"A Stranger Among Us" by DJ Clawson and Fero McPiglet First draft - 6/12/98 Final draft - 12/13/98 Edited by Rygar 12/30/03 SCENE 1 - TOAD HOMEWORLD TOADBORG and the AIR MARSHAL are standing in front of a large monitor with KOMPLEX's face on it. KOMPLEX You requested an audience? TOADBORG Yes, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. I have devised a plan to rid us of the mammalian space fleet. AIR MARSHAL Don't tell me it's another bomb plot again, Toadborg. TOADBORG (turning to him angrily) Just because the last idea failed does not mean this one will! My plan is foolproof! This time, we won't be relying on any slimy sleazasaurs ... AIR MARSHAL The lizard regens are just as backstabbing as Negator. TOADBORG I have no intention of using any of them. AIR MARSHAL Then how will you plant the bomb? TOADBORG The mammals will deliver it to Genus for us. Allow me to explain. He activates a console, and on the monitor, a blueprint of The Righteous Indignation appears. TOADBORG It has come to my attention that certain S.P.A.C.E. frigates are now authorized to carry special explosives onboard. Unfortunately, the only ship so far to have received the new technology is The Righteous Indignation. These explosives are not for regular battle use, as their destructive nature is capable of wiping entire cities off the face of a planet. They were only intended for use against major toad war ships and maybe even the Toad Homeworld, if the opportunity arose. (points to an area of the ship) The explosives, for that reason, are kept under lock and key in one of the back cargo bays. They can only be accessed by special means requiring special authorization by the ship's captain and the ship's engineer. AIR MARSHAL No spy I know can get near the Righteous, much less inside and past all of that security. TOADBORG I have already taken care of that. I have a spy under my personal authority who will be perfect for the job. KOMPLEX Excellent work, Toadborg. TOADBORG (bows) Yes, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. KOMPLEX Proceed with the plan immediately. KOMPLEX's image fades from the screen. AIR MARSHAL What do I do? TOADBORG You do nothing. This does not concern you. I don't need any of your bad luck fouling up this operation. Toadborg storms off, leaving the Air Marshal to grumble to himself. SCENE 2 - TOAD HOMEWORLD Toadborg enters a private room. Finding himself alone, he activates the vid-link and dials up a number. A few minutes later, a FIGURE comes onto the screen, impossible to make out. FIGURE It's about time. You have something for me to do, finally? TOADBORG Something that requires your special talents, yes. FIGURE Name it. TOADBORG There is a set of explosives aboard the Righteous powerful enough to ... FIGURE I know all about them. Bucky keeps them locked away. TOADBORG That's for you to take care of. The detonation device requires two keys. Each one should be with the dog tags of Captain O'Hare and his engineer. FIGURE Getting it off Bucky won't be a problem. (beat) The engineer is another story. TOADBORG I don't care how you do it. I just want it done! FIGURE (taken back) I understand. The Righteous is in orbit of Warren. TOADBORG Take it to Genus, then denote the explosives. FIGURE Any particular buildings you want wiped off the face of Genus? TOADBORG The United Animals Coalition Security Council building should do nicely. FIGURE You realize this will cost you. Hijacking an S.P.A.C.E. frigate won't be easy. TOADBORG That is why I've given you the responsibility. How does ten thousand simoleans sound? FIGURE Not as good as twenty thousand. TOADBORG (aggravated sigh) All right. You have forty-eight hours. Toadborg out. Toadborg severs the connection. SCENE 3 - SPACEPORT, ORBIT OF WARREN Most of the crew of the Righteous are sitting around a table in the bar, eating and relaxing. ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT, halfway through his burger, picks up the menu and adjusts his glasses, trying to read it. DEADEYE What is it, matey? WILLY (between mouthfuls) I was just thinking ... the burger isn't made of cows, is it? GUNNER DEADEYE DUCK nearly spits out his drink. DEADEYE Who would want ta do somethin' barbaric like that? WILLY Hu ... (decides to drop the subject) Then what *is* it made of? DEADEYE Why do ya ask? WILLY Because I figure if I'm gonna eat with you guys to get away from my mom's tofu burgers, I might as well know what I'm eating. DEADEYE Ah. Then cromags, I think. WILLY What? DEADEYE Little species of apelike things. Live in Sector Twelve. I think they started out as baboons and evolved in the wrong direction. (thinks) They look kinda like you humans, actually. A lot stupider, though. Willy turns green and spits out the rest of his burger. Deadeye and BRUISER laugh hysterically. Bruiser slaps Willy on the back. BRUISER Ah, he's just jokin' with ya, Willy. WILLY (regaining color) Um ... thanks. DEADEYE Yeah. The burgers're made of beans and plants and stuff. WILLY Oh. Garden burger. (relieved) Well, I've lost *my* appetite. He turns to FIRST MATE JENNY, who has nothing in front of her and has been sullen and silent for most of the meal. WILLY (indicating uneaten leftovers) You want any of this? JENNY No, thank you. (stoically) I'm not very hungry. WILLY (realizing something's wrong) What's ... Without another word, Jenny indicates she wants to talk privately. WILLY (to others) I'll be right back, guys. DEADEYE You gonna drink that space java? WILLY Take it. Willy leaves the table with Jenny and follows her into a quieter area of the port. JENNY Willy, have you noticed anything strange about Bucky recently? WILLY Yeah ... he's been with that hare ever since we've been here. What's- her-name. JENNY Her name is Shira. Are you ... (thinks) Oh right, you wouldn't. WILLY (frowns) Wouldn't what? JENNY Pick up anything. I mean with your cap on. Unless you've had it off since she was around the Righteous earlier. WILLY No, nothing. Why? JENNY I just ... I have a bad feeling, every time I'm around her. WILLY You haven't probed her, have you? JENNY Not yet. Willy hesitates on saying what's on his mind, and Jenny sees it. JENNY What is it, Willy? WILLY I just ... (stops himself) It's not important. JENNY It obviously is, or you wouldn't be struggling to say it. Now spit it out, Engineer DuWitt. Willy shoves his hands into the pockets of his pants, looking down at his feet. WILLY I just was thinking ... you know, of how you and Bucky used to seem like ... um ... there was something ... JENNY Between us? WILLY Yeah. (stammering) And now ... you know, there's like another girl, and I guess I was thinking ... JENNY That I was jealous of her. Willy is slightly relieved that Jenny's saying the hardest part of his sentences. WILLY ... yeah. Like that. Willy looks at Jenny, expecting the full brunt of her wrath. She, however, has an unreadable look on her face, but fortunately for him, it carries no apparent malice. Instead, she decides to come clean with him. JENNY (partially to herself) Maybe I am a little jealous ... but these feelings I have aren't related to that. WILLY Are you sure? JENNY (firmly) Yes. WILLY This might not be a good idea, but maybe you should talk to Bucky about it. Jenny's face brightens a bit. JENNY I think I'll do that. (pecks him on the cheek) Thanks a lot. Jenny rushes off while Willy stands there and blushes madly. SCENE 4 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION The ship is in docking bay. Jenny enters through the main hatch. JENNY Bucky? BUCKY (from above) I'm up here. Hold on, I'm coming down. Jenny breathes a sigh of relief that CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE is alone as he climbs down the ladder. BUCKY I was just doing some checks of Willy's new modifications to the communications system. (reads the look on Jenny's face) What's up? JENNY Buck, I need to talk to you. BUCKY About? JENNY Shira. Bucky rolls his eyes, obviously expecting this one and ready to brace himself for it. He still remains nonchalant. BUCKY What about her? JENNY Have you seen her recently? BUCKY (calmly) Is that any of your business? JENNY It's just that ... (sighs) Bucky, I have a bad feeling about her. BUCKY What kind of feeling? JENNY It's ... bad. BUCKY Are you gonna tell me about it or about what started it or what? JENNY It's just that ... (decides to spit it out) I think she's a spy, Bucky. BUCKY (raises an eyebrow) And what makes you think that? JENNY I just *know*, Bucky. BUCKY Oh ... (a little ruder) This is one of those Aldebaran things where you just "know" and you can't explain