ACT II

18. EXT. - ON A BEACH - MORNING

The storm has blown itself out. All is calm and peaceful. There are bodies scattered along the tide line. Xena gets to her knees and scans the shore for Gabrielle. Gabrielle spots Xena looking for her.

Xena!

Xena get up and runs across the beach to her friend.

Gabrielle! Are you alright?

Looks like we both came through okay. What about the others?

I don't know. Let's go see.

Together they move amongst the crew. Several are already on their feet or sitting on rocks close by. A sailor bends over the body of his captain.

Hey, hey, over here! Tocis is in a bad way. Do something!

Quick Gabrielle, try the mouth to mouth on him!

Me! Why me?

Because he likes you!

He does not! Besides, you do it better than I do.

Okay, I'll toss ya for it! Gorgon's head you do it, serpent's tail I do it. Giv'us a dinar.

Gabrielle fishes around in the purse attached to her belt and hands over a coin. Xena flips it in the air. The crew gather round in fascination. As the coin hits the sand, tails up, Xena pounces on it.

Gorgon's head, I win, you gotta do it.

Now wait a minute Xena, I didn't see that land.

Don't you trust me Gabrielle?

Better hurry or we'll never revive him. Don't worry, I'll give directions.

Gabrielle throws Xena a look enough to turn Medusa herself to stone but drops to her knees to carry out the task. After a few puffs her friend butts in.

Faster, Gabrielle, faster. Get more air into his lungs.

Gabrielle puffs faster. Tocis gasps and coughs up a belly full of sea water.

Ooooh, did you see that!?
Yeah, that was amazing.
How did she do that? He's alive!

Gabrielle walks over to a pile of rocks and sits down.

Why the face Gabrielle?

That was not a pleasant experience. I'm never going to get the taste out of my mouth!

You did a great job.

Xena, if we'd have stayed in Sunium I wouldn't have had the job to do.

The captain, recovering quickly, walks amongst his men.

It's Okay men,

(cough)

I'll get us through this

cough

what'll we do next?

Xena surveys their surroundings. At the head of the beach there is a steep cliff.

What we do next is to climb that cliff. We'll make a path through the trees. We need to find out if we're on the mainland or an island.

Okay men, everybody up. I think we need to find out where we are.

As they all walk up the beach Tocis falls in beside Gabrielle.

So, missy. What would your name be? I didn't quite catch it back there.

Gabrielle.

Well now Gabrielle, I wanna thank you for what you did.

Not at all captain, it was my... umm... pleasure.

And don't you worry about a thing. I'll see we get through this Okay.

Why thank you captain, I'm very relieved to hear that.

Goood. Now what do you say we get together again in a little while huh?

Tocis purses his lips and makes little kissy sounds.

We could... you know...

Not today thank you captain.

Xena catches up.

He bothering you?

Nothing I can't handle.

You know, Xena, we should have stayed in Sunium.

No one could have predicted that storm would break so soon or that the ship would be wrecked on a reef. These things happen. We're all Okay aren't we?

Stop complaining and look on the bright side, Gabrielle. At least we're okay.

Wish you'd stop being stubborn Xena and admit I was right.

CUT TO:

19. EXT. - ON THE CLIFF FACE - MIDDAY

The group have been climbing for some time. It is hard going and they are all very tired.

Keep at it men, I'll see you through all this. I'll save you.

Phew, I could do with a drink!

Sorry, I haven't found any water yet. I'll let you know if I do. We're all thirsty and hungry. Xena's gone ahead to see what she can find.

Oh dear, oh dear. Still, you an' me... Okay for later, yeah?

He wanders away.

Follow me, men, follow me!

I need a drink, do I need a drink!

One of the sailors approaches Gabrielle.

He didn't mean water, you know.

I know that. Is he always this... er ... pushy?

When he's sober, yes. With all that boasting and crowing, on the whole we prefer him drunk.

Why do you stay with his ship?

He's pretty well out of it most of the time, so he tends to leave us alone. Besides, we're sailors, we have to work somewhere.

Xena returns and joins Gabrielle.

There's still a good way to go, we gotta make a detour up ahead... rockfall. Still lots of scrub but there's a bit of a stream, well, more of a trickle really but it'll have to do. We can all rest up a bit.

I'll go inform your new friend.

Xeeena!

CUT TO:

20. EXT. - ON THE CLIFF FACE - LATE AFTERNOON

They finally reach the top of the cliff.

Oooh, my legs are tired.

I'm tired and hungry.

I wanna eat! Captain, when do we get to eat?

Soon, men. I'm gonna get you some food real soon, you'll see if I don't.

Xena surveys the surroundings.

Looks like we're on an island after all. See the water all around us?

That's a blow. What now?

Wait a minute! What's that over there? Beyond the trees.

Looks like a fortress, or a palace; something like that.

Yeah, turrets and towers everywhere. It looks big, even from here. Could be we've landed on Laestrygonia and that palace belongs to Polyphemus.

Sure hope not. We didn't come all this way just to be eaten by a Cyclops. But there's only one way to find out.

We have to go there.

Right.

It's going to be another long walk and with this forest... We'll never make it before nightfall.

True. And we'll have to be careful; Polyphemus's giants could be anywhere.

Let's camp tonight and go on in the morning.

And we'd better find some food or we'll have a riot on our hands.

CUT TO:

21. EXT. - IN THE FOREST - LATE AFTERNOON

Okay. I think we should all split up. Find as much fruit as you can. We'll need food for the morning so any of you able to set traps for catching rabbits should go ask Xena where to set them.

