"Phase Two" by Rygar First draft - 7/11/10 Final draft – 8/1/10 SCENE 1 - OUTSIDE CHAIRMAN DOGSTAR'S OFFICE, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS The two evening SECURITY GUARDS stand outside the hallway to the Chairman's office, looking bored. One of them perks up when he hears the elevator doors down the hallway open. His look switches to one of concern as four EMTs burst out of the elevator, followed by a SECURITY OFFICER. GUARD #1 Um ... EMT #1 (running down the hall) Let us through! NOW! The second security guard jolts into action, swiping his card and opening the door behind him. The EMTs run past without acknowledging them. GUARD #1 What's going on? The security officer, a grim-looking warthog, steps up to the guard and speaks in a gravelly voice. OFFICER Anyone come through here in the past twenty minutes? GUARD #1 Yeah. Captain O'Hare was here about fifteen minutes ago. He wanted to see Dogstar. OFFICER And what happened? GUARD #1 I dunno. He went in, then came out just a minute later. I didn't hear anything. The officer just nods grimly. GUARD #1 Is something wrong? OFFICER Come see for yourself. Nervous, the security guard nods to his partner, then follows the officer down the hallway. They step into the Chairman's office and see the four EMTs crowded around each other behind the desk. EMT #1 We're too late. EMT #2 I don't think he stood a chance. The guard bites his lip and steps closer, finally getting a good look at the corpse of CHAIRMAN SIRIUS DOGSTAR, lying on his stomach. There is very little blood, as the maser wounds cauterized themselves; however, Dogstar's brain is visible through one hole in his head, and the floor is visible through another. GUARD #1 (shaking) What ... but ... OFFICER O'Hare did it, all right. The officer motions to the destroyed camera in a corner by the ceiling. OFFICER It's all on video. We got here as fast as we could. (looks down) Not fast enough. GUARD #1 But ... but why would Captain O'Hare do this? OFFICER That's our first question for him once we catch him. We're getting in touch with the local force as we speak. Sighing, the officer steps up to Dogstar's dead body. OFFICER Get him out of here. And don't talk to anybody. We can't keep this quiet for long, but I need time to think. As the EMTs grimly lift Dogstar's dead body, the officer watches, sadness clearly etched into the lines on his face. SCENE 2 - BUCKY'S APARTMENT, GENUS CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE swings the door open urgently, then slams it quickly behind him. His face is a mixture of panic, fear, and exhilaration. BUCKY I did it. Bucky grows more excited and relieved. BUCKY I did it! Panting for breath, Bucky sits down and relaxes. BUCKY I wasn't sure I'd be able to go through with it ... but I did it. I killed Dogstar. Bucky closes his eyes, savoring the moment briefly. Just as quickly, he stands up, urgent. BUCKY I've got to get out of here. Bucky hurries into the bedroom, quickly looking around for anything he might have forgotten. He reaches under the bed and pulls out a suitcase. He opens it to reveal a white rag and a bottle of chloroform. BUCKY This nightmare is almost over. Bucky grabs the rag and bottle, then walks over to the bedroom closet. BUCKY But first, I've got to get out of here. Because they'll be here for me soon. And when they get here ... Bucky opens the closet. Lying on the floor, bound and gagged, struggling but unable to move, is CAPTAIN BUCKY O'HARE. BUCKY ... they'll find you. SCENE 3 - SECURITY ROOM, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS A squirrel DETECTIVE stands in front of a wall of monitors. The screens show the footage of Bucky gunning Dogstar down, then turning and blasting the security camera. He shakes his head. DETECTIVE That's enough. The giraffe OPERATOR turns off the loop, and the footage stops playing. DETECTIVE That's Bucky O'Hare, all right. There's no way around it. (closes his eyes) Frith, what a nightmare. On the other side of the room, a GUARD shouts into a comm. GUARD (into comm) Yes, Bucky O'Hare! You heard me correctly! (listens) No, I am not crazy. Trace this call! I'm at UAC Headquarters! He just assassinated Chairman Dogstar! Go find him! Search his apartment! Irritated, the guard shuts off the comm. GUARD They're going to go check out O'Hare's apartment. I *think*. The detective shakes his head again. DETECTIVE What could be going on here? An imposter? Brainwashing? What? GUARD I've seen what brainwashed mammals look like when the toads are controlling 'em. They're stiffer, more awkward. That hare ain't brainwashed. DETECTIVE Imposter, then? GUARD Maybe, but it sure looks like O'Hare. DETECTIVE Yeah, it does. (beat) We've got a list of the people who play him at kids' parties and stuff. I don't think any of them resemble him that closely, though. (beat) He's got a cousin that looks a lot like him. We'd better get someone to investigate the whole family. The guard just nods. DETECTIVE I'm gonna go down there and see if I can find anything. (turns to the operator) Back that footage up and remove it from the network. I don't want it getting out. We *cannot* let the media get a hold of this. The detective leaves the room, a look of determination on his face. The guard follows him. The operator presses a few buttons, and a disc pops out of the console, and one of the screens reads "COPY MADE." He bites his lip, thinking for a few seconds, then presses the same buttons again. A second disc pops out. SCENE 4 - BUCKY'S APARTMENT, GENUS The free Bucky walks menacingly toward the bound Bucky, dousing the rag in chloroform as he walks. BUCKY I'll just knock you out, untie you, and escape, and when the cops show up, they'll deal with you. Oh, will they deal with you. As the free Bucky approaches, he hears a knock at the door. BUCKY (startled) Oh, no. They can't be here already! Bucky nervously glances out the nearest window, plotting a quick escape. Just then, he hears the muffled voice of FIRST MATE JENNY. JENNY (knocking) Bucky! I know you're in there! Slightly relieved, Bucky calms down. BUCKY (under his breath) Geez. OK, her I can deal with. Bucky sets the rag and chloroform down on the floor, then shuts the closet door behind him. He enters the living room of the apartment and opens the door. He is greeted by a stern-looking Jenny. JENNY We need to talk right now. BUCKY What? What is it? I'm in the middle of something, and I don't have time to ... Jenny enters the apartment as she interrupts. The door swings behind her but does not close shut. JENNY Something isn't right. You weren't acting like yourself on patrol earlier today. Tell me what's going on. BUCKY I already told you, Jenny. I've been preoccupied. (bites his lip) Look. I'm ... I'm working on something secret for Dogstar. I can't tell you about it right now. If you'll just trust me and leave me alone, I can finish the project up, and we can talk then. OK? Jenny eyes Bucky warily. JENNY Dogstar's not like Fritz. He hasn't sent people traipsing around on secret missions without telling anyone. BUCKY Maybe he's just better at covering his tracks. JENNY You and I both spent years working with Dogstar. When has he tried to do anything that didn't involve