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(There's obviously no way the formatting is going to come out right for the dialogue, but I'm sure it'll be readable.)
FADE UP
EXT. DOWNS PALACE POLITICAL UNIT, NEAR FLANDERS BORDER-- NIGHT
Most of our view is the sky, which is star-filled but more bluish-red than black at the horizon. Beneath the horizon is bizarre, thick jungle-like vegetation, illuminated in an eerie manner mostly by Phobos, with Deimos a bright star- like speck.
SUPER: "Shortly after the Martian terraforming project was declared a global success, the colonial government dissolved and the planet splintered into hundreds of cooperating autonomous political units."
BOOM!
The creepy quiet is disrupted by a flash of light and SOUND.
Continue SUPER: "Now a great threat to many civilizations has risen from the South as a shaky Confederacy of Knights and Lords has been formed around a powerful insane regent known as Stroker. Mars is on the verge of a Global War as an Alliance of many independents has formed to fend off any advances by the Confederation."
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Continue SUPER: "In the days before the Great Conflict, it is the Unaffiliated Lands which lie between the two raging giants where the most copious activity will occur..."
More EXPLOSIONS of SOUND and light.
A personal airship, half the size of a modern jet fighter and somewhat more internally spacious than a full-size modern R/V, tears into view.
It moves hundreds of miles an hour toward the horizon in a swerving fashion to avoid the gunfire that is chasing it. Both exhaust and gunfire zips from its rear.
(All airships of this type have "swivel" jet engines that can turn from horizontal to vertical for hovering purposes. The guns fire pulses, which aren't quite lasers but certainly more visually interesting than modern bullets.)
3 slightly larger airships come rapidly in succession into view, blasting away at the leading craft. None seem to have been hit yet. Despite the mounted guns, none are military craft and each have unique coloring schemes, like WWI-era biplanes.
INT. LEADING AIRSHIP--NIGHT
Two young women, both attractive stunners in their 20s, are in the cockpit, with EMERALD (the devilish green-eyed blonde) at the steering controls and AURORA (the more demure and lanky brunette) handling the rear guns.
AURORA
They’re still closing in!
EMERALD
Where the hell is who now?
AURORA
Huh?
EMERALD
Directions! Where are they?
AURORA
Oh! Uh -- uh -- Zingo's on the left, and, and -- I think
Bort's on the right and Mendo's in the middle.
EMERALD
That's good -- right where we want them. Keep Zingo out of
the middle -- blast his ass first!
Aurora turns her attention to the left on her screen and begins pumping a few rounds at Zingo’s spinning airship.
INT. ZINGO’S AIRSHIP--NIGHT
ZINGO's the intelligent type, both suave and somewhat nerdy- looking at the same time. He's concentrating much more on pursuit than blasting the ladies out of the sky.
ZINGO
(into his radio)
Come on, girls, give it up -- nobody wants you to die!
MENDO (V.O.)
(through radio)
Speak for y’self, Zingo! Dead is worth half as much as
alive, which is still a lot, and a hell of a lot less
trouble!
ZINGO
Shut up, Mendo! If you’re not going to be any help, just
don’t say anything at all!
INT. EMERALD’S SHIP--NIGHT
Aurora has been listening attentively to the conversation.
AURORA
(into radio)
I’d rather be dead than in J.D.’s clutches again.
MENDO (V.O.)
(through radio)
Come on, Zingo -- that’s the way these bitches want it.
Let’s give ‘em what they want, pilgrim!
INT. BORT’S AIRSHIP--NIGHT
BORT is much goofier and pop-eyed than the others.
BORT
You guys sound like you’re working together! What gives?
I thought this was every man for himself!
INT. MENDO'S SHIP--NIGHT
Mendo is the older, crustier, slimier, stoner of the trio and he speaks all modern Californian.
MENDO
Splitting the reward three ways is better than lettin'
these slimy bitches get away again.
Mendo gets Emerald’s ship in his sights and pulls the trigger.
INT. EMERALD’S AIRSHIP--NIGHT
Emerald and Aurora almost shake out of their seats from the explosion.
EMERALD
(into radio)
Shit! Fuck you, assholes!
(still in radio,
but to Aurora)
I’ve lost control -- I can't -- !
INT. MENDO’S AIRSHIP--NIGHT
Mendo watches with a nasty grin as Emerald’s ship goes into a spiraling nosedive.
MENDO
I’ve been waiting for this shit for a long time!
Mendo twists the controls and his ship makes a quick drop.
