This document is part of the Ocean Girl Archive — Last update: 2011-10-23 — source — meta
(music)
| Jason: | Where have you been? We’ve been looking all over for you. |
|---|---|
| Neri: | Looking for the pyramid. |
| Jason: | The pyramid’s gone, Neri. Why don’t you just put it out of your mind and be happy, okay? |
| Neri: | Okay. Winston is ready for the climb? |
| Jason: | Winston is ready for anything. |
| Brett: | You didn’t have to come, you know. |
|---|---|
| Winston: | No, no, no. I promised Cass I’d make sure the installation was in apple pie order. Our very own surveillance system will make us feel a lot more secure about Neri. |
| Brett: | Sure you don’t want to take a rest? |
| Winston: | Certainly not. I had a double dose of muesli for breakfast. |
| Cass: | Don’t you ever buzz? |
|---|---|
| Louis: | The technicians are here. They’re going to start work on HELEN. |
| Cass: | Yeah? |
| Louis: | It’s about time she had an upgrade. |
| Cass: | If nothing’s wrong, why fix it? |
| Louis: | Just because she always does everything you tell her… |
| Cass: | Listen, why don’t you get down to HELEN’s nerve centre now? Make sure you get priority access on the new system. |
| Louis: | Yes, I think I will. You have to keep an eye on those nerds. |
| Cass: | Sure do. Winston, you there? |
| Winston: | Yes, we’ve reached our destination. Only, there is one minor problem. It seems we may have considerably underestimated the size of this mountain. |
| Cass: | Oh, wow, I didn’t figure that. |
| Neri: | It has to go right up there? |
| Winston: | The dish must stand on the highest point of the mountain. Otherwise, we won’t get the signal back from it to ORCA. |
| Jason: | You stay here, Winston. I’ll go up alone. |
| Winston: | No, no, no. I insist. I must tune the transmitter myself. |
| Brett: | Lucky, we brought all the gear. |
| Winston: | Stand by, Cass. The mountain goat yearns for the peak. |
| Cass: | Good luck, Winston. |
| HELEN: | Attention all personnel. This HELEN 3000 is about to undergo a complete reconfiguration. During this time, basic functions only will be maintained. This is your HELEN 3000 signing off. |
| Cass: | So long, HELEN. Happy lobotomy. |
| Jason: | Careful. |
|---|
(music)
| Winston: | Cass, do you copy? |
|---|---|
| Cass: | Yeah, the signal’s coming through. |
| Winston: | Excellent. From now on, any random radio or radar activity that occurs on this island will be picked up and transmitted to ORCA on our very own frequency. Ha-ha! And it’ll be our little secret, eh, Cass? |
| Cass: | Right on. |
| Jason: | What was that? |
| Cass: | They’re messing around with HELEN but it’s not supposed to affect communications. |
| Winston: | Oh, well, now for the descent. |
| Cass: | Hey, you take care now. It’s a lot tougher going down. |
| Winston: | Ah, it will be a piece of cake. Watch me. I’ll leave you online. |
(music)
| Jason: | Okay, Winston? Take it easy and don’t forget to lock off. |
|---|---|
| Neri: | Okay? |
| Winston: | Safe as a spider on a thread. Aaah! |
| Cass: | Oh, no! |
(music)
| Cass: | Winston’s had an accident. I think he might be hurt. |
|---|---|
| Dianne: | How bad? |
| Cass: | I’m not sure. He was abseiling down a rock face. |
| Dianne: | On Neri’s island? What was he doing that for? |
| Cass: | I’ll explain later. Jason and Brett are there but I think they might need some help. |
| Dianne: | Well, the chopper’s gone to the mainland, but I suppose I could– |
| Hartley: | Commander, we have an alert in the computer room. We’ve lost all main power. |
| Louis: | What happened? |
|---|
| Dianne: | What have they done? Check that there’s no one in the elevators then get down there and find out what’s going on. I’ll meet you there in a minute. |
|---|---|
| Dave: | Yes commander. |
| Winston: | How the mighty have fallen. Ooh! |
|---|---|
| Neri: | It hurts? |
| Winston: | A little. |
| Jason: | Make it firm and keep the arm totally still. |
| Neri: | The snake. How did it look? |
| Brett: | Yeah, the doctor’ll want a description. |
| Winston: | I only saw for a fleeting moment. |
| Jason: | I can’t get through. |
| Brett: | Broken? |
| Jason: | No. ORCA’s not responding. |
| Hartley: | It seems as part of the upgrade, they closed down HELEN in the wrong sequence – overloaded her auxiliary board which disabled the main power drives. |
|---|---|
| Cass: | In other words, they blew it. |
| Hartley: | I’m afraid so. |
| Dianne: | Status report? |
| Hartley: | There’s no way of getting the main power back ’til HELEN’s fixed and that could take hours. |
| Dianne: | Reserve? |
| Hartley: | There’s enough battery power to keep the air supply at minimum for the time being. Oh, but the comms board’s down as well. |
| Dianne: | What does that mean? |
| Hartley: | No communications internally or in and out of ORCA. |
