FADE IN

A room inside the hospice with some benches and tables. Sabina is sitting on a bench mending a boot. Xena comes in. Sabina looks up.

SABINA:
     Want something?

XENA (comes closer and stands over Sabina):
     Lucky thing, you showing up when you did with that wagon load of food.

SABINA (steadily, meeting her gaze):
     Very lucky.

XENA:
     Another day, and this hospice would have torn itself apart if Siran had to ration any more. That is, if she had anything left to ration.

SABINA:
     I know.

XENA:
     I was all set to send Haimon to ride out to some of the other villages around here and see if he had better luck.

SABINA (scornfully):
     Haimon? Find food? It's a wonder how he manages to find his own pants in the morning. (chuckles) Of course, we could ask your little friend--

XENA (interrupts):
     Then you come in with all those supplies, and--problem solved.

SABINA (looks up at her mockingly):
     Xena, if this is your way of thanking me I think you need some lessons in manners.

XENA:
     I want to know where you got the food.

SABINA:
     I bet you do. (She shakes her head with a short laugh.) Well, maybe I don't want to tell you. A girl needs to keep some sense of mystery, you know.

XENA (impatiently):
     Come on, Sabina. Where did you get it?

SABINA:
     Don't tell me you don't believe that charity is still alive and well in the hearts of people...once they're properly motivated.

XENA (suspiciously):
     Properly motivated. And what exactly would that motivation be?

SABINA (shrugs):
     Who knows. Maybe it's one of those miracles of Eli Siran is always talking about.

Xena glares at her. Sabina finishes mending her boot, looks it over critically, then puts it on and gets up, facing Xena.

SABINA:
     Xena, your lack of faith is--disappointing!

Xena continues to glare at her; this staring contest is broken when Gabrielle enters.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, there you are! We've almost got the earthworks fortified and--.

SABINA:
     Enter the sidekick.

Gabrielle looks from Sabina to Xena, realizing she has stepped into the middle of something. Neither Xena nor Sabina say anything, so Gabrielle continues.

GABRIELLE:
     ...we've got the earthworks just about finished. Haimon thinks we should clear some of the treeline for observation.

XENA (nods):
     Good idea.

SABINA:
     And hardly a job I would entrust to the second string (glances at Gabrielle), let alone to the third string. I should keep an eye on him.

XENA:
     Sabina--

Sabina ignores Xena and walks out. Xena shakes her head.

GABRIELLE:
     What was that all about?

XENA (sighs):
     Sabina brought in a wagon load of supplies earlier.

GABRIELLE:
     Yes, I know. How did she get it?

XENA:
     That's what I'd like to know.

GABRIELLE:
     You don't think she did anything--bad, do you?

XENA (sarcastic):
     No, of course Sabina would never do anything bad.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, I've seen--we've both seen Sabina do things we never would have thought she was capable of.

XENA:
     And you think we can trust her to do the right thing? You know the only reason she's done any good at all is because of her--devotion to Siran.

GABRIELLE:
     Does it really matter why she's doing good as long as she's doing it?

XENA:
     Gabrielle, when you love someone so much that you're willing to do anything for them...the line between right and wrong can get very blurry.

GABRIELLE (after a brief pause):
     I know what you mean.

Gabrielle reaches out to squeeze Xena's hand and the two women share a tender look. Haimon enters and stops short.

HAIMON:
     Oh...I didn't realize you two were-- (he backs away) Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt--

Gabrielle breaks away from Xena and goes to Haimon, taking his hand.

GABRIELLE:
     What is it?

He fidgets uncomfortably a moment.

HAIMON:
     I've uh... (he looks from Xena to Gabrielle) I've got the refugees organized. If necessary we'll be able to defend the hospice. Though I'm not sure how much good it's going to do. (he shakes his head) A bunch of refugees going up against the legions of Civilis...

GABRIELLE:
     And if he gets past Jeronim, he'll be able to make a move for Rome.

HAIMON:
     What if we went to Vespasian and tried to forge some kind of alliance--

XENA:
     I'm not interested in taking sides in any Roman Civil War! For all I know Vespasian and Civilis deserve one another.

GABRIELLE (softly):
     Haimon, I have to agree with Xena on this one.

HAIMON:
     Well, if nothing else I can at least go to Civilis and try to convince him to pass the hospice by.

XENA:
     I won't try to stop you, Haimon. Just remember, no Roman ever came to power because of his reputation as a nice guy.