barreling straight ahead with guns blazing? BUCKY When politics set in. Now if you'll please just ... JENNY Wait. Jenny suddenly stiffens, focused intensely, as she sniffs the air. Her eyes slowly move in the direction of the bedroom as she continues to sniff. JENNY What's that smell? BUCKY What smell? I don't smell anything. JENNY That's because hares have a lousy sense of smell. (sniffs) It's chloroform. BUCKY (hiding his nervousness) Chloroform? Why would there be chloroform in here? (sniffs) I still don't smell anything. Jenny ignores Bucky and walks toward the back of the apartment, following her sense of smell. BUCKY Wait ... Jenny tracks the scent to the closet door. JENNY It's coming from in there. Jenny goes to open the closet door. Her guard lowered, she doesn't see Bucky pull out his blaster. BUCKY I told you to leave me alone. Jenny is about to turn around when she gets shot in the back. JENNY (startled) Aah! Jenny falls over, in pain but not severely injured. Bucky walks up to her, then points his maser pistol down at the back of her head. BUCKY I was supposed to make a clean getaway, but now you've screwed that up for me. (warily) Guess I'm pinning two murders on him now. SCENE 5 - WILLY'S ROOM, DUWITT RESIDENCE, SAN FRANCISCO, EARTH ENGINEER WILLY DUWITT sits up on his bed, flipping through the tattered purple book his mother gave him earlier. He sits in thought as he turns a page, reflecting on the ideas and themes the book expresses. WILLY Hmm. Willy ponders, trying to take what he knows about Aldebaran magic and relate it to the conceptual framework laid before him. His mind wanders slightly, pulling together all the connections he's made and remade -- his place onboard The Righteous Indignation, his friends on Earth, and now this. Willy's eyes shine brightly for a minute as the words in the book make their own sort of internal sense to him. WILLY I ... still don't believe in any of this ... in astrology, in mysticism, but ... (calm) I can see what this means to them. I can see why it's so important. It's a way of connecting with the world. Of understanding something beyond your control. Of taking charge despite things going crazy left and right. Something clicks inside Willy. This internal sense of peace and understanding -- of being where he belongs, of being part of a larger whole, in the aniverse, with his friends, and now with his family -- somehow crescendos deep within him. He feels a tingle all around him, similar to the sensation when the generator on Aldebaran exploded, infusing him with magical energy. Almost unconsciously, Willy feels himself reaching out into the ether and being reconnected to something. His efforts are rewarded when his mother's purple book begins to float away from his fingertips, hovering just above him in midair, the dim glow of magical energy surrounding it. Willy blinks, stunned and mesmerized. WILLY What ... (realizing) My powers. My powers are back! Exuberant, Willy guides the flying book across the room, making it glide and dart. He concentrates, and the book closes, then lands on the desk beside his bed. WILLY I don't believe it. This is incredible. This is ... Willy reflects for a moment, reveling in his newfound inner peace. WILLY I belong. Everywhere I've been, everyone I'm with ... (beat) I belong. With my parents. With my friends. With the crew. These are all places I'm supposed to be. Not just one of them. All of them. Feeling whole for the first time in what seems like ages, Willy excitedly hops out of bed. WILLY This is amazing! I have to tell Jenny. Willy reaches out with his mind, trying to contact Jenny. His efforts are rewarded with a sharp flash of pain slicing across his mind. WILLY Agh! Willy stumbles, almost falling to the ground. WILLY What ... (shaking it off) Something's wrong. Jenny's in trouble. Willy urgently activates the photon accelerator and steps through his door, entering the aniverse. SCENE 6 - BUCKY'S APARTMENT, GENUS Bucky hesitates slightly, his blaster hovering over Jenny's head. BUCKY (sweating) I ... I wasn't supposed to kill anyone but Dogstar ... (beat) They told me to kill whoever I had to ... (squints) Dammit ... As Bucky stands conflicted, the front door swings wide open. Several POLICEMEN burst in, most of them pointing maser blasters at Bucky. POLICEMAN #1 (shouting) Freeze! POLICEMAN #2 Paws in the air! We heard everything! BUCKY (startled) Shit! Shit, no! POLICEMAN #3 Bucky O'Hare. I never would've thought. Trapped, Bucky's eyes go wild. He panics, as he did in the toad weaponry station. BUCKY No! Bucky raises his blaster at the policemen, as if to fire. Already in position, the policemen all take shots at Bucky. Enough blows hit their mark, and Bucky falls. POLICEMAN #2 He actually tried to take a shot at us. POLICEMAN #1 (scratching his head) This just doesn't seem right. POLICEMAN #3 That's 'cuz something ain't right. You saw he was about to kill his first mate there. POLICEMAN #1 I saw, I saw. I'm thinkin' maybe we shoulda used something other'n stun. POLICEMAN #2 No, we need to take him in. The policemen approach Bucky, who is lying on the ground, groaning. POLICEMAN #1 I just can't believe Bucky O'Hare would do something like this. POLICEMAN #3 Me neither. We're gonna have to do a whole lot of questioning. Two of the policemen hoist Bucky up, who groans groggily in response. The third slaps pawcuffs on his. A fourth policeman kneels down next to Jenny. POLICEMAN #4 You OK, miss? JENNY (softly) The ... closet ... POLICEMAN #4 Closet? JENNY Bedroom ... Curious, the policeman stands up and enters the bedroom. Grabbing the handle, he slides the door open. His eyes go wide. POLICEMAN #4 Uh, guys? You better come see this ... The three policemen walk over to the closet, dragging the cuffed, groggy Bucky with them. Their mouths open as they see Bucky tied up on the floor in the closet. For a moment, no one speaks, though Bucky mumbles urgently against his gag. Finally, someone breaks the silence. POLICEMAN #1 What the hell? POLICEMAN #2 But ... if that's Bucky, then who's this guy we got cuffed? One of the policemen walks up to Bucky and removes the gag. BUCKY Kill him! He's a toad! This startles the policemen. POLICEMAN #4 (inspecting the cuffed Bucky) He doesn't ... look like a toad. BUCKY He *is* a toad! They did something to him to make him look like me! They sent him here to kill Dogstar, so they could pin it on me! POLICEMAN #1 (thinking) That ... would make more sense than Captain O'Hare just up and killing Dogstar ... POLICEMAN #3 I ain't never heard of no toad looking like a rabbit. BUCKY (concerned) Did he ... did he kill Dogstar? The policemen look at each other uneasily. Finally, one of them nods. BUCKY (struggling) Untie me. Untie me so I can strangle him myself. POLICEMAN #1 Hold up. Nobody's strangling anybody until we can figure out what the frell is going on here. POLICEMAN #2 We're gonna hafta take him down to the station, too. Let's untie him and cuff him. BUCKY Cuff me? What did I do? POLICEMAN #2 We heard that Bucky O'Hare killed Chairman Dogstar in cold blood. You're Bucky O'Hare. So's this other guy. So we gotta take you both in. BUCKY For the love of Frith ... (angrily) I'VE BEEN TIED UP THIS WHOLE TIME WHILE HE KILLED DOGSTAR! POLICEMAN #2 (trying to think) Maybe put that damn gag back in his mouth, too. BUCKY No! Listen to me! You've got to listen to me! Shaking their heads, the policemen re-gag Bucky, then begin untying his bonds. They cuff him as soon as his paws are free. Bucky struggles at first, but finally gives up and allows the policemen to escort him away. As they pass Jenny, Bucky's eyes fill with sorrow. One of the policemen helps her up. Dazed and in pain, Jenny walks with the policeman, barely registering the confusion of having two Buckies around her. The un-gagged Bucky fidgets against his pawcuffs. Unnoticed by the police, he maneuvers his left paw to activate a small device on his belt, which flashes a red light twice and then stops. SCENE 7 - COMMAND ROOM, THE TOAD HOMEWORLD This sterile room in the Toad Homeworld is populated by the AIR MARSHAL, a few stormtoads milling about in the background, and many computer monitors. The Air Marshal watches a scene play over and over on the monitor in front of him. He tries to register glee at it but he instead just feels numb inside. Suddenly, all the surrounding monitors light up with KOMPLEX's sneering face. KOMPLEX Is this transmission what I think it is, Air Marshal? AIR MARSHAL Indeed it is, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX. KOMPLEX Any word from our operative? AIR MARSHAL Not yet, but this video speaks for itself. KOMPLEX Hmm. KOMPLEX pauses as the video plays again. It's the exact scene that was captured by the UAC Headquarters security camera -- Bucky repeatedly shooting Dogstar, then blasting the camera. The only difference is a colorful news station logo at the bottom right-hand corner of the video feed. AIR MARSHAL There's no way he could have survived that. And all the reports are blaming Bucky O'Hare. KOMPLEX breaks into a sadistic grin. KOMPLEX Excellent, Air Marshal, excellent. (eyes narrowing) It seems that Phase Two has been a resounding success. SCENE 8 - STREET CORNER, GENUS The exact same scene plays on a TV in a department store display window. Though it's late in the evening, a crowd of onlookers has gathered, with expressions of shock, dismay, and sadness on their faces. REPORTER (from TV, as scene plays) For those of you just joining us, this Channel Four exclusive footage shows what appears to be the grim scene of the famous S.P.A.C.E. Captain Bucky O'Hare assassinating Chairman Sirius Dogstar. Law enforcement and UAC officials have repeatedly declined to comment. In the home of a canine family on Genus, a husband and wife sit on their couch in stunned silence, transfixed as the scene loops again and again. Their eight-year old son sits on the floor in front of the TV, also staring. REPORTER Questions are flying back and forth. Is this tragedy indeed what it appears to be? If so, why would Bucky O'Hare do such a thing? Did the Chairman survive the assault? What does this mean for the future of S.P.A.C.E.? On Banzaar, dozens of mercenaries cheer and swig beer as the footage broadcasts on a TV in Wrenches's Bar. The sounds of celebration are so loud that the speakers can barely be heard. REPORTER We have unofficial reports that the police have tracked Captain O'Hare to his apartment. New updates are coming in by the second. In their house on Warren, AUNT IRIS and JEFFERY O'HARE watch their small TV, gripping each other for comfort and warmth. Their faces show a deep, unsettling grief, matched by the pits in their stomachs. REPORTER Of course, this footage is a Channel Four exclusive. As you can see, Captain O'Hare enters the Chairman's office calmly, then abruptly draws his blaster and fires multiple shots at Chairman Dogstar ... In his office at UAC Headquarters, the squirrel detective sighs and shakes his head, frustrated that the footage leaked to the media so quickly. REPORTER We've just received word that a number of police cars have left Bucky O'Hare's apartment, with multiple persons in tow. Our reporter was unable to get past the police blockade, but some people on the street may have seen what happened ... In a cell somewhere on Warren, BARTHOLOMEW CRYER, in his prison jumpsuit, watches a television from his confines. A self-satisfied smirk stretches across his thin lips. REPORTER Again, this is Channel Four news, reporting on the shocking cold- blooded murder of Chairman Dogstar at the paws of the UAC's own Captain Bucky O'Hare ... CAPTAIN MIMI LAFLEUR clutches a couch cushion as she sits in front of her TV, watching the program, an emotionless, blank look on her face. Her dinner sits on the coffee table in front of her, growing cold. SCENE 9 - STREETS OF GENUS Two police cars make their way toward police headquarters, zooming along at a rapid but not unhealthy clip. The first car contains two police officers and the un-gagged Bucky in the back seat. The other contains the other two officers, along with Jenny and the gagged Bucky. The policeman driving the second car reports to headquarters while his partner keeps an eye on the two passengers in the back seat. POLICEMAN #1 (into comm) Yes, I repeat. We have two Bucky O'Hares in custody and are bringing them into the station. (beat, listens) How would I know which one's the real Bucky O'Hare? That's why we're bringing them both in! (beat, listens) Look, one of them was tied up in the closet. The other one's probably the actual perp, but we can't prove that. And besides, the one in the closet was a real loudmouth. (beat, listens) Roger that. We'll be there in ten. The policeman deactivates the comm. POLICEMAN #1 Man, weirdest thing I ever seen. POLICEMAN #2 How do you think this is gonna play out? POLICEMAN #1 Bad. The second policeman just nods. He glances into the back seat. Jenny, still in pain from being shot, has fallen into a calm sleep. Bucky, in contrast, has a look of wild anger and determination on his face. He tries to work his gag off by moving his cheeks and mouth around, but to no avail. As the police car turns a corner, plasma shots ring out of a dark alley. They strike two tires and the body of the car, rendering it nearly uncontrollable. POLICEMAN #1 Shit! Caught off-guard, the policeman driving does his best to steer, but the car careens off the road and slams into the front of a building. The car crumples and kicks up a cloud of debris, glass shards flying everywhere. More shots ring out from the alley, striking the other police car in much the same way. It, too, veers off course and crashes, ending up several yards from the first car. As the smoke clears, the gagged Bucky feels his adrenaline kicking in as he looks around. The car is totaled, and the two policeman in the front are crushed, bloody, and clearly dead. Jenny was jerked forward in the crash and has a nasty bruise on her head; she is unconscious but breathing. Only Bucky is conscious. Aching, Bucky spots a piece of jagged metal protruding from the mangled front half of the car. He spins around and contorts himself, positioning the pawcuffs over the sharp edge. He scrapes them back and forth, gradually weakening the chain links until one finally snaps. With a grimace and a yank, he splits the pawcuffs in half, then falls back into his seat. Relieved, he pulls off his gag. Looking into the front