The Broadcast

A brilliant scientist stands on the precipice of a world changing breakthrough as he prepares to test his greatest invention. But when a message from the future warns of an impending disaster he must fight against time and his own sanity in a bid to stop armageddon.

Starring - Kristian Schmid - Felicity Jurd  - Jeeves Verma - Sep Caton - Lilly Bader  & Special Guest Star Jeff Martin as Baron Sordor - Produced - Natalie Harvie,  Lilly Bader & Aaron Harvie - Recorded at King Sound Studio - Engineer - Nick Bird – Casting - Citizen Jane Casting - Music - Il Terrori Notturni - Written - Aaron Harvie – Directed - Natalie & Aaron Harvie

Transcript

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BARON SORDOR'S THEATRE OF THE DOOMED

EPISODE 1: THE BROADCAST

Written by

Aaron Harvie

Copyright (c) 2023

            RALPHUS

There’s an old, decrepit theatre down

the end of a dark, deserted alley. On

the thirteenth night of every month

Baron Sordor throws open his theatre

doors to the lucky few invited to see

the show. The crowd are slowly

ushered inside to take their seats,

whispering in nervous expectation.

Then the music starts to rise and the

red velvet curtains are drawn aside.

A dark figure strides to the edge of

the stage and the audience gasps in

hushed anticipation, because when the

clock strikes midnight, it’s time for

Baron Sordor’s Theatre of the Doomed.

            BARON SORDOR

Thank you dear Ralphus and good

evening honoured guests, I am your

host Baron Vladimir Sordor, welcome

to another night at the Theatre of

the Doomed.

            BARON SORDOR (cont'd)

I hope that you are prepared for what

awaits you, for our show is not for

the faint of heart. Tonight we will

be travelling back in time to the

1950's for an atomic age account of

technological terror. But be warned

dear audience, you must grasp hold of

reality tight, for if you don't,

tonight's tale might reach into your

very mind and peel back the layers of

sanity till you are left but a

simpering, snivelling shell.

            BARON SORDOR (cont'd)

      (evil chuckle)

Get ready for a journey into mind

bending madness that will push you

past to the edge of reasoning and

understanding... I present to you,

dear audience, THE BROADCAST.

SCENE 1

            NARRATOR

The Davis Air Force Base was a twelve

thousand square mile military

facility located deep in the Black

Rock Desert of Nevada, fifteen

minutes drive from the sleepy town of

Dead Horse. It was designated top

secret. Now the base itself wasn't

top secret, everybody knew it was

there, I mean you couldn't hide

something so big, it was visible from

space. But what went on there was.

Officially it was listed as a proving

ground for USAF experimental

aircraft, dozens of hangers and

landing strips housing some of the

most cutting edge military aircraft

in the world. Almost 2500 personnel,

both military and civilian, lived on

the base in a sprawling housing

facility known as Edge City. But none

of them knew what was really going on

at David Air Force Base or that they

were there merely as a diversion for

prying eyes. In fact, only eighteen

people, including the base commander

knew about the highly classified Site

R Laboratory which was located deep

within the Bedrock Mountain facility,

situated in a remote corner of the

base. Bedrock Mountain was a triple

peaked granite monolith that rose

almost ten thousand feet above the

surrounding Black Rock Desert. There

was only one way in or out, through a

set of 25-ton blast doors designed to

deflect a 30 megaton nuclear

explosion. Now the other laboratories

buried beneath Bedrock Mountain were

all top secret, they housed the

governments research into cutting-

edge military technology including

ultrasonic weaponry, thermonuclear

bombs, energy weapons and space

flight capable vehicles. But Site R

was the most clandestine of all,

deemed Compartmented Clearance, the

highest clearance possible. This

facility housed a project designated

Hummingbird.

Hummingbird was charged with the

creation of the world’s first time

machine, a machine known as The

Westcott Device.

SCENE 2 

            NARRATOR

Wednesday the 1st April 1955. The

control room for the Site R

laboratory was impressive to behold.

It was a sixty foot long curved

concrete room, lit from above by rows

of florescent lights which gave the

space a cold and futuristic feel. The

low hum of a massive machine droned

somewhere deep beneath the floor like

the heartbeat of some unseen colossal

contraption. It was unsettling. The

normally bustling room was all but

empty today. Most of the space was

occupied by the state of the art

Wells 1 Supercomputer, a massive

machine of whirling tapes and

flashing lights and banks and banks

of interconnected racks filled with

vacuum tubes, circuitry and magnetic

cores. But what was most impressive

was the viewing gallery. The inside

wall was a floor to ceiling window

with an array of control panels and

workstations before it. Outside the

massive window, a cone shaped capsule

was suspended by a series of gantries

above a concrete lined shaft that

seemed as if it were bottomless.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Dr Vernon Harper stood before a small

group of dignitaries who were

gathered at a long table in the

centre of the control room. They were

the base commander Colonel Desmond

Harris, General John Pickett, CIA

Director Nathan Booker and a special

envoy from the office of the

President Shirley Gibson.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Vernon Harper was in his early 30’s,

tall and rake thin with receding

slicked back black hair and a pencil

thin moustache. There was an air of

confidence about him, and despite his

young age, he seemed totally at ease

heading such an important government

project.

            VERNON HARPER

You are gathered here to witness history, quite literally. Ten years ago our country fought a war against fascism and imperialism, a war that engulfed the entire world and cost the lives of tens of millions of people. To end that war we had to win a race to master the atom and thanks to scientists like Oppenheimer and the men of the Manhattan Project we were able to ensure our freedom and our way of life. But now there is a new threat. Communism, its insidious tentacles are spreading across the world. Right now, in laboratories just like this one, scientists are scrambling to master a new type power, a temporal power, in a race that may become our greatest threat since World War 2. Project Hummingbird is how we are going to win this race. This project is the culmination of 20 years of theoretical and practical work that sprung from a paper I wrote in college when I was 15 years old. I present to you today, The Westcott Device, the world's first time machine, an invention that when tested here in four days time, will change mankind forever. 

            NARRATOR

Dr Harper motioned to the grand

machine outside the viewing windows.

The gathered dignitaries seemed taken

aback, they fidgeted and cleared

their throats uncomfortably. Air

Force General John Pickett was the

first to talk.

            GENERAL JOHN PICKETT

Let me get this straight? We came all

this way and you're telling us that

you built a time machine son?

            CIA DIRECTOR NATHAN BOOKER

Like something from a science fiction book? 

            SFX

      (general laughter)

            VERNON HARPER

Is that so hard to believe Director

Booker? If I told you ten years ago

that we could make a bomb so powerful

it could light up the sky like the

sun and vaporise an entire city you

would have laughed and yet here we

are.

            CIA DIRECTOR NATHAN BOOKER

Well, that's different now isn't it?

Bombs, they're a real thing, but

this, I mean it all sounds like a

children's story. No offence

intended.

            VERNON HARPER

None taken.

            NARRATOR

The gathered dignitaries look

anything but impressed by the

fantastical nature of the project.

Only Special Envoy Shirley Gibson

seemed interested in hearing more of

what Dr Harper had to say.

            ENVOY SHIRLEY GIBSON

Gentlemen, we've come all this way to

hear the man speak. I'm sure the US

government isn't funding this project

without a little faith. Can you

explain to us how this works Dr

Harper.

            VERNON HARPER

Of course, in layman's terms, the

Westcott Device is essentially an

energy generator that draws its power

from the electrons in the atmosphere.

It focuses them to create an

incredibly high powered discharge

that will bend space/time and allow a

person to move from one point in the

temporal field to another.

            NARRATOR

The General John Pickett nods and

smiles at this.

            GENERAL JOHN PICKETT

Go on. I started out as an engineer

before I become a pilot.

            VERNON HARPER

Our experiment is simple. The

Westcott Device is built into this

mountain. Beneath our feet is its

power source, which consists of four

stacked ‘engines’, if you will. Each

engine is a 2-mile ring of plasmatic

resonators that fires electrical

energy into a high voltage electro-

magnetic capacitor that you can see

at the bottom of the shaft outside

the window. This capacitor stores the

charge till it reaches 1.21 billion

Joules at which point it fires a

plasmatic burst at a single point, no

larger than a nano-particle. This

focused energy will form a gravity

well so dense, it will be similar to

a black hole, creating a singularity

that bends both space and time.

