“Return From The Dead” By Andrew Norris SCENE ONE - Laboratory 4-E, The Toad Homeworld The TOAD TECHNICIANS are working hastily to revive the first All-Toad CLONES from the Hydrochambers. The first and second-generation TOAD- CLONES stand in a straight line nearby, while TOAD AIR MARSHAL and TOADBORG look on. AIR MARSHAL: How much longer 'til hatching? TECHNICIAN #1: Approximately one minute, sir. TOADBORG: (Growls) You know your fate if this is a failure, Air Marshal. AIR MARSHAL: Don't blame me! Colonel Sylvester was the donor! I was just the Spectator, like you. TECHNICIAN #2: Toad-Clones to hatch in 3,2,1... The Hydrochambers open, and several TOAD-CLONES step out. Unlike the previous experiments, they appear more muscular and slightly taller in stature. Once they emerge, they all stand to attention as special overhead machines fit them into battle-armour versions of Stormtoad uniform. AIR MARSHAL: (Cheers) Ha! It worked! TOADBORG: Good... He opens fire on the line of first and second-generation TOAD-CLONES from the early experiments. Once they all lie dead, TOADBORG suddenly notices something. TOADBORG: Air Marshal, there were 20 clones made in the early stages. I see only 19 bodies. AIR MARSHAL: (Shrieks at Technicians) You let one escape! TECHNICIAN #1: (Stammers) We...we searched everywhere for him, Air Marshal! We lost track of him! AIR MARSHAL: Never mind that! I want him found! Now! If he reveals all of this to those mangy Mammals, then Project: Hero is doomed! The new TOAD-CLONES respond and begin to fan out, looking for the lost Clone. TOADBORG turns angrily on TOAD AIR MARSHAL in the corridor. TOADBORG: (Snarls) If KOMPLEX ever hears of this, Air Marshal, I'll make you wish you'd never been hatched! He storms off, leaving TOAD AIR MARSHAL shivering and paranoid. SCENE TWO - A Sitting Room, A House somewhere on Genus FLEET-ADMIRAL RYGAR BLADE and SECONDARY GUNNER NATALIE FARRELL have been tied back-to-back on two wooden chairs in a dusty room. Some light pours through the unopened curtains, and a damp, musty smell is in the air. NATALIE is the first to wake up. NATALIE: (Groans) What did I drink last night? She notices RYGAR and shakes a little to wake him up. After a moment, RYGAR comes round. RYGAR: (Sleepily) Wh...what happened? NATALIE: We were slugged from behind. Obviously, we were getting too close for someone. VOICE: You're darned right. A grey RABBIT in a surgical coat emerges from a doorway leading to the kitchen. The RABBIT, who looks remarkably like Bugs Bunny, is also wearing a pair of black trousers and large rubber gloves. He moves over to the window and looks down at the two. RYGAR: Who are you? RABBIT: If you must know, it's Lugs Rubin. Long story short, tried to get a medical degree and failed. NATALIE: So now, you're trying to be the next Frankenstein, right? LUGS: (Who hasn't heard of Frankenstein) Frankenstein? Never heard of him, and if you mean Frankenstoat, you're way off. He's an inventor, I'm a surgeon. RYGAR: A failed surgeon carving up corpses. (Shakes his head) By the Great Mother! Aren't you ashamed? LUGS; (Snaps) Don't be stupid! Of course I'm ashamed, just look at my home! I had to sell some of my stuff when the bills started coming in! And for your information, I don't carve up these bodies, I sell them. NATALIE: Sell dead bodies?! That's just as sick! Who in their right mind would want to but corpses? LUGS: Let's just say that they're in serious need of a Dermatologist. As for you two, I can't have you snooping around, and luckily for me I still have my surgical gear. (Grins) I think it time for an operation. He leaves the room, and RYGAR pulls out a knife from his pocket to try and cut the bonds loose. RYGAR: (Straining) Providing