ANNOUNCER :

More electronic pips

From a dead silence - we hear the unnatural voice of Doctor MARY GODWIN, late thirties

MARY : You are now about to experience the most significant application of technology since the printing press. Ladies and Gentlemen - Welcome to the World of Virtual Reality ...

Bring up a Tropical Desert Island. We hear exotic bird-calls, the surreal cries of strange animals and waves gently lapping golden sand

MARY : Isn't it beautiful ? And if you turn and look to the West, you'll see the rising of the silver sun. Let's sit and rest a moment, shall we ? And now for another miracle - reach out and pick up a handful of sand. Yes, you can feel it, can't you ? You can feel it and it looks so real. Look closer ... closer and closer, worlds within worlds, seeing the world in a grain of sand. From sand we make silicon and from silicon we create the brain of a computer. As you can now see, that brain will take us into worlds even William Blake couldn't imagine...

The breeze suddenly builds to a strong wind

MARY : Please don't be alarmed. Remember ...

The wind rapidly builds to a howling storm

MARY : ... this is only illusion, the world in a grain of silicon. With silicon we mingle ...

The sky answers with a bolt of lightning & a crash of thunder

MARY : Electricity ! The primeval Life-force!

Another terrifying crash of thunder & lightning - a few screams are heard from another world. MARY chuckles

MARY : I think it's time we returned to reality.

The howling storm immediately cuts to ...

... the gentle breeze & tropical sea

MARY : Thank you, ladies and gentlemen - that concludes our first program in cyberspace ...

Effects dissolve to silence:

MARY : ... you may now remove your headsets.

Change of acoustic:

Press Conference. For a moment, the dozen or so journalists are spell-bound. They then burst into applause. MARY acknowledges this with her now normal voice, slightly amplified

MARY : Thank you. Science-fiction writers have long predicted this kind of technology, but now, ladies and gentlemen, as you've just seen, fantasy has become fact. I will now take questions...

MICHAEL : Michael Adams, ITN - Doctor Godwin, could you please explain a little more how it actually works ?

MARY : Certainly. If you examine the headset, you'll see two small screens - one for each eye. These provide the stereoscopic vision. The addition of digitised stereo sound is, of course, relatively simple. The real complexity is in the creation of the interactive three-dimensional sprites which are directly accessed from-

REG : Hang on, hang on, love - Reg Marmaduke, Daily Mirror. Just keep it simple, eh ?

MARY : It means that when you move your head, the objects move - just like in real life and the touch sensitive data-glove enables you to feel and pick up any of these objects. Like you did with the sand.

SALLY : These objects - could they be people?

MARY : Of course. As far as the computer's concerned, people are just data.

SALLY : You mean, on that island, I could be with Leonardo DiCaprio?

MARY : You could be with whoever you want, wherever you want. Anywhere, any dream, any fantasy ...

SALLY : My God, how much will this thing cost?

MARY : At the moment, a small fortune. High definition images need a massively powerful computer. But in five, ten years ... perhaps the price of a television set.

SALLY : I only hope I'm not too old to enjoy it...

MARY : You won't be.

PETER : Peter Holstein - the Guardian. Dr Godwin, isn't all this a bit Brave New World ? "Feelies", and all that ...

MARY : We are sensitive to such dangers, Mr Holstein.

PETER : Yes, but who decides what dreams we dream? Correct me if I'm wrong, but aren't ICN's interests primarily in weapon technology?

MARY : The world is changing. Weapon systems generate increasingly less profit. We believe the primary profit engine of the 21st Century will be the entertainment industry, not the military. Now if we can perhaps -

Abruptly cut - we have been listening to a video recording. We are now in-

Board Room Meeting. PATRICK CUNNINGHAM, English, forties, Senior Research Director of ICN (UK), turns to MARY, pleased

PATRICK : Well done, Mary, a first-class presentation.

MARY : Thank you, Patrick.

WERNER GALLWITZ, forties, German:

WERNER : Excellent, Mary. Our Marketing people are particularly impressed.

PATRICK : And so they should be. You're very quiet, Arnie?

ARNIE GOLDHORN, thirties, American

ARNIE : ... hm ? Sorry ?

PATRICK : The Press Conference ...

ARNIE : Oh, that ...

PATRICK : Well ?

ARNIE : Yeh, sure, it went okay ... a little sober for my taste, but I suppose this being England - don't want to scare too many horses, do we?

PATRICK : Precisely.

ARNIE : Can I go now ?

PATRICK : No, you may not.

ARNIE : Patrick, I have work -

PATRICK : Sit down, Arnie. This does concern you. Professor Corbier ...

MARCEL CORBIER, forties, French

CORBIER : Thank you, Director. It is not all good news, I regret. There seems to be an increasing ... unease among certain opinion-makers, politicians, and so forth, that our aims are not - well, how shall we say ? Not in the public interest. In essence, they fear Virtual Reality will cause a significant degeneration of social skills...

ARNIE : ... what ?

CORBIER : ... particularly among the young.

ARNIE chuckles

ARNIE : You mean like rock 'n' roll ? Or television?