seat, he notices several cracks in the glass pane separating him from the front half of the car. He rams against the glass with his elbow, again and again, until it finally yields, shattering into several pieces. Bucky reaches through the gap and grabs one of the policeman's masers. BUCKY Sit tight, Jenny. I'll be back for you. Bucky reaches farther through the window and activates the doors' unlocking mechanism, freeing him from the back seat. He steps out of the wreckage of the car, regains his footing, and surveys the wreck of the other car. Though it's dusk, the streetlights help Bucky spot two TOADS wearing fedoras and trench coats run out of the alley across from the wreckage and over to the other police car. They use their plasma guns to blast off one of the rear doors, then reach in and pull the other Bucky out of the car. He is dazed but unhurt. BUCKY I coulda been killed, you idiots! TOAD #1 Yeah, yeah. Hold still. The toad uses his blaster to destroy the chain of the pawcuffs. Bucky wriggles his fingers in freedom. BUCKY We've gotta get out of here. TOAD #2 You said it. You already screwed this up enough. The toads don't get a chance to say more, as the Bucky from the other car uses the policeman's maser pistol to shoot them both in the head. They fall silently, as the Bucky closer to them jumps, startled. He pulls out his blaster and points it at the other Bucky. BUCKY (walking toward the other Bucky) You stole my life! BUCKY (paws shaking) You call this a life? Look at me! BUCKY (angrily) You killed Dogstar and pinned it on me! You're wearing my *face*! BUCKY I never wanted this face! This disgusting mammal face! BUCKY I should kill you right here! BUCKY Do it and they'll never be able to prove I killed Dogstar. They'll blame you. Bucky's nostrils flare as he looks at the toad impersonating him. His fingers clench as he nearly pulls the trigger -- but he can't. It's like looking at himself in a mirror, and despite all the emotions of anger, fury, confusion, and hatred flowing through him, he can't pull the trigger on someone that looks just like him. He can't pull the trigger on himself. He lowers his weapon. BUCKY (holstering his blaster) I'm not scared of you. BUCKY (still pointing his pistol) You should be! You stupid mammal. What makes you think I won't kill you right here? BUCKY (walking toward Bucky) Because you could have killed me when you had the chance. You had me bound and gagged. But you didn't. You need to frame me. You need me alive so the UAC will drag me down, and maybe drag itself down, too. BUCKY (his grip still shaking) Don't come any closer. BUCKY (oddly calm) I'm not scared of you. You're a coward. BUCKY (anger seeping into his voice) I'll shoot! Dammit, you filthy furbag, I'll shoot! BUCKY You couldn't even wear your own face to do it. You had to steal mine. You had to hide and pretend. I don't know what kind of life you led as a toad, but it must have been truly pathetic to volunteer for something like this. BUCKY I didn't volunteer for this! I didn't know they would do this to me! I just wanted to serve KOMPLEX! BUCKY And KOMPLEX wanted to get rid of a coward. Bucky's temper finally boils over. BUCKY Argh! Bucky begins to fire erratically. Bucky, prepared for this, easily dodges the single-minded barrage. The standard-issue handheld maser pistol Bucky fires quickly runs out of power. BUCKY Dammit! Useless maser crap! Out of ammunition, Bucky turns around and begins to run. The other Bucky takes the opportunity to lunge at his now-unarmed doppelganger. He succeeds in grabbing the imposter's cape. Spinning him around, Bucky lands a solid punch to the face. Bucky keeps swinging, punching Bucky in the face twice more before his opponent kicks him away. Bucky, his nose bleeding green blood from the punches, clenches his fists. BUCKY I should have left this filthy excuse for a planet when I had the chance. But now ... (sneers) I need you to be alive. Not intact. SCENE 10 - THE RIGHTEOUS INDIGNATION Willy bursts through his door and looks around. The ship seems empty at first, but Willy hears faint mechanical noises coming from the gunner's chamber. He enters and sees AFC BLINKY working on the computer console attached to the maser cannon. WILLY Blinky! Do you know where Jenny is? BLINKY (turning to face Willy) Negative. First Mate Jenny disembarked shortly after patrol ended. WILLY Do you know where she went? BLINKY Jenny mentioned no specific destination, though she did seem preoccupied with Captain O'Hare's unusual behavior during patrol. WILLY Bucky. Willy gets a determined look on his face. WILLY Where was Bucky going? Do you think they went to his apartment? BLINKY That is the most likely possibility. WILLY We need to get there as soon as possible. Can you fly us there? BLINKY In a literal sense, yes, self can pilot The Righteous Indignation. However, legal ramifications would make such an action ill-advised. WILLY If you don't do it, I will. And I'm a terrible pilot. BLINKY This humble android must again raise an objection ... WILLY Overruled. Fly us to Bucky's apartment building. Now. BLINKY (unfazed) As you command, friend Willy. Blinky finishes his work on the maser cannon and walks out of the chamber. Willy follows him up into the cockpit, then takes Bucky's seat as Blinky positions himself at Jenny's controls. Willy feels the ship rumble as the frigate takes off, flying away from Orwell Station and toward Genus below. SCENE 11 – ALLEYWAY, STREETS OF GENUS The two Buckies continue their fistfight, which has led them into a side alley. Both have red and green blood spattered on them, and it is difficult to tell which Bucky is bleeding which color. They are both running off adrenaline. One Bucky lands a strong punch to the other's gut, but quickly receives a punch to the jaw in response. BUCKY (coughing green blood) All I wanted was to do my job and leave this disgusting place. BUCKY (angrily) Well, now I'm doing my job. The Buckies resume their fight, with neither one clearly winning. As The Righteous Indignation speeds toward the area, Willy looks down and sees several police cars rushing down the street in the same direction. WILLY That's not good. Blinky, keep pace with those. BLINKY Aye-aye. Blinky slows down slightly, and the frigate tails the police cars toward their mutual destination. On the ground, the cars travel for another few miles, then come to a quick stop when they reach the wreckage of the two police cars that were transporting the Buckies to the police station. Several POLICEMEN quickly step out of their rides and run toward the two cars. One spots Jenny as he begins inspecting the crash. POLICEMAN #5 Looks like she's breathing. The policeman and several of his colleagues carefully pull Jenny from the wreckage. She is unconscious but generally unhurt. POLICEMAN #6 How about Rob and Louie? The policeman who found Jenny checks the front seat, then turns and faces his fellow officers, shaking his head. POLICEMAN #5 (closing his eyes) They're gone. At the other car, the policemen quickly pull the two officers out of the front seat. POLICEMAN #7 No dice. Jake's dead. POLICEMAN #8 Come on, Sam, come on! One of the policemen from the crash, though bleeding badly, is still alive. POLICEMAN #3 (weakly) Chris ... 