~ ~ ~
Toa-nui rides up on his raptor, flanked by two bandits.
TOA-NUI
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Tavira! I have come for my gift!
A huge BOOM. One of the bandits at his side drops. Another BOOM, and the other bandit drops too.
Toa-nui doesn't seem fazed. He laughs a little.
IN ONE OF THE TOWERS, Cornelius is reloading his four-bore. He's fast, but it takes time. In the background we see Ostap, Sawada, and Shui-lin on the ground.
TOA-NUI (O.S.)
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
I see you found yourselves some friends.
BACK ON TOA-NUI.
TOA-NUI
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
I brought friends too.
Toa-nui raises his conch to his mouth and gives it two harsh, brassy blasts. From the jungle a horde of bandits on raptors bursts out and charges the barricade, while Toa-nui himself turns and falls back into the jungle.
The raptors can't get into the village, so they slam and claw at the barricades.
BOOM, BOOM. Two more shots, and two more bandits fall, but there are still so many of them.
INSIDE THE BARRICADES, Ostap and Sawada stand ready, their mounts at their sides. They watch the barricades shake under the raptors' attack.
OSTAP
(calling up to Cornelius in the tower)
They do not seem to be retreating, Mr. Hatch.
BOOM, BOOM. Cornelius leans over the edge of the tower.
CORNELIUS
Not yet, they're not. Just you wait.
IN THE TOWER. From here we can see across to the other tower, the one Isaiah would have been in. Elish and Adelaide are stationed there instead.
CORNELIUS (CONT'D)
(finishing loading his four-bore)
Now, Lady Adelaide!
In the other tower, Adelaide lights a reed fuse on a small bamboo bomb. It smolders as she tosses it over the barricade and into the bandits. In his tower, Cornelius readies another shot.
BOOM! The small bomb explodes, and it sets off the charges Adelaide buried along the foot of the barricade. That was always the plan, but not at this scale. Chaos breaks loose as one charge after another goes off. Bandits are thrown into the air with each explosion, but the rest keep coming. The barricades start to shake. Then a huge explosion, and another: a wall near Adelaide's tower topples over, taking the tower with it. Adelaide and Elish are thrown clear near the ground, banged up but not badly hurt. Another explosion, and the last of the barricades comes down. Cornelius shoulders his gun, climbs halfway down his tower, and jumps clear just before it falls too.
We see the aftermath through Adelaide's eyes. Where the barricades stood there is now a smoldering ruin. The bodies of men and raptors are strewn over the ground. Nothing about it feels like victory.
Adelaide looks at the aftermath in horror.
ADELAIDE
(to no one)
I must have miscalculated the force...
(she trails off)
ELISH
(grabbing Adelaide by the arm)
Come.
Elish drags Adelaide back behind a ruined heap of barricade, where Ostap, Sawada, and Cornelius are huddled.
BEHIND THE SECOND BARRICADE, deeper in the village, the villagers crouch together: children, elders, Makoa's handlers with their beasts. Tavira stands among them. Kirra stares at the smoke rising over the ruined outer wall, at what she helped to make.
Toa-nui stands beside his raptor, watching the chaos. His face is grim.
A bandit approaches.
BANDIT
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Toa-nui, someone is here for you.
Toa-nui turns to see who it is. Standing before him, holding one of the bamboo bombs, is Shui-lin.
TOA-NUI
(in broken Cantonese, subtitled)
These hurt my people.
SHUI-LIN
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
These hurt your people. I can show you how to make them. If you leave the village alive.
TOA-NUI
(in broken Cantonese, subtitled)
Deal. The village lives.
He smiles. The smile doesn't reach his eyes.
Shui-lin tucks the bomb back into her sash.
Adelaide, Ostap, Sawada, Cornelius, and Elish are crouched behind the rubble. One by one, more bandits pick their way out of the jungle.
OSTAP
Now we charge?
CORNELIUS
Not yet.
