SCENE 2- Venus Bullet
Setting: A street on Venus, with the same coloring that appears in the episode Waltz For Venus. A new set-piece is revealed as the dark window-panel that backed the last scene is brought up into the ceiling- a bridge over the stage, with staircases leading down either side. There are also entrances to the bridge that extend into the offstage areas, so that characters can come on and off. This area is painted to represent the BEBOP, a spaceship. Yellow lights come up. The backdrop behind the bridge is grayish buildings, a street. There is a doorway partway between the buildings, and behind it a continuation of the same scene.)
(Out of an exit in the back center of the backdrop runs SHADOW, as if being chased. She runs to the front, and as she reaches the midpoint, TALENA enters the same entrance she came from. SPIKE enters the bridge entrance left, and FAYE enters the bridge entrance right. FAYE goes down the steps and prepares to run at SHADOW. TALENA fires a race official gun, one that looks like a real gun, and SHADOW ducks to the side, knocking FAYE and herself to the ground. Before she can get up, TALENA is handcuffing one of her wrists, and SPIKE is handcuffing the other.)
SHADOW
Hey, what do you think you're doing?!?
Its not like I killed anyone or anything!
(SHADOW is yanked to her feet, and FAYE gets up and dusts herself off. TALENA and SPIKE help SHADOW to the center of the stage, where SPIKE stands to her left and TALENA to her right.
SHADOW (to FAYE)
Sorry 'bout that, baby, but think of it this way, you couldn't enjoy me if she'd shot me.
TALENA (to SPIKE)
She's been running from me for two days, now…
SPIKE
Her arrest warrant didn't list her crime, or even her name, come to think of it. Just her location and picture, and the cash reward.
TALENA
Her name's Shadow. She's a syndicate member, Red Dragons.
SHADOW
Its been a long time, Spike… Missed me?
(FAYE takes TALENA aside, so that TALENA still holds a handcuff and SHADOW'S arm, but is away from SPIKE and SHADOW, while SPIKE stares rather in shock at SHADOW)
TALENA
If you want to discuss who gets the money…
FAYE
She's ours. You've been chasing her, but she's ours now.
TALENA
The man, your comrade?, and I took her at the same time. Even split?
FAYE
All or nothing.
TALENA
A trade?
FAYE
For what?
SPIKE (to SHADOW)
Shadow? Yes, it has been a long time.
TALENA
My last ship got trashed. I need a place to stay for a while.
FAYE
In exchange for what we'd get for her? Sounds fair, that is, if you'll work.
TALENA
Deal.
SPIKE
Faye, we can't turn her in…
FAYE
Why not?
SPIKE
This girl is like a sister to me.
FAYE
What?!?
SPIKE
Look, nevermind. We just can't. (To TALENA) Miss…
TALENA
Talena.
SPIKE
I'm sorry that we've cheated you out of your fair pay, and I'm willing to let you have your half of the deal you made with Faye, over there, who tends to be a bit rash.
FAYE
I heard that…
SPIKE
You were supposed to. Faye, go and show Talena around the ship.
(FAYE and TALENA exit off the left bridge exit)
(SPIKE and SHADOW stare at each other, then embrace. SPIKE takes SHADOW'S sunglasses off, then hugs her again.
SHADOW
Why'd you leave, Spike? Vicious… hasn't been the same since.
SPIKE
Vicious… You know, Shadow, I haven't been the same since I left, either.
SHADOW
You can come back, you know. Vicious… would really love to see you again.
SPIKE
Come back?… They'd kill me if I tried. Not that missing Vicious hadn't killed me.
SHADOW
A lot's changed. Vicious is the head now, just elected this month.
SPIKE
Vicious is the head, you've got a bounty on your head. How's Nira?
SHADOW
The same, militant and cold, just like her brother. We've been working together as of late, his top "men".
SPIKE
You and she…
SHADOW
Not yet. I don't think she… oh well.
SPIKE
You'd be surprised. Well, maybe I will go back. Yeah.
