The Return of Sloth: The Musical! - Part Five

[Lights up on Resistance HQ. Valka and most of the Resistance members are out, but the Scout is resting in a chair, her injured foot propped up on the main table. A few pets are manning the consoles around the room.]

Scout: I can’t believe they left me behind

While they get to go on a mission.

All because that Ylana was kind

Enough to put me out of commission.

[imitating Ylana] “Ooh, look at me, I’m so nihilistic!

No one understands all my strife!”

It’s enough to drive me completely ballistic!

Plus, she tried to take my life...

Humph. If I happen to see her again,

It will be I who brings the pain.

[An alarm begins to sound from one of the computers. A Resistance technician runs over and examines it.]

Technician: Everyone, up from your seats!

We’re on a high alert!

It seems that Sloth has sent his fleet

In an attempt to hurt

Our allies placed on Kreludor.

We have to act, and soon.

We must assist them now. To war!

Else Kreludor is doomed!

Scout: But wait! We can’t launch a retort!

Sloth has captured our ships

And occupied our launching port.

We cannot make the trip

To Kreludor to aid our friends.

We’ll have to watch from here.

I only hope they can defend

Themselves. If not, I fear...

[Another computer screen comes to life, projecting a hologram of the Space Faerie above it. A Resistance member interrupts the Scout.]

Resistance Member: The Space Faerie! She’s making a transmission!

She’ll update us on her condition.

[The Space Faerie sings, her alto voice distorted and crackling due to the distance from which she is transmitting.]

Space Faerie: -ting, testing, one two three.

Are you able to read me?

Technician: The quality of the message is weak,

But we can hear you, you can speak.

Space Faerie: I’m calling from an enormous distance

To give a message to the Resistance.

It’s become clear that I was tricked,

So I can’t aid in the conflict.

Sloth sent a false call of distress.

I should have known! (But I digress.)

The simple truth is I’m too far

To return in time to where you are.

So though I am Neopia’s defender,

I can’t help you. But don’t surrender!

There still is one thing I can do:

I grant my token unto you.

It should help to take Sloth down.

Just one thing: it must be found.

Scout: You mean you don’t know its location?

Space Faerie: I think it is within Sloth’s station.

My guess is that his minions took

The token to have a closer look.

I’m sure Sloth tried to harness its power

To try and make Neopia cower.

But it is useless in his hands;

But if we recover it, we can

Use it to defeat him once and for all;

At last, the tyrant will fall.

Scout: We will put all our trust in you;

Just tell us what we have to do.

Space Faerie: Once you’ve recovered the token,

An incantation must be spoken.

Scout: Give us the words and you’ll have our thanks.

Space Faerie: I’ll send it to your computer banks.

When the time comes, a pet must speak it.

But first, the token. You must seek it.

Obtain the token at any cost

If you don’t, I fear –

[The transmission cuts off abruptly, and the hologram of the Space Faerie disappears. All are silent for a moment, then the Scout sings.]

Scout: Right, so now we know just what to do.

Get me Gorix, patch him through.

Once he’s done on Kreludor

He can go complete this chore.

Also, send the incantation;

Let’s hope it is our salvation.

[The Technician salutes and begins entering data on his computer.]

Resistance Member: Commander Valka’s calling in.

Scout: Put him on, I’ll speak to him.

[A hologram of Valka appears.]

Valka: We’re ready to attack Garoo;

You all know what you have to do.

We’ll count on you to watch the battle

And give us information that’ll

Help us bring Sloth’s minions down.

Tell us how to move around;

Tell us when the coast is clear,

When their weaknesses appear.

Use the cameras ‘round the Station

In a covert observation

Of our foes. Our trust’s in you.

Watch the battle; get us through.

Take your orders from the Scout.

Best of luck. Over and out.

[Valka’s hologram salutes, then vanishes.]

Scout: I can’t remain out of sight

While the others get to fight!

I want a taste of all the action;

Besides, I need the satisfaction

Of meeting Ylana face to face

And putting her back in her place!

Resistance Member: But we need you here, on the fringe!

Scout: No! I must get my revenge!

[The Scout stands and exits. Lights down. Scene change; lights up on a prison cell in Kreludor. Parlax is behind bars of glowing energy, his arms crossed and a frown on his face. He faces the audience and sings directly to them.]

Parlax: You’ve probably already made up your minds

‘Bout just what sort of pet I am.

But all of you’re wrong, all of you’re blind!

Judgmental, so quick to condemn.

