************* Scene: Corridor The Child-like Wonder and the Insecurity Officer are juggling together as they walk down the hall. Child-Like Wonder: Ok, pal, are you ready for the 7th ball? A full rainbow of colors looks awfully neat. Insecurity Officer: Sure, I can handle a 7th no problem. Juggling is easy. Their hands continue to move, and the 7 colored balls fly across the hall as the two of them side-step down the hall. Insecurity Officer: What'd be neat is to use various bits of fruit for the different colors. Apples for red and green, maybe a peeled orange for orange, you know. Then we could eat them when we're done. Child-Like Wonder: Our hands would get awfully sticky juggling a peeled orange. Insecurity Officer: Yeah, but how could we eat an unpeeled orange? I suppose we could peel it with our teeth, and then eat it, but we'd still have to juggle the half-peeled fruit a bit. We'll need to practice to make it look graceful, but I'm sure we can do it. Child-Like Wonder: Yeah, I kinda like it. Let's go to the holodeck and practice out of sight for a bit. Lite suddenly bursts upon the scene, rounding a corner and screeching to a halt in front of the pair. Lite: What are you doing? Child-Like Wonder: We're juggling. Have you ever seen anybody juggle before? Lite: Nooo. It looks pretty easy though. Let me try! Child-Like Wonder: Of course it's easy. But you'd better just start with three balls. Here! (He wings three of the seven balls out of the air, directing them towards Lite, who manages to catch them with some surprise. The Insecurity Officer settles back against the wall, keeping the remaining four balls in the air between him and the Child-Like Wonder) Just try to keep two in the air, passing the one you catch to the other hand and throwing it up again, kind of like I'm doing here. Lite: (pout) I wanna do seven. Child-Like Wonder: Sure, just try the three for me, and then I'll feed the rest to you as you go along. Lite: Okay! (Throws one ball up, but can't decide what to do with the other two, and looks down to figure it out just as the first one comes down.) Lite: Ok, that was practice. (tries again) (tries again) (tries again, throwing harder) (throws the balls down the hall in frustration) THIS IS STUPID! Child-Like Wonder: What's the problem? Juggling's easy! Come on, try it again. Lite: NO! THIS IS STUPID! (jumps up and grabs one of the four balls in midair and heaves it down the hall) Insecurity Officer: Trio. Lite jumps up and grabs another, throwing it down the hall in the other direction. Insecurity Officer: Duet. His arms waving madly, Lite bounces up and down, hitting another ball out of the air. The Child-Like Wonder and the Insecurity Officer are now tossing one ball between them. Child-Like Wonder: Solo. You know, somebody really should calm this kid down. (Lite is jumping up and down, out of control, trying to stop the last ball) Kabeta: (over ship's ic.) Attention Security, or anybody else sighting the Hidden Valley Rancher child brought on board! He is to be apprehended at all costs as a possible spy. He may have been sent by the HVR to use his age to divert suspicion. If you see him, capture him at once and bring him to First Officer Scribonia's quarters for questioning. Insecurity Officer: (insecurely) Gee, do you think this is him? (Lite's spurs clank loudly as he jumps up and down, and his hat waves wildly on it's string around his neck) Child-Like Wonder: I suppose. But in any case, he looks like he ought to be captured regardless. (Reaches out with one arm and catches Lite in midair, spinning him around and slinging him over his shoulder, then catches the last ball and puts it in his pocket.) Come on, let's go see Scribonia. *****************
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