Doctor Who_ Interference_ Book One - Lawrence Miles [40]
COMPASSION [again, testily]: We’re not selling torture equipment. We’re just selling equipment. If people want to use it for torture, that’s their problem.
SAM: You’re sick. I’ve seen your promo video. Some of that stuff you’re selling –
COMPASSION: You can torture people by sticking matchsticks under their fingernails. Trust me, I know these things. You wouldn’t have a problem if I tried selling you matches, would you?
* * *
Scene 8. Behind the Bike Sheds
[Flashback, black and white. SAM’s point of view. Through her eyes, we see MARK LESSING, from the fifth year. As this is SAM’s perspective, his face is horribly twisted. He’s smiling, but it’s a gargoyle kind of smile.]
SAM: You’re sick.
MARK: Who, me?
SAM: That stuff can kill people, you know that?
MARK: No it can’t. Not unless you’re stupid. Anyway, I only sell it. It’s not my fault if people are too stupid to use it properly.
SAM: You can’t believe that.
MARK: It’s ’cos of your parents, I bet.
SAM: What about my parents?
* * *
Scene 9. The Hotel Room
SAM: You can’t believe that.
COMPASSION: Why? What’s the difference between a matchstick and a shock baton? I mean, apart from the fact that batons don’t leave marks.
SAM: You’re still sick.
COMPASSION: We want to know what you think. That’s why we stuck the receiver to your neck. We want to be able to communicate with you properly. So give me an answer, all right? What’s the difference?
SAM: Between a matchstick and a shock baton? You can’t be serious.
COMPASSION: I’m serious. I want to know.
SAM: Why?
COMPASSION: Because we want to know if the transmissions are as important to you as they are to us.
SAM: What’s that supposed to mean?
* * *
Scene 10. The Attic of Sam’s House
[Flashback, black and white. As before. SAM is staring into space, while the others are trying not to appear concerned.]
FRIEND 1: No, really. It happened. In America.
FRIEND 3: He ate them?
FRIEND 1: Yeah. Killed ’em all, and ate their bodies. All five of ’em.
SAM: Why?
[There’s an embarrassed pause. It’s evidently the first thing SAM has said in some time.]
FRIEND 1: Well… ’cos he was a psycho.
FRIEND 3: That’s horrible.
SAM: Why?
FRIEND 1 [under her breath]: She’s losing it…
FRIEND 3: It’s just horrible. Just the idea. Being eaten.
SAM: Why?
FRIEND 2: What d’you mean?
SAM: Why’s it horrible? They’re already dead. Why does it make a difference what happens to the bodies? Why is it any worse if the man ate them?
FRIEND 1: Jesus. She’s gone.
FRIEND 2: You’re supposed to ask funny questions, aren’t you? When you’re… y’know. Out of it.
SAM: Why? Why’s it horrible?
FRIEND 3: I don’t know. It just… is. That’s all. It’s the idea.
SAM: The idea?
* * *
Scene 11. The Hotel Room
SAM [staring into space]: The idea?
COMPASSION: What?
SAM [snaps out of it]: Nothing. Just a flashback.
COMPASSION [impatient]: The point is this. I don’t see any problem with what we’re doing. I don’t see any reason why we shouldn’t sell the hardware to whoever we want.
SAM: You’re selling torture equipment, for God’s sake!
COMPASSION: You still haven’t told me what’s wrong with that. Why it’s worse than selling matches. Or motor engines. Motor engines kill thousands of people around here. More than shock batons do. So what’s so bad about what we’re doing?
SAM: Because it’s horrible!
COMPASSION: What?
[SAM realises what she’s said. She doesn’t reply.]
COMPASSION: So. You don’t like what we’re doing, because you don’t like the idea. You don’t like the image. You think it’s ‘horrible’, is that it? It’s got nothing to do with how much damage our hardware does, it’s all to do with how it looks.
SAM [murmurs]: It’s got nothing to do with how it looks. You’re all mad.
COMPASSION: I think I know what the problem is here. You’re still trying to fit everything into a kind of… a kind of system. ‘Morality’, is that the word? You’re trying to fit everything into a kind of morality. And you can’t. There’s too many contradictions. That’s why my people are stronger than yours.