Precisely 18.188 seconds before that

charge is released the capsule you

see out there is dropped down that 1-

mile shaft. As the capsule nears the

bottom of the shaft it will be

travelling at an approximate speed of

392.77 mph, however, when the

singularity is formed it will

accelerate the capsule almost

instantaneously to a temporal

velocity of 186,000 miles per second

propelling the craft forward one

minute in time.

            NARRATOR

The assembled dignitaries looked at

each other in dull eyed bewilderment.

            CIA DIRECTOR NATHAN BOOKER

      (laughing)

Sounds like science fiction to me.

            SFX

      (laughing)

            CIA DIRECTOR NATHAN BOOKER

Okay, lets pretend I fully understand

what your talking about.

            SFX

      (more laughing)

            CIA DIRECTOR NATHAN BOOKER

How the hell do you know that thing

is going to go exactly one minute

forward in time? Is there a pilot in

there navigating?

            VERNON HARPER

That's a good question Director

Booker. Unfortunately this is a one

way trip. The craft itself cannot

generate the power needed to recreate

the space/time singularity and

return. So for safety reasons the

craft will be manned by a canine test

pilot named Patsy. In answer to how

we navigate, it's pretty simple. The

time displacement the capsule will

experience while it's exposed the

temporal singularity equates to

travelling roughly 700 years a

minute, or about 11.6 years a second.

So, to move forward in time for one

minute, we would need to create the

singularity for approximately one

picosecond, which equates to about a

trillionth of a second.

            SFX

      (impressed murmurs)

            CIA DIRECTOR NATHAN BOOKER

Can you move backward in time or just forward? 

            VERNON HARPER

Well the past, present and future all

exist at the same time, so it’s just

a matter of accessing the proper

point in spacetime.

            CIA DIRECTOR NATHAN BOOKER

What the hell does that mean?

            VERNON HARPER

It is my contention that that

universe and life within it is not an

organic thing that’s constantly

changing and morphing, time doesn’t

pass or flow like a river, but rather

everything is ever-present, all at

once. Everything that ever was, is and will

be is already out there. We just have

to know how to find it.

            CIA DIRECTOR NATHAN BOOKER

That makes no sense whatsoever son.

            ENVOY SHIRLEY GIBSON

So, if this machine can travel in

time, can it change the past? Can we

go back and kill Hitler and stop the

war?

            VERNON HARPER

An infinite number of worlds and

possibilities exist all at the same

time, and without contradiction,

because everything that can happen,

has happened or will happen. So in

short, the answer is yes, but the

debate about the morals of how this

machine should be used is for another

time. Nevertheless gentlemen, rest

assured that successful development

of the Westcott Device will ensure

that we, as a country, will continue

to experience a bright an fruitful

future unfettered by any foreign

entity

            SFX

(Murmurs of approval)

            CIA DIRECTOR NATHAN BOOKER

The stuff you eggheads do makes my

brain hurt. How do we know this thing

is safe? Ten years ago I remember

Oppenheimer saying he was worried

about setting the atmosphere on fire.

            VERNON HARPER

I assure you, there is no chance of

an accident happening. Unlike the

Trinity test this will be a

controlled generation of power with

fail safes put into place to control

the experiment during ever phase.

Each engine is installed with a

coupling we call a flux inhibitor.

            VERNON HARPER (cont'd)

It will automatically trip and shut

down if the energy output is deemed

dangerous, so that any surge in power

beyond its designated 302,500,000

joules will instantly be detected and

the experiment stopped. Furthermore,

the capacitor itself has a separate

kill switch which will ground all

power it is storing if it exceeds the

1.21 billion Joule charge. In short,

the Westcott Device presents no

present danger and if our experiment

is successful will ensure our

countries continued place as a

superpower among the nations of the

world for generations to come.

            ENVOY SHIRLEY GIBSON

Well in theory your experiment sound

very promising Dr Harper, but we will

expect to see a successful test come

Saturday morning. You deliver us a

working experiment and I guarantee

next round of funding will be

approved. But if you deliver a dud,

well, the Pentagon isn't in the

business of second chances. Are we

clear?

            VERNON HARPER

Crystal clear, ma'am.

SCENE 3 

            NARRATOR

Vernon Harper stepped off the bright

silver shuttle bus and out onto the

dusty streets of Edge City. He was

hit immediately by a blast of

afternoon desert heat, it was like

walking into a furnace. Edge City was

a sight to behold. It was as if the

government had picked up a suburb and

dropped it in the middle of nowhere.

There was street after street of

picturesque houses with manicured

lawns and white picket fences, each

home painted a different a shade of

pastel. There was a school a church,

and a diner, a little shopping centre

and even a bowling alley and a

cinema. If it wasn't for the never

ending expanse of desert and the

explosives tests that happened like

clockwork at 10, 12 and 3 you'd swear

you were in any small town in the USA

and not on a military base.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

School was out and the sound of

playing children filled the air.

Vernon took his time walking the

three blocks to his house, his mind

still back at the lab and going

through the seemingly endless

checklist of tests, diagnostics and

calculations he was going to have to

perform before the experiment on

Saturday morning. Vernon was happy

how the meeting had gone today but

was disappointed that they could only

see his creations value as a weapon.

The Westcott Device represented so

much more for humanity, it was a

chance to create a utopia, to unite

the people of the world and usher a

future of prosperity, peace and

discovery. He wished they could see

that. But that was the irony of doing

business with the military. They were

the only ones that had the budget to

fund major scientific breakthroughs

but they were not interested in

scientific breakthroughs at all. They

only wanted weapons. Power. Means to

control.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

But Vernon was smarter than them.

He'd seen what they'd done to

Oppenheimer after he gave them the A-

bomb, how they'd called him a

communist and taken his work then

tossed him aside. If the experiment

worked on Saturday he was not only

going to ensure he was an integral

part of the the project moving

forward but also that he was one of

the people who decided how it was

going to be used. Otherwise he's make

sure Westcott Device was never going

to work again.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Vernon rounded the corner onto South

Mesa Street and walked towards his

house. It was the third on the left,

a small, unremarkable Ranch style

house painted pale green with a

neatly trimmed lawn and a white

picket fence. Vernon didn't drive, so

unlike most of the other houses on

the block, there was no car in his

driveway. When Vernon wasn't working

he liked to spend time in his garden

and the front of the house was

adorned by a magnificent bed of

sunflowers. He stopped at his front

gate to check the mail, and smiled

politely at his neighbour who was

watering his lawn, then proceeded to

walk up the path towards his front

door. Then the strangest thing

happened. There was a burst of light,

so bright it was as if a camera had

flashed before his eyes to take his

picture. Vernon stopped in his tracks

and gasped at the sensation, his nose

filling with the smell of burning

ozone... it was metallic, like

chlorine. Then he felt a deep,

concussive blast issue from somewhere

very far away. It shook through the

earth and vibrated up his legs to his

knees. He noticed there were

butterflies dancing in the air around

the sunflowers. They were glowing in

the broad day light. He stepped

towards them as if in a trance.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

The butterflies swooped and glided

through the air, their orange and

black wings following the whims of

the spring wind. They were surrounded

by St. Elmo's fire, a flickering blue

halo engulfing their delicate bodies.

Amazed, Vernon extended his hand and

watched one alight upon it. It sat on

his finger for the briefest of

moments, opening and closing its

wings as the azure corona surrounding

it intensified. Then all at once it

burst into flame and curled and

wilted like an autumn leaf before

crumbling into dust. Vernon fell to

his knees, cradling the perfect,

ashen creature. It held it's form for

a moment before disappearing on the

wind.

            PREM DAVALI

What on earth are you doing?

            NARRATOR

The sound of the voice behind him

snapped Vernon out of his trance. It

was Dr Prem Davali, the second in

charge at Project Hummingbird and his

closest friend at Davis Air Force

Base. At the sound of Dr Davali's

voice Vernon stood up and wiped the

grass from his knees, smiling and

trying to hide his embarrassment.

Prem Davali was almost six feet tall

with a dark complexion and even

darker eyes. Eyes so deep that you

could lose yourself in them. He was

one of the most brilliant engineering

minds Vernon Harper had ever

encountered and a natural leader.

They had worked together for the past

5 years on the Westcott Device and

Vernon had come to rely on Prem more

than anyone else at the base.

            VERNON HARPER

Oh, uh, nothing. I thought I saw a

butterfly. 

            NARRATOR

Prem smiled at Vernon and he felt his

heart skip a beat in nervous

expectation.

