ACT TWO

FADE IN:

3 INT. TEMPLE/ALTAR - DAY (CONTINUOUS)

The Thessalian guards are ready to attack. Hippocrates and Democritus can't get past the guards to help Xena. But Marmax has moved closer, very slowly. Gabrielle sees him.

GABRIELLE

(to Marmax)
Help me. He's dying.

The two guards move toward Xena. Never letting go of the jugular, Xena slams her foot down on the giant spoon in the cauldron. Boiling rags fly out and land on the guards faces. As they screech in agony, Xena donkeykicks them in the head. Marmax grabs the reed and allows Gabrielle to work on the bleeding Mitoan. She tries to apply pressure, but it's not working.

GABRIELLE
I can't stop the blood.

Xena immediately begins working on the Mitoan with Gabrielle, as Marmax continues to pump the Thessalian's lung.

XENA
(to Galen)
If you want me out of here, you'll have to do better than that. Or do you like watching people die?

GALEN
Of course not.

Galen hold up the medallion from around his neck.

GALEN
I've devoted my life to Asclepius, to stop human suffering. But you've stormed in here with your appalling lack of respect for the gods.

XENA
You don't heal. You wait for some god to help
when he feels like it.

GABRIELLE
Xena! He's stopped breathing!

XENA
These people need us. All of us.

GALEN
Hippocrates! Democritus! Get away from that woman!

But the two priests don't move.

XENA
(to Galen)
Just keep out of my way.

Xena ignores him and turns to attend to the Mitoan. But he's grey from loss of blood.

XENA
Come on. Hang in there.

She tries new compresses. With a shudder, the Mitoan dies. Gabrielle is emotionally drained. She slumps down next to the dead man. Marmax continues pumping the Thessalian's lung. After a moment, Xena, now furious, turns to the Thessalian and sews up his lung puncture.

GABRIELLE
Why? We'worked so hard. Why?

GALEN
I told you. Only Asclepius can choose who lives and dies. Now you see his power.

XENA
He lost too much blood. It's as simple
as that.

GALEN
But you can't heal that, can you?

XENA
No. I can't.

CUT TO:

14 INT. TEMPLE/RECOVERY AREA - DAY

Xena finishes up and gathers the stunned Gabrielle under her arm. They walk to the side.

GABRIELLE
I'm sorry. I wanted so much to help
and I feel ...

XENA
It wasn't your fault. Death is a part
of this work. You need to get used to

GABRIELLE
(pulls herself together)

I will. I'll do anything you need me
to do.

XENA
I want you to help Democritus.

Gabrielle nods and moves towards Democritus. Xena turns to see Marmax staring at her.

MARMAX
She's a lovely young woman.

XENA
Yes, she is.

MARMAX
She shouldn't be here. Why would you
bring her into a war zone?

XENA
Since when are you so concerned about
people's welfare.

MARMAX
That's what I'm fighting for. The
welfare of young people just like her.

XENA
What about the Thessalians, young
people?

MARMAX
You don't understand. The Thessalians tried to take away our right to worship our gods. They tortured our people to submit to their religion.

XENA
And total annihilation of Thessaly is
the only alternative?

MARMAX
We're securing our freedom from the
butchers.

XENA
You're beyond securing your freedom. You crossed that line when this became a bloodbath. We passed a Thessalian village on the way here.

MARMAX
That village was a supply base for their army. It was necessary to neutralize it.

XENA
Neutralize it? There wasn't a living
thing in sight. Neither man, woman nor
child.
(beat)
Who's the butcher now, Marmax?

Xena moves away, leaving Marmax to contemplate this.

15 TRIAGE

Gabrielle is applying salve to the face of a YOUNG MAN who has burns around his face and hands. As she works she hums a sweet, soothing tune. The Young Man's eyes are growing heavy. Democritus is helping a patient not far away. As he works he watches Gabrielle with admiring eyes. Finally, the Young Man, lulled into a dreamy state by the gentle sound of Gabrielle's humming, drifts off into the healing oblivion of deep sleep. Gabrielle finishes applying the salve, moves quietly away to the next patient and starts attending to his bandages. She's right next to Democritus now.

DEMOCRITUS
That was wonderful.

GABRIELLE
What?

DEMOCRITUS
The way you relieved that boy's pain.

GABRIELLE
It was the salve.

DEMOCRITUS
No, it was your voice and smile. It gave him a sense of peace. You have a remarkable gift for healing.

GABRIELLE
No, that's Xena's specialty.

DEMOCRITUS
When a man's in pain, his soul is in
need of healing just as much as his body. That's what'you
did. It was a beautiful thing to watch.

GABRIELLE
(with a modest blush)
Thank you.

She continues to work on the bandages as Democritus continues to admire her.

16 ALTAR

Xena looks over Galen's shoulder. He is sprinkling an herb over a Thessalian soldier, with a gangrenous leg. GANGRENE MAN moans and mumbles fitfully in delirium.

GALEN
0 Mighty Asclepius ...

XENA
He'll die unless we amputate that leg.

GANGRENE MAN
What! Lose my leg? I don't want to
lose my leg.

GALEN
Can't I work in peace?

Hippocrates comes over.

HIPPOCRATES

You can't cut off a man's leg. That's
cruel.

