Astroboy 2009: The re-script

[dannavy85]

Scene Four
Conference room

The Conference room looks like a college study hall. Professors, Doctors and Scientists are gathered as is General Stone, The President, Doctor Tenma, Doctor Elifun, and Doctor Osamu. The subject is the Peacekeeper and its programming, should it be autonomous with Kokoro as Doctor Elifun argues or should it be semi-autonomous without the ability to self reason as General Stone desires. The argument begins as audio during the end of the last scene and moves to Doctor Elifun in scene four.

Doctor Elifun: A robot engaged in combat must have the ability to reason! We must avoid the disasters of the past where warfare produced horrible uncontrolled destruction. Kokoro gentlemen, provides a safeguard, a robot who will think and act with the values we here have always placed on the preservation of innocent life.

Sitting with Doctor Tenma, General Stone is brooding with frustration.

General Stone: This debate is pointless.

Doctor Tenma: General…Doctor Elifun is one of my most brilliant colleges.

General Stone: He’s an idiot with a brilliant mind.

General Stone stands up waving his hands…

General Stone: Mister President? While I understand Doctor Elifun’s quest for a robot to have ”kum bai jah” moments with mankind, such concepts for a military robot are dangerous. While the Peacekeeper fumbles with the concepts of “universal che” an enemy could be reducing our city to dust. We can not afford a robot with a conscience, we want one that will take orders and carry them out swiftly, efficiently and if need be…..ruthlessly.

Doctor Elifun: And that’s a dangerous way of thinking! Your idea of a powerful robot weapon controlled only by a tenuous string is an idea that would lead the world to its doom!

General Stone: The Peacekeeper will be no more dangerous than a pug on a leash, it’s your moronic idea….

President Lear: Gentlemen please! I will speak with Doctor Tenma and General Stone alone.

[Dragonrider1227]

So far, it's a nice approach

[dannavy85]

Scene Five
Toby in the room

Doctor Elifun waits outside the conference room when Doctor Tenma appears.

Tenma: Albert…the President wants a test first of the General’s concept. I’m sorry.

Elifun: You caved to him didn’t you Bill?

Tenma: I’m….sorry Albert but you understand.

Elifun: No I don’t! You read my thesis, You know I’m right.

Tenma: I also know that without our military projects we couldn’t have budgets for more research. We can’t just throw it all away by excluding the desires of our customers.

Elifun jumps in front of Tenma

Elifun: Bill…this can only lead to a catastrophe. We scientist have always been the moral voice for humanity. Please don’t forget that?

Tenma walks away followed by General Stone, his aide and several soldiers.

Toby has snuck into the Ministry through a window. Orin falls over it and skitters up behind the boy as he pops open a door.

Orin: Master Toby this is so against your father’s rules, if he finds out.

Toby: You got a metal butt so what are you worried about?

Doctor Tenma, Stone and the others in the group are walking down the hallway.

Stone: “So? You ready to blow me away Tenma? Knock my Socks off?

Tenma: In a figurative way? Yes. You understand General that Doctor Elifun is only expressing a wider concern of the Ministry?

Stone: His concern is not mine. I’m concerned with the safety of this city and the lives of 4 million people. Now about the power source for the Peacekeeper, this new isotope?

Toby can be seen steathfully following the group around the building. They enter a large room where the isotopes are stored.

Tenma: Yes. Another brilliant discovery of Elifun’s was the rare mineral “Tetsuwanite”. The ore fell to Earth some 500 thousand years ago.

Tenma hits a button that exposes two cores at opposite ends of the room.

Tenma: The blue one general is a fairly stable extracted fusion element. The red one is a more powerful yet not exactly stable fission element.

Stone: Can we take them both for this test?

Tenma: Well Sir….

Stone orders two soldiers to grab the clear cases containing the isotopes and Elifun arrives just in time to jump between them.

Elifun: Are you mad! Keep them apart you fools or you’ll blow us all to bits!”

Stone: Do what he says. You need to relax Elifun before you have a heart attack.

Stone suddenly sees a little movement near the door to the room and sends a guard to check it. The guard snatches Toby by the leg and carries him inside.

Toby: ARGH! LET ME GO YOU CREEP! DAD! QUIT IT! OUCH!

Tenma: Put him down!

Stone: Who’s this?

Tenma: My Son sir….my disobedient son. What are you doing here? I told Orin to…

Orin is banging against the wall

Orin: Duh Duh Duh…my mudder dun told me…when I was a baby….

Tenma frowns at Toby while Toby smirks at him.

Toby: Sun spots?

Tenma: You disobeyed me.

