Planet Despotism, page 14
BEDROOM.
The sun shines in through a small window at the apex of the pyramid and the rays light every room on all five floors. Taleras collects a small makeup bag from the counter and walks across the marble floors of the spacious bathroom in a satin robe. She steps into the bedroom and walks across an arsenal of unpacked luggage. She throws the small bag on the bed and dashes into the closest. Taleras slides on a white silk dress, then grabs a mirror from the dresser and falls into bed. She applies and massages the sponge of make-up in her skin and tries to erase the blemishes spilled across her chemically-peeled face. She rubs again and again, to no avail, and in her disgust she tosses the mirror down on the bed. She reclines against the large pillows and wrestles with her thoughts. Taleras picks up the mirror again and stares at the face trapped inside of it. Her frown disappears as she stares into the mirror and the bedroom door opens. Aldron enters with two suitcases of luggage in hand and she greets him with a statement...
TALERAS
There's nothing here to eat.
ALDRON
Covaniah didn't like to shop.
She jumps up from the bed, walking towards him.
TALERAS
Would you mind if the children and I go to the market? I want go near the city.
Aldron nods his head in agreement.
ALDRON
Hurry back.
She turns from the door, looking at him anxiously....
TALERAS
Aldron I'm worried, what if the Parthenon guards come here looking for us?
Aldron walks towards her and untucks the weapon in the small of his back.
ALDRON
If they do, I'll have this waiting for them. No need to worry.
CUT TO:
EXT. GENNAEUS. "ARC OF COMPASSION"/ CITY STREETS. ---MORNING.
Gaius and Jarthem lie in the streets amongst the vagrants, slumming under the red columns of the "Arc of Compassion". They carefully watch the few as they leave the city, heading for the train station.
GAIUS
He's still inside the city. He must be
Jeshruh follows from a distance as they walk through the Arc and back into the city.
CUT TO:
EXT. GENNAEUS CITY. FRONT DOORS OF INFIRMARY. ---MORNING.
Rajairus guides Samair out through the front doors of the Infirmary in a wheelchair as Corvus follows behind.
SAMAIR
That's far enough. I can walk.
RAJAIRUS
You sure?
He helps her up and Corvus pushes the chair back into the Infirmary. A line of Arcadians begin to flood the waiting area of the lobby as Corvus joins Rajairus and Samair outside. Rajairus looks down at the blank screen on his armband.
RAJAIRUS (CONT'D)
I remember where it was.
A number of street merchants set up their tables in the middle of the streets and load them with merchandise. Rajairus, Samair and Corvus walk from the entrance doors of the infirmary, bypassing one of the merchants. He pulls out a set of porcelain jars from a box, setting the jars on the table as the street begins to fill with shoppers.
CUT TO:
EXT. GENNAEUS. STREETS AND WALKWAYS OF GENNAEUS. ---MORNING.
Heavy foot traffic begins to pick up and increase as Gaius and Jarthem walk from corner to corner. They roll past a few markets, stores and apartments as they watch those that pass by them. They step over crumbling pieces of concrete that have wilted from the bombed-out Lyceum building as they walk around corners and backstreets further into the city toward the Helio-craft.
CUT TO:
EXT. GENNAEUS. BEHIND THE SLUMS OF SHANTY HOMES. ---MORNING.
Rajairus tells Samair to stay near the shanty homes as he walks towards the smoke and fire steaming from the top of the nearly blown off roof of the abandoned building.
Rajairus rushes out onto the room of the building as Corvus stands at the door. He sees smoke from the dying flames of burned steel, ash and carbon fiber from the helio-craft. Rajairus and Corvus barrel out of the abandoned building and run across the street to Samair when Gaius and Jarthem spot him from four blocks down the street.
They walk fast, then sprint into a jog as Rajairus, Samair and Corvus walk up the street of shanty homes and disappear around the corner.
Jeshruh types a message in his armband while stalking behind Gaius and Jarthem as they run up the streets.
CUT TO:
EXT. GENNAEUS. STREETS OF THE CITY. STREET MARKET. ---MORNING.
