"Maneuvers" by Rygar Additions by Kooshmeister First draft - 3/29/10 Final draft - 5/8/10 SCENE 1 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE sits in the cockpit of The Righteous Indignation. His frigate is empty except for himself. Bucky is lost in thought, unsure of what to do. His left paw grips a sleek, unfamiliar comm. Distracted, Bucky barely hears it when the main hatch creaks open and someone steps inside. Bucky sits up, alert. BUCKY Who's there? RENFIELD Bucky? Is that you? Bucky relaxes as RENFIELD BILLINGS climbs into the cockpit, his suit very slightly wrinkled. The thin green hare smiles as he enters. RENFIELD There you are. BUCKY What's up? Am I late in filing my report with you again? RENFIELD Well, yes, as a matter of fact. But that's not why I'm here. Dogstar asked me to come check on you. BUCKY (sitting up) Well, that's nice of him. Why did he do that? RENFIELD He told me what happened with Mike. He said you didn't sound like yourself, and he wanted me to make sure everything's OK. BUCKY (half-joking) Oh, you're my babysitter now, is that it? RENFIELD (nervous) I'm not trying to impose, Captain ... BUCKY Call me Bucky. You're not part of the crew. RENFIELD OK. Bucky. I'm just concerned myself, I guess. I know this has been a weird time for everyone. I'm here if you have anything going on that you could use some help with. Bucky thinks about this for a moment. BUCKY I can trust you, right, Renfield? RENFIELD (surprised) Uh ... of course! Of course you can, Bucky. BUCKY (holds up the comm) Someone's trying to kill me. Renfield stares, puzzled. RENFIELD With that communicator? BUCKY No. I lifted this off a sniper who took a shot at me. RENFIELD Sniper? Oh, wow. I was gonna say, the toads are trying to kill you all the time, but a sniper ... that's different. BUCKY Yeah. It's weird. Usually I know who's gunning for me. Toadborg or the Air Marshal or whatever. But someone has a bounty on my head. Cryer mentioned it when he tried to kill me on Warren. And now this. (under his breath) I really don't need this right now. I need some toads to croak, or a climate converter to destroy. I don't need people shooting at me from the shadows while I can barely keep my ship together. RENFIELD Well, then, let's fix it. You don't know who's behind this? BUCKY Not a clue. RENFIELD Who would know? Al Negator and his bunch are in jail. You could go ask them. BUCKY I'm not interested in facing Negator. RENFIELD Cryer, then? You said he was the first one who ... BUCKY Maybe. But if I saw that bastard again, I'd probably try to strangle him. RENFIELD Hmm. Who would want to kill you? BUCKY Besides everybody? (looks at the comm) I spoke to someone on the comm. It was disguised, but I did get a voice. Didn't sound mammalian. RENFIELD Can you trace the call? BUCKY That's looking like my only option. But I don't want to bring too many people into this. RENFIELD Take it to the new intelligence base on Betelgeusia. You don't even have to explain the story to them. BUCKY (rubbing his chin) Good point. (looks at Renfield) My crew's still on shore leave. You wanna come? RENFIELD Me? Well ... sure! It could be fun. BUCKY Good. I could use some company. Let me go get Blinky to man the accelerator, and we'll get going. SCENE 2 - UAC INTELLIGENCE BASE, BETELGEUSIA WILLY DUWITT is asleep at his desk, tired after working all night on his project. This area of his lab mostly houses filing cabinets and paperwork, though small scraps of metal and wiring dot the floor. Many moments pass in slumber for him before he wakes up, startled. WILLY Huh? Willy is a bit disoriented, as no natural light enters the room, making it hard to tell what time of day it is. Willy gets up and rubs his eyes, then puts eye drops in them. Willy yawns and looks over his notes from the previous night. WILLY (scrutinizing) You know ... this might actually work. Willy nods in approval, then places the papers down on his desk. WILLY So if this works, that completes my first big project in this lab. (looking around) So what now? Willy's mind wanders to his time in the park, encountering a rabbit on Earth. He remembers where his train of thought led him then. WILLY (to himself) I need to keep an eye on Bucky. It's not that his intentions aren't good, but when his back is against a wall, there's no telling what could happen. And bad things happened last time. (beat) So I could install something in the ship or in Blinky to keep an eye on him and the crew and let me know when something's up ... Willy bites his lip. WILLY ... or ... SCENE 3 - DEEP SPACE As The Righteous Indignation makes its way toward Betelgeusia, Bucky and Renfield continue the conversation they've been having. BUCKY ... and that's how I got awarded the Bronze Fur Ball with Zinc Palms. RENFIELD Wow, that's crazy! BUCKY You said it, kid. (beat) So what's your story, anyway? You've been with us a while, but we really haven't talked much. RENFIELD Oh, me? Nothing too special. Born and raised on Warren, of course. A little town called Burrow Heights. BUCKY Can't say I've heard of it. RENFIELD (a little sad) Thirty miles to the nearest real town. And completely obliterated by the toads. Yeah, most people haven't heard of it. BUCKY Sorry. RENFIELD (shrugs) That's life. I was away in