“Return To Morphea”

By Andrew Norris


SCENE ONE - A Temple, somewhere on Aldebaran

A female ALDEBARAN is standing over the altar and pours a bag of money 
and gold items over it. The ALDEBARAN, who is blonde and dressed in 
Philosopher's robes, grins satisfactorily at the hoarde.


ALDEBARAN: (Chuckles) Now who says that crime doesn't pay? With all of 
this money from the Royal Treasury and the little clues I left behind, 
the S.P.A.C.E. will be so busy chasing after some stupid Toad that I 
can bribe enough luminaries to overthrow the crown!


The lights suddenly turn on, and the ALDEBARAN is surrounded by ROYAL 
GUARDS, led by JENNY, who stands on the main steps to the entrance.


JENNY: (Firmly) Give it up, Sister! Even the Toads wouldn't be stupid 
enough to leave claw marks over the evidence!


ALDEBARAN: Pah! I hate the Toads as much as you, Sister, but I hate the 
Queen even more! We are not allowed to question our faith, and so the 
throne has blocked progress on this planet!


JENNY: Whether you want to question faith or not is your own affair, 
Sister Joyce, but grand theft is another matter!


The ROYAL GUARDS ready their weapons, all aimed at JOYCE, who throws 
the bag into JENNY'S lap, knocking her over, and running away into the 
alcoves at the rear of the temple, with JENNY and the ROYAL GUARDS in 
hot pursuit.


JENNY: (Shouting) Don't let her escape! Seal the exits!


JOYCE dives into a side-room, which is filled with Egyptian 
paraphenalia, and a large statue of Bastet in the very centre. JOYCE 
locks the door and quickly prepares a hurried ceremony by opening a 
prayer book and kneeling before the statue.


JOYCE: (Murmurs) I hope this works!


She begins to recite a prayer in her own tongue, which sounds like a 
mixture of Hebrew, Gaelic and Arabic. JENNY hears the commotion inside, 
and begins to try and ram the door down with her elbow. She succeeds 
just as JOYCE finishes the prayer, and the eyes of the statue glow an 
eerie green colour as JENNY is surrounded by an aura of the same 
colour. She cries in pain, before disappearing along with her energy 
bubble. All of this occurs just before the ROYAL GUARDS rush in and 
arrest JOYCE.


GUARD #1: Got you, you treacherous hag!


GUARD #2: Not just grand theft, but blasphemy now!


GUARD #1: Master Jenny will have kittens when she finds out about this!


SCENE TWO - A Darkened Room

JENNY is sat alone in a spotlight, unconcious. She stirs, and sits 
cross-legged, rubbing her head gently. Her voice appears to echo around 
the room, and JENNY suddenly jerks to her feet at the sound of 
approaching footsteps. A humanoid FIGURE can be made out in the 
shadows, but it keeps it's distance when JENNY pulls out her maser gun.


JENNY: (Defensively) Who are you?!


FIGURE: (Calmly) A friend. What are you doing here, Jenny?


JENNY: How do you know my name?


FIGURE: Because I met you once in a past life, and I gave my life so 
that you and Bucky O'Hare might...


JENNY: (Snaps) That's CAPTAIN O'Hare to you! Don't try anything! I know 
this is all smoke and mirrors! You're just another actor, aren't you? 
Here to make me snap!


FIGURE: (Calmly) I wish I could say yes to that, Jenny, but I'm afraid 
it's not.


Several more lights appear, and JENNY finds herself in a square room 
with walls decorated in Egyptian hieroglyphics. The lights are all 
flames in ornate golden bowls on pedestals that surround the room. The 
spotlight has disappeared, and JENNY is left in awe at the spectacle. 
THE FIGURE remains in the background as JENNY examines several familiar 
figures in the hieroglyphics.


JENNY: (Softly) Wait a minute...this is ancient Aldebaran, a language 
not used for millenia. So, Joyce sent me back in time, did she?


FIGURE: No, Jenny. It is still the year 3226, but it is a different 
place.


