ACT TWO

FADE IN

Night. A campsite illuminated by the bright moonlight. The fire has almost gone out. Gabrielle and Cassiopeia are sound asleep. Xena is sitting nearby, gazing pensively at her sword, and then at the sleeping Cassiopeia. Then, she walks over to Gabrielle and shakes her by the shoulder.

GABRIELLE (sleepily):
     What? Xena--

XENA (presses a finger to her lips):
     Shhhh. We need to talk. I think we may have a problem on our hands.

CUT TO

Ancktari. Lurking in the shrubbery by the campsite watching Xena and Gabrielle and trying to listen to their conversation.

CUT TO

Xena and Gabrielle, who speak in a half-whisper.

GABRIELLE (looks shocked):
     And you believe this?

XENA:
     I don't know what to believe, Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE:
     You're not going to kill Cassiopeia, are you? Just because Ares and some Egyptian with tattoos and nose rings told you she's evil?

XENA (raising her voice slightly):
     If Ancktari was right, we only have until sunrise.

In a leap, Ancktari is at their side.

ANCKTARI (hisses):
     So it has happened! The vessel has killed!

XENA (rolls her eyes and sighs):
     Why am I not surprised that you're still here? Gabrielle, meet Ancktari, warrior of Isis. Ancktari--Gabrielle.

GABRIELLE (in an angry whisper):
     She killed a thug who was about to kill me! If she hadn't, I might have been dead now!

ANCKTARI:
     This is no time to be sentimental.

GABRIELLE (shocked):
     Sentimental! I wouldn't say that having doubts about murdering an innocent girl is sentimental.

Cassiopeia awakes and sits up.

CASSIOPEIA:
     Is everything all right? (she sees Ancktari and leaps to her feet screaming) Xena! Help me! Please don't let her kill me! (Xena slowly begins to back off) Xena? What's going on? Please tell me... Xena!

GABRIELE:
     Xena, you're not going to let this happen!

Ancktari bares her sword and starts walking toward Cassiopeia, but Gabrielle tackles her and, taking her by surprise, throws her down. Cassiopeia crouches on the ground, hiding her face. Suddenly, she shudders, and for a moment her body is enveloped in a strange, faint glow. Xena flinches and her hand goes toward her chakram. Cassiopeia slowly gets up. There is something subtly different about her face.

Ancktari manages to throw off Gabrielle and gets to her feet. Cassiopeia's eyes narrow.

CASSIOPEIA:
     Ancktari. Long time no see.

ANCKTARI:
     Can't say I've missed you much.

CASSIOPEIA:
     Come now, that is a bit harsh. Just because I dumped you into the fire last time we crossed paths doesn't mean we can't greet each other like friends!

GABRIELLE:
     What! Cassiopeia! You did no such thing!

Cassiopeia laughs and shoots a bolt of energy at Gabrielle; Xena's chakram intercepts it before it hits her. Gabrielle is still thrown back by the force and lands on the ground unconscious.

CASSIOPEIA:
     Now, Ancktari...do you have any idea how much I have looked forward to killing you all over again?

ANCKTARI:
     I can imagine.

CASSIOPEIA (grins):
     Oh that's right, you wanna kill me too, don't ya? Wow, I feel special. What about you, Xena? Are you gonna grab a number and join the line?

XENA:
     No. I'll just kill you.

Xena and Ancktari charge at Cassiopeia, who takes them on, using fighting moves as well as occasional bolts of energy. Soon, Ancktari is knocked out and Xena is losing badly. Finally, Cassiopeia gets in a good blow in that knocks Xena to the ground. She picks up Ancktari's sword and prepares to stab Xena with it. A bolt of blue fire hits Cassiopeia in the back, and she screams, arching her body. Ares stands behind her. Cassiopeia mutters a quick spell and vanishes. Ares kneels down beside Xena.

ARES:
     Are you okay?

