THE LEADER, PART 2

Originally Aired: February 14, 1999
Written by: Jessica Scott and Mike Wollaeger
Directed by: Shawn Levy

Scenes from ‘The Leader - Part 1’ show.

THEME

In the Yeerk Mother Ship, Visser 1 stands on a platform, looking at the lined-up controllers before her. Marco and Jake still hide behind a gate.

MARCO:
They have my mom.

JAKE:
It’s not her, Marco. She’s under Yeerk control.

MARCO:
She’s not dead, Jake.

JAKE:
I know how you’re feeling. Just don’t do anything stupid.

Marco looks at Jake, then back at his ‘mom.’ He gets an angry look on his face and begins to jump up. Jake does everything in his power to pull him down, catching Visser One and Visser Three’s attention. Jake and Marco duck all the way down behind the gate.

VISSER 1:
The Andalites.

A controller walks in.

VISSER 1:
Where are the Andalites?

CONTROLLER:
Commander, there’s been a--

VISSER 3:
What has happened to the Andalites?

VISSER 1:
Yes, do tell.

CONTROLLER:
They’ve-- they’ve escaped, sir.

VISSER 1:
What?! Well go find them... now! All of you!

The controllers scatter and exit the room. Visser One and Visser Three are left. Marco and Jake look on. They peek about the gate as the door closes.

JAKE:
We gotta find a way out of here. Any ideas?

Marco doesn’t answer. Just looks at the Vissers angrily.

JAKE:
Marco. Marco, we have to be smart, remember?

MARCO:
Sure, Jake. (glaring at the Vissers) Whatever you say.

VISSER 1:
Most impressive, Visser Three. Do all your missions run this smoothly?

VISSER 3:
The Andalites will not escape. Where will they go? This is just a short delay.

VISSER 1:
This invasion has been delayed too often. The council is unhappy with your leadership.

VISSER 3:
The bandits will fall, and so will this planet. The Yeerk Empire shall be victorious. I will see to it.

VISSER 1:
(laughs) Another hollow promise. Complete your mission, Visser 3, or I will do it for you.

She walks off. After collecting himself, Visser 3 walks off. Jake crawls away, Marco following. Back at the E.G.S. Tower, Cassie and Rachel crawl through the vent way they came through. They come to an opening in the system with vent ways leading off in all directions. Rachel crawls out, followed by Cassie.

RACHEL:
I think the Kandrona’s down here. (looks down a vent way)

CASSIE:
I remember this spot. (sniffs the metal)

RACHEL:
What are you doing?

CASSIE:
Wishing I could morph a mouse so I could smell our way back.

RACHEL:
We can’t risk it. Those sensors could be anywhere. We’ll figure something out. Don’t worry.

CASSIE:
You sound like our fearless leader.

RACHEL:
If you say I look like him, too you’re in big trouble.

They both laugh.

CASSIE:
Where do you think they are?

RACHEL:
(sighs) I don’t know.

CASSIE:
Hey, listen, we’re gonna find them. Someone’s got to rescue those guys.

RACHEL:
Yeah. Come on. Let’s get going.

They continue down the vent ways. In the Mother Ship, Jake and Marco stick to a wall.

JAKE:
(as a lizard, thought-speak) We shouldn’t be here.

MARCO:
(as a lizard, thought-speak) They’ll never think to look here. That makes it the perfect hiding place.

Below, is an indoor garden, with a bunch of potted plants. Visser One goes around, spraying them with water. There’s a buzzing sound.

VISSER 1:
Enter.

Visser Three walks in.

VISSER 1:
(turns her head) Oh, it’s you. Well, that mush mean there’s some good news.

VISSER 3:
The Andalites have not been captured, Visser One. I have posted some guards in the ship’s engineering and weapons sections to prevent any attempts at sabotage.

VISSER 1:
Your guards could not contain the bandits in the holding bay. What makes you think they can prevent sabotage?

VISSER 3:
And what would you have done? Posted no guards.

VISSER 1:
Are you asking for my help?

VISSER 3:
(walks to a plant) These weeds... they please you. (rips a leaf off)

VISSER 1:
Yes. Flowers are soothing.

VISSER 3:
Admiration for your host’s traits. Not a good idea, in my opinion.

VISSER 1:
I soothe my host to make her easier to control. She’s not very willing.

