The Arrival
(Part 1 of Conspiracy of Blood)
This episode was written by Robert L. McCullough and Phillip John Taylor, and directed by Ray Austin.
(It is generally accepted that the "Conspiracy of Blood" four-part story arc was the ending for the series even though other episodes were shown later. Most of the fanfiction that has been written about this Zorro series takes up the storyline after part four.)
(Madrid 1788 – Señora de la Vega is about to give birth. At her side is her midwife, Inez Resindo.)
Inez: Stay calm, Señora. It won’t be long now.
Elena: I wish Alejandro were here.
Inez: We can’t get word to him in Cadiz and God has work for you here. Now, hush. (She leans down and puts her ear to Elena’s stomach.)
Elena: What…what can you hear, Inez? Is something wrong?
Inez: No, there’s nothing wrong, Señora. Everything’s just as I hoped. (There is a knock at the door. A young girl gives Inez a tray with a pot of tea and a cup on it. Inez empties a small vial of white powder into the cup.) I’ve made an herbal tea, my mother’s recipe.
Elena: (She drinks the tea.) Mother. I’m going to be a mother. (Elena sleeps as Inez watches her.)
(Outside the home. The sound of a baby crying breaks the silence. Inside, the same girl comes to the door again and Inez hands her a baby.)
Girl:
Señora—
Inez: Wrap the infant warm and take him to my lodgings.
Girl: What’s wrong?
Inez: Do not question me. It’s a matter of life and death. Trust me. Use the back stairs and let no one see you. Go! Go. (The girl leaves with the baby.)
Elena: (Weakly) Inez?
Inez: I’m here.
Elena: I heard the baby. Is my baby here?
Inez: No, not yet, not yet, my dear. Sh…Be calm. (Elena goes back to sleep and we see the girl taking the baby away from the building.)
(Inez’s lodgings. The girl puts the baby in a crib.)
Girl: He cries for his mother. Why did you take him from her?
Inez: Doña Elena has another son, born two minutes after this one and quite healthy.
Girl: Twins? Oh, what a surprise!
Inez: Surprise? No, I heard two hearts beating already out of rhythm even before birth. (Inez takes a large dagger from the pocket of her skirt.)
Girl: But you said it was a matter of life and death.
Inez: It is! (She raises the dagger to prepare to strike down the girl.)
(Elena’s bedroom. The baby is crying.)
Elena: Inez? Inez? (She raises up in bed to look at her child. Her father enters.)
I can’t find her anywhere. How could she leave you at a time like this? (He coaxes her back against the pillows and goes to look at the baby.) He’s so handsome, Elena. (He picks up the child.) If only your mother could have lived to see this! Alejandro will be so proud of him. My grandson, Diego! Diego…Diego…Diego.
(Los Angeles, the plaza. De Soto stands before a line of lancers.)
De Soto: Sergeant!
Mendoza: (To the men.) Attention!
De Soto: Don Gilberto Resindo will be arriving here shortly. He is a special emissary from the King himself. (Diego and Victoria come out of the tavern to listen.) Now, I do not know the exact nature of his mission here, but it is vital —
Mendoza: Importantissimo!
De Soto: — Thank you, Sergeant, that he take back to Madrid with him glowing reports of Los Angeles, and I want you to bear that in mind for his entire stay here in our charming little pueblo.
Resindo: (Turning toward De Soto from where he stands a little way away.) Charming pueblo! I’ve seen better dung heaps in the slums of Madrid. (The crowd begins to react.)
De Soto: How dare you! I beg your pardon, Señor. Identify yourself immediately. (Resindo hands him a rolled up parchment. De Soto reads it quickly and changes his tone.) Emissary Resindo! We…we…we expected you to arrive by coach. We had a big welcome planned.
Resindo: Do you now?
De Soto: (To Mendoza) Go tell the band, Sergeant.
Resindo: (He indicates De Soto to Lieutenant Hidalgo, a soldier not in uniform.) Arrest him.
