[Play] Rossom Act 2, Scene 3 Continued

 

Rossom

Belong to what?

Men like me?

The world has been mine 

For the better part of three centuries

Before that lords

Or Kings

Or Popes

Or Chiefs

Some guy is wearing a funny hat or another.

Hierarchies are bad.

I admit we will always have governments

But we can have less

Economic liberty

Ensures that all men

May associate as they choose

Can band together

Can form associations as they so choose

Alquin

Excuse me

But who crushed the union

Of their human employees

And if you want truth from me

And you want my friendship

Don't ask for my opinion

Only to ignore it

I am talking at you

And you are just a wall

So me evidence

that Evidence has ever changed your mind

You have vision

Praise for that

Change the world

Build your empire

But do not pretend to me

That in your utopia

Men like you 

Won't find another currency entirely

Stars or Shells or Favors or Beads

And enslave everyone all over again

Just another way.

Rossom

Can’t make an omelet

Without breaking some eggs

Yes I crushed the union

But they stood in the way of progress

And so they had to go

Alquin

Sir, I need to dine with you

Because you pay me

But please don’t make me eat horsehit at your table

It doesn't taste good

And it does a terrible disservice for the antique china

You paid more than I will ever earn in my life

To acquire them

Rossom

Never question my convictions.

Disagree with me all you want

But I believe what I believe

And I think my way 

Leads to a better world

A way forward

A way past the things that have always held us back.

Alquin

Who am I to jam a stick in the spokes of  the mighty wheels of progress?

But I carry with me that which I have known from my youth.

I am who I am.

And I am my hands

And what I make with them.

Rossom

(smiling) 

Well, enough politics, let’s eat shall we?

Alquin

Always ready to cease

Kicking against the pricks

In steel toed boots

(beat)

Sir.

The two of them dine for a while in silence.

[Play] Rossom Act 2, Scene 3

 Scene - The dining table of Rossom is a showcase of human anatomy, a table with human style legs and arms and hands.  Goblets shaped like hands etc.  Depending on what the company can compile but the theme of humanity and the obsession with the human form should be apparent.

Rossum:

Welcome to my home

I have invited you to dinner

So we could discuss all of the advances 

All the things I have done to make the world 

A better place.

Alquin

Not the people that you put out of work

Rossum

I have created the world's only FUNCTIONING universal basic income fund

Alquin

I know.

Rossom

Every person replaced by a robot taps into that fund

Alquin

I know.

Rossom

Why do you come here if you sympathize with those luddites?

Alquin

Because I worked on the first generation.  Your new toys are different.  I dont have another useful skill.

Rossom

You have more money than most people.  Everyone that works for me doesn't have to work.

Alquin

Of course I have to work.  You have money.  You don't NEED more, yet you keep working.

Rossom

I am working to change the world.  I have a vision.

Alquin

I am working because I need to work.  It’s who I am.  It's what I do.

Rossom

(beat)

Fair enough.  But the work you do is genius, it's brilliant.  Most people aren't that way.

Alquin

Work is good for the soul.

Rossom

Let’s let Helena worry about the souls of our robot friends, shall we?

Alquin

I meant humanity.

Rossom

Humanity can do the work that thinkers do.

Alquin

Version 2.0 DOES that kind of work.

Rossom

Work that is forced is slavery

I am the Eternal Lincoln 

Emancipating Man to do only those works

That he so chooses.

I am the bringer of fire

The breaker of chains

The observer of the apple

And the bearer of the reins

Our time is the one thing we never get back

Even robots slowly age and die

So why should we do anything

But that which we choose to do?

Alquin

What doth all the time in the world

Profit a man

If he sells his soul to get it?

What then I ask you?

Wealth in time or wealth in coins

Only means something 

If you have something on which to spend

And most people value their lives

We have always worked

And we need work more than a hobby

Something larger than ourselves

Something to belong to

Status Update: Writing

 Army of Fire:91000

Project Nimby: 14K words

Poems of Water and Glass: 4 Stanzas left

Script: Sins of Silicon Valley - Act 1, Scene 4

There are always more ideas than time but lately I've had tons and tons of ideas that actually interest me a great deal; particularly about what to write in the Forever West series.  In particular, the third book is now going to completely change but in a very good way.  Reading for the podcast is coming along; about halfway through Swamp Castle and Micronation.

Some very good story ideas; the most recent of which occurred from a dream I had Saturday night about fighting ghosts in Windsor castle of all things.  A friend of mine, Wayne tweaked that for a story idea about a guard that is deliberately inducted to help deal with ghosts against assassins in a Palace by becoming a ghost themselves.  The idea that occurred just now was kind of Flatliners meets name of the Rose which has very interesting potential.

Finally making Tiktok updates work, though only one update so far.  Still not much progress on reviews from goodreads, so 1 of 2 leads from Broadleaf isnt bad.  I'll likely do goodreads for Water and Glass or Nimby.

Swamp Castle - Last of a Kind

The Church of Theatrical Explosions, the last free movie theater in a conservative holier than thou USA has to defend themselves against a government agent bent on shutting them down

Check out this episode!

[Play] Rossom Act 2, Scene 2

 Scene Multimedia

Krysie 

I need to replace the thing.

Diana

The robot?

Krysie

Yes

Diana

Didn’t you JUST upgrade it again?

Krysie

It keeps...looking at me.

Diana

I know they keep upgrading their human activity but I doubt they have added creepy

Krysie

It keeps LOOKING at me

Diana

LOL

Krysie

Not funny.

Emmit's Corner - Dark Overlord

Emmit Other Reads: Lazy Scammers, Social Media, Why is there no Rotten Tomatoes for News?, The Ritual, Hypothetically, Dark Overlord, Deactivated My Twitter Account, Cactus Barbie for 2024, President Charlie Brown, A Lead Weight to the Soul, and The Hilarious Next Illogical Step

Check out this episode!

[Play] Rossom Act 2 Scene 1

 There is a stark anvil, and Alquin is pounding on it.

Alquin

I am the forger of chains

I am the breaker of chains

I am the builder of Robots

I am the empowerer of a new race

I am the example of folly.

What have I done?

What could I have done?

You tell me future reader

You tell me.

Maximus

Mr. Rossom would ask you to dinner sir.

Alquin

I do not wish to come to dinner.

Maximus

He has a proposal sir.

An idea of most dark portent.

Alquin

Is there any idea he has not?

He plays god because he think it wise

Not to triumph but to close his eyes.

Maximus

I am unable to read his mind. 

Will you come?

Alquin

(beat)

Yes.  He is still the boss, isn't he?