Killer's Take and the Vainglorious Fire

Newshuman - On the interview stage, "You know there's rumors around.  Of you with the nanny."

Actor - Smiles.  "Well."
____

The actor and co-star lay in bed with a woman dressed as a nanny in between them.

Nanny - "Oh he's such a good boy, it's been no trouble at all."
____

Actor - "I'd say they're making some fairly broad assumptions."

Newshuman - In bed between them, "And what about you ?  It never bothers you ?"

Co-star - "Well.  How the hell else am I supposed bang chicks ?"

~ Killer's Take and the Vainglorious Fire ~

Face on shot of Dog Soldier runs happy though the park, then behind him seen the actor and co-star in costume with their new superhero team in a line having fun and laughing.

They pick up the park trash with a bunch of kids, all playing around as they do.  Shots of the recast Doctor Zhivago and his absurdist plans made to show 'he's still pretty much the same guy'.

Action shots of the team for the credits  (1:15) ~

The Actor ~ Smiles flipping a burger.

The Co-Star ~ Hip sway with a plate of food.

Soldier Story ~ He's ... a soldier.  Dog Soldier leaps into his arms, he Grins tossing a grenade over his soldier into a pile of evil minions 2.0.

Franken-Tom ~ His arm falls off and they all laugh with him.

Agent Immortal - He's really fucking old.  He waves his hand and butterflies appear, the children astound.  Then the butterflies are all struck by lightning.

The music stops ... the children horrified ... the heroes look at him.  "Agent Immortal ... "

Agent Immortal - "He-he-he ... "

He doters off, they shake their heads endeared.  The music continues, the children chase after Dog Soldier running away with Frankentom's arm.

~ and introducing ~

Space Lady ~ Poses with her ray-gun in front of her parked UFO, which blasts off in a field of color into the next scene's cut to lights.

To the crew party for the rest of the credits (last being 'Written by Alan Smithee), some unseen guy in the corner table shadows with his people, a bottle of gin and a honey bear. 

His hand with a glass in it, it moves for a drink taken and is slammed back to the table upside down and empty.  The screen burns away.
____________

An enemy soldier smacks Soldier Story across the jaw hard.  The Story looks up at him and spits blood.

Soldier - Chained to the wall in a chamber of torture, "You want names ?  I'll give you names."

Enemy - Hits him solid in the gut.  "Give them faster than that."

Soldier - Looks up, "Michael Martinez.  Father of three, husband to a good woman.  The kind who actually waited.  Three tours, three fronts.

"Always came home proud."  Cracks his neck.

"He was the spotter on a long range to a Ranger when it happened."  Looks down.  "Vincent Masaretti.  Hell of a runner."  A laugh, "Liked comic books.  'Cartoons'."  Closes his eyes and breaths ... "

"He was only nineteen when it happened.  Rushed the bunker.  Popped his grenade.  Saved us all."

Enemy - "And this ... this is what gave them their ... 'super-powers' ?"

Soldier - Looks at him a second, focusing.  "Yeah.  Something like that.  They were worthy.  Johnathan Mathews.  My God Johnny Mathews ... "  Tears start to stream, "Pulled the gun right off the jeep and used it right." 

He smiles from another world, "Screaming mad."  He laughs the pain, "He was ... he was ... "  He looks down, "He was my friend.  And that was it !" 

Enemy - "So they are all soldiers ... Yes ... yes and what of the women ?"

Soldier - Looks away, face smacked back to front.  "Vicky Johanesson.  The enemy ... ambushed the medical tent.  Or they tried to.  Held them off just long enough.  The wounded survived.  At least until surgery

"She was ... she fought hard.  Against everything and everyone because she had to."

Enemy - "And what of this ... alien female ... tell me about her."

Soldier - Looks up at the enemy, these soldiers he described standing behind him as his own guards fall dead.  " 'Aliens'.  I don't know what the fuck you're talking about.

A wisp of a ghost and the enemy joins them.  Another and the Soldier's chains fall.  They look at him, he looks back and gives them a nod, before they walk through the wall as though it were a bountiful field, until gone into the stone.

~ The door kicks in.

Soldier Story - Sitting on a box meant for a hanged man's last step and holding a torture tool like a cork screw.  He holds it up examining it, "You know they were going to put this thing in me ?"

Dog Soldier runs a happy circle around him and jumps in his lap.

Actor - Looks at the bodies, "I see you had it covered.  Never doubted."

