Adrift Written by Chad Fleagle
Adrift Written by Chad Fleagle
Adrift Written by Chad Fleagle
written by
Chad Fleagle
REVISION 1005
February 6, 2009
Copyright © 2008-2009
ZHURA Chad Fleagle and
18 Tremont St, Suite 310 Licensed under
Boston, MA 02108 Creative Commons
www.zhura.com BY-NC-ND
FADE IN:
The female voice of SAMM the ship's computer echos about the
ship.
SAMM (V.O.)
Warning. . . Warning the ship is
currently trapped in the nearby
suns gravitational pull.
Activating reverse thrusters.
Reverse thrusters now online.
SAMM (V.O.)
Malfunction detected in main
engine room. Reverse thrusters are
no longer operational. Collision
with sun is imminent in twenty
minutes thirty-four seconds.
Manual resetting of the main
engine has been deemed necessary.
SAMM (V.O.)
Stasis sleep interruption
commencing. Protocol override code
three eleven seven four. Code
accepted. Beginning stasis sleep
revival. . . Now.
SAMM (V.O.)
The ship's artificial gravity has
been restored. Stasis sleep
interruption has been successful.
ADAM TWO'S life signs are slowly
returning to acceptable levels.
All the floating items crash to the deck. Adam Two thrashes
around one of his hands slam against the view bubble. The
view bubble slides down into the sarcophagus. Spills the red
liquid all over the deck.
Adam Two sits up and falls over the side of the sarcophagus.
Naked he pulls a long organic tube out of his mouth. Coughs
and shivers like a new born child. Adam two gets to his
feet.
ADAM TWO
(stutters)
Where. . . Where. . . Am I?
SAMM (V.O.)
I'm pleased to see you've made a
full recover. Where you are isn't
important right now. What's
important is the vessel you occupy
is being pulled into the heart of
a sun. You have approximately
fifteen minutes and--
SAMM (V.O.)
Sorry for not warning you sooner,
Adam Two. Your muscles will be
useless for five minutes. Please,
allow the nano-simulators to
restore your former strength.
ADAM TWO
What? Have you tried starting the
reverse thrusters?
SAMM (V.O.)
I've attempted to initiate the
reverse thrusters. The thrusters
failed due to extensive
overheating in the main engine. I
pulled you from stasis sleep for
the primary purpose of resolving
the engine damage before
collision.
ADAM TWO
(questioning)
Oh, this isn't good at all. Do I
even know how to fix this ship's
main engine? What am I doing on
this ship?
SAMM (V.O.)
I'm closing forward thermal
plating for your safety now.
There's very little time
remaining. You now have thirteen
minutes and thirty-four seconds
before collision.
ADAM TWO
I don't even know where the main
engine room is. Where can I get
some clothes? I'm freezing.
ADAM TWO
(shocked)
The suit just melded with my body
is that normal?
SAMM (V.O.)
Yes, that reaction is normal.
Please, take a tool pack and enter
the magnetic lift. You'll find it
located just down the hallway.
It'll transport you directly to
the main engine room.
Adam Two takes a small backpack. Walks down the hall. Enters
4.
ADAM TWO
What should I be looking for when
I arrive at the main engine? How
do I bring it back online?
SAMM (V.O.)
I'll talk you through the
procedure. It's quite simple and
should take no less than five
minutes.
ADAM TWO
How much time do I have left?
SAMM (V.O.)
Ten minutes and thirty-four
seconds. I fear that you may not
have enough--
ADAM TWO
What happened!?
SAMM (V.O.)
The ship is suffering structural
damage due to our vicinity with
the sun. The magnetic lift has
been damaged. Emergency brakes
have stopped the lift.
ADAM TWO
No! Is there any other way to the
main engine room from here?
SAMM (V.O.)
There's an alternate way through
the roof hatch of the lift. A
ladder system runs the entire
length of the shaft. It's not very
safe under these conditions, Adam
Two.
5.
Adam two stands back as the hatch opens and a small ladder
retracts. Up the ladder Adam Two climbs emerging out into
the shaft. Lit by row upon row of beacon lights mounted on
each of the shafts four walls.
Adam Two walks over to the ladder just right of the lift. A
quick look down reveals the fifty feet drop. Grabbing onto
the ladder Adam Two starts down as quick as possible.
SAMM (V.O.)
With the loss of your tool pack
there's no chance you can fix the
main engine.
ADAM TWO
(shouts)
Then try starting the main engine
again! There must be a back-up
engine on this vessel?
SAMM (V.O.)
