Transcript for “More Than Human” Episode 1x03 Originally Aired: 10/02/99 Writer: James Thorpe Director: Colin Budds Transcribed by Carol Murdock for TWIZ TV.com [Scene: By a stream Veronica is aware of a growling T-Rex.] [Scene: Outside the treehouse.] Challenger: Crossbow? Roxton: Dino sized - just the thing to ruin a raptors day. Challenger: Roxton we’re losing daylight. Malone: Is this what you had in mind? [Malone holds a bamboo twig.] Roxton: Straight enough for arrows. Start sharpening the ends into points. Challenger: Fine I’ll do the survey by myself. Roxton: Only a fool would go off by himself. Challenger: Roxton we need to find a way off this plateau; not be playing around with bows and arrows. Roxton: There’s only one way off this plateau Challenger – alive. Marguerite: What was that? [A T-Rex comes into the clearing. It stomps toward Marguerite and has her in its sites. Roxton waves his arms to get its attention.] Roxton: Hey you ugly son of a bitch over here. [The T-Rex stares at Marguerite.] Marguerite: Nice kitty. [Roxton puts himself in front of Marguerite and nudges her aside. Roxton throws a rock at the T-Rex.] Roxton: Come on it’s me you want. [Roxton runs the T-Rex chases. Roxton pulls out his pistol.] Roxton: This’ll do me. [He stops when he comes to a dead end and faces the T-Rex. The T-Rex stomps his foot causing the ground under Roxton to give way.] **** Begin Intro**** At the dawn of the century A band of adventures set out to prove the impossible The existence of a prehistoric world The Visionary The Heiress The Hunter The Scientist and The Reporter All chasing the story of a lifetime Stranded in a savage land Befriended by an untamed beauty Together they fight to survive In this amazing world of lost civilizations and terrifying creatures Always searching for a way home A way out of……the Lost World ****End Intro**** [Scene: The place where Roxton fell through the ground. The others are searching for him. Malone picks up Roxton’s gun from the ground.] Malone: Look what I found. Challenger: He’s alright. But where the hell is he? [The ground shakes.] Malone: Does anybody else feel that? Challenger: Somebody’s on their way back for the main course. [The T-Rex stomps his foot and the group fall through the ground. They fall into a whirlpool and get sucked down.] Challenger: It’s a whirlpool! Summerlee: Where are the women? Challenger! Veronica: Swim for the edges! Malone: Are you alright? [They get sucked down into the water to resurface in the middle of a lake.] Challenger: Take it easy Summerlee. Summerlee: Oh my, that was rather invigorating. Challenger: Good are we all here. Veronica: Except for Roxton. [Marguerite sees Roxton standing on the shore.] Marguerite: Like a bad penny. [They swim to shore.] Roxton: I’ll take it over a T-Rex. Summerlee: Tracks – animal tracks here in the sand. Challenger: Hoof prints from a horse, look there wheel tracks. Summerlee: A horse drawn carriage - here? Challenger: Must be some sort of civilization near by. Malone: So let’s follow the tracks they’ve got to lead somewhere. Marguerite: Somewhere with food and dry clothes. Veronica: There’s less than an hour of daylight left and we’ve got one knife between us. Roxton: She’s right, let’s keep the water at our back and build a fire. Challenger: We’ll strike out at first light. Malone: What the hell? Marguerite: It’s a thigh bone femur if I’m not mistaken. It’s human. Roxton: It’s going to be dark soon let’s get that fire going. [Scene: Nighttime] Challenger: Do you think your editor will believe any of this? Malone: I just hope he gets a chance to read it. Marguerite: So Roxton just curious, why did you risk your life for me with that dinosaur? Roxton: Must have thought you were someone else. [Summerlee strolls over to Veronica who’s sitting looking at the lake.] Summerlee: What can you see? Veronica: My father, the day he taught me to swim. Summerlee: Your parents have been gone a long time. Veronica: Eleven years. I will find them. Summerlee: What if we were to find a way off this plateau would you leave? Oh yes I’m beginning to see how