"Defection" by Alf Edited by Rygar 1/3/04 SCENE 1 - ENGINEERING BAY, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT sits cross-legged on the floor, working on a large cylinder-shaped object that has a mass of wires and computer bits protruding from it. AFC BLINKY stands next to Willy. WILLY All right, Blinky, let's have the screws. Blinky hands Willy two screws. Willy puts one in between his lips and places the other deep in the bowels of the wires. He begins tightening it with a small tool. BUCKY (from the cockpit, yelling) We got toads! WILLY (mumbling around the screw) Never fails. Willy, with the help of Blinky, rolls the object over against the wall and attaches it with a belt. He takes the screw from his lips and hands it to Blinky as they leave engineering. SCENE 2 - COCKPIT, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE and FIRST MATE JENNY are at their places, with BRUISER leaning in. Bruiser ducks out of the doorway to let Willy enter, then leans back in. WILLY What's going on? JENNY Four double bubbles within range. BUCKY ... and they're not after us. WILLY (scratching his head) That's a problem? BUCKY It's confusing. I don't like toads to be confusing. JENNY It appears one double bubble is leading three others ... at a very high speed. BUCKY Where to? JENNY Wait a minute. (examining instruments) They've changed course. BUCKY (guessing) *Now* they're heading this way. JENNY No. Directly away from us ... no. They've changed course again. BRUISER (from the doorway) What da heck is them toadies doin'? WILLY Zigzagging? BUCKY At that speed? (beat) Jenny, can we intercept them? JENNY Yes, unless they suddenly run off. BUCKY All right. Do it. (calling to Deadeye) Deadeye, we're going to intercept. Don't fire 'til I give the word. DEADEYE Ye sure, Cap'n? BUCKY You heard me -- prepare to fire, but wait for my signal. DEADEYE (resigned) Aye-aye, Cap'n. BUCKY Let's see if we can unscramble their transmissions. Bucky manipulates the controls for a moment, then stares at them in disbelief. BUCKY Now wait a minute! WILLY What's the matter? BUCKY (looking at Willy) They're not scrambling their transmissions. WILLY What? Bucky presses a button on his console. TOAD VOICE #1 (over comm) ... blow you out of the aniverse! TOAD VOICE #2 (over comm) I've got him locked in. TOAD VOICE #1 (over comm) This is your last chance to come peacefully, Horst! HORST (over comm) No! I refuse to rejoin you. TOAD VOICE #1 (over comm) We're gonna drag you back and put your carcass on display, maggot! BUCKY Toad versus toad? This I gotta see! Bring us in as close as you can, Jenny. Suddenly, a buzzing sound is heard. JENNY The lead toad ... he's *calling* us. Bucky, now utterly confused, looks at the green panel flashing on his console. He half-shrugs and presses it. BUCKY Toads! This is ... HORST (over comm) Mammals! This is Lieutenant Horst of the Toad Empire. I wish to defect! TOAD VOICE #1 (over comm) You stay out of this, mammals! HORST (over comm) I repeat, my name is Lieutenant Horst of the Toad Empire. I wish to defect! I have information! JENNY There they are. On the view screen, one double bubble is dodging the maser fire from the three others, zigzagging in a desperate pattern. WILLY We gotta save him! BUCKY (glancing back at Willy) Are you kidding? WILLY Well, why not? He wants to defect. BUCKY Willy, *no* toad wants to defect! JENNY What do you think is going on, Bucky? BUCKY (turning off comm) I don't know. Maybe it's a trap. WILLY What *kind* of trap? We would have come anyway as soon as they showed up on radar. The crew watches the battle for a minute. Bucky takes a breath, then lets it out. BUCKY Deadeye! DEADEYE Aye, Cap'n? BUCKY Take out the tailers. DEADEYE (off) Ha hah! 'Bout time. JENNY What about Horst? BUCKY I'll worry about him later. Either way, I want these other ones out of the picture. While Bucky is speaking, a maser shot from the Righteous Indignation destroys the head tailer. The other two ships slow down in confusion, enabling Deadeye to shoot a second one. The third ship manages to get off one shot, which The Righteous Indignation easily avoids. During the avoidance maneuver, Deadeye destroys the last tailer. Horst's ship stops and waits. BUCKY Nice shooting, partner. DEADEYE (proudly) Thank ye, Cap'n. Horst's double bubble starts toward The Righteous Indignation. BUCKY Deadeye, get a bead on him, but wait for my signal. DEADEYE Gotcha. BUCKY (turning comm back on) Horst, pull up unless you want to join your friends. Horst's double bubble stops at a respectable distance from The Righteous Indignation. His voice is heard on the comm, and they can see him on the screen. HORST Oh, yes, of course. I'm sorry ... so sorry. Horst slips out of sight inside the double bubble. BUCKY (threatening) Stay up where I can see you, Horst. Horst reappears. HORST Oh, yes, sorry. It's just ... Horst covers his eyes with his hands. HORST Sorry ... WILLY (quietly to self) Damn. BUCKY This is Captain Bucky O'Hare of The Righteous Indignation. State your business, Horst. HORST (removing hands from face, attempting to regain composure) I wish to defect. To the mammals. I offer information. DEADEYE Don't trust 'im, Cap'n. Bucky turns to Jenny, who looks back at him expectantly. Bucky then turns to Willy, who looks at him with pleading eyes. Lastly, Bucky turns to face Bruiser in the doorway, who just shakes his head. Bucky then turns around and drums his fingers on the console. BUCKY (suddenly) Prepare to abandon craft, Horst. HORST (gratefully) Oh, thank you, thank you, Captain O'Hare. Horst begins putting on a spacesuit. WILLY What's going on? BUCKY We're going to blow up his ship. WILLY What? Why? BUCKY In case it's booby-trapped. WILLY Oh. Then what? BUCKY We'll