EXT. AIRSPACE CLOSER TO DOWN PALACE-FLANDERS BORDER--NIGHT
Bort’s and Zingo’s ships follow suit. They are both blasting away at Emerald’s dying ship. The end is inevitable.
Then suddenly Emerald’s ship reverses direction and zooms straight up beyond the hail of pulses and by her pursuers.
ZINGO (V.O.)
What the hell --
EMERALD (V.O.)
(cackling)
What’d you think of that shit, boys? Nice mindfuck, huh?
Apparently Aurora opens fire on the falling ships beneath Emerald’s ship. Bort’s ship EXPLODES into a fireball.
Somehow both Zingo and mendo manage to stop their ships’ descents, but Zingo is hit and spinning.
Emerald’s ship takes off for the border and mendo finally regains control before returning to pursuit. Zingo spins out of sight.
INT. MENDO’S AIRSHIP--NIGHT
MENDO
(into radio)
You’re going to pay for that shit -- Bort was a cool dude.
EXT. AIRSPACE OVER FLANDERS DECIDUOUS FOREST--NIGHT
mendo has righted his ship and is back in hot pursuit of Emerald's.
With every turn the girls take, mendo is right behind them, blasting away.
INT. EMERALD'S AIRSHIP--NIGHT
Emerald quickly glances back at Aurora.
EMERALD
I'm going to fly as low as I can -- if I pull up suddenly,
I bet he'll be at too steep of an angle to stop.
AURORA
Just don't go at so steep of an angle that you can't stop...
EXT. AIRSPACE OVER FLANDERS--NIGHT
Emerald's ship begins plunging toward the treetops and mendo follows suit.
MENDO (V.O.)
What are these bitches doing?
EXT. AIRSPACE OVER FLANDERS' FOREST--NIGHT
Emerald's ship is practically skirting branches, then suddenly it tries to pull up.
mendo's ship tries the same but he's going too fast.
MENDO (V.O.)
Oh, shit!
INT. EMERALD'S SHIP--NIGHT
Emerald looks back at mendo's ship as it burns through the trees. She squeals with delight.
AURORA (O.S.)
Emerald!
Emerald turns her attention back to the front window -- an extra tall tree suddenly appears in her sights.
EMERALD
I can't swerve! Eject, eject!
EXT. JUST ABOVE TREETOPS OF FLANDERS--NIGHT
Emerald's ship slams into the tree and bursts into flames...
...but two parachutes near it are floating toward the ground.
INT. A SMALL SPORTS BAR IN THE PALACE BACKWOODS--NIGHT
It's one of those wild flashy places like you'd find in trendier areas of earth's ancient LA, with a huge dance floor in the middle and people crushing against each other like sardines to the rhythm of the post-post-post-post-post- post-post-techno.
Most of the patrons are young and good-looking, dressed in expensive, flashy styles.
Barflies CHIZ (tall & blonde) & ARON (short & tan) are dressed more like "Miami Vice" rejects. They're smooth- talking PSEU ("Sue") and ALPAN, nearly identical, attractive 20-somethings.
ALPAN
(yelling to both guys)
Bounty hunters? That is like so cool!
CHIZ
Well, it's not really so much cool -- it's a lot of hard
work.
ARON
Yeah, a lot of boring work, too. I mean, in between the
dogfights and the foot chases and the gun battles and
jumping over canyons and stuff, we actually have to do a
lot of net searches and investigating and --
PSEU
So who are you guys after this week? The assassin of a
Martian leader? A bloodthirsty tyrant? An evil death row
convict escapee who butchers children in their sleep?
CHIZ
Actually, we're trying to track down the runaway wife of a
gangster and her best friend and return them to him so he
can beat them up or kill them or whatever.
PSEU & ALPAN
Huh?/What?
ARON
You gals ever heard of Jim Duckella the Fourth?
Pseu half-nods with uncertainty but Alpan shakes her head.
ARON (CONTD)
See, the Duckellas control about half of the Bowfin Forum --
drugs, alcohol, racketeering, usual gangster shit.
Anyway, Jim is like the lowest heir apparent to Jim
Duckella Jr.'s fortune, and he's a real badass. This chick
from one of their competing families -- the Borealises --
her dad forced her to marry him, to help calm down the
rivalry, you know? But she found out she couldn't stand
him, plus he's a jerk in general -- mean S-O-B. So she's
got this crazy lawyer friend -- a girl I used to know back
east named Emerald-- a real bitch, I swear -- anyway, she
finally talks some sense into Aurora's head -- that's the
name of Jim's wife -- and one day they blow up his house,
thinking he's inside it, but he ain't, and then they just
take off in an airship, like Thelma & Louise, free as
birds. They've been on the run ever since -- J.D. and
every bounty hunter on the planet is looking for 'em.
