Screenplays

Gossamer Gems

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FADE IN:

Burg 13, otherwise known as "Berrygrove", was once a lovely town resting in the fruitful plains on the far side of Mount Mara. When the City began to take on its current form, sunlight at ground-level became limited, and farmland within the City's borders had to be abandoned in favor of the Hanging Gardens, tower-top greenhouses. Towns like Berrygrove whose economies relied upon archaic agricultural practices became slums. The only businesses that could survive were the ones that specialized in hand-crafted products.

INT. DELUNA FAMILY FORGE - AFTERNOON

Inside the Deluna Family Forge, a "For Sale" sign leans against the brick wall by the door, fresh dirt still clinging to its post. Above the door, a holographic clock projects the time: 1:00 PM. Various worktables and mechanical projects litter the edge of the space. At the room's center gapes the glowing blue mouth of the furnace. The light frames the shadowed figure of MARCO DELUNA, grasping with large metal tongs an iridescent glob, its glow illuminating his thick protection mask and heavy leather apron. He sets the glob on an anvil, hammering it flat with a loud WHACK, a rainbow of sparks blooming from the point of impact and dancing across the floor.

LUCIEN ZETA enters the forge through the doorway. He wears a suit of high-tech armor from head to toe, each piece looking as though it had been made by a different craftsman. He presses a button on his headgear, and a holographic visor blinks into existence, covering his eyes. He approaches the anvil.

Marco folds the material and hammers it again. WHACK. Lucien's face is softly illuminated by the sparks.

LUCIEN

Your forge truly is old-fashioned.

MARCO

Yeah...

WHACK

Doesn’t mean “worse”...

WHACK

Longer to refine is all...

With the tongs, Marco picks up the hunk of material and plunges it back into the furnace. A soft, electronic WHINE can be heard from inside.

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MARCO

They’ll be in your hands by 5:00 AM tomorrow, like I promised.

INT. DELUNA FAMILY FORGE - EVENING

Marco continues the folding and hammering process. The multicolored sparks make for a brilliant sight. The clock on the wall reads 7:00 PM.

We hear the thud of footsteps coming down the stairs. ALONSO DELUNA, Marco's father and forge-master, enters the room.

ALONSO

There you are. You're still working?

WHACK.

MARCO

Uh, yeah, I wanted to make sure I get as much done as possible tonight.

WHACK.

ALONSO

That’s gossamer ore. We finished the gem order already.

MARCO

I... um...

Alonso smiles at his son.

ALONSO

It’s high grade stuff. Just be careful. Push yourself too hard, you damage the ore and your work goes to waste.

MARCO

Thanks, dad. I’ll be up in a bit.

ALONSO

Everything okay, son?

Marco looks at his father.

MARCO

Yeah.

He gives a half-hearted smile, but he's visibly shaking from

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exertion. He turns back to the anvil and pulls down the safety mask once again.

ALONSO

Alright, I'll tell your mother to save you a plate. Just remember, we're getting up at six o'clock to tidy up, and the General arrives at noon.

MARCO

I know, dad.

We see Alonso walk halfway up the stairs. He pauses, just a moment, and looks back at his son with concerned eyes. We hear WHACK.

WHACK.

EXT. DELUNA FAMILY FORGE - EARLY MORNING

Rain falls across the sector, seeping through the crevices of the hive-like city above. The front door of the forge creaks open. Marco, in discreet clothing, quietly slides his way through before pulling the door shut with a CLICK. Once sure that it's secure, he dashes away.

EXT. WALKWAY, SECTOR A - EARLY MORNING

Rainwater seeps through the slim gaps between the City's buildings, echoing loudly. We see Lucien leaning against the balcony at the edge of an enormous tower. What would be a gorgeous view of the greater Concordian Bay is blocked by another tower, almost close enough for Lucien to touch from the balcony. A holographic watch floating above Lucien's Cestus reads 5:03 AM.

Marco approaches from around a corner of the adjacent tower, crossing a short bridge leading to Lucien's balcony, his footsteps SLAPPING in the rainwater.

LUCIEN

Mr. Deluna, I was worried you wouldn't show! I have half a mind to cancel our deal right now.

MARCO

Sorry, the tram broke down.

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LUCIEN

Always does. Should have planned ahead.

Marco holds up a small pouch. He gives it a light shake, the Gems inside CLACKING.

LUCIEN

Hmm, well my dear friends do so want their gifts. I suppose I can make an exception, just this once.

MARCO

Not until I know you've kept up your end.

LUCIEN

Well, hold out your arm, then.

Marco holds out his arm, waking his Cestus interface. Lucien does the same. A holographic display appears between the pair, a three-dimensional depiction of the GODDESS CONCORDIA appearing between them. Below her face is a window that says: "Trade: 10,000,000 C".

CONCORDIA

Computerized Voice

Accept transaction?

MARCO AND LUCIEN

In unison

Accept.

Marco's side of the display shows his account balance increase. He nods, and holds out the pouch to Lucien.

MARCO

Here.

