Transcript for “Stone Cold” Episode 2x04 Originally Aired: 10/28/00 Writers: Judith & Garfield Reeves-Stevens Director: Michael Offer Transcribed by Carol Murdock for "TWIZ TV.COM" - www.twiztv.com Feedback: murdockcarol@twiztv.com [Scene: The jungle – Malone, Roxton and Marguerite are doing area surveying.] Marguerite: Left…move it to the left. [Roxton moves the ruler to his left.] The other left Roxton. Roxton: As you command, your majesty. Marguerite: All right take this down. [The compass on the surveying equipment starts to spin wildly.] Malone: Any time Marguerite. Marguerite: You know if Challenger wanted us to map his valley he should given us instruments that work. Malone: I’ve never seen a compass do that before. Roxton: Ah come on what’s wrong this time? [They are startled by a woman’s scream from the jungle. They run to find her. A woman in a red period dress runs toward them screaming hysterically. Roxton grabs her.] Roxton: All right you’re safe…you’re safe! Malone: We won’t hurt you! [The woman won’t calm down. Marguerite slaps her across the face. The woman goes limp in Roxton’s arms.] Roxton: Well done Marguerite. Marguerite: Someone had to take control. [Roxton gently taps the woman’s cheek to revive her but no response. He feels for a pulse on the woman’s neck.] Roxton: She’s dead. [He lays the woman on the ground.] Marguerite: I didn’t hit her that hard. Malone: There isn’t a mark on her. Marguerite: She was running away from something. She’s afraid of something. Malone: Do you think she died of fright? Marguerite: [mouthing] No. [Suddenly an electrical charge runs through the dead woman. Her eyes open; they are milky white. Marguerite, Roxton and Malone are startled and jump back.] Roxton: What the hell? [The wind picks up. Marguerite looks to the sky as it fills with dark clouds and lightning. The jungle is cast in darkness.] Marguerite: What is that? [Apparitions appear in the sky] Roxton what is going on that is more than just a storm? [The woman opens her eyes and lifts her head.] Woman: The dead shall live…the living die…beware the living stone. Malone: Any explanations? Roxton: No animal makes a sound like that. Malone: What else could it be? Marguerite: Now is not the time to find out. Roxton: Come on Malone let’s get our gear. Malone: We can’t leave her. Roxton: She’s dead we’re not. Marguerite: Yet. [The three run to get their gear. The apparitions swoop down from the sky and follow them.] **** Begin Intro**** At the dawn of the last century A band of explorers searched for a prehistoric world Driven by ambition Secret desires A thirst for adventure And seeking the ultimate story They are befriended by an untamed beauty Stranded in a strange and savage land Each day is a desperate search for a way out - of the Lost World ****End Intro**** [Scene: The jungle - Roxton, Marguerite and Malone are running.] Roxton: This way. Marguerite: What happened to the path? Roxton: It got dark so fast we must have got turned around. [Moans are coming from the jungle.] Marguerite: Well whatever that is we don’t want it catching up with us. Roxton: Marguerite it’s just the wind. We’re caught in a bad tropical thunderstorm and that’s all. [Marguerite looks behind Roxton in the sky and sees the apparitions coming toward them.] Marguerite: No John that’s not all. [The apparitions fly over their heads. They run farther into the jungle.] [Scene: The jungle – The sky is clear and beautiful. Challenger and Veronica are surveying.] Challenger: And the northern most mountain peak is eighty degrees. Veronica: Eighty degrees. [She writes it down] Challenger: Was that thunder? Veronica: No storm clouds. Challenger: Another day in paradise aye. Ya know even Marguerite wouldn’t be in a hurry to get off the plateau on a day like today. [Scene: Malone. Roxton and Marguerite are running trying to find shelter in the storm. Marguerite gets caught on a branch. Roxton and Malone help her.] Marguerite: Get me out of here. Roxton: I’ve got you. Marguerite: They’re gone. Roxton: Maybe…maybe they were never there…some trick of the lightning. Marguerite: John. Malone: Through here. Marguerite: Good enough for me. [Scene: The calm part of the jungle.] Veronica: That does sound like thunder. Challenger: According to this [he looks at the spinning compass] we are in the middle of a sever geomagnetic storm; thunderstorms all around us. Veronica: But it’s a perfect day. [Scene: The stormy part of the jungle – Marguerite, Malone and Roxton stop