Flash Gordon Page #9

Season #8

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ZARKOV:

...as you’re slaves!

MING:

There must be order amongst the chaos, Doctor Zarkov.

ZARKOV stares at the flickering image of the earth, then, with mounting 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, lounge 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. He approaches DALE with a malicious grin.

HIGH PRIEST:

Rejoice, child! Your wedding has been sanctioned by the great god Tao. It will harken a new beginning for your people. (he holds out a folded set of clothes) My child, please put these on. His majesty, Ming the Merciless, will be arriving shortly to provide you with pleasures beyond your comprehension.

DALE:

That creep bastard comes anywhere near me, I will bite off whatever you goons have down there! (she snatches the clothes he offers from him and throws them back) I’m not putting on anything! And I’m not going to marry that a**hole, either! You can tell that disgusting bag of garbage he can go to Hell!

The HIGH PRIEST smirks, bows, and exits.

INT. ATOMIC SHAFT – MONGO

We look down at the sheer immenseness of the man-made abyss. We see from a high distance that MING, ZARKOV, and two MECHANICAL MEN walk along a wide balcony on the wall of the shaft. Huge turbines whir as gigantic electrodes shoot arcs of electricity back and forth across the abyss. It is impressive.

ZARKOV:

Mein Gott! The amount of radioactive energy here is enough to power a thousand worlds!

They walk along a mezzanine displaying a row of large, glass tanks. In each tank, floating in translucent green liquid, we see a hawkman, a lizardman, a lionman, a shark man, and so on. Several scientists in black goggles and long, white doctor coats work about the tanks. Others stand at tables, dissecting corpses. It is a retro science fiction horror show.

MING:

With each conquered world, I test the population. I experiment on their genetic matrix to create subjects who are easier to bend to my will.

ZARKOV:

Those people in the throne room? You – you created them?

MING:

To an extent. I altered the original male and female. They bred as the rest. Thousands of years ago. The entire population of Mongo is a direct result of my experimentations with genetics.

They walk along a bridge spanning the shaft.

MING:

Our science has conquered the threat of mortality, doctor. I, myself, am over six thousand years old. No one dies of age on Mongo. Only through the impertinence of combat or the attack by a random beast in the wild does one find the long sleep.

On one side of the shaft, a HUGE MACHINE hums and spits arcs of electricity suspended by beams of light.

MING:

I am currently attempting to perfect certain radioactive isotopes, Doctor Zarkov, refined from my mines. An element not known on your earth.

MING approaches a terminal. Presses a button, turns a dial, flicks a switch. The console lights up streaming data. He motions for ZARKOV to read the stream. ZARKOV reels back in amazement.

ZARKOV:

You have achieved dark matter fission?!

MING:

Eons ago.

ZARKOV:

That is the source of your power! It is how you brought your entire planet into our solar system!

MING:

Very clever, Zarkov. You conclude then that my visit was no accident. That Mongo is no casual wanderer through the cosmos. We did not stumble upon you, we came to conquer.

ZARKOV:

I have already warned the governments of earth of your attack!

MING:

And what was your reward, Doctor Zarkov? Did they cease their bickering and backstabbing to heed your forewarnings?

ZARKOV:

It does not mean they will not discover the truth for themselves.

MING:

They shall be laid to waste by then.

ZARKOV:

You’ll never destroy the Earth! Never!

MING:

Incompetent savage! I explained to you that was never my intention. Earth will destroy itself, with my aid. Which is why you are alive, Zarkov, to assist me.

ZARKOV:

Do you actually think I will help you destroy my own planet?!

MING violently grabs ZARKOV by the throat and begins choking him. ZARKOV struggles, but MING is more physically powerful than he lets on. The two MECHANICAL MEN point their rifles at ZARKOV’S head.

MING:

You have no choice, Zarkov! You will work willingly or as a mindless automaton to do my bidding!

WHIPE TO:

INT. TUNNEL OF TERROR – MINGO CITY

AURA leads FLASH down a hallway and into a small hangar. Parked in the middle of the hangar is a rocketship. Small, it is dull chrome and resembles a CESSNA with curved fins instead of wings. There is an open hatch on the side.

AURA and FLASH stand at the hatch.

AURA:

You will be safe in here, earthman. I will return once I have spoken to my father.

FLASH:

No, no, no. I don’t think so. I’m coming with you. I need to find out what happened to Dale.

AURA:

I forbid it. The wrath of my father should not be taken lightly, earthman. I, alone, can save your female.

AURA gestures to the open hatch. Begrudgingly, FLASH climbs up into the rocketship. AURA snaps the hatch closed and locks it. She kicks away the hatch steps.

INT. ROCKETSHIP – HANGAR

FLASH is looking through the small porthole in the hatch. He attempts to open it, then bangs on it.

FLASH:

Hey! What are you doing? Let me out of here!

INT. HANGAR – MINGO CITY

AURA begins to back away from the rocketship, keeping her eyes wantonly on FLASH.

AURA:

You will never see Dale Arden again.

She runs off into the palace.

INT. ROCKETSHIP – HANGAR – MINGO CITY

The inside cabin of the small rocket is bare. There is an “engine” towards the back with pipes and conduits leading through the exposed, curved grillwork of the inside fuselage up to a single pilot seat behind a control panel. Across from the hatch there is a locker attached to the side hull.

FLASH momentarily watches as AURA disappears around a corner. He stands, shaking his head in frustration. He looks around the cabin. Opening the locker, he pulls out a blue, long sleeved tunic, a pair of black leather shorts, and boots. He glances down at his filthy and shredded clothes. FLASH begins to undress.

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