            PREM DAVALI

How did the meeting go?

            NARRATOR

Prem was covering the evening shift

at the lab so Vernon could get some

rest.

            VERNON HARPER

      (clearing his throat)

They were resistant at first, just as

we expected...

            PREM DAVALI

Did they understand the presentation?

            NARRATOR

Vernon glanced over at the sunflowers

again, expecting them to burst into

flames again. But they didn't.

            PREM DAVALI

Vernon? Are you listening? Did you do

the space/time demonstration with the

folded paper and pen?

            VERNON HARPER

Hmmm? Oh, no, I forgot.

            PREM DAVALI

You forgot? Come on, we rehearsed

that Vernon. They're military, not

scientists, how on earth do you

expect them to understand?

            NARRATOR

Vernon shrugged, still preoccupied by

the sunflowers. He looked over at

them again. They were normal. The

butterflies were normal. Everything

was normal. He couldn't understand

what had just happened.

            PREM DAVALI

Vernon? Are you listening? Please

tell me you didn't tell them that the

past, present and future all exists

at the same time...

            VERNON HARPER

I can explain.

            PREM DAVALI

      (frustrated)

I can't believe this. We agreed that

attempting to explain the mechanics

of a many world block theory of the

universe was tantamount to

professional suicide.

            VERNON HARPER

      (defensively)

It just came up...

            PREM DAVALI

I don't even know what to say.

            VERNON HARPER

You don't have to say anything.

They've already approved. We get the

funding pending a successful test of

the device.

            NARRATOR

Prem's eyes lit up and a smile

cracked his face from ear to ear.

            PREM DAVALI

      (laughing)

Really? We got the funding?

            VERNON HARPER

      (laughing)

Yes, we got the funding.

            NARRATOR

Prem laughed out loud and grabbed

Vernon and hugged him, whooping

loudly. Vernon breathed him in deep,

savouring the moment.

            PREM DAVALI

This is incredible. Congratulations

Vernon, you deserve it.

            VERNON HARPER

I deserve it? This our project Prem,

we deserve it. 

            NARRATOR

Prem glances at his watch and his

smile fades. 

            PREM DAVALI

My bus will be here in a minute. I've got to go. 

            VERNON HARPER

Alright. Remember to check the lag on

engine four, okay? I'll see you

tomorrow at noon.

            NARRATOR

Vernon watched Dr Davali run up the

street and disappear around the

corner towards the bus stop. He

lingered for a moment, very disturbed

by what he had seen. Hallucination

could be a sign of anything from

schizophrenia to dementia or

Parkinson's disease. But, he was

under an enormous amount stress,

maybe more than he'd ever been in his

life. And the mind had strange was of

coping with stress. 'Yes, that was

it', he thought to himself. He just

needed to some rest. Vernon nodded

uneasily and made his way into his

little house. By the time he'd walked

inside he'd put the strange event

completely out of his mind.

AD BREAK

SCENE 4 

            NARRATOR

As soon as Vernon walked inside he

put his briefcase down at the door

and made his way into his living room

and started working. He'd converted

it into a home workspace and filled

the room with blackboards and books

and papers. Vernon worked like a man

possessed until exactly 6pm when an

alarm sounded and snapped him out of

his trance. He made his way to the

kitchen, selected himself a frozen

fried chicken TV dinner from the

icebox and put it in the oven to

cook. Then he went outside, unfurled

his hose and went about watering his

lawn and flowers. By the time he came

back inside it was almost seven.

Vernon retrieved his dinner from the

oven, gingerly peeled back the foil

over his dinner and savoured the

smell of chicken, whipped potatoes,

vegetables and apple cobbler. He made

his way to the sitting room at the

front of his house, sat in lone chair

in the room and turned on the dial on

the large wooden radio that sat on

the table nearby. It hummed gently

and came to life with a warm glow and

a white hiss of static. Vernon

followed the same routine every

night, unless he was working. His

favourite radio show aired at 7pm and

played some his favourite musical

pieces. Tonight was one he was

especially looking forward to, La

Notte dei Mille Maniaci by Innocenzo

Graziano. The radio warmed up and the

static faded into the first strains

of the cantata. Vernon settled back

into his seat as he chewed on a

drumstick and let his thoughts drift

away with the music. He had just

taken a mouthful of whipped potatoes

when a burst of static jolted him

from his tranquillity. He tried his

best to ignore it, distracting

himself by poking at his apple

cobbler, then noticing with some

dismay it was still frozen in the

centre. But the static only got

worse.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

When he could ignore it no more he

set his tray down with some annoyance

and leaned over to tune the radio.

There was another burst of static as

his station dissapeared completely.

Vernon tuned the dial back to the

frequency is his station normally

broadcast but there was nothing. He

moved the dial to another station but

it was static there too. Then, all of

a sudden, a man's voice burst through

noise.

            NEWS READER

We interrupt your regular programming

to bring you this (static) report.

(static)

            NARRATOR

Vernon leaned in and carefully tuned

the radio, trying to get a clearer

signal.

            NEWS READER

There are unconfirmed reports that

(static) a huge explosion (static)

            NARRATOR

Vernon felt a cold chill run down his

spine. Was there an accident here at

the base? He didn't hear an

explosion.

            NEWS READER

(static)early reports indicate a

massive blast (static)

            NARRATOR

Terrified, Vernon ran to the window

and pulled open the curtains. It was

calm outside, the last brushstrokes

of twilight lingering upon the

horizon. Cars drove down the streets

and families walked and chatted

merrily along the side walks with

their dogs like it was any other day.

Vernon turned back to the radio, his

eyes wide with fear and confusion.

            NEWS READER

casualties (static) 60000 people

(static) within the hour (static).

            NARRATOR

The hiss of static rose sharply again

before it gave way to the performance

of La Notte dei Mille Maniaci he had

just been listening too, as if the

news broadcast he had just heard had

never even happened.

            VERNON HARPER

      (worried)

What in the world is going on?

            NARRATOR

The events in the afternoon with the

butterfly flashed in his mind.

Something was wrong. Something very

wrong was happening. A dark and

terrible explanation for these

inexplicable events came into his

mind but he dismissed immediately, to

scared to allow himself to even

consider it to be true. Instead, he

picked up the phone and called his

laboratory.

            OPERATOR

      (phone voice)

How can I connect your call?

            VERNON HARPER

      (stressed)

This is Dr Vernon Harper, ID

334063610628525. Secure line.

            NARRATOR

The phone went silent, then started

ringing. Dr Davali answered on the

third ring.

            PREM DAVALI

This is Dr Davali.

            VERNON HARPER

      (stressed)

Prem, it's Vernon. Is everything

okay?

            PREM DAVALI

Everything's fine. Why? What's going

on? 

            VERNON HARPER

      (stressed)

The device. There hasn't been an

accident has there?

            PREM DAVALI

An accident? No. We just finished

engine diagnostics. Green across the

board.

            VERNON HARPER

You're sure? 

            PREM DAVALI

Yes. What's going on? Is there a

problem? Should we shut down?

            NARRATOR

Vernon breathed a sigh of relief.

            VERNON HARPER

No. Don't worry about it. Just

checking in. I'll see you tomorrow

morning.

            NARRATOR

Vernon hung up the phone and peeked

outside the window again. It was

night time and the neighbourhood was

peaceful.

SCENE 5 

            NARRATOR

Vernon Harper spent the night in a

fluster. He searched obsessively,

tuning up and down the radio dial,

trying to locate the phantom

broadcast to no avail. He listened to

every newscast he could find for

information on the explosion. He even

rang the station, but no one knew

what he was talking about. Then he

went door to door and quizzed his

neighbours, including Prem Davali's

pregnant wife Priya, hoping someone

might have heard something. But no

one had. Vernon even tried to use his

security clearance to glean more

information from his contacts in

Washington, but no matter what he

tried or who he asked, no one seemed

to have any knowledge about the

mysterious explosion. There was no

rational explanation he could think

of for what he'd heard. It was if the

news broadcast had never happened.

Around midnight he decided to get

some rest. Vernon tried again to pass

the strange events off as simple

stress but this time his mind would

not be so easily dissuaded. He spent

the next few hours tossing and

turning until he could take no more

and got up and dressed for the day.

He spent the rest of the early

morning before dawn working

obsessively, desperate to focus on

anything other than the gnawing

feeling of dread in the back of his

mind.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Vernon Harper arrived at the Site R

laboratory in Bedrock Mountain a

little after 11am Thursday morning.

