Wing Commander in Real Time - Intro

Introduction

Welcome to Wing Commander in Real Time!

From March 15 through 17th we will be reporting out the events of the Wing Commander movie using the @wccic Twitter account in real time as they will happen in 2654! Each event will be accompanied by a WCPedia page that offers video footage, script extracts, storyboards and portions of the novelization so you have the option of following the action more deeply.

This is our first proof of concept prototype and we hope to add more material over time to improve and replay the event in future years! This page covers the movie's introductory sequence which showcases the history of the Terran Confederation in quotes and paintings taking you from 1962 to 2654.

The adventure begins Tuesday, March 15th at 0900 Zulu (GMT)! (And then pauses for twelve hours for Admiral Wilson's message to arrive at the Concordia.)

Please note that we are following the timeline defined by the novelization which is based on the shooting script; as a result, several scenes will be presented in a different order than they appear in the final cut of the film!

Historical Events

The following historical events are quoted or seen during the introductory sequence.

Map

This is a composite image of the map used as a backdrop during the film's introduction:

A higher resolution version is available here: [[1]]

Quotes

1962

This is an extract from a speech given by United States President John F. Kennedy at Rice University on Septeber 12, 1962. You can find the complete speech here: [[2]]

JOHN F. KENNEDY: Many years ago...

the great British explorer George Mallory...

who was to die on Mount Everest...

was asked why did he want to climb it.

He said, "Because it is there."

Well, space is there, and we're going to climb it.

And the moon and the planets are there.

And new hopes for knowledge and peace are there.

And, therefore, as we set sail...

we ask God's blessing...

on the most hazardous and dangerous...

and greatest adventure on which man has ever embarked.

Thank you.

[Applause]

2416

The Terran Confederation was founded in 2416 from the ashes of the former World Economic Consortium.

MAN: I hereby declare this new world...

a colony of the Terran Confederation.

2462

The Pilgrim Alliance resumed contact with the Terran Confederation in 2462, enforcing a ban on establishing new extrasolar colonies with the threat of military action.

REPORTER: With the charting of the fourth pulsar this year...

the Pilgrim explorers are becoming a discussion point.

2588

The Navcom AI powered the first Akwende Drive jump to the Polaris System in 2588.

MAN: We are gathered here to celebrate Dr. Peter Anthony.

His invention of the Navcom A.I.

is possibly the most important development in space travel...

of the last century.

Finally, we can navigate almost any jump...

in known space with confidence.

Ladies and gentlemen, I give you Dr. Peter Anthony.

2629

The TCS Iason made first contact with a Kilrathi destroyed in 2629.

PILOT: Coming up on the far side...

Looks like maybe three or four kilometers long.

CONTROL: Copy that, Sparrow. Proceed.

PILOT: It's like nothing I've ever seen before.

Wait. Something's going on here.

[Radio static]

2634

The Terran Confederation formally declared war on the Kilrathi in 2634.

REPORTER: With escalating tension in the Vega sector...

the whole Confederation is on a knife edge.

Will these unprovoked attacks continue?

Will the diplomatic probes be successful?

We can only hope...

AMBASSADOR: I regret to report...

that all diplomatic avenues with the Kilrathi...

have been exhausted.

It is now clear they have no interest...

in coexisting with us or any other race.

It is my sad duty to inform you...

that as of Six A.M. this morning...

we are formally at war with the Kilrathi.

God help us all.

Overlay Paintings

DISSOLVE TO

... a GIANT SPACE SHIP headed towards the camera, a

threatening black behemoth, with guns sticking out along the

fuselage like spikes of a dragons armor.

DISSOLVE TO

... a spinning drawing of the PILGRIM CROSS, embedded in

symbols and numbers and lines, suggesting a 'user guide'for

the ancient (ultimate) navigation tool.

DISSOLVE TO

... we see an old/ancient version of the CONFEDERATION

BANNER engulfed in FLAMES.-

,. DISSOLVE TO

... a strongly idealized (heroic) portrait of a few

PILGRIM/HUMAN MARINES, putting up the PILGRIM/CONFED BANNER

against an exotic space-scape. This image represents the

heroic era of the Pilgrim exploring space and refers to the

IMO JIMA MOTIVE.

DISSOLVE TO

... another exotic landscape.

DISSOLVE TO

... a first impression of a KILRATHI WARRIOR in a very

heroic pose with runes around him. ( Think "MARS")

DISSOLVE TO

... another threatning, attacking BATTLESHIP. This time it

is clearly alien (Kilrathi) due to all KILRATHI INSIGNIA

· surrounding the ship. Its cannons blasting bright beams of

fire towards the camera.