I work for Sloth, so I must be a villain.

So simple, it’s all black and white.

You know that I lied, so you’re hasty to fill in

The blanks and judge me on sight.

You don’t know the whole story, or even a part.

You’re blinded by your prejudice.

Let me tell you my side of things; let me impart

My life story, and how it went amiss.

[A spotlight is shone on Parlax. The bars are flown out, and Parlax steps downstage.]

Parlax: Gorix, I say, has the first part quite right;

It’s true, we two were friends.

But I knew right from the start that our fight

Wouldn’t have a happy end.

Sloth’s power was incredible, simply too great

And our Resistance too weak;

This knowledge was always instinctive, innate.

Our odds of surviving were bleak.

So I made a decision, after much thought,

To join with the side that would win.

At first, my mind was uneasy, distraught,

But quickly I learned to give in.

Self-preservation’s the name of my game,

The strongest side’s always the best.

And so I have no qualms about what I became,

I have no sorrow in my breast.

I would rather be one who survives on his knees

Than be one who dies on his feet;

So I sold out to Sloth, slowly, by degrees,

Until the transition was complete.

Then one day, he told me to betray my squad

And let them fall under attack.

I hated to do it, but I gave a nod

And told him I’d not turn my back.

There was pain in my heart as I gave up my friends,

A sadness I’ll never forget.

And yet, I chose right, for I know in the end

I do not have any regret.

I chose life over death, survival o’er extinction.

I sided with him that was strong.

And though it may seem like a great contradiction,

I was right in doing what was wrong.

I look out for myself, my life’s all that has meaning,

As much as it pains me to say it.

And so, as my friendship became intervening

With my goals, the time came to betray it.

Now, compare me to Gorix; what motivates him?

Some ideals that he blindly obeys?

Some sort of allegiance he follows on a whim?

Obeying what his leader says?

He’s purposeless, drifting. At least I have focus

And some sort of goal in my life.

And that, my dear friends, is the gist of the locus

That separates me from his strife.

I may not be loyal, trustworthy, reliable,

Or one that you want on your side;

But the bottom line is that it’s undeniable

That in the end, I will survive.

[Parlax returns to his cell and the bars fly back in. He quickly scans the area, then pulls an item from his shoe. He stick it in the bars and they short out, leaving him free to escape. He runs off left, with just one glance backwards. After a moment, Gorix enters from stage right, talking on his wrist communicator to the Resistance technician.]

Gorix: Right, we’ll go and get the token;

Our resolve will not be broken!

We’ll use it in the Space Faerie’s stead

To capture Sloth –

[He notices Parlax is gone.]

Gorix: Oh, no! He’s fled!

Curse you, Parlax, traitorous one!

I’ll find you, even though you run.

I’ll seek you to Neopia’s end,

My foe whom I once called my friend.

I’ll get revenge for what you’ve done,

The lives you’ve ruined, all for fun.

I’ll make you pay for your disgrace,

And the last thing you see will be my face!

[Cylara, Zorlix, and Xarthab enter.]

Xarthab: What’s this? Has our detainee gone?

Gorix: Yes, it seems he has withdrawn.

He’s no doubt gone back to his master;

I guess we’ll have to get there faster.

Come, Cylara, to Sloth’s ship!

I’ll make sure that he doesn’t slip

Out of my hands a second time!

I’ll make him pay for all his crimes!

Cylara: Shouldn’t we find the token too?

Gorix: That may be more important to you,

But all I want is my revenge!

It’s on this that my plans now hinge.

Don’t worry, Parlax, rest assured

Your treachery won’t be endured.

Zorlix: But if you leave, how will we fend off Sloth’s fleet?

We haven’t the weapons to cause its defeat.

Cylara: I’m sure you can find something! Just improvise!

[looking out a window] Why don’t you shoot Sloth’s ships right out of the skies

By using that mining stuff like a slingshot?

Xarthab: The little girl’s right! What a brilliant plot!

Zorlix: We’ll modify mining tools to defend us;

Now let’s get going, brother, we’ve much to discuss.

[Zorlix and Xarthab exit, leaving Gorix and Cylara alone. Gorix walks over to the empty jail cell and lets out a deep sigh.]

Cylara: Why are you so focused on getting revenge?

I thought you said Parlax was once your friend.

Gorix: That makes his betrayal just sting even greater.

Come on, Cylara, we can talk on this later.

Now we need the token and we need it fast,

Or else this day could be our last.

[Gorix and Cylara exit. Lights down; end of Act V.]