Bucky O' Hare 
In 
Hidden Identity

by Andrew Norris

SCENE ONE
Andrew's Apartment
There are pieces of Railway Memorabilia scattered here and there. Old 
Rule Books dating back to the 1930s'. An LNER oil lamp, and even an old 
Train Whistle. ANDREW is sat asleep in a rocking chair, with a book of 
LOCOMOTIVES: VOLUME 1 BY. A.M. BELL, when there is a knock on the door.

ANDREW: (Tired) Come in.

Enter WILLY.

WILLY: Hey there, Puffing Billy. 

ANDREW: (Wakes up) Hello, Willy. How can I help?

WILLY: I just wanted to ask a few questions.

ANDREW: Depending on what they are, then yes.

WILLY: If you live in the 2060s'...

ANDREW:  (Interrupting) USED to. I can't even visit my own planet 
anymore.

WILLY: Alright, used to live in the 2060s', then why have you got all 
this railway stuff? Surely it would've all rusted away. Especially when 
you told me of The Great Acid Rainfall of 2034. 

ANDREW: There were some groups of people who were able to carefully 
preserve buildings and antiques during those times. My family were able 
to preserve railway artefacts that had been left to rot in filthy 
second-hand shops. (Gestures to the antiques around them)  These were 
the very survivors.

WILLY: But what about the engines? 

ANDREW: After my Museum had an arson attack in 2050, the engines were 
sold off to the National Railway Museum in York. I was able to protect 
the artefacts, though a few were destroyed, and I kept them safe. I 
never found out who those thugs were. I can only remember that one of 
them had shaved, blonde hair, and a deep voice. 

WILLY: What did you do after that?

ANDREW: I took to...police work for a while. 

WILLY: You were a policeman?

ANDREW: No, but I did become a snoop for the Galactic Police for a 
while. After that, I joined the World Space Patrol in 2057, where I 
became a pilot for Fireball XL6. 

WILLY: What rank did you have? 

ANDREW: You won't believe me, but I was a Sub-Lieutenant. 

WILLY: There's no such thing! 

ANDREW: There is! The Royal Navy uses it as a halfway point between 
Lieutenant and Sergeant. 

WILLY: Do you have a rank now?

ANDREW: Not really. I'm just seen as a pilot, but I still like to think 
of myself as a Sub-Lieutenant. 

WILLY: Did you have any crew? 

ANDREW: No, XL6 was always a one - man crew, even if it was made for 
four. I never did see much action anyway.  

WILLY: Did you have any friends?

ANDREW: I think you already know Zakaria and Clara Zerox. I don't know 
much about Clara's background, but Zakaria used to be a magistrate. 
Luke Rudd in Fireball XL4 was a great cook, and saw plenty of action 
with Space Corporal Lock at his side. I knew Thadeel in XL14 from 
school, and he was a very likeable person. His flight mechanic, Neil 
Legger, came from the French Police Force, and was very quiet.  Then 
there was...him.

WILLY: Who?

ANDREW: Lance Corporal Phillip Libra. He was the bad apple that spoilt 
the orchard. He was pilot of one of our experimental spaceships, 
Fireball XL1A, and he was the most morbid, depressing person you could 
meet. He tried to overthrow Commander Zero at one point.

WILLY: What happened?

FLASHBACK. SPACE CITY, EARTH, YEAR 2061.

COMMANDER ZERO, a tough, strict officer in his mid-50's, sits at a 
semi-circular console in the Control Room of Space City Tower. A 
similar console sits on the other side of the room, where LIEUTENANT 
NINETY observes his controls. LT. NINETY is roughly 21 years old, and a 
weakling when compared to CDR. ZERO. Around them buzz banks of 
computers and machinery, pulsing with electric warbling noises. 

CDR. ZERO: (Bold American accent) Where is that guy?

LT. NINETY: Space City to Fireball XL1A. Do you read me? Over.

L/C LIBRA: (On Radio, Sly Voice) This is Lance Corporal Phillip Libra 
here. Over.

CDR. ZERO: (Interrupts) Where the heck are you? And why haven't you 
reported in? 

L/C LIBRA: I haven't permission for re-entry.

CDR. ZERO: (Slightly Angry) what are you talking about? We gave you 
permission to land 1/2 hour ago! 

L/C LIBRA: Very well. I will land shortly. 

There is a furious roaring of engines as the XL1A, a scaled-down 
version of a Fireball, slowly comes in for re-entry. Its size is 
roughly that of two tube trains, with a wingspan the same width as a 
bendy-bus. On the huge thrusts of red and a yellow streak, the words 
'XL1A' have been painted in thick blank paint. As XL1A approaches, she 
begins to open fire on some 

CDR. ZERO: What in the name of Jupiter is he doing? 

L/C LIBRA: (On Radio) Do you really think I'd take orders from *you*, 
Commander? (Sniggers evilly) I'm in charge now, and unless you get out 
of *my* base, I will be forced to raise you and your puny Lieutenant to 
the ground. 

CDR. ZERO: (Furious) WHAT?!

