Character Sketch — Marine Allison — She’s five-foot tall, very full figured, a delightful smile is always on her face, and she has very long jet black hair. There is the hint of oriental heritage in her eyes and lips. A martial arts expert and she likes flirting with all of her squad. She’s the group sniper and her plasma rifle can pick off targets two miles way. Currently she’s looking at the butterfly bush through her telescopic lens.
Character Sketch — Marine Breck — Breck is six-foot two inches and muscular. He’s very fond of his curly black hair and constantly checks himself out in a mirror. He uses a large bore energy rifle and an old 45 that he is very fond of, but gets teased about because the rifle weapon fires laser energy instead of plasma beams.
Character Sketch — Marine James —He’s very muscular, but also the most intelligent of the squad. He’s constantly spouting facts about this and that. He uses a bazooka type weapon and everyone carries shells for his weapon. He greatly admires Allison and enjoys flirting with her. She flirts back, but does not take action any further than words.
[ALLISON IS AIMING HER LARGE PLASMA SNIPER RIFLE AT THE BUTTERFLY BUSH SEVERAL HUNDRED YARDS AWAY. THE OTHERS ARE LOOKING AT HER EXPECTING HER TO FIRE HER WEAPON. THEY ARE IN A HALF-TRACK TYPE VEHICLE WITH A HUGE MACHINE GUN MOUNTED IN THE BACK OPEN AIR CABIN SECTION.]
Allison – Does the Master Sergeant have a chance in hell of convincing the captain to let us go unfrozen?
She asks this aiming her weapon at a far-off target.
Breck – Not a chance in this or any other world. He is the Master Sergeant, however. Years of experience might count for something.
Jenny – Yeah right, we all know what it counts for; nothing.
James – My dear sniper girl, don’t go firing at that Buddleja Davidii Adonis Blue butterfly bush.
Allison – Oh yeah, I do see quite a lot of those butterflies. But there are other bushes they can sit on.
James – That five-foot tall purple blooming bush was flown up here at great expense by the Captain. It seems he likes butterflies. There is a camera in the ceiling devoted to viewing that bush 24/7. I think a plasma bolt taking out the shrubbery would cause a stir, if you get my drift.
Allison – All right, all right, why does everyone take away a girl’s fun?
Breck – I believe that is a question some of us are not qualified to answer.
[Act One, Scene Four]
Character Sketch — Androids —Thinker androids are five-feet tall in black robes. They show white flesh on their hands and faces. They don’t have noses, ears, eyes, and a mouth. They are electrically powered. They are working in the background of the command module and behind the captain’s chair.
There are three other types of androids. The worker android has no facial features, is 9 feet tall, and tremendously strong. It has very low intelligence. The companion android comes in male or female versions. Each is perfectly proportioned and designed to be pleasing to the members of the opposite human sex. They have delicate facial features with the males square jawed and handsome and the female version lovely with balanced features.
There is a red fleshed type of android that does not mix with the white fleshed types. The red ones have a hidden agenda to destroy all intelligent life on the ship. They are deceptive and evil and come in the same versions as the white fleshed androids.
Character Sketch — Main Ship’s A.I. (Artificial Intelligence) — We should hear from this A.I. every time we are in the control room. She has an extremely sexy contralto voice and speaks slowly. This speech pattern is important later. The A.I. is called Faith by the captain.
[THIS PRESENTS THE COMMAND AND CONTROL CHAMBER AGAIN.]
We get more background information on the condition of the ship and the fact that there is an unusual cloud of space dust between them and their destination. They won’t reach it for five years so they send a few probes to collect data. The Artificial Intelligence of the ship makes itself known, we hear the pleasant and sexy female voice, and it talks to its crew. We learn that there are seventeen different A.I.s working various levels of the ship. In the conversations of the command crew, we learn the date, the fact that mankind has come to a dead end in his own solar system and needs a new challenge like the settling of a new planet to give mankind a good kick in the pants. The captain decides not to go around this cloud because it would take too long.
Captain — As an ancient cousin of mine once said, damn the torpedoes full speed ahead,” the captain’s order was followed to the letter.
[LATER ON, AFTER THE RADIATION HAS GOTTEN INTO HER PROGRAMMING, THIS SAME A.I. VOICE IS SHREWISH AND NOT PLEASANT AT ALL TO LISTEN TO FOR ANY LENGTH OF TIME.]
