"Chains of Command" by DJ Clawson First draft - 4/21/98 Final draft - 11/1/98 Edited by Rygar 12/24/03 SCENE 1 - DOCKING BAY A space station in orbit of Genus. In the bay rests The Righteous Indignation, an orange space ship of oval shape with thrusters sticking out on the sides. It looks clean, shiny, and new. Two people stand next to it. The first is a reddish-brown bulldog, COMMANDER DOGSTAR, wearing a gray spacesuit with blue stripes and decorated shoulder pads. He speaks with a British accent. DOGSTAR It looks wonderful, Bucky. Really top of the line. The second, CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE, is a green hare. He's a bit shorter than Dogstar -- just under three feet tall -- and wearing a red and yellow military uniform and goggles around his ears. BUCKY Yeah, we just finished the upgrade. DOGSTAR How did you ever get the budget? I can barely get enough simoleans approved to keep my ship in running order. BUCKY Friends on the council who were still grateful I saved their home planets last year. DOGSTAR (nudges him) Tell me, old chap -- do you really have that mark-5 photon accelerator running, or is that just a rumor? BUCKY Running? (laughs, then speaks in a whisper) Not yet. DOGSTAR (noting his lower voice) But I take it it's still top secret. BUCKY Of course. We wouldn't want anyone to ... Bucky is distracted when he notices the entrance of ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT. Willy is a fourteen year old blond-haired, blue-eyed human, wearing jeans, a T-shirt, a flannel, and a pair of thick glasses. He's taller than he was when he first joined Bucky's crew -- easily past five feet now -- and has a deeper voice. His long hair, now far past his ears, is a mess, and he's carrying a stack of papers. Willy rushes past them and then notices them, stopping to salute. BUCKY (grinning) At ease, soldier. Where are you rushing off to? We're not scheduled to leave just yet. WILLY (stops saluting and readjusts the papers in his hands) Ah ... just transferring the last of the files from the workroom, Captain. BUCKY Right. Well ... carry on. WILLY Aye-aye, Captain. (salutes) Commander Dogstar. Dogstar returns the salute, then watches Willy run off. DOGSTAR He's always rushing everywhere, it seems. He's a frantic little creature. BUCKY Yeah, he is. Aside from the "little" part. DOGSTAR Wasn't he shorter last time I saw him? BUCKY (laughs) He has one more growth spurt and we're going to have to lengthen our hatches. SCENE 2 - RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION, LOWER DECK Willy enters through the main hatch, glancing around. WILLY (calls out) Hello? Anyone home? The hatch above him swings open, and FIRST MATE JENNY climbs down the ladder from the upper deck. Jenny is a white Aldebaran cat, dressed in a black body suit with silver armor. She has a gigantic wave of pink hair she keeps tied behind her, and a pink jewel rests on her headband. JENNY Willy, hi. I was just recharging the ship's sensors. WILLY (looks embarrassed) Uh ... you want me to leave? Willy understands better than anyone Jenny's need for secrecy, her being a member of a secret Aldebaran society of artificers, or "witches," as some ignorant mammals like to call them. JENNY No, no, I just finished. You need something up on deck? WILLY No, I'm fine. (opens a panel and starts stuffing papers inside) I gave you some more room in the memory banks for your sensors in the plans. I hope they came out OK. JENNY It was very thoughtful of you, Willy. (gives him a kiss on the cheek) Thanks a lot. Willy blushes like a madman, and Jenny chuckles and leaves. A few seconds later, GUNNER DEADEYE DUCK enters. Deadeye is a four-armed black duck from Kanopis III. He wears heavy headphones over his red cap and, appropriately, an eye patch. He is only two-and-a-half feet tall, more than half Willy's size, and speaks with a pirate accent. Willy does not notice his entrance, having his head deep in his work, and Deadeye takes the opportunity to sneak up on him. DEADEYE (shouts) *Boo*! Willy gives a yelp of surprise and a hop