college at the time. Hardly anybody from Burrow Heights is still alive. I'm really about it. (beat) That was when the toads invaded Warren. I got taken as a slave just like everyone else. It really made me want to contribute to the war effort any way I could. I was no fighter, of course, but I figured that being behind the scenes might be just as important. BUCKY Less maser fire. RENFIELD Yeah, that was a selling point. I did what I could on Warren, but things really started moving for me when the toads took over Genus and the UAC moved itself to Warren temporarily. BUCKY (half-listening as he steers) Sounds like the toads taking over planets has really guided your career. RENFIELD I guess you could say that. (beat) I had a friend who heard through the grapevine that Dogstar was implementing this whole liaisons thing. It sounded too good to be true, but hey, how could I pass up even a one-in-a-million chance to work with Bucky O'Hare? You're the idol of millions! BUCKY It doesn't always feel like that. RENFIELD But it's true. Almost everyone on Warren reveres you, and the ones that don't have problems bigger than the toads. (beat) I owe my life to you, let's face it. BUCKY That's ... kind of you to say. RENFIELD No, really. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you. I would not be a part of this war if it weren't for you. I wouldn't even have a purpose if it weren't for you. Bucky, both enjoying the adulation and feeling uncomfortable because of it, feels relieved when Betelgeusia appears on the ship's scanners and in the view out the windshield. BUCKY We're here. Ready for a swim? RENFIELD A what? The Righteous Indignation approaches the entrance to the new UAC Intelligence Base. Bucky sends the ship's security credentials, then waits as the large silver dome ahead of them opens up. In the background, they can see a wide expanse of ocean. As Bucky, Renfield, and AFC BLINKY step out of the ship, DEXTER surfaces from a pool of water to greet them. DEXTER Captain O'Hare! It's been a while. BUCKY Good to see you, Dexter. They've still got you at the front desk, so to speak? DEXTER I like it. Nice break from typin' all day. Besides, no one else down there can leave the water for more than a few seconds. Me, I can last almost half an hour without needing my WaterTank. (nods) Job security's a wonderful feeling. RENFIELD (looking around) This is pretty cool. DEXTER Hey, Bucky, this your brother or somethin'? BUCKY Not quite, Dexter. This is Renfield. He's part of Dogstar's new bureaucratic nonsense, but he's a good guy. I asked him to come with me. DEXTER I gotcha. Well, come on. This time, we've got a pressurized cabin for you to travel down in. BUCKY Blinky, you stay with the ship. BLINKY Aye-aye, Captain! Bucky and Dexter walk toward the same pool of water than the one Dexter emerged from. Bucky takes a water helmet from the wall and puts it on. RENFIELD Wait, we're going in the water? BUCKY Yep. RENFIELD Salt water? BUCKY Yep. RENFIELD I'm in my best suit! BUCKY (unconcerned) Dogstar has seven of the same suit -- one for each day of the week. I'm sure he can fit yours into his enormous dry-cleaning budget somewhere. Still reluctant, Renfield follows Bucky's lead and dons a helmet. They then dive into the pool, with Dexter following them. The water compartment everyone is in closes from above. Bucky and Renfield feel the structure shake as it descends into the ocean, carefully keeping the pressure constant as it does so. Finally, the compartment rests, and a door along one wall opens. Bucky, Renfield, and Dexter swim out. Dexter motions for them to follow him as he maneuvers toward a room on the end of the large hallway they're in. BUCKY Wow, this place is huge. DEXTER You said it. I get a workout just goin' to and fro! RENFIELD Dogstar is very proud of this building, you know. What do you think of it? DEXTER It's not bad. Technology's top-notch. I miss working with ol' Bottlenose, but hey, we all gotta retire sometime, eh? RENFIELD If you've got any ideas for improvement, let me know and I'll pass them along to Dogstar. DEXTER (to himself) Yeah, this guy's a bureaucrat, all right. Dexter, Bucky, and Renfield swim into the room. A few small pieces of electronic analytical equipment face them. DEXTER You said you wanted me to trace a call, or what? BUCKY Exactly. Bucky pulls the comm from his pocket and hands it to Dexter. BUCKY I need to know where the last call from this phone came from or went to. DEXTER Can do. Dexter plugs the sleek handheld comm into one of the machines. A few seconds later, a readout appears on the screen. DEXTER Hmm. That's a coordinate, not a listing. Let me cross-reference it ... Dexter swims to another machine and punches in some numbers. The results concern Dexter. DEXTER Hoo boy. BUCKY What's the word? DEXTER I got bad news for you, Bucky. That transmission came from the planet Krokkarok. RENFIELD Croc-a-what? BUCKY I've never heard of that planet. DEXTER We recently charted that area of space. We're not even sure that's the proper name of the planet. What we *do* know now is that that's home base for the lizard regens. BUCKY (concerned) The regens? But why would they want me dead? RENFIELD Maybe they're not happy with that deal you guys made involving Dallion