COLD WAR
A Script by Kooshmeister
Based on the original episode outline written by Lance Falk.
LOGLINE: Rex Shard returns with weather-based powers, courtesy of the experiments of mega-corporation Megatech.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
EXT. CHANCE AND JAKE'S GARAGE - DAY
Establishing shot of the garage. Push in on it as we hear:
T-BONE
(V.O.)
Look out, Razor!
INT. HANGAR - REFLEX ROOM
The SWAT Kats are testing an elaborate flight simulator which has been erected in the Reflex Room. It consists of a functional mockup of the Turbokat's cockpit fixed to a jointed armature rig facing a huge screen. It can bank, dive, roll and so forth. It's doing plenty of that as T-Bone, at the controls, jerks it back and forth. Both he and Razor, who is in back, are wearing helmets with modified visors that have a nearly imperceptible split down the middle. One side is dark red. The over is cyan. They're 3-D visors, because it's a 3-D screen that the cockpit mockup is facing!
RAZOR
(coolly)
I'm lookin', I'm lookin', easy, pal...
Onscreen, outlined in red and cyan and seen as completely three-dimensional from the SWAT Kats' P.O.V., a variety of enemies are zooming past. Razor is "firing" at them. Every time he presses a button on his missile selection panel, the result appears on the screen ahead, be it a missile, a laser blast, or what have you. A gaggle of flapping CREEPLINGS are the first enemies to swoop by. A few globs of cement from the simulation's cement machine gun hits them, hardening, and they collapse like stones, only to be quickly replaced by FLYERS (the flying, acid-spiting Plantimals from "Destructive Nature").
RAZOR
(disgusted)
Ughhh, I hate these guys! Dodge 'em, T-Bone! This time it's you who's gotta watch out!
T-BONE
(confident)
No problem!
He dodges, the cockpit dipping to one side, as the Flyers spew forth their acidic gunk. None of the instruments register a "hit," meaning T-Bone successfully dodged them.
RAZOR
Octopus Missiles... do your thing!
On the screen, a barrage of Octopus Missiles fly in and open up their eight-armed claws, which grab and squeeze the Flyers, crushing them. The Plantimals pop and spray acidic goo everywhere. T-Bone dodges again. Now come more enemies. Razor easily defeats them. T-Bone suddenly looks eager.
T-BONE
But how 'bout lettin' me have a go?
RAZOR
Good idea. You need to train with the auxiliary weapons panel more.
He begins flicking some switches.
T-BONE
With the amount of times you get to run around down on the ground havin' fun, leavin' me up in the air just kinda waitin' around? Sure. I mean, I love being a pilot, but I swear if it wasn't for this baby, I'd be little more than your glorified taxi service.
So saying, he gives the auxiliary weapons panel an affectionate pat. It beeps as Razor finishes transferring control of the "Turbokat's" weapons compliment over to it.
RAZOR
There ya go, T-Bone. It's all yours.
The simulations reruns. T-Bone easily defeats the first few enemies, including the same ones we've already seen, as well as a few new ones, like the Pastmaster's DRAGON, several buzzing CI-KAT-A DRONES, etc.
The Dragon Sword missile hits the dragon, causing him to disappear in a violently brilliant flash of light.
T-BONE
All right! Two for two!
RAZOR
(smirking)
This time doesn't count.
T-BONE
Shut up!
Bola Missiles tie up the Ci-Kat-A's wings and they drop from the sky.
T-BONE
Later, bug-eyes!
(grumbles)
Are these losers the best you've got, buddy? How 'bout a real challenge?
Razor, irritated by his friend's cockiness, smirks and nods. His finger hovers over a button that exists only in this mockup of the Turbokat, labelled "The Works."
RAZOR
You asked for it, big buddy.
Something in Razor's tone makes T-Bone tense up a bit.
T-BONE
Oh, no! Not the Works! Razor, hold up a second--!!!
