Dead-end

Some science fiction

               
CHARACTERS:

Sol, the captain of the spaceship
Jacob, Dino, and Yuri, crew members


Action 1

   The spacecraft control center is the place of the action. Four control consoles are facing the auditorium. Saul, Jacob, and Yuri are sitting at their consoles. Dino is rushing behind the backs of the seats.


Dino. I cannot! All! A week hurts and every day stronger! Who can withstand it?!
Sol. You. You can stand it.
Dino. I cannot! Do you understand? I cannot! It hurts!
Saul. Everybody's hurting. Here Yurik - the youngest of all and not howling.
Dino. Jacob does not hurt!
Jacob. The brains are strong.
Dino. Exactly! As the cobblestones!
Yuri. After all, it is radiation.
Jacob. Devices are silent.
Yuri. So, the radiation of an unknown nature. And there are no such devices.
Dino. That's it! There are no devices, and there is radiation! I can feel it with my brain! Do you know why Jacob does not have a headache?
Yuri. We heard: the brain is strong.
Dino. No there is no brain! Captain, this is a robot! Only humankind and without a number.
Jacob. F**k you …
Dino. Let's disassemble it! A? Some distraction...
Sol. Dino, when did you get a headache?
Dino. Six days.
Sol. More precisely.
Dino. Five days and seventeen hours. More precisely, I can not.
Sol. It is not necessary. Yuri, and you?
Yuri. Four days.
Jacob. Two days.
Dino. And you are silent!
Jacob. Psychotherapy.
Dino. So you're also a psychologist!
Jacob. And a psychiatrist.
Sol. Enough! Let's think...
Dino. With what? Personally, I already have nothing to think "with"!
Sol. Then shut up! Yuri, most likely, is right: this is radiation. Unknown radiation in the known part of the Universe...
Jacob. Artificial origin.
Yuri. Very likely... that those... to whom we fly... with the "gift" …
Sol. It seems... Jacob, what are you doing there?
Jacob. Captain, the diagnosis, basically, is clear. What's next? Will they drive us mad with this headache or not? I don’t know. If they succeed we will not fulfill the task.
Sol. It will be executed.
Jacob. Do you rely on the strength of my brain?
Dino. I think that your brain has nothing to do with it, am I right?
Sol. Yes.
Jacob. What do you mean?
Sol. The task will be fulfilled in any case, whatever happens to us.
Dino. Especially if it happens …
Yuri. Means...
Dino. Computer?
Sol. Naturally.
Yuri. So, why they need us??
Saul. And how do you make him destroy the inhabited planet? The whole world.
Jacob. They are not people.
Sol. For Computer they are. The difference, for Computer, is insignificant. But he is monitoring us and if we will be harmed, if evident harm is caused, then …
Dino. And if we change our minds, then what?
Jacob. What do you mean by "change your minds"?
Sol. While we are all right - we decide.

   Pause

Dino. Listen, but cannot we for clarity of the picture...
Jacob. Nonsense!
Sol. It's unlikely, there's no point. We are ready to do it ourselves, are not we?
Yuri. Of course!
Dino. I don’t know...

   Blackout.


Action 2

   The beam of light alternately captures the speaker’s faces.

Sol. Loaded on Mars-3, remained an hour before the start - an urgent call...  And I'm here. Captain. Why me?

Dino. Was at Mom…

Jacob. The task of the Peace Council - it’s cool …

Yuri. We were given only three days, and parents are far away…

Sol. Father, why don't you like space so much?
Sol's father's voice. Earth, Son, is wisdom. There, in your made world, you seem to be omnipotent...
Sol. It is a great confidence.
Sol's father's voice. I know, my son, bitter confidence.
Sol. But there’s no other way out.
Sol's father's voice. Be not tormented, my son, it is the World Council decision, all the people.
Sol. But it's awful!
Sol's father's voice. I believe people. So, it is necessary. For the sake of children and grandchildren. You were chosen correctly. I'm proud of you, son …

