Seniority

Seniority 1.03 "Sides of the Coin"

2006-07-10T14:27:04Z

Seniority 1.03 “Sides of the Coin”

LAELYAN V.O.: Previously on Seniority…

Shot of JULIA in the Higher Beings’ place, facing GWYNNDA.

RAOUL V.O.: You’re not my boss. That Australian bird is.

GWYNNDA: The Powers strive for balance. The enemy… the Senior Partners, as they call themselves… they attempt to achieve power. They have created a power play, and now the Powers have to balance it. Or weaken it in their own favour.

Shot of ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA in the Agents’ place.

GWYNNDA V.O.: They’re your enemy.

ELSRIA: She wanted us back together, and through some infinite wisdom I appear to be in charge.

Shot of JULIA, ASSAD and RAOUL.

JULIA: (yelling) Gwynnda!

ASSAD: I don’t think she’s coming.

Shot of ELSRIA and a MAN. ELSRIA pulls out a gun, coolly pointing it in his direction and firing. The BROTHER stumbles backwards, a bullet wound in his chest, and ELSRIA fires again.

Shot of JULIA in a hospital bed.

JULIA: We don’t want to burn the damn hospital down!

Shot of ELSRIA facing TRIAHLLA.

ELSRIA (angrily): Oh I’ve been to Niflheim and back, and I’ve suffered there for eternities of pain.

Shot of ELSRIA, in armour. She stares out into the distance and smiles coldly.

ELSRIA: My enemy…

LAELYAN V.O.: My name is Laelyan, and I can see what Gods and Powers see.

Teaser

The episode opens to a dark raining wasteland, filled with craters and spiked jutting mounds along the way. The sky is a deep, uninviting purple, looking like it has a fading swirl of orange to it, and the land is brown and almost lifeless. JULIA stumbles along through the rain.

LAELYAN V.O.: We all live in our own wasteland.

JULIA trips and falls, cutting her arm. The rain continues to beat down upon her as she just lays there.

LAELYAN V.O.: The things that have happened in the past and our situation in the present make sure of that.

JULIA looks up and pushes herself up determinedly, getting back to her feet and staring forward.

LAELYAN V.O.: We can only look to the future, and hope for a better land.

CUT TO a similar area with only slightly different physical features to where JULIA is. It is clearly the same dimension. ELSRIA looks around quickly, her hair flattening down around her eyes.

LAELYAN V.O.: Even when we thought we had no guilt…

ELSRIA throws her hands up exasperatedly and begins to walk in no particular direction, favouring one leg slightly over the other.

LAELYAN V.O.: The wasteland in our souls will let us know that it’s there.

ELSRIA trips over a rock and curses under her breath, pushing back up.

LAELYAN V.O.: And the healing of our hearts is the only way to ensure it’s good graces.

ELSRIA, standing, looks vaguely into the distance.

ELSRIA: This is all your fault…

CUT TO JULIA, staring out away from her.

JULIA: This is all because of you.

She shakes her head and continues to walk, wiping her bloody arm on her clothing.

LAELYAN V.O.: Yes, the wasteland in our souls can be a powerful motivator.

JULIA comes across what looks like a cave, and, sighing with relief, begins to run towards it and enters the shade away from the rain and harsh landscape.

LAELYAN V.O.: Even as it hurts us, it can bring us to relief and betterness.

CUT TO ELSRIA, standing silently in the rain. Her leg suddenly buckles and she falls to the ground, cursing and rubbing her knee.

LAELYAN V.O.: Of course, sometimes I’m referring to a literal wasteland.

SENIORITY

Starring:
Claudia Karvan -- Julia Illery
Tricia Helfer -- Elsria Atral
Bebe Neuwirth -- Triahlla
Christopher Meloni -- Larrak
Mehcad Brooks -- Assad
Tygh Runyan -- Raoul Marks
and Tilda Swinton as Madam Geier

Guest Starring:
Stephanie March -- Laelyan
Til Schweiger -- Harran
Sydney Tamiia Poitier -- Rachel
Marnette Patterson -- Beleril
Anthony Simcoe -- Joel Illery
and Rita Moreno -- Gwynnda

Written By: Andrew Sutherland

Created By: Andrew Sutherland

Featured Music: Shadowkings by Paradise Lost

Seniority, and all original characters within Seniority, are property of Andrew Sutherland AKA Kold and may not be used without his express permission. Lore and universe is copyright to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

ACT I

The Act opens to a run-down street back in LA. It is partially cloudy but not raining, and JULIA walks down the street, a shopping bag in her hand.

LAELYAN V.O.: Sometimes life provides the catalyst to enter our wasteland.

ELSRIA walks down the same street, and does a double take when she sees JULIA. She grins and begins to run at JULIA. JULIA, seeing her, flings the shopping bag in her direction, bashing ELSRIA across the chest and slowing her down, giving JULIA time to move into a defensive position.

JULIA: I just had to run into you.

ELSRIA reaches her and punches her, then blocks JULIA’s strike.

ELSRIA: I’m pretty happy about it.

JULIA kicks at ELSRIA, then lands a punch to the nose. ELSRIA steps backwards in recovery and as she does so, does a wider swinging kick to knock JULIA onto the road. JULIA loses her footing and stumbles backwards, still standing.

ELSRIA: Smooth.

ELSRIA leaps at JULIA, doing a spin kick to land a blow to her face. JULIA grabs onto ELSRIA’s wrist as ELSRIA lands and JULIA stumbles backwards from the kick, and pulls her off-balance. JULIA kicks ELSRIA in the side of the knee, eliciting a small snapping sound, before pushing her the other direction. ELSRIA stumbles on her bad knee and falls onto the road.

JULIA: I can finish you before you kill any more innocent people.

ELSRIA (panting): Not if you keep talking about how you will.

JULIA speeds at ELSRIA and pulls her up, the two of them grappling with each other, both trying to land a hit and keep the other in place. As they fight, a truck roars down the road, headlights shining at them. They both turn, but as the truck roars in to hit them, the headlights change and a shining portal forms in the air, sucking both of them in. As they fall into the portal and the screen starts to fade to white, JULIA and ELSRIA are torn from each other’s furious grip, and swirl apart.

LAELYAN V.O.: And with mere chance… everything changes.

FADE TO the hell dimension wasteland. ELSRIA walks along, still favouring her bad leg.

LAELYAN V.O.: Feeling safe makes wherever we are seem better.

ELSRIA curses and rubs her leg, forcing herself to keep moving as she steps into a puddle.

LAELYAN V.O.: And when we are outside of that comfort, it is clear for all to see.

ELSRIA looks around, sighing, and starts walking again in the direction of a mountain ridge.

ELSRIA (to herself): What kind of hole did I end up in?

She continues to walk, getting her matted hair out of her face.

ELSRIA (to herself): It’s always something, isn’t it…

LAELYAN V.O.: But still… the right person, or chance itself, can make it seem a bit better.

ELSRIA finally reaches the ridge and sighs in relief as she finds herself a cave.

LAELYAN V.O.: In the face of such embarrassment, we can win ourselves the last word.

ELSRIA enters into the darkness of the cave and lies down happily.

LAELYAN V.O.: Although victory in itself is a hollow affair.

CUT TO a snowy and mountainous landscape. A high and long shot shows a village of wooden halls and huts. The camera moves in very fast, swirling around to enter into the window of one of the larger halls. A BLONDE NORSEMAN stands in there and ELSRIA bangs open the doors and enters. Both are garbed quite well, in reindeer furs.

ELSRIA (shocked and tragic): Oh husband… Harran, I had heard about your beard but had hoped it was a lie.

HARRAN: No… The cur trolls chose to embarrass me greatly before they had me as their dinner. They cut off my beard.

He sits down, dejectedly feeling at his stubble.

ELSRIA: You had the last laugh, and those trolls are swiftly on their way into nothingness. The lack of humanity, those shuddering creatures. They do not even earn a place in Niflheim.

HARRAN: They do not, the mangy curs. And yet together they ail our village.

ELSRIA: But at least we have you, husband.

She moves in to HARRAN and leans in to kiss him.

HARRAN: Oh I did miss my woman.

ELSRIA: At least you remain ever faithful.

They divide apart when the doors burst open and a smaller, pretty BLONDE WOMAN, almost an older teenager, runs into the room.

HARRAN: Beleril, what is it?

ELSRIA: Who are you?

BELERIL: A messenger, wife of Harran. My name is Beleril.

HARRAN: A sound young woman she is at that, wife. You should like her.

BELERIL (shyly): You should speak too much of me. I can say so little when it is you who cut down the trolls even after they had caught you and tied you down. Even the sword god Tyr should pay tribute to your combat.

HARRAN smiles modestly as BELERIL looks in awe at him. Staring from one to the other, ELSRIA’s gaze becomes a glare as she looks at BELERIL.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ place back in Los Angeles. ASSAD and RAOUL are in the room, ASSAD sitting and cleaning his sword while RAOUL paces.

RAOUL: You don’t think that she’s been gone a while?

ASSAD: She has. But she has her own things to deal with.

RAOUL: Whatever they might be.

ASSAD: Let her have her secrets, since you’re so intent on keeping yours.

RAOUL is silent, but both of them start as GWYNNDA appears in the room in front of them.

ASSAD: Gwynnda.

GWYNNDA: Excellent. Clearly no cognitive damage after you died.

ASSAD rolls his eyes, as RAOUL stares at GWYNNDA.

RAOUL: Where were you with Danny? When we needed you?

GWYNNDA: You didn’t need me. Well… I suppose you did at the end. But I’m not allowed to give you all the help in the world.

RAOUL: And why not?

GWYNNDA: Because the Powers believe in fair, and they also believe in having as little exterior influence as possible.

ASSAD: Then why are you here now?

GWYNNDA: Because now there’s a problem outside of your missions. And the Powers aren’t even sure of what’s doing it, so I have to be here.

RAOUL: It’s about Julia, isn’t it?

GWYNNDA: Quite right.

RAOUL (to ASSAD): I told you.

GWYNNDA: You sure did. It’s wonderful to be right, I’m sure, disregarding the potential catastrophe.

RAOUL: Like what?

GWYNNDA: Considering that the Powers don’t know where she is, there are only a few possibilities… either they’re not looking hard enough, or a Senior Partner may have her.

ASSAD: They can stop the Powers from seeing things, can’t they?

GWYNNDA: They can negate some of the influence and connection as best they can. They’ve been doing it to our people for years. Kind of pesky, you know.

RAOUL: Sounds like.

GWYNNDA: Simply speaking, we’ve got to work out what happened to her.

ASSAD looks grave as RAOUL flops down onto a seat.

CUT TO the cave in the hell dimension within which JULIA is sitting. She looks around in the darkness, clearly not being able to see much.

JULIA (unsure): Okay…

LAELYAN V.O.: Shelter in the dragon’s lair can bring you comfort…

A low snuffling can be heard and JULIA’s eyes widen as she stiffens, looking around her.

LAELYAN V.O. (ironically): Until you meet the dragon.

JULIA stands uncertainly, trying to concentrate on shapes around her.

JULIA (muttering): Potentially a good time to get to the light…

The snuffling turns into a roar as a bulky shape in the dark leaps into view and bowls JULIA over. She screams.

CUT TO a hospital, where a moderately dark skinned young WOMAN is in a nurse’s uniform. She walks through the halls until she reaches a room that she walks into, containing several couches, a fridge, a microwave, a table and chairs, and a group of pigeonholes for personal gear. She moves over to one and pulls out a badge, pinning it to her uniform. It says ‘Rachel’. The door opens and RACHEL turns around, to see JULIA enter the room, heavily pregnant, wearing the same nurse’s uniform.

RACHEL: Hey Julia.

JULIA: Rachel, hi. How do I find you this morning?

RACHEL: Exceptionally perky.

JULIA: Only happy to be away from America and here in lovely Australia, I’m sure.

RACHEL: Dear, you say that every day, and it keeps getting truer.

JULIA: Thank God for that.

JULIA walks over to another pigeonhole and removes her own name badge, pinning it on.

RACHEL: Have you heard about the pay cuts?

JULIA: What?

RACHEL: No, not for us. Not yet, anyway. But they’re cutting the pay of a whole bunch of the secretarial staff.

JULIA: Wouldn’t want to be them right now. What do you mean ‘not yet’?

RACHEL: Well, you never know what they might do if they’ve just cut secretary pay. The secretaries are already going to their union over that girl’s harassment charge got blown off.

JULIA: What is it with men and their secretaries?

RACHEL: Beats me.

CUT TO a hallway in the hospital. JULIA and RACHEL step out of a door and start walking down it.

RACHEL: Why are you coming in, anyway? Shouldn’t you be at home resting? Or better yet, in one of OUR beds?

JULIA: Rachel, honey, you’ve never been pregnant before.

RACHEL: Neither have you.

JULIA: Valid. But my point is, I still feel like working.

RACHEL: Well I think that they should make you take some leave until you’ve got the baby.

JULIA: No, that won’t work out for me. I need some time off after I’ve had the baby, and I’ve only got a limited amount of leave.

RACHEL: You’re going to have to take a break soon.

JULIA: Sure, when it interferes.

RACHEL: I just hope your husband gets this.

JULIA: Joel’s an understanding guy. I’d be lost without him.

CUT TO almost sheer blackness. The outline of ELSRIA can be made out in the cave as she stands up.

ELSRIA: Goddamn it.

ELSRIA feels her way outside of the cave to find that it is only slightly lighter out there and that it has stopped raining. She looks around and leans over to pick up a bundle of what looks like sticks. They crumble slightly and leave a black mark on her fingers. She looks at the mark in exasperation.

ELSRIA: Ugh.

She bundles up the sticks and pulls them into the cave and sits cross-legged over them. Taking out a knife from her pocket, she cuts off a lock of her hair and puts it onto the sticks. About to reach for a couple of the sticks in an effort to create a spark, she stops in surprise as heir hair bursts into blue flame at touching the pile.

ELSRIA: Small mercies…

She leans back and looks around the cave, illuminated by the fire, finding nothing.

ELSRIA (dully): I have got to get out of this place…

CUT TO the cave that JULIA is in, where she has just bowled over by the bulky form in the dark.

JULIA (yelling): Jesus Christ!

She manages to kick it off her and scrabbles backwards, looking wildly out in front of her. The BEAST snarls and runs at her again and JULIA leaps out of the way, striking at the side of the cave. She curses and kicks at the BEAST, but it rears up and knocks her to the ground. Roaring, it charges her, and she manages to use her legs to kick it over her and outside of the cave.

JULIA: This only happens to me…

She gets up and looks out at the BEAST as it picks itself up. It is large and spiny, with thick dark green skin with a flat, powerful tail. Its eyes bulge out angrily and it has large teeth extended by a pig-like snout. With a yell, JULIA runs out of the cave at it and dives over the top of it as it starts to charge at where she was. JULIA lands on the ground awkwardly and forces herself up as the BEAST turns, snuffling, to face her again.

JULIA: I need you away from my cave. It’s potentially your cave, but I really want it.

The BEAST runs at her and JULIA dodges out of the way.

JULIA: I hope you understand. Which I’m thinking you don’t, being some animal from another dimension.

She jumps in and kicks the BEAST, knocking it sideways, and then swings around to kick it again. JULIA stands tall and ready, staring at the BEAST as it turns to face her.

LAELYAN V.O.: In the waste, survival is all that counts…

JULIA stares down the BEAST, ready for any movement, and it snorts and lowers its head, turning away and running into the wasteland. JULIA sighs and relaxes, letting herself drop to the floor. She feels at her head and pulls her hand back down, seeing blood there.

JULIA (faintly): Wonderful…

Getting up, she starts to move back to the cave.

END OF ACT I

ACT II

The Act opens to the hell dimension wasteland. The orange-ish sun is rising, lightening up the dim purple sky, but almost immediately the clouds begin to let rain pour down on the land.

LAELYAN V.O.: Another day breaks, and hope lessens more.

CUT TO JULIA’s cave, where she crawls out to the side of the cave. She shields her head as the rain starts falling down, but determinedly gets up and steps outside.

LAELYAN V.O.: But it can’t be said that hope is gone.

CUT TO ELSRIA, just outside of her own cave formation, her hair starting to get wet as the rain falls. She walks out and picks a direction, starting a trek in that way.

ELSRIA (muttering): Somewhere in this… place, is a way home.

CUT TO the Agents’ place. TRIAHLLA walks into the main room to find LARRAK seated down, fiddling with his amulet.

TRIAHLLA (murmuring): Surprising.

LARRAK turns to look at her.

TRIAHLLA: Here is the last place I’d expect you.

LARRAK (dryly): I take pleasure in your company.

He turns back to his amulet and TRIAHLLA shudders behind his back.

LARRAK: Why is Elsria not with you?

TRIAHLLA shrugs.

TRIAHLLA: I wouldn’t have a clue.

LARRAK: Or a care, it seems.

TRIAHLLA: Do you?

LARRAK smiles as he puts the amulet down.

LARRAK: I know you’ve thought about it.

TRIAHLLA: All we’d have to do is wait for Madam Geier to find a new way to contact us, and she’d pick one of us as a replacement.

LARRAK turns to smile falsely at TRIAHLLA.

LARRAK: You think she’d pick you?

