AntZ

                         FOREMAN
                      (yelling at Weaver)
               Who said you could have a chat?
               You're not a chatter, you're a
               digger!  So shut up and dig!

                         AZTECA
               Leave him alone!  He's new.

                         FOREMAN
               You  too?  Well just for that, you
               lose your day's rations!  Now get
               back to work!

     The Foreman heads down the line, shoving and berating the
     other workers as he goes along.

                         AZTECA
                      (surprised at herself)
               I don't know what came over me,
               talking back like that.  I must be
               going crazy...

                         WEAVER
               Sorry I got you in trouble.  But
               listen, you can share my rations.

                         AZTECA
                      (flirting)
               Are you asking me out to dinner?

                         WEAVER
                      (blushing)
               No -- I mean yes -- I mean -- if you
               don't have other plans.

                         AZTECA
               I'll make myself available...Listen,
               better watch out with the
               backtalk.  I don't know want you to
               end up like the guy who used to work
               next to me.  I'm afraid he got...
               downsized.

     EXT. ANT MOUND - DAY

     Some guard ants are looking out across the sandy main
     entrance to the hive.

                         GUARD ANT
               Look!  They're back!  The army's
               back!  Alert the colony!

     The other ant starts ringing a bell, rushing down into the
     colony.

                                              CUT TO:

     INT. TOWN CENTER - DAY

     A huge crowd is forming, eager to welcome the army back.  A
     band is striking up a triumphant victory song, confetti and
     streamers are being thrown, as General Formica strides in,
     followed by Carpenter.

                         EXCITED ANTS
               The army's returned!  Our brave boys
               are back! (etc.)

     Everyone waves little flags as the tuba player Oompah-oompah-
     oompahs...

     ...and Z walks into the hall, looking bedraggled and
     exhausted, his helmet hanging over his ears.

     The band slows to a halt.

     At the edge of the crowd, Azteca, sitting on Weaver's
     shoulders, can just about see over the crowd.

                         AZTECA
               It looks like only one soldier made
               it back!

     Weaver looks distraught.

                         WEAVER
                      (to himself)
               Poor Z -- I should never have let you
               go!

     Far down the hall, Z is describing the battle.

                         Z
               It was horrible...a massacre, a
               massacre upon a massacre.  First we
               massacred them, then they massacred
               us, then it was halftime.  I've never
               seen such violence, such
               bloodthirstiness, such bad
               manners...I'm the only one that made
               it!

     The atmosphere is somber.  This is a tough one to try and put
     a spin on...but that doesn't stop Formica from trying.

                         FORMICA
               ONE TO NOTHING!  WE WIN!

     The band strikes up again, and everyone cheers.

                         Z
               No -- you -- you don't understand!

                         FORMICA
               Damn, I'm proud of you, boy.  I wish
               I had a hundred ants of your caliber.
               The world would tremble.  Now, time
               for some R and R.  You're invited to
               the royal victory party!

                         Z
               Royal victory party?  Will...will
               Princess Bala be there?

                         FORMICA
               Of course.  The entire royal family
               will be there to honor you.

                         Z
                      (thinks)
               ONE TO NOTHING!

     Renewed CHEERS, as Z is lifted onto the shoulder of some of
     the soldiers who stayed behind.

                         AZTECA
               Wait a minute, that's no soldier --
               that's Z!

                         WEAVER
               Z?  Our Z?  The little guy made it!

     Z is following Formica away from the cheering crowd.

     EXT. ABOVE TOWN CENTER - DAY

     Z and Formica are going up the royal "stairway" together.

                         FORMICA
               Son, you're an ant after my own
               heart.  A warrior.  An ant that looks
               death right in the face and laughs.

                         Z
               Well, I generally just make
               belittling comments and snicker
               behind death's back.  So, tell me,
               fellow war-monger...do you think
               Princess Bala likes men in uniform?

                         FORMICA
               Well she better -- she's engaged to
               one.  Me!

                         Z
               Engaged?  As in you're getting
               married?

                         FORMICA
               Affirmative.

                         Z
               So...you two are in love?

                         FORMICA
               In love?
                      (shakes his head)
               I'm just a plain old soldier at
               heart.  I'll tell you what I love --
               the field -- blood -- death --
               orders...and the company of other
               warriors.

     Formica gives Z a manly slap on the back.  Z looks a little
     uncomfortable as we...

                                              CUT TO:

     INT. THRONE ROOM - DAY

     Z follows Formica and Carpenter into the throne room.  At the
     end of the hall, a society band is playing.  The room is full
     of courtier ants and officers.

     Waiters are gliding around holding trays of hors d'ouevres.

                         Z
               Wow, what a spread -- you know,
               there's a food shortage in the rest
               of the colony.

                         FORMICA
               Yes, and do you know why there's a
               food shortage?

                         Z
               ...Not enough food?

                         FORMICA
               Negatory.  Too many ants.  And while
               we soldiers go out there, and fight,
               and bleed, and die for the colony,
               the namby-pamby workers live it up
               back home.

     Feeling a little hot, Z wipes his brow.

                         Z
               Well I, I don't think "living it up"
               is the right term -- how about
               "working themselves to death"?

                         FORMICA
               I tell you son, sometimes, at night,
               I see myself in battle, fighting a
               horrible, faceless enemy, with the
               future of our whole species at stake.
               And always, the dream ends with each
               of us plunging his sword into the
               other's heart...

                         Z
                      (spooked)
               Oh, hey, that's great, I think I see
               an old war buddy over there, it's
               been fun chatting.  Good luck with
               the hallucinations.

     Z escapes from Formica, who gazes after him suspiciously.

     Z mingles in with the crowd, then he sees Princess Bala
     standing with a group of officers who are eating hors
     d'oeuvres.

                         OFFICER
                      (telling a joke)
               What do you call it when 10,000
               workers are killed in a tunnel cave-
               in?
                      (a beat)
               Who cares?  They're workers!

     The officers laugh, but Bala looks bored in this stuffy
     social scene.

                         Z
               But...don't you think the worker
               class is the very foundation of the
               colony --
                      (realizes he's
                       getting odd looks)
               I mean, uh, without them, who would
               we stand on?