The Adventure Begins - III E-Book

Suzann Dodd

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Fantasy und Science-Fiction
• Sprache: Englisch
• Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2022

Beschreibung

The Applewhyte has been lost for eleven Earth years.  It missed the war, and defeat of all human occupied planets.   Unaware of events, a message is sent to the Supreme Military Command which, of course, is received not by humans but ZerShaz.

Leseprobe

Suzann Dodd

The Adventure Begins - III

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

To Catch the Conscience

TO CATCH THE CONSCIENCE

PALLA STAVOGAMIER

The first rough showing of my presentation. The actors, the crew, Tony, a few odds and ends of reporters and other media mouths in the small studio theatre.

I was accustomed to it, but had to play a neonate, for I was not mega Palla Stavo but neonate Paula Sign.  The anxiety was the same.

Now it begins; 

A dark screen, credits in corners, the sound of a symphony moving suddenly perceived, getting louder, bringing us into the ballet.

The dancing is exquisite, captivating, the shadows of the dancers suggesting the image of an erssavi, this side of subliminal, reflected in the backdrop.  

The final chord, a scan of the audience which watched the ballet, famous faces, on their feet, applauding, the usual gifts of flowers, as credits continue to flash.   The beginning of my production starts with the ending of the ballet.

Now, backstage, the title; "UNHAPPENING", which turns transparent, disappearing amid the bustle. Yuri's voice, a dull hum, which replaces music, becoming distinct.

There's a great deal of action in the dressingroom, none of it important, but it is shot as if it is part of the ballet. Almost the same camera angles, length of image.

Within this constant movement slowed to flow, the characters leave the theatre for the Hotel. Risa sits between an animated Yuri and a stage manager, so very fragile she could be a doll. In her too fussy dress, her hair still in it's tight bun, her silence and stiff posture, so tiny she is eclipsed.

I glance to this audience, they are engrossed, caught in Risa's delicate position appearing a woman exploited by Yuri, who saw her as a commodity. It was an image I had painstakingly drawn, for Risa must be perceived as needing protection.

I turn back to the screen, arrival at the hotel, noises, movement when finally, silence crashes as Risa enters her dark room, shadows carrying the motif. She undresses for bed, hanging her clothing as a dear little girl. She is now naked, we feel we should not look.

I skimmed the audience, did they feel utterly lewd looking at the naked 'child?'

Now, to substance. The morning in the dining room. The cameos were rapid, everyone there, the cacophony of voices, shapes, colours, my audience emitting casual titters in recognition.

Risa's entrance to the dining room applauded, she makes a tiny smile, shy we think. Then; as the image of their hideous predatory ship had scraped the beauty of Beta Mar, so did the entrance of the Zerks.

The diningroom had been a riot of colours, the wall paper, the flowers, table cloths, the draperies and paintings, the people garbed in every colour and style to dazzle.  The drabness of the Zees in their dull uniforms, their frozen miens, impacted with crashing silence, the stagnant moments jarring in intensity.

The expression on Risa's face--

I had told Beth and she was fully agreed. No one was to see the Zerks until this moment. We had rehearsed, we had shot the footage we would use, blocking the scene with uncostumed humans, to get the angles. Now, it would be real.

When the Zerks enter the diningroom is a true 'first' for both.

A camera had been focused on 'Risa's' face and recording begun before the scene called. I could tell the exact second when our 'set shot' became real.

I knew the Zees had entered by her eyes, for my libidinous 'innocent' was undressing them.

It is part of our art that one is not to reveal one's cuts, not to permit the switch between takes to be perceived. Ancient 2D 'movies' were clumsy, so obvious in their stoppage of motion it was almost impossible to watch them. Modern 2D productions do not have the same pauses, so no one, save I, could see where a canned facial cast was morphed into a genuine one.

The conversion might be too great for I could tell the pico-second she saw them. Perhaps I must have that cut reworked?  I look about the audience, no one else seemed to discern. They were engrossed, staring, seeing 'them' for the first.

Now we obtain close-ups of a Zee face.

'So that is how they really look', I can feel the audience say, examining how their skin is textured, yet how smooth, how their eyes are so large, the pupil elliptic; the otherness magnified in that long seven second hold.

The voice of Yuri rents the silence, conversations begin in lowered tone, a touch of fear, but Risa is not part of them and it is clear by her expression.

The scenes of the Zees play perfect, for they were completely real. The Zerks had been told to visit this restaurant and this scene was no different for them than all the other times they attended a human venue.

Tony had privately informed me that their conversation was utterly natural. They had no idea they were starring in a filmed presentation.

These seven Zerks had been on Beta Mar before. In a clubs, restaurants, this was one of the purposes of their 'visits;' to learn our customs, to enjoy our culture.

I watched them behave in their 'usual' manner which suggested they were alone in the room. Yet, the slip of 'Sven's' eyes away, the focus of Risa obvious -- perhaps too obvious?

I waited, counting the seconds until Risa rises, leaves the diningroom, conversations continue. Then my million credit scene.

It played real, one would believe it, believe this Sven captivated.

Risa at first seemed the prey, then, the predator. Her eyes are lustful, one can see the change, jarring, deliberate, as innocence flashes from her to him, for he is the one being seduced.

Is it clear enough? Does the audience see this?

Abruptly, Yuri's entrance, Risa's laugh.  Oh, what an ugly sound that laugh, and her face, with the canines exposed, almost a vampire. Then her gallop up the stairs, leaving Yuri and Sven.

Do Yuri's eyes warn? I can see his emotions moving from worry at another young man seduced by the vampire, to fear of the Monster, and retreat.

And there is my 'Sven' in pause.  The bewilderment on his face as he moves from the lobby is real. He had been told the Sakari had summoned, had entered to see no one but Risa, heard her laugh, and uncomprehending, (a voice off screen ordered him to go through the door) to the seashore.

The expression on 'Sven's' face suggests tragedy. (He had been told his goddess awaited, now realises it was untrue).A human actor in costume does the death scene, morphed into him.

As the credits rolled the screen, the movement of the flyer over the body of Sven, we hear Yuri castigating Risa. It is clear she has often begun affairs with innocent young men and hurt them, he warns her of the danger of doing this with a Zerk.

My presentation now ends.