| Jason: | Winston, you’ve got to remember about that snake. |
|---|---|
| Neri: | With a square on the head? |
| Winston: | A mark, yes. It was brown. |
| Jason: | Brown? |
| Winston: | Or was it golden? It struck so quickly, with a tongue of quicksilver, eyes of the very devil. |
| Jason: | Take it easy, Winston. |
| Dianne: | You feel okay? |
|---|---|
| Cass: | Yeah, sure. |
| Dianne: | How’re we holding out? |
| Hartley: | Not good. We’re on minimum air circulation with no climate control now. |
| Dianne: | And HELEN? |
| Hartley: | Not much progress. Those guys may know everything about new systems but they just can’t seem to figure out the old HELEN at all. |
| Dianne: | This is unreal. The well-being of this whole community depends on one computer. |
| Cass: | You can’t just blame HELEN. I mean, she was doing just fine until they decided to give her a face lift. And those geeks down there don’t even know how to do it. |
| Jason: | I don’t get it. We’re definitely relaying. It’s just no signal’s coming back. |
|---|---|
| Brett: | We could always call sea rescue. |
| Jason: | And let them find out about Neri living here? Anyway, this is dedicated. We can only transmit to Cass on ORCA. And I want to know what’s happened to her. |
| Neri: | His heart is fast then slow and very weak. |
| Brett: | It could’ve been a tiger snake. |
| Jason: | Or anything else. And even if we get help, there’s no such thing as an all-purpose venine. |
| Neri: | Venine? |
| Jason: | It’s like a cure for the poison. |
| Neri: | Poison. Poison from animals. A flower. |
| Brett: | What do you mean? |
| Neri: | My father told me. A strong medicine. Very strong. |
| Brett: | Yeah? |
| Neri: | He showed it to me. If I might ever need it, it will heal the bit of animals, all animals. |
| Brett: | Well, it’s possible. |
| Jason: | What was it like, Neri? |
| Neri: | I was just a little girl. I never need, but – but, orange. Orange with blue spots. |
| Brett: | It grows here? |
| Neri: | I’ve only seen it once. High above the trees by badlands. |
| Jason: | The mangroves on the other side of the island? |
| Neri: | I will look for it now. |
| Brett: | I better come. |
| Jason: | Just hurry, okay? |
| Dianne: | Your attention for a moment. Attention, please. One thing each of you must do, for each and all of our sakes, is keep calm. The more we panic, the hotter we get and the more air we use. The more we use, the less time we have. Now, we expect shortly to be able to contact emergency services who will send help at once. Thanks. |
|---|---|
| Cass: | What’s happening? |
| Dianne: | No luck. They’re still trying to repair the main circuits, but every time they fix a panel, something else blows. |
| Cass: | Permission to go down to the nerve centre? |
| Dianne: | What good will that do? |
| Cass: | HELEN’s always done what I ask her. |
| Dianne: | She can’t respond to you now. |
| Cass: | Got any better ideas? |
| Cass: | Any response? |
|---|---|
| Dave: | [?] the mainboards and the circuits are back in sequence. We’re just trying to get her up again. |
| Cass: | HELEN? HELEN, listen to me. You gotta come back. |
| Dave: | It won’t do any good, Cass. |
| Cass: | HELEN, please. |
| Dave: | What are you trying to do? Give her the kiss of life? |
| Cass: | Kiss of life. |
| Jason: | Winston? |
|---|---|
| Winston: | Are we all here? |
| Jason: | Uh, Neri and Brett have gone to get you some medicine. They’ll be back real soon and you’ll be fine. |
| Winston: | Yes, I will be fine. With my family. You, Brett, and Cass. Dianne, too. And Neri. You are all my family. |
| Jason: | We feel the same way too. |
| Winston: | And I’m at home. |
| Jason: | We’re still on the island, Winston. |
| Winston: | I know. But what more perfect place than to begin a journey. |
| Jason: | Hey, you’re not going anywhere ’til you get better. |
| Winston: | That’s not the kind of journey I had in mind. |
| Jason: | Don’t say that. You’re going to be okay. |
| Brett: | See anything like it? |
|---|---|
| Neri: | No, but I know it was up there somewhere. |
| Brett: | Is that it? |
| Winston: | Family. |
|---|---|
| Jason: | Neri! Neri! |
| Neri: | Look. |
|---|
(music)
| Dianne: | What on earth is that? |
|---|---|
| Cass: | It’s a long shot. It’s kill or cure. |
| Hartley: | What have we got to lose? |
| Cass: | Again. |
| Dianne: | If we stay here, we’ll suffocate. |
| Dave: | One more for luck. |
| Cass: | HELEN? |
| HELEN: | Please enter your command. |
| Dianne: | Access main generator drive. Restore power and reinstate air supplies to all modules. Do you understand, HELEN? |
| HELEN: | Affirmative, commander. |
| Cass: | Yeah! |
| Jason: | He’s hardly got a pulse. |
|---|---|
| Neri: | Open mouth. |
(music)
| Winston: | Family. |
|---|---|
| Neri: | Yes, family. |
| Winston: | What is that abominable taste? |
| Dianne: | Hey, guys, what’s happening? |
