Buck Rogers in the 26th Century



Episode 107x "The Price of a Horse"

Written by: Erin Weinstock


I don't hold any of the copyrights in this story, and this story was 
made without profit .

Teaser:

ext: Space:

There's a battle going on. A fleet of fighter ships, about nine or ten, 
is attacking a troop of Z-87s, who are trying to guard a Sea-class cargo 
ship. The Sea-class cargo ships are smaller than the Ocean-class ships, 
and are more wide than tall. Debris can be seen floating about in space. 
Most of this debris is from the destroyed unknown fighters, while once 
in a while we see debris from what once was a Z-87. This battle is 
moving along at a fierce fast pace. The Z-87s are the ones with the 
upper hand in style.

V.O. Wilma: "Janet, one at three o'clock."

V.O Janet: "Not a problem."

V.O. Matt: "I'm boxed in!"

V.O. Woman One: "I'll pick off the ones on your tail, Matt."

V.O. Joe: "Who are these guys?!"

V.O. Wilma: "Houten, I think. These ships look Raim in design. The 
Houten are the only ones out there who still use those ships."

V.O. Matt: "Buck, look out!"

We get up close with the camera on a Z-87 that takes a blast on its 
underside.

Swipe Camera around to a Z-87, loop up and go behind an unknown eagle, 
shooting at the eagle once set behind it. Buck: "Thanks for the heads 
up, Matt."

Cut camera back to the Z-87 that got hit on its underbelly. What looks 
like small crystals are floating out of the hit spot, along with jagged 
shards of metal.

V.O. Woman One: "One unknown eagle left, and it's running. Colonel 
Deering?"

V.O. Wilma: "Let it run off, when it returns to wherever it is it came 
from its pilot will likely tell its buddies that we're no force to mess 
with."

Focus camera on the damaged Z-87. Buck: "Janet, Janet? Ms. Ward are you 
OK?"

A beat more on Janet's ship and ...

V.O. Joe: "The closest planet to here is Otie Nine. Colonel Deering, I'd 
like to assist Janet in repairing her ship. May I?"

V.O. Wilma: "I'm sorry, but you can't, Joe. Remember your magnetic 
grips?"

V.O. Joe: "They're damaged, I forgot."

V.O. Wilma: "If you want to help with something, go find out how the 
Niagara is faring." 

Pull camera back from Janet's ship and swoop it to the left. We see a 
Z-87 coming in sideways to Janet's ship. Cont: "Buck?"

Swoop camera to side view of Wilma's ship moving to Janet's. This 
viewpoint has Wilma's ship in the foreground. In this scene we can see 
another ship doing the same action towards Janet's ship, only with this 
one it's from the opposite side. Buck: "No need to ask."

Cut Camera back to front view of Janet's ship. The camera is back far 
enough that we can see the two ships coming slowly to each side of 
Janet's one.

Then after a beat cut camera forward to close up on one side of Janet's 
ship, the side that has a Z-87 closing in on it. When it's just an inch 
away, the other Z-87 seems to be quickly pulled on to the other, locking 
a groove on one ship into the groove on the other ship.

Cut camera back and we can see both Wilma's and Buck's ships have fixed 
themselves into nicks on Janet's ship. Buck: "This planet, Otie Nine. 
It's a good place to land to do repairs? Give Janet medical attention if 
needed. [ beat ] We can breathe on this planet, right?"

V.O. Wilma: "I've never been there before. In fact I don't know of 
anyone who has. But considering the situation we're in, I don't think we 
should go out of our way to find another planet to do this."

We see a front view of the three ships moving forward. Once the ships 
have moved past the camera, the camera quickly pans to be behind the 
three ships as we see them heading for a planet a little off in the 
distance.

Cut to:

ext: Otie Nine:

This is a wide shot. The sky is blue and the ground is rocky, littered 
with Appalachian size mountains that are colored in shades of orange and 
brown. The only sign of life that we can see are small trees scattered 
sparsely about this climate, along with a few bushes doing the same. 
These mountains that we're seeing have that jagged, misshapen look to 
them that can be seen in places like the southwest United States.

Cut to:

ext: The Planet's Atmosphere:

It's a strange view. A thin layer of violet giving way to a sunset red 
that wisps about, with the darker color of space beyond that. When this 
scene starts, the three locked Z-87s have just entered this. This scene 
is followed for a small beat.

Then the camera cuts to close up to one of the Z-87s, gouging into 
Janet's ship. The grip it has on the other ship is seen starting to fail 
as the other Z-87 starts moving backwards.

