THE ARTIFICERS OF ALDEBARAN - Written by Christy Marx and Bridget McKenna Transcribed by Bill Hiers SCENE 1 - A grassy area kept private, on the grounds of the Palace of the Aldebaran Sisterhood on the Planet Aldebaran. We see Jenny currently duking it out with a nasty-looking X-2 training robot of some sort mounted on a tripod, equipped with a gun on one of its arms and firing masers at her. Dodging the blasts, Jenny trips up the robot with her left foot and it falls flat on its face. She flips away. It gets to its feet and resumes shooting at her, but she runs in circles around it, and finally kicks the robot in the elbow of its gun-arm. The weapon flies off. The robot retaliates by shooting a metal cable from its palm that wraps around Jenny's waist and yanks her off her feet, then begins reeling her in. Her eyes and spell gems glow with power, and she casts a blast of mystic energy that hits the X-2. It explodes leaving nothing but its legs, which then topple over. Jenny gets to her feet. Princess Felicia, a young gray-blue Persian of about fifteen with blue hair, comes running up. She wears a purple jumpsuit and a headpiece with a gem on it, similar to Jenny's. FELICIA That was great, Master Jenny! When will you let me fight an X-2? JENNY (a bit out of breath) Soon. When you're ready. But remember, Felicia, this spell can only be used on machinery. Never against a living being. Especially not a cyborg. FELICIA Oh, Master Jenny, I learned that lesson when I was just a kitten! Jenny walks over to a simple stone bench nearby on which sits a black box roughly the size of a cigar box, looking like something that would be embedded in a ship's control panel. This is an Aldebaran sensor. Jenny picks it up. JENNY All right. Let's see what else you've learned, shall we? You must pass this test if you want permission to go on your Soul Quest. She sets the sensor down on the ground, and the top of it pops open, releasing a small glowing sphere. This is a "quark-demon," a mischievous ball of green energy, which immediately takes to the air and begins zooming all over the place. JENNY Now, Felicia, catch it! Felicia casts spells at it, trying to capture it as it flies in all directions around the enclosed yard. FELICIA I've got it! I've got it! No she hasn't. It hits her in the forehead and splashes her with a green "powder," superfine residual quark energy particles, harmless really, and knocks her down. She sits up, brushing away the magical dust from her face. FELICIA Oh, bother! Not far away, in another part of the palace grounds, the High Artificer is serving tea and cookies to Bucky O'Hare, Deadeye and Bruiser who are all sitting at a small round table. Blinky the android stands close by. The High Artificer is an elderly white Persian wearing flowing purple robes and a tall jewel-studded crown. Nearby is the high wall that separates the training area from the rest of the grounds, a large tree with an overhanging branch growing right alongside it. HIGH ARTIFICER Thank you, Captain O'Hare, for taking the time to bring Jenny here for this important occasion. She hands him a cup of tea, which he accepts and holds daintily. BUCKY Oh, no trouble at all, ma'am--uh, Your Highness. DEADEYE Aye, where Jenny's concerned we're always glad to be helpful! Uh, just what is this important occasion anyhow? HIGH ARTIFICER (politely but firmly) I'm sorry, but I cannot discuss the matter with outsiders. Away from the others, Willy DuWitt is sitting on the edge of a small fish pond and watching the fish swimming in it. Suddenly the quark- demon flies over his head, catching his attention. It flies down and hovers just in front of his face, and he glares at it, then it flies away suddenly. He tries to poke it, then follows it as it zooms off back over the wall, to the side where Jenny and Felicia are. He hurriedly climbs the tree that is growing right alongside it, and peers over the wall, watching as Felicia throws another spell to catch the thing, and misses. She is growing more and more frustrated with each failed attempt. FELICIA Oh, hairballs! Willy, impressed witnessing her powers, is out on the limb overhanging their side of the wall. WILLY (to himself) Wow! Felicia tries several more times capture the quark, which flies over to where Jenny is standing. FELICIA (whining) It's no use, Master Jenny! It's too fast for my spells! She turns and casts another burst of magic, barely missing Jenny! Jenny simply extends her hands and the quark flies between them and hovers there. JENNY Without patience and inner calm, Felicia, a quark-demon cannot be tamed or put to use. You must learn to focus your powers. She takes her hands away, and the quark hovers there in midair for a couple of seconds as Felicia comes