"The Decline and Fall" Part 2 by Rygar Additions by Claudia Carranza and DJ Clawson First draft - 7/6/04 Second draft - 7/12/04 Final draft - 7/15/04 SCENE 1 - PSYCHIATRIC WARD, UCSF MEDICAL CENTER, SAN FRANCISCO, EARTH DR. DAVID DUWITT and MRS. SUSAN DUWITT, both tense and somewhat edgy, step into DR. JASON MATTHEWS's cluttered office in the psychiatric ward. He smiles as they enter, then stands to shake their hands. MATTHEWS Dr. and Mrs. DuWitt, I'm Dr. Matthews. Good to meet you. DR. DUWITT (returning the shake) Good to meet you. MATTHEWS Please, have a seat. The DuWitts sit. Dr. Matthews looks around the top of his desk, spotting Willy's file. He grabs it and pulls it open. MATTHEWS First, the good news. Your son is not suicidal, and I see no reason why he would try to kill himself again. This instantly relieves the DuWitts. MRS. DUWITT That's wonderful. MATTHEWS I had a talk with him, and it really does look like a one-time occurrence. Willy's expressed regret about what he's done. Ever since coming in, he hasn't expressed any of the symptoms of a truly depressed person -- loss in concentration, feelings of hopelessness, and so on. He's also expressed clear ideas for the future. DR. DUWITT You said that was the good news. MATTHEWS (flipping over a few papers) The *bad* news is that your son is still rather mentally ill. The DuWitts were expecting this, but the statement still rattles them a bit. MRS. DUWITT What do you mean? MATTHEWS As I briefly mentioned over the phone, Willy has created elaborate fantasies for himself to live in, as a result of not having any real social attachments at school. It's not especially uncommon, though it rarely gets to the stage that Willy's experiencing. The DuWitts feel uncomfortable playing along but know that they must. DR. DUWITT What all has Willy "created," as you put it? MATTHEWS An entire world, from the sound of it. He talked about working on a spaceship piloted by a green rabbit bent on destroying toads. He imbued each person on this ship with a species, a personality, and a background. It's really quite impressive, in an unfortunate sort of way. (flips over more papers) However, this is one of the more serious cases of delusion I've seen. MRS. DUWITT Because it's so thorough? MATTHEWS Not just that. My guess is that Willy understood early on that his fantasies weren't real, so he did everything possible to *make* them real. (beat) Tell me, has your son ever had mysterious injuries? MRS. DUWITT Well, he occasionally came home with bumps and bruises. He said they were work injuries. MATTHEWS Where did he claim to work? DR. DUWITT At a marina in town. MATTHEWS For a Captain O'Hare? DR. DUWITT Yes. MATTHEWS Have you ever been to the marina? MRS. DUWITT No, we haven't. MATTHEWS Have you ever met Captain O'Hare? DR. DUWITT (instinctively) Yes, we ... (pauses, remembers Lucas MacArthur) Once. He seemed kind of young for a boat captain. MATTHEWS (interested) Really? When you met him, did he answer specific questions about himself or his ship? DR. DUWITT No. He sort of blew us off. MATTHEWS Not surprising. You probably met someone Willy convinced or paid to play the part. A little extreme, but not unheard of. His real name is probably not Bucky O'Hare. (beat) It's all part of his attempts to make his fantasy reality. There is no marina, either. (frowns) Have you noticed Willy's scars? DR. DUWITT (honestly surprised at this) Scars? MATTHEWS Yes. He's got quite a collection, though most of them are minor. And you probably didn't know about this, either ... Dr. Matthews pulls out a few X-rays and shows the DuWitts. MATTHEWS Willy's got some bone bruises and hairline fractures as well. He actually put himself through quite a bit of physical torture. They're all self-inflicted, to make the illusion more real. It happens in many cases of serious delusion. The DuWitts look these over, disgusted. MRS. DUWITT I ... I can't believe this ... DR. DUWITT (looking at Dr. Matthews, worried) Where do we go from here? MATTHEWS That depends on Willy. These delusions of his appear pretty tightly woven into his reality -- he would just slip them into our conversation alongside actual, real experiences without even realizing it. (eyes the DuWitts) Now, if he *can* be convinced that he imagined everything, then he'll be all right, though he'll probably still need some medication and therapy. (beat) But if he refuses to accept what he's done to himself, then he'll need some serious therapy, medication, and to be watched, carefully. He can stay here in the ward or be transferred to an institution. Either way, his release will be based on psychiatric recommendation. The DuWitts look at each other, communicating, though no words are spoken. They then turn back to Dr. Matthews. MRS. DUWITT Can we see him? MATTHEWS (getting up) Of course. Follow me. Dr. Matthews leads Dr. and Mrs. DuWitt out of the room. SCENE 2 - OUTSIDE KADAF'S APARTMENT COMPLEX Two armed fox GUARDS accompany KADAF WARNER as they walk up to the apartment building. Kadaf is still panicky but does not antagonize the guards any. The guards walk up to the door, look around, and open it. GUARD #1 You good to go, sir? KADAF (uneasily) Don't leave me. GUARD #2 Sir, you're home. KADAF (suddenly) He can still get me here! GUARD #1 (sighing) They're not paying me enough for this. GUARD #2 Let's leave him. This jerk's supposed to be a regen, right? I'm sure he'll manage. GUARD #1 (to Kadaf) Go on in. You're home. No one's going to get you. Kadaf gives the guard a scary look, as if to say, "Are you kidding?" The duck nonetheless enters the apartment building, much to the relief of the two guards. Kadaf quickly shuffles down the hall. He fumbles in his pocket for his access card. Pulling it out just as he approaches the door to his place, he slides the card and enters the dark room. He flips the light switch. Nothing happens. KADAF Oh, shit. Out of nowhere and everywhere, a VOICE fills the room. VOICE It is time to pay for your transgressions, Warner. Kadaf takes an involuntary step back in terror. SCENE 3 - OUTSIDE UAC HEADQUARTERS The Wraith glides smoothly as it touches down just in front of the twenty-story UAC building. Passersby watch in shock and confusion as the ship completes its landing. The black ship's hatch opens, and its three passengers -- VINCENT ROEDECKER, a wolf; JOHN BLADE, a tiger; and LANCE MAXWELL, an Irish wolfhound -- disembark into the street. MAXWELL (noticing the crowd) What're they gawking at? BLADE I guess ships don't usually touch down on the actual planet. ROEDECKER (impatiently, waving them on) Come on! We've got to pay Warner a little visit. As the three approach the UAC building, a few ONLOOKERS in the crowd murmur. ONLOONER #1 He looks familiar. Where have I seen him? ONLOOKER #2 It's him! It's really Roedecker! ONLOOKER #3 Roedecker, the bounty hunter? What's he doing on Genus? ONLOOKER #4 How'd he get past the defense system? ONLOOKER #5 (shouting) Boo! Go home! We don't want your kind here! As the identity of the three bounty hunters spreads through the crowd, the one onlooker's booing becomes a chorus, as more and more people respond to Roedecker's presence. The hunters pay them no mind as they approach the main entrance. SCENE 4 - ENGINEERING BAY, THE VALKYRIE