THE GENETIC ENGINEER

THE GENETIC ENGINEER - TREATMENT FOR

A play for all media by DEREK STRAHAN

All Rights Reserved Copyright 2017 Derek Strahan

Derek Strahan, Revolve Pty. Ltd. P.O. Box 4568, Elanora QLD 4221 AUSTRALIA

MOBILE: 61425 243 596 EMAIL:  [email protected]

WEBSITE:  https://www.revolve.com.au

ACT ONE

(Image - WallpaperSafariKing)

PRELUDE: A shuttle craft is descending to Planet Earth in diminishing orbit preparing to land at a prescribed destination. The mother ship remains in fixed orbit above. The time is several millennia before the close of the Pleistocene Era and before the mass extinction of all megafauna  - the “giant mammals.” Before the ice melted and the earth warmed, were the woolly mammoth, the woolly rhinoceros and other giants: bison, ground sloths, deer, and the giant carnivores: the sabre-tooth tiger, cave bear, and the dire wolf. 

( Image - SmithsonianMag)

SCENE ONE: A family of humanoids from Mars is in the shuttle, on a holiday trip to the “Zoo Planet” to view the strange and monstrous life forms that have been planted there and allowed to breed and evolve affording entertainment to visitors. The humanoids are taller, more splendid than current Earth humans who are still closer in appearance and intellectual capacity to their simian origins. These Martians have longer limbs and larger heads. Amren, the father, is a genetic engineer, one of a team of scientists entrusted with maintenance of life forms on the “Zoo”. As the shuttle descends to land he explains that this will be the very last time Martians will be able to visit the Zoo because the nature of this planet is set to change.

It will be terra-formed into a mining planet and the present life forms must be destroyed, as they are too dangerous for humans to co-exist with them. His wife, Melcafa, being herself a scientist, already knows of this plan, but their 3 children do not and are horrified at hearing this news. Their distress is not lessened by the thought they are privileged to be the last to see the “Zoo” in its present form. Of the two brothers, Erac, older and studious, tries to take a “realistic” view, but both his sister, Saera, bright and empathetic, and his impulsive and careless brother, Zmetna, feel sorry for all the animals they will see, especially the giant Megatherium (the Giant Sloth) who Zmetna admires because he is so lazy.

(Image - SophieMullerUnsplash)

SCENE TWO: The shuttle lands on the roof of the Museum Structure and the family prepare for a tour of the “Zoo” in one of the zoo vehicles. Amren explains that the Structure is self-monitored and is subject to regular maintenance by a team located on the Moon Base, and by a team of two in permanent residence on Earth. They all don protective suits to mitigate the effects of Earth’s stronger gravity. During the tour Zmetna disobeys strict instructions and escapes from the vehicle to get closer to a group of Woolly Mammoths, and is endangered by the sudden appearance of a Smilodon (Sabre-Troothed Tiger). 

(Image-Pinterest)

He is rescued by the sudden appearance in another vehicle of Luxor, a resident scientist who, with his wife Urda, has been posted to the “Zoo” as caretaker – and also as a punishment for illicit scientific research, involving experiments creating hybrid life forms. Neither is wearing protective suits. Luxor and Urda take Zmetna back to their fortified cave for safekeeping, and are pursued by the others.

SCENE THREE: In the cave there is a confrontation between Amren and Luxor, who caustically welcomes to this planet the man who lead the committee that kindly banished him from Mars, doubtless because he, Amren, was after Luxor’s job. Did Amren’s strategy advance his career? – and other such jibes that Amren fails to stem, and does not enjoy (though the audience will enjoy the unending rivalry between these two men). Luxor insists that as a reward for rescuing Zmetna from certain death, if not for all the duties he has performed at the “Zoo”, he and his wife should be finally returned to Mars. To Luxor’s surprise, Amren reassures him that he and Urda will be returning to Mars with them, and explains why, citing the proposed terra-forming that will render Earth temporarily uninhabitable: therefore, of course, they will both be transported back to Mars. Luxor is disgusted to learn that his life’s work is to be destroyed in the cause of industrialization of the planet. He says he would rather stay and die here than abandon what has become his home. 

