Everyone ready to finish our first science fiction story?

Mike: Yeah.

Peter: I am. :)

Micky: You bet! :D

Davy: Me too. :)

(We open in the Pad with a perfomance video of "French Song." Davy sits on a stool and sings while the others play behind him. Katie eats a bowl of fruit cobbler and ice cream on the psychiatrist's couch, watching her father and his friends with interest. Emma washes dishes in the kitchen.)

*Little Micky spins around in a circle in the living room. Shelly builds with Lincoln Logs. Lauren shakes her head at Micky's insistance on continuing to spin.*

(Emma joins them about half-way through the song with bowls of fruit cobbler and ice cream for the twins and Lauren; she already had hers. She puts the twins' bowls and spoons on the table, then hands Lauren hers. The song ends, and the four boys on the platform take their bows as the girls clap and the kids eat.)

Emma: Bravo, gentlemen! Very nice!

Katie: Yay!

Mike: Thanks, girls.

Lauren: That was great, fellas. :)

Bert: Yeah, nice job.

Bob: So, how did it feel to do your first out-and-out science fiction story?

Mike: Weird.

Micky: Loved it! I can't wait to do another. :D ;)

Emma: Don't count on us sending you into space again anytime soon, guys. We've been working on ideas, and as of this set we've have stories going up to October.

Mike: Why space?

Bert: That's a good question. Where did the idea for this one come from?

Emma: Um....I don't really remember anymore. I think it was first tossed around sometime during the winter, after I moved in real-life.

Lauren: It was just something for a change of pace.

Emma: Yeah. We'd just done two semi-realistic sets in a row and a gothic romance. Time to venture back into the world of comic fantasy.

Lauren: And have a little fun. ;)

Bob: Heroic cab drivers?

Emma: Why not? You don't see heroic cabbies in every sci-fi story! Besides, it fit the city theme. (Grins) Oh, and on that subject, thanks to the makers of the sitcom "Taxi" for the name of the cab company and the general idea. ;)

Bert: How about bringing Emilio back? Where did that come from?

Emma: We more-or-less insinuated he'd be returning in "Hell-Bent."

Mike: Yeah, and how else were we gonna get into space? Even our powers can't launch us into orbit. ;)

Peter: Most of the time. ;)

Micky: Depends on what kind of orbit we're talking about. ;)

Bert: Hey Micky, how did it feel to play two roles again? You too, Lauren. ;)

Micky: I'm always game for dual roles. ;)

Lauren: Fine. Gave me a chance to get in the story more, and it was fun being a double agent, so to speak. ;)

Bert: Where did the idea for the "harmonic destructors" and the not-so-Grand Imperial Leader come from?

Bob: In other words, why was the major villian of a science-fiction story a reletively harmless nerd? ;)

Emma: You'd be surprised how much harm nerds can cause...even when they don't mean to.

Peter: Mingdar was lonely. He thought that by hiding and listening to Omaheddon, he would be ok, but he wasn't.

Mike: Yeah, that ass Omy was just makin' Ming into somethin' he wasn't. :p

Bert: He didn't have to go along with Omaheddon, though, and he DID build the harmonic destructors.

Peter: (Shrugs) He tried to get peace and quiet the wrong way.

Bob: What about those "harmonic destructors" and the plot to depopulate Zlotnick?

Emma: (Sighs) That came around a little later. I was trying to come up with a plotline that didn't involve mind control, which we've done in at least three stories I can name off the top of my head. (Grins) It was Lauren's brilliant idea to make it a tourist trap, though. That's where I came up with the reason for the harmonic destructors. Someone was using the destruction of noise to drive the planet's residents away. :)

Lauren: *grins* It was nothing. ;)

Bert: (Looks at Lauren) How did Zlotnick become a tourist trap? ;)

Lauren: Just the result of some banter, I think. ;)

Mike: It's amazin' what comes of a little banter. ;)

Lauren: Ain't it? ;)

Emma: Yeah, we wouldn't be doing this role-play series if it wasn't for a little e-mail banter. ;)

Lauren: That's right. ;) :)

Katie: Space? (She looks confused; SHE doesn't remember going to space!) :-/

Mike: Um, Papa n' uncles took a little trip, Kate. We'll tell you about it when you're older. ;)

Katie: 'Kay. (She returns to her cobbler)

Emma: It took me long enough to get him to tell me.