The men scatter, searching for food.

I got some berries here.

Well give me some, I ain't got any.

Push off you, find your own! Hey! Get ya thieving hands off my... Oh! You've eaten them!

Tocis swaggers up to his crew.

Okay men. I got a rabbit here, we can...

The sailors fall on the captain, snatching at the rabbit.

Hey! Wait! It's not cooked yet... ...!

Xena and Gabrielle walk to the forest edge.

That rabbit I caught, you gave it to Tocis.

Yeah, well... I thought if they had less to fight over they'd make less noise. Anyway, you can always get us another.

I'm gonna have a look around. See what ya can find here.

Xena walks off into the trees whilst Gabrielle makes for a clump of bushes.

Hmmm. Not much here except those pretty flowers.

She picks one of the deep pink blooms, admiring its delicate petals. Absently tucking it under a strap in her top, she moves on. A few of the sailors are back to berry hunting nearby.

CUT TO:

22. EXT. - IN THE FOREST - EARLY EVENING

A rustle in the trees alerts Gabrielle. She ducks behind a bush. Xena drops down from a tree next to Gabrielle.

Oh, it's you. What did you find?

Nothin' but trees over that way but not far away, over towards the palace, I saw rooftops; like a farm or something. I'm gonna check it out, want to come along?

Lead on.

They leave the crew gobbling up all they can find, like hungry animals and push their way through the bushes.

CUT TO:

23. EXT. - A CLEARING IN THE FOREST - EARLY EVENING

Looks peaceful enough from here, normal size so no giants but no smoke from the chimney either. Let's get closer. Take a look inside, I'll meet you around the back.

A few minutes later Gabrielle finds Xena in the yard leaning on a fence.

The farmhouse is deserted, except for a few chickens in the kitchen. Been empty for some time by the looks of it.

Hmm, out here too. Just the animals in the paddock and a few horses, sheep and cows in the yard. They must've escaped somehow but where are their owners?

Do you think we should round them up? If their owners come back they might think we let them loose.

Well, we could try but they don't look very approachable to me.

Nothing to it. Lila and I did this all the time back home. I'll go open the paddock gate, you get round behind and herd them in. Try not to let them see what you're going to do, okay?

Don't worry, I'll give you directions.

Xena raises one eyebrow and scowls as Gabrielle trots over to an empty paddock and opens the gate.

Okay, send them in!

Xena approaches a group of sheep and cows, arms waving.

Shoo, shoo, get on... ...get in there!

The startled animals scatter. Xena dives left for two cows bent on escaping into the woods.

Hey, get back here! Gabrielle, quick, head 'em off!!

Gabrielle, enjoying the spectacle of Xena rounding up the beef, merely grins.

Watch out, the sheep are getting away!

Xena dives right, to get the errant sheep.

Gabrielle! Help me will ya!

You're doing a great job Warrior Cowhand!

Xena stops.

That's it, I've had enough. If we make any more noise the giants on the mainland will be on to us.

At that moment the crew burst out of the forest, followed by a swaggering Captain Tocis.

Where's all this food Jasper told us about?

I want a chicken, I could eat a whole chicken.

Give me a pig, I want one of those pigs!

I could eat a horse, I'm so hungry.

The sailors make a dash for the animals, chasing the terrified beasts around the farmyard. Pandemonium reigns.

Give me that chicken!

Get off! Catch your own, you greedy swine.

Captain, Captain! Can we share all this between us?

What can I have?

I want some, don't forget me!

Sure men, help yourselves. I told you I'd see you all right didn't I!

Okay, that's enough! Be quiet, the lot of you! You're worse than animals!

Order is regained.

Okay, that's better. Now, Listen to me. No one is to eat any animal from this farm and I mean any animal. They don't belong to us; they belong to someone else. Got that.

Right. We'll catch some rabbits and go back to the berries and fruit. We stay here, by the farmhouse tonight and we'll go on to the palace in the morning.

CUT TO:

24. EXT. - CAMP OUTSIDE THE FARMHOUSE - NIGHT

The fifteen sailors have bedded themselves down inside a low stone wall in front of the thatched farmhouse, using pieces of sacking found near the paddock, as blankets. Xena and Gabrielle settle for a pile of hay laid outside the farmhouse door.

Well, thank the Gods they've finally settled down.

Mmm. I expect they'll all start up again in the morning. Just hope those traps I set will catch us enough rabbits to satisfy the greedy beasts.

Better get some sleep.

Gabrielle lies down in front of the small fire she built. She falls asleep staring into the flames.

CUT TO:

25. EXT. - CAMP OUTSIDE THE FARMHOUSE - MORNING

Gabrielle awakens to the bright sunlight slanting through the trees.

Cock-a-doodle-doooooooo!

Baaaaa,baaaaa

Eeeeek, oiiinnnnk!

A goat butts her with its head.

On the fence, a bird tweets at her.

Huh! What's up?! Oh. Oh. Get off me! Hey Xena! What's happened with all the animals?

When there is no reply she rolls over to ask the question again.

Xena! Hmmm, she's gone. Checking the traps maybe. Well, it saves me the job.

Gabrielle gets up.

Okay you lazy lot we need wood for the fire and...

Where is everyone? I can't believe I slept through the rising of the crew.

Xena! Captain Tocis!... Where are you?

Gabrielle searches the area but finds no sign of either her friend or the crew.

FADE OUT:

END ACT II

ACT III