Urda and Melcafa try to calm him down, and Amren further explains that they are both responsible for saving all research materials. That is the purpose of his trip, and they must both collect for storage all genetic information and samples including any unorthodox work that may now have relevance, and transport them back to Mars, so that another Zoo planet can be created from them when the opportunity arises. They will move all the material to the mother ship in the shuttle in stages, and they have been given a month in which to accomplish this task. Luxor, though assuaged, is grief-stricken to leave forever the “Zoo” which he loves for its primal beauty and the savage innocence of its inhabitants.

END OF ACT ONE

ACT TWO  

PRELUDE:  Primal Earth spins slowly on its axis revealing the shape of landmasses as they appeared before the rise of sea level following the melting of the Ice signalling the end of the Quaternary Age. Attention zooms in to the landmass known as Sundaland that comprises all countries of the East Indies and Australia.

(Image - Ma_PleistMaxGlac_GPT) Earth in Pleistocene Age)

SCENE ONE: At the Museum Structure the argument between Amren and Luxor intensifies. Luxor still insists he would prefer to remain on Earth even while terra-forming takes place so that he can document the fate of the planet’s fauna. Amren laughs this notion to scorn and explains that the first stage of terra-forming will be subjecting the planet to collision with a 10km wide asteroid which has already been diverted from its orbit in the asteroid belt between Mars & Jupiter, and it will be progressively directed towards Earth. The entire planet will be rendered uninhabitable for at least ten years and possibly much longer while the sun is hidden by dense clouds caused by debris and widespread volcanic eruptions that will occur as the earth’s crust is disturbed. If Luxor insists he can possibly join the monitor team on the Moon Base that is being formed to observe the progress of terra-forming. It is anticipated that only the smallest land-based life forms will survive the changes, and possibly some of the larger sea life as well. 

The others listen in horror as the future is unfolded, and Urda states her opinion that the plan for turning earth into a mine is the result of pressure from the military faction of the ruling clan of North Mars, still intent on conquering South Mars to achieve world domination. Melcafa sides with Urda and expresses her own fears about the possibility of war erupting on Mars, and the effect this will have on their home planet, given the terrible weapons that have been developed. 

Amren counters by saying that such a war will not take place, as both sides know it will be suicidal to their species. Earth is not a suitable home planet for Martians as the effect of its heavier gravity makes long-term habitation unwise. Instead of having life spans of 300 years, Martians would be more likely to live for only100 years. Surely Luxor and Urda are aware of the problem having lived on Earth now in exile for 20 years. 

Luxor agrees but explains that he is researching a method of combining Martian DNA with that of selected Earth life forms to create a humanoid variant that can survive in Earth conditions. 

If the terra-forming takes place all of his research will have been in vain. Surely it is not too late to prevent the asteroid collision. 

Amren states: “It is too late. The first phase of asteroid diversion has already begun. We have little more than 8 Earth weeks to complete our work and take shelter on the Moon Base, from which to observe the collision and its aftermath.”  Melcafa sides with Urda in expressing disgust over the political situation on Mars, and explains that, when they left, debate over the Asteroid Plan was still continuing, with strong opposition to it coming from South Mars. She accuses Amren of supporting the Asteroid Plan merely to advance his own career. 

Amren tries to backtrack by assuring her that further stages of diversion are needed to ensure the proposed collision, and the Plan is still under review: but Melcafa is still enraged.  The Asteroid Plan remains a point of dissension between them and threatens to break up their union.

SCENE TWO: On Mars a conference is taking place between delegates of both genders, of North and South Mars, over whether to continue implementing the Asteroid Plan or to terminate it. Arguments pro and con are voiced with little progress being made. Finally, the North Mars delegate threatens war if South Mars does not agree to the Plan. There is no resolution and the conference ends in chaos.