Jake and Marco watch. You can see their point of view.

VISSER 1:
Besides... admiration is necessary to understand why these humans do what they do. It is wise to know you enemy.

VISSER 3:
(smiles) I’ll try to remember that. (smile disappears and he walks out)

At the E.G.S. Tower, Cassie punches the screen covering out and crawls into the Kandrona room. Rachel follows. They walk over to a machine connected to the Kandrona.

CASSIE:
How do you turn this thing off?

RACHEL:
I’m guessing you can’t unplug it.

On the Mother Ship, you can see the lizards’ point of view as they crawl into a room.

JAKE:
(thought-speak) I can’t feel any vibrations in the floor. I think we’re safe here.

As the morphers’ point of view, they morph back into humans.

MARCO:
(stretches his neck out) I still don’t like being small.

Jake sees a flashing red button and pushes it. There’s a beeping sound and the lights come on. The boys look around.

MARCO:
Where are we?

JAKE:
Looks like an elevator... maybe a king-sized blender.

Marco gives a weak laugh. Jake sees another large button and pushes it. A door in front of them opens where there is a large hall with cords and tubes hanging all over the place and funky lights. As soon as they walk through, the door closes behind them. They walk down the hall, dodging cords and wires. They come to another door. Jake presses a button and there is an electric warble. Jake pushes the door open.

JAKE:
This is our shot.

MARCO:
You’re going to fly a Yeerk blade ship.

JAKE:
Marco, it’s our way out.

MARCO:
(shakes head) No way. (walks away.)

JAKE:
Marco! (closes the door and runs after him) All right, what’s your plan?

MARCO:
I can’t leave without her. We’re gonna take this ship: you, me... and my mom.

JAKE:
We gotta go now, while we still have the chance.

MARCO:
This is my chance to save her.

JAKE:
Marco, there is an entire Yeerk army up here. The only way we can help your mother at this point is to stay alive-- that means getting off this ship, now.

MARCO:
Jake. I’m not leaving without her. (walks off)

JAKE:
Marco! (grabs his arm and whirls him around) Marco, don’t be crazy!

MARCO:
You know what? You can go!

JAKE:
Come with me.

MARCO:
I will totally understand if you go. It’s a smart thing to do. But I gotta do this. I’m going to get my mom. (walks off)

COMMERCIAL

At the E.G.S. Tower, Cassie touches one of the tubes accidentally and pulls her hand away.

CASSIE:
Ow!

RACHEL:
It’s hot?

CASSIE:
No, cold.

RACHEL:
What do you think this is doing here? Above ground, I mean.

CASSIE:
This is a broadcast station. Do you think they can send out Kandrona rays, like a radio, feeding the Yeerks, without them having to go back to the pool?

RACHEL:
Let’s not find out.

Rachel runs over to a cabinet. She opens it and rummages through the shelves.

CASSIE:
You got a plan?

RACHEL:
(holds up two large wrenches) Yes, I do. (smiles)

On the Mother Ship, Marco wanders around. He hears a loud bang, which startles him. He gasps and hides behind sort of a hallway decoration. Jake comes into view. Marco comes out of his hiding spot.

JAKE:
Your mom probably knows how to operate a blade ship. (smiles)

Marco smiles back. At the E.G.S. Tower, Rachel bangs the wrench on a pipe, connecting the machine to the Kandrona.

CASSIE:
This is your plan?

RACHEL:
Yeah. (stops)

CASSIE:
Put dents into it? Why don’t we just ruin its new-car smell while we’re at it?

RACHEL:
The Kandrona in the Yeerk Pool is hot. This one’s cold. I think it’s because they’re keeping it in this small room.

CASSIE:
Otherwise, it’ll overheat.

RACHEL:
(nods)

CASSIE:
Well how do we know that overheating it is bad?

RACHEL:
If it weren’t a problem, they wouldn’t bother cooling it.

They both start banging on the pipes. Rachel breaks a pipe open and steam comes pouring out. They drop the wrenches.

CASSIE:
Hope this works.

They run out of the room into the hall. They look back.

CASSIE:
Now it’s hot.

An alarm buzzes.

RACHEL:
Part two of the plan.

CASSIE:
Part two?

RACHEL:
Yeah.

Controllers enter the far end of the hall.

