Jen Boards - Rough

INT. MERCHANT PLANETARY STATION ZEN

Bustling station has a few terminals being manned by personnel in uniform. Conversations around duty stations and skillsets can be heard.

Sitting alone, a blonde pixie-haired woman with a soldiers build and a solitary bag is sitting solemnly staring at the floor. She is seated in an area labeled assessment waiting area.

AGENT
Jennifer Premer?

The woman is startled out of her trance, stands up and walks over.

The agent motions at the scanner at the end of the counter. Attempting to get a lighter mood.

She extends her arm to scan the tattoo on her wrist.

Her ID comes up on the overhead screen as S12 JENNIFER PREMER with a long list of certifications. The picture on screen is younger and appears military.

AGENT (CONT'D)
Your pre-check validated ok. No current assignments....No blockers...What are you looking for?

JEN
What's available?

AGENT
You wanting to be an S12 or Staff Sergeant role?

JEN
S12.

AGENT
With your skill set? I could get you anywhere this morning. Pick of the litter.

JEN
How about a class C or lower? Helm night watch or engineering dailies or something?

Agent swipes and touched screen a few times.

AGENT
I have a C. It's a 102 series...scout, 8 man crew...needs a night helm watch...leaves in 2 hours.

JEN
Sounds good. Get me on it.

Agent (upbeat) briskly touches the screen and waits a few seconds.

AGENT
Done. Main terminal 26. Shuttle will call you for Lex. It just got cleared for drop so it's usually an hour or so.

JEN
Thanks.

Jen picks up her sole black pack and walks through security.

INT. TERMINAL 26 SHUTTLE AREA

Overhead speaker announced Lex shuttle now departing and starts reading off manifest of names to board.

Excited soldiers and travelers are conversing while in line while Jen stands quiet and deep in thought.

Everyone is single file walking and finding a seat on a planetary shuttle.

INT. SHUTTLE 26

Jen buckles in while a very young and excitable merchant marine buckles in beside her.

MARINE
Going to the Silas?

JEN
Silas a ship? (Expressionless)

MARINE
I guess not. (smiling)

Jen goes back to looking out the window.

MARINE (CONT'D)
How do we know where to go?

JEN
Sorry?

MARINE
When we get on Lex. How do we know where our ship is?

JEN
Oh. Some unhappy crewman will have meet and greet duty. They will be there with a sign.

MARINE
Unhappy?

JEN
Yeah, It's usually given out as a punishment....

JEN (CONT'D)
Usually.

The shuttle powers up and starts to depart.

INT. LEX PORT

The busy port of call is filled with people purposefully trying to find where their ship is docked. The windows show massive classes of ships attached to its exterior.

Jen is middle of the pack coming off of the shuttle.

A darker haired woman is holding a makeshift sign with Jens name on it.

Jen makes eye contact and nods to indicate she sees the sign. It obvious she is annoyed by her somehow and it causes an immediate change in mood.

The woman turns around starts walking down a gangway. She doesn't want to be doing this.

Jen follows smirking.

INT. VESSEL CREON C-102 BOARDING

The woman walks Jen onto the ship and stops in a hallway at a door and points into it. Without saying a word she goes into an adjacent door and lets it briskly close behind her.

INT. VESSEL CREON C-102 JENS QUARTERS

Jen walks into her tiny living space, throws her bag down. Checks everything out and looks in the mirror.

JEN
You wanted this shit.

Jen opens her locker.

Shutting it reveals the captain and xo in the doorway.

It startles her.

CAPTAIN
Jennifer or Jen?

He extends his hand.

It takes a pause for Jen to realize what's happening.

She shakes it.

JEN
Jen please.

The captain is a big of a dork. He tries to be humorous but falls flat.

CAPTAIN
Welcome Jen. I'm Captain Moss. They keep me locked in the command deck. (beat) Ok. Just wanted to make sure I got to meet you before we got underway.