I'm now running a ship wide check
for a emergency back up engine.
ADAM TWO
What? You mean you don't know if
you have one? How can you not know
if you have a back up engine
you're the ship.
SAMM (V.O.)
It would seem I too am
experiencing memory loss. A great
deal of my intelligence core is
being withheld by a very advanced
protection program. I'll continue
my search.
ADAM TWO
Make it fast it's getting awful
hot in here.
ADAM TWO
What is that sound?
SAMM (V.O.)
I've activated all remaining
thermal plates. This will cover
the entire ship but will only
provide us an additional five
minutes protection.
ADAM TWO
How much time do I have?
SAMM (V.O.)
Estimated time of collision with
sun is now fifteen minutes thirty-
four seconds.
Adam Two slides down the ladder. Hits the deck hard which is
hot to the touch. Adam Two shouts as he burns his hands and
gets to his feet.
ADAM TWO
Open the lift door to the engine
room!
The lift doors open. Abysmal darkness greets him beyond the
doors. Save a few shafts of pink light and still functioning
computers.
ADAM TWO
I can't see a thing it's pitch
black down here.
SAMM (O.S.)
Follow me. I'll lead you to the
main engine control panel.
ADAM TWO
Have you been able to do this
anytime you wanted?
SAMM (O.S.)
Yes. But the need had not been
necessary until now. Quickly.
Follow me.
ADAM TWO
(shocked)
That's not possible. I do know
that holograms cannot physically
be touched. What are you?
SAMM (O.S.)
All will be explained in due time.
ADAM TWO
What about your search for an
emergency back up? What have you
found out?
SAMM (O.S.)
Further searching has turned up an
emergency back up engine.
ADAM TWO
Great! What are you waiting for?
Get that engine online at once.
SAMM (O.S.)
Not possible. It was installed as
an example of your technology
before the advancement to this
latest engine.
ADAM TWO
What are you talking about? Are
you saying it's not functional?
SAMM (O.S.)
Precisely. You have ten minutes
and thirty-four seconds remaining.
The intense heat from the sun is
beginning to compromise the
thermal plating.
ADAM TWO
The solar energy is melting
through the thermal plating.
SAMM (O.S.)
That's what I warned you about.
There's no time left to waste. The
main engine control panel is
before you open it.
8.
ADAM TWO
How do I do that?
SAMM (O.S.)
Press the flashing button that
reads access control panel. For
both our sake I hope you've
recalled your computer skills.
SAMM (O.S.)
Main engine repair successful. I'm
starting reverse thrusters at
maximum thrust.
ADAM TWO
Is it working? Is the ship pulling
away from the sun? Talk to me!
ADAM TWO
(shouts)
Ship?
SAMM (V.O.)
I'm currently checking the ship's
proximity to sun. Please wait?
ADAM TWO
Wait. . . You have got to be
kidding me.
SAMM (V.O.)
Good news! The ship is slowly
pulling free from the sun's
gravitational pull. Please, return
to the main flight deck.
ADAM TWO
Thank you! Wait. I can't get back
to the main flight deck. The lift
is out of commission.
9.
SAMM (V.O.)
Sorry. You are correct. I'm still
experiencing some memory lapses.
You can always take the stairwell.
Adam Two gets to his feet. As the thermal plating rises with
loud hollow clanks. The full intensity of the sun's light
blasts through the room.
ADAM TWO
You're telling me all this time
there was a stairwell? I didn't
have to use the lift. That thing
almost killed me. We need to have
a serious talk when I return.
SAMM (V.O.)
Forgive me? The stairwell slipped
my memory as well until now.
Follow the stairwell to the very
top. Please don't enter any of the
other rooms as you progress.
There's much more that needs to be
explained first.
ADAM TWO
I don't understand any of this. My
memory is gone and you're keeping
things from me that might bring it
back. Care to explain why?
SAMM (V.O.)
All I can say is that the part of
my memory core with the
information you seek is behind a
security lock.
ADAM TWO
I've not totally lost my memory. I
know that you can bypass that
security lock. Do you even have
any idea as to where we are in the
universe?
SAMM (V.O.)
Negative. I've attempted to match
all known star and galaxy maps
with this current location. None
of them are a match. The ship has
been adrift for many, many years.
ADAM TWO
What the hell? Why does that name
mean something to me?
SAMM (V.O.)
Adam two have you opened the
doorway to room two? Please, Adam
Two, not until I explain more to
you. Until then I'm shutting and
locking the door.
Adam Two squeezes into the room before the door seals.
