I've been thinking about my new play, working title Color Separation. Since I'm kind of known for writing plays for a political bent, I tried looking at my ideas so far through a political lens, and I think I've found what I'd been missing in my vision so far: the essential conflict. What secrets are the female protagonist keeping that walls her off from the male protagonist? What is he to learn as he gathers bits of data into his glowing sphere.
Since it's me, I have one idea: Political conflict. I feel the play will be enriched if one of the problems holding them back is a clash of ideological differences. If, say, the male protagonist (Nomos?) believes in Autobot ideals, how would he feel if he slowly discovered his love interest (Pseudḗs?) was a Decepticon supporter? Is it a mere difference of opinion, or a clashing division of core morality? Can love conquer politics?
Naturally, these theme has been explored before, and I have been accused of being rather heavy-handed in my allegory. So, I can't allow this to become another diatribe about politics, or simple anti-war propaganda. But if I can do it well, I can explore the larger conflicts all Cybertronians are experiencing right now, as forces for peace push back against an eternity of war. If I can examine this conflict in microcosm, it might make my play more than simple romantic fluff.
Of course, though, as usual, work intervenes. The Tyroxians have fired on trading convoys again that passed too close to their region of space, and I have to intervene before they start a war. Insurrectionists have breached our embassy on Cygnus Seven, and I haven't even been able to figure out what they want -- I suspect one of our enemies are riling them up against us, but who? And then there's the planet Beast, suffering a full-on Decepticon invasion. Their people are organic, so I plan to bring Spike along to help with a negotiation for a defense alliance with the royal loyalists.
Which does bring me to another thought -- there are so many neutral polities to which the Autobots extend offers of protection against the Decepticons, but who remain staunchly neutral in the affairs of Autobots and Decepticons. I feel this places an undo burden on us, since we need to be aware of Decepticon threats in their areas but do so, in most cases, without bases for intelligence and support. I'm working on a proposal for Optimus Prime to try to create an Autobot Commonwealth... or at least a Neutral/Autobot Treaty Alliance... for mutual cooperation and self-defense. Here's hoping for some planetary unity.
Crosscut, Cyberdate 98646.58