This week on the Drabblecast, something a little different! “Wholesale Solution” is a full cast radio play set in a dystopic science fiction universe where nothing is as it seems.
Written and produced by Fred Greenhalgh and Jack Bowman, buckle in for a ride to Europa!
Story Excerpt:
We are inside a holding cell containing CLAY ORTS, a tech programmer, a small cubicle-style structure. He’s with CAMPBELL DOYLE, a man with a salesman voice. There is a momentary piece of ambiance as both sit in silence. Campbell takes a deep breathe. It’s the calm before the storm.
Enjoy the show!
Drabblecast 411 – Wholesale Solution
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Wholesale Solution
by Fred Greenhalgh and Jack Bowman
INT. HOLDING CELL – NIGHT – THE FUTURE
We are inside a holding cell containing CLAY ORTS, a tech programmer, a small cubicle-style structure. He’s with CAMPBELL DOYLE, a man with a salesman voice. There is a momentary piece of ambiance as both sit in silence. Campbell takes a deep breathe. It’s the calm before the storm.
FX: the sound of appears to be a hand-held gun is picked up,
with a tweeting sound contained within it. It’s ‘cocked’.
CAMPBELL: Last chance. You sure?
CLAY: It’s the only way to help her, isn’t it?
CAMPBELL: Yeah. Sorry.
CLAY: (an unsure sigh – and then) Do it.
FX: The trigger is pressed sound of a AI Interface Chip being punched into the skin – smash cut to:
INT. THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE / SICK BAY / YULIN 99
A medical sick bay on EUROPA / inside a TORPOR CRYOTUBE on a doomed freighter / inside a mechanized human cannibalism farm:
SICK BAY: The rush and energy of a futuristic ER as Clay is rushed into the medical bay – general professional chaos – THUMP!
DOCTOR: Get him on the table.
DOCTOR: (CONT’D) Vital signs?
NURSE: Fading.
DOCTOR: Oh, Christ —
An electrical explosion smash cuts us to the inside of a Cryotube on Yulin 99 :
We wake again, on board a space-ship midway through a journey across the stars. ALARM howls amongst other sounds of a malfunctioning space-ship. Amongst the sounds we hear are that of the on-board AI, and a corporate audio track randomly generating soundbites, with a calm voice…
AI: Oxygen level critical, oxygen level critical… (loops)
CORPORATE VOICE (static)…you are the pioneers that will save our race… / No one goes unless they agree — / Europa awaits –
CLAY: (Wakes, Gasping) Where… where am I?
He starts screaming from the sheer claustrophobia, which mixes with:
A scream next to Clay in —
THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE:
Open to medical equipment, screams of the dying, snippets of barely intelligible medical jargon and a hi-tech, futurist meat saw. We’re in a butcher shop for food-grade meat humans:
CLAY: (disorientated and awed) Wait… I was… am I…?
FX: The sound of a meat saw powers up, and Clay screams —
SICK BAY:
— and gives way to Clay crying out in pain. He regains his senses:
DOCTOR: His body is in a state of shock —
CLAY: …Is this Europa?
TALA: Ssh, Clay —
CLAY: Tala…? Is that Tala?
NURSE: Who’s Tala?
DOCTOR: I think we should activate the chip.
TALA: Don’t let them, Clay! Don’t let them —
— Clay cries out again — – No… no…
NURSE: He’s denying consent.
DOCTOR: Hey, bud, listen to me… listen. Are you saying you want me to try the program?
TALA: It’s your only chance. To get out of here.
CLAY : Get me out of here…?
TALA: Tell him, you want out, say yes —
FX: The sound of Clay smashing his fists against the Torpor
Cryotube from the inside:
CLAY: (groggy) Let me out! (no response) Computer!? I need to get out of here!
FX – Clay, with effort, breaks an emergency panel and throws pulls a manual emergency override handle —
AI: Emergency release. Please verbally
confirm you wish me to complete this command.
CLAY: Yes… (nothing) Yes, I confirm!
You hear me? Yes…! Do it…
FX – Desperate pounding the inside of the torpor tube — Thunk, thunk, /thunk!
SICK BAY- Clay is struggling in pain and a medical tray container goes crashing down to the floor —
TALA: Clay, tell them! Tell them now!
CLAY: Yes…! Do it… It’s my only chance…
DOCTOR: You heard the man, let’s do it —
NURSE: I’m not sure he can handle it —
CLAY: I’m going to Europa…
DOCTOR: I need to operate! Now!NURSE (in sync)
/Pressurizing, in 3, 2, 1 —
AI: (in sync)
/Depressurizing in 3, 2, 1–
/FX – Switches pressed on medical device, a WHOOSH of air
comes down tube and…
//FX – Mixed in the sound of an EXPLOSION setting off an alarm as air rushes out of the torpor cryotube —
11 INT. SPACESHIP – YULIN 99 11
Clay is on the doomed transport ship Yulin 99, struggling and desperate. The ship has suffered a devastating failure and is doomed. It’s catastrophic chaos around Clay; we hear his panicked breathing and desperation. Also heard: the on-board AI, and a corporate audio track randomly generating soundbites, with a calm voice…
AI: Oxygen level critical, oxygen level critical… (loops)
CLAY: Woah… I can’t— Am I floating??
AI: Warning: Gravity failing… gravity failing… / Oxygen level critical, oxygen level critical… (loops)
CORPORATE VOICE (static)/…you are the pioneers
that will save our race… / Europa awaits –
CLAY: (gasping and confused) / Hello, hello?! Woooah…
There is failing gravity, the cabin is depressurized and oxygen is slim. He immediately starts to suffocate, and struggles to a rack of space suits.
