ACT II

11. MOUNTAINOUS ROAD - EVENING

Eve, Jacob and Joshua are making their way up the mountainous terrain to Barabbas' hide out.

Eve, you've been really quiet since our run-in with the Roman guards.

Is something wrong?

I cannot believe Barabbas lied to me. I'm angry with myself for not seeing through him.

He will explain his reasons, I'm sure of it.

I had a right to know.

Eve... I cannot speak for him. But I'm sure he'll tell you everything when we return with what we've learned.

Why do you think he couldn't tell me?

In all honesty, he felt that you... once being one of them...

THAT was a long time ago. I'm NOT the same person I was back then.

And to get to Pilate, plans have to be exact. Your Barabbas isn't exactly a strategist.

Eve turns and continues up the rocky road. Joshua and Jacob scramble after her.

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12. A CHAMBER WITHIN HEROD'S PALACE - LATE EVENING

Queen Herodias, a slender woman with dark hair and eyes, has completed a leisurely bath and is being attended to by several of her hand maidens. Wrapped in clean towels she sits on a marble bench which is covered in thick pillows and clean linens. A woman approaches with a tray of scented oils.

The queen waves a dismissive hand to the others who obediently take their leave.

Herodias drops her wrapping and leisurely reclines on her stomach, resting her chin on the back of her hands.

The attendant, a young woman with pale skin and light brown hair, pours oils into the palm of her hand, rubs her hands together and begins to massage the queen's shoulders.

Tell me what you have heard the Baptist say today.

A dark shadow crosses the face of the young woman and a glint of red sparks her eyes for a moment.

The same as he has been saying for many days, my queen. The people are calling him a prophet. He is gathering many followers. The crowds grow larger every day.

Today, both those of the Temple and the Roman Empire stood at the river listening to his words.

Does he continue to condemn the King?

And you my queen. According to the Baptist, you both are living in sin in the eyes of God.

As the hand-maiden speaks, we see the queen growing more and more angry.

That you must both repent of your ways... that you should return to your husband and Herod should beg forgiveness of his brother and of God. That the ways of lust will cast you both into the fires of hell.

He also said that Herod is nothing more than a puppet of Rome.

The queen bolts up and covers herself with her towel.

Get OUT!

The handmaiden steps away from the infuriated queen. She bows her head, turns and quickly leaves the chamber. There's a smug sneer on her face.

Herodias, angrily storms out of the room.

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13. BEDCHAMBER OF HEROD - LATE EVENING

The king, a portly man with a well trimmed beard, is seated by the window, staring out at the stars. Obviously in deep thought. He is startled by Herodias' sudden entrance into their bedchamber.

You must do something about that madman, Herod, before he turns the people against us!

What would you have me do, my love, and I would gladly do it to appease your anger.

Have him killed!

Herod puts his arms around the queen, who rebuffs him.

I cannot do that.

Herod, you need to have the man killed! He is inciting the people against us, saying we are sinning. He will destroy us unless you destroy him.

Herod begins to pace nervously.

He is only, as you so brilliantly pointed out, a madman. The people won't listen to a madman.

The queen steps into Herod's face.

They are proclaiming him a prophet, Herod! And the people do listen to prophets!

It is one thing to have a madman killed... but to kill a holy man...

I cannot...

Better he remains alive and denounces our relationship... Than to have the people against us for his murder.

The king turns worriedly from the queen, his fingers rubbing anxiously at his beard.

You must see the truth in this...

The queen steps up to him and seductively rubs his neck and shoulders. A dark shadow falls over her face for a moment.

Do this for me, Herod and I will show you such pleasures this night as you've never known before...

The king turns to her with a questioning look. She drops her wrappings and takes him into a passionate embrace.

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14. CHAMBER OF HEWN STONES - EVENING

The room is dark, lit only by torches on the wall. The members of the Sanhedrin are present, sitting at their seats, murmuring amongst themselves.

