The Taking of Pilot Jenny Written by Neal Adams and Peter Stone SCENE ONE Space FIRST MATE JENNY and AFC BLINKY are flying through an asteroid belt in the Toad Croaker. BLINKY: Humble robot means no offence, but if Pilot Jenny comes closer to asteroids, we may achieve one-ness with the Aniverse. JENNY: Blinky, we're late! Bucky's worried enough about this mission. BUCKY: (Over radio) Righteous Indignation to Toad Croaker, come in Jenny. Are you recieving me? Jenny, you're running late! JENNY: (Smiles) You shouldn't be such a worry-wart, Bucky! She notices something ahead. JENNY: Uh-oh, speaking of warts... Five double-bubbles fly out from the cover of a nearby asteroid. BLINKY: (Panics) Calamity and woe! JENNY: Hold onto your circuits, Blinky! She spins the Croaker around and speeds away. JENNY looks back in surprise. JENNY: (Confused) Odd, they're not following us. Why? BLINKY: Most humble android offers possibility: Do not need to. He points ahead, and to JENNY'S horror, a squadron of double-bubbles are surrounding the Croaker. SCENE TWO DuWitt Residence, San Francisco, Earth ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT is sitting on his bed, examining the Aldebaran memory stone given to him by JENNY. WILLY: (To himself) I wonder how my friends out in the Aniverse are doing. It's been days since I heard from them. He tries to speak into the memory stone. WILLY: Jenny? Jenny, can you hear me? Are you guys OK? Jenny? WILLY looks worried. WILLY: That's funny, she's always answered before...unless she's busy, or in trouble, or hurt! He goes over to switch on the Photon Accelerator. With a grinding of machinery, WILLY moves over and opens his bedroom door. SCENE THREE The Righteous Indignation WILLY cautiously steps into the ship and looks around. No-one appears to be on board. WILLY: (Calls) Deadeye! Bucky! Anyone? Bruiser! Jenny! Can you hear me? GUNNER DEADEYE DUCK steps down the ladder from the bridge. WILLY: Deadeye! I'm glad to see someone's here! What's going on? DEADEYE stays still for a moment, and then turns to face WILLY. DEADEYE: (Sullen) They got Jenny. WILLY: What did you say?! DEADEYE: (Grabs Willys' shirt) I said the Toads got Jenny, ya lubber! There's no time to jaw about it now! WILLY: (Dumbfounded) They got Jenny (!) Oh, no! UP IN THE BRIDGE... CAPTAIN BUCKY O' HARE is working at the controls with a stern look on his face. WILLY moves up the ladder to greet him. WILLY: Bucky! We've got to get her back! BUCKY: (Mumbles) Based on the computer reading of the Toads' ion trails, there's only one place they could be going: Warren, my homeworld. SCENE FOUR Space, In orbit of Warren A trio of double-bubbles fly around the planet, where several Toad cruisers and one mothership are in orbit. The Righteous Indignation comes out of hyperdrive and the crew looks around. BUCKY: It's their whole armada! The Toad Mothership hovers in front of the Righteous Indignation as the double-bubbles continues to fly around menacingly. DEADEYE: Ah, mateys! Them bilge-suckin' toadies are just waiting for us to try and get Jenny back! WILLY: But we don't even know which ship she's on! The radio crackles into life, and everyone listens carefully. TOADBORG: (On radio) Attention, filthy mammals! The great Toad Empire has captured your pilot, Jenny! BRUISER THE BERSERKER BABOON steps forward. BRUISER: (Snarls) Why, ya lousy Toads! I'll...I'll murdalize ya! He raises his arms in anger, and WILLY steps back. BUCKY: Bruiser! Calm down! WILLY: (Re-assuring) Don't worry, Bruiser. Bucky's going to get her back, count on it! On the videoscreen, JENNY has been strapped into a chair, and is struggling to get out. TOADBORG: Unless you agree to a trade, we're going to cybertize the cat! BUCKY: (Peeved) What's the trade, circuit-brain? TOADBORG: Pilot Jenny in trade for the second climate converter; the one your renegade rabbits stole from my toad troops. WILLY: (Whispers to Bruiser) Bucky'll never trade, that climate converters' the key to saving his homeworld! BRUISER nods in agreement. WILLY: What's he going to do? BUCKY: (Sighs) You win, Toadborg. We'll make the trade. WILLY: (Shocked) What?! BUCKY: (Grabs the controls) All hands to stations! He spins the Righteous Indignation around. WILLY tries to get BUCKY'S attention, but BUCKY takes no notice. BUCKY: Prepare for hyperdrive warp! We're going to get that converter. WILLY: But, Bucky! We can't trade... BUCKY: (Interrupts) We need you in engineering, Willy. We'll talk later, I promise. WILLY walks off. SCENE FIVE Engineering, the Righteous Indignation DEADEYE and WILLY enter from the bridge and walk over to the gun turret. WILLY: How come he's acting weird? I never thought he'd... DEADEYE: (Calmly) Boyo, what's a climate converter more or less? There's only one Jenny, right? WILLY: Yeah, I guess. I just thought that Bucky would put up more of a fight. SCENE SIX In orbit of Kinear The Righteous Indignation comes out of hyperdrive again and heads towards the planet, now with its' own defence system. BUCKY: The planet Kinear, dead ahead. Enter the codes, Bruiser. BRUISER: Yes sir, Captain. That's already done. The Kinear defence shield is going down. LATER, ON KINEAR... BRUISER is working his way through a bunch of purple-skinned bananas while DEADEYE swings his guns around. WILLY is sitting on a bench and looking worried. WILLY: (Firmly) The hares will NEVER agree to give up the converter! Never! BUCKY emerges with three HARES dressed in maintenance uniforms. HARE #1: Good luck, Bucky! HARE #2: It hurts to give up the converter, but we know you'll do the right thing. BUCKY walks past, so BRUISER and DEADEYE follow. WILLY looks stunned. WILLY: They're going to give it to us?! How can they? It's the only thing that can possibly save their homeworld! SCENE SEVEN The Toad Mothership over Warren In the torture room, FRIX and FRAX are guarding JENNY. FRIX walks up to her. FRIX: (Chuckles) So, you think Toadborg is going to let you go once he gets the converter? JENNY: He said he would. FRAX: You really believe that? (Laughs) You hairball! FRIX and FRAX start laughing. JENNY casts a spell while they're not looking, causing them to fight amongst each other. Much amusement to JENNY, until the knock each other out and fall on the floor. TOADBORG marches in afterward. TOADBORG: Nice parlour trick, witch. Too bad it won't save you from the borg minds. SCENE EIGHT Kinear The climate converter blasts off into space, with the Righteous Indignation close behind. INSIDE THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION... WILLY and BRUISER are working on the Photon Accelerator. WILLY: Bruiser, it it my imagination, or has Bucky not said a word since we left Kinear? BRUISER: Yeah well, Bucky's worried, that's all. Do you want him to make a speech? SCENE NINE Over Warren, sometime later The Toad fleet assembles as the Righteous hoves into view. WILLY is on the bridge, and talks into a speaker. WILLY: .S.P.A.C.E. frigate Righteous Indignation to Toadborg, the converter has been delivered as promised. Please release Pilot Jenny. Three double-bubbles fly over and open fire on the Righteous. WILLY: (Shouts frantically) Deadeye, watch out! The blasts hit the gun turret, and DEADEYE falls out of his chair. WILLY catches him before he can hit the floor. DEADEYE: Thanks, matey. You've got good reflexes, ye'd make a good pirate. WILLY: But Deadeye, your turret! I didn't think anybody could beat you to the drawer! I can't believe it! A tractor beam from the Mothership pulls in the Righteous Indignation. SCENE TEN Inside the Mothership The crew are led into the torture room by TOADBORG and several STORMTOADS. TOADBORG: Filthy mammals! Did you think that the Toad Empire would let any of *you* go? We have the converter you stole, we have Pilot Jenny, and now we have the famous Bucky O' Hare and his entire crew captive! BUCKY and WILLY both look shocked. WILLY: (To Bucky) Bucky, how are we going to get out of this? An alarm rings before BUCKY can reply. DEADEYE: Ha! About flaming time! WILLY: (Confused) Huh? What's going on? TOAD: (On radio) Commander Toadborg, our sensors have picked up a mammal ship hurdling towards the fleet. It's already through the outer defences. TOADBORG: (Sternly) What ship? TOAD: It's the Indefatigable. Incoming transmission, sir. I'm patching it through. BUCKY appears on the screen wearing a spacesuit. BUCKY: (On screen) Captain Bucky O' Hare here, blasting through your fleet, Toadborg! TOADBORG: (Surprised) Impossible! If you're there, then who...? The BUCKY in the room takes off his cap, to reveal that he is just a regular green hare called GEOFFREY. GEOFFREY: (Throaty voice) Second cousin. I look a lot like cousin Bucky. We switched places on Kinear. COMMANDER