Buck Rogers in the 26th Century


Episode 112x "Studying the Sands"
Written by: Erin Weinstock


I don't hold any of the copyrights in this story, and this story was 
made without profit.


Teaser:

Read on screen: "Four months back"; this fades off after a beat.

int: Cavern Ruins:

This place has almost no lighting in it, but from what we can see of the 
place it looks to be in shambles. The only real light we see is from 
flashlight beams that are moving about the place. There are two people 
in it: a man and a woman. The man will later be announced as Fox's dad.

Kelly: "I say this isn't worth it. I highly doubt any of these people 
are still alive."

Rick: "Give the 21st century some credit, will you; we wouldn't be where 
we are today without the advances it gave us."

Kelly: "Boom."

Rick: "More than that happened during the 21st century and you know 
that."

Kelly: "Well if we do find some primitive alive in here, at least it's a 
good thing the Defense Directorate has given us weapons to defend 
ourselves from it till it's been properly educated."

Rick: "One of these days, Kelly, I'm going to sit you down and teach you 
some history. These people weren't beasts. And even if we find one here 
we won't need any weapons against him or her. They'll need to be taken 
back to the Defense Directorate to get properly revived."

Kelly: "A trip to our moon took these people months to reach. Surely the 
Directorate can't be too serious about making one of these people into a 
fighter pilot, when a simple trip into the big black to their eyes is 
something all too overwhelming to them."

Rick: "Oh the Directorate knows what it's doing and was right to send 
us. [ beat ] I just found a live one."

We can see Kelly moving to Rick because of her flashlight moving along 
the ground to where Rick's flashlight is pointed.

Cut camera to where Rick's flashlight's beam is hitting, to see Buck 
behind a dirty pane of glass with his eyes closed. V.O. Cont: "And we're 
in luck, he wasn't just a fighter pilot. He was a captain."

Cut to:

int: Cavern Ruins:

Read on screen: "The Present"; this too fades off after a beat.

Camera closes on a lantern being lit into life and set down on the floor 
of the ancient room that looks no better than it did months back.

Cut camera back to see Buck and Fox moving about this place, holding lit 
mini-lanterns, placing them onto places were the light is dim. When we 
can see this place better it looks like a cavern that once used to be an 
attic, even though we know better. 

Fox: "I hope you're right but the chances of it."

Buck: "I know it's an inspiring thing to believe it's possible, but I 
have to find out if there are others."

Fox: "I think my dad or Kelly would have told the Directorate if they 
found any others like you."

Buck walks up to Fox. Buck: "Fox, this place is gigantic and in total 
ruins. You said all they had to guide them was flashlights; we have 
lanterns. I say we have a better chance of finding more survivors than 
Rick or Kelly."

Fox gives a smile to Buck. Fox: "I'm crossing my fingers."

Buck now walks away out of camera view and we can hear him moving 
further away placing lanterns where needed.

Fox gives a good look around where he's standing, then Cont: "You 
shouldn't be alone."

Cut to:

int: The room with the health regeneration chambers built into it:

Camera closes on a man whose face has turned pale with death. V.O. Buck: 
"You can bring him back; you brought me back!"

V.O. Stevens: "I can't, I'm sorry."

Cut camera back so we can see this scene better. Buck, Fox and Stevens 
are in this room. While Stevens and Fox are merely standing by the dead 
man who's encased in a glass pod with devices attached to it, Buck has 
his hands pressed on it and is staring down into it. Buck speaking 
weakly: "You brought me back."

Stevens: "You were near death. [ beat ] This man, however well 
preserved, has been dead for some time. The chambers cannot treat dead 
bodies back to health."

Buck: "Drew Forsey."

Stevens: "What?"

Buck: "That was his name: Drew Forsey. I knew him."

Stevens: "I'm sorry, Buck."

Buck looks like he wants to cry, looking down at Forsey. Then after a 
beat he storms out of the room.

Cut to:

int: Hallway just outside of the room with the health regeneration 
chambers in it:

Wilma, De-Pas and Twiki are standing by the door, not blocking Buck; who 
as this scene starts has just stormed out of it.

Buck gives Wilma a mean look and we can tell he still wants to cry.

Then Buck fast walks out of camera view not looking back at the others.

Cut camera to Wilma, who looks very concerned.

Then cut camera to Twiki with his expressionless face.

Then after that cut camera to De-Pas, who is looking a bit curious about 
the whole matter but still is showing concern.

End Teaser

Pre-Credits:

Beginning of Act One:

int: Study Center:

Close up on one of the library chip-containing walls. De-Pas presses one 
of the labels and it produces its main title, "Earth as we knew it 100 
BC to 2006 AD. By: Harry Lipmen."

He presses the label a second time and the book chip comes out, which he 
then takes.

Cut camera back to show De-Pas move with the chip in hand over to a 
computer at one of the tables.

Sitting down he then proceeds to enter the chip into the computer and 
view its contents.

Cut to:

int: De-Pas'es living quarters:

De-Pas is lying down on the couch while Ge-Ja and Beu-Pas are on the 
floor. As De-Pas holds a pad computer like the type we saw Huer with 
back in episode ten, Ge-Ja is playing lightly with Beu-Pas, who is 
holding a letter-block in her hands, is biting at it with her teeth and 
is trying her best to move up her feet to kick at it. 

