"Summer Snows" by DJ Clawson First draft - 8/12/00 Second draft - 12/5/00 Final draft - 12/7/00 Edited by Rygar 11/10/08 SCENE 1 - GENUS, NIGHT Genus's two moons stand as silent sentinels over the urban planet. In the darkness of the early hours, two FIGURES in black hurry across the square of the headquarters of the United Animals Coalition. Instead of trying to enter the front doors, they open a sewer cover and slide down into it. They pop out into a room filled with file cabinets from the ventilation system. One of the intruders immediately sits behind a computer and inserts a round disk, then begins typing. The other begins systematically going through the file cabinets, pulling out files. They remain undisturbed until the door to the room unlocks from the outside and swings open. Two more figures, wearing brown cloaks with hoods covering their heads and obscuring their features, enter. They draw the hilts of lightsabers and power them up. Both energy blades are golden-colored. The black intruders, shocked, mutter curses and hurry out the back door. The lightsabered figures give chase, leading down some security staircases. One of the intruders drops several folders on the way down and stops only briefly before deciding that it isn't worth it when a lightsaber swings inches from his head. He ignores the lost folders and continues. One of the cloaked figures stops and picks up the folders, glancing at them briefly. Desperate, the intruders head out into the lobby and toward the front doors. One of the cloaked figures attempts to make a more serious chase, but the other holds out an arm, indicating the folders that were left. Both seem satisfied and allow the introducers to escape through the front doors. Opening the front doors, of course, sets off the alarms. A tired, angry KADAF WARNER emerges from the stairway and notices the first cloaked figure just sort of standing there. He groans in recognition. KADAF Oh, G-d dammit, not ... The figure responds by punching Kadaf in the face. Kadaf falls backward, totally unconscious. The second figure looks up from the folders and makes an irritated gesture at the first figure. In no obvious hurry, they both exit through the front doors. SCENE 2 - THE BEACH, WARREN Compared to the tense setting of Genus, this is a very relaxed beach on Warren, similar to beaches on Earth, only the sand is a beautiful aqua blue instead of tan, matching the color of the waves. The crew of the Righteous Indignation is decked out, obviously on holiday. CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE, having recovered from his previous injuries, is on a beach chair, wearing a bathing suit and a shirt. FIRST MATE JENNY is on the chair next to him, dressed likewise. BRUISER has nearly been buried by AFC BLINKY in the sand, and GUNNER DEADEYE DUCK is in a inflatable tube, resting in the calm waters. ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT, wearing a T-shirt and shorts, enters from the trail leading to the resort. He has a portable laptop slung over his shoulder. WILLY OK, this is just freaky. BUCKY (looks up) What is? WILLY The sand. It's *blue*. BUCKY Well, yeah. Warren is famous for its blue beaches. They're formed from dissolved mineral deposits in the area. WILLY It's still freaky. JENNY What color is the beach supposed to be? WILLY It's supposed to be, like, white. JENNY Why would it be white? Willy shrugs and sits down on an empty chair. Bucky and Jenny chuckle, and Jenny rests her paw on Bucky's chest. WILLY What are we doing here, anyway? BUCKY (closes his eyes, completely calm) Security detail for the UAC. conference. We have the night shift. Dogstar does mornings, and Mimi's crew does afternoons. WILLY Why didn't they just get some security guards? Why the fleet? BUCKY (looks over at him) Willy, we've just been handed a free vacation. Are you *complaining*? WILLY No. BUCKY Good, then don't. There is a relaxed silence as everyone just sort of takes in the rays of the sun. Willy opens his laptop and begins typing. Bucky is going to open his mouth to say something, but Jenny shushes him. Meanwhile, Blinky is putting the finishing touches on Bruiser, who is buried so deep into the sand that only his head is showing. BLINKY Project completed, friend Bruiser. BRUISER