Three Octopi and Robo-rilla

By
Sir-Robert_Muldoon
Reddit Write-Off 8/18
INT. BIO-MECHANICS LAB
Scientists hurry about. Fabrication machines are printing
out a fine, thin material that seems to shimmer in the
light.
A scientist, JOHN ROGERS, late 50s, scholarly and excitable,
leads a uniformed top brass, GEN. OBRAGOR, a warrior
scientist if ever there was one.
ROGERS
Its really quite marvelous. The
octopi have been remarkably docile.
It made getting samples quite easy.
He pulls Obragor out of the way just as a
mechanically-muscled arm nearly lops his head off. A
gorilla-sized mech glares down at the general before
powering down. Obragor wipes some dust off his shoulder.
ROGERS
(cont)
Sorry, still working out the kinks
of that one.
Obragor doesnt miss a beat.
OBRAGOR
I trust the current refractive
index is sufficient to pass the
tests?
ROGERS
Of course. The outermost layers
are, however, proving to be the
most difficult.
They come to a large tank. A pair of octopi and a cuttlefish
swim around. One of the octopi, a big red mass of tentacles
and suckers, stares at Obragor.
OBRAGOR
Were there any problems in testing?
ROGERS
One, one of the octopi struggled
and ended up dying during during a
a tissue extraction.
OBRAGOR
God, tell me you buried that.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 2.
ROGERS
Oh, deep down. The record has been
purged.
Obragor sighs.
OBRAGOR
For the best. Last thing we need is
a PETA protest or some animal
sentience league up our asses.
He looks at the tank. The big red octopus hasnt stopped
staring.
OBRAGOR
(cont)
For the best.
INT. TANK
The big red octopus, BERING, stares at Obragor and Rogers as
they walk away.
The other octopus, OKHOTSK, a lithe blue-ring, swirls around
him.
OKHOTSK
Come on, Bering, let it go.
BERING
I dont want to. Even if I wanted
to, I cant.
Berings tentacles contract and expand. He huffs away to a
corner of the tank.
CELEBES, the cuttlefish, light and airy, glides over to him.
CELEBES
Okhotsk is right, Bering, you cant
keep this inside of you. Anger does
no one any good.
BERING
Its not about that.
He presses himself up against the glass. He pinches his
suckers and the glass creaks against his pressure.
BERING
(cont)
Java was our friend. And you all
saw what they did to him. Are we
(MORE)
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 3.
BERING (contd)
just going to let them get away
with this?
Celebes and Okhotsk are silent and look away in shame.
OKHOTSK
What can we do, Bering? What would
you even have us do?
Bering looks out to the lab. Three scientists reload the big
gorilla-mech into its charging bay.
BERING
We wait.
INT. BIO-MECHANICS LAB - NIGHT
The lab is dark, but a soft light still emanates from the
octopus tank. A bead of water rolls down the glass as a red
tentacle presses against the top. After a moments pressure,
the top pops open.
BERING
Okhotsk, what do you see?
OKHOSTK
Its not too far. Just straight
past the grate.
CELEBES
Do you think you can make it?
OKHOSTK
Hey, who are you talking to here?
CELEBES
Well, be careful...
Okhotsk goes up to the top of the tank. He looks up into the
world as Bering floats up beside him.
BERING
Are you ready? I could go first if
you want.
Okhotsk sighs.
OKHOSTK
No. I know how to pilot it.
He tenses.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 4.
OKHOSTK
(cont)
For Java.
Okhotsk flings himself out of the tank. On thin tentacles he
practically dances over the floor, always on the verge of
tipping over only to have a tentacle catch his weight and
push him further onward.
Celebes gasps at every lunge forward.
At last, Okhotsk reaches the gorilla-mech. He climbs up its
leg, blue limbs straining against gravity. For a moment a
tentacle slips and Okhotsk dangles over the floor, but he
pulls himself up.
Reaching the head, he waves to Bering and Celebes. Celebes
undulates his fins in joy. Bering snickers.
BERING
He does it with better grace, but I
do it more natural.
Bering leaps. He lands on the lab floor with a wet plop.
Muscles straining, he picks himself up and takes heavy
steps, his eight limbs forming a pair of legs. He almost
struts like a human.
He reaches the gorilla-mech and climbs up to Okhotsk.
BERING
You know how to drive this thing?
OKHOTSK
Uh, kinda. I know how to turn it
on.
BERING
Kinda.
OKHOSTK
I know it has an oboard control
console, I just need to find it.
Okhotsk snakes his tentacles into the brain of the
gorilla-mech.
OKHOTSK
No good, I cant reach the
controls.
He looks up at Bering.
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 5.
BERING
What, you want me to pilot this
thing?
OKHOTSK
Its that or nothing.
Bering steels himself. He snakes his tentacles down into the
head of the robot.
BERING
Ok, I think I got it.
He trips something. The gorilla-mech comes to life, but a
warning klaxon starts blaring at the same moment.
BERING
(cont)
What did I do!?
OKHOSTK
Times up, lets do this!
The gorilla-mech is a little jerky, but Bering gets it
moving fast enough.
OKHOTSK
Ok, get a tank for Celebes.
BERING
Right, tank for Celebes.
The gorilla-mech reaches out for one of the many lab
containers. the mech squeezes just a bit too hard and the
container shatters to pieces.
In the tank, Celebes changes color to a deathly pallor.
Four soldiers and scientists line up with tazer guns and
face down the gorilla-mech. Obragor and Rogers are among
them.
OBRAGOR
One of your toys get loose again,
professor.
ROGERS
I swear, this almost never happens.
SOLDIER
Sir, is that an octopus on top of
the robot?
(CONTINUED)
CONTINUED: 6.
The humans pause to gape as they stare at Bering. Seizing
the moment, he strikes a fighting pose.
OBRAGOR
Professor...
BERING
For Java!
OKHOSTK
For Java!
CELEBES
For Java!
Bering charges the mass of soldiers as tazer bolts fly by.
CUT TO BLACK
TO BE CONTINUED...