INT. OPPORTUNITY – BRIG – LATE AFTERNOON

Groaning, Tanya cracks her eyes open. She lies face down on a hard, thin bed that juts from the wall. Wincing in the bright and sterile light, she slowly sits up. Eager, Blitz nudges her hand with his nose.

The cell is small, containing two beds. Blue bars of light block off the cell from a narrow hall. Tanya shares the cell with another woman, PRINCESS ESMERALDA.

Stoically, Esmeralda sits on her bed, her back straight and pressed against the wall. She stares blankly ahead, her mouth a tight line. Her dress is medieval finery with trailing sleeves. A jeweled circlet sits upon her brow.

Across the hall, in another cell, ROURKE, sits cross-legged on his bed, watching Tanya. He plays absently with a coin, flipping it into the air and catching it.

Tanya checks all of her pockets and finds her few belongings gone. Beating his tail against the floor, Blitz rests his head on her knee. She ruffles the dog's fur.

ROURKE
What is that?

He points to Blitz. For a long time, Tanya merely looks at him, frowning. Slowly, she gets up from the bed, approaching the bars.

ROURKE
Don’t touch them. You’ll burn
yourself.

TANYA
Where am I?

ROURKE
You are a most esteemed guest on
the Opportunity.

TANYA
Opportunity? Like a ship?

ROURKE
It is a ship.

TANYA
What kind of ship?

Rourke frowns at her.

ROURKE
A junky piece of crap that shouldn’t
be able to fly. Doesn’t deserve
the name spaceship, but these
pirates don’t seem to care what
they fly in as ong as it has warp
drive.

Tanya closes her eyes.

TANYA
You want me to believe that I’m
being abducted by aliens?

Rourke snorts, catching his coin.

ROURKE
You are the alien.

TANYA
I’m dreaming.

Leaning forward, Rourke places his elbows on his knees, resting his head in his hand. He sweeps his other arm out, indicating the cell.

ROURKE
Are you going to explain this all
away? The Princess likes to pinch
herself, but thus far, it hasn’t
worked.