"Lost Generations" by DJ Clawson and Claudia Carranza First draft 5/4/98 Edited by Rygar 1/6/04 SCENE 1 - DOCKING BAY, SPACE STATION IN ORBIT OF GENUS The Righteous Indignation is docked. GUNNER DEADEYE DUCK is in the main bay, cleaning his gunner windows. BRUISER enters from the main hatch and notices the hatch to engineering is closed. Trying it, he finds it locked. BRUISER Hey, what's dis? DEADEYE (continuing to clean) Sorry, Cap'n's orders. Willy's workin' on the new accelerator, and it's top secret. BRUISER But my bananas are back there! DEADEYE Can't ye think about anythin' other than bananas for a little while? BRUISER Um ... no. Deadeye rolls his eye. DEADEYE Listen, matey, if ye ... Deadeye is interrupted as CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE bursts in through the main hatch, followed by FIRST MATE JENNY. Bucky has a serious and harried look on his face. DEADEYE What's up, Cap'n? BUCKY Toads. In Sector Two. A fleet possibly headed for Genus. They must have heard the defense shield is down for maintenance. We have to stop them. (looks around) How fast can we be ready ... (notices engineering hatch) Oh, right, the accelerator tests. JENNY The Security Council could send Dogstar instead. BUCKY No, he's on a tour of Sector Eight. He wouldn't get here in time. (to everyone) Prepare to leave immediately. Bucky walks over to the hatch and types something into the keypad beside it. He tries the hatch's handle, and it swings open. ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT and AFC BLINKY are inside. The mark-4 photon accelerator has been unplugged and set aside, and a shiny, large mark-5 accelerator is plugged in its place. Most of its siding is open, leaving its electronic insides and wiring exposed. Blinky's stomach panel is open, and he is hooked to the accelerator. Willy is sitting on a stool, hunched over the accelerator, speaking into a microtape recorder and hard at work on the wiring. He does not notice Bucky's entrance. WILLY (into tape recorder) Beginning energy relay panel six safety check. Willy is about to activate something when Bucky interrupts him. BUCKY Can you put a hold on it, Willy? Willy turns around, stopping the recording. WILLY (salutes) Oh, hi, Captain. What is it? BUCKY Toads. They're headed for Genus. (looks at mess) How fast can we be ready to leave? WILLY (thinking it through) Well, we'd have to relay the power back into the mark-4 and re-plug it ... that would take an hour or so ... BUCKY (shaking head) We don't have time for that. What about just winging it? WILLY What? Going into battle with no accelerator? We won't be able to make any warp drives. BUCKY We do have the mark-5. WILLY Captain, this thing is nowhere *near* ready ... Bucky waves it off as he goes to leave. BUCKY I don't have time for that now. Just get things together enough for the Righteous to engage a fleet of toad double bubbles in a few minutes, OK? WILLY (reluctantly) Aye-aye, Captain. SCENE 2 - COCKPIT, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Jenny is already in her pilot's seat when Bucky climbs up into the piloting bay and into his chair. BUCKY Are we ready to go? JENNY Just about. Is the accelerator ready? BUCKY It's as ready as it'll ever be. Jenny pilots the Righteous, which pulls out of the dock and flies out, heading for Sector Two. Upon arriving, the crew finds it swarming with toad double bubbles. The toads, spotting them, immediately turn and fire on the Righteous. BUCKY (holding onto his seat as the ship shakes) Launch counterattack! DEADEYE (over intercom) Already a step ahead of ye, Cap'n! Deadeye begins to fire on the toads. He manages to take out a few of them, but not enough to keep them all at a safe distance from the ship. BUCKY We can't stay here. We'll be blown to bits. (to Jenny) We've got to drive them away from Genus. How fast can the Righteous go without the accelerator? JENNY Let's hope it's fast enough. Jenny cranks up the controls, and the Righteous flies through Sector Two, with the toads in pursuit. JENNY We've got them far enough from Genus, Bucky, but they're gaining on us. BUCKY I can see that. (looking at his controls) How much longer will the shields last? JENNY Maybe another few minutes. Bucky gives an aggravated sigh and activates the intercom. BUCKY Willy? WILLY (over comm) Yeah? BUCKY We need that accelerator. WILLY I'm telling you, Captain, it's not ... BUCKY Listen, it's either that or the slave mines for all of us. I don't care what sector that thing warps us into -- just get it going! WILLY I'll do my best, Captain. A few tense moments pass. Finally, Willy speaks. WILLY (nervous) Any time you're ready. BUCKY On my count. Bucky looks out at the toads gaining. BUCKY One. In engineering, Willy gives Blinky a worried look and puts his hand on the accelerator switch. BUCKY Two. (beat) Three -- *go*! WILLY I hope this works. Willy cranks the switch, activating the accelerator. The ship speeds up, disappearing into oblivion. The toads are left to scratch their heads. The ship creaks under the strain of warp speed. Time seems to slow as the stars outside the ship become distorted lines, like the ship is passing through a tunnel very quickly. Then there is a white flash, and everything goes silent as the crew is knocked out by the shock. SCENE 3 - UNKNOWN SECTOR All is quiet aboard the Righteous and in the surrounding area as it comes to a halt. Bucky groans as he regains consciousness, picking his head off the control panel. After regaining his senses, he nudges Jenny awake and activates the intercom. BUCKY Is everyone OK down there? There are some shaky responses, but enough to satisfy him. Bucky turns to Jenny, who has recovered and is working furiously at the controls. BUCKY Damage assessment? JENNY That warp knocked out a lot of our systems. Navigation and communications are both down. BUCKY So we have no way of finding out where we are or telling anyone we're here. (looks out at empty sky) At least we escaped the toads. JENNY If they had the capability to follow us, I think they would have done it already. (sitting back) We're all alone, Bucky. BUCKY Well ... bring up the star maps and try to figure out where we are -- manually, if you have to. I'm going down to check on the rest of the crew. JENNY Aye-aye, Captain. Bucky climbs out of his seat and goes down into the main bay, where the crew is also recovering. DEADEYE Cap'n, me guns have gone dead! BUCKY The warp must have knocked them out. (beat) Fortunately for us, I don't think we'll be engaged in a situation where you'd have to use them anytime soon, Deadeye. BRUISER (worried) Where are we, Cap'n? BUCKY I'm not sure. Navigations is down. Jenny's working on it. (reassuringly) The important thing is that we got away from the toads. DEADEYE Yeah, but how far did we get? (to Bruiser) I hate to say this, matey, but I hope we don't run into Bruce! (beat) Ach, I said it again ... Bucky sighs and heads for engineering, which is a smoking mess. Willy is still working on the accelerator, and Blinky is putting out the remains of a fire in the engine controls. BUCKY Status report? BLINKY Righteous Indignation running at 40% operational. Recommend landing for repairs. Bucky turns to Willy. WILLY The accelerator could use a break, too. BUCKY Any idea what it did to the ship? WILLY I don't know. There's no way to tell how far it took us. (worried) I can't even get my door activated. BUCKY (reassuringly) Don't worry. Jenny will find us somewhere to land, and we'll figure it all out then. Don't unplug the mark-5 yet -- we may need it to get home. WILLY Aye-aye, Captain. JENNY (over comm) Captain? I think I've found a planet for us to land on. BUCKY Which one? JENNY I'm not sure, but there's some kind of base on it. All communications will do is classify some of its communication signals as mammalian. We should be safe landing there. BUCKY All right. Take her down. JENNY Aye-aye, Captain. SCENE 4 - UNKNOWN PLANET The Righteous Indignation lands about one hundred yards from the base. The planet is swampy, and weeds have grown over the base, despite the fact lights and sounds indicate it to be operational. Onboard the Righteous, the crew regroups in the main bay. BUCKY Deadeye and I will go tell whoever's home that we're here and we need assistance. JENNY Bucky, the scanners indicate a high methane level in the atmosphere. BUCKY (confused) What? Why would mammals have a base on an uninhabitable planet? DEADEYE Maybe we should ask 'em when we get inside. (pats his blasters affectionately) But I'm takin' me masers wit' me, thank ye very much. BUCKY A little caution never hurt anyone. (to others) Jenny's in charge while I'm gone. Try to get as many systems back online as possible. JENNY Good luck. SCENE 5 - UNKNOWN PLANET Bucky and Deadeye climb out of the Righteous, oxygen masks on, cautiously advancing through the mucky ground in the direction of the base. DEADEYE (slashing at a vine) I'm tellin' ye, Cap'n, I don't like the looks o' this place. BUCKY (looks around) Neither do I. But we need to get some assistance, and this is base is our only option. C'mon ... Suddenly, a large figure appears from one of the paths leading to the base. Both of them are taken back as it comes into the light as a large ROBOT, bearing a strange resemblance to Blinky except much larger and with wheels instead of feet. ROBOT Halt and identify yourselves. BUCKY (assertively) I'm Captain Bucky O'Hare of The Righteous Indignation, and this is my gunner, Deadeye Duck. We landed because ... ROBOT That does not compute. BUCKY You don't know who I am? ROBOT There is no listing for a Captain Bucky O'Hare in my databanks. BUCKY I'm registered with the United Animals Coalition ... ROBOT (interrupting) There is a listing for an Admiral Bucky O'Hare. Do you identify yourself as Admiral Bucky O'Hare? BUCKY (confused) Only if you want to give me a hell of a promotion. ROBOT Do you acknowledge yourself to be a citizen of the United Animals Coalition? BUCKY Yes, of course. The robot's arms raise, and maser cannons appear out their sides. ROBOT You are an enemy. Drop your weapons and surrender immediately. Bucky shoots a look at Deadeye. DEADEYE (drawing his blasters) I knew this planet was gonna be trouble, Cap'n. Before either of them can react, a maser shot from another angle knocks Deadeye's weapons out of his paws. A VOICE sounds from the bushes. VOICE The robot said to drop your weapons! Now do it! We have you surrounded. Deadeye looks at his captain, who is already putting his blaster down on the ground where the robot can see it. VOICE Now put your paws up! Bucky does so and silently urges Deadeye to follow in suit. The figure who spoke comes out from behind the bushes, revealing himself to be a gray wolf carrying a large blaster. Bucky and Deadeye wait as patiently as possible as several other mammals of various species emerge from the surrounding swampy scenery, also carrying various weaponry. Their clothes are tattered, and they are all wearing green armbands. The wolf approaches them. WOLF Who did you say you were again? BUCKY My name is Captain Bucky O'Hare ... The wolf shines a bright light from his blaster that penetrates the dark swamp and shines in both Bucky and Deadeye's eyes, obscuring their own vision but allowing the others to get a good look at their suspects. WOLF So you really *are* the Admiral. (chuckles) What did you come to do, get yourself killed? BUCKY (calmly) Listen, I think there's been a misunderstanding here ... WOLF Oh sure, save it for Shantee. If she even wants to talk to you. (produces a pad) She should probably do the smart thing and blow your head off as soon as she sees you. It'll save me a lot of trouble. But she isn't that smart. (holds it out) Put your paw on the pad, please. Bucky hesitates for a second, then cautiously removes his glove and places his green-furred paw on the pad. It makes a small whirring noise as it reads his pawprint, then the wolf pulls it back and reads from it. WOLF Did you really think I wasn't going to recognize you, Admiral? The wolf holds up the pad for Bucky to see. It has a picture of Bucky, but much older and wearing a different uniform. His sideburns have already begun to gray. The identification reads, "O'Hare, Bucky," and under the rank, it reads "Admiral." A shocked look passes between Bucky and Deadeye. BUCKY This isn't me. I'm not an admiral; I'm a captain, and that's not my picture. WOLF Tell that to the scanner ... The wolf is interrupted as another figure, previously in the dark, steps closer. His features are still obscured by the darkness, but it is somewhat clear that he is a DUCK. DUCK Shut up, Grimm. I think he might be telling the truth. (walks up to Bucky for a closer look) This definitely isn't the Admiral. (looks at Deadeye) And this isn't even the Deadeye that would be with him. BUCKY What? GRIMM (ignoring him) Listen, buddy, pawprints don't lie ... DUCK I'm just saying that maybe this should go to Shantee *before* we below their heads off. Grimm considers and then cocks his gun in the direction of the base. GRIMM Let's go. And keep those paws up. Deadeye looks to his captain for guidance, but Bucky just shrugs. BUCKY Just go along with it, Deadeye. We'll sort it out later. They follow, being prodded along by the large robot and the other mammals. SCENE 6 - MAMMAL BASE Bucky and Deadeye are led through the base. It's dirty, falling apart, and filled with unfamiliar technology. As they pass through certain areas, Bucky begins to realize that, given the structure of the base, it was probably a large ship that landed on the planet a while ago and has been used as a makeshift base ever since. Bucky finally gets the nerve to join up with Grimm. BUCKY Who are we going to see? GRIMM Don't play dumb with me. We're going to see who you probably want to talk to. BUCKY Who? Grimm looks at him as if he's serious and reads his facial expression. GRIMM Shantee. BUCKY Who? GRIMM Listen, you got one bad case of amnesia, Bucky whoever-you-think-you- are. Shantee O'Hare. Your daughter. BUCKY (stops walking) That's impossible. I don't have a daughter. GRIMM Tell that to her. Grimm opens the door, nudging them inside a large room that looks like it might have been the bridge to the ship back when it was still used as one. A figure in the shape of a HARE is on the above deck, looking out the windows to the swamps outside. HARE What is it, Grimm? GRIMM I think it's your dad. The figure emerges into the light, stepping down the small stairway onto the lower deck. The hare is light green with many patches of white. She wears the same clothes and armband as the other mammals. On her forehead is a headpiece with an Aldebaran jewel in the center of it. She has a voice that sounds kind of like Bucky's, only less assertive and more high-pitched. HARE (raises an eyebrow and shrugs a shoulder with a sneer) You think? GRIMM He says he isn't Bucky O'Hare, Shantee. BUCKY I didn't say that. I just said I'm *Captain* Bucky O'Hare, and I'm not an admiral, and I don't have a daughter ... SHANTEE (laughs) My father hasn't been a captain in seventeen years, at least. When I was born, he was a commander. BUCKY Then you have the wrong Bucky. SHANTEE