Scene 1. Forbidden Knowledge
Historians and archaeologists have long been confused by the sequence of discoveries leading up to modern civilization. The earliest evidence of any life on this world is dated, with some controversy, to about five thousand years ago, for all advanced lifeforms, plant and animal. Before that, there was only bacteria in the oceans. The bacteria is thought to have produced the breathable atmosphere of oxygen, and the planet’s only ancient fossil, oil. The theory is that all of the advanced plants and animals existent today did not originate on this world. Hence the popular legend of 'The Founders'. "The (mysterious) Founders brought it all," or so goes the myth.
But the 'creation' event is not the only mystery of this world. From a primitive wild-beast past of herds and packs there are sudden jumps. The earliest species of the advanced bipedal lifeforms strongly resemble the species of the wild quadruped animals, presumed non-sentient. The advanced biped species have distinguished themselves with spoken language as well as their bipedal, upright, body form. In addition their hooves and paws of their fore-legs are shaped for grasping. Part of the popular 'Founders' myth is that 'The Founders' made 'us' in their image, from the wild quadruped animals.
The first jump for the sentient species was about two thousand years ago, the knowledge and control of fire. Packs and herds became tribes and villages.
About a thousand years ago another jump, the establishment agriculture, permanent cities and the domestication of the wild plants and animals.
Then another jump, the knowledge of baking bread, brewing of beer, and fabrication of fired-pottery and the first evidence of written language.
About five hundred years ago saw the rise of industry, with waterproof concrete, smelting and working of metals, iron, brass, pewter, and gunpowder. City-states arose and tribal raids became wars between nations.
One hundred years ago the electrical storage battery, the motor-generator, the telephone, steam and oil power, appeared almost at the same time, and wars became even more destructive.
The breakthroughs always seemed miraculous and simultaneous. Other than a few incremental changes nothing new appears between these breakthrough jumps. Historians and philosophers had their theories, but no one knew why.
The historians all agree that it could happen again at any time.
And now it has, at The Chief’s Factory.
Scene 2. Fugitive
Everyone knew that it was too good to last. The new products from The Chief’s Factory were indeed revolutionizing the world. And everyone was wondering how The Chief and The Factory were doing it.
The Chief was known to be very smart and resourceful. He had no reluctance in plowing back his considerable fortune into new ideas, not all of which were successful. But that did not slow him down in the least. The Chief, ever the instinctive showman, continued with the dramatic product introduction shows, usually with free samples. The Chief soon had the attention of the world, and he loved it.
The General decides that it is time for his troops to pay The Chief and The Factory a visit to find out what is going on there. One night, without warning, the factory is overrun with his Army troops. Power to the production machines and telephone service is immediately cut. The troops quickly round up all of the factory personnel, strip them, and placed them, naked, into temporary stockades, only with blankets for covering. The troops deliver temporary clothing to the factory workers the next morning. But the real effort is examining all of the work spaces for evidence of any ‘new technology’. Once identified, the ‘new technology’ work areas are sealed off and only high-clearance personnel are admitted access. There is an all-points bulletin for the immediate arrest of The Chief, Ellie, The Professor and Lilly. They were not found at The Factory. Orders are that once they are found they are to be immediately separated from each other and everyone else, stripped, bound, gagged and taken immediately to military headquarters and placed in soundproofed solitary confinement for questioning. This is a national security issue and the local police are not to be contacted or involved.
The Chief and Ellie are on a ship to his The Chief’s hideout down in The Southlands. Fortunately the ship does not have Lilly’s new ‘wireless communicator’ and The Southlands has only local telephone service. They will be safe there for a while, out of contact. The Professor is said to be on an expedition with his archaeologist friends in Eurasia, also out of contact.
Lilly is sleeping when she hears the sounds of vehicle motors ascending the road up the mountain, approaching the observatory. She was always expecting an unplanned visit, so she dons her disguise, and grabs her pack she has prepared for a ‘quick exit’ situation. She then and heads out the front door of the hall.
