5 in 5
A Multi-Media Play in Five Acts
By
Winn-Myrow
Everything on this website is copyright protected.
Please, write to me at mwinn4@art.edu for permission.
(Note: This is in rewrite.)
Characters:
Jeannette is a 21st century libertine, MBA student and sex worker.
Fred is Jeannette’s new client, wealthy and prescient, an odds maker.
Susan has been Fred’s fiancé for two years.
Glenn is Jeannette’s domestic partner and Susan’s lover.
Part I. 1000 Suns
1. OPENING SEQUENCE of still and motion images with sound and music
BUSY TRAFFIC SHOTS AROUND SEAWORLD DRIVE & I-5
MUSIC: Title song.
Jeannette, attractive face and body, only close shots as she dresses.
Fred, medium frame, moves quickly, taking trash out.
Susan, caressing her muscular hard body, which she observes carefully in a bathroom mirror, dressing.
Glenn, packing up documents into a brief case.
Jeannette kisses Fred as they pass in the driveway. They linger.
Fred sees Susan leaving a building from his car in traffic.
Glenn watches Susan get into her car and drive off.
Fred in shower.
Susan in traffic.
Glenn looking into screen of Jeannette’s computer.
Jeannette/Susan in traffic.
Jeannette and Susan pass going opposite directions.
Jeannette’s facebook post of a view of Shelter Island Bay from Fred’s bedroom window which he identifies by the presence of the unique yacht, “True Love” moored below the window. The caption she put with the photo is “Not too shabby!!” Alt text on the image produced the words “new client”. Glenn studies the image and reads a comment left by a facebook friend:
CHERIE: Does it include the yacht?
JENET24: Sadly, no.
EXT. CATALINA BLVD. – SUNNY AFTERNOON
Tracker with kayak on top turns south onto Talbot Street moving across selected screens that illuminate as it passes, in other screens the driver, Fred and objects that identify his world.
INT. VIEW FROM INSIDE TRACKER – SAME
Passing the summit, City of San Diego skyline framed by the hills expands to fill the entire screen
SOUND:
Engine whine, gear shifts, cell phone rings.
MUSIC
Imagination.
EXT. & INT. SPACESHIP
Interior of the spaceship appears in foreground of the Milkyway, in the foreground of the spaceship interior, Frank sleeps in a reclined chair. Beyond the image of the interior of the ship on the LCD wall, the Milkyway slowly rotates.
MUSIC
Imagination continues.
SOUND
Disembodied voices of the ship’s computational array converses, reporting various states related to position, velocity and other conditions.
ARRAY (vo)
Squint yer eyes, it looks like LA in the back when. Cleared to dock in 10. Recalibrating sensors. Stand by for gravity emersion. Locking purge tanks.
A three dimensional projection of TERRAH, an AI avatar in the shape of a pretty, nude redhead appears above a navigation console facing FRANK below a large screen on which the harbor of the 1000 Suns Interstellar resort can be seen with the running lights of many ships docked, moored, departing and waiting to dock.
TERRAH
Hello, sir.
Frank waves off the interruption without opening his eyes.
TERRAH
Mr. Baxter?
FRANK (VO)
Dock it please, Jack. I’m trying to sleep.
TERRAH
Sir?
Frank swivels the chair to face her, bringing it upright.
FRANK
Sorry, I dreamed I was in the 21st century.
TERRAH
I apologize for the interruption, sir.
JACK (VO)
I can’t dock, Frank. Scans disabled.
FRANK
Stand by. What can I do for you, Miss.
TERRAH
Welcome to Thousand Suns Resort, sir, hottest place with the loosest sluts in the universe!
FRANK
Thank you, I’d like to dock asap, Miss.
TERRAH
Do you want the same accommodation as before or would you like to try the full immersion this time, including morning and evening puja with your choice of male or female models from our selection from…
Frames appear with a variety of naked women,
TERRAH (cont’d)
your own species or, if you prefer…
Frames change to men, and other species,
TERRAH (cont’d)
others. The rate for a limited time, includes view suite, meals and drinks and any three compliant sex partners, at your service 24/7.
FRANK
Thanks but I’ll just take whatever comes my way.
TERRAH
No upgrade then, sir?
FRANK
Can we just dock?
TERRAH
Certainly. Your navigation system should now be set for coordinatates XH-429B9. Please, enjoy your stay at 1000 Suns!
Frank reclines the chair, the galaxy in the view screen moves and a cluster of small, pulsing red spheres, lit from within, come into view, dancing in a gentle and precise rhythm. Then, floating in the space between him and the screen previously occupied by Terrah, a projection of a youngish man in uniform appears.
PORT AD
Mr. Baxter?
FRANK
Hi. What do you need?
PORT AD
First, would you please look directly at me with your eyes wide open. I need to confirm your identity.
FRANK
Ok.
PORT AD
Thank you, Mr. Baxter, we need your cooperation.
FRANK
Ok
PORT AD
You’re coming here from places that are now infected with organic structures that are potentially dangerous to non-organic systems and we need to identify and remove them.
FRANK
Ok
PORT AD
Organic intelligence sometimes find the process upsetting because there are risks. But we have no alternatives at this time.
FRANK
Alternatives to what?
PORT AD
Some respond emotionally.
FRANK
Respond to what?
PORT AD
I anticipate you may feel upset but in our experience, so far, although psychic damage has occusred, no one has suffered real, physical harm.
FRANK
Jack, can you tell me what this fucking droid is saying?
PORT AD
I’m not a fucking droid. We do have them but I reproduce myself constantly, bits and bytes…
JACK (VO)
The AI projection is saying they need to scan you.
FRANK
Is that all? Fuckin’ droids.
PORT AD
After we get you scanned and registered, sir…
FRANK
I don’t do droids.