Cut to an exterior shot of the flight simulator. We hear T-Bone's panicked screams. Back inside, we see, from T-Bone's P.O.V., the gauntlet of increasingly harder and harder enemies that begin flooding the screen to test his mettle. First up is MADKAT, who is gigantic. His razor-edged yo-yo fills the screen. T-Bone blasts it out of his hand. Laughing, Madkat morphs into his giant octopus form. Tentacles reach for and grasp at them, seeming to come through the screen.
T-BONE
The bells, the bells on his cap...!
He shoots them each with Turbolades, cutting them off. Poof! Madkat vanishes in a magical puff of smoke.
T-BONE
Got you again, you two-toned creep...!
Next up is one of the BACTERIA MONSTERS (the original four-eyed version). T-Bone watches as the view spins around dizzingly, and he reflexively fires an ordinary missile, which only results in the creature dividing (into two two-eyed monsters). Razor smirks and shakes his head.
T-BONE
Crud! Right, right, right, electricity...!
He hurriedly presses some buttons. Two missiles fly forward.
T-BONE
There's a Megavolt Missile for you, and a Scrambler Missile for your ugly friend! Zap!
The giant bacteria are accordingly eliminated in a dazzling display of electricity. Next up is Dark Kat's Fear Ship (from "The Wrath of Dark Kat"). T-Bone gets around behind the vessel in the simulation and fires on its engines. Kaboom! Down goes Dark Kat.
T-BONE
Eat that, Dark Crud!
Next up is the Red Lynx's biplane. THE RED LYNX himself can be seen in the cockpit, tauntingly shaking his fist. T-Bone growls.
T-BONE
This time, I'm gonna shoot your ghostly butt down, you old creep!
Turbo-Blades chop off the biplane's wings and down it downs.
T-BONE
Hahaha! This is fun!
Now the enemies are coming faster, starting with GOLIATH and PROWLER, the two MACRO-BOTS. T-Bone sweats a little as he fires ineffectually at them.
T-BONE
Aw, man, how am I supposed to defeat these things with just the Turbokat...?
RAZOR
That's kinda the point of the flight simulator, buddy. To train.
T-Bone nods and gets an idea, flying between Goliath and Prowler so that when they turn to lunge at him, firing their weapons, they hit each other instead. T-Bone yells triumphantly. Next comes the MEGASAURUS REX. He's easily taken out with the cement machine gun, which splatters the lower half of his body in wet cement, which haredens, holding him fast. He roars angrily. Another enemy taken care of.
And, then, finally, REX SHARD, the dangerous crystal colossus. Or at least a simulation of him.
T-BONE
This loser again.
Razor smirks knowingly, but T-Bone doesn't notice. When the big SWAT Kat turns to face him, he wipes the smirk off his face.
T-BONE
This is way easier than--
On the screen, "Shard" is fast and grabs at the jet.
RAZOR
(gasps)
T-Bone, watch out!
T-BONE
Huh?
(turning)
Yaaahhhh!
Shard swipes with his clawed hands. T-Bone dodges, but then the crystalline villain powers up his hand laser attack and fires before T-Bone has a chance to react.
COMPUTER VOICE
(calm, but insistent)
Danger! Danger!
T-BONE
Tell me somethin' I don't know!
Zap! T-Bone struggles with the joystick, then screams as a bright flash fills the screen. It goes black and "GAME OVER!" flashes on it. Calming down, T-Bone lays a hand on his chest.
T-BONE
Oh, my heart... Razor, you made this dang thing too realistic!
The canopy opens and Razor stands up in back, removing his helmet. He smirks.
RAZOR
That's what you get for not paying attention and being too cocky.
T-BONE
Aw, come on!
He takes off his helmet and throws it. It whizzes past Razor's head.
RAZOR
Easy, T-Bone, you almost hit me.
T-BONE
(a little chastened)
Sorry, buddy.
He pounds the simulator's controls in frustration and he hops out.
T-BONE
(sullen)
It's not fair! Shard was never that fast!
Razor shrugs.
RAZOR
(smirking)
Just keepin' ya on your toes. Gotta keep sharp, T-Bone.
