This document is part of the Ocean Girl Archive — Last update: 2011-10-23 — source — meta
(music)
| Dianne: | Don’t be afraid. I just wanted to say thank you. |
|---|---|
| Neri: | You are – mother. |
| Dianne: | Yeah. Jason and Brett’s mother, yes. |
| Neri: | Where are they? |
| Dianne: | You’ll see them soon. Neri. Thanks. I owe you my life. |
| HELEN: | Level, please. |
|---|---|
| Neri: | Level delta, thank you, HELEN. |
| Dianne: | Well, I can see you’ve done that before. |
| Neri: | I love ORCA. |
| Dianne: | The boys love your island. They say that you live there alone. |
| Neri: | No people. But I have friends. |
| Dianne: | One very big friend. I’d – I’d like to know more about him. |
| Brett: | Sorry. |
|---|---|
| Vanessa: | Move it! |
| Dianne: | When you talk to your friend, is it in words, like us? |
|---|---|
| Neri: | Different. |
| Dianne: | How? |
| Neri: | Not words. |
| Dianne: | Sounds? Pictures? Or do you just feel what he says? How’s it different? |
| Neri: | Just is. |
| Dianne: | Oh, I’m sorry. Sometimes I just ask too many questions. |
| Neri: | Me, too. |
| Brett: | Now what do we do? |
|---|---|
| Jason: | We panic. |
(Whale sounds)
| Neri: | That’s Charley |
|---|---|
| Dianne: | Neri – this is a wonderful moment. You see it’s the first time we’ve ever been sure that human beings and whales can talk to each other. We would like you to help us understand how that is possible. |
| Neri: | Why? |
| Dianne: | Because it – it will mean, perhaps, that one day, whales and human beings can communicate with each other and help each other to a better life. |
| Winston: | That is what our job is all about. |
| Dianne: | You – you’re very special, Neri, and we want to know more about you. Will you help us? |
| Neri: | I don’t know. |
| Dianne: | It will be a secret. Just between us and Winston here and Jason and Brett. You have my promise. |
| Neri: | Will it mean you will stay on ORCA? |
| Dianne: | Oh, yes. |
| Neri: | Then I will help. |
| Dianne: | Good. |
| Brett: | We’ve looked everywhere for you, mum. |
| Jason: | You were supposed to meet us up there. |
| Dianne: | Yes, well, I can’t help it if you boys were late. |
| Jason: | Neri was early and you were waiting for her. |
| Dianne: | Well, that gave us the chance to have a little chat. |
| Brett: | What has she been saying? |
| Winston: | Neri has agreed to let us study her. |
| Jason: | Yeah? You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to, you know. |
| Winston: | I think she understands that. |
| Dianne: | Have you boys been messing around with my whale song recordings? |
| Brett: | No. |
| Dianne: | That’s funny. Well – we’d better get the electronic harness ready. |
| Jason: | What for? |
| Dianne: | We’re going out on the boat. |
| Jason: | I told you. She’s totally taken Neri over. |
|---|---|
| Brett: | Why did she have to find out about her? |
| Jason: | We’ll just have to stick with them all the time, okay. You know what mum’s like when she’s off on a science trip. |
| Brett: | Yeah. |
| Jason: | You’re not gonna push her too hard through all this? |
|---|---|
| Dianne: | Who do you think I am? Doctor Frankenstein. |
| Jason: | You said it. |
| Neri: | Your name is Frankenstein. |
| Brett: | No, Frankenstein was this crazy scientist who didn’t know when to stop – |
| Commander: | Where do you think you’re going? |
| Brett: | Top side. |
| Commander: | Chasing whales again. |
| Dianne: | Research, Commander. What we’re paid to do. |
| Commander: | Aren’t you scheduled for work experience in – |
| Brett: | Aquaculture. |
| Dianne: | Yes, we were just dropping Brett off on the way up. |
| Commander: | Right. |
| Brett: | I wanted to go with you! |
| Dianne: | I’m sorry but we have to make believe as though everything is normal. I’ll see you later. |
| Dianne: | Swim down as far as you like. The harness will record everything. If you experience any discomfort or you get tired, you just come straight back up. |
