ACT 2

FADE IN:

EXT. PORT TOWN. DAY.

The town is a true ruffian's den, populated by unsavory characters from many countries. They are all intent on eking out a dishonest living by cheating any travelers unlucky enough to pass through out of whatever valuables they might possess.

Though there aren't more than twenty buildings in all, Gabrielle counts at least ten taverns, each with names more colorful, and in the case of several, more anatomically impossible, than the last.

She steps out of the way as a patron flies through the doors of one such tavern and lands, head first, in a sodden, smelly pile of...something.

GABRIELLE
Xena?

XENA
Mm?

GABRIELLE
It's that bad.

Grinning, Xena steps around three men fist fighting over a woman who saw attractive a decade ago, and clean, a decade before that.

XENA
I just need to get Argo stabled
and pick up some information
and we're on our way.

GABRIELLE
You never did get around to telling
me why we chose the scenic route.
Why wasn't our ship allowed to
sail into the official port?

XENA
Because it came from Greece.
Apparently, a bunch of idiots are
sailing in and stealing as many
herbs as they can get their
grubby little hands on.

GABRIELLE
To sell at a huge profit, of course.

XENA
Of course.

GABRIELLE
That's disgusting. People are
dying, and they're getting
rich off the suffering.

XENA
That's about the size of it.

Xena spies the STABLES ahead and leads Argo in that direction, with Gabrielle following.

The STABLE MASTER spies them and steps outside, wiping his hands on his filthy pants and grinning from ear to ear.

STABLE MASTER
Beautiful beast you got there.

XENA
She's not for sale.

STABLE MASTER
No, don't suppose so.
You lookin' to board her?

Xena looks deliberately at the sign, then back at the stable master, who flushes.

STABLE MASTER
(cont'd)
I'll take that as a yes.

(beat)

You Greeks?

GABRIELLE
We are.

STABLE MASTER
Fifty dinars a day, feed extra.
You want grooming and
exercise, that'll cost ya.

GABRIELLE
Fifty---That's robbery!

STABLE MASTER
Only stable around.
Take it or leave it.

GABRIELLE
But---

STABLE MASTER
Listen, lady, either put up or
shut up. I got business to attend---

His last words are cut off by a sharp jab to the neck, and he finds himself suddenly on his knees, unable to move.

Gabrielle shakes her head at Xena, then steps in, lowering her face to the stable master's level.

GABRIELLE
A piece of advice, my friend. It's
never wise to piss off someone
wearing that much weaponry.

(beat)

You're just lucky you caught
her in a good mood.

Xena smirks.

GABRIELLE
(cont'd)
Here's the deal. I think that two
dinars a day is very fair, feed
included. And because you seem
like such a nice man, I'll throw in
a dinar a day for grooming and
exercise. Sound good to you?

STABLE MASTER
Ver---very good, yes.

GABRIELLE
(grins)
See? I knew we could come
to an understanding.

Without waiting for Xena, Gabrielle takes the pinch off, then helps the man to his feet, steadying him until he can stand on his own.

Releasing the man, Gabrielle reaches into her pouch and presents him with a neat stack of dinars.

GABRIELLE
It's been a pleasure doing business
with you. Argo shouldn't give you
any trouble at all. And remember,
she loves apples.

STABLE MASTER
Apples.

GABRIELLE
Lots of them. Right Xena?

XENA
(dryly)
Right.

Gabrielle turns to leave, then turns back.

GABRIELLE
Oh yes, we need a canoe.
Know where we can find one?

STABLE MASTER
You---you can use mine!

GABRIELLE
(sweetly)
Thank you so much. You're
very kind, you know.

Xena just shakes her head as man blushes down to his toes. Gabrielle smiles, charmingly, and pats his arm in thanks. Then she collects Xena with a nod, and walks off, leaving the stable master to wonder exactly what just happened to him.

GABRIELLE
(to Xena)
Well, I think that went
well, don't you?

XENA
I'm impressed.

GABRIELLE
(grins)
You should be. Anything
else I can do for you?

Xena raises a saucy eyebrow.

XENA
Ask me again tonight.

Gabrielle laughs, and they walk toward the river arm in arm.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. RIVER. EARLY EVENING.

Bordered on both sides by thick jungle vegetation, the river is clear, broad, and, for the most part, placid. Life is in great abundance all around, as evidenced by the screeches of large birds, and the occasional low, rumbling growl of a hunting animal hidden deep within the thick, green growth.