ALPAN
And you're chasing the girls? You're horrible! So many
evil people on this planet, God -- shouldn't you be going
after that bastard Jim Duckella the Fourth?
CHIZ
Nobody's offered a ten million dollar bounty for his head!
PSEU
(jumping straight up)
Ten million dollars!
(grabs Alpan's arm)
Come on, Alpan -- let's go find those bitches!
As the two young women dash through the crowd toward the door:
ARON
Hey girls, where you going?
CHIZ
Yeah, you're going to get yourselves hurt! Emerald's
dangerous as hell!
Chiz shakes his head as he watches the two women disappear into the crowd. Aron uses his finger as a gun and shoots himself.
ARON
Hell, they'll never find 'em anyway. We're seasoned
professionals and can't find 'em.
CHIZ
True that. Hey -- let's head over to Dizzy's Bar in
Theodoric -- it's wet T-shirt night, man!
ARON
Right behind you --
There's a BEEP just loud enough to get their attention.
ARON
(reaching for cell)
You expecting a call?
CHIZ
Hey, I'm Chiz! I'm always expecting a call! Just tell me
which babe it is!
ARON
(screaming into phone)
Hello?
INT. MENDO'S AIRSHIP IN THE FLANDERS FORUM--NIGHT
mendo lies in the wreckage of his ship, bleeding heavily, with just enough energy to keep his head up.
MENDO
(into headset)
...dude... it's mendo...
INT. SPORTS BAR--NIGHT
Upon hearing the name, both Chiz and Aron appear stunned and annoyed.
ARON
mendo? You're kidding me! What the hell are you doing
callin' us, you sorry son-of-a-bitch?
MENDO (V.O.)
(weakly, filtered)
Dude... I found Emerald...
ARON
So what? You called to brag? Well, let me tell you
something, you pot-smoking, potheaded --
MENDO (V.O.)
I called to tell you where she is so you can come get the
little pretty. And that little dog of hers, too.
Aron blinks -- he can't believe what he's hearing.
ARON
Yeah? What the hell would you do that for? It's not like
we're going to give you a "finder's fee" or whatever! I
bet this is another one of your "tricks" --
INT. MENDO'S AIRSHIP--NIGHT
mendo tries to move his broken bones and grimaces from the action.
MENDO
No, man... I'm dying. Ship went down -- whole thing's on
fire... my legs... pretty much gone... I think my brain's
swelling... got a big hole right where my heart should be,
dude...
ARON (V.O.)
Yeah? Well, yah called the wrong guys if you were looking
for sympathy or help --
MENDO
I just... want to make sure that bitch gets hers... I'm so
fucking sick of her... I'm going straight to hell... just
because I hate her so much... I refuse to repent... you
guys just get her, 'K?
INT. SPORTS BAR--NIGHT
Aron is still listening to mendo while Chiz allows himself to be distracted by a couple of female admirers.
MENDO (V.O., CONTD)
...that's the only comfort I'll get to have in hell, man...
knowing that somebody got that bitch... don't let me down,
man... don't let me down...
ARON
Okay, okay. Where is she?
MENDO (V.O.)
Both of our ships went down near the Downs Palace-Flanders
border... If they survived the crash... I know they did...
can smell it... they couldn't have gone too far if they
did... Just track my ship... start downloadin', dude...
ARON
(punching buttons)
All right -- we're on our way. Are you sure you're dying
though? If this info is legit, I'll send you some help --
MENDO (V.O.)
I think I've been dead for a couple minutes. It's amazing
how hatred can inspire so much life in you, ain't it?
ARON
Yeah...
The tone goes dead. Aron looks over at Chiz, who is grinding between two of the women. Aron interrupts.
ARON (CONTD)
Well, if nothing else, Mendo is out of our hair. Come on,
man, we gotta go!
CHIZ
And I was just about to groove, too!
Chiz blows the girls kisses before both guys plow their way through toward the door.
A mysteriously dressed man who had been sitting near the bounty hunter duo at the bar rises from his seat and lifts the brim of his hat so we can see his face.
It's XAVIER YANCEY ZAHN... a.k.a. xyz. He's about the same age, mid-20s, as Aron and Chiz, and between the two in size and attractiveness. He quietly follows them out the door.
