Act II – The Plot Thickens

(Shandra awakens in the ruinous depths of an old underground fort; cobwebs hang from the stone walls and a thick layer of grime coats the floor; specks of dust dance in the shaft of feeble light piercing through a high, small window. Shandra struggles to her feet; but as she does so, she feels a set of heavy chains weighing down her arms and legs – she is effectively trapped.)

(A low, ominous laughter echoes through the ruins. Distressed, Shandra looks around the dark dungeon, but there is no one there to see. Suddenly, she turns, and sees a hideous Githyanki – Zeeaire – standing right behind her; she leaps backwards as far as her binds would allow, but Zeeaire advances for every step of her retreat.)

(She grimaces and looks away as the Githyanki leans in close to her face; amused, she runs a claw-like finger down her jaw line.)

(Song: What You Feel)

Zeeaire: Why'd you turn away?
Do you find me… vile?

(She lets the deep, malicious laughter roll forth again.)

Zeeaire: Easy with the dismay;
I thought you could stay for a while.

I've come all the way from the Astral Plane
Do not let my trip have been in vain.
So what do you say –
Let's make it worthwhile.

(Surrounded by her minions, Zeeaire glides around the dungeon, enjoying her introduction every step of the way.)

Zeeaire: I'm the king and queen
Of the great beyond.
You may think me mean;
Of such comments I'm quite fond.

I'm the foulest of the Githyanki,
Although we're all stooped, green and lanky.
And now that we're here,
I can smell your disgust.

'Cause I know what you fear, girl.
I know just what you fear, girl…

Shandra: (Nervously) So, uh, why exactly did you come all this way, then? And what do you need me for? 'Cause if you're just here to give us a scare, then… you've done a… very good… Can I go?…

(Zeeaire shakes her head.)

Zeeaire: All these years, it's been too long.
Now the time has come, the need is strong.
We've come for something your ancestor's stolen,
Give it back and you might die less slowly.
That's the penalty for taking what is ours.

Down in this world a threat has unfurled;
Into ours it could creep.
So we need our blade and if we're betrayed
The price will be quite steep.

Oh, I know what you fear, girl…

Shandra: No, you see, I can't be
The one you've come in search of.

Zeeaire: Don't play with me, girl…

Shandra: Honestly, I can't see
What's this blade thing you speak of.

Zeeaire: I can bring whole cities to ruin
A lie to me could be your own undoing.

Shandra: I'm a farmgirl, for gods' sake,
This must be an error.

Zeeaire: Ammon Jerro's granddaughter's lying;
If she doesn't come round, she'll soon be dying.

Shandra: Release me or you'll be;
See, my friend's the Shard-Bearer!

(Zeeaire stops cold.)

Zeeaire: (Intrigued) The Shard-Bearer?

Shandra: Uh, yeah.

(Zeeaire whips round to her minions.)

Zeeaire: Find her. Tell her… tell her everything. Just get her here.

(She turns to Shandra with an unpleasant leer.)

Zeeaire: (cont'd) I want to bring the Shard-Bearer down.

- - - - -

(In the dungeons of Crossroad Keep, Bishop revels in a dark moment of solitude – all too soon interrupted by the sound of approaching footsteps. Greatly annoyed, he looks up, to see it's the Knight-Captain come to pay him a visit.)

Bishop: I thought Your Knightship had urgent business with the big leaders and their war games.

Knight-Captain: (Ignoring the jab) I did; but we're done planning for today.

Bishop: And Her Greatness thought to spend the rest of Her afternoon skulking around Her Mightiness's Royal Dungeons?

Knight-Captain: It would be nice if you'd hold your tongue; I'm not enjoying this title half as much as you seem to be. I didn't choose to be the Knight-Captain of Crossroad Keep, you know.

Bishop: Whatever you say, milady. That still doesn't explain what you're doing here.

Knight-Captain: Actually, I came looking for you.

Bishop: Oh? And is there anything your humble tracker can do for you? Or are you merely keeping track of your minions?

