FADE IN

A close-up of Evander. He looks very angry.

EVANDER:
     Isn't that just like the Olympians.

The camera pulls back to show Evander in his quarters at the palace. He is facing Xena, Gabrielle and Nemesis.

EVANDER (continues):
     They destroy a whole family--rip everything a woman has away from her, and then turn her into a piece of rock--just to protect their egos! (scoffs) And you told me I was wrong to hate them!

NEMESIS (gently):
     Evander, let's not go over that right now. These people need you help.

EVANDER (frustrated and angry):
     So Artemis and Apollo are going to get away with this?

XENA:
     Not if I can help it. Now let's go.

CUT TO

The palace courtyard. The statue of Niobe is now standing on the ground. Lichas and Cynthia stand next to it. Evander, Nemesis, Xena and Gabrielle come up.

LICHAS (looking at Evander):
     That's him?

EVANDER (to Lichas and Cynthia):
     I'm sorry about what your family has suffered at the hands of the gods. (sighs) Let me see if there's anything I can do.

Lichas and Cynthia back off from the statue as Evander steps towards it. Lichas and Cynthia exchange nervous but hopeful glances as Evander examines the statue.

Pan over to show Evander extending his hands forward towards the statue and closing his eyes. The statue begins to shake.

The camera pulls back as everyone looks on, expectantly and nervously. Suddenly Evander brings his hands down and the statue stops shaking. He opens his eyes, a disappointed look on his face.

LICHAS (to Evander):
     What is it?

EVANDER (sighs):
     I--I can't do anything. I could only destroy it if I go on. (Close-up on his face) My powers aren't any good here.

Pan over the stricken faces of Lichas and Cynthia, then to Xena, who looks grim.

CYNTHIA (heartbroken):
     That was our only hope....

XENA (brusquely):
     There are always other options. (after a brief pause) The gods turned her to stone; a god can bring her back.

EVANDER (scowls):
     You mean-- (trails off)

NEMESIS (spits out the name with palpable disgust):
     Ares.

XENA (brusquely):
     What else would you do? Deny this woman a new chance at life, at having a family--at seeing justice done--because you're still holding grudges over the past?

EVANDER (curtly):
     Fine. Just allow me to skip the family reunion.

He strides off, walking back into the palace. Nemesis gives Xena and the others a guilty glance and follows. Xena looks after them with a sigh and shakes her head, then turns and stands up straight.

XENA (calls out):
     Ares!

After a moment Ares materializes. He looks at the statue, then turns to Xena, raising a sarcastic eyebrow.

ARES:
     Statue hunt going well?

Xena isn't in the mood for jokes, and Ares can tell.

ARES:
     What's going on?

XENA:
     Ever heard of Niobe?

ARES (thinking for a moment):
     Niobe...rings a bell. Wasn't she the one whose kids were killed by Apollo and Artemis as payback for something or other?

XENA (bitterly):
     Yeah, she's the one. And then they turned her to stone. (motions toward the statue) That's Niobe.

ARES (disbelief):
     That's Niobe? (pauses and nods, digesting this) Let me guess. You want me to change her back.

Cynthia steps forward and faces Ares, obviously not afraid of a god.

CYNTHIA (demanding):
     Can you? Can you free her?

Ares looks at the statue, runs his hand over its arm, then shakes his head no.

ARES (staring at the statue):
     The only god who can do that is the one that turned her to stone.

Cynthia looks dejected; Lichas puts his arm on her shoulder.

XENA (through clenched teeth):
     Then I'm going to have a chat with Artemis. (to Ares) Take me to Olympus.

ARES (shakes his head):
     She doesn't spend much time there. She's off hunting in one of her forests.

XENA:
     Fine. I know a way to get her attention.

ARES (worried):
     Just--be careful.

XENA (with a short, nasty smile):
     Save that advice for your sister.

Gabrielle walks up to Xena, looking worried, and puts her hand on Xena's arm.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena--

XENA:
     I'm going to get this fixed, Gabrielle.

Pan to Lichas and Cynthia, who look at her hopefully.

CUT TO

Artemis' temple. Statues of the goddess line the room, as do bowls of fruit, vases, and various other objects. The walls are painted with pictures of a woman hunting, warrior women dancing, and the crescent moon hanging above them. It has an Amazon-type feel to it.

Xena strides in, a "don't mess with me" look on her face. She stops and looks around.

XENA (shouts):
     Artemis! (nothing happens, she shouts louder) Artemis!

Again, nothing happens. Xena looks even angrier, obviously in the mood for a hide and seek game. She pulls her chakram from her side and whips it forward. The chakram flies through the air and strikes a large vase, sending it crashing to the ground; then it bounces off the walls a few times, leaving nasty marks, and knocks down a couple of fruit bowls. As it makes its way back to Xena, it takes the hand off one of Artemis' statues, rips a large banner, and knocks down a large weapon rack of bows and arrows. The chakram returns to Xena as she catches it with a grim but satisfied grin.

