Dhoorfield: Austen and Vulture (First-ever GunZ play)

[Nosedagger]

DHOORFIELD: AUSTEN AND VULTURE

Playwright: Nosedigger


CHARACTERS

AUSTEN Axium Gun Knight, very youthful and may be a teenager, simply dressed

VULT Axium Gun Knight, very youthful and may be a teenager, simply dressed



SETTING

An open field, with a block



TIME

The past, roughly analogous to the period between the Industrial Revolution and World War II.


PROPS

For Austen, a simple cylinder roughly as long and thin as a standard sniper rifle will suffice. Anything that hints of a pistol may be handled as such by Vult.
Props should be kept simple.

[Nosedagger]

(Dim lighting fades in. VULT stands on one side of the stage, staring towards the other side. He seems to be trying to decide something and is fiddling with something vaguely resembling a handgun. He turns away as if to leave, but even then he still hesitates momentarily. AUSTEN enters from the opposite side of stage in a hurry, crouches behind the block and peers at VULT through a handheld telescopic sight. She will crouch behind the block for the duration of the play. If actress is unable, she may lie prone. Just as VULT takes his first steps away, AUSTEN manages to aim her cylinder at his back, put her radio to her mouth, and speak into it.)

AUSTEN

Stop right there.


(VULT freezes, and drops his gun-like thing. He does not put up his hands.)

AUSTEN

Where are you going, Vult?


(VULT turns around to face AUSTEN slowly. He pulls out his own radio and speaks into it. Both characters converse by radio, but strangely seem to be speaking to each other as if in the same room.)

VULT

I finished it.

AUSTEN

You finished the recce?

VULT

Yeah. (Pause) We failed the test, Austen.


(Another short period of disbelieving silence is observed.)

AUSTEN

I – What – What happened? Did we find the stain? We needed to find the stain, it was going to knock us – all…

VULT

I would say so… but as to exactly who… I’m not, not really… sure… Sep… and Notus…

AUSTEN

(Interrupting) The stain! What about the stain? Have we cleaned it? Did it escape? Who was it? Who was the stain?

VULT

I don’t know, I’m not sure.

AUSTEN

Where are Sep and Notus now?

VULT

Fourteen paces from my current. Just here in this field. (AUSTEN jerks her cylinder about suddenly, casting the stage for targets.) No, they’re – they knocked each other.

AUSTEN

Are you sure that they’re both… not moving?

VULT

I’m… sure.


(Silence.)

AUSTEN

I… I… didn’t mind Sep. N-Notus was pretty okay, too.

VULT

Not like the stain…


(Silence.)

AUSTEN

(Sighing) All right. Let’s pack up.

VULT

Aren’t you angry, Aust?

AUSTEN

Ramitz will be disappointed. We failed the test.

VULT

I think I’m… I’m not… You… Austen, there’s a train leaving from the station in twelve minutes and it’s not going to Axium.

AUSTEN

A train? Out?

VULT

I was thinking that we should leave the program.


(AUSTEN fixes her cylinder back on VULT.)

AUSTEN

No – wait, wait, stop right there. Don’t make another move! What are you talking about?

VULT

(Sparking suddenly into bitterness) What are we doing in this program?

AUSTEN

Our jobs.

VULT

(gesturing to the stage at large) Doesn’t it feel… empty enough already to you? Why do we have to – make – more emptiness? That’s what we’re doing.

AUSTEN

Ramitz said we helped sustain things. Keep the cogs turning, and the wheels cycling.

VULT

Well I think I want a change.

AUSTEN

Ramitz didn’t say you could leave.

VULT

You’re not Ramitz.

AUSTEN

How long have you been planning this?

VULT

I don’t know, I only just-

AUSTEN

You don’t even know where to go?

VULT

No, but-

AUSTEN

Or what you’re going to do?

VULT

No, I don’t-

AUSTEN

Stop it! Stop saying that you don’t know! You've never said that before! It’s not a good thing to say! You’re confusing me!

VULT

Please, Aust. Test after test. Task after task. Stain after stain… Knock after knock.