Good job, Blinky. Now get me outta this. BLINKY Get ... out? It is clear that Blinky did not plan for this. BRUISER C'mon, Blinky, I'm hungry! WILLY (to Blinky) Just shove a banana in his face and he'll be fine. BRUISER Hey ... Blinky gets a banana from the cooler and puts it in Bruiser's mouth, adequately silencing him. WILLY Good job. They fall into silence again until a beeping sound is heard from under Bucky's chair. Without sitting up, he reaches under the chair, grabs a bag, and begins picking through it until he retrieves a small comm-link, which he activates. It's CAPTAIN MIMI LAFLEUR. BUCKY Which part of "off-duty" do you not understand? The "off" or the "duty"? MIMI (over comm) Very funny, Bucky. I think you should get back to the conference. Something has happened on Genus. BUCKY Unless it's a toad invasion, I'm not interested. MIMI The Security Council HQ was broken into last night. Bucky slowly looks over to Jenny. JENNY We should probably at least show *some* concern. BUCKY (reluctantly) I'll be there in a little while. MIMI Whatever. LaFleur out. Bucky turns off the comm-link and throws it back into the bag. SCENE 3 - RESORT, WARREN The fancy resort is filled with security guards, officers, dignitaries, and members of the press, all here for the same reason -- the annual United Animals Coalition Security Council Conference. The usual headquarters are moved to Warren for five days so that the council can meet with dignitaries and ambassadors in a more relaxed and luxurious setting. As Bucky and Jenny, now still out of uniform but fully dressed, enter the lobby, they notice the space is filled with more security personal than usual, and various REPORTERS are running around like a pack of starved hyenas, attacking anyone who looks important. One of them mobs Bucky, holding a microphone to his face. REPORTER Captain O'Hare, do you have a statement for the press? BUCKY Uh ... no. REPORTER Why are you so elusive? Is this some sort of cover-up? BUCKY (annoyed) No, I don't have a statement because I don't know anything. I just got here. REPORTER Are you saying the Security Council is keeping its own fleet out of the loop? BUCKY No, I'm ... (realizes what he's doing) Go away! Bucky sort of shoves the reporter away while he and Jenny duck into a conference room. VOICE Oh, good. We were wondering where you were. They turn to notice the Security Council is gathered, in their usual business attire, at a dais at the front of the room. There are rows of chairs facing the dais, filled with COMMANDER DOGSTAR'S crew, which is in uniform, and Mimi's crew, which is not. Behind the dais are the respective bodyguards of the Security Council. CHAIRMAN FRITZ WARNER was the one speaking. FRITZ You didn't answer any of the reporter's questions, did you? BUCKY No, I don't know anything. FRITZ Good. BUCKY What's going on? DOGSTAR There was a security breach last night. BUCKY What kind of security breach? FRITZ Someone broke into a secured area and stole a lot of files. JENNY Do we have any idea who it was? FRITZ That's where it gets interesting. Fritz taps on a key on the keypad in front of him, and behind the council, a large video screen comes down. The chairmen hits play, and they all watch the security camera version of what happened the previous night, only in fast-forward. MIMI (watching Kadaf get punched out on the video) Good going. Kadaf sneers at her. FRITZ (rolls his eyes) I think we should be a little more concerned about the two burglars, who they are, and what they stole. BUCKY (pointing to a frozen frame of the two figures in cloaks) Are those Nharnian knights? FRITZ We don't know who they are. BUCKY They *look* like Nharnian knights. MIMI And they have lightsabers. Aren't the Nharnians the only ones in the aniverse with access to lightsabers? FRITZ Please! We're trying to focus on the *criminals* of this situation. All the knights are guilty of is trespassing. The files they recovered were found my desk this morning. DOGSTAR What kind of files were stolen? VICE CHAIRMAN GRIFF speaks. GRIFF We're still doing an inspection, but all of the files missing were the personal files of security council members, with security information. MIMI What about the ones recovered? FRITZ Those were files on me and