The dugout canoe Xena and Gabrielle have been given is a bit worn, but serviceable, and they glide through the water with an ease born of their long partnership. Gabrielle sits at the bow, Xena at the stern, and their gear is placed neatly between them.

GABRIELLE
There aren't, by chance, any
cannibals with basting brushes
hanging around here, right?

Xena chuckles.

XENA
Nope.

GABRIELLE
No beleaguered Athenian outposts
just waiting for the Warrior
Princess to come to the rescue?

XENA
None of those, either.

GABRIELLE
I'm just making sure. You know
how it with us and canoes.

Gabrielle continues on in this vein for several moments, and gradually notices that the canoe seems harder to maneuver.

She turns her head and sees her partner, paddle on her lap, calmly feeding out fishing line into the clear water.

GABRIELLE
(cont'd)
A little help here?

XENA
I am helping. I'm getting dinner.
Besides, you're doing just
fine on your own.

GABRIELLE
Oh, is *that* how it works now?
I do all the work, and you
get to have all the fun?

Hiding her mischievous grin, Gabrielle looks forward once again and resumes paddling.

XENA
Hey! Fishing is work.

Gabrielle laughs.

GABRIELLE
Oh no, Xena. For me, fishing
is work. For *you*, it's fun.

(beat)

Besides. I wouldn't call what
you're doing fishing, technically.

XENA
Oh? And what would
you call it? Technically.

GABRIELLE
Dragging a hook through the
water. A hook which, incidentally,
wouldn't be going anywhere unless
*someone* was paddling the canoe.

Good warrior that she is, Xena knows when she has been outmaneuvered, and, with a silent chuckle, ties off the end of her line to a loose strut on the canoe, and begins paddling.

DISSOLVE TO:

EXT. JUNGLE. NIGHT.

A slow burning fire casts a meager light on an overturned canoe banked on the river. Closer to the fire, Xena sits with her back against a downed log, sharpening her sword.

Gabrielle is sitting nearby, on their furs, an untended scroll in her lap.

Feeling Gabrielle's eyes on her, Xena looks up. Their gazes lock, and both smile.

XENA
(softly)
What is it?

GABRIELLE
You...This...

(beat)

I guess I never realized how much
listening to you sharpen your
sword had become a part of me.

(beat)

Silly, huh?

XENA
No. Not silly.

Laying her sword on the ground, Xena moves to the furs and gathers Gabrielle into a warm, tender embrace, tucking the blonde head under her chin.

XENA
(cont'd)
When you...sent me away, I wandered
through this sort of...limbo, with the
thoughts of those I'd hurt for company.
And I remember wishing to hear,
just once,  the sound of your quill
scribbling on your scrolls.

Xena utters a somewhat rueful laugh.

XENA
(cont'd)
I suppose it took dying...again...
to show me that the peace I
sought was here all along.

Gabrielle squeezes Xena tightly for a long moment, then pulls slowly away, wiping a tear from her face, and smiling.

GABRIELLE
Just remember that lesson, ok?

XENA
I will. Promise.

GABRIELLE
Good.

(beat)

And speaking of remembering...

(beat, off Xena's
raised eyebrow)

"Anything else I can do for you?"

Xena's eyes glint as understanding dawns, and a slow, sexy smile, curves her lips.

XENA
Oh, I think I can come
up with something.

FADE OUT:

EXT. RIVER. DAY.

The sky above is blue and cloudless as the two women slice quietly through the river, working in perfect tandem. Gabrielle smiles as she looks around at the abundant, vibrant beauty of the tropical jungle, content to breathe in the peace of the day.

XENA
Up ahead, there'll be a
bend in the river. Once we
get there, start looking for
a clearing to the right.

GABRIELLE
Aye, aye, Cap'n.

Slowly, the wide, slow bend comes into view. As Gabrielle examines it, she hears a sound very much like thunder, but when she looks up, the sky is completely clear.

The sound rolls again, and this time, the canoe rises, then drops.

Startled, Gabrielle turns her head. Xena meets her gaze, her expression concerned.

XENA
I hope that's not
what I think it is.

Xena's eyes roam the bank for a suitable place to beach when she notices Gabrielle's eyes widen and her jaw drop. She turns her head in time to see a huge wall of dirty, roiling water bearing directly down upon them.

XENA
(cont'd)
Hang on!

FADE OUT.