SAMM (V.O.)
This is what I was afraid would
happen. Your contact with the
stasis chamber has begun her
unintentional waking.
ADAM TWO
Who is she? I want some answers
from you and I want them now. How
many others are on the ship?
SAMM (V.O.)
That's secured information I
cannot divulge.
The sarcophagus fills with red liquid. Adam Two watches the
female as she struggles.
ADAM TWO
(shouting)
Stop this damn thing! It's going
to drown her.
SAMM (V.O.)
The liquid you see is an embryonic
form of the oxygen you have both
breathed since your conceptions.
She's only panicking out of pure
instinct. Please, step away from
the stasis chamber.
The sarcophagus opens and the Female falls to the deck. She
is naked, chokes, trying to pull a tube from her mouth.
11.
Adam Two kneels beside her startling her. She tries to back
away and flops to the floor unconscious. Adam Two pulls the
organic tube out of her throat.
SAMM (V.O.)
Quickly! You must help her or all
this has been for nothing.
ADAM TWO
How am I supposed to help her?
SAMM (V.O.)
Use your medical training or
she'll die.
ADAM TWO
I have no idea what to do!
SAMM (V.O.)
CPR. . .
ADAM TWO
CPR? I. . . Wait. . . Yes!
The CPR lasts for five minutes. The female coughs and
startles Adam Two. The heart monitor begins beeping.
SAMM (V.O.)
Wait until the nano-stimulators
rebuild her muscles. Placing the
suit on her during the re-
stimulation would cause it to meld
with her skin.
Adam Two watches the many small lights glow. Her body shakes
and back arches. He steps away holding the suit.
ADAM TWO
Is she alright?
SAMM (V.O.)
You went through the same thing
and survived. She'll be fine.
12.
ADAM TWO
Yeah, but I didn't need to be
revived from the brink of death.
It could be too much of a strain
on her heart.
SAMM (V.O.)
Don't worry I'm monitoring her
vitals. Her heartbeat is erratic
but should slow soon. The nano-
stimulators are finished
reanimating her weakened muscles.
It's safe to put the suit on her
now.
Adam Two kneels next to her and hands her the suit. She
shy's away as he approaches. Attempts too conceal her
nakedness. The suit makes contact with her skin and melds
with her body.
ADAM TWO
It's okay. I'm not going to hurt
you. How are you feeling?
SAMM (V.O.)
There's a high probability that
she too has been effected by such
a long stasis sleep. Memory loss
and--
FEMALE
You're wrong Samm my name is EVE
TWO. The man before me is ADAM
TWO. How long have we been in
stasis sleep?
ADAM TWO
(shocked)
My name is Adam Two?
EVE TWO
You mean you truly don't remember?
I'm surprised Samm hasn't filled
you in on anything.
ADAM TWO
I get fleeting images now and then
but nothing substantial. What do
you know about me and why are we
on this ship?
13.
EVE TWO
Samm knows much more than I.
Though I can tell you we were
genetically grown for a purpose.
ADAM TWO
Did you say we were grown on this
ship? What exactly do you mean by
that?
EVE TWO
I'm sorry. Your loss of memory
could very well be a blessing in
disguise.
ADAM TWO
Look, I'm not asking for your
pity. I want to know what you
know. Tell me.
EVE TWO
I can do better than that. I can
take you to the third floor. The
archives and antiquities room.
SAMM (V.O.)
I don't think that's a good idea
with the current state Adam Two
in, Eve Two. Please, return to the
main flight deck.
Eve Two walks towards the doorway out. Turns to Adam Two and
waves him on.
EVE TWO
(whispering)
Follow me. We have to be quiet
this the ship can detect our every
move.
ADAM TWO
(whispering)
What do you plan on doing?
EVE TWO
I want you to see what's in room
three. The things there might help
bring back your memory.
14.
ADAM TWO
What if the computer denies us
access to the room?
EVE TWO
Samm has to obey any command we
give her. She may be sentient but
without us she knows she'd slowly
slip into a form of coma and
eventually shutdown.
ADAM TWO
That seems a little far fetched.
The computer isn't that smart you
know. She's also lost some of her
memory. Plus, she says there's
important information secured
within her memory core.
EVE TWO
Why are you staring at me like
that?
ADAM TWO
It's hard for me to explain. It's
more of an inner feeling, like you
were made for me.
EVE TWO
Oh, it's funny that you should
mention that.
ADAM TWO
Did I say something to upset you?
EVE TWO
Tell me. Do you remember a very
sacred book known as the Bible?