when they see a castle in the distance.] Malone: Everyone sees that right; it’s not just me? Roxton: Oh it’s there and it’s just what we need. [They run and get to the steps of the castle.] Marguerite: Wait…wait! Roxton: We’re going to barricade ourselves in and whatever’s chasing us out. Marguerite: No, we’re not going near that place. Roxton: Wait. Marguerite: A medieval castle? Doesn’t that seem a touch unusual even for here? Malone: I don’t know, an eccentric millionaire wants his own kingdom; moves an old castle stone by stone. Marguerite: Try stone by living stone as in beware of. [The apparitions come after them again. It begins to pour down rain. They run up the steps of the castle. Roxton bangs on the door.] Roxton: Hey! [Roxton and Malone try to push the door open.] Malone: It’s locked or jammed. Marguerite: Oh my god they almost sound like people crying. [The door opens on its own.] Roxton: The door! [They step inside and close the door, locking it.] Malone: Do you think they’re still out there? Roxton: You want to open it to have a look? Malone: Well now you put it that way……no. [They step further inside the castle. The grand hall is covered in dust and cobwebs.] Marguerite: If this were my castle I would fire the housekeeping staff. Roxton: First thing we need to do is build a fire. [Roxton pulls a torch from the wall, Malone pulls out his matches and lights it.] We should look for anything that burns. Malone: Whoever owns this place might not appreciate us torching it. Marguerite: Well whoever owns this place should have lit a fire before inviting us in here. Roxton: We weren’t invited Marguerite. The place is deserted. Malone: Hello! Anybody home? [Malone finds two more torches] Roxton. [They move to explore more of the castle.] Marguerite: John wait. That woman was running away from somewhere. Now she was afraid of something. [Roxton looks at a gargoyle on the wall.] Roxton: Let’s ask old stone face. Marguerite: He reminds me of my first husband…or was it my third. Malone: Would you look at this. [There is a square piece of the castle wall that is sticking out.] In the Penny Dreadfulls this is the kind of thing the hero always finds. Roxton: Penny Dreadfulls? Marguerite: Lurid little books for untrained minds. Malone: Full of grand adventure [Malone pushes on the square. The wall opens up.] and secret passages. Marguerite: You’re going in there aren’t you? Roxton: Well don’t let me stand in the way of grand adventure. Malone: Right, what’s a castle without a secret passage; a dark, narrow, full of cobwebs passage? [Malone inches his way into the passageway. There is a steep staircase leading down.] Marguerite: All right Malone that’s far enough; it’s safer if we all stay together. [The passage door seals shut.] Malone? [Roxton strains to open the door.] Roxton: Malone! [Malone inches his way down the staircase.] Malone: I’m all right. I’m all right. [Malone’s torch goes out.] Roxton: What’s happening? Malone: There seems to be a draft in here my torch went out. There’s a set of stairs in here. I’m gonna see if I can find out where the draft is coming from. Roxton: Malone? Malone? The boy needs a leash. Marguerite: He’s not the only one. [Marguerite and Roxton go down the hallway.] Marguerite: He was heading in this direction. Roxton: Malone? [Roxton and Marguerite stop] Wait here. Marguerite: I will not. Roxton: Marguerite you’re freezing and so is the wind. I’m trying to save you from a nasty cold. Marguerite: Do I look like I need saving? Roxton: As a matter of fact you do. [A door shuts closing Roxton behind it; separating him from Marguerite.] Marguerite: Roxton! Roxton! Roxton: Don’t panic I’m still here. Can you open the door from your side? Marguerite: Not without a crowbar. Roxton: Well stay put I’ll find another way around. [Marguerite looks at the gargoyle on the wall as thunder sounds outside.] Marguerite: What are you staring at? [Roxton makes his way down the hall. He tries the handle of a locked door and pounds on it calling for Malone. The door opens on its own. He steps inside the room.] Roxton: Anybody in there? [The room is filled with weapons. A desk has a wig and Captain Valois’ uniform laid out. There is a crystal carafe of wine on the desk.] Whoa now this is more like it. [He sniffs from the carafe] Ah Amontillado. [He pours himself a glass and takes a drink. He picks up the jacket of the uniform.] A trifle gaudy but dry. [Marguerite hears a noise down the hall.] Marguerite: Roxton? [She