The Artificers of Aldebaran By Christy Marx and Bridget McKenna SCENE ONE A Garden on Aldebaran FIRST MATE JENNY is battling with a robotic tripod that is firing maser beams at her. Dodging the masers, JENNY trips up the robot and smashes the maser cannon with her feet. The robot retaliates by coiling a metallic tentacle around JENNY and dragging her about to finish her off. JENNY quickly casts a spell and destroys the robot. As its' three legs clumsily trip up over each other, a blue-haired Aldebaran in a lilac jumpsuit called FELICIA runs over to inspect the wreckage. FELICIA: (High, squeaky voice) That was great, Master Jenny! When will you let me fight an X-2? JENNY: (Gets up) Soon, when you're ready. Remember, Felicia, this spell can never be used against a living being, especially not a cyborg. FELICIA: Oh, Master Jenny! I learnt that lesson when I was a kitten! JENNY picks up a black box from a nearby bench and sets it on the ground. JENNY: Alright, let's see what else you've learned, shall we? You must pass this test if you want to go on your soul quest. A glowing green orb shouts out of the box and starts to fly around. JENNY: (Shouts) Now, Felicia! Catch it! FELICIA is too impatient to concentrate, and the orb easily dodges her magic. The orb hits FELICIA in the face, spewing dust around her. FELICIA: (Wipes away the dust) Oh, bother! NEXT DOOR IN A SIMILAR GARDEN... CAPTAIN BUCKY O' HARE and his crew are having tea with QUEEN KATRINA, an elderly white cat in a flowing purple robe and a large bronze crown. KATRINA: (Posh voice) Thank you, Captain O' Hare, for taking time to bring Jenny here for this important occassion. BUCKY: No trouble at all ma'am...your highness. DEADEYE: Aye! Where Jenny's concerned, we're always glad to help! Just what is the occassion? KATRINA looks dumbly at DEADEYE. KATRINA: I'm sorry, but I can't discuss it with outsiders. ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT is sat by the fountain, when the glowing orb appears and begins to tease WILLY by running circles about him. WILLY chases the orb up a tree, where he sees FELICIA struggling to catch the orb. FELICIA: (Frustrated) Oh, hairballs! WILLY: Wow! FELICIA: It's no use, Master Jenny! It's just too fast for my spells! The orb floats alongside JENNY and hums gently. JENNY: Without patience and inner-calm, a Quark Demon can't be tamed; you must learn to focus your powers! The Quark Demon flies towards the tree and shoves WILLY out. JENNY: Willy! The Quark Demon flies close to FELICIA and she finally captures it and it flies back into the black box. WILLY: Gosh! That's an Aldebaran sensor! They really *ARE* magic! JENNY helps WILLY up, and he looks guilty. WILLY: (Timidly) Jenny! I didn't mean to...I didn't know... JENNY: It's alright, Willy. I know it wasn't your fault, but you've seen one of the Artificers' most vital secrets. WILLY: I won't tell anyone! I promise! FELICIA: (Sternly) Master Jenny! No outsiders know about the Quark Demons! JENNY: Felicia, I trust Willy. If he promises not to tell anyone, our secrets are safe. WILLY: (Offers a handshake) Nice to meet you. I'm Willy DuWitt, Warp Engineer, UAC frigate 'Righteous Indignation'. FELICIA: (Uninterested) How do you do. I'm Princess Felicia, grand- daughter of the High Artificer. I'm about to go on my soul quest. JENNY: When you're ready, Felicia, then you'll go. FELICIA: (Pouts) Master Jenny, you're so fussy! I am ready! I AM! She walks away to sulk. SCENE TWO The Dark Heart Nebula A large cloud of thick, swirling yellow mist hovers in space as a Toad cruiser lurks nearby. ON BOARD THE CRUISER... Several TOADS are busy at their stations when one speaks up. TOAD #1: Toadborg, sir. I'm picking up a source of powerful energy from the Dark Heart Nebula. TOADBORG: (Walks over) Let me see. He examines the instruments carefully. TOADBORG: What is it? What does it mean? TOAD #1: I don't know, sir. But it's the strongest source of stellar power I've ever seen. TOADBORG: Navigator, set