"Loss of Faith" by WatsonSword Additions by Rygar and Fero McPiglet First draft - 5/19/08 Second draft - 1/15/10 Final draft - 1/19/10 Edited by Rygar SCENE 1 - PALACE CITY, ALDEBARAN Palace City has changed. There are few people, and litter is prominent. The white marble buildings of Aldebaran politics have been defaced. Graffiti displays a number of phrases and images. A phallic symbol is seen being stabbed with a knife. A sign reads, "Our god betrayed us!" Another reads, "The queen is the whore of a false god." Some are strings of obscenities. An Aldebaran church has been looted, its bronze statue of Tae'Gwitz toppled and covered in graffiti. The body of a Siamese priestess lays in the street in front of it, beaten to death. SCENE 2 - PRINCE THOMAS SCHOOL FOR BOYS, PALACE CITY, ALDEBARAN It is a cloudless night. An Art Deco mansion is fenced in by wrought iron. The iron atop the gate is bent into the words "Prince Thomas School for Boys." Two female Aldebaran SOLDIERS with crimson spell gems and white armor stand guard at the gate. Two more female Aldebarans, one gray SHORTHAIR and one orange and white TABBY, dressed in civilian clothes and boonie hats, talk at the street corner. SHORTHAIR (whispering) You sure her boys are here? TABBY (whispering) I still have *some* connections, you know. SHORTHAIR (whispering) All right, let's do this. The shorthair and the tabby remove their pendants, which are stylized, sword-shaped emblems. They lean their foreheads together and clutch the pendants. SHORTHAIR (whispering) Our true destiny has been revealed. TABBY (whispering) The royal family will be destroyed. SHORTHAIR (whispering) The time of their god is now over. TABBY (whispering) Glory to Moashk'Arkool. SHORTHAIR (whispering) Glory to her. The shorthair and the tabby put away their pendants and walk side by side to the school's gate, where the two Aldebaran soldiers stand. SOLDIER #1 Halt. This school is a designated shelter under the protection of Her Majesty's armed forces. I must see proper clearance before I may ... Before the soldier can finish her statement, the visitors remove their hats, revealing circlets set with black gems. The shorthair is armed with blackish red gems, the tabby with blackish blue. SOLDIER #1 (terrified) Oh my stars! Before the soldiers can react, the shorthair's gems glow. An invisible force squeezes the soldiers' necks, and they fall to the ground, choking. The soldiers' necks then break with a crunching sound. The shorthair removes a keycard from one of the soldiers and opens the gate. Her eyes turn silver, and she and her companion walk toward the school. SCENE 3 - CLASSROOM, PRINCE THOMAS SCHOOL FOR BOYS Three male students occupy desks: a white SELKIRK REX with curly fur, a silver polydactyl BURMESE, and a longhair TORTOISESHELL. They work on simple algebra exercises. PONCE, a male longhaired chocolate-point Himalayan cat, walks between them, looking at their work. He sits down next to the Burmese. PONCE What seems to be the problem? BURMESE (upset) How am I supposed to simplify this when there's a variable in it? Ponce looks down at the Burmese's work. PONCE Well, there's a constant number next to the variable. BURMESE (upset) But that's just part of the number. PONCE No, no, no. A variable is never part of a greater number. All that means is that the variable is multiplied by that number. BURMESE Oh. PONCE So the variable is multiplied by six, and then you add nine. What number can you draw out of all that? BURMESE (upset) But how can I draw a number out of a variable? PONCE It doesn't matter, because the variable is being multiplied by six. So what can you draw out of both six and nine? The Burmese looks at the exercise on his touch screen as if intimidated by it. BURMESE (hesitantly) ... three? PONCE Very good. Now, all you do is ... Sounds of maser fire and spell-casting erupt from outside. The students jump in fear. The sounds of fighting come closer. PONCE All of you, back against the far wall, now! The students scramble toward the back wall, almost tripping over their own feet. They hyperventilate in fear. Ponce ducks behind a desk. He pulls his sleeves back, revealing silver bracelets set with bright orange spell gems. He removes a maser pistol from the shoulder holster beneath his jacket. Ponce's orange gems glow, as do the circuit lines on the maser pistol, which emits the noise of surging energy. The sounds of fighting stop. Footsteps are heard leading up to the classroom door. The door opens, and the shorthair and tabby Assassination Sisters stand in the doorway. SHORTHAIR Tsk, tsk, tsk. TABBY A male teaching mathematics to other males? It just won't do. SHORTHAIR Don't they know that the proper place for a male is tied to a woman's bedpost? Ponce stands up from behind the desk, pointing his magically charged maser pistol at the Assassination Sisters. PONCE You can't touch this place! SHORTHAIR (amused) And what makes you think that? PONCE Grandfather Quark himself authorized this! You can't deny those orders! SHORTHAIR We don't deny Grandfather Quark's orders. TABBY (angry) We deny that he has the right to give those orders! Ponce lowers his pistol and gives a frightened and quizzical expression. PONCE (whispering) Who do you work for? The Assassination Sisters remove their pendants and show them to Ponce, whose expression turns to one of mortal terror. Unable to speak, he raises his maser pistol, but it's too late. The tabby's gems glow. Ponce drops his pistol and clutches his head, crying in pain as his veins bulge and his eyes turn bloodshot. The shorthair's gems also glow. Her right claws extend ten inches and glow red. She walks to Ponce, picks him up by the hair, and stabs him through the heart. She lets go, and Ponce falls down dead, a pool of blood expanding around his chest. His gems dim. The Assassination Sisters look at the deathly afraid male students and smile. SCENE 4 - PRINCE THOMAS SCHOOL FOR BOYS An explosion lights up the night sky in the school courtyard. The Prince Thomas School for Boys has been destroyed. SCENE 5 - MAIN BAY, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION The main bay of S.P.A.C.E.'s flagship frigate is clean, quiet, and empty. No one is around, and no sound is made until a door suddenly materializes in the center of the room. It swings open, and ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT steps through, wearing a black T-shirt and a pair of jeans. He has a look of determination on his face to mask the fear in his mind and the pit in his stomach. Willy looks around and sees that he's alone. He steels himself and takes a deep breath, exhaling through his nostrils. WILLY (calling) Hello? JENNY (muffled) Willy? Willy hears FIRST MATE JENNY's voice come from above. He walks toward the ladder to the ship's piloting bay. WILLY You up there, Jenny? JENNY (climbing down) My stars, Willy! It's so good to see you! It's been months. WILLY I know. JENNY We knew you needed some time alone after everything that happened, but we've been so worried! At first, Jenny is happy to see Willy, with a smile on her face and a sparkle in her eyes. When she looks at him, though, she notices his expressionless face and his stiff demeanor. Her enthusiasm lessens. JENNY Well ... welcome back to the aniverse. WILLY Thanks. It's, uh, good to see you. Is Bucky around? JENNY No, he's not. WILLY Good. Jenny raises an eyebrow. WILLY I just ... don't want to see him right now. JENNY Why not? I'm sure he misses you. WILLY It's between me and Bucky. JENNY Oh. WILLY (looking around) It feels weird to be back. JENNY It's good to have you. WILLY Looks like you guys finally got that new frigate, huh? JENNY We did. A lot has changed since Dogstar became Chairman. BUCKY Willy? Jenny and Willy turn to see CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE step through the open hatch of the ship. He has a surprised look on his face. BUCKY You ... you're back. WILLY (emotionlessly) Bucky. The tension between Bucky and Willy is thick, and their conversation is awkward. BUCKY How have you been? WILLY Fine. Had a lot of time to think. BUCKY (pausing) And? WILLY I'm resigning as engineer of The Righteous Indignation. I mean, I know I haven't been the actual engineer for a long time, but I wanted to make it official. (beat) I don't want to be in the middle of this war anymore. I want to help you guys out, but I've had enough of being on the battlefield. BUCKY (nodding, not surprised) Understood. Will we be seeing you around? WILLY Maybe. I need to talk to Fritz. Um, Dogstar. BUCKY Well, you're welcome to come see him with Jenny and me. I just got a summons. He's requested us. JENNY About what? BUCKY Your guess is as good as mine. Do you want to come, Willy? Willy eyes Bucky warily. The hare seems to be acting like he always did -- like the person Willy knew and respected for years. But Willy can't forget what happened on the Toad Homeworld when Bucky snapped. He knows he can never trust Bucky again. Not completely. WILLY I'll go so long as Jenny goes. Bucky bristles a bit at this. BUCKY Fine. That's fair. Let's go. SCENE 6 - CHAIRMAN DOGSTAR'S OFFICE CHAIRMAN SIRIUS DOGSTAR sits at his desk. He maintains the meticulous composure that is his trademark, but his time as Chairman has clearly been getting to him. There are subtle bags under his eyes, and his posture droops ever so slightly. Still, he sits at his desk, proudly going through his paperwork when the door opens and Bucky, Jenny, and Willy enter. DOGSTAR (surprised) Willy, my boy! WILLY (straightening a bit) Hi, Commander. Er, Chairman. DOGSTAR It's wonderful to see you, lad. Have you been well? WILLY As well as can be expected, I suppose. DOGSTAR How is your family? Any problems with your new eyes? WILLY My family's OK. And I can't complain about the eyes, really. DOGSTAR Well, how unexpectedly fortunate that you're here. I am sure our envoy would love to have you serve on this mission as well. BUCKY Envoy? DOGSTAR He just excused himself to use the facilities. As if on cue, the door opens again, and PRINCE TOMMY enters the room. He is dressed in an ankle-length indigo coat buttoned across the torso in the style of a mandarin dress coat. Jenny reacts to Tommy's presence at the same time Tommy reacts to Willy's. JENNY Tommy! TOMMY Willy! WILLY Hey, Tommy. I hear things worked out on Aldebaran. JENNY Clearly not, or else he wouldn't be here. What's going on, Tommy? And why wasn't I notified? TOMMY (more serious than usual) Sorry, Sis. This is actually an unexpected and really urgent visit. (clears his throat) Mom wanted me to word my official statement to you