The Diomedian Chronicles: The Hole

< The Diomedian Chronicles

The Diomedian chronicles: The Hole is a Novel/Transcript following the events of Gwendolyn, Archaon and Lorelei while on an off-ship mission.

The event takes place after The Diomedian Chronicles: Glitch.

A colony on a depleted mining planet suffers from frequent tremors and a toxic atmosphere. After initial negotiations fail, Commander Marachuk tasks Gwendolyn, Archaon and Lorelei to find the reason why the planets resources are depleted.

After falling through a rusted section of an underground mining facility, the team is trapped with no apparent means of escape while the room they fell into quickly deteriorates.

Prologue
''[The Aegina. John Marachuk, Gwendolyn Diomedes, Archaon Thrax and Lorelei Mobious walk into the CIC. Gwendolyn, Archaon and Lorelei are geared up and have just returned from offship. As they talk, they head up the stairs to the Control Room before entering Marachuk's office.]''

Marachuk: Which planet is this, again?

Gwendolyn: M5V-801.

Archaon: The one with the frequent tremors.

Lorelei: Not to mention an abnormally high number of people with debilitating respiratory problems.

Archaon: It's a mining colony. It's not that surprising.

Lorelei: Not everyone worked in the mines, Archaon.

Marachuk: Get to the point, guys.

Archaon: They're experiencing an upwards of four tremors a day. My seismic analysis concluded that the area where they built their settlement is dangerously unstable ...

Lorelei: Not to mention my environmental and air quality tests came out way into the red.

Archaon: My analysis was enough, thank you.

Lorelei: Well, obviously it wasn't enough for them. Anyway, these people said they've experienced tremors for as long as they can remember.

Archaon: Yes, and I'm pretty sure they've been breathing even longer, so, again, my problem trumps yours.

Marachuk: This is not a contest. Obviously they're living in a settlement that's not safe for habitation. You need to convince them to move to another part of the continent.

Gwendolyn: Well, we tried. It's not working.

Marachuk: Why not?

Gwendolyn: Twenty years ago, the Blue Suns kind of took over the planet and employed ‘em all as miners.

Marachuk: Mining what?

Archaon: Haven't a clue, but whatever it was, they cleaned out the deposits and left.

Marachuk: So ...?

Gwendolyn: So they think we're like the Blue Suns and they want their cut.

Marachuk: Ah.

Lorelei: They're willing to move, but they have a list of demands a mile and a half long.

Gwendolyn: And negotiating with alien settlements is not exactly why I joined the Alliance.

Lorelei: [to Marachuk] We were hoping if you had some time, maybe you'd be willing to come and...--

Archaon: [talking over her] It'd save us a lot of time in the back and forth.

Marachuk: Alright. I'll free up my afternoon.

Gwendolyn: Appreciate that, Commander.

[Gwen, Archaon and Lorelei turn to leave.]

Marachuk: Hey, hey! Hold up you three.

[they turn back to him.]

Marachuk: While I’m down there negotiating you’re not gonna sit on your asses all day. Go investigate that mining facility the Blue Suns were so interested in.

Archaon: Uh, I've actually made plans for today...

Marachuk: You’ve got one hour. Gwendolyn’s gonna be your armed escort.

[Archaon sighs and leaves.]

Chapter One
''[M5V-801. Gwen, Archaon and Lorelei are walking across a large open grassy area. Lorelei is breathing heavily.]''

Lorelei: Man… I've gotta start doing more cardio! All this back and forth is… getting me winded. Couldn’t we have taken the shuttle there?

Archaon: Oh, suck it up, Mobious. It's not that bad. I have to hike this much almost every day.

Gwendolyn: [Surprised] You do?

Archaon: Yeah. I'm a very active person.

Gwendolyn: [Disbelieving] You are?!

Lorelei: Your last physical would kind of contradict you.

Archaon: Hey! That is private medical information that should not so cavalierly be shared in casual conversation, Doctor Mobious.

[Gwen and Lorelei grin.]

Lorelei: I don't think it comes as a great surprise to Private Gwendolyn.

Archaon: That's not the point, you know? I'm no Scott, ok – I'm not gonna be on the cover of “Shape” magazine any time soon ...

''[Gwen giggles silently. Lorelei joins in.]''

Archaon: ... but I can handle myself in combat; stand my ground when I need to.

[Just then the ground gives way under his feet and he drops from their view.]

Lorelei: Archaon!

[Lorelei runs over to the hole Archaon left, but Gwen grabs her arm.]

Gwendolyn: Don't move.

''[They stare at the hole that Archaon disappeared into. A moment later they hear him groan.]''

Gwendolyn: Get down on your stomach – spread out your weight.

[Lying down on their stomachs, they carefully crawl to the edge of the hole and look down as Archaon groans again.]

Gwendolyn: Doctor Thrax? Archaon, are you all right?

[Archaon is lying on his back at the bottom of what looks like a cavern, about thirty feet deep.]

Archaon: Ow.

Lorelei: Oh, thank God.

Gwendolyn: Don't move, OK?

Archaon: No problem.

''[The area he is lying in is clearly not a natural cavern. The floor is smooth, although now covered with dirt that fell into the hole with Archaon, and there are some broken planks near him, together with a large wooden crate.]''

Gwendolyn: We're gonna head back to the ship, try to get some help.

Lorelei: Just try to stay as still ...

''[At that moment, the ground underneath the girls gives way. Gwen cries out and Lorelei screams as they plunge into the cavern.]''

Chapter Two
''[In the cavern, dust billows all around. Unlit electric lights hang from the ceiling on long cables and now that there is more natural light in the room, we can see that there are several wooden crates of differing sizes scattered around the place. Luckily the girls didn't land on top of any of them, and they and Archaon are all lying on the floor and are conscious.]''

Lorelei: Don't move if you feel any shooting pains.

Archaon: I would never move if that was the case.

[Cautiously, Lorelei and Gwen sit up.]

Gwendolyn: Well, it doesn't look like any of us are bleeding.

Archaon: At least not externally.

Lorelei: Well, that's a godsend.

''[Groaning, the three of them slowly stand up. Lorelei looks at the earth, dust and broken wooden planks on the floor.]''

Lorelei: This whole place is just a tetanus shot waiting to happen.

''[Straightening up, Archaon looks around and sees a familiar large metal symbol on the wall. He sighs in exasperation.]''

Lorelei: In fact, where the hell are we?

Archaon: [jerking a thumb towards the symbol] I'd guess the Blue Suns mining facility.

Gwendolyn: They just don't build ‘em like they used to, huh?

Archaon: I am not particularly fond of the ceiling work either.

Lorelei: If this is part of a larger facility ...

Gwendolyn: ... then there should be a way for us to walk out of here, right.

[She goes to a blue-painted door on the left.]

Gwendolyn: OK.

''[Archaon goes to another door on the right. This one is painted red and has a large airlock-type wheel in the middle of it. As he takes hold of the wheel, Gwen turns and calls to him.]''

Gwendolyn: Little help here.

Archaon: [turning to her] What about this one?

Gwendolyn: [shaking her head childishly] No, nu-uh! Red means bad!

Archaon: [Sarcastic] Ooh. Well, can't argue with that logic.