take him back to Commander Dogstar. Let him take care of this. GUNNER DEADEYE DUCK suddenly appears at the top of the ladder leading into the cockpit, beside Bruiser. DEADEYE Allow me t' register me disagreement, Cap'n. BUCKY (wheeling about to face him) Duly noted. Prepare to destroy his craft. DEADEYE With pleasure. Deadeye leaves the cockpit. BUCKY Bruiser, when we take him aboard, you're in charge of him. BRUISER Ya want me ta lean on 'im? Bucky hesitates. WILLY Captain, no. He's coming aboard willingly. (beat) Besides, if you decide he's a spy, you can always ... lean on him later. BUCKY Hmm. All right. Lay off him for now, Bruiser. But watch him like a hawk. If he so much as breathes funny, I want to know about it. (points outside the cockpit) You, too, Blinky. Keep an eye on him. Bucky, realizing what he just said, shakes his head. JENNY He's clear of the craft, Bucky. Bucky swivels around and sees Horst floating in his spacesuit some distance from the double bubble. BUCKY All right. Deadeye, take it out. A maser shot goes out from above the below, destroying the double bubble. BUCKY That's that. (beat) Jenny, run a scan. See if there's any electronics on him. JENNY All right. (fiddling with her controls) A radio. It's probably in the spacesuit. BUCKY We'll have to destroy it, to be on the safe side. Bucky turns around and notices Willy's shocked reaction. BUCKY The radio. The spacesuit. After he's aboard. WILLY Aren't you being a little ... paranoid? BUCKY (irritated) Willy, this is war. Get used to it. (to Jenny) Bring 'er in. SCENE 3 - EXTERIOR OF THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION The ship inches its way toward Horst, finally coming close enough for him to grab on to the hull. He makes his way around to the hatch, opens it, and enters. SCENE 4 - AIRLOCK, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Horst waits, still in his spacesuit, for the air to be pumped in. He then reaches for the door to the interior of the ship. BUCKY (over comm) Horst! HORST (looking up) Yes, Captain? BUCKY (over comm) Ditch the suit. HORST What? (looking down in confusion for a second) Oh, of course. Forgive me. Horst takes off his spacesuit. He's wearing a regulation toad uniform underneath. He again reaches for the door. BUCKY (over comm) And the uniform. HORST My uniform? BUCKY (over comm) You're not going to be needing it, now, are you? HORST Oh, right, right. Horst takes his helmet off. He unbuttons his shirt and takes it off, revealing a gray T-shirt underneath. He pulls down his pants, revealing white boxers, and steps out of them. After moving the clothes onto his spacesuit on the floor, he again reaches for the hatch. BUCKY (over comm) All of it. Horst hesitates for a beat. BUCKY (over comm) We aren't taking any chances, Horst. HORST (clearly embarrassed) Right, of course. Sorry. Horst pauses for a beat. Then, looking extremely uncomfortable, he pulls off his T-shirt and places it with the rest of his clothes. Lastly, he pulls his boxers shorts to the floor and kicks them over with the other clothes. He pauses, looking around nervously. BUCKY (over comm) All right, Horst, come in. Horst lets out his breath. With his left arm nervously covering his chest, he opens the hatch. SCENE 5 - MAIN BAY, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Bucky and Deadeye stand a few feet from the hatch, guns drawn and pointed straight at Horst. Bruiser stands beyond, growling. Blinky waits to the side. Horst's eyes widen, and he slowly raises his arms over his head. He swallows nervously. HORST B-b-betelgeusian ... b-b ... (takes a deep breaths and regains his composure) Cap ... Captain O'Hare? Bucky nods his head but makes no other move. HORST I am Lieutenant Horst. Allow me to formally thank you for allowing me on board. Horst bows slightly at the waist, keeping his arms raised. No one else moves for a moment. Bucky then waves his gun toward engineering. BUCKY Get in there. Slow. Horst, not taking his eyes off of Bucky's pistol, takes a step toward engineering. On not seeing any reaction, he takes another. This time, the other four take a step after him. SCENE 6 - ENGINEERING, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Horst enters, arms still raised, taking slow steps. Following by about five steps come Bucky, Deadeye, Bruiser, and Blinky. Horst stops when he reaches the far wall and slowly turns around to face the others. BUCKY (over his shoulder) Dump the airlock, Jenny. A whooshing sound makes Horst flinch slightly. BUCKY (indicating the floor with his gun) Sit. Horst sits on the floor, cross-legged, putting his arms down. BUCKY We'll be keeping you in here for the time being. Bucky holsters his gun. He grabs a chain from a bin, which makes Horst open his eyes wide. BUCKY Relax, Horst. Just making sure you stay put. Bucky walks over to Horst and chains his wrist to the wall. BUCKY Bruiser and Blinky will be keeping an eye on you, so don't try anything. HORST Oh, no. No. (bobs his head) Th-thank you, Captain O'Hare. BUCKY (turning) Bruiser, he's all yours. (beat) Remember, you let me know whenever he does *anything*, got it? BRUISER (saluting) Aye-aye, Cap'n. Bucky and Deadeye leave engineering, and Bruiser takes up a position near the doorway, glaring at the cowering Horst. SCENE 7 - COCKPIT, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Bucky enters and resumes his seat. BUCKY Set course for Genus. WILLY Aren't you gonna ... BUCKY (irritated) Gonna what? WILLY You know ... give him something to wear? BUCKY (irritated, turning back to his console) Willy, I don't want a toad wearing my things. Give him some of yours if you're so worried about him. Willy looks at Bucky for a beat, then leaves the cockpit. SCENE SHIFTS TO WILLY'S