Clockwork Angels: Comic Script (14 page)

CAPTION (OWEN

But this city of gold would be so much better if only I had someone to share it with.

PANEL 5

Next morning. Owen sets off again, heading back, following his footprints in the snow.

CAPTION

Next morning …

CAPTION (OWEN)

After so many journeys, so many adventures, so many months, I think it’s time to go.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Home.

PAGE 15

PANEL 1

Owen has returned to the first village. He’s in one of the ramshackle adobe buildings, stuffing supplies into his pack. Sunny skies again.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Over the next weeks, I worked my way back through the other cities.

CAPTION (OWEN)

This time I was better prepared …

PANEL 2

Owen stands on the edge of the mesa (where he climbed up on the bottom of page 9). He holds the dreamline compass in front of him, taking a reading as he looks out across the Redrock Desert and the distant line of mountains, behind which is the mining town of Endoline.

OWEN

Dreamline compass—set.

PANEL 3

Tense, Owen works his way down the steep cliffside, searching for footholds, handholds.

PANEL 4

Owen trudges across the desert, confident now, past towering slickrock formations.

CAPTION (OWEN)

I have been far and wide … and now I’m going back to the beginning.

PANEL 5

Owen walks through a pine forest, and up ahead he sees glimpses of the mining village.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Tougher … wiser … more confident …

PANEL 6

Looking bedraggled and much older, with longer hair, stubble on his cheeks, Owen stands at the edge of Endoline, looking at the mining operations, the people moving about, many of them turning to stare at him.

CAPTION (OWEN)

But I’m still Owen Hardy from Barrel Arbor

MINER

Look who’s back!

PAGE 16

PANEL 1

Owen enters the tavern, to many astonished looks. The rangy hunter is still there by the crystal fire.

HUNTER

No one ever comes back from out there!

OWEN

I did.

PANEL 2

Close-up of Owen’s face, and he looks older, tougher, harder, but still with the light in his eyes.

OWEN

And the things I saw along the way …

PANEL 3

Owen sits at a table, and others gather around. Someone hands him a goblet of the potent liquor.

MAN

Did you find the Seven Cities?

ANOTHER MAN

Are they are magnificent as the stories say?

THIRD MAN

Draw us a map. We all want to see.

PANEL 4

Owen is cagy, drinks from his goblet.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Yes, I found the Seven Cities, but the “gold” was not any kind of treasure I could describe for these people.

CAPTION (OWEN)

I sustained myself on all those dreams and the hope of finding something special.

CAPTION (OWEN)

The miners in Endoline have few enough dreams. Who am I to take them all away?

PANEL 5

Owen sets down the goblet, wipes his mouth. The people are wide-eyed, hanging on every word he has to say.

OWEN

No, I didn’t find the Seven Cities of Gold, no matter how hard I searched.

OWEN

They’re still out there, waiting for someone else to find them.

PANEL 6

He walks out the tavern door.

OWEN

For now, I have to return to Poseidon City, and then Albion—in search of something else.

PAGE 17

PANEL 1

Owen stands outside, waving his hands as Commodore Pangloss’s airship comes in for a landing at Endoline. He is grinning.

PANEL 2

Pangloss emerges from the landed airship, bounding toward Owen. He, too, is grinning.

COMMODORE

Mr. Hardy! You’re back! You survived!

OWEN

That’s obvious, Commodore.

PANEL 3

The Commodore sweeps him up in a big bear hug, lifting scrawny Owen off his feet.

COMMODORE

Will you join me again on the airship? You’ve been away so long, I’m starting to get a jaded view of the world again!

OWEN

*Urrk* Well, we can’t have that!

PANEL 4

Aboard the steamliner, Owen and the Commodore, both sweating, work side by side, both shoveling red coal into the furnace aboard the airship.

COMMODORE

I never realized how much I appreciated your help. Good to have you aboard again.

OWEN

I’ll ride with you, Commodore, but when we get to Poseidon City, I want to find a steamer to take me back to Albion.