and the mark-5 accelerator? BUCKY (turns to Renfield) Kid, how do you know everything? RENFIELD (shrugs) Dogstar likes to tell stories. Long, rambling stories. DEXTER OK, so the regens have a bounty on your head. What are you gonna do about it? BUCKY Good question. SCENE 4 - THE TOAD HOMEWORLD Somewhere in the massive seven-layer complex that is the Toad Homeworld, KOMPLEX speaks to TOADBORG via a monitor screen. KOMPLEX Our scientists have finished dissecting and salvaging the remains of Cyberstorm, Toadborg. TOADBORG Do you wish to proceed with them as planned? KOMPLEX Indeed. Report to lab fourteen in three hours. TOADBORG I hear and obey, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. The entirely robotic Toadborg waits for KOMPLEX to deactivate the communication, then returns to processing data as he waits for three hours to pass. SCENE 5 - UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS Bucky strides toward Dogstar's office, Renfield at his side. RENFIELD (hurrying to keep up) You know, you really do need an appointment ... BUCKY No, I don't. Dogstar will make time for me. RENFIELD If you're so confident, then why do you need me? BUCKY Because he likes you. Renfield cannot come up with a rebuttal before Bucky and he reach Dogstar's office. The Chairman's secretary, CLAIRE SHEFFIELD, sits at her desk outside Dogstar's closed door. CLAIRE Hi, Captain O'Hare. Do you have an appointment? I didn't see ... BUCKY Hi, Claire. Not even looking at Claire, Bucky bursts through Dogstar's door. Renfield follows right behind him. RENFIELD (to Claire, quickly) Sorry! CHAIRMAN SIRIUS DOGSTAR sits at his desk, going over a report with MARCUS LEOPOLD, the leopard liaison to The Pegasus, one of S.P.A.C.E.'s many new frigates. He turns his head quickly at the sound of Bucky bursting through. DOGSTAR Bucky! What is the meaning of this? BUCKY We've got a situation. DOGSTAR Yes, I'd say we do. The situation is that I'm in a meeting. BUCKY No, the situation is that the regens have a price on my head. Dogstar hesitates, but only for a moment. DOGSTAR And? BUCKY And I want there to *not* be a price on my head. DOGSTAR Well, what am I supposed to do about it? Arrest all the regens? BUCKY Arresting Cameleous would be nice, but I know we've been trying that for years. No, we need to negotiate with them. DOGSTAR Negotiate with the regens? That's preposterous! BUCKY We've already done it once. DOGSTAR That was when the UAC was a shambles and we were trying to save an entire planet. We triply insured ourselves, and I'm still ashamed of the deal. Why would I do it again? BUCKY What, you're just going to let them kill me? DOGSTAR I am confident that the great Bucky O'Hare can handle this situation himself, as he has handled countless situations before. Tempers rise as the exchange continues. BUCKY That's it? That's all I get from the UAC? DOGSTAR I've already bent the rules for you once this week because of Blinky. Now you barge into my office, rudely interrupting this fine young lad here, and expect me to do it again? BUCKY Fine. No negotiations. Let's just hit 'em. How many ships can we spare? DOGSTAR A suicide run is no better! I can give you some detectives and police contacts, but I'm certainly not going to expend UAC resources on what is ultimately a private matter. BUCKY (flabbergasted) Renfield, help me out here! Renfield looks backs and forth between Bucky and Dogstar. RENFIELD Honestly, I think you're both being unreasonable ... DOGSTAR Quiet, Renfield. This doesn't concern you. RENFIELD Well, I would say it would ... DOGSTAR (ignoring Renfield) You want help with the regens, Bucky? Go to Dallion, and go to the Aldebarans. They're your best bet. Sending in a bunch of UAC frigates is just going to make them angry. BUCKY Aldebaran? I'd rather die than ask for help from that insane planet. DOGSTAR The point is to ask them so that you *don't* die! BUCKY Whatever. I'll talk to Dallion. But if this fails, it's on your head! Bucky storms out. Renfield turns, about to chase after him. DOGSTAR Renfield! RENFIELD (sheepishly) Er, yes, Chairman? DOGSTAR I know Bucky's unstoppable when he gets in one of his moods. At least warn me next time he's going to do something like this? RENFIELD Sure thing. Sorry about that. I'll be in contact later! Renfield chases after Bucky. Marcus blinks, shaken by the encounter he's just witnessed. MARCUS That was Bucky O'Hare? Man. (beat) All of a sudden, I'm glad you assigned me to the skunk captain. SCENE 6 - UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS In the hallway, Renfield catches up to Bucky, whose face is contorted with anger. RENFIELD (catching his breath) You've got to forgive Dogstar. He's been under a lot of stress. BUCKY Stress? Stress is other mammals shooting at you when you're supposed to be in a war with the toads. (keeps walking) Now if you'll excuse me, I've got to figure out how to do this. RENFIELD Do what? BUCKY None of your business. RENFIELD (hurt) What, so you don't want my help anymore? BUCKY You weren't much help in there, I'll tell you that. RENFIELD That's unfair! What was I supposed to do? BUCKY I ... (calming down) Look. Thanks for your help earlier. But this is getting ugly, and I don't see a clean way out of this. I don't want you in