it to me, right? You have to rely on feelings? JENNY (admittedly) Yes. BUCKY Well ... I have a *good* feeling about Shira ... a *very* good one, in fact. And considering I'm around her a lot more than you are, I think I would know a lot more about what kind of aura she's giving off, or whatever that Aldebaran crap is ... JENNY Bucky! BUCKY Don't "Bucky" me! (angrily) Are you jealous of my relationship with Shira, or not? Jenny is quite taken back by his upfront approach. JENNY That has nothing to do with what I'm talking about! Bucky stops his pacing and stares straight into her face. BUCKY It has everything to do with what you're talking about! JENNY Bucky ... BUCKY That's "Captain" to you, First Mate. And I suggest you stand down before you accuse my girlfriend of anything else. What was next on your list? High treason? Jenny, now steaming, visibly restrains herself and says nothing. BUCKY You are dismissed. Jenny storms out angrily, nearly crashing into Willy as he enters through the main hatch. She continues out without pausing to look him in the eye or talk to him. WILLY I said it probably wasn't a good idea ... (seeing Bucky) Oh, hi, Captain. Willy salutes. BUCKY (calming down, salutes) Engineer DuWitt. Isn't it late for you to be up? WILLY (checks watch) Yeah, I had better get home. (heads for engineering) See you tomorrow, Captain. Willy shuts the hatch behind him. Bucky breathes a sigh and sits down on the bench, pondering silently. His thoughts are interrupted as SHIRA O'NEIL enters, and his face brightens instantly. SHIRA Hi, honey. (sitting beside him) Tough day? BUCKY Yeah. SHIRA I thought you were enjoying dry dock. BUCKY I was, until now. Or at least, until a few minutes ago. (turns to her and smiles) Though that could easily change. They are interrupted by a beeping sound coming from one of the side panels. BUCKY Excuse me ... Bucky stands and hits a few buttons until the beeping stops. SHIRA What was that? BUCKY I was checking over some modifications Willy made, and I screwed up the settings, I think. I'll have to have him check them over in the morning. SHIRA Why can't you get him now? BUCKY Because Willy hates it when we enter his universe without permission. SHIRA (raising eyebrows) His universe? BUCKY Yeah. Didn't I tell you that? He lives in this freaky planet in another dimension called the universe. SHIRA What's the planet called? BUCKY San Francisco, I think. SHIRA Then how does he get home? Is he a regen? BUCKY No, he has a portal created by our two accelerators ... (stops) It's easier for me to just show it to you, really. SHIRA (interested) This I want to see. Bucky opens the door to engineering. He points to the accelerator. BUCKY All you have to do is activate it like this ... (pretends to pull on the lever) And the door to his dimension comes up. It can be activated from either side. SHIRA I ... see. They hear another beeping, this time coming from the comm-link on Bucky's utility belt. He checks it. BUCKY I'm needed elsewhere. Can I trust you here for a few minutes? SHIRA (smiles) Sure. Bucky kisses Shira on the cheek. BUCKY I'll be right back. Bucky runs out, leaving Shira alone on the ship, smiling slyly. SCENE 5 - WILLY'S ROOM, SAN FRANCISCO, EARTH It is night on Earth. The clock on the bed stand reads 11:30. Willy emerges from the bathroom, wearing only a towel around his waist. His hair is soaked, and his glasses are off. Around his neck is the chain that contains his dog tags and a key. MRS. DUWITT (calling out from outside the door) Willy? Are you home? WILLY Yeah, Mom. MRS. DUWITT You were supposed to be home an hour ago. WILLY I know, Mom. Willy picks up a spare towel and begins to dry his hair. MRS. DUWITT I hope you're getting paid for all of this overtime, dear. WILLY I am, Mom. MRS. DUWITT All right. Are you going to shower? WILLY I already did. MRS. DUWITT Then goodnight, honey. WILLY G'night, Mom. His hair partially dry, Willy goes back into the bathroom. He does not see the photon accelerator activate or Shira step through the door. She looks around at Willy's room, which is filled with science- fiction memorabilia and electronic devices in various states of repair. His shelves are clogged with everything from schoolbooks to computer hardware. SHIRA (to herself) How am I ever going to