over, then quickly zips off again. It makes a dash into the three where Willy is perched, grazing the side of his head harmlessly and splishing him in the same green sparkles. Willy loses his balance, falling out of the tree and landing in front of Jenny and Felicia. JENNY (alarmed) Willy! As Jenny bends down to help Willy, the quark rebounds at Felicia who finally manages to capture it, forming a "cage" of glowing yellow energy around the orb. She then returns it to it to the sensor and the lid slams shut. WILLY Gosh, that's an Aldebaran sensor! They really are magic! Jenny helps him sit up. She is more worried than angry. WILLY (stammering) Jenny, I didn't see, uh--I mean I didn't mean to see--I mean--Oh! JENNY Willy, I know it wasn't your fault. She smiles, crossing her arms as Willy looks sheepish. Her expression then turns serious. JENNY But you've seen one of the most vital secrets of the Artificers. WILLY I wouldn't tell anyone, honest. Felicia comes up to them, carrying the sensor. FELICIA Master Jenny, no one outside the Order knows about the quark-demons. JENNY Felicia, I trust Willy. If he swears never to reveal our secrets, then our secrets are safe. WILLY I promise, Jenny. I swear! Cross my heart! He crosses his heart. WILLY (to Felicia) Uh, hi, I'm Willy DuWitt, Warp Engineer of the United Animals frigate the Righteous Indignation. Pleased to meet you. He extends his hand towards Felicia in a friendly greeting. She simply hands him the sensor, confused by the non-feline form of greeting. Willy looks very interested in the thing, ignoring Felicia's (unintentional) rudeness as she simply turns her back to him and walks off while talking. Felicia How do you do? I'm Princess Felicia, granddaughter of the High Artificer. I'm about to go on my Soul Quest! Jenny looks a bit miffed. JENNY When you're ready, Felicia, you'll go. FELICIA (indignant) Oh, Master Jenny, you're so-- so fussy! I am ready! Turning back to them, she balls up her fists like a child throwing a temper tantrum. FELICIA I am! Turning, she flounces off again, leaving them alone. SCENE 2 - A toad warship flies through space. On the bridge, the Communications Toad sits at a console with a viewscreen and calls over to Toadborg. Both he and the ship's Navigator are wearing standard Storm Toad helmets that have been modified to have microphones and antennae. COMMUNICATIONS TOAD T-T-Toadborg, sir! I've located a source of powerful energy coming from the center of the Dark Heart Nebula. TOADBORG Let me see. Toadborg walks over and peers over his shoulder at the screen, which displays a yellow-colored nebula with lightning arcing through it at irregular intervals. TOADBORG What is it? What does it mean? COMMUNICATIONS TOAD Well, I don't know exactly, sir, but it's the strongest source of stellar power I've ever seen. TOADBORG Navigator, set course for the center of the Dark Heart Nebula. The Navigator Toad alters the ship's course and they turn around and fly into the nebula. The interior, now visible through the front viewport of the ship, is a vast, churning cloud of gasses and dust that obscures everything, making it impossible for them to navigate. On the bridge, the lights dim, flashing red on and off. The Communications Toad fiddles with his controls. COMMUNICATIONS TOAD None of our sensors are working! Must be the ionic disturbance of the nebula. The Navigator runs over and has a look for himself. NAVIGATOR TOAD This looks bad! He whirls to Toadborg. NAVIGATOR TOAD We'll be lost forever! We gotta turn back now! TOADBORG Reverse course! The ship turns and begins to exit the nebula as it is suddenly struck by the lightning and violently buffeted. The Comm. Toad is thrown from his seat as he and the Navigator Toad crash to the floor. Toadborg manages to keep his balance. The ship bursts free of the nebula finally. Once they're free and clear the crew returns to their stations. Toadborg stomps over, wrenching a toad sensor module from a control panel. TOADBORG (furious) Curse this flimsy, inferior, second-rate, shoddy, toad-built piece of space junk! He crushes it in his hand. COMMUNICATIONS TOAD Well, Aldebaran sensors would work in there, sir. He points to the gaping hole in the control panel that was the sensor's housing. COMMUNICATIONS TOAD Y'know, the ones like, uh, Bucky O'Hare uses? TOADBORG (thoughtfully) Mm-hmm. Aldebaran sensors. He strokes his chin. TOADBORG Hold our position while I scan my memory banks. We see clips from "The Good, the Bad and the Warty." Jenny fires a blast of magical energy at Toadborg who is holding Bucky prisoner in a room on board the toad mothership. It hits and momentarily stuns him, but he recovers quickly and fires a blast from his hands that hits Jenny and knocks her off her feet. He