Dino. Mom, are you proud of me?
Dino’s mother's voice. You're my son!
Dino. They were not able to come up with anything else.
Dino’s mother's voice. Dino. I know. Shame.
Dino. Mom!
Dino’s mother's voice. You will not be forgiven.
Dino. But we do common will!
Dino’s mother's voice.  That's why they will not forgive. People do not tolerate reminders of past mistakes. Meanness, cowardice. You know, there used to be scavengers, they took out the garbage. Their work was very appreciated, but they were obliged not to appear in public places. From them, my son, it smelled bad. But they could wash off after a while. You will not be washed off.
Dino. It's not fair, because we …
Dino’s mother's voice. You will prevent the rest from washing off.

   Pause

Dino. Mom, will you take me back?
Dino’s mother's voice.  You are my son …

Yuri. The entire city saw me off! Flowers, songs, girls. It was beautiful …


Action 3

Dino. I do not know …
Yuri. And I …
Jacob. Do not be ridiculous! Have you forgotten that we are all volunteers?
Yuri. Let's think about it?
Dino. Why not - our heads are still with us!
Jacob. The sick one.
Dino. Come on! I feel that we will find the way out!
Jacob. The smartest?
Sol. We have one day.
Jacob. They have.
Dino. Let's think!
Jacob. Without me.
Dino. How can you?!
Sol. Stop it! We can do without him. Yuri, once again all from the beginning.
Yuri. Everything from the beginning ... Zeerman Expedition ... Far Search ... Discovered a civilization of a human type.
Jacob.  Superhuman.
Dino. They did not know about it.
Yuri. Similar external signs. Similar criteria of beauty and morality. Even humor! The of the expedition doctor had to take delivery - and again no visible differences! A warm welcome: Earthlings are not at all afraid, they do not hide anything. It was a feast! It seemed to the members of the expedition that there were no differences, only a lower stage of development The Stone Age has dragged on...
Jacob.  Wise Far Search!
Sol. They can be understood. No one knew about biological incompatibility at first.
Yuri. It turned out that a common offspring is impossible. We and they will never become "we". The expedition quickly withdrew. Clumsy attempts were made to collect the information distributed. In vain - they have such memory... Yes ... During the return, processing the collected data, they fully understood what irreparable harm was brought ... On Earth, everything was confirmed: the new "brothers" did not get stuck in any Stone Age, but just passed it quickly. The pace of development is amazing! Any of them on the intellectual level surpasses terrestrial geniuses and their geniuses... Then there are "Zeeman schools" ... The World Council was at an impasse: what to do with these unexpected brethren? They are too clever, they took too much from earthlings, Zeeman returned too long. How did they take the unexpected departure of the expedition? In time trouble, the World Council decides to DESTROY - if not too late. So we're flying.
Dino. Let's think!
Jacob. You're crazy! The best minds could not think of anything, except for this button! Who are we?! Performers!
Dino. Angels of Death.
Yuri. They had no time
Jacob. Do we have more?
Dino. We or they... Tough.
Sol. There are not so many of them, but you can not mix: incompatibility. They will catch up quickly if it’s not done already.
Jacob. Thanks to Zeeman!
Sol. In the fight against them, we have zero chances.
Dino. Why is it only "in the fight"? The cosmos is huge. And if they will be offered to go somewhere..?
Sol. Considered. For them, it is not reasonable. They will offer us to "dump" ourselves.
Jacob. Such knots have to be chopped up.
Yuri. But, according to all data, they are exclusively peaceful and do not seek power over anyone.
Dino. They do not need slaves. They even have no such word - "slave"!
Jacob. Not? They will.
Yuri. They do not accept slavery psychologically.
Sol. We too. Since recently. But very afraid.
Dino. They are not afraid.
Sol. Because they don’t know what it is.
Yuri. So, it turns out, that we are bringing slavery to them?!
Jacob. No. They to us.
Yuri. But how?
Jacob. Intellectual slavery. You didn't get it? Peaceful! They'll peacefully remove all the intellectual load from us. "Fraternal ". No one can resist. No one! What is the point of a fool to strain his brains, if he knows for sure that he is a fool! Degradation! I don't want.
Yuri. What about art, sport?
Jacob. Turn into Universal buffoons? I don't want to!