Toby: I wanted see the Peacekeeper dad! I won’t get in the way I promise!

Stone: Let him watch Tenma. You’re always bragging about him and I’d like to get to know him. Since he’ll probably follow in his father’s boots.

The group walks to the testing lab.

Stone: So you like weapons son?

Toby: Kind a…but you have to admit the Bull Dog interceptor was a dumb mistake. It can’t hit a barn let alone a target. And so far it’s only hit a coffee shop? The target system is so obsolete.

Stone stops and growls

Stone: No one likes a smart mouth son. Soldier! Take this kid and put him someplace safe.

A soldier picks up Toby by his shirt.

Toby: HEY! THIS IS WEAK! DAD! THIS ISN’T FAIR! YOU SAID I COULD WATCH!”

Stone: You can watch like everyone else, on the evening news.

The soldier carries Toby to a store room and throws him inside.

Soldier: Now stay there and behave kid.

Toby: Wait!

Toby grabs all over the soldier.

Toby: Please! Don’t lock me in here mister? I’m afraid of small places! I hate the dark! I’ll wet my pants!

The soldier throws him back in

Soldier: Kid you’re what? 13? Time you grew a back bone!

The door shuts and Toby snickers as he holds a lock card in his hand.

Toby: And you’re what 22? You need to grow a brain.

Toby gets out while the soldier is chatting with a girl.

[dannavy85]

Scene Six
The death of Toby Tenma

Note 1: Why switch Nick Cage with Gabriel Byrne? After watching Byrne in “Man in the Iron Mask” I was convinced he would provide a far more forceful emotional expression than Cage. Cage’s performance as Doctor Tenma lacked emotional feeling. Byrne has an excellent ability to not only display emotion but make it “sting” when he does it.

Note 2: The death of Toby had to change, his vaporization was too clean and the reaction of Tenma too bare and lame. His death required a force of purpose for Tenma to want to make another son so after reading some suggestions on Astro Boy on-line I re-wrote the chamber death scene.

This scene opens with Toby sneaking into the testing room and hiding behind a service panel. The Peacekeeper stands tethered to cables in the center of the room. Tenma, Stone and their entourage along with Doctor Osamu and other staff stand by the control boards at one end of the massive room.

Tenma signals to Osamu

Tenma: Load the blue core.

Stone: Wait. You said that the red core is more powerful correct?

Elifun: It is General but it’s not as stable.

Stone: But the Peacekeeper can handle both cores right?

Elifun: Yes but…

Stone: Let’s see what the red core can give us first. See if it makes a bigger bang for the buck.

Tenma: General. We shouldn’t put something that dangerous into something that dangerous without further testing…

Stone moves to the main controls

Stone: As you are so fond of saying Doctor Tenma. We do what the customer wants, load the red core please?

A female doctor is running the controls.

Female Doctor: No.

Stone bumps her off.

Stone: Grrrr…..when you want something…do it yourself!

Elifun: General stop!

Stone: Huh…it’s like a stupid video game.

An arm picks up the red core and loads it into the Peacekeeper

Peacekeeper: Core loaded.

Stone: Piece of cake.

Doctor Tenma: Begin testing. Activate attack drones.

Spherical drones with cannons come flying out of an open port in one of the walls and start attacking the Peacekeeper. The Peacekeeper retaliates by cannon and laser fire knocking drones out of the air. Suddenly it pulls 3 drones into it’s skin and they start firing at their fellow drones.

Stone: What’s it doing?

Toby moves to get a closer look.

Elifun: It’s adaptive technology. The Peacekeeper is designed to incorporate other systems into its own matrix. It can absorb and control anything.

Stone: I may have flunked out of college Doctor but I was right about the red core wasn’t I?

Suddenly a laser bolt flies over Stone’s head and smacks the wall behind him.

Stone: What the hell was that?!

Doctor Osamu jumps to the controls and types madly on them.

Doctor Osamu: It’s reacting faster than we can control it! The Peacekeeper is breaking free of the control program!

Doctor Tenma jumps to a wall switch and drops the safety barricade. The peacekeeper shoots madly at it.

Doctor Tenma: Shut the Peacekeeper down!

Doctor Osamu: I can’t! It won’t respond!

Suddenly Tenma hears banging on the barricade. Toby is trapped in with the Peacekeeper.

Toby: DAD! DAD! GET ME OUT OF HERE! DAD!

Doctor Tenma: TOBY!

Tenma jumps to the switch on the wall but Stone’s military aid grabs him.

Aide: Are you insane?! It’ll kill us all!

