"Best-Laid Plans" by Rygar Additions by DJ Clawson and Claudia Carranza First draft - 8/7/05 Final draft - 5/28/06 SCENE 1 - SPACE OUTSIDE TOAD HOMEWORLD The metallic deadness of the Toad Homeworld seems to frighten away even the stars in this remote sector of the aniverse. No other planets remain in this solar system; the ones that used to orbit the same sun as the toad planet were long ago mined for magma and then obliterated. Now, only the gleaming sphere subjugated and dominated by KOMPLEX remains. Slowly, quietly, and (its passengers hope) imperceptibly, a small space cruiser boldly streaks toward the seven-layer chrome factory that once supported life organically. Its four passengers -- CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE, CAPTAIN MIMI LAFLEUR, ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT, and AFC BLINKY -- keep silent, as if afraid that any noise made on the ship will attract a thousand toad double bubbles. The ominous planet reflects in Bucky's eyes. His nerves are stronger than they should be; he has willed himself to be strong, to face his most dangerous mission proudly, in the hopes he can end the war that has defined his entire life. Willy, in stark contrast, is trying hard simply not to throw up. He remembers -- he can never forget, in fact -- what the toads have done to him. They brainwashed him; they isolated him from his friends and family; they drove him to attempt suicide. And now, he's speeding toward the last place he ever wants to be again. Mimi's thoughts race with a mixture of fear and awe. She's seen enough images of the Toad Homeworld to last her a lifetime, but in person, the sinister planet is actually a wonder to behold. Though angular, sterile, and seemingly devoid of life, the patterns and the shades of silver and gray somehow combine to form a peculiar beauty. Mimi feels the breath escaping from her lungs, and she wonders whether it's because she's afraid or because she's awestruck. A close approximation of fear and unease is programmed into Blinky's emotion chip, and it's doing a good job. Willy's audible gulp breaks the silence as he adjusts the controls. WILLY (whispering) There. That should get us through the perimeter defenses and leave us enough time to land. BUCKY Good job, Willy. Do you know where to go when we get there? WILLY Yeah, just follow me. Mandatory Toad TV hour just started, so there shouldn't be any stormtoads around when we land. The cruiser streaks closer and closer. The mammals hold their breath as they enter the planet's orbit. With a sigh of relief, they pass the plasma cannons without being shot at. Approaching the surface of the planet, they mostly see huge factories, all interconnected, with the occasional actual building. At least two completed climate converters also stand on top of the planet's outer level. No traces of natural life exist anywhere. The only traces of green visible are in the logo of the Toad Empire, which covers everything and sneers at the trespassers. Willy points to a small patch of unremarkable metallic ground right next to the largest construct in sight, and Bucky steers the ship toward it. They land silently and disembark. Even though Bucky trusted Willy's ability to get them on the planet, the hare is surprised when he sees no stormtoads around. Willy takes the lead and motions for them to follow him. The four walk up to the side of the large structure. Finding a vent large enough for them to crawl through, Bucky and Mimi quickly unscrew the grate. The four climb in, and Blinky reattaches it from the inside. BUCKY (whispering) That was way easier than I thought it'd be. WILLY (turning on a flashlight) It's not going to get any easier. Follow me. Making as little noise as possible, Willy inches down the vast air duct ahead of him. Blinky, having sprouted a pair of wheels for silent transportation, follows him, then Bucky, then Mimi. Both captains have drawn a maser pistol. Mimi's heart rate has increased. Bucky's has stayed the same; he's willing himself to remain calm and focused. He is, however, impressed with the maturity Willy's showing. SCENE 2 - SPACE ABOVE GENUS Unlike the guarded fear hanging over the mission to the Toad Homeworld, the passengers on the two ships traveling toward Genus are excited, though more than a little nervous. COMMANDER SIRIUS DOGSTAR has convinced his troops that the combination of fighting on familiar ground and having all of S.P.A.C.E.'s heavy hitters with them will ensure a decisive, if not especially swift, victory. The Indefatigable approaches the toad-tampered defense satellites orbiting just above the planet, with The Screaming Mimi riding its tail. The outermost defense satellites begin to point their weaponry at the frigates. JENNY, sitting next to Dogstar in the cockpit, has a look of determination on her face. DOGSTAR Ready, Jenny? JENNY (concentrating) I'd better be. DOGSTAR Then fire, I say! Jenny grits her teeth and welcomes the fire in her belly as her spell gems begin to glow brightly. She strains as a ball of pink energy comes together in space, a few feet in front of the frigate. Jenny grunts, and the ball bursts forward as a missile. The defense satellite nearest the ship explodes in a mess of pink. Jenny strains, producing another attack that levels the next closest satellite. Everyone onboard the two frigates seems impressed -- Dogstar even raises an eyebrow. Jenny, winded from the exertion, leans forward and clutches the control panel, catching her breath. The Indefatigable makes a beeline through the gap caused by Jenny's attack. The Screaming Mimi, piloted by FIRST MATE JONATHAN WEISSMAN, follows its sister frigate. Unfortunately, a nearby defense satellite comes within range and starts shooting at the Mimi, lurching toward it in space. A maser blast hits its target, shaking the frigate hard. JONATHAN (his teeth rattling, into comm) A little help, please! Jenny inhales sharply, then grunts as she lets out another burst of offensive magic. It hits the satellite just off-center, causing it to spin wildly at it zooms away from the frigates before finally exploding. DEADEYE (in The Screaming Mimi, over comm) Ha hah! Nice shootin', Jenny-girl! JENNY (winded, into comm) Thanks, Deadeye. The Screaming Mimi now joins The Indefatigable beyond the purview of the Genus defense satellites. The two frigates nosedive toward the planet. As the dingy gray of the planet's new, toad-friendly atmosphere comes into full view, most of the mammals on the two frigates feel a tinge of sadness or disgust in their stomachs. Entering Genus's atmosphere, Jonathan makes sure no one is looking, then pulls a small pill out of his pocket and takes it. DOGSTAR (into comm, to both ships) Now, the toads undoubtedly know we're coming, so belay the subtlety. Charge in with our guns blazing! At this, Deadeye starts firing The Screaming Mimi's maser canon. PITSTOP PETE, standing in for his captured comrade Rumblebee on The Indefatigable, begins shooting as well. The two frigates sweep over the planet, damaging minor toad installations. Over the horizon, the UAC Headquarters comes into view. Everyone gasps as they observe what the toads have done to the building they've spent so much time in. Not as tall as it used to be, the building now boasts massive amounts of toad steel and technology. The rubble has been cleared away, leaving a site so pristine and meticulous that even the planet's bugs seem to avoid it. The climate converter turning Genus into a murky swamp stands nearby, connected to the building in order to draw power from it. A crowd of alarmed stormtoads has gathered around where The Indefatigable and The Screaming Mimi are apparently going to land. They train their guns upward and begin shooting at the ships, though their plasma shots bounce effortlessly off the frigate's shields. Dogstar makes a tidy landing right next to the toads, though Jonathan decides to press their advantage and plows straight into the mass of troopers, croaking quite a few of them. The Screaming Mimi then lands, and the crews from both ships disembark. Before the remaining toads can gather their wits, they're all zapped by Jenny, who staggers from The Indefatigable, looking fatigued. Maser pistols in paw, GUNNER DEADEYE DUCK, VINCENT ROEDECKER, and Pete get out next, taking clear shots at the reinforcements showing up on the horizon. Jonathan and BRUISER then disembark, waiting until their strength is truly needed. ENGINEER MIKE MARISON skittishly steps onto the murky ground, standing next to and slightly behind an ANDROID SECOND CLASS. Jenny also hangs