9.01 Looking Forward


ACT ONE

FADE IN

Xena and Gabrielle in "Argo," Xena's "roach" vehicle.

GABRIELLE:
     So you think Zeb and her thugs will be hiding out on this abandoned exploration base?

XENA(businesslike as she flips the switches on the control panel):
     Yep.

In the rear-view portal, the raided ship is growing smaller.

GABRIELLE:
     Well, why this one and not some other hiding place?

XENA:
     Because no one else knows about it.

Gabrielle

GABRIELLE:
     So how come you do?

XENA (grins):
     I'm special.

GABRIELLE:
     Aha. And psychic, too?

XENA:
     Only when it comes to my army.

GABRIELLE (slowly):
     Your army...

XENA:
     They may be scum, Gabrielle, but they used to be my scum. I picked them. I know how they think, every one of them.

GABRIELLE (catching on):
     Including Zeb?

XENA:
     Of course. There was a time when she would have told me anything, if it meant rising through the ranks.

GABRIELLE (thinks a moment):
     Xena, we have a problem.

XENA:
     Only one?

GABRIELLE:
     There's no way Justice Station is going to dispatch a squadron to some old exploration base because you have a hunch that Zeb and her gang are there with the stolen silver.

XENA:
     I know.

GABRIELLE:
     So--what do you propose?

Xena

XENA:
     A raid of our own.

GABRIELLE (freaking out):
     What? The two of us against two dozen bandits armed to the teeth? You can't be serious!

XENA:
     Why not? A dozen for you, a dozen for me. We'll split them even.

GABRIELLE:
     Works for me. Then we take the silver and run.

XENA:
     Don't forget the slaves.

GABRIELLE:
     We marry the slaves, take the silver and run?

XENA (grins):
     There's hope for you yet.

GABRIELLE:
     So, really. What's your plan?

XENA (after a pause):
     Ever heard of Ares?

GABRIELLE (shocked):
     Ares? The God of War?

XENA (shrugs):
     If you believe his publicity.

GABRIELLE:
     Ares, the pirate king? Ares, who sold heaven knows how many people into slavery, who brought about the Great Silver Recession? The same Ares who has topped the most wanted list for a decade, who raided station after station...

XENA (dryly):
     He'd be so flattered. Do you want his autograph?

GABRIELLE:
     Sure, on an arrest warrant.

Xena stares at her silently, with sudden intensity.

GABRIELLE ("oh, now I get it"):
     You think he was behind this raid? You think this Zeb person is working for him? I know she was one of your people--

XENA:
     She was one of our people.

DISSOLVE TO

[FLASHBACK]

We go back to the fight we saw in the teaser. With a feral grin, Xena stares at the ship's defenders in navy blue uniforms as some of them dejectedly throw down their weapons.

XENA:
     I see that I don't need to explain what the choice is. I'm glad we understand each other. (to her warriors) Take their weapons and shackle them.

Xena's warriors begin to disarm the ship's defenders. Xena watches them with a pleased smile as she clips her pulser to her belt. She takes the silver dagger we saw in the teaser off her belt and taps her palm with it.

ARES' VOICE (behind her):
     All done?

Xena turns around. Ares is coming toward her, grinning rakishly. He is wearing a suit of black and silver armor.

Ares

XENA (uses the dagger to indicate the captives with a sweeping motion):
     As you see.

ARES (nods over his shoulder):
     Zeb. Take them down below.

Zeb motions for two other warriors to help her lead away the chained and struggling prisoners.

ZEB (in the distance):
     Move on!

The area clears; Xena and Ares remain. Ares walks around behind Xena and begins to rub her shoulders. Xena smiles a little and half-closes her eyes. She slips the silver dagger back into her belt.

ARES:
     Hey, good news. Velasca's babes are on the warpath again.

XENA:
     That's news?

Ares

ARES:
     Call it information. Point is, they've been looking around to buy some silver, under the radar, of course. We're talking some five thousand skinsuits--fully armored--plus whatever we can sell off to the other side, once we find out who the other side is. We sell this lot to them, and we can live like kings on PleasureInc. for at least a month. Whatever we make off the slaves will just be the cherry on top.