De Soto: What! (As Hidalgo grabs him.) Emissary, I am the alcalde of this pueblo, appointed by the King himself! Lancers! My men are loyal to me.
Resindo: Tell that to my royal guardsmen. (He points to the armed guards scattered on the rooftops and more come from all about the plaza to level their muskets at the crowd.)
De Soto: Emissary!
Resindo: For a leader of a colonial garrison, you were too easily surprised, Señor, and such incompetence to the crown is a felony.
De Soto: (As he is being led away.) Why…wh…I’ll tell the Governor of this!
Resindo: (To the crowd) Your alcalde will be executed at sunrise!
Victoria: (She steps forward to protest. Diego, Felipe, and Alejandro step forward with her protectively.) Executed! On what grounds?
Resindo: Perhaps you’d like to join your treasonous ex-alcalde?
Victoria: Treason? What are you talking about?
Resindo: Spain is embroiled in a war with France, an expensive war, and your
distance from Madrid does not excuse from your obligations to your king.
Victoria: Obligations? Well, excuse me, but we pay our taxes. We pay taxes on our homes, on our crops. Why, we pay taxes on everything! (The crowd shouts agreements.)
Resindo: You will now pay a special war tax. I’m authorized to collect a total of ten thousand pesos.
Victoria: Ten thousand pesos to wage a war that will only benefit you and some…some cannon makers? (Resindo’s man draws his pistol and levels it at Victoria. Diego quickly steps in between them.)
Diego: Señor Emissary, I must apologize for the señorita. She’s a …a modern woman. Argumentative perhaps, but fiercely loyal nonetheless. (The pistol is withdrawn.) It’s a shame the war with the French goes so poorly.
Resindo: Poorly? We are close to victory.
Diego: But just yesterday I received a letter from an old friend, a…a captain in the cavalry. He tells me that…um…our armies are being routed
Resindo: And just what would be the name of your friend, this captain?
Diego: He says that his men are laying down their arms in surrender. After all, he should know what he’s talking about. Um…he’s in the font lines, not collecting taxes in the colonies.
Resindo: I’ll have his name!
Diego: It’s really not important.
Resindo: Lieutenant Hidalgo, take this arrogant caballero to the quartel. (Diego is led away.) (To the crowd.) I’m going to teach this pueblo the meaning of loyalty! Clear the area! I said, clear the area! (The guards use their guns to force the crowd out of the street.) (To Mendoza) Your alcalde’s quarters shall be placed at my disposal immediately. As he will soon be dead, he will no longer be needing them. (He turns to go.)
Alejandro: Señor! That’s my son you have in jail.
Resindo: Then you should teach him to keep a tighter rein on his mouth. (He turns away again.)
Alejandro: De la Vegas always speak out! (Surprised, Resindo turns to look at Alejandro intently.) I never thought I’d see the day when free speech would be denied in Los Angeles.
Resindo: De la Vega. And you would be?
Alejandro: Alejandro de la Vega. Friend to the Royal Family. Perhaps even you have heard of me?
Resindo: Oh yes, I’ve heard of you, Señor. I’ve certainly heard of you.
(The tavern. Alejandro enters with Resindo.)
Resindo: (In a friendly manner) Your old friend, Don Hosé Cabrillo, owns five textile mills and half of Barcelona, has four sons and thirteen grandchildren. How about you, Alejandro, any grandchildren?
Alejandro: (Barely containing his anger.) No grandchildren. My son is not married.
Resindo: Is that so? What a shame.
Alejandro: Not yet. And he won’t get married as long as he sits in your jail!
Resindo: Look how angry you are.
Alejandro: I am—
Resindo: Something to drink, hm? (He looks at Victoria who looks at Alejandro before she complies.)
Alejandro: (Quietly nods) Victoria, por favor. (She sets the drinks before the men.) Gracias.
Resindo: Don Alejandro, as a friend of the king, you know that no matter how badly the war with the French goes, we can’t be telling such things to every peasant or laborer—
Alejandro: Or taxpayer?
