EIGHT HOURS BEFORE THE BATTLE

An overhead shot of the Amazon village and the burnt-out remains of the Temple of Artemis nearby. Amazons are clearing away the rubble. The camera zooms down, then pans to Xena and Gabrielle loading charred rubble and debris into a cart.

EVE (off-camera):
     Glad you could stay another day.

XENA:
     Yep. Still cleaning up the gods' messes.

GABRIELLE (throwing a large stone into the cart):
     Well, technically, it's our mess. Artemis wanted to rebuild the temple. We burned it down.

XENA (grimly):
     Well, technically the gods' mess is our mess because we're right in the middle of it. They know they need worshipers to survive and they'll stop at nothing to get them.

EVE (quietly):
     What will you stop at--Mother?

Gabrielle pauses and gives her a sharp look, as does Xena.

XENA:
     What do you mean?

EVE:
     When you thought Artemis was threatening me, you wanted to get a dagger that could kill gods. Now--

XENA (shakes the dust and soot off her hands in a vehement gesture):
      If it's about protecting the lives and freedom of innocent people--

Eve gives her an uneasy look. She stops abruptly, her words hanging in the air in a tense silence.

GABRIELLE (trying to lighten the mood):
     Well, at least I don't think Artemis will be back. The Amazons are safe.

XENA (guardedly):
     For now.

CUT TO

The blonde Renegade (the one we saw Gabrielle kill in the present-day battle) walks along the field with the rest of the Renegade army.

BLONDE RENEGADE (smiling):
     I remember playing in this field with my sisters. We always came out here after chores and training...

MELANIPPE (softly):
     So many memories...

Queen Andromache, leading the Renegades through the field, brings up her hand in a halting motion. The camera pulls close to her shoulder to reveal her point of view...

DISSOLVE TO

The Lanis settlement.

The camera zooms in on the villagers hard at work: bringing in crops from their farms and such, selling supplies at the market, etc. We recognize this as the village from "Grey Areas."

Teras, the leader of the village, walks through the streets examining the progress.

CUT TO

Hillside. Andromache looks down on the village. Melanippe stands by her side.

MELANIPPE (confused):
     Villagers--men--on Amazon lands?

ANDROMACHE (irritated):
     The Amazons have grown weak. This doesn't surprise me. Everything started to go downhill once Marga became Queen. This is our chance to restore the word "Amazon" to its former glory. (drawing her sword from a scabbard on her back) And we can start-- (points her sword at the village) right here.

All of the Renegade Amazons behind her draw their swords as well.

ANDROMACHE (grinning):
     Let's go!

They all head down the hill towards the village.

CUT TO

Village. A young boy quickly runs towards the village, out of breath.

Teras notices the boy and the fear in his eyes and approaches him as the other villagers gather around.

TERAS (to the boy):
     Are you all right?

BOY (panting):
     Those warrior women...armed...they are coming towards the village. I saw them on the hills.

The villagers react with evident fear and anger.

TERAS (ordering):
     Get the children into the meeting hall, and grab anything you can use as weapons.

VILLAGER #1 (shouting):
     We told them to stay away from our village, it's time to stop those barbaric women once and for all!

All of the villagers shout and mutter in assent as they grab anything they can use as a weapon.

CUT TO

Another part of the village. Villagers all hurrying around, some looking fearful, others determined. Caleb (the seventeen-year old boy from "Grey Areas" and "Twilight Eve") comes out of his house to see what is going on. He sees his mother running toward him.

CALEB (confused):
     Mother--what's going on?

CALEB'S MOTHER:
     Those Amazon women are headed towards the village, they have weapons!

CALEB (confused):
     But mother--they're not our enemies!

CALEB'S MOTHER:
     Well, they don't look friendly, that's for sure. (in an authoritative tone) I want you to go with the other children to the meeting hall; you'll be safe there.

CALEB:
     I'm not a--

CALEB'S MOTHER (urgently):
     Go! I'll be there soon.

Caleb's mother rushes off. Caleb stares after her for a moment, then heads toward the edge of the village.

