Chapter 4 Bumblebee 2

Chapter 4 Bumblebee

Sprewell sat in his seat, with an unpleasant frown on his face clutching his brief case close to his chest. Daphne Storm just came back from the bathroom where she had changed and freshened up. Her blonde hair nicely done with some fresh make up in her face, she looks kindly at the pale Thauran woman. “It is surprising just how good it does to freshen up a little. Would you like to borrow my Channel Box, you look very tired.” Lady Luna pulls herself together and her cool tone rebuffs Daphne.. “No, thank you.” Daphne shrinks back into her seat, flushing. Valthim, leans forward. “You should ask for permission first to address a lady of such stature and her beauty does not need gaudy clown paint unlike it seems you do.” Hawk looks up. “You insult that girl one more time and they have a real reason for locking me up.” Doc Boone also leans forward. “This isn’t the Thauran Kingdom. We give a hoot about Nobles and the self rightgeous high born.” Even meek Mr. Peacock had something to say. “Didn’t Federal Police arrest the Thauran Emperor and a group of his advisors for conspiring against the Union by doing business with the Worm and oppressing their own kind? From what I read it didn’t sound all that noble to me and if I understand the commoners on Thauran worlds were quite pleased.” Valthim’s hand flashed to the handle of a small Walther Laser he carried in a shoulder holster. The Shaill Sheriff said. “Pull the weapon, Sir and I will arrest and restrain you.” Valthim glares with unveiled hatred at the Mollusk, but sits down. Lady Luna fought hard to keep her composture and not burst into tears. The words of the drunken doctor and the liquor sales man hit close. They could not know that her own father was one of the Nobles implicated in the criminal activities. Activities she despised but had known about herself. From the passenger deck a crying child could be heard. Valhim got up and closed the access door that seperated the lounge from the stair case that led up to the actual passenger deck. Then he bored as it appeared walked to the public GalNet terminal. He was still angry and brooding about the insults but then he noticed the green blinking light and with an excited for him an totally uncharacteristic scream he pressed the activation control and the terminal came on. All the passengers as if electrified got up and stared in his direction as he activated the field screen. A voice came on reading the message that was flashing over the screen in Standard Union. “GalNet services for the Upward / Coreward region five remain interrupted due to external vandalism. SII GalNet and SII Security are dispatched and work as fast as possible to restore full service. GalNet has increased broadcast energy to all unaffected transponder stations and basic broadcast channels can be received. Currently no two way communciation or enhanced data services possible. We like to ensure our customers that everything possible is done to ensure fast restoration of all GalNet services.” Lady Luna who had also risen from her seat said. “Are there any news of the Army? Please call for Captain Lyda” Valthim said. “I am afraid this is not possible, GalNet is able to broadcast but no one in this region can sent messages, but I am sure it is only a matter of time now.” Valthim switched to Union One, the official Government News Channel. The terminal informed him that visual or Avatar services were still not available, but audio was. “Here is GalNet Channel 1, The voice of the Union. A State of War has officially been declared between the United Stars of the Galaxies and the Shiss Empire. Civilian Traffic to the Coreward sector is rerouted through the space of our new allies, the Nul. All communication to the Big Corridor area has been lost as all GalNet Communication extender have been destroyed by Shiss forces. Army Units in the region are assumed to defend the affected settlements in the region. The Assembly is currently being addressed by Admiral McElligott in a closed session. We will update you as soon as more information becomes available.” Boone’s eyes sparkled. “Finally the Fleet is in charge!”

--“”—

Gbuzzzh served the Nest of Hazzzock for all his life and his family did for centuries. He was now in charge of seven Kashirs and he himself managed to get a Zhum-Kashir from the First Nestling Shipyards at Shiss-Ta. Even the 400 meter Kashir, appeared small compared to this Capital Battleship, the finest and biggest  ship class ever built by the Shiss. Only 200 existed and he was in command. The power and might, the destruciton he could unleash and the horror he instilled. It had been built to answer the increasing threat of the Nul. His current mission was to destroy the communication buoys in the region. The Karthanians had supplied them with a detailed map showing all the locations of these mostly automated stations. Somne where occupied but then destroying them was even more rewarding. He had just destroyed the very last one, not very far from a Union Colony, called Charlie’s Port according to the Karthanian intelligence. Officially the Karthanians where neutral but they had little love for the Union, and the Karthanians had send an envoy who was detached to his command. Gbuzzzh was lying belly down on his raised Command roost and looked at the back of the rigid bony body of the Karthanian and said in the old language. “You served us well Karthanian but Zuhm has been called and Karthania is next, and you won’t leave this ship alive.” The Karthanian turned his entire body and said. “You speak in a tounge I do not understand Nestling of Command, did you address me?” Gbuzzzh snickered. “Oh yes, I just told my fellow command Shiss how pleased we are with your information and told them about the reward you about to receive.” That caused the rest of the Shiss that were also on the bridge to laugh. The Karthanian simply laughed too and said. “Your victories is payment enough.” Neither the Shiss aboard the ship nor the Karthanian remembered that this behavior of the Shiss, betraying their allies was the real reason for the Shiss/ Nul war that lasted so long. The Shiss and the Nul once were allies and the trust of the Nul was used to lure them into a trap and a bloody massacre where the Nul killed millions of Nul, but it appeared that the Karthanian would face a similar fate. His Scanner operator said. “ I am getting energy emissions consistent with these Communication buoys only two xaahz from our current position. It is not on the map and just came on.” Gbuzzzh laughed excited. “They are putting up a new one. So this time we will not only destroy the tool but the Union scum littering space with this junk.” The Scanner operator added. “I am getting mass readings and it looks to be a very big station.” Right after the Scanner operator had said that a voice came from the Tachyon Radio station. “ This is the ISS Security, you are identified as non Union hostiles responsible for the destruction of ISS company equipment and causing lethal injury to Company employees. Please stand down and prepare to be taken into custody. This is your one and only warning.” Gbuzzzh raised from his command roost and snarled at the Shiss who among other things operated the communications equipment. “I did not authorize you to replay alien transmissions!” The Yellow throat ducked in anticipation of physical punishment. “My liege, the equipment came on all by itself. We currently investigate a foreign program component that invaded our systems just now.” Buzzzh did lash his tail across the face of the Yellow Throat and paid little attention to whatever that meant. He had never heard of a species called ISS, but most likely one of the many Union species that supposed to exist. They too would…” The Karthanian interupted his thoughts. “We should vacate these coordinates very fast.” “We are not cowards and there is nothing that could stand against us now!” Whatever else he wanted to say did not pass his teeth, there was complete silence as everyone stared on the main viewer. A spherical space ship appeared on the scanners and came closer very fast. It was engulfed in a shimmering purple bubble. The Union Letters spelled SII Security Across it s hull. Dome shaped turrets appeared all over the gigantic alien ship.

--“”— Bumblebee as the Union settlers had called the third planet in the Minkor System had been a pleasant garden world with five large continents and deep oceans. Seemingly endless grass Tundra covered most of the biggest continent and with some imagination it was shaped like a terran Insect called bumblebee. When the local fall season came around; the shoulder high grass that covered the ocean sized praries turned to a bright orange. Huge herbivores called Puffies then slowly moved like big combines gorging themselves on the protein rich orange seeds. Leaving dark, almost black stalks behind, furthering the symbolic visual analogy with that Terran insect. Both the grass and the animals had commercial value. The orange grain not only made colorful bread and cakes, it had a nutty flavor many humans liked and had the potential to make Bumblebee a very rich world. The first harvests where snatched up by produce dealers like hot cake. Three Giga Corps: Enroe, SII Agra and Tyson Food already set up local test farms and the local business development cooperation received a substantial grant from the Union Colony development fund, used to upgrade the local Space Port to a Class II, complete with Long distance scanners and ground defense batteries.

Balsy opened the Intercom and said. “Passengers it looks like we made another leg of our journey. We are apporaching Bumblebee and all looks peaceful.”

As the passengers walked down the boarding ramp onto the clean duro-crete  of the landing area, sun drenched with a mild breeze tugging on their clothing they felt as if walking out of a nightmare. The air was fresh, but not cold. There was a faint hint of fresh hay in the air and and the sky was clear and baby blue. However the space bus was the only space ship there. From the distant Terminal ground skimmer was coming their way. Lady Luna once again clutching her cape said with a failing voice. “I don't see any Army Apaches.” Valthim said. “This is a civilian port, they have their own garrison and this place looks as if they have undergound hangars as well.” This seemed to console her somewhat. The skimmer was a large passenger transporter and many of the passengers recoiled as they saw a Shiss behind the controls. Baldy tried to calm them. “Relax, this is Crhizzz, he is a Purple Throat and our companies local manager. The tall muscular four armed Shiss jumed to the ground and Vatlhim fingered his rifle more out of instinct than anything else. The Shiss said. “Forgive me, but the Port Facilities are closed since the crisis started and we did not even expect a bus comin through. Baldy embraches the much taller Shiss. “Twenty nine hours from Cobalt Springs with a detour over 56454 that should be a new record. At least in Spacebus terms!” The Shiss agrees. “Yes you crazy human, that is fast, but why risk it?” “They made us Post Ship again.” The Shiss understands and gestures towards the landing field. “they didn't offer you an escort? Where's your escort?” “They left us at Cobalt Springs, but you have plenty soldiers here?” “None of the Army kind. They left yesterday to engage the Shiss at Shallow, They haven't returned since.” Lady Luna pressing her gloved fist before her mouth with trembling almost screaming voice. “Is this monstrosity saying there are no soldiers here either? I demand to know where Captain Lody is.” The Shiss hisses but it is more like a sigh. “I know I look like them but I am Purple throat and we are Union citizens for over 1900 years. I am a Civilian, I do not know the names of the soliders or their exact plans.” Baldy sticks his finger directly under the nose of the Thauran lady. “I had about enough of you, you can find transportation somewhere else. You keep insulting my friends, you act like your something better. This ain't Thauran, Sister and you can stick all your noble nonsense up your light blue behind. On a more personal note, if you are Military you should know Soliders recieve orders and go where they told. Chasing some Army Captain during war time in a Space bus is about the dummest thing I ever heard.” Lady Luna started crying and Valthim actually pulled his gun, but only halfway. Hawk had, despite his cuffed hands grabbed the wrist of Valthim and said calmly. “I can break your wrists right here and now Mister!” Valthilm howled more out of rage than pain. “This insolent bastard, this peasant dared to insult a Lady of highest birth.” The Shail Sheriff said. “He is the Shipmaster and has by charter of his company and by Union Law the right to refuse transportation to anyone. He is entitled to an oppinion and by the second article of our constitution can express it. Ms Lody may file law suits or complains  and do all the thing civilized Union Citizens do. So Mr. Valthim do you want to act upon your impulses then do so and I will revoke any weaon license yoou hold by grounds of emotional instablity and confiscate your hardware for starters.” Wilcox stepped behind the Shail. “I back him up on that one too!” Valthim nods and Hawk released his grip. The Shiss said. “I bet all your nerves are raw and on the edge. Coreward Space Bus Company will pay for accomodations at the local Holiday Inn.” The Shiss gestured to the Skimmer. “I bet all those kids are tired and bored.” The Passengers, the kids, Wilcox and Baldy also climbed aboard, only Emerson and the Archa remained behind. The Archa said to the Shiss. “Any chance we got a Primary Cooler Unit in stock?” “The Shop is open but our personnel is gone, evacuated with most of the town folks.” The Archa raised his upper legs and said. “Come then Emerson, let us see what we can find.” The Shiss piloted the open skimmer towards town and Wilcox asked. “If everyone left, why are you still here?” “Not everyone left. SII and Enroe personnel is still here and so are all the beings of the Bumblebee Defense Militia.” The Shiss poined at a black and yellow sleeve patch. “I am one of them,” Sprewell did not even try to veil his mistrust, as Wilcox did and said. “Why haven't the Shiss been here?” Chrizz pointed at two massive tower like structues in the distance behind the Spaceport. “We have them on our long range scanners alright, but ENROE just installed these as part of the Port defense.” Sprewell looked. “I fail to understand.” Boone sgrinned deeply. “Because the Shiss who tried found out why LOKI torpedos have such a terrible reputation. Those are Loki Torpedo launch towers.” Chrizz steering the flyer off the Space port and towards town. “We only got 2 torpedoes left but they don't know that, and the first 8 we launched blasted 8 Kashir to bits.”

--””--

The passengers sit on tables in the Hotels dining room and a human and a shiss female serve dinner. Lady Luna not among them but appears from the elevators and walks toward the reception. Her steps are stiff and unsteady. Before she could reach the counte,the hotel door opens and a wounded, sod covered man stumbles in. Doc Boone much more agile than anyone would have thought rushed to the man, gone was the drunken jolly man and in his place a man in charge. “Crizzz get over here and help me get this man over there to the sofa. “Hawk get me my bag I left at the table.” Doc Boone remove the bload soaked clothing and revealed terrible bite marks, and gory wounds. “Son, this will take a while but I think we can get you through.” “I am Ulf Banner, I am from Shallow, the Shiss came. I managed to crawl away and escape in my old Poodle.” Luna stalks closer. “But the Soldiers there protected you!” the man coughs. “No mam, the Soldiers were slaughtered, I doubt any of them made it. The Shiss killed everyone!”