Haimon looks at Xena solemnly.

HAIMON:
     I'll go.

CUT TO

Haimon leads his horse from the stables. Gabrielle comes up, brandishing a sack.

GABRIELLE:
     I made you some food for the road.

HAIMON:
     Thanks. (he takes the food and turns to pack it in his saddlebag)

GABRIELLE:
     Before you go--there was something else--I wanted to talk to you about--

HAIMON:
     Can it wait? I really should be getting on the road before I lose much more of the light.

Gabrielle blinks, then smiles quickly and nods.

GABRIELLE:
     Oh, of course. I'll talk to you when you get back. (she reaches up to kiss his cheek) Be careful.

Haimon swings up into the saddle.

HAIMON:
     I will.

He flicks the reins and gallops off. Gabrielle stands still, watching him disappear down the road. She sighs and shakes her head, then turns around and starts to walk toward the hospice building.

MAN (off-camera):
     Excuse me, miss?

Gabrielle turns around to see a middle-aged man in colorful garb.

GABRIELLE:
     Yes? Are you looking for refuge here?

MAN (shakes his head):
     No, miss. I'm looking for Xena. I've heard she was here and, well--I've heard she helps people with--my kind of problem.

GABRIELLE:
     What kind of problem?

The camera pulls back to see Xena approaching behind Gabrielle's back.

MAN:
     Are you Xena?

XENA:
     That's right. Who wants to know?

MAN:
     Pleased to meet you. (He removes his cap and bows slightly) I'm a merchant. Our caravan was taking goods to the market in Terracina. This morning--about ten leagues west of here--we were attacked and robbed of a wagonload of food.

Xena and Gabrielle exchange an alarmed look.

CUT TO

Civilis is sitting at a table at his tent, leaning back. The camera pulls back to show Haimon standing before him.

CIVILIS:
     So. The good people of Jeronim chose you as their ambassador.

HAIMON:
     I came here on my own. The young woman who runs the hospice in Jeronim is--a friend of mine.

CIVILIS (grins suggestively):
      Oh, I see--your girl, eh?

HAIMON (straightens up indignantly):
     Certainly not.

CIVILIS (contemptuously):
     Lighten up, my friend. (eyes him curiously) Are you with Xena and Sabina? Those two attacked my soldiers on the road to Jeronim the other day.

HAIMON (with forced politeness):
     It was a misunderstanding. Sir--we have no quarrel with you. My friends and I, we're trying to protect some people who have lost everything in this war.

CIVILIS (sarcastic):
     My heart bleeds for them. Supporters of Vespasian, no doubt.

HAIMON:
     You'll win their hearts if you leave them in peace. They'll support you if you become emperor.

CIVILIS:
     No one gets to be emperor by being a nice guy. (he yawns conspicuously) The bottom line is, I need Jeronim for strategic value. My army is moving in tomorrow. If you and your friends think you can stop me, you're welcome to try.

CUT TO

The kitchen at the hospice. Siran, Alban and a few other volunteers are busy chopping vegetables. Some women are baking bread. The kitchen is bustling with activity.

Sabina comes in and strolls toward Siran.

SABINA:
     So. Things going well, I see?

SIRAN (turns around, smiling):
     Yes, thanks to you. A lot of the people here think of you as their savior.

SABINA (dryly):
     Nice to be appreciated.

SIRAN (uncertainly):
     Sabina... (she steps aside, pulling Sabina with her; her smile fades a little) How did you get that food?

SABINA (stiffly):
     Charitable donation.

SIRAN:
     From whom?

SABINA (brusquely):
     What does it matter? You needed food and I got you food. Let's leave it at that.

SIRAN (gently):
     Sabina--

The kitchen doors swing open and Xena and Gabrielle come in. Sabina whips her head around.

XENA (curtly):
     Sabina.

SABINA:
     What is it now?

XENA:
     I need a word with you. Care to step outside?

Some of the volunteers drop what they're doing to stare at her. Sabina glares back at Xena, then looks around, obviously realizing that she doesn't want a public scene, nods curtly and walks toward the door.

CUT TO

A back yard of the hospice. Xena, Gabrielle and Sabina come out of the building. Xena comes to an abrupt halt and turns around to face Sabina.

XENA:
     Want to tell me more about the spirit of charity and miracles of Eli?

SABINA:
     I don't know what you're talking about.