the crossfire if something doesn't go right. RENFIELD You sure have a polite way of saying "scram." BUCKY I mean it. You were fun to have around. But this is the unpleasant part. Go home, or go do something else. You do *not* want to deal with the regens, trust me. Renfield knows better than to continue arguing with Bucky. RENFIELD Fine, fine. Can I at least wish you good luck? BUCKY (almost smiling) Thanks. I appreciate it. RENFIELD Don't get yourself killed. BUCKY I won't. SCENE 7 - LAB FOURTEEN, THE TOAD HOMEWORLD Toadborg enters the laboratory and looks around. In the corner sits the cannibalized husk of Cyberstorm, barely recognizable now that most of his components have been removed. A small robotic chassis sits in the middle of the room. It resembles Toadborg's former insides, though there is no shriveled toad in the middle as once there was. Various scientists stop what they're doing and salute as Toadborg enters. KOMPLEX appears on an enormous screen on the far wall. KOMPLEX Welcome, Toadborg. Welcome to your rebirth. TOADBORG Cyberstorm's components proved satisfactory, then? KOMPLEX Indeed. The portions that wired the stormtoad flesh and blood into the cyborg exoskeleton were largely intact. Our scientists were able to modify the equipment, and now they are ready to rebuild you. TOADBORG It will be an honor to serve. Will I be precisely as once I was? KOMPLEX Your external memory drive will be hooked into the chassis. You will be able to think as once you did, and remember what you once knew. Your processing power will decrease, but we have already learned that such ability is useless without intelligence such as yours or mine guiding it. TOADBORG What toad will be harvested for the procedure? KOMPLEX (to the scientists) Bring the prisoner in. The door slides open, and six STORMTOADS enter, marching in LIEUTENANT HORST, who is in chains. He has a scared look on his face, and sweat beads drip from his forehead onto the floor. KOMPLEX We were able to recover this defector during our time on Genus. (to Horst) Greetings, Lieutenant. Today, you learn that no one ever truly leaves the Toad Empire. Horst does not respond. He merely shakes in fear. KOMPLEX Do you have any statement to make? HORST Kill me. Just kill me. STORMTOAD #1 (raising his rifle) With pleasure. KOMPLEX No, you imbecile! His body and mind must be preserved. One of the scientists walks toward Horst. He produces a syringe filled with a yellow liquid. He inserts the needle into Horst's left arm and injects the poison. Horst sweats even more profusely for a moment, then falls to the ground, coughing and gasping for air. KOMPLEX Quickly, before he perishes! Two more scientists pick Horst up, strip him naked, and wire him into the chassis. The metal framework lights up. As the scientists stick a cable into the back of Horst's neck, the scared toad gasps one final time before his eyes go blank. KOMPLEX And now to begin the reintegration. Toadborg, step forward. Toadborg approaches the chassis. His front plate swings open, revealing a mass of wires and computer equipment underneath the front of his armor. The scientists approach, ready to make the swap. SCENE 8 - DEEP SPACE Bucky pilots The Righteous Indignation, with Blinky manning the accelerator. As he flies through space, he activates the comm and waits. A few seconds pass before DALLION's voice filters through. DALLION (over comm) I do not recognize this frequency. Who is this? BUCKY (into comm) Dallion, it's Bucky. This frequency is the new Righteous. DALLION (surprised) Oh. Captain O'Hare. (beat) How have you been? BUCKY Loads better. I've got some questions for you. DALLION Go ahead. BUCKY What's the latest with the regens? DALLION They still engage in theft, bribery, and trickery. They have left Aldebaran alone, though occasionally some of them plot against the UAC. I give those regens warnings. (beat) I'm good at giving warnings. BUCKY Well, they must be sick of you, or something, because the regens have put a price on my head. DALLION Really? How much? BUCKY Why, thinking of collecting? DALLION No ... just curious. So you wish to confront them? BUCKY That's the plan. DALLION Who else is with you? BUCKY Blinky and, hopefully, The Great Mother. Can you rendezvous with me around Neso II and travel with me to their planet? DALLION Am I to be used as a bargaining chip again? BUCKY You've returned the favor you owed me. As far as I'm concerned, you don't have to police the regens anymore. However, they don't know that. It would help them get off both our backs. DALLION (after a moment) Fine. I will be at Neso II in twenty minutes. SCENE 9 - UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS Renfield is now at his desk in his office, working. The office is rather small and sparsely furnished, but well lit, consisting of a desk piled high with paperwork, a swivel chair, and a few bookshelves crammed to overflowing with books and boxes. The door is shut and locked. Directly across the hall, in an identical office, GILLY STEPHENSON sits, typing on a computer. Unlike his coworker, he keeps his office door open. Occasionally, he glances out the open door at Renfield's shut, locked one. A nervous-looking young HARE steps out of the elevator. He's wearing a tattered jacket and blue