PANEL 5

Big panel. The airship approaches the ramshackle, jumbled metropolis of Poseidon City. We can also see the port crowded with ships. It’s just sunrise, with the sun lifting out of the water (Poseidon is on the east coast of Atlantis.)

COMMODORE (FROM SHIP)

You’ve changed a great deal, Mr. Hardy. I never thought you’d want to go back to your quiet village.

OWEN (FROM SHIP)

I don’t know for sure. The universe has a plan … or so I’ve been told.

PAGE 18

PANEL 1

Owen and Pangloss walk along the crowded, bustling streets of Poseidon City in the port, passing dockworkers, cargo haulers, steamers at berths. Both are wearing nice clothes.

OWEN

Poseidon City is still a rough town, but it doesn’t seem so sinister anymore.

COMMODORE

Oh, it’s still dangerous, but you’re with me, now. You’re respectable. And I can help you arrange passage on a steamer.

PANEL 2

Pangloss and Owen stand at the dock where a big Albion steamer has tied up, looking up the gangway. This is the same steamer Owen rode away from Albion. At the top of the gangway, we see CAPTAIN LOCHS squinting down at them.

COMMODORE

Captain Lochs! I have a favor to ask of you. My friend here is bound for Albion.

CAPTAIN LOCHS

Is that Owen Hardy? I know him well from his voyage here, Commodore. Come aboard! We’re ready to leave port.

PANEL 3

Heartfelt scene, the Commodore places his hands on Owen’s shoulders in a meaningful farewell. Owen has tears in his eyes.

COMMODORE

My time with you has been … unforgettable, Mr. Hardy. I hope you find what you’re looking for.

OWEN

I already found it, Commodore. But that doesn’t mean I have to stop looking.

PANEL 3

On deck at the top of the gangway (with Pangloss still on the dock below) Owen shakes the captain’s hand. Sailors pull on ropes, hauling up the gangway. NOTE, the crew on the ship are both men and women, also multiracial.

CAPTAIN LOCHS

You’ve changed much, young man. Your special task for the Watchmaker is finished now?

OWEN

I have a confession. I-I wasn’t really on a mission for the Watchmaker.

CAPTAIN LOCHS

Oh? And how can you be so sure? All is for the best.

PANEL 4

Commodore Pangloss’s perspective. He stands on the dock, his back to us, watching as the steamer chugs off with a plume of blue-tinted steam. He looks forlorn to see his friend depart.

PANEL 5

Owen on the deck of the steamer, elbows on the rails. He looks back as the shore of Atlantis recedes. Captain Lochs is next to him.

CAPTAIN LOCHS

Happy to have you join us again. I know you do good work … provided you don’t get seasick this time!

PAGE 19

PANEL 1

The steamer at sea, relatively calm waters, a few clouds in the sky.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Either the seas were calmer this time, or
I
was calmer after what I’d been through—more stable, more grounded.

CAPTION (OWEN)

For the first three days, the voyage was smooth.

PANEL 2

Owen on deck, points off toward the watery horizon where he sees just a dot up in the sky. (This is actually a scout airship, but probably not something that can be discernible on the art.) The sailors scoff at him.

OWEN

What’s that up in the sky? It looks like an … airship?

SAILOR 1

An airship? We’re days from shore, lad!

SAILOR 2

Next he’ll be saying he’s seen the Wreckers!

PANEL 3

Inside the captain’s quarters, Owen and the captain are hunched over a small table, each of them eating soup.

CAPTION (OWEN)

Since I was a paying passenger this time, Captain Lochs welcomed me, more interested in my old life than my recent adventures.

OWEN

I’m surprised you’d want to hear about a dull place like Barrel Arbor, Captain.

CAPTAIN LOCHS

Back and forth from Albion to Atlantis—I sometimes dream of a quiet, perfect life. In truth, these voyages can be a little dull, too …

PANEL 4

A gray, ominous panel. Rough, whitecap waves smash against the side of the steamer.