JENNY: Then...who are you?


THE FIGURE slowly steps into the light, revealing himself to be ANDREW 
NORRIS, now once again in human form, and wearing the clothes of an 
Egyptian slave. JENNY gasps and steps back in shock.


ANDREW: Welcome to Morphea, Jenny.


SCENE TWO - The Gardens, Aldebaran

BUCKY, DEADEYE and WILLY are all speaking in a group close to the 
fountain, whilst QUEEN KATRINA is speaking to one of her guards a short 
distance away, out of earshot.


KATRINA: You are sure that you cannot find her?


GUARD #3: No, your Majesty. We have searched the entire temple.


KATRINA: Hmm. It is possible that Sister Joyce recited...search the 
temple again, and bring me the prayer book that was found with Sister 
Joyce upon her arrest.


GUARD #3: (Salutes) At once, your Majesty.


The GUARD walks away as KATRINA approaches the small group, with a 
false smile on her face.


KATRINA: Captain O'Hare, I am sorry to have kept you waiting, but I 
have just been informed that Jenny has asked to interrogate the culprit 
personally.


BUCKY: (Smiles) I understand, your Highness. Jenny's one of the most 
efficient co-pilots I've ever worked with, and she always takes her job 
seriously.


WILLY: Yeah, it's not like she'd walk away from the fight or anything.


KATRINA: Incidentally, young Willy DuWitt, I've been asked by Felicia 
to pass on her regards. She is ill with flu, and is confined to bed.


WILLY: (Worried) Oh, gosh (!) Can I do anything?


KATRINA: I am afraid not, my child, but I have asked Jenny to see her 
on your behalf once the interrogation is over.


WILLY tries to smile, but now finds himself worrying over both Jenny 
and Felicia.


SCENE THREE - The Sphinx, Morphea

JENNY is leaning against a wall whilst ANDREW tells her all the 
information that she needs to know.


ANDREW: I really can't remember much in between. There I was in the 
windmill, feeling my feathers catch fire, and the next moment I find 
myself her with all of the pain removed.


JENNY: You mean that you were snatched out of the windmill by Mirage?


ANDREW: (Nods) Yes. She made it perfectly clear that I was her new 
manservant. Heaven's knows why she chose me of all people, but I've 
been here ever since the day that windmill went up.


JENNY: Whatever happened to Lugs Rubin?


ANDREW: You'll find out in a little while. Mirage rescued him, too, but 
his background put him in her good-books. It's a rotten afterlife, I 
can tell you.


JENNY: (Worried) So...am I dead?


ANDREW: No. You were simply transported into the spiritual realm, just 
as I was. You are still alive, but on a different plane. How else do 
you think Mirage can move back and forth so many times?


A gong sounds, and ANDREW stands up, and gestures for JENNY to walk 
with him.


ANDREW: (Groans) Here we go. I've been summoned.


JENNY: (Protestingly) Why are you taking me?


ANDREW: Because Mirage will have no doubt discovered your presence and 
will want to know why. (whines) If I disobey, she puts the most vile 
images in your head! They're unspeakable! Death seems like a picnic by 
comparison!


They walk along a narrow passage to the Throne Room, where MIRAGE, a 
curvaceous, brown-furred cat in maroon-coloured Egyptian clothing, sits 
on a stone throne with LUGS RUBIN, now dressed like an Egyptian prince, 
at her side. JENNY and ANDREW both stop in the centre of the room, 
facing the throne.


MIRAGE: (Slyly) Well, well, look what the cat dragged in, Rubin; one of 
my sisters who fought me not so long ago! (harshly, to Andrew) That 
will be all, slave!


ANDREW bows and takes his leave. JENNY watches him go and turns her 
head back to MIRAGE and RUBIN.


RUBIN: (Sneers) What's up, doc? Take the wrong turn at the Dark Heart?


MIRAGE: Yes, even I am curious as to why you are here, Jenny. I did 
declare that I would return, but I have other plans at present.