The time displacement experiment was

less than 42 hours away. His full

team were present in the lab

including Dr Prem Davali. Today they

were testing safety protocols and

performing a dry run on the engines

and capacitor.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Vernon felt on edge, frayed and

unravelling like a snagged thread of

a jumper, and his mood with his co-

workers was prickly and irritable.

They began their testing by firing up

each one of the engines, the 2-mile

long rings of plasmatic resonators

came to life with a powerful ethereal

hum, the frequency rippling out

across the laboratory floor. Its

sound grew slowly in intensity, as if

a titan had awakened from a deep

slumber. Suddenly bright light

flooded the shaft outside the viewing

window and started to oscillate

intensely. Vernon watched the control

panel carefully as the power output

grew.

            SFX

      (machine humming)

            VERNON HARPER

      (whispering)

Slowly... slowly.

            NARRATOR

The floor beneath Vernon's feet began

to vibrate, the shudder so intense it

felt like pins and needles in his

legs. As the power grew, languid

tongues of plasma curled out across

the void beyond the windows like a

carpet being unfurled. Then all at

once the engine hit its limit of and

lightning flashed intensely again and

again between the capacitor and the

resonator. With each successive

return, the strikes grew faster and

faster, until a dazzling ribbon of

pure plasma formed outside the

control room.

            SFX

      (lightning strike)

            NARRATOR

As the engine discharged into the

capacitor Vernon ordered the next one

to power, each in turn delivered

their charge, till the capacitor was

at it maximum limit.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

At that precise moment Vernon ordered

the capacitor to ground its charge

and the engines to be stood down. The

hum slowly died and the lights

outside the viewing window fell dark.

The lab erupted in cheers at the

successful test and Dr Prem Davali

rushed over to congratulate Vernon

Harper.

            SFX

      (cheers and

       congratulations)

            PREM DAVALI

Congratulations my friend. The test

was a triumph. You must be thrilled.

            NARRATOR

He looked in Vernon's eyes, they were

bloodshot, dark and troubled. He

looked like someone on the edge of

their sanity.

            PREM DAVALI

Vernon. Are you okay? You concerning

me. 

            VERNON HARPER

I'm fine. It's the stress.

            NARRATOR

Vernon tried to smile but couldn't.

He mind was still troubled by the

events of yesterday. He couldn't

could stop thinking what they might

mean. More than anything he wanted to

tell Prem what he had seen, but he

couldn't. Not yet anyway. Not until

he'd figured out what was really

happening.

            VERNON HARPER

I didn't sleep well last night,

that's all.

            PREM DAVALI

Alright, that's it. We're taking a

break. 

What do you mean?

      VERNON HARPER

(surprised)

AD BREAK

SCENE 6 

            PREM DAVALI

You and me, we're going out for a

drink. You need to unwind. You look

like you're going to have a panic

attack.

            VERNON HARPER

      (protesting)

We can't leave, what about the tests?

            PREM DAVALI

It's going to take till tomorrow

morning to correlate the results. You

and I being here isn't going speed

that up.

            VERNON HARPER

      (unsure)

I don't know if that's...

            PREM DAVALI

Come on I brought my car, I'm parked

up in the lot. 

            NARRATOR

Raymond's Bar & Grill was the only

bar in the town of Dead Horse.

            (MORE)

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

It was an Air Force bar and

frequented regularly by most of the

base personnel. Vernon and Prem sat

in one of the far corners of the

room, the space lit by a few dim

bulbs that cast long shadows across

the peeling wallpaper. The air was

thick and musty with smoke and the

smell of stale beer and a jukebox

played crackling jazz records in the

corner. The table they sat at was

small and wobbly, it surface sticky

from spilled drinks and remnants of

cigarette ash.

            PREM DAVALI

How's your drink.

            NARRATOR

Vernon picked up the Manhattan that

was siting before him and sipped it

nervously as if was out of place in

the dinghy bar.

            VERNON HARPER

      (meekly)

It's good. 

            PREM DAVALI

Have you been here before.

            VERNON HARPER

No, this is my first time. I'm not

normally much of a drinker.

            PREM DAVALI

Well, are you ready now or do you

want to have another drink before you

tell me what's going on?

            VERNON HARPER

What do you mean?

            PREM DAVALI

      (chuckling)

Don't play coy with me Vernon, I know

you too well. Ever since I that

meeting yesterday with the military

brass you have been acting positively

certifiable.

(MORE) 

            PREM DAVALI (cont'd)

First I find you in your front yard

on your knees swatting at invisible

butterflies then a few hours later

you called the laboratory sounding

like a madman and wanting to know if

the machine had blow up. I'm not a

fool Vernon, I need to know what's

going on.

            NARRATOR

Vernon's head swam. The lack of

sleep, the stress and the alcohol

were making it hard for him to

concentrate. He wanted to tell him

what had seen but he was worried how

Prem might react. He wanted to tell

him a lot of things but he knew he

couldn't. Lying was the best course

of action.

            VERNON HARPER

      (sighing)

I'm worried about what the military

might do with the machine if our test

is successful.

            NARRATOR

At least that was true he thought to

himself. He was very worried what

would happen when they got their

hands on his creation.

            PREM DAVALI

That's totally understandable Vernon.

But surely you must have thought

about the possibilities of that

before you created a working temporal

device.

            VERNON HARPER

I did. I suppose my egotistical

desire to see if I could build the machine outweighed my moral compass to decide if I should build the machine. Now that it is upon us I think they are now coming back into balance. 

            NARRATOR

Vernon finished his drink and waved

to the bartender for another. Prem

lit a cigarette stared at him

strangely.

            PREM DAVALI

Are you sure that's what's worrying

you? There's nothing else I need to

know? 

            NARRATOR

The bartender brought Vernon his

drink and he took a deep gulp. He

felt flush and tired and happy all at

once.

            VERNON HARPER

I promise. 

            PREM DAVALI

Tell me Vernon. Why did you want to

build the Westcott Device? What drove

you towards the idea of time travel?

It seems so out of place for a man

like you.

            VERNON HARPER

      (amused)

Why. Why is it so out of place for a

man like me?

            PREM DAVALI

It's so impractical and you are not.

This is the work of a dreamer, not a

man of science. It is as if you are a

rancher who woke up one day and

decided to wrangle a unicorn.

            VERNON HARPER

      (chuckles)

I'm a dreamer. I think everyone is if

you give them the chance. For me it

was the thought that there was a

world out there somewhere where

everyone could be free. A place where

there were no limits on a person and

who they could or couldn't be in

their lives. A place where everyone

could be themselves.

            NARRATOR

He smiled at Prem and gazed into his

dark eyes hoping he understood what

he'd always wanted him to know, but

was never brave enough to to tell

him. But wasn't just about being

brave. It was dangerous to have a

secret in this day and age with

McCarthy and his witch hunt.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

The Red Scare was real. Being a

communist could see you unemployed,

blacklisted or in jail, no matter who

you were. Being gay was even worse.

            VERNON HARPER

What about you? Why did you come to

work on the Westcott Device.

            PREM DAVALI

To work with you of course. Your work

is brilliant and I only ever wanted

to work with the best.

            NARRATOR

Prem smiled broadly at Vernon and he

reached out for his gin and tonic.

Vernon's heart beat so loud in his

chest and on an impulse Vernon

reached out and touched his hand. As

his fingers touched Prem's he felt

them almost spark, reminding Vernon

of their wonderful machine being able

to drawn electricity from the very

air itself. And it was electricity

for one perfect moment.

            PREM DAVALI

      (uncomfortably

       clearing his throat)

It's getting late.

            NARRATOR

Prem withdrew his hand from Vernon's

and folded them neatly in his lap.

Vernon was left exposed and

venerable, his hand extended in mid-

air across the table. Unsure of what

to do he smiled at Prem and reached

for his cigarettes nearby.

            VERNON HARPER

Do you mind? 

            PREM DAVALI

Not at all. Look, we should probably

go. Lot's to do in the morning.

            SFX

      (coughing)

            NARRATOR

Vernon lit the cigarette and inhaled,

coughing and choking on the smoke.

