#K2815 - "Slidecage" - 1st Yellow Revs. 11/24/97                                                              1.

ACT FOUR

FADE IN

INT . LABYRINTH - KROMAGG LAIR - CONTINUOUS

The moment we just left them.

KOLITAR
Why would they have you kill your friend?

REMBRANDT
(in a trance) Has the key to open the Slidecage. Go with him to find it. As soon as
he opens it... kill him before he can close it.

Kolitar mulls this, then speaks more softly.

KOLITAR
Rest. Remember none of this.

Rembrandt's eyes flutter, as though waking from a dream.

REMBRANDT
What? What's happening?

Just then, there's a COMMOTION from the outer hall. Two Kromaggs manhandle Quinn into the
room, one holding him by the hair. Rembrandt's both elated to see Quinn and worried for him.

REMBRANDT
Quinn!

QUINN
(to Kolitar) Do you mind? I'd like to keep my hair.

Kolitar nods for them to release him.

QUINN
Thank you.

REMBRANDT
What the hell are you doing here?

QUINN
I got to missing those loud shirts of yours. You okay?

REMBRANDT
Got beat up, tortured, starved. Same 'ol, same 'ol.

Kolitar knows who Quinn is and that Quinn holds the key to the Kromaggs getting out of there.
But he plays it cagey.

KOLITAR
You are a comrade of this one, a recent arrival?

QUINN
Yeah, wish I could say you've got a nice place, but I can't.

Kolitar walks up to Quinn, drawing a knife.

KOLITAR
There are mad ones like you among us. They show no fear. Dare things no one would
dare. It is our way not to harm them. Sadly, this does not extend to humans.

Quinn doesn't back down.

QUINN
My name is Mallory. My father built this prison.

Kolitar feigns being intrigued.

KOLITAR
Go on.

QUINN
I think maybe I can unlock the Slidecage, but the equipment is in your territory. I'm
suggesting a truce, and we all might get out of here.

KOLITAR
To the home world?

QUINN
I -- can't say that. To an alternate Earth, perhaps. I won't know until I get into
the guts of the machine.

KOLITAR
So what do you want?

QUINN
Safe passage. (off rembrandt) For him, too.

KOLITAR
Agreed, if you can do as you say. (to rembrandt) Come.

Rembrandt approaches.

50  CONTINUED 2

REMBRANDT
The boy comes, too, or all deals are off.

Rebellion flares in Kolitar's eyes. He doesn't like giving up what he considers his. Then he sees
the need of it and nods agreement.

51  INT. CORRIDOR - NIGHT

Maggie, Thomas, Colin, Janie and two of her people wait for Quinn.

52  ON MAGGIE AND THOMAS

MAGGIE
He's been gone too long. We never should have let him go alone.

THOMAS
I've been watching the Kromagg show for many seasons. Believe me, it's the only
thing that had a chance of working.

52A  ON JANIE AND COLIN

She notes him studying her.

JANIE
There something you want to say?

COLIN
It is a puzzle to me. You care about your people, you seem to have a good heart,
yet you commit such cruelties.

It surprises her. She hardens, drawing inward.

JANIE
You can't lead with your heart.

COLIN
I have seen only a few worlds. But I can't believe that's true.

Janie just looks at him, sorry for him. Then she turns to the others.

53  WIDE

JANIE
(to Colin, Maggie, Thomas) Time to move out. He's dead by now.

QUINN (O.S.)
One of your favorite words, isn't it?

Quinn arrives around the bend, Rembrandt behind him.

MAGGIE
Quinn! Remmy, oh Remmy!

Maggie and Colin embrace Quinn and Rembrandt.

REMBRANDT
Didn't think you could get rid of this face, did you? How the crops hanging, farm boy?

COLIN
(perplexed) Crops don't hang, Rembrandt.

REMBRANDT
(ruffles his hair) Stay as sweet as you are!

54  ON QUINN AND MAGGIE

MAGGIE
I thought you'd had it.

QUINN
We keep thinking that about each other, don't we?

MAGGIE
Just keep coming back.

Just then, Kolitar and Kaldeen appear behind them with two more Kromaggs. Janie and her men
go for their weapons. Quinn steps between them, holding up his arms.

