2035
BLUE SKY
May 5th. 2035.
[A SHIP HORN SOUNDS]
[QUICK STEPS, A CANE CLACKING ON A CORRIDOR FLOOR]
[A CLICK OFF A COMM]
CLIVE
Pam? Pam. Pam!
[NO ANSWER]
CLIVE
Dr Jennings! Cardiac arrest on the retail deck!
[OVER THE COMM, A THROAT IS CLEARED, GENERAL KERFUFFLE]
PAMELA
[panicked] What! Where? I’m here, I’m here!
CLIVE
And where is here?
PAMELA
Clive. Oh… Fuck.
CLIVE
Where are you?
PAMELA
I’m… actually, I don’t know. Lots of sand. Some plastic guy in a lot of eyeliner is looking at me like I owe him money. Is there actually a cardiac arrest going on?
CLIVE
No. And that’s the Pharoah. You’re in The Mighty Sphinx. That’s the other side of the ship, Pam! She’s already landing, you’re supposed to be here.
PAMELA
I think it’s best for everyone, if I skip the meet and greet.
CLIVE
I told you I wanted you to be there, Pam. You’re the chief cryonicist. You’re technically the most important person on the vessel.
PAMELA
Ah! I’d like that in writing.
CLIVE
Pam it’s 11am. Right. I don’t care if you have a drinking problem, can you just make it less visible?
PAMELA
You have a visible drinking problem.
CLIVE
I’m allowed to have a visible drinking problem. I don’t have tovitrify anyone’s corporeal remains.
PAMELA
I’m gonna go. Say hi to the boss from me.
CLIVE
We’ll find you later.
PAMELA
It’s a big ship. Goodnight.
CLIVE
It’s 11am!
TOMAS
Good morning, sir.
CLIVE
Tomas!
TOMAS
Your guest has landed, sir. The rotors on the helicopter are just slowing. You may want to wait a moment.
CLIVE
Nope.
TOMAS
Very good, sir.
CLIVE
You looking forward to Rio, Tomas?
TOMAS
Absolutely, sir.
CLIVE
Beautiful girls.
TOMAS
Yes, sir.
[TOMAS OPENS A DOOR]
[THE ROAR OF A HELICOPTER’S CUT ENGINE FADING]
[THE SOUND OF THE OCEAN IN THE DISTANCE]
[A HELICOPTER ENGINE FADES AWAY]
[TAPPING FROM CLIVE’S CANE]
CLIVE
Rebecca! Welcome aboard the Aloha Eternity.
REBECCA
I didn’t expect you to greet me, Clive, I assume your head is needed to anchor the ship.
[REBECCA DOESN’T BREAK HER STRIDE]
CLIVE
How was your journey?
REBECCA
Less luxurious than yours but a good deal more tasteful, I expect. The all in white is a little much, isn’t it? With the hat and the cane? Just work on the little beard and you’ll be Richard Attenborough in Jurassic Park.
CLIVE
Can’t pretend that’s not what I’m going for. And trust me you’ll see some dinosaurs by the end of the day. Speaking of which, where’s Malcolm?
REBECCA
It took more effort than I care to share to convince my father not to come.
CLIVE
Then why wouldn’t you let him? This is everything he ever he wanted -
REBECCA
If I left you two together for 20 minutes, he’d sign the company away, blow his estate on one of your lap dancers until his heart exploded and he’d be in one of your second rate cryopods by morning.
CLIVE
But he would’ve had a hell of a night. Right. In we go.
[THEY REACH THE DOOR AND HEAD INSIDE - AS THE DOOR CLOSES A TANNOY KICKS IN]
[THE HANDSOME VOICE OF THE FOUNDER OF THE ALOHA ETERNITY, SEBASTIAN BEDFORD]
BEDFORD
Welcome aboard the Aloha Eternity. Getting a few extra stops in before life’s ultimate destination.
REBECCA
Jesus. Tell me you didn’t have that playing just for me.
CLIVE
That’s Sebastian Bedford himself, the founder of this great enterprise. Invented the idea while on a cruise with his family exploring the fjords of Norway in the noughties. He voices all the robots on the ship.
REBECCA
How quaint. Is he dead yet?
CLIVE
Nah. We’re picking him up in Cuba in a couple of weeks.
REBECCA
Good chance he is then. I hear the insurgents there are -
CLIVE
Ay yay yay. Leave reality where it belongs, outside. On that topic, I hope you brought something more fun to wear, the fatigues are a bit too real world, you know. The clientele pay us to escape exactly that.
REBECCA
So sorry.
[CLIVE SNAPS HIS FINGERS]
CLIVE
Tomas!
TOMAS
Yes, sir.
CLIVE
Tomas here will take you to your cabin. Get yourself settled in and I’ll meet you in the Thirsty Burger for cocktails, right. Deck 7.
REBECCA
We have important things to discuss, Clive.
CLIVE
Ergo, cocktails. Aloha!
[CLIVE DEPARTS]
REBECCA
Tosser.
TOMAS
It’s Tomas, Madam.
[A CHEESY HOUSE BAND PLAYS WHILE ELDERLY DRINKERS CHATTER AND GUFFAW]
[THE FORCED LAUGHTER OF YOUNG NUBILE WAITRESSES AND TABLE DANCERS ENDURING ANOTHER DAY AT THE OFFICE]
CLIVE
I like to sit at the bar, do you mind if we sit at the bar?
REBECCA
The bar is fine.
[CLIVE BANGS A HAND DOWN]
CLIVE
The bar is fine! Sophia! My love!
SOPHIA
[in an Eastern European accent] Good afternoon, Mr Schill.
CLIVE
Old Fashioneds?
REBECCA
I’ll have a gin and tonic, thank you.
CLIVE
Two Old Fashioneds.
REBECCA
[annoyed] I said a gin and fucking tonic!
CLIVE
I know! The Old Fashioneds are for me.
REBECCA
Oh.
SOPHIA
I’ll have your drinks sent over in a moment.
REBECCA
Sorry.
SOPHIA
No worries.
[SOPHIA DEPARTS]
CLIVE
Rebecca, you seem stressed.
REBECCA
The world’s on fire, Clive, everyone is stressed. What are those?
CLIVE
I mean… that’s just objectively not true. Sophia, you stressed?
SOPHIA
[faintly] Too blessed to be stressed, boss!
REBECCA
What are you taking? Are those Eterniteze?
CLIVE
Yeah.
REBECCA
Clive, for God’s sake. You take them recreationally?
CLIVE
Eterniteze is great for many things. Wiring your brain for hypersleep, reducing anxiety, and just taking the edge off this crummy world. Everyone here takes it. Look around you, you see stress in these people?
REBECCA
I see… Jesus, is that a table dancer? It’s the middle of the day.
CLIVE
She’s normally dancing on the bar, I asked her to move for you.
REBECCA
That’s so sweet. Clive, can we please get on with -
CLIVE
You came all this way. Can we just… Hakuna Matata for 5 minutes, right? Olives? Here’s a Bedford Bot.
REBECCA
What is a Bedford Bo - ah!
[SHE RECOILS AS THE WHIRR OF A DRONE REACHES THEM AT THE BAR]
BEDFORD BOT
[in Sebastian Bedford’s voice] Aloha! Would anyone like olives?
[WITH A HURRIED CLINK OF HER HAND ON GLASS REBECCA TAKES SOME OLIVES]
REBECCA
Yes. Fine. Olives. Make it go away.
CLIVE
Thank you, Bedford Bot.
BEDFORD BOT
You’re so welcome! Aloha!
[WITHOUT FURTHER ADO THE DRONE LEAVES AND FLIES TO ANOTHER CUSTOMER]
[ABOVE THE HUBBUB CAN BE HEARD ANOTHER IDENTICAL ANNOUNCEMENT OF ‘ALOHA!’]
CLIVE
Like I was saying, look around you. All of these people were staring down the barrel of death. They chose to spend the time they had left having fun. They eat, drink, dance, gamble, say something inadvertently/openly racist every now and then, hump each other to sleep, then do it all again the next day -
REBECCA
Hump?
