Life After BOB: The Chalice Study (shooting script)
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LIFE AFTER BOB THE CHALICE STUDY
EPISODE 01/07
by Ian Cheng
Production draft: 6.12 Date: 8/13/2020
TERMINOLOGY FOR READER:
IRL - In real life. All scenes in IRL are full character animation.
WV - Wavyverse. A neural mental medium in which people can compose and share dream-like experiences directly to each other’s nervous system. All scenes in WV are tableau vivants with minimal character animation. As if one’s brain updates only what is minimally necessary to see, hear, feel.
Conflux - refers to a private mental space in WV that is owned and controlled by a person.
Leak - a conflux enters into another in WV by “leaking” in; analogous to how sound or light leaks into a space.
Droning - voluntary possession of your nervous system by another person or an artificial agent like BOB.
Jewel - in IRL it is a neural hardware set between a person’s eyes. In WV, it is a marker for summoning BOB.
INT. BLACK VOID - CARDS - SEQ100
It is a Great Anomic Era.
ZOROASTER IMMEASURABLES (ZIM) emerges as a giant in the WAVYVERSE - a maturing neural medium.
ZIM’s most controversial offering - an artificial sub-personality called BOB (Bag Of Beliefs) - promises to guide a person through life’s psychological challenges.
While enjoyed by an elite few, BOB bears inconclusive results, enraging the HUMANISTA and eroding trust in neural manipulation.
Eager to answer the anomic crisis, ZIM’s own CEO leaks the secretive work of pioneering neural engineer DR WONG:
A new BOB rumored to guarantee anybody a winning life path…
EXT. WINDING SHORE CLIFF ROAD - PRE-DAWN - SEQ200
ORLANDO, 17, in sportswear, a medal around his neck, zips down a coastal road on a performance bicycle. Floating camera orbs trail behind him. On a straightaway, he takes his hands off the handle bars and holds them together in a prayer pose. Steady like a pro. Closes his eyes. Still steady. High speed.
ORLANDO
This is it my BOB. You’ve delivered me to my destiny.
His third eye jewel shimmers.
ORLANDO (CONT'D)
End contract. I mean Terminate. Terminate contract <Tearing up>
Thank you my BOB. Confirm.
The jewel turns a flat color. He opens his eyes and comes to a stop, just before a bend in the road. The sun breaks over the ridge and lights up the foggy coastline. He dismounts and stands at the edge of the cliff, smiles to himself. Cams hover close.
He looks back at the road, then ahead at the bend. The breeze blows hair in his face. His expression goes dark. His eyes dart. His feet curl at the cliffside edge. Then:
A fat figure tackles ORLANDO to the ground, pinning expertly. It’s ZOROASTER (Z), the pink, ageless founder of ZIM.
Z (DRONED)
Orlando Study. Careful now. I’m here.
ORLANDO’s face suddenly lightens, hopeful.
ORLANDO
Z? <Recognizing> Z! My BOB left me with nothing but this medal!
Z (DRONED)
<Cold> Separation from a Destiny 5 BOB can be a shock at first.
ORLANDO’s face drops. He grabs a knife from Z’s belt. Z scurries back, cautious. ORLANDO points the knife.
ORLANDO
Stop droning you fat snake! I know you’re in there!
Z’s body language shuffles: suddenly he stands, panting hard.
ORLANDO (CONT'D)
Is this feeling part of the study?! Is this ZIM’s design? Wong’s? Who am I suppose to be now? Answer me!
Z
Orlando - hey - just feel alive to this moment. <Inhales morning air>
*Zaaaah* This is your second act. You’re no longer a birth ID. You’re defined by a history of action now -
ORLANDO turns resolute. He plunges the knife into his own throat. The blade retracts into safety mode and beeps. Cams snap and flash.
Z (CONT'D)
<Cocks head> Huh. Interesting.
ORLANDO looks at the knife, confused. Then looks to Z, who has already turned his back to him.
Z (CONT'D)
<To the cams> Well humanistas... Guess that settles it. Destiny BOBs ain’t the anomic cure we hoped for.
Z’s behavior shuffles back, droning. He clears his throat, and abruptly jogs off. ORLANDO, abandoned, crumples in place, futilely stabbing his own face. Beep. Beep. Beep. The orb cams crowd him, chattering: “We love you Orlando!” “Evil ZIM” “Wong’s design” “Need a lawyer?” “ZIM short- sellers rejoice” “Is The Chalice Study cursed?” Bleeds over to -
EXT. CITY - TITLES - SEQ300
Cam chatter bleeding over from prior scene - A shuttle flies toward an apartment tower.
SUPERTITLE: LIFE AFTER BOB
SUPERTITLE: THE CHALICE STUDY
INT. WONG APARTMENT — MORNING - SEQ400
We scan thru the Wong apartment: an entropic household covered in neural equipment, prototypes, and neoprotein cases; kid-sized musical instruments, hobby plants, and athletic equipment. We hear two voices:
CHALICE (V.O.)
Chalice the Child: “Boo hoo no one likes my imaginary friend so no one likes me!”
BOB (V.O.)
It’s ok to feel that way. I’m not imaginary though.
CHALICE (V.O.)
Chalice the Parent: “Shut up humanista! Don’t talk to me like I’m one of you!”
BOB (V.O.)
Did you hear father say that?
CHALICE (V.O.)
Chalice the Adult: “Hmm. Very interesting. I’ll reconsider the probability of its effects on my long term alignment of everything."
The BOB (V.O.)
Is that suppose to be me?
We land on CHALICE WONG, 10, ethereal, balancing on a stool, alone. She is cooking a perfect huge fried egg. Her lips make flittering movements. Her mind is very busy in another realm.
CHALICE (V.O.)
Chalice the BOB (this is you): “I - am - a - BOB. Let me cook a perfect egg.”
BOB (V.O.)
Ok let’s slow down.
FLIP TO WV:
INT. WAVYVERSE. CHALICE’S CONFLUX - SEQ410
CHALICE in her LANDSCAPE CONFLUX: a sloping mountainous space with a series of branching rivers, running upstream, toward a ridge. A vague landmark peaking beyond it. The sky rapidly changing colors in a distracting way.
Alongside is her Destiny BOB: serpent-like, friendly, three eyed. BOB gazes at her exactly 90 degrees to the left of her face. It stays pinned to her, its body rippling behind like a ribbon.
BOB
Give me one cycle of adult Chalice. Start again.
CHALICE rubs her eyes, then opens, laser focused. The sky stabilizes into a single held color.
CHALICE
I’m Chalice Wong. Ten years old. Ready to plan my path for the new year. For exactly one cycle.
BOB
Thank you. We’re aligned.
BOB’s head faces forward, now locked in same direction as CHALICE. A dreamy logo appears: ZOROASTER IMMEASURABLES. It collapses into ZIM: A WAVY PATH COMPANY; a sound plays *ZEEEEM*. A buffet of educational modules leak in.
CHALICE
Let me look. Go eat for me BOB.
BOB’s entire body zips into CHALICE’s third eye jewel on her forehead. It pulses. This is BOB droning CHALICE’s IRL body.
CHALICE browses through the modules: Math 102, Programming Wetware 205, Dancing, Painting, Plant Grafting, Dog Farming, Time Management for Teens, Contracts for Teens, Nah, Cooking with NeoProtein, Skin Care, Nerve Care, Frac-Tonal Music, Your First Club, Cam Piloting with Commander Alan, Life Sims 201, Little Leaks, How to Dress For Today, Make Up, Renaissance Guitar with Orlando de Blair, Gamelan Time, Steering Dreams in Five Cyclettes or Less, Droning for Idiots, Droning Animals, When to Hive, Four Hour Demigods, Foxy Negotiation, Dating by Doing, Regarding Strangers, Keeping Score With Your Body, Advanced Conjuring, History of Surprises, Renaming Yourself.