De-Pas: "Ge-Ja, what do we know of our people?"

Ge-Ja: "There are sixteen breeds at the moment. [ beat ] I'm sorry 
Beu-Pas, seventeen breeds at the moment." Ge-Ja now tries to tickle 
Beu-Pas'es stomach and that makes Beu-Pas drop the block then grin.

Cont: "The others, the Jomidi, the Eldo, Driy, Shem, and Tay: the Humdos 
only have them bred to work around the vertical equator's north end, 
while the rest are bred to work throughout the rest of Miahgo. The 
earliest breeds on record are myself and the Frillor -."

De-Pas: "No, that isn't what I meant, and that's my point."

Ge-Ja's playing with Beu-Pas calms down as Ge-Ja gets a concerned look 
on her face. Cont: "All we really know about our people comes from what 
the Humdos have brought us up within knowing."

Ge-Ja: "History is to those who write it then, huh?"

De-Pas: "There has to be more to our people than what the Humdos have 
led us to believe. There has to be!"

Ge-Ja: "But there aren't any records."

De-Pas: "Yea, and I'm certain the Humdos have seen well to that fact. [ 
beat ] But there could be Candos that have been keeping records!"

Cut to:

int: Huer's Office:

Huer is sitting at his desk while De-Pas with Nuisance as ever is 
sitting on De-Pas'es shoulder. Ge-Ja is also standing by holding Beu-Pas, who's sucking 
away at a bottle.

Huer: "You make a good point but I can't let you go, I'm sorry."

De-Pas: "But there have to be unbred wild Candoses out there! I'm 
certain of it! What if you didn't know where it was you came from! 
Wouldn't you then like to know who your people really are!"

Huer: "You can't leave the Defense Directorate, I'm sorry."

Ge-Ja taps De-Pas who then looks to her.

Ge-Ja's eyes go down to the baby then back up to his.

De-Pas smiles, then turns back to Huer. De-Pas: "But Ge-Ja can go, and I 
can look after Beu-Pas."

Huer: "This could be a very dangerous thing you're about to do, going 
deep into the unspoiled lands of your home planet, Ge-Ja. You're not 
trained to deal with unknown dangers the way a Defense Directorate 
employee is."

Ge-Ja: "The Humdos may think they've bred out all of our instincts, but 
trust me we still have them. I'll know how to handle myself when I get 
there."

Huer: "Ge-Ja, you may still have your instincts but they haven't really 
been put to use in eons. I want someone with the Defense Directorate to 
accompany you on your journey."

De-Pas: "I know of someone who would be good to travel with her."

Cut to:

ext: Miahgo:

This camera shot is being taken from about 1,000 feet up in the air. 
What the camera is looking at is a thick forest covering small 
mountains, and just beyond that a cityscape moving far off into the 
distance.

Cut camera to the edge of a town that is bordering on the woods. The 
camera then moves quickly down a road into town and then rapidly zigzags 
up to a Defense Directorate shuttle like the type seen back in episode 
nine in a shuttle parking lot. Note as the camera is doing this fast 
movement we see a variety of Candos and Humdos going about their 
business.

Cut to:

int: Shuttle:

Buck is in some very leisurely looking clothes while Ge-Ja on the other 
hand is wearing a tight-fitting tan outfit that looks like it would have 
been shown on an actress in the 70's and 80's version of Buck Rogers.

Ge-Ja as she's fixing her hair into a bun on the back of her head, 
Ge-Ja: "We're going to need help getting deep into the woods."

Buck: "Why's that?"

Ge-Ja: "When entering the forest, it becomes a very treacherous place. 
Filled with dangers the Humdos have created to keep undesirables out."

Buck: "Undesirables? What do you mean, like invaders from another land?"

Ge-Ja gives Buck a knowing look as she puts a hat on her head, then says 
plainly: "Animals."

Buck acknowledges her meaning and starts heading for the back of the 
shuttle.

Cut to: 

ext: Parking Spot:

This scene starts as the rear of the shuttle suddenly vanishes into thin 
air. As Buck stands close to where it disappeared, Ge-Ja is walking up 
to Buck as this happens.

They start to move out of the shuttle and stop barely a foot from it as 
they see something off camera and stare forward in their sights. Note 
right after both have left the shuttle, its rear comes back.

Cut camera to opposite view from where we were just seeing. A boy Humdos 
that looks to be about 8 to 10 years old is standing before Buck and 
Ge-Ja sucking away at some sort of candy.

Cut camera to more of a side view of this scene. Buck now walks more 
forward. Ge-Ja too, but much slower. Buck: "Well hello there."

The little Humdos boy looks at Buck and then to Ge-Ja, before turning 
back to Buck.

Cont: "Is there something the matter?"

The boy reaches into a pocket and produces some coins to show Buck. 
Humdos: "Will this do?"

Buck: "Do for what?"

Humdos Boy: "I've always wanted a Candos, I like how fuzzy they are. Is 
this enough money for her?"

Ge-Ja growling to herself: "There's no place like Earth. There's no 
place like Earth."

Buck: "I'm sorry runt, she's not for sale."

Humdos Boy: "Runt? What's a runt?"

Buck: "Not important kid."

Humdos Boy: "Kid?"