Pre-Credits:

End of teaser:

Beginning of Act one:

ext: The Planet's Atmosphere:

V.O. Buck: "The magnetic grips are slipping!"

V.O. Wilma: "Not sure what could be causing that! Move you ship tighter 
into hers! I'm going to do the same!"

The two Z-87s moving into Janet's is a nearly invisible act as we see 
them racing from the atmosphere into the clear blue sky.

V.O. Buck: "There's too much gravity on this planet! I'm having trouble 
keeping the nose up!"

V.O. Wilma: "We're going to crash!"

V.O. Buck: "If that's the case we're faced with, let's make it a good 
one! Wilma, on the count of ten I want your ship to move in time with 
mine, so we don't lose Janet's! [ beat ] After the count I want you to 
turn the ship east, then to pull up as tight as you can, nothing more!"

V.O. Wilma: "Why do you want to do that?!"

V.O. Buck: "There's a small grouping of trees over that way! It will be 
an easier landing, I mean crash, if the ships aren't hitting the ground 
face on!"

V.O. Wilma: "Ready for your count!"

V.O. Buck: "Ten nine eight seven six five four three two. One!" 

At one having been said, all three Z-87s at the same moment turn their 
noses up in the air, and stiff their movement to a down and sideways 
look.

Cut to:

ext: Otie Nine:

The camera is about twenty feet up in the air. The grouping of trees 
Buck talked about south & west. In where the camera is pointing, this 
seen starts with the three Z-87s. Zooming past the camera heading 
downwards. After a fast beat.

Cut camera to being just a few feet off the ground. It's pointing into 
the grouping of trees. As this scene takes place. The three packed 
together ships, quickly. Start and then continuing downwards, sliding 
on the tree tops.

Cut camera to on the ground. We see the Z-87s off in the distance. Touch 
down on the ground and slide on it. So much so the group slides all the 
way up to the camera. Be before stopping, by the slide slowing them down.

Cut camera to a few feet in the air. And looking at the Z-87s from a 
sideways down angle. 

The canopy on Buck's Z-87 flies up, Wilma's a fast beat after.

Both climb out of their Z-87s only to climb on to Janet's ship. They do 
this both taking quick observation of their surroundings in more depth.

Both are now trying their best to open up Janet's canopy. Buck: "Janet, 
are you OK?!"

No response is given. After a beat Buck and Wilma have successfully 
ripped open the canopy. As this is done, the opening up, we hear Janet 
coughing. Wilma: "Janet!"

Janet coughs some more and then, Janet: "The life support, navigational 
controls!"

Buck: "You've lost more than that too. When your ship was hit your water 
tank was one of the casualties."

While Buck was talking, Janet was taking in deep breaths. Now looking 
like she's feeling better, she looks around herself. Then standing up in 
the cockpit, Janet: "Where are we? My Z's communications must have gone 
out too."

Wilma: "Otie Nine."

Janet: "Think I've heard of this place once before."

Wilma: "What did you hear of it?"

Janet: "Just where it was located. Nothing more."

Buck: "Well it's time we all started finding things out about this 
planet. When your ship is repaired, it'll need fuel. I didn't notice any 
large masses of water when we were coming down, but I say it's a likely 
chance there are some around here. Those trees that we used to help 
break up the fall, they looked too happy to have had only the occasional 
rain fall to feed them."

Wilma: "Janet, I'm going to help you with the repairs. I played a small 
hand in the designing of the Z-87 Wolves."

Janet: "I didn't." Janet coughs, Cont: "I didn't know you were an 
engineer."

Wilma: "I'm not. When the Z-87s were being designed, the engineers on 
the project would come to me, asking how I thought a design would hold 
up in battle, and I'd tell them where I saw there could be a flaw, and 
where I thought something could be made better." Wilma turns to Buck 
who's walking away. Cont: "Buck, where are you going?"

Without turning back to look at Wilma, Buck: "To find water; I'll return 
to you ladies when I've found some."

Focus the camera now on Buck as he walks around the rocky terrain, once 
in a while moving a rock with one or both of his hands as needed. What 
he's doing with the rocks is checking for moisture on their undersides.

After a couple beats of this roaming around, right up in front of the 
camera pops up a robot face. It looks like a round head, cut into a 
crescent shape on its underside, with one round silver disk in the 
center of its forehead, and two small camera lens eyes spread far apart 
from each other, nearly running off to the sides of the robot's head. 
One Million: "One Million Mark Zero, what do you need?"