XENA:
     Yeah. I've been better though. (she gets up with his assistance, and shakes herself off) You were right. Cassiopeia is evil, and very powerful. How did you know about her?

ARES (slightly embarrassed):
     She was someone I tried to recruit as a warrior...back when I thought you were dead. But then I found out she was beholden to the Egyptian god Set, so I figured it was best not to mess with her. Set is one nasty customer. I still kept an eye on her, though.

XENA:
     Nice.

ARES:
     Hey, it could have been worse. I could have actually recruited the crazy bitch.

XENA:
     Yeah, maybe you two deserve each other.

Ares smirks and looks at Ancktari.

ARES:
     That's one hell of a fighter. What's her name?

XENA:
     Ancktari, and she is going to be dead the moment she kills Cassiopeia. She is already on her second lifetime. Six years ago, Cassiopeia burned her alive.

ARES:
     Ouch. I guess she's one angry woman.

XENA:
     I wouldn't call her angry. She wants revenge.

ARES (looks at Xena, smirks):
     Don't we all?

XENA:
     Her only mission in life is to destroy Cassiopeia.

ARES:
     Talk about having a one-track mind.

Gabrielle gets up and looks around. She sees Ancktari unconscious on the ground and Xena talking to Ares. She is confused.

GABRIELLE:
     What happened? Where is Cassiopeia?

Xena and Ares turn to Gabrielle.

XENA:
     Ares and Ancktari were right, Gabrielle. Cassiopeia is evil, and now she has her powers back.

ANCKTARI (recovers consciousness and sits up, a ferocious look on her face):
     Where is the vessel?

ARES:
     Just like I said, a one-track mind.

XENA:
     Look, all I know is that we have an insane sorceress running around somewhere, and she's not happy with us at the moment.

ARES:
     So why don't you go after her?

XENA:
     Where would we look?

ANCKTARI:
     Egypt. She will go back to Egypt to join Set. You must come with me.

GABRIELLE:
     You want us to go all the way to Egypt so you can pursue your vendetta? I don't think so.

Ancktari rushes her with a furious growl and Xena can barely restrain her.

ARES:
     Well, we know she's devoted to her cause.

XENA:
     Gabrielle, there is more involved here than just a vendetta. If Ancktari is telling the truth, and I believe her now, Cassiopeia could destroy the world as we know it. And we helped release this evil into the world. We must go after her.

Gabrielle turns to look at Ares.

GABRIELLE:
     He's not coming with us, is he?

Xena looks at Ares, obviously thinking of something.

XENA:
     He can do more if he comes with us. Ares, you could take us over to Egypt and save us all a lot of time.

ARES:
     Sounds like a lot of fun, Xena, but I'm not sure that's a good idea. If Set is working with Cass, he'll be able to detect our arrival. Gods can sense movement through the ether. If you want to surprise them, it would be better to choose some less dramatic means of transportation. Boat, for instance.

XENA:
     Well, then I suppose we can do just fine without you, Ares.

ARES:
     Come on, Xena, you know you can use my help. You've already seen that Cass is no ordinary sorceress.

ANCKTARI:
     The people of my land do not hold the Olympians in very high regard...

ARES (with a look of mock hurt on his face):
     You cut me to the quick!

ANCKTARI (ignoring him):
     ...but it couldn't hurt to have a god on our side.

ARES (grins):
     You hear that, Xena? Besides, I can get us as far as the docks.

XENA (businesslike):
     Let's go.

CUT TO

The docks. Xena, Gabrielle, Ares and Ancktari are approaching an Egyptian ship. Ancktari approaches the men standing near the ramp.

ANCKTARI (in a commanding tone):
     When does your ship sail?

SAILOR:
     In three hours.

ANCKTARI:
     We must leave on this boat. I am Ancktari, warrior of Isis, and this is a matter of life and death.

The captain steps forward.

CAPTAIN:
     For the four of you, that will be four hundred dinars.

ANCKTARI:
     Fool! The fate of the universe hangs in the balance, and all he can think about is money.

