Sinbad: I appreciate the severity of this situation, Sire, but I don’t see how I can help.

Caliph: I want you to find Turok, rescue the princess, save the kingdom.

Sinbad: I would risk life and limb for you and the kingdom, Sire. You know I would, but—

Caliph: I knew I could count on you, Sinbad. After all, Baghdad has made you a rich man.

Sinbad: (looks at Casib) But then it made me a poor one.

Caliph: I don’t understand.

Sinbad: Well, upon my return, I found my home confiscated and my riches gone.

Casib: We needed the house, and we needed the money.

Caliph: (growing angry) Why did we need Sinbad’s money?

Sinbad: Yes, why?

Casib: Well, Admir said—

Sinbad: I’m one of your people. Many of them are homeless. Without jobs. They live in squalor while you make more money than you’ll ever need.

Casib: Eventually the riches will trickle down.

Sinbad: Yes, they’re being trickled upon…but not by riches.

Caliph: (stands up) Much of this is my fault, Sinbad. I allowed my son to pursue profit and progress at any cost. I’d been a fool. Now, I only want to save the live of that innocent girl, and save my kingdom from destruction (puts hand on Sinbad’s shoulder). Will you help us? For your home? For your country?

Sinbad: (looks at hand on shoulder) Well, ah—

Casib: Good. We’ll buy the finest ship, and both you and I will rescue Adina.

Sinbad: Woah there, your highness. You’re not part of this package.

Casib: She’s my wife…almost.

Sinbad: That’s her problem.

Casib: I could have your head for that!

Sinbad: Why don’t you just try putting yours to better use?

Admir: (who is standing behind Casib) Prince Casib doesn’t have to listen to your insults!

(Sinbad turns away from them, annoyed)

Caliph: Please, Sinbad. I beseech you. I will give you your own ship, you may choose your own crew. I will pay you a fortune.

Sinbad: (coming back to the Caliph) And Prince Casib?

Caliph: He will stay, or go, on your order.

Casib: Father!

Caliph: You have caused enough harm with your recklessnesses, my son.

Casib: It’s not fair, Father. I thought I was doing the right thing. Adina has nothing to do with that. I love her. I would die for her. I have to do something to save her. I have to.

Sinbad: My prince, that is the first honourable thing I heard you say. You may come along. But just remember one thing. I am the Captain of my ship.

Casib: Agreed.

Admir: I will begin to pack.

Sinbad: (to himself) I must have my head examined (to others) I better go (to himself) before I change my mind (to Caliph) your Highness (he bows).

Caliph: Thank-you.

(Mustapha and Doubar get up from the table they were sitting at)

Doubar: Well done, little brother! (hugs Sinbad) We’re back in business again.

(Admir watches after them, as they leave)

(They are walking through Baghdad)

Doubar: Amazing! We got our own ship, and our own crew.

Sinbad: Yep.

Mustapha: Our own ship. Sure there’s no trickery involved?

Sinbad: No, my friend. The Caliph is a man of honour. From now on, we’ll have nothing but smooth sailing ahead. We just have to go to the port of Basra, to pick up Firouz.

(A harpy is watching them from a rooftop, as they pass by)

(They are walking through streets at the port of Basra)

Sinbad: This voyage is going to be dangerous. We have to bring Firouz along.

Doubar: I agree, little brother, but Firouz is getting a little strange, lately.

Sinbad: Strange?

(They walk up to a house)

Doubar: This is it.

(There is a rope hanging down, beside the door)

Sinbad: (reading sign) Please ring bell, and wait for answer (he pulls it).

(Some bells sound, and then a gong)

Casib: What’s going on?

Firouz: (from on the inside) Come in! Come in!

Sinbad: Wait here a minute (he opens the door and goes in; the prince goes to follow him, and has the door shut in his face).

Casib: He can’t just leave me out here.

Doubar: I’m pretty sure, he has.

Sinbad: (entering the room) Firouz, where are you?

Firouz: (jumps up from behind his latest invention, a ‘hanging glider’) Ha, yeah, ah! Sinbad! Help me put this together, will you?

Sinbad: (walking over to the table) Nice seeing you again, too, Firouz.

Firouz: Hairspring…I must have brushed against it.

Sinbad: (helping Firouz put the thing together) What is it?

Firouz: I call it a hanging glider. It allows a man to fly…not like a bird flies, but rather, he glides. I have a scale model of it somewhere around here…ah (he looks around for the scale model) and I’ll show it to you in a moment. But first, I must reset the doorbell (he turns toward the doorbell). Oh, good to see you again, Sinbad. I thought you were dead (he walks to the doorbell to reset it).

Sinbad: Actually, it’s a pretty interesting story. You see, the ship, it broke apart—

Firouz: What do you think of this set up? It’s called a mechanized doorbell.

Sinbad: You have a lot of time on your hands, don’t you?

Firouz: Point of fact? Yes. But, time is relevant, I believe.

Sinbad: About this wing thing…

Firouz: Ah, yes, ah, oh yes (he walks over to the hanging glider).

