~ Three Days ~

Three Days

('She Shook Me' by Pain Teens)

Andromeda wears a sleeved coat with a hood, the color of concrete in shadow, drifting beneath a dark parachute over the modern city. The Orson disappears above her and behind with the sound of thunder and compression of wind filling it's void, tugging her back a jolt.

Morgan - Voiced over while Andromeda takes the city in drifting closer, "We thank you for the offer of Sanctuary's armies to the cause of the Sabines, but I fear we must decline. In Sanctuary's rapid growth I see danger as I know your armies would over run ours in even shared interest. This only highlights why we must do this among our own, if even to fail."
____

Andromeda remembers while drifting ~

Morgan - On the deck overlooking the city, "It's something everyone has to do. Three days with nothing but basic clothes and a knife."
____

She guides her descent steering around the lights to side watching cars watching windows with motion, sirens sounding beneath her, distant shots, an airplane flies over.
____

Kurukulla - Hands her two long tooth blades. "From your kill. Captain says you get two for your trip because they're a set."
____

She watches the shadows move beneath, now away from siren and sound, moving away further near the water.
____

Andromeda - Morgan holding her from behind as they look over the city, "This is where you're from, isn't it ? This world."

Morgan - "A long time ago." She points over Andromeda's shoulder into the night sky, "Look. There's your constellation."
____

Morgan - Voiced over as Andromeda drifts, "I personally have to mistrust any force so powerful, risen so quickly and with Sanctuary's rumored fluctuations in leadership, I can trust nothing there until consistency is shown. I can only ask that you let us take care of our own."

Andromeda drifts to a landing near warehouses and water, disconnects her chute runs to the shadows between two parked cars and slides underneath as a police car spotlights the area, then drives around slowly until it's gone with the sound of static communication.
____

Andromeda turns and kisses Morgan, slipping her gun and one of the knives into her belt.

Xquic and Lieu Hanh grin and high five.

Morgan - A tear, "I'm so sorry."

She pushes Andromeda off the plank.
____

Morgan - Voiced over. "Please if you would instead prepare for the arrival of the Sabines, should they seek Sanctuary, being far better outfitted to offer that than we. We also ask formal declaration of Sanctuary's rulership, that we may report it to the marketplace as the rumors are now beyond reason."

Three shadows watch the police depart as well from behind other cars and corners, then move closer to Andromeda. In the darkness form is unclear with the wisps of dark fabric marked only by a slight fluttering sound.
____

Morgan - Quilling letter on parchment in the fade to darkness, "And if that's you, Lucretia, I'm very sorry to hear the rumors I've heard. Please inform me of the situation."

"My best wishes,"

"Morgan."

~ Day One ~

(This introduces the way I'd like to treat 'real world' environments in general. The tone is as a fairy tale would describe it in a fairy tale of their own, of a strange and distant land.)

Andromeda watches the homeless camp at meals from the bushes across the lot from her landing ~

Morgan - Voiced over. "We cannot change history as it doesn't exist in any law. There is only now, and the reasons why. Just tales of how we got here. We can't take history itself, but we can still take it's soul."

Strong males stroll too proudly down the middle of the camp, displaying as they acknowledge each other in passing, while others look down from them, huddled quietly. They stare boldly at the police who drive by slowly, spotlighting darting around as beer is hidden and pipes are pocketed.

"We can bring one story to life and give it power, and in another take that power away in the minds of those who seek those reasons why. So when I say that we strike at the heart of Rome, I mean it quite specifically."

A crackling voice from in the car, a short blast from their siren and a skidding departure, a double blast of sound as it passes the crossroads and disappears down the long bridge crossing the nearby river.

To the city at night ~

"Morgan."

A man's voice behind Andromeda - "See anything you like ?"

She cannonballs past him and his two friends across the adjacent lot and over cars, into shadow with a turn looking back while no one is there. From deep in other shadows there's motion unnoticed and a sound of fluttering then heard as she spins with knife drawn to see nothing there either.
________________

Morgan stomps singed and cursing, clothes still smoking into the engine room, still in an obviously early form, the engine half connected.

Morgan - "Damn it ! What the hell's wrong with this thing !?"

Amelia - Fixing connections, "What !? It works !"

Morgan - "This isn't time travel ! What the hell is this ?!"

Amelia - "Morgan. It isn't up to you. I'm sorry. It just does what it does and it isn't going to do that. There's nothing wrong with it."

Morgan - Glares at her and smokes her pipe. She takes a deep breath, "Look. You could be the best engineer in all the history I've seen. I accept that. So why the hell does it only travel into stories ? How is that even possible ?"

Amelia - Sits and stares at the sphere. "There is no history, no future. Only now ... I was wrong too, I just didn't get so mad about it. That's not helpful you know. Gimme." She flops her hand at Morgan's pipe.

Morgan - "You didn't just get chased through 'grabby hand forest' by a firebombing witch on a broom !" She hands Amelia her pipe, "How the hell does a broom fly and this damn thing ..." Motioning to the engine before exhaling to calm.

Amelia - Shoving the pipe into her motioning hand, "Did she hit the trees ? With the fire ?"

Morgan stares annoyed.

Amelia - "You need to think more positively is all I'm saying. Anyway. I think it's alive."

Morgan - Furrowed brow. "According to everything we know it's a singularity. It functions as a universe removed from ours. And according to half the laws, it functionally is the universe. So now you're saying the universe is alive ?"

Amelia - "Gimme." She takes the pipe and smokes deeply before holding in, staring down her nose at the engine. "Has to be for the experiment to yield these results. I know you hate philosophy ...", she croaks.

Morgan - "Oh no. Don't you do it." Laughing, "Give me that. You're done !"