large enough to have him knock his head on the panel above him. WILLY Ow! (turns around, rubbing his head) Hey! DEADEYE (laughing hysterically) Sorry, matey, but that was just too temptin' for me pirate wits! WILLY I didn't know having "pirate wits" involved physical pain on my part. (shakes his head and grins) I'm gonna get you back for that, you realize. DEADEYE Ya think I don't know how ta watch me back? Willy grins as evilly as possible and walks off into engineering, shutting the hatch behind him. DEADEYE (laughing) Like he thinks he can pull one over on ol' ... BRUISER enters. Bruiser is a storm trooper, a Betelgeusian berserker baboon of four feet with reddish-brown fur. He wears the standard baboon trooper uniform. BRUISER (shouts) Boo! DEADEYE! Aaaiiee! Deadeye jumps up and hits his head on a panel, to Bruiser's endless amusement. BRUISER (laughing) Yer always good for a laugh, ya know that, buddy? Bruiser pats Deadeye on the head, messing up his hat, and stomps over to the food dispenser. BRUISER What? No bananas? We ain't startin' no mission without no bananas! ANDROID FIRST CLASS BLINKY enters. Blinky is a small metal android of about two-and-a-half feet. Appropriate to his name, he has one large eye for a head. BLINKY Friend Bruiser has requested bananas? Blinky's speech is impaired by a lousy speech program installed in his memory. BRUISER (turns around) Yeah! And we ain't leavin' until I get ‘em! BLINKY Blinky will retrieve more bananas for Bruiser. Blinky salutes and exits. BRUISER I thought dis was supposed ta be all cleared up ... (approaches a panel) Dis stuff was supposed ta be stored ... Bruiser goes to open the panel. DEADEYE Bruiser, matey, ye may not want to ... He opens the panel, despite Deadeye's protest. Despite the fact the boxes are marked with a picture of a banana, they are filled to the brim with fish. BRUISER Hey! What's this stinkin' duck food doing in here?! Deadeye just grins innocently. SCENE 3 - HALLWAY, UNITED ANIMALS COALITION COUCIL BUILDING, GENUS Bucky and Jenny are walking down the crowded and busy hallway. They nod past the security guard, a black two-armed duck nearly five feet tall. He lets them into a private room. FRITZ WARNER is sitting on a wooden chair. Fritz is a gray rabbit, almost five feet, wearing a blue suit with a purple- and blue- striped flannel under the jacket. He rubs his well trimmed white beard nervously. Fritz turns around at their entrance. FRITZ Bucky! Jenny! BUCKY (smiles) How's the election going, Fritz? FRITZ I need the results in from Kanopis III, but aside from that, it's pretty much locked. (grins) The guy never had a chance. BUCKY Who, your opponent? FRITZ The only reason I can see for electing a boring turtle is that no one will particularly care if he gets assassinated like the other chairmen. JENNY I take it being Chairman of the Security Council is not a popular job anymore. FRITZ Not since two of the last three got shot and the other turned out to be a spy, no. BUCKY You're not worried about it? FRITZ Getting shot? No. Getting killed? Yeah. It would be nice to avoid that. Bucky and Jenny have to laugh at Fritz's easygoing, nonchalant manner. FRITZ Besides, that's what I have Kadaf for. JENNY You really think one bodyguard will do the job? FRITZ I seem to be betting my life on it, so yes, I do think so. The duck bodyguard, KADAF WARNER, enters. KADAF Um ... I think you should be watching the TV. They turn back to the TV, only to hear the announcer tally up the votes, announcing Fritz as the winner. KADAF They're gonna want you for a victory speech ... Fritz smiles and turns to Bucky and Jenny. FRITZ Duty calls. BUCKY Congratulations! JENNY And good luck! Fritz exits, and Bucky and Jenny follow a little bit behind, out of Fritz's earshot. JENNY (looks at him) You don't look so happy, Buck. BUCKY I am, for Fritz. He's my friend and all, but he's not really a politician. I'm just not sure he's ready to be Chairman. He's a businessman, not a diplomat. JENNY He seems to be pretty confident. BUCKY I know, but ... Bucky and Jenny are silenced by the