CONTROLLER:
Down there!

RACHEL:
Run!

Rachel and Cassie run the opposite direction.

CONTROLLER:
Seize them!

RACHEL:
Okay, this way.

They turn a corner, controllers following them with their flashlights. Rachel kicks a door open. Cassie starts to run in.

RACHEL:
Cassie.

Rachel pulls her out and they stand against a wall opposite the door. The controllers run through the doors, not seeing Rachel and Cassie.

CONTROLLER:
The doors! In here!

CASSIE:
That way.

They run towards some stairs and flee down them. At the Mother Ship, Jake and Marco wander around.

MARCO:
This place is creepy.

JAKE:
Remember, you’re mom’s Yeerk is a Visser. Higher than Visser Three. Who knows what she could do.

MARCO:
She sees me, she’ll break that Yeerk in her. I know it.

JAKE:
We’ll need a better plan--

A door is heard opening. Jake pulls Marco aside.

CONTROLLER:
Wait, I hear something.

JAKE:
Run. (they start running)

CONTROLLER:
There they are! After them!

A controller presses a red button, which makes the lights flash and an alarm go off.

CONTROLLER:
Get them!

The controllers run after Marco and Jake, shooting their lasers. Marco and Jake dodge them as sparks fly. As they pass some large cans, they push them over and keep running.

CONTROLLER:
Get the cans out of the way!

Jake and Marco turn a corner. Marco stops and pulls a pipe out of the wall as heavy smoke pours out.

JAKE:
(takes the pipe) Good idea. I’ll spray them with this. Go on.

CONTROLLER:
I can’t see!

The controllers cough as Marco runs ahead of Jake.

Jake puts the pipe down and runs off. They come to a door. Jake pushes the button.

JAKE:
Come on! Go, go! Go!

Marco pushes the door open. They run in where the blade ship is and Jake closes the door. The controllers get through the smoke.

JAKE:
Come on, come on! Go!

They climb up to the controls while the controllers fire laser beams at the ship. Sparks fly.

JAKE:
Come on, close the door! Go! Go! (they start pushing buttons)

COMPUTER:
Hatch sealed.

Jake and Marco frantically push buttons, turn knobs and flick switches.

JAKE:
Work! Marco, let’s go. Come on, help me figure out how to get this thing started.

MARCO:
I’m still not leaving without my mom.

A laser beam’s sparks send the two boys ducking.

COMPUTER:
Ship under attack. Ship under attack.

JAKE:
hey, you’re not going to be around unless we get this ship of the ground, now!

Another laser beam’s sparks fly and the boys duck.

JAKE:
Come on, and now! Let’s go!

MARCO:
(pushes Jake away) Man, don’t you get it! I’m not leaving without her! (starts to run off)

JAKE:
(grabs Marco) Hey, you need to be around to save your mom. All right, if we leave now, you’re going to get your chance.

MARCO:
(starts to turn around)

JAKE:
(turns Marco back) Hey. We’re going to save her. We will.

Sparks fly, boys duck.

COMPUTER:
Ship under attack. Ship under attack.

MARCO:
(focuses on the controls) All right, how hard can it be?

Marco pushes a button marked ‘SEL.’ A beeping noise sounds and several solid panels move, revealing windows showing stars and outer space.

MARCO:
See? (nudges Jake with his elbow)

A controller shoots at the ship, making the ship and the boys jolt.

COMPUTER:
Ship under attack. Ship under attack.

JAKE:
Come on, Marco, now, go!

MARCO:
Green means go, right?

Jake nods. Marco pushes a green button marked ‘ON.’

COMPUTER:
Launch sequence activated.

The ship surges forward, throwing the boys back, yelling at the the top of their lungs. They both stand up once they regain their balance.

MARCO:
Hey, we’re out. See? No problem.

JAKE:
Now, all we have to do is get home.

MARCO:
I’m all over it.

Marco pushes a button marked ‘Ø/ATT.’ The panels close over the windows.

JAKE:
Yeah, now we can’t see anything.

MARCO:
(gives Jake an exasperated look) It’s space. What is there to see?

JAKE:
(nods) Oh yeah.

MARCO:
Yeah. (smiles)

He pushes another button marked ‘AUX 1.’

COMPUTER:
Immediate descent activated.