He'd never had a cigarette in his

life. They paid the bill and Vernon

reluctantly followed Prem outside,

shame, regret, and self-consciousness

all crashing down upon him in a tidal

wave of emotions. He felt feverish,

his heart pounded and his knees were

weak. But more than anything, he felt

stupid.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

It was near dusk on the the main

street of Dead Horse. The road was

dusty and unpaved, lined by a small

grocery store, a gas station and a

few homes all constructed from wood

and corrugated metal. A flatbed truck

was rumbling its way out of town past

a cowboy on a dun coloured horse. In

the distance a little girl played

hula-hoop with her friends. Fear

started to grip Vernon's heart. If

Prem told anyone about what happened

he'd be ruined. Vernon quickened his

pace and caught up to explain.

            VERNON HARPER

Look Prem, about what happened. I'm a

bit drunk. I was just reaching for

the cigarettes. I-I didn't mean to

touch your hand like that.

            NARRATOR

Prem smiled like it was no big deal

and turned to him to say...

            SFX

      (sound of lightning)

            NARRATOR

There was a sudden flash of light,

brighter than the sun itself followed

by the sound of rolling thunder, much

louder and more terrible than

anything Vernon had ever felt before.

Shocked, he stopped and turned

towards the base. Time seemed to slow

to a standstill. All at once the air

was sucked out of his lungs and an

immense heat scorched and blackened

everything around him. He tried to

cry out but could not even drawn a

breath.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

In the distance he saw the shock wave

of a great concussive blast expanded

out towards him, rolling across the

desert like some terrible cloud

front, the noise building to a

crescendo so deafening he felt his

ear drums explode and bleed. The air

became like fire and everything

ignited at once, the houses, the

truck, the cowboy and his horse and

the little children, even the air

itself became an inferno. Vernon felt

the skin on every part of his body

shrivel, then blister and burn in an

instant while before him in the

distance a great firestorm rose into

the sky like the devil itself before

blasting out in all directions and

consuming everything in a ferocious

inferno of destruction until there

was only desolation left.

            PREM DAVALI

Vernon, what the hell are you doing?

Snap out of it.

            NARRATOR

Vernon woke up from his trance like a

child wakes from a nightmare. He was

on his knees in the dirt in the

middle of the street. People were

looking at him.

            PREM DAVALI

You were screaming. What's going on?

            VERNON HARPER

I don't know. I don't know what's

happening. 

            PREM DAVALI

I think we need to get you to a

doctor. 

            VERNON HARPER

No, I just need to rest. I have not

slept in days. Please just take me

home.

            NARRATOR

Prem helped him to his feet and back

to the car. Gone were any feelings

embarrassment. All Vernon could feel

now was impending doom.

INTERLUDE 

            BARON SORDOR

Salutations honoured guests, I trust

you are enjoying your evening at the

Theatre of the Doomed. While I'm sure

you are eager to discover the cause

of Dr Harper's apocalyptic visions

and the source of the mysterious

radio broadcast we are obliged at

this moment to offer you a brief

intermission. For those of you who

have been gripping your seats in

white knuckled terror we implore you

now to please take the time to imbibe

of a strong libation, or perhaps,

chase the dragon if your so inclined,

anything to calm those frazzled,

jangled nerves. But be warned, what

is about to transpire is not for

milksops, or those with delicate

constitutions, for you are about to

face the cruel and paradoxical world

of temporal travel when we return to

Baron Sordor's Theatre of the Doomed.

SCENE 7 

            NARRATOR

Vernon opened the front door of his

house and walked inside a little

before 7pm. It felt like he was

having an outer body experience, like

he was watching himself from afar. He

stood in his hallway for several

minutes, unsure of what to do, his

mind racing through a million

possibilities to try and explain what

he had just seen. Then he looked at

his watch. It was almost 7. He

wondered if the broadcast would

happen again. Vernon raced over to

his sitting room and turned on the

radio, sitting before it on his knees

and tuning the dial, listening for

something in the static. And then,

just like the night before, it

happened.

            NEWS READER

We interrupt your regular programming

to bring you this special report.

There are unconfirmed reports that

(static) shortly (static) 5:00 am

Saturday morning (static) a huge

explosion (static) David Air Force

Base...

            NARRATOR

Vernon felt his face go slack.

            NEWS READER

(static) engulfed (static)

surrounding towns (static) Details

(static) coming in but early reports

indicate a massive blast (static)

enormous 100-mile wide fireball

(static) Initial casualties have

been estimated to be up to 60000

people (static) within the hour.

            NARRATOR

Vernon turned off the radio. His

worst fear had come true. There was

no other explanation for what had

happened. The butterflies, the news

reports and what he'd seen on the

street of Dead Horse, it wasn't due

to stress or lack of sleep. There

could be no denying it any longer.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Vernon got to his feet and walked

over to one of the blackboards in his

living room, scrubbing off the

complex work, then scribbling

mathematical equations furiously in

yellow chalk until it was filled. He

did the same with the next board and

the one after until all four boards

in the room were covered, front side

and back with an impossibly complex

theorem. When it was complete he

stood back from the blackboards and

read his work again, looking for a

mistake, hoping against hope that

something was wrong with his

calculations. But they were correct.

It was true. And he wept like he did

when he was young, tears tumbling

down his cheeks, his brow furrowed

and lips trembling, unable to draw

breath as he howled like a frightened

child. It took him close to ten

minutes to pull himself together.

When he did it was close to midnight.

He picked up the phone and called

Prem Davali.

            SFX

      (phone ringing)

            PREM DAVALI

      (sleepy voice)

Hello? 

            VERNON HARPER

Prem, it's me. I need you to come

over to my house.

            PREM DAVALI

      (sleepy voice)

What? What time is it?

            VERNON HARPER

Prem, I know it's late...

            PREM DAVALI

      (sleepy voice)

It's almost midnight Vernon... I...

I'm asleep...

            VERNON HARPER

      (urgently)

I really need to speak to you. It

can't wait.

            PREM DAVALI

      (reluctantly)

I'll be over in fifteen minutes.

            NARRATOR

Ten minutes later Prem was sitting in

Vernon's living room, bleary eyes,

his hair dishevelled and still

dressed in today's clothes. If he was

annoyed he didn't show it, instead he

seemed genuinely concerned for his

friend.

            VERNON HARPER

Thank you for coming Prem. I know

it's late. 

            PREM DAVALI

I'm worried about you Vernon.

            VERNON HARPER

      (deep breath)

For the past two days, I have been

having visions.

            PREM DAVALI

I knew that something was wrong.

Vernon, if you need to speak...

            VERNON HARPER

Please. Let me finish. For the past

two days, I have been having visions.

Visions of the future. It all started

yesterday when I saw a butterfly

catch fire in my front yard then

disappear as if nothing had happened.

That same night I heard part of a

news report on the radio about an

explosion that killed thousands of

people. At first I wrote it off as

stress, as a nervous reaction. But

this afternoon I saw that very

explosion with my own eyes and when I

got home I heard more of that same

news report. Then I realised. I am

not having visions, I am seeing the

future, echo's of what will be when

we test the Westcott Device.

            NARRATOR

Prem looked at him with bewilderment,

struggling to comprehend.

            PREM DAVALI

I don't... I'm sorry. This is very

hard to understand (laughs nervously)

Are you saying that you are seeing

the future and that the test of the

Westcott Device on Saturday is going

to fail?

            VERNON HARPER

I'm saying the test is going to

result in a catastrophe that will

kill 60000 people.

            PREM DAVALI

And you're saying this because you've

seen the future. (laughs nervously)

Wow. This is... this is a lot to take

in.

            VERNON HARPER

I understand your scepticism...

            PREM DAVALI

Can I ask you Vernon? As a scientist,

have you considered that perhaps it's

you that is the problem? That you

might be having some kind of nervous

breakdown or something? I mean in all

fairness you have been acting

extremely erratically over the past

few days and I...

            VERNON HARPER

The maths doesn't lie.

            NARRATOR

Vernon guided Prem through his

equations, walking him step by step

through his theorem. At the end he

turned to him and said...

            VERNON HARPER

The many world block theory we have

used to construct the Westcott Device

relies on the existence of every

possible outcome of the past, present

and future co-existing

simultaneously. Everything that

would, will and could ever be,

everywhere, all at once.

            VERNON HARPER (cont'd)

It seems that by simply using this

device on Saturday we have somehow

created a nexus in these realities, a

converging point if you will that has

allowed other dimensions to spill

over into our own. The theorem I have

shown you explains how this could

happen, and because of it, I have

seen the future. I have seen what

will happen at 5am this Saturday

morning when we test the Westcott

Device. And it is real. It is real,

unless we do something to change it.

