Mad Season (Issue 1 of 2)

"And So It Began"

PAGE ONE (6 panels)

 

Panel 1: A wide-view snapshot of the universe.

 

Panel 2: A closer view, comparatively, showing a certain planet.

 

Panel 3: A shot zooming in now over a high-tech futuristic, though dirty, city.

 

Panel 4: A seedy bar on the edge of civilization.  At the center of the picture are the protagonists, the grey -skinned/white-haired Tenet and the golden skinned/white-haired Page Nadeen.  Tenet is dressed stylishly in a tight jumpsuit and Page is dressed in thick robes, with a hood over his head.).  All around them is an assortment of aliens and other space travelers.

 

1.  CAP:  ON THE BACKWATER PLANET OF RAVINE, TWO HUMANOIDS SAT.  THEY WEREN'T REALLY ALL THAT DIFFERENT FROM ALL THE OTHER SPACEFARERS.  THAT IS, THEY WERE NO WORSE THAN ALL THE OTHER LOW-LIFES AT THE BAR.  THESE TWO IN PARTICULAR WERE EXPERIENCED THIEVES WHO SOARED THE SPACEWAYS, STEALING FOR A LIVING.

 

Panel 5: A closer view of the two men.

2.  PAGE:  IT WON'T WORK.

3.  TENET:  OF COURSE IT WILL.

4.  PAGE:  THERE'S TOO MUCH RISK.

Panel 6: a wider view of the bar room again.

5.  CAP:  THEY WEREN'T JUST ANY SPACE THIEVES.  TENET AND PAGE NADEEN WERE TWO OF THE BEST IN THE KNOWN UNIVERSE.  CLEVER BEYOND THEIR MEANS, AND SKILLED MORE THAN HONEST MEN HAD ANY RIGHT TO BE.  THEY WERE WANTED IN SEVERAL SYSTEMS AND HAD THE LOOT TO JUSTIFY IT.

 

PAGE TWO (6 panels)

 

Panel 1:  We see Tenet and Page's table from the side and Tenet is leaning over towards Page.  In the background are a variable number of bar patrons.

1.  TENET:  THERE'S ALWAYS RISK, PAGE.

Panel 2:  We see Page, shaking his head.  Patrons behind him.

2.  PAGE:  NOT THIS MUCH.  BESIDES, THERE'S TOO MANY VARIABLES, TOO MANY THINGS THAT WE NEED TO PULL OFF THE JOB, AND JUST DON'T HAVE.

 

Panel 3:  Tenet relaxes in his seat.  Behind him are other patrons.

3.  TENET:  SO WE GET THEM.

 

Panel 4:  Page drops his hood, and reveals his golden-skinned face.

4.  PAGE:  IT'S NOT THAT EASY! 

 

Panel 5:  Page leans forward, also pulling a smirking Tenet towards him.

5.  PAGE (whisper):  YOU WANT TO GO INTO THE TELSHAW SYSTEM AND SNEAK INTO HUGHES URLACHER'S HOME, THEN TAKE ALL HE HAS?

6.  TENET:  YUP.

 

Panel 6:  Page pushes his friend away and reclines.

7.  PAGE:  WE WOULD NEVER EVEN GET CLOSE TO HIS ASTEROID, LET ALONE HIS HOME.  HE HAS SENSORS ALL AROUND THAT ROCK!

8.  TENET:  CLOAKING DEVICE.

9.   PAGE:  WE'D NEED A RELIABLE PILOT TO WAIT FOR US WHILE WE BREAK-IN.

10.  TENET:  WE'LL FIND ONE.

11.  PAGE:   HOW DO WE FIND OUR WAY THROUGH HIS HOME?

12.   TENET:  GOT THE BLUEPRINTS FROM A CONSTRUCTOR ON TELSHAW 4904.

 

PAGE THREE (7 panels)

Panel 1:  Page stands up and throws a few marks (money) on the table.

1.  PAGE:  THERE'S STILL NO WAY TO GET ON THE ASTEROID UNNOTICED.

 

Panel 2:  Tenet stands up as well, throwing some marks of his own on the table.

2.  TENET:  ACTUALLY, I THINK I'VE FIGURED OUT A LITTLE SOMETHING FOR THAT.

 

Panel 3:  The two thieves walk away from their table, past others.