Flustered, CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE tries to continue going through Willy's belongings. He just can't, though. Mike's decision to quit has rattled him too much, and yesterday's encounter with Willy's parents still weighs heavily on his mind. He puts down the notebook in his paw and checks his watch. BUCKY (thinking) Bucky strides out of the bay, headed off Orwell Station and to the UAC cafeteria. The whole ship remains quiet for a full minute after he leaves. Finally, a faint creaking noise emerges as ENGINEER MIKE MARISON opens the hatch and tiptoes inside. MIKE (thinking) Mike looks around to make sure he's alone. Satisfied, he walks into the ship's engineering bay, a goal clearly on his mind. MIKE (thinking, a little embarrassed) Mike walks over to the far corner of the ship and begins to collect his belongings, including notes, clothes, and the access card to his personal ship. SCENE 5 - WILLY'S ROOM, PSYCHIATRIC WARD, UCSF MEDICAL CENTER WILLY DUWITT, engrossed in the book he's reading, almost doesn't notice when the door to the room opens. However, he's very quickly pulled out of his trance by the first thing he hears. MRS. DUWITT Willy! WILLY (dropping the book, startled) Mom?! Mrs. DuWitt rushes over to the bed and gives her son an enormous bear hug. Willy returns it, overcome with emotion. WILLY (ecstatic) Oh, mom ... MRS. DUWITT It's so good to see you, Willy! WILLY (teary-eyed) Oh, God, I'm so glad you're here. Dr. Matthews can't help but smile a little at this loving reunion. Dr. DuWitt walks up to the bed and puts his hand on Willy's shoulder. DR. DUWITT Hey, son. WILLY Dad! Still holding onto his mother, Willy reaches for his father and pulls him in. The family joins in a huge embrace. After nearly half a minute of saying nothing to each other, lost in the moment, they pull apart. WILLY (still grinning hugely) I can't believe you're here! MRS. DUWITT Of course we're here, Willy. We couldn't wait to see you. WILLY I know. I just ... I thought I'd lost you. I'm so sorry I went away. DR. DUWITT It's OK, son. What matters is that you're here now. MRS. DUWITT (turning to Dr. Matthews) Do you mind if we spoke to our son alone for a little bit? MATTHEWS Not at all. You can have twenty minutes. MRS. DUWITT Thank you. Matthews nods and closes the door. Now that the DuWitts are all together without the doctor's supervision, the tone in the room becomes a bit more serious. WILLY Are you ... are you mad at me? MRS. DUWITT (determined to be blindingly supportive) Of course not! We're just so glad you're still with us, Willy. DR. DUWITT We were worried, son. But it's all in the past now. WILLY I know. I just feel like such an idiot. I never should have left. I don't even know *if* I left. Dr. and Mrs. DuWitt exchange a quick, concerned glance. DR. DUWITT What do you mean, son? WILLY You mean the doctor didn't tell you? They think I'm crazy. (beat, trying to sound as sane as possible) They think I imagined my job at the marina. You know, with Captain O'Hare onboard the Righteous. DR. DUWITT (trying to keep the conversation grounded) But we met Captain O'Hare. WILLY (sheepishly) That wasn't Captain O'Hare. It's a long story ... (hangs his head) I don't even know. I don't *think* I'm crazy ... but when I sit and think about it, it all sounds pretty nuts. The DuWitts exchange another glance. Dr. DuWitt looks determined, but Mrs. DuWitt shoots him an angry look. He hesitates, then backs down. DR. DUWITT You know, son ... WILLY Yeah? DR. DUWITT The accelerator. It's brilliant. This stuns Willy. WILLY (not sure he heard right) Wait ... you used the accelerator? DR. DUWITT We sure did. I don't know how you got it to work, but you're certainly a smarter man than I ever was. WILLY So you ... Willy trails off, still afraid to say anything ridiculous. MRS. DUWITT We met Captain O'Hare, and the cat who works on the ship, and your doctor, and Chairman Warner. WILLY Really?! (beat, his mouth open) So I'm not crazy? DR. DUWITT (exhales) No, son, you're not crazy. You're a genius. WILLY (letting out a sigh of relief) Oh, thank God! I really thought for a while that maybe I'd made it all up. DR. DUWITT If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I would have thought so, too. WILLY (hesitantly) Are you mad? That I didn't tell you? DR. DUWITT (becoming more stern) Well, we're not exactly thrilled that you kept it a secret from us for so long. WILLY (ashamed) I know. I hoped I'd never have to tell you. MRS. DUWITT Why didn't you? WILLY I thought you'd be angry about it. I thought you wouldn't let me go back. DR. DUWITT Well, I will admit that I completely disapprove of your fighting in a war in some other dimension. WILLY (looking down) I thought you would. But they were my friends. And they needed me. MRS. DUWITT And they still need you. DR. DUWITT (concerned) Susan ... MRS. DUWITT (firmly) No, David. It's his choice. (determinedly) Are you going to go back, Willy? WILLY (blinks) I ... (gripping his bed sheet tightly) I hadn't thought about it. I don't know if I should. MRS. DUWITT It's your decision. WILLY (worried) Dad? Dr. DuWitt closes his eyes, obviously opposed to the thought. DR. DUWITT (biting his lip) I've given my opinion. It's your decision, son. I won't tell you what to do. Willy sits, transfixed, lost in thought. WILLY (finally) I've got to think about it. For a while, I really didn't ever want to be there anymore, but I'd been through so much. I don't know if I was thinking straight. (beat) Right now, I just want to be with the two of you. I put my friends before my family, and that was really stupid of me. MRS. DUWITT You're not stupid, Willy. You're just growing up. DR. DUWITT We love you, son. WILLY Oh, dad ... The three embrace again. SCENE 6 - SPACE Ten toad motherships, surrounded by a dizzying swarm of double bubbles, slowly approach Genus, coming ever closer to the planet's orbit. On the decks of four of the motherships, the AIR MARSHAL, TOADBORG, CAPTAIN SMATA, and COMMANDER CREELEVARD VALTJHOU exchange brief communications. AIR MARSHAL (over comm) We're nearing our target. CAPTAIN SMATA (over comm) As if the big planet ahead of us wasn't a clue. TOADBORG (over comm) Silence, Smata. I have even less patience for you than I do for the Air Marshal. AIR MARSHAL I heard that! Don't forget which one of us is commanding this mission! CREELEVARD (over comm) Has the defense system been deactivated? TOADBORG Readings indicate it has. AIR MARSHAL That stupid porkbrain actually came through. CAPTAIN SMATA Let me guess: You promised him we'd make him dictator of Genus? AIR MARSHAL (gleefully) That's what they all ask for! The Air Marshal and Captain Smarta chuckle. Toadborg lets out a mechanical tone of slight amusement, while Creelevard says nothing. The armada finally arrives in Genus's orbit, passing harmlessly through the unresponsive defense system. CREELEVARD We have arrived. TOADBORG Let us take what we deserve, for the glory of the Toad Empire! AIR MARSHAL (excited) Oh, I've waited so long for this day! CREELEVARD Then let us make the most of it. SCENE 7 - CHAIRMAN WARNER'S OFFICE CHAIRMAN FRITZ WARNER is trying to concentrate on a few documents, but his splitting headache is making it difficult. He rubs his temples and sighs. FRITZ Fifteen minutes before the Council meeting, and I've