(he readies his four-bore)
Before Cornelius can fire, we hear a smaller gunshot.
One of the bandits drops from his raptor. The riderless mount is confused and a little wild. Suddenly, out of the trees, Isaiah comes running.
Isaiah grabs the raptor's saddle and swings himself up. The animal is not happy and tries to throw him, but Isaiah has ridden bucking horses before. He rides out its fury, and even from his precarious perch he draws the attention of several bandits. They turn and close in on him. As they draw near, Isaiah gets off three more shots, and three more bandits fall. But the raptor is too much for him. It throws him, then turns to attack.
Before it can, a loud BOOM, and the raptor falls.
Cornelius stands with one barrel of his four-bore smoking.
Isaiah gets to his feet, gets off two more shots, then dives behind the barricade as Cornelius fires his second barrel to cover him.
CORNELIUS (CONT'D)
(reloading)
Good to have you!
OSTAP
(clapping Isaiah on the back)
Cowboy!
ELISH
What has brought you back?
ISAIAH
I figured you could use my help—
(looking to Adelaide, sarcastically)
Seems like everything is under control.
ADELAIDE
Yes. It seems I may have overdone it a little.
Ostap laughs. Isaiah looks around.
ISAIAH
(uneasily)
Where is Shui-lin?
SAWADA
She was inspecting the barricades.
Isaiah is quiet for a second. Cornelius starts to speak, but Isaiah holds up a finger.
ISAIAH
Shh.
(he presses his ear to the ground)
Suddenly, from behind a pile of rubble, a bandit on a raptor emerges.
CORNELIUS
Damn it! How did they get behind us?
More bandits on raptors appear.
SAWADA
(to Isaiah)
Behind the second barricade. Go!
Isaiah understands immediately.
ISAIAH
You owe me nothing. Thank you, friend.
He stands, pulling Adelaide to her feet. Elish is up too, and so is Cornelius.
Sawada and Ostap mount up, draw their swords, and ready themselves to charge. Cornelius fires one barrel of his four-bore and drops a raptor, but there are far too many of them. The others make a run for the second barricade, but the raptors have spotted them and are on the move.
Suddenly Ostap and Sawada cut across the raptors' path. Their mounts slam into the raptors while Ostap and Sawada swing their swords and cut down the riders. Their swordsmanship is far beyond the bandits', but the bandits have the numbers. More ride up, and first Sawada's mount, then Ostap's, is killed beneath them. On foot, they're far more vulnerable.
Adelaide, Elish, Isaiah, and Cornelius reach the second barricade. Kirra pushes the gate open a crack, and one by one they slip through.
Cornelius is the last one through. One raptor isn't busy with Ostap and Sawada; he takes it down with his second barrel before ducking through, and the gate closes.
Ostap and Sawada stand back to back, swords out, completely surrounded by bandits on raptors.
OSTAP
Good to have you at my back, old friend.
SAWADA
This is an honorable death.
Ostap and Sawada make their last stand. There's never any doubt that they will die, but as each bandit attacks, they cut him down. In the end it's the bandits' numbers, spear thrust after spear thrust, that bring both warriors down.
The moment is short-lived. The raptors are already at the second barricade, slamming against it.
All the villagers are here, behind what was supposed to be the safe wall. We can see it shaking under the raptors' attack.
Isaiah and Kirra have found each other.
KIRRA
Thank you for come back.
ISAIAH
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
I am here for you.
(he gestures to the villagers: for all of you)
KIRRA
I make mistake. Adelaide...
ISAIAH
You did what you thought you had to do to save the village.
Isaiah looks at the barricade as it shakes under the raptors' attack.
ISAIAH (CONT'D)
Any other ideas for saving the village?
Kirra thinks for a moment, then seems to have a flash of insight.
KIRRA
Yes. Come.
She leads Isaiah to where Makoa, Tavira, and Huiana stand by a pen of Chasmosaurus. As they arrive, the three elders look up at them.