Lady LUnawhispered .”Killed anyone?” My husband...”  Luna steps back, turns halfway to the counter and then with a sigh collapses onto the floor. Valthim yells. “Quick, Wilcox, Doctor. The Lady she is ill!” Doc Boone doesn't turn his head. “I still try to save this man's life. Isn't there a Health station in town?” The Nul said. “It hasn't been delivered yet and the Civilian Med personnel evacuated too.” Doc Boone with both hands bloody suturing and clamping said. “Daphne get help and get her to a room. Check her pulse and get her undressed. I be there in a moment.”

--“”—

Lyrrzzzh had joined Hazzzock only recently and by direct command of his First Nestling, another Gray Throat. His First Nestling was as enamoured and excited about Hazzocks successes and his brash, strong actions against the Union. Lyrrzzzh was only a Yellow Throat, socially just a caste beneath the Grays but in the Shiss society it was a huge gap that could never be bridged no matter what. Lyrrzzzh however was known to be a brilliant ship commander and so Hazzzock gave him the task to prepare Helzzzhi for cleansing. To the Gray Throat Shiss it was a sacred place and used to bury fallen warriors, to the Union Colonists it was just a planet and called Bumblebee. Unlike most Shiss, especially the Shiss under Hazzzock, his Nestlings area was close to the Union Border in the Upward Sector and he had seen some of the power and might of the Union. Many of his friends had been Raiders and ferw ever came back. Those who did survive raids into the Union Territory told about the mighty Union Fleet and the incredible Union weapons. Of course Hazzzock did not want to hear about it and believed most of it was exaggerated propaganda. Neither did his warriors, but those who where with him had changed their mind. They approached the planet wanting to orbital bombard it to prepare for a landing. Eight out of his ten Kashir cruisers were destroyed by some sort of missile. He had seen in horror the highly intelligent weapons coming faster than anything the Shiss could make, utterly destroying fully shielded Kashir. The weapon appeared to be highly intelligent and countered  the feeble evasive actions some of the cruiser commanders tried. The Point defense weapons that were quite effective against Nul mines and Gravo bombs had no effect on the purple colored energy shields. Bumblebee Colony was not a helpless victim at all. It had planetary defenses capable of blowing Kashirs out of the sky Lyrrrzh had retreated to the outmost fringes of the system and sent a courier with a report to Hazzzock. Hazzock he knew was just in the next system. One of his officers reported the Courier back and with him came ten new Kashirs and even a Battleship. The courier did not threw himself at the feet of Lyrzzzh as he knew the Yellow throat didn’t request these arcaic forms of obidence in his bridge. The Red Throat said. “Hazzock send you these ships and warriors and expects you to cleanse the Human colony. Do not return or contact him unless to report the cleansing has been completed. He is taking his force to attack the world the Union knows as Benton’s.” “Did you show him the recordings of the Union weapon?” “He did not want to see it and dismissed it as you being incapable of evading some expected ground defenses” Lyrrzzzh cursed the arrogance of the High Castes and their inability to see beyond their own tails. He climbed on the command roost that was shaped like a desert rock and was a symbol of prehistoric times when Shiss lizards sat on Rocks to get warmed by the Sun.” Signal the group. We attack and won’t retreat”

--“”—

The almost white Shiss and  close advisor to the All White, was a a legendary warrior and commander in the eyes of the Shiss but the truth was, that Warazz never really commanded such a huge force , all he did before was  engage Nul units in the fringe regions. Being in charge of so many ships was a feeling of tremendous power. To know that these 25,000 Unit Combat Units filled with eager Shiss warriors would do whatever he said, considering his commands a direct extension of the Will of the All White, could not really be described. But he was well educated and he had seen the reports and the visuals from the war the Shiss fought against the Union 1950 years ago. He had seen the reports the Raiders and the Diplomats had brought backn and he knew about the reports of the Intelligence branch. He had been concerned, but what did reports and visuals mean,when he looked on the Scanners and saw the power of the Shiss Empire so real and so immense. The First Nestling was right, Hazzzock was right; the Shiss had to stood to long in the shadow of the other three. The most amazing thing in his opinion was that this was only half of the Shiss Strike force. The other, just as numerous was moving towards the Klack Hegemony and would not stop until the Klackt was destroyed. His first target was a Union System they called Balmung.

--“”—

The City of Bumble is eerily silent and dark, most residents had left, businesses and stores were shuttered up. All the passengers of the space bus were in the hotel. Boone had disappeared  and so was Daphne. The wounded man from Shallow had been transferred to a room where he rested  in the Stasis field of a Space suit. Sprewell sat at the bar of the lobby. Valthim stood by a window gazing outside. Wilcox was dozing in a reclining chair. Baldy and the Shail played a game while Hawk was gluded to a GalNet terminal and listened to the news. Peacock is talking to the Shiss female who appears to be the manager of the hotel at the other end of the bar. Sprewell  nursed a drink and then said angrily to anyone and no on in particular. “That's all we needed. A sick woman, a gaggle of kids and a wounded man.” Hawk turns his attention from the terminal, looks towards Sprewell but then turns his back once more. Sprewell talked himself into a rage. “We're in a fine fix, my friends. That damn bus won’t go on and we are stuck here. The Army has no right to leave a public place like this undefended!” Hawk turns again. “Looks to me like the Army's got its hands pretty full, mister.” Just as Hawk speaks, Daphne comes out of the Elevator and rushes to the Bar, getting the attention of the female Shiss. Daphne has a rushed color in her cheeks. “Is there a Store in town?” The female lizard much smaller than the male Shiss said.. “Yes there is, the owners left but they left the backdoor open for the locals that remained.” “Can you show me how to get there,” Wilcox raised his head. “What is the matter Ms. Storm?” “Doc Boone needs a few things for the Lady.” Daphne hurried out the door after she got instructions from the Hotel manager how to find the store leaving the men standing in a stunned. Doc Boone arrives a few moments later walking straight to the bar. Valthim looked over at him with a kind of suppressed fury. “You are a fine member of the medical profession.” Valthim spits on the floor and hissed. “Drunkard! There is a woman needing your help and you are down here endulging yourself.” Boone does not take any notice and says to the Shiss woman in dry changed voice. “Can I have a mug of coffee please?” Valthim walked over. “You drunken Swine! You are the only doctor here!” Boone gets his coffee and turns on the barstool to face the man. “Mr Valthim I am as sober as you are. I am not in the numb cloud I am usually are. The entire trip you belittled me and questioned my profession. Now you call on it and insult me further. Mr. Valthim I am a peaceful man but if you open your mouth one more time to insult me, I will personally stuff it. “ Whatever Valthim or anyone else said was drowned by a tremendous thundering ound and bright lights. Everyone rushed to the windows and saw the  Defense towers launch missiles and torpedoes into the sky.” The Loki torpedo tower fell silent after the last torpedo was fired, but the SII dense towers on the other side still launched HAVOC Anti Ship missiles. The Shiss manager who had spoken into a local comm system said. “Hazzzock is here!”

--“”—

He had to watch in horror as the surface weapons decimated his attack force, but two Kashir made close to the planet, but then then other ship was blown to bits. His ship was the last one, but it had not survived the last volley undamaged. One of the rockets had shredded much of their drive section, but he was certain the Union defenders could not fire again, the weapons they used were to powerful to be used that close to the planet. His ship was filled with 400 battle hungry Shiss warriors and hew would give them a fight on the ground.

--“”— Hawk standing at the window said. “At least one of the Shiss ships made it through. Something landed!” Wilcox pulled his knife and  turned to Hawk. “I can’t leave you bound if we need to fight. Will you give me your word?” “You got my word till Benton’s.” The knife sliced through the tough plastic material and then the Ranger

