JUDGES OF BEING Dark Atmospheric, Crime Sci-fi Created by Kai Vygor Is it justifiable to compromise one's moral principles for the greater good of society? In the aftermath of a devastating war, the Gates stands as the final city, plagued by starvation and oppression. In this volatile environment, the Keep, once a symbol of justice, has become a puppet of the elite. Morality & Identity Rogue Whitlam, a principled investigator, faces a moral quandary when tasked with a murder case. Caught between the oppressive Law and his conscience, Rogue's decision will not only determine the accused's fate but also shape his own destiny. Copyright © 2023 Kai Vygor. All rights reserved. judgesofbeing.com instagram: @kai.vygor 1 OVER BLACK 1 The sound of rain and electricity crackling fills the air, accompanied by the panted breathing of a woman and a man. MAN (MALE PARTNER) (O.S.) I love you. The sound of feet slipping against wet concrete resonates. CUT TO: 2 3 4 5 INT. THE CATALYST - HALLWAYS - NIGHT We open from above looking down at a labyrinth of dark gray hallways. The walls and floor are covered in intricate scales, with curved columns lined with orange lights. Three figures can be seen walking through the vast space. INT. THE CATALYST - CORRIDOR - MOMENTS LATER The trio now advances down a narrow, dimly-lit hallway. A closed door. A single figure stands behind a desk at the doorway, wearing a strange, pointy, and shiny helmet. As the camera pulls in closer, we see the figure is a girl with genetically enhanced orange eyes. She is wearing strange goggles with a skin-like hole covering, and geometrically symmetrical lines imprinted on her pale white face. The three figures stop and stand before her. She looks up at them, then waves her hand over an orange light panel. The door slides open, revealing a much larger, expansive corridor. A statue of a mysterious black marble head can be seen near the wall. The figures make their way further through the corridor, approaching a matte black hovering ship, smooth and curvy in shape. Past the ship, an opening into the sky, and a city in the distance can all be seen. Lightning flashes across the landscape, illuminating the floor of the corridor through crevasses in the ceiling. EXT. THE GATES - CITY - NIGHT We pan and fly through the city, showcasing three establishing shots of the surroundings. Synthesizers roar, epic music composition, and large-scale soundscapes. We then CUT TO a far shot of the Gate's Keep. EXT. THE GATE'S KEEP - ENTRANCE A sturdy concrete bridge is extending outward from the confines of the Gate's Keep. Fire emits from lanterns held by chains by the Keep's entrance. The Keep, a sizable cylindrical tower, stands solitary amidst darkness, detached from the rest of the Gates. 2 3 4 5 DRAFT 29 2. A few Gatekeepers run past the entrance and through a puddle near ROGUE. A large man dressed in attire. He stands by the Keep's entryway in the pouring rain, holding a black umbrella above his head. An indifferent expression across his face. He checks his watch (3 minutes to 7) as another Gatekeeper known as ‘JORSSE’ walks over to him, holding an umbrella and a Styrofoam cup of coffee. JORSSE Must we stand out in the rain? Rogue turns his gaze away from his watch and peers out along the extending bridge. ROGUE Shouldn't be long now. The Tongue is rarely late. Once fully extended, the bridge emits a loud metallic groan. Lights along its length flicker on, one by one. A white painted line becomes visible on the bridge near the Keep's side. Jorsse hands Rogue a cup of coffee. JORSSE Still struggling to sleep? Rogue takes an unblinking sip. ROGUE Who doesn't? Jorsse shuffles forward. JORSSE Eh. I like to focus on the rain. It simplifies the mind. You should try it. Helps me sleep like a baby. A beat. Rogue pauses and looks over at Jorsse with concern. ROGUE And have you ever seen that, Jorsse? A sleeping baby? Ha. Rogue takes another sip. Jorsse looks down with a lost gaze. He paces his words slowly. JORSSE (Under breath) A figure of speech… Ah, fuck… Rogue glances at Jorsse sorrowfully. ROGUE Hey, look. I get what you’re saying. But simplifying your mind… It isn’t always… Simple. (MORE) DRAFT 29 3. ROGUE (CONT'D) (Rogue yawns) They say you should count sheep jumping over a fence. Yeah well last night I counted three thousand fucking