guys a certain way. Let's see ... (clearing his throat) "My home world of Aldebaran has recently stricken an oppressive social order from its constitution. The inquisitions responsible for maintaining this order have been disbanded. But all is not well on Aldebaran. The old social order defined life and living throughout much of Aldebaran's history, and there are those who violently oppose change." WILLY I coulda told you that. I thought there were plans in place to ease the transition. A whole way of thinking and living can't be thrown out overnight. Stuff like that takes decades on Earth. TOMMY We're learning that lesson at the cost of many lives. A portion of the Aldebaran populace has formed insurgencies and has been systematically attacking places of office, education, and especially religion. The Aldebaran crown believes members of the former inquisitions are leading some of these insurgencies. (beat) Bucky and Jenny, the Queen and I need your help as ambassadors from the UAC. It is our hope that the two of you can establish diplomatic relations with the Aldebaran people that will quench at least some of the anger they now feel. Bucky stands up suddenly. BUCKY Wait, you want us to just go hang out on Aldebaran and wait for more bad stuff to happen? We have duties to take care of! DOGSTAR Calm down, my boy. I'm not officially appointing you as ambassadors, despite the request. I would, however, like you to investigate. You know Aldebaran better than anyone else, and if they are to achieve full membership in the UAC, they should get as much help from us as we can get from them. JENNY Just because we know Aldebaran better than anyone else doesn't help. It probably makes things worse. These people don't want the UAC involved in their society any more than they want males involved. TOMMY (angry) Jenny, listen to me. I know you're loyal to Aldebaran, and our planet means everything to you. But you don't live there, and even when you visit, you don't see beneath the surface. There's a hell of a lot more going on on Aldebaran than I explained. There aren't many people there I know I can trust anymore. BUCKY So you just decide to pull us off on some soothsaying mission? TOMMY I need Jenny on Aldebaran. It'll take a member of the royal family to calm people down. I can't do it for obvious reasons, and too many people think my mother has been tainted by her time in the Dark Heart Nebula. JENNY What exactly is the problem, though? Male liberation was an order that came directly from Tae'Gwitz. They have to obey! TOMMY (angry) Has your head been up your ass these past few months? The Aldebarans don't think too highly of Grandfather Quark anymore. They're saying he abandoned them or betrayed them or worse. Mobs are burning down churches and destroying monuments. The royal family's being threatened on a daily basis. It's like the frelling Doctrinal Riots all over again, only this time the object of hate is Tae'Gwitz himself. (beat) We were all idiots not to see this coming. Jenny stares at Tommy, jaw agape and eyes wide. TOMMY Now do you see why we're so desperate? Willy blinks. In all his time with Tommy, he's never seen the male Aldebaran behave anything like this. He steps up to Tommy, whose teeth and face are clenched in anger as a single tear streams down his cheek. WILLY You're crying. TOMMY (angry) What about it? WILLY There's still something you're not telling us. Tommy turns away, and Willy crosses his arms. TOMMY (irritated) That's none of your business. BUCKY I'm not going to Aldebaran until I know what it is. TOMMY Fine. I don't need you. You're just there to make it look official. WILLY Tommy, tell me. Tommy turns and looks Willy in the eyes. TOMMY (after a moment) Fine. (shuts his eyes tightly) Ponce is dead. WILLY What?! How? TOMMY A month ago, I supervised the changing of a breeding center into a school for males. I made Ponce a teacher. Three days ago, it got blown up. They found his body. He was barely recognizable. Bucky, Jenny, and Willy stand in shock. Willy shakes his head and walks away for a bit before leaning his head against a column. BUCKY My stars. Willy looks back. WILLY Did anyone survive? TOMMY Yeah, one teacher. It'll take two weeks for the Healing Sisters to get rid of the burns. She said the Assassination Sisters did it. JENNY (confused) Assassination Sisters? TOMMY (beat) Complete with black gems. JENNY That's not possible! They all had their black gems confiscated! Tommy turns around and snaps at Jenny. TOMMY (irritated) Well, somehow, they got a hold of all-new ones! We don't know where the new black gems came from or how they got them. All we know for sure is they're not the same ones they used to have. BUCKY So the real reason you want us is ... TOMMY (finishing Bucky's sentence) We want you to help us figure out where those gems came from. WILLY (determined) I'll do it. BUCKY You'll what? WILLY I'm going to Aldebaran. BUCKY No one asked you, Willy. WILLY Ponce was my friend, too! I want to know what happened to him. And besides, I was involved in this from the start. I ... JENNY (interrupting) On accident! You were never meant to be. WILLY But I still am. I'm involved. I'm too involved to just ignore this. BUCKY I thought you said you wanted to stay out of war. WILLY I want to stay out of *your* war. This is different. BUCKY (irritated) And if I ordered you to stay? WILLY Since I'm not a member of your ship, I'd just tell you to fuck off. DOGSTAR (standing) Engineer DuWitt, that is not called for ... WILLY (throws his hands up) Whatever. I should have known the second I came back, all hell would break loose. But I am going to go to this, and I am going to help fix this, and then I am going to have a long talk with all of you. BUCKY Fine. If you're going, I'm going, too. JENNY and WILLY (simultaneously) No, you're not. TOMMY Please? He's so good at finding traps. DOGSTAR I'm ordering Captain O'Hare to go. This is an official S.P.A.C.E. matter, whether any of us like it or not. JENNY (too vexed to argue) Fine. SCENE 7 - AIR FERRY, ABOVE PALACE CITY, ALDEBARAN Bucky, Jenny, Willy, and Tommy all sit in cushy chairs around a circular glass table aboard an air ferry. Willy now wears his standard uniform. They look through a slideshow on a portable terminal on the table. It shows various public buildings defaced and churches looted. Many images depict crime scenes wherein one or more males, or priestesses, were lynched by mobs. Bucky, Jenny, and Willy glare at the images with morbid curiosity. Tommy is unfazed by them. JENNY How could things have gotten so bad so fast? TOMMY I don't know. JENNY I was here less than a week ago. Why was I not told how bad things truly were? TOMMY It's really picked up the past three days. Before then, we thought we could manage it. BUCKY Do you really expect us to be able to anything about this? Tommy sighs and closes the portable terminal. TOMMY (beat) No. This is just to let you know not to expect a warm welcome. BUCKY I've never expected a warm welcome on Aldebaran. The air ferry flies through Palace City on its way toward the royal palace. SCENE 8 - OUTSIDE THE ROYAL PALACE, ALDEBARAN Protesters have amassed outside the gate to the palace. Their shouting blends into white noise. Many hold mutilated dolls resembling Queen Katrina and Prince Tommy. Some hold animated picket signs. A large number hold an animated banner scrolling pictures of Katrina and Tommy, along with the phrase "whores of a false god." A line of female Aldebaran soldiers in white armor stands inside the gate, forming a barricade. The air ferry flies into view and descends into the courtyard. Its arrival attracts boos and hisses from the crowd. The ferry lands in a cobblestone circle, and its ramp descends. Bucky, Jenny, Willy, and Tommy exit the ferry, surrounded by four female Aldebaran SOLDIERS. TOMMY We should get inside the palace as soon as possible. Tommy and Bucky start to head toward the palace, while Jenny and Willy take a look at the protestors. Willy looks around and sees a unique group among the protestors. A row of eight female Aldebaran CHANTERS kneels before the gate, dressed in pure white tunics, sashes, and kilts. They hold pendants of stylized, sword-shaped emblems in the air. None has gems. CHANTERS Moashk'Arkool, our lives for you. Lead us from lies, to the glory of you. Show us the path, to ultimate truth. Moashk'Arkool, our lives for you. Willy approaches the chanters. Bucky looks at Willy, worried. A chanter holds her pendant toward Willy and points to him. CHANTER Moashk'Arkool! Deliver us from this Outsider filth! A paw grabs Willy's shoulder and pulls him back. It's Tommy. TOMMY You'll stay away from them if you know what's good for you. WILLY Who are they? TOMMY Just some cult. Don't worry about them. WILLY Yeah, but who are they? TOMMY (irritated) I said don't worry about them. Tommy begins walking toward the palace. Willy looks back and forth between Tommy and the chanters. Unnoticed, the chanter who pointed at Willy removes a maser pistol from the back of her sash and aims at Willy while he is looking away. BUCKY (shouting) Willy, get down! Willy, Jenny, and Tommy look back at the chanter just in time to see the pistol pointed at Willy. Three Aldebaran soldiers grab the chanter's paw as she pulls the trigger. The blast flies off-center, grazing Willy's left shoulder. Willy falls down, clutching the superficial burn on his shoulder. Bucky draws his own maser pistol and sprints to the gate. He shoves himself between two Aldebaran soldiers and points his pistol at the offending chanter, while the soldiers try to wrestle the chanter's pistol from her paw. BUCKY (screaming) Drop the blaster! Drop it! CHANTER (screaming) Glory! Glory! One Aldebaran soldier's gems glow, and the Chanter's pistol crumbles. The female Aldebaran Soldiers remove metal bindings from their uniforms and bind the chanter's legs and torso to the gate. SOLDIER We appreciate the effort, Captain, but we're well in control of the situation. Bucky backs away and holsters his pistol. CHANTER (screaming) Glory! The Chanter removes a second, hidden, maser pistol from her sash. BUCKY Frell! Before anyone can react, the Chanter puts the pistol's barrel in her own mouth and blows a large, smoking, bloodless hole through her head. The display stuns the crowd, the soldiers, Bucky, Jenny, and Willy into silence. The crowd backs away from the chanter's body. The other chanters continue chanting as if nothing has happened. CHANTERS (chanting) Moashk'Arkool, our lives for you. Lead us from lies, to the glory of you. Show us the path, to ultimate truth. Moashk'Arkool, our