THE ALPHA CENTAURI PROJECT SCRIPT (2 page)

SILENCE, broken only by the CONTINUAL DRIPPING.

Eve throws a stone into the lake. A DULL SPLASH.

Concentric circles lighting up with blue
reflections.

EVE

What do you think of it?

VICTORIA

Enchanting. I couldn't imagine such a place could
exist in Net.

EVE

I created it. A cave of the Earth inspired me.

They chat and smile. Between them, there are
complicity and naturalness.

EVE

Do you have a boyfriend?

VICTORIA

He is a human.

EVE

It will be difficult to get on with him...

VICTORIA

I didn't undergo the dehumanization for him.

EVE

I refused it too… Did you meet long ago?

VICTORIA

It happened at the seaside, when I was a litte girl.
We were used to meeting every summer. Till that day...

staring at the dark expanse

I was fifteen. James was with me. The beach was
deserted. The sea was boiling with foam after three days of storm.
The water was still warm. The right moment to bathe. We undressed
and threw ourselves into the big waves.

Eve remains SILENT.

VICTORIA

becoming excited

When I was about to get my breath back, a breaker
arrived, sucking me into a whirlpool. I tried to resurface, in
vain. Too strong currents. But I was not frightened: I had already
faced such an awkward situation. I had to keep cool and hold my
breath, letting the currents take me towards a zone of more
moderate sea.

EVE

taking Victoria's hand

You are troubled. Stop it!

VICTORIA

I was about to resurface, when another breaking wave
pushed me under. I opened my mouth. The water penetrated my lungs!
I transmitted a signal from my localizer before plunging into
darkness. I was told the rest. The rescue team arrived ten minutes
later. They found me on the seabed; I was carried to the shore. All
in vain.

EVE

James watched the scene, I imagine.

VICTORIA

He rushed to help me, but when he arrived, I had
already disappeared underwater. He followed the attempt to bring me
back to life. When I was put on board the ovoid, he got into it
too, and during the entire flight repeated that he would never
abandon me. He continued standing nearby when my parents arrived
and attended my funeral.

EVE

A terrible experience.

VICTORIA

After digitization, the virtual reality meetings with
relatives and psychologists began.

At my parents' first visit, all of us were weeping. I
met James the following time. We embraced each other all the time,
without saying a word. The recovery was slow, but I got over the
shock.

They stay silent staring at the lake.

EVE

It's my turn now. It happened during the worst period
in my life. I was coming back from a meeting with the president of
the Certification Committee, the organization authorizing the use
of programs supplying the virtual beings with new features.

VICTORIA

You worked in the Commission?

Eve nods.

EVE

I was investigated for bribery. All the evidence
pointed to my guilt.

The president of the committee was afraid my presence
could discredit the organization and asked me to resign. I
explained I was innocent, but I accepted his request.

frowning

All the evidence was fabricated. But nobody believed
me.

I reached the cliff of Long Cape. The sluggish
movement of the sea, twenty meters below. I closed my eyes. Only
three steps. No suffering. But I was seen. Deep coma, for a week.
In Net, I met a psychologist, only once. I was too disgusted by the
world.

VICTORIA

Why did they frame you?

EVE

I backed up innovative products that could have
damaged the industry.

VICTORIA

You have found friends here!

EVE

Certainly, and now I am calm.

They stand up and start walking hand in hand towards
a light.

INT. net inner ring -- NIGHT

Progressively the rocks dissolve and the
semi-darkness is replaced by a uniform glimmer.

They enter a limitless space walking in the void. A
MELODY pervades the space.

From all directions, diaphanous creatures approach
with such harmonious movements that they look as if they were
dancing.

Eve and Victoria stop. Now they are surrounded by
phantoms with undefined profiles, on which little golden flames are
flickering.

VICTORIA

Where are we?

EVE

In the first of the inner rings. This spot is
inaccessible to humans, because time runs too fast.

VICTORIA

Never seen such a place.

EVE

The inteligences use it to reflect upon the material
world. It's the source of their most farsighted projects, admired
and envied by the humans. I contributed to this place while working
at the Superior Institute of Artificial Intelligence.

VICTORIA

Are you joking?

EVE

I coordinated the project.

beat

To tell the truth, the carrier never interested me.
Before joining AISI, I was enrolled in the Army. I participated in
many missions with the Red Helmets, the special forces of the Army.
But then, I opted for the other great passion of my life:
research.

gazing at the thousands of lights floating in the
dark

I wished to give a purpose to my existence beyond
self-interest; I wanted to contribute to the development of
civilization. The studies had convinced me that the souls could
evolve only overcoming their human limits. To achieve this, a
deeper and deeper integration with artificial intelligence software
would be necessary. I wanted to contribute to this process. The
Defense asked me to stay. But I followed my own way, without
hesitation.

Eve bends her head.

EVE

I spent wonderful years at AISI, till I was invited
to join the Certification Committee.

The body that should have distinguished itself by its
impartiality, was subjected to the interests of major industrial
groups. My colleagues had accepted the situation, some of them for
the sake of a quiet life, others to take advantage of it. But I
didn't want to give in for a matter of principle.

speaking gravely

Within the Committee, I stood up for a few innovative
programs proposed by the Open Source community , whose application
was strongly opposed by multinationals.

The Ethical Commission tried to take the matter away
from the Committee, affirming that this decision was within its own
competence. At the climax of the battle, I was chaged with
corruption. You know the rest.

VICTORIA

How did you end up here?

EVE

When I entered Net, I refused to give my personal
data to the General Archives and I didn't present myself to the
judge.

VICTORIA

You are wanted by Security!

EVE

Nihil, the head of the Elects, a secret organization,
found me. One of his followers congratulated me on my courage and
tenacity: Martin Wing, the defender of the civil rights. After his
assassination by a fanatic about forty years before, he is
continuing his battle in Net.

Her look becomes softer.

EVE

Wing and his companions introduced the subject they
had most at heart. Security repression was getting more and more
severe, their days were numbered. To survive, they needed a very
advanced technology, that only I was able to develop.

From the very first moment, I liked them very much.
Since then I have spent my days creating programs to protect
us.

VICTORIA

You have a great responsibility.

EVE

We are not going to withstand for long. The Elects
are worried, they want to complete their mission.

VICTORIA

And you?

EVE

I like my job and the Elects leave me alone. This is
what matters to me.

The women remain SILENT in front of each other,
surrounded by a whirl of lights.

INT. net ELECTS' HIDEOUT -- MORNING

MARTIN WING, an imposing black (soul, apparently mid
40's), is speaking with the OLDEST COUNCILOR, a white-haired
man.

wing

Nihil didn't turn up for the meeting.

OLDEST COUNCILOR

What has happened?

WING

No idea.

OLDEST COUNCILOR

Did you get the plan?

WING

He was going to hand it over today.

OLDEST COUNCILOR

Time is running short: the Caravels are sailing in a
month.

WING

I'm looking for him.

Eve is approaching.

WING

staring at Eve

Have you spoken to her?

The oldest councilor shakes his head. Now Eve stands
in front.

OLDEST COUNCILOR

speaking to Eve

The next reproductive rite is scheduled for Thursday.
I asked the Council. You will have the honor of carrying the new
creature.

EVE

blushing

I don't feel like doing that. For me it would be the
first time.

The three fall SILENT for a moment.

OLDEST COUNCILOR

We all love you and we are sure our feelings are
reciprocal. But you never integrated into our community. You are so
sad... You have to forget your past, Eve.

EVE

This kind of wounds doesn't heal easily.

WING

with a solemn expression

We asked you to participate for one more reason. We
are not going to escape Security for long. We need all your
experience. But only integrating in our community, you will be able
to utilize all your capabilities.

When Victoria arrives, Eve indicates that she should
wait.

EVE

addressing the two followers

Sorry, I should go.

She rejoins Victoria.

EVE

Excuse me if I kept you waiting, but we were dealing
with a new being's birth.

VICTORIA

wide-eyed

You were speaking about the dehumanization?

EVE

They are the same. They offered me to be the
mother.

VICTORIA

What did you tell them?

EVE

I'm not interested in.

VICTORIA

I have often heard about the reproductive rite. What
do you feel?

EVE

Sensations we can't imagine, they told me.

VICTORIA

How many are going to participate?

EVE

About twenty.

VICTORIA

Have they already chosen your substitute?

EVE

I don't think so. Are you interested in?

VICTORIA

Are you joking?

They start walking along the tunnel.

VICTORIA

I don't know your community enough. And then, there
is James. Perhaps he would understand, but for sure it will be the
end of our relationship.

EVE

Are you sure he is the right person?

Victoria doesn't answer.

EVE

I suggest you to speak with James.

beat

I'll be waiting for you here.

INT. earth SECURITY HEADQUARTERS -- EVENING

In the middle, stands a crystal table illuminated by
spotlights that concentrate their beams on the central inlay of a
golden snake.

C573Y raises his head from the desk. In his field has
appeared a message: WIDMAN AND YUNG KILLED. WIDMAN'S CAR BLOWN UP
3.45 P.M..

ASSISTANT

appearing in C573Y's visual field

The explosion happened in the Space Agency parking
lot. Widman was killed outright, the woman while getting her to
hospital. There are no injured. A team of ours is on the spot.

C573Y

What about the inquiry?

ASSISTANT

The bug has confirmed they were the informers. Eve
Dirac contacted them to introduce a friend of hers. The intrusion
into the information system of the Agency was organized by Dirac's
friend.

C573Y

Did he reach the files of the Alpha Centauri
Projects?

ASSISTANT

He was clever at canceling his traces. We are looking
for them.

C573Y

When is the brain digitization beginning?

ASSISTANT

Within ten minutes. The forensic department confirmed
me.

C573Y

Did you find out the motive?

ASSISTANT

The two didn't know. But Widman was worried, very
worried. Once I heard him speaking about terrorism. Only
suspicions.

C573Y

What about a virus?

ASSISTANT

I had the software of the Caravels checked. No
anomaly so far.

perplexed

I've more news. Last Saturday Widman flew to the
Cayman Islands. I had him followed. He went into the Overseas Bank,
to withdraw a money transfer from a company that belonged to Nihil
fifty years ago.

C573Y

The Head of the Elects!

ASSISTANT

He is Eve Dirac's partner.

C573Y

The author of the collective suicides... At the end
more than one thousand corpses were counted. All of them headless.
Brain digitization, clearly.

ASSISTANT

Nihil is beginning a new phase of his plan, I
fear.

beat

I asked the Defense about Eve Dirac. I had to
threaten them with talking to the President, to obtain an answer:
she belonged to the Red Helmets, the elite corps of the Army!

INT. earth Nihil's villa -- MORNING

NIHIL's face is framed by dark curls and a pointed
beard; his eyes are as black as coal (soul, now installed in an
android, apparently 50 years old).

He walks back and forth in the room, then sits down
at a table and drums his fingers on the glass surface.

His ASSISTANT is in front of him. They chat. Words
cannot be heard clearly; Nihil has a SHRILL VOICE.

In Nihil's visual field appears a message: WITNESSES
KILLED - TRACES REMOVED.