SCENE THREE: At the Moon Base, Central Hall. Amren and family with Luxor and Urda arrive at the Moon Base having disembarked from the shuttle. A compromise has been reached between Amren and Luxor. Luxor’s genetic research can continue now with Amren’s approval, and Luxor and Urda have both been now officially appointed to the management team overseeing Earth, whether or not the Asteroid Plan takes effect. 

(Image - Artist_impression_of_a_Moon_Base_concept-7fc7 - Version 2)

Erac, Saera & Zmetna are listening entranced to Luxor as, with log of photos, he describes the many varied life forms on land and in sea that inhabit Earth. Amren, Melcafa and Urda look on, Amren with some irritation. Somewhat sourly he reminds “the children” that all these life forms will likely perish if the asteroid collides. He is further irritated when Luxor takes this as a cue to speculate which life forms might survive the vast climate change that will occur.

(Image - coelodontaMA) Woolly Rhinoceros

SCENE FOUR: At the Moon Base. In a their separate room, in private, Amren explains to Melcafa that neither Luxor nor Urda have long to live because, during their exile, they have been subjected for too long to Earth’s gravity without protection, and the effects of premature aging will cause physical deterioration in their bodies. He is reluctant to inflict any more official punishment on the pair. Luxor’s creativity should be encouraged since, eventually, Martians may need to colonize Earth, and genetic modification for settlers will be necessary in the future, especially when mining on the planet begins, and a workforce will be required.

Melcafa agrees, though regrets that such a ruthless approach must be taken to the whole endeavour. Who will want to settle on Earth under such conditions, when they have been bred solely as workers fit only to work in mines? Amren agrees, but says they must be pragmatic, not influenced by misplaced sympathy for members of what will be, in effect, a new branch of humanoids who will never experience the benefits of life on Mars, and whose social life will be centred around their working life on Earth. They will not be biologically suited to living on Mars. 

Melcafa doubts the morality of creating such a blighted race, but Amren assures here that it will be a future necessity, when Earth becomes habitable again. Moreover they, as a family, will benefit from taking over Luxor’s research when he dies, as he will present it as his own. It will ensure their lasting prestige and fame in Martian society. They leave their private room. Urda, having overheard all, emerges from a storage bay in the room, moves the exit door, opens it a crack, looks out, then exits closing the door behind her.

SCENE FIVE: On Mars the exchange between delegates of North and South Mars is becoming fraught with disagreement to the point where 

North Mars issues an ultimatum to South Mars either to agree with the final implementation of Asteroid Plan or to expect enforcement of it despite their opposition. 

(Image - 0.33marsalive) Green Mars

SCENE SIX: At the Moon Base, Central Hall. 

The group, minus Urda, has been joined by the Communications officer of the Moon base, Metan, who reports on some puzzling messages from the Mars Exploration Station, announcing a change of management. They are to expect adjustments in their work program and should stand by for these. In the meantime work on all projects should be suspended. Unseen, Urda joins the group and stands listening quietly. Amren is particularly disturbed by this report, whereas Luxor expresses indifference. He and Urda have managed to survive independently on Earth for the last ten years and will happily continue their work here, working now from the Moon Base – assuming that it will continue to exist. 

Urda disagrees with Luxor, and asks him how their child can thrive living only in the Moon Base. All react to the news of Urda’s pregnancy and she forestalls comment by explaining that their child is a transplanted foetus that Luxor has created combining Martian DNA with the DNA of a particular Earth mammal which is compatible in skeletal structure with humans, the macaque. The resulting child will have Martian characteristics of mental capacity and physical adaption to Earth environment. Amren is outraged to learn that Luxor is so advanced in this project, but less so when learning that, as a result of the Earth inheritance the child will have greatly reduced lifespan. He assures Luxor that he, Amren, will give his project all the support it needs

Urda turns on Amren, enraged, since she knows that this support only comes because Amren intends, ultimately, to claim credit for the advance.

She also berates Melcafa for supporting her husband in this theft, but Melcafa surprises everyone by also turning on Amren, and demanding that she too will participate in this project by hosting a similar foetus. 