TRIAHLLA: Well, I doubt she’d choose you.

LARRAK concedes with a lift of his eyebrows and turns away from TRIAHLLA again.

CUT TO the snowing Norse landscape of ELSRIA’s past. BELERIL runs into HARRAN and ELSRIA’s cabin, rushing and stumbling in. The camera angle follows her inside.

BELERIL (yelling): Harran, Lord Harran!

HARRAN is alert at once, and so is ELSRIA, staring at BELERIL and grabbing for HARRAN’s hand. He pulls away from her as he walks to BELERIL, and ELSRIA stares coolly after him.

HARRAN: What is it?

BELERIL: Trolls, the trolls are attacking Hunnerlund. They told me to run and I came as soon as I could.

HARRAN: When was this?

BELERIL: Merely an hour ago.

HARRAN (impressed): You are truly fast.

BELERIL blushes. ELSRIA looks like she is seething as she watches her husband.

BELERIL: But, Lord. It is rumoured that they have a weapon of Frost Giants. You must hurry, and be careful.

HARRAN: The cold pits of Jotunheim… I will run. Wait a while, then follow me afterwards.

BELERIL: The trolls will cower in fear when they see you.

HARRAN: You have done well.

He effectively squeezes her hand and runs out of the room, and, glowing, BELERIL follows. ELSRIA grabs a knife from a table as she glares the way of the door.

ELSRIA (murmuring): And if all the trolls that plagued our Midgard were upon us, I would send you first to meet them.

With an angry jerk, she stabs the knife’s tip into a wooden table.

CUT TO the wasteland, where ELSRIA stares moodily out into the distance.

ELSRIA: I wish plagues of serpents upon that Higher Being bitch.

A single stone seems to come out of the sky and strike ELSRIA on the shoulder, cutting her. She yells in pain and squeezes her shoulder slightly.

ELSRIA (screaming): What’s WRONG with this place?!

CUT TO JULIA. An echo of ELSRIA’s voice can be faintly made out, and JULIA turns quickly to look at it. She weighs up the odds in her mind, looking uncertain, and then turns away to walk in a different direction.

JULIA: I don’t need a confrontation… I can get off this rock by myself and leave her here.

She continues to walk off into the distance, straightening her matted wet hair out.

LAELYAN V.O.: But in the darkest of our souls, different things work different plans.

CUT TO the hospital where JULIA worked, except that now she’s in one of the beds. A DOCTOR smiles as he hands JULIA a newborn baby, and, tired but grinning, JULIA takes it. RACHEL is in the corner, smiling, and a tall MAN, JULIA’s husband JOEL, is kneeling near the bed.

RACHEL (softly): You’ve had a girl.

DOCTOR: We should leave you three alone. Nurse?

JULIA: No, she can stay.

The DOCTOR smiles and exits the room. JULIA stares in awe at her baby.

JULIA: She’s beautiful.

JOEL: What should we call her?

RACHEL: You haven’t thought of a name?

JOEL: No, not yet.

JULIA: Oh, a name! We need to give her a name!

JOEL: We don’t have to. You should get some rest.

JULIA: No, not yet. What about… Lou?

JOEL: I’m not sure.

JULIA: No, not Lou… What about Rachel?

RACHEL smiles.

RACHEL: If you want to honour me or something…

JOEL (interrupting): I think she does.

RACHEL: Don’t call her Rachel. Call her Maria.

JULIA: Maria…

RACHEL: It was my mother’s name.

JULIA: I know. I’d be happy to call her Maria. Joel?

JOEL: It suits me perfectly.

RACHEL smiles.

RACHEL: NOW you need your alone time.

She leaves the room as JULIA looks to JOEL.

JULIA: Do you want to hold her?

JOEL reaches out and takes the baby MARIA in his arms.

JOEL: She’s wonderful.

JULIA: She’s our baby.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ place. ASSAD is pacing the room as RAOUL sits, looking tired, and GWYNNDA stands before them both.

ASSAD: So how exactly are we going to locate her?

GWYNNDA: I’d call it a tough one.

RAOUL: That’s very helpful. I can’t get a vision or anything?

GWYNNDA: No. Because the visions are from the Powers, and they’re the ones who can’t find her.

RAOUL: Them and us, of course.

GWYNNDA: Quite right. Unfortunately, it’s all on you to find her.

RAOUL: Why can’t they do something? Anything?

GWYNNDA: They’ve got me helping you. They’re intangible beings from another plane of existence – not even a different dimension, but a whole new level. Just like the Senior Partners.

ASSAD: They can’t do much, can they?

GWYNNDA: Short of the odd miracle, one of the only things they can do is make the world better one person at a time.

ASSAD: And they have us and Julia for that.

GWYNNDA: And others. You are an important unit, yes.

ASSAD: And we need Julia.

GWYNNDA: And now we’ve spun the whole 360. Julia’s missing. Let’s find her.

RAOUL: And again I say where do we start?

GWYNNDA: I suggest that we look into spells and disturbances, anything like that.

ASSAD: That’s all very well, but I doubt think that I’m-

GWYNNDA (interrupting): By we I meant Raoul and I. What I think you should do is investigate what the Agents are doing and where Julia may have gone.

ASSAD sighs.

ASSAD: Thanks. I’m going.

He walks out of the room.

CUT TO the wasteland, where ELSRIA holds her slightly bleeding shoulder and continues to move. A second rock flies through the air and strikes ELSRIA on the leg. She jerks backwards in pain and becomes alert as she spots another rock moving in her direction.

ELSRIA (exasperated): Only in some sick hell dimension would this happen.

She begins to run towards the source of the rocks and spots the BEAST that JULIA faced, scooping stones onto its flat tail as it looks at her intently. It sees her running and begins to charge at her. ELSRIA dives out of the way as it nearly hits her.

ELSRIA (muttering): I am NOT going to be hunted in this place.

CUT TO HARRAN and ELSRIA’s cabin-hall. ELSRIA is at the side, carving up a pig, while HARRAN is sitting not far away, removing his boots. There is an icy looking scimitar with several runes on it sitting on a table.

ELSRIA: I am glad that you returned, husband.

HARRAN: I am glad to see you, Elsria. I was not sure that we would survive the trolls.

ELSRIA: Of course you did. And you brought back the weapon of the Frost Giants.

She pauses and then goes to sit next to him.

ELSRIA: What is about the messenger girl, Beleril?

HARRAN pauses and looks at ELSRIA.

HARRAN: She is a good girl, very skilled and quite beautiful. I wish her good fortune and a husband often.

ELSRIA: Do you not feel that there is some… impropriety? You are married.

HARRAN: I am the most skilled warrior of these lands. I am renowned and celebrated, deadly and powerful. I will have none of impropriety, not from my wife. You do not fight.

ELSRIA: You are my husband and I only wish faith.

HARRAN: I have shown you the greatest faith.

ELSRIA (urging): Stay away from this Beleril. She will lead you astray. I am your wife.

HARRAN: Elsria, would you hurt her?

ELSRIA: If she would seduce you.

HARRAN (warningly): Elsria, you will not. I would have you swear.

ELSRIA: I am your wife and she is just a girl!

HARRAN: You will swear an oath to never hurt her. By Forseti, for justice, and Baldur the most beloved.

ELSRIA: I…

HARRAN grabs her wrist and ELSRIA’s eyes widen. She tries to pull away but he grabs her by the chin and turns her face to him.

HARRAN: And by Odin, the father, who will punish you for your wrongs!

ELSRIA: You’re hurting me!

HARRAN’s grip tightens.

ELSRIA: Stop it! I swear!

HARRAN’s grip loosens and ELSRIA pulls away.

ELSRIA: I t-take the oath. I won’t… I won’t…

HARRAN gets up and looks away as ELSRIA looks tearful.

HARRAN: I am the most skilled warrior. I should never have to discipline my wife.

He walks away. ELSRIA drops to lie down, letting several tears fall.

CUT TO the wasteland. ELSRIA gets up and she and the BEAST face off.

ELSRIA: You should know that I’m not a victim.

The BEAST jerks around quickly, trying to startle, but ELSRIA holds her ground.

ELSRIA: I don’t care how damn hungry you are.

The BEAST charges ELSRIA and she dives and rolls out of the way, picking up dust that is quickly washed off by the rain. ELSRIA wipes her wet hair away from her eyes and pulls out her knife, waving it in front of the BEAST.

ELSRIA: Know what this is?

The BEAST grunts and charges ELSRIA again. She moves out of the way and kicks it in its side.

ELSRIA: I’m thinking you don’t.

ELSRIA kicks the BEAST harder and it snarls, swinging around to slash her leg. She begins to bleed and stumbles backwards away from it.

ELSRIA: It’ll make this so much sweeter.

Shutting her eyes tightly for a second as she bears with the pain, ELSRIA dives forward and drives her knife right between the eyes of the BEAST. Blood spurts and ELSRIA pulls the knife out as the BEAST falls over and begins to convulse. Staring at it as it roars and convulses, ELSRIA grips the knife firmly and slashes down its stomach, letting it bleed and ending its movement. ELSRIA stands up, wiping her knife.

ELSRIA: Exactly what I need to keep me going…

She begins to turn away, but a swirl of foggy light moves up from the BEAST’s bloody stomach, catching her eye and causing ELSRIA to turn back. She looks incredulous as the light expands.

CUT TO the hospital, where JULIA walks into the nurse’s common room. RACHEL is already in there. She looks at JULIA scoldingly.

RACHEL: I thought you were going to take some time off.

JULIA: I’ve taken a month off, Rachel.

RACHEL: Julia, Julia. Is a month really long enough to spend with your newborn?

JULIA: It’s not like I have the longest hours, Rachel, don’t dramatise. Joel is at home. Come on.

They walk out of the room and into the hallway, RACHEL holding a clipboard.

JULIA: What’s first?

RACHEL looks at the clipboard briefly.

RACHEL: Check ups. First up is a woman called Ms Jones. Interesting lady, actually. The doctors still haven’t diagnosed her symptoms.

RACHEL opens a door and JULIA follows her in. The woman lying in the bed is ELSRIA.

RACHEL: How are you today, Ms Jones?

ELSRIA: I feel tired…

ELSRIA turns over in the bed to face away from them. She smiles as she does so.

END OF ACT II

ACT III

The Act opens to the wasteland hell dimension, where ELSRIA stands over the dead and gutted BEAST. Foggy white and blue light is swirling up from the BEAST’s stomach, and ELSRIA stares as it solidifies and forms into MADAM GEIER. She glances at ELSRIA and smiles.

MADAM GEIER: Elsria.

ELSRIA looks stunned, and immediately gets onto one knee.

ELSRIA: Madam Geier…a-are… how?

MADAM GEIER: Different places, different rules. I am glad that your killing instincts shined through. It allowed me to locate you and form here.

MADAM GEIER stretches her limbs and sways forward to brush her fingers against ELSRIA’s hair. ELSRIA starts backwards, shocked.

ELSRIA: Y-you’re corporeal here?

MADAM GEIER (gustily): Neck-snappingly so. It is only too bad that you only found one of these creatures.

ELSRIA (dazedly): Only too bad…

MADAM GEIER: That is not why I am here, even if it is a blessing.

ELSRIA: Can you get me out of this place?

MADAM GEIER: I… am unsure. How were you brought here?

ELSRIA: I saw that Higher Being Julia, and a portal opened while we fought. She is here somewhere.

MADAM GEIER (faraway): A connection…

ELSRIA: What?

MADAM GEIER looks at ELSRIA again and narrows her eyes.

MADAM GEIER (businesslike): I can’t contact Triahlla and Larrak as yet. I can only assume that they are plotting as to who will replace you.

ELSRIA (firmly): Then help me get back.

MADAM GEIER: For now, continue your search. The Senior Partners shall look into this.

MADAM GEIER looks down to face the dead BEAST and shuts her eyes.

ELSRIA: Wait…

MADAM GEIER opens her eyes and faces ELSRIA.

ELSRIA: This stick thing… when it touched my hair, it burst into flames. Can I expect that to happen to my hair a lot here?

MADAM GEIER smiles amusedly.

MADAM GEIER: Different dimension, different chemical compounds. This… stick thing most likely reacted to a component of your conditioner.

MADAM GEIER turns away from ELSRIA and faces the dead BEAST, transforming back into the mist and disappearing. ELSRIA looks away and begins to walk again, heading off in another direction.

CUT TO another part of the desolate wasteland, where JULIA continues to walk.

LAELYAN V.O.: When granted the chance to be the hero, we often take it…

JULIA stumbles and falls flat on her face, staring into the dust.

LAELYAN V.O.: Without knowing that we’ll rue a second’s choice for eternities.

JULIA pushes herself up and stares around in dismay.

JULIA (to herself): I have GOT to get food…

She continues to walk and then stops, her finger wagging in the air.

JULIA (raising voice): In fact, it has got to stop raining. And I have got to find a way out of here. Something has GOT to start going my way!

She looks around, losing her anger slightly.

JULIA: And someone better notice me at some point.

She looks into the air and rolls her eyes.

JULIA (bitterly): Some all-seeing Powers That Be you are. I clock eight plus years on the job and you can’t do a thing for me. Well, I guess I better do it for myself.

JULIA looks around intently, before beginning to walk again in a new direction.

JULIA: This is all started somewhere. So I’ll just go back to that cave, and then find wherever it was that I came out.

JULIA nods firmly to herself as she continues to walk.

LAELYAN V.O.: You never want to let yourself think that the pain has won and your suffering didn’t make you a hero at all.

CUT TO the hospital where JULIA worked. JULIA and JOEL, who is holding baby MARIA, are standing at the front. JULIA kisses JOEL on the cheek as he smiles.

JULIA: I love you Joel.

She leans over to smile at MARIA.

JULIA: I’ll see you tonight honey.

JULIA walks into the hospital as JOEL waves after her.

JOEL: Have a good day honey.

CUT TO a corridor deeper into the hospital. JULIA, walking, suddenly frowns as she smells something. She breaks into a run as she goes through the corridors. As she slams open a door and goes into another corridor, she runs into RACHEL.

JULIA: What’s going on?

RACHEL: There’s a fire. Julia, there’s a huge fire in the sick patients wing.

JULIA: Is there an ambulance coming?

RACHEL: Our phone system and internal PA are out. We don’t know what’s going on!

JULIA: Rachel, someone has to run and try to get an ambulance.

RACHEL: I will, I doubt you’ve had as much exercise recently.

JULIA: Good.

RACHEL runs off and JULIA turns to the door after her, looking determined. She takes a step out the door and then starts to run in the opposite direction to RACHEL.

CUT TO the inside of HARRAN and ELSRIA’s cabin, where ELSRIA is standing alone, toying with a knife. There is a brief knock as the door is flung open and BELERIL enters. She looks around but only sees ELSRIA.

BELERIL (slightly confused): I received summons from Harran.

ELSRIA (vindictively): And you came rushing like a boar.

BELERIL’s face hardens and she steps forward.

ELSRIA: He’s on a troll hunt.

She puts the knife down and steps towards BELERIL.

ELSRIA: So I thought we could talk about your intentions… even though I find them quite clear.

BELERIL: I live to serve.

ELSRIA: I bet you do.

She sweeps forward and slaps BELERIL hard across the cheek. BELERIL steps backwards, looking furious.

BELERIL: Well if his wife can’t give him what he wants, then I guess I have to.

BELERIL yells angrily and rushes ELSRIA, punching her in the face. ELSRIA cries out and stumbles backwards.

BELERIL: You were always in my way…

BELERIL hits ELSRIA again, who swings to hit her but misses.

BELERIL: Sometimes, I just wish that I could hurt you.

ELSRIA: You already have.

BELERIL smacks ELSRIA in the face again and pushes her. ELSRIA stumbles backwards and falls, grasping for the table as she does. As BELERIL smiles and ELSRIA pulls herself up, her grip comes across the scimitar of the Frost Giants. BELERIL leans over her again to punch her, and ELSRIA yells out and swings as hard as she can, skewering the scimitar into BELERIL.

ELSRIA: I can’t let you hurt me.

She stands up and leaps away from BELERIL, the scimitar still through her, and lets her drop to the floor. ELSRIA’s eyes widen and she falls to the ground, shutting them tightly.

ELSRIA: No…

Her eyes snap open and she scrabbles to her feet as the door in front of her opens.

CUT TO the run-down street where JULIA and ELSRIA fell through the portal. TRIAHLLA is kneeling in the middle of the road, staring at a purple tinged puddle on the road. She removes one of her earrings and drops it in the puddle. It shines brightly and she smiles, picking the earring out of the puddle and standing.

TRIAHLLA: Good. She’s in another dimension.

She wipes the dripping earring on her shirt and replaces it back onto her ear.

TRIAHLLA: Now just to get my promotion.

She walks out of the street and as she disappears from the screen, ASSAD pokes his head around the corner, having watched her leave.

ASSAD: We could have a hit.

CUT TO the wasteland, where ELSRIA continues her walk, stolidly limping through the rain with her jaw set in place. She suddenly jerks her head and stares out into the distance, looking at something far away and unseen. Shifting her body, she begins to move in a different direction.

LAELYAN V.O.: When an opportunity presents itself, what can we do but take it?

ELSRIA looks faintly confused and stops, but then begins determinedly moving again, shrugging her confusion off.