SIRIUS DOGSTAR appears on the screen. DOGSTAR: Ah, yes Toadborg! Pitiful distribution of your forces, old boy! Seems you've left a soft spot in your front line, and we're blasting right through it! ASC RUMBLEBEE is firing to and fro, destroying the oncoming double-bubbles. RUMBLEBEE: Targetting double-bubbles, bzz bzz. As the firing continues, ENGINEER DIGGER McSQUINT sets up the secondary gun turret on the side of the ship. DIGGER: I'll give you a hand, Rumblebee! He opens fire, and destroys one double-bubble in an attacking trio. RUMBLEBEE: Bzz, nice shot Digger. DIGGER: They're scared now, Rumblebee! BACK ON THE MOTHERSHIP... The video communication has been severed. DEADEYE: (Laughs) Toadborg, looks like you're converter's gonna be replaced by the reprogrammed one from Kinear! And there's nothin' you can do to stop it! TOADBORG: (Hisses) We'll just see about that! He stomps over to a control panel and pushes a button. Out of a door come three bizarre ROBOTS looking very unusual in design. The only thing they all have in common are a pair of red eyes with a yellow iris. TOADBORG: Tribot! Guard the disgusting mammals while I deal with O' Hare! TRIBOT #1: (Deep voice) As you wish, blasters locked on. TRIBOT #2: (Falsetto) Prisoners under guard. SCENE ELEVEN The Indefatigable BUCKY and DOGSTAR are at the controls. BUCKY: Full speed, Dogstar. Head towards Warrens' surface and the climate converter. DOGSTAR: Aye aye, Bucky! Top speed it is! The Indefatigable flies towards Warren, with three double-bubbles trying to shoot them down. RUMBLEBEE: Targetting Toad defensive batteries. On the ground, the STORMTOADS are preparing the cannons to shoot down the frigate, but they are easily knocked out by RUMBLEBEE. DIGGER blasts open a wall for the Indefatigable to fly through. The ship lands and most of the crew dismebark with their helmets on. BUCKY: Dogstar, you'd better stay here and guard the ship. It's our only ticket out of here. DOGSTAR: (Salutes) Aye aye, Bucky! Good luck! SCENE TWELVE The Toad Mothership BRUISER, whom has a blanket on his head, looks over at BLINKY. BRUISER: Hey, Blinky! I'm getting this terrific urge! BLINKY: You are hungry now, Bruiser? BRUISER breaks the chain on his handcuff and pulls off the blanket. BRUISER: (Shouts) Nah, I'm in the mood for stopping some Toads! TRIBOT #3: (Gruff voice) He's loose! Berserker Baboon! The three TRIBOTS lock together to form a larger android towering over the others. WILLY: Woah! Look at it now! BRUISER: (Stampedes towards Tribots) AAEEYYOOGGAAAH! TRIBOTS: (In unison) United we stand... They fire their weapons on BRUISER knocking him over and falling on top of DEADEYE and GEOFFREY. TRIBOTS: ...divided you fall! WILLY: Bruiser! Deadeye! Oh, no! JENNY: (Casts a spell) Don't worry, Willy. I'll handle it! After picking the locks on the chair, JENNY blasts the TRIBOTS with a ball of energy, turning them into scrap metal. DEADEYE: What happened? JENNY: Never mind that now, Deadeye! DEADEYE: (Defiantly) Well mateys, Bucky be countin' on us to help him! To the control room! They all run after DEADEYE. WILLY: So, is that the real Bucky who's gone to get the converter? DEADEYE: You got it, Willy me lad! That's why Geoffrey there didn't talk to ya. You'd have known it wasn't Bucky! JENNY: Explanations later, Willy! We have to disable the fleet! WILLY: Let's do it! They arrive in the control room and BRUISER rips the inspection hatch off of a machine. BRUISER: (To Blinky) You do the honours, little buddy. BLINKY starts to tinker with the machinery. BLINKY: Creating chaos is usually inefficient, but not this time (!). SCENE THIRTEEN A gun turret on the Toad Mothership Two TOADS asleep at the controls suddenly notice their control panel malfunctioning. TOAD #1: Hey! It's coming alive! The computers' taking over! The cannons start firing on the fleet, as do the other turrets. In one double-bubble, the PILOT looks concerned. PILOT: What do we do? The command ship's gone bonkers! CO-PILOT: I dunno! We can't fire on our own ships, and Toadborg... The PILOT flies out of the way before the craft can be hit. INSIDE THE MOTHERSHIP... KOMPLEX is speaking to TOADBORG on the bridge and peers down menacigly at the cyborg. KOMPLEX: What?! That renegade rabbit tricked you? TOADBORG: Yes, and now he is attempting to replace our climate converter on Warren with their own! KOMPLEX: I shall arrange a surprise for Captain Bucky O' Hare! IN THE WARREN CLIMATE CONVERTER... An alarm sounds as several pieces of machinery join together to make an android, controlled by KOMPLEX. BACK ON THE MOTHERSHIP... The crew of the Righteous plus GEOFFREY enter the Righteous Indignation, and TOADBORG runs up to stop them. WILLY: Here comes trouble! Both the Righteous and TOADBORG fly past the Hangar Control Room, where FRIX and FRAX are on duty. FRIX: The mammals are escaping! FRAX: (Stammers) T...T...Toadborg'll kill us if they get away! FRIX: (Panics) Close the doors! Close the doors! The doors slowly shut, and JENNY speaks to WILLY over the radio. JENNY: Willy, I need a burst of speed now or we're pancakes! WILLY: (From below) You've got it! DEADEYE: Hang on, mateys! It's gonna be close! Sure enough, the Righteous Indignation is able to escape, but TOADBORG becomes wedged in the two doors. TOADBORG: (Strains) Get back here! DEADEYE: (Guffaws) Not quite fast enough, ya old scrumbag! Inside the Control Room, FRIX and FRAX look worried. FRIX: Oops! FRAX: Toadborg's gonna be mad when he gets down! FRIX: Do you think he saw *who* closed the door? FRAX: Nope. FRIX & FRAX: (In unison) Let's get out of here! TOADBORG: (Roars) Someone get me down from here! SCENE FOURTEEN The Kinear Climate Converter The Righteous Indignation lands in the hangar. JENNY: We need to get the reprogrammed climate converter to Warren. Bucky's waiting for us! SCENE FIFTEEN The Warren Climate Converter DIGGER and RUMBLEBEE are at work on the converter, while BUCKY fiddles with a console. BUCKY: Stand by everyone, prepare for planetary seperation. After pulling a giant lever, the converter lifts off from the planets' surface. Unfortunately, the launch brings the attention of KOMPLEX'S android. KOMPLEX: Mammalians, your fates are sealed! BUCKY: (Shocked) Great mother of rabbits! It's KOMPLEX! With all the action focussed on the android, the converter is spiralling out of control. DIGGER sets up his bazooka after dodging a blast. DIGGER: I'm gonna blast your rivets out, KOMPLEX! KOMPLEX is hit by DIGGER but not too seriously damaged. KOMPLEX: (Hisses) What a pity, all that firepower in the hands of a blind slug! He fires some missiles at DIGGER, turning the bazooka into ashes. BUCKY and RUMBLEBEE are nearby taking cover behind a computer. BUCKY: (To Rumblebee) It's up to us to stop him! RUMBLEBEE: As you wish! RUMBLEBEE opens fire on KOMPLEX, but is also hit by the missiles. RUMBLEBEE: Weapons inoperative, most formidable. Meanwhile, LIEUTENANT WOLF has climbed up a ladder and is clutching a piece of cable. WOLF: The battle's going badly, I'll have to take a hand in it. He uses the cable like a vine and swings down. WOLF: (Shouts) KOMPLEX! Catch! He throws a hand grenade, blowing off the androids' right arm. KOMPLEX: (Furious) My arm! The filthy mammal's blew off my arm! WOLF howls in victory. BUCKY fires his maser pistol at KOMPLEX and looks at the others. BUCKY: Rumblebee! Digger! Has anyone more firepower? RUMBLEBEE: Bzz bzz, need time for conversion. His torso becomes a maser cannon, and fires at KOMPLEX. Instantly, the android falls to pieces. BUCKY jumps into the pilots' seat and regains contro before they can crash into a mountain. BUCKY: The rest of you get back to the Indefatigable and protect the other converter from any Toads flying around. WOLF: But, Bucky... BUCKY: No arguements! I have to take this out of the solar system and destroy it! Get going! The rest of the group move out. SCENE SIXTEEN The Kinear Climate Converter The Indefatigable flies towards the converter and destroys two double-bubbles nearby before landing. DOGSTAR exits the ship and goes the greet WILLY in the control room. WILLY: Dogstar! Good to see you! Where's Bucky? DOGSTAR: Fulfilling his part of the mission, lad. Getting the Toad climate converter off the planet. JENNY: (Sitting nearby) Willy, I want you to help Deadeye with the controls. WILLY: I'm on my way! Down in the converter itself, DEADEYE is grumbling at the amount of controls. DEADEYE: (Moans) Too many blasted switches, laddie! I'd prefer my maser cannon or a couple of salty blasters! WILLY: Relax, Deadeye! Remember, I've used one of these before. He sets to work on the controls. SCENE SEVENTEEN The Warren Climate Converter BUCKY is too busy piloting the converter to notice KOMPLEXS' android