Copyright 1999 -- Robert Baer Jr. The Space Rovers -- "Friend or Foe -- Part 2" 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 2" BRUNO (looking at Persia): Captain, bad news from Engineering, Molly reports that that last volley of fire from the enemy fighters have knocked out our phaser banks and torpedo launchers. Our shields are holding, but other than that, we're defenseless! ALEXANDER: Captain, I suggest we fight fire with fire! We have four shuttlecraft on board which have phaser capability, let's send four Space Rovers out in them and hope they can destroy Ultra's fighter craft. PERSIA (looking at Whitey): Good idea, Whitey, who are our four best pilots? WHITEY (looking at monitor): They are Cactus Jake, Claudia, Rasputin and ...... (looks up at Grunt) PERSIA (sternly): Lt Commander Grunt, you are hereby restored to active duty, you and Cactus Jake report to the shuttlecraft bay at once! GRUNT: GRRRRRRRRRRR! CACTUS JAKE: Like Grunt said, YES MA'AM!!!!!!!!!! BRUNO (turning to Persia): Captain, Ultra is still waiting for a reply. ALEXANDER: Captain, stall for time, until we can launch our shuttles! PERSIA (sighs): You're right, old man, Bruno, open a channel! Ultra appears on the front viewer as Grunt and Cactus Jake enter the elevator. ULTRA (smiling): So Persia, have you decided to surrender? It's not too late! Think of it! This Willian ship has a lot of weapons, and with the Canius Minor we could both return to earth and conquer! PERSIA (sitting down): Ultra, why are you and your pack so obsessed with destroying all humans? ULTRA (angry): Because all humans are evil! They torture and mistreat our canine comrades! We'll make them all suffer for their misdeeds! PERSIA (smiling): Why not join our team instead? We do a lot of good in the universe, for example ..... ULTRA (growling): STOP STALLING, CAPTAIN!!! I WANT AN ANSWER NOW!!! SURRENDER, OR ELSE!!! PERSIA (angry): I'll take the 'or else', Ultra! Bruno, end transmission! WHITEY (looking at monitor): Captain, our shuttles have launched! The Canius Minor takes a few more direct 'hits' from the attackers until the four shuttlecraft open fire and begin chasing them away. A huge space 'dogfight' ensues, despite their best efforts, the four Space Rovers are unable to stop any of the fighters. Suddenly, Grunt's shuttlecraft stops firing phasers. WHITEY (looking at monitor): Captain, our shuttlecraft haven't immobilized the enemy fighters, and it looks like Grunt's shuttle's weapons are no longer functioning, the internal circuitry has been overloaded. PERSIA (turning to Bruno): Bruno, put their radio signals on speakers, I want to hear what's happening. Tell Grunt to return to the ship. BRUNO: Aye, aye, Captain! CACTUS JAKE (on radio): Those hombres are tough! I know I hit some of them fighter craft head on, but they're still moving! CLAUDIA (on radio): I know, it's like they have shields or armor or something RASPUTIN (on radio): Grunt, have any suggestions? GRUNT (on radio): GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR GROWL!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! PERSIA (shocked): What does he mean, 'stay back and let me handle this?' Tell him to return to the ship, and that's an order! BRUNO (scared): Cactus Jake is arguing with Grunt, Grunt just pulled rank and ordered the other three ships to hold their positions! Grunt is not replying to any of your messages, Captain! PERSIA (angry): What is Grunt thinking? His shuttle has no weapons! He's gone mad! Tell him he's relieved of command!! Grunt's shuttle turns towards the huge Willian ship and slowly approaches it. Grunt opens a channel to Ultra and radios insults to him. The scene shifts to the Willian ship's bridge, Ultra is seated in the Captain's chair with King (a pit bull) and Lady (a great dane) operating the navigation and communications consoles. They have all been listening to Grunt's insults ULTRA (enraged): HE CALLED MY MOTHER A WHAT?????? Lady, tell all of our fighters to open fire on Grunt's ship, follow him, blow him out of the galaxy! LADY (turning to Ultra): I respectfully ask you to reconsider. We need to destroy the Canius Minor first! ULTRA (slams fist on armrest): Are you questioning my judgment, Lady!? King, aim all of our energy weapons