stomps over as she groggily tries to get to her feet, then falls back down. He lifts her up by her hair and the flashback ends. TOADBORG Yes. The Aldebaran I fought had a strange power. What I need is an Aldebaran. SCENE 3 - The Righteous Indignation sits on one of the landing pads of an Aldebaran spaceport. The High Artificer is holding Jenny's hands in farewell as Bucky and the other crew members board the ship. HIGH ARTIFICER Thank you, Jenny, for testing Felicia. JENNY I hope that she wasn't too upset she didn't pass her test. Perhaps with a few more months of practice-- HIGH ARTIFICER (finishing Jenny's sentance) --if she can learn patience. Well, your Captain is waiting. Farewell. Jenny goes and climbs aboard after Bucky, waving good-bye to the High Artificer, who turns and walks back inside as the Righteous Indignation takes off. Watching it leave from a distance is none other than Felicia. She is now wearing a spacesuit and holding a glass bubble helmet. FELICIA (to herself) I am ready! I'm going on my Soul Quest! She turns and runs into a small, green one-feline space cruiser parked nearby. FELICIA I'll show all of you I can do it! The cruiser lifts off, gaining altitude, then jumps into hyperspace. SCENE 4 - Back at the Dark Heart Nebula. Felicia comes in from hyperspace only to find herself on a collision course with the toad warship which is in its former position outside the nebula! Felicia reacts and barely manages to avoid crashing into it, zooming past the bridge window. She is seen by the Communications Toad, who points at her. COMMUNICATIONS TOAD Toadborg, sir! An Aldebaran ship has just appeared! TOADBORG Activate the tractor beams! Capture that ship! The Comm. Toad turns and simultaneously presses two buttons in front of him. The mouth of the ship opens and a green beam shoots out and quickly engulfs Felicia's smaller craft. The tiny little cruiser is jolted from the blast, Felicia, panicking, presses the throttle forward. It's no use, and she is dragged inexorably into the maw of the toad ship. FELICIA (in horror) Toads! Closing her eyes, she puts her hands to her forehead, surrounding the spell gem. It pulses with light. FELICIA (telepathy) Grandmother, can you hear me? Grandmother! Oh, please! Help! The toad ship's jaws slam shut once the cruiser is inside. In the cavernous hangar bay, several Storm Toads run up to Felicia's ship and fire blasts at its engines, disabling them. Felicia still concentrates on her gem. FELICIA (telepathy) Grandmother, I've been captured by toads outside the nebula! The High Artificer's face appears in Felicia's gem. HIGH ARTIFICER (telepathy) You know what you must do! Destroy your sensors! I will send help! Coming out of her trance, Felicia looks around at the various controls around her. Finally, she casts a spell at the instruments, destroying the sensors. The blast is so powerful it knocks Felicia out of her seat and she winds up on the floor. The controls spark and sputter, freed quark-demons shooting everywhere. Suddenly she hears shouting from outside and banging on the hatchway of the ship. It falls inwards a second later, admitting a gaggle of Storm Toads into the cabin. Two of them walk up to Felicia and point their rifles at her. She smiles at them. FELICIA (sweetly) Oh, are you looking for me? SCENE 5 - The Righteous Indignation is in dry dock at Orwell Station, above Genus. We can see the network of defense satellites surrounding the planet. Inside, Bucky, Bruiser, Deadeye and Willy are sitting in the station's snack bar. Bruiser is reading from a menu as a robotic waiter, attached to the wall by a mechanical arm, comes down and jots down his order on a notepad. BRUISER I want a banana sandwich, a banana salad and a banana milkshake! DEADEYE What'll ye be havin' for dessert, matey? Some bananas? BRUISER That's it! A banana split! With a banana on top! The robot hurriedly jots that down on its notepad, then shrugs and goes back up. A moment later it returns with all of the food on a large plate, and sets it down in front of Bruiser. The hungry baboon grabs big handfuls and begins cramming them into his mouth. A piece of sliced banana rolls across the bar-top to where Bucky and Willy are sitting. Bucky picks it up and nibbles on it. WILLY Say, where's Jenny? BUCKY (with his mouth full) Recalibrating her sensors. And, the ship's off-limits to anybody else until she's done. He stuffs the entire banana piece into his mouth and eats it, and then suddenly we hear a familiar voice from offscreen. MIMI Yoo-hoo, Bucky! Bucky turns and sees Mimi LaFloo in her fetching S.P.A.C.E. uniform, having just entered the bar. She sashays on up to the bar and has a seat right on the stool beside him. He smiles nervously. BUCKY Mimi, I was just on