sheep. Jorsse looks up at Rogue with a smile. JORSSE Ha, what’d you do then? Rogue sips the last of his drink, looking out along the bridge. ROGUE Drank more coffee. They share a brief laugh, then a moment of silence together. ROGUE (CONT'D) It's strange... Being out here. Everything just feels like it's moving so slow. Like there's nothing out there. Empty, but... It's not. The rain is loud. The sky is thick with clouds. The Gates are tall and vast. Our whole world, standing there in front of us, hiding behind the darkness. It's chaos... But... JORSSE It's beautiful... Jorsse is looking out at the city, smiling. JORSSE (CONT'D) I know I'm one of the youngest and probably ignorant for saying this but... It's proof y'know, that the God up there, they prayed to. (Slight head shake) Was just us all along. Mankind's greatest creation... was itself. A beat. Rogue looks at Jorsse. ROGUE Hm... What's that like, by the way... Being one of the... 'Last Generation'? Jorsse releases a burdened exhale. DRAFT 29 JORSSE 4. Heavy. I guess I feel a sense of purpose... And at times... I guess I feel alone. ROGUE Well it's a good thing you're here Jorsse. Besides, you're one of the tough ones. You'll make your mark I have no doubt. JORSSE Yeah. I suppose that's something I can at least count on them for. (Jorsse looks up at the city before them) They'll find a place for me... And they'll marry me to it. They've got a purpose for us all. Rogue holds a steady gaze at Jorsse's eyes. He follows, looking up at the city. ROGUE Mm. I hope you're right. He tosses his coffee cup over the platform's edge. It disappears into the abyss. 6 7 EXT. THE GATES - CITY Between two towering structures, identical bridges span a foggy abyss, ending at sealed industrial doors. Rubbish litters the ground as people gather, their attention fixed on the doors. Suddenly, a ship with bright orange lights cuts through the sky, momentarily diverting a few gazes. The scene broadens to show the ship gliding across the cityscape, heading towards 'The Gate's Keep'. EXT. THE GATE'S KEEP - BRIDGE The ship descends slowly onto a circular pad at the end of the bridge, causing the fog to be pushed away as it touches down with a clanking noise. The ship's lights fade. Rogue stands before the Keep's bridge with Jorsse by his side, a dozen Gatekeepers behind them, all without umbrellas. Rogue is looking out towards the end of the bridge. Suddenly, a gap is formed in the fog. DARC, POPPET, and LOCK walk through it along the extended bridge. Darc and Lock lead the way, both are Angels, with Poppet strolling behind. They stop near the white line towards the entryway of the Gate's Keep. Darc looks down at his feet. Rogue salutes. The other Gatekeepers follow in sync. 6 7 DRAFT 29 5. ROGUE, JORSSE & GATEKEEPERS (Altogether) Judges of Being! After a short pause, Poppet looks up at Rogue, and then at a few other Keepers. POPPET Where is Warner? ROGUE Warner is visiting the Anyth by means of business. After looking around, Poppet catches Rogue’s eye and holds contact for a moment. POPPET Hm… Step forward. Rogue hesitates before doing as instructed, uncomfortably stepping over the white-painted line. Darc begins to approach him, revealing a small scanning device from the back of his hip. POPPET (CONT'D) Hold still. Darc places the device over Rogue’s eyes. A small pinhead needle extrudes out and jabs at Rogue’s forehead. It activates, surging a scan of light across Rogue’s face. Rogue quietly grunts to himself. Darc then puts the device away and steps back. Rogue wipes at the blood with his finger, inspecting the drop. Poppet’s orange eyes glisten with light as if receiving information. POPPET (CONT'D) Rogue Whitlam. Rogue darts his eyes up to look at Poppet. POPPET (CONT'D) An impressive record. A four generation long bloodline of Gatekeeping. Two fifty-six years of service. Seventeen of your own. A beat. Rogue nods. Correct. ROGUE POPPET And presently you are the 'Standing Keeper'? DRAFT 29 Rogue nods. 6. ROGUE I was left in charge, yes. Poppet smiles. POPPET Understood. Take charge. Poppet raises his arm out, gesturing down a pathway outwards of the bridge. 8 EXT. THE GATE'S KEEP - OFF PASSAGE Poppet leads Rogue down the pathway as they talk. The Angels trail behind them. ROGUE The crime is murder... THREE QUICK SHOTS OF THE CRIME SCENE, POST MURDER.