'zat you? POLICEMAN CHRIS You're OK, man, you're OK. POLICEMAN SAM No ... no, I'm not ... POLICEMAN CHRIS Dammit, you're gonna be fine! We'll get you to the hospital. POLICEMAN SAM Sam ... one of those Buckies ... (coughs) One of 'em's a toad. Killed Dogstar. (coughs) Killed me, too. Get 'em for me, OK? POLICEMAN CHRIS (resigned) Yeah. Yeah, Sam, I will. POLICEMAN SAM That's my boy. (coughs) I'll ... I'll tell mom you said hey ... Sam dies in Chris's arms. Their fellow officers stand in silence for a moment, while Chris composes himself and keeps himself together as best he can. After a moment, he takes a deep breath, then stands up. POLICEMAN CHRIS (drawing his blaster) So where's this asshole toad? The policemen reconvene, then fan out and explore the area. It's not long before one of them hears sounds coming from an alley. POLICEMAN #9 (whispering) Here we go. The policeman peers down the alley and sees the two Buckies strangling each other. POLICEMAN #9 (into his radio comm) I got 'em. Alley between the pizza place and the bookstore. (holsters his comm and pulls out his blaster) Freeze! The policeman steps into the alley, pointing his weapon at the two Buckies, who turn to look at him. POLICEMAN #9 In the air! The two Buckies slowly let go of each other and get to their feet, holding their paws in the air. Meanwhile, the other cops fill the alley. Chris works his way to the front, wielding his blaster. He takes a quick look at the two Buckies -- both in ragged, torn UAC uniforms, with green and red blood splattered everywhere. He can't tell them apart. POLICEMAN CHRIS (shouting) Which one of you killed my brother? The two Buckies glance at each other. BUCKY He did. BUCKY No, I didn't. He did! BUCKY I'm the real Bucky! BUCKY (urgently) Officer, this imposter is a toad. He killed Dogstar. If you just take us both down to the station ... BUCKY No, don't take us back to the station! He knows the toads will bust him out! POLICEMAN CHRIS Dammit, one of you fess up, or I'll blow both your damn heads off! POLICEMAN #10 Chris, calm down, man ... POLICEMAN CHRIS They killed my brother, Larry! You frelling calm down! The Buckies get wide-eyed, watching the increasingly agitated Chris pointing his blaster at them. At that moment, the Righteous lands near the commotion, and Willy bursts out, running toward the standoff. The policemen are so distracted that they don't notice Willy until he is near the front of the crowd. POLICEMAN #11 Kid, get out of here. WILLY What's going on? Why are there two Buckies? POLICEMAN #11 I said get out! WILLY (showing his ID) I'm O'Hare's engineer. Tell me what's going on! POLICEMAN #11 (irritated) Fine. One of these is a toad who looks like Bucky. But we can't tell which. WILLY A toad? (looking at the two Buckies) I didn't think they had the technology to make disguises like that ... POLICEMAN CHRIS Ten seconds! The Buckies are still frozen. They eye each other warily. POLICEMAN CHRIS Ten seconds to fess up, or I'm blowing both your damn heads off! POLICEMAN #9 Chris, seriously ... BUCKY Look, just turn yourself in. BUCKY You turn yourself in! Willy walks up to Chris. WILLY Let me talk to them. I can sort this out. Angry, Chris pulls out a second blaster with his other paw and points it at Willy, while keeping his gaze fixed on the Buckies. POLICEMAN CHRIS Don't you frelling get in my way, kid! Five seconds! The gravity of the situation creeps down Willy's spine. He looks from one Bucky to the next, then at the policeman aiming at him. The other policemen look concerned, not sure how to intervene without getting everyone killed. POLICEMAN #9 Chris, put the guns down. We can sort this out later. POLICEMAN CHRIS (ignoring the other policeman) Three seconds! Willy, harried, tries to decide what to do. He briefly contemplates letting both Buckies get shot, especially after all the real Bucky has done, but deep down, he knows that's not the right course of action. Suddenly getting an idea, Willy tries to reach out with his Aldebaran powers to tell which Bucky is the real one. He can feel the energy surging through him, but it's unfocused and disorienting. He can't control it properly, and it won't do what he wants it to do. POLICEMAN CHRIS This is for my brother! The Buckies both get wide-eyed. Willy, in a panic, feels a frenzy come over him. WILLY No! Trying one last time to use his powers, Willy shudders, then disappears, leaving shadows of himself that gradually fade away. SCENE 12 Balls of light dance around the atmosphere, penetrating what otherwise would be total darkness. Willy stumbles around, getting his footing. He adjusts his glasses and looks around. A wave of familiarity washes over him, quashing his confusion but not his uneasiness. WILLY I ... remember this place. As before, he feels his mind engaged by an otherworldly presence that has reached out to him in communication. PRESENCE WILLY I ... I don't think so. I just didn't know what to do. PRESENCE WILLY They've been gone for a while. I just got them back. I'll learn to reuse them, I swear! PRESENCE WILLY I ... what? PRESENCE (beat) WILLY (remembering) Bucky! I need to go to Bucky. The real one, not ... the other one. PRESENCE WILLY Does he deserve saving? PRESENCE Willy pauses. WILLY He's never ... he always ... (beat) He always wants to do the right thing. He just doesn't always know how. PRESENCE WILLY Then I am certain. I have to go to Bucky. The path opens up. The light is not what it once was to Willy. Instead, spotty light illuminates his journey -- his split-second voyage ... SCENE 13 – ALLEYWAY, STREETS OF GENUS ... to Bucky's side. WILLY Don't shoot! Willy, standing next to one of the two bewildered Buckies, holds his hands up. WILLY This is the real ... Willy blinks, noticing that several of the policemen have subdued Chris, grabbing his maser blasters and keeping him from breaking free of their grip. The remaining policemen, however, notice Willy's reappearance and, only momentarily confused, all train their guns on the other Bucky. POLICEMAN #11 Enough of this crap. You're coming to the station. While the Bucky standing next to Willy still seems addled by what just happened, the other Bucky looks afraid, though his demeanor quickly turns to one of angered hopelessness. BUCKY Argh! Bucky begins running toward the only exit available to him -- the other end of the alley, beyond the group of policemen. He makes it only a few steps before a hail of maser fire strikes him. He crumples, landing on the ground in a contorted heap. WILLY (startled) Is he ... POLICEMAN #12 C'mon, pick him up. That stun ain't gonna last forever. The policemen not still holding Chris back all approached the felled Bucky. They cuff him, pick him up, and drag him toward a police car. One of the other policemen walks up to Bucky and Willy. POLICEMAN #9 (scratches his head) I dunno what just happened, kid, but you distracted Chris long enough for us to grab hold of him. (looks at the Bucky standing by Willy) I guess we can trust ya. For now. But you're still gonna need to answer some questions. BUCKY (relieved) Absolutely, officer. (turns to Willy) And Willy ... Bucky then notices that Willy has fallen over, lying on the ground