            PREM DAVALI

To change it? If an infinite number

of futures exist then how can we know

that this is the one that will happen

when we test the device?

            VERNON HARPER

We have seen the future...

            PREM DAVALI

      (interrupting)

You've seen the future Vernon. All I

have is your word. (quiet for a

moment) What are you proposing?

            VERNON HARPER

If you believe me or not, there is a

simple solution. Delay the test. Come

with me tomorrow to see Colonel

Harris and convince him to delay for

24 hours. That's all I'm asking. The

news report said the accident would

occur 5 am Saturday. An extra day

would give us the chance to recheck

our work and make sure it's safe.

Please, 1 day. That's all I'm asking.

            NARRATOR

Prem rubbed his face in frustration

and got to his feet.

            PREM DAVALI

Okay. 1 day, I'll give you that. But

that's all you get. If the tests come

back green on Sunday, we go. Agreed?

            VERNON HARPER

      (happy)

Agree. Thank you Prem.

            PREM DAVALI

You don't have to thank me Vernon.

We're a team. But if you see anything

more, or hear any news reports after

Saturday you have to promise you'll

tell me and let me take you to a

doctor.

SCENE 8 

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

So you're telling me that you want to

delay the test of a 1.6 billion

dollar priority government project

for 24 hours, but you can't tell me

why.

            NARRATOR

Vernon Harper and Prem Davali sat in

the office of Colonel Desmond Harris,

the commander of Davis Air Force Base

and the head of Site R and every

other clandestine project operating

at the instillation.

            VERNON HARPER

Yes sir. 

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris laughed and chewed on

his cigar, leaning back in his chair

and enjoying the cool air as his desk

fan oscillated slowly across the

room.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Is there a problem I need to be aware

of? 

            PREM DAVALI

Yesterdays engine tests have given us

some reasons for caution. We think

that a round of additional

diagnostics should clear up a

anomalies we've encountered and

guarantee a successful test of the

device. We estimate we can have the

system ready for full operation by

5am Sunday morning.

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris nodded and mused what

he'd heard for a moment then looked

at Vernon.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Do you concur with your associate Dr Harper?  

             VERNON HARPER

I do.

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris grinned broadly and

puffed on his cigar then picked up a

file from his desk and held it up for

the two scientists to see.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Seems we got some confusion. Cause I

just read yesterday's output report

from your team and they say the

device is a-okay and ready to go. SO

is there something you're not telling

me gentlemen?

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris leant forward on his

desk and smiled.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

In case you two forgot we got the

biggest swinging dicks from here to

Washington out here ready to see you

boys put on a show in less than 20

hours. So unless you start giving me

a real reason to call off this test

we are going ahead as scheduled.

            NARRATOR

Vernon started to speak and Prem

grabbed his arm.

            PREM DAVALI

      (whispering)

Let me handle this...

            VERNON HARPER

I have seen the future Colonel.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

You what? 

            VERNON HARPER

This test is going to result in the

deaths of 60 000 people unless we

stop it. It's up to you, right now,

to change the future Colonel.

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris's grin faded and he

removed his cigar from his mouth.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

What the hell are you talking about

son? 

            PREM DAVALI

      (to Vernon)

Vernon, please... don't...

            NARRATOR

Vernon shrugged Prem aside and got to

his feet imploring Colonel Harris to

listen to him.

            VERNON HARPER

      (talking over)

At 5am Saturday morning the Westcott

Device is going to explode with a

force 100 times larger than the blast

over Hiroshima. It will wipe out half

the life in this state. We have one

chance to change the future but only

if we act now...

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris nodded and smiled,

indicating for Vernon to sit down.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

I hear you. Dr Harper is it?

            VERNON HARPER

Yes. Sir, I know this is hard to

believe... 

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

      (interrupting)

It's alright. So you're in charge of

this test, is that right Dr Harper?

            VERNON HARPER

Yes sir, I am.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

And you Dr Davali... do you agree

with colleague Dr Harper here.

            PREM DAVALI

I do. I know it sounds far fetched,

but all we're asking for is another

day sir. Dr Harper is...

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

      (interrupting)

That's all I need to know.

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris pressed the intercom

button on his desk.

            (MORE)

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Dr Davali tried to continue talking

but the Colonel held up his finger

for him to wait.

            GINA

      (intercom voice)

Yes Colonel? 

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Gina, can you send in Corporal Ellis

when you get a moment.

            GINA

      (intercom voice)

Right away Colonel.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Gentlemen. I gotta say, what you've

told me today has got me real

concerned about the safety of your

project.

            NARRATOR

Both Vernon and Prem look and each

other and let out a sigh of relief.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

So here's what I'm gonna do.

Effective immediately, you are both

hereby relieved of your command of

Project Hummingbird.

            VERNON HARPER & PREM DAVALI

      (in unison)

What? Colonel you can't do that...

            VERNON HARPER

Colonel please.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Furthermore...

            VERNON HARPER

      (interrupting)

You don't understand the...

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

      (talking over him)

Furthermore, your behaviour is such

that frankly, I question your

intentions gentlemen. And you

allegiance.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS (cont'd)

As the officer charged with the

security of this facility I am

concerned that there may be some

outside influence involved in your

decision making.

            VERNON HARPER

      (warning)

Tens of thousands of people will die

unless we stop that test. If you go

ahead with this Colonel I'm going to

make sure that everybody knows that

you're responsible for what's going

to happen here tomorrow.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Is that right is it? Well, I don't

take to kindly to threats son. How

about this, I'm confining both of you

to your quarters until after the test

on Saturday, at which point, I'm

gonna recommend you face a formal

investigation for acts if treason

against these United States.

            PREM DAVALI

No sir, you've got it all wrong. I am

not a traitor...

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris nods at the large

military police officer standing

behind them to escort the two

scientists from his office.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Get these two out of my sight

Corporal. 

            VERNON HARPER

Please sir, don't do this. You're

making a huge mistake.

            CORPORAL ELLIS

Gentlemen, if you'll please come with me. 

             AD BREAK

SCENE 9 

            NARRATOR

The black Nash Ambassador sedan sped

down the dirt road away from the Air

Force base towards Edge City.

Corporal Ellis Sat in the front seat

driving the car while Prem and Vernon

sat in the back, their eyes glued to

the blur of the desert outside the

car.

            PREM DAVALI

What the hell are we going to do?

            VERNON HARPER

I don't know, maybe we can call the

Colonel. Get him to reconsider about

the test.

            NARRATOR

Prem looked over at Vernon in

complete disbelief.

            PREM DAVALI

      (in disbelief)

Are you serious? Do you have any idea

how much trouble we're in? This will

ruin me.

            NARRATOR

Vernon continued staring at the

desert out the window, his brow

furrowed in concentration.

            VERNON HARPER

You're right. He'll never reconsider.

We need to take matters into our own

hands.

            PREM DAVALI

      (keeping his voice

       low)

What the hell do you mean?

            VERNON HARPER

Sixty thousand people are going to

die tomorrow morning unless we do

something about. Their blood is on

our hands unless we act now.

            NARRATOR

Corporal Ellis glanced up at the

rear-view mirror.

            CORPORAL ELLIS

Is everything alright back there?

            PREM DAVALI

      (nervous)

Everything's fine.

            NARRATOR

The sedan began to slow as it

approached the t-intersection up

ahead. To south was Edge City. To the

north was Bedrock Mountain and the

Westcott Device.

            VERNON HARPER

      (whispering)

Just trust me, alright.

            PREM DAVALI

      (whispering urgent)

Vernon please, whatever you're

thinking about doing... I beg you to

reconsider...

            NARRATOR

The car slowed as it reached the

intersection and Corporal Ellis,

indicated to turn left. In one swift

movement Vernon lent forward in his

seat and pulled Corporal Ellis's

pistol from the holster on his hip.

            CORPORAL ELLIS

      (surprise)

What the hell?

            SFX

      (screech of car

brakes) 

            NARRATOR

The young MP slammed on the breaks

and started to turn to grab his

pistol from the prisoner behind him.

He froze at the sound of the hammer

cock.

            PREM DAVALI

      (shouting)

Vernon what the hell are you doing?

            NARRATOR

Vernon had the pistol levelled at the

back of the Corporal's head.

            VERNON HARPER

      (serious)

Don't try it. 