my way to-- Mimi cuts him off, putting her hand on his chest affectionately. MIMI (seductively) Aw, don't be silly. You can go there anytime. Wouldn't you like to see the work on my ship, just you and me? She smirks flirtatiously. He just gawks at her, speechless. MIMI Well, let's go, then! She grabs him by the wrist and drags him off before he can say anything. Meanwhile, aboard the docked Righteous Indignation, Jenny sits at her console on the bridge with magical energy dancing between her fingertips and her sensors. Willy enters the ship, but suddenly Blinky gets between him and the doorway to the turret room, halting him. BLINKY Have strict orders! No one is to enter! WILLY (protesting) Yeah, but-- Suddenly the door opens and Jenny leans out. JENNY It's all right, Blinky. I'm finished up there. Now we can-- She abruptly puts her hands to her temples. He forehead gem flashes with power, and the image of the High Artificer forms in it. HIGH ARTIFICER (telepathy) Dire news. Felicia left on her Soul Quest without permission. She's been captured by toads at the Dark Heart Nebula. JENNY I'll go there at once! Her trance ends and she turns to Willy, who knows something has happened, but not quite what. JENNY Willy, I want you to leave the ship at once, and take Blinky. Blinky shrugs. Jenny heads through the door into the turret room, but Willy follows her. Willy's closet door is present. WILLY What's goin' on? Is it about Felicia? JENNY I don't have time to explain. Go! Blinky peeks around the doorframe, watching them argue. WILLY No way! You're not takin' the ship without me! Blinky secretly removes a small device from his chest cavity and attaches it to the wall alongside the door. It begins blinking and emitting tinny beeping sounds. Willy and Jenny's argument continues. WILLY What if you need an engineer? JENNY I'll take that chance. Blinky, front and center. Blinky peeks back inside, then runs in and skids to a halt in front of Jenny, saluting. BLINKY I am hastening to obey, First Mate Jenny! Willy points at the dimensional door. WILLY That's my door! You can't take off with my door and not take me! What if somethin' happened to the ship and I could never get home again? JENNY (sighs) I guess you're right. You win. But if things go wrong, you've got to use the door to escape. She looks down at Blinky. JENNY Blinky, record a message... A short time later, the Righteous Indignation quickly leaves the dry dock, turns, and flies away from Orwell Station, making a quick hyperspace jump and disappearing. SCENE 6 - Aboard the toad warship, we focus on a full screen view Toad TV commercial playing, showing Seymour, a rather wimpy-looking toad teenager, sitting on a log alongside his girlfriend by a pond. Several other toad teens frolic in the water. SEYMOUR (narrating) One day, I was at the swamp with a real warty babe, when a big bully came up and kicked bog in my face! Seymour and his girlfriend turn as a large muscular toad in a speedo walks up and does just that, kicking mud into Seymour's face. He then scoops the girlfriend up in his arms and carries her off. GIRL TOAD Oh, Seymour, you're such a wimp! Cut to Seymour reading a "Wartman" comic book. The title character graces the cover: muscular, totally toadly and wearing a superhero cape. SEYMOUR (narrating) Then, I discovered Arnold Wartnegger's Toad Power Physical Culture Program! We see an ad for the program in the comic, depicting a beefy toad (likely Wartnegger himself) flexing beneath a proclamation: "Never Fear Bullies Again With Arnold Wartnegger's Toad Power!" He tears the ad page out of the comic. SEYMOUR (narrating) I sent away for my Toad Power Muscle Machine that same day! And in just a few short weeks... Flash-forward to Seymour with a different girlfriend. He looks the same. The same bully returns and kicks mud at Seymour, who grabs a giant mallet out of a small box and proceeds to bash the bigger toad on the head with it! The bully collapses. SEYMOUR (narrating) Yes, with Arnold Wartnegger's amazing Toad Power Muscle Machine, I never have to worry about bullies again! He and his girlfriend walk off together, trodding upon the defeated bully. The screen suddenly goes to static, and we pull back to reveal a torture room. Felicia is still in her spacesuit. Looking bored, she sits strapped to a chair in front of the screen, a Toad Tech in a white lab coat standing nearby. She yawns and Toadborg enters the room. TOADBORG What are you doing? I said to torture her, you mindless tad, not bore her! The Techie cowers. TOADBORG Get out of here! Toadborg smacks him and he goes flying offscreen with a big crash. Felicia suddenly looks afraid, but tries to fight it as the huge purple cyborg walks up and grabs her under her chin, holding