BEDROOM ON EARTH Willy enters through his door. He rifles through some clothes on the floor, then opens a dresser drawer, takes out a few items, and heads back. SCENE 8 - ENGINEERING, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Horst is still sitting on the floor, head hanging down, nearly in the fetal position. Bruiser is still glaring at him, but then steps aside to let Bucky, Deadeye, and Willy in. Deadeye pulls his pistol and aims at Horst, causing Horst to once again start to panic. BUCKY Don't try anything stupid. Bucky walks over to Horst and undoes the chain from the wall. Horst rubs his wrist while Willy steps up. WILLY Um ... Lieutenant? Horst raises his head and looks at Willy. WILLY Um ... I brought you something to wear. I'm pretty sure it won't fit you too well, but ... HORST Oh. Thank you. I'm very obliged. Willy hands a small bundle of clothes to Horst. Horst unfolds the bundle -- a T-shirt and sweatpants. Horst pulls on the shirt slowly, his eyes flicking back to Deadeye every few seconds. Horst then slowly gets to his feet and clumsily puts on the sweatpants, which fit him very poorly. Willy, who has never been this close to a toad, let alone a naked one, tries not to stare too much. Almost immediately after putting them on, the sweatpants begin to fall down, so Horst grabs them and holds them up. WILLY (indicating at the sweatpants) Um, there's a string ... two strings ... down there. HORST What? Horst peeks inside the sweatpants. HORST Oh, I see. So I ... ? Horst yanks on the strings. HORST A-ha. Thank you. Horst ties a knot in the sweatpants drawstring. Once he finishes, he sits back down. Bucky re-chains him to the wall. Once Horst is re- chained, Deadeye spins his pistol and re-holsters it, and Bucky and Deadeye exit. BRUISER (pointing to Willy) You, too. WILLY No. I mean, I'd like to stay, if I could. BRUISER (doubtfully) I dunno. WILLY What could happen? BRUISER Don't say that -- ya might just find out. (sighing) All right. But don't ya get near 'im. Willy starts to argue, but then shrugs. WILLY Fair enough. Willy sits down a fair distance from Horst as Bruiser resumes his position. HORST Might I ask your name? WILLY Oh. Willy. HORST These items of clothing are yours? WILLY Yes. HORST (ducking his head) Thank you very much for letting me wear them, Mr. Willy. WILLY No problem. And it's just Willy. HORST Could ... could I trouble you further? WILLY (concerned) How? HORST Might I trouble you for some water to drink? WILLY Oh, sure. Willy starts to his feet, but Bruiser stops him. BRUISER Wait a sec, Willy. (calling loudly) Captain! Prisoner wants water! WILLY Oh, for the love of ... BUCKY (from the cockpit, yelling) Granted! Plastic container! Bruiser nods to Willy, who rolls his eyes. Willy stands up, gets a small plastic bottle of water, and hands it to Horst. HORST Thank you very much, Willy. Willy is about to sit down next to Horst. Bruiser grunts, and Willy looks over at him. Bruiser shakes his head slightly. Willy walks back to the other side of the room and sits down. Horst opens the container and drinks all the water at once, letting a little dribble out of the corner of his mouth. He then puts the container down and sighs. HORST Ah! Thank you. WILLY No problem. Could I ask you a question, Lieutenant? HORST (seriously) Is this the beginning of the interrogation? WILLY What? Oh, no. I'm pretty sure that'll come later. This is just me asking. Horst nods intently. WILLY Well, why're you doing this? HORST (sighing) That is not an easy question, Willy. WILLY Sorry. (grinning lopsidedly) You want an easier one first? Horst looks over at Willy and, seeing his smile, smiles slightly back. HORST No, but thank you, Willy. Horst looks down and becomes serious again. HORST Willy, I am not a warrior. WILLY Yeah, I sort of figured that. But how'd you get to be a lieutenant? HORST (with head still hung, but peeking up at Willy) Our army isn't exactly the lean green fighting machine it touts itself as. I was drafted to do ... well, we call it "deskwork." Willy nods. HORST And, as long as you don't blow up anything by mistake, you keep getting promoted. Willy chuckles to himself. Horst fiddles with the empty water bottle. HORST Maybe you mammals do things differently. WILLY Sometimes. What did you do before you were drafted? HORST (smiling slightly) I was a teacher. And there's nothing I wouldn't give to become a teacher once more. WILLY Apparently not. Horst looks off into the distance. HORST I complained about having to do deskwork, but in retrospect, Willy, it wasn't really that bad. I made my way up to my current rank doing that. But then, the toad army needed more warriors. I told them they needed anyone but me -- I was certainly unfit for any sort of combat. But they insisted. So I entered combat training. (wipes his face with his free paw) Willy, I may be able to fight to save my life, or one of my brood. But not to force mammals off of planets. WILLY So you don't buy into that whole toad philosophy? HORST I do not see how *any* toad does! There are hundreds of millions of planets that are, or could be made, inhabitable for toads. Why bother taking the mammals' homes? WILLY And that made you want to defect? HORST Partly. Horst fiddles with the plastic bottle some more. HORST Also, I wanted ... Horst looks up at Willy. HORST I wanted to see what you were like. WILLY Us? HORST Yes. The mammals. WILLY (scratching his head) You ... had no idea what we were like? HORST Only what our media tells us -- that they're frightened, shiftless creatures that need toads to goad them into achieve anything. BRUISER (growling, uncrossing arms) Dat ain't true! Ya slimy ... HORST (holding up his free hand in protest) I assure you, kind sir -- that's simply