Plays

PK Exposition

Cast:

• The Lt.: BadMagumbo
• Sgt. Sun: WarriorWoman
• Sgt. Elb: Reddogjack
• Cpl. Moru: LittleMissSunshine
• Cpl. Temin: PyeCat
• Pvt. Teik: Kissyface

Act 1

Narration: Place: Peace Keeper Base.  A hand-to-hand combat training exercise is in progress for one squad from Plesiar Regiment, Geecrono Division.  Today's lesson: Fighting two attackers simultaneously.

Act 1, Scene 1

Fight Scene
Sun, Elb and Moru are on the mat, fighting. Temin and Teik are observing. About a min and a half into the fight the Lt. enters the scene and quietly and stands to the side.  The others, at first, do not notice.

Temin: (Temin looks to the side, noticing that the Lt. is there) Officer on deck!

All: (Stop and salute Lt.)

Lt: As you were.  Continue with the exercise.

Fight Scene
Fight resumes.

Temin: (to Tiek) Who's that guy?

Tiek: Our new Lieutenant.  I don't know much about him, but they say he's one the best Prowler pilot's there are.  But that's probably just dren.

Temin: That guy?  THE Lieutenant?  Frell yeah, I heard about him.  I heard he reprimanded a soldier for being cruel to a prisoner.

Tiek: No dren?

Temin: Sure as I'm Sebacean.

Fight Scene
Builds to climax, from slow point where conversation went on, and ends with Sgt. Sun a clear victor.

Lt: (Raises his hand) That's enough.  Company!  Fall in!

Act 1, Scene 2

All: (The company falls in line)

Lt: I am your new squad Lieutenant.  We will be heading out under order of Peace Keeper High Command in 20 arns from now.  We will receive further instructions upon rendezvous with the Command Carrier, Onaellag.  Squad, identify yourselves!

Sun: Sergeant Sun.

Elb: Sergeant Elb.

Moru: Corporal Moru.

Temin: Corporal Temin.

Teik: Private Teik.

Lt: (Addressing squad) Very good.  (Addressing Sun) Sergeant Sun.

Sun: Yes, sir!

Lt: I want to speak with you for a moment.

Sun: Yes, sir.  (Crosses stage to Lt.)

Temin: Of course he is going to steal the only woman we have, for himself…

Lt: I was very impressed with the way you handled yourself in the exercise.

Sun: Thank you sir!

All Troopers: (In Australian/Sebacean accent) Bloody favoritism!

Lt: (kind, friendly voice) No need to be so regimental at the moment...

Sun: Yes, s-... All right. (Smiles at Lt. and tosses hair)

All Troopers: Tralk.

Lt: You seem to be quite the natural at unarmed combat....

Sun: (Shakes head) No, I train very hard to be proficient.

Lt: And modest too.

Teik: (sarcastically) Sooth talker.

Temin: He IS a Lieutenant, same skills that –

Elb: (interrupting) I don't like him.  (Other troopers simultaneously look at Elb, then turn back to Lt. & Sun.)

Sun: I understand that you are a good Prowler pilot, sir.

Lt: High Command seems to think so.  And how about you, Sergeant Sun?  How do you fare in a Prowler?

Sun: (shyly) Not as good as I do in ground maneuvers.

Temin: That's the truth!  They should clip her wings.

Teik: She can fight and shoot a pulse rifle, but in a Prowler, heh, she'd miss the broad side of a Leviathan.  (Troopers chuckle)

Lt: I'm sure you'll get better in due course.  Time enough for that later.  Squad, Attention!  (Sun falls back in line, all snap to attention.)  Continue with scheduled exercises.  After, take some time for yourselves, sleep it off, and be prepared to move out in 20 arns from now.  That is all.

Act 1, Scene 3

Fight Scene
Lt. and Corporal Temin stand stage right. Corporal Moru and Sargent Sun are paired against eachother. Sargent Elb is paired against Private Teik.  Teik is taking a beating.

Elb: Cringe, I'll hit harder.  (Attacks Teik)

Teik: (doubles over from hit) Oof!

Elb: (disgusted) You call yourself a Peace Keeper? (Kicks Teik while down.  One by one the others start to notice what is transpiring.

Teik: Heh, easy Sarge, we are just practicing, right?

Elb: You're pathetic. (Strikes Teik)

Teik is on the floor crawling away from the stalking Elb.

Teik: You're better than me!  I'm not as strong as you, ALL RIGHT!  (Teik attacks, attempting to cold-cock Elb.  Elb easily defends, Teik ends up on the ground, again.)

Elb: Pathetic.  We have no room for a weakling like you.  You make the rest of us look bad.  (Elb paces around Teik as Teik pants for breath.)  Then everyone will think they are better than us...  (Elb kicks Tiek as he tries to get up)  Are you listening?!

Teik: (gasps weakly) ... yes... sir...

Lt: That's enough Sergeant.

Elb: (continuing as if Talyn said nothing) What do we do with a defective unit? (Bends down and grabs Teik by the hair.) We remove it! (Readies to finish off Teik)

Lt: (Crosses floor swiftly and lays the smack down on Elb, quickly taking Elb down to the floor.  Teik retreats after that.) Number one, NEVER disobey me again.  (Elb stands at attention as the Lieutenant paces around him.)  Two, Private Teik is your comrade; it is your job to protect him.  If his skills are lacking, see that you help him improve.  Is that understood?

Elb: Yes sir....

Lt: You have no respect or understanding for the power you wield as a soldier.  You have no understanding of temperance or the proper application of power.  And you certainly have no concept of mercy.

Sun: ... mercy....