slowly makes her way down the hall.] Malone? [She finds a room] Oh my…my…my. [Fade Out] [Marguerite walks into the room. There is a marble bath in the center with the water running from the faucet.] Marguerite: Anybody home? Other than you [she smiles at the gargoyle on the wall.] Oh please, please, please be hot. [She feels the water in the bath. She starts to undress but stops to point at the gargoyle.] I command you not to peek. [Malone pushes through a grate and crawls into a room. D’Argent’s clothing is draped over a chair.] Malone: Marguerite? Roxton? [He hears a noise behind him and sees a vent in the wall. He sees Roxton on the other side dressed in the uniform.] Roxton? What’s he doing? Roxton? Roxton over here…strange. [Roxton doesn’t here him. Malone walks to the other side of the room and climbs up to look through another vent. He sees Marguerite naked getting into the bath. He shuts the vent quickly and steps down. He looks at the clothes.] Well, they’re dry; with my luck today, they won’t fit. [Both men are fully dressed in their costumes. Malone looks through the vent sees Marguerite taking her bath.] Malone: That’s right - enjoy yourself while you can my Comtesse Ariane. [Marguerite picks up Ariane’s locket lying on the rim of the bathtub.] Marguerite: How lovely. [She opens it to read an inscription written in.] Vox luciferan bios by the words of the dark lady shall the stone be quickened. By the words of the Mage shall the stone be stilled…is it transformed…transfigured…alive. [She puts the locket on and smiles seductively] Vox luciferan bios totali noctemus diabolum Not much longer now. [Scene: The jungle - Challenger and Veronica are searching the area where Malone, Marguerite and Roxton were first surveying.] Challenger: Well something must have happened; why else would they leave their equipment? Veronica: There’s no sign anyone else was here; not even animal tracks. Challenger: Well now that’s odd, this compass it’s spinning too. [The sky quickly fills with dark clouds and lightning strikes.] Veronica: Run! Run! [Scene: The castle – Ariane is admiring herself in a mirror.] Valois: My beloved where are you. Ariane: Valois. [Valois is in the great hall swinging his sword this way and that drinking from the carafe.] Valois: Ariane! Oh Ariane where is my Comtesse Ariane? My beloved where are you? [D’Argent is at the top of the stairway leading to the great hall. He has a dagger in his hand testing its sharpness.] D’Argent: Ariane is mine you swaggering lout. [He watches Roxton/Valois below desperately crying out for Ariane.] Fear not Valois, your suffering will soon be at an end. Valois: Oh Ariane bestow a single smile upon me and forever sooth my fevered heart. D’Argent: Valois, why would the Comtesse waste her favors on a coward; especially one so….old? [They circle each other like enemies.] Valois: D’Argent…D’Argent did someone turn over a rock and disturb you from your sleep? D’Argent: These peacock trappings cannot disguise your age. Valois: The Comtesse is beyond the grasp of a callow untested youth. D’Argent: Ariane has often delighted in my…grasp. [Valois points a sword at D’Argent’s neck] Valois: In your dreams and her nightmares. Ariane: Am I interrupting. Stand down. This is no time for discord. D’Argent: I am at your command milady. [he bows] Valois: Give your orders. [He falls to one knee and kisses her hand.] and I will follow you anywhere. D’Argent: Even into the mouth of hell itself. [He strokes her cheek.] Ariane: Then prepare yourselves, for this is the night of our salvation. [Scene: The stormy jungle.] Veronica: Challenger listen! Challenger: The wailing stopped. Veronica: Do you think that’s what made the others run off? Challenger: Well let’s hope it is that simple. [The apparitions appear in the sky.] On the other hand those apparitions I find extremely convincing. [Scene: The great hall] Valois: As captain of your guard the first dance is mine. D’Argent: At your command I will settle this on the field of honor; that is if Valois has any. Ariane: There shall be no duel until I say so. Now for the first dance I choose…D’Argent. But for the last dance shall I prefer the vigor of youth or the sure hand of maturity? [Ariane and D’Argent begin to dance around the great hall.] [Scene: The stormy jungle.] Veronica: Keep running! Challenger: No…no as long as we keep going in the right direction those things won’t come any closer. Veronica: That’s ridiculous. Challenger: Even so, I think we’ve