This document is part of the Ocean Girl Archive — Last update: 2011-10-23 — source — meta
(music) (Whale sounds) (music)
(whale sounds)
| Winston: | Dianne, the second signal is showing a pattern. |
|---|---|
| Dianne: | You sure? |
| Winston: | Positive. Our little friend is using echo location. |
| Dianne: | That’s not like a normal sound pattern. It’s more like – |
| Brett: | Distress. |
| Dianne: | He’s right. What’s the scan doing? |
| Winston: | Scrambled. Something must be interfering with his nervous system. |
| Commander: | Bridge to lab 3, respond please. |
| Dianne: | Yes, Commander. |
| Commmander: | Doctor, the Zenco people have arrived. I’d like you and Winston on the bridge in four minutes. |
| Winston: | On our way. |
| Dianne: | I hate these P.R. things. It’s a waste of time. |
| Winston: | Money is never a waste of time, Dianne. And Zenco pours buckets of it into our research. No fiddling, okay? |
(Whale sounds) (music)
| Matt: | Samples ready? |
|---|---|
| Lee: | Yes, we’ve carbon coated them. |
| Matt: | Right, samples in chamber. And when you switch on, give her a couple of minutes to boot up. Oh, and rock samples back in the tank soon as you finished. They’re valuable core samples so make sure they don’t dry right out. |
| Jason: | Okay |
| Lee: | Be careful. |
| Jason: | Are you kidding? This is a 20 credit job. I’m not planning on blowing it. |
| Brett: | Anyone seen Jason? |
|---|---|
| Zoe: | He’s not here. |
| Brett: | What are you doing? |
| Zoe: | Trying to beat the credit limit on thick shakes. |
| Brett: | Yeah? Hope he does a better job than last time. |
| Froggy: | Got a two second override so far. |
| Brett: | Oh, yeah, right. |
| Froggy: | Wanna see? What’s the next one? |
| Zoe: | What has six legs but doesn’t walk. |
| Brett: | What? What is this? |
| Zoe: | Riddles. Three pairs of trousers. |
| Brett: | Oh. |
| Froggy: | She’s got no logic. HELEN can’t work them out. |
| Brett: | So what? |
| Froggy: | Has to search her memory banks to find that out. She pulls power off the minor circuits to help. |
| Zoe: | Like the one guarding the credit limit. |
| Brett: | That couldn’t work. |
| Froggy: | One. Two. Three. Oh my gosh! |
| Lee: | What was that? |
|---|---|
| Jason: | I don’t know. But it’s even printed out on the graph. |
| Lee: | Maybe we should switch off. |
| Jason: | No, we can’t do that. Not while the samples – |
| Lee: | You don’t think it was us do you? |
| Jason: | No, no, couldn’t be. In fact, why don’t you go get Matt |
| Lee: | I’ll call him on the communications monitor. |
| Jason: | If we do that everyone on the bridge’ll know and we’ll look like complete dorks. |
| Lee: | Okay. |
| Jason: | All right, I’m coming. |
(music)
| Jason: | What are you doing here? I told you not to – |
|---|---|
| Neri: | Charley. You come. |
| Jason: | Where? |
| Neri: | He – he not good. |
| Jason: | What? Sick? |
| Neri: | He feels bad. Is hurting him. Everything. Fish all gone. |
| Jason: | Are you okay? |
| Neri: | Please now. |
| Commander: | There’s very little need for us to leave the station. We’re almost totally self sufficient. |
|---|---|
| Zenco: | Fascinating. I think our executive director would like to take a look at this. If we’ve got time for a bit of a chill before we unveil a plug. |
| Commander: | Certainly. |
| Zenco: | Particularly that lab of yours with all that – whale stuff. |
| Dianne: | We’d be – |
| Winston: | Delighted. |
| Zenco: | Very popular that whale thing. Could be good for Zenco’s image. |
| Commander: | Yes, not to mention our potential. Our work here could be the cutting edge for a new communications technology. |
| Zenco: | Hm, we might take a look at that. |
