Copyright 1999 --- Robert Baer Jr. The Space Rovers -- "Friend or Foe -- Part 1" DISCLAIMER Road Rovers characters, names, situations and the Road Rovers universe are the property of Warner Bros. I, nor this script/story are connected with Warner Bros. in any way, shape or form. This document may not be publicized or reproduced in any way, shape or form. It must remain fully intact and may not be altered in anyway. It is strictly used for not-for-profit entertainment purposes only, and is not intended to infringe on any Copyrights. This story is written by Robert Baer Jr and the characters Fydo, Boomer, Rasputin, Saundra, Alexander, Grunt, Daisy, Abdullah, Bob, Cactus Jake, Marie, Francis, Calypso, Sheena, Bruno, Molly, Deborah, Lady, Orchid, Dot, Ultra, King, Luigi, Sophia, Lao Zi, Su Li, Claudia, Numbia, Derby and Poncho are all Robert Baer Jr's creations, copyright pending, 1999, Cobber is a creation of Mike Browner. The Space Rovers -- "Friend or Foe -- Part 1" The scene is Captain Persia's office, where she is recording another log entry. PERSIA (into mic): Captain's log, entry 1123. It's been a week since our mission to rescue King Rhinon and Roberto from the evil Milex. After six straight days of star mapping in the Relwoa region, the crew seems to be very tense and edgy. Calypso's idea to have a formal dance party later in the evening will hopefully raise the crew's spirits. Several minor incidents have broken out all over the ship, Molly is very upset about 'crawling' through space at half force speed, and keeps taking it out on her staff. Cadet Dot is not very happy with her new assignment in the lounge, I'm not surprised. I'm afraid if she continues to be a troublemaker, I'll have no choice but to dismiss her from the Space Rovers. It seems the happiest members of my crew are Boomer, Saundra, Hans and Deborah, and that's because their making their wedding plans. They have agreed to have their weddings on Graum 7 later in the year. Ensign Fydo has returned to active duty, and Lt Bob has been assigned to Engineering. Now I have a difficult situation to handle, I have sent for Lt Commander Grunt because I need to talk to him about his recent irrational behavior. I've never had any problems before with Grunt, so this is quite unusual for me. I'll turn on my universal translator to help me understand him better. Here he comes now, end log entry. Grunt enters the office and sits down, he appears to be upset and angry, more than usual. PERSIA (calmly): Lt Commander Grunt, the reason I called you here is that I'm very concerned about that incident last night in the lounge with Derby. He was trying to teach you how to play cribbage, right? GRUNT (growling, but translated): That is correct, Captain! This was part of my ongoing mission to 'socialize' like you told me to. All I did was obey Derby's command, and he got upset with me. PERSIA (calmly): But Grunt, when he told you to 'throw the dice' he didn't mean for you to throw them across the room with all of your might! GRUNT (shrugs shoulders, growling, but translated): I honestly didn't know that, Captain. I tried to apologize, but Derby grabbed his cribbage set and ran, yelling something about never trying to civilize wild dogs anymore. PERSIA (lowers head): Oh, Grunt. You still have a lot to learn about socializing. On our last trip back to earth, you went with Saundra and Boomer to Miami Beach, and just stood out on the beach all day, until I called you back to Headquarters. Why? GRUNT (growling, but translated): I didn't mean any harm, Captain, but I saw no need to frolic in the sand like the others were doing. I'm sorry if I have disappointed you, Captain. PERSIA (smiling): I know, my huge friend, I know... GRUNT (growling, but translated): I did ask Calypso about love, like you asked me to, I am more confused about the concept than ever now. PERSIA (startled): More confused? GRUNT (growling, but translated): Yes, Captain. Calypso says that love is defined as two people caring about each other to the extreme that they can not stand to be apart from each other. But Molly and Bruno love each other and are apart most of the time they're on duty. Sheena, by your definition, loves this 'Cobber' guy but are physically light years apart. I am at a loss to understand, can you assist me, Captain? PERSIA (smiling slightly): There is no easy and simple definition of love. Do you think that you're experiencing this emotion towards someone? GRUNT (growling, but translated): I do not know, that's why I'm asking PERSIA (lowers