ACT 1

FADE IN:

ZENOBIA'S QUARTERS. NIGHT

It's very late at night, and Gabrielle, Zenobia, and Yavin are sitting at a table, bone tired.  They are wearing identical, weary smiles. The party has gone on long into the night, and they can still hear the cheers, and endless retellings of the battle just fought by those still awake and aware.

ZENOBIA
(listening, smiling)
That is a sound I have not heard
in many months.
(beat)
And I have you to thank for
it, Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE
(blushing slightly)
It was a team effort. I'm just
honored that I was able to be
a part of it.

Yavin sits quietly staring into his cup. Zenobia notices her commander's unusual silence.

ZENOBIA
Yavin, you seem troubled.

YAVIN
(looking to Gabrielle)
We must tell her.

Gabrielle nods her agreement and Yavin takes a deep breath before beginning.

YAVIN
My Queen, tonight at the battle's end,
there was a... demon.
(beat)
It came from the sky.
It was unlike anything I have ever seen.

ZENOBIA
A demon?

YAVIN
Yes, my Queen. I saw it with my own eyes.
It... it went straight for Gabrielle.

ZENOBIA
(to Gabrielle)
Is this true?

GABRIELLE
(nodding)
Yes.

ZENOBIA
But . . . how did you fight it off?
(beat)
I know you are a very skilled fighter,
Gabrielle, but against a demon?

GABRIELLE
(biting lip)
It's...
(turning her back to Zenobia)
my tattoo. It has some sort of
protection against evil forces.
It saved me once, but . . . .

The three lapse into silence for a long moment, each lost to their thoughts. Zenobia looks troubled, and tries, several times, to say something, only to fall silent once again. Gabrielle notices, and looks up, her expression compassionate.

GABRIELLE
What is it?

Zenobia hesitates.

GABRIELLE
It's all right. Whatever
it is, it's ok to ask.

ZENOBIA
(almost relieved)
The other night, when you ran to the
wall, I said that you were hiding
something from me. I could
sense your fear.
(beat)
Does this attack tonight have
something to do with that fear?

GABRIELLE
Yes. It does.

ZENOBIA
(nodding, satisfied)
And . . . can you explain
it more now?

GABRIELLE
I can try.

Shifting on her chair, she leans forward to place both elbows on the table, her head hanging low between her shoulders. She looks suddenly weary, but still resolute.

GABRIELLE
(Cont'd)
Have either of you ever heard of a being
called the One God?

ZENOBIA
The God of the Elijians?

GABRIELLE
Yes.

ZENOBIA
Yes. When I was a young girl, a group
of Elijians came to the city, asking for an
audience with the Pharaoh. When they
were refused, they began to speak to the
common people in the streets, telling them
that they must give up their worship of our
many gods and turn to the one true god.
(beat)
They were enslaved for their heresy,
if my memory serves.
(beat)
Does this "One God" have something to
do with  the demon who attacked you?

GABRIELLE
In a manner of speaking. You see, this god
has a counterpart who rules over the souls
of those he's judged unworthy of paradise.
And that counterpart is a demon, named
Lucifer. And it's Lucifer who I believe is
sending these demons here.

ZENOBIA
But why would...
(brightening)
Ah, perhaps I do understand. Since the
word of this One God did not sway us
from our beliefs in our own gods, neither
the God, nor his counterpart have dominion
over our souls. And that makes them angry.

GABRIELLE
Sounds like as good a reason as any.

ZENOBIA
(Cont'd)
And this Lucifer sent his demons
after you because you are rallying
the people behind you, and are
therefore the biggest threat to him.

GABRIELLE
That's what I'm guessing, yes.

ZENOBIA
(to Yavin)
You remain quiet.

YAVIN
All this talk of gods and demons is
beyond a simple soldier such as myself.

(beat)
Point me toward the enemy, and I will
destroy him, no matter who, or what, he is.

ZENOBIA
(smiling)
Perhaps such pointing is best left for
the morning, after we have all had a
chance to rest.

Taking their cue, Gabrielle and Yavin stand and bid their goodnights to each other and the Queen, then leave to get some much needed sleep.

CUT TO:

INT. LUCIFER'S CHAMBERS

LUCIFER is standing over a table looking through several fragile scrolls which are bound together to form a large book. He flips the pages with an irritated hand as Xena waits, not very patiently, a short distance away.

XENA
Ya know, Lucy, it concerns me that
you're having to figure this mortality
stuff out by reading a book.

Lucifer casts an irritated glance over his shoulder.

LUCIFER

In case you didn't notice the sign, Xena,
this is Hell. We break things here.
We don't fix them.
(beat)
Creating life is 'His' job, not mine.

XENA
(stepping closer)
Ya might wanna try looking
under "R" for "Resurrection"

LUCIFER
(growling)

Xena throws up her hands.

XENA
Just trying to help.

LUCIFER
Why don't you just go torture
something until I'm done.

XENA
(grinning)
I'd much rather torture you.

Instead of responding, Lucifer turns back to his studies, continuing to flip through the pages of the book.

LUCIFER
Finally! Now we're getting somewh-
Now where in the . . .well here . . .am I
gonna get a rib?

XENA
A rib? What do you need a rib for?

LUCIFER
(pointing to the text)
It says so right here. "Woman is
created from the rib of man."

XENA
(doubtfully)
You sure you got the updated
version of that thing?

Lucifer turns his head and growls in Xena's face, baring his teeth. Xena smiles and backs off.

XENA
Touchy, touchy.