jeans and has the look of a street urchin about him. He strides purposefully down the hall to Renfield's office door and knocks. After a moment, the door unlocks, and Renfield admits his strange visitor without a word, then shuts and relocks the door. Observing this, Stephenson rises from his chair and goes to his door, leaning against the doorframe, frowning. About a minute or so later, the hare reemerges, stuffing something into his pocket. Stephenson watches him walk off down the hall to the elevator. STEPHENSON (to himself) Something ain't quite right here. SCENE 10 - DEEP SPACE, NEAR KROKKAROK Dallion, wearing his space helmet, flies alongside The Righteous Indignation as they approach Krokkarok. They establish communication as they approach the regen base. BUCKY (into comm) Captain Bucky O'Hare of S.P.A.C.E. requesting permission to land for The Righteous Indignation and Dallion. LIZARD (over comm) What is it with you mammals?! You are not allowed here. Especially you, Captain O'Hare, with a price on your head! Make peace with your maker, you filth! BUCKY Wait. There's a price on my head for a good reason, I'm sure. Allow me to make a deal with you. LIZARD No more deals! You both die now! BUCKY Fine, if you don't want to obliterate Aldebaran, then be that way. The comm is silent for a moment. LIZARD Explain your statement. BUCKY I will. To Cameleous, or to whoever put the price on my head. Now let me pass. LIZARD This had best not be a trick. BUCKY You should be able to spot a trick better than I can. The dock on the planet's surface opens its doors, and the Righteous and Dallion maneuver toward it. SCENE 11 - CHAIRMAN DOGSTAR'S OFFICE Dogstar sits at his desk, going through a big stack of psych evaluations. He pores through the annual report on Bruiser. Bucky's is next in the stack. As he flips through the pages, his desk comm goes off, and Claire Sheffield's voice pipes through. SHEFFIELD (over comm) Someone here to see you, Chairman. DOGSTAR (into comm) I'm busy, Claire. Who is it? SHEFFIELD It's Bucky's engineer, Willy. DOGSTAR (curious) And what does he want? WILLY (over comm) I just need a minute, Dogstar. I promise. DOGSTAR (giving in) Fine, lad, fine. Enter. Willy smiles and walks back into Dogstar's office. The Chairman hastily puts away the psych evals. DOGSTAR Willy, my boy. Didn't expect to be seeing you in person anytime soon. How's the lab work coming? WILLY It's OK. I'm making some progress, but not as much as I'd like, I guess. DOGSTAR Well, these things certainly don't happen overnight. We all appreciate your efforts. WILLY Don't speak too soon. I've been rethinking things, and I'm not entirely sure I want to spend all my time in that lab anymore. DOGSTAR (surprised) What? But I made a special accommodation for you, at taxpayer expense! WILLY I know, and I really appreciate it. Honestly. (beat) But I've been thinking. It just doesn't feel right, being in the aniverse but being cooped up in a lab. (beat) Is there any way you can get me back on the Righteous? Back on Bucky's ship? Dogstar raises an eyebrow. DOGSTAR I thought you were done with this war. WILLY I thought I was, too, but I guess not. Unfinished business, maybe? I just feel like I need to be back on the ship. DOGSTAR This is rather sudden, my boy, I must admit. Did something perhaps nudge you in this direction? WILLY Honestly? I'm worried about Bucky. DOGSTAR For what reason? WILLY He's ... been under a lot of stress these past few months. He and Jenny aren't getting along. He and I aren't getting along. I'm worried that something might happen. And if it does, I think someone needs to be there that can do something about it. DOGSTAR And that someone would be you? WILLY Maybe ... maybe I wouldn't be able to do anything about it if things got out of control, but I think I could recognize the warning signs. (beat) Bucky's very driven. You know that. He just needs to be driven in the right direction. DOGSTAR Well ... as it so happens, their current engineer quit recently. WILLY (surprised) Mike? Mike quit? Why? DOGSTAR Your guess is as good as mine. I was going to allow Blinky to act as their engineer, despite the legal complications, but fortunately, the crew has been on shore leave since this began, and they haven't been back on patrol yet. (beat) I agree with you that someone needs to keep an eye on Bucky. I would be happy to have you back on that ship, but I'm concerned about what would happen to your lab. WILLY S.P.A.C.E. has ten frigates now, right? So each ship goes on patrol less? DOGSTAR That's correct. WILLY So I wouldn't be needed as much anyway. I can spend some of my time in the lab and some of it on the frigate. Dogstar turns this over in his mind. DOGSTAR You propose an excellent argument, Engineer DuWitt. Welcome back to the fleet. Dogstar stands and offers his paw. Willy, both scared and relieved, shakes it. SCENE 12 - REGEN BASE, KROKKAROK Bucky and Dallion walk down a long hallway, flanked by eight regen LIZARDS training plasma blasters on them. The walls are bare concrete, with no adornments; the entire hall is stark and uniform. BUCKY How much farther? LIZARD #1 Shut up. DALLION The man asked a question. LIZARD #2 You got your answer. DALLION Bucky? BUCKY (looking ahead) Forget it. The group