Amelia - Laughing an exhale, "I'm sorry Captain but it's my duty to inform you that your engine is alive, and we've been popping around in it's imagination. Hopefully it is a reflection of the universe and not just some random psycho, right ?"

Morgan - "That's the best you've got ?"

Amelia - "Got better ?"

Morgan - Staring to the engine ... "The entire universe as a singular network ... neurons spread through intertwining physics ... okay. A brain. If we accept that then the best we can do is alter it's memory to direct it's future choices."

Amelia - "Hm. Well, that's kind of evil ... by the way ... but yes. I was thinking more along the line of easing the pain it's suffered through history ... but it comes along about the same. We can't change the present or the past."

Morgan - "Only how the past is remembered and thus the future. Alright. Test that theory and see if it steers a boat."

Amelia - After a long pause passes staring at the engine. "I wonder if it's God ..."

Morgan - "Don't."

Amelia - "But it ...!"

Morgan - "! Nope !" Getting up, she grabs the pipe and leaves the engine room yelling, "You just fix that damn thing while I figure out what kind of fine story you've gotten us into this time !"

Amelia goes back to staring at it, then smiles.
________________

Andromeda sights a quiet tree from the lot overlooking, runs to climb it before settling in to sleep between two crossed boughs, knife in hand, curled into her coat, closing her eyes ...

Voices in darkness.

Mother to daughter - "Sleep !"

Daughter "No !"

Mother - "Story ... ?"

Daughter - "... fine."
____

The view of the Sun, from a stationary point as extremely fast, camera shaking as though it were a rocket, ever watching the Moon as they arc a curve around the Earth. Exploding sounds of furnace and fury as it swings it's arc toward the distant Moon.

Mother - Narrating, "Before we were here, before the Earth had a name, the Sun even then loved the Moon. He would chase her fiercely across the sky while the Moon playfully taunted him to catch her. They were young in those days ... playful and indulgent."

Background objects framed to show great speed and focus in it's pursuit. The story narrates these scenes, the speakers never shown. Note that when I call the passing of time by the sun and moon later, it's in this way.

Daughter - "Like me !"

Mother - "You're playful. I'm indulgent."

Daughter - "I'll indulge you that. Continue."

Mother - "You got it from me."
____

Andromeda wakes to the sound of traffic and babble beneath her.

The sun rises bright in her eyes as she stretches and waits for silence beneath. Swinging down between the noise, she lands crouched behind it, stands and peers around, straightening her clothes and adjusting her belt and knife, rebelting her hooded coat.

She appears conservatively dressed in the daylight, thought stylishly hooded with gloved hands in pockets. She mingles casually into the crowd of commuters wearing similar colors, greys and blacks all.
____

The Moon watches the Sun burning after as the Earth's shadow passes over her, but her face is turned to the Earth. In time the Sun passes from view as her view is fixated.
____

Motion stops at the crossroads. She watches the people watching the lights, sees the cars stopped and watches those lights go green, that one white, everyone walks. She follows, crossing the long high bridge toward the downtown sounds.

Mother - "But the Moon never turns from the Earth. As it passes burning behind her she whispers 'thank you' while watching her shadow pass over her lover."
____

The wind from a behind passing bus just feet away from the bridge walk catches under her coat and pushes her a bit to the rail. She looks far down into the greenish hued water. Garbage ...
____

The Moon's shadow crosses the Earth, turning to it.
____

Andromeda watches swinging shoulders of the proud and learns, a slight swivel in the shoulder sockets in some, broad chest in others as stone, stretching the shoulders back, swinging them as one.

She then observes the heeled shoes walking in front of her. The ankles wobble uncomfortably though slight, as Andromeda looks up the legs to the tight fabric skirt, legs working against it.

She looks then to the proud shouldered men looking at the walker, looking at her, looking at others ...

Behind her among the crowd shadows are more formed as walkers following as one person then the next, ever closer. Each time the crowds heads turn at once they spin forward and between, ever closer, ducking beneath views and behind distractions.

In a dulled mix of urban noise, Andromeda hears their fabrics rustling sharply.

She lowers her head in her hood and walks as the rest, attempting to shorten her step and mimic the toe walk of the woman in front of her with shortened steps, arcing off the curled foot to leap between steps in her flat dress boots, black with a combat heel lifted.
____

Mother - "They three speak only in shadow and reflection as they pass."

Daughter - "Does the Sun ever get jealous ?"

Mother - "I suppose that he must ! But the Sun loves the Moon so much to help meet with the Earth, every single night."

Daughter - "I think the Sun must love the Earth too."

Mother - Giggling, "Maybe that's why the Sun doesn't mind. It's a show !"

Daughter - "! Mother !"
____

The men look at the women, the women look at the mannequined windows, the mannequins staring back in cold judgement. The next window is a men's display and all look down.

The sun begins setting across the sky ...

As the streets slowly clear, the movement of the three shadows among the crowd is more apparent. Hooded and masked, wearing goggles they spin through the crowd in every moment when no one looks.
____

The sun watches from it's side as the shadow passes from the Earth and the turns it's gaze to the moon which ever faces it. It moves away watching them, then blocked by the Earth.
____

Daughter - "And that's why she protects us in the night."

Mother - "But not in the day."

Daughter - "And that's why we only go out at night. The ! End."

Mother - "Yes Morgan. The end. Now go to bed."
________________

Armored soldiers march from the mountains filling boats for war ~

Morgan sits at a table, Amelia standing beside her on the yet to be developed beach with a minimal harbor and small marketplace before the yet ungated circle of mountains.

Behind them a board is set on a post, reading 'Skilled Crew Required'. All around them the people go on about their day, ignoring them.

