.Escape from Land of the Giants Season 1 | By : keithcompany Category: G through L > Land of the Giants Views: 2011 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0 |
Disclaimer: I do not own The Land of The Giants, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story. |
(Janet wakes slowly. When she realizes that she’s not in her hammock, she sits up quickly. We see that she’s wearing a set of coveralls and inside a bright glass enclosure. She looks around in confusion.)
Janet: I’m in the Tank. What am I doing in the Tank? (gets up, wanders out of the room. A few other people in coveralls run past. She follows the crowd. Around the corner, three men are beating up a fourth. Several people watch.) Hey! What are you doing?
Brute1: Justice.
Brute2: This man is a traitor.
Janet: (stepping closer) What? What do you mean, traitor? Who did he betray?
Brute1: (They pause the beating. Brute3 holds the man up) He turned us over to the giants. Four of our crew died in giant custody.
Janet: Then…then that’s a matter for the courts. Not a gang beating. (moves a bit closer)
Brute2: And what are the courts going to do that we’re not?
Janet: Look, the whole issue of collaborators is an ugly one, but the UN is looking into-
Brute1: Looking into? This doesn’t need looking into. (raises his fist) It needs beating into.
Janet: (launches into Brute1. Stops his swing, turns his arm around into a come-along.) No! There’s no reason for humans to do this!
(Brute2 grabs Janet from behind. She lets go of Brute1. Can’t break free from Brute2. Brute1 staggers, recovers, comes towards Janet)
Brute1: So. You feel a need to defend giant collaborators? I guess we know what that makes you. (raises his fist again. Someone hits him from behind with a table leg. He goes down. Brute2 is distracted just enough for Janet to break free. She spins and hits him in the face with doubled fists. He staggers and she presses the attack)
Janet: The giants are our enemy! (another hit) Humans should be cooperating! (he hits the wall, she slugs his stomach) Humans shouldn’t hurt humans! (he slides down to the floor. She turns to see Brute3 stomping towards her, takes a defensive stance. Someone taps 3 on the shoulder with the table leg. He turns to face that person, Janet lays him out with a single punch. Looks down at the three Brutes on the floor) Um. I mean…
Voice: I love the irony of shouting peace while you beat them down.
Janet: (stepping to check the unconscious collaborator) At least _I_ stopped hitting them when they went down. (starts to lift the man) We probably shouldn’t be here when they-
Voice: Let me.
(POV shifts and we see Vertag hand the table leg to Janet before scooping up the wounded man. Janet doesn’t notice that Vertag is human-sized, or even that the human she’s with is Vertag. She’s concentrating on the crowd that throngs the hall, waiting to see if anyone takes the Brutes’ side.)
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Roll titles
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Vertag: Come on. I know where we can put him. (steps up to crowd. The people do not move)
Bystander: Um. If he’s a traitor, you shouldn’t take him anywhere. I’m not sure who’s in charge but-
Janet: (steps up, brandishing the table leg) Do you think any of these jackasses have the legal authority to murder this man?
Bystander: Well, no, but-
Janet: Does anyone want to suggest that we should kill him on one or two witnesses’ say-so? (crowd shakes heads, shuffles) Anyone think that I’d have to be a giant collaborator to stop a needless murder? (mumbled no here and there) I don’t know exactly what this man did, but I’m sure he thought it was necessary to survive on a dangerous planet. (looks everyone in the face, no one meets her eyes) Does anyone. Anyone at all. Think that killing him is necessary to our surviving? (The crowd parts. She waves Vertag through, still without looking at him. He walks down the hall and starts climbing the stairs. She follows)
Janet: This is not how it’s supposed to work.
Vertag: You keep sounding surprised. Ever since our first rescue. I like that.
Janet: Well, our first rescue was…(pauses, races up the steps, catches Vertag by the arm) Oh my God! It’s you! You’re… You’re…
Vertag: Holding a wounded man. Can we go on up?
Janet: Wha’? Yeah. Yeah, sure. (they continue up to the highest level of cages in the Tank) What are you doing here? Why are you…?