CAPTAIN (CONT'D)
The XO really runs the show anyway.

JEN
Thank you sir.

The captain nods and enjoys his moment of respect with a sir. Then heads down the hallway.

The XO steps into the room. The door close behind her.

XO
Just so I know. Running, hiding, or mourning?

JEN
Sorry?

XO
I've been doing this a long time. There's only a few reasons someone with as much experience as you takes a night watch on a 8 man crew.

Jen doesn't know how to respond.

JEN
I. Uh. Mourning technically.

BREE
Good. I like honesty Jen. No details.

XO (CONT'D)
I'm Bree Martin by the way. If you need anything or have questions...

Bree extends a hand.

Jen shakes it.

BREE
Sorry I couldn't meet you outside. We're in a jam today trying to get outta here. Only one I could find to greet you was Dee and well...

JEN
Oh...the woman on meet duty?

BREE
She can be ... well testy ... but you have nothing to worry about.(beat) What aggravates Dee is inexperience. You don't seem to have that problem.

There's an awkward silence, but Bree expects it and isn't concerned.

BREE (CONT'D)
So. Shift is from 1800 to 0300. Not super formal. Everyone uses nicknames as you'd expect. It's annoying. (Smiles) I'm sure you'll get one. It will probably be good too. Enough to draw an HR complaint.

JEN
Nothing changes on ships.

BREE (CONT'D)
Get some rest and meet me in the galley at 1730 for coffee and I'll introduce you to everyone.

JEN
Sure thing mam.

BREE
Bree. You start doing that mam shit and it will catch on. (Smiles)

JEN
Gotcha.

Bree smiles and lets the door close behind her.

Jen starts at the door for a minute and turns to the mirror.

JEN (CONT'D)
You wanted this. (Laughs softly)

INT. GALLEY 1725 FIRST SHIFT

Jen arrives early at the galley. Dee is sitting on the countertop reading a DEX with some kind of news playing.

Jen is surprised by her presence for a moment and feels awkward.

Dee looks up only long enough to size her up.

Jen searches for a bit and finds the coffee. Poor a cup in silence and drinks sips it black.

The others slowly start to come in for pre-shift.

BREE
Everyone this is Jen. She is an S12 out of Blackhall. She's working right helm with Dee.

BREE (CONT'D)
Jen this is Marken, Creese, Dee and our loaner Doc Denise. Who only has a month left on this run?

DENISE

Yeah one month and a wake up.

Jen smiles and nods.

JEN
(Trying to memorize by pointing)... Marken, Creese, Dee and Doc Denise.

Various murmurs of hey and hiya.

Dee doesn't look up.

The crew is glad to have introductions over.

DENISE
S12? I don't want to ask where you've been?

Jen not wanting to put her entire military history on display.

JEN
I don't want to bore everyone.

DENISE
Well I'd love to swap war stories one day. Hopefully before I get off this bucket.

Jen sips her coffee almost burns herself

Dee looks up from her dex at Denise and rolls her eyes.

INT. INNER HELM

There are two main computer laced positions in the inner helm along with a walkway between them.

Jen sits on the right side.

Dee sits down on the left.

Jen is becoming quickly oriented with where everything is.

Jen becomes satisfied with the layout and sits back relaxed.

She's enjoying this.

Jen turns chair toward Dees position.

JEN
So. How do you guys run it?

Dee doesn't look up.

DEE
1P range in 10 meter segments. Only positive crosses at 100 or more. Don't call out junk.

DEE (CONT'D)
I don't slam on brakes and I don't speed late crossings. That's how I run it.

Jen doesn't turn back towards monitors. Calmly. Nods and sighs.

JEN
Makes sense. You gonna ack that 50-50 on 5L then?

Dee click a key sarcastically.

Jen hides a laugh quietly turns her chair back to position.

JEN (CONT'D)
Acknowledge.

JEN (CONT'D)
This is going to be fun.