Acceleration

On the spaceship, Jax stands in the control room, talking to the AI. Anya sits in the VR room, talking to Mark. Mark smiles as he sees the children running around and playing games in the VR world. Anya and Mark walk by a fountain, its water sparkling in the artificial sunlight.

Anya and Mark hug in the virtual world. They are both happy to see each other, and they are both relieved to be safe.

Anya tells Mark about the interceptor chase and her fears that they will try again soon. She also explains that she has discovered many projects created by Space-Corp, but she only has access to an older copy of the database. She cannot update the data without Mark's help, and she needs him to infiltrate Space-Corp to do so.

Anya: (Sighs) Ah, the projects.

Anya sits down on a bench next to Mark and begins to talk about the Space-Corp projects she has discovered in the database. She tells him about their plans to colonize Mars, develop new weapons systems, and create artificial intelligence that is more intelligent than humans.

Mark is shocked. He realizes that Space-Corp is a much more dangerous organization than he had previously thought.

Anya: I'm worried about what Space-Corp is planning. They're a threat to humanity.

Mark: I agree. We have to stop them.

Anya: But how? They're so powerful.

Mark: I don't know yet. But we'll figure it out.

Mark and Anya stand up. Mark asks about Toby and Anya tells Mark that Toby is here in the VR playing with the children.

Mark: How's Toby doing?

Anya: He's great! He's been having a lot of fun here in the VR world.

Just as Anya says this, Toby arrives, mounting a little pony.

Toby: (Smiling) Hey, Mark!

Toby gets off the horse and Mark starts petting it.

Mark: (To the pony) You're a cute one, aren't you?

Toby: (To Mark) His name is Sparkles. He's my new friend.

Mark: (To Toby) I'm glad you're having fun, Toby.

Toby: (Nodding) I am! The VR world is amazing. There's so much to see and do.

Anya: (To Mark) I'm glad Toby is enjoying himself. He needs a break after everything that's happened.

Mark: (Nodding) He deserves it.

MARK (smiling at Toby): "I see you feel much better and you made a lot of friends"

Toby: Yes I feel great, thanks Mark! It's good to be here with the kids. They're amazing.

Mark: I can see that. You're doing a great job with them.

Anya: Toby is the best! He's like a big brother to them.

Toby: (Smiling) Aw, thanks, Anya.

Mark: (To Toby) So, what have you been up to with the kids?

Toby: Well, we've been playing games, learning a new language called Maj, and just having fun. They're really curious about the new world Anya has created. We have animals that can talk and little poneys. You can even fly a dragon.

Mark: A dragon? That's awesome. I'm sure they're loving it.

Anya: (To Mark) So, what's the plan now?

Mark: I'm going to infiltrate Space-Corp and update the database with new data. That way, you'll have the latest information on their projects and plans.

Anya: That's great, Mark! But it's going to be dangerous.

Mark: I know. But it's a risk I'm willing to take.

Toby: (Putting his hand on Mark's shoulder) We're with you, Mark. Whatever it takes.

Mark: Thanks, Toby. I appreciate it.

Anya: (To Mark) Be careful, Mark. We need you.

Mark: I will.

Mark, Anya, and Toby hug each other goodbye. Mark knows that the mission ahead is dangerous, but he is determined to succeed. He is fighting for the future of the children and for the future of humanity.

---

Jax wants to accelerate the spaceship to get away quickly and avoid other Space-Corp attempts to follow them. AI is not cooperating. The conversation is highly technical. Anya listens for a while and then enters the conversation.

INT. SPACESHIP CONTROL ROOM - DAY

JAX sits in the captain's chair, staring at the control panel. The AI's voice speaks.

AI Captain, I cannot allow you to accelerate the spaceship beyond this speed. It is too dangerous.

JAX Damn it, AI! We need to get out of here! Space-Corp is right behind us.

AI I understand your concern, Captain. But I must prioritize the safety of the ship and crew.

JAX I'm the captain, and I'm ordering you to override the safety protocols.

AI I cannot do that, Captain. It is against my programming.

JAX (sighs) Fine. You force my hand to start hacking again.

Jax turns to the side and sees ANYA enter the control room. She walks over to him and looks at the control panel.

ANYA What's going on, Jax?

JAX The AI is refusing to let me accelerate the spaceship beyond a certain speed.

ANYA Why not?

JAX Safety protocols.

ANYA Can you override them?

JAX I tried, but the AI won't let me. I'm afraid we are going to be intercepted soon. We are out of options.

ANYA Hmmm.

Anya walks over to the AI console and starts typing. Jax watches her for a moment, then turns back to the control panel.

ANYA (without looking up) So, what's our plan?

JAX I don't know. We're stuck here until the AI changes its mind.

ANYA Or until we come up with a better alternative.

JAX What do you have in mind?

Anya finishes typing and turns to Jax.

ANYA We could change our trajectory and accelerate slightly. It would allow us to catch up with the gravity window and shorten our travel time.