still got to get this all done. (to himself) Calm down. It'll all work out. NURAS I'm sure it will. Startled, Fritz looks up to see SENATOR NURAS standing in the doorway. NURAS Pardon the intrusion, Chairman, but I was wondering. Do you know where Kadaf is? Fritz's blood runs cold. FRITZ No, I don't. NURAS Just thought I'd check. He's been acting so weird lately. You might want to keep a better eye on him. (beat) That's all. I'll be on my way. Nuras vanishes from sight almost as quickly as he appeared. Fritz, nervous and uncertain, hesitates. A scowl of determination then spreads across his face. He stands up purposefully and reaches to open a desk drawer when his comm rings. He wants to ignore it, but something tells him he should answer it. Frustrated, he does so. FRITZ (angry) What? What is it? The comm's video displays only static, but the audio comes in loud and clear. VOICE (over comm) Chairman Warner, you have to evacuate immediately. We have a situation. FRITZ What? Fritz spins around and looks out the window to his office. The first thing he notices is how dark the sky has gotten. FRITZ (in a low voice) Oh, shit. Dull explosions begin to reverberate around the office as the city lights up in fire outside the office window. Half of Fritz pulls one way, and half pulls the other way. FRITZ (thinking) Fear again washes over Fritz's face as he strains to make the right decision. FRITZ (thinking) <*Fuck*!> SCENE 8 - GENUS The double bubbles swoop in first, taking shots at everything they encounter along the way, from buildings to civilians. Below, the populace screams and runs for cover, dodging plasma blasts and falling rubble. The toad pilots cackle as they continue to destroy. The motherships arrive next, completely unimpeded. Genus had relied almost entirely on its orbital defense system, so hardly any auxiliary defenses exist. Seven of the ten motherships scatter, each heading for a large target. Two of the remaining ones, piloted by Toadborg and Captain Smata, steer toward Council Square, where the UAC building is located, all their cannons blazing. The last one, piloted by the Air Marshal, hangs back, overseeing the slaughter. SCENE 9 - DEFENSE SYSTEM HARDWARE ROOM, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS The room is a shambles. Most of the electronics equipment was destroyed by the chain reaction, and dead scientists litter the floor. The only two people alive in the room are CAPTAIN MIMI LAFLEUR and GUNNER HARRY CALLAN, who were knocked clear and were slammed into the elevator. A low rumble shakes the room, and pieces of tile and dust shake loose from the ceiling. Groaning, Mimi rubs her head as she comes to. MIMI What in the ... (coughs from the dust) Yuck! Suddenly, Mimi remembers everything that she and Harry did. Bolting up, she looks around the room and surveys the damage. Her blood runs cold. MIMI (weakly) Oh, no. The defense system. The room rumbles again, and realization dawns upon Mimi. MIMI (shaking) No. No. (coughing again) Harry? Harry, where are you? Mimi looks around and spots Harry a few feet across from her. His left arm is bending in a funny way, and blood trickles quickly from a gash in his forehead. HARRY (softly) Mimi ... MIMI Oh, shit. Harry! Mimi struggles to get up, working her way through the debris over to Harry. She grabs her kerchief and tries to stop Harry's head wound from bleeding. MIMI Harry, talk to me. HARRY (somberly) I didn't imagine it, did I? We did all of this. (closes his eyes) Serves me right, for everything I've done. MIMI Don't give me this right now, Harry. Can you move? Can you get up? HARRY (struggling) Probably ... ugh! (slumping back) No. Just leave me here. I deserve it. Another rumble shakes the room, kicking up more dust. MIMI No! Dammit, Harry, I'm not leaving you! Get up, or I'll drag you out of here myself. HARRY Mimi ... MIMI (angrily) Harry, you little piece of shit. Sore from her bruises, Mimi still manages to lift Harry off the ground slowly. Cradling him in her arms, she nudges the elevator button with her elbow. To her overwhelming relief, it works, and she steps inside the elevator. MIMI (grunting) Damn! No more donuts for you, fat boy. The elevator door closes, and the elevator whooshes back up to the ground floor of the building. SCENE 10 - CAFETERIA, UAC HEADQUARTERS FIRST MATE JENNY, GUNNER DEADEYE DUCK, and BRUISER are grabbing a quick pre-mission meal, with AFC BLINKY accompanying them. They're seated together in the far corner of the cafeteria and don't notice when Bucky enters at the other end and gets in line for food. Suddenly, the rumbling begins. Everyone is startled as tables shake and plates fall down and shatter. People on their feet lose their balance and fall. A huge explosion engulfs one of the walls, instantly killing a group eating nearby and exposing the cafeteria to the outside. The only thing louder than the screams are the sounds of the structure giving way, as the hole in the wall expands into large cracks running across the floor. Bucky's crewmembers, though unhurt by the explosion, are more than a little shaken. BRUISER (seeing double bubbles through the growing hole in the wall) It's da toads! JENNY (shocked) But how did they get past Genus's security system? DEADEYE I dunno, lassie, but we got bigger problems right now. They look around and see the ceiling start to crumble along with the floor, endangering everyone else in the cafeteria. One of the columns near the hole also begins to give way. BLINKY This android suggests assisting fellow mammals. Not saying a word in response, Bruiser runs over and grabs the column, steadying it. Blinky helps people trapped under things or too scared to move, while Jenny and Deadeye assist everyone else in escaping. On the other side of the cafeteria, Bucky has also sprung into action, helping people remain calm as they try to escape the cafeteria. SCENE 11 - HALLWAY, UAC CAFETERIA Roedecker, Maxwell, and Blade stride purposefully down the empty hallway, making their way to the Security Council meeting room when the building begins to shake. MAXWELL (almost falling over) Damn! What was that? ROEDECKER Doesn't matter. Keep up! The trio begins walking again when another explosion rocks the hallway. Pieces of the ceiling begin to fall, and screams can be heard in the distance. BLADE Something's up. ROEDECKER Hmm. (grins) Well, if we can do something to help, we can add a little more to the Chairman's tab. Let's go. Roedecker starts running down the hall, toward the screams. Blade and Maxwell sprint to catch up. Maxwell, being the fastest runner, is quickly on Roedecker's heels. SCENE 12 - APARTMENT COMPLEX, GENUS COMMANDER SIRIUS DOGSTAR snoozes peacefully in his bed, enjoying the luxury of sleeping in. The first distant explosion doesn't wake him up. The second bothers him a bit, and he rolls over, grumbling. The third, much closer than the other two, jolts him awake. DOGSTAR (confused) What, what? (rubbing his eyes) I say! What is going on here? Dogstar climbs out of bed and, wearing pajamas and a sleeping cap, stumbles over to the window and pulls back the curtains, revealing chaos and double bubbles outside. DOGSTAR (frozen) Oh, my. Without another word, Dogstar rushes to the closet and begins putting on his uniform. SCENE 13 - COMMUNICATIONS