ISAIAH
Tavira. Makoa. Huiana.
(in halting island tongue, subtitled)
Forgive me. I have come back.
Tavira starts to speak, but Makoa speaks first.
MAKOA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Moko-soa may stand with us.
Tavira nods, but she isn't pleased.
KIRRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Makoa, elders, I have a plan. But I will need the moko.
TAVIRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Have you not learned, child? Our way is not to fight.
KIRRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
The moko will not fight.
(looking to Makoa)
Makoa, tell them. When a moko charges you, you must stand, or step aside. Never flee.
Makoa nods.
KIRRA (CONT'D)
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
For many years we have stepped aside when these bandits came. We asked the sea-people to fight for us, and they have given themselves. Now we must stand with them against this charge.
(looking at Makoa's scarred arms)
We may bear the scars of our choice, but we will be stronger.
Tavira nods.
TAVIRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
This we may do.
Kirra, Isaiah, Makoa, and several of the village men are assembled, bone horns at their sides, with a herd of Chasmosaurus gathered.
Adelaide approaches Isaiah.
ADELAIDE
You don't have to do this.
ISAIAH
I think it's a Moko-soa duty sort of thing.
ADELAIDE
I'm serious. There's still a chance to escape.
Isaiah just shakes his head.
ADELAIDE (CONT'D)
Take Kirra, and Rere, and any of the villagers who want to come. We can get to the Ping On and sail off this island.
ISAIAH
And then what? Run for the rest of our lives?
ADELAIDE
These bandits won't follow us to sea.
ISAIAH
I don't mean running from them. We'd be leaving these villagers at their mercy, and I'm not sure they've got a whole lot of mercy left.
Kirra steps to the head of the group.
KIRRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Ready?
The group nods, but before anything can happen, Tavira approaches Kirra. Without a word, Tavira takes Kirra's horn from her.
Kirra is confused. Has she done something wrong?
TAVIRA
(addressing the group, in the island tongue, subtitled)
This child knows our ways: how we do no harm, how we care for all of us. She also knows the ways of the sea-people: how to make their weapons, and how to speak their words. We will stand as we have always stood. But there are also times when we must walk. Kirra will lead us as we walk.
Kirra is stunned.
KIRRA
(to Tavira, in the island tongue, subtitled)
No, Tavira. I cannot lead.
TAVIRA
(privately to Kirra, in the island tongue, subtitled)
You already lead. If I fall, place a stone, and teach our people to walk.
With that, Tavira gives a short, quiet blow on the horn, and the Chasmosaurus begin to walk.
Isaiah, Makoa, and a few of the men get ready to push open the barricade. Isaiah looks to Kirra, who is now with Adelaide and Elish, helping move the rest of the villagers back to safety.
ISAIAH
(to the group)
I'll be all right.
The barricade is opened. Bandits on raptors are right there, but before they can come through, the horn signals the Chasmosaurus. They lock their heavy, armored heads together and start to push the bandits back. The plan is working. The bandits are pushed back further and further. The barricade closes behind the push.
Toa-nui, two bandits, and Shui-lin watch the villagers push the bandits back.
TOA-NUI
(exasperated, in the island tongue, subtitled)
They will not learn to step aside.
(turning to one of the bandits)
Moko-niho!
The bandit runs off.
TOA-NUI (CONT'D)
(to Shui-lin, in broken Cantonese, subtitled)
They will suffer for this.
SHUI-LIN
(angry, in Cantonese, subtitled)
You promised they would not be hurt!
TOA-NUI
(in broken Cantonese, subtitled)
I lied.
Isaiah, Makoa, Tavira, and several village men are pushing the bandits back with the Chasmosaurus herd, and it's working. A few of the Chasmosaurus are gored, and some even fall, but another steps in to take each one's place. They're standing together.
