The Settlers of Neonoa

Gavin Lottering
May 24, 2023
9 min read

Written by: Leonard Graeme Lottering

Concept Art by: Gavin Lottering

FADE IN

CHYRON: The Thalassago Sea, Halikon Ocean Conservation Area.

Ext. Sunset. Overhead of archipelago with the lights of a distant city visible.

Camera pans down and dips underwater. A kelp forest is seen with alien ocean life swimming by. Camera weaves between kelp and follows a cybernetic OCTOPUS with lights flashing on his body. The OCTOPUS swims up to a man in a yellow diving suit, who seems to communicate with it via a device on his arm. His face is obscured behind a round glass helmet, with some illuminated glyphs glowing on the inside. He points and the OCTOPUS suddenly swims away as if given a command.

The NATURALIST downloads data from the octopus onto his device. He scans a marine animal with his equipment.

Suddenly, the marine life scatter and flee, leaving an eery quiet. Then bubbles erupt from below and there is a terrible shaking and noise. The OCTOPUS quickly swims back to him with a red warning light flashing. He seems scared. The NATURALIST ascends to the surface, and in the distance a red fire is seen.

On the surface a scientific hovercraft awaits and he boards, holding out his arm for the OCTOPUS to latch on. Once on board, he takes off his helmet, revealing an older man, silver hair, beard and mustache. His eyes show the typical lower lid degeneration of neonoan spore exposure, and his cheeks sparkle a little with spore growth. He rushes over to a flashing panel that is receiving a mayday from the nearby city. He presses a button and a scene of destruction appears on the screen. He starts the engine and speeds toward the burning city.

CUT TO: Ext. On board a busy wooden ship. Fire ranging in the background close by.

People wearing no technology scramble about. The CAPTAIN, a strong, tanned man with dark hair and a tattooed chest, screams commands in another language. They are trying to rescue people floating in the sea. Lightning illuminates the billowing smoke rising in the distance.

CAPTAIN

Use the nets to get them up! Put the injured in the cabin!

CREW MATE

(helping an injured woman below deck)

We're full below, sir. Family all accounted for except for Nimea.

CAPTAIN

That accursed girl! Batton the hatches. We're going to cross the straits at full speed. She's got to be aboard somewhere.

CREW MATE

Aye, Captain.

The crew rush to pull up the nets, taking the last few into the cabin. They spin the ship around and speed away, passing the NATURALIST'S high tech research vessel which is continuing with the rescue operation. The Captain salutes him.

JUMP CUT TO: Ext. Fire on the water, people swimming in desperation. Explosions erupt in the burning city.

The NATURALIST releases the octopus, which dips under water, swimming around scanning the survivors. He rushes below deck and presses a button on a console which creates a hologram of the location of survivors. He then turns a crank which releases a bunch of floating droids, that speed towards the survivors. Once they are holding on or secured, they return to the research vessel and pull them into the hold.

BACK TO: Ext. The burning city. A tall ionic column collapses and people flee to the sea.

SURVIVOR 1

There's a ship! They are coming for us!

(A large group of people flee, rushing into the ocean, yelling and waving)

CAPTAIN

Ready the nets! We're going close to shore. Beware the rocks!

The crew toss fishing nets overboard one by one. The last crew is NIMEA, a young girl with olive skin, thin dreadlocks, eyes untouched by the fungus. She pulls up a family, who thank her. Others are clambering to get on board.

CREW MATE

Captain, there's too many of them. We have to go back!

CAPTAIN

Not yet. We can take more.

The survivors climb aboard, pushing and shoving. The crew turn the ship around, and start to cross the straits again. The remaining survivors, waist deep in the water start to panic. They climb up the nets. The throng no longer thank her, but push and shove, until she falls overboard. The ship leaves her behind.

NIMEA

Wait!!!

People rushing out of the city push her underwater. Then there is another explosion, and piece of rubble flies overhead, smashing into her father's boat, filled with refugees. It catches fire and sinks. She is lost underwater, floating out to sea, going deeper and deeper. Suddenly, the OCTOPUS wraps himself around her arm and pulls her out towards a droid.

CUT TO: Int. The research vessel's hold. Crammed with people.

NATURALIST

(Presses a button on the console.)

Corinthia, this is geological survey ship, Medina. I am carrying survivors of the Halikon City disaster.