Ge-Ja in a growling voice: "Leave us alone thoffer!"

The boy drops his candy in shock and runs away.

Buck: "Ge-Ja, what did you just say?"

Ge-Ja: "Long old story, the term thoffer comes out of, I guess on Earth 
it would be called a fairytale. It's what would happen to little Humdos 
children when -."

Buck: "I think I get the idea."

A beat as they walk a little further, Buck gives a good look around. 
Cont: "Do you know someone here who could help us in?"

Ge-Ja scrunches her shoulders and gives him a grin. Ge-Ja: "I've never 
lived in this province."

Cut to: 

ext: Shuttle Rental Shop:

It's a two story building with a sign in front of its door that says, 
"The S.S.S.L by Star by Sky by Sea by Land we'll get you there cheaply." 
V.O. Buck: "Could we rent one and hire one of you guys to take us where 
we need to go?"

Cut to:

int: Shuttle Rental Shop:

Manager: "We're not a taxi service." Note the Manager is Humdos.

Buck: "I know that."

A beat as the Manager looks to be in thought. Then looking at Ge-Ja, 
Manager: "I'll talk with one of my staff. If they're willing to do it 
you can work out a price with them."

Ge-Ja: "Sounds good."

The Manager eye-balls Ge-Ja then moves off camera into another room.

After a beat he comes back out with another Humdos: the Driver.

Manager: "I'll rent you the taxi for 50 enes."

Buck, looking to Ge-Ja as he says this: "Thank goodness for the Defense 
Directorate giving us that currency exchange before coming here." 

Buck grabs some money out of his pocket then counts it out in one of his 
palms.

Buck puts a large amount of it on the counter before the Manager. Cont: 
"I think that's right, right?"

The Manager looks over the money before saying: "Yes, it's correct."

The Driver looks at Buck and Ge-Ja. Driver: "I'll take the job, when 
will you be ready?" He asks Buck this.

Buck: "We're ready right now actually."

Driver: "Then I'll be getting my son and we'll be off."

Ge-Ja: "Your son?"

Driver: "It isn't good for him to be left alone, he tends to get into 
trouble real easily."

Ge-Ja speaking to Buck softly: "I wonder how De-Pas is doing taking care 
of Beu-Pas alone?"

Buck speaking just as softly: "I'm sure he's doing fine, he's really 
fast on the pick-up."

Cut to:

int: kitchen / De-Pas'es Living Quarters:

Beu-Pas is sitting in a high chair and De-Pas in one hand is holding a 
spoon filled with baby food and in the other hand the jar of baby food. 
He's all ready to feed her, when he sniffs the air.

He gives a sour face and feeds Beu-Pas the contents on the spoon. 
De-Pas: "I wonder if Human babies do both at the same time?"

He puts the empty spoon in the jar.

Cut to: 

int: Hallway outside of Wilma's Living Quarters:

De-Pas knocks on Wilma's door holding Beu-Pas bundled up and a clean 
diaper.

V.O. Wilma: "Who is it?"

De-Pas: "De-Pas." A beat, Cont: "If you don't mind could you help me 
with something?"

Wilma pokes her head out of the door, and looks at De-Pas holding 
Beu-Pas.

Wilma then gives De-Pas a stern look.

End of Act One:

Beginning of Act Two:

int: Hovercraft Van:

There's not much to be said for the appearance of this place, which is 
the cargo hold of it. The only things in it are Buck, Ge-Ja and their 
belongings and the carpet beneath their rumps. As this scene starts the 
camera is on a window that's coming from the driver's section of the 
van. The little Humdos boy we saw back in Act One is staring out it at 
Buck and Ge-Ja. Note once more he's working away at the same type of 
candy we saw him earlier with. After a beat of this:

Cut camera onto Ge-Ja and Buck. Buck, speaking softly: "I don't like 
him."

Ge-Ja in the same manner: "You think you don't like him. I have eons of 
family history why I don't like him."

Buck: "OK aside from the fact the tadpole runt has manners that only a 
pig could outshine, what did I tell you about judging the whole of a 
people."

Ge-Ja: "[ beat ] I'm trying, De-Pas is trying. But I think it's going to 
be a long time before we will truly be thinking that way."

Cut camera back to the Humdos boy in the window; he's still looking at 
them as before for a beat, before something to his side off camera 
catches his attention and he turns around from looking at them.

A beat,light suddenly shoots into the back of the van from behind 
Buck and Ge-Ja.

Cut camera to looking at the now opened van, which opens up onto a thick 
forest with the Driver standing before it. Driver: "Destination met, 
sir."

Cut camera to back inside the van where Buck and Ge-Ja are. This 
perspective is of them looking towards the Driver. 

Buck: "Thank you for the ride, [ beat ] you never told us how much you 
wanted back in return."

The Driver moves into the back of the van. Driver: "You two, while I 
don't know your final destination, seem to have quite a journey ahead of 
you from the looks of your belongings. I'll take care of them for you."

Ge-Ja: "Oh no, that won't be necessary. You've done enough for us 
already."

Driver: "Move out of the vehicle fuzzy."

Both Buck and Ge-Ja move out of the van and as Ge-Ja is starting into 
this she glares at the Driver.

Cut camera to outside the van where Buck and Ge-Ja stand awaiting their 
belongings, then snap: the rear of the van seals itself up tight.