LAELYAN V.O.: For any chance to escape, and to make things as they were before cruelty entered our lives, could be missed.

CUT TO HARRAN and ELSRIA’s Norse cabin. The door opens to show HARRAN in hunting gear. He stops quickly when he sees BELERIL’s body and ELSRIA before her. ELSRIA looks at him desperately.

ELSRIA: I… I-I…

HARRAN (angrily): You broke the oath.

ELSRIA (yelling): You broke the union of marriage!

HARRAN stonily ignores her and steps forward, grabbing her roughly by the arm.

HARRAN (coldly): A cursed traitor is no wife.

ELSRIA (screaming): You destroyed me!

HARRAN’s grip on her tightens as he smacks her across the mouth. ELSRIA yells out in pain and HARRAN starts to manhandle her out of the door.

HARRAN: You broke the oath.

CUT TO the snowy landscape, some distance away from the village. HARRAN stands in the snow, holding a crying ELSRIA, as a short distance back several other Norse villagers are situated.

HARRAN: You have broken the oath of Forseti, Baldur and Odin the Wise.

ELSRIA (pleadingly): Harran…

HARRAN: And thus you shall be banished to the snow and the trolls. Let today be a day of no hunting until this cursed woman is gone.

ELSRIA (screaming): Harran!

HARRAN punches her hard in the face, bruising her cheek and knocking her to the ground.

HARRAN: The Norn Maidens will decide your fate.

He kicks her while she’s on the ground so that she falls unconscious and slowly turns away, looking to the ground.

CUT TO another hallway in the hospital. Smoke is coming down the hall and JULIA runs in, coughing. She bangs on doors and unlocks several doors, pushing them open.

JULIA (yelling): Get out of here! You have to get out!

People start to get up slowly, either let out or warned, and move as fast as they can away. JULIA rushes in to help an OLD MAN get out of bed and move. She hands him to a younger WOMAN.

JULIA: Help him get out, you’ll both be fine.

JULIA continues to run until she gets closer to the fast spreading fire, shielding herself from all the smoke.

JULIA (yelling): You have to get out! Anyone who’s here, run!!

She comes to a fire hydrant, inside a glass panel, and hesitates for a second. Making a decision, she smashes into the panel with her fists, cutting herself and crying out. Grabbing the fire hydrant, she starts to spray along the fire, stopping some of the smoke from coming her way and getting rid of some of the fire. A MAN runs out of one the doors.

MAN: Can I help?

JULIA: You need to run! You have to get out of here!

MAN: You can’t get this entire fire by yourself.

JULIA: Firemen are coming! If you want to help, get other people out of their rooms and away!

The MAN begins to run and pauses to turn back to JULIA.

MAN: You’re a hero.

JULIA: I’m a woman trying to put out a fire, so just go!

The MAN runs off to go into another room as JULIA sprays the fire, trying to stop the fast spread. She moves forward to get rid of more of the flame and kicks broken and burnt objects out of her way.

JULIA (to herself): He’s right, this isn’t going to work.

Despite herself, JULIA continues to spray the fire with the hydrant, advancing as the fire slightly diminishes. RACHEL runs up behind her.

RACHEL: Julia, the fire trucks are coming!

JULIA: Get the people out of here! Help them out of their rooms!

RACHEL runs off without another word as JULIA continues to spray. She stands as the fire dims down in front of her, looking determined, when a gunshot sounds and JULIA looks shocked, her body tensing. As the camera swirls around and blood drips from a gunshot wound in JULIA’s chest, we see ELSRIA standing behind her, a gun in her hands. As JULIA falls to the ground, ELSRIA lowers the gun and walks away. JULIA sighs faintly on the ground, blood dripping, as the sound of fire trucks can be heard distantly.

GWYNNDA V.O. (breathily and quietly): Julia Illery…

CUT TO the wasteland, in a vaguely familiar area. JULIA steps into view, looking around and shutting her eyes. She opens them again and looks assured.

JULIA: This is the place…

She spots ELSRIA approaching, and her eyes widen as she realises that ELSRIA is too close and has already seen her. Choosing to hold her ground, JULIA looks strongly in ELSRIA’s direction.

JULIA (yelling): Came back here, did you?

ELSRIA walks in close, trying to hide her limp, and stares at JULIA.

ELSRIA: So did you.

JULIA (feyly): I think maybe I was meant to come back.

ELSRIA snorts.

ELSRIA: Then I guess we were meant to fight.

JULIA cocks her head at ELSRIA, jaw setting in place.

JULIA: Then why are we waiting so long?

JULIA and ELSRIA both yell and leap at each other, grappling at each other’s arms for dominance.

END OF ACT III

ACT IV

The Act opens to the raining hell dimension wasteland, where JULIA and ELSRIA scream and grapple with each other.

‘Shadowkings’ by Paradise Lost begins to play.

JULIA releases an arm and punches ELSRIA hard in the face, her rage behind it, and ELSRIA is knocked to the side, buckling on her weaker leg. JULIA kicks ELSRIA while she’s on the ground, and ELSRIA gasps for air.

JULIA (yelling): I could kill you now, you bitch!

SONG: A spiral movement, the ultimate mystery…

ELSRIA grabs onto JULIA’s leg and pulls her onto the ground, grazing her knee badly as she falls.

SONG: Will you show....

ELSRIA (screaming): Try it then!

SONG: Will you show who you are?

JULIA smacks ELSRIA across the face and tries to get up, but ELSRIA jerks her down again and kicks her in the gut as she goes down. JULIA gasps in pain and falls.

SONG: It's the truth that untrue suspicion is spreading like a disease…
Do you know…?

ELSRIA struggles out of the way, standing up herself and backing away slightly from JULIA, giving both of them time to recover as JULIA forces herself up, swaying.

SONG: Do you know if it is real?

JULIA (uncertainly): Are we going to do this?

SONG: Voices appear inside my brain…

ELSRIA: The only way I’m getting back is with your blood, so I’d say yes.

SONG: Their need, to set me free…

JULIA: How do you figure that?

SONG: Onward they lead before the dawn…

ELSRIA: Oh, it just makes me feel better.

SONG: Teach me what's right and wrong…

JULIA (grittily): That’s perfectly fine with me.

JULIA yells again as she kicks out at ELSRIA, striking her and sending her stumbling back.

SONG: Encourage the madness they welcome impurity…

ELSRIA recovers and spin kicks back at JULIA, who dodges.

SONG: I don't know....I don't know....who I am…

ELSRIA moves forward with the kick’s momentum and strikes JULIA hard across the face and uses her distraction to wrap her hands around JULIA’s neck, starting to squeeze the life out of her.

SONG: Fallen blind to the cruel hysteria that's constantly challenging me…

ELSRIA (deliberately, panting): I am going to crush you.

SONG: All alone...

JULIA croaks as her eyes widen, and she claws at ELSRIA. ELSRIA bears through the strikes and forces JULIA onto her knees, choking her.

SONG: All alone…

ELSRIA: You’re going straight back to the Powers That Be.

SONG: Can’t be real…

JULIA lets out a choked scream and both the women turn in shock as the shining portal appears before them, sucking them down and shutting again. The wasteland continues to rain, now empty.

‘Shadowkings’ fades out.

FADE TO the alleyway where JULIA and ELSRIA first disappeared. The portal opens briefly and JULIA comes spinning out, crashing onto the road with a high moan. She pushes herself off the ground and begins to limp weakly.

FLASH TO a green cemetery, where black-clad mourners stand around as a coffin is lowered into the ground. JOEL and RACHEL can both be seen, RACHEL crying openly and JOEL staring out into space.

CUT TO a street in Los Angeles where the truck that almost hit JULIA and ELSRIA is parked. The portal shimmers for a second and ELSRIA is thrown on top of the truck, gasping for air as she hits the truck hard. Taking a second to breathe, she slides down off the truck.

FLASH TO multitudes of snow, covering the land and snowing down in the sky. HARRAN pushes through the snow and stops as he comes across ELSRIA’s cold, dead body. Slash wounds show the cause of her death, and HARRAN kneels quietly next to her, putting a hand on her forehead for a second before getting up again and turning away.

LAELYAN V.O.: Even in escape, the wasteland will follow us everywhere…

FADE TO the Higher Beings’ place, where the door slowly opens and JULIA limps in, looking worn and injured. ASSAD and GWYNNDA get up quickly and rush over to help JULIA, sitting her down on a seat.

ASSAD: How did you get back?

JULIA (weakly): We were fighting… and the portal just opened again…

ASSAD: Who? Who… were you fighting?

JULIA: Elsria…

ASSAD looks at GWYNNDA in confusion, who merely looks grave.

GWYNNDA: Assad tracked the place where you disappeared, and Raoul and I cast a spell to set things right.

JULIA: Good. Good then… it worked.

ASSAD: The problem is, we cast it almost eleven hours ago.

JULIA looks at ASSAD, searching his eyes, then looks down again.

GWYNNDA: What happened?

JULIA (quietly): Things… happened.

CUT TO a bedroom with a double bed, where JULIA lays, resting her head against JOEL’s chest comfortably.

JULIA: Joel… don’t ever leave me.

JOEL looks at her and kisses her on the top of the head.

JOEL: As long as you don’t leave me.

JULIA smiles and snuggles in closer to him.

LAELYAN V.O.: The past is one thing that can hardly be reclaimed.

CUT TO the Norse cabin, where ELSRIA and HARRAN kiss and then hug, ELSRIA smiling in HARRAN’s strong arms.

ELSRIA: How was the hunt?

HARRAN (softly): Nothing when put against this reward.

ELSRIA smiles and hugs HARRAN tighter.

LAELYAN V.O.: For a fertile land can be turned to desolation…

FADE TO the Agents’ place, where a worn and injured ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA and LARRAK are seated around the table, their amulets laid out. MADAM GEIER, foggy once more, is facing them, looking coldly at TRIAHLLA and LARRAK.

MADAM GEIER (accusatory): So not only did you not even attempt to provide any form of assistance, you made no move to contact me.

TRIAHLLA: Madam, we-

MADAM GEIER (interrupting): You what? Did exactly what I just said?

TRIAHLLA looks down again, cut off.

MADAM GEIER: I know you did. (snapping) Don’t try to hide what’s obvious. I suggest you both leave. I will speak with Elsria.

TRIAHLLA and LARRAK both stand and walk out of the room, their heads low. ELSRIA watches them go and then sinks back tiredly in the chair as MADAM GEIER steps forward.

MADAM GEIER (almost friendly): Elsria. You know this Higher Being… Julia.

ELSRIA (faraway): What?

MADAM GEIER waves her hand.

FLASH TO the hospital where JULIA walked. JULIA sprays the fire with the fire hydrant and stands as the fire dims down in front of her, looking determined, when a gunshot sounds and JULIA looks shocked, her body tensing. As the camera swirls around and blood drips from a gunshot wound in JULIA’s chest, we see ELSRIA standing behind her, a gun in her hands. As JULIA falls to the ground, ELSRIA lowers the gun and walks away.

FLASH TO the Agents’ place, where ELSRIA’s eyes widen.

ELSRIA (slowly): A mark. She was one of my... marks.

MADAM GEIER: It has only just become apparent to me.

ELSRIA shuts her eyes, thinking, before she snaps them open again and cracks a slow grin. MADAM GEIER raises her eyebrows expectantly as ELSRIA turns to her, smiling viciously.

ELSRIA: I know just what to do next.

END EPISODE

Seniority 1.02 "Existence"

2006-07-10T12:22:04Z

Seniority 1.02 “Existence”

LAELYAN V.O.: Previously on Seniority.

Shot of ASSAD and RAOUL walking through a grass oval.

RAOUL: We’ve only been working together for about five days, we’re not in the rhythm yet. Besides, you’re not my boss.

ASSAD: I should be.

RAOUL: But you’re not.

Shot of JULIA in the Higher Beings’ place, facing GWYNNDA.

RAOUL V.O. (muttering): That Australian bird is.

GWYNNDA: The Powers strive for balance. The enemy… the Senior Partners, as they call themselves… they attempt to achieve power. They have created a power play, and now the Powers have to balance it. Or weaken it in their own favour.

Shot of ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA in the Agents’ place.

GWYNNDA V.O.: They’re your enemy.

ELSRIA: She wanted us back together, and through some infinite wisdom I appear to be in charge.

Shot of MADAM GEIER, smiling coldly down at ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA.

Shot of JULIA and LARRAK, and others, in a dark raining alley. JULIA holds a sword. LARRAK smiles and punches her in the chest, sending her flying away into the wall of the alley, crashing through several of the bricks.

MADAM GEIER V.O.: Larrak was once a Senior Partner as I and knows the importance of what we do.

Shot of a park, where JULIA stares at a blonde girl – MARIA.

JULIA (whispering): Maria… Mummy loves you, sweetie, she wishes she could be with you right now…

LAELYAN V.O.: My name is Laelyan, and I can see what Gods and Powers see.

Teaser

The episode opens to JULIA’s face, staring intently forward at something off screen.

LAELYAN V.O.: Everybody exists for a different reason. And yet the source of existence is the same.

The camera pans out to show that JULIA is watching her daughter MARIA playing on a swing.

LAELYAN V.O.: But it is we who choose our own existence and define it with our actions.

A taller BOY pushes MARIA off the swing and gets on himself. MARIA looks helpless and moves away, distraught, as JULIA looks angry.

LAELYAN V.O.: We make choices based on what we perceive our existence to be.

Looking to see that MARIA is gone, JULIA walks out to the swings and grabs the BOY’s hand tightly. He looks up at her wildly.

JULIA: Go apologise to the girl you just kicked off.

BOY: But…

JULIA: Go apologise!

Her grip on his hand tightens.

BOY: Ow!

JULIA: Go on.

She lets him go and pushes him in her direction. He runs off with a dark glance back at her.

JULIA: That’s better.

CUT TO the Agents’ room. LARRAK is sitting on a chair, facing MADAM GEIER, in the mist. The three amulets are placed on the table.

MADAM GEIER: What are you, Larrak?

LARRAK: I’m your servant, Madam Geier.

MADAM GEIER: No, Larrak, we don’t have to pander to these things today. What are you? Deep down.

LARRAK: I am a killer.

MADAM GEIER: And?

LARRAK: I am a manipulator.

MADAM GEIER: Yes you are. And the problem there, Larrak, is that I took away the best way for you to both kill AND manipulate. Didn’t I?

LARRAK: You did.

MADAM GEIER: And now you have to serve. So what are you, Larrak? Living in the past, or seeing to your future?

LARRAK: They both show me the same thing.

MADAM GEIER: And that is why I’ll never trust you as my servant.

CUT TO the playground, where MARIA cautiously reapproaches the swing set. JULIA, safely hidden underneath a tree, smiles encouragingly, and MARIA gets back on the swings and starts to swing.

LAELYAN V.O.: By defining ourselves in this way, we can allow the most trivial matters the gravest importance in our lives.

JULIA smiles dreamily and rests her head against the tree trunk as MARIA swings on the swing set. Watching MARIA’s face, JULIA’s expression suddenly becomes more grave and thoughtful.

JULIA (murmuring): Are you happy, my baby? Are you happy?

LAELYAN V.O.: By defining ourselves, we can obsess over what we may never have any effect on.

A different BOY pulls MARIA off the swings and pushes her away so that he can get on to the swings. MARIA lets a single tear fall down her cheek before she leaves, storming away. JULIA looks thunderstruck, marching over to where the BOY is on the swings.

LAELYAN V.O.: And by keeping our definitions, we allow ourselves to be controlled.

SENIORITY

Starring:
Claudia Karvan -- Julia Illery
Tricia Helfer -- Elsria Atral
Bebe Neuwirth -- Triahlla
Christopher Meloni -- Larrak
Mehcad Brooks -- Assad
Tygh Runyan -- Raoul Marks
and Tilda Swinton as Madam Geier

Guest Starring:
Stephanie March -- Laelyan
Chad Faust -- Danny Allatiko
Alex Cook -- Maria Illery
Logan Marshall-Green -- James Tanter

Written By: Andrew Sutherland

Created By: Andrew Sutherland

Featured Music: Black the Sun by Alex Lloyd
On Shadowed Wings by Andrew Sutherland

Seniority, and all original characters within Seniority, are property of Andrew Sutherland AKA Kold and may not be used without his express permission. Lore and universe is copyright to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy.

ACT I

The Act opens to the Higher Beings’ armoury room. ASSAD and RAOUL are standing in there, ASSAD handing RAOUL a sword and taking one from the rack for himself.

ASSAD: Good.

RAOUL: I know which end I should be holding.

ASSAD: That’s really all there is to it, Raoul. But then when you have to fight with it, not as much.

RAOUL: Well, that’s to be expected. I’ve only just started holding it, after all.

ASSAD: First, you want to know how to best hold it. You need to keep it comfortable and relatively light.

RAOUL: Okay…

ASSAD: You know, I can’t believe that you’ve never learned how to use a sword as a Higher Being. You’ve been dead… how long?

RAOUL: Long enough, but I never needed to.

ASSAD grunts and extends the sword lightly out in front of him.

ASSAD: Mimic me.

CUT TO a school classroom, with younger CHILDREN sitting on desks, as a female TEACHER sits at a larger desk near the front.