POST, ALDEBARAN It's late at night on Aldebaran, and a thick blanket of clouds obscures the stars above. A female Aldebaran sits at the main console, yawning and watching the various flashing lights flicker. Her eyes drift from the console and out the main window. Meanwhile, down below, a group of SISTERS begin communicating mentally. SISTER #1 (thinking) SISTER #2 (thinking, from above, near a window) SISTER #3 (thinking, from above, by the door) SISTER #1 (thinking) SISTERS #2 - #12 (thinking, in unison) Back in the man bay, the guard sighs tiredly and returns to the console, tapping a few keys. Behind her, the bay doors open, admitting one of her coworkers, to whom she grins as her eyes roll toward the clock. And then, without warning, the whole facility explodes. SCENE 14 - JAIL CELL, ROYAL PRISON, ALDEBARAN The cell is dark and quiet. The only light is given off by the magic dampeners on the wall above the bed. There's a moment of silence, and then the lights flare brighter, illuminating an empty bed. Then, with a flash, they go out. The door is yanked from its hinges and slams into the wall across the hallway. CASSIE steps into the cell, her gems back on and powered and her eyes gleaming silver. CASSIE (smiling) My old stomping ground. Cassie takes a moment to survey the room and spots the chessboard. CASSIE Ah! Here we are. Cassie moves to the chessboard, grins, and moves one piece with a satisfying click. CASSIE Checkmate, my dear aunt. Sirens can now be heard as an Assassination Sister stops in the doorway. SISTER #4 Our Fallen have been collected or dealt with, Your Majesty. CASSIE (smiling at hearing the title) Wonderful work. (turns to the Sister) Let's go home. SCENE 15 - CAFETERIA, UAC HEADQUARTERS Bucky's crew is still trying to maintain order in the rapidly crumbling cafeteria when Jenny suddenly tenses, feeling something different in her mind. JENNY (taken by surprised) Aah! Deadeye notices and calls to her, still focused on digging some people out of a pile of debris. DEADEYE What's wrong, Jenny? JENNY (clutching her head) I ... (thinking) Another explosion, this one a few stories overhead, weakens the cafeteria further. Bruiser can no longer hold the support column and jumps out of the way as it collapses, taking one corner of the cafeteria with it. Bruiser can only watch as a petrified family vanishes under the dust and rubble. BRUISER (angry) Ya damn toads! Furious, Bruiser grabs two grenades from his belt, pulls their pins with his teeth, and throws them out the window at two double bubbles passing by. One grenade hits its mark, blowing the double bubble up and sending its pilots flying. BRUISER We gotta fight back, guys! BLINKY Cafeteria is nearly cleared. DEADEYE Then let's go! (looking back at Jenny) Lass? Jenny pauses, obviously conflicted, trying to decide what to do. SCENE 16 - GENUS The toads have begun inflicting some heavy damage. Many buildings have been destroyed, and entire city blocks lay in ruins. The double bubbles swarm mercilessly through the sky, shooting at anything that serves as a target. A cluster of double bubbles heads for a power station, intent on knocking out the city's power. Others begin shooting at farmland on the outskirts of the city, depriving the mammals of food. Some pilots, frustrated with the amount of damage their guns can do, crash their double bubbles into buildings, sacrificing themselves for the glory of KOMPLEX. This doesn't even begin to put a dent in the toad forces, however; the double bubbles are everywhere. On the freeways, drivers trying to dodge toad fire ram into other vehicles, creating snarling masses of wrecked cars and scorching metal. Public parks are littered with dead bodies lying on the sidewalks or crushed under fallen trees. Skyscrapers tumble and fall, killing both their inhabitants and the mammals standing underneath. Everywhere, people are running and screaming. The mammal effort to retaliate is meager, as the city has little means of defense. A few military bases shoot missiles and fire maser blasts at the toads but are quickly overwhelmed with toad fire. The Genus Air Force takes to the skies, but its small numbers and relatively outdated ships are no match for the enormous toad armada, and the aircraft are shot down one after another. Double bubbles begin to land en masse beside the UAC building. The pilots eagerly hop out and rush toward the building. The first group of heavily armed stormtoads bursts inside, and wave after wave of stormtoads follow. Some double bubbles also land on the roof of the UAC building. The pilots jump out and rush for the stairwell, hungry for mammal blood. The large roof accommodates more and more double bubbles as the individual pilots become a steady stream of zealous stormtoads. Toadborg's mothership, having been pounding away at the UAC building, maneuvers to land. Captain Smata's ship hangs back, still firing at the edifice. High above the city, The Air Marshal's ship surveys the entire operation, with the Air Marshal barking orders through the comm. The last leading mothership, commanded by Creelevard, lands a few miles away from the UAC building, in a heavily crowded commercial district. Creelevard observes the panicked masses through the cockpit window. Displaying not a single emotion, he disembarks, stepping out into the middle of the street. Few people notice him specifically as they run around in terror. CREELEVARD Mammals. Unsheathing his sword, Creelvard pauses for just an instant before beginning to attack, slicing through mammals left and right. Though some of the fleeing mammals notice this and keep their distance, enough find their way into Creelevard's pitiless path. He continues his attack, leaving blood, limbs, and gore everywhere. A small, satisfied smile spreads across his face as he works. Toadborg, meanwhile, has exited his ship and now stands right outside the UAC building. He observes the carnage before him, reveling in the hysterical throngs of people and the structures set ablaze. TOADBORG (blazing fire reflected in his optics) It is even more satisfying than I imagined. SCENE 17 - UAC SECURITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS Seven members of the Security Council -- everyone but Fritz -- sit around the main table, ready to discuss the General Assembly meeting scheduled for tomorrow. They sit and wait for Fritz to appear to begin the meeting, but he never does. VICE CHAIRMAN SANZER GRIFF checks his watch, while COUNCILMAN GABRIEL NICKERSON, a fox, taps his foot impatiently. NICKERSON Will the esteemed Chairman be joining us any time soon, Vice Chairman? GRIFF I don't know why the Chairman is late. If you'll excuse me, I'll run up to his office and see what the holdup is. As Griff steps out of his chair, a dull thud resounds through the room, instantly setting all the councilmen on edge. HARE (rattled) What was that? PELICAN Are we under attack? BADGER Inconceivable! WOLF What should we do? Another thud, this one louder and more violent, rocks the room. Dust begins to fall from the ceiling. The Council can now hear the agonized screams of the guards stationed outside their door. DOG We've got to get to the escape shuttles! NICKERSON Ridiculous. We aren't under attack! There must be some other explanation for ... Before Nickerson can finish, a