sounds of blaster shots. KADAF GET DOWN! Bucky draws his blaster first, then knocks himself and Jenny out of the way, ducking into a side room of the hallway. Kadaf pushes into Fritz, knocking him into another room. Bucky and Jenny roll around on the floor. As soon as Bucky gets his bearings straight, he peeks out into the hallway, just in time to see a creature dressed all in black escaping down the hallway. BUCKY The assassin's getting away! Jenny tugs on his side. JENNY Bucky! Look! Bucky turns to look, noticing now the blood seeping out into the hallway from the doorway Fritz and Kadaf ducked into. BUCKY Fritz! Are you OK? Fritz appears, wiping his paws with a handkerchief. FRITZ Yeah, but my bodyguard isn't. Jenny runs and checks the hallway. JENNY The assassin's gone! FRITZ Worry about him later. (glances at where Kadaf lays) He'll kill me if I let him die now. SCENE 4 - GENUS GENERAL HOSPITAL Fritz sits in the waiting room, looking exhausted but still his casual self. Many council members, Dogstar, and Bucky wait with him. FRITZ I can't believe it ... not even inaugurated yet and I've already gotten shot at. Not working up a very good record, am I? VICE CHAIRMAN GRIFF, a gray-brown wolf, speaks up insistently. GRIFF Sir, we need to get you more guards. FRITZ He didn't hit me, did he? GRIFF What if he'd had time for another shot after your bodyguard already went down? You would have been a sitting duck. FRITZ I told you, I don't like the idea of having a bunch of stuffed shirts around ... BUCKY I hate to say it, Chairman, but Griff is right. Your safety has to be a number-one priority. Fritz considers for a minute. FRITZ But I still want that assassin caught. (stands) And that's an executive order. Fritz leaves, entering Kadaf's hospital room. GRIFF (to Bucky) You heard the rabbit. You're officially assigned the case, Captain. BUCKY (surprised) But I'm about to leave with my ship for a tour of the Alpha Sector! We're already behind schedule because of the shooting. DOGSTAR (steps forward) I'll take the case, Vice Chairman. My ship is still in bay. GRIFF Err ... right. (considers) All right. You have forty-eight hours, Commander. Dogstar salutes. SCENE 5 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Back on the Righteous, now almost ready to go, Bucky fills the others in on what happened. WILLY (confused) But why would someone want to kill the Chairman? I mean, he seems like a nice enough guy. BUCKY Fritz is a major advocate for the war effort against the toads. While he's in office, the budget set aside for commissioning more ships like the Righteous will be larger than ever. Any toad or toad sympathizer would be worried about having him in office ... worried enough to kill him, apparently. Deadeye sees Bucky's nervousness and puts his paws on Bucky's shoulders. DEADEYE Relax, Bucky me boy. The Chairman'll be OK. He's a little naïve, but he's a tough one. BUCKY Yeah, I wish I agreed with you. I just don't want to see him get killed. (shakes it off) C'mon. Let's get moving, or we'll run into that asteroid field before the warp. They climb into their various seats and get ready to take off. They are about to step up into warp drive when a ship cuts them off. Bucky, through an expert at maneuvering, is barely able to avoid being sideswiped. WILLY (over comm) Hey! What's going on up there? BUCKY Some rude space driver just cut us off. (hits button) Note to self. Get Willy a chair down there. WILLY (over speaker) You guys could try seat belts, too. BLINKY Seat whats? WILLY (aggravated sigh) I'll explain later. JENNY (serious) Bucky, if I didn't know better, I'd say the ship that cut us off looked like ... BUCKY (realizes) ... a coldblood's ship? JENNY I was thinking along the lines of a sleazasaur. BUCKY (suspiciously) A sleazasaur in an awful hurry to get away from Genus. JENNY Think we should follow him? BUCKY (nodding) Set the course to follow his trail. JENNY Aye-aye, Captain. They watch as the ship warps out in front of them. BUCKY I didn't know any coldbloods had warp technology ... JENNY It can't be as good