An alarm was raised.

Saul. What is up?
Yuri. Meteorite! In the fifth compartment!
Sol. Fuel! Reactor!

Blackout.


Action 4

Sol and Dino are on stage. Enter Jacob and Yuri.

Sol. Well?
Jacob. Holes are sealed up. How much fuel is missing?
Sol. Dino calculating.
Yuri. How's the reactor?
Sol. Seems normal... (Dino silently leans back in his chair) Say something!
Dino. Not enough.
Yuri. What about the reserve? The reserve is not affected. Did you take it into account?
Dino. He took it all.  Not enough. We fall into the annihilation zone. Turn around steeper - not enough to accelerate.
Yuri. And if we remove some of the fuel from the "gift"?
Dino. The best option: a wide turn, here at this point we start the installation, removing almost half of the fuel from it. We’ll quit the annihilation zone and return to the First Belt for a hundred years.

Pause

Saul. It's funny, Angels of death, they're suicides.
Dino. It's a sign!
Jacob. What sign?
Dino. Do not press the button.
Yuri. The mission?! And the people?! We must save...
Dino. I do not think so.
Jacob. Why is that?
Dino. Do not know... Probably, destroying somebody's future, you destroy your own.
Jacob. Mystic.
Sol. Yuri, and if we forget about the "gift", removing all the fuel from it?
Yuri. Will accelerate, Captain!
Jacob. What?! And the Peace Council task!?
Sol. Tasks must be performed.
Dino. Any task?
Jacob. Received. Captain, here's your first headache victim.
Dino. Nope! No headache! The session is over!
Yuri. What is the session? Dino, wake up!
Dino. Everything will be fine! We all will be fine! There is a solution, an exit from the dead-end!
Sol. Are you sure about this?
Dino. Yes, I'm sure. No headache.
Jacob. A sign?
Dino. No, dear, indication!
Sol. How much before the backward turn?
Yuri. Five hours and twenty minutes.
Dino. Friends, it doesn't matter anymore! We have an Eternity before us!
Sol. Sit calm.
Jacob. Captain, can he isolate him?
Yuri. At least tie-up?
Sol. Let's wait. Be careful. Tell me, Dino, tell me, but just be quiet.
Dino (very fast). The deadlock arose long ago, a very long time ago - the whole essence of the concept of "slave" - we and they are absolutely equivalent - a mutation...
Saul. Do not rush so, we still have time.
Dino. I'm in no hurry at all. A! Well yes. I understand, I will be slower. We and they are absolutely equal.
Jacob. We already heard it - from Zeeman. Siblings. Only one clever, and the other ...
Dino. And the other has entered a dead end.
Sol. Again a dead end?
Dino. Evolutionary! Evolutionary impasse.
Jacob. Did you come up with that yourself?
Dino. Looks like me... but that's for sure!
Jacob. Well, who would argue ...
Sol. So we are in a dead-end? Thank you. Go on.
Dino. Let's find out why each of us accepts this task.
Jacob. Start from yourself, please.
Dino. With me it was clear: did not want to stay aside. And I knew that it will be a bad business, I knew! And went voluntarily! Some falsely oriented self-denial, the primacy of mass...
Sol. Dino, where did you get this terminology?
Dino. Why you, Jacob, also clear - the spirit of the Charter.
Jacob. Spirit is more important than letters!
Dino. Who would doubt, but do not confuse the spirit with spirituality. Yurik simply: honor, trust. Yes?
Yuri. Approximately.
Dino. Though, where is an honor here, I can not imagine. But why did you, Sol, end up in our company, and even as a captain?
Yuri. Captain!
Sol. Calm down. I had the same set of reasons: trust, conscience. Charter.
Dino. And that's it?
Sol. No exactly. Still, there was something else, apparently, gene memory.
Dino. That's it! Go on1
Saul. Yes, my ancestors struggled for too long for the right to be equal, like everyone else, that I now allow to turn all of us into mentally handicapped scum! Is that what you want to hear?!
Dino. Yes! Slaves! Slavery - we entered a dead-end - long ago - they did not know slavery and will not find out...
Jacob. I Will not have enough time.
Dino. Some mutation - the center of slavery in our brain - inherited - boundless obey - not originally inherent in the human species - the constant battle of a Slave with a Man - consumes a significant part of brain resources - the regime is not optimal - they do not have - lucky - without this fight, without this center, we are equal - equal... that’s it!