Toby: DAD HELP ME! GET ME OUT OF HERE!

Doctor Tenma: Osamu turn it off!

Doctor Osamu: It won’t respond!

Tenma jumps to the barricade and scratches at it trying to reach Toby. The Peacekeeper begins powering up to some sort of eruption.

Doctor Tenma: GOD DAMN IT! STOP THE TEST!

Toby: DAD!

Doctor Tenma: We’ll get you out Son! We’ll get you….

The Peacekeeper erupts in a luminance of violent red and white but the barrier holds. As the flash clears Tenma sees Toby’s body behind the Peacekeeper which begins absorbing the protective barrier before it.

Stone: OPEN FIRE!

The soldiers cut loose with everything but the Peacekeeper starts advancing. In desperation, Doctor Elifun rips a cable from a nearby equipment socket and jams it into the Peacekeeper’s chest causing the robot to malfunction and the red core to fly out of it.

As the battle smoke clears, Tenma runs and trips through the hole in the barrier and crawls to Toby. Pulls him into his lap. The boy is weak…eyes droopy….

Toby: Dad (said feebly)

Doctor Tenma: CALL AN AMBULANCE!

Toby: Dad…I can’t feel anything…

Doctor Tenma: You stay awake Son….you keep talking….

Toby: I….I love you Dad.

Doctor Tenma: I know….I know….GOD DAMN IT WHERE’S THAT AMBULANCE!
You’ll be ok son…when you’re better? I promise I’ll spend every day I have with you…just….just stay with me…

Toby slowly dies

Doctor Tenma: Toby? Toby? NO! TOBY!

The camera moves from Tenma and Toby as the Doctor’s crying out continues, past and around a tearful Elifun and crying scientists and flies above the room. We see General Stone and the military crowded around the downed Peacekeeper then the scene shades out to white.

[dannavy85]

Scene Seven
The birth of Astro Boy.

The scene fades in from white to the doorway of the lab where Astro is being built. A group of scientists huddle to the left of the door talking and looking in on the lab as Tenma is working at a computer console. As the camera moves in we see the blueprints for the canceled “Mighty Atom” weapons project. Tenma stands up, pulls the strand of hair from Toby’s hat and brings forth the DNA with all of Toby’s life memories.

We then see Doctor Osamu wheeling in the weapons cart and Tenma cutting and affixing the rocket motors to the base of Astro’s skeleton. The scene cuts to a rusty steel facing and the sparks and molten holes created by a test shooting of one of the 9mm armor piercing parabellum guns. The steel plate falls in half showing Tenma and Osamu’s astonishment at the gun’s success.

Finally the skeleton is complete. Tenma turns to Osamu…

Tenma: Clear the lab.

Osamu is walking out as Elifun is coming in.

Doctor Osamu: He hasn’t eaten or slept in days.

Doctor Elifun: I know.

Doctor Osamu: He’s gone crazy…hasn’t he?

Doctor Elifun: If you lost a child like that and you don’t go crazy…you’re not human.

Elifun walks up to the table with a carry case in his hand. He and Tenma look over the table as the computer slowly adds the final touches and grafts the artificial skin with Toby’s image over the skeleton.

Doctor Tenma: My greatest work…it will be a perfect replica complete with Toby’s memories. It will think it’s Toby.

Tenma feels the body when the process is done.

Doctor Tenma: Where flesh and bone failed me…this won’t. It has the most advanced defense systems ever created. I won’t lose him again.

Doctor Elifun: Don’t expect too much Bill.

Doctor Tenma: Did you bring what I asked?

Doctor Elifun: I couldn’t refuse the request of a grieving friend.

Doctor Elifun touches Tenma’s shoulder.

Doctor Elifun: Bill? The blue core is….unpredictable. I don’t know what effect it will have.

Doctor Tenma: It will be perfect! Just like my son….was perfect.

Doctor Tenma places the core into Astro’s chest and closes the door. He and Elifun watch the robot as it’s lifted into the air by cables. There’s the energy surge then the robot falls to the table which shatters and rolls Astro onto the floor. At first nothing happens and just as Tenma seems to slacken, Astro starts to move.

As if his son were once again taking his first baby steps, Tenma gets on his knees and puts his arms out.

Doctor Tenma: Toby?

Astro stops for a moment as his eyes adjust and Tenma comes into view.

Astro: Dad?

Astro falls into Tenma’s arms and Tenma is crying.

Doctor Tenma: Welcome back Son. Albert? I’m taking it…him home now. Time together, bonding, all the good things.