large crack is heard. The councilmen turn to find the door to the chamber beginning to give way. Before they can react, another crack sounds, and the door shatters. Stormtoads fill the room, pointing their blasters at the seven present members of the United Animals Coalition Security Council. SCENE 18 - HALLWAY, UAC HEADQUARTERS Outside explosions can be heard -- and felt -- more frequently now. Mimi, partially covered in chalky white dust, walks down a hallway as quickly as she can, still carrying Harry. The hall is a complete mess, with cracks streaking all along the walls and pieces of the ceiling strewn everywhere. MIMI We're gonna make it to the ship, Harry. We're gonna get out of here, and then we're gonna make the toads pay for this. HARRY (pained) I'm slowing you down. Just leave me. MIMI (still pressing forward) No! I'm not letting you stay here and die. HARRY Then at least let me walk on my own. MIMI You sure you're up to it? HARRY Yeah. (smiling weakly) Besides, this is kinda embarrassing. Against her better judgment, Mimi bends over, letting Harry stand up. His left arm hangs limply by his side, but he begins trudging forward just the same. Mimi reaches for her blaster, then realizes she left it in the hardware room. MIMI Well, great. HARRY (stopping) Listen! Can you hear that? MIMI Hear what? HARRY (his ears going straight up) Toads! (turning to Mimi, insistently) Go! Harry breaks out into a feeble run, and Mimi quickly catches up to him. She gets ahead of him and heads for the nearest stairwell. HARRY No, they're coming down that way! Keep going! Trusting Harry's ears, Mimi turns a corner and keeps running. She slows down a little so Harry can catch up. Behind them, the door to the stairwell creaks open, and a horde of STORMTOADS pours out. STORMTOAD #1 Get 'em! STORMTOAD #2 Mammal muck! The stormtoads begin shooting. Lousy shots though they are, one clips Harry in the shoulder, who screams and falls over. MIMI (looking back) Harry! HARRY (on the floor, in pain) Go! Just go! Mimi sees the toads nearly upon Harry. She realizes there's nothing she can do to help him. MIMI Shit! Her adrenaline racing, Mimi bursts down the hallway, escaping the toad fire coming from behind her. She ducks out of sight around another corner. The toads curse their luck in having Mimi get away, but they quickly forget her and encircle Harry, who's absolutely petrified. STORMTOAD #3 Looks like we got us a mangy furball. The stormtoad kicks Harry hard in the side. He yelps in pain. STORMTOAD #4 Hey, I remember this wimp! He helped the lousy mammals take Warren from us. (grinning) Serves you right, rabbit. The stormtoad flips around his plasma rifle and slams its butt into Harry's bloody face, knocking out a few teeth and relieving him of consciousness. SCENE 19 - CAFETERIA, UAC HEADQUARTERS Having cleared out his side of the room, Bucky looks around and sees his crew across the way. He decides to run to them when the ceiling above him collapses. He barely manages to jump under a doorframe and avoid the falling plaster and brick. He glances back into the room and sees no way to join his crew. BUCKY Dammit! (thinking quickly) Bucky darts out of the cafeteria and heads down the hallway. Meanwhile, still in the cafeteria, Jenny has made her decision. JENNY (thinking) (gritting her teeth) (running for the exit, calling to her shipmates) Go ahead without me! I'll meet up with you later! DEADEYE Wait, lass! An explosion drowns out Deadeye's call. It also spreads more cracks along the ceiling, which is about to cave in completely. BRUISER We gotta get out of here! BLINKY Blinky suggests making way to ship. DEADEYE You heard Blinky! Let's move! Deadeye and Bruiser make it to the door. Right as Blinky is about to join them, the floor and ceiling both collapse. Blinky disappears in a shower of dust and metal. BRUISER Blinky! No! As the ceiling finishes falling, a faint rumbling sound grows louder. Deadeye and Bruiser can just barely make out the figure of Blinky, who activated his rocket booster right before the floor vanished. They breathe a sigh of relief as the dented and dusty but perfectly functional android jets over to them. DEADEYE The ship! Hurry! Deadeye, Bruiser, and Blinky leave the hollowed-out hull of what was once the UAC cafeteria. SCENE 20 - COFFEE ROOM, UAC HEADQUARTERS Lying on the floor, FIRST MATE JONATHAN WEISSMAN groans as he comes to. A shattered coffee cup lies next to him. JONATHAN (propping himself up) Oh, man. Jonathan glances at the coffee cup, remembering he took a sip right before he keeled over. JONATHAN Maybe I should switch to decaf. Jonathan suddenly blinks, realizing something. JONATHAN (rubbing his eyes) Why can I see outside? A huge, jagged hole in the wall reveals the crumbling and charred buildings of Genus's capital city. JONATHAN (taken aback) Oh, that's not good. Jonathan quickly stands up and leaves the room, deciding to work his way to Fritz's office. He maneuvers down the hallway, which on this floor is filled with people screaming and running for the stairwell. He struggles to fight his way against the tide. The hall suddenly buckles slightly, and a crack in the floor expands to a gaping hole. A few people on the opposite end of the hall from Jonathan fall down it, screaming. Jonathan presses on. Feeling a bit of physical relief, he realizes that he's not the only one blazing a trail opposite the others. Though he's short and can't see too far in front of him, gaps in the crowd allow him to spot PITSTOP PETE ahead of him. JONATHAN Pete! PETE (looking over his shoulder) Yup? JONATHAN What happened? Is it the toads? PETE (growling) Yup. JONATHAN (looking at the chaos around him) Is there anything we can do? PETE (forging ahead) Nope. JONATHAN You going to the ships? PETE Yup. JONATHAN I'm right behind you. Pete and Jonathan keep fighting to go forward as explosions continue to sound in the distance. SCENE 21 - ORWELL STATION, ORBIT ABOVE GENUS Running as quickly as she can, Jenny exits the transport tube that leads from the UAC building to Orwell Station. She darts over to Dock Two, where The Valkyrie is parked. Seeing the hatch already open, she hops inside. To her surprise, she nearly bumps into Mike, who is carrying a ton of random stuff in his arms. JENNY Mike?! MIKE Jenny? Where's the fire? JENNY (hastily) I don't have time for this! Shoo! Jenny grabs Mike by the collar and tosses him out the hatch, slamming it shut behind him. He lands on his rear, outside the ship. Puzzled, he stands up and turns around, some of his possessions strewn at his feet. MIKE Jenny? The ship takes off in response. Mike freezes for a second, very confused. Finally, he shakes his head. MIKE Weird. (realizing) Hey, my stuff! SCENE 22 - HALLWAY, UAC HEADQUARTERS Running as fast as her legs can carry her, Mimi turns another corner, dodging rubble, holes, and a few panicked mammals running the other way. MIMI (thinking) Mimi finally reaches the door she seeks. About to open it, she receives a rude surprise when someone heavy slams into her side. MIMI Ugh! Mimi keeps from falling over by bracing herself against the wall. Ducking out of the way, she spins around to see Maxwell. MIMI What the hell? MAXWELL (picking himself up) Watch where you're goin', lady! MIMI Me?! You're the one who slammed into