Categories > Original > Drama > The Archive (A Screenplay)
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Caption : 8:55pm
The three members of the family are having tea. There is a knock at the door.
LYSSA
Are you expecting anyone?
THEALA
No.
(turns to her daughter)
Soph?
SOPHIA
Nope.
The knock is repeated.
LYSSA
Okay.
Gets up and walks over to the door. She opens the door and sees three police officers stood there.
OFFICER #1
Lyssa Tuscon?
LYSSA
Yes.
OFFICER #1
We have been asked to bring you in for
questioning.
LYSSA
Questioning about what?
OFFICER #1
We will tell you on the way, Ms Tuscon.
LYSSA
Am I under arrest?
OFFICER #1
No, m'am. But if you want to bring legal
council, you may. You are also not required
to come with us, however I have been instructed
to tell you that if you don't come with us, we
can return with a warrant for your arrest.
They stare at each other for a moment, then Lyssa nods.
LYSSA
I will come with you, but I am not going to
answer any questions until my legal adviser
arrives.
OFFICER #1
That is acceptable.
LYSSA
Just let me tell my family - I will be along
in a few moments.
She walks back to the dining room, and leans over to kiss Theala good bye.
LYSSA
I will be back later dear.
(turns to her daughter)
Don't work too late - tomorrow's a big day for
you.
SOPHIA
I won't.
(glances at the door)
You will be there, won't you?
LYSSA
Of course.
The two remaining family members watch Lyssa leave with the police officers.
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Montage of Theala and Sophia looking at the clock. It jumps on by random amounts, and still Lyssa hasn't come back. The montage starts at 9:30pm, and ends at 12:30am the following morning (3 hours later)
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Caption : 1am
Theala and Sophia are watching a film on tv when the door opens. Lyssa comes in, and they both jump up to great her.
LYSSA
(smiling fondly at Sophia)
I thought you were going to be in bed,
young lady.
THEALA
She wouldn't let me send her to bed until
you came home.
(turns to her daughter)
And now...
SOPHIA
(still hugging Lyssa)
Okay. See you in the morning.
She turns, and bounces off to bed. The two adults watch her go.
EXT QUEEN TELARA FINAL SCHOOL
Caption : Queen Telara Final School, Graduation Day.
26th June, YOG 1,296. 12pm
The seats are all arranged for the graduation ceremony. There is a section for the students, a section for the visitors and a stage with a poduim on at the front.
After a moment, various adults take their seats, including Lyssa and Theala. They quieten down.
A burst of music and the kids file out of the school and in to the open air. They take their seats, and amongst them we can see Sophia and Holly. We can also see a lot of empty seats.
Finally, the head teacher (a slightly younger Alison Duchamp) comes on to the stage. She looks around, then smiles.
ALISON
Congratulations to you all. You have all come
a long way, and now that you have completed
the final stage of your education, you are
ready to face the future.
(she pauses)
You graduate today, and go out in to a world
that is changing all the time. And while I
truly believe the lessons you have learned here
at QT will stand you in good stead, I also
fear that things are changing faster than you
realise, and that the world you grew up in will
soon be a thing of the past.
(she pauses again)
But that is all in the future, and today is
about marking the end of your four years of
education, and claiming that which is yours.
(she gestures to the table behind her)
When I call your name, please come to the stage,
and take your certificate.
She proceeds to call the names of the graduating class. For each one, a student comes to the stage, and takes the certificate they are given from the Alison. As they do, there are calls from the various parents in the audience.
Every so often, she calls out a name, and there is no response. She calls the name twice, then puts the certificate back down on the table with a slight sigh.
ALISON
HOLLY BELL
Holly comes up on to the stage, takes the certificate, but there is absolute silence. She simply walks off the stage and back to her seat.
ALISON
SOPHIA TUSCON
Sophia walks up on to the stage, and takes the certificate. She looks over to see Theala and Lyssa clapping and taking pictures. She smiles at them, then goes back to her seat.
The procession part comes to an end, and Alison walks up to the podium again.
ALISON
Once again, congratulations to all of you who
graduate today. You are now on your own, free
to make up your own minds about your future, and
free to decide what you want to do, and how you
want to do it.
(she looks around, then seems to come to a
descision)
As this is a time of transition and change, and
of people moving on from the school, I have
decided to use this as an opportunity to
announce my resignation as headteacher of this
school
(there are a number of gasps in the crowd, and
from the assembled kids)
I believe that I have done all I can do, that
my future is elsewhere, and that, if I stay,
I will be doing a great disservice to myself,
and to the students who will follow after you.
(she pauses to give people a chance to react)
So - thank you all for making this the best year
of school, and for everyone, past and present,
who has made this the best job I have ever
had.
She walks off the stage to silence, but then Sophia and Holly both start clapping, and they are followed by various students and adults.
EXT QUEEN TELARA FINAL SCHOOL
Caption : 2:45pm
Sophia is talking to Lyssa and Theala. Other kids and parents are milling around. Suddenly the entire group of people falls silent as Alison walks out of the school.
Everyone stares at her, but as she walks to the gates, the applause starts again. Eventually everyone is clapping as Alison walks out of the gates. When she turns, there are tears in her eyes, and she gives a small wave as she climbs in to her car.
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Caption : 4:15pm
The three members of the family are gathered in the living room. They are talking in urgent tones, and they all have unshed tears in their eyes.
SOPHIA
Why can't we all go?
LYSSA
Because you have a future ahead of you. And
because you are young, and can't spend the rest
of your life on the run.
SOPHIA
I don't mind.
LYSSA
No - you and your mother have to stay here. And
hopefully I will come back in the future, when
it is less dangerous.
SOPHIA
But... I don't want you to go.
LYSSA
(hugging her daughter)
I don't want to go either, sweetie. But if
I stay, then they will come for me.
(turns to her wife)
You will be okay?
THEALA
For the moment, yes. The immigration department
isn't a major battleground at the moment, and
the vast majority of the staff are pro-Leonara
anyway, so they are not attempting to purge the
department yet.
(she pauses, then smiles)
So - when do you have to go?
LYSSA
Pretty much now.
