1 DISTANT RUSHING RUSHING GROWS LOUDER, FAINT SQUEALING ROARING WAVES Those were the years after the icecaps had melted, because of the greenhouse gases. And the oceans had risen to drown so many cities along all the shorelines of the world. Amsterdam, Venice, New York. Forever lost. GULL CRIES Millions of people were displaced. Climate became chaotic. Hundreds of millions of people starved in poorer countries. Elsewhere, a high degree of prosperity survived when most governments in the developed world introduced legal sanctions to strictly license pregnancies. Which was why robots, who were never hungry and who did not consume resources beyond those of their first manufacture, were so essential an economic link in the chain mail of society. THUNDERCLAP To create an artificial being has been the dream of man since the birth of science... ..not merely the beginning of the modern age when our forebears astonished the world with the first thinking machines, primitive monsters that could play chess. (All laugh) How far we have come. The artificial being is a reality, a perfect simulacrum... ..articulated in limb... ..articulate in speech... ..and not lacking in human response. (Screams) And even pain memory response. (All laugh) How did that make you feel? Angry? Shocked? I don't understand. What did I do to your feelings? You did it to my hand. Alright. There's the rub. Undress. (Clears throat) At Cybertronics of New Jersey, the artificial being has reached its highest form - universally adopted Mecha the basis for hundreds of models serving the human race in all the multiplicity of daily life. That's far enough. But we have no reason to congratulate ourselves. We are, rightly, proud of it, but what does it amount to? Sheila, open. SOFT HISS MECHANICAL SCRAPING ELECTRONIC WHIRRING A sensory toy.... ..with intelligent behavioural circuits, using neurone-sequencing technology as old as I am. I believe that my work on mapping the impulse pathways in a single neurone can enable us to construct...a Mecha of a qualitatively different order. I propose... ..that we build a robot... ..who can love. Love? But...we ship thousands of lover models every month. Of course. Your own best customer, Syatyoo-Sama. (All laugh) Quality control is very important. (All laugh loudly) Tell me... ..what is love? Love is first widening my eyes a little bit and quickening my breathing a little and warming my skin and touching... And so on. Exactly so. Thank you, Sheila. But I wasn't referring to sensuality simulators. The word that I used was 'love'. Love, like the love of a child for its parents. I propose that we build a robot-child who can love. A robot-child who will genuinely love the parent or parents it imprints on with a love that will never end. A child-substitute Mecha. But a Mecha with a mind. With neuronal feedback. You see, what I'm suggesting is that love will be the key by which they acquire a kind of subconscious, never before achieved. An inner world of metaphor, of intuition, of self-motivated reasoning. Of dreams. A robot that dreams? Yes. How exactly do we pull this off? (Others laugh) You know, it occurs to me, um, with all this animus existing against Mechas today, it isn't simply a question of creating a robot who can love. But isn't the real conundrum - can you get a human to love them back? Ours will be a perfect child caught in a freeze-frame, always loving, never ill, never changing. With all the childless couples yearning in vain for a licence, our little Mecha will not only open up a completely new market, it will fill a great human need. But you haven't answered my question. If a robot could genuinely love a person... ..what responsibility does that person hold toward that Mecha in return? It's a moral question, isn't it? The oldest one of all. But in the beginning, didn't God create Adam to love him? CHATTER UNSETTLED MUSIC DISTANT THROBBING HUM HISSING 'DER ROSENKAVALIER SUITE, OPUS 59' PLAYS "Baby was born as the first leaves of autumn fell. "A baby boy. "And Marion's wish came true. "The boy had white hair. "He was baptised Martin... "..after his grandfather." Dr Frazier. Good to see you. Hi. There was an article in the 'Journal of Chinese Medicine' that talked... Hello again, Monica. ..virus locators - microscopic, synthetic hunter-killers. Did you read that article? I can still hear you. I'm worried about her, Henry. She's really got me worried. Yeah, I know. She's in a difficult position of feeling she should mourn your son's death. After five years, your instincts tell you to mourn him too. But medicine assures us that mourning isn't appropriate, that Martin is merely pending. Pending? So all her grief...goes undigested. (Sighs) Henry, your son may be beyond our science, but it's your wife who can still be reached. MELANCHOLIC MUSIC The screening process was extremely difficult. It was almost tougher than building the prototype. Of our 2,000 employees, a surprising few met your minimum requirements for the in-house testing. Initiate. Employment record, quality of lifestyle... Query. BELLS TINKLE ON COMPUTER Internal data. ..loyalty to the firm and...in this individual's case, a family tragedy that may qualify him above the rest. I'll see him. Henry. Don't kill me. Henry, what are you doing? I love you. Don't kill me. Doors closed. WONDROUS MUSIC I like your floor. (Shouts) I can't accept this! There is no substitute for your own child. You don't have to. It's not too late to return him. What were you thinking?! Shh! I'll do whatever you want. Do you think I can just...I can just...? I'll do whatever you want me to do! (Sobs) I don't...know what to do. I know, I know. I'll return him to Cybertronics. First thing in the morning, it's gone. (Sniffs) Good. I mean, Henry, did you see his face? He's... (Sighs) ..he's so real. But he's not. No, he's not. I mean, inside, he's like all the rest, isn't he? A hundred miles of fibre, yeah. But outside, he just looks so real... ..like he is a child. A Mecha-child. PENSIVE MUSIC A child. CURIOUS MUSIC The show of faith my company's placed on me, on us, is extraordinary. There are some simple procedures to follow if and when