BOB returns.
CHALICE (CONT'D)
I like Renaming Yourself.
BOB
That's not for you yet. Let’s pick some more.
CHALICE
What about Dating by Doing.
BOB
That's not for you yet either. You’re ten.
CHALICE
What then? Math?
BOB
Math is good.
CHALICE makes a bored face, the sky colors shift a bit. Her attention drifting. Something leaks in, pulsing the skylight -
SISTER SAN (O.S.)
Is the Orlando Study yours too? Are you a ZIM sorcerer?
DR WONG (O.S.)
I’m the inventor of BOBs. Now give me my silk!
FLIP TO IRL:
INT. WONG APARTMENT - IN REAL LIFE -SEQ420
CHALICE flips to see her father, DR WONG, picking himself off the floor of their apartment docking deck, shaking his wig dry, his bald head dotted with neural ports. Protein balls scattered. A shuttle is departing with a young woman yelling:
SISTER SAN
Shame on you. Sister World Hand Pulled Neoprotein can no longer be accessory to the mass torture of children. Dr James Moonweed Wong: Banned from our story.
DR WONG
I'm not paying for your unfiltered irrelevant Dead World thoughts on my life’s work!
CHALICE sees this ugliness. DR WONG sees her see, quickly shifts and mutes the glass with a gesture. She looks away.
DR WONG (CONT'D)
Hey - I got orbital silk neoprotein for my supergirl.
CHALICE
Thanks dad.
Then: DR WONG holds his ear, a voice beams into his head.
DR WONG
Ava. Slow down. No. Z issued - No. Z! - Inaccurate - Listen! - What?
FLIP TO WV:
INT. WAVYVERSE. CHALICE’S CONFLUX.
CHALICE flips back. She focuses, the sky color stabilizes.
CHALICE
I want to preview Renaming Yourself. Can’t you just do the Math one for me?
BOB
Yes I can. But how about Frac-Tonal Music?
CHALICE
Go deal with dad!
BOB’s zips back into CHALICE’s third eye jewel again. CHALICE gestures at the ZIM module Naming Yourself.
CHALICE (CONT'D)
Chalice - um - the Great.
A colored conflux portal appears over a section of the landscape ahead of her, its contents look continuous with the landscape, but shift slightly, rivers turning into a low incline path leading to an abandoned ditch.
CHALICE (CONT'D)
Cyber Wong.
The stream speeds up violently, eating up its banks.
CHALICE (CONT'D)
Susan.
The stream looks cheerful then suddenly bends and dries up.
CHALICE (CONT'D)
Chalice da Witch.
The stream forks off into a side path, brutal and clear. BOB pops back from her jewel, and takes in the altered landscape, again aligning with CHALICE.
BOB
We’re moving.
CHALICE
What do you think of “Chalice da Witch”?
BOB
It’s a subplot to your prime path. Naming is rather advanced. <Beat> Father is having a very bad day. Did you know Frac-Tonal music can rewire muscle memory?
BOB cues up the Frac-Tonal Music Module. Her path again resembles forking rivers leading to the familiar ridge.
CHALICE
If you already know what I should 11 do then why ask me?
BOB
I’m presenting the highest probability of path alignment. <Beat> Father needs you.
FLIP TO IRL:
INT. ZIM SHUTTLE. IN REAL LIFE. - Seq 440
CHALICE finds herself seated beside DR WONG in a ZIM SHORE SHUTTLE, zipping fast somewhere. He’s pale and trembling.
CHALICE
Dad - what do you think of “Chalice da Witch”?
DR WONG
What? No. What’re you talking about? Z - he’s trying to pin something on me -
CHALICE
You’re a legacy character dad haha.
DR WONG
Chalice. Listen. <Long pause> ZIM’s called us in. Chairman Ava herself is requesting that you - break contract with BOB.
CHALICE
Break contract?
DR WONG
Terminate BOB. <Beat> They’re scared. But don’t worry. Wongs don’t blink. Now listen -
FLIP TO WV:
INT. WAVYVERSE. CHALICE’S CONFLUX. - Seq 450
CHALICE observes a nearby section of landscape that is doubled, different from each other. Sky flickers erratically.
BOB
Renaming is a full year’s course. Let’s continue path planning.
BOB continues moving forward, but CHALICE hangs.
CHALICE
What would it look like if we break contract?
BOB
Let’s merge.
CHALICE gives BOB a worried look. Their bodies overlap one another, BOB’s locking into CHALICE’s. The doubled landscape sections now reconcile. BOB’s eyes look off.
BOB (CONT'D)
I see. <Beat> I should complete the math module and reconcile our life logs. I could factor in a year of therapeutics or a new sport
CHALICE
BOB stop - thinking ahead! Just show me what you see.
BOB conjures a preview conflux of her landscape. It is a path fractured in fits and stops, leading into thick grey fog.
CHALICE (CONT'D)
<Interpreting> Um so I’d just be a normal dumb humanista without you? Worrying about normal dumb humanista problems?
BOB
No. Far worse. <Points> At our age, the delta drop would be an anomic catastrophe. Chalice would not survive. <Beat> We’re here.
FLIP TO IRL:
INT. ZIM SHUTTLE. IN REAL LIFE. - Seq 460
Out the shuttle window: a large buddha ruin with a broken face in coastal fog, then: ZIM COMPOUND emerges at its base.
CUT TO:
EXT. SHORE COMPOUND. SLOPE GARDEN. - SUNSET - Seq 500
An event area modestly hung with New Years Eve decorations. Music plays in the background and a large screen throbs the ZIM logo. Shuttles landing and taking off. A couple weary BOARD MEMBERS exiting personal shuttles, greeted by ZIM personnel.
DR WONG exits shuttle holding CHALICE by the hand. He waves away an eager ZIM personnel. CHALICE trails.
CHALICE
They can’t make me!
DR WONG stops at a clearing. He makes a gesture. Floating lamps cluster around and light CHALICE harshly.
CHALICE (CONT'D)
BOB is mine! It’s my brain! It’s my life!
DR WONG
Anomics - Chalice - Anomics Audit. December 31 -
CHALICE (CONT'D)
You have to break my brain before I break contract!
CHALICE (CONT'D)
We’ll run away!
DR WONG (CONT'D)
Tell me your name.
DR WONG takes a breath, kneels and tries to settle her. He folds his arms into a twist around hers, forcing hers to do the same. A familiar Wong technique.
DR WONG (CONT'D)
If I promise you can keep BOB <Waits for her to settle> - Can you
tell me your name?
CHALICE
Chalice the post-human cyborg super weapon brain witch!
DR WONG unphased, presses on.
DR WONG
Age?
CHALICE (CONT'D)
Ten.
DR WONG (CONT'D)
What does BOB do for you?
CHALICE
Help me arrive at my destiny. But later - not now!
DR WONG
Good. Yes. What happens if something gets in the way?
CHALICE
BOB fixes it.
DR WONG
Good. And what about life after BOB? What happens then?
CHALICE
I’m allowed to die. I don’t know. Maybe a humanista assassinates me.
DR WONG
<Embarrassed> Ava, ignore that.