reassemble itself. KOMPLEX stuns BUCKY and tosses him aside like an old glove. KOMPLEX: Now you'll see why KOMPLEX reigns supreme! KOMPLEX activates the main controls for the converter to attack those in the Kinear Converter. IN THE KINEAR CLIMATE CONVERTER... The craft is rocking back and forth, making JENNY feel ill. JENNY: Sisters of Aldebaran! Has Bucky gone crazy? DOGSTAR and RUMBLEBEE wander over, curious to know what is happening. DOGSTAR: What in the Aniverse is going on? RUMBLEBEE: Analysis: Other converter attacked us; Bucky would never do that. Conclusion: KOMPLEX has recovered, bzz bzz. JENNY: (Gasps) Which means Bucky is in terrible danger! She switches on the intercom. JENNY: Willy! Deadeye! KOMPLEX has the other converter! We need to counter-attack with our own atmospheric disturbance! WILLY: (Shouts) Two minutes, Jenny! I need two minutes! JENNY: We may not have two minutes! KOMPLEX attacks again, knocking two towers from the converter. JENNY: Willy, we're in trouble! Do something! WILLY: I'm trying, but I'm not good with this technology! JENNY: I've another idea (!). Take the controls, Dogstar! DOGSTAR: Glad to oblige, Jenny, but what are you doing? JENNY closes her eyes and spiritually teleports herself into the Warren Converter, and notices BUCKY lying unconcious. She tries to touch him, but she can't. JENNY: Silly cat! You know you can't touch anything like this! She casts a spell to revive BUCKY. BACK IN THE KINEAR CONVERTER... The machines hum into life as WILLY adjusts some controls. WILLY: Targetting, Deadeye. DEADEYE: Fry his warts, Willy me lad! After pushing a button, a tornado begins to rip the Warren Converter apart. KOMPLEX: (Grumbles) Filthy mammals! BUCKY wakes up, and JENNY'S spiritual self floats out of sight and back to the Kinear Converter. BUCKY: (Groans) My neck! KOMPLEX: (Chuckles evilly) You're still alive? Well, not for long, rabbit! BUCKY dodges out of the way before KOMPLEX can hit him. BUCKY: You're too slow, rust-bucket! He grabs hold of a wire leading into the back of the android. BUCKY: OK, you giant blender, lights out! The android falls to pieces and collapses in front of BUCKY, spewing steam. BUCKY: Better than Humpty-Dumpty! He places on his spacesuit and switches on the detonator before running towards the exit. Upon detonation, fire spreads through corridors where BUCKY had been barely a few moments ago. No sooner has BUCKY exitted the converter, it explodes into oblivion. SCENE EIGHTEEN Warren The Kinear Converter lands on Warren, and BRUISER poses before a camera to address the TOADS. BRUISER: (Threatening) This is Bruiser the Beetlegusian Berserker Baboon speakin'! I'm talking to all yous Toads out there! Three TOADS at a small camp intercept BRUISERS' channel. TOAD #1: It's a Berserker Baboon! TOAD #2: (Shrieks) It's coming for us! The STORMTOADS head for their double-bubbles and fly away along with the cruisers and a Mothership still malfunctioning. Elsewhere, BUCKY is speaking to the crews of both the Righteous Indignation and the Indefatigable. BUCKY: It was Jennys' idea. Once we'd reprogrammed the climate converter we stole on Kinear... JENNY: ...We didn't know how to get it within 100 parsecs of Warren to restore the planet. BLINKY: Pilot Jenny reasoned that the Toads wouldn't let it get close if we were to return. DEADEYE: So, Jenny let herself and Blinky get snagged... WILLY: ...And convince the Toads to trade them for the converter! JENNY: It was a perfect plan for those weak-willed Toads. I knew there was a way to outsmart them. WILLY: Why didn't you let me in on it? BUCKY: The plan was already underway, and your sincerity made it seem more real to the Toads. WILLY: (Curious) You guys think you know me so well? ALL: (In unison) You bet! LATER... The climate converter is at work restoring Warren to its pristine beauty. Several spacecraft arrive bringing home the inhabitants scattered across space. A family of HARES are watching the pilgrimmage back home. The WIFE hugs her HUSBAND and the children speak up. SON: Hey, Dad! Does this mean we can live here again? DAUGHTER: Yeah, can we? HUSBAND: Yes, we've come home. He picks up his two children. HUSBAND: (Continued) Warren belongs to the Hares again, we have our planet back. And we owe it all to the brave members of the .S.P.A.C.E. and Captain Bucky O' Hare, the heroes of Warren. THE END