### Act 1, Scene 3: Insane Confessions

- Setting: The Cargo Hold of the Airship HW-129. It is sparsely lit by a row of dim (slightly flickery) carbon filament light bulbs. The cargo hold is mostly empty, except for a few wooden boxes with the H&W logo on them.
- Stage setup:
- Backdrop: cargo hold of the airship
- Big scene elements (2nd rail):
  - Ortha's cage from 1-2 (Zefiro)
  - Metal box+Red button+Warning light (Zefiro)
- On playrail: Nothing.
- Props: Red button (static prop)
- Special effects:
  - lightbulbs on the backdrop panels
  - Ortha rips off Florence's scarf (Haku)
  - red rotary blinky warning lights (Zefiro)
  - wind machine+smoke for when Cal opens the big freight door (Haku)
- PreRec:
- Puppets: Cal (Eisfuchs, Tigerseye), Florence (Pan, Liam), Ortha (Tani, o'wolf, Estragon, Lee Taiger, Lynard), Mr. Welsh (Jyanon, Curry), Soldier 1 (Shishi, "Void"), Soldier 2 (Luno, "Sparky")

##### TECH PREROLL

LX 0099 - Work Light OFF (Static Playbacks)

LX 1300 - STANDBY for GO: DBO with dim blue reading light (link to LX 0002)

Check Levels
Unmute Desk

Pan: ON
Eisfuchs: ON

Jyanon: OFF
Tani: OFF
Telepathic FX: OFF

##### INTRO

frantic knocking at the door*

footsteps

door opens

Eva: "I don't buy anything at the door. So take your samples and your magazines and have a good day, Sir!"

door closes

frantic knocking at the door

Abraham (stuttering, nervously): "M..m..m…Ms. Harrington, please! My name is Abraham French; I need to talk to you! It's urgent!"

door opens

Eva: "Have we met before?"

Abraham: "Very briefly. I ordered a cake from your shop a few days ago."

Eva: "French, you say? … French … double vanilla cream cake with extra olives? No, cherries. Good grief, why would I think olives? Actually, glazed olives might work on a savoury carrot cake, with the right–"

Abraham: "That's not why I'm here. It's about your daughter."

Eva: "Florence?"

Abraham: "Can I please come in, Mrs. Harrington? I'm afraid the matter is … delicate."

Eva: (sighs) "All right. This better be important! It's late, and I'll have an early day tomorrow."

footsteps

door closes

Eva: "So what did she do this time?"

Abraham: "Florence and I went to see Mr. Welsh's exhibition. Together."

Eva: "Partners in crime! How romantic. But don't you think she's a little bit too young for you?"

Abraham (stuttering): "No! I mean yes … I mean … Mrs. Harrington, that's not – I'd never …"

Eva: "*laughs* You can stop sweating and fretting, Mr. French, I'm only pulling your leg. Consider it a mother's revenge – I told her not to go, and I'm sure my daughter told you that. But it's Peter's airship, so I doubt you had to work hard to convince her to go see it."

Abraham (swallows hard): "I'm afraid it is worse than that, Mrs. Harrington."

Eva is suddenly feeling cold shivers run down her spine.

Eva: "What are you saying, Mr. French?"

Abraham (guilty): "There was a terrorist attack. Bombs – laid by vanosian seperatists, so they say."

Eva: "Oh my god, is Florence alright?"

Abraham: "Mrs. Harrington… I don't know!"

Eva (worried): "What do you mean?"

Abraham: "She tried to rescue an animal that was part of the show. She jumped on board of the airship. And then it took off. With her."

Eva: "*SIGH* That's my daughter, all right. Strong sense of justice, her father would say – fool-headed, if you ask me. You'll have to get used to that if you intend to keep courting her."

Abraham: "Mrs. Harrington, please!"

Eva: "She didn't get hurt, that's what matters. Thank you so much for coming here and letting me know."

Abraham: "Clarice and I never had any children … but if we ever had, I wished it would have been a girl like Florence. I convinced her to go, and I was responsible for her safety, and I let her down – and her mother. I'm so sorry, Mrs. Harrington."

Eva: "Mr. French, please stop gushing. Your worry does you credit, but she's no child any more, no matter how much old people like us wish she still were. She made her own decisions, both to go to see the airship, and to board it."

