Red Valley Transcripts Archive (Unofficial)
RV018

2040

November 5, 2023
Summary
'This could end up being an emergency.'

Warning

(Click to view.)

explicit language, depiction of a man dying from heart attack in public place, discussion of terrorist attacks, depiction of terrorist attack - multiple instances of loud machine gun fire, threat and detonation of explosives, loud persistent alarms/klaxons

Listen on PodBean | View on Wiki
Source: Official Transcript Archive
Formats: Markdown| PDF| PDF (Large-Print)

BLUE SKY

July 19th. 2040.

[THE HUM OF A CAR]
[THE SOUNDS OF A PROTEST OUTSIDE]

CLIVE

Seriously, is there no other way to get in? It’s Overhead HQ, there’s more than one door.

DRIVER

Helipad’s for emergencies only at the moment, sir.

[SOMETHING IS THROWN AT A WINDOW]

PAMELA

This could end up being an emergency.

CLIVE

That’s a lot of people, isn’t it? Like Princess Diana crowds.

PAMELA

Well, people tend to get upset when they find out the world is ending.

CLIVE

Oh, everyone knew the world was ending. No one put down their cheeseburger or stopped using plastic bags, did they?

[OUT OF THE GENERAL CROWD NOISE THE ODD SHOUT CAN BE HEARD - CRIES OF ‘TAKE US WITH YOU!’ AND ‘YOU DON’T GET TO DECIDE!’]

PAMELA

Can’t we go any faster?

DRIVER

We’re going as fast as we can, ma’am.

CLIVE

Those are some good placards. ‘Go Hyperfuck Yourself’. ‘Overhead Killed The World’. Wow. That’s a bit much. Now, that one just says ‘Kontinue’, I don’t get it.

PAMELA

Oh, let me see - It’s Kontinue, but they’ve swapped the ‘o’ for a ‘u’.

CLIVE

Ah. Very clever.

[THEY DRIVE ON IN SILENCE WHILE THE CROWD ROARS]
[SHOUTS OF ABUSE - SOBBING CAN BE HEARD AT ONE POINT]

PAMELA

I’d like to ask her if it was worth it.

CLIVE

What?

PAMELA

[genuinely confused] Aubrey Wood. Look what she’s created. She wants to hurt people like you and me, fine. But what about all of them? How does doing this make anything better for them?

CLIVE

I guess the truth can set you free… or some bollocks.

PAMELA

These people look free to you? The only thing they are free to do is rip us to bits. Hey, are you sure we’re safe in here?

CLIVE

Pam. We’re safe! We’ll be through in a minute.

PAMELA

She was one of the smartest cryotech specialists in the world. Has she truly no idea how valuabl-? She should be helping us.

CLIVE

Well, personally I am pretty bloody glad Aubrey Wood won’t be joining us in the future. If she wants to burn her lottery ticket, I’ll pass her the matches. Anyway, she stuck her head out too far this time, they will find her soon. Hope they chuck her in one of those Amos prison pods. She’ll be lucky to last a week.

CLIVE

Bit like Titanic this, isn’t it? When Rose’s mum is sat on the lifeboat watching everyone, well you know… Watching it all happen.

PAMELA

[passive-aggressively] Watching the boat sink and all the poor people drown?

[AWKWARD SILENCE]

CLIVE

Eleven Oscars. Good movie.

[CUT]

[SHOES ECHOING IN AN EMPTY ROOM]

CLIVE

Bit quiet.

PAMELA

Clive, I need you to stop pretending that this is just another day at the office. You’re freaking me out.

[THEY REACH A DESK AND CLIVE RINGS A BELL ON IT]

CLIVE

Hello? Hello?

PAMELA

They called you in. I’m sure they know you’re here.

CLIVE

Yes.

PAMELA

Of course, they might not know I’m here.

CLIVE

Pam, we’re a team. I am sure they are going to take care of both of us.

PAMELA

[starting to panic] Then why did they call you and not me?

CLIVE

They must’ve assumed we’d come in together. Joined at the hip. Clive and Pam.

PAMELA

What if it’s not… what if… what if they just want you and not…

[SHE DROPS HER VOICE TO A WHISPER]

PAMELA

I’ve got friends, Clive. Other cryo tech experts. Maybe… Maybe we can go it alone. Build our own nest. Hunker down, somewhere safe… maybe… maybe we cou-

CLIVE

Pam. We don’t need your scuzzy little mates to build us a Blue Peter cryopod out of toilet roll holders and sticky back plastic, right? Come on… come on. Sit down.

