"The Fate of Genus" by Rygar and DJ Clawson First draft - 5/28/06 Final draft - 6/11/06 SCENE 1 - CORRIDOR, TOAD HOMEWORLD A lone STORMTOAD is patrolling this hallway. Its sleek, straight lines and monotonous design do nothing to keep him awake; it's early in the morning, and he's eager to get off the graveyard shift. Marching down to the end of the corridor and turning a corner, the stormtoad begins the second part of his final sweep of the area. He's obviously tired, as his posture is drooping and he's not wielding his plasma rifle with any conviction. Still, he walks past every cell door and peers in, making sure the mammal prisoners are all there. Most of them have not woken up yet. Deciding they have the right idea, the stormtoad leans against the wall, looks around once, then quickly dozes off. Asleep, he doesn't hear the sound of irregular clanging off in the distance. It sounds like two sets of footprints -- the first soft and sure, the second heavier and clumsier. The noise continues, getting louder and louder in this corridor. Finally, the noise gets loud enough that the stormtoad wakes up, confused and startled. STORMTOAD #1 (lifting his gun and pointing it erratically) What? Huh? Whozere? The clanging noise continues. Still sleepy, the stormtoad shakes his head. STORMTOAD #1 (thinking) Still, the toad walks toward the end of the corridor, his rifle held high. As he approaches the end, he prepares to look around the corner. To his surprise, the sounds stop abruptly. The next thing he knows, a plasma rifle is shoved in his mouth. He blinks in surprise and catches a glimpse of CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE's determined face. Covered in blood and bruises, the hare's angry look reveals not a trace of pity or regret as he pulls the trigger and blows the stormtoad's head off. The stormtoad topples, dead before he hits the ground. WILLY Bucky! Are you OK? Leaning up against the wall behind Bucky is ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT, looking just as rough as Bucky. The toads ripped out his eyes hours ago, and these are not the ideal conditions for him to begin adjusting. BUCKY (bending over) I'm fine. Bucky picks up the fallen toad's plasma rifle and awkwardly tucks it into his belt. BUCKY Wish I could hand you a weapon. WILLY Me, too. BUCKY Do you have any idea where we are? WILLY No. They never showed me where they kept the prisoners. BUCKY (tightening his grip on the rifle) Great. Do you at least know what the easiest way out would be? WILLY (thinks) If we can get to one of the climate converters, we might be able to survive that. There's mostly just scientists in there, and they'll have at least a ship or two. BUCKY (thinking) That's not a bad idea at all. (looking ahead) I don't think I can keep helping you walk. Do you think you would be OK with one hand on my shoulder and one hand on the wall? WILLY (reaching out) Maybe. Willy's left hand hits the wall and flattens against it with ease, but his right hand shakes as he feels for Bucky's shoulder. Finding it, he grips it tightly, uncertain. BUCKY (wincing) Not so hard! The Air Marshal didn't go easy on me. WILLY (alarmed) What do you mean? BUCKY You're not the only one the toads beat the shit out of. But don't worry. I took care of him. For both of us. WILLY What? Wait. Bucky, what did you do? BUCKY He got what he deserved. Now come on. I have an idea. Bucky starts to walk forward, barely giving Willy time to steady himself on Bucky's shoulder and keep up. WILLY Bucky, what happened? BUCKY (holding the rifle ready) Keep your voice down. Even more worried than before, Willy tries to keep up with Bucky as he presses on in darkness. SCENE 2 - MORGUE, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS The only thing alive in here are the flies and maggots. This morgue has dead mammal corpses strewn about. A few are fresh, but many are actively decaying, and a few are now just bones and wisps of meat. Between the dead bodies and the pools of dried blood, the floor is not visible. The body of FIRST MATE JENNY lies near the door. Her sleek form, in this pit for less than a day, remains undisturbed and uneaten. Only tiny shards remain of her forehead gem. Flies come and go, slowly collecting on her. Then, not with a jerk, but a twitch, Jenny begins to move. Her shaky paw tries to grab what it rests on, giving her a pawful of cartilage and intestine. With a groan, she stirs. JENNY Uhh ... what happened? ... An intense pain throbs in Jenny's forehead. She reaches up with her dirty paw to feel her broken spell gem. JENNY I ... think I remember ... Jenny first feels that her gem is destroyed. She then notices the ooze trickling down her face. JENNY (startled) What ... Jenny bolts upright, the realization hitting her at the same time the stench does. Her eyes dart around the room, taking in the decay and death all around her, the filth she's been soaking in for hours. She recoils in horror, a wave of disgust shooting straight through her. Reflexively, she screams, unleashing a torrent of energy. JENNY ARGH! Pink light bursts forth from Jenny's remaining gems, tearing through the soft meat around her and slamming against the walls. The entire room shudders. SCENE 3 - DUNGEON, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS COMMANDER SIRIUS DOGSTAR wakes up, startled by the room shaking. Only he was roused, though. DOGSTAR Mmm. Now what was that? Dogstar tries to get up, but his chains hold him down. He looks around and sees his crewmembers also all shackled in this dungeon. DOGSTAR (dejected) Oh, yes. Right. Dogstar shakes his paws a little, getting the feel for the handcuffs. He knows there's no way he can break out of them. DOGSTAR Think, old boy, think. SCENE 4 - ENTRYWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD After about an hour of slow, careful navigating, Willy has managed to guide Bucky to one of the many climate converters on the toad planet. BUCKY (approaching the door) How many toads do you think we'll see in here? WILLY Depends. If it's complete, maybe a half dozen scientists and a few guards. If not, there'll be more of both. Bucky checks the energy reading on his plasma rifle. It's about a fourth full. Frowning, he pulls the other one out of his belt; it's completely charged. He then looks at the wall by the door and sees a control panel. BUCKY Can I just blast this door open? WILLY No, they're really secure. BUCKY How do I open it? WILLY Some of them require a code. Some just need a toad thumbprint. BUCKY The locking mechanism is just one big panel. WILLY Thumbprint, then. BUCKY Good. Bucky has prepared for this. Putting down one of the rifles, he reaches into his pocket and pulls out a fresh severed toad