XENA (opens her eyes):
     Not right now.

ARES:
     Not right now? Tell me you're kidding. This is a limited-time offer, you know--it won't be hard for Velasca to find another seller.

XENA (turns around to face him; sarcastically):
     I've got news for you, God of War. You think you're the only one who's got an eye on Velasca? Justice Station has had her in their sights since the last skirmish. Not to mention that if they don't already know about the raid on this ship, they'll know by the end of the day. Trying to sell off this cargo now is a really good way to get JS after us.

ARES (smoothly):
     Good. Then we take them on and really make ourselves famous.

XENA:
     And dead. No thanks.

She turns and starts walking down the corridor. Ares shakes his head in exasperation, then walks after her.

ARES (teasing):
     Since when are you so practical?

Xena

XENA (coolly):
     Since when do you want to risk your neck for no good reason?

ARES (a little sheepishly):
     All right, you've got a point. So what do you suggest? We take this wreck to one of our usual hideouts and wait it out?

Before Xena can answer, sounds of screams and crude laughter are heard from down the corridor. Xena speeds up. In a moment, she and Ares reach a semicircular hall on the side of the corridor. There, two members of the ship's crew, with their hands shackled, are hopping to avoid being hit as two of Xena and Ares' warriors shoot pulsers at their feet. Several other warriors, including Zeb, stand around laughing raucously. In their merriment, they don't see Xena and Ares approaching.

WARRIOR #1:
     Hey, nice dance moves!

The charge from his pulser hits one of the crewmen in the ankle and he yelps in pain.

Xena comes up behind the warriors with the pulsers and grabs their wrists, yanking their arms up with a swift motion that makes them yell in shock.

XENA (snarls):
     What do you think you're doing?

WARRIOR #1:
     Uhh--just havin' some fun, commander.

WARRIOR #2:
     Teaching these two a little lesson. This one (nods toward one of the men) spat in my face when I was putting the shackles on him. The other one kicked--

Xena

XENA (gives their wrists a hard squeeze, making them yelp and drop the pulser):
     I don't care what they did. (She pauses briefly, looking at the two captive men who are breathing hard, staring at her defiantly) You're not supposed to damage the goods.

WARRIOR #1:
      Nah, can't do any real damage at this setting--it'll just sting like hell. (sneers) They better get used to this now that they're headed to the Andromeda mines. The overseers--

XENA (interrupts as she lets go of the two warriors):
     Take them down below with the others. And no more fun unless it's on my orders (nods toward Ares) or his. (to the other warriors) Don't you have anything else to do?

The warriors disperse. The shackled men are led away in the direction Xena and Ares just came from. Xena and Ares stand still for a moment, looking after them.

ARES:
     Funny thing, life. One minute you're an officer on a silver transport vessel--the next you're a slave in a chain gang on Andromeda getting zapped if you slow down.

XENA (gives him a sharp look):
     What's that supposed to mean?

ARES:
     Just that whichever way the wheel turns, you gotta make sure you always come out on top.

Xena starts walking again, with Ares at her side.

XENA (reflectively):
     But it's not really life, is it. It's us.

ARES (shrugs):
     So? Life isn't fair. Who says we should be? Come on, let's go check out the captain's quarters and drink to a job well done.

Xena and Ares walk away down the corridor. Over the sound of their fading conversation, we hear Gabrielle's voice.

GABRIELLE'S VOICE:
     Are you trying to tell me you wanted to save those people?

[END OF FLASHBACK]

We're back with Xena and Gabrielle flying in "Argo."

XENA:
     They were no use to us dead.

GABRIELLE (looks probingly at Xena):
     But that wasn't the only reason, was it?

XENA (looks back at her sharply):
     Don't make me out to be some kind of hero here, Gabrielle. If you're looking for the good guys in this story--they're about to be sold into slavery.

Gabrielle nods slowly, then glances at Xena.