XENA (blows on the chakram before placing it on her belt):
     Want an encore?

There is a bright flash of green light and Artemis materializes in front of the altar.

ARTEMIS (angry):
     What in Tartarus... (noticing Xena) Xena. This isn't exactly a pleasure. (with a nasty smirk) I'm sure the feeling is mutual.

XENA (quietly seething):
     You have no idea.

ARTEMIS (looking around):
     Well, you got my attention. What do you want?

XENA:
     I want you to make it up to someone you wronged.

Artemis stared at her uncomprehendingly.

ARTEMIS (incredulous):
     Are we talking about Eve?

XENA (shaking her head):
     No, not Eve. Niobe.

Artemis' eyes flash with realization.

ARTEMIS (irritated):
     What about Niobe?

XENA (disgusted):
     You know what you and Apollo did to her.

ARTEMIS (brutally):
     We did what we had to do. We are gods, Xena! When people defy us, they're going to be punished.

XENA (furious):
     You killed her family!

Artemis shakes her head, almost in disbelief, and laughs wickedly.

ARTEMIS:
     Well--you killed mine.

Xena's eyes narrow, as Artemis stares her down.

XENA:
     And I went down to Hell to bring you and your family back!

ARTEMIS:
     Oh, really. What about my son, Xena? (Off Xena's stricken look) That's right--you killed my only son. (with a cruel smirk) It's ironic, you know. I decided to have a child when I found out about the Twilight prophecy. He was my insurance--the one who was supposed to keep my legacy alive.

XENA:
     I killed your son to protect the Amazons--your own people!

Artemis doesn't say anything as she walks towards Xena, stopping as she comes face to face with her. She has a crazy-pyscho-Callisto presence to her.

ARTEMIS (whispering):
     Well, Xena, looks like we have more in common then we knew, hmm? We both have children who attacked the Amazons and slaughtered a lot of them. (with a sinister smile) But isn't it funny. Your child got off the hook.

Zoom on Xena's distraught face. Artemis has obviously made her point.

ARTEMIS (pushing it a little further):
     The Bitch of Rome becomes the Queen of the Amazons. Bellerophon has to die.

Xena stares at her for a moment; then her distraught look gives way to hardened resolve.

XENA:
     Artemis, this isn't about my daughter or about your son. It's about Niobe's children. They hadn't harmed anyone. And you and your brother killed them--just to punish their mother for defying the gods.

ARTEMIS:
     And I would do it again.

Xena yells as she draws her sword and swings at Artemis. Artemis smiles as she catches Xena's sword with her hand.

ARTEMIS (hissing):
     Now, now Xena...don't forget--you've lost the power to kill gods.

Artemis pushes the sword away and then kicks Xena in the stomach sending her back. Artemis then screams and releases a fireball towards Xena, who flips up in the air and dodges it causing it to strike the door behind her.

Artemis throws another fireball at Xena; she swats it aside with her sword, causing it to hit a statue and make it explode into pieces.

XENA:
     What's the matter, aim's a bit off?

ARTEMIS:
     I'm just going easy on you because my brother doesn't like other gods frying his girlfriends.

XENA:
     Going easy, huh?

Artemis launches another fireball at Xena, who extends her sword and blocks it, sending it right back at Artemis. It strikes her in the chest, sending the goddess to the ground.

XENA:
     Well, I'm not going easy on you.

She rushes over to the fallen goddess, stepping on her stomach and putting her sword to her neck. She forcefully brings down her sword, ramming into Artemis' chest--which does the goddess no harm but causes her to wince and flinch instinctively.

ARTEMIS:
     Hey! Move it! Don't make me start playing rough.

XENA (forcefully, jabbing at the sword):
     I want you to free her.

ARTEMIS:
     Free who?

XENA (dangerously):
     Don't play stupid with me. Niobe.

ARTEMIS:
     I can't. I wasn't the one that turned her to stone.

XENA:
     Apollo did?

ARTEMIS (shaking her head):
     No.

XENA (angry):
     Don't play games with me!

ARTEMIS (irritated):
     I'm not. It wasn't us! Why would we turn her to stone? We wanted her to suffer!

Xena's expression changes as she steps back, pulling out the sword. Artemis rises and smiles wickedly as Xena stares daggers at her.

XENA:
     So which god did?

ARTEMIS (shrugs):
     I don't know that. Someone that wanted to show her mercy.

Artemis laughs as she vanishes in a flash of green light. The camera pans over to Xena, her eyes narrowing.

CUT TO

Apollo's temple, decked out in white and gold. The camera zooms in to show a large couch. Apollo is lying on the couch with his shirt off, being attended by three women in skimpy outfits. Two of them are rubbing oil into his chest while the third is feeding him fruit. Not surprisingly, Apollo seems to be enjoying it.

Artemis materializes beside the couch with her hands on her hips.

ARTEMIS (rolling her eyes):
     Apollo.

Apollo's attention is on the women as they giggle.