what our media has said about you. WILLY And you didn't believe it? HORST Why should it be? If that were the case, we would have annihilated you long ago. (smiling slightly) Besides, I have always told my pupils to obtain firsthand information whenever possible. I would never be able to face them if I didn't do so myself. WILLY You probably won't be facing them again in any case. HORST (looking downs, sighing) I am aware of that, Willy. They sit in silence for a few seconds, then Willy speaks up again. WILLY Do you have a family? HORST (nodding) A wife and two young hatchlings. WILLY What'll happen to them? HORST Humiliation. Loss of status. (crossing his legs and hanging his head) And I will probably never see them again, either. BUCKY (yelling from the cockpit) Willy! Willy looks at Horst for a moment, then stands up. Bruiser stands aside to allow Willy to walk out, then resumes his position. SCENE 9 - COCKPIT, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Bucky and Jenny are at their places as Willy pokes his head in. BUCKY Willy, leave the prisoner alone. WILLY (protesting) But we were just talking. BUCKY (mildly agitated) I know. Keep away from him. WILLY (somewhat hesitantly) Captain, I was just trying to ... BUCKY (whirling around) Listen, DuWitt, you keep away from that damn toad. That's an order! WILLY (taken aback) Yes, sir. Willy ducks back out of the cockpit. JENNY (softly) You were rather hard on him, Bucky BUCKY Yeah, I was. But I'd rather be safe that sorry. I don't want to blow this. (beat) And I still don't trust that toad. SCENE 10 - SPACEPORT IN ORBIT OF GENUS COMMANDER DOGSTAR stands waiting as the hatch opens. Bucky exits the hatch alone. BUCKY You'd better go in and get him. DOGSTAR So no fooling? He really wants to defect? BUCKY (shrugging) That's what he says. He hasn't tried anything on us, at any rate. He says he's got information. DOGSTAR I see. What kind of information? BUCKY I don't know. I didn't ask. I figured I'd leave that for you. You're better at interrogations, anyway. (beat) Willy talked with him a bit, so you might ask him for the quick low- down. DOGSTAR Hmm. This'll be interesting. (turning around) All right! Go in and retrieve the prisoner. Several uniformed SOLDIERS go into the hatch. BUCKY What're you gonna do with him? DOGSTAR Check him over. Then, interrogate him. Find out what this "information" is. After that, Bucky, my boy, I have no idea. Chairman Warner will probably want to talk to him as well. It's out of my paws. The soldiers come out, leading Horst away in chains. Two soldiers bring up the rear, guns drawn. Two others stand and await further orders. Dogstar and Bucky watch them walk by. Willy comes out of the hatch, standing at attention. WILLY Commander. DOGSTAR Willy. Bucky says you've talked with the prisoner. WILLY (looking over at Bucky, then back at Dogstar) A little, sir. DOGSTAR What's he got to say, boy? WILLY He's defecting ... Willy pauses, removes his glasses, wipes them, then tries again. WILLY He *claims* he's defecting on moral grounds. DOGSTAR *Moral* grounds, you say? WILLY He said he doesn't believe in the toad doctrine of subjugating mammals. He doesn't believe in fighting. DOGSTAR (snorting) Hmph. Some toad this fellow is. WILLY I know. DOGSTAR And what information does he possess? WILLY (pausing, glancing at Bucky) I ... didn't ask. DOGSTAR (surprised) You didn't ask? What kind of interrogator are you? WILLY (flustered) I was just talking with him, sir. You know ... trying to put him at ease. DOGSTAR Give him a false sense of security, huh? That may not be such a bad idea. WILLY Where're they taking him, sir? DOGSTAR Holding. They have to scan him, make sure there isn't anything on him. After that, we'll begin asking him questions -- all the ones you neglected to ask. WILLY (standing stiffly) Request permission to accompany the prisoner, sir. DOGSTAR (looking up at Willy, slightly confused) I say! Permission denied, Willy. You don't even begin to have clearance for that. WILLY (somewhat less formally) Well, could I at least talk to him -- before and after? Dogstar looks at Willy, then at Bucky, who shrugs. DOGSTAR State your reasons. WILLY He may be more willing to cooperate that way. He seems more ... relaxed ... around me. (beat) Commander, I think he's scared to death. DOGSTAR (snorting) He had better be. Scared means he'll talk. Dogstar looks over at Bucky, then back at Willy. DOGSTAR All right. You can talk to him. But not alone. (points at Willy and looks at the soldiers) He's to be double guarded. WILLY Thank you, sir. Willy ducks back into the hatch. The soldiers nod and follow him. Dogstar turns to face Bucky. DOGSTAR You've said he's saved your tail once or twice. BUCKY At least five times. DOGSTAR That's what I'd heard. I figured I owed him for that. BUCKY He gets these ... ideas. Sometimes, they even work. (yawning) Any new assignment for me? DOGSTAR Not yet. I think the Security Council wants to know more about all this first before they make any decisions. BUCKY Hmm. OK to send the crew on twenty-four-hour leave, then? DOGSTAR I don't see why not. Your work here is done. BUCKY Right. I'll let them know. Bucky heads back into the hatch. SCENE 11 - HOLDING CELLS Willy is marching at the lead, with the two armed soldiers -- one lynx and one wolf -- in step behind him. They walk down the hall past several cells before stopping at one. WILLY Lieutenant? The cell is milky white and fairly small. The only feature of interest is a cot molded from the wall, on which Horst sits. He's wearing a bright green jumpsuit. On hearing his name, he looks up. HORST Willy. Hello again. (looks troubled) I do not know what they have done with the clothing you so graciously loaned me. I tried to