The lights turn off and disperse, revealing CHAIRMAN AVA, 90. She was watching the entire time. The Wongs break technique.
CHAIRMAN AVA
We’ve always loved your work,Doctor. But this sounds like another one act play.
DR WONG
Chairman Ava. Wait. Chalice is not Orlando. Z was toying with him for - I don’t know -
AVA begins walking.
CHAIRMAN AVA
We’re dealing with Z. <Beat> Experiments are allowed to fail, James. I need you to deal with your daughter.
DR WONG chases, dragging CHALICE by the arm. CHALICE tracks AVA with a sneer, hisses.
DR WONG
That’s ten years, born with a BOB. You’re evaluating her under duress -
CHAIRMAN AVA
That’s life.
CHALICE
Old lady do you have scoliosis?
DR WONG
Destiny BOB is work that takes a generation to make a generation. Only a parent can understand that kind of time. Z doesn’t get that. The humanistas don’t get that. Not yet. But she can show them.
CHAIRMAN AVA
Have her de-contract BOB. Or would you prefer engineering to help?
CHALICE (V.O.)
BOB do something!
CHALICE’s terrified demeanor melts away. She walks backwards, effortless, inhuman. She gets ahead of AVA. In a calm voice:
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
Miss Ava. Which vertebrae hurts? Is it your C7?
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB) [C(B)] stops walking, making AVA stop too. She motions AVA to kneel. C(B) precisely touches the base of AVA’s neck. AVA is surprised by its effect.
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB) (CONT'D)
I help father with his spine. <Beat> What do you think is the worst that could happen to me?
CHAIRMAN AVA
You harm yourself one day.
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
Why would I do that?
CHAIRMAN AVA
Because your BOB promises to guide you to your destiny. But even if it arrives, there’s no telling you will recognize or accept the person you’ve become. If you don’t like her, you might - do something.
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
Failure to self actualize is the leading cause of death. Father says that’s a natural law.
CHAIRMAN AVA
<Brow relax> Indeed. And ZIM cannot be responsible for aiding that law.
C(B) looks AVA in the eye, unblinking.
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
My destiny is to use my BOB-born advantage to become a symbol of the New Era. I will dedicate myself to wavecasting my unique experiences.
CHALICE (V.O.)
Uh I will?
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
For that I will endure much hate. My teenage years will be trying. Relationships will be ugly. I will learn betrayal. I will grow distant from father. He will be hurt. But this will ensure his parental influence dies during my critical Turn Years. Along the way I will frequently merge with my classic half to ensure we recognize the person we’re becoming.
CHALICE (V.O.)
Classic half? I - am - Chalice.
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
One day, I will arrive as my own someone. Forged by seven tortures. Low anxiety. No want of do overs. No parts left at home. A world others want to live in. A model of a life well lived. <Beat> Credit to the partnership of ZIM and Dr Wong.
CHALICE (V.O.)
That’s my life BOB?! Yuck!
CHAIRMAN AVA
A pretty picture. But what then?
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
Then I give myself a permission: freedom to do what I want.
CHAIRMAN AVA
This is a long bet, little lady.
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
Some flowers flourish in the shade. 18 to 20 years to be scientific.
AVA stands. Regards her. DR WONG flashes a proud smile. C(B) smiles.
CHAIRMAN AVA
Dr Wong. Can you show the board this - uh - your - <Searching> -
DR WONG
My perfect girl. Absolutely.
CHALICE’s behavior shifts back. The smile disappears. She frowns, uncertain. She looks at DR WONG.
CHALICE
Dad can we go now?
END ACT 1 / 4
EXT. SHORE COMPOUND. SLOPE GARDEN. - EVENING - Seq 500
Suddenly: the music cuts out. ZIM BOARD MEMBERS look around, confused. Then, an amplified voice:
Z (O.S.)
Tallest tree catch all the wind!
Z’s grinning face appears on the event screen. BOARD MEMBERS mutter, annoyed, eager for answers. DR WONG and AVA frown.
Z (ON SCREEN) (CONT'D)
Humanistas. Mad at ZIM again. 2 What’s new? They believe all lives are equal. Wrong. Only children have total divine potential. Beyond that, the game of life is on, and there’s no shortage of losers choking on their life scripts. Daddy says “Sweetheart: I give you the gifts you need, never the ones you wish for!” You go script a life where wishes never come true if you dare speak them. Mommy says, “My darling: achieve till you die.” You go script a life where the goalpost always moves and you’re never allowed to arrive. That’s parental programming. Nice start. Mix in a twist of reality’s Guaranteed Chaos. Add a pinch of aging. Then jam it all straight with ZIM’s prime pathing BOB tech. *wah-lah* We livin’ da anomic crisis!
DR WONG arms crossed. AVA impatient. Z grabs the cam, doing a “close talk” directly into it now.
Z (ON SCREEN) (CONT'D)
I was jogging this morning and a 3 bug flew in my mouth. Old world Z would have spit the choker out. No time today little bug! Know what I did? I tasted it. Mmhmm. I let it surf my tongue, crawl up my roof, pray in my molar. Could I be your home little bug? Then it hit me: This ain't a prime path thought! Sorry BOB... It's a god thought. It's a life after BOB thought. That there is ZIM's problem. *zuh* It's BOBs. Wong's BOBs. The whole product line.
We focus on DR WONG: anger, offense, growing on his face.
Z (O.S.) (CONT'D)
BOBs can’t conceive of anything but the path. Fine. Ok. Nice IP. But they retard you of your divine thoughts too?! Bad deal. That's what eats good souls in the end. Just look at our two year study, Orlando. Catastrophic withdrawal. ZIM has hyped BOBs like they are the cure to our anomic crisis when they are...a starter kit. So the humanistas are mad at ZIM? They goddamn should be!!
DR WONG inaudibly protests. BOARD MEMBERS look at each other, unsure if they should feel guilty. CHALICE bored. Then: Z appears both on screen and in person at the crowd’s edge.
Z (CONT'D)
Now imagine if someone could fix all this? That’s what I’m doing tonight. It’s called 1000 LIVES. A cure for the deep trouble of living in time.
A rebranded ZIM logo bounces on screen, vulgarly squashing the old one. DR WONG looks at AVA: she’s engrossed. C amused.
Z (CONT'D)
So eyes wide open oh Senior Board 6 of Worry. In the next ten minutes, you’ll meet our first trial candidates, out the other side with soul fire in their eyes. Tonight we’re turning ZIM from an anomics response company into an anomics solution company. In the meantime - fireworks!
ZIM BOARD MEMBERS clap hesitantly as champagne flutes are distributed. Some exchange looks with AVA. They nod. She claps so they clap too. DR WONG grabs her hand, interrupting her mid clap.
DR WONG
Ava. No. Just no. No.
CHAIRMAN AVA
This isn’t a competition. Let’s give Z his ten. I gave you yours.
DR WONG
A Thousand Lives? Who needs a thousand of those?!
CHAIRMAN AVA
It’s not uninteresting, James.
DR WONG frenzied. Looks at Z, beaming. Sees AVA, waiting.
DR WONG
She can do more.
CHALICE
Dad I want to go now -
DR WONG
My Perfect Girl. BOB. Sing.
We focus on CHALICE: stunned.
CHALICE (V.O.)
BOB!
CHALICE eyes well up. Then BOB begins droning her mouth.
CHALICE (V.O.)
I swear BOB - don’t -
CHALICE sings a virtuosic frac-tonal song. Her eyes look on with humiliation. A small crowd of BOARD MEMBERS turn to watch. They’re entertained.