Amelia - "So this is how you get crew here ..."

Morgan - "I have no damn idea how to get crew in this freakshow. I did this five hundred years ago. Worked fine in France."

Amelia - "Oh. That'll definitely help." Giggling, "Freakshow required. Have experience in France."

Morgan - Looking up, "Pass it."

Amelia - Sitting on the table. "Pass what, Captain ?"

Morgan - "My pipe ! Which you never gave back. Give it up full. That's an order."

Amelia - "Oooo ! Orders now. When you can make her sing like I can ...," she pulls the curled pipe from her pocket, "... then you can sing to me about that island you found me on. But in the meantime ..."

She puts the pipe in Morgan's mouth and lights, still holding it. Morgan looks at her with one eye squinted shut and the other with raised brow while inhaling.

Amelia - Taking a puff while Morgan holds hers, then blowing a ring around Morgan's face, "... you're stuck with me." She puts the pipe back in her pocket.

They sit staring across the beach, completely ignored by all who pass.

Morgan - Laughing out her smoke, "Yep !"

('Heartbeat' by Big Black)

The walking business people are tired and drone like now, heels stumbling and the proud now seem depressed with shoulders hunched. Angry eyes look around among the fearful. Curses as they bump, sirens sound and tension builds their speed to scurry, loading into trains, departing.

As the people become fewer lights begin to flicker on in a settling mist. The streets quiet down to the distant sounds, with the occasional flapping of fabric behind her. She reaches into her coat, slowly pulling to buckling it with the other hand.

A hand grabs at her coat and pulls it off as she spins to a turn with long tooth knife drawn in readiness.

Nothing but her coat on the ground and people staring, backing away ... some reaching for phones with concern and horror.

She leaves the coat and turns to a fast run, followed by the shadows, spinning to the alley, then from as onlookers look to each other with murmur, other tapping their phones.

Running fast she passes a computer display in a closed store. The many computers in the window and store flicker on and a man's face appears

Germain - On the screen, "Andromeda ! Listen to me, please. I'm going to help you escape them."

She stops and looks at the screen, looking back down the empty street.

Germain - "Follow the white lights !" He looks to the high left and Andromeda's eyes follow, seeing the sign turn to 'Walk'.

She looks back down the street and sees the pursuers approaching between buildings, looks back at the face on the screen with a furrowed brow as it nudges it's head to the left, then grinning and nodding.

She runs under the walk light.

As the shadows pass the screens, they show a man reading a newspaper, then turn off. The sign turns to 'Don't Walk', ignored by the fluttering as they pass under.

Andromeda runs fast guided by changing lights and walk signs with the three pursuers in the now empty streets ducking in leaps from shadow to shadow.

As they get close, she's whipped across the face from behind by a fabric's corner. She grabs at it, spinning away from the attacked side, flopping the empty cloth onto the ground.

Looking up, three flapping sounds and shadows in bushes, bushes rustling closer and closer with a wind in her face blowing sand into her eyes.

She turns back running, the walk sign flashing over her quickly.

She approaches a nightclub who's long entry path lights guide like a runway toward the man from the screen holding two submachine guns.

Germain - "Come ! Get inside !"

He begins firing past her at the twisting black wisps, tearing the fabrics and forcing them back, until they spin and leap to the bushes while Andromeda runs past him.

He curses and throws his guns to the ground following her, while another man walks from the side of the building with a pressure washer and hoses the guns and shells into the large sewer grates lining the walk.

Two more from either side of the club walk around to the front door, while a sniper on the roof ducks down.

~ Three Days ~

Three Days ~ day two
________________

day two

('Melt With U' by Prince)

Andromeda walks through the nightclub as panicking few merge with the oblivious. The floors show where people step and leave a trace after in deep hues, while in other places there are footsteps following no one.

Germain moves through the crowd, and though he seems to own the club no one knows him but the security. Past the bar and up the stairs to a closed room with a heavy door.

Germain - "Please come in. And do close the door behind."
________________

Xquic - Entering Venus' shop with a purposely slamming door, "Venus !"

Venus - Looks up from twisting the fork into the tiny automaton while it twitches it's legs, "Xquic. A pleasure. Business I take it ?"

Xquic - "Yep ! No time for anything else." She carelessly picks up a random geared object and shakes it a bit before plopping it back down.

Venus - "Hm. And I assume you have a written order from your captain ?"

Xquic - Smiles wide, "Oh Venus. Don't you act like you don't know that I know ..." Hands her a slip. "Because just so ya know, I know."

Venus - "I'm sure you believe you know many things." She looks at the slip, then up at Xquic with interest. "So she's going to do it then."

Xquic - "Oh yeah. Big score."

Venus - "And ... so how does it look ?" She flips a tiny switch on the automaton, who hops up, takes the slip and jumps off the counter running through a tiny door leading to the yard in back.

Xquic - Watching the little thing run away, "Ha ! Why do you stab him with a fork like that ?"

Venus - Staring coldly, "There is a plethora which I feel the need to stab with forks."

Xquic - Leans forward, "Wanna tell me about it after the battle ?"

Venus - "Ask my husband."

Xquic - "Heard he's a robot."

Venus - "Call it love."

Xquic - Smiles wide, "We're going to win. It looks good."

Venus - "In that case, this is for you." She pulls an elaborate long barrelled rifle from the wall. "And let's not talk about those things we think we know. Agreed ?"

Xquic - Looks down the long scoped sights with a smile, "Yep !"

Venus - Looks to the side and slides a wooden box between them. "And for your partner ... I'll assume her lack of knowledge as well ?"