3.  PAGE:  HOW?

4.  TENET:  WELL, I'VE HEARD OF THIS THING CALLED A MOLECULAR PHASE SHIFTER.  THEY'RE EXPERIMENTING WITH IT ON TERELLIA.

 

Panel 4:  Tenet and Page walk out of the bar.

5.  TENET:  SUPPOSEDLY, IT CAN RENDER THE USER INTANGIBLE.

6.  PAGE:  HOW THE HELL ARE WE GOING TO GET ONE?

 

Panel 5:  Tenet stops and holds his hands outward.

7.  TENET:  COME ON PAGE!  WE'RE THE BEST THIEVES IN THE GALAXY!  WE'RE GOING TO STEAL IT.

Panel 6:  Page's face, very skeptical.

8.  PAGE:  PERFECT!  ASSUMING THIS "EXPERIMENTAL" MODEL DOESN'T SCATTER OUR ATOMS ALL OVER THE SPACEWAYS, THAT IS.
 

Panel 7:  Tenet puts his arm over Page's shoulder.

9.  TENET:  YOU KNOW YOU WANT THIS.  THINK ABOUT IT.  IT'LL BE THE BIGGEST HEIST OF ALL TIME.

PAGE FOUR (5 panels)

 

Panel 1:  Tenet and Page step inside of an aircar (Tenet driving).  Other cars drive behind them.

1.  PAGE:  OF COURSE I WANT IT.  WHAT I DON'T WANT IS A FIFTY-YEAR PRISON SENTENCE IN THE TELSHAW SYSTEM.

2.  TENET:  DO YOU THINK I WANT THAT EITHER?

 

Panel 2:  The two in their car, cruising along the road.

3.  PAGE:  NO, BUT —

4.  TENET:  NO BUTS.  I DON'T WANT TO GET BUSTED.  I NEVER DO.  BELIEVE ME, I WOULD NEVER PROPOSE SOMETHING I DIDN'T THINK WE COULDN'T GET AWAY WITH!

 

Panel 3:  Page turns to Tenet, to talk, but Tenet's face is one of shock, eyes wide, mouth open.

5.  PAGE:  I DON'T KNOW, MAYBE —

6.  TENET:  WHAT THE —

 

Panel 4:  From a top, outside, view, we see Tenet's aircar get hit in the front corner by a speeding aircar going the other direction.

7.  SFX:  CRASH!

 

Panel 5:  Tenet steps out of his car to run towards the other car.  From behind, we see a red-haired woman.

8.  TENET:  WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU?

PAGE FIVE (6 panels)

 

Panel 1:  Tenet leans in her window; the black-skinned (and very beautiful) Layne Anselm looks up to greet him.

1.  LAYNE:  I'M TERRIBLY SORRY.  IT'S JUST THAT I WAS IN A LITTLE BIT OF A HURRY.

2.  TENET:  UH . . . I SEE . . . WELL . . .

 

Panel 2:  Looking in her rear view mirror, Layne sees the police following her.

3.  LAYNE:  LISTEN BUDDY, I GOT TROUBLE ON MY HEELS.  I'LL SEE YA.

 

Panel 3:  Tenet grabs her hand.

4.  TENET:  WAIT!  I KNOW THIS PLANET.  I KNOW WHERE YOU COULD LAY LOW!

5.  LAYNE:  REALLY?

 

Panel 4:  Tenet gets in, moving Layne to the passenger side.

6.  TENET:  YEAH, MOVE OVER!

 

Panel 5:  Tenet shouts at Page out the window.

7.  TENET:  MEET AT THE RENDEZVOUS POINT!  WE GOT COMPANY!

 

Panel 6:  Layne's car roars off, away from the police.

8.  CAP (TENET):  TRUST ME.

PAGE SIX (6 panels)

Panel 1:  Sitting in Layne's stationary air car, she pulls a blaster on him.

1.  CAP:  TEN MINUTES LATER . . .

2.  LAYNE:  OKAY, TOUGH GUY, WHO ARE YOU?

 

Panel 2:  Tenet puts his hands up defensively.

3.  TENET:  HEY, NOW.  NO NEED TO GET VIOLENT ON ME.  I JUST SAVED YOU FROM THE POLICE.

 

Panel 3:  Picture of the two from the front of the car, as if through the front windshield.

