Playtime
('A' Lounge)
Lucas: It looks like the Acarple outbreak we found on the Neptune Colony.
Piccolo: I think they call it the Frug.
Lucas: Oh, the Frug? I hope they found a cure. What's with the cages? What is this?
Piccolo: Get real kid. Girls. Cages.
Lucas: Oh, right. Yeah.
Piccolo: As for the teensy weensy mini skirts they got wrapped around their carcasses, if you don't understand that I don't even want to talk to you. There's nothing I can't stand more than somebody who doesn't understand teensy weensy mini skirts.
Lucas: Oh, well yeah. That I understand.
Dagwood: I don't.
Piccolo: It's a long story. Maybe when you're older, buddy. (to Lucas) The 60's kid. I hear it was a time.
Lucas: I dunno, it looks a little primitive.
Piccolo: You got something against primitive?
Lucas: Well…
Piccolo: I like primitive. At least these people had soul.
Lucas: Tony, you're saying I don't have soul.
Piccolo: Ah, don't take this the wrong way Wolenczak. But after a hard day of working in cages I don't think these primitive type girls look forward to spending their free time with guys who play with silicon chips and talk to fish.
Lucas: Wait, Darwin is not a fish.
Dagwood: That's true you know, Tony. According to my encyclopedia a dolphin is a mammal who has…
Piccolo: Oh, hey, you can call it whatever you want. It's not me you gotta convince. (a new song starts) This is a great song! We love this. We gotta share this. ( He hits a button and the show appears on vid-screens all over the boat.)
(Bridge)
Ford: Piccolo.
Henderson: I've done a follow back, sir. It's coming from 'A' Lounge.
Ford: Patch me in.
Henderson: It must have taken hours to get their hair like that.
Ford: Henderson.
Henderson: It's yours
Ford: Having fun, Piccolo?
('A' Lounge)
Piccolo: It's better than breathing water, Commander. I thought you guys might like a blast from the past.
(Bridge)
Ford: Well keep it up and you might get to experience a blast from the present.
('A' Lounge)
Piccolo: Aye, sir.
(He hits a button to turn it off and at the same time seaQuest experiences a little turbulence.)
(Bridge)
Ford: What the hell was that?
Ortiz: Sir, there's something wrong with my directional indicators. Unless we turned 180 degrees in 5 seconds they're completely reversed.
Ford: Sonar Compass.
O'Neil: No deviation, sir. We're right on course.
Ortiz: We're picking up severe current disturbances dead ahead.
Ford: Let me see it.
Ortiz: That wasn't there a minute ago.
(Bridger enters.)
Ford: Full stop. Hold positions.
Bridger: What have we got?
Ford: I'm not sure, Captain. Severe current disturbance ahead. Never seen anything quite like it.
O'Neil: Hold on a second.
Bridger: What is it?
O'Neil: I'm not sure if I remember correctly, Captain. But I think that's Morse Code.
Bridger: Let's hear it. That's an SOS call.
Ford: In Morse Code? Who uses Morse Code anymore?
Voice: Somebody help me. Is anybody there? Please, help.
Bridger: Can you pinpoint that?
O'Neil: Not exactly, sir. It's beyond the disturbance. I can't get an exact fix.
Voice: Don't let us die here. Please.
Bridger: Do you have a problem crossing that disturbance?
Henderson: All systems look good, sir.
Ortiz: It's just a minor disturbance, sir. Velocity indicators indicate a slight chip at the center.
Henderson: Not a problem.
Voice: Can anybody hear me? Please, help me.
Bridger: Engines ahead one third. Keep the same bearing. If she bucks reverse full.
Ford: Captain…
Bridger: Not afraid of a little chop are you, Commander?
(They pass easily through the disturbance.)
Ortiz: I don't believe it. There's nothing behind us, sir.
Bridger: What do you mean there's nothing behind us?
Ortiz: Unless my instruments are malfunctioning there's literally nothing behind us. No air, no temperature, no current, nothing.
Bridger: Put up the aft view.
Henderson: Aye, sir.
Bridger: The aft view, please.
Henderson: That is the aft view, sir.
Bridger: That's not possible.
O'Neil: You're right, sir. It isn't. Nothing is a mathematical reference, it's a word. It doesn't exist in nature.
