Chloroplasma


	Espejismo by Sacha Corsair and Silla the Phrotus It’s a common fantasy. A productive life, enjoyable work, all your needs met and then some if you can get it. An idyllic existence. Isn’t it what anyone wants? What everyone wants? And if this is true, why do some want to deny others what they want? These are questions that occur to Queen Destella Planeador every minute of every day of every week. They are questions that have no easy answer. WORKER: Majesty? DESTELLA: sigh WORKER: Your Majesty? Excuse me, queen? DESTELLA: What? What’s going on? I’m... sorry, my mind was somewhere else. ::worker bows low:: WORKER: It is infinitely forgivable, your highness. Culta and Búsquedo have finished their experiments with fuel vapor and wish that you should inspect the results so that they will be ready to begin the changes. DESTELLA: Of course, Otra. Thank you. She is a queen-- ruler of an entire race, albeit a small one. Her subjects believe with all their hearts that she knows the answer to all questions. They think of her as almost divine in nature and understanding. It should be enough to convinceanyone that their decisions are the right ones... DESTELLA: Culta...? ...So why isn’t it enough to convince her? CULTA: Your Majesty. At your service. We have finished the tests and need your approval before we do anything final. ::they stand in front of a window into a room full of eerie blue-green vapor.:: CULTA: It’s a highly potent combination of potassium flouride and a small portion of the three new elements we discovered on Thulsuri XD before we were forced to abandon the mines. One centimeter fuel cube of this mixture is enough to take an Abueja Fuerte from Pelsyla to Lylat and back again. Is it pleasing to you? DESTELLA: It is more than sufficient, Culta. Thank you both. Búsquedo, do you have anything to add? BÚSQUEDO: No, your highness. It was an honour to work with Culta and I am afraid my work in this achievement was marginal. CULTA: Don’t listen to him, Queen. He did just as much as I; he’s just too modest for his own good. DESTELLA: Very well. Begin the sublimation process and notify me when it is complete. Thank you, once again. The Colmenas imagine Destella as a goddess. She has unfailing faith in them. But neither have so much faith in themselves. It’s another trick of life, drawn across the road to trip them if they’re not quick enough to escape. The question is, will they be? Her life is not as pleasurable as she thought it would be. SERVANT: Shall you be dining in today, my queen? She has very few ties to reality now. DESTELLA: No, I believe I shall dine with the Pinchazos today. If the Grand Vizier comes with news, inform him of my situation for lunch. And her ties to reality are but one man. The only man she loves. SERVANT: Very well, my queen. The man she goes to see. She arrives to find them all already seated and eating. ::they all stand at attention when she enters:: Queen Polvo Pulimento would have gone around and inspected each and every one of them, but she is not Polvo Pulimento. She is Destella Planeador. She is their friend. DESTELLA: Are you just going to stand there, or are we going to eat lunch? ::they all chuckle and sit down except for Colin:: ::Colin speaks as he pulls out Destella's seat:: COLIN: I'm glad you could join us for lunch, darling. I was almost afraid you would spend your entire day in that old throne room with that old fart Gobernante. ::Gobernante, single shot, in the doorway:: GOBERNANTE: Old... Fart? Gobernante is a highly decorated war hero and now the queen's personal adviser. He outranks Colin on so many levels. He would love to put him on janitorial duty. But by the way Destella looks stabs at his heart, he knows better than to punish her first love. COLIN: Won't you dine with us, old far-- friend? GOBERNANTE: As a matter of fact, I believe I shall. Poor Destella. She has no idea of the plots around her. ::close-up on people as they’re mentioned:: Colin, although he is deeply in love with Destella, seeks the forbidden truth of Colmena's past. The price for his discovery would be death. Gobernante has his own motives to get rid of Colin and keep Destella for himself. But to her, she has her boyfriend to her right and her father figure to her left. And life is good. Meanwhile, across the table is yet another unhappy soul. Two, actually, although they’re forced to occupy the same earthly vessel. ::close up on Picarita:: Her name is Picarita Encantado. Years ago, she was as much at peace as anyone else in the hive. But things change. COLIN: How are the invasion plans coming along, Picarita? PICARITA: I wasn’t in charge of those. Pass the salad. She was a very trustworthy