Xquic - Opens the box to examine the spotter scope. "We shoot things Venus !" Closes the box. "We don't know things."

Venus - "Ad eternum comes with free repairs."

Xquic - "Gonna change your name ?"

Venus - "Excuse me ?"

Xquic - "Your name's Roman. Gonna go Greek ?"

Venus - "No one says it correctly."

Xquic - "No one says the other one right and it isn't even the one you've got !"

Venus - "True ..."

They stare, Xquic grinning, Venus getting annoyed ...

Xquic - "Veeeehna ! Veeeeeeeeeeeh na ! A Phroh ditty. A Phrooooooooh ... ditty.

Venus - ! Oh My Gods And Goddesses Of Your Eternal Torment You Must Leave My Shop Right Now ! ... Your goods are in the yard. Go. Now."

Xquic - "Thanks !" She takes the gear and puts up her hood, exiting, "Veeeeeehna ! A Phro ditty."

The door slams.
________

At the desk on the beach ~

Xquic and Lieu Hanh walk up from opposite sides of the beach wearing simple clothes, reaching the table at the same time, speaking simultaneously.

Both - "Sign me up !" They look at each other angrily, "I was here first !" They start to circle in for a fight, "Stop Doing That !" Each fiercely punches the other and they fall before the table.

Amelia bursts out laughing with a puff of smoke.
________

Outside Venus' shop, Lieu Hanh waits.

Lieu Hanh - "Did it work ?"

Xquic - "Totally."

She shoves the box at Lieu Hanh who opens it happy.

Xquic - "Didn't even ask what I said I knew."

Lieu Hanh - "I almost feel bad ..."

They look at each other then laugh their way around to the back of the shop where the ship settles on it's legs, dropping gear-workers to Kurukulla's command.

Kurukulla - "We got the gear ! Now go get me some God Damned Candy !" She starts pounding her drum hard.

The workers chatter "They always forget the candy ... where's the candy ? There is no candy."

They roll eyes and turn, seeing Venus' tiny automaton leaning against a wall, smoking a tiny cigarette.

Automaton - "Yeah. Don't forget the fucking candy."

Lieu Hanh - Kneels and examines him with shock as he blows smoke in her face. "You little bastard ..."

She puts a bucket over him.

Automaton - "Hey ! I'll fucking kill you, you ... !!! Fork You !!!"

Lieu Hanh - "Whoa ..."

Xquic - "Yeah ..." She puts a rock on top of the rattling bucket as it approaches.

Automaton - Banging inside the bucket, "I got your fucking receipt here !"

They leave quietly while workers chant for candy, yelling the preferred fruit for their tarts before returning to work with a shanty called 'Glass'.
________________

Andra - Entering and looking around the room, "Thank you ... what were they ?"

He closes the door to the vault-like room arranged as an antique office but without hangings or floor coverings. With no wall shelves, books are piled around the desk instead.

The same metal floors as the outer nightclub, showing where she walks. She notices now in the near empty room how many footsteps there are behind her, marks through the wall fading in and out without apparent cause.

Germain - "My office. Forgive the decor, there's reason. Electromagnetic plates which register any contact with most beings, dead, alive or questionable. An early dalliance into electrics which never took. Though don't work at all if they just hover, which is surprisingly rare ... but then how would one know sure ?"

Andra - Staring at him a moment, analyzing then glances around the room. "I saw you at the marketplace."

Germain - "Yes. And it was your kill who's fruits I purchased ! A fine one indeed. You are legend among legends now you know. Funny we should meet here. You may call me 'Germain'. Your name is 'Andromeda' ...

Andra - "Andra".

He stares a moment ...

Andra - "My name is Andra here".

Germain - "Been there. Now. Behind you there are four marks on the wall on either side of the exit. Turn please."

Andra furrows her brow and turns suspiciously, reaching for hilt. Three shapes disappear through the wall slowly at last showing grins, then nothing.

Germain - "They're what's been following you. Very dangerous."

Andra - "Why ?"

Germain - Sighs with hands clasped at his desk. "Apologies that our masks must be so rudely discarded, but there are things you need to know, as well as your captain. As I come to this conclusion, here you are."

Andra - "Mister Germain ..."

Germain - "Germain. Please. It's a place, not a person. And though it was named after a person, that person was not me."

Andra - "What the Hell are you talking about ? Point please."

Germain - "Sh. Please. Endure. Things have changed here Andromeda ..."

Andra - "Andra."

Germain - "Yes, my apologies, you rewrite your own myth and I agree. But things in my world have changed. Very recently there was an event and no one is certain what it meant ! The dead walk the Earth. For example."

Andra - Incredulously, "The dead."

Germain - Staring again, "... yes. The dead. Were you not just chased miles down the road by four decorous overcoats ? My walls look like a discotheque. That was not the intent. And there were earthquakes, and there were floods and storms, shattering all record. Economies were crashing and now, we face, yet again, another, mundane apocalypse."

He looks around the room distracted by the movements on the wall.
________________

They enter a mirror filled shop called 'Everything Bad'

Shopkeep - Exclaims, "Oh ! It's the candy queens themselves. I can hear the drums pounding ... I know what you want."

Lieu Hanh and Xquic - "Hi Narcissus !" (pronounced 'nar Keess soos')

Narcissus - "So adorable. I hate you so much." He smiles and slides a plate of tarts across the counter. "Their favorites." He reaches under the counter and brings up two small boxes. "And yours."

Lieu Hanh and Xquic look at each other smiling and put them in their side bags.

Narcissus - "All done the business as usual ... anything special ?"

They stare at him for a second lost in his eyes.

Lieu Hanh - "Harness ! New gunner needs a harness. She complains too much when she bounces."

