Bucky O' Hare
In
Checkmate
By Andrew Norris

Continued From: The Home Guard Gambit


SCENE ONE
Sector 4, Space
The Indefatigable is on its way back to Genus, with COMMANDER DOGSTAR 
at the controls. The ship suddenly rocks and shudders. An alarm sounds, 
as something virile and heavily armed begins an assault on the frigate.

WOLF: We've lost power to the starboard booster, and our shields are 
down by 11%. 

DOGSTAR: (Switches on intercom) Pete! Man the maser! We're under attack!

All of them watch as a Toad Mothership flies overhead. PETE fires some 
shots, but to no avail. Expecting to see Double Bubbles flying out 
toward them, two elliptical-shaped hoops fly out and encage the 
Indefatigable inside a cage. Again, PETE'S shots make no difference, 
and the ship is dragged helplessly inside.

SCENE TWO
Genus Memorial Gardens, Genus
HANNAH and JENNY are walking amidst a small herb garden, speaking of 
mammalian politics. 

HANNAH: The Planet Prefects had cleared up most of the mess, but we 
managed to get Duncan up and running, and Andy just tinkered with the 
Martian machine. 

JENNY: What's happened to the machine?

HANNAH: Andrew went through its workings with the General, and now 
they're planning to develop their own.

JENNY: Shh! We've got company. 

They see BUCKY walking up, with a worried look on his face. 

HANNAH: Hello, Captain. 

BUCKY: Hi, have any of you two seen Dogstar? 

JENNY: No, is something wrong?

BUCKY: He was supposed to have returned an hour ago, and he hasn't 
shown up. 

SCENE THREE
Genus Control Centre
CORPORAL NASS is watching a Toad Mothership on his screen. It is clear 
that he is both worried and puzzled. He taps a few keys on his computer.

NASS: What is this? I can't find any Mothership belonging to the "ST". 

Suddenly, a mysterious glowing aura envelops his chair. In a flash, he 
is gone. The entire Control Tower is now silent, as though CORPORAL 
NASS had never existed. 

SCENE FOUR
Genus Control Centre
The three remaining frigates are lined up in a row, with Fireball XL6 
just visible in the distance. Outside the Screaming Mimi, in a small 
group, are BUCKY, JENNY, BLINKY, DILE O' CROCK, JONATHON, BUTCH & 
HANNAH. All appear anxious and worried.  

DILE: I don't get it. Everything's too quiet. 

JONOTHAN: And these disappearances, I sent Larry to find Mimi twenty 
minutes ago, and now he's gone.

JENNY: Well, there needs to be a rational explanation.

HANNAH: Jenny's right, my psychic interwishing can't find anything. 

BUCKY: We'll soon know, here come Raul and Mimi. 

Enter MIMI, RAUL and ANDREW. They too begin to join the crowd.

MIMI: So, who's missing now?

DILE: So far, AMD-4, Larry, Deadeye and Bruiser. We still haven't heard 
a peep from Dogstar, but...

A strange glowing aura envelops DILE, he whimpers slightly in fright, 
while everyone watches with awe. BLINKY is scanning the aura for any 
useful data.

DILE: What's happening?

BUCKY: What the hell is that?

In an instant, DILE is gone, taken by the same mysterious force that 
had taken Corporal Nass. BLINKY beeps; his data gathering is complete.

JONOTHAN: So that's how it's been done. Whoever it is, they're picking 
us off one by one, but who?

RAUL: Toads I reckon, after that problem with the Fleet Pilot, they'll 
try anything. 

JENNY: Blinky, what have you got?

BLINKY: The aura is a side effect of a long-range transmat beam. One 
terminal can be altered to transmit matter from this area, to another 
terminal on the Toad...

He too is now caught in the aura, which begins to affect his circuits. 
Then, he too, is gone. 

MIMI: Whatever they do, we have to get off of Genus! They could be 
aiming for us!

BUCKY: Quick! To the Tower! We have to find the source of the Transmat 
Beam!

They all begin to run toward the tower in desperation. They watch as 
the WW1 Tank of the Genus Home Guard rattles by, deprived of its crew, 
before it crashes into a Chemists shop. It is obvious that the Home 
Guard have been kidnapped.