back, regaining her strength. Another batch of stormtoads approaches and begins shooting. Dogstar and crew return fire as they slowly advance toward the UAC building. DOGSTAR (calling) Pete, Roedecker, once we're almost inside, break away and start freeing any mammals the toads have enslaved! All right? PETE Yup! RODECKER (enjoying shooting the toads down) This is for Blade and Maxwell, you slimy bastards. The group of determined mammals gets closer and closer to UAC Headquarters. Once they approach the door, Pete and Roedecker duck out, noticed by only a few stormtoads. The rest of the toad soldiers keep firing at the larger group of mammals as they storm their target. SCENE 3 - AIR DUCT, TOAD HOMEWORLD After what seems like an eternity of crawling, Willy stops right next to a vent. He peers through, trying to keep his head out of view. Satisfied, he turns around and whispers to his teammates. WILLY OK, we're getting close to the center of the building. We need to turn left up ahead, and then slide down five stories. We should be able to slow our descent by hugging the walls of the vertical duct. BUCKY (slightly amused) I've wriggled my way through air ducts before, Willy. WILLY Anyway, that should take us near the main control room, where Blinky and I can begin erasing KOMPLEX. BUCKY (whispering) How long will that take? WILLY Maybe twenty minutes. Fifteen if I'm lucky. MIMI (whispering) Toad TV hour's over by now, right? WILLY Yeah, and the toads are usually especially vicious right afterwards. But like I said, they probably won't fire on us in KOMPLEX's control room. BUCKY I'm sure they'll do *something*. They won't just stand there while we destroy their leader. Bucky notices a hint of nervousness wash over Willy's face. BUCKY (quickly, reassuringly) But I'm sure we can handle it. MIMI Yeah. Don't worry about it, Willy. We'll buy you all the time you need. WILLY (unemotionally) Yeah. Come on, let's keep going. Bucky can't help but notice that Willy is shaking slightly as the group presses onward. SCENE 4 - UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS After Jenny blasts the doors open, the mammals enter UAC Headquarters and find themselves greeted by a small flock of stormtoads. The building's alarm sirens are blaring. Dogstar and Deadeye take the lead, shooting at any and every stormtoad in sight; their momentum and fierceness allow them to gain the upper hand against the surprised toads. Jonathan flies ahead, knocking out stormtoads before they can become a threat. Bruiser hangs back, punching and throwing any toads that try to sneak up on them. Jenny is still in the middle, once again trying to recover after exerting herself. She's using a little power to deflect any toad shots that come too close for comfort. Mike and the ASC are also in the middle, trying to stay insulated from the volley of maser and plasma fire. MIKE You OK, Jenny? JENNY (trying to concentrate) Yes, Mike. Just give me a minute. MIKE Anything I can do? JENNY (smiling despite herself) Just keep your mind on the mission. I can take care of myself. As they progress down the hall, Bruiser notices a group of about two dozen stormtoads turn a corner and head straight for them. BRUISER (calling) Commander Dogstar, requestin' permission ta blow up some toads wit' grenades! DOGSTAR Permission granted! Dogstar looks at the toad insignias peering down on the group from the walls. DOGSTAR And see if you can take out some of these hideous toad faces while you're at it! (under his breath, still shooting) I always thought this place could use a little redecorating, though this is certainly not what I envisioned. Bruiser grabs two grenades off his shoulder belt, pulls their pins, and throws them at the toads. One lands just to the left of the group, the other to the right. The toads notice them but don't have time to react before they explode. About a third of the stormtoads die instantly as the grenades explode, splattering green blood and guts on the walls, and most of the rest are buried under rubble as that portion of the hallway starts to cave in. The two big holes in the hallway reveal the interior of a number of smaller rooms. Most of them hold equipment or files, but some of them harbor stormtoads that hastily join the battle. BRUISER Aw, shoot. Bruiser breaks away from the pack briefly to do some old- fashioned toad stomping. He jumps into the fray, half expecting the toads to be afraid of them. He knows they won't be, though, so he doesn't waste any time in smashing skulls and throwing toads against the walls. One stormtoad gets off a shot that hits Bruiser in the back. The rampaging baboon grimaces but doesn't let the wound slow him down; instead, he grabs the toad that shot him and uses him like a baseball bat to smack two other stormtoads. Finally having dealt with all the toads attacking from behind, Bruiser runs up and joins the group, which is nearing the doorway to a large commons area. DOGSTAR (motioning toward the door) Our intelligence said most of the toad equipment is stored in there, right? MIKE (ducking a plasma blast) Yeah. DOGSTAR Once we get inside, we'll draw the fire away from you. Do whatever you can to shut down the toads' communication equipment, so they can't call for even more backup. MIKE Will do. Can't you just, I dunno, smash it, though? DOGSTAR (shooting a stormtoad) Well, I'd hate to think we brought you along for nothing, lad. Don't you want to feel useless. (cracks a small smile) Besides, brute force will only get you so far. You've got to have other tricks up your sleeve. Something I've come to understand more and more lately. Deadeye, with his four maser blasters hitting nearly every stormtoad he's aimed at, clears the hall of any remaining toads, and the group finally reaches the door. Jonathan tries to rip it open, but it's triply secured and too strong even for him. JONATHAN Wow. I hate to admit it, but I'm impressed. JENNY (stepping forward) I've got it. DOGSTAR (quickly) Stand down, Jenny. We need you at full strength for whatever's inside there. Bruiser, can you handle this? BRUISER Only one way ta find out! Bruiser steps forward and taps on the door, gauging its strength. Frowning, he pulls off his bandolier, which has about a dozen grenades still strapped to it. BRUISER Dis may not be enough. (placing the bandolier right next to the door) Take cover, everybody! Hey, uh ... android guy. Can ya pull all dose pins? ASC Affirmative. The ASC steps forward, Mike right behind him, as everyone else scatters to either side, ducking behind the sturdiest thing they can find. The ASC's fingers whir as it pulls out the grenade pins faster than any mammal could. He and Mike then run for cover. A group of STORMTOADS that was advancing from behind the group runs up to the door, only to find the bandolier. One of them picks it up, concerned. STORMTOAD #1 Guys, I think we got a problem. STORMTOAD #2 (alarmed) Why'd you pick that up?! You stupid ... The entire bandolier explodes, creating a large and brutal explosion. When the smoke clears, a relieved Dogstar notices that the reinforced door now has a hole in it large enough for them to run through. Absolutely nothing appears left of the stormtoads. DOGSTAR Everyone all right? (doesn't wait for a response) Then let's go! The group charges. In the heat of the moment, no one notices that Mike and the ASC have vanished. Mike barely got them behind a column in time, and that wasn't enough to shield them. He remains lying in the hall, moaning softly as patches of his fur gently burn. Next to him, the ASC is attempting to reboot after sustaining damage scarring and blackening its outer surface. SCENE 5 - CONTROL ROOM, TOAD HOMEWORLD Four layers down in the main command building on the Toad Homeworld, TOADBORG is having a conversation with KOMPLEX when a toad SCIENTIST bursts in unexpectedly, clutching a small handheld device in his left paw. He's obviously run all the way here. SCIENTIST (frantically, waving the device) Toadborg, sir! Toadborg! TOADBORG (his eyes narrow) You dare interrupt my audience with KOMPLEX? SCIENTIST (breathing heavily) I'm sorry, but ... KOMPLEX (his voice booming) Speak. SCIENTIST Yes, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. (points to the device) There are mammals on the Homeworld. This catches Toadborg by surprise. He normally does not like surprises, but this one interests him greatly. TOADBORG Are you certain? SCIENTIST Yeah. We installed a tracking chip in that hairless baboon right after we brainwashed him, just in case. Now, we're picking up a signal from the chip. It's