Third Life - Draft 4
Third Life - Draft 4
Draft 4. Fourth draft of my first short screenplay.
int. Casino Parlor - Brightly Lit
BALANAND VINDELAR
You have it, my kilted friend?
Robert Theive
Got it.
Balanand Vindelar
You brought it here? You are mad?
ROBERT THEIVE
Madder than most, but no. Why?
Balanand Vindelar
That is good. It would have been most unfortunate for
you.
ROBERT THEIVE
Where can I find a fiber for my specs?
BALANAND VINDELAR
Please, be enjoying my hospitality while we wait. My associates will have secure transfer protocols established shortly.
INT. Virtual VICTORIAN DRAWING ROOM -
DAYTIME
Victor Bespoke
Here are the bandages. Just map them over every triangle of your skin. Are you ready?
JESSICA Bantling
I think so. Explain it to me again, how this is
supposed to work.
VICTOR BESPOKE
It's all about balancing the system. Two plus two is?
JESSICA Bantling
Four!
VICTOR BESPOKE
Right, but if the system sees two plus two on one side and
three on the other, the missing one has to come from somewhere.
JESSICA Bantling
And?
VICTOR BESPOKE
He took the one, so all we do is help him keep the system
balanced.
JESSICA Bantling
I think I get it. Do these bandages have
to cover all of me?
VICTOR BESPOKE
Yes, and no peaking! It's a bit of a Schroedinger. As long as you can't see him, he can't see you.
JESSICA BANTLING
If you say so. It's been so long!
VICTOR BESPOKE
Patience. First, to his abode.
INT. Virtual SCOTTISH CASTLE LIBRARY - DARKLY LIT
VICTOR BESPOKE
This will only take a moment.
JESSICA BANTLING (O.S.)
Is it there?
VICTOR BESPOKE
In all probability. His system should be picking me up and alerting him. Right. About.
ROBERT THEIVE (O.S.)
Hey!
int. Virtual bare room - darkly lit
VICTOR BESPOKE
Now. Hello, Robert.
Robert Theive
Who are yea?
Victor Bespoke
That is not important.
Jessica Bantling
The vultures emptied the place!
Robert Theive
This is... That was my private property you were
trespassing on!
JESSICA BANTLING
What did you do with my life?
ROBERT THEIVE
What system is this? I'm not familiar with the design.
int. Virtual Victorian drawing room -
daytime
Jessica Bantling (O.S.)
When it's done, can it be undone?
Victor Bespoke
If he thinks to give it back. Else what's done is
done. Care for a drink?
ROBERT THEIVE (O.S.)
Why?
Victor Bespoke
Because I'm thirsty.
int. Virtual Scottish Castle library
- darkly
lit
ROBERT THEIVE
Why was I.?.
Victor Bespoke
There?
You were the one with the dress.
Robert Theive
Kilt.
Victor Bespoke
What?
Robert Theive
I'm wearing a kilt.
Victor Bespoke
Yes, you are.
Last night, did anything strike you as unusual?
Jessica Bantling (O.S.)
What did you do to the dress?
INT. Virtual BARE ROOM - DARKLY LIT
ROBERT THEIVE
And I'm back here again.
Victor Bespoke
So let's get this straight. The dress you were wearing last night was yours.
ROBERT THEIVE
Are yea daft? It was me kilt! There was no dress! I was't wearing my dress, or anyone else's for that matter!
VICTOR BESPOKE
Fare enough. The "kilt" you were wearing last night didn't come from this room?
Robert Theive
No.
Victor Bespoke
The dress-like garb, in which you were robed last night,
was your own?
Robert Theive
Yes. I suppose I was.
Jessica Bantling
I didn't think it would fit.
INT. Virtual SCOTTISH CASTLE LIBRARY
- DARKLY
LIT
Victor Bespoke
It was hers, you know.
Robert Theive
Hers?
Jessica Bantling (O.S.)
Mine.
Victor Bespoke
Yes. The dress, the bare room, these are all aspects of
her. It's
why you keep getting pulled back to the room.
Robert Theive
Huh. Well yea got me. It's not like she had any
use for it anymore, being dead in all.
INT. Virtual BARE ROOM - DARKLY LIT
Jessica Bantling
Such a narrow definition of death.
Robert Theive
Why do you care?
Victor Bespoke
It's a package deal. Take one and you take them all.
INT. Virtual SCOTTISH CASTLE LIBRARY
- DARKLY
LIT
Robert Theive
If that be the terms. Will yea leave me be already?
VICTOR BESPOKE
Why did you take it?
ROBERT THEIVE
Nobody else was using it.
Victor Bespoke
And you know enough to use one of my creations?
Robert Theive
I'll figure it out. Are yea done?
Victor Bespoke
Yes. I have all I need.