explain that it belonged to you ... WILLY Don't worry about it. Are they treating you all right? HORST (with a small shudder) If I knew the food was going to be like this, I might have stayed home. Horst smiles nervously. Willy smiles back. WILLY Maybe I should have warned you. HORST (becoming serious) What happens now? WILLY Interrogation. HORST (nervously) And what does that entail, exactly? WILLY (uncertainly) They ask you questions, you answer them. I think. HORST (glancing at the soldiers nervously) Will ... will you be accompanying me? WILLY (face falling) I'm afraid not. I don't have the clearance for that. (seeing Horst's reaction) You'll be fine. (beat) I'll be here when you get back. HORST You'll ... wait for me? WILLY Sure. The lynx turns off the force field, and Horst gets to his feet. Horst holds out his wrists as the lynx shackles them together. Willy gives Horst a smile of encouragement as he is led down the hall by the two soldiers. When they're gone from sight, Willy sighs, sits on the floor, and leans against the wall. SCENE 12 - COMMANDER DOGSTAR'S OFFICE Dogstar is sitting at his desk, Bucky across from him. BUCKY So ... how much longer you think they'll be? DOGSTAR Hard to say, exactly. (leans back in his chair) To be frank, Bucky, I still have qualms letting your engineer spend time with the prisoner. BUCKY I'm not happy with it myself. (tapping his fingers) But I can't see any harm coming from it. That toad'll be double guarded at all times -- in a cell, to boot -- and he doesn't seem like much of a fighter. (beat) Besides, Willy may be right. Horst might open up more to him -- tell him more than he'll tell us. A knock is heard. Dogstar and Bucky turn to face the door. DOGSTAR Come in. The door opens, and DETECTIVE MULLER enters. Muller is a goat, in uniform, carrying a clipboard. MULLER (closing the door behind him) The initial interrogation is complete, sir. DOGSTAR Excellent. What did we learn from the prisoner? MULLER Not a lot. He wasn't as involved in the day-to-day affairs of the Toad Empire as we would've hoped. But I guess we can't be choosy about our defectors. DOGSTAR Did we get anything at all? MULLER Oh, sure -- a few minor items. (flipping through the clipboard) He named Wurtzer IV and Rolan III as supply bases. DOGSTAR We already knew about those. MULLER Well, yeah, but that seems to indicate that he's on the up and up. BUCKY Unless they already know we know, so they told him to mention those. Muller thinks about that for a second, then shakes his head. MULLER Thanks. Now I've got a headache. He named a few others, too -- ones we have no data on. Muller takes some papers from the clipboard and hands them to Dogstar. MULLER Here's your copy, Commander. DOGSTAR Thank you, detective. BUCKY How's the prisoner? MULLER (pausing for a beat, then half-shrugging) He's a toad. BUCKY Did he cooperate? MULLER (pushing his glasses up his nose) Yeah, very well, in fact. Kinda odd. (shrugs and opens the door) Buzz me if you need something else. DOGSTAR Of course. Thank you again, detective. You do good work. Muller leaves the room. Bucky slides his chair next to Dogstar's. DOGSTAR Well, now, let's see what we can make of this. (beat) And tomorrow, *I* get a crack at him. SCENE 13 - HOLDING CELLS Willy is still sitting on the floor, but his head is hanging down, asleep. Upon hearing footsteps, he lifts his head and readjusts his glasses. Horst is being led back to his cell by the same two soldiers. The lynx places Horst back in his cell, then unshackles his wrists. Once outside the cell, the force field is put back in place. Only then does Willy speak. WILLY (getting to his feet) So? ... HORST (sitting down on the cot, somewhat dazed) It was ... not as I thought it would be. WILLY Are you all right? HORST Yes. Fine. WILLY Good. Horst turns to Willy and says nothing for a moment. HORST You mammals ... you don't ... you don't torture your prisoners? WILLY (somewhat shocked) Not usually, I don't think. HORST (letting his breath out) Had I known ... (shaking his head) Well, they said they would have more questions tomorrow. WILLY (yawning) I figured as much. HORST Willy, please go sleep. WILLY (his eyes drooping) I prolly should. Night, Lieutenant. Willy takes half a step down the corridor. HORST Willy? WILLY (stopping and looking back) Yeah? HORST (beat, uncertainly) Thank you. Willy smiles, then heads down the corridor, the two soldiers in tow. SCENE 14 - WILLY'S BEDROOM, SAN FRANCISCO, EARTH Willy is asleep in bed. JENNY Willy'e eyes flutter open, and he looks around. JENNY WILLY (barely awake) Wha? Wha'izit? JENNY WILLY Huh? Oh. Yeah, right away. Willy gets up, grabs his glasses, and shoves them on his face. He tosses on a pair of jeans, activates the photon accelerator, and walks through his door. SCENE 15 - ENGINEERING, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION The crew is assembled there as Willy appears. WILLY (scratching his head, still only half-awake) What's goin' on? BUCKY That toad's screaming for you. He says it's vital that he talk to you right away. WILLY (checking his watch) Right away? (beat) OK. Willy glances down at himself. WILLY Do I look all right? BUCKY No. But don't worry about it. Let's go. Bucky, Willy, and Deadeye head out. SCENE 16 - HOLDING CELLS An ocelot guard leads Willy, Bucky, and Deadeye down the corridor to Horst's cell. Horst is waiting at the opening for them. HORST Willy! WILLY Lieutenant, what's goin' on? HORST Willy, there is something that I must tell you. WILLY Go on. HORST When I was interrogated ... I ... I did not tell them everything. Willy ... (looking down and pausing) I am a spy. WILLY What? DEADEYE I *knew* it! Never trust a toad! WILLY What are you talking about? HORST (nodding