subject. A bit hyper, a bit immature, but loyal and a strong warrior. GOBERNANTE: What are you talking about, silly girl? You know you always handled the invasion outlines. PICARITA: Oh! I forgot! It’s been ever so long since we had one, you know, one can’t be too certain of what one remembers. DESTELLA: Be that as it may, one must speak with respect, hadn’t they? Never mind. It never takes you very long, although you seem to get sidetracked very easily. It’s going down tomorrow. And she still is. Most of those things, anyway. But the loyalty and trustworthiness took a backseat the day her mind split in two. ::Picarita stares into her faceted wine glass. In the next panel, her reflection is shown in the facets. Since there are obviously many reflections, several different eyes and parts of her face stare back at her rather than one perfect image.:: Many people have a hard time keeping one personality under control. They’ve never tried handling two. Most people can’t do it. Picarita is no exception. Her true persona buckled and collapsed under the strain long ago. Now it waits, and rots, and slowly loses all hope while another individual takes full command of Picarita’s dealings in the real world. THAT individual is the one people know. The other one may as well be totally gone for all the good it does or has the potential to do. PICARITA: I promise to do a GOOD job! We’re going to..... that.... planet, right? GOBERNANTE: “That planet”? PICARITA: I forget which one! There are so many in this system. I just remember that it’s not the Goal Planet. COLIN: They call it Macbeth. PICARITA: What a stupid name for a planet. We’ll rename it when we get it, right, Colin? COLIN: You might ask Destella. In case you’ve forgotten, she’s the Queen. ::A brief shot of Picarita’s reflections is shown again. This time all the eyes are glaring. Then, suddenly, she’s smiling sweetly at Destella.:: PICARITA: Of course! I don’t know why I asked you, Colin. Too much wine, I suppose. So which planet are we going to again? DESTELLA: Lylat names it Corneria. As far as I can tell it’s the seat of government. It’s.... the swirly blue one, Pica. PICARITA: <“Pica”?> GOBERNANTE (whispering to Destella): If I were you, Queen, I would excuse Picarita to outline the attack. Too much depends on this invasion for it to be put aside for a few more glasses of wine. DESTELLA (to him): Wise counsel, Gobernante. (louder, so everyone can hear) Picarita, you are excused to plan tomorrow’s expedition. Bring the plans to Gobernante when you are finished. PICARITA: .....Yes, highness. Nobody knows how much it pains her to follow even the simplest commands from her Queen. No one can serve two masters, for inevitably they will love the one and hate the other. Picarita is hardly an exception to any rules. :: Picarita scoots back in her chair, pushes it back under the table and traipses out the door:: GOBERNANTE (while wiping his mouth): If you will excuse me, my Queen, I just recalled a few matters of state that need my immediate care. DESTELLA: Very well, Gobernante. I'll expect to see you in the war room at 06:00 tomorrow. GOBERNANTE: Yes, your highness. ::Gobernante walks out the door also:: ::wide shot, Gobernante walking past Picarita who is leaning in the hallway waiting for him:: :: He quickly grabs her by the collar and slams her against the wall; she is slightly off the ground:: GOBERNANTE: What... was... that? PICARITA: OWW! So I forgot about the plans, so sting me! ::He backhands her:: GOBERNANTE: Silence! When you "forget" you make Destella curious, and if she gets curious, you get caught! If you get caught, Destella will gladly mail your worthless carcass to the death cells, where the high executioner will be waiting for the both of us! ::Lets go of her, letting her drop to her feet:: PICARITA: Don't threaten me, you clattering old claptrap. I'll make sure everything goes as planned. In the end you'll get the trollop, and I'll get Colin. Just make sure certain instances are overlooked when I say they are. ::she throws a blade at his feet:: In the end, you just make sure I get what's coming to me. GOBERNANTE (sneers a little): Oh, you will... ::Picarita walks down the hall:: ::close up on Gobernante's left eye:: GOBERNANTE: You will ... indeed. ::We see Picarita in her quarters, the luxury and lavish decorations of which are the Pinchazo norm. She’s slouched over a writing desk, her sword and sheath hung awkwardly on the back of her chair, various battle array strewn across the floor:: PICARITA: Ehh... how about... we all enter the atmosphere at once, then everybody turns around and obliterates Destella... heh heh. No, too obvious... ::Suddenly, she squinches