Suddenly, in the distance, we hear a pounding and a roar. Then, bursting from the jungle, comes the carnosaur. It's huge, and it runs on two legs. Ropes still trail from it, and bandits hold the ends, trying to control it. The carnosaur bristles at the ropes, then leans down and eats one of the bandits holding them. His rope falls slack, trailing in the dirt.
All at once, Kirra's plan falls apart. In the carnosaur's presence, the Chasmosaurus can't hold together. Their wall breaks, and they scatter. It's an almost instant rout. We see one of the village men cut down by a bandit, but the bandits aren't faring much better: their raptors are terrified of the carnosaur too.
It's utter chaos. One of the men makes it back behind the barricade, but Isaiah, Makoa, another village man, and Tavira are still outside.
Toa-nui, one bandit, and Shui-lin watch the carnosaur attack.
TOA-NUI
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
See? They run in fear.
Shui-lin has seen enough. She slams bodily into the bandit, grabs his weapon, and stabs him, then turns it on Toa-nui. For a moment she holds it there. Then, the bamboo bomb still tucked in her sash, she runs off.
TOA-NUI (CONT'D)
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Good luck.
Makoa stands alone amid utter chaos: raptors, people, and Chasmosaurus all running wild as the carnosaur terrorizes them.
Makoa looks over and sees Tavira. She's cut off from the group too, and a raptor is staring her down. She stands tall and stares right back. It makes a pass at her. Makoa starts to run to her aid, but another bandit on a raptor cuts him off.
BANG. The bandit falls, and his startled mount flees. Isaiah, pistol drawn, grabs Makoa and pulls him back, just as the raptor charges Tavira. She steps aside at the last moment, but the raptor grazes her. She's bleeding.
ISAIAH
(to Makoa, in English)
Go!
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Get safe!
Makoa runs back to the barricade. The other village man has made it back safely too, and they both duck inside.
The raptor is still staring down Tavira. Isaiah is about to try to reach her when the carnosaur cuts across his path, snatches the raptor up in its jaws, and eats it.
Isaiah waves to Tavira to run to him, but the motion catches the carnosaur's attention. Now it's focused on Isaiah. He looks around for a way out, but he has nothing.
SHUI-LIN (O.S.)
Hey! HEY!
The shouting draws the carnosaur's attention, and it turns. Shui-lin stands there with a bandit's weapon in one hand and the bamboo bomb in the other.
The carnosaur screams and runs at her, knocking Tavira off her feet. Shui-lin gets out of the way, just barely. She's lit the bomb's fuse, and she tosses it after the carnosaur as she dives for cover. An explosion. The carnosaur is stunned, out of the fight for a moment.
Shui-lin is up, gesturing for Isaiah to run. He takes the chance and closes the distance to the barricade, using a shot to take down one last bandit. At the gate, Kirra opens it for him.
KIRRA
(looking out through the barricade)
Where is Tavira?
Isaiah looks back.
Shui-lin has reached Tavira. The matriarch is bleeding badly from the raptor wound. Shui-lin lifts her up.
TAVIRA
(with a smile, in the island tongue, subtitled)
You carry your children.
Shui-lin smiles and starts to help Tavira back toward the barricade, where Kirra and Isaiah watch. But they're too slow. The carnosaur recovers and is on them in seconds. A bite, a toss of its head, and the two women are gone.
KIRRA
(screaming, in the island tongue, not subtitled)
Moko-niho! Hara! Hara, hara, hara!
Isaiah grabs Kirra, pulls her behind the barricade, and shuts it. On the other side, the carnosaur roars.
Isaiah looks around. The villagers are gathered here, and they all look terrified. Kirra is sobbing.
ISAIAH
(close, to Kirra)
Moko—
KIRRA
(cutting him off, fury in her voice)
Moko-niho.
ISAIAH
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Moko-niho can break the wall. The people must move to safety.
Kirra looks around. The villagers are looking to her for guidance. She's worried.