find ... Hearing the sound of the bathroom door beginning to open, Shira dives under Willy's bed. Peeking out, she watches Willy emerge, dressed in flannel pajamas. He sits by the bedside, completely obvious to her presence, and finally removes the chain from around his neck and sets it beside his glasses on the bed stand. He then turns out the light and climbs into bed. SHIRA (thinking) After waiting quite a while, Shira creeps out from under the bed. Noticing Willy is safely asleep, she reaches for the chain with the tags on the bed stand. As she is removing it from its place, however, she spies a wire-mesh helmet-like object next to it. It's Willy's Aldebaran cap, which he had removed before showering. Her curiosity muting her judgment, she leans closer to inspect it. SHIRA (thinking) Suddenly, as Shira's paw touches it, it lights up. She feels one of Willy's hands grab her arm to stop her as he wakes up. He holds her by her wrist firmly, his superior human strength keeping her from further movement. WILLY (squinting) Who are you? Shira suddenly realizes he cannot see her without his glasses, at least well enough to be recognized. But before he can reach for them, she stops his hand and carefully speaks in a tone as close to Jenny's as she can. SHIRA Don't be alarmed. It's just me. Willy is still squinting, trying to make out the shape in front of him; he can only see a blurry, white, female-shaped mammal of Jenny's height. He is further alarmed when he hears some stumbling noises outside his door. WILLY Crap! (turning back to Shira) What are you doing here?! You're gonna wake up my parents! Shira searches for an explanation as she slips the chain into her back pocket with her free paw. SHIRA I ... needed to check on your cap. WILLY Is something wrong? SHIRA (thinking fast) Yes ... on Aldebaran. I need you come with me. WILLY (sitting up and releasing her) OK, lemme just get dressed ... Before he can reach for his glasses, Shira quickly swipes them off the stand and drops them to the floor, crushing them with her boot. WILLY (feeling around on the stand for his glasses) Have you seen my glasses? SHIRA (trying to sound insistent, tugging on his arm) There isn't time for that now! Willy is a little taken back by her unfamiliar manner. He stands, however, and fumbles around for the accelerator switch. SHIRA It's already on! Let's go! Shira tugs the rather confused Willy through the dimensional portal, leading him onto the Righteous. He stumbles around a bit, disoriented, and begins feeling the walls for something. WILLY I *know* I have a spare pair in here *somewhere* ... Willy does not see Shira draw her stun gun. Carefully taking aim at his exposed back, she is about to pull the trigger when they both hear a third person open the hatch to engineering, and Bucky steps in. Shira hides her gun quickly. BUCKY Hi, Shira. Willy, what are you ... WILLY (spinning around) Shira? Then where's Jenny? Shira draws her stun gun quickly and fires at Willy. Bucky watches in horror as the young human drops to the ground with a thud. Before he can react, however, Shira aims in his direction. SHIRA I think you overestimated your engineer's intelligence. And yours. Shira shoots Bucky, who collapses on impact. Muttering to herself, she replaces her stun gun in its holster and picks up Bucky by his shoulders, dragging him out of engineering. SCENE 6 - DOCKING BAY, SPACEPORT, ORBIT OF WARREN Deadeye, Bruiser, and AFC BLINKY enter, chatting to themselves. They are just about to enter the Righteous when the engines fire up and it takes off. DEADEYE Uh ... did that just seem a little strange to ye, Bruiser? BRUISER Maybe Jenny's takin' the ship again. DEADEYE But the Cap'n's still on it! BRUISER Ya sure? DEADEYE I haven't seen him around the port. Or Willy. Or Jenny. BRUISER Dat *is* a little strange ... whaddaya wanna do about it? BLINKY This humble android suggests we look for our senior officers on the port. DEADEYE Good idea. Let's go. The three of them split up to search for their missing crewmates. SCENE 7 - SPACEPORT, ORBIT OF WARREN Bucky moans as he begins to regain consciousness. His first realization, as he tries to move around, is that he is in a dark, cramped space with his paws tied behind his back. WILLY Captain? You awake? Craning his head over