INT SOPHIA'S BEDROOM
Sophia is still writing.
SOPHIA
She left an hour later. Two hours after that,
the police raided our house to arrest her on
charges of treason. All of her stuff was
taken away, and we were both questioned for
four hours about where she had gone. When
they realised we were telling the truth when
we said we didn't know, we were let go.
(she pauses)
I haven't seen her since. I don't even know
if she is still alive.
EXT FLAT #2
Caption : 25th February, YOG 1,305. 11am
INT FLAT #2
The three members of the PPA are sat around the table, in deep discussion about something.
ARIANA
We have to go.
SOPHIA
It's too dangerous!
MICHAEL
But what kind of signal are we sending if
we don't go? That all they need is to apply
more and more force, and eventually we will
stop?
SOPHIA
No... no. But you two aren't just normal
people, are you?
ARIANA
We are a mixed-sex couple - one of the very
few that haven't been driven in to hiding.
And tomorrow is the annual march for
the Defence Of Marriage act.
SOPHIA
I know - I know. And I know it is important
that protests continue. But...
ARIANA
But what? You think we should stand up for
our principles as long as no one catches us
doing it?
SOPHIA
No - that really isn't it. You know me better
than that Ari.
MICHAEL
Then what?
SOPHIA
We three are all that remains of the Eastern
Sector Group. Juliana's dead. Lexi is missing.
Tom and Lucy were captured and I pray to
The Goddessess that they are dead, and the less
said about Josephine the better.
(she pauses)
The last two protests against Queen Leonara have
ended in mass arrests and violance. I am
worried that the army, the police or even this
new Special Services group the Queen has set up
is going to use it as an opportunity to deal
with trouble makers. And that if you go...
ARIANA
(leans over and hugs her)
Every time we go out, we might not come back.
(she glances at her husband)
But I promise - we will not go looking
for trouble.
Sophia looks at them, then nods.
MICHAEL
And besides - Queen Leonara knows the more
agressive about dealing with peaceful
protests, the more sheloses the support of
the few people who still believe in her.
SOPHIA
(smiles softly)
Okay. But you understand that I can't come
with you?
MICHAEL
Yes.
(Ariana nods in agreement)
Do you have somewhere to go if... if things
go badly tomorrow?
SOPHIA
Yes.
(she grins)
I also got a message that my contact wants to
see me. So I should have something to tell you
after the DOM protest.
ARIANA
Good.
INT SOPHIA'S ROOM
She pulls out the notepad again.
SOPHIA
(vo as she writes)
I don't think they should go. I have a bad
feeling that the march will end in bloodshed,
and that this will be the last time I see them.
(she pauses)
But even if could order them not to go, I
don't think I could bring myself to do it. The
DOM Act is one of the most important laws that
Queen Leonara has overturned, and if a couple
such as Mickey and Ari can't stand up for their
own rights, then there is very little point
in what we are doing.
(she pauses)
The other reason I don't want them to go is
that, from what Alison said in her brief
message, something big is going to happen
in the next few days. She wouldn't give me
any details - and with the problems our cell has
had, I can't really blame her - but she sounded
excited.
(she pauses, and shakes her head)
And I can't tell the two people I trust most,
and who would most want to know, because if
it does go badly tomorrow, and they are taken,
I can't afford to let the Queen's forces know.
She puts the notepad down, and looks over at a photograph on her bedside cabinet.
SOPHIA
(vo - no writing)
The life we lead is such that there are very
few attachments. When you know that, at any
minute, you might be captured, or that
your friends might be captured or killed, it
encourages you not to form too many bonds or
friendships.
(walks over and picks up the photograph)
When Alison brought me in to this, she warned
me that I would have to let attachments pass
out of my life - that I would have to trust
my friends, but that I could not mourn them
until our task was done.
(puts the photograph down)
When we are done, I think I will have a lot of
mourning to do. For my friends.
(she glances over at a newspaper, which displays
a picture of the ruin of the Blackwall Center)
And for my victims.
She walks back to her bed and picks up her notepad again.
SOPHIA
(vo as she writes)
I left QTFS, and started studying to become
a doctor. My mother encouraged me in this - she
felt that, in the new world that Queen Leonara
was carefully crafting, being a judge, or a
journalist was not a career with a long
lifespan. At least not if I wanted to keep
my sense of integrity.
(she smiles)
I enrolled on a four year course, and continued
to watch the news as Queen Leonara made more and
more changes to the laws.
Half way through my course - six years in to the
reign of Queen Leonara - something changed.
Some say for the better, others say for the
worse. Personally, I think it didn't really
change anything.
EXT CABINET BUILDING
Caption : Pallatium Cabinet Building.
14th August, YOG 1,298. 12pm
A small group of people are stood in front of the Cabinet Building. They are faced by a number of journalists. A young woman raises her hand for quiet.
MARY LATHEM
My name is Mary Lathem, and I am one of the
founding members of the Pallatium People's
Association.
(holds up her hands as various journalists
call out questions)
Our Association believes that, in the past six
years, the people's participation in
government has been almost entirely ignored, and
that it is time for that to change.
(she holds up a couple of folders)
We will be submitting a number of requests to
the office of The Queen to review some of the
laws she has passed. In accordance with the
Review Acts, we have the requisite number of
signatures to justify these requests.
(she hands the folders to another person stood
behind her)
We will also be submitting copies of these
requests to you, the country's press, to ensure
that our review requests are given a fair and
balanced hearing.
JOURNALIST
Miss Lathem?
MARY
Mrs Lathem.
(she turns and takes the hand of one of the
men stood behind her)
My husband, Jake.
(Jake waves, then Mary turns back to them)
What was your question going to be?
JOURNALIST
Which laws, specifically, are you objecting
to?
MARY
We believe that the laws relating to the
treatment of non-natives need reviewing, as
the implementation of these laws is not
being carried out as the suggested spirit
of these laws would suggest.
(she pauses)
Further more, we believe that the increasing
tension in the relationship between the
judiciary and the Queen's office is a cause for
concern, and that some of the laws created
are the source of this tension.
JOURNALIST
What do you think the response of Queen
Leonara will be?
