Swords of Nishimura Read online



  Swords of Nishimura

  Copyright 2013 Gordon Milburn

  Acknowledgements

  Cover Art by Veresdenialex. Alex can be found on Fiverr.com

  Chapter One

  EXT. SURIGAO STRAIT - DAY

  The orange hull and the white superstructure of the Osam Dragon; an 180-foot salvage tug, clashes with the pristine blue water of the Pacific Ocean. The cooling waters flow down the Philippine trench into the Surigao Strait, between Unib and Leyte islands, fighting a losing battle against the equatorial heat.

  EXT. SURIGAO STRAIT - OSAM DRAGONS DECK - DAY

  On board, RICHARD, 22, blonde hair, tall and fit, dresses in; overalls, harness, Bailout bottle, preparing to dive. The sweltering heat makes him anxious to get into the cooling Ocean

  INT. DIVE STATION - OSAM DRAGON - CONTINUOUS

  The Dive Station; a converted sea container, SCOTTY, a large bald man in his mid-twenties, sits in front of the control panel.

  Outside Richard places the dive helmet on his head. The Tenders lock it down. Inside, the instrument panel gauges spike and fall, with each breath Richard takes.

  RICHARD (V.O.)

  Radio check.

  Scotty leans forward and depresses a button.

  SCOTTY

  Loud and clear.

  RICHARD (V.O.)

  Likewise.

  SCOTTY

  You got gas?

  EXT. SURIGAO STRAIT - OSAM DRAGONS DECK - CONTINUOUS

  Richard; purges the regulator, opens the free flow valve, tries the bailout bottle, the sound of the air rushing escaping confirms he has the precious gas.

  RICHARD

  Roger that.

  Standby Diver, BARNEY, 35, wirey built, also dresses in, then makes himself comfortable, laying back on the coiled mooring and tow ropes.

  Richard, ready, grins through the face plate, steps off the tug. The calm ocean surface is ruptured.

  EXT. BENEATH THE OCEANS SURFACE - CONTINUOUS

  RICHARD

  Diver in the water.

  EXT. SURIGAO STRAIT - CONTINUOUS

  The serene Ocean reclaims moment allowing Richard’s exhaust gas to bubble away on the Oceans surface.

  INT. DIVE STATION OSAM DRAGON - CONTINUOUS

  The radio now has the hollow, rhythmic sound of Richards breathing and that of blowing bubbles underwater.

  Scotty depresses the radio button.

  SCOTTY

  Roger that, Diver in the water.

  EXT. BENEATH THE OCEANS SURFACE - CONTINUOUS

  Between breaths, it’s eerily quiet.

  Richard swims down towards the dark, cold, unknown, towing both a rope and his umbilical; combination of radio cable, air supply hose and kluge hose and safety rope.

  Towards the outer limits of the sun’s reach, he is dwarfed by the sheer vastness of the ocean.

  Below still deeper yet, a huge silhouette slowly starts to come into focus.

  The superstructure of the YAMASHIRO; a Nihon Kaigun battleship, with a 20-degree list over a precipice.

  A large squadron of Eagle Rays circle the superstructure, as though in a holding pattern.

  RICHARD (ON RADIO)

  Whoa, Scotty. You're not going to believe this.

  SCOTTY (O.S. ON RADIO)

  What have you got Richie?

  RICHARD (ON RADIO)

  It ain't no Spanish Galleon. Looks like a Battleship.

  SCOTTY (O.S. ON RADIO)

  (Disappointed)

  Shit!

  Richard swims onto the Yamashiro’s flybridge, tying off the down line, onto the marine growth encrusted coaming rail.

  RICHARD (ON RADIO)

  Diver on the bottom.

  INT. DIVE STATION OSAM DRAGON - CONTINUOUS

  SCOTTY

  Roger diver on the bottom.

  Scott leans into the dive panel and turns a valve on. The gauge, next to Richards air gauge, plummets to zero.

  SCOTTY (CONT’D)

  Kluging now.

  EXT. BENEATH THE OCEANS SURFACE - CONTINUOUS

  Air pushes the water out the open ended hose attached at Richard’s chest and the bubbles races skyward.

  INT. DIVE STATION OSAM DRAGON - CONTINUOUS

  The gauge settles as water refills the hose, pressurising the air.

  SCOTTY (ON RADIO)

  Diver got you at 165 feet.

  RICHARD (O.S. ON RADIO)

  Roger 1, 6, 5.

  EXT. YAMASHIRO FLYBRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

  Richard tries the bridge door.