Soldier - Petty the happy dog, "We did, but thanks for stopping by.  Always good to see an old friend about to ask for something.  How bad ?"

Actor - "It's bad."

Soldier - "Let me guess.  The 'Doctor' again ?"

Actor - "Something worse than Zhivago."

Soldier - "There's nothing worse than Doctor Zhivago."

Actor - Holds out a hand to help him up, "We'll see."

The soldier takes the hand.

Director - "And cut !  And my God.  That was the good shit.  Where the fuck is my wife.  Louise !?"

Actor - To the soldier actor as the 'bad guys' all get up.  That was the good shit, I was really glad when you decided to come on board.  And we've got the good shit, in the trailer."

Soldier - "What kind of good shit ?"

Actor - "All kinds."

~ the party lights in the trailer ~

Soldier (the actor) - Passes back, "I don't know.  I mean ... I can finish the season but ... "

Actor - "Oho ... look at Mr 'A-List' ... "

Co-star - "Mm-hm.  He's gonna be the next Dame's Bondage."

Soldier - Coughs out the smoke, "How the hell do you know that ?"

     ~ Newshuman - In the dim lights, "oh my god"  The sound of a cracked whip.

Soldier - "Huh.  Well that doesn't negate this.  It's just ... you know.  The agent warns me, once you get caught up in this kind of gig, it'll be all you ever do."

Actor - "Fucking tell me about."

Co-star - "You know we sign on to this indie flick after the first season right ?  So this fucking producer looks at us.  Looks at the script, looks at us.  Looks at the script, looks at us.  And you know what he fucking said ?"

Actor - "Needs a fucking dog."

Soldier burst out laughing.

Actor - "Next thing we know we're in a fucking space ship again.  We're shooting the fucking lasers.  Fucking space dog.  And then you know what the fuck he says to me ... "

Soldier - "Wait.  You're talking about The Vainglorious Fire".  Looking near offended, "That was a great movie."

The actor stares at him, he stares back, they look like they might even fight.  The co-star grins looking between them eating popcorn ...

They burst out laughing.

Soldier - "The worst movie ever made !  I am sorry.  I am so so sorry for your suffering but it sucked, the complete ass."

Co-star - "I know !  Fucking space lobsters !"

They laugh ...

Actor - "So why did you take this gig ?"

Co-star - "We were contractually ensnared, but it is a lot of fun."

Soldier - "It really is.  It may be career suicide but it's kinda nice to get weird once in a while.  Truthfully though, I agreed because it's a great fucking character.  You know I served ... and I gotta say I feel this one.  My agent fucking hates me."

~ two

Knock on the trailer door.

Actor - "Yo !"

'Space Lady' - Normal clothes still holding the pistol, a flailing armed expressive person, always stoned, waving it around. "I swear to God I am never giving this thing up.  What's.  Up." 

Throws herself on the trailer couch and picks up the Pong controller.

Actor - "Just ... talking about the script re-write ... "

Space - Twitches and freezes with a short enraged sound.

Actor - "Just kidding, we're on about nothin."

Space - "I.  Fucking.  Hate you !"  Plays on, eyes glazed to it.  "Hey when are we shooting tomorrow is it a morning thing or what."

Actor - "Morning.  Your space-ship takes off at dawn."

Space - Freezes.  Looks at him angry, "Are you fucking with me ?  Seriously.  Are you fucking with me ?"

Actor - "I wish."

She looks at him suspicious, then to the co-star who nods.

Space - "There went sleep.  Oh.  Here."  Pulls out a bundle with one hand, the other still trying to play, puts it on the near table-side.  Fuck !"  Pong death.

Sighs and puts it down.

Space - "Okay so like I have to do this thing to do tonight ... so if I seem tired and maybe twitchy tomorrow it's not my fault, even though my character is supposed to be all serene like.  Alien style."

Co-star - "When did you sleep last ?"

Space - "Literally just woke up."

Actor - "Oh fuck."

Space - "Yeah.  And it's looking like this for a while because things.  I'm moody.  So do you think we can maybe like convince the director it's ... interpretative ?"

Soldier - "Pissed off alien lady surrounded by things that make her seem like she's supposed to be serene ... I can actually see that."

Space - Looks at him.  "Yeah ?"

Soldier - "Yeah."

...

Space - "Hi, I'm Space Lady."

Soldier - Shakes her hand on early morning set and in costume.  "Soldier Story."