Cut camera back, and move it to the side of this scene. We see One 
Million standing before Buck. Now that we can see One Million's full 
body, we see a pair of spindly arms coming out the sides of its head. A 
ropy neck, coming from a large ball of a body, with six insect-like legs 
from that. Buck: "Who are you?"

One Million: "Unknown, "who"? What do you need?"

Buck: "I need to find a place where there's water. Do you know of such a 
place?"

One Million: "Water? One Million Mark Zero, request type?"

Buck: "Type? Do you mean fresh, salt, distilled?"

Out of thin air a badly aged hardback book appears in one of One 
Million's hands. The robot then, book in one hand, has the other hand 
grabs it open.

Buck's POV. The open book is taking up his full field of vision. The 
inside of the book looks like a children's book. Spread on to both of 
its open pages, is the picture of an open sea or ocean. The picture 
looks like a rough cartoon of sorts. Done only in black ink, in the sky, 
moving from one page to the next, it has written in it, "This is where 
fish live." V.O. One Million: "You want water like this. Does this water 
please you?"

V.O. Buck: "As long as it can fuel -" Buck pulls down the book from his 
face. During this cut to same POV we see a crisp late noon sky, and 
blacktop with lines painted on it, leading to be cut off by what looks 
like an endless ocean.

V.O. Cont: "[ beat ] A Z-87."

V.O. Crewman one: "Captain Rogers, move now!"

Cut camera back, to see more of this scene, to see Buck standing on the 
deck of an aircraft carrier wearing the Naval uniform of a captain, with 
hat to match. Buck: "Huh, where?"

Crewman one: "Captain, move! The Blue Jacket is coming down!"

Buck is in shock now staring at Crewman one and Toby, who are standing 
near to the entranceway to the deck. Buck: "What's going?"

Toby: "Buck, move! Or Jen is going to hit you!"

Buck now turns to the other side of where he was facing before, at the 
sound of roaring jet engines. 

More shock now mixed in with fear shows on Buck's face. Cont: "Get off 
the runway, she's coming in!"

Heading for Crewman one and Toby, Buck runs off the runway, captain's 
hat falling off early on. As he's running the jet is touching down 
behind him and coming down the runway, then quickly running over his 
hat.

Buck now at where Toby and Crewman one are, staring out at the jet. 
Cont: "What were you doing out there, day dreaming?"

Buck turns to Toby, Buck: "Toby?!" Before turning back to look at the 
now non-moving jet, Toby: "What? You wanted Jennifer to hit you?"

Buck: "Jenny! Is this, is this real?" Buck does some mild coughing. 

Toby: "What do you mean is this real, Buckster?"

Buck: "Where am I? What's today's date?"

Crewman one: "You're on board the Rockyshark, and today's date is April 
second."

Buck: "April second? What year is it?"

Crewman one: "Captain, are you OK?"

Toby: "2006. Are you coming down with something? That cough you gave a 
moment ago."

Buck: "What? How? Are you sure?"

Toby: "You must be coming down with something."

Buck looks around himself, and then at what he's wearing. Buck: "I'm on 
board the Rockyshark, I'm back in the NAVY."

Crewman one: "Captain, if I may?"

Buck: "What is it crewman?" Buck turns to look at Crewman one and Toby.

Crewman one: "I think you should go to sickbay."

Buck: "I don't need to go to sickbay. But if one of you could tell me 
how I got here? How it's April second 2006 and the whole world, at least 
what I can -" Buck has a coughing fit. Cont: "[ beat ] Of it, isn't in 
shambles."

Toby: "Buck, go to sickbay. Get checked out by doc Ridker."

Buck: "I don't need to see a doctor, Toby. I may not know how this is 
all happening, but I don't think I could have a happier moment than this 
now!"

V.O. Jenny: "Couldn't be more happier than you are right now?"

Buck turns around to face Jennifer. Cont, but not V.O.: "I can fix 
that."

End of Act One:

Beginning of Act Two:

ext: Top Deck, Rockyshark:

Buck stares at Jennifer, mouth open smiling. Jenny: "Been looking 
forward to our time together?"

Buck: "I thought we'd never have it again."

Jenny: "Why's that, is there something wrong I should know about?"

Buck: "I thought you were dead. That all of this was long gone."

Jenny: "I may have a dangerous job in the Air Force, but I can handle 
myself. None of what we have, Buck has gone anywhere." That having been 
said she kisses him. In this kiss, he takes off his blue NAVY jacket and 
puts it around her shoulders.