CUT TO

Village entrance. The village men and some of the women have gathered there, holding makeshift weapons. The Renegade Amazons (with Andromache leading them) enter the village, surprised to see the villagers so prepared.

TERAS (angrily):
     We told you to stay away from here!

Andromache doesn't say anything, merely smiling at the villagers' fear.

TERAS (angrily):
     What do you want? You agreed to stay away from our village.

ANDROMACHE (surprised and amused):
     Agreed? (to the others) That must have been Queen Marga. I didn't think she was going to be this soft.

TERAS (forcefully):
     What do you want?!

ANDROMACHE (hissing):
     Our lands back!

With a fierce yell, Andromache charges towards the villagers as the Renegades behind her do the same.

The camera pans over to Caleb watching the confrontation from behind the villagers. He quickly realizes something is wrong and rushes off.

As he runs through the village, he sees other Renegades attacking the villagers everywhere and cutting down villagers, young and old. Some villagers try to fight back but without much success.

Caleb dives into a side street and continues to run.

CUT TO

Caleb runs into a large wooden building. A group of children of different ages are there; they turn to the door, a little fearfully, at hearing Caleb. One, a girl of about fourteen with long blond hair whom we recognize as Caleb's sister (from "Grey Areas"), looks up at him and then jumps to her feet.

ALISSA:
     Caleb! Is everything--

CALEB (forcefully):
     Come on. We have to get these kids out of here!

The children start crying as Alissa and Caleb steer them to the doorway.

CALEB:
     Go to the south end of the village. Follow the river downstream until you make your way to the Amazon village.

ALISSA (fearfully):
     Okay, okay...

CALEB:
     Find their Queen, Eve, and tell her we are under attack. Hurry!

ALISSA (scared):
     What about you? What about mom?

CALEB:
     I'll go find her. Don't worry!

CUT TO

A long shot of the edge of the village as Alissa and the children head out into the woods.

CUT TO

Caleb running through the village. The air is filled with screams and the war-cries of the Renegades as they chase and kill the settlers. The ground is covered with the bodies of dead and dying villagers.

The camera then pulls over to show Caleb's point of view as Andromache swings her sword forward stabbing Caleb's mother. She pulls her sword out and Caleb's mother falls to the ground.

CALEB (screaming):
     NO!

Caleb rushes forward in fury and rage, attempting to attack Andromache.

ANDROMACHE:
     Foolish boy.

CALEB (screaming):
     You killed my mother!

Andromache swings her fist forward, striking him across the face, and then sending him to the ground, knocking him unconscious.

ANDROMACHE:
      She shouldn't have been on my land.

A close-up on Andromache's face as she smiles.

MYOPI (shouting):
     Queen Eve!

SEVEN HOURS BEFORE THE BATTLE ATTACK

The charred remnants of the temple are still being cleared. Myopi comes running toward Xena, Gabrielle and Eve who are helping clear the rubble.

MYOPI (out of breath):
     Queen Eve!

Eve turns to Myopi.

EVE (alarmed):
     What is it?

MYOPI:
     You have to come back to the village--quick!

Eve rushes off as Xena and Gabrielle share concerned looks and then follow her.

DISSOLVE TO

The Amazon village square. A small groups of Amazons have gathered around a group of children--Alissa, and the other six children, who are scared and crying.

Eve comes up, with Xena, Gabrielle and Myopi behind her. The Amazons stand aside and she sees the children.

EVE (confused):
     What's going on?

ALISSA:
     My brother Caleb told me to come find you. The village is being attacked.

EVE:
     By whom?

ALISSA (trembling):
     I...I don't know, I never saw them. (pointing to one of the boys) He said he saw warrior women headed our way. Some others thought they were the Amazons.

Eve looks confused.

ALISSA (holding back tears):
     Our families are in danger. You have to help them.

Eve reflects for a moment, then quickly turns to Myopi.

EVE:
     Sound the alarm. Have the Amazons get their weapons and gather at the gates.

MYOPI:
     Yes, my queen.