            CORPORAL ELLIS

      (begging)

Please, don't... don't shoot me...

(continues in the background)

            PREM DAVALI

      (desperate, disbelief)

Oh my god, what have you done?

            VERNON HARPER

What needs to be done.

            CORPORAL ELLIS

      (begging)

Please, I'll just let you go... get

out here... I won't tell...

            VERNON HARPER

Corporal, I need you to drive north.

We're headed to the Bedrock Mountain

facility.

            CORPORAL ELLIS

Sir, I don't have the clearance...

            VERNON HARPER

      (cutting him off)

Just keep your eyes on the road and

your mouth shut Corporal. I don't

want to hurt you, but I will if I

have to. Sixty thousand people are

about to die, I'm prepared to give my

life to make sure that doesn't

happen, are you?

            CORPORAL ELLIS

      (upset)

I don't want to die sir.

            VERNON HARPER

Good. Then get moving.

            PREM DAVALI

      (begging)

Vernon, I beg you reconsider, please.

I've got a wife and child, I don't

want to go to prison.

            VERNON HARPER

      (angry)

Jesus Christ Prem. They'll both be

dead if we don't stop this test Prem,

we'll all be dead, don't you

understand?

            NARRATOR

Prem nodded and swallowed hard, his

hands shaking in his lap.

            PREM DAVALI

What are you going to do? If you

sabotage the machine, they'll just

fix it.

            VERNON HARPER

What happens if the test is a

failure? If the machine doesn't

create the temporal portal?

            PREM DAVALI

How could that happen?

            VERNON HARPER

Each engine is built to deliver

302,500,000 joules into the capacitor

before they earth to create the 1.21

billion Joule charge that will form

temporal portal. If I rig the flux

inhibitors and the control panel so

it looks like each engine has

delivered its full charge but in

reality it's significantly less, say

20 percent, they won't understand

what has happened. The output on the

instrumentation will be correct but

the experiment will be a failure.

They won't know why. You and I are

the only two people with the working

knowledge of the machine, without us

the experiment will be shelved. The

Pentagon is not going to keep pouring

money into a time machine that

doesn't work.

            PREM DAVALI

And how do you know that?

            VERNON HARPER

They told me as much in the meeting

the other day.

            PREM DAVALI

Do you think it'll work?

            VERNON HARPER

It has to. 

            NARRATOR

The black sedan sped north towards

Bedrock Mountain and the Westcott

Device.

SCENE 10 

            NARRATOR

Vernon opened the door to the Site R

laboratory and cautiously peeked

inside. It was empty, just as he

expected. His team wouldn't be

arriving till 5pm to start

preparations for the experiment. That

gave them almost 3 hours. Plenty of

time to lower the output of the

engines and get far away from the

Westcott Device.

            VERNON HARPER

Come on. There's no one here.

            NARRATOR

Getting into the facility had been

surprisingly easy. They had stopped

the car about a mile from Bedrock

Mountain and Vernon had forced

Corporal Ellis into the trunk of the

car at gun point, shooting two air

holes in the lid so he could breath.

He knew there was a chance that the

young Corporal could die in there but

he put it out of his mind, telling

himself a lot more would perish if

didn't act. As Vernon had suspected

Colonel Harris had not suspended

their credentials so he and Dr Davali

had simply been able to walk in like

it was any other day.

            PREM DAVALI

      (upset)

Please Vernon. I think we should turn

ourselves in. That man is going to

die if we leave him locked out there

locked in the trunk.

            VERNON HARPER

We can't think about that now. We

have to stop this catastrophe before

it's too late.

            PREM DAVALI

      (upset)

But what if you're wrong? I can't go

to jail, Vernon.

            VERNON HARPER

You won't. I'll take the blame, I'll

tell them I kidnapped you. All I need

you to do is stand at the door at the

door and stop anyone from coming

inside. I need about thirty minutes

to change the output on the engines

and reconfigure the control panel.

Okay?

            NARRATOR

Prem nodded yes but he looked far

from convinced. Vernon waited till he

exited the room before he approached

the control panel. He was nervous,

altering the machines output levels

and safety protocols was dangerous

and something he'd never planned on

doing. But he needed to act and there

was no other way he could think of to

stop the experiment. They had to

believe the machine didn't work, then

there was no way they would continue

to proceed with the development of

the device. And everyone would be

safe.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Vernon removed the plate from the

side of the panel and started

following the maze of wires,

connections, and circuitry that

linked the plasmatic engines and

electro-magnetic capacitor to the

central monitoring and control

system. This was going to take longer

than he thought.

            SFX

      (security alarms)

            NARRATOR

Just then the facilities alarms

started blaring loudly. Vernon sat up

from the control panel and looked

around in a panic, his eyes going to

the doors of the laboratory.

            VERNON HARPER

Prem. What's going on out there?

            NARRATOR

There was no response.

            VERNON HARPER

Prem? Prem are you there?

            NARRATOR

Vernon waited, hoping to see Prem

come through the doors, but they

remained shut. He started to panic.

Someone must know they were here.

They must have found the guard locked

in the trunk or Colonel Harris must

have contacted security and told them

not to let them into the facility.

            VERNON HARPER

Prem. What's going on out there?

            NARRATOR

He got up and ran to the door,

ripping it open and motioning for

Prem to come inside. But he wasn't

there. The hallway was empty. Vernon

looked up and down the hall again,

bewildered. 'Prem couldn't have just

dissapeared.' Vernon thought to

himself. 'They must have already

found him.' There was no other

explanation. Vernon closed the doors

and locked them then ran back over to

the control panel. Prem must have led

the guards away from the lab to buy

him more time. He didn't have long,

so he had to make this count. Vernon

bent down in front of the control

panel examining the control systems

of the engines. There was not enough

time to reconfigure then engines and

recalibrate the output

instrumentation.

            VERNON HARPER

      (frustrated)

Aargh. There must be a way to do

this. Think Vernon, think.

            NARRATOR

Then it struck him. While he didn't

have time to change the four engines

he could change the capacitor.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

If he dropped the charge it would

hold by 20% and recalibrated the

output instrumentation, the capacitor

would fire before the engines had hit

their full output level and alert his

team that there was a problem, they'd

be able to recalibrate and complete

the test. BUT, if he upped the charge

the capacitor would hold by 20% it

would not fire, as the engines were

designed to cut out at 302,500,000

joules. There would be no way there

could be an accident and no one would

ever know he'd sabotaged the machine.

The Westcott Device simply wouldn't

work, it'd be a dud, and the Pentagon

would walk away from the project

forever. Vernon smiled to himself and

got to work readjusting the firing

sequence of the capacitor. He knew

he'd be arrested after this was over.

There was no getting away from the

crimes he'd committed. But that was

okay, just as long as he could save

all those peoples lives, just as long

as Prem would be okay.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Vernon finished adjusting the

capacitor then he quickly altered the

output instrumentation so it would

not read above 1.21 gigawatts and

alert the members of his team

monitoring the experiment. He closed

the panel just as he heard the first

bang at the laboratory door.

            SFX

      (loud bang)

            NARRATOR

Vernon crossed to the middle of the

lab where he stood hands clasped

behind his back, a stoic smile across

his face.

            SFX

      (loud bang, then 2 more) 

            NARRATOR

The door burst open in a shower of

splinters and dust and squad of

heavily armed soldiers rushed into

the room, guns trained at Vernon

Harper's head.

            VERNON HARPER

Gentlemen. I'm glad you could make

it. What can I do for you this fine

afternoon?

            SOLDIER 1

      (shouting)

On the ground now!!!

            NARRATOR

Vernon raised his hands as the

soldiers rushed at him, the closest

striking him across the temple with

the butt of his rifle.

            SFX

      (sound of a hard blow)

            VERNON HARPER

Aargh!!! 

            NARRATOR

Vernon staggered from the ferocity of

the blow, then fell to the floor. He

tried to get up, managing to push

himself up to his elbow before he

fell back down again. Vernon could

feel warm blood trickling down his

face and he tried to speak but the

darkness took him before he could

open his mouth.

             AD BREAK

SCENE 11 

            NARRATOR

The acrid smell of ammonia filled

Vernon's nose. He groaned in his

stupor and breathed in again, the

pungent, suffocating smell causing

his to cough violently and snap his

head awake. He blinked away

unconsciousness and coughed violently

again as the soldier standing before

him waved the package of smelling

salts beneath his nose one more time

to be sure.