We will need emergency medical staff at the docks. Advising there are many more survivors in the water. Any ships on this frequency, urgent help is needed near Halikon Port.

NIMEA wakes up. She looks astonished by the interior of the ship. The OCTOPUS makes welcoming electronic noises, which startle her. She waves her arm in surprise.

NIMEA

The Kronos! My father! What happened to our ship?

She makes her way through the crowd towards the NATURALIST.

Where am I?

NATURALIST

You are inside the Medina. You were pulled from the water.

NIMEA

Where's my family? What happened to the Kronos?

NATURALIST

(Examining the girl. Checking for cybernetics.)

You're an anarcho-primitive. (He takes the OCTOPUS back. It beeps noises and the NATURALIST'S cybernetics light up, translating for him.) The Kronos was your ship then? (Pause) I'm afraid it was destroyed during the catastrophe. I saw it ferry three full loads of survivors to the island of Mykalios across the straits. The crew deserve to be honoured for their bravery. I know it's no consolation, but I'll make sure of it.

NIMEA weeps.

CUT TO: Int. Amphitheatre with many people all shouting and trying to be heard. At the front on a podium stands the ARCHON, a distinguished black man with long dreads, wearing a greek-inspired tunic with neon lights built into the fabric. He also has the double bottom lids and split pupils characteristic of spore exposure.

ARCHON

Order. Please, we must regain order! (The crowd settles) Friends, NeoNoans, fellow senators, we must not squabble amongst ourselves. The hour of need is upon us. The city of Helikon burns and its people are scattered. We must all unite now, not as the representatives of our various cities, but as citizens of Neonoa. In the thousands of years since our planet was colonized, we have never had to deal with anything this destructive. The elders landed here with the knowledge that our world had no terrestrial fauna, and certainly no dangerous ocean life either. We have lived on a paradise, where the spores of Aphridora can give us near immortality and a sight of things beyond our own time. So far we have been fortunate that Neonoa has only provided for us and has never demanded anything. But now, we must come forth and offer up our indulgences to help the refugees of Halikon and to discover the cause of this great tragedy. (The senators roar once again)

SENATOR

(stepping up to a podium in the stands)

Great Archon, citizens are frightened. What if the catastrophe comes for our cities next? I demand in this time of uncertainty, we call upon the ORACLE to advise us. (The crowd cheers)

ARCHON

Waking the Oracle is a serious action. For that we shall require a vote from the Tyrants and Ambassadors alike. Senators, please make your choice. (The crowd votes by tapping a cybernetic device, which sends a red or green colour glyph to the front of the ARCHON'S PODIUM) Neonoans, we shall send AGAMEMNON, our greatest hero to awaken the ORACLE immediately.

SENATOR 2

(Rises) We fair representatives of Calistia demand that all archeology stops while we solve the current crises. Now, is not a time to look backwards, but to focus on fixing the present. (The crowd loudly voices their opinions)

ARCHON

Thank you, Senator Janus. I'm sure Archeologist PHARANAX will wish to respond?

(PHARANAX, a well dressed middle-aged man with a sinister smile, and seemingly no visible cybernetics rises to the podium in the stands. He looks businesslike, rather than a policician with very little signs of spore exposure.)

PHARANAX

Dear elite members of the Quorum, I stand here today as the leader of the scientific community. As I'm sure you all know, our society has advanced because of the technology of the extinct Neonoans. The implants that allow you to communicate instantly with anyone, the antigravity sails that power our hovercraft and ornithopters, as well as the engineering breakthroughs that are currently helping us construct a space elevator through the enormous spore cloud trail of our beautiful planet all derive from the archeological discoveries we dug up under the sea floor. Without these digs we would still be waiting for the distant memory of our brothers on Earth. Those rare animals the elders brought with them on the ark would have died out a long time ago, and our children would not understand what a goat or a bird is. I propose that we continue these digs so that we not fall behind in our science. Science, which would perhaps be the only way we can get ourselves out of this mess.

SENATOR 2

Citizens, I beg to differ. We need every neutron of energy to help with recovery and reconstruction. Holding back the seas for archeology, is a waste of precious power. Let us vote on the matter.