Toby: "Jenny, something "IS" missing in this picture."

The kiss breaks.

Jenny: "And what's that, Toby?"

Toby: "Buck's mind."

Jenny looks to Buck, who just has a broad on his face and a dreamy look 
in his eyes.

Cut to:

int: Sickbay:

It looks like a crammed doctor's office where a surgery could be 
performed if need be. In this room are Ridker, Buck, Jenny, and Toby.

Ridker: "Mr. Ziskin, I'm not a psychiatrist."

Toby: "Doctor, Buck is my friend." Toby turns to Buck. Cont: "You are my 
friend." Then he turns back to Ridker. Cont: "But he needs help. Are 
you sure there isn't anything you can do for him?"

Ridker: "And once more I'd like to state that lunes are not MY 
DEPARTMENT." The doctor asking Buck, Cont: "You're my captain, Rogers. 
Now I know I'd never do anything to step out of line with you. But 
Ziskin? I don't have the power to do this, but what do you say, put him 
in the brig for a few hours, make him think twice about questioning your 
command?" The way that last line was said you can tell it was told half 
joking.

Buck: "No, I'm not going to take it that far. [ beat ] If I was him, I 
wouldn't believe me either."

Ridker: "And just what is it you've been saying to him that makes him 
want to make me hold up a Rorschach picture to you?"

Buck: "That for almost months from my perspective, I've been in the 
future, the year 2518 to be exact. Doing work for Earth's Defense 
Directorate, traveling to far off worlds, and meeting all sorts of 
aliens."

After a beat, Ridker: "Uh-uh, Captain. I think it might be a good idea 
if you turned in early for the day."

Buck: "You don't believe me, do you?" After having said this line he 
coughs some.

Ridker: "I, I -", Ridker is really unsure what to say as she moves about 
sickbay, trying to find little things that need to be tended to.

Jenny: "Buck, come with me, I believe you."

Buck: "You do? That's great."

Jenny: "The doc says you need some rest. You can rest with me in your 
cabin."

Buck: "May be I should rest. I have a headache."

Jenny: "You're kidding me, right?"

Cut to:

ext: Defense Directorate:

This is not the exterior setting we're used to seeing for the Defense 
Directorate. In this picture it looks like the Defense Directorate is in 
Alaska, surrounded by dark green pines with a fresh coating of snow, and 
in the distance jagged, snow-capped mountains, with a sky that looks to 
be at twilight.

Cut to:

int: Wilma's Office:

Her office, at least the one in this episode, has a look to it of home 
warmth mixed in with the essence of one who has a passion for their job. 
In the center of the room sits Wilma's desk. On top of the desk, many 
papers lie unorganized under a paperweight that has a hologram enclosed 
in a glass box. This hologram is shown ever changing in a repeating 
pattern of Defense Directorate fighter ships throughout the ages. Among 
the many ships it shows, the Z-87 Wolfs for one. One of these ships 
shown leading up to the Z-87 is the fighter ship used for the Defense 
Directorate in the late 70's, early 80's show. Off in a corner of this 
room we see an old-fashion cannon. On a wall next to a Phasoft-door, 
we can see Dr. Theopolis set into it, and behind the desk, with a 
panoramic view, a set of windows that show the outside. Wilma is 
standing near to her desk, staring at a medal she's holding.

Wilma: "I got this. Dr. Theopolis, how did I get this?"

Theopolis: "For the commanding of the fleet in a battle against the 
Draconian empire. That battle was quite amazing in how we achieved 
victory. It ended the war."

Wilma: "I [ beat ] I've been in battle with them before. But it's never 
been anything tide turning. Except that time Buck pointed out a mistake 
I made in not -" She coughs some. Cont: "Believing him that they were 
about to attack; that in that battle we discovered they were the ones 
controlling the pirate ships."

Theopolis: "That cough sounded bad. Are you feeling OK?"

Wilma: "Never better. It's just a little cough, I'm sure it will go 
away." Wilma heads over to her desk.

Theopolis: "You have a visitor. Should I let him in?"

Wilma: "That depends, who is it?"

A beat, Theopolis: "He says his name is Scott Tingey."

Wilma: "Rats, Dr. Theopolis, don't let him in." Wilma takes the 
paperweight off the stack of papers.

Theopolis: "He insists you let him come in. He seems quite distraught, 
Colonel Deering. Are you sure it is such a bad thing for him to be in 
here?"

She sighs, Wilma: "Let the boar in."