DR WONG
<Enamored> Wonderful, isn’t she.
CHALICE scowling, begins to tear. Then: *BOOM* fireworks light up the night. Her eyes scan the crowd desperately. Scanning. Mouth still singing. Then, beyond, her eyes land on Z’s giant face still on the event screen. It looks directly at her and winks. A voice in her head:
Z (V.O.)
Psst little god. I got something for you.
CHALICE now feels something in her palm: an orb pill.
Z (V.O.)
Eat it while it’s fresh. The orb pill begins to throb in color. She sneaks a look. Then in a tiny high frequency only children can hear:
PILL
**I’m fresh I’m fresh I’m fresh**
Z (V.O.)
1000 Lives invite. My design (you like?). C’mon. Let them eat fireworks.
CHALICE watches Z eat his own pill on screen. Her mouth hits a long note, agape. Then: CHALICE crams in the pill. She gags. Her hands keep it down. Everyone startled.
BOB (V.O.)
What are you doing?
CHALICE (V.O.)
I don’t do Perfect Study. You do. Permission to drone me perfect.
CHALICE swallows. We zoom out. Her whole posture shifts.
DR WONG
Chalice! - What was - Ava - what the hell was that? A pill?!
CHAIRMAN AVA
I don’t know. <Exasperated> You 24 know they’re just neural address pointers. Chalice you’re fine, yes?
DR WONG looks at C(B). The fireworks strobe over her face. C(B) nods. DR WONG looks at AVA.
CHAIRMAN AVA (CONT'D)
I’m betting on your perfect girl to integrate life’s uncertainties.
DR WONG catches his breath.
CHAIRMAN AVA (CONT'D)
Another song to start the year?
C(B) begins another song.
CUT TO WV:
INT. WAVYVERSE. 1000 LIVES DEMO CONFLUX - Seq 700
CHALICE enters the 1000 LIVES DEMO conflux. She sees a giant TURTLE with a series of pools for its shell. Above it: an undulating ribbon of two dozen small orbs containing coiled DEMO BOBs.
TURTLE
Welcome to 1000 Lives, candidate. Kindly assign your BOB to drone your body.
She brushes away the portal to her own conflux with her pre- occupied BOB in it, reducing it to a pin hole. TURTLE looks at it, then covers the pin hole with a stone blockage.
TURTLE (CONT'D)
Welcome Chalice.
She sees a figure in the pool. It’s Z, already doing his own demo. A DEMO BOB envelops him from head to spine. His body contorts to match the DEMO BOB into poses, mimicking snapshots from a person’s life in fast forward. It looks like an offensive use of a body. Z turns his head out.
Z
*Zah* Welcome to my timeline little god! C’mere. Feels better than it looks. Did you park your BOB?
CHALICE nods. Unsure how to regard his weird state.
CHALICE
Dad says you’re the ruthless CEO who abuses BOBs and tortures lizards...hehe <Nervous>
Z
That’s old world Z. Intense guy. Me and Wong have diverged over the years. I do god work now. <Regards her> What’s bugging you? Air it.
CHALICE
BOB wants to do everything for me.
Z
So let it. It’s only everything on your prime path. Not everything everything - Oh god wow -
CHALICE
Then what’s left for me? The pointless paths?
Z
Pointless. Ha. Yes. Wanna know a secret? I barely run my own company. I got an Ava to do that. You got a BOB to do yours. Know what that means? Us gods are free to do the pointless paths. I call them subplots. That’s da god work.
Then: the other candidates leak in. ORLANDO, 17, in a better mood than earlier, ALAN, 26, tall and stoic, and WENDY, 10, a princess. Each keeps a conflux portal open with their respective BOBs peeking out.
Z (CONT'D)
Candidates! Welcome. Me X Mother Nature. Smooth collab, huh?
TURTLE
Welcome to 1000 Lives, candidates. Kindly assign your BOB to drone your body.
The candidates adjust to what they’re seeing.
WENDY
Uncle Z - uh - what is this?
Z
Wendy! My booger gem. One hint. Ok two. What if I told you: you could re-live the life of Zoroaster? Not just the heroic prime path. All of it. A thousand different ways.
ORLANDO
All of it? Ha. What’re you hiding?
Z
Nada. I don’t need that “me” to be mine anymore. I submit it all to the study of the spirit.
WENDY’S AFFIRMATION BOB
Ew. So 1000 Lives is just - you?
CHALICE frowns at this news. She looks back at her locked portal conflux, unsure what she’s signed up for.
Z
Old world Z. Every thought. Fantasy. Idea. Plan. Memory. Secret. Every neural wave recorded in me since birth. Those DEMO BOBs up there - been analyzing my life logs for weeks - each one filtering for a different subplot.
ORLANDO
Subplot?
Z
Mmhmm. Think of all the little troubles that gripped you at every age. You survived them. But you didn’t have enough info or ability to act on them then. They took a backseat to your prime path. Lost in your body. Buried in the logs. *Boo!* Those little subplots are reborn you’s waiting to come alive again! If only you could surface their story - you’d be rich with lives to walk. *wah-lah* Now you can.
The candidates regard Z’s inhuman body contortions. It’s transfixing nonetheless.
ALAN
What are you experiencing now?
Z
Mmm. Baby me. Choking on a bone. Oh. A lamb bone. Ha. How’d that get there? Ack! Mom smacking my back.
Z (CONT'D)
Ah! Not working! Can’t breathe! She mimes hacking. *Ack* I copy. It’s out. Oh - I survived! I’m on Mars now. You’re there Alan. Shuttle just exploded. Uh shit. Choking. Again! Ah! Can’t breathe! Alan’s hacking up martian sand. Weird. *Ack* I copy. I’m good now. I rally the solarnauts. I’m an old man now. Ha. Nice projection, BOB. I’m wavecasting a gag class to kids. One little god goes *Ack aaack*-
CHALICE catches herself laughing with delight. WENDY and ORLANDO look disgusted. They look to ALAN. He’s stoic. Then:
ALAN
This isn’t for me.
ALAN exits. Z rolls his eyes.
ORLANDO
Z - wouldn’t this be better if it was one’s own life, not yours?
WENDY’S AFFIRMATION BOB
I miss the old Z. A true titan of product-market fit.
Z
Kids - my design works on anybody’s life log but you gotta be willing to submit it all first. For tonight trust that my life sample is mind blowing cuz it is!
CHALICE is transfixed looking at all the DEMO BOBs above.
Z (CONT'D)
Wow *Ack* - Ready, little god?
CHALICE gives Z an ambiguous look. The others look at her.
WENDY
<Being adult> Uncle Z let’s try again when this can be about our own lives. Chalice doesn’t want to re-live your weird little episodes -
CHALICE plunges into the pool. A DEMO BOB locks into her spinal cord. It’s terrifying, so different from her own BOB. So free from her own life. She beams with excitement.
INT. WAVYVERSE 1000 LIVES DEMO CONFLUX - INDETERMINATE TIME - Seq 800
[note: each “Now” below is a tableau vivant still-ish image]
Now: CHALICE in a fat child’s body, encounters a lizard laying in the shadows while other lizards bathe in the sun. Now: Near the lizard’s head: its bleeding, injured. She’s curious. Now: Her fat hand is wiring up electrodes into a cut in its head. She’s nervous. Now: She beholds the lizard: her hand makes a gesture, the lizard curls into a shape. Again. Another shape. Again. It grows up a bit each time. She’s delighted.