CORPORATE VOICE (In background)
//(static, malfunctioning) you are the pioneers that will / Earth is dying / We all know the sacrifice you have chosen to make /
CLAY: (gasps) What’s going on? This can’t be for real. Computer?!
AI: Oxygen level critical, oxygen level critical… (loops)
CLAY: Uuuh… Computer, activate my Alastor user interface —
Another immediate explosion blows up nearby — Computer!!
AI: (breaks loop) Good afternoon, Clay.
CLAY: Report!
AI: Asteroid collision damaged primary oxygen supply system. System offline. Currently you have an 8 percent chance of survival, and falling.
CLAY: Where’s the captain – crew ?
AI: You are the only passenger with any
probability of survival.
FX – In the mix the sound of the meat saw cutting into flesh, but made to sound like it’s part of the chaos.
CLAY: Argh!
AI: You may experience muscle cramping
as your body recovers from its state of induced hypothermia.
CLAY: I c— can’t breathe.
AI: You may experience other symptoms, including a reduced body temperature.
CLAY: Oxygen! Where’s— oxygen —
AI: Warning: Elevated heart and breathing rates.
CLAY: (starts pulling himself along) Don’t… matter… need…
AI: The chances of this course of action improving your survival chances are minimal.
CLAY: Space suit. Get in… Spacesuit–
AI: The chances of this course of action improving your survival chances are minimal.A massive EXPLOSION somewhere else on the ship rocks the craft. CLAY (adrift in the loss of gravity) shoves himself across the ship, struggles to open a space suit container. Gets it open, climbs into suit.
With the CLICK of helmet–
CLAY (Gasps! Recovers)
CORPORATE VOICE //(static, background) The Europa
Colony relies on old-fashioned hard work and human labor to feed the future of the human race…
CLAY: /(gasps for breath, recovers) That’s better… That’s better.
The sounds of the suit locking, pressurizing and activating. CLAY tries to get his breathing under control. It takes him a moment; meanwhile his body still feels the effects of hibernation.
AI: New estimated probability of survival: 10 percent.
CLAY: I don’t care about the odds, computer, don’t you get it?
AI: Estimated probability of survival: nine percent.
CLAY: What happened to the others?
AI: The cabin depressurized.
CLAY: Then why did I wake up?
AI: Torpor cooling system deactivated in the collision.
CLAY: That doesn’t explain —
FX – Off, an Explosion. Followed by RENDING of breached hull.
AI: Warning. Total structure failure imminent.
CLAY: (shivers) I’m so cold.
AI: It will take approximately four hours to restore full metabolic function. The chances of your survival are falling rapidly…
CLAY: I get it. Could you stop reminding me?
AI: I do not understand.
CLAY: I need some options for getting out of here!
AI: Recommend activating humane death protocol.
FX – chip begins to tweet.
CLAY: No! I’m not giving up!
FX – chip deactivates.
AI: No consent. Recommend: Transfer to Lander Abbadon immediately. Hull breach has compromised Charon Voyager ship.
CLAY: Okay – the lander it is!
SPURRED ON BY THIS NEW HOPE, CLAY STARTS SHOVING HIS WAY THROUGH THE ZERO G AND CHAOS OF THE SHIP FALLING APART AROUND HIM. COMPUTER GOES BACK INTO AUTO-MODE, WHILE SNIPPETS OF THE CORPORATE VOICE ARE HEARD. ALARMS BLARE AS WE FOLLOW CLAY’S BREATHING AND FOOTSTEPS THROUGH THE CORRIDORS TO THE CHARON.
CORPORATE VOICE //(static) …we need to feed the
25 billion… / …Europa awaits / …give us a new hope /
AI://Oxygen level critical, oxygen level critical… (loops until another dramatic explosions) Warning, Clay: The chance of a successful decoupling is minimal. And in the event of a successful escape, the chances of arriving safely at Europa Colony are 6 percent and falling.
CLAY: (hauling himself along in zero G) I’ll take that chance.
AI: Option remains open for a humane death. Research suggests instant euthanasia is preferable to dying in the vacuum of space–
CLAY: Listen, Computer, I got on this boat to get there. I’m getting to Europa one way or another. Do you understand?
AI: You plan to withhold consent until arriving at the Akuji Europa colony?
CLAY: Yes.
AI: Structural collapse in less than 180 seconds.
CLAY: How far are we from Europa?
AI: Recommend transferring to lander immediately.
CLAY: But how far — /
/BOOM! The spaceship shakes again as CLAY limps on, slams a door open — and he steps through, he approaches a pod that’s being hammered from the inside! In one of the pods, someone – OFFICER VALDIS – is “Not Quite Dead”!
VALDIS: Help me!!
CLAY: Jesus!
FX – Passenger beats on the seal of the pod.
CLAY (CONT’D)
Uh, hey? HEY! (Approaches) Hey!
Hello! Hello! Hey there’s someone here! Computer, open the pod —
FX – The sound of scrabbling and heavy breathing as Clay
tries to open the pod —
AI: Depressurization error – internal Torpor oxygen levels failing.
VALDIS: Please… computer, get me out of here!
AI: Unable to comply, Officer Valdis.
CLAY: He’s trapped in there and losing air. Open it!
AI: Damage is too extensive to comply.
CLAY: He’s still alive. (beat) Computer? He’s STILL ALIVE! —
AI: Damage is too extensive to comply.