''[He goes over to the other door as Gwen and Lorelei try to tug it open. He looks at a keypad on the wall beside the door.]''

Archaon: Hey, see this? That's not gonna budge unless we enter the right code. Look, these symbols are Batarian numerals.

Lorelei: Yeah, but you can crack the code, though, right?

''[Gwen and Archaon talk over each other. It's hard to hear what they say, but both sentences end the same.]''

Archaon & Gwendolyn: ... electronic.

Gwendolyn: ... What he said.

Archaon: What she says.

Gwendolyn: I mean, it's not impossible, though, right?

Archaon: No. No, it's just ... highly, highly unlikely.

Gwendolyn: OK, so ... [she points to the red door] ... door number two?

Archaon: After you, “Monty”.

''[Gwen leads him over to the door, rubbing her left shoulder with her right hand as she goes. She and Archaon both take hold of the wheel.]''

Gwendolyn: OK, on three. One, two, three.

''[They tug on the wheel, but it won't turn. Archaon sighs.]''

Archaon: There goes that plan.

[Gwen looks around the room.]

Gwendolyn: Wait a minute, wait a minute.

''[She picks up a long heavy metal rod and takes it to the door. She and Archaon insert the rod into the wheel.]''

Gwendolyn: OK, on three: one, two, three, go.

''[They lean onto the rod as hard as they can and the wheel turns a little. Archaon pulls the rod out and Gwen reaches for the wheel.]''

Lorelei: Wait, whoa-whoa-whoa. What if ... what if that door was sealed for a reason?

Archaon: [with a sarcastic expression on his face] What, you think maybe there's a scary monster back there?

Lorelei: No! But this is a mining facility and who knows what kind of toxins are in there? Like you said, red means bad.

''[Archaon nods a little nervously, taking her point. Gwen looks around the room, then looks back at the others. Seeing no other option.]''

Gwendolyn: I'm willing to take the chance.

''[Archaon and Lorelei don't look very happy, but realize that they have no choice. He and Gwen push hard on the door and it swings open. Gwen gasps as she sees what's behind it.]''

Gwendolyn: Woah!

''[Clinging onto the door frame, she and Archaon look through the doorway. There's a long drop beneath them. On the other side of the chasm are horizontal shafts dug into the rock. Daylight appears to be coming from the far end of the shafts. In the distance there are large metal boxes – about the same size as the room they're in – on stilts. There's no way for the team to get into the mine from where they are. Archaon gazes at the sight in horror.]''

Archaon: Well, I guess in Batarian, red means “screwed”.

Chapter Three
''[Unseen by the team, we see that only about two thirds of the room is built onto earth or rock. The entire side of the room where the red door is supported on metal stilts.]''

Gwendolyn: OK.

[She tugs the door closed again, then looks at her watch.]

Gwendolyn: OK, look, it's ... we've been in the field for, what, half an hour? We've got another five before we need to check in, so the safest thing for us to do is just sit tight and wait.

[Archaon goes back to the other door and the keypad on the wall.]

Gwendolyn: When we don't check in, they'll send a team. [turns to Archaon] Our radios should work down here, right?

Archaon: [turns to Gwen] Well, the range will be severely diminished now that we’re underground, but yeah, they should.

Gwendolyn: [looking inside a metal locker to see if there's anything useful in there] OK, so we sit and wait.

''[Finding nothing, she closes the locker door again. She tries another locker. Lorelei sits down on a box.]''

Lorelei: OK.

[Archaon starts trying to pry the keypad open while Gwen investigates the rest of the room.]

Lorelei: Anyone bring any cards?

[Gwen laughs ruefully.]

Gwendolyn: No.

''[Just then the room begins to shake. Archaon stares up in horror.]''

Archaon: Tremor!

''[Lorelei jumps up off her box and whimpers as earth starts to fall down from the ceiling. Gwen clings onto the wall and looks around nervously as the room begins to creak ominously. After several seconds the tremor subsides.]''

Archaon: [Still staring in horror] That sounded very, very bad.

Gwendolyn: Uh, what do you suppose the probability is that this room is on the same kind of metal stilts as those other rooms we saw out there?

Archaon: [Nervously] Very high.

Lorelei: [nervously] But this one's more stable, right? I mean, we're still standing.

Gwendolyn: Yeah, but with the three of us and this dirt, we've just added, what, three, four hundred pounds?

Archaon: [looking at the backpacks] Uh, you’re forgetting our backpacks. I'd say about five hundred.

Gwendolyn: Right. And this region experiences how many tremors a day?

Archaon: Four times a day at least.

[Gwen closes her eyes and lowers her head, sighing.]

Lorelei: [concerned] What is it? What's wrong?

Gwendolyn: [turning to her] The supports that are stopping this room from dropping into the chasm are gonna rapidly destabilize now that we've added all this extra weight.

Archaon: I don't think we're gonna be able to just wait for The Aegina to figure out we're missing.

Gwendolyn: You're right. We're gonna have to find a way out of here.

[She and Archaon look up to the hole in the ceiling.]

Lorelei: Well, there are a lot of crates in here.

Archaon: Yeah, rickety old ones! I killed, like, three of them on my way down!

Lorelei: Yeah, but maybe we could make, like, a pyramid – stack ‘em up, climb out.

Archaon: I don't think there's enough to ...

Gwendolyn: There are, actually – just barely enough to get us high enough, but we should be able to make it work.

Archaon: D'you think they'll support our weight?

Gwendolyn: There's only one way to find out.

[Archaon sighs and they get to work.]

Chapter Four
''[As Gwen and Archaon start moving the crates into position, Lorelei uses a large piece of broken metal to shovel the earth out of the red door to reduce the weight of the room. Archaon groans at the exertion and turns to Gwen.]''

Archaon: All right, look. If we're actually gonna do this, I figure we need to stack these things, like, twenty feet high in order to climb out, so no matter how we build it, it's gonna be unstable.

Gwendolyn: Well, only one person has to climb it.

''[Having finished removing the earth, Lorelei pulls the door closed again and walks over to the others. As Gwen looks at her, her eyes widen.]''

Lorelei: Oh, no. I'm kind of awful with heights, so ...

Archaon: So, Gwen goes.

Gwendolyn: What, you're not even gonna consider yourself?

Archaon: Hey! It's heights! I'm probably worse than she is!

[Gwen sighs.]

Gwendolyn: Let's get started.

Archaon: All right.

''[He helps her up onto one of the crates and they start to build. Sometime later Gwen is three layers high. Lorelei strains as she hands another crate up to Archaon who is standing on the first level. He groans and pushes it up to Gwen who settles it in place. All the wood starts to creak ominously.]''

Lorelei: Maybe ... maybe you should come down from there. It sounds like it's ...

[Gwen looks up.]

Gwendolyn: But, I’m so close… I can’t go back now…

''[Ignoring Lorelei’s suggestion, Gwen carefully kneels up and adjusts the last crate. Leaning on it, she cautiously starts to stand. As she straightens up and looks up to the ceiling, the side of one of the crates on the first layer bursts open and the entire structure topples over, throwing Gwen to the floor.]'''

Archaon: [Screaming] Gwen!

[Lorelei hurries over to her as she groans and tries to turn over.]

Lorelei: Easy, easy. You OK?