We see Tenma walking out with Astro wrapped in a blanket. The camera turns to Elifun, who has a look of unsure dread at what’s been done. He saddens and turns away. The scene goes to black.

[dannavy85]

Scene Eight
Magical flight, tragic mistake

The scene begins with Astro waking up in Toby’s room. Doctor Tenma is at the foot of the bed watching…

Doctor Tenma: Good morning Son.

Astro: Dad?

Doctor Tenma: How do you feel?

Tenma hugs Astro

Astro: Uh….fine I guess? Are you ok? Was I sick or something?

Doctor Tenma: No..no…you’re fine. You’re perfect. Come down for breakfast.

Note: Tenma takes “Toby” to the breakfast table for obvious reasons…to avoid the bathroom.

Tenma and Astro sit at the table as Orin comes in. At first he doesn’t notice Astro sitting where Toby would because….obviously Toby is gone.

Orin: Good morning Sir! I made your usual and brought you the morning paper. I hope you are feeling better this morning?

Doctor Tenma points to Astro.

Doctor Tenma: Orin? You forgot Toby’s breakfast.

Astro: Morning Orin!

Orin spills Tenma’s breakfast and wabbles all over the place in confusion.

Orin: You? Uh…uh….this is so…..so….illogical! uh….uh….Master Toby? Of course it is illogical for me to believe in poltergeists even though that movie was rather convincing but…

Orin scans Astro.

Orin: Oh?.....oh my….

Tenma snatches Orin by the arm and gives him the “ixnay on da Obrotnay” look.
Astro: Orin? You have a screw loose or something?

Orin: Uh….no…no Master Toby! You know…slow mornings, before the morning oil confusion…that sort of thing…hahahaha….I’ll…get your breakfast.

Astro looks at the wall clock and panics

Astro: Shoot! Dad I’m late for school!

Doctor Tenma: That won’t be necessary son. From now on I’ll home school you. I said I want to spend more time with you didn’t I?

Astro: But dad…your job?

Doctor Tenma: My job…is to be your father.

Orin comes back in with Astro’s breakfast

Astro: Hey Orin! Looks like we’ll be hanging out together.

Orin: That’s…that will be wonderful Master Toby!...

Orin rolls away

Orin: Doctor Tenma must have lost his mind.

The scene changes to Tenma and Astro walking to the Doctor’s study

Doctor Tenma: Let’s start you off with something simple. Four dimensional calculus, it’s your favorite.

Astro: I guess it is.

Astro and Tenma sit at the clear computer screen and right away Astro starts playing around with the figures…

Doctor Tenma: Excellent……good…..interesting solution…..wonderful….

Astro: You haven’t seen anything yet.

Astro starts playing around with the screen and ends up with a jumping cowboy firing pistols.

Astro: HAHAHAHAHA!....Isn’t that cool Dad?!

Tenma moans…

Doctor Tenma: Let’s get back to basics

Tenma and Astro walk to the book shelf, which is quite dusty, Tenma starts pulling books off the shelf.

Doctor Tenma: “Kant’s critique of pure reason” “Einstein’s Theories”….”Carl Sagan’s Cosmos” Remember this one? I used to read it to you at night.

Astro: To put me to sleep.

Astro sits while Tenma stacks up the books on a table.

Doctor Tenma: Read it to you every night.

Astro: That’s….not what I had in mind dad.

Doctor Tenma: Just…try rereading these Son. Get the old brain juices flowing.

Astro starts going through the books and tossing each aside from pure bordom. Of course he’s already got every one of them in his brain. He comes to one though, Davinchi’s machines, and opens the book to the Leonardo’s concepts of flight. Astro is suddenly amazed.

The scene shifts to Orin and Astro laughing it up and having fun. Astro has torn most of the books up to create many of Leonardo’s inventions in flying models and they float about the room.


Orin: Wonderful Master Toby!

Astro jumps onto the table.

Astro: You haven’t seen anything yet!

Astro throws a model plane into the air.

Orin: Great work Master Toby!

Astro: Wait for it….and…..(finger snap)

The model becomes three flying models. Orin and Astro celebrate but Astro tumbles off the stack of books and falls over. In a little prelude, Astro’s jets sput to life (only a puff) and knock him into a small shelf, which causes quite a mess.

Orin: Master Toby! Are you alright?

Astro: Yeah! Oh and Orin…just call me Toby ok?

Tenma walks into the disaster and is shocked by the flying models and the mess.

Doctor Tenma: Toby? What? What did you do? I told you to read these books, not destroy them!

Astro: I…I just wanted to test Davinchi’s theories…I didn’t mean to…

Tenma sees Toby’s hat on Orin and shivers.

