ACT ONE

FADE IN:

INT. BEDROOM - DAY

Gabrielle draws a slow deep breath and blinks her eyes until they are finally focused on the room around her. The walls seem to be shimmering with bluish silver light but she can’t quite make out more than that in her current state.

Her hand travels over the soft bedding until she finds Xena’s hand.  She turns her head to find her partner sleeping soundly next to her. She knows immediately that Xena is alive by the gentle rise and fall of her chest.  Reassured and comforted by what she does know at the moment, that they are alive and together, Gabrielle closes her eyes to rest.

FADE TO:

INT. BEDROOM - SOMETIME LATER

Xena awakes this time, apparently feeling much better as she sits up immediately and tries to take in everything around her.  After a quick examination of the room she determines there is no immediate threat.  Her attention is drawn to Gabrielle, who is now curled up on her side with her arms wrapped around a pillow.

Xena reaches out and touches a bandage on Gabrielle’s forehead.  Her brows draw together as her finger traces strips of something she’s not familiar with that appear to be holding the bandage in place.  Suddenly she realizes that she’s not in the best shape of her life either.

Lowering the blanket covering her and Gabrielle, she finds a large white bandage on her side. It’s held on with the same kind of strips that are completely intriguing to her. She tries to remove her bandage, and hisses when the tape pulls at her skin.

XENA

Son of a Bacchae!

The curse brings Gabrielle out of her slumber. She sits up, immediately concerned by the look on Xena’s face.

GABRIELLE

What’s wrong?

Are you in pain?

XENA

Hell yes!  What is this?

She points to her side, causing Gabrielle to notice.

GABRIELLE

A bandage?

XENA

Oh funny. I mean the

stuff holding it on.

Gabrielle fingers the one edge of the tape.

GABRIELLE

It’s sticky.

XENA

Yes, I am aware of that.

It takes the skin with it

when you remove it.

GABRIELLE

The skin it still there, Xena.

It must sting a little.

XENA

It stings a lot.

GABRIELLE

Maybe we should

put it back?

Xena nods and lays back so Gabrielle can press the bandage back into place. She glares at Gabrielle’s little smile.

XENA

Don’t be so smug; you

have one on your forehead.

Gabrielle’s fingers travel to her forehead.

XENA

(cont’d)

And it’s right on your hairline.

That should be fun.

Gabrielle decides to ignore Xena’s comment as she pulls the blanket over her nude body.

GABRIELLE

Where are we?

XENA

I have no idea.

GABRIELLE

We survived, right?

XENA

Oh yeah, trust me.  No

‘other side’ has soft

beds and silk sheets.

GABRIELLE

Or food.

Gabrielle gets up from the bed, wrapping a blanket around her body as she makes her way to a corner of the room where a small table has been prepared with several types of food. Taking a seat at the table, she samples food from several different plates before she notices Xena staring at her.

GABRIELLE

What?

XENA

I’ll bet if we had died,

you’d have gone to the

other side hungry.

GABRIELLE

Come join me and stop

being such a grouch.

This lamb is wonderful.

Xena wraps the sheet around her body and takes a seat next to Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE

(cont’d)

So, how long do we wait

before we go exploring

and find out where we are?

Xena picks through the food before answering.

XENA

Obviously we’re not in any

immediate danger.  They

wouldn’t save our lives

to hurt us later.

Gabrielle stops in mid bite and puts the food back on her plate, staring at it.

XENA

(cont’d)

What’s wrong?

GABRIELLE

One word…. Cannibals.

Xena chuckles, pushing Gabrielle’s plate back to her.

XENA

Does this look like a place

where cannibals live?

GABRIELLE

Maybe they’re neat cannibals.

XENA

Eat.  After we’ve rested a bit

more, we’ll see if we can find

something to wear besides

the bedclothes and try

to locate our host.

FADE TO:

INT. COUNSUL ROOM - SAME DAY

Several men and women are seated around a large oval table.  They are talking quietly among themselves and there seems to be a very serious current to their conversations.  Finally, after a few minutes, an older woman taps a small crystal on the table to get the attention of the others.

VERA

As you are all aware, we have a very

serious problem right now that we need

to address.  Aias and Phaidon brought

two strangers here.  They were absolutely

correct in bringing these women to our

home. They had no choice in the matter

in adherence to our laws, but now we

are faced with what to do with them.

An elderly gentleman with a long gray beard and a ponytail of the same color running down his back, seems to consider her words as he strokes his beard.

SOTERES

I think we must try and persuade them

to remain here with us.  It is the wisest

course of action, since allowing them

to return topside is nearly impossible.