How many Bucky O'Hares could there be? BUCKY I can't tell you that. All I can tell you is that I pose no threat ... SHANTEE If you're a citizen of the UAC, you pose plenty of threat. Especially landing your warship so close to our base ... BUCKY The Righteous Indignation needed to land for repairs ... SHANTEE (stops) Did you say The Righteous Indignation? BUCKY (a little annoyed) Yes, I did. Back when I was repeating my name several times. SHANTEE (pacing) The Righteous Indignation hasn't flown in years. I didn't even know it was still operational. BUCKY (confused) Of course it's operational. We just left dry dock at Genus maybe an hour ago. SHANTEE Genus? Then how did you get here? BUCKY We were testing the mark-5 photon accelerator ... SHANTEE Testing? Why were you testing a mark-5? Bucky gives her a queer look. Shantee walks over and points to an old machine on the shelf, covered in dust and cobwebs. SHANTEE That's a mark-6 photon accelerator. It would be fully operational if this ship was and I had an engineer. It's standard issue. BUCKY (shaking head) What? Mark-4 is the latest standard issue out of Genus, at least for S.P.A.C.E. frigates. SHANTEE Really? Shantee pauses and thinks for a second, then walks over to Deadeye and offers her paws. SHANTEE Shake? Deadeye gives her a weird look but shakes with two of his paws. SHANTEE They're real. (looks down) All of your arms. They're not robotic. They're real. DEADEYE Of course they are. I'm from Kanopis III, lassie. SHANTEE But ... (thinks, pacing, turning back to Bucky) You said you're Captain O'Hare of The Righteous Indignation? BUCKY How many times do I have to repeat that? SHANTEE (rubs her chin, pacing more) And you're how old? BUCKY Twenty-four. SHANTEE (figuring in her head) That would place your year around ... 3225. BUCKY (confused) *My* year? SHANTEE The year that my father was twenty-four was 3225. BUCKY Was? It's still ... SHANTEE It's 3245, Dad. BUCKY (really confused) But ... how? (thinks) Oh, shit. The mark-5 accelerator ... DEADEYE Maybe we warped a little too far, Cap'n. SHANTEE (to Grimm) Grimm, you're the closest thing we have to an engineer. Do you think it's possible that they could've opened a wormhole of some sort with the accelerator? Moving at mark-5? GRIMM (shrugs) If it wasn't working properly, maybe. The mark-6s tear the fabric of space-time all the time. BUCKY The mark-5 is still in development. Willy doesn't even know how it works yet. It was still in development when we were being chased by toads ... Shantee's face melts to a look of disgust. SHANTEE That's still all you can think about, isn't it? Chasing toads? Slaughtering toads? BUCKY My job happens to be protecting the free mammals of the aniverse from toad aggression. SHANTEE (frowns and crosses her arms) There's a line I've had shoved in my face *way* too often. GRIMM (interrupts) Shantee ... SHANTEE What? GRIMM Let's just get rid of 'em now and be done with it! Grimm fires up his blaster and aims it at Bucky and Deadeye. BUCKY Wait! If I really am her father ... (pointing to Shantee) ... then killing me would prevent her from ever being born. SHANTEE He has a point. Grimm growls but puts his blaster back across his shoulder. Bucky and Deadeye breathe a sigh of relief. GRIMM Can I at least kill the duck? SHANTEE Do you really want to take chances with destiny? Grimm stares hard at Shantee. The two of them are still trying to stare each other down when the duck from before speaks up from his console. DUCK Um ... sensors are picking up a ship requesting permission to land. GRIMM Mammalian? DUCK Yes. GRIMM Shoot it out of the sky as soon as it gets in range. The ship comes into view through the windows. SHANTEE Wait! (climbs up to the upper deck and looks at the readings) Let it land. GRIMM Are you crazy? SHANTEE Relax. I know whose ship that is. He's harmless. GRIMM Nothing UAC is harmless. SHANTEE (firmly) This is. Grimm decides not to fight this one out. He swallows and stays quiet as the ship lands. SHANTEE (to another mammal guard) Send out a party to check and make sure he's clean. Then bring him to me. The GUARD goes. Grimm, still nervous, points his blaster in Bucky and Deadeye's direction. GRIMM What are we going to do with them? They could ruin everything. SHANTEE I don't know yet. BUCKY If we could get the mark-5 working ... SHANTEE We don't have an engineer. BUCKY But if your technology is so advanced, then the mark-5 should be child's play to anyone with a mild technological background. (beat) Besides, I have other systems that need repair. SHANTEE Why should I help you? BUCKY (tries it) Because I'm your father, apparently. SHANTEE (sneers) If anything, that means I should disable your engines and leave your ship drifting in space. DEADEYE (to Bucky) Some kid you raised there, Cap'n. BUCKY Well, *I* didn't raise her ... yet, I guess. SHANTEE (walks back down to the lower deck) Same old dad. Bucky sighs and realizes he's not going to get anything anytime soon unless he plays with them. BUCKY Oh? And how else would you describe me? C'mon, I'm curious. SHANTEE A warmonger. A shortsighted, set-in-his-ways, close-minded, anti-toad masochist. BUCKY I take it our relationship is a little shaky. SHANTEE (snorts) You could say that. BUCKY (figuring it out) Which is why you ran off and joined some crazy anti-UAC rebel group? With that comment, Shantee growls and runs up to grab Bucky by his collar. Her gem glows furiously. Though she is too weak to pull her father up off his toes as she wishes to, the intent is still clear. SHANTEE (angrily) You've never understood anything I've ever stood for! You don't understand anything but your own ideals! (pulls out a blaster and points it at Bucky's face) I'd kill you if I weren't preventing my own birth. VOICE Put the g-ddamn gun down and be serious for a minute, Shantee. They all turn to see the new person enter the room. Led by the guards is a six-foot HUMAN in his mid-thirties. He has blond hair and a short blond beard. He is wearing a loose black jumpsuit. He remains relatively calm as the guards run a scanner over him to check for blasters. SHANTEE (putting down her blaster and stepping away from Bucky) DuWitt's clean, guys. DUWITT That's what I told them earlier. No one here will listen to me. (straightens his thick glasses) Now, what's all this about killing your father? Shantee has calmed considerably since the human's entrance. She slowly puts her blaster away but says nothing. DUWITT You wouldn't kill Bucky. Crazy as you might be, you would never kill either of your fathers -- the present one or this apparent incarnation. Bucky and Deadeye watch, trying to figure out if the human is really who they think it is, and let the conversation play out, glad that Shantee is apparently under control. SHANTEE (a little hesitantly) Oh, so I'm crazy now, am I? DUWITT Crazy to still be on this base, Shantee. You know you're going to get killed by Fritz's squads if you stay with these rebel idiots. SHANTEE (countering) My father sent you, didn't he? DUWITT I would've come anyway. SHANTEE Did he order you to bring me home? DUWITT No one orders me to do anything. (hesitates, then lets it out) Truthfully, he asked me, but I didn't promise him anything. I'd still like to take you home, though. SHANTEE (smartly) And why do you think I should go? DUWITT Because everyone who cares about you -- including your parents -- are worried that you're going to get your head blown off by one of Fritz's squads. They don't care whose daughter you are, Shantee. They're just going to come and do it, and that's going to be the end of you. And