### Act 3, Scene 4: Beginnings and Ends

- Setting: The Port Ospen Airfield (Like 1-2) - but by day. This time, the airship is moored to pick up Cal and Ortha
- Stage setup:
- /!\ this reuses the setting of 1-2, but at night /!\
- Backdrop: the airfield at daytime
- Big scene elements (2nd rail):
  - motorcycle (Mesuri)
- On playrail: Nothing.
- Props:
  - handkerchief (Haku)
- Special effects:
  - Ortha fetching a sheep (o'wolf), tearing it apart and nomming it ⇒ throw fluff
  - RATS for Ortha's wings (ShyWolf)
  - thrown fluff (Mesuri)
- PreRec:
- Puppets: Sheep (Eisfuchs), Florence (Pan, Liam), Cal (Eisfuchs, Tigerseye), Ortha (Tani, o'wolf, Estragon, Lee Taiger, Lynard), Eva Harrington (<Reesa>, Shishi, Haku, "Goldeneyes"), Abraham (Runo, Luno)

##### TECH PREROLL

LX 0099 - Work Light OFF (Static Playbacks)

LX 3400 - STANDBY for GO: DBO with dim blue reading light (link to LX 0002)

Check Levels
Unmute Desk

Pan: OFF
Eisfuchs: OFF
Runo: OFF
Tani: OFF
Telepathic FX: OFF

##### INTRO

Welcome to the evening news on Astar National Radio!

Great Astar's most proficient industry magnate Sarkan T. Welsh faces a devastating new scandal following a whistleblower report. The royal house confirmed that they are investigating evidence of fraud, attempted murder, blackmail, multiple anti-trust violations, embezzlement and treason.

The Harrington & Welsh company did not respond to our request for comments, but a copy of the report was leaked to this reporter. The allegations, if proven, will forever tarnish the company's reputation – and its owner's.

Evidence strongly points towards the crucial role Mr. Welsh played in the escalation of the conflict with Vanos, with the sole goal to increase his profit as an arms manufacturer.

A particularly explosive revelation is that he might be personally responsible for the death of Peter M. Harrington - aviation pioneer and national hero - and the attempted murder of Eva Harrington, his wife.

In a statement to the Port Ospen Telegraph, Eva Harrington confirmed the accusations, stating that she did not agree to Welsh's acquisition of the company under her own free will, therefore making the contract null and void. She has appealed to the queen to award her with the full ownership of the company, after her house was recently destroyed by a bomb blast engineered by the company under the guise of a Vanosian terrorist attack.

Furthermore, the royal geographic society has withdrawn their support of the findings of Mr. Welsh's so called "Trans-Oceanic Expedition". After closer examination, it is highly doubtful that the expedition took place in the form the Harrington & Welsh company claimed. When police searched company headquarters, the fantastic "beast" was nowhere to be found. They did find however a workshop with materials suitable to build a highly sophisticated mechanical puppet. In all likelihood, the beast was nothing more than a very realistic marionette, and it fooled us all.

Whether the new continent really exists remains to be proven - but the Queen has put all research projects in that regard on indefinite hold.

Sarkan T. Welsh is being detained in the high security prison in Port Ospen. The Queen's medical adviser reports that he is in poor mental health, and is showing signs of delusion and mania. The company was put under forced administration by the Queen.

This story will surely keep the country in suspense for weeks, as new details of these tremendous conspiracies are revealed. As always, stay tuned for updates from Astar National Radio!

One final announcement on our own account: It is with great sadness that we have to report the death of our friend and colleague, Mr. Feivel Mc Brookhaven. He died in the performance of his duties as a field reporter on the Peter M. Harrington airfield, struck down by the explosion of a terrorist bomb. He will always be remembered. A memorial service will be held 2 p.m. August 21st at the Memorial Church in Kempton Yard.

##### DIALOG

Curtain - open

LX 3410 - Lights on

Nobody is there. Except a sheep, in the middle of the stage. Happily grazing on the airfield.

AMB-1201 - Open Field

MUS-1201 - Cue 1
SND-1201 - Sheep: "Baaaaaah!"

Sheep eats some grass.

SND-1201 (cont.) - Sheep: "*munch* *munch* *munch* *munch*"

Ortha swoops in from [7] at full speed

Ortha catches the sheep

SND-1202 - Sheep: "BAAAAAH!"

Ortha swoops out at [1]

Fold in wings

Tani: ON

Ortha walks in from [1] with a sheep in her mouth.

MUS-1202 - Cue 2

Ortha stops in the middle, puts down the sheep, holds it down with a claw and begins to tear it apart.

Throw up pieces of sheep fluff

Ortha: "Munch munch munch."

SND-1203 - Sound of a motorcycle

Ortha startles, looks left, looks right, takes the sheep, and throws it away, removing the evidence.

Runo: ON

Eva and Abraham ride in on a motorcycle from [7], stopping before Ortha.

SND-1204 - Stopping Motorcycle
SND-1203 FADE

Abraham: "Greetings, Ms. Ortha!"

MUS-1203 - Cue 3

Happy Ortha Noise

Abraham and Eva get off the bike.

Abraham: "You look marvelous, my Lady, as always! So glad to see you again!"

Abraham formally shakes hands with Ortha

Eva: "Hello my Darling!"

Eva kisses Ortha on the nose

Very Happy Ortha Noise

Eva: "Do you know where Florence is? Is she on the airship with Cal?"

Pan: ON

Eisfuchs: ON

Ortha turns her head around, and calls for Florence and Cal.

SND-1205 - Ortha: "*HONK*"

Florence (from afar): "We're coming!"

Florence comes in, with Cal in tow.

Florence: "Mom, Abe! Hello!"

Florence hugs Eva

Florence: "I've just helped Cal finish up packing."

Abraham: "Hello Mr. Davis."

Cal: "Hello Mr. French. Why suddenly so formal?"

Abraham: "I'm just giving you the respect you finally deserve."

Cal: "I don't know …"

Abraham: "Do not sell yourself short, young man. You are about to leave this continent, possibly forever. You are going to be a ground-dwelling stranger in a society of airborne people whose language you'll never be able to speak. That doesn't just take courage. That takes ball bearings of steel. Hats off to you, Mr. Davis."

Eva: "It seems like nothing ever scares you!"

Cal: "Oh, I am very scared. The moment the Queen told us that society isn't ready for contact with another species yet, I knew I had to go with Ortha. I love her so much, I'd rather be with her than with anybody else. It'll be worth it."

Eva: "How are you going to talk to her without Florence?"

Cal: "Ortha is picking up more and more of our language. Florence has been a great help in teaching her the basics in just a few weeks. And did you know that Ortha's people have a written language, too?"

Eva: "It's surprising that someone can have such a sophisticated culture, and at the same time still hunt the neighbor's sheep."

Cal: "No! She's a civilized person, she would never do that! Right, Ortha?"

MUS-1204 - Cue 04

Ortha shakes her head, offended. She? Never!

Ortha makes a funny noise, and flattens her ears.

Ortha coughs up a sheep-colored furball.

Everybody stares.

Ortha facepalms (as good as she can)

Everybody laughs!

Eva: "Florence, do you want to hear some really good news?"

Florence lets go, and turns to her mother

Florence: "Yes, mom?"

Eva: "We received a letter this morning! Welsh has been dispossessed, and the Queen herself signed the company back over to us!"

Florence: "That's wonderful news!"

Eva: "And guess what is even better? Abe and I are going to get married! Harrington & French, how does that sound to you?"

MUS-1205 - Cue 5 (Awesome)

Florence: "That sounds awesome! Congratulations! Does that mean I can become an airplane engineer?"

Eva: "Yes. No more cake!"

Florence: "YIPIIIIEEEEEEEEEEH!!"

Telepathic FX: ON

Florence runs around, and hugs everyone, including Ortha.

MUS-1206 - Cue 6

Cal casually places a paw on Florence's shoulder because he wants to listen in to the conversation

Ortha: "Oh, that's what you've been talking about. Congratulations on your new job. And my best wishes to Abe and Eva!"

Florence: "I'm so happy and so sad at the same time, I think my head is going to explode …"

Ortha: "By the way, is there any news about Mae and Will? How are they doing?"

Florence: "Will is still walking on crutches, but his leg is getting better every day. Mae is struggling to run the farm, but she's getting help from a few friends."

Ortha: "I understand. Please give them my best greetings. They are good people."

Florence: "I will. I promise."

SND-1206 - Airship Motor Starting Up
MUS-1207 - Cue 6

Ortha: "It's time for us to go."

Florence: "I still can't believe today is the day you're going home. You're my friend, and it feels like I've known you for all my life."

Ortha: "Maybe we'll come back - one distant day. Who knows."

Florence (choking up): "I'm going to miss your voice in my head."

Cal: "Me too."

Ortha: "Me too."

Cal, Ortha and Florence grouphug

Florence: "Have a safe trip home. And take good care of each other. Farewell my friends!"

Cal, Ortha: "Farewell".

They let go.

Florence takes a step back, and begins to cry.

Eva walks up to Florence, and lays an arm around her shoulder.

Cal: "Farewell Mrs. Harrington. Farewell Mr. French."

Eva, Abraham and Florence wave, with a handkerchief

Eva: "Bye bye Cal, Bye bye Ortha!"

Abraham: "Bye bye"

Florence (crying): "Bye bye! I will never forget you!"

Cal and Ortha turn around and slowly walk off stage at [1]

SND-1206 FADE
AMB-1201 FADE

LX 3499 - Light fades

Fade Ambience and SFX with LX 3499

Curtain - close

LX 0099 - Work Light ON (Static Playbacks)

LX #### - Main Stage Lights On

LX 0090 - Indirect Ambient Lighting ON (Static Playbacks)

Mute all but Video and Soundtrack

Open Stage Mics

Handover Desk to Royen

Get cheetah a beer

Guess what? YOU MADE IT!