at Grunt's ship, we'll all send that miserable pit bull to doggie heaven! KING (stuttering): But sir, he's moving towards us and .... ULTRA (growling loudly): I SAID OPEN FIRE..... NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Grunt's shuttle flys dangerously close to the Willain vessel, as ordered, the eight fighter craft pursue and fire at Grunt. The main weapons on the Willan vessel fire also, Grunt skillfully maneuvers his ship to avoid all the phaser fire, and watches in delight as the ensuing crossfire destroys five of the fighter craft and damages the hull of the Willian ship. LADY (shouting over the sounds of blasting): Ultra! Our own weapons fire shot down five of our fighter craft! We have reports of hull breeches on decks four, five and eleven! Our own fighters have done this to us! ULTRA (standing up and growling): THAT GRUNT!!!! HE TRICKED US INTO SHOOTING OURSELVES!!! LADY (under her breath): What do you mean, us? ULTRA (growling and grabbing Lady by the collar): WHAT DID YOU SAY?? LADY (frightened): Nothing sir, nothing at all! ULTRA (releasing Lady): Well, at least we have three fighters left, and this ship's weapons! KING (grumbling): All of our weapons were damaged in the crossfire, Ultra, we can't fire energy weapons or torpedos! ULTRA (growling): Have the rest of our crew fix them, we need to finish off the Canius Minor! KING (turning to Ultra): But we just hijacked this ship! We barely know how to fly it let alone fix it! ULTRA (grabs King by the collar): I DON'T WANT EXCUSES! I WANT RESULTS!!!!!!!!! As the battle rages on in space, the scene shifts back to the Canius Minor, which was already damaged by the last wave of enemy fighters. The sounds of emergency sirens are heard throughout the ship, as the automatic bulkheads begin to close to seal off parts of the vessel that the hull has been compromised. On deck ten, Calypso and Fydo are rushing the Rover children to safety as a section of the ship has to be sealed off due to the hull breeches. As huge iron bulkheads begin to close shut, Fydo notices that Yuri and Vanni are missing, he instinctively runs back through the closing bulkhead to find them. CALYPSO (screaming): FYDO!!!!! COME BACK!!!!! YOU'LL BE TRAPPED IN THERE, MON!!!!!!!!!! Fydo finds the two children hiding under a table, he quickly grabs one under each arm and runs back towards the closing bulkhead. FYDO (shouting): YURI! VANNI! WE HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH THAT OPENING!! REMEMBER OUR TRAINING IN PHYS. ED? Fydo, Vanni and Yuri jump into the air, barely flying through the narrow opening as the bulkhead closed. Calypso sobs as she hugs Vanni, Yuri and Fydo in a big group hug. Meanwhile on the other side of the ship, Dot and Marie are working to repair a hull breech in a corridor. Another enemy hit causes steel girders to fall from the ceiling, knocking out Marie and Dot cold. Flash, Deborah and Bob hear the noise and come running, the ship's automatic containment system begins to close bulkheads on both sides of the corridor. Without any thought for her safety, Deborah jumps through the narrowing opening of the bulkhead to try and save her friends. BOB (shouting): DEBORAH!!! COME BACK HERE!!!! THE BULKHEADS ARE CLOSING!!! FLASH (shouting): YOU'LL BE TRAPPED AND EXPOSED TO SPACE! BOB (grabbing the bulkhead): We have to keep this open for Deborah to return! FLASH (shouting): NO BOB!!! If the bulkhead doesn't close, all of us on this deck will die! BOB (angry): But what about Deborah, Marie and Dot? FLASH (pointing at the bulkhead window): LOOK!!! Deborah uses her mind to form a force field around her and the unconscience Marie and Dot. She activates her wrist communicator DEBORAH (on speakers): Deborah to anyone! Marie, Dot and I are trapped in Section 12, Deck seven. The bulkheads have closed, but I have a force field around us to protect us from cold space, but we'll run out of oxygen soon. Can someone rescue us, please? FLASH (shaking her head): She'll only have a minute of air in that force field of hers, there's no safe way for anyone to enter that bulkhead now... BOB (frightened): You mean, they're all going to die? FLASH (crying): There's nothing we can do! BOB (screaming loudly): NO!!!!!!!!!! Numbia, Derby and other