[Act Two, Scene One]
[A SENSE OF A LONG TIME PASSING IS PRESENTED AS DUST APPEARS ON EVERYTHING. THERE COULD BE SEVERAL BROKEN-DOWN ROBOTS AND SEVERAL POOLS OF ANDROID GEL AND ROBES ON THE FLOOR. IT’S THE SAME COMMAND CHAMBER AND THERE ARE EVEN HOLOGRAMS RUNNING AT SOME OF THE STATIONS. THE CAMERA PANS ALL AROUND AND WE SEE SEVERAL ONE-FOOT TALL PILES OF WHITE DUST ON CHAIRS AND ON THE FLOOR. THESE PILES OF DUST ARE THE REMAINS OF HUMANS DESTROYED BY THE ALIEN RADIATION THAT FILLED THE SHIP. WE HAVE TO HAVE SOME SENSE OF TIME; THERE IS A DATE STAMP ON THE COMPUTER SCREENS THAT WE SEE.
THE CAPTAIN OF THE SHIP IS IN A SPACE SUIT IN HIS COMMAND CHAIR. THE CAMERA PANS IN ON HIS VISOR TO SHOW A SKELETON.]
We transition five years and the view screen is now filled with a strange swirling cloud. Alarm klaxons are ringing loudly in the empty control room. The shrewish A.I. computer is demanding help. All there is to see are several piles of white dust on the control seats and the lights and noises of the control room.
The shrewish A. I. gives us some data on what is wrong with the ship. It sounds a great deal like a hysterical woman in its demands and the information it gives.
The camera pans to a hologram of the seventeen levels of the ship projected over a computer terminal. The time stamp shows five years and six months since the last time we saw this image. There are red flashing lights on all of the levels and the hologram shows the ship sticking in a huge asteroid, much larger than the ship. The camera draws closer and closer to the hologram so that we can look onto one level, transitioning the viewer to act two, scene one.
[Act Two, Scene Two]
[WE ARE IN A STORAGE CHAMBER WITH SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF ROBOTS. THESE ARE TANK-LIKE THINGS WITH TREADS AND CLAW ARMS. AS THE KLAXON RINGS THE LIGHTS ON ONE OF THE UNITS BRIGHTEN AND THE MACHINE STARTS TO MOVE AS IF IT WAS STRETCHING ITSELF AWAKE. THE CAMERA PUSHES IN TO THE TOP OF THE ROBOT AND A DIGITAL READOUT SCREEN. TEXT BEGINS APPEARING ON THE SCREEN.
THE DATE SHOWN WILL SHOW THE VIEWER THAT THE ROBOT WAKES UP AT THE SAME TIME AS WE SAW THE CONTROL ROOM WITH ALL OF THE DAMAGE MARKERS ON THE HOLOGRAM]
We are on level 16 of the Warden and the same disaster Klaxons are ringing away.
Disaster Record Alpha — Engineering Robot #5
Activation Day 1, 10:00 Warden Starship Time
Engineering Robot #5 reporting
According to emergency Omega protocols this unit awakened to sense unnatural and high intensity radiation filling the storage chamber. The intensity of the radiation prevented communication with other A.I.s. With the supplies at hand, this unit initiated gel radiation cleaning techniques on my surface and the surfaces of the twelve other bots in the chamber. This unit designated itself the Alpha unit and issued emergency Omega protocol instructions to the other bots. Two of the remaining robotic units failed to move as the radiation burnt their primary circuits. This unit has replacement circuit modules so the units were partially fixed and started on their way. Power systems are still in operation. There are enough supplies of decontamination gel to clear 7.54 levels of the starship. Other removal means will have to be found, if the radiation damage proves to be ship wide.
Character Sketch — Engineering Robot #5
It’s a simple robot on treads. It is designed all by itself to fix broken systems on the ship.
One can see a wrench, a hammer, and a large maul off the body of the bot.
[WE SEE THE ROBOT TRYING TO FIX ANOTHER ROBOT AND SPARKS FLY AND ZAP THE ENGINEERING ROBOT BACKWARDS, BUT THEN IT GOES BACK IN WITH ITS WIELDER AND BEGINS WORK AGAIN ON THE OTHER ROBOT.]
Day 5, 10:00 Warden Starship Time
Engineering Robot #5 reporting
Radiation has done extensive damage to many of the starship Warden’s artificial intelligences. This level has been cleared of radiation, but at great robotic cost. A great deal of unclassified fungus life is growing from the effects of radiation. A white web-shaped fungus has destroyed 37% of the robotic units assigned to this level. Acid is the only known defense against the growths. This unit has ordered more acid tanks created and has created a new program of operation detailing each robotic unit to carry one tank of acid wherever they travel on any level.