Buck hits on the back of the van. Buck: "What the hell! What are you 
doing in there!"

The Humdos boy pokes his head out from the passenger-side window and 
smiles at the shocked Buck and Ge-Ja.

Then the Driver proceeds to stick his head out the driver's side one 
and, Driver: "Call my son a thoffer, your belongings are my payment, 
fuzzy!"

Then both Driver and Humdos boy simultaneously stick their heads back in 
the van and drive off.

Cut camera to Buck and Ge-Ja. Buck: "This is why I got out of bed this 
morning."

Cut to:

int: Forest:

It's the early evening and Buck and Ge-Ja, flashlights in hand, are 
making their way forward through the forest's thick underbrush. Note the 
whole time this scene is taking place, the camera is moving with Buck 
and Ge-Ja about 12 feet in front of them.

Ge-Ja: "De-Pas and myself, in fact most everyone you socialize with at 
the Defense Directorate,  thought it would be best if you joined me for 
this."

Buck: "And the WHY to that is?"

Ge-Ja stops walking and this fact then causes Buck to halt in his 
tracks. Ge-Ja then holds up two fingers on one of her hands. Ge-Ja: "All 
you've been doing over the last several days is moping in your living 
quarters. Mainly in your bed, as Twiki has told me." Note the camera has 
stopped moving now.

She puts down one of the two fingers. Cont: "Second, you enjoy this sort 
of thing." She now puts down the second finger.

Buck starts moving again forward and with that Ge-Ja does the same; the 
camera as well. Buck: "I wasn't meant for this Ge-Ja. This isn't how my 
life was supposed to turn out."

Ge-Ja: "Fate does interesting things to all of us, Buck."

Buck: "Ge-Ja, if this was meant to be my fate, I would have been born in 
the 25th century and not the 20th."

Ge-Ja: "You haven't really accepted this gift, have you?"

Buck: "What gift?"

Ge-Ja: "That you're alive, when many you once knew were killed in fiery 
atomic blast."

Buck doesn't answer as he then proceeds to randomly shine his flash up 
into the foreground. Cont: "Buck."

After a beat, Buck: "My brother would have been better suited to my fate 
than I am."

Ge-Ja: "I didn't know you had a brother."

Buck: "Ben Rogers, but about half the time he was always called by his 
nickname Benji. [ beat ] He was born for this sort of thing, not me."

Ge-Ja: "What would have made him better?"

Buck: "It was his wish to reach for the stars, to visit alien planets, 
not mine. He was an astronaut, Ge-Ja, as at home with the stars as I am 
with the sea."

Ge-Ja: "But you've been doing so well in this century. You've done so 
many good things. [ beat ] You're seen as a hero."

A beat as Ge-Ja watches Buck; who is still flicking his flashlight. 
Cont: "What are you doing with your flashlight?"

Buck: "I haven't eaten since we left from Earth and I'm hoping to find 
something that looks eatable in this forest."

Ge-Ja: "I thought you knew how to find food in the wild?"

Buck: "On Earth."

Cut camera to close up on Ge-Ja as her face becomes a knowing smile.

Cut camera to close up on Buck who now is giving her a confused look.

Then cut camera back to a few feet in front of them. Ge-Ja waves around 
one of her arms to indicate the trees that are surrounding them. Ge-Ja: 
"Their leaves are eatable."

Buck: "Do you mind if I -?"

Ge-Ja still smiling: "No, I can get them, you've had a tough day."

Buck glares at her.

Giving him a look of innocence, Ge-Ja: "I, at least my ancestors, we 
evolved in woods like these. I was built for doing things like this."

Still glaring, Buck: "But I'm the one that's -." Ge-Ja cuts him off.

Ge-Ja patting him on one of his shoulders, Ge-Ja: "I was built for this 
sort of thing. Don't you go worrying your pretty little head about it. 
I'll get you your dinner."

Buck glaring still, watches her walk away: off camera.

Cut camera to Ge-Ja standing at the base of a large tree, looking up 
into it with her flashlight shining.

She sets her flashlight down on the ground and then proceeds to take off 
her shoes, to reveal her toes are just as abnormally long as her fingers 
are.

She starts climbing up the tree.

Cut camera to Buck staring off camera at a nearly forward angle.

Some rustling can be heard and then breaks Buck's attention from Ge-Ja 
to the new noise.

Cut camera to Buck's POV: the tree tops look like only black silhouettes 
till after a beat, the beam of Buck's flashlight hits.

At the end of a thick limb that's look is very crowded around its tip by 
smaller limbs and a heavy amount of leaves, his flashlight has also 
revealed an animal that now being hit by the light jogs away as fast as 
it can from the beam, further into the tree limb's canopy. What this 
animal looks like is: picture a cross between an anaconda and a 
centipede, the size being that of the anaconda and limbs that are 
reptile in nature.

Cut camera to a view that's just a few feet above Ge-Ja, as she finds 
the spot where she wants to be in the tree and starts looking out 
towards the leaves she wants.

Cut camera back to Buck's POV: the animal has started moving itself back 
into the beam of Buck's flashlight. The animal is moving forward off the 
branch from where we saw it earlier.

Swoop camera still on Buck's POV to across from where the animal is, to 
another tree: it's the tree Ge-Ja is in.