me, asshole! MAXWELL You shut your pretty little ... (blinks) Hey, I remember you. MIMI (disgusted) Unfortunately, I can say the same. (spits out a little blood) Where's Roedecker? ROEDECKER Right behind you. Roedecker and Blade emerge from the hallway that Maxwell was speeding down. Roedecker steps in front of Mimi, standing between her and the door to the stairwell. ROEDECKER Be more careful next time, eh, Lance? (to Mimi, snarkily) Nice to see you. MIMI (irritated) What the hell are you doing here? ROEDECKER What does it matter to you? And what the frell's going on? MIMI The toads. BLADE (impressed) The toads pulled this off? Not bad. MIMI Not bad?! You uncaring sack of ... ROEDECKER Now, now, that's not very ladylike. MIMI And you're not much of a gentleman. (hears the toads coming, tries to push Roedecker to the side) Move! I've got to get to my ship. ROEDECKER The great Mimi LaFleur, running from danger? MIMI (angrily) If you had no gun and a horde of toads on your ass, you'd be running, too! Now move! ROEDECKER We'll go with you. MIMI (agitated) What? MAXWELL *What*? No way! ROEDECKER (grins) Maybe I'm trying to be a gentleman. (opens the door) Or maybe I'm going to charge a little fee. Now scoot! Mimi, not desiring to take Roedecker's help but not stupid enough to refuse it, begins running up the stairs. Roedecker, Blade, and Maxwell follow, occasionally shooting at the toads, who are far behind them but rapidly catching up. A few floors up, Mimi turns to bound up the next set of stairs when she's almost clocked by the door swinging open and Bucky barreling through. MIMI Whoa! BUCKY Mimi? MIMI Bucky! ROEDECKER (catching up) Great. Looks like the gang's all here. BUCKY What the ... (to Mimi, angrily) What the frell is *he* doing here? MIMI (raising her paws, exasperated) I don't know! BLADE (farther below) The toads are gaining! MIMI Headed to Orwell? BUCKY Where else? Bucky, Mimi, and Roedecker instinctively duck as an explosion shakes the stairwell. ROEDECKER Shut up and go! Bucky and Mimi scurry up the stairs, the three bounty hunters right behind them. MIMI Where's Fritz? BUCKY I was about to ask you the same thing. Remembering Nuras's words, Mimi becomes unsettled not knowing where Fritz is or what he's up to. After Bucky, the bounty hunters, and Mimi make it up a few flights of stairs, the weak lights illuminating the stairwell give out completely. A large crackle echoes through the corridor as the rest of the building's lights die. ROEDECKER (fumbling in his pockets) Flashlight ... Bucky pulls out his lightsaber and activates it. Its powerful green glow brightens up a four-foot radius. BUCKY Come on. Bucky and Mimi keep going, while the bounty hunters hang back for just a second. ROEDECKER (one eyebrow raised) Nice toy. SCENE 23 - ORWELL STATION, ORBIT ABOVE GENUS Deadeye, Bruiser, and Blinky step out of the transport tube. Running over to Dock Two, they freeze in surprise when, instead of The Valkyrie, they see a confused Mike standing in an otherwise empty dock. BRUISER Hey! Where's the ship? MIKE (turning around) Oh! Uh, hey, guys. DEADEYE (suspicious) Mike, boyo, where's th' frigate? MIKE Jenny took it. She seemed like she was in a real hurry. DEADEYE (puzzled) She just took the ship? MIKE Yeah. I was inside, and ... BRUISER Should we look for another ship? BLINKY This humble android recommends it. DEADEYE (urgently) Then let's go! MIKE Why are you guys all worked up? DEADEYE We'll explain later. C'mon, kid! MIKE What? But I just quit ... Bruiser grabs Mike and tosses him over his shoulder. The group heads over to the next dock. The Indefatigable is parked there, with Dogstar standing right beside it, about to board. BRUISER Hey, wait up! DOGSTAR (pausing) Well, it's good to see some friendly faces! I took my private ship up here, but when I arrived, I didn't see anyone else. I say, get on board! We've got a job to do. Everyone boards the ship. Deadeye runs for the gunner's chamber, while Dogstar and Blinky climb up into the cockpit and start the engine. DOGSTAR Blinky, you didn't happen to see any of my crew down there, did you? BLINKY Negative. DOGSTAR (worried) I was afraid you'd say that. The Indefatigable lurches and takes off, zooming out of Orwell and heading down to Genus to do what it can. SCENE 24 - UAC HEADQUARTERS Jonathan and Pete make it to the top floor, which is barely still standing. Pete takes the first step onto the transport tube when it begins completely crumbling beneath him. Just before he plummets to the ground, Jonathan reaches out and grabs him, straining mightily to support Pete's weight. The tube continues to collapse, foot by foot. There's no way to reach it from the UAC building now. With his free paw, Jonathan fumbles in his pocket for a small capsule. He pulls it out and opens it, revealing a couple of round, white pills. JONATHAN (to himself) Guess I don't have a choice. Jonathan pops a pill in his mouth and swallows it. Strength surges through him, and he pulls Pete up easily, no longer burdened by the weight. Determination spread across his face, Jonathan jumps off the ground and begins flying up to Orwell, making it into the part of the transport tube that hasn't broken apart yet and soaring straight through it as it still crumbles behind him. Finally setting foot aboard Orwell, Jonathan sets Pete down. Pete blinks in surprise but says nothing. JONATHAN Good, it's still standing. The toads must've overlooked the station and gone straight for the planet. My ship's in Dock Nine. The pair runs to Dock Nine, where The Screaming Mimi is still docked. Its hatch is open. Jonathan bursts in and immediately takes the ship's controls. Pete enters next, paying a little more attention, and gasps when he sees a smoking green body sprawled on the floor. PETE Dile! Pete shuts the hatch and runs up to Dile as The Screaming Mimi takes off and returns to Genus. SCENE 25 - STAIRWELL, UAC HEADQUARTERS Bucky, Mimi, Roedecker, Maxwell, and Blade are nearly to the top of the stairs when the ceiling begins coming down. The five pause near a doorway as explosions roar and dust nearly envelops the entire enclosed space. A few chunks fall from the ceiling. One hits Mimi in the eye, bruising it badly but not blinding her. MIMI (grabbing her face) Ow! Shit! MAXWELL The ceiling's coming down! BUCKY We're almost there! MIMI (looking up with her good eye, through gritted teeth) No, we can't make it. BUCKY We have to get to the ships! MIMI We can take Roedecker's. He wouldn't have parked on Orwell. ROEDECKER What? Now, hold on a second. BLADE (urgently) Chat later. Duck for cover now! Blade yanks open the door and jumps into the hallway. Maxwell follows immediately after. Roedecker hesitates momentarily, knowing what this means, but he escapes the stairwell next. Mimi grabs the reluctant Bucky and pulls him through. A moment later, the stairwell shakes and whines before collapsing on itself. MIMI Told you. BUCKY Fine, I owe you one. (waving his lightsaber around for visibility) Let's get to the nearest stairs. BLADE (looks around) I say we just get the hell out of here. This building's about to collapse. MIMI There's no time for stairs. Roedecker, where are you parked? ROEDECKER (sighs in frustration) On the ground, outside the building. BUCKY (irascibly) Which means the toads