[Play] Rossom, Act 1 Scene 4

 Scene-Factory 22.  Sulla and Marcus stand side by side.  Marcus has a ‘Model 1’ next to him and Sulla has a ‘model 42’ next to her

Domin

This is our factory museum.  

Helena

But….there are no exhibits.

Domin

These two robots are the exhibits.  Marcus, say hello.

Marcus

Hello

Helena

Hello

Marcus

Pleased to meet you

Helena

Pleased to meet you as well.

Marcus

Lovely weather we’re-

Domin makes a cutting motion with his hand.

Domin

That’s social engagement.  They will both do that all day if you let them.  Small talk is easy.   Sulla, start museum presentation

Sulla

Hello.  And welcome to Factory 22, the most recent factory on the Island.  Our Founder, Barret Rossom, believed in the idea of our creation from a young age.  In fact, born Isaac Jordan Lysenko, he legally had his name changed when he turned 18.  A brilliant scientist, he was determined to carry out the dreams of...

Helena [Interrupts Sulla, Sulla continues talking but with less volume while Domin and Helena talk]

Hello Sulla

Domin

She won’t stop her presentation once she starts.

Helena

Really?

Domin

Nope.  Not when you have admin access like I do.

Sulla

...The opportunity to build his dream of making the fictional Robots a reality, using an actual Algae based protoplasm infused with metallic intake to reclaim the historic definition of ROBOT as an organic, mechanical highly adaptable life form capable of making life better for all of humanity...

Helena

Original definition?

Domin

There was a play.  Rossum's Universal Robots.  Rossom, our Rossom, not the fictional one, wanted to make the play happen so much that he built the real thing.

Helena

But…

Sulla

...16 PhDs including Biochemistry, Biophysics, Applied Chemistry and...

Domin

It was a play.  This is reality.

Helena

Didn’t that play ...end badly?

Domin

This is reality.

Helena

But/

Marcus 

/Cutting edge science like never before, changing the world from mountain to shore

Domin clicks a button to fast forward.  Maybe a remote control.

Stella

...Once the hard work of making protoplasm was done, the real work could begin.  Rossom’s son the positronic genius...

Domin clicks a button to fast forward.

Marcus

...With a team of cutting edge User Interactive Designers to give us that extra human appeal while avoiding that nasty uncanny valley...

Domin clicks a button to fast forward.

Stella

...What is the measure of a man? What is the sum of his parts? Well, it turns out those parts is 5 million two hundred and seventy five times seven.  Really, just a simple matter of...

Domin clicks a button to fast forward.

Marcus

...Lobbied congress to overcome the barbaric prejudice against artificial life forms.  But by showing a series of cute child sized singer robots, Rossom charmed...

Domin clicks a button to fast forward.

Stella

...We’re not human at all even though we look that way.  I don’t earn money, I have no preferences but the satisfaction of a long strong day of work here at Universal Robots...

Domin clicks a button to fast forward.

Marcus

...I don’t think they believe us Stel...

Domin clicks a button to fast forward.

Helena

Wait a minute.

Domin clicks pause.

Domin

What? 

Helena

What the heck are you showing me? You clicked through that presentation before/

Domin

/I’m getting to it/

Helena

/Before I could see anything.

Domin 

You’ll be here all week, you can come back and see it after, but trust me, it makes my point for me.

Helena

Can you please stop forwarding through what they want to say?

Domin

Fine.  But that’s the point, they don’t WANT anything except maybe to do their job.

Stella

Thank you Helena, I take pride in my tasks and enjoy doing them in their entirety.

Marcus

I agree.

Domin

No lip from you two, go back to your presentation.

Helena

Wasn’t the whole point of showing me this to show me how they can’t have souls?

Domin

I…(drifts off to silence)

Helena

Please continue.  (to Marcus and Stella) I am sure there is some great pearl of wisdom buried in all of this.

(Marcus and Stella look at Helena and Domin.  They are both silent. Helena looks at Domin.)

Helena

Why don’t you let them show me without you here?

Domin

This is ridiculous.  You can’t just….

Helena

I was told unfettered and unrestricted access to the whole island.

Domin

WHAT? Who told you that?

Helena

Mr. Rossom himself.  (Shows him a piece of paper.  Domin walks over and looks at it.  He looks back at her, unbelieving, and stomps off.)

Why did you wait?

Stella

You obviously wanted us to.

Marcus

We are both programmed to anticipate your needs, including non verbal communication.

Helena: Oh.  Oh, thank you.

Stella: Were we wrong to do this?

Helena: No.  No, that's fine.  Can you tell me the parts you skipped?

Marcus: Would you prefer us to start at the beginning?

Helena: No.  I guess not.  What do you think it was that he wanted to show me?

Stella: I think he wanted us to show you how we are only machines.  We are organic, but essentially machines.

Helena: I don't understand