808 pulls up on the X-orcist.
He walks up to the cadaver and pee's all over General Grindcore.
Officer Whistle Britches sees whats going on.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
Had to add insult to injury did we?
808 zips up his robotic zipper and begins to write something down on his Grimoire.
He hands the Grimoire to Officer Whistle Britches.
Officer Whistle Britches reads what is written slowly.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
Fool, I'm a beast!
Officer Whistle Britches looks at 808 like he's crazy as 808 throws up the Sign ov tha' Horns.
Verse XXIV
Our adventurers have made it deep into the Bayou Beignet to a place known as the Magnolia Grove.
The Infinity uncloaks and everyone begins to drive into its loading dock.
Minx parks the Myst Walker inside the Infinity.
Alexis dismounts the X-orcist along with 808.
The X-orcist transforms into a laser canon that 808 begins to lock and load.
Junebug exits the Myst Walker and heads for the cockpit.
JUNEBUG
I'll get everything ready and as soon as she's warmed up we'll re-cloak and get outtah' here.
Alexis sees several crates of old books in the corner of the loading dock behind some crates of moonshine.
Scarzensky's Roach runs behind them and hides.
Alexis begins to rummage through the books.
ALEXIS
I see you're still collecting dead trees.
JUNEBUG
Yeah, you know how it is.
Momma Nymms didn't raise no fools.
Junebug grabs his Grimoire off the top of a crate.
JUNEBUG
Whatta' bout' you.
ALEXIS
You know me.
Ain't no woman can really call herself a lady if she spends more on clothes than she does on books.
Junebug smiles.
JUNEBUG
If I didn't know no better I'd think Momma was standing here right now.
Officer Whistle Britches walks over to the crate and begins to look through its selection along with Alexis.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
Anything in here as crazy as that stuff Professor Proxy was talking about back at the lab?
Alexis picks up a copy of Tribulations by Emeritus Strange.
ALEXIS
This one was a favorite at the tent revivals.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
What's it about?
ALEXIS
The Priestess ov Mars.
Alexis opens the book to one of its illustrations.
ALEXIS
It is said that the Priestess ov Mars was a slave girl amongst the Toubabo Koomi.
Alexis turns the page to another illustration.
ALEXIS
Oblivion was said to have lifted her up to be groomed by the Covens ov tha Grid to become a goddess that would be worshiped in place of the Great Architect ov tha Universe.
Alexis turns to a picture of the Priestess ov Mars.
ALEXIS
She was said to have been the most beautiful woman that the Alchemists ov tha Forgotten Realms ever created and that once she became an object of worship in place of the Great Architect ov tha Universe she desired to become even greater than Oblivion.
Alexis turns the page to an illustration of Oblivion.
ALEXIS
The story goes that the Priestess ov Mars betrayed Oblivion and stole the Codex Magicka from him.
With it she was supposed to have had him imprisoned in the Void.
One of the many forgotten realms.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
Sounds like a real bitch.
ALEXIS
Oblivion cursed her for it and turned her into a black widow spider with the last few pages of the Codex Magicka that he had torn from the book.
The pages were torn from it so that no Alchemist would ever truly know all ov its secrets without the aid of Oblivion.
These pages became known as the Scrolls ov Skeleton Bones and were locked inside the Void along with him.
Alexis flips the page.
ALEXIS
Her followers say she crawled into the Hollow Earth to hide her ugliness and that she lives in the caverns underneath the pyramid.
Alexis looks at the city lights in the distance.
ALEXIS
That's why they call the town Hollow Point because its the point where she crawled into the Hollow Earth.
Alexis motions to the Pyramid ov tha Priestess ov Mars.
ALEXIS
The pyramid is supposed to be built right over the top of the hole she crawled into.
Officer Whistle Britches is mortified.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
You people are into some seriously creepy shit.
The conversation is broken by the sound of 808 shooting at something.
Junebug closes his eyes and shakes his head with a smirk on his face.
It is a robotic bat shooting a pair of laser beams out of its eyes.
The laser beams hit 808 right in the butt.
808 grabs his butt in pain and dances around like his biscuits are burning as smoke pours off his rear end.
The robotic bat lands on Alexis's shoulder.
ALEXIS
My, you're a Sassy lil' thing aren't you?
Sassy squawks as Alexis scratches her under the chin and then flies back to her corner to lap up a bowl full of nectar.
MINX
Looks like you've got a new friend.
808 mean-mugs Sassy.
ALEXIS
Where'd you get her?
MINX
Bug' made her from a couple ole' video game systems he had layin' around.
Minx looks over at Junebug tinkering with his Grimoire while getting the Infinity ready to set sail.
MINX
You know him.
He's always tinkerin' with something.
ALEXIS
I like her.
She's cute.
Like a itty-bitty tiny babies.
Minx picks up her Grimoire and shows it to Alexis.
MINX
She's gotta homing beckon on her that let me know Bugs location when he's got to go out alone into the Bayou.
ALEXIS
Yeah, 808's got a similar implant.
Alexis looks over at 808 rummaging through the books.
ALEXIS
Doesn't matter who you are know ah'days.
Folks will snatch you up like its nobodies business.
MINX
Girl, tell me about it.
The two of them giggle in unison.
Officer Whistle Britches follows Junebug into the cockpit of the Infinity.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
Lemme' ask you something', bug.
JUNEBUG
Shoot.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
How'd you come into a fine piece of hardware like this?
Junebug smiles.
JUNEBUG
Stole it from the Occult Bureau.
Verse XXV
The name on the door reads Carlyle Manzini, CEO, Controlled Substances Inc.
Manzini is looking at a huge Eyegasmatron in his office with Xavier's face streaming on it.
CARLYLE MANZINI
I made you Thorn and I can unmake you!
XAVIER
Everything is fine.
CARLYLE MANZINI
Everything, is not fine!
Did you see what she did downtown!?!
Manzini opens a window on his Eyegasmatron.
It begins streaming the Status Quo and a video feed of Alexis engaged in battle with General Grindcore.
CARLYLE MANZINI
She's like a one woman wrecking crew.
Manzini tosses the remote to his Eyegasmatron into his chair.
CARLYLE MANZINI
It
's like her PMS gives her super powers or something.
Xavier is not impressed.
XAVIER
Scarzensky is taking care of it.
Manzini points his finger at the screen.
CARLYLE MANZINI
He'd better, otherwise our deal is off!
XAVIER
There's no turning back now Manzini.
CARLYLE MANZINI
Our agreement was that in exchange for all the cheap labor I needed, I'd supply you with the chemicals you needed to refine your Star Dust!
Manzini is foaming at the mouth he's screaming so loud.
CARLYLE MANZINI
Nowhere in that did I agree to be part of an assassination or take part in a coup!
Xavier is unphased.
XAVIER
Things have changed.
CARLYLE MANZINI
Things have changed! Things have changed!
The whole city is on the brink of collapse and all you can tell me is things have changed!
XAVIER
I told you once already, everything is fine.
CARLYLE MANZINI
It better be! Because if it isn't, I'm not going down alone when someone comes looking for someone to take the fall for all of this!
Manzini ends the video feed.
Inside the Capstone ov tha Pyramid ov tha Priestess ov Mars Xavier sees Manzini end the video feed on his Eyegasmatron.
He looks at Mystre the High Priest ov tha Cults ov tha Priestess ov Mars who is standing by his side.
XAVIER
Summon LaReaux.
Mystre bows his head in acknowledgment and begins to exit the capstone of the Pyramid ov tha Priestess ov Mars.
Verse XXVI
The Infinity begins to approach the entrance to the huge tunnel that leads into the sewer system underneath the Death Factory.
Scanners patrol the bayou alongside Enforcer Drones in patrol boats called Dreadnought's.
Some are in modified Think Tanks called Night Crawlers.
Some are on modified ATV's called Bush Hawg's.
They are looking for any trace of the Infinity and her crew.
On the main deck of the Infinity Officer Whistle Britches is singing softly to himself.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
Row, row, row your boat.
Gently down the stream.
Merrily, merrily, merrily, life is but a dream.
808 is finishing rolling up on a blunt on his Grimoire.
He wipes the shake off his screen an begins to scribble something on it.
808 walks up to Officer Whistle Britches and points to a cloud of nauseous gas coming from the Death Factory as he hands the Grimoire to Officer Whistle Britches.