have probably trashed it already. ROEDECKER Not with the shields we've got on that baby. Roedecker opens his trench coat to reveal a utility belt strapped around his waist. He detaches a small gadget from its side, then points to the elevator door across the hall. ROEDECKER We can rappel down the shaft. BUCKY (knowing that he has no other choice) Great. I'll get the door. With a few well-placed lightsaber swipes, Bucky slices through the metal doors, leaving an opening easily big enough for them to get through. Roedecker nods, then walks up to the shaft and attaches his gadget to the elevator line. ROEDECKER I'll go first. Mimi, come with me. Mimi looks a bit disgusted but doesn't say anything. ROEDECKER Blade, you go next. Take the hare. Maxwell, cover us. BLADE Great. MAXWELL Will do. MIMI (looking down the hallway) Toads! A small troop of stormtoads rounds a corner and enters the hallway. They immediately begin shooting at the mammals, brightening up the dim, eerie hallway his bursts of light. Blade and Maxwell take cover and return fire, and Bucky deflects the shots with his lightsaber, directing them back toward the toads as best he can. Roedecker grabs Mimi, who now has a swollen black eye, a bloody face, a torn uniform, and fur caked in dust. ROEDECKER You know, you really look like hell. Mimi slaps Roedecker hard right before he jumps into the shaft, whizzing down roughly on his equipment. A moment later, a blinker lights up on Blade's belt. BLADE That's our cue. Come on, rabbit. BUCKY (insulted, still deflecting plasma shots) I'm a hare. BLADE Shut up, or you're gonna be dead! Blade pulls out a gadget similar to Roedecker's, attaches it to the elevator line, grabs Bucky, and hops down the shaft. Maxwell keeps firing at the toads, who continue advancing. A few seconds later, his belt begins beeping as well. Holstering his blaster, he pulls out his rappelling equipment and a grenade. MAXWELL (gruffly) Even if I don't get paid for this, I can have a little fun! Maxwell pulls the pin and throws the grenade at the toads, then zips down the elevator. The stormtoads, who don't notice the grenade at first, approach the elevator shaft. One pulls out a communicator on his belt. STORMTOAD #5 (into comm) Ground team, got some fleabags headed your way. STORMTOAD #6 (over comm) Roger. Lookin' for 'em. STORMTOAD #7 (noticing the grenade) That ain't good. The grenade goes off, killing most of the toads but also giving the battered walls more grief than they can handle. They collapse, followed by the ceiling. Suffering, the metal framework for the two floors above this one begins to bend. SCENE 26 - ELEVATOR SHAFT, UAC HEADQUARTERS Fifteen floors down, Maxwell lands hard on top of the elevator. He steps through the elevator doors, which have also been sliced open with Bucky's lightsaber. Bucky, Mimi, Roedecker, and Blade are standing in the hallway to greet him. MAXWELL What floor're we on? MIMI Third. ROEDECKER Could be worse. Move! Mimi leading the way, the five begin running down a hallway, toward a stairwell they hope is unoccupied. They don't get far, however, before a unit of stormtoads blocks their path. STORMTOAD #6 There they are! Open fire! The mammals barely manage to duck out of the way as they retreat, going back the way they came. However, another group of stormtoads arrives to block their exit. Bursts of plasma fire flicker back and forth, making the hall almost glow red, though they all miss their intended targets. MIMI Great! ROEDECKER (opening fire) I've been in tougher spots than this. MIMI (spitting more blood) Remind me to swoon later. Any ideas, Bucky? BUCKY (kicking open a hallway door in front of him) We jump for it. Bucky and Mimi walk through the doorway and enter a small office room. Bucky runs up to the window and pulls it open. He looks down and sees a nice flat field of grass below him. BUCKY Got any other ideas? MIMI Nope. BUCKY Then here we go. Bucky jumps out the window and, being a champion jumper, lands effortlessly on the ground. He looks around and spots a few toads nearby, but they're preoccupied with destroying a building. Bucky resists the urge to help and instead turns back, looking up at the window. BUCKY (calling to Mimi) Jump! I'll catch you! MIMI (yelling behind her) You guys might wanna get in here! ROEDECKER (from the hall) Sorry, we were too busy protecting your sorry asses! MIMI (rolling her eyes) Men. Mimi takes a deep breath, steels herself, and jumps from the third-story window. Bucky catches her, knocking them both to the ground. BUCKY (getting up) They coming? MIMI (wincing from soreness) Not if they're as dumb as I think. ROEDECKER Gangway! Bucky and Mimi look up in time to see Roedecker take a flying leap out of the window. He lands hard on the ground but does not fall over or even flinch. BUCKY (a bit impressed) Nice jump. ROEDECKER (ignoring Bucky) Get down here, guys! Maxwell takes the plunge next, landing a lot less gracefully than Roedecker did. MAXWELL (grimacing) Frell, my ankle! ROEDECKER Whine later. Go get the ship! Maxwell shoots Roedecker a look, then limps off. ROEDECKER (shouts) Blade, move it or lose it! BLADE (from the window) I'm coming! Just gimme a sec. You know I'm scared of heights! ROEDECKER (rolls his eyes) Dammit, John. Blade pulls himself out onto the windowsill and prepares to jump. Suddenly, a volley of plasma shots burst through his chest. He screams in agony, and his body limply falls out of the window. Roedecker's eyes go wide, and he freezes in place, but Bucky and Mimi quickly get in position and catch Blade. MIMI (getting most of the weight) Oof! Bucky and Mimi lay Blade down on the ground and look over him quickly. BUCKY (somberly) He's dead. ROEDECKER (pushing Bucky aside) No! Roedecker kneels next to Blade, grasping his shoulder with his paw. ROEDECKER (softly) John? No response. Roedecker knows Bucky was right. ROEDECKER (standing up, furious) You goddamn toads! Roedecker pulls out his blasters, wheels around, and starts shooting at the open window, even though there's nobody there. Bucky and Mimi decide to let him vent his anger. A few seconds later, The Wraith flies up and touches down. The hatch opens, and Maxwell limps out. MAXWELL The shields are pretty low. I think the toads shot at it for a while and finally gave up. (noticing) What's with Vince? (seeing Blade's body) Oh, shit. Blade! Maxwell runs up to Blade's corpse and does much the same thing Roedecker did. Bucky, meanwhile, looks up. He almost can't believe it, but he takes in the scarred, tattered husk of what used to be the UAC Headquarters building. Enormous holes pock its sides, steam and smoke billow from every vent, and the top floors are teetering at a precarious angle. BUCKY (weakly) This isn't happening. MIMI (shaking Bucky) Snap out of it! It's happening, and unless we scram, we're gonna be next! Mimi runs aboard The Wraith. Bucky, following his colleague's lead, joins her. Eventually, Roedecker calms down enough to realize what he has to do. Dispirited, he walks up to Maxwell and nods toward the ship. Together, they lift Blade's corpse and carry it onboard. The hatch closes, and a few seconds later, the ship takes off. SCENE 27 - GENUS Toad double bubbles make a final sweep over the city, though nothing remotely important remains standing. Entire