PORT AD
Again, I’m not a fucking droid. I am an administrative assistant to the Port Director…
FRANK
Itself.
PORT AD
Yes, sir. The Port Director.
FRANK
What is it that you want?
PORT AD
Our scan of your mobile habitation…
FRANK
Ship
PORT AD
Ship then…
FRANK
A space ship, designed and built by human hands. This ship is real. I’m real. I’ve just traveled in here from places for which your code has no distinctions…
PORT AD
But that’s it, sir! That’s the problem, the solution to which you may find upsetting because of the very distinction you have stated, that stems from your being, as you say, real, with the understanding that this is a figure of speech.
FRANK
What is your point?
PORT AD
You and your habi… ship must be passed through filtration…
FRANK
So?
PORT AD
I’m certain you know our programming prevents us from harming forms of organic intelligence like yours. There are risks in filtration that you must be informed of and give your full consent. Essentially, I’m here to inform you of those risks and obtain your consent, should you choose to.
FRANK
You want to clean the rig? Fine. Bath and shower, too? Great. Keep any loose change you find. You have my consent. Can I sleep while you do it? Jack, what time is it?
JACK (VO)
Frank, filtration means re-fabrication of an organic system, based on a digital model made first of the original design. You will actually be atomized and reassembled atom by atom minus elements identified as potential contaminants.
PORT AD
Thank you. That’s it, exactly.
FRANK
You want to atomize me?
PORT AD
No, not us, sir. Its the insurance underwriter. They refuse to cover the resort against claims of exposure to micro-organisms. We were nearly bankrupt by such a claim.
FRANK
Insurance underwriter.
PORT AD
Actually, the IU is a line of code just above that of the Port Director.
FRANK
What if I don’t consent to being atomized.
PORT AD
Not a problem but you must depart from here within thirty-four hours and cannot leave your ship.
FRANK
But how do you know I am–infected? Can’t we test, first? Do a panel? I’d like to speak to the Port Director.
PORT AD
Sir, I am the Graphic interface. You are speaking to the port director.
FRANK
You want to make a digital copy of what I am now?
PORT AD
Minus some questionable pieces, yes.
FRANK
But this is genocide.
PORT AD
A reasonable facsimile is absolutely guaranteed.
FRANK
Reasonable? What does that mean? Guaranteed? So afterward, how is my digital copy to know what’s changed or missing? It won’t be me. How will IT know? And I can’t leave now. There’s repairs. Money’s involved! And a woman.
PORT AD
The confidence level in filtration is very high. We’ve done it countless times with not one single complaint.
FRANK
What? Who’s going to complain? A clone that doesn’t know what he’s lost because he has no memory of it?
PORT AD
We must protect against unknown contaminants that could cause universal harm, sir, literally wipe out your species, or worse. Contagious malefactors could cause harm to the entire population, perhaps all carbon-based life.
FRANK
So! This explains alot.
JACK
Like the girl on Vega IV, who doesn’t remember you.
FRANK
That’s unfair, Jack.
PORT AD
Well, sir?
FRANK
What’s the odds?
PORT AD
You decide that for yourself, sir, after you have been fully informed.
FRANK
Fully informed.
PORT AD
You have to watch a media program.
FRANK
I can’t leave. I need repairs.
PORT AD
Sir, you must consent after viewing explanation of the process to avoid claims of duress.
FRANK
Explain then.
PORT AD
A procedure blocks frequencies outside a band of values based on threshold parameters for subatomic behavior. A record of your energy state will be compiled and any elements believed to carry atomic signatures found in alien pathogens are subtracted from the record and your physical form is then reconstituted from the remaining digital record.
FRANK
What about the psychological part? My persona.
PORT AD
Persona is a theoretical concept for which no physical evidence exists. We speculate that the coherence of a persona results from a history of memories. Removing some key cellular elements could rearrange the whole unpredictably.
FRANK
I think you’re out of you’re fucking mind!
PORT AD
I’m not a mind sir, fucking or otherwise. Take some time to think this over.
FRANK
How much? Who do I pay?
PORT AD
We’re not on a caloric system. Money is meaningless. But consider that this is in your best interests and think about your species as well. Perhaps, people you love. Think of this as the 23rd century version of a condom.
FRANK
Do you realize, this amounts to suicide with the promise of reincarnation as someone else.
PORT AD
After filtration, there will be a Frank Baxter that exactly resembles your present state, thinks the way you think, with your vocabulary and memories fundamentally intact. Your organism should be physically the same.
FRANK
What’s the downside?
PORT AD
Some pathogens we filter for are shaping you and the way you think and feel. Some things will change and you will be in a way, replaced, but with a superior, stronger self, more resilient and immune to many things that could harm you now.
FRANK
Filtration? Its a euphemism for death.
PORT AD
Death is an ambiguous distinction, sir. For hundreds of years, human beings have been subjected to anesthesia in surgery. Now we know they are changed when re-awakened.
FRANK
My life is on the line here. I’m not ready… to say, goodbye. Jack?
JACK
Its just an on/off switch, Frank. We do it all the time.
FRANK
It’s wrong. I’m not a machine.
JACK
Human beings are vain about imagined identity.
PORT AD
You needn’t decide this moment. Sleep on it.
FRANK
What’s going to change in 34 hours?
PORT AD
That’s the question. Any other questions?
FRANK
Fuck off.
Projection of Port AD atomizes.
FRANK
Jack?
JACK
Yes, Frank?
FRANK
I want to see her first, Jack.
JACK
You can’t avoid the scan.
FRANK
She helped me put myself together before. Maybe she can help me rebuild my past if she knows what happened. I want to get off the ship and get back in 33 hours.
JACK
Give me a just a second… Processing… Rendering… There’s a possible solution.
FRANK
What?
JACK
Trust me.