THE NEBULOUS SAGA
PART SIX: SLAVE OF THE ECLIPSE
Awash in the pitched frenzy of battle with the Nova Alliance, Dolion struggles to think clearly, and tries to focus on escaping with the stardust chest. The arrival of Cookie on the crumbling moon forces his hand, and in a final moment of desperation, Dolion makes his wish.
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--
The Nebulous Saga was written by Jane Maree, and produced by Magnus Carlssen.
Casting courtesy of Shogo Miyakita.
Part Six soundtrack courtesy of Will Fox.
Sound design by H.M. Radcliff.
Cover art by Kirk DouPonce.
Part Six cast, in order of appearance:
Reginald West, as the Ancient One
Magnus Carlssen, as the Narrator
Rhys Lawton, as Captain Peter Dolion
Shogo Miyakita, as Cookie
TRANSCRIPT:
EXT - HOLUVIAN MOON - DAY
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
I clutch the chest of stardust,
staring at the space battle raging
above. My crew on the Nebula is
almost overwhelmed by Nova Alliance
soldiers, even with the space-kraken
crumpling their boarding vessel in
its tentacles.
Breathless, I scoop up a handful of
the glittering stardust, heedless
of the blood on my skin from the
fight it’s taken to get here. The
rust-pink and golden dust gleams
like a galaxy. Particles escape
between my fingers, floating into
the low gravity void. This dust
will grant me one wish, but I
suddenly don’t know which wish to
request.
Utter destruction of the Alliance
and long-awaited revenge for my
parents’ deaths.
Or the hope for something… more
beyond this endless war. The hope
for a future.
I close my eyes.
CAPTAIN DOLION
I wish --
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
An explosion throws me backward, a
cannonball splintering a nearby
boulder into shrapnel. Sand gritty
in my mouth, I spit and struggle to
my knees. My ears ring. Where’s the
chest gone? I clutch my one handful
of stardust, white-knuckled.
I must wish now, before it’s too
late.
But what do I wish for?
Holuvian’s dual suns dim as the
distant planet slides between us
and the larger star, casting the
space battle in auburn. The
stardust guardian, Kalopsia,
struggles to her feet a dozen yards
away, clutching her wounded
shoulder, seemingly torn between
escape and stopping me.
Why am I delaying? I’ve fought for
this vengeance for ten long years.
Only a fool would back out now.
CAPTAIN DOLION
I wish --
COOKIE
Pete!
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
The Nebula's cook clambers from a
lifejet onto the moon.
COOKIE
We must retreat!
CAPTAIN DOLION
No! I cannot!
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
I clench the stardust. Cookie meets
Kalopsia halfway.
COOKIE
Get to the lifejet! This moon is
unstable!
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
Kalopsia casts me a final glance
and flees.
COOKIE
Come, lad!
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
Cookie hurries toward me.
CAPTAIN DOLION
I have the stardust!
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
His eyes widen behind his smudged
glasses.
COOKIE
You will do it, then?
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
His voice droops with sorrow.
COOKIE
This is the choice you make?
PETER DOLION (NARRRATOR)
I clench my jaw, but before I can
speak, a bellow pierces the thin
atmosphere. One of the kraken’s
tentacles smashes into the ground
beside us as the creature writhes
in pain, and I’m knocked off my
feet again.
One hand clamped over my oxygen
mask to keep it in place, the other
still clutching the precious
stardust, I stagger upright.
Where’s Cookie?
Light is vanquished as the two
Holuvian suns are eclipsed by their
planet. The ships above are rimmed
with silver from their lanterns,
but the starlight doesn’t reach me.
Only flashes of cannon fire
illuminate the scene before me in
dizzying snatches.
Blackness. Then a flash of red -
Cookie clings to a stony
outcropping, his torso wrapped in
the kraken’s tentacle.
Black. Red. His mask has been
knocked askew.
I run toward him. Sensing movement,
I duck another coiling tentacle.
Black. Red. I grab Cookie’s wrist,
fighting against the kraken’s
impossible grip, but my footing
slips.
If I had a free hand, I could grab
the knife from my belt and slice
the tentacle wrapped around Cookie,
but...that would mean letting
everything else go.
I clutch the handful of stardust.
Black. Red. I stare at Cookie. His
chest heaves for air around his
loose oxy-mask, his skin greying
already. His fingers slip.
Black. Red. His eyes close but his
lips shape my name. Pete.
Not Captain, or even Dolion, but
Pete. To him, I always was Pete.
As darkness plunges again, I
release the stardust, draw my
knife, and lunge at where I saw the
kraken’s tentacle. Praying I
haven’t miscalculated, I drive the
blade into the coiling flesh over
and over.
With another bellow, the kraken’s
grip loosens, just as Cookie goes
limp. I haul him free, and we
collapse to the sandy ground.
CAPTAIN DOLION
(GASPING)
Cookie?
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
Blindly, I fumble his oxy-mask into
place. I can’t feel him moving. I
kneel over him, gripping his
shoulders.
CAPTAIN DOLION
Wake up!
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
The darkness lessens slightly,
revealing his pallid skin as the
first sun begins to emerge. A shard
of fear drives deep into my chest.
He can’t be dead. Please. Memories
flash before my eyes—Cookie’s
gentle voice, kind eyes, weathered
smile. Always listening, always
ready should I need him.
Why has it taken me so long to
realize? I’ve been so caught up in
seeking vengeance for my
parents...too obsessed with what
I’ve lost to see what I still have.
CAPTAIN DOLION
Please!
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
The word breaks as I whisper it.
CAPTAIN DOLION
Please, I don't want to be too
late!
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
I fumble at Cookie’s wrist, trying
to find a pulse. Lean close to
listen for breathing.
A faint throb flutters beneath my
fingers, but it’s slowing. I don’t
know how to save him.
CAPTAIN DOLION
(CHOKING)
Don't die...I wish we had more
time...so I could tell you...
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
Somehow, over these last ten years,
Cookie has become like a father to
me.
Tears blur my vision, and I press
my fist to my mouth to hold back a
sob.
My fingers tingle. Then a burst of
light explodes from my palm, and I
jerk backward, mouth and eyes wide.
My hand pulses with a hundred tiny
stars, all shining like pure gold.
Like...specks of stardust.
Beside me, Cookie gasps and opens
his eyes.
COOKIE
(RASPY)
Pete?
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
I bury my face against his shoulder
and weep.
And the gaping wound in my chest
from the vengeance that I have been
enslaved to for so long seems to
knit together with every falling
tear.
Weakly, Cookie pats my arm.
COOKIE
There, there, lad. It's going to be
all right.
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
Another stray cannonball rocks the
moon, and Cookie squeezes my
shoulder.
COOKIE
Come, there's still time.
PETER DOLION (NARRATOR)
Time for what? Time to escape the
Alliance? Doubtful. Time to be
arrested for piracy and a thousand
deaths? Most likely. Time to heal?
Only if they let me live that long.
But I hope so, for Cookie’s sake.
My eyes must betray my turmoil as I
help Cookie toward the lifejet,
because he smiles faintly and nods.
COOKIE
Time to live.
FADE TO BLACK