Pause.

Sol. Sounds nice...
Dino. Jacob, did you participate in the crew selection - we were not picked up on the basis of fear of dependence?
Jacob. I was only involved in the compatibility selection.
Dino. But was there such an idea?
Jacob. There were a lot of ideas.
Sol. Explains the outbursts of creative activity at the beginning and end of despotic regimes. During these periods, the struggle of a person with a slave ceases due to the temporary victory of one of the parties. Resources are released. A beautiful hypothesis.
Dino. Sol - captain - is not a hypothesis!
Jacob. And even so, so what? Where is your way out? For us?
Dino. There is an exit - there must be - we will find - education - pharmacology - neurosurgery - do not know - the main thing: to get our brains out of this duel - the eternal duel of a slave with a man - children - grandchildren - catch up quickly - there is no danger of enslavement.
Yuri. Do you think we can be as smart as they are?
Dino. No doubt!
Yuri. Ah, maybe even smarter? After all, we have such a long history behind us - it should give at least some advantage, after all!
Jacob. A typical example of "dead-end thinking".
Dino. Not too cute.
Jacob. I'm fine. Tell me, please, but what will happen to those to whom all this does not work?
Dino. Why will not it work? It'll work for everyone.
Yuri. Never happen.
Jacob. Right, Yurik. And what about those who don't want to?
Dino. Does not want to be smart?
Jacob. Shoot them?
Dino. I don’t know...
Sol. Leave him alone. Better think about what we should do.
Jacob. Nothing to think about - press the button. The task must be done, and there be what will be. Maybe they'll send someone to meet us.
Dino. You can not do this! You can not! I will not let it!
Sol. Calm him down!

Sharp braking presses everyone to the chairs. Jacob still tries to reach the button.

Blackout.


Action 5


Dino. Jacob, alive?
Jacob. Unfortunately.
Dino. Pessimist! Everything going to be all right! And the headache will pass...
Jacob. Jerk! Look at the screen!

Pause

Yuri. It seems like flying back...
Jacob. "It seems"!
Yuri. Late!
Dino. Where? To the afterworld?
Yuri. You do not understand - we did not fulfill the assignment!
Sol. Is any assignment necessary to perform?
Yuri. Captain!
Dino. Sol, the headache is over?
Sol. Yep.
Dino. I see.
Jacob. What do you see? That we carry the message of slavery!

Sol and Dino are laughing.

Jacob. Both crazy.
Yuri. Well, what a turn! A little steeper and it would be a wet place left.
Dino. And we should be smeared - we deserve it.
Sol. Not smeared - meant they know the way out! The way out of the impasse. A solution for everyone!
Jacob. What does he say?
Sol. I understood - this radiation...
Dino. Squeezes a slave out of us!
Sol. How long will this treatment last?
Jacob. Do you like all this?
Yuri. I do not know. I have a headache. When it stops...
Jacob. Idiot! Then you will stop being human! Slave, not a slave - don’t care! We are what we are! We have a long history, our history!
Yuri. I do not know, I have a headache...
Dino. It'll be over soon.

Jacob jumps up and runs out.
 