CLIVE
You know what the biggest stress of my life is? Chlamydia. The sexual health nurses are the busiest people on the ship.
REBECCA
Jesus wept.
CLIVE
Their names are Chloe and Lydia as well, you couldn’t make it up.
REBECCA
So, how does all this work?
CLIVE
Ah well, you’ve joined us on one of the most highly sought after legs of the cruise, the South American coast. 183 guests at present. All with various ailments. Back third of the ship is entirely medical wing. We give them whatever they need to keep the party going as long as they want, along with the Eterniteze drug that makes them neurologically… pliant, ahead of the Kontinue process. When the fat lady sings, Pamela Jennings and her cryo team jump in and do the business.
REBECCA
How many guests do you have in cryonic storage right now?
CLIVE
Just four. They’ll be collected and flown to the storage site in Miami when we hit five. Two of them agreed to be on public exhibition in the Bedford Hall of Eternity on Deck 4. We can go see them if you like.
REBECCA
I do not like. Where’s that drink?
CLIVE
Now, that is the spirit!
[ANOTHER DRONE WHIRRS IN WITH THE DRINKS]
BEDFORD BOT
Aloha! I’m bringing drinks!
REBECCA
Jesus.
[THEY TAKE THEIR DRINKS OFF THE FLOATING TRAY WHICH THEN WHIZZES OFF]
REBECCA
Dancing girls, flying robots serving drinks, weird looking house band… Forget Jurassic Park, this is Jabba the Hutt’s sailing barge.
CLIVE
And I suppose I’m Jabba.
REBECCA
No… there’s a distressingly plump and clammy old man in the corner staring at me and licking his lips that I’m thinking about strangling with a chain actually.
CLIVE
Oh, oh tha - that’s Melvyn. He’s lovely.
REBECCA
I’m sure.
[PAUSE]
CLIVE
Umm… Actually Rebecca… I don’t… I don’t want to hurt your feelings, but I’m not convinced that’s a look of lust.
REBECCA
What do you -
CLIVE
Sophia, hey, hey. You might want to get near the big red button.
SOPHIA
I’ve already called the cryo team, Mr Schill.
CLIVE
Course you have. Bloody pros the lot of you.
REBECCA
What’s going on?
CLIVE
Fantastic timing. Couldn’t be better.
[THERE IS A HUBBUB AROUND THE BAR AS PEOPLE START TO NOTICE WHAT’S GOING ON]
OLD 1
[excited] Ooh look, it must be Melvyn’s time.
OLD 2
I thought there was something. Go on Melvyn!
REBECCA
Christ, he’s not -
CLIVE
He’s having a heart attack, yeah. Everyone’s got a little wristband on. If their vitals get in the red it alerts the cryo team - oh Sophia, I think… I think he’s going to slump -
[SOPHIA RUNS OVER TO MELVYN]
SOPHIA
It’s ok, it’s ok, I got it, I got it.
OLD 3
Go on Melvyn!
REBECCA
We need to help the poor man!
CLIVE
You wanted to strangle him 30 seconds ago. Drink your drink.
[THE DOORS OPEN WITH A BANG AS A GROUP OF PEOPLE ENTER WITH A VARIETY OF EQUIPMENT, TROLLEYS ETC]
[OVER THE NEXT 30 SECONDS, GLASSES ARE PUMPED, FEET BEGIN TO STAMP, A CHANT OF MELVYN’S NAME STARTS TO BUILD]
CLIVE
Here they are. In the corner!
PAMELA
Thanks Clive!
REBECCA
Is that Pam?
CLIVE
The one and only.
REBECCA
Why’s she wearing sunglasses indoors?
CLIVE
Slave to fashion.
OLDS
Mel-vyn! Mel-vyn! Mel-vyn!
REBECCA
What the hell is happening?
CLIVE
I wanted you to see this, I’m so glad it’s happened. Icing on the cake. How we doing Dr Jennings?
PAMELA
Two thumbs up!
OLDS
Mel-vyn! Mel-vyn! Mel-vyn!
CLIVE
Sophia, I’m hitting the button!