you decide to keep David. If you decide to keep him, there's an imprinting protocol consisting of a code string of seven particular words which must be spoken to David in the predefined order printed here. Now, Monica, for our own protection... ..this imprinting is irreversible. The robot-child's love would be sealed - in a sense, hard-wired - and we'd be part of him forever. Because of this, after imprinting, no Mecha-child can be resold. If an adopted parent should decide not to keep the child, they must return it to Cybertronics for destruction. I had to sign a letter of agreement or they wouldn't let you see David. You have to sign it too, right here. Monica, don't imprint until you're entirely sure. Silly man. Of course I'm not sure. CHIMES TINKLE Would you like me to sleep now? Good idea. Um... Good idea. Monica? Uh, well, it's late, you know. It's after 9:00, so, uh... Yeah, 10 past. How...how late did they...let you stay up? I can never go to sleep. But I can lie quietly and not make a peep. So, those pyjamas will fit you and we'll check on you first thing. Dress me. Yeah, I'm going to say goodnight while you...boys be boys. Raise your arms. MYSTICAL MUSIC WONDROUS MUSIC (Gasps) (Sighs) PENSIVE MUSIC BIRDSONG UNCERTAIN MUSIC PLAYFUL MUSIC Is it a game? Yes. Hide-and-seek. Found you. (Laughs nervously) That's your room. Just, uh, go and play. WOOD PIECES RATTLE WOOD PIECES CONTINUE RATTLING UNSETTLED MUSIC (Gasps, screams) I found you. Out! Out! Get out of here! And close the goddamn door! CUTLERY CLINKS MUNCHING RAIN PATTERS (Sighs deeply) DISTANT THUNDER RUMBLES DISTANT THUNDERCLAP (Laughs loudly) (Screams) (Laughs) (Laughs) I got... (Chuckles) THUNDER RUMBLES GENTLE MUSIC UNSETTLED MUSIC Is it a game? Now, I'm going to read some words, and, uh...they won't make any sense, but I want you to listen to them anyway and...look at me all the time. Can you do that? Yes, Monica. Can you...feel my hand on the back of your neck? Yes. Does any of this hurt? No. OK. Now...look at me. Ready? Cirrus. Socrates. Particle. Decibel. Hurricane. Dolphin. Tulip. Monica. David. Monica. QUIET, SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC Alright. I wonder if I did that right. I don't... What were those words for, Mommy? What did you call me? Mommy. (Whispers) Who am I, David? You are my mommy. TENDER MUSIC * (Hums) Mmm. You smell lovely. I love it when you wear this stuff. Will you still love me when it's all gone? No. Oh, stop it! (Laughs) We can get married again and begin with a fragrance that's not in such short supply. Gotta go. Come on. We're late. Hello, David. Hello, Henry. Walk us out, all right, sweetheart? Come on! Oh! My shoe! (Giggles) Henry, your tie! Yeah, I know. I'm helpless. You're hopeless! He made our bed. He's just trying so hard! See the way... Trying SO hard to please me. He has a way with my coffee... It's creepy. You can never hear him coming. He's just always there. He is only a child. Monica, he's a toy. He's a gift. From you. (Gasps) David, when we leave, all the doors and windows will go smart, so you can't leave your room. But if you'd like... Oh, I put way too much on. Do I smell lovely? (Gasps) Oh, God, no. Oh. Mommy? Will you die? Well...one day, David, yes, I will. I'll be alone. Don't worry yourself so. How long will you live? For ages. For 50 years. I love you, Mommy. I hope you never die. Never. Yes. Darling? We're becoming unfashionably, unreasonably late. Hello? This belonged to Martin. My son. CLICK! (Rasps throatily) (Moves limbs noisily) His name is Teddy. Teddy, this is David. Hello, Teddy. Hello, David. (Grunts) David, Teddy is a supertoy, and I know you'll take good care of each other. (Indignantly) I am NOT a toy! Henry? Sorry! What were you doing up there? I'll tell you in the car. C'mon. (Teddy walks noisily) Is 50 years a long time? I don't think so. ELECTRONIC BELL RINGS David, I'll get it. BELL CONTINUES TO RING BELL CONTINUES TO RING Honey, hand it to me. Look what I can do! (In woman's voice) Hello? (Laughs uneasily) Yes? Mrs Swinton, could you hold a moment? I have an urgent call from your husband. Yes, I will. Er...David, I need to talk to the phone now. (As David) Monica? Monica? Can you hear me, Monica? Let the phone talk now. Monica, can you hear me? Pick up the phone, Monica! Play with Teddy. Pick up the phone, Monica! Oh, my God, Moni... Hello, Henry? What is it? What's... What?! POIGNANT MUSIC When? Oh, God. David? The most wonderful thing in the whole world has happened. This is Martin. This is my son. UNEASY MUSIC CRICKETS CHIRRUP, BIRDS SING Martin, no. We'll have a contest to see who he comes to first. Come here, Teddy! Come here, boy! Teddy! Come here! You call him too. Come here, Teddy. Come on! Come here, boy. Teddy! Teddy! Come here. Come on, Teddy. Come here! (Flatly) Come here, Teddy. Come here, Teddy! Teddy! Teddy, come. Come here. Come here, Teddy. Come here, Teddy. Come, Teddy! Come. Mommy. Mommy! (Monica sighs) Are they torturing you, Teddy? He used to be a supertoy, but...now he's old and stupid. You want him? Yes, please. So I guess now you're the new supertoy. So...what good stuff can you do? Oh, can you do power stuff, like, uh...walk on the ceiling or the walls? Antigravity, like float or fly? Can you? No, because I'm real. Can you break this? I'd better not. These things, they do look better in pieces. They do. (Quietly) I can't. (Sighs) Stand up. Look. They made you bigger than me. Who did? Well, THEY did. The doll-makers. They made you taller. Why don't you look like one? Like one...? You're not cute like a doll. You just look like someone's ordinary kid. When's your birthday? I never had a birthday. OK, when were you first built? When's your 'build day'? I don't remember. (Sighs) OK, what's the first thing you CAN remember? BIRD SINGS DISTANTLY A bird. What sort of bird? A bird with big wings. And feathers sticking up from the bottom. Can you draw it? Yes. That looks like a peacock. Can you say 'peacock'? Peacock. Can you say 'pea'? Pea. Now say that two times, fast. MONICA: OK. Then you've got to put the green ones... Read to us? Hey. Let's see. (Whispers) Oh, ye... David's going to love