Doctor Tenma: Toby’s….Toby’s hat. A robot should not be wearing my Son’s hat.

Tenma tears it off Orin then looks at Astro.

Doctor Tenma: Go….go to your room.

Astro: Dad? Dad I didn’t mean to ruin the books.

Doctor Tenma: I don’t care about the books! Now go to your room!

Astro slowly walks then runs crying to Toby’s room. Doctor Tenma walks into his study and calls Doctor Elifun

Doctor Elifun: Bill? Bill what’s wrong?

Doctor Tenma: I’ve made a terrible mistake Albert…it’s…it’s acting strange. It looks like Toby but it acts strange. It makes jokes….it’s not Toby.

Doctor Elifun: Bill…you couldn’t expect it to act exactly like Toby, give it time to adjust.

Doctor Tenma: Albert…it was a mistake from the start! How could I be so stupid…now when I look at it I don’t see Toby…I’m reminded of Toby…I’m reminded that my son is dead and he isn’t coming back.

Doctor Elifun: Please Bill…don’t do anything rash till I come over.

In his room, Astro sits on Toby’s bed moaping when he hears two robots outside his room window. A first they’re talking in the usual low beta jibberish of simple robots, actually sped up Japanese, that is until Astro’s translator kicks in and they’re talking in normal English…

Astro: What’s wrong? Dad never got that angry at me. And why do I feel so strange?

Wiper ball: Look at that kid…look at his hair! Why would a human spike his hair like that? Kinda like horns.

Spray bottle: Horns! Hahahaha….no, no….swim fins!

Astro: They’re not horns! It’s gel! Huh? I can understand you guys?

Wiper ball: Ok…that just creeped me out.

Spray bottle: What?

Wiper ball: The kid said he could understand us.

Spray bottle: That’s impossible…humans can’t even figure out cats.

Spray bottle sprays the window, wiper ball wipes it and Astro’s face appears

Spray bottle and Wiper Bottle: EEEAH!

Astro: How can I understand you guys? You’re robots.

Astro rips open the window and grabs the squirt bottle.

Astro: Hold it! I just wanna know how I can know what you guys are saying! I’m hearing all these voices in my head but I don’t see anyone talking…..hey!

Wiper ball: The kids a loony bin!

Astro’s eyes widen and suddenly he realizes that he’s hanging out in thin air with only the tips of his boots touching the window sill of Toby’s room.

Astro: Oh…..kaaaay….guys. Back up…nice and….

Spray bottle sprays Astro in the eyes and Astro drops!

Spray bottle: Oh no!

Spray bottle and wiper ball chase after Astro as he falls. Astro is screaming till he starts to slow down and soon realizes his rocket legs have fired. It takes a few moments for him to get use to the sensation but once he does….it’s party on! Astro flies all over the place, doing all sorts of crazy stunts and ends up floating in the air as the sun sets.

Astro: This is so cool! I gotta show dad!

Astro flies home.

[dannavy85]

Scene Nine
Rejection

The scene begins with General Stone aboard a ship over Metro City. Alarms are going off.

Stone: What’s going on?

Soldier: Sir we have an unidentified airborne intruder over Metro City, The energy readings are off the charts!

Stone: I warned the President this was coming. A good showing from this and I’ll win the next election. Order a pursuit at once!

Stone looks at the screen.

Stone: Wait? Is there a signature of this in our files?

Soldier: Yes sir. It appears to be the blue fusion core from the Ministry of Science.

Stone: Elifun told me that core was destroyed. Lieutenant I want a mobilization pursuit order sent out now! Find that core and recover it at once!

The scene shifts to Tenma’s house where Elifun has arrived to see him and Astro is closing on the balcony outside.

Doctor Elifun: Where is he Bill?

Doctor Tenma: I sent….I sent “it” to Toby’s room.

Astro lands and starts walking in

Doctor Tenma: Albert…get rid of it, deactivated it, do what ever needs to be done. I can’t look at it any more.

Doctor Elifun: Bill….you just can’t throw him away like a piece of trash.

Astro: Dad? What’s going on?

Doctor Tenma: Albert….get him out of here.

Astro: Dad? Why are you talking about me like this?

Doctor Tenma: Toby…you’re not….you’re not a normal boy.

Astro: I know…I can fly…I can cut through solid rock…what’s happened to me?

Doctor Tenma: Such a stupid mistake...to think you could replace my son?

Astro: Replace? Dad you’re not making sense! I am your son…

Doctor Tenma: YOU’RE NOTHING BUT A DAMNED ROBOT!

Astro is horrified.