Now: She lays nestled in the lizard’s curled body like its furniture. She’s blissed out.Now: The lighting goes blinding red. CHALICE squints. She hears faint distorted voices: “Invalid candidate” “Wong” “Prefer spending new years with him?” She looks confused at the lizard.
Now: it puts on sunglasses. She feels sunglasses resting on her head too. She puts them on. She smiles.
Now: a smeary jittery DR WONG leaks in. He bursts into a spaghetti of wavy strings. The strings speak: “my C2, C3 - you saved me - thank you - I love you too - my perfect girl”. She’s scared, looks at the lizard.
Now: the lizard produces a little toy of DR WONG riding on its back. She gestures and a little toy of her BOB appears riding double. She laughs. BOB coils around DR WONG and they kiss. She sours. The lizard stretches its neck to gobble them with its mouth.
Now: a voice: “Anomaly clear. Resuming demo.” Elements of the scene begin to leak out and new elements leak in. Her sunglasses disappear. Then the lizard’s sunglasses.
Now: She gestures to slow this moment. She watches the lizard: its eye blinking in super slow motion. Its mouth gobbling BOB and DR WONG for an eternity. The demo struggles to refine its sub-temporal detail, but eventually finds it. It’s sublime. She smiles a long frozen smile.
Now a crystal voice cuts thru:
Z (O.C.)
Housekeeping! All the elements leak out and a flash of lights -
END ACT 2 / 4
EXT. ZIM SHORE COMPOUND, FUTURE — AFTERNOON - Seq 900
We’re close on Z’s face; he opens his eyes and squints.
Z (V.O.)
Sorry little god this is the best I could do. Did you miss me?
He looks at his hands like he’s never seen them before. Touches his face. We zoom out to see Z mounted on a RAPTOR, in a drippy, verdant, ruined interior space.
CHALICE (V.O.)
Z - this - is - amazing!
Z (V.O.)
*Zah* you like? Drone tech now. So A+. My gen six raptor lounger ain’t bad either.
RAPTOR winks. Z (DRONED BY CHALICE) [Z(C)] rides up a flight of stone steps into the open. The sunlight burns her eyes. CHALICE tries to like the feeling.
CHALICE (V.O.)
Ack! heh. Z which subplot is this?
Z (V.O.)
*Zuh!* - A subplot ten years in the making - Wong wrecked my demo - Ava pushed me out - Orlando Study - bleh - Weird they kept the company name without me, no? Ava never has new ideas. I mean I’d keep it too.
The outdoor space comes into focus. They’re back at the ZIM COMPOUND. The buddha ruin’s face is now filled in with a pearly material. The compound is overgrown. Z(C) trembles.
CHALICE (V.O.)
What is this? Z? Where’s BOB? Where’s dad?
Z
Just get a feel for my figure. I’ll guide you.
Z(C) frantically pinches and grabs violently at Z’s body. She finally utters out of Z’s mouth, unpracticed and ugly.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE) (CONT'D)
Help!!! Let me out! Let me -
Then: Z(C)’s hands, tongue and jaw seize up. Her voice cuts out. CHALICE momentarily imprisoned in Z’s body. Eyes dart around. RAPTOR continues trotting somewhere.
Z (V.O.)
Hey! Easy on my body!
CHALICE (V.O.)
10 Your demo wasted ten years of my 10 life?!
Z (V.O.)
11 “Wasted”? *zuh* that’s old world 11 talk. Time is a toy for us gods.
CHALICE (V.O.)
12 Stop calling me a god! Stop 12 trotting! Stop -
FLIP TO WV:
INT. WAVYVERSE. 1000 LIVES DEMO CONFLUX. FUTURE. Seq 910
CHALICE flips into the demo conflux, now in an inert state. TURTLE is asleep or dead, unclear. She taps her third eye jewel - her conflux portal comes into focus, but it’s blocked and fractured. Z’s avatar looks on.
Z
That one’s on Wong - ok my turtle security overreacted - but Wong shouldn’t have meddled - <Sighs> Chalice. Look. We can sit around assigning blame -
She taps the fractured portal. It fractures more. She panics.
Z (CONT'D)
But the only way you’re gonna get back to your life is to get back to your body. And to do that you’re gonna have to break your BOB contract. Blind. Sorry.
Terror in her face. Z holds his own jewel. It conjures a dozen of his own BOB contracts. He gestures, breaking a couple of them arbitrarily. His lip twitches. He makes a “no big deal” face.
She holds her jewel. Her BOB CONTRACT zips out and orbits the fractured portal.
CHALICE
Terminate Contract!
The BOB CONTRACT shifts into a blinking state. A “confirm?” glyph hovers over it. She glances at Z. He gives a poker face blank look. She looks back at her BOB CONTRACT. She trembles, nervous. Her eyes dart, delaying. Then finally:
CHALICE (CONT'D)
Why didn’t anyone come for me?!
Z
Yea. Thought you should see for yourself.
She gives a confused look, then softens. She looks at Z’s conflux portal emanating from his jewel.
Z (CONT'D)
They’re finally launching this cursed thing tomorrow. Bleh. Guess I’m the only one who wants to hear what you think.
She gestures her BOB CONTRACT back into her jewel. She glares at Z. He smiles, begins to make a quip. She zips into Z’s jewel.
Z (CONT'D)
Just do us both a favor: tell them - “I know what you did, and I forgive you.”
FLIP TO IRL:
EXT. ZIM SHORE COMPOUND SLOPE GARDEN, FUTURE — AFTERNOON - Seq 1000
Z(C) and RAPTOR nearing an event. Shuttles parked. A dozen people gathered. Many more orb cams hover. An event screen displays “DOUBLE DESTINY (presented by ZIM)” in an expressive design. A small banner adjacent to the screen: 2:24 I’M YOURS. A wall of floating flower arrangements occludes the banner. It’s a wedding. At the center: ORLANDO in androgynous ornate attire, at ease. Leaning into ORLANDO’s ear, awkward: ALAN in a tuxedo, proper, but fists clenched. No one notices Z(C).
ALAN
<Whispers> 2:24. That’s our number.
ORLANDO
She knows. I know. But this is our Double Destiny Wedding. Do you want to maybe find your place?
Z(C) spots AVA, older, yet exactly the same. Then: a familiar figure, with an exoskeletal brace: DR WONG. She trembles. They both calmly pull ALAN back a step.
CHAIRMAN AVA
I don’t know what she promised you but today you are a guest of ZIM.
DR WONG
Alan. You’re not a part of this story.
ORLANDO
I’m ok, pop. We’re good.
Then: the floating flower wall parts. A figure steps forward. It’s the bride: TWENTY-YEAR-OLD C(B). Time stands still. Z(C) is transfixed by every detail: her hair parted to the side; her eyes intense and unshrouded; her posture athletic. RAPTOR lunges forward a step. Z(C) finding her shaky voice:
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
Ch - Chalice?
Everyone turns to the ridiculous sight of Z on a raptor. ALAN and ORLANDO stunned. C(B) gives a curious look.
Z (V.O.)
Tell them: “I know what you did -
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
I know what you did, and -
Then: *whack* ALAN punches Z(C) off the raptor; she lays disoriented on the ground. The crowd descends, a nightmare of familiar faces ten years twisted. The orb cams snap and flash. AVA waving off the cams.
CHAIRMAN AVA
No don’t shoot this! This isn’t part of the campaign -
ALAN
How dare you show your face here!
ORLANDO
Get out! You fat snake!
WENDY
Uncle Z where’s my money?!
