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This is the BBC World Service. And now: History in Brief - The Second Tibetan Uprising of 2015.
After the Dalai Lama fled Tibet for India in 1959, the Tibetan people remained loyal to the Buddhist leader, despite efforts of the Chinese authorities to demonise him.
On May 14th, 1995, the Dalai Lama chose the new incarnation of the Panchen Lama - the second highest Buddist figure. The six-year-boy was immediately detained by the Chinese authorities, who claimed they alone had the right to affirm Buddhist reincarnations. Shortly after, they selected their own Panchen Lama - a choice widely rejected by Tibetan Buddhists.
On August 21st, 2015 the exiled Dalai Lama died of old age and a flood of protesting Tibetans poured on to the streets of Lhasa, the holy city, demanding that the real Panchen Lama name the new incarnation of the Dalai Lama - and not the Chinese government.
Almost immediately, devoted followers and activists began to search for the “real” Panchen Lama. But their hope was crushed when classified government files were leaked by hackers, claiming that the original Panchen Lama had died in a secret prison more than 10 years prior. Despite national censorship, the news spread like wildfire from Tibet across China - and spurred on by outcry from local monks, the buddhist populace protested violently at their oppressors.
The Chinese response was swift and merciless. Within days, the People's Liberation Army crushed the monasteries in order to silence the outspoken leaders of the uprising. How many monks, students and innocent citizens lost their lives during the second Tibetan uprising is unknown. But even now, almost 20 years later, swathes of temples and monasteries remain abandoned and in tatters.
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0401 - Foyer Hall
Lights on
Void comes in from the right, carrying his bag, looking insecure. He walks towards the security checkpoint.
A red light is glowing on top of the gate.
Void: “Uh … hi there!”
Security Guard: “Oh, hey Cornelius, where have you been yesterday?”
Void: “Yeah … uhm, I haven't been feeling well lately. I still haven't quite recovered yet, but Mrs. Wan wants to see me in her office.”
Security Guard: “Well, good luck then. And get well soon!”
Void: “Yeah, thanks … uhm … (muttering to himself) whatever your name is.”
Void walks through the security gate
0402 - ALARM
Void: “AAaaah! What's happening?”
Security Guard: “You forgot to swipe your card.”
Void: “Oh! Oh yes! Of course! I'm sorry!”
Void hold his card to a reader embedded in the security gate, and it beeps, and a light turns green.
0403 - Böng
Security Guard: “Maybe you should go back to bed … you seem to be a bit out of it.”
Void: “Oh, don't worry, just a bit shaky that's all.”
Security Guard: “You sure you know where to go?”
Void: “Oh sure! I'm the facility manager! If anybody knows where Jiao-Chan's office is, then it's me! See you!”
Voids open the door in the background, which turns out to be a broom closet.
0404 - Door & Stuff falling out
Lots of brooms, and cleaning supplies fall out of the closet, onto void.
Void: “Aaaaaaah!”
Void disappears from view.
Security Guards walks up to void, looking down at him
Security Guard: “Everything okay down there?”
Void groans and gets up, wearing a mop like a wig.
Void: “Never mind … I was just checking if … everything is still where it belongs. Everything's fine!”
Security Guard: “Second Floor, Room 45.”
Void: “I KNOW!”
Security Guard: “Just saying.”
Void: “Very confederate of you. Eh, I mean contemperate. CONSIDERATE! Yeah, very considerate.”
Void picks up his bag, and walks towards the elevator, still wearing the mop.
Office Guy1 approaches from [7] carrying a large coffee maker
0404a - Office Guy 1: “Hey, Cornelius! When are you going to fix the coffee maker? Half of my floor is already in a coma!”
Void: “Uh … sorry! I'll take care of that … like, soonish. I promise.”
Office Guy 1 hands void the coffee maker and leaves
Office Guy 2 approaches from [7], carrying a HUGE stack of printer paper.
0404b - Office Guy 2: “Hey, Cornelius! I bought this stack of greeting
cards, and it keeps jamming the printer. Could you please go and check
it out!”
Void: “I'm sorry, could you please come back later, I've got an appointment, and I …”
0404c -Office Guy 2 (cutting him off): “I knew I could count on you!
Here! I need this working before my boss comes back from lunch! Thanks,
pal!”
Office Guy 2 shoves the stack of greeting card paper into Void's hand.
Void: “But … but … *sigh*”
Office Guy 2 walks past and disappears
Office Guy 3 approaches from the other side
0404d - Office Guy 3: “The lamp, Cornelius! Remember the lamp!”
Void: “Uh … yeah! Sure, the … lamp. I'll remember it as soon as I start remembering everything else, I promise!”
Office Guy 3 walks past and disappears
Office Guy 4 approaches from the other side
0405 - Office Guy 4: “Hey you! You still didn't fix the window blinds in
my office! I've been waiting for this for weeks, ASSHOLE!”
Office Guy 4 kicks Void on the shin
0405 (cont.) - Kick
Void: “OUCH!”
Void jumps up and down on one leg, balancing his bag and the stack of paper.
0406 - Elevator Ping & Door Open
The elevator doors open.
Office Guy 5 comes from inside the elevator, walking past void.
Office Guy 5 turns around.
0406a - Office Guy 5: “Hey, Cornelius! Did you get to fix the light switch next to the elevator yet?”
Void: “Which one? This one?”
Void pushes the light switch with his nose.
0407 - zzzzZZZZAAAAAAAAAP
Bright flash
Void: “AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!”