Xquic - "Not as much as you when you don't ..."

Lieu Hanh slaps her hard across the face, then licks the red spot.

Narcissus - Eyes exhilarated "... a harness indeed. Good or bad ... ?"

They look at each other and nod. "Good."

Narcissus - "Too bad. Be right back."

He goes to his back room while one looks up hanging out her tongue and the other falls to her knees grabbing at her throat.

A heavy leather harness strikes the counter and they compose themselves quickly.

Narcissus - "Anything else ?"

Lieu Hanh - Looks at Xquic and back, "Backroom ?"

Narcissus - "Absolutely." Leaning forward on the counter, "How long ?"

They look at each other, "An hour."

Narcissus - Smiles, "Discount."

He opens the hidden door behind and they follow him through. From another door another Narcissus comes out, unlocks the front door and begins wrapping the harness, candy and tarts.
________________

Germain - After hopping onto his desk, "You may wish to pull your feet from the floor, this will be a bit unpleasant. For both of us." He pulls out his pocket watch and looks at her staring back. "Please. It's an electromagnetic pulse. Electricity ... it's."

Andra - "I've heard of electricity."

Germain - "Oh thank God. Feet up !"

She does with furrowed brow before he pushes the button on his watch, sending a pulse through the insulated room. The walls appear to have had a number of spirits blasted through.

Muffled past the door are the sounds of disappointed and confusion, mild panic. Oil lamps scattered about the office light themselves.

Germain - "That's how you find out how many were hovering. Three it looked like. Now we have privacy for ..." He sets his watch, "two and a half minutes."

He hops off the desk.

Germain - "You can put you feet down now."

She doesn't.

Germain - "So suspicious. You really should keep that."

Andra - "Who's following me and Why ?"

Germain - Sitting back down, "One of the most dangerous women who's ever been and I don't know why. I'm rather curious myself to see how you're connected to this, to see what that woman sees. Concerning many things."

Andra - "So what do you know then ?"

Germain - Beginning to show impatience he pours two drinks and slides one toward her. "Only that it seems the Twilight of the Gods has come and gone. And entirely without proper notice."

He drinks his watching her from the side.
________________

Xquic and Lieu Hanh leave Narcissus' shop with their packages.

Lieu Hanh - "Okay ... now what ?"

Xquic - Pulling out the list to look, "Too much stuff ! ! Cabby !"

A bicycle cart arrives.

Driver - "Where to ?"

Xquic - "Exotic Headshots please, and ! Make Haste ! For we are glamorous ladies tonight and we need our specialty bullets !"

Lieu Hanh - "Ha ! The hell we are. Pay her no mind, she's always like this when she gets laid."

Xquic - Slaps Lieu Hanh hard across the face.

Lieu Hanh - Stares hard before kissing her.

The driver rolls his eyes "Keep it in the cart ladies ... places to go, people to do."

They pile in and continue as he rides off into the dense market.
________________

Germain places a corked vial on the desk next to Andra's untouched drink. It appears ancient with slightly bubbled glass and fused dirt and dust, label stained and cornered, unreadable.

Germain - "That's what you saw me purchasing at the marketplace last week. Four hundred years ago. It would have been rare in your day, had you ever had one, I know." He drinks from his glass. "When I travel to your world it is with the same disdain which your kind holds when they travel to mine."

Andra - Staring at the tiny bottle, feet still up, "Is this how you ..."

Germain - Snapping the bottle back and places it in the drawer, "Dear God no ! It's purely recreational. But the point is ..."

Andra - "Yes ! I get it ! I'm not real. You are. Which means my time is more relative than yours, linear man, so what's this message for my captain."

Germain - Stares for a moment. "Hm. Fair." He grabs her glass and slams it. "I can negotiated your safety. But at great risk to us both, if your captain does not agree to the terms which I cannot confer with her upon."

Andra - "My husband once payed for my safety. He's dead now. Also involved me running into gunfire strangely enough."

Germain - "And your captain was well paid for it, as I do intend to be. Putting his hand to his furrowed brow, then rubs his temples."

Andra - "Then I've no need to thank you more, but to apologize."

Germain - Still rubbing his temples, "Do you do this on purpose ? I know that you do." Putting his hands down and turning to, "The rumor is that she wishes only to speak with your captain, under parlay."

The grinning faces in the wall behind her reappear as the music returns to cheers.

Germain - Observing them, "If I can promise that ..." He returns attention to her stare, "...we may be safe."

Andra - "She'll agree to that. And you'll be safely paid. We don't have 'counts' where I come from but I think you'll have found yourself lucky a very long time ago."

Germain - Stares long, calculating, then smiles. "Agreed."
________________

Xquic and Lieu Hanh enter a shop appearing to be for flowers until it's seen there are mannequins mixed with them, each dressed in period and holding a bullet, bearing an "X" where it struck them.

Shopkeep - "Ahhh ... hello, you."

Lieu Hanh - "Hiya You ! Any new dummies ?"

Xquic - Looks at Lieu Hanh with jaw dropped, "You're still flirty ..."

Lieu Hanh - Pushes her into the flower pots. "'Cause we're gonna catch a big fish, you know."

Shopkeep - "I heard that. I also heard who. Think you can get me a two-fer ?"

Xquic - From the flower pots, in a deep voice, "Rome ... you loose !" In a high voice, "Hi ! I'm Ray Moose !"

Lieu Hanh - "Remus fell down."
____

Remus runs through the field, closing his drape, chased by locals with torches, shielding their daughters. Flailing his arms and screaming, he looks back, trips over a branch and falls down, flipping his drape.

The daughters seem to judge the sight poorly as they turn away ...
____

Xquic - From the flowerpots near a mannequin, "I can see up this guy's skirt ..."

