Search for the Golden Rooster

PROFESSOR: I’m sure this is the right location.

EXPLORER: Well, its taken us long enough to get here. How can we be sure?

JENNY: This is exactly like the drawings in the diary.

SPIRIT: That’s right. We have to line up those two peaks over there. (Pointing to a direction off stage)

PROFESSOR: And exactly, at this time of the year, the sun comes up over that mountain in the East. (Pointing to another direction off stage.)

EXPLORER: But that’s a pretty old diary and are you sure the translation is right?

PSYCHIC: I have a feeling about this place. There were people here.

PROFESSOR: I’ve got a lot of faith in our friend here. After all, it was those visions that led us to the diary in the first place.

PSYCHIC: All my life has been tied up with the myth of the Golden Rooster.

EXPLORER: Well, I just hope it is more than a myth.

SPIRIT: All myths are based on some element of truth.

JENNY: That’s right. So many legends and myths just tell the stories about things that happened which were beyond the understanding of the people at that time.

PROFESSOR: I’m convinced the story of the Golden Rooster is true. Too much evidence has come to light that verifies the story.

EXPLORER: But it’s all circumstantial.

PSYCHIC: What else could it be; after all, we’re dealing with a story that’s thousands of years old.

PROFESSOR: And it’s a pretty interesting story.

JENNY: It’s the sort of story I love; it has everything; romance, greed, good and evil and lost treasure.

EXPLORER: Yeah; we all know the story. It’s the lost treasure bit that we are after now.

SPIRIT: Well, that’s true but, we’re here to preserve whatever we find. Isn’t that right Professor?

PROFESSOR: Most definitely. If we can prove the legend is based on fact it will be a stepping stone to even greater discoveries.

EXPLORER: To each his own then. We’ll just have to wait and see what turns up.

PSYCHIC: You are aware that the myth of the Golden Rooster says it can only be possesed by those with a pure heart?

EXPLORER: Yeah; I know all about that superstitious rot. Those stories are made up to scare people off finding the treasure.

PROFESSOR: A superstition it may be, but we aren’t going to take any risks on that score.

SPIRIT: I think we should get started. We may have a lot of digging to do.

PROFESSOR: You are right. Let me mark the spot where should start.

PROFESSOR: Here’s the spot. This is where we should start.

JENNY: (Coming over to Spirit with a water bottle) Have a rest Spirit. Here’s a drink; let me take over.

SPIRIT: Thanks Jenny, this is pretty hot work.

PROFESSOR: We’ll take the digging in turns. We’ll each do a little bit.

EXPLORER: OK. My turn. (Jenny hands over the spade in exchange for the water bottle)

PROFESSOR: (Pointing to the area being dug) What’s that? Over there.

EXPLORER: (Getting down on his hands and knees) It looks like a box.

PROFESSOR: Spirit, give him a hand. (Spirit goes over to the Explorer and helps lift the small box but, making out it is very heavy)

PSYCHIC: Be careful with that; it has a strong aura about it.

JENNY: Do you think we’ve found it?

PSYCHIC: It seems the diary might have been right.

PROFESSOR: Bring it over here and put it on the table.

EXPLORER: This thing weighs a ton. How can anything this small be so heavy?

SPIRIT: I must be full of gold.

EXPLORER: There’s more than gold in this; it’s way too heavy.

PROFESSOR: Now; let’s have a look at this and see if we can open it.

PSYCHIC: Let me have a feel first. We need to be careful.

EXPLORER: Careful of what? It’s just a box.

PSYCHIC: There’s a curse attached to the Golden Rooster. If we go about opening this the wrong way, we might all suffer.

EXPLORER: That’s crazy. Surely you don’t believe in all that stuff?

PROFESSOR: There’s an awful lot of things in this world that we can’t explain and psychic phenomena is one of them.

JENNY: Hey; it looks like we’ve got visitors. (Pointing off stage)

DOCTOR WHY: Greetings everyone. This is indeed a coincidence. Do you have any water you can spare?

PSYCHIC: (Handing Dr. Why the water bottle) Here have some of this.

PROFESSOR: Greetings to you and your companion. And who are you may I ask?

DR. WHY: My apologies; let me introduce myself; I am Doctor Why and this is my erstwhile companion, Holmes. (Dr. Why hands Holmes the water bottle and he has a drink)

PSYCHIC: And what brings you out this way? You are well off the beaten track.

DR. WHY: As a matter of fact, we are undertaking some private research. Isn’t that right Holmes?

HOLMES: That’s right Doctor. Private research! (Holmes the hands the water bottle to the Explorer who also has a drink from the bottle)

EXPLORER: You don’t look very well equipped for doing anything in this region.

HOLMES: Oh; our vehicle broke down a little way back and we spotted your camp when we climbed the ridge over there. (Pointing off stage)

SPIRIT: Maybe I can help; I know about mechanics and might be able to repair your car.

DR. WHY: Splendid, my young lad but I fear it is a bit more serious than that.

HOLMES: Yes; we appear to have gearbox trouble.

SPIRIT: Yes; that could be serious.

DR. WHY: We were very lucky to find you here. As you say, it is rather inhospitable country.

PROFESSOR: What, may I ask, is the nature of your research?

HOLMES: I’m afraid we can’t say; it is private.

EXPLORER: Can’t say or won’t say?

PROFESSOR: Come now; come now; no need to get aggressive.