[Archaon runs by their side and kneels next to Lorelei.]

Archaon: Is she all right?

Gwendolyn: [sitting up and groaning] Oh, that was fun.

Archaon: Look, the bottom level won't hold. The crates aren't strong enough to stack.

Gwendolyn: Yeah, I got that, thanks.

Lorelei: So ...?

[There's another short tremor and the metal of the room begins to creak.]

Gwendolyn: That's not good.

[She stands up, Lorelei helping her.]

Gwendolyn: We need another plan – and quick.

Chapter Five
[Lorelei has found a concertina file in the corner of the room.]

Lorelei: Hey, I got some files here. [She takes out a folder from one of the compartments.] Anyone know how to read Batarian?

[On the other side of the room, Archaon has found something interesting in one of the lockers.]

Archaon: Hello, hello!

Gwendolyn: What have you got?

Archaon: Grappling hook – or at least, something we can use as a grappling hook.

[He brings the metal hooks over to a crate and puts them down on top of it.]

Lorelei: Great! Now all we need is some rope.

Archaon: [looking upwards] OK, just a sec. The ceiling is, like, what, twenty feet?

Gwendolyn: Twenty five?

Archaon: All right, twenty five, so our jackets end to end are five or six feet. We tie those to our shirts, maybe even our pants together. That should be able to get us up there and support our weight.

[Lorelei goes to another locker.]

Gwendolyn: Great!

''[She unzips her jacket and takes it off as Archaon starts tinkering with the grappling hook. She puts the jacket onto the crate. Archaon looks at her with interest as, gazing up at the ceiling, she crosses her arms and starts to lift her shirt upwards. Just as her bra comes into view, Lorelei calls out.]''

Lorelei: Found rope!

''[Smiling, Gwendolyn lowers her shirt down again. Archaon looks disappointed.]''

Lorelei: Rope and lanterns.

Archaon: Oh, good!

Lorelei: More than enough for what we need.

Archaon: Well, nice work!

Lorelei: Thank you!

''[Gwendolyn puts her jacket back on. As Lorelei brings the rope over to the crate, Archaon takes one end of it.]''

Gwendolyn: What are you doing?

Archaon: Well, I'm gonna tie the rope on, toss it up there so you can climb up.

Gwendolyn: I can't do that.

Archaon: Hey, that’s quitter talk.

Gwendolyn: No, I can't climb this. This rope – it's too thin. We need to tie knots in it. I need something to grip onto.

Archaon: Right. [He looks up to the ceiling.] That's a lot of knots.

Gwendolyn: Well, we only need about ... [she squints up to the ceiling] ... thirty feet or so.

Archaon: OK, well, you gals get started on the knotting and I'll read those files.

''[Lorelei frowns at Gwen who shrugs. Walking over to the concertina file, Archaon sees their expressions.]''

Archaon: What? Look, they could contain the code to the door there. Besides, three people can't knot the same rope – and since neither of you know how to read Batarian.

Gwendolyn: Fine! We'll get started.

[She and Lorelei start to untangle the rope to find both ends and then begin tying knots along its length.]

Gwendolyn: Well, wanna play Twenty Questions? I'll let you go first. Animal, vegetable or mineral?

Lorelei: [chuckles] I'm good, thanks.

[Gwen sighs in disappointment.]

Gwendolyn: Ok, here's a better one we can play: Counsilor Valern or Counsilor Sparatus? If you had to choose?

[Lorelei looks thoughtful.]

Lorelei: Mmm, Valern, I guess.

Gwendolyn: Sparatus, all the way. OK, you go. [sees Lorelei hesitating] C'mon Lora, it's fun, it's easy, it passes the time. Any two guys I would know.

Lorelei: OK. [She thinks for a moment.] Uh, Gaven Archer or Padok Wiks?

[Gwen stares at her blankly.]

Lorelei: They're Scientists.

Gwendolyn: [vaguely] Uh-huh.

Lorelei: They were on the extranet news recently. I picked ones you should know.

Gwendolyn: [picking one at random] Uh, Archer, I guess.

[Lorelei grimaces.]

Lorelei: Oh! Wiks, all the way!

Archaon: Are you talking about Padok Wiks? He once stole an idea from me. Did I tell you that story?

Lorelei: Only about a dozen times, Archaon.

Gwendolyn: We're playing “Who Would You Rather ...?” Wanna join us?

Archaon: Uh, “Would You ...”? Sorry, I don't get it.

Gwendolyn: Well, if you had to choose who to fool around with, would it be ... [she thinks for a moment] ... General Victus or Major Kirrahe?

Archaon: [frowning] Uh, neither.

Gwendolyn: Yeah, I know, but if you had to.

Archaon: [still frowning] If I had to. So I'm to choose which one of those guys I would wanna force themselves on me because ...

Lorelei: It's just a dumb game, Archaon. You're not secure enough in your masculinity to play a dumb game?!

[Gwen grins.]

Archaon: Uh, yes, well I think I am, I just ... maybe I should go back to my reading – you know, the one thing that could get us out of here?

''[He turns away, then gazes upwards as he hears distant voices. Unaware of this, Gwen turns back to Lorelei.] ''

Gwendolyn: Victus.

Lorelei: Oh, Absolutely, not even a question.

Archaon: Shut up a sec.

Lorelei: No! We're allowed to talk!

Archaon: No-no-no. I hear something.

[The girls listen and hear the sound of children's voices.]

Archaon: There's someone up there! [He calls out as the girls drop the rope and run over to him and they all look upwards.] Help! We're stuck down here! Hello!

Lorelei: What if the ceiling caves in on them too?

Archaon: Well, we caved through that section – it's been eaten away by rust. The rest of the ceiling looks fine.

Gwendolyn: He's right. As long as they don't fall in the hole, they should be able to get help.

[The children's voices get closer.]

Gwendolyn: [calling out] Hello?

Archaon: [calling out] Help! We're stuck down here! Can you hear us?

[The faces of two young boys appear at the edge of the hole.]

BOY 1: Hello?

Archaon: Oh, thank God!

BOY 2: Who are you?

Gwendolyn: We're visitors. We were on our way to speak to the people of your settlement.

BOY 1: You shouldn't be down there.

Archaon: Yeah, we know! We fell in here by accident.

BOY 2: You all OK?

Archaon: Yeah, yeah, we're fine. We're just stuck. We need some help.

BOY 1: You shouldn't be down there.

Archaon: [annoyed] Yeah, thanks, kid! Like I said, we ...

[Gwen puts her hand on his arm to shut him up, then calls up to the boys.]

Gwendolyn: Go tell your parents. Tell them where we are, that we're stuck and we need help.

[The boys look at each other for a moment, then look down to the team.]

BOY 2: I don't think we can do that.

Archaon: [high pitched voice] What?! Why not?

BOY 1: We're not really supposed to play out here. If our parents find out ...

Gwendolyn: It's OK. I promise you won't get into trouble.

BOY 1: You don't know my father. He'll be very upset.

Gwendolyn: I'll explain the situation to him. It'll be OK.

Lorelei: Please? We're ... hurt. We need help.

BOY 2: Wait a minute. He said you were all OK. I asked him.

Archaon: [angrily] All right. Listen to me, you little brats. I am the oldest here and therefor I am in charge!