(SPIKE starts to walk offstage, and notices he's still handcuffed to SHADOW. He takes her by that hand, and drags her the same way FAYE left)
Setting: A street on Venus, with the same coloring that appears in the episode Waltz For Venus. A new set-piece is revealed as the dark window-panel that backed the last scene is brought up into the ceiling- a bridge over the stage, with staircases leading down either side. There are also entrances to the bridge that extend into the offstage areas, so that characters can come on and off. This area is painted to represent the BEBOP, a spaceship. Yellow lights come up. The backdrop behind the bridge is grayish buildings, a street. There is a doorway partway between the buildings, and behind it a continuation of the same scene.)
(Out of an exit in the back center of the backdrop runs SHADOW, as if being chased. She runs to the front, and as she reaches the midpoint, TALENA enters the same entrance she came from. SPIKE enters the bridge entrance left, and FAYE enters the bridge entrance right. FAYE goes down the steps and prepares to run at SHADOW. TALENA fires a race official gun, one that looks like a real gun, and SHADOW ducks to the side, knocking FAYE and herself to the ground. Before she can get up, TALENA is handcuffing one of her wrists, and SPIKE is handcuffing the other.)
SHADOW
Hey, what do you think you're doing?!?
Its not like I killed anyone or anything!
(SHADOW is yanked to her feet, and FAYE gets up and dusts herself off. TALENA and SPIKE help SHADOW to the center of the stage, where SPIKE stands to her left and TALENA to her right.
SHADOW (to FAYE)
Sorry 'bout that, baby, but think of it this way, you couldn't enjoy me if she'd shot me.
TALENA (to SPIKE)
She's been running from me for two days, now…
SPIKE
Her arrest warrant didn't list her crime, or even her name, come to think of it. Just her location and picture, and the cash reward.
TALENA
Her name's Shadow. She's a syndicate member, Red Dragons.
SHADOW
Its been a long time, Spike… Missed me?
(FAYE takes TALENA aside, so that TALENA still holds a handcuff and SHADOW'S arm, but is away from SPIKE and SHADOW, while SPIKE stares rather in shock at SHADOW)
TALENA
If you want to discuss who gets the money…
FAYE
She's ours. You've been chasing her, but she's ours now.
TALENA
The man, your comrade?, and I took her at the same time. Even split?
FAYE
All or nothing.
TALENA
A trade?
FAYE
For what?
SPIKE (to SHADOW)
Shadow? Yes, it has been a long time.
TALENA
My last ship got trashed. I need a place to stay for a while.
FAYE
In exchange for what we'd get for her? Sounds fair, that is, if you'll work.
TALENA
Deal.
SPIKE
Faye, we can't turn her in…
FAYE
Why not?
SPIKE
This girl is like a sister to me.
FAYE
What?!?
SPIKE
Look, nevermind. We just can't. (To TALENA) Miss…
TALENA
Talena.
SPIKE
I'm sorry that we've cheated you out of your fair pay, and I'm willing to let you have your half of the deal you made with Faye, over there, who tends to be a bit rash.
FAYE
I heard that…
SPIKE
You were supposed to. Faye, go and show Talena around the ship.
(FAYE and TALENA exit off the left bridge exit)
(SPIKE and SHADOW stare at each other, then embrace. SPIKE takes SHADOW'S sunglasses off, then hugs her again.
SHADOW
Why'd you leave, Spike? Vicious… hasn't been the same since.
SPIKE
Vicious… You know, Shadow, I haven't been the same since I left, either.
SHADOW
You can come back, you know. Vicious… would really love to see you again.
SPIKE
Come back?… They'd kill me if I tried. Not that missing Vicious hadn't killed me.
SHADOW
A lot's changed. Vicious is the head now, just elected this month.
SPIKE
Vicious is the head, you've got a bounty on your head. How's Nira?
SHADOW
The same, militant and cold, just like her brother. We've been working together as of late, his top "men".
SPIKE
You and she…
SHADOW
Not yet. I don't think she… oh well.
SPIKE
You'd be surprised. Well, maybe I will go back. Yeah.
(SPIKE starts to walk offstage, and notices he's still handcuffed to SHADOW. He takes her by that hand, and drags her the same way FAYE left)