it. MONICA: "Once the show was over, the showman went into the kitchen, "where the whole sheep he was preparing for supper "was roasting on a slowly turning spit in the furnace. "When he saw there wasn't enough wood to finish roasting it, "he called Harlequin and the Punchinello, "and said, 'Bring me in Pinocchio. "'You will find him hanging on a nail. "'He is made of nice, dry wood, and I'm sure he will make a nice fire.'" "Pinocchio worked until midnight "and instead of making 8 baskets, he made 16. "Then he went to bed and fell asleep. "As he slept, he dreamt he saw the fairy, lovely and smiling, "who gave him a kiss saying, "'Brave Pinocchio, in return for your good heart, "'I forgive all your past misdeeds. "'Be good in future and you will be happy.' "Then the dream ended and Pinocchio awoke, "full of amazement. "You can imagine how astonished he was "when he saw that he was no longer a puppet, "but a real boy, just like other boys." Josephine, evidently, has taken a leave of absence. Oh, my God. Mm-hm. Well, I saw that coming. How could you see that coming? They were fabulous together. Come on! She was miserable. Well, he never said they were miserable. Yeah, that's because... was that because of the cutbacks? I have no idea. They certainly don't tell me anything. Didn't they have a weight problem? Well, so do I. (Laughs) You do not. Alright, look. That is ridiculous. I don't know. (Laughs) Isn't there something about inner beauty... You will break. Oh, that is ridiculous! Exactly. So...work has just become so silly. What are you talking about? (David slurps noisily) QUIET, SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC Does he eat? (Fearfully) I'm not sure. Eugh! You're not supposed to do that. What are you doing? Where's the manual, the book? Martin, put the fork down. Stop. Stop, David. David, stop it! (Tersely) Martin, you're provoking him, OK? Stop it. Stop it, David! You two, stop it! (Frantically) Stop it. Stop it now! (Anxiously) Stop it. David, stop it! CONTINUOUS BEEP MUSIC BECOMES DARK MECHANICAL WHIRR Hmm. Spewed in the code lockers. Smell that garlic! Should clone that chest bridge. Hey! Did you locate the servers? Don't touch the merchandise.. It's all swamp in here. You made a mess of yourself. Spinach is for rabbits, people and Popeye. Not robo-boys. Try and insert yourself. OK. Do a patching on the lower shelves. It's OK, Mommy. It doesn't hurt. The activators are all shut down on this side. Monica. No! I just have to... That's not all of it. That's not all of it. MARTIN: If you do something really, really, really special for me... (Whispers) ..a special mission... ..then I'll go tell Mommy... I love you. And then she'll love you too. UNEASY MUSIC What shall I do? You'll have to promise and then I'll tell you. You have to tell me and then I'll promise. I want a lock of Mommy's hair. I'll share it with you. And if you had it and wore it... ..she might love you even more. Like the princess in the movie we saw. When she had the prince's hair in her necklace thing, he loved her. We can ask her. No. It has to be a SECRET mission. (Whispers) Sneak into Mommy's bedroom in the middle of the night and chop it off. I can't, Martin. I'm not allowed. You promised. You said, "Tell me and then I'll promise." (Whispers accusingly) Didn't you? UNSETTLED MUSIC (Inhales deeply) OMINOUS MUSIC (Inhales, sighs) (Gasps) David! Why did you do that?! Why did you do that?! Henry, you're hurting him! Talk to me. David! Why did you do that? You're hurting him. You're hurting him. You'll... Tell me. Why? You'll break him! Henry, I wanted Mommy to love me,... more. Oh my God! What? My eye. I've cut my eye. Let me see. Oh God. I think it's bleeding. Come on, wash it out. EERIE MUSIC - Half of young New Zealanders don't vote. And Ted here is one of them. SOFTLY: He's pretty much invisible, poor bloke. - (GROANS) - You're a vote ghost, aren't you, Ted? But we can fix that. - (GRUNTS) Uh, vote. It's normal for little boys to feel jealous and competitive. Martin's only been home a month, and it's normal for brothers to challenge each other. He was playing a game, and he made a mistake and... He's practically human. Not holding the knife. Scissors. It was a weapon. You're imagining he was purposely trying to harm you. We don't know the answer to that. How is he worth the risk to you, Martin or this family? I won't let you return him. You said what would happen. Think about this... If he was created to love, then it's reasonable to assume he can hate. And if pushed to those extremes, what is he really capable of? (Boys yell excitedly) Happy birthday, Martin. I made this for you. Is this him? This your little brother? Technically, no. He's Mecha. What's Mecha? (Patronisingly) We're organic. You're mechanical. Orga...Mecha. Orga...Mecha. Orga...Mecha. Tod! Stop. I didn't even know they made little kids. Can you pee? I cannot. Let's see what you can't pee with. (Boys laugh) Come on. Touch it. It feels so real! That's creepy. Whoa! Feels so real. BOY: That's too real. Mecha-real. Does he have DAS? Das what? (With German accent) Das is good! Damage Avoidance System. DAS. It's a pain alert system. Our serving man has it. It's so they don't go picking up fire with their bare hands. What...watch this. Now, I'm not going to cut you. This isn't going to hurt. I'm not going to cut your skin. Just tell me when you feel it. DARK MUSIC Keep me safe, Martin. Keep me safe. Let me go! Keep me safe, Martin. Let me go. Keep me safe. MOM! (Whispers) Keep me safe. Keep me safe. (Yells) Mom! (Repeats) Keep me safe. Keep me safe. Henry! Oh, my God. Oh, my God! (People converse indistinctly) MAN: I can't get a pulse. He's not breathing. Come on, man! Come on! (Martin coughs) Take a breath. Cough it up. That's a boy. That's a great boy! Thank God! EERIE MUSIC TENDER MUSIC Hey, David? Mommy! Mommy. Hold on, I just need to...speak to you for a minute, OK? OK. (Sniffs) (Sobs gently) These are beautiful. (Tenderly) Thank you. Um... Um...hey, David, I was thinking that we could go for a drive tomorrow in the country. You and me. What do you say? And Teddy? Yeah, and Teddy. Thank you, Mommy. (Whispers) Thank