As she runs out she looks at the hall door, I am not going to lock the hall, they will simply break in and then I will have to fix it all… Someday... So much for my life as an astronomer...
She heads down the hiking trail as it is the fastest way down the mountain. I’ll head out cross-country if I see them coming up the trail. The troops overrun the observatory, they find, and immediately secure her drawings of the ‘new technology’. The drawings are spread around on the tables along with her astronomy notes, leaving no doubt about who is the source of the ‘new technology’.
Martin’s telephone rings, he is awakened from his sleep in his quarters at Shadow’s compound. It is one of Martin’s old contacts from his gang days. The telephone voice shouts, “Martin, there is something big going down, The Factory has been raided by the Army!” “Where’s Lilly?” “She was at the college observatory but that has been raided too!” “I think she ran out when she heard them coming.” “Follow her and don’t you lose track of her, she is very fast and agile!”
The Professor’s laboratories at the collage are also searched and numerous items are seized, ‘new technology’ or not. Roc is on travel for playoffs, but he too is still seized during a game, by the Army, and held incommunicado. Lilly’s children are also taken to a facility for ‘war-orphans’. Beth is held briefly, but she only answers them in the language of The Southland, so she is released, identified as a harmless domestic servant. Once out of sight, Beth runs home and immediately reports the affair to Trish. Trish immediately contacts her friend, Shadow, the head of the State Police. Tex and Liz already know about Roc’s arrest and they immediately confer with the group for a plan of action. It does not look good, they are likely to all be rounded up and arrested also.
The General means War against these unauthorized ‘new technologies’! Lilly heads down toward the ocean, which is far away, She hopes to slip onto a ship out of the country as the only way out this. But the town is crawling with solders and the roads all have checkpoints. The General is taking no chances of her getting away. He know she is the key to the ‘new technologies’.
Lily then reflects on the words of The Chief about the danger to everyone, and thinks of her family and friends.
I am putting everyone in danger by running away. There is only one thing for me to do now.
Scene 3. Surrender
Lilly calmly walks towards the nearest highway roadblock-army checkpoint. The dog-solders watch Lilly. She is calmly walking toward them. They jump up and react in horror as they squeal and retreat behind the roadblock barriers, as if she is a walking bomb.
She stands in front of the barricade, with her forelegs up in the air in surrender, looking down at the cowering solders, hunkering down behind the barricade,
“Really guys, I look that dangerous? You should have see me before I lost all that weight!”
At last the lieutenant walks up, “What the hell is going on here?”
“Hi!” “I’m Lilly!” Lilly smiles, winks, wiggles her tail and flirts.
The lieutenant just stares at her, “So what!”
Lilly smiles even more, I might as well have some fun. They are going to shoot me anyway,
“Don’t you want me?” “I’m pretty hot!” She shakes her body, still quite wiggly, and her tail is wiggling wildly over her big butt. She then puts her fore-legs to the sides of her face and twirls sideways, back and forth on her toes, “Mmmmmmmm!” “In those handsome uniforms you guys look good enough to eat!”
On cue, the lieutenant loses it. He roughly grabs Lilly and pulls her down to the ground in a cop hold. But she is not finished,
“Oh I love a man that takes charge!” Still smiling, while being firmly pressed to the ground, “Are you sure about this?” “Here?” “In front of everyone?”
A slam to the ground is not about to phase the tough, athletic, goat-woman in the least. She moves her head up, with her strong neck muscles, to the lieutenant's face. Then she plants a big, wet, kiss, “Mmmmmmm!” “Smack!” She lays her head back down on the ground, grinning, “Okay!” “Now it’s your turn!”
The lieutenant screams for restraints and a towel for his face. The shocked and previously immobile, solders finally start to move to assist him. Lilly continues, “OHOOO!” “Cuffs!” “Mondo! Bondo!” “You pervert!” They finally bind and gag the non-resisting Lilly, who is still laughing at them all.