[THEY WALK OVER TO SOME CHAIRS AND SIT]

CLIVE

[attempting to be reassuring] Pam, Pam, hey. Lo- look at me. We invented this stuff. Well, you helped invent it and I sold it. But, if it wasn’t for you and me, the board of directors would be out there screaming like the rest of them. We’ve saved them. Them and who knows how many others. Now they’re going to save us. This is our ticket, right? No one deserves this more than us.

[A DOOR OPENS]

FRANCESCA

Clive.

CLIVE

Fran. Hi.

FRANCESCA

If you could come this way.

CLIVE

Ah, sure. Definitely. Let’s go.

FRANCESCA

Dr Jennings.

PAMELA

[stumbling] Francesca. Ms Jones.

CLIVE

Pam’s with me.

FRANCESCA

If you could just wait there, Pam.

PAMELA

Uh. Sure.

CLIVE

Okay. Right. [to Pam] I’ve got this. Just sit tight.

PAMELA

Okay.

[CUT]
[CLIVE AND FRANCESCA ENTER A ROOM AND TAKE A SEAT]

MALCOLM

Clive, my boy!

CLIVE

Malcolm. So good to see you.

REBECCA

Clive. It’s been a while.

CLIVE

Rebecca. Lovely to see father and daughter working side by side. Family. It’s so important.

MALCOLM

Indeed. I hope it wasn’t too… difficult getting in today.

CLIVE

Not my first mob.

REBECCA

No. Less machine guns than on the Aloha, as I recall.

CLIVE

Yeah. Crazy memories.

MALCOLM

I wish I could’ve been there.

CLIVE

Do you?

FRANCESCA

Anyway. We don’t want to waste your time, Clive.

CLIVE

Waste? Good God, I’m thrilled to be here, I’ve been waiting for your call.

MALCOLM

I’m sure you have. And with good reason. I hope you don’t mind the formality of the setting -

CLIVE

Of course not.

MALCOLM

Because this is, as I’m sure you can imagine, a very formal matter, and nothing that should be dealt with lightly.

CLIVE

We’re on the same page.

[REBECCA RUSTLES PAPERS - SHE’S READING OR PARAPHRASING FROM A PREPARED STATEMENT IN FRONT OF HER]

REBECCA

So, for the record then. This week, as you know, the terrorist organisation led by Aubrey Wood leaked the information globally that the leaders of many major countries and corporations have taken measures to place themselves in cryonic preservation, to avoid the now unpreventable ecological collapse of the planet that will render human life unsustainable within decades. The plan being to emerge from suspended animation when the Earth has returned to a point of stability able to support a new human civilisation. A minimum of 1,000 years. Clive, you’ll already know that Overhead are one of those corporations that have taken such measures to cryonically preserve certain assets and individuals.

CLIVE

[slightly defensive] Well, yes.

FRANCESCA

You took the order for the cryopods yourself.

CLIVE

I did.

REBECCA

And you recommended the site for the nest.

CLIVE

Yes. And it’s all coming along wonderfully I understand. Ahead of schedule.

FRANCESCA

So.

MALCOLM

Clive, we’ve invited you in today because we want you to be involved in this incredibly exciting time for the company.

CLIVE

Excellent.

MALCOLM

You’re a man who sees opportunity when no one else does.

CLIVE

Thank you.

MALCOLM

A man who never gives up.

CLIVE

I’m flattered you think so.

MALCOLM

The man to see the company through this coming struggle.

CLIVE

Thank yooooou, what do you mean by that?

REBECCA

We’d like to offer you a promotion, Clive.

CLIVE

A… promotion?

MALCOLM

It’s your time, Clive. After all you’ve given us. Let us give something back.

CLIVE

Well… I - I’ve got something in mind you could give me actu -

REBECCA

CEO, Clive.

CLIVE

CEO?

FRANCESCA

CEO of Overhead Industries.

CLIVE

I’m sorry, I don’t understand.

MALCOLM

It’s a lot to take in, I know. And a strange day to hear it, I’m sure, not what we wanted. Wolves at the door and so on. But when did wolves ever bother you, eh, Clive?