JENNY: (Defensively) I was sent here by another treacherous cat like 
you! She was reciting some sort of spell that sent me here!


MIRAGE: Ah, yes, the Spell of Yuso, that allows travel between Morphea 
and the many other worlds and realms that exist. (smiles) And I do 
believe that your presence could be of use to me.


JENNY: Why did you rescue those two?


MIRAGE: (Purrs as she strokes Rubin's head) Rubin was exceptional among 
his fellow hares for his actions. He seemed to be the perfect person to 
rule by my side.


JENNY: And of Andrew?


MIRAGE: The slave? (scoffs) Purely to torment the spirit of our dearly-
deceased Sister Hannah further. He was downtrodden in life, and so he 
is downtrodden in the afterlife.


JENNY: So how many more spirits are you going to raise from the dead?


MIRAGE: (Standing up) Enough to make up for the number of Firecats that 
were lost because of your infernal meddling! I may not have your 
precious Willy DuWitt, but I now have you, Master Jenny! Or should I 
say, Slave Jenny?


A green ray bursts from MIRAGE'S hand and drains all of the energy from 
JENNY, causing her to cry out in pain and collapse into a weakened pile 
on the floor.


RUBIN: Slave? Why not kill her now and be done with her?


MIRAGE: Because humiliation can be an even greater joy than death, my 
dear Rubin. Degradation can be a powerful device to control, and it's 
effects are just as colossal. (shouts) Slave!


ANDREW emerges from the shadows, and looks down at JENNY'S body.


ANDREW: What happened?!


MIRAGE: Relax, slave, she is only drained. She will soon recover, and I 
want her to be ready to serve as my maiden when she does.


ANDREW: You drained her power?! If you keep on draining energy from 
everyone, you'll just overload!


MIRAGE: (Through her teeth) That is not your concern, slave, just get 
her to the slave quarters and have her prepared!


ANDREW picks up JENNY and carries her away. RUBIN frowns at the two as 
they disappear.


RUBIN: I don't see why you keep him either. He seems a little too 
headstrung to me.


MIRAGE: Yes, my dear, but handsome slaves are hard to find. Unlike 
most, his fighting spirit can be easily dampened, and so his threat is 
minimal.


RUBIN: And what about Jenny? You can't get very far just using her as a 
handmaiden.


MIRAGE makes a crystal ball from her own energies, and watches BUCKY 
and WILLY on Aldebaran through it.


MIRAGE: I am aware of that, my darling, but her presence here will 
enable me to lure the great Bucky O'Hare into a trap. Whilst he lacks 
the spiritual energies of we Aldebarans, his physical energy will 
suffice quite nicely.


SCENE FOUR - The Gardens, Aldebaran

KATRINA and BUCKY are speaking when the GUARD returns, but this time 
addresses WILLY.


GUARD #3: Willy DuWitt?


WILLY: (Nervously) Err, yeah...


GUARD #3: Artificer Felicia wishes your presence. Due to her condition, 
I have been asked to escort you to her bedchamber.


KATRINA: (Stands up) Guard, I already gave you...previous orders. Why 
are you now taking orders from my granddaughter?


GUARD #3: Forgive me, your highness, but we were unable to find the 
main business, although we did find the book you asked for.


She hands KATRINA the prayer book and continues to speak as KATRINA 
examines it carefully.


GUARD #3: (Continued) I was ordered by Captain Xandir to tend to the 
princess' wishes, and I was thus asked to send for Engineer DuWitt.


KATRINA: (Sighs) Very well, but do not let the two be together for 
long. I don't wish for this flu to spread.


THE GUARD nods, and WILLY is escorted away. KATRINA examines the pages 
carefully, which are filled with hieroglyphics.


BUCKY: (Points to book) What is that, your Highness, if you don't mind 
my asking?


KATRINA: One of the few things we Aldebarans share with outsiders, 
Captain. It is a book of forbidden spells that we had banished many 
years ago. They are spells from Aldebaran's ancient past, similar to 
those mastered by Mirage herself. It seems that the culprit was a 
sorceress as well as a thief.