Mike: Em, we didn't do nuthin'!

Emma: Please. You almost lost Peter and Emilio, were pawed by a monster cat, fought a facist military regime with the help of crazy cab drivers, and YOU almost ended up being snack food for a plant! That's not "nuthin'," honey! :p

Mike: It coulda been worse, darlin'.

Peter: Yeah, there are no devils on Zlotnick! :p

Davy: Thankfully. :P

Mike: We came home safe and sound, didn't we, darlin'?

Emma: (Mutters) Yeah...

Mike: So don't worry, ok? (Leans over and gives her a little kiss)

Katie: Oooh!

Emma: Oooh...

Bert: How about the warm-up? When did that one come up?

Katie: Car! Vrooom-vroom! (Puts down her bowl and pretends to "drive.")

Emma: (Laughs) Part 3 of our trilogy of warm-up stories on how the Monkees in the "Dream World" universe met and came to be as the viewers see them in "Royal Flush."

Peter: That was fun, remembering how we bought the MonkeeMobile and the Jeep! :D

Mike: Hey, Mick, does Ernie still have his place? ;)

Micky: Last I knew he still had it. Nyles mentioned something about still occasionally helping out on weekends.

Bob: What was your favorite part of this role-play, gentlemen and Lauren? :)

Mike: Shootin' down what we now know were Omaheddon's squadrons in the beginnin' was fun. That and invadin' Mingdar's tower.

Peter: Showing Mingdar how to be a nice person by being himself.

Micky: Going into space.

Davy: Meeting Zlotnick's in'abitants.

Lauren: Emilio. ;)

Micky: Babe! :P ;)

*Lauren chuckles.* ;)

(Everyone else laughs as well. Katie giggles, though she doesn't get the joke.)

Bob: This is only the second time on the role-play that the bad guy turned out to not really be bad at all.

Mike: Not really. We were actually chasin' after the wrong bad guy. Omaheddon was the real brains behind the operation, though Mingdar was partially at fault. He shoulda read all that stuff he was signin' before he put his John Hancock on them.

Peter: But Mingdar wasn't really interested in papers! He just wanted to play with his machines.

Mike: Yeah but, as I keep tryin' to tell you guys, when you're responsible for somethin', whether it's a planet or a car or children or anythin', it's up to you to do what YOU have to do. You can't always keep puttin' off things and ignorin' them just 'cause you don't wanna do it.

Emma: I credit Mel Brooks with the idea of making a nerd the Darth Vader/Ming the Merciless head villian character...but I wanted him to be more sympathetic. (Grins) This is my dedication to everyone who ever dressed like their favorite "Star Trek" character at a convention, has every "Star Wars" action figure and book they can get their hands on, and/or knows more about the technical aspects of the worlds of "Lord of the Rings" or "The Matrix" than their creators. ;)

Mike: (Grins) 'Cause most of us are among those people. ;)

Katie: Actin' figgers! Love those!

Emma: Just because you're labled as anything doesn't mean you're not a worthwhile person or should hide what you are.

Mike: Wish she'd take her own advice every now n' then when she gets depressed... :p

(Emma glares at Mike but says nothing. :p)

Bert: So, what's on tap next month?

Peter: Oh, I asked Valerie about that. We're going to Mexico for a short tour to promote this album! :)

Mike: (Groans) Another tour? :p

Micky: That sounds like fun! :D ;)

Peter: Just a few cities in Mexico, Mike!

Mike: Yeah, but....Mexico? Do you know what the water's like there?

Peter: No, but I like Mexican food! :D

Micky: Then we don't drink the water. ;)

Mike: Come on, guys, I KNOW Mexico! Me an' my buddies in Texas used to sneak down there all the time! Not to mention I'm sure you all remember what happened the LAST time we did a gig south of the border.

Peter: It all came out in the end, Mike! We rounded up the bandits and got Angelita and her dad to call in the police and arrest them! We even got a reward we were allowed to keep!

Mike: Yeah, I remember the reward. Paid for some real repairs on the MonkeeMobile and for our rent when we got back.

Davy: So it wasn't all bad. ;)

Mike: By the way, whose idea was it to hire that little guy named Pablo? All he did was keep askin' for money! :p

*Micky looks around, avoiding eye contact and whistling.* ;) :P

Mike: Figures. :p

Peter: Hey, Micky, tell them about the great hotel you wanted us to stay at when we're in Mexico City!