CAPTION (OWEN)

After days of smooth sailing, I was sure I wouldn’t get sick this time. Then the sea threw its worst at us.

PANEL 5

Head down, holding his hat hard on his head, Owen runs up the metal stairs in the pounding rain; he is trying to reach the bridge deck.

PANEL 6

Wet and bedraggled, Owen stands in the sheltered bridge while Captain Lochs holds the wheel and looks with great concern through the bridge windows at the cauldron of churning waves ahead of them.

CAPTAIN LOCHS

This is a bad one, Mr. Hardy. We’re days from land, all alone out here.

FIRST MATE

Winds have taken us off course—the coldfire boiler is working at its peak.

NAVIGATOR

Can’t get a compass reading …

PAGE 20

PANEL 1

A big wave washes against the window of the bridge, slamming the steamer. Captain Lochs raises an arm to shield his face. Owen goes sprawling. Charts and logbooks are scattered. The frame is tilted. Everyone is shouting.

OWEN

Where are we?

CAPTAIN LOCHS

No one can tell. Right now I’m just trying to keep the steamer afloat!

FIRST MATE

Cargo is going to be unstable, Captain!

PANEL 2

Inside the cargo hold, sailors rush to lash down crates and sacks marked with alchemical symbols. Ropes snap, and several wooden crates come tumbling down. A sailor scrambles out of the way.

SAILOR

Keep those alchemy crates dry, or all those chemicals will be ruined!

PANEL 3

On the bridge, suddenly a blazing blue light appears in the distance like a cold sun just on the horizon. Holding onto a wall for balance, Owen points toward the window.

OWEN

Captain, look! That light—someone else is out here! It’s a miracle.

PANEL 4

Captain Lochs looks concerned and exhausted, slumping against the wheel.

CAPTAIN LOCHS

Seems too good to be true. Under normal circumstances, I’d be wary—-but this storm gives us no choice.

CAPTAIN LOCHS

Change course!

PANEL 5

Small panel. Owen’s face bathed in the eerie blue light of the distant beacon. His expression is filled with wonder and hope.

OWEN (MUTTERS)

It’s beckoning us to safety, like … an angel.

PANEL 6

The steamer churns through insanely rough waves, heading toward the blazing, ethereal beacon.

PAGE 21

PANEL 1

Small panel, Owen leans forward on bridge deck, looks through the front window, and his face is filled with horror.

OWEN

Look out ahead, Captain! REEF!

PANEL 2

Dramatic panel, the steamer runs headlong into a line of foam-covered sharp rocks, a dark reef island. The rocks slit open the side of the ship like a gutting knife on a fish belly.

SFX

SKKEEERRRRRRURRRRRRR

PANEL 3

Waves crash into the bridge housing, smashing the windows. People go flying everywhere. Captain Lochs is thrown into the bulkhead, smashing his head.

CAPTAIN LOCHS

Unnnhhh …

PANEL 4

On the deck of the steamer, sailors are scrambling. Some grab life preservers and jump overboard. Crates tumble over the sides. Meanwhile, like a baleful blue eye, the gleaming pale beacon shines very close.

SAILOR

The ship is sinking!

PANEL 5

Owen hauls an unconscious and bleeding Captain Lochs out onto the deck.

OWEN

The ship is going down, Captain. Gotta get you to safety.

OWEN

What’s that noise? It sounds like … cheering?

PANEL 6

Looking over the side, Owen sees that they have run aground on a rugged rocky reef, and shadowy
people
are there, a line of them carrying lanterns, all roped together against the storm and waves. They are dressed in hoods and slickers. These are the Wreckers, ragtag gypsy pirates.

OWEN

People out there on the reef? They must be rescuers!

OWEN

What else could they be …

PAGE 22

PANEL 1

The Wreckers swarm up to the ship like locusts scrambling into the gaping breach in the hull, passing out crates from the cargo hold like a fire-brigade line.