A middle-aged man in black stands and walks over to the bema. A hush falls over the men present.

Friends. We are gathered here today to discuss what we hear spreading among the people of Judea.

Things that could be interpreted by the Roman Empire as insurrection.

The men murmur among themselves. An elderly man looks at them and clears his throat. He addresses the man standing in the center of the room.

Caiaphas. We are Jews under Roman occupation. A man repairing the thatching on his roof who accidentally drops his tools and hits a Roman as he passes, is cause enough for that man and his family to be arrested, and his property taken away.

It matters not what we do. The Romans, like the Egyptians before them, will think what they will.

The murmur goes around the room again.

Nicodemus is right. Our people are nothing more to them than slaves.

Nicodemus exaggerates.

I exaggerate nothing. You yourself were present when news came to us about young Judah Ben-Hur and what happened to his family.

A shadow seems to fall over the features of Caiaphas and he turns to all gathered in the assembly.

Our concerns are not about Ben-Hur but about the one called John the Baptist and the other called Jesus of Nazareth.

John is nothing more than a prophetic figure calling out for change. He criticizes society and the adulterous relationship between Herod and his wife.

You dislike him because he also criticizes the practices in the Temple.

The Baptist will bring Herod as well as Pilate down on us! They will wonder why we do not silence him!

It is not for us to silence a prophet sent by God, and Herod knows this. He is a man who lives in fear of God and his wrath, especially after the slaughter of the innocents and the death of his father that same night!

The age of prophecy has closed. Any man claiming to receive messages from God is nothing more than a false prophet!

And ... the Nazarene!

And what about him? He strikes me as a man of peace, teaching nothing but that we should love our neighbors...

He preaches blasphemy!

It is said he's fed a crowd of 5,000 with little more than five loaves of bread and two fish, that he has healed the sick, cast out demons, given vision to the blind and even raised the dead!

And performing miracles is a crime?

He proclaimed God his father! THAT is blasphemy and THAT is the crime!

The men murmur back and forth; heads move from one member of the Sanhedrin to another.

Is God not the father of all of us?

It is said that in a synagogue in Galilee, he claimed that He is come to fulfill the Scriptures!

You read too much into things, Caiaphas! And you listen to rumors like an old woman!

The Romans will see him as an insurrectionist! Someone who will rile the people to riot!

You don't know that. None of us do.

Perhaps you believe him to be the Messiah?!

I do not know what to believe, Caiaphas. But I do know that it is a wise man that knows not to judge nor believe without hearing the voice of God himself proclaim this is my son. So, I will not answer that question, but I will reserve judgment. As is my right.

You are an old fool if you do not see that this man will be trouble. He will cause unrest among the people and any unrest is not good. The Romans will use anything as an excuse to put us more firmly under their heel. It is their way.

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15. EXT. BARABBAS' CAVE - LATE NIGHT - FIRST QUARTER MOON

Xena is standing at the edge of the ridge. Her elbows rest on the rocks as she gazes down, and out across the expanse of land.

Far off in the distance, she can see the torchlight that illuminates the city of Jerusalem.

Several yards behind her, Gabrielle is sound asleep at their small campfire.

She hears footsteps. They stop behind her. Smiling smugly she turns.

What can I do for you, Barabbas?

How did you know it was me? It could have been anyone. Even your little friend over there.

He thumbs toward the sleeping Gabrielle.

I have many skills.

So, I see.

I was wondering if you've given any thought to what we discussed earlier.

I have. But the decision is not mine alone to make.

I understand. But consider what you have endured at their hands......

Barabbas puts a foot up on a large rock and leans his elbow on his thigh. He turns and looks off at the city in the distance.

The Romans are our enemies, Xena.
They rule with an iron fist.
They take what little my people have.

I need to send a message to Rome.
Words mean nothing to them, but actions... Actions speak volumes.

Kill their procurator, Pilate... and you've sent them a message. A message saying we as a people, will not stand for it any longer.