AUSTEN

(Talking as if she and VULT have something in common) You’re tired? Tired of it?

VULT

I’m more than tired! I’m – We – always – never, not once, not even one single time, do we create anything! We never do the determinations! It’s always them! What’s the point of adding fuel to a car that’s not going in the direction you want to go? We want to go?

AUSTEN

I can’t always have what I want, Vult! We have a job to do! A responsibility to this program and the people we serve! They tell us where to go and what to knock, that’s the way it works! All the time! Not anyhow else.

VULT

Why not, Austen?

AUSTEN

Because we don’t know how to do anything else!

(Silence.)

AUSTEN

This is not what we do. Successful ops have high probabilities of success only when they’ve been rehearsed over and over! You know what happens – what could very well happen – if you don’t do the job with enough and adequate context! I saw you, Vult! Just now you were just looking at nothing and scratching your shoe on the dirt. You haven’t even – you probably don’t know – you were going to leave without me-

VULT

I did know something! I’m knowing it right now! I know – enough that I’m convinced!

AUSTEN

You don’t know anything! What do you know?

VULT

(In a cracked, lower voice) I love you…

AUSTEN

What?

VULT

That’s… that’s what Notus said. He said it to me… right here! (He squints at AUSTEN, and sudden dread dawns on him.) Austen! You’re right there!

AUSTEN

Where?

VULT

Right where Sep was! With the Nico! Right there, and I could see the sun bounce off his scope, because he had the wrong angle, aiming at the wrong person – not me – he knocked Notus!

AUSTEN

Sep was the stain? He was the stain on us?

VULT

No… no. Don’t you get it? Ramitz said there was a stain among us – but the stain is within! Inside all of us! We’re all stains!

AUSTEN

I’m not the stain!

VULT

I don’t care!

AUSTEN

I don’t understand!

VULT

Only eight minutes to departure, Aust! We still have time to, break off. We won’t have to do this again!

AUSTEN

I don’t know!

VULT

I don’t either! I don’t have to!


(Silence.)

AUSTEN

(Slowly shaking head) No, this stops here. Now. Vulture you stop right there! (AUSTEN grips the cylinder hard, refocusing.)

VULT

No!

AUSTEN

You’re the stain! I’m sure you are!

VULT

No! All of us –

AUSTEN

- Have to do our jobs!

VULT

- Are stains! Traitors, yes! Just not to the program, or even Ramitz! We’re betraying only ourselves!

AUSTEN

This is madness! We’ll fail the test!

VULT

But we won’t fail ourselves! Not again! This is how we can ensure history does not repeat itself! We don’t have to end up like Sep and Notus!

AUSTEN

You knocked Sep! You knocked Sep, didn’t you?

VULT

You don’t know that!


(Pause.)

AUSTEN

You lied! You lied to me!

VULT

Everything is a lie! We’re all lying! If we don’t stop now, we will all be doing it FOREVER!


(Silence. Then an audible click from AUSTEN’s cylinder.)

AUSTEN

Last chance, Vulture.

VULT

(Desperately) No, Austen. It’s your last chance.


(Silence.)

AUSTEN

Were you really going to take me along?


(VULT nods, slowly.)

AUSTEN

Are you sure?

VULT

I… (VULT seems to be trying to say “I love you”, but something in him has failed, and he shoots several glances around as if hoping someone will help.)


(Finally, VULT’s face changes and he makes as if to run. AUSTEN’s cylinder jerks, once. VULT hits the stage floor. For a moment he is motionless. AUSTEN stands up, then changes her mind and crouches back down, still gripping the cylinder with deadly aim. Then VULT stirs.)

VULT

(Surprised, not at all dismayed) You missed… you never missed before.


(AUSTEN’s cylinder recoils again. VULT is now one hundred percent still. After a while, AUSTEN relaxes and slackens her grip on the cylinder. She raises the radio to her mouth again.)

AUSTEN

Sir? Stain mission accomplished. All subjects knocked. (Pause) I don’t – I think so, sir. (Pause) Yes sir. I will keep up my record.


(Lights fade out.)


THE END

[Nosedagger]

May or may not tie into Pistol Ninja canon. In any case, I based it off the background that Zephyre and guobin2 established.

THAT'S RIGHT NOOBS, I WROTE THE FIRST-EVER GUNZ PLAY!

[Ailysa]

Between The Industrial age and World War II?

Wouldnt that take place between World War 1 and 2?

But you can't exactly compare gunz with RL ages.


Anyway, a good read with great suspense - however, the 'stain' and the rest of the plot was not revealed... Aren't we meant to find out what was going on?

EDIT:

Originally Posted by Digger-Of-Substances-In-My-Left-Nostril

THAT'S RIGHT NOOBS, I WROTE THE FIRST-EVER GUNZ PLAY!

Lies. There have been many movie scripts before yours which could also be counted as a play. I preceded you!

[Nosedagger]

Between The Industrial age and World War II?

Wouldnt that take place between World War 1 and 2?

But you can't exactly compare gunz with RL ages.

GunZ is an alt. universe, with anarchy, democratic struggles, and humans. Can't be that far away. Anyway it'll just affect costumes. You can take it as being set in the real world if you want.

Anyway, a good read with great suspense - however, the 'stain' and the rest of the plot was not revealed... Aren't we meant to find out what was going on?

Well, nothing was supposed to be apparent. This is my first shot at writing a highly ambiguous play - no good guys, no bad guys, double entendres, little hints, and O_o ending. It's supposed to provoke further speculation on your side. You can pretty much 'get' the meaning behind euphemisms like 'knock' if you've watched Pistol Ninja: Origins or read the PNTC novel.

So who was the bad guy?

EDIT: Lies. There have been many movie scripts before yours which could also be counted as a play. I preceded you!

A movie script is a screenplay - this is a stage play. Hence the exclusion of Slash Shot.

[Ailysa]

Originally Posted by Nosedigger

Well, nothing was supposed to be apparent. This is my first shot at writing a highly ambiguous play - no good guys, no bad guys, double entendres, little hints, and O_o ending. It's supposed to provoke further speculation on your side. You can pretty much 'get' the meaning behind euphemisms like 'knock' if you've watched Pistol Ninja: Origins or read the PNTC novel.

So who was the bad guy?

Well, I've watched and read the PN series and didn't get the meanings behind knock, stain and the rest.

I'm guessing the bad guy would be Ramitz, but I may be wrong.

Originally Posted by Nosedigger

A movie script is a screenplay - this is a stage play. Hence the exclusion of Slash Shot.

I don't exactly agree. They are written the exact same way.

[Nosedagger]

Well, I've watched and read the PN series and didn't get the meanings behind knock, stain and the rest.

'Knock' is explained in Austen's last line... Stain I guess I didn't flesh out well enough, but then again there's a very big hint in one of Vult's lines.

I'm guessing the bad guy would be Ramitz, but I may be wrong.

I was thinking more about Austen and Vult. Do you think one, or maybe even both of them are trying to take advantage of each other?

I don't exactly agree. They are written the exact same way.

So I'm guessing you have a way to effect rapid transitions and elaborate fight scenes on a stage?

ROFL! Screenplays and Staged plays are very different. Imagine an action movie done on stage - it wouldn't work. Stage presents many, many limitations not experienced by movie directors.

In a movie you can use camera work to help give accent to the story (shaky camera in Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum), you can perform rapid transitions and angle changes (almost all movies with a fast-paced segment have this), and in plays human limitations have to be considered much more (no special effects, and you can't make a punch look faster by shagging off frames).
Notice how I included in the stage directions that Austen's actress may have to lie prone instead of crouch? In a movie, you can shoot a minute of Austen crouching, completely motionless from Angle A, another minute from Angle B, two minutes from Angle C, and with rests in between. In editing you can make it look like Austen was completely still in that position for four whole minutes. Onstage the actress will have to be quite disciplined to stay crouched and unmoving for long periods of time.