[WE SEE A TYPE OF HORTICULTURAL ROBOT WITH RAKES AND HOES AS PART OF ITS SYSTEM. IT’S SPRAYING SOME TYPE OF SIZZLING LIQUID ON A HUGE MASS OF WHITE LICHEN. THE LICHEN IS REACHING OUT FOR THE ROBOT. THE PLANT GROWTH SCREAMS WHEN HIT BY THE ACID.]
Day 10, 10:00 Warden Starship Time
Engineering Robot #5 reporting
The starship is being invaded by many alien influences. Radiation has filled every level but one according to the memory banks of other robots I’ve contacted in my programmed travels on levels ten, eleven, and twelve. Mutated creatures and alien forces are onboard. Few of the emergency Omega protocols are covering the situations met by robotic units now on the ship. New protocols have to be programmed into the systems. Several level-wide artificial intelligences have become filled with viruses and glitches. I must recommend initiating the android creation vats, as the programming of the androids is beyond my operational parameters and capabilities and they should be able to view the problems of the ship with greater intelligence.
[ENGINEERING ROBOTS ARE WORKING AROUND A HUGE VAT OF WHITE SMOLDERING LIQUID AND OTHERS OF THEIR NUMBER WORK COMPUTERS WITH HOLOGRAPHIC DISPLAYS OF PERFECTLY SHAPED WHITE MALE AND FEMALE ANDROIDS.]
Day 30, 10:00 Warden Starship Time
Engineering Robot #5 reporting
There are only 19 robotic units left from the 612 starting force. Each now has a special combat program with a full set of systems for encountering alien life forms. Androids are beginning to coordinate defensive and attack strategies. This unit has created three sets of offensive weapon systems quite suitable for aggression versus the alien life forms. The most successful of these has been designated Combat Program Alpha. Acid has proven to be a highly effective defensive and offensive weapon. All systems using the primary ship’s elevator commonly begin entering a level by ejecting gallons of acid out of the lift as the doors open. Several levels are ruined for robotic observation as these levels are totally controlled by alien life forms. There are enough level A.I.s that have been repaired to begin creating new programs for ship survival. All of the human combat troops in cryogenic suspension have been secured in the resort on level fifteen and the chambers have been placed under guard by android and robotic units. That level has been totally secured and the alien influence has been totally eliminated from that level.
[Act Two, Scene Two]
[ALIEN TRANSITION SCENE TAKES PLACE IN THE CONTROL ROOM OF THE SHIP. BURSTING OUT OF THE LARGE ELEVATOR ARE A BATCH OF SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF ALIENS.]
Character Sketch — Alien #1
This is the Id. It’s a massive amoeboid type of creature always on the back of some being from gorillas to humans.
Character Sketch — ALIEN #2
This is a humanoid made of rocks. It’s 9-12 feet tall.
Character Sketch — ALIEN #3
This is a floating glowing crystal. Rays of light shoot out from its surface. As it talks it pulses with light.
[THE ALIENS ARE CLEARLY TRYING TO TAKE OVER THE CONTROL CHAMBER. THEY ARE BLASTED TO PIECES BY LASER AND PLASMA EMPLACEMENTS ALL ABOUT THE CHAMBER. A VERY SATISFIED A.I. SAYS, “Take that!”]
The purpose of the scene is to show that three different and highly intelligent alien races are going to cause a lot of trouble for humans and others on the ship.
[Act Two, Scene Three]
[THE LABORATORY IS A FUTURISTIC PLACE FILLED WITH HOLOGRAMS AND CRYSTALS. COMPUTER HOLOGRAMS OF PERFECT WHITE BODIED MALES AND FEMALES ARE ON SCREENS ON THE WALLS. THOSE SAME ANDROIDS STAND BESIDE THE HOLOGRAPHIC COMPUTER SCREENS AS THEY HAVE BEEN BUILT.
OUT OF THE ANDROID CREATION VAT COMES PERFECTION IN A FULL-FIGURED FEMALE ANDROID. WE SEE IT SPLASH OUT OF THE VAT AND AT FIRST, IT SEEMS TO BE A WOMAN COMING OUT OF MILK. SHE IS A COMPANION ROBOT, FACELESS, BUT PERFECTLY FORMED.