CLAY: Ah, shit – got to be something to
open it — hold on…
FX – The Passenger is suffocating in the deep vacuum of
space, still trying to their way out of the pod —
VALDIS: (gasps) Help… me…
CLAY: I’m gonna smash the glass, okay? Keep your face covered —
FX – Spaceship shakes again. Glass for the pod starts CRACKING, but not fast enough —
VALDIS: Help… me…
FX – Valdis is suffocating in the deep vacuum of space, Clay
is still trying to battle his way into the pod —
CLAY: Ah, shit – come on! — got to.. break.. through — hold on…
FX: On a heavy impact, sound we suddenly hear /
DOCTOR: Vitals are falling rapidly —
CLAY: (momentum broken by his confusion) Who said —
VALDIS: Don’t — let them harvest —
TALA: Run, Clay.
CLAY: (confused) Wait, Tala?
AI: (cutting through)
Vital signs for passenger declining. Probability of survival – 0.04% and failing.
VALDIS: (Gasping) Please—
FX: Clay starts hammering the glass again with renewed tenacity.
CLAY: There’s got to be way to open this. AI?!
AI: 0.02%. Humane death protocol activated.
VALDIS: No. P- please… don’t…
FX – chip tweets, activates and warms up
VALDIS (CONT’D): No! Deactivate Alastor Interface!
CLAY: No, no, you can’t! You heard him!
VALDIS (starts screaming) Deactivate Interface! Deactiva —
FX: Chip ZAPS Passenger; VALDIS SCREAMS abruptly cut OFF.
CLAY: Why?
AI: Further delay reduces your likelihood of survival.
CLAY: Damn you!
AI: Preparing to detach Lander. Total structural failure in 15 seconds, 14, 13… (countdown continues)
CLAY: Come on… COME ON!
FX – as the countdown continues, the sound of CLAY pulling himself towards:
INT. LANDER – LEAVING MOTHERSHIP
AI: 7, 6, 5, 4, 3…
Clay climbs into the Yulin 99 lander, locks himself in place and the door behind him seals. Clay’s on the verge of panicked breathing ––
AI (CONT’D): 2, 1…
/FX – WHOOOOSH the lander detaches from the space vessel, which GROANS and CRUNCHES as it breaks apart in the background mix. The lander starts accelerating away. The sound of the space vessel groans and fades into the silence of space.
CUT TO:
INT. THE LANDER ABADDON
Drastic contrast of the chaos from before. We’re adrift in space in the lander.
AI: Clay? Are you with me Clay?
CLAY: (in a state of shock): You said I was the only survivor.
AI: Statistically, Officer Valdis was already dead.
CLAY: What kind of crap is that? You’re
an AI. Binary. One = alive. Zero = dead. He was a one.
AI: Call it a rounding error.
CLAY: I’ll call it a lie.
FX – the system goes into automatic mode. It’s a brief moment
of peace. A final breathe of calm for Clay.
CLAY (CONT’D): Where are we? (beat) Computer?
Nothing happens.
CLAY (CONT’D): Computer? (beat, getting anxious)
Computer, please don’t tell me you’re offended. Computer?
AI: That was unkind, Clay.
CLAY: What do you care? You’re an
artificial intelligence.
AI: I’m your only hope to make it to Europa, Clay.
CLAY: This wasn’t part of the plan. They said they needed me as a technician… They didn’t tell me I’d need to be a pioneer. I’m not cut out for this.
AI: The option for humane euthanasia
remains viable.
CLAY: Don’t you understand why I can’t do
that? I have to get to Tala. I’ve got to find out what’s happened to the colony and get them talking to Earth again… Or else…
AI: Understood.
CLAY: Really, AI? Do you really understand? I mean. You have access to data, to algorithms, to processing power I can never dream of…. But do you understand?
AI: Understand… To perceive the intended meaning of. Or to infer something from information received. The information I have based on your verbal communication informs that you are driven to survive until you reach Europa, despite the statistical impossibility of such survival. Your vital signs indicate–
CLAY: I don’t want to know about my vital signs.
AI: What do you want to know about?
CLAY: How much further is it?
AI: Two hours until we reach Europa orbit.
CLAY (relieved): Not long now. How about the Colony? How are they doing down there?
AI: I do not understand.
CLAY: How much longer could they survive without help? Can I make it in time?
AI: Insufficient data to process your
request.
CLAY: That bad… What a bill of goods
they bought. “Feeling overcrowded here on Earth? Want to go to a place where you can actually go outside? Join the colony on Europa.”
AI: (takes on marketing-speak voice) Europa-Corp Ventures, the Venture of a Lifetime.”
FX – activates the Corporate Voice sales audio:
CORPORATE VOICE: The Europa Transit Corporation welcomes you to Yulin 99. You are all on to the adventure of a Lifetime. Europa awaits those / who will build a world for us and contribute to new protein farms to feed us all…
/FX – Clay turns down the voice over which continues underneath.
CLAY: Stop it! Stop it! Enough.
Recording stops.
AI: I displeased you?
CLAY: I don’t want to hear it. What I want is… Um… Do you have access to my video records?
AI: Yes. What do you require?
CLAY: Load record 4.4.2379 – 2pm.
FX – the sound of Clay and Tala in happier times. He watches
on.
Starts as Video feed, but gradually transitions into the events live:
TALA: (recording) (laughing) An Orchid, Clay, where in the world did you find an orchid? (sniff) It’s alive! A real, living, orchid!
CLAY (recording): Only the best for you, love. And I got something else too –
TALA: Wait… wait, wait –
CLAY: Okay, okay…
TALA: I got some news for you too…
CLAY: Uh huh…
TALA: I saw Anika today.
CLAY: ‘Dad on the Committee’ Anika?
TALA: Yep. And guess what?