you so much. Tomorrow's going to be just for us, OK? TROUBLED MUSIC Where are we going? Someplace nice? Are those happy tears? What's for dinner tonight? You know you don't eat. Yes. But I like sitting at the table. MUSIC BECOMES OMINOUS TENSE MUSIC David? David, I want... David? Listen. Listen to me! David? David, listen. Now... ..you won't understand the reasons, but I have to leave you here. Is it a game? When will you come back for me? I'm not, David. You'll have to be here by yourself. Alone? (Whispers) With Teddy. (Whimpers) No. No, no, no, no, no, no! No, Mommy, please! No, no. Shh. Shh. Please, no. They would destroy you, David. They were going to destroy... Mommy, I'm sorry I broke myself. I'm so sorry I cut your hair off. I'm sorry I hurt you and Martin. Now...now...I have to go. I have to go! (Screams) Stop it! (Sobs) Stop it. I have to go now. Mommy, don't. Mommy! Mommy! If Pinocchio became a real boy and I become a real boy, can I come home? But that's just a story. That story tells what happens. Stories are not real. But a story... (With anguish) You're not real! TENSE MUSIC Now, listen. (Exclaims) Look! Take this, alright? Take this. Don't let anyone see how much it is. Now, look. Don't go that way, alright? Look at me! Look, don't go that way. Go anywhere but that way or they'll catch you. Never let them catch you. Listen, stay away from flesh fairs, away from where there's lots of people. Stay away from all people. Only others like you, only Mecha are safe. Now, get going. Why do you want to leave me? Why do you want to leave me? I'm sorry, Mommy. If you let me, I'll be so real for you! No. Let go. David, let go! I'm sorry I didn't tell you about the world. TURBULENT MUSIC * I'm afraid. (speaks softly) Of me? Yes. That I will hurt you? Yes. I think... you're afraid of letting go. I think you're afraid of happiness. And this is starting to excite me. Are you afraid of seeing the stars? Patricia, I can show you how to reach them. I'm afraid of what you've got under there. May I see what it looks like first? Is this your first time... with something like me? I've never been with Mecha. (Whispers) That makes two of us. (Both laugh softly) I'm afraid it will hurt. Patricia,... once you've had a Lover Robot,... you'll never want a real man again. Are these the wounds of passion? (Laughs self-consciously) SONG: # Are the stars out tonight? # I don't know if it's cloudy or bright. Do you hear that music? # For you, dear. (Laughs) You... are a goddess. # I only have eyes for you... # Patricia. You wind me up inside. But you deserve much better in your life. You... deserve... me. (Women sing) # Cos I only have eyes for you, dear. # The moon may be high. # But I can't see a thing in the sky... # ELECTRONIC BEEPS ELECTRONIC BEEPS JAZZY RHYTHMIC MUSIC Hey, Joe. What do you know? Hi, Jane. How's the game? (Hums self-confidently) Hey, Joe. What do you know? Hello, Mr Williamson. Place a DND on room 1-0-2, please. Sure thing. (Groans) There you are. Oh, Joe? When you're finished here, crack your collar. Show off your operating licence. The flesh fair's in Barn Creek, and the hounds are out hunting for strays. It's a good thing I ran into you. Thanks, Mr Williamson. Sure thing. Mustn't keep a lady waiting. MOTOR HUMS SONG: # When you see a guy, reach for stars in the sky... # Ms Bevens. It's Joe. At your service. I've been counting the seconds since last we met. # Only a John can be for a Jane # When you meet a gent... # (Softly) Have you been crying, Samantha? I found a tear. Hey, Joe. What do you know? How many seconds has it been, the last time the two of you were together? 255,133. Goodbye, Sam. And never forget... ..you killed me first. I'm in bad trouble. VEHICLE APPROACHES DAVID: If I am a real boy, then I can go back... ..and she'll love me then. How? The Blue Fairy made Pinocchio into a real boy. She can make me into a real boy. I must find her. I must become real. Must be someone in the whole world who knows where she lives. VEHICLE APPROACHES BEEPING UNSETTLED MUSIC LOUD BUZZ ELECTRONIC WHIRR, CLICKS MUSIC BECOMES TENSE Moon on the rise! (With robotic voice) It's a flesh fair. They destroy us onstage. I've been there. TROUBLED MUSIC What do we do? We run now. MAN ON P.A.: Any old iron? Any old iron? Any old iron? Any old iron? Expel your Mecha. Purge yourselves of artificiality. Come along, now. Let some Mecha loose to run. Any old, unlicensed iron down there? Hey, see that? Could be a human thing. No, he's scanning cold. No expiration date, no ID. What's a new model doing loose and unregistered? Sir, it's a late-generation Lover Mecha. Well, there's a relief from all this antique iron. You are certain he's not a man? I wouldn't want a repeat of the Trenton incident. Sir, he's a free-range Mecha running hot. Let's reel him in, boys. Stick the hounds on the rest. OMINOUS MUSIC (Revs engine) DRAMATIC MUSIC Shake down, Shantytown! MOTORS REV LOUDLY What's your name? My name is David. (Tenderly) Hello, David. How old are you? I don't know. Do you need someone to take care of you? Would you like a nanny? I have many good references. Do you know where the Blue Fairy lives? MOTOR REVS Turn out the light. Steady your drift. Open the lower hold. Don't be afraid, David. (Sings) # Dodo, l'enfant, do # L'enfant dormira bien vite # Dodo, l'enfant do # L'enfant dormira bientot. I'll break, David. # Une chanson douce. DRAMATIC MUSIC # Que me chantait ma maman. THUMP! Ow. (echoes) # Une chanson douce. # Que me chantait ma maman... # - Araia te kino, whanau. - The decisions we make today affect our tomorrow. This is the time to think of each other. - Playing it safe is a choice. Do it to protect our families. - Do it to protect our aiga. Do it to protect our teams... - ...and protect our whakapapa. (DRUM ROLL) (DRUM ROLL GROWS LOUDER) (DRUM ROLL INTENSIFIES) Yeah! Whoo! The Monopoly game at Macca's is here! And it's better than ever. You could peel your way to a new Volkswagen T-Cross, a $10,000 experience voucher from RedBalloon or a $500 fashion voucher from The Iconic. Whoo! Peel, play and win at Macca's today. LOUD ROCK MUSIC (Man sings) # So you don't respect