Rovers hear Bob's loud scream and come running, Bob's body begins to glow brightly. NUMBIA: Look! Bob's going to transform into his brontosaurus stage! DERBY (pointing): I don't think so, he's not growing any... FLASH (pointing): I see something happening in the corridor! Flash and the others peer through the bulkhead window and see that Deborah, Marie and Dot are now glowing just like Bob is. In a matter of seconds, the three lady Rovers disappear from the corridor and reappear in front of where Bob is standing. DERBY (stunned): BLIMEY!!! I DON'T BELIEVE ME EYES!!!!!!!!!!! NUMBIA (shocked): By the camel's eye! How did Bob do this? FLASH (eyes fixed on Bob): This must be another of Bob's hidden mental abilities! He has the power of teleportation! Bob looks genuinely surprised to see Dot, Marie and Deborah directly in front of him! He can only smile and shout "YES!!!!!" Meanwhile, out in space the 'dog fight' between the three remaining enemy fighters and the Rover shuttlecraft continues. Suddenly, Grunt's shuttle turns towards the fighters and fires three super blasts of phaser energy, damaging all three of them severely. Everyone on the bridge can't believe what they've just witnessed. PERSIA (jumps out of her chair): That's Grunt's shuttle! Whitey, I thought his phaser banks were down! Explanation! WHITEY (looking at monitor): Grunt has somehow reactivated and increased his phaser capabilities by rewiring his weapons array into his shuttlecraft's life support systems. PERSIA (screaming): LIFE SUPPORT??? WHITEY (looking at monitor): I estimate that Grunt has exactly one and a half minutes of life support left. He won't have sufficent time to return to the ship. PERSIA (yelling): GRUNT!!!! The scene shifts to the Willian bridge, Ultra and the others see Grunt's predicament. ULTRA (laughing, on radio): Hey Grunt! Looks like you lose! You may have defeated my fighters and disabled my weapons, but now you're going to die! what have you got to say now, tought guy? GRUNT (angry, on radio): GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR GROWL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR LADY (scared): He said that your going with him! ULTRA (shocked): WHAT???? Grunt steers his shuttlecraft towards the Willan ship and speeds up. When his ship penetrates the shields, Grunt opens fire at point blank range as he draws nearer to the Willan ship. ULTRA (screaming): THAT FOOL'S GOING TO RAM US!!!!! On the Canius Minor bridge, Persia and the others can only watch as Grunt's shuttlecraft slams into the Willan ship and explodes. At first, Persia simply stands still, frozen in fear, staring at the front view screen and afraid to show her feelings in front of the crew. Finally, she breaks down in tears, slumping into her chair. PERSIA (crying): NO!!!! WHY DID HE DO THIS? IT'S NOT FAIR!!! ALEXANDER (holding Persia's hand): Captain, Grunt sacrificed himself to save our lives. He was by far the most fearless member of our crew.... PERSIA (crying): You don't understand, old man, I scolded him twice, I never got the chance to apologize! Now it's too late! ALEXANDER (calmly): You must be strong and brave, like Grunt was... PERSIA (jumps out of her chair and paces): Old man, Grunt was more than just my chief of security! He was my friend! As Persia continues to pace and ramble, she doesn't notice the elavator door opening. PERSIA (raging): Old man, Grunt was the only male on this entire ship that I could've fallen in love with! I admit it! I've always loved and admired Grunt, what I wouldn't give to hear that growl of his again! BRUNO (pointing): CAPTAIN, LOOK BEHIND YOU! As Persia turns to look, she nearly faints at what she sees, it's Flash, who is standing beside a very familiar looking Space Rover PERSIA (shouting): GRUNT!!!!!!!!!!! Throwing all decorum aside, she hugs the huge Pit Bull tightly, crying as she embraces him. ALEXANDER (shocked, stuttering): But...... but ....... how did he ....... FLASH (smiling): You can all thank Lt Bob for saving Grunt! He discovered his new power of teleportation during our battle with Ultra. ALEXANDER (looking on the view screen): Whitey, where is the Willian vessel? WHITEY (looking at monitor): There is no sign of the Willan ship, no debris, no ion trail. Wait, there's