4.  LAYNE:  YOU DIDN'T ANSWER MY QUESTION.

5.  TENET:  A PRETTY GIRL LIKE YOU DOESN'T NEED TO POINT A GUN AT ME TO FIND OUT MY NAME.  IT'S TENET.

 

Panel 4:  Layne begins to talk, but Tenet snatches the gun from her hand.

6.  LAYNE:  WHY DID YOU HELP ME?

7.  TENET:  NOT SO YOU COULD POINT A GUN AT ME!

 

Panel 5:  Tenet holds the gun to the side of her head, leaning back away from her.

8.  TENET:  I HAPPEN TO BE A THIEF WHO EXCELS AT DEXTEROUS MANEUVERS, AS YOU'VE NO DOUBT JUST DISCOVERED.

 

Panel 6:  Just their two faces (and the gun), as Tenet now leans close.

9.  TENET:  SO WHAT'S YOUR NAME?

10.  LAYNE:  LAYNE ANSELM.

PAGE SEVEN (4 panels)

Panel 1:  Picture of Layne's hand, going for a knife in her belt.

1.  TENET:  SO WHAT DO YOU DO, LAYNE?

2.  LAYNE:  I'M A PILOT.

 

Panel 2:  Their faces again.

3.  TENET:  WHY WHERE THE COPS AFTER YOU?

4.  LAYNE:  I MAY HAVE BEEN INVOLVED IN SOME SMUGGLING.

 

Panel 3:  Tenet leans over and kisses her (big frame).

5.  TENET:  PERFECT.

 

Panel 4:  Page opens the passenger side door and hauls Layne out from under Tenet, holding her by her arms, one of

            which has a knife.  Tenet looks surprised.

6.  TENET:  WHAT?

7.  PAGE:  IDIOT!  SHE WAS GOING FOR A KNIFE!

PAGE EIGHT (5 panels)

 

Panel 1:  Tenet walks into their small apartment, followed by Page, who is roughly escorting Layne.

1.  CAP:  INSIDE THE TEMPORARY HOME OF TENET AND PAGE NADEEN . . .

2.  TENET:  AFTER YOU HIT OUR CAR, I STILL CHOSE TO GRACIOUSLY HELP YOU ESCAPE FROM THE POLICE AND HARBOR YOU IN MY OWN HOME, AND YOU WANTED TO KILL ME!

3.  LAYNE:  I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT YOUR INTENTIONS WERE AND YOU WERE GETTING PRETTY FRIENDLY FAST.

4.  TENET:  I JUST KISSED YOU!

 

Panel 2:  Layne and Tenet confront each other.

5.  LAYNE:  WHY DID YOU DO THAT?

6.  TENET:  BECAUSE YOU'RE SO DAMN PRETTY!

7.  LAYNE:  SO?

8.  TENET:  I BET YOU LIKED IT.

 

Panel 3:  As the two keep fighting, Page sits down at a table, disgusted.

9.  LAYNE:  DID NOT!

10.  TENET:  I BET YOU DID.

11.  LAYNE:  I'D SOONER KISS —

12.  PAGE:  CHILDREN!  FORGET THE KISS.  WE HAVE A FUTURE TO DECIDE.

 

Panel 4:  Tenet walks over to the table where Page is.

13.  TENET:  YOU HEARD ABOUT THE PILOT PART.

14.  PAGE:  UNFORTUNATELY.

15.  TENET:  WE'RE SET THEN!

16.  PAGE:  YOU WANT TO TRUST A TOTAL STRANGER?

 

Panel 5:  Layne walks over to the table.

17.  LAYNE:  WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

18.  PAGE:  SHE'D TAKE OUR SHIP WHILE WE WERE THERE, AND LEAVE US STRANDED.

19.  TENET:  SHE WOULDN'T DO THAT!

20.  LAYNE:  DO WHAT?

21.  PAGE:  YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW HER!

PAGE NINE (5 panels)

 

Panel 1:  Tenet and Page look up at Layne, from their positions at the table—we see Layne from behind.

1.  TENET:  WE NEED A PILOT FOR A NOT-SO-LEGAL VENTURE.

2.  LAYNE:  HOW "NOT-SO-LEGAL?"

3.  PAGE:  WE NEED A GET AWAY PILOT FOR A THEFT.

 

Panel 2:  Layne appears surprised.  Now we see Tenet and Page from behind.

4.  LAYNE:   A THEFT, HUNH?  WHERE, WHEN, AND HOW MUCH OF A CUT DO I GET?

 

 

 

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