that would really be a shame. SHANTEE We've defended against the UAC's fighters before. We can do it again. DUWITT Yeah, that was back when they were still trying to get you guys to surrender. Now they just want you dead. Shantee swallows. The human is obviously telling the truth. GRIMM (speaking up) And how do they know where we are? How do we know you weren't sent to check out the place first and make sure we were here? DUWITT Because I wasn't. I just came to talk to Shantee. You'll just have to take my word for it. Grimm growls, but Shantee shushes him. SHANTEE I ... need to think. (to guard) Take them to the brig. GUARD (gestures in direction of Bucky and Deadeye) Them? SHANTEE And Willy. DUWITT You can't ignore me forever. SHANTEE (grinning) I can try. (to guard) Take them away. Now. BUCKY What about my ship? SHANTEE Is anyone in need of medical attention? BUCKY No. SHANTEE Then they're fine. Get out of here. The three of them are reluctantly led out. SCENE 7 - BRIG Bucky, Deadeye, and the older Willy are led into a small holding cell, and the door is locked behind him. DuWitt sits down, not hesitating to make himself as comfortable as possible, given their situation. DUWITT So ... how far in the past are you from? BUCKY How did you know we were from the past? DUWITT (grins) You always said I was a genius. BUCKY So you *are* Willy DuWitt. DUWITT Plus about fifteen or twenty years, yes. Who else would I be? BUCKY (sits across from him) Am I really an admiral now? DUWITT Do you really think they wouldn't promote a war hero eventually? Captain's not such a high rank. I'd be at least a commander by now if I wasn't a civilian. DEADEYE What'd I get? DUWITT Chief of the pirate clans. DEADEYE (nudges Bucky) Maybe we oughta stay here, Cap'n -- the future don't sound so bad. DUWITT (laughs) So how did you get here? Do you know? BUCKY There was some trouble with the mark-5 accelerator. DUWITT Ah! Yeah, I remember that. I had some trouble developing it. (takes glasses off and cleans them) I suppose if it wasn't working properly, it *could* tear the space-time continuum. I've seen accelerators do a lot of strange things. BUCKY Do you think you could repair it enough to get us home? DUWITT As long as I can figure out how your Willy had it set in the first place, sure. But first, I gotta give Shantee a good talking to and get her out of here. BUCKY What happened to Shantee? DUWITT What, do you mean what happened to screw her up so badly? Bucky is a little taken back. BUCKY No ... well, yes. DUWITT It's OK. She's not as screwed up as she seems. She's just a confused teenager, really, looking for something to believe in. BUCKY What does she have against fighting toads? DUWITT It's what *you* believe in, and she wants to be different from you. She's had to live up to your image her whole life. Everyone expects only the best out of the daughter of the famous Bucky O'Hare. (beat) It's like me having a kid. Wouldn't everyone expect him to be as smart as me? What if he wasn't so smart? Then it would look like he was just a lousy, stupid version of me. BUCKY You decided not to have children? DUWITT There are ... other reasons for not having a child, in my situation. Bucky stands and paces the cell. BUCKY I ... feel like this is my fault. DUWITT You haven't had her yet. BUCKY But I will ... and I'll mess up just like your present Bucky did. DUWITT You didn't really mess up. There was nothing you could do about being who you are and being famous for having done what you did. Personally, I think you did your best to shield her from all of that attention over being your daughter. You didn't make her go to a military academy, even though you badly wanted her to, and I guess you get credit for not naming her "Bucky Jr." or something. BUCKY Then what went wrong? Willy shrugs. Bucky paces a minute, thinking. BUCKY (realizing) She seems to listen to you. DUWITT Because I listen to her. BUCKY Do you believe her theories? I mean, all of this stuff about rebelling against the evil United Animals Coalition. DUWITT No, I think she's a crackpot, and so are the rest of the rebels. But I'm the only one aside from these guys who's willing to sit down and hear her talk about how much she's frustrated trying to not be you. BUCKY Will she listen to you? DUWITT I hope so. BUCKY (sitting back down) Who's her mother? DUWITT Oh, you're curious now? BUCKY Yes. DUWITT Jenny. (smiles) You couldn't tell? BUCKY I had my suspicions. DEADEYE What about you, laddie -- you find someone special? DUWITT You could say that. BUCKY Married? DuWitt grins. Just then, a guard enters and points to DuWitt. GUARD Shantee wants to speak with you. DUWITT It's about time. The adult Willy exits with the guard, leaving Bucky and Deadeye alone in the cell. SCENE 8 - GENUS, 3245 Genus is a changed place. The populace, still a mix of species, are now mainly dressed in the traditional robes of the Lopineneans. Lopinenean religious symbols and statues adorn the buildings. The United Animals Coalition Security Council building is now part of a large square, at the center of which is a statue of the crew of the Righteous. ADMIRAL BUCKY O'HARE enters the building, paw-in-paw with JENNY O'HARE. Bucky has aged well, except for a strange limp. His movements are more slow and deliberate than his younger version. He wears a different uniform, still red but with more stripes on the sides. Jenny has aged similarly, wearing a silk robe of Aldebaran style instead of her bodysuit. The moose RECEPTIONIST recognizes them. RECEPTIONIST Admiral! How are you today? How's the back? O'HARE (stiffly rubbing his back) Better. RECEPTIONIST That's good. How may I help you? O'HARE I need an audience with Fri -- his majesty. RECEPTIONIST Oh, he's not in today. I can leave him a message ... The receptionist reaches for the pad, but Bucky stops her paw. O'HARE It's urgent. Who can I speak to? RECEPTIONIST Who would you like to speak to? O'HARE Whoever's coordinating our efforts with the Mammalian Rebellion while he's gone. RECEPTIONIST That would be ... (checks papers) High Priest Lucas-Rah. Bucky audibly curses, but Jenny shushes him. JENNY How soon can we speak with him? RECEPTIONIST You can go right in. JENNY Thank you. Jenny helps the grumbling Bucky walk inside. SCENE 9 - GENUS, 3245 One of the rooms has obviously been converted into a temple of worship. Statues and symbols are scattered about. LUCAS MACARTHUR, now in his mid-forties, is seated on the stage, sitting Indian-style on a prayer mat. He has gone bald except for some white hair in the back, and his beard is long past his shoulders and flows down his chest. He wears a black monk robe. He is praying quietly to himself but stops when Bucky and Jenny enter. JENNY (politely as possible) Don't let us disturb you ... LUCAS The anticipation of your arrival disturbed me hours ago. (turns around to face them) State your business. O'HARE My daughter ... LUCAS Is part of the rebellion. And yet you feel this is not worth her life. Bucky is clearly struggling to keep himself humbled. His hate for Lucas is still apparent, despite his efforts. O'HARE I need to know what is being done about the rebellion. LUCAS Our L-rd Frith has decided that they are too much of a disturbance in the war to spend any more time or effort on. O'HARE (letting some of his anger slip out) You can't just kill them all. LUCAS Of course not. That would be a lot of work on my part, wouldn't it? That's what we have soldiers for, Admiral O'Hare. O'HARE What about my daughter? Are you going to kill her, too? JENNY (trying to calm him down) Bucky ... O'HARE (shakes her