QUINN
Easy, we're all friends here. (realizes that's not true) Well, at least we share a
common interest.

They relent. Kaldeen comes up beside Rembrandt. Rembrandt removes the covering from
Kaldeen's face. Kolitar scowls at this, but says nothing (remembering his larger goal, not
wanting to start something). Janie is astonished to see Kaldeen.

JANIE
My God, a boy. A human boy.

REMBRANDT
Yeah, he's been away at Kromagg camp for about sixteen years.

55  ON KALDEEN AND JANIE

KALDEEN
(to Janie, tentative) Do you -- do you know me?

She studies him hard, trying to find something she recognizes. Then, amazed:

JANIE
You're Jules Konig.

He brightens. A name, a human name.

KALDEEN
My mother and father...?

JANIE
Dead. I'm sorry.

56  WIDE

KOLITAR
Come, we'll take you to the mechanism.

57  FAVORING JANIE AND QUINN

QUINN
Go get your people.

She moves in close to Quinn.

JANIE
I need to talk to you.

He sees that nothing's going to happen till she's had her say. He says to the others:

QUINN
Head on. We'll catch up.

Our guys head off with the Kromaggs. Quinn turns back to Janie.

QUINN
What is it?

JANIE
We can't let Kromaggs back on the home world.

QUINN
They'll be under guard. And soon as they get there, they'll be sent wherever
they came from.

JANIE
Or just maybe when we slide out of here, they don't.

QUINN
Safe passage goes both ways. When we get where they're taking us, you have
to leave your war behind.

57A  FURTHER DOWN THE CORRIDOR - ON REMBRANDT AND KOLITAR

moving along with the others. Kolitar sidles up to Rembrandt, unnoticed by the others. He
touches a hand to Rembrandt's brow as the keep moving. Rembrandt's face goes blank.
With malevolent confidence, Kolitar speaks low:

KOLITAR
There's something you need...

Surreptitiously, Kolitar slips Remmy a knife.

                                                                                                             DISSOLVE TO

58  INT. SLIDECAGE ROOM - NIGHT

All the humans are there now as are all the Kromaggs. A few are just entering. Maggie, Colin,
Rembrandt, Janie and Kaldeen are among them.

59  FAVORING QUINN AND KOLITAR

Quinn approaches the steps leading to the Slidecage Tower. Kolitar grabs his arm to hold him back.

KOLITAR
Careful. There is a force field around it that kills all who near it.

Casually, Quinn keys the de-encryption sequence into a control pad on a nearby wall.

60  ON THE SLIDECAGE TOWER

As the FORCE FIELD FLASHES and WINKS OUT, turned off.

61  ON KOLITAR AND QUINN

Kolitar gapes, impressed.

QUINN
Not anymore. (grins) You have to learn to trust me.

Kolitar smiles -- he knows more about Quinn than Quinn suspects.

62  FAVORING QUINN, COLIN, MAGGIE AND REMBRANDT

Rembrandt regards the humans and Kromaggs. They're keeping to themselves, two distinct
groups, eyeing each other with hatred. A very uneasy truce.

REMBRANDT
(to Quinn) We got the Sharks and the Jets here. Better get a move on.

Quinn nods, heads up the steps to the Slidecage Tower, Colin following. Maggie and Rembrandt
stay at the base of the steps, keeping an eye on the crowd. Kolitar and some of the others try
to follow, but Maggie waves them off.

MAGGIE
Give them some elbow room, okay?

63  BY THE TOWER

Colin helps Quinn open an access panel on the Tower, revealing circuitry and a keyboard
input panel.

Quinn starts inputting commands. As he does so, the frequency and pattern of lights on the
Tower changes.

63A  ON REMBRANDT AND KALDEEN

Kaldeen watches Quinn and Colin working on the Slidecage Tower, excited, eager. Rembrandt
smiles at him.

REMBRANDT
Blue skies, green trees. Not long now, buddy.

64  ON THOMAS

Trying to shrink away from the crowd pressing in around him. He hasn't been among so many
people in years and it's making him very nervous. Maggie comes up to him.

THOMAS
It's rather close in here, don't you think? So many bodies...