INT. ARON'S AIRSHIP, TRAVELING UNDER REDDISH SKY--NIGHT
Chiz is steering while Aron reads a magazine from a screen.
ARON
So I never asked you what you were going to do with your
cut. Five million -- shit, that's enough to retire. It's
even enough to buy that harem you always wanted.
CHIZ
I don't think you can buy a harem with five million. At
least not one with hot, healthy members.
ARON
Why not?
CHIZ
Think about it this way: Any decent looking woman with
half a brain could probably figure out a way to earn fifty
K a year.
ARON
I guess that's true.
CHIZ
So being in a harem is like a twenty-four hour a day, seven
day a week job, more or less. So that's four times a
regular work week.
ARON
I see where you're heading, bro...
CHIZ
So you'd probably have to pay each member of your harem two
hundred grand a year just to keep her happy and in line,
with slavery being outlawed on this planet and all.
ARON
Right, right -- so you're thinking that you could only hire
twenty-five women for your harem -- and then only for a
year before all your money ran out.
CHIZ
Yeah. And that's a pretty small "harem" at that. I can
get bored of twenty-five women in three weeks, much less a
year.
ARON
True that. But your reasoning's kinda fucked up.
CHIZ
Why do you say that?
ARON
For one thing, you'd be providing free room and board, so
you gotta take that out of the two-hundred thousand. And
they'd all be living in the same place, so really you're
buying everything like food in bulk amounts, which saves
you money.
CHIZ
You got a point.
ARON
Plus, there's no way every woman can actually be "working"
for you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. And
even if she was, she'd have no time to spend her two
hundred G's, would she? Think about it -- back when you
worked for an hourly wage, how often did you have a chance
to spend your money while you were at work?
CHIZ
Hardly ever.
ARON
So why should you be paying any of these women to go
shopping or hang out at coffee shops with friends?
CHIZ
Yeah, can't argue with that. But if I put them on a
schedule, that would kill some of spontaneity of the whole
thing --
ARON
Not a real schedule, man -- just like a part-time job
schedule where you can page them and have them come into
work if they're not doing anything. You have a schedule
set up so every girl works about the same hours a week and
there's always a few of them around -- and they all live in
the house with you anyway, so it shouldn't be all that hard
to find a couple of them.
CHIZ
Not bad. And because they're not really working twenty-
four/seven, I probably wouldn't have to pay them much more
than a good salary, like fifty K. Still though, you factor
in all the food and housing and insurance and birth control
and shit... five million wouldn't last long with a harem of
any real size.
ARON
Yeah, I guess that's true any way you look at it. Fuck the
harem -- being playboys is almost as good and a hell of a
lot cheaper!
CHIZ
Damn straight. Hell, for it to be a real harem, you gotta
marry all of 'em anyway -- and marriage is just a big hole
on the side of a man's ship.
ARON
One hole is bad enough -- who the hell needs a hundred?
You'll be bailing til' you drown.
CHIZ
Fuck love, fuck marriage. I'm a ladies' man, not a babies
man.
ARON
That's what I'm talkin' about.
They high five one another as the airship moves toward the menacing Confederate border between Downs Palace and Flanders.
CHIZ
Man, who thought it would have been so much trouble for a
rich man to put together a harem? It looked so easy in the
earth history books. Just klunk the girls on the head and
drag 'em by the hair back into to cave!
ARON
That's Mars for ya. It complicates everything.
EXT. BORDER CHECKPOINT--DAY
Chiz steers them toward the checkpoint where dozens of heavily armed Confederate Troll guards are mulling around.
INT. CHIZ AND ARON'S AIRSHIP--DAY
The ship comes to a hovering stop just above the ground and a BORDER GUARD appears on the main airship communications screen.
Aron clicks a couple of buttons and the screen indicates that it's "Uploading Bounty Hunter Verification." The border guard appears to be reading the information. He looks at the camera.
BORDER GUARD
You bounty hunters better not cause any trouble. If it
were up to me, I wouldn't let you in here at all. Just
don't forget to pay the Confederate tax on the way out.
CHIZ
Don't worry about us -- we'll be on our way as soon as
possible.
The ship takes off for the Flanders interior.
EXT. DENSE JUNGLE LAND IN FLANDERS--DAY
Emerald and Aurora are running through the undergrowth, carrying only a couple pieces of light luggage and using machetes to cut their way forward.
AURORA
Do you have any idea where we are?