her face. TOADBORG You will take me into the Dark Heart Nebula. FELICIA (defiantly) I won't! No matter what you do to me! TOADBORG (threateningly) You should not have said that. SCENE 7 - Back at Orwell Station. Bucky, Deadeye, Bruiser and Mimi are standing in a hallway, gathered around Blinky who is projecting a small holographic image of Jenny. JENNY HOLOGRAM I had to take the ship. I can't explain without betraying the Sisterhood. If we don't return, we're proud to have served with you. Jenny out. The recording ends and fizzles out. MIMI Cats. She scoffs and crosses her arms. MIMI Everyone knows you can't trust 'em. BUCKY I'd trust Jenny with my life. For that matter, I have, more times than I can count. Folding his arms behind his back he begins pacing back and forth furtively, staring at the floor. BUCKY I'd go to the ends of the Aniverse to help her. If only I knew which end she was in. He stares wistfully up at the ceiling. Blinky walks up to him and tugs on his sleeve to get his attention. BLINKY This humble robot took liberty of attaching homing device to ship. Bucky grins and places his hands on Blinky's shoulders. BUCKY Blinky, you are the greatest! Okay, everybody, let's go! He turns and starts running off down the hall, motioning for the others to follow. Heroic music kicks up as Blinky, Deadeye and Bruiser hurry after him, then suddenly Bucky halts and begins stroking his chin in helpless realization. The others halt as well, to avoid slamming into him, and poor Deadeye slides on the floor and winds up on his butt. He stands and dusts himself off. BRUISER Uh, Bucky, what are we gonna go in? BUCKY Good point. Mimi walks past them. MIMI I'll probably regret this, but we can take my ship. Come on. SCENE 8 - The Dark Heart Nebula. Toadborg's ship hangs in the same position outside the nebula, as the Righteous Indignation appears. Aboard the toad ship, the Communications Toad spots them and turns to Toadborg who is sitting in his command chair. COMMUNICATIONS TOAD (afraid) T-T-Toadborg, sir! It's the Righteous Indig--Indig--Indig--Aiiii! TOADBORG I can see that, you fool. Go to full alert. Outside, the front maser cannon of the warship levels at the Righteous Indignation. Jenny, seated at the controls, speaks into the radio. She appears on the big viewscreen of the toad bridge. JENNY This is the United Animals frigate Righteous Indignation. Release your prisoners immediately! Toadborg gets out of his chair and walks over to the Communications Toad's station. JENNY Our maser cannons are locked onto your engines. We can leave you drifting out here forever! We then see that Willy is sitting in the gunner's station. He looks less than confident in his own abilities as a gunner. WILLY (to himself) Yeah, if we can con them into thinking it's Deadeye at the guns... Toadborg appears on a small screen in front of Jenny. TOADBORG Not before I reduce you to scrap metal. Jenny looks from the screen to the warship looming outside. TOADBORG And if you want what I've got... He hauls Felicia up by the arm. She appears to be nearly unconscious, at the end of her strength and resistance, but not yet totally defeated. TOADBORG ...you'd better surrender immediately. Or she won't live another minute! Felicia wakes up suddenly. He eyelids flutter and then close again. Toadborg raises his other hand and holds it to her threateningly as sharp claws extend from the fingertips. Felicia, lucid again, reaches weakly for Jenny on the screen. FELICIA (weakly) Don't listen, Master Jenny! TOADBORG "Master Jenny?" Hmmm, why would I want the pupil when I can have the master? Give me your answer! He holds the claws closer to Felicia, who struggles in his grip weakly. JENNY All right, Toadborg, here is the deal. You let Felicia go free, unharmed, and I will take you into the nebula myself. FELICIA No, Jenny, you mustn't! TOADBORG Silence, you mangy warmblood! He angrily throws her aside. Jenny clenches her fists with barely- controlled fury. She has the fiercest look on her face ever. JENNY Toadborg, if you hurt her again I won't rest until I've torn you apart bolt by bolt! TOADBORG Your threats are worthless. You will come aboard my ship immediately! JENNY Not until you release Felicia! Toadborg points at the screen. TOADBORG If you want her, you'll have to come and get her! Inside the nebula! He addresses the Communications Toad. TOADBORG Break contact! The communication link is severed. JENNY Toadborg! The bottom hatch of the warship opens, and Toadborg descends from it holding Felicia by the arm, propelled by his own built-in rocketry. Felicia is wearing her bubble helmet. The two of them drift away and disappear into the nebula. Jenny watches them go, clearly distressed. JENNY He'll never find his way out