Resindo: Precisely. You see, we understand each other perfectly. On the other hand, Diego…is that his name… seems terribly confused by the political realities of today’s world.
Alejandro: Well, the foremost reality is that Diego…and that is his name…sits in your jail, doesn’t he?
Resindo: You must hold him very dear.
Alejandro: Yes. He’s my only son. We’re loyal to each other…and to Spain. (He holds his glass up in a toast and drinks.)
Resindo: In that case, he shall go free. (Alejandro picks up his gloves and gestures his thanks but says nothing then leaves Resindo at the bar.)
(The jail. De Soto and Diego are in adjoining cells.)
De Soto: I’m the alcalde. I’m the authority here. He can’t do this to me.
Diego: It’s my guess he planned to execute you long before he even arrived.
De Soto: But why? Why me, hm?
Diego: (As if explaining to a child.) Because you’re the most powerful man in the territory.
De Soto: Of course. Of course. If he hangs me, he’ll be obeyed and feared by everyone without question. (Mendoza enters.) Sergeant! What’s going on out there?
Mendoza: Emissary Resindo has declared marshal law. His men have disarmed all our lancers.
De Soto: What? He can’t do that. No emissary can have such sweeping powers. (Mendoza uses his keys to open Diego’s cell.) What are you doing, Sergeant?
Mendoza: He has given me direct orders to release Don Diego. (Diego leaves the cell.)
De Soto: What about me?
Mendoza: I’m sorry, Alcalde.
De Soto: Sergeant! (Alejandro enters, followed by Resindo. Alejandro and Diego embrace.)
Resindo: Such devotion between a father and son.
Alejandro: De la Vegas take great pride in family loyalty.
Resindo: (In a somewhat mocking tone.) How inspiring! It should be a lesson to us all. (Diego starts forward and Alejandro stops him.)
Alejandro: Diego, why don’t we go home. (They leave.)
De Soto: What about me?
Resindo: You? Why, you’re going to die, of course. (Resindo leaves. De Soto looks pleadingly at Mendoza who sadly closes the door.)
(The cave. Diego is sharpening his sword as Felipe is signing to him.)
Diego: You’re right. It is rather ironic that the alcalde sits helpless inside his own jail. (Felipe signs a question.) De Soto isn’t my favorite person but I can’t allow him to be unjustly executed. (Felipe signs some more.) Yes, Resindo’s guards are hardened warriors. That’s why, whatever happens tomorrow, Zorro must be prepared for the worst.
(The plaza the next morning. A bound De Soto is led roughly out into the crowded street.)
De Soto: No gallows? Where’s the firing squad?
Resindo: Hangings and gunfire are so quick and clean that they have very little lasting effect among the rabble.
Victoria: Rabble? How dare you! These are all good people.
Resindo: Then these good people are about to get a lesson in loyalty to the crown. You see, this form of execution has become quite the vogue in Spain. Once they’ve seen a man ripped apart, everyone seems to forget their petty criticisms of the government. (To the soldiers) Tie him!
Alejandro: (Alejandro realizes Resindo means to kill De Soto by having him pulled apart by horses.) You can’t be serious.
Resindo: Watch. You’ll see just how serious I am.
Alejandro: This is barbaric!
Resindo: True. But then war itself is barbaric. (The soldiers begin tying De Soto’s arms to two horse drawn wagons.) And as I’ve tried to impress upon you all, Spain is at war!
De Soto: (As Mendoza tries to blindfold him) No, Sergeant, no!
Mendoza: Alcalde, it will be easier this way.
De Soto: No blindfolds. The De Sotos have always faced death with dignity. I’m not going to break my family’s tradition.
Resindo: I put De Soto’s inept sergeant in charge of the execution on pain of death. The irony is perfect, don’t you think? The incompetent in the hands of the incompetent. (To Mendoza) Is everything in order, Sergeant?
Mendoza: Si, Señor Emissary.
Resindo: Then you may proceed with the execution.
Victoria: I can’t watch this. (She turns and Alejandro reaches out to hold her. In the distance, a hooded monk approaches the armed guards.)
Resindo: Well, what are you waiting for, you ignorant buffoon? Get on with it.
Mendoza: (Quietly) No. (All heads turn to face Mendoza.)
Resindo: What did you say?
De Soto: (Amazed) He said “no.”
Resindo: Proceed with the execution now! (Resindo pulls out a pistol and aims it at Mendoza.)
Mendoza: No! It’s not right. (Zorro, clad in the monk’s robe, grabs a musket from a soldier, knocks him out, and shoots the pistol from Resindo’s hands. He sheds the robe as the crowd responds with cheers.)
Resindo: Sergeant, start your wagons! (As the horses start forward, Zorro leaps and severs the ropes with his sword.)
Mendoza: Alcalde! (Mendoza stoops to help the alcalde.)
Resindo: Leave him alone, guardsmen! (The guardsmen lower their muskets.) Lieutenant Hidalgo, take care of him. (Hidalgo slices the air with his sword several times.)
Zorro: (Cheerfully.) Very impressive. Can he fight as well?
Resindo: Can he fight! Lieutenant Hidalgo has killed over a hundred Frenchmen in battle.
Zorro: Too bad for him, I’m not French. (Zorro turns his back on the two of them, leaving the lieutenant momentarily confused. Then he starts after Zorro. As they fence, here and there a soldier lifts his musket to fire at Zorro, but each is brought down with a shot to the helmet fired by Felipe who is hidden behind a window from above. Zorro kicks Hidalgo into Resindo.) Consider that a warning. The next man to interfere will not be so fortunate. (Zorro knocks Hidalgo to the ground.)
Resindo: (To his own soldiers as he draws his blade.) Stay away from him! He’s mine.
Zorro: Señor, I’m flattered. (Resindo lets out a yell and comes at Zorro furiously. Zorro retreats at first. Resindo impales a barrel and then finally looses his sword altogether. Zorro nods for him to pick it up and continue. After letting Resindo throw a few more wild thrusts, Zorro ends it by butting Resindo’s head into a post.) A representative of the King should govern with compassion, Señor, and justice. These people came to Los Angeles and settled a wilderness. They’ve earned the right to be treated fairly and with dignity. Never forget that. Shall it slip your mind, I will return to finish this encounter. Now collect your taxes quickly and be gone. Adios.
Resindo: (Throwing a pitchfork at Zorro, who dodges it easily.) Guards! Guards! (Zorro mounts Toronado and one guard raises a rifle. Felipe shoots and hits him in the helmet.)
Zorro: Our fight is not yet over, Señor.
Resindo: Kill him! Kill him! (Another soldier tries to fire and Felipe brings him down. Zorro races away as more guards fire at his retreating figure.)
(The plaza. Mendoza is helping De Soto to his feet.)
Alejandro: Came close, Alcalde. You all right?
Resindo: (Approaching ) Make no mistake, you are still under sentence of death! And so is your sergeant for refusing my orders. However, capture Zorro and I will repeal the sentence. You have three days or I will take great pleasure in shooting you both myself. (He leaves.)
(The alcalde’s office)
Hidalgo: (Enters and hands Resindo a letter.) A letter from Madrid, Emissary. (He leaves and Resindo reads the letter.)
Inez: (Voiceover) My dear son, you should have arrived by now and be well on your way to achieving your real purpose in visiting Los Angeles — the destruction of the de la Vegas. You must never forget the humiliation I suffered at the hand of Don Alejandro de la Vega. Never forget you were rejected by your natural mother, but I took you in, loved you, cared for you. The de la Vega inheritance will be yours, dearest Gilberto. Be my arm of vengeance and grind them into the dust.
Resindo: (He goes over to the door and looks out at Alejandro and Diego who are still talking out in the street with De Soto, Mendoza and Victoria.) Into the dust. (He kisses the letter.)
The End