he's gone long enough, we should be out in a few minutes. SCENE THREE - Genus Control Centre BUCKY and JENNY are cleaning up the Righteous Indignation, with WILLY and DEADEYE fixing up the workings inside. As they do so, JENNY stops to rub some sweat from her scalp. JENNY: I wonder where Natalie's got to, she was supposed to help us with this. BUCKY: (Not looking up) She told me that she was helping Admiral Blade to run an errand. Probably about this new ship they keep murmuring about. They continue to work, until JENNY notices something in the sky. JENNY: (Points upwards) Bucky, look! They all notice a Double-Bubble speeding through the atmosphere towards the Control Centre at a quick velocity. With fast reflexes, DEADEYE mounts the maser cannon and shoots at him. DEADEYE: Eat hot ions, ya nosy Toad! He hits the Double-Bubble, that begins to spiral downward towards a piece of open countryside outside the city. DEADEYE: (Laughs) That'll teach that li'l Scout who's boss! BUCKY: (Murmurs) I don't think he was a Scout. JENNY: What's wrong, Bucky? BUCKY: Think about it, Jen. A single Double-Bubble wouldn't be sent to spy on Genus, plus he seemed to be trying to land here. I think we'd best go check this out. He enters the ship, where WILLY is busy fixing up the Toad Croaker. BUCKY: Willy, get in the Croaker. There's something fishy going on and I wanna find out why. WILLY: (Dropping his tools) You got it, Bucky! BUCKY: (As he gets in the Croaker) Jenny, you stay here in case that was a decoy. Have Deadeye ready to mount the turrets in case of another attack. The Croaker is launched and they fly out to locate the falling Double- Bubble. SCENE FOUR - Main Control Room, Toad Homeworld TOAD AIR MARSHAL is speaking to KOMPLEX, with the new TOAD-CLONES in the background. All of them are fully-dressed and armed with heavy-duty maser rifles. KOMPLEX: How is the progress on Project: Hero, Air Marshal? AIR MARSHAL: (Nervously) A...All is going well, mighty KOMPLEX. The new generation appear to be perfoming well. KOMPLEX: And the first clones? AIR MARSHAL: They're...they're all dead! Yes! Every last one dead as a doornail! KOMPLEX: (Grins) Excellent, Air Marshal! And now that these Clones are in full-scale production, I can now brief you on Project: Hero in full. (Pause) The ST's loyalty is moving, but they lack the strength to fight as a whole. These new Toad-Clones will be churned out non-stop to help rebuild our forces, with the strength of the Stormtoads and the loyalty of the ST. AIR MARSHAL: Y...Yes, KOMPLEX? KOMPLEX: And once the quota has been reached, we can begin a full-scale attack on any Mammalian target I choose! There will no longer be a shortage of troops, and the Empire will remain strong! AIR MARSHAL: But what of the Stormtoads, Air Marshal? KOMPLEX: They are inferior, Air Marshal. They are not of pure blood, and will serve no better than as auxiliaries to my new bretheren. The same goes for the ST assuming that production is not halted. (Pause) Your first assignment with these Clones is to investigate the disappearance of a Double-Bubble from Captain Smata's cruiser in Sector 4. AIR MARSHAL: Yes, o mighty KOMPLEX! He marches off shakily, with the TOAD-CLONES behind him. As he walks, he brushes off some sweat from his face. SCENE FIVE - The Rubin Residence RYGAR and NATALIE are still tied to the chairs when LUGS returns with an empty syringe. Before he can do anything, RYGAR cuts himself free and knocks LUGS to the floor. The punch is so hard that LUGS is knocked unconcious. NATALIE: (Surprised) Good grief! That's what I call a right-hook! RYGAR: (Untying Natalie) I used to be in Heavyweight Boxing before I joined up. It's all in the knuckles, you see. There