Doctor Elifun: Bill, he’s programmed with the memories of your boy, doesn’t that mean anything?!

Astro: Programmed?

Astro is looking between the two men confused.

Astro: Dad? Dad?

Doctor Tenma: You’re not my son! You’re a copy! A stupid mechanical copy!

Tenma slaps Astro in the face

Doctor Tenma: Get out! Get out of my sight or I swear I’ll rip you apart with my own hands!

Astro stumbles backwards and is about to leave when Elifun catches him.

Astro: Let me go! Let me go Doctor!
Doctor Elifun: Toby…Toby listen to me! I can’t see into the future but I know there’s a place for you somewhere, you just have to find it.

Astro: This is all I’ve known! He’s my Dad….

Doctor Elifun: Toby…

Astro: Didn’t you hear him? My names not Toby…I’m nobody now…

Astro makes one last gesture and when Tenma doesn’t respond he flies off into the night.

Doctor Tenma: Let him go.

Scene to black

[dannavy85]

Scene Ten
Pursuit and Escape

The scene opens with a squadron of bull dog interceptors coming in over the city. It shifts to Astro sitting on a building looking at himself with x-rays and watching the computer readouts over the screens in his eyes.
Astro: It’s true.

Suddenly the bull dogs show up and surround him.

Bull dog one: Sir we have the subject in view but…..it’s a kid? The readings are off the charts but…

Stone is in his command ship

Lieutenant: Is that…Tenma’s boy?

Stone: Of course not! My God Tenma must have lost his mind! Bull dog one, bring that thing in!

Astro cringes for a moment then rockets into the air!

Bull dog one: Sir! It just took off!

Stone: Engage the subject with intent to capture!

The whole movie chase scene plays out with Astro trapping the interceptors between two buildings, rescuing the falling pilot and landing on a roof top.

Astro: You’re fine now.

Pilot: Thank you, thank you, thank you….

Stone’s command ship

Stone: Send in the dragon.

Lieutenant: But Sir…we shouldn’t use that in a populated area?

Stone: I’m trying to stop an out of control robot not pick flowers. Destroy that thing and recover the core now!

Back on the roof top, more bull dogs show up.

Astro: Ugh! What is with you guys?!

Pilot: I love you!

Astro: Ok…come on then!

The bull dogs scatter and the pilot runs and jumps over the side of the building. Astro turns around to see the Dragon come up over the lip of the building.

Stone: FIRE!

The Dragon fires and blows the hell out of the top part of the building, sending Astro flying through the air to a concrete smashing landing on another roof.

Stone: Finish it!

The Dragon fires again and blows Astro off the roof of the building. His power signature shows up on Stone’s radar till Astro impacts the ground and bounces into a trash bin. The doors flop closed and the robot bin jumps up, runs down the street, hops on a flying flatbed and flies out of Metro City.

Stone: Where did it go?!

Soldier: We’ve lost contact.

Stone: Cancel all leave for military personnel, I want a search of the ground, find that core!

[dannavy85]

Scene eleven
The Dump

Note: The Zane character has been removed.

This scene begins with the flying trash bin hovering up over a pile and dumping its load, including a passed out Astro. Astro finally wakes up and shakes his head. He sits rubbing his head, wincing and looking around the dump. Suddenly some used robots begin to pop out of the mound he’s sitting on.

Robot one: Welcome to your new home kid!

Astro: Ahhhh!

Robot two: New batteries! He’s got new batteries!

Robot three: Spare one for an old Sparky kid?

Robot Four: Table for two? Smoking or non-smoking?

Robot Five: I’m smoking…oh yeah I’m definably smoking!

Robot one: You’re one of us now, welcome son.

Astro: Uh? I’m not one of you!

Robot two: You’re a robot right?

Astro: Yeah but….

Robot four: Welcome to the trash pile kid. We all end up here sooner or later.

Astro: No! I’m not ready yet!

Robot five: Come on kid! Just give us a little juice!

The robots crowd around Astro but another trash hauler comes along and knocks them all apart, sending Astro tumbling down the pile. He comes to rest at the base.

Astro: Ugh…what do I do now?

Astro walks until Trash can shows up.

Astro: Huh? What the?

Trashcan: bark bark bark!

Astro: Ha ha ha…you like me?

Trash can pulls on Astro’s leg.

Astro: What? Is some one in trouble boy?

Trash can leads Astro to a hole.

Astro: Looks pretty deep…you sure some one fell in there?

Astro looks over and Trash can butts him into a net

Astro: What?! Hey! Quit it! Lemme go!