DISSOLVE TO

... we see another KILRATHI WARRIOR. This time he is

portrayed in a powerful and expressive action pose (with

sword or blaster).

DISSOLVE TO

a CITY or COLONY engulfed in black smoke. We see RUINS

and a KILRATHI BATTLECRUISER hovering above it (think 104).

DISSOLVE TO

... we see what looks like a CEREMONY, - A GATHERING OF

STARPILOTS (recognized by their gear and helmet) This image

also features strong INSIGNIA.

DISSOLVE TO

... a heavy BA~TLESCENE. ATTACK FORMATIONS clashing (think

of Revell Assambly Kit Covers) ,

DISSOLVE TO

... SMALL GROUP of KILRATHI WARRIORS MID FIGHTING)

DISSOLVE TO

... we see a giant PARADE. According to all strange

engravings and a even stranger looking PALACE in the

background this must be the KILRATHI CAPITOL.

DISSOLVE TO

... another angle on the previous SPACE BATTLE. Nearly a

dozn vessels involved some on fire others drifting through

30 space.

Shooting Script Front Page

WING COMMANDER

by

KEVIN DRONEY

Rewrite by Chris Roberts & Larry Wilson

2nd Draft September 21st 1997

Revisions:

New Copy (White): January 8th 1998 by Mike Finch

Pink Pages Revised February 8th 1998
Pages 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 6A, 7, 7A, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15A, 16,
17, 18, 18A, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 26A, 27, 28, 29, 29A, 30, 31, 32,
33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 40A, 41, 42, 43, 48, 49, 50, 50A, 51,
52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 58A, 59, 60, 61, 63, 65, 69, 70, 79, 79A,
80, 82, 82A, 83, 84, 84A, 88,, 92, 95, 109, 109A, 110

Blue Pages Revised February 13th 1998
Pages: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 7A, 8, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 15A, 18,, 20, 21, 22, 25,
26, 26A, 27, 28, 29, 29A, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39, 40, 40A, 41,
42, 46, 47, 49, 50A, 51, 53, 54, 56, 57, 57A, 58, 58A, 59, 60, 61, 62, 62A,
64, 65, 67, 68, 75, 75A, 79, 79A, 81, 2, 82A, 83, 84, 84A, 90, 91, 92, 93,
94, 95, 97, 99, 101, 104, 112, 113, 114, 115

Yellow Pages Revised February 15th 1998
Pages: 25, 26a, 32, 33, 35, 41, 55, 56, 57, 57A, 60, 61, 62, 62A, 65, 79,
79A, 80, 83, 91, 93, 94, 95, 96, 104, 113, 114, 115

Green Pages Revised April 3rd 1998
Pages: 4, 6A, 11, 32, 33, 40A, 54, 81, 83, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 93A,
112, 113, 114, 115

Novelization Acknowledgements

FOR THE FANS…

"I GOT YOUR WING."

Special thanks to my editors John Douglas and Caitlin Blasdell for

thinking of me, and to my wife and daughter for smiles that eased the

stress.

Robert Drake, my long-time friend and agent, did the usual, the

unusual, and, as always, a professional job.

The folks at Digital Anvil were extraordinarily generous with their time

and help. Chris Roberts, Maddie Fox, Ashley Galaway, and Katie Marye all

answered my questions and sent material that helped to better this

manuscript.

Chris McCubbin and David Ladyman at Incan Monkey God Studios

gave their much-needed advice and criticism. Chris read the manuscript

the same day I e-mailed it to him. He is a fine writer and a dedicated

professional.

Mr. Ben Lesnick, Wing Commander fan par excellence, served as my

research assistant and sent pages and pages of material, including an

exhaustive list of the names of every capital ship in the Wing Commander

universe. I thought relying on a fan for help would be a good idea. I had no

idea Ben would be so friendly and determined. I met him through Mr. Dan

Finkelstein, who runs a wonderful Wing Commander: The Movie website.

Be sure to visit it at http://users.nac.net/splat/wc/.

My next-door neighbors Glen and Diane Martin provided me with

information on the early Wing Commander games and were kind enough

to give me the WCIII strategy guide. Yes, it's still possible to have great

neighbors.

Finally, I need to thank all of the writers who have worked in the Wing

Commander universe. Their contributions to this book and to the universe

itself have made Wing Commander one hell of an exciting milieu in which

to write.