her eyes shut and grabs her head, seemingly in pain. After a few moments of this, she violently crumples up the sheet of paper on which she was writing and throws it angrily at the wall. Then she gets up shakily and crosses to her window, glaring silently at the world of stars. In the next few panels, the “camera” moves over Picarita’s shoulder and zooms in on Corneria, which is visible out the window. We now find ourselves in General Pepper’s office in the Cornerian Army HQ. Pepper’s sitting at a desk with a lolly, relating instructions to Lt. Cheetah.:: PEPPER: Lieutenant Cheetah, I want you to put all the squadrons on holiday leave until next month, with the 4th and 5th ready for duty in the case of an emergency. It’s been a tough year and they deserve a rest! CHEETAH: Are you sure that’s wise, General? The Venomian Empire may be dwindling in the wake of Andross’s death, but it’s not gone yet. At its current strength, an attack on Corneria with all the soldiers on leave could be devastating! PEPPER: They won’t attack now; they’re trying to gather enough strength to take back their lost territories, but without Andross they’re just a flock of sheep without a shepherd. We have nothing to fear from them at the present. ::close up on Pepper’s face:: PEPPER: Besides... what could possibly go wrong? ::turn back to Picarita facing away from the window:: PICARITA: Maybe "I" already made the plans and then stashed them somewhere? PICARITA: Now where would my goody-two-shoes little doppelganger hide the Lylat attack plans…? ::she searches her room until she finds a file in the closet:: PICARITA: Ah, perfect! ::Picarita slings her sword around her shoulder, and goes to drop off her report:: Picarita most assuredly would not have bothered to venture near Gobernante's office if she knew he was pursuing... other matters. GOBERNANTE: Would you like a glass of wine while you look over the inventory? DESTELLA: (not looking up) Oh, yes, that would be nice, thank you... ::Gobernante pours two glasses of wine and drops a small tablet into one while looking over his shoulder:: GOBERNANTE: Here you are, Majesty. DESTELLA: (places the glass down and continues to read the report intently) Thank you, Gobernante. ::We switch to a scene of the hallway leading to the chamber and Colin and Picarita are walking together:: COLIN: (pretending to listen to Picarita while working on a report) Uh, hua PICARITA: So then I do a flip in mid air and I pin him like a grub! COLIN: (still writing) uh, hua PICARITA: ::stops and puts her hands on her hips in an annoyed look:: Hey, Colin, there's a mammal gnawing on your head. COLIN: (not looking up from report) That's nice ::switch back to the throne room:: GOBERNANTE: (leans in closely towards Destella) Destella, my dear, you seem a tad distracted tonight ::close shot of the wine and her reflection in it:: GOBERNANTE: You've not even touched your drink. DESTELLA: (Closes the report and looks at him with a smile) You know, General, you're right.(picks up the glass) ::switch back to the hall way:: ::Colin and Picarita are standing in the doorway outside the throne room, facing each other:: PICARITA: (has her hands seductively on Colin's chest) You know, Colin, you and I have known each other a long, long, time... COLIN: (looks a little caught off guard) Uh, Picarita, what are you doing? ::switch back to the throne room:: DESTELLA: ( is about to drink, then stops and raises her glass to Gobernante) A toast, General? GOBERNANTE: Oh, why, yes, of course. (in a hurried pace grabs his glass and raises it to hers with a {S clink) GOBERNANTE: To one of the finest operations in our history, ~under his breath~ and my greatest victory! :: Back to the door way:: PICARITA: (now pinning him against the door with her body, with one knee cocked) A very... very long time... Colin. ::One shot of her head moving towards his as if to kiss him:: ::throne room:: (Single shot of the glass going to her lips and inches away from her mouth) :: Door Way:: (Single shot of Colin's elbow hitting the door-opening button) ::throne room:: ::The door has suddenly opened and Picarita and Colin are falling across the entrance way :: DESTELLA: Colin! (Drops glass) GOBERNANTE: (looks down at the broken glass on the floor and then steps on it to crush it)(looks up with an evil glare at Picarita) You... PICARITA: Uh, hey Gober, hey boss lady... what's up? COLIN: (Still stuck under Picarita) Uh, excuse me, do you mind? GOBERNANTE: (in a silent rage grabs Picarita by an antenna and pulls her out of the room) PICARITA: Ow, ow, oh, owww, ouchey, ouchey, ouchey, GOBERNANTE: Idiot girl! I should rip off your antennae and send you to a minefield! PICARITA: Should.... but you won’t. Even you aren’t that stupid. You can’t do anything to me and you know it! GOBERNANTE: In a civilized culture you would have been turned over to scientific authorities for mental experimentation long ago. The monumental misfortune of this whole affair is that you’re precisely right. I can’t do anything to you-- not here. PICARITA: Yeah, well, if you try anything I’ll squeal like a larva! GOBERNANTE: And on yourself too, my dear girl. You forget I’ve been a trusted advisor of the royal line since before you were off of royal jelly. Do you think they’re going to take your word over mine? PICARITA: Whatever. But if I’m beat up, you can bet your thorax that SOMEbee’s gonna pay for it in stings. GOBERNANTE: I hate it when you’re right. Just remember that if we don’t work together when we need to and keep our noses OUT of each other’s business when we need to, neither of us will get what we want! PICARITA: I’m real scared. Besides, I practically have Colin already... GOBERNANTE: If that’s what you want to believe... I mean, he may be no better than what you deserve, but do you think that when he still has the choice he’d pick you over Destella? Face it, you’re a hyperactive twerp with no sex appeal and she’s... magnificent! PICARITA: Yeah, well, you think she’d pick you over him? You’re twice her age and he still has all his hairOWWW!!! (Gobernante karate-chops her back and floors her. She props herself up with a hand to her mouth.) PICARITA: Hands off, you old pervert! GOBERNANTE: As if I’d ever want to do anything to GAAH!!!! (She plants a foot firmly in his face, fists to the ground. The sound effect is MOOSH.) PICARITA: And one more thing, pig-- why in sweet Nirvana didn’t you have the @!?# door locked?!* (Gobernante maturely reaches out and pulls her pigtail) GOBERNANTE: Well, why did YOU two cretins decide the hallway in front of Destella’s chambers was a good place to get to know each other?! (She knocks his face with her elbow) PICARITA: At least I’m not a pervert! GOBERNANTE: At least I’m not a stupid little girl with no attention span! ::cut to the hallway around the corner::: PICARITA: Oh YEAH?! Well at least I’M not a... (all of this is accompanied by various sound effects, you must realise.) ::cut back to Destella’s chambers:: DESTELLA: So... COLIN: Yeah. (They sit in silence-- well actually, she sits, he stands near the doorway rubbing the back of his neck awkwardly. Finally Destella speaks up.) DESTELLA: What were-- COLIN: (quickly interrupting) We were working out a new combat technique. DESTELLA: Oh, I see. COLIN: Uh-huh. DESTELLA: What’s that? COLIN: Oh, this? ..Nothing... (he hides the report behind his back) DESTELLA: You’ve been spending a lot of time in the archives lately. What are you working on? COLIN: Nothing of importance right now, your Highness. You must be awfully stressed with the invasion coming tomorrow. DESTELLA: You’re right. Why don’t we... ::Colin seems to perk up:: DESTELLA: ...go get a drink in the dining hall? ::Colin’s spirits are noticably dampened:: COLIN: Excellent idea, Majesty. ::They walk down the hall together towards the dining hall and soon come upon Picarita and Gobernante. Gobernante’s on his back on the floor with two of his hands around Picarita’s neck, and she’s kneeling on him and repeatedly bludgeoning his forehead with her fist:: PICARITA: Say it, you pervert!! Say uncle!! GOBERNANTE: Never!!!! ::at once they both notice Destella (now looking a trifle piqued with her arms folded) and Colin. They stumble awkwardly to their feet.:: PICARITA: We were just... COLIN: Practicing a new combat technique? GOBERNANTE: Precisely. I was merely playing the role of a Cornerian official. I’ve heard they’re exceedingly immature and stubborn, you know. And with the invasion tomorrow, Picarita will need to be ready for that sort of thing.... ::he brushes some dust off his clothing:: PICARITA: Yes! Thank you for helping me out, my lord! I owe you such an enormous debt of gratitude! GOBERNANTE: ::chuckling good-naturedly:: Oh, it’s no trouble at all, child.... PICARITA: That reminds me. Here you go. ::she shoves the folder with the plans into Gobernante’s hands and hurriedly heads off down the hallway, waving over her shoulder:: PICARITA: Bye now! GOBERNANTE: I should get some rest.... tomorrow is a big day. Good evening, Highness... Colin. ::Destella and Colin nod and Gobernante also exits:: DESTELLA: I worry about those two sometimes. COLIN: They are... very talented at role playing, I suppose. DESTELLA: Hmm, indeed I wonder sometimes…. ::a small brooch on Destella's shoulder beeps:: DESTELLA: Bridge? WORKER: Yes, your Majesty, we've hit a rather large "snag". ::Cut