continues walking until they reach an elevator door at the end of the hallway. One of the lizards motions toward it. LIZARD #3 Top floor. Bucky and Dallion approach the elevator. Another lizard steps in front of Dallion, his gun pointing at the wolf's face. LIZARD #2 Not you. Just the hare. DALLION We go together. LIZARD #1 No, you don't. Bucky and Dallion exchange glances. Bucky finally speaks. BUCKY I'll call you if I need you. (motions toward the lizards) If they try anything, do what you have to do. DALLION You're not very good at making effective use of a bodyguard. Bucky just shrugs as he presses the elevator button. The doors slide open, and he steps inside. The cool, plain metal of the elevator is barely a contrast from the concrete hallway. Bucky watches the elevator go up five stories. It stops at the fifth and final floor. As the door opens, Bucky braces himself. Sure enough, three LIZARDS rush in with guns, surrounding him. One punches him in the face, while the other two grab him and drag him out. They throw him to the floor, then train their rifles at his face. Smirking, CAMELEOUS steps into Bucky's view. He clasps his hands together and lets out a soft hiss. CAMELEOUS Captain O'Hare. Thank you for saving me the money. (to the lizards) Kill him. SCENE 13 - LAB FOURTEEN, THE TOAD HOMEWORLD The toad scientists finish wiring the chassis containing Horst's body into Toadborg's imposing frame. As the final connection is made, Toadborg's optics glow brightly. The scientists step back as Toadborg automatically lowers his chest plate. TOADBORG (slowly) I ... feel strange. KOMPLEX Disorientation is to be expected in the first few minutes. TOADBORG You ... you healed me, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. KOMPLEX Indeed I have, Toadborg. Yet another favor that the Toad Empire has done for you. Can you sense Lieutenant Horst's thoughts inside you at all? TOADBORG No. Horst is dead. The traitor is no more. (slowly realizing) The traitor is ... inside me. Suddenly agitated, Toadborg scratches at his midsection. TOADBORG Traitorious filth! You rebuilt me using scum! I do not want this pathetic excuse for a toad inside me! KOMPLEX I knew you would feel this way, Toadborg. TOADBORG (frantic) Then why, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX? Why sully me with such a disgrace? KOMPLEX To remind you of your many failures. And to inspire you to new heights of greatness. When the aniverse is ours, Toadborg, as it rightfully should be, I will release you from this prison, and you may choose any toad flesh you wish to replace your original body. But until that day, you will carry that husk inside you. May it always drive you to accomplish more. TOADBORG I ... I ... (stops scratching, resigned) I hear and obey, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. KOMPLEX Excellent. Our work here is done. Now go put yourself to better use. KOMPLEX disappears from view. Toadborg's fingers twitch anxiously. SCENE 14 - REGEN BASE, KROKKAROK The lizards are about to shoot Bucky when the hare coughs out a word. BUCKY Aldebaran! CAMELEOUS Will be ours for the taking once you and Dallion are disposed of, yes. Thank you. BUCKY You can't take Aldebaran alone. They're members of the UAC now. We have an expanded fleet, and we won't let it happen. CAMELEOUS Another bluff, O'Hare? Our numbers are growing. Our technology is evolving. Thank you for the mark-5 accelerators, by the way. They've been most invaluable. BUCKY You're welcome. But the last thing you want is a war with the UAC. Aldebaran will be bad enough. Wouldn't it be easier if you had a man on the inside? Cameleous thinks about this. CAMELEOUS Surely you're not volunteering yourself. BUCKY Let me up, so we can talk. Cameleous eyes Bucky warily. Finally, he nods, and the lizards pull Bucky off the ground. They still have their weapons aimed at him. BUCKY Do you have any idea what Aldebaran means to me? CAMELEOUS (disgust in his voice) I know you are ... dating one of their kind. BUCKY And do you know what that's been like? (glaring at Cameleous) That whole frelling planet is insane. Every time I have to go there, I almost get killed while a bunch of weird shit happens, and no one will tell me what's going on. (beat) And now that I know about the planet's history, and why they act the way they do ... I don't want a planet like that in the UAC. Cameleous smiles. CAMELEOUS Well, well, well. It appears that even the blind may be granted sight, on occasion. BUCKY If you take on Aldebaran alone, you'll have to face the entire S.P.A.C.E. fleet. You know the toads haven't been giving us any trouble. Do you really want to deal with ten captains with itchy trigger fingers? CAMELEOUS And you offer me what alternative? BUCKY Marshal your forces. Make whatever preparations you have to. When the time is right, let me know. I will get your men onto Aldebaran without a conflict. I will distract the UAC. Whatever you need. CAMELEOUS And you will do this how, exactly? BUCKY I'm Bucky O'Hare. If I can't do it for you, no one can. CAMELEOUS (quizzical) You would really allow us to obliterate Aldebaran without a second thought? BUCKY Absolutely. CAMELEOUS And what of your little girlfriend? BUCKY Ex-girlfriend. CAMELEOUS (pleased) Hmm. Excellent. So