Rajairus, Samair and Corvus pass the slum of shanty homes. They bump shoulders with strangers as they pass by the open markets, shops and street merchants. Akanon rushes into them, whispering to Rajairus.
AKANON
You're in trouble.
RAJAIRUS
WHAT?
Rajairus clutches Samair's hand in confusion.
AKANON
The mercenaries that came to your home are now behind you.
Rajairus looks over his shoulder and he's drawn to Gaius and Jarthem charging through the crowd towards him, holding their guns above their heads.
AKANON (CONT'D)
You need my help.
Rajairus looks to a fleeting Akanon, then pulls Samair by the arm. They sprint up the street, following Akanon as Corvus rushes behind them. Gaius and Jarthem bruise through the crowded streets with elbows and sprint after them.
CUT TO:
EXT. GENNAEUS. NEAR THE INFIRMARY BUILDING. ---MORNING.
Rajairus and Samair speed through the streets as Corvus follows behind them. Akanon waits at the top of the street as they stall behind a stagnant crowd. Rajairus pushes his way through the lethargic crowd as Samair holds on to his arm. Gaius' fingertips swipe the back of Samair's elbow as he points the gun at her. Samair glances back at him in fear, and he pulls the trigger as Rajairus flings her in front of him.
The fired bullet finds a home in the stomach of the money changing merchant. A metal box of half-cut dinavion coins slides off his shoulders and all over the streets when he dives into the ground holding his bleeding midsection. Those around him rush to the metal box and spilled coins, snatching them off the streets as Gaius and Jarthem kick their way through the crowd. The merchant lays on his side, grimacing in pain as they steal every coin. His breaths shorten as a male rushes to his legs and unzips his boots. The merchant cradles his stomach, coughing up blood as the males in the crowd steal his boots, his clothing and jewlry as he dies in the streets.
INFIRMARY
Rajairus, Samair and Corvus sprint up the street, bypassing a group of customers lined at a merchant's table near the Infirmary. Akanon stares down the street at them as Gaius and Jarthem hustle through the crowd.
Gaius and Jarthem run up the street behind them and take a couple of steps past the merchant's table, when Jarthem slows and takes out his pistol. Gaius watches as Jarthem looks down the scope, aiming a red beam of light at the back of Rajairus' head.
Jeshruh sheds his kuttoneth while coming to a stop in between Gaius and Jarthem, then grabs the gun by the nozzle. Jarthem shoves him away, noticing he's wearing a black vest with colored wires fed into four canisters around his body. Jeshruh looks at them both, then presses the white button wired to the suicide vest, detonating himself in the middle of the streets and the buildings on both sides.
Rajairus, Samair and Corvus race toward Akanon when the shockwave from the blast knocks them off their feet. The explosion incinerates the lobby area of the Infirmary and sections of the second floor, as well as the buildings on the other side of the street. Debris, shrapnel, and glass fly in every direction as the cloud of fire and dust swirls over the streets.
Loose diamonds flutter around the storm of debris, the black veil swirling down and settling down on shattered glass. Stains of blood and debris cover the silky white dress as she lies in the street, paining through every slow breath. Taleras leans over on her elbows and the long, twisted piece of metal lodged through her white dress and left ribs nails her back to the streets amongst a set of broken porcelain jars. She slides on her back, drawing near to her deceased children. Death takes Taleras from an unappreciated life as she lies in a puddle of olive-colored cream and broken porcelain jars.
CUT TO:
EXT. GENNAEUS. STREETS. NEAR MARKET. ---MORNING.
Akanon reaches down, grabbing the treasury key out of Rajairus' ammo belt as he lays on the streets, nearly unconscious with his fingers in his ringing ears. Akanon takes the key, then steps over him as he leaves. Rajairus helps up Samair and Corvus stands to its feet.
RAJAIRUS
Samair, are you alright?
Rajairus helps her up and they all walk away.
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTSKIRTS OF GENNAEUS. SECUNDUS. TRAIN STATION. --DAY.
Corvus follows behind Rajairus and Samair as they walk through the grassy-bed forest. The unmanned bullet train speeds down the track a hundred yards behind them when Samair turns to Rajairus.....
SAMAIR
How did you find me?