If I thought you were foolish before, Barabbas, in thinking you could smuggle arms into Jerusalem... Now I know you're even more foolish for thinking you can get close enough to Pilate to kill him.

Perhaps I am. But we've got to take a stand. And I'd rather go down trying to free my people, than beg and steal for my next meal.

Eve, Joshua and Jacob arrive and enter the encampment from behind. They see Barabbas and Xena in conversation. Eve's face is stern as she approaches them.

As they approach, Xena and Barabbas turn to greet them.

Xena smiles at seeing Eve.

Barabbas lowers his eyes.

Lucien steps out from the cave and watches, a sneer on his lips.

Eve approaches Barabbas and grabs him by the front of his shirt.

I don't like being lied to, Barabbas!

I would have told you when I was sure of where your loyalties lay.

My loyalties lay with the innocent! Where do YOURS lay?

She releases him, and he rubs his throat. He looks at both Xena and Gabrielle.

I'll leave you three to catch up.

As he walks away, still rubbing his neck, Xena and Eve embrace.

I knew there was something I didn't like about him.

Mother. I'm glad you were able to make it. How did things go in Poteidea?

As well as possible.

Glad you're here...

So? Have you managed to find this new Eli?

We saw him briefly on our way to Jerusalem this afternoon. He's not Eli. But he is definitely a man of peace.

The three women walk to where Xena and Gabrielle have set up their bedrolls.

Eve... what made you hook up with Barabbas?

It's a long story.

I'd still like to hear it, if you don't mind?

On my way to find who I thought was Eli, I saw things I didn't like. They reminded me of the things I'd done while I was Livia.

When I heard about a man who was trying to make changes... maybe even raise an army to fight against this brutality, I wanted to help any way that I could.

He's a strange man.

The three of them sit facing one another on the bedrolls.

He has been labeled a thief and a murderer. But I see something more in him. There's something about him that I can't put into words...

Maybe it's the pain I see in his eyes.

Gabrielle turns to Xena.

He does have that look. The same one I saw in your eyes once...

He's got shifty eyes, Gabrielle.

I don't trust him. And I don't think that Eve should either. Especially considering he kept her in the dark about his plans.

As angry as I am about that, in a way I can see where he's coming from. You must have seen the row of crosses as you neared the city.

Yeah. I saw them. But I still don't think that's an excuse to keep you in the dark. Not if you offered to train his people.

Maybe you're right. But right now I think his judgment is off... I think his hatred for the Romans may be getting in his way.

Silence falls.

Personally I think they're fools if they think they can pull this off.

Considering what we've seen, Xena. I think these people are desperate.

Barabbas said he wants our help. Just what are we supposed to do here?

Eve looks pleadingly at both Xena and Gabrielle.

I was hoping to ask you myself. But since he's mentioned it to you...

I was hoping you would both help me train these people as soldiers.

Tell me you aren't serious.

I'm dead serious, Mother.

They need our help. They need to be taught how to fight... how to defend themselves... how to protect themselves.

Eve, there aren't that many of them. What can they possibly do to accomplish anything except get themselves killed?

Gabrielle, their numbers are growing. What we teach the few that are here, in the days to come, they'll be able to teach others. And hopefully, in time, they can form a small army.

Doesn't their King have an army? Aren't those the ones we should be teaching?

Xena's right, Eve.

It seems their King is weak. They call him the puppet of Rome. I doubt very much he'll be willing to jeopardize his position by turning his army against that of Rome.

A long silence falls.

Gabrielle is the first to speak.

He's planning on smuggling weapons into the city... so he must have people on the inside...

So?

So, maybe Eve's right. Whoever we train here... will be training others. There's got to be something we can do to help them, Xena.

Mother. It would mean a great deal to me.

I'll have to think about it. Right now, I think we should all get some sleep.

With that, the warrior lies down and turns on her side. Her blue eyes stare at the light on the entrance to the cave.

Xena?

There is no reply.

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END ACT II

ACT III