paw. WILLY Good? That means we can't get in. BUCKY Yes, we can. Here. Bucky hands Willy the dead paw and sticks its thumb out. WILLY What is ... Bucky pulls Willy's hand up close to the control panel. The hare then picks up his other rifle and aims both forward. BUCKY On three, you just move your hand forward. WILLY Bucky, is this what I think it ... BUCKY (barking) Three! Willy almost instinctively juts his hand forward. The toad thumb activates the door, which whooshes open. Bucky strides forward and immediately begins firing -- at equipment. There's not a toad in sight. BUCKY (dropping his arms) It's empty. Willy throws the toad hand down in disgust and steps forward, uneasily. WILLY I guess that makes sense. Today's the day they kill Bucky O'Hare, right? It's probably a holiday. BUCKY (grabbing Willy by the hand) Oh, it's a day they'll remember, all right. Now come on. I need you. Bucky moves forward intently toward a large wall of computer equipment. Willy wants to protest but knows better. SCENE 5 - HALLWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD In this empty hallway stands a door leading to a TV lounge. The morning calm is broken when the door slides open with a soft metallic clang that echoes through the hallway. CAPTAIN MIMI LAFLEUR bursts through, two toad plasma rifles in front of her, just like Bucky. MIMI (growling) Who's first, you filthy, slimy ... Mimi, too, finds the hallway barren. MIMI Huh. (leaning against a wall) Well, there goes my fun. I wonder what time it is. (putting her paw up to her temple) Ow! My head. Mimi's in pretty bad shape, considering she can walk. Her uniform is dusty, with small tears all over it. More gruesome is the large wound running across her forehead, covered with black dried blood and singed fur. Taking deep, steady breaths, Mimi raises her guns again and begins heading down the hall. MIMI (under her breath) Now where the hell is everybody? SCENE 6 - CLIMATE CONVERTER, TOAD HOMEWORLD Bucky has been tinkering with the machines for a good twenty minutes. WILLY Bucky, why are we just standing here? Aren't there any ships we can take? BUCKY There's a few. WILLY Then let's go! BUCKY (not paying much attention) What's your hurry? WILLY They are going to find us and they are going to *kill* us. That's my hurry. BUCKY Calm down. I'm creating a diversion. WILLY A diversion? Bucky doesn't answer; instead, he keeps messing with the equipment. After another minute, Willy gets irritated. WILLY Captain, I may be blind, but I'm not an idiot. Tell me what you're doing. BUCKY I'm maxing out the climate converter. Hopefully, the toads will be confused by the whirlwinds and rain created, and we'll have an easier escape. WILLY And then what? Who's going to shut it off? There is dead silence. WILLY Captain, at maximum power, it'll destroy their planet in a few hours. I can tell you how to put it on a lower setting ... Willy hears the sound of a rifle charging up. He seems to know exactly where it's being pointed, since there's no one else in the room. WILLY OK, this is not cool. BUCKY Willy, can't you see? This will end the Toad Wars for good. WILLY (not believing) You can't annihilate an entire race! BUCKY (getting angry) They're evil! They have to be stopped! WILLY KOMPLEX has to be stopped! The toads are brainwashed; it isn't their fault. There is another brief silence, and Bucky continues to type with his free paw. BUCKY (menacingly) Whose side are you on? WILLY The toads tore my eyes out and you're wondering whose side I'm on?! They brainwashed me, too, Bucky. I know what it's like for them. It's not their fault any more than it was mine. Willy stands and tries to move in Bucky's direction, only to be stopped by the gun barrel being pressed into his chest. BUCKY Don't come any closer. I'm trying to work here. WILLY Captain, you have to stop. BUCKY (typing faster) No. WILLY Fine. I'm relieving you of command. Consider yourself ... Willy is knocked back by the blaster being whipped across his face. He collapses on the ground, completely helpless. He can hear the footsteps of Bucky stepping away from the instruments panel and toward him. BUCKY (coldly) Willy, don't make me do this. WILLY Captain ... BUCKY Shut up! Bucky fires his blaster into Willy's chest, stunning him but not doing any other damage. The human collapses on the ground, unconscious. Bucky's face only seems to partially register sadness about what he's done. BUCKY I'm sorry. Bucky grunts and turns back to his typing, finishing the program. He looks back, then heads back the way he and Willy came. BUCKY (thinking) Bucky leaves the slumped, unconscious Willy behind. SCENE 7 - DUNGEON, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS Leaning solemnly against a wall, Dogstar mumbles to himself, trying to figure out how to free himself and his comrades, who are all still asleep. He almost doesn't notice as someone comes out of the shadows and approaches him. Hearing a rustle as the figure comes closer, Dogstar turns and looks. DOGSTAR Who are you? The dusty, dirty WEASEL blends into the shadows well with his torn brown uniform. Only his orange collar stands out. He doesn't answer the question. Instead, he raises a small maser pistol and points it in Dogstar's direction. WEASEL You're Dogstar, right? DOGSTAR (bereft of his usual pomp) Commander Dogstar. Yes. WEASEL Good. The weasel leans forward and shoots, destroying the shackle holding Dogstar's right paw to the wall. Dogstar's eyebrows jump. WEASEL Your left. Dogstar raises his left paw. The weasel takes another step forward, then destroys that shackle, too. DOGSTAR I say. Who are you? WEASEL Doesn't matter. I'm an idiot. That's all you need to know. You gonna get the toads for me? DOGSTAR (eyeing the weasel, suspicious) Now that you've freed me, yes, we will be trying to retake Genus. WEASEL Don't screw it up. DOGSTAR I ... Before Dogstar can finish, the weasel turns the pistol on himself and fires, blasting a hole clean through his head. He slumps down, dead. Surprised but not startled, Dogstar remains still for a moment. DOGSTAR (finally, his brow furrowed) I have never liked it when that happens. Leaning down to inspect the body, Dogstar retrieves the pistol and finds another in the weasel's back pocket. He also takes out the weasel's wallet and inspects it. No money, no identifying papers. Dogstar returns the wallet to the weasel's pocket. DOGSTAR Thank you. Dogstar stands still for a while, pondering what he should do. He remembers why he surrendered to the toads, but he also remembers why he came here in the first place. He thinks of Jenny. He thinks of the dead weasel on the floor in front of him. His paw tightens into a fist as he turns around and struggles to see around