DR. WHY: Thank you Professor. No offence taken; it’s just that it is a private and confidential undertaking and we are not at liberty to explain.

PSYCHIC: It wouldn’t be anything to do with a treasure hunt; would it?

DR. WHY: Certainly not. What ever gave you that idea?

JENNY: I don’t trust these two; there’s something fishy about them.

SPIRIT: Yeah; I feel the same way. That’s why I wanted to have a look at their car.

DR. WHY: (Addressing the Professor) And what, may I ask, is your party doing out here?

PROFESSOR: We’re an archaeological team just doing some preliminary exploration.

HOLMES: That’s interesting. What are you looking for?

JENNY: (Spirit and Jenny have come back to join the main group) We believe there might be signs of ancient ruins in this area.

DR. WHY: That’s amazing. I had no idea.

SPIRIT: They will be well buried so, this is just a reconnaissance trip.

HOLMES: And what’s that on the table? Have you found something already?

PROFESSOR: Oh, no. That’s just a relic we brought with us for comparison in case we found something.

DR. WHY: Very interesting. Do you mind if I have a look?

PROFESSOR: Well; yes. It’s from a private collection and we promised to keep it confidential.

DR. WHY: Ah; I see. It certainly looks old; just as though it has been recently dug out of the ground.

JENNY: It is old, but it’s been in the collection for a long time.

HOLMES: We are very interested in antiquities; in fact, the Doctor here is quite an expert.

EXPLORER: That’s a coincidence. Is that why you’re out here; researching for antiquities?

DR. WHY: Well, yes. We are following some leads.

SPIRIT: Are you sure you’re not following us?

DR. WHY: Now, now, young man. You’re getting rather inquisitive.

HOLMES: (Drawing a revolver from under his jacket and pointing it at the Professor) I think you’d better let us have a look at that box.

PSYCHIC: Be warned; you don’t know what you’re getting into.

HOLMES: Shut up. We know what we’re doing.

DR. WHY: That’s perfectly true. Now, if you don’t mind, we shall examine the box.

PROFESSOR: This is preposterous. That’s just an ordinary relic.

DR. WHY: Far from ordinary; I think it holds the key to the Golden Rooster.

JENNY: That’s stupid. We don’t know anything about any Golden Rooster.

HOLMES: (Turning to the Explorer) Is that so my good friend; you haven’t been telling us stories; have you?

EXPLORER: There’s the proof; right there on the table.

PROFESSOR: What! You traitor; you’ve been selling us out all along?

JENNY: How could you?

EXPLORER: Stuff your history; I’m in this for the money.

DR. WHY: Well spoken; and that’s what we’re here for too. Now, let’s have a look at this relic.

HOLMES: (Gesturing with the revolver) Over there you bunch. Get away from the table.

PSYCHIC: I’ve warned you; you have no idea what you’re getting into.

EXPLORER: It’s damned heavy for whatever is in it.

DR. WHY: It appears solid. There doesn’t seem to be a way to open it.

EXPLORER: Hey Professor; what’s the secret for opening the box?

PROFESSOR: I have no idea. I haven’t had a chance to examine it before you gatecrashed the party.

DR. WHY: There seems to be some writing on the top. (Brushing the box clean)

HOLMES: Can you read it?

DR. WHY: No; it’s in a script I’ve never seen before. What is it Professor?

PROFESSOR: I’m sure I don’t know.

EXPLORER: Come off it Professor. You didn’t come all this way out here without a good idea of what you’d find.

PROFESSOR: We had leads but, mainly through the special help of our Psychic friend.

DR. WHY: (Turning to the Psychic) So, do you know what it means?

PSYCHIC: I suspect it is probably text from the ancient Dropa tribe in China.

HOLMES: That’s a bloody lot of help. Can you read it?

PSYCHIC: No!

DR. WHY: Are you sure? How can you know it’s from the Dropa tribe?

PSYCHIC: It came to me in the warning.

HOLMES: What warning? Don’t tell us you’re getting messages from the beyond?

SPIRIT: That’s exactly what happens.

DR. WHY: That’s rubbish!

JENNY: That’s what I’d expect from you mercenary skeptics.

HOLMES: Watch your tongue or you’ll be sorry.

DR. WHY: (Addressing the Psychic) I think you had better come over here and have a look at this.

DR. WHY: Well; what do you make of that?

HOLMES: What’s the matter; what’s going on?

PROFESSOR: What happened? What was that noise? What’s happened to those three?

SPIRIT: (Running over to Holmes and picking up the revolver he’s dropped) I’ve got the gun.

PSYCHIC: Good. I think we had better tie them up.

JENNY: I’ll get some rope. (Jenny goes off stage and comes back with some rope – she and Spirit tie the hands behind the other three)

PROFESSOR: What happened? I don’t understand.

PSYCHIC: You remember I told you that the legend say the Golden Rooster can only be possessed by those with a pure heart.

PROFESSOR: Yes, I remember. So that’s why it affected those three?

PSYCHIC: No, not really. I sensed these three were up to no good as soon as those two showed up.

PROFESSOR: So, What did you do?

PSYCHIC: I simply placed a drug in the water we gave them when they arrived.

JENNY: So, it wasn’t the box at all?

PSYCHIC: Oh no; not at all. The box is a clue; just one of many we will have to find on our search for the Golden Rooster.