DAUGHTERS OF RÓME - EXTRACT   Copyright StormVids ©2009

               

               EXT. HILL OVERLOOKING KERRY BEACH - DAY

               Surrounded by officers and his personal guard, GENERAL GNAEUS
               JULIUS AGRICOLA Commander of the XXth Legion sits on his
               horse, peeling an orange. Agricola -early fifties- is a self
               made middle-aged man with a strong cockney accent. 

               As he watches his troops mopping up the last of the
               resistance below, Petronius rides up and salutes his
               commanding officer. 

                                   PETRONIUS
                             (Excited)
                         I have secured the beachhead sir!
                         Scum have fled. 

               Petronius's excitement is not returned by Agricola who
               silently eats his orange. Petronius adopts a more subdued
               tone.

                                   PETRONIUS (CONT'D)
                         And, our own casualties are light
                         sir.

                                   GENERAL AGRICOLA
                         Are they indeed? Well, good for you
                         Centurion. Excellent.(Beat) Do you
                         think they might have been even
                         lighter though, if you'd landed on
                         the correct, bloody beach? 

               The other officers, who Agricola clearly enjoys playing to,
               stifle laughs. Petronius stares them down.

                                   PETRONIUS
                         Didn't have a choice General, the
                         tides were... 

               The General holds up his hand to silence Petronius, then
               smiles benignly. They dismount and move away from the other
               officers. The General puts his hand on Petronius' shoulder.

                                   GENERAL AGRICOLA
                         Ah Quintus, my plucky Gaul who... 

               The general uses his hands to illustrate his remarks as if
               they were a news headline.

                                   GENERAL AGRICOLA (CONT'D)
                         ...heroically escaped from the
                         Caledonians. Six months with the
                         barbarians was it?

                                   PETRONIUS
                         Two years, General.

               The General feigns an impressed face.

                                   GENERAL AGRICOLA
                         Then home to an empty villa eh? An'
                         all that horrid talk of desertion. 

               The General pats him on his back.

                                   GENERAL AGRICOLA (CONT'D)
                         Still, that's all behind us eh?

               Petronius ignores the reference. The General spits out a pip
               and wipes his mouth on his sleeve. Petronius looks a little
               disgusted.

                                   GENERAL AGRICOLA (CONT'D)
                         Quinty my boy, we are here on this
                         shite-hole little island for horses.
                         I will not have some junkie-drunk
                         starting private wars. 'Cos that
                         son, is my job.

                                   PETRONIUS 
                         Absolutely Sir.

                                   GENERAL AGRICOLA
                         Abso-bloody-lutely Sir...Cousins in
                         the Senate or not, you mess this up
                         boy, I'll have your effin head. 

               The General regains his composure instantly.

                                   GENERAL AGRICOLA (CONT'D)
                         Rendezvous in five days.