Theopolis: "He is not a boar. He is human." As Theopolis says that line 
the Phasoft-door changes color and Scott Tingey enters. Wilma: "Why are 
you here?"

Scott: "To say I'm sorry."

Wilma: "You? Say you're sorry? God, this must be a fantasy."

Scott: "I shouldn't have cheated on you. You're a wonderful and very 
loving person. I'm so sorry I slept with her."

Wilma: "You damn should be! Scott, this is an amazing turn around for 
you. You the -," Wilma has a coughing fit. Cont: "You the man who at one 
point told me I don't -," She coughs some more. Cont: "Know what's good 
for me! That you know, you know what's best for me! That I know nothing! 
[ beat ] Tell me, what's with the turn around?"

Scott: "I know we're over with. But your marriage, I didn't know you'd 
gotten that serious with him. I just thought you should know even though 
it's coming late, I still care for you, still love you."

Wilma: "I'm not married."

Scott: "You're not? But what about Rogers?"

Wilma: "We're just friends, Scott." A beat, Cont: "Please leave."

Scott: "I did something wrong?"

Wilma: "What you did wrong to me happened a long time ago. I know you 
said you're sorry, Scott. It's just been a long day. I need some time 
alone." She clears her throat.

Scott looks like he doesn't want to leave, but leaves the office anyway.

Wilma sits down at her desk and starts to pick through the papers on it, 
looking at each for a beat to see what the writings on it entails.

Shortly into this she freezes looking at one of the papers.

Staring at the paper, Cont: "Dr. Theopolis, this request for time off. I 
don't recall making any request for time off."

Theopolis: "You requested it shortly before your wedding. You mean to 
tell me you don't remember asking me?"

Wilma: "Wedding?!"

Theopolis: "Your wedding to Captain Buck Rogers. I'm sorry I haven't had 
your last name changed in Earth's population database. I'll have it 
changed now, so your request paper shows the right name."

Wilma: "Bu-Buck and I married! How, how is this so? We're just friends 
and at that only on the business level!"

Theopolis: "You wanted to be more to him. That is what you wanted. [ 
beat ] One Million Mark Zero, requesting payment for good continue."

Cut to:

int: Janet's Home:

At the doorway, Janet is helping a little kid in taking off his winter 
gear. Janet looks at the kid in shock as he states, Kid: "One Million 
Mark Zero, requesting payment for good continue."

Cut to:

int: Buck's cabin / Rockyshark:

Buck is looking at a calendar on the wall, smiling at it. Jenny is in 
the background staring at him.

Jenny: "One Million Mark Zero, requesting payment for good continue."

Buck turns to Jenny at having heard this.

End of Act Two:

Beginning of Act Three:

int: Buck's cabin / Rockyshark:

This scene starts where Act Two left off.

Buck: "Otie Nine?"

Jenny: "You are on Otie Nine. One Million Mark Zero, requesting payment 
for good continue."

Buck: "I'm not back in the 21st century. [ beat ] This is all fake?"

Jenny: "The current century is the 26th. One Million Mark Zero, 
requesting payment for good continue."

Buck: "You're not Jenny." Buck is now showing that he's beginning to be 
stricken with sadness. Cont: "You want payment for "good continue," good 
continue of a lie. [ beat ] This lie, I don't want to live a lie. I'm 
not going to pay you for it. [ beat ] All I want is water." He coughs a 
little at the end of that last line.

Jenny: "No payment yet?"

Buck: "All I ask of you is to tell me where I can find some water. I 
don't want this lie you have me in right now."

Jenny: "No payment yet?"

Buck: "I'm not going to pay you for something I never asked for!"

Jenny changes into being Ardala. Ardala: "This is what you wanted. From 
deep within, this is what you wanted. I gave you what you wanted. One 
Million Mark Zero, requesting payment for good continue."

Buck has the look of sadness mixed with shock on his face at seeing 
Ardala replace Jenny. Buck: "Leave me alone! Take me out of this fantasy 
you've for made me!"

Ardala: "Captain William Buck Rogers, you are a traitor to your country. 
You must be put to death."

Buck: "What!?"

Ardala: "You are a traitor to your country on the accounts of sabotaging 
the U.S.S. Redstone, selling military art craft design plans to enemy 
nations, and fixing the 2000 presidential election. You must be put to 
death for your crimes against your country."

Buck: "I've done no such things! Where are you getting those ideas!?"

Ardala: "Unwanted good continue."