| Matt: | When did it happen? |
|---|---|
| Lee: | 20 minutes ago. |
| Matt: | 20 minutes ago? Why didn’t you call me straight down? |
| Lee: | I’ve been trying to find you. I mean, it’s nothing drastic. Jason’d shut down if it was. |
(Whale sounds)
| Neri: | Here. I go help Charley. |
|---|---|
| Jason: | Wait – we don’t know what’s down there. If it’s hurting him, it’ll hurt you too. All we need is a fix on the position and ORCA will take care of the rest. They’ll dispose of whatever it is that’s down there. |
| Neri: | Bad. |
| Jason: | What is? |
| Neri: | Show. |
| Jason: | Zenco! We’ve gotta get out of here. |
| Zoe: | Where’ve you been? |
|---|---|
| Jason: | Nowhere. |
| Froggy: | Everybody’s looking for you. |
| Jason: | Big deal. |
| Vanessa: | You’re in big trouble. |
| Jason: | Oh, no! |
| Matt: | They’re not just dried out. They’re fried. 30 minutes in the chamber! |
|---|---|
| Jason: | Look, I know I should – I don’t know. |
| Matt: | Well, I’ll tell you it’s a power drain. I told you to give her a couple of minutes to boot up before putting her to work. |
| Lee: | We did. |
| Dianne: | Look, we know you’ve been off ORCA because the ANT boat was missing. |
| Jason: | I had to. |
| Dianne: | There is no such thing as had to, Jason. I mean, look at this. It’s inexcusable. |
| Jason: | Look, if I told you there was something out there – about four nautical miles north east – a spill – or a dump. |
| Dianne: | Well, I would say what on earth were you doing out there in the first place? |
| Jason: | Dead fish. I saw them. |
| Matt: | This is gonna be good. |
| Dianne: | You are grounded, mister. All right? |
| Lee: | He wouldn’t just make it up, Dad. I know he wouldn’t. |
|---|---|
| Commander: | Lee, I don’t want to discuss this any further. |
| Lee: | You always say that. About everything. |
| Commander: | He was given a responsible job. He left his post. Correct? |
| Lee: | He must’ve had a reason. |
| Commander: | Well, Jason’s liberties have been restricted severely. |
| Lee: | But what if he’s right? |
| Commander: | Lee – this is the most advanced marine research station in the southern hemisphere. I think we’d know if we had a toxic spill on our own doorstep. |
| Lee: | They didn’t at Halifax until it was too late. |
| Commander: | That’s enough. I think it’s time we started thinking about Dalton College. |
| Lee: | That’s not fair! Every time I question anything, you bring up boarding school again. It’s archaic! |
| Commander: | Now who’s not being fair? I have said all along that ORCA was not a suitable home environment for children. |
| Lee: | I won’t go. |
| Commander: | And that’s why this place is having a bad influence on you. So is young Jason. |
| Froggy: | I don’t think I should do it again so soon. |
|---|---|
| Brett: | You owe him. He got in trouble for your power drain. |
| Froggy: | But it’s not like breaking the credit limit on the thick shakes. I could go to jail for this. |
| Zoe: | They don’t send kids to jail. |
| Froggy: | I was just doing homework. |
| Lee: | How’s anyone supposed to believe a story like that? |
| Jason: | Believe me. There’s something down there. What’s that? |
| Lee: | The password to Zenco’s file. |
| Froggy: | How do you know that? |
| Lee: | Do it, Froggy. |
| Brett: | Where did you get it? |
| Zoe: | Her Dad’s the Commander. She could probably find out anything. |
| Lee: | If Zenco’s involved, it’ll be on their inventory. |
| Jason: | Thanks. |
| Lee: | That’s okay. |
| Froggy: | It’s just a whole lot of drilling equipment. |
| Jason: | Hang on. Back up. There. Eight times 10 litres of chyolem. Try that. |
| Brett: | Severe effects on the nervous system? What does that mean? |