INSIDE THE TOWER...
RAUL grabs CORPORAL NASS'S seat and types some codes. The picture of 
the ST Mothership appears. The screen blurs, and the thin face of A 
TOAD, dressed in a high-ranking uniform of the ST, sneers at the 
mammals that watch him.

TOAD: (Sniggers) Ah, Colonel Mew. I hope you realise that we are in 
control of Genus.

BUCKY: Who are you? And what do you want?

TOAD: I am Captain Pritchard, the Head of the ST, second only to the 
Toad Field Marshal.

MIMI: ST? 

PRITCHARD: The Superior Toads. The invincible Storm Troops to the Toad 
Empire, making the Invasion Forces obsolete. Do any of you surrender?

MIMI: Hah! You've gotta try better than that, Warty! 

A transmat beam envelops her, and she is taken from the group. 

PRITCHARD: (Chuckles evilly) I see you've also discovered my little 
plaything as well. Fun things, Transmats. Let's have another go.

Another transmat beam catches BUTCH and HANNAH, and they too fall into 
the mercy of the ST.  PRITCHARD aims a transmat beam at ANDREW, and he 
too is gone. 

PRITCHARD: (Sarcastic) Whoops! Oh, well. Do you surrender?

JONOTHAN: Fat chance! We'll get you no matter what!

PRITCHARD: Then, I'll have to keep trying.

The transmat now grabs hold of JONOTHAN & JENNY. BUCKY tries to pull 
JENNY out, but the beam is too strong, and she is gone. Knowing there 
are only them left, BUCKY & RAUL begin to run, but they are soon caught 
in a transmat beam, and disappear. The entire planet has been laid 
waste, and is almost dead.

SCENE FIVE
The ST Mothership
CAPTAIN PRITCHARD is standing over a console, watching the transmat 
beam draw closer. The hands and wrists to a medical table leaning on 
the wall tie JENNY, and ANDREW is trapped in a cage dangling high above 
a tank of luminescent slime. Many people from Genus are either inside 
several crowded prison cells, or inside huge cages. The door to the 
room is opened, and a platoon of 23 TOADS, including a TOAD SERGEANT 
and a TOAD CORPORAL, all wearing ST uniforms, march in. The CORPORAL 
and the platoon stand to attention, and the SERGEANT addresses CAPTAIN 
PRITCHARD.

SERGEANT: Sergeant Grimshaw of Alpha Platoon reporting for duty, sir.

PRITCHARD: Excellent, Where is Lieutenant Carne? 

GRIMSHAW: He's with the Field Marshal as we speak, sir. Has the 
invasion of Genus gone well?

PRITCHARD: Almost. A transmat beam is collecting the Colonel and O' 
Hare now. All I need is Engineer DuWitt to complete it. This is how 
I'll do it.

CAPTAIN PRITCHARD walks over to the tank of slime, while SERGEANT 
GRIMSHAW addresses his CORPORAL.

GRIMSHAW: Corporal Bluebottle, I want you to spread the platoon out and 
guard the room and prisoners. 

While CORPORAL BLUEBOTTLE addresses the troops, CAPTAIN PRITCHARD 
unfolds his plan. 

PRITCHARD: (Points at Andrew) You see that baboon in that cage?

GRIMSHAW: Yes, sir. 

PRITCHARD: This serum can genetically re-engineer his nervous system 
into total obedience towards the Toad Empire. It's specially designed 
for Baboons like him. Bruiser!

Enter BRUISER; he is wearing a huge battledress originally meant for 
Toads. The blank look in his eye suggests that he was the first to be 
tested.   

PRITCHARD: Stand at ease!

BRUISER obeys almost immediately.

PRITCHARD: OK, Bruiser, fall out. 

Exit BRUISER, some of the mammals are astounded.

PRITCHARD: Not even Berserker Baboons can withstand it. Lower the cage!

The floor of ANDREW'S cage gives way, and he is soon waterlogged with 
the slime. 

GRIMSHAW: How long will it be, sir?

PRITCHARD: A few minutes, we should be expecting Captain O' Hare once 
he's prepared. 


Suddenly, an alarm sounds on CAPTAIN PRITCHARD'S console, as a red 
light flashes. He taps a few keys, while CORPORAL BLUEBOTTLE and 
SERGEANT GRIMSHAW watch from behind his shoulders. 

PRITCHARD: The transmat beam! Someone's intercepted it! They're being 
dragged away from the ship!

