breakinglight11 (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
breakinglight11) wrote2015-12-12 06:00 am
breakinglight11) wrote2015-12-12 06:00 am
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Brockton returns: scene scribbling for Mrs. Hawking part 4
My thoughts have been turning to the fourth installment of the Mrs. Hawking series ever since the end of part three, Base Instruments, came in sight. That piece is going to be all about HISTORY-- while part one told Mary's "origin story" as a hero, part four will flash back to tell Mrs. Hawking's, the moment where things changed for her to put her on the path she travels ever after.
To keep with that notion, the repercussions of things past that shaped the world of the present, I thought it might be interesting to bring back characters that we'd met before, but weren't necessarily part of the recurring cast of the heroes, Clara, Arthur, and the like.
That made me think of Lord Brockton, the villain from part one, the blackmailer who they have in a Mexican standoff by the end of story. It occurred to me that if you've got a blackmailer under your thumb, he can be used as a source of information-- which would be a good reason to bring him back. Also, I connected it to the notion of double-casting I want to facilitate with the story, the idea that people from the past story can be played by the same actors as characters in the present to convey meaning. The idea came from the most important double casting I'd like to do, present-day Nathaniel with the flashback-era Colonel. When I realized that the imposing older man who represents the broken establishment aspect of Lord Brockton meant that actor could also play Mrs. Hawking's father, whom I also plan to include, that clinched it. I think it would work to have the character of Lord Brockton recur.
To that end, I scribbled out the scene in the last few days. It's light on specific plot details-- as these things tend to be before I figure out the overarching strucutre of the piece --but it conveys the vibe I want for the interaction. I think it could be very cool.
"Intelligence"
by Phoebe Roberts
MRS. VICTORIA HAWKING, lady's society avenger
LORD CEDRIC BROCKTON, minor London noble, formerly a society blackmailer
(LORD BROCKTON's personal study. MRS. HAWKING appears from the shadows. He startles, then stares at her in quiet fury.)
LORD BROCKTON: Hawking.
MRS. HAWKING: Brockton.
LORD BROCKTON: You have nerve coming here. I ought to set every man in my service on you.
MRS. HAWKING: You do and enough evidence of your crimes will flood the city to ruin you a dozen times over.
LORD BROCKTON: Why are you here?
MRS. HAWKING: Because you have something that I need.
LORD BROCKTON: Why would I do anything to help you?
MRS. HAWKING: For the same reason you’ll not dare cross me.
LORD BROCKTON: Enough! What the devil do you want?
MRS. HAWKING: Information.
LORD BROCKTON: On what?
MRS. HAWKING: An operator of criminal enterprise in this city. Your specialty.
LORD BROCKTON: You’ve no luck there. With your damned oversight, you’ve kept me well out of that.
MRS. HAWKING: Don’t waste my time and yours, Cedric. As if you’d if you’d ever close your eyes and ears.
(Pause.)
LORD BROCKTON: What’s the name?
MRS. HAWKING: I don’t have one.
LORD BROCKTON: Then what do you expect of me?
MRS. HAWKING: It’s a serious player! Hands in everything, from the lowest back alleys to the highest halls of government! There can’t be many on that level.
LORD BROCKTON: There aren’t.
MRS. HAWKING: Then you must have some idea.
(After a moment, BROCKTON goes to a cabinet to examine some files.)
LORD BROCKTON: How far up the chain?
MRS. HAWKING: All the way to parliament.
(BROCKTON looks up sharply.)
LORD BROCKTON: There’s only one I know of with that kind of reach.
MRS. HAWKING: Yes?
LORD BROCKTON: He works through agents three layers deep so nothing is ever traced back to him. But any encroachment on those enterprises that belong to him are met with swift and brutal retribution. The only reason he’s known at all is so that his name will warn others off.
MRS. HAWKING: And what is that name?
LORD BROCKTON: Frost. Dawson Frost.
MRS. HAWKING: Indeed.
LORD BROCKTON: Some say he can’t possibly exist, at least not as one man. No one I’ve heard of has ever laid eyes on him.
MRS. HAWKING: Still. It’s a place to begin.
LORD BROCKTON: So you mean to take on Mr. Frost, then?
MRS. HAWKING: With or without your intelligence.
LORD BROCKTON: Quite the contrary, madam. I’ll give you everything I have on him. I mean to make sure you find him. Because when you do, he’ll destroy you as the rest of us never could.
MRS. HAWKING: Are you so certain?
LORD BROCKTON: They say he knows how to operate. Even better than you.
