer’s comment, somewhat miffed and indignant.

3. PILOT

THE THREE DAYM SKYMINES HAVE PRODUCED EKTI FOR FOUR HUNDRED YEARS.

[LINK]

THEY ARE HOME TO MORE THAN A THOUSAND ILDIRAN WORKERS.

INSET 3

Corey, chin up and confident, puts a reassuring hand on the engineer’s shoulder.

4. COREY KELLUM

DON’T WORRY. WE’LL DO JUST FINE.

PAGE 26

Six panels

PANEL 1

On the skymine’s landing platform, Corey Kellum meets the Ildiran factory captain. Corey looks eager to get to work; the skymine captain seems relieved to be turning over the responsibility.

1. ILDIRAN

CAPTAIN KELLUM, WE ARE HAPPY TO CEDE CONTROL OF THIS FACILITY TO HUMAN OPERATORS.

2. COREY

AND WE’RE HAPPY FOR THE OPPORTUNITY, SIR.

PANELS 2 & 3

Kellum’s people (including families and kids) work to unload their belongings and equipment, looking wide-eyed at the amazing floating city that will now be their home.

3. CAPTION (COREY)

“MY PEOPLE HAVEN’T HAD A HOME FOR A LONG TIME.”

4. CAPTION (COREY)

“THESE SKYMINES AREN’T MUCH DIFFERENT FROM OUR OLD GENERATION SHIP . . . EXCEPT THIS TIME WE’LL BE MAKING A PROFIT.”

PANEL 4

Corey Kellum with the Ildiran factory captain, standing on the highest observation deck, looking up at the big exhaust funnel.

5. ILDIRAN

WE ILDIRANS WILL BE GLAD TO RETURN TO THE SEVEN SUNS OF OUR HOME. LIVING IN SUCH ISOLATION IS DIFFICULT FOR US.

6. COREY

IF THIS WORKS OUT, MANY OF THE
KANAKA
CLANS WOULD BE GLAD TO TAKE OVER YOUR OTHER SKYMINING OPERATIONS.

PANEL 5

Viewed from high up and directly above, we look down on the cruising skymine above the gas giant’s colorful storm clouds.

7 SKYMINE (COREY)

. . . COULD BE THE START OF A WHOLE NEW CAREER FOR US.

PANEL 6

Corey on one side of panel, an engineer on the other side, watching as all the Ildiran skymine workers board the shuttles. It’s a mass exodus.

8. ENGINEER

DO YOU SUPPOSE THE ILDIRANS HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THEY’VE JUST GIVEN UP?

9. COREY

PROBABLY NOT A CLUE. AND THAT SUITS ME JUST FINE.

PAGE 27

Three panels

PANEL 1

Big panel. Corey stands on the skymine’s observation deck, watching as the numerous shuttles lift off, heading toward the waiting warliner that hovers over the creamy curve of the gas giant’s horizon.

PANEL 2

Another view from the skymine’s deck as the warliner itself departs. In the far distance, partly shrouded by wisps of high-rising clouds, we can see one of the other skymines, puttering away.

PANEL 3

Small panel, inset. Corey grins, ready to get going..

1. COREY

ALL RIGHT, LET’S GET TO WORK!

PAGE 28

Five panels. The new inhabitants get to work.

PANEL 1

The engineers inspect the grimy and crowded control decks, like the industrial nightmare of an oil refinery.

1. ENGINEER 1

NOT A VERY EFFICIENT DESIGN.

2. ENGINEER 2

HASN’T BEEN MODIFIED IN CENTURIES.

PANEL 2

A man in a jetpack environment suit flies around the plated reactor chambers beneath the giant skymine, inspecting connections.

3. MAN (RADIO BALLOON)

A BIT OF LEAKAGE HERE . . . COULD USE A PATCH IN THE MAIN EKTI REACTORS.

PANEL 3

Corey looks at the lined-up ekti cylinders, which will be their main export.

4. COREY KELLUM

IF WE GET EVERYTHING RUNNING RIGHT, WE’LL NEED A LOT MORE OF THESE EXPORT CYLINDERS.

[LINK]

WITH NEW TRADE ROUTES OPENED, THE ILDIRAN EMPIRE AND THE TERRAN HANSEATIC LEAGUE ARE GOING TO NEED A LOT OF STARDRIVE FUEL.

PANEL 4

At a boardroom table, various family heads sit around for a clan meeting, including Corey Kellum.

CAPTION

LATER…

5. WOMAN

THIS SKYMINE IS IN THE WORST SHAPE OF THE THREE, COREY.

6. OLD MAN

LUCKY US.

7. MAN

NOTHING THAT CAN’T BE FIXED . . .

PANEL 5

Two skymines floating above the clouds.