JENNY: (To herself) Bucky...

The alarm eventually stops, and the light goes out. 

GRIMSHAW: Is everything all right, sir?

PRITCHARD: (Slightly angry) No, whoever intercepted the beam has 
Captain O' Hare and Colonel Mew in their possession. They are still 
alive, but well beyond our reach.

FRITZ: (From a cage hung in mid-air) Pritchard! If it's the last thing 
I'll do, I'll get you for this!

A green light flashes from the side of the tank.

PRITCHARD: Excellent! He's finished! 

Everyone watches as two slimy hands appear from the rim, as ANDREW, 
soaked in the glowing slush, lands feet-first on the floor, standing to 
attention. All possible emotions have been drained away, leaving this 
indoctrinated man standing like something that has been soaked in jam. 

PRITCHARD: (Shouts) Stand at ease!

He does, almost instantly.

PRITCHARD: (Barking) Attention! 

Again, ANDREW reacts. PRITCHARD hands ANDREW his revolver, and points 
at a shooting target.

PRITCHARD: Now, see if you can hit a bull's-eye on that. 

ANDREW fires six shots and stops; CORPORAL BLUEBOTTLE counts the shots.

BLUEBOTTLE: (Lisps) Six bulls. 

PRITCHARD: Perfect, the stature isn't right, but still, we can begin.

SCENE SIX
A Spacecraft in an uncharted part of the Aniverse
BUCKY and RAUL awake in some kind of enormous battle cruiser. They 
arise to the sounds of industrial activity, such as hammering and 
drilling. Looking around them, they see several Hares, Possums and 
Racoons, all busy at work on squat battle cruisers patched up from 
space debris. From behind them comes the PANTHER. He is black-furred, 
with a tatty uniform of scarlet hung onto his slim body.

PANTHER: Greetings, friends. Welcome to our humble abode. 

BUCKY: (Spins around) Lieutenant Sellers!

SELLERS: The very same, Captain. It was we, the Aniversian Communists, 
whom rescued you from the ST. 

RAUL: Where exactly are we? I know we're in space, but...

SELLERS: We have had our Mothership docked in this uncharted sector of 
space for some time, Colonel. We have learnt of your predicament, and 
wish to help you. 

BUCKY: Where is General Osiris?

SELLERS: I'm afraid he was called off on business on his home planet, 
but his second-in-command, Brigadier Sage is present. 

BUCKY: I need to see him; I have a plan.

SCENE SEVEN
Toad Officers Mess, ST Mothership
The small room consists of three sofas arranged around a glass table. 
Around the room are pictures of Toad Officers from the past and present. 
Sat on the sofas are WING COMMANDER SLUDGE, CAPTAIN SMATA, COMMANDER 
CREELVARD VALJTHOU and LIEUTENANT CARNE, a middleweight ST Officer with 
several scars on his face.

CARNE: (Squeaky voice) So you see, gentlemen that while your pathetic 
attempts have failed to conquer Genus; we, the ST, have enslaved the 
entire mammal populous. 

SMATA: Yes, but you still let Bucky O' Hare slip away. 

CARNE: That was simply an error brought about by the transmat being 
intercepted by an outside intruder.

CREELVARD: And yet the transmat was installed by your ST troops.

CARNE: I do not have time for this, but I can assure you, that the 
outsider will be found and destroyed. 

He leaves the room, collecting angry scowls from the Officers. From a 
separate door, TOAD AIR MARSHAL comes out, slumping down on a sofa 
alongside WING COMMANDER SLUDGE.

SLUDGE: Air Marshal, the ST is taking over our duties! You must stop 
this!

CREELVARD: Lieutenant Carne appears as though he cannot control a 
situation. The Toad Empire doesn't tolerate such weaklings. 

SMATA: And I've had it up to here with Captain Pritchard saying (Mimics 
Pritchard) "The ST are making invasion forces obsolete".

AIR MARSHAL: If you want to make a complaint, then make it to the Field 
Marshal. He's in charge of the ST, not me. 

SLUDGE: I'll do just that!

He gets up, and realises something.

SLUDGE: Who's taken our revolvers?

Several DOGS dressed in Communist uniforms prance up from behind the 
sofa, aiming their rifles at the group.

SMATA: What the hell is this?

DOG #1: Survival of the fittest, Captain.

AIR MARSHAL: How did you get in?

DOG #2: None of your concern, but it appears that we aren't the only 
ones who want to get rid of Captain Pritchard. 

SCENE EIGHT
A small corridor, ST Mothership
In the shadows, COLONEL MEW and BUCKY are with several Hares and Crows, 
again dressed in Communist uniforms, and with them is BRIGADIER SAGE, a 
middle-aged LEOPARD with a high-ranking uniform and distinguished 
eyebrows.

SAGE: (To Intercom) Well done, Sergeant. Keep them there as long as you 
can.

He turns to BUCKY & RAUL.

SAGE: Sergeant Hope has captured the main Toad commanders in the Mess, 
and is holding them there with his men.

BUCKY: Great, what now?

SAGE: The ST Delta Platoon patrol this corridor, as their 
communications link to the Toad Homeworld comes direct from here. Once 
we capture the Delta Platoon, then we can cut off KOMPLEX and the rest 
of the Toad Empire from this ship. 

RAUL: What about Double Bubbles and Toad Cruisers?

SAGE: The ST Gamma Platoon guards those, Major Galloway is taking care 
of them, and he'll dump the ships out into space. 

CROW #1: Sir, the Delta Platoon is approaching.

SAGE: Everybody get ready!

They all hide, as the Delta Platoon marches up the corridor. There are 
23 TOADS, with CORPORAL RASKIN, a chubby Toad with an enormous black 
moustache, and SERGEANT LILYPAD, who is middleweight. They march on 
unaware that they are being watched. Almost immediately, they are 
impaled with gunfire. Several TOADS are butchered, but others begin to 
open fire. After a while, they see SGT. LILYPAD retreating with the 
surviving troops, leaving only CORPORAL RASKIN. A HARE and A CROW grab 
him, while BRIGADIER SAGE, RAUL and BUCKY, address him.


SAGE: Corporal Raskin, you're now our prisoner of war and will be held 
on trial for your crimes against the Communists. (To Bucky) Bucky, you 
and Colonel Mew rendezvous with Major Galloway and release your friends, 
we'll take care of Communications.

RAUL: Right, come on!

The two rush off down a corridor and into the darkness.

SCENE NINE
Torture Room, ST Mothership
CAPTAIN PRITCHARD is leaning over his console, with LIEUTENANT CARNE at 
his side, The Alpha Platoon has left the room, and ANDREW is stood 
alongside BRUISER in the background. Both are at attention, and have 
blank expressions on their faces.

PRITCHARD: Yes?

LILYPAD: (On Radio) Sgt. Lilypad reporting, Communists in Corridor D-50 
have attacked us. Seven troops dead, and Corporal Raskin has been taken 
prisoner. 

The radio switches to a different channel. 

WALKER: Sgt. Walker of ST Gamma Platoon reporting. Communist troops 
have broken into Main Launch Bay. Nine troops dead, and we've lost 16 
Double Bubbles and 7 Cruisers. 

PRITCHARD: (Switches off radio) Lieutenant, take Bruiser with you, and 
proceed to Corridor C-17. If the Communists have penetrated that far, 
then this will be their next target.

CARNE: Yes, Captain. 

BRUISER falls out and follows LIEUTENANT CARNE. CAPTAIN PRITCHARD moves 
over to JENNY, who is still tied to the table.

PRITCHARD: Well, Jenny. It appears you will be of help to me after all.  
You have a telepathic link to your engineer on Earth. Now, invading 
their stone-age planet would be a waste of firepower, as Toadborg 
showed us a long time ago. So, instead, I plan to use your telepathic 
link as a guide for my Transmat. After which, he'll go nicely with Sub-
Lieutenant Norris. With his knowledge at our disposal, we will be able 
to dominate any planet we desire. 

JENNY spits at his boot, but he dodges out of the way.

PRITCHARD: (Moves over to his console) Don't be so harsh, Jenny. You'll 
feel nothing.

He pulls a lever, and several snake-like wires attach themselves to 
JENNY'S cap. Her spell-gems begin to glow, as she groans in agony. 

PRITCHARD: Yes, that's it. 

JENNY let's out a final scream, and the wires detach themselves. She 
begins to catch her breath, as a small sheet of paper prints out of the 
console.