INT. Virtual BARE ROOM - DARKLY LIT
Jessica Bantling
That's all? Aren't you going to, you know, do something?
Robert Theive
Hey! Who are.?.
VICTOR BESPOKE
You peeked! No, all that would do is display malicious
intent and void the
terms.
ROBERT THEIVE
Can't yea see this is a private
conversation?
Victor Bespoke
Did anyone invoke a privacy clause?
Robert Theive
No, I suppose not.
Victor Bespoke
For all you know, I might be broadcasting this live, for all
to see. Some cheesy Candid Capture machinema peep-fest...
Robert Theive
Yea didn't!
Jessica Bantling
You should have.
Victor Bespoke
No, I didn't. And it wouldn't have been in our best interests either.
INT. Virtual VICTORIAN DRAWING ROOM -
DAYTIME
Jessica Bantling
What do you mean?
Robert Theive (O.S.)
What?
Victor Bespoke
You see, when he took the bait...
Jessica Bantling
The dress.
Victor Bespoke
Yes, when he stole the dress...
Robert Theive (O.S.)
I didn't steal the dress.
Victor Bespoke
Thank you. As I was saying, he chose to take it and as
the saying goes, possession is nine-tenths of the law. As clearly stated
in the dress's
embodied End-User License Agreement...
Robert
Theive (O.S.)
E.U.L.A? Crap.
VICTOR BESPOKE
You did ask the dress what its terms of ownership were,
didn't you?
Jessica Bantling
So it's viral?
Victor Bespoke
No, it doesn't replicate.
JESSICA BANTLING
A Trojan horse then?
VICTOR BESPOKE
Yes! It's a digital rights management exploit. He
is in fact on
public record, with dozens of witnesses I might add, prancing around town in
what used to be your very unique dress.
Jessica Bantling
I never figured you for a tranny.
Robert Theive (O.S.)
I wasn't wearing the dress!
Are yea as deaf as yea are blind?
INT. Virtual BARE ROOM - DARKLY LIT
Victor Bespoke
To be fair, it didn't look like a dress at the time. Would have been too obvious. Robert, what are you wearing right now?
Robert Theive
I told you before, a kil... GAH!
Victor Bespoke
Don't get your knickers in a knot. It likes you!
What did
you think you were going to do with a designer dress like
that?
Robert Theive
Sell it.
JESSICA BANTLING (O.S.)
Knickers, hah! You don't just sell a vicky-tech dress on the
street. All you're pushing are polygons without the hardware and wetware
links!
INT. Virtual VICTORIAN DRAWING ROOM -
DAYTIME
Victor Bespoke
Not too bright, is he? Let him keep the dress.
Jessica Bantling
But I was so looking forward to...
Victor Bespoke
Forget the dress. The transfer is complete and I can
make
you a new one.
Robert Theive (O.S.)
Transfer?
Jessica Bantling
That's all there is to it?
Victor Bespoke
That's all.
INT. Virtual Scottish Castle Library
- Darkly
lit
Robert Theive (O.S.)
What's all this about a transfer?
Victor Bespoke
We humbly accept your castle and all your possessions as
payment. Have a nice day!
Jessica Bantling
I think I can get used to this.
ROBERT THEIVE (O.S.)
Wait!
Jessica Bantling
Can I take off the rest of these bandages now?
ROBERT THEIVE (O.S.)
Hello?
Victor Bespoke
Yes, you can purge them. The place is yours, sight
unseen if you'll pardon the pun.
JESSICA Bantling
Alright, that's enough. Let's see, here's the bar...
ROBERT THEIVE (O.S.)
How do I take this thing off? Where's my kilt??
Gah! Knickers!
Jessica Bantling
Ah, this
looks good. Care for a glass?
INT. Virtual BARE ROOM - DARKLY LIT
ROBERT THEIVE
I said... Hello? I can't seem to find the
door.
BALANAND VINDELAR (O.S.)
What do you mean, the dress is not connected anymore?
These things don't just get up and walk away by themselves. Hello Mister
Thief?
ROBERT THEIVE
Hey! You can't just leave me here!
Balanand Vindelar (O.S.)
Hello? I am talking to you but you are not
listening to
my words. Take those spectacles off your eyes!
INT. CASINO PARLOR - BRIGHTLY LIT
Balanand Vindelar
Thank you! My associates tell me you are no longer in
possession of the
dress.
Is this true?
ROBERT THEIVE
I can explain!
Balanand Vindelar
I do not want to hear excuses.
ROBERT THEIVE
Apologies.
Balanand Vindelar
You would do well to grovel, for your bottom is grass and I
am a very hungry bull. What are you going to do about it?
ROBERT THEIVE
They took everything!
Balanand Vindelar
That would be your problem. Bring the woman's avatar to
me. And put on some proper clothes. You look like an ugly little
school girl.
ROBERT THEIVE
It's a kilt.
END.