"Upgraded" – Radio Edit
By: Erik Amill


Characters:
?	Bob – Bob is a Humanoid Robot called a Reploid. He works in an office and is a bit of a 
showoff. Bob's speech is natural but slightly off. Like listening to a better than average 
recording. Think Data from Star Trek: The Next Generation or GLaDOS from the Portal 
game series.
?	Hal – Like Bob, Hal is a Reploid. Hal has a very natural speech pattern and could very 
well pass as human. He's your average blue-collar nice guy.

Note: We open on a café where various people and very humanoid looking robots are 
gathering, talking, and working. The background noise is present but muffled. It will provide an 
ambiance and reality to this bit. The robots make a slight metallic sound when the step, like 
hollow soup cans.

Narrator:
Enter Bob – a young Reploid enjoying a can of soda at a local café. As fate would have it, he's 
about to meet up with an old friend…


SFX:
(Fade in: Background noise from a Café.)


SFX:
(Footsteps)

Bob: (Stands up)
Hey Hal! How are you doing today?


Hal: (Walking towards Bob)
Completely operational as always. Good to see you man!


SFX:
(Footsteps stop)


Hal: (Pulls out a chair to sit)
So... how have you been doing?


Bob: (Sits back down)
Feeling a little... (Puts foot up on the table) Upgraded!


Hal: (Surprised)
Those are the new rocket boots from NNT right?



Bob: (Puts his foot back on the floor)
Yep. Saved up for a month for these puppies.


Hal:
I bet. How long did it take to install 'em?


Bob:
13 hours. This was my longest one yet.


Hal:
Damn. But it was worth it right?


Bob: (Stands up)
Definitely. Hey, I'm going to get a soda. Walk with me, talk with me.


Hal: (Stands up)
Sure.


SFX:
(Footsteps)


Hal:
I've heard so much about those new boots. How do they feel? How do they ride?


Bob:
They're good, they're good. Low emission but still really high performance.
 I don't need to worry about extra fuel anymore because these babies hook right into my power 
supply.


Hal:
No kidding. That's gotta' take a toll on your battery right? Those things are supposed to do 120 
miles per hour tops.


SFX:
(Footsteps stop. Begin vending machine sounds)


Bob:
That's what makes these boots so sick. Zero to sixty in four seconds with minimal power loss. I 
can go all day without a worry!


Hal:
Man, modern tech at its finest.


Bob:
See, that's not even the best part. Get a load of this!


SFX:
(Machine noises, like gears moving and metal shifting. Muffled sound of Harrier jet lifting itself 
off the ground)


Bob: 
Stealth hover. Pretty boss huh?


Hal: (Surprised)
Dude that's sick! Rockin' it all military style. Damn, I need a pair of those!


Bob: (Smiling)
It cost a little extra... but it is was worth it.


SFX:
(Footsteps. Continue hover sounds)


Hal:
So how's that office job of yours? I'm sure your boss will have something to say about those.


SFX:
(Can of soda being opened)


Bob: 
No problem. As long as I don't show off in the building I'm not violating company policy. 
Anyway, my boss is dying to see them too. Hey... last time I saw you, you were in between jobs 
right?


Hal:
Yeah. It took me a bit but I finally found a place with some decent pay.


Bob:
Where at?


Hal:
Dockside security for NNT. I start full time next week.


Bob: 
Nice. I can picture you as a security guard too. Busting heads if someone got too close to the 
fence. (Laughs)


Hal: 
Hey, laugh it up salary man. Just remember I get a 25% discount on any NNT upgrade I want.


Bob: (Smiling)
Like what?


Hal: 
Like this little number I picked up for work...


SFX:
(Machine noises, like gears moving and metal shifting ending with the sound of a bolt-action 
rifle being locked.)


Bob: (Spit takes)
Whoa!


Hal:
Oh yeah. You're not the only one with an upgrade. This little baby here is the latest in NNT light 
weaponry. 


SFX:
(Tapping on metal with a hand)


Hal:
I can do everything from stun a pedestrian all the way up to punching a man-sized hole in a 
cinder block wall.


Bob: (A little nervous)
Isn't that a little much for a security guard? I mean... that's a lot of power man.

Hal:
Heck, this was standard issue! That dock sees a lot of cargo, ya' know. But it's good right now. I 
have the safety on. The best it'll do is give you a shock.


Bob: (Confident)
I bet you can't shock me.


Hal: (Confused)
What?


Bob:
Come on. You said it yourself - the safety is on and it can't do a thing. Come on and shock me!


Hal:
What?! No. I haven't had much practice with it yet and I could really put the hurt on you if I'm 
not careful.


Bob:
What's the worse that could happen right?


Hal:
Okay man. Can't say I didn't warn ya'.


SFX:
(Sound of a Jet Engine winding up)


Hal:
Goodbye.


SFX:
(A massive explosion – like a cannon being fired – followed by the sounds of crumbling brick, 
shattering glass and people fleeing in terror. Bob has been sent flying through the wall.)


Hal: (Stands up)
(Cough) Hey Bob! You okay?


Bob: (Laughing)
Damn! That was nuts!


Hal: (Smiling)
Hey Bob, you forgot your new boots!


The End