RAJAIRUS
I asked Onesimus for help and he led me to you. As much as I try not to believe, he believes in me. And now I understand why I need him.
Samair face brightens in a surprising glow as she looks on Rajairus with joy.
They walk between a row of cedar trees. Rajairus smiles back at her, then glances at two large carbon fiber figures laying on the forest grounds. Rajairus stops, then turns to Corvus...
RAJAIRUS
Are those Epsilons?
Corvus looks through the tunnel of the forest, adjusting the camera in its eyes to a better zoom. It lifts its head up then down.
CUT TO:
INT. SECUNDUS REGION. PYRAMID HOME. --EVENING.
Samair stares out of the window in their bedroom as Rajairus pulls Epsilon on the wheeled pulley machine through the field. Corvus walks beside him, carrying a headless Epsilon over his shoulder.
DOWNSTAIRS.
Rajairus grabs his torch and begins to work on the Epsilon as the robot stands strapped inside the pulley machine.
CUT TO:
EXT. OUTSKIRTS OF CITY. HOLY TEMPLE OF ZENAR. --NIGHT.
The scorpion helio-craft rockets down the street, tilted on its left side. Flying above the streets at two hundred miles per hour, the landing skids dig into the streets and sparks flare out as the landing skids on the left side of the craft rip away. The turbine engine on the left side of the craft plows into the street, catching fire, and the engine tears away from the carbon fiber arm. The engine catches ablaze as it bounces across the street, and the undercarriage of the craft mows the cobblestone underneath its belly, then screeches to a halt.
The gullwing door pops open and Aldron stumbles out, wiping his tearing eyes. He careens across the street with a gun in hand, then bangs on the doors of the Zenar Temple. Akanon swings the doors open and Aldron shoots him in the forehead, then heads down a hall.
Three of the five temple servants around the corner in the hall react to the sound of gunfire. They lower the males ensnared in their catch poles to the floor as the other two servants stand over and watch them.
The servants run down the hall and turn the corner. They become immovable stones, silenced into shock as Aldron rushes down the hall, shooting all three. Aldron wipes the tears from the corners of his eyes while stepping over the bodies. He meanders to the end of the hall, turns the corner, and fires. He drops both servants as they stand over the three males with catch poles around their necks. Aldron walks toward the frightened males, holding the pistol down at them. They close their eyes as he pulls the trigger. The trigger clicks once, then twice. Aldron walks away, loading the last two bullets in the chamber.
The males loosen the catch poles, freeing themselves,then run down the hall to the atonement chamber.
ATONEMENT CHAMBER.
Two servants lacquer a clear gel onto the frontal lobes of a male fastened on the metal bed. Before they turn the dial on the machine, the males from the hall explode into the atonement chamber. They grab the servants surrounding the male and pummel them to death.
THEOTUS' ROOM.
Theotus sits in a chair near his fireplace with earplugs in his ears, reading from an aged leather-covered book titled the "BOOK OF ZENAR". The door is kicked in by Aldron and Theotus snatches the earplugs from his ears in confusion as Aldron sways toward him.
THEOTUS
What are you doing? What's wrong?
Theotus points to the treasury key resting on the small table next to his chair as he speaks.
THEOTUS (CONT'D)
WE GOT IT.
Aldron sways toward his chair with the pistol in his hand...
ALDRON
DO YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'VE DONE TO ME?!
Theotus mutters out of his puzzlement...
THEOTUS
WHAT? WHAT HAVE I DONE?
Aldron sets the gun on the table and lunges on him, choking him with his bare hands while screaming out...
ALDRON
YOU MURDERED MY, MY-- FAMILY! YOU MURDERER!
ALDRON (CONT'D)
YOU DID THIS TO ME!
Aldron digs his thumbs deeper into Theotus' neck, tightening his grip. Theotus gags as his weak arms softly hold Aldron's wrist. His feet glide off the floor as Aldron presses down harder, sinking him deeper into the chair. Theotus' arms fall to his side. His eyes blink, then close shut. Aldron picks up the gun, then staggers out of the room, weeping.
HELIO-CRAFT.