BUCKY: Will you destroy it?


KATRINA: (Nods) Yes. While it is in the ancient Aldebaran script, the 
laws declared that all copies of the spells were to be destroyed, and I 
intend to uphold that tradition.


BUCKY: Did Jenny send you that book?


KATRINA: (Confused, then realises) What? Oh, yes! Yes! It was found at 
the crime-scene, with one of the pages left open, and I wished to 
examine it myself.


BUCKY: As long as those spells haven't cursed Jenny in any way, then 
I'll feel a little more at ease.


KATRINA: (To herself) So shall I.


SCENE FIVE - Slave Quarters, Morphea

The slave quarters is a small, box-shaped room with two stone beds, a 
bronze statue of Bastet built into the alcove and some hieroglyphics 
carved into the walls rather than painted. JENNY is lying on one of 
these, but with the armour of her suit stripped off and placed in a 
pile, leaving her only in her black jumpsuit. She stirs as ANDREW 
prepares a small meal on his own bed.


JENNY: (Weakly) Oh...she drained me...(notices her lack of uniform) 
What happened?


ANDREW: You'd better relax, Jenny. Save your energy. (offers some food) 
Dates?


JENNY takes one and eats it slowly. She sits up on her bed as ANDREW 
continues his preparations.


JENNY: A slave? What was she talking about?


ANDREW: She's bloodthirsty, but that doesn't make her a killer. (hands 
some food to Jenny) Mirage has kept you alive to be her toy, and no 
doubt as bait for your friends.


JENNY: Are we safe to talk here?


ANDREW: (Nods) The slave quarters are the only room in the whole Sphinx 
that Mirage doesn't control.


JENNY: Then she won't mind me calling her a sneaky, two-faced bitch.


ANDREW: She won't mind, unless you say it on the other side of that 
door.


JENNY: Can't we try to escape?


ANDREW: How? Mirage knows all of the spells for this realm. It wouldn't 
do much good anyway; Morphea is just an air bubble full of spiky 
meteorites. I've tried escaping before, and taken the consequences...


He shows JENNY his left arm, which has been scratched deeply by sharp 
claws that have almost torn off his entire arm. JENNY is forced to turn 
away until ANDREW pulls down his sleeve again.


JENNY: How can I get my energies back?


ANDREW: Unless you have some quark demons or you're willing to get 
dismembered by Mirage, you can't. Quark demons simply can't exist in 
Morphea for some reason, which is why Mirage simply feeds like a 
vampire on the energy of others.


SCENE SIX - Throne Room, Morphea

MIRAGE is pacing the room slowly, examining a row of golden sarcophagi 
lined up along one of the walls, muttering to herself.


MIRAGE: (Grumbling) How long does it take a hare to don armour? If that 
Lugs Rubin is planning something, then I shall make him pay!


RUBIN enters, wearing a golden armour that looks to be of Babylonian 
origin. He yields a sword in one hand, and his other is free. MIRAGE 
smiles as she sees RUBIN enter.


MIRAGE: Ah, all set for your revenge on Captain O'Hare, Rubin?


RUBIN: Look, Doc, don't you think that this uniform is a little dated?


MIRAGE: Bah! It is forged from the same metal that created the 
indestructible bonds of L'ok D'ssad! Even their pathetic masers will be 
refracted from the plating!


RUBIN: And what about the parts of me that are already exposed?


MIRAGE: (Seethes impatiently) Do you honestly believe that they would 
aim for your face when they flee from you in terror!


RUBIN: (Smiles evilly) Good. (aims sword at her) Then you can consider 
yourself overthrown!


MIRAGE is taken aback by this, and steps back slightly as the two begin 
to circle around the centre of the room, all the while the tip of the 
sword remains aimed at MIRAGE'S face.


RUBIN: (Gloats) I was never interested in power, just revenge. But 
since you rescued me from death, Mirage, you have shown me all I need 
to know to exact my revenge and to become an almighty ruler of this 
world!