Vertag: Small? I don’t know. I woke up on a cot, dressed like a rescuee. Followed the sounds of violence, heard your speech, stepped in on your side.
Janet: Thanks. But…what is going on? Why are we in here?
Vertag: There’s any number of possibilities. My people have the means to make clones, robots, copies, shrink me or grow you. This could all be a delusion in my head, or your head. We could be telepathically linked and possessing other humans in the Tank.
Janet: Your people can do all that?
Vertag: There are reports, rumors and of course the ever fun Blacklist technology.
Janet: Is there any way to tell if it’s real?
Vertag: (laughs) For a given value of real? You seem pretty spry for someone that travels by wheelchair. (Janet pauses, feels her gut, chest, arm)
Janet: I’m…healed.
Vertag: And I’m two apples tall. I don’t think these are our real bodies. (nods to the man in his arms) But I’m not sure he won’t die for real, so let’s take care of him. (they reach the top of the stairs, turn down a hall, Janet following Vertag’s lead. At the end of the hall, some humans lounge in a large room full of bunks. When they see Vertag and Janet approaching, six men rush to block the doorway. Behind them, three women stay sitting, a teen crouches in a corner.)
Man1: We don’t want any trouble.
Vertag: Neither do we. (looks at wounded man, glances at Janet. She hides the table leg behind her back) Don’t worry, we’re not the ones that did this.
Man2: Just…just find someplace else.
Vertag: You’re the guys from the Professora’s group, right?
Man1: Yeah…?
Vertag: This guy was beaten up because he cooperated with the giants. I just want to find someplace he can rest.
Man2: (the men huddle) Okay. Lay him down over there.
Janet: (Vertag carries wounded man over to the indicated bunk. The tarts come over and start tending to him. The teen (from the chipmunk forest) scoots as far away from the smell of blood as he can get) We appreciate this.
Man1: It’s nothing. The other Earthlings don’t like us, either.
Janet: Oh, I’m sure that’s not true.
Man3: No, it is. They call us pets. They say we’re not really Earthlings because we did what the giants wanted. And the girls…I’m not sure about the words they use for the girls.
Man4: But it’s not like we had a lot of choice.
Janet: No. No, I suppose not. Well, when we get you back to Earth, we’ll treat you better. These people…these people are still scared, a little. And angry.
Man5: The giant told us there would be problems.
Janet: (glances at Vertag who is talking to one of the women.) Did he?
Man1: He told the others to get out of this room, so we could have it. He said that they’d try to take advantage of the girls, and we would have to stick together to keep them safe.
Janet: And...was he right?
Man2: A little. They don’t want to have much to do with us. But the few that do talk to us…they don’t like us much.
Janet: (steps aside as Vertag comes back out) Well. We, uh. We have to go..
Vertag: We have to check in with the Marines.
Janet: Yes. So, good luck. (she hands the table leg over to Man1) And, you might as well have this. You’ll probably need it more than me.
Man1: Thank you. We’ll, uh, we’ll do our best for the guy.
Tart1: (stepping over to wave goodbye to Vertag) Hey! You’re hot water man, aren’t you?
Vertag: Um, sort of. But that’s a secret.
Tart1: Oh. Okay. (stage whisper) Do you know? ALL the baths here use hot water!
Vertag: And I hope you enjoy them. Goodbye. (they return to the stairwell and descend)
Janet: You’re a remarkably sensitive guy sometimes.
Vertag: Please, do not tell Perez. She’ll be crushed.
Janet: (laughs) Okay. I’ll keep your secret. (she sits down on the steps halfway down a flight. He pauses a few steps below her) Now, what the hell is going on?
Vertag: I don’t know. Could be testing a means of infiltrating your personnel. Or trying to get intel on your repatriation process. Or maybe someone wants to know how you’ll protect collaborators. Or something I can’t even think of. Could your people be doing this?
Janet: No. No, we don’t have anything I can think of.
Vertag: Without an idea of who is doing this, or how, I can’t begin to guess why. So we keep going on as if it’s real.