ARES:
     I don't think you're making much of an impression, sweetheart. (while Ancktari glowers, he takes out a pouch and hands it over to the captain)

CAPTAIN (looks inside the pouch and beams):
     Very well. But we only have two cabins left, so you'll have to pair up.

Gabrielle and Ancktari look shocked.

ARES (grins):
     Looks like this trip is going to be even more fun than I thought. Come on, Xena, you know there's no way I'm going to bunk next to either of these two. Your little sidekick can't keep her hands to herself, and Pinface here is definitely not the first thing I want to see when I wake up.

ANCKTARI:
     You shut your mouth, you pathetic excuse for a god.

ARES:
     That hurt.

XENA:
     All right, shut up. Gabrielle, you bunk with Ancktari, you two obviously don't want to be anywhere near Ares.

GABRIELLE (shocked):
     Xena! Are you sure...

XENA:
     Can we just stop bickering and get on the boat?

CUT TO

Ares and Xena entering their cabin. Ares looks slightly disappointed when he sees that there are two bunks, one above the other, but in the next moment he flashes a devilish smile at Xena.

ARES:
     So, who gets to be on top?

XENA (smirks):
     I bet you're disappointed that there isn't a single bed. Do gods need to sleep anyway?

ARES:
     Not much, but sometimes we want to...in the right kind of environment.

XENA (gives him a mischievous look):
     I guess you're out of luck, then.

CUT TO

The next morning. Ares is tossing and turning on the upper bunk while Xena is sound asleep below. There is a knock on the door. Xena stirs.

XENA (in a sleepy voice):
     Who is it?

ANCKTARI (behind the door):
     It's me. Come up on the deck, Xena, and bring your Olympian friend with you. I think you need to see what's going on.

ARES:
     Why do I have a feeling this is bad news?

XENA:
     Coming.

She jumps out of bed wearing her leather tunic, quickly gets into the rest of her outfit and goes out. Ares follows. Xena leaves.

CUT TO

The ship's deck, where the sailors and passengers are running around and shouting in a panic. A giant tornado is coming fast toward the ship--a column of swirling, foaming water that looks like it could sweep everything in its way. Xena's eyes widen.

ANCKTARI (shouts over the roar of the sea):
     This is no ordinary tornado, Xena. When the captain ordered the helmsman to steer the ship out of its way, the tornado changed course.

XENA:
     You think this is Cassiopeia's doing?

ANCKTARI:
     I'd be willing to bet on it.

Gabrielle runs up to them.

GABRIELLE:
     What's the matter? (she sees the tornado and gasps)

XENA:
     Cassiopeia is trying to stop us from getting to Egypt.

ARES:
     I don't think so. Cassiopeia's powerful, but I don't think she's that powerful. That must be my old pal Set.

ANCKTARI:
     So Set and the vessel have joined forces.

ARES:
     Yeah, and they're obviously on to us.

XENA:
     So much for taking them by surprise. Ares, I think this would be a good time for you to use your powers and take us over to Alexandria.

ARES:
     Any particular place?

ANCKTARI:
     The old temple of Isis. The one where the vessel murdered my friends and me. Take us there.

ARES:
     All right. Hold on.

He puts his right arm around Xena's shoulder while Gabrielle and Ancktari (who looks visibly disgusted) grab his left. They disappear in a flare of blue light. A moment later, the tornado suddenly disintegrates. The sailors stop and gape in amazement at the suddenly calm sea.

CUT TO

A now-abandoned temple of Isis. Everything looks deserted, with cobwebs, broken statues, smashed vases, and torn and faded draperies. Xena, Gabrielle and Ancktari materialize. Ares is nowhere to be seen.

ANCKTARI:
     Where is the god?

XENA (yells):
     Ares! (silence) I don't know.

GABRIELLE:
     Is he all right?

XENA (her eyes narrow):
     He must be up to something.

FADE OUT

END OF ACT TWO