[Lorelei puts a hand on his shoulder, trying to stop him.]

Lorelei: Archaon, Archaon ...

Archaon: [taking no notice] You will go back to your parents, you will tell them we need help, or so help me ...

[Gwen grabs his arm to shut him up, then calls up to the boys.]

Gwendolyn: D'you need something? Anything. We can get it for you. If you help us, we'll get you whatever you want.

''[Boy 2 starts to whisper to his friend. Archaon turns to Gwen.]''

Archaon: Oh, yes, good. Great idea, yes.

Gwendolyn: Thanks.

Archaon: Maybe you should show ‘em your, um ...

[He gestures to his own chest.]

Gwendolyn: Excuse me?!

Archaon: Hey, I was once a ten year old boy too! I know what gets their attention!

[He mimes lifting up his shirt and showing his chest to the boys.]

Gwendolyn: Doctor Thrax!

Archaon: What? D'you wanna get out of here or not?!

Gwendolyn: I think we can reason with them without resorting to that, thank you!

Archaon: If you say so.

''[He turns to Lorelei hopefully. She rolls her eyes and looks up to the boys.]''

BOY 1: We're gonna go now. Bye.

[The boys pull back from the hole.]

Lorelei: No! Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait!

[Boy 1's face appears again.]

BOY 1: Uh, good luck.

''[He disappears again. Archaon turns to Gwen in irritation.]''

Archaon: Would it have killed you to show them ...?

Gwendolyn: Stop it, Archaon! It's not gonna happen. [She looks at her watch.] Four hours and fifty minutes.

Archaon: I'm warning you. I mean, I can go crazy down here. Look, ever since the shuttle thing a couple of years ago, I've been very bad with tight spaces.

Gwendolyn: Please, that's nothing. I was stuck in an elevator with engineer Iggins for three hours! Now that's hard.

Archaon: Wait a sec. What are you saying? You don't like Engineer Iggins?

Gwendolyn: No, I just ... It-it was more claustrophobic than this.

Archaon: Yeah, but that's not what you said. You emphasized Engineer Iggins. You said; “being stuck with Engineer Iggins for three hours” – like that was the hard part.

Lorelei: [Frowns towards Gwendolyn] did kinda sound that way.

Gwendolyn: Look ...

Archaon: You can say you don't like him. It's fine! I don't like him!

Lorelei: [Chuckles] Oh, he's certainly a unique guy. [She grimaces briefly at Gwen.] He's always telling me how nice my hair smells – it's a little weird.

Gwendolyn: He's a very good person.

Archaon: Oh, sure-sure-sure-sure! He's the best! You just don't like him.

Gwendolyn: I didn't say that!

Archaon: You didn't have to. I know which one's your favorite now. [He points to himself.]

Gwendolyn: It's not a contest!

Archaon: Everything is a contest, my dear Diomedes.

Gwendolyn: [gesturing to the files] Don't you have some reading to do?

Archaon: There's nothing in there. I mean, there's certainly nothing about the door code.

Gwendolyn: [sighs] So.

Archaon: [shrugs] So?

Lorelei: [disappointed] Back to knotting...

Chapter Six
[Gwen and Lorelei are still knotting.]

Lorelei: James Christianson or Sal Polaris?

Gwendolyn: Ooh! Polaris, I think.

[Archaon is standing nearby.]

Archaon: Christianson, but I would pick Jim Farrel over both of them.

Gwendolyn: [surprised] Hmm!

Archaon: [hurriedly] ... if I was forced to.

Gwendolyn: Uh-huh!

Lorelei: Hey, Archaon. I saw Alexis earlier today. She seemed a little… stressed.

Archaon: Alexis is always stressed.

Lorelei: Are you two still, um ...?

Archaon: Oh. Uh, well, it's kind of messed up now.

Lorelei: Why? What happened?

Archaon: Well, I was gonna propose ...

Gwendolyn: You were?!

Archaon: Yeah, bought her a ring and everything, you know, was gonna ask her and then the quarantine error happened.

Lorelei: What does that have to do with anything?

Archaon: Well, I don't particularly want to go into the details but, you know, I just, I told her that I needed some time for me – you know, it had nothing to do with her; I just – I just needed to figure some stuff out, and now she doesn't wanna speak to me, she's filed for a transfer back to Earth ...

Lorelei: You broke up with her. That's… a break-up.

Archaon: No it isn't.

Gwendolyn: Yeah, you did.

[Lorelei nods her agreement.]

Archaon: No, I said I needed some time for me.

Lorelei: Yeah, code for “I'm not that into you anymore.”

Archaon: But I meant it!

Lorelei: It doesn't matter! You can't almost propose to someone and then take it back. It's a relationship-killer.

Archaon: Oh. Well, I suppose it's for the best. I mean, you know, she deserves to be with someone who would have known that. [He smiles bravely.]

Lorelei: What she deserves is to be with a nice guy, like you.

[Archaon smiles at her gratefully.]

Gwendolyn: [looking at the rope] Hey.

Archaon: What?

Gwendolyn: We're finished.

Archaon: Ooh, finally!

''[Gwen picks up the grappling hook, but Archaon snatches it away from her and walks away with it. Gwen throws up her arms in frustration. Shortly afterwards, Lorelei pushes a crate out of the way as Archaon carries the rope to the area underneath the hole in the ceiling and drops it to the floor, holding the hook in his other hand. As he shakes out the first part of the rope to make sure that it isn't tangled, he looks up as he hears children's voices above him in the distance.]''

BOY'S VOICE: Here! Over here!

Archaon: You guys hear that?

Lorelei: It's the kids! They've come back for us!

Archaon: Oh, I knew they were good kids! I knew it! [Shouting] Down here! I knew you'd come back! Guys?!

''[The ceiling creaks ominously as the two boys walk to the edge of the hole and peer down. A moment later two more boys walk into view.]''

BOY 3: Woah!

BOY 1: See? I told you they were down there!

Gwendolyn: Are your parents up there? Did you bring help?

BOY 2: No. Our friends didn't believe us. We bet them a week's supply of taffa that we were telling the truth.

BOY 4: [indignantly, to Boy 3] See? I told you not to!

Archaon: Where are the adults?

BOY 1: We can't tell them! We'll get in trouble, remember?!

Archaon: Trouble?! You wait ‘til I get out of here, you little brats! I'll show you what trouble is!

''[Archaon starts to glow blue as he powers up his biotics. The kids move away from the hole, then the room begins to shake.]''

Lorelei: Tremor! We're moving!

''[The three of them run to the side of the room and cling onto crates as the floor begins to tilt. Under the floor, some of the struts begin to buckle.]''

Gwendolyn: We're tilting over!

''[The tremor subsides. The floor is now tilted about 25 degrees towards the red door.]''

Lorelei: It's stopped.

Gwendolyn: The super-structure under this room must have buckled.

Archaon: One more tremor and this whole chamber's gonna fall into the chasm.

Chapter Seven
''[Gwen has lit some of the lanterns she found earlier and Lorelei helps her hang them up around the room. In the middle of the floor, Archaon is experimentally swinging the grappling hook around on the rope.]''

Gwendolyn: Uh, d'you want me to do that?

Archaon: No, I can do it. [He catches the hook.]