EMERALD
I have this sick feeling we're somewhere in the
Confederacy --
AURORA
Oh, Jesus. We are so fucked.
EMERALD
Maybe, but we're far better off than we were at that
schmuck's place. Come on -- we'll be fine.
They start cutting again, and stumble into a clearing.
INT. ARON'S AIRSHIP--DAY
Chiz and Aron are both searching the vegetation below as the airship quietly glides along in partial hover mode.
They're approaching a tremendous old building, one that looks like a several story tall factory with no windows but many smokestacks that jut out of the jungle tops.
CHIZ
When the hell are they going to get rid of all of these
carbonate burners? The atmosphere has been stable since
before we were born -- it's not going anywhere. These
things are just big eyesores.
ARON
I don't know -- they're sort of nostalgic and historic,
don't you think? Some of them are a couple hundred years
old.
CHIZ
Just because something's really old doesn't make it worth
shit. If I found a two hundred-year-old piece of shit in
my backyard, would it be worth shit?
ARON
What? Maybe you better put it on autopilot for a minute,
man. You sound crazy.
CHIZ
Naw, just give me another shot of caffeine -- I'll be fine.
And with that Aron hands Chiz a hypodermic needle gun, which Chiz quickly shoots into his arm. Suddenly he looks brighter.
CHIZ (CONTD)
That's the shit!
They pass by the burner and see the smoldering wreckage of an airship lying in dense jungle ahead. Aron looks down at the map monitor, which has two blinking lights near each other.
ARON
Well, that appears to be mendo.
CHIZ
Wanna check it out?
ARON
Nah. If he says he's dead, he's dead. Aurora and Em
already have a heck of a head start -- we better just go
right to looking for them.
The ship drifts toward the miles of dense jungle before them. CHIZ Damn, where do we start? It's like looking for a needle in a haystack, man. They could be anywhere out there under all that --
Suddenly two female figures scurry into their view in the clearing just beneath them. They look up at the airship and Aron and Chiz look down. All four nearly choke on their own saliva.
ARON
Son-of-a-bitch!
EXT. THE CLEARING--DAY
Emerald and Aurora are staring at the ship with much curiosity.
EMERALD
What the fuck --
AURORA
It doesn't have any Confederate markings -- maybe they've
come to rescue us!
Right at that moment Emerald sees through the tinted glass and makes eye contact with Chiz, then Aron.
EMERALD
Shit! Come on, we've got to run!
They take off for the next patch of forest. The airship makes a quick turn and zooms after them from dozens of feet above.
INT. ARON'S AIRSHIP--DAY
CHIZ
Can you believe this shit? Hey -- hey -- should we try to
stay over them until they run out of energy?
ARON
The vegetation is too thick! We'll lose them for sure!
CHIZ
It'll take us forever to find a good place to land this
thing -- by then they'll be way ahead of us!
Aron looks around beneath them and thinks about the situation.
ARON
I've got an idea!
EXT. THE RAIN FOREST--DAY
Emerald and Aurora scramble through the vines and briars, tearing their beautiful skin to pieces in an attempt to save their hide.
Suddenly Emerald stops running and Aurora slams straight into her. The airship has flown over them. Without a word, they both lurch in another direction.
EXT. THE RAIN FOREST--DAY
The airship is hovering and Aron (wearing a backpack) is hanging from the end of a fifty-foot long rope attached to it. He waits until he is almost on top of one of the trees and lets go.
He tumbles through branch after branch until he manages to grab one, then begins climbing the rest of the way down until he can safely leap to the forest floor. He looks and listens for a second, then takes off running.
EXT. THE RAIN FOREST/AURORA AND EMERALD--DAY
Aurora and Emerald huff and puff up a small hill, then Emerald takes a second to look around while Aurora catches her breath.
AURORA
Maybe we should split up -- they can't track us both. They
want me a lot more than they want you.
EMERALD
Fuck that. You're just money to them. With me, it's
personal! They'd probably take the lower reward for me,
just for the satisfaction of killing me! They want you
alive --
AURORA
I'd rather be dead than in Jim Duckella IV's arms again!
EMERALD
I know, I know! Come on --
Suddenly they hear a rustle in the underbrush behind them.
Emerald yanks a gun from her holster and spins around.
A cute wildcat of some type steps out, and Emerald sighs and starts to lower the gun.
The wildcat EXPLODES.
Emerald whirls around and FIRES at Aron, who's holding a rifle about a hundred yards away.
Aron ducks, which gives Emerald and Aurora just enough time to start running again.