Shopkeep - To Lieu Hanh, "That's too bad ... I heard he was the nice one."

She slides a large one shot pistol across the counter.

Shopkeep - "Make it count. I have an empty spot ... no one's made a good kill all week ..." She looks over to an empty corner.

Lieu Hanh tucks the gun into her belt and smiles.

Xquic - "She's not even the shooter !"

Shopkeep - To Lieu Hanh, "Come back proud or never again."
________________

Andra sleeps on a large cushion in the office while Germain scribbles notes, ignoring her. She dreams ~
____

A man walking toward a hut in an empty plain surrounded by mountains.

Then inside an old man dying.

And then another.

She leaves the hut into the darkest city, found deep in the marketplace, a woman's long hair, not hers, with a white mouse on her shoulder.

In dark alleys the mouse makes her feel safe.
____

She wakes to the empty room.

The office has been cleaned out but for her coat which was lost, neatly folded, a plate with breakfast and a note, wax sealed with his signet, addressed 'Captain Morganna LeFey'.

The walls ceiling and floor show much activity around her, which she decidedly ignores with closed eyes and an exhale.

She smells the food and thinks a moment, waiting for the after-scent, then sits to eat now satisfied of it's safety. She breaks the letter's seal and starts to read.
____

Voiced over by Germain through the day, time shown by the Sun's chase, while Andra nibbles the food, lasting it .

"Captain LeFey,

"We've met a number of times but I've insured these situations to be inconspicuous and by intention you won't recall many. We may discuss this further upon our next encounter, which if be, I promise to be direct and honest, at least that once."

('Cornflake Girl' by Tori Amos)

Finished with her meal, Andra begins watching the patterns on the walls. Standing she watches the floor marks pull back, then moving, they move.

Germain - "And in such tone, the point. Concerning the one known as 'The Keeper of the Book of Names'. I've bargained for the safety of your crew member, and my own, with the promise to contact you and that you will meet her upon parlay, there after."

Moving around the room she watches their responses, then starts to move randomly, as they freeze, awaiting her. Then she begins easing into fighting movements which repel them by intent. Suddenly one rushes through her with a subtle breeze.

Germain - "I have sworn this upon my own honor and it is I who will pay the price if you do not. I then doubt she would stop there."

A method is forming as she swings and spins, dodging the occasional attempt to move through her, while moving the watchers where she wants them to be. Another charges as she cuts though a dodge, watching a mild dissipation on the floor.

Germain - "Having negotiated this, I find myself with the sense that I should be owed for this, having now jeopardized my life on behalf of your rude companion. She has herself promised payment, I ask that you insure this should you survive your meeting with the keeper."

At the end of her practice her form becomes a unique and comfortable dance, the room mostly to the wall, a clear space around her.

"Fair wishes and hilted hand,

She puts the cushion in the center of the room and sleeps.

"Compte de Germain."

She sleeps quietly, movement around, but distant.
________________

Lieu Hanh - Exiting the shop with Xquic, "Did you see that !? Did you see that !? I love her."

Xquic - "Did you ever see up those mannequins' skirts ?"

Lieu Hanh - "Yah !"

Xquic - "Woooooowwwwww ..."

Lieu Hanh - "I know !"

They look at the waiting cart driver who's eating a hot dog, pause and burst out laughing.

Driver - "What ? I got hungry." He motions to a nearby hot dog cart.

Xquic - "Thanks for waiting for us." She pins a flower to his lapel.

Driver - Smelling it with a smile, "Thanks !"

Lieu Hanh - "Hey ! You stole that from my future wife !"

Xquic - "It was stuck to me !"
________________

~ Three Days ~

Germain - Voiced over, "Post Scriptum. Whispers of your queries concerning the nameless. All report is that he is dead. My sympathies if they are appropriate, or perhaps my congratulations."

She rises in the morning, walking through the empty club, path clearing on the floor before her. She opens the front door to the bright morning sun.

~ Day Three ~

(Do That Stuff - P Funk Earth Tour)

Across the marketplace a voice echoes ...

Kurukulla - "! Tart Thieeeeeeeeeef !" Her teeth grind behind her iron mask, "Get her."

Her drum drops to the ground as gearworkers put on packs with air tanks and compressors. Kurukulla replaces the drum with a similar harness holding two chain guns at her sides, feeding ammo from her pack.

The gear workers strap on arm and leg cuffs, each appearing as a blunderbuss drawing powder from their packs. Air compresses to test as Kurukulla runs up the stairs and leaps off the edge of the ship. Thirty feet down she lands in a running bounce after a tiny white mouse with a tart in her mouth.

Kurukulla - "! Tart Thieeeeeef !" She starts shooting wildly left and right guns pounding out a rhythm as with her drum, mixed with their gear up spins.

Over her, the gearworkers launch from the ship, using gun blasts like hard drums following her rhythm, compressed air to leap and land cleanly from rooftop to rooftop as Kurukulla clears the main street chasing the dodging mouse.

Everywhere the bullets strike show this isn't the first time.

Shutters about the marketplace close and doors lock while the wanderers flee into alleyways. The gearworkers use their empty powder blasts to turn sharply over alleyways, Kurukulla clearing the ground with the pounding guns and war cries.

Back doors open and arms pull terrified shoppers in to safety, followed by locks. The mouse occasionally tries a door before it slams, then turns away toward Sanctuary's gate.

Kurukulla sees this down the wide open clearing and screams "! NOOOO ! Shoot ! To ! Killlll !"

The gearworkers shoot flying forward then back, again and again as each shot works against them in their pursuit while Kurukulla shoots on running, "No ! Sanctuary ! For ! Tart Thieves !"