MARY
It is not my place to speak for The Queen.
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Caption : 12:35pm
Sophia and Theala are watching the news.
THEALA
It's a waste of time.
SOPHIA
Mother?
THEALA
(turning to her daughter)
I don't think that Queen Leonara is going to
be ready to give up the laws she has passed
just because people ask her to.
SOPHIA
But...
THEALA
The Review Acts? The Repeal Laws?
(Sophia nods)
They just allow for the people to submit
requests for laws to be changed and repealed.
That doesn't necessarily mean that The Queen
will pay any attention to these requests.
SOPHIA
Mother - what's wrong?
THEALA
(sighs)
They are moving the department around again,
and I suspect that I am going to be moved back
to the family planning section.
SOPHIA
That's great! It's what you always wanted to
be doing...
(notices her mother isn't smiling)
Isn't it?
THEALA
It was. But in the past few months, a number
of people have been assigned to that division,
and then dismissed a few weeks later. I think
that it is being used as a loyalty test, for
want of a better phrase.
SOPHIA
And you think you would fail?
THEALA
Do you think I would rule against a mixed-sex
couple having kids?
(Sophia shakes her head)
I got a postcard from Lyssa.
SOPHIA
Really? When? Where? How is she?
THEALA
She's fine, and she is living in Tilenca.
SOPHIA
Does she say when she might be coming home?
THEALA
She isn't coming home any time soon, love.
(pauses)
And I think I am going to have to join her.
INT SOPHIA'S ROOM (present day)
SOPHIA
(vo whilst writing)
She left that night, and the next day three
police officers came round to question me. I
told them that I didn't know anything, and
that my mother had left while I was at work.
(she pauses)
I don't even know if she and Lyssa are still
alive.
EXT PUBLIC SQUARE
Caption : The Palace Plaza, Serenity.
28th August, YOG 1,298. 11am
There is a protest rally going on. A make-shift stage has been put up at one end, and a few people are stood on it, waiting to speak. In the square there are hundreds of people listening to the speakers.
Around the square are a number of police officers, although they all look like they are watching the rally, and not planning on breaking it up.
MARY LATHEM
(voice amplified by the microphone)
The Queen has seen fit to ignore the requests
we made, and instead has stepped up her
assult on the laws that we have held dear
since the Ascension of The First Queen.
(various cheers and the like from the crowd)
This afternoon we are going to take another
group of submissions to the Office Of
The Queen. We are going to demand that the
laws are repealed, and that the country be
returned to one we can be proud of.
(more cheers and the like)
If The Queen decides to obey the rule of law
that has governed our country for centuries,
then we will leave her to do it, and will
rejoice in the return of democracy. However
if she choses to, yet again, ignore the calls
of her people, then we will not hesitate to
continue our campaign of civil protest.
EXT QUEEN'S PALACE
Caption : 29th August, YOG 1,298. 12pm
Queen Leonara is stood in front of a podium, in front of a group of journalists.
LEONARA
I have reviewed the second group of requests
submitted by the PPA, and I find no reason to
repeal any of the laws passed since I took the
throne. They exist for the good of the many,
for the good of all the people of Pallatium.
And, while there will always be a few
dissenters, it is important to remember that
every era of progress has demanded some level
of sacrifice.
JOURNALIST
Is it true that you are going to dismantle
the judiciary?
LEONARA
No, I am not going to dismantle the judiciary.
They are a fundamental part of society - we
have to protect our citizens by dealing with
those who break the law.
(she pauses)
However it has become apparent that there is
a lot of tension between those who make the
laws, and those who are required to enforce
them. To ease this tension, I am going to
ensure that the guidelines they work by are
clear and consice, and that the way they
interpret the laws is as the laws should
be interpretted.
JOURNALIST
Are you going to meet with the leaders of the
PPA?
LEONARA
I don't see the need. They have submitted their
requests, and I have judged them to be unworthy
of action. There is not a lot more to say.
JOURNALIST
What do you think of the the PPA's comment that
they are going to continue their
(checks her notes)
campaign of civil disobediance.
LEONARA
Like the Queens before me, I believe in the
right to freedom of expression, and freedom to
protest. However, as various Queens before
me have demonstrated, there are limits to these
freedoms.
(pauses)
If they remain within the laws, then I will
continue to support their right to protest.
However if they believe it is their right
to break the law, then I will ensure they
are dealt with harshly.
(pauses again)
Thank you.
EXT VARIOUS PUBLIC STREETS
Montage of various marches, protests and rallies being held in various cities across the country. Each rally has a caption, saying what city it is in, and the date it is being held on.
The montage ends with another rally in Palace Plaza.
Caption : 11th October, YOG 1,298. 3:15pm
MARY LATHEM
The protests are having an affect. More people
are coming to question why The Queen is
making the choices she is, and why she is
ignoring the will of the people she is supposed
to be serving.
(cheers and such from the crowd)
But we will not rest on our laurels. No! We
will...
She is interupted as the plaza is suddenly flooded with police and army officers. Two of them come up to the stage at the front, and walk on to the stage.
MARY
What is the meaning of this?
OFFICER
Under the Civil Responsibility Laws, passed
earlier this week by Queen Leonara, these
protests are now illegal. You are all to
return to your homes, and no further gatherings
of this type will be permitted.
MARY
You can't do that. We have...
OFFICER
(turning to Mary)
You need to review the laws that relate to
protests, and to protests that incite rebellion
and treason especially
(turns back to the crowd)
You have half n hour to disperse, or we will
being making arrests.
The crowd starts to break up, while Mary continues to harrangue the officer who is watching the other officers adisperse the crowd.
INT COURT HOUSE
Caption : National Court, Serenity.
15th October, YOG 1,298. 3:15pm
The court is in session, and Mary is at the defence table. The woman at the prosecution table is an older Lucinda Doyle.
MARY
We have brought this case today to call for the
reversal of the laws in regard to public
protests. We have a petition with the
requisite number of signatures, and we want this
court to force Queen Leonara to follow the laws
she swore to uphold.
JUDGE
Miss Doyle?
LUCINDA
Since these rabble rousers started their
campaign of civil disruption, there have been
major side-effects across the country.