coming from the ducts one floor below us right now. TOADBORG That human was foolish enough to return to us? How unfortunate for him. (to KOMPLEX) And Captain O'Hare is no doubt with him. Shall I take care of this annoyance, KOMPLEX? KOMPLEX Of course, Toadborg. Furthermore, I suspect that if the mammals are trying to infiltrate our planet, they may have similar plans for their beloved planet Genus. I will assess the situation there. (glaring) Do not report back to me until you have captured the mammals. Leave them alive for me. TOADBORG (saluting) As you command, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. (to the scientist) Show me the location of the signal. The scientist hurries out of the room, with Toadborg following closely behind. They board an elevator, go down a level, then walk though a long, monotonous stretch of corridor. Much like its exterior, the walls, floor, and ceilings of this toad-built complex are smooth, metallic, and devoid of all unnecessary detail. The scientist stops in front of a doorway. SCIENTIST (pointing) They're in there, crawling through the ducts. Toadborg looks at the door, then down the remainder of the corridor. TOADBORG Hmm. It appears they're heading for the room housing KOMPLEX's main hardware. A bold, if astoundingly foolish, plan. (to the scientist) Get some troops. I doubt I will require them, but these mammals have repeatedly proven luckier than they deserve. The scientist scurries off. Toadborg presses a button next to the door, which whooshes open without breaking the silence. The small room's only function is storage, making it largely unremarkable. Toadborg's optics immediately focus on the air duct running through the room, just below the ceiling. Making no noise, Toadborg steps underneath the duct and listens. His aural systems pick up noise inaudible to the normal toad ear. His eyes gleam maliciously as he picks up a faint sound directly above him. He lifts his right hand directly above his head. In one quick motion, he extends it to reach the air duct, grasps the duct, and then rips it open violently. WILLY Aah! Willy was mere inches away from being crushed by Toadborg's iron grip. Caught completely by surprise, he tumbles out of the duct and onto the floor. Before he can even register what has happened, Toadborg kicks him violently in the face. Willy's glasses and nose shatter, and he flies into the wall. Landing with a hard thud, Willy slumps down, unconscious and bleeding from his nose and ears. Toadborg, having taken his eyes off the duct for barely half a second, looks back at it. Blinky, too, fell out, and he is grabbing on to the edge with his left hand, trying to lift himself back in. BUCKY Willy! Bucky leaps out of the hole Toadborg created in the air duct. Not sparing Willy a glance, he looks up at Toadborg and points his blaster at Toadborg. BUCKY (furious) That's the last time you'll ever hurt Willy, you monster. TOADBORG (haughtily) No, I think I'll be hurting him plenty in the future. Incensed, Bucky draws a second blaster, apparently about to start shooting. Toadborg laughs. Bucky initially takes this for hubris but realizes the truth when a dozen stormtoads burst through the door and aim at Bucky. TOADBORG Leave him alive. (leering) Mostly. The stormtoads charge their plasma blasters and fire in unison. Bucky has no hope of dodging the shots, and five of them find their mark. Bucky lets out a pained cry as he falls down, barely conscious and fur burning. As if Bucky is beneath his notice, Toadborg ignores the crumpled green mass ahead of him. He turns to Blinky, who is still trying to clamber into the duct. BLINKY Calamity and woe! Calamity and woe! Saying nothing, Toadborg grabs Blinky about the midsection and jerks violently. His motion is so swift and forceful that he rips Blinky's left arm out of its socket. A hail of sparks shoots out of Blinky's damaged shoulder. BLINKY Error error errrrrrrrorrrrr ... Blinky's voice dies. Clutching the limp android in his hand, Toadborg watches as the hand on Blinky's disembodied left arm loosens its grip on the duct and the arm falls to the ground with a feeble clank. Pleased with himself, Toadborg drops Blinky. TOADBORG Take this to the scientists. The stormtoads obey. Toadborg takes one last glance at the duct, waiting to see if any more heroic mammals jump out. Satisfied that none will, Toadborg grabs Bucky and Willy himself and begins to drag them out of the room. BUCKY (weakly) You'll pay for this, Toadborg. TOADBORG (almost impressed) Still conscious, Captain O'Hare? It must be rather painful. How fortunate for you that I am here to help. Toadborg flings Bucky into the wall. Bucky, like Willy, cries out in pain and falls to the floor. Still carrying Willy, Toadborg calmly lumbers over to the now-unconscious hare, casting a shadow over the body as he looks down on him. TOADBORG Pathetic. Toadborg lifts Bucky harshly by the ears, then casually exits the room, shutting the door behind him. Nothing can be heard now, though the splatters of blood, the damaged duct, and Blinky's twitching left arm serve as testaments to the battle that just took place. More than a minute later, Mimi nervously pokes her head out of the hole in the duct. Her fur is matted with sweat, her eyes are wide, and she is breathing rapidly and shallowly. She's clearly in shock. SCENE 6 - COMMONS AREA, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS Dogstar, Deadeye, Jenny, Jonathan, and Bruiser step purposefully into the large room. The first thing they notice is the swarm of stormtoads seemingly filling every nook and cranny. There is also plenty of toad computer equipment. At the far end of the room, standing above them on a raised podium, stands CAPTAIN SMATA. A large blank screen looms behind him. SMATA Well, well, well. Look what we have here. DOGSTAR (coolly) I'd offer you the opportunity to surrender, Smata, but I know it's not a luxury you'd ever grant me. The stormtoads charge their plasma blasters and take aim. SMATA Actually, if you were to surrender now, I can promise you that you'll live at least until tomorrow morning. DEADEYE Don't never take the word of a toad, Commander. DOGSTAR You don't actually think I'm planning to do that, do you, my boy? Dogstar nudges Jenny with his elbow. In response, Jenny unleashes a powerful blast that bowls over a good two dozen toads. Confusion quickly spreads through the toad masses, many of whom begin to shoot. Deadeye, Jenny, and Dogstar duck. Meanwhile, Bruiser and Jonathan begin pounding their way through the toad forces by brute strength. Dogstar and Deadeye take cover to trade fire with the toads, while Jenny uses her powers to create a small force field around her as she makes her way to Smata, practically ignoring the toad cannon fodder. The field swarms around her, and tiny pinpricks of pink light attack and quench the oncoming toad fire. The fight goes on for a good three minutes, and Jenny gets within a few dozen feet of a nervous-looking Smata. SMATA (loudly) What's wrong with you idiots? Destroy them! The words of encouragement do little to galvanize the toads, who are already doing their best against the mammal onslaught. Before Dogstar's team can decisively turn the tide, however, the screen behind Smata activates, showering the room with a hideous green light as KOMPLEX appears. KOMPLEX (voice booming) Surrender, mammals! The mammals, of course, keep fighting. KOMPLEX (snarling) Surrender ... or we will snap this puny rabbit's neck. KOMPLEX's face gives way to a larger-than-life picture of Bucky's battered and bruised face. Toadborg's steel hand is noticeable at the top of the screen, holding Bucky by the ears. Astonished, Jonathan and Bruiser stop fighting. Dogstar and Deadeye, concern visible on their faces, cease fire. Only Jenny, who seems so determined that she has not noticed the interruption, keeps moving forward. KOMPLEX (noticing) It appears that you will need more persuading than your teammates, witch. Toadborg's other hand visibly wraps itself around Bucky's next and begins squeezing. Bucky involuntarily lets out a moan of pain as Toadborg chokes him. The noise finally snaps Jenny out of it. JENNY (stops walking, her force field still up) Bucky! No! KOMPLEX's face reappears. KOMPLEX Excellent. Now, surrender. The mammals all look back and forth at each other nervously. KOMPLEX (forcefully) Surrender! SCENE 7 - GENUS Roedecker and Pete are sticking to the shadows, of which there are plenty in the swampy landscape of Genus. Moving slowly and silently, they try to avoid any stormtoads patrolling