Gwendolyn: Uh, well, it's just, have you ever done anything like this before?

Archaon: What, like you have?

Gwendolyn: Yes, actually, I have, a bunch of times.

Archaon: Yeah? [Unconvincingly] Well, I mean, so have I. You know, missions and such.

Gwendolyn: OK.

Archaon: You should probably, uh ...

''[Taking the hint, Gwen moves away from him. Lorelei takes a moment longer to realize what he's talking about, but then he gestures to the far wall.]''

Lorelei: Oh, right.

[She joins Gwen at the wall in front of Archaon.]

Archaon: All right. [He checks that he has enough free rope to swing, and looks up at the hole in the ceiling.] All right.

''[He swings the hook around three times and throws it. The hook flies straight across the room and smashes into the wall near Gwen's head, who ducks out of the way. Sparks fly off the wall as the hook crashes against the metal.]''

Gwendolyn: [indignantly] Archaon!

Archaon: Sorry. Sorry.

Gwendolyn: You just about took my head off!

Archaon: Yeah, but I didn't mean to. It ... slipped.

[Gwen picks up the hook and walks into the middle of the floor.]

Gwendolyn: Let me do it.

Archaon: [trying to take the hook off her] I can do it.

Gwendolyn: Apparently you can't.

Archaon: I can do it. Just don't stand in front of me ...

[He looks at Lorelei, who smiles nervously.]

Archaon: ... or behind me.

''[Shrugging, Gwen lets him take the hook and moves to the side of him, taking cover behind a crate. Lorelei trots over to join her.]''

Archaon: OK. Oh ... Ok.

''[He swings the hook three times and hurls it. This time it goes upwards, but doesn't get as far as the hole. It crashes down again. Archaon looks at it in exasperation, then turns to the girls.]''

Archaon: See? Almost there.

''[Lorelei nods while Gwen is looking impatiently at him. He goes over to the hook which has landed on top of a large metal pipe which runs through the room. One of the prongs has embedded itself into the pipe.]''

Lorelei: [encouragingly] You'll get it.

''[Archaon tugs the hook off the pipe, leaving a large hole in it where the prong had been. Unseen by him, colorless gas begins to flow out of the hole.]''

Lorelei: You can do this. This is the one. I can feel it – this is the one.

''[Archaon swings the hook three times and hurls it upwards. It still doesn't reach the hole and falls down again. As it lands on top of the pipe, sparks fly and the gas ignites. The blast sends Archaon flying. Lorelei runs to get as far away as possible from the plume of flame spurting out of the pipe, but Gwen heads towards it.]''

Lorelei: What are you doing?!

Gwendolyn: Stay there!

''[She puts her hand on a metal wheel near the pipe, but snatches it back again when she finds that it's already to hot to hold. Seeing no other alternative, she grabs the metal wheel, screaming in agony as she turns it. The gas cuts off and the flames die down. Lorelei runs over to Archaon.]''

Lorelei: Anything hurt?

Archaon: Just my pride.

Lorelei: [smiling] That'll heal.

''[Gwendolyn tries to release her hands from the metal wheel, but the heat has melted her skin on it. As she removes her hand from the wheel, bits and pieces of skin tear off and stick to the metal surface of the hot wheel, revealing the cybernetic exoskeleton under it. When completely lose she checks if everything still works by opening and closing her hands repeatedly.]''

Lorelei: [walking towards Gwen] How about you?

Gwendolyn: I think the nerves around my hands died. I can’t feel them anymore.

Lorelei: Let my take a look.

Gwendolyn: There’s no time. I’ll be fine.

''[Gwen walks and picks up the grappling hook, using a much shorter length of rope, whirls the hook around five times before hurling it upwards. The hook flies up and out of the hole and lands on the ground up there.]''

Lorelei: You did it!

Archaon: [trying and failing to sound enthusiastic] Oh, great!

[Gwen wraps the rope around her wrist and tugs down hard on it.]

Gwendolyn: All right, here goes nothing.

''[Slowly she puts her full weight onto the rope. The hook promptly tears free and falls back into the hole, dragging a load of dirt and grass down with it. Gwen runs out of the way until everything has finished falling, then walks back into the middle of the floor.]''

Gwendolyn: Damnit!

''[She picks up the hook, swings it five times and hurls it upwards. Again it soars out of the hole. Lorelei smiles. Archaon doesn't look so happy that Gwen has again succeeded where he failed. Gwen tugs on the rope again, but as soon as she puts her full weight onto it, it again tears free and plummets back down, bringing another load of dirt and grass down.]''

Gwendolyn: There's no way the hook can grab onto that soil.

[Lorelei looks down at the rope ruefully.]

Lorelei: All those knots.

Gwendolyn: Well, we had to try. Any other ideas?

''[Archaon looks around, then clicks his fingers several times as he has an idea. He points up to a rectangular grid of metal beams suspended about ten feet above their heads.]''

Archaon: See those beams up there? We use the rope to get up there. That buys us at least ten feet, then we build a bridge – a bridge using ... [he looks around the floor] ... using these.

[He picks up one of three wooden planks lying on the floor and drags it across to the girls.]

Archaon: Stack a couple of crates, we're gold, and we got that high before.

Gwendolyn: Yeah, but I don't think these are long enough to span the distance between these two beams.

Archaon: So we find a hammer and nails.

Gwendolyn: Sure – why not just add a jet pack and a trampoline to that list?

Archaon: It is possible to find a hammer and nails.

[He starts to search through the lockers.]

Lorelei: We've been over the room pretty thoroughly.

Archaon: [plaintively] But there's gotta be hammer and nails.

Lorelei: Well, even if we found them ... --

Archaon: [interrupts] Look, we just have to build a bridge.

Gwendolyn: Wait a second, wait a second. That bar bet.

Lorelei: Sorry?

Gwendolyn: That dumb trick you do to get free beer.

''[Lorelei frowns and shakes her head at Archaon. He looks equally blank and turns to Gwendolyn.]''

Archaon: We don't know what you're talking about.

Chapter Eight
''[Gwendolyn has found three equally sized metal pots and has placed them upside down onto a crate in a triangle shape. She has also found (or taken from their packs) three knives.]''

Gwendolyn: The bet goes like this; using these three knives and without moving these three cups, you need to build a bridge that can support another cup's weight.

[Archaon looks exasperated and glances at Lorelei before turning back to Gwen.]

Archaon: We don't have another cup.

Gwendolyn: Well, whatever. [She picks up a small role of tape.] We'll use this. OK, now, see ...

[She puts the handle of one of the knives onto one of the “cups” and shows that the blade won't reach the next cup.]

Gwendolyn: Just like our boards, just a little too short to span the space between the two beams there.

''[She gestures upwards. Archaon looks up, then everyone looks nervous as the room creaks loudly.]''

Archaon: OK, you know what? We're geniuses, we can probably figure it out, but a little under the gun, so ...

Gwendolyn: OK.

''[She starts to put the knives into position on top of the cups, resting the blade of each on one cup each and pointing the handles into the middle of the triangle. The handles meet and overlap. She carefully interlaces them so that they lock together and support each other, then takes the plastic roll of tape and stands it on top. Immediately Archaon walks away and gazes up at the beams thoughtfully, while Lorelei walks over to the wooden planks. Gwendolyn turns and smiles at them smugly.]''