Lilly is totally pleased with herself and her extemporaneous comedy routine, especially the reaction of the crowd of cowering solders.
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You know, I really should go back to ‘Stand Up’ comedy again… If I ever get a chance… Some day...
The commotion finally alerts the chain-of-command that the high-value fugitive has finally been detained.
Scene 4. Prisoner
Lilly is blindfolded, fore-legs bound, horns covered and mouth gagged, her hind legs are chained but she can still walk. A cloth bag is pulled over her entire body. She is setting back on a vehicle seat, likely an MP van.
Wow, they really are afraid of me. Do I have some sort of super-deadly and highly-contagious disease?
The van then starts to move. Lilly then reflects, as the van bounces, I really should have used the toilet this morning, before I left.
The van finally stops and Lilly is jerked out of the van and carried upside down, still in the bag, to her new home, a very small holding cell. She is roughly dumped out of the bag and on to the hard floor of the cell. Her bindings, her shackles, her gag, her horn protector along with all of her clothes are then ripped off, without any caution for body parts they still might contain. She is left, naked, lying on the floor when the overhead shower sends down a drizzle of soapy, lukewarm water. She lies still as the soap is rinsed off with lukewarm water. She then feels warm air blowing in through small holes at the bottoms of the walls of the cell. She then sits up with her knees to her chest, still soggy, and dazed from the van trip and the subsequent dumpling and stripping. She looks around and sees that the small cell has a sink and a toilet stool, nothing else. She examines the toilet stool and looks up. Sure enough there is a view-port at the top of one cell wall. She waves at the view-port. She tries out the stool, long overdue. “Ahaaaa,” “Finally,” “Relief!” She then smiles. I guess that’s one reason they put me in the bag, to avoid a mess. She looks down at the hard floor. I guess I am sleeping on the floor tonight.
The cell then starts rattling and blankets fall in from a trap door. “Thank you!”, she calls out. No answer. No other sounds. Exhausted, she unfolds the blankets spreads them out on the floor, into a bed roll, and climbs in. Egad, what a day! It isn’t like I didn’t know this day was coming, I just thought it would be for something else that I am wanted for. I have had better days, but the comedy routine was fun. I guess the torture and the beatings will begin tomorrow. I do hate to lose teeth! The cell darkens.
The next day begins with the arc-light turned on and blazing down into the cell. The trap door drops a small paper roll down to Lilly. She unwraps it, it is a breakfast roll and a hard gelled fruit roll. She takes bite. Not bad. She shouts, “Can I order another one of these?” “And maybe some coffee?” “Cream and sugar?” No answer. She drinks water from the sink. I guess I know what the paper is for... Aah, for the 'goat washer'!
She laughs to herself, As if the observatory food wasn’t diet enough, well, Roc, I am still on a diet! You’ll love the skinny, new me… I hope... If I ever see you again...
She finishes her small snack meal and washes in the sink. Again, down from above, drops in some folded fabrics. Lilly examines her new delivery: clothes, loose and unmarked army fatigues, no undergarments. She shouts again, “Ouch! Rough fabric!” “I am a delicate flower so I need a bra and some panties too please!” As expected, no response.
She dresses, Well, I might as well get ready for my execution. It does not look like they are going to bother with a trial, or even with charges.
Scene 5. Foxworthy
The cell door suddenly explodes open to the dark hallway. Outside in the hallway she is facing grim looking solders each holding an inductive-interrupter shock rod. They motion for her to emerge. She walks out slowly holding her fore-legs aloft. She is walked into the larger holding room with bars everywhere. A large army guard dog-solder then opens an iron door at the end of the room. She walks out into the larger hallway. There she is held and fitted with a metal collar and a control leash, leading to a shock-device, no doubt. She does not test it. They then continue to walk down flights of stairs and through seemingly endless hallways. She has the impression that they are now far underground. The hallway walls gradually change from the dark green of the prison to a brighter off-white office look. She is led to a stairwell, she then ascends a number of flights. It appears to be an office building, or perhaps a medical clinic, with large suites. The entourage stops at a door, labeled, ‘Dr. Foxworthy, Psychiatric Services’. Uh oh, the Psych-Squad!
