Twilight

Version 1.0

by Tarl N. Telford

FADE IN:

EXT PLANET TWILIGHT - ESTABLISHING

Twilight is a dark planet, far away from its primary star. Dust clouds float nearby. Strangely, no other stars twinkle nearby. Only faint blurs of distant light gleam through the stellar clouds.

A bright ship races down toward the planet.

EXT SPACEPORT - CONTINUING

Bright lights glare in contrast to the drab terrain. Dark cliffs jut over even darker chasms nearby.

The ship lands on the largest pad. A door opens in the side of the ship, but no ramp extends out.

After a few seconds, a ramp extends out.

ENOCH WHITLEY (30 yrs), blonde and clean shaven, rolls his eyes. His clean pressed uniform identifies him as a law enforcement officer. A large blaster hangs at his hip.

INT SPACEPORT - CONTINUING

Inside the spaceport only a few sentients mill about. Even the lighting seems subdued.

A fat officer, dressed in a similar uniform, waddles up. He wipes beads of sweat from his forehead with a starched white handkerchief.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Major Donlup?

The fat man, MAJOR WALLACE DONLUP, nods vigorously. He wheezes as he tries to catch his breath.

MAJOR DONLUP

Yeah. Sorry. Not ... used to visitors.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Where's the station?

MAJOR DONLUP

This way.

Enoch towers over the portly man. Major Donlup quickens his pace to keep up with Enoch's long strides.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Has there been any word on Governor Arkham?

MAJOR DONLUP

He died this morning.

ENOCH WHITLEY

I see.

MAJOR DONLUP

We've traced the communications to an individual called Isis.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Anything else?

At the elevator shaft, Major Donlup stops Enoch. Fear and foreboding shadow his eyes.

MAJOR DONLUP

Twilight isn't like out there. It's different. Different rules.

ENOCH WHITLEY

I've had my share of different cultures.

They step into the elevator. The doors slide shut.

MAJOR DONLUP

Those medals aren't going to do you any good here. No one cares.

Enoch mulls over his next thought.

ENOCH WHITLEY

So should I just go home? Is that what you're saying, Major?

MAJOR DONLUP

No. No, please, no. We need you here. I just don't want to see you get ... let's go.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Get what?

MAJOR DONLUP

There are worse things than death, Enoch Whitley. Twilight is one of them.

The doors slide open. Enoch's duffel bag drops from stunned fingers as he attempts to comprehend the sight in front of him.

EXT TWILIGHT CITY - CONTINUING

The city is a tangle of mathmeticians' nightmares. Twisting walkways soar over unfathomably grotesque architectural monstrosities. Surrealist pinnacles stab out in every conceivable angle.

Every natural law appears broken, bent, and mutilated as Enoch overlooks the twisted city.

To add even more confusion, people walk up, down and all over the sides of buildings, and even on the undersides of walkways. Even M.C. Escher would quake in chill horror at the sight of this architectural aberration.

Enoch shakes his head slowly.

ENOCH WHITLEY

What is that?

MAJOR DONLUP

That, my friend, is Twilight. Welcome to the place between light and dark.

CUT TO:

EXT POLICE STATION - CONTINUING

The police station sits in squat defiance of the mythical wonders around it. The station is the same on countless worlds - four walls, two stories, whitewashed exterior.

A janitor walks down the side of the building, sweeping off dark footprints.

MAJOR DONLUP

We try to keep them off our building, but there's only so much we can do.

They enter the station.

INT POLICE STATION - CONTINUING

A tall, thin lieutenant, BAGS GRIMWELD (30's), idly flips crackers to an exotic bird, who snatches them out of the air.

MAJOR DONLUP

Bags Grimweld, Enoch Whitley.

The two men shake hands.

A sharp and grating "bong" peals through the air. Enoch ducks reflexively. He looks to Major Donlup, his question left unspoken.

MAJOR DONLUP

It's the clock. Frejin' thing rings every fifty five minutes.

Major Donlup trundles back into his office.

Bags Grimweld gestures to the crackers next to him.

BAGS GRIMWELD

Cracker?

ENOCH WHITLEY

No thanks. What do you know about Isis?

BAGS GRIMWELD

That's going into some dark territory. I wouldn't go, but then I'm not a decorated veteran like you.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Just part of the job.

Major Donlup carries a large box out and sets it on the table in front of Enoch.

MAJOR DONLUP

There's all your info, evidence, and suspects. I've done my part.

Enoch looks disdainfully at the box of junk. Then he looks at Major Donlup.

MAJOR DONLUP

I've done my part.

Without another word, Enoch picks up the box and exits. Major Donlup and Bags Grimweld exchange a concerned look.