Chris hurries across to attend to the fire. Baldy kneels down in front of Doc Boone. Peacock and Sprewell are seen sitting at the table. Valthim paces up and down behind them, running his fingers impatiently through his hair. Suddenly Peacock's face drops and he leaps to his feet with a blood-curdling yell. PEACOCK Savages! Valthim and Sprewell spin round, startled, as Chris comes calmly through the door of the kitchen. CHRIS That's my wife... In the yard doorway stands a full-blooded Apache girl, a certain savage beauty in her figure. She stands there like an evil shadow, her eyes darting around at the strangers. Two Mexican vaqueros stand behind her. CHRIS (off) Yakima. Peacock is terrified as he quavers to Chris in a high key PEACOCK But she... she's a savage. CHRIS Si, señor, she's leetle bit savage... I think. Chris speaks to the girl in Spanish, waving his arms. The vaqueros go off outside and Yakima comes forward from the doorway. The agitated Peacock stands near Sprewell, who is sitting by the table. Chris is beside them, addressing Yakima as if she were a chattel. The girl slips into the room with the grace of a snake and walks through to the kitchen. Valthim watches in the background. Then Sprewell turns sternly on Chris. SPREWELL There's something about this. That girl's an Apache! WILCOX Yeah. He clears a frog out of his throat. CHRIS (pouring coffee) Sure, she's one of Geronimo's people... I think. (grinning) Maybe not so bad to have Apache wife. Apaches don't bother me... I think. Peacock appears not at all convinced. But at that moment Doc Boone comes through the door and strides towards the passage at the back of the room, followed by Baldy and Hawk; he is a different man now, a good professional, as sober as a judge. Everyone turns to watch them as they go. Cut to a medium long shot looking up the passage towards the door of the lunch-room as Doc Boone comes towards camera, followed by Hawk and Baldy. Valthim watches them from the threshold. Doc Boone dries his hands on a towel, then throws it over his shoulder. As the men reach the door of the bedroom in which Lady Luna is lying, he stops and turns back to Hawk and Baldy. Hawk moves off, but Baldy shakes Doc Boone's hand sympathetically. BALDY All right, Doc? DOC (in a courageous whisper) All right. He turns and disappears through the doorway, watched by the men in the passage. Baldy turns to go. Inside the bedroom, Daphne stands waiting with an oil-lamp in her hand. Doc Boone pauses in the doorway, holding two Wilcoxets of hot water. He looks up at Daphne nervously, then pulls himself together. DOC (in a low voice) All right, now listen. He puts down the Wilcoxets and wipes his forehead with the towel, then goes off to the right as Daphne moves past him and closes the door. She comes back and puts the lamp on a side table, looking towards Doc Boone, now off-screen. Cut to Baldy standing in the passage, with Hawk and Valthim beside him on the threshold of the lunch-room door. All are staring towards the closed door on the left. They stand there waiting for whatever is going to happen. Dissolve to one of the Mexican vaqueros playing a guitar in front of the fire outside in the compound. It is night. A voice starts to sing, off. Camera pans slowly left to a long shot of the horses in the corral. Yakima sits on the fence, singing. Close-up of Yakima singing. She looks over her shoulder as if hearing some significant noise, but nothing other than the stamp and shuffle of horses can be heard. Still singing, she walks towards the Mexicans sitting round the guitar player; camera pans right with her and holds as she stops, leaning against a wooden post. Cut to a medium close-up of Yakima singing. Suddenly she stops and speaks in Spanish in a low voice, telling them to go. The group of Mexicans under the covered shelter by the fire get up, wrapping their cloaks around them. Yakima, again singing, does not move. The Mexicans go off on the right with the guitar player still playing, looking back at her as she sings. Cut back to the shot of Yakima singing. Suddenly there is the sound of hoof-beats. She listens, a curious smile glinting in her black eyes. Baldy, Hawk, Wilcox and Valthim come rushing out of the house. As they run towards camera, Baldy hands Hawk a shotgun. Camera tracks in closer as they run forward and stop suddenly. The stillness of the night is broken by whooping, and the hoof-beats get louder. From their point of view, we see a vaquero galloping away under the gate into the night. Valthim, Baldy, Wilcox and Hawk watch impotently. WILCOX It's them vaqueros! They've run away! A pause. BALDY Yeah! With the spare horses. Wilcox and Hawk look at him worriedly. Then they look back towards the corral. Out on the prairie, where the full moon is rising over the mountains, a coyote howls its long-drawn-out cry. It howls again, the cry echoing mournfully across the long lonely vista. In the gloomy lunch-room, Hawk, lighting a cigarette from an oil-lamp, looks up slightly as the coyote howls again. In the lunch-room the men are sitting around in varying degrees of agitation. Valthim is playing patience at the table behind Hawk, who moves away. Suddenly the howl of the coyote changes, and we hear, mingled with it, the sound of a baby crying. Both men look round slowly towards the door to the corridor. Now we look along the table with Baldy and Valthim sitting at the end, Peacock sitting in the foreground and Hawk leaning against the chair opposite him. They all look round at the door to the passage in the background. The wail comes again. Wilcox edges round into shot at the end of the table. WILCOX Them coyotes gimme the creeps. They sound jest like... (again the high wail, louder) ...jest like a baby. They look up at him slowly, then Wilcox looks down at Valthim's patience game and points. WILCOX Black eight! Valthim looks down at his game again, but his mind is not on it. As they all turn to look down at Valthim's cards, the passage door slowly opens and Daphne appears silhouetted against the light. She is holding a bundle in her arms. Slowly they all become aware of her. The last trace of hardness has vanished from Daphne as she holds the infant in her arms, and there is a wonder in her face. She stands a moment in the doorway, a smile in her eyes, then comes into the big room with the little bundle of wailing life wrapped in a bigger bundle of blanket. The men all get up and go towards her, surrounding her. Seen from below through the door from the passage, Daphne stands three-quarters back to camera as she holds the baby and looks up to the men grouped around her -- Hawk nearest camera, then Valthim, Baldy, Peacock trying to see his way between Baldy and Wilcox. They all smile tenderly and in delight. Baldy puts out a finger to touch the new-born child, carefully, as if he weren't sure it was real. The new-born baby, seen close from above, screws up its face. Daphne, seen in medium close-up from below, is smiling up towards Baldy, whose hand holds the blanket away from the baby's face, while Wilcox and Peacock look down excitedly. Wilcox is completely overcome; he looks up. WILCOX (amazed) It's a baby! Daphne's voice is as proud as if the child were her own, her smile tender and maternal. DAPHNE It's a little girl. Hawk and Valthim look down, quite speechless. WILCOX (off) It's a little girl. Well I'll be doggoned! Baldy, Peacock and Wilcox all crowd round Daphne, looking down at the baby in Daphne's arms. Daphne is three-quarters back to camera and the baby cannot be seen. WILCOX (outraged) Why didn't somebody tell me? Valthim and Hawk look over at him, off-screen. Valthim is the only one of the group who has not been smiling; his eyes are intense with anxiety. VALTHIM How is Mrs. Mallory? Cut back to the shot of Daphne, Peacock, Baldy and Wilcox. Daphne looks up towards Valthim. DAPHNE She's going to be all right. WILCOX (grinning) Well I'll be doggoned. (to Peacock) Did you know? Peacock looks up and is about to say something, then changes his mind and looks down at the baby again, grinning. Daphne looks up towards Hawk. Extreme close-up of Hawk staring at Daphne. Close-up of Daphne smiling slightly as she looks up towards Hawk. She looks very beautiful. WILCOX (off) Well, I'll be doggoned! Cut back again to the men crowding round the baby. Daphne is still smiling up towards Hawk. Wilcox looks down at the baby and wiggles his finger on his lips, making a funny gurgling noise, but Peacock stops him. PEACOCK (sternly) Don't do that. Wilcox stops, looking rather put out. Daphne leaves the men and hurries away with the baby just as Doc Boone comes through the passage door into the room. He looks weary and terribly sober. As he comes forward the men all surround him admiringly; even Valthim's eyes show a new- found respect. But Doc Boone seems oblivious of the excitement and enthusiasm, heading single-mindedly past the men to the bar. Baldy comes up and puts a hand round his shoulders; Peacock waylays him, standing in his path, and grabs his hand, pumping it and staring into his face. PEACOCK (fervently) Doctor Boone! He seems about to say something else, but obviously words fail him. Doc Boone does not reply, but starts to move on again, with Peacock holding his arm on one side and Baldy holding his arm on the other. Doc Boone takes up the same position he had occupied before the emergency where his bottle of whiskey still stands on the bar. His face grey and lined. He puts his cigar back in his mouth. The others are all jubilant; Peacock and Baldy smile at him from either side; Valthim and Wilcox, also smiling broadly, come up and stand by the bar. [Chris takes up a position behind the bar.] Doc Boone disregards them and seems unaware of anything but his own weariness. BALDY Come on, boys, three cheers for old Doc Boone! Hip, hip... PEACOCK (raising a finger) Sssssh! Quiet! Wilcox and Baldy have drawn breath to cheer but Peacock cuts them off. WILCOX Well, we ought to be... PEACOCK (smacking the bar top) Quiet! (he looks reproachfully at Wilcox and adds) Mrs. Mallory. They all subside, conceding the point. In the meantime, Doc Boone has poured himself a drink and with much relish downs it in one. Then he slowly lowers the glass, blows his breath out sharply and for the first time looks round at the others and grins. Hawk is standing shadowed in a doorway out in the passage. Daphne comes out of a door farther down the passage, putting a shawl round her shoulders, and walks down the corridor away from camera without seeing Hawk. Hawk starts to follow her. Just before he reaches her, Chris comes out of another door carrying a lamp. Hawk stops. Chris, seen from the side holding the lamp, stands close up to Hawk, his manner secretive. CHRIS (in a low, warning voice) Kid, I know why you go to Lordsburg, Kid. I like you. I knew your poppa. He was a good friend of mine. If you know who's in Lordsburg you stay away... I think. HAWK (guardedly) You mean Luke Plummer? He lights his cigarette from Chris's lamp. CHRIS Luke... Ike... Hank... all there together. I saw them. A wild shine comes into Hawk's eyes and he grips Chris's arm eagerly. HAWK You sure of that, Chris? CHRIS Sure I can tell you the truth. As Chris nods, Hawk's eyes gleam. HAWK Thanks, Chris. That's all I wanted to know. He moves away towards the door, watched by Chris. CHRIS You crazy if you go... I think. You stay away, Kid. Three against one no good. Hawk takes no notice and goes outside. Daphne is seen in long shot, standing in the dark compound. In the moonlight the vast expanse of desert seems ghostly, yet strangely beautiful. Hawk comes into shot from the foreground and silently watches her as she walks slowly out of sight. He starts to follow. Cut to low angle medium shot of part of a fence as Daphne comes up, walking slowly and thoughtfully past camera, her arms folded. The experience of the last few hours has affected her deeply, taken all the defiance out of her face and softened it into beauty. Hawk quietly follows her. Daphne walks along by the fence, followed at a small distance by Hawk. She stops and rests a hand on the wood. Thoughts of what she might have been seem to be crowding into her heart as she stares off into the moonlit distance. Hawk calls out to her in a low voice. HAWK You oughtn't go too far, Miss Daphne. She turns at his voice and he comes towards her on the other side of the fence. HAWK Apaches like to sneak up and pick off strays. He leans against the fence and looks down at her. She does not look at him at first. HAWK (conversationally) You visiting in Lordsburg? DAPHNE No, I... I have friends there. (she turns towards him) And maybe I can find work. She turns to face him properly and suddenly speaks to him in a rush. DAPHNE Why don't you escape, Kid? Why don't you escape? Hawk and Daphne face one another across the fence. HAWK I aim to, Miss Daphne... in Lordsburg. DAPHNE Why Lordsburg? Why don't you make for the Border now? Hawk leans forward in close-up. HAWK My father and brother was shot down by the Plummers. I guess you don't know how it feels to lose your own folks like that. Cut back to the shot of Hawk and Daphne, as she looks off over the moonlit plains. Her voice is dull and flat. DAPHNE I lost mine when I was a kid. There was a massacre in the Superstition Mountains. He looks at her in surprise, but she is looking back at her own dismal childhood. HAWK That's tough, especially on a girl. [It's a hard country.] DAPHNE You have to live, no matter what happens. HAWK Yeah, that's it. They look off for a moment into the moonlit distance, each deep in their own thoughts. Hawk is trying to muster courage to express what he feels. Finally he turns to her, with his voice, at first awkward and halting, growing in emotion. HAWK Look, Miss Daphne... Close-up of Hawk. HAWK ...you got no folks... neither have I. Maybe I'm taking a lot for granted... but I watched you with that baby... that other woman's baby... and you looked... (he grins) ...well... Close-up of Daphne. HAWK (off) ...but... well... I still got a ranch across the Border. It's a nice place... a real nice place... trees... grass... water... a cabin half- built... Close-up of Hawk. HAWK ...a man could live there... and a woman. Daphne's eyes are brimming with tears, as she looks up at Hawk. HAWK (off) Will you go? Daphne looks at him as if she cannot believe her own ears. DAPHNE You don't know me! You don't know who I am! Daphne and Hawk face one another in profile. HAWK I know all I want to know. You're... the kind of girl a man wants to marry. They stare at each other for a few moments, then Daphne turns away. DAPHNE (tearful) Oh, don't talk like that! Daphne, overcome by the rush of feeling that possesses her, gathers up her skirt and dashes off. Baldy is now seen approaching from the house. His voice, when he speaks, is gruff with suspicion. BALDY What you doin' out here, Kid? We look along the fence, with Hawk on one side and Daphne hurrying away on the other. She stops at the sound of Baldy's voice, then moves off as Baldy strides up to Hawk. BALDY Stick close to the reservation. Fade out. Fade in to a room at the Apache Wells Station. It is early next morning. The men of the party are bunked down on the floor in various positions. Suddenly a voice galvanizes them into action. CHRIS (Shouting off) Baldy! He rushes in. As he opens the door, the daylight coming through the doorway lights up the people in the room. Everybody sits up. Baldy, who is lying by the door, looks up at Chris. BALDY What's wrong, Chris? CHRIS (excitedly) My wife, Yakima. She run away. Hawk and Baldy sit, looking up towards Chris, off-screen. Baldy is holding a gun. CHRIS (off) When I wake up she's... (making a wide gesture with his hand) ...gone. Baldy moves his leg and yanks Hawk across with him. We see that they are handcuffed together round the ankles. BALDY (apologetically) 'Scuse me, Kid. He pats Hawk's leg and turns to Chris again, growling at him reassuringly. BALDY The way you come bustin' in here you'd think... we was bein' attacked. You can find another wife, Chris. CHRIS (off) Sure I find another wife. But she take my rifle and my horse! I never sell her, I love her so much. Doc Boone sits up on the bar buttoning his trousers. Chris addresses him passionately. CHRIS I beat her with the whip and she never get tired! DOC Your wife? CHRIS My horse! Find wife easy, yes, but not horse like that! Sprewell and Valthim are sitting in a corner of the room. Valthim looks elegant, even in his prematurely disturbed sleep. Sprewell stands up; an awful thought has struck him. CHRIS (off) Mala Yakima! SPREWELL I knew that woman was a thief. The words are no sooner out of his mouth than he starts stumbling about, feeling all around for something. It is obvious that his bag has gone. Baldy looks over at him from his place on the bunk. BALDY (suspiciously) What's the matter with you, Sprewell? Valthim gets up and moves away as Sprewell shouts frantically. SPREWELL My valise! Where's my valise? In a general shot of the room, everyone is looking round towards Sprewell as he shouts off-screen. SPREWELL (off) Which one of you has got it? Wilcox, sitting down on the floor near Doc Boone and Chris, holds up the valise. WILCOX Here. I been usin' it for a pillow. Thought you wouldn't mind. Sprewell rushes into shot and grabs the valise, standing threateningly over Wilcox. SPREWELL Didn't I tell you to keep your hands off my things? WILCOX Well, I'm sorry I... No one speaks. Wilcox starts to get up. Wilcox is now standing up in front of Doc Boone, with Chris visible standing near the door. Wilcox sticks out his tongue rudely at Sprewell, who is off-screen, and then moves off towards the door, looking back at Chris as he goes. An unpleasant thought has struck him too. WILCOX That squaw of yours will find some Apaches and bring 'em back here. CHRIS (indignantly) My wife's people they won't bother me... I think. WILCOX (wheezily) They bother me... I think! He goes out. Chris turns back to Doc Boone. Doc Boone is sitting on the bar and pats it with his hands stiffly. DOC Chris... is this bar open? CHRIS Sure, all the time, señor, si. Doc Boone jumps down, and as he lands