To everyone’s astonishment Amren then praises his wife for her courage in participating with her body in this enterprise. He explains that, assuming gender can be manipulated, the result will be a male and female child neither related by blood to the other who can then propagate the new species. By the time they are of age to mate, Earth will have recovered from the asteroid strike, and, though still in a primal state, can be habitable. Luxor and Urda can then realise their wish, to remain on Earth, tending to their offspring in a new world.

At this point Metan interrupts with the news that was has broken out on Mars, possibly a nuclear war. The news is coming from an outpost on Deimos, the more distant of the two moons of Mars, and he is keeping the channel open. Amid the consternation that follows Metan delivers the following: a full-scale nuclear war has broken out on Mars, and it is likely that the planet will become uninhabitable, its civilisation destroyed, its entire population killed except those who have taken precautions to move to other bodies in space. The cause of the war was the implementation by Mars North of the Asteroid Plan. The asteroid is now in motion to collide with Earth which itself will now become uninhabitable during the period when sunlight fails to reach its surface due to clouds of volcanic ash that will take decades to dissipate.

They are all trapped on the Moon with nowhere else to go.

(Image - nasa - unsplash) Surface of Moon

INTERLUDE: From the Moon Outpost the assembled Martians watch as the Asteroid collides with Earth. Those watching comprise Martian Moon Base operatives, Luxor, Urda and Amren’s family. They watch appalled, and with terrible fascination observing the apocalyptic event.

(Images - Mopic-Alamy)

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END OF ACT TWO      

ACT THREE

PRELUDE: The years pass by. A blanket of cloud covers the globe of Mars. As it slowly dissipates a new Mars is revealed. An arid globe, turned to desert, stripped of atmosphere and coloured a sullen red.

(Image - nasaMarspic)

A similar blanket of cloud covers Earth As it slowly dissipates a new Earth is revealed, wounded, its land masses in subtly changed form, its contours shrunk as its outer shores are devoured by rising oceans; but Earth is still blue, green and brown.

(Image - earth_and_limb)

SIXTEEN YEARS LATER

SCENE ONE: At the Moon Base, Central Hall. From the observation window can be seen the mother ship securely located in a flat plain above which an escarpment looms. Nearer is a prepared landing platform on which the shuttle can be seen landing. A group descends wearing space suits necessary for moving on the moon’s surface. The group comprises Amren, Melcafa, Luxor and Urda with Metan and Kandas, carrying instruments. They close the shuttle exit panel, and follow after the others.

Erac, Saera and Smetna are watching the arrival. They are now older, taller and more mature. Smetna complains that it is unfair that they cannot go down to Earth. Saera accepts that it for their own good. Erac agrees emphasizing that they will be allowed down when it is safe. 

Sylvan and Flora noisily enter and are annoyed they weren’t there to see the landing. Their appearance is significantly different from that of the other children. They are recognisably Earth humanoid but of much smaller stature than the Martians. Though physically mature, having reached puberty, they still talk like children and frolic around like children, and have na?ve self-centred reactions to everything and everyone around them. In short, they are innocent.  The group enters and it is clear that the adults are in a state of dissent. Melcafa and Urda enlist Erac to move all the children away into an adjoining space.  

The following opinions and positions emerge in the course of discussions and increasingly heated arguments. The main disagreement is on the future plans for and the status of Sylvan and Flora. Amren’s position is entirely motivated by his own concerns over his status in what is left of Martian society, which now exists in disrupted form that comprises: survivors of the war who have elected to remain on Mars in underground in shelters that were created pre-war as havens in anticipation of nuclear disaster; small groups in protected bases on the Martian moons; much larger emigrant groups who have left, are leaving or planning to leave Mars never to return to re-establish their society on planets orbiting distant stars. The loss of life resulting from the nuclear war has been appalling. The planet has lost atmosphere as the surface became sterile, with all forms of life dying, including vegetation. 

Mars is now a desert, a dead planet. 

