Steppe Wars: Episode 1 - The Slaver Menace





TITLE CARD : A long time ago in a country far, far away....



A vast sea of grass serves as the backdrop for the main title, followed by a roll up, which crawls up into infinity.



EPISODE 1 THE SLAVER MENACE



Turmoil has engulfed the Upper Riewaye Chiefdoms. The taxation of trade routes to the coastline is in dispute.

Hoping to resolve the matter with a embargo of necessary ores, the
greedy Gwaji Confederation has stopped all shipping to the small village of Tulaan.

While the council of the elders endlessly debates this alarming chain of events, the Overchief has secretly dispatched two Cavalry Companions, the guardians of justice and slavery in the region, to settle the conflict.....



PAN DOWN to reveal a small caravan heading TOWARD CAMERA at great speed. PAN with the caravan as it heads toward the beautiful small village of Tulaan, which is surrounded by hundreds of Gwaji Federation horsemen.



INT. COUNCIL CARAVAN



At the head of the caravan, the CHIEF and COMPANION lead it closer to one of the HORSEMEN.

KWAI-SHI : (off screen voice) Chief.

The Chief turns to an unseen figure sitting behind her.

CHIEF : Yes, sir?
KWAI-SHI : (V.O) Tell them we wish to meet them at once.
CHIEF : Yes, sir.

The CHIEF looks to his messenger, and SHOOMA, a Gwaji slaver chief, waits for a reply.

CHIEF : (cont'd) With all due respect for the Gwaji Federation, the
Ambassadors for the Overchief wish to meet immediately.
SHOOMA : Yes, yes, of course...ahhh...as you know, our blockade is perfectly obedient to the gods, and we'd be happy to receive the Ambassadors...Happy to...

SHOOMA returns to the village. Out the cockpit window, the sinister Federation horsemen grow ever closer.

EXT. FEDERATION CAMP

The small caravan enters in the enormous main camp of the Federation
blockade.

INT. FEDERATION CAMP

A SERVANT SLAVE, TEESEE, waits at the entrance to the camp. Two SLAVER SLAVES, PEEKAY and EEGEE watch.

PEEKAY : They must be important if the Viceroy sent one of those useless servant slaves to greet them.

The entrance is opened, and the Council caravan can be seen in the entrance.
Two darkly robed figures are greeted by TEESEE.

TEESEE : I'm TEESEE at your service. This way, please.

They move off down the hallway.

EEGEE : A Council caravan! That's trouble...don't you think?
PEEKAY : I'm not supposed to think.

INT. FEDERATION CAMP - CONFERENCE ROOM

A door creaks open, and the two cloaked shapes are led PAST CAMERA into the formal meeting room by TEESEE.

TEESEE : I hope you honoured sirs are most comfortable here. My master will be with you shortly.

The slave bows before OJI-GWAN and KWAI-SHI. He backs out the door and it closes. The COMPANIONS lower their hoods and look out a large window at the lush fields of Tulaan. KWAI-SHI, sixty years old, has long white hair in a ponytail. He is tall and striking, with blue eyes. OJI-GWAN is twenty five, with very short brown hair, dark skin, and blue eyes. Several exotic bird SING in a cage near the door.

OJI-GWAN : I have a bad feeling about this.
KWAI-SHI : I don't sense anything.
OJI-GWAN : It's not about the mission, Master, it's something...elsewhere...elusive.
KWAI-SHI : Don't center on your anxiety, Oji-Gwan. Keep your concentration here and now where it belongs.
OJI-GWAN : Master Yolo says I should be mindful of the future...
KWAI-SHI : .....but not at the expense of the moment. Be mindful of the present, my young Apprentice.
OJI-GWAN : Yes, Master...how do you think the Federation chiefs will deal with the Overchief’s demands?
KWAI-SHI : These Federation types are cowards. The negotiations will be short.