The door opens and she hobbles in to a clinic-records area and then through a few more doors of medical rooms, finally through a menacing re-enforced strong-room door. The door opens and a fox-man appears with a smile, “You must be Lilly.” “Please come in.” Lilly is led in, thinking, Like I have a choice! “I have been looking forward to meeting you, Lilly,” “my name is Dr. Foxworthy and I will be ‘helping’ you today.”
You could really help me by turning me loose!
Medical assistants appear and Lilly is stripped from her Army fatigues and covered with a hospital gown. Her shackles are removed and she lifted and strapped, spread-eagle on her back, onto a surgical table still gagged.
I’ve seen this movie, where’s the saw!
Foxworthy approaches the side of the table and smiles down on her looking every bit like a cheap movie villain, I guess I’ll at least hear what he has for an opening remark.
Foxworthy starts his speech, “I happen to already know that you have access to something we call 'new technology' or ‘advanced technology’.” “I do believe that you know exactly what I am talking about.” “But if you don’t, it is knowledge of science and devices that have not been seen previously.” “We would very much like to know how you come by this information and are prepared to do anything to get an honest answer about it directly from you.” “We will, of course, also be asking for information from your family and friends.” “We might have to ‘push’ all of them a little, to be sure we are getting honest answers.” “They are all already our guests, so we can start right away!”
“Nod your head up and down if you are ready to have your gag removed, otherwise you will be shocked.” Lilly nods, what do I have to lose, it is not like he can go to my ‘dream world’ himself.
Lilly’s gag is removed and Lilly coughs, “May I please have some water if I am going to talk?” Foxworthy brings her a paper cup and holds her head to the cup so that she can swallow without drowning.
Lilly begins, “I will tell you everything,” “if you show me that my friends and family and are safe.” “And I don’t mean in safe in jail.” “They do not know anything,” “I have never discussed any of this with anyone but The Professor,” “I think you already know that.” “I have kept this a secret because I thought that people would think I was crazy if I told them,” “and I still think that they will.” “I don’t care what happens to me,” “but you must let my family go or I will go to my death before I tell you anything.” “Go ahead and bring on the red-hot pokers!” “I know that kind of torture is old time thinking and that you use drugs now days,” “but I also know that you need me lucid, or I won’t be able to communicate anything of use.”
Foxworthy’s sinister smile again, “Okay!, fine!” “We will start with some shocks and then start draining some blood out and see you you do.” Carts are rolled up to the sides of the table.
Foxworthy then climbs up on Lilly’s table, on his knees, and he straddles Lilly’s great chest. He bends down and speaks in a low voice directly into Lilly’s face, “My dear” “I don’t think that you fully understand the situation.” “I am not doing this to you to get any ‘useful information’ from you.” “I hope you resist.” “I do torture because it is fun!”
“I couldn’t care less about your ‘advanced technology’ or your ‘Larry Light-bulb’ inventions.” “I don’t care about what you are doing and I don’t care why you are doing it.”
“I only care about how you are doing it.” Foxworthy strokes the top of Lilly’s head with his paw, “Mmmm, nice cranium!”
“I want you to lose consciousness and approach death, so that I have an excuse for ‘surgical intervention’.” “I am then going to save your life by extracting your brain,” “while still alive, of course.” I will then watch your brain, in a jar, on a table.” “I will then probe and experiment on your brain.” “I am very excited about this.”
Lilly stares into Foxworthy’s distorted, close-up, face, and his fangs, gleaming.