this place could grow on one. [Scene: Everyone is woken up by a man screaming running down the path.] Man: Run they’re coming! Run! Roxton: Split up! Challenger: Run! [Everyone scatters. Horse men capture the group.] [Scene: Daylight - The group is riding in a wagon inside a cage. The man is trying to say something to Summerlee.] Summerlee: Good Lord, his larynx is crushed poor devil. Challenger: Can you understand me? Summerlee: Easy…easy don’t strain your breathing. Roxton: How long have we been traveling? Veronica: Judging by the heat of the sun it’s midday. Marguerite: Ten or twelve hours can’t be. Summerlee: Did anyone have a good look at our captors? Challenger: No but they’re obviously intelligent. Roxton: They have tools; they have the wheel [The wagon jerks] sort of. Summerlee: And domesticated animals. Challenger: Quiet – I think we’re slowing. [The canvas is removed from the cage. Lizard men are hissing at them. Human slaves are being whipped by the Lizard soldiers. The head Lizard Tribune appears.] Tribune: Release them! Quite a catch. Challenger: We mean you and your people no harm. Noru: Guards seize him! [The guards pull the slave from the cage.] Noru: Tribune here he is. This is the one who lead the escape. Tribune: Human what would you do in the world on your own? Run rampant like a savage until you starved or perished in the belly of a beast? Here you had purpose; your life had meaning. But now – kill him. [Roxton stops the guard from stabbing the slave. Roxton is hit on the back by another guard and held. Tribune grabs the slave and kills him.] Tribune: First lesson human defiance will not be tolerated. Noru: Tribune? Tribune: He’s strong he will be useful. This one [pointing at Summerlee] he is too old to work in the mines. [They grab Summerlee.] Veronica: No wait! Please he’s harmless. Marguerite: Oh for Pete sake. Tribune, you look like a reasonable man. Trust me he’ll be more valuable to you alive – we all will. Tribune: Noru? Put the men in the cells including the old one. Noru: Guards to the cell! Tribune what about the women? Tribune: I have something more interesting in mind for them. [Scene: The cell - The men thrown in; they are shackled.] Roxton: Lizard men - what the hell are those things. Solomon: They’re our masters descended from the noblest of all beasts – the dinosaurs. I’m Solomon, are you from the empire? Summerlee: Professor Summerlee and if you mean the British Empire you’re entirely correct Solomon: British? Challenger: He doesn’t. We’re strangers I’m Challenger this is Roxton and Malone. Malone: Those creatures you call them masters? Solomon: They rule and we serve. Roxton: Slaves? Solomon: It is the way. Roxton: Your way not ours. [Guards enter the cell setting out a pot of food.] Solomon: It’s our only food for today. Roxton: There’s got to be a way out of here. Solomon: Not unless you’re a champion of the pit like me. Challenger: The pit? Solomon: A battle between two men - to the death. Three more kills I’ll be free. [Scene: The palace. Marguerite and Veronica are thrown into a room clothes are tossed at them.] Veronica: Hey Marguerite: Don’t bruise the merchandise. Veronica: What is this? Marguerite: Looks like our ticket out of this place. Veronica: If that lizard man! Marguerite: Tribune Veronica: If he thinks I’m going to put this on he’s crazy. [Marguerite undresses.] Marguerite: Look the Tribune may be half lizard but he’s also half man. Near as I can work it there are two ways out of here – alive or dinner. [Scene: The cell.] Summerlee: Solomon your saying you kill people, men - for sport. Solomon: No not sport, to survive. The winners are granted life so they can fight again. Roxton: And what happens to the losers? Solomon: You’re eating them. [They stop eating. Noru enters the cell with two goblets he hands one to Solomon.] Noru: For the champion [Noru hands the other to Roxton] and the new challenger. Roxton: Challenger? Noru: Tomorrow when the sun reaches it’s zenith the warriors will do battle – to the death. Solomon: To the death. [Fade Out] [Scene: The palace – Veronica and Marguerite are