Micky: *grins* You wouldn't believe the hotel I found! Words don't do it justice. You have to see it to believe it!

Mike: I dunno...

Peter: That cool, huh? :D

Davy: Sounds like it. ;)

Mike: Where is it, how much is it gonna cost Headquarters Records, and how much is it gonna cost US when we have to bail out? :p

Micky: It isn't all that expensive, and it's just outside the city where we're playing.

Mike: Mick, the last time you planned our vacation, we ended up stayin' in some god-forsaken piece of sh...(sees the kids, who now play with Lincoln Logs) awful hotel, and we were about fifty miles from the location of our gig!

Peter: And don't forget you got us lost when we ended up in that ghost town with the gangsters, too!

Micky: Can't I try to redeem myself here, guys? Sheesh. :P

Mike: Micky, you're a great guy, but a lousy vacation planner. Every time we let you decide where we're goin' and stayin', we run into trouble.

*Micky folds his arms and pouts.*

Peter: You'd have to talk to Valerie, Mick, but she might be willing to hear you out.

Mike: (Mutters) God help us.

(Emma nudges Mike. :p)

Micky: At least SOMEONE will. :P

Peter: Valerie's always willing to hear new ideas, Mick. :)

Micky: Thank you. I'll talk to her about it.

Mike: Yeah, but...

Emma: Mike, come on, let him do it. A Mexican vacation doesn't sound so bad. I've never been to Mexico. I don't think we could bring the kids, but we could bring along Nyles and Jack again. :)

Mike: Oh god, Nyles around all those drugs imported from South America and Mexican beer? :p

Emma: He's also big and good in a fight. He might be useful semi-sober. ;)

Lauren: Jack will keep him in line. ;)

Peter: Valerie's looking for a new act to tour with us, too. The Four Martians are busy with their new album, and the Abbies won't be doing any touring for a while, due to Daph's delicate condition.

Bob: Hey, speaking of Daph, how is her "delicate condition" coming along? ;)

Davy: Delicate my a...elbow.

Mike: She's drivin' us all bonkers. She won't do nuthin'. She's got all the Abbies lookin' for some weird tropical fruit right now.

Micky: That's normal.

Emma: Yeah, but it's not normal for her to not want to do anything for herself. She was always so independant.

Mike: That must be what the pregnancy does to her.

Emma: The cycle seems to either exaggerate our usual emotions or turn us into the opposite.

Bert: What about Lauren? How's your young'un coming? Or is it two? ;)

Lauren: One, thank you. Coming along just fine so far. Nothing unusual. ;)

Micky: Yet. ;)

Mike: What's your cravin' this time, Lauren, so we can all pick it up whenever we need to? ;)

Lauren: Funny, I don't really have one. I've just been a little hungrier, is all. :)

Peter: Well, whenever you need more food and Micky's busy, just tell us and we'll pick up some for you! :)

Emma: I've already done a few shopping trips for her.

Bert: Is it a boy or a girl? Do you know yet?

Micky: After a long debate, we decided to not find out ahead of time. ;)

Bert: Want a surprise, huh? ;)

Lauren: Yeah. ;)

Micky: Even if we did already see into the future. ;)

Mike: Good point.

*Lauren swats at Micky.* ;) :P

Bert: How about a look into the future of the Dream World stories? What's on the horizon for the rest of the summer?

Emma: More time traveling, in August and in October, and another MonkeeMan story.

Mike: (Groans) Not the tights again! :p

Emma: Sorry, baby, but I kinda have fun with the MonkeeMen stories. ;)

Lauren: Me too. ;)

Emma: Upcoming warm-ups include a really wild party, a bowling story, and next month, a parody of gritty 70s cop TV shows and movies. ;)

Mike: First we're superheroes, now we're cops? :p

Peter: I don't wanna be a cop! I'd never be able to shoot the guns!

Micky: I love it! :D

Mike: You would.

Peter: (Grins) I can't wait to go to Mexico! Valerie says it'll be next month to promote the release of the new album. :)

Mike: I can. I have a rotten feelin' about this Mexico trip. I mean, it gets crazy down there. They got drugs in South America, guys. Drugs, insane dictators, ruins of ruins, snakes longer than the San Andreas Fault, mosquito-ridden rainforests... :p

Peter: Mike, you didn't think going into space was going to be fun, and that worked out all right! :)

Mike: Yeah, but that's some planet we ain't never heard of!

Peter: What's the difference?

Micky: Yeah, we heard of it! :P ;)

Emma: I don't see how Mexico can be that bad as long as we don't drink the water.

Mike: It's just my sixth sense actin' up. Don't forget, Shelia's still out there, and knowin' her, she'll get Alex outta jail as soon as she can get away from PPF duties. :p

Emma: Didn't you zonk Alex out at the end of the last story?

Mike: It was only temporary, and Alex is a crafty as...(sighs at the kids)...jerk. :p

Peter: Don't worry, Mike. If things get really rough, Em and I will protect you...and we'll all protect each other, just like we've always done! :)

Davy: Right, mates.

Mike: (Sighs) Yeah. I just can't help worryin'. The wolf in me is sayin' there's trouble on the horizon.

Emma: Well, let's just leave it on the horizon for the time being and finish up this story. ;)

Lauren: Yeah. ;)

Mike: (Sighs and turns to the camera) Thanks for readin' folks, and have a nice Father's Day, 4th of July if you live in the US, and summer holidays.

Peter: Yeah, and don't forget to head to the library to check out some science fiction of your own, whether it's a movie, a fiction book, or a nonfiction book on real outer space exploration. :)

Emma: (Picks up Katie) Ok, why don't we take this messy missy to the bath while Papa and the uncles rehearse some more? :)

Katie: No bath! :p

Emma: But you're all sticky from the cobbler! You don't want to make the Lincoln Logs sticky!

Katie: Aww! I wanna play!

Emma: You'll be able to play with the twins tomorrow, sweetie. Say "good night." :)

Katie: (Makes a face) Night! :p

(Both wave to Lauren and the twins.)

Mike: I'll be along shortly, darlin'. Just wanna work on one more set. :)

Emma: Don't be too late, dear. (She takes Katie into the bathroom)

Mike: (Nods at Lauren and the twins) You guys gonna stick around an' be our audience again?

Lauren: *nods* Sure. I need Mick's help to clean these two, anyway.

Micky: It's nice to be needed.

Peter: I'll call Valerie after our next number. She's at the mansion with Chrissy and Jordan. :)

Mike: Ok, any requests from the floor?

Peter: (Leans his ear against the bandstand) The floor isn't saying anything! ;)

*Little Micky presses his ear to the floor.*

Lauren: *groans* Oh brother.

(Mike swats Peter on his head as his best friend chuckles.)

Mike: See, Pete? You're encouragin' impressionable children!

Peter: I thought that was Micky's section.

Micky: I never said I wouldn't share!

Mike: Ok, anything anyone wanna hear?

Lauren: *chuckles* Anything, guys. Whatever you want to play.

Peter: How about "Teeny Tiny Gnome?" We don't often do that song, and it's a fun one to end on. :)

Mike: And it's good for a largely kiddie audience. ;)

Micky: *twirls his sticks* Gladly! :D

(And we cut to the Rainbow Room for the "Teeny Tiny Gnome" romp. The girls and the four Monkees wear colorful vintage 1972 duds, as do the twins, who run and play and dance to the music.)

(The boys chase the twins back and forth. The girls just sit on two stools, watching them.)

(Mike plays his guitar for Shelly, letting her play a few chords. :) )

*Micky holds onto Little Mick, letting him go wild with the drums.* ;)

(Peter sits both kids at his keyboard and lets them play, chuckling as they bang away.)

(The twins run right for the camera...and the camera actually follows them off-stage as their parents chase them and the others shrug and play.)

(Mike mouths "Don't forget to write!" Emma swats him.)

*Micky laughs. Lauren swats him.* ;)

(Micky and Lauren quickly bring the twins back. Davy hands them a set of marraccas and a small tambourine to occupy them as Micky returns to the drums.)

(Mike sings in "harmony" with Little Mick.)

(Peter plays his bass for Shelly, who grins at him.)

*Davy sticks his fingers in his ears.* ;) :P

(The roleplay ends with the twins AND the Monkees running straight for the camera. The girls just shrug and follow, walking into a camera as we hear the sound of things falling, kids squealing, and Peter saying "Uh-oh" as the romp fades out.)

(Fade into the end credits and a reprise of "Listen to the Band" with stills from both productions over the credits. We get the final "A Raybert Production" over the still from "Kids and Devils" of the entire group as the song ends.)