arrived at our intended destination. [He points at the castle in the distance.] [Scene: The castle - As Ariane and D’Argent dance around the room the cobwebs and age disappear. The castle is transformed to the grandeur it once was centuries ago. Valois watches them, drinking heavily from the carafe. Ariane and D’Argent stop dancing and passionately kiss. Valois pushes D’Argent from Ariane’s arms.] Valois: You insolent pup. D’Argent: I endure your insults no longer. [He pulls his sword.] Valois: You can count on that sir. Ariane: Valois…D’Argent can a single kiss ignite such passion? [She passionately kisses Valois] Or is it the promise made by the kiss that heats your blood to boiling? [She switches to D’Argent and kisses him.] How shall my heart reward the love of two such formidable suitors? Of course, if there were but one of you to claim his prize. [The two men begin to fight when the door opens. Challenger and Veronica enter.] Veronica: Close it! [Ariane walks between the swords of Valois and D’Argent to approach Challenger and Veronica.] Challenger: You’re safe. Veronica: Not to mention badly dressed. Ariane: Why wouldn’t we be safe? Isn’t that why you risked your lives to pass through the hordes of plague ridden peasants wailing at my castle walls……to be safe……for all time? Challenger: Peasants Marguerite? Ariane: Do not interrupt me again good Prospero. Midnight is almost upon us. And now you have arrived you may cast your final spell and salvation will be ours. [Fade Out] Veronica: Look Marguerite this isn’t the time for playing dress up Ariane: D’Argent! Challenger: What ever your game is this is going too far. Ariane: Captain Valois [D’Argent points his knife to Veronica’s throat.] Veronica: Malone you can’t fight me and win. D’Argent: I don’t need to fight you. I need merely kill you. [Veronica kicks D’Argent and tosses him over her shoulder. Valois takes a few swings at Challenger.] Challenger: Roxton…Marguerite…Malone don’t you recognize us? Ariane: Yes of course, but what’s come over you? [D’Argent grabs Veronica from behind and has a knife at her throat.] Veronica: Challenger - run! [Challenger turns and runs, Valois takes a final swing but stops.] Ariane: Valois wait my alchemist knows the way to his workshop and he has a great deal of work to finish before he can fulfill his promise to me; to all of us. And dear, dear cousin Sophie late as usual and so unfashionable. Come let me help you into something more suitable. [D’Argent drags her away.] Veronica: Malone. [Scene: Challenger is walking the hallways of the castle.] Challenger: Why did Marguerite call him Captain Valois? [Challenger comes across a body covered in cobwebs with a sword protruding out of it.] Challenger: Roxton’s uniform…Malone’s sword. Oh my. [Scene: Veronica is dressed in the same fashion as Ariane. They are admiring themselves in a mirror. ] Sophie: I’m truly honored countess. Ariane: As you should be D’Argent awaits you. Sophie: D’Argent is a child. Ariane: No longer. Sophie: Do you expect me to welcome your castoffs? Ariane: Castoffs? Graduates expertly trained and I would be most distressed if my generosity were declined. Sophie: Then let the festivities begin and may midnight bring an end to all our troubles. [Scene: The hallway – Challenger is trying doors finding them locked.] Challenger: Whoever or whatever you are you’ve led my friends and me this far. Which door did you have in mind? [A door behind Challenger creaks as it slowly opens.] Now let’s see how far this game can go if one of the pawns refuses to… [a gate slams down in front of him as he moved in the opposite direction of the door.] Oh yes very clever but you still can’t force me… [another gate slams down] It appears this is a game that must be played until the end. [Challenger walks through the open door as the gargoyle looks on. The door shuts behind him. He looks around the study. He picks things up as he wanders the room.] Free agents of the five elements: animal humors a waiting crystal...somatic wand. [Scene: The ball room – Valois is leading Sophie out on the floor for a dance.] Sophie: You’re in remarkably good spirits Captain, considering. Valois: Considering what milady. Sophie: That my dear cousin has chosen her new consort and he is not you. [Valois looks over at D’Argent and Ariane sitting at the banquet table laughing.] Your disappointment is misplaced sir. Valois: And why is that? Sophie: Should Ariane expire without husband or child then I am next in