SOPHIA
Go ahead!
CLIVE
It’s normally your job, are you sure?
SOPHIA
Take it away, boss!
OLDS
Mel-vyn! Mel-vyn! Mel-vyn!
CLIVE
What am I thinking, Rebecca, do you want to hit the button? It’s just on the other side of the bar there.
REBECCA
What’s the big red button do?
CLIVE
Time for the fat lady to sing.
REBECCA
What?
CLIVE
You snooze you lose!
[CLIVE SMACKS THE BUTTON]
[OVER THE TANNOY A TINNY DRUM ROLL, THEN HAPPY DEATH DAY, SUNG BY SEBASTIAN BEDFORD, PLAYS]
[THE WHOLE ROOM SINGS ALONG, CHEERING]
ALL
[singing] Happy death day to you. Happy death day to you. Happy death day dear Melvin. Happy death day to you.
[LAUGHTER]
CLIVE
Ah Melvyn. He’ll be gutted he missed out on Rio.
REBECCA
I’ll take that other Old Fashioned please.
[CUT]
[THE DOOR TO A GALLERY OPENS, REBECCA’S HEELS ECHOING ON THE MARBLE FLOOR]
[A MOMENT LATER CLIVE’S FOOTSTEPS AND CANE FOLLOW]
REBECCA
[slightly drunk] Holy shit, Clive. You said you had a gallery, I didn’t think…
CLIVE
I told you, it’s not all fall -of-the-Roman-Empire orgies and vomitoriums.
REBECCA
This is incredible.
CLIVE
Although there is a toga party in the bingo hall last Friday of the month that goes downhill pretty fast.
REBECCA
Are these originals?
CLIVE
In the morning, it smells like a farmer’s market, I can’t even go on that deck…
REBECCA
Clive!
CLIVE
Yes, yes. It’s Bedford’s private collection. He wanted to share it with the world. By which I presume he means, obscenely wealthy old white people. There’s supposed to be music, now… where’s the music?
[CLIVE GOES TO A WALL AND PRESSES BUTTONS, STARTING CLASSICAL MUSIC]
[REBECCA AND CLIVE WALK IN SILENCE FOR A MOMENT]
REBECCA
Clive, I’m here to congratulate you on securing the Kontinue investment made by the Venezuelan government, things are looking very encouraging with the Argentinians and Columbians, and to wish you every success ahead of tomorrow’s meeting with President Macedo in Rio.
CLIVE
All of which you could’ve done via passive aggressive email. So, why are you really here, Becky?
REBECCA
I’ve had reports that Wilkins is interested in sitting down with us.
CLIVE
Shit, really?
REBECCA
Which has led to whispers that Bernard might be considering as well. Even heard rumblings from the Germans.
CLIVE
This is incredible!
REBECCA
[unenthused] Yes. Very incredible.
CLIVE
So, why are you miserable?
REBECCA
Clive, I want you to consider slowing down.
CLIVE
Slowing down? It’s taken years to get anyone in Europe to sit down with us. We crack the UK, France and Germany and everything’s on the table.
REBECCA
It’s taken years because they were spending their money trying to turn things around. To try and stop what’s happening, what’s happening everywhere.
CLIVE
Yeah, they’re real heroes.
REBECCA
If it’s just the odd paranoid dictator wanting the latest perk for his panic room, then all well and good. But once every major government in the Western world buys a bulk pack of cryopods and starts digging a bunker it sends a message, don’t you think?
CLIVE
[dismissive] Becky, I think you sound a little alarmist and frankly a little ungrateful. Kontinue has turned things around for Overhead -
REBECCA
I know.
CLIVE
The company your father helped build, the company you stand to run not long from now.
REBECCA
Clive, there isn’t going to be a ‘not long from now’, and the people are starting to figure it out.
[CLIVE SCOFFS]
CLIVE
The people? Your personal pilot landed your personal helicopter on the most expensive ocean liner on the seven seas that you part own, you want to talk about ‘the people’?
REBECCA
I wasn’t joking about Cuba. There are activists, terrorist groups. They… they know the high and mighty are planning on locking themselves away and going to sleep while the planet tears itself to bits. The raid on the Kontinue plant in Michigan last month -
CLIVE
You said that was handled.