Astro is hauled out of the hole by a crane. Sludge throws Trash can a wrench to eat. Cora, Widget and Sludge pounce on him.

Sludge: Get the restraints on him!

Astro: CUT IT OUT!

Astro pushes them off and sits back

Widget: That’s no robot!

Sludge: It’s a kid.

Astro knows when to shut up

Astro: Yeah…I’m a kid.

Sludge turns on Trashcan and fights with him over the wrench.

Sludge: gimme that wrench back! Dumb Trashcan, can’t you tell a human from a robot?

Cora: So what are you doing poking around the dump this late at night?

Astro: Some question. What’s your reason?

Cora: Well…I’m Cora. This is Sludge and that’s Widget.

Sludge: I’m older than her by 90 seconds.

Widget: Nah ah!

Widget and Sludge argue while Cora stands over Astro

Cora: So where you from non-robot?

Astro: Metro City…well I was from there.

Cora: Metro City? Oh my God! This has to be the most exciting thing in my entire life!

Sludge: Metro City…robots waiting on you hand and foot, easy living, cool things to do. I’ll go there some day.

Cora: Yeah…like they’ll ever accept any of us. Metro City’s like the high hog heaven of the universe, they only accept the “best and brightest” people. Why would you go to a place that thinks you’re a lowlife anyway?

Astro stands up and wipes himself of dirt.
Cora: Sooooo…if you’re from Metro City? What are you doing in this place?

Sludge: You ran away huh? Couldn’t hack the boring life?

Astro: No…my….my Dad kinda gave me the boot.

Widget: That’s like so not cool!

Astro: It’s a long story. I was told to go find a place…whatever that meant.

Cora: Well anyway, we’re not getting anything done. Come on you guys we’re burning time.

Cora, Sludge and Widget start walking off.

Astro: Can I come with you guys?

Cora: We don’t take newbies.

Suddenly the ground shakes! (This is from the comic book)

Astro: What’s that?! An Earthquake?

Sludge: Wrong answer Contestant number 2! We gotta get out of here quick!

Two giant mechanical arms suddenly pop up! They snatch Widget and Sludge and knock Cora into an old refridgerator! Astro slides to a freeze.

Widget: HELP!

Sludge: THE SCORPION BROTHERS!


Sludge and Widget are pulled under the dirt and Astro lights off after them, chasing them down the bore tunnels the scorpions carry them into. Astro comes up from behind, punches the brothers into letting the kids go and runs them up through the cave-in opening in the surface caused by the drilling.

Astro: You guys ok?

Sludge: What happened? Where’s Cora?

One of the brothers suddenly grabs Astro up. The two kids run off and the other brother grabs one of Astro’s arms…

Brother One: A real live bot!

Brother Two: He’s mine!

Brother One: Go find your own!

Brother two: Share and share alike, let’s wishbone him!

They try pulling Astro apart and he gets irate.

Astro: Get off me!

Astro spins around and throws the brothers airborne! They hit a crane, get tangled in the cable and beat each other senseless like a pair of desk bound clacker balls!

Brothers: Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow! Ow!

Astro lands and runs to find the kids, he sees Widget and Sludge looking around calling for Cora.

Sudge: Where’s the Scorpion brothers?

Astro: They got hung up. Where’s Cora?

Astro suddenly hears Cora gasping for breath. He runs to the old fridge and rips the door off to the shock of Sludge and Widget. Cora falls into his arms gasping.

Sludge: You….you just tore that door clean off!

Astro smirks as he checks Cora.

Astro: I….never ate any junk food. You know...eat your veggies right? You alright?

Cora: Yeah…how did you guys escape the Scorpion brothers?

Astro: They’re not very smart.

We just begin to see the RRF running towards the group.

Widget: Astro saved us!

Sludge: Yeah! That was super cool.

Cora: You might be useful after all newbie.

Suddenly Astro gets picked up and carried off by the RRF

RRF: VIVA THE ROBOT REVOLUTION!

The kids stand dumbfounded

Core: What….just happened?

Note: Astro’s hair? The points will look natural, they can flop around and wave like normal hairs but they’re both multiple radar sensors and radio transmitter/receptors. It’ll tie up the lose ends like the “Gel” comment.

[dannavy85]

Scene 12
Revolutionary ridiculousness

The RRF carries Astro into their hide out

Sparx: Did you see the human’s quake in their boots?! Don’t worry Brother, you’re safe now.

Robotsky: You have been saved by….

RRF: The Robot Revolutionary Liberation Front!

Fridge: Otherwise known as RALF!

Robotsky: That sounds kinda sick don’t you think?