Griff. JONATHAN That's convenient. DOGSTAR So there are two burglars out there with security information for most of the members of the Security Council? FRITZ Yes. Which is a major security breach. A member of the council, a HARE, rises to speak. HARE That means we're in danger! Our families are in danger! FRITZ Unfortunately, yes. I think this can be viewed on a deliberate attack on the council itself, considering there were a lot of other things those burglars could have just as easily have stolen, like technology files and defense plans. DOGSTAR (in his usual manner) I think I can speak with the fleet to guarantee our *continued* dedication to the security of this sacred council ... FRITZ Yes, yes, thank you, Commander. But now we have to deal with the fallout from this. (beat) There are a lot of important negotiations we're supposed to be dealing with at this conference, and we can't afford to reschedule without risking losing some of the more reluctant ambassadors. That's why we need this conference to go through, *as planned*, while the matter of the break-in is looked into on Genus. Obviously, the press has already gotten hold of a whiff of this, but it is highly vital to our negotiations with the Nharnians that this tape not be released. MIMI But what if those intruders *were* Nharnians? FRITZ That's something we can deal with *after* the negotiations are complete. We've been working for years at trying to get the Nharnians to open up their borders and join the UAC., and now it looks like they actually might, and I don't want to ruin that because two guys in robes showed up in our hallways last night. So not a *word* of this to anyone. Is that understood? Fritz waits for the collective crews to nod. FRITZ Good. (beat) Commander Dogstar, I want your crew to return to Genus and investigate this. Captain LaFleur and Captain O'Hare will remain here on security detail. DOGSTAR Aye-aye, sir! Dogstar salutes and leaves in a very dignified manner. FRITZ Now let's all act normal for the rest of the conference. Back to your post, Captain LaFleur. Captain O'Hare, consider yourself on duty until further notice. (presses comm on the dais) Send them in. Bucky groans; his vacation is over. He turns to leave with Jenny when the door opens, and two hulking LIONS enter. They are both fully grown and intimidating creatures. The male has a mane and the female does not. They are wearing brown monk robes that flow behind them with an air of dignity. Their paws are crossed and buried in their sleeves. Holstered on each rope belt is a lightsaber, the preferred weaponry of Nharnians. They stand politely and allow Bucky and Jenny to pass before entering the room. The door is closed behind them by a security guard. BUCKY They're bigger than I remember. JENNY You know Nharnians? BUCKY Just one. My father knew a knight -- some guy named Thayli. (beat) Let's get the crew together. JENNY Right. SCENE 4 - BUCKY'S SUITE The crew of the Righteous, still not in uniform, is loosely gathered in the main room of Bucky's suite. Deadeye and Bruiser are playing cards, Blinky is still getting the blue sand out of his various appendages, and Willy is sitting at the table, typing idly on his laptop. Bucky and Jenny are seated on the couch. BUCKY OK, so someone wanted information on the Security Council members. Why? They're politicians -- it's not like their lives aren't in the open. JENNY Maybe someone was looking for something specific. Something no one knows about? WILLY Where there's smoke, there's fire. (beat) But those knights sound cool. BUCKY Breaking into the Security Council HQ is not "cool," Willy. WILLY But they were there for a reason. It has to be connected. Maybe the Chairman knew the break-in was going to happen, and he hired some Nharnians to protect his files. He said the only files that the knights bothered to protect were the files on himself and Vice Chairman Griff. BUCKY No, he wouldn't do it that way. DEADEYE I don't know, Cap'n, he's a pretty slippery guy. BUCKY No, I mean, dressing the guards up like Nharnians would ruin his negotiations with them. And he's worked on this since he's been Chairman. WILLY (snaps his fingers) Maybe somebody *wants* the negotiations to be ruined. The Nharnians are respected warriors, right? Having them on our side could turn the tables on the toads. The toads could have a spy in headquarters. JENNY It wouldn't be the first time. BUCKY These are all good ideas, but they don't really help us. Besides, we need to focus on the stolen files. Who has them and what would they want with them? WILLY Blackmail? JENNY Sell them on the open market? BUCKY (annoyed, sighs heavily) I don't know. BRUISER What's da plan, Cap'n? BUCKY Security detail. You know the drill. And wait until we get more information. (beat, looks at his watch) We have two hours until the dinner tonight. So everyone start getting ready. We have to be back in full uniform. There is a collective groan from the room. SCENE 5 - BALLROOM, HOTEL The ballroom is crowded with various dignitaries and officials, most of them in military uniform or tuxedos. The Nharnians are present, still in their robes, and are looking very dignified but quiet as they attempt to blend into the crowd. The Righteous crew enters. Each one of them is wearing a small, barely visible headset. As they enter slightly to the side, they notice FIRST MATE JONATHAN WEISSMAN and ENGINEER DILE O'CROCK also wearing headsets and checking out the place. BUCKY Where's Mimi? JONATHAN Beats me. She said she was taking some extra time to get ready. And I haven't seen Harry in about an hour. JENNY You don't think that's significant? JONATHAN I do, but I'm here to protect the Security Council, not my superior officer. If they don't show up in five, I'll call up to their rooms. DILE It is strange, but not unusual, for Captain LaFleur and Harry to be late. BUCKY Yeah, well, keep an eye out for them. We'll mingle. SCENE 6 - POOL AREA, OUTSIDE THE HOTEL The pool area is abandoned in the dying light, everyone being at dinner. There is a large palm tree next to a balcony that is about forty feet high in the air. Mimi and GUNNER HARRY CALLAN, wearing black fatigues, are attempting to climb up the tree to gain access to the balcony. MIMI OK, boost me up. Harry puts his paws together and allows her to step on them, giving her a boost so she can reach a branch to dangle from. HARRY Explain to me why we're breaking into Kadaf Warner's room instead of going to dinner? MIMI You saw that security video, right? Kadaf knew those knights. He's not telling us something. HARRY We don't know if they're Nharnian knights. MIMI Harry, *please*. They're the height and build of Nharnians, they have the same robes, and they have frelling lightsabers! What do you need, identifying birthmarks? Mimi reaches the balcony and hurls herself over, crashing onto the porch. Cursing, she throws down a rope so Harry can begin to climb up. HARRY And you think Kadaf's room is going to have some kind of evidence of his involvement? MIMI It's worth a shot. We know he's at dinner, because Fritz is at dinner, and so is everyone else. HARRY Hence others noticing how *we're* not at dinner ... Harry climbs up and she helps him over the railing, so he is able to get up with considerably less noise. She peers in through the glass sliding door and, seeing there are no lights on, proceeds to open it. They enter, turn on their flashlights, and begin to look around. HARRY So what are we looking for? MIMI Evidence, Harry! HARRY Yeah, I'm sure he's just gonna leave a journal around entitled, "My involvement in the break-in last night." Harry glances down at the dresser. Sitting on the dresser is the TV, an ashtray with several butts stuffed into it, and a half-empty pack of cigarettes. He opens the drawers to find several pairs of black shirts and pants. HARRY Yeah, lots of evidence here ... Harry opens the bottom drawer. HARRY What the *hell* is that? MIMI What? Mimi comes over and shines the flashlight into the bottom drawer. The drawer is empty except for a sickle and an old lantern. HARRY Think this came with the room? MIMI Not in my room. Mimi and Harry spin around when they hear the door unlock and some noise outside the door. They curse softly and dash out to the porch, hiding behind the potted plants. Two shadowy figures enter. Mimi and Harry squint and still are unable to make them out. They are wearing dark cloaks and have the familiar build of the two knights on the video. They are speaking furiously in a language neither