She rushes off.

EVE (to Alissa and the other children):
     I want you and the others to stay here where you will be safe.

Alissa manages a nod as Eve exchanges a worried look with Gabrielle and Eve.

GABRIELLE:
     Warrior women. (puzzled) Who could they be?

XENA:
     Anyone. Bandits, a group of raiders--

EVE:
     Could it be another Amazon tribe? One that didn't join--

GABRIELLE (interrupts vehemently):
     An Amazon tribe, attacking a defenseless village? I'll never believe that.

XENA:
     Let's just get over there and find out what's going on.

CUT TO

A group of about thirty Amazons kneel down at the edge of the forest, the village a short distance in front of them. Eve peeks through the branches and sees the Renegades in the destroyed village, walking about and apparently looting. She makes a hand motion to Cyane, who moves along back through the forest with a dozen others.

Eve continues to watch; then suddenly tenses, hearing a sound. She turns to see a group of swords pointed at her and the other Amazons still with her. Pan up to Andromache who is smiling as she stands over her, in front of the other Renegades.

ANDROMACHE (grinning):
     Finally, reunited with our sisters...

Andromache stares as Eve with curiosity, her eyes drifting from Eve's Queen's necklace to her face.

ANDROMACHE:
     The new queen. (puzzled) I know I've seen you before--and yet you weren't one of the tribe under Marga.

Eve is taken aback. Suddenly Xena's war cry fills the air. A group of a dozen Amazons jump down from the trees, surrounding the Renegades. Xena and Gabrielle leap down as well, their weapons pointed at the Renegades.

Using the distraction, Eve and the others quickly get to their feet and draw their weapons.

EVE (lowers her sword):
     We can resolve this without violence!

ANDROMACHE (sneers):
     No, we can't. (to the Renegades) Amazons, attack!

The Renegades charge forward as the Amazons defend themselves.

Andromache attacks Eve, striking out with her sword. Eve blocks it and then pushes her back as Xena comes from another direction and kicks Andromache in the side, sending her to the ground. Andromache rolls and then leaps to her feet as Xena attacks her. Their swords clash and they spar.

A montage of shots as Gabrielle fights Menalippe while Cyane, Myopi, Antiope, and the other Amazons fight off the Renegades.

Meanwhile, Xena continues to fight off Andromache (who has some impressive skills) while Eve fights with a brown-haired Renegade who has a scar across her face. The brown-haired Renegade screams as she fights, using all of her fury to attack Eve. Finally, Eve manages to knock her down to the ground.

The camera zooms in on the Renegade's face, filled with helpless rage, as Eve moves the point of her sword over her, to keep her down. Pan to Eve's face, bearing a horrified look of sudden recognition.

Eve stares down at the brown haired warrior, shocked and with a loss of words. Then she moves the sword and steps back. The Renegade jumps up, looking at her in shock and anger.

Pan to Xena as she flips up and sends Andromache flying back, causing her to drop her sword.

Pan back to Eve.

EVE (shouts):
     Amazons--retreat!

Antiope, who is fighting off one of the Renegades with a sword, pushes the Renegade back and then heads towards Myopi as they make a retreat. The camera then zooms in her point of view as she notices Melanippe fighting off an Amazon.

ANTIOPE (whispers):
     Melanippe?

The camera zooms in on Melanippe, who turns toward Antiope as if she's heard the whisper. The camera pans to Melanippe, then to Antiope as they stare at each other , both looking as if they've just seen as ghost. The camera pulls back to show Myopi grabbing Antiope.

MYOPI (urging her):
     Come on, let's go!

Myopi pulls Antiope into the woods and away from the attacking Renegades.

The other Amazons push the Renegades back and then start their retreat into the forest, with Xena and Gabrielle bringing up the rear. Some of the Renegades begin to give chase after them. Pan to Andromache rising to her feet.

ANDROMACHE (yells forcefully to the Renegades):
     Let them go! (her voice drops) For now. (she grins wickedly) Make sure you are prepared for my homecoming... (hissing) Livia.