PRITCHARD: (Reading paper) Hmm...Astrological co-ordinates 071 by 50.0, 
an enormous oceanic planet of some kind, with as much as 60 billion 
inhabitants. It'll be like finding a needle in a haystack. 

He notices ANDREW swirling around dizzily. 

PRITCHARD: (Angrily) Sub-Lieutenant! What are you doing?

ANDREW groans, and collapses to the floor. He is still alive, but is 
incredibly groggy.

PRITCHARD: The serum...it must've worn off! That means...

SCENE TEN
Corridor C-17, The ST Mothership
BRUISER has LIEUTNANT CARNE in his arms, and is hitting him as though 
he were just kneading dough. BRUISER eventually throws CARNE aside, as 
he is knocked unconscious. He notices BUCKY, RAUL, and MAJOR GALLOWAY 
(A white Hare in a uniform similar to BUCKY'S) marching up the corridor.

BUCKY: Well done, Bruiser!

RAUL: Good show!

BRUISER: C'mon, Cap'n! Willy's gonna be in deep bananas if we don't do 
somethin'! 

BUCKY: Right, come on. Coming, Major?

GALLOWAY: (Trembles slightly) C...Coming.

RAUL: Don't tell me the Communists are afraid of Baboons, too.

GALLOWAY: Of course not! I'm coming. 

SCENE ELEVEN
Torture Rooms
CAPTAIN PRITCHARD has heard the commotion, and has switched on his 
radio inside the console.

PRITCHARD: Captain Pritchard to the Toad Field Marshal, do you read me?
Static flares on the radio.

PRITCHARD: Field Marshal, do you read me?

Static.

PRITCHARD: (Shouts) DAMN IT, BERTRAM, ANSWER ME!

BUCKY: I think you'll find that your radio is no good, Captain.

PRITCHARD: (Spins around) Bucky O' Hare! How did you get here?

BUCKY: Just thought I'd drop in for a visit. I've got some prisoners to 
release. 

PRITCHARD: Not on my watch, Mammal!

He reaches for his revolver, but finds his holster empty.

ANDREW: (Holds up gun) Looking for this?

He hands the gun to MAJOR GALLOWAY, whom accepts it, and aims it at 
CAPTAIN PRITCHARD.

BUCKY: It's your choice, Pritchard. Either you release my friends, or 
we make you. 

BRUISER: That goes for me, too!

PRITCHARD: (Whimpers) Here, take my keys! Take them and leave me alone!

He runs out in a panicky manner, with MAJOR GALLOWAY firing after him.

BUCKY: Let him go, Major. He won't be invading Genus again in a hurry. 

RAUL: Better get our lads out of here, and then tell Willy about all of 
this. 

SCENE TWELVE
The Toad Homeworld
FRIX and FRAX are both watching a newsreel on a small computer screen. 

ANNOUNCER: After the third attempted invasion of Planet Genus, the ST 
became the laughing stock of the Empire, as this footage shows:

There is a short clip showing CAPTAIN PRITCHARD and LIEUTENANT CARNE 
heading for the Double Bubbles. FRIX & FRAX burst out laughing. 

ANNOUNCER: We'll be back at 6:30 to answer the question. ST: Superior 
Toads or Simple Thickos?

TOADBORG marches up behind FRIX & FRAX.

TOADBORG: The cowardly swines.

FRIX: Reporting for duty, Toadborg.

FRAX: Sorry for our incompetence, Toadborg.

TOADBORG: I'm not speaking about you, you snivelling wretches! Captain 
Pritchard had the audacity to say that my plans were foolish! A planet 
of baboons constantly at war with one another! They have the most 
primitive missile defence system! When their kind discovered the wheel, 
we had replaced such devices with artificial limbs! They still rely on 
bullets while we have perfected weapons capable of destroying a planet! 
An invasion there would've been a walkover. They haven't made contact 
with planets, and have only travelled as far as their Moon! Had it not 
have been for the bungling incompetence of the Air Marshal, we would've 
succeeded.

FRIX: (Gulps) Does this mean you plan to try another invasion?

TOADBORG: (Calmer) No, not yet. We must time things right. We will deal 
with that meddlesome O' Hare first, and when we have the entire 
Aniverse at our disposal, then we will waste no time in conquering our 
neighbouring Universe. The planet Earth will tremble as we take control, 
and that wretched Willy DuWitt will be sorry he was ever born!

THE END