GABRIELLE:
     So--I take it you and Ares were--pretty close.

[FLASHBACK]

Xena and Ares in a cabin. A sliding door closes behind them. They stare at each other for a moment, then embrace and kiss passionately.

Xena and Ares

[END OF FLASHBACK]

XENA:
     You could say that.

GABRIELLE:
     He must really hate you for switching sides.

Xena looks away, her face inscrutable.

[FLASHBACK]

Xena and Ares are sitting facing each other, Ares in his black and silver flight suit and armor, Xena in a gray silk pantsuit. Ares looks bewildered at something Xena just said.

ARES:
     Justice Station. (Breaking into a grin) Very funny.

Xena shakes her head and Ares' grin fades slowly.

ARES (raises his eyebrows):
     Well, I know it can't be the exciting salary offer.

The camera pulls back to show them sitting at a table in a garishly decorated bar/casino filled with neon lights.

XENA:
     If you don't get it, there's nothing I can say to explain.

[END OF FLASHBACK]

XENA:
     It's a long story.

GABRIELLE (with an exaggeratedly bright smile):
     I'm sure you can't wait to tell me all about it. (pause) So. Where are we going now?

XENA (evenly):
     To Corinth0581.

Gabrielle gives her a curious look.

GABRIELLE:
     Why?

XENA:
     Just taking a little detour.

GABRIELLE:
     Whatever it is you're up to, Xena--we're recording this for Justice Station.

XENA:
     Sure. (thinks a moment) Why don't you record it? That way, I can save my chip for the rest of the file on Zeb.

GABRIELLE:
     Fine. I'll use mine for the--detour.

She takes a tiny recording device off her belt and pushes a button. A dot-like blue light goes on. Gabrielle clips the device back to her belt, with the light turned inside, so that the recording device looks like just one of the buckles on her belt.

CUT TO

Exterior of their ship as it speeds out of view.

CUT TO

Heavy steel airlock doors sliding open. Xena and Gabrielle step through them, facing the camera, and walk into a brightly lit area that looks like the inside of a space station. They are wearing short black mantles that cover up their Justice Station insignia.

GABRIELLE:
     You still haven't told me what--

MALE VOICE (off-camera):
     Hold it right there!

The camera pans back to show two guards in skinsuits and armor, holding their pulsers at the ready.

GUARD #1:
     Who are you?

XENA:
     Ah. You must be new.

As the guards move to attack her, Xena grins and spins around, punching one man in the face and kicking the other in the stomach. The men stagger back as they fire, the pulser rays harmlessly hitting the steel walls. Quick pan to Gabrielle as she watches the fight, nervously but with obvious admiration. One of the guards charges toward her but Xena brings him down with a swift kick, at the same time that she grabs the other guard, twists his arm, making him drop his weapon, and throws him down on the floor. The two guards try to get up but Xena jabs her fingers in their necks, causing them to start gasping desperately for air.

GUARD #2 (coughing):
     What do you think you're doing?

XENA (with a wicked grin):
     Just sending a little message to your boss.

Behind the guards, a panel in the wall slides open and out steps Ares.

Quick pan to Gabrielle as her eyes widen and she gasps a little.

GABRIELLE:
     Is that--

XENA:
     Yes, it is.

ARES:
     All right, I got the message, officer. Go easy on my guards, would you? You know what it costs to train them.

XENA:
     Looks like you're not getting your money's worth--they didn't put up much of a fight.

She jabs her fingers into the men's throats, taking the pinch off them. They clutch at their necks, greedily breathing in gulps of air.

Ares shakes his head, looking at her with an admiring smile.

ARES:
     So, what brings you here? Business or pleasure?

XENA:
     A little bit of both. (Grins) Once you've heard my offer, you won't need to skimp on training for your personal guard.

GABRIELLE (shocked):
     Xena?

Completely ignoring Gabrielle, Ares comes closer to Xena and puts his hands on her shoulders.

Ares

ARES:
     Welcome home.

The camera pans over Xena and Ares grinning at each other and Gabrielle staring at them in horror as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT ONE