TEACHER: OK, who’s up next?

She looks at a sheet on her desk.

TEACHER: Oh, Maria. Maria, come on up.

MARIA smiles and grabs a piece of paper and as she walks to the front, JULIA can be seen appearing at the window, looking in but trying to stay out of view. MARIA reaches the front and faces the class, looking down at her paper.

LAELYAN V.O.: When our difficult lives are given rewards, we take it as a blessing.

MARIA (reading from the paper): My report.

TEACHER: By?

MARIA: By Maria Illery.

LAELYAN V.O.: The joy of hearing your baby talk, the first time or any time…

MARIA: My report is on my mother, because we had to write it on somebody who’s influenced our lives. My mother has influenced my life in a good way, but also a bad way.

JULIA leans in to the window, eyes wide.

LAELYAN V.O.: The joy of knowing that your baby loves you…

MARIA: My mother died when I was only one, and so I can barely remember her. But I do remember her as a big shining bright light, and she has always been there in my life to protect me and make me feel good.

LAELYAN V.O.: Knowing that your baby is safe…

MARIA: But most of the time, it’s only me and Dad, and my mother isn’t there for either of us at all. I wish that my mother was with us, but she’s not and I don’t need her with me all the time anymore.

JULIA stares into the room, a tear rolling down her cheek.

LAELYAN V.O.: But knowing that your daughter has grown up can be a mixed blessing.

MARIA: Thankyou.

CUT TO the inside of a nice house, quite bright and richly furnished. A MAN in a suit is talking to a younger MAN, dressed less formally and holding a notepad and pen. They are both seated on the couch.

NOTEPAD MAN: I’m here to write the article for you.

SUIT MAN: Aren’t you a little young to be a journalist?

NOTEPAD MAN: Don’t worry, Mr Trask. I assure you that I’m out of Berkeley with honours.

MR TRASK: Very impressive, good. Fine, start the questions. Oh, and sorry, but what was your name?

NOTEPAD MAN: James Tanter. So, could you just recount what happened to you again for me?

MR TRASK: It was about two and a half years ago. I was working late, and saw… this thing. A beautiful woman killed one of the janitors at the office, and I hid, and there was this… other woman. She looked all white and cold, and she wasn’t really there. All this mist around her, you know?

JAMES: Mmhmm, alright.

He glances at his watch.

JAMES: Oh, God. I have to be leaving. We’ll pick this up tomorrow. Nine?

MR TRASK: Fine.

JAMES stands and shakes his hand, stepping out and leaving through the front door. MR TRASK sits back and sighs, pouring himself a glass of alcohol and taking a sip. He sighs again as the doorbell rings and gets up to open the door. It is ELSRIA.

MR TRASK: Can I help you?

ELSRIA: Of course. My name is Mary Sue Jones, I’m a producer and heard about your story from the journalist.

MR TRASK squints at her suspiciously but moves to let her in.

MR TRASK: Fine, do come in.

ELSRIA walks in and MR TRASK motions to the room with the couch.

MR TRASK: Please sit down.

ELSRIA does and smiles. MR TRASK looks hard at her again.

MR TRASK: I swear that I recognise you from somewhere…

ELSRIA’s smiles widens and she puts a hand subtly behind her back. MR TRASK shakes his head at his comment, laughing as he can’t quite recall. ELSRIA pulls a dagger from her back pocket and with a flash, stabs MR TRASK in the chest.

ELSRIA: I know.

MR TRASK gasps, staring incredulously at her. ELSRIA pulls the knife out and stands, letting him fall. He rolls and drops to the floor as ELSRIA leaves, looking smug.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ place. JULIA walks in to see ASSAD and RAOUL walking out from the armoury room door. ASSAD notices the redness around JULIA’s eyes and stops to talk to her.

ASSAD: Are you feeling alright?

JULIA: What? Oh, I’m fine.

RAOUL sits down in a chair and looks up at JULIA too, clearly spotting the redness but turning away sadly to ignore it.

ASSAD: Are you sure?

JULIA: Yeah, I’m fine. And why are you so caring, anyway? We’ve barely just met each other.

ASSAD (awkwardly): You know, just worried about what your fighting might be like if there was something wrong…

JULIA laughs and smiles warmly.

JULIA: It’ll be fine.

She takes a seat next to RAOUL.

JULIA: So what have you two been doing?

RAOUL: Training.

ASSAD: I thought that Raoul needed to know a bit more about fighting.

JULIA: Oh, that’s good.

RAOUL: It’s not over, either.

ASSAD: Of course not. But at least we’ve done the basics of sword work.

RAOUL: Maybe you could come in and help sometime.

JULIA: Okay, I wouldn’t mind that.

RAOUL: Well, it would-

He yells out suddenly, holding his head.

FLASH TO shots and flashes of a dark alley, where a TEENAGE BOY is walking. The screen flashes to an image of a black shadowy DEMON, and back to the BOY before showing a quick flash of ELSRIA swinging a knife at somebody.

CUT BACK TO the Higher Beings’ room, where RAOUL ceases his twitching as JULIA and ASSAD stare worriedly at him.

RAOUL: I got a vision.

ASSAD: We figured.

JULIA: What happened?

RAOUL: There’s a boy. A teenager. We have to save him from the Agents. And maybe a demon?

JULIA: Try to get it clear in your mind.

RAOUL: It’ll come. I can tell you where soon.

JULIA: Still, we can’t be exactly sure, can we? (calling out) Gwynnda? Gwynnda!

They wait in silence as RAOUL massages his head.

JULIA: (yelling) Gwynnda!

ASSAD: I don’t think she’s coming.

JULIA: Goddammit.

RAOUL (murmuring): God, I’m dead, do visions still have to hurt this much?

CUT TO the Agents’ place. TRIAHLLA and LARRAK are in there, TRIAHLLA fiddling with a charm while LARRAK sits moodily. ELSRIA enters through the door, and LARRAK stands, glaring at her.

LARRAK: Finally.

ELSRIA: Waiting for me?

LARRAK: Of course we were.

TRIAHLLA: Get your amulet.

ELSRIA (surprised): Time already.

LARRAK (shortly): Yes.

He pulls out his amulet, and ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA follow, placing them on the table. The amulets start to glow, mist emerging, and MADAM GEIER ethereally appears.

MADAM GEIER: Good afternoon.

The three Agents bow.

ELSRIA: Madam Geier.

MADAM GEIER: I have a mission for all of you. Your enemies, the Higher Beings, will save a boy soon. It is up to you to eradicate all good influence he may have on this world.

ELSRIA: Kill him?

MADAM GEIER: It is likely. But first, Elsria, your mission from before isn’t over. Go back, kill his brother and follow the author that was interviewing him. Kill him later if he has enough information to warrant his death.

ELSRIA: I will.

MADAM GEIER smiles briefly.

MADAM GEIER: Good. You may leave now.

ELSRIA bows and turns, leaving the room quietly.

MADAM GEIER (to TRIAHLLA): I have a spell for you to perform. I will tell you about your task.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ place. ASSAD and RAOUL are sitting at the table as JULIA brings out a glass of water from an adjoined room, handing it to RAOUL. He takes a sip and places it on the table.

RAOUL: Thanks.

JULIA: You’re welcome.

ASSAD: So we have a new mission?

RAOUL: A big one, it feels like.

JULIA: What do you mean?

RAOUL: By the vision. I get the feeling that sometimes we have smaller missions and so do the Agents, but the big ones are when we both get directly involved.

JULIA (dryly): Excellent… (yelling out) Gwnnyda!

RAOUL: Would you stop doing that?

JULIA: I just feel that we need a little guidance.

ASSAD: Maybe that’s the point.

JULIA (annoyed): The point of what?

ASSAD: Of not answering you. It’s a mission. They’ve sent the vision. We have to do it now. I don’t think we can rely on Gwynnda every time.

JULIA: It’d be really nice though.

ASSAD: I’m sure it would be.

He turns to RAOUL.

ASSAD: Do you want to go and do a bit of training, or are you not feeling good enough?

RAOUL: I’m fine. Come on, I think I need it.

RAOUL gets up and ASSAD follows him.

JULIA: I’ll join you, I guess.

The three of them walk to the armoury room.

CUT TO the inside of a nice house, where a suited MAN similar in features to MR TRASK is on the phone, looking distraught. This is obviously MR TRASK’s brother.

BROTHER (on phone): No, I’ll tell you why I think it happened. He obviously saw SOMETHING there, didn’t he? (pause) Yes, I am implying that the same woman killed him. (pause, impatiently) No, I don’t have any conspiracy theories, but it does make sense, doesn’t it?

He sits, rubbing his temples.

BROTHER (on phone, angrily): Your article? My brother was just murdered because of your article. (pause) I’m not being hasty, I think I’ve come to a suitable conclusion. Talk to me tomorrow if you so have to.

He hangs up the phone and slams it down on the table. The sound of glass smashing can be heard and he starts, standing and looking out the door of the room.

BROTHER (muttering to himself): What the hell was that?

He turns around again, head in his hands, and ELSRIA appears in the doorway while he’s not looking. He turns around quickly, realising that somebody’s behind him, and ELSRIA pulls out a gun, coolly pointing it in his direction and firing. The BROTHER stumbles backwards, a bullet wound in his chest, and ELSRIA fires again. The BROTHER falls backwards onto the table, dead. ELSRIA smiles with relief and puts her gun away.

ELSRIA: Easy.

CUT TO an alley. It is now night and the alley is very dark and empty. A TEENAGE BOY scoots into the alley, laughing quietly to himself.

BOY (to himself, amused): Mum would be so mad if she knew where I was. (falsetto mimic) ‘Oh Danny, how could you? I want to coddle you for the rest of your life! Don’t go out ever again, Danny.’

He kicks an empty beer bottle on the ground in front of him.

DANNY (muttering): What a bitch. She doesn’t know anything about me.

There’s a skittering sound behind him as a shadow passes in the back of the alley behind him, barely visible, and DANNY turns around suddenly.

DANNY (calling): Yeah? Anyone there?

There is no reply and DANNY turns back to keep walking through the alley.

DANNY: Great. (yelling) Any rapists out there? Innocent teenager here.

He snorts.

DANNY: Didn’t think so.

He continues to walk and walks off screen. Where he was, the shadowy presence forms into a spiny black DEMON. It’s eyes glow red and it melds into the shadows again.

END OF ACT I

ACT II

The Act opens to the Higher Beings’ room. JULIA walks out from the armoury room and goes through the other door, into a hallway that we haven’t seen yet. She walks down the hallway and opens one of the doors on the side, entering the room.

LAELYAN V.O.: Our very existence can be monotonous.

The room is revealed to be what appears to be a bedroom, rather empty, with several attached rooms as a bathroom and a small kitchen. JULIA lays down on the bed, looking worn.

LAELYAN V.O.: When nothing changes, nothing arises. When nothing arises, our existence is simply being here.

JULIA sobs.

LAELYAN V.O.: And we all need a reason to be.

The door knocks and JULIA sits up as the door softly opens and ASSAD enters.

ASSAD: Hi.

JULIA: Hi.

ASSAD: You know, I think that your room is a little bigger then mine.

JULIA: You should take mine. I’ve got nothing filling it up.

ASSAD: Oh, neither do I. Just commenting.

JULIA: I haven’t seen your room.

ASSAD: I haven’t seen yours until now.

JULIA: Well isn’t that something.

She pats a spot on the bed next to her and ASSAD smiles, going to sit.

JULIA: Training was… bracing, wasn’t it?

ASSAD: I can’t believe you let Raoul disarm you.

JULIA: I guess so.

ASSAD: Are you sure nothing’s bothering you lately?

JULIA: I wouldn’t worry, Assad. I’m fine.

ASSAD: I’m just looking out for you. I want to see us win a fight before we’re over.

JULIA: I’ll make sure we do.

She smiles and then stands, stretching out her arms.

JULIA: I need to go. Better pick up that charge.

ASSAD: You need any help?

JULIA: Oh, no. Some fights have to be fought alone.

ASSAD: We’ll be watching. Just in case.

JULIA laughs.

JULIA: Just in case, of course.

CUT TO the outside of an apartment block. It is still night, and ELSRIA walks up to press a button near the speaker.

ELSRIA (into the speaker): Hi, if this is James Tanter, my name is Mary Sue Jones, I have some information for the article you’re working on.

The speaker buzzes and a click can be heard, and, smiling, ELSRIA opens the door to the apartment block and walks in.

CUT TO a hallway on one of the higher floors of the apartment block. ELSRIA walks out of the elevator and spots JAMES waiting for her. He looks her up and down and motions for her to follow him to where his apartment is.

JAMES: Hi. You’re… Mary Sue?

ELSRIA: Yeah. That’s me.

JAMES: Come on in.

He leads her into his apartment and shuts the door behind him as they both enter. He pulls her out a chair at a table and she sits, and he sits on the other side.

JAMES: You said you had information about my article? What kind?

ELSRIA: About the women Mr Trask saw.

JAMES: You know that he’s dead, don’t you?

ELSRIA: I heard. That’s why I had to come. How much do you already know?

JAMES: Just that he saw a woman kill somebody, and a foggy, ethereal woman talked to her.

ELSRIA: Okay. You know a bit…

She pauses and he stares at her inquiringly.

ELSRIA: That’s basically what I saw.

JAMES fumbles for a notepad and pen as ELSRIA fingers a knife in her back pocket.

JAMES: You want to go into details? I really need something to fill up my story here.

ELSRIA’s grip tightens on the knife, but suddenly softens as she looks at JAMES.

ELSRIA: Can we, uh… schedule another appointment? I’m nervous at, er, night.

JAMES: Okay, sure. We’ll schedule another time.

ELSRIA takes her hand away from the knife.

CUT TO the dark alleyway, where DANNY is still walking. Kicking the side of a trash bin loudly, he dejectedly sits on it.

LAELYAN V.O.: We need purpose for our life to mean something.

As DANNY sits, the sound of the DEMON snarling quietly can be made out as the shadows form into its shape near him.

LAELYAN V.O.: But sometimes we don’t choose that purpose.

DANNY’s neck spins to face the DEMON as it becomes corporeal and leaps at him with a roar. He screams and stumbles backwards, kicking the trash bin in its direction. The DEMON barely falters, but a call distracts it.

JULIA (yelling): Hey! Get away from my boy!

She throws a knife at it, and it roars in wounded pain. It flickers into shadows and the knife falls to the ground and the DEMON shakes itself back into action.

JULIA: Oh, not going to be easy.

DANNY gets up and runs towards JULIA, who grabs him and pushes him behind her, unsheathing her sword after she does so.

DANNY: Who are you?

JULIA: Hi, my name’s Julia, I’m a Virgo, I enjoy long walks on the beach. (angrily) Christ, I’m here to save you, stop asking unnecessary questions.

DANNY: Then stop giving time-wasting answers!

JULIA gives him a weird look as the DEMON hits her, giving her a shallow scratch to the cheek. She pushes DANNY further back and kicks forward, managing to hit it before it flickers away and push it back.

JULIA: That’s valid.

She swings her sword at the DEMON but it flickers into the shadows and she misses, swinging through and getting pushed to the ground. Bowling past her, the DEMON knocks over DANNY and slashes him in the arm. He yells out in pain and JULIA leaps up, knocking the DEMON off him and lifting him by the hand, pulling him away. As the DEMON runs at JULIA, DANNY’s hand begins to glow, which extends to JULIA’s hand. JULIA stares at it incredulously but as the DEMON leaps at her, flickering in and out of the shadow, she slashes with the sword and it falls, dead.

JULIA: Ow!

She jerks her hand away from DANNY’s as the DEMON dies. DANNY stares at his hand.

DANNY: What happened?

JULIA: You tell me.

She looks at his hand then shakes herself back into perspective.

JULIA: Come on, we have to run. Come with me.

DANNY: Why? That thing is dead!

JULIA: Because it isn’t the only thing. Come on!

CUT TO the Agents’ place. TRIAHLLA puts several amulets and a bowl filled with herbs on the table, and turns as ELSRIA enters suddenly.

ELSRIA: What are you doing?

TRIAHLLA: A spell. Madam Geier instructed me to.

ELSRIA: When?

TRIAHLLA: When do you think? After you left.

TRIAHLLA steps up on to the table and sits cross-legged over the bowl.

ELSRIA: It’s all very cliché.

TRIAHLLA: You’ve seen it all before.

ELSRIA: Well, I just marked an author, and I’ve been learning all about it. Need to give him a fitting death to make him proud, don’t I?

TRIAHLLA (uncaring): I assume so. Now, be silent, or Madam Geier will be most unhappy.

ELSRIA: Is this about the Higher Beings?

TRIAHLLA smiles and holds out her hand to shut ELSRIA up, and shuts her own eyes.

TRIAHLLA (chanting): Open his mind, and let her in. Open her cage, and let her free. The Vulture shall fly for all to see.

The bowl begins to vibrate.

ELSRIA: That was an interesting little-

She is interrupted as the bowl smashes. ELSRIA shields herself with her arms while TRIAHLLA does nothing and is not hit, opening her eyes.

TRIAHLLA: Mmmhmm.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ main room. The door slams open and JULIA rushes in, holding the hand of DANNY. ASSAD and RAOUL turn to look at them.

ASSAD: This is the boy?

JULIA is about to speak, but RAOUL does before her.

RAOUL: Yes.

JULIA: Yes it is, I was going to say.

DANNY breathes deeply, catching his breath.

DANNY: So, uh… what the hell is going on?

JULIA: That’s a good question.

RAOUL: It really is.

JULIA: And I would answer it for you, but I have somewhere I need to run to.

ASSAD: What?

JULIA: I’ll be right back. Take good care of him. The Agents could be here any minute.

ASSAD: Or they could be going for us when we’re undefended and alone, which is why you need to stay here!

JULIA: This is necessary, I swear.

Before ASSAD can retaliate, she grabs her sword again and runs out the door.

ASSAD: Just wonderful.

RAOUL: Bloody brilliant, I’d say.

DANNY: Anyone want to tell me anything? Like why demons seem to be real? All I seem to know is that she’s Julia, she’s a Virgo, and she likes long walks on the beach.

RAOUL: Oh, that’s more then we know, trust us.

ASSAD: Sit down.

He pulls out a chair for DANNY, who does so.

ASSAD: There is a supernatural world. And we are people who protect people who might do good things, whether supernatural or not. And somebody is after you, not just that demon but more.

DANNY stares at him in silence.

ASSAD: You’re in dangerous trouble.

DANNY: Mum would be so mad!

CUT TO the inside of a house, specifically a room with a small single bed and several pink and blue furniture around the room. MARIA enters in pyjamas and turns out the lights before climbing into bed. The camera pans out of the window to show JULIA walking up to the house and looking in MARIA’s window.

LAELYAN V.O.: We can be drawn to the most ill-timed ventures when we are desperate.

JULIA (whispering): Goodnight, baby.

LAELYAN V.O.: But as we’ve always done, we elevate the things we love over more pressing concerns.

CUT TO the Agents’ place. ELSRIA is standing, while TRIAHLLA gets off the table.

ELSRIA: Success?

TRIAHLLA: What do you think?

ELSRIA: Apparently so.

LARRAK enters from the armoury room, a spiked, metal bar in his hand.

LARRAK: You should prepare yourselves. I have done so.

ELSRIA: That’s all, Larrak?

LARRAK: We won’t need any more.

ELSRIA gives TRIAHLLA a glance, and then walks into the armoury room. TRIAHLLA smirks and follows her in.

ELSRIA: Good then.

ELSRIA grabs two daggers out from the racks and tosses them to TRIAHLLA, who slows them with red energy before grabbing them out of the air. ELSRIA rolls her eyes at this and grabs herself a sword.

ELSRIA: I want you to tell me what it is you did.

TRIAHLLA: Of course.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ place. ASSAD and RAOUL are both standing, although RAOUL is leaning against the wall. Both are dressed in light chain armour and both have swords, ASSAD’s held down relaxedly, and RAOUL’s leaning against the wall next to him. DANNY is sitting down, some armour on him.

DANNY: Shouldn’t I have a weapon?

ASSAD: Should he?

RAOUL: Makes sense if they’re going to kill him.

ASSAD: What do you know how to use?

DANNY: Not really any of that. Not very well anyway.

ASSAD goes into the armoury room.

DANNY: What do you think he’s looking for?

RAOUL: I don’t know. He practically stocked that room himself. Probably some ancient African tribal-

RAOUL stops himself as ASSAD comes back on, holding a hand gun.

DANNY: Tribal gun, you think?

ASSAD grins and passes the gun to DANNY.

RAOUL: Where’d you get that?

JULIA O.S.: It’s one of mine.

The camera pans a bit to show JULIA walking in the door, looking at them.

ASSAD: If you don’t want me using it, then-

JULIA (cutting in): No, it’s fine. He does need something to defend himself.

RAOUL: Where were you anyway?

JULIA: Just… away. Preparing.

RAOUL: Right, and you couldn’t-

ASSAD: Don’t do it, Raoul.

RAOUL stops himself, as JULIA smiles.

JULIA (like a promise): Sometime. Now… I have to get ready, don’t I?

ASSAD: You’d better hurry.

JULIA goes into the armoury room as ASSAD leans against the wall.

ASSAD (muttering): What’s taking them so long?

CUT TO the Agents’ place. The three amulets are on the table and only MADAM GEIER is in the room. She smiles and stretches her hands out, arching her fingers like claws.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ place. JULIA, ASSAD and RAOUL are all standing, with light armour and swords, while DANNY sits, holding the gun.

JULIA: This is killing me.

A wave of ghostly light flashes and everyone starts, DANNY pointing the gun around and the Higher Beings with their swords at the ready.

RAOUL: What was that?

DANNY is about to answer when his eyes suddenly turn a bright white-turquoise.

JULIA: Danny, we need to get you ou-

She is interrupted by DANNY turning to fire the gun, missing her barely. ASSAD and RAOUL leap into movement as DANNY continues to fire, clipping JULIA in the thigh and dropping her.

RAOUL (yelling): What the hell is going on?!

The door bangs open and with red energy behind them ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA and LARRAK enter. DANNY moves, smiling coldly with his eyes glowing, to stand next to them, as JULIA looks up and grabs her sword.

END OF ACT II

ACT III

The Act opens to the Higher Beings’ room. ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA, LARRAK and DANNY are standing, weapons in hand, facing the Higher Beings, DANNY’s eyes a white-turquoise colour. JULIA leaps off the ground, grabbing her sword, and furiously begins to parry with ELSRIA, favouring her shot leg. ASSAD and RAOUL leap into battle, RAOUL more cautiously.

LARRAK: Simple.

He swings his club massively, throwing JULIA’s sword right out of her hand and sending her stumbling to the ground as well. ASSAD punches him in the face, most likely bruising his knuckles, and swings with his sword. LARRAK dodges away as ASSAD continues to strike. ELSRIA kicks at RAOUL, and he starts to parry her swordplay desperately, not being able to keep up. DANNY smiles and walks towards JULIA, who is crawling to the table. He points his gun at her but she sees him and kicks him to the ground.

JULIA: What happened…?

She stares at his white-turquoise eyes as he smiles.

DANNY (voice blended with MADAM GEIER’s): I happened.

JULIA knocks him hard in the face with the butt of her sword and forces herself up using the table. LARRAK punches ASSAD hard in the face as ELSRIA swings hard at RAOUL. TRIAHLLA smiles and faces JULIA, holding her hands in front of her.

JULIA: You’re a witch, aren’t you?

TRIAHLLA says nothing, but a red light begins to form in her hands. JULIA reaches into her pocket, not finding anything but trying to reach deeply. As the red light forms, JULIA pulls out a glowing white globe and throws it at TRIAHLLA, who looks incredulously and doesn’t manage to dodge out of the way in time. Red light explodes around, not strictly destroying anything, but knocking everybody apart. JULIA, prepared, stays standing, and starts to limp over to RAOUL.

JULIA (yelling): We have to go!

She helps RAOUL get up and ASSAD runs with them as they run out of the door. LARRAK gets up and starts to run after them.

ELSRIA: Stop.

LARRAK turns, looking incensed.

ELSRIA: We have what we came for.

CUT TO a street in LA, where ASSAD and RAOUL run out, helping JULIA limp, her face looking white.

ASSAD: We need to get you some help!

JULIA: I’ll be fine! We have to get the bullet out and bandage it, and I’ll be fine.

RAOUL: Where are we going to go?

JULIA: I have no idea. Somewhere vaguely safe?

RAOUL: I thought that was our safest place.

JULIA: Sure, except that they knew where it was.

ASSAD: If only we could reciprocate.

JULIA: Now’s not the time! We need to find somewhere safe.

ASSAD: What about a real hospital? They could treat you a little better and all the people makes it safe.

JULIA: Fine. Let’s go.

ASSAD: What did you do, anyway?

JULIA: I remembered her. Always gotta have a few tricks.

They begin to walk at a fast pace, JULIA still favouring her leg, and she looks up.

JULIA: Dammit Gwynnda, now would be a REALLY good time.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ room, where the Agents now are. ELSRIA is looking around the main room, laughing, while LARRAK steps into the armoury room. TRIAHLLA shakes DANNY, some magical energy flowing from her fingers to wake him.

DANNY (voice blended with MADAM GEIER’s): Thankyou.

He stands and ELSRIA turns to look at him as TRIAHLLA stands in attendance.

ELSRIA: We have it, Madam Geier. We have their whole damn base of operations.

DANNY (voice blended with MADAM GEIER’s): We can’t keep it.

ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA both stare sharply at him.

TRIAHLLA: But… we’ve taken it.

DANNY (voice blended with MADAM GEIER’s, snapping): There are rules to address. I can’t keep this together eternally. They have protected their domain against us without invitation and this boy’s has almost worn out. (raising voice) Larrak! Grab as many of their weapons as you can hold, and we’re leaving.

DANNY starts to walk out of the door, and ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA look both angry and sullen as they follow.

CUT TO the Agents’ place, where DANNY walks in, followed by ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA and finally LARRAK, carrying several of the Higher Beings’ weapons. DANNY shakes himself and mist flows out of him forming into MADAM GEIER, ethereal as usual. DANNY twitches his head slightly, his eyes still a plain and dull white.

MADAM GEIER: Hello Danny.

DANNY (back in his normal voice): Hello.

ELSRIA: Is he…

MADAM GEIER: He still has an imprint of me inhabiting his body. His REAL consciousness is not in control.

DANNY: I want to kill. I want to kill them.

LARRAK laughs as he drops the weapons.

LARRAK: Welcome, then.

CUT TO a hospital room, where JULIA is in the bed. A DOCTOR stands over her.

DOCTOR: We’ll arrange for a minor surgery in a few hours. It should go easily.

JULIA: Thankyou, doctor.

DOCTOR: Could I please get a name?

JULIA: It’s, uh… Mary Sue Jones.

DOCTOR: Right. Thankyou, Ms Jones.

He leaves and JULIA shakes her head as if to clear it.

JULIA: Don’t know where that came from.

She changes the focus of her attention as ASSAD and RAOUL come in.

ASSAD: Everything is fine?

JULIA: Everything is in working order.

ASSAD: Good. Then I suggest we have to-

He stops as RAOUL yells out, holding his head. He falls back into a chair as he gasps in pain, before stopping. JULIA and ASSAD stare at him with wide eyes.

RAOUL: Shit happens.

ASSAD: What did you see?

RAOUL: Danny. Again. Their boss Senior Partner is inside his mind.

JULIA: I thought so…

RAOUL: I think I know how to get it out.

CUT TO the Agents’ place. A shadowy form flickers into view as the Agents and DANNY are all cleaning or viewing assorted weapons. MADAM GEIER smiles as another of the shadowy demons appears next to DANNY, ready to strike. He swings to look at it, about to attack.

MADAM GEIER: Stop.

DANNY stops himself, but so does the DEMON, flickering into clearer view and turning to face MADAM GEIER.

MADAM GEIER: Good boy. (she pauses) That boy isn’t even a threat to your kind anymore. He’s mine.

A whispering, scraping sound comes from the DEMON, and parts of it flicker in and out of the shadows.

MADAM GEIER: But do you know who IS a threat?

She smiles grimly.

CUT TO the hospital room with JULIA sitting up in the bed. ASSAD and RAOUL walk quickly in, with what looks like spell ingredients in their arms.

JULIA: We have to do this quickly. My surgery is soon, and the doctors and nurses won’t be gone forever.

RAOUL: And they might be watching out for this kind of thing.

ASSAD: We’ll see.

RAOUL: Alright, everybody needs a candle and a pentagram.

Both he and ASSAD put their ingredients on the floor, and RAOUL passes a pentagram and a candle to JULIA as ASSAD picks his own up.

RAOUL: And I’ll throw some things around and chant.

JULIA: That’s all?

RAOUL: That should be it, if I got the whole message.

JULIA: Let’s try it then.

RAOUL takes his own candle and pentagram and moves around with a lighter lighting each candle. Putting his on the floor, he picks up a bag of herbs and takes some out in his fingers.

RAOUL (chanting): No mor-

He is interrupted by a flickering shadow that knocks him over, spilling the bag of herbs on the floor. The shadowy DEMON materialises over RAOUL.

JULIA: God, not these demons again.

ASSAD: Again?

JULIA: Run-in while saving Danny.

ASSAD: Wasted effort.

He punches the DEMON hard and continues with a kick, knocking it away.

JULIA: Blow out the candles! We don’t want to burn the damn hospital down!

She blows out her candle as RAOUL fumbles with his and blows it out, then crawls to ASSAD’s. ASSAD kicks at the DEMON but it grabs his foot and throws him to the floor.

RAOUL: How did you kill this thing before?

JULIA: Danny did.

ASSAD: That’s just great.

He kicks up and attacks the DEMON with a series of kicks but it flickers into the shadows away from him.

RAOUL: Then how did Danny kill it?

JULIA: Some kind of light from his hands.

RAOUL: Which is probably why the Agents and the demon wanted him dead in the first place.

ASSAD gets thrown to the wall by the DEMON.

JULIA: The hospital staff are going to be running in here in a second!

ASSAD (through gritted teeth): I’ll try to keep it down.

RAOUL gets up and kicks the DEMON in the back, sending it stumbling forward so that ASSAD can quickly grab it. He tries to hold it as RAOUL moves in but it flickers behind him and pushes him into RAOUL, knocking them both to the ground. It kicks their tangled mass and flickers around the room to appear in front of JULIA, sitting up in the bed.

JULIA: Don’t you damn well dare.

The DEMON looms in and JULIA punches it hard in the face, followed by a lighter push to try to unbalance it. It fails and the DEMON slashes JULIA’s cheek and she cries out in pain. As the DEMON swings again, JULIA blocks its arm and punches it again. The DEMON flickers away to the other side of the bed and hits JULIA while she is off-guard. ASSAD manages to untangle himself from RAOUL and pulls the DEMON away, slamming it into the wall.

ASSAD: You don’t just hurt a sick person!

He slams the DEMON in the face as RAOUL manages to get up, reaching for his lighter. As the DEMON flickers away from ASSAD and again towards JULIA, staring at her bleeding cheek, RAOUL sets fire to it quickly as it becomes corporeal. The DEMON shrieks as the fire runs up its body faster then would be expected, and it bursts away into unclear dust.

JULIA: I’d say that was very timely.

She rubs her cheek, getting some blood on her wrist.

RAOUL: And handy.

ASSAD pants tiredly and grabs his candle from the floor.

ASSAD: Should we do this?

JULIA: I’d say that was the whole point.

ASSAD: Do you think that they sent the demon because they knew we were doing this?

JULIA: I don’t know. Raoul?

RAOUL: I wouldn’t have a clue. Let’s just do the spell as quickly as we can.

He picks up a candle and gives it to JULIA, then picks up his own.

RAOUL: Oh! Find your pentagrams.

ASSAD: They’re all tossed around here.

He reaches to pick them up and passes one to JULIA and one to RAOUL.

JULIA: Think the candles will still light?

RAOUL: They’d better.

He manages to light his own candle with the lighter and puts it down so he can move to JULIA’s.

RAOUL: That’s one success.

He lights JULIA’s and then goes and sets ASSAD’s candle aflame before moving back to where his own is set.

RAOUL: Right. Three candles. Better pick some of this stuff off the floor too.

JULIA: Don’t know how we’ll explain that to the nurses.

ASSAD: Well, we saved them from a demon running around their hospital.

JULIA: Doubt we can explain that either.

RAOUL: Just tell them that you’re already dead but still require medical treatment… that ought to soften the blow of anything else you could say.

JULIA: Just chant, Raoul?

RAOUL smiles and gets some of the herbs from the floor between his fingers, throwing it out in front of him.

RAOUL (chanting): No more you stir in his soul, no more you plague the light depths of his whole, cast out, cast out, I exorcise thee. Exorciso te, in nomine Dei. Patris omnipotentis, et in nomine Jesu Christe. Exorciso te, cast out, cast out, cast out.

JULIA: That was a mouthful.

RAOUL bends over to pick up more herbs.

RAOUL: Repeat three times.

JULIA sighs.

CUT TO the Agents’ place. MADAM GEIER is standing in the mist, while ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA and DANNY are sitting. LARRAK walks in from the armoury room and stands next to the wall.

ELSRIA: What’s happening?

MADAM GEIER (snapping): Let me find out.

She faces TRIAHLLA.

MADAM GEIER: Triahlla.

TRIAHLLA throws a small clear crystal onto the table. It bounces and skitters before stopping and glowing. MADAM GEIER shuts her eyes and then opens them sharply, looking angry. She turns to DANNY, who stands, facing her.

‘On Shadowed Wings’ begins to play over the top, beginning loudly and dramatically.

MADAM GEIER stares at DANNY before turning slowly to ELSRIA.

The music enters the softer but faster section.

MADAM GEIER (softly): Elsria.

ELSRIA stands.

ELSRIA: What?

MADAM GEIER: They will exorcise the evil from him. (she pauses) Kill him.

The string section of the music begins to play.

DANNY begins to scream, his eyes flashing brightly as he claws out around him. ELSRIA grabs a dagger from her belt as he yells. She grabs him and pulls him back.

The music increases in volume.

ELSRIA swings hard and stabs deep into DANNY’s next as he gurgles and falls, the brightness dying from his eyes. LARRAK and TRIAHLLA watch with coldness in their eyes as lays on the ground.

‘On Shadowed Wings’ ends with a pizzicato pluck and dies out.

MADAM GEIER: What a waste. Remove him.

END OF ACT III

ACT IV

The Act opens to the hospital. JULIA, in a different hospital room, is surrounded by various doctors.

Thunder rolls as ‘Black the Sun’ by Alex Lloyd begins to play.

CUT TO the hospital room that JULIA was previously in. Nurses sweep up glass and herbs off the floor as others take off the bloody sheets.

CUT TO ELSRIA dragging DANNY’s lifeless body out of the Agents’ place.

SONG: Black the sun…
Oh no, look at what we done.

CUT TO the inside of the Agents’ place, where MADAM GEIER goes back into the amulets with mist around her.

SONG: Go away, oh no, won’t you please stay?

CUT TO a hospital waiting room, where ASSAD and RAOUL are sitting tiredly.

SONG: And dream of me, I wish you,
Would dream of me.

CUT TO JULIA in the operating room.

SONG: And dream of me, I hope you,
Will dream of me.

CUT TO TRIAHLLA sitting, throwing a crystal skittering across the floor.

SONG: Words we speak,
Pictures are the only things I keep.

CUT TO LARRAK in a dark and shabby room. A HOMELESS WOMAN looks at him in fear and he punches her through a wall, smiling as he does.

SONG: Rinse my mind,
I'm sure it will join me in time.

CUT TO JULIA coming out from a room, a bandage on her leg, to greet ASSAD and RAOUL.

SONG: And dream of me, I wish you,
Would dream of me.

CUT TO the front of the Higher Beings’ place, where JULIA, ASSAD and RAOUL walk up to find DANNY’s lifeless body. They stop suddenly.

SONG: And dream of me, I hope you,
Will dream of me.

‘Black the Sun’ fades out as the Higher Beings stare at DANNY in shock.

FADE TO the Agents’ place. ELSRIA is seated on a chair and TRIAHLLA enters in, sitting next to her.

TRIAHLLA: We won this round.

ELSRIA: Yes we did.

TRIAHLLA: I feel that I should congratulate you or something.

ELSRIA: Don’t strain yourself.

TRIAHLLA: The interesting thing is that we almost worked like a team. Even Larrak did.

ELSRIA: That IS interesting.

TRIAHLLA: What made Larrak serve so earnestly is what I’m wondering.

ELSRIA: What does he hope to get out of all of it, you mean?

TRIAHLLA: Exactly.

ELSRIA: God only knows. I still think that it’d be harder for him to get back his past then it would be for us.

TRIAHLLA: Well. He’s the only one.

TRIAHLLA gets up and exits the room.

ELSRIA (to herself, distantly): He’s the only one…

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ place. JULIA, ASSAD and RAOUL are all sitting dejectedly on seats.

JULIA: Why didn’t we expect this?

RAOUL: We hoped.

ASSAD: We just wanted it out. Whatever it was.

JULIA: Oh, I’m sure it’s out. And so is he.

ASSAD: We can’t keep blaming ourselves.

RAOUL: There can still be some blame for us.

JULIA: I just wish that we had done something different. If Gwynnda had helped…

ASSAD: I still think that was the point. We can’t function without her.

RAOUL: I guess we have to start.

JULIA sits in silence before opening her mouth in realisation.

JULIA: Oh God.

ASSAD: What?

JULIA: Danny… the real Danny… he talked about his mother…

She stands up waveringly as ASSAD and RAOUL look at her.

RAOUL: I’ll find her for you.

CUT TO JAMES’ apartment, where he sits, a half-empty bottle of alcohol next to him and clear tear stains by his eyes. He is inscribing repeatedly on his notepad the words ‘I am a journalist’ over and over again.

LAELYAN V.O.: We are what we do, or what we choose to be.

JAMES takes a swig from the bottle and throws it against the wall, smashing it.

LAELYAN V.O.: Even though our fickleness can break our very being.

CUT TO MARIA’s classroom, where MARIA and the TEACHER are standing in there by themselves. JULIA is watching from the window.

TEACHER: That was a powerful speech you made yesterday, honey. Is that really how you feel?

LAELYAN V.O.: And so we cling to our fragile existence.

JULIA looks on, hopeful and clinging despite herself.

MARIA: Yes… Mum isn’t really there and I know that.

JULIA shakes her head firmly, beginning to cry.

LAELYAN V.O.: It is defined by the choices we make.

TEACHER: That’s good, sweetie. It’s good to realise the truth.

LAELYAN V.O.: Because really, reality is only based on our choices and perceptions.

CUT TO a middle class house, where a mid-40’s brunette WOMAN is crying over DANNY’s body, holding his shoulders. She is clearly his mother.

LAELYAN V.O.: After all, it can’t be what we do that defines our lives.

DANNY’s MOTHER sinks to the floor, crying.

LAELYAN V.O.: But it is the choices we make that can change us.

CUT TO the alley that DANNY was originally in, where the shadowy DEMONS are now flickering freely through, almost seeming to be gloating in their movements.

LAELYAN V.O.: Simple mistakes, an angry decision. Yes, existence is all about freedom.

CUT TO JULIA at MARIA’s school, sinking back against a tree.

LAELYAN V.O.: Even when we feel it isn’t a choice.

END EPISODE

Seniority Icons

2006-05-14T09:21:03Z

A new batch of random Seniority icons today. Feel free to use any of them, if you either credit me for them or link back here.

Elsria

Elsria and Triahlla

Madam Geier

Julia

Look forward to episode 2 "Existence", finished and released soon.

Seniority 1.01 "The Fading Line"

2006-05-12T10:35:30Z

Seniority 1.01 “The Fading Line”

Teaser

The episode opens to a reddish-brunette WOMAN. She’s standing in an old room with weapons and armour on different tables and racks, and is standing in front of a full length mirror.

A drum-heavy fast music track begins to play behind the action.

The BRUNETTE WOMAN grabs a thin shirt of silver chain mail and fits it over her shirt, pulling it down to cover down to her waist.

CUT TO a blonde WOMAN with shorter hair then the other, in a similar but darker room. She pulls a sword from a rack and swings it around, staring at the end of the blade.

CUT TO the BRUNETTE WOMAN, who pulls a medieval shield from a table and stares at it, tapping it with her hand. Shaking her head, she discards it.

CUT TO the BLONDE WOMAN, who picks up two small daggers and slides them down into sheaths on her belt.

CUT TO the BRUNETTE WOMAN, who grabs a bright silver sword from a rack expertly and moves towards the door. As she opens the door, she stops, staring out in front of her, sword at the ready.

CUT TO the BLONDE WOMAN, standing in the doorway of her own room, sword held ready but low. She smiles coldly to herself.

BLONDE WOMAN: My enemy.

CUT TO BLACK, AND FADE IN TO a dark raining alley. The sounds of yelling and roaring can be heard in the distance as the camera moves through the alley, and a new woman begins to talk.

WOMAN V.O.: Life changes.

We pan past the body of a dead human, a homeless man by his clothes.

WOMAN V.O.: Situations change. Alliances change.

We pan past the mangled body of a woman, her legs twisted out of shape.

WOMAN V.O.: Everything changes.

The camera continues to pan until it reveals ANGEL, SPIKE, ILLYRIA and GUNN standing in the alley, facing the source of the roaring. ANGEL is holding a sword and GUNN is clutching at his stomach, pouring blood.

WOMAN V.O.: And some things stay the same after years and years.

SPIKE: In terms of a plan…

ANGEL stares out in front of as him as the roars increase in volume. His face hardens into a determined gaze.

ANGEL: We fight.

WOMAN V.O.: Change is never a constant.

SENIORITY

Starring:
Claudia Karvan -- Julia Illery
Tricia Helfer -- Elsria Atral
Bebe Neuwirth -- Triahlla
Christopher Meloni -- Larrak
Mehcad Brooks -- Assad Merangan
Tygh Runyan -- Raoul Marks
and Tilda Swinton as Madam Geier

Special Guest Starring:
David Boreanaz -- Angel
James Marsters -- Spike
Amy Acker -- Illyria
J August Richards -- Charles Gunn

Guest Starring:
Stephanie March -- Laelyan
Wayne Pygram -- Demon Leader
and Rita Moreno -- Gywnnda

Written By: Andrew Sutherland

Created By: Andrew Sutherland

Seniority, and all original characters within Seniority, are property of Andrew Sutherland AKA Kold and may not be used without his express permission. Lore and universe is copyright to Joss Whedon and Mutant Enemy. Some characters may belong to him.

ACT I

The Act opens to the BRUNETTE WOMAN – JULIA – walking into a furnished room and sitting down on a chair.

WOMAN V.O.: To understand, we have to see what came first.

JULIA (Australian accent, calling out): Raoul! Er, Assad! Anyone here?

An older, weathered and darker WOMAN teleports into the room with a subtle flash.

JULIA: Gwynnda. What is it?

GWYNNDA: I’m checking. Any problems with that?

JULIA: No, just… I’m not sure about this arrangement. And where are they when I call them?

GWYNNDA: Can YOU hear when you’re half a city away from the caller?

JULIA gives her a confused look, and GWYNNDA smiles calmly.

GWYNNDA: They’re on a job away from here.

JULIA: Oh.

CUT TO an empty playground. The calm silence is broken as a dark-skinned MAN is thrown backwards onto the swing set and stumbles to the ground.

MAN: Oh God…

OTHER MAN: Christ! Look out Assad!

The camera pans out to show the other MAN, white-skinned and looking worried, holding a young GIRL. The source of his anxiety is a large spined DEMON that is advancing on ASSAD, who is getting up painfully.

ASSAD (annoyed): Well do you want to help?

OTHER MAN: You’re the fighter, I have to protect the girl!

ASSAD (sarcastically): Excellent reason!

He ducks a punch from the DEMON and reciprocates with a kick then an elbow to its face, grazing his elbow slightly. He gasps in pain and is grabbed by the DEMON and thrown to the side. The other MAN looks indecisive and shakes his head repeatedly, before sighing and grabbing the GIRL’s hand and running back to an elevated platform of the playground.

OTHER MAN: Stay here, okay?

The GIRL nods, very frightened, and the other MAN yells out something unintelligible to ASSAD, throwing a dagger to him. ASSAD catches it while on the ground, and flips up as the DEMON looms over him.

ASSAD: Finally, Raoul…

Sweeping in, ASSAD stabs the DEMON between the eyes, letting it drop and pulling out the dagger.

ASSAD: There.

He passes the dagger back to RAOUL and the two start to walk away from the playground, RAOUL grabbing the GIRL in his arms as they pass her.

ASSAD: If you had decided to help from the beginning, there wouldn’t have been such a middle.

RAOUL: That’s great, very deep.

ASSAD gives him an exasperated look.

RAOUL: Oh, please. We’ve only been working together for about five days, we’re not in the rhythm yet. Besides, you’re not my boss.

ASSAD: I should be.

RAOUL: But you’re not. (muttering under his breath) That Australian bird is.

CUT TO JULIA and GWYNNDA in the room they were in before.

GWYNNDA: Not sure about this… arrangement, did you call it?

JULIA: Exactly.

GWYNNDA: The Powers that Be have seen fit to create this arrangement.

JULIA: Yes, that’s… good. But why now? And why am I in charge of people that came before me?

GWYNNDA: Don’t ask me, dear. Obviously the Powers believed you to be the most capable in this situation. And believe me, this is a situation.

JULIA: Go on.

GWYNNDA: The Powers strive for balance. The enemy… the Senior Partners, as they call themselves… they attempt to achieve power. They have created a power play, and now the Powers have to balance it. Or weaken it in their own favour.

JULIA: You’re saying that the Senior Partners have created a unit like this?

GWYNNDA: I’m also saying that they’re your enemy.

CUT TO a darker room, looking more like part of a warehouse. There are several chairs and a table in the room, where there are also several racks of weapons and such. The BLONDE WOMAN – ELSRIA – seats herself down on one of the chairs next to a slightly older, dark brunette WOMAN.

ELSRIA: Good morning, Triahlla.

TRIAHLLA says nothing, staring bitterly ahead of her.

ELSRIA: Triahlla, you know why we’re back here. She wanted us back together, and through some infinite wisdom I appear to be in charge.

TRIAHLLA continues to stare out in front of her.

ELSRIA (snapping): Triahlla!

TRIAHLLA (in a sudden outburst): They’ve answered, oh leader. The Powers that Be have created an institution to contest ours.

ELSRIA looks shocked and then calms herself.

ELSRIA: Oh, you knew that it would happen. Two weeks ago she reformed us, of course they were going to answer.

TRIAHLLA: Everything is going to be harder now, Elsria. Are you sure that you can cut it?

ELSRIA: Don’t be so scared. Keep your bitch in, witch.

TRIAHLLA seems to expand with anger but ELSRIA laughs.

ELSRIA: You don’t want the challenge, Triahlla? Too old for all of this?

TRIAHLLA: I’m still older and wiser then you, Elsria.

ELSRIA: Oh I’ve been to Niflheim and back, and I’ve suffered there for eternities of pain, the burning and the cold, and the horrors I’ve witnessed, and I don’t take kindly to being called unwise for it.

TRIAHLLA: Well… why do you think you were there in the first place?

ELSRIA sits back silently in her chair as TRIAHLLA leans forward, smiling.

TRIAHLLA: She left me a message. We have our assignment soon. Why we were all brought back two weeks ago.

ELSRIA: Our only assignment?

TRIAHLLA: You really think that it will be the only? This is permanent, Elsria. Things have been shaken up and this is big to her.

ELSRIA: Well, what’s the assignment?

TRIAHLLA: I don’t know. We have to wait for Larrak.

ELSRIA shudders.

ELSRIA: Sometimes I’d rather go back to Hell.

TRIAHLLA: Too bad that that’s just the kind of thing that would attract him.

CUT TO the furnished room with JULIA and GWYNNDA in it. ASSAD and RAOUL knock and open the door, walking in.

GWYNNDA: Did you save the girl?

RAOUL: She’s fine.

ASSAD: Demon’s dead on top of that.

GWYNNDA: Good.

JULIA: So why did nobody think to inform me of this mission?

GWYNNDA: Because you weren’t necessary, dear. You have bigger things on your plate.

As JULIA looks like she is about to respond, GWYNNDA puts a finger in the air to silence them.

GWYNNDA: Now… you have all been doing this for quite some time. Not long enough, but a considerable time to human perceptions.

ASSAD: And me?

GWYNNDA: You’re a toddler, Assad. The only good thing about that is that these two are babies. So… you’re all here for very important reasons, I hope you understand. Even more strongly, you all died for very important things. You’re Higher Beings.

JULIA: Yes, Gwynnda. We’re Higher Beings. We understand.

GWYNNDA: Except that now you have purpose. You are now a team, and you’re here to change things. You are not aloof. You are not untouchable.

RAOUL: Why us? Surely there has to be somebody else who did more-

GWYNNDA: You’re important. And sometimes the Powers aren’t the ones to govern their own choices.

ASSAD: So all we are…

GWYNNDA: You’re heroes, but nobody is going to know your names.

They stand in silence as GWYNNDA smiles brightly and claps her hands.

JULIA: Well, great, but I need to take a bit of alone time for now. I’ll be back soon?

GWYNNDA gives her a knowing smile and nods her head, and JULIA walks out the door.

CUT TO a young blonde GIRL, possibly 8-10, sitting in the grass in a park, reading. JULIA materialises beneath some trees in the park unnoticed, and sits in the shadows watching the girl intently.

JULIA (whispering): Maria…

WOMAN V.O.: When things change, we don’t want to go with them. When we lose the things we most need, we take whatever we can.

JULIA (whispering): Mummy loves you, sweetie, she wishes she could be with you right now…

WOMAN V.O.: Even heroes have their weaknesses.

JULIA (whispering): I need you, baby. All the time, every day.

She sniffs and turns away with a last lingering glance at MARIA.

CUT TO ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA in their warehouse room. They are both seated, TRIAHLLA leaning back and ELSRIA with her head rested on her arms, which are leaning on the table.

ELSRIA: When did you say?

TRIAHLLA (snapping): I’m not in charge of her appearances.

ELSRIA: Obviously. She’s got us waiting here like lost little lambs. In fact, so has Larrak.

TRIAHLLA: He’s not better then us. Not anymore

ELSRIA: Well, I’ll give him that little memo.

TRIAHLLA bares her teeth at ELSRIA, but then sits forward suddenly.

TRIAHLLA: She’s coming.

CUT TO RAOUL and ASSAD sitting in the furnished room. JULIA knocks and enters, and the two turn to look.

RAOUL: Julia. Hi.

He looks like he is about to continue, when he suddenly gasps in pain and doubles over, clutching his head. ASSAD and JULIA look alarmed.

ASSAD: What’s going on?

RAOUL gasps and falls to the floor, relaxing, as JULIA and ASSAD stare at him with wide eyes.

JULIA (alarmed): What the hell was that?

RAOUL: Visions. I… had them when I was alive.

JULIA: Visions?

RAOUL: Of people in danger.

ASSAD: And now you need them again?

JULIA: What did you see?