| Jason: | Well, have a look for yourself. |
| Dianne: | Take it easy. |
| Winston: | I will. I’ve risen like a phoenix from the ashes, Dianne, and we have a certain young lady to thank. |
| Brett: | What’s been happening there there anyway? |
| Dianne: | We’ll explain when you get back. |
| Cass: | Better not try another stunt like that again, Winston. We need you around to look after HELEN. |
| Winston: | HELEN? What’s been happening? |
| Dianne: | Let’s just say it hasn’t been a good day. Believe me, Winston. We’ve missed you. |
| Winston: | Neri, words are too cheap to say thank you. |
|---|---|
| Neri: | My father’s wisdom, not mine. Stay well, Winston. |
| Winston: | Really, don’t fuss. The foal must walk by himself. (Laughing) Okay. |
| Jason: | See you soon. And forget about the pyramid. |
| Neri: | Yes, Jason. |
| Jason: | I know that look. I don’t know why you’re so hung up about the pyramid anyway. After all the trouble it’s caused. We nearly lost you, Neri. |
| Neri: | But I cannot forget. My mother’s message was in there. She said there was much still to come. That the ocean planet would need help and I must be ready. |
| Jason: | But, nothing’s happened yet. |
| Neri: | Up there, how do we know? I think of my sister Mera and I am troubled. |
| Jason: | You worry too much. |
(music)
| Mera: | What’s the news? |
|---|---|
| Man: | It is not good, Mera. Reports come from everywhere that this strange new virus is growing fast in the oceans. |
| Mera: | And there is still no explanation? |
| Woman: | Nor any cure. Our scientists are working night and day but this plague seems to have come from nowhere and so far all our attempts to cure it have failed. |
| Man: | People are refusing to swim or eat the fish. There is widespread hunger. |
| Mera: | And fear. |
| Woman: | Fear is their everyday diet, Mera, and they are fed eagerly by Malakat and Shersheba. |
| Mera: | Malakat and Shersheba. What news of them? |
| Man: | They are whipping up rebellion everywhere. Even the royal guards are going over to them. Malakat is talking of an immediate invasion of earth. |
| Mera: | Treason. If the virus can’t be cured then we must plan a peaceful migration, a merging of our two peoples so we can live together in harmony on earth. |
| Woman: | According to the plan of our ancestors, when they traveled there to build the pyramids. |
| Mera: | And my sister Neri will be there to bring our two peoples together. |
| woman: | As your mother’s rightful heir. But that is far from what Malakat intends. His lust for power is so enormous, he’s ready to lead us into a war of the worlds. He believes, with the rebels, he can conquer the human race and rule the earth through princess Shersheba. |
| Mera: | Don’t dignify her with that title. |
| woman: | She is of the royal bloodline and Malakat knows that the rebels need a figurehead. |
| Shersheba: | You have made the right decision, my friends, and you are welcome. Only I, the princess Shersheba, can save you from destruction. |
|---|---|
| Malakat: | Yes, the authorities have said that the virus can be cured. But are there any signs of it? |
| Everyone: | No! |
| Malakat: | Of course not. And what can you expect of a government led by the ignorant child Mera, advised by a group of confused old fools. But we will lead you to a new world. A world called earth, safe from this pestilence. A world where the inhabitants are so weak and unprepared that we will drown them in their rising oceans and then, under the princess Shersheba, you and I will be masters of a new, uncontaminated planet. |
| Brett: | How’s the patient? |
|---|---|
| Winston: | Fit as a fiddle. |
| Jason: | Yeah, but the doctor reckons he should rest completely for at least two days. |
| Brett: | What else did he say? |
| Jason: | He’s blown away. Reckons you can only get that type of reaction from the world’s most poisonous snakes. But the tests show absolutely no toxins in Winston’s blood. |
| Brett: | You didn’t tell him about the flower? |
| Jason: | How could I without mentioning Neri? |
| Cass: | Hey, guys. You want to see something? |
| Cass: | I just picked this up from the dish on the island. |
|---|---|
| Brett: | It’s pretty faint. Could be marine traffic from miles away. |
| Jason: | Or a satellite. |
| Cass: | Yeah, except that this doesn’t equate to any recognized frequency whatsoever. The patterns are totally unique. |
| Brett: | Yeah? |
| Cass: | And another thing. This measures the distance from source. It’s right off the dial. Further than any satellite. |
| Jason: | You mean this signal is coming from deep space? |
| Cass: | You got it. |
| Shersheba: | Is there any sign of the underwater pyramid? |
|---|---|
| Malakat: | Still not a trace. But I shall continue to probe the area. When it rises again, and not before, the time will be ripe for our return to earth. |