MIRAGE: (Hisses) You decieving little shit! I open my home to you, and 
this is how you repay me?!


RUBIN: I think you'll find that it's MY home now, Mirage, and when I've 
finished with you, I'll take care of those cretinous little slaves of 
yours, and use this lovely armour to take Aldebaran by force!


MIRAGE screeches angrily, and fires several rays at RUBIN from her 
claws, but the armour refracts them and MIRAGE is hit by her own 
attacks. RUBIN sneers as she lies unconcious on the floor, and picks up 
a scroll from the side of her throne and recites the spell, which echo 
around the sphinx, including the outer area of the slave quarters, 
causing some concern among ANDREW and JENNY.


ANDREW: What's that?


JENNY: (Alarmingly) An ancient transit spell! C'mon!


They both run down the passage, as RUBIN'S spell crescendoes, which 
opens a large spherical portal leading into a pale-green energy tunnel 
that stretches for a short distance, with the gardens of Aldebaran on 
the other side.


RUBIN: (To Mirage) Ciao, baby. Thanks for helping me rule the world.


He disappears into the tunnel, just as JENNY and ANDREW run into the 
Throne Room. JENNY inspects the tunnel, while ANDREW moves over to 
MIRAGE.


ANDREW: (Panics slightly) She's been knocked out!


JENNY: Rubin's opened a space-tunnel back to Aldebaran, if I don't 
follow him, it'll close and we lose the only chance of getting back to 
Aldebaran!


MIRAGE: (Weakly) Jen...ny...


MIRAGE awakens as ANDREW cradles her in his arms. MIRAGE looks up at 
JENNY who stands over her menacingly.


MIRAGE: Rubin was a traitor...he has the Armour of Thanoseid...


JENNY: (Shrieks) The indestructible armour?!


MIRAGE: Yes...you must have...your energies...to stop him...


She holds out a hand and JENNY'S energies, and her armour, instantly 
return to her.


JENNY: Well...thanks, but that doesn't mean you're no longer my enemy. 
You're only doing this for revenge; I'm doing it because it's the right 
thing. (sighs) Come on, Andy.


ANDREW: (After a pause) No.


JENNY: (Surprised) No?


ANDREW: I can't leave Mirage here to die, even if she is evil, Jenny. I 
know you'll hate me for it, but my place is here now. Whether evil or 
not, Mirage needs me, and she has given me a place where I belong.


JENNY just sighs angrily, reluctant to listen, and yet reluctant to 
question. She looks down the tunnel and back at the group, before 
stepping through the tunnel, which eventually vanishes. MIRAGE looks up 
at ANDREW.


MIRAGE: You mean...you're staying even after all the harm and pain I 
brought to you and to your friends?


ANDREW: There's a little good inside everyone, Mirage, and I think by 
letting Jenny go free, you've shown me your good side.


SCENE SEVEN - Royal Gardens, Aldebaran

BUCKY is fast asleep in the shade of a large tree, when the other 
entrance of the tunnel opens up closeby, and RUBIN steps through. BUCKY 
wakes up with a start at the sight, and narrowly misses having an arm 
sliced off. BUCKY looks shocked as he fumbles for his maser pistol.


BUCKY: (Shrieks) Lugs Rubin?! B-But you're dead!


RUBIN: I was, but a certain renegade gave me a lift back to the land of 
the living.


BUCKY: Mirage!


RUBIN: Exactly!


BUCKY fires at the armour as the ROYAL GUARDS behind him prepare to 
attack. The maser shots bounce off the armour and create burn marks in 
the tree. RUBIN slashes his sword down again, forcing BUCKY to move 
back as the ROYAL GUARDS take up the fight; their shots being refracted 
at all angles.


RUBIN: (Smirks evilly) Be very quiet. I'm hunting wabbits.