toward Bucky) It's true. We ... the toads ... set a trap for you. BUCKY You set us up? How? HORST We waited for a mammalian frigate to enter our region. Once one appeared on our scopes, we then had three double bubbles chase mine. WILLY Wait, you sacrificed three double bubbles to get yourself captured? HORST (looking somewhat sick) They ... were not supposed to be destroyed. Your ship proved a bit too powerful for them. We were not prepared for that. BUCKY OK, so we captured you. What's in it for you? HORST Now that you have a defector in your midst, it was assumed that some of the most powerful military advisors in your force would be assembling to determine all the information I had, and what it all meant. BUCKY Well, sure. HORST And if the toads knew where all these advisors were on that day, they could destroy all of them in one strike. DEADEYE But how're ye supposed ta get the word out ta them where ye are? HORST By radioing my position. BUCKY And where are you going to get access to a radio? HORST I brought one with me. BUCKY (a little surprised) But we destroyed all your possessions, down to your clothes. HORST As they had planned, you neglected one. WILLY (quietly) Which one? HORST (pointing to his chest) My body. WILLY What? HORST (pointing just under his right armpit) A few months ago, they surgically implanted a transmitter under my right arm. The scar is now well healed, but you can still detect it if you look closely. BUCKY They scanned you and didn't find any such thing. HORST They scanned for metal, no doubt? BUCKY Of course. HORST The amount of metal is extremely negligible. It's a device the toads have been perfecting for some time. WILLY (eyes wide) Lieutenant, why are you telling us all this? HORST (looking straight at Willy) Willy, believe me. Everything I have told you was true. I *was* a teacher before the toad army drafted me. I have no interest in fighting mammals -- in fact, I find you downright fascinating. I was stuck in a difficult position. I was going to be trained in combat, something I felt I could not do. So, when the opportunity arose for a spy mission, I volunteered. I was convinced there was no reason to go on, and so I felt I might as well die in a so-called "honorable" way. At least then my family would be well taken care of after I died. (pauses for breath) But then I met you. And you weren't what I expected. I knew the media's portrayal of you was rather exaggerated, but never did I believe I would find what I did. Certainly, you were paranoid about me -- but for good reason. As it turned out, I *was* a spy. (stops and points at Willy) But, Willy, you exceeded everything I hoped to find. You were willing to give your clothes to me -- the enemy -- and to talk to me as ... well, as something like an equal. (looks down) And suddenly, life seemed worth living again. BUCKY (suspiciously) And now ... we're supposed to believe you. HORST The transmitter is here. If you wish, you can verify that. Beyond that, I can't make you believe, Captain O'Hare. All I can do is tell you everything -- the way it really is. WILLY So ... what are we supposed to do? HORST The transmitter is set to radio my position in about two days. BUCKY So turn it off. HORST Originally, that was my plan, but now ... I am not so sure. DEADEYE Ye'd *better* turn it off! We don't need a slew o' toadies comin' in at us. HORST Well, if I were in fact where these military advisors were, yes, you're correct. But what if I were elsewhere? BUCKY What did you have in mind? HORST Take me to a small, uninhabited planet. Then position a lot of your fighters at a fair distance from there. Then, when the transmitter goes off, and all the toads appear to attack ... DEADEYE They'd be dead in the water! BUCKY (putting hand to chin) Hmm. WILLY Wait a minute. What about you? You'll be right there, with a bunch of double bubbles pointing their masers at you. How are you supposed to get away? HORST They said they'd take care of that. WILLY Yeah, right. HORST (looks down) I'm not so backward as to believe that, either, Willy. WILLY I don't like the idea of you being in that many crosshairs. HORST I also am not pleased with the prospect. But I'd much rather die aiding you than aiding my brethren. BUCKY Wait. Why not take the transmitter out of you, and then put it on the planet by itself? HORST A good idea, but it will not work, Captain O'Hare. The transmitter will only work if it's in my body. They made sure of that, in case it was discovered. WILLY Damn. (thinking) Maybe I could build a duplicate transmitter -- one that broadcasts the same information on the same frequency. HORST I'm afraid that would be quite impossible, Willy. WILLY Why? HORST (patting his chest) This is no ordinary transmitter. They realized that it might take some time once it starts transmitting before they get the signal. Thus, they needed a way for it to transmit undetected. There are one hundred and fifty frequencies programmed into it, and twenty times every second, it switches frequencies. BUCKY So anyone listening in to one of those frequencies ... HORST ... would hear a very slight blip. It would sound like background noise to almost everyone. The toads, however, are scanning those frequencies with great care. Their receivers switch to the same frequencies, in the same order, and thus can read the signal. BUCKY Wow. The toads came up with that? WILLY But still, there's no reason we couldn't build a transmitter to do the same thing. HORST Yes, Willy, but I do not know the frequencies at which it will broadcast. WILLY Damn. HORST So, I believe my plan is still the best. WILLY Hmm. (thinking) You said that once the transmitter kicked in, it would take a while before the toads showed up? HORST It would depend on