Space Lady - Smiles turning away, "I know."  Then blinded by the sunrise she just turned to, hand up to her eyes, "Ullgh."

The UFO blasts off into it.

A short cut of the song while their ship leaves the atmosphere, a look between Soldier story and Space Lady, a flash of something happening in the shadows, shots of her looming over someone viciously.  

 

Her arm raises with a flash, then back to the ship. 

She smiles at the Soldier then looks to the viewport shot of them leaving the world behind, and to the next song.

As the Actor and Co-star's kid rides his big-wheel, pretty much dressed like dad, upturned collar, sunglasses and a sucker hanging out of his mouth. 

Security squad jogging behind him like a daily routine, waving to the neighbors' security waving back, nanny lagging on a scooter smoking with a nod between the other nannies and occasional flask hit.

They pull their own and toast.

He rides around the hollywood richy neighborhood ... all their own assorted absurdities in their yards.
________

Actor Jr is in the park, pushed into the sand by another kid, both security squads draw on each other.

Capricorn Daddy Brat - "My dad's in jail because of your dad."

Actor Jr - "It's okay boys ... "  He crunches the sucker in his mouth and flicks the stick.  "I got this."  Looks at Capricorn Brat, "Your daddy's a cannibal."

Capricorn D Brat - "Is not !  He's in jail for tax evasion, drug trafficking, money laundering, climbing stupid walls, and ... and ... " his security whispers in his ear, "And yeah.  Driving too fast."

Actor Jr - "My daddy drives too fast."

Capricorn D Brat - "Nuh-uh.  Your daddy drives like my mommy."

     ~ His mom is doing smokey donuts in a Chippendales parking lot with three dancers with the dumb bow ties in the car.

Actor Jr - "Does not !"

     ~ The actor waits annoyed at the stoplight then looks to the side at the cop.  Fake smile and a two finger wave to which the cop shakes his head and drives.

Actor Jr - "My dad told me all about it and got in trouble with my Mom.  They had like ... a big table ... and there were people sitting at it ... and there was like a barbecue ... with a guy ... 

...

Actor Jr - "And they ate him."

Capricorn Brat - "Did not !"

Actor Jr - "They totally ate him."

Capricorn D Brat - Knocks him across the jaw.  "I'm gonna kill you." 

The security squads draw on each other. 

Actor Jr - Holds up a hand ... they ease back.  "I said I got this."  

And it's on.

An apparently angry alien with a vaguely Muppet like mouth flapping. flails his arms on the viewscreen in a rage.

The two kids stare down with arms crossed as their respective security teams turn the cranks to lift their harnesses.

Angry alien thumps a big red button with a tentacle.  A film crew member dressed in black moves the UFO on a stick toward the space lobsters dangling from another's fingers lie puppets strings, he looks at the other crew member and bounces them around ...

All and all they do a good job with the effects added in (but still seeing the giant people working everything through the viewport).

Other crew looks back with a wicked grin and a nod ... smoking nannies make bets and get drunk, sitting on their parked scooters.

The security squads work the cranes, trying to knock the kids into each other, which actually isn't as easy as it sounds.  Nor is controlling a lobster squadron with your fingers, all of which is seen through the viewscreen including the film crew as the actors respond to the ship's hits.

~ Flailing armed Muppet Alien protests one of their their kills with more tentacle slammed buttons.

The Capricorn Daddy Brat spins out of control ... Actor Junior is lowered with his arms crossed looking triumphant, security hands him a sucker, he puts it in his mouth.

~ three

Space Actor - In the dark and pulling a garrote over a man in bed she whispers, "Say my name ... "

The choking man struggles to do so (it may have started with an M).  She leans an ear in to listen, smiles for the rattle instead.

Space Actor - Sits upright looking at him, "That's right.  That's my name."  A flash of her robe as the turns away, apparently leaping from the bed.
________

Space Lady - On the UFO bridge, "The space lobsters were nothing."

Soldier Story - "Didn't seem like nothin' to me."

Space Lady - Looks at him.  "You have no idea."  She turns for the smoking console and pulls the panel.  "What we try today will accomplish nothing.  Everyone who has fought has died."

She slams the panel down and looks at them.

Space Lady - Looks the Soldier last, "We do this not to win, but to die right."

Co-star - "I think you underestimate us."

Space Lady - "I think you overestimate yourselves."

Director - "And ... cut."  To the space lady, "I gotta say ... I had my doubts about you but not anymore.  And ahhh ... so this is our last season."