XENA:
     The food, Sabina. Want to tell me one more time where you got the supplies? Because Gabrielle and I just talked to a merchant whose caravan got robbed this morning by a woman whose description happens to be--

SABINA (defiantly):
     --an exact match for me.

Xena and Gabrielle stare at her silently.

SABINA:
     What do you want me to say? I did it. Congratulations on solving the crime.

SIRAN (off-camera):
     No!

Sabina whips around to see a distraught-looking Siran standing behind her.

SABINA:
     Siran, look--

SIRAN:
     How could you throw away everything--

SABINA:
     We needed food. How else do you expect to survive?

SIRAN:
     If we can just throw aside everything we believe about right and wrong in times of crisis do we really deserve to survive?

Gabrielle comes up to her and puts a hand on her arm.

GABRIELLE:
     Siran, there's something you should know. The merchant said that Sabina fought the armed guards who accompanied the caravan. She could have killed them--but she didn't.

SABINA (shoots her a sharp look):
     Well, look who decided to be a witness for the defense.

GABRIELLE (glances at her with exasperation, then speaks to Siran again):
     Look--I'm sure Sabina is sorry that there was no other way to--

SABINA (interrupts):
     Sorry? I'm not apologizing for anything. I did what I had to do. So I put a little dent in their wartime profits. They've still got plenty left. (gestures toward the hospice) Did you want all those people to starve? I don't see anyone in a hurry to return the loot. (to Xena) Just out of curiosity, what did you tell that merchant?

XENA (in a neutral tone):
     That I'd help find whoever did it and get the goods back.

SABINA:
     And will you? (off Xena's silent stare) You're the Greater Good expert, Xena. What is the right thing to do in this tricky little situation, hmm?

Siran sighs and come up to hug Sabina a little awkwardly.

SIRAN:
     Sabina...what you did wasn't right, but God will forgive you. He can see into your heart, and he knows that in your heart, you wanted what was best.

SABINA (rolls her eyes):
     Great.

SIRAN (sighs):
     I think I'll...go back inside and help with the cooking.

She walks away.

Sabina looks after her, then looks silently at Xena and Gabrielle and walks off.

Xena and Gabrielle stand still looking after her.

GABRIELLE (sighs):
     You know, there was a time when I thought I knew what the Greater Good was.

XENA (looks at her uncomfortably):
     Yeah.

CUT TO

The sun is setting. A group of children, Darion among them, are playing ball in the hospice yard, shouting and laughing happily.

A horse's hoofbeat is heard. One of the children, a blonde girl of about eight, turns toward the sound.

GIRL:
     Someone's coming!

The children stop playing and look somewhat nervously in the rider's direction as the rider comes into view.

DARION (excited):
     It's Haimon!

He runs toward Haimon, who brings his horse to a halt and dismounts. He looks grim.

HAIMON:
     Hey, kiddo. (He ruffles Darion's hair almost absently.) Where are Gabrielle and Xena?

Darion looks at him apprehensively, obviously realizing that there is bad news.

DARION:
     I'll go find them.

CUT TO

A room at the hospice, the same one as at the start of Act 3. Xena and Gabrielle are sitting at a table, the remnants of a meal before them. Sabina slouches by the wall. Haimon stands in front of them.

HAIMON:
     You were right--it was hopeless. It's not as if we had anything to negotiate with. I should have known better.

XENA:
     Better than to expect humanity from a Roman with imperial ambitions.

SABINA (chuckles):
     Like me, you mean.

Haimon gives her a sharp look while Xena pointedly ignores her comment.

GABRIELLE (pensively):
     So...it's a battle, then. (She shakes her head and sighs) Siran didn't want that...

SABINA (abruptly):
     Well, then--we can't all have everything we want, can we? (To Xena) It'll be great fighting at your side. (She pauses briefly; then, sarcastically) Unless, of course, you want to turn me over to the to the proper authorities--again. Whoever they may be right now.

Xena flinches and says nothing; Gabrielle lowers her head. Haimon, in obvious puzzlement, looks from Sabina to Xena and Gabrielle.

HAIMON:
     Anyone care to tell me what that was about?

Xena looks up at him, steadily holding his gaze.

XENA:
     A bad joke--that's all.

She rises from the table.

XENA:
     Come on. We've got work to do.

Gabrielle rises as well. Xena and Sabina walk toward the door. Gabrielle stops for a moment and takes Haimon's hand, then impulsively throws her arms around him and rests her head on his chest. He puts his arms around her. Xena looks back at them uneasily as we:

FADE OUT

END OF ACT THREE