Mimi nor Harry has ever heard before and is not picked up by their translators. One of the voices is tired, and the other is energetic but still angry. Both are heavily disguised by their masks, which are filtering their breaths. FIGURE #1 Dama finterate setti? Letso hifarthan. Dana trise al-kar. FIGURE #2 El-threar, tharn. Zani thay lir. Mimi gives Harry a look that reads, "And you thought we wouldn't find any evidence?" The discussion moves into shouting, and one of the figures steps out onto the porch, to the horror of the intruders, and pulls the plants aside without checking the surroundings, as if knowing Mimi and Harry were there all along. MIMI OK, um ... (beat, pulls out her blaster) You're under arrest! By my authority as a member of the ... The looming figure raises a gloved hand, pulling out a lightsaber and powering it up, revealing a golden-colored blade. The figure steps back into the room and swings low, slicing out the porch. The blade is easily able to tear away the plaster, separating the porch from the rest of the building. Mimi and Harry scream as they plummet to the ground with the remains of the balcony. They hit the ground with an audible crash. SCENE 7 - THE BALLROOM As the people are talking, the crash is heard quite loudly. JONATHAN Oh, that is such a *bad* sound ... The members of the security team, including the Righteous crew, grab onto their headphones, listening for information. BUCKY Where the frell did that come from? JENNY The pool? They glance at each other and head for the pool, where the pool lights show Harry and Mimi, laying on the remains of a crashed balcony, unconscious and both bleeding badly. JONATHAN Holy shit holy shit holy shit ... Jonathan turns to Bruiser and points to the approaching crowd. JONATHAN Keep them away. Far away. And I don't care how, OK? BRUISER Right, sir. Bruiser salutes and puts himself between the crowd and the scene. Jonathan turns back to survey the damage while Jenny calls for medical help. The Righteous crew gathers around the scene of carnage. WILLY How does a balcony just come off? JONATHAN Not come off. (looks up) Cut off. BUCKY But you'd need a lightsaber to ... Bucky's eyes widen when he realizes what he just said. Back in the crowd, Fritz pushes his way forward. FRITZ (commanding) Bruiser, let me past. Bruiser reluctantly lets him past. Fritz straightens himself out and approaches the wreckage. He looks up at Kadaf, who no one has noticed is standing in his room, which now has a huge hole leading nowhere. FRITZ Oh, *shit*. SCENE 8 - HOSPITAL, WARREN The floor of the hospital is filled with security officers and other personnel. The Righteous crew, Dile, Fritz, and Griff are impatiently awaiting news. After a moment, Jonathan emerges from a room with a DOCTOR. The crowd jumps up eagerly. DOCTOR Calm down, they'll be fine. Luckily, they escaped with minor concussions, though they're both still unconscious. We'll inform you when one of them wakes up. JONATHAN (tired) Thank G-d. BUCKY What about other damage? Any signs of attack? DOCTOR No, they're just harmed from the fall. BUCKY Why would Kadaf *do* this? FRITZ Kadaf didn't do anything. The crew looks at him with angry looks. FRITZ Look, Jonathan *said* the balcony was destroyed with a lightsaber. Kadaf doesn't own a lightsaber. So it had to be someone else. BUCKY But he was present. FRITZ Not necessarily. He stepped out for a smoke. He could have just gone back to his room to get his cigarettes and found the scene as we found it. BUCKY Stop defending him. He obviously had something to do with this. FRITZ Hey, you don't think I feel bad about it? While Bucky and Fritz are getting into a shouting match, Jonathan is being quiet and contemplative. JONATHAN (out loud) What were Mimi and Harry doing on Kadaf's balcony? JENNY You tell us. JONATHAN (defensive) Hey, they didn't tell me anything. I'm out of the loop here. BUCKY Seems like just about everyone is out of the loop here. FRITZ Now, not a word of this to the Nharnians. BUCKY (exasperated) But the Nharnians could be behind this! JONATHAN (methodically) If they are behind it, it will be easier to expose them if they don't know they're under investigation. And if they aren't, and someone is doing this to jeopardize the Chairman's