course for the centre of the Dark Heart Nebula. The cruiser alters course and flies into the nebula. As soon as it enters, the cruiser is hit by bolts of lightening, and alarms sound on the bridge. TOAD #1: (Adjusts controls) None of our sensors are working; must be the nebulas' ionic disturbance. TOAD #2: This looks bad! (Turns to Toadborg) We'll be lost forever! We have to turn back! TOADBORG: (Annoyed) Reverse course! The TOADS topple about as the cruiser spins around and exits the nebula. TOADOBRG tears out part of a machine and crushes it in his hand. TOADBORG: (Roars) Curse this flimsy, second-rate piece of space junk! TOAD #1: All the Aldebaran sensors were working, sir. Like the ones Bucky O' Hare uses? TOADBORG scratches his "chin" while muttering to himself. TOADBORG: O' Hare...Aldebaran sensors (To Toad #1) Hold our position while I scan my memory banks. Inside TOADBORGS' memory circuits flash images of his last encounter with JENNY during the invasion of Genus, most of the images showing JENNYS' Aldebaran magic. TOADBORG: Yes, that Aldebaran had a strange power, what I need is an Aldebaran. SCENE THREE Launch Pads, Aldebaran QUEEN KATRINA is speaking to JENNY before she leaves. BUCKY, DEADEYE and WILLY all board the Righteous as they talk. KATRINA: Thank you, Jenny, for testing Felicia. JENNY: I hope she isn't too upset about failing. Maybe with more practice... KATRINA: (Finishes her sentence) ...if she can learn patience. Your captain is waiting, farewell. JENNY waves goodbye and boards the ship. As the frigate takes off, FELICIA watches from an another launch pad, dressed in a spacesuit. FELICIA: (Defiantly) I *AM* ready for my soul quest! I'll show you all! She boards a small, green fighter and shoots off into hyperspace. AT THE DARK HEART NEBULA... FELICIA arrives from hyperspace, but is shocked to see the Toad cruiser. On the cruisers' bridge, a TOAD makes a report to TOADBORG. TOAD #3: Toadborg, sir. An Aldebaran ship has appeared. TOADBORG: (Barks) Activate the tractor-beams and capture her! FELICIAS' ship is enveloped by a green beam that drags the ship towards the cruiser. FELICIA places the ship into full-power, but to no avail. She makes telepathic contact with QUEEN KATRINA as her spell gem glows brightly. FELICIA: (In thought) < Grandmother, can you hear me? Help! > During this time, the ship has docked in the cruisers' hangar and several TOADS try to board her. FELICIA: < I've been captured by Toads outside the nebula! > QUEEN KATRINA eventually responds in FELICIAS' mind. KATRINA: < You know what to do! Destroy the sensors and I'll send help. > With telepathic links broken, FELICIA fires her magic at the ships' console. As more damage is done, several Quark Demons fly out and disappear, just as the TOADS burst in and hold FELICIA at gunpoint. FELICIA: (Innocently) Are you looking for me? SCENE FOUR A canteen on Orwell Station BUCKY, WILLY and DEADEYE are sat at a circular table while BRUISER gives his order to a robotic WAITER. BRUISER: I want a banana sandwich, a banana salad and a banana milkshake. DEADEYE: (Jokingly) How about some bananas for desert, matey? BRUISER: Yeah, that's it! A banana split with a banana on top! The WAITER simply shrugs and returns with BRUISERS' order. BRUISER tucks hungrily into his meal, and BUCKY eats a small banana chunk that has rolled off the tray. WILLY: Where's Jenny? BUCKY: (With mouth full) Recalibrating the sensors, (swallows) the ship's off-limits until then. CAPTAIN MIMI LAFLEUR walks into the canteen and sits alongside BUCKY, who looks nervous. BUCKY: (Embarrassed) Mimi! I was going to... MIMI: (Flirtily) You can go there anytime. How about you and me see the work on my ship? She bats her eyelids and grabs BUCKY by the wrist before he can answer. MIMI: Well, let's go! ON THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION... JENNY is spraying her magic to and fro to recharge the Quark Demons in the sensors. WILLY is about to walk in, but BLINKY bars