Arc 2 Episode 12
JEANNE
What am I going to do with you?
NOVA
Is this a genuine question or are you doing that thing again?
JEANNE
You didn’t tell me you were already dead.
NOVA
(beat, then abruptly)
We’re not doing this.
HATOV
Nova, what does she mean by—
JEANNE
(Annoyed)
You don’t get to decide that.
NOVA
Fuck off, Jeanne.
HATOV
Can somebody explain what’s going on?
JEANNE
(long pause)
You didn’t tell him.
NOVA
He doesn’t need to know. Aren’t you always going on about being particular about who gets what information?
JEANNE
You’re babying him.
NOVA
(annoyed)
What’s he going to do about it?
JEANNE
He needs to know the stakes.
HATOV
Nova?
JEANNE
You’re treating him exactly how Alula treated you.
Nova makes a small choking sound and a long pause
NOVA
Fuck.
(long pause) Shit, dammit. (frustrated) Look, there’s nothing you can do, Galaxy Eyes. We’re (beat, sighs) we’re just brushing against some time constraints. I left behind, there was just (beat) there was too much blood, I left behind enough for the G.U. to track my bio-signal.
HATOV
Wait, what do you
NOVA
I knew it was a possibility after I got stabbed, I just (beat) I prioritized getting the package out of range.
HATOV
You mean me
NOVA
Yes, I mean you. But, I wasn’t sure how far they’d be willing to go. From what we know, that sort of tracking is expensive and difficult and there was a chance they weren’t going to waste all that time and money on (beat) hunting me down, so I didn’t think it was worth mentioning.
HATOV
(beat)
But it is, now.
NOVA
Yeah, because they’re going to do it.
HATOV
(beat)
How does the tracking work?
NOVA
(beat) uhm (beat) we don’t know
HATOV
(incredulously)
What?
JEANNE
All that information is in the Sunorix database. Unless you can get a true Galactic Union tablet, code, necklace, and stay within range long enough to find and access the data you need, you’re not getting it. A lot of people had to die for us to even get the timetable.
HATOV
So, people have been to the Sunorix before, it can be done?
Very long pause
NOVA
Not exactly, they well, they aimed for the planet the Sunorix is orbiting and well…it didn’t work and after that, the ones who escaped, they died often enough for us to pick up the pattern
HATOV
Oh
NOVA
It’s not (beat) immediate (beat) I have seven months to make this work, eight if I’m lucky.
JEANNE
So, now is the time to choose. What are you going to do? Who gets to kill you?
HATOV
(desperately)
Wait, but isn’t she valuable? She’s one of your best InCos right? Can’t you just—
JEANNE
She’s going to die, Hatov.
HATOV
But—
NOVA
It’s fine, Pretty Boy, it’s just (sighs)
HATOV
But Jeanne
JEANNE
Shut up. Nova, decide.
NOVA
(beat)
Jeanne, I want to make a deal.
JEANNE
(long pause)
You sure?
NOVA
That’s why you started this conversation in the first place, isn’t it? To discuss terms?
JEANNE
What do you have?
NOVA
Use me.
JEANNE
Already am
NOVA
No, you’re not. You’ve been trying to keep me alive, well, that’s out the fucking window. Use me.
JEANNE
What you mean is help you.
NOVA
(harsh laugh)
We both know you don’t do that. Use me, because unless Alula really did have a code in that diary, the information I need is on the Sunorix. And you want this to work as much as I do.
JEANNE
(sighs)
Remember when you promised me you wouldn’t die?
NOVA
I’m trying Jeanne, it may not look like it, but I’m genuinely trying. I’m finding reasons, I’m making things to look forward to, even Eolara, if I can just get there.
JEANNE
But that’s not why you want to go.
NOVA
Does it matter?
JEANNE
Alula would be upset that you threw away your life chasing after her this way.
NOVA
You don’t get to tell me how she’d feel about shit.
JEANNE
(sighs)
Alright, deal.
HATOV
Wait, what just happened.
JEANNE
I’m going to try to find that planet of yours Hatov.
HATOV
(long pause)
Really? That seems (beat) wrong.
JEANNE
I’m not doing it for free.
HATOV
Oh, well, how much do I (beat) uhm, owe you?
JEANNE
What?
HATOV
How much do I have to pay you?
JEANNE
Hatov, how much is a dead body?
HATOV
Ehm
JEANNE
It takes 200 imperial and a seedy deal to hide a corpse. If you sell the organs you can make a couple thousand. How much do you think the corpse of the girl I’ve raised and trained is worth? Because it’s a damn bit higher than my ship. If I was going to charge you, you wouldn’t be able to pay.
HATOV
(beat)
I’m very sorry.
JEANNE
You should be.