Wings of Wax: Seduction

INT. DAEDALUS' QUARTERS - NIGHT

Daedalus sits at his desk, his many screens filled with source code. He wraps away at his old-school keyboard, making excellent progress. Icarus is nowhere to be seen, presumably in sleep mode.

A door bell rings, and Daedalus goes to the door. He's surprised by who he sees in the video screen. He presses a button to open the door and it slides silently out of sight.

DAEDALUS

Should I say I'm surprised?

Pasiphae walks past him, dressed seductively, carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses.

PASIPHAE

You should say you're glad to see me. (She looks over at his workstation). (beat) Do you ever sleep?

DAEDALUS

I sleep when I'm done.

He walks back to his desk, and proceeds where he left off before being so rudely interrupted.

Not even slightly dismayed, Pasiphae walks over to his desk and stands behind him. She places the two glasses on the desk and proceeds to uncork the wine bottle.

PASIPHAE

And what is so important that you must finish it tonight?

DAEDALUS

My latest A.I. design, a sentry for the Labyrinth.

PASIPHAE

The ... Labyrinth?

DAEDALUS

The new security perimeter for your ... corporation. You'll see it all soon enough.

PASIPHAE

You certainly are a curious man. (She pops the cork.) You've made faster progress than I could have imagined, no wonder the ... board was so interested in bringing you on for this job.

DAEDALUS

This is about money, nothing more.

PASIPHAE

Oh? (She begins to fill the two glasses.) It's not about pride?

DAEDALUS

A man's pride is nothing to make fun of.

PASIPHAE

The world doesn't realize you actually succeeded in your last project. When were you planning to unveil Icarus to the rest of the world, anyway?

DAEDALUS

I wasn't.

Daedalus apparently finishes the task he had aimed to, and makes a complicated gesture that results in a "saving file" sound.

He takes one of the wine glasses and holds it in the air next to the other. He stares into Pasiphae's eyes.

She puts down the wine bottle, returns his gesture, and his gaze. They CLINK their glasses together, stir the wine around, sniff, and sip.

DAEDALUS

And what about you? What's your motivation? Your bio's impressive. Even today it's rare to see a woman in the seat of CEO, not to mention at one of the most powerful corporations in history.

PASIPHAE

The most powerful, Daedalus. That's motivation enough for me.

DAEDALUS

What you've asked me to build, a God proof security perimeter ... Minos doesn't mean to confront them in some way, do they?

PASIPHAE

Not at all, but we do have reason to believe that the recent breeches into our network were undertaken by one or more of them.

DAEDALUS

Whom do you suspect?

PASIPHAE

We have some evidence that shows Minerva, at least, is working with Aethra in some capacity.

DAEDALUS

Ah, it all begins to make some sense. Aethra would be your only real competitor now that the world governments have gone bankrupt.

PASIPHAE

Precisely, she's a dangerous woman.

DAEDALUS

She was a woman, not so dangerous then.

PASIPHAE

You have something against them don't you? You find the whole prospect of sublimation revolting.

DAEDALUS

I have something against wasting an existence in the world of the living. (He stands). Without the fear of death and of failure a man will never achieve a thing of worth.

PASIPHAE

But Minerva was going to die.

DAEDALUS

No doubt I would have tried to save her too.

PASIPHAE

You find her beautiful.

DAEDALUS

Of course.

Pasiphae moves between Daedalus and the desk, and ends up sitting on the desk. She puts her glass down, and then takes Daedalus' glass and sets it down. He takes the cue and steps forward to embrace and kiss her.

Things heat up, and she is eventually sitting on his keyboard. We hear keystrokes and then the "saving file" sound.