Switches go up and down and a screen goes crazy, showing different displays. The two boys have just enough time to look at each other before the ship starts falling, the boys yelling.

JAKE:
Steer! Come on, steer!

MARCO:
Stop yelling! I can’t fly under pressure!

JAKE:
You can’t fly, period!

MARCO:
Ah, I kick your butt in ‘Alien Invaders!’

They frantically turn knobs, flick switches and press buttons.

COMPUTER:
...system disabled. Waste disposal system discharging. Landing lights off. Communication system enabled. Oxygen mixture, medium. Landing lights on.

The shaking and alarms stop.

COMPUTER:
Ship is stabilized.

MARCO:
See, no problem.

COMPUTER:
All systems normal.

MARCO:
See? No problem.

Jake is zoning, looking out the windows, which they must have opened in the process. Marco tries to get his attention. As he looks out the window, he sees the Mother Ship.

MARCO:
Problem. We’re going back.

In the Mother Ship, Visser One and Visser Three talk.

VISSER 3:
Our bioscan has detected two life forms aboard the blade ship. This is our chance. We can destroy the Andalite bandits once and for all.

VISSER 1:
No. I forbid anyone to fire on that ship.

VISSER 3:
You’re going to let them survive?

VISSER 1:
This disk you’re trying to open...you need an Andalite for that?

VISSER 3:
Yes.

VISSER 1:
Which... Andalite? How can you be sure one of them isn’t the key?

VISSER 3:
I understand.

VISSER 1:
Besides, if they escape again, it’ll be fun blaming it on you.

She walks to a pot of plants. Visser 3 walks to a window, with a view of the blade ship.

VISSER 3:
(thought-speak in a distorted voice) Andalites.

Marco and Jake stop what they’re doing and look up from inside the blade ship.

VISSER 3:
(thought speak) The blade ship will not protect you for long. You will fall, as will your planet.

A flash of Visser Three and Jake and Marco shows. Ax looks up from Cassie’s barn.

AX:
I found them.

CASSIE:
You did?

AX:
They’ve stolen a blade ship. Visser Three is threatening them. I can hear his thought-speak.

A flash of Visser Three and Jake and Marco shows.

RACHEL:
Where’d they get a blade ship?

AX:
I think they were on the Yeerk Mother Ship.

RACHEL:
We have to help them.

A flash of Visser Three and Jake and Marco shows.

AX:
It’s impossible. (walks away)

On the Mother Ship:

VISSER 3:
(thought-speak) Although your hope is admirable, your time is short. You cannot win.

Jake and Marco listen worredly. In Cassie’s barn:

CASSIE:
Ax...?

AX:
(turns around)

CASSIE:
Remember when your ship crashed and you sent out that telepathic cry for help?

A flash of Visser Three and Jake and Marco shows.

CASSIE:
I heard it. Couldn’t you send out a long-range message to Jake and Marco?

AX:
I can hear Visser Three because he’s older and more powerful. He can broadcast his thought-speak. My abilities aren’t strong enough to reach that far.

RACHEL:
You have to try.

A flash of Visser Three and Jake and Marco shows.

RACHEL:
By not trying, we’ve already failed.

AX:
That is true.

A flash of Visser Three and Jake and Marco shows.

AX:
I will try.

In the blade ship, Jake and Marco are desperately messing with the controls, with the computer voice in the background.

JAKE:
Doesn’t this thing have a reverse?

AX:
(thought-speak) Prince Jake.

MARCO:
Are we there yet? (his eyes are squinted shut)

JAKE:
Shh!

AX:
(thought-speak) Prince Jake, Marco. I hope you can hear me.

Ax sits on a crate, concentrating with Cassie and Rachel by his side.

JAKE:
Ax, help us. We’re in a blade ship, flying.

MARCO:
Also known as crashing.

AX:
(thought-speak) I cannot hear you because you are not in morph, but if you can hear me, find the z-space harmonics navigator controls.

Jake and Marco look at each other, bewildered.

RACHEL:
Speak English, Ax.

AX:
(thought-speak) A red button with a squiggly line on it.

MARCO:
I got it! (he pushes the button)

COMPUTER:
Interior lights deactivated.

The lights go off.

AX:
(thought-speak) Don’t touch that button. It will just turn of the lights. Press the button below it.