the dungeon room, which is only slightly illuminated by the dim ceiling lights. He notices GUNNER HARRY CALLAN in the corner, still badly beaten and possibly comatose. He walks up sadly to Harry and stands over his still form. DOGSTAR We'll be back for you, my boy. We'll get them back for this. Dogstar then turns back around and walks toward the center of the room. DOGSTAR We've got a bunch of heavy sleepers around here, it seems. Dogstar then walks up to LIEUTENANT WOLF, his right-hand man. He uses the weasel's gun to blast Wolf free of his shackles. He then nudges the wounded wolf gently. DOGSTAR Wake up, Artemis. Wolf slowly stirs. WOLF Uh ... Commander? DOGSTAR (smiling) Get up, my boy. Dogstar looks around the room, at the still-sleeping GUNNER DEADEYE DUCK, BRUISER, FIRST MATE JONATHAN WEISSMAN, ENGINEER MIKE MARISON, ENGINEER DIGGER MCSQUINT, PITSTOP PETE, and VINCENT ROEDECKER. DOGSTAR We've got a planet to take back. SCENE 8 - HALLWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD Mimi, tired of creeping along, runs through the hallway, rifles out in front of her, though she hasn't seen a toad yet. MIMI (thinking) Not really knowing where she's going, Mimi tries to remember the direction she took through the air ducts and retrace the general pathway. Five, ten, thirty minutes pass without a toad or an end in sight. Finally, she hears a faint noise in the distance. MIMI (raising her rifle, under her breath) Finally. Slowly approaching the corner in front of her, Mimi pauses before turning it and listens carefully. The noise is coming from her right -- it sounds like someone walking slowly but intently down the corridor. Once she's ready, Mimi spins around, guns pointed straight ahead. MIMI (angrily) Drop it, or I'll ... Mimi gasps. MIMI Bucky?! A wounded but alive Bucky O'Hare stands twenty feet in front of her. She begins bounding up to her. MIMI Oh, thank goodness you're ... BUCKY (almost indifferent) There you are. Let's get out of here. Mimi stops. Something is clearly not right. MIMI What's going on? BUCKY (turning around) I came back to find you. Now we have to get out of here. I know where there's a ship. MIMI Just the two of us? BUCKY (gruffly) There's not much time! MIMI Bucky, where's Willy? BUCKY We don't have time for this. Through weak, Bucky grabs Mimi's arm and starts to pull her along. Mimi reflexively pulls away. MIMI (with more determination) Where's Willy? Did he stop KOMPLEX? BUCKY (without emotion) Willy's a traitor. Mimi narrows her eyes. MIMI (pointedly) Bucky, what did you do? BUCKY I said let's go! MIMI Dammit, Bucky, I'm not moving until you tell me what's going on. Spinning around, Bucky shoves Mimi into the wall, so she slams up against it, but she collects herself and remains firm. Bucky lifts his plasma rifle and points it at Mimi. BUCKY I will *not* be stopped! Mimi doesn't budge. MIMI Bucky, don't do this. BUCKY I *have* to do this! MIMI I love you. BUCKY (unmoving) Nice try. MIMI (slyly) Can't blame a girl. Almost instantaneously, Mimi rears forward and punches Bucky in the face, hard. Bucky crumples to the floor, his plasma rifle clanging down next to him. MIMI Goddammit, Bucky. Mimi takes a deep breath, then looks down the hallway in the direction Bucky came from. A thin but noticeable trail of blood leads down the hallway and, at a corner, to the left. Mimi almost kicks Bucky in the ribs, but then decides against it. MIMI Willy. Mimi runs down the hallway, following Bucky's blood. SCENE 9 - HALLWAY, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS The long line of mammals, headed by Dogstar, slowly makes its way down a hallway. Like on the Toad Homeworld, the toads are nowhere to be seen, which is a relief to the wounded, largely unarmed mammals. They are a few hundred feet away from the commons area, their destination. Behind Dogstar, Wolf begins to speak softly. WOLF Thanks for getting us free, Commander. I knew you could do it. DOGSTAR Of course. WOLF What do you think we should do if we actually run into any toads? DOGSTAR Well, that should be obvious, shouldn't it? (looks back a few feet) Jonathan here can take care of a few, collect some firepower for us, and then we'll be in business. Right, Jonathan? JONATHAN Uh ... Jonathan reaches down and checks his pocket. To his amazement, his pills are still in there. JONATHAN (eyebrows raised) Yeah, can do. (thinking) DOGSTAR Excellent. ROEDECKER (near the back of the line) How did all you guys get captured, anyway? Dogstar's eyes droop a little. DOGSTAR I made a mistake. I was wrong. ROEDECKER Is that why Jenny's not with us? DEADEYE (elbowing Roedecker in the ribs) Yer not helpin', boy. DOGSTAR Jenny will not have ... Dogstar is drowned out by an angry-sounding explosion in the distance, seemingly coming from the common room. He only hesitates for a moment, then regains his bearings. DOGSTAR That may be our cue, men. Come on! Startled into action, the mammals start racing down the empty hallways. They finally reach the entrance to the common room, which now has a much larger hole in it. Dogstar enters and is shocked by what he sees. The room is absolutely packed with toads, both armed and unarmed, many of whom are still facing the large monitor displaying the message "Please Stand By For The Execution Of Bucky O'Hare" against a blank background. Near the entrance, but rapidly making her way through the crowd, is a tremendously pissed Jenny, hurling energy bolts left and right. Dogstar can't tell if the toads are ducking out of her way by their own power or if she's tossing them about telekinetically. Dogstar walks in, completely unnoticed. He finds a toad plasma rifle on the ground and picks it up. DOGSTAR Let's show these toads what we can do. The other mammals charge into the room, making enough of a second commotion that the toads do notice them. Some of them are fighting back, but about a fifth of them are attempting to run. Most of the mammals also pick up rifles from the floor, though Jonathan flies directly into the fray. Mike hangs back timidly, along with Wolf, whose mangled paws are useless, and Digger, who is missing his glasses. SCENE 10 - HALLWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD Outside the holding pens, a group of six heavily decorated toad SERGEANTS march down the hall, walking in step behind TOADBORG, whose left arm has been reattached. His chest is still scarred, however. They approach the holding pen where Bucky O'Hare was placed. SERGEANT #1 To think, KOMPLEX asked us to escort Bucky O'Hare to his doom! SERGEANT #2 Every toad in the aniverse is tuned in to Toad TV, and we might be on screen! TOADBORG Cease your prattling! The sergeants shut up. They reach the door of Bucky's holding