RAOUL: Four people… in an alley, wet and raining. The woman has blue hair… she’s not human. Neither are two of the men. They’re vampires…

ASSAD: We need to kill these things?

RAOUL (forcefully): No! The intuition attached to these visions is very specific. They’re good. We need to help them. We’re supposed to save them.

JULIA: This is the big thing?

She looks to RAOUL in supplication. He shrugs helplessly.

RAOUL: I don’t know!

JULIA (calling out): Gwynnda! Gwynnda!!

GWYNNDA teleports in with a subtle flash, called by JULIA.

GWYNNDA (gravely): You’ve received your first vision, Raoul?

RAOUL: Not my first.

GWYNNDA: You get the picture. Listen, you have to take these. These are your tasks, sent by the Powers. I can help out with the paperwork, but most of the time you’ll have to figure it out.

JULIA: Just give us a hint?

GWYNNDA: In the next few hours there will be a major fallout in the balance, the one we’ve been preparing for. You have to save the survivors from the Senior Partners’ army. Angel and Spike are vampires with souls, Illyria is a moderately redeemed Old One, Charles Gunn is human. Keep them in your minds.

JULIA: What… exactly do we do?

GWYNNDA: The details will emerge in Raoul’s mind. There is greater mastery over the visions after life. Just be ready to fight.

GWYNNDA teleports away, leaving JULIA and ASSAD to exchange solemn glances.

CUT TO the warehouse room with ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA.

TRIAHLLA (urgently): Quickly, get your amulet!

ELSRIA pulls an amulet out from her pocket and places it in the palm of her hand.

ELSRIA: What about Larrak’s?

TRIAHLLA: I have it.

She pulls out two amulets and puts them on the table. ELSRIA quickly drops her on the table to form a rough triangular shape, and light forms between the three amulets to manifest a figure behind where ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA are sitting. They turn to see her and bow their heads.

TRIAHLLA: Madam Geier.

MADAM GEIER is tall and grey, misty and not really all there, with pale inhuman skin and cold eyes.

MADAM GEIER: Elsria. Triahlla. Larrak is not apparent?

ELSRIA: Not as yet.

MADAM GEIER: Larrak will be here. He was once a Senior Partner as I and knows the importance of what we do.

ELSRIA: What is our mission?

MADAM GEIER: Of the gravest importance, my dear. One of the other Partners has his own institution, high profile, but that is all coming to a close. Now we’re all involved, and that’s brought in the Powers that Be. And that’s where you’re included…

MADAM GEIER smiles darkly as the sound fades out.

WOMAN V.O.: My name is Laelyan, and I can see what Gods and Powers see.

END OF ACT I

ACT II

The Act opens to JULIA, ASSAD and RAOUL in their furnished room. RAOUL pulls out his dagger and wipes it as JULIA and ASSAD sit.

ASSAD: Ready to fight?

RAOUL: No.

JULIA: I am.

ASSAD (sceptically): Can you fight?

JULIA looks offended.

JULIA: I can. I’ve been imbued with the power to.

ASSAD: I was just asking.

JULIA rolls her eyes and walks over to one of the doors.

JULIA: Hey, you know we have an armoury in here.

She taps the door lightly to indicate it and walks back to her seat.

RAOUL: Good. Good.

He sits down next to JULIA. She looks at him.

JULIA: Oh. Not going to get your weapons?

RAOUL: It’s not like you are yet.

ASSAD sighs and sits down next to the two.

ASSAD (bluntly): So. How did you die?

JULIA (taken aback): Er… I’m not really comfortable talking about that, Assad.

RAOUL: Neither am I, for that matter.

ASSAD sighs.

ASSAD: Sorry. I forget that you might not want to talk about it, since I don’t mind. I’ve been gone a while, it doesn’t hurt me to talk about it.

JULIA: So then… how DID you die?

ASSAD: Demons attacked my tribe, and I died stopping them from getting the children.

JULIA: Your… tribe?

RAOUL: He’s native African.

JULIA: Native African? But you’ve kinda got an American accent

ASSAD: Well, that was about 3000 years ago. I pick things up.

JULIA: Right. (pause) Listen, get your weapons, I need to stake out the territory, or so they say. I’ll be back.

ASSAD nods as JULIA stands up to walk to the door.

CUT TO a dark raining street, empty but for a few parked cars on the side of the road. The buildings look old and for the most part abandoned. A loud rushing sound can be heard and a huge red light appears in the centre of the street and a DEMON steps out, with huge spikes and large armour, holding a metal spiked club.

DEMON: Los Angeles.

He turns back towards the portal as similar, but slightly smaller and less armoured DEMONS run out, roaring. The DEMON LEADER points his club forward into the sky as a DRAGON flies out above them.

DEMON LEADER (yelling above the roars): The Senior Partners have instructed us where to go! We shall not pillage this city! Not until we have killed the vampire with a soul and all who help him!

CUT TO the darker warehouse, where ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA are facing MADAM GEIER, still in the mist before them.

ELSRIA: What would you have us do?

MADAM GEIER smiles faux warmly at her.

MADAM GEIER: Kill them all. What did you think I wanted you to do?

ELSRIA: We have a good track record.

TRIAHLLA: What about Larrak?

MADAM GEIER: Larrak will join you on his own. Do not wait for him, he will be right behind you. Now… do not disappoint me. You were reformed for this very purpose.

ELSRIA: We won’t disappoint you.

MADAM GEIER: Then prepare yourselves.

She fades away into the mist, and with a hissing sound, the mist disappears back into the amulets. ELSRIA moves to pick hers up as TRIAHLLA sits.

TRIAHLLA: There. We’d better prepare ourselves.

ELSRIA: Just make sure your magic is working.

She stands and starts to walk out.

TRIAHLLA: Where are you going?

ELSRIA: Away.

CUT TO the alley outside the Hyperion. It is night and raining, and JULIA steps out into the alley, trying to stay in the shade so as to not get herself wet.

JULIA: Here?

She shakes her head.

JULIA: Not a good place for a to-the-death battle.

She continues walking and passes ELSRIA, walking down the other side of the alley away from the rain. Suddenly stopping, ELSRIA turns to stare at JULIA. JULIA, noticing her gaze, turns to stare back, her eyes widening suddenly. ELSRIA smiles.

ELSRIA: I can feel you.

JULIA: You’re one of them.

ELSRIA: And you’re one of them.

ELSRIA lets out a cry and leaps into the rain at JULIA, who steps out into the rain to dodge ELSRIA’s punch.

ELSRIA: I can finish your side before we even get to the job.

JULIA: Thanks for the information.

As she says it, JULIA catches ELSRIA’s fist and hits her in the face with it. ELSRIA kicks at JULIA’s knee, forcing her backwards, then continues in the rhythm with a jumping back kick to JULIA’s chest. JULIA stumbles backwards as ELSRIA grins.

ELSRIA: I can tell you whatever I want to, it’s not like you’ll survive to pass it on.

JULIA punches ELSRIA in the face and kicks her in the chest.

JULIA: I’ve heard all this before.

She punches at ELSRIA, who blocks the punch and reciprocates with an elbow to the nose. JULIA stumbles backwards and compensates with a side kick. ELSRIA moves a little too late and the kick lands on her thigh, but she brushes it off to pull a knife out from her sheath. JULIA looks slightly frightened and steps backwards into a defensive position.

ELSRIA (mocking): Where’s yours?

JULIA: Unlike you, I feel no need to pull a knife on every woman I meet in a dark alley.

ELSRIA laughs and lunges forward with the knife. JULIA dodges backwards and stumbles slightly as she does so.

ELSRIA: Come on, give me your best.

JULIA lunges with a kick and lands it on ELSRIA, who stumbles but compensates quickly, grabbing JULIA and holding her from behind, the knife at her neck. JULIA breathes out deeply, her eyes wide.

ELSRIA: See, I’m not too clear… since you’ve already died and you’re technically, well, something like an angel, what happens when I slit your throat?

JULIA yells and elbows ELSRIA in the face, managing to get out of her grasp and duck under the knife as ELSRIA falls backwards.

JULIA: Like you’ll have the chance to find out.

She turns and runs away into the rain as ELSRIA gets up, shaking her head.

ELSRIA: That bitch has some nerve.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ room. ASSAD and RAOUL aren’t in there as JULIA rushes through the door, wet. However, as the water drips off her clothes and hair, it dissolves away before touching anything. She looks down.

JULIA: That’s nifty.

Remembering what she was doing, JULIA looks up.

JULIA (calling): Gwynnda!

GWYNNDA teleports into the room and looks JULIA up and down.

GWYNNDA: You’re all wet.

JULIA (sarcastically): But thank God the room isn’t.

GWYNNDA (cutting through it): I know where you’ve been. Good idea, but it didn’t end so well, did it?

JULIA: It could have been worse. I know that they’re going to be coming up directly against us for this assignment.

GWYNNDA: Oh that was a given, dear. But at least you’ve met her now. Her name is Elsria. She’s essentially your counterpart, meaning that for now, she’s their leader.

JULIA: She took me. How am I going to beat her?

GWYNNDA: She DID have a knife. In any regard, it’s what you have to do, and we’re expecting you to survive this assignment and bring your charges out with you.

JULIA: That could be harder then it sounds.

GWYNNDA: It’s always going to be hard, Julia. But what did you expect?

She raises her eyebrows and teleports away as JULIA opens her mouth again. JULIA sighs.

JULIA: Ugh, so helpful.

CUT TO the Agents’ room. ELSRIA, also wet, opens the door to the armoury and lets TRIAHLLA enter in first, then walks in, shutting it behind her. TRIAHLLA grabs several charms and magical devices as well as a large dagger, and leaves, as ELSRIA starts to put on chain mail and grab her sword.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ room. JULIA walks into the armoury room (that we saw in the teaser) to find ASSAD and RAOUL gearing up, ASSAD with armour and a sword and RAOUL with thin chain mail, several knives and an axe.

JULIA: Hey.

ASSAD: What happened to you?

JULIA: I ran into one of the Senior Partners’ people.

RAOUL and ASSAD perk up to stare at her.

ASSAD: How did it go?

JULIA: She nearly got me. I got away. Gwynnda says that she’s their leader, my… counterpart.

ASSAD: Well, get ready. We have to be there soon, and you can have a rematch.

CUT TO the Hyperion Alley. It is dark and raining, and the roaring can be heard as ANGEL, SPIKE, ILLYRIA and a wounded GUNN stare out at them.

SPIKE: Bit more specific.

ANGEL steps forward, with sword in hand.

ANGEL: Well, personally I want to slay the dragon. Let’s go to work.

He swings his sword to block the strike of an approaching DEMON as SPIKE leaps into battle too, grabbing the sword from a DEMON’s hand and beheading it with it. ILLYRIA pushes GUNN backwards against the wall, removing a large club from a DEMON’s hands and passing it to him, before leaping into the air to kick several DEMONS approaching them.

GUNN (weakly): Thanks.

ILLYRIA: I do not wish to see you die before your time.

GUNN smiles to himself and swings weakly at a DEMON, pushing it away before ILLYRIA grabs it and snaps its neck.

ILLYRIA: We must take a better defensive position.

GUNN: What about Angel and Spike?

ILLYRIA: This is not a battle any of us are going to win.

ANGEL spins, stabbing a DEMON behind him and is pushed back to the ground, a cut on his arm. SPIKE beheads the DEMON that did it and helps ANGEL up, the two of them backing away. The DRAGON above them swoops down and the two dive out of the way.

SPIKE: Oh, boy.

A bright light pushes the DEMONS back from ANGEL, SPIKE, ILLYRIA and GUNN as JULIA, ASSAD and RAOUL teleport in behind them.

JULIA (muttering): Thankyou, Gwynnda.

The Angel Team turn to see them, confused.

JULIA (to SPIKE): Angel, is it?

SPIKE: No! He’s Angel.

He points to ANGEL, looking hurt. ANGEL looks just as annoyed.

JULIA: We’re here to help.

ANGEL (childishly): Well, you can’t be very good.

JULIA rolls her eyes.

JULIA: Sorry, Angel.

The DEMONS start to run at them again, the DEMON LEADER at the head.

ASSAD: Better start fighting again.

ANGEL swings his sword at a DEMON, cutting its arm off, as SPIKE leaps into the battle with a cry. JULIA starts to parry with a DEMON as ASSAD kicks one back and stabs another. RAOUL moves over to help protect GUNN, sticking his axe into a DEMON’s neck on the way.

RAOUL (to ILLYRIA): I’ll help.

ILLYRIA (critically): Not efficiently.

She kicks a DEMON back and takes RAOUL’s axe.

ILLYRIA: I will use this.

RAOUL sighs and pulls out his daggers, ducking a DEMON’s sword and managing to stab it in the leg. As JULIA and ANGEL are forced back to back by DEMONS, another flash is let out as ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA enter the fight.

JULIA (calling to ASSAD): There!

She manages to point at the advancing figures of ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA as she stabs a DEMON.

ANGEL: Who are they?

ASSAD (grimly): More people trying to kill you.

ANGEL: All I needed to hear.

ELSRIA runs through the crowd to leap at JULIA, who blocks her strike with her own sword. The two of them parry before JULIA manages to slice ELSRIA’s hand slightly.

JULIA: Ha!

ELSRIA (sarcastically): Great achievement.

ANGEL keeps several DEMONS off JULIA as ELSRIA slams her sword against JULIA’s hard.

ANGEL (calling out): Get over here, Spike!

SPIKE leaps over a DEMON, stabbing it as he comes down, and runs to ANGEL.

SPIKE: We have to deal with that dragon.

CUT TO another angle of the alley, where little can be seen except the feet of DEMONS. A more human looking foot stamps down in a puddle, splashing around it. A change of angle shows his back, a tall man walking imposingly through the DEMONS, pushing them away as he walks through to where ANGEL, SPIKE, JULIA and ELSRIA are. The camera pans around to show that his face is scarred and lined so that is isn’t quite human. TRIAHLLA turns her head slowly to see him.

TRIAHLLA (quietly): Larrak.

LARRAK reaches ANGEL, SPIKE, JULIA and ELSRIA as they turn to see him. SPIKE dives at ELSRIA, pushing her away with a punch to the face, and JULIA lifts her sword at LARRAK. He smiles and punches her in the chest, sending her flying away into the wall of the alley, crashing through several of the bricks.

END OF ACT II

ACT III

The Act opens to the alley, where LARRAK smiles down at ANGEL. ANGEL punches him in the chest hard, his hand jarring, and LARRAK pushes him away into a crowd of DEMONS.

ANGEL (to himself): It’s just like Hamilton all over again.

ANGEL punches out of the DEMONS, grabbing a sword and beheading several, as DEMONS close in on ILLYRIA, RAOUL and GUNN. ELSRIA kicks SPIKE off her and LARRAK grabs him by the neck, starting to squeeze. JULIA, weak among the breaks, stares with a pained look in her eyes.

JULIA (calling out): Gwynnda! We need the Powers’ help!

A fast flash washes over the alley, then the screen fades to white.

LAELYAN V.O.: People fight for many different reasons. Some are pushed to it. Others are bound to it. The greatest are drawn to it, with ideology and conscience keeping them fighting. Nobody should ever stop fighting.

FADE TO a dry terrain of rocks and the like. JULIA, ASSAD, RAOUL, ANGEL, SPIKE, ILLYRIA and GUNN are all there, many of them, on the ground in positions that they were in before. SPIKE drops to the ground, after he was held up by LARRAK.

ANGEL: What the hell just happened?

ILLYRIA: We appear to have jumped dimension.

SPIKE looks up at the sun, then at his hand.

SPIKE: No burning? Good.

GWYNNDA teleports into view, starting ANGEL, SPIKE and GUNN.

GWYNNDA: Of course.

JULIA: Gwynnda. Thank God.

GWYNNDA: The Powers removed you into another dimension for a time.

ANGEL (anxiously): And them?

GWYNNDA: Also them. However, that’s all they can really do right now, at least through me. You have to deal with the army.

RAOUL: Oh, that’s gonna be peaches…

SPIKE: Exactly what I was going to say.

GWYNNDA: There’s a compound a little to your east. There’s a map of this place in there, with the general location of the army there. They’re not far. Be careful.

JULIA: We will.

CUT TO another part of that dimension, where the army, ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA, LARRAK and the DEMON LEADER are, the DRAGON flying restlessly above.

ELSRIA: Ugh… what happened?

TRIAHLLA: The Powers that Be moved us into another dimension.

ELSRIA: What about the targets? And the Higher Beings?

TRIAHLLA: They’re all here… I can feel them.

ELSRIA: Good.

LARRAK: It was a sneaky trick.

ELSRIA: Then why don’t you go and join them?

LARRAK glares at her and moves over to the DEMON LEADER.

LARRAK: We have to organise your army to take them out.

DEMON LEADER: The dragon should be enough.

LARRAK: It will not be enough. But send it. It will weaken them.

The DEMON LEADER looks up into the sky and cries out in a guttural language. The DRAGON roars and swoops away, flapping its large wings madly as it flies into the distance.

ELSRIA: Good.

TRIAHLLA: Now what?

ELSRIA: We plan. Isn’t that right, Larrak?

LARRAK: We plan, and then we kill.