Z(C) feels all the hate. She clocks C(B) watching, analyzing.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
BOB! What did you do to my life?!
C(B)’s eyes widen. DR WONG cocks his head.
RAPTOR screeches a horrible frequency at the guests. Everyone scurries back murmuring. RAPTOR backs its way into C(B), isolating her. It clamps its jaws on her arm. Z(C) trails.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE) (CONT'D)
Tell them: “I’ll nibble!”
Z (V.O.)
I’ll snap her arm off and bathe in her blood!
RAPTOR flashes an eye at Z(C). The crowd goes silent.
CONTINUOUS:
EXT. ZIM SHORE COMPOUND SLOPE GARDEN, FUTURE — AFTERNOON - Seq 1100
C(B) struggles. RAPTOR unsure if it should bite. C(B)’s arm scrapes against RAPTOR’s teeth, drawing blood. C(B) unpained.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
BOB! Stop! That’s my body! I’ll - I’ll break contract!
C(B) stops. In a surprisingly husky voice:
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
Is that you?
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
Yes it’s me! Are you broken?!
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
It’s been so long. I was waiting for you.
Z(C) tears up.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
I was waiting for you! Why didn’t you come for me??
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
They said you’d break at any time. So I lived every day like it was my
last.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
For ten years?!
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
I did every module. I broke bones. I renamed myself. You should have seen when I wavecasted -
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
I wasn’t there BOB! Just - what’d you rename me??
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
China Horchow.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
I hate that name!!!
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
That’s when the wavecast really took off. People thought it was a healthy break from father’s study.
DR WONG
China you don’t have to answer to this terrorist -
RAPTOR screeches, canceling out DR WONG’s voice.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
Just tell me something good about my life!
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
On my 16th birthday, a humanista broke into the apartment, ready to kill. She screamed, “Where’s the Destiny demon!?” Instead she encountered me and fell in love. It was then that I knew. I’d become a person defined by my actions, not my BOB-born origin. We had arrived.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
What?
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
Yes. Father was so proud. He was ready to declare the Chalice Study complete.
Z (V.O.)
Yuck.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
It doesn’t count if I wasn’t there BOB. I was suppose to do that part!
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
Yes. I knew you’d want to return to a path with something ahead of you to complete. So I undid the winnings and set about restaging a new version of the Chalice Study.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
Undid?! BOB you were suppose to do my life better than me not weirder!
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
<Eager> I disconnected all my relationships. Re-casted everyone. Developed new tastes. Changed my name again. Re-married. Father was upset at first, but he was impressed how quickly I restaged everything. Then - I did it again.
Z(C)’s head spinning.
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
How many times have I been married? ALAN and ORLANDO look at each other. Z(C) panting, nauseated.
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
Three. Today I was aiming at five. I’m experimenting with parallel paths.
ALAN barges forward to rescue C(B). C(B) holds her hand up, signaling she’s fine. RAPTOR loosens its clamp on C(B)’s arm. ALAN shattered. Suddenly: ALAN yanks Z(C)’s tongue, distending it horrifically. Z(C) reels in pain on the ground.
Z (V.O.)
Ha! Checkmate Alan! Disabling tongue nerves.
RAPTOR bites ALAN’s hand off. Guests scream and back away. C(B) seizes the moment and pulls Z(C) away with a deft protective motion, enveloping Z(C) in a private cocoon-like space, their faces close. C(B) starts involuntarily giggling. Z(C)’s eyes go wide with a flash of fear.
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
<Involuntary giggle thru out> 26 Achieving one path is really no trouble. A bit boring even. With parallel paths I can appreciate the little things -
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE)
BOB I don’t like this!
Z(C)’s protests begin to slur, can’t be heard by C(B) now.
CHALICE (DRONED BY BOB)
I - I could keep going? Would you like that? Tell me where you want to go now. I’ve learned I can do 90% of classic human life for you. 9% could use your preferential input. 1% are for pivotal moments like this. Tell me. I can do it. I like doing it. Being a body. It’s all ours whenever you want. I have so many unfinished -
Z (DRONED BY CHALICE) (CONT'D)
<Slurring sounds> No! No! Stop! I don’t want this! Are you listening! Stop!
CHALICE (V.O.)
Terminate contract! Confirm!
Close on CHALICE’s face as she blinks — now back in her 20 year old body. Her third eye jewel shimmers then flattens into a dull color.
CONTINUOUS:
EXT. ZIM SHORE COMPOUND SLOPE GARDEN, FUTURE - Seq 1200
CHALICE stumbles back from Z. Her feet instinctively reposition her balance against the downward slope. Other senses come flooding in. Bugs. Head chatter. Her eyes sting.
She orients herself looking at Z, grinning, panting. His tongue dangles out of his mouth. RAPTOR guards him. He begins motioning gleefully at the cams, but then sees her
distressed. He looks at her with concern. Then: the floating flower wall rearranges, cutting off the view.
Her foot slips. Someone grabs her by the arm.
ORLANDO
Cha Cha, my ocean -
She flashes a confused repulsed look. Then: she feels a twisting hold on her other arm: it’s DR WONG.
DR WONG
My perfect girl - where did you go? Please - are you hurt - are you hiding - just tell me - you don’t have to marry anybody if that’s not what you want - I’m so proud of you - are you there - can you hear me?
ORLANDO (CONT'D)
<Accelerating speed> It’s me. Orlando. We met here ten years ago? I got reissued a destiny bob after Z’s awful demo? We started dating? Study to Study? We bred shibas? But then we split? You see them on weekends? But you wanted them for new years? I said no way? You called and proposed? ZIM declared it a Double Destiny wedding? I said I do! Orlando!
Their voices phase in and out, dizzying. She’s pained. Finding her voice:
CHALICE
Dad - who’s this lady?
ORLANDO’s face drops. He looks to DR WONG. DR WONG is in some trembling fugue state, eyes closed, clutching CHALICE’s arm.
ORLANDO
Pop! This one is not my ocean!
DR WONG
...don’t call me that...
She can’t escape ORLANDO’s sad face from her view. His jewel shimmers.
ORLANDO (CONT'D)
You said one day you’d not be you. And I vowed: then me neither. <To self> Terminate Contract.
DR WONG
Orlando! Don’t you dare -
ORLANDO (CONT'D)
Confirm.
CHALICE feels ORLANDO’s grip slip. Her feet shuffle. DR WONG slips too, unable to carry the sudden weight alone. CHALICE tumbles backward thru the flower wall. *Smash* Blacks out.
END ACT 3/4
CUT TO BLACK
INT. WAVYVERSE. CHALICE’S CONFLUX. FUTURE Seq 1300
CHALICE wakes up in her LANDSCAPE CONFLUX. Her avatar is of her 20 year old self. She observes her landscape: it’s a foggy mess in front of her. She looks behind: it drops off to a void. A giant gap in her continuity.
CHALICE
<Whispers> BOB -
Something leaks in: it’s a conflux with BOB. She’s startled. It doesn’t move or speak. She looks closer. BOB has a blank demeanor, different colored eyes, half open, in some kind of holding pattern. She can’t recognize this thing. Her eyes rescan the landscape desperately. Sky flickers color. A voice leaks in:
CHAIRMAN AVA (V.O.)
No. Just patch her now!
CHALICE flips to IRL.