REBECCA
It was handled. But not without significant disruption to production. They blew up a lab. People died, Clive. Our people. They should never have got as far as they did.
CLIVE
What-what are you saying? That it was an inside thing?
REBECCA
I’m… I’m saying… once this knowledge is out there, you can’t put it back in the bottle. We’ve identified cells in at least 15 countries, environmentalist groups who are specifically targeting cryotech. I’m scared. And you should be too. Right now, we’re floating on the biggest billboard in the world for the cryonics industry. You couldn’t paint a bigger bullseye on your face. And from what I’ve heard Macedo has made no secret of his interest in your offer. I don’t know what we’re sailing into tomorrow.
CLIVE
We’re sailing into Rio de Janeiro, where our guests will have a jolly old time in the sunshine and get some nice souvenirs of that big statue of Jesus, while I add a few more zeroes to our net gain this year. Do I need to remind you that we were still playing catch up 18 months ago, Amos did it ugly but they did it first, the lengths I’ve had to go to -
REBECCA
Yes yes! We all know you’re the man who saved Overhead, good God! I assume all the life rafts on this boat are filled with the hot air that comes out of your mouth!
[PAUSE]
REBECCA
It’s late. I’ve drunk too much. I’m going to bed. We can talk more tomorrow.
CLIVE
Tomorrow you can fly your helicopter over Sugarplum Mountain and watch the sun go down over one of the most beautiful cities in the world. All courtesy of Kontinue.
REBECCA
It’s Sugarloaf Mountain. Enjoy your paintings.
[CUT]
[SOFTLY, IN THE DISTANCE, AN ALARM WAILS]
CAPTAIN
[through a comm] Mr Schill? Mr Schill.
[CLIVE AWAKENS DROWSILY, HUNGOVER]
CLIVE
What? What time is it?
CAPTAIN
03:00, sir.
CLIVE
What’s going on?
CAPTAIN
Sir, I think you better come to the bridge.
CLIVE
What is it?
CAPTAIN
We’ll see you on the bridge, sir.
[CUT]
[THE ALARM WAILS AS CLIVE MAKES HIS WAY DOWN A CORRIDOR, OTHER PASSENGERS BUSTLING PAST HIM]
CLIVE
What is going on? Half the ship is up.
REBECCA
Look out the window.
CLIVE
What the hell is that?
CAPTAIN
That’s the port, sir. Some kind of explosion.
CLIVE
Captain, how close are we to the port?
CAPTAIN
A kilometre.
CLIVE
Please stop the ship.
CAPTAIN
I called all stop 10 minutes ago, sir.
CLIVE
Oh. yeah… er. What does the radio say?
REBECCA
The radio is jammed.
CLIVE
Jammed?
CAPTAIN
Jammed, sir.
CLIVE
Who’s jamming the radio?
REBECCA
We don’t know. There’s smoke coming from the city too.
CAPTAIN
We thought it was festivities of some kind, but now we think there may have been some kind of… incident.
CLIVE
Some kind of incident. Thank you so much, Russell.
CREW
[in the background] TV’s working!
CLIVE
Okay. Hey, oi, get those people indoors. I want them off the deck.
CREW
Yes, sir.
[THEY GATHER ROUND A TELEVISION ON THE BRIDGE]
[A BRAZILIAN NEWS REPORT PLAYS - A NEWSCASTER FRANTICALLY TRIES TO EXPLAIN A CHAOTIC SITUATION]
[SOUNDS OF A RIOT - CAR ALARMS, SHOUTING, BREAKING GLASS, FIRE]
REBECCA
What’s happening?
CAPTAIN
Turn it up.
CLIVE
What are they saying?
[ON THE TELEVISION, AMONGST THE CHAOS, A FAMILIAR SONG CAN BE HEARD BLASTING FROM SPEAKERS IN THE STREETS]
CAPTAIN
[translating] They’re saying… Protests on the street from yesterday turned violent in the evening… then separate explosions around the city including government buildings…
REBECCA
Wha… What’s that noise?
