Flash Gordon Page #6

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MING:

You will be hungry no longer, King Nurid. (He motions to an ARMORED MAN standing to his left.) Dispatch my air armada to their kingdom. Reduce everything to a burned-out cinder. Deliver me the heads of the royal family and place them on pikes at the city gates.

ARMORED MAN:

As you command, my emperor.

There is a resounding gong. All eyes fall on the main entrance to the throne room. The palace doors open, CAPTAIN MALO, along with FLASH, DALE, and ZARKOV enter with the four MECHANICAL MEN.

The entourage stops at the foot of the steps leading up to the elaborate throne. CAPTAIN MALO bows at the hips and salutes with his hand up and out. MING acknowledges with a casual flip of his wrist.

CAPTAIN MALO:

Your majesty, we have captured the earth people!

MING:

Was there any resistance?

CAPTAIN MALO:

No, your majesty. Except from the blond savage.

FLASH, DALE, and ZARKOV react to the decapitated body slump on the floor. CAPTAIN MALO turns to the three. He points to the floor.

CAPTAIN MALO:

Kneel!

The MECHANICAL MEN on either side of FLASH attempt to make him kneel. FLASH punches CAPTAIN MALO in the face, who goes sliding across the palace floor. The MECHANICAL MEN raise their gatling rifles.

MING:

No! Do not harm them! Let them stand! Bring the earth people closer.

The three are escorted up the steps and stand before MING.

MING:

Why did you enter my kingdom?

ZARKOV:

To save you from your ignorance.

MING:

(turning crimson with rage)

What? Your meaning?!

ZARKOV:

Your planet is rushing madly towards the earth from which we came. A collision could only mean destruction for both our worlds.

MING chuckles. He leans back, arching his fingers.

MING:

Incompetent buffoon. I control the absolute movement of this world. Mongo and your pathetic planet of ignorant savages will not collide. Our worlds will come close, however. Very close. When the two atmospheres touch, my superior air armada will swoop in and conquer all your primitive armies in a single campaign. Your planet will learn to serve me or be reduced to a burned-out cinder!

ZARKOV:

Mein Gott! Even a near miss would be catastrophic! Millions will die!

MING:

Exactly. It will disrupt your world. Destroy any resistance.

FLASH:

But, why?

MING:

(sneers)

Why not?

FLASH:

We’ve done nothing to you!

MING:

You exist -- and yet you pay no homage to Ming! What greater crime can be committed?

(beat)

What way brought you here?

ZARKOV:

In a rocket ship of my own design.

MING:

I see. You are a man of remarkable genius. I could use you. (To guards) Take this one to my laboratory. Award him everything he requires, except his freedom.

ZARKOV:

I will never serve a tyrant!

MING:

You will serve me. Willingly or otherwise. You are alive because I permit it. Remember this.

FLASH:

You can’t get away with this! We don’t obey dictators!

MING:

We will see if your strength is as great as your insolence! You are hereby condemned to the radium mines!

From behind the throne steps PRINCESS AURA, MING’S daughter. Young, voluptuous beyond her years, fiercely erotic.

FLASH can't take his eyes off her. No normal man could. FLASH swallows with a dry throat as AURA'S gaze devours him.

She casts her sultry stare onto DALE. DALE doesn’t like the way she looks at her and reacts. AURA glances her up and down in judgment, then looks at FLASH. Her eyes widen in lust. AURA approaches and leans into MING, stroking his ear.

AURA:

Father, if it pleases you, I desire that earthman for my own amusement.

MING:

You dare interrupt these proceedings, my daughter? It would have earned anyone else death.

She stomps her foot and pouts.

AURA:

I am your daughter! My wishes are not to be questioned!

MING:

Well said, daughter.

AURA:

Then the earthman is mine?

MING:

No. I think not.

AURA pouts as MING returns his attention to ZARKOV.

MING:

Remove him. Take him to my laboratory.

Two guards escort ZARKOV out. This moves DALE.

DALE:

Dr. Zarkov? (To Ming) How can you be so merciless?

Ming chuckles. Gestures toward a court page. The sickly-looking page approaches with a scribe pad.

MING:

That amuses me! Let it be written into law. From henceforth my title will be Emperor Ming the Merciless. All will address me as such under penalty of death!

PAGE:

It is written, it is done, Emperor Ming the Merciless, Ruler of Mongo!

The palace rings with an answering chorus: VOICES of all the ARMORED MEN and numerous others presently UNSEEN, including the mutated courtesans.

COURTESANS:

Hail, Emperor Ming the Merciless! Ruler of the Universe!

Ming glares down at Dale. He leans forward on his throne.

MING:

This earth woman pleases me. If she performs well, I may favor her. Abduct the girl to me.

FLASH tenses as two ARMORED MEN grab Dale by the arm. Dale pushes one away.

DALE:

Get the hell off me!

The other ARMORED MAN grabs DALE, who quickly kicks him in the nuts. He bowls over. MING chuckles.

The two MECHANICAL MEN raise their rifles.

MING:

Stop!

(leeringly at DALE)

Earthwoman, you amuse me more and more.

CAPTAIN MALO grabs Dale by the arm and leads her to stand in front of MING. MING raises to his feet. The robot guards keep Flash at bay.

MING:

Your eyes. Your hair. Your skin. I’ve never seen the likes of you before. Oh, you are beautiful.

During this, he places a hand across her breast, down her stomach, and along her hips.

FLASH pulls himself free. He dashes up and grabs MING. FLASH then shoves him back down on his throne.

FLASH:

Keep your goddamn, slimy hands off her, you perverted...

MING is crimson with fury.

MING:

You touched me! How dare you touch me!

FLASH turns to CAPTAIN MALO who is holding DALE.

FLASH:

And that goes for you, too!

FLASH punches MALO who goes flying, hitting the palace floor hard.

MING:

Seize him!

Several of the ARMORED MEN race towards FLASH. He punches his way through until he reaches CAPTAIN MALO, who he just knocked out. FLASH snatches the SWORD from the captain’s scabbard and begins slashing at the oncoming GUARDS. The ARMORED MEN draw their swords as FLASH somewhat clumsily hacks and slashes at them.

He backs down the flight of steps as MING stands and points.

MING:

Toss this savage into the arena!

An ARMORED MAN at a control panel throws a switch.

Down in the middle of the throne room, the courtesans split onto either side as the floor opens to reveal a large and circular ARENA embedded into the palace floor. Along its smooth side, is a series of small bricks jetting out of the stone wall from the rim down to its base. The floor of the arena itself is a series of metal grates.

CLOSE ANGLE - AURA

Wetting her lips, moving sinuously to WHISPER to the enraged MING.

AURA:

Don't kill him yet, father. Give him to me!

MING:

(eyebrows up)

And what of your Prince Barin?

AURA:

I can handle Barin.

MING:

Really, Aura — your appetites are too monstrous — even for our family. This could cause great trouble with Barin — I forbid it.

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