about. Finally, after skulking around for nearly twenty minutes, they come across a large grassy clearing. Stormtoads patrol the perimeter, though they're positioned sparsely. Near one of the corners of the space is a small hut, clearly erected recently by paw. A smattering of equipment stands next to the hut, including a stereo system through which the toads inside bark orders at the many mammal slaves digging out the trees, shrubs, and stumps still in the field. VOICE (barking over sound system) Faster, you lazy mammals! We have to clear this land by next weekend to begin construction on the new Toad Beauty Spa! Every mammal that falls behind will lose a limb of our choice! Groaning, the mammals try to speed up, though they're already going as fast as their weary bodies can. Bleeding, ragged, and covered in muck, these beaten-down slaves are a sorry sight indeed. Pete gets a look of disgust on his face when he sees them, though Roedecker acts unaffected. The two take cover behind a large tree just beyond the clearing. ROEDECKER (whispering) We need to make our way to that hut and take out whoever's inside. Then we can broadcast to these guys, telling them to fight back. (counting in his head) There's like five mammals for every toad. What a bunch of wimps. Just then, a mammal falls down, succumbing to exhaustion. Two nearby STORMTOADS walk up to the fallen wolf and begin tormenting him. STORMTOAD #3 (angrily) Want to take a nap, do you? STORMTOAD #4 No one gets to take naps around here but us! One of the stormtoads kicks the wolf hard in the ribs. The wolf yelps but does not move much. STORMTOAD #4 Lazy little furball, this one. STORMTOAD #3 Yeah. (looks at the stump the wolf was uprooting) He ain't helping us much, neither. More trouble than he's worth. The stormtoad casually flips out his plasma rifle and shoots the wolf twice in the stomach. The wolf gasps in pain as blood seeps out of him. The stormtoads chuckle, then walk away, leaving the wolf to suffer and die. The other mammal slaves, their faces already lined with worry, don't really react; it's clear they've seen this happen plenty of times before. ROEDECKER (whispering) This is our chance. C'mon. Stepping silently toward the hut, Roedecker and Pete crouch down behind the big tree closest to it. Three stormtoads stand between them and the hut. ROEDECKER (whispering) See those toads? PETE Yup. ROEDECKER (drawing his blasters) Aim for the head. We want a clean kill. Don't let 'em make any noise. There won't be a sound from them falling in the muck. Pete takes aim and fires at one of the stormtoads' heads. Roedecker takes out the other two. All three shots find their targets, as the stormtoads are standing one second and lying in the grass dead the next. Keeping low, Roedecker steps out into the field, blasters raised high. Pete trails him. The two almost make it to the hut when a decidedly more sinister voice than before booms out of the system, startling all the slaves. KOMPLEX Attention, mammal slaves of Genus! Just in case you held on to any idiotic hope of salvation, it pleases me to announce that we have just captured Bucky O'Hare and will execute him tomorrow morning. This information had best not affect your productivity, or else you will be next. The slaves gasp, and many of them drop their tools. Roedecker and Pete freeze in place for a moment, stunned. This dalliance allows the patrolling STORMTOADS to spot them. STORMTOAD #5 (raising his blaster) Free mammals near the base! STORMTOAD #6 Raise your paws or we'll fry ya where you stand! ROEDECKER (under his breath) Shit! As the stormtoads approach, they seem to almost double in number. Realizing they're hopelessly outnumbered, Roedecker drops his pistols and slowly raises his paws over his head. Pete, a deep frown on his face, does the same. SCENE 8 - TOAD HOMEWORLD TOADBORG Get up, you filthy mammal! A sharp pain in his ribs jolts Bucky into consciousness. His eyes slowly open and focus, and he sees Toadborg looming over him. With a start, he weakly tries to roll over and away from the imposing figure. He is rewarded with his efforts by getting covered in gunk. TOADBORG (amused) Good to see you still have a little fight in you. I will enjoy removing it. Bucky manages to get to his knees as he surveys his surroundings. He's in one of the most foul swamps he's ever seen. Flies buzz about everywhere, thickening the air. The putrid stench comes as little surprise, as there are puddles, ugly plants, and decaying matter everywhere. Toadborg and Bucky are standing in a marsh -- a large patch of swamp grass near a thick gray lake. Bucky's mind immediately thinks of Warren when it had been taken over by the toads, but the comparison doesn't work; this is far, far worse than Warren ever got. BUCKY (weakly, wiping slime off his face) Where are we? Toadborg seems to savor the question a moment, reveling in his surroundings. TOADBORG You should feel honored, Bucky. You are the first, and last, mammal to ever see this place. We are standing in the last pristine patch of natural swampland left on our home planet. BUCKY (getting to his feet, confused) I thought you toads had turned everything into a huge factory. TOADBORG Almost everything. At my request, KOMPLEX left one square mile of swampland untouched and artificially sustained. Bucky begins looking around, stalling for time while trying to spot either an escape route or something that will help him defeat Toadborg. BUCKY But why? You're turning the rest of the aniverse into a swamp already. TOADBORG Precisely, you stupid mammal. This place reminds us of where we came from. Where we began. (with a hint of malice) And now, I have brought you here to remind you of what will happen to your precious mammal planets once we have killed you and your friends. Toadborg's sentence triggers something in Bucky's memory. BUCKY (suddenly remembering) Willy! What did you do to Willy? TOADBORG (gloating) Do not fear, Captain O'Hare. The young traitor is in good paws. BUCKY (seething with anger) If you dare lay one slimy paw on him ... TOADBORG My dear Captain O'Hare, once we're done with him, he'll *want* to die, and we may grant him that wish. But until then, we have many, many ways of making him suffer. BUCKY You bastard! TOADBORG Coming from filth like you, I will accept that as a compliment. Bucky reaches for his holster to pull out a blaster. It's empty. TOADBORG (noticing) I'm afraid you'll find we have removed your weapons, Captain O'Hare. Oh, and in case you're wondering, we're having a good time picking apart your little android friend. BUCKY (dread overpowering his fury) And Mimi? What did you do to Mimi? TOADBORG (surprised) So your party had a fourth member, did it? I so enjoyed capturing you and the pink baboon that I neglected to check. (evilly) No matter. We'll find her. BUCKY (under his breath) Frell. Toadborg takes one large step toward Bucky. The clang his footsteps usually cause is muted by the soft grass, though not inaudible. TOADBORG And now, I have dallied enough. Let us end this. Toadborg reaches out for Bucky with his huge mechanical hand. With a renewed vigor fueled by hate, Bucky leaps out of the way. Upon landing, he feels something flap against his leg. Reaching down, he feels the hilt of his lightsaber. Quickly adopting an offensive stance, Bucky pulls it out and activates it. Its green blade reflects in Bucky's furious eyes. Surprisingly, Toadborg seems more pleased than concerned. TOADBORG Good, good. I was hoping you'd find that. Toadborg again closes the distance between him and Bucky. The cyborg still looms large over Bucky, who has now reflexively adopted a defensive stance. BUCKY Take me to my friends, or I'll slice you in half. TOADBORG I have already been sliced in half by a lightsaber, Captain O'Hare. It is now your turn. Toadborg stretches out his right arm and clenches his hand. To Bucky's surprise, a burst of purple energy begins to emanate from the cyborg's fist. The light solidifies, taking the form of a lightsaber blade. Bucky's mouth drops as he sees his worst enemy wielding a weapon just like the one that belonged to his father. TOADBORG (clearly enjoying Bucky's reaction) You are unwise to lower your defenses! Toadborg raises his lightsaber, about to strike Bucky, who is still surprised. SCENE 9 - COMMONS AREA, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS Even more stormtoads have swarmed into the area, and Dogstar and his men are completely surrounded. Dogstar, Deadeye, Bruiser, and Jonathan have their paws up. Jenny's arms are crossed, and she's seething. SMATA (gloating) There, that wasn't so bad, now was it? (to the troops) Cuff them and throw them into the dungeon. We can use them as hostages. Or perhaps curtains. The STORMTOADS walk over and first snap cuffs on Deadeye and Bruiser. STORMTOAD #7 (pointing his blaster at Bruiser) Don't try anything, ya dumb baboon, or we'll blast ya into banana bits. DOGSTAR (noticing) What happened to Mike and the android? The toads walk up to Jonathan next. Jonathan eyes them warily, upset but following the actions of his superior. STORMTOAD #8 (cuffing Jonathan) Hey, Captain. This is the one that was flying around, and our shots bounced off him. Shouldn't we do more than cuff 'im? SMATA I suppose. Knock him out. Before Jonathan can even react, another stormtoad flips his plasma blaster around and smacks Jonathan in the head with it, hard. Jonathan jerks forward about half an inch. JONATHAN Ow! I surrendered, you damn ... Five other stormtoads join in, viciously beating Jonathan in the head. Jonathan tries to dodge the blows but simply can't at this proximity. He finally falls down, unconscious. He's not bleeding, but his head still looks far the worse for wear. Jenny sees this and, incredulous, turns to Dogstar. JENNY (whispering) Why are we doing this?! Look what they did to Jonathan! DOGSTAR (unhappy) They'll kill Bucky if we don't, Jenny. JENNY (frustrated) They'll kill him anyway! DOGSTAR That's a risk we can't afford to take. JENNY You told Bucky not to give up if you were captured! Why should we give up if he is? DOGSTAR (as the toads cuff him) Because having Bucky alive is more important than having me alive. His mission is more important, too. JENNY This is bullshit! As Jenny's temper flares, two stormtoads come up behind her to handcuff her. She reacts by blasting them away magically. JENNY Don't touch me, you filthy toads! SMATA (raising an eyebrow) My, we do have a temper, don't we? Jenny begins building strength, her paws glowing pink. JENNY Dammit, Dogstar! Help me out here! Dogstar looks at Jenny sadly, like he wants to help but knows it's not the right decision. JENNY (furious) Argh! Jenny begins blasting every toad in the vicinity. The stormtoads go flying every which way as she slowly clears a small area of the room. She intends to advance on Captain Smata when, seemingly out of nowhere, COMMANDER CREELEVARD VALTJHOU leaps into the small area in front of Jenny, his katana unsheathed. Not making a sound, he slices at Jenny. She manages to take a step back just in time, though she's definitely off-balance. Angered, Jenny pulls her magic tighter, the glowing at her fists becoming a darker, more intense hue of red. Creelevard notices that Jenny's forehead spell gem is glowing the brightest, so he aims his next attack at the gem. So focused on her magic, Jenny's eyes just narrow at the attack. All about her, the sparkling lights coalesce on Creelevard's sword, attacking the blade, which begins to glow from the heat. Creelevard's sword nicks the spell gem, cleanly removing a small, gleaming chip. The effect is immediate and drastic. Jenny, unable to focus her magic, screams in pain as the power coursing through her flies out, unchecked. It creates a lethal pink glow and a tremendous amount of heat, though it has a short range and does not harm Creelevard or any other toad. Still, the blade of Creelevard's sword, already glowing from the attacks of Jenny's defensive shield, is now a bright and angry red. The pink energy around Jenny dissipates just as quickly as it began, leaving the floor at her feet and the ceiling above her head scorched and blackened. Jenny silently falls to the floor and slumps over, apparently lifeless. Her eyes are wide open but unmoving. The hot floorboards singe the edge of her pink hair and white fur, sending up the stink of burnt feline. Calm and collected, Creelevard walks up to Jenny, surveying his fallen opponent. Keeping his distance because of the heat, he merely observes Jenny for about ten seconds. The room is silent. Finally, Creelevard speaks. CREELEVARD Deceased. Dogstar and the others gasp, not wanting to believe it. A sickening grin spreads across Smata's face. SMATA Well done, well done. (to some stormtoads) Toss her into the morgue. Take the rest of them to the dungeons. And be quick about it! The stormtoads salute, and many of them surround Dogstar, Deadeye, and Bruiser, leading them off at gunpoint. Creelevard bows to Smata and vanishes, leaving as mysteriously as he appeared. A few other STORMTOADS nervously approach Jenny. One pokes her with his gun and, seeing no response, bends down to pick her up. The others, their confidence boosted, help lift the motionless feline, who is now cool enough to touch. One of them begins to laugh. STORMTOAD #9 After all the trouble this stupid cat has given us, she goes down with one blow from Creelevard. The others begin laughing as well as they hoist her body up and march out of the room. Satisfied, Smata turns around and addresses the enormous face of KOMPLEX, which has been watching the entire time. SMATA I hope we humble servants have pleased you, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. KOMPLEX Indeed. You have served me well, Smata. SMATA When are you killing the rodent? KOMPLEX Bucky O'Hare will be dead before the sun reaches its peak tomorrow. That smile returns to Smata's face. SMATA I regret that I will not be on the Homeworld to witness the execution of the Toad Empire's greatest enemy. KOMPLEX Regret nothing, Smata. The footage will air live and then loop constantly on Toad TV, as a reminder of our power and authority, and our ability to deal with even the most persistent of foes. KOMPLEX vanishes. Smata walks over to his comfortable chair and sits down in it, reclining. SMATA (pleased with himself) Oh, it *has* been a good day. SCENE 10 - SWAMP, TOAD HOMEWORLD The purple blade of Toadborg's lightsaber is mere feet from Bucky's face when the hare snaps out of it. Barely thinking about it, he lifts his blade and blocks the blow. The force with which Toadborg strikes makes Bucky's body shudder, and he sinks a few centimeters down into the marsh grass. TOADBORG Good. I almost would have hated killing you without you putting up a fight. Toadborg lifts his blade and attacks again, coming at Bucky from the side. Bucky dodges this one, too, then leaps back, putting about ten feet between him and Toadborg. TOADBORG (stepping toward Bucky) Not turning coward all of a sudden, are you? But Bucky is concentrating on catching his breath and steeling himself for this fight. He aches all over, and his mind is racing with thoughts about what might become of Willy, Mimi, and Blinky. He takes a deep breath and collects himself just in time to leap away from Toadborg's latest attack. Bucky jumps high, over Toadborg, and tries to swipe at the cyborg as he flips. Toadborg whips his hand around with lightning speed and blocks Bucky's poorly aimed attack. Bucky lands and quickly pivots around, facing Toadborg. TOADBORG It appears there is some fight in you after all. That will make this all the more satisfying. Toadborg makes another swipe at Bucky as he emphasizes the last word of his sentence. Bucky blocks it, sliding back a few inches, again because of Toadborg's mechanical strength. Realizing that staying on the defensive is a losing proposition, Bucky switches gears and lunges at Toadborg. His speed impresses the cyborg, though it's not enough to catch him by surprise. Toadborg sidesteps the attack and puts his foot out, tripping Bucky. Bucky lands face-first in the marsh, though it doesn't hurt much. It's just disgusting. Bucky quickly somersaults forward and gets on his feet, not wanting to leave himself vulnerable. Sure enough, Toadborg had just swung his lightsaber at where Bucky had landed. Bucky quickly whirls around and slashes at Toadborg's midsection. He doesn't cut deep, but he does leave a large horizontal scar on Toadborg's midsection. TOADBORG Lousy filth! Toadborg kicks Bucky in the stomach. Not expecting this, Bucky takes the full brunt of the blow and goes flying. He lands in the muck about fifteen feet back and skids, groaning. He gets up just in time to see Toadborg charging at him. He sidesteps it, but not completely -- Toadborg extracts a small revenge as he slices Bucky's cape neatly in half. Not really caring, Bucky turns and faces Toadborg. He lifts his lightsaber high and strikes. Toadborg turns around and blocks it. The two lightsabers crackle with energy as their owners push. BUCKY (straining) Where did you get a lightsaber? TOADBORG (calmly) That is irrelevant. BUCKY Answer