PHARANAX

Wait! Before we do any such thing, you must know that I have recently discovered a gateway that the ancients used to travel between the stars. We have yet to understand how to operate it, but it might allow us to expand to other worlds. It might even get us closer to reestablishing communication with Earth. (The crowd discusses in shock)

ARCHON

Let us vote. (Glyphs are sent to the podium at front and the archeologist wins.) Neonoans, you have voted to continue with the archeology, despite the power shortages now that the Halikon tidal harness had been destroyed.

(PHARANX smiles and pressed the back of his thumb, activating a secret cybernetic signal as a little light flashes under his nail.)

VO: ARCHON

May the gods helps us all.

***

Ext. A vast futuristic city with a large sculpture of a Nike in the centre of a busy square, bright neon lights illuminate people going about doing their business. The NATURALIST walks with NIMEA.

NATURALIST

You must come with me. This city will swallow someone like you whole. Without implants, you will disappear very quickly. The rich traffic in (he hesitates) 'untouched' children like yourself. Stay close.

NIMEA

Can't I go back to Eubea? My uncles are all there.

NATURALIST

My dear child, I wish I could take you, but the Senate has declared the straights of Halikon an emergency zone. We need to register you as a refugee, so you can have accomodation and food.

NIMEA

But…

NATURALIST

I promise we'll get you back to your family. But we need to wait until the straights are clear. Since you Eubeans do not believe in technology, we cannot contact anyone there right now.

They approach a refugee registration centre. It's very busy with a huge crowd of irritated people in front.

NIMEA

Can't I stay with you? Please. Don't leave me alone.

(They stop walking. The OCTOPUS beeps happily)

NATURALIST

Well…I suppose since Arthur has taken a liking to you…(He lifts his arm and the OCTOPUS reaches out a tentacle towards the girl) You can stay with us for a few days, but you'll have to help me in the lab. (NIMEA nods her head.)

***

Ext. A rocky mountaintop with large, long-dead volcanic cores sticking out of the ocean, waves breaking powerfully against them. Dramatic clouds. A huge copper brazier stand in the centre of the mesa. A lone man walks slowly up to the brazier. He lights a torch and sets ablaze the brazier.

AGAMEMNON

Great ORACLE of the ancestors, I salute you and bring an offering of Neonoan Cythophagy fungus. We humble citizens bid you give us advice during this grim time.

Smoke and thunder mixes and the ORACLE, a beautiful lady with dreadlocks in a white and gold robe appears in the smoke. She has the double eyelids and pupils and deterioration of her eyes to the point of blindness. Her skin, however, glows with the phosphorescent fungi growing on her face.

ORACLE

Storms cross the seas with dark sails these last few days to bear witness to the cutting open of a peach.

AGAMEMNON

A peach, m'lady?

He taps his golden bracelets and a hologram of a peach appears. The computer explains that peaches were edible fruits that grew on earth.

ORACLE

I have seen past and future with these glowing eyes. And yet have I seen anything such as the ghosts that now come for us from beyond eternity. They formed from smoke inside the mind of a great and clever man. For them the peach has been cut and cannot be uncut.

The ORACLE burns a mushroom cap on the brazier and inhales the fumes. Her skin glows vividly and we seen her visions. They are blurry as if seen through smoke.

Visions of a labyrinth, of cattle covered with a slime mold, an enormous dark tower, of NIMEA holding a lantern, of a wave's Whitecaps turning into tencatles, of a gateway, of people fleeing in terror, then of the murcury moon of Neonoa reflecting the spore tail of the planet and a city on the ground, finally a vision of her own death.

The ORACLE collapses and AGAMEMNON catches her.

ORACLE

Seek out a Eubean girl. Only she can enter the labyrinth of mold and shine the lantern on the darkness.

The ORACLE faints.

Int. Gymnasium with athletes playing a ball game in shallow water. The walls are mosaics and on low seats sit a bunch of important looking politicians. The doors open and AGAMEMNON enters, spectators point at him, ignoring the he game. He walks right to the senators and sits down next to the ARCHON.

ARCHON

You always were one for a theatrical entrance, my boy.

(The crowd cheers as something exciting happens) What news do you bring from the fiery eyes of the Oracle?

AGAMEMNON

She talks of splitting a peach, of ghosts coming here from beyond enternity.

SENATOR

Did the damned Oracle say anything of use?

AGAMEMNON

She mentioned that we must seek a Eubean girl who can retrieve a lantern to push back the darkness.

(One of the teams score and the crowd cheers)

…There is something else.

ARCHON