we may kill her as well? Bucky tenses. BUCKY No. You can do whatever else you want to every other Aldebaran, but leave her be. Surely one lone Aldebaran can't cause you any trouble? CAMELEOUS (snickers) Mammal hearts are so foolish. (beat) So be it. I will call off the bounty on your head, and you will call off Dallion and assist us against Aldebaran when the time is right. Cameleous murmurs to the lizard standing next to him. The lizard runs off, then returns a few moments later with a piece of parchment. CAMELEOUS Sign this. BUCKY Nothing is written on it. CAMELEOUS Everyone here knows what it means. BUCKY I don't. CAMELEOUS (grumbling) I hate you picky mammals. SCENE 15 - REGEN BASE, KROKKAROK The elevator makes its way to the bottom floor, then opens. Bucky steps out, surveying the scene. One of the lizards is splattered against the wall, his green blood a sickening smear. The other seven lizards still point their weapons at Dallion. The wolf looks cool and calm, while the lizards have wild, scared expressions on their faces. DALLION Captain O'Hare. I am glad that you are safe. BUCKY That one got out of line? DALLION I am surprised that only one of them tried anything. (beat) How did your meeting go? BUCKY We'll talk in the frigate. Bucky and Dallion make their way back to The Righteous Indignation. Dallion boards the frigate this time. Blinky salutes them as they climb on board. A moment later, the ship blasts off, leaving Krokkarok behind. DALLION So you got them to cancel the bounty? BUCKY Yep. DALLION Congratulations on your successful mission. How did you accomplish this, if I may ask? BUCKY I lied to them. (thinking) DALLION (musing) Certainly a tactic they would appreciate were they the ones to be utilizing it. BUCKY They wanted me dead. I didn't see any reason to be straightforward with them. DALLION Indeed. So what now? Rest and relaxation? BUCKY Relaxing has been hard lately, actually. DALLION Because of Jenny? Bucky turns, startled. BUCKY What do you know about that? DALLION I was in contact with her a few days ago. She did not elaborate on the troubles she faced, but I could tell they stemmed from her relationship with you. Bucky pauses, then looks down at the ground. BUCKY We're not in a good spot. DALLION You may not be, perhaps, but I suspect she is beginning to make peace with the situation. BUCKY ... oh. (thinking) DALLION Forgive me if I brought up negative feelings. BUCKY It's nothing you did. Bucky stares out the windshield, watching the stars go by. DALLION What now, then? BUCKY Now you've started me thinking again. I ... need to talk to someone about this. Let me know where you'd like to be dropped off. (beat) Thanks for your help today. SCENE 16 - JENNY'S APARTMENT, GENUS A knock at the door startles Jenny, who sits with a book at her kitchen table. JENNY Yes? WILLY (through the door) Hey, it's me. Willy's visit surprises Jenny, who was not expecting him. She stands up and walks toward the door, then opens it. JENNY Willy, it's good to see you. We're not due for another lesson yet, are we? WILLY (smiling a bit) No, not yet. But the good news is, you won't have to travel to Betelgeusia for those lessons anymore. JENNY (curious) And why is that? WILLY I'm back on the ship. Dogstar hired me back as engineer. JENNY (confused) What? Jenny takes a step back, rattled by the many implications of Willy's statement. JENNY I thought you didn't want to be on the ship anymore. WILLY I thought that too, at first. But it just doesn't feel right being here and not being with you guys. I love my lab, but something is still missing. Maybe it's my Aldebaran magic. Maybe it's my time on the ship. JENNY I can understand that. But we ... we already have an engineer. WILLY Oh. You didn't hear? Mike quit. Dogstar told me. Jenny's eyes go wide. JENNY (softly) This is my fault. WILLY What? How is it your fault? JENNY I ... I shouldn't say. (looks out the window) Let's just say I was working out some issues I had with Bucky. WILLY You and me both. JENNY (looks back at Willy) I've come to peace with ... with the situation. Have you? WILLY Not quite. That's one of the reasons I want back on the ship -- so I can keep an eye on him. (beat) I'm glad you can forgive Bucky. I hope I can someday. JENNY Forgive? No, I can't forgive him. But that doesn't mean I can't move past it. WILLY Yeah. Willy rubs the spot in his chest where Bucky shot him while they were on the Toad Homeworld. WILLY Maybe that's another lesson I can learn from you. SCENE 17 - OUTSIDE MIMI'S APARTMENT, GENUS Bucky, looking tired and haggard, walks quickly down the hallway. He stops at a door and knocks on it. BUCKY Mimi? Bucky waits for a moment, with no reply. He knocks again. BUCKY Mimi! Finally, the door swings open. A frustrated CAPTAIN MIMI LAFLEUR stands in the doorway. MIMI Bucky, what are you doing here? BUCKY Please, I just ... Shaking his head, Bucky takes a step past Mimi and enters the room. MIMI Wait ... Once inside, Bucky notices a sharply dressed male BULLDOG sitting at the kitchen table, a stew in front of him. BUCKY (blinks) Captain Zebulon? ZEBULON (calm) Captain O'Hare. BUCKY What are you doing here? Bucky spins around toward Mimi as he points at Captain Zebulon. BUCKY What is he doing here?! MIMI We're having dinner. The