Emerald FIRES behind her a couple of times and Aron FIRES back as he gives chase.
The girls come upon a somewhat narrow but deep, violent ravine. If this was earth, the girls would be screwed -- that's almost twenty meters across.
But Emerald starts running and takes a Martian leap across it. She motions for Aurora to follow her while she FIRES a few more blasts at Aron to keep him at bay.
Aurora takes a Martian jump as well, but her foot hits the ledge of the other side and she starts to slip down into the ditch. Emerald finds herself in the odd predicament of trying to pull her friend up with one hand and shooting at Aron with the other.
Aurora finally regains her footing and scrambles to the other side just as a pulse lights up the area she had just been on.
The two girls race down a trail while Aron starts to leap over the ravine, then he changes his mind at the last second when he notices the raging river below is flowing in the direction the girls were moving in.
He quickly takes off his backpack, opens it and pulls out a package with a cord on it. He yanks the cord and the package rapidly inflates into a small rubber raft.
He closes his pack and puts it back onto his back. Then he puts the rifle over his shoulder, grabs the raft appropriately, takes a deep breath and...
...runs toward the ravine and does a half leap so that he ends up plunging dozens of feet below with the raft beneath him.
He lands in the river with a huge splash but his hands stay on the raft, so he never goes under. He's inside it and allows the strong current to take him downstream with the huge rapids.
EXT. THE RAIN FOREST/AURORA AND EMERALD--DAY
The ground beneath their feet is turning to marsh and the girls' progress is slowed immensely as they trudge through the red muck. Aurora stops for a second to pant and looks behind her.
AURORA
I think he's gone!
EMERALD
Come on! We can't stop running!
They stumble through some undergrowth and hack their way forward. They spend a few seconds attempting to cut through some particularly thick weeds that block out their view.
Finally they break through and trip into the open: the bottom lands of the much wider and even more violent river.
They don't even have time to debate about how they're going to cross it.
Aron is standing up (rather uneasily) on the raft as it comes from around a river bend a few dozen yards away. He's aiming his gun at them.
A blast rips right between the two girls and lights up the weeds behind them.
The girls turn to run down the shoreline.
Aron loses his balance and plops onto a large rock in the middle of the river.
Emerald is leading Aurora up a steep river bank just as Aron wobbly climbs onto the same shore. He's staggering around, unable to regain his bearings, much less fire the gun.
Emerald and Aurora are well on their way to escape. They reach the top of the treeless riverside hill and are finally able to see over the summit.
And suddenly a strong wind blows them backwards a bit.
Hovering right next to the hill is Aron's and Chiz's airship. Chiz is perched in the open door, his rifle aimed straight at Emerald.
She gasps.
He pulls the trigger.
BLAM!
She's knocked backwards and falls to the ground.
Aurora screams. The gun turns toward her.
Chiz hesitates as their eyes meet through the scope.
Aurora breaks from the trance and starts to run.
BLAM!
She falls helplessly to the ground.
The girls lie side by side a few feet away from the airship but no blood pours from any wounds.
A couple seconds later Aron drags his drenched body into Chiz's sight. He blinks a few times at the girls.
ARON
Stun mode?
Chiz nods.
Aron flops onto the ground.
EXT. DARK HOLLOW FORUM/ALLIANCE CAPITAL--DAY
The Alliance Capital is not unlike a futuristic New York City, a huge metropolis with many housing subdivisions and towering skyscrapers. We look at it from above, on what seems like just another quiet, busy day.
Then dozens of Confederate military airships begin to appear on the horizon.
Within seconds they're launching thousands of missiles and bombs, destroying huge chunks of the city as anti-aircraft guns fire back and the Alliance air base struggles to get ships into the air.
The sky lights up with a tremendous air battle but will quickly darken with ash, smoke and soot.
EXT. COLLEGE BOYZ HEADQUARTERS IN THE BOWFIN FORUM--DAY
Several College Boyz gang members (all black) watch with some trepidation as a Confederate airship approaches for a hover landing near their "hip hop" automobiles and airships.
One of the College Boyz, ROZ, runs inside the large isolated warehouse that serves as the College Boyz headquarters.
INT. COLLEGE BOYZ HEADQUARTERS/PCB'S OFFICE--DAY
Roz runs into the office of the College Boyz leader, known by his initials PCB, who is basically a 30-something white guy who thinks he's black, the Vanilla Ice of the future.
ROZ
Looks like that bunny mofo is here.