Production is down in all districts, including
Ianara, and the security of our borders has
become compromised to an alarming degree.
Further more, a number of key agencies have
reported that, because some of their staff are
not turning up for work, the business of
government is being seriously affected.
(she picks up a few documents)
The police are being affected, as are the
Reproductive Centers,
the welfare departments and education services.
All across the land the native-born people of
Pallatium are being punished by the actions of
the few who believe they deserve special
treatment.
MARY
(interupting)
Is this a court hearing or a political rally?
JUDGE
Mrs Lathem - you will be quiet.
MARY
(shocked)
She is not giving evidence, she is making
a political speech.
JUDGE
(in a louder voice)
If you do not cease talking, I will be forced
to rule against you.
Mary sits back down.
JUDGE
Miss Doyle - you were saying?
LUCINDA
I was more or less finished, your honour. But
my point about the respect that these so called
(waves her hand in the direction of
Mary)
protestors has been made quite eloquantly by
Mrs Lathem herself.
She sits, and the judge looks between the two of them.
JUDGE
Since the time of the first Queen, it has been
the duty of the courts to enforce the laws
of Pallatium to ensure that the country as
a whole benefits.
(turns to Lucinda)
There is a strong argument that supressing
the right to free-speech does not serve the
best interests of the country, and that by
banning these protests, you are silencing
the voices of dissent that are generally a key
part to any democratic process.
(turns to Mary)
However, the extent to which the definition
of free-speech has been stretched defies belief.
Consequently it is the judgement of this court
that the law will be upheld, and further - any
one who disrupts the normal running of the
government, or the duties of the government
agencies, will be subject to arrest and trial
under the Civil Responsibilities act.
(bangs her gavel)
MARY
Then - your honour - I have another motion to
put forward.
JUDGE
I have ruled already, Mrs Lathem.
MARY
I have in my hand a signed petition for the
recall of Queen Leonara, and a demand for an
election to be held within eighteen days of
this date.
The court falls in to silence. The Judge stares at Mary, then nods to the balif.
JUDGE
Balif - please bring the petition here.
The balif does so. The Judge reviews it, then looks up again.
JUDGE
This all seems to be in order. However it is
beyond the scope of my power to act upon this
now, so I will present it to the Election
Commission as soon as I can, and they will
deal with it in as timely a fashion as they
can.
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Caption : 9pm
Sophia is watching the news.
ANNOUNCER
Earlier today, Mary Lathem was arrested by the
Serenity Police. The exact details of the
charges are not clear, however the information
coming from sources within the department
suggest that they involve drug-trafficking and
gun running charges.
(pauses)
We go now to our reporter who is in front of the
National Court House.
EXT COURT HOUSE
JOURNALIST
Thank you Sophie. We are waiting for an
announcement from the Chief Of Police, who is
supposed to be making it any time now.
(looks up at the court building)
Here she is.
CHIEF OF POLICE
Thank you all for coming.
(looks down at her pad)
Today, at 6:23pm, Mrs Mary Lathem was arrested
in her home, along with her her husband.
(looks at her pad again)
They are being detained on charges of
growing tulara weed, selling and smuggling it
to other countries, and of running guns to
the Thalan Resistance forces in Hallash.
(looks at her pad again)
They are being held under the Civil
Responsibility Act, Section 24, and, given
the level of evidence we have against them,
we expect charges to be filed within the next
twenty four hours.
(puts her pad away)
Are there any questions?
JOURNALIST
Do these activities have any bearing on her
position in the PPA?
CHIEF OF POLICE
It is too soon to tell, however we believe
that some of her activities have been
severely curtailed by the laws that Queen
Leonara has passed.
JOURNALIST #2
Is there any political motive in the timing
of these arrests? It is less than six hours
since she filed a motion to force Queen
Leonara to call an election, and now Mrs Lathem
is under arrest for what are clearly major
criminal charges.
CHIEF OF POLICE
We had to wait to gather enough evidence to
arrest her, and the last of it came through
earlier today.
(pauses)
It is unfortunate that we received it on the
same day she filed her motion, and we did
consider postponing the arrest until tomorrow to
avoid questions like the one you have just
asked.
(pauses)
However we decided that we could not permit
her crimes to continue any longer, and that any
political fall out would be worth paying for
in light of the severity of the crimes she
has been committing.
JOURNALIST #3
Do you know what will happen to the motion
she filed for an election?
CHIEF OF POLICE
It is not my place to comment on such matters,
but, on a purely personal basis, I would imagine
that the motives behind filing such a motion
will have to be re-examined, and the request
reviewed in light of those motives.
She goes back inside the court house, and the journalist turns back to the camera
JOURNALIST
So - there you have it. The Head of the PPA
has been arrested under the CRA, for crimes
ranging from drugs offences to colluding
with terrorists.
ANNOUNCER
Given what Chief Jenkins said, do you think
that the motion for a new election will be
thrown out?
JOURNALIST
I would think it will be, Sophie. If Queen
Leonara was voted out, and the laws she
has passed were repealed, then Mrs Lathem's
crimes would be a lot easier to get away with.
So it would be safe to say that Election
Commission will have to take that in to account
when they review the motion to recall Queen
Leonara.
ANNOUNCER
And what do you think this means for the
future of the PPA?
JOURNALIST
At the moment, Mrs Lathem and her husband are
the only ones that have been detained, and
there is no suggestion that any of the other
members of her activist gropu have been
implicated in the Lathems' business.
ANNOUNCER
Thank you Sally.
(the link to the court house closes)
So - if you are just joining us now, Mary
Lathem, head of the Pallatium People's
Association has been arrested for charges of
gun-running and drug-smuggling, and of
consorting with a terrorist group.
Sophia mutes the tv, and leans back in her seat.
SOPHIA
(vo from the future)
There was no election, as Queen Leonara refused
to stand down at the request of a suspected
criminal. Two weeks later, Mary and Jake were
tried and convicted of multiple crimes, and
sentenced to ten years each.
(she pauses)
However it did not bring an end to the PPA. The
protests continued, and were even stepped up.
She turns off the tv, and goes upstairs.