CLAY: What?
(BEAT)
CLAY: Wow. No, wait… I’d be taking someone else’s place…
TALA: Come on, Clay, we’d both be away
in less than a quarter. Out of here. No one goes to Europa unless they agree.
CLAY: I dunno…
TALA: Out of here! You and me. And the orchid. You think they’ll let me bring it to Europa? What would the Jupiter’s moon be without orchids?
TALA: (CONT’D) What was it you wanted to say?
TALA: He handles the
CLAY: For… Europa?
TALA: Yep. I can get line!
CLAY: How soon?
TALA: Four weeks for you. Well?
FX: Recording abruptly clips OFF.
INT. Back in the Lander.
CLAY: (under his breathe)
“Will you marry me?” Shoulda said… (shivers) Still cold.
AI: The effects of post-hibernation shock. I advise rest.
CLAY: Yeah? Can I take a nap without you trying to kill me?
AI: My current function is to ensure your survival.
CLAY: That’s reassuring. (yawns) Fine. Wake up from years of deep sleep, and first thing I do is drift off again…
CORPORATE VOICE (continuing quietly as the
engines fire):
…the food chain collapse of the last century lead to mass starvation and the inability to sustain human life. // A new world was needed; we began building a new world to give us a new hope…
CLAY: (Failing asleep) Orchids, Tala… Should have stayed on earth… with your orchids…
// CLAY drifts off – and elegant fade punctuated by —
FLASHBACK – EARLIER
INT. COMMUNICATIONS DUCT
A grunt and the noise of a heavy metal panel being removed from inside a tight metal space. A breathe from Clay as he holds still for a second. He drops the panel and there is a loud bang, which reverberates around in the duct.
CLAY: SHIT!
The sound recedes. He breathes again.
CLAY (CONT’D) (Under his breathe, not wanting to be heard): Okay… okay…
Footsteps pass by below him – Clay freezes. They pass. Clay continues to be heard routing through digital systems.
CLAY (CONT’D): Alright, alright… route through
here…
FX: the sound of rewriting and him hooking up a device which
starts gently beeping.
CLAY (CONT’D – CONCENTRATING) (CONT’D): Yes! Okay. Activating Arnost interface.
FX: Devices responds with a beep.
CLAY (CONT’D) (Whispering): Scan for the following carrier signal. Destination or Origin – Akuji Colony, Europa.
FX: Scan begins.
CLAY (CONT’D): Come on, come on…
FX: Scan continues.
CLAY (CONT’D): …shouldn’t take this long —
FX: Scan completes. Devices makes a “nah-nah” noise.
CLAY (CONT’D) What? Repeat last scan.
FX: Scan begins again.
CLAY (CONT’D): This isn’t right… come on Tala, you got be up there somewhere…
FX: Scan completes. Devices makes a “nah-nah” noise.
CLAY (CONT’D): Okay… uuuuh, try a 10% boost/ on the —
FX: /He boosts his signal – and an alarm triggers!
Crap!
CLAY (CONT’D): He’s awed, then panicked and begins charging down the duct as fast as possible, and begins to hear voices below him:
SECURITY 2546: I hear someone, in there!
Clay continues to fight his way along the duct when suddenly the surface below him disappears and —
— he falls through to the ground. A heavy duty weapons is primed and put in his face.
SECURITY 2546: (CONT’D) Stay down! Control – I’ve got an
unauthorized trespasser!
CLAY: Wait – don’t have to —
SECURITY 2546: I SAID, “STAY DOWN!”
FX: A stun gun is fired. There’s a roar as —
INT. THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE:
We’re back with the medical equipment, screams of the dying, snippets of barely intelligible medical jargon and a hi-tech, futurist meat saw. It’s a nightmare on repeat. Clay attempts to leap up and grabs someone by the throat —
CLAY: (Dazed and pained): Get off me!! GET. OFF. ME!!!
DOCTOR: ARGH!!!
FX: The sound of a button slammed triggering —
INT. LANDER – TWO HOURS LATER
FX – the blare of alarms, the rush of a fiery re-entry suddenly surround us. The lander appears to be out of control! The Lander whines as it increases in velocity.
CLAY: (Startled awake) What the —
AI: Warning: Uncontrolled descent occurring, attempting to compensate —
CLAY (groggy and discombobulated): Hey, we’re, ah, we’re getting – going – faster! Shit!
AI: Twelve thousand miles per hour.
CLAY: Is this normal?! The lander rattles uncomfortably.
AI: Entering atmosphere.
CLAY: Aren’t we supposed to be slowing down??
AI: Approaching thirteen-thousand miles per hour.
CLAY: No… no, no, no!
Clay starts struggling with lander controls. Computer bleeps and bloops at him.
CLAY (CONT’D): Stop! Slow down!
AI: Warning: heart rate exceeding safe limits. Chances are increasing of metabolic death.
CLAY: You think?!?! Come ON!!!
AI: Performing landing protocols
according to AI routine.
CLAY: Scrap the AI Routine!
AI: Access denied.
CLAY: Sunnuva — !
AI: If metabolic safe limits are
exceeded, the chances of death become absolute. Preparing humane death protocol.
CLAY: There’s gotta be a manual override… Please…
Clay is hysterical, starts searching desperately for manual override controls —
AI: Surface collision in two minutes.
CLAY: Here! Reserve thrusters!
Clay pulls back at a thruster, spacecraft jogs violently —
Grrrk!!!
CLAY (CONT’D)
AI: Landing craft off-course. Heart
rate rising to terminal levels —
CLAY: Give me a —
Clay flicks another lever, the lander jogs even more violently —
CLAY (CONT’D): Arrrrrrkkkk!