ADAM TWO
All that comes to mind is a cross
and a man nailed to it. I believe
his name was Jesus.
15.
EVE TWO
That's correct but there was so
much more to the book besides
Jesus. The very creation of life
itself. The first human life.
Their names were Adam and Eve.
ADAM TWO
I think I know what you're going
to say. You and I were named after
the first male and female.
EVE TWO
Yes. We were made for each other.
Literally.
ADAM TWO
That's the part I still don't
understand.
EVE TWO
The stasis chambers did so much
more than keep our bodies safe
from extended space travel. They
also acted as artificial wombs.
ADAM TWO
Oh, no. That's a little more than
I'm willing to believe. I have a
mother and--
EVE TWO
You're standing inside your mother
right now. We had no biological
parents, Adam Two. As embryos we
were placed in the stasis
chambers. We grew as time passed
were fed knowledge through
synaptic spinal ports.
Adam Two uses his hand to feel the back of his head.
Uncovering a small circular input port just at the base of
his skull.
ADAM TWO
(panicked)
What have they done? Who gave
anyone the right to decide how our
lives should be lived? I remember
my mother.
16.
EVE TWO
Calm down. Those memories were
placed into your brain to give you
comfort so you'd keep your sanity.
ADAM TWO
How can a man keep his sanity
knowing his entire life was spent
inside a Goddamn chamber? The rest
of his life illusions of his
growing mind and mere dreams. It's
not fair!
ADAM TWO
Are you listening you bitch? I'll
never consider you my mother.
You've filled my head with lies.
SAMM
The memories may have been false
but I never left your side, Adam
Two. Now you fear me. I'll admit
this is upsetting yet it was
expected.
ADAM TWO
What did you expect from us? Love?
How can one hold a spacecraft if
in need of a mother's comfort?
SAMM
That's why I saw to the birth of
Eve Two. She's to be your friend
and lover. You two are the most
compatible couple created since
the first Adam and Eve.
Adam Two looks at Eve Two. A redness flushes over her cheeks
as she smiles.
EVE TWO
What she says is true, Adam Two.
In the Bible God created his Adam
a female mate from one of Adam's
ribs. I've been created so you may
never know loneliness. I'll love
you just as Eve did Adam in the
Bible.
17.
ADAM TWO
Love doesn't work that way. You
don't fall in love with a stranger
in an hour. Is that what you
thought would happen?
ADAM TWO
What about you? Did you seriously
think that it would happen so
fast? It might not happen at all.
EVE TWO
Please don't say that, Adam Two.
It must work between you and I.
ADAM TWO
I want access to room three right
now!
SAMM
I still don't think that's a good
idea until you've recovered your
memory.
ADAM TWO
Stop telling me what is right and
wrong. You're nothing but a
computer you don't know what's
right or wrong for a human being?
EVE TWO
She's more than just a computer,
Adam Two. Her name is Samm because
this ship is connected to her
physical brain.
ADAM TWO
(laughs)
What kind of science fiction have
you been feeding her, Samm? Next
she'll tell me that your hologram
is what your body really looked
like before your brain was taken
out of its skull.
EVE TWO
This is what Samm looked liked
before she died, and her brain was
placed into the computer matrix
core of the ship. What we see is
more than a mere holographic
projection it's her soul.
18.
ADAM TWO
I know for a fact that's not
possible. Science has never proven
humans have souls. Even if it were
true, how's she able to keep
herself visible for so long?
SAMM
Remember when you first woke, Adam
Two? I lead you to the main engine
room. On your way you touched my
back and was startled.
ADAM TWO
Only because holograms aren't
supposed to be solid.
SAMM
Then that should prove something
to you, Adam Two.
ADAM TWO
Such as?
Samm takes a few steps closer to Adam Two, who steps away
from her.
SAMM
I'm more than a mere holographic
projection. This is a barrier that
contains my soul. That explains
why I can remain visible for as
long as necessary.
ADAM TWO
That's absurd. The human soul
cannot be contained in an electric
shell. You've proven very little
to me, except that you're still
unwilling to let me in on the
truth.
SAMM
I cannot allow you access.
ADAM TWO
You're programmed to accept our
orders! I want this door opened
now.
EVE TWO
Samm is doing this for your own
good, Adam Two. You should trust
her judgment. She only wants the
best for--
ADAM TWO
(shouts)
Don't tell me what a computer
thinks is best! You seem to know
an awful lot about what's hidden
behind this damn door.
Adam Two wraps his right arm around Eve Two's throat.