Caption : 8:55pm
The three members of the family are having tea. There is a knock at the door.
LYSSA
Are you expecting anyone?
THEALA
No.
(turns to her daughter)
Soph?
SOPHIA
Nope.
The knock is repeated.
LYSSA
Okay.
Gets up and walks over to the door. She opens the door and sees three police officers stood there.
OFFICER #1
Lyssa Tuscon?
LYSSA
Yes.
OFFICER #1
We have been asked to bring you in for
questioning.
LYSSA
Questioning about what?
OFFICER #1
We will tell you on the way, Ms Tuscon.
LYSSA
Am I under arrest?
OFFICER #1
No, m'am. But if you want to bring legal
council, you may. You are also not required
to come with us, however I have been instructed
to tell you that if you don't come with us, we
can return with a warrant for your arrest.
They stare at each other for a moment, then Lyssa nods.
LYSSA
I will come with you, but I am not going to
answer any questions until my legal adviser
arrives.
OFFICER #1
That is acceptable.
LYSSA
Just let me tell my family - I will be along
in a few moments.
She walks back to the dining room, and leans over to kiss Theala good bye.
LYSSA
I will be back later dear.
(turns to her daughter)
Don't work too late - tomorrow's a big day for
you.
SOPHIA
I won't.
(glances at the door)
You will be there, won't you?
LYSSA
Of course.
The two remaining family members watch Lyssa leave with the police officers.
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Montage of Theala and Sophia looking at the clock. It jumps on by random amounts, and still Lyssa hasn't come back. The montage starts at 9:30pm, and ends at 12:30am the following morning (3 hours later)
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Caption : 1am
Theala and Sophia are watching a film on tv when the door opens. Lyssa comes in, and they both jump up to great her.
LYSSA
(smiling fondly at Sophia)
I thought you were going to be in bed,
young lady.
THEALA
She wouldn't let me send her to bed until
you came home.
(turns to her daughter)
And now...
SOPHIA
(still hugging Lyssa)
Okay. See you in the morning.
She turns, and bounces off to bed. The two adults watch her go.
EXT QUEEN TELARA FINAL SCHOOL
Caption : Queen Telara Final School, Graduation Day.
26th June, YOG 1,296. 12pm
The seats are all arranged for the graduation ceremony. There is a section for the students, a section for the visitors and a stage with a poduim on at the front.
After a moment, various adults take their seats, including Lyssa and Theala. They quieten down.
A burst of music and the kids file out of the school and in to the open air. They take their seats, and amongst them we can see Sophia and Holly. We can also see a lot of empty seats.
Finally, the head teacher (a slightly younger Alison Duchamp) comes on to the stage. She looks around, then smiles.
ALISON
Congratulations to you all. You have all come
a long way, and now that you have completed
the final stage of your education, you are
ready to face the future.
(she pauses)
You graduate today, and go out in to a world
that is changing all the time. And while I
truly believe the lessons you have learned here
at QT will stand you in good stead, I also
fear that things are changing faster than you
realise, and that the world you grew up in will
soon be a thing of the past.
(she pauses again)
But that is all in the future, and today is
about marking the end of your four years of
education, and claiming that which is yours.
(she gestures to the table behind her)
When I call your name, please come to the stage,
and take your certificate.
She proceeds to call the names of the graduating class. For each one, a student comes to the stage, and takes the certificate they are given from the Alison. As they do, there are calls from the various parents in the audience.
Every so often, she calls out a name, and there is no response. She calls the name twice, then puts the certificate back down on the table with a slight sigh.
ALISON
HOLLY BELL
Holly comes up on to the stage, takes the certificate, but there is absolute silence. She simply walks off the stage and back to her seat.
ALISON
SOPHIA TUSCON
Sophia walks up on to the stage, and takes the certificate. She looks over to see Theala and Lyssa clapping and taking pictures. She smiles at them, then goes back to her seat.
The procession part comes to an end, and Alison walks up to the podium again.
ALISON
Once again, congratulations to all of you who
graduate today. You are now on your own, free
to make up your own minds about your future, and
free to decide what you want to do, and how you
want to do it.
(she looks around, then seems to come to a
descision)
As this is a time of transition and change, and
of people moving on from the school, I have
decided to use this as an opportunity to
announce my resignation as headteacher of this
school
(there are a number of gasps in the crowd, and
from the assembled kids)
I believe that I have done all I can do, that
my future is elsewhere, and that, if I stay,
I will be doing a great disservice to myself,
and to the students who will follow after you.
(she pauses to give people a chance to react)
So - thank you all for making this the best year
of school, and for everyone, past and present,
who has made this the best job I have ever
had.
She walks off the stage to silence, but then Sophia and Holly both start clapping, and they are followed by various students and adults.
EXT QUEEN TELARA FINAL SCHOOL
Caption : 2:45pm
Sophia is talking to Lyssa and Theala. Other kids and parents are milling around. Suddenly the entire group of people falls silent as Alison walks out of the school.
Everyone stares at her, but as she walks to the gates, the applause starts again. Eventually everyone is clapping as Alison walks out of the gates. When she turns, there are tears in her eyes, and she gives a small wave as she climbs in to her car.
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Caption : 4:15pm
The three members of the family are gathered in the living room. They are talking in urgent tones, and they all have unshed tears in their eyes.
SOPHIA
Why can't we all go?
LYSSA
Because you have a future ahead of you. And
because you are young, and can't spend the rest
of your life on the run.
SOPHIA
I don't mind.
LYSSA
No - you and your mother have to stay here. And
hopefully I will come back in the future, when
it is less dangerous.
SOPHIA
But... I don't want you to go.
LYSSA
(hugging her daughter)
I don't want to go either, sweetie. But if
I stay, then they will come for me.
(turns to her wife)
You will be okay?
THEALA
For the moment, yes. The immigration department
isn't a major battleground at the moment, and
the vast majority of the staff are pro-Leonara
anyway, so they are not attempting to purge the
department yet.
(she pauses, then smiles)
So - when do you have to go?
LYSSA
Pretty much now.
INT SOPHIA'S BEDROOM
Sophia is still writing.