negotiations with the Nharnians, then we're giving them what they want by assigning blame on the Nharnians. FRITZ Thank you, Jonathan. Jonathan sneers. It is unlike him; there is obviously a lot of bad blood between him and the Chairman. As they are talking, a NURSE approaches them. NURSE Captain LaFleur is awake. One visitor at a time, please. JONATHAN I'll go first. The nurse nods and leads him in. SCENE 9 - MIMI'S HOSPITAL ROOM Mimi is on the bed, her head in bandages. She looks a little fazed but is very awake. JONATHAN (softly) Hey. Jonathan sits down on the side of the bed, facing her. MIMI What happened? JONATHAN Do you remember? The doctor said you have a concussion. MIMI It's a little fuzzy. We were breaking into Kadaf's room ... JONATHAN Why? MIMI You saw the security video, right? He recognized those two robed guys. He must know something. JONATHAN And you thought he would just leave evidence of it in his room? MIMI OK, so it wasn't the smartest plan. But anyway, we went inside, and the two guys from the video were there. JONATHAN Are you sure it was them? MIMI They had lightsabers, for stars' sakes! With golden blades! Jonathan says nothing for a moment. MIMI So did I ruin the conference? JONATHAN (not really caring) Probably. Or at least, we're never going to be invited back to that hotel. Mimi chuckles. SCENE 10 - BUCKY'S SUITE The crew of the Righteous is back in Bucky's suite, milling around nervously until Bucky enters, looking tired. BUCKY OK, Mimi and Harry are going to be in the hospital at least overnight, and won't be on active duty until next week, so that eliminates that crew. And with Dogstar on Genus, that leaves us to guard the conference. Fortunately, Chairman Warner has called for more regular security guards. WILLY He's going through with the conference? BUCKY Yes. JENNY You have to admire his fortitude. BUCKY We're also in charge of making sure no one realizes the two knights from the security video are here. WILLY What about them? What about the whole thing with Fritz's bodyguard? BUCKY Kadaf's been taken into custody for questioning and they're searching his room, so Fritz is of course a mammal to steer clear of right now. (beat) Now, if nothing else goes wrong ... Almost magically, the vid-link begins to beep on the table. Bucky groans and pushes it, and the screen on the wall activates. Dogstar's voice appears. DOGSTAR Captain O'Hare. BUCKY Commander Dogstar. What is it? DOGSTAR I think you'd better get to Genus right away, old chap. BUCKY (alarmed) What is it? DOGSTAR Genus's defense systems have been shut down. They're totally inoperable. BUCKY How? DOGSTAR Someone got the codes, I imagine from those stolen files. Anyway, I've sent a message to the Chairman that it's probably safer for the Security Council to remain on Warren. Terrible stroke of luck that they're there right now, because Genus is clearly about to be invaded. Bucky stands and curses in his native tongue. BUCKY We're on our way. SCENE 11 - HOTEL, HALLWAY The Righteous crew is heading out, carrying their equipment with them, when they run into a tired Chairman Warner and his new hare bodyguard. BUCKY Chairman, I assume you know about ... FRITZ Yes, go to Genus. (beat) Is it cold in here, or is it just me? SCENE 12 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION In piloting bay, Bucky and Jenny are in their respective seats. BUCKY I can't believe I'm saying this, but I am *so* glad *that* vacation is over. JENNY I agree. (pushes comm) Willy, we need to get to Genus. Mark-5 on the double. WILLY (over comm) You got it. SCENE 13 - GENUS Dogstar and his crew are sitting in the abandoned Security Council building, in the various vacant chairs of the Councilmen, when Bucky's crew enters in a hurry. BUCKY What's the news, Commander? DOGSTAR (getting up from Chairman's seat and saluting) Captain O'Hare. No news from the front. All's quiet. BUCKY That's strange. How long before we get the defense shields back up? DOGSTAR Digger's working on it right now. He gestures to ENGINEER DIGGER, who is typing furiously at his laptop on the council desk. DOGSTAR It should be back up in a matter of minutes. BUCKY That's odd. If someone was planning an invasion, they sure missed the opportunity to invade. To just put the