Wednesday, 25 January 2012

The Prisoner's Question Time

    "Tell me Number Six, why did you resign?"
    "Not that old one again! Haven't you asked that question enough, how long has it been now?"
    "Almost Forty-five years Number Six."
    "Blimey!"
    "Well we have to make sure you know."
   "Sure of what?"
   "The facts Number Six, the facts. Now for the very last time, why did you resign?"
   "It's difficult to remember."
   "Well you must try to remember, it cannot be that difficult."
    "Forty-five years is a long time."
    "Well take your time Number Six, but please try and remember. It hadn't got anything to do with Professor Seltzman had it?"
    "What?"
   "Your resignation, to do with Professor Jacob Seltzman."
   "Why should it have?"
   "Well you were the last person to see him."
   "No I wasn't, the helicopter pilot was!"
   "The helicopter pilot? Oh I see what you mean. Well possibly Seltzman was your last case. Why did you shield him?"
    "I didn't."
    "Perhaps it was because you see that science can be perverted, that it is possible that should anyone gain a Seltzman machine that they might pervert it."
   "Are we talking about Professor Seltzman, or the reason why I resigned?"
   "Possibly both, if the two are connected. Tell me, Seltzman escaped the Village in the guise of the Colonel."
   "I thought that was very lax of you. Why didn't you bring the helicopter back by remote control as you did when I once tried to escape by helicopter?"
    "Oh you remember that do you."
    "Like it was yesterday."
    "So where do you think Professor Seltzman is today?"
    "You don't know?"
    "Woud I ask?"
    "You expect me to know! He could be anywhere, or look like anyone."
    "You see the Professor as being still alive....how old would he be now?"
    "As long as his brain is still active, and there is a supply of donar bodies........"
    "Immortality!"
    "If you like."
    "It might please you to know that we have a Seltzman machine here in the Village, oh but you know that, you once went through the mind transferance process. So Number Six, how do you feel about immortality?"
    "Let me die in peace."
    "Certainly Number Six, after you've told me why you resigned."
    "I.......I.....resigned be....because............oh I can't remember!"
    No.10 "It's been too long Number Two."
    "I know. Look he once told a predecessor of mine that he resigned for peace of mind, because too many people know too much."
    "You can't use that!"
    "Why not? It's as near the truth as we're ever likely to get after all these years."
    "He  won't like it."
    "I can't help what he  won't like. This simply cannot go on forever. He'll just have to accept it!"
   {Suddenly the over-sized red telephone begins to bleep impatiently much to Number Two's shock!}

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