Marco drops the pouch into Lucien's hand.

LUCIEN

Do keep in mind that if these don't work, I know where to find you.

MARCO

They work.

Lucien smiles and turns his back, walking away, the small pouch of Gems clacking with each step, his feet slapping on the wet ground of the walkway. Marco turns away as well, and

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leaves.

EXT. TOWER CREVICE - 5:15 AM

We see Lucien, in a dark crevice of the tower, hold out his arm. The face of Concordia appears once more, this time muted. Lucien presses a button on his left Cestus and a small panel opens with a number of spherical slots, most of them filled with various gems, shimmering in various iridescent hues. Out of the pouch Marco gave him, he pulls a new gem that he places inside one of the slots. The panel closes automatically.

LUCIEN

Softly

Install.

CONCORDIA

Yes, my child.

The interface disappears, and Lucien holds out his hands.

LUCIEN

Softly

Vanish.

Lucien disappears. Unseen, he snickers.

EXT. SECTOR A TRAM STATION - 5:30 AM

Marco rushes through the tram station, rain pouring down on all sides. His Cestus reads 5:30 AM. He just barely makes it into one of the packed compartments before the tram speeds away.

It carries him a short way before coming to a sudden, screeching halt.

MARCO

Again?!

All of the lights on the tram go out.

INT. DELUNA FAMILY FORGE - 6:00 AM

Alonso descends the stairs into the forge. Rain can be heard pelting the outside of the house.

ALONSO

You down here son? We only have a couple hours before the General-

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Marco?

The forge is empty, and an absolute disaster. The clock on the wall reads 6:00 AM. Alonso scowls.

INT. DELUNA RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - 11:56 AM

Alonso is pacing back and forth in the kitchen when Marco rushes in through the front door of the house, soaking wet. He steadies himself against the door for a moment, gasping for air. Alonso's pacing halts. Gracy stands at the other side of the room from Marco.

GRACY

Thank the goddess!

Gracy runs to her son, hugging him. Alonso's expression softens before curling into an angry frown.

ALONSO

Explain yourself. Now.

MARCO

Look inside the forge account.

Alonso looks at his son with a suspicious glare.

Alonso pulls up his Cestus and opens the account. His eyes grow wide.

ALONSO

That can't be right...

Gracy lets go of Marco and looks at the holographic display. Her brow furrows.

GRACY

That... wasn't there a second ago.

ALONSO

This is enough to-

MARCO

When the General gets here, you can give him the order and tell him we’re no longer interested.

GRACY

Honey, how...?

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ALONSO

Is this why you were up working last night?

MARCO

Yeah. I got... an offer for some gems I've been working on on the side.

ALONSO

He paid you this much? Who'd you sell them to?

MARCO

This weird merc guy-

Suddenly, an alert goes off on Alonso's Cestus. Moments later, the same alert goes off on Gracy and Marco's. Alonso turns on a display on the kitchen wall. The face of JOHN LEONARDS, famous news anchor, fills the screen. At the bottom of the screen is the caption: ATTACK ON PALACE - SIX GENERALS DEAD.

JOHN

...six of the Queen’s seven top ranking generals. Our own Liza Williams is at the scene with more information.

LIZA

Thank you, John. I'm here at the palace where an attempt has taken place to assassinate Queen Musetta. The Queen’s current whereabouts are unknown, however...

ALONSO

What in the world?

JOHN

Liza, I've been informed that the attackers were... invisible?

Marco’s stomach drops.

LIZA

Yes, John, you heard correctly. The attackers managed to bypass the palace's security using some kind of cloaking device.

Alonso looks at the clock. 12:00 PM.

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MARCO

...I guess we don't have to worry about cancelling that appointment.

INT. STRATEGY ROOM - 12:00 PM

Inside the strategy room within the locked down military headquarters in a secret location of the city, various officials surround a war table, debating courses of action. A woman sits silently at one end, staring blankly. She wears a. She looks distraught.

An armored man enters the room. GENERAL TELLIER.

GENERAL TELLIER

Your Majesty.

The room goes silent. The veiled woman, QUEEN MUSETTA, lifts her sorrowful head and turns toward the man.

GENERAL TELLIER

We have a man in custody down the hall claiming he has footage of a potential suspect.

QUEEN MUSETTA

Bring me to him.

Queen Musetta follows General Tellier through the halls of the facility. He takes her to a questioning room, where a familiar mercenary sits at a metal table in handcuffs.

LUCIEN

You know, this isn't really how I expected to be treated, given the circumstances.

General Tellier slams his hand on the table, startling Lucien, and the Queen as well. The General and the Queen sit down together at the opposite end of the table.

GENERAL TELLIER

Show us the recording.

LUCIEN

I’m in handcuffs.

General Tellier gives Lucien a sour look before unlocking the handcuffs.

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LUCIEN

Finally!

Lucien winks at the Queen. Her gaze narrows.

Lucien holds out his left arm and his Cestus activates. He presses a few buttons, and a video appears.

