Wings of Wax: Presentation

INT. MINOS - AUDITORIUM - DAY

Daedalus is presenting his solution to the board of directors and other higher ups and security analysts (Aradnea is there). He stands on stage with a holographic projection of the Minos Ethereal Realm.

DAEDALUS

The ethereal realm of Minos. It, like most corporate plots in the Ether, has a surface area of 100 square miles. Historically ethereal realms have been secured by traditional means: firewalls and intrusion detection devices. These have held up fairly well, but now it seems the Gods themselves have violated their own treaties and are now engaged in cracking perimeters.

Murmurs in the crowd. Daedalus pushes a button on a handheld device, and a grey sphere grows around the projection of the ethereal realm.

DAEDALUS

I was contracted by your corporation to devise a means to bolster the ethereal defenses of Minos. In that I think I have succeeded. What you see now in the projection is a system I call the Labyrinth, and I believe it to be wholly God proof. It could be described as a firewall comprised of an infinite, continuously interconnected set of mazes. Unauthenticated entry into the ethereal realm will be impossible once this is deployed.

Daedalus pushes another button, and the projection zooms in to show a cross section of the grey sphere. It shows that the mazes he described are constantly shifting and forming new connections.

DAEDALUS

In addition, I've developed a specialized sentry A.I. that will be replicated throughout the Labyrinth.

He pushes another button. The cross section is filled with hundreds of red dots. He waits for the audience to take this in, and then pushes another button. The projection zooms in on one of the red dots, and we see a giant, menacing figure, that looks to have the body of a man and the head of a bull.

DAEDALUS

I call it (beat) Mino-Taur. It is a class five battle A.I.

Audience hesitates, more murmuring.

DAEDALUS

In the next week your security team will conduct a series of exercises to determine whether my solution will meet your needs. I am confident it will; I'll stake my reputation on it. Thank you.

Audience begins to applaud, eventually ending in a standing ovation.

INT. MINOS - RECEPTION HALL - DAY

There is a reception after the presentation. Daedalus and Icarus are mingling with the crowd. Pasiphae approaches them with Aradnea in tow.

PASIPHAE

Daedalus there's someone I'd like for you to meet. Aradnea is our youngest security analyst. She is very interested in the system you've developed.

Aradnea blushes.

DAEDALUS

It is my pleasure.

Aradnea shakes Daedalus' hand.

ARADNEA

Your presentation was impressive. Pasiphae was telling me you completed implementation of the system in under a week.

DAEDALUS

Well, in my defense, I had been thinking on such an artifice for a few years now.

ARADNEA

And the bull man?

DAEDALUS

An ... artistic flourish.

PASIPHAE

Are you the bull man, Daedalus?

DAEDALUS

Ladies, a design must be taken as a sum of its parts. The sentry component was essential. Its form may not have been, but I reserve the artistic right to define what that might be.

ARADNEA

I suppose we shall see how the Labyrinth fairs against my team this week.

DAEDALUS

I'm looking forward to it.

INT. THE ETHER - A VOID - (120 YEARS PREVIOUS) DAY

Poseidon and Minerva stand in a void.

POSEIDON

What do you see?

MINERVA

A lonely emptiness. I can't stand it.

POSEIDON

What would you wish it to be?

MINERVA

A tropical paradise. It's cold here.

Poseidon raises his hands in the air and moves his fingers as if typing something. A faint light diffuses off in the distance, illuminating the hard edge of a horizon. The sound of waves becomes audible.

Minerva sighs in surprise. Camera on her feet, her moving toes, and we see there is wet sand between them.

MINERVA

This is possible?

POSEIDON

We are gods here, Minerva.

A sun begins to rise, and an ocean with moving waves becomes visible. Minerva laughs.

MINERVA

It's ... it's warm.

The sun is above them now. The water's color is clear blue. Now their entire surrounding can be seen, and it is indeed a tropical paradise complete with palm trees and sand dunes.

They look at each other and smile, both truly happy.

MINERVA

Can I ... ?

POSEIDON

Raise your hands as if a keyboard were floating right in front of you.

Minerva raises her hands, and gives another sigh of surprise.

MINERVA

It's ... it's a programmer shell?

POSEIDON

A god's shell. What do you want to create?

MINERVA

I want ... to fly a kite!

Minerva starts typing, and apparently finds a library of predefined objects. A kite appears on the ground.

They both laugh.

POSEIDON

But now you'll need some wind. Allow me, lady.

A breeze begins to flow over the scene. Evidenced by the palm trees bowing, and ripples over the water's surface.

Minerva laughs, and picks up the kite. She hesitates and looks over at Poseidon who is still typing into the air. He nods at her and smiles. She begins to run with the kite and it launches high, high into the air. She stands there for a moment, very pleased with their environment but then appears to come upon a brilliant idea. She ties the kite string to her ankle. With hands freed she raises them again and begins to type into the air. Suddenly the sky is filled with kites of all kinds and sizes with their lines attached to stakes along the beach as far as the eye can see.

JUPITER (O.S.)

It's beautiful.

Startled and embarrassed Minerva turns to see Jupiter standing behind them. The wind intensifies and kites begin to break from their moorings. The sun starts to sink swiftly. Scene ends with hundreds of kites floating into the sunset.

INT. MINOS - DAEDALUS' QUARTERS - NIGHT

Daedalus and Icarus are having dinner.

ICARUS

How much longer will we stay here?

DAEDALUS

You don't like it here?

ICARUS

It would be nice to go somewhere else.

DAEDALUS

You didn't answer my question.

ICARUS

Something's wrong. I feel that something's wrong. People look at me strangely.

DAEDALUS

They are interested in you, Icarus. Well ... the job is almost done. We can leave then.

ICARUS

What are they interested in? That's what worries me.

Daedalus takes a long look at Icarus and squints. And then looks off into the distance as if he's pondering something.

INT. OLYMPUS - IMMERSION ROOM - (120 YEARS PREVIOUS) NIGHT

Jupiter climbs out of one of the many immersion tanks in the room, clearly exasperated. Vulcan is there at the console.

JUPITER

I can't stand the thought of leaving them alone together another day.

VULCAN

She's safe there, Jupiter.

JUPITER

Yes, safe. Safe in his arms.

VULCAN

Poseidon wouldn't betray your friendship, man.

JUPITER

Why wouldn't he? We've been rivals since we first met. It's no secret that he's longed for Minerva. And now ... now he has her.

VULCAN

What are you saying?

JUPITER

I'm not attached to this body anymore.

VULCAN

Don't say that shit. Who would run this company?

JUPITER

You will.