SOPHIA
She left an hour later. Two hours after that,
the police raided our house to arrest her on
charges of treason. All of her stuff was
taken away, and we were both questioned for
four hours about where she had gone. When
they realised we were telling the truth when
we said we didn't know, we were let go.
(she pauses)
I haven't seen her since. I don't even know
if she is still alive.
EXT FLAT #2
Caption : 25th February, YOG 1,305. 11am
INT FLAT #2
The three members of the PPA are sat around the table, in deep discussion about something.
ARIANA
We have to go.
SOPHIA
It's too dangerous!
MICHAEL
But what kind of signal are we sending if
we don't go? That all they need is to apply
more and more force, and eventually we will
stop?
SOPHIA
No... no. But you two aren't just normal
people, are you?
ARIANA
We are a mixed-sex couple - one of the very
few that haven't been driven in to hiding.
And tomorrow is the annual march for
the Defence Of Marriage act.
SOPHIA
I know - I know. And I know it is important
that protests continue. But...
ARIANA
But what? You think we should stand up for
our principles as long as no one catches us
doing it?
SOPHIA
No - that really isn't it. You know me better
than that Ari.
MICHAEL
Then what?
SOPHIA
We three are all that remains of the Eastern
Sector Group. Juliana's dead. Lexi is missing.
Tom and Lucy were captured and I pray to
The Goddessess that they are dead, and the less
said about Josephine the better.
(she pauses)
The last two protests against Queen Leonara have
ended in mass arrests and violance. I am
worried that the army, the police or even this
new Special Services group the Queen has set up
is going to use it as an opportunity to deal
with trouble makers. And that if you go...
ARIANA
(leans over and hugs her)
Every time we go out, we might not come back.
(she glances at her husband)
But I promise - we will not go looking
for trouble.
Sophia looks at them, then nods.
MICHAEL
And besides - Queen Leonara knows the more
agressive about dealing with peaceful
protests, the more sheloses the support of
the few people who still believe in her.
SOPHIA
(smiles softly)
Okay. But you understand that I can't come
with you?
MICHAEL
Yes.
(Ariana nods in agreement)
Do you have somewhere to go if... if things
go badly tomorrow?
SOPHIA
Yes.
(she grins)
I also got a message that my contact wants to
see me. So I should have something to tell you
after the DOM protest.
ARIANA
Good.
INT SOPHIA'S ROOM
She pulls out the notepad again.
SOPHIA
(vo as she writes)
I don't think they should go. I have a bad
feeling that the march will end in bloodshed,
and that this will be the last time I see them.
(she pauses)
But even if could order them not to go, I
don't think I could bring myself to do it. The
DOM Act is one of the most important laws that
Queen Leonara has overturned, and if a couple
such as Mickey and Ari can't stand up for their
own rights, then there is very little point
in what we are doing.
(she pauses)
The other reason I don't want them to go is
that, from what Alison said in her brief
message, something big is going to happen
in the next few days. She wouldn't give me
any details - and with the problems our cell has
had, I can't really blame her - but she sounded
excited.
(she pauses, and shakes her head)
And I can't tell the two people I trust most,
and who would most want to know, because if
it does go badly tomorrow, and they are taken,
I can't afford to let the Queen's forces know.
She puts the notepad down, and looks over at a photograph on her bedside cabinet.
SOPHIA
(vo - no writing)
The life we lead is such that there are very
few attachments. When you know that, at any
minute, you might be captured, or that
your friends might be captured or killed, it
encourages you not to form too many bonds or
friendships.
(walks over and picks up the photograph)
When Alison brought me in to this, she warned
me that I would have to let attachments pass
out of my life - that I would have to trust
my friends, but that I could not mourn them
until our task was done.
(puts the photograph down)
When we are done, I think I will have a lot of
mourning to do. For my friends.
(she glances over at a newspaper, which displays
a picture of the ruin of the Blackwall Center)
And for my victims.
She walks back to her bed and picks up her notepad again.
SOPHIA
(vo as she writes)
I left QTFS, and started studying to become
a doctor. My mother encouraged me in this - she
felt that, in the new world that Queen Leonara
was carefully crafting, being a judge, or a
journalist was not a career with a long
lifespan. At least not if I wanted to keep
my sense of integrity.
(she smiles)
I enrolled on a four year course, and continued
to watch the news as Queen Leonara made more and
more changes to the laws.
Half way through my course - six years in to the
reign of Queen Leonara - something changed.
Some say for the better, others say for the
worse. Personally, I think it didn't really
change anything.
EXT CABINET BUILDING
Caption : Pallatium Cabinet Building.
14th August, YOG 1,298. 12pm
A small group of people are stood in front of the Cabinet Building. They are faced by a number of journalists. A young woman raises her hand for quiet.
MARY LATHEM
My name is Mary Lathem, and I am one of the
founding members of the Pallatium People's
Association.
(holds up her hands as various journalists
call out questions)
Our Association believes that, in the past six
years, the people's participation in
government has been almost entirely ignored, and
that it is time for that to change.
(she holds up a couple of folders)
We will be submitting a number of requests to
the office of The Queen to review some of the
laws she has passed. In accordance with the
Review Acts, we have the requisite number of
signatures to justify these requests.
(she hands the folders to another person stood
behind her)
We will also be submitting copies of these
requests to you, the country's press, to ensure
that our review requests are given a fair and
balanced hearing.
JOURNALIST
Miss Lathem?
MARY
Mrs Lathem.
(she turns and takes the hand of one of the
men stood behind her)
My husband, Jake.
(Jake waves, then Mary turns back to them)
What was your question going to be?
JOURNALIST
Which laws, specifically, are you objecting
to?
MARY
We believe that the laws relating to the
treatment of non-natives need reviewing, as
the implementation of these laws is not
being carried out as the suggested spirit
of these laws would suggest.
(she pauses)
Further more, we believe that the increasing
tension in the relationship between the
judiciary and the Queen's office is a cause for
concern, and that some of the laws created
are the source of this tension.
JOURNALIST
What do you think the response of Queen
Leonara will be?
MARY
It is not my place to speak for The Queen.