me, damn you! Toadborg pulls out of the impasse and steps back, then swings at Bucky. Bucky blocks it and advances. BUCKY Where did you get it? TOADBORG I have been stabbed enough times by these weapons that my sensors were able to gain a decent understanding of their energy signature. Our scientists were then able to install one into me. Bucky attacks. Toadborg parries. TOADBORG Our scientists have other surprises in store for you, as you'll soon learn. BUCKY I'm not without my own surprises. Knowing he's distracted Toadborg slightly with conversation, Bucky lunges at Toadborg's left side. The cyborg is a fraction of a second too slow to dodge the attack completely, and Bucky manages to slice Toadborg's left arm off. TOADBORG Argh! Toadborg flails wildly, and Bucky easily dodges his lightsaber. BUCKY (thinking) Furious, Toadborg attacks again. TOADBORG I should kill you for that! Bucky blocks the attack, waiting for an opening. BUCKY (baiting Toadborg) So go ahead. Or are you too chicken? TOADBORG You *dare* ... Toadborg strikes again, and Bucky blocks it. Toadborg is putting more effort into this attack, however, and Bucky is slowly being forced backward. With a grunt, Toadborg pushes as hard as he can, and Bucky falls down. Toadborg quickly kicks at the lightsaber in Bucky's paw. The weapon's green blade damages Toadborg's foot, but he succeeds in knocking the hilt away. Toadborg leans over and grabs Bucky roughly by the throat. He lifts him up into the air, choking him. TOADBORG I am keeping you alive because my master has plans for you. (squeezes) But when he is finished with you, you will die. And you will be grateful for the pleasure. Bucky gurgles, unable to break Toadborg's grip. He struggles for only a moment, and then blackness claims him. His body falls limp as he goes unconscious. Toadborg looks at his stump of a left shoulder, then scowls at the feeble mammal in his hands. TOADBORG I will make you pay for that. Toadborg slings Bucky over his shoulder, then walks over to his left arm and picks it up. He begins to walk away from the swamp when he notices Bucky's lightsaber. He debates for a moment about whether to pick it up, then walks over to it and rescues it from the muck. He turns it off, then inspects the hilt. TOADBORG Hmm. Studying an actual lightsaber would help us to mass-produce these, making them a valuable addition to our armies. (scoffs) So long as the Air Marshal is not allowed one. Then, Toadborg's eyes narrow for the briefest of moments. He takes the lightsaber and places it back in its hilt on Bucky's belt. TOADBORG No. The toads need no more mammal technology. Your pathetic weapon will die with you, and only I will have its secrets. Toadborg begins trekking toward the nearest building, carrying his arm and Bucky's silent body. SCENE 11 - MORGUE, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS A STORMTOAD opens the door to this large, dark room, then enters it along with the four STORMTOADS carrying Jenny's body. They toss the Aldebaran carelessly as far into the room as they can. The stormtoads turn back to leave. One of them scrunches his face up in disgust. STORMTOAD #10 By KOMPLEX, it smells terrible in here! STORMTOAD #11 Of course it does. (motioning back into the room) They're mammals. The stormtoads chuckle at this as they exit, the door slamming shut behind them. Very little light now enters the room, but a few slivers do illuminate things here and there. The floor of the room is littered with dead and decaying mammal bodies, most of them in heaps. When the toads threw Jenny's body, it landed in a pool of blood and skidded for a foot before coming to rest near the gaping corpse of a badger, his eyes rotted out and most of his fur matted with blood and maggots. His left arm is mostly a skeleton now, and his right arm is several feet to his right and also partially several feet to his left. The rest of the room is similarly gruesome. Seemingly the only thing alive is the vermin extracting sustenance from the feast of carrion. SCENE 12 - COMMAND CENTER, TOAD HOMEWORLD The north side of this large and circular room contains a monitor that displays KOMPLEX's grinning face. Across from the monitor, in the middle of the room, is a platform on which stand the AIR MARSHAL, FRIX, and FRAX. Bucky is also on the platform, in chains. While not bleeding openly, he is covered with bruises and nasty-looking scrapes, and much of his fur is coated with dirt and filth. Various pieces of scientific equipment fill the rest of the room. Bucky rouses and looks around him. KOMPLEX notices this, having been expecting it. KOMPLEX Well, well, well. Bucky O'Hare. Bucky says nothing in response. KOMPLEX You've caused us quite a bit of trouble over the years, you despicable rodent. Bucky sneers at the monitor but remains silent. KOMPLEX If it weren't for you, I would have taken over the aniverse long ago, and there wouldn't be enough left of your entire race to fill a single grave. (beat) I should have had Cyrus gut you like the filth you are when I had the chance. Who knew that that worthless little furball would grow up to be such a thorn in my side? Bucky somehow manages to grin at this. He, of course, takes it as a point of pride. KOMPLEX Don't give me that look, you simpering cretin. You should be grateful you still have your face. (beat) I instructed Toadborg to bring you to me relatively unharmed, just as I asked him to all those years ago on Noctur II. A confused look crosses Bucky's face, and he talks weakly despite himself. BUCKY What? Toadborg wasn't on Noctur II. KOMPLEX He was not then as he is now. Before then, my most loyal soldier was known as Cyrus the Wart. You *do* remember Cyrus, Captain O'Hare? Bucky's mind leaps back painfully to his memories of being captured on Noctur II. He remembers seeing his brother Michael dead. He remembers seeing KOMPLEX for the first time. Grimacing, he remembers Cyrus the Wart. He remembers the look of obedient glee on Cyrus's face as KOMPLEX addressed him. He remembers how the toad drugged him and dragged him away. He remembers the look of sadistic glee on Cyrus's face as he shot his brother Justin in the chest, killing him ... BUCKY No! Growling, Bucky struggles against his chains with all the strength left in him. It's to no avail, and all he can do is feel smoldering rage as Cyrus sneers at him in his mind's eye, changing from a normal toad one moment to Toadborg the next. KOMPLEX So the little mammal has some fight in him after all. Good, good. Weary, Bucky finally stops struggling, though his hate burns ever stronger. KOMPLEX And today, it ends, Captain O'Hare, as it began: with you at my mercy. Your friends on Genus have been captured, your friends here are being dealt with, and you? (sneering) You can do nothing. You *are* nothing. Bucky, partly reeling from the Cyrus/Toadborg revelation and partly trying to take in the fact that both missions failed, says nothing, his mind a pained jumble. KOMPLEX Any last words from the noble Bucky O'Hare? Bucky, resigned, does nothing. KOMPLEX Have you nothing to say for yourself, you mangy, flea-bitten waste of carbon? Silence. KOMPLEX (infuriated) Say something! Bucky does not give his foe the satisfaction of a response. KOMPLEX pauses a moment and calms down. KOMPLEX Very well. You'll die like the worm you are soon enough. Air Marshal? AIR MARSHAL At your service, KOMPLEX. KOMPLEX Begin. The Air Marshal presses a button on the console nearest him. Two needles hovering far above Bucky slowly descend, finally coming down to Bucky's level. They stab him in the arm, and Bucky winces. He notices that one of the needles is injecting a blue liquid into his veins. Already weak, Bucky offers no resistance as sleep washes over him. The Air Marshal pushes another button, and the two needles retract, their jobs finished. Bucky falls over limply, his chains still attached. The stress of being forced into unconsciousness three times today is visible on his haggard face. KOMPLEX (laughing) Pathetic. Air Marshal, get this waste of my time out of my sight. Make sure he is left alone until tomorrow's execution. AIR MARSHAL (saluting) Yes, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX! The Air Marshal motions to Frix and Frax, who walk up to Bucky and unlock his chains. They grab Bucky, each of them lifting one arm. They appear distinctly disgusted at the prospect of carrying this mammal anywhere. FRIX He's heavy! FRAX That's because all mammals are fat and stupid. Now lift! With much effort, Frix and Frax get Bucky off the platform. Following the Air Marshal's lead, they