is a violent crash that causes the entire house to move. Looking out of the curtains, they see the flaming wreckage of the Double-Bubble shot down by DEADEYE, with it's spindly pilot (TOAD CLONE #10 in a Stormtoad suit) crawling on the ground in pain. RYGAR: (To Natalie, pointing at Lugs) Get him cuffed and bring him outside. He rushes out to TOAD CLONE #10, who appears to be in pain. Taking no chances, he pulls out a maser pistol and aims it at TOAD CLONE #10. RYGAR: (Menacingly) Alright, Toad! No use looking for sympathy cos I'm fresh out! Get up! TOAD CLONE #10: (Looking up) R...Rygar...? Don't you recognise me? RYGAR: Cut the acting, I said up! He drags TOAD CLONE #10 to his feet, who is still clutching his sides in pain. RYGAR: Are you hurt? TOAD CLONE #10: (Pointing) It's my ribs, Rygar, they're not feeling to good. RYGAR: (Snaps) That's Fleet-Admiral Blade to you! Only my officers call me "Rygar" and that is only when off-duty! Just who the hell are you anyway? TOAD CLONE #10: Rygar, it's me! I'm Andy! RYGAR knees TOAD CLONE #10 hard in the stomach, with a look of disgust. RYGAR: Do you really expect me to believe that?! That's the lamest excuse I've ever heard! The Toad Croaker approaches, just as NATALIE brings out the unconcious LUGS. BUCKY alights and salutes to RYGAR, while WILLY helps NATALIE place LUGS into the Croaker. RYGAR: Captain, we've got two prisoners here. (Points to Lugs) One surgeon-turned-grave robber... (Points to Toad-Clone #10) and a Stormtoad who thinks he's Lt. Norris. BUCKY: We saw his Double-Bubble come down, sir. He was flying solo and trying to land at Genus Control. RYGAR: (Scratches his chin) Somehow, he must've known the codes to the Genus defence system to get through unharmed. We'd better let Dr. Kenner have a look at him. He may not be all up there, if you catch my drift. With their prey, the four alight the Croaker and travel slowly back to Capitol City, leaving the Double-Bubble to smoulder to nothingness. SCENE SIX - A Hanger Bay, The Toad Homeworld TOAD AIR MARSHAL, along with CAPTAIN SMATA and the TOAD-CLONES are inspecting some security footage that shows TOAD-CLONE #10 stealing a Double-Bubble from the Cruisers' own hanger. SMATA: Is he one of yours, Air Marshal? AIR MARSHAL: (Scratching his cheek) He doesn't look familiar, but I think he's one of Toadborg's. SMATA: I'll get some men to follow him. TOAD AIR MARSHAL suddenly grabs him before he can walk off. AIR MARSHAL: Why bother? He's Toadborg's sub-ordinate, he ought to go after him. SMATA just grins and switches on a videophone, with TOADBORG on the recieving end. SMATA: Toadborg, we've found the man responsible for stealing one of my craft. The Air Marshal here tells me he is one of your men. AIR MARSHAL: (Mouths) The clone. TOADBORG: I see, but seeing as the Air Marshal recognises him so well, perhaps he ought to bring him back. AIR MARSHAL: (Splutters) What?! TOADBORG: That is an order, Air Marshal. Toadborg out! TOAD AIR MARSHAL simply nods, and storms off in a huff. AIR MARSHAL: (Grumbling) That low-down, no-good fly-sucking sneak! He enters his own personalised Double-Bubble along with a regular STORMTOAD, and they fly off to investigate. STORMTOAD: What's all this about, sir? AIR MARSHAL: A renegade, soldier. Have the ion trails located and fix onto their trajectory. THE STORMTOAD does so, and after tapping a few keys, picks up an image of Genus. STORMTOAD: The rangerscopes indicate that the trail ends at Genus. TOAD AIR MARSHAL looks up in horror. STORMTOAD: What d'you make of it, sir? D'you think the Defence System got him? AIR MARSHAL: (After a pause) What? Oh, wait a minute...yes! That's it! That'll teach him! STORMTOAD: (Worried) Sir? AIR MARSHAL: (Straightens