In movies, you get many tries to make it look perfect once. In plays, you have to do it over and over again, and there are no second chances in front of a live audience.

[_Zephyre_]

Ysopro Sing Sing

[Nosedagger]

Originally Posted by _Zephyre_

Ysopro Sing Sing

Ysoambiguous Kun Kun

[_Zephyre_]

Originally Posted by Nosedigger

Ysoambiguous Kun Kun

No U!11

But really, for a GunZ play, that was better than expected.

[Bli33ard]

I say it be taken to Hollywood.

[Nosedagger]

Originally Posted by Bli33ard

I say it be taken to Hollywood.

/facepalm

U NOOOOOOOB!!!!!!

[Ailysa]

Originally Posted by Nosedigger

'Knock' is explained in Austen's last line... Stain I guess I didn't flesh out well enough, but then again there's a very big hint in one of Vult's lines.

Well, I sort of guessed that knock either meant taken out by getting killed, or just knocked out in some... 'game' (like lazer-wars) - possibly a trial to see a person's skills.

And I presumed that the 'stain' refered to some traiter or some leak in the group, but when Vulture said, "we're all stains," I guessed that everyone there was fighting for the wrong cause and we're being used by Ramitz.

Originally Posted by Nosedigger

I was thinking more about Austen and Vult. Do you think one, or maybe even both of them are trying to take advantage of each other?

I thought they were working together in the same group with the other two that got "knocked" and that they were searching for the "stain," but Vulture wanted to leave and stop Ramitz from using them and Austen was focused and illusioned by their routine of serving Ramitz and getting the job done.

Originally Posted by Nosedigger

ROFL! Screenplays and Staged plays are very different. Imagine an action movie done on stage - it wouldn't work. Stage presents many, many limitations not experienced by movie directors.

In a movie you can use camera work to help give accent to the story (shaky camera in Bourne Supremacy and Bourne Ultimatum), you can perform rapid transitions and angle changes (almost all movies with a fast-paced segment have this), and in plays human limitations have to be considered much more (no special effects, and you can't make a punch look faster by shagging off frames).
Notice how I included in the stage directions that Austen's actress may have to lie prone instead of crouch? In a movie, you can shoot a minute of Austen crouching, completely motionless from Angle A, another minute from Angle B, two minutes from Angle C, and with rests in between. In editing you can make it look like Austen was completely still in that position for four whole minutes. Onstage the actress will have to be quite disciplined to stay crouched and unmoving for long periods of time.

In movies, you get many tries to make it look perfect once. In plays, you have to do it over and over again, and there are no second chances in front of a live audience.

Understood.

[Senvae]

Alrighty Nose, I read the play.

I think there is a bit too much hesitation in the dialog. It makes certain sentences repeat themselves often, and that kinda bothered me. Especially during a play, it's important for actors to be able to speak out, so hesitation should probably be used sparingly. A method I used to write my own play was to put the needed emotions or acting in parenthesis.

Example:

Vult: (Hesitating) I didn’t mind Sep. Notus was pretty okay, too.

This way you let the actors and the director interpret the acting method for it. You used this to mark the pauses too, so its the same idea.

Well in any case, that's just my opinion. I still liked it though, but I wanted to pitch in some constructive criticism.

[Nosedagger]

It makes certain sentences repeat themselves often, and that kinda bothered me.

Repetition is one of the themes I built on, but yeah okay.

Especially during a play, it's important for actors to be able to speak out, so hesitation should probably be used sparingly. A method I used to write my own play was to put the needed emotions or acting in parenthesis.

Example:

Vult: (Hesitating) I didn’t mind Sep. Notus was pretty okay, too.

This way you let the actors and the director interpret the acting method for it. You used this to mark the pauses too, so its the same idea.

Right, that's a good one. I'll keep that in mind when I write my fourth serious script.

Well in any case, that's just my opinion. I still liked it though, but I wanted to pitch in some constructive criticism.

Thanks Senvae. And in case I forgot, Zeph and Ailysa and Bli33ard.