NEED TO KNOW:

Dak and Kam are SHARC cops on the space station Offworld in 2237. They're the Key Commander's top cops investigating the disappearance of his girlfriend Sharon. SHARC cops are Alliance, but there's some murder is Rio-Sluttgart, the non-Alliance "wild" part of Offworld. It's not protected by SHARC cops, but by Marshall Jogas.

EXT. ALMOND STREET--DAY

Dak and Kam check the street sign and stroll to the shrink's office.

INT. ALMOND STREET, DONATO'S HEAD BOUTIQUE--DAY

KAM
Convenient Rosa Savolo's husband getting
gunned down during Carnival?

DONATO
Those murders were in Rio Slutgart.
Why isn't the Marshall handling this? It's Non-Alliance. The ninth double Jade murders.

DAK
Yeah. Looks that way.

DONATO
There's a marked increase across the galaxy in single dementia, paranoids, ultra aggression, max mood-swingers.

DAK
Only in the last week.

Donato doesn't laugh.

DONATO
You must read my paper, 'Dementia and
Paranoia--Twin Brothers of Invention.' I'm published in--

DAK
I only read the comics.

Donato looks askance. Dak shrugs.

KAM
Relax, Doc. How long were you pounding the pillows with Rosa Savolo?

No response.

DAK
So, Doc. Where'd you buy the gun?

DONATO
What gun are you talking about? I don't own a gun.

DAK
You leased it? We can check the records.

Donato looks at the large wall painting and makes a move towards it, as if trying to find tranquility in its landscape.
It's an odd painting among a sea of finely drawn nudes, all signed Donato. He's a gifted artist.

DONATO
To what gun are you referring?

KAM
The gun you killed Kurt with.

DAK
A Storm/Selinger Model 311 Laser. A real beauty.
The same gun used in all the nine double Jade murders.

DONATO
Kurt is dead and I had nothing to do with it.

KAM
Kurt is dead, and now you can have his wife anytime you want.

DONATO
You're SHARC. Rio Slutgart isn't your jurisdiction.
This isn't fire diamonds.

KAM
Ah, the 37th Amendment. Yes, you're right. Officially, I have no jurisdiction.

Hail stones pelts the office windows.

DONATO
God damn. When this monsoon going to stop?

DAK
Tell me, doc. What exactly is the California Effect?