[In making the character, I’m imagining a woman painted in white latex with a white silk cowl tightly over her face showing her features, but making her faceless. In the far future, these companion androids are babysitters, dates for lonely males, and servants where a female touch is desired. The few remaining robots have turned on the manufacturing vats to gain new and smarter allies in their fight against the growing alien menace.]
We see her come out of the vat and she is supposed to put on a sexy robe, the normal dress for male and female companion units. She rejects this and puts on combat armor and holsters several pistols and attaches grenades. She knows how to dress for her mission. We learn that she entered the vat to repair the damage from combat with the aliens.
We see her making a report to a master computer and in that report, we see scenes of what she has done in the struggle against the aliens.
Character sketch – Female Android Companion
She’s a creation with a perfect body and a sexy voice. She’s designed to be especially appealing to human males. She has white flesh and a mask that shows facial features, but they aren’t painted in yet. She is an efficient fighting humanoid with a protect-humans-at-all-cost programming.
Disaster Record Epsilon: Female Companion Unit #5
Female Companion Unit #5 making a cyclic report:
I’m a female companion unit, fifth from the vat in this creation cycle. There are currently no humans available to give me a proper name. I have been stationed on resort level 15 with the main cryogenic facility. I’ve been given extensive combat program training and I’m equipped with ten sophisticated weapons systems. I’m also trained in the use of all types of force field generators. The other androids in my vat clutch all believe that it will be necessary to revive the human combat troops, I’m not so sure. Steps are going to be set up to quick-thaw the humans if the time comes to use their knowledge to stop the alien menace.
As I review my programming, my circuits grow alarmed at the new alien life that has entered the ship and threatens to extend its power on every level. Only the hardiest of the ship’s animals survived the radiation poisoning months ago. Many of these are now being taken over and controlled by a strange fungus life form designated the ‘Id’. These creatures use the powers and abilities of the animals they use as hosts in a more intelligent manner than the original creature. Although most of the levels are scrubbed clean of the radiation there are strange new mutant creatures attacking robotic systems and android systems alike. A deadly self-generating crystal can now be seen on many levels. The surface of the crystal sticks to metal and flesh of all types. The adhesive properties are so strong that it requires the ripping of the metal or flesh to remove the crystal contact.
One of the alien life forms has been identified as a rock-shaped humanoid creature. The assemblage of boulders and stones moves quickly and with intelligence. Only the most concussive of weapons has any effect on them. Many working androids have tried hand-to-hand combat with the creatures with disastrous results. Ship A.I.s combined with computer androids have captured two of the rock aliens for study. So far, few results have been generated, as the rocky parts seem to be just that, simple minerals.
Although I can’t feel pity, if I could I would feel it for the thousands of robots that have been destroyed d
econtaminating the radiated areas of the ship. A spectacular and energetic white-webbed fungus is able to drain the energy of robotic systems and destroy robots from the inside out. Another fungi type grows massively muscled tentacles with eyestalks at their ends. The tentacles are able to crush any robotic part that comes near. Fungi spores of both of these types are constantly swept from the air by purifiers on each level. The grenades and missile systems I command have proven effective versus these alien life forms.
I’ve taken the initiative to begin preparing a briefing video for the human combat troopers that will soon be revived. I feel certain that this step will be necessary. I have also ordered a large assembly of weapons to be racked in the supply room. It’s against standard protocols, but these are turbulent times in my humble cyclotronic opinion.
[Act Two, Scene Four]
[THE SCENE BEGINS AS A CRYOCHAMBER OPENS UP TO THE FROZEN SERGEANT DUPPER IN HIS UNDERWEAR. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF THE TUBES IN THE AREA AND EACH ONE HAS AN ANDROID OR ROBOT OPENING IT UP TO UNFREEZE HUMANS]
Think of cryogenic tubes as big freezers with windows showing the body they each store. As Master Sergeant Dupper is revived by the android of scene two, he wakes up angry and confused and in the background, we see his squad of male and female Marines getting revived as well. Female companion androids are not supposed to be dressed in combat gear, notes Dupper. This feature is a true surprise to the master sergeant. He moves about the area making sure his troops are all right while collecting information about the problems within the ship. The female android takes him to a computer with a hologram ship display floating in the air above the screen. There are red areas on every level. We can also see the ship is part way in a huge asteroid. She tells him about the ship and the alien asteroid connected to several parts of the ship’s hull.
Metamorphosis Alpha 2 Page 17