on the floor it is obvious that the short jump has jarred every bone in his body. Camera pans slightly right as Chris goes round behind the bar and gets out a bottle and a glass for him. Doc Boone turns round towards him and uncorks the bottle. Sprewell, puffing angrily, puts on his jacket. Baldy, who is standing by him, is still dressed only in his shirt-sleeves. Valthim can be seen in the background, leaning against the doorpost and looking through the open door. SPREWELL (impatiently) What are we wasting time for? Let's make a break for it. VALTHIM (staring at him coldly) We got a delicate woman to consider. SPREWELL Well, do you want her to stay here and be butchered, with the rest of us? Hawk comes into shot and stands with Baldy facing Sprewell. He sits down preparing to put on his boots as Valthim and Sprewell continue to shout at one another. VALTHIM Why don't you think of anyone else for once? SPREWELL (shouting) Are you insinuating...? Baldy intervenes. BALDY Easy, easy, easy! Quiet, boys, quiet. (Sprewell stalks off) We ain't butchered yet. But you're right... Hawk looks up. BALDY (off) ...we'd better get goin' for Lordsburg soon as we can. Hawk looks towards the door of the corridor, then back towards Baldy, off-screen. HAWK Might be a good idea, Baldy, if -- uh... Doc Boone is standing at the bar, drinking, with Sprewell beside him and Wilcox in the background. HAWK (off) ...if Doc took a look at the patient. WILCOX (grinning) Yeah, and Little Coyote. Sprewell gets himself a glass and pours himself a drink. He holds out his glass to Doc Boone. SPREWELL (clearing his throat) If you'll join me, Doctor... He drinks. Doc Boone looks at him, then shakes his head. DOC No thanks. Camera pans left with Doc Boone as he moves away from the bar, leaving Sprewell drinking on his own. The pan continues as Doc Boone passes the fireplace where Peacock is standing. He throws his drink into the flames. The fire roars up and Doc Boone goes out of shot, watched by a rather startled Peacock, who looks round towards the bar, then down at the flaring grate. Dissolve to a close-up of Lady Luna in the bedroom. Her head is propped up on the pillow and Daphne's hands are in shot braiding her hair. The bedroom is now seen in medium shot. Lady Luna lies in bed, with Daphne sitting on the bed beside her. The door in the background opens and Doc Boone comes in cheerily. DOC Good morning. Daphne gets up and goes to close the door as Doc Boone stands at the end of the bed looking down at Lady Luna. DOC You're looking chipper today. Now Doc Boone is seen in close-up as he looks quietly at Lady Luna, then turns his head towards Daphne, both off-screen. DOC You're up early, Daphne. Daphne is leaning against the wall by the door. She looks pale and drawn. Her cloak has dropped away from her chest and she draws it up again, but does not reply. Close-up of Lady Luna, who knows better. LADY LUNA She didn't go to bed, Doctor. Close-up of Doc Boone, looking down at Lady Luna. LADY LUNA (off) I'm afraid she sat up all night, while I slept. His eyes flick up towards Daphne again. Close-up of Daphne. DAPHNE (apologetically) Oh, I slept in the chair a lot. Close-up of Doc Boone looking at her. He does not believe her. Doc Boone and Daphne are now seen in medium shot across the room. Daphne moves away from the wall and crosses the room behind Doc Boone as she speaks. DAPHNE Well, it was nice to stay awake and hold the baby. Camera pans right with Doc Boone as he goes across to the bed where the baby is lying next to Lady Luna. He bends down to look at the baby. DOC (poking the baby) We've got to get you to Lordsburg, Little Coyote. (he chuckles as Lady Luna looks at him, puzzled) That's what the boys christened her last night from the way she squalled. The baby is shown close from above, asleep in the bed. DOC (off) Little Coyote. How do you feel? LADY LUNA Fine, Doctor. A bit tired. Doc Boone is now seen bending over the bed, with Lady Luna lying on the pillow below him. LADY LUNA Doctor, do you think my husband... DOC (cheerily) Never mind. The best medicine he can have is to see you two safe and sound. You make up your mind to get there. LADY LUNA (quietly) I have, Doctor. DOC That's the talk. You need more strength. Rest all you can. Daphne, maybe you can fix up some broth. LADY LUNA (indicating a plate and cup on a chair) She has already. DOC Good! (to Daphne) How about some coffee for the boys? He gets out a cigar. Daphne, who is sitting down beside the window, nods and gets up wearily. DOC Try and sleep for a while, little lady. (he beams at her teasingly) And don't look so proud. I've brought hundreds of 'em into the world... (a pause) ...once upon a time, and each new one is always the prettiest. He goes out and Lady Luna watches him go. In the passage outside the bedroom Daphne stands against the wall waiting for the doctor as he comes out to go towards the lunch-room. She calls to him, her voice low and intense. DAPHNE Doc... He turns back and comes towards her, leaning on the wall opposite her DAPHNE ...Hawk asked me to marry him. Close-up of Daphne. DAPHNE Is it wrong, for a girl like me? If a man and woman are in love, it's all right, ain't it, Doc? Doc Boone frowns back at her. DOC (quietly) You're going to get hurt, child, worse than you've ever been hurt. Don't you know that boy's headed back to prison? (She is silent and he goes on) Besides, if you two go into Lordsburg... Cut back to Daphne listening worriedly. DOC (off) ...together, he's going to find out all about you. She stares at him, then makes an inward decision. DAPHNE (quietly) He's not going to Lordsburg. (after a pause) All I want is for you to tell me it's all right. Doc Boone looks at her with a depth of understanding. There is something regretful in his eyes; they see that Daphne is on ice that is too thin. DOC Who am I to tell you what's right or wrong, child? All right, go ahead. Close-up of Daphne. DOC (off) Do it, if you can. Good luck. DAPHNE (almost with tears in her eyes) Thanks, Doc. He looks after her for a moment as she hurries away down the passageway, goes out through the door at the end and closes it behind her, then himself turns to go back to the lunch- room. In the lunch-room, the men are gathered in a tense group. Valthim leans against the bar with his back to the others; Sprewell stands at the end of the bar drinking. Hawk is near the fire, where Wilcox is busily gathering up his things. Baldy joins the rest as Doc Boone appears and taps Hawk on the shoulder. DOC Hawk... BALDY (interrupting) Well, Doc? DOC Both doing fine. She's a real soldier's wife, that young lady. He goes over to the bar and picks up his bottle and glass. Sprewell and Doc Boone are now seen at the end of the bar, with Wilcox behind them near the door. SPREWELL (eagerly to Baldy) That means we can go. DOC (pouring a drink) Not for a day or so, if you want my professional opinion. SPREWELL What do you mean a day? Stay another day? Why? DOC Where were you when the stork came last night, Sprewell? Valthim adds his support. VALTHIM I refuse to allow Mrs. Mallory to travel until she and the child are out of danger. Sprewell looks furious. SPREWELL What d'you mean 'danger'? Aren't we in worse danger here? Peacock intervenes nervously. PEACOCK (clasping his hands) I don't wish to intrude... I've had five children... (coughing) ...I mean my dear wife has... and... much as I dislike to say it at this hour of our trial, I... ahem... I believe the doctor is right. In the group, Valthim is leaning back against the bar, Baldy is standing a little apart in the middle of the room, and Doc Boone by Sprewell at the end of the bar. The doctor strikes the top of the bar with one hand. DOC Spoken like a man, Reverend. SPREWELL I say we've got to get out of here before the Apaches find us. That's common sense! Valthim turns to Sprewell as Doc Boone walks away to the door into the yard, through which Hawk has now disappeared. VALTHIM (vehemently) I wish you were ten years younger, Sprewell! SPREWELL Don't let my white hairs stop you! Wilcox and Baldy move forward and intervene. BALDY Quiet! Quiet! WILCOX (petulantly) Now, Baldy, I haven't said a word. Sprewell moves away. BALDY (shouting at Wilcox) Will you shut up! Wilcox waves his hands in frustration and moves away as Baldy tries to make everyone see reason. BALDY If we argue this thing out right we'll get somewhere. Now let's all sit down and talk sensible. The station-house door is seen from the outside, as Doc Boone comes out puffing on his cigar. BALDY (continuing, off) Come on, Wilcox, sit down. Camera pans right with Doc Boone as he shuffles forward and joins Hawk, who is busily tying his neck scarf. DOC (to Hawk) In that case you better make yourself useful, my boy. There's a young woman out in the kitchen. She's making coffee. She needs help. HAWK Thanks, Doc. Hawk starts to move away, camera panning slightly with him, but Doc Boone grabs him by the arm. Hawk turns towards him and they stand facing each other a moment. DOC Say, Kid, how old were you when you went to the pen? HAWK Oh well, I was going on seventeen. Hawk goes off, leaving Doc Boone looking after him. Doc Boone sticks his cigar into his mouth and then puts his hands into his trouser pockets and stands, looking thoughtful, for a moment. Daphne is at the range in the kitchen, grinding coffee. Hawk comes through the door at the back and stands leaning against the doorpost looking at her. She does not notice him. He waits there awkwardly for a moment and then speaks, self- consciously polite. HAWK Mornin', ma'am. Daphne looks up towards him. DAPHNE Good morning. Camera pans slightly left as she picks up the coffee-grinder and goes across to the stove and starts spooning the coffee into the big coffee pot. Hawk comes forward and stands behind her, holding his hat. HAWK (shifting his weight hesitantly) I laid awake most the night wondering what you'da said if Baldy hadn't busted in. Guess you was up too. I could hear you movin' around. (a little awkwardly) You didn't answer what I asked you last night. Daphne goes on measuring the coffee in the pot. Finally she stops what she is doing and drops her hands onto the stove. Close-up of Daphne as she swings round to face Hawk. DAPHNE (her voice growing urgent as the words pour out) Look, Kid, why don't you escape? There's a horse out there in the corral. Cut to a reverse medium close-up with Daphne in the foreground three-quarters back to camera and Hawk facing her. DAPHNE Baldy won't go after you... he can't leave the passengers in this fix! HAWK But I got to go to Lordsburg. Won't you go to my ranch and wait for me? Daphne looks at him intensely. DAPHNE (bitterly) Wait for a dead man? (she turns away) You haven't got a chance. Daphne goes back to her coffee-making, leaving Hawk standing awkwardly behind her. DAPHNE It was three against one when the Plummers swore you killed their foreman and got you sent up. It'll be three against one in Lordsburg. HAWK There's some things a man just can't run away from. Camera pans round slightly left as Hawk comes towards camera and sits down in the foreground by the stove, partly out of shot. DAPHNE How can you talk about your life and my life when you're throwing 'em away? (vehemently as he comes to her) Yes, mine too! That's what you're throwin' away if you... Hawk sits on the window-sill, looking at her. DAPHNE (off) ...go to Lordsburg! HAWK (helplessly) What do you want me to do? Daphne leans forward urgently from the stove towards Hawk, while he looks at Daphne in confusion. DAPHNE (pleadingly) Would it make us any happier if Luke Plummer was dead? One of his brothers would be after you with a gun. We'd never be safe. I don't want that kind of a life, Hawk. HAWK (slowly) I don't see what else I can do. DAPHNE Go now... get away... forget Lordsburg... forget the Plummers. Make for the Border and I'll come to you. She pleads intensely. HAWK You mean that? DAPHNE I do, I do! HAWK Won't you come along with me? DAPHNE I can't leave Mrs. Mallory and her baby. I'll come to you from Lordsburg. I swear it. Daphne leans against the stove watching Hawk as he gets up from the window-sill. He looks round the room and then back again at Daphne, trying to adjust his mind to this tremendous change. HAWK I oughta have a rifle. DAPHNE I've got one right here. Camera pans right as Daphne rushes across the room and moves a coat from a rack of pegs on the wall, which is hiding a rifle. She takes it down. DAPHNE (eagerly) I got it for you last night, while you were all asleep. Hawk stares at her in wonder. HAWK (as he takes it) You thought of this last night? DAPHNE Yes, don't ask any more questions, not now! Hawk cannot take his eyes from her excited face. She is a complete wonder to him. In the lunch-room, Baldy stands holding a council of war round a large pine table, where Valthim, Sprewell and Peacock are seated. The plaintive Wilcox stands beside Baldy. WILCOX Oh gosh, Baldy, there ain't no Apaches behind us. We can still go back to Tonto. SPREWELL (hitting the table with his fist) No! I insist we go on to Lordsburg. BALDY What do you think, Chris? Doc Boone is standing at the bar with Chris on the other side facing camera. CHRIS Geronimo between here and Lordsburg, with my horse... I think. DOC (raising his voice in song) 'My horse is young, she has gone astray...' Chris covers his ears. Baldy and Wilcox are seen close from below. WILCOX Quiet. This is a serious matter, ain't it? Doc Boone looks from the bar over his shoulder at the others, off-screen. DOC (raising his glass) Wilcox -- if I have only one hour to live, I'm going to enjoy myself. He drinks. PEACOCK Doctor, I don't begrudge you my samples, but... WILCOX (interrupting, wagging his finger at Peacock) Now you hush -- I stood enough of you. Now this is a serious problem and I'm the only one who is talking sense. Now if Baldy... Cut back to the shot of Wilcox and Baldy as he interrupts Wilcox. BALDY Once we get across that ferry we'll be all right. Cut to a medium shot of the five round the table. BALDY The question is, what we gonna do about the lady and her baby? Baldy goes towards the door to Lady Luna's room. VALTHIM Doctor Boone has settled that for us, suh. I demand respect for his professional opinion. Doc Boone is seen at the bar, spinning round. DOC (looking up in surprise at Valthim) Valthim! Valthim is now seen from below, sitting at the table playing patience, with Baldy standing behind him and looking through the door into the corridor. Suddenly Baldy remembers. BALDY Hawk. (turning back urgently) Hawk! Camera pans slightly right as Baldy rushes off down the passage shouting for Hawk. Daphne and Hawk are outside in the corral, leading a saddled horse out from under the covered shelter. Daphne hands Hawk the rifle, which he sticks in the saddle-boot as he prepares to mount. They look at each other for a moment. They have no words for the things they feel. It is all in their eyes. DAPHNE Hurry, Hawk, hurry! He takes one last look at her, then digs his spurs into the mustang and the horse leaps forward. Camera pans left slightly as he canters off, leaving Daphne watching him ride away, her arm lifted in a little gesture of farewell. Pan left with Hawk as he rides his horse hard, jumping the fence that rings the compound and galloping to the top of a rise a hundred feet away. As he tops the rise, galloping straight forward, he suddenly sees something that makes him saw on the bit. The horse comes to a dead stop as if it had four-wheel brakes. He dismounts again, looking around. Daphne is watching anxiously from outside the corral. Her arm is still half-up in her incomplete gesture. From behind her comes Baldy's voice. BALDY (off) Hawk! Baldy rushes into shot coming round the corner of the house. Daphne looks round and sees him coming; he is holding a gun. He rushes off in the foreground, shouting. Terror comes into Daphne's face and she cries out. DAPHNE Hawk, don't stop! Go on, go on! Baldy rushes off after her. Wilcox comes running out of the house after Baldy, followed by Doc Boone. Wilcox stops at the end of the stagecoach and watches as Daphne goes on shouting. DAPHNE (screaming, off) Keep riding! Hawk's riderless horse comes cantering back into the compound, jumping the little fence by the wall. As it goes off, Daphne rushes into shot, shouting at Hawk. DAPHNE Hawk, go on, go on, don't stop! She is closely followed by Baldy. Camera pans left with them as he catches up with her and she grabs his arm desperately, trying to stop him; but he throws her roughly to the ground and runs off towards the desert. Hawk is standing motionless at the edge of the desert which stretches out beyond him, staring into the distance. Baldy charges into shot and grabs him, taking his fists to handcuff them. Baldy is hopping mad, but Hawk holds out his wrists calmly. HAWK You don't need them, Baldy. I'm not running away. BALDY (with an angry scowl) I'll say you ain't! He snaps the cuffs. HAWK (nodding past Baldy) Look at them hills. Just then Daphne comes tearing up and grabs Hawk's arms wildly. She sees what they see in the distance, and stops struggling. Baldy steps forward, a look of real concern on his face. From a distant summit far across the desert, a thin white spiral of smoke is rising into the still air. It is interrupted sharply. Then another puff rises, like a telegraphic flash. Baldy turns back to look at Hawk. BALDY Apaches? Hawk's jaw tightens. HAWK (nodding) War signals. Daphne clings even more tightly to Hawk's arm. A look of despair comes into her eyes; she stands there, beyond all speech, beyond all hope now, as the scene dissolves. The passengers are all gathered round the stagecoach in the yard, prepared to set off once again. Camera pans right with Valthim as he carries Lady Luna up to the stagecoach, followed closely by Doc Boone. They all help Lady Luna inside. Daphne follows them into shot; she has the swaddled baby held tight to her breast. Dissolve to a high angle medium long shot of the stagecoach galloping out through the gate away from camera, going towards the hills in the distance. Dissolve to the stagecoach galloping round the foot of a hill in another