8. COREY (FROM SKYMINE)

THAT’S WHAT WE’RE GOOD AT. ANYBODY OBJECT TO WORKING AROUND THE CLOCK?

PAGE 29

Across the top, green band with white letters: THEROC.

Three panels

PANEL 1

Big panel. Thara Wen, seen from behind and shadowed, walks out of the forest edge, looking up at the exotic and jaw-dropping fungus-reef city. Very small-looking people mill around, some people puttering about on flying machines. Full of sense of wonder.

1. CAPTION

“MY HOME WILL NEVER BE THE SAME AGAIN. . . .”

2. CAPTION

“BUT THE FOREST ITSELF IS MY HOME. I AM PART OF IT.”

PANEL 2

Thara walks in the center of the panel, amazingly hairless and green skinned. She is surrounded by astonished-looking people.

3. MAN 1

IT’S THARA WEN! SHE’S ALIVE, AFTER ALL!

4. WOMAN 1

WHAT HAPPENED TO HER?

5. KID

THARA!

PANEL 3

Sam Roper is being held by two strong guards, pushing him down. He’s obviously been struggling, putting up quite a fight. He looks up at Thara with an expression of surprise and even relief.

6. GUARD

HOLD HIM!

7. ROPER

SEE, SHE’S ALIVE! I TOLD YOU I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING TO HER!

PAGE 30

Six panels (not necessarily as rigid or as evenly spaced as I’ve sketched here.)

PANEL 1

The leader of the Therons, dressed in an unusual mixture of old ship uniform and natural trappings taken from the forest, steps up next to Thara. She looks disoriented, dazed.

1. LEADER

WE ARE RELIEVED TO SEE YOU SAFE, THARA.

PANEL 2

Front shot of the leader, looking at us. Visible in the background, the guards continue to hold Sam Roper, who is trying to get away.

2. LEADER

WE’VE BEEN SEARCHING FOR HOURS . . . WE THOUGHT ROPER HAD DONE SOMETHING TO YOU.

[LINK]

CAN YOU TELL US WHAT HAPPENED?

PANEL 3

Thara looks down in amazement at her outstretched palms.

3. THARA

SOMETHING MARVELOUS . . . I DON’T UNDERSTAND IT MYSELF.

PANEL 4

Thara gazes wistfully up at the dense, rustling tree fronds overhead.

4. THARA

THE WORLDFOREST IS MORE THAN JUST TREES . . . MORE THAN JUST ALIVE . . .

PANEL 5

Thara lovingly caresses the scaled bark of the nearest tree.

5. THARA

IT IS
SENTIENT
, INTELLIGENT, FULL OF EXPERIENCES . . .

[LINK]

. . . MEMORIES FROM THOUSANDS OF YEARS . . . AND FROM YESTERDAY.

PANEL 6

At the edge of the panel, Thara Wen points an accusing finger at Sam Roper, who looks very distraught.

6. THARA

I KNOW NOW WHAT SAM ROPER TRIED TO DO TO ME—

[LINK]

AND THROUGH THE EYES OF THE FOREST, I
SAW
WHAT HE DID TO HIS OTHER VICTIMS, AS WELL!

PAGE 31

Eight panels

PANELS 1–4

Three distorted, dreamlike panels showing flashback images of three different murders, Roper in all three of them, but the victims are different. Maybe stabbing one, strangling another, dragging a third body off into the underbrush. Panel 4 is a close-up of Thara Wen, her eyes closed, as she recites what she has seen. Dialog can be in captions or in detached word balloons.

1. CAPTION (THARA)

HE HIMSELF DOESN’T KNOW HIS REASONS. . . .

2. CAPTION (THARA)

SAM ROPER HAS AN UNCONTROLLABLE TEMPER.

3. CAPTION (THARA)

HE FLIES INTO MURDEROUS RAGES, CAUSES IRREVOCABLE HARM . . . THEN MANAGES TO COVER HIS TRACKS.

4. CAPTION (THARA)

I CAN SHOW YOU WHERE THE THREE BODIES ARE HIDDEN, TELL YOU THEIR LAST WORDS—
JUST BEFORE HE KILLED THEM
.

5. CAPTION (THARA)

THE FOREST SEES EVERYTHING . . . AND FORGETS NOTHING.

PANEL 5

A group of Theron workers digging in the forest underbrush, all of them looking intent but perhaps afraid of what they will find.

PANEL 6

One man holds up a dirty, tattered shoe.

PANEL 7

Faces close together, looking down in horror.

PANEL 8

The excavation of the underbrush has revealed a shallow grave and a skeleton.

PAGE 32

Eight panels

PANEL 1

A weeping mother runs away from the uncovered grave.

PANEL 2

Sam Roper, hunched over, his arms bound, looks ill, sick at himself for what he has done.

PANEL 3

Thara stands at the site, looking stricken. The diggers are deeply shaken.