asleep. His breathing is only slightly labored, and he does not appear pale. Still, his sleep is deep enough that a nudge from Bucky does not rouse him. BUCKY Oh. (to the policeman) We should ... probably take him to the hospital. I don't know what happened back there. The policeman nods and picks up his comm to request an ambulance. SCENE 14 - COMMAND ROOM, THE TOAD HOMEWORLD The Air Marshal watches glumly as computer screens display the newest broadcast intercepted from mammal transmissions. As a reporter talks on screen, a graphic in the upper-right corner displays an image of Bucky killing Dogstar, with the bold word "IMPOSTER!" splashed underneath. As the scene replays, KOMPLEX appears on another screen near the Air Marshal. KOMPLEX So our mission has failed. AIR MARSHAL (uncomfortable) Well ... not failed, exactly. Dogstar is still dead ... KOMPLEX (angry) You fool! Dogstar's death is irrelevant. Bucky O'Hare was to be properly framed for the act. This would have led to irreconcilable tension within the United Animals Coalition. *That* was the crux of our plan. I care not what foolish mammal occupies the seat of Chairman. The continued stupidity of their leadership is, in fact, one of our greatest assets. (beat) And now, the product of months of effort is lost. We have gained nothing against the mammals. AIR MARSHAL Well ... what should we do now, Oh Mighty KOMPLEX? KOMPLEX (eyes narrowing) I need to commune with Toadborg. We will contact Krug. You communicate with Zaysen. Order him to wreak as much havoc on Genus as he possibly can. (beat) And tell Glutgrave of his failure. Perhaps he will select sturdier stock next time. SCENE 15 – INTERROGATION ROOM, POLICE STATION Bucky sits, pawcuffed, in a chair at one end of this dimly lit room. The squirrel detective from UAC headquarters stands in front of him, flipping through a folder of papers. Two angry-looking policemen stand guard at the door. DETECTIVE Well, your blood test results came back. (reading) And you're definitely not a mammal. BUCKY (under his breath) Was the green blood your first clue? DETECTIVE (ignoring Bucky) And while that doesn't prove you're the Bucky that killed Dogstar, it's good enough as far as we're concerned. (flipping through more papers) We don't have much on you, of course. So now you get to fill in the gaps for us. BUCKY (snorting) I'm not telling you anything. DETECTIVE (leaning in) Look. I've got the real Bucky O'Hare begging me to let him kill you. And trust me, he is *pissed off*. But you know who else is pissed off? The entire police force in this building. You're a cop killer, four times over. And don't get me started on the populace. You killed Dogstar, after all. (beat) So unless you want me to release you into the custody of those fine, upstanding gentlemen guarding this door, you are going to cooperate with me. And I am going to like what you have to say. Bucky sits quietly and mulls this over. His face is draped in shadow as he slowly begins to speak. BUCKY I didn't want any of this. The detective nods slowly, waiting for Bucky to continue. BUCKY I didn't know this is what was going to happen to me. KOMPLEX approached me for a job, and of course, I was eager to serve. DETECTIVE Why you? BUCKY (wistful) I was an actor. The best on Toad TV. The best probably on the planet. Maybe that's not saying much -- we have a lot of hacks -- but they told me I was the right person for the job. DETECTIVE They didn't tell you what the job was? BUCKY They just told me it was vital to the future of the Empire. They never mentioned infiltrating Genus and killing anyone. They never mentioned turning my body into ... this. Bucky shifts his muscles, clearly uncomfortable in his own body. BUCKY It was ... a long process. A painful process. DETECTIVE How did you get on Genus? BUCKY Well, I didn't walk. DETECTIVE Fine. How did you slip into Bucky's life? BUCKY We knew he had a cousin that looked like him. I showed up at his door one night pretending to be family. His guard was down, and that was that. DETECTIVE Why not kill him then and there? BUCKY Heh. (beat) You don't understand, do you? The intense hatred KOMPLEX has for Bucky O'Hare. It goes beyond this war. It's personal. (beat) The last time we could have killed Bucky O'Hare, KOMPLEX wanted to broadcast it live all over the aniverse. That gave Bucky time to escape. (beat) And this time, KOMPLEX told me to make sure Bucky took the fall for killing Dogstar. He wanted Bucky strung up on live TV. He wanted to pin the murder on Bucky and then make sure Bucky paid the price. (beat) A simple death would be too good for Bucky. It would be a mercy. The detective nods solemnly for a moment. DETECTIVE That leaves me with just one more question. (eyes Bucky) How many other toads are on Genus? Bucky balks at this. BUCKY There aren't any. They just sent me. DETECTIVE Right. And that explains the two toads we found dead by that police cruiser, how? BUCKY OK, fine. Those guys came with me. But it was just them. DETECTIVE You really think I'm going to believe that? Bucky says nothing in response, though he fidgets in his chair a bit. DETECTIVE Are you really not going to cooperate with me on this? BUCKY I'm cooperating! I told you, there isn't anyone else! DETECTIVE (looking Bucky in the eye) You want me to throw you in prison? In a mammal prison, when you killed Chairman Dogstar? When you look like Bucky O'Hare, who probably led to half of them being caught in the first place? How long do you think you would last? Bucky gulps. DETECTIVE How many other toads are there? BUCKY I ... DETECTIVE How many of them look like mammals? BUCKY (suddenly) None of them! None of them look like mammals! They all look like toads. DETECTIVE (musing) That sounds like you're covering up for someone. Good thing you're a wimp under pressure. (beat) You're not going to give us any more details, are you? Bucky simply sits, with a harried and somewhat guilty look on his face. DETECTIVE That's OK. The tracking device we lifted off you will tell us what we need to know. Bucky's eyes grow wide, and he gulps again. DETECTIVE Fortunately for you, the last thing we need is a damn toad running around looking like Bucky O'Hare. I'll let you pick. Lethal injection, or firing squad? BUCKY (startled) What? B-but you mammals don't execute criminals! DETECTIVE We don't. But you, my friend, have earned a place of distinction. (beat) I was just kidding, by the way. You don't get a choice. Our scientists have cooked up a nice cocktail for you that'll cause minimal tissue damage. That'll come in handy for the autopsy and the ... what was the term they used? Tissue harvesting. Yeah, that was it. Bucky's eyelids twitch as he begins to quiver in his chair. DETECTIVE They said the injection will probably burn like hell, though. (beat) I'm glad. SCENE 16 – HOSPITAL ROOM, WATERSHIP HOSPITAL, GENUS Bucky sits in a chair in this hospital room, bandaged and aching but alert and healthy. BUCKY (musing) Everything that's happened today, and I'm still not the one who gets to sleep in a hospital bed. Bucky casts his gaze over the two beds in the room, where Jenny and Willy rest. Bucky leans over Jenny, whose bed is nearer. BUCKY (softly) Thanks, Jen. If you hadn't shown up, I