Knight-Captain: Nobody seems to know where Shandra is; I was wondering if you'd seen her.

Bishop: Is that all? (Slightly bitter) Haven't seen the farmgirl, don't know a thing, wouldn't care if you paid me. Door's over there.

Knight-Captain: What's wrong?

Bishop: Nothing at all. Glad you could stop by.

Knight-Captain: Bishop.

Bishop: It's nothing.

(The Knight-Captain stares him down.)

(Bishop looks away, resentful.)

(Song: Rest in Peace)

Bishop: I should have died
So many years ago;
Wanted to be unchained,
Just wanted to go.
I couldn't stand what I'd become,
Couldn't stand what lay below.

(He looks up to the Knight-Captain, an air of determination about him now.)

Bishop: You're scared,
Ashamed of what you feel,
And you can't tell the others 'cause
You know they couldn't deal.
What you can't stand I understand,
And all that you conceal
I see.

(He rises and approaches the Knight-Captain, who finds herself unable to retreat.)

Bishop: I asked you, come away;
You don't have to obey them, but
You said you'd rather stay.
You believe in their ideals
More than in what we feel,
So let me find release.

Let me find release,
Free me from your chains;
I can hide my feelings, bury them,
But my pain for you remains.
As long as I'm so close to you
In my life there's no peace
So let me find release.

You know
I'm your willing slave,
But you know that freedom is
All I really crave.
And if you can't run away with me,
Can't I at least be free?
Let me find release.

(So close, the Knight-Captain stands rooted to the spot; but Bishop turns away, pained.)

Bishop: I know I should go,
But I follow you like a man possessed.
There's a traitor here beneath my breast
And I hate the fact it's what I do best.
So there you are, now, I've confessed:
I'm the enemy you should detest,
So leave me be and

Let me find release
From this slavery.
I can't stand to see your righteousness
Nor your feigned bravery.
I can't love you if we're both bound,
You can't love me if we're free,
So let me find release.
Why won't you
Let me find release?

(The Knight-Captain looks into his eyes, fear and disbelief frozen on her face. Suddenly she turns and breaks off at a run, leaving Bishop bitter and forlorn in the dark dungeon.)

- - - - -

(The Knight-Captain's quarters; she stands on the balcony, looking at the setting sun on the horizon. As she turns back inside, all of her companions, save Bishop, are present, and joined in a heated discussion.)

Casavir: …he assured me he had nothing to do with Shandra's disappearance – and in such rude and uncouth manner! As if I had offended him with the foulest insult – as if I was not right to suspect him!

Khelgar: He's a shifty one, I tell you; wouldn't put it past him to do her harm.

Knight-Captain: Whatever his faults, I'm confident Bishop had nothing to do with Shandra's disappearance.

Casavir: You may be right; but I refuse to give him the benefit of the doubt!

Elanee: I, for one, am of the opinion that we shouldn't rush with conclusions and accusations. Who's to say Shandra's absence isn't merely the result of a personal mistake? –

Casavir: Are you accusing Shandra of being unwise enough to –

Grobnar: I'm afraid you're jumping to conclusions again, Sir Casavir. See, what Lady Elanee was pointing out was merely – why, this reminds me of the story of the Red Wizard and his wandering pet imp – and when he asked the innkeeper –

Sand: Be quiet, Grobnar; no one asked you to bore us with yet another tedious, long-winded, and utterly pointless tale of –

Qara: And I don't remember anybody asking you to shut him up, Sand.

Sand: Oh, so you'd rather listen to the gnome's meaningless babbling?

Qara: If it means doing the exact opposite of what you'd prefer, then yes, Sand, I would.

Khelgar: Hold yer griffins, shouldn't we be figuring out what's happened to Shandra?

Neeshka: (Desperately cuts in) I know, I know! Listen to this –

(Song: I've Got a Theory / Bunnies / If We're Together)

Neeshka: I've got a notion:
Maybe a potion?
Invisibility –
No, that's not very likely.

Elanee: I've got a notion:
In the commotion
She's gotten lost
And now she can't find her way back here.