lives for you. Bucky, Willy, and Jenny stare dumbfounded at what just happened. Even the Aldebaran soldiers are at a loss. TOMMY (shouting) Everyone inside, now! Willy stands up, wincing in pain but not badly injured. Bucky, Jenny, Willy, and Tommy hastily walk toward the palace. BUCKY Well in control. Right. SCENE 9 - DINING ROOM, PALACE, ALDEBARAN Bucky, Jenny, and Tommy sit around a rectangular dining table with seating for eight. QUEEN KATRINA sits at its end. A fireplace roars on one side of the dining table, and a massive grandfather clock ticks on the other side. Each person has a platter of food in front him or her, but no one wants to eat. Tommy leans back in his chair with one boot on the table and flips a gold coin incessantly. Willy stands off to the side of the room. He now wears a plain white T-shirt, his uniform torn by the maser blast. A HEALING SISTER in shimmering green robes holds her paws over Willy's shoulder, pouring a white light onto his wound. The Healing Sister finishes her task and steps away from Willy, whose wound is now gone. She briefly bows to Willy. HEALING SISTER Your wound is healed, Master DuWitt. WILLY (nodding back) Thanks. The Healing Sister exits the dining room, and Willy walks up to the table and sits down. QUEEN I must apologize for the events in the courtyard, Master DuWitt. WILLY It's OK, really. I just want to know who those people were. TOMMY (grumbling) I told you, it's not important. BUCKY (angry) If someone attacks one of my crew, I think it's pretty damn important to know who it is. TOMMY I told you, they're just some ... Queen Katrina raises a paw to silence Tommy. Tommy looks away in disapproval. QUEEN (to Tommy) Captain O'Hare is correct, Thomas. The events in the courtyard give them a right to know. (to Bucky and Willy) They call themselves the Temple of Arkool. Jenny gasps quietly and looks up, her eyes wide. JENNY (shocked) The Temple of Arkool? That can't be right! They haven't shown themselves in public for the past five hundred years. QUEEN And the core members still haven't. The women you saw were only the latest recruits. (beat) They've been steadily growing in numbers ever since the liberation of males. BUCKY But who are they? QUEEN I'm sorry. They are a cult, highly destructive. They worship a warrior saint by the name of Moashk'Arkool. WILLY They were chanting that name. QUEEN (whispering to herself) It follows as such. (out loud) Up until recently, this cult has been completely self-isolated. They also despise Grandfather Quark. The scene at the gate isn't an unusual one when they are involved. BUCKY Well, why are so many people joining? Queen Katrina sighs. QUEEN Because they still believe in male thralldom. Tommy slams a fist on the table. TOMMY (angry) We're wasting our damn time! Everyone turns toward Tommy in surprise. Tommy stops flipping his coin and pockets it. TOMMY (somber) Some asinine cult with delusions of grandeur isn't our problem here. Our problem is the Assassination Sisters. And our problem is Trisha. WILLY and JENNY Trisha? QUEEN (somber) Let me explain. My first order after the male liberation was to disband the Silvered Sisters and confiscate all of their black gems. But as you already know, they seem to have acquired new black gems and have reformed as an insurgent force against the crown. BUCKY And what exactly are these black gems? QUEEN (irritated) You would understand if Aldebaran still desires to keep some of its secrets? BUCKY (grumbling) Only the embarrassing ones. Jenny glares at Bucky before turning back to Queen Katrina. JENNY Why is Trisha such a concern? TOMMY (irritated) Because she's the one leading the Assassination Sisters. JENNY How can you be sure of that? Queen Katrina raises her paw to again silence Tommy. QUEEN We do not know for sure that she is. However, shortly after I disbanded the Silvered Sisters, Trisha disappeared. TOMMY No one ever heard from her again. But our best guess is that she planned the attack on my school. BUCKY Well, how do you expect us, of all people, to help you find her? Queen Katrina blinks and cocks her head at Bucky, confused by his question. QUEEN I never said you would be expected to do that. BUCKY (furrowing his brow) But Tommy said that ... TOMMY (interrupting) I said what I would do if it were my decision. Queen Katrina stands up and glares at Tommy. QUEEN (angry) Do you have anything at all to say that might be constructive? Tommy softly chews on his tongue for several seconds. He leans back farther in his chair and suddenly falls over. QUEEN (sighing) I suggest you retire for the day. Tommy stands up and straightens his coat. He huffs, picks the chair back up, and walks toward the end of the dining room. QUEEN (softly) Please forgive my son. He is under a lot of strain. BUCKY Forgive him for luring us here on false pretenses? I may have to pass on that one. Tommy approaches the exit of the dining room. PRINCESS FELICIA stands in the doorway. Her hair is messy, her stance weak, and her eyes saggy and bloodshot, as if she hasn't slept in weeks. She stares into space with a droll, deadpan expression. TOMMY Felicia? Bucky, Jenny, Willy, and Queen Katrina turn toward Tommy and Felicia. Felicia speaks, her voice hoarse and squeaky. FELICIA (weakly) Hi. TOMMY Felicia, we have to talk. FELICIA (weakly) I have nothing to say to you. Felicia walks past Tommy, pushing him aside with her shoulder, and enters the dining room. She looks at Willy and smiles. FELICIA (weakly) Hi, Master DuWitt. WILLY (hesitantly) Hi, Felicia. FELICIA (weakly) It's good to see you again. QUEEN Felicia. What brings you here? FELICIA (weakly) I just wanted to see Master DuWitt. For a time, everyone stares at Felicia as if afraid. QUEEN Would you not also like to greet your aunt Jennifer, or Captain O'Hare? FELICIA (weakly) No, I don't think so. Felicia walks up to Willy's chair and hugs him from behind, briefly smelling his hair. She continues and exits the dining room. Tommy sighs and exits the dining room from the other end. BUCKY What was that about? QUEEN Thomas or Felicia? BUCKY, JENNY, and WILLY Both! Queen Katrina sighs and lowers her head. QUEEN Thomas and Ponce weren't merely associates in the male resistance. They were best friends since kittenhood. They were like brothers. JENNY (whispering) I had no idea. QUEEN (beat) As for Felicia, you could ask her yourself, but I doubt she would answer you. Willy stands up. WILLY She'll answer me. Willy runs out of the dining room after Felicia. QUEEN Master DuWitt, that is not a wise course! I believe Felicia might be inclined to ... (beat) Oh, bother. If you'll excuse me. Queen Katrina stands up and hastily walks out of the dining room after Willy. Bucky and Jenny look at each other. BUCKY I don't even know why I'm here. It's like I'm an extra on a holomovie set. JENNY (shaking her head) I have to talk to my brother. Jenny stands up and runs out of the dining room after Tommy. Bucky sighs and shakes his head. BUCKY I hate this stupid frelling planet. Bucky looks down as his platter. A medley of simmered vegetables is heaped over a steamed black grain and covered in a green sauce. BUCKY Might as well. Bucky takes a bite. BUCKY (raising an eyebrow) Well, at least they know how to cook. Bucky smiles slightly as he continues to eat. SCENE 10 - HALLWAY, PALACE, ALDEBARAN Two female Aldebaran GUARDS stand in front of a double door at the end of the hallway. Willy jogs up to the guards, who block his entrance. GUARD #1 This is the princess's private chapel and meditation chamber. I cannot allow you to enter. WILLY Well, could you at least ask her if I can come in? GUARD #2 She gave us instructions that she was not to be disturbed. WILLY How long is she gonna be in there? GUARD #2 She didn't say. GUARD #1 If you'll find some place to wait, we'll tell her you were looking for her when she ... Your Majesty! Willy turns around. Queen Katrina stands in front of them. She nods at the guards and then looks at Willy. QUEEN You may enter if you wish. But I doubt that any interaction with Felicia at this time would be pleasant. WILLY What happened to her? Queen Katrina hesitates and then sighs. QUEEN (to guards) Leave us. GUARDS #1 and #2 (bowing) Yes, Your Majesty. The guards hastily exit the hallway. QUEEN I did not want to say this in front of Captain O'Hare. (sighs) Felicia is in a time of despair. She suffers from a profound loss of faith and now spends all of her free time in that chamber, desperately trying to hold on to what little is left. But I'm afraid even it will slip away soon enough. WILLY She never seemed very spiritual. QUEEN She scarcely showed it, but Felicia's conviction to the Aldebaran Church was profound. It was the guiding force of much of her life. And she always believed male thralldom to be a divine order of Grandfather Quark. Do you understand now? Willy shakes his head. WILLY No, not really. I've never been religious. QUEEN Well, the liberation is not all that upsets her. WILLY (worried) What is it? Queen Katrina looks away from Willy. WILLY Look, I need to know. QUEEN If you were Aldebaran, than this would be no problem, but telling this to an Outsider is awkward. WILLY I'm as close to Aldebaran as any Outsider is gonna get, right? And besides, Felicia needs me. Maybe I can help her. QUEEN Trust me. You do not want to help her the way she may desire you to. Queen Katrina turns back to Willy. She hesitates before speaking. QUEEN Felicia is heartbroken ... by the loss of her ... harem. Willy does a double take at Queen Katrina's words. WILLY (shocked) Ha-ha-harem? Did you just say harem? QUEEN (irritated) Yes, Master DuWitt, I said harem. Trained servicing males, three of them, sworn to obey her every whim and desire. Willy stares at Queen Katrina, speechless. QUEEN They were taken away from her after the emancipation and placed in my son's school. They were there when the school was attacked. No trace of them could be found, so we assumed their bodies were incinerated. Willy shakes his head and clenches his fists. After a time, he calms down. QUEEN Now do you understand? Willy nods his head. Queen Katrina looks at the double doors. QUEEN For the past four days, Felicia has not slept and has scarcely eaten. (beat) It may actually be good for her to talk to you. She's always been very fond of you. Perhaps she'll respond to your presence. Just make certain that she wants nothing other than to talk. Willy looks back up at Queen Katrina. He looks down, purses his lips, and nods. A mixture of determination and concern on his face, he walks through the double doors. SCENE 11 - FELICIA'S CHAPEL, PALACE, ALDEBARAN