Ford: Well maybe it's some sort of black hole.
O'Neil: I've never heard of one in the ocean. Besides a black hold exists. It can be identified, measured. So, what's behind us is absolutely nothing.
Ford: That's ridiculous. Are you saying we can't just turn around and go back where we came from?
O'Neil: Where we came from, Commander, doesn't appear to exist anymore.
Bridger: Steady as she goes.
(break)
(Bridge)
(seaQuest has fired a torpedo at the disturbance.)
Ortiz: Contact in 12 seconds. 8 seconds. 4 seconds. It's gone, sir. No readings whatsoever.
Bridger: What do you mean gone? Has it broken up? Has the transmission failed? What?
Ortiz: I mean it's gone. It just isn't anymore.
Bridger: What's our position now?
Henderson: I can't tell you that, sir. That disturbance has my locators completely mucked up. As far as I can tell, we could be 1000 miles off track. I can't even give you a compass reading.
Voice: Please. Can anybody hear me? Is anybody out there?
O'Neil: I'm getting a fix on the distress becon, sir. It's coming from the surface.
(Bridger walks over to Wendi)
Bridger: You all right?
Wendi: There's something wrong with that distress call. I can't feel it.
Voice: Please. Somebody help me.
Bridger: Talk to me.
Wendi: Well, it's hard to explain.
Bridger: Pretend I'm the Captain.
Wendi: I hear the urgency in the voice, the fear. But I don't feel it. The truth is I don't feel anything.
Ortiz: I've got a lock, Captain. About 10 miles south/southeast on the surface.
Voice: Please, come now! Hurry!
Bridger: All right. Let's put this boat on yellow alert. Boarding detail. I'm sending Brody.
(Surface)
Ortiz: This looks like a happening place.
Piccolo: Yeah, it looks like it already happened.
(seaQuest, Bridge)
Lucas: I've been running some probability calculations on the existence of nothing.
Bridger: And?
Lucas: The math is pretty elementary. Anything times zero is zero. It's impossible to calculate something like that.
Bridger: Well, let me know if you get anything.
Wendi: Sort of shakes your faith in the silicon chip, doesn't it?
Lucas: Yeah.
(Surface)
Ortiz: Well, it's clean. No sign of radiation. Nothing viral or bacterial.
Brody: What are you saying?
Ortiz: Except for us there's not another life form within a hundred miles of here.
Henderson: Suppose they built a town and nobody came?
Piccolo: Probably the schools are no good. People hate that.
Ortiz: Two kilometers due North. This way.
Piccolo: At least you can't complain about the rush hour traffic.
(They all look up as something comes flying towards them.)
Piccolo: What the hell is that?
Brody: Come on, let's move it!
(They all run, and it shoots at them.)
Piccolo: Well, I seen enough. Ready to go home?
Ortiz: What in God's name was that thing?
O'Neil: (on PAL) Brody? What'd going on up there? You guys okay?
Ortiz: (into PAL): Let's just say we're still in one piece. Something flew buy and fired at us.
(seaQuest, Bridge)
O'Neil: (into PAL) What do you mean 'something'?
Ortiz: (on PAL) It's the best I can do. Something. I've never seen anything like it.
O'Neil: (into PAL) Miguel, could you be more specific?
(Surface)
Ortiz: (into PAL): Sure. It was one of those large spinning things that moves through the air at high velocity and throws explosive fireballs from each tip.
(seaQuest, Bridge)
O'Neil: (into PAL) Right.
(Surface)
Ortiz: (into PAL) Now we're a couple blocks away from the source of the distress signal. We'll report from there.
(seaQuest, Bridge)
O'Neil: I'm with ya.
(Surface)
Ortiz: That's easy to say from down there. (signs off)
Voice: Please.
Piccolo: Tuesday's child is full of grace. Must be Wednesday.
Henderson: Do you hear that?
(Faint sounds of opera music can be heard.)
Brody: It's coming from that house over there.
Piccolo: Ah, Lieutenant. I don't think we ought to be going in there.
Brody: Why is that, Piccolo?
Piccolo: Anybody that listens to this kind of music has got to be dangerous.
Brody: Yeah, well we're gonna risk it.
Piccolo: Okay, don't say I didn't warn ya. When the fat lady starts singing…
Brody: Shut up, Piccolo. Now let's go. Hello? Anybody here?
Piccolo: Just a lot of folks with no taste in music.
(Inside House)
Brody: Hello? Hello?
Piccolo: This reminds me of my Aunt Jessica's house. I couldn't touch a thing. I had to keep my hands in my pockets. Hey, what's this thing?
(There is a phonograph in a glass box. Tony touches the box and the phonograph turns into a newspaper. Tony puts his hands in his pockets.)
Piccolo: I didn't do anything.
Newspaper: Welcome to your Sarasota Sentinal.
Henderson: Now it's the newspaper.
Piccolo: Yeah? How do you read it in the can?
Newspaper: Choose from our table of contents for the news of Friday, March 25, 2215.
Brody: 2215?
Ortiz: That's what the man said.
Piccolo: Hey, check this out. 'The United Commonwealth of California sought re-entry into the United States. The vote as it broke down between the remaining 38 states was 4 affirmative, 35 negative. Said the Governor of New Jersey, "California is a strange place, inhabited by strange people. It almost took 300 years to get them out, let's keep it that way."' (he laughs)
Brody: (into PAL) It's Brody. Get me the Captain.
(seaQuest, Bridge)
Bridger: (into PAL) We're already ahead of you, Lieutenant.
(Inside house)
Brody: Well that's great, Captain. Since you're ahead of me, maybe you can tell me just what the hell's going on.
(seaQuest, Bridge)
Bridger: Well, O'Neil's just got a fix on the Navel Observatory clock in DC. We have no explanation for it, but according to his readings, we're at 1600 hours, Sunday, March 25th, 2245. That's 225 years ahead of where we should be.
(Inside house)
Brody: Yeah, and I just finished reading a newspaper that's 30 years before that. Anybody down there come up with any good explanations?
(seaQuest, Bridge)
(Bridger looks over at Lucas who shakes his head.)
Bridger: We're still working on acceptance. When we get to explanations I'll call you. Did you get a fix on those distress signals?
(Inside house)
Brody: Yes, sir. We're on our way. (signs off.) You heard the man. Let's go.
(seaQuest shuttle)
Bridger: Vector me in, Commander.
Ford: Where, sir?
Bridger: Well, I suppose, the future.
(Surface)
Ortiz: I'm getting that distress signal again. It's coming from over there.
Brody: (pulls out his gun) Just in case. Set on full. On my order.
(They enter a very large building that houses a large computer terminal.)
Voice: Please, help me.
Henderson: That voice is coming from the computer.
Ortiz: We gotta get Lucas here.
(break)
(Centsys Building)
(World Net News: File Footage)
(Scenes of a severely deformed man going after pedestrians.)
Alert: Dysfunctional citizen loose in Sector 12.
Man: You can't save me. Nobody can save me.
(He is caught by men wearing types of radiation suits and taken to the hospital.)
Announcer: By the year 2185 the plague had reduced the world's population to less than 8 million. Despite all efforts, Centsys was unable to locate anything in it's database records to correlate with the virus. Those who survived appeared to have a natural immunity. The source of which was never discovered.
Wendi: They never found a cure?
Lucas: Well, I don't think there was a 'they'. From what I've been able to piece together everything pretty much relied on Centsys.
Wendi: Centsys.
Lucas: Central Systems. A world wide inter-linked computer network. From what some of these data clips tell me from the late 2100's on Centsys pretty much took over the day to day affairs of running the planet. Wendi, this machine is incredible. It's like nothing we've ever seen before. It's like…well, it's like art.
Wendi: But art is beautiful.
Lucas: So it this. I mean think about it. All the combined information, and skill, and knowledge (Bridger, Brody, and Piccolo enter) in the world in one central system. I mean, menial labor had all but been abolished. Human beings were given a kind of freedom that they had never known before.
Wendi: Freedom to do what, Lucas?
Lucas: Well freedom…freedom to think. Freedom to exchange ideas.
Bridger: And freedom not to produce anything. Is that it? You ought to take a look at a world populated by just thinkers. Everything's dead out there, Lucas. Thinking is one thing, doing is another.
Lucas: Captain, who's side are you on?
Bridger: I'm not on anyone's side. But we have to figure out why we're here and how we're gonna get back.
Lucas: Why we're here? We're here because she sent out those distress signals.
Wendi: She?
Lucas: This Centsys terminal. I think she may be the last active terminal in the system.
Bridger: This terminal did not bring us here for a history lesson. There must be more.
Lucas: Yeah. I'm working on it. I just need some time.
(seaQuest, Bridge)
Ford: Explosive charges on one-third. Set the detonation for 20 seconds.
O'Neil: Detonators set. Charges at one-third. Sir, if I can suggest…there's really no point in sending out a torpedo…
Ford: The point, Mr. O'Neil, is that we can't be sure that that disturbance out there isn't masking your readings. The captain and I are not prepared to believe that anything that passes through it just ceases to exist.
O'Neil: But sir…
Ford: Now 20 seconds out with one-third power should provide enough kick back to the seaQuest so we'll know whether or not the explosion occurred.
O'Neil: But sir, if we send a torpedo out now…
Ford: Tim. Fire on my order.
O'Neil: Aye, sir.
Ford: Fire.
O'Neil: Torpedo running hot, straight, and steady, sir. Contact with the disturbance in 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1. No impact, sir. It just disappeared.
(Centsys Building)
(Commercial on monitor)
Announcer: Prepare for Battle. Missile Launch. Defend your city.
Boy: Gotcha. Every boy wants an Atomo Warrior.
Girl: And so do girls.
Announcer: World Domination. New from Mattelo. Virtual Cells not included.
(End Commercial)
Wendi: Adorable.
Piccolo: Way cool.
Wendi: I was joking.
Piccolo: I get it. I just thought that…
Wendi: Yeah, I know what you were thinking. I've been there.
Piccolo: Bummer.
Bridger: So how close was that to our present time.
Lucas: 2205
Bridger: That's 40 years. We want to be as close as possible to that moment just before the distress signal.
Lucas: Well that's as close as I can get. Every time I try for the teens I…
Ortiz: Lucas, let's try something different. Punch up something as close to present time as you can.
(Commercial)
Announcer: Jennifer-female. Tobias-male. Quantum-male. Ion-female. Sara-female. All these babies were born at an optimal 8lbs, 2 oz.! Each had an intelligence factor exceeding 6.9! Health and genetic quality index a whopping 8.6! So, why bother. Forgetting dating! Forget mating! Call your Centsys Hatchery today!
(End Commercial)
Lucas: 2216. That's as far as I can get. Something seems to be malfunctioning in the database after that.
Bridger: That's 29 years.
Ortiz: I don't think whatever's preventing you from accessing the present has anything to do with the databases in the computer.
Bridger: Well, what do you have?
Ortiz: The computer's being jammed, sir.
Lucas: Jammed?
Ortiz: Yeah. From the outside. Someone or something is producing RF interference.
(They are all startled as the building begins to shake.)
Brody: What the hell is that?
(Brody, Ortiz, Henderson, and Piccolo head outside to investigate. They look and see a giant robot machine walking towards them.)
Henderson: Have you ever seen anything like that?
Piccolo: Yeah, it looks just like that one over there.
(They turn to look and see another giant robot machine.)
(break)
(Surface)
(Centsys Building)
Ortiz: Captain, these robots are being controlled remotely by radio signals. We're pretty much dead center here. There's one coming from about 2 kilometers to the east, and the other's a short distance of that north/northwest.
Bridger: All right. Brody, you take Henderson and go to the east. You two go to the northwest. We need specific coordinates.
Ortiz: Yes, sir.
Lucas: That's great. That'll give me more time to spend with the computer.
Bridger: Lucas! This is not a honeymoon. We need some more information from this terminal. You should be looking for answers not…
Wendi: Oogling.
Bridger: Oogling into this thing.
Lucas: Fine.
Bridger: Thank you.
(Street)
(Piccolo and Ortiz are caught in the middle between the two robots)
Piccolo: I hate when this happens.
(One robot fires and Piccolo and Ortiz make a break for it.)
(Stadium)
Henderson: We're about five blocks from the source of the signal.
(They hear the robots coming and try to hide)
Brody: Come on! This way!
(They run into the stadium but stay away from the field. One of the robots' fires and hits one of the stadium lights. It falls towards Brody.)
Henderson: Brody! Watch out!
(She shoves him clear, but the light pins her to the ground)
Henderson: Brody!
Brody: Henderson!
Henderson: Over here.
Brody: You all right?
Henderson: Get me outta here. Thanks.
Brody: I should be thanking you.
Henderson: That was close.
Brody: I'm not so sure about that. (into PAL) Piccolo?
(Alley)
Piccolo: (into PAL) You guys okay?
(Stadium)
Brody: (into PAL) Henderson almost got herself a new haircut, but she's all right. Look, uh, I don't know if those robots are attacking us. That last shot went well over our heads.
Henderson: Not well enough.
(Alley)
Piccolo: (into PAL) What's your take boss?
(Stadium)
Brody: (into PAL) I don't know. I think maybe they're shooting at each other. Like maybe we got caught in the crossfire.
(Alley)
Piccolo: (into PAL) Comes out the same in the end unless we find out who or what's controlling them. How close are you?
(Stadium)
Brody: (into PAL) Another few blocks.
Piccolo: (on PAL) Same here.
Brody: (into PAL) All right. Well, let me know if you get something.
(Alley)
Piccolo: (into PAL) Oh, you'll hear me screaming.
(Stadium)
Brody: (into PAL) Out. (to Henderson) Let's get outta here. Welcome to the big leagues.
Henderson: Thanks.
(Centsys Building)
Bridger: Any luck?
Lucas: I'll be honest with you. I've never seen anything like this. It's so simple that it goes beyond any understanding that we have of computers. It's…it's really…lovely.
Wendi: Lovely?
Lucas: It's totally and completely amazing. It's perfect.
Wendi: You should take it easy, Lucas. She'll break your heart.
(They all look very surprised when the terminal begins to talk to them)
Centsys: If you have questions, Lucas, it might be simpler just to ask. I mean no offence, but I do not believe you posses the knowledge to understand my technology.
Wendi: That's a good line. I'll have to remember that.
Centsys: It wasn't a line, Dr. Smith. It was just a statement of fact.
Wendi: How did you know my name?
Centsys: (Brings up info on seaQuest and her crew on the monitor) United Earth Organizations vessel seaQuest. Registry: Ft. Gore, Florida. Entered into service June 25, 2019. Crew status as of March 2021. Captain Nathan Hale Bridger, born March 17, 1972. Commander Jonathan Ford, born March 4, 1990. Lucas Wolenczak…
Wendi: I think we get the point.
Centsys: I thought you would.
Wendi: And she's got an attitude.
Lucas: how did we get here?
Centsys: Utilizing sound coordinates Sensor Chief Miguel Ortiz directed the seaQuest towards the distress signal sent by this terminal.
Lucas: No, I mean how did we get Here? To this time. It's more than 200 years from our own.
Centsys: Since your science has not yet discovered Mobias Holes, it may just be simpler to say that I opened a door in time through which you could pass.
Wendi: Watch it, Lucas. She's talking down to you.
Lucas: Why did you call us here?
Centsys: The seaQuest is pre-Centsys. Having run many probability curves, I determined that only a pre-Centsys human being could accomplish what I need.
Bridger: And just what is that?
Centsys: I need someone to save my babies, Captain.
(Outside house)
Brody: The radio signal is vectoring from in here. (Inside they find a teenage boy at a game terminal.) Who the hell is that?
Boy: I'm coming around on your flank, loser!
Brody: Excuse us! Hey kid!
(The boy touches a button on his control pad, and suddenly Brody and Henderson are in some type of jail.)
Brody: What's this? (He touches one of the bars, and is electrocuted. He passes out.)
Henderson: (into PAL) Ortiz! Ortiz! We're in some kind of jail.
(Girls Bedroom)
(Piccolo and Ortiz are also in some type of jail. Ortiz is passed out.)
Piccolo: (into PAL) So are we.
(As the teenagers play their game we see that they are the one's controlling the robots.)
Girl: I saw that coming.
(Boys Room)
Boy: Yes!
(Girls Room)
Girl: Come on, come on! Back up!
(Boys Room)
Boy: Met your match now sucker! (pauses) What's she doing?
(Girls Room)
Girl: What? Where'd she come from?
(Stadium)
(Another robot has entered the field.)
(Centsys Building)
Lucas: It's Lucas! (He is now in a game terminal chair.) Very cool!
Wendi: Are you sure you know what you're doing?
Lucas: Well I guess we're about to find out.
(Stadium)
(The three robots face off. Lucas fires and takes the other two down. Game over.)
(Centsys Building)
Lucas: It was a direct hit. It was a direct hit! Right between the eyes.
(Wendi and Bridger just look at him.)
Lucas: Well…(at a loss)
(Break)
(Boys Room)
(Brody wakes up)
Henderson: Welcome to the big leagues. Are you all right?
Brody: Ask me next month.
Henderson: You feel warm.
Brody: Take your hand away and I'll cool off.
Henderson: Yeah, you're all right.
(The boy goes over to the couch and picks up a hand held game and begins to play)
Henderson: I know you must have a name. (He ignores her) I asked you a question. (She takes the game from him) What's your name?
Boy: Aaron. (He moves to pick up another game but Henderson grabs his wrist before he can.)
Henderson: Enough with the games, okay?
Aaron: Don't! (He jerks his arm back)
Henderson: Forget it. (to Brody) It seems a less positive reaction to my touch.
Brody: Give him time.
(Centsys Building)
(The girl is there and the gang watches her from a distance. She paces back and forth in front of the computer terminal.)
Wendi: I didn't get much. Got a name, Iris.
Bridger: Why do you think she jammed the circuits?
Ortiz: On our scanners we never picked them up.
Wendi: I know how she's feeling. She didn't want to be found.
Bridger: Not very sociable.
Wendi: No, but that's because our presence here scared her half to death. I get a very…I don't know, uncomfortable feeling from her. It's as if…well, I'm not sure that she's seen another human being in the flesh before. When I try to get close to her, she recoils, even mentally.
Bridger: How can that be? She must've had a family, parents.
Lucas: This is her family, Captain.
Bridger: What? The computer?
Lucas: Well, it's a little more than a computer. Look, since that jamming signal went down I've had no problem getting back to the present time.
Bridger: No what do we know?
Lucas: In the years following the plague many of the people that survived took to staying indoors. What little communication they had was done through video, through Centsys.
Wendi: So they stayed home and watched television?
Lucas: Close. They began to interact with virtual games. From what I can tell, they even had relationships that way.
Wendi: So long backseat.
Bridger: What about their science, technology?
Lucas: Everything fell apart. The people that survived were scattered. There were some tribal skirmishes, but in the cities…well, in the cities the games started to become a little more…real, less virtual.
Ortiz: Like those robots.
Bridger: So they stopped reproducing and started killing each other.
Lucas: They played games. I'm not even sure human life had any value beyond an image, an opponent.
Wendi: And what about those Hatcheries?
Lucas: Well, the Hatcheries were destroyed by the tribes and the games. Now this Centsys terminal, programmed to value and promote humanity, managed to activate the last remaining Hatchery. She incubated a few dozen eggs, and the two we found are all that survived.
Bridger: You're saying that these kids are the last people left on the planet.
Lucas: Them and us as far as I can tell.
Bridger: Well what about the computer? What about the distress signal? What does she want from us?
Lucas: I don't know.
Wendi: Well for a start we can get these kids on seaQuest and get them some food and medical attention.
Bridger: Right. (to Ortiz) Get Lt. Brody and Henderson. We'll meet them at the ship. Lucas, whatever we can do or can't do here, we've got to find a way back home.
(seaQuest, Bridge)
Bridger: We still need more time, Jonathan.
Ford: Time for what, Captain? It seems to me we have two choices here. We can either try and take the seaQuest back through that, that whatever it is, that void. Or we spend the rest of our lives right where we are, now.
Bridger: No. I think there's a third option. If that Centsys terminal got us here. Then I've every reason to believe Lucas can take us back. We're going to stay here and maintain the ship status.
(on vid-screen)
Wendi: Captain?
Bridger: Yes?
Wendi: If you have a minute you might want to come down to the moon pool.
"Playtime (cont.)"