his shoulder, Bucky finds Willy with his back up against his own. BUCKY How long have I been out? WILLY A little longer than me. Are you OK? BUCKY (tries to shift around and fails) Yeah. I think she just stunned me. How about you? WILLY Same. BUCKY (looking around) Any idea where we are? WILLY Are you kidding? I can't see a thing. Bucky looks up into the total darkness. BUCKY (exhales) Could we still be on the ship? WILLY I doubt it. If she took the ship, we'd be able to hear the engines. If she ran off, someone else would be back by now, and we'd be able to hear them. BUCKY So we're somewhere quiet or somewhere soundproof. Or both. (beat) How much space do you think is above us? WILLY Lemme check. I'm taller. Willy attempts to lift himself by pushing his knees against the wall, but he is weighted down. WILLY I think you're tied to me. BUCKY OK, we'll both push up on two. One ... two! They both attempt to stand, but after only a few inches upward, Willy's head slams against a ceiling. WILLY Ow! BUCKY Sorry. WILLY 's OK. (sliding back down) I would say, given the size and shape of everything, we're in some kind of cylindrical container. Bucky and Willy are silent for a moment. BUCKY (realizes) Are we sealed in? WILLY As far as I can tell. BUCKY How much air do you think we have? WILLY (look around) I don't know, Captain. BUCKY All right ... now don't panic, whatever you do. You'll just use up more air. WILLY Would that include screaming? We gotta attract *some* attention. BUCKY (considers) There's got to be a better way to make some noise. Bucky rearranges himself so his feet are up against the metal wall. He then bangs them against it, making a very loud sound. WILLY Someone should have heard that. What else can we do? BUCKY Wait. SCENE 8 - SPACEPORT Deadeye, Bruiser, and Blinky have regrouped back at the bar. BRUISER There's no sign of anyone on da port. I checked da whole south wing. DEADEYE Aye, and I checked the other wing. (to Blinky) Did ye reach anybody? BLINKY No response from The Righteous Indignation. DEADEYE (rubs his beak) I'm tellin' ya, guys, I don't like the looks of this ... SCENE 9 - SPACEPORT Meanwhile, Bucky and Willy are still trapped. After several minutes of silence, Bucky nudges Willy. BUCKY Willy? WILLY (tired) I'm here. Bucky, frustrated, bangs against the wall again. No response, and the air inside their cell is quickly getting stale. BUCKY Try not to fall asleep. WILLY I know, Captain. Bucky sighs and leans against Willy's back. WILLY G-d, I am such a moron ... BUCKY You? WILLY I thought she was Jenny! BUCKY You couldn't see her. You get a lot more credit than me. (swallowing) I couldn't see her clearly, and my vision is fine. WILLY It's OK. I didn't realize she was a spy, either. BUCKY Yeah, but you didn't have it shoved into your face like I did. WILLY I take it that's what Jenny stormed out over. BUCKY Yeah. (guiltily) I kind of ... gave her a talking. Why did she have to be so right about Shira and I had to be so wrong? WILLY Well ... I guess I can't blame you about not taking her seriously. I mean ... Willy stops himself. BUCKY What do you mean? WILLY Well ... I ... had a little talk with her before she came to you. BUCKY (interested) About what? WILLY (not sure he should be saying this) About Shira. And you. She was worried about you and she thought something was wrong with Shira, but, you know ... BUCKY What? WILLY I ... kinda told her I thought she was ... you know, jealous of you and Shira. (shakes his head) G-d, I am such an idiot. BUCKY No, it's all right. I made the same mistake. WILLY So *that's* what she was angry about? BUCKY Yes. There is a silence. WILLY You know ... she really does like you. BUCKY Who? Jenny? WILLY Yeah, I mean, I guess so. She hasn't told me anything, but you know, she's always worried about you being angry at her or you walking into some trap and getting hurt or something else bad or something like that. I mean, when I first came on this ship ... (stops himself) I shouldn't be saying this stuff. BUCKY (concerned) Go on. Please. WILLY Well, when I first came on the ship I thought you guys were like a couple or something. BUCKY We were. For a little while. WILLY Why did you break it off? BUCKY We didn't, really. Things just ... you know, got more complicated, and we got