The chapel is no bigger than a living room, with red carpet floors and cobblestone walls. Hundreds of candles adorn wooden shelves, only half of them lit. A two-foot-tall marble statue of Tae'Gwitz sits on a pedestal beneath a skylight. Felicia sits cross-legged on a large pillow, her arms outstretched to the statue. She whispers prayers to herself. Willy enters the chapel and sits down next to Felicia. FELICIA (angry) I told you not to ... Felicia turns toward Willy with claws and teeth bared. She relaxes as soon as she sees who it is. FELICIA (shocked) Master DuWitt! I'm so sorry! I didn't know it was you. WILLY It's all right, really. And I'd like it if you called me Willy. Felicia smiles weakly at Willy. FELICIA (weakly) OK, Willy. Willy looks at Felicia's gaunt frame and bites his lower lip. WILLY Is the food here that bad? FELICIA (weakly) I can't taste food anymore. I mean, I can, but the taste no longer means anything. WILLY What about sleep? FELICIA (weakly) I don't like sleeping. It makes me restless. Willy pauses for a second, at a loss for what to say, then looks up at the statue of Tae'Gwitz. Felicia looks at it as well. WILLY That's a nice statue. Felicia nods. FELICIA (weakly) Willy? What do you do when everything you've ever believed suddenly means nothing? Willy mulls on this for a moment. WILLY Well, my faith has never been as strong as yours, I'll admit. It's hard for me to say. I guess ... I guess I think it's best not to have beliefs, but just to have ideas. Felicia turns toward Willy and begins crying. FELICIA (sobbing) But how can you have any passion if you don't have any beliefs? WILLY Ideas can inspire just as much passion about beliefs. FELICIA (sobbing) You don't understand! No one understands! Willy leans in, wanting to comfort Felicia but not sure whether he should hug her. WILLY I'm sorry, Felicia. I'm trying. I'm here. Willy is surprised as Felicia leans against him. WILLY Are you OK? FELICIA (tears still dribbling down) You're warm. I just ... I need something warm. Almost as soon as it began, Felicia's crying fit ends. She pulls herself tighter against Willy. Willy hesitates, but wraps his arms around Felicia and lays his head against hers. Willy and Felicia remain in their embrace for a time before Felicia works herself out of Willy's arms. She stares into Willy's eyes as if desperate. Willy stares back in confusion. Felicia sits up on her knees and kisses Willy. In his confusion, Willy lets it happen for a moment, and then puts his hand between their faces and stands up. He turns around. WILLY No, Felicia. I'm sorry. No. FELICIA (weakly) Why? Willy turns to face Felicia. WILLY I'm here to be your friend. Not ... not anything else. Willy and Felicia stare at each other. Felicia's face reveals her emotional state slowly sinking farther and farther into despair. With a jolt, she gets up and runs out of the chapel. She almost knocks over Queen Katrina, who stands in the doorway. WILLY (sad) I know. You told me she might try that. But I felt so bad for her ... I let my guard down. Do you think I made things worse? QUEEN Things are already so bad that you couldn't have made them worse. What matters is that you tried. Felicia may not appreciate it, but I do. Thank you, Master DuWitt. Willy looks away, still processing everything that just happened. WILLY Yeah. SCENE 12 - TOMMY'S QUARTERS, PALACE, ALDEBARAN Tommy's quarters consist of a large suite with hardwood floors and brick walls. Clothes and papers are lazily thrown about the floor. Tommy keeps numerous trinkets and antiques of little or no use on desks and shelves. Tommy lies in his four-poster bed with his arms behind his head. He wears only a white undershirt and red polka-dot pajama bottoms. The door swings open and hits the wall. Jenny stands in the doorway. TOMMY What do you want? JENNY I want to know that you won't do anything completely insane because of Ponce. Tommy turns his face toward Jenny and smiles. TOMMY (sarcastic) Why, my dear, sweet sister, when have *I* ever done anything completely insane? JENNY (angry) Dammit, Tommy, don't screw around like this! I want to know you're not going to run off and try to take on the whole frelling Silver Order! You're not that powerful. Not even Mother's that powerful. TOMMY I don't need the whole Order, just one of them. JENNY They won't talk. No one's ever let into the Order unless the palace is sure they won't ever talk. TOMMY (grumbling) I've got ways of making them talk. Jenny's eyes go wide for a moment. She approaches Tommy's bed and stops halfway there. JENNY (nervous) Thomas? I think Ponce's death has ... made you not well. I think you need to go on a vacation, far away from Aldebaran. Tommy grimaces at Jenny briefly and looks back up at the ceiling. TOMMY I think you need to get bent! Tomorrow morning, Bucky and Willy'll get letters from the Palace Administrator asking them to attend a cocktail party with some of the most powerful women on Aldebaran. Mother's hoping they'll be able to put the charm on and make a good impression on behalf of the UAC. (smiles) The time and location are secret, but I leaked them to the right channels. With Bucky and Willy there, the Assassination Sisters are sure to attack. Surprised, Jenny backs away from Tommy and shakes her head as if afraid of him. JENNY (angry) You're using them as bait?! Tommy, are you insane? Tommy ignores Jenny's questions. TOMMY When they do, we'll be ready for them. I'll be sure to make it look like Bucky saved the day. It'll be a triple whammy. We get an Assassination Sister or two all to ourselves, everyone attending that meeting will be against them after it's over, and everyone on Aldebaran will think that Captain Bucky O'Hare saved their public officials. You can't ask for anything better than that. (beat) Where they got their new black gems, and just where the hell Trisha's at ... it'll all follow soon after. JENNY (angry) You're putting their lives on the line over a personal vendetta! TOMMY Please! It's not as dangerous as it sounds. Besides Mother and I, the new head of the Combat Order'll be there in disguise. Nothing they can come up with will be able to beat all three of us. JENNY (angry) How could Mother authorize this? TOMMY Mother doesn't know. Jenny clenches her fist and bares her teeth. JENNY (snarling) You little sack of ... I won't let you do this. I'll report you. TOMMY Go ahead and report me. Odds are the palace'll claim the report was forged just to avoid embarrassment. With the way things are going now, it wouldn't be much of a stretch to believe that. Jenny briefly purses her lips and shuts her eyes tightly. She walks over to the window and leans her arms against the railing. JENNY You've gone off the deep end, Tommy. TOMMY Who's to say I wasn't there to begin with? A time passes in silence. TOMMY You know, if you open the window, you can hear the protestors from all the way up here. SCENE 13 - OUTSIDE THE PALACE, ALDEBARAN The row of white armored female Aldebaran soldiers still lines the inside of the gate to the royal palace. But at night, there's less of a crowd outside. The picket signs and banners are stacked in a pile, and many protestors rest in sleeping bags. The cultists are still awake and on their knees, holding their sword-emblem pendants in the air. One CULTIST stands on a wooden box and preaches to any who would listen. CULTIST (shouting) Why do you follow a god who'll destroy you if given a chance? Why do you follow an alien god who lives in a nebula and hasn't a drop of Aldebaran blood? Why do you follow a god who dismisses everything our civilization stands for? All of you who still believe in the sanctity of Grandfather Quark are hypocrites, and you should all be burned alive! Tae'Gwitz was not born an Aldebaran! He was not blessed as a warrior by the spirits of our people! And he did not ascend into divinity through heroic acts defending our people! Glory to Moashk'Arkool! CULTISTS (shouting) Glory to her! SCENE 14 - UNCHARTED SPACE The TOAD doesn't dream. There has been nothing but darkness for more than a year now. Quiet, comforting darkness. No movement, no sensation, no pleasure, nothing. But also no responsibilities, no expectations, no pain. It was a peace, of sorts. A tiny flash breaks up the blanket of darkness. It flickers like a small star, then blazes like a fiery spider web, spreading throughout the shadows. What starts out as a single spark unfolds into a chaotic lightning of activity. A lightning storm. Synapses fire. Electricity surges through a metal frame, activating a long-dormant body. The toad screams. TOAD *Aaah*! The toad sits up with a start, pulling at wires attached all over his body. Optic sensors burn as he twists and turns to survey what surrounds him. His substitutes for eyes take in the mechanical debris, the junk station, the mess. Then, an electronic eye drops down from the ceiling. TOAD (in surprise) *Aaah*! EYE Greetings, being. I see you are awake. I'm glad. I wasn't sure I could reactivate your functions, and, even if I could, I was uncertain whether your core consciousness had decayed to the point of no return. TOAD (startled and confused) Who? What? EYE I am Enoch, a lone sentient, artificial intelligence. I've been wandering the cosmos for some time. I recently met an officer of the planet Warren and his eclectic crew who opened my eye to the possibilities beyond the tangible, and, along with my purpose of seeking out new life, I've been contemplating philosophical and metaphysical theories and equations concerning life, the universe, fish, and everything ever since. (beat) They had a delightful robot with an emotion chip that I got a hold of for a short while. Without even realizing it, one of my subroutine processors tried to create a copy of the chip and then installed it. I think it worked fairly well. Maybe a few kinks here or there, but better than nothing. TOAD (dazed) Uh, but what, um, er ... ENOCH (eye narrowing) I see that you are recovering from your extended state of dormancy. While your systems boot up, let me refresh your memory. The electronic eye moves closer. ENOCH You are a toad soldier fused with an experimental armor with miniaturized climate converter components, thereby giving you the power to manipulate weather conditions. The first mission assigned to you ended in failure, and, as I assume from the data files listed in your drives, you decided to immolate yourself by blowing yourself up. TOAD (confused) Wait, that's not right ... is it? ENOCH Apparently not. As evidenced by your being here, the result of your suicidal explosion caused your carapace to be