off) No, Jenny! I don't care what kind of prophet he is or how holy he is, dammit! He can't send off killing squads! (points accusingly at Lucas) You will not slaughter my daughter! LUCAS (calmly) Then I suggest you disassociate her from the rebellion ... quickly. O'HARE How quickly is quickly? LUCAS (looks at watch) Twelve hours. O'HARE (goes to leave, then turns around) I ... need a ship. LUCAS That's none of the UACSC's business. Bucky looks at Jenny, then leaves with her. JENNY (to Bucky) Where are we going to get a ship? You haven't flown since the shooting. BUCKY I don't know. (thinks) We need a ship not authorized by the UAC. JENNY It's going to be hard to find one with a warp drive. BUCKY Unless it was a black-market accelerator. JENNY Can we trust someone who uses a black-market photon accelerator? BUCKY (snaps fingers) I know someone we can trust. SCENE 10 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION The young Jenny is in the piloting bay, working furiously at the controls. Willy pops his head up through the hatch. JENNY (looking back) What is it, Willy? WILLY Um ... the Captain and Deadeye have been gone a long time, Jenny. JENNY I know. I can't imagine what the problem is. WILLY What if it's not a mammalian base? What if it's a toad base in disguise? JENNY It isn't. My sensors are picking up Aldebaran sensors generating from inside the base. WILLY Have you tried to contact anyone? I mean, like, telepathically? JENNY I didn't even think of it. (points to Bucky's seat) Here, sit down and watch the sensors. I'm going to try. Jenny prepares herself for a spell while Willy watches with interest. SCENE 11 - BRIDGE, REBEL BASE DuWitt is led into the bridge, which is now empty. The guards leave, locking the door behind them, after Shantee gestures for them to do so. She is sitting in one of the chairs in front of the main console. She looks depressed. Willy takes the opportunity to sit in the chair next to her. There is silence. After a while, Shantee speaks. SHANTEE How long do I have? DUWITT Before you get killed? (shrugs) Maybe a few days. SHANTEE Well, I suppose if I get killed by the S.P.A.C.E., it'll be ironic enough ... that everything my father loved and worked to achieve ended up being the end of me. DUWITT (serious) Is that the way you want it? That all you're remembered for is now much you were against your father? SHANTEE I don't want to be another Bucky O'Hare. (frustrated) I *can't* be another Bucky O'Hare. He's a hero. A legend. DUWITT Legends aren't easy to duplicate. SHANTEE What would you know about that? (counterattacking) You've never had anything to live up to. You're smarter than everyone else -- you always have been, and you always will be. You'll never be in anybody's footsteps. DUWITT You really think so? SHANTEE Whose shoes are you supposed to fit into? DUWITT Just because they aren't necessary my father's doesn't mean they don't exist. (beat) When I was a little kid, they made me take IQ tests and all kinds of standardized tests with everyone else in my class. And you know what? I did really well. Probably a little too well. So I got branded "genius" and had twenty different schools in the country trying to get me to apply, and I'm not even talking about college yet. This was back in grade school. (beat) Everyone's always wanted to watch me, see what I'll do next, see what technological breakthrough I'll come up with. I'm a genius, but I'm not the only genius who's ever existed. They have high standards set for anyone who can do well on a stupid multiple choice test now. They know exactly how smart I am and exactly what to expect from me. G-d help me if one day I stop living up to their expectations. SHANTEE (a little defensively) Yeah, but at least you like being smart. DUWITT No, I don't always like it. There were a lot of times when I just wanted to be a normal, stupid, average kid. I stuck out in school as a brainiac. I wasn't exactly "popular." (beat) It wasn't until I met your father and joined the Righteous crew that I felt like my talents were appreciated ... and not just by other smart people. By *real* people. SHANTEE So what am I supposed to do? DUWITT You don't have to do anything, Shantee. Despite what you've convinced yourself of, you're not obligated to be the next Bucky O'Hare. SHANTEE That's what *you* say. DUWITT And that's what your father says. And your mother. And everyone else who cares about you. So who gives a shit what everyone else says? SHANTEE My father would want me at the head of the S.P.A.C.E. fleet. DUWITT Your father would like it very much if you were captain of some warship -- if you *wanted* to be. Bucky only wants you to be happy, despite what it may seem. SHANTEE That isn't true. DUWITT Oh? Do you remember when he asked you if you wanted to go to Genus's military academy? SHANTEE (thinks) Yes. DUWITT Do you remember what you said? SHANTEE I said I didn't want to go. DUWITT And do you remember what he said? SHANTEE (thinking) That ... I didn't have to go. DUWITT That's right. SHANTEE (looks at Willy) You remember that? DUWITT (smiles) Shantee, I remember when you were four and you put my glasses down the garbage disposal. Of course I remember that. SHANTEE (leans back in her chair, sighing) But he doesn't know what will make me happy. DUWITT Exactly. Why do you think he keeps suggesting things like the Academy to you? He's trying to help you look for what you want to be. All he has to go by is what *he* is and what he did. You can't ask for a whole lot more from a father. (beat) You don't know what you want to do, do you? All you know is it's something other than be a space fighter. SHANTEE Yes. DUWITT Well, that's a good place to start. SHANTEE What do you mean? (beat) Don't you think that's what I'm doing here? DUWITT You don't have to be the opposite of your father just to be your own person, Shantee. If you set a standard of everything you do by a scale of avoiding what your father did, then he still defines what you do. It's the same thing as trying to be another Bucky O'Hare. SHANTEE What are you saying? DUWITT Being the anti-Bucky O'Hare doesn't make you any more independent than if we were a carbon copy of your father. Shantee looks at him as if he's serious, then sits back to consider it. Suddenly, she grips her head as the jewel begins to glow. DUWITT What is it? SHANTEE (strained) I-it's my mother ... I think ... she's trying to contact me ... (shakes head furiously) Help me. I can't get rid of her. DUWITT She just wants to talk to you, Shantee. SHANTEE (insistently) Willy, *please*! Willy sighs. Reaching up into his hair, he removes the cap that controls his Aldebaran powers. Then, he puts his hand over Shantee's forehead and sends a blast of power through the jewel. SCENE 12 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Jenny is halfway through her spell when she cries out, passing out in her seat. WILLY Jenny! After checking her over, he rushes down the hatch and into the main bay. BRUISER What's wrong, Willy? WILLY Something's happened to Jenny. She needs medical attention. (turns to Blinky) Are any of our communications systems working? BLINKY Negative. Communications still at 8% operational. WILLY Keep working. BRUISER What are you gonna do about Jenny? WILLY Me? BRUISER Yah, you're in charge now. Willy suddenly realizes this. WILLY (pulling himself together) Um ... OK. We've got to contact Bucky or whoever's on that base. BRUISER You think we should go out there? Willy hesitates. WILLY Blinky, how much longer before you can get the systems working enough to send out a distress signal? BLINKY