how far off they were. WILLY Well, what if we build the transmitter, then wait until yours goes off? Then Blinky and I could figure out the frequencies and program ours to mimic yours. Then, we could get you out of there. HORST But ... wouldn't that put you in danger, Willy? WILLY If it means getting you out of danger, I'm all for it. (turning to Bucky) Well? DEADEYE Oh, come *on*, Cap'n! How're we supposed ta swallow this? BUCKY You must admit, Horst, that's a lot for us to believe. HORST (hanging head) I am aware of that, Captain O'Hare. BUCKY Do you have any proof? HORST The transmitter inside me. But other than that ... no. WILLY (standing up straight) Captain, request permission to have an audience with Commander Dogstar. BUCKY Request denied. I'll see him myself. Deadeye, c'mon. Bucky and Deadeye walk off, leaving Willy and the guard alone with Horst. Willy watches them leave, then turns back to Horst. Horst has sat down on his cot with his head in his hands. WILLY You OK? HORST (very quietly) I almost hope ... I almost hope that your friends choose not to implement my plan. WILLY Why? HORST (looking up at Willy) It's one thing to turn your back on your people, Willy. Horst once more hangs his head down. HORST It's quite another to condemn hundreds of them to death. Willy looks horrified. SCENE 17 - COMMANDER DOGSTAR'S OFFICE Dogstar is at his desk, with Deadeye sitting opposite him. Bucky is leaning against the desk, and Muller is near the doorway. MULLER I can't say I like it. DOGSTAR I'll say. This has *got* to be a trap. BUCKY I'm not crazy about it either, but think. Let's set up a worst-case scenario. Say it's a trap. Then what? What are they going to do? Send a lot of toad ships after us? Bucky starts tapping his gloved finger against the desk. BUCKY Horst already *told* us they're going to do that. MULLER Hmm, good point. DOGSTAR But what's to be lost if we don't do this? What if we just destroy the transmitter? I'd love to stomp as many toads as possible, but if we miss this opportunity, I can certainly live with that. BUCKY Sure. But if what Horst's saying is true, then first, it sounds like this was a project that they put a lot of work into -- I mean, that transmitter is a big thing all by itself. MULLER Yeah, it sounds like it. BUCKY So I'm thinking that there might be some of their best fighters showing up for the ambush. DOGSTAR Well ... possibly, but not necessarily. BUCKY OK. Point two: They tried to make a fighter out of Horst. Either he's a great actor ... MULLER ... or they're getting pretty desperate. BUCKY Right. DEADEYE So yer thinkin' that the more toadies we knock off, the better? BUCKY Right. Up until now, we've had no idea how strong the Toad Empire's reserves were. MULLER And it sounds like they're getting critically low. DEADEYE But how do we know they didn't just *tell* Horst ta tell us that? BUCKY We don't, really. MULLER But all the toads *I've* met would rather tell us how mighty they are, even when they aren't, not the other way around. Nobody talks for a moment. DOGSTAR If we do implement this plan, you realize you're putting your engineer right in the line of fire. BUCKY Yes. But Willy is all for it. And I'd hate to turn my back on this opportunity. DOGSTAR (slamming a fist down on his desk) All right. I'll make the recommendation. SCENE 18 - MAKESHIFT SHELTER, UNINHABITED PLANET Horst lies on a table. Two medical personnel, a female cat NURSE and a male hare DOCTOR, stand nearby. Willy sits on the floor on the other side of the shelter, with Blinky standing nearby. Willy nervously makes some unnecessary alterations to a large box on the floor and then picks up a standard UAC transmitter. HORST Are you ready, Willy? WILLY Ready as I'll ever be, Lieutenant. HORST Willy, I am no longer a lieutenant. WILLY Hmm. I guess you're not. (beat) Should I call you Horst? HORST Please. WILLY All right. (beat) No idea when that thing'll go off? HORST None, I'm afraid. WILLY I'm not very good at waiting. BLINKY Blinky wishes to offer an amusing game of skill to pass the time. WILLY (grinning wearily) No, thanks, Blinky. HORST (looking at Blinky) A most amazing device. WILLY So is your transmitter. Horst bends over double on the table with a groan. HORST The transmitter ... DOCTOR Here we go, folks. I'm putting him under. BLINKY First frequency transmitted: one eight seven point two five. Willy is staring at Horst as the doctor begins to sedate him. After a beat, he pulls his head away. WILLY Sorry, Blinky, what was that? BLINKY Repeat first frequency transmitted: one eight seven point two five. Willy begins making adjustments with a small tool inside the transmitter. WILLY Got it. BLINKY Second frequency transmitted: two zero five point eight zero. Willy continues making adjustments inside the transmitter. WILLY O ... K ... got it. BLINKY Third frequency transmitted: one six six point four seven. Willy sticks his tongue out in concentration while he continues working on the transmitter. DOCTOR He's under. Prepare to make incision. NURSE Yes, doctor. The nurse pulls Horst's arm out of the way and begins cleaning an area on the side of his chest. BLINKY Ninth frequency transmitted: two two one point nine four. WILLY Got it. BLINKY Tenth frequency transmitted: one eight nine point one seven. The hare probes into Horst slightly, then turns to the cat. DOCTOR We'll need to expand the incision. NURSE All right. DOCTOR Suction. Willy is beginning to sweat rather heavily as he forces himself to listen only to Blinky. BLINKY Thirty-fourth frequency transmitted: two zero zero point nine five. WILLY (nodding curtly) Yeah. BLINKY Thirty-fifth frequency transmitted: one four eight point eight seven. Willy makes the adjustment, then wipes his brow with