[SETTING: vast futuristic terminal… distant strings… metallic echoes… scanner sounds… footsteps…] [INTRO — slow, spacious and ceremonial… mostly spoken… generous pauses between lines… only soft strings and distant electronics… the waltz has NOT started yet…] [ONLY FEMALE SYSTEM VOICE — LOW MATURE FEMALE CONTRALTO — SPOKEN SLOWLY — NO MALE VOICE] Password accepted… Two-factor code accepted… Security check complete… [MALE HUMAN — DEEP MALE BARITONE — relaxed, amused] Easy… flying through this… [FEMALE SYSTEM — LOW MATURE FEMALE VOICE ONLY] Please confirm you’re human… [MALE HUMAN — DEEP MALE VOICE ONLY] Right… here we go… [the full Viennese waltz begins… pace lifts… dialogue becomes quicker and more musical…] [VERSE 1] [FEMALE SYSTEM] Select all images containing bicycles… [MALE HUMAN] Okay… bicycle… half a bicycle… surely that counts… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Please try again… [MALE HUMAN] That’s stricter than I thought… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Select all images containing staircases… [MALE HUMAN] Hang on… are we counting landings… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Incorrect… [MALE HUMAN] Apparently not… [CHORUS — MULTIPLE VOICES — grand, melodic, playful, clearly sung] Please confirm you’re human… One more box… one more try… Check the squares… identify… Make your choice… standing by… Please confirm you’re human… [VERSE 2] [FEMALE SYSTEM] Select all images containing traffic lights… [MALE HUMAN] The light itself… or the pole as well… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Incorrect… [MALE HUMAN] This is getting tricky… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Select all images containing buses… [MALE HUMAN] That’s clearly part of a bus… I think… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Incorrect… [MALE HUMAN] We’re doing percentages now… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Please select all matching images… [CHORUS — MULTIPLE VOICES — grand, melodic, playful, clearly sung] Please confirm you’re human… One more box… one more try… Check the squares… identify… Make your choice… standing by… Please confirm you’re human… [BREAKDOWN — orchestra softens… pace eases slightly…] [FEMALE SYSTEM] Please try again… [MALE HUMAN] The picture is blurred… the corner is cropped… the object continues off-screen… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Verification unsuccessful… [MALE HUMAN] I’ve crossed from verification into speculation… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Please try again… [MALE HUMAN] I’m deciding based on what’s outside the square… [FEMALE SYSTEM] Final verification attempt… [MALE HUMAN] At this point… I’m backing instincts… [FINAL CHORUS — MULTIPLE VOICES — larger, triumphant, beautifully sung, absurdly grand] Please confirm you’re human… One more box… one more try… Check the squares… identify… Make your choice… standing by… Please confirm you’re human… [the orchestra resolves magnificently… brief silence…] [FEMALE SYSTEM — LOW MATURE FEMALE VOICE ONLY — calm and emotionless] Verification expired… Please begin again…