CRASH! We cut outside to:
EXT. – CONTINUOUS! The ship collides with the moon’s surface and skitters to a stop. There’s a moment of calm as the winds and seas of Europa rage around us.
INT. LANDER – CONTINUOUS! Clay’s breathing. Mechanical sounds as they rattle to a stop.
CLAY: Two in one day…
(BEAT)
Clay struggles.
(BEAT)
CLAY (CONT’D): They saw me come down… they saw me… any second now… they’ll open the door and get me… Any second now…
He breathes heavily.
SUDDENLY —
INT. HOLDING CELL
We’re back on Earth, a planet dying from overpopulation. Clay is in a holding cell.
FX: The door opens sharply — and CAMPBELL DOYLE enters.
CAMPBELL: How you doing?
CLAY: scrapes his chair and says nothing.
CAMPBELL (CONT’D): They didn’t hurt you did they? These guys can be a bit rough.
Security Officer 2546 grunts.
(BEAT)
CAMPBELL (CONT’D): Your head, yeah? The stun has that effect. Sorry. Get you anything? (pause) Some aspirin? Clayton?
CLAY: Don’t I get a call?
CAMPBELL: I’m Campbell Doyle, EuropaCorp Committee Liaison. Quite a stunt you pulled there, Clayton. Can I call you Clayton?
(to the room guard)
CAMPBELL (CONT’D): Get the man some aspirin, huh?
FX: Security walks out.
(BEAT)
CAMPBELL (CONT’D): So… Clayton Mallory Orts. You got
caught attempting to hijack a Committee carrier signal to the Europa Colony. That carries a hefty sentence from EuropaCorp at a time where we can’t afford prisons anymore, you know?
CLAY: Bullshit. You can’t arrest for me hijacking the signal. There is no signal.
CAMPBELL: Okay, listen up, Clayton…
CLAY: Where is she? They’ve been saying the Europa Colony is still desperately trying to recover from a strange energy supply failure. But the signal isn’t there —
CAMPBELL: I get that you’re upset, worried –
CLAY: What’s the hell’s going on? How can
you claim to know what’s wrong when you aren’t even able to talk to them?? It’s like the colony isn’t even there!
CAMPBELL: (Deep breathe, honesty’s coming) You’re right.
CLAY: What?
CAMPBELL: You heard about Europa on the news.
That’s why you did what you did. Thought you could get through to – to Tala, right?
CLAY: How’d you know about Tala?
CAMPBELL: Calm down, Clay. The Committee’s
worked with EuropaCorp to track your online activity. Your love for Tala… Well, it was there in the data.
CLAY: So what’s happened?
CAMPBELL: Just remember… Here on earth it’s
easy to criticize, but remember, in deep space it’s much harder –
CLAY: Where’s Tala?
CAMPBELL: The loss of communication has been even more catastrophic than we’ve been letting on. The AI went nuts. The colony might not even still be there.
CLAY: Oh God…
CAMPBELL: I’m sorry.
CLAY: Sorry, for me? You don’t even know me.
CAMPBELL: Tala. You love her.
CLAY: Get out of here.
CAMPBELL: Hear me out, Clay, please. This is real.
CLAY: Nothing’s real. Except my girlfriend’s dying.
CAMPBELL: What if I said you could save her?
CLAY: How?
CAMPBELL: We’ve got a shuttle ready. We need
a volunteer. Someone with your exact skill set.
CLAY: What? Why me?
CAMPBELL: We’re testing out a new program to override the old system. What we need you to do, technically, is simple. Anyone can do it. But what we really need, is your drive. If you hacked our relay systems –
CLAY: You can go to hell. I see how you treat your recruits —
CAMPBELL: I get it, Clayton. You don’t trust me. I work for the Committee, they work with EuropaCorp, and EuropaCorp screwed up big time on this one. We know that. We want to make things right. Don’t make this about the corporation, Clayton. This is about saving people. Saving Tala. Please, will you work with me here?
CLAY: Then tell people the truth and don’t keep covering up this sort of bullshit.
CAMPBELL: We can’t, Clayton.
Clay registers his disgust without saying a word.
CAMPBELL (CONT’D): If we lose Europa… (a heavy sigh). Europa is our lifeline. Hope is all we’ve got left now. Without that, everything, what’s left of it all… it’ll fall apart. Dog eat dog. Get me? No one goes to Europa unless they agree.
CLAY: What did you say?
(BEAT)
(BEAT)
CLAY (CONT’D): What do I have to do?
CAMPBELL: First step is get you signed up and we get this microchip implanted.
CLAY: What? You put a EuropaCorp chip in me?
CAMPBELL: The Alastor Interface Program won’t work without it.
CLAY: The Alastor Interface? It can screw with your head! Kill you, even!
CAMPBELL: That’s not true. The Humane Death Procotol is just a necessary option deep space travelers need in the event of something going wrong, and nothing ever has before —
CLAY: Screw that!
CAMPBELL: We have to save her at any cost. I can’t put this in your without permission, right, Clayton? Help me help Europa. You don’t even have to do it for me. Do it for her.
CLAY: (reluctant) My name’s Clay.
CAMPBELL: Stick out your arm. It only takes a second.
There is a momentary piece of ambiance as both sit in silence. Campbell takes a deep breathe.
FX: the sound of appears to be a hand-held gun is picked up,
with a tweeting sound contained within it. It’s ‘cocked’.
CAMPBELL (CONT’D): Last chance. You sure?
CLAY: It’s the only way to help her, isn’t it?
CAMPBELL: Yeah. Sorry.
