Scene 1 | Scene 2 | Scene 3 | Scene 4 | Scene 5 | Scene 6 | Scene 7
Scene 8 | Scene 9 | Scene 10 | Scene 11 | Scene 12 | Scene 13
Open Skies ZERO:
Prelude to a New Life
SCENE 3
[Group of 8 boys inside a tent. It's nighttime. Balin, their leader, a blonde-haired boy, is standing over a table where there's a map. Three intellectual-looking boys (William, TT1, and TT2); and the other 4 (Robert, RT1, RT2, and RT3) can look any way.]
Balin: [slams his hands down on the table] WHERE IS THAT BOY?!!!
TT1: [whispering to TT2] What boy? What’s he talking about?
[William overhears the question and turns toward them]
William: [whispering] Some boy he thinks is the key to crossing this thing. Even though he’s had us trying to figure a way to get there, he thinks we’ll never actually make it without that boy.
TT1: [whispering] How does he know that?
William: [whispering] I don’t know, he won’t say, only that the boy is the key, that’s what it means by the Ace of Spades on the map.
[TT1 begins to respond, but is interrupted by Balin and everyone's attention goes back to Balin.]
Balin: Robert, how is the search coming along?
Robert: Well, sir, considering we don’t even know what he looks like, we — [interrupted]
Balin: Listen! I don’t need any cynics here. You wanna give up? then go. You’re either with me or you’re against me. And if you’re with me, then don’t be a cynic. We need that boy… The only thing I can tell you about him is that he’s red.
Robert: Red… He’s red… What the heck does that even mean?!
Balin: It means what it means. If that’s the only clue to go by, then go by that clue. I don’t know what the heck it means. Investigate it! You do your job and I’ll do mine… … [pacing] … So I’m guessing you haven’t made any headway then..
Robert: [respectfully, not trying to make him mad again] No sir, but we’re doing our best and we’ll keep trying.
TT2: [stepping forward] Sir, I would think that since the eagle is the one who left the map that he would be the key.
Balin: Don’t be an idiot. Anyone can take a map and claim it as their own… Nobody in particular brought us this map… It’s the same map that’s been handed down through many generations. It was FATE that brought it to us. And it was FATE that clues us in on the boy.. And it is FATE that will lead us to him… … [pacing] … My main concern being that there is not much time left.
William: That too is our main concern. I’ve always viewed our job [motioning to himself, TT1, and TT2] as a kind of safety net… you know, in case for some reason we can’t find the boy.
Balin: Alright, William, have you come up with something?
William: Yeah, I think so…. but there’s just one catch.
Balin: And that is?
William: Given the amount of time we have left (only a couple of days), and our limited resources, to implement our plan we would have to call off the search team and send them into the city to get supplies and to recruit more men.
Balin: More men? What exactly have you come up with?
William: Well, we’ve studied these waters in and out and up and down. We ran all the tests and finished our calculations, twice… All the results match up and anyway… to make a long story sh –
TT2: [interrupting and stepping forward] Our calculations show, by the speed of the current, the acceleration of the current versus applied force, and the rowing power of an average man, that we could cross in about 6 hours with 100 men, each manning two oars – 8 hours if we stagger short breaks, maintaining rowing power of at least 96 men at all times.
Balin: But we are so short on food and men… [thinking]
TT1: This is where all this was headed.. In order to make it across, the 4 on the Search Team absolutely must be called off and sent to the city to gather men and food.
Balin: ..and once we have the men, the men can chop the wood..
William: Yes, exactly!
Balin: [addressing everyone] Right, then. We will find men and we will build one loooong row boat. Search Team is now Recruit Team.
Robert, RT1, RT2, RT3: [altogether] Aye!
Balin: Here, [handing one of them a bag of money] take this money we have left. First thing in the morning, you will go into the city and get as much food as this will buy. Take this map with you, share our story, and explain we have but to cross this water, and if they wish to come with us then glory surely awaits each working man. We need 92 men – strong men – come back with no fewer… … Think Team, you will make blueprints for this ship we’re going to build, and have a plan ready so that when the men arrive they can be put straight to work. There is no time to spare.