head): Well, Grunt, I hope that someday you will discover the true meaning of love. Dismissed. As Grunt walks out of Persia's office, the scene switches to sick bay, where Abdullah, Sheena and Deborah are running some routine physicals on members of the crew. Luigi is on a treadmill, Bob is having his reflexes tested while Claudia is in another room waiting for her turn. ABDULLAH (looking at his stopwatch): Ok, Luigi, you can stop running now! LUIGI (panting hard): That'sa what I was a waitin' to hear! ABDULLAH (takes Luigi's pulse): Now, now, it's not that bad, is it? LUIGI (panting): Your part is easy, mine is hard! ABDULLAH (laughs): You're fine, Luigi, but I can tell by your breath you've had pizza again! Too much of that is not healthy for you! LUIGI (smiles): Hey, I'm Italian! I eat pizza! What more can I say? DEBORAH (testing Bob's reflexes with a hammer): Looks like your reflexes are fine, Bob! BOB (laughing): That hammer thing tickles! DEBORAH (looks over at Luigi and Abdullah): I see the treadmill is now available, ready for the endurance test? BOB (smiling): I sure am, Deborah! CLAUDIA (looking at Sheena): Sheena! I want to get this over with! Fydo is waiting for me at the pool! SHEENA (smiling): You love him, don't you? CLAUDIA (grinning): Well, I do like him a lot, he's so fun to be with! SHEENA (sadly): I know how you feel, I wish Cobber was here with me....... CLAUDIA (smiling): You really love him, don't you? SHEENA (dreamily): Cobber! What a guy! CLAUDIA (smiles): Sheena, you and Cobber will see each other again, don't worry! SHEENA (sighs): I hope you're right, Claudia.... The scene shifts to the classroom area, where Calypso has just dismissed class for the day. As the Rover children leave the room, Fydo is just standing there sadly looking out the window at the stars. CALYPSO (putting her hand on his shoulder): Fydo, what be the matter wit you? Tell old Calypso all about it! FYDO (sighs): I feel like a fraud, ma'am! I'm no hero! CALYPSO (smiling): What you be talking about, mon? I saw how you bolted out dar wit that missle launcher when we landed on ..... FYDO (interrupting): I shot the stupid thing backwards, I was only lucky that the missle caused an avalanche. CALYPSO: But on Graum, you bravely led those alien bees away from the children! FYDO (sighs): I was running for my life, I had no idea what I was doing! Don't you see? I'm a fake! I didn't even deserve to be promoted! CALYPSO (looking Fydo in the eyes): STOP SPEAKING NONSENSE! Everyone on this ship looks up to you! Even the Jurrissians are erecting a huge statue in your honor for saving their king! FYDO (crying): But I don't deserve all of that! I'm nobody special...... CALYPSO (sternly): Fydo, there is a ship full of Rovers who would disagree, especially a dozen youngsters and one old Jamacian mutt! FYDO (smiles slightly): Thank you, Calypso, but I still feel I'm not worthy of all of this praise. Fydo slowly walks out of the classroom as Calypso shakes her head sadly. The scene shifts to the lounge area, where Rasputin sits alone in a corner of the room, staring down at his bowl of water. Dot, who is busy cleaning the floor, notices him and walks over to his table. DOT (softly): Rassy, you really seem down. Wanna talk about it? RASPUTIN (sternly): I don't think you'd understand, Dot DOT (grinning): Try me! RASPUTIN (sadly): On our last visit to earth, I had an agrument with my dad. He demanded that I resign my commission and return home to become a guru like him! I told him that I loved him, but I had to follow my own path. He got angry and told me to leave. This is really bothering me... DOT (sadly): Wow, I had no idea. Have you tried to contact him since then? RASPUTIN (sadly): No, I can't face him again, I just can't..... DOT (sits beside Rasputin): I know how you feel. My parents never did like my involvement in the Road Rovers. They always feared for my safety, they once demanded that I leave the Rovers and come home. RASPUTIN (looking up): And what did you do next, Dot? DOT (sadly): I haven't spoken to them since. RASPUTIN (slight grin): Seems we have a common problem DOT (standing up): Well, I'm going to solve my problem! Soon as we return to earth again, I'm resigning! RASPUTIN (shocked): Why, Dot? DOT (angry): Just look at me, Rassy! The Captain has assigned me to the lounge! Just because I insulted Fydo last week... RASPUTIN (shakes head): Dot, you've been shooting off your mouth here ever since I've met you! DOT (growling): Hey, I don't have to take this from you! RASPUTIN (smiling): You remind me so