line. Valois: You would share her land and wealth with me? Sophie: It would be mine to share and more. Valois: Then before midnight chimes the Comtesse and her base lover will die. Ariane: Don’t they make a lovely couple? D’Argent: Destined to be together in eternity if it be your wish my Comtesse. [Scene: Prospero’s study. Challenger sees Prospero’s bones covered in cobwebs.] Challenger: Did you try to escape too my friend? [A wind turns the page of a book sitting on the desk.] Sorry wrong player if you expect me to translate this. That’s Marguerite specialty not mine. [The torches about the room light themselves. Challenger sees a robe draped over a chair similar to the one the bones of Prospero are wearing. ] So it’s my turn now is it? Roxton is Valois and me as this poor devil. Each of us assigned our roles. [He looks at the book] I can read this. ‘Vox luciferan bios totali by the words of the dark lady shall the stone be quickened by the words of the Mage shall the stone be stilled.’ It’s this robe, my costume for the play. But why, what happened here and who are you? Who are you? [He closes the book and reads the cover. ‘Testament of Prospero, Mage to the Comtesse Ariane in the year of the plague of London 1495.’ [Scene: The great hall – Ariane and Valois are now dancing. Sophie and D’Argent sit at the banquet table.] Sophie: You’re in remarkable good spirits considering. [Sophie feeds D’Argent a grape] D’Argent: Considering? Sophie: That the Comtesse has chosen her new consort and he is not you. [Sophie feeds D’Argent another grape her finger lingers in his mouth. She takes the same finger and puts it to her mouth sucking the tip.] Ariane: Sophie is plotting against you now. Valois: She’s been taught by an expert. Ariane: Do you think I wish to lose you to win that boy D’Argent? Valois: I think you wish to lose nothing and win everything. Ariane: Then tell me my Captain do you see yourself on the winning side? Valois: Always. [Scene: Prospero’s study – Challenger is reading from the book.] Challenger: The Comtesse sealed the castle leaving her peasants outside to die horrendously as the plague spread amongst them. But she was too late the disease had already spread inside driving her nobles mad. Her only hope was you. You Prospero her Mage, at her command, you cast a spell hoping to transport the castle away from the plague. But you cast the wrong spell. Instead you gave life to the castle stones themselves and now they feed on any living souls trapped inside until all die. And it’s time to find new victims. [Scene: The great hall – moaning and screaming is coming from outside the castle.] Sophie: Those peasants are truly beginning to annoy me. If they’re going to die why won’t they just die quickly so that we can have some peace? D’Argent: Their cries will end soon enough. Ariane: I no longer even hear them. Sophie: I suppose I shouldn’t be so selfish, after all, how would we survive without peasants. Ariane: The world is full of them wherever Prospero transports this castle there will be peasants enough. [She raises her glass for a toast.] To clever, clever Prospero and salvation for those who deserve it most. [The others join in the toast.] D’Argent: Salvation Valois: Salvation Sophie: And an end to all our troubles. [Scene: Prospero’s study.] Challenger: I’m sorry my friends, if the answers there then I can’t find it. Words of the Mage yes yes I understand that the words of the Mage will take the life out of the stones, but which words. The testament of Prospero, this book…these are the words of the Mage. By this book can the stones be stilled. All I have to do [he takes off his jacket]. No the costume is how the castle inserts its influence I will not relive that charade. The castle can’t do anything about… [Ariane enters the study] Ariane: It is time to cast your spell Prospero. Deliver us from evil forever and ever just as you did four hundred years ago. [Fade Out] Challenger: And you believe yourself to be the Comtesse Ariane? Ariane: Who else? Challenger: Miss Marguerite Krux. Ariane: A commoner how absurd? Challenger: The real Comtesse is dead. The castle stones are the only things living around here somehow connected to you. Ariane: What a ridiculous conceit. Challenger: Prospero cast his spell hoping to transport the castle away from the plague but he failed. Ariane: It is you who must cast the spell to move the castle tonight at midnight. Challenger: No every time the castle reappears it needs new victims to play