Amren has received communications from survivors confirming that Martian technology has survived and society will be rebuilt elsewhere, but not on Earth which is still regarded as unsuitable due its excessive gravity. It is eventually to be re-developed as a mine as originally planned, and the planet monitored meanwhile from the Moonbase. Amren is determined to use the only means available, the mother ship, to return to Mars to join the emigrants as soon as possible. He has lost all interest in monitoring Earth, and is indifferent to the outcome of all research work on the planet. Luxor’s view is polar opposite to Amren’s. He now regards it as a boon to have been marooned on Earth. He is accustomed to it, and presumes that the shuttle will remain to convey people between Earth and Moon. 

Amren has no objection to that but takes a hostile view to the continuing existence of “the experiment” – namely, Sylvan and Flora. In his opinion the experiment has failed. They are not suitable as the “seed” for populating Earth, lacking both strength and intelligence. He would prefer them to be terminated but, if not, then at least rendered sterile so that they cannot breed and pollute the Earth with a malformed species.

The following exchange takes place between Amren and Luxor.

Luxor:  Amren, you have always been a dry one, but this is taking      cynicism too far. Surely the Martian autocracy, or what remains of it, does not share your poisonous view.

Amren: My dear Luxor, sentimental as usual. I assure you that the tattered remains of Martian leadership is indifferent as to whether or not our experiment continues. Their sole concern is their own survival. However, they did express a preference. If our project continues they recommend the DNA of the new sub-species be adjusted as follows. Firstly, its should be programmed to have a limited life span of no more than seventy Ogiden years, since this humanoid species will be of use only to work in mines and related occupations. Secondly, their capacity for logical thought should be constrained by optimising simian DNA in their bodily structure. This will ensure that tribal allegiance dominates in their thinking through emotional bonding, and curtails their ability to engage in abstract thought. 

Luxor:  Amren, did you listen to yourself when you outlined that strategy? Haven’t you just described our own race, since it is precisely that kind of antagonism between rival groups that gave rise to the war that just destroyed our planet?

Amren:  We don’t want the children of Sylvan and Flora to think too highly of themselves. They must be taught to be ashamed of their simian nature, especially the behaviour they will be prompted to engage in to propagate their species. 

Luxor:   Why must you engage in such perverted thinking? Why teach them to hate themselves?

Amren:  Oh, you can be sure they will teach themselves self-hate. We just don’t want them to think too highly of themselves, and to go down the road of social creativity. To prevent that we will leave legends regarding the origin of their species that leads them to believe they are the creation of the gods.

Luxor:  Since you are their creator isn’t that just a little bit conceited on your part? 

At this point Melcafa and Urda intervene. Both are outraged at Amren’s stance, since they allowed their bodies to be used to nurture the two “experiments” and give birth to them. As mothers each intends to protect children. Urda will of course remain on Earth with Luxor, and to Amren’s rage Melcafa will choose to abandon Amren and also remain on Earth, along with her other children, Erac, Saera and Smetna. It is on this point that the most vehement argument takes place. 

Raised voices bring all the children back into the room, and they hear the continuing argument. It is only suspended when Erac intervenes by shouting that neither of his parents can make any decision about “our” future without “us” being consulted. Saera tells her father she would never want to see him again if he goes on being so nasty to dear Sylvan and Flora who she loves dearly. Smetna agrees with his sister and says that, anyway, he likes it on Earth and wants to stay here, and not go chasing off into space to find another home. Mars is wrecked anyway, so why not stay here.  

Amren is shocked into silence.

SCENE TWO: On Earth in Eden: a sheltered area on a river bank, in a valley between tall cliffs. Both the valley walls and the river banks are lusciously vegetated and the sheltered area is surrounded on three sides by a wall. There are signs of cultivation of different kinds of fruits and other edible crops. The sun shines hotly and the atmosphere looks drenched in tropical heat. There is a mist rising from the river.