the way. BLINKY: No one is to enter! JENNY opens the door and steps out. JENNY: It's alright, Blinky. I've finished, now we... She suddenly recieves a telepathic message from QUEEN KATRINA. KATRINA: (Solemnly) < Felicia went unauthorised on her soul quest and has been captured by Toads at the Dark Heart Nebula. > JENNY: < I'll go at once. > (Speaks) Willy, you and Blinky leave the ship at once. WILLY: (Worried) Is it about Felicia? He follows after her, and BLINKY conceals a homing device as the discussion continues. JENNY: There's no time to explain, go! WILLY: You're not going without me! What if you need and engineer? JENNY: I'll take that chance; Blinky, front and centre! BLINKY: (Salutes) I am hastening to obey, First Mate Jenny. WILLY: (To Jenny) That's *my* door! You can't take off with the door over me! What if something happened and I can nver return home? JENNY: (Sighs) I guess you're right, but if something happens, escape through the door. She looks down at BLINKY. JENNY: Blinky, take a message... LATER... JENNY pilots the ship from its' hangar with WILLY arming the maser cannon. SCENE FIVE Torture Room, Toad Cruiser A Toad TV advert is playing, showing a spindly TOAD with his girlfriend at a swamp. TOAD: (Narrative) I was at the swamp with a girl, when a bully kicked bog in my face. The GIRLFRIEND is carried away in the BULLYS' arms. GIRLFRIEND: (To Toad) Seymour, you're such a wimp! The TOAD is then seen reading a "Wartman" comic-book, and shows an advert to the camera. TOAD: Then I discovered Arnold Wartneggers' Toad Power Programme. Within a few weeks... THE BULLY returns, ready to steal a new girlfriend by kicking bog in the TOADS' face again, but he retaliates by knocking the BULLY unconcious with a large hammer. TOAD: Thanks to Arnold Wartneggers' Programme, my bullying problems are over. The advert finishes. FELICIA has been watching it whilst being strapped to a chair. She yawns in boredom, and TOADBORG marches in, scowling at the TECHNICIAN repsonsible. TOADBORG: I said "torture her", you mindless tad, not "bore her"! He tosses the TECHNICIAN out of the door and clasps his hand around FELICIAS' jaw. TOADBORG: You will take me into the Dark Heart Nebula. FELICIA: I won't do it! TOADBORG: (Angrily) You shouldn't have said that! SCENE SIX Orwell Station BLINKY is playing a recorded hologram of JENNY. Watching are BUCKY, MIMI, DEADEYE and BRUISER. JENNY: (In recording) I had to take the ship, but I'm forbidden to explain why. If we don't return, we're pleased to have served with you. The recording fades, and MIMI looks up. MIMI: (Scoffs) Everyone knows you can't trust cats! BUCKY: I'd trust Jenny with my life! I'd go to the ends of the Aniverse to help her, if only I knew which end to search. He begins pacing up and down, but BLINKY tugs his shirt to speak. BLINKY: Humble robot attached homing device to ship. BUCKY: (Smiles) You're the greatest, Blinky! Let's go, everyone! They begin to run down a corridor, with MIMI walking behind. Suddenly, they stop running and collide with one another. BRUISER: Err, Bucky, which ship do we take? MIMI: I'll regret this, but we could take my ship. SCENE SEVEN The Dark Heart Nebula The Righteous Indignation appears from hyperspace and is detected by the Toad cruiser. TOAD #1: (Stammers) T...Toadborg, sir! It's the Righteous In...Indi...Indign... TOADBORG: I can see that, fool! Full alert! The cruiser prepares its' guns, while JENNY makes contact. Down below, WILLY is awkwardly trying to get the maser cannon into position. JENNY: This is the Righteous Indignation! Release all prisoners immediately! Our masers are locked on you, and we can leave you drifting forever! WILLY: (Mumbles) If they think Deadeye's at the guns. TOADBORG: (Unconvinced) Not until you surrender when you see what I've got... He dangles FELICIA by her arm, and she gazes around semi-conciously. TOADBORG: ...or she won't live another minute! Several claws pop from his fingers, ready to cut FELICIA to pieces. FELICIA: (Weakly) Don't listen, Master Jenny. TOADBORG: (Thinks) < Master? Why have the pupil when I can have the master? > (Speaks) Give me your answer! JENNY: Here's the deal, Toadborg. Release Felicia, unharmed, and I'll take you to the nebula. FELICIA: No, Jenny! You musn't! TOADBORG: Silence, you mangy warmblood! He tosses her to the floor like a doll, invoking anger in JENNY. JENNY: (Hisses) Hurt her again, Toadborg, and I'll rip you apart, bolt by bolt! TOADBORG: (Shouts) Threats are futile! You'll board my ship immediately! JENNY: Not until you release Felicia! TOADBORG: If you want her, you'll have to get her inside the nebula! He breaks communication, and the cruiser flies closer to the nebula. TOADBORG exits through a hatch with FELICIA dragged along by the hand. JENNY: (To herself) He'll never get out! She walks down the hatch and notices WILLY putting on his gloves. JENNY: What are you doing? WILLY: Preparing for battle, we have to go after them! JENNY: *You* are going through that door! WILLY: (Crosses his arms) I'm not leaving when you most need me! JENNY: (Irritated) Willy... WILLY: If you need to focus your powers, how can you pilot the ship at the same time?! JENNY gives in and walks over to a cabinet to fetch her spacesuit. JENNY: Alright, Engineer DuWitt, you win again. Ready the Toad Croaker. WILLY: (Underwhelmed) The Croaker? It hasn't any Aldebaran sensors! JENNY: We've gone on soul quests for generations, so we don't need sensors. After a while, JENNY and WILLY fly into the nebula on the Toad Croaker. Further inside the nebula, FELICIA is trying to break free from TOADBORGS' grasp. FELICIA: You'll be lost in here forever! No-one will ever find you! TOADBORG: (Sneers) Jenny will be here, you mammals can do little for each other. Eventually, the Croaker meets up with them. JENNY: Release Felicia! TOADBORG: Not until I learn the nebulas' secret! JENNY: (Huffs) Willy, fly Heading: 2-mark-4. The croaker spins to the left and flies further into the nebula with TOADBORG and FELICIA following behind. TOADBORG is enveloped by electrical impulses as he moves forward. TOADBORG: (Amazed) Incredible! My electronics are fluctuating madly! JENNY: It'll only worsen unless we turn back! TOADBORG: Never! Deep inside I am still a Toad, and that part always functions! They come close to the centre of the nebula, which looks like a large, greenish-grey planet, with electrical storms whipping across the surface. WILLY: (Nervously) What is it? JENNY: The most powerful energy source in the galaxy! The Ancient Father of all Quarks! TOADBORG: All that power...MINE! (Bellows) I SHALL DRINK THE POWER OF THE STARS THEMSELVES! JENNY: (Alarmingly) Don't disturb it! You've no idea of its' abilities! TOADBORG: You're not here for advice, mammal! This will get you out of my way! He tosses FELICIA across space, and WILLY pursues in the Toad Croaker to rescue her. TOADBORG hovers close to the planet and attaches a cable to it. As the power is fed to him via the cable, the "planet" opens up, and turns out to be a winged DEMON curled in a ball. Elsewhere, WILLY is matching FELICIAS' speed and grabs her, placing her in the croaker. JENNY: (To Willy) Now! Heading: 12-mark-5, and hurry! I have to stop Toadborg! The DEMON picks up TOADBORG between two clawed fingers and flicks TOADBORG into space, just as the croaker arrives. JENNY: Too late! Toadborg has just awakened it! She fires her magic to weaken the DEMON, but to no avail. FELICIA: (Whimpers) I can't stand it! She cowers behind WILLY as the DEMON moves closer to inspect the Toad Croaker. JENNY sends a telepathic distress call to Aldebaran. JENNY: (In thought) < Sisters, hear me. Send me all of your power! Help me! > Across Aldebaran, various ALDEBARANS recieve JENNY'S message and begin to transfer their power. ALDEBARAN #1: We hear you, sister! ALDEBARAN #2: Take the Sisterhoods' power! ALDEBARAN #3: We are all with you! JENNYS' attacks against the DEMON are improving as it spews Quark Demons