(He shows Sinbad the scale model; and shoots the hanging glider, which crashes)

Sinbad: Is it supposed to crash like that?

Firouz: Ah, technically, no. But the full-sized version will have a man suspended horizontally beneath the wings. When he reaches the apex of the trajectory, ah, he will release the lever, ah (he goes over to the full-sized hanging glider on the table) release the lever and— (he opens the wings, which send him flying onto the bed behind him; he quickly gets up) The point being that, on a large model, the wings will open, and hopefully, the glider will glide.

Sinbad: Hopefully.

Firouz: Ah, yes. Please, help me put it back together. Come on, Sinbad.

Sinbad: Do you have the plans for anything written down?

Firouz: No need. It’s all in here. (points to his head)

Casib: (pacing back and forth in front of Doubar) You know, he has no right to treat me this way. All right. He may be the Captain, but I’m still a prince.

Firouz: We may need it on our voyage.

Sinbad: How do you know about that?

Firouz: The fellows that scavenge junk for my projects, also scavenge information.

Sinbad: You’ll come?

Firouz: Of course I’ll come! I work better at sea.

Casib: I’m not waiting any longer. I’m going inside.

Doubar: I wouldn’t.

Firouz: Besides, you’ll be heading out into murky waters. You’re probably going to need my expertise.

(Casib rings the doorbell)

Sinbad: Murky waters?

Firouz: I’ve heard of Turok. Baghdad’s not the first kingdom he’s visited. So, I figure we’ll take along—(Sinbad is watching the doorbell) Are you listening?

Sinbad: Sure.

Firouz: Yes, I built a sea-going catapult that wee can use it for both the hanging glider and, ah, standard warfare. I got a dozen or so oil barrels which we could light on fire and use as projectile, if we have to. Now—

Sinbad: Wow! Now tell me how this works.

Firouz: Yes. The duck paddles toward the pellet. It wears a small harness around its neck that will stretch and yank the bottom out of the weight-control banner. The nuts cause the hammer to swing downwards, landing on the small bellow. The bellows wheezes, whistles, pushing around the whirligig. It catches fire. It’s fascinating, isn’t it? Then the string burns through releasing the tomato. Nothing can go wrong! Unless, of course, someone ignores the sign and doesn’t wait for the bell to ring…

(Casib opens the door, and is hit in the face with the tomato; everyone laughs)

Sinbad: Firouz, this is prince Casib. Casib, Firouz. He will be joining us for our voyage.

(Sinbad and the others are walking through the town)

Mustapha: Gentlemen! I’d like you to meet my best friend, Rongar. I think he’d be perfect for out voyage.

Sinbad: (holding out his hand) Well, any friend of Mustapha’s is a— (Rongar didn’t shake his hand; Sinbad drew it back)

Mustapha: He had his tongue cut out for not betraying his brothers.

Sinbad: I’m so sorry.

Mustapha: We love to watch people squirm when they find that one out. Huh, Rongar? Enough fun my friend.

Sinbad: Can you use a sword?

Mustapha: He doesn’t have to. He uses smaller blades. You see? (Mustapha runs his hand along Rongar’s bandoleer)

Casib: This is ridiculous. We’re already taking a toymaker with us. Now we’re supposed to bring a knife-throwing…zombie?

Sinbad: I hate to aadmit it, Mustapha, but the prince is right. Knife-throwing in a battle is risky, at best. No hard feelings, though. (Sinbad offers his hand again, but Rongar still doesn’t shake it) Nice meeting you.

(They turn to leave)

Doubar: (looking back at Rongar) Sinbad, behind you!

(Sinbad turns, drawing his saber, just as Rongar threw a dirk)

Casib: Told you he was a waste of time.

(They turn around as they saw a man fall out of hiding; Rongar goes and gets the knife from the dead man)

Sinbad: Welcome aboard, Rongar.

Doubar: Who was that fellow?

Firouz: One of Turok’s spies, most likely.

Sinbad: Well, if that thug was sent to spy on us, Rongar’s taken care of that. We’ve now just gained an important advantage. We have the element of surprise on our side.

(Doubar laughs, as they turn and walk the streets of the city)

(Rumina and Turok are watching the crew through the water; they turn and walk across the room)

Turok: Think again, dear Captain (he laughs).

(The crew is on their new ship, the Nomad)

(Sinbad walks along the length of the ship, and looks out, over the bow)

Casib: Out of my way, men. The sailing prince approaches (he walks a few steps, then puts his hand on his stomach; he walks more, and trips over everything in his way; he falls at Doubar’s and Sinbad’s feet; Doubar picks him up and brushes his shirt off, then Casib runs to the side of the ship).

(Sinbad goes to the side of the ship, opens map, and studies it; he looks up at Mustapha, in the crow’s-nest, and nods, then looks out to sea) (Sinbad walks up to Firouz)

Sinbad: With luck, we’ll drop anchor tomorrow.

Casib: (walking up to them) The Isle of Tears is that close?