| Zoe: | Same as a blue ringed octopus. You stop breathing. |
| Lee: | So on the poisons register. |
| Jason: | That’s it. What’s the antidote? |
| Lee: | Anti toxin scrub, saline flush. If ingested do not induce vomiting. We have to find the spill. It’s the only way they’ll believe us. |
| Froggy: | This stuff can kill you. |
(music)
| Froggy: | This is never gonna work. |
|---|---|
| Lee: | It’ll work. Froggy, how many riddles have you got coded in? |
| Froggy: | Four. |
| Lee: | Okay, number one. |
| Froggy: | I’m going to be grounded for life. On a sugar free diet. |
| Brett: | Medium or small? |
| Zoe: | Small. |
| Jason: | How’re we gonna get all this stuff topside without anyone noticing? |
| Lee: | We aren’t gonna get this stuff anywhere. You’re restricted, remember? |
| Jason: | I don’t care what your dad says. |
| Lee: | He does. And he’s watching you, Jason. All you’re likely to do is draw attention. You’ve done your bit. Now it’s up to the rest of us. |
| Jason: | Yeah, yeah. |
| Brett: | You got everything? |
| Lee: | Jason. |
| Brett: | Should be all right underneath us. It’s breaking the rules to dive alone. |
|---|---|
| Lee: | Sometimes you have to break the rules. Anyway, I need you up here on standby. I’ll keep in touch. |
| Froggy: | How come this sounded like a good idea? |
| Lee: | Got it. I’m on my way. |
| Commander: | You sure these are yesterday’s figures? |
|---|---|
| Caryle: | I checked that three times last night, sir. |
| Commander: | Well, check them again and give me the read outs on the manifold pressure on the bulkheads. |
| Caryle: | Yes, I will, sir. |
| Lee: | 30 feet down. There’s three more but they’re still intact. I didn’t want to move them just in case. They’ll have to send the sled down for them. |
|---|---|
| Brett: | Think they’ll listen to us now? |
| Lee: | We’re going to make sure they do. |
| Froggy: | How? |
| Neri: | Charley better? |
|---|---|
| Jason: | Charley’s going to be just fine. Luckily his skin’s thick. Sea water will flush any residue through his system. |
| Neri: | What do you do? |
| Jason: | Your skin’s not so thick. Sit still. |
| Neri: | I be all right? |
| Dianne: | I mean, it’s not as though Jason doesn’t understand the importance of looking after those core samples. I mean how, Winston – how could he just waltz off and leave them like that? |
|---|---|
| Winston: | Strange – |
| Dianne: | Heaven knows I have got better things to do than to get him out of hot water. We have hardly had time to label half of these things let alone analyze them. |
| Winston: | Perhaps you should listen to this – |
| Dianne: | Winston, we could be on the verge of a vital breakthrough here but, no, I keep getting dragged away to apologize for my children. |
| Winston: | Dianne, when you’re quite finished, there’s something here that might interest you. |
| Dianne: | What? |
| Winston: | Listen to the song. |
(Whale sounds)
| Dianne: | It’s different. Winston, it’s different. He’s back to normal? He is back to normal. |
|---|---|
| Winston: | The question is – what made it change so much and so suddenly? |
| Neri: | Your friends will take away the things in the sea? |
|---|---|
| Jason: | Not all of us like messing up the ocean. |
| Neri: | I would like to meet your friends. |
| Jason: | One day. |
| Neri: | ORCA must be a beautiful place. So many things to see. |
| Jason: | Millions. |
| Neri: | Ow! Too hard! |
| Jason: | Sorry. Go and rinse it out. I guess you’re feeling better. |
| Neri: | Feel good. See? |
| Jason: | I don’t think that stuff’s supposed to work that fast. |
| Neri: | I be all right? |
| Jason: | You’ll be just fine. To be honest, I’m surprised that stuff didn’t kill you. |