question is what *you're* doing here. You can't just barge in like this! BUCKY Are you sleeping with him? Mimi's eyes go wide. MIMI Get out. BUCKY Dammit, Mimi! How can you ... Zebulon stands, a look of concern on his face. ZEBULON Should I go? MIMI No! We're having dinner. Bucky, if you don't leave ... ZEBULON No, this sounds like something you two should work out. Zebulon walks toward the door as Mimi's face shows a look of surprise and sadness. MIMI I spent two hours making this ... ZEBULON Thank you for dinner. I'll call you. Zebulon exits, closing the door behind him. Mimi watches him go, then turns around, furious. MIMI Dammit! Mimi storms up to Bucky and slaps him. MIMI What the frell was that about? BUCKY (recovering) I could ask you the same question! MIMI No, you can't! Because this is my property and my kitchen and I can do what I want! BUCKY Or who you want. Mimi just gets madder at this. MIMI Who do you think you are?! Just because we had catastrophe sex doesn't mean you get to intrude on my personal business! The fact that you came here and disrupted my nice, quiet evening, after I've already *told* you I am not going to sleep with you again ... BUCKY Who said I wanted to sleep with you again? MIMI If you didn't, then why did you flip the frell out when you saw Jake here? BUCKY I just wasn't expecting him, OK? I came over here to talk to you, and I find out you're already with another guy. MIMI I'm not "with" Jake, dammit! We were having dinner. *Dinner*. Did you see him tied to my bedpost, or sitting quietly at the kitchen table? Bucky doesn't respond. His features slowly shift into a look of regret. MIMI And now, I wouldn't be able to date him even if I wanted to, thanks to you and your damn invasion of my apartment! This is not a battlefield! This is my home! Bucky still says nothing, realizing he acted inappropriately. MIMI And I was finally having a nice meal with a nice man! (beat) Look, Bucky, it's no secret I've made mistakes. Vince was a mistake. Fritz was a mistake. Sleeping with *you* is turning out to be the mother of all dumbass moves ... BUCKY (a little offended) Hey. MIMI (growling) No! You do not get to talk! I should have you arrested, trespassing like this! BUCKY Do you want me to leave? MIMI No, I want you never to have ruined my date in the first place! BUCKY I'm ... I'm sorry. MIMI I am not accepting that. I am not accepting you. Bucky begins to look crestfallen. BUCKY Look, I just wanted to talk. MIMI About what? What the frell do we have left to talk about? BUCKY I need help, OK? Bucky sits down in the nearest chair, feeling worn out. BUCKY Things with Jenny have just ... gotten really bad. And I don't have anyone to turn to. There is no one I can talk to about this but you. Mimi walks over to Bucky, standing over him while he sits. MIMI That's too bad, because we have nothing to talk about, and I have nothing to say to you. BUCKY (ears flat against his head) Please, Mimi. You're the only one who understands me. Mimi recoils a bit. MIMI Understand you? *Understand* you? I don't understand you, Bucky O'Hare! I barely understand myself! BUCKY Well ... Bucky looks out the window for a moment before speaking plainly. BUCKY I guess that leaves me with no one, then. MIMI No, it doesn't, dammit! You have Jenny! Bucky coughs. BUCKY No. No, I don't. I lost Jenny. MIMI Oh, give me a break. You two have known each other your entire careers. You've been through almost everything together. You have put up with a ton of crap from her, and considering how you're acting, I'm betting she puts up with a ton of crap from you. BUCKY She slept with someone else. MIMI If that's your criteria for losing someone, then she lost you first, asshole. Bucky's shoulders slump. BUCKY You're right. This is my fault. MIMI Damn straight it is. And that means you have to be the one to make it right. BUCKY I don't think I can. MIMI Then move on! Make it better or move on! But don't come whining to me because you screwed up! And don't try to ruin my excuse for a love life because yours is hitting the skids. Bucky stares out the window for another few seconds, still not facing Mimi. MIMI (calming down) Look, Bucky. You're clearly taking this hard. And if you're coming to me for relationship advice, then you're *really* friggin' desperate. But talking to me is not going to solve a damn one of your problems. (beat) I'm the woman you slept with. She's the woman you love. Now go fix it. Bucky nods silently, his mouth closed. His eyes slowly wander toward the front door. SCENE 18 - BUCKY'S APARTMENT, GENUS Half an hour later, Bucky stumbles into his apartment, looking weary and confused. He flips on the light, then immediately sits down at his kitchen table. He rests his head on his paws and tries to concentrate. BUCKY (thinking) (beat) Bucky looks around the apartment. Far from comforting him, these familiar surroundings seem welcoming only because nowhere else does. BUCKY (thinking) (beat) (beat) (beat) Bucky pauses and ponders for a moment. Finally, he pulls his blaster out of its holster. He lays it down on the table and stares at it. Glumly, he picks up the gun and slides his finger through the trigger hole. He bites his lip, fiddling with the weapon in his paw. BUCKY (thinking) (beat) THE END