its deadly game. [Ariane fondles her locket] That gargoyle just moved. Ariane: What do you expect [her voice takes on a ghostly quality] from living stone. [She takes the robe and hands it to Challenger.] Challenger: I just need a few moments to prepare. [Scene: The great hall – Sophie and Valois are dancing] Sophie: See something you like? Valois: Not yet, but I am willing to conduct a thorough search. [Ariane walks down the steps and she stops as she sees D’Argent waiting at the bottom of the staircase. Ariane’s ring has a tiny blade concealed within, she runs her thumb over it. It retracts back into the ring.] D’Argent: May I request this dance Comtesse? Ariane: Alas, Prospero is on his way and I have promised my last dance to. D’Argent: Lady Sophie will give Valois his last dance. Ariane: Then your last shall be mine, my dear dear D’Argent. [The clock strikes midnight and Challenger appears in the great hall wearing Prospero’s robe and carrying the book.] Ariane: Prospero it is midnight cast your spell. Challenger: As you command Comtesse. Ariane: Take us from this land of death and madness or I shall work some magic of my own. Challenger: That won’t be necessary. [He sheds the robe revealing his own clothes underneath.] Clothes maketh the man. Vox luciferan negatos diabolum. [The book is engulfed in flames. Challenger throws it down the gargoyle growls and no one changes back.] I read the words of the Magi. The magic of the book was supposed to turn the gargoyle back to stone. Ariane: Valois [Valois approaches Challenger with his sword.] Challenger: Roxton [they struggle] for heaven sake man help me. [Challenger tears the jacket of Valois’s uniform.] Roxton: Challenger? Challenger: I have no time to explain. Get the clothes off all of them now. D’Argent: Roxton? Valois’s a spy. [D’Argent steps forward to attack Roxton. Challenger pulls off D’Argent’s cape. Sophie pulls out a knife concealed in her garter.] Malone: Challenger? [Sophie lunges at Challenger, Roxton pulls off her skirt and Challenger pulls off her bodice.] Ariane: Kill them all. [The gargoyles fly across the room attacking the others.] Veronica: Challenger? Roxton: What the hell is that? [Ariane lunges for Challenger he rips her gown off.] Roxton: I’d give my right arm for a rifle. [He runs the sword through the gargoyle flying at him.] Challenger: They’re not flesh and blood. Malone: Then how do we stop them? Challenger: I thought the book was the key - the words of the Magi. [The gargoyles continue to attack.] Roxton: Oh my God, everyone down! [Everyone hits the ground but Ariane. Veronica stands up and looks into Ariane’s eyes.] Veronica: Something’s wrong with Marguerite. Challenger: It’s the locket. [Challenger rips the locket from Ariane’s neck.] Marguerite: Owwww it’s freezing I’m… [Marguerite slaps Roxton across the face.] Challenger: Prospero’s book had no magic on its own the power was in the locket. [Challenger opens the locket and holds it above his head.] Vox luciferum negatos diabolum. [They all suddenly transport outside in the jungle. It’s clear skies again.] What a relief. [Challenger covers his eyes] Marguerite you got no clothes. [Marguerite realizes she’s naked and runs behind a bush] Marguerite: What have you done? [Veronica, Malone and Roxton realize they are also naked and take cover. Challenger uncovers his eyes] Challenger: Are you still there? Malone: We’re here. Veronica: But our clothes aren’t Challenger: I’ll get your clothes. It’s good to see you back though. Marguerite: Just make sure that’s all you do see. [Epilogue] [Scene: The jungle – Challenger throws Roxton his vest.] Challenger: I believe that’s everything. Roxton: Thank you. Challenger: I found them in scattered piles just a few hundred feet away. Malone: Like we never left this spot. Marguerite: Well we are leaving right now. I’ve had enough of Ariane and well whoever the rest of you were supposed to be. Veronica: Do you think the castle’s really gone or has it just gone somewhere else? Challenger: Well we stopped it from feeding whether we’ve stopped it for good only Prospero knows. [Roxton looks at Marguerite.] Marguerite: What? Roxton: Oh, I was just remembering that delightful little mole you have right by your… Marguerite: Stop there right now. Roxton: As you command my Comtesse. Marguerite: Command, you want a command? [She whispers something in his ear and curtsies away.] Roxton: I don’t know if that’s physically possible, certainly not ladylike. [End of episode]