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ACT I
6. EXT. PORT – DAY
Xena and Gabrielle are walking off the gangplank of a merchant vessel that’s just docked. Gabrielle is looking decidedly listless, as though she’s been seasick for quite awhile. Xena by contrast is almost bouncy.
GABRIELLE
You really think Eve is here?
XENA
She’s here. I know it.
GABRIELLE
Xena, this is the third port we’ve checked.
Xena glances back, but doesn’t really see Gabrielle. She’s too distracted and gives an indulgent smile.
XENA
I know she’s here. I can feel it.
GABRIELLE
(muttering)
That’s one of us, at least.
XENA
You say something?
Now Gabrielle gives her an indulgent grin, the unspoken sarcasm bouncing off Xena’s optimism.
GABRIELLE
Nothing, nothing.
XENA
Right. You sure you’re okay?
Gabrielle begins to answer but Xena turns away just as her mouth opens. Gabrielle closes it with an audible "clack" and presses her lips tightly together. It’s hard to tell if she’s irritated with Xena or it's just fatigue.
But Xena is oblivious to this as she’s off talking with some of the locals. This is a port in India, evident by the dress of the people surrounding them.
As Gabrielle moves through the bazaar near the port, we see everything alternately speed up and slow down, as though we were seeing things through a drug haze:
A conversation between vendors and customers is being conducted in slow motion. Their words are incomprehensible to our ears.
Further along the street, a performer sits in a lotus position on a bed of nails shaking his head so fast it's little more than a blur.
Finally a man in a stall surrounded by exotic birds in cages appears frozen until we approach, he then screeches like a bird himself. Gabrielle recoils and all but collides with Xena.
XENA
Whoa.
GABRIELLE
Sorry.
XENA
What was all that?
GABRIELLE
(looks puzzled)
All what?
Xena stares at her for a second, as if seeing her for the first time, but shakes her head.
XENA
Never mind.
Xena gestures towards some locals behind them.
XENA
(continued)
They say there’s a newcomer to the city that sounds like Eve.
GABRIELLE
(perking up)
Where? Here?
Xena shrugs, clearly a little irritated. She apparently was hoping Eve would be easier to find. Her body language says they’ve been searching for quite awhile, and have had to go through this at all the other ports they’ve been in.
XENA
Around here somewhere. They weren’t sure.
Gabrielle rolls her eyes, blowing out a very annoyed breath.
GABRIELLE
This is a big city, Xena.
(calmer)
Where do you want to start?
XENA
Might as well split up and cover more ground, right? Meet back here, okay?
Xena strides off while Gabrielle is looking away for a moment. When Gabrielle turns back and finds her gone, she throws her hands up.
GABRIELLE
Grrrr!
She turns away herself and without realizing it marches off in the opposite direction.
CUT TO:
7.EXT. BAZAAR – DAY
We follow Xena through the increasingly crowded bazaar. It’s noisy and busy, but Xena is focused on her mission.
CUT TO:
8.EXT.TAVERN – DAY
Gabrielle, looking rather put out, glances this way and that as she walks. She’s searching, but not terribly hard. Eventually she ends up in front of a tavern. She contemplates the door for a moment, then perks up and strides in with all the confidence in the world.
Unseen behind her, two rough-looking characters watch her enter.
CUT TO:
9.INT.TAVERN – DAY
The interior is as noisy and busy as the bazaar outside, but the patrons are clad in more familiar garb. This is where foreigners and sailors go to enjoy themselves.
Gabrielle looks about almost approvingly and finds an unoccupied place along the counter. A surly sort gives her an ugly look, but quickly backs off at the look Gabrielle gives him in response.
The tavern keeper approaches.
GABRIELLE
What kind of wine do you have?
CUT TO:
10.EXT.BAZAAR – DAY
Xena is still searching the bazaar. She pauses at stalls every now and then and speaks to the vendors, though we can’t hear what she asks clearly. They each wave her on, pointing in other directions. Xena follows these directions. In the process, she spies a man in a leather vest who seems to be watching and following her.
Lips pressed into a determined line, Xena plunges forward into a rather noisy crowd of gawkers watching another street performer. The man follows, soon joined by another. The two head into the crowd, only to find Xena has somehow disappeared among them. The two snarl and push their way through, finding no sign of her.
They move off, unaware that Xena has simply ducked into a side-alley and is now watching them.
XENA
(smirking)
Amateurs.
She looks around for a few more moments, spying another. Xena can’t help but grin a little. This other spy soon vanishes into the crowd. Xena waits a few beats before breaking cover.
XENA
(quietly to herself)
What have you gotten yourself into this time, Eve?
She stalks off into the crowd, more intent than ever to find Eve.
CUT TO:
11.INT. TAVERN – DAY
Gabrielle plunks down a now-empty goblet on the counter.
GABRIELLE
Another.
The barkeeper looks at her skeptically, but says nothing. He refills the goblet from an earthen decanter.
Gabrielle doesn’t look up as he begins to move away with the bottle.
GABRIELLE
(quietly)
Leave it.
BARKEEPER
I…
Gabrielle half looks up. Her eyes communicate all.
GABRIELLE
I said leave it.
The Barkeeper takes his hand off the bottle and moves away, keeping both hands in clear sight.