Lt: This exercise is over!  All of you, get cleaned up and get to whatever you do on your off time.  Dismissed!

All: Yes sir!

(All file out, starting with Teik, ending with Sun.  Sun pauses and looks back at The Lt. before exiting.  The Lt. pauses to look at her, then looks back at the floor where the fight took place, pauses for a moment.  Turns and exits.) 

End of Act 1

Act 2

Act 2, Scene 1

(Stage left contains a table with Elb, Moru, Temin, and Teik. Stage right, The Lt. sits alone at a separate table. Sergeant Sun is not yet present.)

(Music: Techno version of the bar music from the original Star Wars.)

Moru: The Lt. thinks he's too good to sit with us.

Temin: Looks that way...

Moru: Hey!  Lt., why don't you come here and buy your squad a round?

Lt: I think I'll pass today.

Elb: Can't afford it?

Lt: You haven't earned it.

All but Elb: (Oooh and chuckle)

(Elb glares at The Lt., The Lt. takes a drink without looking at him.)

Elb:  (To comrades at table.) That dren-eating, arrogant bastard!  Temin, you said something about the Lieutenant, earlier ... what was it?

Temin: That he's a good Prowler pilot?

Elb: No, the other thing ...

Temin: Oh ... that he reprimanded a soldier for being cruel to a prisoner.

Elb: That right?  (Now speaking loudly)  So, what is your favorite race to torture?

Teik: What?

Elb: Luxans, Hynerians, Delvians, Sheyangs?

Temin: I tortured a Hynerian once.... He was all scared and was farting helium....   It annoyed the others, but I thought it was funny.

Squad: (chuckles)

(The Lt. looks over his shoulder at the squad)

Elb: (Stands, walks between the table and Lt.) I would say that my favorite is Luxans.  (Gets in Lt.'s personal space)  You cut them (drags edge of hand across his palm) and so they don't die, (punches his “cut” hand) you beat them till their blood is clear….  See Lt., I know about mercy.

Lt: Sit down... Now.

Elb: (Returns to his seat in the most swaggering, cocky walk he can muster)

(Enter Sergeant Sun)

(All eyes are upon Sun, as you cross to The Lt.  All their heads (Not those heads!!! The ones on their shoulders, you perverts!) turn to follow.)

Temin: Will you look at her.

Sun: Is this seat taken?

Lt: Please, have a seat.

Sun: There's something I want to ask you...

Lt: What?

Sun: I'm not sure how to ask...

Lt: Just go out and say it, you have my permission to speak freely.

Sun: It was what you said about mercy.

Lt: Mercy?

Sun: Mercy.

Lt: (Eyes in Sun's cleavage) Ah... mercy... (Looks back at Sun's eyes) Right.  What do you want to know?

Sun: Why be merciful?

Lt: Because we can know what it is like to suffer.

Sun: I still don't understand...

Lt: We are Peace Keepers.  Soldiers who fight to protect....

Sun: To protect what?

Lt: To protect what is worth fighting for…. (Lt reaches over and squeezes Sun's hand.  He releases and stands up.)  Excuse me....  I'll be right back.

(Lt. exits)

Elb: I've had just about enough of this.

Moru: He's taken our squad's only woman.

Temin: He's cut training short.

Teik: I don't think….

Elb: (Cutting off Teik by slamming bottle down) No one asked you.

Moru: (Moru stands and walks over to Sun) You frelling him yet, tralk?

Sun: Excuse me?  (Getting all up in his face)

Moru: Back down bitch.  (pushes Sun)

Sun: (Turns Moru's shove into an armlock.)  Do that again and I'll kill you!

(Sun lets go, Moru backs off for a moment before turning around and throwing a punch; fight ensues.)

Act 2, Scene 2

Fight Scene
Temin and Elb get out of their chairs at their table to attack Sergeant Sun. Teik tries to stop Temin, but is knocked on her e'mah for her efforts. Teik exits after getting up.

Temin is knocked out by Sun, Elb is knocked back and falls, as Sun is grabbed from behind by Moru. Moru receives an incapacitating blow from Sun, but as Sun is looking the other way, Elb has grabbed a bottle off of the table to attack her with. The Lt. enters and grabs Elb's weapon arm taking him forcefully to the ground.

Elb tries to attack with his free arm, the blow is parried and The Lt. KOs him. The Lt. and Sun face off, then realizing they are not each other's foe, they stand down.

End of Act 2

Act 3

Act 3, Scene 1

The Lt. and Sgt. Sun are sitting at a table.

Sun: So, what happens now?

Lt: Elb, Temin, and Moru are in detention cells.  Teik is on leave, as are you ... and I am waiting for the decision from High Command as to my state.  I had command of my own squad for all of 100 microts before it all goes to dren.  I've lost my command.

Sun: It wasn't your fault, it was Elb and the others…

Lt: No excuse.  I was the commanding officer.  A commander who isn't in control of his troops isn't a commander.

(Three microt pause)

Sun: How long till you hear from High Command?

Lt: Should be five solar days.  Then they will review this incident.  The Onaellag is leaving without us, either way.

Sun: What do you think will happen?

Lt: I will probably be demoted to Sergeant and end up teaching Prowler tactics to some kids of eleven cycles.

Sun: (giggles)

Lt: What?

Sun: You think you will be able to keep them in line?

Lt: (chuckles) I hope so....

Sun: Just five solar days?

Lt: Yup...

Sun: I was hoping to be under you for longer than that....

Lt: So was I....

Sun: Permission to speak freely.

Lt: I think you already had that.…

Sun: Could you tell me your name, Lt?

Lt: Talyn.

END