LUCIFER
All right, let's forget this rib business
for the moment. What else do I need?
(beat)
Ah yes. Well, that seems easy enough.
Mm. Hm. Yes, I can see where that would
work. Ah, of course, the final ingredient.
Perfect.

XENA
Great! Zap away and let's get this
damn thing over with already.
My wings are getting stiff.

LUCIFER
(still reading)
I can't do it here.

XENA
Why not?

LUCIFER
It won't take.

XENA
(irritatedly)
Whaddya mean, it won't take?
How can it not take?

LUCIFER
Say it with me, Xena. You're in HELL.
Land of the dead. Place of no return.
End of the line. Mortals can't
exist here.
(beat, to self)
Though I wish they could. There are
a few mortals I'd give my horns to
have down here with me.

XENA
News flash, Lucy. This place isn't that much
different from Tartarus and I made a trip
or two down there without the
corpse requirement.

LUCIFER
Yes, but 'He' closed that loophole.
(beat)
Damn him.

XENA
(gritting teeth)
Great. What now?

LUCIFER
I'm thinking. I'm thinking!

XENA
Don't you need a working brain for that?

LUCIFER
SILENCE!!!

The chamber shakes with the might of Lucifer's enraged shout, and the dust from his previous destruction settles over them both. Satisfied that he has cowed his nemesis, he spins back to the book, completely missing Xena's deadly glare. Her claws lengthen as her fists clench, but she forces down her rage, content, for the moment, to bide her time.

LUCIFER
Now, where was I? Ah, yes. I need to send
you somewhere where all these conditions
prevail, yet close enough for you to be able
to use your mortal form to get to that
blasted city before the war is over.
(beat, as he thinking)
Oh, yes. Perfect. Perfect!

As Lucifer laughs, Xena's eyes narrow.

XENA
Where?

LUCIFER
(evilly grinning)
I'm afraid I can't tell you that, my pet.
It would spoil the surprise, you see.

XENA
Lucifer....

LUCIFER
Sorry, Xena. That's just not the way
things are done around here.
(beat)
Hope you like the dark.

Laughing loudly, Lucifer holds out his hand, and Xena is immediately immobilized. As she struggles fruitlessly to break free of his hold, he levitates her into the air, and then forward into and through his PRIVATE PORTAL into the MORTAL WORLD.

LUCIFER
(Cont'd)
Unpleasant journeys, Xena.

CUT TO:

INT. UNDERGROUND TUNNELS. DAY

Gabrielle is carrying a crate deep into a tunnel. She stops and looks where two men are working on a support beam. She reaches up and runs her finger over a cut that's been made in the center of the beam.

GABRIELLE
That cut is perfect. Now make sure to
brace it and then run the trigger rope
about six paces before this beam. If
anyone tries to get past it, by the time
they get to this position, the ceiling will
be collapsing on them and they won't
know what hit them.

The men nod and go back to working as Gabrielle picks up her box and continues further into the tunnel. Stops again and removes a FLASK of Greek Fire and hands it to the woman working at the next trap.

GABRIELLE
Now it's going to be very important to soak
these rags all the way around the opening,
so when the trigger is tripped, the torch
will fall down and light the fire.

WOMAN
(pouring oil)
Like this?

GABRIELLE
Yes, just like that. Make sure you get
it all the way around.

Once again, she retrieves the box and turns. At her third stop, she watches men pull a large beam with multiple spikes protruding all around it.

GABRIELLE
Good job.
That would stop a charging Minotaur.

She hands the box to a man who carries it further back, while she examines everything being done around her. She turns her head slightly when a shadow is cast over her. She sees Zenobia move next to her.

ZENOBIA
Are things prepared to your satisfaction?

GABRIELLE
They're getting there.
(beat)
Gods, I hope it doesn't come to this.

ZENOBIA
None of us do.
Come, let me show you something.

Gabrielle follows Zenobia into a large chamber with several other tunnels leading off of it. The Queen points to several people who are painting symbols on the walls.

GABRIELLE
What's this?

ZENOBIA
The people are taking a cue from you.
These are our sacred symbols. They
hope they will protect us the way that
you were protected.

GABRIELLE
(smiling)
That's a very good idea. Let's hope
those are enough and we don't have to
rely on my more drastic measures.

ZENOBIA
Gabrielle, our enemy has changed.
You are only doing what is best.

GABRIELLE
Doesn't mean I have to like it.

ZENOBIA
Perhaps not. But it might be better if
for now, you act as if you did?

Gabrielle rounds on Zenobia, hands on her hips.

GABRIELLE
What do you mean by that?

Zenobia throws up her hands.

ZENOBIA
Only that these people take their cues from
you, Gabrielle. If you are upset, or hesitant
in your course of action, no matter the
reasons, they will pick up on that.
(beat)
But of course, as a warrior, you
already know this.

GABRIELLE
Zenobia, in here...
(touching her chest)
I'm a bard. A simple teller of stories.
I fight because I have to, but that doesn't
mean that I have to enjoy my work.

ZENOBIA
Then why fight? Why put yourself through
so much pain and grief?

GABRIELLE
(softly, but passionately)
Because of something I learned in
my travels across this world.
My travels with Xena.
(beat)
Sometimes the world needs warriors as
much as it needs peacemakers. Because
sometimes, peace is something that must
be fought for, no matter the cost.

ZENOBIA
Even if the cost is your soul?

GABRIELLE
(nodding)
Yes. Even then.

(beat)
Now, if you'll excuse me, I have
some traps to finish laying out.

Gabrielle turns and continues down the darkened corridor, leaving Zenobia to watch her retreat, a troubled frown upon her face.

FADE OUT.

ACT 2