Abraham: "I just hope she's fine."

Eva: "Florence makes good decisions, even though they can be damn inconvenient. You and I may be worried sick – and make no mistake, I worry terribly. Too much like her father… but I'm sure she's all right."

Abraham: "Do you have a telephone?"

Eva: "I'm afraid not."

Abraham: "I do. And Florence has my number. So–"

Eva: "Oh, so you gave her your number?"

Abraham: "No! I assure you – oh, I get it." *chuckles* "If she calls me I'll let you know. Otherwise I'll check back with you tomorrow. Alright?"

Eva: "Let's do that. And thank you again for your help."

##### DIALOG

Curtain - open

AMB 0301 - Cargo Hold

LX 1310 - Lights on

Motor / Propeller Sounds

SND-0301 - Squeak

MUS-0301 - Cue 1

Florence and Cal push Ortha's Cage from [1] to [4], grunting and swearing

Ortha flaps around insecurely

SND 0301(STOP)

Florence: "We made it!"

Cal: "Hard to believe, since I had to drag YOU along by the petticoat."

Florence (angry): "I BEG YOUR PARDON?"

Cal: "Women, why do they always have to get in the way. Hands off the cage – did I look like I needed YOUR help?"

Florence: "SHE did, you stupid thug! She begged me to save her!"

Cal: "You're crazy!"

Florence: "Maybe, but I'm still right. And YOU are still a thug. And SHE is an intelligent being, like the both of us, and she's scared to death!"

Cal: "Beasts can't talk."

Florence: "So she must not be a beast, then. And she didn't … talk. I mean with her mouth. She just - told me. I don't know how."

MUS-0302 - Cue 2

Cal: "Enough of that rubbish! You're not allowed to be here, and I'll have to explain Mr. Welsh what Florence Harrington is doing in his cargo bay! This is bad. This is really bad!"

Cal turns around and begins to leave

Florence: "Hey, where are you going?"

Cal: "I'm gonna try and convince Welsh not to throw the both of us out the hatch."

Florence: "Why would he do that?"

Cal turns back to Florence momentarily

Cal: "In alphabetical, or in chronological order? Stay where you are, and keep your paws off the cage!""

MUS-0302b - Cue 2b

Cal storms out, and locks the hatch from the other side.

SND 0302 - Close Hatch - Footsteps leaving

Tani: ON

Eisfuchs: OFF

Florence slumps together

Florence: "I know it was real. And if the entire world thinks I'm crazy, I know it!"

Ortha: "Chirp!"

MUS-0303 - Cue 3

Florence looks up.

Florence: "Yes, I'm talking about you. Do you understand me?"

Ortha tilts her head

Florence walks toward the cage

Florence: "You spoke to me before! Why don't you do it now? Come on! Say something! Please?"

Ortha: "*friendly Ortha noise*"

Florence: "Now you're just making fun of me."

Ortha: "*another friendly Ortha noise*"

Ortha lies down flat, and pokes her nose through the bars of her cage

Florence: "You could have bitten my arm off. But you didn't. You can't be as evil as they say."

Florence reaches out with a paw from a distance, then slowly moves closer

Florence: "Good girl … there's a good girl …"

Florence touches Ortha's nose with her paw.

LX 1311 - Ortha Telepathic

Telepathic FX: ON

SND 0303 - Time Stops

MUS-0304 - Cue 4

AMB 0301 (Volume to 0%)

Ortha: "Hello again, Florence!"

Florence: "Argh! What … what are you doing inside my head? And how do you know my name?"

Ortha: "I'm not deaf, Florence. You don't have to think so loudly at me – or so much!"

Florence: "What – I think too much? You sound like my mother."

Ortha: "What? Florence, I can barely hear you over the noise of your fear! Wait, that's not fear… you're just curious, aren't you?"

Florence: "Now you sound like my father!"

Ortha: "Your father – the accident – please, don't feel so much at me. Focus, Florence, focus on me, on us, here and now. Relax. Think less. Say more."

Florence: "I'll try, Ortha. I'll try!"

Florence takes a deep breath.

SND 0304 - Time Continues

MUS-0305 - Cue 5

AMB 0301 (Volume to 100%)

LX 1320 - The light goes back to normal

Ortha: "Ahhhh, yes! So much better!"

Florence: "Wait! Ortha? Is that your name? How do I know your name?"

Ortha: "The same way I know yours. Yes, my name is Ortha, guardian of the realm."

Florence: "Which realm? Where are you from?"

Ortha: "We just call it home. Now, Florence, I'd like to know where I am right now."

Florence: "This is the Kingdom of Great Astar."

Ortha: "That name doesn't mean anything to me. Can you picture it in your head?"

Florence: "Yes, but I never got to see much of it from above."

Ortha: "But you wanted to, didn't you? To fly, like your father. It breaks my heart to see you're still so full of sadness, even after so many years."

Florence: "Was I still thinking about him? Wait … you're thinking of someone too. Someone you lost?"

MUS-0306 - Cue 6

Ortha: "My brother, Sitho. He was a guardian like me. The deaf ones came in their flying machines. We flew out to guide them to a safe landing place. But they attacked us, and soon the sea was red with the blood of my kin. Those who survived hid in the forest, high up in the mountains. I was injured, and they captured me."

Florence: "Deaf? You mean, you couldn't read their minds?"

Ortha: "To me, this is as normal as talking is to you. I'm so glad we found each other. Everything makes so much more sense now. So this Mr. Welsh is the one who built the war ship, and I'm the trophy he wants to present to his Queen?"

MUS-0307 - Cue 7

Florence: "Ortha! I definitely wasn't thinking about any of that. You were snooping!"

Ortha: "Can you blame me? I'm in a cage! Now, you need to talk to Cal. He is the only one who can get me out of this thing."

Florence: "Why would he do that? He's like, Welsh's left hand!"

Ortha: "I don't need to snoop to find out what you think of him, but there's more to him than you know. He cared for my wounds, spent a lot of time finding out what kind of food I like, and he made lots of gentle mouth noises when nobody was looking. I think he likes me."

Florence: "Not enough to let you free."

Ortha: "But enough to bring me fish."

Florence: "Ew, could you please not think about the smell so much? And to me he's basically been …"

Ortha: "An arsehole? *chuckles* That is such a funny image. No, don't blush. It's really funny!"

Florence: "A lady is not supposed to say that!"

Ortha: "But you think it all the time."

SND 0305 - Footsteps coming

MUS-0308 - Cue 8

Ortha: "Oh! Do you hear that? I think someone's coming! Will you stay close to me? It seems we need to touch to hear each other – maybe I can hear them through your ears."

Eisfuchs: ON

Jyanon: ON

Telepathic FX: OFF

SND 0306 - Hatch Opens

Cal, Mr. Welsh and two soldiers enter the room from [7]

Cal: "There she is. She's gone completely out of her mind! I tried to keep her from entering the ship, but getting the beast out of danger was my first priority!"

MUS-0309 - Cue 9

Welsh: "Ms. Harrington, welcome aboard my humble ship. May I know the reason why you are honoring us with this unexpected visit?"

Florence: "I helped Cal move the cage into the cargo bay, and I didn't manage to get off the ship in time. As simple as that."

Welsh: "I suppose I should thank you. This cage contains my company's future. Nothing sells war planes like a new threat from the air. I'm sure the Queen will agree, especially after the Vanosian terrorists bombed my exhibition! Did you have a hand in that? The one Harrington who was never supposed to set foot on an airplane again?"

MUS-0310 - Cue 10

Florence: "I have nothing to do with the bombs, or the terrorists, or even you. I just wanted to save Ortha."

Welsh: "Save who?"

Florence: "The beast. Her name is Ortha. And she's not an animal. She feared for her life when the bombs went off and Cal needed my help to get her out of danger. She speaks with her mind, and only I can hear it!"

Welsh laughs!

Welsh: "The bombs must have rung your pretty little bell quite hard, Ms. Harrington. I remember you as a young girl – far too clever to be such a terrible liar."

MUS-0311 - Cue 11 (It was you)

Florence: "When your expedition reached the coast of her homeland, it was YOU who opened fire ON THEM. You didn't even consider the possibility that they might be a people! You wiped them out of the sky, just because you could! Tell me, does the Queen know you're a war criminal?"

Welsh (icy): "Who told you that? Cal?"

Cal: "NO SIR! I SWEAR!"

Florence: "He's right. Ortha did."

Welsh: "This is not a game, Miss Harrington!"

Florence: "If you don't want to hear the truth, why do you even ask."

Welsh: "I don't take kindly to terrorists on my ship."

Welsh turns towards his soldiers.

MUS-0312 - Cue 12 (into custody)

Welsh: "Take her into custody. Strip her down, and see if she's got any explosives on her. Then take her to Dr. McKenzie. He knows how to make people talk."

PRE-0301 - Soldiers: "Yes, sir."

The soldiers grab Florence, and drag her away from the cage.

Ortha grabs Florence's scarf with her teeth, which gets pulled off of Florence as the soldiers start to drag her away towards [7].

Florence: "Cal! You must set her free! She remembers how you treated her wounds, how you tried to soothe her when she was scared, how you tried to protect her when the bombs went off … she knows how much you like her. And she says thanks for all the fish!"

Soldiers drag Florence off stage to [7]

SND 0307 - Hatch Closes

Pan: OFF

Cal: "She is going to sing like a bird at the mere sight of the knives, sir."

MUS-0313 - Cue 13

Welsh: "Something is very odd about her. She doesn't seem that insane."

Cal: "Sir? You think she didn't make it all up?"

Welsh: "You're going to stay here and stand guard. Don't let anybody near the cage."

Cal: "Of course, Mr. Welsh."

Welsh: "I'll be upstairs. Doctor McKenzie can sometimes be a little too enthusiastic."

Cal: "Have a good day, Mr. Welsh."

Welsh walks away.

SND 0308 - Hatch Closes

MUS-0314 - Cue 14

Jyanon: OFF

Cal's personality changes the moment the door closes. He's suddenly very insecure and restless. If he could sweat, he'd be dripping right now.

Cal paces back and forth

Cal: "The fish … nobody knows I stole the fish, how the hell does Florence know about it? Can she really talk to Ortha?"

Ortha hears her name, and answers

Ortha: "*friendly Ortha noise*"

Cal: "Ortha!"

Ortha sticks her nose through the bars, and makes another friendly Ortha noise.

Cal: "Is that really your name?"

Ortha: "*friendly Ortha noise*"

Cal: "Fuck me backwards! In all the time I've spent with you, how could I have been so blind?!"

Cal fumbles with his keyring, and unlocks the cage.

SND 0309 - Unlock Cage

Ortha slowly steps out of the cage, and stretches like a cat. She unfolds her wings, and neatly re-folds them. She then lowers her head, and looks Cal in the eyes.

Ortha: "*Ortha strechting noise*"

Cal (mesmerized): "You're not the beast, Ortha. I'm the beast. Fuck me. FUCK ME!"

Cal grabs Ortha's head, and sobs.

Ortha: "*surprised Ortha noise*"

Cal: "I … I didn't know you're a person! I thought I was keeping you safe! I didn't want you to be a prisoner! I'm so sorry! I love you Ortha! I really do!"

Ortha: "*friendly Ortha noise*"

Cal (crying): "Look at me, I'm crying like a woman. Please don't tell anybody, alright?"

Cal tries to regain his composure, turns around, and walks towards a big red button

Cal: "Welsh is going to rip my head off. But if I owe you anything, it's this."

Cal presses the button.

SND 0310 - Cargo Door opens, A klaxon sounds, and a loud wind begins to whistle

MUS-0315 - Cue 15

Turn on wind machine at [1]

Ortha looks at [1], and reacting to the wind.

Cal: "There. You're free. Go! I said go!"

Ortha looks at Cal

Cal: "What are you waiting for?"

Ortha picks up Florence's scarf and "hands" it to Cal.

Cal: "What's that? Florence's scarf? Oh! All right! I get it! Yes I will. I promise."

MUS-0316 - Cue 16

Cal picks up the scarf

Ortha turns around, and makes a very loud happy Ortha noise, and jumps out of the open freight door at [1]

Ortha: "*very happy Ortha noise"

LX 1399 - Lights Out

Curtain - close

AMB-0301 (FADE)

SND-0310 (FADE)

Fade Ambience, SFX and Music with LX 1399

Mute all but Video

LX 0099 - Work Light ON (Static Playbacks)