1. MAN

YOU’D BETTER SHOW US THE OTHERS. . . .

PANEL 4

Big panel, a group of leaders, like a tribunal or a council of elders, sit at their table, while Sam Roper (his back to us), kneels in front of them, his arms bound behind his back.

2. LEADER

SAM ROPER, NEVER HAS SUCH A CRIME BEEN COMMITTED ON THEROC. FOR HUMANS, THIS NEW WORLD IS A FRESH START, FILLED WITH HOPE.

3. LEADER

BUT APPARENTLY WE HAVE BROUGHT OUR DEMONS AS WELL!

PANEL 5

The leader/judge fills most of the panel, raising his arms and not knowing what to do.

4. LEADER

SUCH CRIMES WERE COMMON ENOUGH ON EARTH . . . AND IT SEEMS WE CANNOT ESCAPE THEM EVEN HERE.

PANEL 6

Close-up of Sam Roper, sickened and ready to crumble.

5. LEADER (OUT OF PANEL)

WE HAVE NOT YET ESTABLISHED A WAY TO PUNISH THESE ATROCITIES. . . .

PANEL 7

Thara Wen, her expression stony.

6. LEADER (OUT OF PANEL)

I WAS FOOLISH TO HOPE IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN.

PANEL 8

Thara stands forth, pointing at Sam Roper, telling the judges her solution.

7. THARA

TAKE HIM TO THE TOP OF THE TREES. CARRY HIM TO THE HIGH CANOPY.

8. THARA

THE WORLDFOREST WILL KNOW WHAT TO DO.

PAGE 33

Six panels

PANEL 1

Small panel, close-up on Roper’s straining hands, bound at the wrists.

PANEL 2

Close-up of Roper’s terrified face, sweating bullets.

1. ROPER

I’M SORRY . . . SORRY . . .

PANEL 3

Bigger panel, showing the top of the worldforest canopy like a giant treetop ocean spreading out forever. Roper is a very tiny figure there, bound in a cluster of branches. He looks small, lost in the immensity of the worldforest.

2. ROPER

. . . SORRY.

PANEL 4

Inset in much bigger Panel 5. Roper looks up, hearing an ominous sound.

SFX

BZZZZZZZZZZ

PANEL 5

Big jaw-dropping panel as a truly monstrous “wyvern”—like a prehistoric dragonfly with horns and claws and other adornments—swoops down and grabs the helpless, terrified Sam Roper.

3. ROPER

AAAAAH!

PANEL 6

Thara Wen and the leader stand side by side, watching in the distance as the silhouetted shape of the wyvern discards Roper’s body, dropping the tiny figure down into the distant forest.

4. THARA

WYVERNS DO NOT LIKE THE TASTE OF HUMAN FLESH AFTER ALL.

5. LEADER

I DON’T THINK IT MATTERS TO SAM ROPER . . .

PAGE 34

Across the top, blue band with white letters: Earth.

Five panels

PANEL 1

In the lower levels of the Whisper Palace, two small figures (Malcolm Stannis and the compy OX) are walking down a very long and impressive underground hallway, like catacombs or a crypt. This is what the basement of the Smithsonian must look like—somewhat dim and unused, but still full of cool stuff, statues in alcoves, ornate light fixtures.

1. MALCOLM

YOU’VE SERVED HUMANITY FOR MANY YEARS ALREADY ON THE
PEARY
, OX. . . .

2. MALCOLM

NOW I HAVE OTHER TASKS FOR YOU IN THE WHISPER PALACE.

3. OX

MY PROGRAMMING IS EASILY ADAPTABLE, CHAIRMAN STANNIS.

PANEL 2

Malcolm and OX trudging along together, front shot.

4. OX

I AM HAPPY TO SERVE THE HANSEATIC LEAGUE AND THE KING.

PANEL 3

Malcolm stops by a closed door, reaching forward to open it. This isn’t a barricaded prison door, but secure. Think of a guest bedroom in an unused part of a house.

5. MALCOLM

YOU ARE AWARE FROM HISTORY, OX, THAT THE HANSA’S GREAT KING HAS ALWAYS BEEN A MERE SPOKESMAN . . .

PANEL 4

Malcolm, close-up.

6. MALCOLM

SOMEONE CHOSEN SPECIFICALLY FOR HIS LIKEABILITY.

PANEL 5

The focus of the frame is a spoiled-looking kid sitting in a chair or on the corner of a bed. He turns in surprise as the door opens. OX and Malcolm are standing in the doorway in the background of the panel.

7. MALCOLM

WITH SO MANY THINGS CHANGING, IT’S TIME TO TRAIN A NEW PRINCE.

8. MALCOLM

WE SELECTED THIS ONE FROM A LARGE POOL OF CANDIDATES.

PAGE 35

Six panels