expelled from the planet's gravity field, and you were launched into deep space. You have been inert for some time now, though I can't say exactly how long. (beat) Your internal systems were damaged, and it wasn't until I found you adrift and reactivated your functions that you regained consciousness. It is actually a miracle that your organic toad parts are still in working order, given the fact that your climate converter components are missing ... TOAD (feels around himself) *What*!? ENOCH (droning on) Why, yes. Four of your basic weather domination elemental parts must have been separated from your person during the original explosion. See, those are the dangers of self-termination. I have a data file on the horrors of Robot Hell, if you would like to access it, though I am not sure whether it applies to cyborgs such as yourself ... Sensing the chagrin on the toad's sensors, Enoch changes his voice to a more comforting tone. ENOCH But you apparently still have your Exo-Driver component, which, I believe, played a huge part in preserving your body as it protected you from the vacuum of space -- not to mention interstellar travel capabilities, along with basic gravity control. And you still retain your tracking array, which would let you locate the remaining four parts ... There is an explosion as a hole opens up in Enoch's side. Having used his Exo-Driver's gravitational abilities to create an exit, the armored toad wastes no time in leaving Enoch's repair bay. He flies off into space. Enoch's eye looks at the departing visitor. ENOCH That was ... different. Well, I do understand the need to fulfill one's life functions, or else rectify said failure. It's almost like religion, actually. (beat) I wish you luck, toad. Enoch's processor whirs. ENOCH Though on further analysis, your mission is to destroy Bucky O'Hare, the being who opened my eye to life's new possibilities. Perhaps I should have restrained you more thoroughly. Oh, well. SCENE 15 - BUCKY'S QUARTERS, PALACE, ALDEBARAN Bucky sleeps in a circular bed, lying above the red silk covers. Sunrays creep across his eyes from the story-high window across the room. Bucky's nose twitches, and he rubs his face with his paw. He reaches to his side to feel the bed. BUCKY Jenny? Bucky sits up and sighs. He and Jenny have not slept in the same bed for quite some time. BUCKY Urgh. Bucky gets up, about to prepare for the day ahead. He enters the bathroom for a while to take a shower, then exits and begins to get dressed. Finally in uniform, he opens the door and enters a marble hallway. A female black LONGHAIR Aldebaran in an ornate blue suit approaches Bucky and hands him a wax-sealed envelope. LONGHAIR Captain O'Hare, the Queen requests your presence at an assembly of Stateswomen later today, location pending. A speech is included with the letter. You'll be expected to give it at the assembly. BUCKY (blinks) What's with the short notice? LONGHAIR Security reasons. All other information will be provided on a need-to- know basis. (bowing) Good day, Captain O'Hare. Bucky watches the longhair walk down the hall and turn the corner. BUCKY (grumbling) Let me guess. *I* don't "need to know" anything. Bucky looks at the envelope, opens it, and removes the letter. His eyes narrow and his ears lower as he reads it. SCENE 16 - BOUTIQUE, PALACE, ALDEBARAN In the large circular boutique, racks and closets filled with suits and cloth surround red carpet and hardwood walls. A female orange tabby TAILOR takes measurements of Willy's arms and torso. Tommy enters the boutique with a black beret in one paw and a wax-sealed envelope in the other. Willy and the tailor turn toward Tommy. TAILOR Your Highness? TOMMY I just want to have a word with Willy alone for a minute. TAILOR (bowing) Yes, Your Highness. The tailor exits the boutique. WILLY What is it? Tommy approaches Willy and hands him the beret and envelope. TOMMY The Queen wants you to play VIP's pet for a bunch of stateswomen at a party later today. You'll need the hat. Willy looks down at the beret and sees the metal mesh lining the inside. WILLY Why would I need a neural dampener? My powers are gone now. TOMMY (irritated) Just keep it in your back pocket, out of sight. Tommy turns to exit the boutique. WILLY Tommy? Tommy stops. WILLY Did Felicia really have a harem of three males? Tommy doesn't look back as he talks. TOMMY That's nothing. Cassie had seventeen. Tommy exits the boutique. Willy stares wide eyed and jaw agape at the doorway. WILLY (whispering) Seventeen? ... I don't even *know* seventeen girls. SCENE 17 - OUTSIDE THE PALACE, ALDEBARAN The protestors are out in force. They hold their animated picket signs and banners. They shout chants of protest, obscenities, boos, and hisses as Bucky, Jenny, and Queen Katrina enter the courtyard escorted by a squad of white armored female Aldebaran soldiers. Willy walks with them as well, wearing a new green and gold Aldebaran dress suit. The group approaches the air ferry, where Tommy waits in his long coat and an indigo tricorne hat. Jenny, Willy, Queen Katrina, and the soldiers nod to Tommy, who nods back as they all enter the ferry. Bucky stops in front of Tommy. BUCKY Are you sure you want to go to this party? I mean, what with Ponce and all? Tommy sneers at Bucky for a moment and then smiles, shakes his head, and shrugs. TOMMY Life's short anyway, so it's not like it wasn't bound to happen. Just so long as it's filled with plenty of butter wine, I'll be fine with it. Bucky glares at Tommy, knowing he didn't mean what he said, and enters the air ferry. Tommy takes a deep breath and looks down at his paws. They're clenched, and blood drips from them. He opens his paws to find that his claws have bored into the flesh of his pads. Tommy sighs and enters the air ferry. SCENE 18 - AIR FERRY Bucky, Willy, Jenny, Tommy, Queen Katrina, and a female black shorthair STEWARDESS wearing a red tricorne hat sit on couches lining the walls of the air ferry. The stewardess comes around and pours tea for each of them before bowing and sitting back down. Tommy leans a foot against the glass coffee table and flips his gold coin. He leans over to the chair next to him and whispers in Jenny's ear. TOMMY (whispering) Don't you dare tell them what's going on. If you do, it'll put all of us in danger. Jenny hisses and pushes Tommy's head away. She stands up. JENNY (angry) Like you haven't done that already! Do you honestly have any idea what the hell you're doing? I find it hard to believe that even you're this short-sighted! Bucky, Willy, and Queen Katrina look quizzically at Jenny and Tommy. The stewardess stands up and approaches Jenny. She stands in a militant posture as she faces them. STEWARDESS (stoic) Your Highness, Jennifer, if Prince Thomas has said anything to upset you, perhaps the best course would be to discuss with him whatever issue bothers you under the supervision of a mediator. Jenny's ears point straight up. She turns toward the stewardess and stares into her impassive eyes. Jenny's eyes go wide, and her jaw quivers. Jenny kneels before the stewardess, prompting Bucky and Willy to look at each other in curiosity. Tommy still flips his coin. JENNY Mistress Artemisia. ARTEMISIA (stoic, bowing her head) Your Highness. Jenny stands back up and stares quizzically at Artemisia. JENNY You dyed your fur? ARTEMISIA (stoic) Only out of necessity. WILLY Who is she? QUEEN Artemisia was Jennifer's instructor in the School of Combat. She is now the Head of the Combat Order. She insisted on accompanying us to the party incognito, for security purposes, though I honestly don't know why. Artemisia approaches Bucky and bows to him with mechanical movement. ARTEMISIA (stoic) Buckminster O'Hare, Captain of the S.P.A.C.E. frigate The Righteous Indignation, I am Artemisia, Headmistress of the Order of Combat of Her Majesty's state services. I wish to state for the record that Her Highness Princess Jennifer was my greatest student. Her love bestows upon you a tremendous honor, Captain. Bucky and Jenny feel the air grow cold. Bucky glances at Jenny, who scowls and looks away from Bucky. Willy takes notice. BUCKY (feeling a cold sweat) That's kind of you to say. Artemisia bows again and steps away. QUEEN After the liberation, Artemisia paid for her former harem's education out of her own pocket. Jenny looks puzzled at Artemisia. JENNY (puzzled) But you were always one the most vocal supporters of male thralldom. ARTEMISIA (stoic) My honor and my life are bound to my loyalty to the orders of the crown. Artemisia again bows to Jenny. ARTEMISIA (stoic) Your Highness Jennifer, are you in need of mediation to solve the dispute between you and His Highness, Prince Thomas? Jenny looks back and forth between Tommy and Artemisia. Tommy still flips his coin and acts as if he is alone. Jenny shakes her head. JENNY No, this is a private matter between us. Artemisia bows to Jenny. ARTEMISIA (stoic) Yes, Your Highness. Jenny gazes into Artemisia's eyes, unsure of what to feel. JENNY (whispering) Last time we met, I was the one revering you. ARTEMISIA (stoic) Yes, Highness. BUCKY So where is this party, anyway? QUEEN There is a private mountain residence for the royal family just over a thousand kilometers north of Palace City. That's where we're headed. As the Queen speaks, the air ferry flies into the horizon toward a mountain range. SCENE 19 - PRIVATE ROYAL RESIDENCE, MOUNTAINS, ALDEBARAN Five small Victorian mansions are separated by walkways in a crevice between mountains. Snow covers the mountains and the mansions. The air ferry flies toward the mansions and lands on a square, snow-covered landing pad carved out of the rock. SCENE 20 - RECEPTION HALL, PRIVATE ROYAL RESIDENCE, ALDEBARAN Massive double doors open into the reception hall, a great octagonal room filled with Victorian furniture. A stage sits at the back of the room, and buffet tables sit at its sides. A floating, spherical recording device points toward the podium on stage. Queen Katrina enters the hall, followed by Tommy, Bucky, Jenny, Willy, and the disguised Artemisia. Aldebaran stateswomen dressed in various luxurious outfits turn to see them and applaud. Queen Katrina leans toward Bucky and whispers in his ear. QUEEN (whispering to Bucky) I hope you memorized the speech. Bucky nods in response. Queen Katrina, Tommy, Bucky, Jenny, and Willy approach the stage, while Artemisia stands to the side of the entrance. Many female servers walk around, serving drinks to stateswomen from silver platters. Each wears some form of oversized, decorative hat. Tommy suspiciously eyes them. Queen Katrina notices Tommy's