// THE CONVERTED TRAIN STATION //


In a bed in Brooklyn stirs the woman Avaelle Easton. Sitting on the edge of her bed is an older gentleman.

TRELAINE

IT HAS COME TIME TO PLACE YOU INTO YOUR SUIT, LITTLE ONE.


Avaelle pulls the blankets back over her head.

AVAELLE

I’M NOT READY TODAY.

I’M THE ONE THAT HAS TO DO IT.

TRELAINE

THE SOONER YOU GET IN, THE SOONER YOU’LL GET TO PRACTICE, THE SOONER IT GETS EASIER.

AVAELLE

I KNEW YOU’D COME AFTER ME WITH THAT INCESSANT OPTIMISM.

TRELAINE

IS IT NOT UNTRUE?

AVAELLE

IT’S TRUE, JUST…IT’S A BIG THING.

I’M DIZZY, I’M AFRAID.

TRELAINE

JUST THINK OF IT AVAELLE, YOU’LL BE ABLE TO DO MAGIC.

REAL MAGIC.

AVAELLE

WHILE BEING TRAPPED IN A GIANT ROBOT SUIT.

TRELAINE

YOU CAN TAKE IT OFF WHEN YOU SLEEP.

THAT’LL BE THE GOOD TIMES AT FIRST, BUT EVENTUALLY YOU MIGHT GET SO USED TO IT YOU’LL JUST SLUMBER AWAY RIGHT INSIDE THE SAFETY OF ITS HOUSING.

AVAELLE

WE’LL SEE ABOUT THAT.

TRELAINE

IT’S THE PRODUCT OF–

AVAELLE

YEARS, DECADES, OF RESEARCH.

YES, I KNOW.

I’LL COME AROUND…JUST, WHY TODAY?

IT SEEMS LIKE ONLY YESTERDAY THAT WE WERE DISCUSSING THIS, YOU KNOW, FOR REAL.

TRELAINE

IT WAS, IN THE GRAND SCHEME.

AVAELLE

I STILL DON’T UNDERSTAND HOW OR WHY IT WORKS.

TRELAINE

WHAT QUESTIONS DO YOU HAVE?

AVAELLE

I DON’T HAVE ANY SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, REALLY.

IF YOU SAY THAT’S HOW IT WORKS, THAT’S HOW IT WORKS.


In the hallway, slinking about in a long dress, is Vanessa Tang. She enters the bedroom, leaning against the doorjamb.

She seems in a foul, dangerously bored mood. The kind of mood that would have housecats toying with the village mice.

VANESSA

AW, COME NOW, SIS, IT COULDN’T BE ALL THAT BAD.

YOU’LL BE ABLE TO GET OUT EVERY NIGHT AND SLEEP IN YOUR LUSH BEDSHEETS.

MORE THAN I CAN SAY FOR MYSELF.


Avaelle shoots a poisonous barb of an expression at the intruder.