Scene 4.6
March 5, 1918...
While one Scott Bakula lies still in the silence of the small cabin, the camera follows the other out and through the body of the ship to the bridge.
A voiceover informs the viewer that the USS Cyclops is, to those without security clearance, a bulk cargo ship headed for Baltimore carrying manganese ore as well as passengers. This is largely true. However, what only those very high up in the government are aware of the importance of manganese to a particular top secret research project.
Strange lights and futuristic devices seen in the ship as the Scott Bakula character rushes through the ship leave the viewer wondering what the secret project is, but the voiceover falls silent. Is it related to the war effort, some WWI version of the Bomb? Is it an early space mission? Are aliens involved? Have the leaders of the free world been replaced by zombies?
The actual crew of the ship is small, owing to the anachronistic technology automating various functions. And of the two crew members on the bridge, one is sound asleep.
"Lieutenant Binkley!"
Lieutenant Binkley fails to give any response other than drooling on his station.
"Commander, he's been like this all morning."
"And you didn't think this was something I should know about?"
"Sir, the alarm
has
been going off for six and a half hours..."
"You should have woken me personally. Ah, but I suppose you couldn't leave the bridge unattended. Very well. Status report, Lieutenant Beckett."
"Sir, current status unknown. These infernal machinations refuse to give any hint as to why the alarm is going off. It could mean any number of things."
"Such as? Let's narrow this down."
"Aye aye, sir. Alien abduction?"
"Of who?"
"Whom, sir."
"If I had anyone else to navigate this ship, I would put you in the brig for that, don't think I wouldn't."
"Sorry, sir."
"It seems to me that systems are reporting the entire crew is accounted for. Unless aliens have abducted Binkley's wakefulness, I think we can rule that one out."
"Asteroid, sir?"
"Why did that include that in the list of things that could set the alarm off? It's not as if we could shoot an asteroid down, or send a crew up into space to blow it up. That's ridiculous."
The Lieutenant yawns. Lt. Commander Worley notices that he is yawning too.
"Maybe the Germans have invented some sleeping sickness. Is that in the alarm book?"
"No, sir. There is
Return of the Great Zarquon
, whatever that means."
"This is useless. Aren't there any more normal causes in your book there?"
"Well, before the alarm started going off, we encountered a strange smell as we passed into the so-called Bermuda Triangle."
"What sort of smell?"
"Something between a rotting corpse and a kumquat. Sir."
"That's very descriptive of you. What did you do?"
"Lieutenant Binkley sealed off the ship, and the smell went away. But perhaps whatever caused the smell melted through our hull, and..."
"Wait. You sealed off the ship?"
"Yes, sir."
"You idiots! No wonder Lieutenant Binkley can't wake up. We're running out of oxygen! Quick, undo whatever you've done!"
But Lieutenant Beckett, yawning yet again, faints at his post. The Lt. Commander panics, then feels a tightening in his chest as his lungs fail to provide the oxygen required by his pounding heart. He tries to relax, but not too much, and his eyes dart around for some inspiration as to how to open the air vents.
He presses one button at random, immediately regretting it as he recalls that it is the automated telegraph service to his mother-in-law. After hammering out a quick apology in code that he will no doubt get hell for later, he presses another, unknown button.
With a hiss, air rushes through the bridge.