|---|
(Whale sounds)
| Brett: | Is someone in there? |
|---|
(Whale sounds)
| Neri: | Lunch. We do more tests now? |
|---|---|
| Winston: | But – it’s 100 metres to the bottom. |
| Dianne: | It’s incredible. |
| Dianne: | Here’s another one coming. |
|---|---|
| Jason: | We’ve been going for hours. |
| Dianne: | We’re testing high frequencies, Winston. I don’t believe this. |
| Winston: | 75,000 hertz! |
| Jason: | What’s the big deal? |
| Dianne: | Well, normal hearing has an upper range of around 15,000. Neri’s is at least five times higher. I mean, it operates somewhere within the range of the whales. |
| Jason: | Mum, I think she’s getting tired. |
| Brett: | Still going. |
| Neri: | Still. |
| Brett: | Mum, there was someone in here when you were out on the boat. |
| Dianne: | I don’t think so, darling. The door was locked. |
| Brett: | But there was. I heard them. |
| Dianne: | Yes, I think you might’ve imagined it. |
| HELEN: | Your attention, please. Would all day pass holders report to reception prior to departure from ORCA. |
| Jason: | That means Neri has to go. |
| Dianne: | No, we can’t stop now. This is a crucial point. There must be some way she can stay overnight. |
| Jason: | But if she doesn’t check out then the computer will pick it up and we’re dead. |
| Dianne: | Well, there must be a way. |
| Jason: | Maybe Neri doesn’t want to stay. |
| Neri: | With you? With family. Oh, please, Jason. Please! |
| Jason: | Mum – you know how you told me to be reliable and honest and not to lie. |
| Dianne: | Yep. |
| Jason: | Well, I think Neri can stay on board. But we’re gonna have to tell some whoppers. |
| Dianne: | Whoppers. |
| Dianne: | The poor girl’s mother’s in hospital she has no other family on shore. Surely she can stay with us for a while. |
|---|---|
| Commander: | Out of the question. It’s against all the rules. |
| Jason: | That’s it, then. You’ll just have to go and stay with her. |
| Dianne: | Yeah. Well – only be a couple of days. |
| Commander: | What? |
| Dianne: | I’m sorry but I’m going to have to put in for leave. |
| Commander: | That’s ridiculous. |
| Dianne: | Well, I know it means extra paperwork for you. |
| HELEN: | Would all day pass holders please move to the embarkation pontoon immediately. This is the final call. |
| Dianne: | Unless, of course, you would refuse compassionate leave. |
| Jason: | There’d have to be a report on that, wouldn’t it? |
| Commander: | HELEN, reclassify security status. |
| HELEN: | Yes, Commander. |
| Commander: | Number 95062 to residential pass. I must be getting soft. |
| Dianne: | No. Just a touch more reasonable. |
| Jason: | Whoppers. |
| Dianne: | The sheets nice and soft? |
|---|---|
| Neri: | I like it here. Mother… |
| Dianne: | Well, we like having you here, Neri. But you’ve got a big day tomorrow. |
| Neri: | More tests? |
| Dianne: | Shh. You must sleep. (Kiss) Sweet dreams. |
| Neri: | Sweet dreams, Charley. I have big day tomorrow. |
(music) (Whale sounds)
| Brett: | Who is that? Who’s in there? |
|---|
(Whale sounds)
| Brett: | It happened again. Someone was in there! |
|---|---|
| Zoe: | Are we still talking spooks? |
| Brett: | We’re talking something or someone who can get into a locked room! |
| Froggy: | Let’s check it out. |
| Brett: | Too late. Mum would’ve already opened up by now. |
| Zoe: | Have you told her about it? |
| Brett: | She won’t listen. Anyway, there’s no proof that anyone’s been in there. |
| Froggy: | Maybe there is. |
| Brett: | How? |
| Froggy: | I think best over a milk shake. Come on, it’s my shout. |
| Dianne: | Now we’re moving from what you hear to what you think. I’ll be playing some of Charley’s – |
|---|---|
| Jason: | Mum – |
| Dianne: | And I want you to just listen. This machine will measure your brainwaves. |
| Neri: | What are they? |
| Jason: | Mum, we have to talk. |
| Dianne: | What’s the problem? Are you all right? She’s fine. |
| Jason: | There’s nothing wrong with her. You’re monstering her. |