part of the prairie and disappearing into the distance. Dissolve to Wilcox and Baldy sitting side by side on the driving-box. Wilcox is working to get all he can out of the horses; Baldy sits alert with the rifle across his knees. As Baldy scans the horizon, Wilcox, without turning his attention from the horses, calls to him. WILCOX Don't you think you oughta take them cuffs off the Kid? He's mighty handy with a gun. BALDY (growling back loudly without turning his attention from the dangerous horizon) You drive them hosses! I'll take care of the Kid. Baldy keeps looking round the whole time, his gun at the ready. Inside the coach, it is very crowded. Doc Boone is sitting on the floor, Peacock is squashed into one corner, while Sprewell, seen almost in back view, leans heavily on Doc Boone as he yells out of the window. SPREWELL Can't you drive any faster? (he pulls his head in and addresses the group) Thick-headed lout! We've got to make that ferry! (bitterly) A man works all his life to get hold of some money so he can enjoy life and then runs into a trap like this. He takes off his stiff collar. PEACOCK (starting and leaning towards Sprewell nervously) A trap, brother? You mean the Apaches? There's been no sign of them. SPREWELL (yelping at him) You don't see any signs of them! They strike like rattlesnakes. Sprewell, his fear making him belligerent, glares at Valthim, off-screen. SPREWELL If you hadn't insisted... Valthim is sitting in the corner with Lady Luna's head on his lap. SPREWELL (Off) ...on waiting for her... Lady Luna looks round. Hawk is sitting on the floor against the door, his hands in their cuffs laid carelessly across his knees. SPREWELL (off) ...we'd have been across the ferry by this time. Valthim cradles Lady Luna's head in his arms. VALTHIM (his eyes burning) You talk too much, Sprewell. Sprewell's edginess is making things uncomfortable for Peacock sitting beside him, and for Doc Boone squashed down on the floor, only his head and shoulders in shot. SPREWELL (with a snap) Your threats don't faze me, Valthim. Cut back to the close shot of Valthim and Lady Luna. Lady Luna starts to sit up. SPREWELL (off) You're nothing but a tinhorn gambler. VALTHIM (leaning forward, murder in his eyes) How would you like to get out and walk? Cut back to the same shot of Sprewell, Peacock and Doc Boone. SPREWELL You can't put me out of a public conveyance! DOC (placatingly) Gentlemen! Gentlemen! Hawk looks up. HAWK Take it easy, Sprewell. We may need that fighting before we get to the ferry. Now back again to Sprewell, Peacock and Doc Boone. SPREWELL (angered by the boy's tone, looking at the handcuffs) You wouldn't be much good in a fight, you jailbird. Hawk just looks at him with a thin smile and says nothing. VALTHIM (off) Oh, leave the kid alone. He's handcuffed. PEACOCK (off) Gentlemen, please! Peacock sits by the side of Daphne, who holds the baby. PEACOCK (meekly) Let's not forget the ladies, bless them. He looks at the baby. Daphne looks at him in grateful surprise. Dissolve to a medium long shot of the stagecoach toiling up some rough dusty ground and going off in the foreground. Dissolve to a medium shot of Wilcox and Baldy on the driving- box. They look very happy and Baldy leans down to shout through the window to the passengers. BALDY Well, folks, we're coming into East Ferry now. WILCOX Lordsburg next stop! He giggles. Dissolve to a long shot of the ferry as seen from the stagecoach as it comes down the road. In the foreground there are some dark posts and fencing. Smoke wafts across the screen. The horses canter in, and camera pans left and tracks back as they pull into the open space in front of what was once the ferry building, now engulfed in flames. East Ferry is a scene of desolation; there is no one around, the houses are in ruins, burned to the ground. The stagecoach stops in the centre. Wilcox and Baldy are seen from the side on the driving-box. Wilcox and hardly speak for fright as he suddenly notices the ferry ahead of them. WILCOX Baldy, look! Look at the ferry. Long shot looking across the still water of the river where the ferry lies burnt and broken on the opposite bank. All that remains is the thin cable across the water and the smoking ruins of the ferry wharf. WILCOX (off) It's burnt too. Baldy jumps down from the driving-box of the stagecoach. Hawk jumps out, followed by Valthim. Baldy hands a rifle to Valthim. BALDY Valthim, stand guard over there. Valthim runs off in the foreground as Sprewell gets out. Suddenly everybody starts to talk at once. Sprewell is complaining as usual and his tone implies that Baldy is responsible for the whole predicament. Doc Boone comes out of the stagecoach after him. SPREWELL (harshly) Where's the Army? What are the soldiers doing? DOC Anything I can do, Baldy? SPREWELL (at the same time) Are they going to let Geronimo do nothing but pillage and burn? BALDY (putting a hand out to stop Doc Boone) Hawk, come here, I need you. Baldy faces Hawk, takes out his key, and starts to unlock the handcuffs. BALDY Will you give me your word you won't try to escape no more? Hawk holds out his wrists, looking straight into Baldy's eyes. HAWK I give you my word... to Lordsburg. Baldy's response is sharp; he jerks his thumb over his shoulder. BALDY Get back in the coach with the women. Hawk's wrists are still held out and Baldy is starting at him scornfully. For a moment they fight each other with their eyes. Doc Boone can be seen standing on the steps of the coach, and Sprewell, as Baldy starts to move away from Hawk. But the boy holds out his manacled hands and stops him. HAWK I give you my word. Daphne calls from inside the coach. DAPHNE (off) Hawk, don't! But Baldy immediately unlocks the handcuffs, tosses them up into the box, and shouts at Wilcox at the same time. BALDY Drive in the river till she's up to the hubs. Long shot of the stagecoach in the clearing heading for the river; one of the burned huts is smouldering in the foreground. Camera pans left as the stagecoach moves off towards the water behind some rocks. High angle long shot looking down onto the river from the near bank. The stagecoach comes into shot and halts as the horses stand on the bank, urged on by Wilcox. Valthim is standing amidst the ruins of one of the huts, taking off his cloak. Camera tilts down with him as he bends down, to show the body of a woman grotesquely perched on all fours, partly scalped. He covers the body with his cloak. Then camera tilts up again as he straightens up and stares into the distance. Something catches his eye. In the hilly countryside, all appears to be still. Valthim looks anxiously over his shoulder towards the others, then back up to the hills again. Dissolve to the side of the stagecoach, seen from behind. Baldy and Hawk are struggling with a large log which they roll towards the stagecoach and begin to lash to the wheels and underside of the vehicle. Baldy shouts quick instructions to Hawk, who hurries off. Wilcox, on the driving-box, has cleared most of the luggage from the top. He picks up Hawk's saddle and throws it down into the bushes beside him. Then he looks down towards Hawk again and shouts. WILCOX Sorry about the saddle, Kid. Another angle from above shows Wilcox with Hawk standing beside the horses and Baldy by the side of the stagecoach. BALDY Ready, Kid? HAWK All set! BALDY Ready, Wilcox? WILCOX Oh, I'm ready, Baldy. Baldy jumps up onto the driving-box beside Wilcox, and Hawk starts to hurl pebbles at the horses to get them to go down into the water. BALDY Ready, Wilcox! Here we go, folks. (He leans down to shout through the stagecoach window) Just sit tight, folks, it'll be all right. The stagecoach starts to move forward. The camera is in fact mounted on top of the stagecoach and it lurches and shakes with the vehicle's motion as the horses move forward and struggle into the river. Camera swings round to the right so that it is shooting straight ahead, looking along the horses' backs as they plunge belly-deep into the water. From the roof of the stagecoach, Wilcox and Baldy are urging the horses through the water ahead of them. Baldy hurls pebbles at them, Wilcox keeps shouting. Hawk is perched on the back of the roof. Long shot looking over the river to the stagecoach, the horses now swimming. The stagecoach is hub-deep in the water, floating across on two big logs which have been lashed to each side of it and buoy it up. The heads of the four leading horses are seen just above the water as they swim through the river, camera panning left with them. The horses are now swimming powerfully and pulling the stagecoach across the river. Camera pans across left as the horses reach the opposite bank and start to clamber out of the shallow water beside the broken ferry. Dissolve to a medium shot looking along the dusty trail. Track along behind the stagecoach as it moves away into the distance. Now the coach is entering a new kind of country, desolate, with giant cacti pointing fingers up at the cloudless sky. Dissolve to a medium shot of Wilcox and Baldy on the driving- box, Baldy looking back the way they have come. WILCOX (singing happily) All aboard for Lordsburg, Lordsburg, Lordsburg... (he breaks off) Hey, Baldy! BALDY (turns back to him) What? WILCOX Do you think I ought to charge Mrs. Mallory's baby halffare? Baldy gives him a look, then goes back to his watch. A high angle very long shot looking over the desert shows the stagecoach like a small toy pressing on alone through the desolate expanse towards the mouth of a canyon. It is early evening. Wilcox can be heard, off, shouting at the horses. Suddenly, camera pans swiftly across to the rim of the canyon wall to reveal a large band of savage-looking Apache Indians, their foreheads smeared with white war-paint, lurking in ambush, waiting for the stagecoach to enter the canyon below. At their centre, looking down into the valley, stands the most dreaded figure in the South-west, Geronimo, powerful of frame, and with a craggy face that seems to have been carved out of red rock. Another Apache is seen close, with still others of the band on horseback behind him. Now Geronimo is seen from below in front of a group of Apaches. One of them points off. The stagecoach is seen far away and below, as its horses gallop along in the middle of the valley. There is little cover for miles around. Camera swings round to the left and tilts up to the ridge to reveal the Apache warband turning away. Most of those on horseback ride out of shot, leaving Geronimo and two or three of his warband standing and watching them go. Inside the coach the atmosphere is fairly relaxed and even Sprewell makes an attempt at cheerfulness. SPREWELL Well, we'll soon be in Lordsburg. Sorry I flew off the handle, Valthim. Just nervous, you know how it is. Valthim eyes him sardonically and says nothing. No hard feelings, I hope. PEACOCK (sitting up, rather proud of himself) Well, all in all, it's been an exciting... (coughing) ...but very interesting trip, now hasn't it? Doc Boone looks up at him from his place on the floor of the coach. DOC Well, now that the danger's past, Mister... Peacock looks down helpfully, while Sprewell looks on. PEACOCK Er, Peacock. DOC (off) Ladies and gentlemen, since... Cut back to Doc Boone on the floor. DOC ...it's most unlikely that we'll ever have the pleasure of meeting again socially, I'd like to propose a toast. He looks up, then takes the cork out of his bottle and looks at each of them in turn. DOC Major, Sprewell, Hawk... Your health. VALTHIM (off) Thank you, sir. Doc Boone takes a swig at the bottle, but as he does so there is a strange whistling sound and a thudding noise; Doc Boone chokes on the bottle, looking up with his eyes wide in amazement. He looks round and camera pans swiftly left, now showing Peacock and Sprewell. Peacock has an arrow stuck in his shoulder. The little man is sitting bolt upright, a look of disbelief on his face. He utters no sound as his right hand gropes to the arrow and holds it by the shaft, while blood pours down his hand. His face is frozen in agony for a moment, then, with a slight gurgle, he falls forward, watched in horror by Sprewell. Camera tilts down with him as he falls across Doc Boone. Doc Boone, now in close-up, leans forward, hurriedly trying to remove the arrow. He pulls it out and looks down aghast at Peacock. Wilcox and Baldy are driving along, unaware. A shot rings out and Baldy looks round anxiously. A medium long shot looks up a slope to where several Apaches are galloping down towards camera, silhouetted against the sky. Baldy immediately raises his gun and fires twice; the shots explode with a shattering report. Wilcox, in horror, urges his horses onwards to renewed effort. Now the Apaches are seen galloping over the horizon. The first one gallops out of shot, but the two that are coming over the hill fall, hit by Baldy's bullets; camera pans slightly right as they roll, slipping down among boulders. Yet more Apaches appear behind them. Wilcox is yelling at the top of his wheezy voice, urging the horses on, and Baldy is yelling at Wilcox. Then Baldy turns down to the door of the stagecoach behind him. The ravine is now seen from below and in long shot. The Apaches appear at the rim as the stagecoach hurtles through the bottom of the ravine, coming towards camera and going off to the right. Three Apaches now zigzag down the side of the ravine on their horses and pursue the stagecoach. The wide flat plain stretches away to the far distant mountains on the horizon. The stagecoach speeds away from camera as Apaches swarm down the canyon slope, riding wildly in pursuit. The noise of yelling and the constant gunfire is deafening. The team of horses is now seen from the roof of the stagecoach, with Wilcox and Baldy in back view in the foreground. Baldy is frantically chucking stones at the horses to urge them on. Track beside the stagecoach to show Wilcox yelling wildly at the horses, as Baldy continues to chuck stones at them. Now track rapidly backwards in front of the pursuing Apaches, who gallop across the plain, leaving the canyon far behind. Wilcox continues to urge his horses on wildly. Baldy removes his gun-belt. He yells for Valthim, and camera pans slightly right as the latter emerges from the window of the stage and takes the belt from him. While the exchange takes place, Daphne peers anxiously out of the window for a moment. Then, as Wilcox goes on screaming at his horses, Baldy turns back and settles himself on the box, taking aim backwards over the roof of the stagecoach. The Apaches, some with bows and arrows, some with old rifles, and a few with lances and buffalo-hide Wilcoxlers on their arms, are riding furiously, gaining ground on both sides of the stagecoach. They are still behind, but their intention is plain... to come alongside on both sides and rake the passengers with their fire. The stagecoach is now going full speed, Wilcox yelling the horses on, Baldy shooting over the back of the stage. The Apaches thunder up in pursuit. One of them falls from his horse as the others charge on. Track in front of the stagecoach, as the door at the side opens and Hawk crawls out precariously onto the exposed roof. He makes it, crawls forward, and reaches into the boot, getting his rifle. An arm appears from the stagecoach window firing at the pursuing Apaches. The stagecoach continues to hurtle forward, everyone except Wilcox firing back at the Apaches. Loud 'chase' music adds to the noise of gunfire and war whoops. Now pan left with the pursuing Apaches. Cut back to Hawk sitting upright on the back of the stagecoach, seen in profile, aiming down at the pursuing Apaches. He fires. Seen from below, an Apache bites the dust; his gun flies in the air. At the side of the stagecoach, Daphne looks anxiously out of the window as two arrows thud into the woodwork just beside her. One of the men inside hauls her away from the window. Track again below and beside the pursuing Apaches. Inside the coach, Doc Boone is bandaging Peacock's shoulder while Sprewell stands in back view in a mad panic. He pushes at Doc Boone, trying to get past him to the door. DOC Sprewell, will you shut up! I've got a patient here! SPREWELL Stop this stage! Let me out of here! DOC Sprewell! Sprewell! SPREWELL Let me out of here, I tell you, stop this stage! As Sprewell continues to struggle, Doc Boone finally puts down his dressings and turns towards the hysterical man. Doc Boone is seen from below, as he suddenly punches Sprewell hard on the chin. DOC You shut up! Camera pans slightly right as Sprewell sinks down out of shot. Doc Boone turns back to his patient again. Through the window, the plain seems to fly by. The stagecoach and the pursuing Apaches are seen in long shot from above, all charging towards camera, which tracks in slightly as the stagecoach goes off to the left. The Apaches chase after it, spread out in a row and firing constantly at their target. From ground level, we see the team of horses and the stagecoach charge right over the camera lens, followed by some Apaches. The stagecoach is now seen from the side. Hawk is lying full length on the roof, firing out over the back. Baldy is firing past him from the box. Doc Boone, also holding a pistol, is visible at the window. Wilcox yells wildly at the horses, driving for all he is worth. As a bullet whistles past him, Doc Boone ducks back slightly. Track with several of the pursuing Apaches, seen from below. Hawk is lying on his side, aiming out over the back of the coach. He fires. Track rapidly left with an Apache who falls to the ground as he is hit by Hawk's shot. His horse charges off left and several other Apaches pass over his body. Doc Boone leans out of the window of the stagecoach, takes careful aim with his pistol, and then fires. Hawk is leaning back reloading his gun from the ammunition box, while Wilcox continues to yell wildly at the horses. Doc Boone takes aim again. Lady Luna, seen in close-up with a scarf round her head, looks grimly out of the window. Doc Boone's hand with the gun is visible on the left. Lady Luna winces slightly as the gun fires. From above the stagecoach, we see Hawk on the roof in the