behavior and suspiciously eyes the servers as well. Tommy, Bucky, Jenny, Willy, and Queen Katrina enter the stage. Bucky stands beside Queen Katrina, who takes the podium. QUEEN May I present to you United Animals Coalition Captain Buckminster O'Hare. The stateswomen applaud. Queen Katrina stands aside as Bucky takes the podium. The hare clears his throat and looks at his datapad. Queen Katrina, Tommy, Jenny, and Willy exit the stage and go their own ways through the hall. BUCKY Stateswomen of Aldebaran, it is a great honor and pleasure, not to mention relief, that I stand in front of you now as no more or less than a guest. I am here today to talk about a force greater than all of us. This is the force of history. History is not only what happened in the long past, but in the recent past, and even what's happening right now. Even the history yet to be written is still history. In other places, I may be a writer of history, but here, I am only an observer. The history of Aldebaran will be written by each of you. The stateswomen applaud as Bucky bows and then exits the stage. As soon as Bucky leaves, three female Aldebaran stateswomen stand in front of him: a copper ABYSSINIAN, a gray and brown brushstroke MAINE COON, and a tall red and brown-spotted PIXIE-BOB. ABYSSINIAN Hello, Captain O'Hare. MAINE COON (looking up and down Bucky's body) It's a real treat having you with us today. Bucky backs away, and his ears flatten against his head. PIXIE-BOB (grinning) Would you care to... join me? I'm sure we'd have a lot to talk about. Queen Katrina steps between Bucky and the stateswomen. Bucky sighs in relief. QUEEN Captain O'Hare, allow me to introduce you to ... (nodding toward the Abyssinian) ... Selena, minister of royal libraries ... (nodding toward the Maine Coon) ... Charlene, secretary for the Order of Thought ... (nodding toward the Pixie-Bob) ... and Lydia, minister of the royal census. Queen Katrina leans over and whispers in Bucky's ear. QUEEN (whispering) I would strongly suggest you refrain from accepting any drinks. Queen Katrina leaves Bucky. Lydia wraps an arm around Bucky's and whispers into his ear. LYDIA (whispering) They say that hares have far too much energy and far too few ways to spend it. Bucky's ears flatten against his head. BUCKY (nervous) Uh ... can't say I've heard that one. Lydia runs her fingers along one of Bucky's ears. Bucky pulls his arm free. BUCKY Excuse me ... but the buffet is calling. Jenny sits alone in a chair by the wall, looking at the floor with her arms crossed. She looks up to see Tommy walking toward the bathroom. She furrows her brow and stands up. SCENE 21 - MEN'S RESTROOM, PRIVATE ROYAL RESIDENCE, ALDEBARAN The men's restroom is a public-style lavatory. It is a tapestry of blue, gray, and green marble. Tommy enters the empty restroom and stops in front of a sink. He turns the faucet on hot and wets his face. He looks at the mirror with a fatigued expression. Tommy stands up as Jenny enters the restroom, standoffish. JENNY (irritated) Something's wrong with you. TOMMY It's the ones in the hats. They're the Assassination Sisters. They probably spiked the drinks. They're going to make their move after everyone here's totaled. JENNY How do you know? Tommy turns toward Jenny and lifts his hat, revealing his gold headband and purple spell gem. Jenny's eyes widen. JENNY (whispering) The hats. TOMMY They were thinking the same thing I was. JENNY That means they've got to know that you have your gems with you. TOMMY Impossible. If they did, they'd have aborted their mission. JENNY (angry) You idiot! They knew this was a setup! They came anyway! You don't honestly think they didn't find it strange that this location was leaked to the very source they had access to?! Jenny grabs Tommy by the collar. JENNY (angry) People are going to die because of you! Bucky enters the restroom. He sees Jenny holding Tommy by the collar and stops. Tommy and Jenny look back at Bucky. Tommy pries Jenny's paws off him. BUCKY Jenny? What are you doing in the men's bathroom? JENNY (irritated) Nothing! There didn't used to be a men's bathroom. I was just confused. Jenny walks over to a sink. Bucky walks to another sink and leans over it. TOMMY What's with you? BUCKY The frelling stateswomen won't stop hitting on me. Jenny looks up at Bucky with her ears perked up. TOMMY Then I suggest you give them something to hit on. JENNY What? BUCKY They're also groping me. TOMMY (irritated) Than I suggest you give them something to grope. JENNY (angry) Hey! BUCKY I'm not going to ... TOMMY (interrupting) This meeting is more important than you can imagine. So you'd better damn well give them whatever they frelling want! Besides, you don't honestly think they haven't been doing that to me, too? BUCKY (irritated) Yeah, but you probably enjoy it. In a blur of motion, Tommy grabs Bucky by the collar, lifts him into the air, and snarls at him. Jenny jumps, startled by the display. JENNY (angry) Get your paws off him! Tommy ignores Jenny, still snarling at Bucky, who remains limp. He looks down at Tommy. BUCKY (calm) If I wanted, I could have you charged with assaulting a UAC officer. Tommy stops snarling and lowers Bucky to the floor. He leans over the sink with his paws over his eyes, almost sobbing. JENNY Bucky, please leave us alone. BUCKY (irritated) I was going to. Bucky straightens his uniform and exits the restroom. BUCKY (under his breath) This meeting is so a trap. With Bucky gone, Jenny puts her arm over Tommy's shoulder. JENNY (cross) Tommy, be honest with me here. Are there medications you stopped taking or something? Tommy stops sobbing and stands up. His eyes are bloodshot. TOMMY (whispering) No. Just ... bad memories. Don't pry. JENNY (rolls her eyes) Fine. One more question, since for all I know, it may be my last. Why did you make Artemisia dye her fur black? It looks so undignified. Tommy shrugs his shoulders. TOMMY I don't know. I just have a thing for black cats. JENNY (irritated) You have a *thing*? Tommy, she's old enough to be your grandmother! Besides, she's already got twelve kids. TOMMY So what? I probably have twice that many. It's just that there's not a damn soul on Aldebaran who knows who any of them are. JENNY (taken aback) Wait, what? You mean, you were ... Tommy nods. TOMMY (finishing Jenny's statement) A stud at a breeding house, from the age of twelve to fifteen, before mother finally had me busted out of there. A time passes in silence. JENNY (whispering) Tommy, I'm sorry. TOMMY (irritated) You know full well what they did to studs with magic potential. I can barely remember a damn thing from those years. JENNY What *do* you remember? Tommy furrows his brow and purses his lips. TOMMY Just images ... distorted faces ... broken bits of conversation. That's about it. JENNY What about your sessions? TOMMY Nothing. They gave me double doses during those, just to make sure I'd perform. Something about anxiety, or at least that's what they said. JENNY You need to tell Mother what you did. TOMMY Will it do any good? (beat) By the way, your first speech is up. Jenny almost speaks, but stops. Shaking her head, she exits the restroom. Tommy clenches his teeth. He hits the mirror, shattering it and cutting his paw. Tommy looks down at his paw and sighs. He starts picking bits of glass from it. TOMMY This can't possibly get worse. SCENE 22 - RECEPTION HALL, PRIVATE ROYAL RESIDENCE, ALDEBARAN Queen Katrina stands by the wall close to the men's restroom with her arms crossed. She stares into the crowd angrily. The stateswomen hobble and shuffle about, clearly having a little difficulty walking. Some lie passed out on furniture. The servers in hats still pass out drinks but haven't drunk anything themselves. Jenny exits the bathroom and sees the behavior of the stateswomen. She approaches Queen Katrina. JENNY Mother? QUEEN (whispering) Be quiet. None of them have had more than two drinks. JENNY (whispering) They were drugged. QUEEN (whispering) I figured as much, but by the time I noticed anything was wrong, it was too late to warn them, though I did warn Bucky. Thomas knows what's happening. JENNY (whispering) So does Artemisia. Those women are Assassination Sisters. They're using the hats to hide their gems. This whole conference was a setup. Tommy's trying to capture one alive. QUEEN (closing her eyes, whispering) I should have known he would be so irresponsible. JENNY (whispering) Do we make the first move or wait for them? QUEEN (whispering) We no longer have a choice. Now that we are both together and sober, they know we are aware that something is wrong. JENNY (whispering) What are they waiting for? QUEEN (whispering) I do not know. But it would be best to act as if you know nothing. Jenny nods, then approaches the stage, steps up, and takes the podium. She sees the stateswomen intoxicated, then clenches her fists and breaths deep. She removes a datapad from a pocket and reads. JENNY (nervous) Even to someone like me, a Princess of Aldebaran, the sight of all of you before me is humbling, and not only because I once believed myself to be a commoner. Tommy exits the men's restroom holding paper towels around his paw. He looks around at the intoxicated stateswomen and huffs. Jenny briefly glares at Tommy, who glares back, and then continues her speech. JENNY (nervous) It is humbling because each of you achieved, with only cursory effort, what took me years of conflict. That is change. Many say that as one grows old, one grows inflexible. That when the world changes, they are left behind and have outlived their usefulness. But I am proof that people really can change for the better, and so are each of you. As Jenny continues her speech, she observes activity in the reception hall. Two servers in hats stand behind Tommy and pretend to watch the speech. Tommy briefly looks back at each of them and grits his teeth as he turns away. Willy sits on a chair next to a steel gray CHARTREUX stateswoman. CHARTREUX What you described is rare but not unheard of. There have been many recorded cases of psychic trauma sealing an Artificer's powers. WILLY (nodding) Did they ever get their powers back? The Chartreux looks up briefly as if pondering and then sighs as she looks back toward Willy. CHARTREUX Each case had a different ultimate result. Sometimes, the debilitated artificer would slowly regain her powers on her own. Sometimes, she would grow sick and die. Willy squints and shuffles his shoulders nervously. CHARTREUX But that only happened once. Sometimes, the artificer would be left debilitated for life. But what usually happened was that she was forced to undertake