Sinbad: We’re not heading for the Isle of Tears just yet. Got your sea legs?

Casib: What do you mean? We have to rescue Adina. Time is running out! She could be killed! Baghdad could be overthrown!

(Sinbad gestures for Casib to follow)

Sinbad: Your Highness, what I’m going to say is very important, so try to understand. I’m not going to risk my life, or those of my crew, going off, ill-prepared for an attack on Turok! We will bide our time, and make ourselves ready.

(Casib leaves, Sinbad walks up to Firouz)

Sinbad: Firouz, if the wind stays on our backs, we should make the Isle of Dawn.

Firouz: I’ve heard of the place. But I never thought anybody has actually been there.

Sinbad: It’s a place that’s said to be half-real and half-imagined.

Casib: (walks up to them) So, you don’t know if the place even exists?

Sinbad: (turns) Oh, I know it exists. I just have to trust my instincts to get us there.

Casib: Why is it so important we land at the Isle of Dawn?

Sinbad: That’s where Dim-Dim lives.

Casib: What a silly name. Where do I know it from?

Sinbad: He was your tutor, boy. He raised you like a son/ He was the grand vizier in every way, until you and Admir had him banished.

Casib: You have no manners.

Sinbad: And you have no heart.

Firouz: Sinbad. Sinbad!

(Sinbad turns around)

Firouz: How will we know when we’re near?

(Sinbad leaves Casib, and shows Firouz the map)

Sinbad: Dim-Dim told me of this place when I was very young. He said that if I needed to find it, I was to sail into this area, and then the island would find me.

(It is dark; Mustapha is at the tiller; Sinbad takes the tiller from him, and looks out over the ocean)

(Rumina is watching him through her water; Turok comes into the room)

Turok: You like this sailor?

Rumina: He intrigues me.

Turok: He’s very handsome.

Rumina: Really. I hadn’t noticed.

Turok: Nonsense, dear. I know you to well. Sinbad is an extraordinary individual. Smart. A master of the seas. Unfortunately, he works for the side of good. He’s a dead man.

Rumina: Oh, but does he have to die?

Turok: (uses hand to turn Rumina’s face around, towards him) I’m afraid so.

Rumina: Well, would you mind if I…played with him before you dispatched him?

Turok: (laughs) Daddy’s little girl knows how to wrap me around her little finger.

(They walk together)

Rumina: Oh, it’s my birthday soon.

Turok: Enough about Sinbad. We have all of Baghdad to think about, and your husband to be, Prince Casib.

Rumina: Oh, he is such an insect. Do I have to marry him?

Turok: If you were to legally rule Baghdad in the eyes of the world, yes.

Rumina: Well, I can only rule Baghdad, if both the caliph and the prince die after the wedding.

Turok: A technicality I will deal with. Now, what have you learned about your hero?

Rumina: He’s very crafty, Father. He isn’t coming here directly. He’s going to find his friend, Dim-Dim, first.

Turok: Hmmm…A shrude move. He plans to fight my power with Dim-Dim’s power.

Rumina: The thought of it, Father. It gives me the shivers. It gives me a feeling I never quite experienced before.

Turok: It is known as fear, my dear.

Rumina: Well, I don’t like it.

Turok: You need not worry. My power is far graeater than Dim-Dim’s. I look forward to such a match (they turn and walk across the room). I still have a few tricks up my sleeve to hinder your hero. Perhaps he will never reach Dim-Dim’s island.

Rumina: But there’s nothing there to stop him, Father.

Turok: Not yet, there isn’t (he reaches up his left sleeve). Let’s cause a few ripples in the water, shall we? (he pulls out a fish and drops it into the water)

(They laugh)

(It is dark out, the seas are calm; Mustapha is in the crow’s-nest)

Doubar: There’s a ring around the moon tonight.

Sinbad: A good omen.

Doubar: I always thought it was a bad oman.

Sinbad: No. It’s good.

Doubar: Are you sure?

Firouz: (walks up to them) Sure about what?

Sinbad: The ring around the moon.

Firouz: Actually, I have a theory that involves ice particles high in the air—

Sinbad: (puts up his hand to silence him) Is it a good or bad oman?

Mustapha: Captain Sinbad! (pointing) Over the starboard side! Quickly!

(The water bubbles)

Doubar: Was that a monster?

Firouz: No. It was probably just a large fish. It won’t harm us.

Sinbad: I’ll steer clear (looks over at Firouz). Just to play it safe.

(The Nomad shakes)

Doubar: We’ve run aground!

Sinbad: Impossible! We would have spotted land. The sea is too deep here for a sandbar or reef. Take a sounding!

(A minor crewmember throws a rock tied to a rope over the edge, then gets pulled overboard)

Mustapha: Captain Sinbad!

(Sea monster rises from the depths)

Firouz: Now that’s a monster.

Sinbad: Get all hands on deck. That think could capsize us in a heartbeat!

Doubar: (running) All hands! All hands!

(Mustapha comes down)

Continued in The Return of Sinbad Part 2.........