(Image - paulious-dragunas - unsplash)

Sylvan and Flora run in, Flora being chased by Sylvan who is carrying a long length of vine. They are dressed in light, loosely fitting garments that are inadvertently revealing, but they are indifferent to that, and behave like young children, despite being physically mature. Laughing Sylvan catches Flora and starts tying the vine around her. She protests but can’t untangle herself from the vine. She tells Sylvan he’ll get into trouble with the grown-ups for being cruel to her, but he explains he is only tying her up so they can’t take her away from him. 

Melcafa and Urda enter, also dressed lightly, and hurry over. They move slowly and with difficulty, owing to the effect of Earth’s gravity. They tell Sylvan and Flora to take no notice of the cruel things that Amren has said about them. He is still very unhappy because Mars, his own real home, has been spoiled and nobody can go back there to live. It makes Amren angry at everyone. 

Flora asks if Erac, Saera and Smetna will be staying with them or going away. Urda explains that their friends love being on Earth, but it is different to Mars, and the air weighs down heavily on them. It may not be good for them to stay here. It may make them sick, so they may have to leave. It’s the same for both her and Melcafa though she, Urda, has become used to Earth and will stay. Melcafa explains that she may have to choose either to stay here with Sylvan and Flora, or to go away with her other three children.

Amren and Luxor enter. Amren remains apart, but Luxor comes straight over to Sylvan and Flora, hugs each one, saying how sorry he is that they must say good-bye. The pair say it’s all right. Urda has already explained why. They wish they could help. Amren now intervenes and says that they can help and Luxor is going to outline how. Amren and Luxor stare at each other. Hostility bristles. 

Luxor: “Very well. But you will not approve of what I am going to say”.

Amren: “You know better than I what needs to be said, and you can doubtless say it better than I would”.

Luxor turns to Sylvan and Flora and speaks gently. He tells them are a very special pair and they have a very important task before them. Luxor explains that they are not really brother and sister, because each has a different mother and a different father. Both of their fathers were away from home and died when Earth was struck by the big rock. That means they can start their own family and have babies. Before Luxor can continue, Amren interrupts, saying it is now time for everyone to say good-bye to Sylvan and Flora, and a melancholy farewell scene ensures during which Amren asks Melcafa if she has come to any decision yet. 

Is she staying or leaving? 

There is silence as Melcafa stares at him. Finally she speaks. She has decided that she must leave with him, not only for the sake of their children, but because she still loves him despite his arrogant and selfish character. She recognises that there is another side to his brittle nature. He also has a tough kind of wisdom and the kind of courage that will be needed to help Martian survivors maintain their hope when they embark on the long journey to another star in quest of a new home. 

Amren thanks his wife for giving him a positive goal, instead of dwelling solely on the past and his own ambitions, which nature has thwarted by bringing destruction and upheaval to their race. He and Luxor, between them, have perhaps planted the seed of a new race on Earth. What has been done has been done. They must now board the mother ship to leave Earth. Luxor, still angry and insulted asks Amren if he has any more god-like instructions to leave for his servants to obey after he departs for more celestial regions. Amren is silent. Melcafa tells him to start showing wisdom now. 

With obvious difficulty Amren turns to Luxor and speaks calmly. He asks Luxor to continue giving Sylvan and Flora instructions on how to progress socially – effectively how to recognise their own sexuality and how to give expression to it. It is now Luxor’s turn to hesitate. I am not a god, he says. This pair are the invention of science and nobody knows how either will develop in physical and mental development. No one can predict, and no one can dictate to them how to cross over from childhood to maturity. The revelation of sexual love must come from within, not from without. All he and Urda can do is provide some external but unspoken provocation. Not by instruction but by … Urda points to the garden, to its provenance of fruits, herbs and mysterious fungi, which she has been studying during the long banishment that she and Luxor endured, and many of which have regenerated. 