another vessel is heading towards us, it's the Degalo! ALEXANDER (turning to Bruno): That's Commander Zeldor's ship! Open a channel! BRUNO (smiling): On front screen! Instantly the image of Commander Zeldor appears. ZELDOR: Commander Alexander, we got here as soon as our scans detected your battle, your ship is heavily damaged, can we assist you? ALEXANDER: First, can you tell us where the attacking vessel went? ZELDOR: Our scans detected a large explosion, causing the attacking ship to excelerate to warp speed and fall into a nearby black hole ALEXANDER: Black hole? WHITEY (pointing to monitor): I detect a black hole approximately two light years from here, that must be the one they fell into. ZELDOR: Now, my turn for questions. Where's Captain Persia? ALEXANDER (pointing): Standing right behind me, hugging Grunt! ZELDOR (bewlidered): Er..... OK, next question, why did that Willian vessel attack you? We're all allies! ALEXANDER: That Willian ship had been hijacked by a team of mutant Cano-Sapiens, they left them on a uncharted planet about four light years from here. WHITEY (interrupting): Three point seven eight light years to be exact, Commander ZELDOR: I'll send a message to the Pressadon, it's patroling that area, they'll rescue our Willian friends! How badly are you damaged? BRUNO (turning to the view screen): Damage control reports eight minor hull breeches, all under repair. Chief Engineer Molly reports that our warp drive, impulse engines and wormhole generator are all offline and under repair. Doctor Abdullah reports several injuries but thankfully no casualties! ZELDOR (smiling): Alexander, may I offer to tow your ship to Graum, they have excellent repair facilities! ALEXANDER: Even for a vessel as small as ours? ZELDOR (laughing): Of course, Commander! The Willians have been wanting you and your crew to return for a long time! SAUNDRA (smiling): GRAUM!!!! BOOMER (smiling back at Saundra): I know what you're thinking, my dear! ALEXANDER (tapping Persia on her shoulder): Captain, shall we accept Zeldor's offer? PERSIA (releasing Grunt): Of course, old man! I don't see another interstellar tow truck around here, do you? ZELDOR (laughing): I LOVE your sense of humor Captain! We'll activate a tractor beam and take you to Graum. We'll have to travel below Warp 4, so the trip will take one solar day. PERSIA (returning to her chair): Understood, Commander, and thank you! Persia out! I'll be in my office, Alexander, you have the comm. GRUNT (turning to Persia): GRRRRRRRRRRRR GROWL? PERSIA (smiling): Ok, Lt Commander Grunt, I'll see you in my office now, follow me out. Persia and Grunt enter her office and close the door. Persia turns on her universal translator. PERSIA (sadly): Grunt, we have to talk about this. Your actions in the recent battle were totally inappropriate. No member of this crew goes on suicide missions! Understand me? GRUNT (growling, but translated): Captain, I did disobey you, I'm very sorry, but my primary function is to protect you and this crew. That's why I had to activate the shields against your orders, and that's why I had to ..... PERSIA (angry, slams hands on her desktop): YOU ALMOST GOT KILLED!!!!! HOW COULD YOU DO THAT TO ME??? GRUNT (growling, but translated): I heard what you said on the bridge earlier, you are in love with me, aren't you? PERSIA: Well.......... I've always had a crush on you GRUNT (growling, but translated): This would explain the long embrace you just gave me on the bridge. Is that what is meant by love, Captain? PERSIA (smiling): I do have feelings for you, Grunt. At first, I dismissed them as a silly fantasy, but when I thought you were dead, that's when I finally realized that I do care about you very deeply. GRUNT (growling, but translated): That was Calypso's definition of love, and I do feel the same way about you, Captain. PERSIA (slowly walks in front of Grunt): Grunt, looks like it's time for me to teach you about what real love is, here's lesson number one! Persia reaches up and puts her hands around Grunt's neck and gives him a long, passionate kiss. GRUNT (smiling): May we repeat lesson one again, please? Persia laughs and kisses him again the same way ------------------------------------------------------------------------