defense shields down and not do anything would be a waste of time. It would just ... (eyes widen) ... bring the fleet back here. DOGSTAR What do you mean, Captain? BUCKY (cursing heavily) Why didn't we see it? (explaining) We're all here, right? Except for Mimi's crew, which is either in the hospital or visiting in the hospital, right? DOGSTAR I don't quite get what you're saying. BUCKY If the fleet is here or out of commission, who's guarding Warren? DOGSTAR That's easy. We just call Warren ... Dogstar taps on the vid-link on the desk, and the screen turns on, but all they get is a fuzzy picture. DOGSTAR (to Digger) Why isn't the link to Warren working? DIGGER Don't know, sir. (types at his computer) We're not receiving any signals from Warren. DOGSTAR Shouldn't we be? DIGGER Of course. (beat, typing) I'll try to get a satellite picture. The screen is fuzzy before clearing up to show a lot of white. DOGSTAR Is that all you can get? BUCKY It looks like ... (squinting) Snow. Warren is covered in snow. WILLY Is this normal for Warren? BUCKY Only the polar areas. JENNY Unless someone was trying to freeze the planet? DIGGER You'd need a climate converter to ... There is a collective moment of silence as they all realize what's going on. BUCKY We have to get to Warren! They race out of the building. SCENE 14 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION, IN ORBIT OF WARREN The Righteous flies over Warren, looking at the planet covered in blizzard clouds. BUCKY (hitting comm button) Willy, any communications with Warren? WILLY (over comm) No, Captain. The power lines must be down, and the signals just can't travel through the weather. BUCKY Can you at least locate the area where the disturbance is coming from? WILLY I think I can target the climate converter, yes. I'll send you the coordinates. JENNY (flying as they enter the atmosphere) I won't be able to land the Righteous in this storm. BUCKY You won't need to. Just drop me off. I'll deactivate the climate converter. I've done it before, and I can do it again. Bucky rises to leave. As he goes, Jenny pecks him on the cheek. JENNY Good luck. SCENE 15 - THE CLIMATE CONVERTER The Righteous and the Indefatigable manage to reach the snow- covered plain where a climate converter is sitting on the ground, shooting out electric currents. The Righteous is able to narrowly escape them as it swoops in and the side hatch opens. Bucky steps out onto the landing, with his crew beside him. WILLY (shouting over the noise of the wind) Are you sure you can do this alone, Captain? BUCKY Positive. Just swoop by to pick me up in fifteen. As the ship nears the converter, Bucky leaps down, landing on the metal converter with a large thud. He pries open a metal hatch with a crowbar and climbs inside. The inside of the climate converter greatly resembles the other one Bucky has been inside. He recognizes it. BUCKY Now to just find that panel Willy played with ... Bucky locates a control panel and begins to type into it furiously. It takes him a few moments before he feels satisfied and turns to leave. VOICE Going somewhere? The hulking form of TOADBORG stands above him a full two feet, an imposing figure. Bucky quickly hops away as Toadborg brings down a crushing metal fist, destroying the controls. TOADBORG Clever rodent. BUCKY So this was all your doing. The break-in, the stolen files, everything. TOADBORG You are an astute pupil, Captain O'Hare. As Bucky attempts to leap away again, Toadborg grabs him by his cape and hurls him up against the metal wall. Bucky groans and collapses onto the ground. TOADBORG The strength of your fleet was so small, we were easily able to distract it on Genus while we froze your puny Security Council. Toadborg moves to strike again, but Bucky pulls himself together and jumps out the hatch, landing in snow that is several feet deep. He is momentarily caught in it, surprised by its depth. TOADBORG (stepping outside easily) Now that minor distraction of a coalition will be gone, and nothing will stop the Toad Empire! BUCKY And the Nharnian imposters? TOADBORG (genuinely confused) What Nharnian imposters? Toadborg stops for a moment, and Bucky takes the opportunity to pull out his blaster and fire it at Toadborg. The maser blasts bounce harmlessly