(Image - gryffyn-unsplash)

She pronounces that some of these are special as they contain the spring of love. If all agree she will prepare a potion to give to the pair, so that they will look at each other and understand what love is. Amren initially expresses a kind of puritanical horror at thus prospect, since no one can tell what will be the outcome of ingesting such a substance, so Urda slyly suggests they all test it on each other before offering to Sylvan and Flora.  Luxor, laughing, berates Urda and explains to all that they both already know the outcome, having taken the potion themselves. How Sylvan and Flora will react remains a mystery and will remain a mystery until the potion is drunk by them. The potion is prepared in a vessel and given to Flora, who happily holds it and giggles at Sylvan. Melcafa first embraces Urda, then Sylvan then Flora, and then leads her three children out of the garden The others follow, leaving Sylvan and Flora alone together in the garden. 

(Image - Derek Strahan, Statuary located in Botanical Garden, Buenos Aires)

Flora passes the vessel to Sylvan who drinks. She then drinks herself. She sets vessel down. They look at each other and laugh. Their laughter turns to amazement. Amazement turns to desire. 

They then know each other in the act of love.

(Image - Portion of Sculpture by Gustav Rodin "The Kiss" displayed by kind permission Agence Photographique du Musee Rodin)

THE END OF “THE GENETIC ENGINEER” SYNOPSIS

List of characters & Sample Scene follow

THE GENETIC ENGINEER

CHARACTERS

Amren: An abrasive, self-serving and ambitious genetic engineer, intent on staking out a high position in Martian society.

Melcafa: Amren’s wife, also a scientist, as ambitious as her husband, but with a few more scruples than he.

Children of Amren & Melcafa:

Erac: Elder son, studious, calm rational.

Saera:  Daughter, bright, reactive, retentive. 

Smetna: Younger son, Impulsive, imaginative, careless.

Luxor:  An exceptionally gifted scientist, nonconformist, banished from Mars due to undertaking illicit research, Earth resident. He is strong-willed, and views life with logical intelligence, resulting in self-expression through ironic and often caustic humour.

Urda: Also a gifted scientist, empathetic, shares her husband’s survival ability, creating a shared bond of humour, and thus remained with her husband in banishment

Sylvan: Born of Melcafa, of foetus carrying DNA of Martian hominid and Pleistocene macaque Earth mammal.

Flora: Born of Urda, of foetus carrying DNA of Martian hominid and Pleistocene macaque Earth mammal.

Metan: A young male Communications officer working at the Moon Base.

Kandas: A young female Transport officer working at the Moon base.

Male and female Officers: working at the Moon Base.

Groups of Martians from North Mars and South Mars. (Can be plated by adult actors playing the above roles: Delegates from North and South Mars at a conference.)

SAMPLE SCENE FOLLOWS

INT. SPACE  SHUTTLE                    IN FLIGHT IN ORBIT AROUND EARTH

Present are: AMREN, MELCAFA, ERAC, SAERA and SMETNA. AMREN is piloting and is at the viewing portal. The others are grouped behind him staring at the planetary globe that is Earth, known to Martians as Ogadin. The visible segment of the planet shows land formations that are significantly different from those of today. Antarctica lies further north, is ice-free and comprises two separate landmasses. Australia is even further north as is part of a larger landmass (later termed Sundaland) that comprises the separate islands joined together (the East Indies: Malaya, Borneo, Indonesia, etc.) and is linked to Vietnam and the Indian subcontinent.

SMETNA:        Are they really big?

AMREN:          Yes, Smetna. Really, really big. They have big bodies, large heads                      and rows of sharp teeth. They eat other animals. They claws on their feet instead of nails. 

SAERA:            They sound horrible. I hope we won’t get too close.

ERAC:              Sera, there’s no need to be frightened. We’ll be safe in our pods.                      Isn’t that right, farther?

AMREN:          Yes, quite safe. So long as you don’t go outside.

METNA:        What about in the sea? They showed us some pictures at school.                      Are they as big in the sea?

AMREN:          Well, there are fishes of many sizes in the sea. But the big ones are                  very, very big. But they are harder to see. You have to throw bai the water to attract them

SAERA:            What kind of bait?

AMREN:          Other animals. Ones that float on the surface. Children, you are lucky to be seeing all this. There’s something very important I have to tell you all. This is the last trip to this planet that will ever be made. 

MELCAFA: Amren,what on Mars do you mean? Ourpeople have been visiting                Ogiden for thousands of years! No childhood is complete without a visit to the Zoo Planet! Both our parents brought us here, and now we are bringing our children to see the marvels it contains. 

AMREN:          Yes, and it’s because of that tradition that I’ve brought us all here.    But I had to get special permission to bring you all.

 MELCAFA:      Amren, has this something to do with a certain decision taken by                     the Council? The one you’ve been very secretive about?

AMREN:          Yes, Melcafa dear. It is. 

MELCAFA:      You mean we can never come here again?

AMRE   Never again. We must accept that nothing lasts forever.

SMETNA:        Is Ogiden going to disappear? Like some suns and planets we’ve                      been taught about?

AMREN:          Not exactly. But no one can come here again. At least, not for a very                 long time.  And Ogiden will never again be seen in its present form. 

ERAC:              Why not?

AMREN:          It has been decreed that Ogiden must change. What we will see                                   here on this world is something that was created by our people, a long time go. It’s called the Zoo Planet for a reason.  It was developed as a holiday resort, a mere zoo, as s home for artificially created monsters providing spectacles of horror as they hunt down and devour each other. It’s similar to what happens in nature but artificially enhanced.

SAERA:            Father, what do you mean by artificial?

SMETNA:        Are the monsters not real?

AMREN:          Yes, son, they are real, they are flesh and blood, but in their                           present shape they are the result of interference by science.  Surely at school they have taught how the seeds of nature can bed transformed by our science? The food we eat made easier to grow and harvest, the climate in which we live on Mars made more                          predictable, less destructive?

SMETNA:        Yes, father, of course I know all that. I came top in my class for                                     Natural Science.

AMREN:          Well, thousands of years ago our ancestors put our science to use                    to create, for our amusement, a planet of monsters for us to marvel at. A planet they called Ogadin. Also as a kind of lesson about how bad things can become if nature is not controlled.

ERAC:              But you just said that Ogadin is the result of control.

AMREN:          True, Erac. And science can also undo what science has done. In                       this case, for a purpose.

MELCAFA:      What purpose, Amren? You should have told me about this before                  we set off on this journey. I’m really feeing quite upset.

AMREN:          I’m sorry, Melcafa. I was not a liberty to disclose classified                                 information, but I’m telling you now. This planet must now be changed because it has in its core valuable resources that our race must now mine and use. 

ERAC:              What resources? And what must we use them for

AMREN:          Resources for building and for fuel. For building new cities on                          other planets brought newly into our region and for fuel to drive our increasing reliance on space transport.

SMETNA:        And what will become of the monsters? Will they be moved to                          another planet?

AMREN:          I’m afraid not.

SAERA:            So what will become of them?

AMREN:          Sadly, they will all die

SAERA:            Oh. how horrible!  Oh, the poor monsters! It doesn’t seem fair!

AMREN:          Their seeds will be saved, possibly to be transferred to another                       zoo, if another suitable planet can be found.

SAERA:            But what good will that do? The poor monsters will all die                                 without ever knowing that!

AMREN:          Saera, dear. Try not to be too upset. We all die eventually and not                    always at a time of our choosing. Be happy that you have thi chance to visit this wonderful zoo that our ancestors bequeathe to us, and be confident that another zoo will soon be created and that we will soon be able to visit that one too.

SAERA:            I suppose so. But I wish you had not told me all this. Now I will                                     look at the dear monsters not with wonder, but with sadness.

END OF SAMPLE SCENE      

“A Play For All Media

Please note that the term “A Play For All Media” is intended to mean that the content can be staged either for recording or live performance. By Acts 1, 2 & 3, the intention is to provide content either for a stage play (in 3 Acts) or for a Media (TV/Cable) series in 3 episodes.

The limited number of “locations” allows for a practicable variety of different kinds of settings for live theatre (including some use of digital backgrounds), and also for some development of the kind of Science Fiction backgrounds and action possible in film-making (not that anything is shot on “film” any more!).

Derek Strahan