don't know what would have happened. Bucky gently runs his fingers through Jenny's hair. The Aldebaran shifts a bit, a hint of a smile forming on her lips. She continues to sleep. BUCKY Are you sure this is necessary? You already questioned me. Bucky's words are directed at a gorilla OFFICER standing guard at the door. OFFICER Yep. You're a free man, and you ain't done nothing wrong, but until some of this craziness dies down, we're keepin' an eye on you. Bucky just nods, never taking his eyes off Jenny. SCENE 17 – CHAIRMAN'S OFFICE, UAC HEADQUARTERS, GENUS The next morning, VICE CHAIRMAN SANZER GRIFF sits behind the desk in this room. Far from looking bold or majestic in the Chairman's seat, he looks uncomfortable and out of place. He moves little, mostly collecting his thoughts. A meerkat AIDE enters the office. AIDE Sir, the plans have been finalized. Dogstar's funeral will be in two hours. GRIFF Thank you. Has everyone been notified? AIDE Absolutely. Everyone will be there. GRIFF Has Captain O'Hare been informed? AIDE (hesitant) No, sir. I thought we agreed it would not be ... prudent for him to be there. GRIFF (nodding) Correct. Very good. Thank you, Tim. The aide nods and steps out. Griff sighs and leans back in his chair. Keeping the grief at bay as much as possible, he looks at the stacks of paperwork already beginning to pile up on his desk. GRIFF (softly) I hate this damn chair. SCENE 18 – HOSPITAL ROOM, WATERSHIP HOSPITAL, GENUS Bucky has nodded off in his chair after staying the night in the hospital room. A television screen along one wall displays video, but the sound is turned off. He begins to stir when he hears someone groggily saying his name. JENNY Bucky? Bucky rouses and blinks, then looks to his side. Jenny has awoken from her sleep and is propping herself up on her elbows. BUCKY (relieved) Hey, Jen. JENNY (looking around) It wasn't a dream, was it? BUCKY What wasn't a dream? JENNY The ... the two of you. The police. The car crash. Bucky sadly shakes his head. BUCKY All of that happened. JENNY Then ... it wasn't you that went on patrol to the toad weapon station. BUCKY Weapon station? No. That wasn't me. JENNY How ... when and how did it ... stop being you? BUCKY The day before, I guess. He showed up at my apartment claiming to be Jeffery. I let him in and let my guard down. The next thing I knew, I was tied up in my closet, and he was wearing my uniform and gloating at me. JENNY So ... all the arguments we've been having? All these months? BUCKY That ... (sadly) That was me. Jenny looks down for a moment, then back up at Bucky. JENNY What did he do? Bucky gulps, then slowly forces himself to say the words. BUCKY (looking down) He killed Dogstar. Jenny bites her lip, allowing the distress of her reaction to remain internal. JENNY I ... thought that's what I had heard. But I was barely conscious. I wasn't sure. Bucky just nods. JENNY But you caught him? BUCKY Yep. He's in custody. Thanks to Willy. JENNY (sits up) Willy? Bucky motions to the other bed, where Willy continues to sleep peacefully. JENNY My stars ... Willy. Is he all right? BUCKY The doctor said he's sleeping, kind of like the way he was sleeping after we rescued him from the Toad Homeworld. JENNY Oh. Jenny pulls her covers off and begins to get out of bed. BUCKY (reacting) Woah, hold on, Jen. You need to rest ... JENNY (getting up) I need to see him. Jenny wheels her IV stand over to Willy's bed and stands over the sleeping human. JENNY (concentrating) It's not the same as before. I ... can feel him better. He's there. He just needs a little guidance. Jenny holds her paw out over Willy's face. A soft pinkish-purple glow envelops her fingers, which she holds steady. She closes her eyes and concentrates. Her fingers move slowly, and as they do, Willy's facial features twitch in concordance. Slowly, carefully, Jenny's magical touch brings Willy back to consciousness. He opens his eyes and takes in a deep breath. WILLY (suddenly) Bucky! JENNY (smiles) Close enough, I suppose. WILLY Oh! Jenny. (beat) Hey. JENNY Hi, Willy. Are you all right? What happened? WILLY I ... kind of remember ... BUCKY You vanished. You teleported, or ... something. One minute, you were near that crazy policeman, and the next, you were standing by my side. WILLY That sounds ... right. JENNY You teleported? I've never heard of such a thing. WILLY I did it before. Once. When I was brainwashed by the toads. I remember going somewhere strange then ... and I went there again. There were quark demons everywhere ... and a voice. No, not a voice. A presence. A feeling. JENNY (furrowing her brow) Hmm. I need to talk with Mother about this. WILLY Wait. So ... (looking at Bucky) You're the real Bucky? BUCKY I certainly hope so. WILLY And the other Bucky? BUCKY Dead, if he's lucky. The police have him. WILLY Oh. Willy looks at Bucky, then at Jenny. He's not exactly sure what to feel. BUCKY (breaking the silence) Thank you for saving me, Willy. I know we've been ... at odds lately. We should ... talk about it sometime. WILLY Yeah. (beat) Oh, Jenny. I wanted to tell you my powers came back. JENNY (eyes brightening) Really? WILLY Yeah. Watch. Willy is about to levitate something when he remembers Bucky's in the room. WILLY Oh, wait. I guess I should ... show you later? JENNY (realizing) No, it's OK. He can see. Go ahead. WILLY (nervous) OK. Willy concentrates, and the wiring connecting Jenny to the IV stand slowly dances in the air, like a writhing strand of spaghetti. Bucky feels an odd warmth in his heart. He realizes he feels honored that he is finally allowed to openly witness a display of magic like this. JENNY Well, it looks like your training is going to have to continue. WILLY I can't wait. Just as quickly as it started, the IV wiring stops moving and falls limp. Jenny notices and turns to Willy, who has a look of shock on his face. JENNY Willy? What's the matter? WILLY (his voice cracking) What happened to Dogstar?! Jenny follows Willy's gaze and looks at the television screen, which appears to be broadcasting the start of Dogstar's funeral. JENNY (sadly) Oh. (to Willy) That toad who was pretending to be Bucky. He did it. A pit wells up in Willy's stomach. WILLY I didn't teach them how to do that! I didn't know they could make toads looks like hares! Oh, God, Dogstar ... JENNY No one's blaming you, Willy. It's OK. These things just ... happen. WILLY (feeling a terrible sadness) He's really dead? JENNY He is. Willy just shakes a little. Meanwhile, Bucky stares at the screen. BUCKY I guess it makes sense that they wouldn't want me there. (beat) It still hurts. In an uneasy silence, Bucky and Jenny watch the screen as Dogstar's funeral proceeds. SCENE 19 – GENUS MILITARY CEMETARY A huge crowd has gathered on this sunny morning. Dogstar's coffin sits at the end of a long walkway, draped with the flag of Genus. Behind it, the flag of Dogstar's home planet, Canis I, sways proudly in the breeze. Two large portraits flank the coffin: a picture of a younger Commander Dogstar, his S.P.A.C.E. uniform clean and neat and his medals shining brilliantly; and the official portrait of Chairman Dogstar, looking older, calmer, and more serene. Lining the walkway are two huge throngs of people who have come