Gwendolyn: You owe me a beer, by the way.

Archaon: Hey, if this works, I'll buy you a keg.

Chapter Nine
''[They're putting Gwendolyn’s plan into action. Gwen is standing on one of the narrow metal beams and is keeping herself upright by hanging onto the cable which suspends one of the electric lights from the ceiling. A rope has been slung over the beam and Lorelei is hauling on one end which has one of their backpacks tied to it to add weight. One of the wooden planks is tied to the other end and Archaon is guiding it as Lorelei hauls it upwards. As the plank reaches the beam and turns horizontal, Gwen carefully crouches down and aims it in the right direction. Shortly afterwards, Archaon has tied another of their backpacks onto the end of another rope and tosses the pack up and over a second beam. Lorelei has nervously climbed up onto the beam and, clinging onto an upright, cautiously stands up as Archaon drags another plank across the floor. Gwen is busy tying the back end of her plank to her beam. Later again, Archaon is up on a third beam and is hauling the third plank up to him. Straining with the effort, the three of them lean onto the ends of their planks to bring them up horizontal and laboriously struggle to interlock the ends together. Finally they succeed and Gwen, hanging onto the electric cable for support, tentatively puts the weight of her front foot onto the bridge and gently bounces it a couple of times. It holds.]''

''[A little later, Gwen is standing in the middle of the bridge. Lorelei stands with one foot on the bridge and the other on the beam while Archaon is back on the ground and is straining to lift the large crate which the girls are pulling up with ropes. The crate rises above Archaon's hands and he watches as the girls haul it the rest of the way and place it in the middle of the bridge. They pull up a smaller crate and put it on top of the other one. As Lorelei stands on the beam and Gwen steps up onto the lower crate, her head is only a couple of feet below the hole in the ceiling. Everything creaks ominously. Lorelei backs away on her beam.]''

Lorelei: Maybe this wasn't such a good idea, Gwen.

''[Gwen looks up. There's a horrendous cracking sound somewhere in the woodwork.]''

Archaon: Gwendolyn, Gwendolyn! Listen, I know I have a reputation for being overly pessimistic, but I really think you should come down right now before it all collapses.

''[Gwen looks down at him, then slowly starts to straighten up. The wood creaks again.]''

Gwendolyn: But I’m so close…

Archaon: Gwen. Gwen, just head back.

Gwendolyn: I'm almost there.

''[She reaches up to the edge of the hole, putting her knee onto the top crate. Just then, with irritating bad timing, another tremor starts.]''

Lorelei: Oh no!

''[She lets go of the electric cable and heads for the relative safety of a metal upright. In the middle of the bridge, the planks snap and the crates, with Gwen, plunge downwards. She crashes into the middle of the splintering wood.]''

Lorelei: Gwen!

[Archaon races over to Gwen as she lies on her back groaning.]

Archaon: Don't move! Don't move!

''[He looks up to make sure that nothing else is going to fall on her. Lorelei climbs down a rope and hurries over to Gwen as she continues to groan.]''

Lorelei: Let me see.

''[She starts to check her over. Gwen wails as Lorelei touches her leg.]''

Lorelei: Your right leg has bent.

Gwendolyn: We're in trouble now, aren't we?

Archaon: [Worried] No, we'll be fine. We just, uh ... we'll be fine.

Chapter Ten
[Lorelei has rolled up Gwen's trouser leg and has fetched her medical kit.]

Lorelei: OK. [She looks at Archaon.] Will you help me?

[Archaon nods.]

Lorelei: OK. One hand here, on her knee ...

''[Archaon puts his hand in place. Lorelei pulls Gwen's sock down a little. Gwen grunts in pain.]''

Lorelei: ... one hand down here near her ankle. Keep it steady.

[As Archaon takes Gwen's ankle with his other hand, Lorelei looks at her.]

Lorelei: You're not gonna like this, but I've got to take your boot off.

Gwendolyn: [her voice full of dread] Yeah, I thought you might.

''[Archaon grimaces at the look of pain on Gwen's face. Lorelei unlaces her boot. Gwen grimaces as she braces herself.]''

Lorelei: OK. Here it comes.

''[As carefully as she can, she pulls the boot off. Gwen yelps in pain.]''

Lorelei: OK.

[She pulls the sock off.]

Lorelei: Ok, Gwenny. Tell me when you can feel my finger on the bottom of your foot.

Gwendolyn: OK.

[Lorelei gently presses her finger against the sole of Gwen's foot about halfway up.]

Gwendolyn: Yep. Yeah.

[Lorelei moves her finger to the other side just under the ball of the foot.]

Lorelei: Here?

Gwendolyn: Yeah.

Lorelei: OK.

[She looks around and finds her backpack, then looks at Archaon.]

Lorelei: Can you help me get my backpack?

Archaon: OK.

[As they move towards the backpacks, Archaon walks over to her.]

Archaon: [quietly] Look, how bad is she?

Lorelei: [quietly] Well, it's not so bad. She still has feeling in her foot, so there doesn't seem to be any nerve damage, but the dent's pretty severe ... which means there may very well be internal bleeding and I don’t have the equipment with me to scan through the metal.

Archaon: Yeah, but that's ... I mean, that's bad, isn't it?

Lorelei: Well, it's not particularly good, no. I mean, I would need to get her under a propper scanner.

Archaon: Why not just give her some medigel. Get it over with.

Lorelei: Because then the healing will be around the dent, meaning if we unbent it we’ll just make it worse again.

Archaon: Right. OK, worst case scenario: she's bleeding internally. How long has she got before she ... before it becomes very serious?

Lorelei: An hour.

Archaon: Oh, boy.

Lorelei: Come on.

[She leads him back to Gwen.]

Gwendolyn: So, what? An hour before internal bleeding becomes a problem?

Archaon: How did you ...?

Gwendolyn: It doesn’t take two people to get a backpack, Archaon.

[Lorelei unzips her kit and hands a blister pack of pills to Gwen.]

Lorelei: Here's some ibuprofen.

Archaon: Ibuprofen?! That's the strongest thing you've got?!

Lorelei: It's all I have in this basic kit – although from this point on I think I'm making morphine mandatory ... [she glances up at the ceiling] ... as well as maybe a grappling gun.

[Gwen is chewing on the tablets as Lorelei looks through the backpack]

Gwendolyn: No, I wouldn't take the morphine. Gotta keep a clear head. We still have to figure out a way out of here – at least, one of us does. Chances are pretty slim that I'm gonna climb out. Ow.

Archaon: Yeah, well, the crates are out.

Gwendolyn: Yeah.

Archaon: [to Gwendolyn] Hey, but if you've got anymore idea, feel free.

Lorelei: Archaon! She came up with the bar trick thing, I think she did enough. Why don’t you think of something for a change.

Gwendolyn: besides, it didn't work out so well, so I think I'll just leave it to the pro’s.

[He looks hopefully at Gwen.]

Gwendolyn: Sorry, Archaon. All my energy's focused on not screaming in agony.

Archaon: Wonderful! OK, well, the grappling hook didn't work because the hook wouldn't hold our weight in the soil; the crates didn't work because Gwen was too heavy ...

[Gwen turns her head and looks at him indignantly.]