CUT TO a small rooved structure in the other dimension, appearing to be made of some similar alternative to bricks. The door opens and JULIA enters, followed by ANGEL, SPIKE, ASSAD, RAOUL and ILLYRIA carrying GUNN. She lays him on the table as ANGEL removes the map from its surface.

ANGEL: She was right. They really aren’t far from here.

RAOUL: What are we going to do if they attack?

ASSAD: We need a plan.

JULIA: Yes, we really do. I don’t think we can beat them all. Especially not with that big guy…

SPIKE: He almost sent me to the happy dusted place. And you look pretty sore.

JULIA: I’m feeling that.

ANGEL: Who are you, exactly?

JULIA: We’re Higher Beings.

ANGEL starts, and GUNN looks up slowly to stare at them.

ILLYRIA (slowly): That… stirs images within Winifred Burkle. Grief, and anger.

ANGEL: Damn right it does.

JULIA (confused): What?

ANGEL: Do you have anything to do with Cordelia Chase?

JULIA: Who?

ASSAD: Obviously a no.

SPIKE: Let it go, Angel. Now’s not the time.

ANGEL sighs and sits at a crude chair.

JULIA: Who’s Cordelia?

SPIKE: The woman he was in love with. Let’s leave it at that.

RAOUL: Well, that’s all well and good… or, sad, but it’s not exactly helping us now.

SPIKE: What IS going to help us now?

GUNN: Those Powers didn’t exactly give us much to work with.

ANGEL (brooding): At least they saved the city. That’s all that matters.

JULIA: Unfortunately, it’s not all. We were sent to save all of you. High importance.

SPIKE: Well I don’t see how it’s going to work, except stranding them here and sending us back to Earth.

ASSAD: Won’t work. They can follow.

GUNN: So who are they? I mean, I know who the army belongs to, but…

JULIA: They’re Agents of the Senior Partners.

ANGEL: Of course.

JULIA: Listen, we need to think of a plan. They’re going to come at us very strong, and-

She is interrupted by the sound of the DRAGON roaring loudly.

RAOUL: Oh no.

They all start to rush outside, grabbing their weapons again. GUNN tries to get up, but JULIA forces him back down.

JULIA: You need to stay here.

ANGEL: Listen to her.

GUNN flops back down with a sigh.

GUNN: I couldn’t take it anyway.

The others rush outside to see the DRAGON flying towards them, rage in its eyes.

ASSAD: At least it’s just the dragon.

SPIKE: Dragon’s enough.

The DRAGON gets closer as the group raise their weapons higher, taking a more defensive stance.

ILLYRIA: I will enjoy this.

JULIA looks at her incredulously as ILLYRIA leaps onto the DRAGON as it passes, stabbing down with her axe, which barely makes a cut.

ASSAD: Now SHE’S a warrior.

The DRAGON roars and rears around, causing ILLYRIA to hold on tightly. ANGEL and SPIKE move around as the DRAGON swoops, both of them stabbing up ineffectually at its underbelly. RAOUL dives out of the way as ASSAD leaps at the DRAGON, grabbing it by its claws and managing to dodge the nails as he scrambles up the hand. The DRAGON shakes him and he falls, JULIA managing to break his fall, falling to the ground in the process herself.

JULIA: This really isn’t going well.

ILLYRIA stabs down again at the DRAGON’s neck, causing a greater cut this time. The DRAGON roars and tosses violently, sending her to the ground. It swoops around, striking down at JULIA and ASSAD, when JULIA grabs a knife from her sheath and throws it with deadly accuracy at the DRAGON, stabbing it in the eye. Blood spurts and the DRAGON roars in pain, rearing back, as ANGEL takes the opportunity to leap up onto the DRAGON as it flies low. Clambering up the bucking DRAGON, ANGEL grips his sword tightly and stabs the DRAGON’s head several times, before managing to push it down through the skull. The DRAGON roars pitifully and bucks, sending ANGEL flying off, and collapses to the ground.

RAOUL: Is it dead?

SPIKE: I think that counts as dead.

ASSAD (to ANGEL): Well done.

JULIA coughs.

ANGEL: Excellent aim.

JULIA: Thankyou.

CUT TO the inside of the structure, where the sounds of the roaring can be heard outside. GUNN sits up, listening to the fight that’s still happening outside. As he listens, a red portal appears and TRIAHLLA steps out, smiling at him, holding a charm. GUNN starts at seeing her and looks to the outside.

GUNN (calling out): Angel!

TRIAHLLA: You think he’s going to hear you?

GUNN: Angel!

GUNN grabs his club, swiping weakly at TRIAHLLA, but she grabs it and pulls it out of his reach, red energy flowing from her hand as she does so. Pulling a knife from her belt, TRIAHLLA holds it above GUNN and smiles.

GUNN: Angel!!

TRIAHLLA stabs down, getting GUNN clean in the chest. TRIAHLLA pulls the knife out and steps backwards.

GUNN (incoherently): Fred…

TRIAHLLA (gloating): Whoever he is, I hope he doesn’t miss you too much.

TRIAHLLA steps back into the red portal as GUNN’s head falls to the side, bleeding heavily from his chest.

LAELYAN V.O.: The true hero fights because he has to, and the people around him pay that price… even when they have become the hero themselves, nobody will know them…

CUT TO BLACK, AND FADE IN TO the demon army area of the other dimension. The red portal appears and TRIAHLLA steps out, blood dropping from the knife and a smug smile on her face.

ELSRIA: Did you kill him?

TRIAHLLA: I killed him.

DEMON LEADER: The dragon will have got the rest.

LARRAK: If we’re lucky.

TRIAHLLA: Whatever the dragon does, they’re one soldier down.

CUT TO the inside of the structure that the Higher Beings are using. The door opens and ANGEL steps in, blood on his sword, and stops dead to see GUNN lying motionless.

SPIKE O.S.: Angel, what are you doing? Get out of the way.

SPIKE pushes past him and stops too when he sees GUNN, and JULIA, ASSAD, RAOUL and ILLYRIA also enter, all seeing GUNN’s body. JULIA rushes over to feel for a pulse, and her face drops.

JULIA: He’s dead, Angel.

SPIKE: We know.

ASSAD: He must have bled out.

ANGEL: No… look at that wound. He’s just been given a fresh one.

SPIKE: They tricked us…

ILLYRIA: I am feeling grief again. I am feeling grief and anger, and it is not just Winifred Burkle’s.

ANGEL: You’re not the only one.

JULIA: Oh God.

RAOUL: What happens now? We’ve failed, haven’t we?

ANGEL (angry): You’ve FAILED?! Excuse me? I’ve just lost one of the people that I trusted most, one of my last true friends, and all you can say is that you’ve FAILED?!

RAOUL (uncomfortably): I’m sorry…

JULIA: We haven’t failed. We can still keep Angel, Spike and Illyria alive.

ANGEL (bitterly): Keep us alive… what have I really got, anyway?

SPIKE (firmly): A lot of things. Snap out of it, Angel.

ILLYRIA: My wish for violence has not been sated by the dragon’s death!

SPIKE: Yeah, we get that.

RAOUL: What are we going to do now?

ASSAD: We still have to come up with a plan.

JULIA: Not much has really changed, except that we’re a wounded man down and now we’re all sad and angry. We still have to fight this thing.

ANGEL: Of course we’re going to fight it. We just won’t win it.

CUT TO the Agents and army encampment. ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA and LARRAK all pull out their amulets, holding them in a triangular shape. MADAM GEIER forms in the mist between them, observing the army and terrain around her.

MADAM GEIER: Well, it’s not unexpected.

LARRAK: We can deal with it.

MADAM GEIER: Of course you can, my dear Larrak. Then, you hope, you’ll regain your position, am I correct?

LARRAK: That is my hope.

MADAM GEIER (coldly): Then you’d be wrong. You shall continue to serve until we see fit to reward you.

LARRAK looks down, holding his anger.

MADAM GEIER: You will attack them soon, with all the might of this army behind you. They have already slain the dragon, but they will stand as nothing against this kind of might. There is no way that you can disappoint me.

ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA bow their heads, smiling respectfully.

MADAM GEIER (coldly): However, should you somehow fail… my disappointment is not something to incur lightly.

She smiles and fades away into the mist and back into the amulets, as ELSRIA and TRIAHLLA give each other a frightened look.

CUT TO the outside of the structure the Higher Beings are in. ANGEL is sitting outside grimly, and SPIKE walks out to sit next to him.

ANGEL: I don’t want to talk to you, Spike.

SPIKE: That’s too bad. You always seem to get the short straw, Angel, it can amuse a guy like me.

ANGEL: That’s very inspiring.

SPIKE: But you keep on fighting. You’ve lost people, Angel. Cordelia, and Fred, and Wesley. And now Gunn. But you always have to keep on fighting.

ANGEL: Why? I’ve signed away any chance I have at Shanshu, and I’m losing the people that matter to me.

SPIKE: You signed away the Shanshu? Wow. Good luck to me then.

ANGEL: Yeah. Good luck to you.

SPIKE: So, what was it you asked again? Why? For the fight. For the ones who need protecting. You should be the one telling me that, not the other way around.

ANGEL smiles grimly and the two sit in silence.

CUT TO the Agents and the army in the other part of the dimension.

DEMON LEADER (roaring): Stand tall!

The various DEMONS cease their roaring and stand in semi-formations, facing the DEMON LEADER, ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA and LARRAK.

DEMON LEADER: That’s all we need to be ready.

ELSRIA: Then stay ready. We’re moving out.

DEMON LEADER (roaring): Move!

The DEMONS start to march, the DEMON LEADER and the Agents walking quickly ahead.

LARRAK: We’ll kill them all.

ELSRIA (to herself): I’m coming for you, my enemy.

END OF ACT III

ACT IV

The Act opens to the outside of the structure that the Higher Beings are in. ANGEL suddenly looks up into the distance.

ANGEL: They’re coming. (calling out) They’re coming!

JULIA, ASSAD, RAOUL and ILLYRIA run out, weapons in hand, and pass ANGEL and SPIKE’s weapons to them.

ASSAD: We don’t exactly have a plan.

JULIA: Just get ready.

She holds up her sword as the forms of ELSRIA and LARRAK can be seen climbing up the hill and into view, followed by the DEMON LEADER and TRIAHLLA and then the massive army itself.

SPIKE: That’s still a whole lot of army.

ASSAD: Fight as best you can. Stick together and stay defensive. Avoid the big guy.

JULIA: Or take him on in two’s and three’s.

RAOUL: I think I’ll just avoid him.

ILLYRIA (anticipating): I will make him mew like a broken kitten.

JULIA (conversationally): You know, I used to own a kitten.

SPIKE: Bit off-topic there, but okay.

JULIA: Just making it all seem trivial.

SPIKE: Won’t be trivia in a second.

The army starts to run as it gets closer and ELSRIA and LARRAK fall back in with a crowd a bit more.

ANGEL: Get ready.

They all raise their weapons as the army reaches them and begin to hack away. RAOUL backs up with ASSAD and SPIKE to fight a concentrated group of more heavily armoured DEMONS, as ANGEL beheads a DEMON and is kicked backwards away from the main army by the DEMON LEADER, who grins at him. JULIA leaps at ELSRIA, who fights back with as much energy, the two of them clashing swords violently. ILLYRIA spots LARRAK and smiles, walking up to him and pushing a DEMON out of the way as she reaches him.

LARRAK: Illyria. An Old One.

ILLYRIA: I have memory of you.

ILLYRIA punches him hard in the face but he is only just fazed, punching her hard back and sending her stumbling backwards. She compensates to spin kick him and drive her axe at him, but he grabs it and snaps it. Meanwhile, ANGEL parries a blow from the DEMON LEADER, being driven back by his club.

ANGEL: This your army?

DEMON LEADER: A whole lot bigger then yours.

ANGEL smiles and kicks the DEMON LEADER in the knee, forcing him down before beheading him.

ANGEL: Mine has quality.

He dives into the mass of DEMONS, fighting with everything he has. TRIAHLLA smirks and throws some dust in the air, forming to create a red light that hits ASSAD, knocking him to the ground. RAOUL sees and tackles TRIAHLLA before she can do it again, grappling for his dagger. SPIKE, left alone against the rest of the armoured DEMONS, is swarmed under, hacking for his life. JULIA is kicked backwards by ELSRIA and runs backwards away, hacking at DEMONS as she moves away from ELSRIA, while ILLYRIA is sent spinning away from a punch by LARRAK.

LAELYAN V.O.: People fight and people die. But sometimes…

The sound of ANGEL yelling loudly in pain can be heard, and he kicks DEMONS off him to reveal that there is a sword sticking out of his chest.

LAELYAN V.O. (continuing): Someone’s there to save them.

OTHER WOMAN V.O. (screaming): STOP!

There’s a white flash and the whole of the DEMON army is swept away by a white wave, burning into nothing, as ELSRIA, LARRAK and TRIAHLLA are pushed away from the group.

JULIA: What’s going on? Gwynnda?

OTHER WOMAN V.O. (much more calmly): No.

A while light forms to become CORDELIA, dressed in a white dress and glowing. ANGEL gets up, his eyes wide. CORDELIA smiles and pulls the sword from his chest and drops it on the floor. He grunts in pain as she does so but then stares at her.

CORDELIA: Angel.

ANGEL: Cordelia… how…?

CORDELIA: One more mission. There’s no way I’d let you out of my sight, and the Powers know that.

JULIA: This is… Cordelia?

CORDELIA turns to JULIA.

CORDELIA: I am. You’ve done well, and you’ve won this round. With my help.

JULIA: Yes. Thankyou.

CORDELIA laughs and turns back to ANGEL, putting her hand on his cheek.

CORDELIA: We’ll send you back to LA. Then you, and Spike, and Illyria, have to get out. Find Buffy… maybe she can help you.

ANGEL: But… Cordelia…

CORDELIA smiles serenely at him, giving him a quick kiss on his lips before drawing away.

CORDELIA: It’s over, champ. I’ll be waiting for you.

Saying this, CORDELIA fades away, and a tear falls down ANGEL’s cheek.

SPIKE: Don’t see that often.

ILLYRIA stares at where CORDELIA was, saying nothing. JULIA looks at ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA and LARRAK, all suspended.

JULIA: So. What n-

She is interrupted by a flash as the Agents disappear in a red light, and a further white flash that covers the screen.

FADE IN TO the Agents’ warehouse room, where ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA and LARRAK all materialise, falling to the ground. The amulets in their varied pockets or sheaths start glowing and vibrating powerfully, forming the mist to show an electrically angry MADAM GEIER.

MADAM GEIER (crackling with fury): You’ve failed me.

ELSRIA: We couldn’t have foreseen…

MADAM GEIER: You should have foreseen! This was an abysmal failure.

TRIAHLLA: We killed one of them!

MADAM GEIER (disgusted): One of them? If I were to give a percentage on the importance of each one of the targets, what do you think I would give him?

TRIAHLLA: 25 percent?

MADAM GEIER (screaming): I would give that worthless, weak, already mortally wounded HUMAN 5 percent if he were LUCKY!!!

ELSRIA, TRIAHLLA and even LARRAK stumble backwards from the force of her fury.

LARRAK: We will not fail you again.

MADAM GEIER: Don’t make promises you can’t keep, Larrak. You’ll be lucky if you’re ever in our good books again.

With crackling energy that throws all of the Agents backwards to the ground, MADAM GEIER fades into the mist, which goes back into the amulets.

CUT TO the Higher Beings’ room, where JULIA, ASSAD and RAOUL materialise with a white flash. They all look around, disoriented.

ASSAD: Where are Angel, Spike and Illyria?

RAOUL: She sent them somewhere else… they’ll be fine.

JULIA: You know that.

RAOUL: I’m sure of it.

JULIA: Well, I guess we can celebrate. We – sort of – succeeded in our first mission.

ASSAD: Sort of.

JULIA: Well, we’re here. And three of them are alive.

ASSAD: And now we know who our enemies are.

JULIA: Yeah. Now we know.

JULIA sighs and seats herself, followed by ASSAD and RAOUL.

LAELYAN V.O.: We all fight. Whether for petty reasons, or for the bigger things, fighting is what we do. Fighting is what keeps us alive, even when some call us dead.

END EPISODE

Surprise Guest Star:
Charisma Charpenter as Cordelia Chase

Co-Starring:
Alex Cook -- Maria Illery

Seniority

2006-03-29T10:29:19Z

Seniority -- coming soon

Death isn't the end of your consciousness. For the good, the heroes, they continue to serve the Powers That Be as Higher Beings, fighting the good fight and saving those who will do good. But everyone has an enemy...

With the uproar and destruction of Los Angeles' Wolfram and Hart, one of the Senior Partners has reformed her institution to counter the Powers That Be. The Agents are powerful, dangerous and brutal... but all of them have their own secrets.

In the first episode, the Higher Beings and the Agents will go head to head for the first time as the Higher Beings struggle to save Angel and his team from the wrath of the Senior Partners... and the Agents will stop at nothing to bring them down.

Starring Claudia Karvan, Tricia Helfer, Bebe Neuwirth, Christopher Meloni, Mehcad Brooks, Tygh Runyan and Tilda Swinton, Seniority is something to be looking out for.

View some icons made for Seniority...

And the cast promo for the first season, as of the first episode...