a second soul quest to reclaim her lost powers. WILLY Well, I never went on my first soul quest. In fact, I got my powers pretty much by accident. Elsewhere, Bucky stands a distance from the buffet with his ears flat against his head. An intoxicated BALINESE stateswoman leans against him. She giggles as she talks. BALINESE (slurring) Hey, bunny boy. Why don't you show me some of that famous bunny agility? The Balinese reaches into Bucky's collar. BUCKY Get off me! Bucky pulls away from the Balinese, who falls to the floor. He turns and sighs, leaning against a column. A SIAMESE stateswoman grabs Bucky's tail as she walks by. Bucky jumps and turns around in time to see the Siamese receiving a drink from a guest in a hat and downing it. BUCKY (whispering) What the hell is wrong with these people?! JENNY (continuing, nervous) And I am only a representative of this change. I have no real ... uh... Jenny fumbles for words as she sees what happened to Bucky. She continues her speech as events unfold farther. Queen Katrina looks at Artemisia, who looks back and motions her head toward the men's restroom. Queen Katrina walks toward the men's restroom, and Artemisia follows. SCENE 23 - MEN'S RESTROOM, PRIVATE ROYAL RESIDENCE, ALDEBARAN Queen Katrina and Artemisia enter the men's restroom. Artemisia bows to her ruler. ARTEMISIA (stoic) Your Majesty. As Artemisia bows, Queen Katrina removes her hat, revealing her iron circlet crown adorned with three blood-red gems. Artemisia stands up with an expression of surprise. ARTEMISIA (stoic) Your Majesty? QUEEN I know what Thomas is planning, and I know the Silvered Sisters are here, acting as servers. ARTEMISIA (stoic) Your Majesty, His Highness is only trying to ... QUEEN (interrupting) Thomas is naïve to think they'll use their usual tactics. They are no longer restrained by the orders of the crown. This means they are capable of anything, no matter how grotesque. So please do not tell me Thomas believes that you and he alone can capture one. ARTEMISIA (stoic) No, Your Majesty. Artemisia unbuttons and opens her jacket. Queen Katrina's leather crown and pendant, complete with spell gems, are strapped to the inside of Artemisia's jacket. ARTEMISIA (stoic) But the three of us. SCENE 24 - RECEPTION HALL, PRIVATE ROYAL RESIDENCE, ALDEBARAN Jenny continues to stand at the podium and speak, though few stateswomen pay attention at this point. JENNY (nervous) But of all the things I wish I could do, my power as royalty is muted due to sacrifices I was forced to make. I know you all tire of hearing this, but it must be repeated. You are the future of Aldebaran. VOICE (shouting) And that's why you all have to die! The guests in hats suddenly drop their platters and remove their hats, revealing each one to be wearing headdresses with black gems. An Assassination Sister with blackish green gems stares at a stateswoman. Her gems glow, and the stateswoman's eyes roll back in her head as she falls, unconscious. The Assassination Sister lifts her by the hair, removes a tactical knife from her suit, and holds it to the stateswoman's neck. A second Assassination Sister with blackish blue gems grabs a stateswoman by the throat. Her gems glow, and the stateswoman cries in pain as the veins in her forehead bulge and her eyes turn bloodshot. An Assassination Sister with blackish red gems grabs Willy by the hair. Her gems glow, and her right claws extend ten inches and glow red. She holds the claws against Willy's neck. Tommy turns around to see five additional Assassination Sisters staring at him. Three Assassination Sisters rush the stage and surround Jenny. Before Bucky can react, an Assassination Sister with blackish blue gems strides up to him, her gems glowing. Bucky falls to the floor, clutching his head, and shouts in pain while the veins in his forehead bulge and his eyes turn bloodshot. The Assassination Sister picks up Bucky by the ears. Stateswomen crawl around the floor, trying to get to the door, only to find more Assassination Sisters blocking their path. A striped BENGAL Assassination Sister in a black overcoat steps into the center of the room. Her gems seem filthy dark brown, but their edges reveal themselves as yellow when they catch the light. Another Assassination Sister turns the spherical recording device toward her. BENGAL Welcome, one and all, all of you grotesque, asinine, brainless heretics. I welcome you all to a great change in Aldebaran history. That's what this is about, isn't it? (to Tommy) Won't the freak say something for this moment? Tommy, surrounded by Assassination Sisters, looks over the hostages and then at the Bengal. He removes his hat and pulls open his coat, revealing his gold headband and armor adorned with purple spell gems. The crowd murmurs. TOMMY (grinning) Yeah, I'll say something. I was ready for you. You walked right into a trap. There's no way any of you are escaping alive. The Bengal laughs. BENGAL Do you honestly believe we didn't know what you were planning from the start? We've barred all the exits! We don't intend to leave here alive. The Bengal removes a small canister and trigger from her overcoat. She holds them up in the air. BENGAL This capsule contains enough anti-matter to create an eighty-ton explosion. After I tell the sad story of this world's fall from grace, we're all going to die! (to Tommy) Just like that worthless bastard of a male you called a friend. Incensed, Tommy lunges at the Bengal, only to be restrained by five Assassination Sisters. Tommy's gems begin to glow. BENGAL You try anything, and I'm pressing the button! I want to give a speech of my own -- a speech to the whole world. Tommy hisses. His gems fade. SCENE 25 - MEN'S RESTROOM, PRIVATE ROYAL RESIDENCE, ALDEBARAN Queen Katrina, now wearing her gems, and Artemisia stand next to the bathroom door, listening. QUEEN (whispering) My stars. ARTEMISIA (stoic) They were waiting until the two main speakers had concluded. QUEEN They will not detonate the bomb until after their speech. Queen Katrina looks toward a stained-glass window. QUEEN I have an idea. SCENE 26 - RECEPTION HALL, PRIVATE ROYAL RESIDENCE, ALDEBARAN The Bengal Assassination Sister speaks to the spherical recording device. BENGAL I speak now to those who hold to the faith of Aldebaran. This is not the faith in Grandfather Quark, not the faith in the Royal Family, and certainly not the faith in the Aldebaran Church! I speak to those who hold to the faith of the indomitable Aldebaran spirit, a force greater than all the others spoke of here. To you, I say ... The sound of glass breaking is heard. The Bengal looks up. BENGAL What the frell was that? The emergency sprinklers activate, showering the Reception Hall and shorting out the spherical recording device, which falls to the floor, sparking. BENGAL (shouting) No! The Assassination Sisters either look up at or try to shield their faces from the water. Tommy's spell gems glow. His body separates into a series of intangible, translucent images. He arms pass through the Assassination Sisters restraining him, and he charges forward. Three Assassination Sisters holding hostages step in front of Tommy, but his body passes through them. Screams sound through the crowd. JENNY (shouting) Stop! They're dead! Tommy stops, solidifies, and looks up at Jenny. He looks back at the Assassination Sisters he passed through. Each holds the dead body of a stateswomen: one stabbed through the chest with glowing claws, one with a slashed throat, and one bleeding profusely from all her facial orifices. The emergency sprinklers deactivate. BENGAL (shouting) Bring me another camera, or more of them die! Starting with the Outsiders! Tommy looks at Willy. The Assassination Sister holding him presses her claws harder against his neck. Tommy then looks at Bucky. He's barely conscious and bleeds from his eyes, ears, and nose. Tommy hears a voice in his mind. QUEEN (into Tommy's mind) Tommy looks around. Most of the stateswomen are already unconscious. Those that aren't are on the brink of death as hostages of the Assassination Sisters. Tommy looks down and squeezes his eyes shut. He clenches his fists and grits his teeth. QUEEN (into Tommy's mind) TOMMY (into Queen Katrina's mind) QUEEN (into Tommy's mind) Tommy weeps silently. QUEEN (into Tommy's mind) Tommy relaxes. He opens his eyes and lifts his head. BENGAL Well? TOMMY Take me instead. BENGAL (confused) What? TOMMY You can make your speech wherever you want, but if you spare the others, you can take me and my gems as trophies. The crowd murmurs again. The Bengal smiles at Tommy. She replaces the canister and trigger in her overcoat. BENGAL That would be even better. The Bengal motions toward Tommy. An Assassination Sister with blackish red gems and long, glowing red claws approaches Tommy. She pushes Tommy down on his knees, then cuts off his coat, the latches of his armor and gold headband, and his shirt and pants, leaving him in only his boots and underwear. She stomps on Tommy repeatedly until he curls into the fetal position, growling in pain. Murmurs and gasps sound through the crowd. The Assassination Sister picks up Tommy by the hair and holds her claws to his neck. She leads him staggering toward the entrance alongside the Bengal. Another carries his armor and gold headband. TOMMY (crying) What about the others? BENGAL All in good time. As the three Assassination Sisters and Tommy approach the entrance, its doors fly off their hinges, striking the Assassination Sisters holding Tommy and his gems. Tommy falls to the ground. Screams sound through the crowd. Queen Katrina and Artemisia stand at the doorway. The Bengal removes the trigger from her overcoat. Queen Katrina looks at the Bengal. Her gems glow, and the Bengal is thrown across the reception hall into the base of the stage. She slumps over, unconscious. Blinding light cascades from Queen Katrina's gems, causing all the Assassination Sisters to release their hostages and shield their eyes. Artemisia charges through the light into the reception hall. Her muscles are larger and more defined than they were moments earlier. She leaps onto an Assassination Sister and claws her at eyes. She then leaps off and runs toward Bucky, who is now on his knees and rubbing his head in pain. Artemisia holds Bucky by the shoulder. She removes a tactical knife from her jacket and puts it in Bucky's paw. ARTEMISIA (stoic) It is now time for your heroics. BUCKY But ... ARTEMISIA (interrupting) Now! Artemisia stares deeply at Bucky, and her spell gems glow brighter. Bucky spasms and growls in pain, then feels suddenly relieved as all his pain subsides. The