much of me when I first reported to duty on this ship. I acted immature, shot off my mouth and didn't respect authority, it was only after our first mission to Jurrassia when I watched as Persia was willing to sacrifice herself for our lives that I realized how wrong I was and how foolish I'd been behaving. Dot, you need to do what I did, grow up and act like a responsible adult! DOT (yelling): That's your opinion, Rassy! Everyone is against me here, nobody likes me, I just want to leave! Dot storms off, tossing her mop into the air and throwing her washrags on the floor. The scene switches to the bridge, where Persia, Alexander, Boomer, Saundra, Whitey, Grunt, Bruno and Cactus Jake are all at their 'stations.' BRUNO (turning to Persia): Captain, Molly is asking when this ship will be flying at warp speed again! PERSIA (smiling): Tell her that I'll let her know, OK? BRUNO (sadly, mumbling): Molly isn't going to like this...... WHITEY (looking at his monitor): Captain, sensors are picking up a Willian vessel heading towards us at Warp 2. PERSIA (wondering): The Willians? They run the shore leave facilities on Graum 7, what is one of their vessels doing so far from home? CACTUS JAKE (giggling): Maybe they need a vacation? WHITEY (sternly): Unlikely, Jake, now the vessel has dropped out of warp and is directly in front of us. PERSIA (looking forward): I can see their ship, it's almost as large as ours is! Bruno, hail them! BRUNO (surprised): They're not responding PERSIA: That's odd, Whitey, scan the vessel WHITEY (looking at monitor): Captain, I can't explain it, but the Willian ship has some sort of high density force field on. I cannot scan inside the ship. ALEXANDER (shouting): Something's wrong here, battle stations! Grunt, activate force field! PERSIA (turning to Alexander): Belay that last order! Old man, the Willians are our allies, I don't want us to appear hostile. ALEXANDER (angry): With all due respect, Captain, they are not communicating with us and we cannot scan their ship. I feel in my bones that we are in danger! Grunt, carry out my last order! PERSIA (shouting): No, Grunt, leave the shields down! That's an order! GRUNT (angry): GRRRRRRRRRR GROWL!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRR PERSIA (furious): You dare question MY orders, Lt. Commander? Obey me or leave the bridge! Grunt quickly presses a number of buttons on his console. WHITEY (surprised): Captain, Grunt has activated our shields! PERSIA (yelling): Grunt, you are relieved of duty! Leave the bridge! CACTUS JAKE (panicing): CAPTAIN, THE WILLIANS HAVE FIRED TORPEDOES AT US! WHITEY (yelling): TEN SECONDS TO IMPACT!! The ship shakes as the torpedoes smash into the shields. BRUNO (turning around): Captain, minor damage on decks six and nine! WHITEY (shouting): Shields holding at ninety one percent! BRUNO: Captain, the Willian ship is hailing us! PERSIA (staring at Grunt): Open a channel! Persia and the others are shocked when they see who appears on the front viewing screen. It's a very familiar looking white beagle. PERSIA (shocked): Ultra! ULTRA (grinning): So, you remember me, Captain Persia! And I remember how you abandoned me and my friends! PERSIA (angry): How did you get a space ship? ULTRA (evil grin): We borrowed it from a group of Willians who happened to land on our planet. Now they're discovering what being marooned is like! I must commend you, Captain, you raised your shields just in time to stop our surprise attack. Very well, but can you stop this? BRUNO (shouting): Ultra has terminated the transmission! WHITEY (excited): The Willian vessel has launched eight small attack ships that are quickly surrounding us! PERSIA (shouting): Boomer, get us out of here! Go to warp! WHITEY (shouting): The smaller ships have penetrated our shields and are firing energy weapons at us! The Canius Minor shakes as the attacker's energy weapons strike it. CACTUS JAKE (shouting): Captain, warp engines are offline! WHITEY (looking at monitor): The outer hull is beginning to buckle, damage reported on all decks! PERSIA (shouting): Dispatch damage control teams! ALEXANDER (turning to Persia): Captain, we have to find a way to stop the smaller attack ships, or we're going to be destroyed! BRUNO (turning to Persia): Captain, the attack ships have backed away, Ultra is asking for our surrender! Persia sits in her Captain's chair, looking on like she's completely stunned. BRUNO (shouting): Captain! What is our reply? ------------------------------------------------------------------------ to be continued.......