AntZ

                         Z
               This lake is huge!  And so close to
               the colony!  Think of the vacation
               potential!

                         BALA
               Cut me down a soft leaf so I can take
               a nap.

                         Z
               Listen, "Princess", you can't order
               me around.  Out here, you're not the
               boss anymore -- out here, you're
               just --

     -- But before he can finish, a water droplet from the
     fountain falls on him.  It may not sound like much, but to Z
     it's as though a ten-foot diameter sphere of jello had
     engulfed him.

     Z's stuck inside because of the surface tension of the
     droplet, which doesn't burst, just quivers up and down.
     Inside, Z is slowly, frantically drowning and screaming for
     help.  But his screams are muffled in the water.

                         BALA
                      (annoyed)
               Out here I'm just what?

                         Z
                      (through the water)
               Hlllllllp!

                         BALA
                      (hands on hips)
               Stop fooling around in there.

     By now the droplet has started rolling, and Z is being turned
     upside-down.  He manages to get one foreleg out of the
     droplet, and, in a frantic attempt to pull himself out, pulls
     Bala in by the leg.

                         BALA
               Let me go!!!

     But it's too late -- they're now both stuck in the droplet,
     and, as Z continues to drown, he also has to deal with Bala
     yelling at him -- though we can't hear exactly what it. is
     she's yelling through the water.

     Then, having run out of air, she too starts thrashing,
     alternately trying to swim and trying to slap him as Z tries
     to defend himself.  Finally all this commotion is enough to
     make the droplet burst, spilling the two coughing,
     sputtering, drenched ants onto the ground.

     They both lie there, miserable, wet, and cold.

                         BALA
                      (chants to herself)
               I'm going to be rescued soon.  I'm
               going to be rescued soon.  I'm going
               to be rescued soon.

     Z watches her incredulously.

                         Z
               Princess, has it ever occurred to you
               that they're not going to rescue you?

                         BALA
               General Formica won't let me die out
               here.  I'm his fiancee.

                         Z
               Look.  How many other Princesses are
               there?

                         BALA
               Five thousand three hundred and
               ninety -- no.  About five thousand
               four hundred by now.

                         Z
               And only you can become a Queen?

                         BALA
               Well...no, but --

                         Z
               So what makes you so special?

                         BALA
                      (hesitates)
               Well...I am the oldest.

     Bala turns from Z.  She's thinking things over, realization
     dawning on her.

                         BALA
               By three seconds...

     She looks out into the grass forest.

                         BALA
                      (to herself)
               You're right.  There are as many
               Princesses...as there are blades of
               grass.

     Z, overhearing her, slowly puts his hand on her shoulder.

     INT. MEGA-TUNNEL - DAY

     Formica and Carpenter are walking into the entrance of the
     tunnel with a squad of soldiers.

                         FORMICA
               Dammit, this tunnel is priority A-1!
               We can't afford any delays on this
               project!

                         CARPENTER
               I've never seen anything like it,
               General, they're they're...well, look!

     Ahead of them, a group of a few hundred workers have stopped
     work and are sitting down, chanting...

                         WORKER ANTS
               Z!  Z!  Z!  Z!

     A worker moves forward to join the strikers, tossing down his
     tool.

                         FOREMAN
                      (yelling at him)
               Where do ya think you're going?  Get
               back to work!

                         WORKER #1
               Buzz off, I'm important!
                      (joining the others)
               Z!  Z!  Z!  Z!

     At the center of the group, Weaver and Azteca are holding
     hands, leading the chant.

                         FORMICA
               Notice the big one, holding hands
               with the female?

                         CARPENTER
               Well, uh, who notices workers, sir?

                         FORMICA
                      (calculating)
               No one should have to.  Have him
               brought to me.

     INT. FORMICA'S CHAMBERS - NIGHT

     A nervous Weaver is sitting across from Formica, flanked by
     a couple of stoic guards.  Carpenter stands smiling by the
     side door.  There is no obvious threat to Weaver, but the
     atmosphere is truly intimidating.

                         FORMICA
               So this Z...he fancies himself an
               individual?

                         WEAVER
               Yeah...I mean...well...I don't know,
               really, sir.

                         FORMICA
                      (patronizing)
               Well now you haven't fallen for this
               silly idea of individuality, have
               you?

                         WEAVER
               Oh, no, sir!

                         FORMICA
               Good.  You're a good soldier.

                         WEAVER
               Thank you, sir.

     Weaver begins to relax a bit.

                         FORMICA
               So tell me.  Where's Z?

                         WEAVER
               I...I have no idea, sir.

                         FORMICA
               Okay, son.

     He pats Weaver on the shoulder.

                         FORMICA
               We know what makes an ant colony
               strong, don't we?  We know that no
               ant can be an individual.  No single
               ant matters, right?

                         WEAVER
                      (enthusiastically)
               That's correct, sir!

                         FORMICA
                      (points at a guard)
               Not that one.
                      (another guard)
               Or that one.

                         WEAVER
               No, sir!

     Formica nods at Carpenter, who smiles and opens a door.  Two
     soldiers walk in, holding Azteca.  The color drains from
     Weaver's face.

                         FORMICA
                      (calmly, with
                       satisfaction)
               Or that one?  Her life doesn't
               matter, does it?

                         AZTECA
               Don't tell that tightass anything,
               Weaver!

     Weaver starts to get up, but the guards behind him hold him
     down.

                         WEAVER
               Wait!  Just let her go!  Z's long
               gone anyway, following some golden
               egg to Insectopia!  You'll never
               catch him!

     Formica's face lights up.

                         FORMICA
               Insectopia, hunh?...See why
               individuality is so dangerous?  It
               can always be used against you.
                      (to the guards)
               If this sissy here wants to dig,
               he'll dig.  Send them both back to
               the tunnel project.  Double their
               workload.

     The guards exit with Weaver and Azteca.

                         FORMICA
               What do we have on this "Insectopia"?

                         CARPENTER
               Scattered reports, sir.  Rumors.
               Nothing reliable.

                         FORMICA
               Desperate times call for desperate
               measures.  Get me Ant Team Six.

                         CARPENTER
                      (frightened)
               Ant Team Six...

     EXT.  GRASS JUNGLE - DAY

     Z and Bala are lost, wandering through the grass

                         BALA
                      (looking hopeless)
               I swear, we've passed this blade of
               grass three times.