Cut camera to above Buck who's staring almost up into the camera. While 
still holding the flashlight in one hand, with his other he begins to 
take hold of his blaster hanging in a holster off his belt.

Cut camera now to the animal that has now moved a little further off the 
tree limb and into open air. It now is starting to curve its back up a 
little like it's about to make a striking action.

Cut camera to above Buck, who has now put his blaster in aim to the 
off-camera animal.

Cut camera to Buck's hand beginning to pull back on the trigger.

Cut camera to Buck's POV of looking up at the sky towards the creature, 
which has just sprung into mid-air towards the tree Ge-Ja is in.

In a snap: suddenly the animal gets snapped backwards in a twist and 
falls to the ground having not completed its leap.

Cut camera to Buck who's open mouthed and staring at his blaster. V.O. 
Ge-Ja: "Thank you Buck, I didn't see that Vicefir coming."

Buck: "It wasn't me."

Cut camera to Ge-Ja looking down from the tree.

Cut camera to the dead animal lying on the ground.

Cut camera to Buck's POV: the flashlight's beam is moving all over the 
wilderness of this scene. After a beat the beam hits a creature that we 
can barely get a good sight of. The only thing we get a decent sight of 
are its eyes shining in the beam of the flashlight.

It stands for a beat before then running off.

Cut camera to a darker time of the night. The camera is focused on the 
remaining bones of an animal that has been near picked clean (the 
Vicefir).

The camera then moves up from this to Buck, who's sound asleep with his 
head resting against the base of a tree.

Then the camera pans over to Ge-Ja, who's also sound asleep. Her head is 
resting on a bedding of leaves. Note it's her head that the camera is 
focusing on.

A long fingered hand reaches into camera view and touches her steak 
colored hair. Note the hand is covered in a fur that's a tan followed up 
into gray then black; the fur is short.

Cut camera up on to the owner of the hand that's on Ge-Ja's hair. The 
whole body is covered in the same tan to gray to black fur as seen on 
the hand. In some places like on the arms the fur comes out more from 
the body. Its limbs are long, its legs have an animal look to them and 
its toes are long; there's a long thick tail. The face has a long 
downwards look. Its ears stand up on its head, where they end in points. 

End of Act Two:

Beginning of Act Three:

ext: Forest:

Same location last seen in Act Two; it's the morning now. The camera is 
focused on Buck who is just now beginning to wake up. We can hear Ge-Ja 
in V.O. crying.

Cut camera back for a better view of this scene. Buck is now getting up 
to move over to Ge-Ja, who's sitting with her knees nearly touching her 
forehead and her arms wrapped around her legs. Note she's holding a 
jewel stone necklace. She's still crying as Buck asks: "What happened?"

Ge-Ja sniffs a little before answering: "Beu-Pas."

Buck goes over to her and crouches by her side. Buck: "What about 
Beu-Pas?"

Ge-Ja: "Every morning, she's there in the morning. She's my first order 
of business and she's not here."

Buck: "You'll be with her again soon, you left her in good hands."

Ge-Ja: "I miss her."

Buck: "What's that?"

Ge-Ja holds up the necklace. Ge-Ja: "You've never seen a necklace 
before?"

Buck: "No, I've seen necklaces before, it's just I don't recall seeing 
you with it before."

Ge-Ja: "I didn't have it before, I found it lying beside me when I woke 
up."

Buck: "Something was watching us last night."

Ge-Ja: "What?"

Buck: "Someone, something was watching us last night. I caught sight of 
it after it killed that snake-a-peed creature you called a Vicefir. It 
must not have left the area after I saw it run off."

Ge-Ja: "Humdos?"

Buck: "I didn't get a very good look at it, but I've never seen a Humdos 
with a tail, so I don't think that's what our watcher was."

Ge-Ja looks to go into a small shock before saying after a beat: "Candos 
had tails long ago."

Buck: "How do you know that? I thought your people had no well-noted 
historical records in Humdos society?"

Ge-Ja gets up and Buck quickly follows in this action. Ge-Ja: "That's 
true, it's just on a rare occasion a Candos will be born with a tail. 
The Humdos when this happens with a new-born, cut off the tail, and for 
the rest of that Candoses' life they are forced to wear the tail around 
their necks to show the world of Humdos buyers that they are more 
"primitive" than other Candoses and they're worthless."

Buck closes his eyes and gives the look of he's trying to repress the 
rage he's feeling at this moment.

Cont: "I know Buck. [ beat ] I know it all too well."

As he regains normal face and opens his eyes, Buck: "I think it would be 
best if we continued on our journey right now, Ge-Ja."

Ge-Ja: "First let me collect the Vicefir's bones. I know it doesn't look 
it but there's still more nourishment left in that animal's remains."

Buck: "You know of something around here that could be fashioned into a 
marrow scoop?"

Ge-Ja: "I'm sorry."

Buck: "What for?"

Ge-Ja puts up one of her hands and looks to her long fingers on it which 
she's put into movement.

Buck looks at one of his hands and moves around its fingers. Cont: "I 
see."

The camera is in front of Ge-Ja as it moves with her forward. After a 
couple beats she stops in her tracks, and takes on a look of shock and 
fear at something forward off camera.

Buck: "Is something wrong?"