to the bridge, Destella and Colin enter through one of those Star Trek elevators:: RANDOM LOW-RANKING OFFICER: The Queen! ::All the soldiers stand at attention:: DESTELLA: As you were... Captain, the "snag", if you would, please. CAPTAIN: Take a look for yourself . :: pointing to the main view screen with a picture of a rather large debris field:: COLIN: Is that all? A debris field? The Pinchazos and I can go and find a large enough opening for you … If you want, Destella. Colin knows all to well that a scorned woman is the most dangerous of animals, and his little confrontation with Picarita has his beloved all too unhappy. DESTELLA: Very well, Colin, but you must take Gobernante as a royal escort... COLIN: What! Do you know what you're asking me to do?! ::closeup on Destella's face with Colin in the background:: DESTELLA: First of all, Colin, I didn't ask you... I ordered you. DESTELLA: Second of all, Gobernante is the only member of my cabinet I can trust not to lie for you. COLIN: Lie for me... what do you mean? DESTELLA: Because of your little show with Picarita today, I'm not sure how well you're leading the Pinchazos. Anyone else might lie to protect you. COLIN: (in small misshapen letters) yes, your highness. ::shot of Gobernante hiding out of view, more than likely on a balcony:: GOBERNANTE: Fool girl... She has sent the wolf to guard the henhouse. But no matter; soon Colin will be dead, and I shall be Emperor. ::Shot of outer space stars whatever:: …Space… So simple a word, but also one with endless meaning. :: asteroid field, LARGE asteroids, bigger than Meteo:: The place is a large asteroid field, known to the locals as the Ex-terra field. The field normally has many ships that pass through it. But today it has other visitors... ...The likes of which it has not seen for eons. The royal battle fleet of the Pinchazos! COLIN: Heads up, Pinchazos, we don't know what's hiding under these rocks... GOBERNANTE: Keep in mind, boy, that you are not in charge of this mission... so don't give orders to my soldiers. COLIN: You realise, Gobernante, that you are the universe's biggest-- PINCHAZO: Sir! One of the asteroids has a large enviro-dome on it. I believe it's inhabited. GOBERNANTE: Excellent! This is a prime chance to learn about the inhabitants of the Lylat system as well as to figure out an entryway for the population ship. ((asteroid surface, old stone ruined buildings)) Later, on the surface GOBERNANTE: All the building look inhabited. We'll have to search each one. ::Gobernante jabs Colin in the ribs as he tries to pass:: COLIN: Ouuffff! GOBERNANTE: Not you, boy, you're staying behind to guard the ships. COLIN: (hunched over) You'll live to regret this. GOBERNANTE: At least I'll live, boy. ::Colin stands there for a bit untill a shadow cast on a wall catches his attention:: COLIN: Hey, you there! Wait! ::runs through ruins with fallen statues of insects:: ::comes to a building that looks like a bar:: ::enters to see a crowd around a table. Wasp McIver and a large lizard are sitting with 2 dozen empty shot glasses on the table:: ((Wasp raises a full shot glass)) WASP: 90! CROWD: 90! ((Wasp downs the glass and places it on the table)) CROWD: YAAAHHHH! ((Lizard raises shot)) LIZARD: 90! CROWD: 90! ((downs shot)) CROWD: YAAAAHHHH! WASP: 100! ::large smile:: CROWD: 100! ((same as before)) LIZARD: ::Big smile:: ::Raises glass in toast; Wasp does the same:: ((eyes roll into the back of his head, and frozen like a statue, falls backwards)) WASP: Thought not... CROWD: mixed cheers, whines, and money changing hands. WASP: ((Walks behind bar and puts apron on)) COLIN: ((walks up to bar)) COLIN: Excuse me, I want some info... WASP: ((looks to her left and to her right to see if anyone's watching, then leans forward)) Psst, come closer. COLIN: ((leans in)) WASP: ((Grabs his left antenna)) You and your bumble butt friends have a lot of nerve comin' around these parts! COLIN: AHHggg! What are you talking about!? WASP: Ha, you don't even know, do ya, shugah? ((She hovers over to a curtain on a wall and moves it aside to show a large hole)) ((Colin peers in. Wasp nudges him in and he falls down a large chute)) WASP: Talk to the Mole. ::After he lands, two eyes glow in the darkness:: MOLE: Hea...hoo cumz to see Mole? COLIN: I'm Colin, who are you? MOLE: I iz Mole, and you iz bumble bee! COLIN: I'm Colin... not bumble bee. MOLE: You not even know where you come from, how you know who you are? COLIN: What are you talking about? I know where I was born. MOLE: Not where you were born, bumble bee, where you come from. Listen and Mole tell you of the twelve planets of insects! And how you bumble bees destroyed an entire solar system.