INT. ZIM SHUTTLE. FUTURE — MORNING - Seq 1400
CHALICE finds herself inside a docked ZIM SHUTTLE, sunken in a seat. Bruised, dressed in comfy clothes, her wedding hair still done up. Two fibers exit her skull ports to a small device on the adjacent seat. She scans out the window: it’s the WONG APT. Furniture is missing. A huge pile of junk in one corner. ZIM ENGINEERS haul out trash bags marked “DBX”. Others bring in cams, potted plants, and balloon letters that spell DESTINY. She sees AVA outside on the balcony deck yelling.
CHAIRMAN AVA (O.S.)
Do not go in like that!
The glass goes mute. Then DR WONG comes into view: exoskeleton along his back, bald without his wig. Frail. Unslept. Not the same image we saw at the wedding. He’s holding two cups. His voice appears directly in her head:
DR WONG (V.O.)
Ava still prefers to vocalize. She’s scared. Ignore her.
He sits beside CHALICE and offers a ball-shaped cup filled with a dark sludgy liquid. She leans forward. Her hand automatically grips the cup and drinks it in a specific way. She gags as soon as it hits her mouth. She looks at her hand, confused.
DR WONG (V.O.)
Do you remember my desk there? Ch - BOB - kicked me out years ago. What a mess. Heh. <Deep breath> I knew this day would come. We don’t have much time.
CHALICE (V.O.)
Get out of - <Catching herself>
CHALICE
Get out of my head.
Her husky voice surprises her. She holds her throat.
CHALICE (CONT'D)
What’s wrong with (my body) - just give me BOB’s life logs.
DR WONG
No. Your Atemporalysis is too severe. Ten years without integration: it would break your brain.
He taps the device.
DR WONG (CONT'D)
This patch. I’ve been composing it for you. No false memories. All things BOB did for you. Best things. Filtered and sequenced so you can put your life back in some order. Chalice - are you listening?
CHALICE
How could you let this happen? DR WONG pauses. Looks her in the eyes.
DR WONG
After the New Years incident, I needed the part of both of us that could see this through. <Beat> I was afraid of messing up.
CHALICE
So you'd rather be a ruthless programmer than my dad?
DR WONG
Parenting is programming. Please. Don’t talk like a humanista. The
world needed my work. My work is you. I was what you needed me to be.
CHALICE
I needed a parent.
DR WONG
That’s why I gave you BOB.
CHALICE absorbs this. Her hand thoughtlessly motions to adjust something on DR WONG’s exoskeletal neck. She fights the gesture, recoiling self-consciously.
CHALICE
How long would you have left me in there?
DR WONG breaks eye contact.
DR WONG
After today’s launch. Ava - we -
CHALICE looks away. DR WONG cuts himself off. She motions to the device. She closes her eyes.
FLIP TO WV:
INT. WAVYVERSE. CHALICE’S CONFLUX. Seq 1410
CHALICE again in her landscape conflux. The zombified BOB has conjured a colored conflux overlapping hers: the preview of Dr Wong’s proposed life log edit.
CHALICE
<Sighs> Ok.
CHALICE gestures. BOB overlaps her. The conflux landscapes merge. Before her eyes, the scene resolves: the river runs towards a ridge, the gap behind her is filled. In an instant, she is some kind of 20 year old.
FLIP TO IRL:
INT. ZIM SHUTTLE. FUTURE. - MORNING. - Seq 1420
CHALICE regards the cup again. She drinks it without gagging.
CHALICE
<Recognizing> Your supergirl silk reduction - during The Long Typhoon - the only neoprotein we had for 53 cycles. <Sing-song> “Tastes awful.”
DR WONG wells up with tears of joy.
DR WONG
<Overwhelmed with success> HA HA!
He reaches out to hold her hand. CHALICE’s hand strokes his bald scalp motherly. She doesn’t fight this gesture. DR WONG looks up at AVA, hovering near. AVA sighs with relief, then talks to someone in her head.
CHAIRMAN AVA
Alert Regulation: her psych stats are aligned. Yes. Lovely. Send the last logs. Lock it in. Live in ten.
AVA cranes down at CHALICE, very close, beaming a smile.
CHAIRMAN AVA (CONT'D)
You - wavy lady - are the first graduate of ZIM’s Destiny BOB pilot program.
CHALICE lost in new thoughts, puts out a delayed weak smile.
DR WONG
Let’s give her some space before the launch. Chalice. Welcome home.
CUT TO:
INT. WONG APARTMENT. FUTURE - MORNING - Seq 1500
CHALICE sits at a makeshift table with a huge buffet breakfast untouched. A blank look. She tracks ZIM ENGINEERS hauling BOB’s trash aboard the docked ZIM shuttle. One puzzles over a strange third-eye jewel pin.
ZIM ENGINEER 1
Check out China’s neurografting job-
He punctures the jewel pin’s tip with his finger. It emits a tiny tone. His fingers make a strange gesture. CHALICE’s fingers twitch too. She frowns, confused. He begins to pocket the jewel. He sees CHALICE see him. He pauses, blinks. Then continues pocketing it. Another ZIM ENGINEER notices this weird exchange. He looks her in the eye.
ZIM ENGINEER 2 (V.O.)
You’re nothing now. But hey, no more attachments when you’re nothing, right?
CHALICE looks away. Her palm twitch subsides. She wiggles her hand. Nothing. She frowns. Bites her lip. Looks back. Then:
CHALICE / CHALICE (V.O.)
Hey! That’s my stuff!
The ZIM ENGINEER grumbles and tosses the tiny jewel pin back into the trash heap for her to find again. She rushes over. Flashes them a feral look. They back away. She digs through the trash scattering wedding presents, flowers, clothes, artifacts. She finds the jewel. It’s odd but talismanic. She pushes it into a freckle on her finger like an acupuncture pin. It emits a pattern of tones. Her hand makes a grip shape and mimes stroking a pet. Her mouth unconsciously hums to the tones. Then she recognizes: it’s BOB’s damn frac-tonal song from new years. She cringes. She flicks away the jewel. But her humming continues. It cues her hand to automatically evaluate the trash, brushing away most things. It grabs a scarf. She sniffs it. Her hand touches her thigh. She blushes. Her hum has turned into a mutter.
CHALICE ...not now knotty now naughty now not now - not now knotty now...
CHALICE (V.O.)
Argh BOB! I hate you!
She folds her arms and muffles her mouth. Shuts her eyes. The weird attractions subside. The muttering stops. She takes a calming breath and resettles into a blank look.
Her blank look turns dark like Orlando’s. Then something moves. She scans the trash mess. Her eyes go to a gift box with holes punctured in its side. Nothing. Then. The box moves. She removes the lid and inside: a little TURTLE. Etched onto its shell: “Subplots”. Her eyes go wide. She notices the jewel pin is back in her hand, recovered unconsciously? She wells up. Suddenly:
CHAIRMAN AVA (O.S.)
What am I paying you boys overtime for? Move it! You too wavy lady.
The turtle retracts. She pins the jewel onto the turtle’s shell and pockets it.
CUT TO:
INT. WONG APARTMENT GARDEN ROOM, FUTURE - HIGH NOON - Seq 1600
AVA, DR WONG, and CHALICE stand together among the new plants. The room is prettier than it has ever been. Cams drift inside and out. CHAIRMAN AVA begins a formal address.
CHAIRMAN AVA
Happy New Year, Sisters. Today is a very special day. I’m thrilled to announce The Chalice Study has graduated from ZIM’s Destiny BOB Pilot Program, exceeding all clinical research expectations, across all anomic metrics. She arrives today: Chalice Wong, an adult of immense character. As we speak, ZIM is finalizing specs on Destiny BOB with regulation approval secured. We begin our pre- sale of the cognitive asset today. Joining me is the legendary Doctor James Moonweed Wong, inventor of the Affirmation BOB and Task BOB; steward of the Chalice Study, and now, officially, today, the inventor of the Destiny BOB, twenty years in the making. Dr Wong, please introduce us to our graduate.