pen. Toadborg notices that it is open, and trails of red and green blood are smudged on the floor directly outside of it. He almost doesn't miss a beat. TOADBORG (angrily) Air Marshal! Toadborg kicks the door open. Indeed, he finds the AIR MARSHAL strapped to the table, beaten and bloody. Bucky is nowhere to be seen. TOADBORG (turning around, to the sergeants) Alert KOMPLEX. We must find Bucky O'Hare immediately. SERGEANTS #1 - #6 (saluting) Yes, sir! SERGEANT #3 What about the Air Marshal? TOADBORG Leave him. He will die here. Toadborg storms out the room. Most of the sergeants follow him quickly, but the one sergeant stays behind. He walks up to the Air Marshal and looks him over. His uniform is absolutely torn to shreds. Many wounds, a few scabbed over but most still slowly oozing green, can be seen all over his arms and stomach. His lower right flank is black. A handful of ripped-off warts dot the table and floor. The sergeant walks up right next to the Air Marshal and looks at his face. A few teeth are missing. So is his left eye. The sergeant tries hard not to be sick. SERGEANT #3 (nudging the Air Marshal gently) Wake up, sir. Wake up. The Air Marshal groans groggily, as if halfway between life and death. SERGEANT #3 Come on, you've got to get up. Suddenly, loud cracks of thunder rumble in the distance. There is no flash of light, as this cell has no connection to the outside. SERGEANT #3 What's going on? SCENE 11 - COMMONS AREA, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS Near the back of the room, the mammals are making headway beating the toads into submission. Even though they're heavily outnumbered, they have the element of surprise, and many of the toads are unarmed. Most of the mammals, including Deadeye, are getting off lots of good shots, but a few of the mammals, including Dogstar, Bruiser, and Roedecker, are using their fists as well. ROEDECKER (nailing one toad in the jaw) That felt good. PETE (shooting at a toad a few feet away) Yup. DEADEYE (four guns blazing) Now this is what life is made of! DOGSTAR (punching a toad to the ground) Good going, men. We've got 'em on the ropes! ROEDECKER You mean Jenny's got them on the ropes. Jonathan swoops in, knocking out a few toads that were about to jump Roedecker. JONATHAN Show some respect for the Commander, or I'll take care of you once all the toads are gone. DOGSTAR Save that strength for the toads, lad. Don't waste it on Roedecker over there. Bruiser is clearly having the most fun of all. The toads were already starting to run -- he's just making things even worse. BRUISER (bellowing) Ayooga! The yell doesn't have the power it once did, but it doesn't matter. Bruiser's fists reach all their targets, and every toad in a five-foot radius gets flattened. The real action, however, is in the center of the room. Jenny has cut a wide swath for herself as she plows through the toads, getting closer and closer to the podium where CAPTAIN SMATA is sitting, basking under the warm glow of the huge television screen. Finally realizing that his troops don't seem capable of stopping Jenny, he nervously stands up. SMATA (nervously) Cr-Creelevard! Out of the shadows appears COMMANDER CREELEVARD VALTJHOU, landing directly in Jenny's path. He raises his swords. CREELEVARD Again? Jenny pauses and smiles, letting Creelevard get a good look at her. The toad notices a distinct difference this time -- the angry eyes, the glowing pink energy radiating off of her, the trail of toad corpses behind her. The trained warrior betrays himself with a gulp. CREELEVARD Again. Creelevard raises his katana to strike. Jenny waves her left paw, almost carelessly, and Creelevard is suddenly hurled through the air, slamming into the wall. A cracking noise is heard as he falls to the ground, unconscious and bleeding. Smata begins sweating profusely as Jenny strides toward him as if Creelevard had not even been there. SMATA A deal? We can make a deal. JENNY Oh, yes. Jenny uses her telekinetic powers to lift herself up onto the platform, landing right in front of Smata. She grabs him by his collar and hoists him into the air. JENNY You and all the toads get off our planet, right now, or you'll all die. Deal? SMATA (barely able to breathe) I'll have to see what KOMPLEX says ... Jenny angrily rears back and hurls Smata into the giant television screen with such force that he flies straight through it. Shards of glass fly everywhere, and the screen goes blank. Sparks of electricity dart everywhere as well. The spectacle is so amazing that even Digger can see it. DIGGER Nice shot, Jenny! The exploding television screen, severing the room's connection to Toad TV, terrifies the toads even more, and many more of them begin running for the exits. Dogstar and the other mammals are more than happy to help them leave. Slowly but surely, all the toads that are still alive manage to get away. A battle clearly took place in the room, however -- there are toad bodies everywhere, bleeding, burned, crushed, and worse. SCENE 12 - HALLWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD Toadborg and the five sergeants storm down the hall when the sound of thunder gets louder and louder. The toads are confused. SERGEANT #2 What's that? TOADBORG (thinking) Thunder. It's thunder. But how could that be, unless ... Toadborg's eyes narrow. TOADBORG The climate converters. Gather some toads and meet me outside them, immediately. SERGEANTS #1, #2, #4 - #6 Yes, sir! Toadborg watches them run off. TOADBORG O'Hare may yet escape from this. I may need insurance. Toadborg begins walking intently but takes a different path than the sergeants. SCENE 13 - HALLWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD In a different hallway, the Air Marshal makes his way down the hall, helped by the sergeant who woke him up. SERGEANT #3 Are you OK, sir? AIR MARSHAL (breathing heavily) I'll ... be OK. SERGEANT #3 We need to see what's going on at the climate converter. AIR MARSHAL (coughs) O'Hare ... SERGEANT #3 I know, I know. Another burst of thunder echoes, and what sounds faintly like heavy winds can be heard. AIR MARSHAL Climate converter. SERGEANT #3 I said that's where we're going. AIR MARSHAL (holds his head but keeps walking) Take me to the climate converter. SERGEANT (nervously) Yes, sir. AIR MARSHAL We'll stop him. The Air Marshal and the sergeant slowly but surely wind their way to the climate converters. They enter a glass-lined hallway, granting them a momentary view of the harsh, lifeless expanse of steel and coldness outside. The weather is terrible; the rain is so thick that they would never be able to see the converters ahead of them if not for the near-constant bursts of lightning. Heavy whirlwinds dart back and forth, making