| Dianne: | Jason, please. If you are going to start in on this Doctor Frankenstein – |
| Jason: | All you do is treat her like a specimen. |
| Dianne: | That’s not true! |
| Jason: | Name one thing lately. Something that hasn’t been all in the name of science. |
| Dianne: | Finding Neri is very important. |
| Jason: | Finding her? She was never lost! Do you know why she’s even here? Neri? What do you like about ORCA? |
| Neri: | Family. |
| Jason: | Family. And families are supposed to be all about trust and being open. Your words, mum. |
| Dianne: | What about crusty the cocker spaniel? |
|---|---|
| Jason: | Oh, mum. Not the puppy story. |
| Dianne: | It was a birthday present and it got so excited that it wet the floor and then Jason laughed so much that he wet his pants. |
| Jason: | Mum, please! |
| Dianne: | Oh, look. Look, there’s one in here – there he is. That’s Jason when he was a little boy in the bath. |
| Jason: | Oh, mum. What about how Brett fell off the swings! |
| Neri: | That is funny? |
| Jason: | Well, it’s a lot funnier than this. |
| Dianne: | Oh, don’t be such a sour puss. Where is Brett anyway? |
| Brett: | Are you sure this thing’s gonna work? |
|---|---|
| Froggy: | If anyone so much as breathes in here, the sensor will tell us. |
| Brett: | So what do we do in the meantime? |
| Froggy: | We wait. In the galley. |
(Beeping)
| Brett: | Winston’s. |
|---|---|
| Zoe: | Cowards. |
| Brett: | Maybe the air conditioning set it off. |
| Froggy: | Negative. Whatever came in here was bigger and heavier than that. |
| Zoe: | So what do we do now? |
| Froggy: | Something a little less scientific. Unless they can float through the air, they should leave footprints. |
| Brett: | I’m in big trouble. We had a family get together. |
| Froggy: | Take these. This goes off, get here fast. |
| Jason: | Mum’s really mad at you. What were you doing? |
|---|---|
| Brett: | Nothing. |
| Jason: | Oh, really? Then what’s this? |
| Brett: | People are going to listen. You’ll see. |
| Jason: | Neri, you’re supposed to knock. |
| Neri: | Knock what? |
| Jason: | Like this. |
| Neri: | Why? |
| Jason: | Just knock. |
| Neri: | Knock now? |
| Jason: | Forget it. We have to talk about mum. Sometimes she get a little carried away with her job. A little crazy. You understand? |
| Neri: | I don’t mind. This is family. |
| Brett: | Once mum gets rolling, it’s no family. She’s Frankenstein. |
| Neri: | You say she’s Frankenstein. She says she isn’t. |
| Jason: | She becomes Frankenstein. That’s when we all gotta stick together. |
| Neri: | Stick together? |
| Brett: | Yeah, stick together. And remind mum that you’re a human being. |
| Jason: | First, we have to slow down the tests. |
(Beeping)
| Brett: | I’ll be back! |
|---|---|
| Jason: | Where are you going? |
| Zoe: | Look. |
|---|---|
| Brett: | Come on. |
| Zoe: | They must’ve gone through there. |
| Froggy: | Here, quick. |
| Zoe: | All right, guys. Hurry up. |
| Brett: | Let’s go. |
| Zoe: | I can hear them. Move. |
| Brett: | It stinks in here! |
| Zoe: | Just keep going. Go on, you’re gonna lose them. |
| Brett: | Hey, they dropped this. |
| Froggy: | Which way? |
| Zoe: | Let’s split up. |
| Froggy: | I don’t want to chase them by myself. |
| Brett: | Me neither. |
| Zoe: | Great. |
| Brett: | This way. |
| Froggy: | He’s jammed it. |
| Zoe: | We’ll go around the other way. Maybe we can cut him off. |
(music)
| Brett: | We’ve chased him for ages. Then we got lost and then we ran into – |
|---|---|
| Winston: | Some of the discs are out of order. In fact – some of them are missing. |
| Jason: | Why would they want the whale song recordings? |
|---|---|
| Brett: | What if they found out about Neri? |
| Dianne: | Relax, all that data is safely locked away on the computer. |
| Jason: | Neri would be safer on the island. |
| Brett: | Yeah. |
| Dianne: | No, Jason. We don’t want her frightened. Understood? |
(music) (Whale sounds)