off Toadborg. TOADBORG Have you learned nothing? I take back what I said ... Toadborg opens his front panels to reveal several small rockets. TOADBORG You are still a foolish rodent! Toadborg fires the missiles, and Bucky is hit by them. He collapses headfirst in the snow. He is unconscious for several minutes before he awakes again, freezing, in the snow. Bucky raises his eyes, pulling his face out of the snow, to find not the hulking cyborg, but a tall, lanky figure in brown robes. The figure's face is obscured by a hood and metal mask. It has a long lightsaber with a golden blade of energy serving as a guiding light in the storm. Beside it is a mass of metal that was once Toadborg, now in half, cut by a lightsaber slice. BUCKY W-Who are you? The figure does not answer. Instead it turns away, powering down its lightsaber and walking into the storm. BUCKY Wait! Come back! Bucky hops to his feet and attempts to follow the figure, but the snow is too deep, and his large feet get bogged down. BUCKY Wait! Bucky trips and falls in the snow. Someone suddenly grabs him by the shoulders and heaves him out of the snow. Bucky wipes his face clean and recognizes the baboon. BUCKY Bruiser! BRUISER Ah, Cap'n. Jenny said ya might be out here. BUCKY Did you see a Nharnian knight anywhere? BRUISER (looks at him as if he's crazy) Cap, I can't see my own paws in dis storm! Bucky sighs. SCENE 16 - MAKESHIFT SECURITY COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS, WARREN The snowstorm has stopped, and all is quiet on Warren as the mounds of snow begin to melt and the lakes unfreeze. Various Warrenians come out of hiding and begin to put their lives in order again. At the hotel, electricity and the heat is restored, so everyone is back to normal. Bucky, wrapped in a heavy blanket, is sitting in a conference room with his crew, talking fervently about the figure he met in the snowstorm. Dogstar and his crew are also present. BUCKY I'm telling you, I know what I saw. It was the same knight on the security video. JENNY Buck, you know all the Nharnians wear the same cloaks. Besides, Nharnians rarely leave their planet and have never shown an interest in the Toad Wars. BUCKY Who else would have a lightsaber? WILLY He had a lightsaber? (eyes light up) That's so *cool*! JENNY (rolls her eyes) Willy ... Fritz and Griff enter. FRITZ Bucky, thank G-d ... (looks relieved) We're glad to see you're all right. BUCKY There was this knight ... FRITZ A Nharnian? Here, on Warren? (beat) *Again*? BUCKY He saved me. FRITZ Lucky you. Jenny turns to the Chairman. JENNY Could it be true? Are the Nharnians finally getting involved in the Toad Wars? FRITZ Could be. They haven't mentioned it throughout the conference, which has been scrapped, by the way. BUCKY Well, I'm glad all it took was a life-threatening snowstorm in the middle of summer to convince you to end the frelling conference. WILLY So the toads hired someone to break into the Security Council HQ to get the files with the security codes for Genus' defense system. DOGSTAR We didn't realize they were gone because they didn't take the files. They just looked at the codes and wrote them down separately. They stole the council's personnel files to lead us in the wrong direction. Then they deactivated Genus's defense systems to bring the fleet to Genus so they could get a climate converter to Warren without anyone noticing. JENNY But what about the Nharnian knights? FRITZ Assuming they *were* Nharnians. BUCKY Yeah, what about them? What's there connection to Kadaf? Everyone turns to the Chairman. FRITZ I have no idea. I don't think there's a connection to Kadaf. They punched him out and broke into his room, but that's the end of the story. They were looking for something, but we don't know what it was. BUCKY So they're a wild card. FRITZ Yes. DOGSTAR Something else is going on here. FRITZ To state the obvious. DOGSTAR Then I suppose we ought to release your, um, bodyguard, Chairman ... FRITZ (annoyed) Yes, that would be appreciated. (beat) The search for them will continue, but we have to move on with our lives. I expect you all to report for duty on Genus. Fritz and Griff turn to leave. Bucky raises his paw. BUCKY Uh, Fritz ... FRITZ What? BUCKY Can we have another vacation? THE END