The Game

   Could it really have been by chance, or  coincidence, that Number 6 was in the small gazebo when the man with the stick-Number 14 came walking along, at the same time as The Village Guardian passed by? It may seem to the casual observer that Number 14 is demonstrating his natural defiance of the Guardian, by carrying on walking, when everyone else is standing stock still. As this was enough to arouse Number 6’s curiosity, to make him follow the man with the stick. And so the game began. Because if Number 14 wasn’t demonstrating his defiance of the Guardian, then the Guardian must have allowed 14 to pass by for a reason, otherwise it should have attacked the man with the stick, as it had in ‘Arrival.’ When that young man in the Piazza wasn’t still!

    “Sir, do you play chess sir?”
    “Yes.”
    “I’m the Queen, come and be the Queen’s Pawn.”
    "Certainly."

    And so Number 6 is now part of the game! He only has one move on the chessboard, but during the match he attempts to find out who Number 1 is, by asking Number 8. But even if she does know, she’s not about to tell Number 6. She also coaches Number 6 in the “cult of the individual,” that its not allowed. And after the chess match, Number 14-the man with the stick, and chess champion coaches Number 6 in how to distinguish between the blacks and the whites, Prisoners and warders.

   “By their dispositions, by the moves they make. You soon know who’s for or against you. It’s simple psychology the way it is in life. You judge by attitude.”

   Again is this by coincidence? Because now Number 6 is in a position to put a number of citizens to the test, to find his “reliable men,” because no escape plan can succeed without knowing the people you can rely upon. However even though Number 6 did have a number of reliable men about him, the escape still failed, and Number 6 had only himself to blame for the Rook convincing the others, when he put to Number 6 his own test, and their  release of Number 2.

  It is no wonder Number 2 was so confident, so calm when Number 6 and his men came calling so late in the evening. He knew that there was no chance of escape for Number 6, and Number 2 knew the game right from the beginning. He knew that M.S. Polotska is the Village’s vessel. And even though Number 6 had made it aboard, observed the desperate fight between Number 6 and the boat's crew, he knew that the Prisoner would get no further.

    Two things were accomplished during this game, the first a demonstration that even though Number 6 has the knowledge to distinguish between prisoners and warders, it is of little use to him. And secondly, a new security device was tested, a reaction transmitter, which was found to be wanting. The device did work, but was eventually discovered by Number 6, and yet had Number 8 been more quick witted, then perhaps the average Prisoner would not have discovered the device, a device which depends on human relationships and emotions. Had Number 8 not been hypnotised into thinking that she was in love with Number 6 and he with her, then the device would never have worked in the first place!

Be seeing you