Marco presses the button. A panel with two labels and two buttons slides out.

AX:
(thought-speak) You should see two buttons illuminated now. They should activate the blade ship’s self-navigator system.

JAKE:
Self-guidance is good.

MARCO:
Sounds good to me, too.

CASSIE:
Uh... you mean autopilot?

AX:
Basically, yes. (thought-speak) Those two buttons will take the ship to its preset coordinates.

RACHEL:
What coodinates?

AX:
(thought-speak) One is Earth.

CASSIE:
And the other?

AX:
(thought-speak) The other is the Yeerk Planet.

MARCO:
Which button, Ax? Which one is Earth?

JAKE:
The buttons are exactly the same, Marco. He can’t tell us which one to pick.

MARCO:
Jake, pick a button.

JAKE:
No. You do it. I trust you.

Marco squints his eyes shut and tries to decide which button to push. He pushes the left button. The ship surges forward, throwing them back.

Computer; Self-guidance activated.

The ship turns around and heads away from the Mother Ship. Visser Three’s sadistic smile disappears as he watches the ship fly away. Visser One touches the plant but holds back.

In Cassie’s barn:

CASSIE:
It’s been hours. We should be out looking for them.

RACHEL:
They could be anywhere.

AX:
Rachel is right. Waiting is the best thing to do.

Outside, there are voices.

JAKE:
Why did we have to land in a swamp?

MARCO:
I don’t know. Ask Ax.

They stumble in with green goo all over them.

CASSIE:
Jake!

AX:
You survived!

MARCO:
Couldn’t have done it without you, Ax.

JAKE:
Thanks, Ax. You saved our lives.

AX:
You are welcome.

Jake and Cassie smile at each other.

RACHEL:
Looks like someone’s happy to see someone back.

Cassie gives her a wide-eyed glare.

MARCO:
Aw, you miss me. I feel so warm. (tries to hug Rachel but she resists)

RACHEL:
No. Don’t even think about it.

JAKE:
You know, Marco did some pretty fancy flying.

MARCO:
You like my precision landing, there?

JAKE:
You mean crash.

Marco gives an embarrassed laugh.

CASSIE:
I’m glad you’re back. (runs off and comes back with some dirty towels) Here, these are dry at least.

Marco and Jake look at each other. Rachel looks at Cassie.

CASSIE:
Maybe I can find some cleaner ones inside.

Jake smiles. Cassie smiles back. She and Rachel walk out of the barn. Ax comes up and touches Jake’s arm softly. Jake nods. Ax walks out. When Jake begins to leave, Marco stops him.

MARCO:
Jake. I don’t want the others to know... you know, about my mom. Not yet.

JAKE:
Okay. When you’re ready.

Marco begins to walk off.

JAKE:
Hey. (stops Marco) We’re going to get her back, Marco.

MARCO:
(choked up) I know.

As they walk out of the barn:

MARCO:
You stink.

In the morning, at Marco’s house, Marco walks into the main room with his eyes closed, his dad guiding him.

DAD:
Keep them closed. No peeking. Hmm?

MARCO:
But I can’t see.

DAD:
I know. Okay. (positions Marco in front of the wall) Now... open.

Marco opens his eyes. The walls are painted and a frame is around Marco’s crayon ‘hand-made’ turkey drawing. Marco looks shocked and touches the drawing lightly.

DAD:
I thought I’d save it for posterity.

MARCO:
Thanks, Dad.

They give each other a big hug.

DAD:
You know, I bet your mom’s watching from up there.

Marco’s eyes look up.

DAD:
Feeling real of you, I’m sure.

MARCO:
Yeah.

DAD:
Come on. I’ll fix us breakfast. (walks to the kitchen)

MARCO:
(narrating) Change isn’t always something you choose. Sometimes it finds you; it found me all right. Now that I know about my mom, everything’s different. I’m going back out there, and I won’t stop until I get her back.

There’s a knocking at the door. Marco walks over and opens it. Rachel, Cassie and Jake all stand outside the door, smiling.

MARCO:
Hey.

RACHEL:
Hey. We were so excited to see you yesterday, we forgot to ask...

CASSIE:
How do you tell the difference between a horse and a fish?

Marco starts laughing. The others join in

THE END

© Scholastic Entertainment / Transcript by Jasmine