A beat and Ge-Ja starts to slowly back up, eyes still forward at the 
object off screen.

Buck: "Ge-Ja?"

Cut camera to and opposite view now to behind Buck. Ge-Ja: "We have a 
visitor."

Buck: "The one from last night?"

Ge-Ja: "No, look at where the bones are!"

Cut camera to Buck looking forward, his eyes squinting to see what Ge-Ja 
has indicated.

Cut camera to by the bones: the air wavers like there's gas moving 
through it. 

A beat as the wavering air moves around some more and touches the bones 
and moves one of them.

Cut camera to Buck, who has started moving forward towards the bones and 
wavering air.

Cut camera back to the bones and the wavering air that's now moving 
around the bones more. Now it's starting to show it has some shape, the 
wavering air: a long body that's low to the ground, with low and long 
limbs. We see this more and off and on now as the wavering moves around.

Cut camera to Buck who's now nearly at Ge-Ja. Buck: "What is it?" he 
whispers.

In the same whispering voice, Ge-Ja: "I don't know, but I think it's not 
good."

Buck: "Nonsense, it just must be a creature the Humdos have never noted. 
And I bet it feels lucky to have never felt the horrid wrath they do 
onto others. [ beat ] It has no reason to fear us."

Ge-Ja: "But that doesn't mean it won't hurt us."

Buck draws out his blaster.

Cut camera to the bones, the beast shown faint in the wavering air still 
moving them around. Buck's blaster now moves into view; we can see the 
animal has a long skinny snout that it's using to move around the mess 
below it.

The blaster moves along the snout in slow motion.

In a snap the animal bites the blaster, breaking it when it does.

Cut camera back to Buck and Ge-Ja. Buck has been taken aback by what has 
just happened as he stares at the bitten broken blaster.

A beat as he stares in awe at the off-camera beast.

Cut camera back to the bones as the beast in the wavering air shape 
becomes more visible in outline. It looks something like a giant 
walking-stick with an aardvark's face.

Cut camera back to Ge-Ja and Buck. Ge-Ja: "It's not alone here Buck. [ 
beat ] I think we can do without the bones and leave here."

Cut camera to where the bones are on a view better than before. The 
wavering air is appearing in a lot more places now than were we first 
saw it, and these wavers show where the beasts are that are coming 
toward them.

Cut camera back to Ge-Ja and Buck. Buck: "It bit through my blaster, [ 
beat ] good idea Ge-Ja, very good idea." At this having been said they 
start backing away facing where the animals are.

Ge-Ja: "Fast!"

Cut to:

ext: Forest Deeper:

As this scene starts Buck then Ge-Ja run past the camera followed a 
couple of beats later by a mass of the wavering beasts, whose outlines 
we can make out pretty well as they're running after the two.

As one of the beasts runs past the camera and the wavering air look 
fills the screen.

Cut to:

int: De-Pas'es Bathroom:

A glossy bubble is the focus of the camera right now. After a half beat 
one of Beu-Pas'es little hands comes in view and quickly pops it. V.O. 
Wilma: "You're really not used to this sort of thing are you?"

Cut camera back so we can see this scene better. De-Pas is sitting by 
the bathtub that Beu-Pas is in having a bubble bath. Wilma, lid down, is 
sitting on the toilet watching the two. Note the sleeves on De-Pas'es 
shirt are rolled up as he's helping bathe Beu-Pas. De-Pas: "No, I'm not. 
I never knew any of my brothers or sisters. We were all sold six months 
after we were born into new homes. [ beat ] It doesn't take much to 
amuse them at this age does it?"

Wilma: "You're lucky that I have a little brother that's years younger 
than me. My mom used to have me help her with him."

De-Pas: "I've never met your brother, [ beat ] what did you say his name 
was again?"

Wilma: "His name is Buddy Deering. The reason you've never met him is he 
is a chef steward on a Transportation Directorate ship."

De-Pas reaches deep into the tub near its front and unseen to camera 
pulls out the stopper to it. De-Pas: "Could you hand me a towel in a 
moment?"

Wilma: "You know when Buck and Ge-Ja get back, I'm going to tell them 
how helpless you are." Wilma grabs a towel.

De-Pas: "You wouldn't dare."

Wilma smiles.

De-Pas now gives her the stern look.

Cut to:

ext: Forest another area:

The camera is close on Buck and Ge-Ja, who are up against a wall of 
dirt. In shadow we can see that both of them are holding large sticks 
which by how they're holding them, we can tell they plan to use as 
clubs.

Ge-Ja: "I can handle them Buck, so just put yours down!"

Buck: "You need help; there's too many of them!"

Ge-Ja: "You weren't meant to do things like this, I however am!"

Cut camera back so we can see this scene better. In it we can see that 
there are many of the beasts that look to be made of wavering air 
surrounding them. Buck: "Will you just stop it with that, Ge-Ja! I know 
the point you're trying to make but it isn't helping anything!"

Cut camera back onto focusing on the two. Ge-Ja: "When you were back on 
Earth you wouldn't get near anyone! You just wanted to live in 
self-pity, we all thought you were over what happened till a few days 
ago! Here you are needed! We need each other to survive this! Buck, I'm 
not going to give up on you!"

Buck looks ready for battle with the beasts off camera, then after a 
beat just the look on his face becomes relaxed.