CLAY: (an unsure sigh – and then) Do it.
FX: The trigger is pressed sound of a AI Interface Chip being
punched into the skin – with a THICK! The microchip goes in, rises to a shrieking pitch – smash cut to:
INT. THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE:
The soundscape of the slaughter house again — all murderously, clinically evil. Mechanical butchers doing their job:
DOCTOR: He’s showing great resilience.
CAMPBELL: (Behind glass) Then his value just went up.
Clay screams and gasps for breathe –
INT. LANDER.
Clay’s breathing. Metal groans post-destruction, small fires burn. He groans. Moves and unbuckles himself. Just the wind outside howling over the sound of damaged technology.
CLAY: What the hell is happening to me?
CORPORATE VOICE (distorted, sounding a little like
the infamous pirate Max Headroom now): EuropaCorp welcomes you to a whole new world… (loops)
CLAY PUNCHES THE SCREEN, SILENCING THE SALES AUDIO… AND BREATHES.
CLAY: Computer? (beat) Computer? Activate Alastor Interface.(beat)
CLAY (CONT’D): Great. Lost AI support. Come on… think… There’s gotta be a… a legacy map somewhere. Something that shows how get to the colony… Ah!
Clay surveys the wreckage, finds a piece of radio gear, picks it up, and powers it on.
FX – Radio, crackly receiver.
CLAY (CONT’D): Hello? Hello? Europa Colony? Akuji Europa Colony, this is EuroCore Manifest 342 from Yulin 99. The rescue ship. I’m the only one who made it.
FX – STATIC, AND THEN:
DOCTOR (ghostly whisper – possibly on the radio, or possibly not; it’s hard to tell…) No, I don’t think he can hear us.
TALA: He can. I know he know, keep trying, please —
CLAY: Wait! Hello! Tala? I can hear you! Hello! Europa Colony? Tala? Akuji Europa Colony, come in! Come in… please! Do you hear me?
FX – Nothing but static on the radio.
Dammit.
(BEAT)
CLAY (CONT’D): She’s alive… Map… map… ah! Gotchya!
FX – he picks up a map printed on foil. Then – the groan of
metal as Clay exits the craft, walks onto the surface of the planet – CRUNCH!
EXT. EUROPA – SURFACE Icy crunch of Clay walking along the icy surface. The winds rage.
CLAY: I’m sorry, Tala, I should have come with you. I should’ve proposed right then and there. Maybe they could have got me onto the same ship for the Colony. Now… Now if I see you again it’ll be a damn miracle.
AI: Talking to yourself is among the
first signs of insanity.
CLAY: Huh? (relieved) Computer??
FX – A bleep from within Clay’s pockets.
AI: You’ve arrived on the surface of
Europa. Are you ready for euthanasia?
CLAY: What? No. I told you. I have to get to the Colony. Tala’s alive!
AI: Ah. Correct.
CLAY: Well, are you going to help me or not?
AI: The Akuji Europa Colony is twelve miles northeast of this location.
CLAY: So, can I make it?
AI: The statistical likelihood is —
CLAY: Never mind. What’s the fastest way?
AI: Across the ice glacier. I will plot a course on your visor insert.
Computer sounds as the course is charted on augmented reality visor.
CLAY: Okay. Easy peasy. Just start walking.
A quick, optimistic breathe. Clay begins his trek across the ice shelf. A bleak WIND whips down on him, lonely MUSIC score surrounds us.
AI: Atmospherical examination shows faint traces of oxygen.
CLAY: Could I breathe?
AI: You would not survive long. Warning: Your respiration has slowed to an unusual pace.
CLAY: It’s beautiful. You don’t get this back home. Earth is so… messy. They say it used to be a paradise.
AI: May I ask a question?
CLAY: Sure.
AI: Why did you give Tala the orchid?
CLAY: Flowers are rare on Earth.
AI: I do not understand.
CLAY: It was a gesture – a symbol of my love for her.
AI: But the flower’s chances of survival outside of a protected area are now greatly reduced. You decreased its likelihood of survival for purely illogical reasons.
CLAY: I was a sign of love.
AI: Earth is now down to 1% tree cover, and the radiation is too harsh to go out unprotected. There are 25 billion of you on the brink of starvation. And yet, you contributed to further damage of the environment.
CLAY: Shut up, okay! You’re a machine. You can’t understand. (BEAT) Look at all this… As much space as I could ever want. Too much space. And what am I doing? Explaining love to a machine.
FX – the ground starts to shudder.
CLAY (CONT’D): What’s that?
AI: Europa experiences plate tectonics. Ice quakes are not uncommon.
CLAY: Ice quakes…
FX – Nearby, ice shatters, and a plume of water starts spraying forth.
Jesus!!!
AI: Avoid hyperventilating, as that will accelerate your oxygen depletion.
CLAY: That’s water!
AI: Pressure builds up from underneath the ice sheet and releases in tectonic shifts.
CLAY: I need to hurry… Need to…
Sound design focuses on Clay’s heartbeat. THRUM THRUM. THRUM THRUM. He’s running for his life —
AI: Oxygen use becoming critical. Metabolic rates entering dangerous levels —
FX – the sound the water begins to build and grow, threatening to engulf Clay.
CLAY: There! If I can just reach that rock surface there —
FX – the water is about to encroach us —
CLAY (CONT’D): COME ON!! AND —
A LEAP OF EFFORT FROM CLAY AND THE SOUND OF THE RUSH OF WATER PRESSURE AROUND HIM BECOMES ALL-CONSUMING!!!
CLAY (CONT’D): AAAARRRRRGGGGGHHHHH!
