TEASER

FADE IN

We open on Heaven, a vast expanse of floating clouds and peach colored sky. A large rock face juts up from far below, surrounded by other scattered rocky peaks. We pan around and move in closer toward the rock face where we find Callisto standing near the cliff's edge. Her wings are gone and she is no longer angelic in appearance, though she is still clad in white. Her face is troubled and she keeps looking around, as if waiting for something.

CALLISTO (impatient):
     Michael.

A few moments of silence and then there is a flare of white light before her and Michael appears. His face is serious.

CALLISTO (frustrated):
     This wasn't how it was supposed to be, Michael.

MICHAEL:
     Callisto, you know you were meant to be reincarnated int--

CALLISTO:
     You lied to me. If I was reincarnated then why am I still here? (pause) I wanted to repay Xena for all the evil things I'd done to her by giving life to Eve.

Michael looks at her, and opens up a portal, which shows Eve, Xena and Gabrielle walking along, smiling.

MICHAEL:
     And you did.

CALLISTO (bitterly):
     For the right price. Forgot to mention the fine print, didn't you? Now that I've given up the wings, (motions at her back) what's to stop me from turning back into who I used to be?

Michael steps up to her to lay a hand on her shoulder, but she backs away.

MICHAEL (shakes head, disappointed):
     There are still so many things that you do not understand about our Lord...even after all your time spent here.

CALLISTO:
     Him, I understand. You...you baffle me. Michael, I want to go home. My family's in the Elysian Fields. You've kept me from them for too long.

MICHAEL:
     Your place is here, in Heaven, where you were redeemed. This is where you must stay.

CALLISTO:
     Michael, I..do..not..belong! Look at me! What use am I to our Lord?

MICHAEL (irritated):
     Frankly, I don't know what he sees in you, either. But it's out of my hands.

CALLISTO:
     What else do I have to do? I gave you your Messenger--and since she was born you've skyrocketed. Is that worth nothing?

MICHAEL:
     Ah yes. The Messenger who has forsaken us. Nice going.

CALLISTO (sounds more like her old bad self then she has done in the whole scene):
     That had nothing to do with me. Blame her mother.

MICHAEL:
     Believe me, I do.

CALLISTO:
     Then take me to speak to our Lord.

MICHAEL:
     I can't do that.

CALLISTO (or else):
     Try.

MICHAEL:
     I don't think-- (narrows his eyes at Callisto appraisingly) All right, I might be able to arrange something. Of course, if you go--we'd have to find someone to take your place here. (slowly) Someone whose redemption would do a great deal to promote the glory of the God of Love.

CALLISTO:
     Like who?

CUT TO

Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve are walking through a small, cleared area of a forest near a village. There are wooden pens enclosing all different kinds of animals--monkeys, camels, several exotic-looking birds, etc. Villagers are mingling around the area, little children are pointing and chattering excitedly.

EVE (looking at the animals in cages):
     So, what do they call this place?

GABRIELLE:
     A zoo.

XENA (joking):
     You know, Gabrielle, if I didn't know better, I'd say this has Salmoneus written all over it. Just crazy enough to be something he'd come up with.

A woman and her toddler have overheard and come over.

WOMAN:
     Excuse me--I couldn't help overhearing, but this was Salmoneus' idea. Around...ooh, ten years ago, this place opened up and has been pulling in big money ever since. They're all over this part of Greece now.

TODDLER:
     I like the camels!

Xena and Gabrielle are staring at each other incredulously. Eve is watching them politely.

GABRIELLE:
     I don't believe it! He finally made it.

XENA:
     Who'd have thought it?

WOMAN:
     He's a hero around these parts. Before, all we had was farmland, but you wouldn't believe how popular the animals are. The dinars are pouring in--

XENA:
     Straight into Salmoneus' purse.

WOMAN:
     Oh, no, not anymore. He died soon after the first one opened. Isn't it ironic?

GABRIELLE:
     He was a good friend of ours.

WOMAN:
     I'm sorry.

XENA:
     It happens to everyone.

GABRIELLE (wry look at Xena):
     And sometimes more than once.

Eve chuckles; Xena is a little upset.

Xena, Gabrielle and Eve continue walking until they reach a pen with several zebras in it. Gabrielle walks up to the posts and looks at the animals thoughtfully.

GABRIELLE:
     You know what these remind me of?

XENA:
     Horses that were painted on Salmoneus' budget?

GABRIELLE (laughs):
     Xena! (thoughtfully) No, it's the black and white stripes... They always remind me of how good and evil are both necessary parts of life. (Xena rolls her eyes, Eve smiles at her mother when she does this) One cannot exist without the other.

XENA:
     You've never seen one before. Since when does five seconds count as always?

GABRIELLE:
     Just because you can't word it as eloquently as I can.

CALLISTO'S VOICE:
     Don't you think the zebra would be much more beautiful if it were all white?

Xena and Gabrielle turn around, startled. Callisto is standing behind them. Eve turns around as well.

XENA (clearly shocked):
     Callisto. (looks her up and down, confused) You're not an angel.

GABRIELLE:
     And you're not in Eve, either.

CALLISTO (sadly, looks down):
     No. (looks up) I've been exiled from Heaven because Eve has abandoned her path as the messenger of the God of Love.

Xena, Gabrielle, and Eve all look shocked as we:

FADE OUT

END OF TEASER