Janet: I guess. But I-
(Brute3 steps into the stairwell and looks up at the pair. Vertag turns to face him, stepping to stand between Brute2 and Janet. Janet steps to the side to keep her own eyes on Brute2. He looks uncomfortable, pulls at his collar)
Brute3: There y’all are. The, uh, the duty sergeant wants to talk to you.
Vertag: (not moving) Sure he does. And as a concerned citizen, you rushed out to find us and tell us.
Brute3: Yeah, I know how this looks. But I’ve been thinking. You, uh, you were right, miss. I don’t have to kill Donner. Not right now. It won’t bring anyone back, and the giants…they’ll probably punish us for it.
Janet: I… Thank you. I hope you mean it.
Brute3: Yeah. Yeah. It’s just… I felt so helpless, in that cage, you know? There was nothing I could do for Blake or Donny. I just… I just… (Janet takes a step down. Vertag moves down to stay between the two humans. Brute2 raises his hands, palms out) Hey. I’m not going to start nothing. (hands curl into fists) But I am sure as hell going to report him. And no one’s going to stop me.
Janet: Sure. I want you to. I’m not saying he’s innocent. I’m just saying it’s a matter for the courts. Not fists.
Brute3: (rubs his chin where Janet punched him) I’m not going to argue with your fists, that’s for sure. (they share a respectful nod)
Vertag: You’re not going to let me beat him up, are you?
Janet: No. Let’s go see the duty sergeant.
(Down in the greeting line, a Marine sergeant sits at one of the conversation windows. She drums her fingers on the counter impatiently. Looks up when Vertag and Janet enter on the other side of the window)
Styles: Hello. Busy night.
Vertag: (holding the chair for Janet) So far.
Janet: (sitting) I don’t think it’s over, either.
Styles: Oh? I hear that there has been some fighting. The fighting had better be over.
Janet: Look, Sergeant…(pauses)
Vertag: Styles. (both women look at him) She stands Sergeant of the Guard every fourth day. Plays a wicked game of tic-tac-toe.
Styles: How would you know that?
Janet: Sergeant Styles. Do you recognize me?
Styles: That’s part of the problem, ma’am. Neither of you are on our list of rescued humans in the Tank. So we’re wondering who put you in there and when.
Vertag: What an amazing coincidence.
Janet: Shut up. Sergeant, look at me. I’m Janet Crane, the liaison to Agent Vertag. (Styles leans forward, looks her over, then shakes her head)
Styles: There’s a resemblance, but… I suppose that he’s Agent Vertag?
Vertag: You were the one on watch when I stole a shirt out of Dordell’s suitcase. We couldn’t use the elevator, but I couldn’t carry it around while the idiot was in the building. You suggested that I stuffed it over the overhead light until we could move it to the shooting range. (Styles stares)
Styles: Um… that resemblance…
Janet: Sergeant, we don’t know what’s going on here, but could you please ask for the Colonel and Major Perez to come over here. (she looks a question up to Vertag)
Vertag: Roth or Brown may be useful in figuring out what method put us here. (Styles nods and pulls out her cell)
Styles: Hey, this is Styles over at the Tank. Can you give me the current locations of Crane and the giant? Uh-huh? You’re certain? Thanks. (hangs up) Whoever you are, the people you’re trying to impersonate are asleep in their respective rooms. I’m not waking anyone up for imposters. (stands) First thing in the morning, I’ll mention you in my turnover. I’m sure someone will want to see you then. Be down here at 0800. (she points to a giant clock on the wall, visible from all levels of the Tank. It says 2335, 8th Day) (She leaves, ignoring several calls by Janet, disappearing down the tunnel to the Earthling Building)
Janet: Well. What do you want to do until morning?
Vertag: Food sounds good.
(In one of the empty rooms, they sit on a bunk together. They each have a bottle of water and a loaf of the food the giants have supplied)
Vertag: (chewing) It’s a lot grainer than I remember.
Janet: You’ve had Little People Chow?
Vertag: I was curious.
Janet: So if it tastes different…(looks thoughtful)
Vertag: What?
Janet: Well, if this was a delusion, built up in your mind, then you’d have made the loaves taste like you remembered them tasting.
Vertag: Hmm. Maybe.
Janet: So, do you still think humans have no rights in giant society?
Vertag: No rights. (raises an eyebrow) And if this was YOUR delusion, I’d have agreed with you.
Janet: No, if you were sane you would have. (he smiles and rolls his eyes)
Vertag: You’re the real thing.
Janet: It’s hard to believe your people could be doing this. The technology…
Vertag: Yeah. Our sciences were headed in a completely different direction than Earth’s.
Janet: Then what happened?
Vertag: Jealousy. Envy. Fear. There was a long time when there were no Earthlings appearing. Then suddenly, we were hearing about spaceships and atomics and computers. Those are very hard for us, what with the size of a critical mass, or thrust ratios. So most of our mainstream scientists abandoned our research and started trying to steal yours.
Janet: And now you’re buying ours.
Vertag: What you’re willing to part with. Frankly, I can’t wait to see what we do with it. (they finish their loaves and water)
Janet: So what do we do, now?
Vertag: Test subject are chosen because either you know what they’ll do, or you want to see what they’ll do. If we’re here, and no one told us what is required, it’s to see how we react to… (waves to indicate the entire Tank) Everything.
Janet: So have we done the right thing or the wrong thing?
Vertag: Janet, you are incapable of doing the wrong thing. (he stands, offers her a hand)
(shift to a TV monitor in a dark space. The screen shows his POV, looking down at Janet’s face. Pan to show another monitor looking up at Vertag’s face from Janet’s point of view)
Male Voice: What? Are they going to kiss or something?
Voice2: Shhhhhhhhhhhh!
(Back in the tank:)
Vertag: Let’s go check on the Professora’s helpers. And keep an eye out.
Janet: For what? (rises to stand beside him)
Vertag: One of the guys you beat up may have seen the light. I doubt that the other has had his moment of enlightenment.
(They walk through a hall and up the stairs again)
Janet: You know, this is only going to get worse. As more collaborators are brought in, the others… You need to let us police the Tank.
Vertag: There’s not a chance of that ever happening. (he looks down to see her smiling up at him) What?
Janet: You only get this absolute when you’ve thought of a way around the problem.
Vertag: Well, suppose that each week, after we transfer humans, two ‘feral’ Little People show up outside my door. I capture them and they become the first people in the Tank. So they’re there and waiting when any additions come in. If they happen to know the Duty Sergeants by name when the other humans show up, no one will be too terribly surprised.
Janet: And if they issue and enforce rules, especially splitting the population, no one will be terribly upset. Or hurt.
Vertag: It would be helpful to find that a number of ‘former’ Marines were wormholed to this planet over the years.
Janet: But then, Earth would have to pay a technology credit for the Marines each week…
Vertag: That would be a concern. Thing is, do you want to wait until someone’s dead in here before you figure it’s worth it?
Janet: I’ll make a call. (pats the pockets of her coveralls) Later.
Voice: HELP! (They start running up the stairs)
(outside the room of pets, chipmunks and traitors, a crowd has gathered. The six men block the doorway, one with the table leg shows a few scratches. In the crowd, Brute2 has his own table leg. There is spirited discussion going on, a buzz of argument. A young woman seems to be leading the mob)
Melissa: Look, you shouldn’t be in there. That room is for families. Not for people who just-
Janet: (stepping up to the speaker) Who just love and trust each other and aren’t judgmental?
Melissa: They… they’re having an orgy in there!
(Brute2 steps up behind Melissa as a backup. Vertag steps closer to Brute2. He sees Brute2 as a threat, but doesn’t think Janet needs backup)
Brute2: You tell them, Melissa.
Janet: Look, they aren’t harming anyone in there. And they’re certainly not having an orgy. They’re too frightened to get naked, for one.
Melissa: But it’s wrong!
Janet: It’s the reality we have to deal with. When they get up to the Fleet, they can be educated, and use that to make their own decisions.
Brute2: They should be split up, boys from girls, at the very least.
Vertag: No.
Brute2: Who made you the boss of the tank?
Vertag: I’m not the boss. You can do whatever you want. Unless it bothers those kids in there. They don’t deserve that.
Janet: Look, the transfer is tomorrow. Today. Isn’t it? It’s 1st Day, and by this evening we’ll all be over in the barracks-
Brute2: Why are you using the giants’ calendar? Have you completely forgotten that you’re a human?
Melissa: Hey, I don’t think she means anything by-
Vertag: You should shut up, fellow. Before you get hurt.
Janet: Vertag, don’t-
Brute2: Vertag? What the hell kind of name is that?
Vertag: One you should remember. Maybe practice using, like ‘Vertag, stop.’ Or ‘Vertag, please stop.’ Or ‘Mister Vertag, sir, I’m so sorry I offended you.’
Brute2: Hey, we found that table you tore up. (brandishes his own club) You’re not the only one here that’s armed any more.
Janet: Please! Both of you! Don’t start anything! We can discuss this!
Melissa: Yes, please. Let’s remember that we’re civilized. (glances at the pets) Some of us are, anyway.
Janet: Oh, get over yourself!
Vertag: (turns to Janet) We’ve been going at this all wrong.
Janet: What?
Vertag: If we keep the peace, we stay in here. If we cause a riot, they HAVE to call the giant. (most of the crowd quiets and pales at the mention of ‘the giant.’)
Janet: But we don’t know what that’ll do!
Vertag: It would be interesting to discover. (turns to Brute2) Hey, take a swing on me with that, huh?
Brute2: (backing up) Are you crazy?
Vertag: It’s a theory. Come on. Take your best shot. Let’s see if we can frighten the Marine down in the monitoring station. (follows Brute2 as the crowd disperses)
Melissa: But the giants will come! (steps towards Vertag from behind. Janet pulls her back)
Janet: Were you listening? That’s what he wants to happen.
(back in the dark space, Janet’s monitor shows Brute2 turning to run, Vertag following him. Between the two monitors is a button. A woman’s hand stabs it)
(In the hallway, Janet’s form bursts into light that fades to reveal a humanoid armature that collapses and dissolves. Melissa screams and runs away from it. Camera pans to show Brute2 on the floor, on his back, staring at another armature as it dissolves.)
(POV from the monitor pans back to show that it’s inside a surveillance van. A man turns off the two monitors turns to ask:)
Man: Did you get what you needed? (Camera pans to show us who sits in the other chair)
Lessala: Yeah, I guess. They’ll defend turncoats and traitors. At least until they’re in Earthling custody, anyway. (Man gets up and leaves, Lessala stares at the screens for a moment.) They should have kissed.
(In Vertag’s bedroom, a projector of some sort is mounted on the head of his bed, beaming a blue-green light at his skull. The light fades, the projector dissolves. He wakes. Blinks a few times, then rolls out of bed. Runs down the hall into Janet’s bedroom. Catches the last of a projector on the dollhouse roof disappearing. Drops to kneel in front of the dollhouse.)
Vertag: Janet? JANET!
Janet: Huh? What? (Appears at a window, leaning on her cane) Was that… Did you…?
Vertag: Yeah. Whatever it was, it happened. To both of us, I guess. You wanna get dressed?
Janet: Um, why?
Vertag: I was just going to put some pants on, go see if anyone in the Tank needs to have the rules explained to them in great detail. Thought you’d want to come.
Janet: Yes. Yes, I’d like that. I’ll be ready in two.
Vertag: Okay. (starts to stand)
Janet: Vertag?
Vertag: What?
Janet: What did you mean? When you said that you liked seeing me surprised?
Vertag: Ah, that. It’s just that your people can never disappoint you so badly that you aren’t optimistic about them. Their misbehavior always seems to surprise you. I like to see that.
Janet: Oh. Well, thanks. (They regard each other for a moment) Two minutes. (moves away from window. Vertag smiles and departs.)
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(Roll credits)
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