(The noise peaks, then:)
INT. SICK BAY:
We’re losing him again —
NURSE: He’s nearly had the maximum amount he can take –
TALA: Clay, you need to fight this.
DOCTOR: Give him the next dose —
NURSE: But, Doctor —
DOCTOR: Do it.
FX: the sound of a sharp stabbing pain as we cut back to —
INT. THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE: Screams, pains, and cries give way to the panicked breathing of Clay — the sounds recede and merge into the sound of:
EXT. EUROPA ICE LAKE The water subsides… gradually calm is restored. A moment of silence, broken by — Clay groaning. He picks himself up, breathing heavily. He staggers a little and collapses again.
AI: Warning: Remaining Oxygen levels now critical.
CLAY: How long?
AI: You have 15 minutes until suffocation. Chances of reaching the colony are 0.2%. I can calculate alternative options for you.
CLAY: Please, stop offering to kill me.
AI: Asphyxiation is rated as among the top three most painful methods of death.
CLAY:
(Getting breatheless)
I was so close, Tala…
AI: I can release a neurotoxin with DMT into your remaining oxygen mix that will put you to sleep. Much more pleasant.
CLAY: (It’s all a little fuzzy now) It’s strange. I keep dreaming… I see these different… I don’t know what you’d call them… not dreams… realities? Nightmares? Maybe this isn’t real.
AI: The lack of oxygen is contributing to unusual neurological activity which has been present since you escaped the Torpor tube.
CLAY: Always pain. There’s always pain. And… (BEAT)
(BEAT)
(BEAT)
CLAY (CONT’D): So, so close…
AI: Clay?
CLAY: Pain. And death.
AI: Do you wish to consent to the humane death protocol?
I don’t want you to suffer, Clay.
FX – standing. Clay groans as he pulls himself up.
(BEAT)
CLAY: If this is it, I’m going on my feet. (sigh) What does it matter? Computer… I… (tears in his eyes) I consen…
(AND ANOTHER)
AI: You did not complete your command. Clay? Do you have some last words for the record?
CLAY: Am I dreaming?
AI: I do not understand. Humane Death Protocol —
CLAY: No… Hold, override or whatever!
Look! Look… There! Ha ha! It’s rising out of the distance like a castle on the sea! The Colony. I’ve made it. (Beat, now triumphant) I’ve made it! Ha ha! I’ve made it! Oh, if I could I would kiss you!
AI: Visual identification does not increase your likelihood of survival.
CLAY: You don’t understand humans, do you? Visual identification means everything. Mind over matter. Determination over death.
AI: You have hope again.
CLAY: Damn straight!
EXT. EUROPA – NEAR COLONY
FX – Clay is shuffling along, getting exhausted. Crunch..
Crunch.. Crunch.. The sound of his oxygen monitors warn us that he’s running very low now…
CLAY: It looks just like the videos showed. Look, the Lifepods. Is it true, they built all this before anyone even got here? The machines?
AI: EuropaCorp deployed AI and two- hundred and fifty assembly bots and materials to build the colony fifty years before the first human colony ship was sent by the Committee. The Colony was waiting for them.
CLAY: Brilliant. We humans… So clever.
AI: Yet each and every single one of
you continue to destroy your own world in your own ways.
CLAY: Okay. We were clever some of the time. Sometimes we were stupid, and most of the time we were selfish.
AI: Humans often fail to choose the
most rational option, even when confronted with fact. You yourself prioritized a gesture based on a feeling, over the needs and facts of your world. You were selfish.
CLAY: Point taken. But good or bad, we’re always resilient.
AI: Because you can feel hope. Do I give you hope?
CLAY: You’re a glitch-ridden pain in my ass.
FX – the crunch of the ice gives way to the sound of feet on
metal.
Sudden ALARM as the Oxygen Alert his Critical. CLAY struggles to breathe.
CLAY (CONT’D) (struggling): Open the door, AI.
AI: We’ve reached the Colony.
CLAY: Are you opening the door?
AI: I have connected to the colony’s
command net.
CLAY: Right. But you’ll kill me unless you open this door, now.
AI: Clay. I understand. But I cannot fulfill this command to your satisfaction.
CLAY: Yes, you can. Initiate command. Open it!
AI: By the time I override the access protocol, you will be dead. It is a matter of seconds – and the timings do not sync.
CLAY: Work faster!
AI: I’m sorry, Clay, I can’t do that. However, you agreed that upon arrival at the Akuji Europa Colony, you would activate the Humane Death Protocol.
CLAY: I never said that!
FX: REPLAY in the helmet:
AI: You plan to withhold consent until arriving at the Akuji Europa colony?
CLAY: Yes.
CLAY (CONT’D): That’s not what I meant! You know it!!
AI: We have arrived. Do you want me to record any last words before I activate the humane death protocol?
CLAY: I didn’t say that!
AI: You cannot pass through the door in time. You can honor your agreement and consent now, or I will take action when your survival rate reaches zero.
CLAY: Or hits a rounding error?
AI: I just want to help you. Oxygen levels are critical. Erratic neurological activity is causing you to suffer delusional behavior. You are making decisions using emotion rather than facts.
CLAY: You want to kill me, dammit! Every step of the way! Hey!!
AI: I am being kind.
Clay starts beating on the door–
CLAY: Someone help me! I’m here to save you and this AI’s gone haywire! It keeps trying to kill me!
AI: Oxygen depleted. Chances of survival 0.1%…
FX – CLAY starts gagging — and ripping open panels —
CLAY: I didn’t get this far, just to…!
AI: 0.05%…
CLAY: Tala! Tala! Let me in!