again! Rising, she runs over and darts quickly down into the lower deck of the ship, where she finds Willy having just finished putting on his battle suit. His door is still in the background. JENNY What do you think you're doing? WILLY (matter-of-factly) Gettin' ready for battle. We have to go in after 'em! JENNY You are going through that door, where it's safe! She points at the closet door, and Willy takes a step back reflexively, then crosses his arms stubbornly. WILLY I'm not gonna leave you when you need me the most! JENNY (firmly) Willy-- WILLY (cutting her off) You have to focus your powers, right? Like you told Felicia? How can you pilot the ship and use your powers at the same time? Jenny is exasperated, and sighs deeply. Willy smiles triumphantly. JENNY All right, Engineer DuWitt, you win again. Crossing over to the wall, she presses a button. A panel slides away and an Aldebaran spacesuit with a bubble helmet is lowered down. JENNY Ready the Toad Croaker for flight. Willy looks surprised. WILLY The Croaker? But it doesn't have any Aldebaran sensors on it. Jenny hurriedly pulls the suit on. JENNY We Aldebarans have gone into this nebula on our Soul Quests for generations. We don't need sensors. Fixing her hair, she pulls on the helmet. Cut to the outside of the Righteous Indignation, and the side hatch flips down revealing Willy and Jenny on the Toad Croaker. Willy is sitting up front, piloting, Jenny seated behind him. They zoom away and plunge into the nebula. Cut to the inside of the nebula. Toadborg and Felicia drift along, Felicia struggling to pull her arm free of the cyborg's grasp. He isn't even paying attention to her. FELICIA You'll be lost in here forever! No one will ever find you! TOADBORG Your Master Jenny will come. You mammals care too much for one another. They both turn as Jenny and Willy pull up on the Toad Croaker. JENNY Release Felicia. Toadborg pulls Felicia closer to himself. TOADBORG She stays with me until I learn the secret of this nebula. Lead on. JENNY All right, Willy. Fly heading two mark four. The Croaker turns and zooms ahead. Toadborg follows, dragging Felicia along with him. All around them is the dynamic, seething activity of the Dark Heart Nebula. Clouds of glowing gas and electrical discharges in the air like lightning bolts. The lightning strikes Toadborg, electricity surging around his metal body. TOADBORG (excited) This is incredible! My electronics are fluctuating! Going crazy! Hearing him, Jenny turns and calls back over her shoulder. JENNY It will only get worse! We can turn back now! Toadborg will have none of it. TOADBORG Never! Deep within I am still a toad, and that part of me always functions! They head deeper and finally arrive at the heart of the nebula. Resting within a hollow space of nothingness in the center is a massive object roughly the size of a moon, covered in huge purple veins with blue electricity surging over it. They all head towards it and the Toad Croaker stops a good distance from it. WILLY (mystified) What is it? JENNY The most powerful and dangerous energy source in the galaxy. The Father of all Quarks. Toadborg is finally starting to lose it. TOADBORG (excited) All that power! Mine! I will drink the power of the stars themselves! JENNY Toadborg, don't disturb it! You have no idea what it can do! TOADBORG I didn't bring you along for advice, mammal! He turns and looks at Felicia who he is still holding. TOADBORG This will get you out of my way! He throws her with a powerful heave and she goes flying off into the mists of the nebula, screaming. Willy banks the Croaker around sharply and he and Jenny take off after her to save her. Toadborg lingers a moment, watching them go, then turns and flies up to the Quark. At this close range, we can see the surface of it is dotted with large pulsating veins. Toadborg's chest opens up, and a two-pronged siphon shoots out on the end of a cable, attaching itself to the surface of the "moon." Glowing green energy flows up through the cable and into Toadborg's body, causing him to flail uncontrollably. Suddenly, part of the "moon" splits and unfolds, opening up. We see a pair of glowing, narrow red eyes inside. The entire thing then unfolds complete to reveal that it is in fact a giant, gargoyle-like monster with horns who had his wings folded around himself. The beast stretches his arms and howls as Toadborg reacts to this. The Quark bends down so that its ugly face is inches from him. It looks annoyed. Meanwhile, Felicia, screaming, is still flying uncontrollably through the mists with Jenny and Willy chasing after her on the Toad Croaker. They finally catch up to her, and Willy reaches out and grabs her by her spacesuit, pulling her safely aboard. JENNY Now, heading twelve