Twenty minutes. WILLY All right. Work on it. (goes to go back into the piloting bay) Bruiser, guard the hatch. Don't let anyone in who looks suspicious. BRUISER (salutes) Aye-aye, Ca -- er ... whatever. Willy climbs back up into the piloting bay. Jenny is still unconscious. He eases her out of the chair and lays her out on the ground, trying to nudge her awake. WILLY C'mon, Jenny ... I need you now. Willy looks out hopelessly at the base and the swamplands surrounding it. SCENE 13 - WARREN, 3245 The O'Hare house. The older Bucky and Jenny enter, and Bucky immediately goes over to the vid-link and begins dialing it up. O'HARE I'm having trouble with static interference ... JENNY Try another channel. Bucky fiddles with it. On the shelf in the den sits an older- looking photon accelerator, which activates itself. The door that originally led to the living room opens, and in drives BLINKY III. He is similar to AFC Blinky, except much larger and with two eyes, a mouth that lights up when he speaks, and wheels instead of feet. He is followed by MARK GOLDSTEIN, a five-foot-nine human. He has spiky black hair and a short goatee. He is wearing a flashy green shirt, a red tie, and nice pants and is carrying a coffee mug. O'HARE (acknowledges) Mark. JENNY Hi, Mark. MARK Hi, guys. (sips coffee) Have you seen Willy? I've been looking all over for him. O'HARE I sent him to look for Shantee. MARK Oh. Well, his cappuccino's gonna get awfully cold. Bucky doesn't answer as a beeping noise indicates his call has gone through, and the visual-link screen activates. The face on the other end is none other than PIRATE CHIEF DEADEYE DUCK, now older. He is back in his pirate gear, complete with the long coat and hat. His lower two arms are missing and have been replaced with robotic instruments. He has grown a short black beard around his beak. DEADEYE (brightens up) Ha ha! Nice to see ye, Commander -- I mean, Admiral. O'HARE (smiles) Nice to see you, too. DEADEYE How's yer back? (reaches for a drink) Did they ever catch the guy who plugged ye? O'HARE Not yet. But that's not why I called. DEADEYE (reading his expression) What's up? O'HARE I need a ship. Something not registered with the UAC, with an accelerator. DEADEYE I see ... (rubs beard) An' how soon do ye need it by? O'HARE I need it now. DEADEYE What's the trouble? O'HARE The rebels ... DEADEYE Ah. Yer daughter still with those fools? O'HARE Yes, and unless I get her out of there in ten hours, Lucas is going to have her killed. DEADEYE Do ye know where their base is? JENNY Willy knew, apparently. And I can reach him. DEADEYE Ol' Willy couldn't talk 'em down? O'HARE Not this time. DEADEYE OK. (thinks) I can be there in an hour. With a ship. O'HARE (serious) I owe you one, Deadeye. DEADEYE Ach, anythin' fer an old mate. Deadeye out. Deadeye severs the link. O'HARE (breathing a sigh of relief) That takes care of that ... let's just hope we can get Willy and Shantee out of there in time. MARK Wait a minute -- Willy's on the rebel base? Bucky nods. MARK Then what's to keep him from getting killed? O'HARE Us. (beat) You want to come? MARK No, I never cared for all this aniversian space stuff. Besides, he always manages to get himself out of these messes by himself. Mark nonchalantly walks out as the group prepares to leave. SCENE 14 - REBEL BASE Shantee and the older Willy are still on the bridge when Grimm and the duck enter. DUCK Shantee, The Righteous Indignation is sending out a distress signal. DUWITT Someone must be hurt. (thinks) Jenny ... SHANTEE What about my mother? DUWITT When you said she was trying to contact you -- which Jenny did you mean? Our Jenny or the Jenny from the past? SHANTEE I'm not sure. DUWITT We could have shorted her out. That would leave ... me in charge of the Righteous. The younger me. (grins) G-d, I must be freaked. (to Shantee, seriously) You have to send someone to help them. GRIMM (pipes up) Shantee, don't listen to this guy. He's from the UAC. SHANTEE Shut up, Grimm. GRIMM No, really, Shantee. How long are you gonna let this guy toy with your head before you let me get rid of him? SHANTEE (angrily) Willy's no threat to you. GRIMM That has yet to be proven. Shantee and Grimm engage in another stare-down; this one, Shantee loses. SHANTEE All right ... take him back to the brig. DUWITT Shantee! Shantee ignores him as the protesting DuWitt is dragged off by Grimm. Once they leave the bridge and are out of Shantee's sight, Grimm pulls his blaster on Willy and jams it into his stomach. GRIMM Now listen to me, you hairless baboon. Do you want to live, or do you want to die? DUWITT (smartly) Is there a choice C? Grimm shoves the blaster deep into DuWitt's gut, causing him to double over in pain. GRIMM Just because Shantee trusts you doesn't mean I do. Grimm grabs DuWitt, opens the door to the brig, and shoves him in. GRIMM Now do what you're told, and stay put if you want to keep your head on. Understood? DuWitt sneers, and Grimm locks the door to the cell. Bucky and Deadeye help the human off the floor and into a seat. BUCKY What's going on? DUWITT Lots of shit. (grimaces in pain, then manages to straighten himself out) The Righteous is sending out a distress signal. I think Jenny's been hurt, but I'm ... Willy's afraid to send anyone to the base. BUCKY We have to get back to the Righteous. DUWITT You can go. I'm not leaving without Shantee. BUCKY (gestures to cell) But how do we get out of here? Willy smiles and stands. DUWITT You know, a lot of people have told me to shut up and stay put in my life. And I've never gained anything from listening to them, so... DuWitt pulls out a type of blaster Bucky has never seen before from the back of one of his boots. DUWITT Smith and Wesson. Always good for sneaking past scanners only looking for maser blasters. (draws gun in direction of door lock) Watch out. This is gonna be loud. Bucky and Deadeye both jump at the loud bang of the gun. Willy hits the door square in the keyhole, then steps forward and kicks the door open. The three of them enter the empty hallway cautiously. BUCKY Deadeye, go back to the Righteous and see what's going on. DEADEYE But Cap'n, aren't ye ... BUCKY I'm going to get Shantee with Willy. DUWITT (spins around) What? BUCKY Hey, this is my fault, too. DUWITT Not yet, it isn't. I don't want you getting killed trying to save someone who hasn't been born yet. BUCKY And I don't want *you* getting killed trying to save her alone. I still need you to repair my accelerator. DEADEYE (firmly) You're not doin' this without me, Cap'n! Bucky considers. BUCKY All right ... come on, then. Bucky and Deadeye follow DuWitt deeper into the base. SCENE 15 - DEADEYE'S PIRATE SHIP The aged Deadeye is at the helm. Bucky and Jenny are beside him, with Blinky III running things in the background. They watch the planet with the rebel base approach in the window. O'HARE How soon before we have audio contact? DEADEYE Ach, they're shut off to anythin' with a UAC frequency, Bucky. (looks at console) We're receivin' a distress signal, but it's from another ship on the planet an' not the base. JENNY Is it UAC? DEADEYE Dunno yet. The frequency it's usin' is pretty ancient. One of the lights on the console begins to flash and beep. DEADEYE Ship approachin' ... The three of them look up to see a massive black warship approaching the planet. JENNY (recognizing it) Lucas ... O'HARE Shit! DEADEYE It's hailin' us. JENNY (reaching for controls) I'll try to get us a communication link. The view screen activates, and the face of a dog SOLDIER wearing an S.P.A.C.E. uniform appears. SOLDIER You are interfering with