GEDEON

And if they don’t wish to stay?

Then what?

SOTERES

Then Vera and I will decide

if it is time to hand them over

to you and the military.

TERALYN

Seems we are caught between a rock

and a hard place.  On hand we can’t

see any harm come to them, because

our laws forbid us to, but on the other

we can’t let them leave because they

could give us away to the topsiders.

SOTERES

It is indeed a difficult position we are

in.  Before we consider any options,

we should talk with our guests and

see how reasonable they are.

Gedeon, are they still sleeping?

The general turns to a small screen in the table and presses a few buttons.  The screen comes to life and shows Xena and Gabrielle rummaging through the cabinets in their room.

GEDEON

No sir, they are awake

and appear to be looking

for their clothes.

SOTERES

What did you do with

their clothes?

GEDEON

We took them.  The tall one was

wearing armor, primitive, but armor

nonetheless and weapons.  She

must certainly be a warrior topside.

The fair-haired one had a pair of

defensive weapons.  They appear

to be fairly harmless, but I’m sure in

the right hands they could be deadly.

SOTERES

Do you think hers

are the right hands?

GEDEON

I’m sure of it.  Our technology gives

us weapons these two could not

even dream about, but it also give

us a disadvantage when dealing

with topsiders.  They are far more

cunning because they have to be.

We just point and destroy; they must

have plans, with options and

contingencies in their warfare.  They

adapt quickly to any situation and

can be quite deadly when provoked.

SOTERES

Then let us not provoke them.

VERA

A wise decision I think.

Let us talk with them and

hopefully reason with them.

TERALYN

Perhaps when they see the

riches and the advancements

our world has to offer they

will stay without argument.

SOTERES

Perhaps, but don’t count on it.

People from the topside world

can be frightened and mistrustful

of things they do not understand.

This may spur them to fight to escape.

GEDEON

They can’t escape from Atlantis

and live to see the surface.

CUT TO:

INT. BEDROOM - CONCURRENT

Xena sits at the table, drumming her fingers and looking very irritated.  Gabrielle closes the door on the cabinet and turns to her partner.

GABRIELLE

Ideas?

XENA

Sheets are fashionable?

As Gabrielle is about to reply, there is a knock on the door and they both stand to face it.  Both of them look as if they’re prepared for a fight.

XENA

Come in.

The door slides to the right revealing Soteres, Vera and Gedeon.  They step inside and the door slides closed behind them.

SOTERES

Welcome to Atlantis, friends.

I am Soteres. This is

Vera and Gedeon.

XENA

I’m Xena. This is Gabrielle.

VERA

Welcome, Xena and Gabrielle.

GEDEON

I have your clothes.

He steps forward with their clothes all neatly folded in one hand and their boots in the other.  He places the items on the table between them.

GEDEON

We had them cleaned for you.

XENA

Thank you.  Where are

my armor and weapons?

SOTERES

I’m afraid we had to keep them

for the time being, Xena. Surely

you understand.  You are strangers

to us.  We are a peaceful people,

and we wish no trouble.  Two of

our young men found you on the

beach, close to death.  They

brought you here and our

staff saw to your needs.

XENA

Gabrielle and I are grateful for your

assistance.  The ship on which we

were traveling was caught up in a

storm and broken apart.  Without

your help, we would have died, but

if you will be so kind as to return

my armor and our weapons,

we’ll be on our way.

SOTERES

Well you see, there’s the problem.

If you leave, you could jeopardize

the lives of everyone who lives here.

GEDEON

And you understand we

can’t allow that.

GABRIELLE

And you don’t seem to understand

it’s a bad idea to try and keep Xena

someplace she doesn’t want to stay.

VERA

You don’t know that you don’t want

to stay here.  Let us show you our

world.  We have much to offer.

Things the likes of which you have

never seen before.  You may

find our home to your liking.

XENA

Where the people are prisoners?

Somehow I don’t think so.

GEDEON

Our people are not prisoners

Xena, but they understand the

need for secrecy. They do not

speak of their home when they

are among your people.

XENA

My people?  Aren’t they

your people too?

SOTERES

No. We are different.

(beat)

Please, before you make

any judgments about us, let

us show you our world and

explain it to you. Please?

XENA

Just a second.

Xena and Gabrielle turn their backs, taking a few steps away from the elders.

GABRIELLE

(whispering)

Have a look around?

XENA

I think so.  If there is a way out

of here, we need to find it.

Gabrielle nods her agreement and they turn their attention back to the trio.

XENA

We’d love to have

a look around.

FADE OUT.
 

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO