Dreamsongs - Volume II by George R. R. Martin

it is not to Dyana.
     
    THANE
     
    I hear you, Cat.
Even now, you call to me.
     
    He turns sharply back to Dyana, all
business.
     
    THANE
     
    East, northeast,
three hundred hexes.
     
    CUT TO
     
    INT. TRAGER’S OFFICE - NIGHT
     
    Trager behind a desk. Tom is pacing.
Cameron sits in the visitor’s chair, snapping a rubber band.
     
    CAMERON
     
    Pentathol.
     
    TOM
     
    No. She’s my
patient. I won’t allow you to drug her.
     
    TRAGER
     
    We gave you a
chance to do it your way, Doctor. Tom leans over Trager’s
    desk.
     
    TOM
     
    Give me one more
shot at it. Let me hypnotize her.
     
    Trager steeples his fingers, thinks, nods.
     
    CUT TO
     
    INT. - TRAGER’S OFFICE - LATER
     
    The lights have been turned down low. Cat
sits in the visitor’s chair, Tom close to her side. Trager is behind his desk,
watching, Cameron stands.
     
    TOM
     
    ... deeper. You
hear nothing but my voice now. There are no other sounds,
    no other voices.
Only me. You are relaxed. So relaxed. Floating. All the fear
    has gone away.
     
    Cat is deep in a trance.
     
    TOM
     
    Tell us your name.
Your whole name.
     
    CAT
     
    Cat.
     
    Tom frowns. Trager and Cameron exchange
glances.
     
    TOM
     
    All right. Cat,
tell us about the place you come from.
     
    CAT
     
    All dark. Lights
out.
     
    TOM
     
    Does it have a
name?
     
    CAT
     
    Angels.
     
    TOM
     
    Where is it?
     
    CAT
     
    Behind. Other side.
     
    TOM
     
    The other side of
... the door?
     
    Cat NODS agreement. Tom continues, his
voice gentle.
     
    TOM
     
    I am going to ask
you something else now. You will not be afraid. All the
    fear is gone.
     
    (beat)
     
    Cat, who are the
darklords?
     
    CAT
     
    Owners. Masters.
     
    TOM
     
    What do they own?
     
    CAT
     
    Earths.
     
    Behind him, Cameron ROLLS HIS EYES in
scorn. Trager’s face is impassive, a mask. Only Tom picks up on the plural.
     
    TOM
     
    Earths ... more
than one Earth?
     
    CAT
     
    Not all. Some.
Many.
     
    TOM
     
    And your world,
from . . .
     
    CAT
     
    Darklords came.
Long ago. Lights out. Mommy saying. No cars, no guns, no
    air-o-planes.
Ashes, ashes. All fall down.
     
    TOM
     
    All fall down .. .
     
    CAT
     
    Cities. Soldier
men. All fall down. Lights out. Long ago.
     
    TOM
     
    How long ago? How
many years?
     
    CAT
     
    Before Cat.
     
    TOM
     
    Cat, where did the
darklords come from?
     
    (nothing)
     
    From another
country?
     
    (no reply)
     
    Another planet? Did
they come in ships? Where?
     
    CAT
     
    The doors.
     
    Silence. Trager leans forward.
     
    TRAGER
     
    Ask her about the
weapon.
     
    TOM
     
    Cat, the hand cannon
... you took that from your owner.
     
    CAT
     
    (vehement)
     
    His owner. Owning
Thane.
     
    TOM
     
    Thane. Thane was a
... a manhound?
     
    CAT
     
    (echoing)
     
    Let her live,
saying. Give to me, saying. Served you well, saying. Little
    animal, wanting
her, saying.
     
    TOM
     
    You were given to
Thane ...
     
    CAT
     
    (vehement denial)
     
    Not his. Never his.
Pretending. Watching. Listening. Knowing.
     
    TOM
     
    Learning .. .
     
    CAT
     
    Waiting. Long
waiting. Then taking, running, killing.
     
    TOM
     
    Cat, who did you
kill?
     
    CAT
     
    Darklord. Master.
     
    TOM
     
    You learned their
secrets, stole the weapon, and escaped through a door,
    didn’t you?
     
    Cat NODS slowly. Cameron looks at Trager.
     
    CAMERON
     
    What the hell is he
talking about?
     
    Trager does not reply. He’s listening,
intent.
     
    TOM
     
    One last question,
Cat.
     
    (beat)
     
    How many fingers do
the darklords have?
     
    Cat does not respond. Tom holds up a hand
in front of her face, his fingers spread wide.
     
    TOM
     
    If this was a
darklord’s hand, how many fingers would you count?
     
    TIGHT ON CAT - ANGLE THROUGH TOM’S FINGERS
     
    Long hesitation. Finally Cat raises her
hand, touching each of Tom’s fingers as she counts, SLOWLY.
     
    CAT
     
    One. Two. Three.
Four,
     
    (beat)
     
    Five.
     
    ‘Five’ is the thumb. There’s a long beat.
Cat is still staring at