drag Bucky out of the room. SCENE 13 - HALLWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD This hallway is dark and dimly lit. The Air Marshal is still walking, with Frix and Frax behind him, dragging Bucky as their prisoner. The hallway abruptly ends in a small, dingy room containing a few holding pens that resemble jail cells. Each one has a table, which is positioned below some rusty torture equipment. AIR MARSHAL Toss him in the pen. Frix and Frax comply. AIR MARSHAL Now leave me alone. I'm not in the mood to share my fun. FRAX Uh, Air Marshal? Didn't KOMPLEX say to leave Bucky alone? AIR MARSHAL Of course he did. But I have a few scores to settle first. I don't think KOMPLEX will mind too much. Frix and Frax nod and leave. The Air Marshal steps over to Bucky and begins slapping him. AIR MARSHAL Wake up. Wake up, you filthy mammal! Bucky does not stir. AIR MARSHAL Spoiling my fun, are you? That's just like you. (looking at the torture equipment) I have other ways to wake you up, however. Much more enjoyable ones. The Air Marshal picks the still-sleeping Bucky up and places him on the table, then chains him down tightly. He then reaches up to activate the equipment. AIR MARSHAL I haven't dirtied my paws like this in years, you know. That's what underlings are for. But you ... The Air Marshal scowls as his grip tightens on the machinery above him. AIR MARSHAL You've made a fool of me for years. Every time I turned around, there you were, ruining our plans and laughing at us, like it was all a joke. Like I was all a joke. The Air Marshal's facial expression grows even more intense as he pulls down something jagged. AIR MARSHAL I'll show you how much of a joke I am, Bucky O'Hare. Walking down the hallway, Frix and Frax can hear a loud, unsettling noise emerging from whence they came. It startles them at first, but once they realize what it is, Frax shrugs it off uncaringly, and a malicious smile peeks through Frix's face. SCENE 14 - HALLWAY, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS The stormtoads march Dogstar, Deadeye, Bruiser, and Jonathan down the long, foreboding hallway. After a few minutes, Dogstar notices that the group seems to have gotten bigger; he then realizes that another group of stormtoads has captured and brought along Mike and the ASC. DOGSTAR (muttering) Wonderful. Finally reaching the end of the hall, the stormtoads stop at the entrance to a large room and open it. This makeshift dungeon, once a storage basement, has about a dozen mammals chained to the walls or to the floor. Among them are LIEUTENANT WOLF and ENGINEER DIGGER MCSQUINT, both of whom are asleep. Their clothes are ragged, and they are dirty from head to toe. GUNNER HARRY CALLAN is barely noticeable in a dark corner; he's covered in scabs, cuts, and fresh blood. As the door to the dungeon creaks open, the cadre of STORMTOADS marches in. STORMTOAD #7 Got some company for ya, you filthy mammals! None of the mammals look up. The toads bring in Dogstar, followed by Deadeye, Mike, Bruiser, and the ASC. They chain Dogstar and Mike to the wall, Deadeye to the floor, and Bruiser to the wall with large, extra-thick shackles. They then bring in an unconscious Jonathan and chain him heavily to the wall as well. They then look at the ASC. STORMTOAD #12 Think he's worth keepin' intact? STORMTOAD #8 Not really. The stormtoad lifts his blaster and shoots the ASC's head clean off. It collapses with a buzzing sound, which draws the attention of a few of the prisoners. Laughing, one of the stormtoads grabs the broken android by the leg. STORMTOAD #13 (dragging the ASC toward the door) Might as well see what's on the hard drive. The toads march out, pleased with themselves. The door shuts behind them, leaving two dim ceiling lights as the room's only light source. BRUISER I gotta be able t' break dese. Bruiser pulls as hard as he can. To his surprise, as soon as the chains are pulled taut, a large electrical current surges through them. Yelping, Bruiser falls against the wall, in pain. The chains slacken, and the current stops. BRUISER (dazed) Ooh ... DEADEYE (rattling his chains) So, uh, what's the plan now, Commander? Dogstar doesn't respond at first. He just stares at the floor sadly. DOGSTAR Jenny was right. We shouldn't have given up. This is all my fault. (slumps down against the wall) I shouldn't have led this mission. I'm too old for this. WOLF (weakly) Don't say that, Commander. If anyone can get us out of this mess, it's you. Dogstar and Deadeye turn to Wolf and blink; they hadn't noticed him yet. DOGSTAR (his spirits lifted) Wolf, my boy! You're alive! WOLF Something like that. What happened? How'd you end up here? DOGSTAR We tried to free Genus the old-fashioned way: by shooting our way through. The plan fell apart. Who else is in here? WOLF (cranes his neck) Digger's in the corner. He lost his glasses, so he's pretty helpless. (peers into the corner) And I think Harry's over there. They keep roughing him up pretty bad, though. I don't know why they pick on him so much. DIGGER Commander? Is that you? I can't see a thing! DOGSTAR Yes, Digger, it's me. Good to see you're alive. (to Wolf) What about Rumblebee? The lines in Wolf's face deepen as he lifts his right arm limply and motions to another far corner of the room. Dogstar turns and looks, only to find what are obviously Rumblebee's shattered remains. His already sad face becomes even sadder. DOGSTAR Well ... at least he wasn't really alive, I suppose ... (blinks, turns to Wolf) What about the Security Council? Any word on them? WOLF Nickerson's dead. Fritz is gone. The rest of them are being held somewhere else. I'm pretty sure the toads are torturing them for information, though I don't know for sure. DOGSTAR I see. (sits in silence for a moment) You've been here the whole time, haven't you, Wolf? Have you tried escaping? WOLF Wish I could, but these paws of mine aren't good for anything anymore. Wolf lifts his paws into the light so Dogstar can get a good look at them. The toads clearly broke all his fingers a while ago, and the bones are healing at very unnatural angles. Dogstar grits his teeth. DOGSTAR I'm sorry about this, Wolf. WOLF Don't blame yourself, Commander. But now that you're here, we've got to find a way to break free. DOGSTAR (shaking his head) I don't know if it's even worth it at this point, Wolf, old friend. The toads have captured Bucky and are going to kill him. They already killed Jenny. (sighs deeply) I've always said never say die, but I can't imagine how this situation could be any more hopeless. DEADEYE Don't say that out loud, Commander. Those slimy wartbags'll find a way to make things worse if they wanna. Now I'm with Wolf on this. As long as we're breathin', we've got a fightin' chance. BRUISER (a little more lucid) Yeah. Dogstar smiles weakly. DOGSTAR It's good to see such enthusiasm in the younger generation. (sits up) Perhaps we do still have a chance. I'll just be damned if I know what it is. A thought suddenly strikes Dogstar. DOGSTAR I've got it! Pete and Roedecker are still out there! Perhaps they'll be able to ... Apparently trying to prove Deadeye right, the toads just then kick open the door and shove a shackled Roedecker and Pete into the room. Dogstar blinks, cut off mid-sentence. He watches as the two canines are chained to the floor. The toads then leave, not acknowledging the other captives. Dogstar coughs. DOGSTAR Well, never mind that. Roedecker just scowls at Dogstar, not saying a word. Pete looks pleased to see his old teammates, but he doesn't speak either. A look of hopelessness rests on Dogstar's face. SCENE 15 - HOLDING PENS, TOAD HOMEWORLD The Air Marshal emerges from the pen, opening the door with a creak. He steps out into the hallway, locking the door behind him. AIR MARSHAL Well, old friend, I'm sorry I can't stay longer, but I have to sleep sometime, you know. But don't worry. I'll see you again soon ... very soon, in fact. The Air Marshal turns the light in the room off and then walks away, leaving a trail of red footprints behind him that last until he rounds a corner. A good while later, a groan emanates from inside the cell, followed a few minutes later by the clanking of a few chains. Bucky moans slightly as the chain links continue to collide. The sounds of coughing and vomiting silence the chains briefly. Finally, a soft sound echoes through the room as something small, thin, and metallic hits the ground. A grumble comes from the pen, then more clanking. The clanking eventually dies down. A few seconds later, a click rings out, then another, then