APOLLO (reaches up to kissing the neck of one of the women massaging him):
     I'm kinda busy here, Sis.

ARTEMIS (irritated):
     It's important!

One of the women begins running her hands over his shoulders. Apollo is obviously paying no attention to Artemis. Finally Artemis comes up, shoves the girls aside, grabs Apollo by the ear and pulls him off the couch, causing him to fall hard on the floor. The girls give her fearful looks.

ARTEMIS:
     Scram!

The girls run off, leaving Apollo on the ground. He gets up and dusts himself off, looking furious.

APOLLO:
     What was that for?!

ARTEMIS (angrily):
     Maybe if you weren't fooling around with your priestesses all day, you'd pay a little more attention to what's going on around you.

APOLLO:
     Like what?

ARTEMIS:
     Niobe.

APOLLO (gives her a disbelieving look):
     Niobe? That was years ago.

ARTEMIS:
     Yeah, but now Xena knows about it.

APOLLO:
     Xena? What's it to her?

ARTEMIS:
     What's it to her? (scoffs) You know how Xena always has to stick her nose into everything. (waves dismissively) It's what she does. You know, it's that whole business with how she was bad before, so now she has to do all this good stuff to make up for it.

APOLLO:
     What does she want to do about Niobe?

ARTEMIS:
     It seems Niobe has some descendants. (off Apollo's questioning look) From a grandchild who survived. They want their great-grandma back and Xena's helping them. Got the picture?

APOLLO:
     Well...maybe we should just let her. (off Artemis' withering look) Or--maybe not.

ARTEMIS:
     That bitch is not going to have the last laugh.

APOLLO:
     Which one? Niobe or Xena?

ARTEMIS:
     Neither of them. The statue has to be destroyed.

APOLLO:
     You're right. Okay, I'll send some of my worshippers over to do the job.

ARTEMIS (laughs):
     Your worshippers? (nods toward the skimpily dressed girls who are hovering in the doorway) And what are they going to do when they run into Xena? Rub her with oil and fondle her to death?

APOLLO:
     No not, them. I'll send my priests.

CUT TO

Pelius. The courtyard of Evander's palace where the statue is still standing.

CUT TO

Inside the palace. Gabrielle, Lichas, Cynthia, Evander and Nemesis are sitting around a table having a meal.

CYNTHIA (worried):
     What's taking her so long?

GABRIELLE (a little testy):
     She'll be here.

The door is thrown open and a guard rushes in.

GUARD (out of breath, to Evander):
     My lord-- we're under attack!

Evander leaps to his feet.

CUT TO

The courtyard. A group of about fifteen men in red and gold outfits--temple warriors of Apollo, dressed as they were in Eternal Bonds and armed with swords, clubs and maces--are battling the palace guards, several of whom lie wounded or knocked out on the ground. Evander and Gabrielle come running.

They are all holding onto weapons, which are mostly swords and clubs. They are Apollo's priests.

TEMPLE WARRIOR #1 (seeing Gabrielle and Evander):
     Hand over that statue, and no one gets hurt.

The fight momentarily stops.

GABRIELLE:
     What do you want with the statue?

TEMPLE WARRIOR #2:
     It belongs to our god, Apollo.

Gabrielle draws her sais from her boots, and holds them up in a defensive position.

GABRIELLE:
     Your god has done enough damage already. He's not getting the statue.

The warriors charge. Gabrielle whips around and hits one of them in the face with the blunt end of a sai, sending him to the ground. She then spins around and kicks another priest in the chest.

Quick pan to show Evander stepping forward, merely extending his hand and sending one of the temple warriors rolling on the ground. Another warrior charges Evander, and Evander uses his powers to throw him against the wall.

Pan to two of the guards who are still standing, fighting the temple warriors.

The camera pulls back for a wide shot of the courtyard. Evander is using his powers to stop some of the temple warriors. Meanwhile, Gabrielle twirls her sais around and uses them to knock out one of the warriors while kicking back another.

A temple warrior, screaming and flailing, goes flying over Gabrielle's head. She looks up at him and then at Evander. Suddenly she looks worried.

GABRIELLE (shouts):
     Evander, behind you!

Pan to show a temple warrior behind Evander charging him with a sword. Just as Evander turns his head, the warrior is knocked out cold. Behind him we see Nemesis holding a club in her hand, grinning slightly.

EVANDER (laughing, shocked):
     Mom...thanks.

NEMESIS (smiling):
     What, you didn't think your old mom could handle the action?

Evander laughs, but then quickly turns around to send another warrior flying across the courtyard.

Suddenly, two warriors tackle him from behind and throw him down on the ground, while three more charge Gabrielle. While she is trying to fend them off, a warrior with a club advances toward the statue.

The camera pulls back for a wide shot of the courtyard. Evander is struggling with the warriors while Gabrielle has her hands full with her attackers, and one of the warriors has Nemesis in a headlock.

Zoom in on the temple warrior raising his metal-tipped, spiked club and aiming it at the face of the Niobe statue as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE