Gall Just carry on reading.

Domin This is all nonsense. They say here that they’re more developed than man, more intelligent and stronger, that man is a parasite on them. This is all simply vile.

Fabry Now look at the third paragraph.

Domin (reading) “Robots of the world, we enjoin you to exterminate mankind. Don’t spare the men. Don’t spare the women. Retain all factories, railway lines, machines and equipment, mines and raw materials. All else should be destroyed. Then return to work, it is imperative that work continue.

Dr. Gall This is monstrous!

Hallemeier What a lot of blighters!

Domin (reading) “Implement these instructions immediately when the command is given.” Then there are some detailed instructions. Fabry, is all this really happening?

Fabry Clearly.

Alquist They’ve done it then.

(Busman rushes in)

Busman Aha, children, have you heard what’s happening?

Domin Quick, everyone on the Ultimus!

Busman Wait a minute, Harry, just a minute. That might not work very well. (flops into armchair) Oh dear me, I have been running.

Domin Why should we wait?

Busman Because that won’t work. Just let’s not be in a rush. The robots are already on the Ultimus.

Dr. Gall Ach, this is bad.

Domin Fabry, phone up the generator...

Busman Fabry, my dear, don’t do that. There is no electricity.

Domin Alright then. (checks revolver) I’m going down there.

Busman Where?

Domin To the electricity generator. There are people down there. I’ll bring them here.

Busman Do you know what, Harry? It might be better if you didn’t go down there for them.

Domin Why not?

Busman Well, it’s because I get the impression that we’re surrounded.

Dr. Gall Surrounded? (runs to window) Hm, you could be right.

Hallemeier Hell they’re moving fast!

(enter Helena, left)

Helena Oh, Harry, is something wrong?

Busman (jumping up) Greetings Helena. Congratulations. This is a wonderful day, isn’t it? Haha, many happy returns!

Helena Thank you, Busman. Harry, is there something wrong?

Domin No, nothing at all. Don’t worry about a thing. But please, just wait a little while...

Helena Harry, what’s this? (shows robots’ declaration which she had hidden behind back) The robots in the kitchen had them.

Domin They’re there already? Where are they?

Helena They’ve gone out now, but there are so many of them all round the house!

(factory sirens and whistles)

Fabry The factory whistles.

Busman It’s dinner time.

Helena Harry, do you remember? It was exactly ten years ago....

Domin (looks at watch) It isn’t twelve o’clock yet. It’s more likely..., that must be....

Helena What?

Domin The robots’ signal. Attack.

Act Two

 

(Still in Helena’s room. Helena, left, plays piano. Domin paces up and down room, Dr. Gall looks out of window and Alquist sits to one side in armchair, his face covered in his hands)

Dr. Gall God, there are still more of them now!

Domin Robots?

Dr. Gall Yes. There’s a wall of them standing at the garden fence. Why are they so silent? It’s repulsive. A siege of silence.

Domin I wish I knew what they were waiting for. It must be about to start any moment. We’ve lost, Gall.

Alquist What is that that Helena’s playing?

Domin I don’t know. She’s practising something new.

Alquist Ah, so she’s still practising?

Dr. Gall Listen Domin, we made a crucial mistake.

Domin (stops) What mistake?

Dr. Gall We made the faces of the robots too much like one another. There are a hundred thousand faces staring up at us and they’re all the same. A hundred thousand expressionless bubbles. This is like a bad dream.

Domin If each of them were different...

Dr. Gall Then the sight of them wouldn’t be so ghastly. (moves away from window) At least they’re not armed yet!

Domin Hm.-(looks down at harbour through binoculars) I just wish I knew what it was they’re unloading from the Amelia.

Dr. Gall Let’s just hope it’s not weapons.

(enter Fabry through wallpapered door, dragging two electrical wires)

Fabry Excuse me. Hallemeier, put the wire down.

Hallemeier (following Fabry) Ouf, that was hard work. Anything new?

Dr. Gall Nothing. We’re completely surrounded.

Hallemeier Well lads, we’ve got the stairs and the corridors barricaded. Is there any water there? Ah, here it is. (drinks)

Dr. Gall What’s this wire for, Fabry?

Fabry You’ll see, you’ll see. Are there some scissors?

Dr. Gall Where would we find scissors? (looks for them)

Hallemeier (goes to window) Hell, there are even more of them now! Have a look at this!

Dr. Gall Would nail scissors be alright?

Fabry Give them to me. (cuts lead to electric lamp on desk and attaches his wires to it)

Hallemeier (at window) You haven’t got a very nice view here, Domin. It seems... to have... the feel of death about it.

Fabry Ready!

Dr. Gall What is?

Fabry The connection. Now we can put electric current through the whole of the garden fence. Anyone who touches it has had it. At least, as long as there are still some of our own down there.

Dr. Gall Where?

Fabry In the generator room. At least, I hope... (goes to fireplace and switches on small light there) Thank God for that-they’re there. And they’re working. (switches light off) As long as that light works we’re alright.

Hallemeier (turning back from window) Those are good barricades, Fabry. Now what’s that that Helena’s playing? (goes to door, left, and listens. Enter Busman through wallpapered door carrying enormous ledgers. Trips over wire)

Fabry Mind out, Bus! Mind those wires!

Dr. Gall Hello, what’s this you’re bringing us?

Busman (puts books on table) These are the important books, children. I think I’d better get the accounts done before... before.... well I don’t mean to wait until the new year before it’s sorted out. Now what’s all this you’ve got here? (goes to window) It’s all very quiet down there.

Dr. Gall Can’t you see anything?

Busman Nothing apart from a large blue area, it’s as if it was strewn with poppy seeds.

Dr. Gall Those are the robots.

Busman Ah, so that’s what it is. Pity I can’t see them. (sits at desk and opens ledgers)

Domin Forget about that, Busman; the robots are unloading weapons from the Amelia.

Busman So what? What am I supposed to do about it?

Domin There’s nothing we can do to stop them.

Busman So just let me get on with my calculation. (gets on with work)

Fabry It isn’t all over yet, Domin. We’ve put two hundred volts in through the garden fence and....

Domin Stop! The Ultimus has just turned its guns in our direction.

Dr. Gall Who’s doing that?

Domin The robots on the Ultimus.

Fabry Hm, well in that case of course,.. then of course,..