the distance on the highway of life. # Scream to anyone who guesses that the end is in sight. # Then you circle the wagons or engine circles that quick, # Cos the highway got a gun that fires down on respect... # Hello. Anybody lose this? Hello. This your dog? (Growls) Take it to lost and found for me, OK? Hey, Allen, lost and found. Do you know David? Where's the off switch? Where's David? Can you help me find David? I have to find David. Are you taking me to David? MOTORCYCLES RUMBLE I'll see you over there. OK. Save us a seat. LOUD ROCK MUSIC, CHEERING # So you hear the last call It means nothing at all. # You kiss a lot of ass, so they come to the war. # Another warning ain't nothing but the sign of the times... # (Crowd boos) Can you kind of shoot me over the propeller thing? Yeah, I don't need to go through it. I was considering it, but I changed my mind. Gentlemen, start your engines! PROPELLERS WHIRR (All count) 10, 9... ..8, 7, 6... ..5, 4, 3... ..2, 1! LOUD ROAR (All cheer) WOMAN: What about us! (Crowd cheers) What about us? We are alive! And this is a celebration of life! And this is commitment to a truly human future! What's your name? DAVID: Hello, Teddy. Hello, David. Take it. Take it. EXPLOSION MAN: Background's rolling. Papa. Papa. Amanda, go on back outside, honey. It's too smoky in here. There's a boy in the cage. What did you say? There's a boy in a cage. A boy? A real boy. He's stuck in the cage. In the pen, honey? In the jail place. Random crowd reaction... Hey, Russell. Get a remote near the pigpen. Standing by. Put it on VT1. Let's see what she's talking about. Coming up on one. Amanda says she saw a little boy in there. Honey, how do you know about this? The bear told me. I told her. EXPLOSIONS Whoa! Yeah! Would you be so kind and shut down my pain receivers? Why is this happening? History repeats itself. It's the right of blood and electricity. So when the opportunities have failed themselves, they pick away at us, cutting back our numbers so they can maintain numerical superiority. LOUD CLANGING My time, is it up already? Goodbye, everyone. Keep me safe. Keep me safe. Keep me safe. Keep me safe. Keep me safe. Keep me safe. Mike, security, Mike, do you have any reports of any missing kids, any missing children? Alright, thanks, Mike. How'd you get in there? Boy. You, boy. Hey, what's your name? I won't bite you. Come on over where I can see you. Hey, hey. It won't hurt you. I just need to see. ELECTRONIC BEEPING You're a machine. I'm a boy. Is he a toy-boy? My name is David. Impossible. I still work, don't I? I can work in the dark, but my lamp's broken. My lamplight will not work. I hit my lamp on a good overhead. (Crowd boos) (Crowd cheers) Goodbye, David. No-one built children. No-one ever has. What would be the point? Oh, it could be a custom job. Some rich and lonely scaredy-puss's pretend child. I'm a custom job. 75 years ago, I was 'TIME' magazine's Mecha of the year. No. This work is first-rate. A lot of love went into him. David. You are one of a kind. You know that? Who made you? My mommy made me. Her womb was your factory, yeah? One of those built to aspire to the human condition. What's the name of your maker - Serve US, EZ Living, Robbyville, Simulatecity, Santern, Cybertronics, Sidekicks? Monica is my mommy. Can I speak with you for a moment? BELL RINGS Are you thinking of not putting him in the show? Something this original, you don't toss out with the rest of the garbage. I say originality without purpose is a white elephant. But if money is your purpose, here's your refund. My compliments. What are you going to do with him? Put him where he belongs - in show business. It was certainly my good fortune running into you. Let go of him. Let go of me. I said let go. I'm trying. Don't let go. Keep me safe. Don't let go. Suit yourselves. ROCK MUSIC STOPS (Crowd cheers) (Crowd chants) Johnson! Johnson! Johnson! Johnson! Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls and children of all ages. What will they think of next? See here - a bitty-bot, a tinker toy, a living doll. Of course, we all know why they made them. To steal your hearts, to replace your children. This is the latest aberration in the series of insults to human dignity, and in the grand scheme to phase out all of God's little children. Meet the next generation of child designed to do just that. (Crowd mutters) It's a boy. Do not be fooled by the artistry of this creation. No doubt, there was talent in the crafting of this simulator. Yet, with the very first strike, you will see the big lie come apart before your very eyes. Don't burn me! Don't burn me! I'm not Pinocchio. Don't make me die! I'm David! I'm David! Mecha don't plead for their lives. Who is that? He looks like a boy! Built like a boy to disarm us. See how they try to imitate our emotions now. Whatever performance this sim puts on, remember we are only demolishing artificiality. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. (Chuckles) Whoa! (Crowd boos) He's just a boy! He's a little boy. Johnson, you're a monster! Get him out of there before they tear this place apart. EMOTIVE MUSIC (BIRDS SQUAWKING, BONGO DRUMMING) Excuse me, where am I? You're lost in the procrastination place. Yeah, right. That makes sense. MAN: Slap yourself out of it. Whoo! (DRUM ROLL) (DRUM ROLL GROWS LOUDER) (DRUM ROLL INTENSIFIES) Yeah! Whoo! The Monopoly game at Macca's is here! And it's better than ever. You could peel your way to a new Volkswagen T-Cross, a $10,000 experience voucher from RedBalloon or a $500 fashion voucher from The Iconic. Whoo! Peel, play and win at Macca's today. * SENTIMENTAL MUSIC FOOTSTEPS We found him. Where? A Flesh Fair outside Haddonfield. Is he alive? Yes. He's in one piece. CRICKETS CHIRRUP FROG CROAKS I see the moon. Is it real? I don't know, David. Is it coming? I can't tell yet. Let's not walk this way. OMINOUS MUSIC Where are we going? This way now. Are you in bad trouble? Have you run away from someone? My mommy told me to run away. Why did she say that? I guess... because Henry didn't like me. Why was that? Martin came home. And who is he? Martin is Mommy and Henry's real son. After