even this sturdy structure wobble. They reach the end of the hallway, to find the five other Sergeants and six STORMTOADS. They all salute; the stormtoads then react to the battered state of their superior, while the sergeants seem confused that he's there. AIR MARSHAL (seemingly more together) What's happening? Why is the converter running? STORMTOAD #2 Air Marshal, I think you should come see this. The Air Marshal follows the toad into the control room. Bucky's handiwork is still in effect; the monitors show atmospheric disturbances all across the planet. Willy is lying unconscious on the floor, with two troopers standing over him with their blasters turned on him. One of them kicks him, but he doesn't get up. AIR MARSHAL (without emotion) What happened to him? STORMTOAD #2 He's been stunned, sir. Should we take care of him? AIR MARSHAL No. Leave us. The three stormtoads look at each other hesitantly, then exit the room. The Air Marshal leaves Willy and turns to the monitor, desperately trying to figure out what Bucky has done. He works at it for several moments before a groan is heard from Willy, who props himself up by his elbows. WILLY Christ ... (beat) Who's there? AIR MARSHAL Me. WILLY Oh, good, Amadeus ... Willy stands, supporting himself with the control panel, and tries to feel himself over to where the short toad is standing. WILLY You have to help me disable the converter. AIR MARSHAL What's it doing? WILLY It's destroying everything. In a few hours, this planet won't be able to support life. AIR MARSHAL (with suspicion) Did you do this? WILLY Hell, no. Now tell me what the monitor says. The Air Marshal gives Willy a once-over. He's not sure whether to trust him. AIR MARSHAL (typing) I think I figured out how to edit the instructions for the converter, but it has a password lock. WILLY Let me think. Willy stumbles around, looking for a chair to sit on. The Air Marshal grabs the nearest chair and helps him settle into it. WILLY Try "Jenny." The Air Marshal types it in. AIR MARSHAL No luck. WILLY OK. Um ... "Donald?" AIR MARSHAL (typing) No. Willy and the Air Marshal keep trying password after password, with the sergeants and stormtoads watching worriedly from just outside the converter. SCENE 14 - HALLWAY, TOAD HOMEWORLD Mimi has now heard the noises outside as well. The trail of Bucky's blood led her in the right direction, and she now follows the sound to the corridor leading to the converters. She races through it, only to be greeted by a dozen toads. MIMI (lifting her rifle) Who wants trouble? SERGEANT #4 (urgently) Don't just stand there; go help! MIMI Huh? The toads are too scared about the converter to worry about Mimi. They've seen plenty of mammals before, but they've never seen it rain on their planet. They part, giving Mimi a view of Willy and the Air Marshal. MIMI Willy! Oh, thank goodness. Mimi runs up to the two of them. She is about to point her rifle at the Air Marshal when she realizes that the two of them are working together. MIMI What's ... Willy and the Air Marshal turn to face Mimi. She immediately notices that Willy doesn't have any eyes, and the Air Marshal only has one. MIMI Oh my god ... Mimi turns and retches. WILLY Mimi? Can you help? MIMI (coughing) I ... The next sound they all hear is loud, clanging footsteps thudding ever closer. Mimi recovers in time to see Toadborg making his way toward them. He strides confidently. TOADBORG Well, well, well. Air Marshal. We may not get to see Bucky O'Hare hang today, but I will certainly enjoy watching your scrawny neck snap. The Air Marshal turns even greener. WILLY Somebody has to help me shut this thing off! TOADBORG Stand aside, you idiots. I can access the system myself. Toadborg takes a step forward. Mimi picks up her rifle and points it at him. MIMI Not another step, pal. TOADBORG Oh, please. What do you think you can possibly do with that? MIMI Not a lot. (reaches into her pocket and pulls out a grenade) Though this can probably breach the hull. Think you can shut it off if the winds get inside? TOADBORG You mammals never cease to amuse me with your presumed cleverness. But very well. Toadborg reaches behind him and pulls out something strapped to his back. It's AFC BLINKY, intact and functional. His left arm is reattached, though he's still dented and dingy. TOADBORG (lifts up Blinky) Step away from that control panel, and you can have your precious little robot back. BLINKY Friends help Blinky? MIMI (still holding up her rifle) Well, that's just great. What should we do, Willy? AIR MARSHAL Do what Toadborg says. MIMI (growling) I didn't ask you! Toadborg begins squeezing Blinky's head in anger. TOADBORG (thunderously) Three seconds, mammals! Willy Uh ... Before anyone can move, there is a spark of light and the crackle of electricity. Toadborg unconsciously drops Blinky. He looks down to see a beam of bright green light sticking out through his upper chest. BUCKY (behind Toadborg) I was off to the side last time. Bucky yanks hard, pulling his lightsaber straight up and slicing Toadborg's upper torso and head through the middle. Toadborg falls to his knees, then face-first onto the ground, unconscious and de- energized. A small trickle of blood leaks from his cracked face. Bucky raises his lightsaber back up, in a fighting stance. BUCKY Now where were we? SERGEANT #4 Toadborg! The sergeants and stormtoads, who were staying out of the tense standoff, rush into the room and gather around the fallen Toadborg's side, totally ignoring the mammals and the Air Marshal. The Air Marshal turns back to the console. AIR MARSHAL Willy, help me shut this thing off! BUCKY (points his lightsaber at the Air Marshal's head) Do it and you're dead. MIMI (points her rifle at Bucky's head) Do that and *you*re dead. WILLY Jesus! What is wrong with you guys? BUCKY This is war, Willy! MIMI This is war with KOMPLEX, Bucky. Not with the toads. (nudges him with the rifle) And not between us. BUCKY (sweating) It's the only way. Willy turns back to the console, along with the Air Marshal, as Bucky and Mimi bicker. Blinky walks up to the console but just watches. He's barely even noticed. MIMI Look, once those toads are done poking at Toadborg, they're going to turn around and rip us a new one. Now tell me the password, or Jenny will never see you again. BUCKY I ... (pauses) Jenny ... Bucky's stance weakens. Mimi's doesn't. MIMI That's a good boy. BUCKY (puts his paw to his temple) What's wrong with me? MIMI The password, Bucky. Bucky tries to stay calm as all his thoughts crash down around him. Mimi. Jenny. Willy. Toadborg. KOMPLEX. Genocide. It's almost too much. His face pales. As if in a trance, he walks up to the console and nudges Willy aside. He makes a few keystrokes, then