DR WONG smiles. He gestures for CHALICE to join him. She’s reserved and cooperative.
DR WONG
Anomics Audit January 1. Tell me your name.
CHALICE
Chalice Wong.
DR WONG
Age?
CHALICE
Twenty.
DR WONG
Tell us the tortures on your path.
CHALICE
I was born with a BOB. BOB - we - discovered wavecasting was something I liked. People hated us even more but they couldn’t look away. A humanista fanatic tried to assassinate BOB, but then fell in love with me. Orlando too. But that didn’t work out. Um. Too much in common. Now here I am.
DR WONG
If I could magically return BOB to you, would you accept?
CHALICE
No. Not from you.
DR WONG
Ha. Any suicidal thoughts?
CHALICE
Zero.
DR WONG
Good. Any regrets?
CHALICE
I wish I integrated more often with BOB over the years.
DR WONG
What are you looking forward to?
CHALICE
Selling my memoir.
DR WONG
What’s its title?
CHALICE
The Chalice Study.
DR WONG
Good. End Anomics Audit. Jan 1.
DR WONG smiles. AVA checks the stats: Nothing. She searches out the window. Then, a cluster of nine connected shuttles hovers into view. Still no response. AVA makes an address:
CHAIRMAN AVA
Sister San. Will The Sister World commit to its pledge of three hundred thousand enterprise installations of Destiny BOB?
CHALICE, confused, this isn’t a public launch. It’s something smaller. She tries to glimpse the shuttles.
CHAIRMAN AVA (CONT'D)
I invite you for a closer look.
The door of the central shuttle opens. It’s SISTER SAN, now the representative of an entire market share of Wavyverse nodes. DR WONG surprised, then frowns at AVA.
SISTER SAN
Chalice Wong. Would you recommend the Destiny BOB to prepare a person for a good life?
CHALICE
I recommend - being born with one - so it feels like it’s always been a part of you.
SISTER SAN
And if it were applied midway to a life, like The Orlando Study?
CHALICE
It’d feel like a demon who does your life better than you.
CHAIRMAN AVA
Wait. If I may restate your question -
SISTER SAN gestures AVA to not interrupt.
SISTER SAN
Interesting. <Nods surprised> Yes. We can imagine skipping over the tedious parts of growing up. Could free a person to be a more active node in a sister network.
DR WONG
That’s not what BOB’s designed to -
AVA silences DR WONG with a look. They’re unaligned.
SISTER SAN
We know you’ve been away Chalice. Permadroned. Didn’t that trouble you?
DR WONG looks away.
CHALICE
...it’s all me in the end...
DR WONG registers this. AVA relieved by this clean answer.
SISTER SAN
Chalice. You’ve completed your destiny and officially “arrived”. What now?
CHAIRMAN AVA
A beautiful question. What now?
CHALICE looks at DR WONG, who still looks away. She looks down at herself, scanning. Blank. She notices what looked like freckles on her hand are tiny pin scars. She sees more marks on her feet rising up her ankle. She begins to hum.
CHALICE
I want to - step on - more bugs. <Hum> And loan - loan my feet sensations to the feet-less. <Hum> Then. I want to drop - burning waves into my leg - to know what - <Hum> - the solarnauts must have felt... <Pins self> I was thinking about reconnecting with some of BOB’s troubles. I - had dogs - and - an ex-vitro - that are a problem. I should include them in the memoir. And Alan. Is that his name? Yea.. <Pins> I’ve given read/write access of my left arm to the Peace Patrol. And <Pins> right hand access to the Empathics Bounty League. Maybe they can help track down my classic mom. I should sort out those subscriptions. I mean they’re profitable. I’m thinking about changing my name again. I have a new wavecast idea. I want to refactor 1000 Lives but only for people who volunteer their life log. Oh - I found this turtle. I haven’t thought of a name yet...
CHALICE shows everyone the retracted turtle. Painful silence. DR WONG now looking at her, curious.
CHAIRMAN AVA
Last offer, Sister San.
SISTER SAN
Uh huh...<chorus voice> Dr Wong. You fail so deeply at your life’s work. <Beat> But. Yes. Sister world will suffer learning more about Destiny BOB.
CHAIRMAN AVA
Lovely.
A pained look comes over DR WONG.
DR WONG
<Mutters to self> No...
SISTER SAN
<Smiling> The world keeps turning. The world is well.
DR WONG brings himself to rise. His muttering audible.
DR WONG
My BOBs... are not for you...
SISTER SAN frowns, confused, looks at AVA.
CHAIRMAN AVA
He’s not in sales - lock it in.
DR WONG gives a crazed look back at SISTER SAN. Points at CHALICE.
DR WONG
BOB would break your brain! Ha ha!
CHALICE gets the idea.
CHALICE
<helping> Ha ha ha.
SISTER SAN sneers and begins to cut the connection. AVA cuts out faster. The garden glass goes opaque. The new plants scream. AVA collects herself. A brief awful silence. She hovers close over the Wongs.
CHAIRMAN AVA
I cannot help you Wongs when you shit where you eat.
AVA puts a finger in CHALICE’s face. CHALICE effortlessly breaks AVA’s finger. Instantly, AVA drones, holds her forearm precisely in her mouth and pops her finger back into place. AVA leaves abruptly.
CHALICE’s giggle reflex flickers in and out. She looks at DR WONG. Then direct to his head, her pupils oscillating:
CHALICE (V.O.)
If the Chalice Study is done, does that mean I’m done being your daughter?
DR WONG looks at CHALICE, then nods, conceding to the logic. A relieved finality comes across his face. He rests his eyes. We close in on CHALICE. Time lapses over her. The giggle reflex subsides into a hum. She moves the jewel pin over different spots on her body. Multiple small expressions snapshot across her face. They resolve into a smile.
FLIP TO WV:
INT. WAVYVERSE. 1000 LIVES DEMO CONFLUX. FUTURE - Seq 1700
Adult CHALICE is dressed in her 10 year old sweater and pink hair. She carefully pets an agitated dog along its neck. It fights the sensation, but CHALICE persists. It gives in and begins to calm. She begins to smile at the result.
Suddenly a blurry voice interrupts: “New candidates arriving.” The calming dog begins to phase out and the lights begin to shift to a blinding white. CHALICE looks at the dog, its agitation returning. She puts her hand up: everything freezes.
CHALICE
Ok BOBs. Filter for dog bites on the next. I have a feeling about dog bites.
She puts her hand down and lets it all go white. CHALICE, in her normal adult attire and hair, is in the 1000 Lives turtle conflux, now redesigned in her own style. A DEMO BOB peels off her spinal cord. She rises out of the pool, humming her hum. She makes a gesture. The TURTLE confirms with a wink.
Then: two candidates leak in [simulate variable characters]. CHALICE turns to regard them.
CHALICE (CONT'D)
Welcome to 1000 Plots, candidates. Let’s look at each of your prime paths and get that outta the way.
EXT. END CREDITS Seq 1800
SUPERTITLE: THE CHALICE STUDY - Then: LIFE AFTER BOB
[Simulated: TURTLE roaming apartment docking area with jewel pin plugged onto its shell. CHALICE reclined around it. Timelapse day night cycles flashing over its slow movements.]