his bare wrist. WILLY Got it. BLINKY Thirty-sixth frequency transmitted ... NURSE (quietly) What the heck is that for? Willy hears this and spins around to face them. The doctor peers in at the incision. DOCTOR Looks like that's what connects the transmitter to his body. Don't sever it -- we'll have to wait here until they're done. Willy whirls back to Blinky. WILLY Repeat last frequency. BLINKY Thirty-sixth frequency: two seven six point five five. Willy makes the adjustment. The doctor places small compresses on Horst. NURSE How long can we keep him open like this? DOCTOR A while longer -- he should be all right. WILLY (loudly) If you start losing him, yank that thing out of him. DOCTOR Don't worry -- we will. The nurse turns to look at Willy and Blinky, but then turns away. NURSE (whispering) I probably shouldn't watch -- might make him nervous. DOCTOR (whispering) Good idea. Neither moves for a beat as Willy and Blinky drone on in background. DOCTOR We should prepare to get out of here as quickly as possible. Gather up everything we're done with. NURSE Oh, right. Both the doctor and nurse pile some items up on a tray. A few minutes later, they're ready to scram once they've finished operating on Horst. BLINKY One hundred forty-sixth frequency transmitted: one six nine point three one. WILLY Got it. BLINKY One hundred forty-seventh frequency transmitted: one nine two ... The whole shelter shakes, accompanied by a low rumble. The doctor, nurse, and Blinky stop and look around. Willy still has his head bent over the transmitter. WILLY (loudly, teeth bared) Blinky, repeat the last frequency! BLINKY One hundred forty-seventh frequency transmitted: one nine two point three three. WILLY (beat) Got it. Another rumble rocks the shelter. DOCTOR Sir, you realize it will take a few minutes after we take out the transmitter to patch him up. Willy stares at the transmitter, then smacks it. WILLY All right. Screw the last three. Willy throws a switch. BLINKY Transmitter is operational. WILLY (wiping brow) Take it out, doctor! The doctor concentrates on Horst. He makes a few cuts, then takes out the small transmitter and hands it to the nurse. DOCTOR All right, let's patch him up. The nurse hands the doctor suturing material. Another rumble, louder, shakes the shelter. After a moment, the doctor finishes sewing and stands back up. NURSE (standing up straight) There. We'll need to let that sit for a minute. WILLY No time! The toads're here! Willy walks over and picks Horst up in his arms. DOCTOR Sir, I wouldn't recommend moving the patient at this time ... WILLY Yeah, well, I *really* wouldn't recommend staying in this shack at this time. Let's get outta here! SCENE 19 - EXTERIOR OF SHACK The doctor and nurse are first to exit, glancing about, then darting forward. Blinky comes next, followed by Willy, still carrying Horst. The doctor and nurse jump aboard The Righteous Indignation. As Blinky reaches the ship, a maser shot hits the far edge of the shelter, causing the roof to collapse. Willy stumbles slightly but continues toward the ship. Deadeye runs out and grabs Horst's feet, while Willy rearranges Horst so he's holding him by the shoulders. Together, Willy and Deadeye carry Horst aboard the ship. SCENE SHIFTS TO COCKPIT OF THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Bucky, upon hearing everyone board the ship, spins around and slams his hand down on the control panel. The ship takes off. SCENE 20 - MAIN BAY, THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Horst is lying on the floor as the doctor examines him. Willy leans in. WILLY Is he all right? DOCTOR He appears to be, but I'll have to run some tests when we get back to be sure. Willy sits down on the floor and shudders. SCENE 21 - STARPORT The next day, Bucky, Deadeye, and Willy are standing outside The Righteous Indignation. Horst approaches them, wearing his green jumpsuit and in shackles, with the lynx guard standing behind him. HORST It was very good of the Commander to allow me to say goodbye to you. BUCKY Sorry about the guard and all, Horst, but that shouldn't be much longer. HORST Oh, I don't mind -- it's understandable. I'm just happy it's all over. WILLY I ... I don't know if you heard ... HORST About the battle? I did. Eight hundred sixty-one double bubbles shot down. WILLY I'm ... I'm sorry. HORST As am I. But hopefully, this will end the war sooner and thus prevent more lives from being lost. And for me, no more fighting. BUCKY (smirking) Not so with us, I'm afraid. (beat) Thanks again for all you've done, Horst. Bucky pats his shoulder and enters the ship. Deadeye punches Horst's shoulder, laughs, and then follows Bucky aboard. WILLY (smiling) I'll write you. HORST (smiling back) I would like that. WILLY I wish you didn't have to stay here. HORST And provide information to your superiors? It ... is not the course I would have chosen. However, I expected something of the kind. WILLY And it's sort of like teaching, right? HORST (pausing to consider, then smiling) In a way, yes. Perhaps they'll let me teach your youngsters after the war has ended. WILLY Perhaps. Horst looks down at his shackles. HORST I'm afraid I cannot shake your hand ... WILLY Don't worry about it. Willy steps up and hugs Horst, much to Horst's surprise. Willy then steps back. WILLY Take care of yourself. HORST (smiling softly) You do likewise ... my friend. Willy enters the ship. Deadeye leans around Willy and closes the hatch. DEADEYE What's the matter, kid? WILLY It's ... it's just ... he gave up his family, his entire life to get away from the war, you know? And now he's still in the middle of it. DEADEYE (a little grimly) It's war, laddie. Get used to it. Willy looks back at the hatch as the ship takes off. THE END