steps back. BUCKY (to Mimi) Did I finally do the right thing? AIR MARSHAL Well, if you want my opinion ... MIMI and WILLY Shut up! The Air Marshal cowers. Mimi walks up to Bucky and hugs him. MIMI Thank you, Bucky. BUCKY (drowsily) No problem, Jenny ... Bucky passes out in Mimi's arms. Startled, she barely manages to hold him up. Meanwhile, the Air Marshal returns to the console and finishes shutting down the climate converter. Already, the winds are audibly softer. AIR MARSHAL (wipes his brow) Phew! (looks around) Uh, you guys should get out of here. Willy, do you remember where the hangars are? WILLY I think so. AIR MARSHAL Take the ship in hangar twelve. You'll be able to pilot it. WILLY (dissociated) Thanks. The toads are still paying attention to Toadborg, trying to wake him up. They've never seen him completely out of commission before. AIR MARSHAL Punch me. WILLY What? AIR MARSHAL So it looks like I tried to stop you from escaping. Punch me. WILLY But ... Mimi punches the Air Marshal right in the nose. He falls over, now even more bloody. WILLY Hey! Why did you do that? MIMI (rolls eyes, grabs Willy) We've got to get out of here. WILLY Amadeus is my friend ... MIMI Then send him a get-well card. Blinky, you carry Bucky. Willy, lead us to the hangar. WILLY (sighs) Sure. It's not far from here. Blinky pulls up Bucky. It's a lot easier for him than it was for Mimi. Led by Mimi, the four of them start to leave the room. STORMTOAD #3 (noticing) Hey, they're getting away! The stormtoads turn around and watch the foursome try to escape. They aim their plasma rifles, ready to shoot. Just then, an explosion tears through the console, distracting them and providing a smoke- screen. MIMI (thinking) Blinky, Willy, Mimi, and Bucky escape into the hallways. WILLY Where are we? MIMI It's a four-way intersection right outside the converters. WILLY (thinking) Go right. Five hundred feet. The foursome starts running in that direction. Behind them, the sound of angry stormtoads is slowly growing. BLINKY We have gone five hundred feet. WILLY Is there an elevator? MIMI (looks off the side, to the left) Yeah. WILLY Take it. Top floor. They pile in and make it to the top floor. The doors open about halfway but then stop. The lights in the elevator dim, and KOMPLEX appears on a screen on the ceiling, casting an eerie reflection inside the elevator. KOMPLEX *There* you are. WILLY No! Willy cries out, and somehow, the elevator doors slam all the way open. KOMPLEX (surprised) What? MIMI (amazed) Willy, did you do that? No answer. MIMI Willy? Mimi looks beside her. Willy has fainted. MIMI Shit! Blinky, can you carry both of them? BLINKY Negative. Blinky will carry Willy, the heavier of the two. MIMI (shouldering Bucky) Let's go. Mimi and Blinky stumble out of the elevator, heavily burdened. To their relief, they're right outside the hangars. MIMI Which hangar was it? BLINKY Twelve. They struggle toward the hangar as fast as they can. Just behind them, angry stormtoads can be heard filling up the stairways and elevators, getting very close. MIMI Ten ... eleven ... Toad plasma fire is whizzing overhead. MIMI Twelve! They duck into the hangar. Mimi gets a look at the ship inside. Her jaw drops. MIMI I don't believe it. BLINKY Suggest getting on board now! Mimi blinks, then drags Bucky into the ship. Blinky follows. They drop Bucky and Willy on the floor, then climb into the cockpit. Mimi starts the engines, and the ship blasts off just as the toads enter the hangar. SCENE 15 - SPACE OUTSIDE TOAD HOMEWORLD As the whirlwinds and lightning die down, the planet returns to its usual equilibrium. A small ship escapes the atmosphere and speeds farther and farther away. It's a familiar shape, despite being entirely green and covered with toad insignias. It's The Righteous Indignation. MIMI (inside the cockpit) I can't believe the toads built this! BLINKY Friend Willy likely supplied the blueprints during his imprisonment. MIMI I figured that much, but everything inside the ship looks exactly like Bucky's old ship did. (bites lip) I hope they don't have a mark-5 accelerator down there. BLINKY Blinky will find out. MIMI Good. Get us home. BLINKY Warren or Genus? MIMI (remembering) Crap. Get us outside Genus, far from the defense shield. Let's hope they were more successful than we were. Blinky salutes, then climbs down the cockpit, Mimi slumps back in her chair, completely exhausted. In the engine room, Blinky steps up to the accelerator. It's clearly a mark-2. He reaches to pull down the handle and activate it. Just before he does, his yellow eye flashes green, and his pupil is replaced by an outline of the toad insignia. He blinks, and the eye returns to normal. The Righteous Indignation blasts off into hyperspace toward Genus. SCENE 16 - SPACE OUTSIDE GENUS The Righteous Indignation exits hyperspace, about a mile outside of the Genus defense system. The first thing Mimi sees is a horde of double bubbles approaching them. MIMI (panicking) Shit! Fortunately, Mimi quickly realizes that they're not going at the ship, but past it -- they're fleeing Genus en masse. MIMI (clutches her heart, relieved) Frith. Once all is clear, Mimi timidly regains the controls, then pilots the ship slowly toward the defense satellites. She hesitantly flies in range. Nothing. Cracking a smile, she pumps her left fist in the air before taking the ship in for a landing. Mimi pilots the ship near the UAC Headquarters building. It's no worse for wear than it was when she and Bucky infiltrated it. Outside, she can see large clusters of mammals approaching from here and there, ostensibly freed from slave pens. They stop and look up as the ship approaches, many of the pointing at it. The Righteous Indignation comes in for a landing. Mimi and Blinky disembark. The mammals stand around, still confused and weak. Mimi wasn't really expecting a warm reception, but this still strikes her as weird. MIMI Where's Dogstar? ROEDECKER Still inside. Mimi turns around. Roedecker is walking up to her. MIMI Vincent! ROEDECKER Don't tell me you're actually happy to see me. MIMI (smiling) I'm happy to see anyone. Now, what happened? ROEDECKER I'll fill you in later. MIMI But all the toads are gone? PETE Yup. MIMI (turns around) Pete! Pete smiles. Slowly, Mimi recognizes more and more of the mammals mulling about. The mood of the crowd slowly elevates, reaching its peak when Dogstar emerges from the front door of the UAC headquarters. A large cheer erupts from the crowd. DOGSTAR (surprised, blushing) I appreciate the sentiment, but Jenny did most of the work. They can't hear him. They cheer louder. Dogstar just stands still, taking in all the adulation. He knows he doesn't fully deserve it, but he accepts