Literally everyone across cast and crew ~ "What !?"
________

In the office ~

Director - Lights a cigar, "Oh yeah.  Cancelled big time."  A happy sigh and feet up.

...

Soldier Actor - "Well you seem all broken up."

Director - ... "I'm sorry are we taking this as bad news ?"

Co-star - "But we just got syndicated !"

Director - "Yeah !  Just in time for residuals galore."  Smokes ... "Hehhh ... but a whole new things comin' and the networks are lovin' it.  It's 'foreign'.  Gonna change everything.  So  !  Ratings down, they gotta make room in the prime time and that's our slot."

They stand there ...

Actor - "So that's it then.  ...  We're free."

...

They all "! Whoo !" into the next scene ...
____

Actor - "Well of course it's heartbreaking news for us all.  I mean this show has been our entire lives for ... "

Newshuman - "Seven years."

Actor - "Wow.  Yeah.  Seven years."
____

Out the viewport they see the gleaming city in space approaching.  Elegant spires beneath a sectioned dome covered in glass, with a populace dressed in their holy robes.

Actor - "What is it ?"

Space Lady - "The future.  The past.  The only answer to all questions ever asked.  The answer is Death."

The actor hits the red button to pop the guns.  Someone among their populace cocks his head a bit confused,holding a cup of coffee, then turns back for his home the the click of a door lock.

So.  There's this thing called 'fan service'.  This me service.  I want to watch a city turn slowly, piece by piece, into a giant fucking robot for four minutes, fuck you.

And so it is.

When the last doors are slammed and locked with the sound of nuisance it begins.  The buildings begin collapsing here, expanding there, the curved architecture become the tone of musculature and working similarly in hydraulics.

The last high rail hover-trains return to station where it immediately begins there on arrival.  Parking lots filled and join in, the last few stragglers running amid the chaos streets for shelter.

When finished the view zooms fast to a tiny window somewhere on his arm where an annoyed alien closes the curtains.

Actor - Staring at a giant eyeball on the viewport, "Oh my God.  He's real it's ... Orson Wells."

Orson Welles - "Formation ... COMPLETION."

Soldier Story - Staring at a portion of the massive bot's eye ... "Why do we never fit with their vehicles ... "

~ intermission ~

Killer's Take and the Vainglorious Fire

~ after the intermission ~

An actor with face painted silver wearing a lot of armor which is almost kinda cool (almost), dictates to the tiny toy spaceship in his hand very seriously. 

Orson Welles - "Ohhh little humans ... I care for you not.  It is my greatest wish for you that you had not not dwelt upon this world which must die ... but it must."  He looks to the Earth in the distance, "For in its heart, at its very core, burns ... The Vainglorious Fire.  I must have it."

Looks back to the tiny UFO toy, "Your curse, sad species who represents so many more noble than your own, is that your own fire only ever burned because of it, in most foul effigy ... of its truth.

"Your tragedy ... this was never your fault, not even your crimes against yourselves, perhaps in some spark of instance ... here and there ... "  He looks away, " ... even well intended.

"Nonetheless.  Right or wrong.  Good or evil. 

"However a scribe would tell this day if ever you'd had the wisdom to seek the stars and propagate there ... none of this matters anymore, accidental offspring, innocent bastards whored of wisdom itself, by itself, for nothing at all as your world does die today.  Not to punish, but to rectify."

 

...

"You have my sympathy."

...

Space Lady - "Fuck you."
____

Space Actor - "I improvised that line."

Newshuman - "Nice."
____

Orson Welles - "Oh !  Well then."  He pops their UFO like a pill and carries on for the Earth.  "And cut."  He lights a cigarette and passes the toy to the intern with a bow, she bows back with a giggle ...

Director - "Uh.  Yeah !  Cut !"  To the rest of the cast watching with, "You see that shit ?  That, was an ac-tor."

Orson Welles - Leaving the set, "I have no idea what is happening."

They run through the daisy field holding hands ...

As they emerge from their crashed UFO somewhere in the urban substructure of Orson Welles ~

Actor ~ The Actor does a line at the party, eyes roll back and falls back in his chair to the crowd's cheer.  The pore camera moves in slowly to enough coke on his hand to make a line.

As she emerges looking around, gun drawn, seeing the populace emerging from the wrecks of other crashed ships.

Co-star ~ Cheers arms up for the pony this year's birthday !

As she limps from the wreckage.

Space Lady ~ Strangling some guy and then stabbing him a lot in a rage.