Buck: "All I asked." He coughs, Cont: "I only asked water of you! This 
cannot be real. You can't kill me."

Ardala suddenly is in front of Buck.

She knocks him across the jaw.

Buck: "This isn't happening. All of this, must somehow be in my mind." 
He says this rubbing his jaw.

Ardala: "Unwanted good continue. You must be put to death for your 
crimes." Buck is backing away from, Ardala.

Buck: "S-stay away from me; ow." He rubs his forehead. Cont: "And stop 
this putting me to death bit. I've haven't done anything and you know 
that."

Ardala: "One Million Mark Zero, requesting payment for good continue."

Buck: "That's it, I'm out of here." And with that said, he quickly 
leaves the cabin.

int: Rockyshark / hallway:

Crewman two is walking down it towards Buck.

Crewman at seeing Buck, Crewman two: "One Million Mark Zero, requesting 
payment for good continue."

Buck: "No, not you too?"

Crewman two: "One Million Mark Zero, all seen here, you. Payment for 
good continue?"

Buck is running away from Crewman two now. Buck: "No no, there's got to 
be some way you don't control all of this. Some way out of this."

As Buck is leaving the camera's sight, Crewman two: "No good continue, 
death imminent."

Cut to:

Various shots of Buck running through the Rockyshark. In these shots, 
some are focused on him while others on various crewmembers. When 
crewmembers are shown, in a death-toned voice, they say: "Death 
imminent."

Cut to:

Buck running into a room, and slamming the door behind him. Various crew 
come up on the door once he's shut it.

Cut to: 

int: Closet:

This room is used for storage and has a second door to it, on its other 
end.

Buck is in a panic mixed with sadness, holding his forehead with a look 
of pain. 

He moves for the other door, only to find people are trying to get in.

He tries to hold back the door but isn't doing too well. As this happens 
the door he came through busts open, and in walks Toby and other 
crewmen. Toby: "Death imminent, One Million Mark Zero, requesting 
payment for good continue."

The crewmen enter from the other door.

Buck with a look of panic and fear, raises a gun towards Toby.

Crewman three, behind Toby, Crewman three: "Unwanted good continue?"

Buck: "Leave me alone!" Buck coughs some.

Toby: "All seen here, you. Weapon cannot harm, all seen here, you."

Buck is in frozen fear.

Toby comes more towards him, not fearing the gun.

Cut camera close in on Toby. Toby: "You cannot harm me, all seen here, 
you. Weapon."

Cut to pull camera back to see. The crewmen who entered from the back 
door take hold of the frightened Buck.

Cut to:

int: Defense Directorate / Hallway:

Wilma is walking through it like she's looking for something. Note in 
this scene all we can hear is her footsteps.

A beat later she's come to the door that leads to the fight hangar. 
Noise can be heard coming from its unseen side. It sounds like a strong 
wind coming out in a strange odd puffing, accompanied with a loud 
machine hum.

She enters the door.

Cut to:

int: Fight Hangar:

From the left top corner of the ceiling, from the right top corner of 
the ceiling, and from the floor and ceiling, in the middle on the room 
the beams with which a Star-port generates the opening to a micro-par 
stream are there. The light from this flickers around the room 
strangely. In front of the opening to the stream, a mass of people and 
aliens, the whole of the Directorate but Buck and Janet are all moving 
towards the opening; once at it, disappearing into it.

Wilma stands at the doorway in open mouth shock, looking at this scene.

Huer walks from out of the crowd towards Wilma.

Once he's at Wilma, Huer: "Unwanted good continue?" The crowd stops 
moving and turns to look at the two.

Wilma: "What's going on here?"

Huer: "We're all leaving you. One Million Mark Zero, requesting payment 
for good continue." The crowd begins to move again towards the opening 
to the stream.

Wilma: "I don't care if all of you leave me. I'd rather live in a flawed 
reality, than a fruitless fantasy."

Huer: "Unwanted good continue." And with that said he returns to the 
mass of people moving into the opening of the micro-par stream.

POV opening to the stream: Just as someone gets right up to it, they then
flatten out into a 2D image and get sucked in.

Cut camera to just on Wilma who is staring outwards at the event. This 
goes on for a beat. Then ...

Wide shot of the flight hangar. She's alone now with the opening to the 
stream still present, dancing its wild light across the large room.

Wilma heads back for the door.

Just as she approaches it, the beams that are used to create the opening 
to the stream detach from their walls and move towards the stream 
opening. As this happens the opening becomes smaller and smaller, right 
down to the size of a fist.

Side view flight hangar; the opening to the stream now looks like a ball 
of light with prism colors electrically moving about it.

This happens quickly; it changes shape moving towards Wilma, from the 
ball into a javelin.

Cut camera view to in front of Wilma as the javelin spears right through 
her, catching her in shock, to less than a moment later causing her to 
disappear.

Cut to:

int: Janet's Home:

The boy we saw earlier has now grown up some. He now looks about 16 or 
17 years of age. He's just come up a flight of steps, and is looking 
around himself. Also he's carrying a firearm very openly. Note now his 
lines will start with Teenager instead of Kid.

Teenager: "Unwanted good continue?"

Cut to:

int: Closet:

It's dimly lit, but we can see Janet in it crying.

End of Act three:

Beginning of Act Four: 

ext: Top Deck / Rockyshark:

Close in on Buck's face, as he stares down at the camera, looking 
melancholy and in pain.

Cut camera back and to a side view. Buck is standing on a plank sticking 
off the ship. He no longer has his gun, Toby is holding it now. And it's 
pointed at Buck's back. The whole of the Rockyshark crew stands behind 
Toby, watching. Toby: "You are a traitor to your country. Unwanted good 
continue, death imminent."

Cut camera to above Buck; we see what he's looking down at. Its surface 
wavers like water, it looks like that surface. But just below that it's 
outer space, doted with countless stars. In the center of this nighttime 
ocean are four Z-87s near its surface, circling around like sharks, once 
in a while firing outwards from themselves but never hitting each other.

Camera on Buck; Buck: "Wolves instead of sharks, cute." He coughs, Cont: 
"These images must all be in my head. There's no way all of this can be 
real."

Toby: "Unwanted good continue? Your death is imminent."

Buck: "It's a robot, a machine, somehow putting all of these images in 
my brain." Buck has a look of realization hit his face. Cont: 
"Information transmitters! That must be what's doing this! But I don't 
feel any -" He coughs some more, feeling his forehead. Cont: "They must 
be in the air some how! That's where my headache has been coming from! 
What's been causing me to cough!"

Buck looks back at Toby, who is giving an inquisitive stare of 
impatience.

Buck: "Sayonara." And with that having been said, he salutes Toby, then 
turns back to the awaiting ocean of stars and performs what looks like a 
well-practiced dive off the plank.

Cut to:

ext: Desert:

It's nighttime, but it's a full moon, so there's still some good 
lighting to the scene. Wilma stands in this place that's near barren; 
the only objects that dot this are things that look like thick-vined 
plants. Some mountains can be seen off on the distance horizon. The sky 
is nearly cloudless. 

After this look-about she does, Wilma starts heading for the mountains.

Cut camera close to the ground on one of the plant-things. Some of its 
vines have started to move about in a snake-like manner.

Cut camera back to Wilma; so we can't see the lower halves of her legs, 
but still the rest of her. After a couple of beats of this. 

Snap, she falls down in total shock.

Cut camera to full view of the scene now. She's sitting on the ground, 
looking now in fierce anger at a grouping of these vines, which have 
entangled themselves around one of her ankles. She's having a tug-o-war 
fight with the creature.

V.O. Buck: "Wilma, it's not real!"

Wilma: "I know that, Buck! I just wish I knew how to get out of it! 
Where are you?"

V.O. Buck: "I'm right beside you."

Wilma breaks her gaze and looks around herself for Buck. Wilma: "I can't 
see you. All I can see is a fantasy." She coughs, Cont: "Something, 
something has a hold on my leg in it! I can't get it off!"

Cut to:

ext: The Crash Site:

Buck is crouching beside Wilma. This scene is taking place where their 
Z-87s landed. Note that Janet's Z-87 looks only in half the bad shape it 
was earlier on its underside.

Buck : "Take this. Shoot it loose from you." Buck puts his firearm in 
one of Wilma's hands.

Cut to:

ext: Desert:

Wilma with a look of wonder on her face with one hand feels the other 
hand, which is holding the pistol, she feels and then finds the trigger. 
Note she can't see the gun.

Pointing the invisible gun outwards, she fires at her ankle.

The vines are hit, and she shouts in pain, closing her eyes.

Cut camera close to Wilma's face. Wilma: "Buck, I-I shot my ankle."

Cut to:

ext: The Crash Site:

Wide shot of where Wilma and Buck are.

Buck: "It's not on your ankle, Wilma."

Wilma turns to Buck giving him a dirty look. Cont: "How else was I to 
put it through to you how to break the fantasy."

