Flash Gordon Page #8

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MING:

Captain Malo, they fell into the net! Make prisoners of them both!

CAPTAIN MALO and six MECHANICAL MEN exit the throne room through a side entrance.

Seething, MING approaches DALE. He clasps her chin.

MING:

So very beautiful. Once I have destroyed every living thing on your pathetic planet, I will impregnate you with my own seed and your brood will repopulate the earth in the name of Ming!

DALE turns away in disgust. Ming signals TWO MUTANT WOMEN – one hawk-like and the other lizard-like.

MING:

Escort her to the palace of pleasure. Prepare her for tonight’s skirmish!

The TWO MUTANT WOMEN roughly grasp DALE by an arm each and lead her out of the throne room as MING sneers and exits.

WHIPE TO:

INT. TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

FLASH stands on the mesh net. He glances up. Darkness. He glances down and sees AURA unconscious. He bends to her and gently shakes her. She comes to.

FLASH:

Hey, you all right?

AURA:

Yes.

FLASH:

We fell into some kind of pit.

There is a SNARLING GROWL. The two look down through the mesh net. Twenty feet below are two LARGE, DINOSAUR-LIKE LIZARDS crawling about the gloom. We can barely see human bones and remains scattered about the moist floor of the pit next to the lizards.

FLASH:

Whoa! What the hell?!

AURA:

The Dagahra. The guardians of the pit!

FLASH looks about at the net.

FLASH:

Good thing this net’s here.

AURA:

This is my father’s doing.

One of the DAGAHRA leaps up and SNAPS a snout filled with dagger-like teeth at FLASH and AURA, barely missing them. The net is too high and just out of reach.

FLASH:

Look out! Be careful!

Unbothered, AURA rises and makes her way over to the wet stone wall of the pit. We can hear the DAGAHRA growling and snap below.

AURA:

We must escape out of here before the guards arrive!

FLASH:

How?

AURA:

There’s a secret door. Here.

AURA pushes a small button on the wall. The wall in front of her clicks and slides open. She enters into the darkness of the opening.

AURA:

Come, earthman! Quickly!

INT. PALACE HALL – MINGO CITY

CAPTAIN MALO and six MECHANICAL MEN rapidly march down a grand staircase. As they descend, the red marble of the palace ends; the ornate halls become roughhewn rock as the platoon enters the underground tunnels beneath the city.

INT. TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

With FLASH in hand, AURA leads them down a dim hallway. They approach a corner. AURA glances around the tunnel corner. It is EMPTY. At the end of the hall begins another grand STAIRCASE leading up into red-tiled ornate architecture.

AURA:

This way!

The two run down the hall and up the stairs.

Atop the stairs, they race along an arched mezzanine lined with giant statues of warriors. AURA stops and pulls herself and FLASH back into a dark alcove behind a large bust of MING.

AURA:

Listen!

The sound of the approaching guards.

FLASH presses AURA deeper into the alcove, against the wall. They hide in the shadows; chest to chest. FLASH keeps a vigilant eye out into the hallway.

FLASH:

(whispers)

I wonder what happened to Dale? Dr. Zarkov?

AURA:

(whispers)

Without a doubt, my father is holding them prisoner.

CAPTAIN MALO and his MECHANICAL MEN are approaching the point where FLASH and AURA are hiding.

AURA gazes wantonly up at FLASH, who is tensely keeping a vigilant eye on the approaching search party. She slides a hand along the exposed bicep of FLASH’s dirty and bloodied arm.

AURA:

(whispers)

That earthwoman? Does she please you?

FLASH turns to AURA. They are nose to nose. Her beauty is intoxicating to FLASH’S senses. He stares into her eyes.

AURA:

(whispers)

If any part of me pleases you, earthman, I offer it to you... willingly.

FLASH swallows with a dry throat. He leans in, then suddenly turns to the passing guards.

FLASH:

(whispers)

Watch out!

CAPTAIN MALO and his MECHANICAL MEN march by and head down the flight of stairs AURA and FLASH came up.

FLASH grabs AURA by the arm.

FLASH:

Let’s go.

AURA races down the hall with FLASH behind her.

WHIPE TO:

INT. ATOMIC SHAFT – MONGO

ANGLE DOWN into an enormous shaft that seems to lead into the very core of the planet. Catwalks and bridges crisscross the great shaft. The walls are well-lit with observation decks, whirring machine generators, and gigantic chrome tesla devices shooting huge BOLTS OF ELECTRICITY up and down the shaft from one conduit to the next.

The camera pans down – way down – until it comes across an observation window. We see ZARKOV inside fiddling away on some machine.

INT. MING’s LABORATORY – MONGO

The tiered laboratory is something straight out of an old Frankenstein movie set mixed with futuristic technology. Scattered consoles and worktables of bubbling test tubes are whirring, clicking machinery with flashing lights and crackling arcs of electricity.

ZARKOV, now dressed in a long-sleeved black tunic with a red emblem of a sun on the chest, black leather shorts, and boots, moves intently between a lit-up console and a series of switches. When he pulls a switch, one of the tesla coils bursts to life.

MING stands at the entrance observing the frantic ZARKOV. MING approaches the doctor.

MING:

Does my laboratory favor comparably to those on earth, Dr. Zarkov?

ZARKOV:

There is no comparison, your majesty! This? This is a scientist’s paradise.

MING turns a dial on a control board. On a large wall monitor appears an image of the Earth.

MING:

Soon, very soon, doctor, the end will begin for your primitive civilization.

ZARKOV:

How can you even begin to justify this mad lust of yours? To simply destroy another world.

MING:

My good doctor, your planet will not be destroyed, only the useless civilization which infects it will be impaired. Instead of attacking outright, I am sparing millions of your people who might otherwise perish in an interplanetary war, allowing them to live...

ZARKOV:

...as you’re slaves!

MING:

There must be order amongst the chaos, Dr. Zarkov.

ZARKOV stares at the flickering image of the earth, then, with true concern, turns to MING.

ZARKOV:

What has become of my two friends from the earth?

MING:

(chuckles)

Do not concern yourself, Doctor Zarkov, they are being well cared for...

WHIPE TO:

INT. PALACE OF PLEASURE – MINGO CITY

In a large room of gold and chrome art-deco design, lounging on cushions of silk, lay about twenty scantily clad WOMEN. Several are nude bathing in sunken tubs. They are giggling and watching the middle of the room.

Camera pans to see DALE kicking and fighting with the SLAVE WOMEN attempting to disrobe her.

DALE:

Stop! Get your hands off me! Stop!

There is a resounding GONG. All attention stops as the door to the chamber slides open and a STOOPED, OLD MAN ENTERS. Two MECHANICAL MEN stand at the door. The old man is dressed in robes of a priest, flowing black and red, high, cresting hat similar to a pope’s. He is carrying a set of folded attire. This is the HIGH PRIEST of TAO.

HIGH PRIEST:

Rejoice, child! Your wedding has been sanctioned by the great god Tao. It will harken a new beginning for your people. Young girl, please put these on. His majesty, Ming the Merciless, will be arriving shortly to provide you with pleasures beyond your comprehension.

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