Soldier Story ~ As he looks at her lovingly while she's playing Pong enraged ...

~ Killer's Take and the Vainglorious Fire ~

And Introducing Burgess Meredith as ...

A creature with the body of a man and torso down of a massive snake rises on his tail with arms flexed in a rage ...

Globulose

(doesn't actually happen)

The camera moves in on Agent Immortal riding a rearranged Frankentom like a bicycle, Dog Soldier running behind with a leftover part ( ... ).

Immortal - "Faster Frankentom, Faster.  We must get to the general in time !"

Tom groans.
____

The general walks out of his tent yawning with a cuppa, while in the distant sky a tiny Orson Welles approaches, arms and legs sprawled like he's about to bellyflop the world.

General - Looks around at the camp, a whiff of the air. "God Damn I love the smell of coffee."

Frankenbike skids up with a groan and falls to pieces under Agent Immortal.

Immortal - "Pull yourself together Tom, the General is here."

General - Always straight faced and stoic, "I ... can't believe you just said that."

Immortal - "General.  Thank God you're here ... there's a ... "

General - Orson Welles growing in the background, "Now let me just stop you there.  There's something I've been meaning to tell you."  Takes a sip of his coffee, "God-damn.  Now." 

Clears his throat ... 'Agent Immortal' ... I don't like your program.  Your ... freak-show your ... 'team'."  Another sip watching a squad running near, "Mm.  I don't like our ... dependence, if you will, on it.  And frankly sir I do not like you."  Sips.

"Now what's on your mind son ?"

Immortal - "We clean the up the park afterward what more do you ... no !  This is not why I am here.  Will you please just ... turn around."

General - "Nope."  Sips his coffee and looks to the distance ...
____

Agent Immortal - Interviewing, "Ohhh ... we go far back, Tom and I ... We fought dem nazis in World War Two.  Just after fighting em in the war to end em all ... ehhh ... back in the days they'd take anyone.  He-he-he ... "

Tom grunts proud, crossing his arms before one falls off.

Newshuman - "That's vaguely disgusting."
____

Newshuman - In bed between, smoking in the overhead mirror.  "But it does have interesting applications."
____

Agent Immortal - Back at the interview, smoking.  "Oh Tom ?  Well ... he was a government experiment truth be told.  First soldier of the Continental Congress of these United States !  Before the America part. 
____

Immortal - "Please !  The fate of the world depends on it !"

General - Orson Welles bellyflop slowly growing behind him, "Not gonna happen."
____

Fought a bunch a ... pointy hood types before that ... a bunch a ... tea drinkers before that ... that's my boy.  Found 'im sucking a bear's tit in the woods ... never did learn speakin' right."

Tom groans a bit insulted, putting his arm back to be crossed.

Newshuman - "So we're doing this in character then."

Immortal - "What ?"

Newshuman - "So you're a wizard."
________________

General - A sigh.  "Fine."  He turns.  "Dear God it's Orson Welles."

Agent Immortal slaps a sign on his back 'I'm a dumbass'.
________________

Whirls his hand into a fireball overtaking the screen to flames and screaming, fallen camera and melting film of scurrying feet, his an Tom's calmly walking through.

~ A shot of him riding Frankentom as if through space and time.  "He-he-he ... our work here is done."

~ five

An alien watches the team attempting repairs, scavenging parts from likewise ships in the heaps.

Soldier Story - "How long ?"

Space Lady - "Too long."

Alien - "We have a ship."

They turn with a draw.

Alien - "We've been scrapping it."

Actor - "Who are you people ?"

Co-star - "How do you know our language."

Alien - "People ?"  Walks out from the shadows, "We do not know your language, we speak our own, you hear your own."

Soldier - "Psychic ?"

Alien - Turns it's head to him abruptly.  "You ... are ... you speak in many voices."

Soldier - "Nah."  Smiles, "You just hear that many."

Alien - Smiles back intrigued, then to all.  "We have a ship.  It's an exit we need."

Actor - "And who ... are you people ... ?"

Alien - "Oh.  My apologies.  We are ... "

Space Lady - "Descendants of those whose ships he's devoured over time.  They hear his voice at night echoing these halls as he muses.  They worship him now."

Aliens - "The elders worship him.  The worship the flame.  But the children ... "

Actor - "You're a child ?"

Aliens - "Yes, in the relative sense.  Our varied species have mingled where they can, in time evolving into something immune to these surroundings, their effects on the mind."

