TEASER

FADE IN

A warrior preparing a makeshift gallows. Two nooses hang beside one another from the heavy limb of a tree. The warrior prepares another noose, tests it by pulling on it then slings the rope over the limb, securing it beside the other two. He nods at two men who are standing guard over three prisoners. All three appear to be more farmers than soldiers but it is apparent from their wounds and torn clothing that they have just been in a fight. Their hands are bound behind their backs and they glance anxiously at the hanging noose.

CUT TO

Two warriors standing a distance away watching this. Their appearance is clean--they have not been fighting. Standing nervously beside them is an older man--his clothing indicates that he too is a villager. A strong looking woman warrior, Sabina, is in front of them.

SABINA:
     It's a good thing you came to your senses. Otherwise this entire village would have wound up like those three fools.

VILLAGE ELDER:
     I'm begging you to reconsider! They're just boys! Young and brash...they have families.

SABINA:
     Families? Good. Maybe the next time some peasant decides he can fight me, his own wife will beat some sense into him before he leaves the house. (looks at him and smiles coldly) It was your decision to surrender rather than stand and fight with those three. You made your choice, old man.

CUT TO

The gallows. All three men now stand atop rickety stools, the nooses tightened around their necks. All three glare without flinching at Sabina. The three soldiers guarding them take their positions behind each stool and wait for Sabina to give the order.

CUT TO

SABINA:
     Look at them, Peneios. These peasants were willing to die fighting for this worthless collection of shacks they call home rather than surrender to my army. Bravery like that is rare.

PENEIOS:
     Just a moment ago they were fools. Now you call them brave!

SABINA:
     How long have you been a soldier, Peneios?

PENEIOS:
     Three seasons or so.

SABINA:
     In time, you'll learn that more often than not, a brave man is usually someone that's just too stupid to know when it's time to save his own skin.

She raises her arm to ready the guards and pauses as if for dramatic effect. Her arm slashes down.

SABINA:
     Do it!

The three soldiers kick the stools out from under the prisoners.

VILLAGE ELDER:
     I surrendered the village. Those three boys weren't a threat to your army. You could have spared them.

SABINA:
     A girl can get a bad reputation that way. Next thing, I know every village between here and Philippi will expect me to be kind to animals and help old people across the street.

A scout rides up to Sabina and Peneios.

SABINA (turns to him):
     Report?

SCOUT:
     You were right. The militia from Parsus is heading towards the village. They're closing in on us from the west.

SABINA:
     Very clever. They're trying to block us off and force us to retreat through the mountains.

PENEIOS:
     In this heat a climb like that would be suicide! Shall I pull the men out now?

SABINA:
     No! We finish what we started here. Our little friends should know just what we think of them crashing our party. I'll take the men guarding our right flank. They won't expect us to divide our forces and meet them in the woods. (Sabina turns and mounts her horse) I'll meet you back here after I take care of these pests. Make sure you're done and ready to pull out.

PENEIOS (nods):
     We'll be ready.

CUT TO

A small army of about 20 men in the woods. A man, Haimon, in his late 30's is addressing the troops.

HAIMON:
     We've chased them halfway across Greece, stopping only long enough to tend the wounded and bury the dead they've left in their wake. But now we've got that murderer and her army cornered. If anyone here has any doubts about why we're doing this, I want you to remember what we found in Cressida, or rather what was left of it after Sabina came.

The men begin to murmur amongst themselves, nodding their heads in agreement.

HAIMON:
     Are we going to let that happen again?

SOLDIERS (in unison):
     No!

HAIMON:
     Justice for Cressida!

The men cheer and they mount their horses.

HAIMON (murmuring to himself):
     And justice for you too, Mother. (with reverence, Haimon touches the pendant that hangs around his neck)

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle riding through the woods.

GABRIELLE:
     You said "take care of the horse."

XENA:
     So while I was in the middle of a fight you thought it would be a good time to get Argo a snack?

GABRIELLE:
     I thought she looked hungry.

XENA:
     And because you were feeding Argo, Hesiod was able to get away.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, I had never even been on a horse before Argo. To me "taking care" meant either feeding her, watering her or brushing her down. What you should have said was "hold on to Argo for me while I go bash a few skulls." Then we wouldn't have had a problem. But nooooo. Miss Warrior of Few Words never thought it was important to develop her communication skills.

XENA:
     Oh please! You're lecturing me on communication? I wasn't the one that wandered into that cave and liberated the Titans.

GABRIELLE (under her breath but loud enough for Xena to hear):
     That would have been a miracle.

XENA (growls):
     Watch it!

GABRIELLE (holds up her hand and grins):
     I just meant that you didn't know the difference between an Ionian and Dorian chant.

XENA:
     I know exactly what you meant.

They ride along in silence for a few moments.

GABRIELLE:
     You said "take care of the--"

XENA (stopping and holding up a hand):
     Shh!

GABRIELLE:
     Oh, don't start that again! (adopts a high pitched voice and sneer to mock Xena) "Gabrielle, that was thirty years ago. When are you going to let it drop?" Just once, Xena, I'd like you to admit--

XENA (waves impatiently):
     Gabrielle, will you just shut up a minute? (pauses) Do you hear that?

GABRIELLE (stops and listens a moment, the sound of two armies clashing is heard in the distance):
     It's coming from across the river.

XENA:
     Let's go check it out.

They ride off towards the sound of the battle.