  RICHARD (ON RADIO)

  Doors jammed! Send me down a pinch bar.

  SCOTTY (O.S. ON RADIO)

  Roger. Send down pinch bar. Standby.

  EXT. OSAM DRAGON’S DECK - MOMENTS LATER

  A dive crew member secures a pinch bar to the down line, using a D’shackle and throws it over the side.

  Scott can be seen inside the dive station.

  SCOTTY

  Pinch bar on its way.

  EXT. YAMASHIRO FLYBRIDGE - MOMENTS LATER

  Richard standing on the fly bridge takes his fins off, hangs them off his harness, while he waits. Fish are starting to gather, to investigate.

  The Oceans quiet, along with Richard’s rhythmic breathing, is marred by a growing whistle.

  The down line stretches into the sunlight, like a piece of cotton disappearing from sight. Coming into view the pinch bar grows with the building whistle, slamming into the hull, scaring the fish, on arrival.

  Richard removes the pinch bar to pry the door open.

  He struggles with the door disturbing the silt inside.

  The fish now surround him taking him from view.

  Richard manages to lever the door enough for him to squeeze through but not before hundreds of fish barrel past him.

  INT. YAMASHIRO BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

  Each step Richard takes leaves a small crater-like print, the silt hanging in the still water.

  At the Helm, a skeleton is immaculately dressed, from head to toe. Tucked into his belt and hanging from his side are Daisho, two swords; the Katana hangs from the hip and the Wakizashi is tucked into the cummerbund.

  RICHARD (ON RADIO)

  Scotty, this is freaky.

  SCOTTY (O.S. ON RADIO)

  What? What have you found?

  RICHARD (ON RADIO)

  The Captain is still at the wheel. And his uniform is still in good nick.

  INT. DIVE STATION OSAM DRAGON - CONTINUOUS

  The dive panel is normal the depth gauge stands solid at 165 feet and the gauge next to it fluctuates rhythmically with Richards breathing.

  SCOTTY

  Yeah, OK, You've only got a few more minutes before we need you off the bottom.

  RICHARD (OS ON RADIO)

  Roger that.

  INT. YAMASHIRO BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

  Richard a little less carefully walks over to the skeleton, ADMIRAL NISHIMURA, and struggles with the Katana. The skeleton has a firm grip on it.

  Richard, snaps the bony fingers off, taking the Katana and quickly pulls the Wakizashi from the skeleton's waist. A rush of cold water drives the fish away, causing Richard to shake the goosebumps off.

  The door suddenly slams shut, creasing Richard's umbilical, cutting off his air supply.

  Breathing only off the air that's left in his hose, Richard doesn’t notice, he bends down and starts putting on his fins. The disturbed silt, tracks to the Admiral, starts to rise, swirling, higher and higher.

  Admiral Nishimura starts to materialise. Also, his fallen crew materialise out of sand and silt.

  INT. DIVE STATION - OSAM DRAGON - CONTINUOUS

  Scotty stands at the door looking over the idyllic scene; Barney lying on
the flayed mooring lines, another diver casually holding Richard’s umbilical and two more Divers joking around.

  The green jungle clad islands, white sandy beaches contrast the azure blue of Surigao Straits.

  Tranquility is broken by the silence of the radio.

  The gauge monitoring Richard’s breathing doesn’t move.

  INT. YAMASHIRO BRIDGE - CONTINUOUS

  Admiral Nishimura's ghost is now yelling at the sailors.

  ADMIRAL SHOJI NISHIMURA

  (in Japanese)

  Stop him! Stop Him!

  Richard has his fins on and is now finding breathing harder and harder.

  RICHARD

  Topside! Topside! Diver finding it hard to breathe.

  No response.

  RICHARD (CONT'D)

  Topside copy! Topside! Diver going on to bailout.

  INT. DIVE STATION OSAM DRAGON - CONTINUOUS

  Scotty has urgency in his voice but still in control.

  Depresses the radio button.

  SCOTTY

  Diver One, do you copy?

  Scotty throws the switch to Diver 2

  BARNEY

  Barney, you got comms?

  EXT. OSAM DRAGON’S DECK - CONTINUOUS

  Only Barney’s arms move, as he casually takes the bandmask off his chest, holding it to his face.

  BARNEY

  Loud and clear.

  Removing the mask, Barney looks to Scotty, who shrugs.

  Barney stands.

  Scotty turns a valve on, on the dive panel.

  Depresses the radio and talks to no one.

  SCOTTY

  Diver One, you’re on