Gabrielle stares at the goblet for a moment, then downs its contents in virtually one gulp. She gives a hearty belch that causes a few of the other patrons to turn and look at her, though they quickly go back to their own drinks.
CUT TO:
12.EXT. COURTYARD – DAY
Xena rounds a corner and sees another knot of locals clustered around something. She watches, somewhat suspicious, but soon begins to grin. We hear a familiar voice speaking there.
It is Eve, standing on a small stool and speaking in native Hindi. She gestures expansively as she speaks.
EVE
(in subtitles)
We must learn to let go of greed and jealousy.
The crowd murmurs, both in approval and uncertainty.
EVE
(continued in subtitles)
We were born to be more than our basest instincts, to be better than that. We… we’re here… because…
Her voice trails off when she spots Xena making her way through the crowd towards her, literally unable to believe her eyes. She steps down from her stool and moves towards her mother, her legs clearly becoming rather unsteady. The crowd parts respectfully, allowing her to pass, a few reaching out to her as she passes.
Xena stands where she is, in plain sight and in full armor and weapons, waiting with a slight, almost nervous smile. She has to take a small, shuddering breath to hold herself in place. She’s holding powerful emotions in check.
Eve stops a few paces from her mother, her shoulders trembling ever so slightly. She isn’t sure if she wants to move forward or flee. In the end she reaches out – very, very tentatively – and touches Xena’s cheek.
EVE
(hesitant)
Mother?
Eve’s lips tremble as she speaks. Xena nods, equally shaken.
XENA
(shaky)
It’s me, Eve.
EVE
(overcome)
Oh...oh, Eli!
Eve all but collapses into Xena’s arms, sobbing. This is somewhat awkward as Eve nearly unbalances Xena when they come together, but they cling to each other all the same.
The crowd looks on, equally overcome by the scene and unable to say anything.
CUT TO:
13.EXT.ALLEYWAY – DAY
Two of the men who had been following Xena earlier round the same corner. They catch sight of the two women standing there together.
Eyes fixed on the two in the courtyard, one begins to draw a knife from within his vest, only to be stopped by his companion. The latter shakes his head, deciding discretion is the better part of valor. They retreat the way they came.
CUT TO:
14.EXT.COURTYARD – DAY
Neither Xena nor Eve is aware of the pair who followed them. They are understandably preoccupied.
Eventually however they break apart, still beaming at each other.
EVE
I’d heard… you… were you…?
Xena reluctantly nods.
XENA
(slightly chagrined)
I was.
(she smiles again)
It’s... a long story for later.
Eve looks around and frowns ever so slightly.
EVE
Where’s Gabrielle?
XENA
(still smiling)
Oh, she’s here. Searching for you, I’m sure.
EVE
Is everything…?
XENA
Oh, she’s all right.
CUT TO:
15.INT.TAVERN – DAY
Gabrielle plunks her goblet on the countertop yet again. There are now two bottles before her, one lying on its side. Both are completely empty. Clearly she’s had a few, as she’s starting to sway on her stool.
Slowly she turns around to view the rest of the room. We follow her sight, which has become hazy and uncertain. She sees the world become topsy-turvy again:
The two men sitting to her right are arguing over something. Their voices are resounding but indistinct as though they were in an echo chamber.
A woman dances on a table nearby, her movements sharper than normal and soon speeding up to a blur.
All around Gabrielle there are voices and chaotic movement. Gabrielle screws her eyes shut against it.
GABRIELLE
(hissing)
Stop it.
The noise and confusion does not stop.
GABRIELLE
(hissing)
Stop it! Please!
The noise and confusion reaches a crescendo.
GABRIELLE
(aloud)
I said…
Gabrielle stands, draws her sais, and turns to face the rest of the patrons.
GABRIELLE
(shouting)
Stop it!
Gabrielle strides over to the two men having the argument, knocking one to the floor with a fist to his chin, then spins and drives a knee into the other’s groin.
The action comes fast and furious: other patrons get into the action. A couple of men charge directly at Gabrielle.
THUG ONE
(V.O.)
I’ll get you!
THUG TWO
(V.O.)
C’mere!
She knocks them both in the stomach with the handles of her sais, then kicks the one on her left away with one boot and knocks the other across the head with both sais, sending him flipping over a nearby table.
The barkeep, who ducked behind the counter when the fighting started, suddenly appears and tries slashing at Gabrielle with a short sword.
BARKEEPER
(snarling)
I’ll kill you!
Gabrielle spins at the last second and blocks the blade with her sais, keeping it from reaching her head. It’s a strain nevertheless, as the barkeep is quite a bit heavier.
Gabrielle manages to push him off, then leaps over the counter, planting both boot soles into the barkeep as she swings herself over. The older man doesn’t go down, however, and takes another swipe at her. Gabrielle ducks and the man is thrown off-balance by his wild swing, only to be sent reeling back when Gabrielle delivers a strong uppercut to his chin. The barkeeper falls back and stays down.
The remainder of the patrons high tail it out of there.
PATRONS
(V.O.)
Run! She’ll kill us!
Gabrielle stands there, swaying and looking shell-shocked. She looks at her hands and the blood on both, but she is in such shock that she doesn’t seem to actually see any of it.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT I
ACT II
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