After a beat, Wilma: "- Did you ever find water?"

Buck: "No." Beat, Cont: "Where's Janet?"

Wilma tries to get up, but finds she can't.

Buck: "You stay here, I'll look for her. [ beat ] Your pistol, can I 
borrow it from you?" 

Wilma: "What for?"

Buck: "One Million Mark Zero."

Wilma smiles and hands the gun to him. Wilma: "Be my guest. Unwanted 
good continue."

Buck at this gets up and walks away from her. Buck: "That wasn't funny, 
Wilma."

He walks off camera then after a beat of not being seen.

Cut to:

ext: Otie Nine / elsewhere:

The camera is behind Buck. As we see him looking at One Million, leaning 
over Janet who is sobbing.

Buck: "Stop tormenting her!"

One Million turns to Buck. One Million: "One Million Mark Zero, what do 
you need?"

Buck is so enraged that he can't talk.

One Million: "Unwanted good continue. Her death is imminent."

Buck fires at it, shooting at it multiple times. One Million shutters 
wildly at this before collapsing to the ground.

Cut camera close to Janet, whose eyes widen.

Buck: "I think we should get out of here quick. That robot, One Million 
Mark Zero was controlling some kind -." Buck coughs, Cont: "Some kind, 
some form of metallic substance that's in the air that acted as 
information transmitters. [ beat ] That's what's been making us cough, 
giving us headaches."

Pull camera back; Janet gets up from where she's been sitting. Janet: 
"I-I've been doing some coughing. But I haven't had any headaches."

Buck: "Lucky me then."

Janet walks over to Buck. Janet: "Did you find any water?"

Buck: "No, and due to the situation we're in, I don't think we should 
stick around more to locate some."

Janet: "Then what do you suggest is done?"

Buck: "You know you could say thank you for saving you from One Million 
Mark Zero's idea of a good time." And with having said that last 
sentence, Buck turns to point at the broken machine.

Cut camera into close up on the wrecked robot. It's leaking gasoline.

Cut camera back to Buck and Janet. Buck is smiling. Buck: "Came a 
bubbling crude."

Buck goes over to the wrecked robot. Janet: "That substance coming out 
of that ambuquad, what is it? And why are you smiling over it?" She 
coughs a little after that line.

Buck is fishing up the gas in a broken off large piece of One Million's 
shell. Buck: "Oil that is, Janet. This might just fix our little water 
problem."

Cut to:

ext: The Crash Site:

Wilma is on the ground one leg fully resting on the ground. The injured 
ankle she has up in the air. She's finishing working on Janet's ship, 
and without turning back to see who's coming.

Wilma: "Buck, Janet? Buck, did you find her?"

Janet: "He found me, and destroyed that blasted machine that was turning 
our ideas of reality inside out."

Wilma: "I swear even if there's not much choice in the matter I'm never 
coming back here again. Janet, did you find any water?"

Janet: "No, but Buck."

Buck: "Wilma, can Z-87s take Texas-T?"

Wilma turns away from the Z-87 she's been working on. Wilma: "What? What 
are you talking about?"

Buck: "Gasoline, Wilma. Used to power many things in my day. Do you 
think you could set up her ship to take it instead of water?"

Wilma: "Well the Z-87s if need be can run on other fuels, but it isn't 
recommended." Wilma does some coughing after that line.

Buck: "It's a very combustible fuel, I think I should warn you about 
that."

Wilma: "I'll try my best." She says looking at the pool of gasoline 
Buck's holding.

Janet: "Wilma, in repairing the ship, did you come across what caused 
the magnetic grips to fail?"

Wilma: "I don't know, but my only guess is some kind of pollutant in the 
atmosphere."

Buck and Janet look at each other. Wilma: "What is it?"

Buck clears his throat. Buck: "Information transmitters. [ beat ] There 
might be others like One Million Mark Zero on this planet. If there are 
-"

Wilma takes the shell filled with gasoline from Buck and looks at it.

Cut to:

ext: Outer space:

The trio of ships has just left the atmosphere of Otie Nine, and they're 
all headed off for the Niagara and the rest of the troop, barely seen 
off in the distance.

Cut to:

ext: Otie Nine:

Two robots that look like One Million stand before each other, one 
looking in its own way inquisitive of the other.

Inquisitive Bot: "One Million Mark One, One Million Mark Zero is no 
more."

Mark One: "An unwanted continue."

End Of Act Four.

The End. 

Roll Credits.