dressed in the slave outfits.] Marguerite: There that’s better. Veronica: Better than what. Marguerite: Being dead [other women enter the room] Here comes the competition. Cynara: I’ve never seen you before are you from a nearby village? Veronica: We’re from… Marguerite: Yeah you could say that. [Tribune enters and looks the women over.] Tribune: I’ve been thinking about you. I detest spies. Veronica: Spies? Tribune: Unless they’re on a spit roasting slowly. Marguerite: Look we’re here by mistake. Tribune: Silence! You were sent by the empire; clever of my political enemies to use human spies this time. Veronica: We weren’t sent by anyone. Tribune: The names Cassius and Melchior they mean nothing to you? Veronica: No. I swear. Tribune: Hmmm Do you know what they mean to me? Two years in this blasted waist land. Perhaps I shouldn’t kill you. Perhaps I should send you back with a message for them. You may tell them that I will return to the Empire and when I do it will be as their ruler – as their emperor. Marguerite: Tribune personally I’m in favor of a little ambition. [Tribune slaps Marguerite.] Tribune: Human the only reason you’re still alive is that you may please the warriors. Marguerite: And who I wonder pleases you? Tribune: If I didn’t know better I’d swear your blood was as cold as mine. [Scene: The cell – Challenger is trying to carve out the wall. Malone is trying to pick his shackle lock.] Challenger: Interesting Summerlee: I say Malone are you feeling perfectly well? Malone: I’ll tell you in a minute. [Malone gets his lock open.] Summerlee: How illuminating. Malone: A little trick I picked up in New York. Summerlee: Nothing like the education of a life well spent that’s what I always say. Malone: Well actually the trick is professor not getting caught. Challenger: Just as I thought, sulfur. Summerlee: Oh fascinating Challenger absolutely fascinating what a relief it is to know the geological composition of our prison walls. Challenger: Sulfur, Charcoal - has basic chemistry failed the all knowing Summerlee. Malone: What is he talking about? Summerlee: Gunpowder? Challenger: Exactly and our ticket out of here. Summerlee: Yes but aren’t you forgetting the Potassium Nitrate? Challenger: What did we walk through on the way to this cell? Malone: A field. Challenger: And what were the slaves doing in that field? Malone: Fertilizing it. Summerlee: Saltpeter Challenger: Your shoes man - take them off scrape them very carefully we need every last speck. Malone: You really think it will work? Challenger: It’s our only chance. Now hurry up with this lock. God knows what unspeakable things they’re doing to Roxton. [Scene – a luxurious room with food and drink spread out.] Roxton: No I can’t take anymore. Solomon: Best eat your fill it’s probably your last. Roxton: We don’t have to fight each other. Solomon: The masters have ordered it. There is no choice. Roxton: Of course you have a choice you’re a man dammit not an animal. Solomon listen to me - you’re obviously a great warrior. What would happen if you use your skills against the creatures? Solomon: No slave can openly defy the empire - it is impossible. Roxton: How do you know? Solomon: Because it’s never been done. Roxton: That my friend is very different then impossible. Solomon: Quiet - don’t speak of this again. [The guards bring in the women minus Marguerite.] Roxton: What now? Solomon: Now we choose. [Roxton walks over to Veronica but Solomon pushes him away.] Solomon: Champion goes first. You! [Solomon takes Veronica] Now your turn. [Roxton chooses Cynara] Roxton: If you please. Solomon: Cynara your warrior is a good man. Treat him well. Roxton: You two know each other? Solomon: She’s my sister. [Scene: Tribune’s chamber.] Marguerite: I see how your soldiers respect you. Your talents are wasted here. Tribune: You’re stating the obvious my dear. Marguerite: Baby sitting a bunch of humans in the boondocks. A man……reptile of your stature and intelligence should clearly be ruling the empire. Tribune: Unfortunately my grotesque little minx. The magistrates do not agree. They see one such as