Sparx: Maybe we should consider changing it to like…”STUPID” “Society of Upright Intelligent Droids or DORK “Droid Organization of Robotic Chaos or…

Astro: Uh….guys? Why did you just kidnap me?

Robotsky: Oops…we forgot to introduce ourselves.

Sparx: I’m Sparx, The brains!

Robotsky: I’m Robotsky, the muscle!

Fridge: I’m the fridge!....you know….I’m a fridge?

RRF: We are the Robot Revolutionary Front!

Sparx: Defenders of our brother robots!

Robotsky: Freedom fighters from oppression!

Fridge: I brew good coffee.

Sparx looks at Fridge and slaps him off the top

Robotsky: You are now liberated comrade. Take your first step of freedom!

Astro steps in oil.

Sparx: How does it feel?

Astro: Feels wetter?

Robotsky picks up a desk and throws it through the roof

Robotsky: It feels wetter! Viva The Robot Revolution!

Sparx looks irate

Robotsky: Sorry…I got carried away.

Sparx: You look like an advanced model brother, are you exempt from the Robot Laws?

Astro: Uh?....remind me?

Robotsky: A robot shall not harm a human, be the cause of any harm to a human blah blah blah…

Astro: Well…I really don’t want to harm anybody.

Sparx: Lugnuts! We are dedicated to freeing our bother robots from bondage!

Fridge: By any means necessary!

Sparx: Ruthless we are!

Robotsky: Show him comrade.

Sparx: We have written hundreds of letters to opinion pages and the editors refuse to print them because they fear our movement!

Astro: Wow…Uh…I…think I should be getting back to the others, they’re probably looking for me.

Sparx: We never asked…what’s your name comrade?

Astro: Toby.

Sparx: Toby? You need a new name, one that has more umph! The pizaz to frighten the humans into submission!

Astro: I don’t want to frighten anybody.

Sparx: What about? The Terminator?

Fridge: That’s an old one. What about the annihilator?

Robotsky: How about Doris? Wait….Astro!

Sparx: Oh be quiet! If you can’t come up with a sensible suggestion then mind your own business?

The three robots think.

Sparx: I got it! How about…..Astro!

Fridge: That’s good!

Robotsky: Modern with a touch of space age.

Astro: That’s nice you guys but I think I better be going.

Sparx: Tell Astro the plan!

Robotsky and Fridge gasp.

Sparx: Go on…tell him.

Robotsky: As you wish comrade. Do you know who this is?

Sparx: This is Hamegg, he is the owner of the World Wide Robot Games! They enslave robots so Hamegg must be made an example! We want to do something so horrible..so frightening…so SHOCKING! That the humans will be forced to free all robots!

Astro: What are you going to do?

Sparx walks around Astro

Sparx: The next Robot Games are in a week.

Fridge: We’re going to lie in wait for Hamegg.

Astro: Yeah?

Robotsky: And when he shows his face?

Astro: Yeah?

Fridge: Mind you…we have to obey the robot laws!

Astro: Yeah…yeah?

Sparx: We’re going to…………..tickle him with a feather.

Astro looks dumbfounded.

Astro: What?!

Robotsky: We’re already in the process of buying sed feather.

Astro: That’s….your plan?

Sparx: It’s brilliant!

Astro: IT’S STUPID! So you guys are completely harmless!

Sparx: We’re absolutely terrifying revolutionaries!

Astro: Who absolutely can’t do anything terrifying!

Robotsky: Well….tickling can be terrifying.

Astro throws his hands up

Astro: I’m outa here.

Fridge: Wait! Tell em about the shave cream pie barrage!

Suddenly Cora comes through the door and tackles Sparx to the table.

Cora: You alright?

Astro: Yeah…I’m trying not to die laughing.

Sparx: How did you find our secret hide out?

The secret hideout with all the signs around it comes in.

Cora: You morons need to work on your camouflage skills. Don’t make us dismantle you! We just want the kid back!

Sparks looks at Astro

Sparks: Huh? He’s no…

Astro grabs sparks and pins him to a wall.

Astro: You want a piece of me tin man?! Shhhh…I’m an undercover robot from Metro City, play it cool ok?

Sparx: I knew it…viva the Revolution.

Astro turns and walks off.

Astro: It’s ok…these guys are harmless. Just leave em alone.

Sparks: We’re in your debt brother.

The little group walks from the RRF house

Cora: What’s your name anyway kid?

Astro: Toby, but that’s not who I really am.

Cora: Kid, it’s a simple question.

Astro: My names……Astro! Just call me Astro.

Sludge: That’s cool…kinda space age…