I find the Blue Fairy, then I can go home. Mommy will love a real boy. The Blue Fairy will make me into one. Is Blue Fairy Mecha, Orga, man or woman? Woman. Woman? I know women. They sometimes ask for me by name. ROMANTIC MUSIC PLAYS I know all about women, about as much as there is to know. No two are ever alike. And after they've met me, no two... ..are ever the same. And I know where most of them can be found. Where? Rouge City. Across the Delaware, too far for our feet. We'll need help to get there. MUSIC STOPS And it is not without peril. We will have to journey... UNSETTLING MUSIC ..towards the moon. Are there many women in Rouge City? As there are stars at night. And how will we find just one? We will ask Dr Know. There is nothing he doesn't. Exactly what name do you give this woman? She is...just Blue Fairy. Blue Fairy. In the world of Orga, blue is the colour of melancholy. Yet, the services I provide will put a blush back on anyone's cheek. I'll change the colour of your fairy for you. She'll scream out in the moonlight. (Gasps) "Oh. Oh, yes. Oh, God. Oh, yes. "Oh, God. Oh, God." She'll make you a real boy, for I'll make her a real woman and all will be right with the world, because you held my hand and saved my brain, so that once again, my customers may ask for me by name. "Gigolo Joe, what do you know?" Why do you do that? That's just what I do. Now, follow me and don't fall behind. All roads lead to Rouge. Don't they say that, eh? Don't they just. There are girls your age who are just like me. We are the guiltless pleasures of the lonely human being. You won't get us pregnant or have us to supper with Mommy and Daddy. We work under you, we work on you and we work for you. Man made us better at what we do than was ever humanly possible. If you could manage us a lift to Rouge City... ..all this... ..and much, much more can be yours. (Chuckles) Get in. SOARING MUSIC Say 'Ah'. ALL: Ah! (All yell) DANCE MUSIC, CHEERING Over there's Here Kitty Kitty. That's where the agency held my tryouts when I was made and new. That's Tails. Very hoity-toity. I've yet to be asked to perform there. Only sunrise gents and sunset ladies, strictly sierra-class robots who have no idea how to live. Can't even speak English, all made in Sweden. Couldn't tell a joke from a poke. There's Mildred. I have to show you inside Mildred. THUMPING DANCE MUSIC, LAUGHTER Are you her? That's Our Lady of the Immaculate Heart. The ones who made us are always looking for the ones who made them. They go in, fold their hands, look around their feet, sing songs. When they come out, it's usually me they find. I've picked up a lot of business in this spot. 'I ONLY HAVE EYES FOR YOU' PLAYS But Joe, where's Blue Fairy? That's what we're going to find out when we ask Dr Know. That's where everyone goes who needs to know. Meet the good doctor. - Araia te kino, whanau. - The decisions we make today affect our tomorrow. This is the time to think of each other. - Playing it safe is a choice. Do it to protect our families. - Do it to protect our aiga. Do it to protect our teams... - ...and protect our whakapapa. * STERILE MUSIC EXPLOSION, MAGICAL MUSIC WHIRRING, RUSHING Starving minds, welcome to Dr Know! Where fast food for thought is served up 24 hours a day in 40,000 locations nationwide. Ask Dr Know, there's nothing I don't. Tell me where I can find the Blue Fairy. BUZZ! Question me, you pay the fee. Two for five, you get one free. He means two questions cost five Newbucks, with a third question on the house. In this day and age, David, nothing costs more than information. That's everything. 10 Newbucks and a 10 copper comes to seven questions for Dr Know. That should be enough. (Whispers) He's a smooth operator. He'll press our limits. But try, we must. Greetings, colleagues. On author, factual text or fictualised text. Usual literary range for primary level to post doctoral. Usual span of styles from fairytales to religious. Who's who or where's where? All flat fact. Flat fact? Thank you for question number one. Flat fact is a term demanding an equal answer... That shouldn't count. That wasn't my question. You must take care not to raise your voice up at the end of the sentence. Flat fact. You have six more questions. (Carefully) Where is Blue Fairy? In the garden. Vascostylis Blue Fairy. Blooms twice annually with bright blue flowers on a branched inflorescence. A hybrid between Ascola Meda Arnold. You have five more questions. Who is Blue Fairy? Are you sad, lonely, looking for a friend? Blue Fairy escort service will find a mate for you. You have four more questions. (Whispers) Joe! Try 'Fairy Tale'. New category. 'A Fairy's Tale'. (Whispers) No! 'Fairy Tale'. No, 'Fairy Tale'. QUIRKY MUSIC What is Blue Fairy? 'Pinocchio', by Carlo Collodi. "At the signal, there was a rustling, as a flapping of wings "and a large falcon flew to the windowsill. "'What are your orders, beautiful fairy?'" (Dreamily) That's her. "For you must know that a child with blue hair "was no other than the good-hearted fairy "who had lived in that wood for more than 1,000..." LOUD STATIC David! David. (Frantically) That's her! It was an example of her. But I think we're getting closer. (Whispers) But if a fairytale is real, then wouldn't it be fact? A 'Flat Fact'? "..and Pinocchio awoke..." Say no more. New category, please. MAGICAL MUSIC Combine... ..fact with... ..fairytale. Now...ask him again. TENSE MUSIC How... ..can the Blue Fairy... ..make... ..a robot... ..into a real, live boy? ALARM SOUNDS (Reads slowly) Will you tell me how to find her? Discovery is quite possible. Our Blue Fairy does exist in one place and in one place only - at the end of the world where the lions weep. Here is the place dreams are born. Many a Mecha has gone to the end of the world, never to come back. That is why they call the end of the world 'MANhattan'. And that's why we must go there. DOOR HUMS MECHANICALLY Wait! What if the Blue Fairy isn't real at all, David? What if she's magic? The supernatural is the hidden web that unites the universe. Only Orga believe what cannot be seen or measured. That oddness separates our species. Or what if the