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Caption : 12:35pm
Sophia and Theala are watching the news.
THEALA
It's a waste of time.
SOPHIA
Mother?
THEALA
(turning to her daughter)
I don't think that Queen Leonara is going to
be ready to give up the laws she has passed
just because people ask her to.
SOPHIA
But...
THEALA
The Review Acts? The Repeal Laws?
(Sophia nods)
They just allow for the people to submit
requests for laws to be changed and repealed.
That doesn't necessarily mean that The Queen
will pay any attention to these requests.
SOPHIA
Mother - what's wrong?
THEALA
(sighs)
They are moving the department around again,
and I suspect that I am going to be moved back
to the family planning section.
SOPHIA
That's great! It's what you always wanted to
be doing...
(notices her mother isn't smiling)
Isn't it?
THEALA
It was. But in the past few months, a number
of people have been assigned to that division,
and then dismissed a few weeks later. I think
that it is being used as a loyalty test, for
want of a better phrase.
SOPHIA
And you think you would fail?
THEALA
Do you think I would rule against a mixed-sex
couple having kids?
(Sophia shakes her head)
I got a postcard from Lyssa.
SOPHIA
Really? When? Where? How is she?
THEALA
She's fine, and she is living in Tilenca.
SOPHIA
Does she say when she might be coming home?
THEALA
She isn't coming home any time soon, love.
(pauses)
And I think I am going to have to join her.
INT SOPHIA'S ROOM (present day)
SOPHIA
(vo whilst writing)
She left that night, and the next day three
police officers came round to question me. I
told them that I didn't know anything, and
that my mother had left while I was at work.
(she pauses)
I don't even know if she and Lyssa are still
alive.
EXT PUBLIC SQUARE
Caption : The Palace Plaza, Serenity.
28th August, YOG 1,298. 11am
There is a protest rally going on. A make-shift stage has been put up at one end, and a few people are stood on it, waiting to speak. In the square there are hundreds of people listening to the speakers.
Around the square are a number of police officers, although they all look like they are watching the rally, and not planning on breaking it up.
MARY LATHEM
(voice amplified by the microphone)
The Queen has seen fit to ignore the requests
we made, and instead has stepped up her
assult on the laws that we have held dear
since the Ascension of The First Queen.
(various cheers and the like from the crowd)
This afternoon we are going to take another
group of submissions to the Office Of
The Queen. We are going to demand that the
laws are repealed, and that the country be
returned to one we can be proud of.
(more cheers and the like)
If The Queen decides to obey the rule of law
that has governed our country for centuries,
then we will leave her to do it, and will
rejoice in the return of democracy. However
if she choses to, yet again, ignore the calls
of her people, then we will not hesitate to
continue our campaign of civil protest.
EXT QUEEN'S PALACE
Caption : 29th August, YOG 1,298. 12pm
Queen Leonara is stood in front of a podium, in front of a group of journalists.
LEONARA
I have reviewed the second group of requests
submitted by the PPA, and I find no reason to
repeal any of the laws passed since I took the
throne. They exist for the good of the many,
for the good of all the people of Pallatium.
And, while there will always be a few
dissenters, it is important to remember that
every era of progress has demanded some level
of sacrifice.
JOURNALIST
Is it true that you are going to dismantle
the judiciary?
LEONARA
No, I am not going to dismantle the judiciary.
They are a fundamental part of society - we
have to protect our citizens by dealing with
those who break the law.
(she pauses)
However it has become apparent that there is
a lot of tension between those who make the
laws, and those who are required to enforce
them. To ease this tension, I am going to
ensure that the guidelines they work by are
clear and consice, and that the way they
interpret the laws is as the laws should
be interpretted.
JOURNALIST
Are you going to meet with the leaders of the
PPA?
LEONARA
I don't see the need. They have submitted their
requests, and I have judged them to be unworthy
of action. There is not a lot more to say.
JOURNALIST
What do you think of the the PPA's comment that
they are going to continue their
(checks her notes)
campaign of civil disobediance.
LEONARA
Like the Queens before me, I believe in the
right to freedom of expression, and freedom to
protest. However, as various Queens before
me have demonstrated, there are limits to these
freedoms.
(pauses)
If they remain within the laws, then I will
continue to support their right to protest.
However if they believe it is their right
to break the law, then I will ensure they
are dealt with harshly.
(pauses again)
Thank you.
EXT VARIOUS PUBLIC STREETS
Montage of various marches, protests and rallies being held in various cities across the country. Each rally has a caption, saying what city it is in, and the date it is being held on.
The montage ends with another rally in Palace Plaza.
Caption : 11th October, YOG 1,298. 3:15pm
MARY LATHEM
The protests are having an affect. More people
are coming to question why The Queen is
making the choices she is, and why she is
ignoring the will of the people she is supposed
to be serving.
(cheers and such from the crowd)
But we will not rest on our laurels. No! We
will...
She is interupted as the plaza is suddenly flooded with police and army officers. Two of them come up to the stage at the front, and walk on to the stage.
MARY
What is the meaning of this?
OFFICER
Under the Civil Responsibility Laws, passed
earlier this week by Queen Leonara, these
protests are now illegal. You are all to
return to your homes, and no further gatherings
of this type will be permitted.
MARY
You can't do that. We have...
OFFICER
(turning to Mary)
You need to review the laws that relate to
protests, and to protests that incite rebellion
and treason especially
(turns back to the crowd)
You have half n hour to disperse, or we will
being making arrests.
The crowd starts to break up, while Mary continues to harrangue the officer who is watching the other officers adisperse the crowd.
INT COURT HOUSE
Caption : National Court, Serenity.
15th October, YOG 1,298. 3:15pm
The court is in session, and Mary is at the defence table. The woman at the prosecution table is an older Lucinda Doyle.
MARY
We have brought this case today to call for the
reversal of the laws in regard to public
protests. We have a petition with the
requisite number of signatures, and we want this
court to force Queen Leonara to follow the laws
she swore to uphold.
JUDGE
Miss Doyle?
LUCINDA
Since these rabble rousers started their
campaign of civil disruption, there have been
major side-effects across the country.