Buck: "If they come at us head on I'll take them from that front, if 
they come at us from the sides -."
 
Ge-Ja: "You can count on me."

Pan camera up to the nearest one to them on their front. Even through 
the distorted look they have, we can still tell the beast is mad.

But then after a beat its expression seems to sag and it moves up its 
long shout into the air and performs a look as if it's sniffing.

Cut camera back to being on Ge-Ja and Buck who still look like they're 
ready for a fight. Buck: "What is it doing?" he says turning to her.

Ge-Ja: "You're asking me?" she says turning to him for a moment before 
turning her gaze back outwards again.

Her attention now snaps into full looking outwards and she drops her 
stick.

Buck: "Ge-Ja?" He now returns his gaze to being outwards with hers. 
Cont: "Oh my."

Cut camera to being behind Buck and Ge-Ja, to a good view of what's in 
front of them. The wavering beasts now seem to have settled in their 
movement, for past them in this scene are ten of the beings that are 
like the one Buck and Ge-Ja had an encounter with the night before: wild 
Candos.

End of Act three:

Beginning of Act Four:

ext: Forest another area:

This scene starts were Act Three left off: the camera's view is on Buck 
and Ge-Ja who are in shock; Ge-Ja even more so than Buck.

Cut camera to opposite view to see two wild Candoses coming towards 
them.

Cut camera to a side view; the two wild Candoses are now at Buck and 
Ge-Ja. Buck is acting like he's not sure what to do. Note he's no longer 
holding his stick aggressively. Ge-Ja is giving them a look that's full 
of wonder. The wild Candoses are sniffing them at their necks.

Ge-Ja tips her head up so they can get a better sniff. Buck has to be 
forced by one of them to lift up his neck.

Two Candoses stop their sniffing and the one that's at Buck moves down 
Buck's head and gives a gruff chuckle.

Candos One, facing Ge-Ja, talks in a growling rough voice that we can't 
understand.

Ge-Ja: "I'm [ beat ] I'm sorry, I don't understand."

Candos Two: "You speak Humdos."

Ge-Ja: "You speak Humdos? How could you speak it? You're wild, untouched 
by them."

Candos Two: "Out of sight does not have to mean out of earshot, chained 
one."

Ge-Ja: "Chained one?"

Candos Two turns to Buck then back to Ge-Ja as he says this. Candos Two: 
"Candos [ beat ] owned by another, that are not free to do as they 
wish."

Ge-Ja: "Oh no, Buck doesn't own me. I'm free."

Candos Two: "The tables have turned!"

Candos One speaks to Candos Two in the same tongue it did earlier.

Candos Two talks back to Candos One in the same tongue it uses.

Buck: "If you don't mind, what are you saying?"

Candos Two: "You are a very odd looking Humdos. [ beat ] My companion 
doesn't speak your tongue. I was telling him what this lady -." Candos 
Two indicates Ge-Ja. Cont: "And I have been saying."

Candos One speaks angrily and snaps at Buck.

Buck: "I wish Twiki and Dr. Theopolis were here."

Ge-Ja pointing towards Buck for the two wild Candoses before them, 
Ge-Ja: "My friend isn't Humdos, he's Human."

Candos Two: "You speak our language?" 

Ge-Ja: "No [ beat ] and it's a true shame on my whole being that I 
don't. [ beat ] We came into the woods, these woods because I want my 
daughter to know where she truly comes from and not just know what all 
"chained Candoses" have been told for eons by the Humdos of what her 
people are."

Candos Two: "Can this "Human" be trusted?"

Ge-Ja: "His name is Buck Rogers, mine is Ge-Ja, and I trust this man 
with my life."

Candos Two: "Then I will show both of you our history for your young 
one."

Cut to:

ext: Wild Candos Settlement:

It doesn't look like much of anything, but tall trees that have been 
stripped of all their limbs except for the ones at their tops. The 
ground is nearly empty of wild plants but for bushes that have been 
grown into clusters. Candos Two is standing by Buck and Ge-Ja; the nine 
wild Candoses are also here but are going about other things not by the 
others.

Buck: "Ge-Ja, I want to make a comment as to this but I have a feeling 
nobody is going to want me to."

Candos Two: "You cannot see who we are, can you Buck-Rogers?"

Buck: "I see [ beat ] you tend to your plants well."

A beat, Candos Two: "Ge-Ja, you do see more than the Human does, 
correct?"

Ge-Ja starts looking bashful at having been asked the question.

Candos Two noticing this, Candos Two: " [ beat ] I'll help you see."

The camera follows Candos Two to a clump of bushes. He takes hold of a 
few branches and lifts up the bushes in a square patch from the ground, 
then goes down an unseen stairwell. Note the camera stops following him 
the moment we see him start to go down the stairwell and the bushes' 
roots have entangled themselves into a self-contained mess.

Cut camera back to Buck and Ge-Ja. Buck: "More than meets the eye."

Ge-Ja smiles at that last line being said.

After a couple of beats Candos Two comes back into camera view, holding 
a large drinking flask that has carvings all over it. Candos Two: "Drink 
from this and look to the trees, then you'll find out who you are."

Candos Two then hands Ge-Ja the flask, which she looks over for a 
moment, before uncapping it and taking a gulp of its contents.