CLIVE
It’s music… metal.
REBECCA
Metal?
CLIVE
I know that song.
REBECCA
That’s a song?
CLIVE
How do I know that song?
CAPTAIN
Hey you! What are you doing on the bridge?
CLIVE
Sophia?
SOPHIA
The song is called Morior Invictus.
CLIVE
What?
SOPHIA
It means Death Before Defeat.
CLIVE
What y… What are you talking about?
SOPHIA
The first detonation will be in the cargo hold. You should all have time to reach a life raft. The rest will be on the deck. For all to see.
CLIVE
What are you holding -
CAPTAIN
It’s a trigger -
SOPHIA
Kalinikta, boss!
[THE RUMBLE OF AN EXPLOSION ELSEWHERE ON THE SHIP]
[ABRUPT CUT TO STATIC]
[CUT TO FRENZIED ACTIVITY - MORE ALARMS BLARING, FIRE, SPRINKLERS, SHOUTING, RUNNING]
REBECCA
Can’t you move any quicker?
CLIVE
The cane isn’t for show! And… I’m bleeding! Where am I bleeding?
REBECCA
Which way?
CLIVE
Left! No, oth-other left!
[CUT]
CLIVE
Pam! Pamela!
PAMELA
[over the comms] What the fuck is happening?
CLIVE
Get to the helipad, we’re leaving!
PAMELA
What?
CLIVE
They’re blowing up the ship. Just go!
PAMELA
Who’s blowing up the shi -
[CUT]
CLIVE
This way. This way. Oh Tomas! Tomas!
TOMAS
[faintly] Morior Invictus!
CLIVE
For fuck’s sake, not you as well -
REBECCA
Oh God -
[GUNFIRE AGAINST METAL]
[CLIVE AND REBECCA RUSH THROUGH A HEAVY DOOR THAT THEY SLAM SHUT AND LOCK BY TURNING THE LOCKING WHEEL]
[BULLETS HIT THE DOOR WITH LOUD THUDS]
CLIVE
For crying out loud. The tips I gave you! I probably paid for that gun, you fuck!
[CUT]
[INSIDE A HELICOPTER, WHERE THE ENGINE AND SYSTEMS ARE COMING TO LIFE]
PAMELA
Clive!
CLIVE
Pam! Pam! Get inside!
[PAM JUMPS IN]
PAMELA
Oh my God. Oh my God! They nearly got me.
CLIVE
You’re okay now.
REBECCA
Can we get the hell out of here?
[REBECCA BANGS THE GLASS TO THE COCKPIT]
REBECCA
[shouting] Let’s go!
CLIVE
Ere, ere… How do you know your pilot’s good?
REBECCA
Good?
CLIVE
He could be one of them!
REBECCA
He’s good!
CLIVE
Oi… You… you one of these Maria Victoria pricks?
PILOT
Only Latin I know is carpe the fucking diem, sir.
PAMELA
Then let’s go!
PILOT
Copy that!
[CUT]
[THEY ARE IN THE AIR, JUST OUT OF HARMS WAY]
PAMELA
Fucking hell. The passengers. We’ve just left them.
CLIVE
The captain’s looking after them. They’re on the life rafts, look.
PAMELA
What the hell do these people want from us?
REBECCA
They want to sink the ship.
[THE HELICOPTER RADIO SCREECHES FOR A MOMENT]
AUBREY WOOD
[staticky, over the radio] We want to watch it burn, Rebecca.
REBECCA
W-Who is that?
AUBREY WOOD
We want everyone to watch it burn.
CLIVE
Aubrey? Aubrey Wood?
PAMELA
How is she doing this – wher… where is she?
AUBREY
Far enough away to have a good view. Sorry about your boat, Clive. It was very pretty.
CLIVE
You… better… find… You better find somewhere good to hide you little shit, I swear to God -
AUBREY
You’ve had every chance to walk away from this. You all have. Are you sure you want to continue?
[THE RADIO SCREECHES AGAIN AND SHE IS GONE]
CLIVE
Wood? Wood! Aubrey!