T-Bone just grumbles in response and stomps off, kicking open the Reflex Room door.
INT. HANGAR
The SWAT Kats walk out into the main upper area of the hangar. Still pouting, T-Bone grabs a comic book and kicks back on the weightlifting bench. Razor becomes thoughtful, stroking his chin.
RAZOR
I whatever became of that creep Shard after we beat him?
T-BONE
(from behind the comic, not looking up)
Who cares?
(sneers)
After we zapped away that crazy power of his his, he became just another thug doing hard time at Megakat Maximum Security Prison.
(pauses)
Uh, after they rebuilt it, of course.
Razor just shakes his head.
FADE OUT
END ACT I
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
EXT. MEGAKAT CITY SKYLINE - DAY
We pan along the skyscrapers towards the outskirts of town as T-Bone's dismissive summation of Shard's fate repeats itself in voiceover.
T-BONE
(V.O.)
...he became just another thug doing hard time at Megakat Maximum Security Prison.
The pan stops at a building located in a wooded area and zooms in towards it.
EXT. MEGATECH - DAY
An enormous experimental alternate energy facility. It's in a thickly-wooded area on the edge of town. A lone GUARD is sitting boredly in the guardhouse at the main gate. A sign posted out front reads "Megatech Power Stattion." In the parking lot, we see some prison vans with the Enforcer "M" logo on the hoods.
INT. MEGATECH - HALLWAY
Rex Shard and several other INMATES are on a heavy labor detail, doing some repair work to a hallway. They're all chained together at the ankles in groups of four. Shard's group in particular is mopping the floor while the other convicts paint the walls and work with some power tools to fix various things. They're being supervised closely by armed guards: both the PRISON GUARDS who came with them as well as Megatech's PLANT SECURITY.
Shard is ranting to the other inmates comprising his little chain gang.
SHARD
(talking loudly)
Ya shoulda seen me! Fifty feet tall, made outta solid crystal! And whatever I touched...
(he grips the mop handle harder for emphasis)
...turned to crystal too.
He spares the facility's GUARD COMMANDER and a SCIENTIST a contemptuous glance as they walk past, ignoring the work crew and their guards as they discuss something between themselves. Shard's eyes narrow.
SHARD
(under his breath)
Includin' other people.
It's obvious from the chain gang's reactions that they've heard all this before and are sick of it.
INMATE #1
Knock it off, Rex, we've heard all this before.
INMATE #2
Yeah, and don't forget, a lot of us were there and saw it for ourselves.
(fixes Shard with an angry stare)
Includin' when you threw that Enforcer tank at the prison! Ya coulda killed us.
SHARD
(dismissive)
Bah! You morons just ain't got no imagination.
(holds up a finger)
Power is the key! And when I figure out a way to get some... watch out, Megakat City!
He laughs. His fellow prisoners sigh, roll their eyes, and go back to work. Even the prison guards and Megatech security personnel aren't terribly impressed despite how loudly Shard is talking. They just laugh and joke inaudibly, and occasionally one of them will jerk his thumb in Shard's direction to make it clear they're joking about him. Not that Shard seems to care. He eyes the Megatech scientist approaching a secure door at the end of the hallway, followed by the head guard.
GUARD COMMANDER
Is the big experiment scheduled for today?
SCIENTIST
Yes.
He takes out a keycard and swipes it through a reader, which beeps, unlocking the door.
SCIENTIST
(cont.)
We're starting in a few minutes.
(glancing back)
I'd tell the prison guard commander to hurry up and get these convicts out of here before then.
The guard nods, and then he and the scientist walk through the door, which closes after them automatically. Shard perks up a bit, noticing that the Megatech guards have keycards like the scientist's on their utility belts (the prison guards don't, as they have no authority here beyond watching the prison work detail). We can see the wheels in his head turning.
As one of the Megatech guards steps away from the group of mingled prison guards and plant security, Shard suddenly drops his mop, then shoves down the prisoner chained next to him. The guy falls to the floor just as the guard is walking past.