She turns her gaze to the trees; her eyes squint then as her mouth drops 
open as her whole face takes on a look of awe. Ge-Ja: "My ancestors."

Ge-Ja's POV of the trees: they have writings covering their trunks, all 
the way up to just before where they have limbs at the top. All of the 
writing is written in the alien tongue of the wild Candos and it's 
glowing in a bright pink.

Cut camera back to seeing a full view of this scene. The trees are still 
glowing in the writing. Ge-Ja: "What is all this?"

Candos Two: "It is the history of our people dating back to eons before 
even the Humdos took your ancestors."

Ge-Ja: "I wish I could read every word of it," she says putting one of 
her hands on one of the trees.

Candos Two: "I will teach you."

Buck: "Could I see what you two are, it's still all blank to me."

Ge-Ja hands Buck the flask. Buck: "Thanks."

He takes a gulp.

Cut camera to Buck's POV: we don't see the writing on the trees till 
after a beat. Then it quickly all fades out and comes back again; fades 
out then comes back and his whole vision turns to everything being in 
light colors.

Cut camera back to a normal view of this scene. Buck: "I [ beat ], I 
don't think I should have done that," he says stumbling about a little.

Candos Two speaks in the alien tongue to another Candos, then turns to 
Buck. Candos Two: "I guess it wasn't meant for Human tongues. While I 
teach Ge-Ja who our people are, a friend of mine will see you into 
better comfort."

The Candos that Candos Two was talking to in the alien tongue walks over 
to Buck and gently pulls him over, grabs one of the bushes that it then 
lifts up so Buck and it can go down into the ground. At the same time 
Candos Two starts talking to Ge-Ja and pointing at the trees, switching 
between English and wild Candos. Candos Two: "At the top of that tree, 
the one you see in the center of before you is the oldest." Then he 
starts talking in wild Candos to her.

Cont: "It's when we first settled in these woods." And once more he 
switches to the wild tongue.

Cut to:

int: Wild Candos Home:

Buck is sitting in a chair wearing a blindfold. Near him is the Candos 
that led him into this place sitting on a bed watching him. The home on 
larger view is mainly contained in one room with another room connecting 
into it; the walls are covered in dark green jewels.

Buck: "I think my eyes are better now, can I take it off?" He starts to 
take off the blindfold.

The Candos talks in its language and moves the blindfold back down 
again.

A beat and some noise can be heard: it's the root door being opened and 
Ge-Ja and Candos Two coming down the stairs. Candos Two: "Wait till you 
see this Ge-Ja, it's one of our largest prides."

Ge-Ja coming into view, Ge-Ja: "Oh wow, [ beat ] I've never seen so many 
of them." She's looking at the walls. Note, Ge-Ja is wearing her 
necklace.

Candos Two: "This is why the Humdos came into our woods."

Buck: "Ge-Ja?"

Ge-Ja turns her attention to Buck. Ge-Ja: "Buck, is the blindfold 
working?"

Buck: "I'm feeling much better now than I was when it was first put on. 
[ beat ] I wanna take it off but it seems that isn't allowed."

Candos Two talks to the other wild one in the room in their alien 
tongue, which then afterwards leads the other wild one to take the 
blindfold off Buck.

Cut camera close on Buck as he adjusts to seeing again, then looks 
around himself. Buck: "This place - this place is incredible, are the 
other homes like this?"

Candos Two: "All of them, these homes are nearly as old as the trees 
that surround them. [ beat ] Ge-Ja, the stones in these walls -."

Candos Two goes to the nearest wall. Cont: "I want you to have some to 
take back to your young one."

Ge-Ja: "Oh no I couldn't, they mean too much to our people. Your 
people."

Candos Two: "Ge-Ja, these stones are our people. They've been with us 
through the ages, they're our pride against the Humdos who never found 
them when they ventured into our land." Candos Two claws out a few 
stones from the wall and palms them.

Handing the stones to Ge-Ja, Cont: "Your young one should have these, 
because they're her history. And that's something that should never have 
been forgotten." Note Buck is watching this happening.

Ge-Ja: " [ beat ] Thank you, I ensure you with the reason I came into 
these woods. I'll tell her and every chained Candos, my husband, who we 
are. She should know what history these stones contain."

Cut to:

int: De-Pas'es Living Room:

Close up on one of Ge-Ja's hands holding the stones she was given. V.O. 
De-Pas: "She's not ready yet for them."

Ge-Ja's hand holding the stones closes. Ge-Ja: "I forgot, her letter 
blocks."

Cut to: 

int: Buck's Bedroom:

Buck is staring at his bed. V.O. De-Pas: "But you could start to teach 
her."

Another beat as Buck continues his stare only now the camera has its 
focus on Buck and we can no longer see the bed. V.O. Cont: "She was born 
to be the start of a new age."

Buck leaves the camera's view to go into the short hallway. V.O. Cont: 
"Only now it's not what the Humdos intended it to be."

Cut to:

int: Buck's Living room:

Buck is heading for the door. V.O. Cont: "Because of what you and Buck 
did, she'll be the dawn of a new age of enlightenment for our people."

Buck has made it to the door and uses the access pad at it. V.O. Cont: 
"Ge-Ja, our daughter is going to change the world."

Buck leaves his living quarters.

End Of Act Four.

The End. 

Roll Credits.