Archaon: Oh, well, we all would've been – I mean our weight in general. Nothing to do with you, you just .. I mean, you're in very good shape, seriously. You have like, uh, the perfect body.

[Lorelei, who had wandered off to find something to use as a pillow for Gwen's head, comes back and squats down beside her, glaring up at Archaon darkly.]

Archaon: Oh, not that you don't. Oh, no, no-no, I realize that your bodies are different and-and-and, uh, uh, maybe that would mean that I think that your body is imperfect, but that is not the case. No, no-no, far, far, far from it. That is a sweet ... uh, which is to say, I mean, it would be impossible for me to choose which of you ...

Gwendolyn: [chuckles] Rest assured, you're never gonna have to.

Lorelei: Aw, if we'd kept quiet, I bet he would’ve gone on like that forever.

Archaon: OK, I'm sorry. [He gestures towards Lorelei.] What it mean is that you have ... [makes an hourglass gesture with his hands]

Gwendolyn: Archaon!

[He stops and looks at her.]

Gwendolyn: Stay on topic.

Archaon: Right, right, OK. Uh, where was I? Uh, all right, look.

[He goes over to a metal pole leaning against the wall and brings it back to them.]

Archaon: If we can get this rod up there, attach the rope to it, it'll lay across the hole, support our weight. We don't have to worry about the soil.

Lorelei: You were barely able to get the grappling hook up there.

Archaon: Barely?! Were you not watching? It was ...

Gwendolyn: It's just that it's a lot heavier than the grappling hook.

Archaon: So, we ...

[He looks around for inspiration and finds it as he spots the gas pipe.]

Archaon: Detonator. I need a detonator.

Chapter Eleven
[Archaon switches on a detonator and puts it into the end of a large thick pipe which he has found.]

Archaon: First you fix the detonator in the bottom of the tube.

[He picks up the tube.]

Archaon: OK. Now ...

''[He takes it across to the gas pipe where Lorelei has wrapped some cloth around the hole in the pipe, leaving the hole open. He stands the tube up on top of the material and Lorelei takes the tube from him, supporting its weight while holding it in place.]''

Archaon: ... we have to seal the bottom of the tube around the gas leak, like so.

''[He picks up some more cloth and wraps it around the bottom of the tube to form a seal. He then goes and collects a couple of pieces of metal rod which he has taped together. He has also tied the end of a rope to it. He takes it over to the tube which is pointing up towards the hole in the ceiling. Lorelei is packing some more cloth into the top of the tube.]''

Archaon: All right, so, put the wadding and the rod into the barrel, and then gently create a seal.

[Lorelei hands him some more cloth.]

Archaon: Don't pack it too tight, otherwise we've got ourselves a pipe bomb, but if we play it right ...

[He and Lorelei push the rest of the cloth into the tube.]

Archaon: ... our very own cannon.

Lorelei: You really think this is gonna work?

Archaon: It should.

[Lorelei finishes pushing the cloth into the tube, then steps back and looks at Archaon.]

Lorelei: You can build a cannon, just like that?

Archaon: Please! I've got access to pressurized gas. It's a cinch! You should have seen my Grade Six science project. I actually had to ...

[Gwen, now sitting up against the wall, sighs tiredly.]

Gwendolyn: Archaon.

Archaon: Right. OK. Yeah.

''[He and Lorelei move behind the tube. She squats down behind it, holding the bottom of it, and, closing one eye, sights up the length of it to make sure it's pointing towards the hole in the ceiling.]''

Archaon: All right. Ready?

''[She nods. Archaon turns the wheel to release the gas into the tube for several seconds, then turns it off again.]''

Archaon: All right. OK. And ... are we ready?

[Being so close to the tube, Lorelei looks really nervous and can't help but shake her head, but then turns it into a nod.]

Lorelei: Ready.

[Archaon takes out the trigger from his pocket.]

Archaon: Fire in the hole.

''[He presses the trigger and there's an explosion inside the tube. The metal rod soars upwards, trailing the rope behind it, and disappears out of the hole in the ceiling. The rope, secured to a crate at the other end, reaches the end of its length and the rod drops to the ground outside.]''

Archaon: Nice aim!

Gwendolyn: Nice cannon!

''[Archaon goes over to the bottom end of the rope and unties it from the crate. Walking underneath the hole he begins to pull the rope and rod back towards the hole. Lorelei takes hold of the very end of the rope. Soil gets dragged in and falls on his head. He moves out of the way and continues pulling the rope in. Even more earth and grass starts tumbling in until it's like a small avalanche.]''

Gwendolyn: Uh, Archaon? You should stop. There's too much dirt coming in. The room's gonna get too heavy.

Archaon: I've almost got it!

''[As he keeps pulling, more earth cascades into the room. The metal begins to groan and, underneath the room, the stilts underneath the red door buckle. One of them cracks and breaks and the room tilts to about forty five degrees. Lorelei loses her balance and tumbles towards the red door, which swings open under her weight and she falls through and drops into the chasm, screaming. However, she's still holding onto the rope and it breaks her fall about twenty feet below the room. Archaon clings onto the other end.]''

Gwendolyn: Lorelei!

Lorelei: Down here! Archaon, don't let go!

''[Wide-eyed, Archaon has his arm wrapped around a metal upright and struggles to hold Lorelei's weight. Gwen pushes a crate out of her way and drags herself across the floor to the doorway. She hauls herself into the doorway and looks down at Lorelei dangling below her.]''

Lorelei: Archaon, don't let go!

Gwendolyn: Archaon?

Archaon: Gwen, I can't hold it.

Gwendolyn: Yes, you can!

[Archaon whimpers.]

Archaon: No, no, I've never been good at holding heavy things. I had an old lady's grocery cart when I was in college; it's one of the reasons I didn't date as much as I could have!

Gwendolyn: Stay focused! You need to pull her up!

Archaon: Oh, really?! I was just getting used to the idea of not letting go here!

Gwendolyn: She can't hang here forever, Archaon!

Archaon: Well, help me!

Gwendolyn: Help you? I can't even stand up. You're gonna have to pull her up on your own.

''[Realizing that he can't do that with one arm wrapped around the metal upright, Archaon reluctantly lets go and moves away from it. Lorelei drops another few feet, squealing. Straining, he starts to slowly haul her in.]''

Lorelei: Hang on, wait a minute, don't pull me up!

[She has managed to calm down a little and is looking around the chasm.]

Archaon: What?! Why?

Lorelei: I see light!

Archaon: No-no-no-no-no! Don't go towards the light! You wanna stay in the land of the living!

Lorelei: No! Daylight! There's a mineshaft down there. I see daylight!

Gwendolyn: Of course! Just like the ones on the other side of the mine. We should have thought of that.

Archaon: [straining to support Lorelei's weight] Guys, what do you want me to do? What do I do?!

Lorelei: Lower me!

Archaon: What?! Lower you?!

Lorelei: It's about ten feet away. I just need to swing over.

Archaon: If the mineshaft is harder to get out of than this chamber ...

Gwendolyn: We've already lost our exit, Archaon.

Archaon: What?

''[He looks up. The hole in the ceiling is completely covered in earth. It must have tilted so far over that it has become buried in the soil.]''

Lorelei: I'll take my chances. Just lower me. I can't hold on forever.