MAGGIE
Just keep telling yourself you'll be back with friends and family.

THOMAS
Actually, that was never my strong suit. Thanksgivings were a horror.

He spies Janie nearby, eyes her quizzically.

THOMAS
You know, you look different on TV.

65  OMITTED

65A  ANGLE - QUINN, COLIN AND REMBRANDT

Quinn's working on the controls, Colin standing by. At the base of the stairs, Rembrandt's
listening from a few feet off, expression casual.

QUINN
There. Slidecage mechanism is disabled. It's open wide.

Quinn continues to work on it.

65B  ON REMBRANDT

Hearing this, his expression goes utterly blank, still gazing up at Quinn. It's as though a switch has
been thrown in him (and actually, it has). Kaldeen, unaware of this, sidles up to Rembrandt, nods
toward Janie in b.g.

KALDEEN
Rembrandt, take me with you. I don't want to go with them.

But Rembrandt's not listening. He's moving slowly up the stairs, eyes fixed on Quinn.

KALDEEN
Rembrandt?

65C  ON KOLITAR

seeing Rembrandt on the move, intent.

66  ON QUINN AND COLIN

Quinn's working on the mechanism, Colin watching him...unaware that Rembrandt is coming up
behind them. Quinn looks troubled.

QUINN
We've got a problem. (off read-out) There's been some damage to the system. If
I slide everyone to the home world, it'll stay off.

COLIN
You mean, the home world won't be cloaked any longer?

QUINN
The Kromaggs could just slide in and invade.

COLIN
Then there's no going home.

QUINN
Not for now, bro. I'm sorry.

Over the above, Rembrandt slowly draws a KNIFE from inside his shirt, on the move
(and as he moves, his expression goes from blankness to pure homicidal rage).

67  KALDEEN

see this, gasps in horror.

68
THRU  OMITTED
69

69A  COLIN

catches sight of Remmy out of the corner of his eye, heading for Quinn.

COLIN
Quinn!

Quinn spins toward Remmy just as Remmy lunges with the knife!

70  KALDEEN

seeing this. His head tilts down, eyes rolling up as he concentrates.

71
THRU OMITTED
72

72A  ON QUINN AND REMBRANDT

The (unseen) telekinetic force throws Rembrandt to the ground and holds him there. He thrashes,
desperate to kill Quinn, but can't get up.

73  ON THE HUMANS AND THE KROMAGGS - FAVORING KOLITAR

All are mesmerized by this. Kolitar is let down -- his plan failed -- but he looks over at Kaldeen
(still concentrating on Remmy), astounded by his power.

KOLITAR
Incredible....

73A  FAVORING QUINN, REMBRANDT, KALDEEN

KALDEEN
Grab him! I can't hold it long!

Quinn and Colin hold Remmy down by the arms as he thrashes. Maggie rushes up the stairs to
help them. Kaldeen releases his telekinetic hold, breathes hard.

REMBRANDT
(to Quinn) Kill! Kill you!

QUINN
(to Kolitar) What did you do to him?

Kolitar says nothing, only glares.

KALDEEN
It was the Kromagg prison camp, they --

KOLITAR
(be silent) Kaldeen!

Kaldeen wheels on him angrily.

KALDEEN
My name is Jules.

Janie approaches Kolitar, full of hate.

JANIE
You Kromaggs --

The humans and the Kromaggs tense, drawing their weapons. It's about to be all-out war.

QUINN
Hold it! The truce is still on, or nobody goes anywhere!

A tense beat, then they relent. Our guys continue to hold Rembrandt, who thrashes. Kaldeen
comes up to him.

MAGGIE
Can you do anything?

KALDEEN
It's close to the surface now. I can reach it.

He crouches down to Rembrandt, puts a hand to Rembrandt's brow, looks him in the eye,
speaking softly.

KALDEEN
What was done to you, release it now. You owe it no allegiance. It
has no power over you...

Rembrandt's relaxing, the fire leaving him.

KALDEEN
It's gone...

Rembrandt goes limp, eyes close. Then he opens them and is himself again. He gets to his feet
shakily, disoriented.

REMBRANDT
What did I miss?

Our guys smile in relief.

QUINN
Not a thing.