mark five, and hurry! I must stop Toadborg! Willy turns the Croaker around and flies back the way they came. Meanwhile Toadborg is having problems of his own. The Quark roars at him and he backs away from it, only to encounter its huge hand. It grabs him and holds him between its thumb and forefinger, scrutinizes him, then casually flicks him aside like a piece of lint, sending him flying off in some random direction as Jenny, Willy and Felicia arrive on the Croaker. JENNY Too late! Toadborg has awakened it! It notices them and howls at them eerily. Jenny's spell gems glow and she prepares and throws the most powerful spell she has. It hits the Quark, and mystical energy races around his body, trying to contain him. He writhes, roars, and then breaks free. Felicia is terrified. FELICIA I can't stand it! Help! She fearfully hides behind Willy as the monster leans down and roars at them. Jenny closes her eyes and begins going into a telepathic trance. JENNY (telepathy) Sisters, hear me. Send me all your power, all your strength. Help me! Back on Aldebaran, we see a mother cat rocking her kitten to sleep in its cradle. She stops rocking and concentrates. A female scholar, reading a book in a library, also senses Jenny's thoughts. SCHOLAR (telepathy) We hear you, Sister! A painter, working at an easel, is beginning to paint a portrait of another Aldebaran nearby who is something of a V.I.P. They both receive her message, spell gems glowing. PAINTER (telepathy) Take the power of our Sisterhood! V.I.P. CAT (telepathy) We are all with you! Back in the nebula, a spell ten times more powerful than the first flies from Jenny's hands! The Quark, hit, writhes in pain. He screams in rage, sparks of green energy (quark-demons) fly from his kin and spin in the air around him like fireflies, zipping off in all directions. WILLY It's--It's working! He's getting weaker! The Quark shields himself with one of his bat-like wings, then spreads them both wide, clenching his fists angrily, and bellows in defiance. One of his huge hands reaches out and grabs a handful of proto-stars from the mists of the nebula, and he stuffs them into his mouth and eats them to add to his strength. They go nova inside him, allowing him to regain his strength. He grows bigger, his muscle mass increasing. JENNY (telepathy) Sisters, it's not enough! He's fighting back! On Aldebaran, the High Artificer is sitting on a stone bench in the garden of the Palace of the Sisterhood. HIGH ARTIFICER (telepathy) Take all our power, all our strength! The multiple gems on her crown glow brightly. Nearby are several other identically-dressed Artificers, also wearing crowns with lots of spell gems on them. Theirs glow as well. Bright light fills the screen. Back in the nebula, all of the donated energy flows into the gem on Jenny's forehead. She spreads her arms wide and then fires at the Quark a third time! Enraged, he lunges for them. WILLY Watch out! He flies them away, the monster's giant clawed hand reaching for them! WILLY Come on, come on! The Quark's hand swats at the Toad Croaker, hitting it and knocking Felicia off. She goes spinning off through the nebula, and then the hand grabs the Croaker with Jenny and Willy still on it. The huge fingers start trying to close around them and squish them, but Jenny holds them back with her magic. She can't hold him at bay forever, though. JENNY Felicia! Felicia, help us! Send me YOUR power! Felicia! Felicia, floating nearby, looks on in worry. FELICIA Jenny? I'm so scared! I must help them! I must join with the others! She holds her head, forehead gem glowing as she begins lending Jenny her strength. FELICIA Jenny! I'm with you! Take my power! This does the trick, and Jenny succeeds in forcing the Quark's fingers apart, freeing both her and Willy and saving them from getting pulverized. She then turns and fires at the monster yet again, hitting him in the face and knocking him backwards. He roars and she blasts him again, this time in the stomach. Finally, he curls into a fetal position and his wings close around him once again, concealing him from view. He now resembles the "moon" form seen earlier. All goes quiet. Willy pilots the Croaker over to Felicia and Jenny helps her aboard as they watch the dozens of remaining little quark-demons zipping about like demented fireflies. WILLY Hey, these little guys are like the ones in the garden. Is this where all your quark demons come from? JENNY Very perceptive, Willy. That's the purpose of the Soul Quest. This is where each Aldebaran must come to gain her full mastery over this power. FELICIA (excited) We did it, Master Jenny! We put the quark back to sleep! Jenny puts her hand on Felicia's arm. JENNY Without you, we would never have won the battle. FELICIA (confused) Me? I don't understand. I'm just one person. JENNY That's right. One. You're the one that made the difference. Now, Felicia. It's time to get what you came for. FELICIA Yes, Master Jenny. She stands up in the Croaker, the little quark-demons zipping around. This time Felicia is not distracted, and she successfully weaves a spell and traps one of the quarks in a net of energy. She brings the spell-net closer to herself until it touches her forehead gem, and the little green orb is absorbed into the jewel. FELICIA From the heart of darkness, I have conquered the light of the stars. Jenny joins her, mirroring her pose. JENNY And the light you have won this day will never fade. Your mastery is complete, Artificer. They hurriedly fly away from the now dormant Quark and leave the nebula. Outside, both the Righteous Indignation and Toadborg's ship are right where they were. The Toad Croaker zips out of the nebula and makes a beeline for the drifting mammal frigate. The toad ship fires on them, missing. JENNY Back to the ship! Hurry! They all duck as a maser blast sails over their heads, dangerously close. WILLY We'll never make it! Suddenly a maser blast from offscreen hits the hull of the toad ship, and the Screaming Mimi comes flying onto the scene. Deadeye is at the guns. DEADEYE (laughs) Take this, scum-suckers! He continues firing at the toad ship. On board, the bridge crew hold on as the whole vessel rocks from the impact. The Communications Toad and Navigator Toad are both are at their stations. Another crew member stands between them. TOAD OFFICER Another mammal frigate! We're outnumbered! COMMUNICATIONS TOAD I'm gettin' a signal from Toadborg! He's driftin' in space! TOAD OFFICER Get a fix on 'im! He turns to the Navigator. TOAD OFFICER Navigator, get us out of here! He complies, and the warship turns and flies off. Bucky and Mimi are together on the bridge of the Screaming Mimi, Bucky grinning widely. MIMI (laughs) Look at the slimy cowards run! BUCKY Mammals one, toads nothing! Meanwhile the Toad Croaker and its three passengers reach the safety of the Righteous Indignation. Bucky gets on the radio, his smile fading. BUCKY (clipped, cold) This is Captain Bucky O'Hare to First Mate Jenny. You are ordered to take the Righteous Indignation to Aldebaran, on the double. O'Hare out. On board, Jenny and Willy sit at the controls on the bridge, Jenny in her usual seat, Willy in Bucky's. Felicia stands behind them. JENNY (subdued) Yes, Captain. WILLY Aw, don't worry, Jenny. He'll understand. He puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder. WILLY You'll see. Elsewhere, the apparently lifeless Toadborg drifts along through space. The toad ship comes along and moves over him. COMMUNICATIONS TOAD Activate the tractor beam! The bottom of the ship opens, shooting out the tractor beam which grabs Toadborg and pulls him inside. The hatch closes. Inside, Toadborg slowly wakes up to find the crew standing around him as he lays on the floor of the hangar bay. The Communications Toad bends down to him. COMMUNICATIONS TOAD Did you find it, sir? TOADBORG Find... what? COMMUNICATIONS TOAD Th-The power source, sir. Inside the nebula. Toadborg sits up, shaking his head with a rattling sound, disoriented. TOADBORG What power source? What nebula? COMMUNICATIONS TOAD Bu-But, my instruments said that-- TOADBORG (cutting him off) Your instruments are malfunctioning, you menial fly-chaser! Fix them! He gets up, nuts and bolts falling off him as the toad crew gawk at him. COMMUNICATIONS TOAD (swallows nervously) Yes, your toadship. TOADBORG Bah! Does nothing on this ship work right? He stomps off, leaving the crew standing there confused. SCENE 9 - Back on Aldebaran, a large attendance of Aldebarans is gathered outside the palace. Bucky, Willy, Jenny, Felicia, the High Artificer, and one of the High Artificer's assistants all stand before them on a raised platform. The High Artificer addresses the audience. HIGH ARTIFICER Princess Felicia has touched the heart of darkness and returned. She puts her arm around her granddaughter. HIGH ARTIFICER She is now Sister to is all. The Aldebarans all cheer excitedly. Felicia turns to Willy. FELICIA Thanks to you and Jenny. And you are a true hero, Willy DuWitt. She kisses him on the cheek, and he turns away shyly, blushing. WILLY Gosh... Nearby, Jenny is attempting to explain things to a very angry-looking Bucky, who has his arms crossed and is gritting his teeth. JENNY I know I don't deserve to be forgiven. It's the worst thing I've ever done, taking your ship. Bucky looks away from her, thinking. JENNY Oh, Bucky, say something. BUCKY How 'bout... welcome back? He grins and she gives him a big hug. Bucky then turns and winks at the "camera." THE END