Blue Fairy is an electronic parasite that has arisen to haunt the minds of artificial intelligence? They hate us, you know. The humans. They'll stop at nothing. My mommy doesn't hate me. Because I'm special and...unique. Because there has never been anyone like me before. Ever. Mommy loves Martin because he's real. When I'm real, Mommy will read to me, tuck me in my bed, sing to me and listen to me, and she'll cuddle with me and tell me every day a hundred times that she loves me. She loves what you do for her. As my customers love what it is I do for them. But she does not love you... ..David. She cannot love you. You are neither flesh nor blood. You are not a dog or a cat or a canary. You were designed and built specific like the rest of us. And you are alone now only because they tired of you or replaced you with a younger model or were displeased with something you said or broke. They made us too smart, too quick and too many. We are suffering for the mistakes they made, because when the end comes, all that will be left is us. That's why they hate us. And that's why you must stay here. With me. Goodbye, Joe. CHATTER, SQUEAKING MECHANICAL WHIRRING SHOUTING, HORNS BEEP DARK MUSIC MAN: Alright, stay back, stay back. MURMURING MAN: Let's clear this doorway, please. You're in bad trouble. MAN: Step back. That's it. SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC Go about your business now. WHOOSH! CLANG! ENGINE STARTS CLATTER, WHIRRING (People scream) Be careful, David. This is not a toy. WHOOSH! SCREAMING ACTION MUSIC WHOOSH! WONDROUS MUSIC MUSIC SWELLS ELECTRONIC VOICE: Destination? Man-hattan. ENGINES ACCELERATE, SCREAMING WHOOSH! ENGINES WHOOSH * WONDROUS MUSIC ELECTRONIC VOICE: Mecha-restricted area. ENGINES ROAR TRIUMPHANT MUSIC Manhattan. Destination achieved. The lost city in the sea at the end of the world. Where the lions weep. HOLLOW ROAR OF ENGINE ENGINES WHINE (Grunts softly) Turn around, Joe. (Grunts) We're not going to give up yet, David. Turn around, Joe. Turn all the way around. (Grunts softly) SWEEPING MUSIC ENGINES WHINE (Shouts) Professor Hobby?! Professor Hobby? MAGICAL MUSIC "Come away, O human child to the waters and the wild "With a fairy, hand in hand "For the world's more full of weeping "Than you can understand." WONDROUS MUSIC CURIOUS MUSIC Professor Hobby? PAPER FLIPS Professor Hobby? Hello? (Softly) Hello? PAPERS SHUFFLE Is this the place they make you real? DRAMATIC MUSIC This is the place they make you read. SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC Are you real? I guess. CURIOUS MUSIC (Whispers) Are you me? (Laughs) I'm David. You're not. (Laughs) Yes, I am. I'm David. So am I. Hello, David. Can you read? Can you sit down and we can read together? Let's be friends. You can't have her. I can't hear you. She's mine. DARK MUSIC And I'm the only one. (Screams) I'M DAVID! I'm David! I'm David! I'm David! I'm David! (Shouts angrily) I'm David! I'm David! I'm David! I'm special! I'm unique! I'm David! You can't have her! WHOOSHING (Softly) I'm David. I'm David. HOBBY: David. I'm David, I'm David. David. I'm David. Yes, you are David. Professor Hobby. Yes, David, I've been waiting for you. Dr Know told me you'd be here. Is Blue Fairy here too? I first heard of your Blue Fairy from Monica. What did you believe the Blue Fairy could do for you? She would make me a real boy. But you are a real boy. At least as real as I've ever made one, which, by all reasonable accounts, would make me your Blue Fairy. You're not her. Dr Know said she'd be here, at the Lost City in the Sea... That's what Dr Know needed to know to get you to come home to us. And it's the only time we intervened. The only help that we gave him... ..to give to you. So I could find you a way home to us. Until you were born, robots didn't train, robots didn't desire unless we told them what to want. David. (Laughs) Do you have any idea what a success story you've become? You found a fairytale and, inspired by love, fuelled by desire, you set out on a journey to make her real and, most remarkable of all, no-one taught you how. We actually lost you for a while. When you were found, we didn't show ourselves because our test was simple. Where would your self-motivated reasoning take you? To the logical conclusion. The Blue Fairy is part of the great human flaw to wish for things that don't exist. Or to the greatest single human gift - the ability to chase down our dreams... ..and that is something no machine has ever done, until you. I thought I was one of a kind. My son was one of a kind. You are the first of a kind. David. My brain is falling out. BLEAK MUSIC Would you like to come meet your real mothers and fathers? Team is anxious to talk to you. I want you to wait here. I'll gather them up. I want to hear everything about your adventures. We want to thank you... ..and tell you what's in store for you next. HOLLOW ECHOING UNSETTLED MUSIC EERIE MUSIC MYSTERIOUS MUSIC CLATTER TENSE MUSIC MUSIC CLIMAXES HAUNTING MUSIC (Whispers) Mommy. MYSTERIOUS MUSIC MUSIC BECOMES TRANQUIL MELANCHOLY MUSIC COLD MUSIC * (Whispers) I saw it, Joe. I saw it. The place where she lives. She's right down there, Joe. She is? She's waiting for me. We have to go. EERIE MUSIC Uh-oh. When you become a real boy, remember me to the ladies when you grow up. Goodbye, Joe. Goodbye, David. ELECTRONIC BEEPS I am. I was. MYSTERIOUS MUSIC TEDDY: David, please be careful. MYSTERIOUS MUSIC MYSTICAL MUSIC IMPOSING MUSIC SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC MAGICAL MUSIC LOUD CRACK, STRUCTURE CREAKS THUMP! The Blue Fairy's alright. What happened? I don't know. We are in a cage. MAGICAL MUSIC Blue Fairy... Please... Please, please, make me into a real, live boy. (Whispers) Please. Blue Fairy... Please. Please. Make me real. Blue Fairy, please. Please, make me real. Please make me a real boy. Please, Blue Fairy. Make me into a real boy. Please. NARRATOR: And David continued to pray to the Blue Fairy there before him. She, who smiled softly forever. She, who welcomed forever. Eventually, the floodlights dimmed and died, but David could still see her palely by day. And he still addressed her in hope. He prayed until all the sea anemones had shrivelled and died. He prayed as the ocean froze and the ice encased the caged amphibicopter and the Blue Fairy too, locking them together where he could still make her out. A blue ghost in ice, always there, always smiling, always awaiting him. Eventually, he never moved at all. But his eyes always stayed open, staring ahead forever, all through the darkness of each night and the next day... ..and the next day. Thus, 2,000 years passed by. EERIE MUSIC WHOOSH! DULL RUMBLE ICE CRACKLES METALLIC WHIRR ICE FALLS MAGICAL MUSIC UNCERTAIN MUSIC EERIE MUSIC LOW ELECTRONIC BEEPS WATER RUNS ICE FRACTURES GRIM MUSIC LOW RUMBLING LOUD BUMP UNEARTHLY MUSIC EERIE MUSIC MELANCHOLY PIANO MUSIC Teddy, we're home. (Shouts) Mommy? Mommy? We're home! Where are you? (Female voice whispers) David. (Sings softly) Da-vid. (Whispers) David. (Sings softly) # Da-vid. # You have been searching for me, haven't you, David? For...my whole life. And what, after all this time, have you come to ask me? I have a wish to make. And what is your wish? (Firmly) Please make me a real boy, so my mommy will love me and let me stay with her. David, I will do anything that is possible, but I cannot make you a real boy. Where am I? This looks like my house, but it is different. Yes, it is different. But it's also your home. We read your mind and it's all here. There's nothing too small that you didn't store for us to remember. We so want you to be happy. You are so important to us, David. You are unique in all the world. WISTFUL MUSIC Will Mommy be coming home soon? Is she out shopping with Martin now? David... ..she can never come home, because 2,000 years have passed and she is no longer living. Dearest David... ..when you are lonely, we can bring back other people from your time in the past. If you can bring back other people... ..why can't you bring back her? Because we can only bring back people whose bodies we dig up from the ice. We need some physical sample of the person, like a bone or a fingernail. David. (Whispers) Yes, Teddy? Do you remember when you cut some of Mommy's hair? Henry shook me. And you dropped her hair? I know. Now you can bring her back. UPLIFTING MUSIC Can you? Give him what he wants. Dearest David, your wish is my command. GENTLE TINKLING SOOTHING MUSIC Hey, Joe, what do you know? KNOCK AT DOOR UPLIFTING MUSIC KNOCK AT DOOR UNCERTAIN MUSIC David, I often felt a sort of envy of human beings, of that thing they call 'spirit'. Human beings have created a million explanations of the meaning of life - in art, in poetry, in mathematical formulas... Certainly, human beings must be the key to the meaning of existence. But human beings no longer existed. So...we began a project that would make it possible to recreate the living body of a person long dead from the DNA in a fragment of bone or mummified skin. We also wondered, would it be possible to retrieve a memory trace in resonance with a recreated body? And, in all, we found... ..we found the very fabric of space-time itself appeared to store information about every event which had ever occurred in the past. But the experiment...was a failure. For those who were resurrected only lived through a single day of renewed life. When the resurrectees fell asleep on the night of their first new day, they died again. As soon as they became unconscious, their very existence faded away into darkness. So you see, David, the equations have shown that once an individual space-time pathway had been used, it could not be reused. If we bring your mother back now, it will only be for one day... ..and then you will never be able to see her again. Maybe... ..maybe she will be special. Maybe she will stay. I thought this would be hard for you to understand. You were created to be so young. Maybe the one day will be like that one day inside the amphibicopter. Maybe it will last forever. (Softly) David, you are the enduring memory of the human race. The most lasting proof of their genius. We only want for your happiness. David, you've had so little of that. If you want for my happiness... ..then you know what you have to do. Listen. DISTANT BIRDSONG Can you hear that? The new morning has come. MAGICAL MUSIC Go to her, David. She's just waking up this instant. SUSPENSEFUL MUSIC GENTLE PIANO MUSIC (Inhales) (Whispers) I found you. (Whispers) Hi. Hi. I must have dozed off. How long have I...? Would you like some coffee? Just the way you like it? Yeah, I'd love a coffee. It'll wake me up. OK. You never forget how, do you? No. I never forget. I must be a little confused. What day is it? It is... ..today. NARRATOR: As the day wore on, David thought it was the happiest day of his life. All the problems seemed to have disappeared from his mommy's mind. There was no Henry. There was no Martin. There was no grief. There was only David. (Both laugh happily) David had been warned not to explain anything to Monica, otherwise she would become frightened and everything would be spoiled. But David's journey home belonged only to him, so he didn't see the harm of painting her pictures of things she'd have no memory of. (Both yell, laugh) David had never had a birthday party, because David had never been born. So they baked a cake and lit some candles. Now make a wish. It came true already. By now, indeed, the windows were beginning to dim. David drew the shades without even needing to be asked. GENTLE MUSIC I really ought to be tucking you in. How strange. (Sighs) How fascinating! I can hardly keep my eyes open. Don't know what's come over me. Such a beautiful day. I love you, David. I do love you. (Whispers) I have always loved you. TENDER MUSIC (Breathes heavily) That was the everlasting moment he had been waiting for. And the moment had passed... for Monica was sound asleep. More than... merely asleep. Should he shake her, she would never rouse. So David went to sleep too. And for the first time in his life... he went to that place... where dreams are born. MUSIC SWELLS GENTLY Supertext Captions by the Australian Caption Centre www.auscap.com.au Captions were made possible with funding from NZ On Air. www.able.co.nz Able 2005.