Sol. Where did he go?
Dino. It hurts. You can only sympathize.

Jacob enters with a weapon in his hands.

Jacob. Sympathize with yourself, a free man. I am not in need of it, I also found a way out of the impasse.
Sol. Put your weapons down! Now!
Jacob. No, you're no longer a captain! Captain's order I would perform automatically. So there's no captain in you. And human too! To be a captain you must be able to dominate and want to rule! You understand, want! Do not move - I'll kill you!
Yuri. Please, Dino, he will kill!
Jacob. Look! Yurik is still a man. He understands that I will kill. You're not able to do that, believe him. Here's the way out of the impasse! Clever! You're defenseless and stupid, like kids! All of you! What with the fact that you can not be intimidated when you can be easily destroyed? Yurik, do you realize that my hands will not falter?
Yuri. I do.
Jacob. Goodman! These do not count - they are not human. Do not move! Remember, I'll shoot accurately, the ship will not suffer - you know my hand. With their turn, these "smarts" saved our fuel. Yuri, check, do we will have enough fuel for the returning... Yes, we are afraid, but this fear makes us stronger! Makes us human. We are always in the struggle and the external struggle is nourishing the internal. Without this, we would have long since decayed, or someone would have devoured us. Yes, the same mosquitoes!
Dino. Mosquitoes can be scared off.
Jacob. And if they will not get scared? No, the mosquito sitting on your forehead needs to be crushed! Give everybody the possibility to know who is who! What, slave psychology?
Yuri. We have enough. We don’t even need to take anything from the "gift".
Jacob. Wonderful, send the "gift". Press the button, Yurik!

Sol and Dino. No !!!

They rush to Yuri. Jacob's shooting. Saul and Dino are falling.

Pause
 
Yuri. What have you done!
Jacob. Press the button, Yurik!
Yuri. You're a murderer! Murderer!!
Jacob. Wake up, the bullets are paralyzing. Convinced? Then press the button, Yuri. Press it. Good job! Now let's put this superhuman... Just like that… When they come to their senses, they will be as they were before the radiation... Or maybe not... Come on,  let's go home.
Yuri. What will they say when they come to their senses?
Jacob. Who cares!

Blackout.


Action 6

Everybody is in their seats.

Jacob. Sol, tell me, why we’re coming back?
Sol. You still don't understand?
Jacob. Well, we, four of us, now can do a lot, but it's still a drop in the ocean.
Dino. Don’t tell me.
Yuri. We must to reveal the truth - if we are allowed to do this...
Jacob. One of two things will happen: either they will not believe us - then we face a madhouse. Or they will believe - then me...
Sol. Anyone else in your place would act exactly the same. They will understand you.
Jacob. But will not forgive!
Dino. We all have no forgiveness.

Pause

Yuri. That's what I do not understand: why did not the radiation cease after we send our "gift"?
Sol. Don’t know, but the recreation of its generator is our goal of return.
Dino. If they will listen to us. Remember Jacob: "A slave, not a slave..."
Jacob. So what, keep quiet? Flew, bombed, flew back?
Yuri. We have changed.
Sol. Four of us will have to start working. We must come up with a reason for seclusion...
Jacob. I think, nobody will especially try to achieve our society.
Dino. That's for sure.
Yuri. You have to cheat.
Sol. It's not going to be easy.
Dino. We will manage... captain!
Sol. Exactly, forget "Sol".
Yuri. Communication!
Sol. Already? Take it.
Jacob. Do not rush!

Pause

Voice. Station-275 of the First Belt calls Perseus-37, station...
Sol. Perseus-37 to Station-275...
Voice. Welcome back! Is everything all right?
Sol. It's okay. Mission accomplished. What’s new?
Voice. Nothing. That's just...  On our station, and on neighboring, some strange phenomenon. Imagine, one day everyone had a headache. Everybody! Continuous! Severe headache! Can you imagine?! Who can withstand it?!

Blackout.

The End.