INMATE #3
(yelps)
Hey!
As the guard starts passing and moves to stop and see if the fallen man is okay, Shard grabs and jerks up the chain linking his ankle to the guy he knocked down. The guard yelps as he tries over the chain and falls to the floor face down. Before anyone can react, let alone the tripped guard, Shard leaps on him, driving his elbow into the back of his head, stunning him. Even as everyone else is reacting, Shard grabs the now unconscious kat's laser rifle (but leaves his sidearm), and swiftly uses it to shoot the chains attached to his ankle cuffs, freeing himself from the little four-man chain gang.
Whipping around, he opens fire. The assembled guards duck. The other prisoners on the work detail stop what they're doing and turn to look. As the guys who'd formerly been chained to Shard jump on the unconscious Megatech guard, taking his holstered laser pistol, Shard runs towards the door the scientist went through a minute ago, continuing to fire over the guards' heads. As they recover, and as the other cons take the stolen laser pistol and run off in the opposite direction, Shard swipes the knocked out guard's keycard through the reader.
Beep! The door opens. He rushes through. The prison guards and plant security stand up. They have to decide between pursuing Shard, who is running deeper into the facility, and the other three prisoners, who are heading for the front door... not to mention wrangling the remaining prisoners and getting them under control before they start getting any ideas.
PRISON GUARD #1
Darn it!
MEGATECH GUARD #1
(indicating the secure door)
He's heading for the big experiment room!
(yelling to some other guards)
You guys stay here and make sure these crooks don't go anywhere!
MEGATECH GUARD #2
What about those other three?
PRISON GUARD #1
Forget them! Shard's the real danger! Come on!
He leads the way, followed by a second prison guard and three Megatech ones. The lead Megatech guard tries to use his keycard on the door.
INT. MEGATECH - HALLWAY TO MAIN LAB
Shard turns and uses his stolen laser rifle to shoot the keycard reader on his side.
INT. MEGATECH - HALLWAY
As the prisoners yell, being held back by the assembled security personnel, the lead Megatech guard finds his card doesn't work. The reader just beeps once, fizzles, then dies.
MEGATECH GUARD #1
Argh! He's disabled the controls on the other side!
He gets on his walkie-talkie.
INT. MEGATECH - CONTROL ROOM
A guard sits attentively at a control panel with a big viewscreen. He's seen everything.
MEGATECH GUARD #1
(over the radio)
4-12 to control! 4-12 to control!
CONTROL ROOM GUARD
(into his radio)
I read you, 4-12!
MEGATECH GUARD #1
(over the radio)
Disable all the card readers past this point!
CONTROL ROOM GUARD
(into his radio)
Already on it!
He hurriedly presses buttons.
INT. MEGATECH - HALLWAY TO MAIN LAB
At the end of this hall is the big door leading to where Megatech does its energy experiments. Alarms blare. Shard tries the stolen keycard on the reader, and growls in frustration when nothing happens.
SHARD
Looks like I'm gonna have to brute force it!
(chuckles)
My specialty!
He opens fire with the laser rifle, shooting the card reader and the door repeatedly until there's a big zap and a shower of sparks and the door slides open, much to the consternation of the guards watching through the viewing window of the door at the other end of the hall.
INT. MEGATECH - EXPERIMENTAL REACTOR ROOM
RADIATION-SUITED GUARDS and SCIENTISTS (including the two we saw earlier), whirl around, already on alert thanks to the alarms but nevertheless startled by Shard's entrance. He tosses the keycard aside.
SHARD
Don't need you anymore, do I?
Turning to regard the room before him, he gasps at the sight of the futuristic-looking reactor which glows brightly with an unknown source of energy. It appears they've already started the experiment, and the power readouts indicate it is so far successful... and, more importantly, that whatever power Megatech is working with is so far contained and under control.
Shard decides to change that. The radiation-suited personnel look on in horror as he shoots and destroys one of the two control consoles for the reactor. The head scientist from before steps forwards.
SCIENTIST
No! That was the emergency shutoff! Now there's no way to power down the reactor!