PCB nods his head as if he understands, then rises to follow.
INT. COLLEGE BOYZ HEADQUARTERS/LOBBY--DAY
PCB, flanked by an army of ghetto-wearing College Boyz, enters the lobby almost at the same time as JETLAGOMORPH enters the building. A really cool-looking black male in his thirties, Jetlagomorph doesn't need any bodyguards.
PCB
If it ain't Jetlagomorph. To what do I owe this honor?
JETLAGOMORPH
You tellin' me you backwoods basement dwellers haven't
heard?
PCB
(laughing)
You mean about this silly war nonsense? Surely Stroker
plans to continue honoring our agreement.
JETLAGOMORPH
It's not that simple. The war has just begun and already
we're facing an energy crisis. We want this forum and all
of its hydrogen goodies.
PCB
Why of course. I'll hand my half of it right over to you.
JETLAGOMORPH
Idiot. I hope you're well aware that we could have
obliterated your ragtag army of "brothers" at any point.
Fighting the Alliance and possibly Earth have been much
more pressing issues. We can't spare the energy or the
manpower. But we can spare the money. We'll give you a
billion for everything.
PCB
(laughing hysterically)
A billion? That's the best the Jetdaddy can offer me?
Nigga, please. I know how many trillions Lord Stroker is
sitting on.
JETLAGOMORPH
And we know what kinds of problems you're sitting on. An
uneasy truce with the Duckellas and a renegade sheriff who
goes with the highest bid instead of the law. This is a
fucked up forum, man. We're not interested in dealing with
such shit. You get the Duckellas' half and we can talk
about increasing that first digit in our offer.
PCB
Get the Duckellas' half? What the hell do you think I've
been trying to do the past ten years?
JETLAGOMORPH
I don't give a fuck. Not a single fuck. The only thing I
can assure you is that the Confederate Army is now far too
busy to continue protecting shit that isn't ours, so you're
on your own --
PCB
But we had a deal!
JETLAGOMORPH
Not a single fuck. The new deal is this: after the
Alliance falls, we beat the living shit out of you and the
Duckellas if you don't come to some sort of agreement with
us before this war is over.
PCB
But -- but --
JETLAGOMORPH
Until then, we do not give a single fuck what happens to
you.
PCB
This ain't right, cuz -- I thought we was friends.
JETLAGOMORPH
We are. That's why I didn't blow your brains out the
second I walked through the door.
PCB's nose twitches, but that's about all the fear he shows.
INT. ARON & CHIZ'S AIRSHIP (MOVING) NEAR FLANDERS BORDER-- DUSK
Aron is holding an icepack to his head as he sits in the copilot's seat beside Chiz, who is at the controls. Aurora and Emerald, both appearing very groggy, are tied up and gagged in the seats a few feet behind the front ones.
Emerald suddenly becomes very alive and begins struggling to break free with a lot of groans.
Aron finally turns around and looks at her.
ARON
Just settle down back there. Quit wasting your energy.
There's so little of it to spare on this planet.
She gives him an extremely sinister look but does stop struggling some.
ARON (CONTD)
By the way, it's nice to see ya again. How have you been?
How's this lawyer thing working out for ya?
Emerald growls as best as she can.
ARON (CONTD)
I said you couldn't hack that bounty hunter training --
knew you'd find some way to pussy out.
Emerald appears to be biting through her gag.
ARON (CONTD)
(laughing)
Looks like you ended up part of the bounty hunter saga
after all. Just on the wrong fuckin' end.
(to Chiz)
Who knew when we were chasing her ass in those classes that
it would come to this?
CHIZ
Crazy, man. Crazy.
He glances behind him -- not at Emerald, but at Aurora. She looks at him for a second, then away with resignation.
ARON
(to Emerald)
Well, Auntie Em, guess you'll be a little bit more careful
about what clients you take on from now on, huh? What the
hell were you thinking? Getting involved in all this
Martian gangster shit. What, you got the lesbian hots for
Aurora or something?
Both Aron and Chiz crack up.
CHIZ
Yeah, I'd pay good money to see that. Too bad we have to
turn them in or we could add 'em to our harem, huh?
They both laugh again while the women appear increasingly annoyed as the ship approaches a border checkpoint.
CHIZ (CONTD)
What the hell is this?
Aron turns away from the women and back to the front window.
EXT. FLANDERS BORDER--DUSK
Things seem much busier than when they stopped at the checkpoint before. Hundreds of actual infantry soldiers are all over the place, complete with heavy armor.