Officer Whistle Britches slowly reads it aloud.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
Smells like goblin fart's.
Junebug wiggles his nose like a bunny rabbit.
JUNEBUG
That ain't no lie.
808 sits down beside Junebug in the cockpit and lights the blunt up.
After a big hit he exhales and passes it to Junebug.
JUNEBUG
Mess got Hollow Point smellin' like ah' dirty diaper, mane'.
Along the shoreline the Infinity passes by several old shacks that have been abandoned.
They resemble sno-cone stands.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
Damn shame all this pollution.
I used to come out here and fish when I was a boy.
The search light of a Dreadnought passes over the Infinity.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
I remember when they first started cracking down on what people were growing out here and started moving everybody into the city.
JUNEBUG
Yeah, I remember it too.
Junebug clicks the auto-pilot button and leans back in his chair.
JUNEBUG
My momma used to say when you tell someone what they can or can't grow on their land it's only a matter of time before you tell em' what they can or can't do in their own home, and before long you'll be being told how you can and can't take care of your family, and pretty soon the law el' get so brazen that they'll tell you what you can and can't do with your own body, and then have the audacity to act like you're not fit to think for yourself.
Junebug looks over at Officer Whistle Britches.
JUNEBUG
She used to tell me when you ain't allowed to think for yourself your a slave, don't matter how much money you have or what you believe.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
Sounds like a wise old woman.
JUNEBUG
She was.
Further down the main deck of the Infinity Alexis is by herself standing next to the guardrail.
Minx can see tha something is on her mind.
MINX
What cha' thinkin' bout', baby?
ALEXIS
Nuthin'.
Alexis grabs the locket around her neck.
MINX
You still love him, don't chu'?
ALEXIS
Like cookie dough.
Minx smiles.
MINX
When they triflin' you can't help but love em' twice as much.
The Infinity begins to make its way into the tunnels of the sewer that lead underneath the Death Factory.
An old chain linked fence dangles from around its hole with a dirty No Trespassing sign hanging from one of its links.
Junebug overhears the conversation between Alexis and Minx.
JUNEBUG
Shouldn't matter how triflin' he was.
After that ass whoopin' he gave ya', you'd figga' you'd never wanna lay eyes on that fool again.
Officer Whistle Britches walks up to Alexis still holding the locket in her hand.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
So why'd he hit you?
Officer Whistle Britches begins to crawfish a little.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
That is if you don't mind me asking?
ALEXIS
He was addicted to Skull Flowers.
Alexis lets the locket go and puts her hands on the rail.
ALEXIS
So I took all of em' he was growing in the garden and burned em'.
When he came home and saw that they were missin', I told him I wanted him to quit or I was leavin'.
Alexis drops her head and closes her eyes.
ALEXIS
He just stood there all silent and wouldn't say a word so I started to walk off and when I did he tried to grab me by the arm.
I pulled away because I was angry and when I did he lost his grip and I went tumblin' down the stairs.
Alexis raises her head and opens her eyes.
ALEXIS
He didn't beat me up.
I just let everyone think he did because I wanted to get back at him for puttin' something like that before me and the baby.
Sassy begins to squawk and cry out.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
What is it?
Junebug looks down at his radar.
JUNEBUG
The Raven!
Officer Whistle Britches panics.
OFFICER WHISTLE BRITCHES
I thought you said we were cloaked!
The Raven, a black jet piloted by Special Agents Scarzensky, swoops by and opens fire on the Infinity.
The Infinity almost blows up.
JUNEBUG
We are!
Assault and Battery come running up fast beside the Infinity on two Shredders, small heavily-armed jet-ski's.
Several Drones pilot several gunboats called, H.Y.D.R.A.'s
Hydroponic Yield Destruction Reconnaissance Administration vehicle's
There is a swarm of Scanners in miniature gun ships called W.A.S.P.'s
Wetland Aerial Solo Patrol
The Raven blasts the Infinity.
The Infinity is blown up against the walls of the sewer system.
>
Anything in the Infinity's path is crushed to bits.
The deck of the Infinity opens up.
Several laser seated canons called Torrents ascend from below deck.
Skull Flowers Page 7