light cascading from Queen Katrina's spell gems dims. She falls, leaning against the doorway and gasping for breath. The Assassination Sisters begin to regain their composure. As they do, Bucky charges at them with unnatural speed. He stabs one in the chest. Noticing, the Assassination Sisters on stage abandon Jenny and run to confront Bucky. The Assassination Sister holding Willy is distracted. Willy reaches into his back pocket for his neural dampener and shoves it on her head. Her glowing claws vanish. Willy jumps on top of the Assassination Sister, forcing her to the ground, and punches her in the face, more out of panic than anything else, as she claws at his arms. The surprised Assassination Sister groans, dazed. The Bengal awakens. Groggy, she watches the fighting. She removes the trigger from her overcoat. Jenny sees this, jumps off the stage, grabs a platter from the buffet table, and smashes it over the Bengal's head. She jumps on top of the Bengal and tries to wrestle the trigger from her. Willy reaches back to punch the Assassination Sister again, but she convulses and foams at the mouth. Confused, he gets to his feet. He then notices Bucky across the room, staring down three Assassination Sisters with a knife. WILLY (shouting) Bucky! Put this on them! It'll stop their powers! Willy throws his neural dampener to Bucky. BUCKY Thanks! The remaining conscious stateswomen watch Bucky in awe. Two Assassination Sisters fire energy balls at Bucky, who jumps through the air, dodging both, and lands in front of one. He shoves the neural dampener against her head and stabs her in the chest. Too fast to see, he swipes the knife at another, cutting her eyes. An Assassination Sister with glowing red claws charges Bucky from behind. He turns just in time. He leans back and spins around, dodging two swipes, and sticks the knife in her stomach. Queen Katrina regains her composure and enters the room. Many Assassination Sisters spot her and charge. Queen Katrina raises one paw. Her gems glow, and the Assassination Sisters are thrown through the air against the far walls. An ASSASSINATION SISTER with blackish blue gems lifts Tommy by the hair. Her gems glow, and Tommy's veins bulge and his eyes bleed. Queen Katrina's eyes widen at the sight. ASSASSINATION SISTER Back off, or he's dead! Queen Katrina's spell gems dim. She steps aside. Bucky suddenly leaps through the air at the Assassination Sister, who turns just in time to see Bucky fall on top of her and plunge his knife in the back of her neck. Meanwhile, Jenny still wrestles the Bengal for control of the trigger. The Bengal's gems glow. Electricity arcs from her hands into Jenny's face, throwing her back. Jenny shrieks in pain while covering her eyes. The Bengal stands up and holds out the trigger. WILLY (shouting) Bucky! Behind you! Bucky turns around to see the Bengal with the trigger. Artemisia, away from the action, stares at Bucky. Her gems glow brighter. Concentrating, Bucky throws the knife at the Bengal, impaling her paw and causing her to drop the trigger and scream in pain. Bucky runs and leaps at the Bengal. He comes down with a drop kick to her face. She falls over, her mouth and nostrils bleeding. Bucky grabs the trigger and throws it to Willy. Bucky lifts the Bengal by her collar. BUCKY (shouting) Who sent you?! The Bengal smiles. Her eyes roll back into her head, and she convulses. Seconds later, she collapses into Bucky's arms, dead. BUCKY (confused) What the frell? Artemisia's gems dim. Bucky's surge of adrenaline and boost of magic fade. He grits his teeth and falls to the floor, exhausted, covered in Aldebaran blood, and groaning in dull pain. Queen Katrina approaches Bucky and the Bengal. She kneels and squeezes the Bengal's muzzle. A blue foam seeps from the dead cat's mouth and nostrils. QUEEN A poison capsule surgically implanted in the tongue. She bit her tongue and broke it open. Willy looks around at the remaining Assassination Sisters, seeing many dead with blue foam around their muzzles. WILLY So did the rest of them. BUCKY (groaning) I feel like ... I've been crushed in a vice ... Queen Katrina looks toward Artemisia, who nods her head. QUEEN That may not be far from what really happened to you. You will need a Healing Sister. BUCKY (gasping for breath) Whatever you did to me ... never do it again ... Queen Katrina looks around the room. Willy rubs his bleeding arms. Jenny is curled into to the fetal position, shivering and covering her eyes. Tommy still lies on the ground, groaning in pain. QUEEN It seems many of us need Healing Sisters. Queen Katrina looks to Bucky and lowers a paw to him. QUEEN Let me help you stand. Wincing in pain, Bucky takes Queen Katrina's arm and stands. Bucky supports himself on Queen Katrina's shoulder. The remaining conscious stateswomen slowly stand up and applaud Bucky. SCENE 27 - FELICIA'S CHAPEL, PALACE, ALDEBARAN Felicia still sits cross-legged on a large pillow with her arms outstretched to the statue of Tae'Gwitz. She whispers prayers to herself in the ancient Aldebaran language. A white female JAVANESE in a purple business dress enters the chapel and approaches Felicia. FELICIA (angry) I already told you! Felicia turns toward the intruder with claws and fangs bared, but just as quickly, her demeanor turns to fright. The Javanese wears a simple iron headband adorned with three inky blackish green spell gems. Felicia stumbles back. FELICIA (afraid) You?! You can't be here! I'll call the guards! JAVANESE There's no need. I only wish to talk. After that, I will leave, and I will harm no one. FELICIA (irritated) Make it a quick talk. The Javanese looks at the statue of Tae'Gwitz. JAVANESE Do you honestly believe that you can find your answers in a piece of stone? Especially in a piece of stone carved in the likeness of a heathen god who betrays his people? FELICIA (weakly) It's the best chance I have. JAVANESE I beg to differ. Grandfather Quark is not your only answer. There is another that can give answers, a god who serves her people, who cares for her people, and who doesn't turn her back on their most sacred tenants. Felicia furrows her brow and glares at the Javanese. FELICIA (weakly) Who are you? The Javanese removes a pendant of a stylized sword-shaped emblem from her dress. Felicia's eyes widen, and she stumbles back more. FELICIA (afraid) No! Never! Get out of here! Get out, now! The Javanese removes her pendant and tosses it into Felicia's lap. JAVANESE It's just something to think about. The Javanese exits the chapel. Felicia looks down at the pendant, then up at the statue of Tae'Gwitz. FELICIA (weakly) You ... (softly) You're right. I won't find answers in a statue. But I know where I will find them. SCENE 28 - DINING ROOM, PALACE, ALDEBARAN Bucky, Jenny, Willy, and Tommy once again sit around the rectangular dining table with Queen Katrina at its end. Each person once again has a platter of food in front him or her, but once again, none wants to eat. And once again, Tommy leans back in his chair with one boot on the table and flips a gold coin incessantly. QUEEN (angry) I never imagined that you could be capable of such extremes of willful carelessness and irresponsibility. Tommy snorts. QUEEN (angry) You have not only gloriously failed at your endeavor of capturing an Assassination Sister, and not only do we know nothing more than we did when this whole fiasco began, but you have endangered the sanctity of the Aldebaran crown, its alliance with the United Animals Coalition, and the lives of our honored foreign dignitaries. And you are indirectly responsible for the deaths of three of our stateswomen! And I refuse to believe you were simply ignorant of the consequences of your plans. Tommy snorts again. QUEEN (angry) Because of your willfully reckless actions, I shall administer the following disciplinary actions against you. Your powers of royalty and your right to the King's Gems will be suspended until such time as I believe you can use them responsibly. You will publicly apologize to the Aldebaran people for your misdeeds, and again as you attend the funerals of the stateswomen who died at the conference. You will also stand before a tribunal who will decide on further disciplinary action. TOMMY Bite me. Queen Katrina's eyes go wide for a moment. QUEEN (irritated) Indeed. BUCKY (irritated) I also suggest you send him to a shrink. QUEEN Believe you me, I will heavily consider it. TOMMY (irritated) Whatever. I'm outta here. QUEEN Where are you going? TOMMY (irritated) I don't know, and I doubt I care. Tommy pockets his coin and stands up. He exits the dining room. Queen Katrina falls back in her chair and sighs, briefly rubbing her eyes. QUEEN (beat) As much as I wish to, I cannot offer an apology, as I know nothing I say could possibly compensate for what befell you. Is there anything I can do for you? BUCKY (irritated) Yeah, you can get us a transport off this rock. JENNY (beat) To be honest ... that's all I really want as well. WILLY (whispering) Yeah, me too. QUENN Your transport will be ready first thing tomorrow morning. In the meantime, Captain O'Hare, the stateswomen at the conference were greatly impressed by your behavior. Many of them are asking to meet you privately. Jenny eyes Bucky. BUCKY Oh, no. Privately, publicly, I don't ever want to meet another Aldebaran again. QUEEN I certainly can't blame you for that. A female gray tabby SERVANT enters the dining room, gaining the attention of Bucky, Willy, Jenny, and Queen Katrina. The servant bows. SERVANT Your Majesty, something unexpected has happened. QUEEN Yes? SERVANT Princess Felicia has taken a royal yacht and fled the planet. Queen Katrina stands up. QUEEN What? Where is she going? SERVANT Her course leads into the Dark Heart Nebula. Jenny stands up. JENNY (shocked) The Dark Heart Nebula? SERVANT What should I do? Queen Katrina stares into space for a time and then looks back at the servant. QUEEN I believe I know what she is doing. You will leave her be. SERVANT Yes, Your Majesty. The servant bows and exits the dining room. SCENE 29 - DARK HEART NEBULA A chrome-covered, arrowhead-shaped yacht is parked inside the bronze-colored nebula, over the mass of flesh and bone, the sleeping Tae'Gwitz. Inside the bridge of the yacht, the lights are dimmed. Felicia, wearing her spell gems and artificer regalia, sits cross-legged on a large pillow with arms outstretched to the being. Her gems glow softly, and she whispers prayers to herself. After a time, Felicia briefly stutters. She begins to cry. FELICIA (whispering) Grandfather Quark. Please answer me. Why won't you answer me? THE END