centre of shot. The Apaches are clearly gaining ground as the men are now aiming more or less sideways out from the stagecoach. Hawk and Baldy fire, then Doc Boone does the same. Two more Apaches bite the dust, while another gallops past. Track rapidly out in front of the coach. More gunshots. Track sideways with the pursuing Apaches. Track with one Apache who is reloading a rifle as he gallops along. Clouds of dust and more Apaches behind. Track sideways again with several mounted Apaches. The stagecoach and horses are now seen in medium long shot, galloping furiously across the plain to the right. Two Apaches approach at the gallop from the left, followed by another intercepting from the side. On the driving-box, Wilcox yells at Baldy, who turns to the other side to aim at the intercepting Apaches. He fires. WILCOX (yelling wildly at the horses) Come on, get on, ho, go on, go! Now the Apaches are shown galloping away from camera. One of them falls from his horse in the foreground and is dragged along by the reins. On the driving-box, Wilcox continues to yell wildly at the horses while Baldy starts chucking stones at them again. WILCOX Get on there, hoa, hoa, go! From Wilcox's point of view on the box, the horse team is seen galloping wildly along. Track out in front of the coach, as an Apache on a piebald horse draws level with the team, throws away his lance and leaps from his own horse onto the leading pair. Cut back to Wilcox and Baldy, who is now turned towards the back of the coach again. Wilcox, seeing the Apache land on the horses off-screen, yells to Hawk. WILCOX (shouting) Hawk! Hawk leans forward behind him and aims across his shoulder. Track sideways with the team of horses, the Apache crouched on the shaft between the leading two. Hawk fires across Wilcox's shoulder. Cut back to the horses, to show the Apache brave hit and falling down onto the shaft between the first pair. Hawk aims lower and fires again. Now the Apache falls to the ground between the horses, who gallop on over him followed by the stagecoach. They go out of frame to the left. Camera holds on the Apache, who scrambles painfully up to a kneeling position as more Apaches gallop past. Close-up of Valthim leaning from the window of the coach. He aims his pistol, then fires and smiles. Track left as one of an Apache group bites the dust. Camera holds on the body as the others charge off. Valthim looks round, teeth bared, then aims again. Track slightly left as more Apaches gallop past and away from camera. Two gunshots; two more Apaches bite the dust. Valthim now withdraws inside the carriage for a moment. Track left with a bunch of Apaches who are catching up with the stagecoach, the back wheels of which show on the left. Low angle close-up of Hawk on the roof of the stage. He aims and fires twice. Cut back to the Apaches close to the stagecoach. Two more bite the dust. Doc Boone is now seen close from below, leaning out of the window of the stagecoach and aiming his pistol. He withdraws inside again as two bullets hit the door before he can fire. Now a low angle long shot shows the stagecoach hurtling towards camera. The Apaches have now almost drawn level with it on all sides. Doc Boone leans out, aims and fires. Again we see the back of the stagecoach on the left, the pursuing Apaches behind, as one of them bites the dust in the foreground. Track slightly left as the horse rolls over, then gets up again and gallops off. A group of Apaches is galloping after the stage, camera tracking left and slightly above them. Then pan slightly right as the top of the stage comes into view with first Hawk, then Baldy, taking aim and firing. Track rapidly left with two of the pursuing Apaches. The horse of one of them is shot from beneath him and he is flung forward over its neck. The stagecoach is now seen in three-quarter front view. Track rapidly out in front of it, panning slightly at the same time to keep it in frame. The pursuing Apaches are now all level with the coach. Track rapidly left with two Apaches. One of them has a rifle raised. He aims and fires. Cut to Wilcox and Baldy on the box. There is the crack of a gun and Wilcox almost pitches off the box as he is hit in the arm. He slumps forward with a moan. Baldy tries to pull him up again, calling to Hawk to help. Hawk sees what has happened and crawls forward to aid Baldy in pulling him up. Cut to a low shot as from the front of the stagecoach. The reins hang slackly from Wilcox's hand, off-screen, as the horses gallop along. The men look down helplessly towards the horses. Baldy yells at Hawk. BALDY (frantically) The leader, get the leader! The reins of the leader are dragging on the ground. Hawk leaps forward between Baldy and Wilcox, letting go of the wounded man. Track sideways with the stage. We see Hawk jump off the box onto the back of the first pair of horses. Gunshots scream through the air and the music gets louder. Camera pans ahead of the first pair of horses as Hawk jumps onto the next pair, then onto the head pair. The attacking Apaches can be seen through clouds of dust in the background. Having landed on the shaft between the leading pair, Hawk scrambles onto the back of the nearest horse. Track with Hawk on the back of the leading horse. He is seen in medium close-up and three-quarters back view. He gathers up the loose reins and starts to whip the horse on with the end of them. On the box, Wilcox continues to hang onto the other half of the reins with his good hand, feebly urging the horses on, while Baldy reloads his gun. But it is really Hawk who is doing the driving now. WILCOX Go on, go on... go on... go on. Baldy gives Wilcox a hand dragging on the reins. Valthim stands at the stage window following an Apache round with his pistol, off-screen. He fires, but there is a click. The pistol is empty. Looking horrified, he withdraws inside the coach. A gunshot explodes. Doc Boone is leaning out of the other window, also aiming his pistol. Track sideways with the galloping Apaches, one of them aiming a rifle with one hand. He fires. Cut back to Doc Boone following the Apaches round with his pistol. He fires. A click. His gun is also empty. He looks desperately round, then calls up to Baldy, off-screen. DOC Baldy! More ammunition! Baldy turns round from the box and shows the empty magazine of his rifle. He shakes his head. Doc Boone now looks round in horror. He withdraws inside. An Apache with a rifle is seen through the other window of the stage, drawing closer. Track with the attacking Apaches. One of them fires his rifle. Daphne, seen in close-up huddled in the corner of the smoke- filled stagecoach, clasps the baby to her. A bullet whistles through, making a hole in the woodwork. She turns in horror to look at it. Track with the attacking Apaches. Daphne looks anxiously down at the baby, while the attacking Apaches draw ahead, seen through the windows of the stage behind her. The baby is seen close from above, its eyes closed. The gunshots continue, off. Daphne suddenly drops her head forward and buries it hopelessly in the baby's shawl. Valthim is looking grimly down at his gun, off-screen. Valthim's gloved hands are seen, close from above, opening the gun. There is one bullet left in the chamber. He spins it round to the firing position. Cut back to Valthim's face. He looks up and across at first Daphne, then Lady Luna off-screen, his face desperate and forlorn. As he raises the gun, camera pans right and tilts down to show Lady Luna huddled in the corner, muttering prayers. Valthim's gun comes into frame on the left, pointing straight at her head. A pause, then there is a gunshot off, and the gun drops and falls to the ground as Valthim is hit, off-screen. Lady Luna continues to mutter her prayers, apparently without noticing. Suddenly we hear the sound of a bugle and she looks up, hope dawning in her eyes. LADY LUNA Can you hear it? Can you hear it? It's a bugle! They're blowing the charge! Track right with the bugler and standard-bearer of the U.S. Cavalry galloping to the rescue. The bugler turns from side to side, sounding the charge, while the music turns to a triumphant cavalry theme. Now we see from above the whole detachment of cavalry charging to the rescue, camera tracking right with the horsemen. Cut to a cavalryman galloping along with the flag, others behind him, their sabres drawn. Now we see the bugler in a high angle close-up, sounding the charge at the head of his troop. In the distance, the stagecoach comes toward camera surrounded by the remaining Apaches, while the near cavalry stream towards it. The Apaches pull their horses to their haunches and begin to scatter and run, as the cavalry charge towards them. They flail their ponies with their moccasined feet as they head back the way they have come, leaving the horsemen behind in a cloud of dust. Hawk leaps from the leading horse and holds the team's head, while a small group of cavalrymen ride up to the coach. From the inside, the door of the coach is jerked open and Hawk looks in eagerly. His eyes turn to Valthim off-screen and his face falls. Valthim is leaning back against the side of the coach, with Doc Boone and Lady Luna supporting him on either side. He tries to smile, looking up at Lady Luna, and she leans down close to him, pity in her face. It is an effort for him to speak but he manages his last words to her. VALTHIM If you ever see Judge Ringfield... (fighting for breath) ...tell him his son... He does not finish his sentence, but closes his eyes and slumps forward on Doc Boone's shoulder. We hear the sound of the cavalryman's bugle, off. Hawk is still looking anxiously through the door. Behind him the bugler circles round on his horse, still blowing his bugle. Dissolve to medium long shot of the cavalrymen riding in formation across the plain. Dissolve to a street in Lordsburg, seen from above at night. It curves to the left so that one cannot see its full length. Oil-lamps light the store and Tavern fronts, creating the usual Western atmosphere with an eerie effect of shadows from stark points of light. There are several Wilcoxboards and a number of cow ponies hitched to the racks that line the street on either side. It is Saturday night and Lordsburg is full of ranchers and miners, cowboys, businessmen and diverse town characters. There is a thudding of hooves, and around the turn in the distance come a group of cavalrymen, their horses lathered and their uniforms covered with dust, as they sweep past at a trot. Then two quartermaster's waggons come round the turn at a sharp trot. As the quartermaster's waggons draw near, the uniformed driver pulls the horses to a halt in front of the Army building, which is opposite the biggest and brightest Tavern in town, the El Dorado. One of the waggons is drawn up in front of the Army building. Several Army officers and four or five ladies have been waiting on the sidewalk in front of the Army office, and they flock to the waggon. Two cavalrymen, one of them a captain, lift Lady Luna out; she is laid on one of the stagecoach seats. The ladies crowd round anxiously. Camera pans left as the cavalrymen carry Lady Luna towards the door. CAPTAIN Thank heaven you're safe, Lady Luna. LADY LUNA Where's Richard? Is he all right? CAPTAIN He's all right, don't you worry. Camera holds on a high angle shot of Lady Luna looking up from the stretcher as the ladies crowd round sympathetically. FIRST LADY It isn't a bad wound. CAPTAIN We'll take you to him immediately. SECOND LADY Where's the baby, dear? Lady Luna looks up anxiously and everyone turns to look off to the right. Daphne is standing in the doorway of the carriage with the baby bundled protectively in her arms. Two cavalrymen, standing one on each side of her, help her down the steps, and camera pans left as she comes up to the group of waiting ladies. A woman dressed as a nurse hurries forward and takes the baby away from her. NURSE I'll take the baby. Then the woman goes off into the background followed by the other women, all cooing over the baby, and Lady Luna is revealed on the left still lying on the stretcher held by the cavalrymen. LADY LUNA Daphne. Daphne, seen close from below, moves forward, looking down at Lady Luna off-screen. Lady Luna's head, seen close from above, lies on the stretcher on a pillow. She looks up at Daphne. LADY LUNA If there's ever anything I can do for... She falters, lowers her eyes and looks away. Daphne looks down at Lady Luna sympathetically. DAPHNE I know. She takes off her shawl and throws it over Lady Luna on the stretcher. Lady Luna looks up at Daphne as she gently draws the cloak over her. CAVALRYMAN (off) All right, lady. Lady Luna's head goes off at top of frame as the cavalrymen carry her away on the stretcher. Daphne backs away as the cavalrymen move off into the background with Lady Luna. She pauses for a moment looking after them, then camera pans right with her as she goes over to the waggon and takes down her belongings from inside. She starts dusting off her hat, then looks up as a commotion is heard, off. Piano music comes from the Taverns down the street. In the background, more cavalrymen ride across from left to right followed by the stagecoach itself, the tired horses walking, as some cowboys crowd round to watch. Camera pans slightly right as the stagecoach comes towards it. Two seedy-looking characters are watching, leaning on a rail. One of them mouths something. The stagecoach comes forward slowly, seen in three-quarter front view with Hawk driving on the box, Wilcox, his arm in a sling, at his side, and Baldy on the roof behind. The two men watch in amazement. One man is thin with a drooping moustache, a cigar clamped in his teeth; the other is a short, fat little man whose eyebrows are raised in childish astonishment. FAT MAN (with a wheezy gasp) It's the Hawk Kid! Suddenly he turns and rushes away through the crowd behind him, hastily followed by the thin man. The other cowboys crowd forward to watch. Hawk is driving slowly, Baldy sitting silently beside him. The stagecoach moves slowly off, followed by a long procession of curious bystanders, mainly cowboys. In the El Dorado Tavern, a piano is banging out honky-tonk music amid the racket of a frontier Tavern on Saturday night. Luke Plummer is sitting at a table playing poker, surrounded by the other players. A woman leans against his shoulder on one side. The last chip has been thrown into the pot. LUKE Aces and eights. COWPUNCHER (with a laugh as Luke reaches for the pot) Dead man's hand, Luke. The two rabbity men who were watching Hawk in the street rush up to the tables, the fat one coming round beside Luke and addressing him. FAT MAN Hawk Kid's in town. THIN MAN Yeah, drivin' the stage. Luke looks up at someone off-screen and we see his face for the first time: hard, unpleasant, dangerous. A Mexican in a broad sombrero now looks anxiously down at Luke off-screen. Luke rises slowly to his feet, camera tilting up with him as his face moves into shadow. The woman looks up anxiously at his side. LUKE Mis hermanos! (My brothers!) Cut back to the low angle close shot of the Mexican. MEXICAN Si, patron, un momento! He turns and runs off. Luke stands with his cards in his hands. He looks at them for a moment, then throws them down on the table. A close-up shows the cards lying on the table: two black aces and two black eights. Luke starts to move away. The Tavern is now seen in a reverse angle shot with the table in the foreground. Luke moves away from camera, pausing briefly to address his fellow players. LUKE Cash in. Then he goes over to the bar in the background, his woman sidling after him. He puts an arm on the bar and turns back towards the room. Cut on motion to Luke at the bar turning towards the room. Another cowpuncher moves past in the foreground as the Bartender, a fat man wearing a top hat, places a bottle of whiskey in front of Luke and pulls out the stopper. Looking rather apprehensive, he produces a glass and Luke pours himself a slug of whiskey. A long line of men stand in profile at the bar, the one nearest camera moving out of frame to the left. Luke puts down the bottle and raises his glass. Luke, now seen in a low angle close-up, tosses the whiskey back in one gulp and swallows. The men at the bar all look round uneasily and gradually start to move away. Luke looks meanly to and fro. At the piano at the rear, the pianist is pounding away stolidly, gazing at Luke off-screen; the woman stands behind him. Luke looks from side to side with a vicious expression on his face, but he is obviously scared and trying to hide it under the show of meanness. Daphne is still standing out in the street by the Army building. Two cavalrymen pass in front of her, carrying a stretcher with Valthim's body on it. She watches it pass, then camera pans right with her as she moves towards a waggon, from which another stretcher is being taken carrying the wounded Peacock. The stretcher-bearers halt as Peacock addresses Daphne, holding out his hand to her, which she takes. PEACOCK Goodbye, Miss Daphne. If you ever come to Kansas City, Kansas, I want you to come out to see us. DAPHNE Oh, thanks, Mister... er... PEACOCK Peacock. The stretcher is carried off. Camera tracks slightly right, then out in front of Daphne as she moves away from the Army building. She suddenly stops and peers forward as we hear the jingle of a harness off. Seen across a rail fence, the stagecoach now comes up the street to join the waggons outside the Army building. We can hear the piano from the El Dorado Tavern playing somewhere nearby. Two men in shirtsleeves hurry up to the stagecoach and numerous bystanders crowd around. ONE OF THE MEN Hello, Wilcox! You got through all right! WILCOX All right, Bill. MAN All right, folks, you're all right. Unload. The door of the stagecoach opens and Sprewell steps out. One of the men advances towards him, brandishing a piece of paper. MAN Here y'are, Doctor, will you sign this? The door half-closes and then opens again as Doc Boone begins to emerge in the background. Hawk and Wilcox are seen from below on the box. Wilcox leans forward wearily. WILCOX Well... SPREWELL (off) Thank you. WILCOX ...Lordsburg. He