as ours. (hits the comm) Willy, activate warp drive, mark-3. Now! SCENE SHIFTS TO ENGINEERING Willy cranks up the level on the photon accelerator. WILLY Aye-aye. SCENE SHIFTS TO OUTSIDE THE RIGHTEOUS The Righteous Indignation warps in the same direction as the ship. It reappears in a different section, right next to an empty brown planet. SCENE SHIFTS TO UPPER BAY JENNY Captain, my sensors indicate we've come out in the orbit of Toxus V. BUCKY (watches screen) And so has that ship. Both of them watch as the ship enters orbit and then goes to land on the planet. JENNY It's landing, sir. BUCKY On this planet? Odd. Has it seen us? JENNY It doesn't appear to have seen us. (considers) It could be leading us into a trap. BUCKY I'm a sucker for traps. (hits comm) Deadeye, keep an eye out for any aggressive action by that ship -- or any toad ships. DEADEYE (over comm) Aye-aye, Cap'n. (laughs) At least let us stay long enough for me to try out our new maser canons! BUCKY Don't get too trigger-happy. We don't want to scare him off. (deactivates comm) Jenny, I want you and Bruiser to go down and investigate. And don't be seen unless you have to be. JENNY (salutes) Aye-aye, Captain. Jenny goes to climb down the hatch. SCENE 6 - TOXUS V Jenny and Bruiser land the croaker on the surface of the desolate planet. BRUISER (looks around) Things are sure quiet ... JENNY I little too quiet, if you ask me. (readies her blaster, hearing a noise behind a rock pile) Who's there? A green reptilian creature wearing a brown robe appears from behind the rock. JENNY Put your slimy paws up. The reptile does so. His hood falls, revealing him to be a LIZARD. LIZARD Don't shoot! A shot from a maser blaster knocks away Jenny's own blaster. Jenny and Bruiser turn to see AL NEGATOR, a purple sleazasaur, appear from behind another set of rocks. NEGATOR That would be my job! SCENE 7 - INTERIOR OF THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Bucky is sitting in the captain's chair, contemplating something, when Willy sticks his head up into the bay. BUCKY (not looking back) They haven't contacted us in a long time, I know. I'm worried about them, too. The communication lights suddenly blink. Blinky's voice comes over the speakers. BLINKY (over comm) Incoming message for you, Captain. BUCKY Put it through. The communications screen activates, and the fuzzy picture of Toxus V's surface appears. Al Negator, Jenny, and Bruiser are visible. BUCKY (with malice) Al Negator! NEGATOR I'm glad you have such fond and vivid memories of me, Captain O'Hare. BUCKY Return my crewmembers at once! NEGATOR (shakes a claw) Not so fast, my green friend. (points his maser blaster in their direction) If you ever want to see these mammals alive again, you're going to disable your maser canons, land on Toxus V immediately, and bring your crew out unarmed. Oh, and I want you to contact Commander Dogstar and tell him to proceed to this location immediately. (hits a button) Negator out. The screen goes blank. Bucky hits the console in frustration. BUCKY I should have known it was a trap! (turns to Willy) Suit up and tell Deadeye to disable his canons. WILLY (surprised) We're going along with his demands? BUCKY At the moment, we don't have a choice. (activates communications) I've got to reach Dogstar. WILLY (confused) Why would Al Negator want to invite a rescue party? BUCKY I don't know. WILLY But Dogstar's ship doesn't have a mark-4 warp drive! It'll take forever for them to get here! BUCKY That's probably what Negator's counting on. (strained) Now go. WILLY (salutes hesitantly) Aye-aye, Captain. SCENE 8 - TOXUS V The Righteous Indignation lands on the surface of the planet, and the crew uneasily comes out. NEGATOR So glad you could make it, Captain O'Hare. He allows Jenny and Bruiser to rejoin their crew. BUCKY Now what do you want? You have an attentive audience. NEGATOR A little favor, in return for your freedom, of course. BUCKY What kind of favor? NEGATOR (in his usual smooth voice) Well, there's this little business about the Chairman ... BUCKY (angrily, stepping forward) It