busier and busier and really didn't have time to ourselves. She's always rushing to Aldebaran for a mission she won't tell me anything about, and I'm always getting myself into trouble or flirting with someone I shouldn't be ... and then Shira showed up. (sighs) Maybe I should have made more time ... for Jenny. There is no response from Willy. Bucky nudges him again nervously. WILLY (reawakens) Mmm? I'm here, Captain. Just a little dizzy. BUCKY Someone'll find us soon. Don't worry. WILLY I think that's your job. You're the captain. Bucky laughs and bangs on the metal again. SCENE 10 - DOCKING BAY Deadeye enters, exhausted. Bruiser and Blinky follow behind. DEADEYE We've looked everywhere, twice. BRUISER But they gotta be here, somewhere! SCENE SHIFTS TO THE ENCLOSED SPACE One of Bucky's long ears perks up and manages to pick up the distant voices of his crewmates. Groaning, he forces himself more fully awake and tries to shake Willy awake. The human does not respond. Tiredly, Bucky sucks in a full breath of the stale air and uses what's left of his might to slam against the metal once more with his feet. SCENE SHIFTS TO DOCKING BAY DEADEYE Did you hear that, matey? BRUISER What? DEADEYE Kind of like a banging sound comin' from over there. Deadeye points in the direction of many oil drums. The banging noise sounds again. BLINKY Targeting sound now... Blinky leads them to an oil drum in the corner. Deadeye puts the side of his head against it. DEADEYE Is anybody in there? The response is repeated banging. BRUISER Let me through! Deadeye moves away as Bruiser comes forward. With a mighty heave, he tears at the lid, which has been nailed down. After a moment, the lid is torn off and the drum falls on its side. Bucky and Willy, still tied to each other, spill out. DEADEYE and BRUISER Cap'n! BUCKY (weakly) Get us out of this! Blinky produces a knife mechanism from inside his metal hand and cuts their ropes. Bucky sits up, taking large breathes of the fresh air. BUCKY (breathing) Willy ... is he ... Willy stirs, slowly coming around. DEADEYE Do ye want us ta get a med team? WILLY (weakly) No ... m'all right. DEADEYE Who did this to ye, Cap'n? BUCKY (still trying to catch his breath) Shira ... she ... had a ... gun... BRUISER So that's who took da ship! BUCKY But ... why? WILLY She could sell the technology to the toads. (thinks) But that wouldn't explain ... what she was doing in my room. BUCKY She was in your room? WILLY Do you really think I'd come back to the Righteous in my pajamas unless I had to? BUCKY (smacks himself) Why did I tell her about the accelerator!? (turns to Willy) Did she take anything from your room? WILLY I couldn't see. Besides, even if she wanted something, she could just take it while I wasn't there instead of risking waking me up. DEADEYE Aye ... unless it was somethin' on ye, matey. WILLY (reaching around his throat) My dog tags! BUCKY What about them? WILLY The only time I take them off is when I go to bed. The key to the new explosives was on that chain! Bucky unzips the collar of his uniform and checks beneath his shirt. BUCKY Mine are gone, too! DEADEYE That Shira's a clever lass, ain't she? BUCKY (standing) Too clever, Deadeye. Well, now we know what she was after. Now we just need to figure out where's she's going. WILLY With those explosives, she could wipe a city off a planet. BUCKY And I know one city the toads would *love* to see destroyed ... on Genus. We have to warn the UAC! They run off. Willy attempts to follow but runs right into the wall beside the hatch. Deadeye laughs and pulls him in the right direction. WILLY (holds his face) That's gonna sting tomorrow ... SCENE 11 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION The Righteous has landed at a quiet launching pad on Genus. Shira is carrying the explosives out one by one, careful not to drop their heavy cylinder cases. When has them all stacked up and wired together, she retrieves the chains, both of which have keys on them. She plugs the keys into their respective slots on the main explosive container and activates the detonation screen. SHIRA Two minutes should be plenty for me to pull out of here ... JENNY I don't think you'll be going anywhere, except to jail. Shira spins around to see Jenny standing in the entrance hatch to the