Production is down in all districts, including
Ianara, and the security of our borders has
become compromised to an alarming degree.
Further more, a number of key agencies have
reported that, because some of their staff are
not turning up for work, the business of
government is being seriously affected.
(she picks up a few documents)
The police are being affected, as are the
Reproductive Centers,
the welfare departments and education services.
All across the land the native-born people of
Pallatium are being punished by the actions of
the few who believe they deserve special
treatment.
MARY
(interupting)
Is this a court hearing or a political rally?
JUDGE
Mrs Lathem - you will be quiet.
MARY
(shocked)
She is not giving evidence, she is making
a political speech.
JUDGE
(in a louder voice)
If you do not cease talking, I will be forced
to rule against you.
Mary sits back down.
JUDGE
Miss Doyle - you were saying?
LUCINDA
I was more or less finished, your honour. But
my point about the respect that these so called
(waves her hand in the direction of
Mary)
protestors has been made quite eloquantly by
Mrs Lathem herself.
She sits, and the judge looks between the two of them.
JUDGE
Since the time of the first Queen, it has been
the duty of the courts to enforce the laws
of Pallatium to ensure that the country as
a whole benefits.
(turns to Lucinda)
There is a strong argument that supressing
the right to free-speech does not serve the
best interests of the country, and that by
banning these protests, you are silencing
the voices of dissent that are generally a key
part to any democratic process.
(turns to Mary)
However, the extent to which the definition
of free-speech has been stretched defies belief.
Consequently it is the judgement of this court
that the law will be upheld, and further - any
one who disrupts the normal running of the
government, or the duties of the government
agencies, will be subject to arrest and trial
under the Civil Responsibilities act.
(bangs her gavel)
MARY
Then - your honour - I have another motion to
put forward.
JUDGE
I have ruled already, Mrs Lathem.
MARY
I have in my hand a signed petition for the
recall of Queen Leonara, and a demand for an
election to be held within eighteen days of
this date.
The court falls in to silence. The Judge stares at Mary, then nods to the balif.
JUDGE
Balif - please bring the petition here.
The balif does so. The Judge reviews it, then looks up again.
JUDGE
This all seems to be in order. However it is
beyond the scope of my power to act upon this
now, so I will present it to the Election
Commission as soon as I can, and they will
deal with it in as timely a fashion as they
can.
INT TUSCON HOUSE
Caption : 9pm
Sophia is watching the news.
ANNOUNCER
Earlier today, Mary Lathem was arrested by the
Serenity Police. The exact details of the
charges are not clear, however the information
coming from sources within the department
suggest that they involve drug-trafficking and
gun running charges.
(pauses)
We go now to our reporter who is in front of the
National Court House.
EXT COURT HOUSE
JOURNALIST
Thank you Sophie. We are waiting for an
announcement from the Chief Of Police, who is
supposed to be making it any time now.
(looks up at the court building)
Here she is.
CHIEF OF POLICE
Thank you all for coming.
(looks down at her pad)
Today, at 6:23pm, Mrs Mary Lathem was arrested
in her home, along with her her husband.
(looks at her pad again)
They are being detained on charges of
growing tulara weed, selling and smuggling it
to other countries, and of running guns to
the Thalan Resistance forces in Hallash.
(looks at her pad again)
They are being held under the Civil
Responsibility Act, Section 24, and, given
the level of evidence we have against them,
we expect charges to be filed within the next
twenty four hours.
(puts her pad away)
Are there any questions?
JOURNALIST
Do these activities have any bearing on her
position in the PPA?
CHIEF OF POLICE
It is too soon to tell, however we believe
that some of her activities have been
severely curtailed by the laws that Queen
Leonara has passed.
JOURNALIST #2
Is there any political motive in the timing
of these arrests? It is less than six hours
since she filed a motion to force Queen
Leonara to call an election, and now Mrs Lathem
is under arrest for what are clearly major
criminal charges.
CHIEF OF POLICE
We had to wait to gather enough evidence to
arrest her, and the last of it came through
earlier today.
(pauses)
It is unfortunate that we received it on the
same day she filed her motion, and we did
consider postponing the arrest until tomorrow to
avoid questions like the one you have just
asked.
(pauses)
However we decided that we could not permit
her crimes to continue any longer, and that any
political fall out would be worth paying for
in light of the severity of the crimes she
has been committing.
JOURNALIST #3
Do you know what will happen to the motion
she filed for an election?
CHIEF OF POLICE
It is not my place to comment on such matters,
but, on a purely personal basis, I would imagine
that the motives behind filing such a motion
will have to be re-examined, and the request
reviewed in light of those motives.
She goes back inside the court house, and the journalist turns back to the camera
JOURNALIST
So - there you have it. The Head of the PPA
has been arrested under the CRA, for crimes
ranging from drugs offences to colluding
with terrorists.
ANNOUNCER
Given what Chief Jenkins said, do you think
that the motion for a new election will be
thrown out?
JOURNALIST
I would think it will be, Sophie. If Queen
Leonara was voted out, and the laws she
has passed were repealed, then Mrs Lathem's
crimes would be a lot easier to get away with.
So it would be safe to say that Election
Commission will have to take that in to account
when they review the motion to recall Queen
Leonara.
ANNOUNCER
And what do you think this means for the
future of the PPA?
JOURNALIST
At the moment, Mrs Lathem and her husband are
the only ones that have been detained, and
there is no suggestion that any of the other
members of her activist gropu have been
implicated in the Lathems' business.
ANNOUNCER
Thank you Sally.
(the link to the court house closes)
So - if you are just joining us now, Mary
Lathem, head of the Pallatium People's
Association has been arrested for charges of
gun-running and drug-smuggling, and of
consorting with a terrorist group.
Sophia mutes the tv, and leans back in her seat.
SOPHIA
(vo from the future)
There was no election, as Queen Leonara refused
to stand down at the request of a suspected
criminal. Two weeks later, Mary and Jake were
tried and convicted of multiple crimes, and
sentenced to ten years each.
(she pauses)
However it did not bring an end to the PPA. The
protests continued, and were even stepped up.
She turns off the tv, and goes upstairs.
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