was you who tried to assassinate Fritz! Al Negator draws his blaster and fires it at their feet, causing them all to double back. NEGATOR Not directly, no. That's what I have Cameleous here for. (motions to the lizard off to the side) But since he failed, I figure I'm going to have to try a sneakier approach. I need someone who doesn't look and smell like an enemy of the mammals. BUCKY (catching on) You really think you could get one of *us* to assassinate the Chairman? NEGATOR Who are you more loyal to -- your crew or some newly elected diplomat? BUCKY (without hesitating) Both. NEGATOR (huffs) Well, not you, obviously. The Chairman is your old friend anyway, isn't he? (eyes the rest of them) But I'm not sure I could say the same for the rest of your crew. Al Negator passes over Jenny. NEGATOR Too loyal. (passes over Willy) Can't fire a blaster. WILLY (offended) Hey! He shuts up after being nudged by Deadeye. NEGATOR (turns to Deadeye) You, on the other claw ... DEADEYE (counters) I would never betray the Chairman! NEGATOR I thought pirate loyalty was to his clan before all else. Deadeye visibly considers it. BUCKY (assertively) Deadeye, you can't assassinate the Chairman, and that's an order! NEGATOR (nudges Deadeye) So what'll it be, pirate? Your crew or a stuffed-shirt politician? Deadeye frowns. SCENE 9 - UAC SECURITY COUNCIL MEETING ROOM Fritz sits alone in the middle chair of the half-oval table, obviously contemplating something. He looks up when he hears a beeping, and pushes a button on his side. The table's surface slides open, and a comm-screen raises. He activates it, and Griff's face appears. GRIFF Chairman, sir, I just received word that Commander Dogstar has left in pursuit of the assassin ... FRITZ (waves it off) I know. GRIFF Do you want me to send some extra security? FRITZ Just tell them to stay outside this room, if they could. I want some privacy. GRIFF Those are your orders? FRITZ (annoyed) Why do I always have to make that clear? If they come out of my mouth, they're my orders. Is that so hard? GRIFF Err ... right, Chairman. Griff out. Griff cuts the link. Fritz sighs and allows the comm-link to slide back down under the surface of the table. He sits for a moment longer before the front doors swing open, and he stands to greet his visitor angrily. FRITZ I thought I gave orders for you to stay outside ... Deadeye enters, blasters drawn. FRITZ (trying to look surprised) Deadeye? DEADEYE (apologetically) I'm sorry to do this, Chairman. But me mates come first. Deadeye, without hesitating, fires rapidly. Fritz is hit several times in the chest and collapses on the floor behind the table. The pirate stands there for several moments, maser blasters smoking, before walking behind the table to check on his victim. To his surprise, Fritz is on the floor but is still very alive. His wounds, once open and bleeding, now begin to close up, leaving only the tears and stains on his shirt. Fritz opens his eyes, slowly sitting up. FRITZ Thanks for not blowing my head off. That woulda been a *real* mess for the cleaning crew. (looks down) Nuts. Ruined a good shirt. Deadeye is aghast that Fritz is apparently fully healed and not in any pain. DEADEYE Y-you're a ... a ... FRITZ Dimensional regenerator? (sarcastically, but with no malice) You're quick for a pirate. DEADEYE (drops his blasters) But how did you ... why did you ... (collects himself) So *that's* why you're not worried about ... FRITZ Getting assassinated? Yeah, it's kinda tough to kill me. (mock-whisper) Don't let anyone know, though. DEADEYE Why? FRITZ Because every assassination attempt forces another pro-toad creature out into the open. And there're a few higher-up members of the Security Council that I'd like to expose one of these days. DEADEYE (still in shock) What about your ... FRITZ ... bodyguard? (waves it by) Kadaf's another regen. He's fine. But he was shot in front of a crowd, so we had to make it look like he was injured. DEADEYE Ach. Listen, Chairman, I'm ... FRITZ I know, you're sorry. Well, better let me in on your little justification