The mouse dodges her way to the trench she had clearly dug out in advance beneath the huge gate, allowing precicely enough room for her and a tart.

Kurukulla - Shooting up and down the gate screaming "!!! Sanctuary !!!" Then falling to her knees before the gates, "... my tart ..."

The massive gate slowly begins to open.

Kurukulla - Looking up, "!!! RETREAT !!!"

She turns and runs back down the wide main path to the docks, shooting in the air and screaming, followed by the gearworkers rooftop to rooftop.

From the main gate now opened a few feet, Nemesis walks out with countless soldiers behind the gate, seeing the fleeing Kurukulla.

Nemesis - "What the hell ?"
________________

~ Andra/omeda's following scenes will be composed of flashes, the worst of the streets, each scene brief, her walking then running through as the sun passes the sky. The nature of each will be dependent on what's happening at the time of production and to be chosen in discussion with cast and crew.

These scenes however will be shown to be manipulated by the shadows that stalk her, enraging those around her, distracting potential help, etcetera. The passing of time shown by the Sun chasing the Moon, as before.

Ultimately writing them now makes a dull read, trite and preachy. I think the group as a whole could approach these scenes better than I as an individual, preferably a blend of what they think is important to them and their characters.

Something may inspire a specific scene or tale meanwhile, I'll post on the main page if so. Either way those will set the tone, then the application of the appropriate horror gloss to the rest. ~
________________

Xquic, Lieu Hanh are behind a table set at the beach, where Morgan sits planning. Amelia stands off to the side watching the sea. Kurukulla walks up carrying heavy guns with four gearworkers to their mixed stares.

Kurukulla - "Sign me up !"

Morgan - "Why ?"

Kurukulla - Pulls a gun and shoots in the air dropping a vulture dead on the table.

Lieu Hanh - "What the fuck ! We can't even eat that !"

Xquic - Looking up and stares down a two handed finger gun, "Wow ..."

Kurukulla - "He was a shit talker." She grabs it's feet and throws it hard and far out to the water where it's snapped up by a twisting beast. "Followed me all day."

Morgan - Looks back from the sea beast. "Would that be coming with you too ?"

Kurukulla - "Nah ! Just knew she was hungry."

Morgan - "I see ... so what do you actually do ?"

Kurukulla - Looks up considering.
____

Wars throughout history, guns screaming while Kurukulla laughs amid explosions, shooting wildly, regardless of time period.
____

Kurukulla - "I think I make rhythm."

Morgan - "So you're a drummer !"

Kurukulla - Pounds her fists hard on the table, shaking and scattering everything upon it. "! Yes ! Like a Drummer !"

Morgan - "Right. And what are they ?" She glances to the gearworkers.

Kurukulla turns and looks, "... maybe ninjas ?"
________________

~ Andra ~
________________

Morgan - To Kurukulla, "What do they do, then ?"

Kurukulla - She grabs one by the back of the neck and pulls it forward, then stabs it through the back with a broad sword showing the heavy end from the chest while they gesture 'Tadah !' all raising their arms, fighters pause in a headlock.

Kurukulla - Pulls the sword out and slams it on the desk. "That's a god-killer too."

Morgan watches as a bit of sand pours out the hole, then picks it up the blade to examines it, "Yes it is ... " With surprise at it's quality and balance before handing it back. "It's very nice. Venus' work."

Kurukulla - "The best work."

Morgan - "Looks back at the other with a short laugh, "I don't know about that ..." They snicker while she looks back to Kurukulla "But she does do fine work. I still don't recognize your story, though.
____

Kurukulla walks down a freeway amid cars exploding and flying, laughing and shooting wildly.
____

Kurukulla - Leans over the table on her fists very seriously, "I personally believe people just like to watch things explode."

Amelia - "Now That's useful. We should hire her."

('Kill Everything' by Skin)

The sun down, Andra sits on the bench huddled with her knees under her coat, scenes of horror flashing through her eyes, the sounds of screaming and sirens ...

A man walks the path and sees her shaking and hears the hooded sobs.

Stranger - Cautiously, "Are you okay ?"

Andra - Without looking up, her hand in her coat with the hilt, "How do you do it ? How do you live in this place ? How do you live here every day ?"

Stranger - Sitting far on the other side of the bench from her, he lights a joint, inhales and passes it to her, "No idea."

Andra - Seeing he's also fighting tears, she takes it with some examination, then smokes. "What's wrong with you ?"

Stranger - A short laugh through a tear, "At this particular moment ... I'm a writer. I love my characters. But sometimes ... I have to tell a story and I know it's going to hurt them. I know it's going to hurt me. And sometimes I feel like I can't ... I just can't do it to them." Tears start to stream.

Andra - Passes the joint back and turns to face him, knees still under her coat. "What happens ?"

Stranger - Composes himself with an exhale, "She's a fairy tale. A beautiful wonderful tale with so much to tell, but to tell it ... she has to suffer and ... it's a long story. She's spending her three days in the woods. It's hard for her."

Andra - After he passes back to her, "Does something happen to her ?"

Stranger - "No ... not really. But she sees things. Things that tear her deeply ... things that tear me."

Andra - Inhales deeply before dropping her hood. She kisses him lightly with his cheeks in her hands, "Tell the tale, writer. She is strong. I have to go now and so do you."

She quickly springs over the back of the bench and into the bushes, through the park and gone.

Stranger - He gets up and looks to the sky, then as though in complaint, "She took my joint."

He walks down the path, lighting a cigarette.
________________

Morgan - "So who are you ?"

Xquic - "Yah ! Are you hideous under that mask ?"