Righteous. SHIRA (sneering) You irritating witch! JENNY (approaching her slowly) I'm not going to even start the list of names I'd like to call you. Shira draws her gun. Jenny kicks it out of her paw, and Shira jumps back into a defensive fighting stance as Jenny begins to circle her. JENNY Tell me ... what would a hare have to gain by blowing up Genus? SHIRA (takes a swipe at her) Twenty thousand simoleans is good enough. JENNY You would betray the mammalian people for twenty thousand simoleans?! You would see your brothers and sisters back in a slave camp? SHIRA The hares will be back there anyway! (vengefully) The toads are advancing, and there's nothing that puny group of ships you call a fleet can do about it! It's only a matter of time before the hares are back in their prisons, and I don't want to be one of them! JENNY (narrows eyes) So you *are* working with the toads. SHIRA I like to be on the winning side. (swipes at her again) At least I'm not an Aldebaran witch. JENNY Actually, I think I'd rather be an Aldebaran right now ... Jenny raises her paws, calling forth a burst of energy from the jewel on her forehead and hitting Shira with it. The hare falls down, unconscious. JENNY ... so I can do *that*. Jenny's magical energy is just fading when CAPTAIN MIMI LAFLEUR appears, along with GUNNER HARRY CALLAN and FIRST MATE JONATHAN WEISSMAN. MIMI Jenny! Bucky ... JENNY (calmly) Is Bucky all right? MIMI Yes. He just called us and told us that some hare named Shira ... JENNY (pointing to Shira) That would be her. MIMI ... just stole a bunch of explosives and was headed for Genus. Jenny walks over to the explosives and pulls the keys from their keyholes, deactivating them. JENNY Take her away. Mimi motions to Jonathan, who cuffs Shira and carries her off with Harry's help. SCENE 12 - UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS Jenny has just finished giving her report to Mimi when Bucky and the crew arrive. BUCKY Jenny! You're all right! DEADEYE Aye, we were worried about ye, lassie! JENNY (reassuringly) I'm fine. WILLY What about Shira? MIMI She's under arrest. She'll stand trial next week. Which means we'll need statements from most of you guys. Just then, Jonathan, Harry, and ENGINEER DILE O'CROCK enter. WILLY (screaming and pointing) Ah! It's Al Negator! He got into the Security Council building! BUCKY What? Where? There are all looking around frantically until Dile realizes Willy is pointing at him. DILE Um, I think there has been some confusion here ... Deadeye gets it and begins laughing hysterically. DEADEYE Ha hah! Relax, Willy, it's just Dile. WILLY Oh. (squints) Right. Sorry, Dile. JONATHAN (to Dile, who is wearing glasses himself) He's just not wearing his glasses. DILE I see ... well, would you mind wearing them next time we meet? WILLY No problem there. Bucky, seeing that Dile and Willy are talking and Mimi is questioning the other members of his crew, takes Jenny aside quietly. BUCKY Listen, Jenny, I ... JENNY (appearing to be still aggravated with him) You what? BUCKY I wanted to say ... I'm sorry. For what I said before. I should have listened to you about Shira. And ... I shouldn't have insulted your Aldebaran powers. They've gotten me out of more than one sticky situation, and I should be grateful to you for that. Jenny has a stoic, unfaltering expression. JENNY Anything else? BUCKY And ... (considers, searching for what he wants to say) I guess ... I'm kind of sorry that I got involved with Shira ... and not with you. Jenny has realized how hard it is for Bucky to express what he feels toward her. Her expression warms up suddenly, and she kisses him on the cheek. Bucky stumbles back, slightly dumbfounded. BUCKY What ... was that for? JENNY For being yourself. Which is what I like so much about you, Bucky O'Hare. Bucky blushes. BUCKY So ... want to get a drink? JENNY What, doesn't Mimi need a statement? BUCKY Mimi can wait. She'll be here tomorrow. JENNY (smiles) There isn't anything in the space fleet regulations manual about officers going out, right? BUCKY Not that I know of. (shrugs) Not that it matters. It's not like anyone knows that we ... are pursuing this. They turn away to walk off. JENNY Oh, really? (shoots a look back at Willy, who is still apologizing to Dile) I think someone already does. THE END