Actor - "What effects on the mind."

Aliens - "He talks in his sleep."
________________

Dr Zhivago -  Awakens in his cell, eye suddenly opening wide.  "You ... "

Agent Immortal - "My old Nemesis ... let's talk."
________

Agent Immortal - With Frankentom, Dog Soldier leading Dr Zhivago cuffed and manacled on a leash, they pass the checkpoint.  "Thank you warden, that will be all."

Warden - Watches him leave with a shake of the head amid hoots and whistles from the prisoners ... "I hate that guy."  Then to the guard next to him, what the hell's gotten into them ?"  A thumb gesture to the whistling inmates.

Guard - "No idea."

Turns to the cell showing the sign on his back ~ 'looking for daddy'.  One guard snickers to the other.
________

Zhivago - Examining his dusty old laboratory, "Oh ... how desperate you must be, to ... "

Immortal - "Oh shut up."  He pulls a window blind cord to open it, it falls.  A squirrel about to eat a nut looks at them sideways, then the nut, then them.

Backs away slowly from view.

Immortal - "Wait !"  Goes to the other side of the room and pulls a cord, the blinds fall, Orson Welles in the sky ... "There we go.  Only to the west for a little while."

Snaps his fingers and Zhivago's restraints fall off.

Immortal - "Wanna live ?"

Zhivago - Approaching the window, "Huh.  That's ... "

Immortal - "Yep."

Zhivago - "I see ... well that's us about fucked then.  Thanks for allowing my last moments in freedom, nemesis !  I shall certainly enjoy it." 

Heads for the door, Frankentom locks it, Dog Soldier growls.

Immortal - "Not good enough."

Zhivago - "Fine.  I will save the world for you, but I keep my freedom."

Immortal - "Absolutely."

Zhivago turns again for the window with a sign on his back 'totally going back'.
____________

Alien - "There are many power cores distributed near surface to enable his jointed networks, many redundancies.  The will do little overall harm, but some few may make a breech."

Actor - "And then what ?  Our world ... "

Alien - "To live."

...

The communicator crackles on, a distant voice in the static.

Immortal - "Hey !  Can you hear me !?"  The sound of a comm knocking in a counter, "Hey !"

Actor - "We hear you Agent Immortal.  Did you warn the General ?"

Immortal - "I did."

Actor - "What's his plan ?"

Immortal - "Stupid."
____

General - Lowers his binoculars, "Fire everything."

The nukes launch from around the world.  He lifts his binoculars watching ... waiting ...

Sergeant Major - "Um.  Sir ?"

     ~ They drink coffee playing cards ...

He's back on the field nearing sunset looking through the binoculars.  The explosion.

     ~ In space Orson Welles pummels through a lot of missiles, his chest now glowing a bit but completely unfazed.

Sergeant Major - Lowers his binoculars.  "Now he's irradiated ... "

General - Still looking through the glass, "Brig."

Sergeant Major - "aw"
____

Immortal - On comm, "So I improvised."

Zhivago - "Ello !"

Actor - "Curse you Dr Zhivago, you never get away with this."

...

Zhivago - "With what ?"

Actor - "Currently unknown.  But you won't.  What's your plan."
____

Actor - In the director's office waving the script, "Are you fucking kidding me ?  Are you Fucking kidding me !"

Co-star - Shakes her head pissed and looks out the window, "He's not fucking kidding you."  Lights a smoke to calm.

Director - Smiles and pulls a blunt, lights it.  "Now when are you kids gonna learn to trust me ?"  Grins wider.
____

Immortal - "So you really do need to get out of there.  Also the universe might end.  Or at least to us."

Actor - "So if we fail and the world ends, all of existence as we know it, and the universe itself may go with it ?"

Immortal - "Kinda !"

He looks around, everyone thinks about it a sec ... they shrug.

Alien - "I may care about that a little."  Thinks about it a sec.  Nods.  "A little."
____________

They lay on their cots outside the UFO wide eyed while Orson Welles drones on in his sleep about the meaning of the universe and its extensive history ...

"It was then that I realized the Plebeians were born this way, imagine my surprise ... when I ... "

     ~ They stare wide eyed at the booming intonations echoing all around ...

"The Sunsar Cluster was a glory in its prime.  Brimming with life and philosophy.  Indeed the first anthropoids to propose the cat in a box theory came from there."

     ~ Almost asleep then jolted awake ...