to honor the fallen leader. While many of them are bulldogs, practically every mammalian race is on hand. Numerous familiar faces dot the crowd, from a sad-looking ADMIRAL HUDSON to several representatives of the general UAC assembly, including SENATOR NURAS. RENFIELD BILLINGS and MAX TEMPLETON can also be spotted, as can the crews of all the S.P.A.C.E. frigates. Almost hidden in the crowd, as if incognito on purpose, stands FRITZ WARNER, wearing his yarmulke. His expression betrays a heavy sadness. No other Warners are present. On the other side of the coffin, away from the crowd, stands a massive podium. All of the newer S.P.A.C.E. captains sit near its base. Up on the podium sit Dogstar's closest allies from his military and political days –- Griff, the other members of the Security Council, Mimi, and CAPTAIN ARTEMIS WOLF. Griff slowly rises from his chair and approaches the podium. He glances at the news cameras filming from the edges of the crowd, clearly annoyed by their presence. Clearing his throat, he leans into the microphone and speaks. GRIFF Thank you all for coming today. I take no great pleasure in being the first to speak at this event, as we honor our Chairman and our friend, Sirius Dogstar. (beat) I remember the day when Dogstar joined the S.P.A.C.E. fleet as captain of The Indefatigable. He had already shown cunning and valor as one of the most shining stars in Genus's military, and when his retirement came up, he refused to sit idle. He chose to become an investigator for the UAC and had the most amazing record any of us had seen in someone not specifically trained in the area. (beat) When the threat of the toads was too much to ignore, he again threw his hat into the ring, exhorting us to let him fly a ship. There was no way we could say no to such a commanding individual, and I can say without hesitation that it is one of the best decisions we have ever made. (beat) Dogstar served the UAC well because he loved the UAC. As Chairman, he has ushered us into a bold new age of offense. Toad attacks have decreased in number and in ferocity. Our children are safer. Our lives are safer. Thanks to Dogstar, we may finally be in a position to end this horrible war. (beat) I only wish he could have lived to see that day. No one should ever be cut down just before his ultimate triumph. The toad menace he fought against for so long finally managed to succeed in one of their most despicable goals. (beat) But we will not forgot. We will not let them succeed. They thought that by stopping Dogstar, they could win this war. We will show them that nothing could be further from the truth. By taking Dogstar away from us, they have sealed their own fate. We will fight them, and we will win. Griff steps down from the podium. The crowd remains mostly silent; no one applauds, whistles, or cheers. Everyone just lets the words sink into their hearts. Next, Mimi approaches the stage. She is clearly nervous, not being accustomed to speaking to groups this large. With some hesitation, she begins to talk. MIMI I didn't really have much time to plan anything ... (beat) Dogstar ... Mimi takes a deep breath and steels herself. MIMI Dogstar was a hero. Nothing more, nothing less. He may be the only true hero we ever had. Whenever I was lucky enough to fight alongside him, I was always struck by how dedicated he was to the mission, and by how sure of himself he always was. And why wouldn't he be sure of himself? He knew what he was doing was right, so he knew everything would work out just fine. (beat) But Dogstar the military commander was only one part of him. He was also a fine, upstanding person. He was polite, courteous, respectful, and even soft-spoken. He would never force his advice upon you, but if you ever sought guidance from him, he would know exactly what to say, exactly what you needed to do to fix the situation. He was so wise like that. (beat) We didn't always see eye-to-eye when he was Chairman. Of course we didn't. I was trying to keep my one little ship together, and he was trying to keep the entire UAC together. Whenever we had a disagreement, he was always right, whether I could admit that to myself or not. (beat) I really ... I really just can't believe he's gone. I have no idea how to handle myself without him in my life. He was a mentor to all of us, and I can only hope I was able to learn enough from him that I can always do the right thing, just like he did. Mimi excuses herself from the podium and sits down. She glances over at Wolf, who seems to be having even more trouble keeping himself together. Finally, he nods, then stands and approaches the podium. WOLF I owe everything I have to Commander ... I mean, Chairman Dogstar. He took me under his wing as an investigator, and then, when he assumed command of The Indefatigable, he insisted that I join him as his first mate. I didn't think I knew nearly enough about operating military frigates, but he seemed so sure that I'd do a good job that I couldn't even consider saying no. (beat) He was like a father to me. The years we served together were some of the craziest, most intense, and absolute best of my life. I could stand up here for hours and talk about all the missions we went on together, all the heroic things that he did each and every time, and all the amazing lessons I learned from working with him, and even from just watching him. I really, truly could write a book about him, and it would amaze everyone in this audience, even after knowing all that you do about him. (beat) Helming The Indefatigable without him on board felt so strange, so hollow. But I knew that I'd learned more from him than I could have learned from anyone else, and I know that I was able to do him proud and continue the legacy of the frigate he called his own. (beat) Dogstar, if you can hear me now, I think I speak for all of us when I say thank you. Thank you for teaching us to be better people, braver people. Thank you for teaching us to stand up to the toads. Thank you for teaching us how to be the best we can possibly be. Because I know you would never have settled for anything less. Tearing up, Wolf steps down off the podium and retakes his seat. A military band at the base of the podium plays a short, mournful, respectful number, as some members of the crowd remove their hats, bow their heads, or pay respect in their own personal way. The music ends. Griff and Wolf, with forlorn looks on their faces, step off the stage and approach the casket. Four bulldogs in military regalia join them. Together, the six of them lift Dogstar's casket and begin making the long journey down the walkway. Tears stream down Wolf's face as they approach their destination: a special area of the cemetery reserved for former UAC Chairmen. A fresh grave has been dug. The six pallbearers step around the grave, then slowly lower Dogstar into it. The casket reaches the bottom, settling into place gently. The six pallbearers pause, then finish the ritual. They each kneel and pick up a pawful of dirt. Five of them throw their dirt onto the coffin. Only Wolf lingers for a second, feeling the weight of the dirt in his paw. Finally, with a sadness he never imagined he'd feel, he tosses the dirt into the grave. THE END