CLIVE

[upset] Sorry guys… are you… are you trying to fuck me?

REBECCA

I beg your pardon?

CLIVE

You’re making me CEO?

MALCOLM

Yes!

CLIVE

What about the existing CEO?

REBECCA

Jac is taking a temporary leave of absence.

CLIVE

Temporary.

FRANCESCA

Temporary.

CLIVE

How about the COO?

MALCOLM

Marguerite too is taking a leave of absence.

CLIVE

And the rest of the board? Are they taking a temporary leave of absence? Hailey? Paul? Dev?

REBECCA

Clive…

CLIVE

And would this temporary leave of absence happen to fall around, oh, plucking a number out of the air, one thousand years?

MALCOLM

I know what you’re thinking.

CLIVE

I think you might, yeah.

MALCOLM

You think your authority would still be undermined, that you wouldn’t have the autonomy a CEO should expect. Well… We’ve worked out an arrangement that we think is pretty splendid. The trade-off for you being offered the most powerful role in the most significant technology development company of the 21st century without interview or preparation is that there are certain areas of the company that will remain… ringfenced during your tenure, matters with which you need not concern yourself.

CLIVE

Matters like the entire board of directors being cryonically preserved using my tech.

FRANCESCA

That’s on the list, yeah.

[CLIVE TAKES A MOMENT TO SWALLOW HIS GROWING RAGE]

CLIVE

There’s more than 300 cryopods in the Overhead nest alone.

REBECCA

Spaces in the nest as you know are fiercely vetted for obvious reasons and have been calculated by the company alongside the highest levels of government. I’m sure you are aware of the strict requirements regarding the manifest as laid out in the Kontinue Nest protocols …

CLIVE

Rebecca. Do you think I don’t know who’s on the manifest? Marguerite’s au pair is on the manifest. I think you can squeeze in me and Pam.

REBECCA

Clive, the Overhead nest manifest is full.

CLIVE

No, it isn’t.

REBECCA

Yes, it is.

CLIVE

No, it isn’t. Because I am not on it.

FRANCESCA

The decision is made.

CLIVE

By who? By you? Fuck off, Fran.

FRANCESCA

By the board, Clive.

[A PAUSE]

CLIVE

Mal- Malcolm. Y-You can’t be serious.

MALCOLM

This is an opportunity, my boy. Think of what you could accomplish with all of Overhead at your fingertips.

CLIVE

[helplessly] I- I have a daughter. M- my daughter.

REBECCA

She lives in Sweden, doesn’t she? Engaged to a foreign dignitary of some kind. Her mother is still there too, I believe.

CLIVE

They all have their spaces booked. They- They’ll be going. Going… going to the future.

REBECCA

And your daughter couldn’t secure you a space either?

CLIVE

Who the hell are you, Becky?

REBECCA

As my father says, Clive, you should look at this as an opportunity. We’re turning you into the biggest fish in the pond. What you’ve always wanted.

[SHE PRESSES A BUTTON AND A GENTLE BEEP IS HEARD]

REBECCA

Gary?

[A DOOR OPENS, STEPS SOUND]

GARY

Ms Landry.

REBECCA

See that Clive and his friend get home safely.

GARY

Yes, ma’am.

FRANCESCA

We’ll send someone over to get things drawn up for your succession.

CLIVE

Right.

MALCOLM

Oh… The comfort it brings me to know the company I helped build is in such safe hands. Congratulations, Chief Executive Officer. Clive Bartholomew Schill.

[MALCOLM TAKES CLIVE’S HAND AND SHAKES IT WARMLY AND VIGOROUSLY]

CLIVE

Okay.

MALCOLM

Clive, my boy. Don’t focus so much on the future at the expense of the moment.

CLIVE

[mumbled] Thanks Qui-Gonn.

MALCOLM

I’m sorry?

CLIVE

Thanks. I’ll… I’ll be gone.

[THE DOOR SHUTS BEHIND HIM]

GARY

I’ll have the car brought round the back, sir.

CLIVE

Thank you, Gary.

[CLIVE TAKES A MOMENT TO SLUMP HARD INTO THE CHAIR NEXT TO PAM AND BREATHE OUT SLOWLY]

PAMELA

Clive.

CLIVE

Pam.

PAMELA

Would you like me to call my scuzzy little mates?

CLIVE

Yes, please.