Casavir: I've got a notion that it's much more grave.
I'm worried she must have been taken by some wicked knave!

Qara: No doubt about it,
Was there and saw it.
She was taken by
Some creatures
Lean and green and mean,
Unclean and keen
To convene,
To stay unseen
And take her to her queen.

Grobnar: It might have been
The Wendersnaven!

(Crickets chirp)

Neeshka: It might've –

Grobnar: Wendersnaven do exist although you may not see them!
Tall as a thousand Khelgars, though you may not reach them!
They see all, hear all, know all,
Have powers you may never have dreamed at all!
Oh, happy day!
It must be the Wendersnaven!

(Thinks for a moment)
But why Shandra?

Sand: I've got a notion
This devotion's grown too strong.
Casavir: We'll never find her
If we stand around guessing too long!

Knight-Captain: I've got a notion;
We seem misguided.

We'll find her if we stand united;
No point in bickering divided.
In our allegiance our strength lies;
To any challenge together we rise.

Is there a foe we've not defeated?
Is there a duty uncompleted?
So many roads together tread;
So many more still lie ahead.

All: Though Shandra's lost to us, we'll save her.

Casavir: Oh, she's lost…

All: Together we will never waver.

Casavir: …but we'll save her.

Grobnar: I just wish we could find
The Wendersnaven.

(The song is interrupted by a Githyanki bursting through the door, shoved forward by a contemptuously self-satisfied Bishop.)

Bishop: You'll never guess what I found.

(As one, the group turns around and jumps in alarm at the sight of the Githyanki. He glares at them with an air of indifference.)

Casavir: (Steps forward decisively) Is this the creature responsible for Shandra's disappearance?

Bishop: A servant. Claims he's got an interesting story for the Captain –

Neeshka: Knight-Captain.

Bishop: (Shoves the Githyanki again) Come on, then.

(The Knight-Captain steps forward to face the Githyanki, who gives her another deeply unfriendly glare before speaking up.)

Githyanki: Our Queen has the Shard-Bearer's friend captive in her lair, and warns that the Jerro heiress shall suffer a most gruesome and painful death lest the Queen's demands are met.

Casavir: What does she want?

Githyanki: (Points at the Knight-Captain) The Shard-Bearer, and all the shards of the broken blade that she has stolen to be brought forth. The Queen insists she is to come alone. There's also a punishment to be born, but that's nothing to be surprised about.

(And with a final glare at the Knight-Captain, the Githyanki bolts out the door.)

Bishop: Well, at least now we know where the farmgirl's got herself to.

Casavir: We've no time to waste; we must make haste and find her before it is too late!

Khelgar: Time to smash some more gith skulls!

Knight-Captain: No.

(The group turns to her in surprise.)

Knight-Captain: (cont'd) You heard what the Githyanki said. I am going alone.

Khelgar: Don't be daft! We can't let our Captain –

Grobnar: Knight-Captain!

Khelgar: – go out on her own!

Bishop: (To the Knight-Captain) Don't be a fool. How do you expect to face the gith queen and her guard alone?

Casavir: She must; otherwise Shandra will surely come to harm.

Sand: He's right; the warriors of the Astral Plane are not to be taken lightly when making such serious threats.

Bishop: Forget them. I've got your back.

Knight-Captain: I thought all you wanted was to be released?

(Bishop casts her a look of purest loathing.)

Bishop: Fine. I hope you enjoy dying for a lost cause. You and your sense of righteousness.

(He leaves without another glance.)

Neeshka: Are you sure about this?

Knight-Captain: I am. This is not your burden to bear. I can't stand to put any of you in danger.

Casavir: You feel confident you can do this on your own?

Knight-Captain: I must do my best.

Casavir: (Nods) Then we will honour your choice.

(The Knight-Captain turns to leave; but casts one last look around the room.)

Knight-Captain: It is my duty to bring Shandra back; and I shall see it through.

(The Knight-Captain exits in silence. As one, the group turn to look towards the window. The sun has set, and the darkness of night falls slowly over the horizon.)