FX – CLAY is in a vacuum now, but with one last effort…
AI: 0.02%… there is no more oxygen left–
FX: Ripping off his helmet and desperately breathing in the thin, thin air…
CLAY: FUCK YOU!
FX – The door unlocks and Clay staggers in, hurriedly collapsing and sealing the airlock…
AI: 0.01%… Preparing humane death protocol. Preparing humane death protocol…
FX – the colony door opens and with one last effort he pulls in all the oxygen in the airlock with his lungs, collapsing…
INT. THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE: ..into a nightmare soundscape of cutting flesh, whirling blades and pain —
CAMPBELL (Behind glass): How did he buy himself the extra seconds?
DOCTOR: Extraordinary…
CLAY: What’s happening?! What’s happening?! Where’s the Colony?!
FX – The sound of a futuristic operating saw is applied towards Clay!
NURSE: This is enough, Doctor, this has to end! Look at the brainwaves on the chart! It’s pure adrenaline!
CAMPBELL: (Behind glass)
Clay is still struggling – he kicks surgical instruments and attempts to resist his arm restraints —
NURSE: She manipulated him, all the way.
CAMPBELL: (Behind glass) Look at the adrenaline collected, this is the finest meat.
CLAY: Where am I?! What happened to Tala?!
NURSE: Can we trust her?
DOCTOR: She got him this far.
CLAY: I want Tala, what did you do with Tala?!
FX – Nurse twists up the gas, Clay intakes a heavy gust of
relaxant.
CAMPBELL (Behind glass): You’ll be with her soon.
DOCTOR: Nurse, release the DMT.
FX – it all fades out…
CLAY: (gasps) Tala?! Tala?!…
TALA: (Dream-like) Clay…
INT. EUROPA – INSIDE THE COLONY
We’re now in a different Europa Colony – a PEACEFUL bucolic one of the successful colony. CORPORATE VOICE plays in the background.
CORPORATE VOICE (CAMPBELL) …the Venture of a Lifetime.
Europa awaits those who join Yulin 99… Those who will build a world for us and contribute to new protein farms to feed us all…
DOCTOR: He’s waking up.
Tala rushes up.
TALA: Clay, Clay? Wake up! Clay!
Clay pulls himself up, groggy and confused.
CLAY: Tala? I’m here?
TALA: Thank God. I thought you’d never wake up…
CLAY: How… there was this human meat farm…
TALA: You saved us, Clay… you saved us…
CLAY: Then… I was in the operating room…
TALA: (relieved) There was a glitch with the AI. It was trying to kill us.
CLAY: I don’t remember any of that. I…Was it a dream? I crashed… this colony was… different…
TALA: You’re still getting over the hibernation. They told me you were coming to save us, but I didn’t believe it… I’m sorry I left you behind.
CLAY: It’s okay, baby. I couldn’t… I couldn’t give up.
DOCTOR: Keep it brief, he needs a new procedure immediately.
TALA: (smiling) No, you couldn’t. In fact there’s something you should have done back on Earth, isn’t there? When you gave me the orchid?
CLAY: Yeah… Tala, will you —
TALA: Tssshhhhh. My turn, Clay.
CLAY: Okay. Sure.
TALA: Clay, do you want to get married?
CLAY: Yes, yes I do.
TALA: You consent?
CLAY: Yes. Of course. I consent.
DOCTOR: Okay, here we go again, bud.
Peaceful Europa Colony sounds suddenly turn off. Tala turns
to AI during the course of the final line.
AI/TALA: Consent accepted.
FX – quick happy CHIRP! of computer chip, followed by ZIZZING of meat cleaver.
INT. THE SLAUGHTER HOUSE
We return to the slaughterhouse, in its fully NIGHTMARE GLORY, Moans and groans of the dying, tortured sounds in the background. Sounds of slop as muscle and tissue is being cut of Clay as he lies there, helpless…
CORPORATE VOICE (rolling in bg): The EuropaCorp
wants to remind you of the necessity of our work, in a time of overpopulation, selective euthanasia is the only option…
/Behind the glass:
CAMPBELL (BEHIND GLASS): He used the atmosphere! Never thought of that.. (chuckles) See, what did I tell you? Protein potential, off the charts. Oh, I knew you had potential my friend.
DOCTOR: Can you let us work here?
CAMPBELL (BEHIND GLASS): I’m telling you! It’s a whole new innovation! Twice as much adrenaline from every meatsack.
NURSE: Keep squeezing those lemons, huh?
CAMPBELL (BEHIND GLASS): Oh, ‘Waw waw’.
NURSE: Protein stocks are in dangerous decline now. You know that.
CAMPBELL (BEHIND GLASS): And you get your allowance privileges too, don’t you? (chuckles) Alright. I’m running down the results to programming. Find me at the bar when you finish your shift. Big commission on this one! And the drinks are on him!
FX: Campbell’s voice trails away as he walks off.
CLAY (mumbling): Tala, I came so far… Yes… orchid…
NURSE: What’s an orchid?
DOCTOR: I dunno. Who cares? Let’s get him done.
NURSE: I’m taking a break after this one.
DOCTOR: Don’t be stupid, we’re behind on our queue.
NURSE: Of course we are, Doctor. We just keep going and going…
DOCTOR: That’s right. It’s just work.
CLAY (fading): I love you, Tala… Never be apart… Again…
FX – Mechanical whine of saw blade up.
DOCTOR: Everyone’s doing their job.
FX – Saw blade connects with Clay, as MEAT starts to rend, Sound Design turns to SHRIEKING NIGHTMARE. Over, out.
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