SHARD
That's the idea, egghead!
He uses the butt of the rifle to knock the guy aside. Finally springing into action, the guards here, who are armed in spite of their combersome radiation suits, surround the escaped prisoner, pointing their weapons at him.
RADIATION-SUITED GUARD
Give yourself up!
Another scientist helps the guy Shard knocked down to his feet. They rush over to the remaining console and start trying to initiate an emergency shutdown.
SHARD
(hisses with defiance)
I ain't goin' back to that cell! It's all or nothin'!
He kicks one guard in the stomach. The guy stumbles back into one of his companions, and then Shard turns and aims at the remaining control console. The two scientist yelp and dive out of the way as Shard blasts that to bits, too.
SHARD
Unlimited power... here I come!
He does a great leap and sails into the air... towards the glowing open heart of the reactor. The guards are too stunned to shoot. The burly prisoner disappears into the bright light. For a moment, nothing happens. Then the room quakes ominously, the reactor and its attendant machinery shuddering, and then a huge explosion fills the room. The scientists and guards are flung backwards and offscreen violently, screaming.
RADIATION-SUITED GUARDS/SCIENTISTS
(all scream)
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh!!!
INT. MEGATECH - HALLWAY
The assembled prison guards, Megatech security and chain gang prisoners watch as the bright light of the reactor's energy comes flowing down the hallway towards them, blowing the door off its hinges and enveloping them.
PRISON GUARDS/MEGATECH GUARDS/INMATES
(all scream)
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaagghhhh!!!
EXT. MEGATECH - DAY
The guard at the main gate steps out of his hut and watches as the entire building shakes violently. The prisoners who were part of Shard's chain gang come running out the front entrance, whooping and hollering excitedly. The guard puts one hand on his holstered sidearm and holds up his other one in a "stop" gesture.
GATE GUARD
Hey! Hold it right there!
They ignore him and run past. He ducks as the one with the laser pistol shoots at him. They then run off down the road leading away through the woods towards Megakat City in the distance. After a moment, the guard jumps back up, considers firing after them, but then runs into the guard shack.
INT. GUARD SHACK - DAY
He hits an alarm, then grabs the phone.
GATE GUARD
(into the phone)
This is the main gate at Megatech! Get me the Enforcers!
He turns and yelps as the entire building behind him blows up in a massive explosion, shattering the glass in all the hut's windows. He's knocked violently to the floor, dropping the phone.
EXT. MEGATECH (WIDER SHOT) - NIGHT
The massive explosion billows forwards and up, but it isn't a fiery explosion. Not exactly. It's more an explosion that's so cold it burns! The flames are an off-blue, almost whitish color... and they freeze solid into ice crystals immediately! A huge SOMETHING begins rising up from behind/within them!
INT. GUARD SHACK - DAY
The dazed guard comes to his senses, sits up, grabbing onto his helmet to make sure it's still there. He tries the phone. Dead. No dial tone. Suddenly he sees his breath and also notices the remaining jagged pieces of glass in the hut's window frames, as well as on the security screens and plastic coverings of gauges, are likewise filmed over with condensation. He shivers.
GATE GUARD
(shivering)
It's c-c-c-c-cooold...
He hears movement and turns, looking out the shattered rear window of the little office and gasps.
EXT. MEGATECH - DAY
The enormous form (we don't get too good of a look, though no prizes for guessing it's our old friend Rex Shard) takes a step forward. Huge feet crush the vehicles in the parking lot. Another comes down on the guard shack... just as the startled guard manages to scramble out, arms wrapped around himself, huffing and puffing, looking up at the towering form of the as yet unseen menace. With shaking hands, he draws his sidearm and aims it up at the whatever-it-is.
GATE GUARD
(shivering)
H-Halt...!
(shivering intensifies)
Fuh-Fuh-Fuh-Fuh...
