Flash Gordon Page #11

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The HOODED MAN backhands her across the face. DALE drops from the blow.

HIGH PRIEST:

Easy, Torgo. If you damage her, the emperor will have both of us executed. No visible bruises!

TORGO grabs DALE and drags her over to the chair. He STRAPS her in. DALE doesn’t like the looks of this.

DALE:

Please! Please don’t do this!

The HIGH PRIEST looms over her, smirking down at her.

HIGH PRIEST:

I must admit. The emperor outdid himself. You are a beauty.

DALE:

What has become of Flash Gordon? Please?

HIGH PRIEST:

You will never see the earthman again. But, you will not miss him. By the grace of the great god Tao, you will forget him, forever.

Dale begins to sob. The glistening back of TORGO enters and fills the screen as he approaches DALE. We hear DALE SCREAM.

WHIPE TO:

EXT. MINGO CITY – SLUMS – DAY

THUN leads FLASH through the steaming, garbage-infested outskirts of the city. Hundreds of SHANTIES constructed from garbage sit on both sides of a muck-lined street. RESIDENTS mill about, rumaging through HEAPS of REFUSE. STARVING CHILDREN gaze up at FLASH as he passes. GRIMY, EMACIATED MEN with white eyes lay in FILTH. THUN notices FLASH looking at them.

THUN:

They are the unfortunates who worked in the mines under the palace. The radiation from the ore burns cold making flesh rot, eyes blind. The tyrant Ming has a lot to answer for.

THUN growls.

FLASH:

Tell me about this Ming.

THUN:

What’s to tell? He is the emperor of the universe, or so he calls himself. He is the absolute ruler of this world. Though there are a few he hasn’t completely convinced.

FLASH:

Like you and your lionmen?

THUN:

If it were not for Ming, Prince Barin of Arboria would be emperor of Mongo.

FLASH:

Then team up with Prince Barin. Take this Ming out.

THUN:

It would be no improvement if you ask me. The Arborians hunt us lionmen for sport. Ming is too clever to rely on brute strength alone to remain in power. He keeps every race on Mongo an enemy of every other race. Each man stands alone, distrusting one another, even members of his own kingdom. There is a saying on Mongo: Separate and destroy.

FLASH:

On our world, it’s divide and conquer. The oldest trick played by any tyrant.

THUN:

Keep down!

FILTHY WATER trickles out of a large STEEL DUCT jutting from the huge PALACE WALL. One ARMORED MAN holding a LASER RIFLE stands guard at the grate. He is eating bread. He tosses the remaining portion onto the ground like feeding ducks in a pond and watches in amusement as DIRTY CHILDREN fight over the scraps.

FLASH sneaks up behind the ARMORED MAN watching the scuffling CHILDREN. FLASH grabs the ARMORED MAN in a vice-like CHOKE HOLD. THE GUARD drops his chrome rifle. THUN picks it up. The ARMORED MAN struggles, but cannot loosen FLASH’s grip.

FLASH:

Lead us into the palace! To Zarkov! The scientist from the earth!

The ARMORED GUARD sneers at the lionman.

ARMORED GUARD:

I do not assist mutant filth!

FLASH:

Take us into the palace and we’ll spare you!

THUN draws his sword and buries it into the ARMORED MAN’s exposed midriff. Blood and intestines SPILL onto the dusty ground. FLASH releases the CORPSE in disgust.

FLASH:

Goddamn, Thun! Why did you - ?

THUN enters the SEWAGE DUCT.

THUN:

Come. We’ll find our own way.

WHIPE TO:

INT. THRONE ROOM – MINGO CITY – DAY

MING sits on his throne as there is a resounding GONG. The throne room doors slide open and the PRINCESS AURA strides in escorted by two Amazonian FRIGIAN WARRIORS.

MING is furious.

MING:

What have you done with the earthman, Gordon?

AURA:

I will not tell you. Unless...you decree his life is to be spared.

MING:

It is not enough that you make a fool of me before my soldiers when I ordered his death! Very well, you shall be taken by these two warriors to the ice kingdom of Frigia where you shall serve as a common soldier in their army! Away with her!

The two FRIGIAN WARRIORS take AURA by the arms and lead her out of the throne room.

AURA:

No, father! No!

WHIPE TO:

INT. SEWAGE DUCT – MINGO CITY

THUN and FLASH creep through the dark, dripping sewage tunnel.

THUN:

Keep vigilant, Flash. These tunnels are guarded by vicious beasts.

They come upon a grated VENTILATION shaft. THUN puts his paws up to it.

THUN:

Feel that? Air being vented out of the palace. This is how we get in.

THUN removes the grate and he and FLASH enter the VENTILATION SHAFT.

WHIPE TO:

INT. LOWER LEVELS – MINGO CITY

The HIGH PRIEST stands in front of the statue of Tao with arms outstretched.

HIGH PRIEST:

Oh mighty Tao, destroyer of worlds, creator of the infinite, bless this alien and consummate the wedding between Emperor Ming the Merciless and the earth girl, Dale Arden. Bring forth your dark shadow and reveal to us if this wedding shall bear fruit in your all-seeing eyes.

DALE is being strapped into the SINISTER-looking MACHINE. Needles, probes, and thick black cables surround its dull chrome chassis.

DALE:

Let me go, you bastards! I’m not marrying him!

TORGO activates the “de-humanizer”. It emits a low hum followed by clicks and whirs. Enormous bolts of electricity arc around DALE as TORGO adjusts the CONTROLS. From an ELECTRODE, a pulsating beam of light ENTERS DALE’S FOREHEAD.

TORGO reads spinning dials and flashing buttons.

TORGO:

By the Shades, her resistance is amazing!

DALE:

Fla...Flash...

HIGH PRIEST:

Crank it up to ten!

TORGO turns a dial and the tesla-like electricity along with the strobing beam INTENSIFIES as incandescent rings of light strobe up and down DALE’s body. DALE screams!

WHIPE TO:

INT. MING’S LABORATORY – MINGO CITY

ZARKOV and a WHITE COATED SCIENTIST work on some bubbling test tubes. Suddenly, the GRATE on the wall CRASHES off and FLASH steps through followed by THUN.

FLASH:

Zarkov!

ZARKOV:

Mein Gott! Flash! You’re still alive!!

FLASH:

That’s right. I had some help.

(to THUN)

This is Thun, a friend.

ZARKOV nods at THUN, then grabs FLASH by the arm.

ZARKOV:

Flash! The course of this planet has been altered! The earth will not be destroyed.

FLASH:

Finally some good news out of this nightmare. Dale! Where’s Dale?

ZARKOV:

Ming has ordered her prepared for some ordeal. The High Priest came here to report to Ming and I believe Ming is going to force Dale to become his wife.

FLASH:

What?! We have to find her at once!

They hear a SOUND as the large monitor on the wall comes to life. A b/w static image of TORGO appears. Behind him, we can see a comatose DALE as light rings strobe up and down her torso. The HIGH PRIEST is in front of the altar, gesticulating and babbling incoherent religious prattle.

TORGO:

The earthgirl is stubborn. However, inform his majesty she will fully succumb to the transformation in a matter of a few more minutes.

Ballistic at seeing DALE, FLASH leaps onto the MINGO SCIENTIST and begins to throttle him. The sickly-looking SCIENTIST gags.

FLASH:

Take me to the High Priest!

SCIENTIST:

I will not! The passage to the Temple of Tao is guarded by Gorgoth!

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