MRS. HAWKING: Well. We’ll see, then.
To keep with that notion, the repercussions of things past that shaped the world of the present, I thought it might be interesting to bring back characters that we'd met before, but weren't necessarily part of the recurring cast of the heroes, Clara, Arthur, and the like.
That made me think of Lord Brockton, the villain from part one, the blackmailer who they have in a Mexican standoff by the end of story. It occurred to me that if you've got a blackmailer under your thumb, he can be used as a source of information-- which would be a good reason to bring him back. Also, I connected it to the notion of double-casting I want to facilitate with the story, the idea that people from the past story can be played by the same actors as characters in the present to convey meaning. The idea came from the most important double casting I'd like to do, present-day Nathaniel with the flashback-era Colonel. When I realized that the imposing older man who represents the broken establishment aspect of Lord Brockton meant that actor could also play Mrs. Hawking's father, whom I also plan to include, that clinched it. I think it would work to have the character of Lord Brockton recur.
To that end, I scribbled out the scene in the last few days. It's light on specific plot details-- as these things tend to be before I figure out the overarching strucutre of the piece --but it conveys the vibe I want for the interaction. I think it could be very cool.
"Intelligence"
by Phoebe Roberts
MRS. VICTORIA HAWKING, lady's society avenger
LORD CEDRIC BROCKTON, minor London noble, formerly a society blackmailer
(LORD BROCKTON's personal study. MRS. HAWKING appears from the shadows. He startles, then stares at her in quiet fury.)
LORD BROCKTON: Hawking.
MRS. HAWKING: Brockton.
LORD BROCKTON: You have nerve coming here. I ought to set every man in my service on you.
MRS. HAWKING: You do and enough evidence of your crimes will flood the city to ruin you a dozen times over.
LORD BROCKTON: Why are you here?
MRS. HAWKING: Because you have something that I need.
LORD BROCKTON: Why would I do anything to help you?
MRS. HAWKING: For the same reason you’ll not dare cross me.
LORD BROCKTON: Enough! What the devil do you want?
MRS. HAWKING: Information.
LORD BROCKTON: On what?
MRS. HAWKING: An operator of criminal enterprise in this city. Your specialty.
LORD BROCKTON: You’ve no luck there. With your damned oversight, you’ve kept me well out of that.
MRS. HAWKING: Don’t waste my time and yours, Cedric. As if you’d if you’d ever close your eyes and ears.
(Pause.)
LORD BROCKTON: What’s the name?
MRS. HAWKING: I don’t have one.
LORD BROCKTON: Then what do you expect of me?
MRS. HAWKING: It’s a serious player! Hands in everything, from the lowest back alleys to the highest halls of government! There can’t be many on that level.
LORD BROCKTON: There aren’t.
MRS. HAWKING: Then you must have some idea.
(After a moment, BROCKTON goes to a cabinet to examine some files.)
LORD BROCKTON: How far up the chain?
MRS. HAWKING: All the way to parliament.
(BROCKTON looks up sharply.)
LORD BROCKTON: There’s only one I know of with that kind of reach.
MRS. HAWKING: Yes?
LORD BROCKTON: He works through agents three layers deep so nothing is ever traced back to him. But any encroachment on those enterprises that belong to him are met with swift and brutal retribution. The only reason he’s known at all is so that his name will warn others off.
MRS. HAWKING: And what is that name?
LORD BROCKTON: Frost. Dawson Frost.
MRS. HAWKING: Indeed.
LORD BROCKTON: Some say he can’t possibly exist, at least not as one man. No one I’ve heard of has ever laid eyes on him.
MRS. HAWKING: Still. It’s a place to begin.
LORD BROCKTON: So you mean to take on Mr. Frost, then?
MRS. HAWKING: With or without your intelligence.
LORD BROCKTON: Quite the contrary, madam. I’ll give you everything I have on him. I mean to make sure you find him. Because when you do, he’ll destroy you as the rest of us never could.
MRS. HAWKING: Are you so certain?
LORD BROCKTON: They say he knows how to operate. Even better than you.
MRS. HAWKING: Well. We’ll see, then.
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"I mean to make sure you find him. Because when you do, he'll destroy you as the rest of us never could." is such a *good* line given what's coming.
"He knows how to operate, even better than you." is also very good.
I'm excited :D
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no subject
(Anonymous) 2015-12-13 02:02 pm (UTC)(link)[bangs fists on table] FROST! FROST! FROST! FROST!
(don't look at me i'm trash XD)
- one who seldom frequents this site and can't be arsed to log on
no subject