INT. CHIZ AND ARON'S SHIP--DUSK
The Border Guard appears on the communications monitor again.
BORDER GUARD
Civilians are no longer allowed to enter or leave the Forum.
CHIZ
What the hell are you talking about? We're bounty hunters -
-
BORDER GUARD
I realize that, but the Confederacy is now officially in a
state of war with the Alliance --
ARON
Holy shit. As of when?
BORDER GUARD
The word came shortly after you passed through here this
morning.
CHIZ
Aw, come on, man -- you know we're just bounty hunters.
You checked us in yourself.
ARON
We're not even taking them to an Alliance Forum -- Bowfin,
man! See
(punches keys)
Bowfin! It's independent!
BORDER GUARD
That's just the way it is. No one may enter or leave the
Forum until the state of emergency has passed.
ARON
Man, how long's that going to last?
BORDER GUARD
It's a full scale war. I have no idea. It could take
weeks or months for the Emperor to rescind the order. Just
check into a hotel and ride it out. We have facilities
that will hold your prizes -- there is no chance they will
escape.
EXT. UNSWAGGER CONCENTRATION CAMP, FLANDERS FORUM--DUSK
Aurora and Emerald (still bound and gagged) stand next to one another and between Aron and Chiz (who are both armed) as they all watch the current activities within the concentration camp, whose circle of buildings is surrounded by electric barb wire fences and Confederate guard posts.
In the main yard, hundreds of people (no particular ethnicity or age) are being herded around by the guards.
If someone so much as drops a box, a guard will run over and shoot that person in the head for being incompetent. The living conditions are awful, with a stench so bad that Chiz is coughing.
Guards crack whips and shove persons, even little kids, forward. Aurora and Emerald begin to wilt. The UNSWAGGER GUARD standing next to them speaks:
UNSWAGGER GUARD
Don't worry, the stay at Unswagger is free -- as long as
you need.
Aron and Chiz are finally able to lift their mandibles back up to their maxillae. Chiz glances back at the women.
CHIZ
(to Aron)
You know what I'm thinking?
ARON
What's that?
CHIZ
I'm thinking that these two chicks are worth more to us
alive than dead.
ARON
That's true.
CHIZ
And if we leave them here for longer than, say, five
minutes, they just might not make it.
ARON
I can see how you might think that.
CHIZ
So perhaps the best investment for us would be to keep them
with us.
ARON
Good thinking.
Aurora and Emerald both let out muffled sighs of relief.
UNSWAGGER GUARD
Suit yourselves. Now feeding 'em is your problem.
INT. HOTEL ROOM IN FLANDERS--NIGHT
Aron lies on one bed, still nursing his head wound, while the women sit on the other bed, tied together. Chiz is at a desk.
CHIZ
That guy was right, you know. Now we've got to feed them.
And ourselves. You got any cash on ya?
ARON
A few bucks. Where's your money?
CHIZ
I spent like two hundred on drinks last night.
ARON
You crazy bastard. And what did it get you?
CHIZ
It would have gotten me some pussy if you hadn't dragged me
out here into the middle of a war.
ARON
So what are you complaining about?
(points at the girls)
You still got you some pussy!
CHIZ
You are confusing "pussy" with "David E. Kelley."
He and Aron put their money together in a pile on a bed.
CHIZ (CONTD)
Jesus, man -- is this all we've got combined? We're
supposed to survive for weeks on this? Wait -- what about
our money cards?
ARON
I tried to use them during check-in. All the banks are
screwed up because of the war. Right now, the cash we got
is what we're gonna have. Man, this shit is starting to
get on my nerves.
(a beat)
Who do you think is gonna win?
CHIZ
Probably the Confederacy. They're a bunch of badasses.
ARON
Wanna bet? I got twenty K on the Alliance. Too much
intelligence.
CHIZ
You're on. Brawn over brains any day, man.
ARON
Oh, yeah -- than why has the most powerful man in the solar
system for the past couple of centuries always been a
computer geek instead of an athlete or a soldier?
CHIZ
If it wasn't for that soldier protecting his ass, some
other guy would come along, beat him up and take all of his
money.
ARON
Okay, I can't argue with that. But I'm stickin' with the
Alliance.
The two shake.
ARON (CONTD)
I'm going to see if I can get through to the Duckellas
while you're gone -- tell 'em what we found.
Chiz looks back at the girls, chuckles, then exits the door. Aron takes out his cell phone and speaks to it.
ARON (CONTD)
Duckella residence.
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