Lilly is determined to have the last word, “Doctor, do you know that you have really bad breath?”
This guy is even crazier than I am. I, at least, don’t kill people... Usually...
Foxworthy smiles, “I like your spunk!” He sits back up, still straddling Lilly. The assistants then place a clamp around Lilly’s head and cover her face with a clear shield. Foxworthy pulls on surgical gloves and then reaches down. He then holds up a spinning bone cutter saw and holds it in her face, “I love my job!
There’s the saw, I told you, I have already seen this movie!
Scene 6. General
Loud shouting and crashing sounds are now heard, coming from outside the chamber’s strong-room door. Foxworthy suddenly looks up and turns to the chamber door. More sounds of a commotion from hall outside, moving closer, with shouts coming from throughout Foxworthy’s medical suite.
The strong door to the torture chamber then explodes into the room. Pieces of the door fly everywhere. Standing at the dramatic entrance, framed in the smashed door, is a silhouette of a huge Minotaur, The General.
And he does not look happy. He never looks happy.
Foxworthy jumps up from the table dropping the saw onto a tray. He stands up at full attention facing The General. “General!” “So good to see you!” “I didn’t know you were coming or I would have arranged an ‘escort service’ and some snacks!”
The General’s assistant loudly announces, “Everyone! Out of the room!” Foxworthy starts to walk out also, “No, you don’t. You stay!”
Lilly moans, “May I go too?” She is still strapped down. She is not going anywhere.
The General, shouting at Foxworthy, “Release her!” Foxworthy starts to speak and The General cuts him off, “Release her!” “NOW!” Foxworthy turns and slowly begins to remove Lilly’s restraints. The General walks to the side of the table. After her last restraint is removed The General helps Lilly sit up on the edge. The General then drapes Lilly with a blanket and pulls it around her.
Foxworthy glances up, to see if he can make a break for the door. The General’s assistant shakes his head and blocks the shattered door-frame exit.
The General looks down at Lilly. Lilly is shivering again and not just with the cold. The imposing General tries to console Lilly, “My dear, I cannot tell you how sorry I am about how they have treated you here,” “my men included.” “You were taken from ‘us’ by the government’s Psychic Forces,” “and they brought here, to one of their facilities, in their van.” “It took me some time to determine what had happened to you, and where you were now.”
Lilly cannot resist, “I am glad that you found me before they sawed me into bits and put my bits into in specimen jars!” Lilly’s eyes widen, now looking directly at The General, “Wait!” “I recognize you from the presentation!” “The Professor introduced you to me,” “You’re The General!”
The General smiles, "Yes, that was me," “That was quite a show you and The Professor put on.” “Very dramatic.”
Lilly is starting to feel a little more at ease, “That’s The Professor for you..”
The General examines Lilly very intensely, “Lilly, I know that ‘we’,” “‘I’, “have not done very much to earn your trust,” “I hope to make up for all of that.”
Lilly suddenly looks frightened, eyes wide, she shrieks, “My family!”
“Your family is home,” “safe.” “I will take you to a place where you can call them and confirm this.” “In the mean-time I would like for you to come with me.” “I have some things I would like to show you,” “things that might help you understand why we were so disparate to find you.” “We need your help.” “I called your husband,” “he is not very happy with ‘us’ either,” “but he did give some of your clothes to my solders, so you can get dressed.
The General then takes on a look of genuine desperation, “Lilly, will you come with me?”
Lilly nods, “You have said that you have released my family,” “That was my condition for cooperation with Foxworthy.” “If you have released my family, as you say,” “then I am all yours, to do with as you will.” “I won’t run away again,” “I promise.”
The General then smiles a rare smile, and motions to Lilly. She stands and they walk out past Foxworthy. Foxworthy smiles, an evil smile, directly at Lilly.
Foxworthy, you are a true villain, and I see that you have not given up on my brain.
He wants my brain!