CUT TO:

INT BOARDING HOUSE - CONTINUING

The door opens to the small room. A wiry, pasty skinned manager, LIRA HAARGIS (50's), shows him into the room. Enoch sets the box down on the small end table. He turns to ask a question, but the door closes behind him.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Figures.

Enoch pulls a small communications screen from his bag. He sets it up on his bed. The screen glows to life.

On the screen, ADMIRAL NATHAN MCEVERTY (60's), a hard man with deep lines in his face, appears. His close cropped hair has gone completely white.

ADMIRAL MCEVERTY

Commander Whitley, report.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Arrived on Twilight with no complications. Recieved evidence and information. As yet unable to ascertain full situation.

ADMIRAL MCEVERTY

Who are your contacts?

ENOCH WHITLEY

Permission to speak freely, Sir.

ADMIRAL MCEVERTY

Go ahead.

ENOCH WHITLEY

These people appear to be psychotic. This city is insane. Everyone walks on the walls or ceilings.

Enoch glances over at the far wall. A rat-like creature skitters across the wall, perpendicular to the floor, then races across the ceiling.

ADMIRAL MCEVERTY

You are the best, Enoch. That's why we sent you out there.

Enoch pulls several heavy guns from his bag and tosses them onb his bed.

ENOCH WHITLEY

I hope I don't let you down.

The viewscreen goes dark. Enoch folds it up.

He pulls out a ammunition cartridge and looks at it. He tosses it absently into the air. It hangs suspended exactly between the floor and the ceiling for a moment, then FALLS to the ceiling.

Enoch stands on the bed and pulls the cartridge off the ceiling. He lifts it a few inches away, and drops it. It again falls to the ceiling. He pulls the cartridge midway between the ceiling and the floor. It falls to the floor. He tries it again, closer to the ceiling - it falls to the ceiling.

ENOCH WHITLEY

That can't be right.

Enoch reaches up with his hands and presses them to the ceiling. He jumps on the bed and throws himself toward the ceiling - and falls in a heap onto the ceiling.

He picks himself up, and hits his head on the standing lamp on the floor.

ENOCH WHITLEY

This is too weird.

A KNOCK comes at the door.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Er, just a minute.

Enoch tries holding on to the bed frame and pulling himself down to the real floor. It doesn't work like he thought it would.

The knocking grows more insistent.

Enoch walks across the ceiling and opens the door.

A tall, red haired woman, RACHEL ELOTEIM (about 30), smiles pleasantly at him.

RACHEL ELOTEIM

Hello, I'm Rachel.

She extends her hand to him. Enoch awkwardly tries to shake hands while upside down.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Hi. Enoch Whitley.

RACHEL ELOTEIM

Bags Grimweld sent me. He said you might have some questions.

ENOCH WHITLEY

Uh, yeah, I do.

Rachel steps into the room. She gestures to the ceiling.

RACHEL ELOTEIM

Do you want me up there, or do you want to come down here?

Every time they make eye contact, Rachel looks down at Enoch's face, which is quite disconcerting for him.

ENOCH WHITLEY

This is kind of awkward.

RACHEL ELOTEIM

Wait till you see the arena. One side, please.

Enoch steps out of the way. Rachel jumps onto the bed and nimbly flips up to the ceiling in one swift motion.

RACHEL ELOTEIM

You'll get used to it.

CUT TO:

EXT TWILIGHT CITY - DARK ALLEYS - CONTINUING

A black swathed man, SET (apparent 30's), storms through the shadows.

RACHEL ELOTEIM (V.O.)

There is no other place in the galaxy quite like Twilight. Nobody wants law here. Nobody wants you here.

Set jumps onto the side of a building and walks up.

ENOCH WHITLEY (V.O.)

None of this is right. It goes against everything-

RACHEL ELOTEIM (V.O.)

Everything "true"? The only truth here is what you make of what you see. Nothing more, nothing less.

Set looks to the building across the alley, he leaps over, flipping in the air, and lands on his feet on the other building. He walks to a door in the side, and stomps on it twice.

RACHEL ELOTEIM (V.O.)

You're looking for a murderer. You won't find him.

ENOCH WHITLEY (V.O.)

I have a name. Isis.

The door opens inwards. With one swift motion, Set plants his heel in the doorway and pulls himself perpendicular to the building (right side up, as the ground sits).

RACHEL ELOTEIM (V.O.)

Worthless.

ENOCH WHITLEY (V.O.)

How would you know?

The door closes behind Set.

RACHEL ELOTEIM (V.O.)

I'm Isis.

CUT TO: