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Enigma05
Nathaniel
Payne
Dusk. Int. alone in an empty conference
room River reviews the vid that has Chris, Kira, and the rest of the seekers.
He is smoking a cigarette.
Blows smoke
Thinking to himself
Aghh, I don’t get it. Who in the hell are
these guys? Not that I care so much, except I want to see you all dead. But
him, that impious little fuck, I want to kill him myself. Such a shame that
guns are only allowed in the colonies and no longer on Earth. Lucky Mars…how
many times can you say that? Still, the pleasure of thinking how a blade will
be slicing you to shreds makes your death much more fun for me to conjure up.
Oh River, look at what this has done to
you. Some kid hurts your pride and you’re plotting revenge. This is really too
good to be true.
Enter Lotus Sekhet McManaman
Lotus
Smirks
Still mulling and fussing over that vid
and the cute Japanese troupe that kicked your ass? I never figured you to be
the sentimental type River, but then again I never figured out a lot about you
at all. But this, this is quite a nice surprise. You are human after all, how
unfortunate for the rest of the human species that figured natural selection
got your kind with the war.
River
Turns and faces her
You would say something like that. Would
it hurt you to play nice with me for one?
Lotus
Oh, what’s the matter River? Is the man
behind the machine coming through, showing a little emotion? Do you hate it
when the salt of failure is rubbed into a clotting wound? And all this time I
thought better of you; I thought you were stronger than that.
River
Love you too Lotus,
Lotus
Can’t a girl tease her brother anymore?
River
Places his hand on her cheek
Is that all that I am in your heart now,
how sad? We used to be so much more, Lotus…how much has changed. Funny isn’t
it, how once you couldn’t bear sight without me, and now can’t stand the sight
of me. And anyway I’m just an orphan remember. Father found and picked me up
off of the Amsterdam streets when I was sixteen and living with an old
prostitute. That is hardly the start to life that would make us siblings my
dear sister.
Smiles
Lotus
Moves from his touch
Let us not play sob story again River. I
thought we gave up playing pretend a long time ago. You’ve already told me that
story. That was the only ace you had. It would only work once. That was a long
time ago…
Looks away
Whispers
…a long, long time ago.
River
Looks out the window
Do you love me?
Lotus
Not this again river; it’s all said and
done. You know-knew what my feelings were…and you know what they are
now…feigning sincerity and insecurity won’t change that.
River
I’m not asking of you for more than you
are ready to give anyway. Father is getting old Lotus, a bit more cautious and
sentimental. And you know that one day he too will die and return to the spirit
of the Earth.
Lotus
Laughs
I know you don’t believe in the circular
or regenerative spirit theory. Ever since the United World Council was founded
464 years ago, 36 after that nuclear war in the near east, the Elysians and
their religion have dominated politics and law. You know that’s why all lethal
mechanized or not firearms and explosives are prohibited on Earth. It does too
much damage to the body, and damages the sprits that are inside. Now we kill
each other much nicer, in a way where we are much more biodegradable. We kill
each other like civilized people now River. The irony in that is amazing, don’t
you think?
River
Quite, a return to the sword, as if
intestines sprawled all over is better for the spirit to endure than a quick
bullet or laser. It almost makes me sad…
Smiling
Lotus
You did not call me in here to correct
your lack of knowledge of History River, so please I would like to know what it
is that you have asked to see me about?
River
Father is worried Lotus.
Lotus
Not about the intruders certainly?
River
No, them I’d like to kill with my bare
hands; but I can’t take a chance and damage the circular spirit which makes all
things possible, now can I? Father, he is worried about us, me and you Lotus.
He wants us to make amends-Father knows I will need you…your help if the Rising
Arms Corporation is to be as successful as it is now in the future.
Lotus
I see,
River
Lotus?
Lotus
Yes River?
River
I am sorry about what happened between
us - I was just… so young –
Lotus
I know
River
And Lotus?
Lotus
Yes?
River
N-Nevermind, we’re through.
Lotus
Sighs, bows her head
Whispers
I love you too River.
Exit.
Adreanna walks into a meeting
room from the bridge of the moderate sized space ship. Sabrina and Derek are in
the room before hand; Sabrina has just completed another exercise.
Derek
Are we still getting a reading from the
probe?
Sabrina
Yes, it is significantly fainter, but we
do have it.
Adreanna
I just spoke to our volunteers, it seems
as if we are on course. But they don’t understand why we’re following the
coordinates Pamona gave us. They say nothing is there is that region of space,
no ships, no life, nothing.
Sabrina
Yes, I know.
Adreanna
Why are we going out there in the first
place; I thought the plan was to travel to Xyle 4?
Derek
That’s what we’re doing.
Adreanna
Kind of a round about way of doing it
wouldn’t you say so?
Sabrina
We first must find a place where we can
encounter a wormhole. When we find one I should be able to manipulate the path
of the wormhole to let us out far enough away from the moons of Xyle 4 so that
our ship can decelerate and we can take a shuttle to the surface.
Adreanna
Why do we need a wormhole?
Sabrina
I am not yet powerful enough to
manipulate my power without some
assistance, this will be the first time I will use the power the star has given
me. And besides, the worst that happens is that we get a little lost. But if I
tried to actually create the wormhole, there’s a chance I might not be strong
enough yet to sustain it; it could collapse.
Adreanna
So what does that mean per se?
Derek
Picks up a piece of paper
Imagine if the universe were linear like
this piece of paper, and all the points one could travel to were on here.
Normally you would have to travel the distance between two points to get where
you were going. A wormhole allows you to bring two points on the paper together
and travel from point to point instantaneously.
Folds the paper in half
But if the wormhole collapses, while you
are inside, the universe flattens itself out again, disconnecting the two
points. Which means either you are killed instantly or lost indefinitely in an
undercurrent of space. Either way, we die, the universe resets and the quest to
complete the Arcane Evolution continues.
Adreanna
So why just not eliminate chance all
together and make the linear travel?
Sabrina
The original voyage lasted seven generations.
And even with modern advancements the journey would only be quartered, or
halved at best. Not that the time is a problem for us but our crew would surely
die and who knows what the situation the colonies or Earth itself would be in
once we returned? It is better for us to go quickly and obtain all we need and
then return once fate allows.
Adreanna
Right. How long will we be traveling
until we come in contact with our wormhole. Not even the pilots know of a
wormhole out this far.
Sabrina
Pamona will be providing our wormhole
while we’re on our way. Hopefully within the next day we shall reach the
coordinates. But for now I must continue my training.
Adreanna
I see, Derek will you come with me?
Derek
Exits with Adreanna
What’s up?
Adreanna
How is the training going? I know that
Sabrina is not particularly fond of this weight she bares…that we all bare
Derek
Well, she has been able to send probes
into the region. Pamona has been sporadically giving Sabrina small tests where Sabrina
sends a probe to the region of space where we need to be. Sabrina needs to rest
but won’t. I hope she doesn’t stress herself out, but at the moment who knows.
Adreanna
I see,
Derek
Looks out of one of the observatory windows
What do you think we’ll find out there,
light years from home, on a foreign world with a people who aren’t our own? Do
you think we are just following the universe to the edge…as if we could
suddenly fall from the face of existence…?
Adreanna
Falling from the edge of the world, oh
what a romantic notion…no…I think we’ll find something so close and yet vastly
different than everything we have ever known. When we get there, we will meet
people that will know what we are, not that who we are matters so much
anymore…I’ve been looking at the original texts Pamona translated into UWC
English standard, the language is practically a mixture of Cyrillic, Sanskrit,
ancient Greek, Chinese, Latin and the Hieroglyphs of Egypt…a combination of
most base languages on Earth. It must sound beautiful.
Derek
Yeah, but hopefully with the lessons
Pamona has been giving us, as well as our dear implants, I’m sure we will
understand in time any humanoid language.
Adreanna
Derek?
Derek
Yeah?
Adreanna
Do you think we can do this whole
thing…think we’re strong enough to pull it off?
Derek
Smiles
Look at it this way, if we’re not you’ll
never know the difference…the universe will reset and this conversation won’t
even be so much as a memory.
Exits.
Int. Bridge. The four volunteer
pilots steer their course. Another crewman enters and whispers into one of the
pilots’ ears about the seekers.
Pilot 1
Leans near Pilot 2
Whispers
I just over heard two of the kids
talking back there. It looks like they’re going to try going through a wormhole
near where we’re going…said something about an alien world or something…I
couldn’t listen in too closely…didn’t wanna get caught you know.
Pilot 2
Whispers
I think this is what Sir River is
waiting to hear. Once we get a chance to go through the wormhole, we’ll send a
beacon out to let Mr. Johns know where we are. We should also detonate a few
charges inside the wormhole to make sure it doesn’t collapse when we exit. This
way Sir River will commend us greatly. From there they can trace the ship’s
engine signature like breadcrumbs.
Pilot 1
Good. I will ready our beacon STAT. We
should be handsomely rewarded for our efforts so far, enough bars of Martian
platinum to see us through the rest of our days. But if you can convince the
rest of the crew to kill our friends, I think our grandchildren will appreciate
the efforts we have made to secure their futures as well.
Sinister smile
Pilot 2
Nods.
Very well, I do want my sons to be
educated. If this will pay not only for their education but their children’s as
well, I accept. I can probably get most of the crew to go along, the majority
of the lot are in our position…but we should have 20 men at our disposal, more
than enough to handle 6 kids from Osaka…
Chuckles
Pilot 1
Our platinum will be awaiting our pick
up once we arrive back on Mars. I will inform Mr. Johns of our decision to
comply with the Rising Arms Corporation. He will be very pleased.
Exits.
Int. In a laboratory Jeremi plots
away on a new design, for the security bots and tinkers improvements on the
bodysuits.
Scientist
The tests are going well Dr. Hashimoto.
The drones are now more resistant to the elements, if you give us a week or
more we can probably up the tolerance from plus or minus 1000 degrees centigrade
to 1500 sir.
Jeremi
No, not enough time, tell your men you
have 72 hours to make any and all upgrades to the drones. We ship the last 200
out in 72 hours. Afterward I want all of your attentions focused on improving
the Forlander ground troops and the Ryderian hover forces.
Scientist
Very well sir, but in three days’ time
the max we can get the drones to tolerate is about 1250 plus or minus…or 1300
with prayer sir.
Smiles
Jeremi
Good, it will have to do, we will just
send in more body armor. Are we past our desired number of those?
Scientist
Yes sir, 1371 at last count, we may even
reach 1400 by the time of the ships departure from Mars.
Jeremi
Excellent, you and your team have done
well; tell your men you have my commendation and highest respect, and more
importantly the respect of the Rising Arms Corporation.
Pats his shoulder
Make sure you tell them to put ample
power in those laser guns, at least a week’s supply for each of the 1600
soldiers and drones. This has got to be flawless.
Scientist
Yes sir, right away sir.
Enter Jan-Ivar and River.
River
I see that things are going well here, I
am most pleased.
Jeremi
Of course River. Everything will be
ready to be shipped in approximately 72 hours.
River
72 hours?
Jeremi
With all do respect sir, my men are
never late, especially not when my name is attached to what they do. I expect
nothing less than excellence, and sometime only godliness will pass my marks as
mediocre…the entire operation will be ready in three days.
River
Smiles
Good, then let us set up our first
meeting to discuss strategy, we have received contact with a beacon. The crew
of the star cruiser Vera skylark are well behind us. They plan on not making a
move until they reach surface landside somewhere. We will be trailing their
signature all the way to the gingerbread house.
Jan-Ivar
We must plan quickly; we do not know how
long they can sustain the wormhole with the charges they will use. Our best bet
is to not trail them by more than six days at any one time. And since our ship
is better equipped than theirs, our time should not be nearly as long in space
as theirs.
River
I like that line of thinking. Meet in my
personal chambers in four hours. We will depart slightly ahead of our cargo;
too many ships at one time will trigger the alert of every colony.
Turns to exit.
Oh, and boys…play nice Lotus is coming
along with us for the journey. It should be an interesting trip. I will see the
both of you shortly then.
Exits.
Int. Chris and Anthony sit
watching out of the observation windows, talking indefinitely.
Anthony
Bites his apple.
I was reading the Arcane Evolution again
yesterday. Pamona says that there are and have been stories of those like us
before. Do you think we will be able to learn more of what we’ve become?
Chris
I hope so, Fiona is right you know. I do
feel something inside of me is calling out. Sometime I feel that something is
pulling me toward it but I don’t know what it is. It is frightening but
compelling too…whatever it is I want it to be there.
Anthony
Maybe one day we will find out what it
is together. I know you know this, but maybe the rest of us don’t vocalize it
enough. We all respect you Chris, you are our brother, our mentor, and our best
friend. We love you because only we have felt pain remotely close to yours.
Leans to him
You saved my life Chris, when it never
meant much to me at all. I owe you something words can’t describe and the
Arcane Evolution can’t take away. And once I can put my finger on it and name
what you have given me, I will thank you.
Chris
Anthony, anything I gave to you came
from what I already saw. I do know how you all feel, and it flatters and scares
me.
Sips his tea
My suffering has always been inside, I
think my blood is still trying to decide if it should still run the oxygen to
my lungs or lie still until I asphyxiate. You and me, we are brothers, you love
me because I know so much about you, you only love an extention of yourself.
That is what love is…nothing more than loving everything you love best and hate
most about yourself you see in others.
Enter Kira
Kira
Hey Anthony, hello Chris.
Chris and Kira kiss
What are you two doing here; the others
are all involved elsewhere meditating or studying. I thought surely you would
have been as well.
Chris
Sometimes talking out loud is the best
meditation one can hope for.
Kira
Laughs
Do you always have to sound so
philosophical about everything when you talk to me or is that just to irritate
me?
Chris
I’m only doing you a favour; you’re cute
when you’re upset.
Anthony
Laughs.
I think the scenery leads itself toward
being philosophical about everything. In space what else is there except to
exist?
Kira
I don’t know, maybe suffering is all we
have. Existing is suffering marked with joy for highlights…nothing more than
frosting on a cake, all fluff and no substance.
Chris
Toys with the cup.
Simple, life doesn’t have a choice, it
is our slave, we are the worker bees holding hostage a queen. We are free to
leave the hive.
Squeezes Kira’s hand.
Stands up.
Anthony, I bid you a good night as I am
off. Fiona, I will see you later ok? I will be meditating tonight. I will see
you both in the morning.
Exits.
Anthony
Smiles slightly
I keep thinking about what we have, what
we are now. And you know what, the more I think about the more I realize this
is not a great blessing, but a deed, or chore that must be borne. We weren’t
chosen because we were the best prospects…we were chosen because we can bare
suffering. Think about Chris, we have suffered, so much of our lives, all of us
in fact, would never be able to understand happiness or joy that was untainted
by all that we have been through. The water we drink will always taste less
pure, the air we breath, not quite as clean…we were chosen because we suffer,
and we do it well…and he…he suffers without so much as a whimper, it scares me.
Kira
Nods silently thinking to herself.
Oh but he does whimper Anthony, but only
in my ears…and only when he’s sure I can’t really hear a word he says as I
drift off to sleep…but I hear, and I weep in my dreams for it to go away.