"And I was Torn !  Between appreciation of this infinite beauty before me, and the truest of hunger ... this was ... perhaps my most defining moment ... as an entity ... "

     ~ Almost there again ...

"He said to me, 'Great one', as I am, magnificent ... 'You will find the Fire there' ... "

As their eyes finally begin to close to the droning ~ "Where life is but the moss which grows on Pandora's Box."
________

Space Actor's eyes open wide in the night, her head turns sharply to look at the digital clock on the bedside table. 

9:59 ... it goes off and she tears it from the wall with a crash and a leap from the bed.
________

Co-star - In the cafe with the Actor, "So what do you think ?"

Actor - "Well ... they all look clean on first look.  All of them.  As if intending to look like nothing.  Even sad.  But then one layer, just one layer beneath that nothing, there's something.  A connection to a thing.  A production with somebody else."

Co-star - "About whom we already know."

Actor - "And who would be a much louder hit."

...

Co-star laughs ...

Actor - "What ?"

Co-star - "B-movie serial killer."

Actor - A quick snicker, "Yeah.  That's what that amounts to.  Except serial killers are all about the attention.  This one's ... sending a message, but not to the police or the press.  And she's here now because she already cleaned our house.  Season one."

Co-star - "Fascinating.  Like she was nesting."

Actor - "Seems like that's why we've had such a trouble free production."

Co-star - "While everyone else is in the papers for bad ... but it makes no sense.  If she cleaned out the liabilities in season one, why would she only be here for the finale ?"

Actor - "That we know of."  He tosses some pictures of various cast and crew on the table.  "Each one worked sequentially, in different roles." 

Co-star - Picks the first one up, "Gabrielle ... from ... the diner.  But they look ... oh my God you're right.  She completely disappeared.  She was supposed to be here for ... "  She looks up at the smiling waitress about to pour more coffee.  "This scene."

Waitress - Pouring cheerfully, "He's a big fan of your renditions."
________

A little girl in the doorway - "Who are you ?"

Space Actor lets loose the garrote, dropping the body of her father cold.  Barely glance over her shoulder, hair black and heavy make-up.  "I'm sorry."

Girl - "Don't be.  Who are you ?  Did he ... "

Space - "No.  Not me.  But he did."

Girl - "He did."

...

Space - "Tell me first, what you are, so we can be friends.  I'm a Gemini.  How 'bout you ?"

The girl looks at her a second, then smiles.
________

Space Lady - Smiles at Soldier Story, shocked, "You'll die."

Soldier Story - "You'll live."

...

Actor - "We are not discussing this."

Soldier - "You're right.  There's no time."  He raises gun and walks.

~ six

Agent Immortal - "Wot.  Go back to when he was still a continent !?"

Dr Zhivago - "No ... not us ... "  A smile.

...

Immortal - Smiles, "You mad bastard.  It's the one God-damn thing we ever agreed on when no one else would."

Dr Zhivago - "There is no paradox, nemesis."

Immortal - As they look out the window, " 'Nemesis' ... "  He takes the sign off Zhivago's back.  "We'll prove it to them all."

Zhivago - "Our paper will finally be published.  And everything it's based on, I know to be true.  My many selves ... what ... happened to them by the way ?"

Immortal - "Oh ... well ... you know ... they ... well they ate something."

Zhivago - "All of them ?"

Immortal - "Or maybe I turned them into butterflies to amuse children and then struck them with lightning but these are paltry ... details ... it is nothing in our moment of greatness !"

Zhivago - "True."

...

Zhivago - "Still an evil plan though.  When you really think about it."

Immortal - "Oh yes yes.  Yes it is.  He-he-he."

...

Zhivago - "It will certainly kill us both you know." 

Immortal - "Oh yes yes.  It definitely will."
________________

Space actor - Walks into her dark trailer with a glance to the shadow, a flop on the bed.  So what do we do now ?"

Actor - Walks from the shadows and turns on the light, sees her in her black hair and dark eyes.  "Nice.  They were all dirty.  And not just dirty but up in something more.  They all had some special angle into the same network."

Space - "The one you fight."

Actor - "Won't have to for long, like this."

Space - "We fight to win."

...

Actor - "Chule."

Space - "Chule.  The light please."

He turns out the light and leaves.
________

Space Lady watches from the alien craft as it passes Soldier Story on his way to the generator ahead, where guards prepare. 