for taking pot shots at me before I'm forced to call security. Deadeye enlightens him on everything that happened on Toxus V. The Chairman listens intently and nods. DEADEYE He wants me to deliver proof. FRITZ Does he? (rubs his beard intently) Then we'll just have to give him some, won't we? Deadeye's expression reveals confusion and surprise. SCENE 10 - TOXUS V The crewmembers wait while Al Negator paces anxiously. NEGATOR Where is that double-crossing pirate? He is silenced by the arrival of the Righteous. Deadeye gets out, looking dejected. NEGATOR So? What happened? DEADEYE What? Ye want proof? NEGATOR Of course I do. Deadeye motions towards the Righteous. Negator enters, followed closely by Deadeye. NEGATOR Now, I want to see ... Fritz appears from over the doorway, hanging on to a handlebar. FRITZ Me? Fritz leaps down, catching Negator by his shoulders. NEGATOR (waving frantically) Get off me! FRITZ What? Too up close and personal for you? Al Negator stumbles out of the Righteous and points to his lizard ally. NEGATOR SHOOT THEM! Before the lizard can react, Dogstar appears from behind the rocks with his crew. DOGSTAR Now see here. I don't think anyone's going to be doing any shooting today. BUCKY (relieved) Dogstar! DOGSTAR (grabbing the surprised lizard by his collar) Good to see you're safe, Bucky. (to lizard) By the authority invested in me by the United Animals Coalition Security Council, I'm placing you under arrest ... The lizard manages to break free. CAMELEOUS No warmblood will ever catch a lizard! Cameleous activates something on his wrist and disappears into thin air. WILLY (surprised) What did he just do? BUCKY (shrugs) Lizards can do that. Negator is still struggling with Fritz. He sees Cameleous's betrayal. NEGATOR Stupid regens ... Fritz promptly bonks him on the head, knocking him out. FRITZ (landing after leaping off the unconscious Al Negator) Watch your tongue, you stupid sleazasaur. BUCKY (relieved again) Fritz! You're all right! (noticing blood on his shirt) What happened? FRITZ Deadeye did his job. I'll explain it later. (changing subjects) Are you all all right? JENNY (stepping in) We're fine, Chairman. FRITZ Then I suppose we'd better get back to Genus before Griff has a heart attack. BUCKY (mockingly) Is that an order, Chairman? Fritz rolls his eyes. SCENE 11 - UPPER BAY, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Bucky and Jenny sit in their respective seats, watching the communication screen, which shows Fritz's face. FRITZ Shame you couldn't stay for Al's trial, Bucky. BUCKY Did he reveal who he was working for? FRITZ Surprisingly, no. I don't think he knows, or he would have spilled the beans by now. JENNY It's too bad we couldn't catch that lizard. FRITZ Something tells me he'll be around. There're a lot of regens hanging around this dimension right now. It's very popular among us. BUCKY Us? FRITZ (laughs) Didn't I tell you? BUCKY (surprised) But if you really are one, that means you can ... FRITZ Regenerate. Right. Didn't I tell you Deadeye did his job? Both Bucky and Jenny are a little surprised. BUCKY I knew you weren't from this dimension, Fritz, but I didn't know ... (thinks) Where *are* you from, anyway? FRITZ A little place called Earth. BUCKY Willy's Earth? FRITZ No, but it's similar. How do you think I'm in with all of his fashions? BUCKY I ... didn't notice. FRITZ (looks down at his jeans and then back up at Bucky) Well, I don't blame you. This whole dimension is fashion-blind. BUCKY Are you insulting ... FRITZ Yes, I am insulting the style of Genus. Especially those belts with the hooks. Fritz hears beeping in the background and stands in his chair. FRITZ We're going to have to continue this chat later, Bucky. Griff's probably recovered from his latest little fit and wants me for a meeting. (reaches for comm-link controls) Have fun in the Alpha Sector. Pick up some a snow globe for me. BUCKY A what? FRITZ (smiles) I'll explain later. Good luck, Captain. (salutes) Chairman Warner out. Fritz severs the link. Jenny turns to Bucky. JENNY A snow globe? Bucky shrugs. THE END