official S.P.A.C.E. business. Please leave this sector at once. O'HARE (angrily) MacArthur said twelve hours! SOLDIER I am not authorized ... O'HARE I don't care what your authorization is! Listen ... (reads markings on his uniform) ... Commander, I am Admiral Bucky O'Hare, and I outrank you. So I suggest *you* leave this sector at once or bring on someone with more weight than a commander's stars. The soldier frowns, clearly offended, then walks off screen. Moments later, Lucas's face appears. O'HARE (seething) Decided to do this yourself, MacArthur? LUCAS That's High Priest Lucas-Rah to you, Admiral. O'HARE You said twelve hours! LUCAS My watch is fast. Bucky looks frustrated. O'HARE Just let me get my daughter off the planet! LUCAS They must be destroyed, Admiral. O'HARE Not Shantee! Please, let me just get Shantee! LUCAS Leave the sector, Admiral. (coldly) Do I need to send someone to escort you back to Genus? O'HARE Are you even listening to me? LUCAS Admiral O'Hare, if you remain in this sector any longer, I will be forced to interpret it as an act of war. Bucky, torn, looks to Jenny. JENNY He's crazy, Buck. He'll kill us, too. Bucky turns to Deadeye. DEADEYE I'll do whatever ye say ... (winks) Cap'n. O'HARE Back us off. (to Jenny) Sever communications. Jenny does so. Deadeye pulls the ship into position so it is ready to leave, but Bucky stops him. O'HARE Not yet. Just a few ... Bucky is interrupted by the sound of the console beeping. JENNY We're getting a link from the base. O'HARE On screen. JENNY Only audio. Hold on. Jenny turns it up. The adult Willy's voice can be heard. DUWITT Deadeye? What's going on up there? I got a pirate ship on my screen. O'HARE It's us, Willy. Jenny and I. BLINKY III Hey! O'HARE (rolls his eyes) And Blinky. Deadeye was the only one with a non-UAC ship that could get us here in time. DUWITT What, have the troops arrived? O'HARE Yes. How fast can you get Shantee out of there? DUWITT (hesitates) Um ... it's not that simple, Bucky. You see, I've got ... (stops) I can't really explain it. I need time. O'HARE You don't have any. DUWITT Can you hold them off? O'HARE Not for long. DUWITT I'll do my best, Bucky. Willy severs the link. Bucky looks to the others. O'HARE What are our options? DEADEYE We could fire on 'em. O'HARE On the S.P.A.C.E. ship? DEADEYE Why not? It'd buy Willy some time, if we can take out their thrusters. They can't bomb anything until they reach orbit, and they can't do that if they can't move. Bucky considers. O'HARE Do it. Deadeye nods, grins, and turns to his console. SCENE 16 - REBEL BASE The adult Willy shuts down the hallway's communication panel. He turns to Bucky and Deadeye. DUWITT You're here, but so are the troops, and they're not listening to you. BUCKY An S.P.A.C.E. fleet? Under whose command? Who can override an admiral's orders? DUWITT (thinks) A Lopinenean High Priest. BUCKY Do I know him? DUWITT All too well. (draws gun) C'mon. We gotta find Shantee. They head for the bridge. Entering, they are fortunate to find Shantee alone. SHANTEE Willy? How did you ... (sees his gun) Dammit. Should have checked for the Smith and Wesson. DUWITT You should have. (approaches her, putting it away) We have to get out of here. SHANTEE I'm not leaving. We've been through this. DUWITT Shantee, there's an S.P.A.C.E. fleet about to enter this planet's orbit and blow this base to hell -- you and me included. (sighs) If it's any kind of consolation, your father's up there. SHANTEE He's with the fleet? DUWITT No, he's in another ship, trying to talk the fleet into giving you a few minutes to get out of here. Shantee's hardened look does not soften. DUWITT For G-d's sakes, Shantee, give the hare some credit for once. He's putting his tail on the line to save you life. Not to mention mine. SHANTEE Maybe this is what is has to be. BUCKY No, it isn't. Shantee is a little taken back as Bucky nears her cautiously. BUCKY I don't understand this future very much, and I don't understand what I've done -- or I will do -- to push you this far, but I can understand how your father feels right now. SHANTEE (angrily) What would you know about my father? BUCKY I *am* your father. SHANTEE Not yet. BUCKY Does that really matter? Look, all I know is that if I were the Bucky who raised you, I wouldn't want you to die just to try to prove me wrong. SHANTEE How can you presume to know what my father is feeling? BUCKY (genuinely) Because I barely know you, and I don't want you to die. SHANTEE (unaffected) How could *you* care about *me*? Hell, you're in your glory days. All you care about is croaking toads and stopping KOMPLEX. BUCKY You really think that's all that's important to me in my life? Killing the enemy? Stopping the toad conquest of the world? It's my job, but it's not everything. I have my crew and all the people I love and want to protect. Why do you think I fight? For personal gain? I already saw the toads kill my family and enslave my race once. I want to make sure it doesn't happen again. (confidently) That's the reason I fight. Shantee hesitates. Before she can respond, Grimm bursts in. GRIMM Shantee, we just detected ... Grimm realizes what is going on. GRIMM (drawing blaster) I knew not to trust that stupid human. Grimm fires. SHANTEE No! Shantee jumps in front of Willy, taking the shot. She falls to the ground, and Bucky and Deadeye immediately turn and fire on Grimm, who ducks behind a console. BUCKY Just stun him, Deadeye. DEADEYE Cap'n, I been itchin' ta take 'im out! Deadeye turns the settings on his blasters down and fires on Grimm, hitting him as he rises to fire. Several other rebels enter, having heard the noise, and fire. Bucky and Deadeye continue to fire. DuWitt drags Shantee, who is unconscious, behind the console. BUCKY We're going to need a way out of here, fast. (turns to Willy) How's Shantee? DUWITT She's been better. She's stunned, but she'll be OK as long as we get her out of here. DEADEYE Aye, but how are we gonna do that? The rebels are knocked away as Bruiser suddenly enters. BRUISER AAAAIIIIYYYYUUUUGGGGAAA! The rebels are easily knocked away by Bruiser's quick attack, leaving a clear path for Bucky and the others to escape. Willy heaves Shantee over both of his shoulders and follows them out. BRUISER Cap'n! Yer OK! BUCKY We are, thanks to you. How's Jenny? BRUISER She's still out. Willy was gettin' nervous, so he sent me. BUCKY Let's get back to the ship. BRUISER (spots DuWitt) Hey, Willy? How'd you get ... (notices DuWitt is a lot older than Willy) Uh ... Bruiser shakes his head and starts running along with the others. SCENE 17 - DEADEYE'S PIRATE SHIP The four of them are waiting as the dog soldier's face appears on screen. SOLDIER Admiral O'Hare, you and your crew are under arrest for firing on an S.P.A.C.E. ship. Bucky rolls his eyes. He was expecting this. SOLDIER Remain here until we are ready to escort you back to Genus. The soldier severs the link. DEADEYE (checking his console) They're pretty good at repairin' thrusters, Bucky. O'HARE They've entered the planet's orbit? DEADEYE Aye. O'HARE (looks at Jenny) Let's just pray Willy got out of there in time. SCENE 18 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION The younger Willy is still by Jenny's side with Blinky when he hears the airlock open. He rushes down the hatch to greet the returning party. Bucky enters first. WILLY Captain! Is everyone ... BUCKY They're fine, Willy. Thanks for sending the backup. Where's Jenny? WILLY Upstairs. She's still unconscious. I don't know what happened ... The adult Willy enters, still carrying Shantee. DUWITT I know what