Aldron closes the gullwing door, then rubs his hand down the cheek of his deceased wife as she lies across the copilot seat. Aldron turns to the backseat, glances at his children, then places the tip of the barrel in his mouth.
Shagree walks up the street, looking at the helio-craft, when the shot is fired. He opens the gullwing door and peeps inside the helio-craft. He slowly backs down the airstairs, rubbing his knuckles while staring at a gashing rash spread across his hand. Shagree looks across at the gothic building as the males jump over Akanon's body in the foyer and sprint up the streets. Shagree approaches the building as a herd of wandering atonements moan out of the temple and onto the streets.
ZENAR TEMPLE.
Shagree enters and walks out of the temple with the velour treasury key in hand. He looks at the crashed helio-craft, then stuffs the key inside his pants and hurries up the street.
CUT TO:
INT. SECUNDUS REGION. RAJAIRUS' HOME. LIVING ROOM. --NIGHT.
Rajairus grabs the gearbox wired to the pulley, then thumbs down the switch, lowering the robotic torso into the hips. He walks up a small step ladder and pushes the long steel spinal rod through the hips of the robot until it clicks to a stop. Rajairus beckons Corvus with his thumb down and the robot pushes the heavy barrel of clear liquid gel effortlessly across the floor. Rajairus screws off the lid then clamps on another, with a nozzle hose. A lastic rod in the bottom of the barrel sucks the liquid into the hose. Rajairus hands the pump to Corvus and the robot steps up behind the pulley on a footstool. Corvus squeezes the trigger on the nozzle and steps down as the cooling liquid gel rushes into Epsilon's steel spinal rod.
The night chases and captures every hour and runs into the next day as the start of a new day crosses the finish line.
BACKYARD.(MORNING.)
The sun climbs up the blades of grass and leaps into the morning sky, rising over the cedar trees in the forest. Rajairus stands the empty barrel up next to the gate and walks back to his pyramid.
PYRAMID.
He lowers the neck and head of Epsilon into the spinal rod as he stands behind the pulley. A loud power surge billows and shrieks through the pyramid's electrical systems. White noise fills the room when the computer fans turn, and Epsilon's fingers begin to open and close. The florescent green bulbs dilate within its eye sockets as Rajairus holds the gearbox and lowers the robot to the floor. Epsilon raises its double-edged katana sword right arm to its face and looks around the room. He looks down at Rajairus and Corvus, then walks between them to EPS668 lying across the floor. Epsilon kneels over the powerless robot and communicates in a series of beeps and chirps, then rises to its seven foot frame and walks toward Rajairus. It grabs Rajairus by his shoulder and pushes him to the ground, next to EPS668. It presses the tip of the double-edged katana sword into the back of Rajairus' neck as he kneels over the unresponsive robot. He quivers as the tip of the blade digs into his skin and Rajairus says...
RAJAIRUS
There's nothing I can do. I don't have any parts or anything to re-build it.
Epsilon slides the blade up the side of his neck. Rajairus tilts his head from the sword as Epsilon rests it above the root of his neck. Corvus pivots toward the robot and Epsilon turns to Corvus holding an open palm under its carbon fiber voice box mouth. Corvus stops where he stands. Epsilon turns back to Rajairus....
RAJAIRUS (CONT'D)
There's nothing I can do.
Epsilon slowly releases the blade from his neck and looks down at EPS668. Epsilon looks across at Corvus and speaks in a language of chirps and beeps. Corvus responds in the same language. Epsilon walks to EPS668 robot and retracts a black box and a steel vial hidden underneath its chest plate. It walks to Corvus and places it in the robot's hand. Epsilon rips the carbon fiber sheet covering Corvus' chest and pulls out a small torch from a retractable compartment below its hip. Epsilon implants the black box and vial inside Corvus chest by smelting a few wires together with its small torch. Corvus glitches and falls to the floor as smoke with neon green flakes simmer from its voice box. Rajairus stands up and Epsilon gestures an open palm to halt him, then points down at Corvus. The twitching robotic movements cease and a few seconds of complete silence pass then Corvus reboots and powers on as it lays on the floor. Epsilon walks toward the back door then takes a step back and looks at Rajairus. Then Epsilon says in a loud, clear voice....
