Monday, 8 July 2024

The Matrix Screen

Drathro's 'Castle'
(The Villagers weeding The Crops don't even 
look up as the L-1 Service Robot trundles past --
perhaps because they cannot SEE it?)

DRATHRO
HABITATIONS.

TANDRELL
Only Man makes habitations.

DRATHRO
ALL LIFE PERISHED IN THE FIRE.
IF MEN NOW LIVE ON THE SURFACE
THEY MUST HAVE COME 
FROM MY BIOSPHERE.


TANDRELL
How can that 
be possible?

HUMKER
It is forbidden.

TANDRELL
All Work-units 
obey Your Orders.

DRATHRO
SOME MUST HAVE ESCAPED
BEEN HELPED TO ESCAPE --
THAT IS WHAT HAS HAPPENED.

HUMKER
Is it important?

DRATHRO
THEY'RE OUT OF CONTROL,
OUTSIDE THE PLAN.

TANDRELL
They're outlaws.

DRATHRO
NOW MY EXISTENCE IS THREATENED.
THEY HAVE DESTROYED 
THE SOURCE OF MY ENERGY.

TAKE MEASURES, CREATE 
DEFENSIVE SYSYEM
IDENTIFY AND DESTROY 
THE TRAITORS.




[Trial room]

Mister Six : 
All this is irrelevant 
and hypothetical.

Mister Black
Background Testimony.

Mister Six :
 What possible value does 
The Farmyard, here think 
there is in listening to some 
half-incapacitated robot, and 
a couple of diminutive nit-wits who 
might as well be robots?

INQUISITOR
You're allowing Your Disrespect 
to show again, Doctor.

Mister Six
I'm sorry, Ma'am..... but 
The Question still stands.

INQUISITOR
As prosecutor, The Valeyard has The Right 
to include any evidence he considers 
to be relevant, provided he can
justify its inclusion.

Mister Six
But any record relating to persons 
not in My Presence must 
be sheer conjecture.

Mister Black
The Accused is clearly ignorant 
of the latest methods of 
surveillance, My Lady.

INQUISITOR
This evidence is taken from The Matrix
a knowledge-bank fed constantly by 
the experiences of all Time Lords
wherever they may be.

Mister Six
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, Ma'am. I know that
My whole point is, that I'm not.

INQUISITOR
Not what?

Mister Six
Not part of the scenes being shown 
by The Scrapyard, here
.....I'm sorry, Valeyard
Force of habit, I apologise.

Mister Black
Doctor, the experience 
of Third Parties can also 
be monitored and 
accessed if needed, as
  long as they are within 
the collection range 
of a TARDIS.

Mister Six
Oh.... 

But My TARDIS is 
an old model --
....are You telling Me, it's 
been bugged without 
my knowledge?

INQUISITOR
"Bugged"?

Mister Black
It is a reference apparently 
to the new surveillance 
system, My Lady. 
The expression derives 
from an Earth term.

INQUISITOR
I see. I think we are wasting time 
on an unimportant issue. 
Continue The Evidence, Valeyard --

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