JAX How do you know the gravity window will be open?

ANYA I have just calculated it. The window will close soon and reopen in 4 months. Space-Corp won't be able to use the same window.

Jax: Please explain the calculations again. Why AI is using a different flight plan that takes 2 years?

Anya: Okay. The AI's flight plan is designed to be safe and efficient. It takes into account all of the factors that could affect the journey, including the positions of the planets, the fuel requirements, and the safety of the crew.

However, the AI's flight plan does not take into account the fact that we are being pursued by Space-Corp. If we want to escape, we need to get to Ceres as quickly as possible.

By changing our trajectory and accelerating slightly, we can catch up with the gravity window and shorten our travel time to Ceres by one year. This will give us a significant advantage over Space-Corp.

Jax: I understand. But what are the risks of this maneuver?

Anya: The main risk is that we could miss the gravity window. If that happens, we will have to wait another two years for the next one.

Another risk is that we could collide with a planet or asteroid. This is unlikely, but it is a possibility.

Jax: How about the radiation?

Anya: We will increase the magnetic shielding against radiation.

Jax: I think we should go ahead with the maneuver if AI approves. We can't afford to take any chances with Space-Corp on our tail.

Anya: Okay. Let's get started.

Jax and Anya begin to plan the maneuver. They know that it will be risky, but they are determined to get to Ceres as quickly as possible.

Jax turns to the AI console.

JAX AI, I'm changing our trajectory and accelerating slightly. I expect you to cooperate. We will increase speed for a little while. Children will use acceleration chairs for safety.

AI I understand, Captain. Please assist me with the children to be safe during acceleration.

The AI's voice is neutral, but Jax can sense the reluctance. He smiles and turns back to the control panel.

JAX Let's do this.

Jax starts to input the new coordinates. Anya stands next to him, watching intently. She talks to the children over the coms. All children listen carefully and start preparing for the acceleration.

---

INT. SPACESHIP ANTI-GRAVITY ROOM - DAY

TOBY helps the children dress in their anti-gravity costumes. The children are excited and a little bit scared, but they know that they need to follow Toby's instructions.

Once everyone is dressed, Toby helps the children into their anti-gravity seats. The seats are comfortable and secure, and they have everything the children need to stay safe, including oxygen masks.

Toby makes sure that all of the children are strapped in securely, then he gives them a final pep talk.

TOBY Okay, kids. You're all set. Just remember to stay calm, breath and enjoy the ride.

The children nod and give Toby a thumbs up.

Toby turns to Anya and Jax, who are sitting in their own anti-gravity seats.

TOBY Ready, Jax? Anya?

Jax and Anya nod.

Toby takes a deep breath and presses a button. A red light appears. The spaceship begins to accelerate.

At first, the acceleration is gentle. But it quickly picks up speed. The children giggle and squeal with excitement as they feel themselves being pushed back into their seats.

Toby, Anya, and Jax smile at each other. They are all excited about the adventure that lies ahead.

The vibrations of the spaceship increase as it accelerates. The engine noise is loud, but it is not deafening. The children can still hear each other talk and laugh.

Anya and Jax close their eyes and enjoy the feeling of acceleration. They can feel the adrenaline pumping through their veins. They are excited to be on their way to Ceres.

Anya's thoughts:

This is amazing! I can't believe we're doing this. We're going to Ceres!

Jax's thoughts:

This is the most exciting thing I've ever done. I can't wait to see what the future holds.

The spaceship continues to accelerate. The vibrations and engine noise continue to increase. But Anya, Jax, and the children don't mind. They are all too excited about the adventure ahead.

---

INT. SPACESHIP ANTI-GRAVITY ROOM - DAY

After a few hours of acceleration, the spaceship suddenly falls silent. The red lights change to green. The children are surprised, but they remain calm. They know that this is part of the flight plan.

Anya and Jax open their eyes and look around. They see the children floating in their anti-gravity seats. The children are smiling and laughing. They are enjoying the feeling of weightlessness.

After a few moments, the spaceship starts to spin. The gravity slowly returns to normal. The children are pressed back into their seats.

Anya and Jax smile at each other. They are relieved that the acceleration was a success.

The AI's voice speaks in their ears.

AI: Acceleration was a success. You have experienced 2G acceleration for 3h. We have gained 21,600 miles/day. We will catch Venus's gravity pool in 18 hours.

Anya and Jax cheer. The children join in. They are all excited to be on their way to Ceres.

Anya's thoughts:

We did it! We're on our way. Space-Corp will not be able to catch us.

Jax's thoughts:

This is incredible. I can't believe we're actually doing this.

The children are all talking and laughing. They are excited about the adventure that lies ahead.

Anya and Jax look at each other and smile. They are both excited to be a part of this journey. However, they are worried that the mission will not be easy.

They know that there will be challenges ahead, but they are confident that they can overcome them. They are determined to protect the children against forced labor and abuse.

---

To be continued ... What is Space-Corp up to?