LIBRA begins to fire across the base, a sinister smile stretching 
across his face, as his burning red eyes gaze down at the destruction 
below. A klaxon begins to blare, as officers and vehicles clear the 
area.

L/C LIBRA: (To himself) That's right, little mice, run away. 

There is an explosion behind him, rocking the XL1A away from Space 
City. From space, 5 Fireball craft appear. The XL1, XL14, XL30 and XL6. 
The face of a 25-year-old man with black hair and brown eyes appears on 
the video screen of XL1A. 

THADEEL: This is Rear Admiral Thadeel Iqbal of Fireball XL14. Surrender 
yourself immediately and your life will be spared.

L/C LIBRA: What kind of a fool do you take me for? 

THADEEL is replaced by a 32 year old with shaved, ginger hair and beady 
blue eyes. The disc on his uniform indicates that he is on the XL30.

JAMES: This is your last chance, Libra. As Captain of the World Space 
Patrol, I swear it!

L/C LIBRA: Ha! Don't make me laugh! 

JAMES: Have it your way! (Flicks a switch) Commodore Zerox, Sub-
Lieutenant Norris? Attack! 

The XL1 and XL6 open fire, as warheads spray from the minute fleet 
toward the puny vessel. It is not long before LIBRA is forced to 
retreat.

THADEEL: This is your last chance! Surrender now!

L/C LIBRA: Have it your way! I'll call off my attack! But this isn't 
the end! I'll return and take my vengeance on all of you! 

BACK AT ANDREW'S APPARTMENT

ANDREW: And we never saw Libra again after that. The XL1A just became a 
memory to all of us. Now, I guess the Galactic Police would rank him 
second only to me.

WILLY: What about Space City?

ANDREW: It was soon repaired, but it was never the same after that. 

WILLY: I wonder if Chuck Bodgers puts up with anything like that. 

ANDREW: Who? 

WILLY: Chuck Bodgers. He's a comic book hero from when I was younger. 
He works for the United Space Coalition, and does pretty much what 
Bucky does. 

ANDREW: Speaking of which, I wonder where is Bucky?

SCENE TWO
UAC COUNCIL BUILDING
FRITZ, BUCKY and COLONEL RAUL MEW are discussing repairs on The 
Fearless. JENNY is fast asleep in the background, while the Board Room 
remains completely empty.

RAUL: I think a Mark -3 may do the trick. 

FRITZ: True, but this is a brand new Frigate, we need high performance. 
I suggest a Mark-4 Photon Accelerator.

BUCKY: That's no problem; I can get Willy to whip one up for you.

RAUL: True, but if we use a Mark-4, then I'll need a WLTR exhaust. A 
PTL would be too weak for that amount of power.

BUCKY'S wristwatch begins to bleep. 

BUCKY: You'd better excuse me; we're back on patrol. I'll try and get 
Willy to do a Mark-4 for you.

RAUL: No hurry. Take your time, Bucky.

BUCKY turns to leave, He turns to JENNY, and wakes her up.

BUCKY: Time to go, we've got Toads to croak.

JENNY: Coming.

They exit.

SCENE THREE
Andrew's Apartment
ANDREW is showing WILLY some diagrams of old Steam Engines.

ANDREW: The superheaters weren't added until later. All they simply did 
was combine-saturated steam from the dome, and steam from the copper 
pipes that led through the water tanks and into the firebox. These were 
greatly used on the old London North Eastern Railway, and...

There is a knock on the door

ANDREW: Come in.

Enter BUCKY

BUCKY: Willy, time for our patrol. We'd better get moving.

WILLY: Coming. 

BUCKY: Hey, Andy.

ANDREW: Hi, Bucky. Give them Toads a thrashing for me, will you?

BUCKY: Sure thing. Goodnight.

ANDREW: (Watching WILLY go) Nighty-Night.

As the two go, ANDREW stares out of his window.

ANDREW: Chuck Bodgers...

His telephone rings. ANDREW answers it.

VOICE: (High-pitched) Captain Bodgers! This is Admiral Mare of Noctur 
4. We need your help! We are under a heavy Toad Attack! Please come 
quickly! 

ANDREW places the phone down. He opens the wardrobe, and slips on a set 
of green overalls with periwinkle coloured boots and gloves.

ANDREW: Show time.

He straps on a cube-shaped jetpack, and opens his bedroom window.

ANDREW: Chuck Bodgers to the rescue!

He flies out of the window and away into space, swallowing an Oxygen 
Pill as he begins to leave the atmosphere of Genus. BUCKY, JENNY and 
WILLY look up at this flying green blob in the sky.

JENNY: (Pointing at ANDREW) What's that?

BUCKY: I've no idea. But Noctur 4 needs help, and we haven't time to 
sit around watching blobs of mushy peas flying around.

They enter the Righteous Indignation. WILLY looks up at the green thing 
up in the sky.

WILLY: (Whispers to himself) Andy...

As The Righteous leaves, ANDREW has now flown off in the same direction 
the Righteous is taking. As the flying globule vanishes into space, The 
Righteous roars past and away.

TO BE CONTINUED

NEXT EPISODE:

PLANET OF THE PINK PANTHER