The tunnel opens again, and JENNY steps through, taking cover behind 
the tree as she avoids the fire of the ROYAL GUARDS. Some of the GUARDS 
are retreating as RUBIN advances. DEADEYE, too, has joined in the 
fighting, and BRUISER is attempting to crush RUBIN under his mighty 
fists, but RUBIN has been given super-speed by the armour, and easily 
dodges BRUISER before knocking the giant to the ground.


RUBIN: (Sneers) Ain't I a stinker?


JENNY advances forward slowly, unseen by the others due to the 
excessive action taking place. Using foliage as a cover, she now 
crouches only a few inches from the unstoppable RUBIN.


JENNY: (Thinks) < The old stories say that the armour had a single 
weakness that could be used to the attacker's advantage, but what was 
it? >


She watches RUBIN carefully as he attacks the group. BUCKY and the crew 
are retreating into the Righteous Indignation for cover.


BUCKY: Deadeye, man your masers! If a good shot of a plasma cannon 
can't stop him, I dunno what will!


DEADEYE complies, and hits RUBIN with everything he has, but to no 
avail. One of the leg-plates flashes in the light of the maser blasts, 
and suddenly JENNY realises the weakness.


JENNY: Of course! The achilles heel! The heel of the leg-armour!


She tries to get up, but understands how she cannot use her magic in 
front of BUCKY. Instead, she simply uses her standard maser pistol, and 
fires a bullseye on the leg plating, and RUBIN stops dead.


RUBIN: What the hell?


The armour plating begins to rust and crack at a fast rate. But as this 
happens, the magic of the armour also begins to claim RUBIN'S life, and 
he begins to rapidly age in an Indiana Jones style, changing from old 
to skeletal in the space of a few seconds, much to the shock of BUCKY 
and co. It is only when the brittle skeleton crumbles to the floor in a 
pile of dust that anyone dares speak.


DEADEYE: (Wide-eyed) Fry me ions! What be the meanin' of all that?


BUCKY: (Confused) Some sort of dark magic... I think.


THE ROYAL GUARDS escort BUCKY, DEADEYE etc. away, presumably to an 
infirmary, as KATRINA approaches the now-visible JENNY.


KATRINA: You have returned to us, Jenny, and have saved us once again 
from the Armour of Thanoseid. Of course, your friends will have to be 
subjected to the amnesia drug.


JENNY: I understand, your majesty. The memory of Thanoseid must remain 
a secret of the Artificers.


KATRINA: (Curious) Tell me, though, how did you ever escape the realm 
of Morphea?


JENNY: (Smirks) I had some help from a friend.


SCENE EIGHT - The Sphinx, Morphea

MIRAGE is overlooking the incident from one of her energy-formed 
crystal balls as she sits on her throne. ANDREW now sits by her side, 
dressed as an Egyptian prince, but with different clothes compared to 
those worn by RUBIN.


MIRAGE: (Grins) Hmm, interesting.


ANDREW: What is?


MIRAGE: Both of us supported one of the two sides for the battle, even 
if Rubin did act out of greed, and both Jenny and Rubin had similar 
abilities.


ANDREW: But Jenny still won, didn't she?


MIRAGE: (Nods) Yes, but supposing we take this a little bit further? 
The Toad Wars are still raging elsewhere in the Aniverse, and the 
GodTurtle still roams free. (slyly) I propose a wager to you, my 
dearest. By observing and occasionally giving assistance, we shall see 
who shall triumph in these wars; the Mammals or the Toads. Whosever 
side triumphs will give the supporter full control over Morphea!


ANDREW: (Suspecting something) Since when have you been a gambler, 
Mirage?


MIRAGE: (Sneers) Oh, is the little prince afraid that the power will go 
to his head?


ANDREW: (Defiantly) Not at all! You're on, Mirage! The Mammals will 
surely win the war, even if you do tamper with the game!


MIRAGE: Not if their puny army is crushed! (looks into the crystal 
ball) Whatever the time, wherever the place, the Toad Wars are no 
longer a battle between good and evil, they determine the very fate of 
existence itself! They shall prove whichever of the two is greater; 
good or evil...


THE END