The ship takes the first of their fire.
________

Immortal - In the center of an apparent device intended to amplify transmission.  "Time to go Tom.  Please see to making sure that puppy gets to safety and you take care too.  If you should happen to meet the devil along the way, just tell him Solomon says hello."

Zhivago - Working the equipment as it powers up loud, "Excellent last words, nemesis !"

Immortal - "Thank you nemesis."  The electricity begins to flow up the amplifier.
________

Space Lady - As the port's angle fades on the Story, "No."  She gets up and runs for the exit, pops the door and leaps into the crossfire.

Soldier - Sadness in his eyes, "No ... "

Space - Smiles with the madness in hers, "Yes.  To the mission."  She draws.

...

Soldier - "To the mission."

Actor - "To the mission."
________

Zhivago - "To where it all began."

Immortal - With a grin, "Seven years ago."
________

Co-star loads.

Alien - "Um.  Hi.  I felt stupid on the ship."

Soldier - Looks at the alien ship, ports packed with aliens of all kinds looking back ... a smile.  Then a laugh.  "Well God Bless 'em if they've got your guts."  He tosses the rifle to and draws his pistol.  "Now let's go kill the rest."

They open fire on the guards, redirecting the fire from the ship to them as Soldier Story loads and starts telling the stories, more and more until they play over each other as they appear in droves along with, each whispering more stories as they too open fire.

~ While in the lab they drive the transmitter to overload, Immortal begins a roar while Zhivago is shocked or burned running every control, still doing it.

Did you know ghosts have infinite ammo ?  

 

Basically psychic projectiles with the same effect, then as they near, the team's fire is directed to the generator, joined by Soldier's grenade.

~ The lab sends a pulse into the sky before blowing, a distance away Tom drops Dog Soldier as he falls to pieces, dead.

The generator blows, taking the team with and making a hole in the external structure, sucking out the alien craft just before the outer layer adjusts a shell building to close the hole.

The pulse strikes and Orson Welles is gone.

(for credits)

As the alien ship drifts for Earth landing, aliens with their children wide eyed at the city approaching.

 

Over the sea, city distant, then past the Statue of Liberty (used to mean something).

Traveling between buildings, the crowds gathering before the military, too late.  It lands in a circle of observers, press arriving, police dealing, the bay door opens at the end of the song.

(mid-credits)

Alien kid - Play action figures with a human kid, "He was called Soldier Story.  He summoned soldiers from the dead by telling their stories !"

 

Human kid - "That's cool !"

He stands over them as they play, arms crossed with a smile before returning to the plains, taking Space Lady's hands before gone.

Actor - Interviewed today in a modern setting during the opening, Newshuman looks exactly the same in new clothes.  "It was an era you can never go back to.  Everyone tries to recreate it, but you can't !

"You can not recreate what it was like to see Battle Beyond the Stars in the theater for the first time in 1980.  Because in 1980, no one had ever seen anything like that before.

"Now we've all see it.  Every form.  Every permutation.  So now ... we wait for the next Battle Beyond the Stars.  We wait for the next new thing."

...

Co-star - Looks at him.  "You know that movie sucked ass right ?"

He shoots her a look, the main music picks up to their fucking at home, family photo with kids popping in more. 

1:00  ~ (with the hard orchestral) The Orson Welles bellyflop ports in over the Earth seven years before without noticing any difference at all, or perhaps just not caring, it's all the same outcome for him.

The children growing up, awards and playgrounds with security and drunken nannies on scooters.  A boy looks at a girl in class, she looks back.  They run through a field holding hands as the portrait grows.

2:06 ~ (orchestral) Orson Welles contemplates the universe as the the satellites crash across his chest and the missiles start hitting uselessly, flames spawn on atmospheric entry.

2:41 ~ (with the guitar) jagged flashes of the Praetorian characters ending in their final forms.

During the soft interlude ~

Co-star - "Oh God no.  No regrets."  She looks at the actor and smiles, "But he's right.  Since then we're all either trying to go back or just Waiting for Godot."  (the nihilist play whose film adaptation stared Burgess Meredith who was also the Adam West Penguin.  

 

Though best known of course as Golobulus).

Actor - "But whatever it is I guarantee you.  We will be there."

3:23 ~ Citizen Welles' final entry into the musical finale, the clouds pulling to his gravity as he closes in before crashing into the continent, shattering it like ice over water.  The Earth caves into pieces around him as he's engulfed in the fire within.

Actor - After the song and the boom ... "So.  You know.  That's just the way it is."

~ the end ~