Office Guy 5 flees in terror.
Void THROWS the stack of papers into the air, and also the mop on his head goes flying.
%ACT$ Void walks into the elevator.
Void (to himself): “*gasp* I don't know for how long I've been working in this company, but if it was for longer than five minutes, it's a miracle I'm still alive.”
0408 - Elevator Ping + Door Close + Elevator Moves
0409 - Elevator Music
Elevator door closes.
Backdrop panels get moved down as if the elevator is moving up.
Potted Plant appears on playrail
The backdrop panels show Jiao Chan's office.
0409 FADE
0408 FADE
0410 - Elevator Stops
0410 (cont.) Ping & Elevator Door Opens
Elevator door opens.
Void steps out.
Void (to himself): “Hmm… nobody here. Doesn't Jiao Chan have a secretary or anything?”
Void: (shouting) “Hello? Anybody home?”
Jiao Chan comes in from the meeting roo m.
Jiao Chan (totally surprised): “Cornelius! What on earth are you doing here?”
Void: “Uhm … I’m sorry, Mrs. Wan, but you sent me a message to come to your office. I'm here to help you find your daughter!”
Jiao Chan: “What? Wow … I … I thought you were. *cough* I mean, why aren’t you … and why are you calling me “Mrs. Wan”?”
Void: “I’m sorry. I know that must sound very strange to you, but … I don't know you any more. I had a bad accident that somehow messed with my memories. It's like, I still remember everything I learned at school, but I don't remember going to school. I had to break into my own apartment to find out my own name.”
Jiao Chan: “You must be kidding me! That’s one of the strangest stories I’ve ever heard.”
Void: “Listen, I'm not making this up, you've got to believe me. I want to help Yun. I love her! That’s one of the few things I do remember, for sure! Here. I brought these documents. A bunch of photos, a few greeting cards, a few notes. They all make no sense to me any more. Could you please have a look? Maybe it’ll help me remember what happened.”
Jiao Chan: “Okay. We're family of sorts … and we both want to know where Cai-Lung is hiding my daughter. So let me have a look at what you've got there.”
Void shows Jiao Chan his documents
Jiao Chan: “Let's see. That's a photo of Yun on her first day at school. Cai-Lung posing with a giant fish. A copy of our wedding photo. That's a nice collection of keepsakes you have there. Oh wait, what's that? Is that a picture of Cai-Lung as a boy? Oh my god, I've never seen this one before. How cute! Did you know that Cai-Lung grew up in a Buddhist temple?”
Void: “That's hard to believe considering the fierce creature he has become.”
Jiao Chan: “Dragons are very dominant creatures by nature. But I guess it's a lot easier to keep your violence under control when you're far away from civilization. Wait a minute! Of course, that's it! It's so obvious! Why didn't I think of this before?”
Void: “What?”
Jiao Chan: “The temple! It's a perfect hiding place - no cameras, no ID chip scanners, maybe even no electricity. And Cai-Lung probably knows every rock and tree in the area. Thank you Cornelius! You gave me exactly the lead I was looking for!”
Void: “Does this temple still exist?”
Jiao Chan: “I don't know. He was always rather secretive about his childhood, and never told me exactly where it was. But look there … the ornamentation on the door behind him in the picture looks pretty unique. Let’s do an image search. If it still exists, we will find it. And then we’ll go there and check it out!”
Void: “Wait a second, did you just say “we”? Do I look like a dragonslayer to you?”
Jiao Chan: “*chuckles* Oh, Cornelius! Of course we’ll let the police do their job first. But imagine how devastated Yun will be after everything she's been through. Somebody will need to take care of her - and who could do this better than you? She loves you more than anybody else. And don’t you also want to see her again? You two have a lot of catching up to do!”
Void (reluctant): “That's right … I guess.”
Jiao Chan (suspiciously friendly): “Good! Does that mean you're coming with me then?”
Void: “Uhm … well … “
Jiao Chan: “It’s now or never! And don't forget there's a reward posted, too! 250,000 Dollars - just for you and Yun!”
Void: “Oh, what the hell. Alright. I’ll join you, then. What do I have to lose anyways?”
Jiao Chan (suspiciously friendly): “That’s the spirit! Now I think you've earned yourself some rest. Why don't you go to the company doctor, and get yourself checked up while I get everything prepared?”
Void: “Thank you so much, Jiao Chan. I'll be on my way then. See you later.”
Jiao Chan: “Take care!”
Void steps into the elevator, and disappears.
0411 - Elevator Ping!
Elevator Doors Close
0412 - Suspense Music
Jiao Chan (shouting): “Mrs. Lee? Did you hear our conversation?”
Mrs. Lee enters.
0412a - Lee: “Yes, Mrs. Wan. Loud and clear.”
Jiao Chan: “So what is your opinion on this? I can't decide if he's telling the truth or not. Maybe he really doesn't remember a thing. But it could also be a trap.”
0412b - Lee: “I don't think so. Cai-Lung is not that stupid. And of all
people Cai-Lung could send as a spy, Cornelius is the most unlikely one.
However, you should keep a very close eye on him. There's still a
possibility that he knows more than he tells you.”
Jiao Chan: “Yes, I know. Thank you, Mrs. Lee.”
0412c - Lee: “Always at your service, Mrs. Wan. Long Live the Great Chinese Communist Party.”
Jiao Chan: “Long Live the great unity of the Chinese people!”
0412 FADE
0413 - The End (Rise)
Lights out.
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