Kurukulla - "No ! It just looks cool and protects my head when I put it through things ! Plus it protects my secret identity ..."

She looks to the side.

Lieu Hanh - "It does look cool ... we should hire her."

Xquic - "She comes with ninjas !"

Lieu Hanh - "And she has a secret identity.

Amelia - "I don't think those are real ninjas."

Two gearworkers are beating each other on the the ground white the other two throw money at them.

Morgan - "We have to know who you are." She leans back in her chair decidedly.

Kurukulla - "Cant say who I am."

Morgan - "Why ?"

Kurukulla - "Cant say why."

Morgan - "What ?!"

Kurukulla grunts then pulls out a world map from her bag, unravels it and points to a location.

Morgan - Leaning forward, she looks. "Oh ..."

They all look over her shoulder - "Oh ..."

Morgan - "You're hired."
________________

Andra hears the yelling and jumps low, knife drawn into the bushes near the sidewalk. Three police men have their guns drawn on a man with his hands up.

First officer - "On your knees. Now !"

Caller - Holding a phone and slowly kneeling, "It wasn't me ... I called you !"

First officer - "You just slide that right over here."

The other two look at the first suspiciously.

The caller slowly puts the phone on the ground and slides it over. The First officer picks it up and looks, checking the last call, to 911. He puts it in his pocket and straightens his arm while the other two look at him.

Second officer - Cautiously but firmly, "What are you doing ?"

The third officer looks more panicked, looking from them to the terrified man.

Caller - Looking at the third, "Please help me. I don't want ..."

Andra jumps from the bush to protect the man just after the shot is taken and he falls into her arms, pulling her down. Her looks up at her sobbing blood as her tears stream over him. She holds her knife over him to threaten the police,

Andra -"Get the Hell away from him !"

The man reaches up to touch her face before convulsing into death. Screaming for them to get away while they scream to drop the weapon the first officer straightens his arm again

His head is gone with a shot, Morgan standing behind him. The other two turn and fall sleeping with darts from the gearworkers.

Morgan - To the workers, "Get their gear, clean out their cars then burn them. Leave these two."

She pulls the gun from the dead one's hand then leans over with a knife, cutting off the trigger finger and wrapping it, looking then up to Andra holding the man.

Andra - As Morgan walks over with caution, she swings at her with her knife, "Get away from him ! Just ... get away from me."

She drops her guard and holds him close.

Morgan - "It's okay, it's okay ..." She kisses the top of her head hugging them, "We're taking you both."

She starts attaching harnesses around them before all three are pulled up together with the burning cars in the background.

~ epilogue ~

  

(Gingerbread Coffin - Rasputina)

In the low deck hold, his body is laid out on an old cloth. Candles lit all around on boxes and crates, dripping down, Morgan places his killer's trigger finger in the grip of the deceased. She stares into the closed eyes, kneeling over him, and drinks from her bottle, still staring.

Tears stream and she takes another deep drink and puts it down. She holds up an arm and rolls down her sleeve, then the other, before drawing a knife and cutting down her arms lightly. Blood pours without danger of arteries as she drops her arms with a splash over his face.

She throws her arms in the air and begins to sing, to wail, to shriek her tears, blood splashing between deep drinks, before she falls to her knees over him, looking into his closed eyes, uncontrollably sobbing and shaking.

She gets up spinning and wailing with her bottle, digging her hand in grey ash, smearing sigils on the walls. Legba, Erzulie and Baron Samedi.

Kurukulla wakes and pounds a slow drum, while the workers chant mournfully to her wails from the deck above. Amelia tunes the engine listening while Andromeda smokes the writer's joint in her chair, staring out the window. Morgan lights a torch and drinks deep, spraying fire over the body and stumbling.

In a short time after silence, Andromeda comes down and finds her sobbing on the floor in a pool of her blood, symbols smeared everywhere and a smashed bottle with bits of glass strew.

She kneels over Morgan and begins binding her wrists and supports her up to her cabin.
________

Amelia is laying on the beach where and when she met Morgan, starving and looking up while Morgan stands over her, gun drawn.

The Eldridge floats in the background, still intact.

Morgan - "I can set you free, but I can't take you back home again."

A shot.
________

In her cabin, Morgan lies in bed with her head in Andromeda's lap, while Andromeda strokes her hair.

Andromeda - Softly, "How old are you Morgan ?"

Morgan looks up at her and shakes her head, kisses her hand and lays her head back down.

Andromeda - "I think you're very old ..." She dries falling tears on Morgan's face with her fingertip, and puts the finger in her own mouth to taste. "I'll never ask you not to do what you do ... but will you tell me when you're going to do it ?" She checks the bandages on Morgan's arms.

Morgan shakes her head 'no' in Andromeda's lap and grabs her hands tightly as a pillow. "You always crawl right into me, Andromeda ... I love it so much it really scares me. Just ... I've only lost a lot of blood. It always comes back ..." She closes her eyes and curls around her. "Don't ever die. Promise me you'll never die." Into sleep, "Promise me."

The End.

(after credits) His eyes open with a gasp, out to the ship in the sea ~
____________
________________

'Glass' (the shanty)

Sweet madness in words

The bird that I heard

She's covered in glass and I've found her at last !

Was broken and torn with no shred left forlorn ...

No teacher she preached to me ever her reached you see, shards ...

! Of Glass !

Will always protect her, regards ...

Of masque

Will never infect her, her mind is sweet madness no teacher can teach her no preacher can reach her prevail nor beseech her while bards ...

! Alas !

Do wrongly project her and fools

Do think

She needs a protector her Name is just Madness her Song bears no Sadness and she is the bird I have finally heard ...

! And now i am Covered in Glass !