happened. DuWitt walks through the hatch, slamming his head on the bulkhead above him. DUWITT Ow! Dammit, I hate being tall ... Ignoring Willy's confused look, DuWitt sets Shantee down on the bench. The hare is still unconscious. WILLY Who ... Bucky puts his paws on Willy's shoulders. BUCKY There's no time for that now. He has to help Jenny. DuWitt climbs up the ladder to the piloting bay and shuts the hatch behind him. DUWITT What have I done ... DuWitt kneels beside Jenny, removing the cap on his head. Gently, he places his giant hand over Jenny's forehead and concentrates. A small burst of energy travels down his arm, through his hand, and into the jewel on her forehead. Jenny stirs and, after a few moments, opens her eyes slightly. JENNY (confused and disoriented) Willy ... DUWITT Yes? JENNY (seeing more clearly) Is that ... you? DUWITT Yes. JENNY How long have I been out? DUWITT (chuckles) Not that long. A few hours. JENNY You ... grew. DUWITT I had a few years to do it. Jenny gives him a queer look. DUWITT Bucky will explain it. (getting up) I have to fix your accelerator ... DuWitt knocks his head into the ceiling, causing Jenny to laugh weakly. DUWITT (not seriously) It's not funny. JENNY Yes, it is. DuWitt gives her a mock-sneer, then opens the hatch and climbs down into the main bay. Bypassing Willy, he heads right into engineering. Bucky goes to stop Willy from following him, but he is distracted by Jenny as she climbs unsteadily down the ladder. BUCKY Jenny! Are you OK? JENNY I will be. What did I miss? Bucky is about to begin explaining when the ship is suddenly rocked by what sounds like a loud explosion. They run over to the window, only to discover the rebel base to be a smoking ruin. BUCKY (to himself but out loud) Willy was right ... about the S.P.A.C.E. fleet. WILLY I was? BUCKY No, I meant ... (sighs) Why don't you just go see for yourself? Willy takes a moment to figure out what Bucky meant, then heads back into engineering. SCENE 19 - ENGINEERING Willy opens the door to find DuWitt kneeling at the accelerator, hard at work. He turns around and notices his younger self's entrance. DUWITT Good. You can help me figure out how you had this stupid thing set in the first place. Willy joins him by his side, helping him with the controls. WILLY Can you really make this work? DUWITT Define "work." WILLY What do you mean? DUWITT Well ... do you want it to take you into a mark-5 warp drive ... or do you want it to do what it did last time to get you here? WILLY (confused) They're two different things? DUWITT You really don't know what this thing did, do you? Willy just stares at him, bemused. DUWITT (laughs) I was so naïve ... (to himself) To think that time travel could be achieved by crossing a few wires incorrectly ... WILLY Time travel? DUWITT What, didn't Bucky explain it to you? WILLY No. (shaking his head) The accelerator can't affect the fabric of space-time ... DUWITT C'mon, Willy, think. We created an inter-dimensional doorway with the mark-4. Think of the possibilities of what could happen with a mark-5. WILLY We? (blinks, looks at him again, starting to understand) Wait -- where am I? DUWITT You mean what year are you in? WILLY Yes. DUWITT 3245. WILLY That would make me ... (thinks, points to DuWitt) ... you? DUWITT I was kind of hoping you'd pick up on that a lot sooner than you did. (goes back to wiring he's handling) Look at this. These shouldn't be crossed -- remember to straighten them once you get back to the past, OK? Willy's curiosity is now in overdrive. He is unconcerned with the accelerator. WILLY What's the future like? DUWITT It's ... probably very similar to what you expect it to be. I went to college, got my master's, etc., and now I'm a college professor. WILLY (noticing the ring on his finger) You're married. DUWITT Not in the sense ... (stops himself, shaking his head) It's not worth explaining now. You'll know when the time comes. DuWitt closes the accelerator's siding up and stands, careful not to bump his head on anything. DUWITT Just make the correction I told you about after you get home. And keep working on the accelerator. (smiles knowingly) You'll get it eventually. DuWitt leaves engineering, entering the main bay. He scoops up Shantee easily, heading for the main hatch. BUCKY Leaving so quickly? DUWITT (grins) I don't want to confuse you guys even more. (thinking) You know, I should probably mention that this could just be another dimension. JENNY What do you mean? DUWITT I mean, this particular future may not necessarily be *your* future. It could just be *a* future. BUCKY Will Shantee be OK? DUWITT Yeah, I think she'll be fine, thanks to you. DuWitt leaves, shutting the hatch behind him. Bucky turns to Jenny. BUCKY Let's get off this planet and go home. JENNY Aye-aye, Captain. SCENE 20 - DUWITT'S SHIP Shantee groans as she comes to. She is laid out on a bench in a small transport vessel she recognizes as Willy's. Gripping the side where she was shot, she wanders to the front, where the adult Willy is at the controls. DUWITT Nice to see you up. SHANTEE (sitting down in the copilot seat) Where are we going? DUWITT *I'm* going to your parents' place at Warren. SHANTEE What about me? DUWITT You can come. SHANTEE Can? DUWITT I'm not going to make you go anywhere, Shantee. There's a pod in this shuttle you can take and go wherever you want in. It's your decision. Shantee considers. SCENE 21 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Willy is in engineering, studying what his older self did to the accelerator. He hears Bucky's voice over the intercom. BUCKY (over comm) Prepare for warp drive. WILLY The accelerator's ready, Captain. BUCKY Activate it. Willy does so. The ship enters warp drive. This one is less strenuous on the ship and the crew, and moments later, they reappear in a familiar star system. Willy uncrosses the wires. He is about to go into the main bay when he spies something on the ground. Picking it up, he realizes it's some kind of Aldebaran crystal. Curious, he carries it into the main bay, where everyone is regrouping. WILLY Hey, guys, I think that older me left ... Willy stops as the crystal begins to glow. JENNY (recognizing it) Willy, get rid of that ... It's too late. The crystal is glowing so brightly it shines in their eyes and explodes. Moments later, the light fades, and the crystal is gone. WILLY (looks at his empty hand, which is held out) What ... what was I doing? BUCKY (blinks) I don't know ... I can't remember. (looks to Jenny) Can you ... JENNY I think ... we were chasing toads. And then we used the photon accelerator ... WILLY The mark-5! (runs back) It worked! Or at least, I think it did. BRUISER Then why does my head hurt so much? BUCKY (places a paw on Willy's shoulder) Maybe it needs some more testing, Willy. WILLY Yeah ... I guess so. SCENE 22 - WARREN, 3245 The O'Hare residence. Admiral Bucky and Jenny are sitting in the kitchen, with Blinky III serving them coffee. They both jump up at the doorbell. Opening the door, they see DuWitt standing at the door. JENNY Willy! (hugs him) You're all right! DUWITT I'm fine. So's Shantee. O'HARE (relieved) Thank Frith ... JENNY (releasing Willy's waist) Where is she? Shantee walks cautiously up the front steps, looking forlorn and tired. SHANTEE Hi. Jenny doesn't hesitate to run up and hug her daughter. SHANTEE Mom ... JENNY It's so good to have you home ... Jenny lets Shantee go, leaving her to face her father. She hesitates, looking a little frightened. SHANTEE Dad ... I'm sorry ... Bucky smiles and opens his arms. Shantee looks relieved and hugs him tightly. THE END