(Video) We see, from Lucien's point of view, a group of curious men and women all dressed as bizarrely as him, sitting across a table on the outside patio of a bar. In the surrounding marketplace, crowds gather around stalls, hooting, hollering, bartering for goods. Lucien's gaze turns to a woman shouting at a merchant about how a Gem she purchased from him didn't work. The merchant behind the table offers a refund. The woman continues her rampage.

GENERAL TELLIER

Where is this?

LUCIEN

A Marketplace in Sector A.

(Video) The argument between the merchant and the woman subsides. The woman walks out of frame, and a strange gray blur can be seen moving through the crowd. It moves up to the merchant's table and, when the merchant is distracted, one of his products disappears from the table.

QUEEN MUSETTA

What is that...?

LUCIEN

Keep watching.

(Video) The gray blur moves through the crowd and enters an alleyway. The same alleyway Marco met with Lucien before. From afar, we see the gray blur dissipate, and can just barely make out Marco's features.

LUCIEN

Your culprit.

Marco's prideful expression remains frozen on the holographic display. The Queen's expression darkens.

QUEEN MUSETTA

General Tellier, send a squad to Sector A. Give them each a copy of this image-

10.

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LUCIEN

No need. I have his address. You’ll have to travel a bit further, though...

INT. DELUNA RESIDENCE - KITCHEN - 3:00 PM

Marco and his parents are laughing, each holding a glass of wine. A fancy-looking bottle sits on the table, labelled "Skyscraper Vineyards".

Gracy's expression turns serious for a moment.

GRACY

It's terrible, what happened at the palace today.

MARCO

Yeah... Let's not think about that right now.

ALONSO

to himself

I think I'll finally buy that new set of tongs...

Gracy ignores her husband.

GRACY

They almost got her, this time. What would happen if they did?

ALONSO

New person takes her place. Maybe worse... Maybe better.

There's a knock at the front door.

GRACY

Who could that be?

Marco answers the door.

QUEEN MUSETTA

Mr. Deluna, I presume.

EPISODE 2:

QUEEN MUSETTA

Mr. Deluna, I presume.

11.

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MARCO

Whaaaa-who's that, hm?

General Tellier scowls at the boy.

ALONSO

Your majesty!

Alonso bows

Bow, please, son!

Marco bows, noticing his mother who has been silent the whole time, bowing as well.

Musetta stomps her heel and a flurry of dagger-like diamonds appears behind her, sharpened and fixed on Marco.

GRACY

Oh!!

Gracy stumbles forth from behind the two terrified men.

GRACY

Dear, it's so good to meet you! We were only expecting General Tellier today! I am Gracy Deluna! You could call me the brains behind the business. These boys, they pay so much attention to their work downstairs, they hardly understand the subtlety required-

MUSETTA

Is this the place the merc mentioned?

GENERAL TELLIER

Yes. Wait a minute... isn't this the same address as that forge...?

MUSETTA

It sounded familiar...

The tension in the room is palpable.

MUSETTA

Let's sit, shall we?

INT. DELUNA RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM

MUSETTA

I'm glad this could be civil.

12.

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GRACY

If anything, my queen, we've done you a disservice by not honoring your presence further!

MUSETTA

Please, spare me.

The members of the Deluna family are stoic, composed, and frightened behind the eyes.

MUSETTA

You're clearly a family of tech-types. Been watching the news, lately?

The room's gaze turns toward the display on the wall. The report has changed to a tabloid piece about Queen Musetta's interest in a man from the low-city having ties to the attack. Alonso turns down the volume.

MUSETTA

Let's cut the crap. I know the news lies, and I know my people lie too. I was tipped off to this location by a mercenary going by the name of Lucien Zeta. His testimony is about as reliable as Grant'han's during the old war.

GENERAL TELLIER

Are we describing Mr. Zeta in such terms already?

MUSETTA

Thomas, please-

MARCO

If he didn't want to be compared to Grant'han, he should've tried harder.

ALONSO

I'm so sorry, your majesty, my son, he is not accustomed to the audience of royalty-

MUSETTA

I'm not bothered by manners. Merely by treachery.

Queen Musetta conjures, from her Cestus, a blade which she holds to Marco's throat.

13.

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MUSETTA

Six of my seven dearest are dead. Your work has cost them their lives. What will you do to keep me from seeking recompense?

MARCO

What proof do you have?

MUSETTA

Tellier, play the clip!

The footage shows Marco removing his invisibility ability in the alleyway.

MARCO

Nice edit.

MUSETTA

He's resisting.

General Tellier muscles Marco into a captive position from which he arrests him with a pair of advanced handcuffs.

MARCO

That's fine, I guess. This is what you're allowed to do under our current government.

MUSETTA

How about: we're all quiet for a while, and we resume this talk when we've all calmed down?

The room goes quiet.

INT. DELUNA RESIDENCE - LIVING ROOM

MARCO

So, Queen.

The audience has left Musetta, Marco, and Alonso in the room together. Gracy has gone off to entertain General Tellier.

Gossamer Gems copy

Benjamin Steele