looks up at Hawk. MAN (off) And you, Doctor. Baldy is now coming forward, holding his rifle and looking up at Hawk off-screen. MAN (off) There you are, thank you. BALDY Well, Kid? Cut back to Hawk and Wilcox on the box, as Hawk leans forward. HAWK Baldy, how long'll they give me for breakin' out? Baldy looks up at him. BALDY (quietly) Oh, 'bout another year. Hawk's expression hardens a fraction. Wilcox watches him anxiously. HAWK (after a pause) You know where my ranch is? BALDY (off) Yeah. HAWK Will you... see she gets there all right? Baldy is a little surprised. BALDY Daphne? Hawk looks straight ahead. HAWK Yeah. This is no town for a nice girl like her. He looks down at Baldy. Baldy is touched. HAWK (off) Will you do it? BALDY (slowly and gravely) Sure. At the front of the stagecoach, Doc Boone is visible behind the three men. The Sheriff, wearing a large stetson hat, comes up, followed by an inquisitive bystander. SHERIFF How are you, Marshal? Get my man through all right? He brandishes several pairs of handcuffs. BALDY I don't need them. Sprewell, still rankling, taps the Sheriff's arm importantly and points up at Hawk, as they form part of a group which includes a portion of the crowd. SPREWELL If you don't want to lose your prisoner, Sheriff, you'd better take him yourself. The Sheriff, puzzled by having the driver of the stagecoach pointed out to him, turns and looks at Sprewell. SHERIFF What's your name, mister? SPREWELL My name is Sprewell. Ellsworth H. Sprewell. SHERIFF Sprewell. You didn't think they'd have the telegraph wires fixed, did you? The Sheriff and a Deputy who has appeared on the left instantly leap upon Sprewell, who starts to struggle violently. Close-up of Sprewell struggling wildly as the Sheriff and his Deputy try to get the handcuffs on him. They finally succeed and camera pans left slightly as Sprewell is hustled away, followed by a crowd of delighted bystanders. As they go, Daphne is revealed standing by the wheels of the stagecoach. Soft music. Camera pans right and tracks out as she comes forward, to show the stagecoach in medium shot. Doc Boone is standing by the door, with the other three in their previous positions. Daphne stops by Doc Boone and Hawk climbs down from the box. He looks first at Daphne and then at Baldy on the right. Hawk and Baldy are seen in profile. HAWK Can I meet you here in ten minutes? Baldy doesn't answer. He just stands looking at Daphne. HAWK I gave you my word, Baldy. I ain't going back on it now. Baldy looks hard at Hawk, then hands him his rifle. BALDY No ammunition. Hawk takes the gun and starts to take off his hat. HAWK I lied to you, Baldy. He takes some cartridges out from the inside of his hat, and shows them to Baldy. HAWK I got three left. He puts his hat on again and walks off. By the stagecoach, Daphne and Doc Boone stand on the left, Baldy on the right. Hawk walks towards Daphne, loading his gun. HAWK (to Daphne) Come on. He takes her by the arm and leads her off as Doc Boone walks towards Baldy. Track low in front of Daphne and Hawk as they walk off down the street. Hawk works the catch on his gun. Slow music. Doc Boone is facing Baldy, with Wilcox on the box of the stagecoach behind them. They all turn and watch the couple go. Stay on tracking shot of Hawk and Daphne, now seen in three- quarter front view. They pass the Tavern. Camera pans slowly round so that it is tracking alongside and just ahead of them. By Hawk's side, Daphne fumbles feverishly with her bag. The doorway of the El Dorado Tavern is seen from behind the bar. Luke Plummer stands back to camera on the left at the bar. He whips out his pistol as two horses draw up at the door and two hard-looking men rush in -- Ike and Hank Plummer. They come up to Luke, who puts away his pistol and nods towards the door, where a group of bystanders are crowding round looking in anxiously. The farthest brother, wearing a hat, looks in the direction of Luke's gaze; at the same time, he grabs the whiskey bottle and reaches nervously for a glass. It clatters over the side of the bar and onto the floor. He looks scared at Luke and pours himself a drink. Luke comes round beside him and grabs the bottle. The man drinks and looks nervously from side to side again. A line of men at the other end of the bar look on nervously. Luke and his brother are now shown leaning on the bar in profile. They whip round towards camera, reaching for their guns as a noise is heard at the door. Doc Boone wanders in, slamming the Tavern door behind him. He comes up to the end of the bar facing the three men; he puts his black bag on the counter. Then he points at the whiskey bottle. DOC Can I have that? A pause. Luke Plummer slings the whiskey bottle along the counter. Doc Boone catches the bottle, looking quizzically up at Luke off-screen. He reaches for a glass and pours himself a slug, then raises the glass, his eyes still on Luke. Cut back to Luke and his brothers, seen in profile, all looking meanly at Doc Boone off-screen. Cut back to Doc Boone. He puts down his glass and looks innocently at Luke. Cut back again to the Plummer brothers. Luke's face is contorted with anger and tension. He looks from Doc Boone to the Bartender and back again. Now the bar is seen slightly from above with Doc Boone in back view in the foreground; Luke and his brothers are lined against it on the right. The Bartender stands behind the bar, still in his top hat, one hand in his pocket. Luke stretches out his hand to the Bartender, his eyes still on Doc Boone. LUKE Give me the shotgun. The Bartender does not react. Luke turns to him and says it again, this time louder. LUKE Shotgun! The Bartender produces a shotgun from beneath the counter and hands it nervously to Luke, who grabs it compulsively, smashing several glasses on the counter as he does so. The Bartender snaps his fingers at his fat assistant who appears on the left. They both go to a large ornate mirror which hangs on a wall behind the bar. Looking anxiously at Luke off-screen, the Bartender and his assistant carefully lower the ornate mirror down below the bar counter. Doc Boone and Luke keep on eyeing each other across the bar. Camera pans briefly right as the woman, seen earlier with Luke, rushes up behind him and seizes him by the arm. WOMAN Luke, please don't. Luke thrusts her away savagely, camera panning right again as she lands in the arms of another woman and, recovering herself, rushes off upstairs. Hawk and Daphne are still walking down the street, camera tracking in front of them. Neither looks at the other. Neither says anything. Her feet seem to drag as she walks, as if she never wanted to come to their destination. As the sequence continues, they walk in and out of shadows while music from bars and whorehouses comes and goes. Drunken laughter is heard off. They are obviously approaching the sleaziest quarter of town. Pan and track slowly past a cat-house on the sidewalk; a girl sits on the steps. Bawdy laughter comes from inside, while a 'professor' can be seen pounding the piano through the cracked glass of the doorway. Cut back to Hawk and Daphne still plodding forward. Here the music changes to a violin and piano playing a waltz. Track sideways past a couple of similar establishments, Daphne walking ahead of Hawk in the foreground. Then track in behind them as they go towards the top of some steps, where Daphne halts and looks up at Hawk. Behind her is an alley of sleazy- looking houses with lighted windows. Daphne looks desperately up at Hawk, who is partly visible in back view. DAPHNE (hopelessly) Well, Kid, I... (she pauses) ...I told you not to follow me. Her face is hard and bitter with despair. Daphne starts to go away down the steps into the alley, as Hawk stands watching in the foreground. She breaks into a desperate run, then halts as Hawk calls to her. HAWK Daphne! She does not turn as Hawk comes down the steps after her. Slow music. Daphne has her hand on the rail as Hawk comes up just behind her, too bewildered to say anything. Close-up of Daphne from the side looking away from him silently. Low angle close-up of Hawk looking at her, full of concern. HAWK I asked you to marry me, didn't I? Cut back to Daphne seen in profile. She finally turns towards Hawk with tears in her eyes. DAPHNE (choking) I'll never forget you asked me, Kid. That's something. HAWK (holding out his wrists, his voice calm) See them scars? Handcuffs... Scars wear off, Daphne. He puts his hands on her shaking shoulders HAWK I ain't gonna give you a chance to forget me. You wait here. He turns and strides off to the left. Daphne turns to watch him go, looking after him as if she can't believe what she has heard. The quiet music ends. In the El Dorado Tavern, everybody waits in a tense silence. Luke Plummer stands on the left of the bar with his brothers Ike and Hank. A card game is going on at a table on the right. The door suddenly opens and everybody dives down, their hands over their heads, as the Plummer brothers whip round, their guns out. Wilcox appears at the door, his arm in a sling. He gives a hoarse shout of fear as he sees the Plummer brothers turned towards him, their guns at the ready. Wilcox stands at the door, petrified. He waggles his fingers placatingly and speaks in a terrified falsetto. WILCOX ...Er... er... Hawk said he would be passing this way in six or seven minutes. He grins again placatingly and suddenly bolts out of the door, slamming it behind him. Cut back to Luke and his brothers, who pocket their pistols. Luke swings the sawn-off shotgun into the crook of his arm and jerks his head to his brothers. LUKE (Urgently) Come on. They stride towards the left, camera panning with them, and come up against Doc Boone, who has come round from the end of the bar to block their way. His tone is amiable, but firm. DOC I'll take that shotgun, Luke. Close-up of Luke facing Doc Boone, who is in back view. LUKE You'll take it in the belly, if you don't get out of my way. Doc Boone stares grimly at Luke, off-screen. DOC [If it can stand the kind of whiskey they sell here, it can stand lead.] I'll have you indicted for murder if you step outside with that shotgun. He holds out his hand as if he were only asking for the wrist of a patient. Luke stares at Doc Boone hard for a moment, then grins. The two of them stand by the end of the bar, Luke's two brothers behind him, the fat Bartender in the background. Luke tosses the gun on the bar with a clatter. LUKE Well, I'll tend to you later. He thrusts Doc Boone brutally aside, camera panning left slightly, then strides off, followed by his brothers. Doc Boone comes forward to the bar again, grinning; he mops his brow and takes the whiskey bottle from the fat Bartender, who has come forward and thrust it towards him. He pours a slug, drinks it fast, then sets the glass down with a sigh. He gasps to the Bartender, who has been watching with bulging eyes: DOC Don't ever let me do that again. The Bartender grins sympathetically and pushes the whiskey bottle towards him again. In the street outside, Luke's woman is leaning over the third- floor balcony above the bar. WOMAN Luke! She tosses down a rifle. Camera tilts rapidly down with it to the sidewalk, where Luke catches it, his brothers standing on either side. Luke cocks the gun and they all look warily from side to side, then stride off to the left past a lamp. LUKE (calling up) Thanks. And the three brothers move forward again, scanning the empty street ahead of them. The Plummer brothers come round the side of the Tavern, looking warily around them. A cat runs across in front of them. Medium close-up of the trio. Hank draws his gun and fires at the cat. The cat scuttles away round a corner. Cut back to the three brothers, as Ike gives a high-pitched laugh. IKE Hank missed him with four feet. At a street corner, people scatter. A man rides towards camera on horseback with two other horses in tow. Outside the El Dorado Tavern, cowboys are unlooping the reins of their mustangs from the hitching posts and leading them into corrals. The street is rapidly emptying. Through the open door of a print shop, we see an old Type- setter in shirt-sleeves, a green eyeshade on his brow, bent over a type box beside an old-fashioned printing press. Track in as the Editor hurriedly enters from the street, taking off his jacket as he goes. On the window is lettered: LORDSBURG SENTINEL. The old Type-setter straightens up as the Editor bustles in, and camera holds on them as they face each other across the press. EDITOR Hey, Billy! Billy! Kill that story about the Republican Convention in Chicago. Take this down. He points out into the street. EDITOR 'The Hawk Kid was killed on Main Street in Lordsburg tonight...' He slaps his hand on the press and points his finger at the surprised Type-setter. EDITOR '...and among the additional dead were...' Leave that blank for a while. Camera pans slightly right as the Editor comes forward and looks out into the street. TYPE-SETTER (following him) I didn't hear no shooting, Ed. He puts his hands anxiously on the Editor's shoulders and looks out past him. EDITOR You will, Billy, you will. Cut to a long shot of the street, a gas-lamp in the foreground. Two women scurry across the street, while a rancher drives a Wilcoxboard hitched to two horses at a tearing pace down the street out of town. The street empties as the three Plummer brothers, now spread out, stalk warily towards camera. Low music. The brothers look behind them as they advance, then pause and look round, standing closer together. Cut to another long shot of the street, where the Plummers' shadows loom against the far walls. They walk slowly into view. Simultaneously, Hawk appears from the shadow in back view in the foreground. Everyone pauses as they see each other, then Hawk and the trio start to move slowly towards each other. Hawk is now seen in reverse angle, stalking slowly towards camera, his footsteps loud on the board sidewalk in the empty night; he comes into a shaft of light, cocking his gun as he goes. He goes out of frame to the left. Now the Plummer brothers are seen from below, stalking forward, their guns levelled. The music gets louder. They move out of shot. Hawk is still coming slowly forward in the gloom. The music gets louder still, pounding in time with his feet. Suddenly, Hawk throws himself to the ground, firing as he goes, then feverishly starts reloading his rifle. Daphne is still standing at the foot of the steps where Hawk left her. She turns and looks up anxiously, as a volley of shots rings out, echoed by a chorus of screams from the whores in the nearby cat-houses. Silence falls. Daphne reacts with anguish. She hurries anxiously up the steps towards camera, calling Hawk's name as she goes. DAPHNE Hawk... Hawk... Hawk! She halts at the top of the steps, looks anxiously off to the right, then her shoulders droop and she sinks her head despairingly down against the post at the side of the steps. There is a look of death in her face. In the interior of the El Dorado Tavern, cowboys are crowded round the door, looking out. The door is flung open and Luke Plummer stands unsteadily in the doorway. He looks from side to side, then advances towards the bar with leaden feet. As he reaches the end of the bar, he staggers and falls, grabbing at the bar as he goes. He lands on his back, dead. Camera tilts down to show his corpse from above. Daphne stands, dejected and beaten, at the top of the steps, her head resting on her hands. Track in as she raises her head when slow heavy footsteps are heard off. She rushes towards Hawk, as he appears from the right of frame in back view, and falls in his arms. Hawk holds her close to him; Daphne is crying in earnest now, her throat too full of feeling for a word to pass. The music, which has been playing softly, now reaches a climax. They stand locked in each other's arms. As they stand clasped in one another's arms, a Wilcoxboard drives into frame from the left with Baldy at the reins and Doc Boone behind. Doc Boone gets out. BALDY Ready, Kid? Baldy is seen in medium close-up on the front of the Wilcoxboard with the couple standing behind him, looking round at him. Hawk comes forward, followed by Daphne. HAWK Thanks, Baldy. Baldy gets down from the driver's seat. Hawk starts to get up, then pauses. He turns to Daphne. HAWK Baldy's going to see that you get to my place across the Border. She nods, looking up at him. Hawk gets up onto the vehicle and Doc Boone comes forward in the background beside Daphne. HAWK Well. He puts out his hand. HAWK Goodbye, Daphne. Daphne leans forward and clasps his hand in both of hers. DAPHNE (almost in a whisper) Goodbye. BALDY (in back view in the foreground) Maybe you would like to ride a way with the Kid. DAPHNE Please. She gets up beside Hawk. Baldy moves out of frame to the left. Doc Boone arranges a shawl around Daphne's shoulders, then does likewise. They sit there, waiting for Baldy to climb up, too. Baldy and Doc Boone both move towards the back of the vehicle and each picks up a stone from the ground. Then they seem to go insane, for suddenly they both hurl their stones at the horses' rumps, yelling. The horses gallop off with the Wilcoxboard, nearly spilling Daphne from the seat and leaving Baldy and Doc Boone shouting and waving their hats in the air. DOC BOONE AND BALDY Hiya, giddap, hiya, hiya, hiya! Now the two men both take a step towards camera, shouting and waving their hats and grinning as the Wilcoxboard moves away off-screen. They chuckle contentedly and put their hats back on their heads. DOC Well, that's saved them the blessings of civilization. BALDY Yeah. He laughs, then taps Doc Boone on the shoulder. BALDY Doc... He removes his Marshal's badge from his lapel. BALDY I'll buy you a drink. He puts the badge in his pocket. DOC (waving a finger) Just one. The two men laugh. Baldy puts his arm round Doc Boone and they walk off to the left. Darkness still lies over the land, but sunrise lightens the clouds on the horizon, as the Wilcoxboard moves swiftly away from camera into the distance, carrying Hawk and Daphne to their new life. Loud music and the words THE END appear and fade out before the end credits.