Quinn and Maggie embrace him, Colin pats him on the shoulder, as Kaldeen looks on happily.

                                                                                                       DISSOLVE TO

74  OMITTED

75  INT. SLIDECAGE ROOM - ON QUINN - NIGHT

Working on the Slidecage Tower, Colin, Maggie, Rembrandt, Thomas and Kaldeen nearby.
The humans and Kromaggs are some feet off, scattered about the room.

QUINN
Using the slide signatures in our bodies, I've managed to rig up a feedback burst. It'll ship
all of us to where we just came from. And anyone else who ever tries to slide
to the home world.

MAGGIE
No more Slidecage?

QUINN
And the Kromaggs will still be kept out.

Quinn starts typing in the commands. Kaldeen looks at Rembrandt, startled. Rembrandt picks
up on it.

REMBRANDT
Hold on, Q-Ball. What about Jules? He's from here.

Colin and Quinn exchange a glance as it sinks in.

COLIN
He has no sliding signature.

QUINN
(doesn't like it) I can't alter the parameters without crashing the whole system.

Kaldeen understands what that means. Resigned:

KALDEEN
It's all right.

REMBRANDT
No way, it's not all right. (to Quinn) What're you saying? We're just gonna maroon
him here? (to Kaldeen) We're not leaving you alone!

Kaldeen moves closer to Quinn and Colin, speaks in a low tone so that the Kromaggs can't hear.

KALDEEN
Humans and Kromaggs are born enemies. Maybe someday it won't be that way,
but they've got to be kept apart. This will need someone to keep it running.
(to Rembrandt) I've always been alone...

Thomas clears his throat, getting Quinn's attention as he draws near.

THOMAS
Um, there any way you could let me out of this party?

MAGGIE
You want to stay here?

THOMAS
I'm really not up to Times Square. You mind a roommate, kid?

KALDEEN
(delighted) No.

QUINN
Field's pretty narrow. You have to stay on that side of the room.

Thomas nods. Maggie kisses him on the cheek.

76  REMBRANDT

embraces Kaldeen.

REMBRANDT
We'll be back for you. That's a promise.

77  WIDE

Thomas escorts Kaldeen over to the far side of the room.

QUINN
All right. Let's do it.

77A  ON KOLITAR AND JANIE

standing a few feet off from each other, across their gulf, eyeing each other with hatred,
flanked by their groups.

77B  BACK TO QUINN, COLIN, REMBRANDT AND MAGGIE

Quinn keys in the final sequence. There's a BLINDING FLASH, accompanied by the SOUND
OF THE VORTEX.

When it clears, Thomas and Kaldeen are alone in the room.

78  ON THOMAS AND KALDEEN

THOMAS
You ever read 'Clan of the Cave Bear'?

                                                     DISSOLVE TO

79  OMITTED

79A  INT./EXT. HOTEL DECK - DAY - ON FERNS AND GREENERY (D2)

REMBRANDT (O.S.)
(melancholy) Blue sky, green trees...

PULL BACK to reveal Maggie, Rembrandt, Quinn and Colin, all sitting in deck chairs, looking
out at the terrain.

COLIN
Not home yet, but there are places a whole lot worse.

QUINN
We'll get there, bro. You can bet on it.

REMBRANDT
Wonder where everybody else went.

MAGGIE
Wherever they are, I can't imagine peace between humans and Kromaggs
lasting very long.

Rembrandt shakes his head, looks at Quinn ruefully.

REMBRANDT
I was programmed to kill you, Q-Ball. I'll never get over that.

COLIN
It wasn't you who tried to kill my brother. It was the Kromaggs.

QUINN
Got to hand it to them. It was the perfect plan.

MAGGIE
Not so perfect. (to Rembrandt) They didn't count on you making a friend who'd
stop it. The Maggs could get into your head, Remmy...but not into your heart.

Rembrandt nods, letting it in. A BEAUTY brings a tray of iced tea. The Sliders each take a glass.

REMBRANDT
To Jules.

MAGGIE
And Thomas.

QUINN
Distant friends.

They CLINK their glasses, as we.....

80
THRU OMITTED
81

                                                                                                                   FADE OUT

THE END