himself) Err, I mean it'll teach him to desert mighty KOMPLEX, soldier! Remember that the Mammals are far more bloodthirsty than anyone else in the Aniverse! Remember that! STORMTOAD: (Uneasily) Yes, sir. SCENE SEVEN - Watership Hospital One of the wards is being guarded by two bulky Hare GUARDS, while BUCKY and RYGAR wait patiently outside. The door opens, and the guards step aside as DR. KENNER emerges with a SQUIRREL NURSE. KENNER: Gentlemen, may I have a word? BUCKY and RYGAR both get up, and enter a small ward with several pieces of machinery cluttered about everywhere. One computer monitor shows a catscan of TOAD-CLONE #10, who is asleep on a nearby bed. KENNER: (Points to catscan monitor) What we have there, gentlemen, is an interesting paradox. BUCKY: How so? KENNER: We have a Toad brain, yet we have a Mammal's mind. RYGAR: (Looking at the catscan) I thought Brain and Mind were the same thing. KENNER: Not at all, Admiral. The Brain is nothing more than an intricate organ. The mind is what makes a person, and we appear to have a Mammal trapped in an amphibian body. BUCKY: (To Rygar) Beg pardon, sir, but could this have anything to do with Rubin? RYGAR: Maybe, but how can we link this to a grave-robber? KENNER: (Jumps) Grave-Robber? RYGAR: Yes, but we've no more clues than that at the moment. KENNER: But perhaps this is our answer! Supposing you are manufacturing an army of cloned insurgents. What would you want them to know? RYGAR: Preferably something the enemy doesn't want us to know. KENNER: (Raising his voice) That's just it! It is possible our Mr. Rubin is passing on corpses to the Toads, who in turn extract that information with Neurosurgery on the brain... BUCKY: (Realising Kenner's theory) ...and place it into the minds of their Clones! But why is this one any different? KENNER: There is always an anomaly in every process, captain, and this particular clone somehow retained the personality of Lt. Norris. Essentially, he is Lt. Norris only in memory. The rest is completely new, as though the slate has been wiped clean, so to speak. BUCKY and RYGAR both look at each other, finding it difficult to believe. KENNER: He's asked for Plastic Surgery, and once hes covered from his injuries, I'll have him referred to our department. Will that suit you, gentlemen? RYGAR: Plastic surgery? KENNER: (Nods solemnly) He was quite shocked after you attacked him, Admiral, and feels that he should blend in. (Pause) I'm afraid I have some work to do, sirs, and I must ask you to leave. They do, but RYGAR seems a little disgruntled. RYGAR: I didn't know it was really the Lieutenant; I just thought he was just a Toad playing a sick joke. BUCKY: Don't worry yourself, sir. Lt. Norris was always a little oddball, assuming that this is Lt. Norris. RYGAR: I think Gunner Farrell had a name for this kind of thing, Frankenstein or something. But in any case, I want it to go no further than this small circle. Whoever he chooses to be will be treated as a completely different person, and nobody else will know that he was Lt. Norris, understand? BUCKY: (After an awkward pause) Yes, sir. SCENE EIGHT - The Toad Homeworld TOADBORG and TOAD AIR MARSHAL are being briefed by one of KOMPLEX'S monitors. In the background are a handful of TOAD TECHNICIANS working on the KOMPLEX-2-GO Unit, repairing and upgrading it busily. KOMPLEX: I am pleased with the rapid progress of the Clonings, gentlemen, but now we must run them through a real test to see their capabilities on the battlefield. This shall be lead by Toadborg, with myself accompanying. TOADBORG: As you wish, mighty KOMPLEX. KOMPLEX: The operation codename shall be nothing more than a simple digit: 8. Our target: Rigel V... TO BE CONTINUED...