it. Genus is free. Mimi elbows her way through the crowd and makes it to Dogstar. MIMI Hey. DOGSTAR Mimi! I say ... Dogstar looks at how battered Mimi is. DOGSTAR Did everyone make it out alive? MIMI Yes. Willy and Bucky are in the Righteous, unconscious. DOGSTAR (eyes widen) The Righteous? MIMI (smiling) Sounds like we both have a lot of explaining to do. Is my ship OK? DOGSTAR I'm sure it will turn up. Was your mission successful? MIMI (frowns) I'm afraid KOMPLEX is still up and running. Toadborg may or may not be dead. Can't really tell with him. DOGSTAR (nods) Well, we achieved our primary goal. The battle is won. We will win the war eventually. MIMI Did you guys capture Smata? DOGSTAR Jenny threw him through a wall, but we couldn't find the body. MIMI Did you check the fashion district? DOGSTAR I beg your pardon? MIMI Never mind. Is everyone else OK? Wolf, Jonathan, Deadeye? (bites her lip) Harry? DOGSTAR Harry's pretty roughed up, but he's still alive. They destroyed Rumblebee, but we didn't have any actual fatalities. MIMI Good. Mimi puts her paws on her hips and looks up at the UAC building, half of which still looks very much like a toad building. MIMI Now all that's left is the hard part. Another shout echoes from the crowd. Dogstar and Mimi look; the crowd is now facing The Righteous Indignation. Bucky has just stepped out, and the mammals are cheering them. BUCKY (wearily) What ... They keep cheering. Bucky's face blanches. BUCKY I didn't ... I tried to ... we ... The crowd just gets louder. A tinge of self-loathing washes over Bucky's face. SCENE 17 - OUTSIDE UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS Later that afternoon, cleanup has begun, though it's far, far from finished. Most of the toad and mammal corpses have been collected -- the latter for burial, the former for burning. Dogstar and most of the S.P.A.C.E. fleet are inside the UAC building, assessing the damage. Standing outside muttering are the now-free members of the UAC Security Council, including VICE CHAIRMAN SANZER GRIFF and COUNCILMAN DAREN MILLER, the badger. GRIFF (audible over the murmuring) ... a medal at least, for all of them ... MILLER (audible briefly as well) ... still don't know about the Chairman ... Bucky and Jenny are inspecting the new Righteous Indignation. BUCKY (taps on the exterior) This metal's no good. We're still going to have to replace it. JENNY (from inside) The inside looks good. BUCKY (sighing) Jenny, I ... JENNY (steps outside) I think we both have a lot to talk about. And I don't feel like talking right now. BUCKY (nods) Right. (beat) I'm glad you're OK. Jenny, harsh and combative ever since waking up, cracks a weak smile. JENNY I'm glad you're OK, too. (beat) How's Willy? BUCKY They're taking him to the hospital. He's first in line for organ regeneration once the machines are back online. Mimi, not nearly as wounded as many of the mammals who were in the slave pens or dungeon, is at a nearby med-stand, getting checked out by a doctor. Roedecker walks up to her. ROEDECKER So you guys didn't manage to off KOMPLEX, huh? MIMI (wincing as the doctor cleans a wound) No, why? ROEDECKER Just making sure. I mean, you'd think the dream team of Bucky O'Hare and Mimi LaFleur would ... MIMI Dammit, I'm not in the mood. What's your deal, anyway? You're nice enough one minute, and a total ass the next. ROEDECKER It's fun keeping you on your toes. MIMI Keep it up, and I'll knock you off yours. Roedecker steps closer. ROEDECKER That wasn't very nice. MIMI (to the doctor) Can you give him a shot to decrease the testosterone, or is it hopeless? ROEDECKER That wasn't, either. VOICE You stop right there! Roedecker spins around to the origin of the voice. A tall, cloaked figure approaches confidently, tearing through the debris. ROEDECKER What the frell ... The figure, taller than him and imposing with its obvious aggression and confidence, reaches to its utility belt and retrieves a golden hilt of a lightsaber, which it powers up. FIGURE Now stand back and get your filthy paws *off my girlfriend*! The figure swings before Roedecker can really answer, coming from the left and just barely missing Roedecker. MIMI That's ... Mimi jumps up, away from the doctor, and hugs the figure. MIMI Fritz! The figure doesn't waver, even with a fox attached to him. He pushes a button that retracts the metal mask to reveal a very messy and harried CHAIRMAN FRITZ WARNER. He holds his lightsaber up in his left hand, pointing the tip of the blade at Roedecker's face. Roedecker stumbles back in disbelief, then quickly recovers. ROEDECKER Well, if it isn't my elected representative. Oh, wait. I voted for the other guy. Been enjoying your vacation? FRITZ Were you this much of a jerk when I hired you? Maybe I should have paid more attention. ROEDECKER Maybe you should have paid me. FRITZ Ah, bounty hunters. Always to the point. Not like us rambling politicians. (to Mimi) So ... am I dueling for your honor? ROEDECKER Too late for that. FRITZ Oh, it definitely sounds like I'm dueling. ROEDECKER Man, none of you people can take a joke. MIMI Fritz, stop it. You're not helping. (to Roedecker) Now get lost, or one of us will chop you up. Roedecker waves them off and leaves. ROEDECKER (thinking to himself) (pauses) Roedecker heads off toward the UAC building, leaving Mimi and Fritz behind. Mimi pushes Fritz in the chest a little. FRITZ Hey! I was just gonna knock him around a bit. MIMI With a lightsaber. FRITZ It has a lower setting ... Mimi cuts Fritz off with a kiss. FRITZ (breathless) And I didn't even have to beat him up. Mimi slaps Fritz across the face. MIMI Now explain where the frell you've been for the last month! Mimi pulls away from him, and for the first time notices the blood on his robes and the awkward way he carries his lightsaber. His beard is unkempt, and there is a tired look in his eyes. FRITZ Well, there's a lot of jokes I could make, but as we're standing by the ruins of the UAC and surrounded by death, let's just say I was occupied and leave it at that. MIMI That's not a good enough answer. But it is, for the moment. Mimi hugs Fritz tighter, as her ears prick up at the approach of someone from the corner. It's KADAF WARNER hobbling in. He is wearing black robes and leaning heavily on a tall black staff. His expression is twisted in a collected, suppressed pain. MIMI Kadaf. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised to see you. Kadaf says nothing. MILLER We, however, are *very* surprised to see the both of you. The six other members of the UAC Security Council, with Griff in front and Miller right behind him, approach. GRIFF Chairman. It's good to see you're alive. FRITZ Thanks. GRIFF Now, would you mind telling us where you've been? MILLER (stepping forward) Stop being a pushover, Griff! (points a finger in Fritz's face) This man is a traitor! The whole planet gets overrun by toads and we get thrown in slave pens, and where is he? (angrily) Where were you, Fritz? FRITZ I ... KADAF (hobbling forward) You don't know. MILLER (turning, surprised to hear Kadaf) What? KADAF You don't know what it was like there. You have no right to say anything. MILLER I ... GRIFF I'm afraid we have the right to say a lot. I think I speak for all of us, Fritz, when I say that we're impeaching you. FRITZ (unmoved) I understand. KADAF What! No. You can't ... The weak Kadaf lets out a weak grunt but doesn't try to do anything. Fritz just takes a deep breath. A worried look spreads across Mimi's face. MILLER We need a leader who will stand with us, not desert us. Someone we can trust. Someone like ... A smile spreads across Miller's face. FRITZ That's not really how the constitution works, though. Griff should be chairman until the next elections. MILLER I don't think you're in any position to lecture us about the way our government works, Fritz. We need something big to pull us out of the hole we're in. We need something new that the people will respond to. I think a new election will be right around the corner. SCENE 18 - CONTROL ROOM, TOAD HOMEWORLD Many toad SCIENTISTS stand in the middle of this room. Toadborg lies across a table off to the side. The Air Marshal is standing on the opposite side of the room. One wall is taken up entirely by KOMPLEX. KOMPLEX Have you done all you can? SCIENTIST #1 Yes. Toadborg is fully functional once again. KOMPLEX But you were not able to salvage any of his organic body? SCIENTIST #2 No. Whatever damaged him cut straight through the meat. There was nothing we could do. We were barely able to back up his long-term memories. KOMPLEX Wake him up. One of the scientists attaches a plug into Toadborg's arm, and another inputs a short sequence on a nearby computer. Toadborg groans, then slowly sits up. KOMPLEX Welcome back, Toadborg. TOADBORG (confused) I ... feel different. KOMPLEX The mammals have destroyed your toad body. You are now entirely machine. TOADBORG (reaches to his head) What? I ... TOADBORG What *happened*, Toadborg? How did the mammals escape? TOADBORG I ... (blankly) I cannot remember. I cannot remember anything. KOMPLEX sneers. The Air Marshal lets out a tiny sigh of relief. KOMPLEX Air Marshal. What do *you* remember? AIR MARSHAL (quickly) I went to check on Bucky when he was a prisoner. He managed to free himself and attack me. He attacked me again when I confronted the mammals in the climate converter. KOMPLEX But you managed to deactivate the converter? AIR MARSHAL (nervous) Yes. The mammals used a very simple trick to lock us out. I was able to bypass it before they knocked me out. KOMPLEX regards the Air Marshal with suspicion. KOMPLEX For your sake, Air Marshal, what you say had best be true. If I ever discover otherwise, you'll regret still having that eye once you see what I do to you. (beat) The Toad Empire has lost much today. Victory was in our grasp, and now we no longer have a foothold in Genus. But we will still take down the UAC. We are still stronger than the mammals. We are still smarter than the mammals. Isn't that correct? SCIENTISTS and AIR MARSHAL (in unison) Of course, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. KOMPLEX Is the project proceeding as expected? One of the scientists walks to the back of the room, where a long glass tube rests on a computerized base. A small black shape is visible within the foggy glass, though none of its features can be made out. SCIENTIST #3 Yes. Everything is going perfectly. They'll never expect it. KOMPLEX Excellent. Now all of you, leave my sight. I am still displeased. The scientists file out. Toadborg ambles away, still looking disoriented and upset. The Air Marshal leaves last. As he exits, he passes by a small mirror and catches a glimpse of his face. It is heavily scarred from the wounds and the torn-off warts. A large black eye patch sits over where his left eye used to be. AIR MARSHAL (to himself, sadly) The Air Marshal leaves the room. SCENE 19 - FRITZ'S APARTMENT One week later, Fritz and Mimi are in the bedroom of Fritz's apartment on Genus. Mimi is sitting on the bed, watching Fritz pack. MIMI So you're just going to lay low in Warren for a while? FRITZ (smiles) I may need to lie lower than that. (closes a suitcase) But for now, back to Warren it is. MIMI I can go with you. FRITZ No. (begins stuffing another suitcase) They need you to help rebuild Genus and to fight the toads. They just need me to get out of here. Mimi stands up. MIMI Don't leave me alone again. Fritz's ears droop a little. FRITZ I'll come visit. You know that. Besides, I know you can take care of yourself. Mimi thinks back to all the things she did in Fritz's absence. MIMI (sadly, to herself) (out loud, to Fritz) Will I be allowed to visit you? I know the Warners can be weird about some things. FRITZ Just contact me about a week in advance, and I'll pencil you in. MIMI Pencil me in? You're not trapped in wall-to-wall meetings anymore, Fritz. What are you going to be doing that'll keep you so busy? FRITZ (smiles) Now that one is my little secret. Fritz closes another suitcase and walks over to the closet. FRITZ I think that's all the clothes ... oh. I almost forgot. Fritz reaches into a dresser and pulls out a small, rectangular box. FRITZ I missed your birthday. MIMI (surprised) Yeah, it was last week. FRITZ (hands her the box) Well, here's your present. MIMI (blushes as she takes it) That's sweet of you. Should I open it? FRITZ Wait until I've left. That way, you'll think of me. Mimi leans in and gives Fritz a big hug. MIMI I'm going to miss you. FRITZ Me too. They kiss. Not a passionate kiss, not a fiery kiss, not a long kiss -- a sad kiss, but a meaningful one. FRITZ Hey, what time is it? MIMI (checks her watch) Noon. The election results should be out now. FRITZ I'm sure it was a landslide, especially since it may as well have been a sham election. (grins) I suppose I should go congratulate the new chairman in person. SCENE 20 - UAC HEADQUARTERS A little while later, Fritz and Mimi pull up just outside the building and step out of their car. A huge congregation has gathered there, with a large podium just outside the building. There are news cameras and microphones everywhere. Fritz steels himself, then begins walking over. Security immediately recognizes him and lets him pass. He steps up onto podium and walks over toward the middle, where there is a familiar-looking bulldog in a very nice suit. Fritz extends his paw. FRITZ (shaking paws) Congratulations, Chairman Dogstar. THE END