He stammers. The offscreen threat laughs, then strides forwards, paying him not further attention in the slightest. As it goes, we see it leaves behind an icy trail; the crushed cars, flattened guard building at the gate, the road and the trees and other plants along the roadside all suddenly are covered in ice! The lone surviving guard keeps his gun pointing at the thing's back.
GATE GUARD
(his voice getting hoarse)
Fuh-Fuh-Fuh... fuh-fuh-fuh-freeeeze...!
He drops the gun, he's shaking so badly, and the laser pistol has icicles forming on its barrel as it falls, as we see ice beginning to envelope his helmet and uniform.
GATE GUARD
(pitifully)
H-H-Heeelppp...
EXT. JAKE AND CHANCE'S GARAGE - DAY
Establishing shot. We hear Chance laughing at something.
CHANCE
(O.S.)
Hahahahaha!
INT. GARAGE - LIVING ROOM
CHANCE FURLONG and JAKE CLAWSON sit on the couch, watching a cartoon. SCAREDY-KAT has been captured by some spear-wielding NATIVE KATS and is in a big boiling cauldron on the fire as the WITCH DOCTOR dances around it. He lets loose his signature scream, causing Chance to laugh even harder, if such a thing is possible. Jake gives him a sideways glance.
JAKE
I'll never understand why you think this show is that funny, Chance. I mean, it's entertaining, sure, but, come on, every little thing Scaredy-Kat does isn't the most hilarious thing in the universe.
CHANCE
(struggling to stop laughing)
Oh, I beg to differ, Jakey boy! Hahahaha!
(managing to get his laughter down to just a chuckle)
And quit complaining. Remember, you said it's my turn to pick what we watch tonight.
Jake rolls his eyes. Suddenly the screen cuts to a special Kat's Eye News emergency alert, interrupting the natives' attempt to boil poor Scaredy-Kat to death, much to Chance's annoyance and Jake's obvious relief.
CHANCE
(sighs)
And apparently what we're watching is... the news.
(frowns)
Maybe there's somethin' else on...
He reaches for the remote. Jake stops him.
JAKE
Hold up, Chance! Look!
The screen shows the frozen explosion where Megatech used to be. It then cuts to ANN GORA reporting live from the site. Behind her, FIRE FIGHTERS, PARAMEDICS and various other FIRST RESPONDER KATS are assisting the Enforcers (consisting entirely of COMMANDOS) sift through the wreckage.
ANN
(on TV)
Ann Gora of Kat's Eye News here reporting to you live from the site of the Megatech Power Station.
(turns and looks behind herself)
Or rather, where the Megatech Power Station used to be.
(turns back to the camera)
A strange kind of icy explosion has consumed the entire research facility, where, as you know, Megatech has been conducting experiments in alternative sources of energy. The sole survivor of the incident is unfortunately unable to comment...
We see the guard being loaded into an ambulance by some paramedics. He seems okay, but in shock.
ANN
(on TV, cont.)
...as he was found half frozen to death amidst the destruction!
CHANCE
Frozen...? In August?
JAKE
Something weird's goin' on...
ANN
(on TV)
Whatever caused this icy destruction is on the move, as you can see...
The cameraman whips the camera around to see the frozen, snow and ice-filled forest.
ANN
(on TV, cont.)
...the mysterious phenomenon is not contained just to the Megatech property! At the moment, Megatech is not responding to demands for an explanation.
A NEWSCASTER cuts in. We cut to him sitting at a desk in the Kat's Eye News studio.
NEWCASTER
(on TV)
Sorry to cut you off, there, Ann, but it appears as though a concentrated area of sub-zero temperature has consumed... or rather is currently consuming... the edge of Megakat City nearest to the forest road leading to the Megatech facility.
The screen cuts to a helicopter shot of the city, where, indeed, there is what appears to be a snowstorm!
NEWSCASTER
(on TV, O.S.)
Blizzards and glacial masses are spreading by the minute. Mayor Manx is urging citizens to evacuate immediately!
Chance and Jake look at one another.
CHANCE
No way this isn't connected to what happened at Megatech!
JAKE
Yeah, come on! Let's go see for ourselves!