KIRRA
No safe from moko-niho.
ISAIAH
You let me worry about the moko-niho.
Kirra nods, composes herself, and stands tall.
KIRRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
The wall will not stop the moko-niho. We must go to the caves to be safe.
The villagers nod. Makoa and Huiana seem to approve. They start gathering the villagers.
KIRRA (CONT'D)
(to Isaiah, in the island tongue, subtitled)
It will take much time to leave.
ISAIAH
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Then I make time.
Kirra nods and goes to help with the evacuation.
Adelaide comes up to Isaiah as he looks wearily at the barricade.
ADELAIDE
Any ideas, Mr. Ward?
Isaiah shakes his head.
ADELAIDE (CONT'D)
I have one, but you're not going to like it, and I'm going to need a distraction to get past that monster.
Elish and Cornelius approach. They've overheard.
ELISH
We will stand with you, Lady Adelaide. I will provide this distraction.
ISAIAH
You're going to get yourself killed.
As if to drive the point home, the carnosaur roars again.
CORNELIUS
What would Mr. Sawada say? This is an honorable way to die.
ELISH
(to Adelaide)
Can you spare one of those small bombs, Lady Adelaide?
Adelaide takes one of the smaller bamboo bombs from her pack and hands it to Elish. He cuts a short length from the long coil of whale line fixed to his last harpoon and uses it to lash the bomb to the tip of another, unlined harpoon. Then he holds out the free end of the coiled line to Isaiah.
ELISH (CONT'D)
(to Isaiah)
I need you to rope a dinosaur.
Isaiah takes the end and, with quick, sure hands, ties a running loop into it. He hands it back. Elish settles the coil over his shoulder.
The carnosaur is still throwing the animals into chaos. The gate opens. Cornelius comes out first, four-bore at the ready; then Adelaide, running off one way, and Elish the other. Last comes Isaiah, riding Rere, full cowboy, hat on, and he gallops for the jungle.
Cornelius puts a shot into the carnosaur's side. It's hurt, but not brought down. Cornelius holds for a second as the carnosaur's focus fixes squarely on him, and it charges. He fires the second barrel. The carnosaur keeps coming. There's no escape, and no time to reload.
A harpoon flies through the air. It's a perfect throw, lodging in the carnosaur's neck, and a second later the bomb on it explodes, knocking the carnosaur sideways and nearly off its feet.
Cornelius pumps his fist. But it's short-lived: the carnosaur is back on its feet in a second. Elish stands on top of a pile of rubble, a second harpoon in his hand, readying himself.
A rumbling in the background, and then, bursting out of the jungle, comes Isaiah on Rere, driving the scattered Chasmosaurus herd before him in a stampede.
When Elish sees this, he throws his last harpoon, the lined one, its coil laid out at his feet so the line pays out clean. The harpoon strikes true and buries itself in the wounded, furious carnosaur's neck, just behind the head.
As Isaiah rides past, Elish tosses him the looped end of the line. Isaiah catches it, and with one fast, skilled throw he ropes the lead Chasmosaurus around its head. Then he rides Rere out of the stampede's path.
There's a little slack in the line, but not much. As the herd swerves to avoid the carnosaur, the line snaps taut just as the carnosaur takes a step, and the jerk wrenches its head sideways. Off balance, it crashes to the ground, screaming. The Chasmosaurus herd seems confused by what just happened.
Elish sees the carnosaur down, but not beaten. Then he sees Sawada's fallen katana, unsheathed and shining in the dirt. He grabs it and runs at the carnosaur. He lands a deep thrust into the monster's side, but the carnosaur isn't dead. It lashes out, raking Elish with its claws. He's wounded, but he still has Sawada's sword. He attacks again, this time climbing the beast's flank, getting near its head, and stabbing it in the eye.