XENA
I've seen it before. That color is disease. If you leave the leg, men die. If you cut it off, they live.
(to Gangrene Man)

What do you want? It's really up to
you.

Gangrene man stares at his leg for a moment and then nods.

GANGRENE MAN
Do it.

Galen is surprised at Gangrene Man's reaction. Hippocrates and Galen are frozen with indecision.

XENA
(to Marmax)
You! Here!

MARMAX
But that's a Thessalian!

XENA
Unless you'd like a matching wound in
the other shoulder, I'd get over here.

Marmax looks at his wound, then at Xena and realizes she could have wounded him in the first place. He reluctantly approaches. Xena gives Gangrene Man a series of pinches.

GANGRENE MAN
I can't feel anything! My body is numb.

XENA
(soothingly)
I know. You'll be fine.
(to Marmax; indicating)
Hold him down here. He'll be more in shock than in pain.
And someone bring me a torch and a metal shield.

Marmax's face is inches from Gangrene Man's. Democritus comes over with Xena's requests. She places her sword and metal shield in the flame of the torch. The priests look green around the gills. She lifts her sword above her head and chops down. Gangrene Man SCREAMS. Marmax holds him down, but is overwhelmed by the man's distress. He can't avoid the man's tortured face. We hear the sound of the burning flesh as the shield hits the wound and see the reactions in the faces of the priests - a mix of horror, disgust and fascination. Gangrene Man passes out. Marmax sees relief there for the first time. Shaken, Marmax looks up at Xena. They exchange knowing looks. These are two warriors face-to-face with the horrors of battle.

Off Marmax's thoughtful face, we go to:

17 MITOAN AREA

Gabrielle is with the Mitoans. As she binds a chest wound of one man, another next to her, HEAD WOUND MAN, grabs at Gabrielle's arm.

HEAD WOUND MAN
Miss. Please. Miss. Someone has to
go out there and get Pereus.

GABRIELLE
Who's Pereus?

Gabrielle finishes the chest bandage. Democritus comes over to them from triage.

HEAD WOUND MAN
He's my friend. Please. He wasn't brought in. But I know he's still out there. Someone's got to go get him.

GABRIELLE
Where is he?

HEAD WOUND MAN
He fell by the stand of trees near the
river. He was alive when they took me
away.

GABRIELLE
I'll find him.

HEAD WOUND MAN
Thank you.

DEMOCRITUS
You can't go out there.

GABRIELLE
His friend is out there wounded.

DEMOCRITUS
Promise me you'll be careful?

Gabrielle takes his hand.

GABRIELLE
Of course I will.

Gabrielle leaves the temple.

18 INT. TEMPLE/ALTAR - DUSK

Ephiny cries out in pain. Everyone else is busy. Marmax hurries over.

MARMAX
What's wrong?

EPHINY
The baby. I think it's coming.

MARMAX
What should I do?

Ephiny grabs his hand as he sits with her. He's awkward around her.

MARMAX
You said earlier you were a warrior. An Amazon?

EPHINY
Yes.

MARMAX
And what are you doing in Thessaly?

EPHINY
We were on our way to Athens. My husband, Phantes,
and I wanted the baby to be born there.

MARMAX
Why Athens?

EPHINY
(in pain; not clear-headed)
They're more tolerant.

MARMAX
Tolerant? About what?

Ephiny realizes she's said to much and darts him a concerned look.

EPHINY
Nothing. Never mind.

Ephiny has a labor pain and squeezes Marmax's hand tighter.

MARMAX
Why isn't your husband here?

EPHINY
He was killed.

MARMAX
By who?

EPHINY
A Mitoan war party.

MARMAX
That's unfortunate. I'm sorry. They must have thought he was fighting for the Thessalians. Sometimes my soldiers are too zealous in their desire for freedom. You don't know what evil tyrants the Thessalians are. My family was thrown to a pack of starving wolves for not bowing to their gods. The monsters have to be destroyed.

EPHINY
My husband was ripped apart by Mitoan hunting dogs while your soldiers watched and laughed.

Marmax is deeply disturbed by the similarity.

MARMAX
That can't be.

EPHINY
Phantes was once my sworn enemy. But I learned forgiveness. And from that I learned love. I just hope our child lives in a world that's free from your blind hatred.

MARMAX

You despise me for this.

EPHINY
I don't despise you. But you have to think about the children. Is bloodshed all you want them to know?

Ephiny cries out in pain again. Marmax is moved.

CUT TO:

19 INT. TEMPLE - NIGHT

The temple is now lit by torches. There's a lull in the
patient load. Marmax still sits with Ephiny. Democritus
moves among the Mitoans.

20 RECOVERY AREA

Xena and Hippocrates walk among the patients, checking on
their status.

DEMOCRITUS
(O.S.)
Help!

Xena looks to see Democritus at the door of the temple. Four guards bear two stretchers. One contains a Mitoan soldier, unconscious and still holding a bloody knife. The other contains a bleeding Gabrielle.

CLOSE-UP OF XENA'S HORROR-STRICKEN FACE.

FADE OUT.

END OF ACT TWO

Xenaphile | ITAD Act 1 | ITAD Act 2 | ITAD Act 3 | ITAD Act 4