another. The chains make a soft but repetitive thunking noise as they shuffle onto the ground. Bucky moans some more, a sound followed by the creaking of wood. The sounds that follow are a few weak footsteps, a metallic snap, more footsteps, some clanking, a click, and the sound of the metal door slowly sliding open. SCENE 16 - AIR DUCTS, TOAD HOMEWORLD Huddled against the wall somewhere in the air ducts deep within the Toad Homeworld's main command center, Mimi catches her breath and tries to regain her frazzled wits. MIMI (softly and urgently) Breathe, Mimi. Breathe. You're fine. You're OK. Mimi practically wills herself to calm down and breathe steadily. She closes her eyes and swallows hard, then opens her eyes. MIMI OK. OK. I'm not going to panic. I'm going to figure this out. Just think. (beat) I've got three blasters on me. All of them are full. Good. Mimi looks around. Nothing distinguishes any part of the drab ventilation system from any other part. MIMI (clearly nervous) I have no idea where the hell I am. Not so good. (shakes her head) I should have at least studied a blueprint of this building or something. I have no idea how to get anywhere. (thinks) Bucky can take care of himself. That means I need to find Willy first. Besides, Willy can help me get around. (bites her lip) If he's still alive, that is. Beads of sweat form on Mimi's brow. Despite being in a ventilation system, she feels very hot. MIMI I guess I should stay in these vents until I get some idea of where I am. I just hope the toads don't know I'm here. (stifling a chuckle) Yeah, it would be a nice time for some good luck to come my way. Mimi gets on all fours and starts crawling, deciding to press forward instead of return the way she came. Soon, she reaches a four- way intersection. MIMI (thinking) Mimi crawls and crawls for at least twenty minutes, always turning right when she hits a dead-end. She occasionally stumbles upon a vent, though none of them seem to lead anywhere important. From time to time, she thinks she hears a faint rhythmic banging noise in the distance, though it's never too loud. She attributes it to nerves and keeps going. Finally, after what feels like hours to her, Mimi reaches a vent and peers into a room full of STORMTOADS. Half a dozen toads are sitting in this lounge, their weapons at their feet, lazily hanging around and watching Toad TV. Mimi waits and listens, lying on her belly just behind the grate. STORMTOAD #14 Ya know, Toad TV really does get better every season. STORMTOAD #15 It'll be even better when they broadcast Bucky O'Hare's execution tomorrow morning. Mimi's heart skips a beat. MIMI (thinking) STORMTOAD #16 You ask me, they shoulda killed him already. STORMTOAD #15 Yeah, probably, but KOMPLEX wants to make a spectacle of it or something. STORMTOAD #17 You guys hear about the best part? They're gonna kill that pink-skinned traitor thing right in front of him first. MIMI (thinking) STORMTOAD #14 Really? They gonna behead him? It's been too long since we had a good beheading! One of the stormtoads gets up to grab some snacks from a pantry across the room. Mimi watches him, making sure he doesn't go anywhere. STORMTOAD #17 I dunno, I dunno. They're also trying to find that dumb fox. They say she's still in the vents somewhere. MIMI (thinking) Mimi reaches for one of her blasters, soundlessly slips it out of its holster, and sets it to "kill." At the same time, the stormtoad comes back, holding a big tub of fly popcorn. STORMTOAD #18 (stuffing his mouth) Man, wouldn't it be somethin' if we was the guys to capture her? MIMI (calling) You're welcome to try! At that moment, Mimi shoves the grate out into the room. The stunned stormtoads can't react quickly enough, and Mimi shoots five of them while she's still in the walls. They all fall down, smoke wafting from their wounds. Mimi slithers out of the duct and picks herself up. MIMI (walking into the center of the room) Now to figure out where I am. (counts) Wait, I thought there were six of these guys ... oh, shit. Mimi feels the barrel of a plasma rifle shove roughly into the side of her skull. STORMTOAD #19 You were right. MIMI (angry with herself) I really hate you guys. STORMTOAD #19 Feeling's mutual. The stormtoad grins as he pulls the trigger. SCENE 17 - HALLWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD Early the next morning, the Air Marshal hums to himself as he walks briskly toward the pen in which he left Bucky. His mind races with excitement, as the hour of Bucky's execution is nigh. His humming abruptly ends as he notices that the pen is open. AIR MARSHAL Uh-oh ... The Air Marshal draws his blaster and turns on the light in the pen. A mess of chains and metal sit on the floor, surrounded by blood and vomit. He looks up and notices that a piece of the torture equipment in the pen has been broken off. The Air Marshal prepares to scoot out into the hallway when the light in the room suddenly shuts off. AIR MARSHAL (wheeling around) Who's there? I'll fire! The light coming from the hallway permits the Air Marshal to see something glint in the air above him. It's sharp. SCENE 18 - HALLWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD Wounded and stumbling, Bucky makes his way slowly down a well-lit corridor. His uniform is covered in so much blood that the only way to identify his is that it's red, not green. Parts of his uniform are also torn or vomit-stained, and he winces whenever he puts weight on his left leg. Creeping up to a corner, he peers around it and sees a lone STORMTOAD guarding the hallway. He lets out a sigh of relief, as the toad is facing away from him at the moment. Straining, he pulls his now-sticky goggles off his head and throws them over the stormtoad's head as hard as he can, his arm muscles crying out in protest the entire time. The goggles land about ten feet in front of the stormtoad, who is startled by the noise. STORMTOAD #20 (angrily) Who's there? Taking advantage of his distraction, Bucky jumps up behind the stormtoad. Before the toad can react, Bucky grabs his head and twists as hard as he can. It takes effort, but the toad's neck breaks cleanly, and the dead toad drops to the ground. Bucky picks up the fallen guard's plasma rifle. Looking up and down the hallway, Bucky gets a funny sense of urgency when he looks down toward the end of the hall. Making sure no other stormtoads come after him, he sneaks up to a cell that has no window on the door, only a bolted slot for inserting a food tray. The door is locked by an electronic security numbered pad that obviously requires a code. Bucky sneers at it and fires his toad blaster into the panel, destroying it, then puts all of his weight into heaving the incredibly heavy door open. Light from the hallway shines into the room, illuminating it. It is a dank, unkept cell with no furniture, lighting, or even a cot -- only a bucket and a mat on the floor in the corner of the room. There is a large, still form on the mat, either asleep or unconscious. As the light comes over it, Bucky can make out the worn bottoms of Willy's sneakers facing him. One ankle is shackled by a long chain to the wall. BUCKY (entering hesitantly) Willy? The figure, who is obviously Willy, stirs slightly. His voice is collected and removed, but quite laced with obvious pain. WILLY Captain. Willy attempts to sit up, with great difficulty. Since the door is not entirely open, just enough to allow Bucky to enter, he is still encased in shadows. Bucky runs to his side and helps him sit up. Willy coughs loudly as soon as he is upright and spits up some blood onto the dirty mat. WILLY You came. BUCKY (smiles wearily) I wasn't about to let you get executed. Bucky inspects Willy's shackle, which is tightly locked. His only hope is to destroy its connection to the wall and pry off the actual band later. He pulls out the plasma rifle and fires into the chain, releasing it from the wall. BUCKY C'mon, we're getting out of here. Willy says nothing as they stand, a movement he does only with great difficulty. Bucky has to support most of his weight -- a nearly impossible feat, considering Willy is two feet taller than him and every muscle in Bucky's body aches and throbs. He ignores his own wounds, helping Willy out of the cell and into the light of the hallway, which now seems unbelievably bright. Bucky curses and has to shield his eyes. BUCKY You know, it's a form of torture -- not giving you any light in there ... WILLY (oddly calm) I never noticed. Bucky looks up at Willy for the first time and gasps. Willy's eyes have been torn out. TO BE CONTINUED