Still the carnosaur isn't finished. In a last, dying effort it rises for a moment and hurls Elish to the ground. Elish can barely stand. He holds Sawada's katana out in front of him, and when the carnosaur makes one last charge, he drives it into the beast's chest. The carnosaur collapses on top of Elish, and the battlefield goes still.
Isaiah has brought Rere around, and he sees what happened.
ISAIAH
Elish!
Isaiah rides Rere toward where his friend fell, but then explosions rock the hillside. A massive landslide is triggered, and dust and smoke rise everywhere.
The dust from the landslide clears. It has done exactly what Adelaide intended: cut the bandits off from the village and the fighting. Isaiah is on Rere. Cornelius has stopped to reload his four-bore.
Adelaide emerges from the dust, coughing, and looks back at her handiwork.
CORNELIUS
(reloading, not looking up)
Well done, Lady Adelaide.
ADELAIDE
(looking at the ruined hillside)
Is it?
(then, looking around)
Where's Elish?
ISAIAH
(gently)
He chose to be your distraction.
Adelaide follows his gaze to the carnosaur's body, and to Elish beneath it.
ADELAIDE
(quietly)
I didn't want it to cost this much.
Then, out of the dust, emerge the shapes of Toa-nui and three of his bandits.
CORNELIUS
Get behind me, Lady Adelaide.
TOA-NUI
(yelling, in the island tongue, subtitled)
I will have my gifts! I will have everything this village has, and you will suffer!
Isaiah doesn't wait for a longer speech. He gives a call, and Rere is off at a run toward Toa-nui.
The bandits attack, scattering. One rides ahead of Toa-nui, straight at Isaiah. Isaiah makes short work of him with a shot from his pistol.
Cornelius, meanwhile, has finished reloading. He moves forward, keeping himself between Adelaide and the bandits, and picks off another. It's two on two.
Isaiah fires at Toa-nui, but just before he fires, Toa-nui's raptor veers aside, and the shot misses.
The last bandit is on Isaiah. He fires once, killing the rider, but the riderless raptor is still charging. Isaiah fires his last shot into the ground at its feet. The raptor shies and bolts.
Wheeling Rere around, Isaiah sees Toa-nui squaring off against Cornelius. Toa-nui sees how far away Isaiah is, and charges Cornelius.
Cornelius fires his second barrel. It slams into Toa-nui's arm. Toa-nui screams in pain, but his raptor is still bearing down on Cornelius.
Cornelius looks back and sees Adelaide behind him. Rather than get out of the way, he tosses his four-bore aside and grabs a sharpened bamboo stake from the ruined barricade. It's heavy, but he holds it steady.
Toa-nui's raptor impales itself, and Toa-nui is thrown clear. The conch tears loose from his hip and rolls away into the dirt. In its death throes the raptor claws at Cornelius, who forces it to the ground. The raptor is dead. Toa-nui, matter-of-factly, gets up and walks over, his shattered arm hanging useless at his side.
ADELAIDE
(screaming)
Cornelius!
It's too late. With a single swift, one-handed strike of his weapon, Toa-nui kills Cornelius. Toa-nui looks at Adelaide, cornered. He decides she isn't a threat, and turns instead to Isaiah.
Isaiah seems out of options. He looks at his pistols, both empty, and watches as Toa-nui hauls one of the flighty loose raptors down by its harness with his good hand, beats it furiously with his weapon until it cowers, and drags himself onto it one-handed. Toa-nui grins.
TOA-NUI
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
You have lost! These people will suffer and die.
Then Isaiah sees it: in the dirt where Toa-nui was thrown, the great spiral conch. Isaiah turns Rere and runs her at it. Toa-nui sees what he's after and charges toward them. Isaiah pays him no attention. He swings off the side of the saddle, low to the ground, but he can't catch the conch. Meanwhile Toa-nui nearly slams his raptor into Rere; with only one good arm, he's having a hard time controlling it.
TOA-NUI (CONT'D)
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Fancy riding will not save these people.