from its' huge mouth. WILLY: He's weakening! But the DEMON devours a small star-system nearby and gains its' lost strength. JENNY: < Sisters, it's not enough! He's fighting back! > This time, QUEEN KATRINA intercepts the message. KATRINA: Take *ALL* our power! KATRINA, along with her ATTENDANTS around her, send their magic to JENNY. The DEMON grows weaker, but clasps its' hand over the croaker before it can escape. FELICIA recovers after beng knocked from the croaker, while JENNY struggles to stop the collosal hand from crushing the croaker. JENNY: (Speaks) Felicia! Help us by sending me YOUR power! FELICIA: (Frightened) Jenny? I must help her and join the others! She sends her power to JENNY, and the croaker successfully escapes. JENNY weakens the creature further until it rolls back into its' sphere. While FELICIA returns to the croaker, WILLY observes the Quark Demons clustered about them. WILLY: Hey, these are like the one from the garden! Is this where they come from? JENNY: Yes, Willy. That's what a soul quest is, for an Aldebaran to master this power. FELICIA: (Excited) We did it, Master Jenny! We put the Quark back to sleep! JENNY: But without you, it wasn't possible. FELICIA: Me? But I'm just one person. JENNY: Yes, and you were the one that made all the difference, and now its' time to get what you came for. Using her magic, FELICIA catches several Quark Demons, which fly into her spell gem. FELICIA: From the heart of darkness, I have conquered the light of the stars. JENNY: And the light you won this day will never fade. Your mastery is complete, Artificer. LATER... The croaker returns to the Righteous Indignation, but the Toads are waiting for them with masers at the ready. JENNY: Back to the ship, hurry! The maser-fire prevents WILLY from docking with the Righteous Indignation, but the Toad cruiser is attacked by the Screaming Mimi. The Screaming Mimi has now been painted in the UAC colours, and DEADEYE is at the controls of the maser cannon. DEADEYE: (Laughs) Take this, scum-suckers! The Cruiser takes a heavy beating from the Screaming Mimi, panicking the TOADS on the bridge. TOAD #3: Another mammal frigate! We're outnumbered! TOAD #1: I'm getting a signal from Toadborg; he's drifting in space/ TOAD #3: Get a fix on him. (Turns to Toad #4) Navigator, get us out of here! The cruiser is chased from the nebula by the Screaming Mimi, with MIMI and BUCKY at the bridge. MIMI: Look at those cowards run! BUCKY: Mammals 1, Toads 0. SCENE EIGHT The Righteous Indignation FELICIA stands behind WILLY and JENNY as they sit in the pilot and co- pilot seats. BUCKY: (Over radio) This is Captain O' Hare to First Mate Jenny; you are ordered to land on Aldebaran at once, O' Hare out. JENNY: (Worried) Yes, Captain. WILLY: Don't worry, Jenny, he'll understand. OUT IN SPACE... TOADBORG has been picked up by the Toad Cruiser and the TOADS gather around him. TOAD #1: Did you find it, sir? TOADBORG: (Confused) Find what? TOAD #1: The power source inside the nebula, sir. TOADBORG: What power source? What nebula? TOAD #1: But my instruments said... TOADBORG gets up, and several cogwheels drop out from inside his armour. TOADBORG: (Shouts) Your instruments are malfunctioning! Fix them! TOAD #1: (Gulps) Yes, your Toadship. TOADBORG: (Grumbling) Does nothing on this ship work right? He storms off angrily. SCENE NINE Aldebaran QUEEN KATRINA is on a stage with FELICIA, WILLY, JENNY, BUCKY and KATRINAS' ATTENDANTS. KATRINA: (Proudly) Felicia has touched the Heart of Darkness and is now sister to us all! The ALDEBARANS in the audience applaud, while FELICIA turns to WILLY and JENNY. FELICIA: I owe my thanks to you two, and you are a true hero, Willy DuWitt. She kisses him on the cheek, and WILLY blushes. JENNY is too busy trying to explain herself to BUCKY. JENNY: (Guilty) I know I don't deserve forgiveness, and taking the ship is the worst thing I've done. Bucky, say something! BUCKY: How about "welcome back"? JENNY smiles and hugs him tightly. THE END