            SOLDIER 1

He's coming to.

            NARRATOR

Vernon tried to stand up but

couldn't. He was strapped to a metal

chair in a cold and dark looking

concrete cell.

            VERNON HARPER

      (panicked)

Where am I?

            NARRATOR

Vernon looked around the room. There

were no windows, only a reinforced

metal door, it looked like the only

way in or out. The space was bare

except for a metal table and another

chair opposing where he sat. A long

mirror ran the length of the back

wall. It looked like he was in an

interrogation room. Vernon noticed

there was a television monitor set up

on a stand in the far corner.

            VERNON HARPER

      (panicked)

What's going on? Where's Dr Davali?

            NARRATOR

The door opened and in walked Colonel

Harris. The soldier in the room

snapped to attention.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

At ease private. How are you feeling

Dr Harper? 

            VERNON HARPER

My head hurts.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

I'm not surprised. I hear they gave

you quite the greeting.

            VERNON HARPER

Was that really necessary Colonel?

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Sometimes the men get a little over

zealous in the treatment of someone

who's killed one of their own.

            VERNON HARPER

      (quietly)

Corporal Ellis is dead?

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

He suffocated in the trunk of the car

before we could get to him.

            VERNON HARPER

      (scared)

I... Look I didn't mean for that to

happen Colonel.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

It doesn't really matter now does it?

Your sentiments aren't going to bring

him back to life now are they.

            SFX

      (hum of engine)

            NARRATOR

Vernon shook his head and felt a knot

well up in his throat. He hadn't

meant to kill that boy. It was the

last thing he wanted to do. Vernon

swallowed hard and did his best not

to cry. Through the walls and the

floor he could hear and feel a

familiar vibration.

            VERNON HARPER

      (tentatively)

Where am I?

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Don't worry you're safe. Believe it

or not you're still at the Bedrock

Mountain Facility Dr Harper.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS (cont'd)

I had a security rooms built into the

lower floors when we were

constructing your engine, just in

case we encountered a scenario like

we have today.

            VERNON HARPER

What time is it? How long have I been

out? 

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Boy, you ask a lot of questions don't

you? But you're a scientist after all

so I guess I shouldn't be all that

surprised. It's 4.56am Saturday the

4th of April 1955. In five minutes,

you're gonna make history doctor.

            VERNON HARPER

You're going to test the machine?

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

That's the plan. But before we do I'd

very much like to know what you were

doing in that laboratory before we

found you?

            VERNON HARPER

Where's Dr Davali?

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

      (forceful)

We'll get to him in a moment. I'll

ask you again, what were you doing in

the laboratory doctor?

            VERNON HARPER

I wasn't doing anything. Where's Dr

Davali? 

            SOLDIER 1

3 minutes and counting sir.

            VERNON HARPER

      (angry)

Goddammit Colonel, I haven't done

anything to your precious machine,

now tell me what you've done to Prem?

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

See, I don't believe you Dr Harper. I

don't believe that you would kidnap

and kill one of my men and break into

a government facility all to stop the

testing of a machine and then not

sabotage that machine.

            VERNON HARPER

I don't care what you believe. Did

you kill Prem?

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

On the contrary, your friend has been

most helpful.

            NARRATOR

A light turns on behind the mirror on

the far wall and the room behind is

illuminated. Vernon can see Prem

Davali standing with a group of

soldiers watching on. He looks as if

he's been crying. He reaches down and

press the button for the microphone

in front of him.

            PREM DAVALI

      (upset through

       intercom)

I'm sorry Vernon. I had no other

choice. I had to think about Priya

and the baby.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

Your colleague has been very co-

operative. Did you know he was the

one who raised the alarm?

            VERNON HARPER

      (scared)

What did you do?

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

You see he thought you sounded as

crazy as I did, so he raised the

alarm then told us exactly what you

planned to do to the test today.

            SOLDIER 1

2 minutes and counting sir.

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris turned and flicked on

the TV monitor behind him.

            (MORE)

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

The screen went white as the valves

came to life, then an image of the

Site R lab came into focus. He could

see the team preparing to fire up the

engines and bring them to full power.

            VERNON HARPER

      (scared)

What did you tell them Prem?

            SOLDIER 1

90 seconds.

            PREM DAVALI

      (upset through

       intercom)

Vernon, I'm sorry. You have to see

this from my point of view.

            VERNON HARPER

      (scared and angry)

What the hell did tell them?

            PREM DAVALI

      (upset through

       intercom)

They know everything. They know about

your plan to lower the output levels

of the engines by 20%... about how

you rigged the instruments to hide

the real output to make it seem like

the test was a failure.

SFX (alarm)

            NARRATOR

Vernon's heart feel like it stops

beating and the floor seems to fall

from beneath him. He can hear the one

minute alarm sound and see the

scientists in the Site R Lab on the

monitor begin firing the engines.

            VERNON HARPER

      (panicked)

You have to stop the test right now.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

We have corrected your attempt at

subterfuge doctor and readjusted the

engines output level by 20%.

            VERNON HARPER

      (panicked)

Oh Jesus... you have to stop... I

didn't adjust the engines, I swear

it. I didn't have time!!!

            NARRATOR

Prem's face drains of colour.

            PREM DAVALI

      (upset through

       intercom)

What do you mean you didn't adjust

the engines? Vernon, what the hell

did you do?

            SOLDIER 1

Thirty seconds.

            SFX

      (engine hum gets

       louder and rumbles

       like an earthquake)

            VERNON HARPER

      (terrified)

I increased the storage capacity of

the capacitor.

            PREM DAVALI

      (terrified through

       intercom)

If you increased the storage and I

increased the output... then...

            VERNON HARPER

      (whispers in terror)

It's going to explode.

      SFX

(countdown in background) 

10

      VERNON HARPER

(desperate)

Colonel you need to call the control

room and stop the test. The machine

is going to explode!

      SFX

(countdown in background)

7 

            NARRATOR

Colonel Harris saw the terror in the

eyes of Vernon Harper and Prem Davali

and picked up the phone.

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

      (shouting)

Get the Site R control room on the

horn now!!!

            SFX

      (countdown in

       background)

5, 4...

            VERNON HARPER

      (screaming)

For the love of god Colonel stop the

test!

            SFX

      (engine hum whines

       loud and high like

       its about to explode)

            SFX (cont'd)

      (countdown in

       background)

3, 2...

            COLONEL DESMOND HARRIS

      (shouting into the

       phone)

This is Colonel Harris you need to

shut down the test immediately.

1... 

      SFX

(countdown in background) 

      VERNON HARPER

(whispering)

Oh my god, what have I done.

            SFX

      (explosion)

            NARRATOR

Vernon Harper bows his head as the

capacitor discharges, detonating the

Westcott Device and most of Bedrock

Mountain in a cataclysmic explosion

more powerful than anything witnessed

in the history of human civilization.

The last thought that flashes through

his mind was that this was all his

doing, if he hadn't had listened to

that broadcast and tried to change

the future then none of this would

have ever happened.

            NARRATOR (cont'd)

Less than an half an hour later

radios across the country came to

life, all blaring the same tragic

news story...

            NEWS READER

We interrupt your regular programming

to bring you this special report.

There are unconfirmed reports that

shortly after 5:00 am Saturday

morning there was a huge explosion at

the David Air Force Base in Nevada

which has apparently engulfed several

surrounding towns including Austin,

Eureka, Battle Mountain and Spring

Creek. Details at this point are

still coming in but early reports

indicate a massive blast was heard as

far as 3000 miles from the base and

an enormous 100-mile-wide fireball

was seen spreading across the sky.

Emergency services are reportedly

already on the ground. Initial

casualties have been estimated to be

up to 60000 people. Authorities are

yet to comment but there is growing

speculation that the blast may be

the work of sabotage by somebody that

worked at the air force base. We’ll

have more on this unfolding story

within the hour.

EPILOGUE 

            BARON SORDOR

Well, well, well, is everyone okay?

Shall I bring the smelling salts?

(Laughs) My word, what a

terrifically, terrible tale of

temporal terror we have all

experienced here tonight. I trust

that you, my most valued audience,

have enjoyed the pleasure of

paradoxical perils as much as I have?

Unfortunately this is the end of our

show. But fear not, we will open our

doors soon for another tale of

terror, horror and suspense. I bid

you all farewell, until the next

episode of Baron Sordor's Theatre of

the Doomed.

            SFX

Credits Music

END