Isaiah and Toa-nui square off, until the barricade opens and Kirra steps out, grabbing a sharpened bamboo stake. She's making her way toward Adelaide, to save her.
Toa-nui is closer to Kirra than Isaiah is, and the conch lies between Toa-nui and Isaiah. Toa-nui turns his misbehaving raptor around and charges Kirra.
Isaiah drives Rere forward. He leans hard off her side, sweeps the conch out of the dirt at a full run, comes up with it, and blows the long, falling blare he heard at the fence the night of the raid.
Toa-nui is almost on Kirra and Adelaide when his raptor plants its feet mid-charge and wheels toward the sound. With only one good arm, Toa-nui can't hold on. He's thrown into the dirt at Kirra's feet.
The raptor stands, head cocked toward Isaiah, waiting for an order. Isaiah lowers the conch. With no one to command it, the raptor turns and lopes off into the jungle. Isaiah arrives on Rere and jumps down, kicking the weapon from Toa-nui's hand. Adelaide picks it up and trains it on Toa-nui.
Kirra approaches Toa-nui and holds the sharpened stake to his neck. Toa-nui smiles and looks her in the eye.
KIRRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
We should kill him.
Isaiah looks at her with concern.
TOA-NUI
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
You should. Or I will come back, and you will all suffer for this.
Kirra draws her hand back, ready to drive the stake into Toa-nui's neck. She thrusts it forward, but deliberately lets it go wide.
KIRRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
You are beaten. Your men have fled. Your moko-niho is dead. I could kill you, but I choose not to.
Adelaide looks at Kirra, then lowers the weapon.
TOA-NUI
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Your mistake!
KIRRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
It may be. But if you come to our village again, you will find people who will not step aside.
(pause)
Now get up.
Toa-nui obeys, and stands.
KIRRA (CONT'D)
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
Now leave our village, and never return.
Toa-nui slinks away and disappears into the forest.
At last, it's quiet.
ADELAIDE
He'll come back.
KIRRA
We stand strong.
(looking at both Adelaide and Isaiah)
Thanks to you.
(her gesture takes in everyone, even those who died)
Adelaide and Isaiah look around at the death and destruction. We can see grief welling up in Adelaide, held down for now by the shock of it all.
ISAIAH
(clinically)
We'll bury the dead. We'll need to rebuild the damaged houses, and the paths will need to be dug back out.
Kirra touches Isaiah on the arm, as if to tell him it will be all right.
KIRRA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
First we tend to those who live.
Kirra gestures for Isaiah and Adelaide to follow her, and leads them off.
Kirra leads Isaiah and Adelaide into a cave. Light filters in through several openings, most of them too small for a person to pass through. They make their way down a steep slope.
ADELAIDE
(softly, to Isaiah)
Feel the air.
ISAIAH
Hot and dry, like the desert.
ADELAIDE
There must be thermal vents down here.
The cave grows dark, and then we see flickering light from around a corner. As they turn it, a large chamber opens up. In the middle is a small fire, and the villagers are all huddled around it.
Running along the walls of the cave are what look like large man-made tubs. One holds some water, but most are empty, and several are crusted with white salt.
KIRRA
(to the villagers, in the island tongue, subtitled)
The bandits have left. We may return to our homes. We owe the sea-people a great debt, for they have laid down their lives so that we may live ours without fear of these men.
The crowd cheers. Huiana steps forward from the crowd.
HUIANA
(in the island tongue, subtitled)
You will forever be part of our story!
Led by Huiana and Makoa, the villagers start to leave the cave. As they do, Adelaide investigates one of the large tubs by the wall. Isaiah joins her.
ADELAIDE
What is it?
Kirra overhears and approaches them as the last of the villagers leave.
KIRRA
Tasikoa.
ADELAIDE
The treasure?
ISAIAH
(correcting Adelaide)
No, it means salt.
ADELAIDE
(realizing)
Of course.
(turning to Kirra)
This is what the bandits wanted.
KIRRA
(nodding)
Yes. Salt for moko.
ISAIAH
I don't understand.
ADELAIDE
All animals need salt.
(thinking for a second)
The cows you work with, they find salt licks, don't they?
Isaiah nods.
ADELAIDE (CONT'D)
On a rainy island like this, there wouldn't be many sources of salt. But these hot, dry caves are perfect for evaporating seawater.
ISAIAH
So they make their own salt, and the bandits want it.
KIRRA
Bandits take much. We have little.
ISAIAH
(laughing)
Well, that won't be a problem anymore. I can't believe this whole thing was about salt.
Adelaide, Isaiah, and Kirra start to leave.
KIRRA
(to Adelaide)
You take moko now?
ADELAIDE
(thinking for a moment)
Yes, I suppose that was the deal.
KIRRA
(turning to Isaiah)
You leave island?
Isaiah doesn't repsond.
The three of them leave the cave.
Isaiah is alone. He kneels beside five bamboo crosses that mark five graves. Tavira and the village man who died have been buried in the village's own way; these graves are for the sea-people.
Isaiah finishes whispering something under his breath, probably a prayer. He stands.
ISAIAH
(addressing the graves)
Thank you, friends.
Isaiah turns and leaves the graves.
Adelaide and Kirra are watching Rere flit about her pen. Isaiah arrives from the graves.
ADELAIDE
(to Isaiah)
Ready to go?
Isaiah looks to Kirra first, then back to Adelaide.
ISAIAH
Actually, I'm thinking I'll stay.
(to Kirra)
If you'll allow me?
KIRRA
(nodding)
Moko-soa can stay.
ADELAIDE
(to Isaiah)
Are you sure? A cowboy with a dinosaur will be quite the sensation in London. You'd do quite well for yourself.
Isaiah looks around at the village, which is in the midst of repairs.
ISAIAH
My whole life I've been looking for a place to call my own. I think this one seems as good as any.
Adelaide nods.
ISAIAH (CONT'D)
(going to climb into the pen)
I'll help you get Rere loaded.
ADELAIDE
(interrupting)
You know, I've been giving it some thought. Without you, it may be too hard to take Rere on a ship all the way back to England. I think it's probably best that she stay here.
Kirra and Isaiah look at Adelaide.
ISAIAH
Without her, you won't have any proof of your discoveries.
Adelaide gives this a moment's thought.
ADELAIDE
Perhaps I'll publish them as a work of fiction, then.
Isaiah laughs. Kirra doesn't fully understand, but Isaiah's laugh is infectious.
ADELAIDE (CONT'D)
Goodbye. I hope you find what you've been seeking.
Adelaide turns to leave, but after only a few steps, Isaiah has a realization.
ISAIAH
(calling after her)
Lady Adelaide!
Adelaide turns. Isaiah comes up to her, unbuckling his gunbelt, with its powder flask and tin of percussion caps. He hands it to her.
ISAIAH (CONT'D)
I won't be needing these anymore. Maybe they'll keep you safe on the journey home.
Adelaide smiles broadly.
ADELAIDE
I'll make sure to keep them ready.
Adelaide quickly buckles on the gunbelt, then turns and leaves.
Lady Adelaide looks on from the stern as the island drifts away. The Ping On is under sail.
The village is assembled. Kirra, dressed in ceremonial robes, stands in the center of the room holding a large stone. Her horn hangs at her side once more. To her left is Makoa; to her right, Huiana. Near the front of the crowd is Isaiah, still dressed more or less as a cowboy, but with an island flair.
Kirra lifts the stone and places it atop the pile. It's firm, and it stands strong.
FADE TO BLACK.
Over the end credits, we see the story of our sea-people, newly painted onto the inside of the canoe hull. It hits the major beats, including the sacrifices of Ostap, Sawada, Shui-lin, Elish, and Cornelius.