MARY : I don't think we can risk complacency, Arnie.

ARNIE : Who's complacent ? I just -

CORBIER : There is considerable psychiatric evidence-

ARNIE : Aw, come on, all shrinks are fruit-cakes, everyone-

CORBIER : They advise powerful people, Arnie. The Government is most concerned.

ARNIE : What they gonna do ? Suppress it ? Close us down?

PATRICK : They might try ...

ARNIE : Dream on ... no way. Okay - even if they did, we simply move operations - New York, Paris, Berlin, that's cool.

PATRICK : Arnie ...

ARNIE : So where's the problem ?

PATRICK : A little circumspection, a little sensitivity, that's all we ask. Got it?

ARNIE : Yeh, I got it.

PATRICK : Good. Well on that note, I think we can adjourn for lunch. Thank you.

As the meeting breaks up, ARNIE approaches MARY:

ARNIE : Oh, Mary ...

MARY : Yes ?

ARNIE : I, er ... I feel real sorry I didn't make it last night-

MARY : So you should be.

ARNIE : Yeh, well ... so what about tomorrow ? I was hoping we could-

MARY : I'm afraid not.

ARNIE : Aw, come on ... I was working - you know what it's like.

MARY : Arnie, I can't.

ARNIE : Can't or won't ?

MARY : Can't. I'm driving down to my daughter's school. We're spending a few days at the sea-side.

(FADE)

Sea-shore. A solitary gull cries plaintively, waves crash on shingle. We then hear AMY, fourteen:

AMY : Daddy saw you on television ...

MARY : ... did he ?

AMY : He came up last weekend. With a new girlfriend.

MARY : ... oh, yes ?

AMY : She's nice. They took me to the ballet, then for a meal. It was wonderful.

MARY : Amy - I came to see you, not to talk about your father.

AMY : So what do we talk about?

MARY : Well, you still haven't told me how you're getting on at school ...

AMY : Mother !

MARY : It's important, Amy !

AMY : I know it's important ! I just get sick of everyone-

MARY : Yes, all right - I'm sorry. I said, I'm sorry.

Pause. Change of mood

AMY : Isn't it beautiful ?

MARY : ... hm ?

AMY : The sea. Beautiful. Powerful. Don't you feel it?

MARY : You're such a romantic ...

AMY : It makes me feel real. What makes you feel real, mother?

MARY : What kind of question - ?

AMY : I don't know why you bothered. You're not here, you're not with me-

MARY : Amy -

AMY : - you're back there, you're still back there - your head choked full of numbers ! Daddy says you're -

MARY : Oh, I see. Your father's been -

AMY : No, listen ! Please listen. He still loves you. It's true, he does, only ... Well, I finally asked him why he left-

MARY : You had no right -

AMY : I had every right ! I am involved too you know - or have you forgotten that as well?

MARY : That's not fair - Amy, there are some things you're simply too young to understand. But please remember you're more precious to me than-

AMY : Don't touch me. I am not a child. He said ... he said he could've handled your having an affair, but how could he compete with a computer?

MARY chuckles sadly

AMY : I don't want to hurt you, but ... well, Daddy ... Daddy thinks you're sick, sick and obsessed.

MARY : Does he indeed ? Well, bully for him. Come on, we'd better be getting back.

AMY : Why won't you listen? Why don't you ever listen?

MARY : Amy ... if I were a man, I'd be regarded as ambitious, dynamic, ruthless even. But I'd still be admired. That's the way of the world, darling. And if your father chooses to caricature me as sick and obsessed, that's his problem, not mine. Now, can we please go back ? ... Amy?

AMY :... go to hell ...

FADE

ICN Research HQ - MARY & ARNIE in bed

MARY : ... she's half-child and half-woman, and I can't seem to relate to either.

ARNIE : Well she's had a tough time, you can't blame her for being angry.

MARY : I don't. I blame myself. I should've spent more time with her, explained things better.

ARNIE : You did what you could. You paid a fortune to get her into that fancy school-

MARY : Not the point.

ARNIE : Okay, so what's her lousy father ever done ? A few trips out, big deal. Aw, come on, Mary - she'll get over it. Kids are a lot tougher than we think. And you carrying a whole weight of guilt's not gonna help anyone.

As MARY gets out of bed

MARY : ... spare me the analysis.

ARNIE : Where you going ?

MARY : Back to my room.

ARNIE : Hey, relax ... I didn't mean to -

MARY : Yes, I know - but I still have work to do.

ARNIE : You haven't seen my latest miracle.

MARY : ... tomorrow ...

ARNIE gets out of bed, goes to a computer terminal

ARNIE : But I've created a new icon ... an entirely new character!

MARY : ... tomorrow, Arnie ...

ARNIE : Won't take long ...

Electronic pips, followed by a dull hum as ARNIE boots up his computer terminal

ARNIE : ... I scanned her from an old Hollywood movie. Mary, I used the new Cray ! It's incredibly powerful - the resolution's near perfect. And the voice-

MARY : I'm sorry, Arnie - it'll have to wait.