| Neri: | Many things to see. |
| Zenco: | … association between Zenco and the ORCA institute has been described by science magazine as one of the most successful collaborations between the mining industry and the environmentalists. We’ve disproved the sceptics. We’ve shown there’s no conflict of interest that can’t be negotiated. With your know-how – and our money – there’s no problem that can’t be solved. |
|---|---|
| Lee: | Everything’s okay. |
| Zenco: | The mining company that cares isn’t just a slogan. We mean it. The expansion of Zenco laboratories on ORCA station is another milestone. And one worth commemorating. To that end – over to Mr. Carmody, the chief executive. |
| Carmody: | It is – it is with great pleasure that I dedicate this plaque to the excellent co-op – (gasps from audience) |
| Froggy: | Oh my gosh! |
| Jason: | You’re kidding. |
| Zenco: | What is this? |
| Commander: | If that’s what I think it is, we have a conflict of interest we’ll have to negotiate. |
| Zenco: | Whatever it takes, for heaven’s sake, fix it! |
| Commander: | If only you would have waited. The canisters weren’t deliberately dumped. They were stacked on the supply ship’s decks. They broke loose in heavy seas. It was an accident. |
|---|---|
| Lee: | They must’ve known. Why didn’t they report it? |
| Commander: | All right. It was slack, careless and irresponsible. It will cost Zenco in damages and in cleaning up. But that doesn’t answer the question. I just want to know why you didn’t bring it directly to me. |
| Lee: | You didn’t want to listen the first time. |
| Commander: | Do you seriously think I’d cover up something as disastrous as this? |
| Lee: | I wasn’t sure. |
| Commander: | All right. I’ll accept half the responsibility. We don’t talk much, you and I, do we? |
| Lee: | You’re always busy. |
| Commander: | A lot of the time. And that’s why you’d be better off in a boarding school. |
| Lee: | No, do you think it’s gonna any better if I’m not here at all? |
| Commander: | At least you’d have someone to give you full-time attention. |
| Lee: | Get real, Dad. That’d just make it easier for you. There’s only you and me, Dad. Why do I have to fight to stay with you? |
| Brett: | They’re going to get the rest of them this morning. Didn’t Mum tell you? |
|---|---|
| Jason: | No, she’s still not talking to me. |
| Brett: | Oh, she can’t keep that – holy cow! |
| Jodie: | Thanks. Ever tried watching where you’re going? |
| Vanessa: | What was that? |
| Jason: | What? |
| Vanessa: | Out there, I saw something. |
| Jason: | Yeah, 10,000 kilometres of Pacific Ocean. What do you think? |
| Vanessa: | No, I really saw something. Where do you think you’re going? |
| Jason: | Ah, I forgot something. |
| Vanessa: | Did anyone ever tell you you’re a real waste of space? |
| Neri: | Charley wanted me to thank you. |
|---|---|
| Jason: | That’s great, my pleasure. But you’ve got to stop coming out here. |
| Neri: | I want to thank your friends. |
| Jason: | It’s no big deal. Plus, they wanted to help. |
| Neri: | I want to see – inside. |
| Jason: | What? |
| Brett: | Oh, no. |
| Neri: | You’ve seen my island. I want to see yours. Many things, millions. |
| Jason: | But they’ll find out about you and you know what’ll happen then. |
| Neri: | I want to see. One day. |
| Jason: | But you’ll be – all right. I’ll figure out some way. |
| Neri: | Soon? |
| Jason: | You’ll just have to wait until I work it out. |
| Neri: | Not too long. |
| Jason: | Oh, boy. |
| Brett: | This could be mega dumb. |
| Jason: | Can you think of another way to stop her from coming here all the time? |
| Brett: | No. |
| Jason: | Well, we got no choice then. Let’s hope we don’t live to regret it. |