myself; leader of vision and power - and they quake. Marguerite: What if I could deliver the Empire to you? Tribune: You’re human, your uses are breading and mining and the occasional hors d’oeuvre. Marguerite: I can offer you something that will bring your opponents to their knees. Tribune: What could you possibly have that would be of use to me? Marguerite: Technology, I come from a world full of wonders. With me at your side Tribune; entire continents will lay themselves at your feet. The whole Empire will be at your mercy. Tribune: The forces of my world: The politics; soldiers; slaves. What you speak of is magic, superstition. Marguerite: Not magic – science. [Scene: The cell.] Challenger: Crude but hopefully effective. Malone: Feels like one deadbolt on the other side. Challenger: Quickly Malone: We only get one chance at this. Challenger: Hurry up. [Challenger sets up a fuse on the door. Summerlee lights the fuse. The explosion knocks the door off its hinges.] Challenger: Success Malone: Let’s get out of here. [Guards try and stop Malone, Challenger and Summerlee’s escape. Malone takes a chain and knocks the guard out.] Summerlee: Not exactly the Marquise of Queensbury old boy but well done. [They are stopped by Tribune and Marguerite coming down the hall.] Marguerite: You see Tribune I told you there were wonders in my world. [They are all led away.] [Fade Out] [Scene: Night time - The palace. Veronica is looking through a door while Solomon undresses.] Veronica: What are you doing? Solomon: It’s time we began. Veronica: Oh, no it’s not. Solomon: You’re here for my pleasure. [Solomon kisses Veronica she flips him over her shoulder he lands flat on his back on the bed. She leans over him.] Veronica: Let me know when you’ve had enough pleasure. [Scene: Roxton is being served by Cynara.] Roxton: Thank you. [Cynara takes off her dress.] Cynara: And now how can I serve you? Roxton: Umm what are you doing? Cynara: You chose me didn’t you? Roxton: Yes but not [Roxton puts her dress back on] there that’s better. Cynara: Better? You think I’m ugly. Roxton: Ugly? No I wouldn’t say that. [Scene: The palace – Solomon’s chamber. Veronica’s is throwing things at Solomon] Solomon: Enough! I could kill you right now. Veronica: But then you’d never find a way out. Solomon: A way out? Veronica: An escape. Solomon: We’re human there is no escape. [Scene: The palace - Roxton’s chamber.] Cynara: Escape? You’re crazy. Any slave who runs is hunted down killed. Nothing is worth dying for. Roxton: Not even your freedom? Cynara: What freedom is there in death? At least now I’m alive. Roxton: Cynara this isn’t living. If you could choose freedom would you? Cynara: Yes Roxton: Good I’ll need your help. Cynara: I’m not a warrior like Solomon what can I do? Roxton: You can scream. [Scene: The palace – Tribune’s chamber. Tribune holds the broken lock in his hand.] Tribune: You refuse to tell me the secret of this. Marguerite: Come on Challenger. You’re not going to let a little gunpowder stand between us and the highway. [A guard puts a knife to Challenger.] Tribune: Well if you don’t value your life. Perhaps your friends will. Challenger: Quiet. That goes for you too Summerlee. Summerlee: I refuse to stand by while you. Challenger: You must. We can’t allow gunpowder to fall in the hands of this tyrant imagine what it will do to the balance of power in his world. Summerlee: You’re quite sure of old boy. Challenger: You senile charlatan, this is your chance to finally be rid of me. Summerlee: As you wish. Tribune: Compassion and sacrifice such nobility in a lower species. Might almost be touching if it wasn’t so pathetic; but nobility can be a two edged sword. [Tribune puts a knife to Marguerite.] Marguerite: I seem to be losing my touch. Tribune: What do you say now? Is this creature to be your friend or my dinner? [Scene: Roxton chamber – Cynara screams.] Noru: What’s going on seize them! [Veronica Solomon and Roxton fight the guards.] Roxton: Solomon how’s about giving me a hand? [Roxton knifes a guard then Noru comes up behind Roxton.] Noru: Human you breathe and you die. [Veronica is fighting the guard and runs past Noru and Roxton.] Noru: Your friend won’t get far. Get these humans out of my site. [Scene: The palace – Tribune’s chamber. Challenger is giving a demonstration of gunpowder.] Tribune: Excellent. I just may keep you alive after all [Roxton, Solomon and Cynara are brought in] What is this? Noru: This slave murdered a centurion of the Empire. The female has escaped. [Tribune kicks Roxton and walks over to Marguerite.] Tribune: I should have known better then to consort with the lower species. [Tribune throws Marguerite to stand with Roxton.] Marguerite: Did anyone ever tell you you’ve got lousy timing. [Tribune points to Challenger.] Tribune: Take this one to the mines - the rest of them to the pit. Noru: Take them away! [They are led away.] [Fade Out] [Scene: The arena - Summerlee, Malone and Marguerite are on standing on the upper level. The crowd of Lizard men are getting rowdy.] Tribune: See how they smell the stench of death already. [Solomon and Roxton are in a cage.] Roxton: Fight with me not against me. Solomon: Don’t worry I’ll try to cut clean. Roxton: You’re a pal. [Scene: The mines – A slave collapses in front of Challenger.] Challenger: There now hey. Guard: Back to work, keep working. Challenger: This woman is suffering from heat exhaustion. [The guard whips the slave woman. Challenger takes a swing at the guard but misses.] Guard: Back to work. [Veronica approaches she wears a hooded cloak.] Guard: Halt! Veronica: Food for the miners Tribune’s orders. Guard: I smell meat. [The guard inspects the pouch. Veronica hits him over the head with a pitcher then Challenger hits the guard with a rock.] [Scene: The arena] Tribune: Let the games begin. [Solomon and Roxton are led in. Weapons lie in the center of the arena.] Roxton: I’m not going to fight you. Solomon: Fight me! Roxton: No Tribune: Fight human! Roxton: You may choose whether I live or die but only I choose whether I kill. Tribune: Die and your friends die - win and they live. [Roxton picks up his armor and weapons.] [Scene: The mine. The slaves are being freed from their shackles. Others are making sacks of gunpowder.] Challenger: Tell them to tie them a little tighter so the gunpowder doesn’t leak out. Veronica: This is the last batch. Challenger: Good it’s time to give Tribune and his men a little lesson in human ingenuity. [Scene: The arena Roxton and Solomon fight. Roxton bests Solomon. Roxton raises his sword for the kill.] Roxton: No Solomon: You must. Roxton: We’re not animals. [Roxton lowers his sword plunging it into the ground. Tribune grabs Cynara.] Tribune: Solomon – choose. [Cynara grabs Tribune knife.] Cynara: Freedom [Noru stabs Cynara. Solomon goes after Noru and kills him. An explosion occurs and the slaves enter the arena and fight the Lizard men. Marguerite throws Roxton a sword.] Marguerite: Roxton! [Everyone joins in the fight. Tribune makes his escape. The Lizard men are defeated. Solomon carries Cynara’s dead body down the steps.] Challenger: Roxton are you alright? Roxton: Nothing that a good whiskey won’t cure. Summerlee: I must say I never thought we’d all make it through alive. Marguerite: I hope you know that was my plan all along. [Tribune runs to his chamber and scoops up the gunpowder.] Tribune: Science. The empire is mine. [Epilogue] [Scene: Night time - The camp by the lake.] Solomon: Freedom it still sounds strange on my tongue. Veronica: You’ll get used to it. Solomon: It would be easier if I had someone with me. Veronica: You have a whole colony. Solomon: I meant someone like you. Veronica: Goodbye Solomon. [Veronica and Solomon kiss.] [Marguerite is pointing in one direction Roxton takes her arm and points it in the opposite direction.] Roxton: No you’ve got it turned around, that’s the direction. Marguerite: Once again you’re delusional. Challenger: There’s an ancient Chinese curse that says ‘May you live in interesting times’. Roxton: Really know what I say? Challenger: What? Roxton: First rounds on me. [Tribune is riding his horse; he has the gunpowder in a pouch. He rides off.] End of episode