5
EXT STEAMER SHIP - “Head to Fill”
A large horn blares on the deck of a large steamer ship. ZERO boards the gangway but is stopped by a large sailor.
SAILOR
Passport? Thank you. Passport Mister?
ZERO hands the sailor a silver coin. The sailor bites it, making a loud ‘ping’ sound.
SAILOR
Thank you.
ZERO makes his way to the stern of the ship. Another ‘ping’ is made behind him. He looks over the railing out onto the water as the horn sounds again. The ship begins to move and ZERO lights up a cigarette.
The floorboards creak and ZERO whips around drawing his pistol. It’s a woman in a nun’s habit. Her eyes shimmer an opaque white.
CASSANDRA
Zero, I don’t believe we’ve been introduced. My name is Cassandra.
ZERO
You’re one of Janus’ soothsayers.
CASSANDRA
Correct. There has been a change of plans.
ZERO
How could there be a change of plans? We spoke only a few hours ago.
CASSANDRA
It has hours been for you. We sent you here months ago. In that time there has been some... restructuring. The Administrator is no longer overseeing Revisions. Janus is in complete control now.
ZERO
Good for him.
CASSANDRA
Your original mission still stands, however there is an additional target.
ZERO
I agreed to take out one scientist for the greater good. Now Janus wants me to kill more people? I thought that was against the time travel rules.
CASSANDRA
You are right, it is for the greater good. And you know that one life for all of humanity is a reasonable trade. Why not more to make the world an even better place?
ZERO
How many more are we talking about?
CASSANDRA
Moscow.
ZERO
The entire city? How many thousands is that?
CASSANDRA
196,716,000
ZERO
And for what? Our time is fine the way it is. I am going to stop Dr.Schoppenhaur and history will be fixed.
CASSANDRA
Our time is not perfect. We are still at war. Our mission has stopped the Germans from getting the bomb, but now we must stop the Russians.
ZERO
Who’s next? When will it end?
CASSANDRA
Our calculations show that a targeted strike from German forces on Russia would dissuade world powers from using nuclear technology.
ZERO
You ran the numbers and determined two hundred thousand deaths was acceptable?
CASSANDRA
You forget that we have all of history at our disposal. Our network can see into all paths and their ends.
ZERO
Could you see me rejecting this mission?
CASSANDRA
This encounter had a low possibility of success. But it will not be the last.
CASSANDRA raises her arms and leans back over the railing.
ZERO
Wait!
ZERO reaches out in vain to grab her as she falls overboard. He looks down at the ocean but sees no sign of her, no ripples or trace she was ever there.
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