Archaon: [groaning] You and me both.

''[Slowly he starts to lower her down. After she has gone down several feet, she calls out.]''

Lorelei: OK, good, stop.

Archaon: [grimacing against the strain] Gladly.

''[Lorelei starts to pendulum her body so that she swings back and forth. Gwen calls back encouragingly to Archaon.]''

Gwendolyn: You're doing great, Archaon. You're doing just great.

Archaon: No, great is a beach with a fibrotic hook-up. This is complete agony.

''[Lorelei swings towards the mineshaft again and manages to grab hold of a pipe on the wall. She pulls herself into the shaft and lets go of the rope. Archaon flies backwards and crashes to the floor.]''

Lorelei: I made it!

Archaon: [sitting up] You could have warned me!

[Lorelei goes a little way along the shaft and looks along it, then comes back to the opening and calls up.]

Lorelei: This thing leads straight out! It's a nice steady slope! Come on, you guys, you've gotta get down here!

[Gwen turns to Archaon.]

Gwendolyn: You go.

Archaon: What? No way.

Gwendolyn: There's no way I'm gonna be able to lower myself.

Archaon: You won't have to. I'll lower you.

Gwendolyn: Archaon… your hands.

''[He looks down at his hands. They're shaking with the strain they've been under, and his palms are covered with blood from rope burns.]''

Archaon: Look, I'm not leaving you behind. Come on – I'll make you a seat.

Chapter Twelve
''[Archaon has made a bosun's chair from rope and Gwen is in it and slowly descending into the chasm. Up in the room, Archaon has flung the rope around a metal upright and it is taking most of the weight as he slowly lowers Gwen downwards. She can't help but groan as she jerks downwards. Archaon too is groaning with the effort and the pain in his hands, even though he has wrapped some material around them to protect them a little. Finally Gwen calls up.]''

Gwendolyn: OK, that's good! Stop!

Archaon: Stopping!

''[He and Gwen have thought about how to get her to the mineshaft and she is holding another length of rope. She tosses one end towards Lorelei, who catches it.]''

Lorelei: OK.

[She starts to pull Gwen towards her.]

Lorelei: [calling up to Archaon] Almost there! Just give me a few more feet of slack!

''[Gwen manages to grab hold of the pipe on the wall and Lorelei pulls her the last few feet until she's sitting on the floor of the shaft. Lorelei calls up.]''

Lorelei: OK, I've got her!

[Gasping with relief, Archaon drops the rope.]

Lorelei: You're up, Archaon!

[Leaning over against the 45 degree tilt of the room, Archaon sags with exhaustion.]

Archaon: Oh great! Great! You know, I was just thinking what would be awesome would be more physical exertion!

Chapter Thirteen
[Archaon has tied a rope to the metal upright and has climbed down until he is level with the mineshaft.]

Lorelei: Come on. Now start swinging.

''[With his back to her, Archaon grimaces. He is shaking with pain and weariness.]''

Lorelei: Archaon, you have to use your body and start swinging. Come on, you're so close.

Archaon: No, I've given everything I've got to get this far.

Lorelei: So that's it, then? You're quitting? You're just gonna die there on the rope?

Archaon: [starting to get irritated] No. No, I'm just taking a little rest.

[Above him, unseen by anyone, the part of the rope bent at ninety degrees over the lip of the doorway begins to fray.]

Archaon: [plaintively] You know, I might ... be like a real-life action star, kinda.

Lorelei: What?

Archaon: You know: shooting guns, running around, saving people. [He grimaces in pain.] You think I'd be ... you think this'd be easy for me now. You think I'd be, like, super-buff by now.

Lorelei: Hey, come on, Superman, start swinging.

Archaon: Just a second more.

[He closes his eyes to gather his strength, but they snap open a moment later as the room above him begins to creak loudly.]

Archaon: OK. Break's over.

''[Just then, another tremor. soil and rock begin to tumble past the opening of the room, falling on top of Archaon. Seconds later the room lets go and plunges on its way to the bottom of the chasm. A blue haze envelopes Archaon and he lets go of the rope, quickly slamming his hands together to create a shockwave that propels him towards Lorelei. She grabs him and they both fall to the ground, barely missing Gwen’s broken leg.]''

Archaon: [Sighs.] That was close.

[Lorelei nods in agreement.]

Lorelei: OK. C'mon. [She looks around at Gwen, then turns back to Archaon.] You need to help me.

[They clamber to their feet and help Gwen up.]

Epilogue
''[The Aegina’s Infirmary. Archaon and Lorelei are sitting side by side on the edge of a bed. Lorelei has had her hands bandaged and is looking at a report being held for her by Scott while Valevoss is finishing off bandaging Archaon's hands.]''

Lorelei: Looks good. OK, thank you.

[Scott walks away.]

Archaon: [To Valevoss] How's Private Diomedes?

Valevoss: She's gonna be OK. It’s easier fixing her leg then a real one. And it’s Corporal Diomedes now.

Archaon: [Surprised] oh?

Valevoss: Yeah, for her willingness to sacrifice herself and ability to stay focused under pain, Commander Marachuk saw fit to promote her… There. You’re all set.

''[Valevoss finishes dressing Archaon's hands. Lorelei smiles at him as he walks away.]''

Lorelei: Thank you. [Reassures Archaon.] She's gonna be fine. How're you doing?

Archaon: I'd like to take a bath in whatever magical ointment they just put on my hands, ‘cause they're the only thing that doesn't hurt. It's not gonna scar, is it?

Lorelei: [Pauses] Chicks dig scars. [Nods]

Archaon: Not the chicks I dig.

Lorelei: You're gonna be fine.

[Archaon nods, not totally convinced.]

Lorelei: Thanks, by the way.

Archaon: [confused] For what?

Lorelei: You saved my life. If you'd let go ...

Archaon: Ah, you're welcome. Right, well, I'm going back to my room, steal one of Greer’s foot long sandwiches underway, curl up in the fetal position, and sleep for the next three days.

Lorelei: Oh, well, not quite yet.

Archaon: Hmm?

Lorelei: You still owe Gwen a beer from the bar trick thing earlier. You couldn't figure it out, so ...

Archaon: Well, you didn’t find out either, and there was no time! I would have figured it out… eventually!

Lorelei: Yeah, well, eventually chimps would have been able to figure it out.

Archaon: I don't remember ever agreeing to the beer!

Lorelei: [impatient] Archaon.

Archaon: What?

Lorelei: D'you wanna have a drink with me or not?

[Archaon stares at her in surprise.]

Archaon: What – you wanna have a drink?

[Lorelei looks at him, smiling.]

Lorelei: You're not very good at this, are you?

Archaon: Uh, no. No, I'm not.

[She laughs.]

Lorelei: C'mon.

[They hop down off the bed and leave the room.]

Behind the Scenes

 * Originally this novel was titled "Trapped", but was changed mid-production to "The Hole" to emphasize more on their exit.
 * In the original (unrevised) script, there was a scene where Lorelei discribed the debilitating stages of dehidration, which was later cut duo to several contridicting factors.
 * Their radio's (although severely diminished) still worked.
 * The room destabelized faster then the dehidration could set in.
 * A rescue team would be sent within 6 hours if they didn't report back.