This was one of those years in the Territory when Apache smoke signals spiraled up from the stony mountain summits and many a ranch cabin lay as a square of blackened ashes on the ground and the departure of a stage from Tonto was the beginning of an adventure that had no certain happy ending.... The stage and its six horses wafted in front of Weilner's store on the north side of Tonto's square. Happy Stuart was on the box, the ribbons between his fingers and one foot teetering on the brake. John Strang rode shotgun guard and an escort of ten cavalrymen waited behind the coach, half asleep in their saddles. At four-thirty in the morning this high air was quite cold, though the sun had begun to flush the sky eastward. A small crowd stood in the square, presenting their final messages to the passengers now entering the coach. There was a girl going down to marry an infantry officer, a whisky drummer from St. Louis, an Englishman all length and bony corners and bearing with him an enormous sporting rifle, a gambler, a solid-shouldered cattleman on his way to New Mexico and a blond young man upon whom both Happy Stuart and the shotgun guard placed a narrow-eyed interest. This seemed all until the blond man drew back from the coach door; and then a girl known commonly throughout the Territory as Henriette came quietly from the crowd. She

On a world  far distant, deep on the space of the Galactic Council, the Great Wizard of the Ministry of Control addressed the other Wizards and of course the Grand Wizard of the Kermac sitting  in the center of the Hall of the most Exalted. “Our sources confirm that the fire that has started by the Gray Throat Hazzzock has spread all across the Shiss Empire and their First Nestling has called for All War.” The new Grand Wizard of them all, who had replaced his raving mad predecessor said. “So you want us to mobilize and join them?” The Wizard of the MOC spread his arms. “Consider the opportunity. The Union weakened by the Shiss attack!” The new Grand Wizard of them All however came from the ranks of the Ministry of Information and said. “All our last attempts and plans to gain the upper hand against the Union had been initiated by the Ministry of Control. My esteemed but somewhat misguided predecessor ignored the MOI and consended to whatever you recommended. Let us hear from the Wizard of Military what he thinks before I tell you what I know.” The Wizard who was in command of all the military might of the Kermac said. “You did hear that the Nul are soon Union? You heard that the Golden