CLEAN OUT

Board Room Meeting. Bring up CORBIER

CORBIER : ... Doctor Godwin, this is all very worthy, but is it sufficiently commercial?

MARY : When television was first introduced, Professor Corbier, people were enchanted by a goldfish bowl. I think the experience of walking on the Moon is significantly more engaging.

PATRICK : It does seem to lack a little drama...

MARY : Patrick - that vision of Earth floating in Space is probably the primary archetype of the century!

CORBIER : But yes, I agree, only -

MARY : If I might continue ...

CORBIER : ... forgive me ...

MARY : I propose we end this Moon sequence with evidence of an alien civilisation...

PATRICK : ... ah ...

MARY : Then - in future modules - we can follow a scenario similar to that of the Sixties film "2001".

WERNER : Good, that is good. But I still think we need rather more action.

PATRICK : Quite. Something a little more "sexy", perhaps ?

MARY : ... sexy ?

WERNER : With all this fantastic new technology, surely we can be a little more adventurous?

CORBIER : Maybe some kind of Moon-monster ?

MARY : ... a what ?

CORBIER : Like what you say, an octopus. Huge, writhing tentacles which threaten-

MARY : ... cheap sensationalism.

WERNER : There is a saying ... Nobody ever went broke-

MARY : We don't need B-movie monsters!

PATRICK : Everyone enjoys a fantasy, Mary - especially politicians.

MARY : I thought I had your support on this?

PATRICK : What does Arnie have to say ? And why the hell isn't he here?

(CLEAN OUT)

A high-pitched, squeaky VOICE

VOICE : ... Hello, Arnie ...

same VOICE - low, base pitch - very slow

" " : ... Hel ... lo ... Ar ... nie ...

Same VOICE, now properly "tuned" - slinky, sexy - Marilyn Monroe

MARILYN : Hello, Arnie ...

Fade up gently splashing water

ARNIE : Hi, Marilyn ... Say, you look terrific.

MARILYN : Yourself is not so bad, big boy.

ARNIE chuckles with delight, splashing his bathwater

MARILYN : Do you really think I should be permitted your bathroom?

ARNIE : I was hoping you might soap my back ...

The VOICE falls into a rapid "loop"

MARILYN : ... soap your back ... soap your back ... soap your -

ARNIE : Damn !

Double-pulse electronic pips

MARILYN :... soap your back ? But Arnie, my clothes all wet they become.

ARNIE : So take them off ...

MARILYN : ... take them off ?

ARNIE : Take them off.

MARILYN : Think I should really ?

ARNIE : You bet.

MARILYN : Oh, well ... if what you like is that...

ARNIE : ... that's what I'd like ..

MARILYN giggles

MARILYN : ... okay ...

ARNIE sighs contentedly

What shall I - ?

Another VOICE - female, stern, metallic

VOICE :Virtual Reality Mode 7 is terminated.

Silence

ARNIE : ... eh ? What's going on ? I didn't-

Special acoustic - we hear MARY

MARY : I did. I want you back on Earth, Arnie - now!

ARNIE sighs:

ARNIE : ... okay, okay ... Computer - quit Mode 7.

Electronic pips - then normal acoustic

ARNIE : Look, what is this ? I was -

MARY : Yes, Arnie ? You were what ?

ARNIE : Well ... experimenting ...

MARY : ... with Marilyn Monroe ?

ARNIE : Hey - you recognised her ! Pretty good, hm ? Didn't I tell you ? And the voice - it's goddam near perfect!

MARY : My concern was more for the situation.

ARNIE : Oh, that. Yeh well, it's only -

MARY : You know our Directive on pornography -

ARNIE : Taking a bath with Marilyn Monroe is hardly pornographic. Erotic maybe, but -

MARY : You're out of order, Arnie.

ARNIE : A bit of fun, that's all.

MARY : ... fun ?

ARNIE : It's only a data-image ! A goddam cartoon!

MARY : And what happens when the image becomes more and more real?

ARNIE chuckles

ARNIE : Now there you hit it - an entirely new ball-game - if you'll excuse a vulgar pun.

MARY : This is serious, Arnie !

ARNIE : Aw, come on ...

MARY : Don't touch me ! Marilyn Monroe's a real person, you can't just -

ARNIE : ... was ...

MARY : What ?

ARNIE : She's dead -

MARY : I'm perfectly aware she's - what difference does-?

ARNIE : - no copyright, no libel, no royalties -

MARY : Jesus ! Just where do you draw the line?

ARNIE : She's a Hollywood icon. That makes her public property. Mary - plenty movies show pretty girls taking a bath. If the movies can do it, why can't we?

MARY : In a movie, you don't climb in the tub.

ARNIE : So what's so terrible about sharing a bath ? A lot of people will pay a lot of money for that. And even if we did go to the limit-

MARY : Arnie ...

ARNIE : No, no, even if we did ... think about it - you can't catch AIDS from a database.

MARY : You're serious ?

ARNIE : Sure I'm serious.

MARY : That is the most -

ARNIE : Mary ...