districts are aflame. Once-majestic buildings lie in ruins, mostly or completely toppled. Aside from a few more explosions and the crackle of flame, the city lies silent. The clouds have turned into smoke. Stormtoads are already corralling the surviving mammals into electrified pens, for later use as slaves. Search teams have begun trying to ferret out anyone hiding, most of the toads enjoying the opportunity to trash everything in their path. Toadborg and the Air Marshal stand proudly a couple dozen yards away from the front of the UAC building's remains. They watch as the upper floors collapse, carrying most of the building's midsection with it. The metal, plaster, stucco, and brick fall almost in slow motion, rumbling as they plummet and finally pummel the ground unceremoniously. Less than half of the building remains standing. TOADBORG I hate to admit it, Air Marshal, but this mission went off without a hitch. AIR MARSHAL Let's not forget the most important part! Toadborg and the Air Marshal look upward, watching a climate converter appear in the sky and slowly make its way over to where they stand. It lands right next to the UAC building. The converter's towers crackle and begin to hum, powering up menacingly. The sky, which was blue just an hour before and is now reddish, begins to fade to gray. The smoke is joined by a thick, foggy haze. The grass becomes moist, then soggy, then submerged as swamps crop up everywhere. The wind picks up, chilling the petrified mammals to the bone but comforting their amphibious captors. The Indefatigable, The Screaming Mimi, and The Wraith observe this scene from half a mile above the surface. Double bubbles still swarm practically everywhere, but the extent of the destruction is still painfully obvious. DOGSTAR (over comm) This is Commander Dogstar, carrying Deadeye, Bruiser, Blinky, and the new engineer. Does anybody copy? JONATHAN (over comm) This is First Mate Weissman. Pete's onboard, tending to Dile. Who's on that third ship? MIMI (over comm, remembering) Jonathan, is Dile OK? BUCKY (over comm) Not now, Mimi. Captain O'Hare here. No other S.P.A.C.E. personnel onboard. Any other ships reporting in? Faint static answers Bucky. BUCKY Jenny? Nothing. BUCKY (concerned) This is Captain O'Hare to The Valkyrie. Do you copy? Bucky sighs as he hears no response. BUCKY It's just us, then. Any suggestions? DOGSTAR (softly) Bucky, my boy, I think we know when we've been beaten. BUCKY (sounding as sturdy as possible) Let's ... head to Warren to regroup. The three ships blink out of view, jumping into hyperspace. Toadborg and the Air Marshal stand below, watching as Genus becomes a swamp. The Air Marshal notices the three ships departing. TOADBORG For the glory of KOMPLEX. AIR MARSHAL For the glory of KOMPLEX. (thinking) Nearby, Creelevard walks up to a newly erected holding pen, where a dozen stormtoads are keeping an eye on seven mammals -- the Security Council, sans Fritz. Most of them, including Griff, are hanging back resignedly, but Councilman Nickerson is putting on a show. NICKERSON (yelling) You think you toads have beaten us, huh? Hah! Don't make me laugh! You idiots may have the upper hand now, but it won't last long! Once Dogstar gathers his forces, he'll ... STORMTOAD #8 Quiet! STORMTOAD #9 (rolling his eyes) Quite a mouth on this one, huh? Creelevard approaches the pen. Nickerson is still ranting, standing right near the edge. Creelevard pulls out his blade once again. In one clean motion, he lops Nickerson's head off. The Council gasps as the head lands on the ground with a sickening thud and Nickerson's body crumples. CREELEVARD He will speak no more. STORMTOAD #9 Holy shit. Toadborg and the Air Marshal witness the execution. AIR MARSHAL That reminds me. I have one last thing to take care of. The Air Marshal pulls out his comm and dials it to a preset frequency. AIR MARSHAL (into comm) It's safe to come out now, Pigton. PIGTON (over comm) Excellent! I'll be right up. A few minutes later, PIGTON and BARNETT emerge from the ruins of the UAC building. Stunned, Pigton freezes as the Air Marshal walks up to him. PIGTON (stammering) What ... what have you done? This was not in our agreement! You've destroyed everything! AIR MARSHAL (looks around, innocently) Did we? Whoops! PIGTON (angrily) You can't do this to me! AIR MARSHAL Then I suppose I can't do this, either. The Air Marshal pulls out his blaster and points it at Pigton's head. PIGTON (taking a step back) But ... but you promised me I'd be dictator of Genus! The Air Marshal shoots Pigton in the head. The stocky pig falls over, dead. AIR MARSHAL We promised Newton that, too. (scoffing) Stupid mammals. Barnett, having witnessed all this, panics and tries to run. AIR MARSHAL (to a nearby group of stormtoads) He's all yours. The stormtoads laugh as they chase after Barnett, shooting mirthfully. The Air Marshal stands still, reveling in the moment. AIR MARSHAL I'd almost forgotten how good killing mammals felt. (blissfully) Oh, I can't even begin to imagine the medals KOMPLEX will give me for conquering Genus! SCENE 28 - SPACE The Wraith flies through space, Warren its destination. Bucky and Mimi sit in the cockpit, their fur streaked with blood and dust, barely paying attention to the tasks of flying the ship. MIMI (into comm, relieved) So he'll make it? JONATHAN (over comm) Yeah. Pete was able to tend to his wounds and stabilize him. BUCKY (into comm) How's my crew over there, Dogstar? DOGSTAR (over comm) About as well as can be expected, I suppose. They're certainly not in the best of spirits. (beat) You wouldn't happen to know where the rest of my crew is, would you? BUCKY I'm afraid not. DOGSTAR (frustrated) Any word on the Council? BUCKY (looking down) None. I'm sure Fritz can take care of himself, but as for the rest of them ... Nothing comes over the comm for a few seconds, as they all ponder the worst. Mimi clenches her fists, not sure what to think about Fritz. She still wants to believe that Nuras was wrong, but she can't believe that Fritz was nowhere to be found while Genus was being overrun. To her surprise, though, her heart still aches. DOGSTAR (finally) Well, now's not the time to worry about that. We'll figure out what all we know once we land on Warren. Dogstar out. JONATHAN I've set the ship on autopilot. I'm gonna see if I can help Pete with Dile. See you all on Warren. Bucky shuts the comm off and turns to Mimi. Neither one of them can think of anything to say. After nearly a minute, Bucky lets out a small burst of anger. BUCKY Pigton! It had to be him. He must have helped them get past the shields. If only I'd done something ... MIMI (putting her paw on Bucky's shoulder) Calm down. It's not your fault. (thinking) (beat) BUCKY (a bit frantic) And now Dogstar's crew is gone, and you lost Harry, and the Council's gone. Fritz is gone. (not wanting to say it) And Jenny ... (cringes) I don't know where Jenny is. (weakly, his ears drooping) The toads are doing it again. They're taking everything away from me again. Bucky begins to shake. Mimi gets out of her seat and takes Bucky in a huge hug. MIMI Shh. Shh. Calm down. (squeezing) It's OK, Bucky. It's OK. We'll fix everything. We'll get Genus back. (thinking) The Wraith continues on its silent course through cold, dead space. THE END