CUT TO

The fight is winding down. Most of Haimon's men are either wounded or dead. Haimon and 3 or 4 of his soldiers are still fighting. One by one, Sabina's soldiers kill or wound them until only Haimon and Ademtes are left. Both men are surrounded by half a dozen of Sabina's soldiers. Ademtes is wounded by Sabina.

HAIMON (dropping his sword and falling to his knees beside the man):
     Ademtes!

One of Sabina's soldier's steps forward and hits Haimon in the back of his head with the hilt of his sword, knocking Haimon out.

SABINA (looking around at the bodies and gestures to six of her men):
     Make sure they're all dead. Leave their bodies for the animals.

She mounts her horse and rides off with the rest of her men.

Sabina's men inspect the bodies, every so often nudging one with their foot to confirm whether the fallen man is dead or alive. Anyone found alive is quickly executed with a stab through the heart. One of Sabina's men steps up to Haimon and sees that he is still alive. He raises his sword.

XENA:
     Ayiyiyi!

Xena and Gabrielle burst onto the scene, galloping through the trees toward the warriors. Xena makes a spectacular spinning flip off of Argo and lands in the middle of Sabina's men while Gabrielle quickly halts her horse and dismounts, drawing her sais from her boots. Xena draws her sword and snarls at the six men who seem startled. Xena and Gabrielle glance at each other and then charge the men.

Recovering from their surprise, the men try to strike back. However, Xena parries every one of their blows with her sword maneuvers while Gabrielle fights back with her sais. The men stumble as the two women continue to attack them. The warriors are unable to strike either of them--it is clear that Xena and Gabrielle have the upper hand.

With the hilt of her sword, Xena swings at one of the warriors and knocks him in the head. He staggers backwards, falling into the other men, causing a domino effect, all of them falling flat on their backs. The men hastily get to their feet and look at Gabrielle and Xena standing over them, still ready for action. The men glance at each other and then race toward their horses, jump quickly in the saddle and gallop away. Xena and Gabrielle pause a moment, catching their breath and then they glance at the bodies.

GABRIELLE:
     They can't all be--

Haimon is slowly beginning to regain consciousness and stirs slightly.

XENA (gesturing to Haimon with her sword):
     Check him out. I'll see to the others.

Xena walks off to inspect the other men and Gabrielle kneels beside Haimon, rolling him onto his side to inspect his wound. Haimon groans and moves as if to get up but Gabrielle holds him down.

GABRIELLE:
     Just lie still a minute. (she probes his head gently and Haimon flinches) You took a pretty nasty blow to the head. It ought to be stitched up. (his eyes widen at this and Gabrielle smiles, patting his arm) Don't worry. My friend is a skilled healer. (continues checking his wound)

HAIMON (confused):
     I don't see why you're--Sabina isn't exactly known for her humanitarian impulses. Since when does she treat the enemy?

GABRIELLE:
     Sabina? That's who you were fighting?

HAIMON (nods suspiciously):
     You aren't part of her army?

GABRIELLE:
     No. My friend and I were across the river when we heard the fighting. We're just trying to help.

HAIMON:
     You're too late. Sabina's army sacked Aleta this morning. That's where we were headed, my men and I. This time I thought I had her... (looks around) My men--

XENA (stepping up to Gabrielle and Haimon):
     They're all dead. (Gabrielle glances up at her and Xena thinks a moment) I'm sorry.

Haimon lets the news sink in and an uncomfortable silence falls. None of them know what to say.

GABRIELLE (trying to break the tension):
     I'm Gabrielle. (looks up at Xena) And this is--

XENA:
     What happened here?

HAIMON:
     Valeria Sabina happened. She and her army have been terrorizing the countryside for months now, raiding small villages. At first, she presents herself to them as so damned amenable--almost as if she's doing them a favor by demanding payment in exchange for not destroying the village. If they refuse...well let's just say that they get a taste of what it's like to be on her bad side.

XENA:
     And what about the local militias? Aren't they doing anything to stop her?

HAIMON:
     They tried...at first. But when she razed Cressida it sent a message to anyone that even thought of opposing her.

GABRIELLE:
     So you and your men took her on alone?

HAIMON:
     I would do it by myself if I had to. My village was raided by scum like Sabina when I was a baby. They murdered my mother. If I have to track Sabina to the ends of the earth, I swear that they will be avenged, my men and every other innocent life she's taken. That bitch will pay for what she's done.

XENA:
     Just you? Against an entire army?

HAIMON:
     Mainas is a town a day's ride from here. If I'm able to muster enough men I'll be able to go after her. (Haimon studies Xena and Gabrielle a moment) What about you two? You seem capable of handling yourselves in a fight. Will you join me?

XENA (dryly, pointedly looking around at the bodies of Haimon's men):
     I don't think your latest success is going to inspire many people to follow you into battle.

HAIMON:
     Now just a damn minute! Sabina--

GABRIELLE (grabbing Haimon by the shoulders to restrain him):
     Wait a minute! You don't understand. (she gestures towards Xena) This is Xena, the Warrior Princess. She doesn't follow anyone. They follow her.

HAIMON (pushes Gabrielle off of him and sits up):
     You're Xena?

XENA (nods a little smugly):
     That's right.

Haimon slowly gets up and stands before Xena. She waits, expecting gratitude and relief from Haimon. He studies her a moment and then spits in her face as we:

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER